By the time my crew rolled back to the Lodge the sky had not yet rolled back her blue eyes although her sparkles and rays had become soft and pale on the western landscape. The colors of the trees and plants in front still shone in the evening as brilliantly as they had when we'd arrived in the morning. Their weary leaves slowly laying to rest for the night. The closing of the day turning down. We immediately head inside...the scent of steak is strong on the wind and the pack is tired and hungry. We bust in, past the swinging doors of the Saloon and get situated at a long table away from the center of the room. Tonight, we gorge!! I guess they wanted to keep the feeding frenzy away from the rest of the animals, lest they make a break for it hahahaah!! I cant believe that i didnt grab more pictures of the steakhouse at the lodge. The lobby is filled with "locals" to greet us at the door, and at every step within. Mountain lions & bears, antlers and beaded indian headdresses. A sylvan fountain springs life inside the center of the steakhouse. The wall hangings, paraphenalia and waterfall fountain give just the proper atmosphere for a lodge steakhouse. The gigantic bay windows pan across the length of the restaurant, offering a spectacular view for dining of the majestic view outside. I would say that all in all, the decor and atmosphere of the restaurant far exceed the abilities of the kitchen. Everyone seemed to rate the food quite highly, but i am quite critical of a "steakhouse" and of steaks hahaha. Since the house would not cook my steak "to order" i decided to avoid a scene and opted for the Full Rack of Ribs. But not without first starting with Crabcakes. I know, i know...how can someone so critical of steaks so easily order crabcakes in a landlocked state hahahaha?!?! Meh...that adventurous feeling took over i guess. I know what to expect from a mediocre steakhouse, but one never knows what to expect from crabcakes in Utah hahahaha!!! The first summoning was an Artichoke Heart & Crostini platter, stocked quite liberally with a mound of artichokes in oil flanked on all sides by a circle of crostini. The artichoke hearts are nothing to write home about, but the do not disappoint either, they are what they are. The crostini though, im still having a hard time figuring them out. They are only brushed and seasoned on the top side, the bottom side is still raw unadulterated baguette. The bread has been in an oven, but not for long enough, leaving the bottoms soft and fluffy, quite an eclectic mix of textures. They are not crispy or crunchy on top, which they ought to be, but they are not soggy on the bottoms either, but they feel that way. Still, once you put all components together and stuff it into your mouth, you quietly come to the conclusion after a long day of dusty trails and the middle american sun: Makes mouth happy! The Crabcakes, i do believe, are the pinnacle of my dining experiance here at the Majestic View. The Lodge itself, delivered above and beyond my expectations of both accommodations, and the view. These crabcakes in the same fashion delivered above and beyond my expectations...which were low to begin with hahaha, i was not expecting much. Now these are not light and fluffy crabcakes, they do not have giant nuggets of crabmeat, nor a regal mix of rough herbal textures, but the breading on the outsides are extremely savoury...makes mouth water. They give a deep and intense treat to your nose before and after cutting into them, releasing golden deep fried goodness. My Full Rank of Ribs was actually quite good. I hammer off some ribs to share with my boisterous brethren and then proceed to rub the BBQ sauce all over my face, spreading behind the ears and then across my neck and throat...once done the only thing left on my plate were bones hahaha!! The waitress told me that she believe the ribs to be beef ribs, but they turned out to be piggie ribs...which actually works out better in my favor. The meat does not slide off the bone, so i know they didnt bother preboiling the meat, which is a nice change of pace...gave BiG something to do: gnawing on bones hahaha ^^. The sauce is not too sweet..medium bodied in consistency. No chunky bits of grilled onions. My teeth had meat stuck between the gaps, which liberal brushing did not seem to free up hahaha...!! The green beans and baby carrots were a bit overdone, no crisp or give left in their tired fibres, but made for ease of chewing ^^ I did get a taste of the steak, and it wasnt too bad. The nubs of fat on the ends of the steaks looked delicious. No marinade so probably dry rubbed...the salt brings out the natural flavor of the steak, and the crisscross grill marks patterns on the surface still had deep and bloody streaks and patches of uncharred meat in the diamonds. Woulda been perfect charred and raw hahaha!! At the end, we ended up splitting a brownie decked out with scoops and scoops of ice cream, drizzled with chocolate. No one would own up to the torrentuous dessert so everyone took turns taking swings with their spoons. A flash of silver, and another nibble taken, but it never seemed to loose shape of volumn...the never ending brownie delight ^^. By the time i got done with my ribs, there was still a lot left, but like most of the table i was only able to take a few jabs here and there before folding in the clinch. A few mouthfuls was really more than adaquate by that point. Our stomachs full, our eyelids heavy with meat & ice cream, slowly made our way back to our rooms, the air singing the serenades of the cool desert night.

