Tales of the Traveling Tote #37 - National Parks

Welcome to the fall edition of the Tales of the Traveling Tote. Fall is always full of outdoor activities, and one of them was spending time in the big apple. We started with a sunset whirl around the Statue of Liberty on the Shearwater. We got lucky as it was their last cruise of the season, and the weather was perfect.     

      I was invited to join my niece for a day of bridal gown consultations. The process is so interesting and special to be a part of as you work with the consultant to find just the look the bride wants.  You definitely narrow things down quickly and we had a good consultant that listened and found solutions to pretty much customize the wedding gown of Chelsea’s dreams.

We started and ended our National Parks tour in Las Vegas. From our hotel, we were able to see the Sphere, and it was so beautiful and amazing. I was intrigued by the exterior that is fitted with LEDs that are programmed to flash imagery. It's luminated with animations and sometimes tied to the season. I heard they will be doing a snow globe at Christmas.

I wish my “checked” friends could have joined me at the Bellagio for some MacKenzie-Childs fun. 

         OK let's head to Lake Powell and the National Parks. 

 

Kayaking is a wonderful way to take in the visual wonders of Lake Powell. We were able to get out and stretch our legs which is always a bonus :-)

Grand Canyon

I wish we had more time at the Grand Canyon, especially to see a sunrise and sunset. We were in awe of the greatest of the canyons. 

 Bryce Canyon National Park has the world's largest collection of hoodoos which are odd-shaped pillars of rock left standing from the forces of erosion, and  frost-wedging. We learned that over time, it shatters and pries rock apart. Bryce Canyon is breathtaking!

♥️Hoodoo you Love

We did a Jeep tour at Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. We didn't take the pink Jeep in this photo lol. Most of the park is in Arizona on the Navajo Nation. We did a 4x4 tour, and they served us Navajo tacos on their special bread which is like our flatbread.  We kicked up some dust!

We are now leaving Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, and the photo is of the "Three Sisters".  

This adventure took me through the Zion Narrows, one of the park's "can't miss" hikes for good reason. I had read that no trip to Zion is complete without hiking The Narrows. The Narrows is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. The gorge has walls a thousand feet tall and the river sometimes just twenty to thirty feet wide. The hike leads you through the Virgin River and thankfully it was a very warm day. 

It was neat to see the massive sandstone cliffs and follow the paths where ancient native people and pioneers walked. Only Great Smoky Mountains, the Grand Canyon and Rocky Mountain parks are more popular than Zion. 

This is Horseshoe Bend where the Colorado River makes a 270 degree turn. We were mesmerized by views 1,000 feet above the river. 

We had an early morning flight out of Las Vegas once our National Parks trip had been completed, so we spent the evening at the Bellagio and enjoyed their Conservatory Harvest display. They change the display for each season, and the Christmas display is now up. When we were there, their Harvest display was filled with  fall flora and fauna, lavish artistry and very detailed designs. 

I hope you’ll enter your name for the quarterly giveaway by leaving a comment on The Bookish Dilettante's blog. 

We all thank you for stopping by! 

Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths (you are here)

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

Jenna with Miss Coquille @The Painted Apron

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

 Patti with Miss Kenzie @ Pandora's Box

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply 

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Jackie and Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home

Ricki Jill and Countess De Monet @ The Bookish Dilettante