Lake Powell

We spent three hours on Lake Powell today, on a boat tour.  The weather was perfect, with temperatures in the 70’s when we boarded the boat and a clear sky.  We stopped behind Glen Canyon Dam to take photos, then continued on to Antelope Canyon.  The boat took us about 4 miles up Antelope Canyon, until the canyon walls narrowed to allow only kayaks and small boats.  We rode up into Navajo Canyon, with 500+’ rock walls towering overhead.  We turned around at the point known as Navaho Tapestry, with “desert varnish” running down the walls over the years.  It was an unforgettable experience!

“Glen Canyon Dam is built over the Colorado River, at 710’, it was built between 1956 and 1966.  It formed one of the largest man-made reservoirs in the US, Lake Powell.  Glen Canyon Dam helps ensure and equitable distribution of water between the states of the Upper Colorado River Basin (Colorado, Wyoming, most of New Mexico and Utah) and the Lower Basin (California, Nevada and most of Arizona).  It waters over four million acres of farmland and provides drinking water to about 30 million people.  The dam is also a source of hydroelectricity, providing over 4 billion kilowatt hours per year.  Lake Powell, known for its scenic beauty and recreational opportunities, attracts millions of tourists each year.”

Vermillion Cliffs to the North Rim

After our hike around Bell Rock on Tuesday morning, we drove to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, taking our time, stopping to take photos all along the way.  We drove over the Marble Canyon Bridge, spanning the Colorado River, then walked across the first Marble Canyon Bridge, built between 1927-1929, just south of Lee’s Ferry.  Lee’s Ferry was the only way across the Colorado River for decades before the Marble Canyon Bridge was built.

Marble Canyon is at the foot of the Vermillion Cliffs, that run over 30 miles at a height of 2000’, in beautiful shades of deep red.  We drove the length of the Vermillion Cliffs on our way to the North Rim, with rolling grassland to our south and the cliffs towering over us to the north.  It was one of the most beautiful drives we’ve ever done, anywhere!

We had lunch at Jacob’s Lake, in a restaurant founded in 1923 and still run by the same family.  We continued south to Grand Canyon National Park, North Rim, passing through broad meadows, with towering Ponderosa pine and aspen twinkling in the breeze.  We checked into the Grand Canyon Lodge, staying in a 1920’s era cabin, that was very spacious and had a pair of rocking chairs on the front porch.  We hiked out to Bright Angel Point and enjoyed the setting sun for over an hour.  It was beautiful!

We were up early this morning, so we could watch the sun rise over the Grand Canyon.  It was a cloudy morning, so sunrise was not as spectacular as we hoped.  We ate breakfast and hiked back to Bright Angel Point, as the clouds began to lift.  Nice!

We left the North Rim by mid morning to drive north out of the park.  Along the way, we saw a herd of 100+ bison, grazing in a meadow.  Amazing!  We made numerous stops along the Vermillion Cliffs, because we couldn’t help ourselves from gawking!  They are so beautiful!

We continued north toward Page, and stopped at Horsehoe Bend, a sharp bend in the Colorado River.  We visited Horsehoe Bend once before with about 5-6 other people.  This time there were a 1000 or more, mostly foreign visitors, many arriving in buses.  Horseshoe Bend is found!

We checked into our hotel in Page, then took a short drive to the Visitor Center at Glen Canyon Dam. We arranged to take a boat tour tomorrow, then walked across the bridge spanning the Colorado River.  Again, the views were beautiful, of the Glen Canyon Dam, as well as the landscape around.

Morning Hike around Bell Rock

We were up by 6 and hiked around Bell Rock.  The sun was starting to come up as we started our hike.  It lit up the rocks as it climbed higher in the sky.  A beautiful morning hike!

Trip to Northern Arizona

Papa has been undergoing tests over the past three weeks, taking medication, seeing numerous doctors.  We cancelled our trip to South America, scheduled for departure tomorrow.  We’ve been under stress at our house and a short trip to northern Arizona seemed a nice short getaway.

We left home soon after noon today.  We stopped at Claire’s house in Phoenix for a couple of hours, for a visit with Emerson and Colby.  By 4:30, we were back on the road and we arrived in Sedona by 6.  The sun was already low in the sky.  We plan to hike in the morning before driving further north.  

Morning Hike

The sky full of clouds, the light on the mountains, the crispness in the air... loved my morning hike!

Uncertainty

Papa has been dealing with some uncertainty over the past 10+ days, which has affected me too!  His health is at issue.  He has had two doctor’s appointments, two lab tests, we are awaiting test results in the next 24-48 hours, and he has another doctor appointment on Friday of this week.  We are doing everything possible to mitigate the situation, so this past week has been a bit stressful.  We are doing our best to turn lemons into lemonade in this uncertain time!  

Loaded with Fruit

This barrel cactus is loaded with close to 90 fruits and there will be more after the flower blooms fade.  The deep yellow fruit are beautiful and they will make a tasty meal for birds.