March 8, 2017
Greetings from Bryce Canyon.
We're holed up inside another national park... waiting for pizza in the nice little restaurant near the lodge. We walked the Navajo Trail which had some steep and muddy declines and uphill slogs and even some ice. This was quite scary to me because of the sharp drops off to one side, but I toughed it out and feel a little proud of myself. I haven't shuffled through all my photographs, but let me toss these up before the pizza arrives....
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I just got Utah (Syracuse, UT), leaving my only un-worked state ND. So there you are.
Visit ND on your way home.
Althouse -- In an earlier comments section, I shared my view of the differences between the type of beauty in Zion and Bryce Canyon. Now that you've seen both, what is your take? My two favorite national parks are Zion and Bryce because they are both so intimate. I love them all, but, because Zion and Bryce are both canyons, they seem to surround and envelope you in a way the other parks don't.
Why the Russia Story Is a Minefield for Democrats and the Media Rollong Stone
They don't even bother anymore to hide their torrid affair.
Connie from Oklahoma is back home in Oklahoma.
Did that "Utah 5" commercial influence this trip?
Over at Drudge, I saw these adjacent headlines:
CNN host eats HUMAN BRAIN during documentary filming...
Angry cannibal throws poop at him...
At the first link:
The group believes that nothing can taint the human body and rejects the Hindu caste system, which deems certain groups of people untouchable.
They sound like "Deplorables." No wonder he threw poo at CNN.
Wapo March 8
This desert in the Southwest is experiencing a wildflower ‘superbloom’
"A wildflower superbloom is underway in the desert Southwest in March after seven inches of winter rain. Anza-Borrego State Park in California hasn’t experienced a bloom so prolific since at least 1999 according to park officials."
"...The purple sand verbena is widespread in the Anzo-Borrega right now. It’s native to the Southwest and it thrives in well-drained soil. Pristine white primroses are also in bloom among yellow-flowered brittlebush. But, according to hikers’ reports, the most uncommon flower in bloom this year is the purple, notch-leaved phacelia.
It’s “a very rare event,” one hiker noted on the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association website:
With over 7 inches of rain this season, the Borrego Desert is verdant green with flowers in stages of both bud and early bloom. We are on the “uphill side” of the peak bloom and experiencing more open flowers with each passing sunny day. We note a few locations where open flowers can be seen, especially for those willing to wander among the mix of buds and blooms. A top location is anywhere within a two-mile stretch of the Coyote Canyon Jeep Road, north of the north end of DiGiorgio Road with abundant Peirson’s Primoses and others, including a few remarkable Desert Lilies.
Another worth a look is the Henderson Canyon Road with patches of pink Sand Verbena, Dune Evening Primroses with their wide white petals, yellow Desert Sunflowers beginning to bloom, and a few Desert Lilies. Around Borrego Springs, roadsides are lined with yellow Desert Dandelions and other wildflowers. These flowers are best seen in the morning, as some blossoms close in the afternoon.
If you want to see the superbloom in-person, the park says the best time to view the flowers is in the morning. They close up in the afternoon heat."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/03/08/this-park-in-the-desert-southwest-is-experiencing-a-wildflower-superbloom/
Bryce and Zion are captivating.
Looks beautiful, thank you for sharing these photos, I'm getting the Road Tripping bug, and I'm trying to imagine Trump in a National Park, I'm seeing him eye a clearing for golf course, casinos and hotels. Make America Gamble Again! #MAGA
"This was quite scary to me because of the sharp drops off to one side, but I toughed it out and feel a little proud of myself."
Hey, would it kill you to throw a tiny bone of credit to your emotional support animal?
First Name Canyons
Impressive.
Kudos to Althouse for making the trek even with an emotional support animal. My knees couldn't take it.
Bryce is one of my very favorite places. Glad you were able to do the trail. I've only done it in summer--no ice--but it's an awesome experience.
Meade said...
"This was quite scary to me because of the sharp drops off to one side, but I toughed it out and feel a little proud of myself."
Hey, would it kill you to throw a tiny bone of credit to your emotional support animal?
