Category Archives: Vacations
Yosemite National Park, California – July 6, 2010
Tuesday: I had met Julie briefly the evening before, near Curry Village’s grocery store, and we agreed to meet the next morning for breakfast. There is a hearty all-you-can-eat buffet available at a restaurant in Curry Village, and I enjoyed … Continue reading
Yosemite National Park, California – July 4-5, 2010
Sunday: I flew from LaGuardia to Cleveland, then on to Denver, then to Fresno, California. (I found a bargain airfare of around $350 roundtrip.) The planes grew progressively smaller with each flight: I started on a Boeing 737 that held … Continue reading
Zion Canyon, Utah – September 3, 2009 (P.M.)
Thursday afternoon: Re-energized, I rode the shuttle back north, stopping at the “Court of the Patriarchs” exit. Whereas Bryce Canyon had “overlooks,” featuring beautiful vistas from the canyon rim looking down, I suppose that one could say that Zion had … Continue reading
Zion Canyon, Utah – September 3, 2009 (A.M.)
Thursday morning: With my backpack, an energy bar, an apple, and a one liter and 700 ml bottle of water, I boarded the shuttle at the Visitor’s Center. As the shuttle pulled away, I saw a man wearing a red … Continue reading
Zion Canyon, Utah – September 2, 2009
Wednesday morning: I drove the 75 miles from Bryce to Zion, arriving while it was still morning. I entered the park through the East Entrance, which includes a 1.1-mile tunnel through a sandstone mountain, which, when completed in 1930, was … Continue reading
Bryce Canyon, Utah – September 1, 2009 (P.M.)
Tuesday afternoon: I had mentioned that on the previous day’s three mile hike into the Bryce Amphitheater, I had developed a slight sunburn. At the camp store, I found a choice of two sunblocks and selected the Bull Frog SPF … Continue reading
Bryce Canyon, Utah – September 1, 2009 (Midday)
Late Tuesday morning and early afternoon: I drove north on the park road, stopping at overlooks along the way. Most of these overlooks do not have any trails associated with them, but are simply small parking areas and sidewalks with … Continue reading
Bryce Canyon, Utah – September 1, 2009 (A.M.)
Tuesday morning: In the morning, I drove down the park road to the southern terminus, Rainbow Point. This is the trailhead for the Bristlecone Loop trail. Here’s the view from Inspiration Point, about ½ mile to the south of Sunset … Continue reading
Bryce Canyon, Utah – August 31, 2009 (P.M.)
Monday afternoon: After lunch, I drove about five miles to the north, into an area of the park called Water Canyon. It is actually outside the entrance to the park, so one can visit this area without paying admission. This … Continue reading
Bryce Canyon, Utah – August 31, 2009 (A.M.)
Monday morning: By the way, what are Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks? There’s a geological region called the Colorado Plateau, which takes up a big chunk of the “Four Corners” states: Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona. This plateau … Continue reading