By the time we roll back to the Lodge, the sky has not yet rolled back her blue eyes, although her sparkles and rays have become soft and pale on the western landscape.  The colors of the trees and plants in front still shine in the evening as brilliantly as they had when we'd arrived in the morning.  Their weary leaves slowly laying to rest for the night.  The closing of the day turning down.  We immediately head inside...the scent of steak is strong on the wind and the pack is tired and hungry.  We bust in, past the swinging doors of the Saloon and get situated at a long table away from the center of the room.  Tonight, we gorge!!  I guess they wanted to keep the feeding frenzy away from the rest of the animals, lest they make a break for it hahahaah!!

I cant believe that i didnt grab more pictures of the steakhouse at the lodge.  The lobby is filled with "locals" to greet us at the door, and at every step within.  Mountain lions & bears, antlers and beaded indian headdresses.  A sylvan fountain springs life inside the center of the steakhouse.  The wall hangings, paraphenalia and waterfall fountain give just the proper atmosphere for a lodge steakhouse.  The gigantic bay windows pan across the length of the restaurant, offering a spectacular view for dining of the majestic view outside.  I would say that all in all, the decor and atmosphere of the restaurant far exceed the abilities of the kitchen.  Everyone seemed to rate the food quite highly, but i am quite critical of a "steakhouse" and of steaks hahaha.  Since the house would not cook my steak "to order" i decided to avoid a scene and opted for the Full Rack of Ribs.  But not without first starting with Crabcakes.  I know, i know...how can someone so critical of steaks so easily order crabcakes in a landlocked state hahahaha?!?!  Meh...that adventurous feeling took over i guess.  I know what to expect from a mediocre steakhouse, but one never knows what to expect from crabcakes in Utah hahahaha!!!

Sal summoned an Artichoke Heart & Crostini platter, stocked quite liberally with a mound of artichokes in oil flanked on all sides by a circle of crostini.  The artichoke hearts are nothing to write home about, but the do not disappoint either, they are what they are.  The crostini though, im still having a hard time figuring them out.  They are only brushed and seasoned on the top side, the bottom side is still raw unadulterated baguette.  The bread has been in an oven, but not for long enough, leaving the bottoms soft and fluffy, quite an eclectic mix of textures.  They are not crispy or crunchy on top, which they ought to be, but they are not soggy on the bottoms either, but they feel that way.  Still, once you put all components together and stuff it into your mouth, you quietly come to the conclusion after a long day of dusty trails and the middle american sun:  Makes mouth happy!

The Crabcakes, i do believe, are the pinnacle of my dining experiance here at the Majestic View.  The Lodge itself, delivered above and beyond my expectations of both accommodations, and the view.  These crabcakes in the same fashion delivered above and beyond my expectations...which were low to begin with hahaha, i was not expecting much.  Now these are not light and fluffy crabcakes, they do not have giant nuggets of crabmeat, nor a regal mix of rough herbal textures, but the breading on the outsides are extremely savoury...makes mouth water.  They give a deep and intense treat to your nose before and after cutting into them, releasing golden deep fried goodness.

