Friday and Saturday, October 27 and 28, 2017 (Lone Rock Campground, Lake Powell, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah)

We woke to glorious clear sky Friday morning...so beautiful! Lots of sunshine...gotta love it! Steve decided he was going to get all of the "toys" out today. He started by off-loading the boat (in the background) and then moved on to the quads. Here he is checking the pressure in the tires...

While he was doing that, I got my knitting and sat outside enjoying the warm sunshine. We weren't sure whether Ray and Deb would be arriving today or Saturday but around 11:00, I got a text saying they would be here at about 12:45 today...awesome!

And right on time, they arrived! Steve was actually just heading out on his quad for a little ride around the area when he called back to me..."I think they're here". After big hugs and greetings...and checking out where they would park, they drove their car back up the hill to get the motorhome.

Steve carried on his quad ride and took some great pictures. The far right looks towards the marina and Glen Canyon Dam near Page, AZ.
After being so busy here yesterday, we were surprised to see how much it cleared out on a Friday morning!
That's us behind the darker motohome...


We're right in the center of the picture...
A close up shot...


Looking back towards camp...
Once Deb and Ray got all set up, it was time to relax in the sunshine and catch up over a few adult beverages...
Then it was campfire time...and dinner outside. Perfect table for the 4 of us to sit at (thanks to the Kyles!). Steve and I did a simple dinner tonight...grilled burgers, salad and chips..
Saturday morning started with a beautiful sunrise...
We were sitting with our morning coffee when I got a text from Deb..."bus" leaves in a half hour for town! Yikes! I had a quick shower and was ready to go. "Town" is Page, Arizona about 10 miles further south on highway 89. Once you cross the Utah, Arizona border, the time zone changes and you gain an hour...very confusing. Mind you, Steve and I are still on Pacific time (from being in Vegas) but Ray and Deb are on Utah time, so we constantly have to confirm whose time we're on when making plans. That will change in another week, though, as daylight savings time ends in Utah.

Once in Page, our first stop was at Walmart. Deb needed a few things but I had just stocked up in Vegas so I didn't need much...but I did come home with a new Instant Pot. So many of our friends have them...and Deb raves about hers...that I decided it was time to ditch the little crock pot and get on board with everyone else.

After Walmart, we made our rounds of all of the nail salons in town, trying to both get pedicures...without any success. Oh well, we'll have to try again next week. After a couple of more stops...and breakfast/lunch at Denny's (pretty much a disaster as they are short staffed and it took us over an hour to get our meal)...we headed home.

When we arrived, Steve wasn't home...I soon discovered he had gone out in the boat. It wasn't long, though, and he was back. Deb, Steve and I were sitting outside when Ray asked if it was time for Steve's 'Lightroom' lesson. Since getting the photo editing software back in Langley, Steve has just been too busy to even look at it. Ray uses Lightroom so it was great timing to meet up with them.
I joined the lesson for the download/import into Lightroom part...and then returned outside to chat with Deb.

Here are Steve's first pictures edited using the new program. Pictures from his boat ride this morning...

Steve spotted a dark object in the water and was surprised to see a couple of swimmers hundreds of yards from shore way beyond the swimming buoys. The way the jet skis rip around here that's kind of dangerous! He stopped to ask if they were okay and they were.
Our camp...
This is Freya...


Paddle boarder...

Another end to another beautiful day! Tomorrow we are all going to pile into Ray and Deb's car and going sightseeing...stay tuned!



Thursday, October 26, 2017 (Travel to Lone Rock Campground, Lake Powell, Glen Canyon National Rec Area, Utah)

We were up bright and early this morning and on the road by 8:20...pretty close to a record for us! We made our way back to I-15 eventually catching up with rush hour traffic and headed north, retracing our route towards St. George, Utah.
It was a beautiful travel day...
We passed through Mesquite, Nevada...just before crossing the border into Arizona.
And then through the Virgin River Canyon...I posted a lot of pictures on our way down to Vegas, now you get more as we travel in the opposite direction.
It was quite hazy out...






That's the day use area of the Virgin River Canyon Campground we stayed at on our trip from Torrey to Vegas just over a week ago...








Back into Utah...
Just past St. George, we took the exit to highway 9 east, going through Hurricane, and joining up with highway 59. Then we climbed up, up and up...



The highway dips back down into Arizona and through Fredonia...
...before it goes back into Utah just south of Kanab...



Utah sure has the most variety and scenic geography we've ever seen...









And finally we see our destination in the distance...Lone Rock campground on Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area...

Soon we were turning onto Lone Rock Road...

This time the entrance gate was manned (last time it was closed and you had to use the "iron ranger" and it was only $10 /night). We paid a $25 park entrance fee (next year we must consider purchasing the $80 annual pass, of course, it depends what our plans are for visiting national parks)...plus $14/night...

Primitive camping permitted on a sandy beach or in dunes. No designated campsites. Open fires must be within a four-foot-square area. Quiet time 10 pm-6 am. Four micro-flush toilets, 6 vault toilets and 1 wheelchair accessible comfort station. Outdoor cold shower. Off-road vehicle area. Dump station. Potable water (seasonal). Day use area. No launch ramp. $14 per vehicle per night. No reservations.

With roads going "every which way", we chose the wrong one as we headed down to the beach. The sand was quite loose and it was very lumpy...but we made it. The lake is much higher than the last time we were here (October 14-22, 2012) which meant not as much hard packed sand along the water's edge towards the boat launch. A little more dicey in the looser sand...you just have to be extra careful where you drive. We were surprised at how busy it was. There were only a couple of breaks along the waterfront left so we pulled into the larger one you see ahead. Ray and Deb are joining us so that should give us enough room for both rigs.

After getting all levelled and unhitched, we got set up and then Steve went up on the roof to clean the solar panels. Oh, by the way...when setting up the satellite dish, he latched onto a signal right away without having to adjust the dish. That has only happened a handful of times in the seven plus years we have been on the road!


We had some visitors come by as we were sitting out enjoying the view. They're obviously used to being fed...
A few more pics as the sun goes down...



Such a beautiful spot...one of our favourites! We are looking forward to our stay here...especially since friends, Deb and Ray will be joining us!