Closing with a Nap hand

For those who have never played it , a "Nap hand" was a hand of five cards that would win the game--don't ask me to explain it-- my dad and his mates used to play this on a Saturday and sunday lunchtime for money in the local pub.

What is the relevance I hear you ask then, well, when we have done Page today, that will be our nap of parks and the like---

• Grand Canyon
• Monument Valley
• Bryce Canyon
• Zion Park
• And later today it will be the Antelope Split Canyons of Page, AZ in particular -- but more on that tomorrow--

As for yesterday we went to Zion National Park just near Mt., Carmel Junction in South west Utah and this was on the way in ---

 

The big difference for us was yesterday was about looking upwards from the canyon floor where-as the others were looking down from the top rims of the Canyons. I reckon if you got the sequence right it would be like doing stretch and flex exercises--one day stretch upwards the next day stretching downwards---might catch on.

 

As with the previous days we were in for a real treat on the sights that we were to see---I will put a bundle of pictures up on the Full Profile for everyone to see in their own time but the following are definitely some of the highlights-----

 

So the Wifi crashed at the Best western this morning and now I have issues with this one in not letting me upload photos to go with the Blogg, so I may post this and try again when I get better reception but I am really worried about the number of photos I have yet to post.

 

And even more worried about my memory managing to keep up also-----and when you've got old timers disease like me then you would be worried also. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wonderous Places -- so much to see so little time

After our collapsing asleep the previous night in Hurricane, Lynda and I were not sure how good or bad the day would be with our visit to Bryce Canyon, as we were very disappointed at the Grand Canyon with the bad light , the rain and low cloud--well you come all this way and then after getting charged $25 and not getting a shot---the £25 is for 7 days, but we are on a cram every damn thing in we possibly can type trip so don't have that kind of flexibility.

Well we went to Bryce Knowing that there would be another charge of £25  --- no-one told us that we could get an $80 ticket that gets access to all the Parks and lasts a year--could have past it on---anyway when you get on the SR12 you immediately get a taste of what is to come with passing through "Red Canyon"---

 

Definitely defying gravity

Almost like an entrance to what comes next a few miles up the road.

We make no apologise for the waxing kind of lyrically about what is a most stunning place and I for one feel privileged to have been able to have got to see it in the flesh.--

 

This is the best shot we could get of the raging river after the rain--man that was hammering down very brown and murky and plenty of mud on the roads.

 

Not much commentary from me--let the pictures say it all--well almost--

 

Someone tell me how this rock stays sitting up there, it really defies laws of engineering.

Unfortunately there was no way that I was going to both get down there and get back

Here is a little critter--it is a chip monk--they are very small

 

Lynda all pictured out

 

So at the end of this we went to our next Hotel which while a Best Western, it is with a difference--

 

 

This is a hotel, restaurant , gas station and 9 hole golf course and is owned by a really amazing family called the Morrisons-- 3 generations still working there.

Nice meal last night and served by a really interesting guy called Kyle--good looking bloke that Lynda fancied.

So all breakfasted up and today we are going to Zion park--hoping for more wonders to see--happy days.

Memorable Day on a Memorable Day

Ok so anyone reading this blog --sad people, get a life, -- will know that yesterday was our wedding anniversary, but all in all i cant think that there would be too many people that could cram in what we managed during what was to become a very long day.

As I think I may have mentioned yesterday that Lynda and I had a quiet Sunday evening dinner and although the day was busy , I was awake and on line at 5 am.

So when we were breakfasted and on our way yesterday , we stopped on the way out of town to grab a photo of me at the second M+W office this time in Phoenix---

This is me with my mate John Dunn who took the giant step of selling up everything in 2005 in Scotland and moved him his wife and 3 children to Phoenix and are still living the dream---great people, an avid Rangers supporter who was converted yesterday to being a Chelsea fan for the day.

 

Ok , so Lynda and I hit the road from there with the target of being in Flagstaff , AZ, by 1200 noon at the latest for the Manc v's Chelsea match live -- well we actually got to Flagstaff just after 11am and of course where is Flagstaff--right on Route 66 ---

 

 

Now clearly , we needed to see the game so we were in the Collins Irish Bar for lunch and the Match and sure enough there was the game on about 10 big TV's. All was good until a storm brought a halt to every TV screen for around 20 minutes so was relieved to see the score still goalless when it came back on.

Not unhappy at the result, 0-0 is good at their ground, but thought we could have nicked it.

 

Still , just to prove a point, when we left Flagstaff at 2pm here, this was the driving conditions---

 

 

So this storm was not just for a few miles, it was on and off right up until we fell into the hotel room at 10pm last night---oh yeah, we went forward on a time zone--forgot about that one.

Any way we went a slightly different way than the plan because there had been a road slide and a road was washed away to get to Page so we decided to go to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. But you see all sorts and we saw these images on the way at a place called "Cave Dwellers"---

These rocks were balanced with enough overhang to build the walls--amazing.

