Friday, November 30, 2012

Zion National Park ~ Narrows and Condors

I had an amazing trip with my two girlfriends in late November in Zion National Park.  I have always wanted to go to Zion and it seemed like a dream trip.  We did the Narrows 'hike' on the first day and Angel's Landing the next day.  Here are just a few pictures...


Water was nearly up to our waist in places but we didn't really feel the cold.
Holly and Shel entering the narrows.

I was nervous about being down in the canyon all day because I'm claustrophobic, but it was so beautiful and surreal I didn't even think about my fear.


Early morning view on the Angel's Landing trail.



An unexpected surprise on our Angel's Landing hike was seeing a pair of endangered California condors.  They were catching thermals from the early morning sun on the cliffs -- and they soared just below us and right above us several times.  They were so close in fact that we could see the radio transmitter on one of them and read the band on its leg.  One of the condors is perched on the cliff above and behind me to the right, just a black dot in this photo.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime sighting, something I'll never forget!

Monday, November 19, 2012

Clear water sound

Great Salt Lake at sunset, photo from Antelope Island State Park.



Lu Tung-Pin is
                gone beyond
his spirit suns
a thousand other worlds
merit, fame, and grass and mustard seed
the same
the old guy took his bramble staff
and smashed up all
                  distinctions.

no tricks
             nothing doing
sun and moon endure their rush
and don't grow old
sail backwards?
row against the flow?
to hell with that.
you'd better be known
for being
            quiet.

clear water-sound
fine mountain colors
nothing to do
    with right and wrong
bamboo's shade on a
rush hut's window
here's music
in a way
you cannot say
to any man
    - Yun K'an Tzu, Yuan Dynasty