Capital Reef

Capital Reef is a lesser known National Park, just a few hours NE of Bryce, but it is a stunning mass of colored sandstone formations, peaks and canyons. It has shades of Zion, Bryce, Sedona and the Grand Canyon all rolled into one. It’s also less crowded than the big parks and has some great hikes.

Bob and I enjoyed a few days here, but the weather was very cold. We even had a bit of snow one morning! It was fun to see the ice patterns from sprinklers and irrigation systems. On the drive from Bryce to Capital Reef we had to stop twice for cows in the road, and once for a large flock of sheep!

Right now we are outside of Salt Lake City, getting ready for our trip to the Bahamas to swim with wild dolphins on the 29^th. I’ll report on that experience when we get back around June 6^th. Have a great Memorial Day!

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most spectacular sights in America. The amphitheater area is about 8 miles across and filled with hoodoos, holes in the rocks, arches and spires of white, pink, gold and brown sandstone. This canyon was not carved by a river but by erosion. Unlike Zion, Bryce’s rock is soft and crumbly and slowly melting with each season making it an ever-changing landscape.

When we were at the Grand Canyon we wanted to hike to the bottom, but Phantom Ranch was completely booked. The next time we visit there, we will plan in advance and get reservations for a room so we can do that hike. It’s too much to go down and back in a day. Here at Bryce, you can easily hike to the bottom and out in a few hours and we didn’t miss our opportunity to do that. Bob and I made the 5 mile trek down from Bryce Point, went along the Peekaboo Trail to Queens Garden and out at Sunrise Point. It was a fantastic hike with a 1500 ft drop to the floor at Bryce Point, unbelievable rock formations, areas of snow and a variety of evergreen trees along the floor and sides of the amphitheatre. The way up, at Sunrise Point, was only about a 500 ft climb in elevation. Photos are from the rim looking down, and from the trail looking up.

Most of Bryce is 8,000-9,000 ft in elevation. We enjoyed two days of 70 degree weather, but on Saturday the wind started to blow and the temp at the high end of the park was 48 degrees when we took a little hike on the Bristlecone loop. These rare pine trees grow to be 1600 years old in the park. Along the road we saw mule deer, pronghorn antelope and Utah prairie dogs.

One day we enjoyed a trip outside of the park into Red Canyon on horseback. It’s been quite some time since either of us had ridden, and in “the end”, three hours was more than we needed. We both got pretty gentle horses though and the ride through the red rocks was spectacular, but I don’t want to get on my bike anytime soon.

Rotel

In five months on the road, we’ve seen a lot of RVs and tents, of varying shapes and sizes. This week we had a Rotel next to us two different times. This ingenious vehicle is part tour bus, part hotel. The front of the bus is just like a tour bus, but the back is 24 sleeping compartments that are three high and eight across. The approximate size of these capsules is 3 feet by 3 feet by 7 feet long. There is an outside cooking area that is accessed below and on the opposite side pf the sleeping compartments. So far the occupants have all been from Germany.

It’s quite an interesting concept and sure brings out the photographers at the campground. It’s not for me though. I really enjoy this roomy home that Bob and I inhabit.

Zion - Spiritual Sanctuary

Ah Zion. Mary and I love this place. For us, it’s the spiritual heart of America. When Mary and I first discovered Zion (separately), we each thought it was unique and magical. Since then we have seen many places throughout this trip that have reminded us of Zion with similar colors, types of rocks, and formations. So we weren’t sure that Zion would still hold the unique magic for us that it had before. Well, it still does. There are places that look some what like it, but none on the scale and magnitude of Zion or with the spirit.

Zion has four distinct areas:

Zion Canyon - The main part of the park, and where the Virgin River runs all year surrounded by 3-4000’ high sandstone cliffs and formations in various shades of red, orange and tan. Hiking here is switchbacks up to high viewpoints, or small pools fed by waterfalls in some of the side canyons. In the summer you can hike straight up the Virgin River at the head of the canyon (yes, you hike right IN the river!).

