We left Portland and headed west, via McMinnville, on Highway 99 towards the Pacific Highway and the 101.

Our first stop was at Depoe Bay on the Pacific. They claim to have the world’s smallest navigable harbor, measuring just 6.4 ha.

Just down the coast is Seal Rock, a huge tourist attraction with hundreds of the smelly mammals sunning themselves.

We continued our way south, past Yachats and on to the Heceta Head Lighthouse. It was near here, at Cape Creek, that we discovered our first Conde McCullough bridge.

In 1919 Conde Balcom McCullough (1887-1946) became head of the bridge division of the Oregon Department of Transport and was responsible for the design of over 600 bridges during his lifetime. His bridges were known for their architectural beauty and he embraced the simplicity and elegance of the Art Deco style.

During the 1930s the Pacific Coast was becoming more densely populated and the inland roads were not coping with the ever increasing numbers of autos that were being pumped out of Detroit.

Driving for pleasure was becoming a pastime of the American public and they demanded better roads with easier access to the coastal town and resorts.

Cape Creek Bridge was one of 14 bridges, designed by Conde McCullough on US Route 101 – a road specifically created to open up the Pacific Coast.

Florence is a delightful seaside town that also sits on the Siuslaw River. It is divided into two very distinct areas.

The Old Town, that runs along the river and the New Town that hugs the 101.

A feature of the old part is the Siuslaw River Bridge, opened in 1936 and also designed by  Conde McCullough.

Just over the river are the Oregon Dunes that extend 60km south from the Siuslaw River. In some placed the dunes rise 150m above sea level and provide entertainment to off-road vehicles, hikers, photographers and campers.

After Florence we continued south towards Crescent City in California.

On the way we stopped off at Umpqua River Lighthouse, which was the first light in the Oregon Territory and built in 1857.

Nearby is the Umpqua River Whale Watching Station at Winchester Bay. There were plenty of people looking for wales but none to be seen.

Within the Umpqua Lighthouse State Park is Lake Marie, a small freshwater lake with a sandy beach and again lots of opportunities for the outdoor type.

Formerly the North Bend Bridge, the Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge was dedicated to its designer in 1947, a year after his death.

We had a coffee at Jason’s Pacific Blues or the ‘Reluctant Cafe’ as we named it.

Jason was the antithesis of the over exuberant service staff we have come to expect. He was gruff, disinterested and, as the owner, not looking for tips.

We obliged him and didn’t leave one.

Our next river crossing was on the Rogue River Bridge or Patterson Bridge. Completed in 1932 and again designed by Conde McCullough it has a strong Art Deco feel in its detail.

We stayed at motels along the coastal route.

This style of accommodation is also frequented by the bikies, or bikers of the west coast.

These are mainly older guys, many with their partners who love to cruise the Pacific Highway on their Harley Davidson motorcycles.

In the main they are friendly, gregarious and very courteous on the road.

The next night we spent in Crescent City, which was a strange place, especially after Florence.

There seemed to be no town centre, the streets were empty and obvious places to eat were few and far between.

We stumbled, with the help of Triposo, upon Tomasini’s Enoteca, a very strange wine bar, cafe.

There was no real food.

It was a Friday night and the place rocked.

‘Warren and Friends’ were playing a mixture of Country, Jazz and Pop.

The locals came and went, consuming ‘sandwiches’ on the way. Some stayed, drank wine and some danced. Now a sandwich in the USA is anything that’s stuck between two pieces of bread. it could be a burger but there are many other options that also make up a sandwich.

Even though there were six beers on tap and many more bottled beers in the fridge, wine was the libation of choice at Tomasini’s Enoteca – even the blokes were drinking it.

This was the first real wine bar we had encountered, but we were now back in California, so I guess this was to be expected.

While the rest of Crescent City was dozing, Tomasini’s Enotec was wide awake.

The next day we drove from Crescent City to Fort Bragg, we were still on the 101 and still heading south.

