...Around the States in 80 Days...: Nevada and Zion National Park

A busy few days it has been! Again, camping and Internet availability have proven to be obstacles to daily blogging, but once more you will have the pleasure of multiple blog posts today! Last you heard, I was in Reno for the night and headed to Zion National Park. Well, as the situation dictated, I didn't quite make it to Zion the next day but did make it to another beautiful area.

The mountainous areas around Ely (Pronounced E-Lee) Nevada proved to be a real surprise in my trip: I figured it was just another little town in the middle of Nevada (which it is!) surrounded by nothing but desert. In fact, the area has many gorgeous rolling hills, rocky crags, and flora. Unfortunately, others have realized this area's beauty and the local campgrounds were brimming at capacity. After arriving in the area, I drove around to 3 campgrounds before settling on a KOA just outside of Ely. Not getting a prime camping spot was disappointing, however I was not disappointed by the pictures I was able to snap in the time I was wandering about.

After an early start the next morning, I headed to my intended destination from the previous day: Zion National Park. For those of you who don't already know, Zion is a beautiful location in Southern Utah which is highlighted by massive red rock formations. After arriving at the campsite, I headed out for a nice walk around the park area to grab some photos. The area is just so unbelievably perfect, its truly hard to describe the awe-striking nature of Zion. With towering red rock on either side of you, its hard not to feel isolated in one of the most beautiful places in the world. This is definitely one of those times where you should pop over to the flickr site to get the full effect!

I wandered about for a bit, but the extreme heat in this area forced me to retire to camp a bit earlier than I had wanted to (It was a balmy 107). The large red rock formations on either side act like an oven, retaining heat for hours after the sun disappears on the horizon. So, after my walk, I put away the camera, changed into a pair of board shorts, and headed for water. Apparently I wasn't the only one with such a plan, as it seemed the entire campground was splashing about in the stream that abutted the area. The water was bath temperature, but still provided a well deserved reprieve from the heat. After a quick soak, I retreated back to camp, grabbed a bite to eat, and passed out.

After a couple days of camping in 100+ degree heat, I needed to find a place with AC to chill out for a couple days. I headed to Las Vegas, where I met up with a couple friends from college. Not only did they have air conditioning, but a pool to boot! What a score! After cooling down a bit, we did what most responsible Vegasites do: Go somewhere that they crank the AC down to unreasonable levels, and literally chill out. We went to go see the movie "Get Him to the Greek" which was pretty funny, a lot of "American Pie" type humor, but definitely good for a few laughs.

The real highlight of the Vegas expedition was a little West-Coast fast food joint called In-N-Out. Now let me preface this by saying In-N-Out is not your average McDonalds or Wendy's. This place uses the freshest ingredients available and doesn't skimp on quality or quantity like the other joints. There is no dollar menu, or any shenanigans of that sort, but the food, well, is absolutely fantastic. Mouth-wateringly tender beef patties, fries with cheese melted all over the top, and a chocolate shake to boot! Although it wasn't the most gourmet meal of the trip, it definitely won't soon be forgotten...

Alright blogosphere, that catches you up on a couple days of the past week, but there is lots more to come. After Vegas, I hit L.A., Lake Havasu annnndddd (drum roll please!) the Grand Canyon! Ill leave you now with a teaser from the GC...