Rattle, Hisssss and Shake

It was cool and windy as we checked into the Sunset Campground at Bryce Canyon. We rode our bikes down to do the laundry and on my way back I had a close encounter with a Pronghorn Antelope. I was riding passed it as it grazed in the meadow. Then it started to run beside me and charged in front of me in it's haste to get to safety on the other side. It was a pretty cool experience.

Having 6 months to travel is allowing us to wind down and really enjoy the places we've been too. So it was great not to be a part of the rush to get to the rim and take a photo before moving onto the next destination. With Bryce being famous for having the darkest skies at night we decided to go to a Stargazing evening. Volunteers set up 6 telescopes that you had to climb up ladders to view and I got to see one of the most amazing things.... Saturn with it's rings and moons....it seemed very surreal.

Navajo Trail

Sunrise Trail

We hiked the shorter trails and then arranged a 3 day permit to backpack the 'Below-the-rim-trail". We were blasted by the wind as we got off the bus. You could hear the air being sucked up and then it sounded like a freight train coming to get you....lots of trees were down and the rangers had closed the Southern end of the trail because of fallen trees. Thankfully at sunset the wind stopped. 



Rattlesnake ready to strike (you can make it out when you click on the photo)

The next day was still and hot. We were making our way up a ridge on a narrow trail when I heard a rattle. I slowed not really understanding what I heard....then, I think two but probably three steps away I heard the hissing. A RATTLESNAKE was ready to strike under a bush on the trail. Thank god my hearing is good because one more step and he would have bitten me. He was not willing to give up his ambush position and it took us 10 minutes before he finally moved to another bush on the downhill side. We scrambled uphill to pass because he was still rattling and we couldn't see him. So now John calls me "two step". It was John's wish list to see a bear and a rattlesnake....!!