Video

Jul

2022

The North Rim of The Grand Canyon

Many of us have been to the Grand Canyon. We’ve fought with the hordes of people, competing for a non-existent parking place so we could ride a crowded bus to the various viewing areas along the south rim. To be clear, with all our complaining it’s worth the effort. Nothing can adequately describe the sensation of standing on the rim of one of the largest and most picturesque canyons on earth. We’re not only impressed by the majesty of the view, but by the utter silence as we gaze out into the void.

On rare occasions, we’ve been gifted with another, better view of the Grand Canyon, from the north side. The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is harder to visit, and therefore has far fewer guests. There’s only one campground and the only hotel within 40 miles is the lodge, which is very expensive. It’s only open during the summer because it’s about 1,000 feet higher than the south rim, and therefore receives more snow.

Another consideration when visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is that it is in very close proximity to some of the best National Parks and other recreation available in southern Utah. Close-by parks include Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Capitol Reef National Park. There’s the famous Escalante National Recreation Area, and more.

Still, it’s more than worth the effort if you have the time and means.

Here are a few of the images we made this summer:

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon may not have as many viewing spots, and it may not attract as many guests, but the drive over to the north side is well worth the effort.

Dining Room
Dining room at the lodge, North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Lounge
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Timelapse
Making a timelapse from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

North Rim Cabins
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The River
The Colorado River as sen from Angel's Window

Wild Flowers
Wildflowers at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

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Bright Angel Point
One of the most spectacular viewing areas along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is a short, 1/4 mile walk from the main lodge. It's called Bright Angel Point.

Indian Paint Brush
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Timelapse at Bright Angel Point
A smoky timelapes at Bright Angel Point.

Bright Angel Point
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Angels Window
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Angels Window
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North Rim Lodge
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Lightning Damage?
Possible lightning damage at the lodge, North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

North Rim Lodge
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Lodge Overlooking the Canyon
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Lodge Overlooking the Canyon
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Lodge
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Chipmunk
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The Lodge
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Jun

2022

Wandering the Roads Behind Moab

We all know about the National parks when we visit Moab, Utah. We even know about many of the backroads used by mountain bikers, ATVs, and other 4WD enthusiasts. What many folks may not know is that some of the most scenic areas around Moab are right in its backyard.

We visited two areas behind Moab today:

First, leaving Moab to the west, we ventured along the Colorado River on the opposite side of Potash Road, and out along Kane Springs Road. This area has several BLM (Bureau of Land Management) campgrounds and day-use areas as well as some seriously scenic country.

Next, we returned to town and made our way out to Potash Road on the opposite side of the River and out to Jug Handle Arch, and Long Canyon Road. We traveled the road only for a short distance for these images, but the road will eventually exit at Dead Horse Point State Park.

This was just a taste of these less-traveled backroads near Moab. No doubt we’ll end up spending more time here in the not-too-distant future.

Traveling some of the less known roads behind Moab.

May

2022

Artist’s Paint Pots

Artist’s Paint Pots is an attraction in Yellowstone National Park. Located about three miles south of the Norris Geyser Basin along the Grand Loop Road, this is a collection of over 50 springs, geysers, vents, and mud pots.

As one of the “out-of-the-way” locations, this area seems to get a little less traffic than some of the more popular areas of the part, but if you happen by, it’s worth a stop.

The trail loop is about 1.2 miles in total with an 80 rise in elevation. We enjoyed this location early in the morning. The cold air made the steam rising from the various features more dramatic.

Aug

2020

Roadside View of Capitol Reef National Park: One Day at This Utah Attraction

Do you know where Capital Reef National Park is? We found it by chance more than two decades ago and we’ve been going back since then.

Capital Reef is a small National Park located in southern Utah. It’s in the neighborhood of the Grand Escalante National Recreation Area, Zion National Park, and Bryce Canyon National Park. The closest town is called Torrey. Not much there except a small grocery store and a handful of restaurants, cafes and hotels.

The area has grown significantly over the years, but we think it’s still one of the best kept secrets in southern Utah.

Here’s a video we made from a recent trip through Capitol Reef. We hesitate to say that it was our destination, but rather, it was a diversion as we traveled from one place to another. Next time we’ll want to spend more time and explore some of the backcountry.

