Glen Canyon Dam & Pioneer Day - 7/24/17

Glen Canyon Dam & Pioneer Day in Fillmore, Utah -7/24/17

Heading out of Bonito Campground just north of Flagstaff along US 89, we headed to northern Arizona through Glen Canyon Dam and stopping at the Glen Canyon Dam Visitor's Center ... the dam represents an enormous public works program and effort to manage water along the Colorado ... and yet, also represents the loss of what was known to be a stunningly beautiful Glen Canyon.  The opposition to the Glen Canyon Dam is often credited for the growth in the environmentalist movement ... pressure is still on by environmentalists to eliminate the Glen Canyon Dam.

Traveling through several very small towns along US 89 in Utah, we were scratching our heads wondering why each town was lined with American flags ... it looked like Independence Day in each small town, just waiting for the annual 4th of July parade and fireworks in the evening.  It turns out that July 24th is Pioneer Day in Utah ... a celebration and commemoration of the first Mormon pioneers who entered the Great Salt Lake Valley from Emigration Canyon on July 24, 1847.

So, what a perfect way to celebrate Pioneer Day than to stay in the middle of Utah ... Fillmore, Utah, to be exact ... at a KOA campground in the middle of the Great Basin desert ... lined with giant cottonwood trees and carefully tended green grass in front of each camping site ... bringing the green bounty to the desert.

Bambi was tucked into the campground amidst a sea of behemoths of recreational vehicles ... Feeling a bit small in the land of large format RVs ...

Paul takes care of Bambi's needs ...

Shout Out to Sander:  Our son, Sander, was struck by a driver, turning in front of him, while riding his bike on the streets of San Francisco.  The driver apparently did not see him even though he felt that they had made eye contact.  He took the full impact on his body and was brought to the hospital.   The driver stayed on the scene to offer assistance and report to the police.  Sander is bruised, swollen, scraped, but not broken.  He is home in his apartment in San Francisco resting and recovery.  Wishing you a speedy recovery!