#RSRSeesTheUSA Day 51: Kanab, UT
Mixed success on yesterday’s intention to take it easy today. I had yet another day that left me tired to the point of wanting to go to bed by 7pm. But it was also a day that included rest and stayed loose and local.
It was a day that left its impressions in sensory ways.
I started with a visit to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, where the fine grained, coral colored sand (from the surrounding red sandstone) blew and stuck on my skin, was warm on my toes until I dug them down to where it got notably cooler, and made very satisfying slip-slapping sounds to walk in (while my calves got their workout).
After the dunes, I took a spin over to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, which I’ve seen mentioned all over the area but hadn’t necessarily intended to check out on my trip itinerary possibilities. They’re the largest no-kill animal rescue operation in the country, and holy crap, do the animals who live there (for a short time until their adoption or for however many years remain to them) get such excellent treatment. After a driving tour around the place (they’re on a massive amount of land around a whole canyon tucked into the rocks), I squeezed in on the last available spot for the tour of the pig and goat area. Got to pet piggies who were really loving their lettuce dinner and mini donkeys who were really loving getting pets. There are over 1,600 animals at the sanctuary, and they all seem to be receiving pretty top notch care in a seriously gorgeous location with lots of space to roam.
I came away thinking about the textures of the animals I got to touch (donkeys: scratchy pelts; potbelly pigs: very stiff, bristly hair) and the happy wagging tails of both pigs and dogs.
As the heat of afternoon started to cool off, I walked up to Hidden Lake (in the same canyon as the sanctuary), which was all kinds of neat for such a little spot. It’s a lake inside a cave whose water has come from dripping through the rock. Walking up to it was the sight of amazing rock swirl patterns and the feel of the temperature drop of easily 10 degrees Fahrenheit and the sounds of stillness and echo stepping into the cave.
The day ended with the tastes of an extremely satisfying Peekaboo Canyon Wood Fired Kitchen Impossible burger with grilled onions and melted blue cheese plus sweet potato fries in a spicy, creamy sauce and a creamy, sweet scoop of huckleberry ice cream from the Soda Fountain at Kanab Drug, which served it to me with a spoon that changed color (yellow when warm, orange when cool).
A very satisfying sensory day, indeed. Not least of which was the shower and moisturizing lotion I applied back at my little Kanab studio on my last night here.
I’m camping the next couple of nights and may not be able to blog live, but I’ll be back to share the ongoing adventure soon enough. In the meantime, here’s a little soundscape from today: a combination of my feet walking on the sand dunes and my voice echoing at Hidden Lake.
Cloud of the day: the swirling haze of this silver-toned sunset
