Videos

Here are some videos I have put together of a few of the hikes we have done so far. Today we went to Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park. Tomorrow is Arches National Park then east to the Rocky Moutains. 

Day 9. Bryce Canyon

OGoing back and forth from our campsite got us very aquatinted with Tropic,Ut, a small town in between us and the park. It didn't take long as it consisted of a small grocery store with a restaurant attached, a gas station, a hardware store and a coffee shop. We stopped at the coffee shop all 3 mornings here and Cassie said it had the best coffee she has had since we left. The people were very nice too so Cassie bought a coffee mug from them.

We hiked a few more trails at Bryce. Though shorter and less demanding, they still had the same great scenery and beautiful vistas.

Here are a few pics from the Mossey Cave Trail. 

We then walked the Rim Trail that is a path that follows the rim of the canyon to various lookouts. The views were sll slightly different and never ceased to amaze us. 

Here is one near Inspiration Point

And Rainbow Point which was at 9115 feet. 

This area is so diverse. There is hot,dry, arid desert, huge red rock formations ,heavily forested hilly terrain, then flat prarie with 12,000 foot snow capped mountains as a backdrop. All within no more than a half hour of each other.  They just had a good snow storm 2 weeks ago and the snow is still visible on the highest peaks. 

You definitely feel the effects of the dry air as our lips and feet are so chapped and Cassie got a few nose bleeds. But my allergies that were a mess when we left NH are no more. 

After our hike we went back and spent a few hours by the pool and Cassie did what she does best and that is make friends. There was a couple from Switzerland and their two little girls that were swimming and Cassie jumped in played with them, having races and encouraging the littlest one 5 year old Eva with her swimming without tubes. She was the biggest little kid in the pool and it both made us look forward to pool time with our Kyla. 

After getting some sun and fun, we retired to our camp for some plum tasty vittles and cool beverages. Hot dogs and beans again for this old cowboy. I woke up in the middle of the night the night before and was thrilled to see the Milky Way clearly. I had researched how to photograph the night sky so as we ate I talked Cassie in to waking up with me to look at the stars and try and capture it with my camera. We went to sleep for a while and then I nudged her at 1:15 and opened the tent to see the show. After a few focusing issues I caught some good pics that I don't think are too bad for a first timer.

That hazy band is the spiral edge of the Milky Way that you would have to get up near the Canadian border or the deep woods in Maine to see back home. It was too cool and the pictures don't nearly do justice to what we saw. 

The next day is a 5 hour drive east (yes east!) to Moab Ut where we will visit two National Parks within a half hour of each other, Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. The elevation is much lower and the temps will be near 100 but they have some of the most iconic southwestern scenery. We are on our way and getting there in a hurry. We don't see this back home. 

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon National park is our next stop on the tour of the southwest. We hoped in the van Thursday afternoon and drove about about 2 hours northeast through more dramatic scenery and arrived late afternoon at our campground. Its more of the same. Beautiful, colorful surroundings. Dry warm days and cold evenings (Bryce is at 8000 feet.) 

We started out at the park last night by attending a stargazing event. Bryce Canyon is known to have some of the darkest skies in the United States due to them fact that the area is so sparsely populated. It's also a good time of the month to see the night sky because on Saturday there will be no moon which makes the night even darker. The park set up about 30 telescopes all pointed at something different and we went around to each and someone was there explaining what you were looking at. We saw the planets Jupiter, Saturn and Mars as well as a few galaxies and stars and star clusters. We marveled at the number of stars we could see. Last month we looked at the sky outside our house and counted 50 something stars. The lights of the east coast and our proximity to Nashua prevents us from seeing more stars. By comparison, the Park Ranger here said we could see in excess of 4000 stars on a clear night at Bryce Canyon.  We also could see the Milky Way with the naked eye which I have never seen before. 

Because the event went from 10:30 to midnight, we slept a little later than usual but we were still back at the park by 9:30. We hiked a trail, The Queens Garden-Navajo Loop that is called the best 3 mile hike in the world. By who? I don't know but that is what they advertise it as. We added another side trail, The Peek-a-boo Loop to add a little more mileage and a combination of the 3 trails form a figure 8 that totaled 6.5 miles. 

At Zion we saw what millions of years of water erosion can do to rock and at Bryce it's all about what the wind can do. The wind and rain has eroded soft red,orange and white sandstone into strange geological structures called Hoodoos which form not really a canyon but an amphitheater. The Paiute Indians believed the Hoodoos were once people who were turned to stone. There are so many of these pinnacles and like the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon is best seen not from the rim but up close. It was a great hike that you just never want to put the camera away.  While the elevation gain wasn't as strenuous as Observation Point, it was a lot of up and down,mostly in the sun and wiith a tough finish that left us tired and ready to chill by the pool back at the campsite. 

A Hoodoo called Thors Hammer on the left. 

More switchbacks 

And one of us. Trust me when I say we did not color coordinate our outfits for the day. Maybe after 29 years of marriage we have a 6th sense. The colors go well with the background too. 

