The Pacific Northwest

Mount Rainier National Park

The weather was perfect in Seattle as we stepped off the plane and grabbed our rental car. We were excited to see Nathan and Zella later this evening, but we had some time before they would get off work to check out Pike Place Market. The colors of the flowers, fruit, and vegetables were vibrant, inviting us to linger and tempting us to purchase. The fish markets were especially interesting as they threw the fish to be wrapped once they had been selected and sold. The park bench along the waterfront beckoned us to sit in the warm sun and watch the ferries, sailboats, and freight ships in the harbor. The park was filled with people appreciating the warm fall day. Soon we walked back to the car and headed north for our dinner with Nathan and Zella. It was so good to see their home and hang out for a few hours. Our early departure and the 3 hour time difference were causing my eyes to close long before I wanted to leave.

The River beckons us

In the morning we headed to North Cascades National Park, a 2 hour drive from Seattle. It was foggy as we started driving and we hoped it would burn off to reveal blue skies. By the time we arrived at the park the clear skies were a brilliant blue. After a short stop at the Visitor’s Center we exited the door in the back of the building and found ourselves immersed in an old forest of fir trees and hemlocks. The narrow dirt path of the River Loop Trail descended swiftly to the forest floor as the rich smell of decaying logs amidst the beauty of 200 foot tall trees filled my senses. A nearby songbird and my foot hitting the soft brown dirt were the only sounds I heard.  A calm refreshment came to my soul as we continued under the shelter of the trees. Mottled sunshine reached down to large green ferns lining our soft mossy path. Suddenly, we could hear the rushing water and knew the river was close. A lone bald eagle followed the winding river in search of his next meal. Roots of a deciduous tree clung to the decaying trunk of an evergreen bringing new life to the canopy of the forest. The blue sky peaked through the deep green needles high above our heads. All we could say was “Wow!” The 2 mile loop began its ascent back to the visitor center, but first it led us through a burned-out area which was just beginning to recover with new growth. Once back at the Visitor Center we walked the 300 foot Sterling Munro Trail to platform overlooking the Pickett range. Miles and miles of forested mountains stretched out before us. Just up the road we stopped at Ladder Creek Falls. The suspension bridge over the Skagit River offered the best view of the Gorge Powerhouse. We marveled at the ingenuity of those who built the dam upriver to re-route enough water through the mountain to power four generators. We hiked the trail to a beautiful waterfall rushing over boulders revealing its power. There was a museum located within the powerhouse allowing us to view the generators and learn the story of the Skagit River. Miners had tried to find gold in the Cascades but little was discovered. Loggers tried to get to the heart of the Cascades to harvest the rich resource of lumber but they were hindered by the lack of accessible and reliable transportation. It was in the 1930’s that the first dam was built to create electrical power, but it took until 1972 before a modern road was built through the Cascade Mountain range. And this road is only accessible during the short warm season. For many years we had tried to acquire the resources of the Cascades and yet I think its most valuable resource – the majestic view – captivated me the most.

After a lunch break of our usual peanut butter sandwich we headed toward the Thunder Creek Trail in the heart of the park. Trees towered over our heads as we began our 3 mile hike into this old forest. We had about 2 ½ hours before sunset so I set off on a quicker pace than usual. Undulating hills led us along the cloudy blue water of Thunder Creek on a path first opened by miners in the early 1900’s. The girth of the cedar and fir trees surrounding us caused exclamations of wonder and awe. Our goal was to hike to the first bridge and then hike out before sunset. When we reached the wooden bridge in under 45 minutes I knew we would have no problem reaching the car in daylight. An enormous tree had twisted and separated from the trunk to stretch out 200 feet along the forest floor. We tried to imagine what had caused such destruction. My pace slowed on our hike out and we stopped to enjoy the sights along the way. There was about an hour of daylight left so we drove along State Route 20 until we entered Ross Lake National Recreation Area. We turned around and headed back to our hotel for the night.

Our view during lunch

We have been blessed with beautiful weather; blue skies and 70 degrees during the day. We headed south to Mount Rainier National Park and I was so excited. It was an uneventful 3 hour drive to the Nisqually entrance of the park where we would be staying the next 2 nights. We captured glimpses of Mount Rainier along the way, but I was unprepared for the grandeur of the mountain when we entered the park. After driving about 10 miles within the park, we stopped at a pullout with a fantastic mountain view and enjoyed our lunch. We marveled at the beauty of the mountain realizing that 10,000 people attempt to climb its summit each year. Only about 2,500 people make it. We drove 17 miles from the Nisqually entrance to Paradise where I wanted to hike the Skyline Loop. We only had 1 ½ days here so I wanted to take advantage of this gorgeous cloudless day. After checking my route with the Ranger at the Visitor Center she suggested an alternative route that would capitalize on the sunlight, the serene meadows and shorten our hike by one mile. We had our hydration packs with plenty of water, snacks, and my map. The trail began with a steep incline as we were about to climb 1700 feet in elevation toward panorama point. It was so worth it. The meadow was ablaze with red, orange, and yellow shrubs and deep green cedar and fir trees. Mount Rainier stood majestically before us, shining bright as light reflected off the many glaciers clinging to the rugged bare rock. Songs of praise continually were in my mind as we climbed higher and higher. At every trail juncture I consulted the map, tracking our progress. Occasionally we paused in the cool shade of the solitary tree to allow our racing hearts to slow before we continued our climb. The 14,410 foot tall mountain felt so close while we stood staring at the glacier vista. Glacial waterfalls joined streams to flow into the Nisqually River. We looked up trying to see where we were headed and saw people far above us. The trail beckoned us up.

Panorama Point, at 7,000 feet, was as high as we were going on this hike. We noticed backpackers take the trail up to Camp Muir where they would attempt to summit the next day. We watched small groups of tired mountaineers head down the mountain they had summited earlier. The sky was so clear we could see Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, and all the way to Mount Hood located 150 miles away.

Our hike down was just as beautiful as our hike up, and just as steep. We traversed across barren areas of the mountain and descended through meadows ablaze with color. The entire trail astounded our senses and filled us with joy. We relished our accomplishment at Paradise Inn - with our feet up and the sun shining on our faces. Our drive out of the park at sunset was sublime. What a great day!

On our second day we planned to check out a few of the many waterfalls within the Longmire area. I had read that the Comet Falls hike was one of the best so we headed to the trailhead. We snagged the last spot in the small parking lot. The 4.3 mile out and back trail began with a fairly steep incline to a bridge which revealed Christine Falls. The trail continued through the forest gradually gaining 1250 feet in elevation. I stopped to take in the view and slow my breaths. We hiked along the stream, sneaking peaks of the rushing water smoothing the granite rock, as it roared through the gorge. We encountered many small falls along the entire 2 mile hike and a few large waterfalls too. And then, we saw a sign indicating we were 200 feet from Comet Falls. We could hear it long before we could see it. We crossed a river on a roughhewed log, climbed the river bank, and then, there it was – a 300 foot waterfall cascading over a rock cliff tumbling into a deep pool. Mist created a beautiful rainbow at the base of Comet Falls. We sat on a nearby rock to take it all in and capture a few photos of the beauty. Our hike out was all downhill and we carefully watched our footing so not to stumble on the rocks and roots.

Narada Falls was our destination for lunch. The picnic area was a great place to observe the gray jays and the blue jays. They were quite bold and landed right on our table to try to steal our sandwiches; I was not sharing. The trail to the falls was just 2/10 of a mile with a 200 foot elevation change and so worth the beauty of the waterfall. This waterfall spreads out across the rock until all the water comes together again before plummeting into the Paradise River.

Taking the suspension bridge one at a time

We still had lots of time to explore another trail and I knew just what I wanted to do. We continued our drive up to Paradise so we could hike the Lakes trail. I had a map and picked our route for a 4 ½ mile hike along reflection lakes, colorful meadows, and a beautiful panorama view of the Cascade Range. I kept looking for elk and bear, but alas, I did not see any. But, on this hike I saw 6 ptarmigans walking along the path and eagles soaring in the sky. We were so glad we had chosen this trail.

Grove of the Patriarchs

Game time!

There was another hour before sunset and we headed toward the Stevens Visitor Center to hike in the Grove of the Patriarchs. It is an easy half mile trail that allowed us to hike among 1000 year old 200-foot tall hemlock, fir, and cedar trees. The drive was farther than I anticipated but I am so glad we did it. As we entered the forest a sense of awe overwhelmed me. In order to get to the grove one has to walk across the suspension bridge – one person at a time. It felt sacred to walk among these old trees that have been alive for so many years. Some of the trees are over 40 feet in diameter and I was dwarfed by their massive size. I felt honored to be here. Night was beginning to descend and our time at Mount Rainier National Park had come to an end. We slowly exited the park as the last rays of the sun closed out the day.

