Road Trip--Bryce Canyon, Utah

Wow, what a day yesterday. I came into Moab, UT last night about 9:30 with complete sensory overload from the day. I got out and about slightly earlier than the previous day, yesterday I was on the shuttle to enter the park at about 9:15. I got off at the second stop where the bus driver suggested if you wanted to get on with your with hike for the day. The weather was a georgous 70 degrees. I started down the road to go about 2 blocks--what ever that meant in Utah terms--before hooking left to catch the trail. The people ahead of me stopped and looked at the map. When I got to them, the guy said that he thought we missed the turn off and if we just cut up about 15 feet through the brush we would get the trail. Normally I don't like to get off the trail because I don't want to mess with the ecosystem any more than I already am. But I could see what he meant and I follwed suite. Once up at the ridge line the Hoodoos came into view.

I read in the park newspaper that the Native Americans of the area considered the Hoodoos people that the cayotes turned into stone. I love this bit of lore and would love to find the entire story.
I hiked along the rim for a bit to the camp ground. I got to a scenic look out and noticed that people were headed down to the canyon floor. I wanted to do that and started looking around for way down. The sign suggested hiking boots--I had on trail shoes today so I though I would be OK. The newspaper suggested that the Navajo Loop was + Queen's Garden was one of the best trails and a must do if you have the ability. I started down. Amazing views down through Wall Street--each view more fanstatic that the next.

I turned around and looked up at and go this photo.

I continued on through the wall and made it around to a cross roads. I looked at the trail markers to the left indicated that I could go on down to Queen's Garden or I could go straight and hit the Peek-a-Boo Loop. The guide indicated that although quite scenic it was a strenuous trail with elevation changes and was rated as being difficult. I briefly pondered what the newspaper would consider a difficult trail. Maybe difficulty was like spicy--it really depended on who was rating it. Too spicy for me means something entirely different to someone else and then I considered what something was marked spicy for the average American, I generally think it is simply a notch above mild. I regularly walk 5 mile stretches which is about 4.9 miles further than the average American so I might be OK. At any rate I could always turn around. So I crossed the river bed and headed up the trail, there was a couple of guys ahead of me, I look around pondering the big rock over to the side--maybe I could duck around it and relieve my bladder. But being too shy, I though maybe there would be a place a bit further on a little less al' naturale . Up head, there was trail marker indicating that I could go either way on the loop. I met up with the two guys and we briefly discussed the trail. They also wanted to do the Queen's Garden, I pointed out since it was a loop it would bring us back to the other side of the marker. One of the guys asked in English which way--since they were not native English speakers, I considered that he was including me in the decision making. Since the guide was silent on which way to take on the loop, I suggested clockwise. I asked if I could join them, they agreed and we headed off. Gradually we go to know each other and about every five minutes we stopped to take photos.

I was fascinated by what I called Dragon Doors. This is one that I got to see from all different angles.

Eventually we came to another trail marker. This one pointed up to Bryce Point and down to complete the Peek-A-Boo Loop. We met a couple that was coming down from the Point and they raved that the mile and a half was beautiful but up. We would need good breath. We looked up--way up to see people at the look out. Nicki looked at me and Sven and said--we need to do that. We agreed and headed up.
Again each step shouted out that we needed to take another photo. We go up to another doorway in the trail and took a group photo.

A little further, I looked across and saw a formation that looked like a head. I wondered aloud if it was natural or if someone gave it a little nudge. But Nicky pointed out that it would have been really difficult to get out there--or at any rate now--maybe in an earlier time the way there was more accessible. But I had a feeling that this stone was standing guard over the Hoodoos below.

Once at the top, we were about done for. There was a shuttle stop there but we decided to walk along the rim for another mile or so to the next stop and then we would go our seperate ways--Nicky and Sven to their RV for lunch and me on into town for lunch and to get on my way. Along the rim we watched a Turkey Vulture sore and circle. At times he came very near us. It was a fantastic trail--well within my abilities--especially since we were stopping every 10 to 15 feet to enjoy the view.
Back into town, I grabbed lunch, topped off my gas tank, enjoyed a scoop of icecream and go on the road. I decided to take the scenic highways--SR 12 to SR 24 for about 170 miles before hooking up to I-70 for a short distance. And what a good idea this was. I saw deer, free range cows along the side of the road. Moved from the painted desert escarpments to Ponderosa Pine forests.
The road got scary for me in places but for the most part it was just a beautiful scenic drive. At one point I ran into a pretty serious thunder storm where the quarter size droplets bounced off the road like marbles. I slowed down and crept along knowing once again that I didn't want to find myself off the side of the road with no cell phone reception and sporadic traffic. In fact for long stretches I was the only car in sight. But disaster girl did not have to go into worse case scenario mode.
Eventually I ran into another National Forest. I can call forth the name at the moment but it ran along a river valley. I would like to return to this place on a bicycle and enjoy some of the trails. It is less popular than Bryce, Zion and Arches but not because it is less beautiful. It just seem to have a quieter beauty. Eventually, I came to a sign that said Petrogylphs so I pulled over to have a look. Wow, these were the best glyphs I have seen yet.



The long day was beginning to wear on me and I still had some miles to cover. I made one final stop to use the facilities and get a few snacks before getting on I-70 to Moab. The store I stopped at was actually a cave. Very cool.