I was having withdrawal symptoms this morning. For the first time in at least 3 weeks, I wouldn't be behind the wheel of a car. John was driving today and I got to relax in the front passenger seat. It turned out to be a better deal for me than expected but that is a story for later in this post.
We started the day with a 2-hour drive to a top-rated slot canyon hike outside the parks. Willis Creek Slot Canyon hike is a 5+ mile trail that follows a shallow creek through slot canyons interspersed with wider canyons. Walking in the creek is unavoidable in spots so waterproof boots are essential for comfort. But it was one of the top hikes I've ever taken.
Susan was begging for a drink n the parched area of the creekbed.
Only 10 miles away from Willis Creek was Kodachrome State Park. It was nothing particularly special except for a 1.5 mile hike that took us up about 150' above the valley floor for a good view.
We were in the trees at the top of the red section of rock formations.
Susan was starting to get the hang of walking with drop-offs on both sides. Good job.
The story of the day was the drive home, though. Our path took us past Bryce to Hwy 89 for a straight (only in my mind) shot home. I saw on the internet that a bus had crashed near Bryce with 4 fatalities and many injuries. We didn't know how much it would impact us at the time. Shortly after we hit a roadblock. The police sent us into Bryce Canyon. But we knew that was a dead end so we turned around. We had only one reasonable option and it made for a much longer trip home than desired. The area in which were located was mountainous and sparsely populated. There is not a need for many roads. When a major road closes, it means the alternative route isn't user-friendly. Our alternative route took us nearly 50 miles north until we found a road that traversed the mountain range between us and Hwy 89. The entire ordeal cost us 2 hours. Due to our late arrival home, Susan and I went for a quick burger at Big Al's while the others had leftovers at home.
I often tell Lonnie that sighting animals is just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. It is serendipitous. The same is true of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That was us today - at least on the drive home. The rest of the day was great.
Susan’s quote of the day: “If we posted that on the internet, we would be banned for rock porn". I won't add anything to this except a photo.
The highlights - A real slot canyon hike.
The regrets - None.
Today's total miles - 395
Today's miles from start to destination - 0
Today's miles on side trips - 395
Today's miles driven by Paul - 0
Today's miles driven by Susan - 0
Today's hours in car - 8
Total Miles Hiked - 6.5
Cumulative total miles - 6,083
Cumulative miles from start to destination - 3,668
Cumulative miles on side trips - 2,415
Cumulative miles driven by Paul - 5,101
Cumulative miles driven by Susan - 587
Cumulative hours in car - 124
Cumulative Miles Hiked - 36.2
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