Zion Day 3; Our Biggest Adventure Yet

I woke feeling refreshed, and the fact the bed was level, plush, and downright comfy made me wish I had done anything I could to stay here just a bit little longer. The morning view through the cathedral windows was glorious in splendor and served to reaffirm my faith in life and beauty....and the fresh cup of Kona Blend made from an honest to god real coffee maker didn't hurt either. We had a lot of things planned in the afternoon that revolved around the activities at the Zion Ponderosa which meant we only had about ½ a day to stay with the confines of the Zion National Park.

We made the trek back through the Tunnel and had the agenda to spend sometime at the Zion Museum, a walk on the River at a trail called Lower Falls trail, and a final walk on the Canyon Overlook which according to the guides was a 1 mile moderate hike. We originally were going to do the canyon overlook first but based on the fact it was Saturday and we planned to park at the Museum parking lot as opposed to the real parking lot, rolled the dice for parking at the museum.

Alas we were too late, and I had to park at a turn out and walk to the museum after dropping off the family first and make a short walk back to the museum. We took the shuttle to the Cable Junction departure point and crossed the street towards the first trail. It was an easy walk and one which we hoped for since we knew would be climbing some stairs soon. The Virgin river flowed and its waters looked pristine, almost as if mother nature was giving a come hither look. As me and the kids hopped along some of the rocks on the banks of the river, one of the kids spotted a toad on the bank. Only remarkable thing here is I remember as a boy living on the Huntington Beach/Westminster border frogs and toads were fairly common, but for some reason I couldn't recall the last time I saw one in OC. Neither here nor there but a curious notion none the less.

The Virgin River

After that was a short period spent in the museum. The air condition felt good and the various artifacts were certainly interesting, and made even the more by the glorious view offered from the museums patio which showed proudly displayed some of Zions most majestic mountain views. There is no shortage of majestic views in Zion, but those who planned the museums location clearly had this spot in mind when choosing the location, it was one of those nature scenes in which you could easily have a seat and just gaze for hours at the sight which presented itself. I wished I had more time to take it in both with a bevy of activities still to achieve along with the Canyon Overlook hike there was no time to lose.

We made our way back through the two tunnels that separate Springdale and Mt Carmel and found the parking lot for the canyon overlook full. I thought about parking in the handicapped spot and taking my chances but decided to kill 10-15 minutes and hoped someone would come down the hill thus opening a spot....and luck would have it a Chinese couple came down and pointed to the space their car was parked in.

Now the Canyon Overlook is one of the most scenic hikes in Zion and the one mile descent didnt seem too difficult as most of the parking maps said this was a moderate hike and not strenuous. But after looking at the first set of stairs, we thought it best to let my dad stay in the van and hang which proved to be a fine idea. Now grandma on the other hand could not wait to tackle the challenge and was clearly invigorated from the whole trip. Only a few years removed from knee replacement surgery I was a bit worried, but the broken hockey stick I converted into a hiking stick served as a fine assistant for the sometimes uneven footing. Apart from the stairs, both man made and stone, there was a covered area which not only provided some much needed shade, but also had a sandy bottom that we all agreed had to be the worlds greatest camping spot....provided a long horned sheep or mountain lion wasnt using the facilities. I was assuming the hike was a quick one, but it was a bit more then we bargained for and every corner was met with yet another flight of stairs, and yet more corners and climbs to face. We finally made the top of the hike which proved to be worth the walk. Apart from the snaking roadway that made its way to the tunnel, the elevation along with the view, along with standing on a few of the rocks that made the ascent even higher was a joy to behold. And was a bit of a weird feeling to see my Mother there to celebrate with us. On the way back we cam across an Indian family resting in the shade of the covered rocky overhang, and gave a bit of a double take to see mother making the hike back down. The older gent asked how old she was and my mom said something like “age is only a state of mind” or something thereof. They gave us a big smile. Of course on the way up and back every passerby was friendly and made some comment about our crew.

The worlds greatest camp site.

The Top of the Canyon Overlook

We made it back to the lodge for a quick rest and a bit to eat but the rest of the afternoon proved to be a busy one as we had miniature golf, our 6 person atv ride, and zip lining on the agenda.

Miniature golf was kind of white trashish, and I almost wish I had worn one of my cutoff shirts and drank a can of Pabst to seal the white trash deal. Time ran low though so we were only able to finish around 9 holes. I did like the fact the course had ramps that led to the water, and white and green shag carpet that served as pseudo sand and rough.

We made it back to the recreation hall to get our ATV and the guy working the front desk came to give me the once over of the vehicle. He asked if I had ever driven one, and of course being a man I said, “oh yeah all the time” which was a complete lie. We were given a lot of warnings about not getting it over 30 mphs were later proved to be a bit of salesmanship. We were handed a crudely drawn map and given some vague instructions on some nice trails and off we went.