The two of you became one. Her lil bit of pride is yours, too. The both of you can gnaw on the bone of credit together.
Good for you. I'm not a fan of narrow trails, with slippery surfaces, and steep drop-offs. At least you didn't have to worry about a crowd of idiots coming the other way and trying to squeeze by them. Like this for instance:
Hiking Half Dome
Be careful on those icy trails.
My wife and I have enjoyed Bryce as well. We'd like to return for a longer stay. Safe travels.
Bryce is great this time of year. Do Capitol Reef since it's so close.
Then head to the Junction and beeline to Denver on 70. Rifle Falls is cool, I like the train in Georgetown too on the way. Stop in Eagle and if you're lucky maybe the ladies will unlock the museum.
Also, re Bryce the magpies are a hoot this time of year. they are "me so howrney" so get pretty alpha
Bryce Canyon!
Slowly I turned . . .
How was the pizza?
Second what Amadeus said. The soils at Bryce can be very slippery when wet or icy, and there's often a long way down. Take care.
Beautiful photos - what camera do you use?
Prof: Great journey by you and Meade. Some basic questions:
1. Are you driving from one place to another? When did the tour start and when it ends? Was the tour plan planned in advance or you all do this in real time?
2. Do you camp or stay in hotels?
3. What supplies such as gear or food do you take when you started?
4. Will you write a book on you tour?
Thanks!
Ann Althouse said "We're holed up inside another national park."
Holed up??? You, Meade and Pancho Villa?
Stunning photos!
The old Bryce Canyon poster is one of my favorites!
I loved Bryce. Unfortunately, we had only one night and one short day there. I remember our little hike on the Navajo Loop trail being beset by a busload of exuberant, really noisy Spaniards. After quietly cursing the noisy disruption, we observed once again how national stereotypes tend to prevail on the trail.
Mary: ...I'm trying to imagine Trump in a National Park, I'm seeing him eye a clearing for golf course, casinos and hotels.
That would make jimbino happy.
As Bryce himself said: "Hell of a place to lose a cow."
How about a Day Without Deserts With Rocks...maybe some wildflowers and cactus that indicate rain has ever happened there.
Wait. I thought Althouse hated to travel and thought it was better to stay home and look at professional photos?
Has she had a change of heart or has this trip reaffirmed her believe?
"Holed up??? You, Meade and Pancho Villa?"
If they're near Bryce, more likely with Butch Cassidy.
(Butch was a dissapointment to his Mormon parents.)
Today is National Get Over It Day.
Intentionally placed right after International Women's Day, or just a lucky coincidence? You be the judge.
Great photographs. Thanks for sharing. Looks like a fine trip.
From the Fauxhaus Blog:
In an Unexplained Case, Brain Activity Has Been Recorded as Much as 10 Minutes After Death
"Doctors in a Canadian intensive care unit have stumbled on a very strange case - when life support was turned off for four terminal patients, one of them showed persistent brain activity even after they were declared clinically dead.
For more than 10 minutes after doctors confirmed death through a range of observations, including the absence of a pulse and unreactive pupils, the patient appeared to experience the same kind of brain waves (delta wave bursts) we get during deep sleep...."
The concept of Life after Death is a weighty one, rich in the opportunities of possibility and conjecture. For a mere blog post perhaps it is better to narrow it down in scope, so let's approach this through a smaller lens: if Samuel L. Jackson was clinically dead yet still emitting brain activity, what would we think?
Is that activity akin to Tweets, brief signals sent out on the Universe's own infinite internet? Is he trying to communicate with us, or are we wrong to try to listen in on a private conversation he is having with his Maker?
Time for a poll:
What do you think dead Samuel L. Jackson is REALLY saying?
1. Shit! There IS an afterlife! And it's full of fucking White People! Damn!
2. There was so much I left undone. So much I missed. So much useless anger. Only now do I truly understand what Life was, and what Life could have been.
3. What part of Heaven here has them Southern slave-owners? I got some motherfuckkin' asses to kick, and all of Eternity to do it...
