Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Bryce Canyon 2015

The drive to Bryce was beautiful. The landscapes keep changing as you travel across the country.
Below in the collage is a picture of Jim Tull and Miss Bailey looking out the RV window.
The tunnel in the second collage is the one at the east end of Zion Park. It is 1.6 miles long and an RV must travel down the center because of the height.

Day one at Bryce was spent going to the visitor center getting maps and watching a video.  From there we drove through the park and went to each view point so we could get an overview of the park. Tonight we will decide what trails we would like to hike tomorrow.



Each park is unique and has it's own special beauty. You can have no favorite because they are all so different.

These are some pictures taken on the way to Bryce Canyon. It all began with the sun lighting the tops of the peaks in Zion.









Came across this awesome tree at one of the viewpoints.  Don't you just love how it looks like it has eyes?


Tomorrow will be a heavy hiking day so I am going to bed.

May you all have a very blessed evening.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

More hiking trails at Zion Canyon

We did take a break one day and took the top off the jeep and drove all through the park.  It was awesome because I could just stand up in the jeep and take pictures. Nicky of course always enjoys an open air ride.

 The next day Lee and Marie and Marvin hiked Angel Falls and Tracy and I hiked the Emerald pools the Pa rus trial and about  3 others.

First I will show you some of the sights Tracy and I saw.


Tracy holding rock up so I can get by.


This is Lee at the top of Angels Landing.
Lee about to go up the last leg of the hike.

View from Angel's Landing

Angel's landing trail.

More views of Zion
Clouds lifting after a rain.



Leaving Zion we had to go through a mile .1 tunnel.  Because of the height of the Motor Home it must drive through the center of the road.

Off to Bryce Canyon

WILDERNESS IS NOT A LUXURY, IT IS A NECESSITY OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT

Zion Canyon Weeping Rock and Hidden Canyon

After The Narrows we hiked Weeping Rock .















Lee and I decided to go to Hidden Canyon next.
It was switchbacks straight up about 850 feet.
Will we ever get to the top

You can see the chain that you grab onto and walk along the ledge.  I am terribly afraid of heights but I was bound and determined to make this climb.
Here you had to just hold onto the wall the climb up.
I am at the top I think

Oh my, now I have to come back down.

It got a little rough right here but I was determined.

This is the  view I came up for but looking over the cliff to see it was difficult.

The smile says it all I was so proud of myself for not letting my fears stop me.

Oh my here we go again.

This was really frightening here.

Past the hard part now I can even enjoy the flowers.

Almost down on the canyon floor again.
I think I like the view better from the bottom.

Remember:  LIFE BEGINS AT THE END OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

That was the motto I lived by today and thank God he protected me.

Zion National Park April 20-27 ,2015

We awoke each morning to a gorgeous view right there in the campground. The dog walk was beautiful and Nicky enjoyed being able to play in the sand and the stream. A short walk from the campground was the visitors center and where we picked up the trolley.

The dog walk trail.

The first day we took the trolley and got off at each stop to get a good overview of the park and an idea of what we'd like to do next.

We first trail we took was "The Narrows".  This is a trail you get to by walking "The Riverside Trail" and then you must walk the Virgin River to walk through the narrows.  The water temp is only about 47-50 degrees and most of the time you are only in it up to your knees but as long as you keep moving you really don't get cold as long as you are dressed warm on top.
All the pictures in the Narrows are taken by my phone through a waterproof cover.


That me Marvin, Marie and Tracy--Lee is taking the picture.

There is the whole group.

Lee and Tracy heading through the Narrows

This walk extends for about 16 miles we did about 9 miles that day.

Marie and Marvin Ray

I am going to post this and put the next trail on the next post.