Utah 2009

                                                Utah June 2009

            The trip started with a visit to Scottsdale, AZ. This was our first stay in Trish and Shane’s McCormick Ranch home. It is lovely and convenient. Lauren, at 2.5 years is a lively, independent woman. Where does she get that? She and I played dolls and house and basketball. She served me virtual cherry juice in a plastic teacup out on the little balcony off her bedroom. The joys of grandparenting! Shane’s dad, Randy, joined us for dinner one night, regaling us with tales of his adventures on the high seas. It was fun.

            We left Trish and family in Arizona and headed north to Utah. This adventure was planned two years ago when Sue Rosenzweig our Rhode Island friend, suggested it. At the time our travel schedule was so full, we needed a two-year notice. Sue, her husband Marty, and our Spokane friends Del and Eva met us in Utah. We have shared trips to Italy, Glacier Park, and Greece. We always manage to laugh over our adventures and misadventures.

            The plateaus and funky rock formations were awesome as we approached the Utah/Arizona border. One section was deep turquoise with sienna and sand tones. It is sculpted by Nature with striations in horizontal squiggles. What look like pebbles alongside the road from a distance, when approached are huge boulders?

The massive scale and impermanence of southern Utah send messages of awe and reflection.

            We stopped at Navaho Bridge to view the deep canyon with a river winding below. The water was moss green set against the red of the stone cliffs. We passed sections of white rock laced through with red mineral veins. I’m liking Utah scenery!

  

            Our first three nights in Utah were spent at Ruby’s in Bryce Canyon Park.

En route we drove through a tiny town named ‘Kanab’. Wait a minute; what was that? A police car pulled up on the curb with a mannequin in the driver’s seat? We’ve seen several more as we pass through small towns. A reflection of the recession, I suspect. Some wear hats, some take awkward poses, but none is on the payroll! Mike’s comment was, “They sure have a lot of police but they’re all dummies!”

The entrance to Bryce Park, along Highway 9, is so impressive. Towering cliffs, mesas, fins (new vocabulary) several shades of stone: rose, sienna, white, gray, and turquoise. Fir trees and cottonwoods, ash and alder stand watch over the swirls etched into the rocky slopes. Amazing!

            We ate dinner at the Bryce Canyon Lodge, built in 1924 for the Union Pacific Railroad. The fresh trout with pumpkin seeds was yummy, the wine superb.

Zion National Park

            We drove the 86 miles to Zion National Park. The entrance is impressive with a long unlit tunnel followed by a dramatic switch back road down into the mammoth canyon with towering rock cliffs on all sides. We stopped at the visitor center to get our bearings and headed for trails via the shuttle service. We hiked to the Emerald Pools. It was pleasant, but the waterfalls were slight due to the lack of rain? A much more interesting hike was Weeping Rock. Signs along the way identify the flora. It ‘s a very good idea to keep one’s eye on the trail, however. The drop is formidable and the stone crumbles off the edge. The trail ends in a plateau with an overhang. Water seeps from the sandstone and forms a curtain of ‘rain’. Yellow columbines somehow grow in between the ledges with no apparent soil. There are grasses and ferns on the canyon floor. Every way we looked there was a dramatic vista with a range of colors, architectural shapes, green plants, etched rock. All this against a blue, blue sky. You don’t need to know that I urged Eva to take this hike and even offered to guide her there.  Not such a good idea since I am direction-challenged. I was confident beyond reason, as I had just taken the exact path, right?  We headed up a steep, loose rock, dusty, vertical path. Mmmm. It didn’t look familiar. Where were those nifty flora signs?  Where was the alcove with the rain curtain? Eva spotted it way below us. I had overshot and taken the wrong (and more arduous) route. Backtrack time.

We boarded the free, eco-friendly buses from place to place. All the Utah parks are very well organized and convenient for visitors.

After our hiking, we were primed to enjoy a delicious dinner at Parallel 88 restaurant in Springdale. We sat on the patio facing a view of the changing light on the mountains. The temperature was moderate, the conversation engaging, and the desserts indulgent.

            Along the road, deer seem accustomed to tourists. Buffalos roam near the highway. Antelopes frolic. The newborn mini-animals are adorable.

Bryce Canyon National Park        

Bryce Canyon is at a higher elevation than Zion. I wore all my layers in the morning chill. However, when we started hiking, the weather was perfect. Zion’s plateaus were around 6,000 ft.; Bryce’s around 8,000. Our eyes were cast upwards in Zion and downwards in Bryce. I would rate both in the “must see” category.

  

 The landscape is a mix of Tolkien, Gaudi, Roman, Greek, Polynesian and Indonesian? Wow! So intriguing. For those of us who grew up finding animal shapes in the fluffy clouds; this is grad school. The sandstone hoodoos are little towers atop the massive rock formations. Named because they evoke voodoo, they form then disintegrate over time. Rain, erosion and earthquakes created the configurations of today. These forces will continue.  The flash floods that carve this stone must be amazing to see. There are warnings everywhere to avoid the canyons during storms, as humans are powerless and must run uphill to escape drowning.