4. That damn Personal Assistant of mine better damn well delete all of my Black Man / White Woman Porn -- I don't want THAT shit on TMZ....
5. My last fuckin' film on Earth is gonna be "Kong: Skull Island"? They ain't gonna give me no fuckin' posthumous Oscar for THAT!
6. You're Saint Peter? Muthafukka, Please!
I am Laslo.
How about a Day Without Deserts With Rocks...maybe some wildflowers and cactus that indicate rain has ever happened there.
Oh, there are wildflowers at Bryce. Plenty of them -- particularly this year, since they've had a lot of rain and snow. The last time I was there, we took several pictures of wildflowers. (We were making some stationary for my mother and were using pictures of wildflowers as decoration on the stationary.) However, the flowers have a hard time competing with the spectacular vistas. You see wildflowers in lots of different places throughout the world. Unless you've been to Bryce, you've never seen such rock formations. (Okay, Cedar Breaks National Monument has similar kinds of some of Bryce's rock formations, but it's like comparing high school baseball to the major leagues.)
The Grand Canyon trails are very icy--just in time for spring break. Bring your crampons! Check out the photo here.
Icy Trails in the Grand Canyon
I think Utah Highway 24 (or 12) goes out of Bryce, through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (Bill Clinton's dagger towards Utah), then goes into Capitol Reef and possibly over through Canyonlands and then to Moab.
You may wish to investigate taking it. Today's a beautiful day in Utah as well.
If you go on I-70 and through Salina, and want to get Meade some nice cowboy boots or other apparel, there's a nice boot shop in Salina. Got one of my sets of cowboy boots there. Pretty good pair.
Nice small cafe, too. Supposed to have good pie. I doubt you are interested in meeting any of your commentators, but I'd love to come down and do lunch or something if you go through Salina or Richfield. Honestly, though--take the chance to hit Capitol Reef and Canyonlands and Arches instead.
--Vance
Good job Anne! I feel you.
In the first major interview that Francis has given a German newspaper, the pope was asked whether he experienced moments in which he doubted the existence of Trump. He responded: “I, too, know moments of emptiness.”
"Bryce is great this time of year. Do Capitol Reef since it's so close."
And if you do, take the crazy, spectacular Utah Hwy 12 to get there. I think it's the only road I've driven that has sections with sheer drop-offs on both sides of the road at the same time. And no guard rails (but they do cut the speed limit to 25 in those places). You go right through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. That whole area is one of my favorite spots on the planet.
Bernie Goldberg -- the man who wrote the book* on left wing media bias -- finishes the provocative line, "The biggest source of fake news in America is..." at his website, BernardGoldberg.com:
http://bernardgoldberg.com/the-biggest-source-of-fake-news-in-america-is/
*And you can buy the book, "Bias" through the Althouse Amazon portal and help support this blog too.
https://www.amazon.com/Bias-Insider-Exposes-Media-Distort/dp/0895261901
My wife and I rode the mules down to Phantom Ranch in the Grand Canyon. It was early winter and the mules were shod with snow/ice shoes. My mule liked to ride the edge of the abyss and to bring his front feet to the edge on each of the many many switchbacks. On more than one occasion one of the back feet of my mule would zip out over the edge and the man behind me would say "holy shit." He said it every time. My mule's name was Arluf.
In a world where the Federal Govt. tries to protect us from every possible accident we are able to ride mules down into the Grand Canyon. No tourist rider has been killed to my knowledge although mules carrying supplies to Phantom Ranch have been known to take the long long slide.
I hadn't thought all that much about the Day Without Women, but it strikes me now just how childish is the thought process behind it.
Think about the message: "We're not appreciated. We're gonna leave. You're going to miss us. You'll be sorry."
This is what children think when they run away from home. You don't love me! I'll run away... and you'll be sad when you're deprived of me!
This is what children think when they run away from home. You don't love me! I'll run away... and you'll be sad when you're deprived of me!
I ran away from home once when I was about 10. Got on my bike and headed west. A few hours later I came back and found that my parents were watching a football game and hadn't noticed I was gone. :-D
Michael relates: On more than one occasion one of the back feet of my mule would zip out over the edge and the man behind me would say "holy shit." He said it every time. My mule's name was Arluf.
