28.07.17 - 30.07.17 Kanab Zip-Line & Bryce Canyon

Saturday: Our alarm went off at 9.00 am. Ziiiiip-Liiine-Tiime! Despite the excitement, the spring out of bed didn't look quite as euphoric. It looked more like that of an 80-year-old grandma getting dressed. Of course, we were late because of that. Since Rahel starts swearing as soon as someone drives 54 instead of the allowed 55, we were actually optimistic about making up for lost time. Well, summa summarum, we got completely lost once and drove past the destination twice. Eventually, we had to call for help and ask for directions. At least now we know where the time that we lack for sleep at night always goes. The nice guys from Kanab Zip-Line guided us via phone to the meeting point and patiently waited there (we must officially mention at this point that the meeting point, not us, was the problem! :-). With an extra ride, we were then driven to the Zip-Line Park, where the rest of the group was already waiting for us. 

Five minutes later, we were already fully geared up and ready to zip. Well, not quite ready. When we saw the edge from which we were supposed to jump, we became a bit hesitant. After a short demonstration by the professionals, the grandma in our group showed us how it's done. Zip and away. The park consisted of several stations, to which we 'zipped'. The five guys on the team were super cool and made the whole experience even more amazing. From the second station onwards, they showed us different moves, like the 'upside-down', which means hanging upside down (head facing down, arms hanging freely, and legs holding onto the zip line). That's when we showed 'vertigo-free Swiss power'! :-) It definitely feels easier when you're in an adrenaline rush.. 

Next up: Food and brainstorming. Kanab is the connecting point for the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Red Canyon, and Lake Powell. So, it should have been easy to find a suitable hiking route for the rest of the afternoon. But nope, not when you prioritize a maximum driving time of 30 minutes. Somehow, during the search, acute tiredness crept in. While looking for coffee, we realized that the search for coffee in Kanab surpasses the search for hiking trails by a long shot. 'Closed today', 'Vacation', the door gets locked right in front of us, or the waitress advises us not to drink their coffee because it's ridiculously expensive. They're honest, these Americans. Then, relief came: The shop of a nice local young woman, which only on second glance gave hope for coffee. It was worth entering. The best ice coffee of the whole trip! 

With our caffeine boost, things started to look better. The Sqaw Trail at Red Canyon won the race. It was actually described as an easy and short hike, so we (as professionals) thought it might be a bit boring. But it wasn't. At least not in the blazing heat of almost 38 degrees. We panted and sweated during the ascent and were relieved when we reached the top. However, the view was once again worth it.. 

When we saw our empty water bottle (we thought it was going to be a 'leisurely stroll' and only brought the essentials), we longed for a refreshing dip. From above, we spotted a lake and decided to quickly descend and jump into the cool water. 

Saturday: 05.30 am. We were supposed to get up early today to see the sunrise at Bryce Point. However, Fabiola paid for the coffee at 4.00 pm with a sleepless night, and Rahel also decided to turn around one more time. 

After the usual cereal and porridge breakfast in the hotel room, we headed towards Bryce Canyon to explore it via the Faiyland Loop Trail. 

The first impressions were breathtaking. It glows in intense red-orange and makes you believe that everything was built and neatly arranged, similar to a city. 

During the hike, the scenery remains very similar and somewhat monotonous. So, we believe that in this case, visiting the view point is enough. 

Today, we never really woke up completely. On the way back to Pinguitch, where we had to find a new accommodation because of our fantastic planning skills, we decided to have a cozy Netflix evening with dinner in bed. Our new accommodation, The Pinguitch House, was a charming B&B that was decorated with great attention to detail. The whole house is stylishly decorated, and the hostess is very accommodating. You immediately feel at home. 

9.00 pm.. SOS! Suddenly, a craving for ice cream takes hold and increases uncontrollably. Nothing can stop us. Like two wild pregnant women, we storm out of the house barefoot, in our pajamas, and get into the car. The sellers at the first shop just looked at us strangely and unfortunately didn't have what we were looking for. The shop across the street was just closing, so the only option left was the gas station. They blessed us with a tub of Ben & Jerry's.. well deserved and thoroughly enjoyed.