Of course, through years of playing off road racing video games there was no way in hell I was going to go at Autopia speeds. Once we were out of the parking lot I pushed the petal to the floor and smiled as I watched Tomoko and Alex's heads jerk backward. My enjoyment of the ATV experience was somewhat hindered by my family's apprehension to sliding around dirt corners and trying to go as fast as possible. There was one smooth downhill I figured I had to take to top speed out of the principle I wanted to simply see how fast I could get our rented Polaris. And once again the over 30 mph warning was largely spectacle as even going downhill while gunning it only achieved a speed of about 35.

We made our first stop at a beautiful top vista marked by a totem pole, that had the most panoramic view I had ever saw. According to out guide one could see Zion, the Grand Canyon, and Bryce Canyon....of which I suppose he was correct. I could have stayed there for hours but was on the clock and still wanted a few more opportunities to give my children whiplash. Gramma was sure having a good time though.

After that beautiful view we tried to follow the map but after a series of confusing mishaps ended up being slightly lost in the expanse that served to be the rugged Utah wilderness. Alex kept asking if we were lost, and I told him everything was just fine, but truth be told after passing a few dilapidated trailers and shacks with crudely drawn “no trespassing” signs I started getting visions of deliverance entering into my stream of thought. Gramma was sure having a good time though.

Letting the Kids Drive...I figured if I let my 10 year old drive what difference did an open door make?

The Magic Totem Pole

Soon we came to an expanse of smooth dirt road to which Gramma suggested I let the kids sit on my lap and pilot the vehicle. How could I turn that down? We spent the next few minutes letting the kids sit on my lap and drive. My white trash side emerged once again when I looked at the cargo space on the back of the ATV and wished their was a cooler with some cold beer to complete the effect. Gramma was sure having a good time though.

After the kids took their turn the wife asked to drive which I was fine with. As mentioned before though the Autopia speed morphed into Jungle Cruise speed to the point where I was almost giving a running commentary on Trader Joe, Schweitzer Falls, and tigers protecting napping Zebras. Gramma was sure having a good time though.

Soon I was back in the seat and with time running out spent the remember of the trip gunning the atv at full speed sliding into corners, doing donuts, and exploring some of the back areas that featured a paint ball course as well as a small dirt track. Good times....well worth the price of rental.

Back at the recreation area we check the atv back in and soon it was Zip line time. We were relived when my youngest passed the weight check and was allowed to zip line with the others. With video camera in hand I was able to record the event live. As I stood in the field under the line to record the event for posterity I was able to get my wife and the kids taking turns on the zip line, and soon noticed a small crowd forming outside the building which housed the zip line. Putting my glasses on I realized the people from inside the building had all come out to witness my 71 year old mother do the Zip Line.

As she took a leap off the step, a roar of applause, whoops, and hollers met my mother as she soared through the Utah sky. It was a bit surreal actually. I was very happy though, it was a moment I wont soon forget and the whole trip was a beautiful event that was priceless. The staff was nice enough to let the whole crew do another zip from the line before it closed for the evening and a good time appeared to be had by all.

We made it back to our vacation home for the final night, I cracked a bottle of Cabernet and cooked the remaining meat products on the grill and was a bit melancholy this was to be the last night of what was a very special occasion for so many reasons. To be able to share so many events with my parents, my children, and my wife made me realize(for about the millionth time) how lucky and blessed I truly am. No matter what the employment situation may be, no matter how uncertain the future, no matter what the cloudy financial situation may be....I was the richest man in Zion. I thought of how many people probably had all of lifes luxury and wealth, but never experienced the love, the comradeship, and outright enjoyment of familial companionship I had experienced over the last four days.

And the fact the next day was to be met by an 8-10 hour drive back to OC made the moment all the more special. But rest assured readers, I will spare the blog entry about the ride back.

Zion Day 2; Scenery Upgrade

I woke feeling like I had no sleep at all. And being the pull out bed from the couch in the cabin appeared to be lopsided, with a few of the braces looking bent and out of sort which made the mattress lean from left to right at about a 10 degree angle meant, as tired as I was, I still slept an uneasy rest.

We had a big day ahead of us though and as poorly as I slept, knew there was no time to lose in A)we had to check out at 11am to move to our newer, posher digs, and B)it was the first time my Parents were visiting Zion, which of course meant me being the expert with all of my one, count em', one previous visit meant either a glorious moment or one from the “what the hell was I thinking?” file.

