On the Road: Grand Canyon to Cedar City, Utah

I had to go east at first to get around the Canyon. Along this route were several ramshackle, wood structures, open on one side, that the Natives use to sell their arts and crafts. Occasionally, there was one person with his/her jewelry laid on a table, but this is not the tourist season. I would see a few hogans but many more trailers, surrounded by litters and discards, in the open with no trees. I only saw sheep once, and also two men on horseback one time, raising a dust trail in the distance.

Arizona and then Utah is a panoply of red dotted with trees and scrub and sage in various colors of grey and green and the blue sky. Along the route around the Grand Canyon to the east and north are the Vermilion Cliffs. I tried to think of the precise color and rust comes the closest. It is a melange of browns and reds, the brown muted the reds but not dominating. There are striations of the colors and sinuous, smooth wave-like formations of striking beauty.

In Utah, I drove through Zion NP and was literally breathless with the beauty of the gigantic rock formations. It is another place where words fail and photographs only touch on the reality, which truly is overwhelming.

I WAS not prepared for the "dark tunnel." There had been signs about "tunnel escorts for $15" at the entrance but I hadn't paid attention, thinking these were for trucks. As cars approached the tunnel, drivers were advised to take off sunglasses, keep lights on and watch for bicyclists. Periodically, there were windows where the stone had been cut through to to allow natural light, but it was DARK! The road beyond (from east to west) wound down to the valley with hairpins and precipitous dropoffs, all requiring attention, though there were pull offs.

Our protected national places are the grace notes in our landscape.

I took an Interstate north to Cedar City, Utah, and stayed at The Crystal Inn since it had a big sign out front stating "Special Prices for Tonight Only." It was one of the nicest motels I've stayed in and I ate in the restaurant which had an English theme with menu items like Bangers and Mash and waitresses sort of dressed in old English style. There was classical music and heavy silverware and napkins. I had salmon baked in parchment with a buttery wine sauce, fresh herbs and citrus slices. And a good hot fudge sundae for dessert. Even the ice cream was above average. I took half the salmon with me.

The darling waitress told me all about taking an "alcohol class" just last week. This was in response to my questions about Utah and alcohol. She said people think Utah is so restrictive because they often stop there after being in Vegas where there is "so much alcohol" but that, really, Utah can and does serve alcohol everywhere. In general, the state regulates this, although individual towns also can as to when, how much, where, etc. So, for instance, four people can go in a bar and one will order fries and then all can be served a drink, which is done, and no one even eats the fries.

There was an Asian family with two young kids parked near my room and they had everything from their vehicle piled on the grass...a significant mound of clothing and maps and shoes and toys and various containers. The Dad was sorting, discarding and re-arranging and I could totally relate. I did the same thing since it was still relatively warm and sunny.

Cedar City has mountains to the south and east and homes on hills easily seen from the parking lot. One could live in a worse place.