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Welcome to This our Second
Fly-Drive Presentation

At last after many postponements we got under way on this our second fly drive to America, after arriving in Chicago it was just a small flight to Denver.
We choose Dial a Flight, and as defined under US law they in turn booked us in for the first night at The Red Lion Hotel in downtown Denver.
What a nightmare, try finding this place in the dark,

Badlands	Crazy Horse Memorial	Fort Laramie

Next morning our fly drive began in ernest with a short drive to Cheyenne, and Laramie in Wyoming where we visited "Fort Laramie" via the city of Wheatland, we then headed for South Dakota. A number of days was spent in this region all with some great places to visit and even better memories, place such as "Hot Springs" and the Mammoth Site, (not to be confused with "Hot Springs" in Yellowstone). a drive north through Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and Wounded Knee brought us to"The Badlands" continuing north through "Scenic" to "Wall" a smashing little town with "Wall Drug" not to be missed. On to Rapid City from here we were able to take in the sites of "Mount Rushmore, Wind Cave National, Park, Custer State Park, and Crazy Horse Memorial,"

Heading north we came across the legendary "Deadwood" the resting place of the
famous "Wild Bill Hickock" and "Annie Oakley" the Saloon where Hickock was murdered
put on a great evenings music and entertainment and is a must for any visitor, just lookout
for the number "10". Then it was on to "Belle Fourche" and its shops before entering Wyoming again and a visit to the famous "Devils Tower"

Continuing along interstate ninety we soon came upon our fist detour. our original plan was
to traverse the Beartooth Pass and Highway, however this section of road was still undergoing re-construction and forced us to make a detour along a very good and colourful scenic byway, we took highway 14 "Chief Joseph Scenic Byway" where the road split
we continued along 14a through "Medicine Wheel Passage" and into "Yellowstone"

"I have always been told that to see Yellowstone at its best is to see it when the snow is falling, It may have been fate of just sheer luck but we arrived just as the first snows of the Fall began, and never, have I seen such beautiful and colourful scenery not only in Yellowstone but throughout our complete journey. I am very pleased with the resulting photographs and have already been commended on them, Its my pleasure to share them
with you"

"Yellowstone Visitor Centre" the centre offers a variety of visitor activity's
and refreshment, if your lucky you may even be entertained by George a member of the
staff at the Cafe he likes nothing better than a snowball fight, The centre is also surrounded
by a number of well known Geysers that are active and worth visiting, Giantess Geyser,
Beehive Geyser, Castle Geyser and Grand Geyser.

"Throughout our drive in Yellowstone the scenery changed dramatically, we came a cross bubbling rivers emitting steam that was reminiscent of a sauna, bubbling rock pools that would suddenly erupt with a whoosh and a shower forcing a quick retreat, and with Elk, Deer, Moose and Buffalo featuring every step of the way it was only a matter of time before the first alarming encounter, Whilst filming a bubbling rock pool which suddenly erupted forcing a quick step back a step or two, I failed at first to notice wild gesticulation and arm waving coming form the car some 300 feet away, its was then I sensed something at my side and slightly to my rear, with neck hairs standing on end I slowly turned expecting a bear but hoping against hope for something timid, I came face to face my first ever Wolf !, I have always been told not to run in this situation, well all I can say to anyone saying that is "you try and not run" with a growl and fangs bared showing fantastic white teeth, the drama ended when he decided to run first, thank you lord."

	"Moose Falls" was our first stop heading south, situated just inside the south entrance there is a small parking area and the falls themselves are accessible with care. We continued to follow the "Snake River" traversing "The John D Rockefeller Highway". This afforded some great photography as we approached the South Entrance leading to "Jackson"

Soon it was time to leave " Yellowstone", with its avenues of snow tinged spruce trees soon
giving way to the mountainous and hot plains of Wyoming once more as we headed south, but not before reaching "Jackson", this pretty little town or is it a city? along with
"Jackson Hole" is a haven of activity with "The Grand Teton" mountain range visible behind "Jenny Lake" making a fascinating backdrop and is also a fantastic place for
Winter Sports of every type.

