Started off as a quiet week but then got busier at Bryce Canyon with a holiday hoodoo moon rising.
I am always happy to work on holidays as I don’t want to be out traveling anywhere. So I made a quick trip to Tropic for a few groceries and treated myself to lunch at IDK BBQ—plus a couple dinners from leftovers—before the Independence Day weekend. Other than a couple town trips for groceries I really haven’t gone anywhere out of the park.
Skippy the Hippy
The quietness must have been the lull before the storm because starting Friday the crowds increased. And was it just the full moon, or more idiot unprepared visitors that made me want to scream. Don’t think I was the only Ranger who felt that way, especially by the end of the weekend when it quieted down a bit.
Yet when walking down the Navajo trail a few switchbacks with just enough hikers passing in both directions I decided not to howl at the holiday hoodoo moon. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Friday a storm blew through complete with rain, thunder, and lightning. The heavy clouds cancelled the park’s scheduled moon walk and my idea of going to the rim for an almost full moon over the hoodoos. I did have a few people join me for the 2pm hoodoo geology talk and roved near the Navajo Loop trailhead before it started to rain. Then back at our information tables outside the visitor center when I really noticed the increase in people.
In fact, by the time I got home that night I was in a foul mood and ready to scream, “GO HOME!” What are these people all doing out on a vacation not wearing masks during a pandemic? I began to wish I wasn’t here and could go back to isolating in some gorgeous natural place with no people. It’s rather early in the season to wish for it to be over already. Yet nothing is normal about this summer.
Besides, it would be more difficult to find that quiet natural place to isolate right now because RV rentals and sales are up 300-400% making it hard to find places to disperse camp. Again I kind of wanted to scream, “STAY HOME!” Now is not the time to go in debt buying a new RV you know nothing about then taking it down the highway and not even know what to cook for dinner. I’ve seen that question repeatedly on RV groups. (OK, enough ranting, maybe.)
Thank goodness much needed synchronicity happened the next day when I separately met two wonderful women, younger than me, on their first solo road trips and was reminded of myself at 22-years old traveling to Southwest national parks in my Vega with a large dog. They’d both lost jobs because of COVID19 and decided to seek independence. So even though crazy busy again, they renewed my faith in at least some of humanity.
Clear skies on the 4th of July probably made those watching fireworks happy. I am always happy to live in a national park at that time where fireworks are illegal. I do like the colors, really dislike the noise, and worry much about possible injury and fire. So for me, much better to make photographs while watching the light of the holiday hoodoo moon, and presumably a partial penumbra eclipse. So I headed down the Navajo Loop Trail a few switchbacks to get below the hoodoos.
Getting home past bedtime, I didn’t look the shots over until the morning and processed a few of what I consider the best. That’s about 1% of the many taken. Once seen on the larger laptop screen I wondered why I, A. didn’t see an eclipse, and B. why the moon looked ovoid, flattened somehow before realizing that was the result of the partial eclipse.
Eclipses happen when Earth’s shadow falls on the moon and this was only the lighter, outer shadow, known as the penumbra.
July’s full moon is widely known as the buck moon, named because mid-summer is when male deer, called bucks, grow their new antlers. However, it’s also known as the thunder moon in reference to the summer’s frequent thunderstorms, which we all hope happen soon.
Monday, the schedule took Paula and me to Yovimpa Point, the furthest south overlook in Bryce Canyon. Here we talked about the vast landscape seen below with a 90 mile view to the North Kaibab Plateau on the far horizon. We tried a ‘tag team’ approach on the Grand Staircase talks with her version first taking visitors on a visual journey across the land and me following with more details and sharing of images and rocks. Worked really well. People liked it and said they learned some new things.
My Friday on Tuesday included time counting visitors in and out of the visitor center and answering questions at the outdoor information area.
Prairie dogs (look closely bottom center)
Mule deer
Then I presented my first evening program of the season, “Where’s the Wildlife?” about habits and habitat of wildlife in Bryce. Was a small group of only ten but went pretty well once I got my laptop hooked up to the park’s system.
Black Witch Moth-6 inches across (phone shot)
Looks like I’ll be working one of my next three days off to help fill in for a sick, not COVID, employee. That nine hours of overtime will make for a really nice pay check and I’m saving for a new camera. After switching lenses to test the wonky auto-focus I am almost convinced it’s a camera body problem. Yet I still ask, is it me or the camera?
