Bryce is Nice!

We left Grand Junction, Colorado after a brief stop at a local post office to mail our Presidential election ballots. Felt great to have voted in as always a very important election. This one was another classic Trump hate filled election that was supposed to energize people by promises to deport millions of immigrants, jail left wing crazies or been worse get the military involved (last I checked illegal unless an insurrection to involve active military in domestic issue but oh well its just another fear mongering lie) I digress. But I know I did my part by voting even though I dont hate anyone no matter where they came from or who they vote for. I hope future elections become more about policy differences than hate for anonymous people. So sad this has been a part of our trip that Jo and I stress over daily as we listen to Fox, CNN, ABC like watching a train wreck but trying to stay abreast of all the viewpoints. Sirius goes everywhere.

Our travel to Bryce seemed long with lots of uphill climbs and ear popping for me. My allergies have continued to be brutal but at least Jo understood as her nose was unusually sneezy and clogged too which is unusual.

I drove past a lot of streams that looked like gold panning opportunities but we were on a mission to get to the next spot. I will pan before the trip is over!!! I have my pan and folding shovel in the back of the truck!!!

We also drove by Butch Cassidy’s boyhood home which was approximately 200 sq feet if that lol. I can see why he went out to explore. Jo did some reading up on him and unlike other “outlaws” doesn’t appear to have killed anyone and seemed like a nice guy per Jo. I need to do some more reading on that for sure. One of the dry gulch’s in the Red Canyon was named after him. Maybe where he “hooked up”?!

Driving in to Red Canyon that is just before where we were camping was just beautiful Red Orange rocks and canyons (hence the name Red Canyon) . The trip through the canyon was beautiful but short and I hoped it was the whole Bryce Canyon experience which will make those of you chuckle who have seen Bryce Canyon.

We checked into our campsite at Ruby’s RV Park which was a continuation of a travelers lodge started by the current owners grandfather (great grandfather) Reuben “Ruby” Syrett 108 years ago. The lodge was more of a barn type structure in the park that was accidentally built within the boundaries of the park when Bryce Canyon became a National Park. He offered some of his land to the park to build a road into the park to settle the dispute with the government. Now the town is mainly “Ruby-fied” with RV park, gas station, Lodge, grocery store, art store and so on. The RV park check in was easy and we drove to the back of the park to our site. Easy set up.

Jo decided it was laundry time so I drove her to the front of the park and watched as she and another couple were blocked by a gentleman at the laundromat door. After some shaking of heads and gesturing by the other couple Jo returned to the truck with the laundry bag. Turns out unlike any other campground we have experienced the Laundromat closed at 6:30. Very odd since many people stay one night and usually dont get around to laundry after set up and a meal til then and leave early the next AM per checkout rules. The gentleman said something like “what do you think you are doing?” To Jo when she tried to go in. He is lucky she didnt get all “you talking to me????” on him lol. Laundry got done the next AM. It was really the only not so great experience of the trip or Ruby’s.

We headed out to the park the next AM and went to the lodge inside the park. There literally were no signs in the parking lots showing where to go to hike the park. Lots of couples milling around asking for directions. I went into the lodge and the nice person at the desk pointed to the back door and said walk that way. The edge of the canyon wasnt more that 100 yards behind the lodge but again zero signs until you got behind this big lodge. The view from the edge once we found it was a Grand Canyon take your breath away but more beautiful moment.

We decided to do a 3 mile hike down into the canyon and back up loop. Luckily we had been at 5000 feet since Denver so a bit acclimated to what was now 8000 feet. And despite a sunny day we had a breeze but it was quite a hike. A true challenge for our lungs. Luckily the steeper trail out of the canyon had lots of rest stops in the shade. If you go bring lots of water, comfortable hiking clothes and hiking boots or supportive footwear as it can be slippery even when dry.

After a walk back to the truck we went back to the RV for a late lunch (and a nap). My Denver allergies had followed me (and Jo) to Utah and between the altitude and the allergy meds I was wiped. Lots of water and a nap later I was ready to explore again after dinner at the RV.

I had looked at the park map and saw quite a way further into the end of the park was a spot called Bryce point. I assumed it must be a good view to be named after the man who stumbled on it possibly while looking for his lost cow (fake news?). We were there as the sun was going down and it literally took our reach away it was so beautiful.

We headed home to the RV for a rest planning to go to Zion the next day. I had thought it was 50 minutes and that we would be able to drive through Zion with Mocha. Well both were not true. GPS now said almost two hours and scenic road closed to vehicles except park busses and no pets. Sooo a few minutes into the drive we looked at each other and said Zion would have to be another trip sadly. We did drive to the Red Canyon near us and hiked a bit. One of the hoodoo’s was called the salt and pepper.

Hoodoos are a mistaken translation of the Paiute Indians that called these Anka-Ku-Was-A-Wits translated means “red painted faces”. And they believed these were people turned to stone by the coyote as punishment for bad deeds. A new twist on getting stoned!!

A nice relaxing day at the campsite followed our hike into the Red Canyon.

We headed out the next AM for the Golden Spike RV park in Brigham City, Utah. And on the way got an interesting text from them. That’s in the next blog post!