As we began to pack I experienced the first benefit of Zion Ponderosa, and our cabin lodging meant I could walk over to the cafe/restaurant and fill up my big blue decades old coffee mug and the $2.50 price was well worth it, as was my breakfast of day old Costco sandwich, strawberry shortcake cups....minus strawberries and whipped cream, and a handful of baby swiss flavored Cheez It's which was rapidly becoming my favorite snack of all time, running neck and neck with Snyder's Buffalo Wing flavored pretzelsbits which I covered a couple of years ago when we camped at Lake Lopez.

We packed and headed out on the road and as I promised my family, I stopped at the first attractive looking turnout and made everyone get out and take a quick mini hike that I billed as “hiking preseason.” Truth be told, I kind of wanted to gauge my parents attitude and from this determine what trails we could walk and which we would avoid at all cost. And as luck would have it, we had a nice hike and every seemed content and happy.

We entered the main parking lot and were lucky enough to find a parking spot even though there were signs posted everywhere that lot of was full and cars must park in the city and take the Springdale UT shuttle to get back into the park. We filled our water containers and hit the first shuttle content to do the River Walk trail which is one of the easier trails in the camp.

And much to my surprise, my mother seemed to really enjoy it. As a matter of fact, even though she had knee replacement surgery a few years ago she was leading the charge. As we walked through the huge expanse of rock that accompanied us on both sides, she was was a merely a blip on the forward views as what I thought would originally was going to be “stop if you need to stop” turned into “is she ever going to stop.” Dad meanwhile was content to hang in a shady spot and enjoy the scenery, and quite frankly, my ill advised foray into Scout Leader, had made me a bit jealous he had the option that I didn't. And the walk on the river walk is always a bit bitter sweet as it is the trailhead to “the Narrows,” one of the most famous and picturesque parts of the park...but also can feature knee high water and some rough currents which sometime does not always go hand in hand with camping with the family.

The hike was also noted for the overaggressive squirrels in the park who not only jump on your lap to try and get a snack from you, but would also climb on your back pack and literally attempt to open it to get what every the could..I'm guessing the squirrels in the park were probably famliar with every flavor of power bar in existence. I also noted the signs that had graphic injuries from squirrel bites were gone which made me sad, nothing more I like the being out in the middle of nature with huge signs featuring a bleeding hand. It was Zion's version of the lady who smokes through her trachea.

We stopped for lunch at the Zion lodge, which was quite nice and not too shabby for food quality. I once had the worst meal of my life at the restaurant at the top of the Aerial Tramway in Palm Springs by which all other park restaurants are judged. And this was not too bad, I had a Utah microbrew lager, which was refreshing after the days activities. I later stopped by the one liquor store in town and drew a smile with the same Utah Microbrew offerings....the best name being “Polygamy Porter.”

We finished our lunch and refilled our water containers at one of the many parks Spring Water Taps. They basically take the parks own spring water, treat it, and then have various spigots around the park for hikers and campers to stay hydrated with. A very nice touch and sensible arrangement given the heat and the terrain. I cant help but think if Zion were California some dopey bureaucrat would be charging 2 bucks for a 10 oz bottle of water.

It was the midday and we made the walk up to weeping rock. The trail was not far but certainly was fairly steep. The wife was concerned it may be too step for my mother but fueled by her best day ever she made good time, made all the sweeter by 3 deer foraging by the trail roughly 15 yards from us. One was a young male, was just starting to sprout some antlers. They were nice enough to pose for us.

We made the final steps to weeping rock which is always a great experience. Not only is the view phenomenal, but the reason it is called “weeping rock” is because the moisture from the top of the mountain filters through the rock which gets released on this overlook which creates this amazing rain type effect. In the heat the drops felt great falling on the top of my head, and I wasn't the first as many of the hikers were using the raindrops to moisten their bandannas and hats. I even found a consistent trickle of water that I opened my mouth to and drank from...the water was cool and had a slightly miner-ally quality to it....not surprising there as it was filtering and falling from the rocky granite.

By this time my mother was in full Zion mode and wanted to tackle all of the trails, including the Angels landing, but my dad wasn't fairing so well and by this time the summers afternoon heat was in full effect which meant it was time to hit the grocery store and get back to the lodge. We were fortunate in that we settled for a cabin for the first night but the next two nights meant we were moving to a full vacation home.

Arriving to the home at Zion Ponderosa was a total 180 from the cabin- spacious, a strong wifi signal, a hot tub, bbq, enough real beds to sleep our party, and a beautiful view from the living room that made the drive and the toil completely worth while. And being a fully stocked vacation home, meant we had a real coffee maker, a full size fridge, laundry, wine glasses, and everything one could ever long from on a vacation including directv. I wasn't quite sure if this was the best vacation home ever or the cabin we stayed in the previous night just sucked.

