Lake Powell and the Rainbow Bridge

We had a day out on Lake Powell, a huge man-made reservoir on the Colorado River, between Utah and Arizona. Lake Powell was created by the flooding of Glen Canyon. The reservoir supplies some states but has to provide a minimum flow to the lower states of Arizona, Nevada, and California. Some say that a water war is looming as California wants to keep its lawns and golf courses green but Colorado wants to irrigate and feed cattle.
We visited the world famous Rainbow Bridge a sacred place for some First Nation Tribes. It was hard to find, a two hour trip up Lake Powell
then by following a narrow twisting water
Filled canyon we came to a marina.






On foot we followed a trail up to the Bridge.
It is 275 feet across and is hard to believe that something like this could be formed naturally.
We started early, in fact earlier than we thought as we were on the wrong time zone but just made it back in time and are pretty tired and a little sun burnt.

Snows of the high country and then on to Monument Valley

The snows of the high country are behind us and we are back in canyon lands.









We have been seeing yellow green deposits layered in with the rich red sandstone. It turns out that these are low grade uranium ore which has been mined on and off over the years. Much was sent to the Monument Valley upgrader site which is on Navajo Nation land. The left over radioactively contaminated material were relocated and stabilized at the engineered disposal cell at the Mexican Hat mill site in Utah.


Guess why it has that name?










Next stop was Monument Valley

where we drove around the valley floor and made the usual stops for photographs.

Our campground was equally photogenic
and came with a charming feline friend.













Our next stop will be Lake Powel where we hope to go boating however we are arguing over whether it should be a stinkpot or a raggie.

DURANGO SILVERTON AND RAILWAYS

After Mesa Verde we headed to Durango for some wild west culture. Durango was founded by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway in 1879 with the rails arriving 2 years later. However it was a wild time. The best example we found was the case of “Who shot the sheriff ?” Or Durango's Strangest Shootout: The Day the Marshal killed the Sheriff. This was all about a tragic day in 1906 when two officers of the law, fought it out over the enforcement of legal gambling in Durango. Both emptied their revolvers at each other then carried on the fight, clubbing each other with their empty guns, before the sheriff collapsed and died.

Silverton was founded in 1875. About 100 people had made their homes there, working around the mining industry. A wagon road was opened over Stony Pass in 1879 and would be followed shortly after by the railroad a 3 foot narrow gauge line, which would make the transportation of minerals easier, as well as bring more people to the newly accessible Silverton.
The line still runs today with 80 year old engines. It is a steep climb the fireman shovels six tons of coal and ten thousand gallons of water are used per trip.






Mining began to decline after 1912, as did population but before then they had a high old time. Like all mining boomtowns worth their salt, Silverton had its own red-light district — Notorious Blair Street. Here, along a mere three-block stretch, a carousing miner (or “respectable” businessman out for a bit of slumming) could choose from thirty-two saloons, gambling halls, and houses of ill-repute. Among their colorful names were the Mikado, the North Pole, and the Laundry…where they “cleaned you out!”

The Trek

made the same trip on a few gallons of petrol, climbing over several high passes including Red Mountain Pass at 11,018 ft where we found a modern day ghost town, shutting down for the winter.

YES THAT IS SNOW!



GALLOPING GOOSE



We also found another unusual railway engine as we wandered around the San Juan Skyline Drive, a Galloping Goose. These were converted cars built in the 1930s in attempt to keep rail lines open. Running steam trains was just too costly All of the "geese" were built in the railroad's shops at Ridgway, Colorado on 3 foot guage. This is Goose #5, now owned by the city of Dolores, Colorado. After restoration in 1998 it is now operated from time to time on the Cumbres and Toltec and Durango and Silverton tourist railroads.
While we are enjoying a warm Indian Summer we are aware of the snow waiting in the wings. The campground we are in tonight is at 6,200 feet and is usually closed by mid October as the water lines freeze up.


WATER

We saw many examples like this, an abandoned mine with mine tailings below it. This means that the streams run red and yellow and nothing lives there due to heavy metal contamination.




We made the tour on our internal tanks and did not need to fill up on our stops.






I spotted this unusual outfit and although it looked like a vintage BMW at first sight it is a repro. possibly Chinese.

