October 2009

Landscape Arch (maybe there are some new, but I really can't remember when I uploaded these ones)
Butch Cassidy was Here
Today is the Greatest Day
Bryce Part Too Awesome
Zion, Hear Me!

So we wake up before the sun rose, and we drove about 15 minutes to the first town outside of Zion. There we ate at the Thunderbird restaurant until around 10:30 when it was starting to get a little warm outside. Joe put together his new outfit of a bandana over his face, goggles, and his moose snow hat, and I got to wear his helmet with the good visor as we drove to Zion.

Then we hit a 1.1 mile tunnel! I video tapped it again, which seems to help with my claustrophobia. This tunnel was really freaky though because there were no lights at all, just a few view ports (about 4 over the whole tunnel).

After that we drove those squiggly roads down the mountain almost all the way to the campgrounds.

We picked out a site and set up the tent (during the day!). Then we left a lot of our stuff in the tent and drove up to Canyon Junction (one of the bus stops in Zion) and parked the bike. For whatever reason there was a section of road that only busses (or trams) could drive. So we hopped in the bus and Joe was not happy about it (you couldn't tell from this pic though).

You’d think he’d welcome having someone else drive him around for free. But he missed his bike, and he didn’t like looking at the sites out of the huge bus windows (it even had skylights, but Joe just said that they should make the entire roof out of glass).

We got out at the first stop, but the walk wasn’t very long, and it didn’t really give you a better view of the mountains.

Then the second time we got out, a couple told us that the first part of the trail wasn’t all that good, and the first of 3 Emerald Pools wasn’t anything either. So Joe took that to mean we should make our own path to the pools. We started by crossing over the river without their silly bridge.

Then we started to climb up their sandy mountain sides that fell beneath my feet like, well, sand. Then when it got a bit rocky, there were cactus (cacti?) and very high climbs. At points I got a little worried that we would have to just climb back down and cross back over the river (not easy). My left foot was already squishing every step I took, I didn’t want to add my right foot to that sensation.

Now I was getting really worried that we would never find the path, and Joe said he heard voices. Well, that’s good enough for me, and so we started climbing a bit faster to make sure that we didn’t loose where the sounds of people were coming from. And we made it! Joe asked the people on the path which way the Emerald Pools were, and they told us left, and then asked us where we came from that we didn’t know where the trails led. I pointed to the river, and the woman opened their eyes wide “From the river! Where did you cross?” I told her over the rocks, and then realized that she was still looking for the bridge we must have used. Now they were really shocked. It made me feel a little good to know that I’ve done something pretty fantastic, but I was still glad it was over and that we were back on a path to somewhere where we didn’t have to climb rocks practically one handed, and where cacti don’t exist right where you want to go.

At the first little pool we found (not one of the three) I brushed aside some leaves to open up the waterfall, and Joe got really excited about this, and said in about a half hour everyone at the lower pool is going to open their shinny eyes at the magnificence that was just opening up to their eyes because I opened the “chakra” above. I said that a little old lady is going to say “She should get the death penalty!” like the woman did at Arches about the rock graffiti.

Then we made it to the 2nd pool.

And then, after a pretty good climb, the 3rd pool.

Then on the long walk back (down the path we never came up) Joe found a shower (with my video camera in his hand!)

Then we made it back to where we could see the river, and beyond that, the lodge (civilization).

And, our camera died.

At the lodge we warmed up and asked where the posters being sold in the lobby were taken (we were under the impression that the "Wave" was at Zion from an art dealer we had spoken to in a town a few weeks ago. The wave is that canyon that looks like someone painted it with God's paint brush. It was not here, but in Arizona. Then the caves called the "Narrows" were there, but it was a 2 hour hike up the river to get there, and just getting off of a 4 hour hike/ rock climb, we weren't up for it. Plus, it was getting late. I looked around in the gift shop and found this great belt, green with bamboo design shoots, and a black plastic belt hook! You never find quality plastic belt loops, so Joe convinced me to support American and pay the $20 for the belt b/c it was made in Colorado. Then Joe checked the weather, and a cold front was coming in for the evening and next few days that was not predicted before. So rather than sleeping in 44 degree weather, we would be sleeping in 30 degrees. It was time to go! So we got back to the tent, made some quick tea and concqueso oat meal, then winterized the sleeping bag (stuffed it with out dirty cloths) and we went into hibernation mode till the next morning.

Today we retired the Neo glasses, so here is your last shot!

Then we got our ice cream (for the last time! so sad) and sun chips to dip in our conqueso sauce (we're having one of them healthy breakfasts). Then it was off to Bryce again where we did the entire Navajo loop (awesome!).