Before leaving we went down to see the Battery Point Lighthouse. Built in 1856 it was one of the first lighthouses on the Californian coast. It’s situated on an isthmus that can only be reached at low tide.

Luckily the tide was out that morning in Crescent City.

Not far from Orick is the Redwood Forrest of the Prairie Redwoods State Park, a sanctuary for these ancient trees.

One, simply known as the ‘Big Tree’, was 1,500 years old. To put its age into perspective, this was less than a hundred years after the sacking of ancient Rome.

We left the 101 and joined the Pacific Coast Highway 1 and headed to Fort Bragg, another wind blown seaside town, with wide streets and no real city centre.

We again discovered another cultural haven, the North Coast Brewing Company. Founded in 1988 it’s a major sponsor of the Monterey Jazz Festival and the 42nd largest craft brewer in the US.

Good food, good wine, great beer and a very pleasant atmosphere.

There were 19 draught beers to choose from.

Before heading off for the drive to Napa we spent some time wandering around Fort Bragg.

Just near the museum was a section of an ancient redwood tree. This was the oldest known redwood in the area and was chopped down in 1943 to make flooring.

It was estimated to be 1,753 years old.

Now on Highway 1, we passed through through Elk, and then headed south to the Port Arena Lighthouse.

I was chasing bridges and Thea was looking for lighthouses.

The road had fewer twists and turns but the coastline was still spectacular.

We stopped for coffee at Jenner, one of the many small seaside towns along the coast.

It was the weekend and we were just far enough out of San Francisco to get the day-trippers.

The roads were crowded and made even slower by the large number of RVs.

We have seen these ‘apartment block’ size motor homes everywhere but it was now the summer holidays and the numbers had swelled.

The sluggishness of the traffic was exacerbated by the old codgers driving sports cars such as Corvettes and Mustangs.

It goes to prove the theory, that when you are rich enough to afford one, you are too old to drive it.

From Boise, the home of the late Maureen O’Hara, we drove west again towards Portland in Oregon. This time the morning coffee break was in Baker City, just off Highway 84.

Continuing west we left the freeway near The Dalles and took the old Lewis and Clark trail along the north side of the Columbia River. This was beautiful countryside with a winding road that rose and fell with the river on our left. We were in Washington State and looking over the river to Oregon.

In 1804 the Lewis and Clark Expedition was the first American venture to cross the western portion of the United States. Their main objective was to explore and claim US sovereignty over the west, hopefully before Britain and other European powers had a chance.

It was a long day’s drive, the longest yet – we covered 700 km.

Hotels in the centre of Portland were a bit like hen’s teeth, so we were forced to go east of the Willamette River. Fearing the worst, as far as places to eat, we discovered Hopworks, yet another gastropub and craft brewery. They had seventeen beers on tap and for Thea’s enjoyment a number of ‘draft wines’.

Hopworks pride themselves on their sustainability and serving wine direct from the barrel is their way of avoiding the waste of bottling.

I am not sure that drawing wine from a keg has the same allure, or taste, as beer.

I think Thea agrees.

Oregon is the Craft Brewery capital of the US.

In Portland alone there are 100 locations brewing craft beer and in the rest of the state there are another 150 doing the same thing.

In 1852 the first beer was brewed in Oregon and in 1985 the Legislature legalised Brewpubs – this led to their rapid growth.

Most of the Brewpubs serve food, with much of it being in total contrast to main-stream American cuisine. It’s usually sourced locally, the portions are smaller and the style is a fusion between US, European and Mexican flavors. With many claiming to have environmentally sustainable production.

The food and wine is as important as the beer in many of the Brewpubs.

The concept of Brewpubs or Gastropubs has spread with nearly 1,500 of them in North America offering a real alternative to a hamburger and fries.

They are revolutionising the food scene by hiring young innovative chefs who are embracing contemporary food culture.

Beer and food matching is widespread and they often offered a great selection of wines with their food. In the wine producing areas, like the Napa Valley, the Gastropubs support the small independent vineyards and vice-versa.

