North America - Jen and Garry 2012: Newsletter 2

USA / Canada, Newsletter 2 - June, 2012

Four Corners Monument, the only place in USA where the borders of four states meet (Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico) is part of the Colorado Uplift.

Four Corners - Four states

It is in the Navajo reservation, as was the spectacular Monument Valley (in Arizona), made famous by John Wayne, who starred in many of his movies there.

Monument Valley

Through time, mesas, buttes and spires now form wondrous, natural structures and are continually being eroded by wind and water. At over 5,000 ft we were able to enter the park and drive a loop of 17 miles on rough gravel road, stopping to take photos of the red rock monuments against a “so blue” sky.

Monument Valley

Mesa Verde, just out of Cortez in Colorado, was another National Park. We drove to 6000 feet onto a plateau and were able to do a guided tour climbing down (via steps and ladders) into canyons where earlier, inhabitants had built homes in overhanging rock ledges.

Down into the Canyon

The ledges were carefully chosen as they took advantage of the sun, warmed in winter and in shade for summer, and protected from rain.

Mesa Verde dwellings

So these mud brick structures have lasted for over 800 yrs.

Standing around the kiva (sacred place)

And now we turned east heading towards Bryce Canyon. The landscape continually changed as “young” sandstone mountains had different forms depending on the original colour and fineness of the sand, and the erosion of the area.

Unusual rock strata near Mexican Hat

Near the Natural Bridges the land looked fairly flat but had deep canyons criss-crossing it.

Natural Bridges National Park

The Colorado River crossing had sheer cliffs descending into the river and we could not stop our “ohs and ahs”.

Natural Bridge - spectacular

By-Way 12 road was built as part of the CCC (Civilian Construction Corps) scheme initiated by the Gov during the depression. It connected farming villages, many settled by Mormons in this area, whose families had fled from persecution in Europe.

Along the CCC Road, By-Way 12

After seeing bare rock formations and uplifts for many miles the road went up over a 9600 ft pass where green grass and pines were growing. The road continued through more rocky canyons and there must have been unbelievable amounts of dynamite used to construct the road.

Navajo Dome

It was so spectacularly scenic and the colours of the sandstone went from greys to yellows, oranges and red.

Nothing could have prepared us for the erosion that formed Bryce Canyon. The National Parks road goes along the rim but you don’t see anything except bush and pines until you get out of the car and walk to the many lookouts.

Bryce Canyon's Hoo-Doos

Once again depending on the “hardness” of the sandstone, what was left were huge spires or “hoo-doos”.

Walking trails through Bryce Canyon

We walked for three hours into the valley which gave us a different perspective looking up at them, taking our time as we were still over 7500ft and found the walking a bit huffy and puffy.

Down in the Canyon amongst the hoo-doos

The next day, and only about 50 miles away, Zion NP was very different again. The Virgin River had cut a canyon over time where sheer cliffs of 2000ft lined the valley.

Virgin River through Zion National Park

Shuttle buses take you deeper into the canyon where you can go on long or short hikes to view Weeping Rock, The Grotto or many other sites.

Water seeping through the sandstone at Weeping Rock

At 7000ft, the road in from the east, also built by the CCC in 1930’s, wound between huge rock formations and at the head of the canyon a one mile tunnel was made through the mountain. Then the road with about eight hairpin bends, took us to the valley floor. WOW!!

Road from Tunnel exit into Zion Valley

And so back to Las Vegas to return the car and catch up on the shows we didn’t have time to see the fortnight before. The Titanic exhibition at The Luxor was really well done with lots of “things” recovered, reconstructions of cabins, the grand staircase, and stories, sad but true. Even a large piece of the ship’s outer wall was on display.

Luxor at night

The best thing that day was getting tickets to see the Illusionist, David Copperfield (who wasn’t performing when we were last here). The show was better than we’d hoped and made even more special when Jen was able to go up on stage and be part of the illusion when a car appeared from under the large sheet. We still don’t know how 12 people on stage could be contained in a huge box and then appear at the back of the audience some minutes later.

Big Girls' Toys

So we said goodbye to Las Vegas and flew to San Antonio to meet Ross and Bev, who have lived on and off in North America for many years. He is the brother of our good friend Toni from Yass.

Everything's BIG in Texas

We had a wonderful time with them, visiting the Alamo, doing the red double decker city bus trip, having lunch and a boat ride along the river walk, and meeting American friends of theirs in their homes.

The Alamo

It was 95-100F each day so would come back to the air conditioned house each afternoon.

Boating along the river in San Antonio

Ross suggested we try setting up a blog as it would be easier to add to and the photos are there to see. So we hope you are finding it better.

Lunching at one of the many restaurants along the river walk

We also visited San Jose, a Spanish Mission from 1700’s that has been restored and was made very interesting by the guide’s stories.

San Jose Mission

To get a taste of motor homes we visited a few RV saleyards further out of town but there were not many to choose from. So we hired a car for the week, said goodbye to Bev and Ross, and headed for Houston.

Lunch on the River Walk with Ross, Bev and Julie

We looked carefully for two days and finally decided. We originally thought a 24 ft van would be adequate but quickly realised we’d have to go a bit longer.

Our RV in the Parking Lot

Many RV’s on the road are as big as buses towing small cars, so we feel we’re in a medium to small RV range. Ours is a 28ft, 2004 model (48,500 miles on the clock), on a Ford F450 V10 “gas guzzler”, but at between 85 and 90c a litre it’s not too bad.

The Dinette (slides out about 70 cms)

It has a “slide out” of the dinette which gives a little more room in the kitchen area.

The Kitchen

We think the previous owners had not used the stove, oven or microwave – probably ate out while on holidays as it’s so cheap here, and there’s barely a scratch on it. The bathroom has a shower, toilet and washbasin, and the bedroom has small hanging cupboards with a queen bed. It has just a “little” more room than the Kimberley.

The Bedroom

While waiting to settle on the van we stayed with (Jenny and George), sister and brother in law of Vicki (whom I worked with at Rye Park School) and enjoyed their lovely home and meeting their friends.

Saturn V Rocket at NASA

We visited NASA and Brazos Bend State Park to see the crocodiles in the swamps and the many birds.

Scaredy 'Gator at Brazos Bend State Park

Did an overnight trip to Dallas to go to the JFK Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza,

Texas School Book Depository- now JFK Sixth Floor Museum

and paused on the Grassy Knoll and wondered!


The Snipers View - note that x marks the spot

The Grassy Knoll

Did a quick visit to the Capital of Texas, Austin. We walked along the river bank in the Botanical Gardens and took photos of the city before heading back to Houston to pick up the RV.