Desert wandering

In August I'm going on vacation. It starts and ends in Las Vegas, but the 9 days in between will be spent wandering the gravel roads of Indian country and hiking/biking the canyons of SW Utah. It's hard to find a greater side-by-side contrast in this country - the lavish crowded excess of Vegas vs the nearby deserts and canyons and their hundred mile views. It's an area of the country that everyone should see, and experience. I can't wait!

Two definite destinations are Canyonlands and Bryce Canyon. I don't want to have an itinerary so I'm not planning out anything more than the first and last nights (Vegas), but I know for sure that I will spend some time at these two parks. Zion and Glen Canyon and Capitol Reef are all also near enough that I'll probably find myself there as well, time permitting. I'll rent a mountain bike and throw it in the back of the car, and when the road ends the real fun begins.

Who knows when there will be time to read, but if so I just got a couple books with this trip in mind:

Life of Pi is a book that was recommended to me by a friend, after hearing how much I liked Siddhartha. While I'm far from religious, I do enjoy a journey whether it's physical or spiritual. In this case it appears to be both. Perfect!








Desert Solitaire seems to be a perfect book for this trip, about the author's experience while working as a park ranger in Utah's deserts. It is by no means a travel guide or reference book - it's more of an introspective look at time spent alone, away from society's trappings and inside one's own mind. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to relate...