Zion and Bryce

I got to Zion around 5pm to find no camping spots whatsoever available. But, I was able to get a place a mile outside of the park. It wasn't too pretty, but it was a place to stay. I spent the whole day Wednesday exploring Zion. I did the Angel's Landing trail, which was scary beyond all reason but totally worth it. At the end you have to hold on to chains and climb up steep rocks to get to the top. So far, Zion is my favorite place. It was so beautiful everywhere I went. I easily could have spent a week there.
The next day I got to Bryce Canyon. It was a really short drive. Bryce is another of the many awesome places Southern Utah has to offer. I wasn't able to do too much hiking because my legs and knees were so sore from tramping all over Zion the day before.
I'm very much enjoying this trip, but certain things are starting to get to me. For example, the way European tourists have to stop and take pictures of every single mangy squirrel they see. They're like rats people. They bite and they have rabies.
Also, I'd like to pose a question: what is the deal with hiking poles? Do they actually help you hike, or are they just another scheme from REI to get more money out of people. If you have an answer to this question, please email me and let me know. Right now, it seems like all they do is enable one person to take up the whole trail while looking like a geek at the same time.
Well, I'm going to try to get to the Arches National Park today. But to get there I need to pass through Capitol Reef National Park. I've read that they have orchards there where you can pick your own fruit, and that sounds just too good to pass up.