Lessons Learned

Over the past few years I've learned a few things. A few of them have to do with preparing for trips.

And so it was with those lessons in mind that I went to Borders yesterday. Having good (paperback) books while going on vacation is vital to the success of the trip. You really can not rely upon the airport bookstores to have that right volume. Once I had nothing other than some hideously boring book that I can't even remember for an entire flight to Amsterdam (Other lesson - Do Not count on there being bookstores in Iceland). But back to Borders and the all important book selection. First off, all books can not be of the same genre. One should be light, almost frivolous. For this category I upgraded from the usual 'chick lit' to "The Family Fortune", a modern retelling of Jane Austen's "Persuasion," a slightly sophisticated version of the genre.

Also on the light side, but also on the uplifting, vacation-as-vision-quest vein, I selected "The Tao of Pooh". One of those books I've been meaning to read for years.

On a slightly more serious note and in keeping with my interest in reading fiction or non-fiction relating to the area I'm visiting is "Medicine Woman," by Lynn Andrews and Edward Abbey's "Desert Solitare". Don't think I'll make it Arches National Park, but I'll be close.

And of course there is the travel guide. This time I went with the lonely planet's "Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks."

Final important lessons relating to books - do not take hardcovers for the simple fact they weigh a lot. Don't take library books. If they turn out to be awful, or you need more room in your bag, you can't leave them.

And to think, I'm only 45. What deeper wisdom awaits?

Utah, 2007 Itinerary

March 13 - Go
March 13 - 15 El Rio Lodge

• Zion National Park

March 16 -

• Bryce Canyon National Park

March 17-18 - Bon Bon Inn - Kanab, UT

• Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
• Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

March 19 -
March 20 - Return

Utah - March - Be There!

Driving Directions to Zion

Zion to Bryce

Almost two weeks later

Sitting here in Mystic I keep thinking back to the Grand Canyon.

Still Grand! I'm still going back.

Late April?

Summary

I noticed this week that I was much more relaxed when hiking back then hiking out on a trail. That while I enjoyed the hike out it was more a walk of discovery, while the walk back lent its self more to inner reflection. I think today feels much like the hiking back part.

At sunrise I walked out to Courthouse Butte. Very cool. The dirt too.

And I realized I need to figure out what I want to do, then where it would be best to do it. I love being outdoors. Looking around here and all the places I've been who wouldn't? And yet still there is a need to do and to produce that is part of the place but also more. I don't want my job and life to be separate, and I want to live as much in the outdoors as possible.

This morning as I was walking around the Butte, my Aslo's kicking up the red dust, and my leg still hurting a bit from yesterday I saw a footprint in the dirt. Not a dog, or a deer, or a horse, or a reebok, or TNF but a human footprint. I took off my boots and enjoyed the rest of the walk in my bare feet.

Sedona

Sunrise on the Airport Mesa, Sunset at the Spinx - and I am exhausted. Oh and Heavos Ranchero's for Breakfast!

Hiked into Boynton Canyon and it was a great hike. The weather and micro climates here are amazingly varied, as are the trails. I tried to get a few "trail" shots mostly because the ones here as so different from other's I've been on. This one pretty much caputures it. At this point I was in shorts and wishing I was not in a thermal techwich top and had carried more than one bottle of water. It was hot!

Things were much different at the end of the canyon. At one point the trail turns south. I rounded a corner by an alligator pine (very aptly named) and I swear the temperature dropped 15 degrees. So by the end of the trail, when I was eating an excellent humus wrap and basking in the energy of the canyon, I was thankful for the thermal and also wearing a microfleece. The hike out was good. These rocks are amazing.

Next I hiked a bit of the Soldier's Pass trail to the Seven Pools. Then back tracked and sat one of of the red rock aprons beneath "The Spinx."

Not only is the geography here amazing, but so too the plants. It's like the entire place is landscaped. Evereything in its place and perfect. This tree at the Seven Pools is just one example.


By the end of today I was exhausted and I'll confess, a bit lame. So after a margaretta and an excellent artichoke and pesto pizza I crashed at the hotel. It took awhile before I wanted to turn on the TV and then I turned it off. It's been nice without it.

Comfortable

Today I got to see many new and amazing sides of Arizona.
First was a visit to Sunset Volcano. You can't actually go into the crater, but there is a trail up a cinder pile and through a lava field. Sunset mountain blew its top only 1000 years ago. What is even more impressive to realize geology-wise is that this whole area is full of volcanos. They speculate that the whole San Francisco range was one giant volcano at one time.