We headed back to Seattle to enjoy more time with Nathan and Zella. Our time in the Northwest was indeed a treasured experience, but nothing is more special than time with family.

Acadia National Park

We have prepped and packed the motorhome for another adventure. Bright and early in the morning, well, still under the cover of darkness, we pulled out of the driveway and head towards Maine. It is over 1,100 miles to Acadia National Park, our destination for the next 2 weeks, and we wanted to get an early start. We travelled without reservations on Labor Day Weekend, and planned to play it by ear. We hoped to grab an empty spot at a campground or stay at a Pilot Gas station for the night. We have identified possible locations to spend the night in New York as we hoped to get half way to Maine before dark.

The color pink lightened the sky as the sun peaked above the horizon. It was a beautiful sunrise. Fog hung close to the ground, seeming to hover above the river. Thankfully the roadways were clear and the traffic sparse. Our route took us across the entire state of Ohio as we headed north on I 71 towards Cleveland. We reminisced about traveling this road with Nathan when he attended college at Case Western and point out minor changes in the view. We noticed a narrow gravel road curving through the farmland and glimpsed 9 horse-drawn buggies headed to Sunday services. The lack of power lines reminded us that we were in Amish country.

I 71 intersected with I 90 and we maneuvered onto the interstate that sometime tomorrow will lead us to Boston. Our journey to Maine will take us through 7 states; two of which I have never visited before this trip. At our first gas stop I noticed the weather radar station inside the station and a man staring at the screen. I walked toward the screen. A closer look revealed a lot of green, yellow, and red colors right over the route we were headed. Thankfully the man said he had just come from the east and we should miss the storm if we took our time at this stop. A leisurely lunch seemed like a great plan.

Georgia, the name of our GPS, indicated that at this rate we will arrive at our half way point around 5 pm. The clouds were darkening, the roads were wet, but the rain had already stopped. We were so thankful for the advice from a stranger. We travelled along the coast of Lake Erie and I realized this is the third Great Lake we have visited so far this year. I know when we get to Buffalo that Lake Ontario will be about 25 miles north of us, but we won’t see it this time. New York is a beautiful state with gorgeous horse farms, vineyards with rows of grapevines, and small towns dotting the landscape. I saw hints of yellow and red colors in the trees. Fall will be here soon.

A rainbow was slowly disappearing as we continued driving to Vernon, New York. We were thankful for good travel. I had been recording the exits with campgrounds for a few miles just in case, but we entered the Turning Stone Casino RV Park to see if they could add one more to their register. The woman reminded us that it was Labor Day weekend and promptly said they were completely booked. We asked if she could point us to another possibility when a man casually mentioned that the Casino had an overflow parking lot just down the street with electric hookups. If we had any questions when we got there we could just ask at the gas station on the corner. We thanked him, asked for directions again and then inquired “who do we pay?” He just looked at us, shrugged his shoulders, and indicated there was no charge. Sounded amazing to us. We found the large empty parking lot, hooked up to power and enjoyed our quiet night stay.

It was a bit foggy when we began driving again; we could only see about 80-100 yards in front of the motorhome. I am struck by the reminder that we cannot always see the path in front of us clearly, but we can keep on going, trusting God has the plan fully in control. We travelled along the Erie Canal, a 336 mile canal from the Niagara River near Buffalo to the Hudson River in Albany. This canal was proposed in the 1780s; it met with resistance until it was funded and built in the early 1800’s. Shipping items to the middle of America decreased the cost by 95% with the use of the canal, and created the expansion of the port of New York City. These early Americans were visionaries. We arrived in Bar Harbor, Maine two days ahead of our reservation at Blackwoods Campground. Thankfully, since it was after Labor Day we secured a campsite at Bar Harbor Campground, just outside of Acadia National Park. The campground was lovely, with large campsites, clean shower rooms, and was on the shuttle bus route.

In the morning after a quick stop at the Acadia National Park Visitor Center to gather information from the ranger, we were ready to go. The weather was beautiful- sunny, 76 degrees, with a light breeze. I had studied the Island Explorer shuttle schedule and the 10 different shuttle bus routes and was looking forward to discovering the island using this method of transportation. One of the hikes I definitely wanted to do is called The Precipice. I believed there was no time like the present so we began with this hike. We used the Island Explorer to get around the National Park. It is easy to use, free, and convenient. We asked our bus driver to stop at the Precipice trail head and began hiking at 9:16 am. A few people had already finished the hike when we arrived and shared “the hike is more than we think, but it is worth it.”

Three, no four points of contact while climbing!

The Precipice was a 0.9 mile strenuous hike to the top of Champlain Mountain that used iron rungs and ladders to help us stay on the mountain. There were 100 foot drop-offs, straight up rock scrambling, adrenaline releasing vertical climbing (with the help of iron rungs), and the most amazing views of the harbor and ocean. I touched every iron bar that was available and definitely used the “3 points of contact” rule throughout the hike. And every step was worth it! We are old enough to know we might never have this opportunity again so we savored every moment, took our time to enjoy the climb and appreciated the view. I think this is a good way to live every day. It took us about 2 hours to get to the top where we see for miles. A few leaves on the trees were beginning to show their fall colors of red and yellow. They stood out sharply against the deep green of the pine and fir trees. We paused and relished the moment. After a bit of rest we needed to find the way down. It was not recommended to go back down the mountain the same way we climbed up; instead we were to hike down the North Ridge Trail and then the Orange and Black path. There was a sign post at the top of the mountain indicating 3 different routes that were marked with cairns. I may or may not have sent 3 people on the wrong trail by accident. I do hope they found their way off the mountain. Yikes! After taking many photos and wandering at the top for a bit we found cairns with a blue trail marker and followed this route back down the mountain. It was a pretty steep descent, but we were able to scramble over the rocks without too much difficulty. After we were half way off the mountain we found the wooden signpost indicating we were on the right trail. We continued down the mountain, hiked through the deciduous oak and birch trees, caught glimpses of the ocean and lobster buoys until we suddenly came to the end of the trail on Park Loop Road. It was a short hike back to the parking lot where we got back on the Island Explorer. We loved every minute of our 3 hours on this mountain.

The Loop Road route is a great way to get oriented to the island. We headed to Jordan Pond next, but got a little preview peak at Sand Beach along the way. There are a lot of hikes that originate at this spot so we’ll be back on another day.

There is a famous restaurant at Jordan Pond that serves lunch and dinner on the lawn. We had packed our lunch and ate it on the deck overlooking the pond and restaurant. We enjoyed the view, watching the people and their pets. There were quite a diverse group of people at Acadia who were all enjoying the gorgeous scenery.

Jordan Pond is the deepest freshwater body on the island and is used as its water supply so there is no swimming allowed here. The water was so clear you could see to a depth of 45 feet. We hiked for a few miles around Jordan Pond while enjoying the sights and sounds surrounding us. A loon swam along the shore searching for fish, birds sang sweet songs and chipmunks chattered and scurried among the trees. The boardwalk hike around the lake travelled through the woods and along the shoreline. It was a lovely 3.5 mile hike. We were ready to call it a day, so we headed back to the campground and took a quick dip in their pool that had views of the ocean.

Gorgeous Rides

One of the unique features of Acadia National Park is the 57 miles of carriage roads that pass through forests and mountains, and around lakes and ponds. They were built by J.D. Rockefeller Jr. on his private estate in the early 1900’s and donated to the Acadia National Park in 1940’s. These gravel carriage wind through the forest and around lakes and are used by horse drawn carriages, bicyclists, and hikers since no vehicles are allowed on them. We grabbed our bikes, entered the carriage road system from the Visitor Center parking lot, and leisurely rode for over 11 miles. The trails were well marked and the map was easy to read. This was a lovely way to enjoy the park.

We changed campsites to the Blackwoods Campground located within the National Park. A trail that led to the craggy cliffs overlooking the ocean beckoned us. From this vantage point we saw thousands of buoys floating in the bay. Each uniquely marked buoy identified the owner of the lobster trap which was sitting on the floor of the ocean. Our exploring led us on a 5+ miles hike through the woods and along the coast.

We arrived in Acadia at the beginning of the Night Sky Festival. That evening we sat on large, flat boulders at the edge of the ocean. The absence of the moon allowed us to see the Milky Way explode across the dark sky. We searched for satellites, shooting stars, and constellations and sat in awe of the majesty of our Creator. It was a sight to behold.

