Day 4 (24-Sep-13) Zion NP - Bryce Canyon NP (192 miles)

Following ritual rude awakening at 06:00hrs we would have been on the road at 07:00hrs, but for usual 15 minute wait for Simon to complete ablutions, facial deep-pore cleansing routine and timeout for introspective self-admiration.  Armed with a Lemsip and drugs to keep my head cold at bay, we headed back to Zion NP and immediately diverted onto Zion Park Boulevard. After passing through the mile-long tunnel that provides access to the upper plateau we parked the car and hiked the Overlook Trial for more breathtaking views of Zion NP. Along the way we also spotted more Big Horn Sheep. 

 

We then continued to Bryce Canyon NP, stopping numerous times en route to take photos of the dramatic limestone and sandstone monoliths dominating the upper plateau. Once at Bryce we immediately headed for the Scenic Rim trial, which affords spectacular views of Bryce Canyon, a place where superlatives abound and other worldly terrain becomes the norm. Following a walk to Sunrise Point we then descended into the canyon, emerging at Sunset Point. We then headed back to the car, stopping first for quick snack at the Lodge, then drove on to Inspiration Point and Bryce Point for more spectacular views of the pinnacles in the canyon. 

 

Having visited this canyon 3 years ago, almost to the day, I was not sure if I would experience the same sense of awe and amazement at seeing this natural wonder. However, this time I was able to share the experience with my soul mate and a very close friend also. The weather on this visit was also much better suited, with sunny blue skies contrasting the ochre red sandstone dominating the base of the canyon. Simon, ebullient as ever, managed to superimpose himself on the vast majority of photographs, inventing a whole new catalogue of poses, some of them leading passers-by to question his sanity - and manhood.

 

We then continued by car to other vantage points along the ridge, ending at Yovimba Point. Along the way we encountered a small group of Pronghorn, the fastest land animal in the world over 1km. These antelope were completely unperturbed by our presence, no doubt due in part by the fact that hunting is prohibited inside park boundaries. At 9100ft Yovimba Point affords spectacular views across the shattered terrain, stretching all the way to the Grand Canyon, over 100 miles distant.  And to witness this vast landscape, with no one else present, and nothing but evening song from the many bird species present to break the silence, and the sun setting behind us, was a very, very, special moment.

 

Having duly imbibed Nature in all Her glory, we then headed for the park exit, stopping off at Ruby’s Inn for a sumptuous feast, washed down with copious wine and beer. What a wonderful day! And what better way to share it with others! What a special place!

Day 3 (23-Sep-13) Zion National Park (46 miles)

 

We were again up at 06:00 and found ourselves driving at break-neck speed back up to Zion NP by 07:00hrs. Once there we got on the bus for ride to The Grotto, the starting point for the famous hike up to Angel’s Landing – also listed in the Top 10 hikes by National Geographic. The hike is steep and so not for the faint of heart. It is also very vertiginous, with massive drop-offs either side of the very narrow saddle leading up to the summit. It is thus not suited for those who suffer from vertigo either. We set off at 08:20hrs, with air temperature decidedly chilly. However, after 10-15 minutes of strenuous exercise, our bodies soon warmed up.

 

At one point during the ascent I became alarmed by a loud yet squeaky noise. Suspecting that we were being chased by a giant hamster, I turned, and immediately realised the source of this ungodly sound was Simon’s rapid shallow breathing.  Clearly agitated, Simon protested that this condition was ‘normal’, and proceeded to show the display on his Suunto Ambit2 as evidence. However, on checking his profile settings, it transpired he had selected ‘Lessor Loris’ as user; a deceit as outrageous as Simon’s entries into his food diary.

 

On reaching the col Astrid decided to stay behind, while Simon and I pushed onto the summit. The route along this last section was indeed very tricky, and demanded total concentration, as one false slip could spell disaster. However, the prize was worth every pensive step, with the summit affording spectacular panoramic views of the Zion canyon and the giant rocky sentinels either side. Simon then proceeded to shatter the tranquillity of the moment by approaching every other visitor to this haloed spot with an abridged version of his life story. In fear of being either stoned to death, or thrown off the summit by the assembled masses, I beat a hasty retreat back to Astrid. Simon followed close behind, ensuring everyone else still making their way up the narrow ledge was likewise lectured.

