Making Tracks - Mesa Verde to Boone, NC June 6-18

Rollin' rollin' rollin'...

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde

We have wanted to see Mesa Verde ever since we lived in Phoenix for two years in the late 80's.  It's the largest and most well-preserved group of cliff dwellings in the Southwest.  Though the structures endured until we finally got there, the politics have changed.  When we lived in Arizona, there was a small imbroglio over whether the Anasazi cliff dwellers (as they were then called) were the ancestors of the Navajo and Hopi, or of New Mexico's Pueblo tribes.  Apparently the issue has been resolved in favor of the Pueblo and the cliff dwellers are now referred to as the "Ancestral Pueblo."  Whew.  Glad that issue is off the table.  The structures are beautiful, haunting and are set in absolutely beautiful high desert canyons near Cortez, CO.  Kate got a kick out of going up the ladders and squeezing through small passageways.

View down into a kiva, or ceremonial space.  Beams for the roof sat on the columns.  A fire was lit on the floor in front of the small wall that looks like an altar.  It actually was a wind deflector for the draft that came in the small door.  

Dust storm in the Navajo Nation

At various times we could see the smoke from the huge forest fires in northern Arizona to the south of us.  Until we headed south, we didn't have to deal with anything but the wind, which was driving the fires there and creating dust storms where we were.  At one point as we crossed the Navajo reservation we were stopped for construction behind the only other car for miles - which also had a Hawaii license plate.

After Mesa Verde we shot diagonally south across New Mexico to Carlsbad Caverns, south of the infamous town of Roswell.  There was a lot of acrid smoke in the air until we got to Santa Fe, where it cleared and we had a beautiful lunch outside near the cathedral.  Roswell is one one of those places that causes you to scratch your head and wonder why any human would want to live there, let alone aliens.  It's a bleak, flat desert landscape.  We decided to give the UFO Museum and "Research Center" a miss, though it would have been fun to see how they treated one of the great hoaxes of all time, the "secret" video of military doctors dissecting a dead alien. 

The trail down into the cavern

South of Roswell the land gets more interesting and resolves itself into the shoreline of an ancient sea at the site of the cavern.  You can stand and look out along the shoreline - the only thing missing is the water, which drained away about 200 million years ago.   In 1898 a 16 year-old by the name of Jim White was probably the first person of European descent to enter the cavern.  Native Americans had utilized outer areas of it for millenia.  White may have been attracted to the entrance by the massive flight of bats that exits every evening.  Though he could have no idea of the cavern's size, White knew he was on to something.  Within 25 years the site was designated a National Monument.  Exploration continues today.

Looking skyward from the cavern

The cavern isn't a cave in the sense we usually think of them.  It's a series of enormous chambers, some larger than the interior of a cathedral.  The trail spirals down through a series of rooms to the enormous Big Room about 800' below the surface.  It covers an area larger than six football fields.  At one end we gaped at the entrance to yet another huge space farther below us which has yet to be fully mapped and to have trails extended there.  The cavern is a little disorienting - the mind refuses to believe the distances it's looking at.  The usual cave features of stalactites and stalagmites are found in massive size.  Dim clouds of mist gather at various places in response to changes in humidity and winds from the surface.  When we emerged from the elevator that whisks you 80 stories back to the surface, we were again disoriented by the change from the cavern-scape to the sun-bleached desert above.  We didn't have the luxury to savor the change; it was brutally hot.

When I contemplated driving our Toyota Sequoia across the country, I had piously thought we'd be very green and tool along at no more than 60 miles an hour, sipping gas and ignoring our wasteful fellow travelers.  Nah.  When you're out West, the distances are huge.  My resolve lasted about 10 minutes once we left Scott and Laurie's in LA.  At 80 mph, the miles click over in a satisfying way but the fill-ups were painful on long parts of our drive, where we would sometimes spend $150 or so on gas in one day.  We look forward to selling the beast in Maine and to not having a car for the rest of our year away.

Kate makes friends with Leo, Tim and Melissa's cat

Tim and Molly at Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs

My cousin Tim Jamison, his wife Melissa and their three beautiful kids Molly, Luke and Kate were our hosts in Colorado Springs.  They have an incredible view from their house in the hills above town.  We mostly talked and did short activities with the kids for the two days we were there.  It was so good to see them and to catch up, as I hadn't seen them since Tim and Melissa's wedding in Yosemite about 10 years ago.  Having little kids definitely affects mobility!



 On June 12 we reluctantly took our leave and began a major push east to Boone, NC for our next reunion, this time with my nephew Joe Klein, his wife Holly and their children Zach and Greta.

