Real camera shots - approaching Zion

The geology changes you see as you drive out West are sometimes gradual, sometimes abrupt. As you get closer to Zion, you start to get hints of the newer canyons that are forming. Bill bought a great little book ($4!) in Springdale (the cool, hip town just outside of Zion) that explained the geology of the Grand Canyon (the oldest rock at the bottom of the GC is 1.8 billion years old) and the newer geologies of Zion and Bryce Canyons (relatively younger, at 200 million years and 50 million years, respectively). All 3 are part of what is referred to as The Grand Staircase (Bryce at the top, GC at the bottom).

Sam slept through a fair bit of this. ;)