Arches National Park

Last night, we ventured into Arches National Park after hours because we were determined to find a place away from the town lights, to view the night sky.  Every brochure we came across described the night  darkness as being so unique- because Moab is  hundreds of miles away from a major city--that it was a 'must see' - as impressive as any of the other local sights.    Since it was close to the summer solstice, it was nearly 10 pm before the sky was truly pitch black.  But, we were rewarded with a magnificent show of stars  that just made us feel so insignificant and small.

We got up early the next morning to get a head start on the Delicate Arch hike.  Once again, we felt insignificant and small when we got our first glimpse of the famous arch. With my knee brace on, I was determined to do this hike, even though it rated as a strenuous.  And, I did it!  So many people had doing the  Delicate Arch hike on their 'bucket list' that there was a  real sense of excitement and camaraderie among those of us who arrived there.   It was a great experience, even if it was boiling hot and there was no shade along the hiking trail.  We toured through the rest of the park in the car with the air conditioning going.  A few times we got out and took a short walk to the various other arches and rock formations.  It is truly an awe inspiring place!

Those aren't ants on that slick rock, those are hikers! We went this way to get an 'up close and personal' view of Delicate Arch!  It was worth every sweaty, sun-roasting minute!

And we made it ! This is the world famous Delicate Arch. The opening is four stories high!

This area is called Park Avenue because it is supposed to look like the New York City skyline! But this place is as far from a big city as it gets!

This is one of over 2,000 natural arches in the park!  When you notice the size of the people, compared to the arch, it really shows the grandeur of these rock formations.

This rock formation is called "The Three Gossips."

Here is Queen Nefertiti- one of hundreds of amazing rock formations at Arches.

Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is one of the most remote places we've ever been. We drove thirty-five miles off the main road, outside of Moab,  and found ourselves in middle of what seemed like the set from an old John Wayne movie.  It was interesting to learn that this national park was only celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.  President Lyndon Johnson designated it a national park in 1964, saving it from the hands of politicians who wanted to dam up the Colorado River and change the landscape forever.  Unlike the other parks we've been to so far, there were no services-- no water,  no flush toilets, no restaurants, just a visitor's center and plenty of helpful rangers. So they warn you to bring in your own food and water.  What struck us was the vast open spaces and the shear and complete silence-- almost deafening in its totality.  Yes, there were other tourists like us, but with such distances between the various outlook spots and trailheads, people from all over the world, seemed especially glad to say hello.

We are staying in Moab for three nights at a condo we rented through VRBO and it is really nice.  Tonight we had dinner at a great restaurant called the Desert Bistro, which was a couple of block walk from where we are staying.  Somehow, I messed up my knee and I've been hobbling along, rather than hiking. But I 'may never be this way again,' so I have decided that I can rest my knee when I get home. I know I look like a dork, using my hiking poles to gingerly walk along flat, easy trails, but I don't care.  Walking, or should I say hobbling, is worth the magnificent views at the end of the path!

This dizzying spot is called Mesa Arch and is just breathtaking!

We expected to see John Wayne come by on his horse!

 The National Park's motto was certainly appropriate: "Your safety is your responsibility!" One wrong step and yipes!

Rob didn't seem as scared as I was with the lack of guard rails!

We had our lunch near this arch today and met tourists from all over the world. For such a remote place, it was popular!

Along Route 279 were these ancient petroglyphs estimated to be about 6,000 years old.  As I snapped these photos, Rob decided to take a swim in the Colorado River, which was across the road.  The current was swift, so it was a short swim!

These were just amazing and almost surreal in their size!

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is about 170 miles from Zion but it felt like a completely different world.  It is known as Hoo-Doo Heaven (the name for the odd rock spires) and it is really like no place we've ever been before.  Peering over the rim of Bryce Canyon, it seemed like we had landed on another planet with strange, almost scary looking rock formations below. And everything was shades of red and orange! Yet, surrounding the canyon were forests of pines and aspens.  The elevation was up to 8,800 feet and the weather was as changeable as the hour;  fiercely windy and cold one minute, and then baking hot the next. It was truly a study in contrasts. Rob and I stayed in a nearby "one-horse-town" called Tropic, with one market, a pizza joint, a Mormon Church ( of course, this is Utah, after all!) a bank and a few motels.  While it was nothing "to look at" from the outside, the place was clean and the owners friendly.  We sat in the late afternoons, cocktails in hand, watching the distance 'hoo-doos' mountains glow in the setting sun. Part of the fun of being on a road trip happens when you are just relaxing and taking in the new scenery, and realizing how great it is to be there.

