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DAY 7 - BRYCE POINT, KODACHROME BASIN THEN HEAD FOR LAKE POWELL
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| Discomforts of Altitude | I had another poor night's sleep. I believe it is the altitude - I get out of breath and have weird dreams and/or wake up gasping.
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| A Trip Before Breakfast | Awake and alert at 8ish (no - make that awake at 8ish). Girls rung and told to get up. They had packed and were ready before Mary and I. Off we went to the NP (flash the card) and to Bryce Point to look properly at the views there. Although we went there when we had first arrived yesterday, we didn't actually move from the car park to the viewpoint. When we got to the viewpoint this morning it was the same view as the poster Mary bought yesterday!
Today is fairly bright but overcast, probably in the low 70's, so the photos will probably not be as stunning as yesterday . . . . take them anyway!!
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| Then Breakfast | From there back to Ruby's and straight to the Diner. Breakfast of cereals with cold milk and cups of tea. Great. Next back to rooms to finish packing (girls in smug-mode). Pack the car, fill up with petrol, check-out and away.
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| A Minor Disappointment |
Heading towards Kodachrome Canyon as it seems to be on our way. 30-odd miles away we reach said area. Honesty Box at the Park Boundary for our $4, sticker for our windscreen. Actually the views, colours and rock formations were very good, but we had obviously been "spoiled" by Zion and Bryce, so we didn't stay to explore.
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| Lets Off Road | Instead we went on the Cottonwood Trail to join H89 towards Page. This road is in fact a dirt track ("unimproved") which is "impassable when wet". 39 miles of undulating dirt track with some very steep and winding bits. Stopped and put car into 4WD. At one stage even put it into Low for a particularly steep, slippery, windy bit. Took a short detour to Grosvenor Arches to look at a rock formation. Saw about 6 cars - all coming towards us - over the entire journey which was over an hour and a half - all but two were big pickups. Definitely glad we had a high clearance 4WD and could see why "impassable when wet" on the sign.
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| A Storm | As we neared the end of this cross-country trek, the sky was really dark in the distance - obviously a big storm. Yep - lightning storm. For the last 15mins or so we were watching (well the girls were - I was looking out for pot holes, gullies, 1 in 4 hills and tight corners!) a great exhibition of lightning. Just as we reached Highway 89, we entered the rain. (We also passed a sign stating we had been in the Grande Staircase Escelante National Park). The nearer we got to Page, the heavier the storm, until, all of a sudden it was gone and behind us.
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| 1st Sighting | Turning the corner, a single arm of Lake Powell came into view. The scale of the thing is enormous. The Colorado River caused all the vast canyons that have subsequently been flooded by the building of the Glen Valley Dam, but there are still Mesa and Buttes sticking out of the lake. Apparently this is all Navajo Country.
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| Time-Zone Trouble | Followed all the directions to Page and saw 3 Best Westerns all together! Our BW - Lake Powell Inn was the 3rd. Pulled in and went to reception - 2:08pm so a bit early for check-in but try anyway. WRONG - we are now back on Mountain Time so have gained an hour - actually only 1:08pm - they wont let us in until 3:30pm. Reset watch!!
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| A New Experience | We needed food by this time (whatever time this is) so, as we have never been there and we have heard about it, we decided upon a "Family New Experience" - lunch at Taco Bell. Very acceptable except Mary tried a "one-new-experience-too-many" experience - Root Beer. Poured away after one mouthful and refilled with Coke!
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| The Lie of The Land | Suitably refreshed, off to the Dam Visitor Centre. Roasting and a bit sticky outside (evening news stated 80°F and 48% humidity). The VC is situated right next to the dam and the flimsy looking road bridge over the gorge. Inside was cool and airy - need to spend plenty of time in here! Very good exhibits showing how the dam was built (from about 1957-62). The current road bridge being the culmination of what started out as a couple of steel hawsers to help carry equipment from one side of the canyon to the other. As the canyon (and now the dam) is some 6-700ft deep, you can see the necessity for it.
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| An Observation | It must be said that the staff in the VC - although very pleasant - were not very helpful when we asked about things like short walking trails, where to go to, what to do. Eventually we found and picked our own leaflets.
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| A Language Problem | Next to Wahweep Marina. This is also on the grand scale. Bit of fun with our NP card. Nice lady at the toll booth (its in the National Park) also asked for some ID - gave her my Drivers Licence. "Oh, where is this for?". She was intrigued by the dual language (Welsh first, then English). Onwards in the heat to the Marina, looking for the Boat Trip Booking Place. Nowhere has either prices and/or detailed descriptions. Again, lady at booking desk was pleasant but just pointed out the times, offering nothing in the way of additional information. Asked a "more mature" lady sitting at another desk about short walks, sights to see etc and got a few ideas from her. Looks like Lake Powell only caters for water sports - which in a way is hardly surprising.
Didn't book anything - only decent destination was a 5-hour trip costing $80 each.
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| Check In | Approx 4pm by this time, so back to the hotel to check in. Still roasting and this wasn't helped by the fact that many rooms weren't ready - even tho, as one very disgruntled American noted, check-out time is 11am. Again, everyone is reasonably smiley behind the desk, but slow and methodical without that "happy edge" we have experienced before. Our rooms were ready, so grab luggage trolley and up to 215 and 217. Small lift, rooms fine - aircon unit under the window as is obviously the norm. No Tea or Coffee making equipment - but hot water and teabags etc in the foyer.
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| A Pattern Emerges | As seems to be the pattern for the holiday, I crashed out in a nice cool room (for 2 hours this time as it turns out!) whilst the girls all go down to the pool to chill out. Tragedy - the pump in the hot tub is broken, so Mary wont be able to pump people for their backgrounds - sorry - chat with the other holidaymakers.
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| Meal Time | All suitably refreshed we think about the evening meal. Walk into Page to Main Street - shops are there, some of which are open till 9pm! I hurried everyone passed them to a nice looking restaurant. Aircon with a no-smoking section away from the bar. Had to wait 10mins or so. Very pleasant meal - all portions entirely manageable and Raima, our waitress, most pleasant.
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| Compulsive Behaviour | Walked slowly back to our rooms at the hotel. Life at only 4200ft seems a little less taxing on the body - or so I thought. Diary up to date as Mary sat, zombie like, flicking channels - maybe we can get her therapy for that?
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Words and pictures © Steve Andrews 2001 - 2012