Coddiwomple Stardate 180612

Friday, we had breakfast at the Green River KOA campsite. That night we stayed in one of there cute cabins again. It was $20 a night more expensive than the last KOA we stayed in. They did supply tea, coffee and pastries for breakfast. The cabin was also air conditioned instead of just a fan. They do not supply any linen. By law if they do they need a separate laundry from guests. Being filled up on sugar we are heading for Arches NP.

I have decided to take a longer way and go down Hwy 128 which follows the Colorado River. It had been recommended to us. We are travelling on Interstate 70. The speed limit is 80mph (130km) but Sharon refuses to do that speed. I was doing that speed yesterday & I was still getting passed. Speed update Sharon has reached 80mph to get past all the slow arses doing 75mph.

I have said it before and I have to say it again. WOW. I just can't compare this drive to any other. It is truly unique. USA just doesn't seem to stop with all of it's natural wonders.

At the entrance to Arches NP we got in a very slow lane. Two entrance lanes 6 car go through in the left lane to 1 car gets through in our right lane. When we finally got to the booth we were welcomed by a very uninterested woman.

Once we did get through sorry but have to say it again WOW. The entrance to the park is very dramatic compared to the remainder of the park which has given the park its name Arches. We spent about 4.5hrs in the park and saw most of what we could. Plenty of arches my favourite was Pine Tree Arch. Sharon didn't make this one. We left the park at 3.15pm cars were still queued up to get in.

Then it was on to Wikicamps to find somewhere to stay in the town of Moab. I expected it to be busy, it is the centre of many NP and outdoor activities. The first RV park had one tent site left it was $59 US a night to stay in dirt. The next was a small campsite but they were full for the night. The 3^rd one was just all road base not one tree. The 4^th one we chose was $33 US a night. The staff where friendly and our site has lawn. Once again Wikicamps showed all the camp areas close together until we found one acceptable.

Saturday, this time the NP was called Canyonlands another drive in drive out park like Arches. Canyonlands only became a NP in 1964. Originally it was used by Native Americans as pathways to the Colorado River. Then white man as farming and uranium mine in the 1950’s. As the name suggests it is a park full of impressive canyons. Hasn't had that wow factor like all the other parks but it was still worth visiting.

Saturday night we camped in Devils Canyon camp ground another Wikicamps find. Only $10 US a night. Has a toilet, running water, picnic table & fire pit everything you need. We couldn’t use the fire pit because it was a red flag day meaning extreme fire danger. It is also nice to be back amongst pine trees instead of desert.

In the toilet there was a notice that outlined the cost of cleaning trash out of the pit toilets. The trash bins are usually located near the entrance of the park. When you leave you dispose of it then. The other day I saw a women disposing her rubbish in the chemical toilets. This area would of only had 3 toilets but it costs $10,000 a year to clean out the trash from them.

We or I should say Sharon talks to a lot of people. We were in a laundromat and Sharon was adoring a Chinook (sled dog). She started talking to the owner. One of the big issues over here apart from Trump is gun control. He seemed a very well informed person. Over here they believe Australia's gun control means there are no guns in the hands of citizens. Our buy back scheme meant all guns had been turned in. Also our crime rate has increased since the abolition of guns. I corrected his miss information and he was pleased that we still have weapons you just need a reason to own one. Also our crime rate hadn't increased.

Sunday and we are heading for Monument Valley. It is Navajo Indian Reservation & where Back to the Future III was filmed. Also Stagecoach in 1938 which gave the valley it's original fame and many more movies since. As we approached Monument Valley we could imagine the back drop in many movies we have seen. The colours are almost as red as the Kimberley's but not as red as the Pilbara.

We stopped at the Goulding’s Lodge Museum. The museum was set up in the original Trading Post that was started by Harry & his wife Leone “Mike” Goulding in 1921 (He called his wife Mike because when he wrote to her while he was involved in WWI he couldn't spell Leone only Mike). There were rooms in the museum furnished by some of the original furniture used by the Goulding's. There was a lot of movie memorabilia also. Harry Goulding wanted a way to bring income to the Navajos during the depression years. He had photographs taken by his friend a German photographer named Josef Muench. He took the photographs to John Ford the movie director. Who ignored Goulding to start with. Through Gouldings persistence he finally set a meeting. A month later they were filming Stagecoach with a young John Wayne in 1938.

