2019 Roaming Freely 5000 km in the American West (2)

Slept until noon, then continued to McDonald's in Jackson. Speaking of this kid, since she watched a lot of Qiaohu in early childhood, she has a deeply ingrained notion: drinking cola and eating fried chicken is unhealthy, so every time we go to a fast food restaurant, she orders a beef burger and juice, calling it 'healthy'!

Jackson is not a big town, its most famous feature is the arch made of countless elk antlers in the town square. We caught a glimpse of it while driving. Then we headed north towards Grand Teton National Park.

The Moulton Barn by the roadside – don't underestimate this old, dilapidated wooden cabin; it is said to be over a hundred years old and is the most photographed barn in North America.

The two kids had no interest in a solitary barn with a backdrop of snowy mountains and vast grasslands. But with mouse holes everywhere, a mouse head popping out here, a mouse bottom sticking up there, it turned into a real-life game of Whack-a-Mole, making them extremely excited and joyful.

A tiny church at the park entrance; the first glimpse inside was truly surprising. The sprawling Grand Teton peaks and birch forest were framed in the front window.

The only planned activity for the day: brave the danger of bears and experience a 6 km forest hike.

Under the scorching sun, we walked through forest paths, bypassing a stream, crossing a small bridge, stepping over fallen logs, and walked, walked, walked...

The continuous Teton Range with its year-round snow, reflected in the mirror-like lake. A feeling of tranquility and beauty – what a perfect scene!

Although this was a relatively easy hiking trail, we were careless and took nothing but our phones. On the way back, the thirsty kid refused to drink from the mountain stream and ran all the way back to the parking lot at the foot of the mountain. I have to admit, the kid's stamina is quite impressive...

At the Jenny Lake store, besides souvenirs and cold drinks, there were various bear sprays and bear bells on display.

Suddenly it dawned on me that we, walking through the forest, were just a bunch of walking meatballs...

The seemingly clear and beautiful Jenny Lake, the moment we stepped into the water, we truly felt its pure glacial heritage! We understood what 'bitter cold' means. This was a completely different experience from the volcanic geothermal activity in neighboring Yellowstone – like ice and fire.

Signal Mountain: we drove up the winding road to the top, where an endless alpine meadow lay, silent except for the chirping of birds.

Schwabachers Landing, one of the best photography spots recommended by National Geographic, especially for sunrise and sunset.

Unfortunately, at sunset, we were met by dark clouds covering the sky and an approaching storm. Following the navigation, we left the main road and entered a gravel road. Just as we were doubtful, we suddenly saw the river valley. Gazing into the distance at the Teton peaks and their reflection on the water, you can imagine how wonderful it would be to watch the sunset here!

Returning to Jackson, the streets in front of the town center's restaurants and bars were full of cars. We didn't feel like waiting for a table, so we drove straight to the supermarket parking lot. The kids were very happy – firstly, they could buy snacks and cold drinks freely; secondly, they could have an early dinner and continue playing Werewolf...

The dinner, which we took home and ate straight from the package, tasted pretty good. But the kid had a stubborn baby tooth that was loose but wouldn't fall out; she looked utterly miserable while eating dinner.

We woke up early as planned, had breakfast, and headed south, back to Salt Lake City, 500 km away.

First thing: fill up the car with gas. $40 for 13.8 gallons, full tank ready to go!

After driving for 4 hours, we got off the highway and had lunch at a roadside McDonald's. Without juice, the kid drank mineral water. No matter how I tempted her to drink cola, she refused...

During the break, I searched for attractions near Salt Lake City. Besides the blue expanse of the Great Salt Lake, there was the Mormon Temple in the city. I even found a steakhouse for dinner. But then I suddenly saw the salt flats outside Salt Lake City, which caught my eye! Calculating the driving distance, it was 100 km more to go there than to the Salt Lake City hotel, but the return trip would be 200 km. Then I started self-comforting: the American West is vast and sparsely populated with straight roads; 300 km on wheels would pass quickly...

Back on the highway, with half a tank of gas left, we started looking for gas stations. But unfortunately, we only saw diesel, no gasoline. As we neared Salt Lake City, we debated whether to detour into the city for gas. But thinking that we had gone 100 km without a gas station and there would surely be one further on, we stepped on the gas and headed straight for the salt flats.

Who would have thought that the following 200 km through the wilderness would indeed have no gas station. Both my phone and car navigation kept receiving emergency alerts: mountain fire, some entrances and exits closed!

Since we were already here, we continued following the navigation to the destination.

The moment we parked, I decided we would keep driving forward. Because the only way back to Salt Lake City was the same route, and there were definitely no gas stations on the way here.

