April 29, 2014.  Boy, did we have a fun dinner last night.  Within the circle of our three Airstreams (ala ccovered wagons), we reposed in camp chairs over cocktails in the shadow of the sun-streaked canyons of the Virgin River.  Vickie and Rufus and Bill showed us the incredible pictures of their hike in The Narrows.  The water was literally to their waists in some places — but generally about calf-high. (You understand that these are averages, as knee-high to Bill is waist-high to Vickie, but you get the idea — the trek was not dry or easy). The canyons in The Narrows were so high, their camera shots could not reach the top.  I’m glad I went shopping instead.

For dinner, we had a great feast of beef rib stew with parsnips, carrots, mushrooms and red-wine (thanks for the great recipe, Joyce), homemade cole slaw (thanks Polly!), fabulous wine from Richard’s cellar and several kinds of dessert, which we ate around the campfire.  The Airstreams were decorated in all manner of lights, from “tasteful” white Christmas icicles (ours) to pink flamingos to colorful little Airstream replicas.  We were worthy of the cover of Live Riveted! magazine.

This morning, we packed up the residue from the night before and left Zion National Park, via the breathtaking switch back curves of Route 9 through the canyons and the mile-long tunnel.  Brad and I had come in that way, but the others were seeing it for the first time.  I got some great shots of the Airstream caravan as we wove though the Zion canyons for the last time.

It didn’t take long get to Bryce Canyon — a couple of hours.  The scenery along US 89 was so pretty and varied.  My favorite views were those of expansive flat farms with split-rail fences, newly greening trees, curvy trout streams of swirling opaque light green water (due to silt from melting snow) and the distant snow-covered mountains on the horizon.  Right before reaching Bryce, we passed Red Canyon Park and circled back this afternoon for a short hike though really incredible bright red rock formations — see some pictures below.

The temperature plunged into the 20s tonight, so we opted to move our feast indoors —  selecting our Airstream because of the floor plan.  Our dinette seats four and we added a camp table and two camp chairs for the other seating.  We were VERY CLOSE friends for dinner, but had a wonderful time.  Bill grilled steaks and sweet potatoes and Polly fixed a wonderful  salad of grilled romaine lettuce!  Richard’s great wines of course, and some board and dice games from Rufus and Vickie, provided the entertainment.   Another perfect day.

Hoodoos in Red Canyon

Hiking in Red Canyon

Dinner in Zion

Dinner in Zion

Mara and Bill