Week 268 - Bryce Canyon, Utah - 10-02-2011

The Bryce is Right

Travelogue viewers, C'mon down! With our engine running great and using no oil and with Mandy in the family, we headed West.

1) Our first stop was to visit Dean and Laurel in Topeka, Kansas. They are fellow pickleball players that we met in Casa Grande, Arizona. We enjoyed fellowship and church, played pickleball and had a 50 amp power hookup! Thank you, Dean and Laurel. 2) Next up, visiting Ellen's Aunt Glo in Aurora, Colorado, just east of Denver. We have visited her several times in Texas and she is now living with her daughter Sue and her husband Dennis.

1) Also in the Denver area, in Commerce City, is Pete's nephew Eric. Happy Birthday Eric! We had our third great visit with Eric, Lena and Dasha. We were having such a pleasant visit, we forgot to take a photo. This photo is from our 2008 visit. Dasha is five now and when she smiles it says "give me anything I want!". 2) In Lakewood, just west of Denver is Jeff. For the first time in our travelogue, we are proud to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Jeff and Linda Jackmond. Jeff was a down-the-hall roommate of Pete's at college in 1970. We visited Jeff in 2006 and 2008 and were thrilled to meet his lovely bride.

Leaving Denver heading west you are on Interstate 70. This creative freeway goes for miles through tunnels and being cantilevered over the Colorado River as it meanders toward Utah.

1) Just a few hundred feet from the Utah border is this sign "Leaving colorful Colorado". We supposed it was a slap at Utah, but their sign says "Who's colorful now?"

In Utah, at a rest stop, Ellen and Mandy pose for a photo in front of "The Reefs". It seemed like a great place to Mandy to get some exercise walking back to the Mothership.

1) Mandy says fat chance! 2) But once Ellen got a ways down the hill, Mandy caved and came along.

1) Most other states would designate this area as a state park or monument. But in Utah, it's just another roadside stop. 2) If you want notoriety you have to be something like Bryce Canyon.

This National Park is nothing short of amazing. The canyons are filled with spires and pinnacles, called hoodoos. The park is 18 miles in length, but the most popular formations are only a few miles from the entrance. Below are the views from Bryce Point.

Close by is Inspiration Point.

The views again are spectacular, best viewed at sunrise or sundown (as is most anything photo-worthy).

Our favorite area was Sunset Point.

The beauty comes from the multi-colored geological formations that were caused by rain and wind erosion.

These formations rise hundreds of feet above the canyon floor.

1) How many "people" can you see in these spires. 2) These gingerbread cookies all lined up for a family shoot.

You can get a completely different viewpoint by hiking the 1.3 mile trail through Sunset Point area. Mandy says "hike all you want guys, I'm staying right here!"

Some of the crevices are dark with great views upward.

Others glow as the sun lights up the rocks.

This pinnacles rise hundreds of feet above and and tunnels beckon you to explore.

The park rangers have propped up some of the leaning rocks. But others are left for the visitors to take care of.

This view and the next are available as you are rising out of the Sunset Point hike.

The exit trail looks much like a ski slope.

1) Still at Sunset Point, is Thor's Hammer. 2) What great contrasts as you go from golden to pinks to greens to the distance plateaus.

Bryce's Natural Bridge is said to be misnamed as it was carved by wind and rain and not by a river. Bridge or arch, it is beautiful.

Aqua Canyon contributes its colorful structures and a second cousin to Thor.

You decide.

Bryce Canyon National Park is out of the way, but worth the drive. It was a bit chilly at the end of September; we would recommend a warmer summer month.

We miss you all, love, Pete & Ellen & Mandy

Photos from Oct 2011