the only restaurant/pub within 10 or so miles, which was 500 yards up the street from the RV park. It is owned by "Ron Terry and Deborah Upastri."
Ron is a 6'5" refugee from Salt Lake City and Deborah is a Swiss educated Maltese who owns 100 acres in the area and raises Alpaca. The restaurant serves only beer, and produces some really great food. We have it on our agenda for Monday night dinner.Tuesday was our day to travel to Zion National Park. We left the coach at 9:30 and headed down US 89 to Mt. Carmel. Then it was West on Utah 9 to the park. The road to the park is nothing too spectacular, but once past the park entrance ($25 if you don't have the magic "Seniors Pass - $10 for life!), the scenery becomes overwhelming! the road is under construction for a good part of the way, and is one lane through the mile + long tunnel. The scenery on all sides is breathtaking, and so different from that in Bryce National Park.
There are two delays on the road: a signal for a short stretch of one-lane traffic early on; then a much longer delay waiting for a stretch of one-lane traffic that starts at the East end of the tunnel and extends for a mile or so past the West end of the tunnel.
The road is red dirt that coats the vehicle. But the delays give opportunity for photos. For example, the interesting Checkerboard Mesa (6,670 ft.), 
and later on, Zion Arch.
The visitor's center is located at the West end of the park, and that is where one boards the shuttles
for the six mile trip into the Zion canyon. No private vehicles are allowed into the canyon during the Summer and Fall months. Once in the canyon, you are surrounded by vertical cliffs of red and white sandstone deposited on what is known as the Colorado Plateau, which covers a large part of the "four corners" area of Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.It is the erosion of the uplifted Plateau that has created Zion, Bryce and The Grand Canyon, among other scenic attractions. In Zion's case, the erosion was accomplished by what would appear to be the tiny Virgin River. But it is not so tiny at certain times of year.
The scenery is truly spectacular as you can clearly see. First, it the Three Patriarchs,
then myriad spectacular 
sandstone faces 
and domes.
At the end of the six mile road is the Temple of Sinawava, 
where the Virgin River gorge becomes impassable by vehicle. One can walk up the gorge to where it is so narrow that it becomes only riverbed and vertical sandstone cliffs on both sides.The shuttles are free and provide a narrative on Zion during the trip into the canyon. There are 7 stops in each direction where passengers can got of, take hikes and then catch another shuttle later on. It is a very well thought out system that avoids what would otherwise be a massive traffic jam.
Back at the visitors center, Suz and I took the car up the road to the Zion Natural History Museum and watched a 20 minute film on the park. I bought the DVD on the way out for anyone interested in a great tour of the park.
On the return trip to the coach, we stopped at a Utah rock shop and Suz bought some stones and other memorabilia. Then it was back to the coach, take Dixie for a (long) walk and head up the road for dinner at the Buffalo Bistro and a visit with Ron and Deborah. We had the specialty of the house -a combination of Buffalo and Wild Boar ribs. We also talked to the locals and learn the real story about the area!
The food was outstanding, especially the raspberry cobbler for desert! Highly recommended if you are in the area!Tomorrow we leave Glendale and head South on US 89 to visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, then around to the South Rim where we have an RV site for three nights. Until then, Cheers!
John, Suz and Dixie the Wonderdog
Wow those Zion pics are truly amazing and very crisp too, looks like you had some great weather.
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