Zion to Bryce Canyon
By Ross
We're finally getting into the travel groove. What does this mean? We can find a clean pair of socks within 15 minutes of sending out a search party. We have our campground arrival and departure routines down pat. Even T'Chat has settled into the travel lifestyle. All this is very important because only a few days ago, Robin and I looked at each other and asked, "Was this trip a mistake?" The mad dash down to southern Utah took its toll on us. We were feeling stressed.
But now we're starting to get the yummy, easy feeling of relaxing in very beautiful places.
Yesterday after a magical mountain bike ride through the Red Cliffs Recreation Area outside of St. George, UT, we packed up the truck and trailer and headed toward our second national park: Bryce Canyon. Robin plotted a course to Thunderbird Cafe, :"Home of the Ho-made Pies", where we picked up a slice of "thunderberry" (mixed berry) and strawberry/rhubarb.
While Robin has been developing into a master pie chef, I've morphed into the world's greatest pie connoisseur. And while any ole pie is better than a mud pie, the Thunderbird Cafe pies get a very generous 3 out of 5 stars. The filling was over-sweet and mushy (where's the fruit) and the crust lacked that flaky je ne sais quoi.
While visiting Bryce Canyon, we intended to boondock in the nearby Dixie National Forest but found part of it closed to dispersed camping. Taking a long shot chance we drove into the park and got a spot at Sunset Campground INSIDE the park: a veritable fore-TUNA. We're guessing that the subfreezing nighttime temperatures have chased the millennials away, hashtag MyVanHasNoInsulation.
This morning we headed out early for a hike along the rim from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point and then down Queen's Garden Trail to Navajo Trail and back up along Wall Street. Check out the photos because words will not suffice.
After a monster breakfast at the Bryce Canyon Lodge, we drove our pick em up truck to Rainbow Point to hike the short Bristlecone Loop where we saw a 1,600 year old bristlecone pine. It picked its ears, farted, then told us to get off its lawn. So there. That's old.
Ho ho ho!
Bryce Canyon Amphitheater
This Bristlecone Pine looks dead but is actually alive. Incredible.