Rain in the hills means flood on the plains

On the road to Hurricane, Utah

Monday was grocery shopping day in Hurricane, Utah about 150 miles away. Skies looked threatening because rain in the hills could mean flash flood on the plains.

Highway 389 east

The drive there and back follows the ever changing scenic Vermilion Cliffs.

Looks like rain on the Kaibab Plateau in distance

Weather prediction was for 20 percent chance of rain at lower elevation where we were. Yet we didn’t get it.

Seen from Pipe Springs

But we did watched the storms to the east and happily received the rainbow treat that followed.

As we continued along the storm scurried south.

And appeared to hang over the Kaibab Plateau, where we live.

After passing through Fredonia and heading south on Highway 89A we came across a river of red pouring across the road and proceeded through it cautiously. A couple on a motorcycle were stopped on the other side taking pictures. Smart, we thought, for them not riding thru this swift moving water.

Then we came to a second flash flood, this one looking a little deeper, faster and full of earth. Several folks on the other side were stopped. Don’t blame the cars for not attempting this crossing but did wonder how the motorcycle made it.

Well of course there’s one in every crowd. Maybe that’s why Arizona has a “stupid driver” law.

After watching several people cross in front of us we decided to follow in the wake. It was sort of scary at one point with the water sheeting across the road into a drop off on the other side. And no, we didn’t get flipped, I just couldn’t watch anymore and moved the camera. We made it safely over, and my truck now desperately needs a bath.

But once we were across, the sky began to lighten.

And the sun shone through.

To reveal a gorgeous and quickly changing sunset.

 For the final drive through forest back up to the North Rim.

 So ends another beautiful and adventurous day in paradise.