But he probably thought his name was 'holy shit'.
Bill, Republic of Texas said...
"Wait. I thought Althouse hated to travel and thought it was better to stay home and look at professional photos?"
She hates to fly and trains are too slow.
Is this the latest we've gone without a new Althouse post?
Bryce is very nice.
I don't know if it is in your travel plans, but Escalante has some amazing canyons and such that are well worth exploring, with narrow slots, natural bridges, arches, monoliths, domes, waterfalls and more. Few sights are more impressive than Stephens Arch or Jacob Hamblin Arch.
If I ever get to retire in 20 years, it will be to the Escalante region. The vistas there are profound.
I was with my dad, brother, and his kids on a trail ride in Colorado on my dad's 80th birthday. We were heading single-file down a narrow trail with a steep drop off to one side and a steep hill to the other. When the guide got near the valley floor, he came upon a man with 3 unleashed dogs. The dogs rushed the guide on the lead horse, barking madly He managed to keep control of his horse. But the horses behind, with inexperienced riders, decided they didn't like this turn of events, panicked, and started going back up the trail, past the other horses when necessary. As my horse may a U-turn on this narrow trail, with other horses scrambling past on the high side, I had visions of my horse tumbling backward down the hill, rolling onto me and crushing me. But, amazingly, it stayed on the trail, completed its turn, and passed by some of the other horses behind it. It was all I could do to keep my horse from going off on a mad gallop, so I couldn't help my poor 8 year old nephew who was terrified. Luckily, my dad and brother, who were at the back of the line and whose horses didn't panic, were able to grab my nephew's horse's lead. When our guide managed to get back to the top of the hill with the rest of us, he kept asking if everyone was alright. He was amazed that no one got hurt.
Mr. M, unleashed dogs are a hazard and I hope the man was fined, at least. I carry pepper spray on every trail and even on the street to protect myself and my dog, who is always leashed when off our property. It probably wouldn't have helped in your case, though. Glad no one was hurt. You could have been killed.
I carry pepper spray on every trail and even on the street to protect myself and my dog, who is always leashed when off our property.
My basset hound, which is totally passive, was badly mauled a year ago by an unleashed dog that was out with teenaged kids. Fortunately, the owner ran over and got the dog her kids had let out off mine. Also she agreed to pay the $1400 vet bill.
I could not get the damned dog off mine. as she was creaming and other neighbors were trying to get it off. She was on her back totally submissive,. I licked it and got it off twice but it went right back to biting her. Now, I carry a walking stick with a spear point under a rubber ferrule. The pepper spray might have gotten my dog, as well, as she was on her back.
I was really worried about her for a couple of days but she healed up OK. She doesn't like other dogs much now.
screaming.
kicked it. God damn autocorrect,
I don't know what happened to the man. As I seem to recall the guide later saying, however, I think they'd had trouble with him before being on their trail. For the life of me, I don't know how those horses managed to do an about-face in a panic on that itty bitty little trail with no one getting hurt. I suppose it helped that they knew the trail well and didn't want to die either.
The pepper spray might have gotten my dog, as well, as she was on her back.
Michael, it wouldn't do any permanent harm to your dog. I have sprayed myself twice by accident [don't use it against a strong wind, LOL!]. About half an hour of misery and then you fully recover. So do dogs. Animal control has told me that, too.
Of course, I'd much rather spray the owner but then I'd land in jail. :-\
The top picture is interesting because there's almost nothing in the picture to give a sense of scale. How big is the rock formation? Hard to tell, but it looks fairly large.
I'm sure there's a name for those precarious-looking wind-carved parts that look like they could fall off if a stiff breeze hit them. I would definitely be a bit paranoid if I was there on a really windy day.
What if Althouse just stopped posting one day? No message. No comment. Just drove towards the sunset and never showed up online again.
Would commenters try to find her?
Would there be a plaintive post from Instapundit?
Would Robert Wright have a bloggingheads with one side empty, on live every day at the same hour?