I bought some chicken from the market along with some bbq sauce and some sausages, I was hoping the kitchen would have salt and pepper and some tongs-Ill be damned if they didn't have fajita seasoning, all purpose seasoning, and a full bbq kit with tongs and every other conceivable bbq tool one could every want. I was almost thinking a red apron would be packed in there somewhere as well to complete the BBQ supply 101. Hell, they even had a heavy duty metal cheese grater and a lemon zester as well. 

To finish the blog entry, the rest of the night was enjoying our bbq with a bottle of Concannon Merlot, spending some time in the hot tub, a quick shower, and then a good nights rest on a mattress that was stable, level, and devoid of metal framework protruding into the lower vertebrae.

Zion 2013, Zion with Parents and Kids

Rented van stocked with supplies, parents, and kids and my big blue coffee filled with some of 7/11's finest; I could not have been happier. I love a long road trip. I really do. Probably the reason I enjoy Kerouac's “On the Road” and the final chapters of “Farewell to Arms” where the main characters set out for some epic journey. And there is something about being on the road when the sun rises that I find exhilerating, and this morning was no different.

We were on the road for a 3 night, 4 day trip to Zion National Park. For me it was the second time I was fortunate to visit which I covered in my previous blog entry about Zion National Park, but was extra excited for my folks; for whom it was all new. My mother had mentioned it was always something she wanted to do, along with zip lining, and as chance would have it the Utah Camping Resort we were staying at happened to have that as well which meant dear old mom would be able to scratch two items off of her bucket list.

And unlike last time we visited, we were driving straight through without any one night stay overs in Vegas or State Line....which I loved and energized me. And apart from a few snafu with the roof top luggage rack, and the loose flap that slapped the roof of the van any time I went over 80 mph's, we had some fun stopping by the Del Taco in Barstow, a truck stop in Mesquite, and the Costco in St George which oddly enough, featured no Mormon women in bouffant hairdo's wearing pastel colored dresses.

We spoke about how St George was very, very close to the town in Nebraska and then I posed a real brain teaser to my wife if she would rather live in St George by Zion, or by 29 Palms near Joshua Tree.

We finally settled on it was better to be in California, close to the things we hold near and dear although quite frankly I was leaning towards Utah, probably moreso out of the adage of “familiarity breeds contempt” then anything else.

We made the drive through Springdale and I always love the hipster vibe it gives off and the generally amicable demeanor of the locals, of which this afternoon was a grand total of one. We stopped by the SOL market to pick up additional staples as well as to just see what they offered as we would be back in town the next day, but more importantly, staying the next night in a mountain lodge that had a gas grill which of course meant I had to BBQ something. Not a bad selection either, it was almost like Whole Foods mixed with Stater Bros as seen in Sedona Arizona. We bought a couple of Mexican Pepsi's which paired well with the Baby Swiss Cheez Its I brought along with us for road snacks.

We entered the park and had though originally maybe hiking a quick, short trail, but given that I woke up at 4:30AM and after an 8-9 hour drive and the hour added through the time change, and also given we were still 45 minutes from the lodge was probably a no go for the hike. And I always am jealous of those lucky enough to get campsites right within the Park. I figure there surley can not be any better place to camp as A)there are hundreds of trails and every one sure to have a great view and B)the Virgin river runs right through the park which means you take a quick dip if it gets too hot. This time my feelings were a bit adjusted however as there were signs posted everywhere about fire warning meaning no campers were allowed to have a campfire. For me, camping with a campfire is life decaf coffee or nonalcoholic beer. Especially with the fire in Colorado Springs recently, it made sense I understood-and actually this one time made me happy I was not camping there.

My folks were really enjoying the majestic views and the scenery. After we passed through the tunnel that takes you into Mt Carmel, we pulled off of a couple of the view points to get some fresh air and take it all in. The weather was perfect, while it was 90 degrees in Springdale(according to weather.com anyhow), inside the park was perfect with a nice breeze and a comforting sun, as opposed to the blistering, searing sun we faced at Joshua Tree a few weeks previous.

We pulled off at one random turnout and were taking some pictures when a car pulled behind us, and stepping out was a woman with a huge professional grade camera. She gestured to the hill across from us and as we looked a huge bighorn sheep was making its way across the bluff. It was fairly good size and I did my best to take a few pictures from all of the camera devices we carried. They are not uncommon by any stretch for the area, but it was the first time I saw one in the wild. And soon, the 2 cars on the turnout turned into 4 cars and a van with everyone busting out cameras to take pictures of new big horned friend.