They are also breaking the model as far as the way they pay and reward their staff.

Unlike most restaurants and fast food chains, Gastropubs pay above the award to their wait and kitchen staff. This means the employees are happier and aren’t continually groveling for a tip.

Eating at the Gastropubs kept our food prices lower and gave us a great and tasty alternative. This was very important considering we were eating out 7 days a week.

It’s also a much more enjoyable dining experience.

Because they are not serving fast food you aren’t expected to be out in less than 30 minutes. In fact they encourage you to stay longer and many of them also provide entertainment.

The atmosphere is also an integral part of the brewpub charm. The pub space is divided into individual areas for eating, drinking and socialising. You can seamlessly move from one area to another according to your needs.

Portland not only has an abundance of microbreweries but it also has a disproportional number of beer festivals. Apart from the Oregon Brewers Festival there is the Spring Beer and Wine Festival, North American Organic Brewers festival, the Portland International Beerfest and the Holiday Ale Festival.

They love their craft beer in Portland, as they do in all of Oregon.

Is the success of craft beer in North America due to their large population?

The USA is home to over 320 million people and this gives a scale to production, markets and consumption that we just don’t have in Australia. However Portland only has a population of just over 600,000 with the greater area being nearly 2.5 million.

Yet Melbourne has a population of 4.8 million people and a fraction of that number of craft breweries.

Based on the 2012 figures beer consumption in the US is 77.1 litres per capita while in Australia it’s 83.1. Currently craft beer has 12% of the market in the US while in Australia it’s just approaching 6%.

In the USA most of the beer produced in the craft breweries gets consumed locally, with the national distribution being left to the big brewers.

There is something sadly lacking in the basic marketing of craft brews in Australia and that’s exposure to the product.

What the Brewpubs and Gastropubs offer in the US is not only a different eating experience but also an opportunity to try new and different brews. Draught craft beers are also available at local bars and restaurants, with many of them providing a wide choice.

Because we were a fair distance out of town we took the bus into Portland and spent the day exploring it on foot, and by the very efficient tram service.

Our first stop was the Pioneer Courthouse. Built in 1869 it’s the oldest federal building in the Pacific Northwest.

Just over the road is the Pioneer Courthouse Square with the Portland Visitor’s Centre. A quick visit there helped us to plan the rest of our day.

Just round the corner was the Farmer’s Market, with an abundance of natural, organic food and sustainable products of all descriptions.

Powell’s Bookstore, in the Pearl District of Portland, claims to be the world’s largest, occupying a full city block. It boasts 6,300 square meters of floor space.

Continuing our patronage of the craft breweries we visited Deschutes, Perl District Brewpub, for lunch. In 1988 Deschutes were one of the first craft brewers to open in the US.

As with many of the Brewpubs we visited this one was in an interesting location. Opened in 2008, it was in a converted auto-body shop.

Again the food, wine and beer were excellent, the only disappointment being that they didn’t serve an espresso.

Oh well you can’t have everything.

Like many craft brewers and Brewpubs, Deschutes have a very strong Corporate Social Responsibility Program. They are actively involved in local charities and received the 2012 Sustainability Award for their work in the Deschutes River Conservancy program.

By craft brewery standards Deschutes are large, with distribution to 28 states of the US.

After lunch we took the Aerial Tram to Marquam Hill, or ‘Pill Hill’ as it’s known, home to Oregon Health & Science University, Portland VA Medical Center and Portland Shriners Hospital. This vantage spot gave us a great view of Portland right down to the Willamette River.

Later that day we walked down to the river just as the evening joggers we coming out.

We were on our way to visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks – Jackson was our starting point.

The drive to Jackson or Jackson Hole, as it is mistakenly known, was varied. The initial stage being warm and dry, with rocky outcrops and fields of wheat along the way. Then we hit the alpine regions with towering pine forests, raging rivers, log cabins and ski fields.