Grand Canyon and Flagstaff, June 1-5

Grand Canyon and Flagstaff Arizona , June 2-4

Grand Canyon is a well-deserved name for this magnificent place.  It's massive, extending almost 300 miles across the Colorado Plateau and varying in width from about 10 to 20 miles, and about one mile deep.   It has been carved by the mighty Colorado River for 500 million years.   It is one of the few, if not the only, places on earth that you can hike down to see and touch rock that is 1.6 billion years old.  This rock, called the Vishnu Formation, is an iridescent dark green and is very, very hard. It has spectacular veins of pink quartz running through it.  Very cool indeed.

We planned to hike across the Canyon from the North Rim to the South Rim in three days.  We'd hike 14 miles down to Phantom Ranch on the North Kaibab trail, spend a day there and then hike out to the South Rim on the Bright Angel trail.  

Fresh and ready to go at the North Rim

On June 1st we left our car on the South Rim and took a five hour shuttle ride to the North Rim. This enabled us to do the hike and have the car waiting for us at the end.  While on the shuttle we met Debbie, Monte, Clayton and Cord Franks from Joplin, Missouri.  They were planning a one day rim-to-rim hike the next day.  They were still reeling from the devastating blow their home town took by a tornado a week prior but were determined to make the best of their long-awaited vacation.   When we got to the North Rim they very generously gave us one of their two rooms at the lodge so we didn't have to camp in below-freezing temperatures.   There was still snow in the woods!  We were very grateful.

Looking down the North Kaibab Trail

The north rim of the GC is at 8000 ft.   It is made up of multiple tributaries that feed the Colorado River 5600 ft below   The result is many smaller canyons reaching out from the north rim towards the river.  When standing on the north rim you cannot see the river, just the amazing landscape of multicolored layers of rock spread put before you.  It is breathtaking. 

Doug and Kate just below the Coconino layer of rock at the beginning of the hike

View South along the Kaibab Trail

Our hike started on June 2nd after a good sleep and a hearty breakfast at the lodge overlooking the Canyon.  Others had begun their descent at 4:00am but we were skeptical that we needed to be so extreme.

We strapped on our 40lb +/- packs and descended into the Canyon.  Our destination that day was Bright Angel CG at Phantom Ranch, right near the river.   The 14 mile trek was absolutely spectacular.  Each vista provided us with expansive views of the canyons and unbelievable varieties of color.  The first five miles was pretty much straight down.  The terrain leveled somewhat when we met up with Bright Angel Creek.  For the remaining nine miles we followed the creek down through open valleys and narrow inner canyons with 1,000 ft walls.   Despite the heat and dryness, it was extremely beautiful, especially when the walls closed in.  About two miles before camp, Jenny's recent illness caught up with her, making for a tough finish.  Somewhat dehydrated and out of energy she stumbled into camp.  Kate and Doug took great care of her setting up the tent and cooking dinner. 

A little less fresh just before getting into camp

The next day we rested our weary bodies and explored the Canyon around Phantom Ranch. PR is a beautifully rustic lodge with a bunkhouse, cabins, and a canteen/restaurant tucked in among the cottonwoods and high walls of Bright Angel Canyon.   Those lucky enough to stay there can arrive one of three ways: mule, foot or raft.   PR was founded in the late 1800s as a tourist destination for the truly adventurous.  Getting to Grand Canyon, let alone down to the bottom, at that time was an expedition in the truest sense.   One of the Ranch's claims to fame was a visit by Teddy Roosevelt in the early 1900s.

Krazy Kate and her dad on the suspension bridge over the Colorado

The Colorado River is about 1/4 mile further down Bright Angel Canyon from the Ranch.  It's an impressive sight. To get to the other side there are two huge suspension bridges, one for  people and one for mules.   Crossing those bridges was exciting.   The river below was running at an impressive 22,000 cubic feet per second making for some great white water rafting.   As the day progressed, so did the temperatures, to about 96 degrees.  We found a cool refuge in the canteen for a few hours writing postcards, drinking lemonade and watching all the people streaming in who had just arrived for a stay or were passing through on their rim to rim hike.

Our tidy camp at Bright Angel CG

Some people choose to hike from one rim of the Canyon to the other in one day.  Some do it because they have to.  It's very difficult to get backcountry permits to camp in the Canyon.  Others do it to as a challenge.  The hike is a grueling 20-24 miles, depending on which trail you take.  It is long, hot and dry with a serious amount of elevation loss and gain.   We were surprised at the number of people doing it.  Some looked very fit and others did not.  One group, the Athena Project, was made up of survivors of serious medical issues, mostly cancer.   Not only were they doing a rim-to-rim hike, they were planning to turn around the next day and go back.  This, not surprisingly, is called a "rim to rim to rim".   Some folks do this as a race, completing it in less than 24 hrs.  There is always someone out there pushing harder.    We all agreed it was not our cup of tea but after completing our hike, we had tremendous respect for all those who do any version of the hike.  That said, many people who try it don't make it and suffer significant injury from falls, dehydration and exhaustion.   They either beg for a place to stay at Phantom Ranch or they get rescued/assisted out of the Canyon.  Our new friends the Franks made it out.  One of their sons, however, needed to go to the ER for rehydration. We checked in with them later and they're all doing fine.

