2.1 Zion Miles

Earlier today I wrote about Birch Canyon and our adventure. What I didn't tell you was the end to the story. It was just too tempting to head outside to the pool, which I could see from where I was sitting. I have drive and determination but some things are just a little too much for even me.

After hiking 7 miles in the canyon and scrambling up a steep hill (think 70 degree steep) to make it to a cattle trail, we were exhausted but still weren't back to our car. Thankfully we all still had water, although the farther we went the less sure we were that our supply would last. It wasn't that it wasn't a pretty place to be, it was.

It was just that it seemed that we were on a never-ending red road. There was a pretty stream that ran through the property and like a lot of things if I'd have known the stream would have wound around and crossed the road several times I would have just wandered up the stream instead of sticking to the beaten path.

Unfortunately, my crystal ball is in the shop and I was left to what I could see with my own two eyes and getting lost in the middle of nowhere didn't seem like a lot of fun. According to one yahoo, he said that it was 2.1 miles but none of us are cripple or over 70, so I'm not sure how in the world it took us over an hour and a half to hike (even uphill) that road to the vehicle. Plus, there were other events that took place during the week that lead us to believe that Zion miles are like boy inches but only in reverse. We've decided on the following formula: 12 boy inches = 5 girl inches. Therefore, 2.1 Zion miles = 6 regular miles.

Some of the things you might have heard on the trail if you'd been either a cow, a squirrel, a lizard, or other small animal (you would have had to have been one of them because there was not another soul out there besides us) were:

How much longer? 3 Sponge Bobs (That's how Ben and Angelique translate time to Ethan and Emma.)

I wish I had a sandwich; I'd at least feel better. (Amy not being happy about not having packed a real lunch for the extra long hike.)

You have to go more miles if it's curvy. (Statement made by world-class driver Ben to Amy when discussing how much farther. Amy still stands by her original reply: it doesn't matter how many curves, it's the number of miles that count.)

Lots of laughing, in spite of the ridiculous amount of turns with no sight of the car. (Sometimes all you can do is laugh.)

Just stay here and we'll bring the car down to get you. Oh never mind! There's no way the car can get down here. (My statement to Amy when I was afraid she wasn't going to go any further and later figuring out that there's a reason why they say four wheel drive vehicles might not even be able to make it.)

To end this segment of the trip, I've added a video I took of Ben going down a 35 foot rappel that almost ended up with him being wet. Next up, Mystery Canyon & Pine Creek Canyon Trail, followed by exciting footage of Bryce Canyon National Park.