Bryce Canyon

Arrived at the Cannonville/Bryce Valley KOA (http://www.brycecanyonkoa.com)  around 9 this morning; checked in and setup camp. Campground is outside of Tropic, UT a few miles; I'm in Site 13 - a bit too close to the road but not much traffic and the campground is generally quiet and not full. Very windy this morning; below freezing last night.

After it warmed up a bit, I drove to Bryce Canyon NP (http://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm) and hit the trail around 1:30pm. Hiked the "Figure8" - Queens Garden/PeekABoo/Navajo Combination; about 6.4 miles (1631 feet elevation change). Amazed to see how crowded the Park was on a Tuesday during the school year; many Europeans. Every parking space but 2 (out of about 100) taken near the trailhead (TH) and the trail was crowded for the first mile then opened up a bit; nothing like elevation to thin the ranks:). Spectacular scenery make it easy to take beautiful photos.  The scenery and elevation change made for about 2.5 hours of good hiking.

Hiked with a gallon of water, clothes, etc.; about 12lbs; didn't push it too much but after completing the hike I did feel a twinge in the old stress fracture area of my left tibia. Could just be my imagination/paranoia.

Bryce Canyon is probably the world's best example of erosion. It struck me funny that so many of society's activities and resources are devoted to preventing erosion all around the world but especially in the US.  Yet, at Bryce Canyon, society has deemed erosion a beautiful thing worth protecting (and paying $25 to enter the park to see it!).  It is indeed beautiful and I'm not advocating anything being; just found it interesting how what society values (or not) can come down to perspective. Suppose for example that a man-made operation near the park resulted in erosion similar to what we see at Bryce Canyon (on a smaller scale of course); would it still be beautiful? Of course it isn't as simple as I make it out to be; just wanted to share this example of the weird thoughts I've had during my time of reflection:) Of course it is not PC to have these kind of thoughts. and one of my favorite things about taking a work recess/sabbatical (no longer calling it retirement) - is no longer having to filter my thoughts/communication:)

Kanab, UT

Spending the night in Kanab, UT after driving about 275 miles from Page Springs, AZ. Great to be in UT; AZ is a bit too regulated and crowded for me. My route took me about 7 hours; I-17 through  Flagstaff; north on 89 to 89A at Bitter Springs, then west on 89A through Lees Ferry and Marble Canyon,  past Vermillion Cliffs, through Fredonia, and finally to Kanab. Looking forward to exploring S. Utah's best!

Marble Canyon on the way to Kanab; big enough to pull off the road for a photo.

Found this chicken at the drive-up window to Subway in Kanab; don't know if she was trying to get out or in.

Stayed here tonight; nice little park with hot showers.

If you pass through Kanab, know that Honey's Marketplace has a free fiber optic internet cafe:)

Vermillion Cliffs 89A west of Marble Canyon.

Sunday

Last day at Lo Lo Mai before hitting the road.  Went to the Cottonwood, AZ Recreation Center this morning - felt great to work up a sweat! Laundry, trip planning, reading, and lounging around - great way to spend a beautiful, quiet Sunday:) Heading north to southern Utah tomorrow morning.

Rainy day in AZ

A front brought rain and cooler temperatures to much of Arizona including Lo Lo Mai Springs (www.lolomai.com) where I’m staying. The park is in a wooded riparian area near Oak Creek; large cottonwood and elm trees provide some shelter from the rain. 

This week past marks one month since I sold my home in Colorado and started living full time in the Airstream (AS). The absence of homeowner daily chores, costs, and responsibilities is liberating; however, I'm still adjusting to the AS life, including figuring out what lifestyle suits me best; in their extremes, the choices seem to be:

1. Stay in one location for at least one month or possibly an entire season; essentially establishing a base from which to conduct daily excursions to see/do things.
2. Move around frequently; staying in one location for a night or two. I call this the turtle mode - bringing home with you everywhere you go.

I’ve been living somewhere in-between these extremes - two one-week stints; a couple of one-nighters; and a couple of multi-nighters; each lifestyle has its ups and downs and I expect to settle into my routine by summer's end.

I leave Lo Lo Mai on Monday, heading north to spend some time in southern Utah; looking forward to a much less regulated environment in UT where parking, hiking, and camping are much less regulated and less expensive (or free!) compared to AZ.

