Friday, May 17, 2024
This morning, we departed Kaibab Camper Village and travelled northeast on AZ-89 for about 90 miles to Page, AZ. The roads were good and curvy at times but the weather and scenery were gorgeous. Early in our journey, we lost elevation and had great views of Vermilion Cliffs, part of a national monument.
——————— Vermilion Cliffs ———————
We crossed the Colorado River in a beautiful area known as Marble Canyon but just before doing so, pulled over to investigate the Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center and views. The current AZ-89 Navajo Bridge over the river was completed in the 1990s and is parallel to the original 1920s bridge that is now used as a pedestrian bridge. We walked across the Colorado River and back observing the river and its navigators, the bridges, and Marble Canyon.
While crossing the bridge, I was able to shoot some great photos of California condors flying overhead. In the 1980s, the population of this species had dropped to only 22 individuals due to unwitting human activity, pesticides and hunting with lead bullets that poisoned the scavengers’ meals. Captive breeding and release programs started early this century have helped the condor population to rebound. I didn’t realize it at the time that I took the photos, but when I blew up the shots, I could distinctly read ID numbers (K6 & L4) under their huge wings (8-9 foot span) and yellow circular tracking devices attached to their chests.
—— Navajo Bridge over the Colorado River ——
We drove across the Colorado and continued into Page where we again crossed the river just downstream of the Glen Canyon Dam that creates Powell Lake. We passed through Page and using our Senior Pass, entered the Glen Canyon Recreation Area. Our campground, Wahweap Campground & RV Park, is operated by an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service. To access the campground, we rode along several miles of Powell Lake with its associated marinas and boating facilities. The distinct white “bathtub ring” around its shores indicated how very low the current lake level is. There seemed to be too little water for the numerous huge boats docked at the marinas.
We checked in at the campground office and then set up at Site D4. Our site here is a nice full hook-up back-in site on a level cement pad. It is bright and sunny here with temperatures in the 90s, such a contrast to the weather we left behind just this morning. We turned on the RV’s AC to avoid cooking ourselves from the heat build-up. We’re almost on the AZ-UT stateline here and our phones are having a hard time deciding what time it is.
Jane drove a load of laundry back the office building where the laundry room is located. The dryer (45 min. on high heat) was again inadequate to completely dry our load so she schlepped the damp clothes back to the RV and we decorated the interior with socks, shirts and underwear to complete the drying process in the dry AC air.
Entering Page, AZ
Glen Canyon Dam
Lake Powell
Wahweap Campground Office & Store
Soon, we were ready for Happy Hour and drove to the Grand Canyon Brewery in Page. Jane sampled a flight of four of their offerings while I ordered their orange chocolate stout. We got happy.
————— Grand Canyon Brewery —————
After beers, we headed to Blue Buddha Sushi Lounge for dinner. The food and service there were excellent. The restaurant’s psychedelic atmosphere was quite unusual for eating sushi; we felt as if we were transported back to Area 15 in Vegas.
————— Blue Buddha Sushi Lounge —————
After our sushi dinner, we bought some groceries at Safeway and refueled the toad. While driving back to the campground, we explored the shore of Lake Powell a little bit. The low sun angle provided softer more pleasant views of the lake. Back in the RV, we finished putting away the laundry and settled into our new campsite.
——————— Lake Powell ———————