After descending back to the Grotto we immediately caught the bus for the short ride to the Temple of Sinawava. We then walked the 1 mile to the entry point into the Virgin River for the famed hike up to The Narrows. This involved wading upstream for 2.5 miles, in cold water, against a fairly strong current, and over a series of small rapids. However, despite these challenging conditions, our efforts were amply rewarded with views of the canyon walls, rising steeply several thousand feet on both river banks, slowly encroaching on each other. In places, the darkness was almost total, with no means of telling the time of day, despite the bright mid-afternoon sunny conditions high above. At The Narrows itself, the walls were just a few feet apart, leaving those that had managed to venture this far into the slot canyon wondering if this might be the entrance to Middle Earth.

 

After retracing our steps back to Terra Firma we caught the bus again for the ride back to the park entrance, arriving back at the car at 17:10hrs. After 9 hours of almost constant hard physical exercise, and having had just an apple for lunch, we were all famished. We thus gorged ourselves at a local Mexican restaurant, washed down with a few beers.

Day 2 (22-Sep-13) Death Valley - Zion NP (405 miles)

We departed our cottage in Panamint Springs at sunrise and headed back to Stovepipe Wells Village, where we picked up breakfast at the local general store. We then drove on to the entrance of Titus Canyon,  at which point we hit the dirt track that meanders down through this very remote region of Death Valley NP. The route through the canyon is narrow, steep, and in places, very exposed, with very sudden drop offs. Astrid however was up to the task, steering the AWD vehicle with consummate skill. The scenery en route was spectacular, with the pastel hues of the exposed stratigraphy spanning the entire visible spectrum.

On exiting the canyon we embarked on the long drive to Zion NP. The route passes through four states – California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. The long straight roads, hot climate and bright sun made for tiring driving conditions. We were, however, very sensible, with all three of us taking turns at the wheel.  We also stopped on the outskirts of Las Vegas to refuel the car, body and mind. The landscape on the final leg through Arizona and Utah gradually changed from flat desert to high mountains, providing us a foretaste of the very dramatic scapes in Zion NP.

After dropping off our gear at the Hotel in the town of Huricane, we continued on Zion for an evening hike to the start of The Narrows, a stretch of the Virgin River at the head of the canyon that is listed as one of the top ten hikes in USA by National Geographic. On the bus ride back to the park entrance we also watched the sunset over the peaks that rise almost vertically for nearly 4000ft on either side of the canyon.

Day 1 (21-Sep-13) Los Angeles - Death Valley (423 miles)

Awoke 06:15hrs, excited at the prospect of meeting my wife, Astrid, who was in the final approaches to Los Angeles from Brisbane. Clearly, Simon, who had shared the hotel room with me for the night, was still suffering the effects of jet leg. He was equally excited and also clearly intent on perpetuating a practice he had honed with consummate skill on Kokoda, leaving bits of essential luggage strewn across the entire route, arriving at the finish in nothing more than undersized speedos. And so we left the hotel with Simon’s rain jacket still in the wardrobe!

Astrid duly exited Tom Bradley airport close to schedule, but only after being exhorted for overstaying her visit visa in 1994 by 4 days and threatened with immediate expulsion – it would seem The Morgans are deemed ‘undesirables’. However, with formalities behind us, we picked up our 6-cylinder AWD SUV and headed out of Los Angeles under cloudy skies along famed 10-lane concrete highways. Once we had crested the pass on the Antelope Valley Freeway, the clouds gave way to clear blue skies, as well as gusting winds, which stayed with us for the rest of the day. We were greeted with our first view of Death Valley at Father Crowley Vista Point by noon, with temperature at this elevation already a ‘toasty’ 90F. It was evident even from this remote vantage point that the valley floor was being blasted by high winds, with huge dust plumes sweeping all asunder. We then descended the Inyo Mountains to Panamint Springs, close to sea level, for brief pit stop.

At 14:15hrs we then continued over the Panamint Range (a 4200ft ascent/descent) to Stovepipe Wells Village, where we picked up our $80 multi-entry park pass, which is valid for a year and allows access to all US national parks. We then hugged the eastern side of Death Valley to Furnace Creek, at which point we began the long climb to Dante’s View, situated on top of the Amargosa Mountains at 5475ft. Along the way we stopped at Zabriskie Point for views of ancient volcanic ash deposits that have been moulded by flash floods into great folded sheets. The vista from Dante’s View of the valley below, which is below sea level , were truly stunning. Despite the ferocious winds, we edged our way along the ridge to capture views of the entire valley floor, which stretches over 70 miles N-S. We then descended to the lower point on the valley floor at Badwater. At 282ft below sea level this area is also the lowest point in the Americas. Even at 18:15hrs the temperature was brutal (over 100F). After obligatory photo shoot we slowly meandered our way back to Panamint Springs, arriving both hungry and thirsty at 20:15hrs.