My Full Rank of Ribs is actually quite good.  I hammer off some ribs to share with my boisterous brethren and then proceed to rub the BBQ sauce all over my face, spreading behind the ears and then across my neck and throat...once thats done the only thing left on my plate is bones hahaha!!  The waitress told me that she believe the ribs to be beef ribs, but they turned out to be piggie ribs...which actually works out better in my favor.  The meat does not slide off the bone, so i know they didnt bother preboiling the meat, which is a nice change of pace...gives BiG something to do:  gnawing on bones hahaha ^^.  The sauce is not too sweet..medium bodied in consistency.  No chunky bits of grilled onions.  My teeth have meat stuck between the gaps, which liberal brushing does not seem to free up hahaha...!!  The green beans and baby carrots are a bit overdone, no crisp or give left in their tired fibres, but makes for ease of chewing ^^

I did get a taste (of Nhi's steak i believe) of the steak, and it wasnt too bad.  The nubs of fat on the ends of the steaks looked delicious.  No marinade so probably dry rubbed...the salt brings out the natural flavor of the steak, and the crisscross grill marks patterns on the surface still have deep and bloody streaks and patches of uncharred meat in the diamonds.  Woulda been perfect charred and raw hahaha!!  Tracy, bless her sweetness cut up the rest of her steak into bite sized peices for Jenn, and everyone chipped in this and that into the "Jenn offerings."  I think she got the best dinner of all when she awoke after we retired to our rooms hahaha.

At the end, we ended up splitting a brownie decked out with scoops and scoops of ice cream, drizzled with chocolate.  No one would own up to the torrentuous dessert so everyone took turns taking swings with their spoons.  A flash of silver, and another nibble taken, but it never seemed to loose shape of volumn...the never ending brownie delight ^^.  By the time i got done with my ribs, there was still a lot left, but like most of the table i was only able to take a few jabs here and there before folding in the clinch.  A few mouthfuls was really more than adaquate by that point.  Our stomachs full, our eyelids heavy with meat & ice cream, slowly made our way back to our rooms, the air singing the serenades of the cool desert night.

Sleepy Nappy time for the magic yet to come...After stuffing out faces silly, most of us resigned back to the room to take a breather before the festivities later that night.  The more ambitious however made use of the pool and hottub, sweating and soaking their legs and limbs from the epic journey we'd just accomplished for the day.  Everyone performed like a champ, and got their much needed and deservedly earned rest.

It's in my belly...hahahaha! The Majestic View Steakhouse and Saloon IS what it IS! The Majestic View Steakhouse and Saloon is the on-site restaurant for the Majestic View Lodge, just a stones throw way from Zion National Park. To get to the restaurant, you first walk past the Saloon...complete with wooden swinging doors, a well-stocked bar, and a microbrewery. As you walk past the hostess desk, you walk through a corridor decorated with several taxidermy displays of bears. Past this is a lovely restaurant with hunters lodge (deer antler light fixtures) and American Southwest (Indian headdress) decor. Our party of seven was seated at a rustic wooden table right next to the windows. We had an awesome view of the rugged sandstone peaks of Zion! The garlic butter served with the bread basket is tasty! For our 1st appetizer, we had sauteed artichokes served with toasted garlic bread. The serving size was huge. The artichokes were really yummy with garlic and olive oil and the sauce was soaked up by the garlic bread. The second appetizer was crab cakes. The portions were substantial and came with two dipping sauces...a red sauce and a white sauce. The crab cakes were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside and very tasty. Since we have been dreaming of a juicy, tender steak, most of us ordered the 14oz. rib-eye steak with the standard fixings...potato or rice and sauteed vegetables. I ordered my rib-eye just barely medium rare and it was cooked perfectly with lovely diamond grill marks. The veggies (carrots and green beans) were really good and fresh...not that frozen crap some establishments put on your plate...because they still had a crispness to them. For desert,we shared the brownie a la mode. Just a few bites of it definitely satisfied my sweet tooth. The service was good. The only time they stumbled was when we were ready to settle the bill. Luckily, Nancy found out that lodge guests get a discount...woo hoo for saving some $$$. Since we were a large group, their computer system could only charge 3 cards...weird I know but luckily we had enough cash and credit to cover so we wouldn't have to dine and dash...hahaha! Overall, the food was good because I left stuffed and no longer hungry. I would definitely eat at Majestic View Steakhouse and Saloon again the next time I go to Zion National Park.

