Snow on San Jacinto

Back in California, we headed for Palm Springs to prepare for re-entry into real life.  We took the tram going from 2,643' to 8,516' in 10 minutes.  We were surprised to find some big patches of snow and glad we had gloves and jackets, even though it was 80 degrees and sunny in the valley.  We could see the clouds, from top of Wellman's Divide where we hiked, that have been bringing premature cold weather to S. Cal.  This might be the last wilderness hike we have on this trip so we savored every single moment.

From Fall to Winter in a 40 minute drive

After leaving Zion we spent the night in St. George, UT then stopped into Kolab Canyon, the north entrance to Zion with very little tourist traffic.  We hiked Taylor Creek to a double arch and were treated to a full array of fall colors and mild autumn breezes.  Then on to Brian Head, through Cedar Breaks National Monument at 10,400 ft. of elevation - what a temperature change.  Snow everywhere.


So many colors

Observing Zion from above - Hike

We spent the day (8 miles- 2200 ft. elevation gain) hiking to the top of Observation Point.  Whew!  Bring on the Advil.

Zion - Disneyland Wilderness

We arrived in Zion on a 4 day Utah school holiday.  Bad timing.  Every family had Grandma/pa, Mom/Dad, and their kids and a couple of aunts/uncles - so family units looked more like brigades. ANYWAY - we got on the shuttle buses, (so crowded, cars aren't allowed in the park) and got off at our desired trailhead.  Strange to be in the free transportation with multi-day backpackers, day hikers like ourselves, and just plain sightseers.  It's a great system since the scenery is fabulous and almost unbelievable and everyone gets a chance to experience it without traffic jams.  Our first day here, we decided to hike The Narrows - a slow slog up the Virgin River in a slot canyon.  Fun for the first 2 hours then, not so fun hiking out after slipping and falling in the icy water.

Who Knew! Hoodoos?

We had no idea Bryce would be so weird . . . 

Playing (in) the slots

Another Escalante adventure:  Went on a guided expedition to Big Horn Slot Canyon.  This slot was completely full of sand only three weeks ago.  With a big rainstorm a few weeks ago, the sand which had been deposited four years ago was washed away and we were able to explore it.  We were finished early, so drove 10 miles out of town on a 4X4 road in the Subaru - noticed we were loosing air in a tire - got back to town by using our bicycle pump every few miles to keep the tire inflated.  Whew!


Shawn Miller (our guide) and Ron - into the slot

Slickrock Scramble - on steroids

By on steroids we mean, clambering up sheer rock faces, defying gravity and even death...but not really. Exploring these canyons and arches is just amazing and it really helps to have a guide, at least in this case.  Nick of  http://utahcanyons.com/ took us to some great spots.


Walking into canyon

Slickrock Scramble

We hiked to Upper Calf Creek Falls today - a really steep descent down to the bottom of upper Calf Creek Falls.  Tomorrow - slot canyons with a guide - stay tuned...


Ahhh!

THIS PLACE IS AWESOME

Can you tell I'm shouting?  We spent the day hiking and exploring.  The geology here is amazing.  But what's even better:  this town is incredibly small (pop. 800) and nothing much is going on.   There are actually a few pretty cool restaurants to choose from and everyone knows each other.  This feels like a true outpost of the USA - in fact, mail service was by mule train to this area until 1940.

Escalante - Escalating Awe

The drive from Blanding to Escalante, UT was spectacular.  Unexpectedly, we spent a lot of the day in Natural Bridges National Monument - hiking to the canyon floor to check out the bridges from below.  Then, on through Capital Reef  to the Escalante/Grand Staircase Wilderness.  Every mile of driving is a different vista.  We've landed at a really comfy B&B in this tiny town and it feels like we could stay here for a while...


Anastasi Ruins in Natural Bridges National Monument

Canyonlands Saturday

We left Moab for the Canyonlands South.  The rock art was a highlight at Newspaper Rock.  Then we hiked in to see an ancient granary. The geology was breathtaking. The accommodations in this part of the country were pretty bad, though. We spent the night in Blanding - oh so Bland. Maybe it's because this Utah county is 'dry' - no booze available to us heathens passing through.


Newspaper Rock on the way to Canyonlands

Ab Fab - Moab

We've spent three nights in Moab and could spend another week - but alas, we're on our way to what we've been told is even more beautiful.  Hard to believe.  Yesterday we took a hike up a narrow canyon following  a stream the whole way.  The payoff was one of the largest arches in the world.  There was no way to take a picture of it all so the picture here is just a part of it.  The last two nights, we stayed at Red Cliffs Lodge, about 14 miles out of Moab right on the Colorado River.  Remote and peaceful.


On the trail to the giant arch

Not your 'golden arches'

After leaving Ouray, Co, we had a stop in Telluride, Co. Great little remote town with a lot going on  We spent the night and remembered another time at least 10 years ago when we were here for the Mushroom Festival.  We woke up to snow on the mountiantops in the AM, then headed for Moab.  Today, Thursday, Oct. 7th, we spent the day at Arches National Park. Amazing.


Double Arches in Arches National Park

What's next?????

At Ingrid and Bob's we decided to drive south to Telluride, Co. instead of going straight to Moab, Utah.  Before leaving Aspen, tho, we took a short drive up to Maroon Bells, a National Park just a few miles from downtown Aspen.  All our past trips to Aspen have been in winter so this was the first time the road has been open to the Bells.  Sooooo beautiful!  We heard about a hot spring village near Telluride so decided to go there for the night.  Ouray (pronounced U-ray) is in a box canyon and our cheap little hotel had piping hot soaking tubs which we loved

Ron at the lake at the base of Maroon Bells.  Named by early settlers for the color and shape of the mountain.

