RE: "Collecting" in a national park without a permit would be a violation of federal law. Oh come on, I'm sure professor Lanner has helped himself to a few pinon pine nuts without navigating the red tape and getting a permit.

Luscious colors!

When i was a kid, we had a board game that sent cargo ships to foreign ports, and a ship would pick up a cargo and drop one off! I used to know all of the foreign ports where my ships would go, and even now, if i hear "Bolivia", i think of tin, which is the cargo we'd pick up there! I don't remember how the game was won, but i think it was better than geography class in school! And it made me want to travel the world! So, upon hearing that my Uncle Sam would send me off to exotic places, i signed on for one of his cruises! Of course, i had to go thru some indoctrination before setting out! Uncle warned me that there were some "unfriendlies" out there, maybe i'd better brush up on my gun handling and shooting, maybe learn how to dig holes in the ground, and he told me i might have to do some long walks, so i got used to that too! Any way, after the training, i joined a large group of fellows who were going on the cruise offered by Uncle Sam! I never thought there were so many guys interested in traveling the world! Oh, we sailed the briny deep for a week or more, then had to stop in Liverpool, England, to take in fresh supplies! While waiting for that, we boarded a nice passenger train and went thru England, south, to Warminster and Trowbridge, and then into a nice hotel there! (The main hotel was full, so we used some large tents instead!) Later we toured Bournemouth, and Southampton. We got to see a different type of ship there, and while we were on it inspecting it, the ship pulled out, with us all on it! WHOA!! We didn't expect that! And the next thing we knew, the sky was filled with the most fireworks any of us had seen in our lifetimes! I think the Captain of the ship was angry with us--he had us dumped off onto a beach filled with blown up tanks, ships, trucks---WHAAAT?? Soon, trucks came and took us to a large wooded area where they gave us firearms and ammunition, new clothes, a blanket, a gas mask, and new boots and a steel helmet! And, then, we got to where the other people were shooting at us!! In spite of all this, i did manage to walk most all the way across France! Well, sooner or later most everybody either got killed or wounded, or went nuts, but, like Uncle said, it would be like this, so don't complain! I managed to get wounded badly by a German land mine, so that ended my cruise, and Uncle managed to find a boat to have me sent home! And, i have never wanted to go on a cruise ever again!! It would be o.k., as long as the boat didn't leave the dock! And, if i could keep one foot on shore! (Some wag told me to leave my wooden leg on shore, and i could go!) by: Rustyj

Actually the weather has been beautiful. The days In Page were anywhere from mid 70's to the mid 90's. The North Rim was 68 degrees the first day and then in the mid 70's. Bryce was a bit hotter but not in the 100's. We are now at Capitol Reef and the temp today was in the low 70's with some rain showers. Haven't seen any snakes or other nasty varmints.