We got back into the car and finally made out way to our temporary home that was the Zion Ponderosa. We had a cabin for the first night and a luxury home for the next two. It was nice to unpack, crack a cold beer, and take a stroll of the grounds. Later, took a quick jaunt to the pool and while the conditions may have been excellent for those guest from colder climates, for us it seemed pretty chilly so were content to sit in the hot tub and relax for a bit before heading back to the cabin for our Costco dinner we bought previously.

For some reason, camping food always tastes better and while we in a cabin as opposed to sleeping in an actual tent, the principle held with the Costco Ceaser Salad and Turkey Swiss wrap seeming like Filet Mignon washed down Silver Oak. It was comforting and after a quick shower I was ready for some sleep yet still excited for tomorrows adventure. And once again my california blood was not use to the time change in conjunction with geography meant the sun not even starting to set well after 8:15pm. I was kind of hoping the kids may have been tired and gone to bed early but alas the late sunset and the wife's decision to give the kids some instant hot cocoa mix meant it was not to be. 9:45pm never felt as much like midnight at it did on this occasion. I still awaited the next couple of days with eagerness and what awaited for us. With the views offered up at Zion and a few days to hike some new trails for views not seen by those merely taking the tram tour, I could not wait to get started.

My attempt at a panarama show...and the pesky sun ruining brilliance.

Big Horn Sheep.....others said the sheep in the area were undersized, I am pretty sure this one was 'roiding. 

Cuyamaca Day 2

Continued from 
Cuyamaca Day 1


Day 2 saw me waking with a fraction of my normal sleep given that it got down to 40 degrees and while some tents are built to help retain and circulate body heat our tent, sadly, was not one of those models. Its great for desert camping given the open mesh styling but for cold weather camping which one would not normally associate with Cuyamaca late June, was not the perfect fit. Even though I had stuffed my favorite 20+ year old mexican blanket into my sleeping bag no matter how hard I tried there was one area of skin that was ice cold and made the entire night a bit on the uncomfortable side. I kicked myself remember the wife offering up my thermal underwear and sweatshirt and me refusing given at that point in time it was probably still 60 degrees or thereabouts. I learned Cuyamaca Lakes rule #1- a 50 degree drop in temperature is not uncommon. 


I woke up and poured some fresh water into our favorite aluminum pan and busted out the portable propane stove and clicked the starter switch 4 or 5 times before I realized it was not switching into the "on" position. I was able to get it lit and stay lit provided I stood by the side of table providing enough downward force on the lever via thumb to keep it lit but decided that process might take 5 minutes....sure its only 5 minutes but thats not the Cahill camping way. I threw some of the high heat flash burning wood Thuc brought with him and started a fire in the pit. 15 minutes later the fire was good and hot placing the cast iron skillet on top of the fire pits grill and the aluminum pot filled with water on top of the cast iron skillet-it was only 10 or 15 minutes before bubble started forming in the pan and another 5 or so before I had my first cup of morn's coffee. 


Thuc and his family awoke-actually they awoke far before I did and to my bemusement I am fairly certain I heard some DSS sounds in the background. Between that and Artic Station Zebra and feeling the heat of the sun on the side of the tent I was ready to get up ASAP anyhow.  


As we all dressed for the day I asked Thuc if he had brought the pastries and muffins that was part of the things he had agreed to bring. He shot a sheepish green and said "looks like we're going into town."


Next thing I know we are in the Julien Cafe ordering breakfast. Truth be told it was fantastic. Normally I dont expect much in little towns as I figure they're not trying too hard to impress but everything on the menu was incredibly good with me and the wife sharing between the Cinnamon Roll French Toast and the Julien Skillet Scramble. I did feel a bit bad though as Alex decided at this point in time he no longer was going to order on the Kids menu and thus ordered the $8 blueberry short stack of pancakes and ate about 1/10 of it before he said he was full and didnt touch anything else afterwards. Cool place as well with the old style toilets in the bathroom and just an overall very cool vibe. We asked the waitress about the best places to buy groceries and she gave us a couple of suggestions. 

Alex's 8 dollar Blueberry Panckakes

We headed back to camp and longed to take a good old fashioned long camping hike through the west end of the Cleveland National Forest. By the time we got back it was  roughly 11:30 so I gave in impromptu speech about why hiking at the hottest point of the day is always the best time to start a long journey. I brought my water backpack which could carry 2L of waters and stuffed a few more bottles in for good measure and told the kids to bring as much water as they could carry.


