BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK

CHURCH

On Sunday we arrived at Bryce Canyon National Park (which actually isn’t a canyon but an amphitheater).  While we drove through South Utah we couldn’t find a church (besides Mormon ones) to go to. So, when we got to our campsite we held our own little service.  Curtis welcomed us to the Shasta RV Christian Church and then gave the announcements (“there will be a hike to Sunset Ridge at sunset”) and the opening prayer.  Sadie chose the song (Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord).  Erik led us through Proverbs looking at verses about wisdom vs. being a fool.  And, I gave the closing prayer.

The views at Bryce are amazing! There are hundreds of hoodoos in the amphitheater.  Here are some pictures:

RAIN

The first night at Bryce we had a lot of rain and some thunder too.  The kids kept going outside with the broom to drain the rain that was collecting on the RV awning.  The next morning Erik went out to get his hiking boots (we leave the boots under the RV because they are pretty dirty) and somehow, even though the boots were under the RV they were completely full of water.  My boots were drenched as well but weren’t holding water.  The kids’ boots however were perfectly dry.  Lovely!

On Monday we hiked two miles down to the “Hat Shop” where we found Hoodoos with rocks on top of them (they looked like hats).  While we were down there we saw dark storm clouds in the distance and thought we should get started back up to beat the storm.  We raced the storm all the way back up with the thunder getting louder and louder.  We made it to the top and had just sat down at the shuttle stop (which was covered) for about two minutes when the rains began.  Now, we are Oregonians so rain doesn’t bother us but this wasn’t any old rain.  It was an instant downpour.  All 20 of us at the bus stop crowded together as close as we could to the center of the shelter so we wouldn’t get rain on us.  And then, it started raining harder!  And harder!  And then, the hail came.  As we ran to the shuttle bus the hail was actually hurting us.  By the time we got back to our campsite the storm had passed and it looked like it had snowed with all the hail on the ground.  Unfortunately, Erik had set our wet boots on the picnic table so that they would dry while we were gone.  Instead of drying they got wetter and filled with hail.  (Today is Wednesday and they are finally mostly dry).

The "Hat Shop"

The rest of Monday we spent in the RV playing games and reading.  During the day and night four different thunder storms passed through.  Rain is really loud on a metal roof.  But, I’m not complaining… an RV is much drier than a tent!  As usual, Curtis slept through the whole night and didn’t hear the rain at all.  And, his bed is closest to the roof! 

HIKING

Tuesday was a beautiful 75 degree day.  The guys and the girls went on separate hikes.  Erik and Curtis hiked the five mile “Bryce Amphitheater Traverse” while Sadie and I hiked the three mile “Queens/Navajo Combination Loop”.  Each of our hikes took us down into the bottom of the amphitheater and we got to walk around the hoodoos.  Sadie’s and my hike went to a hoodoo that supposedly looked like the Queen Victoria (we didn’t see the resemblance).   Interestingly, our two hikes crossed each other’s and Erik and Curtis tried to hide from us in hopes that we would walk right by them.  Silly guys!

Lots of switchbacks!

ALONE-TIME

Today I woke up and was filling a little bit like I needed some space.  It’s been almost three weeks that we have been on the sabbatical and while I love my family very much I realized I hadn’t had any real alone time.  Erik has done a few hikes by himself and a couple of 50 mile bike rides to get away and it just hit me today that I needed that too.  So, I had been planning on hiking the rim of the canyon up to Bryce point with the kids.  Instead I informed everyone that I would be doing that hike alone (there were no complaintsJ).  I started out with just my  I-Pod and a bottle of water on the four mile round trip hike.  My I-Pod is a shuffle and I can’t see what songs are up next.  I turned the I-Pod on and thought I would be listening to my favorite country songs but instead my favorite version of Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) was playing.  After that it was like God hand-picked the songs for me.  As I walked along the rim of the canyon looking at all the hoodoos I listened to songs about God’s majesty, his amazing creations, how great he is and even a David Crowder song that talks about the flowers and the trees and even the canyons making a joyful noise to the Lord.  It was the perfect hike and exactly the time away that I needed!  I will be remembering this and looking for other alone-time hikes as we move on.

BREATHING

We live in McMinnville with an elevation of about 300 ft.  Yosemite’s elevation was 4,000 ft. and above.  The Grand Canyon was almost 8,000 ft. and Bryce is 8,300 feet.  Needless to say we are definitely feeling the elevation!  Hiking up-hill makes everyone gasp for breath.  If I walk too hard and fast up-hill I get nauseous.  After hiking we are all wiped out.  All I know is that when I get back to McMinnville and am walking my normal walking route up the west hills in town I had better feel amazing!

CANYONS

Canyons are definitely beautiful but they do have a major down-side.  When you are camping at the top of the canyon ALL hiking trails go DOWN into the canyon.  Then, after you have been hiking for quite a while and are getting tired you get to hike UP out of the canyon.  It is totally opposite of most normal hikes I have been on.

NEXT STOP

Tomorrow we will be packing up and heading to Arches National Park.  The Pros of Arches are that this is the place Erik and I have been looking forward to seeing the most.  And, the elevation is lower!

The Cons are that the weather will be between 90 and 100 degrees!  And, there are no showers!  With limited water that the RV holds we will be doing some creative bathing/showering.  Wish us luck!