Bar Harbor is the largest town on the island and it caters to visitors offering lots of shopping, beautiful parks, and amazing restaurants. We saw 4 cruise ships in the harbor over the last 2 days and they all disembarked in Bar Harbor. The tide was out so Doug and I walked across the sand bar from Mount Desert Island to Bar Island. At high tide the water is about 6-10 feet deep, but for 90 minutes on each side of low tide you can walk across to Bar Island. In the 1930’s some residents of Bar Harbor wanted to build a bridge to Bar Island, but Rockefeller didn’t want a bridge to scar the landscape so he bought half of Bar Island to prevent the building of the bridge. Now visitors walk over at low tide. If you don’t pay attention to the tides, you can get stranded on Bar Island. Your options are to either wait 9 hours to walk back or call for a water taxi rescue at your expense. We were careful to watch the tides. One of our highlights was taking a cruise on the Margaret Todd, a 4 mast schooner. For two hours we sailed around the islands in Frenchman Bay. The crew enlisted our help, so Doug and I both volunteered to help pull up the sails. Captain Steve was masterful at taking us out of the harbor under sail while dodging all the lobster buoys. The ocean was relatively calm and we observed harbor seals and gray seals staring at us.

 

We enjoyed three hikes at Sand Beach and each was fantastic in its own way. Beehive Trail was a strenuous hike up the side of the mountain on a very narrow path that used iron rungs in a number of places. The view of the bay and surrounding islands was amazing. The Great Head Trail was a moderate 1.4 mile hike through the forest and around craggy rock cliffs surrounded by blue water. We explored tide pools as we walked on large granite rocks. The Ocean Path led us to Thunder Hole, where the waves crashed into a narrow sea cave causing the air to rush out. If you are there at the perfect conditions you can hear the sea roar. But for us the waves were gentle and the tide was too low to hear the thunder crash.

The most popular place to see in Acadia is Cadillac Mountain. One can drive to the top or hike up. We hiked it. It’s a 2.5 mile strenuous climb through hemlock, spruce, oak, and birch trees trekking on a pink granite mountain. We caught glimpses of the harbor with white sailboats, a huge cruise ship, and a few lobster boats hauling in the catch for the day. The view kept getting better the higher we climbed. As we neared the top, the incline increased along with my heartbeat. But it was easy to stop to look out at the beautiful island. About ¼ of a mile from the summit we noticed a group of people with binoculars staring over the edge of the mountain. We remembered our ranger told us there would be a group of people counting hawks. We paused to watch a few hawks soaring in the distance before finishing the climb to the summit. At the summit we found a spot out of the wind to eat lunch. We saw lots of islands scattered along the coast; Bar Island, the four porcupine islands, cranberry islands, and more. When it was time to leave I thought we’d go back the same way we came. A ranger said that the South Ridge trail was a more gradual descent with better views and it ended right at our campground. It was over 2 miles farther though. We chose this route. I am so glad that we did. The trail led us along the ridgeline until it gradually dropped us into the forest. The vistas were outstanding; hawks soared on thermals, chipmunks chattered along the path, the blue bay stretched to the sky and evergreen forests covered the mountains. Over and over we exclaimed, “Wow!”

For most of the 4.7 miles we hiked alone. Occasionally we encountered another hiker, but the solitude of the trail refreshed us. The trail ended at Highway 3 and picked up across the street in the Blackwoods Campground. The last .7 mile twisted through the forest, over tree roots and rocks. After our 10 plus mile hike, 22,000 steps, and 150+ flights of stairs our puffy camp chairs were a welcomed site. It was campfire time!

We said goodbye to Blackwoods Campground and headed about 48 miles to Schoodic Woods on the Schoodic Peninsula. Thankfully Doug drove because these roads were narrow. The view was gorgeous as we hugged the coast of Frenchman Bay. Lobster boats, sailboats, and cabin cruisers anchored in the harbor of quaint fishing towns. We drove through hemlock lined roads as seagulls circled searching for their next meal. Only about one in ten people travel to this part of Acadia National Park. Heavy fog and rain were forecasted for the next day so we took advantage of today’s beautiful weather. Ranger Bill recommended a bike ride on the gentle undulating hills of Loop Road towards Schoodic Point. I hoped this meant I could make it up the hills, but I knew I could always walk my bike (without too much shame).  With our hydration packs filled with water and armed with snacks we grabbed our helmets and jumped on our bikes. Ranger Bill knew what he was talking about. The Loop Road is not to be missed and seeing it on a bike is the best! I could not help myself. I kept stopping to stare at the sea. Several times we stopped to climb on the rocks to marvel at the view. Cadillac Mountain, the Porcupine Islands, and lots and lots of lobster buoys stretched across the bay. A Double Crested Cormorant fished for dinner. Each time he dove under the water a school of fish would jump into the air trying to escape him. We watched as time, after time, the cormorant would pop up with a fish in his mouth!

We reached Schoodic Point without difficulty, although I was a little nervous because it seemed like we had mostly ridden downhill so far. The road led to the end of the peninsula with a beautiful view of the sea scattered with islands. Doug and I sat on the large boulders scanning the sea for wildlife. The gulls were also scanning the water (and land) for dinner. We had already learned to guard our snacks from possible attacks!

We continued on the Loop Road stopping to gaze whenever we wanted. The bike ride was amazing. We easily found the gravel lined bike trail leading back to the campground. The paths were well marked with signposts pointing the way. As we biked to our campsite we remarked, “We definitely want to do this again before we leave.” So glad Ranger Bill shared this way to explore the area. 
The melancholy of our final day was real and bitter sweet. Our time spent in Acadia National Park is a treasured experience. Our plan for our last day was to bike the entire 11 mile loop adding a 3.0 mile hike on Blueberry Hill. We packed our sandwich and chips, filled our hydration packs with water, jumped on our bikes, and set off for the loop. It was a lovely morning; quiet, except for the chattering of squirrels and the singing of the songbirds. The rain of yesterday made the sun of today even more appreciated; the air was cleaner, and the smells of the evergreen forest were intoxicating. Knowing this was our last day heightened my desire to take it all in and to not miss a thing. I stared at the moss on the granite rocks, felt the wind on my face as I pedaled towards the sea, searched the forest for the elusive moose, and scanned the sky for the yet to be seen bald eagle.

I led the way and stopped frequently to walk on the rocks along the shore. Doug and I watched as an older couple aboard the lobster boat named Phancy, headed out to check their traps. We were amazed as they circled one of their light green buoys. They pulled up the trap, saved a few lobsters, threw back the ones that were not big enough, and then rebaited the trap to send it to the bottom of the sea again. They were close enough to the shore for us to see everything they were doing. Typically a lobster fisherman has 700-800 traps in the ocean that they have to check every 2-3 days. We saw many different colored buoys all along the shore indicating many different fishermen were trapping in the same area.

We headed to Schoodic Point; the farthest we could go on the peninsula. The tide was out and we walked down to stand close to the waves. We quietly sat to watch the seagulls, the ships, and the surf. It was snack time - for us and the black flies. The flies chased us back to our bikes. We rode to the Schoodic Institute and headed to the J.D. Rockefeller Jr. Visitor Center. Until 2002 it was used by the Navy as a listening station. During WWII and the Cold War it searched for foreign warships along the coast. We loved learning more about the history of this great region.

Doug and I left our bikes on Blueberry Hill and began hiking the Anvil trail to Schoodic Head. The trail led through the fir trees for about 1.5 miles as we climbed to the top of the mountain. The climb was easy and we appreciated the panoramic view of Winter Harbor.

We finished the hike and rode our bikes the rest of the loop. I did have to walk a little bit, but it was worth it. It was a great way to see the Schoodic area of Acadia National Park. We took one last walk around the campground as the sky turned orange and the sun set on our time in Maine.