            The Navaho Loop trail winds down into the Bryce Amphitheater. It’s just steep enough to make you feel adventurous Fascinating rock shapes surrounded us. It’s easy to understand why they bear names like ‘fairyland’ and ‘hoodoo. ‘ Vivid citron primroses dot the white sandy rock. Bursts of red, yellow, and purple surprise us in their contrast to the neutral color of the ‘background’ stone. This is the Minerals Party- their time to shine and be recognized! The power of Nature may be the motivation for our respect. The sheer scale may inspire our childlike delight in this place?  We would round a corner of the trail, spot a fanciful shape, and alert our companions.

            We took the Queen’s Garden trail back. One guidebook proclaimed the Navaho Loop/Queen’s Garden walk the best 3-mile hike in Utah. I agree. We tipped our hats to the stone Queen Victoria hoodoo, towering above us. Some parts of the park reminded me of huge chess sets. Now very, very hungry, we took the park shuttle bus back to our car and headed to the motel where we expected to join the others for lunch. Oops!  “Where is Marty?” asked Sue. 

            Our intentions were sterling, our practice meandering. One of us suggested we meet at noon at the Visitors Center, another that we meet around 12:30, and another that we meet back at the motel.  Marty heard the first idea. Marty waited. Probably Marty fumed? He wisely ate lunch NOT toasting our good health. When he joined us a couple of hours later, he was calm on the outside.

            Both parks were full of visitors to America.  Always drawn to foreigners, I loved hearing French, Dutch, Japanese and Italian. It was wise to be here in early June before the crowds. The weather has been perfect so far.

We took Scenic Byway 12 from Bryce, admiring the Escalante Staircase en route.

Capitol Reef National Park

            From Highway 12, we took equally scenic Highway 24. It runs right through Capitol Reef National Park.  We drove past Chimney Rock and The Castle of stone to a picnic area, sat under a mulberry tree, and had our lunch (cheeses, crackers, fruit, and Eva’s yummy bar cookies.) A mule deer family watched us as we watched them.  We continued down Hwy 24 and stopped to see the Fremont Petroglyphs etched by native peoples about 1,000-1300 years ago.  We could discern animals and people in the several yards of remaining drawings.

Goblin Valley State Park

            The innkeeper at our next stop, Moab, insisted we stop at Goblin Valley even though it’s off the main roads. He was so right! Children from 5-105 years can frolic among the reddish stone goblins. Each is unique. It seemed squiggly shapes with beady eyes, were watching us by chubby goblins with big noses, by a trio of goblins perched on a horizontal stone bridge.  

            We arrived at our B & B in Moab, UT, and were served a chilled glass of wine and a cold beer. Our host, Keith and his wife built the Adobe Abode Bed & Breakfast Inn. We see three different mountain ranges from this unique place. A few are still snowcapped. The changing light and endlessly varied shapes are fascinating. Because it was built as an inn, there are different sitting areas to accommodate both mixing and solitude. The stuffed cougar looms over the breakfast area, Georgia O’Keeffe skulls stand sentry from the fireplace. What most interests me is the homemade furniture. A tree limb secures a countertop, clay scalloped trim serves as a baseboard.  Then onto Buck’s Grill for some delicious homemade bread, duck tacos, elk stew, buffalo meatloaf and blueberry and lemon tiramisu! Yes, it’s such a good idea to hike all day if we are to eat this grandly.

Arches National Park

            One of the world’s best bargains is a senior lifetime free admissions pass to our National Parks; it’s only $10. Can’t you just wait to be 62? We followed our usual pattern of Visitors Center, scenic drives and selected hikes.

            Double Arch trail was a highlight of this park. It is easy to imagine Indiana Jones climbing the rocky incline and scaling the arches. The arches are lovely from a distance, but really remarkable up close. We envisioned the fun our grandchildren would have climbing scary promontories and pinnacles. We also hiked to Landscape Arch and viewed Delicate Arch from a mile away. A close view of this one is earned by a steep incline. We declined.

                                    Canyonlands National Park

            The guidebook was right. This park is less crowded. We decided to concentrate on the Island in the Sky section of the park. Traveling with two avid gardeners, we stopped to examine the wildflowers in the many meadows on the canyon floors. Mesa Arch, impressive in itself, frames an incredible view of chocolate colored rock formations. These are carved like separated jigsaw pieces, separated by irregular cracks.  The shadows contrast with the deep brown and are set against the lighter pink, rose, green, yellow and purple stone nearby. Minerals create this palette- ever changing with the light. This is just one example of the power of natural forces over the millennium.

The adventures that weren’t meant to be:

1.      Shafer Road- We admired the view of this canyon and noticed a steep, winding, switch-backed narrow road snaking along the canyon walls and floor. Then we chatted with a couple nearby.  He recalled driving a jeep along this impossible road in the 1950’s, searching for uranium and a $10,000 prize from the president. All he had to do was fill his jeep with uranium. He said he fell short, but it was an adventure to make him smile in his elder years.