The temperature also dropped dramatically and by the time we reached Jackson we were ready to pull the long pants and jumpers out of our bags.

It rained all night and was still overcast the next morning.

Realising that there was far too much to see in the time we had allowed, we booked two extra nights, this time near the west entrance to Yellowstone. We then decided to spend our day near Jackson, exploring Grand Teton first.

Jackson is in the Jackson Hole Valley, Wyoming and attracts tourist in both summer and winter, with world class ski fields and the National Parks on its doorstep.

It looks a little like the old Wild West towns from the movies but behind the timber facades are restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques selling everything from T-Shirts to fine art.

One of the unique attractions ofJackson are the large arches, of shed elk antlers, at the entrance to the town park. Local scouts also collect these from the National Elk Refuge, which is close by, and sell them to the hordes tourists that visit the town.

Jackson was one of the few towns to embrace the role of women in west.

It was originally named by Margaret Simpson, after the mountain man David ‘Davie’ Jackson, in 1894 and at one stage even had a female sherif. In 1920 Jackson elected the first all-woman city council.

Grand Teton is only 16km south of Yellowstone and is dominated by the 64km long Teton Range.

The range was named by French trappers in the early 1800s and was originally called Les Trois Tétons or The Three Teats.

The female influence in the area continues.

We walked along the shore of Jenny Lake and discovered an elk grazing peacefully in a meadow. I am not sure who go the bigger shock.

Grand Teton National Park is one of the largest intact mid-latitude ecosystems in the world, with an abundance of wild life and wild flowers.

Established in 1872 by the US Congress and signed into law by Ulysses S Grant, Yellowstone was the the first National Park in the US and the world.

Yellowstone is inside a giant caldera and there’s thermal activity at every turn. Steam seems to rise from the most unlikely places.

It was at Mud Volcano that I learnt the difference between roiling and boiling. Although the thermal mud ponds seem to be boiling they only look like that because of the steam that is rising from the fissures below.

This simulated boiling is called roiling.

On our first day in the park we came up from Jackson and drove in a loop. Starting from West Thumb we travelled anti clockwise past Yellowstone Lake, through Hayden Valley to Canyon Village, then through Norris and Madison and back to West Yellowstone.

The weather fluctuated from overcast to rain.

The next day it rained less but the weather was still unreliable.

This time we came from West Yellowstone and made a clockwise loop, on the northern road, past Gibbon Falls to Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower-Roosevelt, past Mount Washburn to Canyon River and the Upper and Lower Falls. We then completed the trip back again through Norris and Madison.

Our circuit took a lot longer than expected, as we were held up with roadworks and an emergency involving a helicopter landing in a car park just in front of us.

From Yellowstone West we drove to Boise, the capitol of Idaho and then on to Portland in Oregon.

We had a coffee break in Idaho Falls a sleepy little place with the Snake River cascading through the centre of town.

The geography in this area of North America is stunning. Rivers raged and there seems to be an endless supply of spectacular scenery around every bend in the road.

Most people in the US seem to finish their meals in about 45 minutes – we take much longer.

This gives us a great opportunity to be spectators of more than one table.

Half the fun of being a traveller is observing life and living in different countries.

The US is a fascinating society and their food a conundrum. The serves are huge and stacked with carbs – fries are a staple. There is no subtlety in the flavors with fresh herbs and spices playing a fleeting role. Yet the choice of sides and extras goes on and on.

There are the Gastro Pubs and fine dining but the average person, when eating out, has a poor quality selection to chose from.

Then there’s what’s been done to Italian cuisine.

Italian has become the ‘World Food’ because it’s simple, easy to prepare, flavorsome and, when eaten properly, well balanced.

In the US these criteria have been abandoned. Their take on Italian has been complicated beyond belief.

The sauce has become so complex and so abundant that the pasta is overwhelmed. The basic Italian herbs of oregano, basil and thyme have all been forgotten – as has garlic and even olive oil.