But back to Sunset Mountain. Apparently when it blew or coincidental with it blowing two types of native American settlements were formed. One of peublo houses to the North and another, or cliff houses to the south. I visited both, and gosh was a place of endless resources and variation. On the one hand it's flat, but its not, there are these giant mountains and then these deep canyons. And yet through it all, the place is vast and open and yet one feels comfortable. The forest here, and there are some huge Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Firs throughout are amazing, but still they're open.

Oh and one other thing. This whole fear of heights thing. I don't seem to have it here. Nor do these cute guys. We got aquainted on the rim of Walnut Canyon.

Soul Retrieval

First off, let me say historic Flagstaff is a cool town. Cool people, cool restaurants, cool shops, and again – those cool Arizona people. This is a shot of Flagstaff from right outside the hostel. We’re looking North, across the railroad and RT 66. And it was that very route that I took North to 89 to 64 to the Grand Canyon.

I debated on putting this out there in public – but I can think of no other way to describe my feelings about the Grand Canyon – so here goes. I have always thought of the soul as something vast and open beneath the relatively flat, calm exterior.
The Grand Canyon in 3-Dimensional model of the soul – mine at least. Standing there on Desert View Rim was one of the most moving experiences of my life. Descending into it, although only 2000 feet is again beyond words but my soul sure felt at home. Felt a few others with me as well.











This is a shot taken from where I ate a snickers bar, tanned, and turned around.





This is a shot of the same place taken from the main overlook.



Then the full moon rose.

Je suis ici

...or as they say in English. I am here!

Other than that I'm pretty speachless. Detail-wise the flight went really well, it was/is a beautiful clear day. With the recent snow among the trees and buildings in the midwest more than half the country looked like a pointalist drawing.

Phoenix is a travesty against nature, but it was warm and the people really nice.

So I headed due north up I-17 and stopped an hour later at Arcosanti. An architectural experiment on how people could co-exist with the desert and live in community. It's only in the beginning stages. I took the tour with Joanne. A local horse rancher, and Berkeley grad who just loves the place. Stopping in the bakery on the way out I met Kim who grew up in Woodbury but came to Arconsanti to cast the bells. (I'll fill this in later or you can check out their website) Again very cool people.

Back on I-17 and over the ridge(?) into the Verde Valley. Oh my god! and then I saw the rocks to the North West. So...took the road to Sedona. Airport Mesa. Oak Creek Canyon. Again Speachless. (And that's saying a lot for me).



Now however, it's time to eat!

The Adventure Continues

...next stop Arizona.

• Day 3 - Arrive in Flagstaff
• Arcosanti
  
• Aqua Fria National Monument
  
• Day 4 - Grand Canyon
• Orpheum Theater - Calexico with Annuals
• Day 5 - Wupatki National Monument
• Day 6 - Sedona.
• Soldier Pass/Brin's Mesa Trail
• Vortexes
• Boynton Canyon
• Bear Mountain
• West Fork of Oak Creek
  
• Day 7 - Sedona and Home

Sayings

Just going to collect a few of my favorites:

• Ain't what you do, it 's the way that you do it.
• Follow your bliss
• Don't put off to tomorrow what you can do today because if you like it, you can do it again tomorrow.
• "Simplify, simplify, simplify" Henry David Thoreau
• "One 'simplify' would have sufficed" Ralph Waldo Emerson
• The path is the goal
• The thief who stole my life, has taken too my faith
• I sing the body electric
• "Between two evils, I always choose the one I haven't tried before." Mae West
• Be not afraid of death, be afraid of the half-lived life
  

You never know ( or the path is the goal)

...so after weeks of trying to decide where in NH I'm going to hike this weekend, I'm driving through Springfield when deep in my gut I know I'm going to Vermont; to the trailhead on rt 103. Its time to pick up the path, and continue on from where I left off.

11:30 and here's Angela at the trailhead. Clarendon Gorge to the south, my first 4000fter to the the North. I feel great, really good. It's time to move on, to be continuing on the path I set out on many years ago. Guess, unconsciously that I've been avoiding this section because - well, its hard to backpack up a mountain.









The Trail immediately heads up. On the way are some of these trillums in seed. I walked the previous section in spring when they were blooming, and I'd never seen so many in one spot. Now its amazing to see their brilliant red seed pods.





