January 2014
In Utah, I started out with a night at Zion NP. Dogs aren't allowed on trails, so I did the scenic drive and a 2 hour hike to Angels Landing while my dog Bella slept in the car. I was in need of a No Driving Day, so I went to a spot in Dixie NF and took two nights to take it easy and get Bella tired from running around. I found a good spot out of the wind and had a nice fire to keep us warm.
From there I visited Bryce Canyon, did the drive, took a short hike, and then drove to the local NF so I could hike with Bella. What I've learned is that where there's a National Park, there's something, if not a few things that are just as spectacular right around the corner. But it's nice to hang out in the visitor center and learn how all them crazy looking mountains got there.
Next was a drive to Capitol Reef NP where staff seemed relaxed, so I won't name names of the cool ranger that said it's ok for Bella to come on a night hike with me. The moon was almost full so we set off into the night. It was an experience beyond words. I think I smiled the entire 3 or so hours. The towering cliffs seemed alive. Very fun, and I plan to night hike in Arches and Canyonlands NPs. I'm hooked. Once my eyes adjusted, I didn't even need my headlamp.
Today was a long day of driving, but the driving miles haven't been all that bad. I stop regularly, maybe every 30 minutes to run around and climb because there is so much neat scenery. Also, my car gets about 35mpg or so, and gas is around 3.20 a gallon. So, you do the math. It's not breaking my wallet. One of the stations was 2.80 a gallon. I filled up for 30 bucks and it got me 400ish miles. (Don't do the math too exact though. I didn't.) I found a great free spot in between Canyonlands and Arches. And looking at my schedule, I can't be as lazy as I wanted to for now since I would rather save my lazy time for parts of AZ and New Mexico. I'm really looking forward to that time, but also happy with where I am right now.
Bella
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