The Bonneville Salt Flats of the Great Salt Lake – a blend of blue and white, sky and earth merging, rivaling the 'Mirror of the Sky'!

But you need to be lucky enough to catch it after rain when there is water on the salt flats to see this mirror-like reflection. Otherwise, you just see endless white salt fields, nothing but snow-white.

The blue sky and white clouds were reflected on the thin layer of water; walking in it felt like strolling on the clouds...

The water was clear, the salt layer thick; we tried walking barefoot for a while, but it was prickly.

After all, we were worried about running out of gas. The two kids, not having played enough, were forced to wash their feet and go ashore, very reluctantly!

Setting off again, with outside temperatures nearly 35°C, we drove with windows fully open, dared not use the air conditioner or step on the gas hard, maintaining a steady speed. Fortunately, there was a small town not far away, and we saw a gas station. Relieved, we rushed over! It was a close call...

On the 200 km return trip, we encountered fire trucks heading to the fire, causing a big traffic jam...

All day, we started at 10:30 a.m. from Jackson and didn't arrive near the Salt Lake City hotel until 9 p.m. With over 800 km of driving, we were a bit tired and needed some high-calorie, high-cholesterol food to cheer up. But it was hard to find a restaurant that was still open! Again, I sighed – the nightlife in our great China is so much richer!

The kid ordered lobster, oysters, and pasta, but no big meat – bad review!

Once at the hotel, we were so tired that all we could think of was lying down and sleeping directly! But the front desk guy, being thoughtful, arranged two adjacent rooms for us. The kids discovered that the two rooms were connected, and instantly all their sleepiness vanished...

After breakfast, we continued towards Page, 640 km away, to visit Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, and Bryce, starting a different style of journey.

Halfway, we had a simple lunch at a gas station: only cookies, bread, and fried chicken. The kid ate dry cookies while watching us devour chicken legs. After a long internal struggle, she asked for two pieces of fried chicken. Then she peeled off all the skin and gnawed on a soul-less chicken leg...

Bryce Canyon National Park was on the way from Salt Lake City to Page. We were overwhelmed by the grandeur along the road, but only stopped briefly by the roadside. Later, we passed Lake Powell, but its azure blue water didn't make us slow down either – we were heading straight for Horseshoe Bend to see the sunset.

At 6 p.m., we reached Horseshoe Bend. It was about a kilometer's walk from the parking lot, on a scorching, dry dirt road with no shade, a true test of the power of the Arizona desert!

Horseshoe Bend: here, the Colorado River miraculously forms a 270° U-shaped bend. Ocher rocks and dark green water, with an occasional small boat drifting by...

To overlook the full panorama of Horseshoe Bend, you have to approach the cliff edge with no protective barriers. Every year, tourists fall to their deaths. Even when standing well back in a safe place, watching others walk to the edge is nerve-wracking. Perhaps most of those who fall don't have a fear of heights.

Turning around, I saw this guy standing casually on the cliff edge, meditating in the wind, with no intention of leaving. It scared me, and I kept telling the kid, 'Safety first, safety first!' The kid calmly replied, 'I promise I won't come within one meter of the cliff edge.'

At the cliff edge, feeling the wonder of nature, I thought I would be scared and weak in the knees without a railing, but I wasn't... I truly realized: traveling alone with a kid, constantly challenging what I thought was impossible, felt quite special!

The kid, though she really didn't go within one meter of the cliff edge, suddenly stood up in such a place, turned and walked away without hesitation. Her mother was watching, breaking out in a cold sweat... Oh, my little ancestor!

Not allowing her near the cliff edge, the kid started looking for other rock pillars similar to cliffs, climbing high to experience the thrill of looking down. I think everything here, once seen and experienced by the kid, truly became a part of her...

The next year, when she painted, it suddenly appeared on paper...

After this walk, even the kid who usually doesn't mind sun or heat said she couldn't take it anymore. She put up a sun umbrella – a rare occurrence!

There were not many restaurants in the town. We waited patiently for a table in front of a bar. People were drinking and watching sports; we were eating hearty meat...

We found the booked villa. The kids continued playing card games to compare sizes and pick their favorite rooms. Mao Mao drew the biggest card again and said, 'I think the room downstairs is scarily big... I'll choose the small one upstairs.'

The other kid hadn't woken up yet, so she calmly caught up on her diary, then cooked herself some instant noodles.

Antelope Canyon is located within the Navajo Indian Reservation. Visitors are not allowed to enter alone; you must join a guided tour and ride a special jeep with a Navajo guide into the canyon.

Unfortunately, even though we booked a month in advance, we missed the light beam at noon that shines straight down to the canyon floor – the 'Heavenly Light'—a slight regret...