About 1000 ft up there is an overlook to the South. Cool to think I've hiked through those hills.
After a little drink and a snack, it's time to move on. While I'm happy my gut decided on this route, I'm a bit concerned about having to hike 12 miles, up a mountain, with a 26 lb pack - but gosh it is beautiful and there is always trail magic! I'd been hiking about 2 hours through amazing woods - huge pines trees and beeches, across little brooks and a few abandoned farm fields when I came upon an exceptionally nice stream - in which - very strangely - were 10 cans of soda. The sign on the other side of the stream however, explained it all.

Gosh! I love the Trail - and the people on and around it.

And of course aside from that there is just the miles of unending simple beauty...which my feet and hips are begining not to appreciate. Its 4:00 and I'm not even to the base of Killington. I'm starting to question my gut feeling to do this route. I'm wondering how I'm going to make it all the way back down, and I'm not even up, but right now I'm at a bridge crossing the Cold River and its time for a break. And then I remember - bus. Someone once mentioned that there are buses that run along rt 4, and according to my map, rt 4 is on the other side of Killington. The map also says its 7 miles from the rt4 trail head to Rutland, and 5 miles from Rutland to the rt 103 trailhead. So if my legs give out I don't have to go back over the mountain. Cool. This is, once again, doable. Sometime you have to go with your gut and trust that things will work out for the best.


At 6:30 I arrive at Cooper's Lodge. The days destination. Talking to a local there I confirm the bus option, stash my pack and head up the .2 mile scramble to the summit.

Need I say more?

Amended saying

You know how I always say - "Try everything atleast once because if you like it enough you can do it again tomorrow".

Well, I have to change that to "Try everything atleast once every five years because you might find you like it now, and if you like it enough you can do it again"

---I went kayaking Thursday (in a Thunderstorm!) and even if there hadn't been a storm and some really great company - I really liked it. Went again Saturday and will definetly go again.

Hence the new saying.

Guess What?

I just realized---I could easily just go back to Holland next year.

Why do BRAN or BRAT - I'd rather go to Holland.

The cost would be the same
I know the area - less stress
I've got most of the maps
Cheese!!!!!

Annual Aug 14 Hike

I've been section hiking the AT from New York northward on and off for the last few years and have made it to Clarendon Gorge/rt 103 in Vermont. The next long weekend section would take me from rt 103 to the Connecticut River. Looking over the maps, following various discussion and looking at shelter pictures makes me wonder if this is would be a nice hike - or if I'm just obsessing about doing the trail section by section when I could take the 4 days and skip ahead to NH, or (don't say it) do a hike that's not on the AT at all.

i.e is the next NH section just so much better that I should just jump ahead?

Hoping

Landis denies cheating

I am

My daughters tease me that I have become a groupie. Well... this article clinches it:

Another Landis Story

(But only for Floyd)

So then I have this decision to make. There is a rumor that he will be in a parade in Lancaster. Do I go? Could I be that much of a groupie?

Plans

Off to a meeting in Worcester today, then EMS tonight.

What I would like to do soon however is plan the next year and then make an even longer term plan. I know one goal is to establish a sustainable, healthy, awesome body life-style. I really like being fit.

Gotta run

We love Floyd!

Today Floyd Landis won the Tour de France. An excellent example of the saying, "it ain't what you do its the way that you do it". His fortitude in Stage 17 will serve forever as a symbol of how never to say never, that when things look impossible one can still act with great determination and spirit. Doesn't matter if one wins or not, what matters is the spirit.

On the other hand, can't say many American's know of this momentus event. I made and wore a "We love Floyd" t-shirt to EMS and not a single person made a comment.

tsk, tsk.

Had a good ride after work. I'm thinking about doing BRAN and BRAT in 2007, but I'd like to have a friend to ride and train with. Any volunteers?

Turkey Day

So yes, I for know I didn't keep the blog during the trip and I've failed to upload the photos since. But... I have continued riding my bike.

Had to get up and out on the ride early what with the forecast for thunderstorms - and Floyd leaving the start gate at 10:15. Took one of my favorite routes East on Rt 1, North on Anguila Rd., West on 184, South on that really cool ride with the great hill.

One of the things I like to do on a ride is look to the side. It feels just like it looks like when they show the races on tv. Today, every time I looked there was a turkey family. There were about 5 in all. Some very large, having 6 or more chicks.

So now I'm watching Floyd. Whatever happens...stage 17 was amazing. We should all be like Floyd.