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We're all stuck at home right now, so I'm going to relive the EPIC trip I took last year to visit several National Park sites in the west, day by day.
Today is Day 1: May 8, 2019.
I flew from Washington to Salt Lake City to start my trip.
Today is Day 1: May 8, 2019.
I flew from Washington to Salt Lake City to start my trip.
My arrival in Salt Lake City marked by snow-capped mountains.
Off to downtown Salt Lake to find my hotel. Big day of driving tomorrow.
It's May 9, 2019. Day 2.
I'm up early to drive 200 miles to City of Rocks National Reserve for some hiking. This will be my first time doing something in Idaho. Previously, I've only passed through.
I'm up early to drive 200 miles to City of Rocks National Reserve for some hiking. This will be my first time doing something in Idaho. Previously, I've only passed through.
City of Rocks is an area with spectacular rock formations. It was designated a National Reserve in 1988 and is cooperatively managed and funded by the National Park Service and Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.
The California Trail passed through City of Rocks, and in the 1840s and 1850s some pioneers left their names painted in axle grease on the rocks, where it remains.
The rock formations are spectacular.
Among them are the Twin Sisters and Window Arch (both pictured) and many many more.
Among them are the Twin Sisters and Window Arch (both pictured) and many many more.
I hiked the Creekside Towers Trail in the afternoon, saw lots of rocks, and collected my stamp.
City of Rocks was my 105th NPS unit.
City of Rocks was my 105th NPS unit.
After a day hiking amongst these surreal boulders, it's time for a 149 mile drive to Ogden to meet @srepetsk and @terraplanner at the Utah State Railroad Museum.
There's a big festival there for the weekend, celebrating tomorrow's big event: the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike.
Tonight we'll spend the night in nearby Brigham City to have a short drive to tomorrow's reenactment and celebration.
Tonight we'll spend the night in nearby Brigham City to have a short drive to tomorrow's reenactment and celebration.
Day 3: May 10, 2019.
It's an early morning today. First thing, I meet up with @SunnysWords, who has taken a UTA bus up from Ogden.
Then the four of us, @SunnysWords, @srepetsk, and @terraplanner, head out to Promontory with 15,000 other people.
It's an early morning today. First thing, I meet up with @SunnysWords, who has taken a UTA bus up from Ogden.
Then the four of us, @SunnysWords, @srepetsk, and @terraplanner, head out to Promontory with 15,000 other people.
As you can see, it was very crowded. I didn't take a lot of pictures because they're just pictures of crowds. I've got pictures from a previous trip to Golden Spike.
This was certainly *a* highlight of the trip, and was one of the main reasons for it.
I believe the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad was one of the most important events in US history. It unified east and west even as the country rose from the ashes of the Civil War.
I believe the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad was one of the most important events in US history. It unified east and west even as the country rose from the ashes of the Civil War.
Thousands died building the Railroad, but in just 7 years, the line was carved across the thousands of miles from Omaha to Sacramento. https://twitter.com/Tracktwentynine/status/1126891270972919808?s=19
It's hot and relentlessly sunny. But The atmosphere is electric. https://twitter.com/terraplanner/status/1126922265545699328?s=19
The actual moment of the completion's 150th anniversary will be at 12:47P Utah time, as the word "DONE" is telegraphed across the nation.
This is what Golden Spike National Historic Site looks like on a normal day, when I visited it on July 3, 2016.
The ceremony was long. Probably too long.
I got heat exhaustion from sitting in the sun for so long. It was rough for a day or two after that.
We heard speeches from Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, Secretary of the Interior Elaine Chao, and Utah Gov. Gary Herbert.
I got heat exhaustion from sitting in the sun for so long. It was rough for a day or two after that.
We heard speeches from Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, Secretary of the Interior Elaine Chao, and Utah Gov. Gary Herbert.
The actual golden spike from the May 10, 1869 ceremony is not at Promontory. It's housed at Stanford University. I saw it in 2015.
Inscribed, it says:
"May God continue the unity of our country as this railroad unites the two great oceans of the world."
Inscribed, it says:
"May God continue the unity of our country as this railroad unites the two great oceans of the world."
Unfortunately, @marctomik couldn't join us, but he was with us in spirit. https://twitter.com/marctomik/status/1126846384160825344?s=19
DONE.
The last tie placed. The last rail laid. The last spike driven. The Pacific Railroad is complete.
A new road of steel links east and west. Atlantic and Pacific.
The great American desert has been conquered. The Rockies mounted. The Sierras driven through.
The last tie placed. The last rail laid. The last spike driven. The Pacific Railroad is complete.