We spent just a single day ambling around Capitol Reef National Park in southern Utah. Here’s what we found by observing from the roadside.

We spent about six weeks in this area a few years ago when we were RVing full time and came away with a few stories. Here are a few:

Capitol Reef National Park – Our introductory piece from a couple of years ago when we visited this the Park.

Capitol Reef national Park – Image gallery – Some of our first images from Capitol Reef National Park. They’re still relevant since nothing has changed over the years.

Capitol Reef – Waterpocket Fold – We dive into the fascinating geology of the area around Capitol Reef called The Waterpocket Fold. By visiting Capitol Reef national Park, it’s no mystery that the area has been very geologically active and this article explains a little about how it all took place.

Capital Reef National Park – Wayne Wonderland – Here we dive into a bit of the recent history of Wayne County and who the first Mormon settlers were.

Goblin Valley – Utah’s Weirdest Rocks – This should have been listed first. If you visit Capitol Reef National Park and you come from I-70, you pass by Goblin Valley State Park near Hanksville. This place has the weirdest rocks we’ve seen anywhere and it’s worth a visit, especially if it’s on your way.

Apr

2020

The Green Army Drum Corps

Walt Disney World remains closed for now, but if you were able to visit, a must-see stop would be a performance of the Green Army Drum Corps in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This is a percussion trio outfitted in the style of the Green army Soldiers of the Toy Story movies. They march and perform several times a day, so check a Times Guide when you’re there.

Feb

2020

Frontierland

The Liberty Belle River Boat in Frontierland at Disney’s Magic Kingdom has been off-line and out of service since January of this year. It has been going through an extensive refurbishment, as all things in Disney do from time to time.

A couple of days ago, we happened to be walking through Frontierland and noticed that this magnificent old boat is back in the water and traveling around the Rivers of America. She’s not taking passengers just yet, but we’re told that she will be in the next couple of weeks.

Oh, and for you folks who are sticklers about the details, the Liberty Belle has a new whistle.

The newly refurbished Liberty Belle River Boat at Disney’s Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Florida, is back on the Rivers of America at Frontierland. She’s making trial runs for now, and will resume carrying guests in the near future.

Feb

2020

Manatees of Blue Springs State Park

We went north of Orlando a few miles and visited Blue Springs State Park. It’s January, and the Manatees are here. On the day we were visited, the count was 380 animals.

Blue Springs State Park is based around an underground spring that remains a constant 72 degrees F year-round. When the seawater gets below 66 degrees, the Manatees start looking for warmer water and Blue Springs, with its proximity to the St. John’s River, is high on the list.

In summer months, Blue Springs is a popular park for swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. The springs offer a chance for divers to explore a cave system that descents more than 100 feet underground. There’s a campground too, so visitors can spend several days.

The crystal clear waters of Blue Springs State Park are home to Manatees in the coldest winter months, but in the summer, it’s a popular swimming hole. Snorkeling and Scuba diving are also on the list. The spring that feeds more than a million gallons of water a day river extends down more than 100 feet into the earth.

Jun

2019

Cruising the Fjords of Norway

This year’s Europe trip involved a cruise through some of the west coast fjords of Norway. We left Southampton, UK, on a Princess Line’s ship, the Sapphire Princess, and headed north through the North Sea to Norway. We made our way as far north as Geiranger, which is far enough north that, had there been enough darkness, we might have been able to see the Northern Lights. Sunset was around 10:00 pm with sunrise at around 4:30 am. In between, it didn’t really get dark.

There were four stops on our tour of the Norwegian Fjords

There was plenty to see and do on this cruise. On some days, we took a quick tour to see a bit of the country-side and others, we just walk around town. On one day, we did both. Overall, we think this is a cruise worth doing again.

Here’s a video of some of the sights we found on the cruise, and after that, enjoy some of the images we made along the way.

The Fjords were not unlike the scenery we’ve seen in Alaska. We didn’t visit any glaciers on this trip, but it’s probable that we simply didn’t get far enough north. Up close, the trees were predominately deciduous, with lots of birch instead of aspens. We were expecting more pine trees but were told that most pine forests in Norway were planted from trees imported from Germany.