When I took Exit 27 off I-15 South for UT-17 toward Toquerville/Hurricane, that was as FAR WEST as I'm going this trip! It is about 2,200 miles from home, as the crow flies.
We started out at the 9 AM Service at True Life Center in Cedar City, but left after half-an-hour because it was more a "Funeral/Rememberance Service" than a "regular Church Service":
We then drove south-and-east to get to Zion National Park at 11:11
We had to park just outside the park, pay the meter for 3 hours, then hike a little to get down to the Visitor Center. I'm Really Surprised by the number of people/cars - I realize it is a Beautiful Sunday in September, but we are 2 weeks past Labor Day, and I thought the head-count would be down by now.
I'm wearing my Merrells (sandals) because we will be riding the "Zion Canyon Shuttle", and maybe doing only a little walking around. The Shuttle bus is the only way to see/get into Zion Canyon:
It was a beautiful day to be driving up the Canyon:
At noon we were going through the Big Bend area:
When we reached the end (Temple of Sinawava), we got out for a nice walk farther up the canyon, alongside the Virgin River:
After splashing in the Virgin River, we went up Riverside Walk for about a mile - very nice and pleasant. This is actually the first National Park on this trip with Wendy that I want to come back to and DO SOME HIKING! ALL THESE DOTTED LINES ON THIS MAP LOOK REALLY COOL
and there are a TON of hotels just outside the Park Entrance:
(and Zion National Park is only 2 hours 50 minutes from the Las Vegas, Nevada airport!)
(and the hiking is supposed to be GREAT in December!)
The other side of the bus going back got some wonderful photos:
I can't think of a better partner to do all this with:
And then we continued east on Utah State Route 9, also known as Zion Park Scenic Byway. There is a 1.1 mile-long tunnel, which is very cool, with windows cut out of the mountain rock. The beauty along that highway continues:
I hope and pray that I NEVER lose my sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of this world.
We checked into the Travelodge in Kanab, Utah around 3 PM, which, as you can see, has its own natural beauty right behind the Post Office:
Thank you God for this wonderful day!
Morning Blogging Music:
Bananarama - Bananarama, 1984
Driving Music:
Because I had written "Highly Recommended - it has all their "mellow" hits, so I can both listen to it, and play it for others.", Wendy wanted to hear:
Pearl Jam - Rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003), 2004
ha ha - MY MISTAKE! It turns out that "mellow" is in the mind of the beholder. In this case, for my ears, the songs were "mellow" in comparison to a lot of other Pearl Jam songs; but in comparison to, say, Van Morrison, they really are kind of aggressive. Sorry.
Bryan Adams - Reckless, 1984
just good old-fashioned rock 'n roll.
No comments:
Post a Comment