May 4

This morning we met for breakfast at Wild Willie's Restaurant next door to the motel. The hikers caught the 8:30 a.m. town shuttle to the entrance of the park. They then hiked the Watchman Trail.

I went to the pond that was listed in my Birding Utah book. It is behind the Best Western. I stopped at the lobby to ask if it was OK to go down there. They said no problem. It is a great place to bird. Saw lots of Warblers, Gray Flycatcher, Least Bittern(preening), Black-chinned Hummingbird and others.

Met the rest of the group at the Museum, watched a movie about the park, then rode the park shuttle out to the River Walk. It was a one-mile out and one-mile back. It was around 2:00 p.m., so it was hot and, of course, the canyon continues to narrow. No one could walk in the river because of the dangerous flow of the water.

John and about 5 of the others hiked up to the Weeping Wall, about 1/2 mile total, but steep.

It is an area where water seeps through the rocks, and lots of moss and plants are clinging to the rock walls. The rest of us took the shuttle back to the motel.

We are all going to dinner together at a place called Oscar's tonight.

Dinner was very good. There were 12, of us and we had a great time. Deb Withnell ordered a brownie sundae, and it came with 12 spoons, so we all got a little taste. Made me hungry for ice cream, but I am too full. Maybe tomorrow.

Hikers going on an 8 mile hike tomorrow. I am opting out.

More from Zion tomorrow...

John and Elaine