The Mighty Five - Part Four

Hiking with my best friend

Day Twenty Two – Scenic Byway 12 is an All American Road. I guess I thought all roads in the U.S. were all American roads, but there are actually 31 roads that meet the requirements to be designated as an All American Road. Scenic Byway 12 is a destination in and of itself. We traveled all 124 miles of this amazing road admiring the unique pink and deep red rock formations, the alpine forests, the endless open areas of sagebrush. And then, I actually had to get out of the car! We had driven to 9000 feet and were literally driving on the ridge of the mountain. There was only room for the 2 lane road. From the top, nothing obstructed my view on either side of the road since both sides of the road dropped off steeply to the valley far, far below. There was not another car in sight so I stood in the middle of the road just taking in the view. I was giddy with excitement to travel on this road and filled with gratitude for this adventure. Doug was driving the motorhome and I could no longer see him as the road was one switchback after the other descending the mountain. I hopped back in the car and quickly and carefully caught up to him. We stopped in Escalante at another Visitor Center for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This monument is so large and rugged that there are several places to enter the land. While we were there watched a group of researchers capture and release hummingbirds as they migrated through the area. It was quite intriguing to learn they had already tagged 48 birds that morning tracking their migration patterns.  Capitol Reef National Park was our destination for the day so we continued our drive to Torrey, a small town outside the park. After dropping off the motorhome at the RV Park, Doug and I headed to the Visitor Center at Capitol Reef to check out the area. We watched the film describing the formation of the Waterpocket Fold and then discovered that there was a ranger program in 10 minutes at the petroglyphs just down the road. We found a place to park the car and joined a group of people to learn more about the Fremont people who had lived in this area almost 1000 years ago. We saw their carvings in the rock which have persevered long after the people left this arid, rocky desert. In the late 1800’s, Mormon settlers came to this area, planted orchards, developed irrigation channels, and created the community of Fruita. The historic district of Fruita allowed us a glimpse of life in this small oasis near the Fremont River. The orchards are well kept and produce fruit each fall, much to the delight of the tourists who can stop to eat whatever is available. Doug and I began our exploration of Capitol Reef with a 2 mile hike through a slot canyon to the Hickman Bridge. The topography here is unlike any we had seen in Utah so far. The park is only 6 miles from east to west, but is 60 miles top to bottom. Much of the area is only accessible with a high clearance vehicle, but there was plenty for us to discover for the next few days.

The beauty of Capitol Reef

Day Twenty Three - Wow! Wow! Wow! Doug and I drove the scenic route through Capitol Reef. It is a 10 mile paved road that goes past the Visitor Center, through the historic area, and ends at the unpaved Capitol Gorge Road. It is hard to believe that this narrow Capitol Gorge Road was the only road people traveled on to get through this area until the 1960’s. The nonstop gorgeous scenery on this 2.5 mile gravel road took our breath away. The towering sheer cliffs of red and gold sandstone had been divided by water many, many years ago leaving us with a fairly level, albeit twisty area to drive. It was so beautiful Doug stopped on the side of the narrow road so we could get out to appreciate what our eyes were seeing. At the end of this road was a small parking lot and the beginning of the Capitol Gorge Trail. I didn’t think it could be more beautiful, but once again I was surprised. We followed the dry creek bed and noticed ancient petroglyphs on the canyon walls. There were figures that looked like sheep, the sun, and people carved into the rock. A little further down the trail we found the Pioneer Register. There were a lot of names and dates carved into the rock from the 1800’s when this land was settled by a group of Mormon families. These hard working people endured hardships, but they found a way to build a good life here. Our hike continued about a mile through the gorge until we took a spur trail leading to some tanks. Tanks are a series of shallow pools created in the stone by the force of water rushing through the canyon. We followed the path marked by rock cairns, climbed over slick rock, and found the tanks. Most of them were dry, but we did find one with water in it, and some tadpole shrimp swimming in the shallow pool. We scrambled up large boulders, pulled ourselves up using small finger holds, and walk on the edge of the rock until finally I was at my limit. Doug went farther than I did. It was a bit scary to me as the drop-offs were significant and health care a bit of a distance from here. I stopped to watch a lizard dig under a rock while I waited for Doug to get back. It was fun to explore the area; we even found a bridge that had been created by the force of water pouring through the rock. We drove back towards the visitor center and took the opportunity to explore some of the historic buildings of Fruita, the Mormon community that thrived here until 1969. We had heard people on the trail talking about fruit pies from the Gifford House. It was worth the stop. I recommend the berry pie; it was delicious! Since it was still early afternoon we chose another hike – The Grand Wash Trail. This was an easy 4.4 mile hike on a gravel path. The rock walls were 500 feet above us and we couldn’t help but stop and admire the grandeur. Wow! The walls were filled with color. Reds, oranges, rust, black and cream colors all seem to deepen in intensity as we walked deeper and deeper into the wash. Sometimes the trail was only 15 feet wide. It was so quiet in there that we would stop to appreciate the silence. We loved every minute as we reflected on our marriage, our family, and our adventure.

The adventurous life is a good life

Day Twenty Four – Doug and I are realizing that this adventure is beginning to wind down so we spent the morning reflecting on how to spend our last few days. Every day at breakfast we have shared a memory from one year of our married life and I can’t believe we are already sharing year 24. Laughter, joy, and gratitude are always a great way to begin the day. This has been the absolute best way to celebrate our 30 years together. We enjoyed 3 different hikes today. Chimney Rock loop is a 4 mile strenuous hike that brought us to amazing vistas of the valley. We saw snow-capped mountains in the distance, the lush green trees of Fruita, the deep red sandstone streaked with black as we climbed up to the rim. The Chimney Rock formation stood like a sentry beckoning us to linger and cherish the moment. For several miles we enjoyed the beauty of this land with no one else in sight. What a delight! Nearby the trail head for Chimney Rock was the trail head for Goosenecks and Sunset trails. They are both short, easy hikes and totally worth it. The Goosenecks trail allowed us to look at how the Sulfur Creek cut into the stone curving back and forth as it found the path of least resistance. The Sunset trail allowed us to sit on a high rock facing west and gaze over the valley. Over and over I contemplated how difficult it was to live here in the 1800’s.

Day Twenty Five – We welcomed a day of solitude before leaving this park. Our entire time at Capitol Reef we have felt a quietness, a call to slow down and be refreshed. We answered that call and spent the day in a way that refreshed each of us individually. Doug packed his lunch and headed to a place in the National Park by the Fremont River. I stayed at the RV Park, sat outside with the view of mountains before me, reading and writing and then in the afternoon I enjoyed some solitary time at the pool. At the end of the day Doug and I shared our “top ten” of our 30 day trip. Our “number one” best thing of the entire trip was the privilege of spending uninterrupted, intentional time with the one we love. Today has been a beautiful gift of a time for reflection, connection with God and each other, and a time of refreshment for our souls.

Mars, Utah

Day Twenty Six – We drove 170 miles from Capitol Reef National Park back to Moab. The landscape in southern Utah changes dramatically in just a few miles. We had driven about 40 miles when we encountered Mars. The landscape looked just like photos I had seen of the planet Mars which is why there is actually a Mars Desert Research Station located there. This research facility provides a simulation habitat for exploring the surface of Mars. My eyes were huge as I scanned the horizon. The grayish white boulders, the lack of vegetation, the barren environment for miles and miles boggled my mind. And then, we rounded the corner to find cattle grazing on lush green grass. We made it back to Moab which completed our circle of the Mighty Five National Parks in Utah. It has been an amazing adventure. A trip of a lifetime. We will begin our journey back to Ohio tomorrow, but for now the pool was a perfect way to spend the 90 degree afternoon.

Day Twenty Seven - The sun rose over the mountains in Moab as we got ready to pull out of the campground. The color of darkness quickly faded away and was replaced by the soft red and orange glow of the sandstone and the deep blue of the cloudless morning sky. The air was a pleasant 66 degrees with a gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the trees in the campground. The wind was predicted to pick up to over 20 mph by noon and we wanted to get out of town before that happened. We also were headed over the Rocky Mountains on our way to Denver and the temperature was going to hit over 90 degrees in the mountains. This was a stark contrast to the ice, snow and 28 degrees we experienced when we traveled through earlier this month. We were looking forward to seeing the change in the scenery that a few weeks made. It was a great feeling to be back in the co-pilot seat as we headed out of town. The traffic was light as the city of Moab was just beginning to stir. Cars were lining up at the entrance to Arches ready to experience the National Park in the cool of the day. The breakfast cafes were open and a few people were grabbing their morning coffee. We headed north to Interstate 70 – the road we will travel all the way to Indianapolis over the next week. After 100 miles we said goodbye to Utah, thankful for the amazing memories of adventure that we are taking home with us. We still had 250 miles to go to get to Denver and most of them involved elevation change. We drove past Glenwood Springs and could see the pool at the hot springs filled with people. The motorhome was doing great as we gained elevation to Vail Pass. We were now at 10,900 feet. We noticed snow remaining on ski runs, green grass on the golf courses, and the cute resort town of Vail. We missed all this the last time we drove through here as we were only staring at the white, icy road in front of us. We climbed to over 11,000 feet and the snow was hanging onto the mountain above us. The Colorado River quickly raced away from the mountains full of melted snow runoff. People were everywhere celebrating the Memorial Day weekend – riding bikes, UTV’s, and motorcycles or kayaking on the Colorado, fishing, or taking their boat to a nearby lake. The melting snow and bright green leaves on the trees pointed to the arrival of spring in the Rockies. I couldn’t stop staring out the window. I love the height of the motorhome and the huge front window. The view as we drove over the Rocky Mountains was stunning. I kept searching the mountains for an elk. We spotted mule deer, but not the elusive elk. Maybe next time. We arrived in Denver by 11:30 and shopped for a few supplies at Camper World before heading to our RV Park for the next 2 nights. Doug had discovered that Denver was celebrating a Day of Rock downtown on the 16^th Street Mall. There were free concerts and a benefit to help provide good medical care for children in Denver. Doug drove to downtown Denver in the motorhome, expertly maneuvered though the traffic, found a place to park for a 30 foot motorhome, and we got to experience the culture, music, and people of Denver. We had a great time watching people as we enjoyed delicious street tacos and a few different bands. Doug had spotted a Brass Armadillo Antique Store on our way to the Day of Rock concert. Before heading back to the RV Park we stopped to check out the antiques of Denver. What a great travel day. Plus, we got over 15,000 steps in too!

