9/17: hiking in Zion

Maybe biking and hiking is more accurate. We biked several miles up to the entrance of the Narrows, where the Virgin River cuts a deep path through sedimentary rock. There's frequently only water across the path, so our wading shoes and neoprene socks were crucial for comfort and safety. 

We took the Orderville branch, which was more challenging and entertaining than the main narrows. 

We had to scramble up rock walls and wade in chest-deep water to get through a series of obstacles. Fun but definitely demanding and requiring our full attention. 

We got back in one piece and then went over to the Weeping Rock, where sandwiched layers of limestone and sandstone are permeated with rainwater and drain at the exposed face. 

There are ground squirrels everywhere. 

9/16: out to Zion

Got a little bit of biking done yesterday. There's some really dry mountains out there!

We woke up at 6:15, well before sunrise. That hadn't factored into our plans -- that we can only get it into the road so early.

The next obstacle we ran into was that my GPS would not show our route. While we do have paper directions and the GPS for reviewing our location, it's much nicer to have the turn by turn built in. After a good 40 min trying to fix the rite files on the hotel lobby computer, we gave up and headed out. I think it could be fixed, but maybe not on the restricted machine we had available. 

I got the idea at a WalMart stop to ask some other hotel to let us use their computer. A nearby Quality Inn graciously obliged, and I was able to edit and fix the files. Phew. 

We climbed two hard but short inclines in the morning before lunch. A nice introduction to the landscapes. 

After lunch, one more big climb and then we reached Zion. 

We're staying here two nights. Tomorrow, we'll hike in our specially rented wading  shoes in the narrow river valley.