We pay the obligatory fee at the entrance to Burney Falls State Park, park and step out of the car and it hits us – we’re in the mountains.  What is it about mountain air and the smell of pine trees?  I swear the air has healing power and for me, it always brings about a big sigh of happy.

Depending on which legend you’re inclined to believe $8 mountain got its name from the discovery of a gold nugget worth $8.  Or, you could go with the tale of the man who wore out an $8 pair of boots walking around the base of the mountain – as a bet.   Personally, I like the legend of the $8 boots.

“The mountains are calling and I must go.”

~ John Muir

The Pacific Northwest

There is something quite special about the Pacific Northwest.  It boasts forested land with trees like you’ve never seen, spectacular crystal blue lakes and rushing rivers offer the best in fishing and rafting.  And, let’s not forget about the ocean and the beautiful coastline.

We’ve just hiked our way to the top of a plateau known as Upper Table Rock and the view is breathtaking!  It’s so quiet I can hear my heart pounding as it settles back into a normal rhythm after our ascent.  The dark gray rain-filled clouds are hovering and ready to burst.  The air is cool while the birds soar in silent flight.

Just recently I shared with you our discovery of a long-forgotten blink of a town known as Hilt,  just a few miles south of the California Oregon border.  When I told a friend of mine about our discovery, she asked me, “Did you know there is a Buddhist Temple just beyond Hilt?”  Um, no!

Yesterday, we had a few hours to call our own so we grabbed our jackets, the camera and a water bottle and off we went.  We knew the weather was going to change quickly and dramatically but at least to start with we were enjoying the sun.  We opened the moon roof and hit the highway.

It’s been nearly a month since we found ourselves in Zion Canyon National Park.  Scary how fast time moves us forward, isn’t it?

One of the things we noticed almost immediately at Bryce Canyon National Park was the small trees growing on top of some of the hoodoos and we were pretty amazed by that.  How did the trees seemingly grow out of stone?

Bryce Canyon’s Rainbow Point.  At the risk of repeating myself when I said I was pretty sure Zion National Park was not like anything else I’ve ever seen, I think I have to take it a step further by telling you that it may in fact be Bryce Canyon National Park that takes the prize.  Don’t get me wrong, I fell in love with the sheer magnitude of Zion, but Bryce is another world.