CA, NV, AZ, UT

This morning we left under cloudy skies. As a precaution Ted & I donned our rain suits and covered our bags. It was around 55 degrees in Los Angles area and there was snow in the mountains. This was a holiday weekend and traffic was probably heavier than a normal Saturday, but better than a work day. We climbed into the San Gabriel Mountains north of LA. You could see snow on the peaks but our roads were dry. On the other side it began to rain and continued on and off the rest of the day. Thinking on the positive side, we were prepared, no lightning all day, and there was no wind.

We took I-15 to Barstow and stopped for a cup of coffee. In front of the Burger King we changed gloves and I put on more clothes. The temperature had dropped to 45 degrees. We stayed on 15 to 215 to 515 which moves traffic around Las Vegas. Our goal was the Lake Mead/Alan Bible Visitor's Center in Boulder City, NV which is on 93. (No shows, no gambling, just around Las Vegas! )

We found it with no trouble. We viewed the displays and talked with the rangers. The building of Hoover and Davis dam was fasinating. Backing up the Colorado River buried whole cities and history under Lake Mead and changed the environment while creating Lake Mojave.

After the visitor's center we back tracked to I-15 and continued north. I was expecting to enter Utah, but instead we entered Arizona first. I-15 cuts through the north western corner of Arizona and this is where we found our gem for the day: the Virgin River Gorge! It was an "Oh My Gosh" moment. Speeds were cut to 55 to move traffic through the sweeping curves. I almost couldn't drive it was so gorgeous!

The temperature had warmed up to around 61 degrees. We were tired and trying to make Hurricane, UT for the night. As we rolled into this little town I was looking forward to stopping. We were surprised when we were turned away at the first place because they were filled up, concerned when we were turned away from the second place, and it continued from hotel to hotel throughout town. No Vacancy anywhere! We stopped for gas and Ted called back to the town to St. George, that we had just come through and found a room. We rode back the 15 miles to St. George in the dark to our waiting hotel room. Thank goodness we have a place to lay our heads tonight.

Miles - 462
Total miles - 3,768
U-turns - 5 (mostly looking for a room)
Oh My Gosh - the Virgin River Gorge on I-15 in AZ