Soon we had left Yellowstone behind, but what was to follow will long stay in our memory, as we meandered and passed into Lincoln county sometimes the road meandered into the state of Idaho, and after passing Bear Lake resort where British Settlers were the first here we decided to stay the night in the small town of Afton, we chose a beautiful Motel who had Log cabins available, Our host was a delightful lady who made our intended stay a very warm one, and her instruction on how to use the central heating was most impressive, as the temperatures were into the 80s we wondered about the in depth instruction, and it was then as I stepped outside to photograph the glorious sunset, our host remarked they were expecting a weather change overnight. I awoke in the early hours, realizing the temperature had dropped alarmingly and immediately switched on the heating glad now for the precise instructions given earlier, I decide to take a peek through the window and was stunned to find we were not only snowed in but a raging blizzard was taking place that made it impossible to see more than a few yards. This delayed the start of the next part of our journey and when we eventually set off we drove into the wildest snow storm I have ever encountered, but a trucker had assured us it would relent after 60 miles or so, sure enough the snow disappeared as fast as it came we entered the canyon with heavy snow all around us and then came to an abrupt halt some 300 yards in to the canyon, the snow and foul weather was all but gone, giving way to the most fantastic colour display I have ever seen, this part of out journey has been logged and the resulting photographs can be viewed under Afton

Heading south our next destination of “Salt Lake City and Temple Square” was soon upon us “ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” is situated in what is known as Temple Square, and a wealth of Information, guided tours, and visitor centres is readily available giving the visitor as unique insight to this beautifully landscaped 10-acre plot of ground in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City.

After leaving the hustle and bustle of Salt Lake City we descended down to the plains and Cedar City and also Cedar Breaks National Monument. Cedar Breaks is a huge natural
amphitheatre which has been eroded out of the variegated Pink Cliffs near Cedar City , Utah . Millions of years of sedimentation, uplift and erosion have created a deep canyon of rock walls, fins, spires and columns which spans some three miles, and is over 2,000 feet deep. The rim of the canyon is over 10,000 feet above sea level, and is forested with islands of Englemann spruce subalpine fir and aspen; separated by broad meadows of brilliant summertime wild flowers.

Just 2 miles from the noise and traffic of interstate 15 lies the Kolob Canyons region of
Zion National Park , a quiet, colourful and scenic collection of red cliffs and narrow canyons with none of the overcrowding problems that affect the main valley 20 miles to the southeast.
To drive between the two sections takes over an hour, which is one reason why most tourists
miss this little-known northern area, and stick to the frequently travelled east west route,
part of the 'Grand Circle' of the Southwest through Las Vegas, Zion, Bryce Canyon and
beyond. We were glad to have included Kolob as a destination the photographs on view here
will show what a magnificent and colourful area this is. Sadly it is missed by many who take the direct route to Zion

Continuing to Zion National Park the drive through the park is a must for all visitors,
and is best seen at sunup and sunset when the colours are at their best.

Protected within the park's 229 square miles is a dramatic landscape of sculptured canyons
and soaring cliffs. Zion is located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin and Mojave Desert provinces. This unique geography and the variety of life zones within the park make Zion significant as a place of unusual plant and animal diversity.

After leaving Zion we were again treated to display of colours yet to be experienced anywhere
else in the world, Red Canyon enroute to Bryce, is a shallow valley in the side of the
Paunsaugunt Plateau surrounded by much exposed, orange red sandstone. The rocks are
eroded into the familiar pinnacles, spires, columns and hoodoos also found in the national park a few miles to the east, here on a smaller scale and with less colour variation, and although the main road is quite busy, most visitors hurry on to Bryce without stopping, and the areas away from the highway are usually quiet and empty. The formations line highway 12 for about 4 miles, starting quite abruptly at the edge of the plateau which is a long escarpment known as the Sunset Cliffs, then fading away as the road reaches the flat grasslands on top, and extend several miles north, including two other large valleys of Losee Canyon and Casto Canyon all within land of the Dixie National Forest.

