Melt down

Bryce Canyon is one of the greatest creations in the US. The hoo doo's are created by erosion: water, wind, snow. The softer minerals go away first and leave behind valleys of spheres: Queen's Court, Wall Street, Fairy Land. The hiking is incredible. If you haven't been here: it's a must see. Above are pictures of the canyon. To the right, chow line.

We arrived at Ruby's Inn, the camp ground that we stay at and got set up for the night. Yeah! The lift gate was working again. Got dinner started after we had lunch. Then, the wind began. Remember I earlier commented that we would talk about weather another time? Here in Bryce we have experienced it all. Hot, rain, torrential rain, sleet, hail, lighting, snow, ice, more rain, more sun, a little wind. Not today. We got 35-45 mph constant wind from about 1:00 on. Cooking outdoors is so great when the weather is good. When it's bad, yuck. I swear I have had hypothermia more than once. The weather is almost the only thing that causes me to melt down, and ask Jack, it's not pretty.

My last melt down was in South Dakota. 6 days of pouring rain. 2 1/2 of those days we were set up in a mud pit. I had to buy boots just for that trip. The 2cnd morning I woke to the same downpour, and I started crying. Every slosh in the mud made me cry worse. I cried for about 6 hours. Not pretty.

We were able to set up the 3 burner stove and my prep table in the back of the truck and be out of the wind for awhile. But, and there is always a but, I had to cook dinner. Fish tacos, vegetarian fajitas, spanish style rice, lime & cilantro coleslaw, pasta salad. Try frying fish for 65 people on a flat grill with 40 mile an hour winds blowing hot oil at you. I have new freckles all over my face, blisters actually, my hands, anywhere that wasn't covered. Plus, the wind wears you out. Those of you that cycle in the wind know how discouraging it is. You peddle like hell and don't go very far very fast. That's how I felt. Plus, the wind blows the dust all over everything. The equipment, the food, the drinks, inside the truck, all over me. So, I'm splattered with grease and covered in red dirt. I didn't melt down until after dinner and we're washing dishes, rather, swilling them in muck and trying to put things away. I'd had it. I wanted everything clean, me clean, the wind to stop, to go home, to hug my puppies, and it got worse. Jack was able to defuse me, head me to the shower, and into the tent. I like sleeping in the tent when it's windy! It's kind of like natures evil lullaby.

Dinner was a success, nobody that I know of wore their dinner, and I prefer the rock fish that I used this trip verses the tilapia that I have used in the past.

That whining complete, we got up this morning to a beautiful day. Fed the tribe pancakes and scrambled eggs, took a trip up to the canyon, and headed down here to Panguitch to prepare roast pork with mushroom gravy, indian vegetable curried stew, steamed red potatoes, green salad with dates and oranges in an orange vinaigrette, and more rum cake for dessert. The building Tom rented was locked. The pork was supposed to be in the oven at 12:00 to be done by six. No, not another melt down, but I'll let you know how it turns out in the morning. My potatoes won't boil. Dinner is now at 7. Drats.