Zion National Park

The last two days have been at Zion National Park in Springdale,Utah. It is one of the busiest national parks and we can see why. It is a large canyon with narrow slot canyons carved by the Virgin River through red and tan Navajo Sandstone. It is surrounded by mountains, monoliths, and buttes and home to mountain sheep , turkeys, and lots of lizards creating a unique environment. It also creates an environment hostile to wi- fi or any cellular sevice which explains why I haven't been able to post anything. Hopefully the service will get better at Bryce Canyon which is our next stop.

We camped along the Virgin river and this is a view from our campsite.

And our site along the river

Our first day at Zion we hiked the most challenging trail in the park called Observation Point. It is 4 miles to the top and very steep. Very steep!! It starts out for the first mile with a series of switchbacks that leaves you wondering how you will manage to make it to the top. 

After that it flattens out in to a slot canyon called The Refrigerator because it is much cooler and shaded. It's colorful and filled with interesting shapes and crevices 

It a a short break because the next 1 3/4 miles are another series of thigh burning, lung collapsing, sanity questioning switchbacks. With every turn you hope the switchbacks are ending and your hopes are quickly dashed. It's not a popular trail for this reason and even the those in the best shape ( that's Cassie and def not me) need to take a break every 10 minutes or so. What keeps you moving on is beauty of the trail, filled with magnificent views and interesting vegetation.

The last 3/4 mile is a flat trail along the top ridge to an amazing lookout at the highest point in the park. 

This is what we both felt like. Exhausted and happy.

The hike back down 4 miles was slightly better but tough on the knees but we made it and felt so proud of ourselves. So proud that we treated ourselves to dinner and beverages at the Zion Canyon Brewery

We both took Advil and fell asleep by 8:30 so happy and sore and satisfied with our day.

We woke up feeling good if slightly stiff in the legs and headed back to the park to do the most popular hike in the park and possibly in the entire national park system. It's called the Narrows and It gets its name because it is where the Virgin River slices it's way through Zion Canyon. It starts with a 1 mile walk along the river. As you stand in the edge of the river you look up and you are surrounded on both sides of the canyon walls over 1000 feet high. Then the trail ends or begins depending on if you feel like getting wet. The trail continues up the Virgin River and the brave wade waist deep or chest deep if you are short like Cassie in 50 degree water. 

The water was freezing, you couldn't feel your feet and the current was so strong you had to slowly take every step or else you and your backpack would be easily pushed under water. But everyone hiking had the same huge smile. It was so much fun. Unlike Observation Point which was a tough slog up the mountain with a great sense of accomplishment, The Narrows was a thril , full of laughing and having a great time with each other and the other hikers. And other hikers there were. We were in the river by 8:00 and as we were ending the hike, the entrance was mobbed like it was the newest ride at Disney. We researched it well though and got an early start which led to an amazing experience. 

We left Zion elated and ready for more experiences to come. We traveled to Bryce Canyon and tonight we will be going to their annual Astronomy Festival and will look at the stars, planets and constellations through telescopes they set up at the Visitor Center from 10:30- midnight. Hope I can stay up that late. 

Grand Canyon

 

 “let this great wonder of nature remain as it now is. Do nothing to mar its grandeur, sublimity and loveliness. You cannot improve on it. But what you can do is to keep it for your children, your children’s children, and all who come after you, as the one great sight which every American should see.”  President Theodore Roosevelt on the Grand Canyon 1903

I had to go to the Grand Canyon. President Roosevelt said I should. He is on Mount Rushmore and the Teddy Bear was named after him so his words carry a lot of weight with me. He was right in 1903 and he is right 113 years later. I don't think a photo has yet to capture nor have words been said that convey just what an awesome sight it is. The only thing to say is what Teddy said. You have to see it. Every American needs to see 

We camped in the National park on Monday night. In the park means no hookups,no water and gasp..no wifi. We built a campfire and had a feast that could not be beat.

 

After a lot of walking on Monday and our internal clocks still on New Hampshire time, we settled in to our tent rather early. The night ended up being a bit cold as temps went down to 38 degrees. The nights get cold due to the high altitude but the days are warm at the Rim and the temps down in the canyon are generally 20 plus degrees warmer than at the rim. We awoke early ready to hike the South Kaibab trail. It is one of the most popular trails so again it's best to get there early if you want to hike without dodging people. Even getting on the trail just after 7 wasn't enough as there was a pretty good crowd at the trailhead. But that's ok because we met and struck up conversations with people from Germany, Denmark, two separate couples from Holland along with nice people from Michigan, Colorado and Kansas City and a family from Oklahoma who took a picture of us and I took a family picture for them.  The trail goes to the bottom of the canyon and is approximately 9 miles. Cassie and I are in shape for the 9 miles down, it's the 9 miles back up that we aren't ready for. So we did what must do and  tthat is hike a small section. Most go down 1.5 miles to Ooh Aah Point ( so named because when people see the view from there they say..I think you get it). 