Book Review - A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Another classic I failed to read as a youth. The writing style can be a tad drawn out and old fashioned at times but the characters of Ms. Manette, her Father, Mr. Lorry, and others hold the reader’s attention throughout this riveting story.  At times it was difficult to put down; other times due to the heart wrenching story, it was difficult to read on. Its impossible to fully appreciate how hard life was for people during the French Revolution; however, in a small way, the author’s great story telling providing a brief glimpse into the hardship and horror these people must have endured. The book reinforced my skeptical view of of movements and "leaders" no matter the political persuasion. No matter the class, when large groups of people blindly follow leaders or movements, rather than thinking for themselves, it can be frightening. Lastly, the book gave me hope that women like Ms. Manette might actually exist in the world:)

Living in Prescott

This blog begins a series of "Living in XXX" where I consider what it would be like to live in different places. Today, I drove to Prescott, AZ, a town of about 50,000 (70%+ senior citizens). Similar to Denver in elevation but warmer in winter and less snowfall. I walked the town square, stopped in to chat at the local hiking/climbing store, ate lunch at an Indian restaurant (Taj Majal), sampled ice cream at Young's family farm, met with a realtor, and drove around. Nice town - I like the size and the centrally-located town square. Typical downtown shops trying to make a living on tourists. Real Estate prices a bit cheaper than Denver but not much. Price for an acre or two of raw land is $100-400k; nice houses like I had in Colorado go for about $500k+. While I didn't come across a bakery in town, it also didn't feel like home to me. Of course one day is not enough time to judge but the lack of water in AZ seems worse than CO and is probably the main reason I wouldn't strive to live in Prescott. Also, the area is generally built on granite, while good for construction, is not great for farming.

On the way to Prescott - was it destiny?

Prescott Town Square

Downtown Prescott

Town Square

Sedona

April 20-21

Thinking about the long drive to Lo Lo Mai Springs in AZ, I left the El Morro Campground around 7pm tonight and headed west to Winslow, AZ where I suppose I could have stood on a corner:) but instead decided to rest in a Walmart parking lot. On the road by 6am put me at Lo Lo Mai Springs (15 miles south of Sedona) around 9am. After checking in at the front desk, I backed my rig into site #2 near the spring - beautiful spot! Went to towns (Cottonwood and Sedona) to check them out as well as to replenish supplies. The mountain views from downtown Sedona are spectacular!

April 22 Sedona

Went to Sedona again but didn’t stay long; while it is a beautiful setting, the town is very busy with tourists and traffic and to me - a bit stressful. While researching places to hike, I learned that fees are required for hiking and just about every other day-use activity on National Forest lands around Sedona. My $80 annual federal agency pass (which is supposed to provide access to all federal public lands) doesn’t count around Sedona. Evidently, the extra fees are required to maintain these heavily used areas but (trying hard to be positive here:)) paying to hike with crowds does not interest me.

April 23 Reflections

A dear friend once pegged me well when she said I was an extroverted loner:)   On the one hand, I love to entertain friends, especially when it involves cooking and wine; however, when I’m outdoors, I enjoy being alone and suspect am not alone in seeking a balance between socializing and solitude.

Included in the many enjoyments of this journey is visiting places, meeting new people, and having time to reflect. It amazes me how there can be anything left to learn about myself; you’d think I’d have figured me out by now:).  Of course I was pretty oblivious to being present or examining my inner feelings while on the career train. This journey provides time for introspection and may change who I am (or think I am).

From traffic signal downtown Sedona

El Malpais National Monument

Behind on blog due to lack of internet connection; also - including fewer photos because of slow connection (when I can get it).

April 18 El Malpais National Monument

Drove to the El Malpais National Monument Information Center; about 20 miles east on Highway 53 from the El Morro Campground. After speaking to Phil with NPS about trail conditions and weather forecast, I walked about 3 miles on the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) to the El Calderon site; then walked the 3 mile El Calderon loop and then 3 miles back to the Information Center. The CDT is very well marked (cairns) and gentle relief so it is an easy hike; I averaged just under 3 mph even stopping to take photos and one break. The El Calderon loop is also well marked and relatively gentle terrain; it has 7 interpretive sites. If you haven’t seen lava tubes before, it is an informative walk. 