I won’t even go into what has been done to pizza.

Every restaurant seems to try and out-maneuver the next with their toppings.

Comfort food, with high carbs, high sugar and mega serves seems to be the most acceptable.

Cheese seems to be the main additive on all sorts of food. We even had it on fries from Idaho, the home of potatoes in North America.

Yet try and find a cheese platter for desert and you’ll fail.

There are always the exceptions and we found some great ones. These were mainly associated with the craft brewery scene, where the food was as important as the beer and, surprisingly, the wine.

These establishments were frequented by a younger generation who seem to place quality above quantity.

In Boise, Idaho, I actually witnessed a guy leaving food on his plate.

While we might whinge about the food, most of the hotels and motels we stayed at were excellent. Toilets or ‘bathrooms’ were impeccable, especially compared to some places we have been.

Everything also works.

The water is hot, showers heads spray water on you, not the floor or ceiling, and nothing leaks.

There is soap, shampoo, towels and in most cases a hair dryer in the room. What wasn’t provided was readily available at reception.

Salt Lake City is home to the Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (LDS)

They own the city.

Founded in 1847 by Brigham Young and a devout group of farming Mormons, they extensively cultivated the once arid valley. Ever since then they have had a profound influence on the place, even though less than half the population of SLC are members of the LDS Church.

It’s a surprisingly modern and progressive city.

There is a tram, all be it on three limited routes, but it’s public transport that’s not powered by a Diesel engine. It’s a relatively new system with the first line being completed in 1999 and the Airport line commencing operations in 2013.

There are also public bikes to rent, again provided by the city.

In SLC you will come across more dark suits, white shirts and subdued ties than you’ll see in an episode of Mad Men.

Yet there is poverty, with street people on every corner of the CBD.

There is also a vast contrast in the architecture with the Mormon temples built in the 1800s to modern glass and steel skyscrapers that are common in the city area.

And there’s the Salt Lake City and County Building, constructed by the Free Masons between 1891 and 1894 and built in open defiance of the dominance of the Mormons. It was the one and only building designed by the architectural firm of Monheim, Bird and Proudfoot. It went grossly over budget and was deemed as an extravagance by the Mormon side of town.

The weather is also varied with blue sky’s one minute and torrential rain the next.

We even received a ‘flash flood’ warning on our US mobile phone.

Then there’s alcohol.

The Mormons abstain from anything that is in the least mind altering – tea, coffee and of course booze.

Yet SLC is full of bars, restaurants and at least three excellent craft breweries.

One very fine establishment was the Red Rock Brewing Company. This Brewpub, located downtown in an old dairy warehouse was full to overflowing. There were 10 craft beers on tap and an excellent menu to choose from.

Obviously the other half of SLC don’t mind a bit of a tipple.

When the Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, Brigham Young selected a plot of the desert ground and proclaimed, “Here we will build a temple to our God.”

It took 40 years to build Temple Square with construction starting in 1853. It is now the centre of the city and to many the world wide centre of genealogy.

The Family Search Centre has a number of professional genealogists but is mainly staffed by volunteers.

Elder Kent Nelson spent three hours helping Thea chase ghosts, searching for both her and my ancestors.

The service they offered is excellent and the facility is state-of-the-art, yet we were never pressured to join the faithful or even asked for money.

The cynic in me asks – why?

The answer is ‘Baptism for the Dead’

This is part of the Mormon doctrine and is the practice of baptising a living person on behalf of one who is dead.

This helps to build the number of church followers, even though they may have passed away centuries ago.

I am not sure how a distant relative, from a different faith, might feel about that.

The drive from Cortez to Moab, on our way to Arches National Park, was an adventure in geography and weather.

The landscape varied from alpine to arid. We went through areas that were hot, with bright blue sky’s, while in the mountains there were monsoonal rains and the temperature plummeted.

