Keepin' It Local

Thursday, May 16th
Day Off #3

We got our fill of driving yesterday so the opportunity to stay close to home today was quite appealing.  The cliffs creating the cove our RV park is nestled into have interested us since we arrived and today we determined to explore them.  After a bit of bush-whacking, we stumbled across a trail that led upward along the ledge.  A gentle climb brought us from the base to the first level and provided a view three miles down-canyon to Kanab.  We named it Morris Mesa and marked a spot from which ascending to the summit looks definitely possible.

After lunch we went to the Red Pueblo Museum in Fredonia, AZ, 7 miles east of Kanab.  What a treasure!  The guide, a gentleman about our age, was instrumental in founding and stocking the museum, which is an entirely volunteer operation; his narrative was knowledgeable, first-hand and fascinating.   The museum displays rare Anasazi artifacts discovered by locals; Navajo pottery and spectacular rugs and blankets; a few pieces of lovely Paiute bead work; and some historical relics.  On the grounds we were able to enter a replica of a dug-out house and an authentic sheep wagon, peep through the windows of a 1930s pioneer cabin and see an old well-digging contraption.

Finally Reached a Destination

Wednesday, May 15th
Day Off #2

After being thwarted by sand on two recent expeditions, we chose a route which wouldn't present that obstacle--Tuweep Road, running 61 miles from AZ 389 to the very edge of the Grand Canyon direcctly above Lava Falls on the Colorado River.  Having visited Toroweap twice, we took the Mt Trumbull spur to Nampaweap to see the Indian petroglyphs.  The locals nicknamed the place Billy Goat Canyon because of the many representations of big horn sheep dotting huge chunks of basalt that have toppled from above.  We drove 150 miles, with more than 2/3 of the distance on rough, rocky, rutted roads, in order to hike three miles.  The petroglyphs were plentiful and fun to discover.  We kept a watchful eye out for the rattlesnakes reported by many visitors. Fred was disappointed we saw no rattlers, just two non-poisonous gopher snakes.

 

 

Curses, Foiled Again!

Tuesday, May 14th
Day Off #1

Today was the first of three days off so we went to the BLM office for The Wave lottery.  With 39 applications for 10 slots, we and many others left without the elusive permit. 

OK, on to the next item on the agenda:  breakfast at Parry Lodge on Parry Lodge, thanks to the free passes included in our first paycheck.  The buffet was delicious and well-stocked even though we arrived barely before it was scheduled to close.

Just a few miles north of Kanab is an unpaved road leading to Indian petroglyphs and, farther out, dinosaur tracks.  Although the description stated a high-clearance 4WD vehicle is necessary, it didn't mention sand--very deep sand.   We were about 1.5 miles from the trail head when we began plowing through it rather than rolling over it. Wary of getting stuck again, we turned around and headed out.  It seems exploring the outback in this part of Utah really requires ATVs.

On the return trip to the RV we visited Moqui Cave, a large, deep alcove in the Vermilion Cliffs.  A secluded spot where local teenagers partied, the property was purchased by a Mormon couple in the 1950s.  They transformed it into an bar and dance hall and ran it for several decades.  During those years, Garth discovered and displayed Indian stone points, pottery, fossils, fluourescent minerals as well as his own metal sculptures and wood carvings.  Desiring to retire, he and his wife sold the cave to its present owners who operate it as a roadside museum and gift shop.

The balance of the day was spent just messing around.  Hopefully, plans for Day Off #2 tomorrow will be more successful.

 

North of Kanab, looking northwest toward Zion

Several Surprises

Sunday, May 12th
Mother's Day

One surprise is we're getting used to waking at 5 AM and starting work at 6:00.
Others included the Mother's Day bouquet of a red rose and baby's breath the restaurant staff gave to each mother/employee and tickets for the Lodge's breakfast buffet from Diane, our supervisor.  The most surprising surprise was a visit from Meryl and George, the personable couple we'd met in Zion on Thursday.  They intended to go to the North Rim but didn't realize it isn't open until Wednesday.  We suggested several hikes we enjoyed around Hurricane, where they're staying, as alternatives for today.  Who knows, perhaps we'll encounter them again !