We asked a ranger about the road. He assured us our moderate clearance

4-wheel drive could manage this scary road even though high clearance is ideal. Mike mumbled something about having just one low gear, but I was fueled with the thrill of adventure sports within my reach. The four of us who enjoy hiking, packed into the car ready to drive to the Corona Arch trailhead. The ranger pointed out the Shafer Road was the shortest route. He mumbled that one needs to take the hairpin turns slowly and that there were two spots one could turn around if the heights bothered the spirit. I was enticed. We all agreed to this adventure. We drove to the road. We looked down. We read all the warnings. What were we thinking? We made a u-turn, took the conservative’s road to Corona Arch trail where we would reassert our prowess.

2.Corona Arch

Our soon-to-be daughter in law, Dee Dee lives nearby in Grand Junction. She recommended a hike leading to Corona Arch.  I had hoped to arrive at the trailhead at three, so we were running over an hour late. The four of us stared at the description of our future: rope ladders, slick slip rock, loose rock, elevation- oh my! Our estimate of a two-hour hike had to be revised. We reflected on our nerve and expertise. In other words, should we survive, it would take us three hours. Our farewell dinner was scheduled at 7pm. We bailed. Thanks, DeeDee, for having more faith in our ability than we possessed!

            Rock Paintings along the Colorado River in Meander Canyon

                                    The native paintings we saw in Canyon Reef were etched into the black manganese covering the sandstone.  The Meander Canyon pictures were painted directly onto the rocks. They read like a mural. A man with a bow hunted a buffalo. Adorable goats frolicked nearby. Unfortunately, so did some modern graffiti. Still, a site worth seeing, standing adjacent to the mighty Colorado River. The green grasses and cooling trees along its banks beckon. The mosquitoes wait in anticipation. Enough of that idea; we return to our cars.

                                    Our group’s farewell dinner at the Sunset Grill in Moab was tasty and congenial. We stood on the patio admiring the setting sun and surrounding hills. The restaurant was once the private home of Charlie Sheen. Unlike the man we met at Shafer Viewpoint, this man did find uranium- lots of it.  He had a 360-degree view of some gorgeous territory.

                                                Eva’s Picnic Lunches

           

            About 1pm each day, we found a picnic table. Eva swooped a blue tablecloth onto the table and handed us each a lovely cloth napkin and tumbler (choice of plum or cobalt blue). Out of her cache she brought silverware, cheeses, salami, fruit, crackers, and homemade cookies. Our final picnic had an uninvited guest. No, not a mosquito, but a wind so powerful it swept a heavy bag (opened, of course) off the table and onto the dusty, dusty earth. Lots of things toppled. We scrambled to redeem our soaked repast.

                                                The Joy of Hiking

            Hooray! Mike and I found a retirement activity we both enjoy. I love to walk anywhere anytime. Mike, for some reason, likes to walk somewhere. We earned some spectacular views by hiking each day. This gave us energy and an excuse to order: one chocolate soufflé’ with warm fudge sauce, one blueberry/lemon tiramisu smothered in whipped cream, a fancy chocolate tower of mousse, chocolate decadence, chocolate syrup with raspberry sauce, cherry pie a la mode, and cheesecake.

                                    The Serenity of Beautiful Scenery

            What a mentally relaxing week: LITTLE CELL PHONE COVERAGE, miles and miles of ever-changing scenery and helpful hosts. The sky alone invites a visit and provides a perfect backdrop to the dramatic scenery. Why haven’t I heard many people gush about southern Utah?

                        The Satisfaction of Discussing Elder Issues

Traveling with our contemporaries, we can swap health horror stories. Yes, it’s sometimes boring, but we are boring each other rather than alienating those who cannot fathom the number of losses in acuity and comfort old age brings. We laugh and share the burden. We pop pills actually prescribed by doctors!          

            The last leg of our trip was a genealogical visit to Salt Lake City. We stayed at a motel next to the Family History Library. The staff and volunteers are friendly and helpful. Like the Utah parks, the center is very well organized. Each of us made a little progress and suffered disappointment when some searches dead-ended. The Temple grounds’ beautiful little gardens soothed our tired squinting eyes. That microfilm reader is tortuous when combined with the faint fancy script of official records!

            I admire the modesty of Mormon dress. White shirts, dark slacks, gray suits, long skirts and blouses bespeak respect for self and others.

            Thanks to Fodor’s travel guide, we made dinner reservations at the Metropolitan Café for our last night in Salt Lake City. On a Wednesday night, it was nearly empty. The décor was sparse Japanese bamboo with etched copper panels. It was pricey, but delicious. This chef presented unusual combinations of food that actually enhanced the taste of the whole.  Our favorite is a house special, potato and mushroom columns sheathed in the absolutely best potato skins I’ve ever tasted. They looked like striated tree bark.  We walked back to our hotel in the light rain. Locals said it had been raining every day for three weeks.

            If you enjoy these blogs, thank our daughter, Trish, who urged me to record our adventures. The doing has always had more appeal to me than the reporting. Once I’ve written a journal, I am grateful to have a reference when recommending places to friends and family. Go to southern Utah!