Adventure 20: Kodachrome Basin State Park/ Post C

A Fire is Welcome at Night

After thirteen days on the road, our established routine is that Judy rises about 5:30 A.M. fixes herself an instant coffee, knits, reads, puzzles, writes, and welcomes the new day. Yesterday she said she heard the coyotes howling under the early morning stars - a pretty awesome benefit of rising early.  As for myself, I spread out and enjoy an hour or so of dream sleep. In part, my dreams this morning included Dave Ulmen, who was miffed because he was relocating his shop and the builder had miscalculated by fifty-seven fr****** feet. Nonplussed, I sped off on  a longboard, but I wasn't standing I was lying down like one of those luge racers. There's more, but it's so bizarre, I wonder if this drug free life is worth it. After I rise, I have coffee, we eat oatmeal, play a game of cribbage, and the do the form. Judy washes the dishes, and I dry. it's a one-butt kitchen in the trailer. Sunday is different. We plan to go to service where ever we can find it. Yesterday, we went to the Mormon service in Cannonville. The sign said, "Visitors Welcome", but I think it should have read,"Visitors Tolerated". The man who led the service talked with a us briefly; otherwise the only comment we heard was, "Someone is sitting there." It was my first Mormon experience, and I was struck by the zealous fervor. After church we had our normal fried potato and egg breakfast, garnished with a little left over taco meat. It's a nice change from oatmeal. We also took our first hike in the basin: The Grand Parade Trail. It stays on the canyon floor and winds itself through two astounding box canyons. I'll post pictures, but you all should really hop in the car. If you leave right now, you can make it before the 1.7 million the state of Utah paid the federal government to keep the National Parks open runs out. You have ten days. Today, we toured Bryce Canyon National Park. It is more amazing than the guide books say, though even in light traffic like today, it's like touring Beijing, but without the sales pitch--not that there isn't ample opportunity to buy trinkets along the way. We hiked what the guide book calls the prettiest three-mile hike in the world: The Navajo Trail. It lived up to the claim, and then some. Again, my feeble photos cannot capture the wonder. On a tournament update, I'm currently leading the Kodachrome Open 8-4. We have a long way to go, and Judy has adopted a new cheating strategy. Yesterday, she counted one hand: fifteen-two; fifteen-four, and three is FIVE. I let it go, since she was only cheating herself. We likely will post one more time when we travel down to Zion later in the week. The rest of our time will be spent exploring the Kodachrome Basin. There is plenty to see, and amazingly, every time we drive the road back to the basin, we see a new wonder. Just the time of day changes the light enough to reload the vistas. Come on down; it freezes at night, but gets up to a balmy 59 degrees during the day, which means life is good, especially mid day. 

 Along the Grand Parade Trail, the bottom grass gives off a blue hue. I wish I could capture it.

 A desperado hiding out in the box canyon from the federales.

 A desperdolita hiding out as well.

 Bryce Canyon: Paria View Amphitheater.

 BryceCanyon: Bryce Point View

 Hoodoo you think you're fooling?

 A dusting of snow and a balmy thirty-six degrees just down from Bryce Point.

 Bryce Canyon: View from Inspiration Point.

 Along the Navajo Loop Trail.

 Switchbacks abound as we lose altitude.

 The bunny outside one of the arches.

 Just a knurly tree.

 Queen's Garden spires

 Climbing back up the canyon wall.

 Just an easy to moderate hike according to the guide book.

 A view back down the switchbacks.
The panorama from Sunset Point. 

A little oak leaf taking a break on the trail.