The Big Loop, Day 1: Virgin, UT to Kayenta, AZ

Well, the first day of my big cross-country road trip was... eventful.

Wahweap Marina, Lake Powell

First, getting out of the campground took almost three times as long as I had estimated. That has happened before - I should start adjusting my expectations! Then, I had some minor, but time-consuming, issues when I dropped of my trailer for storage. So I was late getting out of town by about two hours

That was the first setback. Next was the rotten, snowy weather between Hurricane and Pipe Springs, producing some tense driving. So I was only into the trip about an hour when I made a stop to relax and destress. Now the good news: I had a great conversation with two gas station workers: a retiree originally from upstate New York and an 18-year-old Paiute youth, both very open, very friendly. That and some clearer skies recharged my batteries. So I got back on the road.

By then, I knew I would have to eliminate my first planned destination, Navajo National Monument. It was just going to be too late in the day for that. Oh well, the whole trip will be fluid and ever-changing. And some of the changes will turn out to be gems!

Lake Powell, looking toward the dam and Page.

I had to stop at a viewpoint overlooking Lake Powell, or what's left of it. My last visit was almost 40 years ago, when it was full. I've heard all the rough drought-related news, but was still shocked to see how low it is and how far it has receded. 

Honestly, I have mixed feelings about Lake Powell. I know that millions of people rely on its water and the electricity it generates. But I know too that it has proven to be an ecological nightmare in many ways. I wish I had easy answers to the very complex problems! It has also been devastating to a number of cities and businesses that depend on the recreation dollar. Like Page, Arizona, which was already reeling by the closure of the Navajo Generating Station in late 2019. That put 1000 workers, mostly Navajos, out of work. Then Covid19. Ugh.

On a positive note, the landscape between Page and Kayenta is beautiful. It is a vast panorama of sage and grasses, often punctuated by soaring red rock monoliths off in the distance. Now add a coat of freshly fallen snow to the picture and you have some truly gorgeous scenery. And once daytime turned into dusk, with light snow lit by my headlights and the low clouds, everything became a little "mysterious". If I hadn't been so far behind schedule, I would definitely have stopped for photos! 

Ah, the snow. Nothing accumulating on the roads at that point, but they were wet. And once it got dark, I chose to slow way down... which put me into Kayenta even later. Before I checked in to the motel, I had to stop at Burger King even though I wasn't a bit hungry. You see, it also houses a display of the WWII Code Talkers who played such a vital role in that war. Their contributions can't be overstated. So I grabbed some photos then hit the motel. Below are a few of them.

Long day - I am tired. My plan is to get up REAL early so I can witness sunrise at Monument Vally before I continue on. So, I need to get to bed! Thanks for reading this far and stay tuned...