Another Amazing God Story and Hiking Beneath the Rim

Ok folks, this story is going to knock your socks off so put some rubberbands around 'em or something.

Yesterday, which was what?...Tuesday? We have no idea what day it is anymore. Anyway, it was the day we left Bryce Canyon National Park and began the trek toward California. The camping part of our trip was over and a friend had suggested that I leave the camper at a campground rather than tow it all the way to the coast and back for no reason. I didn't want to leave it at Bryce because it would be an 80 mile out-of-the-way trip to pick it up. So I began praying about it and looked at the map. I noticed 2 state parks near St. George, UT which was on our way.

Well as we came to St. George I saw the signs for the state parks and pulled off at the exit. But there was no sign indicating which way the parks were and it was pretty barren land so I figured they were probably quite a distance from the highway, so I got back on the expressway and continued to pray and wondered if this was a good idea. I started to think that maybe I should look for a storage facility, but thought they'd charge more than I was willing to pay.

There were 4 exits at St. George and for some reason I just decided to pull off at one and ask someone if there was a storage place around. As I pulled off I notice a huge sign that said Desert RV Sales and Service, so I drove in thinking that someone there would direct me to the right place or maybe they'd even let me store it there. The first person I saw was a really nice woman who quickly asked if she could help me. I told her I was from Michigan and she immediately said, "I'm from Michigan!" As we talked I found out she was from Coldwater - go figure. When I told her I lived near Jackson she said she had family in Jackson, so I asked their name figuring it was a long shot, but ya never know. Turns out the name was Ferris. "I know a Ferris", I said, "her name is Tressa." "No way," she said, "her husband Don is my cousin!" Oh my nerves!!! We finally got around to talking about why I had stopped and Tammy, that's her name, told me she didn't know of any storage place but she and her husband lived on 2 acres back up the road and we could store it there. No kidding! Can you believe that? Tammy called her husband and he immediately agreed it'd be ok. So she gave us directions to her house and we met her husband Brian there. He was such a nice guy, he even showed us the rattlesnake he had killed and had put in the freezer. :-)

I know God directed us to Tammy and Brian and I am so grateful to them for their kindness. I feel good knowing that the camper is in good hands and after driving through the 109 degree temperatures of the desert, I know it was better for both the camper and Captain Jack (that's what I call the truck...you know, after my hero Captain Jack Sparrow).

We drove 11 hours from Bryce Canyon to Laguna Nigel, CA where I am sitting in luxury at my Aunt Fran and Uncle Steve's house just blocks from the beach. It is absolutely beautiful here. Aunt Fran gave us a quick tour of the area last night and the kids and I are headed down to the beach later this morning while Aunt Fran volunteer's at the nearby hospital and Uncle Steve is at work.

So this is a huge post, but I'm going to now put pictures of our hike at Bryce Canyon.

HIKING BENEATH THE RIM

We hiked beneath the rim of Bryce Canyon on Monday morning. Our friends the Varlands recommended we hike from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point and it was so cool...well, not cool as in temperature. We started at 9:00a.m. though so it wasn't bad at all. Here's the pics.

The above picture was actually taken when I got up at 6:00a.m., left the kiddos asleep in the camper and drove out to see the sunrise. If I had my druthers, we'd be up by 5:30a.m. and out hiking trails by 6:00a.m. so we could get pictures before the sun gets too high. I'd be voted off the island for sure though.

These rock formations are called "hoodoos". They were believed to have been people and animals that were turned to stone.

Here we go heading down into the canyon. It was steep and quite a drop off so I gave Chase a good talkin' to about not being squirrely and giving his mom a heart attack.

It was 1 1/2 miles down and 1 1/2 miles up. I took tons of pics, but how many rocks do you really want to see? So here we are heading up.

Switchback after switchback.

More highway of people.

This is at the "ampitheater".

Is that amazing or what?

So that does it for Bryce Canyon. On to California!