Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon - Day 6 (June 20)

On our way out of town today, we stopped and hiked a trail that overlooks Zion. The hike was just over a mile, and there was a warning that you shouldn't go if you're afraid of heights, but it was spectacular. It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. Here are the highlights:

Danny and the girls from across the canyon (we were a bit ahead of them)

Funny story. Calvin has a small soccer ball that he has kept clutched in his fist at all times during our trip. When we were rounding a steep drop off, Calvin all of a sudden launched his arm back, and threw his ball as hard as he could. We watched it fly off the edge of the cliff, and he automatically started saying, "uh oh! Ball! Uh oh! Uh oh! Ball!" over and over and over again.

So we finished our hike with him whining about his ball, and then on the way down, Andy and I started talking about where exactly it had gone over. Andy remembered the spot, so I was looking around the edges thinking there was no chance we'd ever find it, when I saw it. It was lodged in a tree branch that was right on the edge of the drop off. I had barely pointed it out in the tree, when Andy ducked under the railing and shimmied down the side of the cliff. I wish I had a picture of him leaning over the side of the mountain, straining to grab a 33 cent ball that his little boy loved, but unfortunately I was too busy freaking out to remember to snap a shot. He grabbed the ball, and this is the picture of him climbing back up. There has never been such a hero.


After hiking the overlook, we headed further north to Bryce Canyon National Park where we checked into Ruby's Inn, grabbed dinner, and then hit the pool before checking out the trails tomorrow.