Kolob Terrace – An area of high forested plateaus to the west of the main canyon. We’ve only scratched the surface of this area.

Kolob Canyons –Almost an hour by car from the rest of Zion, yet only a couple of miles from Interstate 15, you reach an area where you are starring head-on into three large rock peninsulas and the canyons that separate them. Looking to the south you can see over the vast plateau toward the north rim of the Grand Canyon. We hiked up one of the canyons (Middle Fork of Taylor Creek) crisscrossing the streambed over 60 times in 2.5 miles, and ending up at Double Arch Alcove. This amazingly large open cave seeps moisture and supports a wide array of vegetation.

East or upper Zion – This area is reached by driving Hwy 9 up a series of switchbacks and through the amazing one-mile long Mt Carmel tunnel to a vast swirling maze of “petrified sand dunes”. Dry streambeds, steep and gently sloping rock walls and slot canyons beckon the visitor to get out of the car to touch and explore. There are no real “trails” up here, you just follow a canyon for awhile and then back out, or you just start “walking” up a sandstone slope. The rock is so smooth yet “grabby” that you feel like Spiderman as you walk up and down these incredibly beautiful slopes. Lying on the rocks in this heavenly area, and soaking up the sun from above and earth’s warmth and energy from below is one of our most appreciated joys.

Photos just don’t do this place justice. If you haven’t been to Zion National Park, in the SW corner of Utah, put it on your list. It’s heaven on earth.

Best Friends

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is the largest facility of its type in the country (and perhaps the world) with over 1600 animals. It’s located in Kanab, Utah. Bob and I visited there on a trip last year and decided that the next time we were in the area, we wanted to spend a few days volunteering. We are really missing our dogs and cats at home, so we were both in need of an animal fix.

It was really cold our first day there and actually snowed for three hours during our tour and orientation meeting. I worked with cats, socializing, cleaning rooms and even took Kit Cat on a leashed walk. He calls all the shots when walking and if he doesn’t want to go where you want, he just lies down. I couldn’t run as fast as he wanted when he chased birds, so I’m afraid I wasn’t the best walker he’s had.

Bob spent most of his time with the dogs. He did some training with the puppies and walked adult dogs. This is a photo of Squiggy. Bob also attended a Jin Shin class for dogs and toured the horse facilities. Best Friends is a fantastic place and the staff and volunteers really do a great job.

The area around Kanab is gorgeous with lots of red rocks and white rock formations similar to Zion. Angel Canyon where Best Friends is located is very beautiful. We also visited Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, which is very close to Kanab.

On the drive from Lake Powell to Kanab, we passed Colorado City, AZ, the home of the infamous FLDS polygamist group headed by Warren Jeffs. It has huge houses and the women on the street were all wearing 1800s “prairie” type dresses. Sorry no photo.

River Lake

We didn’t make it to the water in the Grand Canyon, but when we reached Page, AZ, we headed straight for the water.

Lake Powell is the body of water created by the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. The lake extends over 136 miles up stream from the dam. The barren yet colorful sandstone formations surrounding the lake create an endless maze of waterways and islands.

The weather was about 80 and sunny, and I took a quick dip in the 60+ degrees water while Mary sat in the sun on our first day. In the summer, temperatures soar over 110 degrees and the water surface (first 10 feet) can get up over 80 degrees. The water is clear and clean. Ideal time would be early fall, still warm air and warm water without the scorching heat of summer. House boating seems very popular here.

Our second day was spent motor rafting on the Colorado River from the base of Glen Canyon Dam downstream to Lee’s Ferry (about 15 miles). The river is pretty smooth here (no rapids). The water is cold (47) as it comes from the bottom of Lake Powell. The river is encased in sheer rock walls that rise 700’ from the river at the base of the dam to over 1400’ just before you reach Lee’s Ferry. The raft is quite large and stable, but we still got spray from the wind blown chop as we headed into an unusually strong wind coming up stream. We stopped at a sand bar area where there are ancient petroglyphs in the rock wall just a quick walk up from the beach.

