MONDAY, 4 NOVEMBER 2024

(Moab, UT – Grand Canyon, AZ)

[Editor’s note: you will perhaps recall that WiFi is generally flakey at the Grand Canyon, so if we appear to disappear into a big hole for a few days…well, that is exactly what we will be doing. Updates will follow as and when.]

We were successfully up and at it this morning, at least by our fairly leisurely standards, and were packed and out by around 10am, after which we fuelled the car and fuelled ourselves at Gloria’s for the long drive ahead. The journey started passing by the La Sal mountains which had gained another dusting of snow yesterday, but which were a bit shy and were hiding in cloud.

Then it was a collection of highlights, such as the snowy San Juan mountains, the desert and open roads, Mexican Hat and Monument Valley, and the volcanic plugs in the way down to Kayenta. There we had a quick sandwich from Subway and purchased a gas station coffee, which is a sugary, truly terrible thing but at the same time absolutely perfect for road trips. 

We then drove the slightly more dull section of road to Grand Canyon, where we encountered a herd of deer crossing the road in front of us, snow in the woods, and we arrived just in time for sunset at the Desert View watchtower. As we continued to the lodge, the moon rose in a beautifully clear sky. Scenic, but gosh it was cold. It was only just above freezing when we stopped at a viewpoint called ‘duck on a rock’. 

Once we were checked in, we dressed up for dinner (by which I mean big coats, hats, gloves and head torches), and then went and took some night sky photos next to our lodge. Look carefully, because the comet is on one, and the Andromeda galaxy in the other. Now we’re tucked up in a warm bed, planning tomorrow’s hike. Today is the first day, apart from the day we drive from Los Angeles that we haven’t done a hike, so hopefully the legs will be on good form in the morning.