Devil's Corkscrew, Bright Angel Trail

On June 4th, we broke camp early and enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the Ranch canteen.  We headed across the suspension bridge to begin our ascent out of the canyon.   We took the S. Bright Angel Trail 9.6 miles to the South Rim, 4,600 ft above.   As we climbed, the heat became intense, rising into the low 100's.  The early hours were wonderful.  We ascended through magnificent canyons and enjoyed the shade.  The air was incredibly clear.   We kept an eye out for California Condors, which have recently been reintroduced to the Canyon.  There is now a healthy, growing group of about 70 condors in the GC and they soar high above the cliffs.  Though we didn't get to see one of these magnificent birds, it was great to know they were there.

Jenny and El Tigre at Indian Gardens

Looking back down the Bright Angel Trail

About half way up the trail at Indian Gardens we had a lunch of salty snacks, replenished our water supply and rested our feet.  We each carried 2 quarts of water and went through it fast.  Access to water on our route was very good, especially since we had a water purification pump as backup.   We also "cameled up" prior to leaving our campsite by forcing ourselves to drink at least one quart of water each.   In such a hot and dry environment we needed to replenish our salts.  Many people get hyponatremic, or low on sodium, when hiking the GC so salt is considered as equal in importance to water.   After our rest and refueling we headed back out on the trail to hike the last 4.6 miles to the top.  While beautiful, these last few miles are the most grueling as they are basically all switchbacks gaining about 3,300 ft.  We averaged about 1 mile per hour.  Kate was the leader and pranced up the trail like a gazelle.  Doug was the caboose, lovingly prodding Jenny along as she trudged up the trail.  Jenny hated to admit it but this trail gave her a good whippin'.   We stopped in shady spots and at designated rest stops to refill water bottles which we emptied at impressive rates, and to use the facilities, proving we were staying hydrated.  We reached the top 9 hours after we started and immediately went and got milkshakes.   Ahhh, the simple pleasures of life.

We all felt like we had really accomplished something when we got to the top.   We agreed it was the most spectacular and most difficult hike we had ever done.  Despite our fatigue and aching feet we felt great!  It was an amazing adventure and we would do it again... maybe some October.

Success!  Enjoying the cool breezes atop the South Rim

We stayed the next two nights in Flagstaff, AZ.  We rested, did laundry and hobbled around on our sore feet and legs.  Kate thought it was very amusing to comment on her parents' decrepitude.  Just to set the record straight, she too carried a 40 lb pack.  She is just one tough kid.  Henceforward, her trail name "Li'l Tiger" that she earned climbing Mt. Katahdin in Maine several years ago, is retired.  She is now simply "La Tigra" with all the rights and privileges appurtenant thereto.  We also got to visit with some old friends of Jenny's and their families: Mike Hartley, Polly Fiedler and their wonderful daughter Jenna, and Scott Franke and Meg Dueber.  Mike and Scott were Jenny's roommates back in her University of Oregon days in 1980.  We have periodically met up over the years and it is always such a treat to see them.  They were in Flagstaff getting ready to raft the Grand Canyon for 23 days.!  What a great trip.

Next:  Mesa Verde and Carlsbad Caverns.  Thanks for visiting!

Las Vegas - May 28 - 31

Many of you have asked why we decided to go to Las Vegas with our dewy-eyed 13 year-old.  We're wondering ourselves!  The main reason is that it was on the way to the Grand Canyon and was a staging point for us to get organized and buy gear for the GC hike.  Hawaii does not have very many gear stores so we needed to go shopping.  And yes, we wanted Kate to see it.  It's part of America.  Not one we're proud of, but we believe in her seeing the whole picture, within reason.  Vegas is still sleazy but it's pretty tame these days.

Doug got us a good deal at the Vdara, a non-gaming, non-smoking hotel attached to the Bellagio.  Yes, smoking is still allowed on the casino floors so if you miss that distinctive, unctuous smell there's a place where it's being preserved.  Why the casinos cater to the 20% who smoke and repel the 80% who don't is beyond me.  Maybe smokers bet more.  The little old ladies perched on their stools balancing 3" of ash at the end of their cigarettes, eyes fixed and dilated as they stare at the slot machines, are still there.  What struck us most as we walked through the casinos was the lack of joy in the people there.  Most looked pretty grim.

