Author: robmin57

Yesterday we hiked to Watchman Trail on the East side of the Canyon. Today we hiked the Upper and Middle Emerald Pool Trails on the opposite side of the canyon. Around every bend was another breathtaking view. I just couldn’t capture to size and the grandeur of the rocky peaks that make up this canyon. You have to come experience for yourselves!

Tomorrow we attempt to hike the Narrows. It is hike through the Virgin River in the more narrow part of the canyon. We are off to rent waterproof boots and bibs! Stay tuned!

We arrived in Zion yesterday after a challenging 3 hour drive. The wind was really gusting and blowing our 5th wheel around as we drove down I-15. It was the first time we had experienced that.

We have a perfect site within the park at Watchman Campground. The view out our dinette window is incredible. I was excited to find good cell phone service and discover that a little “retail village” is within a half mike walk from the camper! We’ve been 8 weeks on the road and on only 2 of those days have we had TV. I have to admit that it is a nice break to have a little civilization nearby😉.

We had our oil changed in our tow vehicle changed right before we left for our trip, but we’ve been over 7,000 miles so it is time for another! Ed is off to St George, Utah to take care of that. Luckily, it is an overcast morning, so we would have likely waited until the afternoon to take a hike anyways. I am having a cup of tea, looking out at my view, and relishing some alone time: the first I’ve had in 8 weeks!

Today we began the hike of the Queen’s Garden/Navaho Loop in Bryce NP at around 8:00 AM. We were the only car going through the park entrance gate and were able to park at the Sunset parking lot without issue. It was a brisk 33* when we started but,thankfully,there was barely a breeze. We have friends who were here 2 weeks ago who had to wait 30 mins at 8:00 in the AM in oder to reach the entry gate to the park. It seems the last week of October is a good time to visit, with chilly nights, cool days, and far less crowds. I can barely imagine hiking this route in the mid summer heat with throngs of others eager to experience the beauty.

Hiking amongst the majestic hoodoos was incredible. There was a different stunning view as you turned each switchback. And, there were plenty of those! As you descend down to the base of the Bryce Amphitheater, you really become aware of the fact that you are going to have to hike back up! While 700 feet over the course of a mile might not be a lot for seasoned hikers, it was quite enough for this mid 60 year old couple of flatlanders! It was worth every step!

We are back at the RV now. Ed is napping (surprise!) and I am doing 2 loads of laundry. We’ve been on the road for 8 weeks now, experiencing this beautiful country of ours. It has been terrific! Tomorrow we are off to Zion NP.

These trekking poles have been indispensable as we have hiked around the Southwest. The land is dry and the trails can be a bit gravely. The poles have kept me from face planting a few times! They also provide an extra boost when scrambling up slick rock areas.

Today was one of the first days in a long time that we did not wake up to vivid blue skies. We really want to hike down into the Bryce Amphitheater on a day filled with sunshine so we decided to drive out the Scenic Highway 12 route.

The first stop was the Escalante Petrified Forest State Park. We hiked to the top of the bluff and took the Rainbow Loop around the perimeter. The petrified wood was scattered all around. It was beautiful in a very earthy way. We actually liked the park better than The Petrified Forest National Park.

We then proceeded on to Kodachrome State Park. It was another area whose landscape was otherworldly. It actually felt like we were on a beach of red sand and someone had built drip castle walls all around us.

All and all it was a great day with two very interesting hikes. We are really hoping tomorrow is a bluebird sky day as we venture down into the hodos of Bryce.

Yesterday, October 22, we arrived in Bryce Canyon. After we got our RV set up at the KOA in Cannonville, we made a beeline for the park. We hiked the rim trail along the Bryce Amphitheater, a term used to describe the semicircular collection of hodos below the trail. We made it up to Inspiration Point where the view was spectacular. We used the last few minutes of sunlight to drive up to the Natural Bridge. So glad we did! The sky was colored by the setting sun and we had the bridge to ourselves. Breathtaking!

On our last day in the Page region we explored the Colorado River. We did the obligatory visit to Horseshoe Bend. It was beautiful and easily accessible, as evident by the number of people there to view it.

We decided to get off the beaten path and head to Lee’s Ferry. It was the only place to cross the Colorado River in the early days. It now is the area where river floats disembark and adventure rafters embark on their journey through the Grand Canyon. At this point it runs through the Vermillion Cliffs which stand majestic on their own.

We hiked the 2 mile Riverside hike. It was the first time I was on keen alert for rattle snakes! We saw none, thank goodness!

We leave Arizona today with a new appreciation for it’s diverse beauty.

We’ve now experienced the Upper and the Lower Antelope Slot Canyons, and the Antelope Canyon leg of Lake Powell. All were amazing. I could have sworn Odysseus was going to appear around a bend in the canyon. For reference to future visitors, if you have to chose just one of the slots, I would chose the Lower Slot tour. It has more light streaming in from above.

This has been #1 on my bucket list for quite some time. I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

We have been very fortunate with our camp sites. Ed had made reservations on the exact day they were available, some 13 months ago! It has payed off with lovely sites within our NPS and a few private campgrounds along the way. We are currently in Wahweap Campground, part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. It is a great campground within our Nationally run system. What a precious gift they are to us!

On this extended trip we brought along our toaster oven and Instapot. We have used the heck out off the toaster oven whenever we have electric. The Instapot has begun to come in handy for these busy days and chilly nights. Dinner last night was roasted spaghetti squash prepared by Ed and Chicken Cacciatore prepared by me. Its great to be cooking partners!