Resting in Denver

Day Twenty Eight – This morning at breakfast we had shared our memories from 2015, our time in Geneva. This journey has had similar benefits that come from an extended time of slowing down and setting aside time to abide. The absence of distractions and outside stress creates a wonderful space to enjoy each other. We have indeed been truly blessed.

Denver is a beautiful city with a beautiful view. We heard that Denver has over 300 days of sunshine a year, but upon further investigation the truth is that they experience 300 days with at least one hour of sunshine. Not quite what I was thinking a sunny day meant, but we were blessed with one of their sunny days and enjoyed the Denver Arts Festival in Stapleton. We were not sure what we would find as we have been to a few art festivals in the past that have had a lot of publicity but not many artists. This festival did not disappoint. The unique artwork of photography, paintings, metal sculpting, stone art, and mixed medium pieces were beautifully displayed. The artists were engaging and excited about their work. It was a joy to hear their passion and learn about their craft. We recognized places we had traveled and marveled at the ability of these artists to capture the essence of the view at just the right moment. We heard beautiful music playing as we walked around the festival. Four young women were expertly playing violins and cellos and we were drawn to sit down in the small amphitheater. It was a delight to our senses. The entire day was perfect including our meal of fish tacos at a nearby restaurant. As evening approached we headed back to our RV Park where we walked around the neighborhood lake. Denver has over 200 parks within the city and we loved our evening walk in one of them.

Day Twenty Nine - We traveled through Colorado and entered Kansas today. The land is flat and open. There are few homes and the towns we passed are very small. Much of the land is farmland, planted with wheat and corn. I have flown over this land many times and saw these huge circles scattered on the ground. I now realize that the fields are planted in a circle because of the fixed irrigation system. Our 250 mile drive through the High Plains was uneventful, and we were thankful for God’s protection. We saw plenty of evidence that the wind knows how to blow in this flat, open land. As we entered Kansas the wind picked up to 25 miles per hour from the east. The headwind was steady and Doug masterfully drove to our RV Park to Oakley, Kansas. The clouds were dark in the northeast, and behind us the dark gray sky threatened to catch us. The woman at the campground was clear about where the tornado shelter was located and that the weathermen here get excited about a little weather. “Don’t worry,” she said, “the tornado activity was north of here.” Then she sent us to the back of the campground because there were a few trees that would help with the wind. We tuned into the weather station once we got to our assigned location – away from any other campers – and the weathermen were talking about tennis ball sized hail, the possibility of tornadoes and the wind speed. The rain began to fall and we smiled - thankful for arriving before dark, thankful for hooking up before the rain, and thankful we were not sleeping in a tent. Frequently on this journey, Doug and I would comment, “This is just like tenting, except for the AC, or the microwave, or the bathroom, or the ease of set up and take down.” While we also love tenting, we appreciated the convenience and comfort of traveling “with everything we could possibility need including the kitchen sink.” The storm rolled in with a vengeance. Lightning lit up the sky as Doug and I counted the seconds until we heard the loud boom of thunder. More than once we stared at each other with wide eyes wondering if we should seek out that storm shelter in the bathroom. The rain was pelting and the hail began to ping off the windows. Our eyes were glued to the TV and the weatherman did not seem too concerned about the intensity of the storm. Then I realized he was in Wichita and I was more than 100 miles from him. I was in the middle of the storm and he was not. They had sent a guy out to film the flash flooding happening just 6 miles from us and then nonchalantly mentioned the freeway where we were was shut down because 3 semis had blown over blocking the road. The winds were gusting to 70 miles per hour and Doug and I were shaking in the motorhome. Mostly, because the entire motorhome was tilting side to side as the wind from the east hit us broadside. It was a short night for the two of us.

There's no place like home

Day Thirty – We were so ready to get out of Kansas this morning! Neither one of us slept much last night, but there was a brief break in the weather so we were taking it. The freeway had opened up sometime in the night and we saw the trucks back on the road. The clouds were still dark but the wind was only blowing at 10 miles per hour. Doug pulled out of the campground at 8 am and we headed towards Missouri. I had had enough of Tornado Alley, the Wizard of Oz and the high plains of Kansas. We planned to drive 350 miles to Kansas City, Missouri. Once again I found myself behind the wheel for an hour or so and enjoyed every minute. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene was a great place to stop for a short break. The film in the Visitor Center was informative and the grounds were beautiful. It was a great way to continue to celebrate Memorial Day. We will complete the rest of our journey to Ohio in the next 2 days and are gearing up for acclimating to life at home. This has been an amazing journey and I can’t wait for our next adventure.

Part Three - The Mighty Five

Day Seventeen - We left Virgin, Utah and headed north towards Cannonville, Utah. The sun was shining, the sky a beautiful blue, the wind was quiet, and we headed to Bryce National Park for the next 5 nights. The elevation at Bryce is 9000 feet and the temperature drops below 32 degrees over 200 days a year. It might be time to get out the winter gear; at the very least an extra blanket will feel good tonight as we are expecting temperatures in the low 30’s. We drove through the desert, past irrigated green fields, open cattle ranching, farms with cattle and sheep, and then began the climb towards Bryce. My favorite part of the drive was traveling through Red Canyon. The sandstone was such a deep red and the formations intriguing. The bluish green pine trees created a striking contrast as they clung to the salmon and red sandstone. I think there are more cattle living in the town of Cannonville than people. The KOA was a welcome sight and we were so thankful for our reservation. There has not been a vacancy at any of the campgrounds we have stayed. We have seen people turned away numerous times after asking for a campsite. Many people are staying at a campground for just a night as they pass from one park to the next. There are 57 RV sites at this park and each site is full. We continue to see a lot of rental RV’s as people from all over the world have come to visit these National Parks. Doug and I stopped at the Grand Staircase National Monument Visitor Center for information about the park and then went to the Bryce National Park Visitor Center to scope it out and plan our time there. While we watched the park’s video we saw a couple that we had met at Zion National Park. It was a great connection as they introduced us to their nephew, Peter, a park ranger at Bryce. Bryce National Park has an 18 mile road into the canyon with lookouts along the scenic drive. Our eyes were searching for an elk; we haven’t seen one yet, but we did get to see mule deer munching on the shrubs and grasses on the edge of the road. The road rose to an elevation of 9100 feet as we stood at the top of the plateau. We could see for miles. The lookout spots gave us a taste of the beauty of Bryce. The landscape is so different from Zion. The pink, coral, salmon, and orange limestone is topped with a small bit of creamy white limestone. We looked across the amphitheater at thousands of hoodoos, the name given to the formations. As the sun began to set the shadows on the hoodoos created an even more beautiful sight.

