Today we'd be heading back to Las Vegas, but Google Maps showed it to be only a five-hour drive, so there was plenty of time for other activities too. I'd petitioned for a stop at Pipe Spring National Monument on the way, while Tom and Alyson seemed genuinely interested in touring Glen Canyon Dam here in Page.( Read more )

When I was young and we still lived in Colorado, we went boating on Lake Powell nearly every other summer (alternating with trips to Yellowstone National Park). I was unaware of it until now, but apparently it was my mom who particularly loved boating through the reservoir's flooded canyons. Although several large tour boats depart for day trips ( Read more... )

Woke up on Utah time. Scenic Dam View. Hanging Gardens trailhead.

Resort. Walk down to water. Kill time. Roadrunner. Boat rental/time zone.

Wal-Mart shoppers. Lunch. Missing burger.

Antelope Canyon Tours. Trucks. Tour.

Resort. Boat rental/laundry. Eclipse. Red Rock Restaurant.

Zion-Mount Carmel Highway. Canyon Overlook Trail. Checkerboard Mesa.
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Best day. Had plan, no discussion ( Read more... )

I woke up early this morning to catch the shuttle on my own downcanyon to take some morning light pictures. They were supposed to be running by 7:00 A.M, but apparently not with any great frequency since I got to the stop at 7:15 and sat there for 25 minutes. Only one shuttle came by and it was headed the wrong direction. We'd all planned to ( Read more... )

When I checked the weather forecast before leaving home I was dismayed to see upper 90s for the whole trip. This was amply borne out yesterday, so I was thrilled to see a newer forecast posted at the Zion Lodge checkin desk last night that showed low 90s. Accordingly I dressed in shorts and a t-shirt this morning before heading out to take ( Read more... )

So the McGhiever clan is once again on holiday together. It all started many months ago when my astronomy-buff brother suggested we all get together at some national park out west to view the May 20th solar eclipse. He'd plotted out which parks lay in the path of the largest occlusion. However the options were Redwoods National Park (on the ( Read more... )

Today was my one full day to explore on my own, so I prioritized taking in some obscure National Park Service sites that I was unlikely to ever convince anyone else to visit with me. First was a site smaller than its own official name, the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site. Mary McLeod Bethune took a leading role in ( Read more... )

A few months ago I was invited, by personal email, to participate in a Wikimedia GLAM conference. GLAM stands for "galleries, libraries, archives, and museums" and is a project to forge closer ties between Wikimedia efforts and those institutions. It wasn't something I'd sought out by any means, but it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up, ( Read more... )