Vacation - Sunday Surprise

After a day and a half at Mesa Verde, we went to church Sunday morning in Cortez, CO - a nice, small, welcoming congregation that was only a block or two from our hotel! Then we changed, checked out, and hit the road - a long drive to Western Utah and the next National Park on our agenda. We knew we'd be driving some six hours today.

It was interesting to note how the landscape changes and how the rocks change. Different landscapes, different colors, different vegetation, or no vegetation at all! Our drive took us out of Colorado, into New Mexico (VERY briefly, for only a mile or so), and then into Arizona. So I got two more states crossed off my list of those I have been to (now up to 37, I think).

But as we were driving, we came to a National Park we did not know would be there: the Glen Canyon dam. I never even heard of it. But it is nearly as big as its better known neighbor, Hoover Dam, and quite impressive. It was interesting to learn how they built it and all that went into it. Very cool.

So after a brief and unexpected stop, it was back on the road until we reached Zion National Park.

Now, those of you in the know, know that Zion is the most popular of all of Utah's "Mighty 5" National Parks. On this day, however, we arrived later in the day and so didn't really spend much time in it except to drive through the eastern part to arrive at our hotel. The eastern part is very different than the more popular western part (a tunnel separates the two) - but it was cool in its own right. We were hoping to see some Bighorn Sheep, but alas, they are too shy and too well camouflaged.

Anyway, a few first day pictures . . .

The famous "checkerboard" mesa.

The view from just outside our hotel room!

Dinner at the Spotted Dog Restaurant.

Swimming and some ice cream capped off the day. One week in the books, one week to go . . .

Tomorrow: Zion