The End of the America Adventure

We had imagined that Victorville would be a small town stopover before attempting to negotiate Las Angeles.  It was another sprawling area with heavy industry alongside poorer housing, and then the other extreme with lovely homes that even had gardens and lawns.  It was a bit of a surprise to hear gunfire though, but turned out to be a shooting range across the motorway.
Our last big pack up and then we went to find a couple of malls near San Bernadino.  They were huge, one was like a whole city within the mall, with 'streets', food stalls, live music and even a train.  If we had more time it would have been fun to explore further.
We had planned to go to Santa Monica to enjoy the glorious 80F temperatures, but after battling the traffic for ages, we reset the GPS and headed to the rental car drop off.  It was a bit of a relief to get there in once peace and then have someone else take the responsibility for getting us safely to the airport.
We decided on a final celebratory drink to round off the adventure but with one round costing $60.00 decided that would be the limit of the celebration!
We bumped our way across the Pacific, landing in Auckland at 6.45 am.  It was a bit said to say goodbye to the Browns after such an adventurous road trip.  Unfortunately we didn't have a direct flight and had a stop over in Christchurch  The last leg of the journey was definitely the least pleasant with strong winds as we came in to land.  It was so good to touch down safely and to be met by Ella with a birthday balloon and flowers.
Bags are now unpacked and will be put away awaiting the next adventure.  Bring it on!!!

Expensive Beer!!

The End

Last days before home

Our last morning at the Grand Canyon was topped off by seeing a beautiful male elk wandering through the forest, as we packed the cars.  He was very obliging and posed for photos, showing off his antlers in the morning sun.  Our stay at Yavapai Lodge was lovely, as much for the amazing scenery as for the environment, where it felt like we were miles from the tourist hustle.

We seemed to drive through vast areas where there wasn’t a lot happening.  It never fails to amaze as to what people do in the houses that are dotted across the desert without a town for miles.  Just because we could, we left the Interstate and drove along the old Route 66.  We joined the road at Salllgman where we stopped to look at some of the memorabilia from the 50-60s when the Route became famous.  There were a number of shops catering for tourists and the one we went into was amazing.  It was great fun looking at the old vehicles and advertisements of the era.  Bought the mandatory tee-shirts, of course!

There were some amazing stretches of straight road, one we measured at more than 20 miles long.  For anyone who has seen the movie Cars, it is easy to see where the inspiration for Radiator Springs came from.  There were towns along the Route that the Interstate really has forgotten.  Many look like the people have just walked away while those who have stayed don’t appear to have much of a future.

Toward the end of our detour we stopped off at the Hackberry Store.  It was a collection of a amazing array of anything from petrol pumps, cars and even an old piano.  Well worth a stop over.

Another highlight of the day was a stop off at the Hoover Dam.  Once again we noticed lots of infrastructure development to manage the huge number of tourists.  We walked across the bridge to get a view of the dam and then drove across the top.  Even on second viewing it is still an impressive sight.

On to Vegas which was a shock after our days of wide open spaces.  We negotiated the traffic during daylight, this time, and found our way back to our hotel.  Our adventures had been planned around the Van Morrison concert and it didn’t disappoint.  The one hour and forty-five minute concert was wall to wall music and was such a buzz.  The Colosseum is a fantastic venue and the sound quality was stunning.  After the concert, we wandered back along the Strip, stopped off for gelato before going back to the hotel to sit on the balcony, watching the lights and reliving an amazing evening.

Next day and another morning with blue skies and a forecast for the temperatures to beat previous records and reach 75F.  We drove to Red Rock Canyon, on the outskirts of Las Vegas.  Having been spoilt by the fact that there were very few people at the previous National Parks we visited, it was a bit of a shock to find ourselves in a queue to even enter the Park.  The road is a 12 mile loop and is clearly a popular place to visit on a warm Saturday.  Lots of walking trails and rock climbing.

We had ideas of stopping at a few places on our journey West, but time kept slipping away and we didn’t arrive in Victorville until late in the afternoon.  Once again we drove through huge areas of unused land with very few inhabitants.  We did see a couple of massive solar farms, one of which looked like something from out of space. Having changed back to the Pacific Timezone, it is now getting dark an hour earlier than when we were used to in Arizona and Nevada.  Thankfully we found our way to our last motel in the daylight.  Darkness just adds to the stress!

