The Griswolds do Thanksgiving

There's a lot of stuff between southern Utah and Helena, Texas, but we wanted to get home for the holiday weekend, so we turned the rig southeast and tried to make good travel time while taking in a few of the more notorious national parks along the way.
Zion is apparently a destination for Californians during Thanksgiving and we were amazed at the number of vehicles and folks in the park on Thursday.  No hassles about a tree on a truck though since the red rock scenery doesn't support many firs!
Made the obligatory stop at the visitors center for souvenirs (plus an interesting book on Powell's expedition), then fell into the line of cars driving the road through the park.
Perhaps its the colors or the dramatic rock faces, but I found Zion more appealing than even Yosemite.  Again, mere photos can't do it justice, but we shot many more in Zion than anywhere else!

From Zion we dashed into northern Arizona, driving through the Kaibab Natl Forest (where we'll find our Christmas tree in the future - not only are they beautiful, they're also several states closer to home!) to the north rim of the Grand Canyon.  Fewer folks there, but the ranger on staff, Todd Haisachi, was as helpful and informative as any we've encountered.  Took the stroll out to Bright Angel Point and just gasped.  Not because of the high elevation (although that didn't help), but just because of the sheer magnitude and magnificence that is the Canyon.  "Grand" just doesn't seem a suitable title.
With the clear November air, we could see miles into the distance as well as the depths of the Canyon.  Not quite the Chevy Chase head-bobbing recognition of the area, but we didn't stay long ... we are committed to returning one day, perhaps doing a rafting trip along the Colorado and looking up instead of down.



 

 

What about Thanksgiving dinner?  Well, it may surprise you to know that there's not a whole bunch of options in the Navajo Reservation.  We did stop for sliced turkey sandwich meat and had a nice meal of that on Ritz with cheese and California fruits.  And were thankful for all we'd seen.

 

But there is no Thanksgiving without punkin pie, and lo and behold, on our way south we came to an intersection at Mt Carmel Junction, UT where the suburban of its own volition dove into the parking lot next to this sign....

 

 

It was only a 3-star pie - wasn't firm or spicy enough and the crust was a little mushy - but it was timely.  Sophia's apple pie with rum-butter syrup would have been a better choice for the true aficionado, rather than the sentimental fool.

 

Made our way into ABQ for the night.  If I'm anywhere in New Mexico, I can make Helena in a day, and we did ... took 799.8 miles, but we were home in time for dinner with Daphne and Marina!