Our third day, we took a guided tour to Antelope Canyon (it’s the only way you can go there). Antelope canyon is the amazing orange striped slot canyon that you see in pictures with a sun beam streaming down from above. That phenomena happens midday with strong sun but we were there in the morning so we did not see the full show. Slot canyons are winding sandstone corridors with surprisingly clean sandy floors and smooth convoluted walls. They are open at the top but because of the convolutions you usually cannot see the sky, and sometimes you have to turn sideways to get through the small openings. We have experienced them in many places in the southwest. It feels a little like going into a cave, but we didn’t experience the claustrophobia that small openings in a cave situation can create. Hiking in a slot canyon can really feel like exploring. In Antelope Canyon we were with a group of people, but we have discovered slot canyons in Borrego Springs, Southern Arizona and Zion is absolutely filled with them.

Grand Canyon Wildlife

Wow, we got to see a California Condor perched on the rim of the Grand Canyon. What are the odds of that? There are only about 185 in the wild, coming back from the brink of extinction through a captive breeding program. You can see from the photo that he wears his number proudly.

Also shown here are a lovely and fearless squirrel, a molting and rather shaggy elk, and a cocky raven. Again, the signs about cougars are everywhere, but they are nowhere to be seen.

The human wildlife at the canyon is also very interesting and about half foreign right now. We were surprised at the number of Japanese, Korean and Chinese travelers. One day, we were the only Caucasians on the shuttle bus! Germans were also present in great numbers, and Dutch, Spanish, Indian, French, and many languages we couldn’t identify.

Grand Canyon

Of all the natural wonders we have seen on this trip so far, the Grand Canyon is the oddest. Maybe it’s the fact that you don’t see it off in the distance as you arrive. Or even if you’re only 25 yards from the edge! When you do finally see it, perhaps it is too immense to comprehend. The light, the angles, the strata, the depth, the width are all amazing, but there seems to be a void. Your energy extends into the canyon, but it is hard to feel energy coming up from the canyon.

The above was written after two days of viewing the canyon at various perspectives and times of day from the rim above. On our third day we descended below the rim on the South Kaibab Trail. As you leave the rim your perspective slowly starts to change. The colors grow more intense and there does seem to be an energy flow or pull. The way down is steep with switchbacks and ridge trials. The canyon beckons you to go further and further promising a better view just ahead. There are great views as you descend and the pull of gravity and energy toward the center of the canyon is palpable.

After 3 miles and 2040 feet of descent we reached Skeleton Point, our day hike turn around. We were in the middle (not the bottom) of the canyon (see picture). The way back up is steep, but we kept a slow steady pace and it only took 50% longer going up, rather than the 100% they tell you to allow (probably because we were so slow coming down). As you climb you can feel the energy (or is it just gravity) pulling you back down. Even after having been into the canyon, when you step back onto the rim, it is amazing how distant the canyon feels when you are just a few feet from the rim.

What we usually miss when we look and walk into the Canyon is the River. You get small glimpses of the river and the river seems distant, and a relatively minor part of the experience. But, in reality, it is all about the RIVER. The river is what has created the space, the river has literally carried away the mass of the earth, and perhaps it is the river that is sweeping away or holding the energy of the canyon. The wind comes and goes, the sun rises and sets, the rain and resulting cascades are usually short lived, but the River has been constant and relentless for millions of years. The canyon did not open up like some giant fissure. The earth was carried away grain by grain, second by second, every minute of every hour, of every day, of every year. The mighty ocean can pound relentlessly on a beach, but miraculously and harmoniously it seems to bring and take almost equal measures of sand. This river just seems to take…..

We are taught in school that rivers bring water from mountains to the plains, and that silt from the mountains gets deposited as rich soils during spring floods. This river, the Colorado, is a sculptor not a farmer. This river and its tributaries carve amazing canyons, cliffs, mesas, monoliths, gorges and serpentines in the rocks of Utah and Arizona. These features are not fertile ground for crops and cities, but they are very fertile inspiration for the spirit, imagination and soul. And, like fine art, there is something about rock sculpted by wind and water that goes right to your heart, at the same time it is delighting your senses and intriguing your mind.

