From Grand Canyon to Lake Powell

The damper on the nice mood follows quickly: Mia has forgotten her glasses in the hotel room in Scottsdale - about 500 km away. We only treat anything. The phone call call is useless - the housekeeping is no longer available.

The morning at the Grand Canyon Village begins with breakfast canteen style, but here we meet an nice guy from Bavaria who provides us with useful information to other destinations, as his route is in the opposite direction.

Then again the way to the Grand Canyon - this time on the Western side and, happily, the view is now somewhat better. The canyon and I have become friends this morning, but not lovers anymore.

The road leads eastwards towards Page out of the national park, so we can see another three viewpoints. The sky is cloudless and again the 230 km in front of us are much more enjoyable and watchable than expected.

First we pass the beginnings of the Colorado Canyon. Deep, sudden cuts into a flat desert landscape, which look great primarily in the plan view from above. Here the edges gape not miles apart as in the Grand Canyon, but the earth looks like torn apart by an angry god.

But it gets even better. We drive on through barren Indian land and the already low afternoon sun illuminates the bizarre sandstone rocks in front of the deep blue sky. My wife shoots photo series from our moving car and both of us can hardly see enough of this play of colors.

Almost like in a script another damper has to come: Lisa loses a contact lens when we stop at another scenic view. Of course it can not be found despite a long search. Persistent sobbing follows. A real road movie lives but also by the changing of the scenes and we leave after a short, very spectacular rise through the sandstone chain. The color changes to frugal green, but we are already approaching our destination for today - Lake Powell. In our guide book it sounds nice - dam, water sports and a pretty view.

Sweaty as we are three of us - Lisa celebrates rather her misfortune - decide to drive to the lake. This turns out to be a fantastic combination of the bright red ocher cliffs, which win in the evening sun still in chroma, and harbingers of Monument Valley in impressive form mesas on the near horizon. Why you have to build a a thermal power plant close to this gorgeous scenery is known only to Americans. A lady nearby addressed by us only answers succinctly that they would probably have needed the water access. Nevertheless, we are both refreshed as deeply impressed by the spectacular scenery.

Hunger is turning up, and three of us - yes you have to enjoy your suffering completely - explore the culinary scene of Page. At the beginning there is Pizza Hut, then Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell, Burger King and a McDonalds a little further. That´s it. Restaurant, steak house? No such luck.

Taco Bell turns out to be quite edible, and we shock our junk food experienced daughter with inappropriate behavior. After all, we ask the employee for customer contact actually about the products. The question about a drink without sugar brings her quite out of context, then after a while water comes to her mind. This brings her even further into trouble, because we ask about the size of the bottle. After a few desparate seconds "normal" is the answer and thens she disappears flabbergasted backwards in order to show us a bottle. The question, what she would recommend for dessert, I spare all those present.

Mia explains to her old-fashioned parents, that in a junk-food restaurant you do not ask, you just order and if you do not know about products, you have to just try. In doubt I prefer to behave strangely.

From Lake Powell to Monument Valley

The day in Page starts fine. The children begin to gradually re-tolerate each other, and we try, given the breakfast prices at the Marriott, a breakfast at McDonalds.
It is not necessarily continental European eating habits to start the day with mashed potatoes, a meatloaf and Scrambled Eggs, but with the use of additional tea bags and two Cinnamon Melts, we have breakfast out passable.

As our water supplies are again running low, we look in briefly at the nearby Wal-Mart and get out two hours later with several T-shirts by 5 to $ 7, a Wrangler Jeans for $ 15.50, a rich food supply and many new impressions. The tires, the garden swing and the DVD player we have left for this time.

Given the loss of time we skip Antelope Canyon, because it, according to the kind Bavarian from Grand Canyon, makes sense only at noon with the sun at the zenith. But Lake Powell calls again, and we willingly follow the call. The beach at Lone Rock (the ticket per car of yesterday is still valid) is as breathtakingly beautiful as yesterday´s scenery, apart from the lack of evening light. Despite nonexistent shade we attach a Wal-Mart's picnic and enjoy the view again.

The trip to the small collection of houses and hotels called Kayenta (it is not even a registered address in the navigation device) does not take too long and we decide to check in briefly and visit Monument Valley in the afternoon sun. An incorrect assumption and a correct decision, as will be.

As we were already warned by our guide, check-in at the Holiday Inn takes more than 20 minutes because the Navajo at the desk offers only a four-bed room - because she has receibed only one and not two reservations. Hugh!

