Early Migration

"The Times, they are a-changin'..."  

Indeed.  Looks like El Pacifico is gettin' its Game Face on a little early this year.  There's some interesting stuff a movin' and a shakin' in the vast reaches of that humongous ocean.  The details are too complicated to recount here.  You can read more about them here: (http://geekweather.blogspot.com/2014/09/change-of-latitudes-change-of-attitudes.html)

Anyway, what does it all mean?  Two words: Early Migration.  We have already begun to stage for our departure to Arizona.  We want to be completely ready to go no later than October 11.  If the evolving patterns persist and, if the jetstream starts going double down from The Arctic, we really need to be able to skeedaddle outta here on short notice.

Does that mean we will beat feet for Arizona?  Nope.  Not necessarily.  It just means we'll get outta Dodge earlier than normal.  What's normal?  Well, our normal departure date is typically the last weekend in October, which this year would be October 25.  The normal departure date would get us to Arizona on or about November 1st.

If we leave Idaho early, we will head straight to Utah's Yuba State Park and then regroup.  From there, we might take a wide-swinging detour over to Capitol Reef NP and Moab.  Or we might just mosey down to Bryce Canyon National Park and set up shop in the newly-remodeled Sunset Campground.

The nice thing about Bryce is that we wouldn't need to use the truck much.  All the trailheads are very close to one another and the day hiking is truly delightful.  We didn't get to stay at Bryce on our way north in April because Sunset CG was closed.  All the other camp spots were taken.  So we spent the night out in the Dixie National Forest and then drove straight home.  It would be nice to revisit Bryce this fall.

Fall in Bryce is actually a little more user-friendly than spring.   For one thing, you don't have to deal with the howling, incessant Spring Winds.  Plus, the fall colors come early to Bryce and it's a delight to be there in the cool autumn weather.

Chances are we wouldn't go stay at Susan K's. place in Marble Canyon.  We know we will be back at Susan's next April.  Who knows?  We might even get a hankering to detour over to Mather Campground on the South Rim of The Grand Canyon.  We haven't had a nice visit to the Canyon in a few years.  We're long overdue.

Anyway, leaving early might have its merits.  All eyes are on the Pacific's evolving weather patterns.

The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind

The answer is blowin' in the wind.