It is David’s birthday today - Ella has managed to wish him happy birthday twice due to the difference in timezones between here and New Zealand.  Craig, Annette and I went to the supermarket to get dinner (we have a kitchen in the motel) which included chocolate cream pie and pumpkin cream pie for dessert., quintessential America food!  Couldn’t quite organise a birthday cake.

Tomorrow is our last day and we are not looking forward to battling LA traffic.  One of the things that has really stood out on this trip is, no matter where you are, there are always vapour trails in the sky.  Maybe it is because we have been lucky enough to have lots of clear sky to be able to see them.

A Grand Day

From the window in our room, we look out into the woods that cover the rim the Canyon and it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere when we opened the curtains this morning.  When we set off to do part of the rim walk it felt like we were the only people walking.  What a treat to be able to enjoy the quietness of the environment and the creatures we met along the way.

Today we saw an array of different birds, including woodpeckers going about their business.  A highlight was a very friendly squirrel who was keen for treats.  He was so friendly he would came right up to us and then disappeared into David’s backpack.  Apparently, if you get bitten, you can get the plague from them, but it was so cute!

After a picnic lunch in the sunshine, we drove to Bright Angel Lodge where we stayed 24 years ago.  It is closed for refurbishment but is still really quaint.  From there we walked down part of the Bright Angel Trail that winds its way down the Canyon to the River.  We met a few people who had walked down, stayed a couple of days and then walked back up, about six hours.  We also met a man who had started the walk at seven o’clock this morning and had nearly finished the whole loop in about eight hours.  

We have been so lucky with the weather and even ventured out in shorts today.

Finished the day with the a stunning sunset above the trees as it was in the wrong direction for over the Canyon.     Dinner to finish of at the tavern at Yavapai Lodge, another excellent day.

On the way to the Grand Canyon

An early start this morning to drive out to Panguitch Lake to see where David was skating.  Along the way we saw elk again, they are amazing to watch bouncing along and then running up the steep rocky hillsides.

The lake is really popular in summer, with baches scattered along the shoreline.  There were a few ice fishermen trying their luck.  We stopped to talk to one man as he pulled up a brown trout and then released it again.  The take it really seriously and set up on the ice with a tent, heater and the guy we spoke to even had a fish sonar.

Once the cars were packed we drove south to join up with the main road to the Grand Canyon. A couple of very pleasant stops along the way, one at Cave Dwellers where we talked to some local Navajo Indian women who were selling locally made jewellery.  As we travelled through the Navajo Reservation it was clear that this is the main source of income for many of the local people.  Seeing the vast areas of useless land that has been retuned to the people is really sad.  They may have the land, but there are no resources and they just become paupers in their own place.

We also drove through Lee Ferry National Park.  The road took us down to the edge of the Colorado River - it was cold!  There were more amazing rock formations and red cliffs.  While we were there, we caught a brief glimpse of some chipmunks and a coyote.  We couldn’t get close to either, but it was pretty cool.

Once we got into Grand Canyon National Park we stopped at the First Glimpse Lookout.  The sun was beginning to set and showed up the contrasting colours of the Canyon walls.  It was getting dark so we headed straight to Yavapai Lodge, our home for the next couple of nights.  The rooms are set amongst the trees about half a mile from the edge of the Canyon.  We are looking forward to exploring some of the rim trails tomorrow.

Have had more weather extremes today, 22F (-7C) and 65F (19C).  Glorious blue skies and now a super moon.  How lucky are we!

Ice - and Bryce ... Canyon

Can you see Christina between the trees....

