Of the National Parks we visited last month, I had been to Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon as a child though I can't remember which rim we visited. I know we stayed in Flagstaff before near the south rim but I can't believe we'd go to Zion without going to the North Rim. I think I would have remembered Arches. I do know my father has several photographs of it. I do remember going to the Petrified Forest in Arizona too. No time for that on this trip though I think I found some small pieces of petrified wood at Goblins. I remember liking Bryce the best with all its bright hoodoos. Zion was boring except for its tunnel though it is much more popular than Bryce. I think mainly because it is closer to Las Vegas. So Bryce still remains my favorite.
It was a few hours before sunrise that we left on our long, long day. Lots of miles to travel. How to get to Bryce. I could see a much shorter path but I was cautioned online against it as the road was at very high elevation and involved lots of passes and twists and turns though it was purported to be beautiful. Not so much in the dark. So north we went to catch a straighter, faster road south. No one was out but as the sun came out, numerous critters ran in front of the car bothering Steve. At one point, the road was blocked by twenty antelope. Photo op! I had seen antelopes on this and our other trip to Arizona but Steve kept missing them. These he could not.
We got to Bryce before it opened. No problem except the bathroom was locked up. Went to a campground to find an open one. Then we did the long but beautiful hike to the bottom of the canyon though they say it isn't really a canyon (no stream) but an 'amphitheater'. Very nice. Then we took the car to a variety of lookout points. Lots of bicyclists on the road with various touring companies. Probably hard to ride so high above sea level. My next big ride in May will be at sea level if not below.
We ate lunch at some boring place in Bryce Village and we were on the road again. Next stop: a hike through Red Canyon. Also pretty. Then the freeway to Vegas with the temperature steadily climbing as we dropped in elevation. From no cars for miles to a huge traffic jam as the major freeway was being rebuilt. We stayed a long block from the Strip. As the sunset, we did our long walk to the Strip and on it. Due to all the traffic at intersections you had to cross at bridges. Some had working escalators but many times we had to climb stairs. My watch keeps track of all the floors I go up. Between Vegas and climbing out of the Queen's Garden in Bryce, it was 70 floors. We ate at a cute bistro in the Paris themed casino. Lots of costumed showgirls walking around wanting you to pay them for a photo with them. I wish I got a better photo of these two obese showgirls wearing only tiny pasties on their huge udders going up an escalator while checking their phones.
We were plenty tired.
Next day: back to Michigan
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5 comments:
Not surprised you were tired.
Love the natural magnificence. Vegas? Not for me. I am grateful at this early hour not to look at obese showgirls too.
Not a fan of Vegas either. So crowded and tawdry. Interesting for a few hours only. But it has a big airport which was semiconvenient for us
What fantastic scenery and photography. Fantastic seems the best word for a change.
Thank you Philip. The whole area is stunning
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