We meet Harold and his wife in a restaurant for breakfast. Harold is one of Malcolms friends with whom we already have spent Thanksgiving. Harold has retired in the meantime and followed his wife to Cedar City where she teaches arts at the university. They hope to finish their new house in some days and be able to move there.
However, we set out on hwy # 319 for Panaca in Nevada and finally turn our back on Utah and its red stone wonder world. Close to Panaca town Cathedral Gorge State Park is worth to be visited (7$ entrance fee per vehicle, no interagency pass). Rain washed out the cliffs extremely soft grey-brown sandstone to countless spires and steeples. With a creative mind one can imagine the formations to be cathedrals from where the park has got its name. It changes its appearance with each rain when parts of the rock are washed off. There are some cave-like water-erosions with several metres high walls between the spires.
The historic silver mining town Pioche lays few miles further but several metres higher in elevation and therefore cooler. Photographers find various evidences of former mine activities and equipment, among it a well-preserved cable railway. Between 1920 and 1930 the tipper wagons filled with silver ore moved downhill mainly driven by gravity and carried the empty dump trucks as a countermove uphill.
Hwy # 93 takes us south. After crossing the gentle Delamar Mountains at about 6000 ft / 2000 m elevation we are entering a different world. Between this range of hills and the Pahroc Range on the opposite side an expansive valley opens: Delamar Valley to the left and Dry Lake Valley to the right. Besides the endless brush meter high cactuses grow here, and Joshua Trees taller as a man, in-between lays sand. Snake country, definitely. Do they still hibernate? Were going downhill for miles. In a dump called Overton at hwy # 168 close to Las Vegas we reach 460 m / 1500 ft. We havent been in such low elevation for months.
At the gas station the villages strapping police officer comes with his splendid pick-up. He issues a ticket for another driver who repeatedly expresses thanks. Peculiar customs here. Then we get his attention but only for chatting. Hes been to Germany during his army time. I think this man has to know his way around and I ask him for Little Finland. Hes been there and he even gives me his detailed topographic map of the area as a present. What a friend and helper!