Next was the Navajo Tribal Park. After paying our $20 US admission and received our map we were off in our go anywhere rental car. The trail takes you through many sites that have been used in movies. The track was very rough and I wished we had our car to traverse the terrain. One poor chap sunk his car down in a pile of bulldust. Sharon wanted to stop straight away and help. I told her not to stop until I say we are safe or we would be joining him. When we could stop we went back to help him. Tried to dig out the car with some wood but failed. He had called the park rangers and hopefully they came.

I didn't think we would stay long in the Valley. It was more interesting than I expected and spent more hours than I thought.

Monday, we headed to Page a town at the Glen Canyon Dam that was built in 1958 and created Lake Powell. 20 miles (32km) out we start an accent again through more canyons and a view of the beginning of Grand Canyon. It is a vast flat plain and you can make out the canyon cutting its way through.

When we reached Page, we went and booked 2 tours. First was to Antelope Slot Canyon for the Monday afternoon then on Tuesday a boat cruise on Lake Powell. We had to be at the first one half hour before the tour started. It was 10.30am we had to be there by 12.30pm. We filled in the 2 hours by having an early lunch and looking around the museum at the visitors centre. As time dragged by we got to the tour check in at 12.30 exactly. After we payed he told us we will be in vehicle number 4 and be there by 12.55 in an hour and 20 mins time. We didnt realise we had a change of time zone. I asked where the time had changed thinking we never had travelled that far west. We were in Arizona they do not have day light savings. We had come down from Utah which is the next state North that does have daylight savings. Navajo Nation which is over the State of Utah and Arazona which we came through does have daylight savings. If you are in the town of Page it has no daylight savings. If you cross over to Wallmart in the same town it has daylight savings if you go over the dam it has daylight savings are you confussed yet because it did my head in. So at this stage I had no idea what time our next days tour was because it started on the other side of the dam. If you have your phone on auto time set it will change as you travel around the town. We think in Australia it is confussing when it comes to daylight savings in different states. To fill in time we went to the dam wall and watched a few documentaries at the visitors centre.

Back at the tour depot we jumped on vehicle No.4 with 10 other people. It was a 4 x 4 ute with 2 bench seats running down the centre with a canopy over the top. There were 2 people per seat belt.
After a 10 min ride on bitumen we then left to go on more bulldust and about another 10 mins driving on this very dusty road in the back of an open vehicle before we arrived at the slot canyon. Again this is Navajo territory and you can only get there by taking one of their tours. We had passed plenty of tour vehicles leaving when we arrived, there were 15 more vehicles already in the parking area. They arranged from ex military troup carriers to 8 seater 4 x 4's. You go through with your group of 12 plus your guide following close to the tour in front and the tour behind. It is only a narrow canyon and you are constantly trying to get out of peoples way. The canyon itself is definatly a must see it is full of amazing shapes, contours & colour.

When we arrived back at the depot I needed a beer to wash down the dust. I walked into a store to buy my beer and I could also buy a handgun or rifle with ammunition. Only in America.

Tuesday we went on our 2.5hr cruise on Lake Powell. It was a nice relaxing time. 2.5hrs was enough. We started in Wahweap went around Antelope Island to a canyon called Navajo Tapestry. There were many colours and shapes in the sandstone. You needed a good imagination to form known shapes in the cliff face. Then onto Antelope Canyon. This canyon was originally dry but due to the daming of Colorado River it has created an amazing narrow canyon with many stunning colours and turns for our boat to sail. There were many people kayaking along this section something if time permitted Sharon & I would of loved to have done.

Next I dropped Sharon back to our accommodation. She was not interested in the tour I wanted to do at the dam wall. It was a 45min tour which explained the reason behind the dam and its creation. You got to walk on the dam wall then taken down to the hydroelectric generator room. The funniest part of the tour was when you take the lift from the visitors centre 33m down to the dam wall. When you reach your level the lift tells you in a female voice "DAM".