I didn’t begin hiking until 11:15 since I had to go to Grants, NM (nearest town about 41 miles away) to pickup some wood to raise the AS’s front jack stand. I found a lumber store (Diamond G) in Grants and they were nice enough to cut up a scrap piece of 2x12 into 4 1-foot sections. Also fed the beast with diesel while in town.

April 19 (Sunday) Continental Divide Trail

Hike the CDT section between El Calderon Area and the Zuni-Acoma Trailhead; not sure of the distance but it took about 4 hours given the rough terrain and about an hour spent backtracking looking for the intersection of CDT and Zuni-Acoma. The weather was great for hiking; about 55 degrees and cloudy all day. 

Great trail but it can be tough going in spots; the lava is relatively recent in this section so soil has not had the opportunity to develop in many places (wish I’d worn high-top leather boots as it was tough on the ankles for my ankle-height lightweight hiking boots). Hence, it is uneven walking on lava much of the way. This section of the trail begins in Ponderosa Pine then transitions to grassland/juniper. One of the most interesting features of this segment is walking in lava troughs; the trough walls vary but were probably 30 feet tall. Ponderosa pine is a fire ecology species and there was plenty of historic evidence of fire in the area; saw elk sign as well as live deer, rabbits, and birds. 

I started at the El Calderon Area but returned via the shorter Highway 53; wasn’t sure my ankles would hold up going back through the lava fields. About 6 hours roundtrip.

Because parts of the CDT are ancient trails, some of these cairns are believed to be over 700 years old.

El Calderon area called double sink - lava tube.

CDT is well marked.

Enjoying the many lava tubes and other formations on the CDT.

El Morro National Monument and Campground

4-17-14 El Morro National Monument and Campground

Drove about 125 miles from Albuquerque to El Morrow National Monument.  Amazingly, there is a free 9-site campground about 1/2 mile from the Visitor’s Center within the National Park Service (NPS) boundary. In the rare event camping is allowed on NPS land, it is typically expensive so this free campground warranted a photo:) With only 9 sites (I stayed in Site #9), it helped to keep the noise level down but there was a steady stream of campers looking to camp - the site filled up by early afternoon and one camper doubled up at my site around midnight. The sites were generally good size but some are close together; each site has a fire pit, picnic table, trash can, and tent pad. Lucky for me, Site 9 was still available when I arrived Thursday; it is the largest site and the only site where I could easily park my truck and 25-foot AS. The solitude, wind through pine trees, paved campground road, make this a great site; it does lack electric, sewer, and water so it is dry camping - no problem for me since the AS was fixed! There are a couple of water spigots spread throughout the campground but they are not turned on until May when the risk of freezing temperatures is past. There are also two sets of vault toilets but the Visitor Center (open 9-5 every day) has flush toilets.

After leveling (sort of) the AS, I walked to the Visitor’s Center and hiked the two trails - one is 0.5 miles and the other is 2.0miles.  They are both easy walk interpretive trails that provide signs and descriptions of what visitors are seeing - they focus mostly on rock carvings, plants, and dwellings. Visitors need to finish the trails and report back to the Visitor Center by 4:30pm so the NPS can confirm everyone has made it back before they close their doors at 5pm. Since I started late, this didn’t give me much time to study the many points of interest along the trails but it was great exercise - the 2.0 mile loop gains about 250 feet in elevation so I ran up that part. While here, I hope to have time for a more leisurely hike on these trails.

Campsite #9

El Morro NM Visitor Center

Ancient Engravings

No cell coverage

April 17-20, 2014

Traveling to remote areas means no cellular coverage from time-to-time. For example, I'm staying at the El Morro National Monument southeast of Gallup, NM April 17-20 where there is absolutely no coverage. I'm in Gallup this morning so taking the opportunity to write this blog. If you don't see a blog or I don't reply to your email or calls for awhile, it is likely because i don't have coverage. While I'm in Gallup, I'll quickly post some other blogs I've been storing up.

Running Again

As this month marks the 1 year anniversary of my tibia stress fracture, I had a strong desire to resume running. My pace was nothing to boast of but it felt great running/walking for about an hour. The Albuquerque Open Space provided the perfect terrain, undulating dirt/gravel trails, and the sunny, 65 degree weather was invigorating. I'm still a bit nervous about the fracture and whether it is real or my imagination, still feel a tingling from time to time in the fracture area; however, i'm determined to not let fear keep me from being active.

