Happy Birthday Maci from Missoula!! Have a fun day!! Save me some cake.

I had  lot of different ideas on this hike today. There are three natural bridges in a span of about eight miles. You can hike the canyon from one to the other. I could leave the bike at the top, drive Bill to the bottom and walk back up to the top and bike down. Close to nine miles that way. Park at the middle bridge and do the top in the morning, have lunch and do the bottom in the afternoon. Over ten miles that way. Park at the top bridge and walk to the middle bridge and back today and do the third bridge tomorrow. A “bridge” is made by a water source and a “arch” is made by erosion and wind. So I’ve decided to split them up and do the top and middle today. My knee is a little sore but it’s less than six miles there and back.

The start, going down the canyon wall, brings a smile to my face and I stop and gaze my way down. Stairs, ladders, rock steps, rock scrambling and a lot of steep. Hmmm, a little harder on my knee then I would of thought. The bridges are nice and the hike down the canyon is sandy and shady.

My knee is real sore as I climb back out of the canyon. A bit over 6 miles total, parking lot to parking lot. I’m tired when I get back to the schooner. Have lunch and nap for awhile. The soreness in my knee has also made it stiff. Limping around this evening. Hamburgers tonight, Harper, with a salad.

Going to stay here three more days and head for Valley of the Gods on Sunday. I think I better take it a little easier on my knee. We’ll see tomorrow how it feels. Good night.

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