Peekaboo Adventure

Day Eighteen - We had decided to hike into Bryce Canyon today. The premier hike at Bryce is a 3 mile loop called the “Queen’s Garden Trail.” We descended from the rim about 500 feet and walked among the hoodoos. The hoodoos are fascinating column structures of limestone created by erosion from wind and rain coupled with the frequent freezing and thawing temperatures. The Queen’s Garden trail joined with a more difficult trail called peekaboo loop and since we had all day we decided to try that one too. As we began the Peekaboo Loop the ascent was quite steep and I almost turned around. After a brief break to catch my breath we decided to go for it and I am so glad we did. This trail was the highlight of our trip to Bryce. We hiked through fields of hoodoos, areas that seemed like a barren desert, then we’d top out over a ridge to find ourselves within a pine forest. As we ascended and descended through the amphitheater we were never sure what we would encounter next. After hiking for a few miles in this amazing diverse landscape we crested a hill. This was the perfect lunch spot. We sat on a rock on the edge of the path and just stared at the beauty all around us. We could hardly believe our eyes. What a wonder! We were filled with awe at the grandeur of the scenery stretching far into the distance. The Peekaboo trail led us to the Navajo trail which ascended with a multitude of switchbacks towards the rim. It was a spectacular hike with unending views of hoodoos. While we were on the Peekaboo trail we stopped to take a photo next to three medallion benchmarks. The sign said we could claim a special prize at the visitor’s center if we took a photo next to three of them. I thought this was just a Jr. Ranger program, but Doug was all for it. When we got back to the visitor’s center Doug went straight to the ranger desk while I tried to hide among the merchandise. Doug shared the photos with the ranger and received a very cool sticker that said “I Hiked the Hoodoos.” Thankfully, he asked for one for me too.

Bryce is considered one of the darkest night skies in the lower 48 and the rangers have a stargazing program at 9:30 pm on Thursday nights. They say one can see 7500 stars in the night sky because light pollution is at a minimum. In fact, as we were planning our trip I knew the moon would only be at 3 percent illumination while we were at Bryce. Fortunately for us the night was clear and we headed back to the Visitor Center where the rangers had set up telescopes for our viewing pleasure. We could see Venus next to the moon and Jupiter’s moons were visible too. The ranger told us about the Hercules Globular Cluster that has about 300,000 stars within the constellation of Hercules. Then, he showed us what it looked like in the telescope. WOW! I had never seen anything like it before. I kept thinking of God creating all these stars and most of them we can’t even see. Yet.

Hiking in the desert as the storm approached

Day Nineteen – We had a relaxed start to our day today as we were planned to hike in Kodachrome Basin State Park and it was just a few miles from our campground. After a leisurely breakfast, we packed our lunch and drove the 9 miles to the park. Kodachrome Basin is just 15 miles from Bryce but its formations are totally different. There are red tinged spires that stand alone on the basin floor, some of which are 170 feet tall. We chose the 6.0 mile panorama trail to begin our day. The skies were blue with just a few puffy white clouds in the distance. We grabbed our hydration packs and jumped on the trail. The path was smooth sand and really well marked. The landscape was fairly flat with blue-green sagebrush, a scattering of deep green pinion and juniper trees. The blackish biological soil was covered with dusky grayish blue grasses. Solitary red columns have lines of white sandstone within them. We spot lots of lizards as they run across the path. More than once I jumped as the grasses next to the path rustled. I was always alert to the possibility of a rattlesnake and didn’t want to be surprised by one. At one point we saw something move on top one of the towers and thought we saw two people up there. I was already planning on how we could get up there. We kept walking towards the tower and realized it was two ravens and there was no way we were climbing the steep cliff to get up there. We were amazed at the quietness and the solitude that we experienced on this trail. There were a few people we saw momentarily as they headed in the opposite direction, but otherwise it was just the two of us. It was a great time for reflection and prayer. Suddenly, the clouds began to darken and we realized a storm was brewing. The wind picked up and we saw the rain falling in Bryce, a short distance away. There were many dry washes with evidence of flash floods so we knew that the rain could rush through here. We had hiked about half the distance of the trail so we had a few miles to go to get back to the car. The sound of thunder and a few drops of water on my skin was enough for me to pick up my pace. The clouds didn’t look too menacing, but we didn’t want to be caught out here in a storm so we finished our hike. We had hiked seven miles this morning and now we were ready for our lunch. We found a perfect picnic area with a shelter. Lately we have been laughing about our lunch surprises because we always have a peanut butter sandwich. Well, not today. Today was a real surprise; I had made ham sandwiches and they were delicious! The rain quickly passed, but the sky was still threatening. We drove to a few more lookout areas and decided to call it a day. Curling up in our comfy chairs with a book while drinking an iced tea under the shade of a tree was a perfect way to spend the afternoon.

Day Twenty – Randy, our bus driver and tour guide, shared a number of stories about Bryce Canyon as we joined him on a three hour tour. Bryce Canyon is not really a canyon- it is a series of amphitheaters- it only has 2 walls of rock. Randy had retired some time back, but he and his wife both fell in love with Bryce, so they work on the weekends and enjoy the area as tourists during the week. He told us stories as he drove out to Rainbow Point, about 18 miles into the park. Bryce Canyon is part of the Colorado plateau which reaches all the way to the Grand Canyon. All of this region makes up the “Grand Staircase.” President Clinton created the Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument to help protect this area. While we stood at this highest point in the Grand Staircase we saw the power plant at Lake Powell where we were 6 days ago and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon which is almost 200 miles away. We walked a mile from Rainbow Point to Yovimpa Point, which has an elevation of 9,000 feet, and we got caught in a hail storm. Weather changes rapidly here. We had a mix of sun, rain, hail, thunder and lightning all during our three hour tour.  A number of lightning strikes have left their mark on the trees in the area. I found it fascinating to learn that when lightning strikes a tree the power is so intense it heats the sap within the tree and the tree explodes from the inside. I did do a little bit of a head tilt though when I learned the state bird for Utah is the California Seagull. It seemed strange to have a seagull as a state bird when the ocean is so far away. But when pioneers were settling in Utah swarms of locusts threatened to destroy their crops needed for survival. The seagulls flew in to eat the locusts and saved the crops from ruin. The weather started to get a little dicey while we were on the rim of the Canyon. We caught the shuttle back to our car and headed back to the motorhome to enjoy the rain from inside the motorhome.  Doug and I finished our 40 day prayer challenge and are now reading “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality” together. It has led to good discussions as we continue to grow in our faith.

Hiking among the hoodoos

Day Twenty-One - 11 plus miles. 197 flights of stairs. 25,000 steps. We were pretty excited about our accomplishment as we hiked the Fairyland Loop Trail in Bryce National Park today. It was not on my list of things to do because it is listed as a strenuous 8 mile hike with a 1716 foot elevation change. But we had enjoyed the 5.5 mile Peekaboo Loop so much we decided to take the challenge. On our drive to the park we spotted a Pronghorn antelope standing right next to the road. I reached for my camera, but these guys are fast. We learned that a pronghorn will not jump over a fence; they will walk around it until they find a break in the fence and that they can run up to 55 mph – hence no photo. We parked at the Lodge today because the Fairyland Loop parking lot was already full when we arrived. The trail was going to take 4-5 hours and we had already learned creative parking was another way to say ticket and tow. Thankfully, we learned this lesson through observation and not participation. The Lodge parking lot added an extra mile and a half to the trail, but it provided peace of mind knowing our car would still be there when we got back. The sky was clear with a few white puffy clouds as we descended into the amphitheater. The red and orange colors of the hoodoos intensified as the sunshine brought out the variations within the layers of rock. The trail was hard packed limestone and for the first 1.7 miles we descended to the floor of the amphitheater. We passed bristlecone, pinyon, and juniper trees. We saw lizards, prairie dogs, stellar blue jays, and heard woodpeckers in the distance. It was a serene, beautiful hike. The Tower Bridge feature stands within a shady area and we took a short snack break in the shade of the trees. The tower has a window and a bridge within its wall of red limestone. The hoodoo walls around us look like sentries guarding a palace. They reminded me of angels standing shoulder to shoulder surrounding the throne. The way out was up – it was four miles to the top of the rim and as we looked behind us we could see the dark storm clouds moving in. Fast. In fact, we kept staring at the way the clouds were swirling around us. We could hear the wind whistling in the trees and then we heard the thunder. Storms seem to come suddenly and without warning. We had 2 more hours to get up to the rim and then another 3 miles to get to the car. If we looked straight ahead of us the sky was blue so I chose to look that way. Every once in a while though we would be hiking switchbacks and the dark sky was before us. It was a little dicey to think about being caught in a lightning storm without anyplace to take shelter. The park service has signs all over the place telling everyone to stay in their car in a lightning storm. Well, that wasn’t an option for us so we kept walking. The hoodoos were even more beautiful with all the movement in the sky. I couldn’t stop looking at the unique walls of hoodoos among the forest. It was so beautiful that we stopped for a quick lunch. After all, I had packed ham sandwiches and we had carried them all this way; it seemed a shame to carry them all the way to the top before we ate them. The thunder clapped again and again. We gave the mountain the respect it deserved and began to climb the last 1.5 miles. Other hikers were also scrambling to get to the top. The rain began. It was just a few raindrops, but we had already experienced hail in this park. We didn’t know what weather would develop. We got to the rim and had 3 miles to hike to the car. We thought the rim trail was fairly level, but our intel was incorrect as we began to climb towards Sunrise Point. The trail led through a forest and so our eyes were searching for an elk. Unfortunately for us, no elk today. Now that we were on the rim, the wind was strong and we had to hold onto our hats. The raindrops were still small as we finally saw the end of our hike. We walked past the lodge and great news - the car was right were we left it! What a welcomed sight. We headed back to our motor home after a few errands – gas in the car, a few more groceries, our picture in front of the Bryce National Park sign and a stop at the Visitor Center for our second “Hike the Hoodoos” reward stickers.

