We planned to leave the Grand Canyon yesterday, but 68 mph winds got in the way. It didn’t feel that windy, probably because we were in a campground with trees, buildings and big rigs to protect us. But a 33-mile stretch of Interstate 40 was shut down all day because of wind and dust, so it was bad.
This morning was cold but calm, so we took off for Glen Canyon National Recreation Area at the Arizona/Uah border. AZ 89 just south of Page, AZ, is closed due to a “geologic event” that happened in February, so a detour added 50 miles to the trip. But the drive was beautiful. Our route included last glimpses of the Grand Canyon (which after four days still looks like a theatrical backdrop), juniper forests, sand dunes, hoodoos, red rocks and now Lake Powell.
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| A photo of the "geologic event" that closed US 89 just south of Page, AZ. According to news reports, it will take at least two years to fix. In the meantime, a dirt road on the Navajo Reservation will be paved as an alternative route -- but that hasn't happened yet. Thanks to the Arizona DOT for this photo. |
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| Some of the gorgeous scenery we saw on our way to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area just north of Page, AZ. We ran into a little bit of snow on the drive -- the first time we've had snow on our travels. |
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| Our campsite at Wahweap Campground at Glen Canyon. At $48 a night it's one of the most expensive campgrounds we've been to -- I think only our site in downtown New Orleans cost more. Plus they charge two bucks for a shower.
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| The Utah-Arizona border is only a few hundred feet from our campsite. This is the first I've been back to my adopted home state since the end of December. |
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| Lake Powell was created by the Glen Canyon Dam, finished in 1966. The Sierra Club and other organizations have called for the dam to be removed and the lake drained. |
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