A tale of hoodoos, heat, and the eternal struggle with technology
First Things First: The Great Photo Mystery
Before I dive into our Utah adventure, I owe you all an apology. It has come to my attention that while my riveting prose is making it through to you lovely readers, our photographic evidence has gone missing in action.
Now, I warned you all in my first entry to be patient with me since I’ve never created a blog before and have what you might call a “complicated relationship” with technology. I have a few theories about why our photos are playing hide and seek (other than the karmic gods clearly having a laugh at my expense):
1. We’ve had spotty WiFi that comes and goes like my motivation to exercise
2. Photo files apparently take up too much “space” to load properly (who knew pixels were so chunky?)
3. Because I’m cheap, the free blogging site I chose only allows one picture (you get what you pay for, folks!)
Please know I’ll keep wrestling with this technological beast, but our photographic proof of this epic adventure might have to wait until I’m back home with my computer instead of trying to work miracles with just an iPhone and iPad.
BRYCE CANYON: Land of the Hoodoos
This leg of our journey had us at the magnificent Bryce Canyon National Park, established by the pioneering Ebenezer and Mary Bryce back in the 1870s. In 1929, it became their namesake as a national park. Fun fact: this dynamic duo pioneered 12 locations across Arizona and Utah while raising 12 kids! Those Mormons really knew how to multitask!
The Early Bird Gets the… Cooler Weather
We became early risers out of necessity, starting each day with a hearty breakfast that typically included a sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich. And of course, coffee for me – because this body doesn’t run without caffeine, and I was going to need all the help I could get!
We’d catch the 8:00 AM shuttle to the park (a scenic 30-minute ride to our hiking destination), timing it perfectly for better temperatures and fewer crowds. Smart move, if I do say so myself.
Hiking Adventures at 8,000+ Feet
Starting above 8,000 feet elevation, we conquered the lookout points of Bryce, Inspiration, Sunrise, and Sunset. We bravely traversed the challenging inner lower canyon via both the Navajo Loop and the famous Hoodoos on the Peekaboo Loop. We also tackled The Rim trail, which we naively thought would be a casual stroll but turned out to have some sneaky inclines and rocky paths.
Our stats were impressive (if I do say so myself): around 12 miles, 6 hours of hiking, and over 2,000 feet of elevation change. We drained a Camelback and several water bottles, plus demolished multiple granola bars. Only once did we run out of water during the last mile of a hike – yikes! Note to self: pack more water than you think you need, then pack some more.
We made it our goal to wrap up by noon each day, then headed back to our campsite where our puppies were safely and very comfortably enjoying the AC in Reba (our trusty RV).
Wildlife Encounters
We continued spotting Mule deer, but this location seemed to be ruled by the Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrels. These little guys were pretty cute and surprisingly curious about us humans.
For all the birders out there (looking at you, Tina!): The main bird we encountered was the Steller Jay. They were quite loud and somewhat aggressive toward hikers. Todd got front-row seats to watch one inch closer and closer to me while I was stretching, unbeknownst to me, before letting out a squawk that scared the life out of me!
The Sagebrush Lizards were also abundant but kept their distance – clearly more sensible than the jays.
Afternoon Pool Time (Until the Invasion)
From sun seeker to shade seeker for this vacation! Afternoons brought time to swim in the pool – at least until it became overrun with rowdy children, and then it was time to make our exit. This is, after all, a children-free vacation for me, given that I devote my time to little cherubs the rest of the year!
Ruby’s Inn: A Slice of History
We stayed at the historic Ruby’s Inn, which has quite the backstory. In 1916, Reuben C. (Ruby) Syrett brought his family to the wilds of Southern Utah, establishing a ranch near the present site of Ruby’s Inn. By 1919, they had obtained permission from the state to build a lodge called the “Tourist Rest” near the brink of the canyon. Then in 1923, when Bryce Canyon became a National Monument, Ruby moved his “Tourist Rest” to his ranch location and renamed it Ruby’s Inn. The western hospitality and friendly service continues today through six generations of Ruby’s children and grandchildren.
At Ruby’s, they basically have the monopoly on camping, dining, and adventure trips conveniently located at the foot of the canyon. We parked Reba in the RV section, but they also offered lodging, apartments, tenting, cabins, and even teepees!
We took in a country show that included a buffet dinner and singing by The Bryce County Wranglers – and I must say, they were pretty good! They even had the whole place singing Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” at one point. While we didn’t partake, they offered other activities that looked like fun: horseback riding, wagon rides, ATVs, and a rodeo. One of the 6th generation family members even plays in the band, though we didn’t get to see him that night.
The beautifully maintained bike paths made the main park, resort, and adjoining small town areas very accessible. Both Aspen and Willow gave it two paws up because they were able to get out with us each day in their puppy trailer.
International Destination
More than anywhere else we’ve visited, Bryce Canyon is definitely an international destination. I lost track of how many different languages we heard being spoken – Swedish, French, and Italian were very prominent. There were also more rental RVs than we’d ever seen, which may have been connected to all the foreign travelers. No matter where we went, everyone was so friendly. Nothing like picturesque settings in God’s country to bring out the humanity in others.
Weather, Reba, and Reorganization
We’d been getting so much rain back in Minnesota that our neighbor Mark was kind enough to mow our yard so we wouldn’t become the talk of the neighborhood for letting our lawn go wild. However, here in Utah, we learned it had been the worst drought in recorded history. Luckily, on our last day in the canyon, it was cloudy and rained briefly, giving us the perfect opportunity to clean and reorganize Reba.
It’s like when you move into a new house and try to find the flow of your kitchen. At first, we were cramming things into every space and cubby, trying to make use of every compartment. But as the trip went on, we’d make ourselves crazy trying to find miscellaneous items like batteries or a can opener. It was time to reprioritize space!
On to the Next Adventure
We eased out of Bryce Canyon at the break of dawn and we saw our first cowboys working cattle in the pasture as we made our way toward Arches. It was peaceful with the mountains in the backdrop, though there was a haze on the horizon that made me wonder if it was an effect from the Grand Canyon fires. Very sad…
Next stop: Capitol Reef National Park and Arches National Park – where new adventures (and hopefully better photo luck) await!
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*Stay tuned for more tales from the road, where technology continues to humble this humble blogger and the Utah landscape continues to amaze!*
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