tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32477152572549075982024-03-13T03:17:37.343-07:00My Traveling Shoes Are High Heelsboyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-65027472804742943492018-06-18T17:22:00.000-07:002018-06-18T17:22:24.063-07:00The Last Park of the Trip: A National Park Odyssey Days 43-44<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm" target="_blank">Great SandDunes National Park</a> to<a href="https://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm" target="_blank"> Rocky Mountain National Park</a></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh packs the car which is parked just steps from our room.</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It will
surprise no one to learn that I’m a bit of a hotel snob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love me some high thread count sheets and
kind of feel like a concierge lounge is a need rather than a want. Plop me down
in a JW Marriott pretty much anywhere in the world and I’m a happy girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this trip may have changed that just a
bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It brought to light the glorious
simplicity of the roadside motel. Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Because you can park right in front of the
door of your room!!!!!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when
you’re unpacking and repacking your car every day or two for an entire summer,
not having to schlep your luggage more than a few feet is HEAVEN!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(And yes, I
know that there are people who never have to unpack their cars when they travel
because they are avid RVers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not
those people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not want to be
responsible for washing my own towels or making my own bed while on
vacation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, if that RV were actually
a Holland-America ship whisking me from exotic port to exotic port with a cabin
boy in charge of my linens, sign me up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m all about that kind of not having to unpack and repack. But I
digress.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QdpmNKk5tu8/WyGFnxzCu3I/AAAAAAAACls/59oDNMAg2Q8sUYFW6UrU0ZkF1cFeHvVawCEwYBhgL/s1600/0724%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bview%2Bwith%2Belk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QdpmNKk5tu8/WyGFnxzCu3I/AAAAAAAACls/59oDNMAg2Q8sUYFW6UrU0ZkF1cFeHvVawCEwYBhgL/s640/0724%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bview%2Bwith%2Belk.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In this picture you can see how the landscape at Great Sands Dunes goes from prairie grass to sand dunes to Colorado peaks. Oh, and there's an elk, too.</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On day 43 we
packed the car—right outside <a href="http://www.gsdlodge.com/" target="_blank">our motel room</a> door!—and then set out for the
visitors’ center so that the kids could finish up their Junior Ranger booklets
and earn their badges before we took off for our last park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On our way into the park, we saw an elk in
the distance, beautifully framed by the prairie grasses, the dunes, and the
majestic mountains.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At the
visitors’ center, the kids checked out the exhibits and finished some
last-minute questions before being sworn in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-euDkMRDFDgQ/WyGGikRCQjI/AAAAAAAACmA/9VEyv-HJP1UxfN5bMsrgI6aa9A4rScAmgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0724%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bvisitor%2Bcenter%2Bexhibit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-euDkMRDFDgQ/WyGGikRCQjI/AAAAAAAACmA/9VEyv-HJP1UxfN5bMsrgI6aa9A4rScAmgCEwYBhgL/s640/0724%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bvisitor%2Bcenter%2Bexhibit.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox interacts with an exhibit that simulates the growth and change of a sand dune.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley finishes up some pages in her Junior Ranger booklet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting sworn in for the 22nd time on this trip!</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From there, it was a 3 ½ hour drive to Denver where we had planned to
meet up with Josh’s cousin, Beth and her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We couldn’t wait to see them and hold little
Roman!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The drive was long, but the
payoff was big—plenty of Roman snuggles!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Knox read him a book, and then Josh and I took turns reading to
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was very attentive and willing
to listen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And later, at dinner, he let
me carry him all around the restaurant,<a href="http://www.casabonitadenver.com/" target="_blank"> Casa Bonita.</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8VX-p7A3pKE/WyGFmfqTxcI/AAAAAAAAClE/4_95dcU3UcQxkVEspCIq4D2tcriVJzzkACEwYBhgL/s1600/0724%2BRoman%2Bpoints%2Bto%2Bthe%2Bbook.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8VX-p7A3pKE/WyGFmfqTxcI/AAAAAAAAClE/4_95dcU3UcQxkVEspCIq4D2tcriVJzzkACEwYBhgL/s640/0724%2BRoman%2Bpoints%2Bto%2Bthe%2Bbook.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.toddparr.com/" target="_blank">Todd Parr</a> was a favorite author of both Knox and Kinley, and Roman seems to appreciate his talents, too!</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Casa Bonita
is not the kind of place we normally would have chosen, and Beth and Karsen
certainly didn’t have it at the top of their lists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, it’s kind of corny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 52,000-square-foot facility seats 1,000
and entertains guests during dinner with puppet shows, a fire juggler, and a guy
in a gorilla suit who dives off a 30-foot cliff into a pool below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we didn’t choose it for the food or for
the atmosphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, Josh’s sister,
Kelsey, was born in Denver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In December
of 1980, when Josh and his parents found out that a little baby girl was being
placed up for adoption and could potentially join their family, they flew to
Denver to meet her and bring her home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And the day that she was placed in their arms for the first time, they
celebrated with dinner at Casa Bonita.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Josh has great memories about that evening, and he wanted to share the
experience with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a memorable
experience it was!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plenty of cheesiness
but also plenty of things to entertain a busy toddler while the rest of the
group got to enjoy all-you-can-eat Mexican food.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QbDDGVA16pQ/WyGFfbINAlI/AAAAAAAACk4/dtcWWalX_XI7t5dCeuJt6RiMfkUZWVmEwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0724%2BCasa%2BBonita%2BJosh%2Bin%2Bfront.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QbDDGVA16pQ/WyGFfbINAlI/AAAAAAAACk4/dtcWWalX_XI7t5dCeuJt6RiMfkUZWVmEwCEwYBhgL/s640/0724%2BCasa%2BBonita%2BJosh%2Bin%2Bfront.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh outside Casa Bonita where his family brought their new baby girl for dinner in 1980.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BiLi5Sy_uRs/WyGFgy-1GWI/AAAAAAAACk8/dcDcf0Irp544C0uklBaIE638YDocj3dcwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0724%2BCasa%2BBonita%2Bgroup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BiLi5Sy_uRs/WyGFgy-1GWI/AAAAAAAACk8/dcDcf0Irp544C0uklBaIE638YDocj3dcwCEwYBhgL/s640/0724%2BCasa%2BBonita%2Bgroup.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The decor at Casa Bonita is kind of over the top, but we still enjoyed it. (From left, Karsen, Roman, Knox, Kinley, me, Josh, and Beth.)</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The next
morning, Karsen had to work, but Beth and Roman met us bright and early at our hotel in Longmont to join us on our visit to our 23<sup>rd</sup> and final
national park of the trip—Rocky Mountain National Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the visitors’ center, Josh and the kids
stamped their National Parks Passports, and Beth stamped Roman’s for the first
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman gets his first ever National Park stamp in his passport!</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The rangers
told us that one parking lot in the park was already full, so we drove to the
park and ride lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was already full,
too, so we decided to try to park at a picnic area that was near the trail to
Bierstadt Lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found a spot and
figured out how to take a horse trail that connected to the actual Bierstadt
Lake Loop Trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 5.1 mile roundtrip
hike had some steep-ish sections, but it was a good choice for our group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beth carried Roman in a baby backpack, so the
rest of us couldn’t complain about the climb since we weren’t carrying an extra
human on our backs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox, Beth, and Roman on the trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-czuoKVULFIw/WyGF7Ewr5kI/AAAAAAAACl0/p9w8cV8oQC8TJHSVuISaU7TpdQfhG5aZACEwYBhgL/s1600/0725%2BReady%2Bto%2Bhike%2Band%2Bfinally%2Bparked.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-czuoKVULFIw/WyGF7Ewr5kI/AAAAAAAACl0/p9w8cV8oQC8TJHSVuISaU7TpdQfhG5aZACEwYBhgL/s640/0725%2BReady%2Bto%2Bhike%2Band%2Bfinally%2Bparked.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for adventure!</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was the
perfect time of year for wildflowers, and we saw lots of interesting varieties as
we hiked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was desperate to see a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pika" target="_blank">pika</a>,
a little mammal that lives in the mountains and looks kind of like a tiny
rabbit with smaller ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But despite
keeping an eye out for one (and perhaps calling, “Here, pika pika,” off and on
a few times), I had no luck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along the
way we did see a group of park interns who were hard at work on trail
maintenance, but otherwise the trail was relatively empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The view at the end was lovely, and we
enjoyed watching Roman explore his surroundings when he got out of the backpack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lake was calm and reflected the majesty
of the surrounding snow-covered peaks.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely Rocky Mountain wildflowers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beginning of the trail took us along a beautiful mountain stream.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g6eAw908gRg/WyGF6SzthyI/AAAAAAAACls/LQK9rvTG5l89lsPWM8GzURnbNYiSQVkzwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0725%2BRMNP%2Blumberjacks%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g6eAw908gRg/WyGF6SzthyI/AAAAAAAACls/LQK9rvTG5l89lsPWM8GzURnbNYiSQVkzwCEwYBhgL/s640/0725%2BRMNP%2Blumberjacks%2B2.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lumberjacks (park interns) at work on trail maintenance.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mq8XuwAY3N8/WyGF6cRME-I/AAAAAAAAClo/unLjWhgnH80Qt632fT5Jz4LycVHtLfQkACEwYBhgL/s1600/0725%2BRocky%2BMountain%2BBierstadt%2BLake%2Bcamera%2Bpic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mq8XuwAY3N8/WyGF6cRME-I/AAAAAAAAClo/unLjWhgnH80Qt632fT5Jz4LycVHtLfQkACEwYBhgL/s640/0725%2BRocky%2BMountain%2BBierstadt%2BLake%2Bcamera%2Bpic.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful Bierstadt Lake was our destination!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wy4v76Zu2Ec/WyGKEWydPLI/AAAAAAAACmQ/m7uiF6LuWIcliwdap1lKOZjeKfKG0SZXQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0725%2BRMNP%2BBierstadt%2BLake%2BKnox%2Bhelps%2BRoman.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wy4v76Zu2Ec/WyGKEWydPLI/AAAAAAAACmQ/m7uiF6LuWIcliwdap1lKOZjeKfKG0SZXQCEwYBhgL/s640/0725%2BRMNP%2BBierstadt%2BLake%2BKnox%2Bhelps%2BRoman.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox and Roman explore the lake.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MV6AVu2F49g/WyGKAzZzBrI/AAAAAAAACmM/GUNLKFrSyI4CDAvVXPbpJ0sSWuj7bcgHgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0725%2BRMNP%2BBierstadt%2BLake%2BJosh%2Bhelps%2BRoman%2Blook.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MV6AVu2F49g/WyGKAzZzBrI/AAAAAAAACmM/GUNLKFrSyI4CDAvVXPbpJ0sSWuj7bcgHgCEwYBhgL/s640/0725%2BRMNP%2BBierstadt%2BLake%2BJosh%2Bhelps%2BRoman%2Blook.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh shows Roman a duck hiding in the reeds.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GHi8y6bAe3o/WyGF7ltmOhI/AAAAAAAAClw/0-UB5ABdzmweCSSqwbOTFWhzSY9Sq2BjQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0725%2BRocky%2BMountain%2Bgroup%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GHi8y6bAe3o/WyGF7ltmOhI/AAAAAAAAClw/0-UB5ABdzmweCSSqwbOTFWhzSY9Sq2BjQCEwYBhgL/s640/0725%2BRocky%2BMountain%2Bgroup%2Ba.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Group selfie at the lake</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Back at the
visitors’ center, the kids got sworn in as Junior Rangers, and then we grabbed
something to eat in Estes Park at <a href="https://www.smokindavesbbq.com/" target="_blank">Smokin’ Dave’s Barbecue</a> before heading back
to our hotel in Longmont.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day
certainly isn’t enough to completely explore Rocky Mountain National Park, so
we’ll have to make a return trip someday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Getting to introduce Roman to the joys of collecting National Parks
passport stamps and share a part of our journey with family that we love made
this park particularly special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It might
have been our last park of the trip, but it certainly won’t be the last stamp
in our passports. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NTnBlgIT2G8/WyGKGKqwsvI/AAAAAAAACmg/kFyrB5jgpQ88v2Q53IzzY0lIKt1HitkQgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0725%2BRMNP%2Bjunior%2Branger%2Bpledge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NTnBlgIT2G8/WyGKGKqwsvI/AAAAAAAACmg/kFyrB5jgpQ88v2Q53IzzY0lIKt1HitkQgCEwYBhgL/s640/0725%2BRMNP%2Bjunior%2Branger%2Bpledge.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Junior Ranger badge number 23!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uTk8yDSeqSo/WyGKr8bnXwI/AAAAAAAACmk/-rHA65XSOi0l0LJmHs4MzELF6SVynV2ngCLcBGAs/s1600/0725%2BRMNP%2Bsign%2BGina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uTk8yDSeqSo/WyGKr8bnXwI/AAAAAAAACmk/-rHA65XSOi0l0LJmHs4MzELF6SVynV2ngCLcBGAs/s640/0725%2BRMNP%2Bsign%2BGina.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our 23rd National Park of the trip!</td></tr>
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<br />boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-82421242003798740912018-06-01T10:23:00.000-07:002018-06-01T10:23:17.037-07:00How 10 Yuan Helped Me Survive Roarin' Rapids at Shanghai Disneyland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--BJNG1vsR4s/WwWWPQeFlqI/AAAAAAAACj8/AWRdTxQHH_El3S7giJZkg0fMG8Vs5-z9wCLcBGAs/s1600/pic%2Bof%2BShanghai%2BCastle%2Bwith%2BBalloons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--BJNG1vsR4s/WwWWPQeFlqI/AAAAAAAACj8/AWRdTxQHH_El3S7giJZkg0fMG8Vs5-z9wCLcBGAs/s640/pic%2Bof%2BShanghai%2BCastle%2Bwith%2BBalloons.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">On our second day at Shanghai Disneyland, Kinley really wanted to do Roarin' Rapids. It wasn't a warm day (in fact, Josh wore his down coat most of the day), and I didn't really want to get wet on a cold day when I wasn't sure we'd dry out. But Kinley made the point that we might never come back, and besides, she and Josh had gotten FastPasses for the ride early in the day. Our FastPass time had arrived, so Kinley campaigned hard to convince us to do it.</span>I could see her point about this possibly being a one-time trip, so we headed to Adventure Isle to ride it. <br />
<br />
It was still chilly, and I was none too thrilled, but we got in the queue for a locker so that at least our stuff wouldn't get soaked. There were four or five people in front of us for a locker, so we waited. And waited, And waited. For some reason, the kiosk that assigned lockers wasn't working.Just when we were about to give up, the line started moving, and we crammed in our stuff and hustled off to the FastPass line. By this time in the day, all of the FastPasses for Roarin' Rapids had long since been given out, so this was clearly a popular ride in spite of the cold. But all day I had been scanning the massive crowds for evidence of dripping-wet patrons who had just finished the ride. I wanted to get a sense of just how wet I was going to get and how long it would take to dry out. But all day long, I hadn't seen <i>anyone </i>who appeared even remotely wet. In the FastPass line, the reason for this became evident.<br />
<br />
Everyone, and I mean <i>everyone</i>, wore a poncho. There were actually people - not Disney employees, just random people - selling ponchos in the line for 10 Yuan each. Mystery solved. But I wasn't sure I wanted to encourage these people by buying from them. I mean, this behavior would not be tolerated at any other Disney property in the world, so I didn't really want to participate in this particular entrepreneurship exercise. We talked about it as a family, and stood in line for maybe 15 minutes hemming and hawing back and forth - should we or shouldn't we? The longer we stood, the chillier it got. And in line, we could see the people on the ride getting drenched with water, saved from sogginess only by their cheap Chinese ponchos. <br />
<br />
But, still, it bugged me.I mean, this wasn't the only example of random people selling things at Shanghai Disneyland. As I mentioned in a <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/06/day-two-in-shanghai-or-how-knox-ended.html" target="_blank">previous post,</a> there are guys scalping tickets every morning outside the guys without even trying to hide it. There are people selling knock-off Minnie and Mickey ears or other little doodads in the queues for attractions. There are even people selling FastPasses to high-demand attractions! (This explains why the FastPass lines are so long in the morning and why people get in line for FastPasses in the morning at all when they could just jump on the ride right then when the line is minimal.) <a href="http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201702/5456/" target="_blank">Here's an entire post from another blogger about the phenomenon</a>.<br />
<br />
So we caved. Josh went back in the line and bought four ponchos. We sheepishly put them on and continued to wait. We were in sight of the boarding area when the ride broke down.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mSsK6ZoK8Uw/WTiMKY0XIhI/AAAAAAAABi0/gd-xzB_nfV0j6WyQ65QFp9-EeJLXEcMjgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mSsK6ZoK8Uw/WTiMKY0XIhI/AAAAAAAABi0/gd-xzB_nfV0j6WyQ65QFp9-EeJLXEcMjgCLcB/s640/IMG_0353.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These riders were stuck for quite a while before they officially closed the ride. We were SO close to the boarding area.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">I can't express to you how annoyed I was. Here I was, using a precious FastPass on a ride I really didn't want to do, waiting a half an hour in the FastPass line (which is usually less than 15 minutes), preparing to get wet, and then compromising my principles to buy a flimsy piece of plastic from a Communist opportunist only to be told the ride was broken. Ugh. We exited the ride and were given FastPasses for later. </span><br />
<br />
You may think this isn't a bad deal, but here's the thing. We had burned a FastPass to do this ride. And now EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN LINE was being given a FastPass for later. Not just the people in the FastPass line to start with, but EVERYONE. That meant that all of these people would be in the FastPass line later making our next wait even longer. For a ride I didn't want to do.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b-X2bQPvPiw/WTiMMfvHp3I/AAAAAAAABi8/049dDsqFgP8McdZLV8qJGdzMgaKcHmhgwCEw/s1600/IMG_5558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b-X2bQPvPiw/WTiMMfvHp3I/AAAAAAAABi8/049dDsqFgP8McdZLV8qJGdzMgaKcHmhgwCEw/s640/IMG_5558.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I call this "Poncho Sadness."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">What to do to make myself feel better? TRON. Definitely TRON. Off we went. And it worked. Gosh, I love that ride. Feeling significantly better after TRON, we checked the app to see if Roarin' Rapids was open again. I certainly didn't want to wait to do it after the sun was down since then there would be no chance of drying out. The app indicated that the ride was operational again, so back to Adventure Isle we went.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Sure enough, the FastPass line was exceptionally long because of all of those people who got freebies when it broke down. But we got into the line anyway with our ponchos prepared. But this time, there was an actual Disney employee with an actual name tag selling ponchos! Go figure!</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--rT1bR3YOwc/WTiolt7M83I/AAAAAAAABjU/MlaiwU6seFw85PthVCNRTYPRV33nrBTJACHM/s640/blogger-image-1471237986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--rT1bR3YOwc/WTiolt7M83I/AAAAAAAABjU/MlaiwU6seFw85PthVCNRTYPRV33nrBTJACHM/s640/blogger-image-1471237986.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This looked much more official, but it was still kind of strange!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KdwZMpGPb7c/WTiMH8XelSI/AAAAAAAABjA/Z-PxJdb7NnMEvhyfExX_I5JCQ_3OLpj-wCEw/s1600/IMG_0351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KdwZMpGPb7c/WTiMH8XelSI/AAAAAAAABjA/Z-PxJdb7NnMEvhyfExX_I5JCQ_3OLpj-wCEw/s640/IMG_0351.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm doing a pretty good job of looking happy about waiting again for a ride I wasn't to thrilled about.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Eventually our turn came and we sat down in our already-soggy seats. And you know what? The poncho helped. A lot. We emerged from the ride only a little bit drippy and actually had a good time! It was 10 Yuan well spent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-74Vl4t_PkiE/WTiMLFPlCSI/AAAAAAAABjA/Rxr3eSA2yOQiYsMxy6AhB_YYim_Blon-gCEw/s1600/IMG_5593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-74Vl4t_PkiE/WTiMLFPlCSI/AAAAAAAABjA/Rxr3eSA2yOQiYsMxy6AhB_YYim_Blon-gCEw/s640/IMG_5593.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-42381247422290936572018-05-25T07:59:00.000-07:002018-05-25T07:59:18.513-07:00Things I Learned at Great Sand Dunes: A National Park Odyssey Day 42<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm" target="_blank">Great Sand Dunes National Park</a></span><br />
<br />
Listen to our podcast about this <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-21-great-sand-dunes-national-park" target="_blank">park here!</a><br />
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8zd7YyU72Xc/WwSv26M8hwI/AAAAAAAACio/-LRjpqs1USok9FJAn4TQxPFSCHVbFZeaACLcBGAs/s1600/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bsign%2Bkids%2Bnumber.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8zd7YyU72Xc/WwSv26M8hwI/AAAAAAAACio/-LRjpqs1USok9FJAn4TQxPFSCHVbFZeaACLcBGAs/s640/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bsign%2Bkids%2Bnumber.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Park number 22!</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We made it
to the <a href="http://www.gsdlodge.com/" target="_blank">Great Sand Dunes</a> lodge so late that Kinley, Knox and I had a hard time
getting moving, even after waking up late.
Josh, on the other hand, went to the visitors’ center, got Junior Ranger
booklets, and researched sled rentals and dune trails all while the kids and I
slept. Once I finally got up and going,
here are the things I learned.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UilfoiaPR-Y/WwSv2Y9PBPI/AAAAAAAACjw/av3wk9VHamEQM21TehWxGiGSBD6lS-vdwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bam%2Bhike.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UilfoiaPR-Y/WwSv2Y9PBPI/AAAAAAAACjw/av3wk9VHamEQM21TehWxGiGSBD6lS-vdwCEwYBhgL/s640/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bam%2Bhike.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We look so optimistic here at the beginning of our trek. Little did I know....</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Planning
activities for the day, every day, for forty-something days is hard.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*When you’re
struggling to make a plan, having everyone list the one thing they want to do
helps.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*When you
almost never have a real fight, it freaks your kids out when you do.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Josh is far
more quick to say he’s sorry and be ready to move on than I am. I need significantly more time (and possibly
time alone) before I’m ready to get over an argument.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*When Josh
and I are really angry with each other, I can see my kids taking on the roles
that my sister and I took on as children when our parents fought. Knox is like Gennifer who just wanted to make
peace, and Kinley is like I was, just trying to lay low (and convince my
sibling to lay low) until it all blows over.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Josh
doesn’t like hot springs. I don’t like
climbing sand dunes.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Brazilians
in Natal have the whole dune thing figured out.
You ride a dune buggy most of the time, and when you do sled down, the
rental dude hauls the sled back up the hill for you on a rope. And if you make a fool out of yourself and
fall just ten feet from your starting point, the rental dude takes pity on you
and gets on the sled with you to make it go down the hill the right way.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*If I ever
visit Great Sand Dunes National Park again, I’m bringing a lawn chair and a
book. I’ll sit and read with my feet in
Medano Creek while everyone else gets a workout sinking ankle-deep in sand with
every step as they try to climb the 700 foot High Dune. Did I mention that you start climbing at an
elevation of 8,170 feet so those 700 feet feel even tougher?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*When you’re
really struggling, you use your tried-and-true method of making yourself feel
better – singing show tunes in your head.
And it just so happens that there is a show tune from <i>Aladdin the Musical </i>that mentions sand
dunes! And when even that doesn’t help,
you’re in bad shape.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xpuDyA5I8Nw/WwSv1sXQmBI/AAAAAAAACjs/yUd7uDNvsFII3FXiM2sdQyoc07n_F-x_ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bam%2Bhike%2Bacross%2Bthe%2Bexpanse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xpuDyA5I8Nw/WwSv1sXQmBI/AAAAAAAACjs/yUd7uDNvsFII3FXiM2sdQyoc07n_F-x_ACEwYBhgL/s640/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bam%2Bhike%2Bacross%2Bthe%2Bexpanse.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm singing show tunes in my head here. It's not helping.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*In the
midst of the climb with a good 200 feet or more left to go, when you are
alternating between complaining in your head about how hard this is and giving
yourself a pep talk to keep going, you sometimes have a moment of clarity. You are a grown up. You don’t have to do this. This is not a loop trail. The family will have to come back this same
way to get down, and you can plop down right where you are on the ridge of this
beastly dune and wait. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*While
you’re sitting there waiting for your family and the wind picks up and starts
pummeling you with tiny grains of sand that feel like microscopic arrows being
fired at you from point blank range and so you try to put a positive spin on it
and think of it as a free exfoliation treatment but then you get just more
irritated at the whole situation, you should just hike back down. You don’t need to worry about your family not knowing where you are. It’s not
quicksand. It’s not like they’ll think
you got swallowed up by the angry sand that hates you. They’ll figure it out.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Trying to
write a message to your family in the dry dune sand so that they know where you
went and don’t worry about you does not work.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Watching
people less than half your age huff and puff their way up does make you feel
slightly better.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Watching
people less than half your age scurry up the dunes with no problem whatsoever
while carrying a snowboard and then try snowboarding down the dune only to take an epic tumble to the bottom makes you feel WAY better.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8tQQbsYUHtQ/WwSv1UTzqJI/AAAAAAAACjg/a6QHjnw1xyEWVfmdjjN-53Cn-8N1PrQmACEwYBhgL/s1600/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2BJosh%2Band%2BKnox%2Bat%2Bthe%2Btop%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8tQQbsYUHtQ/WwSv1UTzqJI/AAAAAAAACjg/a6QHjnw1xyEWVfmdjjN-53Cn-8N1PrQmACEwYBhgL/s640/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2BJosh%2Band%2BKnox%2Bat%2Bthe%2Btop%2Ba.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh and Knox celebrate making it to the top. Not pictured : Me being miserable several hundred feet below.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Having
another moment of clarity while you sit there thinking about how your kids want
to do this whole thing again later in the day only this time hauling rented
wooden sleds to the top so that you can all slide down and get sand in your
private places and then realizing again that you’re a grown up and you don’t
have to do this is a really good thing.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R_vtPggQ1Ms/WwSv4trpMrI/AAAAAAAACjo/wu8jV2cup9ACE6FuSDHjv4Bddxwrsi1VwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bsledding%2Bspecial%2BKs%2Bhorizontal%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R_vtPggQ1Ms/WwSv4trpMrI/AAAAAAAACjo/wu8jV2cup9ACE6FuSDHjv4Bddxwrsi1VwCEwYBhgL/s640/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bsledding%2Bspecial%2BKs%2Bhorizontal%2Ba.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley and Knox prepare to haul their rented sleds back up the dunes later in the day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HK7_NWg3OMg/WwSv4VwfWFI/AAAAAAAACjs/VUHViMVNqqsourfJ6Fbxzt9ooMDfh3qogCEwYBhgL/s1600/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bsledding%2BSpecial%2BKs%2Bgoing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HK7_NWg3OMg/WwSv4VwfWFI/AAAAAAAACjs/VUHViMVNqqsourfJ6Fbxzt9ooMDfh3qogCEwYBhgL/s640/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bsledding%2BSpecial%2BKs%2Bgoing.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley and Knox sled down the dunes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SHupIb4tz1Q/WwSv3F8X3HI/AAAAAAAACjw/mm-wmg-NMXE154BiTagLrRXBIFt0RvfLgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bsledding%2BJosh%2Band%2BKnox%2Bgo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SHupIb4tz1Q/WwSv3F8X3HI/AAAAAAAACjw/mm-wmg-NMXE154BiTagLrRXBIFt0RvfLgCEwYBhgL/s640/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bsledding%2BJosh%2Band%2BKnox%2Bgo.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh takes a turn with Knox. I'm still not sad that I missed this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Getting up
the dune is only your first problem.
Going down is a different kind of hard.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l_jx8NwH1sI/WwSv1vaPtjI/AAAAAAAACjc/K07VYZdZUrQV8_iuSK3xUyHiDSO8hIj_QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bam%2Bhike%2BGina%2Breturns.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l_jx8NwH1sI/WwSv1vaPtjI/AAAAAAAACjc/K07VYZdZUrQV8_iuSK3xUyHiDSO8hIj_QCEwYBhgL/s640/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bam%2Bhike%2BGina%2Breturns.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's me in the red shirt. Far ahead of the rest of the family. Ready to be done with sand dunes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Eating
lunch at <a href="http://www.greatdunes.com/" target="_blank">a place with ten varieties of homemade pies</a> and watching the pie lady
bring out even more freshly-baked confections as you eat your lunch helps your
mood considerably.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*It’s way
easier to be nice and forgiving over a big slice of coconut cream pie.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*It takes
Knox a long time to get all the unwanted mayonnaise off of a BLT, but when he
does, he can eat the whole thing.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Staying
behind at the motel to nap and blog while the rest of the family sleds down the
dunes is an ok thing to do.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*If you wear
a hot pink shirt and red shoes sitting outside near a bank of hummingbird
feeders, you’re going to get up close and personal with lots of curious
hummingbirds who think you might be lunch.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9lpJfmKOpZ0/WwSv1GFm9iI/AAAAAAAACjk/CM8yXxvkDPkh9FzBbkGn7NCH4thLBkOWACEwYBhgL/s1600/0723%2BGSD%2Bhummingbirds%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9lpJfmKOpZ0/WwSv1GFm9iI/AAAAAAAACjk/CM8yXxvkDPkh9FzBbkGn7NCH4thLBkOWACEwYBhgL/s640/0723%2BGSD%2Bhummingbirds%2B1.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just one of the ten or so hummingbird feeders behind our hotel that attracted swarms of hummingbirds all day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Getting a
picture of a hummingbird while it’s dive-bombing you is hard.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Having
crappy wifi is actually worse than having no wifi. You keep getting your hopes up only to watch
the little circular “loading” symbol over and over and over. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*When your
family returns from sledding on the dunes with tiny grains of sand seemingly
permanently embedded in every single orifice of their bodies, you do not regret
staying at the motel one little bit.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yktI7jjBGNM/WwSv3ifaZVI/AAAAAAAACjg/k4THrmf_Bxk5j9Wne9UuZAPCH2gfxjJcgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bsledding%2BKnox%2Bsand%2Bneck.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yktI7jjBGNM/WwSv3ifaZVI/AAAAAAAACjg/k4THrmf_Bxk5j9Wne9UuZAPCH2gfxjJcgCEwYBhgL/s640/0723%2BGreat%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bsledding%2BKnox%2Bsand%2Bneck.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sand. Everywhere.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Josh Boyd
does not, in fact, hate all hot springs.
Only the naked ones, apparently.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V0iJsRLLe_g/WwSv4_R1MpI/AAAAAAAACjs/SxvBg7NZ1RA9L-i1Usi91q5djiK3kkaTgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0723%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bhot%2Bpool%2BGina%2Band%2BJosh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V0iJsRLLe_g/WwSv4_R1MpI/AAAAAAAACjs/SxvBg7NZ1RA9L-i1Usi91q5djiK3kkaTgCEwYBhgL/s640/0723%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bhot%2Bpool%2BGina%2Band%2BJosh.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The water was so pleasant!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Sand Dunes
Recreation is a great place to go from 9:00-10:00 at night. The 98° spring-fed pool has two diving boards
and plenty of room for family swimming.
Plus, that late at night you get in for half price. And the 107° pool is nice for a brief dip,
too.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hW8rL1QsnBo/WwSv5NNP9UI/AAAAAAAACjs/eDGb6Lrlrz0J4OpVNRVOCjL5J_zv9LaswCEwYBhgL/s1600/0723%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bhot%2Bpool%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hW8rL1QsnBo/WwSv5NNP9UI/AAAAAAAACjs/eDGb6Lrlrz0J4OpVNRVOCjL5J_zv9LaswCEwYBhgL/s320/0723%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bhot%2Bpool%2Bsign.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IAj_NOlkhuI/WwSv5kDodEI/AAAAAAAACjw/9de_iqEtMos2hV-PMyLHkqiX4mn1unPUgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0723%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bhot%2Bpool%2Btemp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="901" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IAj_NOlkhuI/WwSv5kDodEI/AAAAAAAACjw/9de_iqEtMos2hV-PMyLHkqiX4mn1unPUgCEwYBhgL/s400/0723%2BSand%2BDunes%2Bhot%2Bpool%2Btemp.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Blogging
makes me feel better and helps me to look at myself and my circumstances more
objectively.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*I’m
grateful for readers like you. You’re
cheaper than therapy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-80137975229878237212018-05-23T09:27:00.002-07:002018-05-23T09:27:43.689-07:00Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park: A National Park Odyssey Day 41Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dH6MjpTG9lE/WwSLqcu5RII/AAAAAAAAChY/VanxN21LCr49Y29wx3ZPkoeeV3CnQ_eUgCLcBGAs/s1600/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2Bsign%2BGina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dH6MjpTG9lE/WwSLqcu5RII/AAAAAAAAChY/VanxN21LCr49Y29wx3ZPkoeeV3CnQ_eUgCLcBGAs/s640/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2Bsign%2BGina.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out our 21st park of the trip!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Check out our podcast about this <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-19-black-canyon-of-the-gunnison-national-park" target="_blank">park here</a>!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The town of Montrose, Colorado, where we had stayed the
night is about a 20 minute drive from <a href="https://www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm" target="_blank">Black Canyon of the Gunnison</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t get a particularly early start on
our day in the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, we barely
made it to our free hotel breakfast before breakfast hours were over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once we had cleaned up, availed ourselves of
the free wifi, packed the car, checked out, and made the drive to the park, it
was approaching 12:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went to the
South Rim Visitors’ Center where we picked up junior ranger booklets for the
kids to work on and then checked out the overlook out back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KSRAnk_-Cp8/WwSLqStOLeI/AAAAAAAAChc/wUROivRENDwCt4r6SINof5kqiKx3qCG4gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2Bvisitor%2Bcenter%2Bview.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KSRAnk_-Cp8/WwSLqStOLeI/AAAAAAAAChc/wUROivRENDwCt4r6SINof5kqiKx3qCG4gCEwYBhgL/s640/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2Bvisitor%2Bcenter%2Bview.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the overlook at the South Rim Visitors' Center was breathtaking!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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The canyon was so different from what we saw at the <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/07/big-canyon-small-world-national-park.html" target="_blank">Grand Canyon</a>, <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/07/twin-parks-ancient-trees-and-beautiful.html" target="_blank">Kings Canyon</a>, <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/08/hiking-hoodoos-and-hair-color-national.html" target="_blank">Zion</a>, or <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/09/bryce-canyon-thors-hammer-and-rock-or.html" target="_blank">Bryce Canyon</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its dark grey walls were
streaked with white and fell in dramatic jags more than 2000 feet to the
Gunnison River below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Josh and I
were enjoying the beauty of the overlook, the kids started working on their junior
ranger booklets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t keep myself
from occasionally checking out the stability of the overlook structure because
the steep canyon walls meant that there was nothing to break a fall to the
bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*shudder*<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aIFeU5eArzM/WwSLpD5KzaI/AAAAAAAACh4/hQpK5xZksw0DwXImvHNOnRfBiFQtAyReQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2Bkids%2Bworking%2Bon%2Bjunior%2Branger%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aIFeU5eArzM/WwSLpD5KzaI/AAAAAAAACh4/hQpK5xZksw0DwXImvHNOnRfBiFQtAyReQCEwYBhgL/s640/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2Bkids%2Bworking%2Bon%2Bjunior%2Branger%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids wasted no time getting started on earning their badges.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Since it was nearly lunch time, we decided to head back to
Montrose, let the kids work on their booklets during lunch, and then drive back
afterward to see more of the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
found a brewpub called <a href="http://horseflybrewing.com/wp/" target="_blank">Horsefly Brewing Company</a> that was highly rated online,
and while the food was good, the kids had plenty of time to work on their booklets
because the kitchen was painfully slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Participation in a ranger-led program was required to earn the
junior ranger badge at this park, so back at the park we joined one already in
progress on the 1.6 mile Warner Point Trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Juniper and pinyon pines lined the trail, and Josh and the kids followed
the junior ranger book’s directions to get an up close look at the forest
floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lcWxUo5TCWg/WwSLreiXVNI/AAAAAAAACiA/OniPRqA9Cq4BnAdQNaAa7XoP_t85VJaIQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0722%2BMontrose%2Bbrewpub%2Blunch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lcWxUo5TCWg/WwSLreiXVNI/AAAAAAAACiA/OniPRqA9Cq4BnAdQNaAa7XoP_t85VJaIQCEwYBhgL/s640/0722%2BMontrose%2Bbrewpub%2Blunch.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The place was packed, but the kitchen was slow.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fa_v5t_hTww/WwSLoYvoJ0I/AAAAAAAACh8/eR00Nl_Xq10MaL9aTV-viHUyODsBI5H5QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2BKnox%2Band%2BJosh%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fa_v5t_hTww/WwSLoYvoJ0I/AAAAAAAACh8/eR00Nl_Xq10MaL9aTV-viHUyODsBI5H5QCEwYBhgL/s640/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2BKnox%2Band%2BJosh%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh was a little more willing to go all in on checking out the forest floor than Knox was. He preferred to squat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2VRrJBPM3Gs/WwSLnVgQkNI/AAAAAAAACiA/VieBzC-IyWoq28GplCv_8M9Nzf9t1fskQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2BJosh%2Band%2BKinley%2Bwork%2Bon%2Bjunior%2Branger%2Bfrom%2Bground%2Blevel%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2VRrJBPM3Gs/WwSLnVgQkNI/AAAAAAAACiA/VieBzC-IyWoq28GplCv_8M9Nzf9t1fskQCEwYBhgL/s640/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2BJosh%2Band%2BKinley%2Bwork%2Bon%2Bjunior%2Branger%2Bfrom%2Bground%2Blevel%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting an ant's eye view of the ecosystem.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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The ranger explained that there are no trails to the bottom
of the canyon but that this doesn’t stop intrepid hikers from doing it anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh had read one author who explained the hike
to the bottom as more like controlled falling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hikers who want to go off trail must apply for a wilderness permit, and
rangers limit the number of permits given.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our trail guide told us about the many times that hikers have had to be
rescued and easily convinced us to stay on the safe side of this wilderness
sign.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After the trail, we went to check out the famous Painted Wall
of the canyon which at 2250 feet is the highest vertical wall in the state of
Colorado.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To give you some perspective,
the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) in Chicago is 1450 feet high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The white streaks that give Painted Wall its
name are actually veins of pegmatite, a type of granite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We took in the stunning views and then went
back to the visitors’ center to let the kids collect their next badge.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ri-II2tQ0EU/WwSLqiuoPjI/AAAAAAAACh8/jnUD-NCHkBIaZMizHi7MaXedjTCyfkbZACEwYBhgL/s1600/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2Bwilderness%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ri-II2tQ0EU/WwSLqiuoPjI/AAAAAAAACh8/jnUD-NCHkBIaZMizHi7MaXedjTCyfkbZACEwYBhgL/s640/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2Bwilderness%2Bsign.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was happy to stay on the marked trails, thank you very much.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IW_Ig4qN6-0/WwSLnVC6IwI/AAAAAAAACh4/LM6AwuD3S58EYcRgje-ADPDTfoGxxQy8ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2BGunnison%2BRiver%2Bbelow%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IW_Ig4qN6-0/WwSLnVC6IwI/AAAAAAAACh4/LM6AwuD3S58EYcRgje-ADPDTfoGxxQy8ACEwYBhgL/s640/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2BGunnison%2BRiver%2Bbelow%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painted Wall with the Gunnison River below</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uNyCRSqb940/WwSLpuLBifI/AAAAAAAACiE/xXTnCPtIQEErT8kuhwonRAoDygk88npGwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2Bpainted%2Bwall%2Band%2Bfamily.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uNyCRSqb940/WwSLpuLBifI/AAAAAAAACiE/xXTnCPtIQEErT8kuhwonRAoDygk88npGwCEwYBhgL/s640/0722%2BBlack%2BCanyon%2Bpainted%2Bwall%2Band%2Bfamily.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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From there, it was nearly a four hour drive to our next
destination, Great Sand Dunes, so we piled in the car and took off, marveling
at the beauty of Colorado along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Small roadside streams surely filled with native fish called to Josh as
we drove, and we decided then and there that this definitely would not be our
last trip to this area.<o:p></o:p><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ry0QVn_GJWc/WwSLrBCcasI/AAAAAAAACiE/jEy3A7QTUgkqQuH3GZRNDW7H1c8AZPoKQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0722%2BCountry%2Btrout%2Bstream.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ry0QVn_GJWc/WwSLrBCcasI/AAAAAAAACiE/jEy3A7QTUgkqQuH3GZRNDW7H1c8AZPoKQCEwYBhgL/s640/0722%2BCountry%2Btrout%2Bstream.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just one of the many inviting trout streams we saw on the drive</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<br />boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-59873558783000181172018-05-21T20:59:00.002-07:002018-05-24T09:05:47.733-07:00Ancient Cliff Dwellings and Modern Disappointments: A National Park Odyssey Day 40Mesa Verde to Montrose, CO<br />
<br />
Listen to our podcast about this <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-18-mesa-verde-national-park" target="_blank">park here!</a><br />
<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YfdZW5rSy1o/WwOOGDleZ_I/AAAAAAAACfQ/VcaJ4Koc6WgN55wKieGchKJHz5ahjHIYQCLcBGAs/s1600/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2Bfrom%2Ba%2Bdistance.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YfdZW5rSy1o/WwOOGDleZ_I/AAAAAAAACfQ/VcaJ4Koc6WgN55wKieGchKJHz5ahjHIYQCLcBGAs/s400/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2Bfrom%2Ba%2Bdistance.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mesa Verde National Park's Cliff Palace</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Our fortieth day began with a free breakfast at <a href="https://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm" target="_blank">Mesa Verde National Park!</a> The night
before I had noticed that the trash in our hotel room hadn’t been emptied after
the last guests checked out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Disgusted,
I called the front desk to complain, and we were given four complimentary
breakfast passes at the <a href="https://www.visitmesaverde.com/lodging-camping/dining/far-view-terrace-cafe/" target="_blank">Far View Terrace Café</a> to make up for the mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(They also sent someone to empty the trash,
of course.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RcFYHkmXuD4/WwOVfDyh4wI/AAAAAAAACgk/cUbq5E3f4qQENiThtQnTea4Oe_Z3ekqPgCLcBGAs/s1600/0720%2BFree%2Bbreakfast%2Bfor%2Bunemptied%2Btrash.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RcFYHkmXuD4/WwOVfDyh4wI/AAAAAAAACgk/cUbq5E3f4qQENiThtQnTea4Oe_Z3ekqPgCLcBGAs/s320/0720%2BFree%2Bbreakfast%2Bfor%2Bunemptied%2Btrash.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free Breakfast!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After breakfast, we drove to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/meve/learn/historyculture/cd_balcony_house.htm" target="_blank">Balcony House</a> area of the
park for our first ranger-led tour of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Balcony House is an ancient cliff dwelling built by the Puebloan people
who lived in the area from about 500 AD to about 1300 AD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people lived and farmed on the top of the
mesa for 600 years before moving into the cliff dwellings in the late 1100s,
and then they migrated south less than 200 years later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ranger Diana warned us in advance about the
tunnels and the 32 foot entrance ladder, making us even more excited to visit this
cliff dwelling.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fCCbTSS-wCU/WwOOEu6K7II/AAAAAAAACgI/H6E6lMOLdq8RBNiUlbmSdP_HlKDJvgWKwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fCCbTSS-wCU/WwOOEu6K7II/AAAAAAAACgI/H6E6lMOLdq8RBNiUlbmSdP_HlKDJvgWKwCEwYBhgL/s200/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2Bsign.JPG" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We loved the fonts on the park signage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GchXLASoGrE/WwOOC4QW65I/AAAAAAAACgQ/Kz9s-XFQ-5UC8XFp2Hd3bi3JYS_DnRYxQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2B32%2Bfoot%2Bladder.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GchXLASoGrE/WwOOC4QW65I/AAAAAAAACgQ/Kz9s-XFQ-5UC8XFp2Hd3bi3JYS_DnRYxQCEwYBhgL/s320/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2B32%2Bfoot%2Bladder.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh and Knox climb the 32 foot ladder that leads to Balcony House</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TajLue2qQJU/WwOOEC3jjOI/AAAAAAAACgc/lNFsydO2wUgr4GxjTSAwL0mW_TAZt0p3wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2Bnarrow%2Bpassage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TajLue2qQJU/WwOOEC3jjOI/AAAAAAAACgc/lNFsydO2wUgr4GxjTSAwL0mW_TAZt0p3wCEwYBhgL/s400/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2Bnarrow%2Bpassage.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh prepares to squeeze through one of the tunnels to get to Balcony House.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YhME4JHl4Oo/WwOOCjpErCI/AAAAAAAACgc/vj-Jpg9gV2UnlYbCvJUfkyhpByMPuvQTQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2BKinley%2Bin%2Ba%2Bdwelling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YhME4JHl4Oo/WwOOCjpErCI/AAAAAAAACgc/vj-Jpg9gV2UnlYbCvJUfkyhpByMPuvQTQCEwYBhgL/s400/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2BKinley%2Bin%2Ba%2Bdwelling.JPG" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley emerges from one of the tunnels through an ancient doorway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEL_sn_gYk8/WwOOESj7gBI/AAAAAAAACgU/Q2HtG24Ietsr0gcAZXSsGwgabiI0dLz6ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2Branger%2BDiana.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEL_sn_gYk8/WwOOESj7gBI/AAAAAAAACgU/Q2HtG24Ietsr0gcAZXSsGwgabiI0dLz6ACEwYBhgL/s640/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2Branger%2BDiana.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ranger Diana teaches us about the ancient Puebloans at Balcony House.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OjjvC-C_VHs/WwOODvTpzoI/AAAAAAAACgE/6QReUQ5VhRknioXwO-uLcdmEnVhE8CDiQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2Bkiva%2Bremnant%2Bwith%2Bgroup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OjjvC-C_VHs/WwOODvTpzoI/AAAAAAAACgE/6QReUQ5VhRknioXwO-uLcdmEnVhE8CDiQCEwYBhgL/s400/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2Bkiva%2Bremnant%2Bwith%2Bgroup.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox and I listen as Ranger Diana tells us about the kiva below us.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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Balcony House has about 40 rooms including kivas which are
ceremonial rooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The room for which the
site was named has a window with a little wooden balcony that has endured for
more than 800 years.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DPJyEoUBxJ0/WwOOC6xi78I/AAAAAAAACgY/uh1f5AMa33I2nfw4ER2bD87yY9MBXkaLwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2BJosh%2Bclimbs%2Bout.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DPJyEoUBxJ0/WwOOC6xi78I/AAAAAAAACgY/uh1f5AMa33I2nfw4ER2bD87yY9MBXkaLwCEwYBhgL/s400/0721%2BBalcony%2BHouse%2BJosh%2Bclimbs%2Bout.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh climbs out of the Balcony House cliff dwelling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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After our tour, we had to hurry to our next tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The drive to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/meve/learn/historyculture/cd_cliff_palace.htm" target="_blank">Cliff Palace</a> was only about 5
minutes, but a wrong turn on a one-way loop made us fear we’d miss our time
slot. We made it in time to hear Ranger David Nighteagle make his introductory
remarks before leading us through the locked gate and down the cliff for our
hour-long tour.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n42rfPKmAvg/WwOOGrOcrGI/AAAAAAAACgY/xZYICgKlrjUZrgd04QPsv_IQqmeqZd4BACEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n42rfPKmAvg/WwOOGrOcrGI/AAAAAAAACgY/xZYICgKlrjUZrgd04QPsv_IQqmeqZd4BACEwYBhgL/s320/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2Bsign.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Cliff Palace is a larger dwelling than Balcony House and
probably housed about 100 people when it was in use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ranger Nighteagle pointed out ancient artwork
and handholds carved into the stone walls that allowed the Puebloans to climb
up to their farmlands on top of the mesa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He talked to us about the lives of the people who inhabited the area and
about possible reasons for their migration south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the best part of his tour came at the
very end when he took out his handmade<a href="http://davidnighteagle.com/" target="_blank"> Lakota flute</a> and played a song to thank
the spirits of the ancient Puebloans for allowing us to visit their home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was haunting and beautiful and poignant
and perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we made the climb back
to the top of the mesa, Ranger Nighteagle told us about his Lakota grandfather
who refused to be referred to as a Native American.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“All my life I’ve been called an Indian and
now you want to change that?” his grandfather had asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m an Indian.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HAN3CfGqDuM/WwOOFB76O2I/AAAAAAAACgM/ia6ICFZLW7EV_Z7nNYqGii_5ty_ZUlC2gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2BKnox%2BGina%2BKinley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HAN3CfGqDuM/WwOOFB76O2I/AAAAAAAACgM/ia6ICFZLW7EV_Z7nNYqGii_5ty_ZUlC2gCEwYBhgL/s400/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2BKnox%2BGina%2BKinley.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox, Kinley, and I with Cliff Palace behind us</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EXHwuSg8nZo/WwOOF-5I_eI/AAAAAAAACgQ/zIu1Fu7nFwIhBIoIM2dAvftvYeaNbGIFQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2BSpecial%2BKs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EXHwuSg8nZo/WwOOF-5I_eI/AAAAAAAACgQ/zIu1Fu7nFwIhBIoIM2dAvftvYeaNbGIFQCEwYBhgL/s640/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2BSpecial%2BKs.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox and Kinley at Cliff Palace</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-53xMFutXr9c/WwOOGSrWUKI/AAAAAAAACgM/hi5LPAFFhoAZd-mLYPSh0wu2iy4Mq0dSACEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2Bpainting%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-53xMFutXr9c/WwOOGSrWUKI/AAAAAAAACgM/hi5LPAFFhoAZd-mLYPSh0wu2iy4Mq0dSACEwYBhgL/s400/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2Bpainting%2B1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient painted walls at Cliff Palace</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKLzZfewfTI/WwOOFc83sCI/AAAAAAAACgI/fuAexUaP6xQgij_iie9HEif9JznMsV5xwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2BRanger%2BDavid%2BNighteagle%2Bready%2Bto%2Bplay%2Bhis%2Bflute.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKLzZfewfTI/WwOOFc83sCI/AAAAAAAACgI/fuAexUaP6xQgij_iie9HEif9JznMsV5xwCEwYBhgL/s400/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2BRanger%2BDavid%2BNighteagle%2Bready%2Bto%2Bplay%2Bhis%2Bflute.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ranger David Nighteagle prepares to play his Lakota flute for us.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CKZZy_Z7afc/WwOOFGnjAvI/AAAAAAAACgE/cG4-xRmtO1I3HNcnojk2ICwOtzw51toIwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2BKnox%2Bclimbing%2Bout%2Bsmiling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CKZZy_Z7afc/WwOOFGnjAvI/AAAAAAAACgE/cG4-xRmtO1I3HNcnojk2ICwOtzw51toIwCEwYBhgL/s400/0721%2BCliff%2BPalace%2BKnox%2Bclimbing%2Bout%2Bsmiling.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox climbs out of Cliff Palace.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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Back on top of the mesa, we continued on the loop drive to the
Pit House, an ancient remainder of the dwellings the Puebloans used before they
built the cliff dwellings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Continuing
around the loop we came to an overlook where we could see Square Tower House,
and then we decided it was time for lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The <a href="https://www.visitmesaverde.com/lodging-camping/dining/spruce-tree-terrace-cafe/" target="_blank">Spruce Tree Terrace Café</a> near the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/museum.htm" target="_blank">Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum</a>
had a smoker set up outside and was serving up some delicious barbecue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We chowed down on ribs and pulled pork before
wandering across the street and into the museum.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oURnfK0oIy0/WwOOI05ZWqI/AAAAAAAACgc/9zEmTXXgrOAI2lETCEKTwxwfrdsI4SpPACEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BPithouse%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oURnfK0oIy0/WwOOI05ZWqI/AAAAAAAACgc/9zEmTXXgrOAI2lETCEKTwxwfrdsI4SpPACEwYBhgL/s320/0721%2BPithouse%2Bsign.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v5H35WNEGiI/WwOOJHNI93I/AAAAAAAACgc/so2FufXy3nEfDFaTfP-Sc6FYwQs16lBcACEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BPithouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v5H35WNEGiI/WwOOJHNI93I/AAAAAAAACgc/so2FufXy3nEfDFaTfP-Sc6FYwQs16lBcACEwYBhgL/s640/0721%2BPithouse.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside a covered shelter was the foundation of an ancient pit house where the Puebloans lived before the cliff dwellings were built.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fqRDQSy3-uQ/WwOOG99eiCI/AAAAAAAACgc/G1_HWuZrm-YxKgbEilFrJNQtIhcuC512QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BCliff%2Bdwellings%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fqRDQSy3-uQ/WwOOG99eiCI/AAAAAAAACgc/G1_HWuZrm-YxKgbEilFrJNQtIhcuC512QCEwYBhgL/s640/0721%2BCliff%2Bdwellings%2B2.JPG" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Square Tower House as seen from above on the mesa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K0lcRegI9_w/WwOOHn00zvI/AAAAAAAACgU/ZVOdY1QEQrMQXPp8pHCDfKsBetyBwlz2wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BMesa%2BVerde%2Blunch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K0lcRegI9_w/WwOOHn00zvI/AAAAAAAACgU/ZVOdY1QEQrMQXPp8pHCDfKsBetyBwlz2wCEwYBhgL/s640/0721%2BMesa%2BVerde%2Blunch.JPG" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time for some lunch!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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Inside, we were all fascinated by the 1960s-era dioramas
depicting Puebloan life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
hand-lettered interpretive signs were like something out of a museum time
capsule with hand-drawn borders decorating the sides of many.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were most impressed with the ancient
sandals and 1500 year old corn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids
found plenty of information in the museum to help them finish up their Junior
Ranger booklets, and at a table in the courtyard, a ranger waited to swear them
in.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-se2oCDOqWGE/WwOOIdZ0yBI/AAAAAAAACgU/5rUY-Bc4rcMucIHwpI4yVKfXdXcrA6DcwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BMuseum%2Bdiorama%2Bwith%2BKinley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-se2oCDOqWGE/WwOOIdZ0yBI/AAAAAAAACgU/5rUY-Bc4rcMucIHwpI4yVKfXdXcrA6DcwCEwYBhgL/s640/0721%2BMuseum%2Bdiorama%2Bwith%2BKinley.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley admires a diorama depicting ancient life.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hnz6Fd71mN4/WwOOItLhqII/AAAAAAAACgY/VtVJXdRcWCIlkdqkA-O8MmrCCsybqWIxgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BMuseum%2Bsandal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hnz6Fd71mN4/WwOOItLhqII/AAAAAAAACgY/VtVJXdRcWCIlkdqkA-O8MmrCCsybqWIxgCEwYBhgL/s640/0721%2BMuseum%2Bsandal.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artifacts from the cliff dwellings including sandals</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l6UmsfLGWyQ/WwOOIGhDPkI/AAAAAAAACgY/600vCtYDKTUT8AsuyLymEh_eh5iBPbs2ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BMuseum%2Bancient%2Bcorn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l6UmsfLGWyQ/WwOOIGhDPkI/AAAAAAAACgY/600vCtYDKTUT8AsuyLymEh_eh5iBPbs2ACEwYBhgL/s640/0721%2BMuseum%2Bancient%2Bcorn.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand-lettered signs and ancient corn cobs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lf-aFY12PQs/WwOOHYrFYII/AAAAAAAACgc/68ztSp02MSAa3A6obm4ITy1kwQBjMtIWACEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BJunior%2Brangers%2Bwith%2Branger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lf-aFY12PQs/WwOOHYrFYII/AAAAAAAACgc/68ztSp02MSAa3A6obm4ITy1kwQBjMtIWACEwYBhgL/s640/0721%2BJunior%2Brangers%2Bwith%2Branger.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids earn their Junior Ranger badges.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aeu1U7R_IFQ/WwOOHUoTJ6I/AAAAAAAACgQ/KCbya2jKsQA9Ty5Gymimvvx3vMaDTlihwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0721%2BJunior%2Branger%2Bpose.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aeu1U7R_IFQ/WwOOHUoTJ6I/AAAAAAAACgQ/KCbya2jKsQA9Ty5Gymimvvx3vMaDTlihwCEwYBhgL/s640/0721%2BJunior%2Branger%2Bpose.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Success!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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Badges in hand, we piled back in the car started our 3 hour
drive to Montrose, Colorado, just outside of <a href="https://www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm" target="_blank">Black Canyon of the GunnisonNational Park.</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This park has no park
lodge, so we were staying in the <a href="http://blackcanyonmotel.com/" target="_blank">Black Canyon Motel</a> in Montrose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the motel lobby was an advertisement for
the town’s county fair which was apparently happening that very night within walking
distance of the motel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I’m a
sucker for small-town Americana, I convinced the rest of the family that we
really needed some carnival rides, rigged midway games of chance, and fair food
in our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They grudgingly agreed,
and we followed our noses to the fairgrounds nearby singing “Our State Fair is
a Great State Fair” the whole way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Much to my dismay, there were no carnival rides or midway
games, and the only fair food was being served at two lonely booths sandwiched
between the Port-a-Potties and the Montrose County Emergency Management
information table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the fair was
really just a small-town horse show with deep-fried Oreos and spiral-cut fries.