Here is Joe's game of find the image in the rock:

(He see's 4 girls dancing in dresses)

Joe doing Drunken Lepard (a form he made for my b-day)

That, was seriously the best coke of my life. Coke out of a glass bottle, I don't care how snobby this sounds, really is a whole nother drink. This night we drove, and almost made it to Zion. We stopped at this place called Zion "the East End Pizza" and we spilt a slice while we waited for the sun to go down. Then we crossed the street, got freaked out by the horse that was in the fence right next to the campsite, heard a couple of southern guys drive up to move the horse (at like 10pm at night! whats going on?), and then we busted ass in the morning and got out before the sun rose. (We just got done having almost a full week of motes, we can't afford to pay for camping).

Today is the first day since Indiana where we blog about what we did the previous day!

We woke up to some hot chocolate (with marshmallows!) and we went and shared another ice cream/ frozen yogurt cone. Then Joe blogged for a bit with the free WiFi at Subway (Joe's second favorite thing to the ice cream machine). Then we drove to Bryce Canyon.

When we got to the gate the woman asked for $24! It was $12 a person to get in, and the main canyon isn't really even all that big from what I understood. We only paid $20 to get into Yellowstone. We tried to explain this to her and asked if there was any motorcycle discount (there have been at ever other place we've been to), and she said no. But, if we'd like to break down and get the $80 National Park pass, she would let us pull around, find our receipts from the other parks we've been to in the past month, and she would discount those receipts from the cost of the pass. Well, its been a nice run. We've ducked into around a half dozen parks now in the dead of the night, but the jig, as they say, was up. $24 here, plus at least $25 at the Grand Canyon, we decided to buy the pass. We found the recipts for the Badlands (10), Yellowstone (20), and Devils Tower (5). We didn't pay to get in Rushmore, and Crazy Hours is not a National Park. So 80 - 35 = 45 for Bryce, and that will get us into Zion, the Grand Canyon, and a lot of the national monuments too (which the ranger said most of the southwest places are monuments, not parks, but the pass will work for those too). So we are legit now, but our sneaking (as Golum would say) wasn't for nothing. We had fun doing it, and now we've paid our dues b/c we really like these places, and they deserve $80 for our travels.

And now, the canyon.

If anyone has been to the Colosseum, or seen the movie Jumper, doesn't this remind you of the corridors beneath the arena?

Stone Warrior

We both really liked the first place we stopped at, and it turns out that this is pretty much the only canyon here. All the other view points are basically this place, but from different angles.

After walking up a huge hill to get to Inspiration Point, we discovered that we weren't as inspired as we were at our first stop. So seeing all the points there were to see (4), we headed back to the first one, because it was without a doubt the best, right up against the place. Seeing the canyon from above was cool, but seeing it from just on top of it was our favorite.

Then, our problems. I saw people walking into the canyon. I've wanted to do this since Rome (like I said, it reminded me of the Colosseum). When I saw the people down there, I just had to go. Joe reminded me that I said my legs were like Jello and I needed a rest, but I told him that his was different, and I've never wanted to do something so badly! He said we'd do it tomorrow, but I wanted it right then! The sun was setting, and we were at Sunset point, and I thought if we left now and came back tomorrow, it wouldn't be the same, and I waned it to be just as it was! He held me back, stood in my way, and even called my mom (who is at an ice show in Phoenix right now with Jessica watching the Backstreet Boys (their singing, not skating) and Kristi Yamaguchi). In the end, I bet him $50 that I'd be able to make it, and I blew through him and headed to the bottom by myself, and it was just as amazing as I thought it would be!

Back at the top Joe was doing Kung Fu while 2 European girls shared an acoustic guitar and sang some pretty songs (Joe taped one, this video to come soon). We sat and listened to one song. Joe said he already gave them a buck, and that they said that they would remember him while they drank that night. They were sweet. And then we went back the Bryce Canyon motel (couldn't get the same room again b/c they closed it for the winter, but we got another on that was nice, no micro/fridge, but thats cool). Then we went to the gas station/ Subway and made some potatoes with conqueso sauce and had another ice cream cone. After that, back to the motel, and you guys are all caught up!

This morning's continental breakfast was the absolute shiznit! They actually had one of those flippy waffle irons and a pitcher of waffle mix! I was so excited, and they were so good! Best waffles ever! They were big and fluffy and they took up a whole large plate! Great HOT breakfast (unlike the Eggo Waffles from the other place).

And we made it to the town just before Bryce Canyon! Joe found his new favorite toy, a real soft serve ice cream dispenser (like the ones you see at buffets) of double chocolate fudge, blueberry pie frozen yogert (with pie crust pieces), strawberry cheesecake frozen yogert (with cheese cake and strawberry pieces), and mint chocolate chip (with guess what pieces) for 89 cents a cone. We hang out at the gas station/ Subway, call some motels, and check into the Bryce Canyon Motel that we got a $40 for $30 b/c the owner drives a Harley and gave us a deal!

Room was a little short, but it had a microwave, fridge, hot shower, and HBO! But again, we didn't watch any HBO, we are on a journey of self discovery! We watched TNT again and blogged at commercials from Mission Impossible III (surprisingly our favorite one, but I've never seen II, but Joe says I'm not missing a thing).