My day alone....kind of

I haven't had a full day to my very own lonesome for several years!  Emma went camping with her daddy, so I took a couple hours to work in the garden and got the house cleaned and decided I would take myself out for a hike.  :) I realize it isn't smart to hike alone....but that's why I say I was only "kind of" alone.  I was out in the National Park and lots of people were hiking with me.  :)  First I took myself out to lunch.  I went to a cafe that Cory and I love that makes great wraps and the best Chai Tea around.  Even though it was hot out, it was nice and air-conditioned in the cafe...so I enjoyed my tea and wrap.  Two older men sat at the table next to me and talked very loudly about their jobs.  I'm guessing they were doctors of some type...they talked alot about their experiences in medical school years ago.  Paramedics have a sick sense of humor that keeps us sane...these guys had stories of surgeries and such that they seemed to think were pretty amusing.  :)  Stuff like that doesn't affect my appetite, but it might have grossed some people out to hear about looking at intestines and cutting open the abdominal cavity.  
I decided to go up to Hidden Canyon.  Haven't hiked that way for a few years.  It only took about 45 minutes to hike up to the trail.  How is this tree growing...sitting with all it's roots and such on top of sandstone?
I like this hike because it's a little more strenuous than most, so it's not crowded.  It also feels like it's hidden because you can't really look back and see the trail because of all the twists and turns and walks around cliff faces.  It looks a lot like the narrows without water.  I wondered if any water still runs through it.
Scrambling....hiking and climbing that usually requires you to use your hands.  The sign is accurate.  Lots and lots of scrambling was required.  A few places I looked down from where I had just 'scrambled' up a dry waterfall face and wondered if I could get back down that same way again.  A couple times I thought to myself...."you're an idiot for climbing this".  But then I'd look ahead at footprints from hikers past and I'd wonder what was up the canyon in front of me and I'd keep on going.  
I will never cease to be amazed at the way wind and water carves sandstone.  
You can't see the arch very well in this picture....and I couldn't get it any better because of the narrow canyon.  It was neat though- it was free standing on the side of the trail behind some maple trees.  If I hadn't been looking for it, I would have walked right by it.  
I hiked until there was only a wall of rock in front of me.  In one place I had to take off my backpack to squeeze through a narrow slot.  It was a very pretty hike.  I was litterally dripping with sweat- sweaty backpack lines on my shoulders and everything.  There's nothing like a good work out to make you feel good.  :)

The ride home on the shuttle was a great geology lesson from the shuttle driver.  He had the whole shuttle laughing with his dry sense of humor.  The day ended nicely with Cory taking me out for pizza just before he left on another fire.  I fell asleep listening to the rain outside and watching the food channel.  I missed snuggling with my little girl, but I know she's having fun camping....hope they aren't getting rained on.