BruceDunning's VirtualTourist Home Page

I completed a one month trip to 11 national parks and hiked 135 miles; 7 miles daily. They are in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. I hiked 250 practice miles before the trip. The vehicle got a hard drive of 5,100 miles.

Parks links are below and for your convenience to view. Many videos are also presented to show the panorama.

Grand Canyon- North and South Rims-grand one
Zion-huge rock walls
Bryce & Red Canyon-unique formations
Capitol Reef-mixed geology
Grand Staircase Escalante-wilderness
Page & Vermilion Cliffs-remote area
Kanab & Vermilion
Glen Canyon/Lake Powell
Petrified Forest-unbelievable color in wood & hills
Canyon de Chelley
Natural Bridges-great adventure area
Arches-2,000 arches
Canyonlands
Flagstaff & Sedona
Sunset Crater-volcanic wonder
Wapatki Monument-Indian ruins
Walnut Canyon-Indian cliff dweller ruins
On the drive out and back, I visited Denver, Vail, Grand Junction, and Colorado National Monument and in Kansas
Abilene and Manhattan.

I would try to describe the wonderful rock monuments and how truly awe inspiring they are, but words cannot really tell the story of what your eyes see. It brings a person closer Nature's beauty in the world for all to behold, and never more true that in these rock monuments of color and all types of shapes. Humans cannot replicate the magnificence, but can destroy its beauty.

The thing I like most about VT--IS--it is like a job without a real boss. I enjoy planning trips and that takes about 1/3 of the time frame, then the trip is another 1/3, and uploading pictures and comments the last 1/3. I am an organized person and these procedure steps are a fun kind of discipline for me, and a great hobby. I hope it guides people to enjoy the places to see and go, and be a research tool.

Micky has been a companion for 17 years. We travel as much as possible, and favor Europe most. Through my working career, I traveled around the US, on banking business for loans to real estate projects and companies; some were foreclosed, and I managed the liquidations. My first knowledge of the rest of the world was first a result of a missionary family I knew that went to India. They sent back a souvenir sword and I was 8 years old. My parents took a trip every year with 4 boys in back seat. The trips seemed long to us, and no doubt them, but I still remember the many sites of the US we saw.
My first Europe trip was in 1976 to Spanish Med coast-Torremolinas-when it was pristine and not many visitors. Europe has beautiful scenery and intriguing historical value. I have been there 12 times. Our goal is to visit more places around Europe primarily, and take some cruises.
A lot of old pictures from past trips over the last 40 years are no longer available, unfortunately. They seem to be lost or misplaced. The travel memories are still in my mind, though.

These are the others that effect our lives. One couple lives in Detroit suburb, and my daughter and Son In Law live in Atlanta area. Another daughter of Micky's lives in New York. We visit each of them at least once a year.

This is what a local joint in Atlanta Georgia features. Homemade biscuits-no gravy, but the place stays packed. I lived in Chicago for 30 years, then moved to Charlotte North Carolina for 7 years, ST. Louis for 11 years, and Kansas City for 19 years. Add that up and what do you get; seasoned experiences.

This is one of 3 brothers, and he shows his cowboy style, but lives in southern Missouri, out in the country to get away from it all. Another lives way up in Upper Michigan for the same reason. The other lives near Austin, Texas in the country.

WE took this picture as commemoration of Derek's first band playing a gig at this establishment. He and 8 other guys formed and band for fun and adventure to practice on weekends. They have had some events, but are in it for the camaraderie; not the money.

WE went to New York in April 2006 on this trip and it was one of those cool type weeks. The weather did not hold us back, though. So much to see in so little time. No excuses, we kept going all day and night to see as much as possible. I previously visited New York 2-3 times a year over a 10 year period, but that was 30 years ago. Nothing has really changed, and did not notice any more traffic or people. Plan your itinerary daily so you make use of time allocated for tours of sites.

This was taken in 2005 in KC during a visit from my daughter from Atlanta. We met Micky's son and DIL for a picnic in Pittsburgh, - Kansas that is. It is a college town and is very 1950-60 feeling yet. Not much new, but a lot of older art deco buildings downtown. A great campus schooling.

WE took this trip in April 2006, and spend a fair amount of time taking in the culture of China town. It is still vibrant and in vogue to buy your local foods; meats , vegetable, and fruits at the open markets. It is not as big as 30 years ago, but still frequented by New Yorkers and visitors.