Love those moon shots! And a spirited rant now & then is good for the soul. Here’s to a good rest of the week!!
Thanks. The literal highlight of last week. And thanks for understanding.
Hope all goes better this week. The picture of the moth was great. A change from you wonderful landscapes.
(You have come a long way.😉
Thank you for the help along the way and compliment. The moth was near the screen in our outdoor amphitheater. I only had my phone handy for that shot.
ah summer…crowds and all that. such a bummer. and the 400 percent thing about RV buyers is horrifying. Partially I guess because lots of those buyers are going for trailers since they are more accessible, most of the new buyers aren’t necessarily retired and most of them want to include noisy toys. not a fun thought for a retired rv’r at all. We are heading for Cascade Lakes next week, I’ll let you know how it goes. Take care.
I’m seeing a noticeable increase in RVs, not all rentals, and lots of trailers. Hope your trip goes well.
Wow that Black Witch Moth is gorgeous. Love all the moon shots, but then you never take a bad moon shot or not one that we ever get to see!
I understand your rant, I get frustrated with people in the supermarket who do not seem to care, ! also want to scream at them!!
Take care an keep safe regardless of the others! Diane
Thanks. Successful moon shots are a small percentage. The moth was an awesome discovery. I am masked in close proximity to public.
Gorgeous moon shots! I can’t imagine a better vantage point. I ran across a fun Facebook group the other day that you might be interested in: https://www.facebook.com/groups/432077406977471/ I can imagine you pointing at some of those beautiful hoodoos!
Thanks. I actually follow that page.
Nothing better than moon rising shots. Again, your pic were wonderful!
Thank you.
I like your moon shots, I could not see the subtle shading of the partial eclipse – guess I should have taken photos. Favorite shot is that of the little fir tree (Bristlecone?) – despite the erosion eating away at it’s roots it’s still growing!
Thanks. The solo tree is actually a Ponderosa Pine, not quite as persistent as a Bristlecone.
Very nice moon shots! On the night of the 4th, I watched fireworks from my house and also watched that moon rise. I understand the rant of too many people and not wearing masks! Feel that way every time I have to go buy groceries. Stay safe.
Thank you. Nice to see both light shows.
Hi Gaelyn, I also love the moon shots. You sound happy at being busy and I hope all goes well for the coming weekend. Try and leave time to treat yourself a little more often, does the old body and brain good.
Thanks. I do like to busy when working. In fact I’m working today on a day off. But think I’ll go somewhere tomorrow.
Really enjoyed the moon shots. Skippy the hippy looks like a fun guy
Thanks. He sure acted full of joy.
Great photos of the moon.
July 4th was a zoo here, it sounded like world war II or III here. Our dogs were not too happy.
You have a lot more patience than me with people!!
Thanks. Bonus living in a national park is no fireworks thus less people. My patience does have a limit.
Cool shots, as always, but I adore Skippy most!
Thanks. He was fun.
I completely missed that moon! I think I go into the bedroom to read too early. Is Skippy one of your regulars there at the park? I admire you for being out among so many people, Gaelyn. I don’t blame you for wanting to scream “GO Home!” sometimes. Hmmmm – a new camera. I must start using mine more. The phone is just so handy, and I’m starting to not like carrying the big one on hikes.
I’d never seen Skippy before, but he was fun. Most of the time I’m good with the respectful visitors. I forget my phone is a camera and not that happy with the quality of the shots.
Sorry you had such a crowd over the 4th. But good that things quieted down again.. Your moon photos are beautiful! Be safe!
Thanks. Guess it was inevitable we’d be busy on a holiday weekend, and thankfully still less than “normal”.
Oh gosh I’d be doing more than ranting to myself (and friends) if I had to deal with tourists who wouldn’t wear masks. Awful. Can the Park not require them? But glad you had some travelers who restored your faith in humankind. … That RV upsurge is an interesting phenomenon of the pandemic isn’t it? (I guess we were one of the first who contributed to that way back in March…but definitely not as newbies to the life. ).
Because CDC and Utah don’t mandate masks, we can’t either. You know, I love RVers, but this new breed is something else.