Western USA is gobsmackingly amazing
Mirror Lake is supposed to be a short, flat walk. We tried to do the entire loop, which is harder and longer, but found there was no way to get across the river, so we trekked back the way we came. Who cares when scenery is like this!
There’s hardly been time to catch our breath. We have had eight sensational days enjoying some of the USA’s most varied and stunning scenery and hospitality. We’ve hardly had a moment to spare, and certainly not a moment to write a decent blog post.
Sometimes we reach camp after dark. Then it’s set up tents and get dinner going. We’re taking it in turns to cook and wash up. Everyone puts up their own tent.
Mornings we’re sometimes up and piled in the van before 5:30am. Seriously, we’re afraid we might miss something.
So far we’ve visited an amazing collection of national parks in four states—Yosemite, Bryce, Zion and the Grand Canyon. There’s also been Death Valley, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Navajo National Monument and Monument Valley. Everything is gobsmackingly beautiful.
We’ve been on hikes galore, a 4WD road trip and a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon. I’ve relished every minute, but I’m tired just thinking about it. Maybe you are too.
Tonight we’re in a motel (with wifi—yay!), so here are two pics from Yosemite to tide you over until I have the chance to write and share more.
Yosemite Falls is North America’s longest waterfall (2425 feet). Lower Yosemite Fall is on the lower left.
Where to next? 
Yosemite – Unnamed Falls
Robert Walton
Aspen leaves tremble within
The bursting arc
Of your morning flight.
Tumbling saffron
Explosions,
A fall of buttercups,
Parallel
But no less joyful,
Follow you
To the sea.
Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I will have fun. Thanks so much.
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It indeed looks gobsmackingly amazing. I’m looking forward to more.
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Lots more to come, I promise.
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Stunning landscape, Peggy. Looking forward to seeing some more photos 🙂
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I’m keen to share more—lots more.
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Amazing. What a trip!
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It sure is.
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Although I have never been there, it is strangely familiar to me from the photos of Ansel Adams, and the BBC series Yosemite. Majestic indeed, and well done to you (and John) for camping and hiking. I doubt I could manage such an outdoor experience for so long.
Best wishes, Pete.
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My hip has been a bit dodgy, so I’ve been doing some easier walks, but Poor John is really striding out.
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I love your life.
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Wish you could be with us on this trip. Sending the hugest of hugs.
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There’s a lot to be said for mountains. Especially if you get to touch them.
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I’m touching as many as I can.
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Just reading your itinerary leaves me exhausted. But I am so glad you are seeing these beautiful places.
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And I’m keen to share.
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beautiful and all great choices )
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We still have five days to go on the tour, and then several weeks with a friend’s Jeep and camping equipment in Colorado.
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It all sounds and looks so breathtakingly beautiful. How wonderful! Enjoy it all Peggy. 😏
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We’re trying to take it all in.
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Glad you are having a good time!
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Thanks. We’re having a great time.
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There is a lot of beauty in this country of ours.
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Breathtaking beauty and so much variety.
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Only in recent years have we been trying to see the western part of our own beautiful country, and gobsmackingly amazing is an apt description! The hiking is so great, and even when there’s no time for that, the views from the road are stunning. Glad you are having such a good time!
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We’re having a fantastic time. And the scenery is simply stunning every way we look.
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So good to be able to share a slice of the trip. and, truly, if you didn’t pile into that van you’d certainly miss a few things – and so would we, enjoy the days ahead.
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Thanks so much. In addition to the amazing adventures, we have the most wonderful travelling companions. A really homogenous group.
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That is wonderful
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Sounds and looks great!
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Thanks Murray. It is great.
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I’ve been exactly where you took those pictures. It takes your breath away.
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It certainly does. Very humbling too.
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Gorgeous!
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So we are discovering.
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Glad you came to Utah! I’d have baked a cake or something, had I known. 😉 Now you may realize why I tend to go on and on about this place…
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Utah is totally stunning. We’re in Moab today and heading to Salt Lake on Monday. Where are you?
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You are in my neck of the woods! Enjoy it all. I have been here for a lifetime and there is still places I have not seen. Looking forward to more of your thoughts on the West!
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A person couldn’t explore all these glorious places in a lifetime—even two lifetimes.
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Glad you’re enjoying California. I’m in Oregon now – I mean moved here. Lots to explore.
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Oregon is beautiful too. Maybe next trip.
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You sure picked a good piece of the USA to go for a stroll or two!
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We’re in a brilliant piece of the USA.
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This is a very beautiful country. I never tire of visiting the amazing sites in the US and wish I could travel more. Enjoy, enjoy. I’m so glad you’re having a great time.
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Thanks Sharon. I still can’t get over how beautiful it is every which way I look!
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Glad you like our beautiful West Country! Enjoy!
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It’s a stunning part of the world! We’re loving every minute.
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Thank you for writing about your tour! We are trying to save all these places, which are in peril under the present national government.
