June 9, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park

June 9, 2009

We get up 4am for the early morning light hike into the hoodoos. And the sun does not come for us until later as the clouds deny us its clear light. The hike though is fantastic inside the inner world of the strange figures with pine trees growing amongst them. Eerie at any time of day.

We get out of the canyon in plenty of time for Myia’s work calls to Holland.

And we enjoy the blessings of modern technology, finding the highest place for the best phone reception, and have a clear conversation with someone half a world away! Now after a bust of sun in the canyon, it gets cold and colder. We get some internet time and then decide to head to lower elevations and Zion National Park. Driving thru the Utah west is a great experience. Really feeling the wide open spaces the people living must feel. And reading about the challenges of the pioneers, here the Mormon people and their stories crossing this then more challenging country. And about the Indians for whom those settlers meant that their lives would never be the same. And there is no real water. Yes, lakes and rivers, but I miss the oceans. Don’t think I cold ever live here. And the dry desert high plateaus are wonderful and so beautiful in their way that I never appreciated before. The weather worsens as we descend towards Zion. Entering the park form the east we head into the mile long tunnel carved thru the mountain, an engineering marvel at the time. As we are the last in line going thru we peer thru the “windows” They built to look out over the mountain and canyon we are tunneling thru. Our first glimpse on the height and magnificence of these dark red giants. As we journey the road we realize we can not drive up to the lodge. Due to summer traffic jams in the Park only allow the park shuttle to take visitors up the canyon. We have beautiful sunny weather as we come thru the park and stop at the Visitor Center with all the rest of the thousands of others! We have never seen so many people and cars in one place. Even the South Rim Grand Canyon did not feel so crowded. We quickly tire of the crowds and find a quiet place with a picnic table to cook some dinner. While we eat we see the clouds gathering. And while G goes to wash the dishes there is a downpour!! M enjoys the protection comfort and peace of the van in the rain and relaxes deeply waiting for G’s return. We feel we have achieved the slowing we had desired. We head out of Zion, no campsites there.

We find a quiet road out of the small cute tourist towns that have grow up outside the Park and into the still wilderness. We find a wonderful place by a small creek among the tablelands to park for the night. We take a sunset walk up the dirt road higher to see the area around. Feeling we have found the True West Experience – alone in the quiet sitting in our chairs with a glass of wine by the bubbling creek with the sunset in the mountains around us, we discuss our future.