A Visit to Lake Powell - and More

A Visit to Lake Powell – and more

In taking the RV to Cedar City we’ve always used Route 89A through Jacob Lake, as we did this year.  Now we need to retrace part of this route but both agree that the road down from Jacob Lake to Vermillion Cliffs would be scary, if not dangerous for us due to the steep, curvy road, sometimes with little shoulder before a drop-off.

So we choose the alternate route along US89 which parallels the UT/AZ border on the Utah side, eventually passing over the Glen Canyon dam which created Lake Powell.  We stay overnight in Page, just beyond the dam, and having arrived early decide to take an evening cruise along the lake.  The scenery is spectacular, multicolored crags and wide lake vistas - that is until the threatening storm – thunder, lightening and heavy rain – catches up with us.  We lead a quick retreat from the open-air observation deck and get good seats in the covered cabin.

Of course, I have the only window that leaks, but the staff mop up the leak with towels and when the wind changes the leak stops.  The rain prevents me from taking any pictures, but after it stops there are some great cloud formations and we’re able to enjoy the cliffs with twilight illumination.  The interplay of colors on the rocks is magical, and we agree that despite the rain, this was a worthwhile trip.  There are longer boat tours on Lake Powell and we’ll definitely be back to see more.  My only regret is not seeing any animals.

After a dinner of “nouveau southwestern” food and a night in the campground we return to Cottonwood for a week’s stay.  Vicky returns to the Park Model to meet our new tenant and prepare the place for her, while Quill and I have some bonding time.  I’m able to do some water aerobics each morning, mostly having the pool to myself except on the weekend.

The surprising thing about this stay in Cottonwood is that we’re down in Section A, close to the pool but also low down and close to the river.  I don’t expect to get cell phone or internet coverage, and I have to take an online class.  This isn’t a problem as the park has a rec center next to the pool, which has free WIFI.  But it turns out I don’t even need that – our site, despite the low elevation, has cell phone and internet reception.

Vicky returns fairly late on Friday, but we still take the time to head into town for dinner – an Italian steakhouse, of all things, with food we decide needs to be further explored next time we’re in town.

Now we’re off again – following highway 260 up the Mogollon Rim, stopping for lunch at the little country café in Happy Jack, then on to Winslow, site of the “repair” to the first car transmission last year.  We’re both pleased we don’t have to stop there this year, and get on I-40.  As always it seems to take forever before we arrive in New Mexico, but once we do it’s only 20 miles or so to our overnight stop in Gallup.

An early (for us) start the next morning takes us up the lonely but ruggedly scenic road from Gallup to Shiprock, then over to Farmington and up to Aztec, where we’ll be volunteering next Fall at Aztec Ruins National Monument.  I described this when we discovered it last year, but just to remind you, while it is the site of many buildings from the Pueblo culture 800 years ago, it has no connection with the Aztecs of Mexico, who never made it this far north.

It’s cool to do this trip together this year – last year we went back and forth on these roads between Winslow and Pagosa Springs with our car and rental cars, driving separately until we could return the rental car to Farmington Airport (which has no scheduled flights, just car rentals and private planes!).  This year we’re able to share our discoveries of the scenery.

The final leg of this trip, just like last year, takes us to Pagosa Springs, Colorado.  Last year we had a week here waiting for the car to be fixed.  This year we simply spend a few nights at the East Fork campground outside town.  In the next episode I’ll tell you about a very dark play we see, as well as our other activities and our expedition to Santa Fe.