We got in last night to 'Ruby's Inn', a massive Best Western right at the
entrance of Bryce Canyon, almost the only thing in the area. An authentic
American ranch feel is subtly enhanced by busloads of German tourists...
:-)
We drove up 8,000 feet on Rt 14, which has astounding foliage, the equal of
NH imho, but completely different as well, rising above Zion from the
desert.
This morning we set off at 6AM for 'Sunrise Point', the very first stop
inside Bryce, and it was absolutely stunning. The official season ended
Friday, so the crowds have let up (though the Inn was oversold). We were
the only ones there at sunrise, and it was spectacular. First you start
with the inky darkness so impossible in a metro area. Two orders of
magnitude more stars visible than a clear night in massachussets to be
sure. Three shooting stars, too, in the 20 minutes it was still dark. Even
Scosset Beach (for Rob and Louise's benefit) near Cape Cod is wildly
light-polluted by comparison. As the horizon began glowing over the east
rim, miles away, we watched the hoodoos and ghosts rise up from the earth
and sparkle through the reds and yellows and whites. From there, we took
the Queen's Garden trail in about a mile to the canyon, where you can see
these eroded statues up close. Even hiking two miles up and down is a feat
at 8,190 ft -- we spent about two hours, all told.
We'll be going back to the canyon today, then tonight in Kanab, on the
North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Then, of course, back to the Las Vegas
Hilton on Sunday night and back to Boston Monday (via SF...)
over and out,
RK
PS. In case it's not clear, I'm with my parents. We have a house in Boulder
City, near Hoover Dam, so we make a family trip to Vegas every year or
so...