Take me to the land of Zion

Zion means a place a peace and repose. This is my second visit here, and it still fills me with awe. The eastern entrace is a fairyland of checkerboard mountains and red arches. The 1920's tunnel requires RV's to go down the middle of the road in order not to hit the sides of the tunnel, and it also requires us to pay a fee to do it. Teregram is marginal whether she needs a permit, but I said I was more comfortable in the middle of the road, so we bought one.


Once we had Daisy settled in our camping spot with A/C running, we took a bus ride to the top and back, stopping at the Museum for the movie and a nap. As a matter of fact, we took long naps this afternoon, waiting for the heat to subside before venturing out again. This time we took the bikes out for our second trip up the canyon to the Temple of Sinewava. Carl bicycled to the top of the canyon, while I put my bike on the front of a bus rack and rode the bus up. Then we both rode down. Oh My Gosh, there is only one uphill grade the entire 8 miles down. Haliakala, eat your heart out. You've got nothing on this absolutely free thrill. I kept braking to keep my speed below 20 mph. Couldn't do it. What a blast!

When we got back, our new friends from Vancouver stopped by the RV with their dogs, and Daisy and Franklin the Golden played till it was too dark to stay out anymore. Our new friends became acquainted with us when we admired their custom storage box on the back of their Class B, which is an oversized van. The unit is made to fit around the spare tire, is about 6 by 6 by 2, swings around so that you can grill and cook while standing under the van awning. They needed storage for the necessities of life, like three or four cooking surfaces including a grill with two propane tanks, a fire pit, lounge chairs, a margarita machine already plugged in and ready to go, two sets of golf clubs, a spare tent that sleeps 8, 8x 10 ground rug, and food for the dogs. Bikes go behind it, just like ours. Got to travel in style!

The next morning we took the hike to Emerald Pools. While there, we came upon a German couple that we had scared off the bike path the night before. Susan and Robert, we learned today, he in his wheel chair the last 23 years from a motorcycle accident, him wheeling with large arm muscles, she pushing with love. It was not wheel chair accessible, but it did not stop them. They both work in Hamburg, and when they have saved enough money, they travel. They spent 3 months in an RV in Alaska on one trip. They were a great inspiration to take life as it comes and life it to the fullest.