Day 9: Lake Powell

      Glen Canyon Dam is an engineering triumph of the 1950s, which flooded the Colorado river valley and some of its tributaries, forming a hugely popular water recreation area, and one of the south-western USA’s most important water and energy sources. However the recent three year long drought means that the lake is a hundred feet below its optimal level, leading to rationing for farmers and other users.

      The lake has great numbers of houseboats. This being America, they really look the size of floating houses which, like the Winnebago motor homes, allow for travelling in some style. With nearly 2000 miles of shoreline, there is plenty of space for these ungainly vessels to pootle around, although the surrounding countryside has a rather desolate, desiccated look.

We stayed one night in Page, a fairly prosperous looking town built to service the dam construction and now a tourist centre. We found a little Mexican redneck cafe that was cheerful and friendly, but probably not a good place to get into a political discussion.