A new road of steel links east and west. Atlantic and Pacific.
The great American desert has been conquered. The Rockies mounted. The Sierras driven through.
Now that the ceremony is done, @srepetsk and I have a 250 mile drive to Richfield, UT where we're spending the night. Along the way, we're dropping @SunnysWords off in SLC. @terraplanner had to head for the airport for his flight back to SF.
I have heat exhaustion bad.
I have heat exhaustion bad.
Day 4: May 11, 2019:
I'm feeling significantly better today. Drinking all the water.
We start off the day with a short 75-mile drive to Capitol Reef National Park.
Capitol Reef is my 106th NPS unit and my 17th National Park.
I'm feeling significantly better today. Drinking all the water.
We start off the day with a short 75-mile drive to Capitol Reef National Park.
Capitol Reef is my 106th NPS unit and my 17th National Park.
After a stop at the visitor center to get a stamp and info, @srepetsk and I set off for the Rim Trail, for a strenuous hike up to Rim Overlook. It's 2.3 miles in (and another 2.3 miles back), with an elevation gain of 1,110 feet. It was so worth it.
This national park got its name because of the rock formations of the Waterpocket Fold that look like the domes of capitol buildings, and the fact that it acted as a barrier to travel (a reef).
We also took a drive down the *very* aptly named "Scenic Drive" toward the area south of the visitor center.
Capitol Reef is my favorite National Park. It's just amazingly gorgeous. I can't wait to visit again.
After an amazing day at Capitol Reef, it's time for us to drive 124 miles to Bryce Canyon National Park. The drive along Utah Route 12 is one of the most scenic drives I've ever done.
It was getting dark fast, so we didn't stop to take too many pictures, but I want to go back and do the drive along UT 12 again one day. Such a gorgeous drive.
We arrived at our destination, the Bryce Canyon Lodge, after dark. So tune in tomorrow for Day 5!
We arrived at our destination, the Bryce Canyon Lodge, after dark. So tune in tomorrow for Day 5!
Day 5: May 12, 2019:
After a lot of hiking and driving yesterday (and heat exhaustion for me on Day 3), we slept in a bit today. But we awoke just steps from Bryce Canyon in the park lodge.
It's a surreal landscape.
After a lot of hiking and driving yesterday (and heat exhaustion for me on Day 3), we slept in a bit today. But we awoke just steps from Bryce Canyon in the park lodge.
It's a surreal landscape.
Our first destination was a hike down to Inspiration Point. The views were indeed inspiring.
After a side trip to the visitor center to get info about hiking (and a passport stamp!), we had lunch in the lodge and then hiked down to Queens Garden in the canyon (which is not really a canyon, but a natural amphitheater).
A selfie for posterity on the Queens Garden Trail.
Bryce is my 107th NPS unit and 18th NP. https://twitter.com/Tracktwentynine/status/1127702172164952064
Bryce is my 107th NPS unit and 18th NP. https://twitter.com/Tracktwentynine/status/1127702172164952064
I don't take relaxing vacations. I always overload them with adventures. On a long trip like this one, it is important to have rest days for self-care and also to have some buffer in case you get off schedule.
The afternoon reading a book on the balcony was perfect.
The afternoon reading a book on the balcony was perfect.
Bryce Canyon is one of the darkest places in the lower 48. Unfortunately, there was a full moon, so the stargazing wasn't great.
But I took the opportunity to try something I'd wanted to do. A long-exposure with landscape and stars.
Needs improvement. But a fun effort at 1AM.
But I took the opportunity to try something I'd wanted to do. A long-exposure with landscape and stars.
Needs improvement. But a fun effort at 1AM.
Good morning! It's Day 6: May 13, 2019.
@srepetsk and I are up early to catch the unmissable sunrise at Bryce Canyon.
Staying up until 1AM to take long-exposure night shots at the canyon and then getting up before dawn to catch the sunrise? Not my best planning. But worth it!
@srepetsk and I are up early to catch the unmissable sunrise at Bryce Canyon.
Staying up until 1AM to take long-exposure night shots at the canyon and then getting up before dawn to catch the sunrise? Not my best planning. But worth it!
After sunrise, we head the 100 yards back to the lodge for a nap before checkout.
Then it's in the car for a drive down to Rainbow Point, as far south in the Park as the road goes. It's about 1,100 feet higher in elevation than the Lodge and yesterday's pictures.
Then it's in the car for a drive down to Rainbow Point, as far south in the Park as the road goes. It's about 1,100 feet higher in elevation than the Lodge and yesterday's pictures.
The drive itself is quite scenic. There's even a natural bridge.
