Hypothermia at Bryce Canyon (Day 12)

 Leaving Escalante at 5:30am, it was a balmy 26°F. I'm not being sarcastic! The difference between 18°F and 26°F when one is starting the car, is noticeable and appreciated.

In the darkness, along the road toward Bryce Canyon, I saw 'glitter' in the trees ahead. Two dozen pairs  of little deer eyes watched me approach. By the time I got close enough to put down my window and give them a good morning greeting and thank them for their wisdom and self control 20' feet from the road, they were no longer in the headlights and were barely discernable as anything but deer silouettes. 

Five minutes later, an owl (supposedly wiser) did a low fly-by in front of the car. I braked in time to spare his life and he flew off into the pre-dawn open space, all feathers still intact but perhaps a poop left on the road?!  It's nice to be back in areas so rich in wildlife. 

Bryce Canyon sunrise: 12°F and blowing like the Dickens! Despite gloves and hand warmers, the cost of early morning photography here was PAIN - like fingers shut in the door, pain! It took a good 15 minutes to become bearable in the car but an hour later they still felt bruised and tender. 

I ate my breakfast of fruit and cereal and drank my coffee at Farview Point. Elevation 8819'. Crazy cold. Blowing long since fallen snow up from the ground and into the air again. So pretty... and so inhospitable! I listened to Pandora and watched the clouds fly by at a clip. Beautiful!

At 11:50am the temperature had risen to 18°F. The wind was still howling at something close to 35mph. Each picture was a hard fought victory at the cost of significant core body temperature. As most humans tend to do, I too shall value the pictures according to what I paid for them, rather than how pretty they are.

Colorado... Home Sweet Home

I had the most wonderful time at Christmas. There was flying, cookies, family gatherings, walking in the snow, a decorated tree, new friends, great wine, a singing-dancing show and my new favorite pre-Christmas service at the Unity Center with Rev. Dawna.

Mark and I had the pleasure of a comfy suite with a view over the golf course... Mornings were spent sleeping in and geeking out... Coffee was fresh brewed and hot... And Packer greeted us with his schnauzer puppy love in ample supply, every single day.

Five days just flew by and before I knew it, I was on the home stretch. Cedar City to Longmont.

I'm luckiest girl in the world; My sweet boyfriend flew me slowly and carefully around Bryce Canyon National Park for a photography fix before landing at Cal Black Airport for our last fuel stop.  :-)

Then I flew, Cal Black to Longmont, direct over the Rockies at 13,500 feet, with an oxygen cannula in my nose!

It was an almost perfect day for flying. Wispy clouds hung off high peaks as we flew close by Montrose, Aspen, Eagle and Granby airports. The finger pulse-oximeter told me my heart rate didn't go above 80... But I didn't believe it. When I overheard a commercial aircraft announcing their intentions to take off, there was mild anxiety. No ATC?  When one of the pilots (already in the air) asked if anyone could help him open his IFR flight plan, I swear my heart was racing. Of course Mark reassured me that they had us on radar and wouldn't suddenly emerge from the clouds in front of us... But a couple did seem to come too close for my comfort, none-the-less.

Just over two hours later, Long's Peak poking through the clouds welcomed us back to the Front Range and we slowed up N303B for her bumpy descent from 12,500' to pattern altitude, 6,000' at Longmont Airport.

Home. Safe. Tired.
Nothing a glass of wine and a hot bath couldn't cure!