 
We went a little further to Cedar Ridge which is a  small flat ridge that offers 360 views that are just astounding. 

 

 

It was here that I gave Cassie a braclet called a Wandering Braclet. It gives the GPS coordinates of a location and it serves as a momento of trip to a special place. Hence the name of our trip. "To 36.0544 n 112.1401w and back"

 

The Grand Canyon was everything TR said it would be. It is iconic and a bucket list destination for a reason. 

 

Now off to Zion National Park in Utah.

Day 4-Petrified Forest Nat Park

Our bodies must still be on Eastetn Standard Time because we were up at 5:30 Mountain Standard Time full of energy. We grabbed some breakfast and put on our shorts and t-shirts and stepped outside to find it was in the high 40's.,Luckily we are prepared for all weather and I got a long sleeve on and Cassie put on her jacket that she got from her sister Norma just in time for our trip. We thought she might need it in Colorado but not New Mexico. We found out shortly after getting on the highway why it was so chilly in the morning when we saw a sign saying "Elevation 6500 feet". 

Petrified Forest NP opened up at 7 and we were the first visitors. I have done my research and found that most visitors get there around mid to late morning so the Nat Park Srrvice recommends getting a early start to avoid crowds. It's great advice because there is nothing like being around this great scenery and being alone. We took a short hike and we could see miles of magnificent desolation and the most incredible silence.  

 

There are 2 major parts of the Park. The northern portion is the Painted Desert so named because of the array of colors that one doesn't expect to see in a desert. There are blues, reds and purples mixed in with the usual browns.

 

 

The southern portion is where the park gets its name. It is home to largest collections of Petrified wood in the world. These are trees that over millions of years fell and kept its shape while the organic material was hardened due to a chemical reaction with volcanic ash and silica and formed quartz. In short , it appears to be a log but it is rock like and is filled with colorful quartz. 

     

 

It's a large park at over 100,000 acres and 27 mikes end to end. We had a great time and hiked their numerous short trails that combined for about 8 miles walked. Cassie was happy about that. It really is a cool park that gets overshadowed by the more popular parks in the Southwest. One of those we are on our way to now as we are now on our way to the Grand Canyon. 

 

The Final Approach

Yesterday's 17 hours of driving was an exhausting affair. Cassie found the bed and was out the second she closed her eyes. I managed to drink a beer and watch the OKC local news wrap up the Thunder's game 6 loss to Golden State. Then I shut my eyes and  I opened them 6 hours later though it felt like 5 minutes. We quickly grabbed some breakfast, gassed up and hit the road with 8 hours to go until our hotel in Gallup N.M.

The sights we saw today left us constantly amazed. It was non stop "look at that!" "  " oh that's beautiful ". The flat prarie of West Oklahoma and North Texas was  all  cattle fields and hundreds and hundreds of windmills as far as the eye could see. 

 We saw Pampa Tx which is the home town of Cassie's mom Joyce. I can't imagine what a culture shock the east coast must have been for her after growing up in place so sparse. " Wide Open Spaces" by the Dixie Chicks happened to pop up on the trip mix and it will forever make me think of North Texas. 

Did I mention the speed limit is for the most part 75 mph. The roads are so flat and straight though that it doesn't feel fast at all. The cars flying by us at 90 plus made us feel like slow pokes too. 

We made it to New Mexico  by noon and we. Soon found out why it is called The Land of Enchantment. Long stretches of flat land that looks like a lunar landscape and then in the distance you see mountains. They look close but it's deceiving because the horizon is 50 plus miles away so you are driving and driving  and not getting any closer. For those who have been out west this is no big deal, but we couldn't stop talking about it. The drive towards,then away from Albuquerque and the surrounding mountains was incredible. I have never seen anything like it. (Sidebar. We are 3 days in to our trip and I have run out of adjectives for beautiful and amazing. There is a thesaurus on this iPhone right?)

We are now in New Mexico. We arrived at our hotel at 3:30 MST so it is about 50 hours after we left Hudson. Actual driving time was almost 35 hours . The only slow downs were the Mass f ing Pike near Worcester, the windshield wiper fiasco, and a brief backup in Missouri for a tractor trailer accident. Other than that, we cruised and enjoyed every second. I am sure the long haul truckers get tired of straight, flat roadway with the monotony broken up only by the occasional scrum of truck stops surrounding exit 290, but we throughly enjoyed every mile so far.As I write this we are at our hotel in Gallup N.M. I am drinking a beer while Cassie is trying to get some late afternoon New Mexico sun. (Sidebar #2. We only brought Bud Light and I wanted something with a little more substance and thought I might grab a six pack of a local micro brew. But no.Turns out they don't sell beer on Sunday in NM. What century are the citizens lof NM living in? Oh well , Bud Light it is.) We are having a nice relaxing evening and will be asleep early for sure. Tomorrow we begin what we came here for. We will visit Petrified Forest Nat Park in the morning then make our way to the Grand Canyon for late afternoon. We can't wait to get moving and see some sights up close instead of from our vehicle.