Monthly Archives: June 2015

Multi-tasking: Day 5

We left the beautiful area of Arches in Moab, UT at the early hour of 10:15 a.m. when it was a mere 91 degrees.  Always good to get going before the temps get too hot! As we drove out of the hotel parking to find gas I could hear a disturbing “Thunp. Thump. Thump.” at very regular intervals.  It was disturbing enough that I got out of the car while the gas was being pumped and listened to all corners of the car.  And, the thumps continued even though we were sitting completely still with the engine off.  I imagined all kinds of “bumps in the night” that it could be when Randy realized he knew exactly what it was.  He had hastily packed his battery operated Waterpik Flosser without turning it off and it must have been lodged against something that put pressure on the “activate” switch.  And from inside the suitcase his clothes were enjoying a healthy cleaning and flossing. This, of course, necessitated pulling the suitcase out at the gas station and finding the Waterpik to turn it off.  I’m sure we made an amusing roadside attraction.

2015-06-20 10.56.44But, that didn’t stop us for long and filled with gas, we were on the way to Colorado’s Welcome Center in Cortez.  The ride was a stunning mix of varied landscapes, from the red-rock cliffs to sage brush meadows with single mighty rock formations, to lush hay and clover with occasional trees as we entered Colorado.

2015-06-20 13.42.44The Welcome Center guides were very helpful and sent us in the right direction to Mesa Verde National Park.  We found the park and thoroughly explored the Visitor Center. But, distracted by the heat, the altitude, and hunger, to say nothing of the difficulty of climbing ladders and stone stairs several stories high in order to gain access to the cliffs, where ancient cliff dwellers lived centuries ago, we abandoned the exploration and abruptly changed plans.

Grace comes in many disguises and today it came in the form of flexibility and a willingness to pass by something we had planned to see so that we might be able to look forward to seeing it and enjoying it thoroughly at a future time.  There is no doubt in my mind that grace was enfolded in that decision.  And when we come again, we will be sure to plan for a time when it will not be quite so hot.

We found a funky little diner in the next town and drank glasses and glasses of water as we waited for our sandwiches to come.  While Jack and Janelle’s Diner addressed our thirst and our hunger, that was it’s redeeming quality.  A place like that always makes us laugh and we think of an old friend who we knew 40 years ago. The year after we were married we were planning our first cross country trip and he advised us to remember to stop at some “local color” establishments. We were to do this instead of always pulling into a Denny’s or a MacDonald’s just because it was easy.  This was truly a “local color” experience.  And we were grateful for it.

2015-06-20 16.29.41We continued on through more grasslands with great rock formations and through Navajo ranch lands on our way to The Four Corners.  This is where we multi-tasked for the day.  At this one spot a person could stand in four states at the same time:  Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.  The spot, however was little more than a plaza with lines in concrete.  That would have been fine, however, we were not the only people there!  The hard packed clay of the parking lot held cars from all over the country.  And the passengers of all those cars were standing in line for the thrill of standing on the SPOT where all four states came together.  And, it was 99 degrees IN THE SHADE!  And, every person in line was taking their sweet time for photographs in every posture imaginable.  2015-06-20 15.55.38Being of sound mind, we changed our minds again.  We elected for four pictures – one in each state – with the SPOT where they met in the background.

And, then we traveled on to Farmington, New Mexico, where we planned for overnight rest.  Multi-tasking is hard work.  But grace was a part of it all.

More of Utah – Day Four

More of Utah today, and there is so much more to see.  We left Tremonton and made our way to the Timpanogos Cave National Monument.  It was almost a shock to go from the flat of the Great Salt Lake basin up into the Wasach Range at American Fork Canyon to find the caves.  And, find them we did.  However after some discussion we decided to save the 3 mile hike up 1000 feet of elevation on a switch back trail on the mountainside for another time.  While we would have2015-06-19 11.45.29 LOVED to explore the caves, I’m not sure my hip would have cooperated, AND it was already 99 degrees and only 11:30 a.m.  So instead, we just enjoyed the forest and the bubbling stream near the ranger station.

We found our way back to within sight of the Great Salt Lake and then headed east on U.S. Highway 6 in the direction of our destination for the day, Moab.  Visualize the bareness of the landscape in old cowboy movies with just the occasional rock formation 2015-06-19 15.32.05jutting up from the surface — for a couple of hundred miles.  When we spotted the first sign of rock formations in the far distance – (almost 30 miles distant) we got so excited Randy said “Look how those rocks jut up like a staircase – chee, chee, chee.” And we couldn’t stop laughing. And all the rest of the day we spotted ‘chee-chees’ everywhere.  And they grew larger and larger and the rock started turning pink and then a deep orange-red.  And we had arrived at our destination, Arches National Park. Here we learned they don’t ca2015-06-19 19.04.13ll their rock formations “chee-chees” but “hoodoos” And we laughed all over again.  But, they are beautiful!  So many and varied the mind can hardly comprehen2015-06-19 18.54.20d.   We had arrived at 5:30 p.m. and rather than waiting until tomorrow to view the beauty, we just traveled on and enjoyed the sights with the most beautiful light of the day – sunset.  Working with three cameras you just have to imagine the other shots I was able to capture.  The beauty and the astounding grace of this place defies description.

