Passport to Adventure!

The best thing to do in Winter when its too cold to get out and have an adventure is plan for an adventure!  I keep a journal entitled the Road Less Traveled and its my planning journal...each time I hear of a spot I would love to visit I jot it down in my book..in the left margin I put the state name, and
under that the town or local and then I write in a description of and directions of how to get there!  One state that keeps
popping up in my Journal is Utah.  Ive been traveling to Utah the past 3 years and Ive only just scratched the surface!  I love UTAH...there is so much to see and it's rich in everything from scenic canyons, lakes, and forests to cultural history and prehistoric remains--from Dinosaur relics to freemont art panels, and ancient dwelling ruins!  So in doing some reasearch for "places to explore" I wanted to share a wonderful resource I found.  The Icon up there will take you to the UTAH home page, hover you mouse over Places to See then click on Scenic ByWays and you will find a list of 29 Scenic BYWAYS--those words are like music to my soul ~Scenic Byways~...I just keep repeating that while clicking my ruby red shoes and hope for the best. My BFF had so many problems with family that she says she clicks her ruby reds while repeating "any place but home" I guess thats drastic but I can certainly relate sometimes.

ALL the listed byways are fully linked so you can glean all sorts of INFO from this page for touring Utah and this just hit my top 10 of what to DO-

If you look down to the very last link the 27 Fall Color Scenic Drives--they all look amazing---meanwhile back to reality--

I also just found this Im sure most of you already know about it--I am always the LAST to know everything--- its the Passport to Your National Parks.  Its a fun book that I purchased yesterday when I visited Congaree National Swamp.  (it warmed up to 50 F so off we went) The book is laid out in Regions and contains a spot to have your Passport cancelled with a date stamp and a spot to place a sticker/stamp-of your visit to parks in the region...ex; Southwest region Grand Canyon, or Organ Pipe etc...of course its a money making project the stamp sheets are $4 each and each sheet contains about 8 or 10 stamps and a new page comes out each year around February.  ITS like a real life scavenger

hunt...I did get one and now Im wondering how to get it stamped for the spots I've already visited?  I was able to download a list of addresses for the parks...so a possible mailing to ask for a stamp with the date I was there---OR Make my own on my computer, print it out and affix it to my passport? WWYD?  I mean I can't go back and relive the past 40 yrs and with so many places I have yet to set my foot each awaiting my attention I dont think I'll have the time to backtrack--WISH I could start over, like Sinfeld says "have a do over"...

Meanwhile I found the website where I can aquire all the stamps issued since 1986-at www.eparks.com Im hoping to get a discount code and Ive written them BEGGING for that code--wonder if I'll get it? I guess you could say this is a Christmas present to moi!

In the past I collected patches then realized my vest was getting so HEAVY with all that extra patchwork it became uncomfortable--lol..

So I kinda stopped with the patches--so this passport booklet seems like the perfect solution to that!

I read it will take more than One booklet to get a stamp from every Park. SO best buy a second book now while they are under $10, and tuck it away for the future!

Moab and Beyond

Ive got about 2 or 3 more story ideas to share from my trip...One is my trip thru Moab one of my favorite small towns in Utah. This is my third trip there and each time I find another reason to come back again. I finally got to go inside Tom Tills Gallery this time and I purchased 2 close out prints and one photo book of Zion Canyon since I was gonna be visiting the canyon a few days later...Tom's Gallery is awesome!! I enjoyed viewing all his work he had on display...he was not there at the time he was out of the country on a photo shoot-

   

 I always love to take the drive along highway 128 out of Moab on my way up to I-70 to get to Colorado... The views are super...but right outside town is a bike/foot bridge that crosses the Colorado and there is a boat ramp just down from there and access to the water.  I walked across and found this lizard sunning on a rock, then heard a car screeching to a halt near me, and out jumped 2 big dogs who immediately jumped in the Colorado and went swimming!!

This is LIZ

 This is Harvard

 and Queequeg--

 they belong to Erik who told me he worked at Harvard for 10 yrs not sure what he did...I only accepted information he offered, he was a bit crusty but a colorful character and he loves his dogs!!

 This area is chock full of beauty, there is ranching, recreation, and movie filming going on here! I happened up on a movie set while driving on a backroad in the Onion Creek Area!! All I can tell you is it will be a western movie...I saw men on horses dressed in Western garb...BUT I didnt have my camera ready to get that shot...the security gave me a hard look and waved me on, but I did get my camera and snap this shot of a couple of their trucks..I had no idea it was a movie location set!! I was out sightseeing and doing a bit of off roading..lol

 The road leaves the river behind near Cisco and the landscape opens up to wide open views the wild flowers were awesome!

..here is a close up..
(Orange Globe Mallow)

   

 And then here it one alongside a Mariposa Lily!

   

  I know this is a stretch...but I love this straight road and the destination is awesome!! 

I hope to post more in upcoming posts. 

ZION

ZION was busy--crowded--hot--dry--and AWESOME!!
Here are some of my favorite shots from that visit..we stayed in Cedar City Utah about 35 miles from the crowds in a fab room at the Best Western Town & Country which had been only days before remodeled..what an awesome room we had!!! BIG fluffy Beautyrest mattresses...with 4 big soft pillows on each bed..omg we were spoiled...the hot tub was nice the pool was cool, we give it a 5 even tho its listed as a 2 star hotel.

                                                              sis already unpacking. 
The first day we drove the Kolob Canyon
and then down to the Carmel Highway...now that was some drive...narrow steep roads with few turn outs..but what views!! We hiked the Timber Creek Overlook trail off Kolob Canyon Drive...it was an easy hike about a mile round trip and we had a picnic--with a friend.

Canyon Drive

                                                                             Scrub jay was....

Overlooking our Picnic...

CheckerBoard Mesa..

Some of the formations are so colorful this area reminds me of the Wave which I didnt get to see last yr..over near Page, AZ Still on the Bucket List.

Sis on the Carmel Highway 

                                         

 THE Watchman's Peak

Then on Sunday we did the Bus Ride which is the only way to get on the Zion Scenic Road after April 1.. till Oct. So we hopped on the bus with everyone else!! 

We decided to hike the Emerald Pool trails and the Upper Pool trail was steep & rocky but we made it up and back...the pool was so cold we could only wade in for a minute and our feet were turning blue!!

Standing under the overhang of Lower Emerald pools..

View of Red Arch 

                                                                           

Getting to the Lower Emerald Pools, 

Now on to the Upper Emerald Pools...

View of the Bridge, 

Trail up, Navajo White Sandstone in the distance

The Upper Emerald Falls,

                                           

The Temple of Sinawava 

Marks the parking and entrance to the  Riverside Trail to the narrows but the Narrows was so full of swift water they closed it to hiking!! Normally you can hike in the water the Narrow part of the canyon, but not this time. 
 The following photos are shots of the Virgin River as it tumbles thru Zion Canyon, and the Narrows part of the canyon. 

Sis and me on the Trail 

On the Riverwalk Trail you pass the Hanging Gardens, so very beautiful 

We got as close as we could but I imagine it will be about 2 weeks before the water returns to normal levels---

The Narrows Entrance 

We had a wonderful trip and we want to return to see what we missed and hike the trails we didnt hike..etc. I took lots of photos, -Today sadly I left Colorado sis had to go back to work and tonight Im headed back home...cooling my heels in a motel off the Interstate in Kansas. Tornado Alley---I plan to arrive back home on Friday!!