It was very cold last night – went down to 21 degrees. Our electric heater ran constantly, so we stayed comfortable. Luckily, I brought in the trailer's water supply hose before we went to bed so there was no freezing problem.
We did the tourist thing today and visited several Bryce Canyon overlooks by car. The views are spectacular, but nothing approaching those we experienced while hiking in the canyon itself.
We hiked on a short one mile trail at about 9,100 feet to a stand of ancient bristlecone pine trees. Some of these are estimated to be around 14,000 years old – the oldest living organisms on this planet. Many of the specimens we viewed are masses of twisted branches, some new and many dead. The needles are soft, resembling a fox's tail. Its cones are very small.
After our driving tour, we stopped in at Ruby's Inn for gas and some groceries. There must have been 20 tour buses parked in their lot, along with scores of cars. The place is crazy busy now. We can only imagine what things must be like in high season. The family that owns the complex, which consists of a motel, several restaurants, stores, and a campground, must be doing very well, indeed.
Tomorrow, we head for Zion Canyon National Park, which is a short drive of about 100 miles or so. It will be much warmer there due to its lower elevation. We will spend three nights there, and then head for fabulous Las Vegas.
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