Humility, hedonism, heat, height

Before leaving St George, UT we visited the winter home of Brigham Young (founder of the Mormon Church), a graceful and relatively simple house in a pretty setting, used now as a museum.  An interesting character who tried very hard to help people in need and do the right thing.  When they first arrived in St George, he left 309 families there to start a community, they dealt well with the Paiute Indians and created a large town for the times, out of very little in an unforgiving landscape, having to travel 30 miles (a day's journey) just for wood.

Drove to Las Vegas -what a contrast!! Neither of us felt particularly comfortable there and although we took the bus tour down "The Strip" to admire the lights and the glitz, we were glad to leave it behind.

Went from LV to Fresno, CA via Death Valley, which was a mere 85F - after experiencing 103F a few days ago we found that quite cool!  It has interesting geology including salt pans, sand dunes and we had our lunch under palm trees at a small oasis.  Leaving Death Valley behind we travelled alongside the Sierra Nevada in order to get to Fresno, CA - 503 miles in one day - a slight glitch in the planning process there!

The Sequoia national park is spectacular - neither of us realised that it is on top of a mountain (approximately 7000 feet above sea level).  It was a blissful 73F so almost jacket weather.  The trees are so beautiful, but sadly the 4 year drought is taking its toll on the forest, the King's Canyon, the surrounding countryside and the farmland down in the valley.  It must be heartbreaking to be a farmer here at the moment - having to choose which fields to water and which to leave to die.





Peter: Happened on Exeter, California today, in the middle of the St Joaquin valley, the central valley that grows most of the nation's fruit and nuts. (Appropriate, you might think, as I was born in Exeter, Devon). Actually a very nice bit of "small town, USA". Interesting murals about the history of the town, founded by two chaps / guys from Exeter, UK in 1911. Serendipity rules!

Planes, cacti and rocks. many rocks

Sorry about the delay, folks... Been busy eating up the miles and staring at the extraordinary landscapes of North Arizona and South Utah.

But before that, last Friday, we spent several hours at the Pima Air and Space Museum and had a tour of Davis Monthan AFB - the US Air Force aircraft recycling centre and graveyard. The only part of the US Air Force that makes a profit! It was hot, real hot, d**n hot (as in Good norning Vietnam) but we survived... The museum had a bigger collection of aircraft than Peter had ever seen, including the ones he used to make models of as a child! And plenty of British ones.


The next day we set off for Flagstaff in the north of Arizona, visiting the Saguaro park where the typical western film cacti grow in profusion, seemingly waving arms in the air.









On Sunday, we had the privilege of visiting the Grand Canyon: more impressive tha ever. Weather had cooled and we were at 6000 feet so quite pleasant. Ish. Then on to Blanding Utah through the painted desert: pastel coloured hills - quite beautiful in a low-key sort of way.




We then hit Monument Valley- we had seen it on TV and in films but the reality is stunning. Many pictures taken.

Yesterday, through the Arches National park. What can we say? Again monumental geology in dark shades of red. Rocks perched on to columns in seemingly impossible balance. And of course arches...

Today to Las Vegas after a visit or two in the town where we spent the night: St George, Utah.
3000 miles on the clock. I will comment at some time (and length) on driving the USA - an experience in itself...
Onward... (Sorry about the slightly messy appearance of this post, we have to be out of the motel by 11am.)