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Bryce Canyon National Park. Stunning!

5/8/2013

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As we are spending a second night here, there was no need for rising at six am. Quite a luxury and we enjoyed the extra snooze. After our leisurely breakfast we took the free shuttle bus to the park which is a couple of miles to the south. (Free shuttle is dependent on you having an entry pass to the park, or an Annual pass)

We started at Bryce Point and were immediately taken with the amazing shapes of the hoodoos, formed by water and ice erosion, the grottos, windows and occasional arch. Sheer cliffs of a thousand feet or more; but perhaps the variety of colours: white, cream, pink and red, seemingly haphazard yet as if designed, and then the green of the trees and the valleys in the distance. Stunning, and more than stunning.

We took many photos, knowing they would be inadequate, but they will support and refresh our memories of this place and this trip for years to come.

On the bus for a short ride to Inspiration Point, and it is well named. It has a cleaner, more coherent look to it, perhaps less a riot of shapes and colours, more ordered if you like. It is possible to walk along the rim of the canyon to most of the established viewing points, but we took the shuttle (and yes, Liz took a photo and posted comments on Facebook about the scheduling!)

At Sunset Point yet another perspective of the canyon was revealed, even more amazing. Our range of amazing has certainly been expanded in one short week! Here there are some footpaths down into the canyon, and one can walk all the way to Sunrise Point.  I elected to go some of the way down and was rewarded with a different view which I found to be quite a powerful and moving experience. The walk back up was a comparative breeze.

Talking about the weather, it was about 24C and the occasional breeze would waft by and we would enjoy the freshness it brought us. As you can see from the photos on the People and Places page, it was partly cloudy making the day very bearable compared to the day before, when it was 34C and quite unpleasant.

Bryce Canyon is quite compact and can be done in a morning if you happen to be on a schedule, but for the more active the hiking trails would keep you busy for a month! 

Another destination that should not be missed!

1 Comment
Charles
6/8/2013 08:48:13 am

Your inscription under one of your photos: "We didn't get their names but importantly, he rides an Aprilia and she rides a Triumph Tiger". Classic!!! :-)

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    Duncan learned to ride a motorcycle at the age of twelve on a 50cc Honda belonging to his older brother, Ronald. The arrangement was a short ride in return for cleaning it. He has graduated over the years owning and riding many different bikes, but he has never ridden a Harley Davidson.

    Liz is a more recent inductee to motorcycles, her preferred mode of transport being a VW Golf. Although she rides pillion quite frequently, her luxuriant hair needs careful consideration. On a bike trip her best friend is her hairdryer; and a hot shower every morning is a sine qua non.

    Having grown up in South Africa, home for Duncan and Liz is Melbourne, Australia

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