Alan and I continued to notch up parks, when we visited Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

Glen Canyon Dam

We spent over 5 hours on Lake Powell

The cruise took us to Rainbow Bridge National Monument.  Wow!  This magnificent bridge is slowly revealed as you walk from the boat jetty.  One thing our visit to Utah taught us, is that nature is the most exquisite of artists.  

Zion - riverside walk.  This was probably my least favourite park because it was so crowded.  In fact, I thought the best bit was prior to entering the paid part of the park, where the rock was the most amazing shades of red.  Having said that, I am sure had we strayed from the simple walks we took, we would have been awe struck.

 Cedar Breaks

Dixie National Forest - near Cedar Breaks, where the colours were positively glowing in the sunshine.

Dixie National Forest - where even the dullest of rock managed to produce something to make it stand out.

As we travelled along the road back to Salt Lake, we saw the strangest site in the sky.  Something kept flashing silver white, then black, changing direction but maintaining a constant position.  We pulled over and got out of the car.  I realised that it was a huge flock of birds with black tipped wings.  Depending on which way they turned, you either caught the sun shining on the white of the bird, or with another turn, the black wings.  It took sometime to convince Alan that this was not a space ship!

The month that I spent in Utah was so beautiful.  I arrived in blazing sunshine with rich green leaves dotting the hillsides around Salt Lake and departed in cooler weather when the fall colours were vibrant.  

Janice's final gift to us, was a trip to Mueler Park, so that we too could exclaim over the colours.

It has been so long since I had experienced autumn, that I had forgotten how quickly it arrives,

 And the glory that it can be.

 Thank you Janice

For knowing that this would be the perfect end to our holiday.

At the end of our third American road trip, we were left once again with the knowledge that America has the widest of vistas and the friendliest of people.  We have left behind some old friends and some new, but we took with us our great desire to return to America and explore this most amazing of countries.

Janice, you did us proud!