Ann --
If you've got the gear and time I highly recommend the Paria Canyon. It's a slot canyon-- absolutely amazing so long as it's not raining.
>>I'm sure there's a name for those precarious-looking wind-carved parts that look like they could fall off if a stiff breeze hit them.
One of them is called "Mexican Hat". Not too far from where Ann is right now. :)
Here's a fight that I would very much like to see aired by Professor Althouse...
... And it is one where I think that there might be near-unanimity among her blog audience.
The story is EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's interview this morning on CNBC. The mainstream media is running away with a story that Pruitt is (once again?!?) turning a blind eye to some form of settled science.
It is bullshit. Listen to the question. Listen to the answer. I side with Pruitt. I like his answer, much better than the preening, scolding liberal media's response.
I'll let all of you, and Professor Althouse pick out your favorite MSM freakout. See who is the most extreme, in twisting Pruitt's words and tryin to spin the "Republicans are against science" myth.
Here's the original video:
http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000599854
I'll bet you would.
Those cliffs are the manhattan skyline Althouse longs to return to.
Still nothing from Ann or Meade! Has anyone received a ransom note? Shouldn't there be an "Amber alert" issued? Could there have been foul play, i.e., does anyone now the whereabouts of one cannon ball guild? I'm worried!
those precarious-looking wind-carved parts that look like they could fall off if a stiff breeze hit them. I would definitely be a bit paranoid if I was there on a really windy day.
The Azure Window in Gozo Malta collapsed this week. Not just the bridge but the stands too. All washed away by high winds and rough seas.
I was there last year and people were standing and walking all over it. I don't think anyone expected it to collapse.
Shouldn't there be an "Amber alert" issued?
Silver alert!
I thought yesterday was the day without women, not today.
Has to be more than a dead battery.
There are places where wifi is not available.
Has to be more than a dead battery.
Yes, Althouse has an impressive streak going of blogging every day. I think it would have to be something serious to break that streak. Let's hope it's just a technical problem with her wifi connection.
Hacked by the Rooskies...
"There are places where wifi is not available."
There sure are. Those are my favorite places.
Easy to imagine a connection problem out west, but I do hope they're ok.
What's taking that pizza so long ?
If they took Utah Route 12, there's very likely not even cell service along much of that route. People forget, but Ann and Meade are in some of the most remote, least populated places in the lower 48. Southern Utah is gorgeous... but it is very, very rugged, mountainous terrain. And very few people.
Heck, it was within the last 4 years that AT&T actually started covering my county in Utah, the most populated one between here and Arizona.
There's a very good chance that if they are not in Moab, Escalante itself, or on I-70 they simply don't have an internet connection.
I regularly drop my cell connection driving around down here.
--Vance
Unknown Vance said... [hush][hide comment]
If they took Utah Route 12, there's very likely not even cell service along much of that route. People forget, but Ann and Meade are in some of the most remote, least populated places in the lower 48. Southern Utah is gorgeous... but it is very, very rugged, mountainous terrain. And very few people.
Heck, it was within the last 4 years that AT&T actually started covering my county in Utah, the most populated one between here and Arizona.
There's a very good chance that if they are not in Moab, Escalante itself, or on I-70 they simply don't have an internet connection.
I regularly drop my cell connection driving around down here.
Yeah, but we don't depend on you for our daily blog/comment fix.
Speaking of science and energy: Dying robots and failing hope: Fukushima clean-up falters six years after tsunami
When people ask why most people are not all that enthusiastic about nuclear power this is why. A screwup is a massive problem in a way that a solar panel never will be.
ARM,
Now when solar panels can consistently produce a comparable amount of power we'll talk.
I don't want to minimize the problems to which you alude but until then your complaint has the whiff of horse and buggies never produced the problems of a 64 car pileup on the freeway.
Great choices. If I missed it, and you're been there, forgive me, but Mesa Verde and Anasazi State park...
ARM states: When people ask why most people are not all that enthusiastic about nuclear power this is why. A screwup is a massive problem in a way that a solar panel never will be.
That and the waste storage issues.