So, of course, we ate some deep-fried Oreos and spiral-cut fries.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Disappointed and no longer singing about great state fairs,
we walked dejectedly back to our motel to turn in for the night, holding out
hope that the park we’d be visiting the next day wouldn’t bring the same amount
of disappointment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-261844952217274992018-05-18T18:49:00.002-07:002018-05-18T18:49:20.649-07:00Monuments and Mesas: A National Park Odyssey Day 39<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Monument Valley to Mesa Verde<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Here's a link to <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-20-monument-valley-tribal-park" target="_blank">our podcast about this park.</a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oy2DIvrBZCw/Wv98Brx6f_I/AAAAAAAACc0/sri1-hIrbXYMN-eDNP7m8-7WfdSAJZSEgCLcBGAs/s1600/0720%2BMonument%2BValley%2Bwith%2BSpecial%2BKs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oy2DIvrBZCw/Wv98Brx6f_I/AAAAAAAACc0/sri1-hIrbXYMN-eDNP7m8-7WfdSAJZSEgCLcBGAs/s640/0720%2BMonument%2BValley%2Bwith%2BSpecial%2BKs.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley and Knox with the beautiful rock formations in the background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As the sun streamed in through the picture window in our
little cabin overlooking Monument Valley in Arizona, we could see the tour
companies with the backs of their pickups trucks outfitted with bench-style
seating already taking guests on the bumpy road down into the valley and around
the rock formations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had elected not
to book a tour but rather to drive the loop on our own even though someone in
Moab had told us that hearing the stories about the formations told by a Navajo
with deep connections to the land was well worth the extra cost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since we were going on to Mesa Verde, we
decided that investing the extra time in a guided tour might mean that we
wouldn’t arrive at our next destination before the visitors’ center closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Plus the dusty ROAD meant that all of the
passengers were covered in red dirt.)</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After packing the car and checking out, we followed the
signs to the dirt road that made a loop through the desert landscape and its
desolate beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as we pulled
onto the well-worn lane, we could see why the Navajo Department of
Transportation had been up all night doing maintenance in this area (though it
had done little to make the road better).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What amounted to little more than a narrow cow path was pocked with
potholes, and we were shocked that some visitors were attempting the 17-mile loop
in sedans rather and 4-wheel drive vehicles. 13 of the 17 miles are on a
one-way road, so once we got started, we couldn’t change our minds.<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9pet4FFYB40/Wv98L4nnpaI/AAAAAAAACd8/41EtbvlQZWYd5YCH8mIT125Gxj92UVT6QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BMonument%2BValley%2Boverview.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9pet4FFYB40/Wv98L4nnpaI/AAAAAAAACd8/41EtbvlQZWYd5YCH8mIT125Gxj92UVT6QCEwYBhgL/s640/0720%2BMonument%2BValley%2Boverview.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first formations on the route were the ones we’d seen
from our cabin, East and West Mittens and Merrick Butte, and we continued on
past Elephant Butte, the Three Sisters, the Thumb, and the Totem Pole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We even found one that reminded us of Josh’s
dad’s hand with its crooked pinky finger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In all, there were 11 marked spots along the route through the
strikingly beautiful valley famous for its presence in many Western movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j6JeMbGctoM/Wv98MxEjIwI/AAAAAAAACeA/-SZCcFEhywsNuK0lWHhemE6KgW0HsxMowCEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BMonument%2BValley%2Btotem%2Bpole%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j6JeMbGctoM/Wv98MxEjIwI/AAAAAAAACeA/-SZCcFEhywsNuK0lWHhemE6KgW0HsxMowCEwYBhgL/s400/0720%2BMonument%2BValley%2Btotem%2Bpole%2Bsign.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Totem Pole formation is the tallest formation on the far right of the picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2vJpRVw0JAA/Wv98MNzRVrI/AAAAAAAACeE/-_MqN7VmP-4q0s30YWH606iV_q-BZSifACEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BMonument%2BValley%2Bthumb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2vJpRVw0JAA/Wv98MNzRVrI/AAAAAAAACeE/-_MqN7VmP-4q0s30YWH606iV_q-BZSifACEwYBhgL/s400/0720%2BMonument%2BValley%2Bthumb.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep. It pretty much looks like a big thumb.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i3051p_hQvs/Wv98MKnRSZI/AAAAAAAACeA/hCTAqOSKXNU4Q3NTtGbvYdzpMWYT5Gq-gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BMonument%2BValley%2Breminds%2Bus%2Bof%2BDad%2527s%2Bfinger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i3051p_hQvs/Wv98MKnRSZI/AAAAAAAACeA/hCTAqOSKXNU4Q3NTtGbvYdzpMWYT5Gq-gCEwYBhgL/s400/0720%2BMonument%2BValley%2Breminds%2Bus%2Bof%2BDad%2527s%2Bfinger.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the one that we think looks like Josh's dad's hand with its crooked pinky finger!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And it was movie inspiration that had brought us to Monument
Valley in the first place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I mentioned
in<a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/07/getting-our-kicks-on-route-66-national.html" target="_blank"> my post about Route 66 on Day 11 of our trip</a>, Knox had been wanting to visit
for years because of the Disney movie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>But zooming around the rock formations
race-track-style and turning right to go left a la <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doc_Hudson" target="_blank">Doc Hudson</a> wasn’t an option
on this rutted, bumpy thoroughfare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
happy to report that the trusty Volvo made it out unscathed, but it was touch
and go for a few minutes along the way. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After the experience, Josh said, “I’d like to say that this
was the worst road I’ve ever driven on in America, expect that it’s not really
America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It needs, like, an asterisk or
something.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To which Knox replied, “Not
America??!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can you say it’s not
America?! It’s, like the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Americaest</i>
America there is!”<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Navajo sovereignty is complicated.<o:p></o:p><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-giwxlMa-81E/Wv98TRWjsHI/AAAAAAAACeI/mrnIeYutC1k-GBCKNIsPW4bhcHSbLjVaACEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BTwin%2BRocks%2Bgood%2Brestaurant.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-giwxlMa-81E/Wv98TRWjsHI/AAAAAAAACeI/mrnIeYutC1k-GBCKNIsPW4bhcHSbLjVaACEwYBhgL/s400/0720%2BTwin%2BRocks%2Bgood%2Brestaurant.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had lunch at Twin Rocks Trading Post which had both good food and interesting Native American arts and crafts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I guess we hadn’t had our fill of the complicated part,
because our next stop (after a very tasty lunch of Navajo tacos at Twin Rocks
Trading Post) was Four Corners, another area of Navajo sovereignty where four
US states meet at one celebrated point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
sun was blazing, and there was no shade to shield us while standing in line for
our turn to take the obligatory straddling-four-state-borders picture, so we
sent the kids to check out the stalls selling Navajo crafts in the only area
protected from the sun while Josh and I waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When it was finally our turn, we were careful to obey the sign
instructing us to take no more than 3 photos (unlike the group in front of us
that patently disobeyed the edict).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FGTcUnS3Cnw/Wv98KGv8ydI/AAAAAAAACd0/dGZiz6wT7l0vppXb_JNNOci91KtQrGffwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BFour%2BCorners%2BKinley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FGTcUnS3Cnw/Wv98KGv8ydI/AAAAAAAACd0/dGZiz6wT7l0vppXb_JNNOci91KtQrGffwCEwYBhgL/s400/0720%2BFour%2BCorners%2BKinley.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley touches four states simultaneously</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u_SzSvi_tE4/Wv98KA7Qg1I/AAAAAAAACeE/1cvl4gL_m6gJ3ibAeyZXtSHVDpBcFYucwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BFour%2BCorners%2BKnox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u_SzSvi_tE4/Wv98KA7Qg1I/AAAAAAAACeE/1cvl4gL_m6gJ3ibAeyZXtSHVDpBcFYucwCEwYBhgL/s400/0720%2BFour%2BCorners%2BKnox.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
After getting shots of each kid sprawled across four zip
codes, we went in search of the facilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I mean, after all, we had just walked across Colorado, Utah, Arizona,
and New Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were disappointed to
see that the relatively-recently constructed restrooms were not in working order,
so we had to use the Porta Potties in the gravel parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not pleasant in such heat.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Moving on to our next adventure, we drove on to Colorado and
Mesa Verde National Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh and I had
differing expectations for this park—mine were high, his were low—so it was
going to be interesting to see whose were more accurate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than staying in the gateway city of
Cortez, we continued our streak of National Parks lodges with the <a href="https://www.visitmesaverde.com/lodging-camping/far-view-lodge/" target="_blank">Fair View Lodge</a> which houses a highly-rated restaurant called the <a href="https://www.visitmesaverde.com/lodging-camping/dining/metate-room-restaurant/" target="_blank">Metate Room</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our plan was to stop at the visitors’ center,
buy tickets for a tour of the cliff dwellings for the following day, check in
to the lodge, and then eat in the Metate Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n46vtPNBAN4/Wv98KFzXZ4I/AAAAAAAACd4/_UTecxhPIKcgn2NquV1aSUnNQ9T2cSzyQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BMesa%2BVerde%2Bsign%2Bwith%2Bnumber.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n46vtPNBAN4/Wv98KFzXZ4I/AAAAAAAACd4/_UTecxhPIKcgn2NquV1aSUnNQ9T2cSzyQCEwYBhgL/s640/0720%2BMesa%2BVerde%2Bsign%2Bwith%2Bnumber.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made it to park #20</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unfortunately, just after we arrived inside the park and snapped
the requisite sign pictures, the skies opened and a rainstorm unlike any we’d
seen all summer commenced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Undaunted,
Josh parked the car illegally near the visitors’ center and took one for the
team, sprinting inside to buy our tickets in spite of the downpour while the
rest of us waited in the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The park’s ancient cliff dwellings can only be visited on ranger-guided
tours, so we needed to purchase our tickets for one of the next day’s tours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tickets are reasonably priced at $5 per
person, but you can’t buy them online.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You have to show up in person no more than two days in advance, and the
website said you weren’t allowed to buy tickets to both the Balcony House and
the Cliff Palace during peak season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
had to choose just one and hope that tickets were available when you got there.
While the kids and I waited in the car, we kept our fingers crossed that we’d
be able to nab a spot in one or the other. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a few minutes, Josh came dashing back to the car,
soaking wet but victoriously clutching four tickets for the Balcony House
tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They even had tickets left for
the Cliff Palace tour! And the lady said that you could buy both!” he
announced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Should we?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bless his heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was willing to go back out in the
torrential rain to get us tickets to the second tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So of course I let him.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once we got to the lodge (which is really more like a nice motel),
the rain slacked off and we were able to schlep our luggage inside without
getting too wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After settling in, we
made our way to the Metate Room with its curved wall of windows overlooking the
plateau and its local, sustainably-sourced cuisine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had heard great things about this
restaurant and were not disappointed.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dZUxhbIPntQ/Wv98LfgkqNI/AAAAAAAACd0/D3iCRycfIR8W6Qn7OplOTqq4CgGzB59RgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BMetate%2Bsalad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dZUxhbIPntQ/Wv98LfgkqNI/AAAAAAAACd0/D3iCRycfIR8W6Qn7OplOTqq4CgGzB59RgCEwYBhgL/s200/0720%2BMetate%2Bsalad.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pickled Strawberry Salad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G5LyeDQOUIE/Wv98LDWbQAI/AAAAAAAACdw/osWUzVMxzJUByq4VtfDnoyLMqWBUAhBIQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BMetate%2Brattlesnake%2Bpheasant%2Bsausage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G5LyeDQOUIE/Wv98LDWbQAI/AAAAAAAACdw/osWUzVMxzJUByq4VtfDnoyLMqWBUAhBIQCEwYBhgL/s200/0720%2BMetate%2Brattlesnake%2Bpheasant%2Bsausage.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rattlesnake & Pheasant Sausage with Caramelized Onions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kZusW18Ica4/Wv98Kv2cPII/AAAAAAAACd4/HskzbH5N8UYdZ8gSpMzYDfvc8NuK-rlcACEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BMetate%2Bcorn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kZusW18Ica4/Wv98Kv2cPII/AAAAAAAACd4/HskzbH5N8UYdZ8gSpMzYDfvc8NuK-rlcACEwYBhgL/s200/0720%2BMetate%2Bcorn.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted Corn on the Cob with Black Bean Pico</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wgLpounUozE/Wv98K14C2SI/AAAAAAAACd8/Saj6hR4DGF401lhgYkE_1dJuz8FwM-yzgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BMetate%2Bpork%2Bbelly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wgLpounUozE/Wv98K14C2SI/AAAAAAAACd8/Saj6hR4DGF401lhgYkE_1dJuz8FwM-yzgCEwYBhgL/s200/0720%2BMetate%2Bpork%2Bbelly.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crispy Prickly Pear Pork Belly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PFLRLizYQQA/Wv98LuItheI/AAAAAAAACd4/oBSp1bX8bGQblv58afLmQ6RZzAHMHsiGwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0720%2BMetate%2Bsalmon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PFLRLizYQQA/Wv98LuItheI/AAAAAAAACd4/oBSp1bX8bGQblv58afLmQ6RZzAHMHsiGwCEwYBhgL/s200/0720%2BMetate%2Bsalmon.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seared Sockeye Salmon with Citrus Beurre Blanc</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The rattlesnake & pheasant sausage
and the roasted corn on the cob were both standouts, but everything we ordered
was delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you can’t beat the
view!<o:p></o:p><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.visitmesaverde.com/media/399943/mesa-verde_restaurant-with-view_092_hero.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=1490&height=351&rnd=131687027620000000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="800" height="150" src="https://www.visitmesaverde.com/media/399943/mesa-verde_restaurant-with-view_092_hero.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=1490&height=351&rnd=131687027620000000" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dining room at the Metate Room. (Photo courtesy of Aramark) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<br />boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-1510658591579188052018-04-27T09:14:00.001-07:002018-04-27T09:14:08.587-07:0010 Tips to Save Money While Studying Abroad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qs21ytblx3o/WuNJjFZIpgI/AAAAAAAACcQ/hL4_baLdCkMIhN2H1RRPGV89cIEwGoJIgCLcBGAs/s1600/Study%2BAbroad%2BBlog%2BTitle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qs21ytblx3o/WuNJjFZIpgI/AAAAAAAACcQ/hL4_baLdCkMIhN2H1RRPGV89cIEwGoJIgCLcBGAs/s640/Study%2BAbroad%2BBlog%2BTitle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Josh and I were recently asked by Purdue University's Department of Financial Aid to be guest bloggers in their <a href="https://mymoneypurdue.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">MyMoney blog</a>! One of Josh's former students is now working on the blog, and she knew that Josh had taught in Purdue's study abroad programs three times - once in Italy and twice in London.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
While we had plenty of tips to share on our own, we asked our friend Cassidy Ward for tips as well. Cassidy had just returned from studying in Greece for a semester, and so she had a fresh take on what college students need to know.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Follow this link to find our <a href="https://mymoneypurdue.wordpress.com/2018/04/25/saving-money-while-studying-abroad/" target="_blank">10 Tips to Save Money While Studying Abroad!</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-70332987321184506062018-04-18T19:30:00.002-07:002018-04-27T09:37:38.450-07:00A Storm in the Desert: A National Parks Odyssey Day 38<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Canyonlands National Park to Monument Valley Tribal Park<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<o:p>Here's a link to our <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-16-arches-national-park-capitol-reef-canyonlands-and-gateway-towns" target="_blank">podcast about this park.</a></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4jLF2VKaRCY/Wtf39c2fOmI/AAAAAAAACaA/-OyqB5xAQecujv1BufgsYFS3L4PZss8LgCLcBGAs/s1600/0718%2BCanyonlands%2Bkids%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4jLF2VKaRCY/Wtf39c2fOmI/AAAAAAAACaA/-OyqB5xAQecujv1BufgsYFS3L4PZss8LgCLcBGAs/s640/0718%2BCanyonlands%2Bkids%2Bsign.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our 19th park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the morning of Day 38, we got up early, checked out of the relative haven of our <a href="http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cnyfi-fairfield-inn-and-suites-moab/?scid=bb1a189a-fec3-4d19-a255-54ba596febe2" target="_blank">Fairfield Inn</a>, and set out for our 19<sup>th</sup> park of the trip,
<a href="https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm" target="_blank">Canyonlands National Park</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
relatively obscure park is only 40 minutes from Moab, Utah, so it’s an easy
addition to any trip to Arches National Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We got an early start because we wanted to visit this park before
traveling on to Monument Valley where we’d be spending the night.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we arrived, we made straight for Grand View Trail where
a bus full of Chinese tourists was already snapping pictures of the stunning
view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were worried that this would
make for a crowded trail, but it turned out that most of them stayed within a
few feet of the bus so we needn’t have been concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
We struck out on the easy two-mile round-trip trail along
the edge of a high plateau that dropped off into a deep canyon, and only saw
two other people on the trail once we left the trailhead full of tourists. At the trail’s end, the view was nearly 270
degrees, so we sat down to enjoy the vista.
We could see canyons, needles, and even part of the 50-mile backcountry
driving trail that takes two or three days to do down below.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GHB3hlmMsyQ/Wtf4LSkIF9I/AAAAAAAACbM/-UAaGJisIVMYE_8ckjiwrvY5iH7VYAhdQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BCanyonlands%2Blots%2Bof%2Bcanyons%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bdistance.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GHB3hlmMsyQ/Wtf4LSkIF9I/AAAAAAAACbM/-UAaGJisIVMYE_8ckjiwrvY5iH7VYAhdQCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BCanyonlands%2Blots%2Bof%2Bcanyons%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bdistance.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see why they named it Canyonlands - canyons followed by canyons followed by more canyons.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DkJso8qXHr4/Wtf4Jo_ZmEI/AAAAAAAACbI/uNV2UfP3STUS-cfjWe6Fd7jySsfQEYx9gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BCanyonlands%2BGrand%2BView%2BSpecial%2BKs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DkJso8qXHr4/Wtf4Jo_ZmEI/AAAAAAAACbI/uNV2UfP3STUS-cfjWe6Fd7jySsfQEYx9gCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BCanyonlands%2BGrand%2BView%2BSpecial%2BKs.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Being at the edge of a plateau and seeing formations as far as the eye could see was very different from the view at the Grand Canyon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x9XGgx5Sst8/Wtf4JgPIfOI/AAAAAAAACbU/7-rz6AtLQCcw_QE31pFXeFWQ4JJKZKBEgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BCanyonlands%2BIsland%2Bin%2Bthe%2BSky%2Bview.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x9XGgx5Sst8/Wtf4JgPIfOI/AAAAAAAACbU/7-rz6AtLQCcw_QE31pFXeFWQ4JJKZKBEgCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BCanyonlands%2BIsland%2Bin%2Bthe%2BSky%2Bview.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the driving trail in the bottom of the canyon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jgYE8Kcg85U/Wtf4Lh__7aI/AAAAAAAACbA/YpWqKXs0kQUYUQWVDTeaO6FzHXSApfIbQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BCanyonlands%2Bon%2Btop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jgYE8Kcg85U/Wtf4Lh__7aI/AAAAAAAACbA/YpWqKXs0kQUYUQWVDTeaO6FzHXSApfIbQCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BCanyonlands%2Bon%2Btop.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We took a break to enjoy the view before turning around to head back to the car.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once we returned to our car, we drove to the Mesa Arch Trail
to walk a 0.6 mile loop to the park’s most famous formation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This trail was more crowded, so we once again
had to wait our turn for a picture in front of the arch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, it was nothing like <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/09/glamping-at-arches-national-park.html" target="_blank">the wait andthe crowds at Delicate Arch in Arches National Park.</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0GMLuVfnW5U/Wtf4LAkQx6I/AAAAAAAACbI/JjIRsxdFdBMYK02F4LdzXcnqpNEGdF78QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BCanyonlands%2BMesa%2BArch%2BBoyds%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0GMLuVfnW5U/Wtf4LAkQx6I/AAAAAAAACbI/JjIRsxdFdBMYK02F4LdzXcnqpNEGdF78QCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BCanyonlands%2BMesa%2BArch%2BBoyds%2B2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unfortunately the person who took our picture didn't get the canyons in the background in the shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--1MYkw4U4sY/Wtf4KscP2LI/AAAAAAAACbU/s8nj1kY6oS4DvgoSouCAsge5I9IvW7l_ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BCanyonlands%2BMesa%2BArch%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--1MYkw4U4sY/Wtf4KscP2LI/AAAAAAAACbU/s8nj1kY6oS4DvgoSouCAsge5I9IvW7l_ACEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BCanyonlands%2BMesa%2BArch%2B1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canyons through Mesa Arch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Satisfied with our picture, we headed for the park visitors’
center to fulfill the requirements for yet another Junior Ranger badge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since we’d already done two trails, the kids
were able to complete the booklet inside the visitors’ center while Josh and I waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then it was onward to Monument
Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s5zCaV9Egrs/Wtf4MIEqXmI/AAAAAAAACbE/qyYcQt3LeuIu1TElqgbJOH5ylBxyI9QlgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BCanyonlands%2Bphone%2Bkids%2Bworking%2Bon%2Bjunior%2Branger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s5zCaV9Egrs/Wtf4MIEqXmI/AAAAAAAACbE/qyYcQt3LeuIu1TElqgbJOH5ylBxyI9QlgCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BCanyonlands%2Bphone%2Bkids%2Bworking%2Bon%2Bjunior%2Branger.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley and Knox work on their Junior Ranger booklets.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-50hbzJ_Ea0g/Wtf4LYkAF6I/AAAAAAAACbQ/ox1igjXzBfo0aJEFaHJjGT8xL6G22eJAgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BCanyonlands%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-50hbzJ_Ea0g/Wtf4LYkAF6I/AAAAAAAACbQ/ox1igjXzBfo0aJEFaHJjGT8xL6G22eJAgCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BCanyonlands%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding another badge to their ever-growing collection</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On our way, we were surprised to see billboards, t-shirts,
and bumper stickers taking sides on the issue of <a href="https://www.adventuresportsnetwork.com/outdoor/nature/everything-you-need-know-about-bears-ears-controversy/" target="_blank">Bears Ears NationalMonument.</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was definitely local
support for both sides, and we came away less clear about the issue than we had
been to start with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OXWe2AgyFq4/Wtf4Jv-2pLI/AAAAAAAACbI/iLAM_r-vA58-rMkh_qQfQLPxcgr8KBhFgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BBears%2BEars%2Bprotest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OXWe2AgyFq4/Wtf4Jv-2pLI/AAAAAAAACbI/iLAM_r-vA58-rMkh_qQfQLPxcgr8KBhFgCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BBears%2BEars%2Bprotest.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just one of the billboards we saw</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we approached the
Navajo Nation’s tribal lands, we began to see roadside stands selling arts and
crafts made by Native Americans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
stopped at one, and Knox bought a small club-like tomahawk made by the son of
the man who sold it to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just a bit
farther down the road we came to the checkpoint to pay our $20 per car entrance
fee into Monument Valley. I was fascinated by the way that since the Nation is sovereign
on its lands, it has its own police force and department of transportation
(which was in the apparently in the middle of a huge upgrade project on the
road that loops through monument valley).
After snapping a couple of pictures of trucks emblazoned with the
insignia of the Navajo Nation, we made our way to <a href="http://monumentvalleyview.com/" target="_blank">The View Hotel</a> which is owned
and operated by the Nation as well. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bGqsgrgzBNA/Wtf4OPOMOXI/AAAAAAAACbM/uv0ihvhVrYk6I8_m-BLSRRBBQmPuVTgBQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BNavajo%2BNation%2Bpolice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bGqsgrgzBNA/Wtf4OPOMOXI/AAAAAAAACbM/uv0ihvhVrYk6I8_m-BLSRRBBQmPuVTgBQCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BNavajo%2BNation%2Bpolice.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm sure I looked like a nut taking pictures of a police car.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L9-MZGom6QU/Wtf7VRtcuUI/AAAAAAAACbc/Z74CLQBqJ-0uFkQlbzEMohAvrye8KWfJQCLcBGAs/s1600/0720%2BNavajo%2BDOT.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L9-MZGom6QU/Wtf7VRtcuUI/AAAAAAAACbc/Z74CLQBqJ-0uFkQlbzEMohAvrye8KWfJQCLcBGAs/s640/0720%2BNavajo%2BDOT.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wonder if the Navajo DOT is any more efficient than the Indiana DOT....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One
of the drawbacks to 47 days of travel is that you kind of lose track of some of
the details sometimes, and this was one of those times. We unloaded all of our stuff from the car and
went in to check in only to learn that we weren’t actually staying in The
View. We were booked in the new Premium
Cabins located near the facility’s campground.
It took us a few minutes to figure this out since the reservation system
at The View Hotel isn’t connected to the system at the Premium Cabins. Yep.
You read that right. It’s all the
same ownership, and the two locations are a stone’s throw from each other, but
neither place can access the other’s reservations.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When the lady at the front desk called down to the
campground to check on our reservation, no one was answering the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stood there for several minutes marveling
at the fact that this seemed like a problem from the pre-internet days, and
finally, someone at the campground answered the phone and confirmed our
reservation there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We loaded back up and
drove to our little cabin with its perfect view of the east and west mitten
formations just before a dramatic storm rolled in.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P9oHKWf99J0/Wtf7t9QKqGI/AAAAAAAACbk/KGbx-Vzbu1kcH2PiqfdFx0nZ7R8zrREjwCLcBGAs/s1600/0720%2BThe%2BView%2Bcabin%2Bexterior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P9oHKWf99J0/Wtf7t9QKqGI/AAAAAAAACbk/KGbx-Vzbu1kcH2PiqfdFx0nZ7R8zrREjwCLcBGAs/s640/0720%2BThe%2BView%2Bcabin%2Bexterior.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little cabin was just the right size and had a great location.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YcgoHRZGYAE/Wtf7twr6vbI/AAAAAAAACbo/PfTPBmGqt2EaFye2bzqp3boHarqSLn1ZwCLcBGAs/s1600/0720%2BThe%2BView%2Bcabin%2Binterior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YcgoHRZGYAE/Wtf7twr6vbI/AAAAAAAACbo/PfTPBmGqt2EaFye2bzqp3boHarqSLn1ZwCLcBGAs/s640/0720%2BThe%2BView%2Bcabin%2Binterior.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids got to sleep on the bunk beds tucked into a tiny room just for them.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JeLB3EgJ_zs/Wtf4PHxTrkI/AAAAAAAACbU/lr3BDl9FEM0j76_ricvcNwv-km25eqdTQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BThe%2BView%2Bcabin%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JeLB3EgJ_zs/Wtf4PHxTrkI/AAAAAAAACbU/lr3BDl9FEM0j76_ricvcNwv-km25eqdTQCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BThe%2BView%2Bcabin%2B2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't beat the view out the front window!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In some of my fondest memories of my mother, she is playing
her guitar and singing folk music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes it was at home with friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes it was at weddings or receptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it was “Turkey in the Straw.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it was “Puff the Magic
Dragon.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But often, it was John Denver’s
“Annie’s Song.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You fill up my senses<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Like a night in the
forest,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Like a mountain in
springtime, <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Like a walk in the
rain,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Like a storm in the
desert, <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Like a sleepy, blue
ocean.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You fill up my senses<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Come fill me again.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Until our night in Monument Valley, I’d never experienced a
storm in the desert, but now I can say with certainty that John Denver was
right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A storm in the desert does fill
up your senses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We are pathetic photographers, but we were determined to
capture the beauty of that storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We snapped
and snapped and deleted and deleted until we got several that were decent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We even managed to get a couple of shots with
both a lightning strike AND a rainbow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-taj-J8rvskA/Wtf4MkpOL0I/AAAAAAAACbU/rUIz7LHqSg86Agtv-Ag6jGKxcvNKlBQwQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BMonument%2BValley%2B16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-taj-J8rvskA/Wtf4MkpOL0I/AAAAAAAACbU/rUIz7LHqSg86Agtv-Ag6jGKxcvNKlBQwQCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BMonument%2BValley%2B16.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lightning coupled with the rainbow made for an amazing view.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7PQmFyp-Aeo/Wtf4NKrWtMI/AAAAAAAACbI/wVKQdNa6P20e4H6i575-X9rsTH-4dGaAQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BMonument%2BValley%2B27.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7PQmFyp-Aeo/Wtf4NKrWtMI/AAAAAAAACbI/wVKQdNa6P20e4H6i575-X9rsTH-4dGaAQCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BMonument%2BValley%2B27.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even though the heavy rain obscured our view of the mittens for a few minutes, the rainbow was still visible.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6hJZBU3OTk/Wtf4OzcyAEI/AAAAAAAACbU/CAlopii4keg93_0dqu34dejmm5Yoj9kKgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BMonument%2BValley%2B31.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6hJZBU3OTk/Wtf4OzcyAEI/AAAAAAAACbU/CAlopii4keg93_0dqu34dejmm5Yoj9kKgCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BMonument%2BValley%2B31.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the storm passed, the formations turned beautiful shades of orange and russet.</td></tr>
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Watching the storm advance toward us and change the appearance of the
rock formations was mesmerizing, but we felt sorry for the guests who had
chosen to set up tents for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were fighting just to keep their shelters from blowing away.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x73fiR4klmg/Wtf4OPtkqxI/AAAAAAAACbQ/AoqgZMg3Zf01xp8XsdTQPek2zt2LZ9OzgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BMonument%2BValley%2Btents.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x73fiR4klmg/Wtf4OPtkqxI/AAAAAAAACbQ/AoqgZMg3Zf01xp8XsdTQPek2zt2LZ9OzgCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BMonument%2BValley%2Btents.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were glad we weren't staying in these tents! You can see The View Hotel in the distance as well as the water tanks that supply the hotel. There is no fresh water source on this part of the Nation's lands, so they have to buy it.</td></tr>
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Once the storm subsided, we drove back up to The View for
dinner at the hotel restaurant since there were no other options in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a significant wait, so I suggested
to Josh that we order takeout and eat it in our cabin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had both the World Famous Green Chile Stew
and the Red Chile Pork Posole along with some salads and some fry bread, a local
menu staple of deep fried discs of flat dough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We browsed the overpriced handicraft shop while we waited for our food,
and then felt smug as we noticed that the people who would have been ahead of
us in line to eat were still waiting to be seated.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As darkness veiled the rock formations just a few hundred
yards from our front porch and as a million stars appeared in the night sky, we
happily feasted in the comfort of our little cabin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next day we would explore Monument Valley
and head to park number 20 – Mesa Verde.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-42771661574461625322017-09-19T14:17:00.002-07:002018-06-05T07:09:03.426-07:00Glamping at Arches National Park: A National Park Odyssey Days 36-37<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Arches National Park, Moab, UT</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7boJ9Cfm5Hc/WcCF2C3DD4I/AAAAAAAACU0/xlbTVjMEk5YOU1to0e7ovEQUISdxELsKgCLcBGAs/s1600/0717%2BArches%2Bsign%2BGina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7boJ9Cfm5Hc/WcCF2C3DD4I/AAAAAAAACU0/xlbTVjMEk5YOU1to0e7ovEQUISdxELsKgCLcBGAs/s640/0717%2BArches%2Bsign%2BGina.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Park #18 in my ubiquitous pink hat</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Several
years ago, I started a <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/ginaboyd/glamping/" target="_blank">Pinterest board titled “Glamping.”</a> On it, I have pins that link to websites showcasing glamorous camping accommodations all over the globe. Yes, I realize that glamorous camping is an
oxymoron. As you can probably guess from
the title of my blog, I’m not a roughing-it sort of girl. I like to be comfortable, even pampered, when
I travel, so hauling three days’ worth of food in a musty cooler and sleeping
on the ground without showering for days on end is not for me. Ew. I
shudder just thinking about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But, oh,
those places on my pin board. Places
under the stars in beautiful, scenic locations, but with comforts usually
associated with luxury hotels. Those
places have called to me from the pages of travel magazines for years. So as we were planning our epic national park
adventure, I scoured the internet for glamping options near our destinations that
could accommodate four people. And up
came Moab Under Canvas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TjzGte8E1yQ/WcCGViyLT_I/AAAAAAAACVM/FwHkZkZZdIojtOhOJad46SkOlg5dUnaJACLcBGAs/s1600/0718%2BUnder%2Bcanvas%2B9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TjzGte8E1yQ/WcCGViyLT_I/AAAAAAAACVM/FwHkZkZZdIojtOhOJad46SkOlg5dUnaJACLcBGAs/s640/0718%2BUnder%2Bcanvas%2B9.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign at the entrance to the campground (or is it glampground?)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Before I booked our glamping reservation at<a href="https://www.undercanvas.com/camps/moab/" target="_blank"> Moab Under Canvas</a> in May of 2016, I had spent hours reading</span><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60724-d5494266-Reviews-Under_Canvas_Moab-Moab_Utah.html#REVIEWS" style="font-size: 14pt;" target="_blank"> reviews onTripAdvisor</a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, and the reviewers either loved it or hated it. There was little middle ground. People praised the views, the safari-style tents perched on wooden platforms, the king-sized beds and luxury linens, the stunning views of <a href="https://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm" target="_blank">Arches National Park</a>, the shocking number of stars visible in the sky, and the nightly campfires with free s’mores. Others complained about the scorching heat, the dust covering every surface, the shared bath trailers for the less-expensive tent accommodations, and the exorbitant cost for a place with no electricity or hot water. But here’s what I found interesting – every single hater had received a comment from the owners saying that they would have been happy to make things right for the guest if the guest had brought the problem to the attention of the management. This impressed me immensely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">The company has a two-night minimum, and we were planning to be in Moab for three nights. When we were planning the trip, I thought that staying in one place for all three nights would be the easiest thing for our family, but I feared that the soaring summer temperatures in the desert would make the experience memorable for all the wrong reasons. I decided to call and ask if we could book three nights (paying in full a year in advanc<span style="font-family: inherit;">e</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">as was company policy) </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">but then be released from our third night with a full refund if we ended up being miserable. The manager happily granted my request and even sent us a confirmation email so that we had the promise in writing should we need it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">The reviewers also complained about how close together the cheaper options were and how long the lines were for the restrooms and showers. Since I wanted my glamping experience to be mostly the glamorous part and only a little bit the camping part, we booked the top-of-the-line suite tent. It boasted a king-sized bed, a leather sofa that converted to a queen-sized bed, a private en suite bathroom including a shower, sink, and flushing toilet, a series of misters that provided moisture to cool the hot air inside the tent, a wood stove (which we clearly wouldn’t need in July), and a private deck with the best views the camp had to offer. The pictures on the website were drool-worthy and reminded me of a more upscale version of the tents I had stayed in 25 years earlier while on safari in Africa. (I'll have to blog about that some time.) I was smitten, and the rest of the family gamely went along with me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">Just in case we ended up being miserable, we went ahead and booked a back-up reservation for the third night at<a href="http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cnyfi-fairfield-inn-and-suites-moab/?scid=bb1a189a-fec3-4d19-a255-54ba596febe2" target="_blank"> a Marriott in Moab</a>, and our year-long wait began. But a year later was suddenly now, and I was faced with the reality of 103 degree temperatures for three nights in the desert. Needless to say, I was worried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">We arrived at the camp at dusk, and a perky employee helped us find a place to park and then brought a golf cart for our luggage. We could see the circus-sized tent that served as a lobby/lounge area as well as the fire ring where several families were already gathered and making s’mores. Beyond that area were several campsites that were very close together, and off to the far right were other larger tents that were spaced much farther apart. We followed the golf cart to tent #2, the second farthest from the lodge, </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">and the employee
gave us a few tips.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">1)</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We might want to zip the bottom flap of our
tent to keep snakes out.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">2)</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Watch where you step because there are
rattlesnakes.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">3)</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Only walk on the trails because the soil here
is alive.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Yes, alive.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It has a greenish tint because of algae that
forms its crust.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Not only does it need
to be protected because it is fragile, but it also can give you a nasty rash.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I began to imagine a million rattlesnakes
coiled on living soil waiting to get me.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">And then I remembered a quote from that bastion of American filmmaking, </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaconda_(film)" target="_blank">Anaconda</a>.</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“This river can kill you a thousand ways.”</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Except I decided the real threat was the
desert.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EaHi0zGZKPc/WcEGPgpN_7I/AAAAAAAACXo/5jl3SbGXU0wFvLn6HdDOF1gOTuFVSFa1gCLcBGAs/s1600/0717%2BUnder%2Bcanvas%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EaHi0zGZKPc/WcEGPgpN_7I/AAAAAAAACXo/5jl3SbGXU0wFvLn6HdDOF1gOTuFVSFa1gCLcBGAs/s640/0717%2BUnder%2Bcanvas%2B1.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This desert can kill you a thousand ways.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JA7Mf6cs5GM/WcCG7dqr-9I/AAAAAAAACVU/eHB-QEja7tghgPgiTlezm4relxd0rIcPwCLcBGAs/s1600/0716%2BMoab%2BUnder%2BCanvas%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JA7Mf6cs5GM/WcCG7dqr-9I/AAAAAAAACVU/eHB-QEja7tghgPgiTlezm4relxd0rIcPwCLcBGAs/s640/0716%2BMoab%2BUnder%2BCanvas%2Ba.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our luxury accommodations</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Thank goodness she led us into the tent
then.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">All fear melted away,</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span>and we oohed and aahed as we entered the dreamy suite. Two camp lanterns cast a glow over the cream-colored canvas, and the misters and open tent flaps made the temperature bearable. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">As soon as we walked in, the leather sofa was directly to the left situated on a cowhide
rug with two chairs nearby.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Our “loo
with a view” was directly opposite the entrance and had a curtain tied back in
case we needed more privacy.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Our bed was
to the right with a small bedside table on each side and an antique dresser at
the end.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A basket containing fluffy
white robes, thirsty towels, and luxury soaps and shampoos was on top of the
dresser.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A coat rack stood to the
dresser’s right.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Opposite the dresser
was the little wood stove and a stack of firewood which we certainly wouldn't be
using.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Near the loo was another curtain
that could be tied back or released to give more privacy for the shower which
was right beside the sink and mirror.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gGhGATwW258/WcCG7RC-NiI/AAAAAAAACVY/ilnv5hcQVssnhEweM11XwGSgayKE3BDfwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BMoab%2BUnder%2BCanvas%2Bb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gGhGATwW258/WcCG7RC-NiI/AAAAAAAACVY/ilnv5hcQVssnhEweM11XwGSgayKE3BDfwCEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BMoab%2BUnder%2BCanvas%2Bb.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had plenty of space for the four of us and all of our stuff.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RxlDbh2HdoU/WcCGUq9B3HI/AAAAAAAACU4/AGfLHUcQvnMY4q2Ch-Dl-xYElqHdKMr_wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BUnder%2Bcanvas%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RxlDbh2HdoU/WcCGUq9B3HI/AAAAAAAACU4/AGfLHUcQvnMY4q2Ch-Dl-xYElqHdKMr_wCEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BUnder%2Bcanvas%2B3.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our loo with a view</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcMMuy0MqoQ/WcCGVXJ0vrI/AAAAAAAACVE/DUxUZgM-bAgcSJihcbJb8FGcTkdsg8hsQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0718%2BUnder%2Bcanvas%2B4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcMMuy0MqoQ/WcCGVXJ0vrI/AAAAAAAACVE/DUxUZgM-bAgcSJihcbJb8FGcTkdsg8hsQCEwYBhgL/s640/0718%2BUnder%2Bcanvas%2B4.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And what a view it was!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cqzI8KqV_OM/WcCG8NTPnUI/AAAAAAAACVo/RfWIaGRuyCQgoD-MO8M3z7ClWi_5abthQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BMoab%2BUnder%2BCanvas%2Bd.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cqzI8KqV_OM/WcCG8NTPnUI/AAAAAAAACVo/RfWIaGRuyCQgoD-MO8M3z7ClWi_5abthQCEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BMoab%2BUnder%2BCanvas%2Bd.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley and Josh enjoy a few moments on our front porch.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt;">We took a few minutes to unpack and then enjoyed some time on our front porch before heading</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">into
Moab for a delicious Italian dinner.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">After that, we drove back to camp and went </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">t</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt;">o the fire circle to make s’mores. As the stars began to emerge</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">we listened
to the other families recounting their adventures while we each roasted a
marshmallow in spite of the summer heat.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">After gorging ourselves on s’mores, </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt;">we returned to our tent. We pulled out the sofa bed for the kids, took a few moments to be grateful for our sink and toilet </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(it
wasn’t hard to remember how we had to trek to the bathhouse to brush our teeth
and use the restroom before bed <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/07/who-knew-that-you-could-kill-day-in.html" target="_blank">while at Yosemite)</a>, said a quick prayer of
thanksgiving that it wasn’t too terribly hot, </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt;">and slid between our silky soft linens before drifting off to sleep in the desert night </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">with a plan
to get up early and have breakfast on our porch with a view of Arches before
taking off for a day in the park.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yzm-iuBte-c/WcCG8fKLTQI/AAAAAAAACVo/qk71ptQkbRAO345g7u_CczFzV7twCv9hgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BMoab%2BUnder%2BCanvas%2Bs%2527mores.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yzm-iuBte-c/WcCG8fKLTQI/AAAAAAAACVo/qk71ptQkbRAO345g7u_CczFzV7twCv9hgCEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BMoab%2BUnder%2BCanvas%2Bs%2527mores.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The heat didn't keep us from roasting marshmallows.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we woke
the next morning, we realized the folly of our breakfast plan. Our porch faced the rising sun in the east,
and it was already a jillion degrees out there at 6:30 AM! There was no way we’d be able to stand the
heat out there while we ate, and, in fact, the tent itself was already
beginning to heat up. And we couldn’t
even turn on the misters because they aren’t available until 9:00 AM each
day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P9D4-me2ApI/WcCILv5sFKI/AAAAAAAACVw/hb4zeXy8kFowYKo0HMK5dwOFgKWsyR9MwCLcBGAs/s1600/0717%2BMorning%2Bin%2Bthe%2Btent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P9D4-me2ApI/WcCILv5sFKI/AAAAAAAACVw/hb4zeXy8kFowYKo0HMK5dwOFgKWsyR9MwCLcBGAs/s640/0717%2BMorning%2Bin%2Bthe%2Btent.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first glamping morning and proof that, just as Knox says, Kinley DOES hog the covers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We woke the
kids, dressed quickly, and ate some stale Cheerios and the pie we’d bought at
<a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/09/orchards-petroglyphs-and-abandoned.html" target="_blank">Capitol Reef the day before</a>. Moab Under
Canvas doesn’t have any food service options on site, but they will arrange for
you to pre-order food from a local place called <a href="http://www.peacetreejuicecafe.com/menu.aspx" target="_blank">Peace Tree Juice Cafe</a> that
delivers to the lodge for breakfast and lunch.
We didn’t use this option because a $14 yogurt parfait is just
nuts. Especially when you can drive into
town and get that same yogurt parfait at the actual Peace Tree Juice Café for
$8. Which is still too much for yogurt,
granola, and a handful of berries, but I digress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After our
meager repast, we drove to the park which had special opening and closing hours
while we were there due to road construction that was taking place overnight,
so the gates didn’t open until 7:00 AM.
We wanted to beat the crowds to the Delicate Arch trail, so we went
straight there to join the March to the Arch, the nickname for the notoriously
crowded hike to Utah’s most famous arch.
It’s the one on their state quarter and on the license plate, so it’s no
wonder that there are throngs of people making the trip each day. Plus experts are always saying that it’s
going to fall over one day soon, so everyone wants to see it before it does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we
arrived at the parking area for the trailhead, there was actually a ranger in the
lot directing cars to make the parking process more efficient. I felt kind of sorry for him. I can just imagine what he <i>thought </i>being a park ranger was going to
look like, and I’m guessing that wearing an orange vest in 96 degree weather to
wave mini-vans and RVs into designated parking spaces was not what he signed up
for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We were able
to snag a spot, but I would guess that about 20 minutes after we parked, the
lot was full. If you want to do this
hike, get there early. Like, pretend
you’re rope-dropping a Disney park. And
not just because of the parking, but also because it’s just going to get hotter
as the day goes on. We had read warnings
about this trail, especially the heat and the “slick rock” section, so I was a
little worried that we wouldn’t have enough water or stamina to do it. I asked the ranger if the trail was really
that difficult, and he assured me that we could do it. Or maybe he just wanted me to leave him alone
so he could direct traffic in peace.
Either way, I walked away relieved.
We struck out and joined the already-forming line of hikers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dxyivlxsBQs/WcCKICUqJQI/AAAAAAAACXU/jGcfwUlRehQVbSqfJq-6RmAnDJTvKXPLwCLcBGAs/s1600/0717%2BSign%2Bin%2Bthe%2BArches%2Bbathroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dxyivlxsBQs/WcCKICUqJQI/AAAAAAAACXU/jGcfwUlRehQVbSqfJq-6RmAnDJTvKXPLwCLcBGAs/s640/0717%2BSign%2Bin%2Bthe%2BArches%2Bbathroom.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the sign in the toilet at the trailhead. Who knew you needed to tell people not to use the floor?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The climb
wasn’t easy, but with frequent stops for water (where I had to FORCE my older
child to actually drink) and to catch our breath (where I had to repeatedly
remind myself that family time is a good thing), we made it. When we got to the viewing area for Delicate
Arch, I was stunned at the view. I had
been looking at student-made dioramas of this scene for years and years, and
never had I realized A) how huge the arch was and B) that it was perched on a
cliff. The scene looked nothing like
what my students had been creating out of clay and papier-mache all these
years! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gXbzUsU-71k/WcCKGuOow-I/AAAAAAAACXc/fx0AVh-yNo8FH0_tbnbIRJlUsy9osTEZwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BMarch%2Bto%2Bthe%2Barch%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gXbzUsU-71k/WcCKGuOow-I/AAAAAAAACXc/fx0AVh-yNo8FH0_tbnbIRJlUsy9osTEZwCEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BMarch%2Bto%2Bthe%2Barch%2B1.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joining the March to the Arch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zBNDoXb2CJc/WcCKGzLOhmI/AAAAAAAACXc/UkRWCzUJnCMNAH0oaW-rfB4xu0Aa6ZtHgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BMarch%2Bto%2Bthe%2Barch%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zBNDoXb2CJc/WcCKGzLOhmI/AAAAAAAACXc/UkRWCzUJnCMNAH0oaW-rfB4xu0Aa6ZtHgCEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BMarch%2Bto%2Bthe%2Barch%2B2.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the "slick rock" portion of the trail. I can see how it could be treacherous in icy conditions.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rm0hrh0dAFo/WcCKHnT0w5I/AAAAAAAACXc/_KYmAndIAbsu88C6t-1sriMxzCuevsT3ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BMarch%2Bto%2Bthe%2Barch%2B5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rm0hrh0dAFo/WcCKHnT0w5I/AAAAAAAACXc/_KYmAndIAbsu88C6t-1sriMxzCuevsT3ACEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BMarch%2Bto%2Bthe%2Barch%2B5.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A much-needed rest and water break on the way up</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rOzSs8GHdbo/WcCKBG1vhyI/AAAAAAAACXc/w90iRbZEBPgXW5JNpX5jioXdAwbrXJW-ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BArches%2Bphone%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rOzSs8GHdbo/WcCKBG1vhyI/AAAAAAAACXc/w90iRbZEBPgXW5JNpX5jioXdAwbrXJW-ACEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BArches%2Bphone%2B1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first view of Delicate Arch. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BaxrG3-BO0Y/WcCKEt4QgpI/AAAAAAAACXc/dqrd16iZPqU7qDtDCcVHClfjjgwttH1CACEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BDelicate%2BArch%2BBoyds%2Bhorizontal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BaxrG3-BO0Y/WcCKEt4QgpI/AAAAAAAACXc/dqrd16iZPqU7qDtDCcVHClfjjgwttH1CACEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BDelicate%2BArch%2BBoyds%2Bhorizontal.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At first, we were content to get a family picture from this vantage point. We soon changed our minds.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then we
noticed that there was an actual queue for pictures under the arch. And I’m not talking about 5 or 6 people
waiting their turn. I’m talking an
actual line of 30 people. And it wasn’t
moving quickly. After seeing that, we
almost decided to just settle for taking pictures from a distance. But then we figured that we’d come all this
way, and that from our current vantage point, you couldn’t really tell in a
photograph how big the arch actually was.
We would need to stand under the arch to get a better perspective in our
pictures. So we caved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtQnRGN8t5I/WcCKBmhFAsI/AAAAAAAACXc/w6AzRYI6rxE8HQK371EC0ZA4b6MIekjyQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BArches%2Bphone%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtQnRGN8t5I/WcCKBmhFAsI/AAAAAAAACXc/w6AzRYI6rxE8HQK371EC0ZA4b6MIekjyQCEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BArches%2Bphone%2B2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were stunned by how tiny people appeared under the arch. It was much taller than we expected.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We gingerly
climbed over more rock formations to get to the area where the queue had formed. It was perched on the bowl-like slope leading
to the arch, and, of course, there was no shade, so we just had to stand in the
baking sun for 25 minutes while we waited our turn. Yes, you read that right. We waited 25 minutes for a picture at a
national park. And let me just tell you
some things we learned while waiting.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
photographer for your group has to be pretty far away in order to get the whole
arch in the picture. The photographer
also has to pick his/her way farther down into the bowl-like area near the arch
in order to get a good perspective.
