DAY 23
October 27, 2006

Today we were lucky to have Jack Greene with us as we walked to the east gate of Zion National Park. Doug and I have seen many natural wonders on the walk so far, but have lacked the knowledge to identify them. We’ve needed Jack. For instance, today we saw a beautiful hawk sitting on the very top of a pine tree. Jack then explained that it was a one-year-old male red tailed hawk sitting on a ponderosa pine tree. He also added that this one had a particularly arrogant air about him as evidenced by his insouciant perch on the tip-top of the tree. It’s good to walk with Jack.

Brenda and Pat from Logan joined us on their bikes and Jewell joined us from Park City. We all had a wonderful time walking through such a magical place. I can’t wait until tomorrow when we drop down into the canyons of Zion Park. I can’t help but laugh to myself when I think of the biblical symbol, present particularly in the book of Isaiah, about leaving Babylon and going to Zion. I’ve literally left Babylon (ancient Iraq) and I’m head to Zion (National Park).

One thing did not make me laugh today, however. Drivers around Zion seem to be ruder than in rural Utah. For the past 200 miles I’ve walked through the kind of country where everyone waves. It’s an unwritten law in the Code of the West: when you pass another human being on a lonely stretch of highway in the middle of nowhere, you must wave, nod, honk, or in some way recognize the other person as a member of your species. It’s a rule.

Rural Utah is full of nice people, most of whom are even pro-peace despite the common belief. But as we got closer to Zion we found that everybody’s so busy having a relaxing vacation that they can’t even raise a hand off the steering wheel or nod as they pass. It’s a strange world.