29/09/12: Zion and the Grand Canyon

Today we left the city to head into the National Parks again. Today was also the end of southern run: from tomorrow we start heading west again, to end our tour in Los Angeles (actually Santa Monica, which is also the final stop of Route 66).

The first point of call was Zion National Park. Until now we’d only really seen canyons from the top-down. Today it was from the bottom-up and it was spectacular (and hard to photograph)…

Two short hours later and we were on our way…the drive out was pretty amazing as well:

Our lunch stop was in a town called Kanab, that made its history as a setting for many Western movies and TV shows in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s – Planet of the Apes & Jesus of Nazareth also got a look in . We had to dress up as cowboys and indians and pose for a group portrait.  Then chowed down on a chuckwagon lunch at the museum (beef, beans & potatoes with biscuits – actually it’s a scone). A surreal taste of the old west for the tourists. 

Our last stop of the day – surprisingly early – was the Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge. We’ve been put in cosy (read small) cabins for the evening. No interwebs or TV, or even an iron. But it really did not matter after a drink in the bar and the opportunity to see the sunset…

Tomorrow will bring an early start (to catch the sunrise), before we start heading west to Las Vegas. It is a pretty short leg, and we are looking forward to seeing the very bright lights. We don’t get to do a helicopter flight as originally planned. Obama is visiting the same time as us so they’ve applied air space restrictions – bugger . Viva Las Vegas!