March 22, 2025

This passed Sunday we ventured out into the mountains to find the Skylight Arch. After a few miles of dirt road and a mile hike we stumbled upon this gaping hole in the mountain with a arch on the far side. Quite a site but if you walked 50 feet to the left  you may not see it at all. You can walk across the arch, which I had to do.  

Great view from here.


We had to drag Buddy as he doesn't want to hike most of the time. The only time he moves faster is when he knows we are heading back the way we came.

You don't want to misstep around here.




There is always interesting rock formation to view. 
You can see forever, snow capped mountain in the background.

 Next we headed to west of Kanab about 1.75 hours from our campsite to hike the Belly of the Dragon. This has been on my bucket list for a couple of years now and this is the closest we have gotten, so I just had to take the time to see the site. You can hike for a mile and half you if you want but we chose to just to do just the tunnel as it was 40 degrees and windy when we got there. 

Over the years people have carved their names into the walls of the tunnel.  If I had to guess I would say 95% of the tunnel is covered with initials.




There is light at the end of the tunnel,

 We stopped in Kanab for lunch and it started to snow while we were eating. We can leave Wisconsin but we can't seem to get away from the snow.

Yesterday we did a full day of checking out various sites. We must have put on 150 miles and took 8 hours but we did see Horseshoe Bend, Navajo Bridge, Lee's Landing and Cliff Dwellers mountain.

Horseshoe Bend

Graceful me did take a tumble while here.  Hurt my pride.

Famous Horseshoe Bend in the Colorado River.


Sun wasn't high enough to get a better picture.

Navajo Bridge

Bridge on left was built in 1928 costing $310,000 and replaced by one on right. Left one is now a pedestrian bridge. Great view of Colorado River 467 below. The old bridge is 834 feet long.

Not sure what type of birds were perched on the bridge.


The new bridge built 60 years later cost $14+ million.

 

Lee's Landing

This got us closer to the Colorado River.

                                        



Lots of drift wood but nothing to take home to make a walking stick.


 

Interesting rocks perched on top of sediment. We each took our chances that they would not fall. 


Cliff Dwellers

 



Huge rock is part of the roof of this house.

Shelters were built on the side of the mountain using large rocks as partial walls off the house.


Inside of house built around the huge rock in background.

From here we started our journey home starting with about 25 miles of dirt road. About 11 miles in we herd a beep and noticed that one of the tires was losing air. Again the right rear tire, same location as last flat. And wouldn't you know it I did not put the board in the Jeep that I wanted to use under the jack. We were in sand again but a little better compacted. Problem was the Jeep slipped of the jack after I had the tire off. Diane found a rock and I jacked up the jeep again and rested the wheel hub on the rock until I got another rock for under the jack to get the jeep high enough to get the wheel back on. We got it done and continued our trip home without any more problems. 

Got tire fixed today, got the board in the jeep, so we are ready to venture out again.

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