We are heading south to Monument Valley and on to lake Powel next week.

MESA VERDE

Today we saw some spectacular reminders of people who lived on this mesa for at least 700 years. They used to be called Anasasi but are now known by the politically correct term of Ancestral Puebloans. They were experts at surviving in a dry climate with conditions that would dismay any 21st survivalist and yet they produced some amazing art in their basketwork and pottery.

They started by living in pit dwellings and moved through stages to building durable stone multistory houses under cliff ledges before leaving the area in ad 1300. Tree rings show that the previous 24 years had been very dry ones so that might have been the reason but no one knows for sure.




We visited the Spruce Tree House, one of the largest villages on the mesa with 129 rooms and 8 ceremonial circular rooms called kivas. Closing my eyes transported me back in time and I could smell the fires and hear the chatter of the kids playing with their dogs while their mothers ground corn for the evening meal.







On the way back I noticed this
contradictory bit of signposting.





The small one says
NO FOOD OR DRINK







We are off to Durango tomorrow for a silver fix.

Pueblo ruins in the four corners region

HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONUMENT

This lies in the south east corner of Utah on a high plateau. Most people have heard of Mesa Verde and the cliff dwelling pueble people but it turns out that the fertile plateau was home to many many small communities usually located by a reliable water source.

In the first picture, the square tower down in the Canyon was built next to the water seep.

We walked into Little Ruin Canyon to see fine stonework that had lasted for 700 years out in the elements. I wonder how many of todays houses would last as long.











It was bright and
sunny enough for Carol to need her new sun hat although she still needed her warm woolly jacket.






CORTEZ

It had been a long day so before hitting the campground we decided to eat out and just could not resist this classic chrome diner.





We both needed warm jackets next morning as it was 14 degrees F. Brr. They turned off the water to the campground but our Trek found some and made icicles.




















We are off to see Mesa Verde tomorrow then on to Durango.

Utah's Canyon Country

We got out of Salt Lake City after a week which included some Trek maintenance, Mormon history and lots of noise and headed south to Yuba lake
for some peace and quiet. The campsite was almost deserted and so quiet we could hear the rustle of the leaves in the breeze.

The next stage on our wanderings will take us round the high sandstone plateau mostly in Southern Utah but extending into Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. So far the scenery has been "awesome", I know it is an overused word but for me this time it fits. Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Natural Bridges and Lake Powell have passed by and we are heading towards Mesa Verde via the Valley of the Gods.

One surprize to me was the orchards left behind by Mormon families who had come here a hundred years ago to scratch out a living in a tiny oasis sourrounded by red rock and to spread the word.







They also slept in some unusual places.

Keys and Salt Lake City

We saw another Trek parked in the supermarket car park as we went to stock up.
Their rear mural was of a wolf which we both liked although as an unrepentant cat lover I prefer our snow leopard. When we came out of the supermarket, laden down with supplies we met the owners who were in a real pickle. Their luggage compartment key had stripped and they could not get in to hook up or access anything stored below. Our key fitted so they now have our spare and can carry on camping!

The drive down to Salt Lake city took us through some magnificent scenery as the trees and hillsides were lit up with the colours
of autumn and the rocks of the Snake river canyon served as a great backdrop. Once down on to the plain it was an easy drive to Salt Lake City and our RV park.




We took advantage of the free shuttle from the park next day into the heart of Salt Lake City, the Mormon temple complex. We followed the drivers advice and took the tour of the complex. Well we soon realised that we were in for some proselytising when the two charming young ladies each clutching the Book of Mormon started off by reading to us their favourite passages. However they did show us around and made their religion come to life.
The Temple is a magnificent tribute to the art of the stonemasons who built it and this tradition of building great and challenging
structures continues with the new conference centre with roof garden waterfall and pillarless hall which can seat 21,000 people. The acoustics were pretty good but we did not get to hear the famous choir in full song.




I got a mornings flying in on Friday at a the state owned modelport, a good tarmac runway with a sun shelter and bleacher seating for spectators. I was going at the weekend but the first major storm of the “winter” season was forecast with high winds rain and snow in the mountains for the weekend.