Bryce Canyon

Another post written in bed, with throbbing feet, and tired eyes. Started out early, and a short Skype with the family who were in the park. Melvin was more determined to go down the slide than talk to me, but that's life. 

I had a quick breakfast in bed, then hit the road towards Bryce Canyon. For some reason I thought it was two hours, but it was actually closer to three. Oh well. It was a beautiful drive (although the road was littered with dead deer) and I listened to some kind of talk radio station. I heard a very funny story about a couple who had been arrested shortly after dropping their kids off at the first day of school. They had been smoking a celebratory joint in the car, and were caught because while the speed limit was 25 mph, they were driving 6. 

I can't get over how different, almost immediately, Utah is to Arizona. It's green. There are rivers and relatively lush fields. It's really, really beautiful. Huge meadows with ridiculously picturesque creeks winding through them, rolling hills, cows dotted around, and red and white wooden houses with obligatory picket fences. It's just gorgeous. It's what I imagine pioneer American to have looked like. I'd stop here if I was wandering around looking for somewhere to call home. It's far more appealing than the neighbouring deserts of Arizona, that's for sure. Anyway, because of all this, it's a lovely drive. After a couple of hours, I spot the familiar red rocks up high in the hills, and just a short while later, I'm at the park. 

I have a quick lunch, and then head out to hike. I've been to Bryce a couple of times before, but never gone below the rim. It is – as with most canyons – definitely worth it. 

In all her glory

Hoodoos what you dos down there?

Once I leave the popular trail, the crowds disperse and I'm on my own for great stretches. It's hot and hard, but extremely beautiful. 

The switchbacks going down

Twisty paths

There's a lot of up and downs, but some spectacular views. 

A walk along a ridge

I must admit I was pretty pleased when I rounded the corner and found myself back at the start of the loop. I ate, I drank and I considered doing another hike, but time wouldn't allow it, so I started back up the switchbacks to the rim. 

On the way back up

What a beautiful place. 

Hoodoos

An hour and a bit later, dodging more dead deer, and I was in Kanab, my final spot for this holiday. Kanab is great. It's a small town, but with a really friendly feel to it. It was settled by Mormons in 1870. There are quite a lot of churches, but not as many as Page, interestingly enough. Page has 28 churches. 28! For a town of just under 7,300 people. Anyway, it's very nice here, I recommend a visit. 

See them hills? That's my motel to the right. Flags everywhere on 9/11

Tomorrow is more hiking, this time in Zion Canyon. I'll be doing Angel's Landing – a hike along a huge ridge, with 1000 metre drops to either side. Eek. For now, I'll sit here, with my belly full of ribs, and watch some telly.

The Wave

What a day. 

Up at 5am after a very disturbing dream involving my family and a faulty hot air balloon...anyway, up, breakfast in my room, pack (4 litres of water, energy bars, bananas, cheese and crackers, dates, sun cream and camera), then a quick cup of coffee and I'm on the road. The mesas behind me are beautifully misty and I have to stop to try to take a photo. I'm immediately annoyed I didn't bring my other lens. 

Misty morning

GPS tells me that it's about an hour to the trailhead, but I can see it's not quite right. I've had a close look at various maps online and the GPS is only taking me to the road off which the trailhead lies. Doesn't matter; as long as I get to the road I can just keep going until I see the trailhead. I leave Arizona for Utah, and find the road, which takes me back down in to Arizona. I've read that it's impassable if it's been raining but as it hasn't rained for about a week, I think I'll be OK. And I am, mostly. The unpaved road has been washed away in four or five places, but the gullies left are quite easy to navigate – except one of them. One of them makes me stop, and wonder if I should even attempt it. It's a vertical drop for about two feet, then about another foot up the other side. I decide to give it a go, and make it – albeit scraping the front of the car through the sand and mud. I drive on, and after about 30 minutes, I finally see the trailhead. Here we go. 

I won't drag you through the whole hike, but I will say it was longer than I expected, and a little harder too. There was a lot of hiking through sand, which is horrible. It's 99% unmarked, so I had to stop a lot and make sure I was on the right path (the Bureau of Land Management, who are responsible for The Wave, send you a little map together with other information when you win your spot. It's simple, but works). Most of it looked like this:

Eventually, I could see the end. You arrive at the back, which is also quite beautiful. 

Thanks to the rain, we had puddles

I wasn't alone, but after a while, people move on, and for a short while, I had it all to myself. 

Getting *that* shot

It's absolutely beautiful. Do you know those places that just get more and more beautiful the more you look at them? The Wave is one of them.

That shot 

I sat on a ridge in the shade for my lunch, and had a perfect view. It was so quiet, and I just stared at it. Magical. 

Not a bad view for a lunch of cheese and crackers

It's so soft. The 20 person limit is vital for this place to exist. It'd be gone in less than a year if it was a free for all. People do hike in without a permit, but they risk heavy fines and luckily, the lack of signs on the hike probably put most people off (it's also completely exposed, which made for a sweaty hike back). 

