Today I packed up my stuff to head north to Zion National Park! My parents, who have always wanted to see Utah, were going to meet me there for dinner and a subsequent week of traveling. But first I had plans to see Alan, a friend of mine who lives in Kanab, UT.
Because Alan couldn’t meet up until later in the afternoon, I spent a few extra hours screwing around at the campsite. And then when I finally had to leave there, I moseyed my way up the highway until I hit Lake Powell.
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| This guy pulled up in his rental Mustang, parked exactly the way I had parked Jane, took pictures of his car, and then when he thought I wasn't looking he started taking pictures of mine. But I was looking, of course. |
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| Wide open spaces. |
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| Jane and Lake Powell! |
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| Utah again, plus eternal road construction |
I stopped at a place called Lone Rock, which is aptly named for the one lone rock sticking out of the lake.
They had a really nice beach and I had time to kill, so the bathing suit got some use finally and I went swimming for a while! Great place for a swim, very scenic and the water was nice and cool. After I got tired of paddling in circles I laid on the sand like a beached whale for a while, lazing around. That is, until I remembered abruptly that Utah is currently on a different time zone than Arizona. This is because Arizona is stupid and does not observe Daylight Savings Time like the rest of the United States.
So now I was late for my meetup with my friend. Fortunately for me, I drive a fast car and the road was wide open (I am of course just implying that I encountered no traffic to hold me up, not that I was speeding at any point in time). I made it to Kanab not nearly as late as I had thought I would be and found Alan, who was awaiting his long-anticipated ride in Jane. He had been wanting to see my car for over a year now and it was finally time to take a ride!
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| Is it even possible to go 3 mph in this car? I doubt it. |
We headed out along the highway for a short 20-minute jaunt, blasting Iron Maiden and headbanging hard. I have never seen anyone smile so big when out for a drive with Jane (other than myself, of course). We had an awesome time roaring around – Jane was on her best behavior and was running great (especially considering the altitude). And that’s what being a car person is all about sometimes: just the road and the car and a friend and some good tunes to send you on your way to freedom. And free we were.
Unfortunately all good things must come to an end, and I had to say my goodbyes all too soon. But I was on the verge of being late for dinner, which prompted more… appreciation… for open roads. I drove through Zion to get to Springdale, UT, where we had dinner reservations. Zion at sunset is one of the most beautiful places you could possibly be. I snapped a couple of shots but didn't succeed in capturing the beauty at all. It's one of those places you just have to go visit yourself.
Anyways, I arrived just in time for dinner with my parents. Also along for dinner was one of my dad’s friends, Carl, and his wife. They had brought his 1968 Camaro over from St. George. Great car, freshly restored and very sharp looking. But I far preferred my Jane, all laden down with gear and gamely trucking across the country for me. Two completely different cars with completely different purposes - I just really appreciate having a car that can rough it.
Dinner was awesome and the company was good. It was really good to see my family again too. Tomorrow we’re going to head into Zion for a couple of days, which I am highly anticipating. I’ve driven the highway through Zion before twice and the park is absolutely stunning. Can’t wait to actually get to see what’s in it finally!
Kelly signing out.
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