Arizona - Lake Powell & Antelope Canyon

Two bucket list items with one shot!  Seeing Lake Powell from above Glen Canyon Dam (I'd been rafting down the Colorado from here years ago) and hiking through Antelope slot canyon. 

If I'm real still, she won't see me...

 A beautiful sunset over Navajo Mountain in the distance is followed by a full moon-rise dead center and a lovely reflection over the marina.

I went with Dixie Ellie Tours to Lower Antelope Canyon, where you start with a short hike to the entrance down a series of steep steps and ladders.  There are other ladders throughout the tour, so it tends to be a bit less crowded than the Upper canyon ones, as some folks can't or don't want to deal with the verticals.  But still, we were one of several groups of 12 in the canyon at the same time, including some small photographer's tours, and it was crowded at times.

Larry, our Navajo guide, is highlighting a sunbeam for us by tossing sand.

At the end of the tour, Larry shows us how canyons like Antelope are formed

Utah - Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and Boondocking near Kanab

I've been wanting to visit this animal sanctuary for several years, and finally got my chance.  What a wonderful concept, facility, caring staff, and opportunities to volunteer.    This time I was only passing through, but will put this on my list of places I could stay for awhile...maybe longer!

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park - that was my full moon camping/hiking plan, but the campground was full, the area was very windy (that's how the dunes were formed), and the vibe just wasn't right, so after a few photos

I headed on to Kanab, which has grown a lot since I visited here 10 years ago, but quiet Johnson Canyon offers some opportunities to get away into the kind of landscape this area was so famous for when it was used as a film location for westerns. Since it's BLM/National Forest land, there were plenty of good places for boondocking.

Rounding up part of the heard in this area of open ranging cattle - makes driving interesting!

 

Part of the remains of the old set for the movie Gunsmoke

Utah - Arts and Theater near St. George

Time to relax at the timeshare for a week - if you can call 4 loads of laundry and cooking (some for the road) relaxing.  But I made good use of the pool and hot tub, prowled around the St. George street festival, went to an art festival and even attended the theater.

Taking a shot for breast cancer at the St. George festival

Small world - jeweler and hat-shaper Leia grew up in NJ not far from where I did!

The Tuacahn Amphitheater is an outdoor venue which stages high-quality musicals and theater.  I was fortunate enough to get a great seat for The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the title role performed by a young man who's performed it on Broadway.  Outstanding production, voices, costumes, singing, acting - the whole package!  And under the starry skies to boot!