We started the journey and walking the paved driveway to the trailhead I heard the first "Im tired." Good thing was it wasnt one of my kids. Finally making the trail we were off. Roughly 15 minutes into the hike Tomoko and I realized A)we probably should have researched which trail we wanted to go on, B)choose the trail I wanted to go on which went to the top of one of the peaks where you supposedly could see San Diego on the West, the Desert on the East, and a handful of Starbucks scattered about for good measure; and C)printing out the trail map may have been a good idea since we rarely saw the park ranger and when we did she mentioned they were out of trail maps. Later we realized Thuc was on the 5G network and selling shares of stock on the way courtesy of ETrade and could have used the net to pull up the trails anyhow but I digress.


We were about 30 minutes into the hike before all of the kids were taking turns complaining about heat and thirst and being tired....this was a far cry from when just me and the fam did the 3 Queens trail in Bryce Canyon Utah.  I implored the kids to move forward offering the idea that when completed we would spend the rest of the day at the stream for some cool water fun in the sun. It worked for a bit but not as long as Id hoped. I reflected back to my days of attending Grateful Dead concerts and marveled at how at one time walking around meant "buds, doses, shrooms" but now with age had morphed into "im thirsty, im tired, im hot."


We kept trekking however and each summit offered a beautiful vista and view of the landscape. Thrown about at random you would see the large burnt oak tree with its twisted burnt limbs reaching vainly to the sky. Some of the twisted, burnt, angle of the branches reached out like an old woman with arthritis. It made for fine juxtaposition however as the surging greenery permeating the area was eclipsing and engulfing was what at one time nothing more the miles of scorched Terra earthed. I could imagine how walking this same path 5 years ago after fire ravaged the land how it must have looked very similar to nuclear holocaust.


The kids didnt seem to see the same things I was seeing however and while each turn and bend of the path opened a new experience of organic awe that I embraced and actually became enraptured in, to the kids it may as well have been the Bataan Death March. Tomoko quietly asked how much longer and I gingerly sidestepped the question with a series of grunts and mumbles looking down lurching forward with a posture akin to Homo heidelbergensis. 

One of the many peaceful views the trail offered.....between kids complaining and whining that is.

I was able to buy a bit more time with the "one more hill" routine before finally realizing the one more hill was a trail overgrown with Poison Oak or at least some type of noninviting plant as well as the growing preasance of bees and other types of stinging insects. At that point I knew there was no way we could continue. Back to camp we went as the kids busted out the Gogurts and Capri Suns and celebrated.


So we made it back to camp and got everyone into their swim trunks...except me who decided it was hot enough were I could swim in my shorts and underwear and still be dry and comfy enough in time for the nights dinner. We walked to the path on the right this time as we sought the perfect pool/stream for the kids to splash around in. This time as well featured no snakes so that was nice.


Once settled I took a little quest further down the river to see what other natural formations harkened, beckoned, and otherwise invited me into its cool allure of moisture. There were some nice pools roughly 3 or 4 feet deep Id imagine but also with some currents that looked way too much for the kids and way too harsh for the Kubla Khan I was searching for. 




A few yards further down I found it-Cleveland National Forests answer to Chings Pond in Maui. A 5 or 6 foot waterfall culminating in a 15 by 15 foot pool of cool enjoyment. There were some young ladies in the area testing the pool and together we agreed that the pool could be 5 feet deep or maybe 15. It was the great unknown. I looked up and remembered that Tomoko and Thuc were with the kids and given I wasnt sure if this was the chosen pool I decided to go back and make the decision to jump later.

The magical pool in which I attained religious enlightenment

Later came and I decided that if I didnt swim the pool I would never forgive myself. I took off my shoes and made my way down the rocky surface to the lip of the pool and soon discovered the exposed rock that has baking in the sun for a couple of hours also retains and absorbs said suns heat. The searing smell of heel made the decision to jump in a bit easier....I took a small jump and was in! The cool water would arguably have been too cold in someone else's backyard pool but in this environment it was nothing less then perfect. I poked my feet down to test the depth and discovered that it was about 5 -6 feet deep in some areas. I swam from side to side and even underwater, fully submerged for a bit before swimming under the falls and letting the force of the falls give me a pseudo neck and shoulder massage. It reminded my of the waterfalls at the Tropicana in Vegas. I enjoyed the roaring of the falls in my ears blocking out all peripheral sound and the pulse of the water on my shoulders put me into my happy place 1 turn short of sheer bliss. After 30 minutes or 5 minutes-I will never know I decided it was time to walk back up to the kids. Walking out of the pool and onto the rocks I saw Tomoko had made her way down to the pool with the camera to take a few shots. As we walked back up the trail a group of teens passed us as one threw his towel to the side and did a cannonball of the edge of the rocks into the same pool I just left. We decided they must have been more familiar with the area then we were. 

