Journey to Utah in 2013, part 5: Weeping Rock, Temple of Sinawava, a hot afternoon, and the Archaeology Trail at Zion National Park

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HANGING VALLEYS AND WET, WET ALCOVES

A deep sleep followed by the usual morning routine managed to obliterate all traces of the previous evening’s hauntedness. I woke up more than ready for the day’s action: some very easy hiking, and a lot of water. Morning was cold, and hats and gloves were required again as we walked to the shuttle stop. As we rode into Zion Canyon again, I gazed longingly at some walls of wavy red rock and decided that before the day ended, I’d come back to them, on foot.

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Journey to Utah in 2013, part 4: Emerald Pools, Pa' rus Trail, Canyon Junction, Court of the Patriarchs, at Zion National Park

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FIRST RIDE THROUGH THE CANYON

Zion is a haven protected by towering rock, much like Yosemite, another park located in an ancient sculpted valley. With its enormous sheltering walls of stone and lack of reliable cellphone signals, Zion is a hideout from the rest of the world. It was late April when we visited, and the haven was at its most fertile. I was surprised by its lushness. Wasn't the Colorado Plateau supposed to be high desert?

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Journey to Utah in 2013, part 3: through the Virgin River Gorge to Zion National Park

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MOUNTAINS IN FRONT OF MOUNTAINS

Valley of Fire Highway took us east and away from the dry desert scenery of the park. We headed north on Nevada SR 169, sailing along through Moapa Valley, a slightly more verdant part of the Mojave Desert through which the Muddy River runs before it empties into nearby Lake Mead. Though we weren't in Utah yet, we had already entered Mormon country. While passing through the centers of towns dotted with LDS church steeples and small farms peaceful in the morning sunlight, I felt a deep tranquility overtake me. It was clear that I was far from the progressive town I call home. I have never been here before, and I have no idea what this place is like, I said to myself, savoring those delicious words.

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Journey to Utah in 2013, part 2: Valley of Fire State Park

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WAKING UP IN FLAMES

Valley of Fire State Park was cold at night. The storm clouds had dispersed and exposed us to the stars and the chilly atmosphere. Our campsite, snug against a tall rock face, wasn't large enough to accommodate my tent along with the RV. I spent the night in the sleeping area above the front seats. Early the next morning I crawled out of my sleeping bag and peeked through the windshield at the sky: sapphire blue, above the walls of orange stone that surrounded us. The photography gods are smiling upon me today, I thought.

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Journey to Utah in 2013, part 1: to Boron and beyond

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DREAMING THROUGH ANTELOPE VALLEY AGAIN

The spring of 2013 found me at liberty to leave town for a couple of weeks if I wanted to, and I most definitely wanted to. Bev (my grandma, for those who are new here) was another free-wheeling individual looking for a travel partner. We jumped into her RV and rode away from Santa Cruz, as we'd done annually since May 2008. Our ultimate destination this year was a section of Utah where Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park lie close together. It was marvelous to be on the move again, traveling a now-familiar path across Kern County, California, daydreaming and looking out the window with a camera in my hands.

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