Don’t send your most balance-challenged family member to be the
photographer.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Walking
on this sloped, bowl-like area in flip-flops is ill-advised. We had on our hiking boots, but the group in
front of us was completely unprepared for this hike and all wore flip-flops.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Make
friends with the people in line with you (even if deep inside you’re judging
them about the stupidity of their footwear and lack of water) so that you can
trade off taking pictures of each other.
Why? Because the other people in
line get <i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">really </i><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">annoyed with you if
while you are taking your group pictures, your group members keep switching
spots and taking turns being photographer and running back and forth to switch
out.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Don’t
confuse the hike to Delicate Arch with the hike to the <i>lower viewing area </i>for Delicate Arch. The former is strenuous, 3 miles round trip,
and takes about 45 minutes each way, not counting your time waiting for people
to take eighty bajillion pictures of their group while you wait in the stupid
picture queue. The latter is an easy 10
minute walk from a parking lot beyond the lot for the Delicate Arch Trail. Confusing these two trails might result in
your entire family hiking a strenuous trail in flip-flops with no water.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do
not get your whole group to try to make a human pyramid under the arch for a
picture. It’s really annoying to the
people in line in the burning desert heat.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">There
is, in fact, a line. So get in it and
quit trying to pretend you didn’t notice until you wandered up to the
front. Feigning surprise at this point
is still going to get you sent to the back anyway.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do
not take ten shots with every possible group configuration – couples only, kids
only, grandchildren only, grandparents only, everyone, everyone linking arms,
everyone with their hands up in victory, everyone in a human pyramid, or
whatever other pose you can think of.
Because did I mention the 96 degree temperatures? At 8:30 in the morning? Yeah.
That. Get your shot and get out
of the way.</span></li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LFvS2TsWglA/WcCKF8PtciI/AAAAAAAACXc/BfHrPKx8zjsL1M1kuC3mV_3CLgUDfzYQACEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BDelicate%2BArch%2Bplus%2Bline%2Bfor%2Bphotos.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LFvS2TsWglA/WcCKF8PtciI/AAAAAAAACXc/BfHrPKx8zjsL1M1kuC3mV_3CLgUDfzYQACEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BDelicate%2BArch%2Bplus%2Bline%2Bfor%2Bphotos.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The queue is on the left. The three people you can see getting their pictures taken did not wait in the line. The people in yellow in the background under the arch did.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NPVdA2jP2IE/WcCKEmAj-YI/AAAAAAAACXc/QXPyz_OLCUsWVX6dGSejXo47WPEo_MSvwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BDelicate%2BArch%2BBoyds%2Btiny%2Bunderneath.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NPVdA2jP2IE/WcCKEmAj-YI/AAAAAAAACXc/QXPyz_OLCUsWVX6dGSejXo47WPEo_MSvwCEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BDelicate%2BArch%2BBoyds%2Btiny%2Bunderneath.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Was it worth the wait?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After
getting our shot, we headed back down, stopping off near the parking lot to
view some petroglyphs from the 1700s. Back
at the car, we refilled our water bottles from a jug we had brought along, and
all tried to rehydrate. We then drove 10
minutes to the parking lot for the Delicate Arch viewing area where we went to
both the lower and upper viewing areas. Kinley
was feeling really hot and icky on the upper viewing area trail (possibly
because she stubbornly refused to drink water earlier???!!!), so she rested in
the shade of a scrubby pine while the rest of us went on up. The perspective from this viewing area made
Delicate Arch look tiny, and we were glad we’d gotten a closer look. The parking lot here was filled with tour
buses whose occupants, based on their clothing and footwear choices, clearly
were only getting this view of the iconic formation, and I felt kind of sorry
for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BbY3eMjrahI/WcCKF7MRmHI/AAAAAAAACXc/nrpEiAofocox6BbHhPAwY6Mv4IFxS6swACEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BDelicate%2BArch%2Bsquished%2Bby%2BGina%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BbY3eMjrahI/WcCKF7MRmHI/AAAAAAAACXc/nrpEiAofocox6BbHhPAwY6Mv4IFxS6swACEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BDelicate%2BArch%2Bsquished%2Bby%2BGina%2B1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicate Arch fit between my fingers when viewed from the Lower Overlook.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SU_tauCaKB0/WcCKFiA7t7I/AAAAAAAACXc/weeFXU6ZNscPXF13UJmRVuZN6xjy6e7tgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BDelicate%2BArch%2Boverlook%2Bwith%2Bthe%2Barch%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bdistance.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SU_tauCaKB0/WcCKFiA7t7I/AAAAAAAACXc/weeFXU6ZNscPXF13UJmRVuZN6xjy6e7tgCEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BDelicate%2BArch%2Boverlook%2Bwith%2Bthe%2Barch%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bdistance.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My boys on the Upper Overlook Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ibPXGdYXRAA/WcCKGWu6K1I/AAAAAAAACXc/1smwbqK9ctwDlTaxzuCNrRPu5-8hhncmwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BDelicate%2BArch%2Bzoomed%2Bin%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2Bupper%2Boverlook.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ibPXGdYXRAA/WcCKGWu6K1I/AAAAAAAACXc/1smwbqK9ctwDlTaxzuCNrRPu5-8hhncmwCEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BDelicate%2BArch%2Bzoomed%2Bin%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2Bupper%2Boverlook.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicate Arch from the Upper Overlook. Can you see all the tiny people?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our next
stop was Sand Dune Arch, an area that was also hot and crowded but had the
additional obstacle of being surrounded by a thick base of dry sand meaning
that you have to trudge your way to the arch.
It’s amazing how difficult it is to walk through dry sand. At the beach, I tend to walk on the wet,
packed sand, but at a sand dune, you don’t have any choice. I would be a very bad desert nomad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sr50O1wN3Dg/WcCKHzDCmPI/AAAAAAAACXc/8Cg7-qzHCK06kdtP9MgyclQGvv61f6nbgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BSand%2BDune%2BArch%2Bhorizontal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sr50O1wN3Dg/WcCKHzDCmPI/AAAAAAAACXc/8Cg7-qzHCK06kdtP9MgyclQGvv61f6nbgCEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BSand%2BDune%2BArch%2Bhorizontal.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The line for pictures was much shorter at Sand Dune Arch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We took the
requisite pictures at that arch (once again having to wait in line for our turn
but this time only behind a couple of people), and then hiked to Broken Arch
which Josh had read about in advance. A
sign at the trail head led everyone else to believe that the entire trail was
closed, but thanks to Josh’s research, we knew that it was actually open all
the way to Broken Arch. Only the trail
to the campground was closed. But
because this sign was at the beginning (and, I guess, people don’t read signs
carefully?), the trail to this arch was <i>completely
deserted</i>! We saw not one other soul
for the better part of an hour, and this was after waiting in line for pictures
at the last two arches! On top of that,
Broken Arch has shade!!!! We sat in the
cool comfort of that arch for a long time, just enjoying the view, the
solitude, and the lack of scorching heat.
We wished we had brought a picnic, though we all agreed we wouldn’t have
wanted to haul it. It would have been
the perfect spot, though.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NOUpjyHbW98/WcCKEZDxK1I/AAAAAAAACXc/2hFIQD3H1G4XOAOh9fC18Ke-ydr04ktIQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BBroken%2BArch%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NOUpjyHbW98/WcCKEZDxK1I/AAAAAAAACXc/2hFIQD3H1G4XOAOh9fC18Ke-ydr04ktIQCEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BBroken%2BArch%2Bsign.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gb5MuRi07bI/WcCKDuD8UwI/AAAAAAAACXc/v7SClglSqesjvKh7AUywPPbil_Dalyd1QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BBroken%2BArch%2Bsign%2Bthat%2Bscared%2Bpeople%2Boff.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gb5MuRi07bI/WcCKDuD8UwI/AAAAAAAACXc/v7SClglSqesjvKh7AUywPPbil_Dalyd1QCEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BBroken%2BArch%2Bsign%2Bthat%2Bscared%2Bpeople%2Boff.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Read the sign, people! You can go all the way to the campground!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x-IddpzQrGo/WcCKDUpFv_I/AAAAAAAACXc/3sRwOEEKqH8vqRGBZUPuzHXdFeCt_atAACEwYBhgL/s1600/0717%2BBroken%2BArch%2Bhikers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x-IddpzQrGo/WcCKDUpFv_I/AAAAAAAACXc/3sRwOEEKqH8vqRGBZUPuzHXdFeCt_atAACEwYBhgL/s640/0717%2BBroken%2BArch%2Bhikers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trail less traveled</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f7cW72GU6Dw/WcEHEcmm-WI/AAAAAAAACXw/agFlWwv1XMcc_brYWzeqf3rBmEtV9PbMACLcBGAs/s1600/0717%2BBroken%2BArch%2Bhorizontal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f7cW72GU6Dw/WcEHEcmm-WI/AAAAAAAACXw/agFlWwv1XMcc_brYWzeqf3rBmEtV9PbMACLcBGAs/s640/0717%2BBroken%2BArch%2Bhorizontal.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This arch may not be as famous as Delicate Arch, but we enjoyed it just as much if not more.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kinley still
wasn’t feeling 100%, so she stayed in the shade of the arch while Knox, Josh,
and I hiked on to Tapestry Arch. The
trail was much less distinct here since it traversed several large rocks, and
we had to rely on the cairns, little piles of intentionally stacked rocks, left
by rangers and previous hikers to find our way.
I was in front of our little band, and I picked my way carefully,
watching for rattlesnakes as I went.
While they had been a threat in many of the parks we’d visited, this
trail was so devoid of visitors that it seemed a perfect place for a snake to
be napping. And knowing that Kinley was
expecting us back somehow made me all the more worried that a rattler would
delay our return to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cU6aNynRrIk/WcEHhFODG5I/AAAAAAAACX0/ypW2su8M8H4XO6sujDFKWMvD9DhpKOEOgCLcBGAs/s1600/0717%2BBroken%2BArch%2Bfrom%2Bbehind.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cU6aNynRrIk/WcEHhFODG5I/AAAAAAAACX0/ypW2su8M8H4XO6sujDFKWMvD9DhpKOEOgCLcBGAs/s640/0717%2BBroken%2BArch%2Bfrom%2Bbehind.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back side of Broken Arch is behind Knox and me. This was after we left Kinley in the shade of the arch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H0_Q69fnQjI/WcEH8Osj4II/AAAAAAAACX4/YTio0m0_M8g15yJcBajxRHcwKxD8UNATwCLcBGAs/s1600/0717%2BBroken%2BArch%2Bspotted%2Blizard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H0_Q69fnQjI/WcEH8Osj4II/AAAAAAAACX4/YTio0m0_M8g15yJcBajxRHcwKxD8UNATwCLcBGAs/s640/0717%2BBroken%2BArch%2Bspotted%2Blizard.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a rattlesnake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3dTfN5ZEOuw/WcEITE-GYXI/AAAAAAAACX8/AlO2uZELj0E86qZcJVO_iXUKPl6yQ2SqwCLcBGAs/s1600/0717%2BTapestry%2BArch%2Bangle%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3dTfN5ZEOuw/WcEITE-GYXI/AAAAAAAACX8/AlO2uZELj0E86qZcJVO_iXUKPl6yQ2SqwCLcBGAs/s640/0717%2BTapestry%2BArch%2Bangle%2B2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was as close as we got to Tapestry Arch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My
(irrational) worry about leaving her alone combined with the intense heat and
our lack of water meant that we turned back once we were in view of Tapestry
Arch rather than hiking all the way up to it.
We hurried back to her and found her happily drawing floral designs and
Disney Princess signatures in the sand.
Clearly I shouldn’t have worried.
We sat together in the glorious shady coolness of the arch for a few
minutes more before heading back to our car.
We didn’t encounter another soul until we got back to the warning
sign. Once there, we tried to convince a
couple of other hikers that the trail was, indeed, open as far as Tapestry
Arch, but I don’t think any of them believed us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back in the
Volvo, we made a lunch out of odds and ends from the food basket and leftovers
from our<a href="http://pastajay.com/Moab/" target="_blank"> fabulous Italian dinner at Pasta Jay’s in Moab</a> the night before. Since our tent had only had some
battery-operated lights and cell phone chargers, we had been keeping the
leftovers cool-ish in ice in our little cooler.
None of us got sick, so it must have worked out OK.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our next
stop was the Visitors’ Center where the kids worked on their Junior Ranger
booklets while I A) found an AWESOME floor air-conditioning vent in the gift
shop that was positioned directly under a wooden bench, B) camped out on said
bench hogging the A/C while pretending to read a book from the gift shop for a
good 15 minutes, C) eventually gave up my spot to go outside to fill my water
bottle from the spigot, and D) volunteered to take a group picture for a
Japanese family who was STUNNED when I counted to three in Japanese before
snapping the pic. I am a woman of many
talents. (I was grateful that they
pretended not to notice when I said, “Si,” instead of, “Hai,” for yes. Or maybe they really didn’t notice.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--dS9-inAP0M/WcEInIYWefI/AAAAAAAACYA/kzrDFlzNiG8zDt0fkUhhfi-hCwYPeWWKgCLcBGAs/s1600/0717%2BArches%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--dS9-inAP0M/WcEInIYWefI/AAAAAAAACYA/kzrDFlzNiG8zDt0fkUhhfi-hCwYPeWWKgCLcBGAs/s640/0717%2BArches%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yet another swearing in ceremony</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once the
kids finished and got sworn in, we had a quandary. One of the drawbacks of our glamping setup
was that we had nowhere to escape the heat during the hottest part of the
day. Had we been staying in a
traditional hotel, we could have gotten out early to see the park before the
day really heated up, returning to air conditioned comfort during the afternoon
to nap and avoid the scorching temps, and then go back out to do a late-evening
trail after things cooled down in the evening.
But even our top-of-the-line tent didn’t offer any reprieve from the
blazing sun, and the park was closing at 7:00 PM every day for construction, so
we weren’t sure how to spend our afternoons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What we <i>did</i> know was that we needed to decide
whether we were going to stay at Moab Under Canvas or move to the Marriott the
next day. Our Marriott reservation was
fully refundable until 5:00, so today was the day we had to make our
choice. I have to give props to my
family here. They all knew that glamping
had been my dream for this trip, and so they all left the choice up to me. This wasn’t all good news to me, though. It was a hard choice! We weren’t <i>miserable</i> in the tent, and it was really cool to feel like we were
on safari in the US. But not being able
to use our (super expensive) room during the day was a definite drawback. Since it was only lunch time at this point, I
decided to put off making a choice for a few more hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now for the
problem at hand: what to do to avoid the heat.
Since we knew that our en suite shower was only cold water, we thought
that it might feel refreshing after hiking.
So we went back, turned on the misters to cool off the tent a bit, and
took turns cleaning up. Once we were
clean, we all agreed that it was too hot to stay put so we struck out to find a
rafting outfitter that had space for us the next day. After visiting and calling several places
that were already booked up, we found <a href="http://www.adrift.net/" target="_blank">Adrift Adventures</a> and made a reservation
for a half day rafting trip including lunch the next day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9kXXW49wdFY/WcEJClHUs9I/AAAAAAAACYE/-BIe9iaDpPkoW2OIDREujOMcCupEw4qxACLcBGAs/s1600/0718%2BUnder%2Bcanvas%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9kXXW49wdFY/WcEJClHUs9I/AAAAAAAACYE/-BIe9iaDpPkoW2OIDREujOMcCupEw4qxACLcBGAs/s640/0718%2BUnder%2Bcanvas%2B1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox enjoyed the misters. A lot. If you look closely, you can see the mist in the picture. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then we had
a brilliant idea. What’s a great place
to kill a couple of hours in air-conditioned comfort? The movies!
We went to a showing of <i>Spider-Man:
Homecoming</i>, and happily munched popcorn in the dark, cool theater. But by the time we came out, it was decision
time for me. Should we stay put, avoiding
an extra move and the awkwardness both of asking for a refund and admitting
that we are not, in fact, the least bit outdoorsy? Or should we move to the Marriott where a hot
shower and a full breakfast would be less than ¼ of the cost of our tent?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
ultimately made the decision for me was cost.
Once I started thinking about how much we would be spending on our third
night and the lack of conveniences we got for the price, the choice was
easy. Plus, a nice, hot shower after
coming off of our river adventure the next day was going to feel really
good. And, of course, we would have free
wifi at the Marriott, too, and I’ve already complained regularly on this blog
about how maddening it was to try to blog and podcast with spotty wifi. It was settled. We were going to bail on our third night at
Moab Under Canvas and head to the Marriott.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we
returned to camp, I walked over to tell the manager of our decision, dreading
the conversation the whole way, but the guy in charge was incredibly kind and
understanding. We got a full refund for
out third night, and he didn’t even seem to think we were wimps. The relief I felt after that encounter
confirmed to me that I’d made the right choice.
While I was going to enjoy this last night in our tent, I was excited to
move back to the comfort of a hotel the next day. My family was equally excited, but they
kindly kept reminding me that they were happy to stay if I wanted to change my
mind. I didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I went
to get into my bed that night, I noticed that the white, downy duvet was
covered in grit and dust. In fact, my
pillow, the sheets beneath the duvet, and pretty much every other surface were
also covered in grit and dust. But I
didn’t let it bother me. I knew this was my last night to sleep in style under
the stars, so I just dusted it off as best I could and climbed in, telling
myself that it was all part of the experience while simultaneously patting
myself on the back for choosing to bail on our third night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The next
morning, we slept until the heat woke us, and then we made breakfast out of
whatever was unnoticed by the ants that were now marching in and out of the
Cheerios box in the food basket. They
had found the mother lode and must have called for reinforcements. I took a moment to daydream about the free
breakfast I’d be eating the next morning at the Marriott and then started
packing up. I went to the manager’s tent
to ask for a golf cart for our luggage since schlepping it down the rocky path
was probably not going to be good for the little wheels (or the living soil),
and we loaded up. We took one last look
out over the desert from the chairs on our front porch, turned off our misters
to save water, and made our way to our car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VQPFtzNazRU/WcEJZSwrdHI/AAAAAAAACYI/p02w-vNLr2gfDFeYaVUROQu_IIgB6ZVDgCLcBGAs/s1600/0718%2BUnder%2Bcanvas%2B8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VQPFtzNazRU/WcEJZSwrdHI/AAAAAAAACYI/p02w-vNLr2gfDFeYaVUROQu_IIgB6ZVDgCLcBGAs/s640/0718%2BUnder%2Bcanvas%2B8.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farewell, Suite #2!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We arrived
at <a href="http://www.adrift.net/" target="_blank">Adrift Adventures</a> by 11:20 to get checked in, get our life jackets, and pack
our keys and camera into a dry box before boarding a bus that took us 45
minutes up the Colorado River to the put-in spot. When we arrived, we had enough time to use
the bathrooms (which were really just glorified permanent porta potties) before
our safety talk. A few minutes later,
the rafts and guides that would be taking us down the river arrived carrying
both full-day clients and those who had bought the morning-only option. After some shuffling, we climbed into a raft
helmed by Rizzie, a tanned, tattooed twenty-something whose full beard seemed
at odds with the scorching temperatures and whose underwear I could see all
afternoon as he row, row, rowed our boat mostly-gently down the stream. The heat and sun were intense, so there was
plenty of water on board for all of us. I was seated next to the cooler in the
front of the raft most of the time, so I kept busy passing out and refilling little
cups to keep us all hydrated and cool.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V_BTYLSKM8Y/WcE9OP_eXHI/AAAAAAAACZM/T8PLiupWEgENJ4jQR1YWEMdCpx9iOFehwCLcBGAs/s1600/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V_BTYLSKM8Y/WcE9OP_eXHI/AAAAAAAACZM/T8PLiupWEgENJ4jQR1YWEMdCpx9iOFehwCLcBGAs/s640/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B9.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My view for most of the day included Rizzie's undies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1rolCeB4rEs/WcEJo2mSNSI/AAAAAAAACYM/UeV2YccJWX45Vnv6TPDaf5LFHwpmMfg7ACLcBGAs/s1600/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1rolCeB4rEs/WcEJo2mSNSI/AAAAAAAACYM/UeV2YccJWX45Vnv6TPDaf5LFHwpmMfg7ACLcBGAs/s640/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The other scenery surrounding the Colorado River, however, was beautiful!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The best way
we found to stay cool, though, was by jumping into the relatively calm river
and floating feet-first downstream, leaving Rizzie alone to pilot the raft and
shout instructions to us as we drifted through riffles and around bends. But, of course, if one gets out of the boat,
one must get back into the boat. I
accomplished this feat with all the grace of a wounded manatee attempting an
Olympic vault. It wasn’t pretty. Rizzie
grabbed the shoulders of my life vest, performed a mighty heave, and into the
bottom of the raft I flopped with nothing wounded but my pride, only slightly
more embarrassed than the rest of my family at the way my appendages sprawled
and splayed with lives of their own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iTP5eAbeI6c/WcE9L5vOd4I/AAAAAAAACY4/K_umjId9d4s7SjDvN-phfQwUhmpVyuRpACEwYBhgL/s1600/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iTP5eAbeI6c/WcE9L5vOd4I/AAAAAAAACY4/K_umjId9d4s7SjDvN-phfQwUhmpVyuRpACEwYBhgL/s640/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B4.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floating in the cool Colorado helped us beat the heat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">An hour and
a half into the relatively-calm trip (the water level at this time of year made
for gentle ripples but nothing close to the whitewater I had experienced on
other rafting trips), we stopped on a sandy beach where the seven or eight
guides hauled out tables and lunch with impressive speed and efficiency. Coolers held deli meats, breads, cheeses,
condiments, potato salad, chips, cookies, and lemonade which the guides set up
with well-practiced ease. Knox and I
staked out a spot, dumped our life jackets, and wrote our name in the sand so
that we could distinguish our pile of stuff from the other identical piles
littering the beach. Then we went to get
in line for lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Re1OueE3Lx0/WcE9NE3xF7I/AAAAAAAACZE/9Jh29udgSRgCGjYZu_nFFDXDHz3gNV0yQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Re1OueE3Lx0/WcE9NE3xF7I/AAAAAAAACZE/9Jh29udgSRgCGjYZu_nFFDXDHz3gNV0yQCEwYBhgL/s640/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B7.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marking our territory</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I4-BL76bjGk/WcE9Mg-_KdI/AAAAAAAACZA/w1OnnFkdRJkvtgVrvB_EbTE1KkO6OqR0ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I4-BL76bjGk/WcE9Mg-_KdI/AAAAAAAACZA/w1OnnFkdRJkvtgVrvB_EbTE1KkO6OqR0ACEwYBhgL/s640/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B6.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch by the river was set up with speed and efficiency.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At Disney,
we learned years ago from a cast member that when you are faced with a choice
in line to go to the left or to the right, you should always chose left. That line is almost always shorter because
most people tend to go to the right.
Well, Knox and I didn’t follow the Disney directive. We joined the lunch line on the right, and as
a result, we got our food a good 15 minutes before Josh and Kinley. In fact, some people were going back for
seconds before Josh and Kinley (and the guides, for that matter) had even been
able to get their first serving! The
left hand line moved so slowly, in fact, that Josh said to Kinley, “These
people have clearly never been to a church potluck.” I have never seen a buffet line move more
slowly and for no apparent reason. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yYx_XFJrWN8/WcE9NugnOdI/AAAAAAAACZI/eSHbWSzASacJHFO-rce37IKmv9x_4qdrQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yYx_XFJrWN8/WcE9NugnOdI/AAAAAAAACZI/eSHbWSzASacJHFO-rce37IKmv9x_4qdrQCEwYBhgL/s640/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B8.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley FINALLY got her lunch after a super pokey line.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Eventually,
though, they got their sandwiches and joined us on the sand. Knox and I were finished by the time they sat
down, and ten minutes later, the guides had reloaded the tables and coolers
into the boats and were ready to set off.
The rest of the trip was pleasant, and Knox even got to take a turn
rowing the boat! Rizzie gave him
detailed instructions and coached him through the process with skill. He had
the ability to break down the task into small, achievable steps so that a
first-timer could understand what to do and experience success relatively
easily. I was so impressed with his
ability to instruct that I suggested he look into teaching as a career.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ceCG2mb2HM/WcE9KxY6suI/AAAAAAAACZQ/EQYjze5xW5s3dLvHgniK2U4RLN0mYyRdACEwYBhgL/s1600/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ceCG2mb2HM/WcE9KxY6suI/AAAAAAAACZQ/EQYjze5xW5s3dLvHgniK2U4RLN0mYyRdACEwYBhgL/s640/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B12.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rizzie patiently teaches Knox how to row the raft.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0uUD7CVgZ8/WcE9K22hH4I/AAAAAAAACZQ/q1MGNzVV8vYTFgXVcWg8AGmjlZI6XrAdACEwYBhgL/s1600/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0uUD7CVgZ8/WcE9K22hH4I/AAAAAAAACZQ/q1MGNzVV8vYTFgXVcWg8AGmjlZI6XrAdACEwYBhgL/s640/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B13.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox tries it on his own.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GxiUApxDmvY/WcE9MbeyZEI/AAAAAAAACY8/rg1EjMOtlbUwLZHtNmW1-F7qOCWIDM0jACEwYBhgL/s1600/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GxiUApxDmvY/WcE9MbeyZEI/AAAAAAAACY8/rg1EjMOtlbUwLZHtNmW1-F7qOCWIDM0jACEwYBhgL/s640/0719%2BColorado%2BRiver%2B5.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think this is the only picture we got of Josh all day!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At the
take-out point, we were allowed to swim while the guides loaded the rafts and
gear onto the trailers and buses. Knox
swam while the rest of us talked to other families on the trip. This process took far longer than I would
have liked, and had I known that the pack-up process would take the guides so
long to complete, I would have stayed in the cool water with Knox. We waited for a good 45 minutes before we
could load the bus to return to Moab. I
was hot, soggy, tired, and ready for a shower, and I was certainly grateful
that we would be heading to our new hotel soon instead of to a tent with no air
conditioning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Finally, we
loaded the bus and returned to Moab. I
gave Rizzie one last push toward education, and then we drove to the
Marriott. And, oh boy. Did that shower feel good! The kids swam in the pool, and Josh and I
luxuriated in the ability to catch up on pods, blogs, and emails. For us, moving to the hotel was the right
decision. I am so glad that we tried
glamping, and I have every intention of continuing to add to my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/ginaboyd/glamping/" target="_blank">Glamping board on Pinterest</a>. At a lower price point
with cooler weather we might even try glamping again at one of the other places
I’ve pinned! But I’m also glad we had
the sense to know what was best for our family.
And if we learned anything on this trip, it’s that what’s right for our
family of travelers isn’t always what’s right for other families. And that’s ok. We’ll just do our thing our way and let you
read about it. <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715" target="_blank">Or listen to it.</a> You can shake your head and think, “Those
Boyds are nuts.” Because you’re probably
right. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-11927671903477997662017-09-05T18:58:00.002-07:002017-09-05T18:58:23.033-07:00Orchards, Petroglyphs, and Abandoned Uranium Mines At Capitol Reef: A National Park Odyssey Day 35<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm" target="_blank">Bryce CanyonNational Park</a> to Moab, UT, via <a href="https://www.nps.gov/care/index.htm" target="_blank">Capitol Reef National Park</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OMDnNyIv4cw/Wa9HRP6NQOI/AAAAAAAACTA/wkUDf01JDxctL3xwUte90Bu-UNvR6BlvwCLcBGAs/s1600/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bsign%2BGina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OMDnNyIv4cw/Wa9HRP6NQOI/AAAAAAAACTA/wkUDf01JDxctL3xwUte90Bu-UNvR6BlvwCLcBGAs/s640/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bsign%2BGina.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Two late
nights in a row meant I was slow to get myself moving when my alarm went off on
Day 35. </span><a href="http://www.acmnp.com/news-events/service" style="font-size: 14pt;" target="_blank">A Christian Ministry in the National Parks (ACMNP) </a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">was having a worship service in the lodge at 9:30 AM,
and we wanted to be there since it was a Sunday. We hastily threw on clothes and hoofed it to
the lodge, electing to shower and eat breakfast after the service.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once again,
ACMNP volunteers led us in a short time of praise and worship similar to those
we’d experienced at <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/07/big-canyon-small-world-national-park.html" target="_blank">Grand Canyon</a> and <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/07/twin-parks-ancient-trees-and-beautiful.html" target="_blank">Sequoia</a>.
We joined a small group of other tourists and park employees, all
committed to starting the new week off right by honoring the Maker of Heaven
and Hoodoos. I sat next to a park ranger
who leaned over to me near the end of the service to comment conspiratorially
that she’d seen tremendous growth in the ACMNP volunteers over the summer. They had evidently become much more confident
worship leaders in the weeks leading up to that point, and she mentioned that
she’d noticed a great deal of spiritual growth as well. This was the first park where we had seen any
park employees at a service, and it was nice to have a mix of visitors and
regulars there that day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Feeling uplifted
and upbeat, we returned to the cabin to clean up and clear out. We took one last peek at the prairie dogs on
our way out and stopped at the Visitors’ Center to get Junior Ranger badges. The Visitors’ Center had a donation box with a
slot for each state, similar to the one that we had seen at Sequoia and Kings
Canyon. Knox wanted to represent Indiana
well, so he stuck in a dollar or two. The
ranger who swore in the kids was especially gregarious and helpful, and he was
impressed that the kids can gone the extra mile to earn the “I Hiked the
Hoodoos” stickers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iq6mr_DqzlA/Wa9PwNyH1wI/AAAAAAAACTU/wwZFOWyQlmUQEn-9QWBmH3ZDKZZhuYICQCLcBGAs/s1600/0716%2BBryce%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iq6mr_DqzlA/Wa9PwNyH1wI/AAAAAAAACTU/wwZFOWyQlmUQEn-9QWBmH3ZDKZZhuYICQCLcBGAs/s640/0716%2BBryce%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The line to speak to a park ranger was at least 10 people deep, but this nice man spent at least 10 minutes with our kids. You can see Knox and Kinley's rubbings from hiking the hoodoos on the counter in front of Knox. Notice that Kinley's has three colors and Knox's only has one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_YZHgqRJ7u4/Wa9PwM4MKPI/AAAAAAAACTQ/qZdZuM23gxAqbwBg7Cd9ap-O67iVHU5kgCLcBGAs/s1600/0716%2BBryce%2Bputting%2Bmoney%2Bin%2Bfor%2BIndiana.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_YZHgqRJ7u4/Wa9PwM4MKPI/AAAAAAAACTQ/qZdZuM23gxAqbwBg7Cd9ap-O67iVHU5kgCLcBGAs/s640/0716%2BBryce%2Bputting%2Bmoney%2Bin%2Bfor%2BIndiana.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox makes a donation to represent Indiana.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With Bryce
in the rear view mirror, we started our two hour drive toward Capitol Reef
National Park. The small town of <a href="http://www.torreyutah.com/" target="_blank">Torrey,Utah</a>, is the gateway to the park, and I was charmed by its quaint cafes and bed
and breakfast options. We stopped for
lunch at the <a href="https://www.capitolreefinn.com/menu.html#anchor396515" target="_blank">Capitol Reef Inn and Café</a> which had several delicious menu items
including a Ten Vegetable Salad for lunch and homemade pies and cobblers for
dessert. I told Josh that I thought
Torrey looked like a nice place to come back to and spend some time on a future
trip since we had only allowed a few hours for this visit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--IX_aS1Tv_4/Wa9PxWFmUaI/AAAAAAAACUM/EwkZzMlJtYQfeo-yBzwCe3JiZ23Na03yQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2BCafe%2Bfor%2Blunch%2Bwith%2B10%2Bveg%2Bsalad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--IX_aS1Tv_4/Wa9PxWFmUaI/AAAAAAAACUM/EwkZzMlJtYQfeo-yBzwCe3JiZ23Na03yQCEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2BCafe%2Bfor%2Blunch%2Bwith%2B10%2Bveg%2Bsalad.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out the Capitol Reef Cafe if you're in the area!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We started
off at the Visitors’ Center, picking up advice and Junior Ranger booklets
before heading to a ranger-led program on petroglyphs in the park. We arrived just as the ranger was beginning
(as we often tend to do), and learned that the carvings on the rocks on front
of us were much taller than they appeared from our vantage point. Petroglyphs are carvings in rock while
pictographs are drawings on rock, and the ancient Fremont people who inhabited
the area from around 600-1300 AD left hundreds of examples of the former on
nearby rock formations. Boardwalks
afford views that are close enough to get a good look but far enough away to
protect the petroglyphs from damage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mqHVAmlIOLs/Wa9P2d9Tv1I/AAAAAAAACUM/dZ3fnxQ9TfozEbh40LxKepkZNyfIV7FfACEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Branger%2Bprogram.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mqHVAmlIOLs/Wa9P2d9Tv1I/AAAAAAAACUM/dZ3fnxQ9TfozEbh40LxKepkZNyfIV7FfACEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Branger%2Bprogram.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ranger talk about the park's petroglyphs was interesting and informative.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uQ_04KLqOmA/Wa9P1qtvBKI/AAAAAAAACUM/rQcLIpy08PohRLgaQE1FcCA03rQQ-3WIgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bpetroglyph%2Bfigures.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uQ_04KLqOmA/Wa9P1qtvBKI/AAAAAAAACUM/rQcLIpy08PohRLgaQE1FcCA03rQQ-3WIgCEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bpetroglyph%2Bfigures.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each human figure in these ancient petroglyphs is about 3 feet tall though they appear much smaller from the viewing area.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In addition
to the ancient rock carvings, another interesting feature of this park is its
numerous fruit orchards. Apples, pears,
peaches, cherries, apricots, and plums all grow within the park, and the more
than 2700 trees are reminders of the early Mormon settlers in the area. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we
visited <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/06/kinley-knox-and-i-take-waters-national.html" target="_blank">Hot Springs National Park</a>, we learned that not all parks have the, “Take
only photographs; leave only footprints,” rule, but that park led us to believe
they were the only park in the system that allowed guests to take things
away. (At Hot Springs, you can bottle
the spring water and take all you want from public fountains.) But, in fact, you can take fruit from the
Capitol Reef orchards, too! Any fruit
you consume in the park is free when it’s in season, but there is a small
charge to take fruit out of the park. Unfortunately,
our timing was off. We had just missed
the peach, apricot, and plum season, and we were too early for apples and pears. We had to be content to buy a cherry pie made
from the park’s fruits at the Gifford Homestead in the Fruita area of the
park. We sampled their homemade ice
cream, too, and would definitely recommend both.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In addition
to pies and ice cream, the Gifford Farm sells vintage-inspired,
hand-embroidered linens, jams, jellies, and items such as soap, wooden kitchen
utensils, and rugs made by local artisans.
There were several pear trees in the barnyard, and while the fruit was
awfully tempting, the lady at the shop assured me it would give us a
stomachache since it wasn’t ripe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mu3Gj5A4g2U/Wa9P1mSTy1I/AAAAAAAACUM/OU7D_EpJ-QsoM25fWAHSaCvXv9CQfOl-wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bpears%2Bin%2BFruita.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mu3Gj5A4g2U/Wa9P1mSTy1I/AAAAAAAACUM/OU7D_EpJ-QsoM25fWAHSaCvXv9CQfOl-wCEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bpears%2Bin%2BFruita.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pears were so tempting!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From the
Gifford Homestead, we could easily see the campground, and we noticed that it
was practically empty. Compared to Bryce
Canyon or Zion, this park was deserted.
On our drive through the park, we encountered few cars and even fewer
other visitors even though a quick drive-through seemed to be the typical tourist’s
method of doing the park. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As we drove
we saw several bighorn sheep, and we encountered the remains of several old uranium
mines. We enjoyed sweeping views and beautiful
rock formations, too. There was the one
resembles the dome of the US Capitol building in Washington, D.C., that gave
the park its name, but we also drove to the Goosenecks Overlook which affords a
view of a turn in the Fremont River which has spent eons carving out a
picturesque gorge. We walked up to
Panorama Point and later took a short hike to Sunset Point. Like Bryce, the colors and layers here were
distinctly different with beiges, maroons, rusts, and even pale greens making
up the palette. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-an9purBxBCc/Wa9PykyoS8I/AAAAAAAACUM/5RZYt0fYKnkbH7WJltkr-PTfz6lj4uHKACEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Babandoned%2Buranium%2Bmines.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-an9purBxBCc/Wa9PykyoS8I/AAAAAAAACUM/5RZYt0fYKnkbH7WJltkr-PTfz6lj4uHKACEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Babandoned%2Buranium%2Bmines.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dark, cave-like holes covered with ramshackle wooden barriers mark the old uranium mines.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Szk8PJs1gQE/Wa9Pyp3Z8YI/AAAAAAAACUM/PGfc3m1F9cgTm34KyUwVidSedCGlQ-Y7gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bbighorn%2Bsheep%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Szk8PJs1gQE/Wa9Pyp3Z8YI/AAAAAAAACUM/PGfc3m1F9cgTm34KyUwVidSedCGlQ-Y7gCEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bbighorn%2Bsheep%2Ba.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bighorn sheep roam freely through the park.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0HeFxexrqxA/Wa9PwciiuUI/AAAAAAAACUM/odjWX0QrZnIPF9KRp7KFjyKQyWFXG001ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BCapitol%2BDome%2Bformation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="901" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0HeFxexrqxA/Wa9PwciiuUI/AAAAAAAACUM/odjWX0QrZnIPF9KRp7KFjyKQyWFXG001ACEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BCapitol%2BDome%2Bformation.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The huge dome-like formation ahead is the park's namesake.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I5mRllPv2aM/Wa9PyxhKcpI/AAAAAAAACUM/NdcpNY9Tf1AS4DT0BRmBXtN0HsbtItryQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bgooseneck%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I5mRllPv2aM/Wa9PyxhKcpI/AAAAAAAACUM/NdcpNY9Tf1AS4DT0BRmBXtN0HsbtItryQCEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bgooseneck%2B1.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from Goosenecks Overlook was spectacular. You can see the tiny river far below continually carving the canyon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xgiFgoK72Dc/Wa9PzgW2l7I/AAAAAAAACUM/5yXgd0mFo7IBEsgr1N6e4q6FVvZccNv_wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bhiking%2BSunset%2BPoint%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xgiFgoK72Dc/Wa9PzgW2l7I/AAAAAAAACUM/5yXgd0mFo7IBEsgr1N6e4q6FVvZccNv_wCEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bhiking%2BSunset%2BPoint%2B2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A short hike brought us to Sunset Point.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gYAWadHeEL8/Wa9P0GFCdtI/AAAAAAAACUM/LZ3wQG-TyqA1tJg1g5nnoPDqJRxUrO3XgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bhiking%2BSunset%2BPoint%2B5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gYAWadHeEL8/Wa9P0GFCdtI/AAAAAAAACUM/LZ3wQG-TyqA1tJg1g5nnoPDqJRxUrO3XgCEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bhiking%2BSunset%2BPoint%2B5.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bench at Sunset Point was the perfect place to enjoy the view.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since it was
early evening and we still had to make the two-hour drive to Moab, Utah, we returned
to the Visitors’ Center to finish up the kids’ Junior Ranger badges so that we
could move on to the part of our trip that had been giving me anxiety for
months. I had alternately looked forward
to and dreaded this day for more than a year. We were going to be spending
three nights glamping (glamorous camping) at <a href="http://www.undercanvas.com/camps/moab/" target="_blank">Moab Under Canvas</a> outside Arches
National Park, and it was either going to be awesome or awful. (Isn’t it weird how those two words are
opposites but share the same stem?) But you'll have to read my next post to find out which adjective I'd use to describe the experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zrWxvElqY0A/Wa9P2AX5bmI/AAAAAAAACUM/dG644Bl0t7UdRxOMLF_pLMYGs7GNZP-xgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bphone%2Bpanorama.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="1600" height="222" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zrWxvElqY0A/Wa9P2AX5bmI/AAAAAAAACUM/dG644Bl0t7UdRxOMLF_pLMYGs7GNZP-xgCEwYBhgL/s640/0716%2BCapitol%2BReef%2Bphone%2Bpanorama.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A panoramic shot from Panorama Point</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-13317508664144866052017-09-03T20:41:00.000-07:002017-09-04T14:57:20.312-07:00Bryce Canyon, Thor's Hammer, and a Rock or Something: A National Park Odyssey Day 34<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm" target="_blank">Bryce Canyon National Park</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cd8ng9OZ2CM/WaYngjzTzNI/AAAAAAAACNs/xf3UyiFP4EYN6YFvjdZVBkBUVS1DtvfnQCLcBGAs/s1600/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2Bsign%2BGina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cd8ng9OZ2CM/WaYngjzTzNI/AAAAAAAACNs/xf3UyiFP4EYN6YFvjdZVBkBUVS1DtvfnQCLcBGAs/s640/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2Bsign%2BGina.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Park number 16 on Day number 34</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The squeak
of the door to our cabin in Bryce Canyon National Park pulled me from
sleep. <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/08/hiking-hoodoos-and-hair-color-national.html" target="_blank">Our late night drive from Tuacahn</a>
meant that we hadn’t arrived at our 16th park until 3:00 am, and I was
surprised that anyone in our room was moving.
I looked at my phone. 10:30. Josh, fully dressed and looking eager to start
the day, stood at the end of the bed holding two Junior Ranger books and a
stack of park maps and brochures.
“There’s a ranger program at the rim at 11:00, and the kids have to do
one for their badges. It’s practically
right outside our door. Let’s go do
that. And I checked out the shuttle
system already.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I stared at
him blearily, wondering where he found this extra store of energy. The kids and I reluctantly dragged ourselves
out of bed and threw on the same clothes from the night before. We walked out of the cabin and got our first
real look at the park since it had been pitch dark when we arrived the night
before. Our cabin was spitting distance
from the rim, and we walked along the short rocky pathway to the paved rim
trail. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s3kZuJO57dU/WaYnexdK-vI/AAAAAAAACNQ/NBFTtAnbMJQT1DfuGD2UgqGZB3TiDnYRgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2BLodge%2Bwestern%2Bcabin%2Bexterior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s3kZuJO57dU/WaYnexdK-vI/AAAAAAAACNQ/NBFTtAnbMJQT1DfuGD2UgqGZB3TiDnYRgCEwYBhgL/s400/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2BLodge%2Bwestern%2Bcabin%2Bexterior.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exterior (with kids) of our Western Cabin at Bryce Canyon Lodge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LIkFV_IWZUc/WaYneuZLF-I/AAAAAAAACNM/r-m21jD4UrogqNlWbLbxSHoE61lyLULLQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2BLodge%2Bwestern%2Bcabin%2Binterior%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LIkFV_IWZUc/WaYneuZLF-I/AAAAAAAACNM/r-m21jD4UrogqNlWbLbxSHoE61lyLULLQCEwYBhgL/s400/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2BLodge%2Bwestern%2Bcabin%2Binterior%2Ba.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior was rustic but spacious with nice furnishings.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vVIwP0aHcUA/WaYnfMMIWHI/AAAAAAAACNY/WmfYA1m-BB0MxUXHnNuQzvdTqyLlONRlACEwYBhgL/s1600/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2BLodge%2Bwestern%2Bcabin%2Binterior%2Bb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vVIwP0aHcUA/WaYnfMMIWHI/AAAAAAAACNY/WmfYA1m-BB0MxUXHnNuQzvdTqyLlONRlACEwYBhgL/s400/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2BLodge%2Bwestern%2Bcabin%2Binterior%2Bb.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Navajo prints gave an authentic feel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Had we not
visited <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebr/index.htm" target="_blank">Cedar Breaks National Monumen</a>t the day before, I’m certain I would have
gasped in awe. The rusty hues of the
rock formations in the canyon were like Cedar Breaks on steroids, and we
stopped briefly to admire the view. A
short walk away, we could see a crowd gathering around a man in a ranger
uniform. We arrived at the amphitheater
just as he was beginning his talk, and we found a spot to stand in the shade
since we hadn’t had time to slather ourselves in sunscreen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tmliAMrBonU/WadH244LZAI/AAAAAAAACOw/b4hJUvDT1akaRzt6BnJkJcQxWqa9jrU7ACLcBGAs/s1600/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2Branger%2Bgeology%2Btalk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tmliAMrBonU/WadH244LZAI/AAAAAAAACOw/b4hJUvDT1akaRzt6BnJkJcQxWqa9jrU7ACLcBGAs/s640/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2Branger%2Bgeology%2Btalk.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Geology isn't boring with this guy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The ranger
regaled us with geologic stories of frozen water expanding, melting, and
refreezing, eon after eon, contributing to the formation of the hoodoos, fins,
arches, and windows that stood in the canyon in front of us. He talked to us in terms we could understand
about chemical compositions of the rocks and how those chemicals create the
multitudes of colors present in the various layers. His enthusiasm made the subject matter
interesting and kept us all engaged. He
even pointed out the ways that the canyon continues to change by showing us
where the <i>old</i> rim trail used to be
before parts of it crumbled away and it was replaced with the paved trail we
were standing on. Afterwards, he signed
the kids’ booklets to prove they’d been to a ranger-led program, and we checked
one thing off of our to-do list.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-akUNLGoVgOQ/WadIlCv0zPI/AAAAAAAACO4/Guj4fyJf_HcOwWhe7qGizcUfGy-zPMrSACEwYBhgL/s1600/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2Bformer%2Brim%2Btrail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-akUNLGoVgOQ/WadIlCv0zPI/AAAAAAAACO4/Guj4fyJf_HcOwWhe7qGizcUfGy-zPMrSACEwYBhgL/s640/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2Bformer%2Brim%2Btrail.JPG" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These neatly aligned stones are all that remains of the trail that USED to be the rim trail. Erosion has continued to change the canyon, and now the trail is several feet farther back.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The next
requirement for our would-be Junior Rangers was for each of them to pick up ten
pieces of trash, so they worked on that as we walked along the rim and back to
our cabin. We were getting hungry, and
pizza seemed to be a good choice. We
hadn’t had any recently, and<a href="http://www.brycecanyonforever.com/pizza" target="_blank"> Valhalla Pizza</a> was located across the parking lot
from the park lodge. We shared a salad
and a pizza while the kids worked on their booklets, and while it wasn’t
anything special, it hit the spot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-79iNcNYAQnI/WadJNNqmVoI/AAAAAAAACPA/ODfabBoBqtgWIQ0VOxUPNrq21blZidL7QCLcBGAs/s1600/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2Bjunior%2Brangers%2Bpicking%2Bup%2Btrash.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-79iNcNYAQnI/WadJNNqmVoI/AAAAAAAACPA/ODfabBoBqtgWIQ0VOxUPNrq21blZidL7QCLcBGAs/s640/0715%2BBryce%2BCanyon%2Bjunior%2Brangers%2Bpicking%2Bup%2Btrash.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Junior Rangers picking up trash</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From there,
we got in our car and drove to the Bristlecone Loop which starts at Rainbow
Point overlook. While we had seen a
grove of the ancient evergreens at Great Basin, we were hoping for another
chance to walk amongst such awe-inspiring trees at Bryce. But as we walked along the trail, we soon
realized that this grove was a pale imitation of the Great Basin
experience. In fact, the few trees we
saw were barely clinging to life.
Actually, we only found about three!
Hardly a grove. As we walked the
wind picked up and the sky changed, indicating that a storm was brewing. At an altitude of 9,100 feet, the air was
already cool, and the thunder and lightning in the distance made us eager to
return to the safety of our car. We
headed back to the car and decided to check out an overlook or two on our way
back to the cabin if the weather cooperated.
It did, and the natural bridge overlook and the window overlook both
afforded views of interesting formations and the canyon beyond. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6zAeEGHw5CI/WadKgARzYEI/AAAAAAAACPY/X2N25-gnA3Y_X7JB7JKRhKNQ0kF6Cz0dwCLcBGAs/s1600/0715%2BBryce%2Bphone%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6zAeEGHw5CI/WadKgARzYEI/AAAAAAAACPY/X2N25-gnA3Y_X7JB7JKRhKNQ0kF6Cz0dwCLcBGAs/s640/0715%2BBryce%2Bphone%2B1.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the storm roll in from Bristlecone Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QAS7g2-0fS4/WadKfujVOMI/AAAAAAAACPU/_nbOKIKQjLknVENdy7FFyzyc2UvPyzVRACLcBGAs/s1600/0715%2BBryce%2BNatural%2BBridge%2Band%2BGina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QAS7g2-0fS4/WadKfujVOMI/AAAAAAAACPU/_nbOKIKQjLknVENdy7FFyzyc2UvPyzVRACLcBGAs/s640/0715%2BBryce%2BNatural%2BBridge%2Band%2BGina.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Natural Bridge Overlook</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SbebcRCZG-I/WadKiUQapuI/AAAAAAAACPg/PeZsFgZJISov-9pVrxGctt5Z7DhnxOB8gCLcBGAs/s1600/0715%2BBryce%2Bwindow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SbebcRCZG-I/WadKiUQapuI/AAAAAAAACPg/PeZsFgZJISov-9pVrxGctt5Z7DhnxOB8gCLcBGAs/s640/0715%2BBryce%2Bwindow.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Window Overlook</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And then, as
we passed a green meadow carpeted with prairie grasses, we saw several little
heads pop up out of holes in the ground.
A coterie of Utah prairie dogs had made their home within view of the
road, and we pulled over to watch them scurry about. They were adorable and reminded us of our
visit to the prairie dog town area of <a href="https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm" target="_blank">Badlands National Park </a>several years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Up to this
point, we had only observed the canyon with its rock formations and colorful
layers of rock from the rim, but for our evening hike, we hiked down the
Queen’s Garden Trail into the canyon to get a closer view. The 2.9 mile trail was relatively steep on
the way down, but it gave us a whole new perspective. As our feet crunched on the dusty rocks of
the path, we marveled at the way light from the setting sun changed beige to
peach to sienna to umber. The path cut
between hoodoos and fins, and the walls surrounding us looked like an
over-eager contractor had sprayed a rosy brown version of that stucco stuff
that popcorn ceilings are coated in all over the place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bu2DmQWC-Fk/WazESMBwRFI/AAAAAAAACRI/IQpyz3IEg2MD-oBTqF6MsSQ9RN7TiSAUQCLcBGAs/s1600/0715%2BQueen%2527s%2BGarden%2BTrail%2Bhoodoos.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bu2DmQWC-Fk/WazESMBwRFI/AAAAAAAACRI/IQpyz3IEg2MD-oBTqF6MsSQ9RN7TiSAUQCLcBGAs/s640/0715%2BQueen%2527s%2BGarden%2BTrail%2Bhoodoos.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trail wound through hoodoos and past fins and windows.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BRuKGWEKo-4/WazERQU2ApI/AAAAAAAACRE/9SrBgI7mF88G-ZcFGopLgrQRfrGKOY2hQCLcBGAs/s1600/0715%2BQueen%2527s%2BGarden%2BTrail%2BQueen%2BVictoria.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BRuKGWEKo-4/WazERQU2ApI/AAAAAAAACRE/9SrBgI7mF88G-ZcFGopLgrQRfrGKOY2hQCLcBGAs/s640/0715%2BQueen%2527s%2BGarden%2BTrail%2BQueen%2BVictoria.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U21NLHgRKNI/WazERHuSm5I/AAAAAAAACQ8/xbdZEtQuTV0Q-AwEKSYPoqgFMKPDjwi_gCLcBGAs/s1600/0715%2BQueen%2527s%2BGarden%2BTrail%2B2%2Bwindows.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U21NLHgRKNI/WazERHuSm5I/AAAAAAAACQ8/xbdZEtQuTV0Q-AwEKSYPoqgFMKPDjwi_gCLcBGAs/s640/0715%2BQueen%2527s%2BGarden%2BTrail%2B2%2Bwindows.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As the trail
flattened out, we came to the formation for which it was named, a hoodoo that
looked like Queen Victoria regally surveying the canyon. Beneath the portly monarch was a metal disc
affixed to a sign explaining how hikers could make rubbings of this and similar
medallions to prove they had hiked at least three miles in the canyon. They could then show the rubbings to a park
ranger to get a special I Hiked the Hoodoos sticker. Always prepared, Kinley had brought along
Crayola Twistables in three colors so that her rubbings wouldn’t be
boring. Knox was less prepared. In fact,
Knox only had his Junior Ranger booklet.
