Thursday - Friday, May 1-2, 2014 (Bryce Canyon City, UT)

Today we were traveling to Bryce Canyon City, UT.  We left our camp spot in Hurricane around 9:45 a.m. and arrived around noon at Ruby's Inn RV Park & Campground. Our drive was pretty uneventful until we got to Panguitch.  We originally were going to stay at the Hitchin Post in Panguitch but in looking at the campground online and reading some reviews, we got cold feet and decided to pay a bit more and be about 30 miles closer to Bryce Canyon.  When we drove by Panguitch and the Hitchin Post we were so glad we decided to pass it up.  There were no rv's anywhere to be seen and it looked pretty deserted and run down. 

Everything was looking good until we saw a roadside sign that said tunnels ahead.  Yikes....we weren't expecting that.  Then there was another sign that said clearance 13'6".  That had me scurrying to find my phone and check some notes I had on our 5er dimensions.  My notes said we were 13' high so we kept on going.  We came to the tunnel and decided to take it down the center of the road since we weren't sure where the 13'6" clearance was.

There were two of these tunnels, the other one was just around the corner.  Whew, we made it, but it was a little tense for a few seconds while we were driving under them.

We made it to Ruby's and got checked in and they gave us site #118.  The gal at the counter kept raving about what a nice site it was.  Well when we pulled up, it was absolutely AWFUL!!!  At first we weren't really sure it was our site, but yes, there was the little site post with 118.  The site was no where close to level and had an incline to it plus there were trees that made it very tight just pulling in, let alone trying to put our slides out.  Rich is much more patient than I am, and worked for quite a while maneuvering the 5er in and out of the site trying to find a spot where we could attempt to try and level it.  What was irritating was that a couple rows over there was this big open area with tons of sites that were level and wide open and with no one in them. 

Rich finally got the 5er to a point where we were going to try and level it, we had to use lots of blocks under the tires and jacks on one side because it had such a slope.  When he went to let the tailgate down, it wouldn't open because there was a bind on the truck.  The handle to the tailgate popped off and hit him on the side of the head before flying into the back of the truck.  When he finally got the tailgate down and started to put the front jacks down and unhook,  the 5er started creaking and a groaning, I finally "lost it" and said can't we please check and see if one of those other sites are available.  I'm afraid I didn't have my "happy" face on.  =(

Well I'm relieved to say that when I called the office, they said yes we could move to one of those nice open and level sites.....whew, that made me feel a lot better.  I just did not have a good feeling about that first site.  I'm lucky that I have a patient husband, who didn't get mad at me when I asked to move after he had spent all that time trying to get into our original site.  Why in the world they tried to squeeze us into that awful site when they had all these nice big open sites I'll never know.

We've never had such a wide site before - they were huge.  Back in those trees behind us was where they originally were trying to put us.  We always tell them we have a big 5er which measures 39 feet long and has four slides.  The whole two days we were here, they never even came close to filling up this newer part of the campground.

Well after we got set up, we pretty much just chilled out the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Friday

The plan today was to drive to Panguitch and fuel up with diesel and then head to Bryce National Park and do some siteseeing.  At Ruby's we are at an elevation of 7777 feet and you can definitely feel it.  The drive down to Panguitch is all down hill.  The towns here in Utah all have really nice wide streets and it looks like a quiet little town.  We got our diesel and spent some time chilling out in Panguitch just taking in the pretty scenery.  We  forgot to take some pictures  while we were there. 

Then it was time to head back so we could check out Bryce Canyon National Park.  Bryce does not get near the visitors as the Grand Canyon or even Zion National Park so the shuttle service was not running yet.  Later in May they start the shuttle bus runs into the park to the scenic overlook areas.  We decided to drive to the end of the Bryce Ampitheater area and then take in the overlook areas on the way back.  We stopped at three of the overlook areas and took a bunch of pictures.  The scenery was definitely unique compared to the Grand Canyon and Zion.  I'll let the pictures do the talking. 

We had Gracie along thinking that we would be able to walk with her along the tops of the viewpoints, but the first two viewpoints we stopped at had No Pet signs, so one of us had to stay with her while the other went and enjoyed the viewpoint and then we would switch.  It is much too warm to leave your animals inside a vehicle for any length of time.  If we would have realized they wouldn't let her at the viewpoints, we would have dropped her off at the 5er before coming into the park.  Finally at the last viewpoint, Sunset Point, they allowed dogs at the viewpoint so we finally got to enjoy the views together. 

The rest of the afternoon we just chilled out back at the 5er.  I sat outside and did a little reading which was nice.  We had originally paid for 4 nights, but have decided that we are going to ask for a refund tomorrow and head on down the road.  I'm not sure why, but Rich and I just aren't "feeling" this place.  Maybe we've seen too much spectacular scenery in the last couple of weeks and now its all starting to run together.....I'm not sure, we are just ready to leave.  That is one of the advantages of being retired and full timing, if we are in a spot that we aren't feeling it, we can decide to leave.  It's not like being on a vacation and making sure that you utilize every moment of your vacation in doing or seeing things and trying to fit everything into a specific amount of time.  So tomorrow you will find us down the road......