NORTH RIM, AZ - - Here are two new places we've gone to in search of new views of the Grand Canyon. The top photo is from the lookout at Point Imperial which the bottom photo is from Cape Royal and includes the Colorado River which isn't visible from our area of work on the North Rim
NORTH RIM , AZ - - Things you won't see in Florida: Early morning coffee ... May 24. Yes, that is snow.
NORTH RIM, AZ - - On Tuesday, the scheduled trip to a hike location way out a dirt road I don't really want to take the VW on was canceled. Lydia was to drive the shuttle on the trip, but a change in plans sent her (us) to Paige, AZ. The above shot is from the walkway on the Navajo Bridge which crosses the Colorado River and is surrounded by the Vermilion Cliffs and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
NORTH RIM, AZ - - We had our only day off together this week so we decided to test our lungs on a short (2 miles down and 2 miles back up) hike to Supai Tunnel. Not a very photogenic place. However, while we were having our rest break the calvary rode in. I mean tourists on mules showed up and 'parked' for a short rest...in the top photo. Since we didn't expire on the hike from lack of oxygen or steep trails we've set our future sights on continuing down into the Kaibab Canyon. The bottom photo shows The Bridge In The Redwall (bottom left/center in the pic) and the trail continuing onward toward Roaring Springs which is 5 miles one-way.
NORTH RIM, AZ - - Click on the photo to blow it up. Look at the middle right of the photo where the showers are. An hour after this, we experienced a heavy snow squall which lasted about 15 minutes and promptly melted. Such is the weather. Sunday's forecast is for 81-degrees and sunny. We'll see.
NORTH RIM, AZ - - This is the view from the veranda at Grand Canyon Lodge. We had snow yesterday, nasty winds and 35-degree weather. We are involved in a new game here: It's called "Find the cell phone signal." It involves wandering around with your phone looking for a signal. We tried a number of locations given us but no dice. Then, this morning a person noted that a trip through the woods behind our dorm to the rim of the canyon might work as they were told there was a cell tower somewhere in the (hazy) distance. They were right, but nobody was home when I called.
NORTH RIM, AZ - - How you know you're not in Florida anymore. This is about 30 miles away from where we are working at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Daytona Beach = 30+ - feet above sea level; North Rim = 8,200 and over.
SPRINGDALE, UT - - The above hummingbird was working on a full tank of fuel, which, if it we gas, would be $3.25 per gallon and up.
This is a quiz to see if you can figure out which of the squirrel(s) in the above/below photos will get a citation from the Park Rangers for misdemeanor stupidity. Hint: this involves getting stranded in the middle of the Virgin River...jokes about virginity and stupidity are not allowed.
SPRINGDALE, UT - - Today's excursion has taken us to Zion National Park. One thing missed in yesterday's posting was Red Rocks Canyon, which is on the road into Bryce Canyon NP. The colors were quite interesting...as in the top photo. On arrival in Zion NP at about 9am we were lucky enough to get one of the park's campsites with a great view of the limestone cliffs behind.
GLENDALE, UT - - The hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National Park, like the huge sentinels in Monument Valley, are what the tourists come to see. You can get a good idea of the strata from the look out points, but to really see the hoodoos you need to hike into the canyon. We did just that from Bryce Point via connecting trails to Sunrise Point...a bit over 4 miles by going down nearly 1,800' and then back up the same amount. Rainwater does some sculpting of the hoodoos, but the main artistic endeavor is the freeze and thaw cycle which Bryce experiences on average 200 days per year. The pink-ish and white colors on the limestone in the Claron Formation come from plant/root oxidation while the white comes from the evaporation of the clearer water over time. 
KANAB, UT - - We were on our way to Monument Valley when the turnoff to Valley of the Gods showed up. It's a 15-mile winding dirt road through some spectacular scenery. So, off we went despite my misgivings about beating up the VW Bus. No problem. What the challenge ended up being was that there were so many good shots it was hard to choose. So here's one shot in which the stone formations look like soldiers standing guard. Nothing like a couple of open range road blocks to give the bottom photo some added scenery.
CORTEZ, CO - - My title for this photo is: pinyon pine with clouds and brush. There are numerous areas in Mesa Verde National Park which are covered with dead pinyon pines, the victims of the ravages of forest fires. Some seem to be posing for the camera.
SANTA FE, NM - - I don't tell many people that I fully believe I saw a flying saucer in 1950. Lydia has ribbed me about this since our trip a couple of years ago to Rachel, NV - - a must-see stop for UFO junkies near Area 51. While the little green aliens weren't around Area 51 when we were there, they we in abundance in Roswell, NM. They have the International UFO Museum and Research Center; Roswell has a UFO convention which draws ALL sorts of individuals - - from this planet and plenty who claim to be from outer space. The visitor center comes with it's own personal alien (that's me on the right). Even the fast food joints have 'Welcome Alien' on their signs out front. Lydia has had a good old time quizzing me on all things green and saucer shaped flying objects.
ROSWELL, NM - - This is the coffee shop in Terlingua Ghost Town. It appeared to be the center of activity for the locals and two interlopers (us). This is a way, way laid back place close to but not quite in the middle of nowhere. The conversations - - which were hard to miss - - centered on what went on last night; what would go on tonight; who had a job; who needed a job; why bother with the pain of trying to get a job and one much older individual's beer fueled ramblings. Much like Key West 40 years ago, minus the Atlantic/Gulf.
ROSWELL, NM - - This cloud formation was along TX Rt. 180 on our way to Guadalupe Mountains NP where we camped for the night. We went from nearly 100 degrees in Rio Grande Village Thursday afternoon to a windy 45 degrees this morning in the NP. Spotty wi-fi areas has put us behind in our photo montage of the trip.