Kinley reluctantly let him use one of hers but drew the line at letting
him use multiple colors. Dejected, he
made a monochromatic montage while Kinley was sure to remind him that he should
just be grateful she let him borrow anything at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EhfS0MlAVFg/WazE9MM46xI/AAAAAAAACRU/TJ-7N4jjAsgTONJSQDqGoj3hV3rO3YxGQCLcBGAs/s1600/0715%2BQueen%2527s%2BGarden%2BTrail%2BQueen%2BVictoria.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EhfS0MlAVFg/WazE9MM46xI/AAAAAAAACRU/TJ-7N4jjAsgTONJSQDqGoj3hV3rO3YxGQCLcBGAs/s640/0715%2BQueen%2527s%2BGarden%2BTrail%2BQueen%2BVictoria.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Queen Victoria hoodoo is the top third of the hoodoo on the left and shows her gazing to the left wearing a robe with her hands clasped in front of her.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U8CQf7qhSOE/WazE9OClM-I/AAAAAAAACRM/fIjRdChMgWgIiDuzs_tjXus38t_jraAYgCLcBGAs/s1600/0715%2BBryce%2Bmedallion%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U8CQf7qhSOE/WazE9OClM-I/AAAAAAAACRM/fIjRdChMgWgIiDuzs_tjXus38t_jraAYgCLcBGAs/s640/0715%2BBryce%2Bmedallion%2B2.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was one of the medallions that Kinley and Knox used to take rubbings.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJfcBjnyn1c/WazGbG5eL4I/AAAAAAAACRg/Uyh7Lk8GKd4x4bsIfxVzCt4cVsYxnqL4ACLcBGAs/s1600/0715%2BNavajo%2BLoop%2BTrail%2Bmarker.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJfcBjnyn1c/WazGbG5eL4I/AAAAAAAACRg/Uyh7Lk8GKd4x4bsIfxVzCt4cVsYxnqL4ACLcBGAs/s640/0715%2BNavajo%2BLoop%2BTrail%2Bmarker.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley uses the medallion to make a rubbing with HER crayons.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we
weren’t pushing each other’s buttons (due, at least in part, to a lack of sleep
the night before) we were slaphappy and silly.
We made goofy jokes that were funny only to us. Things like, “Hey! Hoodoo dat?”
And “Hoodoo? YOU Do!!” What can I say? It beats screaming at each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After our
encounter with royalty made of rock, we took the Two Bridges side of the Navajo
Loop Trail back up to the rim. We passed
a natural bridge before starting up the steep switchbacks, and halfway up I had
flashbacks to <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/06/a-bear-some-bats-and-poorly-labeled.html" target="_blank">my Carlsbad Caverns exit experience</a> (minus the kamikaze swallows
and the deluge of their droppings).
After making it up the zigzags, we had a sweeping view of the canyon and
its formations including the Hammer of Thor.
While we caught our breath, we set up the perfect picture of Josh
holding the mythical weapon, and then we finished off our hike. We had even completed it in far less time
than the NPS brochures had predicted it would take.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KNrAKzNEEBk/WazEPxde6rI/AAAAAAAACRY/68waLXk8pKs6YQw2dGY3jjr1FtgcwgdrwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0715%2BNavajo%2BLoop%2BTrail%2B2%2BBridges%2Bposing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="901" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KNrAKzNEEBk/WazEPxde6rI/AAAAAAAACRY/68waLXk8pKs6YQw2dGY3jjr1FtgcwgdrwCEwYBhgL/s640/0715%2BNavajo%2BLoop%2BTrail%2B2%2BBridges%2Bposing.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley and Knox pose in front of a natural bridge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7ixYGA1wLg/WazEQajHnOI/AAAAAAAACRY/rXVUVFybpBoHsJhq17ws0lO92lckkVKsgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0715%2BNavajo%2BLoop%2BTrail%2Bhikers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7ixYGA1wLg/WazEQajHnOI/AAAAAAAACRY/rXVUVFybpBoHsJhq17ws0lO92lckkVKsgCEwYBhgL/s640/0715%2BNavajo%2BLoop%2BTrail%2Bhikers.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LwBtw4zIkFU/WazEP1sLC7I/AAAAAAAACRY/WBYdZEL4U74ALPay5MQvu_yR_pjLerx4gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0715%2BNavajo%2BLoop%2BTrail%2BKinley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LwBtw4zIkFU/WazEP1sLC7I/AAAAAAAACRY/WBYdZEL4U74ALPay5MQvu_yR_pjLerx4gCEwYBhgL/s640/0715%2BNavajo%2BLoop%2BTrail%2BKinley.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kv5tMYUMFXU/WazEQliaX1I/AAAAAAAACRY/0aTpKcrw-DM37OmTIyMbsyW-M66akglcgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0715%2BNavajo%2BLoop%2BTrail%2Bswitchbacks%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2Btop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kv5tMYUMFXU/WazEQliaX1I/AAAAAAAACRY/0aTpKcrw-DM37OmTIyMbsyW-M66akglcgCEwYBhgL/s640/0715%2BNavajo%2BLoop%2BTrail%2Bswitchbacks%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2Btop.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The series of switchbacks on the Navajo Loop had us all winded.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A_VXN3oiFUo/WazEPnnylII/AAAAAAAACRY/71sFSmO6F0Yp-ZlufvqCr4EQmo5vBakzwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0715%2BJosh%2Bwields%2Bthe%2BHammer%2Bof%2BThor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A_VXN3oiFUo/WazEPnnylII/AAAAAAAACRY/71sFSmO6F0Yp-ZlufvqCr4EQmo5vBakzwCEwYBhgL/s640/0715%2BJosh%2Bwields%2Bthe%2BHammer%2Bof%2BThor.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh holds the Hammer of Thor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dIFI2OXWBic/WazERHgcrVI/AAAAAAAACRY/E4UbpxYVVJYhA5oVru5ZrJ-tEiJrCo1GACEwYBhgL/s1600/0715%2BNavajo%2BLoop%2BTrail%2Bview%2Bwith%2Blight.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dIFI2OXWBic/WazERHgcrVI/AAAAAAAACRY/E4UbpxYVVJYhA5oVru5ZrJ-tEiJrCo1GACEwYBhgL/s640/0715%2BNavajo%2BLoop%2BTrail%2Bview%2Bwith%2Blight.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As the sun set, the changing light made the canyon glow with color.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We were
ready for dinner, but a look at the lodge restaurant’s menu earlier in the day
had been underwhelming. We decided
instead to scrounge odds and ends from the baskets of snacks we’d been hauling
around the whole trip. We had bread and
peanut butter (creamy for Kinley and crunchy for Knox), and we’d picked up some
packets of honey and jelly from Marriott breakfasts. We had also brought along one of Knox’s
favorite Christmas gifts that he had been saving for such a time as this – a
real military MRE or Meal Ready to Eat.
Knox had a friend who inspired him to try the packets of food used by
the military, and he had asked for his own MRE for Christmas. We decided that this was the perfect time to
try it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We read the
instructions to learn how to activate the self-heating element, and we got
really tickled at one part of the directions.
Once the chemical reaction that heats the food gets started, you are
supposed to take the MRE and “lean against a rock or something.” Those are the exact words. I don’t know why this cracked us up so much,
but somehow the idea of some US military contractor deciding to use the words
“a rock or something” was just hilarious to us.
Why didn’t they write “a rock or other stable surface”? Or even just “a hard surface”? It’s like the writer couldn’t think of
anything specific that would work besides a rock but knew that surely there
must be other options besides rocks that would work for MRE leaning. Again, what can I say? Giddily laughing at military meal
instructions beats screaming at each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And in case
you’re wondering, Knox loved the MRE. He
found it to be far more food than he could eat in one sitting, so the extra
items like protein bars and dried fruits ending up being saved for another
time. But he really liked the pasta with
sauce that came in his packet, and we all thought that the way it heated up on
its own was really cool. Our peanut
butter sandwiches paled in comparison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After
dinner, we put the kids to bed and then Josh and I went to the lodge to try to access
the internet. It wasn’t strong enough to
reach our cabin, and we had heard it wasn’t even very good in the <a href="http://www.brycecanyonforever.com/" target="_blank">lodge</a>. The lobby was completely empty except for two
employees, so we didn’t have to compete with other guests for bandwidth. We were able to connect easily so I worked on
a blog post while Josh got some work done.
Considering how little sleep we had gotten the night before, we should
have called it a night far earlier than we did.
But, as I’ve lamented before, finding reliable internet is a headache in
the national parks so when you find it, you use it. At 2:00 AM, we both finally decided we were
exhausted, so we closed up our laptops and headed out into the inky night
toward our snug little cabin. After all,
Day 35 had already begun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-85872981566876446682017-08-06T18:26:00.001-07:002017-08-06T19:20:56.822-07:00Hiking, Hoodoos, and Hair Color: A National Park Odyssey Days 32-33 <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm" target="_blank">ZionNational Park</a> to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm" target="_blank">Bryce Canyon National Park</a> via <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cebr/index.htm" target="_blank">Cedar Breaks National Monument</a>
and <a href="https://www.tuacahn.org/Online/default.asp" target="_blank">Tuacahn</a></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lft3VyFPLF8/WYeSBZd6r7I/AAAAAAAACKE/YqYNmnTiHzwhWedgnLj56WPCgbXQBkoKACLcBGAs/s1600/0713%2BNarrows%2BBoyds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lft3VyFPLF8/WYeSBZd6r7I/AAAAAAAACKE/YqYNmnTiHzwhWedgnLj56WPCgbXQBkoKACLcBGAs/s640/0713%2BNarrows%2BBoyds.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By getting an early start on The Narrows trail we were able to get many pictures without other people in them!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you’d
like to listen to our podcast about <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-14-zion-national-park-with-kinley" target="_blank">Zion, click here!</a> If you'd like to listen to our podcast about Tuacahn, Cedar Breaks, and Bryce Canyon, <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-15-cedar-breaks-national-monument-bryce-canyon-national-park-and-outdoor-dramas" target="_blank">click here</a>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I gazed at
the shelves, feeling suddenly anxious and ill-prepared. Row upon row of hi-top water shoes were
arranged neatly by size, waiting for would-be hikers to plunk down their $24 to
take them along on a day hike up The Narrows.
I mentally listed all the ways that my years-old water shoes weren’t
good enough, strong enough, safe enough, warm enough. Or wait.
Maybe I shouldn’t be quite so hasty.
Maybe I could just buy a pair of those nifty neoprene water socks to
wear with my shoes rather than the plain old socks I’d brought along to prevent
blisters. I turned to look for a display
of socks for sale rather than for rent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That was the
key. Turning away. The farther I walked from the hypnotically
organized shelves, the less I felt the need for the specialized gear. Within moments, it had lost its hold on me,
draining away gradually, like water down a slow gutter. My shoes would be fine. I didn’t need to spend any money at all to do
this hike. It was just a hike, right? Albeit a hike in water which I’d never done
before, but it would be fine. And just like
that, I saved myself $24.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The next
morning, we missed Josh’s goal of being on the first shuttle bus of the day at
6:15, but we managed to get ourselves out the door and on the second one. We were shocked to see standing room only
when it arrived at the lodge to pick us up, but we were thrilled when most of
the hikers got off at the stop for the Angel’s Landing hike. We rode on to the stop at the Temple of
Sinawava, a rock formation where Zion Canyon Drive ends. We made a quick restroom stop and then
started on the paved trail along the Virgin River. We had checked with a ranger the day before to ask about the likelihood of a flash flood before noon, and he said that we should be OK as long as we were done before 3:00. He also told us to be sure to check the weather frequently before beginning since conditions can change quickly and flash floods are deadly on this hike. Josh checked repeatedly before we left the hotel, and a flood appeared to be unlikely. So off we went! There were a few people ahead of us, and the
morning was cool and calm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a9ZniapXbGM/WYeSD8OESAI/AAAAAAAACKo/8WW5dA2nvO0ycZF4dcuGLE4RMUi5sM7_ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0713%2BTemple%2Bpulpit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a9ZniapXbGM/WYeSD8OESAI/AAAAAAAACKo/8WW5dA2nvO0ycZF4dcuGLE4RMUi5sM7_ACEwYBhgL/s640/0713%2BTemple%2Bpulpit.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pulpit at the Temple of Sinawava</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zarmIEoZ1Gg/WYeSD7xR1UI/AAAAAAAACLw/mIDH47UlNnslO60D3N6_JCCMHNh8j0nEQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0713%2BRiverside%2BTrail%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bway%2Bto%2Bthe%2BNarrows.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zarmIEoZ1Gg/WYeSD7xR1UI/AAAAAAAACLw/mIDH47UlNnslO60D3N6_JCCMHNh8j0nEQCEwYBhgL/s640/0713%2BRiverside%2BTrail%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bway%2Bto%2Bthe%2BNarrows.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mile-long Riverside Trail was an easy walk before the wet part of the trail. Notice that none of us are wearing special footwear!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The high
walls of the narrow canyon prevent the sun’s rays from reaching the rushing
water below, and I was worried that the shaded canyon would mean freezing cold
water temperatures. I fretted about this
silently as we walked the mile-long trail and then made our way down the
makeshift steps to where The Narrows begins.
The initial step into the cool, clear river wasn’t so bad since the
water was rather shallow at this point.
Beyond that point, we were more concerned about our footing than the
water’s temperature, so my fears were completely unfounded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jtgMBVW4PU/WYeSDEAAj4I/AAAAAAAACLw/mIupnTnl_C4WrhToGX_i5rIMDcwc-5XMQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0713%2BNarrows%2Bsetting%2Bout.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jtgMBVW4PU/WYeSDEAAj4I/AAAAAAAACLw/mIupnTnl_C4WrhToGX_i5rIMDcwc-5XMQCEwYBhgL/s640/0713%2BNarrows%2Bsetting%2Bout.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Into the water we go!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We waded
upstream a mile and a half, stepping carefully on the slippery rocks,
occasionally treading on sandy beaches, and taking pictures of the
multi-colored cliffs that lined the water as we went. At one point the water was chest deep and
Kinley plunged in for a swim, but most of the time it was no more than knee deep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JjOg4J2qMSM/WYeSCBfhcAI/AAAAAAAACLw/Q6dUQiporvE_vx2Hc65MOFPFfAfx3nMZwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0713%2BNarrows%2BJosh%2Band%2BSpecial%2BKs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JjOg4J2qMSM/WYeSCBfhcAI/AAAAAAAACLw/Q6dUQiporvE_vx2Hc65MOFPFfAfx3nMZwCEwYBhgL/s640/0713%2BNarrows%2BJosh%2Band%2BSpecial%2BKs.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh kept our camera in the same dry bag around his neck that Kinley had used on the Grand Canyon mule ride.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pBAQXKs9brg/WYeSBPrjQZI/AAAAAAAACLw/4t2JfR0ECRojazBLXd7IXnIDf1LJnAucwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0713%2BNarrows%2BGina%2Band%2BKnox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pBAQXKs9brg/WYeSBPrjQZI/AAAAAAAACLw/4t2JfR0ECRojazBLXd7IXnIDf1LJnAucwCEwYBhgL/s640/0713%2BNarrows%2BGina%2Band%2BKnox.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We spent a lot of time looking down as we tried to pick our way through the swiftly-flowing river.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This was –
by far – my favorite hike of our trip.
And starting early was key. We found
ourselves stepping around bends in the river, completely alone, multiple times
that morning. Well, on the way up. Once we turned around at the famed Wall
Street area and headed back, it was a completely different story. Hordes of people clogged the waterway,
stirring up sediment in the water and making it impossible to see where to
place your feet for the most stable route downriver. The beaches, which were sandy and pleasant on
the hike up, were now muddy and slippery.
Crowds of wet hikers had dripped their way across the banks making what
used to be dry land difficult to traverse.
In fact, the one time Knox fell on the trip wasn’t on the slick rocks in
the river, it was on the now slippery banks as we hiked back down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4AYXAXm_d6k/WYeSCe9BLKI/AAAAAAAACLw/5bgjlCynUH0NV1-2RyA-IJjvAOM_G5L_gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0713%2BNarrows%2BWallstreet%2BJosh%2Band%2Bkids.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4AYXAXm_d6k/WYeSCe9BLKI/AAAAAAAACLw/5bgjlCynUH0NV1-2RyA-IJjvAOM_G5L_gCEwYBhgL/s640/0713%2BNarrows%2BWallstreet%2BJosh%2Band%2Bkids.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One we hit the Wall Street area, we decided to turn back. Again, we got plenty of pictures without other people in them.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V__hAQt3R9M/WYeSCzSQUCI/AAAAAAAACLw/CjG8AEu0gaEHa9ZaqWlWAZuq_KrAMU_EACEwYBhgL/s1600/0713%2BNarrows%2Blooking%2Bup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V__hAQt3R9M/WYeSCzSQUCI/AAAAAAAACLw/CjG8AEu0gaEHa9ZaqWlWAZuq_KrAMU_EACEwYBhgL/s640/0713%2BNarrows%2Blooking%2Bup.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view looking up shows just how close together the walls of the canyon are.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But that
hike up. Holy cow. Those two hours with the sun-streaked canyon
walls; the glistening river stones smoothed by untold eons of rushing water;
the sunbeams glancing off the river’s surface; the gasp-worthy scenes around
each bend; the gurgle of the ever-moving, life-giving liquid in the middle of a
Utah desert. Those two hours of hiking were sublime. In fact, had Kinley not been shivering from
her swim, I would have wanted to carry on just a bit further. To see what was just around the next bend. But I know what would have happened
then. Beyond that bend would have been
another, and another. Calling me. Beckoning me onward through the river, over
the rocks, into the next sunbeam.
Turning back would have been harder without a wet teenager.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cE-4e0PZe-c/WYeSC0Erb1I/AAAAAAAACLw/ukD9uAK6XO44D2E_bmIaleZleSAs0KcnQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0713%2BNarrows%2Bcrowds%2B3%2Bbest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cE-4e0PZe-c/WYeSC0Erb1I/AAAAAAAACLw/ukD9uAK6XO44D2E_bmIaleZleSAs0KcnQCEwYBhgL/s640/0713%2BNarrows%2Bcrowds%2B3%2Bbest.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at the difference on the way back! People were EVERYWHERE! We were so glad we had taken our pictures on the way up!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But back we
went. We were finished before noon, but
swarms of people were just beginning as we finished. Trust me.
Do this one early.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After
showering back at our cabin, we had lunch at <a href="http://www.thaisapazion.com/" target="_blank">a lackluster Thai place</a> in
Springdale just outside the park. After
<a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/07/one-big-disappointment-and-three.html" target="_blank">our LA experience</a>, Thai Sapa was a massive disappointment and expensive to
boot. (What kind of Thai place can’t
make Thai iced tea because “the owner isn’t here today”???) Also in Springdale, we found a laundromat and
popped a couple of loads in, wandering around the nearby shops while waiting
for our dirty (and wet) clothes to wash and dry. On our way back to the lodge, we stopped off
at the Human History Museum inside the park to help the kids find some of the
answers to questions in their Junior Ranger books. A ranger there swore them in once they
finished, and the kids added another badge to their growing collections.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9EOKHWvYqs/WYeSDyclxqI/AAAAAAAACLw/jC3tovLq4_EzQocnKyI1EhFHJlFmiUaTACEwYBhgL/s1600/0713%2BZion%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9EOKHWvYqs/WYeSDyclxqI/AAAAAAAACLw/jC3tovLq4_EzQocnKyI1EhFHJlFmiUaTACEwYBhgL/s640/0713%2BZion%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids get sworn in at Zion.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That
evening, we had another disappointing meal, this time at the park lodge. I think that of the parks with full-service
lodges, Zion had the most disappointing food options. The <a href="http://www.zionlodge.com/dining/castle-dome-cafe/" target="_blank">Castle Dome Café</a> snack bar closed early
and had little more than burgers, fries, and hot dogs. The <a href="http://www.zionlodge.com/dining/red-rock-grill/" target="_blank">Red Rock Grill</a> required reservations, and
they got off to a bad start when we had to wait half an hour past our
reservation time to be seated. Even
then, though, I had high hopes after looking at the menu. But when I went to the salad bar and had to
pick through the lettuce, the spinach, <i>and</i>
the spring mix to find enough that wasn’t too slimy for my salad, they lost
me. And lest you think it was just me
being picky, there was a lady behind me who was getting annoyed with me for
taking so long until she tried to pick out greens for her own salad. I’m pretty sure I had taken everything
edible, and yet the containers were still full.
We exchanged glances and each muttered something about how disgusting it
was. The entrees were fine but certainly
not delicious. In short, I was
underwhelmed and wouldn’t recommend it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We did tell
the manager of the restaurant that he might want to take a look at the greens,
and we overheard another family tell the manager of the hotel how disappointing
the restaurant was. There were also
flies, and one roach skittered across the hardwood floor two tables away from
us. And we weren’t dining al
fresco. And, of course, it wasn’t cheap
either. But our sweet server did the
best she could, and these issues had far more to do with the management than
with the employees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After
dinner, I tried to use the lobby wifi to upload a blog post while Josh and the
kids played a game of Settlers of Catan.
We have a little travel version that we bought years ago for $5 at a
second hand store in Chicago, and it has served us well in our travels. Later, as we walked back to the cabin,
several mule deer were grazing on the green lawn in front of the lodge. By this point in our trip, mule deer were only
slightly more interesting to us than grass, so we didn’t join the groups of
guests watching them eat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r3gfhkT7JRo/WYeSEYUq9zI/AAAAAAAACLw/gST-N4HIctkFXARt0wPKEXM3byCO-84UwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0713%2BZion%2Bplaying%2BSettlers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r3gfhkT7JRo/WYeSEYUq9zI/AAAAAAAACLw/gST-N4HIctkFXARt0wPKEXM3byCO-84UwCEwYBhgL/s640/0713%2BZion%2Bplaying%2BSettlers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh and the kids play Settlers of Catan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The next
morning, we took another early-ish shuttle to the trail to Weeping Rock. This is a sandstone cliff that seeps water
and provides a habitat for lush vegetation.
Again, because of our early start, we had it pretty much all to ourselves. It’s only a half-mile paved hike, and I’d
recommend it over either the middle or upper Emerald Pool. While waiting for the shuttle, we wandered
down to the Virgin River for one last look before we packed up and headed out
of the park.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fibolGI74N8/WYeSEr-atwI/AAAAAAAACLw/UaYXC5DZ3KQpR05st_UOIDdbRLiFEF_CACEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BAsleep%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bbus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fibolGI74N8/WYeSEr-atwI/AAAAAAAACLw/UaYXC5DZ3KQpR05st_UOIDdbRLiFEF_CACEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BAsleep%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bbus.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was early, and poor Knox had a hard time staying awake on the shuttle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7GhhekpdDyU/WYeSIfBK-DI/AAAAAAAACLw/fDFBPo02Xbw8gCqjbAvX2v97-GVMkIC0gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BWeeping%2BRock%2Blight%2Bforeground.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7GhhekpdDyU/WYeSIfBK-DI/AAAAAAAACLw/fDFBPo02Xbw8gCqjbAvX2v97-GVMkIC0gCEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BWeeping%2BRock%2Blight%2Bforeground.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The picture doesn't show the water leaking from the Weeping Rock above, but it was really pretty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L2cL69WTkfc/WYeSH1IdTqI/AAAAAAAACLw/5q-UxMjo2nA5wrIidTYWHp5RFFlKSQ18QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BVirgin%2BRiver%2Bvertical.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L2cL69WTkfc/WYeSH1IdTqI/AAAAAAAACLw/5q-UxMjo2nA5wrIidTYWHp5RFFlKSQ18QCEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BVirgin%2BRiver%2Bvertical.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Virgin River runs through Zion National Park.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As we left,
we drove through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel.
Upon its completion in 1930, the 1.1-mile tunnel was the longest in the
United States. In 1989, the park service
began controlling traffic so that only a few vehicles go through at a
time. Much like when a flagger allows
only one direction of traffic to flow at a time during road construction,
vehicles traveling one direction go through and then vehicles traveling the
other direction are allowed through. It
takes a while and there are strict restrictions on larger vehicles. If your vehicle is too big, you have to pay
$15 for an escort through!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Just on the
other side of the tunnel was Checkerboard Mesa, and beyond that we pulled over
to see some bighorn sheep. (If you
listen to our podcast, this was when the guy screamed the F bomb out the window
at us as he passed us and scarred Knox for life.) Once we recovered our wits, we drove on to
Cedar Breaks National Monument.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AzJPvLPqXvA/WYeSI_Ubs0I/AAAAAAAACLw/gjZyzCZ9F006--Skogg4yA52LsIUSY-2QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BZion%2Bcheckerboard%2Bmesa%2BJosh%2Band%2Bkids.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AzJPvLPqXvA/WYeSI_Ubs0I/AAAAAAAACLw/gjZyzCZ9F006--Skogg4yA52LsIUSY-2QCEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BZion%2Bcheckerboard%2Bmesa%2BJosh%2Band%2Bkids.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh and the kids stand with Checkerboard Mesa in the background.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QQBCQbklpYs/WYeSKXeeppI/AAAAAAAACLw/OtVDogsq9-oipjWWFh_ODgyCxtFv_9Y7wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BZion%2Bbighorn%2Bsheep.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QQBCQbklpYs/WYeSKXeeppI/AAAAAAAACLw/OtVDogsq9-oipjWWFh_ODgyCxtFv_9Y7wCEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BZion%2Bbighorn%2Bsheep.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out these bighorn sheep! The guy in the car behind us was not impressed.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This stop
wasn’t on our original itinerary, but we found ourselves with some time to
kill. Just after I posted my first blog
post about this trip which listed all of our stops in order and their dates, a
former student contacted me to say that he would be performing in a show near
Zion while we were there. He arranged
for us to get free tickets to see <i>Mama
Mia</i>! The show didn’t begin until
8:45, so we decided to add another Junior Ranger badge and National Parks
Passport stamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ezr4gRLM1Kg/WYeYpd3eqEI/AAAAAAAACMQ/2z5EnL55iwQFnOtQxSuKI3MMDbyZPD_MQCLcBGAs/s1600/0714%2BCedar%2BBreaks%2Bsign%2Bkids.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ezr4gRLM1Kg/WYeYpd3eqEI/AAAAAAAACMQ/2z5EnL55iwQFnOtQxSuKI3MMDbyZPD_MQCLcBGAs/s640/0714%2BCedar%2BBreaks%2Bsign%2Bkids.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Since this one wasn't a national park, I didn't get a picture of myself with the numbered sign here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m pretty
sure I gasped when I first looked over the rim and into the canyon. I’d never before seen the types of rock
formations that Cedar Breaks has – hoodoos, fins, and windows. And the colors were spectacular as well. The Visitors’ Center had a large window
across the back that afforded a breathtaking view of the canyon. Along the rim, wildflowers were in bloom, and
the emerald greens of the surrounding spruces, pines, and firs stood in stark
contrast to the ochres, umbers, and sorrels of the rock formations below. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Jk62Rorwug/WYeSGTf5cVI/AAAAAAAACLw/ZzfKSzAY_X8yfZ7oit0jEBnee475QZedwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BCedar%2BBreaks%2Boverlook.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Jk62Rorwug/WYeSGTf5cVI/AAAAAAAACLw/ZzfKSzAY_X8yfZ7oit0jEBnee475QZedwCEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BCedar%2BBreaks%2Boverlook.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids and I got our first look at the hoodoos of Cedar Breaks at this overlook. Note the silvery color in the part of my hair in this picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The kids got
started on their booklets as it began to rain, and we piled back in the car to
return to Cedar City for some lunch.
Earlier in the day, I had done some Googling and made some phone calls
to arrange to get my embarrassingly grey roots done, so the rest of the family
dropped me off at a salon while they explored the little town together. (By the way, this type of thing happens every
single summer. I get my hair colored
right before we leave for whatever trip we’re doing that summer, and four weeks
later, I have to find a stranger in a strange place to color it for me again. It’s a pain, but it is what it is. I refuse to be completely grey at 45.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aWhuVPdEBRI/WYeSGx4o5xI/AAAAAAAACLw/iHi9EFyIJd8o_lodsGbXlBeA37eETM-6gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BCedar%2BBreaks%2Bworking%2Bon%2Bjunior%2Branger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aWhuVPdEBRI/WYeSGx4o5xI/AAAAAAAACLw/iHi9EFyIJd8o_lodsGbXlBeA37eETM-6gCEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BCedar%2BBreaks%2Bworking%2Bon%2Bjunior%2Branger.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even in the rain, the Junior Ranger badge activities must be done!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As soon as I
once again took on the appearance of the Me I’m comfortable showing to the
world, we grabbed another round of ice cream at <a href="https://www.palettecreamery.com/" target="_blank">Palette</a> before driving back up
to Cedar Breaks. The kids found a ranger
to swear them in, and then we took a little walk around the rim area of the canyon
before starting our hour and a half drive to the amphitheater for the show. On the way down the mountain, we observed a
pastoral scene complete with shepherds on horseback. I didn’t even know that was still a thing.
Southern Utah is full of surprises.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bSluf6bCsdE/WYeSHCd0A5I/AAAAAAAACLw/T585DwdWUPkX6oQn4xBon_7iVg1iyLv_wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BCedar%2BCity%2BPalette%2BCreamery%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bSluf6bCsdE/WYeSHCd0A5I/AAAAAAAACLw/T585DwdWUPkX6oQn4xBon_7iVg1iyLv_wCEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BCedar%2BCity%2BPalette%2BCreamery%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I know this is the same picture from my other blog post. But this is really the one from this trip to Palette.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5wWO0fKafuQ/WYeSEwvU7jI/AAAAAAAACLw/9Zn3xvoGdgwmg6F85p2DF3Kv5jzIqjfIACEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BCedar%2BBreaks%2BKnox%2BGina%2BJosh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5wWO0fKafuQ/WYeSEwvU7jI/AAAAAAAACLw/9Zn3xvoGdgwmg6F85p2DF3Kv5jzIqjfIACEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BCedar%2BBreaks%2BKnox%2BGina%2BJosh.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back at Cedar Breaks after our trip to Cedar City, my hair is straight and no greys are showing!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CVfLqe0eSvc/WYeSGOcnNiI/AAAAAAAACLw/_sRjjlP_MXMlDMHDaDBPMZxFO5tmIudmwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BCedar%2BBreaks%2Blooking%2Bdown.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CVfLqe0eSvc/WYeSGOcnNiI/AAAAAAAACLw/_sRjjlP_MXMlDMHDaDBPMZxFO5tmIudmwCEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BCedar%2BBreaks%2Blooking%2Bdown.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cedar Breaks has better examples of fin formations like this one than Bryce Canyon, in my opinion.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MDkRzRt54-Q/WYeSGnRcX8I/AAAAAAAACLw/3Svz-uwClfghQKxuZWbJGGOlUsGg37-SgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BCedar%2BBreaks%2Bpanorama.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MDkRzRt54-Q/WYeSGnRcX8I/AAAAAAAACLw/3Svz-uwClfghQKxuZWbJGGOlUsGg37-SgCEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BCedar%2BBreaks%2Bpanorama.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't this beautiful?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bbEUwmRjSFE/WYeSHkNhYnI/AAAAAAAACLw/MrTafrswmoU5XPt-erjYcQd_5fMlYGneACEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BShepherd.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bbEUwmRjSFE/WYeSHkNhYnI/AAAAAAAACLw/MrTafrswmoU5XPt-erjYcQd_5fMlYGneACEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BShepherd.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shepherds on horseback let their sheep graze near the Cedar Breaks National Monument. Who knew this was still a thing?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tuacahn
offers pre-show meals as an add-on, but you have to call for reservations more than
24 hours in advance. I didn’t call early
enough, so we had Panda Express in the car, which for Knox was actually a
welcome change to our eat-local routine.
Tuacahn is located in <a href="http://www.visitivinsutah.com/" target="_blank">Ivins, Utah</a>, which appeared to be a rather shi-shi
little town with gorgeous scenery, luxurious spas, and plenty of gated
communities – the kind where the gates themselves cost more than my house. The roundabout at the town’s entrance
features a group of sculptures by a world-renowned sculptor. It’s that kind of place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Even Tuacahn
itself was impressive. We have an amphitheater
in our town, and let me tell you, it is pathetic in comparison to this
place. As you round a huge red rock mesa,
the entrance comes into view, complete with fountains and dramatic
lighting. The parking lot is immense,
and the walkway leading to the ticket windows has an extensive cascading
waterfall. It seemed more like a venue
you’d see in Las Vegas than one you’d find in a relatively-unknown corner of
Utah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xfvuksSpIow/WYeXbEVPrwI/AAAAAAAACL8/XyMBgogKQqoydsuCdpUQbJvzSFroSjfGgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xfvuksSpIow/WYeXbEVPrwI/AAAAAAAACL8/XyMBgogKQqoydsuCdpUQbJvzSFroSjfGgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6846.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The theater is surrounded by stunning red rocks and mesas.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xrYsEHkhlxE/WYeSHuv8ocI/AAAAAAAACLw/pTaToQ8nb80oHS50CyYfJIOx0WGdgw0GwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0714%2BTuacahn%2BMamma%2BMia%2Bwatchers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xrYsEHkhlxE/WYeSHuv8ocI/AAAAAAAACLw/pTaToQ8nb80oHS50CyYfJIOx0WGdgw0GwCEwYBhgL/s640/0714%2BTuacahn%2BMamma%2BMia%2Bwatchers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The venue was huge and packed!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The heat was
oppressive, but the show was a lot of fun.
Josh and I had seen it before, but the kids hadn’t. <i>Mamma Mia
</i>is a musical that’s really just a vehicle for ABBA hits from the 70s,
meaning that the plot is a stretch at best.
But every time my former student, Brayden, came on stage to dance, I was
transfixed. He was marvelous! My favorite number was one where the dancers
wore wetsuits and flippers, and Brayden executed every step beautifully!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DSQk_iUGhBw/WYfFg19ELPI/AAAAAAAACMk/kofZOQ57iEwn92OYN2Vqu_kTAmjRuhblQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DSQk_iUGhBw/WYfFg19ELPI/AAAAAAAACMk/kofZOQ57iEwn92OYN2Vqu_kTAmjRuhblQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6903.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out Brayden's bio and fierce expression!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GlKumE9yF-A/WYeXbBW2m2I/AAAAAAAACME/4Y3hbxjPDac8YQexQdZd8REUmt5s0eXaACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GlKumE9yF-A/WYeXbBW2m2I/AAAAAAAACME/4Y3hbxjPDac8YQexQdZd8REUmt5s0eXaACEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6900.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seeing Brayden was a highlight of my summer!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2F3aAOzDRPg/WYeXbPbgZGI/AAAAAAAACMA/MoeciLjE8dQ0b54mtCon090nGyzze5qdACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2F3aAOzDRPg/WYeXbPbgZGI/AAAAAAAACMA/MoeciLjE8dQ0b54mtCon090nGyzze5qdACEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6901.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see his name to the right of the reflection of the flash. I'm so proud!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After the
show, we met him in the plaza area (since it’s outdoors, there’s not really a
lobby), and I got to thank him for the tickets and tell him how proud I was of
him. He told us about his grueling rehearsal
schedule and about some of the perils of having to learn three shows at the
same time. (Tuacahn was presenting <i>Mamma Mia, Newsies, </i>and <i>Shrek</i> in repertory this summer using the
same actors in all three shows.) We didn’t
get to talk very long because we still had a two and a half hour drive ahead of
us, and it was already past midnight. We
said goodbye and made our way to our car in the now-empty parking lot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Of course,
we hummed ABBA hits all the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-39220129641851890482017-07-31T15:54:00.000-07:002017-07-31T15:54:22.811-07:00A Snowball Fight in July at Lassen Volcanic National Park: A National Park Odyssey Day 26<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/lavo/index.htm" target="_blank">LassenVolcanic National Park</a></span><br />
<br />
Want to listen to our podcast about this park? <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-12-lassen-volcanic-national-park-with-knox" target="_blank">Click here!</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BeoPBLu1nKc/WXrBqxPkyII/AAAAAAAACEM/Tb4bN5wfGIo0hvT4AtZjrWDtRT7D9KieACLcBGAs/s1600/0707%2BLassen%2Bsign%2Bpic%2Bwith%2BGina%2Bhorizontal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BeoPBLu1nKc/WXrBqxPkyII/AAAAAAAACEM/Tb4bN5wfGIo0hvT4AtZjrWDtRT7D9KieACLcBGAs/s640/0707%2BLassen%2Bsign%2Bpic%2Bwith%2BGina%2Bhorizontal.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">National Park #13</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We woke to
the scent of freshly-brewed coffee and sizzling bacon. Uncle Larry was in the kitchen making eggs to
order and serving up fresh California fruit, some from his own trees and some
grown by his younger daughter, Sarah. His
older daughter, Beth, and I went to pick up some fabulous cinnamon rolls from a
local bakery which completed the morning’s spread. We wolfed it all down hungrily before setting
out for Lassen Volcanic National Park located an hour and forty-five minutes
away. Josh’s parents, Steve and Lanita,
were joining for this park visit, and we all piled into the Volvo to get to
Lassen by 10:30 in time for the ranger program.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9y_4AfDamgs/WXrBltLt-LI/AAAAAAAACDs/28Fd93ko3z8rmqX1D5-v97cCeoSqvshIQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BChico%2Bbreakfast%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9y_4AfDamgs/WXrBltLt-LI/AAAAAAAACDs/28Fd93ko3z8rmqX1D5-v97cCeoSqvshIQCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BChico%2Bbreakfast%2B1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R - Lola, Sarah, Kinley, Beth, Uncle Larry, and Josh enjoy breakfast.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-siT36fux2WQ/WXrBrVGVVAI/AAAAAAAACEU/Qus-vDnOB20RKoUW9f_9pGbzGvUzlyfjQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BNancy%2Band%2BSteve.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-siT36fux2WQ/WXrBrVGVVAI/AAAAAAAACEU/Qus-vDnOB20RKoUW9f_9pGbzGvUzlyfjQCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BNancy%2Band%2BSteve.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Nancy and Steve</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBMI7o2TbJQ/WXrBs4QLktI/AAAAAAAACEY/Pl_Z0phWI3IQLpx1zemTgBIibLVnZt_bwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BRoman%2Band%2BAddie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBMI7o2TbJQ/WXrBs4QLktI/AAAAAAAACEY/Pl_Z0phWI3IQLpx1zemTgBIibLVnZt_bwCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BRoman%2Band%2BAddie.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Could these kiddos be any cuter? Roman and Addie eat their breakfast, too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TyhTxm5FWGE/WXrBl1g6cXI/AAAAAAAACDw/bYNNkIQNyEwaNJE8y7lMYY1UAinXAwXmQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BGina%2Bkisses%2BLarry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TyhTxm5FWGE/WXrBl1g6cXI/AAAAAAAACDw/bYNNkIQNyEwaNJE8y7lMYY1UAinXAwXmQCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BGina%2Bkisses%2BLarry.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I give Uncle Larry a hard time because I like him!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-33BQQBR7T5k/WXrBntA6ZDI/AAAAAAAACD4/jLTRm0RSqmUGdszXoC3GF10XkxmkFNEaQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BJosh%2Band%2BLanita.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-33BQQBR7T5k/WXrBntA6ZDI/AAAAAAAACD4/jLTRm0RSqmUGdszXoC3GF10XkxmkFNEaQCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BJosh%2Band%2BLanita.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh and Lanita serve up the cinnamon rolls.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Josh had
called ahead and learned that this park had the most complicated and
time-consuming requirements of any Junior Ranger program we’d done to
date. The ranger on the phone was
actually sheepish about it, especially since there were only two ranger
programs a day and every Junior Ranger is required to attend one. The ranger also told Josh that our favorite
trail, Bumpass Hell, was closed due to snow.
Evidently, crews had been working on snow removal ten hours per day,
seven days a week since April, but progress was slow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WZ1TQEglzEk/WXrBnzGHkBI/AAAAAAAACD8/Aeyakrk8NxwOzvJfBrdRSDdB2L4LNqh1gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BLassen%2BGina%2Bwith%2Bheat%2Bgun.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WZ1TQEglzEk/WXrBnzGHkBI/AAAAAAAACD8/Aeyakrk8NxwOzvJfBrdRSDdB2L4LNqh1gCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BLassen%2BGina%2Bwith%2Bheat%2Bgun.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got to use the heat gun to test the temperature of the bubbling mud pot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We arrived
just in time, and the young ranger taught us about the geology of the area
including mud pots and fumaroles that are common in the park. He even let us use his heat gun to test the
temperature of the soil surrounding the mud pots! After his talk, we drove up to the Bumpass
Hell trailhead to get some pictures of the remaining snow, and we certainly
weren’t disappointed. Huge walls of snow
lined the parking lot, and the kids and I climbed the drifts, throwing snowballs
at each other and posing for pictures of the spectacle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-On6FKLmerHM/WXrBoML0t0I/AAAAAAAACEA/GsUchOcSHEgUWZNZ0tC0Ni4rjpWJ9RhPwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BLassen%2BJosh%2Bstretched%2Bout%2Bagainst%2Bsnow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-On6FKLmerHM/WXrBoML0t0I/AAAAAAAACEA/GsUchOcSHEgUWZNZ0tC0Ni4rjpWJ9RhPwCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BLassen%2BJosh%2Bstretched%2Bout%2Bagainst%2Bsnow.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This wasn't a pile of snow that had been plowed into place. It was an actual snowdrift. In July.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ca8nlAQQ5Pw/WXrBrVF7FqI/AAAAAAAACEQ/QxvJLQnpfggVShFRD2SwRziRdrafNpPnwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BLassen%2Bsnowball%2Bfight.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ca8nlAQQ5Pw/WXrBrVF7FqI/AAAAAAAACEQ/QxvJLQnpfggVShFRD2SwRziRdrafNpPnwCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BLassen%2Bsnowball%2Bfight.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley aims for Knox.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We returned
to the Visitors’ Center to pick up some lunch at the snack bar (which was fine
but nothing to write a blog about), and Knox spent some time checking out the
exhibits. The quality of exhibits in
national parks’ visitors’ centers varies widely, so he was excited by the
interactive ones at Lassen. The
unfortunate side effect of this was that his sister got really annoyed with him
for not working on his Junior Ranger book.
At every stop, Kinley is very focused about getting the booklet done as
quickly as possible, but Knox has to be reminded repeatedly to get to
work. And seeing as how this was park
#13, Kinley was super tired of her brother slowing down the whole process over
and over because even if she finishes early, we like to let the kids go through
their swearing-in ceremonies at the same time.
I’m pretty sure that on this day she got so sick of waiting for him that
she just told him the answers to get the whole thing over with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E-e1XuqpS_Q/WXrBpsyFemI/AAAAAAAACEE/ddwNyj9ZtCgImKO6Oo28krmYO3a_HPgBgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BLassen%2BKnox%2Bworks%2Bon%2Bjunior%2Branger%2Bat%2Ba%2Bspecial%2Bmachine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E-e1XuqpS_Q/WXrBpsyFemI/AAAAAAAACEE/ddwNyj9ZtCgImKO6Oo28krmYO3a_HPgBgCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BLassen%2BKnox%2Bworks%2Bon%2Bjunior%2Branger%2Bat%2Ba%2Bspecial%2Bmachine.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox makes a new friend while learning about the geology of the park.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The coolest
thing about this particular swearing-in was that the ranger got each child a
real ranger hat to wear! Kinley’s was a
little small, but it was still a really cute experience we’d never had before. Badges in hand, we loaded back into the car
to meet the rest of the family for a tour of the <a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada Brewery</a>. Tour guests must be at least twelve years
old, so we dropped Knox at Aunt Nancy and Uncle Larry’s to swim while the rest
of us met up with Josh’s cousins at the brewery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gFCHssy8sqc/WXrBp98QM1I/AAAAAAAACEI/kfAFT2ZgJjs0S59C4jn8iHvVZ04zqIPuQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BLassen%2Bjunior%2Brangers%2Bwith%2Branger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gFCHssy8sqc/WXrBp98QM1I/AAAAAAAACEI/kfAFT2ZgJjs0S59C4jn8iHvVZ04zqIPuQCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BLassen%2Bjunior%2Brangers%2Bwith%2Branger.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids got to wear real ranger hats while being sworn in!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let me say
this. I don’t like beer. I just don’t.
Neither does Josh. But we really
wanted to have time with the cousins, and this tour was what they wanted to do
so off to the tour Josh, Kinley, Steve, and I went. Lanita stayed behind to spend time with her
brothers and help out at the house. The
tour was unlike anything I’d ever done before, and our tour guide was incredibly
enthusiastic. The most interesting parts
to me were seeing the cold storage room full of hops and learning about the founder’s
tinkering at age 14 that led eventually to crafting his own beer. He was clearly a gifted child, and I found myself
wondering what would have happened to him in school if he hadn’t had a mentor
who encouraged his mechanical gifts and inquisitive mind. (You can take the teacher out of the
classroom for the summer, but you can’t keep her from thinking about gifted
kids!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FALkEz1ND-Q/WXrBtE8R3XI/AAAAAAAACEc/XOJ0OrCx4H4SWfhBC5FANQBlbBuh1MD0QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BSierra%2BNevada%2Btasting%2Btray.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FALkEz1ND-Q/WXrBtE8R3XI/AAAAAAAACEc/XOJ0OrCx4H4SWfhBC5FANQBlbBuh1MD0QCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BSierra%2BNevada%2Btasting%2Btray.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sierra Nevada samples</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our tour
ended up being a little bit of a Willy Wonka reboot. Steve got overheated on the tour and left to
go home, but the Sierra Nevada staff somehow didn’t get the memo. They were freaking out, and it felt a little
like when the Augustus Gloop character in Roald Dahl’s book disappears up the
chocolate pipe. Only instead of Oompa
Loompas singing we had security asking us if we’d heard from him every five
minutes. We eventually got in touch with
him, and he was safe back at Aunt Nancy and Uncle Larry’s house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tDlWxBW3jGc/WXrBtsGDvKI/AAAAAAAACEk/RF5KBs98Oosp-hRf9-y_dBk34834CLWfgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BSierra%2BNevada%2Btour%2BSteve.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tDlWxBW3jGc/WXrBtsGDvKI/AAAAAAAACEk/RF5KBs98Oosp-hRf9-y_dBk34834CLWfgCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BSierra%2BNevada%2Btour%2BSteve.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just before Steve started feeling overheated, he sampled the non-alcoholic wort, part of the beer-making process.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_050Ij52mPA/WXrBtMJrG2I/AAAAAAAACEg/-ECJMS3Hz9wquzbcU_rZKjTGdr1dU21ygCEwYBhgL/s1600/0707%2BSierra%2BNevada%2Bguide.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_050Ij52mPA/WXrBtMJrG2I/AAAAAAAACEg/-ECJMS3Hz9wquzbcU_rZKjTGdr1dU21ygCEwYBhgL/s640/0707%2BSierra%2BNevada%2Bguide.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Word got around that our tour guide, Matt, had lost a guest. His colleagues gave him a seriously hard time about it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After the
tour, we had dinner together at the brewery, and then we returned to the
ranch. Josh, Beth, Uncle Larry, and his
brother, John, took some time to practice their barbershop quartet numbers
which would debut the following evening at the anniversary party while the rest
of us talked and visited. Part of the
family was staying at an Airbnb property, and several of us eventually ended up
there, talking, laughing, and even making s’mores until we couldn’t hold our
eyes open any longer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ffNaZPTySDo/WXrBm2qnbJI/AAAAAAAACD0/eKJ2fyDPcQklldusc_iGcyEvlQ5pVWn_QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0706%2BPracticing%2BBarbershop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ffNaZPTySDo/WXrBm2qnbJI/AAAAAAAACD0/eKJ2fyDPcQklldusc_iGcyEvlQ5pVWn_QCEwYBhgL/s640/0706%2BPracticing%2BBarbershop.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R - Uncle John, Uncle Larry, Josh, and Beth squeeze in a barbershop quartet practice session.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Being together
made me wish for more occasions like this one, occasions where we all converge
on one place and spend time remembering why we like each other. And intentionally forgetting the reasons we might
get annoyed with each other. Because families
are fun and annoying all at once. But
mostly fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-49315400328985681372017-07-31T15:53:00.002-07:002017-08-01T05:50:08.091-07:00Great Basin National Park’s Cave, Glacier, and Bristlecone Pines: National Park Odyssey Day 30<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/grba/index.htm" target="_blank">Great Basin National Park</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Want to listen to a podcast about this park instead? <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-13-great-basin-national-park-with-knox" target="_blank">Click here.</a> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eEcZBInCGnA/WX-pVyNX3vI/AAAAAAAACIo/dTjT4di-aDIWG8WUoEUObXCZGrtZ-zepwCLcBGAs/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bsign%2BGina%2Bwith%2Bnumber.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eEcZBInCGnA/WX-pVyNX3vI/AAAAAAAACIo/dTjT4di-aDIWG8WUoEUObXCZGrtZ-zepwCLcBGAs/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bsign%2BGina%2Bwith%2Bnumber.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a surprisingly great park this one was!</td></tr>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We had
scheduled our hot breakfast at <a href="http://www.hiddencanyonretreat.com/" target="_blank">Hidden Canyon Ranch</a> for 7:30 and scarfed down
scrambled eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, and toast before packing a lunch and
heading for the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/grba/planyourvisit/lehman-caves-tours.htm" target="_blank">Lehman Caves</a> Visitors’ Center which was 30 minutes away. A couple of weeks earlier, we had bought
tickets online for the 9:00 tour, so we checked in and picked up Junior Ranger
booklets for the kids. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Just like at
<a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/06/a-bear-some-bats-and-poorly-labeled.html" target="_blank">Carlsbad</a>, we were asked if we had visited any other cave in the last nine
years. When we said that we had, the
ranger asked if we were wearing or carrying any of the items we wore or carried
into our last cave. We were all wearing
the hiking boots we had worn in Carlsbad, and, of course, our camera was the
same. We wiped the camera down with a
Clorox wipe, but they had us take off our boots and soak the soles in some sort
of cleaning solution for five minutes to avoid spreading white nose syndrome to
the cave’s bats. I guess they think
their bats are more fragile than Carlsbad’s bats or something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eRzxXtR5uak/WX-pWYNgmUI/AAAAAAAACIs/Ci0PV9i98BMQra2Cr1D0MaisONdyemZ2ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BLehman%2BCave%2Bcypress%2Broom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eRzxXtR5uak/WX-pWYNgmUI/AAAAAAAACIs/Ci0PV9i98BMQra2Cr1D0MaisONdyemZ2ACEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BLehman%2BCave%2Bcypress%2Broom.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cypress Room at Lehman Cave</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During our
90-minute tour we saw cave formations including stalactites, stalagmites,
columns, soda straws, cave popcorn, cave bacon, draperies, and shields. This cave began as many others in the
national park system did, as a privately owned tourist attraction. From the 1890s to the 1920s, visitors were
told, “If you can break it, you can take it,” and from the looks of the many
damaged and broken formations, the guests took the challenge seriously. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ybSCYzmfsUY/WX-pWv-fQOI/AAAAAAAACI0/Weq7GK2wgXA1KsZ9rlShyrlbEu5zm1MOgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BLehman%2BCave%2Bvandalism.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ybSCYzmfsUY/WX-pWv-fQOI/AAAAAAAACI0/Weq7GK2wgXA1KsZ9rlShyrlbEu5zm1MOgCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BLehman%2BCave%2Bvandalism.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evidence of broken soda straw formations and other broken stalactites</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During
prohibition, the cave was used as a speakeasy.
Later it was used for meetings of the local chapter of the Elks club,
and even later the Boy Scouts had campouts inside. The low ceiling of The Inscription Room is
covered with turn-of-the-century graffiti – names and initials inscribed using
smoke and charcoal. The guide told us
that the NPS requires parks to protect anything in the parks that is at least
50 years old, so the graffiti stays.
Never mind that some rangers tried to scrub huge swaths of it off the
ceiling at some point, leaving strange illegible black smudges as permanent
scars on the rock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pYB3corGci4/WX-pWdW217I/AAAAAAAACIw/omScVU7TYiUkqN0p7l6gqgcCaKTxkfBmACEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BLehman%2BCave%2Bfamous%2Bparachute%2Bshields.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pYB3corGci4/WX-pWdW217I/AAAAAAAACIw/omScVU7TYiUkqN0p7l6gqgcCaKTxkfBmACEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BLehman%2BCave%2Bfamous%2Bparachute%2Bshields.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These formations are called parachute shields. The shield part is the flat disk at the top, and the parachute part is the draping extending off of the shield.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After our cave
tour, we drive up to Mather Point to have a picnic lunch, and then we drove to
Wheeler Peak Campground to hike the Bristlecone and Glacier Trails. This would lead to a grove of bristlecone
pine trees and then up to the southernmost glacier in the US. (The idea that there is a glacier in Nevada
seems ridiculous, but it’s there nonetheless.)
We ended up adding on the Alpine Lakes Trail as well on our way back
down, but that meant that we ended up at the wrong trailhead 0.7 miles from our
car at the end. Josh hiked back on the
road to our car and came and picked us up at the end. He’s a good egg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D5wII_yZQjA/WX-pVsaPeVI/AAAAAAAACIk/ecsAYnYNQKkS1s7_KBWy_uKfmz3EVsR0wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bpicnic%2Bat%2BMather%2BPoint.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D5wII_yZQjA/WX-pVsaPeVI/AAAAAAAACIk/ecsAYnYNQKkS1s7_KBWy_uKfmz3EVsR0wCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bpicnic%2Bat%2BMather%2BPoint.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lunch at Mather Point may not have included a picnic table, but the view made up for that.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Glacier
Trail is an extension of the Bristlecone Trail, and together the elevation gain
is 1,100 feet. I don’t love hiking
uphill, but I still really liked this trail.