The Native Americans in this region called the rock formations Legion People, believing that the Mighty Coyote turned the bad humans into stone. Here, the bad people were talking to each other, when coyote changed them forever.

The "Hoo-Doo" on the right is called the Thor's Hammer.

The view from the bottom of the Navajo Loop trail- which goes down into the canyon.

Bryce Canyon is known as "Hoo- Doo Heaven," the name of these rock spires!

The depth of the Navajo Loop Trail through these massive rock canyons is more obvious when you notice the size of the hikers below.

Zion National Park- The Narrows

At the farthest point in the Zion National Park road is a place called The Temple of Sinawava. This was where Rob and I got off the shuttle and headed into a place called The Narrows.  The Virgin River has carved a spectacular gorge through Zion Canyon. According to the hiking guide it is 16 miles long, up to 2,000 feet deep, and at times only 20 to 30 feet wide.  The Narrows, with its soaring walls, sandstone grottos and natural springs was an unforgettable experience.
We were prepared with our hiking poles- which were absolutely essential, since much of the time we were hiking through the river itself, stepping carefully on large and small rocks, trying to judge how deep the river was, as  the cold water rushed by. We brought  plenty of water and food and I for one, left my fears behind.  This was rated a 'strenuous' hike, so I was especially proud of myself for having completed this hike after seven long, but exciting hours. I have to admit, afterward I was sore and exhausted.  So, the gin and tonics Rob made for us  back in Springdale, (the town where we stayed near the park) never tasted better! What an experience The Narrows was!  It is one we'll never forget!

The hikers ahead of us gives the perspective of the grandeur of this awesome place.

For most of the day, we waded through the Virgin River.

A shaft of sunlight allows this cottonwood tree to grow.

In this especially narrow slot canyon Rob's hiking poles are touching both sides of the canyon walls!

This was one of the most spectacular hikes I've ever experienced!

Zion National Park, Utah

If ever the expression, "a picture is worth a thousand words," is fitting, it is perfect for Zion National Park.  The name Zion comes from the Hebrew scriptures, meaning a place of refuse or sanctuary, and again, the name certainly is appropriate.  Even though the park was crowded with visitors like us, all dressed in their hiking finest, people spoke in whispered voices, as if we were all in nature's cathedral.  

No one could have prepared us for the jaw-dropping scenery. And as our shuttle bus came around each bend in the road, there was often a collective 'wow' uttered by all the passengers.  Even these photos don't do the experience justice. On our first day we stopped at several of the vista points such as The Court of the Patriarchs,  The Grotto and The Riverwalk, which are shown below.    Being 'on the road again,' is great! 

Las Vegas or Bust...

Las Vegas appeared out of no where, and then that was all there was. Miles upon miles upon miles of desert terrain, hot and dry and windy and then, after ten hours of driving, there it was.  Given its in-the-middle-of-no-where location,  it's a wonder that Las Vegas ever became the world class destination that it is has been for decades.  Suddenly out of the desert, sprang up neon lights and tall sparkly buildings reflecting everything around them. Everywhere were people, flashing video signs, palm trees, music thumping, cars compacting into multiple lanes of traffic, taxi-cabs and buses and more people, and more music and more flashing signs.  Once we checked in, we were a part of the crowds and the excitement and the clanging of slot machines and music, and did I mention, the streams people!?  Our first night we had dinner at a restaurant in Palazzo called Table 10, which was really good. That night we fell into bed as we gazed at the glowing city below from  our 46th floor room.  Even in the wee hours of the morning, there was a sort of hum and pulse to the city.  They say New York is the city that never sleeps, but I'd say Las Vegas is at least a close second.  

   

We spent part of our next day exploring The Mob Museum which explained a lot of Las Vegas's early history, and it is no wonder the nickname, "Sin City" is a fitting title! Rob and I had fun 'getting the bad guy' in a crime simulation, and Rob certainly hasn't lost his touch, even after being retired for a year! It was a bit spooky finding my uncle's (by marriage) name in a book about the New York mob.  I've known he was a member of a famous mafia family for years, but seeing his name was still disturbing, somehow.

Later, Rob and I  sat by the pool under the shade of a big umbrella at Trump Tower and then with Winnie, went for drinks at The Mix on the top floor  of Mandalay Bay- 64 floors above the strip! The views were incredible, but just being together in this 'sinfully fun' place was the best part.  Rob and I, along with Winnie and Chris, had dinner at Fleur, which was really outstanding as well as expensive!