Day 13 (03-Jan-13) Bourke - Brisbane (912 km)

As the alarm failed to go off we did not awake until 07:20hrs. However, having become so practised at preparing breakfast, packing clothes and food, and loading up the car, we nonetheless found ourselves departing the motel at 07:50hrs. Even at this modest hour the mercury was off the scale, with air temperature climbing to over 40C by noon. Fortunately, travel eastward out of The Outback to Goondiwindi was 'a breeze', with very little traffic to contend with, and road conditions on the byways being surprisingly good. However, the excessive amount of road kill encountered on route completely sapped all pleasure, and would definitely dent tourism to the region.

 

Owing to the time zone change crossing into Queensland, we arrived in Goondiwindi at just after noon. With the town offering little by way of entertainment, and with both of us still feeling relatively fresh, we pondered whether to push through all the way to Brisbane, rather than prolong the holiday another day. Following 'consultations' with Emilie it soon became apparent that we could reach home long before dark, and possibly before the evening rush hour. We thus decided to forge ahead, maintaining strict adherence to a 2-hour driver changeover schedule that we had instigated on leaving Jindabyne. ('Stop, Revive, Survive').

 

Though the roads became ever more crowded the closer we approached Brisbane, we nonetheless managed to precisely match Emilie's ETA prediction of 16:32 hrs. On arrival our trusted steed had covered 912 km since leaving Bourke, with total distance travelled during our 'Mega Transect' of SE Australia, spanning 5 states, being just 7km short of 6,000km! While we could simply bask in such impressive statistics and reflect on the amazing experiences that we shared during the holiday, thoughts are already turning to our next great adventure. Where shall we go? What can we do? What new records can we set? Watch this space.....

Day 12 (02-Jan-13) Broken Hill - Bourke (633 km)

Today's drive through The Outback did not disappoint, living up to its reputation as being very HOT, and very BIG. We also managed to glimpse more live animals than dead ones to help break up the manotony. There is nothing else to add, except we arrived safely and without incident in Bourke, which if anything has decayed to a much greater extent than Broken Hill. It doesn't even have a pub!!!

HOT photos...

BIG photos...

ANIMAL photos...

 

Day 11 (01-Jan-13) Adelaide - Broken Hill (551 km)

For the first time in our adult lives we were unable to see in the New Year, with tiredness sweeping over us by 22:00hrs the evening before. Fortunately, we did nonetheless manage to witness a spectacular fireworks display in the centre of town. This is because for the past few years the city has arranged two separate displays, one at 21:00hrs for families with young children, and another at midnight. While very tired, we were alas denied a good nights sleep, as the hotel is situated close to the night club district! The peace and serenity of our hotel room was thus shattered by thumping music until just past 04:00hrs, with some revellers found still celebrating when we left the Hotel at 08:15hrs.

 

The journey to Broken Hill via the famous Barossa Valley and the mining community of Burra took place under clear blue skies and an inexorably increasing air temperature. The route was straightforward and the road surface surprisingly good, with cruise control set at 110 km/hr. Following a few pit stops to refuel, rejuvenate and take in the changing scenery, we arrived in Broken Hill at 15:15hrs, having managed to successfully avoid hitting any emus and kangaroos. We deemed this a major accomplishment, given the amount of road kill encountered. We also encountered a few dust devils, with one in particular being very spectacular.

 

On arrival in Broken Hill we at first thought we had arrived in a ghost town, for there was no traffic, all the shops and bars were shut, and we saw no people. We therefore elected to first check in to our bungalow at the edge of town before heading into the town centre for a little exploratory walk. With air temperatures hovering slightly above 38C we decided to take it slow, with the walk down the high street a decidedly sedentary affair. After capturing obligatory photos and video as evidence of our stay we headed up to the mine museum situated at the top of a giant slag heap that surrounds one side of the city. Alas, like the rest of the town, it was shut, but the views were spectacular.