2023 CANYONLANDS ADVENTURE - ITINERARY

 

Now that you know why I have decided to take this tour. Let’s look at where I will be going. I am writing this just a few day before I depart on a 15-day/14-night Adventure New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado and a bunch of places in between. before departure. To say that I am getting excited is an understatement. 

Now, I told you that when I travel I have a very loose schedule. But this trip I am on a schedule established by Sunshine Tours. So, Let's look at where I will be going and some of the things that I will be seeing. 

DAY # 1 – HOME TO MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

Just like when I travel, It looks like Sunshine will use Day one as Get away day. The only tour stop scheduled is a brief one in Downtown Nashville. Then we will head on to our first night’s lodging somewhere near Memphis, Tennessee. This is going to be close to a 600-mile day. 

DAY #2 – MEMPHIS, TN. TO OKLAHOMA CITY

Today is probably going to be another long day as we travel from the Memphis area all the way to Oklahoma City.  We will cross the Mighty Mississippi into Arkansas. Again today, the only scheduled tour stop is in Little Rock, Arkansas where we will tour the state capitol building. Earlier this year I ordered a State Capitol Passport Book that will allow me to get Capitol Passport Stamps for each capital that I visit. This is in addition to the National Park Service Passport Book that I have had for several Years.  We will spend the night in Oklahoma City which will make for another 500-mile day.

DAY #3 - OKLAHOMA CITY TO SANTA FE, NM

This has the makings of being another very long day. Before Leaving Oklahoma City we will be making stops at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and a quick Photo stop at the Oklahoma State Capitol. I have been to both, and I am sure that the Visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial will be emotional for everyone in our group. While at the Oklahoma Capitol, I hope to have enough time to run in to the tour desk and get my passport stamp. Then it’s time to head west on Interstate 40 through the panhandle of Texas. It would be a real treat if we stopped for lunch at the Big Texan in Amarillo. When I visit Amarillo, I always make a stop at the Big Texan. I am not sure if it is on the schedule or not, but I can hope. Along the way we will pass a number iconic Route 66 sites, including Cadillac Ranch, the Britten Leaning Water Tower and the Mid-point of Route 66. Again, I am not sure if we will stop for a quick photo of any of these site. Shortly after crossing into New Mexico, we will come to the town of Tucumcari which is one of the most Iconic towns on Route 66.  Again, it is not mentioned in the guide, but a drive down Old Route 66 through town to see the Iconic Blue Swallow Motel and the Tee Pee Curios would be nice.  I just heard that a few weeks ago a massive storm with baseball size hail hit Tucumcari and destroyed all the Route 66 Neon Signs. I certainly hope that they will be able to replace the neon. This will be close to a 600-mile day by the time we reach Santa Fe which will be our home for the next two nights.

DAY #4 – SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

We will spend the entire day in New Mexico’s Capital City.  There are a number of things that I want to see here including The Plaza, The Palace of the Governors and of course I want to visit the State Capitol Building, which is known as “The Roundhouse” to get My passport stamp. I also want to visit some of the old Missions and Churches, including Mission San Miguel. I especially want to visit Loretto Chapel and the Miraculous Staircase. By all accounts, Santa Fe is a very walkable and friendly city. I hope my knees are ready for this. This will be a full day in Santa Fe and a chance to slow down and catch our breath from three consecutive 500-mile days.

DAY #5 – SANTA FE, NM TO CANYON CITY, CO.

Today we leave Santa Fe, and head up into the southern Rockies of Colorado but first we make a stop in Taos, New Mexico before we get to Pueblo, Colorado. While Taos is an Artsy community, and I am not really into art, I hope to have enough time to tour the Kit Carson House and visit his grave.  I am Not sure what we will get to see and do in Pueblo. I’ll just play it by ear.  From Pueblo we will  make out way over to Canyon City where we will spend the night. This will  set us up nicely for the next couple of days. This will be about a 300-mile day.

DAY #6 – CANYON CITY TO MONTROSE, COLORADO.

This is going to be a great day, I think. We make a stop at the Royal Gorge which I hope includes a stop at the Royal Gorge Bridge before heading across the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass which is over 11,300 feet above sea level.  The scenery here is going to be spectacular. It is one of the reasons I am glad I am not driving. I want to just sit back and enjoy the view. This will be another 300-mile day.

