Utah, Colorado, and Utah Again

(with some Nevada in between)
(and just a corner of Arizona)

Thomas gets married in Telluride... A fine excuse to take a couple weeks off, and go for a little southwest/mountain type trip.

So without further ado, I'll get right to it...

7-June-2008 - Saturday:
Loaded the car up the night before so we could get under way by 6-6:30 ish. So.... in order to be true to my nature, we got under way at the crack of ... 7:24. Actually, not too bad given my history.

Not really the best picture of either of us, but alas, it's all we gots.

And no more pictures of that first day, 'cause we drove straight through to Zion only stopping for food and fuel.

Basically, we left Santa Cruz, drove south on 101, over to 5, and then through Bakersfield where we stopped at In-n-Out even though there was a Sonic in town (which made sense to Steve since Bakersfield is sort of the Texas of California).

Then we drove by the World's Tallest Thermometer which Lynne and I are convinced is really just the tallest tower that is designed to digitally show what the temperature currently is. But then, just what is the definition of a thermometer...? (Besides an instrument that measures temperature.)

Okay, no other great highlights to day one. Other than getting to the campsite in Zion. But it was dark when we got there, so we didn't get the full picture until....

8-June-2008 - Sunday:
...the next morning.

Magpie Adventures' van and my car w/bikes

Pretty cool sight to wake up to.

Had some breakfast in Springdale, and then took the shuttle back up into the park, and did the little guided shuttle loop. Didn't have enough time to do much else though. Too dang many things to see!

Shuttle stop in Springdale just outside Zion

Up at the end of Zion Canyon

After taking the tour up Zion Canyon, we drove to Gooseberry Mesa to camp and ride. Gooseberry was a few miles down a dirt road, and, though I love the mileage that I'm getting with the Passat, I sure wish I had my truck for this stuff.

Here's a couple pictures from Gooseberry...

View to the west from the western tip of Gooseberry Mesa

View from our camp towards Zion with the last rays of the sun on the cliffs


And here's Lynne in her cute hat :^)

More to follow....