Nevertheless, timing still fits reasonably and we - more and more amazed - begin the 20 kilometer-long tour of Monument Valley. It must be understood that driving is not the correct expression trip for moving on these rumbling rock path. Likely the Navajo always dig fresh holes to motivate the tourists to book their guided jeep tours, because otherwise there is no explanation for the state of this pathway. We are grateful for involuntary Alamo upgrade to an SUV (at home on the Internet I realize that the Dodge Journey is not recognized as a SUV but as a minivan, so both dicussion at Alamo in LA was inappropriate and that I put the car pretty well through its paces).

The single sandstone rocks in the warm sun light are in any case breathtakingly beautiful and the deep blue sky with picturesque clouds make the images perfect. An absolute highlight of this trip! We return to Visitor´s Center exactly at sunset, dusty and deeply moved. I know now why I always wanted to make this trip since 18 years. Although the Grand Canyon has not fully redeemed its promises, the following two days were so full of magnificent landscapes that I am sure these memories will accompany all my rest of life.

Mia slowly gets the dust from her contact lenses and we check out the culinary offerings in Kayenta. The Blue Rock Cafe shines with its "Open" sign, but despite some guests inside it is closed. Remain McDonalds, Burger King, a dirty pizza drive-thru and a tiny Chinese. To be exact the place is tiny, the Chinese is normally large and exceptionally funny. He praises the beauty of my daughter (of course not funny), explaines to me, I still need to gain weight (moderately funny) and joking with Lisa, tells her that never a young woman has voluntarily chosen his extra spicy chicken dish. Especially not when she has tried before (funny). Well, now he has to tell this story differently. My daughter rinses with chili sauce after brushing her teeth.

As his two small tables do not look very inviting, and he has already closed the kitchen, we select Take Away and enjoying a bottle of red wine and a pretty decent Chinese food the day ends nicely and cosy. Since the Navajo have not decided for DST change (for which they find quite my understanding), it is 23.00 clock until we go to bed. At this moment I am not aware that it is one of these short American nights with tour diary-writing in the bathroom.

From Kayenta to Mesa Verde National Park

Far View Lodge Mesa Verde National Park

A day without highlights. The family is asleep, thanks to time conversion till 9.00o´clock. Obviously, I am the only one who is pursued by jet lag. Breakfast at the Holiday Inn Kayenta is available until 10.00 a.m. and we make it through 12 minutes before just to find out that the buffet was already cleared. A little bit frustrated by not otherwise felt work ethic of the Navajos we cook tea in our room (kettle / coffee machine in good British tradition in every room) and eat the rest of our Walmart Donuts.

Then we croos the border from Arizona to Colorado and again almost the complete range is uninhabited. Since the second day we have the advantage of very relaxed driving, there is little traffic and the roads go straight often for miles. Today, we are accompanied Tom Petty, yesterday in the western backdrop of Monument Valley, of course it had to be Johnny Cash. The greatest difficulty on this route is the problem of the navigation device, which produces both before and in the National Park Mesa Verde some error messages, until we turn it off.

We also learn about the extensive construction program in the national parks that we should be accompanied even longer. The highlight is the closure of one lane over a longer distance with complicated procedures including pilot vehicle (so no one gets lost?), Which generates waiting times of up to 30 minutes until the light turns green again.

In the only town on the way - Cortez - the children receive the promised redeemed a favor and we use a Drive-Thru. The opinions if Wendy's is better or worse than McDonalds, is 2:2 along the generations. It is certainly too much for all of us and the little Diet Coke contains 0.62 liters. Then there are the middle and the big one.

The Far View Lodge - our hotel for today - is located in Mesa Verde National Park (http://www.mesa.verde.national-park.com) near the Visitor's Center. There are beautiful wooden row houses with private balcony, but without too much comfort. Just today we would want a TV, but we hear at least at the bar, that Germany has been defeated by Spain 1-0. Viva Espana! Our mood is much better, although we have brought just before light rain to the desert. Our involuntary Rainmaker Magic will also work in the New World.

The ancient Anasazi Indian dwellings from the 11th to 13th Century, that are special about this park, work for us only moderately interesting, and we are through in two hours. For this, we notice once again how open the Americans are for superficial contact. In about 60 minutes of visit we spoke with about 10 people on German ancestors, forest fires on the plateau, the time in the Army or the (alleged) difficulty of the path to the dwellings. Three minutes of climbing a little slope is obviously already a major problem to many overweight Americans, and they want to assure themselves if they can also manage the way back. Smaller-Cola cups or less often eating at McDonalds could also be a recipe in the medium term.

From Mesa Verde on the way to Moab

A good day starts with a good night. Even if the wind has passed through the wooden hut and there was no air conditioning (the lodges are situated at 2,200 meters high), I slept till 7.00 clock. The sun is shining and I can sit with a book on the terrace. Just like on holiday.

