Meeting of Monoceroses

Every year, Bryce Canyon National Park holds an Astronomy Festival, where thousands of visitors come to enjoy various astronomy related activities. After working a rigorous schedule during the festival, park rangers get a much needed three day weekend. Having just interacted with thousands of people and talking non-stop to them, Kate decided she was due for some solitary time. A friend mentioned a nice hike in Capitol Reef National Park, called Upper Muley Twist Canyon. Kate set out to visit the main part of Capitol Reef for an evening before traveling to the canyon.

Ranger Kate at Bryce Canyon National Park.

The drive was/is long and incredible.

 Kate drove into the park, secured a campsite for the night and walked over to the visitor center. There, behind the desk, stood this person:








Ranger Hau interpreting the historic schoolhouse at Capitol Reef National Park. Not the visitor center, but you get the idea.







They chatted, laughed and talked about hiking. 
Hau was thinking, "oh, who IS this cute girl with the dreadlocks and the red shirt?" 
Kate was thinking "Does this guy ALWAYS hit on all the hikers who come in to get back-country permits? I like his smile."
Hau discovered that Kate worked at the neighboring park. Kate discovered that Hau had an interest to do the hike with her, if only she'd wait a day until his day off. Kate nicely declined, still interested in completing the hike herself.

The back-country camping permit Hau issued to Kate. Luckily, Kate rarely cleans out her car and so she found this in the trunk a year or so later. It is now framed as a relic of their relationship and as a record of the day they met.

That night, Hau was conducting an evening program about Uranium exploration at Capitol Reef in the 1950s. Kate was the first to arrive. During a skit that was demonstrated how radiation was discovered, Hau gave Kate the role of 'mystery element.' It turns out, she was radioactive!

Hau reading off the weather forecast before conducting his evening program.

The next day, Kate got up early and packed her things in preparation for her solo hike. She drove down the east side of the Waterpocket Fold, up the Burr Trail switchbacks and up to the trailhead.

A view of the east slope of the Waterpocket Fold.

Burr Trail switchbacks from the top.

Kate strapped on her pack and started walking. It was then that a strange thing happened. She began thinking about Hau's offer to do the hike together. She also heard her friend, Albert, in her head saying over and over again, "Kate, don't hike alone!" (Albert had actually said this to her after a solo trip into the Rincon Mtns outside Tucson) After a few hundred yards, Kate turned around and walked back to her car. She drove back to the visitor center. She knew Hau was giving a geology talk at a certain time and she planned to meet him.

Kate walked into the visitor center and saw Hau giving his geology presentation. They made eye contact from across the room. After the talk, they met up and made a plan for the hike the next day. Hau cooked Kate dinner. They looked at stars. They had a very nice hike.

As the summer continued, they drove the highway in between Bryce and Capitol Reef, meeting each other on their shared day off. They did many lovely hikes together. They decided they liked each other.

Hau and Kate a few weeks after they met, hiking in Horseshoe Canyon.