Transcription from Lake Powell: July 7

Two glorious days have passed, remarkably, as it seems both a longer and shorter time. The hike through the Bryce amphitheatre was stunning, and towards the end of our ascent back to the car, the heavens opened and we received rain on the trail, and hail. Ouch. Next, we drove to Capitol Reef National Park, and hiked 4.5 miles up to a 360-degree panorama of the park and its canyons. It was magnificent, and we ate dinner and watched the sun set from atop those mountains, hiking for nearly an hour after dusk, and witnessing a beautiful scene of moon and stars in the open sky before falling asleep in the car. This was our second night of sleeping in the car, after having to do so at Bryce Canyon because, much to our chagrin, it began to rain at our campsite, and our tent's cover was not adequately keeping out the water. Last night we were merely unable to find a suitable campsite on the rocky trail, but I slept better. In the morning we attempted unsuccessfully to hike on of the washes at the park, but we still got amazing views of wildlife (albeit some cows as well), before driving to Lake Powell. Ricky drove most of the way, and it took us a while to get situated in a small motel (we could not find any campgrounds near the Lake), but swimming in the water was wonderful, and just what our tired bodies needed after our strenuous journeys.

A lot of poetry runs through my head in all of these places, but I can't seem to write anything down. I think I'll copy down the Keats poem that, for me, perfectly describes this trip, with Rick.

***

I proceeded to copy, in my journal, that same Keats poem, "Oh, Solitude!", that I had copied down here in my online journal only days before. It's interesting, looking back, on how that Sonnet so followed my mind up until that trip, only to be the poem to best describe my experience. Keats, you are indeed my lover.