Being able to see 3200 year old trees, a glacier, alpine lakes, and a
grove of Aspens all in one hike (even if we did end up at the wrong place) is
extraordinarily interesting and diverse, in my opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lun15wI0UvI/WX-pSj6ahxI/AAAAAAAACH8/sgnvp6Kvd0EkGF3cDlgLkBz3hExFO3lSgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bbristlecone%2Btrail%2Bsetting%2Bout.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lun15wI0UvI/WX-pSj6ahxI/AAAAAAAACH8/sgnvp6Kvd0EkGF3cDlgLkBz3hExFO3lSgCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bbristlecone%2Btrail%2Bsetting%2Bout.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are at the beginning of the trail, ready for a hike!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The signs
along the Bristlecone Trail loop were very helpful since those trees look very
similar to limberpine trees. Learning
the difference helped us not only at Great Basin but at Bryce Canyon as well. Bristlecones have the ability to “turn off”
parts of themselves to conserve resources, so one way to notice the difference
is to look for dead plant material. And
it’s not just that these trees live a long time; they also take a long time to
decay. We saw one still-standing tree
that had been dead for 600 years! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0drFl1g818/WX-pS1WlJHI/AAAAAAAACIA/hSX3OJehoQkmL5nnP1lDdZu2VZdiZgBvQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bbristlecone.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0drFl1g818/WX-pS1WlJHI/AAAAAAAACIA/hSX3OJehoQkmL5nnP1lDdZu2VZdiZgBvQCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bbristlecone.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see the bristle-like little tips on the end of the cones?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1ywPRBUAqMU/WX-pPQvWcUI/AAAAAAAACHM/h45uacUPyYg_tkTp3l3aqvoFChdHHVa-QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BAdversity%2Btree%2Bdead%2B600%2Byears.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1ywPRBUAqMU/WX-pPQvWcUI/AAAAAAAACHM/h45uacUPyYg_tkTp3l3aqvoFChdHHVa-QCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BAdversity%2Btree%2Bdead%2B600%2Byears.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This tree is still standing even though its' been dead for 600 years.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MwBzUqbvozU/WX-pPSUBnPI/AAAAAAAACHQ/-P_kK-SP3y0pxK_9w7lCc9ugVa7cbaixACEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BAdversity%2Btree%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MwBzUqbvozU/WX-pPSUBnPI/AAAAAAAACHQ/-P_kK-SP3y0pxK_9w7lCc9ugVa7cbaixACEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BAdversity%2Btree%2Bsign.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The signage at this park was excellent.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You may be
wondering how experts can know when a tree died if there weren’t any tree
experts around making notes about dead trees 600 years ago. Well, as we learned on the interpretive
signs, they look at the growth rings of a living tree and compare them to the
rings of a dead tree. All off the trees
in an area will have similar growth rings for a given year. For example, the ring for 1972 looks the same
on all the trees in an area. They just
look for rings that are the same to figure out when the tree died! Science is so cool. (NOTE:
I am not even close to a botanist, so if I interpreted this all wrong,
just tell me below in comments so that future readers can be set straight by
someone who knows what they’re talking about.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4iPxr-1xBjw/WX-pSC2XomI/AAAAAAAACH0/zVRPaAic0UQiisft9ac3o8t9rNbfLwc9wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bbristlecone%2B3200%2Byears%2Bold.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4iPxr-1xBjw/WX-pSC2XomI/AAAAAAAACH0/zVRPaAic0UQiisft9ac3o8t9rNbfLwc9wCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bbristlecone%2B3200%2Byears%2Bold.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tree over Knox's left shoulder, which appears to be mostly dead, has actually been living for the last 3200 years. You can see some remaining green above my head.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7IzTvBTCNlE/WX-pRhotPZI/AAAAAAAACHw/yyUMuRbVgJ80fryLuRa6p8ORYEZTKuNDgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bbristlecone%2B3200%2Byears%2Bold%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7IzTvBTCNlE/WX-pRhotPZI/AAAAAAAACHw/yyUMuRbVgJ80fryLuRa6p8ORYEZTKuNDgCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bbristlecone%2B3200%2Byears%2Bold%2Bsign.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The placard at the base of the tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8KuQWQZ8yNc/WX-pSY0ymNI/AAAAAAAACH4/r6t5N4r95MEgLjU_6ltAZ-6h8moFw-nygCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bbristlecone%2Bgrove.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8KuQWQZ8yNc/WX-pSY0ymNI/AAAAAAAACH4/r6t5N4r95MEgLjU_6ltAZ-6h8moFw-nygCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bbristlecone%2Bgrove.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can learn so much just from reading the signs!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After we had
spent adequate time in the awe-inspiring presence of these amazing trees, we proceeded
to climb up to the glacier. Soon, it
began to drizzle. We passed a few people
on their way down who said that a storm was coming in. We heard thunder and came to a sign warning
of the dangers of lightning on the exposed mountain. Neither bristlecones, timberpines, nor any of
the other tree species in this area were tall varieties of trees, so Josh was
the tallest thing in the area. I was not
crazy about the idea of my husband getting struck by lightning, so I began to
get increasingly nervous and to hike as fast as I could stand up the steep
slope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Qy3vrfY47c/WX-pT6mZImI/AAAAAAAACIM/5dFHGa-9Glk244nJ_o4xGwMhyiTlPVGNwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bglacier%2Btrail%2Bhikers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Qy3vrfY47c/WX-pT6mZImI/AAAAAAAACIM/5dFHGa-9Glk244nJ_o4xGwMhyiTlPVGNwCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bglacier%2Btrail%2Bhikers.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trail was rocky and gained 1100 feet in elevation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fsqzmqfB4DU/WX-pUDRV_II/AAAAAAAACIQ/uN6zwSTNusgMEWQSGD3BEbDLg4sNcl7YgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bglacier%2Btrail%2Bsign%2Bagain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fsqzmqfB4DU/WX-pUDRV_II/AAAAAAAACIQ/uN6zwSTNusgMEWQSGD3BEbDLg4sNcl7YgCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bglacier%2Btrail%2Bsign%2Bagain.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up we went!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Another pair
of hikers advised us to just hike to the view of the glacier. They thought that we could beat the storm
(and still count the trail as pretty much done) if we stopped at the glacier
sign and didn’t do the last ¾ mile to the actual glacier itself. I was in favor of this, but I didn’t want to
make Josh quit early on one of his top-priority hikes for this whole trip. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SonYYs3RW0I/WX-pTR7jH4I/AAAAAAAACII/06xgn-9Kg-AIdqQrrPbnThB_wrEl2EQTwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bglacier%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SonYYs3RW0I/WX-pTR7jH4I/AAAAAAAACII/06xgn-9Kg-AIdqQrrPbnThB_wrEl2EQTwCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bglacier%2Bsign.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay! We made it to the sign!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But then the
rain started. We arrived at the sign
(which was <i>very</i> well done and pointed
to both the ice part of the glacier and the rock covered part of the glacier),
took some pictures, heard more threatening thunder, and skedaddled back down
the trail. Josh was perfectly ok with it
all, and we still think we get to say that we hiked to the glacier. I mean, we could see it. That counts, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6KbcQZKharY/WX-pU229B9I/AAAAAAAACIY/QcPgKldMKqght9afbjvfvDnKK_DsZv6UgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bglaciers%2Bwith%2BSpecial%2BKs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6KbcQZKharY/WX-pU229B9I/AAAAAAAACIY/QcPgKldMKqght9afbjvfvDnKK_DsZv6UgCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bglaciers%2Bwith%2BSpecial%2BKs.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gray part in hte middle of the snowy area is the rock-covered glacier. Under all that rocky scree, there is an ice core.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once we were
past the bristlecones on the way back down, the rain and thunder stopped. Since we no longer felt in danger, we decided
to take a left and check out the alpine lakes.
What a great choice that was.
They were strikingly beautiful, and the rain had kept most people
away. We first came to Teresa Lake where
we sat for a few minutes enjoying the scenery.
We could hear the sound of a little creek emptying into the alpine lake,
so we decided to walk around to the right to look for it. Again, a great choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LwsRXLfA1xQ/WX-pQ3Cr3WI/AAAAAAAACHk/aLeR2nGuSXYlnxH47i3uVMPuJqModM3cwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BTeresa%2BLake%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LwsRXLfA1xQ/WX-pQ3Cr3WI/AAAAAAAACHk/aLeR2nGuSXYlnxH47i3uVMPuJqModM3cwCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BTeresa%2BLake%2Bsign.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh yeah. This was a seriously high area. That made the increase in elevation as we hiked even harder.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B9Qy5f6WPmg/WX-pRVL9ZwI/AAAAAAAACHo/xjdTflRCHCslD-7U_S3TpPGyAVChkEnVwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BTeresa%2BLake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B9Qy5f6WPmg/WX-pRVL9ZwI/AAAAAAAACHo/xjdTflRCHCslD-7U_S3TpPGyAVChkEnVwCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BTeresa%2BLake.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teresa Lake was lovely!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This little
creek was one of the most scenic spots of our entire trip. The sound of the tinkling water, the sight of
the vibrant pink wildflowers growing along the bank as if they’d been plants by
horticulturists at DisneyWorld, the smells of the evergreens and the rich creekside
soil – all of these paired with the fact that we didn’t have any preconceived
expectations for this part of the trail made the experience magical! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kgfdD5H2CM0/WX-pQJaxuXI/AAAAAAAACHY/BbuUYNiO7NAgux3orrS4edp-r7o7AukiwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BTeresa%2BLake%2Bexplorers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kgfdD5H2CM0/WX-pQJaxuXI/AAAAAAAACHY/BbuUYNiO7NAgux3orrS4edp-r7o7AukiwCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BTeresa%2BLake%2Bexplorers.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doesn't this look like something at a botanical garden?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mnCZsmnLEbQ/WX-pQvhvjsI/AAAAAAAACHg/RLEDussHsnciGMkzPmAFhqfUtZN7G3kQQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BTeresa%2BLake%2Bflower%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mnCZsmnLEbQ/WX-pQvhvjsI/AAAAAAAACHg/RLEDussHsnciGMkzPmAFhqfUtZN7G3kQQCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BTeresa%2BLake%2Bflower%2B2.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These pink flowers lined the little creek.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We followed
the trail on to Stella Lake and then on through the grove of Aspen trees whose
leaves swished in the breeze as though they were trying to whisper a secret
just for us. Their white bark was a
stark contrast to the green juniper underneath, and wildflowers dotted the
trail’s edge meaning frequent stops for pictures. What a marvelous setting for our day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pcR4G737Iy4/WX-pPzaYfLI/AAAAAAAACHU/m_MGWvNuAFguKPHZy0bZQm-g9LdlhwQpgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BStella%2BLake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pcR4G737Iy4/WX-pPzaYfLI/AAAAAAAACHU/m_MGWvNuAFguKPHZy0bZQm-g9LdlhwQpgCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2BStella%2BLake.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Stella Lake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DlpM1jh9Z9s/WX-pTT3tPQI/AAAAAAAACIE/2U0uwW_JwVw0OqOhO7kAS9eb7-DX2wOKACEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bflora%2B6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DlpM1jh9Z9s/WX-pTT3tPQI/AAAAAAAACIE/2U0uwW_JwVw0OqOhO7kAS9eb7-DX2wOKACEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bflora%2B6.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildflowers on the forest floor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BMGCNZjXKNA/WX-ta_Kc7NI/AAAAAAAACI8/qYlWE4yi3qopCyQEP7aCZ2DJklMZzWNhQCLcBGAs/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Baspen%2Bwith%2BKnox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BMGCNZjXKNA/WX-ta_Kc7NI/AAAAAAAACI8/qYlWE4yi3qopCyQEP7aCZ2DJklMZzWNhQCLcBGAs/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Baspen%2Bwith%2BKnox.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox hikes through the Aspens in a funk. You can see Kinley ahead of him. We didn't try to catch them.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m sure
there are other equally-diverse parks, but I’ve got to say that I can’t think
of any where you can get caves, 3200 year old trees, a glacier, Alpine lakes,
and Apsen groves, all in a relatively small land area. I’d tell you to get yourself to this park,
but then you might. And the deserted
nature of the park is one of its charms.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In fact, it's so deserted that when both of our kids became irritated with each other and with us and took off ahead of us up the trail to hike separately on their own, we didn't even care. We let them hike far ahead of us and just enjoyed the much-needed peace and quiet. By the time we all caught up with each other a half hour later, nature had done the thing she's so good at. She brought us all back to a sense of equilibrium, just by experiencing her in peace.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So don’t go. Stay home.
Go somewhere else. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And leave
all this awesomeness just for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-68681578685876355572017-07-31T15:52:00.000-07:002017-08-03T05:39:02.336-07:00The Best I Can Do Today: A National Park Odyssey Day 31<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/grba/index.htm" target="_blank">Great Basin National Park</a> to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm" target="_blank">Zion National Park</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
Want to listen to a podcast about these parks instead? <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-13-great-basin-national-park-with-knox" target="_blank">Click here for Great Basin</a> or <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-14-zion-national-park-with-kinley" target="_blank">here for Zion.</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rnz7tsJRsE0/WX-xg69VxyI/AAAAAAAACJQ/szN1to5pYmATNsNvJSxqRO6FUnkYU7PTACLcBGAs/s1600/0712%2BZion%2Bsign%2BGina%2Bhorizontal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rnz7tsJRsE0/WX-xg69VxyI/AAAAAAAACJQ/szN1to5pYmATNsNvJSxqRO6FUnkYU7PTACLcBGAs/s640/0712%2BZion%2Bsign%2BGina%2Bhorizontal.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our fifteenth park!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks to a
suggestion from my sister, Amanda, who, upon learning that I was stressed out
about the blog and reconsidering my commitment to writing about our summer, encouraged me to channel my inner <a href="http://www.davidsedarisbooks.com/index.html" target="_blank">David Sedaris</a>, this post is going to be
different. That’s why I titled it, “The
Best I Can Do Today.” Because it is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Woke up from
my first classroom management nightmare of the summer. Got really frustrated with myself since I
shouldn’t be having school dreams for at least a couple more weeks.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Ate French
toast and possibly fried SPAM for breakfast.
Really liked it. Everything
tastes better when you’re eating in a remote canyon with no other food around
for miles.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Packed. Again.
For the eleventy-billionth time.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Drove (or
rather, Josh drove and I sat, pseudo-blogged, and slept) eleventy-billion miles
across country with so little civilization that we got really excited about
tiny places like <a href="http://milfordut.com/" target="_blank">Milford, Utah</a>, just because they had things like a two-pump
gas station and a place called <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/pennys-diner-milford" target="_blank">Penny’s Diner</a> that no one wanted to eat at
besides me. I was overruled.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Got really,
really excited about a town called <a href="http://www.cedarcity.org/" target="_blank">Cedar City, Utah</a>, where we drove up and down
Main Street several times thinking we were in heaven just because they had an
Indian restaurant and an artisan ice cream shop.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Ate Indian
food cooked by a Pakistani guy who forgot to lock the front door of his
restaurant so he decided he had to make something for us even though he really
meant to be closed at 2:00 on a Wednesday.
And his chicken tikka masala and his chicken curry may have been
different colors but they tasted remarkably similar.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Shared a
double scoop of Tim Tam Slam and Black Currant Blueberry artisan ice cream with
Josh and the kids.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sGJPRV4G5rE/WX-ywTbQOgI/AAAAAAAACJY/UqCyxWn2GYoQZP7X6WKDycDHB566gLETACLcBGAs/s1600/0714%2BCedar%2BCity%2BPalette%2BCreamery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sGJPRV4G5rE/WX-ywTbQOgI/AAAAAAAACJY/UqCyxWn2GYoQZP7X6WKDycDHB566gLETACLcBGAs/s640/0714%2BCedar%2BCity%2BPalette%2BCreamery.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This place was delish! And, to be fair, this picture is actually from our second visit a few days later. Like I said, it's the best I can do today.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Briefly
considered checking out the Renaissance Festival that was taking place across
the street before remembering that A) it was 99 degrees and B) a Renaissance
Festival that is mostly blow-up bounce houses and booths selling fairy wings
and Samurai swords is probably not worth the sweat we’d no-doubt find ourselves
soaked in after a look around.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HrGrKXbEO20/WX-ywcpmmEI/AAAAAAAACJc/4DH8l0g8Jsw034Ow91bLa-hdNhqFWV5ZQCLcBGAs/s1600/0714%2BCedar%2BCity%2Bfestival.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HrGrKXbEO20/WX-ywcpmmEI/AAAAAAAACJc/4DH8l0g8Jsw034Ow91bLa-hdNhqFWV5ZQCLcBGAs/s640/0714%2BCedar%2BCity%2Bfestival.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those bounce house makers were real Renaissance men.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Let Josh
drive some more and recorded a couple of <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-13-great-basin-national-park-with-knox" target="_blank">podcasts</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Worked
really hard not to pull the car over and kick my offspring out on the side of
Interstate 15, leaving them there to bicker and pick at each other endlessly so I could nap in
peace.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Completed
our 15<sup>th</sup> national park sign photo shoot of the summer.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Did a happy
dance when we realized that our historic cabin inside Zion National Park had A)
air conditioning, B) wifi (sort of), C) both a fridge <i>and</i> a microwave.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sbht-Fq12Po/WX-zLsutr6I/AAAAAAAACJo/fptkKAFoJ187uHLvDia6u1igElOJfRqxgCLcBGAs/s1600/0712%2BZion%2Blodge%2Bwestern%2Bcabin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sbht-Fq12Po/WX-zLsutr6I/AAAAAAAACJo/fptkKAFoJ187uHLvDia6u1igElOJfRqxgCLcBGAs/s640/0712%2BZion%2Blodge%2Bwestern%2Bcabin.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We loved our cabin at Zion!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QUeMkM5Guno/WX-zLk2pKAI/AAAAAAAACJk/nmT5z6T7xAYSU6aduJwNQyaanKJNYFPmQCLcBGAs/s1600/0712%2BZion%2BLodge%2Bwestern%2Bcabin%2Binterior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QUeMkM5Guno/WX-zLk2pKAI/AAAAAAAACJk/nmT5z6T7xAYSU6aduJwNQyaanKJNYFPmQCLcBGAs/s640/0712%2BZion%2BLodge%2Bwestern%2Bcabin%2Binterior.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior was spacious and nicely appointed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Hiked to the
Lower, Middle, and Upper Emerald Pools.
Decided that the people who named this national park’s features must
have been color blind because those pools were nothing but brown. And calling them pools is a stretch,
too. Puddles is more apt.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cp9nMH_EWUo/WX-zLdqp_JI/AAAAAAAACJg/eRhSi2j4Aag6-qZj0xMIG75VLRHludizgCLcBGAs/s1600/0712%2BZion%2BLower%2BEmerald%2BPool.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cp9nMH_EWUo/WX-zLdqp_JI/AAAAAAAACJg/eRhSi2j4Aag6-qZj0xMIG75VLRHludizgCLcBGAs/s640/0712%2BZion%2BLower%2BEmerald%2BPool.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This trickle of a waterfall is what fills the lower pool.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jCXQmMxVp9Y/WX-zMF9ZLYI/AAAAAAAACJs/3rABizdmUjIZR__UBTiWsAAhCMh6k5YGwCLcBGAs/s1600/0712%2BZion%2Bupper%2Bemerald%2Bpool%2BGina%2Band%2BKnox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jCXQmMxVp9Y/WX-zMF9ZLYI/AAAAAAAACJs/3rABizdmUjIZR__UBTiWsAAhCMh6k5YGwCLcBGAs/s640/0712%2BZion%2Bupper%2Bemerald%2Bpool%2BGina%2Band%2BKnox.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In this picture, you can actually see <i>some </i>color of green. Believe me. It was mostly brown.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Ate peanut
butter sandwiches for dinner in our cabin.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Fell asleep
three times waiting for our next podcast episode to upload because national parks aren't known for their fabulous wifi.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Resisted the urge to throw my computer across the room.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Set my alarm
for 5:20 the next morning to get ready to hike The Narrows. Slept all night without dreaming of school a single time.</span></li>
</ol>
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boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-25433084856824990092017-07-29T05:15:00.001-07:002017-07-29T05:15:49.661-07:00A Celebration, a Barbershop Quartet, and a Hidden Canyon: A National Park Odyssey Days 27-29<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Durham, CA
to Great Basin National Park via Lake Tahoe and Carson City, NV<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Forty years
of marriage is a great thing to celebrate.
Friends and family of Josh’s Aunt Nancy and Uncle Larry gathered in
Chico, CA to honor the couple after more than a year of planning by their three
children, Pat, Beth, and Sarah. The
Mexican menu was perfect for feeding a crowd, and the scrolling pictures
chronicling this family that is so dear to us was an entertaining way to wait
for our turn at the buffet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CENBu3eSFkE/WXrBugZdWRI/AAAAAAAACEo/Oi5QtZCHlSsDq-gO4FZpFDuE1YIHjGJUwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0708%2BInvitation%2Bto%2Bthe%2BBradley%2B40th%2Banniversary%2Bparty.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CENBu3eSFkE/WXrBugZdWRI/AAAAAAAACEo/Oi5QtZCHlSsDq-gO4FZpFDuE1YIHjGJUwCEwYBhgL/s640/0708%2BInvitation%2Bto%2Bthe%2BBradley%2B40th%2Banniversary%2Bparty.JPG" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their wedding picture was on the party invitation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Aunt Nancy
and Uncle Larry were married in Josh’s family’s backyard in Fort Thomas, KY, in
1977, so seeing the wedding pictures that included four-year-old little Josh
was especially interesting to me. Their
wedding was a small one since they’d only met three months earlier, and Josh
was one of only five people (besides Larry and Nancy themselves) who were at
both the wedding and this party. I wish
we had thought to get a picture of those five people with Nancy and Larry at
the party!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The main
entertainment of the evening was the barbershop quartet performance by Uncle Larry,
Uncle John, Josh, and Beth. They
practiced for several hours that weekend and sang beautifully together in spite
of the complex harmonies involved in singing barbershop style. All four of them have been singing their
entire lives, but the chord progressions in a barbershop song are <i>very</i> different from those in the
traditional four-part-harmony they grew up singing. I was so proud of all of them! Watch them for yourself below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/34sKaeS441o/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/34sKaeS441o?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Uncle John, Uncle Larry, Beth, and Josh sing "Always" and "Can't Help Falling in Love."</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9LQNGXC98G8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9LQNGXC98G8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In this one, they sing "I Love You Truly" and "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." At the end, Uncle Larry spontaneously invites the crowd to sing along.</span></div>
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But the most
impressive part of the evening was when Uncle Larry took the microphone and
went around the entire room and introduced every single person there and
explained their relationship to him. I
remember at my wedding that the thing that gave me the most anxiety was the
fear that I would blank on someone’s name in the receiving line. The thought that someone would give up their
Saturday to travel to my wedding, buy me a lovely gift, and then I would not be
able to immediately call their name was terrifying to me. So while there is no way I would ever have
been able to do what Uncle Larry did, he certainly made us all feel special.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZG1h65wOqI/WXtZPFTt8iI/AAAAAAAACFo/6ZWMfQZZOHgipKXs9FiglbrgT7eTUMymACLcBGAs/s1600/0708%2BSteve%2Bgives%2Ba%2Btoast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZG1h65wOqI/WXtZPFTt8iI/AAAAAAAACFo/6ZWMfQZZOHgipKXs9FiglbrgT7eTUMymACLcBGAs/s640/0708%2BSteve%2Bgives%2Ba%2Btoast.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve offers a poignant toast to the happy couple.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BkU5WofhOtg/WXtZOyGXriI/AAAAAAAACFk/q6lZ77ScCd82ilU4JeTJRWlUinCTfpu7wCLcBGAs/s1600/0708%2BLarry%2Band%2BNancy%2Bspeak.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BkU5WofhOtg/WXtZOyGXriI/AAAAAAAACFk/q6lZ77ScCd82ilU4JeTJRWlUinCTfpu7wCLcBGAs/s640/0708%2BLarry%2Band%2BNancy%2Bspeak.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Nancy thanks her children for their hard work planning the fete.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YVrkt7i7JNM/WXtZNXx27oI/AAAAAAAACFc/c8vTaTZOY0IjeD2Bn9h7g2ula8h-i5qtQCLcBGAs/s1600/0708%2BCousins%2Benthralled%2Bby%2Belectronics.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YVrkt7i7JNM/WXtZNXx27oI/AAAAAAAACFc/c8vTaTZOY0IjeD2Bn9h7g2ula8h-i5qtQCLcBGAs/s640/0708%2BCousins%2Benthralled%2Bby%2Belectronics.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second cousins were much more entertained by Kinley's phone.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gmM2mW7exBM/WXtZNSTOo2I/AAAAAAAACFg/5CvilHFhcbYvTjDvlJSQf3xAF1BB6IIZACLcBGAs/s1600/0708%2BJohn%2Bkisses%2BLiz.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gmM2mW7exBM/WXtZNSTOo2I/AAAAAAAACFg/5CvilHFhcbYvTjDvlJSQf3xAF1BB6IIZACLcBGAs/s640/0708%2BJohn%2Bkisses%2BLiz.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this picture of Uncle John and Aunt Liz. I'll admit that it was staged, but that's only because I was too slow with my camera to catch the actual smooch seconds before.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After the
party, we did what we always do when the Bradley family is together –
sing. We sat around Aunt Nancy and Uncle
Larry’s kitchen table and sang hymns in four-part harmony. Watching the faces across from me with their
voices lifted in song, I got emotional for two reasons. One, we sang one of the songs that was sung
at my Daddy’s funeral. And two, every
time we do this I worry that it will be the last. We just don’t get to see each other that
often, and losing a parent has made me much more aware of the value of times
like these. But I wiped my tears and
tried to keep singing because I certainly didn’t want to miss out on a single
opportunity for my voice to blend with these beloved ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OSD3vVGTC94/WXtZNWGIXMI/AAAAAAAACGI/0_duNVtv1VcS5U56yf5mfdDa6tycuQc7ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0708%2BKnox%2Bcold%2Band%2Btired.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OSD3vVGTC94/WXtZNWGIXMI/AAAAAAAACGI/0_duNVtv1VcS5U56yf5mfdDa6tycuQc7ACEwYBhgL/s640/0708%2BKnox%2Bcold%2Band%2Btired.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox was too sleepy to sing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The next
morning, Josh taught the adult Bible class and preached at the Chico church of
Christ, and our extended family’s presence significantly increased the
attendance that morning. Lunch at
Smokin’ Mo’s in Chico followed, and then we spent the afternoon enjoying more
family time. By late afternoon, the
Bradleys packed up leftovers for us and we waved goodbye as we began to make
our way to Carson City where we were spending the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRRqG7AMTkc/WXtZPc-5Z_I/AAAAAAAACGI/BFqQxf9C29UjsqMmhUjL28xC_5M9EvWQACEwYBhgL/s1600/0709%2BJosh%2Bteaches%2Bclass%2Bin%2BChico.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRRqG7AMTkc/WXtZPc-5Z_I/AAAAAAAACGI/BFqQxf9C29UjsqMmhUjL28xC_5M9EvWQACEwYBhgL/s640/0709%2BJosh%2Bteaches%2Bclass%2Bin%2BChico.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before we left, Josh arranged for his parents to bring his blazer with them so that we saved some room in our luggage. The church in Chico has supported our LST mission work for years, and we were glad to get to share an update with them.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z-JwnpQ6zvM/WXtZQ-ZOWII/AAAAAAAACGI/RKxZ8ZrJZBwhr0Af1JlXNssqoRfxHA1lwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0709%2BSmokin%2527%2BMo%2527s%2Blunch%2Bgroup%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z-JwnpQ6zvM/WXtZQ-ZOWII/AAAAAAAACGI/RKxZ8ZrJZBwhr0Af1JlXNssqoRfxHA1lwCEwYBhgL/s640/0709%2BSmokin%2527%2BMo%2527s%2Blunch%2Bgroup%2B2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure how Uncle Larry got stuck feeding a whole passel of people for an entire weekend just because he's been married a long time, but it sure was yummy! And at Smokin' Mo's in Chico, if you wear their t-shirt when you come in, you get 10% off! Uncle Larry wore his over his church clothes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was glad
we were just sleeping in Carson City for a night because I was less than
impressed with it, but we passed though Lake Tahoe to get there. Now that is a place I’d like to spend some
time on a future trip! There were so
many cute little shops and restaurants, and the lake at dusk was serene and
inviting. I made a mental note to look
for a time to come back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XchH8t0KAgU/WXtZQLf4PjI/AAAAAAAACGI/9POFktOyGc0hRK49YGY3pxZfU20x7Pt4gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0709%2BNorth%2BLake%2BTahoe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XchH8t0KAgU/WXtZQLf4PjI/AAAAAAAACGI/9POFktOyGc0hRK49YGY3pxZfU20x7Pt4gCEwYBhgL/s640/0709%2BNorth%2BLake%2BTahoe.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over Lake Tahoe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After our
night in Carson City, we proceeded to drive all the way across Nevada the next
day to make our way to Great Basin National Park. The get there, we had to drive on US 50,
known as the loneliest road in the US.
And for good reason. It was desolate. Gas stations and restrooms were rare so we
stopped when each one appeared. They
each sold Loneliest Road t-shirts, but we weren’t tempted. It wasn’t the sort of by-way we wanted to
commemorate. For hours and hours and
miles and miles we drove, through rocky hills and past cattle grazing on land
that appeared to have little for them to eat.
Finally, we turned off of US 50 and drove another hour to the dirt road
that led to our hotel for the night. In
fact, we had to go just over the Utah line and then back into Nevada to get to
our destination.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dFKQYLs_OAo/WXtdR_BaL-I/AAAAAAAACGU/QtfuVJMHh9szb1XFSPjUhuxICbq7f9bMQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0710%2BLeftover%2BMexican%2Blunch%2Bprep.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dFKQYLs_OAo/WXtdR_BaL-I/AAAAAAAACGU/QtfuVJMHh9szb1XFSPjUhuxICbq7f9bMQCEwYBhgL/s640/0710%2BLeftover%2BMexican%2Blunch%2Bprep.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had Bradley party leftovers for lunch on the road! Yum!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lumuEfHL4q8/WXtZRHhA-eI/AAAAAAAACGI/7zkNcI6xLxo7goSkZurkTJSeVda6UENWgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0710%2BForest%2Bfire%2Bburning%2Bnear%2BUS%2B50.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lumuEfHL4q8/WXtZRHhA-eI/AAAAAAAACGI/7zkNcI6xLxo7goSkZurkTJSeVda6UENWgCEwYBhgL/s640/0710%2BForest%2Bfire%2Bburning%2Bnear%2BUS%2B50.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw a dramatic forest fire along US 50.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c_CjwvSofZM/WXtZSx4xfbI/AAAAAAAACGI/WYfdRtXbj3MMwAmp11ST4Gl2y1TUWRjGwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0712%2BHidden%2BCanyon%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c_CjwvSofZM/WXtZSx4xfbI/AAAAAAAACGI/WYfdRtXbj3MMwAmp11ST4Gl2y1TUWRjGwCEwYBhgL/s640/0712%2BHidden%2BCanyon%2Bsign.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Great Basin
doesn’t have a lodge inside its boundaries, so we had made reservations at
<a href="http://www.hiddencanyonretreat.com/" target="_blank">Hidden Canyon Ranch</a>. The property was
located about thirty minutes away from the park at the end of a six-mile-long
dirt road that wound its way over a ridge and down into a canyon as its name
suggests. The nearest restaurant was
about forty minutes from Hidden Canyon, so we had arranged in advance to have
dinner at the ranch for the two nights we’d be there. There was only one seating each evening, and
we were barely going to make it. We had
emailed to let them know we were coming, so we went straight to dinner when we
arrived. A different entrée and
accompanying sides were served each night, and on our first night, a potato bar
with chili was set before us along with chocolate chip cookies for dessert.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K4rihi0RBAY/WXtZRTCddMI/AAAAAAAACGI/IgU-1nnu7xE-MGNoXyzDQP5en7jFTK26gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BHidden%2BCanyon%2BRanch%2Bsupper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K4rihi0RBAY/WXtZRTCddMI/AAAAAAAACGI/IgU-1nnu7xE-MGNoXyzDQP5en7jFTK26gCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BHidden%2BCanyon%2BRanch%2Bsupper.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were so glad that we'd signed up for meals at the ranch since it was so far from anything else.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eCN02j4Q6ys/WXtdR0KXf6I/AAAAAAAACGY/OTBJj_RjppMlKsrsVM7jN7Ah1rveGkAJgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0712%2BHidden%2BCanyon%2Branch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eCN02j4Q6ys/WXtdR0KXf6I/AAAAAAAACGY/OTBJj_RjppMlKsrsVM7jN7Ah1rveGkAJgCEwYBhgL/s640/0712%2BHidden%2BCanyon%2Branch.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The building housing our suite was a short walk from the dining hall.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we
finished eating and walked outside of the dining hall to have a look around,
the first thing I noticed was the shocking abundance of water. There was a rushing creek running the length
of the back of the property, and, because of the plentiful water, the land was
lush and green. Trees and tall grasses
replaced the scrubby, squat bushes we’d seen dotting the parched landscape all
day. Flowers bloomed in brilliant reds
and pinks attracting hummingbirds in droves.
An orchard stood just behind the dining hall, and nearby, a faucet with
a hose attached was actually allowed to leak.
Here we were in the middle of the desert, and there was this precious
resource – water – just dribbling out onto the ground as if we were in some
Southwestern Garden of Eden where all plants grew with ease and no necessary
building block of life was scarce. It
was surreal, especially after having been in conservation-obsessed Arizona and
California for two weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RvSJJ8BFUwI/WXtZSQDYDqI/AAAAAAAACGI/e_Q4I0cZ0ko5FSwb5aOzyfVmco7mkTIRwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BHidden%2BCanyon%2BRanch%2Bturkeys.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RvSJJ8BFUwI/WXtZSQDYDqI/AAAAAAAACGI/e_Q4I0cZ0ko5FSwb5aOzyfVmco7mkTIRwCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BHidden%2BCanyon%2BRanch%2Bturkeys.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild turkeys made their home in the canyon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4uNgaFlXbPc/WXtdRrcNgEI/AAAAAAAACGc/XhDwMwDxMgoX0oEAgLnpiDN6B8OTQQRFwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bhummingbird.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4uNgaFlXbPc/WXtdRrcNgEI/AAAAAAAACGc/XhDwMwDxMgoX0oEAgLnpiDN6B8OTQQRFwCEwYBhgL/s640/0711%2BGreat%2BBasin%2Bhummingbird.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is only one of the many hummingbirds in the canyon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As we made
our way to our room, we saw mule deer and a flock of wild turkeys with several
little chicks trailing along behind. The
scene was idyllic, and Josh and I agreed that he’d made an excellent choice
about where to stay for our two nights in the area. Since breakfast was to be served at 7:00 the
next morning and wifi was non-existent, we turned in early. The next day we’d planned to do our longest
hike of the trip so far, so we drifted off to sleep, hidden deep in the canyon,
while the water rushed on, oblivious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-18525204451336139212017-07-25T20:36:00.000-07:002017-07-31T15:55:36.874-07:00Sequoias, the Majestic Hotel, Jelly Bellys, and Family: A National Park Odyssey Days 24-25<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Yosemite
National Park to Durham, CA via the <a href="https://www.jellybelly.com/california-factory-tours" target="_blank">Jelly Belly Factory</a></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Want to listen to our podcast about Yosemite? <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-11-listener-questions-and-yosemite-national-park" target="_blank">Click here!</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E-od3L4iy6o/WXbkvv4FulI/AAAAAAAACC0/aA1g2sGMlMEHPdoq9H8jwm64IX47iow7ACLcBGAs/s1600/0705%2BToulumne%2Bbig%2Btree%2Bexplorers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E-od3L4iy6o/WXbkvv4FulI/AAAAAAAACC0/aA1g2sGMlMEHPdoq9H8jwm64IX47iow7ACLcBGAs/s640/0705%2BToulumne%2Bbig%2Btree%2Bexplorers.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley and Knox stand in front of one of Yosemite's giant sequoias.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For our last
full day in Yosemite, we wanted to see some more sequoias. We’d seen them in <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/07/twin-parks-ancient-trees-and-beautiful.html" target="_blank">Kings Canyon and Sequoia</a>,
of course, but we needed another fix. And
since Yosemite has a three groves, we decided to take a ranger-guided hike into
one. The Mariposa Grove was closed to
visitors while we were there and another one requires a significant hike, so we
drove to the <a href="http://www.yosemitehikes.com/tioga-road/tuolumne-grove/tuolumne-grove.htm" target="_blank">Tuolumne Grove</a> for the 10:00 program. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We hiked
about a mile down a relatively steep old logging road to get to the grove where
Ranger Sierra and a small group of other visitors were congregating in the
shadow of some thousand-year-old sequoias.
It was then that I noticed for the first time that the leather hat band
and leather belt on a park ranger’s uniform are both decorated with sequoia
pine cones! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HcFsRO2u7jU/WXbjqC4hiKI/AAAAAAAACC4/n0kA5ruZeSwGtgZkcNtEr5QfmGO3ll9fwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0705%2BRanger%2Btalk%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HcFsRO2u7jU/WXbjqC4hiKI/AAAAAAAACC4/n0kA5ruZeSwGtgZkcNtEr5QfmGO3ll9fwCEwYBhgL/s640/0705%2BRanger%2Btalk%2Ba.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ranger Sierra began our ranger talk in a spot where sequoias in all stages of development were evident.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I175Njbbrb0/WXbjo1lR6RI/AAAAAAAACC4/Hg5_CidRgs8w0eM_EPGT31_HvmM6n2L6gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0705%2BGiant%2Bsequoia%2Bcones%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I175Njbbrb0/WXbjo1lR6RI/AAAAAAAACC4/Hg5_CidRgs8w0eM_EPGT31_HvmM6n2L6gCEwYBhgL/s640/0705%2BGiant%2Bsequoia%2Bcones%2Ba.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hundreds of potential sequoias lie in these pine cones.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This was one
of the best ranger talks we participated in during our entire summer. Ranger Sierra
pointed out sequoias in all stages – as mere pinecones, as little baby
seedlings, as “teenagers”, in the prime of their lives, and fallen ones. They
were just as grand and awe-inspiring in Yosemite as they had been in Sequoia
and Kings Canyon. The forty-five minutes
flew by as our group followed the ranger through the grove, and then it was
time for the steep climb back out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gVUKH-AgJds/WXbj2-KPRmI/AAAAAAAACC4/QKZA4iI6owAWEbPQMX-uwtbQ04_8VsypwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0705%2BSequoia%2Bbabies%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gVUKH-AgJds/WXbj2-KPRmI/AAAAAAAACC4/QKZA4iI6owAWEbPQMX-uwtbQ04_8VsypwCEwYBhgL/s640/0705%2BSequoia%2Bbabies%2Ba.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ranger Sierra kneels to point out baby sequoias.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GEyO4STqDmk/WXbj265pUnI/AAAAAAAACC4/GKyj-1MbyQQAlILqcuGdlyoxTECqAqO6wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0705%2BSequoia%2Bbabies%2Bc.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GEyO4STqDmk/WXbj265pUnI/AAAAAAAACC4/GKyj-1MbyQQAlILqcuGdlyoxTECqAqO6wCEwYBhgL/s640/0705%2BSequoia%2Bbabies%2Bc.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This seedling could live for the next 1800 years.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4tk1tNdW1WQ/WXbjsrJaRYI/AAAAAAAACC4/Z_Fk0wjiLcEyf6_2B45CnqlufjRNC2wMQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0705%2BRanger%2Btalk%2Bat%2BToulumne%2BGrove.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4tk1tNdW1WQ/WXbjsrJaRYI/AAAAAAAACC4/Z_Fk0wjiLcEyf6_2B45CnqlufjRNC2wMQCEwYBhgL/s640/0705%2BRanger%2Btalk%2Bat%2BToulumne%2BGrove.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh cranes his neck to see the top of one of the massive trees while Ranger Sierra talks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back at the
visitors’ center, the kids got their Junior Ranger badges. Yosemite requires each potential Junior Ranger
to pick up a bag of trash, and the kids had done the nasty job of collecting
theirs at Lower Yosemite Falls the day before.
Yosemite thoughtfully provides both the bag and a plastic glove for the
kids to use, and you aren’t required to prove that you actually did it at all.
We took pictures, of course, but the ranger took our word for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t7FZLOt0UzQ/WXbjaYESV6I/AAAAAAAACC4/0zjkRfJxJ3EvEUN93cikFbcwaiqcjv23ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0704%2BJunior%2BRanger%2BKinley%2Bthrows%2Baway%2Btrash.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t7FZLOt0UzQ/WXbjaYESV6I/AAAAAAAACC4/0zjkRfJxJ3EvEUN93cikFbcwaiqcjv23ACEwYBhgL/s640/0704%2BJunior%2BRanger%2BKinley%2Bthrows%2Baway%2Btrash.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley gets rid of her bag of collected trash.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-58ZaT-U2lFA/WXbjX1XBMyI/AAAAAAAACC4/jctA-FaAXSo2-vgRnuV8pz3auq9TtwNNwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0704%2BJunior%2BRanger%2BKnox%2Badds%2Btrash%2Bto%2Bhis%2Bstash.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-58ZaT-U2lFA/WXbjX1XBMyI/AAAAAAAACC4/jctA-FaAXSo2-vgRnuV8pz3auq9TtwNNwCEwYBhgL/s640/0704%2BJunior%2BRanger%2BKnox%2Badds%2Btrash%2Bto%2Bhis%2Bstash.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox looks awfully chipper for someone holding bags full of other people's waste.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Another
unique part of the Junior Ranger process at Yosemite is that every new Junior
Ranger gets to sign a huge ledger listing all of the people who’ve completed
the program. Our kids have earned <i>many</i> Junior Ranger badges all over the
US, and we’d never seen anything like this before. The ranger told the kids that many of the
people who’ve signed this book over the years are now Senators and
Representatives and CEOs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MVHDgk7zzig/WXbkAuXm-eI/AAAAAAAACC4/RQeywhJhzVkNxrpzlt5RfPP5JRyrCne7ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0705%2BYosemite%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MVHDgk7zzig/WXbkAuXm-eI/AAAAAAAACC4/RQeywhJhzVkNxrpzlt5RfPP5JRyrCne7ACEwYBhgL/s640/0705%2BYosemite%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley and Knox get sworn in.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s_R3vdg6duc/WXbj99JNmYI/AAAAAAAACC4/awLl94ttS10X3fWSwvhYNYEaZkavcyCGACEwYBhgL/s1600/0705%2BYosemite%2Bbook%2Bof%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s_R3vdg6duc/WXbj99JNmYI/AAAAAAAACC4/awLl94ttS10X3fWSwvhYNYEaZkavcyCGACEwYBhgL/s640/0705%2BYosemite%2Bbook%2Bof%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They also added their names to the Yosemite book of Junior Rangers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Badges in
hand, we were up for one last hike. The
Vernal Falls Trail is a paved trail that leads first to a bridge overlooking
the falls and then on up to the top of the falls. A sign at the bottom let us know that we
probably hadn’t brought enough water to make the trip all the way to the top,
so we decided to go to the bridge and see how we felt. The climb was steep and it was hot, so the
bridge was as far as we made it.
Watching the force of the massive amount of water as it surged under us
as we stood on the bridge was enough to keep us from wading at the water’s
edge, but there was also a warning sign in case the sight of the water wasn’t
convincing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YkJzy1yG4JA/WXbj5f-w1_I/AAAAAAAACC4/gLgit3QMpMILoGP91xItompp6QOvFDeuwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0705%2BYosemite%2BVernal%2BFalls%2Bb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YkJzy1yG4JA/WXbj5f-w1_I/AAAAAAAACC4/gLgit3QMpMILoGP91xItompp6QOvFDeuwCEwYBhgL/s640/0705%2BYosemite%2BVernal%2BFalls%2Bb.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Vernal Falls footbridge was a good place to turn around and head back.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We had
dinner reservations at the <a href="http://www.travelyosemite.com/lodging/the-majestic-yosemite-hotel/" target="_blank">Majestic Hotel dining room (formerly the Awahnee)</a>,
and after an aborted attempt to walk that ended with us wandering cluelessly
around a nearby campground with the Awahnee nowhere in sight, we took the
shuttle to the historic hotel. We had a
little time to look around the lobby before we were escorted into the cavernous
dining room that seats 300. Imagine a
rustic, Southwest-themed Hogwarts, and you get a pretty good idea of what the
room looked like. Candelabra hung from
the 34-foot ceilings and adorned every table.
Massive pine timbers made up the tresses of the vaulted roofline. Granite pillars were positioned between floor-to-ceiling
windows that afforded views of the surrounding scenery. The alcove of windows at the end of the room
was built to perfectly frame Yosemite Falls.
It was magical.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MeqIzf4ijvg/WXbjgoww4iI/AAAAAAAACC4/q_XIyPIv7BIks4cvZx_idi2GE24CqoFgQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0705%2BAhwahnee%2Bhuge%2Broom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MeqIzf4ijvg/WXbjgoww4iI/AAAAAAAACC4/q_XIyPIv7BIks4cvZx_idi2GE24CqoFgQCEwYBhgL/s640/0705%2BAhwahnee%2Bhuge%2Broom.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dining room of the historic Majestic Hotel was like a rustic Hogwarts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The dining
room was built in 1927, and was originally planned to seat 1000. During construction, the decision was made to
downsize, but the kitchen was already too complete to be changed. Thus, the kitchen is actually larger than the
dining room itself and could easily accommodate the staff and equipment needed
to feed 1000.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u4eAleMmD-0/WXbjYjszZFI/AAAAAAAACC4/2QQ82xG4RVgSLLPUCHDP00YfTP7KAdJLwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0705%2BAhwahnee%2Bcauliflower%2Bappetizer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u4eAleMmD-0/WXbjYjszZFI/AAAAAAAACC4/2QQ82xG4RVgSLLPUCHDP00YfTP7KAdJLwCEwYBhgL/s320/0705%2BAhwahnee%2Bcauliflower%2Bappetizer.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The roasted cauliflower appetizer was our favorite.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our favorite
dish by far was the roasted cauliflower appetizer with curried yogurt
sauce. It was divine, and the addition
of purple cauliflower made it appealing to look at as well as to eat. We also ordered the grilled salmon with white
bean ragout and the prime rib with caramelized onions and whipped potatoes
while Knox got the kids’ ravioli. We’ve
tried to just order a kid’s menu item for Knox and then split two entrees among
the rest of us when eating at nice places on this trip, and most of our servers
haven’t seemed to get too irritated about it.
For dessert, we had the Majestic Skillet Cookie, a warm chocolate chip
cookie cooked in a cast iron skillet and topped with vanilla ice cream and
salted caramel sauce. It was the perfect
ending.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Before
heading back to the shuttle, we stopped off in the sweet shop to grab some
homemade doughnuts for the next morning’s breakfast. As we left, I took a moment to dream about
staying a night or two at this magical place with its lobby filled with Native
American rugs, trophy bison, comfy leather sofas, massive fireplaces, and
luxuriously rustic furniture. And then
headed back to our Cabin Without Bathroom, still dreaming all the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The next morning,
(after hiking to the bath house), we packed up our gear to head to a family
celebration in Durham, CA. Josh’s aunt
and uncle would be celebrating forty years of marriage, and we were excited to
get to be there for the festivities. On the
way, we stopped in Fairfield at the Jelly Belly Factory for a tour. We had stopped at this same factory in 2001
with baby Kinley on our way to visit Josh’s aunt and uncle, and we were anxious
to share the experience with both kids.
The tour is free and includes a bag of Jelly Bellys and a hat (it is an
actual factory, after all, so visitors have to cover their hair to meet
regulations).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iouysTqf0aY/WXbkIEE4rEI/AAAAAAAACC4/TYcGM1-BJysH8FbAh13olBQIMk2eij_tgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0706%2BJelly%2BBelly%2BFairfield%2BCA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iouysTqf0aY/WXbkIEE4rEI/AAAAAAAACC4/TYcGM1-BJysH8FbAh13olBQIMk2eij_tgCEwYBhgL/s640/0706%2BJelly%2BBelly%2BFairfield%2BCA.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jelly Bellys are the best!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Things we
learned:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*The Jelly
Belly company uses real fruit juices and purees in many of their beans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*The mold
used to form the beans isn’t a permanent mold.
It’s just a tray full of cornstarch with little bean-shaped indentations
in it made by a machine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Jelly Belly
has a new factory in Thailand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Twelve
pounds of Jelly Belly Belly Flops (the imperfect ones that they sell for a
discount) is a reasonable purchase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*The ratio
of matcha-flavored beans to other flavors is far out of proportion in the bags
of Belly Flops. So if you love this
flavor, we can hook you up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*The three
most popular flavors are buttered popcorn, very cherry, and black licorice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*The
blueberry Jelly Belly was created specifically for the second inauguration of President
Ronald Reagan. The company already made
very cherry and coconut, but they needed a blue bean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*President
Reagan’s favorite Jelly Belly flavor was black licorice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*President
Reagan gave out crystal jars of the red, white, and blue beans all throughout
his presidency as gifts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*Jelly Belly
employs a full-time artist-in-residence to create Jelly Belly art.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KIaPmDIxZkk/WXbkOr3f6wI/AAAAAAAACC4/vPvSeA7iC9UEOyi0_muk1rI9c-Q_SHQpwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0706%2BJelly%2BBelly%2Bbeans%2Bresting%2Bcolorfully.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KIaPmDIxZkk/WXbkOr3f6wI/AAAAAAAACC4/vPvSeA7iC9UEOyi0_muk1rI9c-Q_SHQpwCEwYBhgL/s640/0706%2BJelly%2BBelly%2Bbeans%2Bresting%2Bcolorfully.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Millions of colorful Jelly Bellys rest before being packaged.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WEWJPIWDM94/WXbkRboaF8I/AAAAAAAACC4/omzsjMwV1LY2QJgu5HKHpP6AdZ_bBdG9gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0706%2BJelly%2BBelly%2Bdifferent%2Bflavors%2Bready%2Bto%2Bbe%2Bmixed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WEWJPIWDM94/WXbkRboaF8I/AAAAAAAACC4/omzsjMwV1LY2QJgu5HKHpP6AdZ_bBdG9gCEwYBhgL/s640/0706%2BJelly%2BBelly%2Bdifferent%2Bflavors%2Bready%2Bto%2Bbe%2Bmixed.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before being added to variety packs, the Jelly Bellys are sorted onto this conveyor belt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rS9WSqD2eoc/WXbkMLalxII/AAAAAAAACC4/MFbrlTJquycR-m8cRrdtra0YAxsoxGrAgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0706%2BJelly%2BBelly%2BReagan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rS9WSqD2eoc/WXbkMLalxII/AAAAAAAACC4/MFbrlTJquycR-m8cRrdtra0YAxsoxGrAgCEwYBhgL/s640/0706%2BJelly%2BBelly%2BReagan.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox poses next to a Jelly Belly portrait of the candy company's most famous fan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G6MN6HGJroQ/WXbkTQ5ocuI/AAAAAAAACC4/RXt4PwoULwgNvB7QptUXeaAgVce87vd3wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0706%2BJelly%2BBelly%2Bletter%2Bfrom%2BReagan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G6MN6HGJroQ/WXbkTQ5ocuI/AAAAAAAACC4/RXt4PwoULwgNvB7QptUXeaAgVce87vd3wCEwYBhgL/s640/0706%2BJelly%2BBelly%2Bletter%2Bfrom%2BReagan.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A copy of a thank-you letter from The Gipper himself</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Equipped
with enough Belly Flops to feed an army, we continued on our way to meet up
with family for dinner. Josh’s Aunt
Nancy and Uncle Larry own a huge almond orchard and were hosting us in their
sprawling, art-filled ranch home for supper.
When we arrived, we were welcomed with hugs and an impressive spread of
Southern-with-a-splash-of-Californian foods including ham, mac & cheese,
salad, green beans, potatoes, and watermelon.
