The Great Canadian Field trip begins

Today was moving day.  Our trek north has begun.  We have decided that we need to be at our daughters for Easter so that means we need to average 100 miles a day for the next 13 days.  We decided that we are going to follow Highway 89 for as long as we can and stay away from I-15 as long as possible.  Our first stop will be the Lone Rock Beach camping area west of Page UT.  I actually learned of it from fellow Bloggers Jim and Barbs RV Adventure.  They wrote a great post on the Lake Powell/Page area and got us wanting to come here and explore.  Check out their story about it here.

Because we had the best camping spot available at Cottonwood, as soon as we started to make any indication of leaving, everyone tried making a move to take over our spot.  A nice fellow from the Bronx and his dog Bard were the first ones to claim the site and he put his chair and the dogs tent to hold it.  He didn't barge in, but rather asked politely if we would mind him doing that before we left and I said sure.

So off we went on our migration north.  We were reminded that we were in Arizona by this sign, and I think it was a way of saying goodbye to us and reminding us to come back.

And then Flagstaff went by us and we continued on up 89 highway towards Page.  

Charlie settled in for a nap after he had washed the dishes from our lunch.

Now I have been awed by all of the sights we have witnessed so far in our travels, but today was a reminder that around every corner there is something new and just as spectacular.  The land formations around us changed often and quickly and our whole trip was filled with wows.

I always wonder about things as we travel along, and today I wondered why these little Navajo road side stands were vacant for the most part.  There were a couple vendors in one of them but we must have passed a dozen or more stands with no one around.  There are lots of snowbirds traveling this road who would buy some of their wares, so why were they not out there on a warm Sunday afternoon.  

I would have stopped to see the Horse Hair pottery if there was anyone there.

I bet these horses are a lot happier contributing to the horse hair pottery trade than the glue trade.  There were lots of horses along the way and I imagine some of them were wild horses who roamed the mountains.

As we were traveling along I was surprised to see that we had traveled so far in such a short time.  I saw a sign for Saskatchewan that said it was 7 miles down the road.  Maybe a different "The Gap" than our sister prairie province.

Most of the country was red rock as we got farther north and I noticed that even the clouds had a pink lining in them from the reflection I guess.  Rather pretty.

Some places are just like an Arizona postcard with the cedar trees and desert with red mountains in the background.  I wish I was a better photographer but I just point and shoot and drive so quality is sometimes lacking.  I always say it is more about the story than the picture.

At one point just south of Page we climbed up the mountain and got a view of the valley below.  Such rugged yet pretty country.

After a quick stop in Page at the Walmart, we headed out to our lake front property.  

We passed the Glen Canyon Recreation Area sign a little farther down the road

and drove down over the controversial Glen Canyon Dam.  It was the last dam of this size built in the USA because of all the hubbub it stirred up in the environmentalist world.

Boats show the size of the dam

First thing we saw when we got to the campground, was Lone Rock sitting out in the middle of the lake.

Can you see all the RV's on the beach?

The spot is gorgeous and I think maybe we have the same one that Jim and Barb had when they stopped here. It does cost $14 a night plus a vehicle fee if you don't have the National Recreation annual pass but the experience is great. We parked so we have a view of the Lone Rock out our windshield window.

The forecast is for rain tonight and tomorrow and I think maybe they are right.  Oh well, it is still gorgeous here on the beach.

Susan had a crappy little fire right outside our front window, but the wind and rain finally drove her in the Ponderosa.

Tonight we are camped on the beach at Lake Powell, west of Page AZ/UT at 37.01671, -111.5356 and this is the view looking from our window after Sue came inside.