All I could think about on the ride back to Majestic View Lodge was FOOD. We past a farm with a few elk, bison, cows, and ostrich grazing...mmm meat...they looked tasty. All during our hike, I kept hydrated with Gatorade and water but I hadn't eaten anything solid since breakfast so now my tummy was roaring!

At the lodge, I was the first one out of the car and headed straight to the Majestic View Steakhouse and Saloon. The others were so devoid of energy that they were lagging way behind me. The hostess sat us, a party of 7, next to the window with a marvelous mountain view. Jenn was so exhausted all she wanted to do was sleep.

We were all famished...we inhaled the 4 baskets of bread and garlic butter before we ordered any food! After two shared appetizers, one bottle of red wine, soup or salad, beef or pork entree, and 1 brownie a la mode dessert for all to share...we were stuffed (Review to follow)! I was so full that I had to get moving again so I planned to go to the pool.

We hauled all our gear to the rooms (Review to follow)...Me, Nancy, Sheila, and Nhi in one room, and Jenn, Sal, RJ, and BiG in the other. I convinced Nancy to come out to the pool with me. I was told the pool would be heated but it wasn't . So Nancy and I relaxed under the stars in the super hot and bubbly jacuzzi. Slowly easing into the jacuzzi reminded me of the Loony Toons Cartoon with Elmer Fudd boiling a huge cauldron of water for soup and Bugs Bunny thinking it was a hot bath...hahaha...flashback!

Soaking in the jacuzzi was so nice...relieving the aches and pains. Sal was suppose to join us as well but he didn't show...I figured he passed out from exhaustion and food coma combined. Nancy and I conversed with two middle-aged women from Texas soaking in the jacuzzi...they hiked the Watchman Trail? in Zion and recommended it to us. Hmmm...maybe for our next visit to Zion...anyone interested?

The two ladies left and soon after so did Nancy so I was alone in the jacuzzi under the stars. But not for long though because Jenn had awoken from her slumber and wanted to chill in the jacuzzi too. The breeze began to pick up and the body parts that weren't underwater were freezing so we both headed back to the rooms to rest.

When I got back to the room, everyone else was asleep and soon after, so was I.

Dag 25 donderdag 14-8

Om 8.00 uur weg uit Vegas, via mesquite, st George naar Zion. We hebben in Springdale geslapen,  Dat is vlak voor het park waar je met de shuttle alleen omhoog kan. Om een uur of 2 kwamen we aan en besloten nog een loopje te doen; the riversidewalk. Mooie wandeling gedeeltelijk in het water. (of eigenlijk alleen maar!) The Narrows, toepasselijke naam want de ‘wanden’kwamen steeds dichter bij elkaar. We dachten dat je op een gegeven moment niet meer verder kon maar dat bleek een vergissing, telkens als we dachten dat we het einde naderden bleek dit toch niet zo te zijn. Renate hield het voor gezien en ik probeerde het nog iets verder. Maar al gauw werd duidelijk dat er geen einde aan zat, je kon echt nog uren daar blijven lopen. Het zicht werd er ook niet mooier op, het bleef ongeveer hetzelfde. Dus na 2 uur half in het water gelopen te hebben keerden we terug. Moe maar zeer zeker wel voldaan. Op de kamer ff een douche gepakt (het woord ‘douche’ moet je trouwens in de US niet gebruiken, zeker als meisje niet……) en toen in een lokaal restaurantje gegeten. Moegestreden ploffen we ons in het bedje, sluiten onze ogen en dromen over morgen, wat zal’ie ons brengen?.ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

I stayed in the hotel room at this Quality Inn for one night in January, 2008. Forty minutes after I checked out and left the next morning, I realized that I forgot my big flashlight in the room. When I got back to the hotel, the room had been cleaned, and every employee I asked claimed he/she know nothing about the flashlight. The flashlight is about two feet in length and four pounds in weight. I just don't believe it could evaporate. Therefore, the honesty of at least one of their employees is highly questionable.

had a great hike, followed by a cold beer, & a fantastic pie

Well,  finally I was ready to resume my travels after getting restocked and motivated.

