Our Trip Out West


The Very Large Array | Sinapu Bridge | Lake Powell

The Very Large Array

The Very Large Array radiotelescope consists of 27 ninety foot tall antennas deployed in a giant 'Y' pattern. The arms of the 'Y' are double sets of railroad tracks 13 miles long. A special machine moves the antennas from point to point along these tracks to change the resolution of the whole array.

Sinapu Bridge

Sinapu Bridge is more than 200 feet wide and 200 feet tall. It is a true natural bridge, having been created by the stream that still flows beneath it.

Lake Powell

Camping on a boat in a canyon poses some interesting problems. Our first night out we camped on a little "beach" with water on one side and shear, 300-400 foot cliff on the other. Not much room to move. Here Rick Hindman and I are swimming to start a hike on the opposite side. The water is almost 100 feet deep under us. We made it to a "hidden" arch about 2 miles up the canyon above the water. (Alas those pictures are still in the camera!)

A typical "finger" of Lake Powell.


  Updated: August 13, 1997