By the pool at Trump Tower.

At The Mix

Dinner at Fleur

For our our last full day we indulged ourselves with massages at Qua Spa in Caesar's Palace. The 'Roman Baths' and hot tubs, saunas, arctic room and steam rooms were all great experiences. I realized after always 'doing' something or thinking about doing something, it was hard for me to just 'be.' Once I was able to quiet my mind, which did take a while, I thoroughly enjoyed being there.

Road Trips With My Kids

 Eagle Lake in the Endless Mountains

Tucked behind the tree line at the far end of the fields that once grew corn, was a  magical spot. Through the tall forest of trees, green with moss on the north side of the bark, past the ferns and mushrooms, and beyond to a clearing where a small spring fed pond lives, was my childhood’s version of the most perfect place. Being there made me happy, content and immeasurably at peace.  Quite simply, I loved being there.  

Years later, I was glad to be able to take my own children to my magic place.  Spending lazy summer days there meant my kids fed the catfish off the wobbly dock, and laughed as the catfishes whiskered faces poked out of the water to gobble the food that had been thrown to them.  It meant listening for the symphony of bullfrogs at night and in the early morning hours waking up to a cacophony of birdcalls in the woods. It meant teaching my kids to make whistles by placing blades of grass between their thumbs and blowing until they made shrill sounds. It meant they got to explore the nearby caves and the shady, mossy woods and most importantly, my kids hopefully felt that same sense of peace that I knew. 

Around The Campfire

Just as I had done as a child, and in exactly the same spot, my kids and their cousins roasted hot dogs over an open fire.  There was a trick to making the perfect hot dog.  When skin was almost black and the meat inside was bursting with juice, it was then cooked just right. With a bun and a lot of mustard, the first bite made you realize how perfect they were.   Earlier, we had thrown potatoes right into the flames and let their skins blacken.  A quick poke told us if the insides were done.  Then we'd roll the potatoes out of the fire and pick them up using another long stick.  Breaking the potatoes open and letting all the steam out, we waited for them to cool a bit.  Then, we'd slather them with butter,  salt and sour cream and eat them with our hands, making our lips and fingers black from the burnt potato skins. In this photo, my kids and their cousins  are having ‘dessert,’- campfire marshmallows, while Uncle Eddie finishes his hot dog!

 

Uncle Nartcy and Aunt Martha's Farm

Road trips to Pennsylvania always included visits to Uncle Nartcy and Aunt Martha's farm.  Their herding dog, Sport, was an expert on rounding up the cattle and sheep with just a few quick commands. My uncle grew field corn in rows that seemed to go on for infinity.  My cousins and I played hide and seek in the rows  that 'were as high as an elephant's eye.' The care-worn house might have needed a coat of fresh paint, but flowers were tended carefully and were bursts colors against the drab house. Just as when I was a kid, there were litters of kittens to be played with, and chickens to feed, and my kids couldn't wait to do 'farm chores.'  The giant barn that held the summer's hay and all sorts of farm machinery,  made the best place to play during the hot summer days.  My cousins and I made tunnels through the bails, and we took turns swinging like pirates from the rope that was suspended from the highest rafter. In this photo, my kids and their cousins sit on the back porch swing, waiting until we can go and see the sheep. For my uncle and aunt those sheep were just a part of their livelihood, but for my kids and me, they meant we were on a real farm.

Camping Trips

Packing up the car, with no room to move meant we were on the road to another camping trip. The tent, the stove, propane canisters, picnic supplies, pots, pans, table clothes, lanterns, towels, clothing and sleeping bags were jammed into the trunk.  Coolers full of food, and anything that didn't fit in the trunk, was stuffed under foot and between seats.   For my kids, camping was the best when it was with their cousins. Here they are posed momentarily while exploring the campgrounds before we left for the river to swim. Whether it was to Standish-Hickey State Park up near Legget, California, Clear Lake or to the Gold Country, we all knew that the days would be filled with swimming, exploring and just good fun. Bacon and eggs cooked on the propane stove tasted far better than those cooked at home.   At night, walks in the dark with flashlights were especially exciting because distant sounds, might be a wolf, or a bobcat, especially if there was an adult along who seemed convincing.  On one occasion we were all scared half to death by a sudden burst of scampering right behind us in the darkness.  As the kids screamed, they imagined that the noise might be bears, but it turned out to be a band of raccoons that had managed to get the lid off of a garbage can.