The bellman earned his tip when he carted all our gear up to the room.  A brace of elephant guns and four or five hat boxes would have completed the picture.  We then unpacked everything.  It was overwhelming.  Before we left Hawaii we had tried to be organized but near the end we just threw things in bags to sort out later.  Well,  it was later.  Sigh.

We spent the first day figuring out what camping gear we had and what we needed.  Doug and Kate went to REI to get gear while Jenny stayed back in the room to deal with what she now thinks was a reaction to the typhoid vaccine we were all taking.  Fever, body aches and digestive upheaval.   Luckily Kate and Doug never had a reaction and were able to finish the series of pills.  It took Jenny about a week to get back to normal. 

The best part about our stay was going to see Hoover Dam.  What an engineering feat!   It is huge!  We took a tour down into the dam along narrow passageways to the power plant.  Other tunnels took us to a point where we could look out through the downstream face of the dam through a ventilation intake.  It was cool and creepy to be deep in the dam.  We hoped we didn't have an earthquake at that moment.

Back in Vegas we took in the glittery sights.  We walked the Strip after sunset, checked out the casinos and even gambled $1.00 at a slot machine.  Doug strongly disapproves of gambling - he thinks throwing money away on things he doesn't want once he buys them is a more noble pursuit.  Jenny clucked indignantly about the short skirts and high heels all around us.  Kate tried to soothe her by reminding her that gingham isn't a fashion option anymore and suggested she get out more often.  Doug just kept patting Jenny's shoulder to calm her down, his eyes bugged out on stalks like a hermit crab's.  Kate thought the whole place was pretty wild.  Seeing gaudy renditions of the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty across the street from one another really messes with your mind.  In Vegas, there's no sublime - only the ridiculous. 

After three nights and two days in LV we left Wednesday for the Grand Canyon.  We were all really ready to leave and get back to natural wonders.

Los Angeles - May 26 to 28

We always have so much fun in LA with our friends Scott and Laurie Powell.  I am always taken by how beautiful the surrounding mountains are.  Scott and Laurie live in Pacific Palisades, which is in the northwestern end of LA.  The Santa Monica mountains come right down to the ocean and make for a spectacular landscape of ocean and desert scenery.   Each day we we went for a hike in the hills.  Flowers were blooming along the trails and the smells were subtly intoxicating.   I found my senses awakened to the old familiar feelings of the desert.  Once again I was reminded that there is more to LA than swimming pools, movie stars, and oh yes, traffic.  When we were flying in from Hawaii Kate commented that she had never seen so many cars in her life.  

Since it was Kate's first visit to LA she needed to see some of the classic sights.  So while Scott and Doug went to get our car from Matson Shipping in Long Beach, Laurie and I took Kate to Venice Beach.  All I can say is that we were clearly not in Waimea, Hawaii anymore.  For those who have not been to Venice Beach, you see everything from respectable artists selling their creations to the guy on roller skates wearing a turban while playing an electric guitar with an amp slung around his neck.  He skates along jamming and singing and hoping to make a buck here and there.  Apparently he is quite a fixture in VB and has been in a few films as representing the wacky essence of VB.   Needless to say, we were there during the tame mid-day hours.  Night-time is a very different story.  We decided to spare Kate that view of life.

We also had to show her some of Hollywood.  We drove from Pacific Palisades through Beverly Hills, walked down Rodeo Drive, and then drove on to Hollywood.  We walked along the line of stars on Hollywood Blvd.  It was especially cool when we got to see Scott's grandparent's stars - Dick Powell and Joan Blondell.  Even cooler was seeing their signatures along with their hand and footprints in cement squares in front of the Chinese Manderin Theater.  We were down there in the evening so a lot of interesting people were out.  Kate just took it all in and thought it was really cool but crazy.

To balance West Hollywood, we went to the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades.  Doug has always wanted to go there ever since we first went to LA.  The museum was designed as a replica of a Roman villa and filled with J. Paul Getty's personal collection of Roman and Greek antiquities.   We saw many restored statues of gods and goddesses, terracotta pots, jewelry, mosaics, and burial vessels.  Additionally, the gardens and reflecting pool were just beautiful.

A highlight of our stay was going up to Scott's mother's house.  In the almost 25 years we have been visiting Scott and Laurie in LA, we have been welcomed into her home for cocktails or to stay the night.  Ann Traub's home is a lovely gentle place that sits high above the Getty Villa and the Pacific.  The view up the coast is absolutely breathtaking.  Kate has heard many stories about our times there so it was wonderful to finally show it to her.  We also wanted her to meet Ann who is a wonderfully kind and generous woman.  The evening was a treat.

Alas, we finally had to leave LA and begin our trek east.  

- Jenny