We made it back to camp and I opened a can of cold Sapporo and collapsed in my camp chair to relax for a bit while the same bluebird who at this time was my Lex Luther decided to land on the stump 5 feet away from me. I was hot, tired, and stank. My shorts were still damp, my shoulders sore, and I would have paid top dollar for a bar of Irish Spring.

Quoth the Steller's Jay, "Nevermore."

The Final Day of our Journey can be found here....
Epilogue- We Say Goodbye

Utah Day 4- Hiking Bryce

We woke the next morning and did a couple of things we had been neglecting in the Zion Museum and one of the most picturesque spots in the park called the Hall of Champions, or the Justice League, or something thereof. Was a great easy hike and a nice view but after hundreds of spectacular views it tends to get a bit overwhelming or maybe yet another case of you’ve one magnificent million year old obelisk and you have seen them all.

We made the drive out to Bryce Canyon. It was about a 90 minute drive made all the more miserable by the fact they were doing road work which meant a normal 2 lane street was turned into a one lane street and stoplights gauged who went and who waited. But making it more fun yet was the road work meant a good stretch of road with huge divots, loose gravel, pot holes, teenagers rolling bowling balls down the hills, giant gorrilas throwing barrels, etc etc.

Bryce was funny in that one minute you were in a semi green wooded area and the next you were in the land of red hoodoos. We arrived to the lodge and were checked in by a couple of russians. I noticed later that the people servicing the rooms were russian as well. Later at dinner, the local greasy spoon served a quality of food akin to that of the snack bar at the Drive Inn, when they existed. I noticed the staff made up of one guy whole looked like Ahmenadijad and the rest being africans, not africans americans as they had a very very thick accent. I never thought a trip to Bryce Canyon would end up being the United Nations much less the same state we visited the same Costco not a couple of days earlier.

We unloaded and hit the park and I was amazed at the wildlife there...Deer were thick. There were bucks, does, fawns and you saw them at almost every turn. After seeing the 100th I told Tomoko-I think we can stop taking pictures of them now. We stopped by a couple of Viewpoints and the views were amazing. Where as Zion had a ton of views were you would be looking up at the monoliths, Bryce had views that were like deep 3D panaromas with rocks in front of other rocks in front of canyons with miles of mountains stretching in the background. We went back and on the drive home decided we would wake up early to see the sunset. The Sun rose at 6:10 and we were close enough to the park where we figured we could leave at 5:50pm.

As usual and par for the course I did not sleep very well and when the alarm went off was pretty much ready to go as I wasnt sleeping anyway. We opened the front door and were hit with a crisp blast of cold air that was reminiscent of the artic cold blast at mt haleakula on maui. We picked up the kids and put them in their car seats pajamas and all and covered them with the blankets we had brought with us. If there is one benefit of traveling by car is you really take an amazing amount of crap with you and go completely over prepared.

We hit one of the viewpoints that sounded like it might just maybe be a good place to watch the sunrise. It was called “Sunrise Point.”


Funny was that the sun was so bright that it was visibly clear and daytime long before the first blip of sun poached the horizon. It was magnificent as well in that the sun cast shadows that were amazingly long. I took a picture of my shadow that made me look like Kareem Abdul Jabar.

Me and my Kareem Style Shadow.



The other great thing about the sunrise here was that as the rays of the sun shown on the rocks different colors tended to radiate from them. Your basic red rock was showing orange, auburn, and sometimes even Burgundy. The sun rose and we decided to take the elongated drive to Rainbow Point. After 20 miles and 200 more dear we saw a sign that said we were still 13 or so miles from the Point so we settled on the first point we came to. It was still cold and this was yet another beautiful view. We coaxed Alex out of the van and wrapped him in a mexican blanket so he could enjoy the view as well. I noticed my bladder was full and if there is one thing I love is a good old fashioned out door piss....especially in a National Park with a cold breeze in my face. I walked down the fence area that separated the viewpoint from a 50 story drop and with a good 30 yards away from the loved ones leaked right over the side. It really is the little things in life that make it all worth while.

After that we drove right back to the Inn, Tomoko used the in room coffee maker and made me a nice cup of coffee, which I proceeded to drink 2 hours later as I was out like a light sleeping within minutes. I woke up, sucked down the coffee and ate a 2 day old croissant and packed the van. We were going to do a final hike before heading to Vegas and choose the .08 miles Queens garden trail. It was wonderful and wonderous with the only negative being the fear of one of the kids falling off the trail. Went very smoothly though and as we made the bottom of the trail we decided to go ahead and do the loop which added an additional 1.3 miles. The bottom of the trail was more mountain/meadow then red rock hoodoo and Alex was none too pleased the extra hike would mean a delay to our trip to Vegas-and to Alex Vegas means one thing and one thing only-M&M World.

