Welcome to the Page, Arizona and Lake Powell series! The whole goal behind riding out to Page and sharing these experiences was not only to share the beauty of the area and all of the activities within, but to also get an inside look from locals to show that there is still plenty of water in Lake Powell to keep the good times rolling and water flowing!

After a 550 mile ride the day prior, we pulled into Page and started the day of with a bang! When we were initially planning this trip, we had no idea that the 19th Annual Balloon Regatta would be going on at the same time, so we were lucky enough to get to witness that and all of its beauty! We got up bright and early to see over 60 hot air balloons launch, and got some great information from the locals, one of which was the mayor himself!

Being the first full day we were there, we didn't have a ton lined up, so we decided to go visit a few of the main attractions in the area, like the Glen Canyon Dam and Horseshoe Bend. 

We cruised on down to the Carl Hayden Visitor Center at the Glen Canyon Dam and took a look around inside to learn some of the incredible history on the dam and Lake Powell, and there was no shortage of information! 

Construction of the Glen Canyon Dam began in 1956 and was completed 11 years later in 1966. Standing 710 feet high, It is the second highest concrete constructed dam in the United States, second to the Hoover Dam which stands 726 feet tall. It is also one of the largest man-made reservoirs in the country, with a capacity of 26.2 million acre-feet of water and serves as a supplemental water supply for the west to be drawn during times of drought. Not only does it store an incredible amount of water, but it also produces hydro-electric power for the West's rapidly growing population.

It was an incredible sight to see in person, and fortunately we would be able to get an inside look at the dam later in the week!

Before making it out to Horseshoe Bend, we happened to pass by a sign that said "Fried Chicken & Cold Beer" so needless to say, we pulled a U-turn and pulled in to see what it was all about! We wanted to eat at local restaurants the whole trip, so this was a nice way to kick it off, and the food at BirdHouse did not disappoint!

After a nice meal, we hopped on the bikes and made our way to Horseshoe bend which is about 5 miles south of the Carl Hayden Visitor Center. We've been there several times, but it's one of those views that never gets old and always seems to have something new to offer during various times of the year. It was probably the most packed we've seen it as there was so many people in town for the balloon festival, but nevertheless an astonishing view. We hung out for a while, talked to some fellow travelers, then got the motors running to go explore some of the scenic 2Lanes in the area and pull off for some waterfront views.

After a few hours checking out the area, we headed back into town to go see the "glow" and find a nice dinner. The "glow" was a display of hot air balloons lined up on Lake Powell Boulevard right on the road where they lit them up and put on a nice show! There were tons of people in the streets having a good time and it was great to experience yet another surprise!

After walking down the boulevard, we found our way to State 48 Tavern to sit down and enjoy a meal after a relaxing yet jam packed day. We would be interviewing the owner later in the week, so we figured we'd give the food a shot, and it lived up to all expectations! Great cuts of meat, fish cooked to perfection, and a nice selection of spirits made for a very enjoyable meal and a great way to end the day.

We were wiped after a long day of riding around and seeing the start to a long list of fun things to do in the area, so we parked the bikes and headed to our rooms at the local Holiday Inn Express.

With a great day in the books, we were excited for the week to come and all of the adventures to be had! We hope you're enjoying the series so far, stay tuned for more!