Sunrise, a 12 hour drive, a wrong turn, and a gash in the head

Our day started early (5am alarm!) so we could enjoy the sunrise from Bryce Point. There we witnessed the light slowly fill the canyon until the sun peaked over the horizon. And as the sun slowly rose, the hoodoos changed color in the morning light, and their shadows stood in defining contrast. A wonderful sight.

Hitting the road, we trekked north on 89 through farms and small towns on an easy two lane highway. Here Stacey took the wheel for the first time! Our trip on I70 through Utah offered tons of scenic views and amazing red rock vistas by Mt. Hilgard. Across the border in Colorado, we followed the Colorado River, enjoyed our first glimpse of the beautiful Rockies (much more green and gray than the Utah mountains), suffered through an hour long traffic delay outside of Vail, passed through the Continental Divide in the Eisenhower Tunnel and thought we found the right exit for our campground. But Mark's stubborn following of our new GPS led us up and down roads we never should have ventured down (strong flashes of the Griswolds!). Finally, twelve hours later, and after a couple more exits down the highway, eight miles up and down a steep mountain, we found our way to Central City and the campground atop the hill overlooking the city (cross your fingers that our transmission holds!). Though the sunset was pretty, the gash Mark gave himself on the side of his head while trying to connect the water was not (perhaps a living souvenir of the trip).