Breakfast is then - just as the dinner the day before - the result of a monopoly position in the National Park. Very expensive, but rather badly. Yesterday I ate my penne tortured with pickled cherries only half, and today the children deny to drink the coffee, even though Starbucks is on the cup. This time the farewell is easy for us.

First the route goes back first to Cortez (we visit Wal-Mart, because somewhere you have to even save money) and then we have a lot of time for the way to Moab. Therefore, we turn about 30 miles before Moab to the Needles Overview, where we can have a picnic before a grand canyon backdrop. The Needles - small sandstone columns - do not grab your attention as there is a more spectacular 180-degree panoramic canyon view. Even though it rained just before (yes, our presence works), the sun shines again and the sandstone is lit. Again, the Colorado River together with a second river has cut a spectacular canyon landscape, but interested in seeing are only two other car loads and not thousands like at Grand Canyon. Which in turn makes our picnic even more attractive.

On the way back we make the mistake to trust the navigation device, contrary to our instincts and are damend to go on a 15 mile stretch of sandy and rocky slopes. Two large monoliths - one even called Looking Glass hole - make a little reparation.

Our hotel, the Aarchway Inn, is located almost outside of Moab, but is equipped with microwave and refrigerator, and we munch on at the City Market. Fresh Crispy, BBQ ribs, burritos, fresh pizza pockets, salads and chocolate cookie ice cream and lemon sorbet forming the dinner. Just for the wine shelf we look in vain in the Mormon state of Utah. A bottle of Miller beer in a handy 0.95 liter bottle is available at least. Saturated we withdraw from the second room and leave the children with 72 US-TV channels. Yesterday in the lodge, they were even on withdrawal. But we take the rest of the ice cream with us and put it in the freezer - otherwise this will become to American in the other room.

Moab and Arches National Park

Aarchway Inn, Moab

Two nights in the same hotel are a very welcome change. It allows mundane needs such as washing clothes, but also takes the time pressure during the reconnaissance. What we use instantly and irresponsibly.

The entrance to Arches National Park ( www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm ) is located a few kilometers from the hotel and we try to escape the car columns by going directly to the big rock arch "Skyline Arch" at the end of the park . On the way the family shows - to put it positively - some familiarity with the red sandstone formations.

The big rock arch, however, reminds us all to the scene with Gandalf and the Balrog from the Lord of the Rings, what motivates us to move on the "primitive trail" to two other arches. The sun is friendly, the temperature climbs steadily presumably against the 40-degree mark, and we climb up steadily the "primitive trail".

It gradually dawns on us that no sign will comply with the U.S. philosophy of natural national parks. As Austrians, we retrieve our genetic heritage and instinctively find our way - at least until we stand directly in front of a minimum of 30 meters deep. Instead of the promised itinerary it will be a way back, what has no directly positive impact on the mood of our children. Later we learned that small stones piled on each other in some cases highlight the way - something like futuristic tables and color markings is for Americans obviously neither in their minds nor in their parks.

After about two and half hours of climbing and walking in the blazing sun, the children are at their performance and our skin in places beyond the sunburn line. For the rest of the national park, the children give therefore the rule: Do not remove more than 10 minutes from the car. We adhere to it and the internal circulation applaudes quietly in the background. The most beautiful arc - the "Delicate Arch" is therefore watched only from a distance. At 3:30 p.m. we treat ourselves the second highlight of the day: A shower in the hotel and "a nice cup of tea". According to Dr. Who the latter heals allegedly almost everything - let's see if it helps against sunburn.

The children say they are too tired for anything other than stupid zapping through U.S. TV channels, but at 7.00 p.m. we can motivate them to search for a diner.

In fact - we find Moab Diner on the main road and there are almost only the uniforms (here they have T-shirts), to act as the diner in Twin Peaks. We eat as cleverly titled dishes called "Chicken Fried Chicken" or "Chicken Fried Steak" and fight our way through the question list: Soup or salad / Which dressing / Do you want gravy / White or brown gravy / What kinda potatoes? Since Starbucks is even easier in comparison.

For the salad I make the mistake to order "French dressing" without further asking. Sounds to me like a little vinaigrette and garlic, but it is in fact mainly (or entirely?) Tomato ketchup! If Sarkozy finds out, he sends the Foreign Legion, and quite rightly. And any judge for international law, whose taste buds are still intact, will put him in resale rights. But we are delighted with the atmosphere, I hope to survive the air conditioning without lung inflammation and in the end we all agree, it tasted quite well.

The bill in good American style is already at the table, when two of us were still eating. The next one please, because it must be made in sales in God's own country. Just not with alcohol, because the beer we try to order in vain.