Odometer, 51,645

Time: 08:15

The weather has improved again and Marco is feeling better (he had kind of a flu the last couple days) so we hit the (gravel) road again.

Starting in Big Water with Warm Creek Road we just continue straight ahead staying on this road without turning left or right. We pass all the intersections we took on earlier trips to either side, pass a few camping trailers and a corral (abandoned), and still continue. About 25 miles into gravel roads we suddenly see some cows, not just one this time but a whole lot of them guarded by some real cowboys and a cow girl on horses and one of them with an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) as well as a dog. We speak with one of them and he tells us a bit about their life. Today they will bring the cows to the next creek and then tonight they will return home (about 50 Miles from Page) go to church on Sunday and then come back on Monday. They do these trips with the cows on a regular basis and throughout the whole year. In winter (until June) they stay on this plateau and in the creeks and in summer they move up to a higher plateau where there is more water and greens.

Besides this interesting encounter we are once more impressed by the beauty of the Smoky Mountains and Lake Powell. Even though the pictures are brilliant they can only partly convey the whole impression of the scenery. The colors the quietness, the shapes, the smells and the winds are so unique and fascinating, just breathtaking.

We drive out with lots of stops until about 1:30 pm, when we reach Grand Bench and there a road passage that would be hard to pass. Considering the time of the day and fact that we have to return the same way we came, we decide that this is the end for today and this is where we should turn around.

Just after 5:00 pm we are back in Page. We head straight to Safeway to get two frozen pizzas.

Marco is a top driver but the 80 miles gravel road through creeks and over rocks are still wearing us out. Sitting on the couch in the evening feels like being on land again after spending a day on a boat.

Overnight Stay: Debbie’s Hide A Way

Dinner: Pizza out of the oven at Debbie’s Hide A Way