Unexpected!
"An unexpected break in travel"
We were well into our cross country road trip, heading from Vegas to Yellowstone when we decided to take a detour at Bryce Canyon National Park. We got right to the entrance when we decided to stop and take a few pictures and when we got back in the car, it wouldn't start. After cursing, threatening, begging, and staring at the engine in complete clueless bewilderment, we gave up and called AAA. The closest AAA tow location that could get to us was in cedar city. Apparently tow trucks are not allowed through the park so that ruled out all towns on the other side of the park. If we had died inside the park, they would have been allowed, but since we died outside the park... So we had to pay for a 80mile/2 hour tow job to the nearest (only) Ford/AAA repair facility in Cedar City.
"Random attacks of Shakespeare..."
We got there only to find out the repair facility was closed, would be open tomorrow but then closed all weekend, and all the hotels in the town were booked up so we would have to pitch our little two person tent a friend lent us at the local KOA. Do you know why every hotel in a tiny town in the middle of Utah was booked? Because apparently once a year there is a giant, nationally recognized, award-winning Shakespearean festival going on and we rolled into town right in the middle of it! Of all the random places to end up, we end up here and now! When we went into a little cafe for dinner, there are people on either side of us discussing the nuances of Macbeth or quoting Henry V! Who can resist a random attack of Shakespeare? So we went and wandered around town, got the car arrangements made, and took in a play, of course. In spite of the frustrations with the car, this was one of my favorite stops of the trip! Fortunately, however, we were able to get the car back in the same day so we could head out the next day since i don't know if the entertainment value would have lasted if we were stuck there for three days versus the one...
"If your gonna get stranded..."
For a day stop with no car, the town was great though. Everyone was friendly, sympathetic, and helpful, the town was quite cute, the window shopping interesting, and the Shakespearean festival was absolutely unexpected and fantastic!


Comments