Back from the West: Part II

While on the journey up and down canyon walls and through the vulgar seeming hoodoos, we met a man whose invention has creating a slight bit of salivation for me at times. Kettle Chips are a bit more low key in advertising than the lost bet inducing Lay's, but they are quite tasty and much better than regular potato chips. This gourmet addition to the deli chip world was created by Michael Slocum, a chef out of Gaston, Oregon, who is taking an enviable trip on which he will circumnavigate the continental U.S. within a four month period.

The man was a wealth of knowledge and conversation, which helped us to enjoy our time in the campsite at Bryce, which was not where we met him. Our first encounter was trugding up the path to Angel's Landing in Zion, where he kept me company across the narrow ridge to the point. We parted ways here, but he happened upon us again in the parking lot of the visitor's center just as we arrived in Bryce. After our hike, he offered us a beer and to enjoy the full moon as it rose over the canyon to eerily illuminate the formations below. This was a great reminder to me of how interesting it can be to meet new people while traveling; they always seem to be more open and have more experiences to share. To read about and follow his journey, visit http://oregonman.blogspot.com.