Travellers Photo Gallery

1. Late returning campers were a tad surprised to find an encampment of silver tents in the front yard of their cabin. We didn't know anyone was in residence. Early morning saw some of us retreating to our designated sites. Max, "the body", Marlene and Nettie .... have tents will travel.

2. Oil may be running out but the gum deposits on the "Bubble Gum Wall" in San Luis Obispo have been on the increase since the 1960's. Nancy takes a close look.....pretending of course.

3. Kay and Mary getting the feel of the big cruiser, the pride and joy of Martin from San Jose.

4. Audrey leads the way on our first hike, Big Sur State Park on the Pacific Coast just south of Monterey.

5. We had a wonderful morning kayaking on Monterey Bay - its giant sea kelp forest home to a vast array of marine life - playful sea otters, sea lions, pelicans and other sea birds.

6. Fay checking out the sea kelp just offshore of the world renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium, which we visited later in the day.

7. In San Francisco we walked across the "Golden Gate", 1.5 km.

8. The Grassroots' inmates .... what misdemeanors had they committed? "Fresno Flats" mobile gaol, part of a colonial historic village in the Western Sierras, near Yosemite.

9. Jackie and Nettie, sizing up the Giant Sequoia trunks at Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park.

10. Bruce sights up a photo.... can he see our hikers heading for the canyon rim? (Yosemite National Park).

11. Eight of our keen hikers made it to the canyon rim, a 5-hour return hike..... Colleen and Tony admiring the spectacular views of the valley below. (Yosemite National Park)

12. We crossed the Sierra Nevadas via the Tioga Pass (9,945ft), the highest road in California. Enroute we enjoyed a neat scramble over the "hillsides" of smooth rock that lined the highway. Marlene, Eris, Maria and Uwe looking out towards Half Dome.

13. Liz, Brenda, Val, George and Kay at Lake Tenaya, the Tioga Pass Road, Yosemite National Park.

14. "Ma'am, can I be of assistance?" - Sue and Gerald contemplating the past in Bodie, the largest ghost town in the Western USA.

15. Pauline and John taking time out for a quiet read on the shores of Lake Sabrina, the High Eastern Sierras.

16. "Poppi and Blue Bear send their love", from the lowest point in the USA. Death Valley National Park.

17. In Zion National Park we walked a variety of trails. Daphne and Liz standing beneath the overhanging rocks on the Upper Emerald Falls Trail.

18. Marilynne admiring the views, Zion National Park

19. Maria and Uwe "completing the climb" to the summit of Angel's Landing, the canyon views from the top are outstanding.

22. Taking time out before dinner at our Bishop camp.

21. Sunset at Zion. The canyon walls that back- dropped our campsite turned brilliant shades of orange and yellow.

27. Brenda and Bruce nearing the end of their 14-mile East Rim / Observation Point hike. (Zion National Park)

20. June surveys the view from Bryce Point Outlook (Bryce Canyon National Park.)

24. Hiking the Queen's Garden trail, Bryce Canyon. The 2-hour walk takes you below the rim and along the canyon floor.

25. Trying the local fare - at Boulder Mesa, our "American Pie" morning tea stop, Maggie enjoys "Cajun Blueberry" Pie (as did the rest of us!)

23. Barrie and Alison, Escalante Calf Canyon, Utah.

26. Frankie at Capital Reef National Park.

28. "Cook Team" at work - Moab camp, Utah,

29. All of us at "Balancing Rock", Arches National Park, Utah

30. The "Double Arch" is a huge eroded structure. We are there, clambering over the rocks like little ants.

31. Here we are clambering over Double Arch. "We've got up but how do we get down?"

32. Maureen standing on one of the immense rock "fins" that we walked along to reach Double O Arch. (Arches National Park)

33.Eris and Doug at the "Cliff Palace" a 13th century Anasazi Indian cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)

34. Even "Blue Bear" visited the Cliff Palace. He chatted up the Ranger.

35. Our trip on the Durango Silverton Historic Railway, took us into the San Juan Mountains.

36. We dressed warmly to ride in the open air gondola carriage - just great for viewing.

37. Kay and our "Brakeman" Keith. (Durango Silverton Railway)

38. The fall colours on our journey to Silverton and back over the Molas Pass (10,910ft) were spectacular.

39. Colleen celebrated her birthday today - cutting the cake with husband Tony.

40. Judy enjoying the moment at "Desert View Tower", Grand Canyon. We are so lucky this year, the views are spectacularly clear.

41. Yippee! what a great spot - Fay, on the Bright Angel trail. This is the main trail down to the Colorado River and Phantom Ranch, 15 miles below (Grand Canyon).

42. Colleen, Uwe, Maria and Judy taking a break at Plateau Pt. The Colorado River flows along the canyon floor 1,000ft below.

43. John and Pauline admiring the "wheels" at Seligman, on historic "Route 66", Arizona.

44. George and "Bonnie" - bad luck George she's only a mannequin. (Seligman, "Route 66")

45. Brenda feeding a burro in the main street of Oatman, an "old west" town on Route 66, Arizona.

46. At Oatman enroute to Palm Springs we served the last transit lunch of the trip.

47. Our final night's "teams concert" in Palm Springs produced some very creative and amusing acts - the "C - Team" in full swing.

48. The "A Team" in action.

49. The American component of our crew - Brenda, our ingenius cook and Paul, our fantastic driver.

Zippidy doo dah, zippidy day, we're all travell'in the USA

Zippidy doo dah, zippidy day, the sun is a shine'n, we're on our way...........

THANKS FOR YOUR COMPANY...... it was great fun travellin' with you, and we thank you one and all.

Your crew - Brenda, Paul, Bruce, Judy and Fay

Trip dates: 6 September to 1 October 2005