Tucker Calson said ...
“It’s been seven years to the month since Obamacare passed, and I guess the obvious question is why in all that time couldn’t Republicans formulate a plan most of them could agree on before going public with it. It looks like chaos”
“all the wealth basically in the last 10 years has stuck to the top end. That’s one of the reasons we have had all this political turmoil. So, it’s kind of a hard sell to say, ‘We are going repeal to Obamacare, but we are going to send more money to the people who have gotten the richest over the last 10 years.’ That’s what this does, no? I am not a leftist; that’s just true.”
ARM; it's a fair criticism of the GOP in Congress. Although the honest answer is, "Because health care reform is the most brutally difficult subject Congress has faced since slavery."
Carlson could have asked the same question of Trump, too. "All through the campaign, Trump raged about what a disaster Obamacare was, and how he had a plan to make everything great with a plan that would be simpler, less expensive, better level of care. What happened to that? Trump's involvement in this looks like chaos."
The problem the GOP Congress is facing in dealing with the Obamacare mess is that no Democrat in the Senate will vote for any plan the GOP might support. This means that they will have to use reconciliation and can only address through that process things that have a direct effect on the federal budget. Many things Republicans would like to do, such as allow insurers to sell policies across state lines, cannot be done through reconciliation.
If they took Utah Route 12, there's very likely not even cell service along much of that route. People forget, but Ann and Meade are in some of the most remote, least populated places in the lower 48. Southern Utah is gorgeous... but it is very, very rugged, mountainous terrain. And very few people.
Exactly this. Unless you have been out in that part of the country, you have no idea how remote it is. This is a place where when the station says 'last gas for 50 miles' they mean it.
Chuck said...
Although the honest answer is, "Because health care reform is the most brutally difficult subject Congress has faced since slavery."
This might be overstating things, but it is morally difficult because it always comes down to rationing health care services. If A has more complete health insurance than B, A will get access to better drugs, better doctors or at least a broader selection of doctors and coverage for a wider range of procedures. Our lack of universal coverage is a form of rationing, uninsured people receive the absolute minimum in services that hospitals can legally get away with. They are not charities.
Well the moral/practical problem is that one side realizes that it is literally, factually impossible to deliver unlimited health care to the whole population, not at any price, much less a price people are willing to pay. There just is no way to do it, nor the medical personnel, nor the infrastructure.
The other side demands it as a "right." That disagreement can't be resolved.
http://www.theamericanmirror.com/malik-obama-shares-photo-brother-baracks-kenya-certificate-birth/
Obama Admits to Wiretapping Trump.
AReasonableMan said...
"Speaking of science and energy: Dying robots and failing hope: Fukushima clean-up falters six years after tsunami
When people ask why most people are not all that enthusiastic about nuclear power this is why. A screwup is a massive problem in a way that a solar panel never will be."
Except that solar is still hugely inefficient and storage is a problem that has yet to worked out.
Nuclear is clean and efficient as are fuel cells.
Candu reactors have a good safety record and thorium is also an option.
Try running an aluminum smelter on solar.
I only mention it because while you can replace your roof with solar panels there are industries that rely on huge amounts of reliable electric energy.
Obama also assured us that there was not a smidgen of corruption in the IRS, as well. All those guys took the fifth, all of those hard drives shredded before third parties could examine them. All those backup tapes destroyed? Well, it was just because Republicans are nasty people who would twist their words!
Only partisan Democrat tools like ARM take an Obama denial seriously.
Our lack of universal coverage is a form of rationing
And freedom is slavery, and war is peace, ARM has 'em all. Market allocation = rationing (allocation through state power) is just one of his many canards. The thing is that I am starting to believe that he actually believes this "State uber alle" vision of government, and has swallowed it so completely he may actually believe he is being reasonable.
You know what might help hospitals? Cutting the number of illegal aliens that show up in their emergency room, who work jobs in the US cheaper than Americans on account of they get no benefits, paid in cash, no payroll taxes, nothing, maybe if hospitals didn't have that burden, they could do better? Naah! Democrats need the votes!
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