The food was delicious, but just being with family was the best part. Later, the kids played in the sparkling pool
while the rest of us talked and laughed.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Low5QhAWEiA/WXbkDl7HgVI/AAAAAAAACC4/8jidypx3jA4zQWA6yUKLfEELuIRItD4nACEwYBhgL/s1600/0706%2BBradley%2Bpool%2Bparty.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Low5QhAWEiA/WXbkDl7HgVI/AAAAAAAACC4/8jidypx3jA4zQWA6yUKLfEELuIRItD4nACEwYBhgL/s640/0706%2BBradley%2Bpool%2Bparty.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family time around the pool</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let me just
take a moment to gush about this home and Aunt Nancy’s impeccable taste. This is easily my favorite ranch home on the
planet, and I bask in its homey feel and beautiful décor each time we
visit. It is designed so that it wraps
around the pool area, so both the master bedroom and guest room have lovely
views and doors leading to the beautifully-landscaped garden and pool
area. A redwood grove stands sentinel
over a shaded picnic area while fruit and almond trees beckon just outside the
fence. Inside, works by <a href="http://www.artnet.com/artists/alexander-calder/" target="_blank">Calder</a>, <a href="http://www.artnet.com/artists/pablo-picasso/" target="_blank">Picasso</a>,
and (my favorite) <a href="http://www.artnet.com/artists/wayne-thiebaud/" target="_blank">Wayne Thiebaud</a> as well as countless other artists adorn the walls. Exquisite pices of<a href="http://www.orientandflume.com/" target="_blank"> art glass by Orient & Flume</a> and
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Smallhouse-Art-Glass-189082207903836/" target="_blank">David Smallhouse</a> perch precariously on tables and countertops, but the toddlers
and preschoolers in the family play nearby, uninhibited, without ever touching
a single precious piece. I love it all
and treasure each time that Aunt Nancy pulls me aside to tell me about a new
piece in her collection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After a
pleasant evening, warmly embraced in familial love, we snuggled down in our
comfy bed in the guest room, ready to visit park number 13 the next day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-17683864912468946712017-07-24T20:34:00.001-07:002017-07-24T23:02:21.400-07:00What Not to Do on the 4th of July: A National Parks Odyssey Day 23<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm" target="_blank">Yosemite National Park</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our family
hasn’t been in the United States for a 4<sup>th</sup> of July since 2009. And this year was only the third year in
Knox’s lifetime that we were in the US for the holiday. He doesn’t remember ever having a traditional
4<sup>th</sup> of July. In fact, last
year while doing <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2016/06/some-things-are-just-hard-to-talk-about.html" target="_blank">mission work in Brazil,</a> we mentioned something about sparklers,
and he didn’t know what they were. So
this year, since we were going to be in the good old US of A for Independence
Day, I wanted to be sure to do something, well, really 4<sup>th</sup>-of-July-ish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RP37QAebpcw/WXN8-XroNLI/AAAAAAAACAU/gJ2-54r1PugFavBwNK18Vhx2Q14iHk5xACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RP37QAebpcw/WXN8-XroNLI/AAAAAAAACAU/gJ2-54r1PugFavBwNK18Vhx2Q14iHk5xACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_3072.JPG" width="354" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the only picture I have from July 4th, 2009. And it turns out that Josh and I weren't in the country then, either. We were on a no-kids trip to the Virgin Islands. So I haven't been in the US for the 4th since 2007. In this picture, Knox is watching the parade in Fort Thomas, KY with his grandparents.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To be
honest, I had actually forgotten that the 4<sup>th</sup> of July would be
happening while we were on this trip because I’ve grown so unaccustomed to
thinking about it during our summers. So
when I finally connected the dots a week or so into our journey, I Googled “July
4<sup>th</sup> events at Yosemite” to find out what the park system would be
doing to honor the occasion. I was
disappointed to find that the park had nothing – zero, nada -- online about the
holiday. (Once we arrived in Yosemite,
we saw fliers for several holiday events in the park – a talent show, a
hoedown, a sing-along – but none of them were listed anywhere online, a fact I
was sure to point out to park officials.)
The best I could find online two weeks ahead was an outdoor buffet that
I managed to book at a resort outside the park.
The information on the website promised traditional 4<sup>th</sup> of
July food and entertainment, minus the fireworks, of course, since the park
prohibits them and the resort shares park boundaries. But still, we had reservations for red,
white, and blue fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We woke up
excited to celebrate our nation’s birthday in one of its most beautiful
places. The problem was, we had
forgotten how packed state and national parks are for the 4th. The shuttles were packed, the visitors’
center was mobbed, and the trails were overwhelmed with people. To make things worse, I made the mistake of
checking my Facebook feed using the free wifi at the <a href="http://www.travelyosemite.com/lodging/half-dome-village/" target="_blank">Half Dome Village</a> lounge
and found myself frustrated by all of the posts criticizing and condemning our
country and emphasizing its many mistakes.
People were griping about fireworks and politics and the admittedly
horrible things that America has done from its settlement until today. And these posts weren’t from my many friends
from other countries, mind you. They were
from my fellow Americans. Americans who
clearly hadn’t spent eight summers in foreign countries while the rest of their
friends and family celebrated with cookouts and watermelon and flag-shaped
desserts and trips to the lake. And it
put me in a seriously foul mood. Here I
was, actually getting to spend an Independence Day in my very own country for
the first time in eight years, and all I felt was angry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Until I
looked around me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was
surrounded by immigrants and foreign visitors.
I could hear numerous languages.
I could see evidence in clothing choices of multiple cultures. Here I was, visiting a place of stunning
natural beauty that was only protected because of our clearly-imperfect
national government, and who was here with me?
People from all over the planet.
And guess what many of them were wearing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Wait for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Old Navy
Fourth of July t-shirts. Droves of
them. Entire families were wearing
them. Over their saris. Over their salwar kameezes. Under their hijabs. They even sported American flag sunglasses. Proudly.
And, to be fair, these people could all have been fifth generation
American citizens. I didn’t make them
produce their passports. But still. They were wearing things emblazoned with the
symbols of an imperfect country, whether it was their home country or not. And it made me feel better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pPXL1iNuWaw/WXa3E8WN9HI/AAAAAAAACA4/6vHuHbOLnEgdlV9RwyTT-m3wiMYP9BBnwCLcBGAs/s1600/0704%2BPatriotic%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pPXL1iNuWaw/WXa3E8WN9HI/AAAAAAAACA4/6vHuHbOLnEgdlV9RwyTT-m3wiMYP9BBnwCLcBGAs/s640/0704%2BPatriotic%2B2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I first asked to take this family's picture, they were VERY hesitant. But when I explained that they were the perfect representation of the spirit of the 4th of July, the patriarch (on the far left) gave his enthusiastic consent. Notice both the Old Navy tee and the American flag sunglasses.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">These people
came to this country – in spite of its faults – because there is beauty
here. They aren’t here because we’ve got
it all figured out. Or because they like
it here better than they like their own country. Or because our government makes all the right
choices. They came to see the beauty
here for themselves. And while they were
here, they wanted to celebrate with us.
And they unashamedly wore their red, white, and blue on American
Independence Day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FqgRyKyT-nw/WXa3EP698fI/AAAAAAAACA8/lZaTxU7Z0ZgjoyMkNs7k_ErH1ciS1VjPACEwYBhgL/s1600/0704%2BPatriotic%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FqgRyKyT-nw/WXa3EP698fI/AAAAAAAACA8/lZaTxU7Z0ZgjoyMkNs7k_ErH1ciS1VjPACEwYBhgL/s640/0704%2BPatriotic%2B3.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know this one isn't an Old Navy one, but I promise there were dozens. And they weren't on WASP-ish people.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And I was
proud. And moved. And vindicated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some
Americans act as if we have a corner on the frustration-with-our-government
market. And to them I’d say, you need to
get out more. Talk to Brazilians. They are so frustrated that many of them are
far beyond feeling any sort of hope for their country. But does that stop them from singing their
national anthem at the top of their voices during a World Cup match? Does it stop them from proudly sporting flip-flops
and t-shirts emblazoned with their national flag? Does it stop them from genuinely loving their
homeland? Nope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All
countries are flawed. Because countries
are made up of people. And people are
flawed. And it is possible to love your country while being frustrated with its policies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here’s the
thing. I try to give people I know a
little more leeway on their birthday.
When a friend experiences unfortunate circumstances, I empathize. But if something unfortunate happens on her <i>birthday</i>? Well, that’s even worse. In fact, most of us try to be nice to our
friends and family on their birthdays. So
I just think it’s bad form to criticize America on <i>her</i> birthday. You want to
point out all the ways she’s not yet evolved to the point you (and I) want her
to be? You’ve got 364 other days to do
it. But on July 4<sup>th</sup>, I just
want to be grateful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For things
like national parks (which the US invented, by the way). For wide open spaces. For barbecue.
For jazz. For Broadway. For squirrels. (Foreigners get really excited
about seeing squirrels.) For drinkable
tap water. (You think it’s only third world countries that have unsafe tap
water? You’re wrong.) For recycling. (You think all developed nations
recycle? Nope.) For entrepreneurship. (You think anyone in any country can start a
business if they have the skills and the finances? Wrong again.) For not having to pay for a virtual
private network in order to check my email.
(My spring break trip made me grateful for that one.) For Senators and Representatives who don’t
always vote with their party. (Ask the
Australians the last time that a Member of Parliament did that in their
country.) Did I mention national parks?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That
evening, we had a great time celebrating our country. We drove to Tenaya Resort, ate good food,
practiced archery (OK, not a typical 4<sup>th</sup> of July activity, but fun
nonetheless), participated in a sing-along, and made s’mores. We met some new people and basked in the
American-ness of the whole thing. It
wasn’t exactly the Independence Day traditions of my youth, but it satisfied my
craving for an American celebration in my own country on July 4<sup>th</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-siIWLeYKLfg/WXa4zMPStcI/AAAAAAAACBY/JEeZTE47yo8xlqy0vF33tUSqPqYkoXTRQCLcBGAs/s1600/0704%2BKnox%2Band%2BKinley%2Bthe%2Barchers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-siIWLeYKLfg/WXa4zMPStcI/AAAAAAAACBY/JEeZTE47yo8xlqy0vF33tUSqPqYkoXTRQCLcBGAs/s640/0704%2BKnox%2Band%2BKinley%2Bthe%2Barchers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox and Kinley aim for the target.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T5sD7zFeRMY/WXa4yMPNaRI/AAAAAAAACBU/jiD5iJHU3XsFOxvuU6Q-jBhaPiZTnpi7wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0704%2BFourth%2Blittle%2Bsmore%2Bmaker.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T5sD7zFeRMY/WXa4yMPNaRI/AAAAAAAACBU/jiD5iJHU3XsFOxvuU6Q-jBhaPiZTnpi7wCEwYBhgL/s640/0704%2BFourth%2Blittle%2Bsmore%2Bmaker.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox roasts his marshmallow to perfection.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X0EdTZdSiOo/WXa4w0f3lCI/AAAAAAAACBQ/6gFxf4u422wUOtH5RFhqwRHrJHxzuVZiACEwYBhgL/s1600/0704%2BFourth%2Bsmore%2Beater.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X0EdTZdSiOo/WXa4w0f3lCI/AAAAAAAACBQ/6gFxf4u422wUOtH5RFhqwRHrJHxzuVZiACEwYBhgL/s640/0704%2BFourth%2Bsmore%2Beater.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure why he needed sunglasses to make a s'more, but there it is.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMjlJxmVflk/WXa4toTyzkI/AAAAAAAACBM/-6h_iGCtzEktkB-6Bf1f5zXCCxvv-mQnwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0704%2BFourth%2Bfamily.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMjlJxmVflk/WXa4toTyzkI/AAAAAAAACBM/-6h_iGCtzEktkB-6Bf1f5zXCCxvv-mQnwCEwYBhgL/s640/0704%2BFourth%2Bfamily.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner included barbecue, chili, and baked potatoes. The decor was super festive, too!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-diNV_n4xrws/WXa4tYSRVZI/AAAAAAAACBI/ivcPlOJT7_AnELpreBABgAP7Qg20j_gyACEwYBhgL/s1600/0704%2BFourth%2Bfamily%2Bat%2Bcookout.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-diNV_n4xrws/WXa4tYSRVZI/AAAAAAAACBI/ivcPlOJT7_AnELpreBABgAP7Qg20j_gyACEwYBhgL/s640/0704%2BFourth%2Bfamily%2Bat%2Bcookout.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family picture!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VZBwj0wHsik/WXa4tX_ZvvI/AAAAAAAACBE/H-ujwqlbbj4_IbAyFD9KeHc5flCk5umMwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0704%2BFourth%2Bband%2Bwith%2Bkids%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VZBwj0wHsik/WXa4tX_ZvvI/AAAAAAAACBE/H-ujwqlbbj4_IbAyFD9KeHc5flCk5umMwCEwYBhgL/s640/0704%2BFourth%2Bband%2Bwith%2Bkids%2Ba.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox sang on stage with the band!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And then on
the way back to our little cabin in Yosemite Valley, we pulled over just before
dark to check out a lovely little meadow trail.
There wasn’t another soul on the trail, so we sang every single
patriotic song we could possibly come up with.
At the top of our lungs. Even
when we couldn’t remember the words.
(Who has all the words to “This Is My Country” memorized anyway? It’s impressive enough that we knew the
chorus.) But we knocked it out of the
park with “America, the Beautiful,” “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” “You’re a Grand
Ole Flag,” “God Bless America,” and “This Land is Your Land.” We even made a brief foray into all the state
songs we could think of as we drove back to the Yosemite Valley. We sang and laughed and made fun of each
other for messing up the words. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And we felt
connected. Connected to our families
celebrating elsewhere in more traditional ways.
Connected to each other.
Connected to our homeland. And connected
to all those families from who-knows-where who were proudly wearing their American
flag t-shirts in one of the most beautiful places in the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And it felt
good. And it reminded me of what NOT to
do on the 4<sup>th</sup> of July.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Don’t
check Facebook unless other people’s complaints don’t bother you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Don’t
plan to be in a national park unless you LOVE crowds.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Don’t
worry about not remembering all the words.
Sing loud and proud. Maybe in an
Old Navy 4<sup>th</sup> of July t-shirt.</span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-9232701527006263682017-07-20T22:27:00.003-07:002017-07-22T07:08:15.084-07:00Who Knew That You Could Kill a Day in Fresno?: A National Park Odyssey Day 22<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Kings
Canyon National Park to Yosemite National Park via Fresno, CA</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w0VsfuqV5vk/WXGKSwUSyaI/AAAAAAAAB_U/9IGfk7LrYG88LxiXo09_Zw6iU8WFF1F0wCLcBGAs/s1600/0706%2BYosemite%2Bsign%2Bpic%2BGina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w0VsfuqV5vk/WXGKSwUSyaI/AAAAAAAAB_U/9IGfk7LrYG88LxiXo09_Zw6iU8WFF1F0wCLcBGAs/s640/0706%2BYosemite%2Bsign%2Bpic%2BGina.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Kings Canyon, we drove to one of the most famous parks in the US, Yosemite.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We
discovered our problem during breakfast on the porch at the John Muir Lodge in
Kings Canyon. On a trip this long, we
have a specific plan for which parks we’ll visit each day, and we have hotel
reservations booked in advance for every night.
But beyond that, we don’t have clear plans nailed down until about three
days out. So it wasn’t until breakfast that we began contemplating the route we’d
be taking that day into Yosemite National Park.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Josh was
checking the hours for the Yosemite Visitors’ Center, looking at suggested
hikes, and finalizing driving routes when he discovered an announcement from
the National Park Service. Because of
the upcoming 4<sup>th</sup> of July holiday and especially heavy summer visitor
numbers, guests should avoid entering the park between the hours of 11:00 am and
6:00 pm which, of course, was the time period we’d planned to arrive. Yosemite was a 2 ½ hour drive away, and it
was already 9:00 am. What to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sitting in a
long line of cars to go through the entrance checkpoint didn’t sound like a fun
way to spend a couple of hours, so we decided to take our time packing up, take
advantage of the free wifi, and blow some time in Fresno on the way. All of our Grand Canyon gear (cowboy boots,
jeans, etc.) were taking up valuable space in the car plus we’d bought some
souvenirs at Disneyland that could be shipped home, and we could do that in
Fresno. Additionally, we needed a few
supplies, so a Target run would take up some time, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MF9uL6wDTM0/WXGJ21oQ25I/AAAAAAAAB_Y/NCIimhm_yFYyVnndh3WMDSN2Hr5gyeQZgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0703%2BFresno%2Bfruit%2Bstand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MF9uL6wDTM0/WXGJ21oQ25I/AAAAAAAAB_Y/NCIimhm_yFYyVnndh3WMDSN2Hr5gyeQZgCEwYBhgL/s640/0703%2BFresno%2Bfruit%2Bstand.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In-season, ripe peaches are my very favorite food in the whole world, so we had to make a stop to buy some!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On the way,
we stopped at a peach stand to pick up some peaches – this happened right in
the middle of recording a podcast – before arriving in Fresno. We headed for the post office first where
packaged up another box of stuff to send home.
And then I majorly geeked out over some stamps we bought there. And people, if they’re still available, get
yourself to the nearest US Post Office and get some of these. Usually the only round stamps that the USPS
makes are for international mail. A few
years ago, they made a round wreath one for Christmas, and we bought enough to
send all of our cards to international friends using those for several years.
But this summer they have made round, <a href="https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?categoryNav=false&navAction=push&navCount=0&atg.multisite.remap=false&categoryId=buy-stamps&productId=S_474904" target="_blank">textured stamps featuring different types of balls</a> – tennis balls, baseballs,
volleyballs, and even kickballs! I am no
philatelist or anything, but those stamps are cool, people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And the
other ones you <i>must</i> run out to get a
sheet of are the ones<a href="https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?categoryNav=false&navAction=push&navCount=0&atg.multisite.remap=false&categoryId=buy-stamps&productId=S_475304" target="_blank"> commemorating the upcoming total solar eclipse on August 21</a>. Now, I thought these stamps were
cool when we picked up a sheet inside the post office because they showed the
moon as a black circle with the sun’s rays streaking out from it on all
sides. But when we took them outside,
they became even cooler – the moon appeared!
<b>These stamps change in light!</b> Now tell me, isn’t that worth geeking out
about? I realize almost nobody uses stamps anymore, but try to come up with a
reason to send some snail mail using these things. They’re awesome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1SLMLUO9Ij8/WXGJ_cWD19I/AAAAAAAAB_Y/MOz-MWhMJuUJflspQX3rnJyjXMTp6q23wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0703%2BFresno%2Bshipping%2Ba%2Bbox%2Bhome.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1SLMLUO9Ij8/WXGJ_cWD19I/AAAAAAAAB_Y/MOz-MWhMJuUJflspQX3rnJyjXMTp6q23wCEwYBhgL/s640/0703%2BFresno%2Bshipping%2Ba%2Bbox%2Bhome.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shipping home another box of stuff helped to clear out some space in the back of the Volvo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once I’d
finished being a complete nerd at the post office, we commenced our
almost-daily search for a place to eat.
Yelp! had been supremely unhelpful three days earlier when we were in Fresno,
so we used the tried-and-true method of just driving around until we found
something that looked promising. That’s
how we ended up at <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/west-coast-fish-n-chips-fresno-2" target="_blank">West Coast Fish N Chips</a>, a tiny hole in the
wall in a strip mall with an even tinier sign.
It may seems that fish and chips aren’t that hard to do, but these
people do everything from scratch. Just
look at the sign they post explaining their philosophy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xHs6ivTManI/WXGQeIG1vYI/AAAAAAAAB_s/NfdImLoP18oOFb9E-jI8yLdPLtKtaBNQACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG-6830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xHs6ivTManI/WXGQeIG1vYI/AAAAAAAAB_s/NfdImLoP18oOFb9E-jI8yLdPLtKtaBNQACLcBGAs/s640/IMG-6830.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who makes their own sauces? Almost nobody!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MJrbu1eHtLg/WXGJ2T1CMPI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/Mjg0QMq8pmc--5EXGunw4WImOuVZt2d4wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0703%2BFresno%2Blunch%2Bplace.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MJrbu1eHtLg/WXGJ2T1CMPI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/Mjg0QMq8pmc--5EXGunw4WImOuVZt2d4wCEwYBhgL/s640/0703%2BFresno%2Blunch%2Bplace.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign you see here isn't even visible from the road.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We had to
wait for about 20 minutes after we ordered for our food to arrive because everything
is made when you order it. It tasted
just like the fish and chips we’ve eaten in England; all that was missing was
the traditional mushy peas side dish (which is actually yummy in small
amounts).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TjGh4Aeherw/WXGQeJ0UiII/AAAAAAAAB_o/jUrBpcBbjpcOJcO_wWgCkZYXbExV2iV_QCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG-6829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TjGh4Aeherw/WXGQeJ0UiII/AAAAAAAAB_o/jUrBpcBbjpcOJcO_wWgCkZYXbExV2iV_QCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG-6829.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish and chips with a side of battered veggies - yummy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After
dinner, we made a Target run and then checked out the Gibson Farm Market which
is a meat, dairy, and produce stand run by Fresno State University. All of the agricultural products are grown
and produced right on campus, and we picked up some fresh veggies and ice cream
to munch on. It was a surprisingly professional-looking
enterprise, and it was packed with customers.
They are open every day, and it made me wish that Purdue’s Butcher Block
concept would expand to dairy and produce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ntprtx5Y0-I/WXGJ0yaqqYI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/JmlX6AK8MhgzGMb_QYNBoTCojVhW9OiBQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0703%2BFresno%2BState%2Bfruit%2Bstand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ntprtx5Y0-I/WXGJ0yaqqYI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/JmlX6AK8MhgzGMb_QYNBoTCojVhW9OiBQCEwYBhgL/s640/0703%2BFresno%2BState%2Bfruit%2Bstand.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please open one of these, Purdue!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since by
then it was after 5:00, we could safely head to Yosemite without worrying about
arriving during the heaviest tourist time.
We made a bee line for Glacier Point to marvel at the imposing vista
including both Half Dome and a thundering Yosemite Falls. This was a complete surprise to me, since I’d
heard <i>many</i> friends tell about their
summer trips to Yosemite and the way that the waterfalls were mere trickles in the
summer months. A winter of heavy
snowfall meant that visitors this summer were rewarded with impressive amounts
of falling water that echoed throughout the valley as it fell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-90ipvwrOnrc/WXGKBhijHGI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/cglRv-aZb-gr7SB3XXfuAkJEb8yI6LbrQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0703%2BGlacier%2BPoint%2BHalf%2BDome%2Band%2Bfalls.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-90ipvwrOnrc/WXGKBhijHGI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/cglRv-aZb-gr7SB3XXfuAkJEb8yI6LbrQCEwYBhgL/s640/0703%2BGlacier%2BPoint%2BHalf%2BDome%2Band%2Bfalls.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The light was PERFECT when we arrived! Look at those reds and pinks!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We stood in
awe at the edge of Glacier Point and began to understand why Yosemite is one of
the nation’s most popular and iconic parks.
Of course hordes of people were there for the 4<sup>th</sup> of July
holiday (and a whole heaping herd of them were perched there on the cliffs with
us), but even that couldn’t detract from the stunning beauty in front of us. We
stayed until well past sunset before beginning the hour-long drive down into
the valley where we’d be staying for the next three nights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sli60m3TVjU/WXGKICQ_z9I/AAAAAAAAB_Y/JRmGtCk_aH0hWaB2XMFnT8UtMi0DahYpQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0703%2BGlacier%2BPoint%2Bfamily%2Band%2BHalf%2BDome.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sli60m3TVjU/WXGKICQ_z9I/AAAAAAAAB_Y/JRmGtCk_aH0hWaB2XMFnT8UtMi0DahYpQCEwYBhgL/s640/0703%2BGlacier%2BPoint%2Bfamily%2Band%2BHalf%2BDome.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half Dome looms large in the background of our family picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HiILWGhS88E/WXGKL3w8dhI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/eixhvqVE2Q0ZXogJUH0_Ao25J6W5qe1_ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0703%2BGlacier%2BPoint%2Bwaterfall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HiILWGhS88E/WXGKL3w8dhI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/eixhvqVE2Q0ZXogJUH0_Ao25J6W5qe1_ACEwYBhgL/s640/0703%2BGlacier%2BPoint%2Bwaterfall.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at all that water plunging into the valley!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we
finally arrived at what used to be Curry Village but is now known as <a href="http://www.travelyosemite.com/lodging/half-dome-village/" target="_blank">Half DomeVillage</a>*, it was well after dark**. We
drove around and around looking for a place to park, and Kinley got the fright
of her life when the face of a lady, who had apparently been sleeping in her
car, popped up in the window next to us just as Kinley was getting out of our
car. Once she’d regained her composure,
we all trooped through the dark to our cabin.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Most of the
area that wasn’t filled with parked cars was covered with what the park calls
tent cabins. These were canvas-walled
tents with a raise wooden platform floor, a screen door, and cots for sleeping. They had no electricity, and the occupants of
the tents were required to keep all their food in bear-proof lockers outside
each tent. There were 403 of them in
Half Dome Village. Hence the parking
issues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2Ie2rNPaGg/WXGKQ8P7HoI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/EXPYRCwUTScSZ0XAlB05-rFjdJjEQnSzwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0706%2BHalf%2BDome%2BVillage%2Btent%2Bcabin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2Ie2rNPaGg/WXGKQ8P7HoI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/EXPYRCwUTScSZ0XAlB05-rFjdJjEQnSzwCEwYBhgL/s640/0706%2BHalf%2BDome%2BVillage%2Btent%2Bcabin.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This example of a tent cabin was less than 10 feet from our cabin. You can see many others in the background.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We had
booked the slightly nicer Cabins Without Bathrooms. (That’s what they called them. For real.
It sounds all noble like Doctors Without Borders or something, but it’s
really just expensive and inconvenient.)
There were only 14 of those, and we only booked one because when we
called <b>a year ago</b> to reserve a room,
that’s the nicest thing that was left.
The Awahnee, the Wawona, and even the 46 Cabins With Private Baths
(creative nomenclature, for sure) were all full. <i>A year in advance.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F6XJX3bLDTA/WXGKPtQangI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/DbcW4bdwNh0qgRbz25U0dKnehgjDPYp3wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0706%2BHalf%2BDome%2BVillage%2Bcabin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F6XJX3bLDTA/WXGKPtQangI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/DbcW4bdwNh0qgRbz25U0dKnehgjDPYp3wCEwYBhgL/s640/0706%2BHalf%2BDome%2BVillage%2Bcabin.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox stands in front of our Cabin Without Bathroom.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All of the
cabins – tent, without bathrooms, and with private baths -- looked like no
thought whatsoever had been given to their placement in the valley. It looked as if each one had been a little
Monopoly house in some designer’s hand who then took 463 of the little buggers,
tossed them onto a map of the area, and then placed them at the campground, higgledy-piggledy,
just as they fell. Three bath houses
were within spitting distance of each other a few steps away from our cabin,
but that left dozens of other cabins without nearby bathrooms. Why wouldn’t they have spread those three bath
facilities out more? I guess the Monopoly pieces just fell that way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once we
finally located our Cabin Without Bathroom, we hauled in all of our stuff. These
nicer-but-still-expensive-for-a-place-with-no-bathroom cabins had two double
beds, electricity, a chest of drawers, a bedside table with a lamp, and a fan. After we unloaded our substantial amount of
luggage, we paraded to the bath house, armed with the keyless-entry password
given only to paying guests. Kinley and
I needn’t have bothered. The door wasn’t
even latched. We brushed our teeth and
got ready for bed, hoping silently that neither of us would need to make a
bathroom run in the middle of the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Poor Knox
had been saying the whole trip that he thought he might want to really go
camping – like, real tent camping – sometime.
I was beginning to feel guilty, like a bad mom who’s depriving her son
of essential experiences. I was
beginning to consider caving in, borrowing some gear form friends, and taking
the child on an overnight camp out. That is,
until Yosemite. Nope. Not doing it.
This was a rough as I ever care to deal with again.***<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We all
settled in for the night with the sounds of Yosemite Falls thundering off in
the distance. Even the thought of a
late-night bathroom run didn’t take away the wonder of that sound. I slept well.
All night long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*The concessionaire
for Yosemite used to be Delaware North Corporation (DNC). Concessionaires work on a 15-year contract
with the NPS, and the last time new bids were open at Yosemite, DNC lost the
bid to operate the lodges and campgrounds inside Yosemite to Aramark. Then things got interesting. It turns out that during the last 15-year
contract, DNC trademarked all the names of the historic lodges at
Yosemite! And, apparently, the NPS didn’t
give them permission to trademark them.
So now, DNC is basically holding the names of the historic properties hostage! Yosemite has had to come up with new names
for all of these properties, places that are known world-wide by their iconic
names thanks in part to the PBS documentary about America’s National Park lodges. The Awahnee is now <a href="http://www.travelyosemite.com/lodging/the-majestic-yosemite-hotel/" target="_blank">The Majestic Yosemite Hotel.</a> Curry Village is now Half Dome Village. The Wawona is now <a href="http://www.travelyosemite.com/lodging/big-trees-lodge/" target="_blank">Big Trees Lodge</a>. Until the courts decide whether or not a
concessionaire can trademark the name of a facility they don’t actually own, significant
expenses have been incurred to change maps, signage, websites, stationery, etc. And there’s so much confusion! Seasoned employees can’t break the habit of
using the old names, and park guests like us who made reservations over a year
ago to stay at one place now find that place no longer exists. Personally, I hope the courts find in favor
of the NPS, but I can’t imagine how they’ll have enough money to fight for the
naming rights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hgUs3QZ3XQ0/WXGKQSxvcBI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/MOkJlOTEI4ERvNtP_8mJ718PZ1tqFHlHwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0706%2BHalf%2BDome%2BVillage%2Bsign%2Bover%2BCurry%2BVillage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hgUs3QZ3XQ0/WXGKQSxvcBI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/MOkJlOTEI4ERvNtP_8mJ718PZ1tqFHlHwCEwYBhgL/s640/0706%2BHalf%2BDome%2BVillage%2Bsign%2Bover%2BCurry%2BVillage.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See the part of the sign that says Half Dome Village? It's a vinyl banner that's hung over the historic wooden signing that reads Curry Village. The NPS cannot use the Curry Village name anymore thanks to a trademark issue.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">**Many of
the parks we’ve visited this summer have been designated as <a href="http://www.darksky.org/idsp/parks/" target="_blank">International DarkSky Parks</a>. This means that the parks
work hard to keep light pollution to a minimum, so there are no streetlights
and few lit signs or paths at night.
While that makes for <i>awesome </i>stargazing
and makes the habitat for nocturnal animals much more natural, it is a pain
when you’re trying to navigate unfamiliar territory after dark. Hauling luggage. And a sleepy ten-year-old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">***If you
have a hankering to take a very sweet but also sometimes clueless and possibly
very sheltered ten-year-old on a real tent camping trip, let me know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-18542299273207653452017-07-20T09:50:00.001-07:002017-07-31T15:56:45.692-07:00Twin Parks, Ancient Trees, and a Beautiful Canyon: A National Park Odyssey Days 20-21<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kings Canyon
National Park and Sequoia National Park<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Want to listen to our podcast about these parks? <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-10-pinnacles-kings-canyon-and-sequoia-national-parks" target="_blank">Click here!</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YaFh4dHWoCs/WXDM9QJWwyI/AAAAAAAAB8A/opeew8-5olk7iFbV34jpG4GOOvYYyqfXgCLcBGAs/s1600/0701%2BKings%2BCanyon%2Bsign%2BGina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YaFh4dHWoCs/WXDM9QJWwyI/AAAAAAAAB8A/opeew8-5olk7iFbV34jpG4GOOvYYyqfXgCLcBGAs/s640/0701%2BKings%2BCanyon%2Bsign%2BGina.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Park #10 - Kings Canyon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The John
Muir Lodge, which is where we spent the three nights we were exploring Kings
Canyon and Sequoia, is located in Kings Canyon National Park. You almost always hear these two parks mentioned
together, but they are actually separate. Well, sort of.
Let’s just say that if they had a Facebook relationship status, it would
read, “It’s complicated.” They are side
by side, they share the same Junior Ranger program, they have separate signs, and
both of them have giant sequoia groves within their boundaries. Kings Canyon is far less crowded (with the
exception of the General Grant Grove), and both are surrounded by a national
forest. For our first day, we stuck to
Kings Canyon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CHx_WuSJeDI/WXDbAdZvEQI/AAAAAAAAB-Y/AqBX6Il3yDQxJVgxma1TZnd-sesxa9_vQCLcBGAs/s1600/0703%2BJohn%2BMuir%2BLodge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CHx_WuSJeDI/WXDbAdZvEQI/AAAAAAAAB-Y/AqBX6Il3yDQxJVgxma1TZnd-sesxa9_vQCLcBGAs/s640/0703%2BJohn%2BMuir%2BLodge.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We LOVED the central location of the John Muir Lodge inside Kings Canyon National Park.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We woke up
on day 20 relieved <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/07/one-big-disappointment-and-three.html" target="_blank">to find that no bears had broken in to our car overnight</a>, so
we climbed in headed for a nearby driving trail to Panorama Point. From the lookout area you would expect to be
able to see Mount Whitney, the highest point in the lower 48 states which is
located nearby, but you’d be wrong.
Oddly enough, Mt. Whitney is hidden behind other less-tall mountains
from pretty much every angle.
Nevertheless, our effort to climb up the short but steep-ish paved trail
to the lookout was rewarded with a sweeping vista.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EPpfhB1eqgw/WXDQoSd8RxI/AAAAAAAAB8c/8QLcvaBjUhAvZVpsSHQ1RAK0JxAG8TeLACEwYBhgL/s1600/0701%2BPanoramic%2BPoint%2BGina%2Band%2Bkids.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EPpfhB1eqgw/WXDQoSd8RxI/AAAAAAAAB8c/8QLcvaBjUhAvZVpsSHQ1RAK0JxAG8TeLACEwYBhgL/s640/0701%2BPanoramic%2BPoint%2BGina%2Band%2Bkids.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See Mt. Whitney in the distance? Yeah, me neither.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4fadHXuT5qg/WXDQcOFqQSI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/Gupc9lymHpkv6cTyBQjiyGBSU9HJCq-3ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0701%2BKings%2BCanyon%2Bview%2Bfrom%2BPanoramic%2BPoint.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4fadHXuT5qg/WXDQcOFqQSI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/Gupc9lymHpkv6cTyBQjiyGBSU9HJCq-3ACEwYBhgL/s640/0701%2BKings%2BCanyon%2Bview%2Bfrom%2BPanoramic%2BPoint.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The snow-capped mountains in the distance were beautiful.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our next
stop was the General Grant Tree, a giant sequoia which is the third largest
tree in the world and is located in one of the groves in Kings Canyon. It is 267 feet tall and more than 1500 years
old. (In case you’re wondering as we
were, Coastal Redwoods are the tallest trees, but sequoias grow far bigger
around.) The area was overrun with
tourists like us, and the line to get a picture standing in front of the tree
was longer than I was willing to face.
Instead we walked the loop and got some decent pictures from the side
and the back. We walked through the
Fallen Monarch tree and contemplated the extraordinary lifespans of these
magnificent plants. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rAJhfpI-r5Y/WXDP7kArrqI/AAAAAAAAB8Q/X65HpbRbFBMq63hv-FfrnXwV4cZ_okvzACEwYBhgL/s1600/0701%2BGeneral%2BGrant%2Btree.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rAJhfpI-r5Y/WXDP7kArrqI/AAAAAAAAB8Q/X65HpbRbFBMq63hv-FfrnXwV4cZ_okvzACEwYBhgL/s640/0701%2BGeneral%2BGrant%2Btree.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The majestic General Grant tree is so impressive that it won't fit into a regular camera shot without being too far away to see the sign.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3E7LpdKkFq8/WXDP5rLcZQI/AAAAAAAAB8M/fOa6UAD7jqo88PruqLk29Uiur8DtldLqwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0701%2BFallen%2Bmonarch%2Bentrance.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3E7LpdKkFq8/WXDP5rLcZQI/AAAAAAAAB8M/fOa6UAD7jqo88PruqLk29Uiur8DtldLqwCEwYBhgL/s640/0701%2BFallen%2Bmonarch%2Bentrance.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Fallen Monarch has been hollowed out by forest fires so you can walk through it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sequoias
have no known upper lifespan limit. They
can withstand forest fires that wipe out less-resilient species, and many of
the trees within the two parks’ boundaries were alive at the time of Christ. Sequoias often die because the soil surrounding
them becomes too wet and soft, making their top-heavy forms no match for
gravity. Many of the trees we saw were
leaning like living towers of Pisa, but, of course, they could stay in that
seemingly precarious position for years before eventually toppling over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-acZwN6grrQQ/WXDTlP0ClrI/AAAAAAAAB90/WCGjNYPOlc8MU_pPRkX4uxdYPGWUiLIIwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BSequoia%2Bcone%2Bin%2Bhand%2Bof%2BKnox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-acZwN6grrQQ/WXDTlP0ClrI/AAAAAAAAB90/WCGjNYPOlc8MU_pPRkX4uxdYPGWUiLIIwCEwYBhgL/s320/0702%2BSequoia%2Bcone%2Bin%2Bhand%2Bof%2BKnox.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant sequoias start out as tiny pine cones like this one in Knox's hand.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the 1950s,
a campground with cabins was located right in the middle of the General Sherman
Grove of ancient giant sequoias in Sequoia National Park. At the time, one sequoia was leaning severely
and threatened to fall on one of the cabins.
The decision was made by the NPS to cut down the tree to ensure the
safety of tourists staying at the campground.
While I understand that no one wants to be smashed in their sleep by a
2,000 year old tree, the idea that one of these majestic trees would be sacrificed
just so a bunch of tourists could spend the night in a protected grove gave me
pause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rBsRxJ1yjw8/WXDVXuf38EI/AAAAAAAAB-E/H4q9vn1KsxAWKssLcrhfgaBHLPdrk2GiQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BTree%2Bfelled%2Bin%2B1950%2Bslice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rBsRxJ1yjw8/WXDVXuf38EI/AAAAAAAAB-E/H4q9vn1KsxAWKssLcrhfgaBHLPdrk2GiQCEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BTree%2Bfelled%2Bin%2B1950%2Bslice.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox reads about the fate of this downed giant.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Based on the
way Knox and I felt whenever we passed a sequoia stump or an interpretive sign
explaining how many of the giants had been felled during logging, we decided
not to do the Big Stump Trail. We agreed
that it would be far too depressing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We returned
to the visitors’ center to finish up the Junior Ranger booklets and were
thrilled to have a very charming and entertaining ranger swear in Kinley and
Knox. We’re still repeating some of his
corny jokes weeks later. A brand new
restaurant inside the park had opened up the day before, so we decided to have
lunch there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JIuzzoCNvmc/WXDPrrbEehI/AAAAAAAAB8I/iUx5-ScoWRk3zYQ1Zpc1_RqN3r16XXE0QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0701%2BKings%2BCanyon%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JIuzzoCNvmc/WXDPrrbEehI/AAAAAAAAB8I/iUx5-ScoWRk3zYQ1Zpc1_RqN3r16XXE0QCEwYBhgL/s640/0701%2BKings%2BCanyon%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have had so many pleasant interactions with park rangers on this trip. Almost all of them have been generous with their time and attention, but this ranger was especially memorable.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That
afternoon, we drove down into Kings Canyon, a drive that took about an hour and
ten minutes. The scenery along the way
was beautiful, a very different kind of canyon from the Grand Canyon but grand
nonetheless. We pulled over to check out
a waterfall on Ten Mile Creek before proceeding on to Zumwalt Meadow where we
planned to hike a loop trail. We arrived
at dusk, so there were only a couple of cars in the trailhead parking lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DPvnTw6v8EY/WXDQOc9VDUI/AAAAAAAAB8U/nS61h6E2L1AAWF_3RUzZu2LWg9KANAUAQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0701%2BKings%2BCanyon%2Brushing%2Bwaters%2Bvertical.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DPvnTw6v8EY/WXDQOc9VDUI/AAAAAAAAB8U/nS61h6E2L1AAWF_3RUzZu2LWg9KANAUAQCEwYBhgL/s640/0701%2BKings%2BCanyon%2Brushing%2Bwaters%2Bvertical.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even if Kings Canyon weren't populated with Giant Sequoias, the breathtaking canyon alone would be reason to protect it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yyus2kAQWxc/WXDQ6lN4u8I/AAAAAAAAB8k/S1NqXOfubKY4VIKd-KhR7gzXcVxCUdWvACEwYBhgL/s1600/0701%2BTen%2BMile%2BCreek%2Bfalls.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yyus2kAQWxc/WXDQ6lN4u8I/AAAAAAAAB8k/S1NqXOfubKY4VIKd-KhR7gzXcVxCUdWvACEwYBhgL/s640/0701%2BTen%2BMile%2BCreek%2Bfalls.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox and I enjoyed the rushing water of Ten-Mile Creek.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The loop trail
through the picturesque meadow crossed a river and included a boardwalk section
affording a view of the surrounding trees and mountains. Unfortunately, the boardwalk was flooded
meaning that we wouldn’t be able to complete the loop. We turned back after snapping a few pictures
and enjoying the scenery. We proceeded
to walk around the loop in the opposite direction through giant boulders and past
delicate wildflowers until the bugs forced us to retreat to the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IFNFi5Zi3MI/WXDRCGirilI/AAAAAAAAB8o/hpmbAVsy-aYiCAgmjjilmDufIKn2wK9VACEwYBhgL/s1600/0701%2BZumwalt%2BMeadow%2Bbridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IFNFi5Zi3MI/WXDRCGirilI/AAAAAAAAB8o/hpmbAVsy-aYiCAgmjjilmDufIKn2wK9VACEwYBhgL/s640/0701%2BZumwalt%2BMeadow%2Bbridge.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the beginning of the Zumwalt Meadow Trail is a bridge spanning a picturesque river.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d1QfyUgPlcY/WXDRFD2aghI/AAAAAAAAB8w/Zuq6wTU7kV8eu7n-7p2BAXwU7BlrFblTACEwYBhgL/s1600/0701%2BZumwalt%2BMeadow%2Bview.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d1QfyUgPlcY/WXDRFD2aghI/AAAAAAAAB8w/Zuq6wTU7kV8eu7n-7p2BAXwU7BlrFblTACEwYBhgL/s640/0701%2BZumwalt%2BMeadow%2Bview.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting the meadow in the late afternoon was perfect for us (except for the bugs).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P8vDuRAJRX0/WXDRDZxKf4I/AAAAAAAAB8s/zWKbWKdav3MIpwmgiegU1wb3u4oV3s9CQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0701%2BZumwalt%2BMeadow%2Bflooded%2Bboardwalk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P8vDuRAJRX0/WXDRDZxKf4I/AAAAAAAAB8s/zWKbWKdav3MIpwmgiegU1wb3u4oV3s9CQCEwYBhgL/s640/0701%2BZumwalt%2BMeadow%2Bflooded%2Bboardwalk.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see how the boardwalk was flooded in this picture. We were really hoping to get to do the whole loop because the scenery was lovely and the temperature was pleasant.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Cedar Grove
Lodge is another park lodge in the bottom of the canyon, and we had hoped to
eat there for dinner. Unfortunately,
their restaurant was really more of a snack bar, and it had closed 15 minutes
before we arrived. We picked up a couple
of things from the camp store and had peanut butter sandwiches in the car on
the way back up to the John Muir Lodge instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QW9iZmgvu1k/WXDQqddw9-I/AAAAAAAAB8g/sYdkk5bqqqcoCm8hFe9JnVMUKT6zWjicgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0701%2BTrue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QW9iZmgvu1k/WXDQqddw9-I/AAAAAAAAB8g/sYdkk5bqqqcoCm8hFe9JnVMUKT6zWjicgCEwYBhgL/s320/0701%2BTrue.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the little store at the Cedar Grove Lodge, I saw this sign. I didn't see another one like it all summer long even though we visited MANY National Park shops. It had never before occurred to me that shoplifting could be a federal offense, and I wondered if the sign was an effective deterrent.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We started
day 21 with breakfast on the lodge’s second-floor porch which had ample seating and was peaceful and pleasant
even if the view was partially of the parking lot. Besides the porch, the lodge has indoor
seating areas at both ends of the second floor which are nice for using wifi
when the rest of the people in your room are trying to sleep, though we
suspected that the suspiciously grungy and smelly people we saw sitting there
often were actually backpackers and campers who’d sneaked in to use the free
wifi. This was the only place we
encountered where the ice machine was accessible only with your room key, so we
suspect that past backpackers and campers were helping themselves to ice,
forcing the hotel crack down. (We
experienced a similar phenomenon at Yosemite’s campground where the showers
were password protected. But backpackers
who weren’t paying to stay at the campground would just hang out by the shower
doors until some kind soul held the door open for them, allowing them to grab a
free shower. I was never one of those
kind souls.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Nh9LOhmVa8/WXDTfaacoPI/AAAAAAAAB9w/_aKxdceE__gRrWUl1jupyEQJJp1KDLA-QCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BSequoia%2BNP%2Bchurch%2Bservice%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Nh9LOhmVa8/WXDTfaacoPI/AAAAAAAAB9w/_aKxdceE__gRrWUl1jupyEQJJp1KDLA-QCEwYBhgL/s320/0702%2BSequoia%2BNP%2Bchurch%2Bservice%2Bsign.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have been blessed by ACMNP this summer!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For our first stop, we drove to the Lodegpole Amphitheater for a worship service led by <a href="http://www.acmnp.com/" target="_blank">A Christian Ministry in the National Parks (ACMNP)</a>. <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/07/big-canyon-small-world-national-park.html" target="_blank">We had been to one of their services at the Grand Canyon</a>, and were glad to see that another group was working in Sequoia. After a small but meaningful service, we did some laundry at the Wuksachi Lodge. TRAVEL TIP: Evidently, no one wants to do laundry at 10:00 on a Sunday morning, so we had the place to ourselves! We were able to do all of our laundry at one time while we grabbed lunch at the nearby cafe. Within an hour we were ready for the rest of our day!</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HYeSfjQs8cM/WXDUK6MYXVI/AAAAAAAAB98/U39jOY4OZVYBD1mwAHGJspl8nUYS_nVuwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BSequoia%2Blaundry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HYeSfjQs8cM/WXDUK6MYXVI/AAAAAAAAB98/U39jOY4OZVYBD1mwAHGJspl8nUYS_nVuwCEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BSequoia%2Blaundry.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay for empty laundry facilities!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1G-Z7CpVqqo/WXDTdxPjUyI/AAAAAAAAB9s/ntCDB8HE01sHQJ31xXfZdbt-vHZeVNkuQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BNPS%2Bgifts%2Bby%2Bstate.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1G-Z7CpVqqo/WXDTdxPjUyI/AAAAAAAAB9s/ntCDB8HE01sHQJ31xXfZdbt-vHZeVNkuQCEwYBhgL/s320/0702%2BNPS%2Bgifts%2Bby%2Bstate.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At every Visitors' Center there is a donation box, but at this one, there was a little slot for each state so that you could see how much other people from your state had donated.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since we had
heard that parking at the General Sherman Grove was difficult, we decided to
use the shuttle system for the day as we explored Sequoia National Park. Practically speaking, shuttles are a
pain. They are crowded, slow, never
there when you want them, and filled to the brim with people who don’t know
what they’re doing. But I completely
understand the need to lessen the environmental impact of thousands of cars per
day descending upon fragile ecosystems, so we used them frequently during our
trip at several of the parks. TRAVEL TIP #2: Park at the Lodgepole Amphitheater and get on the shuttle there. It is only a few steps from the Visitors' Center but your chances of getting a seat (or even standing room) are far higher at the shuttle stop at the Amphitheater than at the shuttle stop at the Visitors' Center.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XuHRlwRwbeI/WXDT4J2gYAI/AAAAAAAAB94/gM0F2lU71uMn0KvHUX3WOrYCAPPXvIjTQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BSequoia%2Bcrowded%2Bshuttle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XuHRlwRwbeI/WXDT4J2gYAI/AAAAAAAAB94/gM0F2lU71uMn0KvHUX3WOrYCAPPXvIjTQCEwYBhgL/s320/0702%2BSequoia%2Bcrowded%2Bshuttle.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was standing room only on most of the shuttles we rode this summer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We started
with the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree in the world, and then
continued on to the nearby Congress Trail which winds through sequoias named
for several US Presidents as well as the House and the Senate. The area around the General Sherman Tree is
just as crowded as the General Grant Grove, so we settled for pictures at a
distance. Far fewer people do the 2.9
mile Congress Trail, but we certainly didn’t experience solitude as we hiked. I was annoyed with the kids who were both
picking at each other, so Josh likes to tell me that this was my foulest hike
of the trip. Yep, folks, we Boyds are
real people who get really annoyed with each other sometimes. It is what it is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hrmG_h8qxmw/WXDRW8ji7bI/AAAAAAAAB9A/shMEVcEhGmw_kw9m6_gJCszBn2DWWCQYACEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BCrowd%2Baround%2BGeneral%2BSherman.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hrmG_h8qxmw/WXDRW8ji7bI/AAAAAAAAB9A/shMEVcEhGmw_kw9m6_gJCszBn2DWWCQYACEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BCrowd%2Baround%2BGeneral%2BSherman.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the line to take a picture in front of General Sherman. No, thanks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WfylenKKpv0/WXDRXANZY5I/AAAAAAAAB9I/C2JDJ1ByuTIys41AINc5IOfsJ7pm2u-vACEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BGeneral%2BSherman%2Bfamily.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WfylenKKpv0/WXDRXANZY5I/AAAAAAAAB9I/C2JDJ1ByuTIys41AINc5IOfsJ7pm2u-vACEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BGeneral%2BSherman%2Bfamily.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rear view worked just fine for us.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qCGBV5Crwws/WXDRXRI332I/AAAAAAAAB9E/m6tfkfugH2YRroUgrwm_ImzFYA_BtH79wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BGeneral%2BSherman%2Btop%2Bto%2Bbottom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="668" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qCGBV5Crwws/WXDRXRI332I/AAAAAAAAB9E/m6tfkfugH2YRroUgrwm_ImzFYA_BtH79wCEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BGeneral%2BSherman%2Btop%2Bto%2Bbottom.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh took a panoramic shot to be able to get the whole tree in. Forgive the distortions.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was so
ready to be done, in fact, that when we reached The McKinley Tree which usually
would have made me excited since Kinley is named after President McKinley, I
sat on a bench in a huff while Josh took pictures of Kinley strategically
covering up the Mc on the tree’s sign.
Contrary to my mood, the pictures are adorable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VWc_tFhNZTA/WXDShjJs-GI/AAAAAAAAB9g/PhaSW7_RjosTRQYxzM-pC8qx8pdN8uo_wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BKinley%2Btree%2Bvertical.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VWc_tFhNZTA/WXDShjJs-GI/AAAAAAAAB9g/PhaSW7_RjosTRQYxzM-pC8qx8pdN8uo_wCEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BKinley%2Btree%2Bvertical.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley blocked out the Mc in the McKinley Tree since she's named after President McKinley. I was somewhere off in a snit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GQeoMb28XII/WXDRKc2J3sI/AAAAAAAAB80/UTQXZp1CMOYAKJuqPQWHM1F1gvIsk5YGACEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BCluster%2Bof%2BSequoias.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GQeoMb28XII/WXDRKc2J3sI/AAAAAAAAB80/UTQXZp1CMOYAKJuqPQWHM1F1gvIsk5YGACEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BCluster%2Bof%2BSequoias.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just one of these trees can make you feel very small, but a cluster of them and you feel minuscule.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BTzzS8KmRzM/WXDR67sIoyI/AAAAAAAAB9U/dKOETL5wn9EZZRIXpSa2IMIVZY3aaKxXgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BKnox%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bbase%2Bof%2Ba%2BGiant%2BSequoia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BTzzS8KmRzM/WXDR67sIoyI/AAAAAAAAB9U/dKOETL5wn9EZZRIXpSa2IMIVZY3aaKxXgCEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BKnox%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bbase%2Bof%2Ba%2BGiant%2BSequoia.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this one of Knox peeking out.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In Sequoia,
cars are not permitted to drive to the Tunnel Tree, the famous fallen sequoia
that has an opening large enough to drive through, until after 5:45 so that a
miles-long back-up doesn’t occur as tourists wait their turn to inch through
the felled tree, snapping pictures all the while. We wanted to have our turn at the iconic
photo, and we decided that we could drive through the tree and then on to Moro
Rock for an evening view of the canyon.
On our way there, we saw several cars pulled over to the side of the
road and slowed to see what was going on.
And there, down the hill, was a bear!
Our second bear of the trip! And
she had a cub! I watched in awe as the
little black ball of fur scampered (well, actually, it kind of slid and fell)
down a tree to catch up with its mama and then disappeared into the underbrush
before I could snap its picture. But we
got a nice clear shot of mama bear!
