This morning is very far away and it almost seems like two days have passed since I woke up this morning at 5:30am. It's been a very full day and we literally watched both the sunrise and the sunset.
Which is why we were up and out of the hotel room by 6:20am this morning. It was pitch black when we left, but by the time we reached our destination in the park, there was just a hint of light in the air. I must add that that air was 32 degrees and COLD. We were there before everyone and truly got to see the sunrise in its entirety. It was incredible, but extremely frigid, and we were glad to see the sun because it brought out the magnificent reds, but mostly (for me, at least) because it brought some promise of warmth.
We hiked down into Bryce after that and having gotten there so early, we had the place completely to ourselves, which was wonderful. The park is really like another world and it was an unreal hike. One had the sensation of being surrounded by beings from another world as well as being completely isolated.
When we returned to the hotel, we all fell into bed and slept (I in my jacket and hat... I was cold!). We left in time for check out and for another stunning drive, meandering back to Las Vegas.
We drove through Zion again on the way back, having seen it now in the dark, in the daytime, and today, in the rain. We took a brief detour to Mead Lake, but being a little low on gas, we returned and took one last trip down the Strip in Vegas. It was a nice, succinct recap of our trip in the West: Bryce, Zion, Vegas (we skipped the Grand Canyon this time).
So, we're now in the airport and I fly out soon. We're all a little foggy and I think that when we find beds again (me in about 12 hours, for them even longer), we will fall into them gratefully...
Which is why we were up and out of the hotel room by 6:20am this morning. It was pitch black when we left, but by the time we reached our destination in the park, there was just a hint of light in the air. I must add that that air was 32 degrees and COLD. We were there before everyone and truly got to see the sunrise in its entirety. It was incredible, but extremely frigid, and we were glad to see the sun because it brought out the magnificent reds, but mostly (for me, at least) because it brought some promise of warmth.
We hiked down into Bryce after that and having gotten there so early, we had the place completely to ourselves, which was wonderful. The park is really like another world and it was an unreal hike. One had the sensation of being surrounded by beings from another world as well as being completely isolated.
When we returned to the hotel, we all fell into bed and slept (I in my jacket and hat... I was cold!). We left in time for check out and for another stunning drive, meandering back to Las Vegas.
We drove through Zion again on the way back, having seen it now in the dark, in the daytime, and today, in the rain. We took a brief detour to Mead Lake, but being a little low on gas, we returned and took one last trip down the Strip in Vegas. It was a nice, succinct recap of our trip in the West: Bryce, Zion, Vegas (we skipped the Grand Canyon this time).
So, we're now in the airport and I fly out soon. We're all a little foggy and I think that when we find beds again (me in about 12 hours, for them even longer), we will fall into them gratefully...
Comments