Bryce Canyon National Park is just a short (by our standards) drive from Zion National Park. I had hoped to make a stop at Cedar Breaks National Monument on the way, but the road to the monument was closed due to snow at that elevation of 10,000 feet. If you're in the area, it's a magnificent place to visit. Don't miss it. We took advantage of the short drive time to dedicate some time to that ole "gotta", laundry, before we landed in the park. By then, the afternoon winds were whipping. Ally's shirt was ballooning like crazy and that was a sign of things to come.
The wind settled down after sunset and Pop and Ally headed to a night sky ranger program. At 8,000' plus elevation, and far from cities, Bryce is known for its clear skies. What a lucky time to be here at Bryce. There was a gathering of astronomers that occurs annually and that night there were 24" telescopes available for the program. Ally and Pop were fortunate to see a supernova that had just been discovered two days prior in the Whirlpool Galaxy. Ron's book, Night Sky by Jonathan Poppele, says that a supernova is a cataclysmic explosion of a huge star that produces a wave of heat and light that sometimes outshines an entire galaxy. They often release more energy than our sun will in its entire lifetime. Pretty amazing. That made for a very exciting evening for them.
While Pop and Ally were looking through telescopes I was doing a bit of catch-up on the computer. I checked the weather and thought we'd better hold on to our hats. The wind we had experienced on arrival was nothing compared to what was on its way. The next morning they left early to try to beat the wind. Bryce also has a handy shuttle system that has a stop at the campground. Very convenient. They traveled the rim and learned about its formation for Ally's Junior Ranger program. Ron took my camera and off they went.
The wonderful Hoo Doos form when the fin formations collapse from erosion caused by wind and water (rain and snow). The Hoo Doos look like soldiers standing guard over the landscape.
The wind whistled through the canyon carving those Hoo Doos as Pop and Ally watched.
It's pretty special that we get to explore these wonderful places with our traveling partner, Ally. We're so lucky. I say that over and over again, but it's true. The next morning I planned to hike among the Hoo Doos but the wind was wild early in the a.m. I thought about my allergies and all that blowing dust. Then I thought about eating all that grit as I hiked and I decided to stay tucked in the rig. We drive close to Bryce each year when we return from the Tetons. Hiking the Hoo Doos will wait.
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