This week in Albuquerque worked out well for several reasons, not the least of which were the opportunities to hike, bike, and run!  Less fun, but essential, were the opportunity to get the Airstream and truck serviced and cleaned and to refill propane. With everything now serviced, repaired, and clean, I'll head southwest tomorrow making my way towards Sedona, AZ.

The Nature Trail in Albuquerque Open Space. Great place to run, hike, and bike.

Should have taken "before" photos to appreciate how clean the truck and AS are now. Driving on dirt/gravel roads in the SW is a dirty business:)

Pride and Prejudice

I finished reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice today.  As with other classics I neglected in my youth:), I'm enjoying catching up; having the time to read as much as I want each day is bliss. Ms. Austen is a great story teller; providing sufficient detail to stimulate the reader's imagination and to visualize the characters. It struck me how dependent people used to be on letter writing for communicating - from the trivial to matters of grave importance. We seem to have lost the patience for anticipation.

Albuquerque Biking

While in Albuquerque I decided to take my first bike ride; carrying my stump jumper in the truck bed. The KOA where I'm staying is on Central Ave which is Old Route 66; about 1/2 mile east on 66 connects to Tramway Blvd which has an awesome two lane (with center stripe) paved bike path detached from the road. I road along the path to Simms Park Rd. which is the entrance to Albuquerque Open Space and the Pinon Trail I hiked last Friday. Roundtrip about 15 miles on a sunny 65 degree day!

While it may not look organized it is a lot better than when I started this trip. The bike is fastened by bungee cords to tie downs (I installed prior to my trip) in the bed. In addition to the bike, the truck bed is now down to a generator, ramps (for the generator), air compressor, chair, small ladder, collapsable water tanks, come along, and various tools.

At the Albuquerque Open Space and Pinon Trail trailhead - my turn around spot. 

El Modelo

While waiting for service on the Airstream, I took the opportunity to have lunch at El Modelo in Albuquerque. No inside seating and nothing fancy or pretentious; just great food at reasonable prices. Take out or eat on picnic benches outside; can also order bulk tortillas, tamales, etc. to go. I appeared to be the only anglo and probably not their typical weekday lunch customer but the other clientele convinced me this place was authentic. There primary clientele appear to be local, hard working people; many of whom appear to be repeat customers. I can't recall the last time I had better Mexican food.

Most of their dishes include meat but they easily accommodated my request for vegetarian - bean burrito plate with red chilies (green has meat evidently). I also ordered a dozen flour tortillas to go; find myself eating more tortillas these days.  The cook in me loved the operation - walk in to a counter where your order is efficiently taken; sit on one of the benches in side or just hangout while a dozen or more women in the big back room kitchen work tirelessly on orders. Pick up your order when they call your number; although it was a bit chilly today, I ate outside on one of the picnic tables.

When in Albuquerque, this is a must place to eat!

Step up to the counter to place your order and get your number.

Open archway to the kitchen.

Nothing fancy; just great food at a reasonable price.

Sandia Mountains Wilderness

Hiked the Pino Trail in the Sandia Mountains Wilderness northeast of Albuquerque today. The City of Albuquerque open space adjoins the Cibola National Forestountains Wilderness (part of the Cibola National Forest); need to pay a fee ($2 per day on weekends) to get through the open space to access the Wilderness. Given the proximity to Albuquerque (a 15 minute drive from the KOA where I stayed) and the relatively easy hike, the Pino is heavily used. According to the FS, Pino Trail is 4.72 miles one-way with an elevation gain of 2,798 feet. Lots of people and dogs off leash (which surprised me given the Wilderness status); however, once the Pino connects to the Crest at the saddle, human trail traffic declines.  I hiked the Crest for awhile without seeing another person. There was a bit of snow cover on the upper Pino and the Crest. The elevation at the top of the Pino and along the Crest varies but is generally only 9,000-10,000 feet.  

The Pino starts out arid but with elevation the cacti are replaced by scrub oak and later with Ponderosa Pine. Beautiful area but it is a different kind of "Wilderness". Given the number of people (and dogs off leash) and proximity to the City, it is not your typical Wilderness. While on the Crest, I saw/heard two airplanes and heard what must have been a very loud motorcycle, truck, or car.