Sedona PS

We decided to stay one more day in Sedona, and it turned out to be a wonderful day. We started in the morning with a meditation and blessing by Amma Sri Karunamayi. This embodiment of divine unconditional motherly love was speaking at a spiritual center only a block away. We were deeply moved by her lighthearted and yet powerful presence.

In the afternoon, we wanted to get in a final hike as the weather was spectacular. While driving to the Chimney Rock trailhead, we found the Amitabha Stupa which was built by the Tibetan Buddhist group Kunzang Palyul Choling. It was pure magic to find this holy site tucked in the red rock hills.

Sedona

We’ve spent eleven days in Sedona and are beginning to get a pretty good feel for the town (this is our fourth visit). We love this place. If you get a chance, come here and spend some time hiking. There are very easy and rewarding hikes, and the moderate hikes can be truly amazing. Unlike hiking in the dense forest, you get great views almost every step, and since the terrain is rocky and undulating, the views are constantly changing with each step and with the changing sun angle.

We were able to spend some time with Bob’s son and in-laws who came down from Olympia and Portales, New Mexico. Bob and Matt mountain-biked on some tough trails in the red rocks, and the men got to play golf while the women shopped, and Mary got that much delayed laying-in-the-sun time. Mary and Bob also got to mooch on the in-laws’ hotel pool and hot tub.

We are staying at the Rancho Sedona RV park, a very nice place in a grove of cottonwoods along Oak Creek. The creek is running pretty full for this time of year. We’ve been spending our time hiking up into the red rocks and exploring along the creek. The yucca and wildflowers are blooming now in Sedona. It has been awesome to follow the blooms as we travel through various latitudes and altitudes. Last time we were in Sedona we didn’t know the names of any of the cacti, succulents, wildflowers and critters. This time, thanks to our extensive travels, and visits to museums and parks, we are well versed in the flora and fauna of the southwest.

A flock of great blue herons (yes herons) are nesting in the cottonwoods directly above our RV. There are at least seven nests and maybe more. You can hear the juveniles “clacking” for food almost constantly. The parents swoop in and out attending to the chicks. We didn’t expect to see herons in the desert southwest. We also noticed some blackberry bushes along a creek while we were hiking yesterday, another surprise!

The views of red rock mesas and monolithic rock formations surrounding the town, and the accessibility via numerous trails that start almost right in town, make this a very rare and special place. There is greenery in the form of juniper, cypress, sycamore, and pinyon trees, as well as cacti, ocotillo and cholla. The green mixed with the red, orange, and tan of the rocks, and the deep blue of the sky, seem to put a perpetual smile on your face as you hike, or even walking through town as you round a corner and see a new vista.

Javelinas

Bob has some friends with a second home in Scottsdale and today we made the two-hour drive south to visit them. As we got closer and closer to Phoenix, we noticed that the prickly pear cacti were blooming and the saguaro were sending out green buds. Mary was determined to get a photo of a REAL saguaro bloom while we were in the area, and she was finally rewarded with some creamy white blossoms fairly close to the road. It was a good thing, or she would have insisted on driving all the way to Tucson and Saguaro National Park again.

It was fun to be back in the desert at a time when so many cacti were blooming. Even the cholla had popped out in colorful blossoms. Up in Sedona, the wildflowers are blooming, but only a few cactus are showing color. It’s much warmer and later in the season in the Phoenix area.

The highlight of our visit was when a group of seven javelina trotted through the backyard and crossed the street. Javelina are the only wild native pig-like animal in the United States. They actually are NOT pigs, but collared peccary. They originated in South America, weigh up to 60 pounds and eat prickly pear cactus and agave. They are called javelina because of their razor sharp tusks. We have looked for them on every visit to Arizona, and now we’ve finally seen them. They are a lot bigger than we expected, and it’s also hard to get a good photo.