Other tourists were getting out of their cars to get a better look, and
I said a silent prayer that these beautifully wild creatures wouldn’t develop
any habits as a result of human interaction that would force them to be
relocated. Or worse. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--uL4T8B2uGE/WXDRKW-gpAI/AAAAAAAAB84/SUl9-P0qndUnVSjEAdPXxuzBGjvTWGRYACEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BBear%2Ba%2Bbest%2Bshot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--uL4T8B2uGE/WXDRKW-gpAI/AAAAAAAAB84/SUl9-P0qndUnVSjEAdPXxuzBGjvTWGRYACEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BBear%2Ba%2Bbest%2Bshot.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello, mama bear!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As mama bear
lumbered off to join her offspring, we made our way to Tunnel Tree and were
shocked to find a long line of cars waiting for their turn to drive
through. Rather than just taking a
picture and moving on, people were getting the entire family out of the car and
staging ten minutes’ worth of group pictures (in the car, on the car, above the
car, arms up, arms linked, sitting, standing -- you get the idea) before
finally moving on so that another car could take a turn. It was very frustrating, so we were very
intentional about taking our picture quickly and moving on. Except that we couldn’t move on because the
families before us had parked instead of leaving. I guess that they wanted to be in other
family members’ pictures or to watch the process or something, but we had a
serious traffic jam when we were trying to get out of the way. It was
nutso.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QgT_-_4_Yog/WXDWVwaJ3xI/AAAAAAAAB-M/mluHM46EMNYNAwxXUWtID5pB6zkVTZJbgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BTunnel%2Blog%2Binconsiderate%2Bpeople.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QgT_-_4_Yog/WXDWVwaJ3xI/AAAAAAAAB-M/mluHM46EMNYNAwxXUWtID5pB6zkVTZJbgCEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BTunnel%2Blog%2Binconsiderate%2Bpeople.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was at least their twentieth pose. All those people still had to climb down and get back in their car before anyone else could go through.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LTqmjNYZcrw/WXDVzFtNwfI/AAAAAAAAB-I/VYo64D_6EA02f6sWkk_r7greWrgKL0-dgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BTunnel%2Blog%2BVolvo%2Bcloser.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LTqmjNYZcrw/WXDVzFtNwfI/AAAAAAAAB-I/VYo64D_6EA02f6sWkk_r7greWrgKL0-dgCEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BTunnel%2Blog%2BVolvo%2Bcloser.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For our turn, no one got out of the car but me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HxLbXU4FwCM/WXDWmhzZdyI/AAAAAAAAB-Q/uSucgHRgWaoh4xiy7G9KQH9RCIPhl_RMgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BTunnel%2Blog%2Btraffic%2Bjam.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HxLbXU4FwCM/WXDWmhzZdyI/AAAAAAAAB-Q/uSucgHRgWaoh4xiy7G9KQH9RCIPhl_RMgCEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BTunnel%2Blog%2Btraffic%2Bjam.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We tried to move but we couldn't because of all the other cars!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once we
finally extracted ourselves from the Tunnel Tree turmoil, we drove on to Moro
Rock where we had planned to watch the sunset.
We hadn’t banked on having to wait so long to drive through a tree trunk,
so we missed the sunset but decided to climb up the 364 steps anyway. As we
drove to the Moro Rock parking area, we saw <i>another</i>
bear! And this one had <i>two</i> cubs! Mama bear gave her cubs just enough freedom
to wander and learn and forage on their own, so we weren’t able to get a
picture of the three of them together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K70c79BfDek/WXDRKsn0puI/AAAAAAAAB88/BFRCdI_9sNMVqtHkP4qq68ryqXgxnFayQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BBear%2Bwith%2Bcubs%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K70c79BfDek/WXDRKsn0puI/AAAAAAAAB88/BFRCdI_9sNMVqtHkP4qq68ryqXgxnFayQCEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BBear%2Bwith%2Bcubs%2Ba.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you spot the bear's rear end?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">NOTE: Is it possible that this was the same bear
who had wandered a bit farther away from her first spot and maybe I just didn’t
see that second cub the first time?
Well, maybe. But we Boyds are
still counting it as a separate sighting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Finally at
Moro Rock with the sun officially set, we started our climb. It’s not a strenuous climb, but it is a
narrow staircase that makes passing people who are on their way down difficult in
places. And, while I never had a fear of
heights before, once I had children, that all changed. Now, whenever we are near a cliff or on a
precipice – which has occurred frequently on this trip --my mind begins envisioning
all of the horrendous ways my children could die. I hate it.
At the top, I worked hard to tell my brain to be rational, and it
helped. Mostly. I kind of did make Knox hold my hand or hold
the guard rail pretty much any time he wanted to move from place to place on
top, but I’m still calling it a win because I didn’t grab both children and sit
in the center of the massive monolith, rocking back and forth in the fetal
position while holding them with a death grip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OgAmGvXL6PA/WXDS9ndVeCI/AAAAAAAAB9o/mWw8nmQlbnsRu9bRzmsMMUy-Ogj0FvyzQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BMoro%2Bview%2Bof%2Bsunset.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OgAmGvXL6PA/WXDS9ndVeCI/AAAAAAAAB9o/mWw8nmQlbnsRu9bRzmsMMUy-Ogj0FvyzQCEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BMoro%2Bview%2Bof%2Bsunset.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof that you don't have to be there at sunset to get a great shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jhglq7XuFVc/WXDSyUiIe_I/AAAAAAAAB9k/AZTI7oR0HIoWek8KkSiRhwgQxAiFoEP9gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BMoro%2Bnightfall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jhglq7XuFVc/WXDSyUiIe_I/AAAAAAAAB9k/AZTI7oR0HIoWek8KkSiRhwgQxAiFoEP9gCEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BMoro%2Bnightfall.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such beauty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jx2YHrqS_Ng/WXDSQrDNByI/AAAAAAAAB9Y/CQZaT4YQZw8L-DXYb3c4DpQ8nrE1QMNAACEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BMoro%2Bfamily%2Bon%2Bthe%2Btop%2Bof%2Bthe%2Brock.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jx2YHrqS_Ng/WXDSQrDNByI/AAAAAAAAB9Y/CQZaT4YQZw8L-DXYb3c4DpQ8nrE1QMNAACEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BMoro%2Bfamily%2Bon%2Bthe%2Btop%2Bof%2Bthe%2Brock.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you tell how nervous I am that Josh is leaning on that railing? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But that’s
how parenting while traveling goes, I guess.
In the morning, your kids’ bickering makes you want to just walk off
down the trail by yourself and let them kill each other. But by nightfall you want to wrap them up and
protect them. So I try to take a lesson
from that mama bear – give them just enough freedom to wander and learn on
their own. I’m working on it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-26heA9kZpms/WXDU24ULYZI/AAAAAAAAB-A/Voa4BwKsh24dcH1jQswgtU9uKVgQ6sUJQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0702%2BSequoia%2Bsign%2BGina%2Bvertical.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-26heA9kZpms/WXDU24ULYZI/AAAAAAAAB-A/Voa4BwKsh24dcH1jQswgtU9uKVgQ6sUJQCEwYBhgL/s640/0702%2BSequoia%2Bsign%2BGina%2Bvertical.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-85211149903256443742017-07-16T07:54:00.002-07:002017-07-31T15:57:40.682-07:00One Big Disappointment and Three Pleasant Surprises: A National ParkOdyssey Days 18-19<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Anaheim, CA
to Kings Canyon National Park via Pinnacles National Park and Fresno, CA<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Want to listen to our podcast about this park? <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-10-pinnacles-kings-canyon-and-sequoia-national-parks" target="_blank">Click here!</a></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FRBGSIWmDV8/WWr66g-drhI/AAAAAAAAB6k/KtV1ToopdvY2OXGzxeOWXHUWZTE4qQGxACLcBGAs/s1600/0630%2BPinnacles%2Bbetter%2Bsign%2BGina%2Bvertical.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FRBGSIWmDV8/WWr66g-drhI/AAAAAAAAB6k/KtV1ToopdvY2OXGzxeOWXHUWZTE4qQGxACLcBGAs/s640/0630%2BPinnacles%2Bbetter%2Bsign%2BGina%2Bvertical.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up close, you could easily see that the words "National Park" were new and that the sign used to say something else, presumably "National Monument."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We do Disney
hard. Like, early-mornings-and-late-nights-and-no-slowing-down-in-between
hard. And usually we handle it
fine. But on the heels of our Phantom
Ranch journey, it was simply exhausting.
The nonstop pace of Disney paired with the sore muscles and weariness of
our mule trip made for four tired Boyds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To try to
catch up on both rest and blogging, we decided to hang out at our hotel as long
as we could before moving on to our next park.
The Courtyard had a water park, and Knox had been chomping at the bit to
check it out since we’d checked in. So
after sleeping in, the kids enjoyed the slides, pools, and hot tub while I
blogged and Josh caught up on some emails.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lgDMgvoPAvg/WWr9JwvqkKI/AAAAAAAAB6s/8Bc4ni6oG1M5zraCuXRs8b5C06Vr3uXIACLcBGAs/s1600/0629%2BWaterpark%2Bf.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lgDMgvoPAvg/WWr9JwvqkKI/AAAAAAAAB6s/8Bc4ni6oG1M5zraCuXRs8b5C06Vr3uXIACLcBGAs/s640/0629%2BWaterpark%2Bf.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free access to the water park was a bonus we didn't expect!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We knew we
had a fairly long drive to get to our destination for the night, but we hadn’t
factored in the excruciating torture of LA traffic. We ended up taking an exit just to get a
brief respite from the monotony of traveling at a crawl for what seemed like
hours when it’s a bajillion degrees outside and your air conditioner is
struggling to keep up. We saw a small
green sign indicating with absolutely no fanfare that Thai Town was to the
right, so that’s the way we went. It was
nearly lunch time anyway, and Thai sounded pretty good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As we drove
through the area, we passed more Thai places than we could count. In the end, we chose Sanamluang Cafe based on
exactly two things. 1) There was
parking. That may seem like a silly
reason to choose a place to eat, but, as I mentioned, it was a bajillion
degrees so we didn’t want to walk very far.
And we <i>really</i> didn’t want to
get towed in LA<i>. </i>And 2) we could see several seemingly-Asian
people inside. Surely they wouldn’t be
eating crappy Thai. And besides, parking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_EJdCsm39A0/WWsDWnooJXI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/6RZMic253wUC4EI3511-rY7HVEUpK6X5ACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-1774474130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_EJdCsm39A0/WWsDWnooJXI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/6RZMic253wUC4EI3511-rY7HVEUpK6X5ACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-1774474130.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When the signs are written in Thai, chances are it's going to be tasty.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So Josh
pulled off an impressive blind parallel parking job and in we went. The first thing we noticed was the
smell. It smelled, well, <i>right</i>.
All totaled, Josh and I have spent 26 weeks in Thailand. That’s more than 6 months of mostly mission
work but also some vacation. And when we’re
there, we eat pretty much nothing but fabulously flavorful (and laughably
cheap) authentic Thai goodness. And, generally
speaking, Thai food in the US isn’t the same.
But this place smelled promising.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gR0kAhxJiIM/WWsDcgHfK1I/AAAAAAAAB7U/omGyyuYL_XE7zfDwjbbAYMBFQ4jcVYjiwCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--665152042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gR0kAhxJiIM/WWsDcgHfK1I/AAAAAAAAB7U/omGyyuYL_XE7zfDwjbbAYMBFQ4jcVYjiwCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--665152042.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you find yourself in LA, head to Thai town and look for this place. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After the Thai
server seated us and left us to check out the menu, we noticed reviews from both
the <i>New York Times</i> and the <i>LA Times</i> hanging on the wall. We were reading them when another customer
told us that everything on the menu is delicious. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My gold
standard for Thai food is cashew chicken, and the best cashew chicken on the
planet in my opinion is served by a woman named Mai Porn in Phuket in
Thailand. She does this thing where the
liquids she uses to make the dish mostly evaporate but they also caramelize
onto the cashews. It’s like culinary
magic. The result is a much drier dish
than every other version of cashew chicken I’ve ever had, and it is beyond delicious. For years, I haven’t ordered cashew chicken
anywhere else because it just disappoints me.
Cashews and chicken swimming in sauce are what I always get in the US,
and then I just get irritated with myself for ordering it in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I wish now
that I had tried the cashew chicken at <a href="http://sanamluangcafe.menutoeat.com/" target="_blank">Sanamluang Café</a> because everything else
was <i>exactly right.</i> It was easily the best Thai food I have ever
had outside of Thailand. Kinley and Josh
drank two Thai iced teas each, the kids shared two orders of sticky rice, and our
family shared chicken fried rice, pad Thai, and pad kra paow (tiny pieces of
chicken with garlic and Thai basil). I
find myself still daydreaming about how good it was. It might even be good enough to make me
willing to fight LA traffic again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wdLjgypriC8/WWsDw6A3a_I/AAAAAAAAB7Y/KysEG16EXbMT9UkKEl-2wJXWJ2HId2mUACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--706130367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wdLjgypriC8/WWsDw6A3a_I/AAAAAAAAB7Y/KysEG16EXbMT9UkKEl-2wJXWJ2HId2mUACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--706130367.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice how finely minced the chicken is in the Pad Kra Paow. That's EXACTLY how it is in Thailand, but I haven't ever seen it minced this way in the US before.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As we were
leaving, one of the servers struck up a conversation with us. When she learned we’d spent so much time in
Thailand, she perked up quite a bit. We
talked about how Thai strangers used to pick up my little
blond-haired-blue-eyed babies without permission in the grocery store in
Thailand and how I got used to it very quickly, taking it as quite a compliment
in the end. We talked about the death of
King Bhumibol (aka King Rama IX) and her pilgrimage back to Thailand to pay her
respects to her beloved king.
We talked about how much my kids love sticky rice with grilled pork on a
stick for breakfast when we’re in Thailand and how hard it is to find sticky
rice that isn’t sweetened on Thai menus in the Midwest. By the end, we felt like friends, and she
hugged me as we left. Food truly brings
people together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back in the sweltering
hot car, we prepared ourselves to rejoin LA traffic. On a whim, we decided to make an impromptu college
visit to Pepperdine in Malibu. Kinley
says she wants to go to Lipscomb, but since she’d heard about Pepperdine for
years without ever having seen the campus, we thought a quick stop would be
fun. A fire burning in the nearby canyon
meant that the campus was under emergency procedures, so we weren’t able to do
much more than a drive through. But it
was long enough for Kinley to see how beautiful the campus is and to snap a few
pictures of her with beautiful views of the Pacific in the background.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A3qFX3BFNTY/WWr99m8GOtI/AAAAAAAAB6w/baYbGDaOgasQEUJiAeuqbZwjWIsCR6aMQCLcBGAs/s1600/0629%2BPepperdine%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A3qFX3BFNTY/WWr99m8GOtI/AAAAAAAAB6w/baYbGDaOgasQEUJiAeuqbZwjWIsCR6aMQCLcBGAs/s640/0629%2BPepperdine%2Ba.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley in front of the Pepperdine baseball field</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since we
were so close to the beach, we decided to stop for just a few minutes to dip
our toes in the cold water. Later, we
saw a fruit stand beside the road and picked up some strawberries, cherries, and
cucumbers which we munched on as we traveled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Xrg4dyLYQA/WWr-wOXdjrI/AAAAAAAAB60/BQF17paiT2guH0iX-dYU3WWgD2d8jpZQgCLcBGAs/s1600/0629%2BPacific%2BOcean%2Bc.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Xrg4dyLYQA/WWr-wOXdjrI/AAAAAAAAB60/BQF17paiT2guH0iX-dYU3WWgD2d8jpZQgCLcBGAs/s640/0629%2BPacific%2BOcean%2Bc.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox wanted to avoid sandy feet, but the rest of us didn't care.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We drove
on. And on. And on.
And we finally arrived in King City, CA, well after dark. Our stay at the Days Inn there was by far the
least comfortable of the trip, and the lady at the front desk was less than
friendly. We were happy to head on the
next morning toward the nation’s newest and fifty-ninth national park, Pinnacles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pinnacles was
formerly a national monument but was upgraded to a national park in 2013. After visiting it, we’re not sure why. I mean, it’s a nice park with trails and
interesting scenery, but it had a definite state park feel to us. We kept thinking about Indiana state parks
that we’ve visited that are just as lovely, if not more so. We eventually decided that this place got
promoted because it supposedly has the highest concentration of California condors
in the world, but we didn’t see a single one while we were there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-veddC9dcTJQ/WWr_S7fOTuI/AAAAAAAAB64/aQr5i7a8RKkI2DsUU23lvArom_50LYQFQCLcBGAs/s1600/0630%2BPinnacles%2Blunch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-veddC9dcTJQ/WWr_S7fOTuI/AAAAAAAAB64/aQr5i7a8RKkI2DsUU23lvArom_50LYQFQCLcBGAs/s640/0630%2BPinnacles%2Blunch.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We ate our Thai leftovers as part of our picnic lunch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We had a
picnic lunch and then struck out on a trail that took us to a reservoir after
passing through several talus caves.
These caves are different from most caves because they are formed when
huge boulders fall against other rocks leaving a little space. Most of the deep ones were closed to prevent
the spread of white nose syndrome in bats, but a couple of the small ones were
open for peeks inside. The reservoir was
cool and we saw a couple of snakes swimming in there, but it wasn’t even a
natural feature! It was built by the CCC
years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4lJT6I1cb6s/WWsAFnwuHbI/AAAAAAAAB68/O4M_OnyH1QM3MGpEpocM7cDMpg3Qo6ZwgCLcBGAs/s1600/0630%2BPinnacles%2Btalus%2Bcave%2Bwith%2BJosh%2Band%2BGina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4lJT6I1cb6s/WWsAFnwuHbI/AAAAAAAAB68/O4M_OnyH1QM3MGpEpocM7cDMpg3Qo6ZwgCLcBGAs/s640/0630%2BPinnacles%2Btalus%2Bcave%2Bwith%2BJosh%2Band%2BGina.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see here how the talus caves are formed by boulders falling against other boulders.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JXucutgGnZI/WWsBCYSuFZI/AAAAAAAAB7I/4PybRjzWen0blBsvwFhciuPxoKfEBfrYgCLcBGAs/s1600/0630%2BPinnacles%2BSpecial%2BKs%2Bat%2Bthe%2Breservoir.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JXucutgGnZI/WWsBCYSuFZI/AAAAAAAAB7I/4PybRjzWen0blBsvwFhciuPxoKfEBfrYgCLcBGAs/s640/0630%2BPinnacles%2BSpecial%2BKs%2Bat%2Bthe%2Breservoir.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reservoir was picturesque even though it was manmade.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H_ZhgjrhOcw/WWsBGG1rp_I/AAAAAAAAB7M/7Vp99JAJUYcO_YaF7IMN1xB_sQRHYT4ZQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0630%2BPinnacles%2Bsnake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H_ZhgjrhOcw/WWsBGG1rp_I/AAAAAAAAB7M/7Vp99JAJUYcO_YaF7IMN1xB_sQRHYT4ZQCEwYBhgL/s640/0630%2BPinnacles%2Bsnake.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the little snakes is visible under the rock in the middle of the picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You may be
thinking, “Two paragraphs? Really? That’s all she has to say about this national
park?” And to you I’d say, “I wish I had
more to say. But I don’t.” The kids earned their Junior Ranger badges,
and we now have a new family joke.
Anytime we’re reviewing our experience so far or telling people we’ve
met about what we’re doing, Knox loves to joke that Pinnacles is a must-see. Or if we do a trail that is hugely popular
but which we decide is overrated, we all now compare it to Pinnacles. In short, Pinnacles doesn’t live up to its
name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FXG1eCefZDg/WWsA1kUMpYI/AAAAAAAAB7A/xfCmw6UG6cQFToG7W-tmpKr1z1UwPSIAgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0630%2BPinnacles%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FXG1eCefZDg/WWsA1kUMpYI/AAAAAAAAB7A/xfCmw6UG6cQFToG7W-tmpKr1z1UwPSIAgCEwYBhgL/s640/0630%2BPinnacles%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking the Junior Ranger pledge once again</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So on to
Kings Canyon we went. To get there, we
drove through Fresno. It was around
dinner time, and we also needed some groceries since breakfast wasn’t included
in our next three nights’ stay at the park lodge. We had no idea where to eat in Fresno, so we
tried Google and Yelp which, unfortunately, kept sending us to food
trucks. While I was game to try that,
Josh refused to eat at a picnic table in a strip mall parking lot when it was
over 100 degrees outside. Consequently,
we drove around Fresno for a while before stumbling upon a place called The
Grocery Outlet. Imagine if the food
sections of Big Lots, Ollie’s, and Aldi had a baby. That’s Grocery Outlet. We bought Flips yogurts for $.69, cereal for
$.99, and large Frappucinos for $1.99.
Frankly, The Grocery Outlet was more exciting than Pinnacles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From there,
we drove past a place called <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/mariscos-y-tacos-las-brisas-fresno" target="_blank">Las Brisas</a> with signs that promised seafood and
tacos. It fulfilled Josh’s #1 requirement
of not eating in a parking lot, so in we went.
And we were so glad we did. We
tried the shrimp ceviche and the chicken tacos which were both fresh and delicious. They even made a shrimp quesadilla for Josh
even though it wasn’t on the menu. About
the time our food arrived, we realized that it was karaoke night en espanol
when several of the other patrons began belting out their favorite tunes. The funny thing was that the singers didn’t
even leave their seats most of the time.
The DJ would bring the microphone over to the singer’s table! It was a charming cultural experience even
though we didn’t know any of the songs and couldn’t understand the lyrics at
all. I loved this place so much that I
signed up with Yelp! Just to be able to give them a positive review. And while I was at it, I waxed eloquent about
Sanamluang Café, too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EqthkFZvXrk/WWsA4HAPmWI/AAAAAAAAB7E/QvFkGHuEbN4V85ywnWJBG0X7GYPhKQ_AwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0630%2BLas%2BBrisas%2BFresno.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EqthkFZvXrk/WWsA4HAPmWI/AAAAAAAAB7E/QvFkGHuEbN4V85ywnWJBG0X7GYPhKQ_AwCEwYBhgL/s640/0630%2BLas%2BBrisas%2BFresno.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm so glad we found this yummy little place to eat in Fresno!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We checked into
our room at the John Muir Lodge late that evening. We had to take in all food and even all
scented things like soaps or bath gels because bears have been known to break
into cars when they pick up on the scents in the lodge parking lot. Even though Pinnacles had been a
disappointment, our three pleasant surprises (Sanamluang Café, The Grocery
Outlet, and Las Brisas) had made the journey to our tenth park a relatively positive
experience. And the next day would be
sure to bring even more surprises.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Note: It only now has occurred to me that all three
pleasant surprises were completely food related. Hmmm…..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-15819446341483792592017-07-14T15:05:00.003-07:002017-07-31T15:58:31.571-07:00Disneyland Isn’t a National Park: A National Park Odyssey Days 16-17<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Disneyland Resort,
Anaheim, CA<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Want to listen to our podcast about Disneyland? <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-9-disneyland" target="_blank">Click here!</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NC7oD3HwzV0/WWhApZobfII/AAAAAAAAB44/TMC15VTjfJ0BBbY5nlLEoVMs45rucef5ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NC7oD3HwzV0/WWhApZobfII/AAAAAAAAB44/TMC15VTjfJ0BBbY5nlLEoVMs45rucef5ACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0619.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disneyland is a <b>national</b>ly-known <b>park </b>so it totally counts, right?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In our
experience, many people think of Disney parks as the antithesis of nature. And in most ways, they’re probably
right. But to us, Disney-fication is not
a pejorative. It’s an assurance of
excellent customer service and a consistently fun experience. Josh and I have visited every Disney park in
the world (there are twelve of them), and we enjoy each of them. Since we were planning to be in California
anyway, we made Disneyland a stop on our trip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vu-XGatv2vk/WWhB1tTQGzI/AAAAAAAAB48/CdL9w7NBcskoIfkJ87fVSJbyCMdm1DEegCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vu-XGatv2vk/WWhB1tTQGzI/AAAAAAAAB48/CdL9w7NBcskoIfkJ87fVSJbyCMdm1DEegCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0611.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The castle at this park is so small that you can hardly see it in our picture!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our first
day in the park was a Tuesday which is a great day to visit a Disney park; it’s
not too crowded since it’s the middle of the week. We did Disneyland on that day and Disney’s
California Adventure the next day. Unlike
Orlando, the parks here are very close together which makes hopping between
parks very easy. You don’t need to take
a shuttle or bus; you just walk across a plaza.
That said, with only two days, we decided not to get park hopper
tickets. It would have cost us an
additional $180, and we decided instead just to get tickets for one day in each
park. If we had been planning to be
there for three days, we would have gotten hoppers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We started
our day by getting to the security line 30 minutes before the official park
opening time. Guests of the three Disney
hotels and guests who buy at least a three-day pass get an extra hour of time
in the parks in the morning, so we weren’t the first people in line by
far. But getting there before most of
the non-hotel-guests arrive is still an advantage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Disneyland
is supposedly transitioning to a new FastPass system, and we were there during
the first week of the transition. They
were using a system that was kind of a legacy FastPass/Magic Band hybrid called
MaxPass, and people were completely confused.
We figured it out quickly, but there were still long bottlenecks at the
FastPass entrances because of people who didn’t get it. We were able to work things well enough that
we ended up getting <b>ten</b> FastPasses
each that first day. Not bad! We were able to get on rides like
Storybookland, the Matterhorn, and the Jungle Cruise and attractions like The
Enchanted Tiki Room without a FastPass in 15 minutes or less, so we got to do
pretty much everything we wanted to do that day without waiting very long at
all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DOZkAn35Xk0/WWkyvL-foKI/AAAAAAAAB50/DVgtNSK7qZ0MBy9JeUqUZkVkb6QiV-1PgCLcBGAs/s1600/0627%2BFastpasses%2Bfrom%2BDisneyland%2BPark.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DOZkAn35Xk0/WWkyvL-foKI/AAAAAAAAB50/DVgtNSK7qZ0MBy9JeUqUZkVkb6QiV-1PgCLcBGAs/s640/0627%2BFastpasses%2Bfrom%2BDisneyland%2BPark.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new MaxPass system loads your FastPasses onto your ticket but also gives you a paper receipt as a reminder. The receipts ARE NOT the FastPass, and this was super confusing to other people who kept trying to pull them out to get in line. The plus is that you get to keep the receipts as souvenirs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our longest
wait was to meet Moana. Every time we
checked, it was a 45-minute wait, but we managed to find a time when the line
was down to 35 minutes. She spent a lot
of time talking to the kids, so we were glad we had waited to meet her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WU2KBf7Zgwk/WWhDDcAeqUI/AAAAAAAAB5A/NDtFjUWkpqonF7XM2e4SN71bLRjLxmFLwCLcBGAs/s1600/0627%2BMoana%2Bb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WU2KBf7Zgwk/WWhDDcAeqUI/AAAAAAAAB5A/NDtFjUWkpqonF7XM2e4SN71bLRjLxmFLwCLcBGAs/s640/0627%2BMoana%2Bb.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moana signed autograph books and chatted with the kids.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2017 is the
50<sup>th</sup> anniversary of The Pirates of the Caribbean, and the park had
added special foods in New Orleans Square to commemorate the occasion. We had a delicious lunch at the French Market
and tried the Jolly Roger Punch, the Buccaneer Pulled Pork Sandwich, and the
Lost Treasure Beignets. Kinley had the
jambalaya, I had the red beans and rice with andouille sausage, and Knox had
the pasta kids’ meal. And later, while
listening to the Disneyland band play, we tried the Pirates’ anniversary Golden
Churro which had lemon-flavored sugar dusted on the outside. It was delish! The food at French Market was good enough to
be table service, but it was actually counter service and therefore much less
expensive than a table service lunch would have been. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X9mMxxHAows/WWhGpRu8-VI/AAAAAAAAB5I/kD1HJN1ZGv8JgLpD7H1PfNpQ6_gDmDV4ACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-2127028693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X9mMxxHAows/WWhGpRu8-VI/AAAAAAAAB5I/kD1HJN1ZGv8JgLpD7H1PfNpQ6_gDmDV4ACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-2127028693.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">French Market is now our favorite counter service restaurant at Disneyland.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UP9xzScz01c/WWhG9LL0MtI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/A38Ma-e63gcK3MyF-qMfgzHSDRY4U3zIwCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-1738764147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UP9xzScz01c/WWhG9LL0MtI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/A38Ma-e63gcK3MyF-qMfgzHSDRY4U3zIwCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-1738764147.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The special beignets and churros for the Pirates anniversary were yummy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Speaking of
expensive table service, nearby in a tucked-away corner of New Orleans Square
is Club 33, a members-only restaurant with a years-long wait list for new
members. We ate there as guests of
friends of friends (Thanks, Meg!) in 2013 and were told then that a complete
remodel was about to occur. I went
looking for the new entrance on this trip and found it! There is no sign explaining what wonders wait
behind the door, and most people walk by without even noticing it. If anyone ever offers to take you, you should
definitely splurge and go. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rMhjr1POKAw/WWhGyn1F69I/AAAAAAAAB5M/mDP6k9fWQjEUrnkt3dX60NDqlqfUoEyPwCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--1159267046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rMhjr1POKAw/WWhGyn1F69I/AAAAAAAAB5M/mDP6k9fWQjEUrnkt3dX60NDqlqfUoEyPwCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--1159267046.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the easily-missed 33 above the door. There is no other sign. The picture on the right is of the doorbell.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Later that
night, we had a reservation to eat dinner inside Pirates of the Caribbean at
Blue Bayou. We had pre-ordered the
three-course prix fixe menu which came with reservations in a special seating
area for viewing the Main Street Electrical Parade. I ordered the surf and turf, Kinley got the
salmon, Josh got the ribeye, and Knox got to order the kid’s steak even though
he was a year too old thanks to our kind server. Desserts included crème brulee, a hazelnut
cake, a turtle-shaped mousse, and a Mickey-shaped mousse for Knox. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsK4uKaYDSk/WWkvWxb5GMI/AAAAAAAAB5o/jpGvaiF4f5wrarrc8v5TvXjApeuHObUdACLcBGAs/s1600/0627%2BBlue%2BBayou%2Bhorizontal%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsK4uKaYDSk/WWkvWxb5GMI/AAAAAAAAB5o/jpGvaiF4f5wrarrc8v5TvXjApeuHObUdACLcBGAs/s640/0627%2BBlue%2BBayou%2Bhorizontal%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The glow necklaces were a fun bonus.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QkiB7XH7u7I/WWkuv3c9rsI/AAAAAAAAB5k/hR7dBue7xU4N6W7cMq-N4UT6tZu0qy4YgCLcBGAs/s1600/Blue%2BBayou%2BFood%2BCollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1600" height="354" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QkiB7XH7u7I/WWkuv3c9rsI/AAAAAAAAB5k/hR7dBue7xU4N6W7cMq-N4UT6tZu0qy4YgCLcBGAs/s640/Blue%2BBayou%2BFood%2BCollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We would never have ordered this much food if we hadn't signed up for the prix fixe that included parade seating, but it was yummy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We were
given light-up necklaces and special tickets to get us into the special seating
area an hour later. The food was good,
and we love the atmosphere including watching the boats float by at Blue Bayou. When we arrived at the roped-off area for
parade viewing, it felt special to get to go into the reserved space. There were other people there, of course, but
we didn’t have to mark our territory in order to be able to see. We had a front-row seat. Was it worth the $65 per adult price
tag? I think it was, but Josh might
not. He thought our much-cheaper lunch
was significantly tastier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rUzAai8am64/WWkvyadDWFI/AAAAAAAAB5s/D11Ns68YAPQ7pFwKSldyES6akTbyapKaQCLcBGAs/s1600/0627%2BParade%2Bseating%2Bat%2Bdusk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rUzAai8am64/WWkvyadDWFI/AAAAAAAAB5s/D11Ns68YAPQ7pFwKSldyES6akTbyapKaQCLcBGAs/s640/0627%2BParade%2Bseating%2Bat%2Bdusk.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had prime seats right in front of the Disneyland Railroad station.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uvesMmZv8cs/WWkxrr8sLQI/AAAAAAAAB5w/tn64VELHTWEKOhZ9VnoAS7G5WLkBEJ3mACLcBGAs/s1600/Electrical%2BParade%2BCollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uvesMmZv8cs/WWkxrr8sLQI/AAAAAAAAB5w/tn64VELHTWEKOhZ9VnoAS7G5WLkBEJ3mACLcBGAs/s640/Electrical%2BParade%2BCollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This parade is a Disney classic and is no longer featured at Walt Disney World.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The next
morning we headed straight for the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride at
California Adventure. It’s really just a
re-branding of the old Tower of Terror, but they did a nice job of changing the
story line and adding some fun details.
We got there at opening, but the line just to get a FastPass wrapped all
the way back near the entrance to the park.
We followed the masses and ended up having to wait about 20 minutes to
grab a FastPass. If you go any time
soon, expect a similar wait. And if you
don’t get there early enough to get a FastPass before they’re all given out,
expect a three hour wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tO8udufhxSs/WWk0xaiKDXI/AAAAAAAAB54/fA3z_sE2OPYrlEWfTkBPpli-H574lHZbQCLcBGAs/s1600/0628%2BGuardians%2Bfastpass%2Bline.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tO8udufhxSs/WWk0xaiKDXI/AAAAAAAAB54/fA3z_sE2OPYrlEWfTkBPpli-H574lHZbQCLcBGAs/s640/0628%2BGuardians%2Bfastpass%2Bline.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the taped lines on the ground for the FastPass line to snake around several times before getting to the actual kiosks to get a FastPass.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">California Adventure
is a more sprawling park than Disneyland, and we had lots of rides on our
must-do list which made for a lot of criss-crossing back and forth the
park. Mickey’s Fun Wheel, California
Screamin’, Toy Story Mania, Soarin’, Radiator Springs Racers, and The Avengers’
Training Academy were all things we wanted to do for sure. I had wanted to see the Frozen show, but
people were lined up at 9:00 for the noon show so I could tell that wasn’t
going to happen. We were able to do everything
on our must-do list and many more things during our day, but I will admit that
this ark was much harder for us to do.
Attractions were constantly breaking down which would mess up our
timing, and we found the app to be unreliable as well. Poor Josh hiked back and forth across the
park checking to see if Toy Story Mania was up and running more times than I
can count.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NX3NQQ9E2D4/WWhFaY8ZeVI/AAAAAAAAB5E/zxysYjAzo9cN8mhhbtQBs3jIYDMRW27pwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NX3NQQ9E2D4/WWhFaY8ZeVI/AAAAAAAAB5E/zxysYjAzo9cN8mhhbtQBs3jIYDMRW27pwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0590.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Paradise Pier section of Disney's California Adventure has Mickey's Fun Wheel and California Screamin'.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For our
second special dining experience, we had booked lunch at Ariel’s Grotto. We did this in 2013 as well, and it’s a great
way to meet Disney princesses. Even
though we had a reservation, we still had a 15 minute wait, but having the
princesses come straight to your table for meet and greets is a serious
advantage over standing in line to meet them.
Cinderella was especially sweet and spent a long time talking to the
kids about their interesting and unusual names.
She told us that twice she had met guests who were actually named
Cinderella!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fi0Su9MNM58/WWk71EreeUI/AAAAAAAAB6A/rAhnPLX-YYsusyZGCqDxk3FNeiOP3N8ZwCLcBGAs/s1600/Areil%2527s%2BGrotto%2BCollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1600" height="354" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fi0Su9MNM58/WWk71EreeUI/AAAAAAAAB6A/rAhnPLX-YYsusyZGCqDxk3FNeiOP3N8ZwCLcBGAs/s640/Areil%2527s%2BGrotto%2BCollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox is always a really good sport about meeting the princesses, bless his heart.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Because we
had just been on Route 66 in Holbrook, Arizona, which was the inspiration for
the <i>Cars</i> movies, visiting the
Radiator Springs section of the park was extra special this trip. Seeing the Cozy Cone after just having seen
the Wigwam Hotel and looking at the Disney versions of the canyons after just
having driven through the real thing brought the movie to life for us in a
whole new way. It is definitely our
favorite area of the park, especially at night when Flo’s V-8 is all lit up
with neon. We’ll be driving through the
real Monument Valley when we head through Utah and Nevada, and I know we’ll be
thinking of Radiator Springs when we do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTD081lcuOw/WWk93QJi2fI/AAAAAAAAB6E/ci15lFn5fxkTP-rLZGD-Ef6RjMd9j5nUACLcBGAs/s1600/CarsLand%2BCollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1600" height="354" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTD081lcuOw/WWk93QJi2fI/AAAAAAAAB6E/ci15lFn5fxkTP-rLZGD-Ef6RjMd9j5nUACLcBGAs/s640/CarsLand%2BCollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cars Land is our fave!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Later that
evening we watched the World of Color light and water show. It was great, but we were glad we weren’t in
the front few rows since there was a lot of overspray from the fountains. In my opinion, this show was better than the
fountain show in Las Vegas at the Bellaggio, but, of course, I love the music
from Disney movies which this had as its soundtrack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we do
Disney, we do Disney hard – park opening to park closing with no rest in
between. So we were exhausted when we
returned to our room at the end of the second day. But the coolest part of Disneyland? Walking in the place that Walt Disney
actually walked himself. Walt died
before Disney World was completed, but at Disneyland you can know that when
you’re walking right down the middle of Main Street USA, Walt walked there,
too. And while admittedly that’s not
anything close to the natural wonders of America’s national parks, it’s still
pretty stinking cool. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EDFrOkDBKQM/WWlAF_wr0BI/AAAAAAAAB6M/tXbmRCbQPLkUh2VXmWwG1M2j2a8cIQUhQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EDFrOkDBKQM/WWlAF_wr0BI/AAAAAAAAB6M/tXbmRCbQPLkUh2VXmWwG1M2j2a8cIQUhQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0559.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disney Love!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-64973817448682120582017-07-10T08:58:00.001-07:002017-07-31T15:59:22.773-07:00Route 66 Round 2 and Joshua Tree National Park: A National Park OdysseyDays 14 ½ and 15<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Grand Canyon
to Anaheim, CA via Kingman, AZ and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm" target="_blank">Joshua Tree National Park</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
Want to listen to our podcast about this park? <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-8-joshua-tree-national-park-and-suggested-national-park-vacation-loops" target="_blank">Click here!</a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--pps5HBdukA/WWOarm4CB5I/AAAAAAAAB3U/v1QImwRp-r8lUeLXRMwTkHX9z1cBmyeYgCLcBGAs/s1600/0625%2B50%2BPost%2Bride%2Bice%2Bcream%2Bfrom%2BBright%2BAngel%2BFountain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--pps5HBdukA/WWOarm4CB5I/AAAAAAAAB3U/v1QImwRp-r8lUeLXRMwTkHX9z1cBmyeYgCLcBGAs/s640/0625%2B50%2BPost%2Bride%2Bice%2Bcream%2Bfrom%2BBright%2BAngel%2BFountain.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As we sat eating our post-mule-ride ice cream, several of the rim-to-rim hikers who had been at Phantom Ranch with us walked (staggered?) by. They had just finished their epic journey and looked far worse for the wear than I felt. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After saying
goodbye to my <a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/07/faith-and-phantom-ranch-national-park.html" target="_blank">Sheldon (my assigned mule on our Grand Canyon overnight)</a>, Josh,
the kids, and I treated ourselves to some ice cream at Bright Angel Lodge
before loading our trail-weary, dust-covered selves into the Volvo and headed
to Kingman, AZ for the night. Kingman is
another stop on what used to be Route 66, and so we were expecting the same
adorable, nostalgia-evoking feel of Holbrook, AZ. Kingman did not live up to the bar set by
Holbrook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QHEaEVX1zPI/WWObZbzjwLI/AAAAAAAAB3g/mbGHqITZE-MofPL7-nfHAuVC62zM6Ea5ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0625%2B51%2BIdiots%2Bby%2Ban%2Belk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QHEaEVX1zPI/WWObZbzjwLI/AAAAAAAAB3g/mbGHqITZE-MofPL7-nfHAuVC62zM6Ea5ACEwYBhgL/s640/0625%2B51%2BIdiots%2Bby%2Ban%2Belk.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had to get a picture of these tourists on the way out of the Grand Canyon. They apparently missed all of the signs instructing visitors to stay at least 50 feet away from wildlife. They're lucky that elk didn't decide to use those antlers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GvpvgGVeuAE/WWObUrPV9zI/AAAAAAAAB3Y/LjuHZmu3N_YUoEtKVHOl-KqB8iEX-0J8ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0625%2B90%2BAsleep%2Bafter%2Breturning%2Bfrom%2BPhantom%2BRanch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GvpvgGVeuAE/WWObUrPV9zI/AAAAAAAAB3Y/LjuHZmu3N_YUoEtKVHOl-KqB8iEX-0J8ACEwYBhgL/s640/0625%2B90%2BAsleep%2Bafter%2Breturning%2Bfrom%2BPhantom%2BRanch.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mule riding is hard work, people.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We ate
dinner at a restaurant in a converted gas station called Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner
that was supposed to be a hot stop on the modern Route 66, and it was less than
awesome. The décor was cute, but the
food was only average. To be fair, it
was a Sunday evening when we arrived in town, but the place just looked
dead. There were many vacant businesses,
and the motels looked more dilapidated than historic. We were happy to move on the next morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EmdiGbPAk1Y/WWObYE7E0-I/AAAAAAAAB3c/E6lCB5yfKOwB5FXaxXE0DNBLT2d_ubjmQCLcBGAs/s1600/0625%2B91%2BRoute%2B66%2Bdiner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EmdiGbPAk1Y/WWObYE7E0-I/AAAAAAAAB3c/E6lCB5yfKOwB5FXaxXE0DNBLT2d_ubjmQCLcBGAs/s640/0625%2B91%2BRoute%2B66%2Bdiner.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oprah Winfrey evidently ate here, but we were underwhelmed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The next day
proved to be yet another scorcher, so we knew that our visit to park #8 of our
journey, Joshua Tree National Park, wouldn’t be a thorough one. We wouldn’t be able to hike very far since we’d
end up arriving in the middle of the day after our drive from Kingman. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This park
was a special one; it’s the only park on our whole itinerary that was a repeat
for all four of us. In 2013, our family took
a Spring Break trip that included stops at Joshua Tree, Death Valley, and Disneyland,
and Knox had fallen in love with the rocky landscape and Dr. Seussian yuccas of
Joshua Tree. As a result, he’d chosen
that park as the subject of his national park research project when he was in
fourth grade in my class. He had created
a diorama of the tallest Joshua Tree, and now he wanted to see it for himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iGj6eqGlNU/WWOdwxfIjuI/AAAAAAAAB3o/6exNnrOM4jojMUd6f6BQHghj8L8M8B6WgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iGj6eqGlNU/WWOdwxfIjuI/AAAAAAAAB3o/6exNnrOM4jojMUd6f6BQHghj8L8M8B6WgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0337.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox and Kinley earned their Junior Ranger badges for this park in 2013.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Joshua Tree
has two entrances, and we weren’t sure which one was closer to the tallest tree. A Google search wasn’t helpful, so I tried a
phone call to the visitors’ center. Each
call resulted in an assurance from an answering machine that my call would be returned
within 24 hours. Since we were only two
hours away at this point, that wasn’t helpful either. I decided to try tweeting my question to the
park on Twitter since I’d seen that many of the parks have very active Twitter
accounts. Unfortunately, even my tweet
wasn’t answered by the park until three days later, and the answer given wasn’t
even related to the tree we wanted to see. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TglPyxBv5Q4/WWOj5On2dSI/AAAAAAAAB4U/-eFZFzD_4ZA_Qpj1R5bk1G4on7g1kGY8ACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-1590140539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TglPyxBv5Q4/WWOj5On2dSI/AAAAAAAAB4U/-eFZFzD_4ZA_Qpj1R5bk1G4on7g1kGY8ACHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-1590140539.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We ended up
choosing poorly (I always hear the voice of the knight in <i>Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade</i> when I write that), and choosing
the south entrance near the Cottonwood Visitors’ Center instead of the 29 Palms
entrance. We made the best of it and
enjoyed the interactive exhibits in the air-conditioned visitors’ center after getting
directions to the tallest tree from the rangers. (To be honest, even they gave us slightly
incorrect directions, but we found it anyway.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6rvxCqglr5g/WWObZyAzIwI/AAAAAAAAB3k/50CckFKZ8hQQ4z7sXrCl4hKvsz9qBvA_wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0626%2BJoshua%2BTree%2Bsign%2BGina%2Bnumber.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6rvxCqglr5g/WWObZyAzIwI/AAAAAAAAB3k/50CckFKZ8hQQ4z7sXrCl4hKvsz9qBvA_wCEwYBhgL/s640/0626%2BJoshua%2BTree%2Bsign%2BGina%2Bnumber.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just stopping long enough to take this picture was almost more heat than we could handle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RuaUggZ-Gh4/WWOgYw6vQcI/AAAAAAAAB4A/ofWyKFJ60bsPcFWhshNvHewud7eFWcILwCLcBGAs/s1600/0626%2BJoshua%2BTree%2BKnox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RuaUggZ-Gh4/WWOgYw6vQcI/AAAAAAAAB4A/ofWyKFJ60bsPcFWhshNvHewud7eFWcILwCLcBGAs/s640/0626%2BJoshua%2BTree%2BKnox.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox was excited to find the tallest tree which he had represented in his diorama in 4th grade. The tree is 43 feet tall.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gOgYmnW-ZZY/WWOg8tGQzlI/AAAAAAAAB4E/ImYJ24xaybIrbMh6BWlRFSWzKYq1kjJoACLcBGAs/s1600/0626%2BJoshua%2BTree%2BCholla%2BCactus%2BGarden%2Bgroup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gOgYmnW-ZZY/WWOg8tGQzlI/AAAAAAAAB4E/ImYJ24xaybIrbMh6BWlRFSWzKYq1kjJoACLcBGAs/s640/0626%2BJoshua%2BTree%2BCholla%2BCactus%2BGarden%2Bgroup.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family picture at the Cholla Cactus Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Note: If you want to find the tree from the
Cottonwood Visitors’ Center, take the Pinto Basin Road past the Cholla Cactus
Garden (which is worth a stop if you have time and it’s not a million degrees
outside). Continue on past the Belle
camping area and take the next road to your left, Queen Valley Road. You will pass Jumbo Rocks on the left (which
is Knox’s favorite place to get out and climb on the rocks – again when it’s
not a million degrees). Continue on Queen
Valley Road and look for an informational placard on the right side of the
road. It’s titled “The Adventurous
Yucca.” The tallest tree will be a few
feet further on your left, just beside the road. It doesn’t have a placard or anything. If you get to the turn for Sheep Pass on your
left, you’ve gone too far. (The rangers
told us it was between Sheep Pass and Ryan Mountain, but it wasn’t. We had to turn around and go back.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uYnSI2M0M80/WWOelQIe3AI/AAAAAAAAB34/Otj0cXu7HWQiHiM2RxlpOFuOKQ_OKc0vgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG-6744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uYnSI2M0M80/WWOelQIe3AI/AAAAAAAAB34/Otj0cXu7HWQiHiM2RxlpOFuOKQ_OKc0vgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG-6744.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the placard that is on the right just before the tallest tree is on your left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--n-_MMSgwmw/WWOel24ybLI/AAAAAAAAB38/m28nmj6pwBY4aT-Oo1n_3VRC18fsQYnZQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG-6746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--n-_MMSgwmw/WWOel24ybLI/AAAAAAAAB38/m28nmj6pwBY4aT-Oo1n_3VRC18fsQYnZQCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG-6746.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The park was nearly empty because of the high temperatures.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Further down
the road, Knox just couldn’t resist an opportunity to do a few minutes’ worth
of climbing over the enormous, rust-colored boulders, so he and Josh ventured
out into the heat while Kinley and I stayed in the relative coolness of the Volvo. On their way to Hemingway Buttress, neither of
them could resist an opportunity for some boy humor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vCL3Kpc6-2o/WWOiUDeJ2qI/AAAAAAAAB4Q/KlfLtExCX5sC3B1uK42GWkSFVeHnHDCawCLcBGAs/s1600/0626%2BJoshua%2BTree%2BKnox%2Bhijinks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vCL3Kpc6-2o/WWOiUDeJ2qI/AAAAAAAAB4Q/KlfLtExCX5sC3B1uK42GWkSFVeHnHDCawCLcBGAs/s640/0626%2BJoshua%2BTree%2BKnox%2Bhijinks.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boy humor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3mR2RgLJ-wg/WWOhvlpLEeI/AAAAAAAAB4M/M2IL0t6SMm8U9R5k3F3TjZMpDXk17JmYwCLcBGAs/s1600/0626%2BJoshua%2BTree%2BKnox%2Bclimbs%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3mR2RgLJ-wg/WWOhvlpLEeI/AAAAAAAAB4M/M2IL0t6SMm8U9R5k3F3TjZMpDXk17JmYwCLcBGAs/s640/0626%2BJoshua%2BTree%2BKnox%2Bclimbs%2Ba.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KNox got to do a little bit of climbing and reported that the rocks weren't as hot to the touch as he expected.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On our way
out of the park, we tried a couple of other local candy bars we’d picked up
along the way. The Rocky Road was
disappointing. It didn’t have enough
nuts and was 98% marshmallow. (That may
be a slight exaggeration, but the proportions were definitely off.) </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zfb-1vel4Do/WWOei3BXAVI/AAAAAAAAB3w/6A9p7NrZD1k-d7CHTIcmz42ZhKkfD946gCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG-6739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zfb-1vel4Do/WWOei3BXAVI/AAAAAAAAB3w/6A9p7NrZD1k-d7CHTIcmz42ZhKkfD946gCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG-6739.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ieb2Tjik-sE/WWOejP5ynLI/AAAAAAAAB30/0vh76d3u3iU2aYsDtH3mcGLUDkW8_FGsQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG-6741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ieb2Tjik-sE/WWOejP5ynLI/AAAAAAAAB30/0vh76d3u3iU2aYsDtH3mcGLUDkW8_FGsQCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG-6741.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The CupOGold (apart from the obviously
missing apostrophe in its name) was delicious and we would like to try it in an
environment where it is not a million degrees outside since the marshmallow
part of the filling melted and made quite a mess. The ratio of chocolate to filling was much
better on this one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SiWyrzM-QWE/WWOeio0ZcpI/AAAAAAAAB3s/IwrDpTwhYfQemXBmWFt7D8qOMTglrvxLgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG-6738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SiWyrzM-QWE/WWOeio0ZcpI/AAAAAAAAB3s/IwrDpTwhYfQemXBmWFt7D8qOMTglrvxLgCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG-6738.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We continued
on to the <a href="http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/snadt-courtyard-anaheim-theme-park-entrance/?scid=bb1a189a-fec3-4d19-a255-54ba596febe2" target="_blank">Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance</a> and arrived by late
afternoon. This is a Marriott property,
so we stayed for free with our points, and it was perfect for us. There are only three Disney hotel options in
Anaheim, and they are all prohibitively expensive. This hotel was still easily walkable to the
parks, and we had two queen sized beds, two bunk beds, a small fridge, a full
bath, and an extra shower. The kids were
thrilled to get their own beds for the night!
Knox took the top bunk while Kinley snagged the second queen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We only
bought two-day tickets to the park, so we decided to check out the Downtown
Disney area for dinner. There was live
music, a huge World of Disney store, <a href="http://ridemakerz.com/" target="_blank">a build-your-own radio controlled carstore (kind of like Build-A-Bear for bigger kids),</a> and a wide variety of food
options. We noticed that while churros
are available only in Frontierland at Disney World, they are <i>everywhere</i> at Disneyland. We saw two carts selling them at Downtown
Disney, and there were multiple flavor options as well. (Fruity Pebbles is apparently their best-selling
flavor, but that wasn’t a temptation for me.)
We passed on the churros and instead grabbed dinner before heading back
to the hotel. Nothing about the way we
do Disney is slow-paced and relaxing, so we needed to rest up to be ready for
days 16-17!</span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-21749512867678736232017-07-08T21:53:00.001-07:002017-07-31T16:00:07.133-07:00Faith and Phantom Ranch: A National Park Odyssey Days 13-14<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Grand Canyon's South Rim to
<a href="http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging/phantom-ranch/" target="_blank">Phantom Ranch</a> and Back<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Want to listen to our podcast about this park? <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-7-the-grand-canyon" target="_blank">Click here!</a> </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D8uyglRZTak/WWFz56cyOBI/AAAAAAAAB2w/-X9r55GgeLo6JiYOGqKvXhbM3svIRcWngCLcBGAs/s1600/0625%2B21%2BBoyd%2Bfamily%2Bmuleskinners.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D8uyglRZTak/WWFz56cyOBI/AAAAAAAAB2w/-X9r55GgeLo6JiYOGqKvXhbM3svIRcWngCLcBGAs/s640/0625%2B21%2BBoyd%2Bfamily%2Bmuleskinners.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh rode Fooler, I rode Sheldon, Kinley rode Maude, and Knox rode Mable.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you haven't yet read my last post about preparing for this trip down the canyon,<a href="http://gina-shoes.blogspot.com/2017/07/big-canyon-small-world-national-park.html" target="_blank"> start here.</a> And, I'm giving you fair warning: this post is lengthy. I'll forgive you for reading it in chunks.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Getting the
Boyd train rolling – everyone dressed, packed, fed, car packed, and checked out
- by 5:40 am is no easy task. So as we
bustled along the deserted South Rim Trail on our way to the corral for our
mule ride down into the canyon hauling our clear plastic bags full of gear, our
canteens filled with water, and our yellow rain jackets, it was no surprise
that Knox and I couldn’t keep up with the pace set by Josh and Kinley’s long
legs. We eventually told them to go on
ahead to prevent the mule train from leaving without us. I finally ended up carrying my bag and Knox’s
since the many items dangling from his neck – a canteen, a back-up camera in
case our other one malfunctioned or was dropped, sunglasses, a hat on a string,
a bandanna to keep the dust out of his nose, a <a href="https://blubandoo.com/" target="_blank">blubandoo</a> cooling neck wrap, and
binoculars – prevented him from making much progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BgOvNF-tpyY/WWFn3ik6Y1I/AAAAAAAAB0g/w_ABUgOr5NUXIeebNKlq1EGKuN4FSSDvACEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B01%2BReady%2Bto%2Bride.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BgOvNF-tpyY/WWFn3ik6Y1I/AAAAAAAAB0g/w_ABUgOr5NUXIeebNKlq1EGKuN4FSSDvACEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B01%2BReady%2Bto%2Bride.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note all the things hanging from Knox's neck.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we arrived
at the corral at the top of Bright Angel Trail, rim-to-rim hikers were just
beginning to emerge from pre-dawn ascents from the canyon floor. Looking around, the group of ten assembled would-be
mule riders included a couple in their 60s, a grandfather with his teenage
grandson, a couple who appeared to be in their late 70s, and us. John, the
manager of the mule trip operation, was ready to begin his 45-minute safety
talk. He told us that they usually
didn’t start this journey until 7:30, but the extreme heat conditions had
forced them to change departure time to get us off the trail before the real
heat set in. He also said he was going
to cram our safety talk into about 15 minutes so we could get going. There was a real sense of urgency in his
voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hI7zq2v_rD8/WWFoA3zkDmI/AAAAAAAAB0o/dPNlAvdD0uIiF2i30uKDBsfaIKBBvYd_wCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B03%2BGetting%2Bthe%2Bsafety%2Btalk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hI7zq2v_rD8/WWFoA3zkDmI/AAAAAAAAB0o/dPNlAvdD0uIiF2i30uKDBsfaIKBBvYd_wCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B03%2BGetting%2Bthe%2Bsafety%2Btalk.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John gives us the rished version of his safety talk.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Things he
said next that made me feel like maybe this whole mule trip thing was a stupid
idea:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">People
have been fainting from the heat <i>while up
on the mules</i> all week.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Serious
injury or death is possible.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Halfway
down, every rider must dismount and wet themselves fully with a hose to prevent
heat exhaustion.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">If
the group isn’t forcing the mules to travel nose to rump all the way down and
back up, the chances of disaster increase drastically.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Most
groups don’t make their mules travel nose to rump in spite of the wranglers’
continued insistence.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">It’s
a rough ride, rocky and dusty and sometimes frightening.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">You
will be sore.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">If
you back out now, you get all of your money back; if you wait until the point
of no return (a rock tunnel at the beginning of the trail) to back out, you
don’t get back a dime.</span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It was at
this point that the teenaged boy backed out.