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I understand your predicament. It’s nice to see the scientists attached to these parks sharing information about the reality of climate change.
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Thanks so much.
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Peggy, this is wonderful! I’ve so enjoyed reading the blog and looking at the photos that are, as always, magnificent. Really looking forward to the next instalment. Take care of your hip and be safe.
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Thanks Louise. We’re having an easy day today, so I hope to get a blog post done. Fingers crossed.
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Hello LeggyPeggy,
>>So far we’ve visited an amazing collection of national parks in four states—…. Everything is gobsmackingly beautiful.<<
Wow, I am surprised that the tour went to so many places already and I did not realize it was a camping out type of tour. But I know you love these! I have been to Yosemite, Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon upteen years ago. To long ago to remember all these beautiful places (in detail 1967), and have few photos. When I win the lottery I will visit them again.. but slim to none I would win big bucks, SO I SEE THESE PLACES THROUGH YOUR WONDERFUL BLOG POSTS! I am sure you will get to see Yellowstone Park? as well and hope to see some amazing wildlife photos and the scenery! Yes, you need to get up very early, to see the wildlife (especially in Yellowstone) and the sun rising.. and stay up late for sunsets as well. Enjoy It All, Safely!
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Thanks Sy. I hope you enjoy the places I’ll be taking you. And yes, Yellowstone is on the list. We finish in Jackson Hole Wyoming.
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“This America” is the one I would most like to visit. Good on John keeping up with the walking. Hope your hip holds up. Camping out probably doesn’t help that. Louise
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Louise, you’d be bowled over by the scenery. Hope you get here one day. The hip is holding up.
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Wow…incredible place. Your road trip has been amazing 🙂
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We are having the most amazing time! America the Beautiful!
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What a fascinating and beautiful world you bring to all of us. There was a reason for the gold-rush to the Western United States but the gold wasn’t buried but in plain view.
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You’re right. Everywhere we look, we are surrounded by gold!
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Oh wow!
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That’s what I said.
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looking so tempting!
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Yes, very tempting.
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I did say, “prepare to be impressed” when you mentioned you were going to the national parks…
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You sure did and you were sure right!
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I’m very keen to read more about this trip which seems absolutely bang smack up my alley!
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Thanks Osyth. I’m hoping to pick up the pace on posting.
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All in good time – with your klout people will wait happily until you are able to share your amazing adventures!
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But I’m impatient! 🙂
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Gorgeous! Sadly we have never been. Was it super crowded?
Peta
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Crowds haven’t been too bad, except for the Grand Canyon. We’re in Yellowstone as of today, and we’ll see how busy it is. Our trip finished before the Memorial Day holiday.
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Happy to see you enjoying yourself! We’re eager to get the kids out west on many road trips. Plus we have friends and family in the west, so it’d be nice to come to them for once and make them show US around. 😉
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I hope you get the chance to travel soon. I think the kids would be impressed. You too! 🙂
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Love reading your adventures and was happy to see you are visiting the US. There are so many amazing places to visit here – the National Parks are a true treasure. And the western US is breathtakingly beautiful. Bienvenue and enjoy!
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Yes, yes, yes—the national parks are a true treasure. We’re having a fabulous time.
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Sounds like an exciting experience and one that we get to share!
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I love sharing our adventures. It brings back memories for me too.
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I am sure!
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Hello every body
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Hello to you too!
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That photo alone is gobsmackingly amazing. Wow!! I need to go there now!! Adding Yosemite to my USA travel bucket list. Thank you.
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You are most welcome. Yosemite is truly fantastic.
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So true!!!!!
Tony
http://breadtagsagas.com/
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Hope the recent fires haven’t done too much damage.
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At certain times of the year, I’ve forgotten when however it has to be during the high snow melting period, when viewing Yosemite Falls from the side with the sun setting it appears as though fire is streaming off the cliff.
Prior to it becoming viewed as ecologically bad, rangers lit fires at the top of El Capitan after dark and scraped the burning embers over the edge making for a Falls of Fire for visitors. I’m glad that stopped a long time ago! I can’t imagine what John Muir who discovered Yosemite may have thought.
Muir subsequently lobbied Congress and President Teddy Roosevelt into making it a national park. Had he not done so San Francisco would have successfully dammed the valley, flooding all to quench the thirst of their growing city. Muir even camped in Yosemite Valley with Roosevelt no doubt as a part of his pressure to preserve this beauty!
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I’ve seen pictures of the ‘fire’ streaming off the cliff, but I never knew that rangers created their own copy of that coincidence. Muir would have been horrified. Luckily they didn’t burn out the park.
In another post, I wrote a bit about Muir and Roosevelt.
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Out of all parks I liked Glen Canyon National Recreation Area best.. Thanks for sharing all these beautiful photos!
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You are most welcome. Thanks for telling me about the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Maybe I’ll get there one day to have a proper look.
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