After passing through Red Canyon we came to Bryce, since our last visit the Parks service have done wonders with the view points and Bryce now contains camping, cabins and other recreation areas. Bryce Canyon, famous for its worldly unique geology, consists of a series of horseshoe shaped amphitheatres carved from the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah The erosion and force of frost-wedging and the dissolving power of rainwater have shaped the colourful limestone rock of the Claron Formation into bizarre shapes including slot canyons windows, fins, and spires called "hoodoos."

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area was our next port of call, and after passing through
Capitol Reef National Park we came to our destination,

Escalante Overlook

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area which offers unparalleled opportunities for
water-based & backcountry recreation. The recreation area stretches for hundreds of miles from Lees Ferry in Arizona to the Orange Cliffs of southern Utah , encompassing scenic vistas geologic wonders, and a panorama of human history. Additionally, the controversy surrounding the construction of Glen Canyon Dam and the creation of Lake Powell contributed to the birth of the modern day environmental movement. The park offers opportunities for boating, fishing, swimming backcountry hiking and four-wheel drive trips. We have a number of photographs showing the overlook at Dirty Devil and Hite Overlook and Road Bridge

Continuing our journey south passing Mexican Hat we now entered Monument Valley providing perhaps the most enduring and definitive images of the American West. The isolated red mesas and buttes surrounded by empty, sandy desert have been filmed and photographed countless times over the years for movies, adverts and holiday brochures. Because of this, the area may seem quite familiar, even on a first visit, but it is soon evident that the natural colours really are as bright and deep as those in all the pictures. The valley is not a valley in the conventional sense but rather a wide flat, sometimes desolate landscape, interrupted by the crumbling formations rising hundreds of feet into the air, the last remnants of the sandstone layers that once covered the entire region.

Soon we entered Arizona , no one can visit this area with visiting our next destination, for some In our party this was their 5 th visit, but I’m assured the awe inspiring view is still to be treasured on each visit, we had arrived at Grand Canyon.

The Grand Canyon is more than a great chasm carved over millennia through the rocks of the Colorado Plateau. It is more than an awe-inspiring view. It is more than a pleasuring ground for those who explore the roads, hike the trails, or float the currents of the turbulent Colorado River. This canyon is a gift that transcends what we experience. Its beauty and size humble us. Its timelessness provokes a comparison to our short existence. In its vast spaces we may find solace from our hectic lives. The Grand Canyon we visit today is a gift from past generations.

Soon we arrived at our penultimate destination “ Death Valley ” Hottest, Driest, and Lowest:
Death Valley is a land of extremes. It is one of the hottest places on the surface of the Earth
with summer temperatures averaging well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. At 282 feet below the
level of the sea, it is the driest place in North America with an average rainfall of only 1.96 inches a year. Even with many visitors around, don’t get caught without water.

And finally not be missed Las Vegas .

Las Vegas has always been known as adults only playground. Not true, In fact the city boasts numerous attractions for kids of all ages.

The first thing that visitors to this desert destination will notice is the world famous Las Vegas Strip, one of the most exciting streets in the world. From the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign to some of the newest hotels including Bellagio, Paris, Mirage, MGM grand, The Venetian, Wynn’s. Las Vegas is truly "larger than life"

From a small railroad stop at the turn of the century, Las Vegas turned to one of the brightest
cities in the world. For decades, Fremont Street was one of the best places to cruise in a
convertible car but now the street has been closed off to traffic and it is a pedestrian paradise lined with kiosks, souvenir shops and, of course, plenty of casinos.

There is no place like Las Vegas anywhere else in the world; the Sin City truly offers
something for everyone.

Look out for updates coming of

Zion National Park, Las Vegas in lights

In order to help navigation I have placed links to all area and places visited within the navigation pane on the left hand side of the all pages, These links will open a separate page with photographs and details of the area selected.

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