Rain had been on my heels since I left New Mexico. Monday morning the winds howled at 40-50 mph. I do not enjoy being tossed around on the road like a feather, so I delayed leaving my overnight spot until the worst had passed.
Zion National Park is the diamond amid all the other Utah jewels. I couldn't get a photo to capture the enormity of the cliffs, nor the depths of the chasms.
So here's one from Google. It's thrilling to emerge from a long tunnel through the mountain to find yourself close to the summit gazing out onto this scenery.
The trail by the campground is the only one open to dogs. We made the most of it.
These rental RV's are everywhere. It seems like a great idea! Daddy can you see the 800 number?
Rain chased us out of Zion.
I finally succumbed and stopped by a Rock Shop. I didn't buy any because it's much more fun finding it on my own. At least now I know what petrified wood looks like.
All the shops have the mandatory mounds of glass chunks. Why?
Cole's thoughts: "It wasn't for the fence, ostrich steaks would be on the menu tonight".
My thoughts: "Thanks for the fence, I don't need another vet bill".
In the town of Virgin, UT I stopped by someone's house to buy a jar of cactus jelly. They rely on the honor system. No one was around to break a ten dollar bill.
Trying to negotiate with the Gatekeeper.
Mr Smarty Pants was trying to make change with rocks. I ended up with two jars...he drove a hard bargain. Someone needs to tell the jam maker that she'll sell more jars if a 100 lb German Shepherd does not jump up on the driver door as you pull in to the yard. Just sayin'...
Toto, you're not in Kansas anymore! We had arrived to Nevada.
I did the mandatory visit of the Las Vegas strip. I considered getting out and walking around, but the sidewalks were too crowded, it wouldn't have been much fun for Cole (or me). Not my kind of wildlife viewing. What happens in Vegas, can stay in Vegas. 20 minutes and I was outta there.
Pahrump, NV is where I overnighted on Monday.
Tuesday morning, Cole and I did our Nevada run in Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. An oasis!
The area is unique because it's fed by constant, turquoise blue springs. The teeming life here made it home for Indians for thousands of years. In the 1960's industry came in and almost decimated the entire valley. Since 1984, restoration efforts have been underway to reclaim the wetlands and surrounding area from years of farming, mining and peat harvesting.
Alkaline fossil water gives the lake its unique color. Cole had an absolute fit when he saw the hundreds of coots and ducks. We had to move to another trail...heart attack was imminent.
Miles of new boardwalks prevent people from trampling the fragile desert floor.
A herd of bighorn sheep shadowed us, making it hard for Cole to stay on the boardwalk. Syncope was imminent, we moved to another trail after a couple miles.
But, not before I plucked an armful of mesquite branches from a burn pile. Wait 'til I put these in my smoker in Alabama!
Lunar landscape.
The Hyundai is down there somewhere. Apart from the three rangers at the station, I saw no other people. Perfect, no one could overhear me talking to all the cacti, telling them how adorable they were!
Happy to have packed Cole's boots for this trip. These rocks were wickedly sharp and jingled like glass when I would slip and send them cascading down the trail.
Inside a cave well, within a protected perimeter lives the one species of endangered pupfish. This is the only place in the world they have left.
Heading down to the viewing deck.
That's it: pupfish habitat. Not much to see, but it was a thrill to me and I got to whisper "hang in there little buddies" down to them.
Sadly, we had to leave Nevada's greatest gem to cross over into California.