The safety talk had effectively scared the bejeezus out of him, and his
poor grandfather was going to have to do the trip alone. We Boyds were all avoiding eye contact with
each other (afraid that one look would cause one of the four of us to back out)
while simultaneously wondering if this kid was the only one of us with any
sense. We stared ahead, wide-eyed and
silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our gear was
taken and loaded into saddlebags on the mules, and then John assigned each of
us to the beast that would be our mode of transportation for the next two
days. He joked that the people with the
best smiles would get the best mules.
You’d better believe I turned on the Southern charm and flashed my
pearly whites wishing in vain that I had been born with dimples to seal the
deal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m not sure
if my dimpleless grin worked or not, but John told me I’d be on Sheldon, a
medium-sized bay who eyed me warily as I hopped up on his back and settled into
the saddle. I hadn’t ridden a horse in
years even though I grew up showing American Quarter Horses, and I couldn’t
remember ever having ridden mule in my life.
The animals I had learned to ride on knew how to neck rein meaning that
the rider doesn’t pull on the reins to turn the horse; you simply lay the reins
on the side of the horse’s neck opposite the direction you want her to
turn. But these mules plow reined. That means you actually pull the reins in the
direction you want the mule to go. While
that may seem easier to someone who’s never ridden, it was really hard for me
to get used to. Luckily, John told us
that reins wouldn’t be needed at all to turn the mules on the switchbacks of
the trail; they were completely accustomed to following each other and turning
at the right time on their own. I gazed
at the dusty ground framed through Sheldon’s big ears and tried to reassure
myself that this creature who was responsible for safely transporting me to the
canyon floor and back was sure-footed and experienced at doing his job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">John
introduced the wranglers who’d be our guides on the trip, two twenty-something
girls named Alicia and Alex. I had been
watching them tack up the mules, and they clearly knew what they were
doing. They adjusted stirrups for
guests, discussed with John the order in which we’d be riding, and handed each
of us a “motivator” for our mule. This
was a small piece of braided leather with a loop to fit over our wrists. We were instructed to motivate our mules with
a quick swat to the hind quarters to encourage them to stay nose to rump
because, “A tight group is a safe group.”
John had us repeat that mantra several times together to be sure we got
it while I tried not to think about what might happen if the rider of the mule
in front of mine refused to do any motivating, leaving a dangerous gap that I
could do nothing about. I decided right
then and there that Sheldon was going to get himself plenty motivated so that
any gaps in our little line would not be because of my mule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">John told
Knox that his mule was going to get to carry the US Mail bag down into the
canyon, and Knox was excited to get to carry on the tradition of his
mail-carrier great-great uncle, Wilburn Empson.
Then, we were off. Alicia went
first followed by Knox riding Mable, Kinley on Maude, Sheldon and me, Josh on
Fooler, the couple in their 60s, the older couple, and then the grandfather. Wrangler Alex brought up the rear. Hikers coming off the trail had assembled to
watch us mount up, and the crowd split to let us get on the trail. Sheldon plodded along behind the other three
mules needing no motivation at all.
Hikers took pictures of us.
Little children pointed and grinned at us. I hadn’t expected to be taken home in so many
people’s vacation photos, and I jokingly asked one family to email me a copy of
the picture they took of us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SCu0Y5c3Q-Q/WWFn5IkEQtI/AAAAAAAAB0k/48QSmpaTd-c3Fq5BEneNjm1vathbiLKNgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B04%2BKnox%2Bwill%2Bcarry%2Bthe%2Bmail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SCu0Y5c3Q-Q/WWFn5IkEQtI/AAAAAAAAB0k/48QSmpaTd-c3Fq5BEneNjm1vathbiLKNgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B04%2BKnox%2Bwill%2Bcarry%2Bthe%2Bmail.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John hands the mail bag to Knox to carry on his mule.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xy8oo07REKY/WWFqlz2CdbI/AAAAAAAAB1E/Scl6COj48ggFPfGadZjO8-rMi_tAI8tOgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B17%2BMail%2Bbag%2Bcarried%2Bby%2BKnox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xy8oo07REKY/WWFqlz2CdbI/AAAAAAAAB1E/Scl6COj48ggFPfGadZjO8-rMi_tAI8tOgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B17%2BMail%2Bbag%2Bcarried%2Bby%2BKnox.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The official US mail bag for Phantom Ranch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I smiled and
waved and tried to look completely calm, but in reality, I was incredibly
anxious. I couldn’t see Knox or Kinley’s
faces, and I was too scared to turn around to see how Josh was doing. I was thinking about how much trepidation I
felt in spite of the years I had spent riding horses, and that made me
increasingly nervous for the rest of my family.
What were they feeling? Were they
wishing they could turn back? We hadn’t
passed through the tunnel-of-no-return yet, so it wasn’t too late to back
out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We passed
signs written in several languages warning hikers of the dangers of hiking the
canyon, of taking too little water, and of the signs of heat exhaustion. Other signs displayed what became our mantra,
“Down is optional; up is mandatory.”
Reading the signs was not helping my nerves. And then we hit the first real switchback of
the trail. Alicia told the hikers coming
toward us to hug the mountain and stay put until we passed. They looked at her warily but complied. Alicia rounded the corner followed by Knox
and Kinley. As they passed beneath me, I
could see that their faces appeared relatively calm. Alicia rode with her torso completely rotated
so that she could watch each of us and make sure we were ok, completely
trusting her mule to follow the path on his own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As Sheldon
stepped toward the edge of the 2-foot-wide path, his head went out over the
canyon. And out. And out.
He wasn’t turning. I felt as if
we were about to go over the cliff together, ending my two-day journey significantly
earlier than I had planned. At the last
second, he turned back toward the mountain, right behind Kinley’s mule. It seemed like a crisis, but it was just a
perception problem. I hadn’t thought
about the way a mule’s body works. Its
feet are located under its back, not under its neck. Of course the neck would extend over the
canyon at every turn. The front hooves
are actually a good 3 feet from the head on a mule! Sheldon wasn’t going over the canyon; just
his head was! And, apparently, I was
going to need to get used to that going-over-the-canyon feeling at every
switchback pretty quickly. We were
approaching the tunnel-of-no-return.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kinley and
Knox followed Alicia through with no hesitation, so Josh and I went through,
too. We were in it for the long
haul. And a long haul it was. 6 ½ hours down and 5 hours up the next day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After the
first 15 minutes, Sheldon decided he needed to check to see if I was
serious. He started lagging behind
enough that I could see the trail between his head and Kinley’s mule. I motivated him a few times, and he got the
message. For the rest of the two days, a
half-hearted swat that actually hit the saddle bags instead of his rump was
enough to get him going. Most of the
time, just seeing me raise the motivator (or sometimes just feeling me change
the reins in my hands) was enough to let him know he needed to catch up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Staying nose
to rump is important because when the mules realize they have fallen behind,
they know they need to catch up. In
order to do that, they break into a trot.
You DO NOT want your mule trotting on a steep switchback trail littered
with rocks and hikers. So you motivate
that mule to keep up in the first place.
If you’re squeamish about motivating your mule, <b><i>do not take this trip</i></b><i>.</i>
If your mule doesn’t keep up, all the mules behind you can’t keep
up. And once your mule decides to catch
up on his own, you and all the other people on mules behind you will start
trotting down a trail with grade as much as 15.7%. Imagine trotting around a rocky mountain
corner with your mule’s head going out over the canyon as he turns. You don’t want that. I promise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1mQVb2A2qa8/WWFo2hfFmTI/AAAAAAAAB0w/wS8zTLPZP2odTq7GDbTxFXnjTjvMub8bQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B06%2BStopping%2Bfor%2Ba%2Bview.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1mQVb2A2qa8/WWFo2hfFmTI/AAAAAAAAB0w/wS8zTLPZP2odTq7GDbTxFXnjTjvMub8bQCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B06%2BStopping%2Bfor%2Ba%2Bview.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first rest stop for the mules</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After
several minutes, Alicia pulled her mule to a stop. All the other mules automatically pulled in
beside hers with their rumps to the mountain and their heads out over the
canyon. John had told us that it was
very important to make a tight pack as we stopped and to be sure that the mules
could see down into the canyon so that they could see where <i>not </i>to go. We let the mules rest, and Alicia talked to
us about what to expect next. Coming up
would be Echo Corner, Battleship Butte, and “Oh, Jesus” Corner, so named
because of how frightening it is. Our
rest stop was just about five minutes long, and then we were off again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It was
interesting to me that we saw the same hikers over and over again throughout
the morning. We would pass them on the
trail, and then they would pass us as we let the mules rest. We’d pass them again, and the pattern would
repeat. One Asian gentleman who was
hiking alone smiled, waved, and spoke to us each time we passed, and he took
several pictures of our little group. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pretty soon,
I could feel nature calling. Alicia said
that a stop at Indian Garden was about an hour away and that there would be restrooms
there. I knew an hour was too long, so
at the next rest stop for the mules, I told her I wasn’t the least bit
squeamish about going right there in broad daylight on the trail. The trail is only 2-3 feet wide, and there is
little vegetation, but I thought I’d just kind of go around the next
switchback, suck it up, and do my thing.
Alicia looked at me skeptically, but I hopped down and skittered off
before she could stop me. The great
thing about these mules is that you can walk behind them without any fear of
them kicking you as a horse would. So I
walked behind Alicia, Kinley, and Knox’s mules and found a decent spot to squat. Mid-business, here came the Asian
gentleman. The smile on his kind face
was quickly replaced with horror. Being
mid-business, I couldn’t move, so I just apologized profusely and finished
up. He walked on, clearly scarred for
life. We passed him several more times
that morning, and he never spoke or made eye contact again. Bless his heart. He’ll have a good story to tell when he gets
home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I mounted
up, and on we went. Behind me, Alex
shook her head and said, “That’s my kind of woman.” I’ll admit, I was proud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">By 9:10, we
arrived at Indian Garden. Lush
vegetation and gurgling streams replaced the dry and dusty landscape, and the
trail flattened out and widened significantly.
We saw a ranger station and a shelter along with restrooms, a horse
trough, benches, and a water spigot where several hikers were drinking deeply
and refilling their ubiquitous Camelbacks.
We had been on the trail for about 2 hours and 40 minutes by this
time. We weren’t hungry, but this was
our lunch stop. Alicia and Alex tied up
the mules, and we got off. We all went
to the restrooms, refilled our canteens at the spigot, and picked up our boxed
lunches from Alex and Alicia. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zrpx-BXsnys/WWFozosTZ9I/AAAAAAAAB0s/rIEq2l7X7VQ4xksTHg4VqNOWKdMsMHC_ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B12%2BWater%2Bat%2BIndian%2BGardens.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zrpx-BXsnys/WWFozosTZ9I/AAAAAAAAB0s/rIEq2l7X7VQ4xksTHg4VqNOWKdMsMHC_ACEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B12%2BWater%2Bat%2BIndian%2BGardens.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the water station at Indian Garden, tired hikers sat for a rest while the mule riders filled their bottles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BdEp3g9IvRo/WWFo7qdUJzI/AAAAAAAAB00/ILa8YYEE6uEk4RvG_xV4Z8cTPheZjyxFgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B13%2BHurrying%2Bto%2Beat%2Blunch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BdEp3g9IvRo/WWFo7qdUJzI/AAAAAAAAB00/ILa8YYEE6uEk4RvG_xV4Z8cTPheZjyxFgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B13%2BHurrying%2Bto%2Beat%2Blunch.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch at Indian Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bRB73QXmrN4/WWFpxPz69vI/AAAAAAAAB1A/oMbCbY5x460Fee6dCJxKN6JvzNgJG9yxgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B14%2BMules%2Bwaiting%2Bfor%2Bthe%2Bnext%2Bleg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bRB73QXmrN4/WWFpxPz69vI/AAAAAAAAB1A/oMbCbY5x460Fee6dCJxKN6JvzNgJG9yxgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B14%2BMules%2Bwaiting%2Bfor%2Bthe%2Bnext%2Bleg.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mules rested while we ate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IYrY3_xlGeg/WWFplC0LMhI/AAAAAAAAB04/hYS9L7OmSUYt1tO-jDikW_1U22lyLbJUgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B15%2BBox%2Blunch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IYrY3_xlGeg/WWFplC0LMhI/AAAAAAAAB04/hYS9L7OmSUYt1tO-jDikW_1U22lyLbJUgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B15%2BBox%2Blunch.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lunch was larger and plentiful.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The lunches
were huge; each contained a large sandwich, chips or pretzels, an apple, a
cookie, an energy drink, a bag of baby carrots, and trail mix. Alicia told us we only had 20 minutes to eat
them because we needed to get back on the trail in order to get to Phantom
Ranch before the hottest part of the day.
Knowing that Knox is the slowest eater on the planet, I immediately
implemented “lunch triage” with him – fresh items first, packaged items last
since they could be saved for later. The
rest of us wolfed down as much as we could, and after 15 minutes, Alicia told
us to finish up. Apples and carrots
could be fed to the mules if we couldn’t eat them. Unopened packaged food could be placed in
bear-proof boxes to be picked up by staff later. Everything else had to be put
into trash bags that the mules would carry or placed into our own pockets to be
eaten later. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pesky
squirrels hovered nearby hoping that we would drop a crumb or two since they
had been trained by previous hikers to expect human handouts. Signs everywhere instructed guests not to
feed the wildlife, but it seems that not everyone understood the damage done
when wild animals are trained to expect human food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I couldn’t
finish nearly all of my food that quickly, so I fed the rest of my apple to
Sheldon hoping to engender some goodwill from my four-footed friend. Just as Sheldon grabbed the last bits of
apple from my hand and replaced them with a generous amount of mule slobber, I
realized that we weren’t going to be leaving any time soon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It seemed
that another of our compatriots was regretting the trip. Remember the couple that I assumed was in
their late 70s? Well, it turns out that
the gentleman was 80! Doing this mule
ride had been on his bucket list for years, and he’d lost 40 pounds in the last
year to be able to do it. But what he
didn’t admit at check-in was that he also had some nerve issues with his spine
that caused severe shoulder pain. He’d had
two epidurals recently to try to mitigate the situation, but the two hours on
the mule that morning had seriously aggravated the problem. He wasn’t going to be able to get back on his
mule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Alicia asked
his wife if she wanted to continue with us on her own, but she insisted that
she would stay with her husband. Alicia
advised the man to lie down on a bench, and his wife started fanning him in the
heat and bringing wet cloths to cool him down.
He was pale, weak, and sweating profusely. Then Alicia asked him if he would be able to
ride a mule back up to the top or if he could walk. We could all predict the answer to those
questions. There was no way that man was
going anywhere on a mule, and he certainly couldn’t go anywhere on his
own. But “down is optional; up is
mandatory,” so Alicia told him that she would radio for a helicopter to come
and fly him out at no charge to him. Can you believe that? No charge!
I was stunned, but this is evidently a relatively common occurrence in
the canyon. And it was clear that this
was the only option for this couple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Alicia
radioed the ranger on duty at the Indian Garden station, and we all waited
anxiously for her to arrive. In the 25
minutes that followed, even Knox would have had time to finish his lunch. But, of course, we had all thrown or packed
away our uneaten items before we knew what was about to happen. Instead, we spent our time resting in the
shade and dunking our arms in the trough water to cool down as the temperature
climbed 15 degrees to 100°F.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HPvgL9yzDe8/WWFpp0UiBnI/AAAAAAAAB08/rPt_wqcb8tsb9VczO9qgiteAQfSeovOGgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B15%2BIn%2Bthe%2Bshade%2Bat%2BIndian%2BGardens%2Bat%2B10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HPvgL9yzDe8/WWFpp0UiBnI/AAAAAAAAB08/rPt_wqcb8tsb9VczO9qgiteAQfSeovOGgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B15%2BIn%2Bthe%2Bshade%2Bat%2BIndian%2BGardens%2Bat%2B10.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No caption necessary</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Through all
the stress, radioing, waiting, paperwork, and worry, Alicia and Alex remained
completely calm and professional. They
reassured the man that he was making the right decision since the trail got
more difficult after Indian Garden. They
cared for the mules and made plans for how to deal with the two riderless
animals we’d now have in our parade down the steep trail. (Obviously, we couldn’t just leave them at
Indian Garden, and the animals certainly weren’t getting on a helicopter for a
ride back to the stable.) They reminded
us to drink extra water and wet down any clothing we could to stay cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OfD0D9kvho4/WWFrCPbfztI/AAAAAAAAB1I/al2dk41HLKEKAvKMnMfcFtOtUuGl5pLwgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B16%2BSoaked%2Bfor%2Bthe%2Bjourney.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OfD0D9kvho4/WWFrCPbfztI/AAAAAAAAB1I/al2dk41HLKEKAvKMnMfcFtOtUuGl5pLwgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B16%2BSoaked%2Bfor%2Bthe%2Bjourney.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While waiting for the details to be worked out for the helicopter rescue, we took a family picture with our sleeves soaked with mule trough water.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We soon
learned that this was only Alex’s second trip down the canyon. What a way to start a new career! It was going to be her responsibility to lead
the two mules as she brought up the rear of our little band that was growing
steadily smaller, and Alicia spent some time giving her pointers and instructions
for how to deal with the animals who would be unaccustomed to making the trip
without riders. Both women were
unflappable under pressure and made us all feel as comfortable as
possible. If they were scared, they
never showed it at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We didn’t
wait for the helicopter. Once all the
plans were made, Alicia left the ranger in charge and led us off further into
the canyon. What had started as a group
of ten guests was now seven. I felt as
though I were living in an Agatha Christie novel. As our mules carried us away all in a line,
we said silent prayers both for the man and his wife and for the rest of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The next two
and a half hours were a blur of cliffs, switchbacks, dust, and sweat. We let the mules rest several times, and we
were instructed to drink deeply from our canteens at each rest. Eventually, the mighty, green waters of the
Colorado River came into view far below us.
Yellow rafts, presumably filled with paddling thrill-seekers, appeared as
tiny specks in the distance. I began to
imagine the cooling effects of the cold water rushing by, and the powerful
river seemed to taunt me. Hot, weary,
and now sore from gripping the mule with my legs, I began to daydream about
what a dip in the river would feel like.
Of course, that only made matters worse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CBaLQhaUFPM/WWFskJtpRQI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/U9ZPcoIqsNoaTxTXXFStQAq-yhLr6595gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B27%2BRafts%2Bgive%2Bperspective%2Bon%2Bdistance.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CBaLQhaUFPM/WWFskJtpRQI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/U9ZPcoIqsNoaTxTXXFStQAq-yhLr6595gCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B27%2BRafts%2Bgive%2Bperspective%2Bon%2Bdistance.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See those tiny yellow dots in the river? They're six-man rafts. That shows you how far away we are from the river.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K3ZGK9sllYo/WWFrItPl8pI/AAAAAAAAB1M/CLnUadFmDDcXcIQXDC4FdD32JLat1GyRgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B20%2BVista.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K3ZGK9sllYo/WWFrItPl8pI/AAAAAAAAB1M/CLnUadFmDDcXcIQXDC4FdD32JLat1GyRgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B20%2BVista.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our mules</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7NlRBiIufXA/WWFruXu580I/AAAAAAAAB1Q/lISrMsn2tLglIY_KK2iBDHkv5vMhI4KrgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B23%2BDusty%2Btrail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7NlRBiIufXA/WWFruXu580I/AAAAAAAAB1Q/lISrMsn2tLglIY_KK2iBDHkv5vMhI4KrgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B23%2BDusty%2Btrail.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evidence that I didn't always motivate my mule to stay right behind Kinley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nsv8kn1zvBU/WWFsPkWRTRI/AAAAAAAAB1U/ws1_09NYLx4dY1mhu2NJ9vFCfAXB9pnmACEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B25%2BColorado%2BRiver%2Bis%2BWAY%2Bdown%2Bthere.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nsv8kn1zvBU/WWFsPkWRTRI/AAAAAAAAB1U/ws1_09NYLx4dY1mhu2NJ9vFCfAXB9pnmACEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B25%2BColorado%2BRiver%2Bis%2BWAY%2Bdown%2Bthere.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The nearer we got to the river, the hotter it seemed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Soon we
rounded a corner that was the scariest yet.
It was a sheer 200 foot drop-off, with the rocks and rapids of the
Colorado raging below. I reminded myself
that Sheldon was sure footed and had traveled this trail may times before. And I reminded Sheldon that I’d given him my
apple. We made it around the corner
unscathed, and I didn’t begrudge giving up that apple one bit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k4Cl0byuTHc/WWFzf3NA4VI/AAAAAAAAB2o/SJBVK34xmgoIckSRk2J2e7hShjKnM5itgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0625%2B15%2BLong%2Bdrop%2Bto%2Bthe%2BColorado.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k4Cl0byuTHc/WWFzf3NA4VI/AAAAAAAAB2o/SJBVK34xmgoIckSRk2J2e7hShjKnM5itgCEwYBhgL/s640/0625%2B15%2BLong%2Bdrop%2Bto%2Bthe%2BColorado.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Possibly the scariest corner of all was this one. You can see a tiny speck of yellow in the river. That's a raft full of people.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Six hours
into the trip, we came to a suspension bridge spanning the Colorado. Alicia informed us that we would be crossing
the bridge on our mules and that we would need to be especially careful to keep
our mules nose to rump. Trotting on the
bridge to catch up would mean that the bridge would begin to swing. Neither mules nor humans would enjoy crossing
a swinging bridge suspended 70 feet above the wild Colorado River. I kept
Sheldon so close that Kinley’s mule kicked at him a couple of times. But I preferred that to the alternative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--DTUO9rllb0/WWFy7K5I0NI/AAAAAAAAB2k/vPM34tIv-FEdsd2JISccdtIY9WF4tONCQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0625%2B08%2BBlack%2Bbridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--DTUO9rllb0/WWFy7K5I0NI/AAAAAAAAB2k/vPM34tIv-FEdsd2JISccdtIY9WF4tONCQCEwYBhgL/s640/0625%2B08%2BBlack%2Bbridge.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a view of the bridge we crossed as seen from the Phantom Ranch sided of the river.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As Sheldon
and I crossed the bridge (which, incidentally, was built in 1928), I began to
think about all the different ways I had exhibited faith that day. I had faith in John to choose the right mule
for me. I had faith in Alicia and Alex
to safely guide me and my family down into the canyon. I had faith that the volunteers who maintain
the narrow trail had placed rocks strategically to reinforce the unstable
areas. I had faith in the people who
built that suspension bridge 89 years earlier.
I had faith in the structural engineers who (I assume?!) check the
bridge periodically to ensure that it is safe to cross. I had faith that Sheldon wasn’t going to dump
me over a cliff. I had faith in the tack
that kept my saddle attached to my mule.
So much faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1yOMXQsoqaM/WWFtGdGBLXI/AAAAAAAAB1c/l9jBX9eIYrAToGmrpHU6YG0nbfPtHqSKACEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B31%2BCrossing%2Bthe%2Bbridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1yOMXQsoqaM/WWFtGdGBLXI/AAAAAAAAB1c/l9jBX9eIYrAToGmrpHU6YG0nbfPtHqSKACEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B31%2BCrossing%2Bthe%2Bbridge.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing the bridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And I wasn’t
alone! Ten people every day – even
Christmas Day –make this trip. They have
to have faith in all the same things I did.
Things we can’t know for sure but that we’re willing to put our trust in
anyway. And yet, faith in Christ as
Savior is so difficult for some. I
continued to reflect on these thoughts for the remainder of the trip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3voYAhCsl38/WWFvEqJv9nI/AAAAAAAAB1w/V7gC8pPekK0plM0NaiTtscqmuu4y784tgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B44%2BWelcome%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3voYAhCsl38/WWFvEqJv9nI/AAAAAAAAB1w/V7gC8pPekK0plM0NaiTtscqmuu4y784tgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B44%2BWelcome%2Bsign.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were so happy to see this sign!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Within 30
minutes of crossing the bridge we had arrived at Phantom Ranch, a veritable
oasis in the rugged landscape. It was
built in 1922 0f wood and native stone and can only be reached by foot, by raft
on the Colorado River, or by mule. We
plodded past the camping area that lined Phantom Creek, feeling grateful that
our 6 ½ hours on a mule was not about to be followed by a night sleeping on the
rocky ground and looking forward to a post-ride dip in the creek since the
temperature on the canyon floor was now 116°F.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zWGthEjNjew/WWFwpQcWrfI/AAAAAAAAB2E/IMQ3A9RDHx8EOf4BoQZffkqRreV-HV8XwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B50%2BWeather%2Breport%2Bat%2BPhantom%2BRanch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zWGthEjNjew/WWFwpQcWrfI/AAAAAAAAB2E/IMQ3A9RDHx8EOf4BoQZffkqRreV-HV8XwCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B50%2BWeather%2Breport%2Bat%2BPhantom%2BRanch.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep. That really does say to expect a high of 116.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We rode the
mules into the stone and wood corral, and Alex and Alicia hitched them to the
rails while we dismounted. Saddle sore
and stiff, we each waddled over to a covered area where one of the staff
members brought us all cold lemonade and literally hosed us all down with cold
water. He gave us instructions about
showers and meals, and then handed over the keys to our little cabins. We were thrilled to learn that not only did
our cabins have electricity, a toilet, and a sink but also AIR CONDITIONING! Never did we imagine that a place so remote
would have such relative luxury. We
grabbed our bags of belongings which were now just as dust-covered as we were
and headed to the welcome cool air or our cabins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AjVUpIrtRHo/WWFwyVrX2cI/AAAAAAAAB2I/IhfRLRR2USYRbvZJc8tTzAhpnUWwYtLZgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B49%2BPhantom%2BRanch%2Bcabin%2B10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AjVUpIrtRHo/WWFwyVrX2cI/AAAAAAAAB2I/IhfRLRR2USYRbvZJc8tTzAhpnUWwYtLZgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B49%2BPhantom%2BRanch%2Bcabin%2B10.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little cabin was very comfortable in spite of the extreme heat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k5SR5_2_j1Q/WWFvao1b-hI/AAAAAAAAB10/OKZnUtnHhAcrisHo1ktxmeSsUJdqqFYfQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B45%2BCabin%2Binterior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k5SR5_2_j1Q/WWFvao1b-hI/AAAAAAAAB10/OKZnUtnHhAcrisHo1ktxmeSsUJdqqFYfQCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B45%2BCabin%2Binterior.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox sits on his bunk in our cabin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We quickly
changed into swimsuits and walked to the nearby creek. The cold water was a welcome respite from the
heat, but the shallow depth and rocky creek bottom made it hard to sit or
walk. We cooled off for twenty minutes
or so and then Josh took the kids to the nearby ranger station to get their
special Junior Ranger booklets for Phantom Ranch. Very few kids ever earn this badge because of
the remote location, and the kids were excited to work toward the special
rattlesnake patch. We had discovered
that poor Knox had actual saddle sores, so he certainly deserved some sort of
recognition for his experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uIU2eJ1XN2k/WWFt2ZHFxaI/AAAAAAAAB1g/PQUq4vxQZcMQY1Pb6IMzTKC_hFlDXyAyACEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B38%2BKinley%2Benjoys%2Bsitting%2Bin%2BPhantom%2BCreek.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uIU2eJ1XN2k/WWFt2ZHFxaI/AAAAAAAAB1g/PQUq4vxQZcMQY1Pb6IMzTKC_hFlDXyAyACEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B38%2BKinley%2Benjoys%2Bsitting%2Bin%2BPhantom%2BCreek.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley cools off in rocky Phantom Creek.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hCrgymrtf1Y/WWFufdGeRpI/AAAAAAAAB1o/Y9up2Q39WqQZhvFHzMt8ydOEt5slfu0xACEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B40%2BStanding%2Bin%2BPhantom%2BCreek.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hCrgymrtf1Y/WWFufdGeRpI/AAAAAAAAB1o/Y9up2Q39WqQZhvFHzMt8ydOEt5slfu0xACEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B40%2BStanding%2Bin%2BPhantom%2BCreek.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh and Knox made their way to the bench in the creek.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After the
kids finished the activities for their badges, we felt like we should be
exploring the trails in the area, but we were so zapped from the heat and the
ride down that we just collapsed on our bunkbeds for a nap. Later we showered in the (super clean!) bath
houses, and the kids had an informative chat with the ranger who happily swore
them in as Junior Rangers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rbN-nX3-yWI/WWFuBByzrpI/AAAAAAAAB1k/0ofo_eK8B5MJU0sD1a-tBhfIVJVWC2gnQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B42%2BJunior%2Branger%2Bpledge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rbN-nX3-yWI/WWFuBByzrpI/AAAAAAAAB1k/0ofo_eK8B5MJU0sD1a-tBhfIVJVWC2gnQCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B42%2BJunior%2Branger%2Bpledge.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ranger swore them in after they finished their booklets.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DCGpb_EmY28/WWFvBGOBg_I/AAAAAAAAB1s/OHhgiWhHJecg4qww3KwBxtfZA7phKbiOgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B43%2BNewly%2Bminted%2BPhantom%2BRanch%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DCGpb_EmY28/WWFvBGOBg_I/AAAAAAAAB1s/OHhgiWhHJecg4qww3KwBxtfZA7phKbiOgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B43%2BNewly%2Bminted%2BPhantom%2BRanch%2Bjunior%2Brangers.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They earned the coveted rattlesnake patch!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Dinner was
served promptly at 5:00, and we had sprung for the famous steak dinners instead
of the cheaper stew option. Everything
was served family style, and we devoured it all hastily. I marveled at the supplies that must be
brought down daily to keep just the kitchen stocked; imagine all that lettuce
and beef coming down on mules in the heat every single day! And there would be bacon, eggs, and pancakes
the next morning, too! How in the world
did those eggs make it down the canyon on mules without becoming omelets on the
trail? I have no idea, but I’m grateful
to whomever is responsible for taking care of those details.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FHaE-v4JBIk/WWFvwceq2cI/AAAAAAAAB14/tO2k9f8UnhoX_c5XiLBdx1ox69Z4vwxpACEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B46%2BSteak%2Bdinner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FHaE-v4JBIk/WWFvwceq2cI/AAAAAAAAB14/tO2k9f8UnhoX_c5XiLBdx1ox69Z4vwxpACEwYBhgL/s320/0624%2B46%2BSteak%2Bdinner.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U7RiVnirdPs/WWFvxsPkBDI/AAAAAAAAB18/QwJbv_MJJ10o_6eUMoE6aqfCE6CS91J5ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B47%2BDinner%2Bsalad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U7RiVnirdPs/WWFvxsPkBDI/AAAAAAAAB18/QwJbv_MJJ10o_6eUMoE6aqfCE6CS91J5ACEwYBhgL/s320/0624%2B47%2BDinner%2Bsalad.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6P1IVLlxBO0/WWFwL-dmp9I/AAAAAAAAB2A/UDiObj1Op8M6uZGLLYslkrPiX6xLrAxQwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B48%2BSteak%2Bmeal%2Bcomplete.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6P1IVLlxBO0/WWFwL-dmp9I/AAAAAAAAB2A/UDiObj1Op8M6uZGLLYslkrPiX6xLrAxQwCEwYBhgL/s320/0624%2B48%2BSteak%2Bmeal%2Bcomplete.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After
cleaning up the dinner mess, the canteen opened again from 8:00-10:00 to allow
guests to buy postcards, play games, or have a beer with fellow
adventurers. We wrote several postcards
each, added the “carried by mule from the bottom of the Grand Canyon” stamp,
and placed them into the mailbox to be hauled up the next morning. Then we played a few rounds of Bananagrams
before heading to bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yVg7HOe7tx8/WWFw_jsJiqI/AAAAAAAAB2M/m8b22qUV1C8pBRoz77mzp6hze2KIfHUngCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B52%2BKnox%2Bstamps%2BMAILED%2BBY%2BMULE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yVg7HOe7tx8/WWFw_jsJiqI/AAAAAAAAB2M/m8b22qUV1C8pBRoz77mzp6hze2KIfHUngCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B52%2BKnox%2Bstamps%2BMAILED%2BBY%2BMULE.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox stamps a postcard with the signature Phantom Ranch seal.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8_RS1-XBwmg/WWFxZpR_vPI/AAAAAAAAB2Q/1NMup9feCFMyYSQJXAHwNxX-ot89glnJwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B53%2BWriting%2Bpostcards%2Bbefore%2Bplaying%2BBananagrams.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8_RS1-XBwmg/WWFxZpR_vPI/AAAAAAAAB2Q/1NMup9feCFMyYSQJXAHwNxX-ot89glnJwCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B53%2BWriting%2Bpostcards%2Bbefore%2Bplaying%2BBananagrams.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The canteen had limited hours, but it was a nice cool place to write postcards and play games.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Breakfast
was plentiful, delicious, and served at 6:30 sharp the next morning. Kinley was asked to ring the dinner bell, and
the caretaker told her without irony that she did an exceptional job. Evidently, both Susan Sarandon and Oprah
Winfrey have rung that bell, and Kinley’s skills outshone theirs. Teddy Roosevelt stayed at Phantom Ranch in
1913, but his bell-ringing skills weren’t divulged to us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5RJ_G_rA8ds/WWFx7OV7TAI/AAAAAAAAB2Y/TpIfMGdVhoYcCdfmCPY2A9mdxeGpIspHQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0625%2B01%2BKinley%2Brings%2Bthe%2Bbreakfast%2Bbell.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5RJ_G_rA8ds/WWFx7OV7TAI/AAAAAAAAB2Y/TpIfMGdVhoYcCdfmCPY2A9mdxeGpIspHQCEwYBhgL/s640/0625%2B01%2BKinley%2Brings%2Bthe%2Bbreakfast%2Bbell.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinley got to ring the breakfast bell.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PQWm6iKB2g8/WWFxrjxOeCI/AAAAAAAAB2U/2dw3FSv0UIo0gBvyCXGy77KkYgvjct3aACEwYBhgL/s1600/0625%2B02%2BBreakfast%2Bat%2BPhantom%2BRanch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PQWm6iKB2g8/WWFxrjxOeCI/AAAAAAAAB2U/2dw3FSv0UIo0gBvyCXGy77KkYgvjct3aACEwYBhgL/s320/0625%2B02%2BBreakfast%2Bat%2BPhantom%2BRanch.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As we
contemplated another day of riding, Knox was dreading sitting on his saddle
sores for the return trip, and the rest of us weren’t looking forward to the
aches in our knees and ankles from gripping the mules with our legs. Of course, while going up we wouldn’t be
leaning back as we had on the way down and our weight would be distributed
differently. We hoped that the
difference would be enough to not aggravate our existing muscle aches further.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w2zDnB_u8jA/WWFymM_S52I/AAAAAAAAB2c/4mJA4Lvb930KZgvZSCtPx1_mr4EU3vnuACEwYBhgL/s1600/0625%2B04%2BReady%2Bto%2Bgo%2Bwith%2Bwranglers%2BAlicia%2Band%2BAlex.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w2zDnB_u8jA/WWFymM_S52I/AAAAAAAAB2c/4mJA4Lvb930KZgvZSCtPx1_mr4EU3vnuACEwYBhgL/s640/0625%2B04%2BReady%2Bto%2Bgo%2Bwith%2Bwranglers%2BAlicia%2Band%2BAlex.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alicia (left) and Alex (right) were wonderful wranglers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EEVhBgEUAjU/WWFypGE3yMI/AAAAAAAAB2g/CYWkQsZR-LUxkOqVv-vby9EOWajOI-WDgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0625%2B07%2BKnox%2Bready%2Bto%2Bgo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EEVhBgEUAjU/WWFypGE3yMI/AAAAAAAAB2g/CYWkQsZR-LUxkOqVv-vby9EOWajOI-WDgCEwYBhgL/s640/0625%2B07%2BKnox%2Bready%2Bto%2Bgo.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox and Mable carried the mail back up the next day, too!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">By 7:30 we
were mounted up and on our way back up the canyon, this time via the South
Kaibab Trail. Knox would once again be
carrying the mail pouch, this time with postcards we had written ourselves inside.
Alicia told us that we would be making stops much more frequently today to give
the mules plenty of rest. I thought
again about how “up is mandatory” and reflected once more on the faith I had in
Sheldon, Alicia, Alex, and the countless volunteers who keep the trail
passable. This wasn’t a blind
faith. It was an intentional faith. I was well aware that Sheldon wasn’t
infallible. He stumbled several times,
in fact. There were places that the
trail clearly needed maintenance, and there was evidence of ongoing maintenance
projects in some places. But I made a
conscious choice to have faith in man and in beast in spite of my fears. As we lumbered along, I considered the similarities
of this faith to my faith in Christ.
There are countless parts of the story of Jesus that seem impossible,
and yet I intentionally choose to believe anyway. That’s what faith is. Riding a mule in the Grand Canyon gives you
lots of time for quiet reflection, I suppose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x_PaM_AjHNk/WWFz0XNn3dI/AAAAAAAAB2s/jbdkXCZ60SINO8o51GJp6p9lykhbdVqegCEwYBhgL/s1600/0625%2B27%2BJosh%2Bon%2Bhis%2Bmule%2BFooler.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x_PaM_AjHNk/WWFz0XNn3dI/AAAAAAAAB2s/jbdkXCZ60SINO8o51GJp6p9lykhbdVqegCEwYBhgL/s640/0625%2B27%2BJosh%2Bon%2Bhis%2Bmule%2BFooler.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh and Fooler with a beautiful canyon view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Lunch isn’t
provided on the way up, but we did get to dismount and walk around a couple of
times. Alicia continued to tell us
stories on the way up, and our mules needed a bit more motivation to keep up
with each other. We were sore and hot,
but we tried to embrace the experience and enjoy the view. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HgmH-oSivbU/WWF0WOdjrsI/AAAAAAAAB20/KYAkzVvq-ZEK9Cg0dB_SRnl2sS8U8vGjgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0625%2B41%2BMule%2Btrain%2Bpasses%2Bus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HgmH-oSivbU/WWF0WOdjrsI/AAAAAAAAB20/KYAkzVvq-ZEK9Cg0dB_SRnl2sS8U8vGjgCEwYBhgL/s640/0625%2B41%2BMule%2Btrain%2Bpasses%2Bus.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This mule train carries all of the supplies for Phantom Ranch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xRBKc-ToGpY/WWF0aWTX-FI/AAAAAAAAB24/89U41C-gY7gWCc4uFzRjybdOF47Z3ypGwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0625%2B29%2BRed%2Band%2Bwhite%2Bswitchbacks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xRBKc-ToGpY/WWF0aWTX-FI/AAAAAAAAB24/89U41C-gY7gWCc4uFzRjybdOF47Z3ypGwCEwYBhgL/s640/0625%2B29%2BRed%2Band%2Bwhite%2Bswitchbacks.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These switchbacks are known and the red and whites because of the colors of the soil.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After a stop
at Cedar Ridge, the crowds began to thicken and we could tell that we must be
nearing the top. The train of pack mules
that traverses the trail every day carrying supplies passed us at one point,
and a few minutes later it began to rain lightly. Most of us were thrilled with the cooling
effects of the rain and cloud cover, but Knox, of course, insisted on putting
on his yellow raincoat. The rain was
short-lived, and at about 1:00, we crested the top of the trail and made our
way to the hitching posts. We had made
it! We waited for Alicia and Alex to tie
up the mules and then hopped off for the final time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I thanked
Sheldon and gave him a loving pat before saying goodbye to the other members of
our group. I thanked Alicia and Alex for
handling all the stress so beautifully and for taking such great care of us,
and Josh tipped them before saying goodbye and boarding the shuttle that would
take us back to Bright Angel Lodge. As
we trundled along, I thought about how “up” may be mandatory but faith is
not. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was grateful for </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">both.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K3ZGK9sllYo/WWFrItPl8pI/AAAAAAAAB1M/CLnUadFmDDcXcIQXDC4FdD32JLat1GyRgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B20%2BVista.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K3ZGK9sllYo/WWFrItPl8pI/AAAAAAAAB1M/CLnUadFmDDcXcIQXDC4FdD32JLat1GyRgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B20%2BVista.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from atop Fooler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247715257254907598.post-68717606628556302342017-07-03T11:09:00.000-07:002017-07-31T16:00:51.176-07:00Big Canyon, Small World: A National Park Odyssey Day 12<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Grand Canyon
National Park<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Want to listen to our podcast about this park? <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-937018715/episode-7-the-grand-canyon" target="_blank">Click here!</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FiJrCGYeysc/WVioGi92kqI/AAAAAAAABzo/RjDWAqoeKxI_X7Y4I9u1cu7SIOin7YssgCLcBGAs/s1600/0623%2BGrand%2BCanyon%2Bsunrise%2Bover%2Bthe%2Brim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FiJrCGYeysc/WVioGi92kqI/AAAAAAAABzo/RjDWAqoeKxI_X7Y4I9u1cu7SIOin7YssgCLcBGAs/s640/0623%2BGrand%2BCanyon%2Bsunrise%2Bover%2Bthe%2Brim.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the south rim near El Tovar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Josh and I
woke up in time for sunrise while the kids slept in. We walked just outside El Tovar to the
overlook and gazed at the rays of sun peeking over the canyon. A handful of other people had crawled out of
bed to witness the beauty of the morning, but it was far less crowded than I
expected. We enjoyed some quiet time together,
and then we woke the kids up to eat breakfast with us along the south rim trail. We sat on a bench eating and drinking and
watched the colors change on the canyon below as the light began to hit the
rocks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gjKQY-LM8C8/WVin_YZYA3I/AAAAAAAABzk/n2h_WjnAcp0KD9vGvV5oCvwfyyntb2ZEwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0623%2BGrand%2BCanyon%2Bbreakfast%2Bat%2Bthe%2Brim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gjKQY-LM8C8/WVin_YZYA3I/AAAAAAAABzk/n2h_WjnAcp0KD9vGvV5oCvwfyyntb2ZEwCEwYBhgL/s640/0623%2BGrand%2BCanyon%2Bbreakfast%2Bat%2Bthe%2Brim.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast on the trail near the rim</td></tr>
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</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-smi22-I-0UM/WVioQMcEklI/AAAAAAAABzs/Fm2hRSBOhcUko0ooTPYKvVeGjwtcMGUHACEwYBhgL/s1600/0623%2BGrand%2BCanyon%2Bsunrise%2Bcolors.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-smi22-I-0UM/WVioQMcEklI/AAAAAAAABzs/Fm2hRSBOhcUko0ooTPYKvVeGjwtcMGUHACEwYBhgL/s640/0623%2BGrand%2BCanyon%2Bsunrise%2Bcolors.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My pathetic photography skills don't do the majestic canyon justice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Along the
paved trail which goes all the way from the Bright Angel Trail past El Tovar to
the visitors’ center, Knox was interested in the geologic timeline markers and
placards that told the story of the carving of the canyon. When we got to the marker that represented
2000 years ago, we all took note that there was a giant crack. The pavement wasn’t cracked anywhere else,
just here, at about the time that the veil would have been torn in two after
the crucifixion of Christ. It was a
meaningful symbol to us of the Creator who was there to watch the carving of
this canyon with a front row seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pA7-10SgHCI/WVinawDQC5I/AAAAAAAABzU/e4GnmRHKVTEHJsHt9FC18PQ3MHeaZVIRQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0623%2BCrack%2Bthrough%2B2000%2Byears%2Bago.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pA7-10SgHCI/WVinawDQC5I/AAAAAAAABzU/e4GnmRHKVTEHJsHt9FC18PQ3MHeaZVIRQCEwYBhgL/s640/0623%2BCrack%2Bthrough%2B2000%2Byears%2Bago.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This crack was probably just happenstance, but it bore meaning to us.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As we got
nearer to the visitors’ center, the trail grew more and more crowded with
people who had apparently been dropped off by tour buses. 90% of tourists never get beyond this trail,
and we started looking forward to the relatively sparse crowds that we assumed
we’d see the next day on our way to the bottom of the canyon. While we walked, Knox grew increasingly
annoyed at the amount of trash on the trail and decided that, as a Junior
Ranger, he should be doing something about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5iEMykQGnHc/WVinyHEZreI/AAAAAAAABzg/aDhLa---yWcwtURoVKBCuXZh87rhAw-9ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0623%2BGrand%2BCanyon%2Bcrowds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5iEMykQGnHc/WVinyHEZreI/AAAAAAAABzg/aDhLa---yWcwtURoVKBCuXZh87rhAw-9ACEwYBhgL/s640/0623%2BGrand%2BCanyon%2Bcrowds.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crowds continued to grow as we got near to the visitors' center.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KLa9PyZ5kAc/WVioeotRW4I/AAAAAAAABz0/Ds-wEzW9nlA6X4DY3PtA2XBKNjeZHqLowCEwYBhgL/s1600/0623%2BKnox%2Bdoes%2Bhis%2Bjunior%2Branger%2Bduty.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KLa9PyZ5kAc/WVioeotRW4I/AAAAAAAABz0/Ds-wEzW9nlA6X4DY3PtA2XBKNjeZHqLowCEwYBhgL/s640/0623%2BKnox%2Bdoes%2Bhis%2Bjunior%2Branger%2Bduty.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox picks up trash as a part of his (mostly self-imposed) Junior Ranger duties.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Days 13 and
14 were to be spent riding mules down into and out of the canyon with an
overnight at Phantom Ranch, the park’s nearly-impossible-to-book cabins on the
bottom of the canyon. But before we
could mount up the next day, we were required to check in and go through
orientation at the Bright Angel Lodge down the trail from El Tovar. We had to weigh in (yes, really), affirm that
we all had come prepared with appropriate footwear, long-sleeved shirts, long
pants, and wide brimmed hats with chin straps.
Our camera had to be on a neck strap, and we weren’t allowed to carry
any bags on our person. Everything we
wanted to take with us had to be placed in a clear plastic bag (the size of a
10 pound bag of ice).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zFf0Ent5hmE/WViopLM1w8I/AAAAAAAABz8/f8Y7f3H-62cp0DztVzErOdRQxsNrrZJkgCEwYBhgL/s1600/0624%2B32%2BTwo%2Bof%2Bour%2Bgear%2Bbags%2Band%2Bwater%2Bcanteens.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zFf0Ent5hmE/WViopLM1w8I/AAAAAAAABz8/f8Y7f3H-62cp0DztVzErOdRQxsNrrZJkgCEwYBhgL/s640/0624%2B32%2BTwo%2Bof%2Bour%2Bgear%2Bbags%2Band%2Bwater%2Bcanteens.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are two of our bags of gear and water canteens that were provided by Xanterra, the concessionaire who runs the mule ride to Phantom Ranch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As we waited
to be weighed, I thought Josh was going to have another anxiety attack. He had weighed 177 when we left home, but he
was worried he would be over the strict 200 pound limit with his gear on. He needn’t have worried. He was 186.
I didn’t have the courage to look at my own reading as the attendant
quietly recorded it on a paper that I assume was passed on to the mule wranglers
to help them decide how much extra weight in gear my mule could carry since none
of the mules carry more than 200 pounds total.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In addition
to our plastic bags, we were handed a yellow rain slicker each and a leather
and plastic water bottle on a string that looked kind of like my Sunday school
teachers always described a wineskin. We
were to bring all of this back the next morning to the corral by 5:55 am.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After orientation
and check in, we looked around the gift shop at Bright Angel (learning in the
process that the rooms in this lodge were not air conditioned as ours at El
Tovar were). Knox assumed his normal
gift-shop position in the children’s book section while the rest of us browsed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PLFkH_fRRMM/WVioh93G_II/AAAAAAAABz4/-py8YRMKV-cpP1SMz1MSQpHRqxQfUzKkwCEwYBhgL/s1600/0623%2BKnox%2Breads%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bgift%2Bshop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PLFkH_fRRMM/WVioh93G_II/AAAAAAAABz4/-py8YRMKV-cpP1SMz1MSQpHRqxQfUzKkwCEwYBhgL/s640/0623%2BKnox%2Breads%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bgift%2Bshop.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knox has read a lot of books this summer by sitting on the floor of the gift shops!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To end our
day, we attended a nightly non-denominational worship service at an area set
aside just past the Bright Angel Trailhead.
Every night during the high season, a group of college-student
volunteers from around the country lead a time of worship at the rim for all
who wish to come. The students work with
<a href="http://www.acmnp.com/" target="_blank">A Christian Ministry in the National Parks (ACMNP)</a> which has representatives in
25 parks across the country leading worship services for travelers. Grand Canyon’s program is different in that
the services aren’t just on Sundays; they have a services every single night of
the summer. We loved the singing and
were moved by the thoughts of the ACMNP member who shared her personal
testimony. The setting was awe-inspiring
and certainly directed our thoughts to the master sculptor of this planet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3N2GH0ll_vU/WVinpBVPgLI/AAAAAAAABzc/P_gcE3MFRzcw_hYhyl1nbTZ8zFwtSeu5gCEwYBhgL/s1600/0623%2BCanyon%2Bworship%2Bsign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3N2GH0ll_vU/WVinpBVPgLI/AAAAAAAABzc/P_gcE3MFRzcw_hYhyl1nbTZ8zFwtSeu5gCEwYBhgL/s640/0623%2BCanyon%2Bworship%2Bsign.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign leading the way to the worship site</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mWKk8E7Z3p8/WViobUl5IOI/AAAAAAAABzw/2OvyENekuaw8kGq21WtG6IJB9lo99HYkQCEwYBhgL/s1600/0623%2BRim%2Bworship.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mWKk8E7Z3p8/WViobUl5IOI/AAAAAAAABzw/2OvyENekuaw8kGq21WtG6IJB9lo99HYkQCEwYBhgL/s640/0623%2BRim%2Bworship.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We sang some new worship songs and an old hymn or two as well.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At the end
of the service, Kinley gestured toward one of the ACMNP team members and said, “I
know her.” I was stunned. How could Kinley possibly know some college
student in the Grand Canyon? She told me
that she was pretty sure the girl was a McCutcheon graduate who had been in the
musical <i>Beauty and the Beast</i> with
Kinley. It took a lot of encouragement,
but I finally convinced her to approach the girl and strike up a conversation. Sure enough, Kinley as right. Kayla had just finished her freshman year at
Taylor University and was excited to be a part of this mission team. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pz1_ARJRUzs/WVinhtjLuJI/AAAAAAAABzY/oqZk4CZqjKI-XHi27wSVn1GDZ3r2_Xs0ACEwYBhgL/s1600/0623%2BCanyon%2BLafayette%2Bworship%2Bconnection.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pz1_ARJRUzs/WVinhtjLuJI/AAAAAAAABzY/oqZk4CZqjKI-XHi27wSVn1GDZ3r2_Xs0ACEwYBhgL/s640/0623%2BCanyon%2BLafayette%2Bworship%2Bconnection.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our family with Kayla, a McCutcheon grad from Lafayette</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At a place
where the canyon is mind-bogglingly huge and the geologic time table seems impossibly
long, we were reminded that it’s really a tiny little planet after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
boyd2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17264332734735593852noreply@blogger.com6