Shopping from Bryce Canyon involves distance and time

I’m not all that keen on shopping whether it’s a long drive to town or online, but that’s what happened last week when I had to go shopping from Bryce Canyon National Park.

Northeast view Powell Point

I couldn’t bring myself to driving 1 1/2 hours west to the more than adequate sized Cedar City for just a few groceries, mostly fresh fruits and vegies on the list.  So instead I drove about an hour the opposite direction on Scenic Byway SR12 to the cute little town of Escalante.

Along the way, a wide place along the road with interpretive signs caught my attention.  The sign indicates looking way up high on the sandstone cliffs for Ancestral Puebloan granaries, food storage structures sort of like our pantries, but they looked more like dwellings to me.  I did not make the several hundred foot climb for further explorations.

House for sale Escalante, Utah

Mimi’s

Once in Escalante, first stop was Mimi’s Bakery and Deli for a delicious grilled portabella sandwich for lunch with homemade potato salad and a blueberry muffin for later.  They offer take-out with outdoor seating but I ate mine in the camper.  Got a few things at the grocery store and a couple more at the Organic Grocery. Damn problem with going to town is spending so much money.

Made one quick stop on the way home because I didn’t have the frozen foods in a freezer.  This overlook by the 7600 foot summit provides a far distant view east across the tropic shale where dinosaurs roamed some 70 million years ago along the marshy edge of an inland sea.

Northwest view Powell Point

That was barely 100 miles round trip and took five hours.  A fun and scenic drive with a U, and three-sided view, around Powell Point.

Southwest view from Yovimpa Point

Back to work for my Monday on Saturday with an early start opening the outside information area.  Visitation is 30-50% down from last year but Saturday’s the busiest.

Southeast view from Yovimpa Point

After a several hour stint answering repetitive questions—doesn’t anybody pre-plan and visit websites—I drove to Rainbow Point at the end of the park’s scenic road.  At Yovimpa Point–a short walk to the rim—I presented a couple Grand Staircase geology talks.  Plus took photos of the gorgeous light, shadows, and clouds plus the amazing distant view south across the Grand Staircase geology and national monument.

The tenacity of a tree can teach us much about survival in a harsh environment.

I heard on the park radio lightning was nearby the visitor center and rim talks were cancelled, but never saw a drop of rain.  Though later back home I heard thunder while considering a trip to the rim for sunset.  Yet I just didn’t have the gumption or energy after a full day under the sun and wind.

The next day I started late and presented the 9pm evening program about wildlife in Bryce.  Complete with animal sounds, the audience loved it and laughed when the sounds snuck in.

Temperatures were up into the high 80s and low 90s so it’s plenty warm hanging outside, especially when on the rim for several hours.  There are a few shady spots I rove from.

East view Powell Point from Rainbow Point

Sometimes it’s windy, which helps cool me off, but have to be careful not to loose my hat.

I should probably get better at shopping online, but I’m a person who likes to touch and read labels so it’s difficult.  Yet somethings are just too far away for in-store shopping, like a new camera.  I asked a couple photographer friends for advice on replacing my well-past-its-time Nikon D5100 purchased in 2012.  I want to be able to use the lenses I already have so there were limitations, including budget.  One person recommended the Nikon D3500 camera body for $350 ordered from WalMart.  Not a bad price just a bad store.  But that version doesn’t include two features I like, AE bracketing and a variable motion LED screen.  Another person basically did the online homework for me and found a Nikon refurbished D5600 from a reputable camera store, B&H, for $449.  Not only does it have those two features I want but I’ll be moving up from 16mp to 24mp with less weight.  Yes, I ordered it last Friday and it should be here this week.  Won’t look much different than what I have.  Report coming.

Of course, as soon as I bought the camera my laptop started acting up.  I’m totally not ready to replace it right now.

I recently discovered shopping for masks online is big.  Duh, why wouldn’t that be the case.  I have a couple black cotton masks issued by the park, and a pretty one made by a friend.  But I can’t wear the surgical masks with metal over the nose as my skin is sensitive to cheap metal.  I thought having my smiling lower face printed on a mask would be a good idea but that would also take shopping online.  I’ll think about it.

Suppose I could learn to order online, planning ahead for shopping from Bryce Canyon to Cedar City for my major grocery needs.  Too bad the new Natural Grocers’ doesn’t offer that option but I do like to cruise that store finding sales and sometimes items that weren’t on my list.  I’ll save that trip for next week, maybe.

View west Powell Point through dirty window

I’m finding it difficult to travel into unknown places where I’m not exclusively outdoors and able to easily distance from people, especially those not wearing masks.  I even try not to spend much time in the Admin building/visitor center. Indoor time is typically my own RV home and vehicle.  Hope you’re not getting bored with the daily life of a seasonal Park Ranger at Bryce Canyon.

Picnics leave food scraps for rodents who become prey to snakes at Rainbow Point

This article speaks volumes.  I hope we’re not loving our national parks, and each other, to death.