I slept very well and was up and about by 6.30 so had my tent and possessions stacked and ate breakfast whilst everyone else was still asleep. I decided to try and photograph some of the birdlife but once appropriately armed the birds were uncooperative, so I walked to the village for a proper coffee.
The day was bright, clear and sunny so we kept catching glimpses of a vibrant canyon as we left the area; c’est la vie! Fortunately we stopped at Desert View to catch a last look at the Canyon.
There is a stone watchtower there but viewing from the top was not possible. The inside of the tower has been painted to replicate traditional Hopi cave paintings and stories from their mythology. Some seemed very similar to Australian aboriginal paintings to my eye.
Outside there were lots of wild flowers and low shrubs with a characteristically yellow flower. This was Rubber Rabbit brush I discovered.
Leaving the Canyon, we headed northeast towards Lake Powell, the highest of the lakes in the Colorado system and built to help the US meet a 1948 agreement to provide Mexico with it’s fair share of the Colorado water. Along the road side were many stalls selling Navajo artwork and pottery but most of them were deserted. The brightness created sharp relief and even the smaller tributary canyons seemed impressive. Occasionally there were collections of buildings like a run-down trailer park. This was clearly where the Indians live, and although some have substantial homes this is certainly not true for the majority. We stopped at Cameron Trading Post, a collections of brown stone built structure that included a large gift shop as well as a hotel and other buildings. Whilst most of the staff were Indians much of the supposedly Indian material on sale had been made in various Asian countries.
From here we set out for Page, on Lake Powell. The scenery, already fascinating became increasingly unworldly. Miniature butte and mesa features as well as dirt mounds depicted a range of colours depending on the rock strata within. Ochres, greys, reds, mauve and yellow all mixed with the green provided in places by vegetation. Elsewhere dark browns came into the equation as well as black where the harsh sun set some rock faces into shadow. At one point, the geology (the road was following the strike in an area of dipping rocks) meant that the colours differed on either side of the road, predominantly reds to the right and yellows and greys to the left. Even after experiencing the road from Cody to Yellowstone as well as the road into Yosemite this was the most absorbing and exhilarating drive by scenery that I have experienced. A brief photo stop at Horseshoe Bend was another mini highlight and I even managed to stand at (almost) the edge of the 1,000 foot drop to capture the whole feature in frame.
Next came the inevitable shopping stop. Unlike others, Page Wallmart even had a lens cap to replace the broken one. There must be quite a demand given the dust in this area. Finally we had a quick dip in Lake Powell before heading to the Cowboy Ranch where we will spend the night.
I decided to go horse riding tomorrow to make up for the disastrous experience in the Badlands. I introduce myself to the Wrangler, Wade and he picked me out a small horse called Kiowa. This seems sensible as he will teach me to ride it properly. No more following the horse in front for me!
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