This leg had me go up through St George, Utah, and then into Zion National Park. I drove straight through the Park and in the east end came to a low narrow tunnel just before you exit. I had to pay an extra $15.00 to go through the tunnel because they had to stop traffic so I could drive down the center due to the sloped ceiling. Parked just outside the east entrance in a RV park and found because of the remote area I was in, I had no phone or internet connection. They also wanted to charge me the extra fee every time I went back and forth through the tunnel because my truck has dual wheels. I was able to negotiate my way out of the charge.

Zion NP is such a beautiful place where at every turn a new vista opens up for viewing. Because of heavy visitor traffic, the Park Service has blocked car traffic into the interior of the Park. Fortunately, they have a shuttle bus system which runs every 5 or 10 minutes and carries passengers all of the way into the park. I took it and at the last stop, took a hike along the river to where the Narrows trail begins. This trail crosses the river and in a strenuous hike goes well into the more beautiful sections of the Park. I did not attempt it because it looked like more than I wanted to try. This park is one not to be missed. I must have taken a hundred pictures but will only post some of the better ones.

East of Zion, I took a ride high up into the mountains past a beautiful lake, (Navajo Lake), and down a narrow dirt road back to the RV Park. Came across several abandoned mines and only saw a couple of cars all going up to the lake. This was real back country.

Close to Zion NP, is Bryce Canyon National Park. It was a ride of only 65 miles from where I was staying. Bryce is not really a canyon but more like a long run of cliffs with beautiful rock formations on the edge. Hoodoos which are large columns of rock carved by the wind and rain are the main feature in this park. Lots of vivid red cliffs make this park unique and I took a bunch of pictures here as well. Thank God for digital cameras. Just fire away and store on your computer. No film processing needed. Bryce is at an altitude of over 9000 feet and I could feel the effect of the altitude thanks to the Marlboros.

This area of the country does not have many towns and shopping for groceries was a challenge. One little grocery store I found had a large display of the Book of Mormon printed in several languages right in front of the door. Sure was in the heart of Mormon country.

Summary: Elk Lodges: 33, Escapee Parks: 20, Public RV Parks: 23, National Parks: 35, Ships: 9, Forts: 17

Expenses: 27 months traveling with an average of $ 1855 per month.

At the southern edge of Zion National Park is this little tourist town there for only one reason and that is to serve the people who come to visit the park. Hotel/Motels, restaurants, shops and entertainment spots line the little two lane road that is Springdale.  There are side streets where locals live, but the main street is all you will ever need to see.  Being mid summer this was about as crowded as it could get.

Our motel and RV park combination had to be the biggest I have ever seen. It seemed to go on forever. Nice place though.  And we were pretty lucky to find a nice place to eat dinner too.

This is the largest motel and RV Park I have ever seen. The front area has many large two-story buildings with inside corridors, and the back area is the camping RV Park. I don't know how old it is but they have maintained it very well. Also included here are a very large laundry facility and a pretty good-sized convenience store with fishing tackle, camping needs, and too many other items to mention. Near the lobby are a gift shop and the breakfast area where you get a very nice expanded continental breakfast. The room was large and quite clean and included all of the modern items such as cable TV, coffee maker, referigerator, ironing board and iron. The rates are not bad for such a touristy location, and the staff is pleasant and very helpful. I recommend highly.

Eating while on vacation is usually one of the hardest things to do.  You are not familiar with the area, who has the good food, and in an area where there are mainly tourists it is even worse. So I felt pretty lucky to find this fairly nice place to eat right in the middle of a very touristy area. A nice menu and quite an array of items made the choice a little more difficult, but the daily special of Prime Rib sounded good to us and turned out very good. The meal came with a free trip to the salad bar, which was nicely stocked with an abundance of items, including fruit. The service was good considering that this was tourist season and the place was full.