This morning, after finding a laundromat, and David having an early morning skate on Lake Panguitch, we headed off toward Bryce Canyon.  We had been there about 24 years ago and remembered it as being pretty specular.  On the way we passed through Red Canyon.  In the morning light, the red colour was stunning.  The road went through two rock arches and the contrast between the red rock, snow and green of the trees was beautiful.  It was tempting to spend time wandering around the rocks, but Bryce Canyon awaited
Since we last visited, the area has clearly become well known as a tourist destination.  At the entrance to the Canyon, Bryce City (2007) has been built.  At this time of year it was relatively quiet, but I am sure that Summer would be quite different.  Once again, the contrast between the softer orange/pink of Bryce Canyon, the snow and trees was wonderful.  We drove to Rainbow Point at the far end of the Canyon and then slowly made our way back.  Lots of amazing photo opportunities and picnic lunch overlooking the Canyon.  As it is winter, we were os fortunate to experience this wonderful environment without hoards of tourists.
At Sunset Point we headed off down the Navajo Loop trail.  As part of this track was closed due to ice and snow, we then followed the trail further down the Canyon and looped back up through Queen's Garden to Sunset Point and followed the rim trail back to the car.  The downward trail was a steep and, in places, very muddy path.  Being amongst the rocks gave some idea of the grandeur of the place.
Once at the bottom of the trail, we walked through the trees and then began a gradual climb back up the Canyon.  We did think that this was an easier climb, but it was still a long haul, but well worth the effort.  A camera couldn't capture what we were able to see and experience.
Once back at the motel, we stood out on the deck and watched the sunset and the stunning super moon.  What a day!

Panguitch Lake

Red Canyon

New state..

We enjoyed our stopover in Las Vegas and it will certainly make it easier on Friday when we arrive for the concert, as we know where we are staying and where the venue is.  Sadly I didn't make my fortune, actually lost $10.00 at my first experience of gambling!
Today was another spectacular journey. We drove across the dessert to the Arizona/Utah boarder.  It was fascinating to see a whole new town , Mesquite, that had been built just inside the Nevada state line, I guess to make use of the  more relaxed gambling laws.  It was like an oasis in the desert with palm trees, green grass on the golf courses and large new homes.  We went to Walmart to stock up on food and it is clearly a popular place for retirees, very different from Vegas.
Once in Utah the atmosphere changed, as did the time zone (+ one hour) again with the towns seeming to be much wider and better cared for.  Travelling though St George we saw a stunning cathedral, its white exterior contrasted against the red cliffs behind it.
We arrived at Zion National Park early afternoon and stopped in a delightful picnic area for lunch, where we were able to watch elks wandering around, some with their babies.  We had forgotten how stunning Zion is with the different colours in the rocks and the soaring cliffs.  We drove to the end of the canyon and noticed a significant drop in the temperature - from shorts and sandals to longs, shoes and socks.  The late afternoon light highlighted the granduer of the environment.  As we meandered our way out of the canyon, we stopped and did a short walk to the Weeping Rock' where water  squeezed out of the rock and drips down to create a curtain of drops.  It was interesting to see maiden hair fern growing as the temperatures are pretty extreme.  An absolute highlight was seeing and hearing a woodpecker going about its business.
Leaving the Park we drove up a windy, steep, zig zag road and then through a tunnel that was 1.1 miles long.  There were no lights and only the occasional whole in the rock to prove ventilation.  It was a relief to get out the other end without any earthquakes or other mishaps!  The other side of the tunnel provided some amazing views of still more incredible rock formations.
As we drove though the dusk we saw more elk crossing the road and grazing on either side.  We travelled to Penguitch which is near the turn off to Bryce Canyon, our destination for tomorrow.  The town was pretty much closed for winter but we did find a small supermarket which provided dinner.  Ready for bed in our cosy, warm motel.

A day in Vegas

Having decided to stay an extra night in Las Vegas we decided to brave one of the outlet malls.  Dressmart NZ it was not!!  Every imaginable designer store was in the mall which stretched for miles.  Ella would have been in heaven.  We did manage to waste several hours without much to show for it though David did buy a bargain leather jacket and I bought a winter coat.  We also visited REI a shop - similar to Kathmandu but with a wider range.  Due to the limitations of air travel, we had to curb our desire to buy lots of camping and outdoor gear.  We were also surprised to find some interesting architecture away from the main part of town

The Brown’s went to visit the Hoover Dam and it sounds like there have been significant changes since we were there last. Thankfully we all managed to negotiate the crazy traffic and return safely.

I walked down to the Strip to get few things for Ella, before we leave tomorrow.  I made the mistake of going into Macy’s Department Store.  I had to ask three different people how to get out and then, once out, it took me ages to navigate my way through the mall back to the street.  I am definitely not designed for shopping!

All feeling a bit exhausted tonight, we walked across the road to a Denny’s restaurant for dinner.  Think we are all looking forward to an early night before exiting Vegas in the morning.

