Enjoy a few sample of my writing from the 2009 Fodor's Guide to Zion & Bryce.
This is how I open the first chapter:
Look up, look down. Repeat—as many times as necessary.
As much as any National Park in America, Bryce Canyon and Zion are
truly “vertical” experiences that challenge your senses with chasms and towers
galore. Two key steps in the Giant
Staircase—the geological phenomenon that stretches from the Grand Canyon (the
floor of which is near sea level) to Bryce’s Paunsaugunt Plateau (9,115 feet
above sea level)—these brilliant places are just a small section of a massive
Southwest puzzle where geologists are still unlocking the secrets to a billion
years of the planet’s history from the pre-dinosaur eras to the present.
Jumping ahead a few pages, here's me writing about flora (me? that's funny):
Ponderosa Pine
(Pinus albicaulis): You can easily identify ponderosa
pine by the tall, straight trunks, which have a reddish-orange,
puzzle-piece-shaped bark that smells like vanilla. Named for the heavy “ponderous” wood, they are visible throughout
Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks.
I visited and reviewed several dozen hotels and restaurants. Here's a typical review for an atypical B&B in Springdale:
Novel
House Inn. Fans of literature ranging
from C.S. Lewis to Jane Austen, Rudyard Kipling to Louis L’Amour will savor
this bed-and-breakfast where each unique room is as compelling as your favorite
page-turner. Since 1995, the Clay
family has welcomed readers, romance-seekers, and hikers from across the
globe. The Kipling room evokes a
Raj’s quarters. The Walt Whitman room has autumn tones and reflects
serenity. The living room is lined
with books and parlor games, and the adjacent La Dolce Vita Gallery will sell
or maybe even trade you a classic to complete your set. Pros: novelty
and comfort without kitsch, no two rooms are the same, and the armoires alone
are worth asking for a tour of all rooms, one block removed from Zion Park
Blvd., so the nicely maintained grounds are especially peaceful. Cons: No
kids under 12, so families can’t share this place with their aspiring young
readers, no refrigerator in your room, although guests are invited to use one
off the kitchen.
Finally, I love looking bak through my writing and remembering a particular moment and time, such as this very first-person Family Experience:
Hardy kids will do ok on this trail (Bryce's Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop),
but little ones may tire and want to be carried up the final ascent, the point
at which your legs and back are most fatigued. Take your time, bring plenty of “treats,” and don’t
overextend your preschoolers’ abilities.
