'The Best Of Moab' In 3 Days

 A ROAD TRIP WITH SPECIAL PLACES TO WOW WITH COLORS, CONTOURS AND ONLY A LITTLE PHYSICAL EXERTION

- Joe anderson

All great road trips have to start some place different than where they end.

My wife, and I planned a three week trip in March 2017 with three stages: the first part was to visit my snowbird brother in Yuma, then visit my wife’s cousin in Phoenix, and then on to adventuring in Moab.

When I thought of visiting Moab for the third time I got excited because there was so much to see and visit. I was going to be with my wife and I knew I had to take her to special places that would WOW her with colors, contours and with very little physical exertion. I needed the biggest bang for the buck.

I connected with a friend who is a Moab adventurer by the name of Tom McCrea. He leads small friendship tours into the “Never Never” land that looks desolate, empty, waterless and dead but in truth it is very much alive and offers breathe-taking beauty.

He gave me the run down of different places and sights and eventually came up with the “Seeing the Best of Moab itinerary in three days.”

According to our plan our first stop upon leaving Phoenix was stopping at Page, AZ where we spent the night. We visited Grays Canyon Dam and the visitor center. The dam forms the huge and beautifully clear Lake Powell.

It was the start of tourist season so all restaurants were busy by 5:30 p.m. and seating was limited. We decided to attempt to be seated by 4:30 p.m. on the rest of the trip, which would allow us seating and an early dinner. By eating early there is always room for dessert later in the evening. My motto: “There is always room for ice cream!”

The next day’s drive took us through Monument Valley, where the earth meets the sky. The panoramic views of Chattanooga wagon train type mountains with mesas, spires and buttes. The mountains were layered stripes with shades of red, white, brown, purple and black.