September Trip, Part 1: Zion

We've been back for a week now, but I finally got around to uploading our pictures. Zion is just a beautiful place, which I think everyone should see at some point. We were only there for two days and two nights but we went on some amazing hikes, had beautiful weather and took in more scenic vistas than you can shake a stick at. It was amazing, but not nearly enough time. We were planning our next trip before we left.

The one thing we couldn't figure out was where to buy groceries on the way to Zion National Park. (Are you listening, GoogleBot?) This, here, is the answer. This is where you buy groceries on the way into Zion:

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Okay, I hope that helps someone.

The whole region is kind of a geographic marvel. Basically, several hundred million years ago, about half the continent was an immense desert. The sand dunes were up to 3,000 feet deep. However, being 3,000 feet tall did not prevent them from later becoming the bottom of an ocean. The ocean was full sea monkeys and other aquatic creatures who died over the years, and saturated the sand below with organic material. The dead sea monkeys acted as cement and the sand dunes became layers of sandstone.

Later, for reasons not explained in my hiking guidebook, the whole area was raised up by thousands of feet. In the midst of all this the Virgin River formed. Gradually it cut its way down through the sandstone, forming Zion Canyon.

Interesting note: At one point Zion Canyon tried to stop the river by dumping a big rockslide on it. It only took the Virgin River a few tens of thousands of years to break through. A mere hiccup on the geological scale.

Seeing something so unbelievably awesome has a way of putting things in perspective. It's easy to get caught up with a lot of stuff that seems important at the time. Water the plants, make money, send thank-you notes, don't forget to stretch before exercising, etc. Yet on the other hand, the most significant thing you can possibly do will not exist for one millionth of the time it took to make Zion, and even that used to be a sand dune.

Check out the pictures. I hope it inspires you to plan a trip there. Plus, when you're in the neighborhood you can do like us and hit the slots. Stay tuned for September Trip, Part 2: Las Vegas.