TRIP - DAY 27

Today will be an easy day to write about. First off this heat is playing havoc with my hands. Some people say that the heat is good further arthritis, it is not for mine. The heat makes my hands swell and get stiff. 

I woke up early, got the rig ready to go and drove all the way to Zion National Park. To say I'm disappointed with Zion is probably correct. I got to Zion National Park and I had heard that there was shuttles that take you into the park. I guess I incorrectly assumed that there would be a parking place where you pick up a shuttle. That is not the case. I got to the entrance to where you drive to Zion National Park, it is a I think 16 mile curvy windy road that takes you up the mountain down a mountain to the entrance of the park. From there you can either park at The visitor Center or in Springdale. Because there's a one lane tunnel and I had to wait almost half an hour to get through it, The visitor Center parking was full. I know that I was late and therefore should have expected this. Then I went to Springdale and that was kind of full but look like it could get more full. But that would mean I parked the van and Sunny miles away. By this point it had been one and a half to two hours just to get to Springdale and I was hot, tired, irritated, and done with driving. 

I understand Zion is the most popular Park, but this setup is crazy. And frankly from what I've seen I don't really understand why it is so popular. But I do admit I have not gone into into the park so I really can't judge. 

Tomorrow at the crack of dawn, I will be taking a shuttle from the RV Park into Zion to see things and I'm supposed to hike up Angels landingWe'll see what part of that happens. I am getting ready just in case I do end up doing Angels landing but if you ask me right now if I'm going to do it the answer is no. I am tired this is the last thing in the trip and the whole shuttle system is just quite difficult. 

So today when I got to the park I drove through the part that I could, I drove through Springdale and I went to my RV Park. I got checked in, walked around a little bit and decided to go look for a little local park or State Park to have lunch. Well, that was a bust. All the parks in the general area are down Rocky roads that are not paved. I did go down one but it started getting to be a very bad road, one that you need a 4x4, so I came back to the RV Park. Sunny and I had lunch together. I basically just hung around the RV until it was time for me to do a bit of work. I took a few little walks around the park and saw the lovely River behind my campsite. 

I what have possibly done more but then a very loud lightning and thunderstorm came through. 

I'm going to sleep since I have to wake up and be ready at 7:25. Ugh. 

Until tomorrow...

TRIP - DAY 25

Day 2 at Arches NP. Yesterday I went to the Balanced Rock and Delicate Arch areas. Today I went up to the Devils Garden area. 

I started out with a hike that encompassed Broken arch, Tapestry arch and Sand Dune arch. That hike had me climbing rocks, climbing through an arch and hiking in sand. It was just under 2.5 miles but the sand made it seem longer. 

This trip has been amazing. I have one week left. 

My health has been very good during this time. I've been having sinus issues but I have a nose balm that is keeping me from getting a raw nose from all the blowing. My foot that was killing me before I left, is feeling better thanks to the sore joint rub healing made by Medicine of the People. It is a Native American product. It saud it helped arthritis so I thought I would give it a try. My foot hasn't felt this good since before my fall and subsequent broken foot last fall. My RA has been pretty controlled. Shows how much stress effects my RA. 

I'm super tired. Last night I hardly slept due to leg cramps. 

Until tomorrow...

TRIP - DAY 26

I got going early and, after a few errands, I got on the road to Bryce Canyon. I had 288 miles to drive. Google sent me through some beautiful landscapes. 

At lunch time, I got to Bryce Canyon. I started driving to outlooks. All the outlooks require some walking. I walked 12,000 steps. It was a quick stop and some time I want to come back. 

It is such a unique park. Amazing rocks everywhere. Every park is so different. These have hoodoos. In certain regions of western North America these rocky structures are called hoodoos. The name is derived from Hoodoo spirituality, in which certain natural forms are said to possess certain powers, but by the late 19th century, this spirituality became associated with bad luck.

After over 4 hours of driving, walking, and picture taking, I was tired and went to the campground. It was very nice and minutes outside of Bryce. 

Until tomorrow...

TRIP - DAY 24

My first full day at Arches NP. I got up early because my timed pass was for 9 am. 

Arches is beautiful. Not just the arches but the landscape. It is another park where the overlooks are a distance from the road. It means you have to get out of your car to see anything. 

I saw some arches and climbed into the arch on a few of them. It meant climbing up rocks but it was scary but so worth it. I packed a lunch and ate it in one of the arches. 

It was a lot of driving and getting out to hike. The rocks are so beautiful and big and strong. 

Once I got back to the campsite, I did laundry at the camp laundry. 

I did the usual: empty the gray tank, plug in the electrical, and dump the toilet cassette. But something weird happened. Once I dumped the gray tank, it still said 2/3 full. I couldn't figure it out. So, I went to the pool and asked some folks. The women all said, talk to my husband. The husbands said it was a senior issue. All I needed to do is flush the tank with water. It worked! 

Until tomorrow...

TRIP - DAY 23

Today is my second day in Canyonland National Park.  We got up early and drove the 1.5 hours to the Needles District. I saw newspaper wall, pothole point, and cave spring trail. I didn't finish cave spring trail because I was the only person in the trail and I couldn't figure out where the trail went. I had already gone up two metal ladders and climbed across boulders/huge rocks. I didn't want to risk it. I walked 14,000 steps. 

After hiking and driving around Canyonlands, I came back to camp. I had a problem with the gray tank not emptying so I asked some folks at the pool what I should go. It worked. I emptied the toilet cassette. Van maintenance. 

I made chili Mac. It's chili with macaroni in it. I used the instapot. 

I have one week left. I'm sad. It went by so fast. I have to plan my next trip. 

Maybe taking a van up to Washington State. 

Until tomorrow...