We spent a few nights in Golden Valley, just a few miles from Kingman, where we had a great time visiting with friends, Ron and Linda.. Saturday found the four of us ‘yard-saleing’. It was hard to tell who was the most pleased with their bargains.
The last leg of the trip took us from Golden Valley, Arizona through the corners of Nevada and California back into Arizona and Yuma on new (to us ) roads. 
Last day:
Las Vegas gaming didn’t appeal to us, but we did decide to check out some of the free shows we’d heard so much about.
The road we took into Las Vegas passed the famous Las Vegas Welcome sigh, created in 1959. Even then, it cost $4000 to build and install. It is now on the Register of National Historic Places.
We parked at Sam’s Town, and took the shuttle bus to the strip.
The first casino we visited was Caesar’s Place, and the opulence is unbelievable.
The fountains are beautifully lit with concealed colored lighting. One hosts the show, Fall of Atlantis, complete with animatronics and fiery effects.
Just to the side of the fountain is the 50,000 gallon saltwater aquarium. Feeding time provides another show of its own.
Next on our list was the Bellagio, hosting several attractions.
The Conservatory is outstanding. With a pleasant mix of whimsy and nature, it boasts approximately 40 trees (some as high as 40 feet), 1500 shrubs and 10,000 plants in its 13,500 square foot area.
The outside fountain show, however, was perhaps our most memorable part of the afternoon. Located in the quarter mile long lake in front of the Bellagio, the water show is choreographed to classical and popular music. Water soaring as high as 460 feet from 1,214 jets takes your breath away. You want it to continue for hours instead of minutes.
By the time we ate, we were tiring of all the walking, and caught the shuttle back to Sam’s Town, where we watched the Sunset Stampede, a symphonic journey through the Wild West. The animatronic animals seem very lifelike as the animals and water come alive to the music.
We left without seeing the night lights on the Strip … that will have to wait for another time. 
As of this writing, the Hoover Dam is still open to vehicular traffic, but a new bridge is underway within a few feet of the dam. Once opened, the dam will be open to tourist foot traffic only.
There are two tours that take you inside the dam. We took the shorter, lasting about 45 minutes. For pictures of the dam, lake and from the tour, click on the map.
I-15 held an awesome surprise for us as we crossed the far northwest corner of Arizona. Twenty miles wind through the spectacular Virgin River Gorge, just south of the Utah state line. Ron was glad we were descending in elevation, rather than climbing.
This section of Interstate 15 is one of the most expensive parts of interstate highway ever constructed. Due to the winding of the interstate, the canyon is also noted for its tricky driving conditions. The gorge, a popular winter rock climbing area noted for its steep and overhanging limestone walls, actually exposes several beds of rock that lace the steep walls. Virgin River Gorge separates the Utah desert from the one time marsh area in southeast Nevada.
After exiting the Gorge, and now in Nevada, we had intended on driving through Las Vegas, but the hosts at the State Visitor Center warned us that construction was causing extensive delays. We decided, instead, to take the scenic route through the Mead Lake Recreation Area. Also under construction, it was still a very enjoyable drive, and much better than driving in heavy city traffic. We stopped for a two night stay in Boulder City.
After leaving Hoyt and Bernice, we traveled to Kanarraville, about 30 miles north of Zion National Park. Our plans were to rest during the afternoon, then tour Zion the next day, before moving on. However the weather forecast was dire, with the possibility of high winds, and even snow in the higher elevations.
We decided to make a quick trip to Zion, so that we could continue southward the next morning. Zion National Park covers 229 square miles, with elevation ranging from 3700 to over 8700 feet. Many people say that they enjoy their trip to Zion National Park more than any of the other Utah parks, but I cannot say that. Zion is every bit as beautiful as the other parks, but the enforced shuttle system prevents one from seeing much of the park in detail.
The buses are nice and comfortable, but I much prefer to make our own way through a park at our own speed, stopping often for views, pictures and walks. We got off the bus at several of the stops, and took the short hike back to the Emerald Pool and Waterfall, where you can walk behind the water falling from the cliffs high above.
There was so much contrast between the bright sun and shaded areas, that it was hard to get good photos, but we found enough to make a slideshow. Click on the photo.
Several of our friends have told us Capitol Reef is their favorite of the 5 southern Utah national parks. We might not go that far (I really loved Arches), but it’s right up there. The Park is the second largest in the state, yet is much less visited than others in south Utah, partly due to the rather remote location.
The Waterpocket Fold, a nearly 100 mile long warp in the earth’s crust, defines Capitol Reef. The most scenic portion of the Waterpocket Fold, found near the Fremont River, is known as Capitol Reef: capitol for the white domes of Navajo Sandstone that resemble capitol building domes, and reef for the rocky cliffs which are a barrier to travel, like a coral reef.
After traveling for many days through Utah’s rocky landscape, the green color of the trees in Capitol Reef arrested our attention. Running through the area is the Fremont River. Early Morman settlers recognized the potential of the area and settled here in the 1880s, planting apple orchards. They named their settlement, appropriately, Fruita.
The settlers are long gone, but several reminders remain behind, and provide a unique glimpse into the past for today’s travelers. The historic Fruita tour begins at the Gifford House, where fresh breads and jams, made in nearby Torrey, provide a delicious start to the day. 
The farmhouse is filled with remnants of yesterday. 
The road past the farm, following along side the old Butterfield Stage route, 
takes you along the Waterpocket Fold 
to Capitol Gorge, where the pavement ends.
Back near the farm, we stopped for a picnic lunch near the Junction of the Fremont River and Sulfur creek, and took a few minutes to wander through the nearby orchard.
Children of the settlers attended school in this tiny building,
and left record of their time spent on the ‘school roll’ out back.
Leaving the settlement behind, we decided to hike to Hickman Natural Bridge.
As in all the National Parks of Utah, the scenery is breathtaking.
We also spent time at the Petroglyph/Pictograph site, where a boardwalk 
leads past dozens of examples of rock art. The human depictions are often elaborately decorated with headdresses, ear bobs, necklaces, clothing items and facial expressions. A wide variety of animal figures include bighorn sheep, deer, dogs, birds, snakes and lizards. Abstract designs, geometric shapes and handprints are also common. 
Our last stop of the day was at an overlook near the entrance to the park. 
Torrey is a picturesque community of only 120 residents. On Saturday morning, we visited the tiny farmers market, located in the side yard of a bookstore, consisting of only 1 vendor.
We purchased a delicious loaf of bread that had been cooked in an outside stone oven. The bread is brought to the Farmer’s Market, unwrapped, in tubs.
On Sunday, we attended the small church, where Anita offered to provide piano music for the tiny congregation of 12 or so. She was asked to stay and become their pianist.
At this point in the trip, Hoyt and Bernice decided to take the scenic route to Bryce Canyon National Park. We chose not to visit Bryce, as it would mean driving through the aspens. Ron was beginning to have allergy problems with the trees at Capitol Reef, and we didn’t want to aggravate the situation. We decided to make Zion our next destination.
For a slideshow of more of Capitol Reef, CLICK anywhere on the collage:
