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Friday May 23, 2003: Canyonland Nat.Park - Island in the Sky (UT)
WARNING : this text has been translated automatically from french
Alarm clock with 5h30, small déj' and with 7h45 one takes the road for Canyonland by Island in the Sky. On the way one stops in Visitor Center de Arches to prepare trotts it of tomorrow.
One does not fill the tank with gasoline by thinking that there will be enough for the day.
The miles ravel and the park is further than it does not appear on the chart. One converts the miles into km, then the liters in gallons to estimate if the gasoline reserve will be sufficient. It will be necessary to limit displacements on the roads of Island in the Sky if one wants to leave the park this evening without pushing.
Exhausted, one decides to be cool. With 9h one has a small walk, rather a "walk" even if it is true that in full sun all appears painful! But good, "Aztec Butte" with its 2 miles is appropriate to us: 40 minutes to suit it, one finds a cave super to rest there in the shade (I fall asleep straightforwardly) and one sets out again much more in form.
The top of the "Hillock" is preceded by a multitude of small caves in the form of niches. The dome overhangs panoramic deep canyons. The impression of island perched in the sky takes all its significance at this place.
11h25 one joined the car and one leaves in direction Large View Point Overlook (it was decided that one would have enough gasoline to return!). On the way one stops in Green River Overlook (11h30) then Buck Canyon Overlook (11h45) then in Grand View Point one decides quickly to be a shade for spade to screw. Idem, under a rock dug, this time it is Fabien which wants first to sleep. I do not delay either 14h45 one goes for this last "walk" of the day. The sight is worth the blow, it is pleasant because there is gentle breeze and even some clouds, that changes.
The infinite panorama lends itself to memorable photographs. We try to emphasize this size with zoomées photographs taken by far, like with a perilous dolly with the camera.
One sets out again only with 15h30 and one joined the car towards 16h00 (one crossed a snake on the way!).
One returns (without pushing the car) to 17h (thus 18h) to the Motel "The Big Horn Lodge".
This time, nothing to repeat: tele with connections which are well, the bathroom, the coffee machine, the refrigerator, a table, 2 chairs, 2 double beds... and even a distributor of ice floes to the RDC (for 89 $ the night, one needs that well!).
Good, shower, projection of numerical photographs and hop races for this evening and tomorrow morning and midday (CB 22,44$). One returns in the room to eat our chicken roasted by looking at films of our camera, therefore the table is put, the a little refreshed room, one connects... and obviously the image jumps! In short this evening it is chicken roasted in front of CNN or Fox News... why not.
One is flat and one has still the day of tomorrow to prepare. Fabien wants to call the Motels for Sunday (Memorial Day obliqe), it benefits from it to use its telephone chart all alone.
With 21h15, hardest (22h15 is made here) and one is burst as if one had taken care! Then finally, let us test also a Motel for tomorrow evening: it goes, dodo with 23h30.
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