The Mighty Five - Part Two

Day Nine - We left Moab this morning while Doug drove the motorhome and I followed in our rental car. This seemed the easiest way for us to have a car and still make the loop around all the parks and it is working great. We drove 100 miles south on UT 191 to Bluff, UT; population 380. The town has 4 RV parks, one gas station, one operating restaurant, and the Bluff Fort Historic site. It is a cute western town situated in between sandstone bluffs and the San Juan River. Cadillac Ranch, our RV Park, is right across the street from the Bluff Fort Historic site so after lunch we went to check it out. This town was settled by a group of 250 Mormon pioneers who traveled 250 miles through almost impassable terrain to establish a settlement between two Indian nations – the Navajo and Ute tribes. They spent 6 weeks creating a trail through a hole in the rock and lowered their 83 wagons 2000 feet to the Colorado River; even their guides thought it impossible. They survived this 6 month journey with 43 men, 29 women and 120 children. One story we heard spoke of a 30 minute pause on the journey while a woman gave birth and then they continued on. Wow! I can’t imagine what it took to persevere through this! Then they had to build shelter, find water, grow crops, raise children, and take care of livestock while trying to survive in this difficult area. The cemetery on top of the hill tells many stories of how hard life was. Then, we drove to Hovenweep National Monument. On the map it didn’t look that far. The map didn’t have road names on it, but it didn’t look too difficult – just a right turn, one left and the entrance was close by. Well, nothing is close by here. It was 11 miles to the first right turn and then 28 more miles on a road that sometimes was paved and then sometimes not. We saw sheep grazing, wild horses, open grazing cattle, and a few homes in the distance with fences around them. I think the fence was to keep the cattle out of the yard. We finally arrived at the National Monument. The area was made a monument in 1923 and it is pretty remote. Doug and I enjoyed the 2 mile walk around the canyon as we observed the stone buildings. The ancient Pueblo people had found a way to survive and thrive in this area. I envisioned children running up and down the canyon while adults warned them about the rattlesnakes. The rangers had also warned us about the rattlesnakes so I was careful to look before I stepped or put my hands on any rock. Thankfully, no rattlesnakes today; just lizards and squirrels.

Natural Bridges Hike

Day Ten - We spent most of the day at Natural Bridges National Monument. This small park is about 60 miles from Bluff. The park has a one way 9 mile loop with several observation overlooks that led to the three main bridges in the park. We hiked to the base of each one of the bridges using steps carved into the rock and OLD wooden ladders made from cedar branches. It was a real experience to hike the mile and a half to the base of each of the bridges and then back up. We chose a different route home and drove back towards Bluff through the Muki Dugway. This state road (Utah 261) went from pavement to gravel and quickly down to 5 MPH with 10% grade through 12 back to back hairpin switchbacks to get us down the mountain. It was quite an experience as we were blessed with a breathtaking view of the valley of the gods.

Day Eleven - As we left Bluff and headed to Monument Valley the deep red rock and soil slowly gave way to more sagebrush and lighter red soil. We could see for miles and miles as we crested hills at 6000 feet and sunk into valleys at 4000 feet. The road signs said to watch for open range cattle, for horses, and for pedestrians, but our eyes were scanning the horizon for mule deer. The skies were brilliant blue and it was warming up nicely. The high for today should be around 93 degrees, but right now we are comfortable at 70. The light winds make this a great day to travel. We drive past the valley of the gods and glance at the buttes within the valley. A narrow, gravel road runs 17 miles through this park. We drove a little way through this area yesterday; now we head past it on our way to Monument Valley.

Driving through Monument Valley

Monument Valley is a 30,000 acre Tribal Park on Navajo land. No motorhomes are allowed on the 17 mile gravel road so we park the motorhome at the Visitor Center and head into the park crossing from Utah into Arizona. The new museum beckons us and we learn a bit about the history of the Navajo people, their service in WWII, and the land we were about to see. Traditionally, the Navajo people live in a domed, hexagon shaped building made out of wood and red earth. They are a very spiritual people. In WWII over 400 code talkers helped transmit messages using the Navajo language and they still didn’t have the right to vote. There is an unsettled feeling or remorse and regret that overcame us as we read history from their point of view. The earth is red, the brush a dusky green, and the deep red buttes are strikingly tall as they rise out of the plain. They all have names and a story as we slowly travel onto their sacred land. The wind began to pick up and dust swirled everywhere. Doug drove slowly around deep potholes, through inches of fine sand, while carefully missing rocks that threatened to hit underneath our car. The shapes of left mitten and right mitten were easily identified. The three sisters and totem pole stood out to us also. A few buttes were named for chieftains and movie producers. They were all quite beautiful and we stopped to look at them all. We discovered that many John Wayne movies were filmed here as well as Back to the Future III and Thelma and Louise. John Wayne even had a home built next to the Goulding’s Trading Post. The Trading Post was built in the 1930’s just a mile from the monuments and introduced the area to the rest of the world. Doug asked me a few days ago if I ever got hangry. I wasn’t sure until today when I got a bit edgy. We had been driving on the gravel road for about an hour when the wind really began to pick up with gusts up to 30 mph. We still had 125 miles to drive until our stop for tonight. I voted to forgo a 4 mile walk in the dusty, windy, hot park and head to Lake Powell. We stopped at the Goulding museum and grocery store and then got lunch. It wasn’t until after lunch that I realized that’s what hangry feels like. I will try to stay hydrated and keep a few snacks available to prevent another attack in the future. Doug expertly drove the motorhome over the mountains as the wind continued to blow with gusts up to 35 mph. I followed in the car. The scenery is amazing and totally unlike anything in Ohio. We dropped out of the mountains as we got closer to Lake Powell. Lake Powell has 2000 miles of shoreline filled with side canyons and the largest natural bridge in the world.

Horseshoe Bend and the Mighty Colorado

Day Twelve - The Glen Canyon Dam is what forms Lake Powell on the Colorado River. This hydro-electric dam supplies power and regulates water flow for 5 states. After our visit at the dam we drove to Horseshoe Bend and hiked to see where the Colorado River does a 270 degree bend. We carefully walked to the edge of the sandstone bluffs 500+ feet above the river. The drop offs are a bit intimidating. At one point Doug crawled up to the edge to get a couple pictures and had a death grip on his phone.  We left to hike to a place called Hanging Gardens. The green gardens grow because moisture is seeping out of the sandstone. I continued to watch for rattlesnakes and jumped a few times when lizards scurried out of the brush creating a rustling noise. We decided to head back to the marina on Lake Powell and rent Jet Skis for a couple hours to enjoy the narrow canyons from the water. We had been there yesterday to check out availability and they said this should not be a problem. When we arrived at the rental desk they said it was too windy and were not renting out any boats of any kind. We were a little bummed. I do have to admit the wind has been blowing at 30-40 mph since we have been here but we thought that was just normal. We found a place where we could take a quick swim - and I do mean quick. The water was a refreshing 61 degrees. It was still a beautiful place to soak in the sun because any day on the water is a good day.

