October 26, 2015

OK the big wedding is over and I am on my way back to Austin.  On my road trips I want to visit some National Parks as I travel.  The National Park most recommended to me is the Zion National Park in Springdale Utah.

I arrived at the Park on October 26.  Since so many people on my list have advised me about this Park, I really don’t have to tell them what an awesome place this is.

For those of you who have never been here, I strongly recommend you add it to your Bucket List.  You will not regret it.  There is a state highway that runs through the Park.  You can get on that road no matter what entrance you use (there are at least three). You could just stay on that road and observe all the fantastic views and the trip would be worth whatever it cost you to get there.

However, if you really want to experience Zion, you would have to stop and walk some of the trails.  You will see things that you cannot see from a car.  There are several trails ranging in time from 1/2 hour to 8 hours and ranging in difficulty from Easy to Strenuous.  Take your pick.  I chose a two hour trail rated Moderate and it was awesome.

Pictures

When you drive from Chico, California to Zion National Park, you spend a lot of time on State Highway 50, about 6 hours.  It is a pretty desolate drive.  There are no houses, no farms, no businesses, not much to see.  There was not even a single cow to keep me company.  I was starting to think that this is the loneliest road anywhere when I came upon this sign confirming my conclusion:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a story behind the sign below.  The tunnel I was about to go through is over 1 mile long and it is completely dark.  There are no lights or openings to let in light. The only lights are those of the cars in front of and behind you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I entered the tunnel and immediately everything went black. I could not see anything in front of or behind me. I knew my lights were on, but they were not providing any light at all. I was about to hit the panic button when I remembered another sign I had seen before entering the tunnel.

That sign had several warnings on it.  One of the warnings said: “Be sure to remove your sunglasses.” I was wearing very dark sunglasses and they had blocked out every bit of light in that tunnel.  I quickly removed them and, all of a sudden, I could see again.  It is really a miracle that I did not hit someone or something before I discovered the problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes, when you live in the South, you forget how beautiful it is when the leaves change colors in the Fall.