I thought that it would be difficult to roll out from under clean, white bed sheets and heave my body out of a comfortable, huge bed, but waking up in a Vegas hotel proves not to be too difficult. In fact, this isn’t the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a while, but it is […]
Tag: scenic drives
Valley of Fire, Nevada
I have to drive through Zion one last time to get to today’s destination, and on the way, I hike up one more hill to get my last look upon Zion National Park and it’s crisp morning sunrise. Coffee and hike. Doesn’t that sound better than some people’s coffee and cigarette to start a […]
Zion National Park…mostly
My hiking boots have done hundreds of kilometres, and now, with the sand, sweat, dirt, and over the years, water from rain, puddles, and rivers, they are starting to smell. After quitting the Kaibab Trail, and before my drive to Zion, I have to wash my feet. It feels deliriously good to be in sandals. […]
Grand Canyon’s North Rim
Last night I took out my calendar, sat with my road atlas, map and guide books, and planned out, roughly, the rest of my trip. With the atlas spread on my lap, I saw that Grand Canyon was onto a few finger lengths away from where I was. I decided that I couldn’t be this […]
Hwy 12, Kodachrome and Slot Canyons
Hwy 12. There’s something special about it because I’ve heard about this highway before I ever thought of Utah, and Torrey is filled with Hwy 12 kitsch. “I survived” is the saying on most magnets and stickers. The first part of Hwy 12 runs through the Dixie National Forest. Though I stop at the pullouts, […]
Capitol Reef National Park
Early, before the sun even breaches the horizon, I’m up and packing: I don’t want to pack with the desert sun. I have no chores this morning, just the road that leads to Capitol Reef National Park. On the stunning Hwy 24 the earth’s geology changes again – I leave the red and beige of […]
The Valley of Goblins
I can’t sleep long into the morning. It’s rained a bit at night, which was soothing, but the excitement of the day before left me with an excess of adrenaline. Early in the morning, I wonder about taking a dip in the lake, but the chilly morning air, and the chilly water, don’t entice me. […]
Spontaneous Friendships: Canyonlands N.P and Dead Horse S.P
The sun’s just risen, and I’m wide awake, scrambling my eggs, remembering yesterday’s adventure, and thinking about spontaneous friendships, when Ricardo comes over to my campsite with a, “Good morning,” and an invitation to join him and Ben for breakfast. Since my eggs are already done and quickly getting cold, I spoon them into my […]