After a good wander around, I decided to start back before the midday sun kicked in. 

I get a little lost, but find my way back to the path quickly. It's incredibly hot, there's no breeze, and, just as I'm approaching the end of the hike, I run out of water. Luckily, I've only got about 700 metres to go. I pass a man and women who stop to ask me about the hike. They must be mad setting out in this heat, but there you go. They ask if I have a permit, and if I saw a ranger at The Wave. They haven't got a permit. I'm in two minds about how to reply, but can't think quickly enough and say that I didn't see a ranger but apparently one is about. The man goes on to say that he's entered the lottery three times, never won a spot, and has finally given up. They've come from Germany, and seem so excited. I take the easy way out, and tell them it's incredible, and to have a great day before I turn around and start back down. Then, just as they're about to round the corner, I remember that they won't have the map if they didn't get a permit. I run back up the hill (I actually ran. If you knew how hot it was you'd be impressed), and tell them the hike isn't marked and they can have my map. I might not approve of them hiking without a permit, but people die out there. They are very happy and off we all go. 

I'm exhilarated to get back to the car, but first I head to the toilets. Outside, in the shade on the floor, are some bottles of water. They're sealed, and I've no idea what they're doing there, but hope that they're left for hikers, like me, who've run out of water. I gulp it down, gratefully. 

Then, the drive back. And the gully. As I face the two feet, I start to think that I'll have to go the other way back to Page, which is just under three times the distance. I really don't want to do that, so I decide to give it a go. First attempt just left me stuck in the gully. Front bumper against the two feet, back bumper against the one foot. Just stuck there, wheels spinning in the dust. Hmmm. 

For a minute or two I have no idea what to do. Then I decide I'm just being silly, and just gun it. The backside skids around, the wheels spin as I perch on the edge and then boom! I'm up! Brilliant. 

The drive back is uneventful, and all I can think of is jumping in to Lake Powell. I get home, I eat some chicken, I change, and then I go and jump in Lake Powell. It's too hot, so I come back to my room which is where I am now. 

A shower, and a general sort out of stuff, and here I am, in bed, writing this. I will have a beer, have a burger and then hopefully Skype with my family. God, I miss them. 

Tomorrow I head to Bryce Canyon, and Kanab, but could quite happily go home now. 

Flagstaff to Page via not much

Today was a good day. I’m feeling a bit better, and I had a really good afternoon. Let me tell you all about it, I know you can't wait. 

I ended up getting up quite late, well, relatively late, and went for breakfast at the fantastic La Bellavia. They’re known for their eggs benedict, so I finally decided to try them. They were good, but a pint of Hollandaise is just a little too much in the morning – even for me. Anywho, I ate them all (and a pancake), and hit the road. Under a clear blue sky I went straight up US-89 towards Page, only stopping once to say hello to some lovely old Navajo women selling jewellery, and to stretch my legs.

I was too early to check in, so I had some lunch then went to Glen Dam for a visit.

Lots and lots of concrete

I had hoped to do the full tour, going deep down into the dam, but because it’s me, the lift down was closed for repairs. I could, however, go on to the dam and walk around a bit. That was fun.  

It’s all really big. Here’s one of the turbines. Old people for scale

After a walk around, I moved on to Lake Powell for a walk, a swim and a lie down. I love it here. It’s so peaceful. 

Shade!

I won a prize (in my head) for finding a spot with shallow water and shade. I win.  As boats occasionally go past, forcing rolling waves up the rock, I think how much Melvin would like it here. I can’t wait to bring him.

I sit, I wander, I swim and I stare out across the water for a couple of hours then make my way back to the motel where I check in successfully. After a trip to Sainsbury's for food and bits and bobs, I sit outside and do internet things for a 30 minutes.

I like Page, always have. The whole town was built to accommodate the men who built the dam. It just sort of appeared. There’s a whole street of motels that used to be the workers’ houses. I’ve stayed in a couple of different ones and they’re lovely. Worn, but lovely. Unfortunately they were all booked up this trip, so I'm in a motel down the road. Anywho. The good thing about Page is it has the world’s best burger joint which I’ll visit tomorrow. Today, I fancied something simple for dinner, so I added some roast chicken and salad to my basket.

They're everywhere

After stocking up, I hit the road and went to Horseshoe Bend to watch the sun set. So did everyone else, but it was beautiful. I think I’ll come back tomorrow too.

Pretty place

Actually quite hard to get a shot with no people in it

The masses

Back at the motel, I ate my simple dinner while I prepared for my hike tomorrow. I’m very excited. I’ll leave quite early to beat the heat, and so I can spend a few hours out there – all day if necessary.

Well there you go. A short but great day. I’m so pleased my cold is moving on. It’s not fair to be poorly on holiday.

Until tomorrow!