Aspen Again

It's always so good to go to Aspen.  We spent two nights with Ingrid and Bob Greuter and had a great time, as always.  A highlight was going on an all day hike to Thomas Lakes  near the summit of Sopris Peak.  Their new dog, Mr. Darcy was a real love.


Sharon, Ingrid, Ron, Clauida at Thomas Lake (about 10,000 ft.)

On to Aspen

A day of driving...but not so boring as you would expect. We drove over Cumbres Pass in N. New Mexico. Absolutely beautiful in full autumn color. Then a stop at the Great Sand Dunes National Park - who knew??? It's the tallest sand dune in the US. From there we drove up to the top of the Continental Divide (on the way, seeing a mouse, no less!!!) and then dropped into Aspen.


The Great San Dune

Ojo (Oh YES!) Caliente

Hot tip:  If you ever want a really fabulous, relaxing experience in the middle of virtually nowhere (yet reasonably chic) you gotta go to Oyo (pronounced, Oh Ho) Caliente Hot Springs and Spa ojospa.com  It is fairly close to Taos and Santa Fe, but feels a million miles away.  We drove from Taos to Ojo Caliente and spent a few hours enjoying the various mineral pools then had a sumptuous lunch in the restaurant there.  We would definitely go back.  Then on to Abiquiu, New Mexico - home of Georgia O'keefe.  Georgia actually lived on Ghost Ranch, about 20 miles from Abiqui.  The drive there was spectacular...


Ojo Caliente - Oh so great

Feast of San Geronimo

We got up at the crack of dawn today and headed for the Taos Pueblo.  October 30th has been a day of celebrating the harvest for the Indian tribes of this region for many centuries.  The Pueblo is a reservation now and the Indians guard their privacy and customs carefully.  The Indians live communally in multistory mud and adobe dwellings.  This day is the only day of the year that non-Indians are allowed into the Pueblo.  No cameras are allowed, so we have no pictures of the day but it was quite an event.   Foot races started at 7:30 AM just as the sun peaked over the mountains.  Later in the day there was a pole climb that scared us to death.  Young men climbed a 60 ft. tree trunk that had been cut down by tribe members, never touching the ground until it was erected in the square.  A slaughtered lamb and huge bags of produce were hung from the top.  The first indian that reached the top got the goodies.  There were lots of vendors from all over the Southwest selling all kinds of indian crafts.  It was a long day which we broke up with a 6 mile hike to the top of Divisidero Peak.


Sunset in Taos

Caution: Women at Play

The 2010 Taos Design Outside the Lines Retreat is starting its third day.  I'm having a great time getting inspired by the instruction as well as the other participants.  Sewing as art - that's the thing - and Diane Ericson and Marcy Tilton are artists, first and foremost.  For me, it's just fun to slow down, quiet the mind, chat with new friends and old (Diane Lea and her husband came, too), enjoy the beauty of Mabel's house and the delicious meals the staff prepares, awake to the Taos landscape from our Solarium room, etc.  Ron is happily exploring Taos and scouts out the best place for dinner.  It will be hard to leave on Tuesday with so many ideas yet to be realized in the work room.


Diane Ericson doing a stenciling demonstration

Taos Time . . . .Timeless

Arriving in Taos this afternoon was a real treat.  The city of Santa Fe, despite its quaint, historic center, has grown to a busy, 75,000+.  We haven't really gotten a chance to explore here in Taos as yet but we're told that this little town of 5,500 has grown a lot, too, in recent years.  Nonetheless, Taos seems lovely and accessible in its smallness.  We drove straight to the Mabel Dodge Luhan House http://www.mabeldodgeluhan.com/ and checked into our room.  This place is steeped in history and you can see why Georgia O'Keefe, good friend of Mabel Dodge, loved staying here.  Our room is at the top of the structure and we have to walk up several narrow flights of stairs to get here.  It's almost all glass and looks out over the mountains.  Beautiful views . . .  no curtains ...we'll be waking up with the sun tomorrow.


Entry to Mabel Dodge Luhan House, Taos, NM

Santa Fe - Lots of memories

So...when we left Flagstaff on the AM of Wednesday the 22nd, we headed for Santa Fe, New Mexico.  It rained the whole 400+ miles.  All the arroyos along the highway were not dry beds, but raging rivers.  Anyway, we got to Santa Fe in time for dinner at Coyote Cafe.  Ron and I remembered this restaurant from 16 years ago when it was new, and so were we.  Today, the 23rd, we walked around the plaza and went to the NM History Museum and the Art Museum .   After a nice rest at the hotel, we had dinner at a beautiful hotel that Austin and I stayed at 18 years ago. The place had just opened back then and I took Austin, about 8 or 9 yo at the time, with me on a business trip to New Mexico.  We stayed here during a snow storm.  Lots of great memories of Santa Fe and some new ones being made.


Art Museum courtyard

Sedona - Cure for Nature Deficit Disorder

From the moment we started down the Red Rock Canyon toward Sedona from Flagstaff we were in magic land.  The walls of the canyon were so close and colorful.  Lots of interesting formations, majestic in size.

Loose Plans

Yesterday we drove from San Francisco all the way to Kingman, AZ, home of Route 66 memorabilia and mediocre Mexican Food.  After a good nights steep we got on the road to Santa Fe - but on the way, decided to go to the Grand Canyon.  We spent the day along the spectacular South Rim then drove to Sedona for the night.  It's so beautiful here...

We're Off

We got on the road yesterday around noon, packed up and ready for an adventure.