267) Zion

I woke up out of the blue at 4am on my birthday. That was the sign I needed. Off to Zion.





I arrived at the park early. There was frost on the ground and it was chilly, but perfect for a good hike. The colors were so fantastic I felt like I was walking through a painting at times. Yellows, reds, greens and sage mixed with light bouncing off the canyon walls, it couldn't have been more perfect.





I really try not to take my sense of smell for granted. A good whiff of a particular scent can take me right back to an experience in my past. The smell of rancid urine, for example, takes me right back the streets of New Dehli where the piss flowed through the gutters like a golden river. Fortunately I was in store for a much more pleasant experience in Zion. The smells of sage, decomposing leaves, a desert river (maybe something like sweet willow) and alpine pine sap in the hot sun all mixed together to create something fantastic. In certain areas they would all hit at the same time, I can only assume that is what heaven smells like.





I turned a corner and stopped in my tracks when I saw a bright red maple leaf on the ground. I had been waiting to see some maples in full color. One thing I really missed while being in Florida was the beautiful foliage in fall.






This is my self portrait- me turning 28.