Day 2 - I visited Kasha-Katuwe National Monument (New Mexico). I walked through the slot canyon as well as climbed the cliff ovelooking the valley filled with "tent" rocks. I also stopped at Meteor Crater (Arizona) where a very big rock hit the earth a long time ago! I then spent the evening in Sedona with Sally, who treated me to a wonderful dinner.
Day 3 - Oak Creek Canyon was closed due to a fire, so instead I hiked to the mystical vortex at Katchina Woman rock spire, then down the Boynton Canyon trail through lush vegetation in the middle of the desert (which hit 96 degrees F today). At the top, I spent several hours talking with a German photographer who was now living in Maine. Sally and I then went out for a lovely Thai dinner.
Day 4 - I said goodbye to Sally and her AMAZING paintings (www.sallyhallpainting.com), then made a short stop at Montazuma Castle National Monument with its amazing cliff dwelling. Then I did some hiking (with a brief bout of getting lost) in Joshua Tree National Park. I arrived at my California destination in the evening.
Day 5 - In the afternoon we went to a girls' softball game in which my niece was playing, and in the evening was a large graduation party for my other niece. I substantially overate!
Day 6 - There was another softball game in the morning. I was standing on the sidelines with a man also taking pictures of his granddaughter... who promptly hit a line drive right at us! Of course, the ball looked a LOT bigger and closer through the telephoto lens! The afternoon was spent wandering around the luxurious South Coast Plaza mall, and dinner was with family friends at the delicious vegan/raw food restaurant Au Lac.
Day 7 - We spent the cloudy day at Newport and Balboa. Highlights included a mysterious bunny circle, the bay where the shipwreck of Gilligan's Island was filmed, amazing beach homes, a car ferry ride and a piece of frozen cheesecake dipped in chocolate and nuts.
Day 8 - We had lunch in the Irvine Spectrum, an large mall done completely in Moorish style architecture. The evening was spent visiting and dining with friends.
Day 9 - I spent the morning and afternoon with friends, then took a couple hours to visit the Richard Nixon museum in Yorba Linda. Along with the actual house he was born in as well as his grave, there was also a presidential helicopter, an aromatic rose garden, a copy of the East Room of the White House and an excellent museum including a section of the Berlin Wall and an actual rock from the moon!
Day 10 - Today was the reason I came out here... my niece's high school graduation. My sister and I are actually going to be featured in the local newspaper!
Day 11 - We drove around the streets of Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive before making a short stop at one of the saddest scenes in LA... the dying mammoth at the La Brea Tar Pits. Next came some lunch at the historic Bob's Big Boy, including their infamous hot fudge cake! We drove up to Griffith park with a hazy view of the Hollywood sign and enjoyed a show in the planetarium. Then came the enjoyment of rush hour traffic that only Southern California can provide.
Day 12 - I said goodbye to the family then set out for Vegas, baby! I stayed with my friend, Dave. In the evening we took in the spectacular sights and shows of Fremont Street. The street is completely covered with a massive video screen. There were countless free shows, casinos covered with flashing lights, a praying mantis that shot fire, and even Elvis made an appearance.
Day 13 - We spent the day visiting the various casinos and their incredibly ornate shopping malls, impressive shows and unique displays!
Day 14 - It was back to nature for a few days, starting with Zion National Park. I did several of the easier (yet also spectacular) hikes. I even saw the 'backside' of water!
Day 15 - The Narrows is probably the most unique thing to do in the park... I spent 8 hours hiking in the Virgin River through stunning slot canyons (the river IS the trail). The water level ranged from ankle high to almost waist deep. Amazing!
Day 16 - I went from water to sand at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park (the sand was indeed pink!). I climbed the two highest dunes then wandered through the only pine forest in the world that is found in a desert. Unfortunately the area was open to off-road vehicles, so some of the tranquility was lost. I also took an evening stroll and enjoyed the changing color of the sands.
Day 17 - Cedar Breaks National Monument, with an elevation of over 10,000 feet, was a drastic change from the hot desert. I did a lush forest lake walk and stopped at some canyon (technically it's an amphitheater) overlooks.
Day 18 - I did a morning hike along the rim (including seeing a 1,000+ year old tree) then drove to Cedar City where I stumbled upon the Frontier Homestead State Park Museum. Inside was filled with all sorts of coaches and frontier history while outside was packed full with historic equipment (including a giant watermill) and buildings (such as a homestead, a manor, a schoolhouse and even a sheep shearing shed). Incredibly well done!
Day 19 - This area was once filled with volcanic activity so I took the opportunity to walk on an old lava flow. Then it was on to Bryce Canyon National Park. I did numerous small hikes along the rim and at the bottom of the canyon (although also technically an amphitheater). Along the various trails are markers that one can "collect" and redeem for a prize from the visitor center.
Day 20 - I saw the rare Utah White-tailed Prairie Dog then did a 5-mile hike at the bottom of the canyon among the hoodoos. I realized that one can never take enough hoodoo photos! Hoodoo you love!??
Day 21 - I spent the morning hiking around Kodachrome Basin State Park with its amazing mud rock formations and stunning colors... and am probably the only person on the planet who can get lost in a box canyon! I then headed to Boulder, Utah, where I took an outdoor solar shower, slept in a tipi and saw the Milky Way!
Day 22 - I drove to Capitol Reef National Park where I spent the day doing assorted small hikes and visiting historic sites (both from the Fremont Indians and the Mormon settlers). The lush valley is still filled with orchards of fruit trees. In the evening I attended a star watching program and ended up talking with the ranger until well past midnight about stars, philosophy, the nature of mankind, the meaning of life and other light and entertaining topics.
Day 23 - In the morning I hiked Capitol Reef's version of the Narrows (fortunately it was dry). I then drove up to Fish Lake in the mountains hoping to see Pando, a stand of aspens which has the honor of being the largest single living organism on the planet. Unfortunately it was completely fenced in and all hiking trails closed off... the reason quickly being apparent in that every single tree outside the fence was completely carved up with obviously highly important messages.
Day 24 - I headed over to Goblin State Park where I meandered through valleys of hoodoos and even found the Goblin's Lair giant cave! My campsite neighbors were the boyscouts (and their leaders) from Troop 351. They graciously invited me to a meal of tacos and peach cobbler and provided an evening filled with wonderful company and stories.
Day 25 - I did an 8-mile loop up Little Wild Horse Canyon and then back down Bell Canyon. These slot canyons at times required quite a bit of climbing and scrambling to get through! I then drove to Green River where I crashed in a motel!
Day 26 - I stopped briefly at the very creepy rock art in Sego Canyon, then made a final dash for Colorado... arriving safely home in the late afternoon. Total miles... 3,040.
EPILOGUE - The discovery of my near brush with fame with a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model...
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