Moab is the centre of adventure in this part of America. You can bush-bash, river raft, paddle board, mountain bike, go kayaking and that’s all in addition to visiting the Arches National Park.

In the late afternoon of our first night in Moab we made a quick run around a small section of the park. We were lucky as the light was perfect and only started to fade as we were on our way back to the hotel.

Moab is only 6 km from Arches, which is on the Colorado River in Utah. It was named as a National Monument in 1929 and made a National Park in 1971.

The next day we headed back into the park to experience more of its spectacular beauty.

Our $10 entrance fee was valid for 7 days so we could come and go as much as we liked.

Like the Grand Canyon, Arches National Park was very good value for money. The facilities were impeccable, the roads and tracks were well maintained and the staff knowledgable and extremely friendly.

They do seem to enjoy their job.

When we were in Mesa Verde we met a park ranger, working there for the summer season. Each year he went to a different park and enjoyed learning about the history, geography and geology of the areas he worked in.

It showed in the way he interacted with the park visitors.

The Arches National Park was a highlight and to my mind and far more spectacular than Monument Valley.

There are similarities with the Olgas in Central Australia, but in the Arches the sites and vistas just seem to keep on reinventing themselves at every turn.

We drove to the end of the park and then did a 9 km walk around the Devils Garden. Passing Tunnel Arch, Pine Tree Arch and Landscape Arch we ended up at Double O Arch.

There was a thunderstorm brewing to the north and it appeared to be coming our way – then it vanished.

It was only a relatively short walk by comparison to some we had done but it was hard going.

We took what’s called the ‘Primitive Trail’ which is only marked with rock cairns and described in the guide book as ‘strenuous’.

The rock formations in Arches National Park are natural sculptures in their most spectacular form. The geology of the formations is complicated with a history that goes back 300 million years, when the area was an ocean. A combination of hard rock, soft rock, pressure and erosion have all contributed to the creation of monoliths, spires, balanced rocks and the famous arches.

Seemingly at odds with the natural wonder of this region is the wastefulness of the tourist industry that supports it.

We very soon became conscious that Americas live with a seemingly bottomless supply of disposable items. Apart from the coffee chains, that serve everything in a paper cups, most breakfast venues, including hotels and motels, seem to only use disposable plates, cutlery and cups. This wastage is also carried through to the food. If you need some milk for your cereal you are forced to use a carton containing half a pint, when you really only need a small portion of that amount.

Nothing is recycled and everything seems destined for landfill.

Cortez was our base for visiting Mesa Verde and also where we were on the Fourth of July, one of America’s favourite holidays.

Cortez is the largest town in Montezuma County, being first established in 1886 to house laborers for the Dolores River diversion project. The damming of the river allowed farmers to use the water for irrigation.

On the Fourth we decided to drive 70km to Durango, as there seemed to be more celebrations there.

We weren’t disappointed, as the town was full of locals, and tourists, many dressed in red, white and blue or sporting flags and bunting on their vehicles.

There was also a large group of Harley riding bikers. These aren’t the outlaw motorcycle gangs that we hear so much about, but mature men and women who are out for a days ride in the country.

In 2014 there were nearly 500,000 new bikes registered in the US, with Harley Davidson having a huge market share of over 36%.

Durango is an old mining town, founded in 1880 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway Company. The tracks from Durango to Silverton were completed in 1882 and is still operating today, unlike the tramcar, that once ran up and down Main Avenue.

This has been sadly replaced by diesel powered facsimile.

The town sits at the base of the Animas City Mountain and is a thriving tourist village that’s home to both winter and summer activities. There are ski fields nearby, as well as whitewater rafting, Ziplining and water sports on Lake Nighthorse.

Back in Cortez we caught a glimpse of the celebratory fireworks. We thought that they would be all over in a few minutes but they went on and on.

For a small town Cortez put on a great show for the fourth.

