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| COLORADO RIVER FROM HORSESHOE BEND OVERLOOK |
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| GLEN CANYON DAM |
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| WAHWEAP BEACH |
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| ATOP ANGEL'S LANDING |
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| CHEEKY CHIPMUNKS |
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| KAREN, DONNA AND KATE |
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| IN THE NARROWS |
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| M&M'S CHARACTERS |
We lunched at the town of Page, Arizona, and then drove to nearby Horseshoe Bend Overlook from where we could view a sharp bend in the Colorado River running through a steep-walled canyon, an example of a 'entrenched meander'. The colour of the water was a beautiful emerald green in contrast to the muddy brown we have got used to seeing.
Next, we drove to Glen Canyon Dam which controls and extracts hydroelectric power from the waters of the Colorado River stored in Lake Powell, the second largest man-made reservoir in the United States, after Lake Mead.
Another short drive took us to Lake Powell beaches at Wahweap where a few of the group donned costumes for a swim. Since we had less than an hour, however, I opted just to sunbathe, read and enjoy the views.
By now it was late afternoon and we needed to get to our campground just outside Zion NP in Utah, about 2 hrs drive away. Not for the first time we ended up eating supper in the dark.
Next morning's plans for Zion NP involved yet another ridiculously early start. Most of us were at the bus stop outside the campground at 5.40am. Forty minutes later we were dropped off at a stop called 'The Grotto'. This is the start point of a walk to the top of a 1,488 ft fin-shaped rock called Angel's Landing. The walk is steep, but of greater concern is the narrowness of the path with its dangerously exposed drops. For this reason, grab chains have been attached to the rock. The good news is that we all made it to the top, to be rewarded with great views along the Zion Canyon with the Virgin River meandering along it. The even better news is that we all got down safely too.
Another bus ride took us to 'Temple of Sinawava' still on the Virgin River, but further upstream. We followed a path alongside the River until we reached 'The Narrows' where the Canyon walls close in to produce a steep-sided gorge. Going further required us to walk in the River itself. I walked until the depth of the water reached my knees, which was probably about a mile upstream, at which point I turned around and went back.
It was still only early afternoon, so I decided to walk back to the campsite, although it was still necessary to use the bus for sections where no path existed. I popped into the Human History Museum and the Zion Park Visitor Center along the Way.
As this was our last evening together there was a bit of feedback-form filling to be done after supper. Next morning we gave the kit a good clean before loading it into the vehicle for our journey to Las Vegas.
It was a hot day, and as we crossed the Utah/Arizona and Arizona/Nevada state borders we were back in the white desert landscape which had become so familiar on the Route 66 trip and near the start of this one.
The drop off point in Las Vegas was the Alexis Resort, where I'd stayed three weeks ago. I would be staying here for a further night but most of my travel companions were heading elsewhere so we said our farewells. What a great adventure the past two and a half weeks had been!
It was still only early afternoon so I walked down to The Strip to see some of the things I'd missed on my previous visit. There was a slight breeze, but the air was so hot it was like having a hairdryer blowing in my face.
My first visit was to 'M&M's World' - four floors of merchandising devoted to the famous sugar-coated chocolate sweet. They had a 3D cinema showing animated films about heroic M&M sweet characters - the plots were really corny of course, but the 3D was amazing.
I bought a reduced price ticket at a discount stall for 'Mob Attraction' at the Tropicana Casino. This was an interactive experience about the rise and fall of the mob in Las Vegas. Real actors playing intimidating mobsters induced me to become involved in their criminal activities. The insight into the world of the mobster was fascinating, but it all turned out rather badly for me in the end, as I might have guessed. Just as well it wasn't real.
By the time I got back to the Alexis it was gone midnight, but Las Vegas was still in full swing. Another City that never sleeps!
