Utah Ho! Day 3

Vacation Log: Day 3

Navaho Knobs Trail – 9:11 AM

Mother Nature is an evil temptress indeed. This morning had been cool, with clouds blocking out the sun. This lured us to the Navaho Knobs Trail, which is 4.5 miles each way over exposed rock. Now, however, 47 minutes into the hike, the clouds are parting, allowing the sun the chance to try and lick the flesh from our bones.

Cloudy early on 

Less Cloudy

 Even less cloudy

I am, however, the proud owner of a new floppy sunhat, which not only protects me from the sun, but as an added benefit, also makes me look 87 years old.

Crap, it’s getting hot.

Navaho Knobs Trail – 9:41 AM

Official Hike Name: Fry Hard 2: Fry Harder

Navaho Knobs Trail – 11:18 AM

Sitting at the very top of Navaho Knobs! Official height: Way the heck up there. 360 degree panoramic view of a lot of rock.

Top of Navaho Knobs

 View from the top

 

The hike up was taxing. Seems like every turn would lead to several acres of exposed rock to walk across, glowing white in the sun. After this happened about a hundred times, it began to get old, as evidenced by the repeated frustrated yelling of, “Oh come on!” But it was well worth it.

 

These stretches were way longer than they look here...

No other hikers up here, which is why it’s nice to pick the longest hikes. It weeds out the sane.

Getting hungry. Time to forage in the ol’ backpack to see if somehow a freshly cooked pizza has appeared there.

The Open Highway – 3:47 PM

On the road to Bryce Canyon. Listened to Jim Gaffigan and heard a lot of bacon jokes. MMMMM funny...

In other news, my sock tan is entering hideous territory and I still need a shave. We’ll see how that all plays out.

Pizza later? (There was none in my pack.) Let’s hope so.

Quote of the day: “What am I, Spider-Man?” Lurch, faced w/ a climb up a 2-foot high rock shelf.

Town of Tropic (Near Bryce Canyon) – 9:08 PM

Bryce is swarming w/ tourists. Tourists annoy me, even though I’m one of them. Hypocritical? Yes. Does my hypocriticalness bother me? Not particularly.

Will probably be sharing the trails w/ lots of others. Hmmmm… Maybe I should shave. I don’t want to be mistaken for Sasquatch on vacation.

Oh, and there was pizza, and it was delicious.