About 16km from Cortez is the Mesa Verde National Park. This is one of the areas in Colorado that has well preserved buildings and artifacts from the Pueblo Indians. This prehistoric civilisation preceded the Navaho and were in this area 3,000 to 5,000 years ago. However it was first inhabited by Paleo-Indians around 9,500 BC.

The Mesa Verde or Green Table in Spanish, describes the plateau where these ancient civilisations live their semi nomadic lifestyle.

The National Park was created by president Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s 21,240 ha in area, with 4,000 sites and 600 cliff dwellings.

Montezuma Valley was home to 35,000 Ancestral Puebloan people during the 1200s. The development of the Pueblos or houses took place over many centuries. Starting with pit houses and culminating in the brick built cave dwellings – these brick houses are the main attraction of Mesa Verde.

The Puebloans used an atlati, a form of throwing stick, similar to the woomera of the Australian Aboriginals. They subsequently went on to develop the bow and arrow and learnt how to crop, domesticate animals and make pottery.

It’s amazing the difference a ready supply of wild fruit, vegetables and animals had in their development. That, combined with the contact the Puebloans had with more advanced civilisations from the south, led to them developing a rich diverse culture.

The modern day Hopi and Jumi Indians are the ancestors of the Puebloans.

We travelled along Chapin Mesa, which with the Wetherill Mesa are the two main inhabited areas.

The Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum has a number of excellent dioramas detailing the history of the Ancestral Pueblo people. It also contains fine examples of their basket weaving and geometric pottery in black and grey. There were also many stylised animal motifs that are widely used by the locals today – especially in marketing their adventure tours and accommodation.

Our park ticket allowed us to visit Spruce Tree House. This is one of the best preserved cliff dwellings on the Mesa Verde. It shows how the Ancestral Indians built brick ‘apartment blocks’ within the caves below the the Mesa.

These housed many families and were part of a community building program that included the Square House, which has a tall tower of five floors.

We also visited Sun Point View, Cliff Palace View and Cliff Canyon Overlook.

On our second night in Cortez we had dinner at the Main Street Brewery. We had a drink there the night before and I found their craft brews exceptional.

Their food wasn’t shabby either.

It had been suggested to us that because the serves are so large in the US, the best strategy is to share the main course, or entrées, as they are known.

We shared the Smoked Ribs and there was more than enough for two.

We stayed overnight in Kayenta, which is on the 30,000 acre Navajo Tribal Park and part of the Navajo Reservation. This reservation is the largest in the USA, and covers 16 million acres.

This was the starting point of our Monument Valley drive.

Monument Valley is the archetypical American west, as depicted in many Cowboy and Indian  movies since the 1930s. John Ford movies such as ‘Stagecoach’, 1939 and ‘The Searchers’, 1956. Then there’s the 1969 road-trip cult classic ‘Easy Rider’.

The next morning we drove to Goulding’s Lodge where we picked up an off-road tour to visit the valley.

There are 17 miles of unpaved roads that aren’t accessible with an ordinary car. However I did see a number of sedans, including a convertible Mustang driving along the track.

The tour did take us to some areas that are within Indian private land. This exclusivity was somewhat diminished when our driver/guide had to reprimand some French tourists for trespassing.

Within one such area we were shown some 1,500 year old Petroglyphs.

In the afternoon we drove to Cortez in Colorado, with a slight detour to Four Corners. There are plaques in each state

This is a completely man made attraction, originally established in 1899, that celebrates the border convergence of four states – Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.

In many ways this is a totally underwhelming experience, but one you have to do if you are in the area.

There is even controversy as to whether the location of Four Corners is geographically accurate.

It’s also a money spinner for the local Navajo as they charge $5 per person for tourists to stand astride four states and have their photo taken doing it.

On the road from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon we detoured to Flagstaff and the Red Rock Ranger District, of the Coconino National Forest.

These high escarpments truly are red, especially in contrast to the bright blue sky.

On arrival at the Grand Canyon entrance we were greeted by uniformed staff, complete with ‘Smokey the Bear’ hats.

