The Southwest... now there's a beautiful sight!

We left California Friday, having done Nanny Time for our daughter and her husband. The first few weeks of the school year are always difficult for them, with Heather going back to school a week earlier and Brian's leave time sometimes difficult to arrange.  So we stepped in to help.

To be effective nannies, you have to have a car. There's schedules to keep with 3 children and 3 different sports activities and school schedules.  And since we weren't sure how long our nanny duty was going to take, we drove to California via the southwest.  We drove across Central Colorado, Central Utah then headed south towards Las Vegas and then to Southern California.

I often complain about how long and boring that drive can be, but really it's also very beautiful.  You really begin to appreciate how great the US is when you go by land across it. On our usual drive, you cross over the Rockies and through  Glenwood Canyon and Glenwood Hot Springs in Colorado.

rafting in Glenwood Canyon

No Name rest area in Glenwood Canyon

Continuing on there's Utah's Canyon Countries and Dinosaur Circle. In the area between I-70 and Salt Lake City there's petroglyphs galore - and more dinosaur bones if you choose to step off the main roads and explore.

Just off I-15 there's Zion NP, Bryce NP and  Cedar Breaks ~

Bryce National Park

Zion National Park

 and you drive through the Virgin River Canyon in the southeastern corner of Nevada. Then if you want a little man made beauty... there's neon town a.k.a. Las Vegas. About the only part of the drive I have yet to find redeeming beauty in is the drive across the desert from Las Vegas to Orange County, California.  I suspect I might even find something there too, if I ever stopped long enough to explore.

.