Bryce Canyon National Park

On the drive to Capitol Reef, we were herding cows.

At Queens Garden in Bryce Canyon

Freezing on hike to Mossy Cave, Bryce Canyon

Beautiful Bryce Canyon

We made it!

The fall colors are amazing. Don't see this in Florida

We have been to Beautiful Bryce Canyon. As you can see our friend, Terri, is with us.  We also drove the scenic Highway 12, which Fox said was the second most beautiful highway in the world. It is gorgeous.  We have done a lot of hiking, and a lot of eating!  It has been very rainy, and quite cool. Sondra and I are getting tired of being cold and will head south after we have seen the last two Utah National Parks, Arches and Canyonland.  We are now at Capitol Reef National Park which most of you probably have not heard of.  It is beautiful as well. We are feeling very blessed to be able to see such beautiful country that we have only been able to see in pictures before. Pictures can not do the countryside justice. We definitely see God's creative hand in all that we are seeing.

Great Basin National Park and Zion National Park

Lehman Cave at Great Basin

Lehman Cave at Great Basin

Lehman Cave at Great Basin

Big Horn Sheep Zion

Zion

Sondra enjoying Zion

Sondra at Weeping Rock in Zion

MA hiking "The Narrows" at Zion

Zion
Well, we certainly have been able to see two very different National Parks in the last few days. First we were at Great Basin, camping at a little town "Baker", maybe 50 people. No grocery store, no restaurants open, but a nice campground. A remarkable cave there, and some nice hiking at 10,000 feet. Poor Sondra could hardly breathe, but she didn't let that stop her, she kept at it and made it all the way on the three mile hike.
Then to Zion, a little different story. A resort type town, Springdale. Lots of people. lots of restaurants. Personally, I enjoy the less resort-like places, although Zion is unbelievably gorgeous. Somewhere everyone ought to see. We just happened to get here when the Utah schools were on fall break so there are people everywhere.  Terri, our friend from the Alaska caravan, met us here and MA and Terri were able to hike the Narrows. In case you have not heard about it, it is a hike through a stream between a more narrow part of the canyon, although, you can see from the picture it wasn't terribly narrow where we were.  Yes, my two sons, this is where the people were killed several weeks ago. However, there has not been any rain, and the water did not get higher than knee high.  Today and tomorrow, the area is having flash flood warnings, but not yesterday when we went. I never felt unsafe.  I am so glad that we were able to take the hike.  Today we hiked as well, but on dry ground, and I believe both Sondra and Terri are thrilled to have a day or two off from hiking, although there is a pretty good chance of rain the next few days.
Our goal is to see all five parks in Utah, and then Mesa Verde in Colorado. What we are finding, is that the cold weather is going to be very quickly upon us, and places are starting to close. We are not used to that being from Florida.  So after Mesa Verde, we will begin to head south to try to stay in warmer weather, We both think it would be disastrous to end up in snow and have to try to drive the motorhome in that.  

Lake Tahoe

Hike at Lake Tahoe

Too beautiful

Cave Rock 

We have seen many beautiful places, but you would be hard pressed to find somewhere more amazing than Lake Tahoe.  Second deepest lake in USA, clear, clear water, and mountains surrounding the Lake. You can probably tell it is one of my favorite places.

Hawaii

Luau on Oahu

Beautiful Hawaii

Hawaiian Beach

Some of the coastline

Rainbow Falls Hawaii

Double Rainbow at Waikiki

We were blessed to be able to go to Hawaii. We stayed at Waikiki for three days and then went on a cruise around 4 of the islands.  We had good weather and enjoyed the stay. You don't really go to Hawaii for the beaches. I think the beaches are just as pretty in Florida.  May get some arguments there.  We are back in California. Thrilled to spend a few days with Terri, one of the people we met on the Alaska caravan.  We are enjoying California now and then will move onto Utah.

Sondra at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco

Don't think I need a caption

Handsome groom

Sondra's family in Oklahoma City

Some of my family in Albuquerque for wedding

A few of the pictures I was not able to load before.

Family visits

both Sondra and I got to visit with family last weekend. Unfortunately, the pictures won't load! So frustrating. My son, Josh, was married to a beautiful bride. They live in Colorado, but the wedding was in Albuquerque. My siblings, and Caleb and Kat, along with several cousins, and Danny's siblings were all there. We had a great time. Sondra went to see her sister in Oklahoma City, and had a great visit. We enjoyed San Francisco both before we went and for a day when we got back. We are now in Hawaii. At some point in time, I will get pictures posted. The blasted Internet won't cooperate half the time. Going on a cruise here, so it may be awhile before I post again, hopefully with pictures.

A few more pictures in Oregon and California

MA got to see her beloved ocean, even if it is the Pacific. I do miss the beach

Fern Canyon in Northern California. Sondra loved the hike

Who is that hiding in the Redwood tree base?

One  of the small Redwood trees

the waterfalls in Oregon are wonderful. If you have not been to Silver Falls State Park you must go if ever anywhere in area.t Picture can't do it justice

 

Crater Lake is beyond description

We have been visiting the many wonders of God's creation.  Hard to describe most of what we are seeing. Sondra got to go on a hike that was a bit of a challenge, fording streams, walking on logs, and climbing over tree trunks. She survived. I love waterfalls and we have seen some beautiful ones. Oregon is an awesome state. Those that haven't been should put it on their bucket list. We have had some modern conveniences, sometimes phone works, internet works, and at a few campgrounds even TV. We have been blessed with finding churches along the way. At the one today, the people were really friendly. Several families had lost their homes to fire and others evacuated and  not sure of the status of their house yet. Pray for those affected by fire in Northwest. The smoke is quite heavy where we are today about 75 miles north of San Francisco. Next week, I am off to my oldest son's wedding. It will be great to see most of my family there. I love his wife to be.  Sondra is off to visit her sister in Oklahoma. When we get back to California, we are off to Hawaii.  For those in South Florida, we plan to be home the first part of December. Looking forward to seeing our many friends.