DAWN AT SUNSET

After several days in the canyon, the time had come to pack up and head back to civilization. The hiking we had done was essentially a loop, closed off with the 3 or 4 miles remaining between us and the Egypt Trailhead. In an effort to beat the heat, we got up at dawn, packed up , had a quick snack and hit the trail. We followed a path through the canyon but once we hit slickrock country on the plateau above, we were pretty much feeling our way to the trailhead, located on the even higher ground to the west. By 10:30 am we were back at the trailhead where I ditched everyone under the shade of a pinyon pine tree and trudged the remaining 3 miles to the parked vehicle at the trail leading to Harris Canyon, where it all began. The kids were overjoyed to see me drive up, after which they jumped in and began with the GameBoys.

A sun baked landscape
Barren rock cracked with canyons
The hidden beauty

A rocky landscape
The wind forever blowing
Whispers in my ears

From there we went straight to the town of Escalante where we had a big lunch. Then we backtracked through Boulder to Hanksville, south to Lake Powell, just beyond which I took a little used dirt road that lead me to an isolated campsite on a sandstone plateau overlooking the Colorado River way below. A quick dinner, sunset and most everyone else retired to the tents where they hung out to play or read. It was the long awaited concert time for me!!

Lowered grain by grain
Eons sculpt the stone landscape
My snapshot in time

High desert plateau
Dark, distant mesas rise
Stars the only lights

Nights darkness below
The stars shine dimly above
Moon casts faint shadows

This night's concert was "The Dawn Of 5150", a collection of high quality recordings consisting of demos, soundtracks, radio jams and early concerts (like the 1985 Farm Aid concert, the 1st public appearance of Sam & Ed together). A really fun listen to rock to! I had the stereo cranked (but not all the way because of the nearby occupied tents) late into the night, smokin my cigar and taking stiff swigs of tequila. A great feeling listening to good music, being in a beautiful location and knowing that we had successfully completed the trip through canyon. For me, the trip was essentially over at that point.

Craves the loud music
While wandering the desert
Hears only silence

A perfect union
Dawn of fifty one fifty
Their rise to greatness

David's departed
Many see it as their end
Just getting started