May 9, Mother's Day

Today just sucked. No other words. Nothing even went wrong, really. I think I”ve just hit some sort of traveler’s wall. Little things irritated me greatly and great things didn’t impress me. I drove through the Vermillion Cliffs, one of nature’s finest creations, and I’m ashamed to say, I mostly kept my eyes on the road, counting down the endless miles. I also kept a white-knuckle grip on the wheel to steady our course against the 60mph winds.

I’m just plumb tuckered out. Driving against the sun and the wind reduces me to camel-speed. The miles stretched endlessly before me, the sun was electromagnetically searing a hole through my head, and my eyes were filled with grit. I felt I was being pushed away by giant hands saying "don't come here!" Maybe I should have gone East.

The scenery was beautiful in the high altitude desert (7,000+ feet). We got out many times to walk and stretch and try to reclaim some enthusiasm, but I couldn’t manufacture any. I just had a bad case of mirth-lack.  I tried to find a suitable campground where I could just “hole up” for a couple days but none were to be found, except little gravel parking lots with no trees for $25/night. Extreme YUK!

I intended to stop at Zion and/or Bryce Canyons, but can you believe I skipped them both for the irresistible draw of a clean, quiet, dim motel room with a shower? I made it to Panguitch, Ut, and checked in, receiving a $10 discount because of my desperate haggardness, I think.

I fell into bed with clean hair and the TV on, guilty of treason against my own dream.
The verdict: Not guilty, due to temporary insanity.