The tired and cranky vibe was starting to hit everyone, so we just decided to go to the adjacent brew pub for dinner. There was a bit of a wait, as it's pretty much the only place that was open right near the exit to the park. It also had this whole outdoor area (with misters) that was off limits for minors. Oh well, we were eventually seated and ordered some food.
Everything was just OK. I think I was also getting really tired of eating on the road. Even the more exciting options started to seem old.
On our way back to the hotel, we stopped in the little grocery store also connected to this shopping area and got some drinks for the night. I got some kind of blueberry IPA. The kids went down to the pool, while we kicked back and watched the sun set. The deer had also moved around a bit. The kids said some other kids were actually petting it and trying to feed it...and ultimately spooked it a bit. yea...still a wild animal.
I had only planned one laundry day during this trip, but we were already running out of stuff again. Thankfully, this hotel had a laundry facility for each building and it was right next to this glorious deck for our building. So, all was good. No need in the summer, but the deck also had a number of heat and fire features for the winter months.
As things got dark, others joined us on the different levels of the deck. In front of us was a trio of families that came together in Zion.
Some were getting up early to hike The Narrows and left the deck early, but others stuck around. Sometimes our conversation overlapped, but I really didn't want to be nosey or encroach on their family time. As it grew darker, I also realized that I had a photography opportunity. We weren't in the most ideal setting for this and I didn't want to wander too far off in the dark, but I realized that I could see the Milky Way. I've never tried taking pics of it before, but it was a goal for the trip...so no time like the present.
1. Without my tripod, I was faced with the challenge of finding spots where I could keep my camera still and still get the shot. So, nothing is as crisp as I would have liked.
2. I took a number of pictures, but wound up deleting more than I should because I accidentally had the review screen zoomed in...which made some look blurry that were actually just fine.
3. I didn't notice it until after the fact (actually it was my dad who first saw it on my phone picture of the review screen), but I captured a few meteorites. We were a couple of weeks off from peak, but we were approaching the annual Perseid meteor shower.
Not amazing, but not awful either...especially for my first try.
After this, it was up to bed. We had a long day ahead of us...both with driving and seeing things. For whatever reason, it was also the part of the drive that gave me the most pre-trip anxiety. Not sure if you could hear the stone caught in my tire tread on the drive through the tunnel into Zion, but getting a flat out in the middle of nowhere on this trip was a real nail biter fear for me. After my flat with this vehicle back in May...it weighed a lot on my mind. I have satellite assistance on my vehicle and had purchased a hydraulic jack, but with the configuration of the AWD, I was stuck with a donut for a spare. I also don't know the odds of getting a proper replacement tire outside of a more heavily populated area. As it was, I had to wait a day or two on the replacement I got.
Before bed, we also had a discussion about what all we were going to try and see, because again...there are just so many beautiful options in this part of the country. The biggest thing to get cut was the north rim of the Grand Canyon. While it doesn't get the crowds like the south rim and many say it offers better views, it would add just enough time to our drive to put us in a bit later than we'd like.
