There were a few motorcycle couples out there, and we saw one 3-wheeler (one of these - http://docs.google.c...XVdzRNOwvzYlLxzjQ ).

We're back home. J did an amazing job in planning the trip and arranging everything.

We spent a few days in Zion at a B&B, a couple of days at Bryce Canyon, a couple of days in Page, a couple of days at the Grand Canyon.

Some tidbits:

Zion: 99% of the people were from outside the US. Those that were American were there for the scenery and didn't hike. I think we saw one American family with kids there. 3.2 M visitors last year.

Bryce: Amazing formations. Lots of beauty in a very small place. Again, almost no Americans. 3.2 M visitors last year. Highway 12 is a beautiful drive. Kodachrome Basin was pretty but very hot.

Page, AZ: We took a raft ride on the Colorado below the Glen Canyon Dam, and looked out over Horseshoe Bend. Amazing scenery. A beautiful canyon. The air quality is at least partially ruined by a power plant on Navajo land near the dam. Took a fun truck ride to Antelope Canon and saw some amazing features in the slot canyon. Several American families on the raft trip down to Lee's Ferry.

Grand Canyon: The only other time I saw it was ~ 10 years ago when we drove up from Phoenix to see it. The weather forecast for the day said it was going to be in the 60s. By the time we got there it was in the 30s and snowing. The canyon filled with clouds about 5 minutes after we walked to the rim. We left before they closed the roads...

This time, the weather was perfect. We did the South Kaibob trail hike to Skeleton Point (lose 2000 feet in 3 miles) and back in 4.5 hours. Saw very few Americans again - most of those we did see were retirees. Beautiful, amazing scenery. Several other short hikes. Saw some elk and lots of rock squirrels. 4.9M (?) visitors last year. We saw a volunteer who was an old retired runner (75 marathons?!). He said the record for running rim-to-rim-to-rim (South Rim across the GC to the North Rim and then back to the South Rim starting point) was 6:59. That's insane...!

Las Vegas: Our airport. Spent our last night at a fancy Holiday Inn (Staybridge Suites) close to Mandalay Bay. The sign on the back of the door said the maximum rate was $950 a night. We got it for $93. ;-) They apparently are condos that were converted to hotel rooms. A nice place.

Mandalay Bay was where we walked for dinner. An interesting place. $7 for a Newcastle Brown Ale in their little restaurant. :-/ But the food was good. We were up about $3.50 on a $1 bet on a slot machine, but lost it. We only bet $2 total.

We heard what sounded for all the world like "Looking Glass" doing "Mandy (you're a fine girl)" as we walked through the place. It very well might have been them. ;-)

Vegas is weird. Quite a few abandoned construction sites. Lots of new overpasses with dates like 2000, 2004, 2005.... Lots of housing developments. But the place seems to be surviving.

Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas was a nice little BLM conservation area. We did a mile or so of hiking before we got on the plane today.

The flight back home to DCA was uneventful. We flew over the Grand Canyon again and were able to see the visitor center and the South Kaibob Trail.

Zooks the humidity is high around here! ;-)

It's good to be home.

Cheers,
Scott.