KatysBlog

Jessica and I today had lunch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and visited the Grand Teton National Park and next door Yellowstone National Park. We crossed the Continental Divide twice today (four times so far this trip). This is where America’s east-flowing and west-flowing waters are separated. Despite the crowd of tourists, the snowy Grand Tetons are majestic and elegant. We saw the Old Faithful geyser erupt and toured some of Yellowstone’s other geothermal features. We even saw some huge buffalo browsing near the road. Red, orange, pink, white, yellow, blue, and purple wildflowers are everywhere.

Images Copyright 2019 by Katy Dickinson

My daughter Jessica and I visited five parks in northern Arizona and southern Utah today. We were on the earliest tour of the Antelope Canyon and were entranced by the light filtering into the slot canyon to make the sandstone glow. We then walked the trail down to Horseshoe Bend where the Colorado River loops around a big rock. We drove through Zion National Park (zero parking meant we could not stop), followed by a hike in Bryce Canyon National Park where the cicadas sang in the trees And chipmunks ran around. We drove to nearby Kodachrome Basin State Park just before dinner. Tonight, we drive to Salt Lake City on our way to Yellowstone National Park. Still no roadrunner sightings!

Photographs Copyright 2019 by Katy Dickinson

Jessica and I started our Sunday in Santa Fe by going to St. Bede’s Episcopal Church which has a lovely stone labyrinth outside. We then went to the New Mexico Gay Rodeo (where the starter flag was a rainbow, of course), did some shopping with the craft vendors on the walkway of the Palace of the Governors, and visited the Georgia O’Keefe Museum. With excellent Venezuelan takeout from the Santarepa Cafe to sustain us, we spent the afternoon and evening driving to Page, Arizona, so that we can tour Antelope Canyon tomorrow.

Photographs Copyright 2019 by Katy Dickinson

Yesterday, Jessica and I saw the lovely Petrified Forest National Park, painted dessert, and ancient petroglyphs in Arizona. Before going into the park, we shopped at Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Company in nearby Holbrook to ensure we would not be tempted to pick up souvenirs. The store has fields of petrified wood, geodes, and minerals collected on private land. In the Park, we saw colorful badlands where the ancient stone logs were either on the open grass or eroding out of the ground.

Gas here is much less expensive than in California: $2.74/gallon. Ice, however, is $1.99/bag because it is so hot (110 degrees Fahrenheit today in Phoenix). Although we saw a coyote trotting along the road last night, there continues to be a disappointing lack of roadrunners on our journey.

Photographs Copyright 2019 by Katy Dickinson

Jessica and I slept at Sandy Flat Campground (near Lake Isabella) last night after a visit to the Miracle hot springs nearby. This morning, we drove thru the Joshua Trees to San Bernardino where she has a meeting. We head to Arizona this afternoon.

Photos Copyright 2019 by Katy Dickinson