Daily Didactic
The day started in sunny South Campground. We got a relatively early start for the shuttle to "The Grotto" where the trailhead for the Angels Landing hike we've been equivocating on for a few days begins. The climb up the Angels Landing/West Rim/Scout Lookout train begins with a pile of increasingly severe switchbacks, that then lead through a nice draw called "Refrigerator Canyon", and culminate in an awesome piece of engineering called "Walter's Wiggles". The Wiggles are a series of twenty something short and steep switchbacks that a early park caretaker named Walter concocted to get us tourists up a hairy little piece of rock. At the top of the Wiggles is the no mans land that is Scout Lookout. This is where the masses clamor on up the .5 mile fin that leads to Angels Landing and those more risk averse stop and wait. We did neither. Instead we hiked a little way further up the West Rim trail and sat on a perch watching the hundreds of less cautious hikers scurry up the fin and onto the Landing. We felt comfortable in our safety and intrigued by the view. Maybe someday, but not today. Eventually we unwiggled, thawed, and unswitched our way back to the shuttle stop.

Running out of clothes and cleanliness, we headed into the conveniently located Springdale for a laundromat and shower. We also stopped at the Pioneer Cafe, where no doubt pioneers used the internet in their travels, to upload a web page or two and then hit the grocery store. After this momentary spurt of productivity, we headed back to camp. Theresa painted and Brian tried to eek internet into his iPhone on the margins of spotty cell service. After an unmatched meal over a one burner stove, we headed back across the park border for a second night of excitement in the Zion Canyon Giant Screen Theater! Tonight's serving, "Night At The Museum II". Really Big.

Morning in sunny South Campground		There goes the neighborhood, hey wait...
The Angels Landing or Scout Lookout trailhead, we haven't decided which yet		Four or five strenuous miles either way
The top of that rock on the left is Angels Landing, looks fine from here		The trail goes up that craggy part in the middle
Looking back at the more casual switchbacks		A couple of photographers on the part of the trail in the next photo
Like a sidewalk on a cliff		Looking up at Walter's Wiggles
Uinta Chipmunk, we are nearly sure of this		We know someone who seems to have missed the part about thunderstorms
Looking across at the trail up Angels Landing, yep up that fin		Folks on top
The teeniest lizard		Us, safe and sound
Brian heading back down the Wiggles		The best Wiggles shot we got
An owl in Refrigerator Canyon		Grooved for safety
The shuttle stop in the Grotto		Pioneer Lodge and Internet Cafe
Zion Park Laundry		The artist at leisure
Painting what she sees		And a little gourmet cuisine in preparation for...
...you know it, another trip to the Giant Screen!

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