Saturday 24 November - Bryce Canyon to Grand Junction

Today was Alison's turn to drive so this morning Philip announced that the journey would be taking a different path to the Google Maps plan that Alison had been studying! After a great cooked breakfast at the Best Western Bryce Canyon Grand (naming it to highly recommend it to anyone else who might visit this area), we headed off along Utah Scenic Byway 12 towards Escalante, Torrey and Green River where we would rejoin the interstate highway. We were so pleased that we made this decision as the landscape once again left us in awe to the point where Jenny would comment about another vista that she had spotted and Philip would respond with "I'm blasé about that - been there seen that!" But truly how do you respond when you keep being presented with vistas like this.

This drive which took us through Capitol Reef National Park was wonderful. One minute we would be driving through Canyons and then through pasture land until suddenly once again we would drop down into another area of canyons or as we approached the interstate highway a lunar landscape that reminded one of mining tailings.

We drove to points over 9,000 feet with aspen and fir trees all around and snow on the cooler areas but clear roads. For those of you who worked with Philip in early days of the MSS Project, you might remember the significance of Ponderosa. Below you will see Philip with Ponderosa pines in the background.

We all agree that one of the highlights of the day was to see petroglyphs carved by the people of the Fremont culture. Check this link:
http://www.nps.gov/care/historyculture/fremont.htm

We arrived safely in Grand Junction after 5.00pm, enjoyed dinner at a Denny's Restaurant beside our motel and then were able to talk with Jessica via FaceTime. How lucky are we to be able to be so far from home but be able to talk with loved ones face to face including our pets!