Just in time… This is what we said to each other when we returned from Los Angeles on March 9 2020, a few days before the lockdown in Europe. Take a look back at our team’s extraordinary trip to the Western United States in February/March 2020.
Ten days of awe and wonder, along with exclamations of “WOW!” To thank the dedicated members of our LBR Dream Team, we planned a journey through the great American West, including Las Vegas, Death Valley, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Page, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs and finally, Los Angeles.
What we did not anticipate were the fabulous conditions we enjoyed during the trip: perfect weather, mild enough in Las Vegas and Death Valley to walk around in a T-shirt (without having to endure the 50 degree-weather of the summer months); sufficiently cool in the elevated Colorado Plateau as we discovered snow-covered Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon; radiant sun for ten days; and experiencing the parks nearly empty. A dream trip!
In Bryce Canyon, we hiked along Navajo Loop Trail’s series of long and short switchbacks from Sunset Point down to the canyon floor through wonderous hoodoo formations. Not seeing anyone in front or behind you was truly a unique experience.
The purpose of this trip was simple. The whole team already knew this region by heart, but some only knew it virtually, having studied and researched the region to create roadbooks for our clients. But a virtual experience is not enough! What could be better than to personally see, admire, hear, smell, and experience a special place and create our own memories.
Among the thousands of memories from this fabulous trip, we will remember exploring beautiful old Las Vegas (downtown Las Vegas); the hike in Death Valley’s Badwater Basin in the full sun at noon (yes, this is possible!); the sunset over Death Valley from Zabriskie Point; the immensity of the cliffs in Zion N.P.; the fabulous Utah State Road 9 heading east through the park; the unbelievable contrast between Bryce Canyon N.P.’s red and orange-coloured hoodoos and the dazzling white of the deep snow cover; the magic of Antelope Canyon; the grandeur of Lake Powell; iconic Monument Valley; the immensity and the wild calm of the Grand Canyon; quirky Seligman and its Route 66 heritage; astonishing Lake Havasu known for its water sports; the seemingly endless California State Road 62 leading through the desert to the superb Joshua Tree National Park; and finally, fabulous Los Angeles where we ended our journey.
How lucky we were to be able to visit this part of the United States and return home just before the travel restrictions and the closing of the international borders. So, let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope that tourism will start up again soon, so that we can bounce back and prepare for the next trip!