Ok so when we got to the North Rim --apart from getting ripped of for $25 for a quick photographic visit--especially at 5.30pm when the cloud and rain was coming down-- we made it there---

These pictures d not do it justice but on the top of the Grand Canyon North Rim , when it is misty and raining is always going to be a problem.

Now the even bigger problem was to find a Hotel that had a room---Deja Vue and sleeping in car was starting to raise its head as a possibility--we went to one place where the storm had washed down mud onto the main road and there were diggers clearing the mud away.

We stopped for fuel and got a coffee and essential food--well I thing this burger was food --but we need the carbs so what the hell.

It was also driving on single carriageway roads that gets you stuck behind lorries and slow-coaches, so hence the 2  1/2 hours drive to a place in Utah called Hurricane-- we hope that is not an omen---and we have just booked a Best Western for tonight.

So that's it ---monumental day on our anniversary--- and hopefully we can get a couple of days good walking and sight seeing again. I will put yesterdays photos in a bundle onto the profile in the next day or so.

Gotta get cracking, the Boss is raring to go, so later people-----

monumental day for a ride

Yes I am well aware that it is Manu v's Chelsea and yes I know how monumental that could be with a win at old Trafford, and of course Lynda and I will try to find a sports bar to watch it--could be the Irish Bar , in Flagstaff. if I can get thereby around 12 noon.

So we are leaving phoenix today, we might swing by the M+W office on the way past on the way to get on to the I-17 heading north. After Flagstaff we will drive to Page an stop for the night and then tomorrow morning drive to Bryce Canyon in Utah.

These images are what is driving us to get up there-- like something from another world and quite extraordinary.

Also we are intending to get to see some of Zion Nat Park  where amazing places where water formed in the sandstone incredible shapes , tunnels and formations.

Hopefully the next images will be ours. Lynda is convinced that we are gonna suffer the same fate as that climber who had to cut his arm off to escape after he got wedged in there. I keep telling her that the knife is only for peeling apples but I don't think she is convinced.

So this is a short and sweet blog today but just to say that there is another reason it is a monumental day and that is because it is the day 25 years ago that Lynda and I decided to get married and it certainly is up there as the best decision I ever made--- Lynda, well you will have to ask her that but she is still here, putting up with me and all my foible's--and they are many.

I love you Lynda more now than ever and I am looking forward to the same level of excitement over the next 25.
Happy Anniversary my Darling.
Philip xxx 

Post Tanque Verde

A Very Big Happy Birthday to ANN PENNINGTON today---we hope you have had a great day and were spoilt rotten.

So we left Tanque Verde yesterday morning to drive to Phoenix but there was one last ride, although I think Richard and I agree that it was pretty ordinary, in the most part to the size of the group and the amount of non riders with continual stop starts , dropped water bottles, riders letting horses eat.

I did manage to get a couple of shots of a couple of jack rabbits that were right in our path---

Always sad leaving the ranches--we have such a great time there and always meet such nice people.

Still , the journey has to continue.

We had to go to phoenix via the air[port as we had to change the car yet again --this time with a cracked windscreen - we are now on our 4th car.

Lynda decided she was going to capture anything that was of interest to her on the trip to Phoenix and here is a selection---

Here is an example of the tiny twisters that continually whip up all the way from Tucson to Phoenix--must be a big factor with facilities such as Intels which is in this valley as well.

I think she took this just to link to the fact that we had been talking about Paul McCartney this week, with him having a ranch next door the TV Ranch we were on.

This one has to be just because we went to Florence the last time we were here in Arizona--its up in the east side mountains and houses 2 of the largest Prisons I have seen in my life -- we did not know that when we booked to stay at a motel there.

Absolutely no way can I come to Phoenix and not have a picture of the Intel Ocotillo facility, even if it is at distance

And finally, as we were watching "McClintock " 3 days ago on Netflix with John Wayne I think Lynda thought it was some kind of a sign--- well , yes of course it is a sign, a road sign but you know what I mean ---a "Sign" from the Duke.

Now the on thing people should realise is that Lynda is a bit of a witch, or at least a magician ---well look at the facts--
When we came to the USA a few weeks ago and loaded up the car, we had 2 suitcases.
So here we were exchanging the car yesterday and what do you know, there are now 4 cases----

I am telling everyone here that I don't know how she does this but it happens every time, right in front of my eyes and I see nothing.

This next picture is a really nice one of Lynda and me --- we don't get too many usually one or the other of us, so this was good and thanks Richard.

So here we are on Sunday morning , having had a great night out last night at a restaurant called the Keg on Chandler Blvd with John and Margaret Ann Dunn,--- John is an old friend and colleague from M+W who relocated with his family to Phoenix, and it is always good to catch up with them on any of our visits here---next meal is on me John.

So while we wait to see if we can Skype with any of the children we are thinking about the next leg of the journey---Bryce Canyon and Zion Nat park-- shopping in an hour or so in Nordstrom's and for me thinking of the match tomorrow against the Mancs---you have got to play better Chels if we are to get some kind of a result at their ground--Win or Lose, Up The Blues.

Have a great day one and all.