Valley to Vegas ...

We were out and about in Las Vegas until late last night, thus I am writing this a little late.

Waiting for Van

Yesterday morning we moved on from Ridgecrest, 100 miles from anywhere, as the sign on the outskirts of the town said.  We avoided the main route to Death Valley and drove through Trona, where there a two factories extracting the potash and borax from the lakebed that produced the Trona Pinnacles.  It is hard to describe how different the town is to anything we have in New Zealand.  It would appear that as Ridgecrest has developed, Trona has become less popular and is rapidly falling inn a state of disrepair.  Many of the houses were derelict, there was just dust, no lawns or gardens and the few shops there looks uninviting.  We compared it to Kawerau, as a town based on the local industry, but that was where the comparison ended.  One of the strangest things was the Catholic church, as concrete building with a cross on the top and two double doors - no windows at all.  It would have been really interesting to see what it was like inside.

We connected up with the main road to Death Valley and climbed over a pass that was almost 5000 feet before dropping down into the valley’s lowest point of around 280 feet below sea level.  There has been quite a bit of development since we were there last and, as with all of the National Parks, a $US30 fee to enter, even if you are just driving through.  As we are intending to visit other parks, it was cheaper to purchase an annual entrance card so, if you know of anyone travelling to the US who would like it, let us know.  Wonderful names - Stovepipe Wells, Badwater.

Once again travelling the less popular route, we drove down the eastern side of the valley, climbed trough the mountains and dropped down into Nevada.  When we crossed the state line the contrasts were instantaneous.  Massive billboard advertising fireworks, palm readings, a variety of churches, pawn shops and instant loans.  Talk about contradictions!

Arriving in Los Vegas was a bit of a shock having been in less populated places and because it seems to have expanded hugely since we were last here.  Driving on massively fast roads in the dark didn’t help but thankfully GPS did and we safely arrived at Royal Resort, just off Las Vegas Boulevard - The Strip.  Funny that wifi was free in Ridgecrest which here it is $US10 per device, per day.  Guess they have to make money somehow!

We walked The Strip and had a delicious meal at a foodcourt in one of the malls.  Discovered that the pirate ship show outside Treasure Island stopped in 2013, but we did see the erupting volcano at the Mirage and a delightful dancing waterfall.  It is interesting to visit but Los Vegas really is quite bizarre and more than a little sad.

Dat's Bad Water man...

Church in Trona

Porterville to Ridgecrest

Trona Pinnacles as the sun sets 

Another suitcase in an another hall..... (not quite!)
Left Porterville this morning and had an amazing drive across the state.  We saw huge areas of orchards, vegetable growing, oil fields, solar farms and wind farms.  It was absolutely fascinating to see the variety and magnitude of the industry on the Californian plains.  We were also amazed by the number and size of RVs, both on the road and in RV parks.  It makes our 16 foot Oxford caravan look like a baby!  Since we were here 25 years ago, the roading networks seemed to have become more extensive and the cities more sprawling.
After talking to the friendly maintenance man at the motel in Porterville, we decided to drive through Red Rock Canyon.  It was a small state park with interesting land formations and a camp ground nestled amongst the rocks.  It was interesting to see how many people were camping even though it must be really cold at night.  The colours were quite startling and the rock formations looked like ancient Roman ruins.
We travelled across the Mojave Desert and saw the place where airplanes go to die.  We did try to get close enough for a really good look, but it was well and truly secure.
From there we drove to Ridgecrest a town of about 27,000 in the middle of the Mojave Desert, with a naval base!  Apparently this is the area for airborne testing and weapons range.  There is a lot of new development, including a new Walmart, and seems relatively wealthy, probably due to the impact of the Naval base.
This afternoon we drove half an hour to Trona Pinnacles.  This is another area with interesting land formations, formed by underwater geothermal activity, when the lake water receded, it left behind tall stacks.  Apart from these, there is also a salt lake where they mine borax and potash.  The landscape is so varied and so interesting.
Tonight we are staying at A Night's Inn Motel.  From the outside it looks like a bit of a dive, but inside it is like a grand hotel room caught in a time warp.  Not bad for $US56 for the night!

Red Rock Canyon

Shadows at Trona Pinnacles