Key West, FL: National Parks

A good friend of mine is an avid hiker and has been to almost all of this country's National Parks. In fact it was John who introduced me to Zion National Park in Utah, one of my favorite places in the whole world and one I can't wait to show to show MLA.

John, my friend Peter and I took two days off during a business trip to explore Zion N.P. The trip was a hectic whirlwind tour trying to convince our company to grow it's Government Sales Team in order to help satisfy our government's insatiable appetite for PC's, Printers, Supplies, etc.

We arrived at Zion N.P. in late afternoon and, before doing anything else, John had us hike a trail to the top of a huge rock formation called Angel's Landing. This 5 mile hike was incredible and included a series of switchbacks that took you higher and higher, eventaully bringing you out on top of this bluff. From there you crossed over a narrow (and I mean narrow) trail on top of a rock 'fin'. On one side it dropped 1200 feet and it dropped 800 feet on the other. You could literally hold a rock in both hands and drop the rocks to the canyon floor simultaneously!

One guide book described the last 1/2mile of the Angel's Landing hike as follows:

"Sheer cliffs at high elevations while hiking on a narrow fin. Not suggested for children or those with a fear of heights. Avoid standing near the edge at all times! Do not hike the trail when it is wet, storming, or when high winds are present."

No kidding, that narrow fin was like walking on a rocky sidewalk, only 1200 feet in the air with no fence, rail, wall... nothing but air & gravity to hold you on the trail.

This narrow 'fin' brought you to a great wall that had chains for you to hold onto as you scaled the wall to finally arrive at the top of Angel's Landing.

Once on top of Angel's Landing you had an unimpeded view of the much of Zion and the canyon floor some 1500 feet below. The views all along the hike were impressive however from the top of Angel's Landing the view was spectacular, especially since we were arriving late in the afternoon.

The next day we followed the river into a 'slot canyon'. The walls on either side rose hundreds of feet straight up and you walked along side and in the river itself. At one point we veered off the main trail into an even narrower slot canyon that required climbing up a small waterfall. It was hilarious to watch someone struggling to overcome the force of the water on slippery rocks and teh way the water pulled at your head and chest, soaking every inch of your body with very cold water. Hilarious that is until it was your turn to use every ounce of your strength to pull yourself up and over this waterfall. That slot canyon was nearly deserted and we hiked for miles; many times the walls on either side seemed impossibly close together; the sun only directly visible later when it was directly overhead.

I kept a picture of the three of us on top of Angel's Landing on my desk at work for years to remind me of that time. All in all, it was a an incredible trip, and Zion N.P. is one place I can't wait to show to MLA.

In any case, John suggested flying over to the Dry Tortugas from Key West instead of taking a boat. On the flight out you see a sunken ships, sharks, rays, and of course the incredible variety of colors of the water. Plus you arrive at Fort Jefferson before anyone else and get to explore mostly by youself. MLA and I will make some calls today and see if we can get a reservation. Can't wait. Might even share a picture or two with you.

MLA had a case of food poisoning Tuesday evening. We where up most of Tuesday night and just relaxed in camp on Wednesday to let her recover. Hopefully she will have her strength back today.

Looks like another spectacular day in the Keys. I started writing this well before sunrise. It's getting light outside right now so I'm taking a break to enjoy daybreak....

Well, not as spectacular as yesterday's sunrise but pretty cool just the same.

Somehow it's sweeter getting up early enough to enjoy the sunrise when you know you don't have to rush off to work. I can't tell you the number of times I left the house in the dark to go to work only to return home later that day, also in the dark, and rarely took the time to enjoy or even notice the sunrise or sunset.

And now of course there's always the option, after catching the sunrise, of going back to bed for a nap. What a life!

See ya! I hear a pillow calling....