Travel Update, Mount Carmel Utah, Aug. 19, 2013,

Hello everyone,

It has been a day of mostly travel as I left Moab, Utah about 6:30 this morning and drove to the Glen Canyon National Recreational Area with my first stop at the Glen Canyon Dam. Quite a sight.

Glen Canyon Dam Visitor Center

Glen Canyon Dam

Glen Canyon Dam



Highway 89 Bridge By Glen Canyon Dam

 

Best Western East Zion Thunderbird Lodge

 

Check Out The Furniture In My Room.

I was talking to the people at the check in desk about the furniture in the motel. They said it was hand made by a local craftsman. He went out of business a few years ago but decided to start up again only this time in a much larger building. They have this style furniture throughout the facility. While eating in the motel resturant ( they have a good salad bar and all sorts of " Home Made Pies " ) I noticed a history of the Thunderbird Resort and asked for a copy. I addition to the motel they have a golf course.

The history is a follows:

" In 1931, Jack and Fern Morrison homesteaded here in Mt Carmel Jct. This is the same year, that the Zion-MtCarmel Tunnel was completed in Zion National Park."

" They built a small service station along the side of what was then a gravel road. Fern was an excellent baker and she often treated the truck drivers to a piece of pie when they stopped to refuel. "

" In 1940, they built their first small cafe, complete with horseshoe counter, to satisfy the appetites of the early visitors to the area. When Jack died in 1961 the plans he and Fern had made were baely started. A a widow, Fern found her water rights threatened. To save them, she built a nine hole golf course. at roughly the same time, Fern saw the need for motel facilities and she built the first of her 61 guest rooms in 1969. "

" Fern never quit improving her property and providing for the increasing number of visitors to the area she loved. Since her death in 1998 her daughter, grandson, granddaughter. great grandchildren and their families carry on her dream. "

" Okay, now lets get to the question of everyone's mind...the sign. The sign was made in the era ( late 40's-early 50's ) of the " Tin Men ", these were men who hand crafted the signs to presise dimensions. As luck would have it all of the lettering that Fern and Jack wanted on the sign simply would not fit. So with the letters needing to be reduced to fit, it was shortened to " Ho-made " instead of " Home Made "

" Only in recent years has the wording caused controversy...so we figured why not grap the bull by the horns, embrace our heritage and start merchandising!"

" At a time when women in business were rare and something of a scandal, Fern was a woman before her time. The Thunderbird stands today as a monument to Fern Morrison's Courage & Determination. Have a great holiday in our area! "

At the bottom of the sign pictured above you see the words " Home of the Ho-Made pies "

These large tree trunks are all around the facility as supports



I have reservations here for the next 3 nights if I need them and will use this as a starting place each morning to drive to where I want to visit. Motels closer are non-existent, full/way too expensive and the rate here is better. If no rooms are available in the north Rim Area of The Grand Canyon I will stay here a few more nights.

I am still having trouble uploading photographs so I will close for now and go get something to eat. I am convinced Lady Blue likes to operate in these high elevations. I drove over 300 miles today and the miles per gallon never dipped below 40 MPG. As always remember God loves you and so do I.

Grandpa Bill