DAY #7 – MONTROSE TO DURANGO, COLORADO

Today is what I am calling my True Grit Day as after leaving Montrose we head south through Ouray and Ridgeway Colorado. It was in these two towns and in the area around them that my favorite John Wayne Movie “True Grit” was filmed. Several of the movie locations are still marked including the scene where the Hangings took place, the actual paddy wagon used in the movie and the Chambers Grocery wall. It would be cool if we stopped just for a few minutes to let me get some photos. But I have a feeling we will be on a tight schedule as were travel the Million Dollar Highway down to Silverton.  I think we will have some free time in Silverton before we leave the bus behind and board the Durango-Silverton Railway for the scenic trip from Silverton to Durango where we will spend the night.

DAY #8 – DURANGO, COLORADO TO PAGE, ARIZONA.

This has the makings of being a long and very busy day. We will leave Durango and head down to the Four Corners Monument. I have been here before. It is worth seeing but kind of a tourist trap that is on the Navajo Reservation. With all the stands and booths around the monument it looks like a flea market.  The we head over to Mexican Hat and take a drive down through Monument Valley. Again, I have been here before and it is one of the most spectacular place on earth. I hope we have a chance to stop at Forest Gump Point just South of Mexican Hat.  We don’t go into Monument Valley as the dirt road is unimproved and can be really washed out and rough. When I visited here in 2018, I stayed at Goulding’s Lodge which was absolutely great. Goulding’s is where John Wayne, John Ford and the Crew stayed when they filmed such movies as “The Searchers,” “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon,” and “Fort Apache. From Monument Valley it’s a long but scenic drive over to Page Arizona where we will spend the night. This will be close to a 400-mile day.

DAY #9 – PAGE, AZ TO KANAB, UTAH

On of the things that I really want to do in Page is to see the Iconic Horseshoe Bend on Colorado River.  I hope that we arrive in town early enough on Day 8 to let me find a way down to the park. It would be nice if the Tour included Horseshoe Bend, but it is not mentioned in the tour book.  It does mention that that we will visit Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell on our way to the Grand Canyon. Now, I have visited the Grand Canyon a few times over the years, always doing the drive along the south rim. I am particularly looking forward to this visit because instead of visiting the very popular and very crowded South Rim we will be visiting the North Rim. I have never been to the north rim so this will be all new to me. From the North Rim we are scheduled to make our way to Kanab where we will spend the night and begin our tour of the 4-National Park of Southern Utah.

DAY #10 – KNAB, UTAH TO BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK.

Today we begin the tour of the four National Park here in Southern Utah. First up is Zion National Park. It along with Yellowstone, Glacier and Yosemite were on my National Park Bucket List.  From Zion it’s on to Bryce Canyon National Park.  I am looking forward to today and tomorrow to say the least. All the tour book says is that we will spend the night near Bryce Canyon. The scenery should be spectacular.

DAY #11 – BRYCE CANYON TO MOAB, UTAH.

Today we hit what some people say is the crown jewel of the Utah National Parks. Arches National Park is another of my Bucket List Place and I will be able to scratch it off my list.  I hope that we can also visit Canyonlands National Park, but if we don’t I have a reason to return. By the way I still want to drive out here and see some of the other sites that Utah and Colorado have to Offer. I have a plan forming just to make that happen. We spend the Night in Moab

DAY #12 – MOAB, UTAH TO DENVER, COLORADO.

From Moab we start our journey back toward home by making out way across the Rockies toward Denver where we will spend the night.  Our schedule say we should be in Denver in the Afternoon and have time to visit the State Capitol. If so, I can get another passport stamp.

DAY #13 – DENVER, COLORADO TO TOPEKA, KANSAS

Today we really start our tourney toward home, leaving Denver and heading across the plains of Kansas to spend the Night in Topeka. Even though Topeka is the capital of Kansas, I don’t think I will be able to get a passport stamp.

 

DAY #14 – TOPEKA, KANSAS TO MOUNT VERNON, ILLINOIS

Today we really put some miles behind us as we leave Topeka and make our way through Kansas City passing by the Harry S. Turman Sports Complex, home of the Royals and Chiefs.  We travel all the way across the Show Me State to St. Louis.  Before crossing the Mighty Mississippi River, we make a stop at the Gateway Arch. I have been here before and been to the top of the arch twice. The views, especially on clear days, are spectacular. From St. Louis we travel across southern Illinois and into Indiana where we will spend out last night on the road in Mount Vernon, Illinois.

 

Day #15 – INDIANA TO CHRISTIANSBURG, VA.

This is our last day on the road, and it looks like it will be a long 600-mile day as we travel through Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky, Knoxville, Tennessee and finally arriving Home about 10 p.m.