Rocky Mountain Sunset in Antelope Canyon

Day Thirteen - I had been looking forward to this tour ever since I booked it in February. I was so excited that we stopped by Ken’s Canyon Tours the day we arrived in Page to confirm our reservation into the Lower Antelope Canyon. I didn’t want to miss it. I had read online that the best time to enter was at noon when the lighting would be directly overhead so I had booked an 11:30 am tour. Today the skies were clear with an occasional white puffy cloud. The weather was perfect. Our small group of 15 entered Lower Antelope Canyon at 11:20 am with our tour guide leading the way. I was a little concerned since there were quite a few groups ahead of us and we were all walking down towards a narrow canyon. Groups enter the canyon every 30 minutes all day long. During the busy season the wait to enter can take more than an hour while people walk the ¾ mile through the canyon, but according to our tour guide the crowds were not bad today. We reached the metal stairs as we climbed down 50 feet to the canyon floor. These were a nice improvement over a rope ladder that had been used by people when the canyon was first discovered. Instantly we were struck by the vibrant colors of the rock wall. Rushing water at over 150 miles an hour had carved the sandstone rock into this slot canyon. Flash floods continue to occur year after year during the summer monsoon season shaping and smoothing the sandstone walls. Doug and I marveled at the beauty all around us. The sun caused the sandstone to reflect all the striations and colors our eyes could take in. We took SO many pictures. Even our tour guide took photos for us. He told us the names of various rock formations – Lion, Fox, Bridal Arch – each one of them spectacular. At one point he took everyone’s camera, leaned against the rock, framed the picture using the chrome filter and said, “This photo sold for over 1.5 million dollars when it was first taken.” I am sure it wasn’t on a camera phone but still. It is a beautiful shot. The crowd of people disappeared around the corners and at times it was only Doug and I in a small open twist of the canyon. We couldn’t believe what we were experiencing. The hour and 15 minutes went so fast and it was time for us to exit the canyon. We couldn’t believe we were so blessed to have had this once in a lifetime experience. I couldn’t help but think these rocks continually sing praise to their creator. We sang his praises too! 

After our canyon tour we headed to the motorhome, grabbed lunch, and began our 140 mile drive to Virgin, UT. We laughed as we left Arizona, entered Utah, left Utah, entered Arizona, left Arizona, and entered Utah again. We drove through the lower section of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and plan to visit this park again when we get near Bryce in a few days. It is a really big park! The Navajo, Ute, and Piute tribal peoples all live in this area. The mountains came into view as we drove closer to Zion National Park. The purple hues of the mountains, the pale green grasses, the bright blue sky, and dark green trees brought spontaneous praise to my lips. God created all this – and it is very good.

Hiking the Narrows

Day Fourteen - We spent the day at Zion National Park. Zion has over 4 million visitors a year and in an effort to help decrease traffic congestion the only way to travel within the park is by shuttle. We found a place to creatively park inside the park just as the ranger hung the sign indicating the parking lot was full. I had read about a hike called the Narrows where one actually hiked in the river between two towering canyon walls. We grabbed the free shuttle and took it to the last stop. A 1 mile easy riverside walk took us to the beginning of the Narrows. The trail suddenly ended and we noticed people entering the water. We changed into our water shoes and joined them. The Virgin River was low and thankfully the risk for flash floods was also low. The clear water was a chilly 50 degrees but after a short while it didn’t bother us. We were thankful for our hiking poles as we navigated in and out of the knee deep water for about 3 miles. We couldn’t believe we were actually doing this! At one point in the hike we took the road less traveled which led up a slot canyon. We were required to walk in the river and scramble over some boulders and hike up some small waterfalls. This will make our top 10 all-time favorite hike. We hiked as far as one can go up the narrows before you need a backcountry permit. We had lunch while enjoying the breathtaking panoramic views of the sheer rock walls. We headed out of the water, changed our shoes, and grabbed the shuttle back to our car. We traveled up State Route 89 through a one mile tunnel to get to the Canyon Overlook Trail. The parking lot was immediately on the right as you exit the tunnel. The trail was great, the view breathtaking, and we even spotted several Bighorn Sheep as we hiked out of there. 

Day Fifteen –We had only one hike planned for today- a 5.4 mile round trip hike to Angel’s Landing. The trail is called Angel’s Landing because in 1916 Frederick Fisher looked up at the monolith exclaimed, “only an angel could land on it.” He helped forge the trail with the help of the CCC. It was listed as a strenuous hike, but it only had a 1,488 foot elevation climb and I knew we could do that; plus it was the only one for the day. I had read somewhere that this hike is world famous and one of the most memorable hikes in all of the National Park systems so I was up for it. It may or may not have said something like it wasn’t for the faint at heart, but I quickly read over that part. Yesterday we heard people talking about Angel’s Landing and the fact that you had to hold onto chains to reach the top of the hike. Doug thought he might stay at the Lodge to drink Expressos while I climbed the mountain, but in the end he decided to keep me company. The park was really busy yesterday and Doug had to creatively park the car in the parking lot so today we wanted to get there a little earlier to snag a real parking spot. We also realized yesterday that it was a good idea to remember which row we parked the car. Today we entered the lot and found a spot in row 5 and we were good to go. We jumped on the shuttle when it arrived and got out at the Grotto stop. This hike has 6 distinct phases and I had given them each a name. Phase 1 – paved, phase 2 – switchbacks, phase 3 – monolithic area, phase 4 – Walter’s Wiggles, phase 5 – rest, and phase 6 – chains. We easily found the trail across the street from the shuttle stop. I looked up and saw tiny ant-like people scurrying back and forth near the top of the mountain. That was where we were headed. Phase 1 was fairly easy with an incline that got our hearts pumping. The river started to recede from our view and then phase 2 began. The switchbacks were steep and quite impressive. I looked up and could see the switchbacks because the people kept walking back and forth right above my head. The switchbacks were carved out of the face of the cliff and as we got higher and higher the views were breathtaking. We knew we had reached phase 3 because it leveled out some and I was glad as it was a chance to catch my breath. The view below reminded us of how far we had already climbed. Then we got to Walter’s Wiggles. I couldn’t understand what they were until I saw them. It was a terraced series of 21 tight switchbacks that had been carved out of the side of the cliff - and the sides of the cliff were sheer. I had never seen anything like it before and it was quite a climb. But we hadn’t seen anything yet. Phase 5 was at the top of these switchbacks and it was a large area that offered a great view. There were a lot of people standing here and we realized that for many people this was as far as they were going. Doug and I looked over at the next phase and saw the reason why they were stopping. This last ½ mile was where the hike changed to mountaineering. I mean like serious mountain climbing. We were so thankful for the chains that gave one something to hold on to. After a few pictures we were ready for phase 6. And they were right – this is not for the faint of heart or for anyone with a fear of heights, or mobility issues. We found the foot holds, the steps carved out of sandstone, and the chains that helped you stay on the mountain. We have never done anything like this before in our lives and kept saying this was a once in a lifetime experience. We climbed up, around, and over the rock until we turned the corner and saw the final destination. I had no clue it was so high and so precarious. I was thankful the winds were light and the path was dry. I was using the 3 points of contact at all times rule and feeling the need for 6 points of contact many times along the trail. People were coming down from the top while we were going up, but the trail was only wide enough for one person. We found creative ways to get around each other. Everyone was encouraging and cautious.

"Where angels trod"

We slowly climbed to the top – it took 45 minutes to climb ½ mile. And it was so worth it. I can’t believe we did it. “Only angels could land here” – and with the help of chains Doug and I could too!  At the very top we walked across the sandstone peak and sat down to enjoy the accomplishment. Lunch was delicious and the experience was unforgettable. The ½ mile climb back down was just as difficult as the way up. Each footstep was slow and deliberate. Relief and exuberance flooded over us as we touched back at the lookout point. High fives all around. The climb to the bottom was easy from here. The temperatures were increasing and there was a gentle breeze. As more people were climbing the trail in the afternoon sun, I was glad we had chosen to climb earlier in the day. It was time to head to the pool at the campground.

Day Sixteen - It was another beautiful day in Zion National Park. The temperature was cool (mid 50’s) but rose to mid-80 in the afternoon. We had signed up for a ranger-led tour to learn more history and background about the park. We were told to meet at the flagpole at 8:45 am. Doug began talking with the people waiting and we laughed as we discovered almost half of the people on our tour lived in Ohio. Ranger Kelly was so animated and a great storyteller as she shared a few things about Zion. We learned the original inhabitants of Zion canyon were the Paiute Indians. Then some Mormon missionaries took up residence for a while. The constant flooding of the Virgin River made life difficult at best until most of the homesteaders moved a few miles out of the canyon. She pointed out the various sandstone rock formations that towered over us. The Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Great White Throne, and Angel’s Landing all received their names from the Mormon pastor who resided here in the 1800’s. After our tour we enjoyed hiking to the Emerald pools. The ranger said the water we saw in the Emerald pools fell as rain water over 4000 years ago because that is how long it takes for the water to seep through the Navajo sandstone. We were thankful the Emerald Pool trail was easy to moderate as we were still recovering from the Angel’s Landing hike we had experienced. At the upper pool the water flowed out of the sandstone, created a small pool which fed the Middle pools. We walked down to the Lower pool are and discovered a 30 foot waterfall flowing over the sandstone. It was a beautiful hike with all the green vegetation surrounding us.