The roads to Antelope Canyon were all desert roads. Riding in the Navajo people's special jeep, we bounced all the way. The driver stepped on the gas, and dust flew behind us...

The entrance to Antelope Canyon: an unremarkable narrow crack.

Once inside, we encountered the densest crowd of our entire trip to the American West. The 150-meter-long canyon felt like a major scenic spot in China during a long holiday – crowded.

Honestly, I had seen many photos of Antelope Canyon online – mysterious and dreamy – so I was especially looking forward to being there in person.

But Antelope Canyon is particularly photogenic. Sunlight enters through cracks at different angles, creating changing light and shadow, wavy lines, and with the guide's instructions on where the 'Instagram' spots were, how to frame the shot, even throwing up sand for effect... The real experience wasn't as colorful as the photos.

After years of erosion by rainstorms, floods, and wind, the rock walls displayed incredibly soft curves.

In areas without light, you could feel the undulating marks of rock like flowing water.

Lake Powell is the second-largest man-made lake in the United States, formed by the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. It wasn't originally on our itinerary, but we made a detour to the visitor center simply because we had time and it was close – just a glance. However, as soon as we stepped into the visitor center, we were attracted by a large number of pictures and videos at the counter, and we realized that taking a boat might be a great way to enjoy the desert lake and mountain scenery.

Under the blazing sun, we walked from the visitor center to the dock. Apart from the three kids who could still hop and skip, we were all sun-drenched...

The mirror-like lake water was even clearer and bluer than the sky. The canyon cliffs on both sides, in varying shades of color, were rugged and bold. Such winding water channels in the desert, with their twists and turns, are truly rare.

Lake Powell is probably a popular vacation spot in the southwestern United States. Many cars tow boats and kayaks, drive directly to the beach, and enjoy various water sports. The kids watched people swimming and playing in the lake with envy.

We continued to Walmart to stock up on supplies and also bought ingredients for dinner, planning to comfort our stomachs that were already missing home.

We were really afraid of the smoke alarms in the foreigners' kitchen; any bit of smoke would trigger a huge continuous alarm. So we opened the door and windows, cooked on low heat, and turned off the stove before any smoke appeared. At last, after many days, we had a proper meal of rice, and we cried tears of joy...

At 8:30, the kid woke up alone, with nothing to do. She looked at the airport not far from the yard and Lake Powell just across the street, and dragged me out for a walk. But the whole neighborhood was so quiet except for bird songs – not a sound. The kid said, 'Let's go back for breakfast.'

We drove 200 km to Bryce Canyon. At the park entrance, we saw the sunset time for the day: 8:54 PM. This was a dilemma – we wanted to watch the sunset, but we also didn't want to drive at night to the next city...

Most national parks in the United States have a 'Junior Ranger' program suitable for kids. You just ask at the visitor center for an activity booklet, and kids can learn about the national park in a unique way, from regular identification, word fill-ins, logic matching, to forest mazes – everything is available.

After watching the videos and exhibits at the visitor center and completing the questions in the activity booklet, kids can hand it to a ranger for checking, take an oath, and get a commemorative badge.

We walked uphill to the viewpoint. Standing at the cliff edge, the entire Bryce Canyon spread out before us. The strange orange and fiery red rock pillars, lined up from top to bottom along the mountain slope, were magnificent and awe-inspiring!

We continued to a few other viewpoints. All had wide views, but the feeling of looking down from above differed greatly. Despite the scorching sun and the altitude, we chose the shortest hiking trail and descended to the canyon floor for a closer look!

From here, an irregular zigzag path wound deep into the canyon bottom.

A narrow path between two ancient rock pillars was named 'Wall Street'.

After passing through Wall Street and rounding the two very straight pine trees, we were essentially on the canyon floor.

Walking on the canyon floor gave a completely different feeling from looking down from the viewpoint. Truly, seeing the world from another angle – different angles bring different scenery.

At a fork, there was a warning sign. For safety, we chose to continue on the zigzag path back to Sunset Point.

The scenery on the way up was exactly the same, but the joy was boundless...

At 8 PM, we couldn't wait any longer for Bryce's sunset and set off for the next city, 150 km away.

At night, in the vast wilderness, apart from animals brushing past the car, there were only us... What was most infuriating was that we drove into a desolate mountain area at 10 PM, with no light except from the car, and then heard the navigation voice: 'You have arrived at your destination.' After several confirmations of the address, it was correct. Oh my god! It was truly a place so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, perfect for a horror movie...

To be continued...

Travel log index:

1. Day 6 2019-07-06

2. Day 7 2019-07-07

3. Day 8 2019-07-08

4. Day 9 2019-07-09

5. Day 10 2019-07-10

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