The Grand Canyon certainly is grand, measuring 446 km long, 29 km wide and 1,857 meters deep. Two billion years of geological history have been revealed as the mighty Colorado carved its way through this part of Arizona.

President Theodore Roosevelt championed the conservation of the canyon but it wasn’t until 1919 that President Woodrow Wilson had it made a National Park.

At 6:30am on our first morning, there was a large brown, very bare looking tree moving outside our cabin window.

It turned out to be an Elk that was grazing on a fir tree.

When you enter the Grand Canyon National Park each vehicle pays $30. This allows you to come and go for one week.

We were staying in the park and only going to be there for one full day but it was still great value.

There is a shuttle bus service, on three routes, that runs around the south rim.

The red route goes as far west as Hermits Rest, while the orange goes east to Yaki Point. The blue route links the Visitors Centre with the Village and the train depot.

We travelled east and west on the south rim, using a combination of shuttle buses and walking.

The Grand View Lookout is where most of the tour groups go. It’s close to the road and easily accessible to most tourists. It has some good views but is also one of the most crowded places on the southern rim.

We moved on quickly.

The Californian Condor, extinct in the wild in 1987, was reintroduced into the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, parts of California and Baja California in Mexico.

This is one of the world’s rarest birds and at last count, in 2014, there were only 425 living wild or in captivity.

Adults have a wingspan of 3m and they can live up to 60 years.

We were lucky enough to see two sitting on a ledge.

On our first night we ate at the El Tovar Hotel and got chatting to our waiter.

I was interested as to how waiters earn a crust in the US.

We had been told that ‘wait staff’ or ‘servers’, as they are known barely earn enough to survive on, so tips make a huge difference.

What we didn’t know was that the lead waiter shares his/her tips with other wait staff and people in the kitchen.

No wonder they are so pleasant and little wonder that the minimum tip starts at 18%.

On our last morning we dropped into some viewing spots to the east of where we were staying. The Desert View Watch Tower was one of the most interesting.

Built in 1939, it was designed by Mary Coulter (1869-1958). Ms Coulter was a rare breed, being one of the few female architects of her time.

She did much of her work in the Grand Canyon National Park for the Fred Harvey Company, with its origins dating back to 1875, Fred Harvey built hotels and restaurants along the the rail routes in the western United States.

After the glitz of Vegas we headed south to Arizona.

Just out of Las Vegas we stopped at the Lake Mead Lookout and got our first glimpse of the mighty Colorado River.

This is one of the principal rivers in the South Western United States, running for 2,330 km and taking water from seven US and two Mexican states.

It’s also the principal architect of the Grand canyon.

We detoured via Kingman to travel on the ‘Mother Road’ or Route 66. Unfortunately this wasn’t in a Chevy Corvette, Ford Mustang or even on a Harley Davidson but a rather slothful Nissan Versa.

It’s not the road that it used to be, as the Interstate Highway System replaced it or it has been buried under development.

It was originally created in 1926 and was a major route from Chicago to California and has been imortalised in songs and on TV.

That night we spent a very pleasant time in Peeples Valley with Thea’s friend Ruby – she even cooked us a turkey roast.

The next day the three of us visited Taliesin West. This was Frank Lloyd Wright’s Architectural school and winter house in Scottsdale, Arizona.

It was built in 1936 and is the current home of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and sister school to Taliesin in Wisconsin.

Built, using local materials in the Organic Style, this property almost hugs the earth with its low profile design of timber and rock.

I felt that the layout was disparate and lacked the visual cohesion of his other houses. Well the ones I have seen so far.

Wright not only designed the building but all the furniture and light fittings.

Navaho Red was his favourite colour and there were splashes of it everywhere.

The only way to visit Taliesin West is by guided tour. This was conducted by a very knowledgable but rather effusive retired teacher.

His views were very blinkered as to the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright, especially in comparison to European architecture.

To his credit he tried to imbue a sense of the aesthetic for architecture into the group, but I found his approach rather condescending.