At the bottom of the trail was an area with a lot of loose rocks where people had done rock stacking. We proceeded to make a couple of our own all the while staving off wave after wave of small nats. We started the walk back uphill and Alex and I joked about how many bugs we ate...Alex remembered a joke I must have said previously with his comment of “good protein.” It was either me or Bear Gryliss.

But what made this hike special was the both Alex and Dustin walked the entire trail without whining or asking for a piggy back ride. It was literally one of my proudent moments when we made it to the top and the whole family high fived each other and even Alex commented that Dustin was the man of the hour and that was his best moment so far.

We made it back to the van as to which I changed my sweaty shirt and we started the drive not only back to Zion but back to Vegas which quite frankly I was not looking forward to. Ill post some pics of this escapade later.

One of Bryce Canyons famous levitating dear.



A couple more the Ansel Adams collection...

Day 3-We go Hardcore Utah

I woke up refreshed having had a good solid nights sleep. I must say the pull out couch beds the Desert Pearl Inn offers is a very very comfy sleep. I was well prepared for that intruding middle medal bar that always sticks in the lower lumbar region but this bed had none of that...Dustin crawled up with me and went to sleep immediately so I wasn’t the only one who shared the same thoughts evidently.

I woke up and hit the market for luncheon meat. Was very happy to see the Sol Market was very reasonably priced...as a matter of fact must of the places in Utah are very fairly priced. I was semi prepared for the maui style price markup but as so far I have seen none of it.

I picked up some ham, turkey, and Monterey jack along with a few other odds and ends courtesy of the bargain bin that featured some butter scotch pudding and powdered wasabi which I found curious but then again-wasabi in Utah is probably about as popular as the guy wearing the rainbow afro wig wearing the full sized “the end is near” sign in downtown St Lake. I got a kick that I saw Salted Nut Rolls in the candy section-long having been one of my guilty pleasures when Im in Nebraska.

We made the free tram to the park and made our way all the way to the top of the hill to see the legendary stretch of Zion known as the Narrows. Basically you walk up the middle of the river and the farther you walk the taller and narrower the canyon walls become. We walked to the end and the mouth where the narrows begins having made the 45 minute trek in 90 degree not quite at midday heat. There were several others making the trek as well so it was a slight relief to know that we weren’t in No Mans Land.

Taking off my shoes and socks I stepped foot into the Virgin River only to find it was ice cold...I am talking a foot numbing style of cold where the muscles in your foot start to ache within seconds of stepping foot in the water. I put my socks in the backpack, put my shoes on and just walked into the river with my shoes. I figured it was hot enough where the shoes would dry quickly and also allowed me a bit more mobility as I did the Virgin River Hop Skip and Jump over various rocks and boulders. I heard later that the hike through the narrows could take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours depending on your pace. I will make this trek at a later date once Dustin gets past his “Im Tired, Carry Me” stage.

Alex, Alex, and Alex take in the view.



We made our way back and while the Kids made no attempt to disguise their wish to head back to the Inn for lunch and pool time Tomoko and I wanted to make one more stop at the Weeping Rock. It was an easy 15 minute or so hike from the shuttle stop albeit almost entirely uphill. At the top the Weeping Rock was just that-an Overhead of Rock that had water dropping through it.


The overhang had carved a staging area below that hikers were standing under. Along with the cool water feeling good on my head, it sounded like it was raining-not a waterfall or babbling brook sound but a sound just like a soft gentle rain. The semi cavern was well shaded and I couldn’t help but think had I a nice cot there would be no better place for an afternoon nap then this. Alex completly soaked his Angels hat while Dustin did his best to lean as far over the wall as possible to reach one of the thicker streams in spite of the fact there were plenty of drips well within arms reach and even well before the retaining wall. I think he was doing it just to scare Tomoko.

A picture I snapped during my "Ansel Adams period" which lasted about 5 minutes.




We made it back to the Van and back to the Inn and had a late lunch. I really wanted to take a nap but it wasnt to be. We finished lunch and I took the kids to the pool with tomoko joining me later in the jacuzzi which was set up perfectly as I could clearly watch Alex and Dustin as they splashed around in the pool. Whoever designed the pool area deserves a mega thumbs up. As a matter of fact I should use this space to throw mega props to the Desert Pearl Inn....everything was top notch. The pool was right in front of our back door and the river was only a 2 minute walk from the front door. The kids said they wanted to play in the river so making our way into the water and once again feeling the ice cold Virgin River water; it was a short trip to say the least.

Old Man River....the virgin river that is.



We stayed in the river less then 10 minutes and went back to the room for a brief rest. The brief rest turned into 4 hours of doing nothing and I loved every moment of it as we all went to sleep early.