Friday, June 10, 2011

from Seattle to Moab

On arrival at Cruise America we had to sit and watch a 20 minute video on how to operate the bus. Then we were given a plastic washing basket full of saucepans, crockery, bedding etc, and that was it. We set off for a supermarket first then got on the road. We were making for Yellowstone National Park but our first night´s stop was Ellensburg, Washington, then Missoula, Montana (where it rained a lot). The third night we entered Yellowstone and camped at Mammoth. Yellowstone was still covered in snow, and we saw elk and bison wandering through the camp. The next night it snowed, we felt sorry for the campers in tents. We saw Old Faithful, which erupted almost on schedule (apprx every 1 1/2 hours), and many other geysers and hot springs. All surrounded by snow, up to 10ft deep in places. Walking across one bridge on top of the snow we were  above the level of the handrails (see pic below).

The road through the Tetons was still closed by snow, so we had to take a long detour. We found our way to the campsite at Snake River by 8:30pm, very tired. When we woke up next morning it was so cold that the water pipe had frozen and we couldn´t get clean water in or dirty waterout. The next campsite was at Provo, south of Salt Lake City. We really, really wanted a beer but although the local garage had some we couldn´t buy it because it was Sunday.


The pics are a little ouf sequence, this is the snow-covered bridge at Yellowstone.

The next day we arrived at Moab where we stayed three nights and visted the Arches National Park, and Canyonlands. We got up early and got into the Archges by 8:30 am to miss the crowds. The pics below are of the Arches. There are several walking trails, we walked about 10 miles altogether that day and it was worth it. 


We saw some crazy antics by some visitors after dramatic photos, including a German  girsl doing ballet poses on top of Mesa Arch, 8ft wide with a sheet 1500 ft drop on the other side. (This theme was repeated later at the Grand Canyon...)
This is us with the Delicate Arch in the background.

The next day we visited Canyonlands; the highlight was Upheaval Dome which was either caused by a meteorite or salt pushing up from the rocks below, scientists are not sure, a very big hole in the ground anyway. The short hike over the rocks to see it was well worth it.

Campared to Snake River, the climate was much warmer at Moab, we even lay on the campsite´s picnic table that night to look up at the stars, which, so far away from big towns, so liuttle light pòllution, were clearly visible, including the Milky Way.

 

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