Seconds With Steff

Honestly, there isn’t much to say about today… Bryce was different than I expected. It was more and better but different in a way that I can’t explain yet.
We started with sunrise, literally a four-minute walk from our room (not as close as Monument Valley, but what are ya gonna do?

We walked the rim a bit before heading to the horseback riding. Somehow, when booking this excursion, I didn’t realize that we would descend into the canyon — which meant switchbacks on horseback, with Hunter behind me going, “Woahhhhhhh.” A Xanax, a Xanax! My kingdom for a Xanax! Once we were down on the floor of the canyon, it was actually a really lovely ride, and Hunter did wonderfully.

Getting up close and personal with the hoodoos, it is easy to see how they were the inspiration for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad also on our way out of Bryce, we passed Thunder Mountain Trailhead…I have research to do…) And let me tell you, I would rather hike any day of the week than ride a horse! I don’t want to discuss the parts of my body that are sore, so after begging the cleaning staff to let us sneak back into our room 20 minutes after check out to rinse off and change, I threw away my entire plan, and instead of hiking, we completed the scenic drive — which I somehow missed existed. The National Park Service has a great free app that offers driving audio tours of selected parks, and Bryce happens to be one of them!

Rainbow Point

Yovimpa Point

Black Birch Canyon

Ponderosa Point

Agua Canyon – The formation to Hunter’s right is known as The Hunter

Natural Bridge

Farview Point – Hunter decided he was starving and desperately needed a hot dog (in fifth position).

Swamp Canyon

Inspiration Point

Bryce Point

Then, after driving through the Red Canyon Arch and a quick stop at the Red Canyon Visitor Center in the middle of a pretty good downpour, we exited the Dixie Forest (again).

The Mighty Five has been completed! Hunter told me that his favorite thing in each park was:
Zion – Walking in the water (the Narrows hike)
Arches – Seeing Delicate Arch because it looks just like his Lego
Canyonlands – The rock that looked like Aladdin
Capitol Reef – Hiking to the Narrows (this one was dry)
Bryce – Horseback riding

Tonight we’re hanging in Spanish Fork before heading to Jackson in the morning because… yup… I chose our hotel because it was close to an In-N-Out. I think that’s perfectly reasonable.

Unreliable Summary – Horseback Riding, Mighty Five Completed!, and In-N-Out