Before the sun set the temperature had reached 103 degrees!  But we kept on.  There was just too much beauty.  And now we know we have to come back to just this spot for a longer, extended visit so we can enjoy the depth and richness of the entire park.  We hardly scratched the surface today.

Absorbing beauty takes energy and we had to revive ourselves with a late evening meal at The Br2015-06-19 20.51.55oken Oar Restaurant in Moab.  The Steak Tip Caesar Salad and the Cowboy Pork Chop were excellent and the service friendly and efficient.  When you are next in Moab, you can try it yourself and see what I mean.

As we came out of the restaurant we looked up to see a brilliant Venus and Jupiter lighting up the night sky as a crescent moon was setting.   What more grace could there be in one day?  2015-06-19 21.24.53

Into Utah – Day 3

I have reconciled with my technology and am making another attempt.
Thanks to my technical expert and travel companion, I try again.

It was hot this morning leaving Boise, but a beautiful day. We prepared for the day’s travels by gassing up our little Prius and driving through a convenient Subway for sandwiches to put in our tiny cooler so we could picnic at the park. We traveled through barren-looking ranch lands on local back roads in our attempt to find The City of Rocks, Idaho.  Three hours out we arrived at the small town of Oakley and then took gravel roads for about 45 minutes until we reached the park.  A single sign alerted us to the great rock formations. The valley right before we turned into The City of Rocks was a gorgeous meadow filled with yellow blooms. 2015-06-18 14.09.15

And then we were on a narrow gravel road that certainly induced prayer.  We were both excited and scared – being so far from civilization and looking for a specific site. What were we going to do if we didn’t find it? And then we saw it.  Giant rocks were jutting up from the grassy surface and each rock looked like an amazing individual creation.  We decided it was like lying on your back and looking at clouds and calling out the shapes — only these were ROCKS 2015-06-18 14.55.57coming up from the earth and in each one we could imagine a different shape.  Like the Lion I see in this shot to the left.

This spot was a pass through the mountains and when settlers were going West on covered wagons in the 1870’s they passed through this amazing valley of geological formations made of the earth’s magma from eons before their arrival. It was so unique that many folks made a record of it in their travel diary.  And, so do I.  Just so it can be shared with you.

However, I am happy to be graced with a Prius for wheels; a cooler with water (tiny but efficient and extremely welcome); sandwiches from Subway; a cell pho2015-06-18 15.32.33ne (even though we had no coverage;) a loving companion; and audio books on the radio to entertain us from turning back when we thought we were lost.  Just a little different from the journey some of our ancestors made in these wagons.

The last laugh is the Creator’s.  Had we actually found the CORRECT entrance into the park, we may have hesitated to travel the gravel roads and only seen the very minimal formations at the entrance.  As it was, coming in the back way, we were able to see the entire loop of amazing geology on our way to find the visitor’s center!  Saved by grace!

We drove on to Tremonton, UT before stopping to rest.  An excellent meal at a local Mexican restaurant completed this most beautiful day.

Into Idaho – Day 2

After a beautiful drive through the golden waves of grain in the Washington Palouse we crossed the Snake River and entered Idaho on our way to the Nez Perce National Historic Site.  It’s a beautiful place honoring the people who first lived off these lands and their culture.

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The history is a sad comment on the expansion of America, but today the Nez Perce People are creating a hopeful future by caring for their natural resources and teaching their younger generations their native language.

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One of the Elders in the film shared an analogy about their faith that I will never forget.  Hearing his description was truly a moment of grace.  He said when the missionaries came, they wanted to teach all about “their”  God. He said “we see the heavenly Creator like a giant rope reaching down from the heavens, with all the small strands of the rope becoming unraveled. Each strand represents a different belief and way of imaging the creator. Each way to image God is correct because they all lead back to the one mighty rope which leads to heaven and the one Creator. ”

The remainder of the day was a long drive along the Snake and Salmon Rivers through the mountains of Idaho – the traditional Nez Perce lands.

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By the time we reached New Meadows we were plenty hungry so we stopped at the first place that looked good.  The BBQ Intersection.  If you are ever in New Meadows, I highly recommend it.

Back in the car for two more hours of setting sun over lush crops of wheat and corn through Treasure Valley to Boise and a bed for the night.

This posting comes to you after a tangle and misunderstandings over passwords.  I was about at my limit!  Isn’t technology wonderful?

On the Oregon Trail

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Leaving home we headed East and found our way into the heat. 95 at one point along the great Columbia River. The landscape looked like giant sand dunes built up from the river banks – or carved out by the river. 

Very little freeway driving today as we headed for Whitman Mission Historical Site where we stopped to take in the history and the beauty. 

What a lesson to be learned from the terrible events that happened there in the 1840’s.  First is respect for all who appear different from ourselves. Second, that we are created filled with goodness. And third, that we are all loved equally by our Heavenly Creator.

We walked along a part of the Oregon Trail and imagined what it must have been like to travel this country in a covered wagon.

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There was grace in every sight, every breath, every thought. So many have traveled this path and have lived a history before us.

Staying in Walla Walla tonight and grateful we are not in wagons!

Finding Grace

In one day we will depart on a 55 day adventure to find grace across our country.
Leaving the beautiful NW for other destinations will challenge us.

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But we are excited to find beauty everywhere. 
Back to packing the car.