Thursday, June 18, 2009
We started off at the north entrance of the Joshua Tree Visitor Center and headed south to the Keys View trailhead and viewing area. From there we could see the entire Coachella Valley and our destination for that afternoon, Palm Desert. From Keys View we drove to Skull Rock where we started at the trailhead and followed a path that led us over, around, and through massive boulders. It was easy to see why Joshua Tree is the most active place for rock climbing in the US. I was able to talk Katy into honing her rock climbing skills by climbing a couple of the boulder piles. She did great and even made it to the top of a set of rocks landing her about 60 feet above the ground. We continued on looking for the infamous Skull Rock. I tried scaling a few of the larger formations never reaching the top. I always found myself in a position where I couldn’t go any higher without feeling too reckless. We piled back into the car and headed off towards the southern part of the park. Along the way we passed Skull Rock and we were not nearly as impressed with it as we were with formations we had seen earlier that we thought were Skull Rock. On our way to Cottonwood Springs we drove through landscape filled with Joshua trees and its smaller cousin, the Chollo Cactus. The previous day I had spoken with Joe’s mom, Jackie, about staying in Palm Desert for the night. She very graciously helped us find accommodations at the Marriot Desert Springs Villas for an incredibly low price. But before heading to our room with running water and a shower, I had to give Katy her first taste of In N' Out. She had the cheeseburger animal style with the lettuce wrap and was sold immediately on the wonders of In N' Out burgers. With our bellies full we checked into our room located near the eighth green of the onsite golf course. Each of us spent several hours washing the dirt and grime off our bodies to the point where we felt presentable in public. We then had a quiet evening grabbing some grub at a local seafood restaurant and reviewing our pictures from Sedona.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Joshua Tree, California
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
We woke up early and took a walk along the creek. We took some final pictures of Oak Creek and then packed up and drove out. We headed to Flagstaff where we took I-40 west towards Lake Havasu. We left Lake Havasu around 3:30 in the afternoon with temperatures nearing 100. Katy then decided she was ready to be in California and convinced me to continue on to Joshua Tree National Park. We called ahead to the ranger station and found the temperatures to be in the high 80’s. We found a great little campsite at the Black Rock campgrounds on the northwest corner of the park. We were treated to an absolutely unbelievable sunset that night with the sky all shades of pink and purple.
We woke up early and took a walk along the creek. We took some final pictures of Oak Creek and then packed up and drove out. We headed to Flagstaff where we took I-40 west towards Lake Havasu. We left Lake Havasu around 3:30 in the afternoon with temperatures nearing 100. Katy then decided she was ready to be in California and convinced me to continue on to Joshua Tree National Park. We called ahead to the ranger station and found the temperatures to be in the high 80’s. We found a great little campsite at the Black Rock campgrounds on the northwest corner of the park. We were treated to an absolutely unbelievable sunset that night with the sky all shades of pink and purple.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Sedona, Arizona
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Today we hiked up an easy/medium mountain called the Vultee Arch and stopped at the top where we took pictures of a rock arch formation that was tucked away in the mountain in the distance. We noticed others had left their markings in the rocks so we wrote “Katy and Phil Southwest Camping Campaign 2009”. The trail was filled with wildflowers (my favorite) and tall trees. Then we hurried back to meet up with Phil’s friend John Newcum. He’s a big ‘ol guy with a shaved head. We hung out at the Crescent Moon picnic area and made sandwiches with some cold beer. Not wanting to spend too much time there because of the rain forecast, we headed back into Sedona and stopped in at the Cowboy Café. We had heard it was a great little restaurant and bar so I was the curious one and talked the boys into going. Talking a couple of Californians into going to a cowboy place isn’t exactly easy normally, but they’re great and complied with my begging and pleading. I promised it would be worth it. Sure enough, we walked up and saw Kelly Rippa from the Regges and Kelly Show! She was there with her family and I was so excited I told the host and the waitresses standing by the door to go look out the window. I found out in a short moment that she goes in all the time, so I felt a little silly thinking I was spreading some new and interesting info. The boys had a good time making fun of me. The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent by the campfire with Phil and John telling stories and enjoying the nice night.
Today we hiked up an easy/medium mountain called the Vultee Arch and stopped at the top where we took pictures of a rock arch formation that was tucked away in the mountain in the distance. We noticed others had left their markings in the rocks so we wrote “Katy and Phil Southwest Camping Campaign 2009”. The trail was filled with wildflowers (my favorite) and tall trees. Then we hurried back to meet up with Phil’s friend John Newcum. He’s a big ‘ol guy with a shaved head. We hung out at the Crescent Moon picnic area and made sandwiches with some cold beer. Not wanting to spend too much time there because of the rain forecast, we headed back into Sedona and stopped in at the Cowboy Café. We had heard it was a great little restaurant and bar so I was the curious one and talked the boys into going. Talking a couple of Californians into going to a cowboy place isn’t exactly easy normally, but they’re great and complied with my begging and pleading. I promised it would be worth it. Sure enough, we walked up and saw Kelly Rippa from the Regges and Kelly Show! She was there with her family and I was so excited I told the host and the waitresses standing by the door to go look out the window. I found out in a short moment that she goes in all the time, so I felt a little silly thinking I was spreading some new and interesting info. The boys had a good time making fun of me. The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent by the campfire with Phil and John telling stories and enjoying the nice night.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sedona, Arizona
Monday, June 15, 2009
So we went out to do a hike at the Cathedral Rock. It’s listed as a strenuous, but short hike to a set of rocks on top of a mountain. About halfway up, Katy ran into a proverbial wall where she emphatically stated her opposition to continue further up the cliff side of the rock. Not wanting to miss the opportunity to see the top, I continued on, leaving Katy in a nice shaded area to wait for me to come back. Upon reaching the summit I found myself in a small saddle/plateau between three sets of enormous tower like pinnacles. After exploring the area for a while and taking some panoramic pictures of the area, I descended back to where Katy was. At that point Katy and I decided we wanted to try to find the mysterious vortex which according to our map was in the area. Katy called the ranger station to inquire about its specific whereabouts and we learned that the place I had just climbed down from was the Cathedral Rock vortex. Katy and I had been under the impression that the vortices were physical or natural phenomenon that could be seen but the rangers explained to us that in reality they were actually a spiritual and cosmic feeling that you experience in certain areas. The ranger explained that some people feel something in these places and others don’t feel a thing. While I didn’t feel any particular uprising while on top of Cathedral Rock, it was incredibly inspirational. Not satisfied with the extent of our adventure for the day, Katy and I chose to follow the Templeton trail west in hopes of finding a way down towards Oak Creek. After a short hike we found ourselves on the banks of the creek with clear crisp water running over rocks surrounded with trees lining the banks. We explored that area for a while and realized we were near the Crescent Moon Picnic area that offered a nice swimming hole and even a rope swing for the more adventurous. We found a shady spot on the creek where we could have a light lunch and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. We then hiked back to our car and returned to the campsite. After smelling ourselves we decided it was an absolute necessity to try to rinse ourselves off. The Manzanita campground where we have been staying offers no shower facilities so after a few days of hiking and stinking we found a small waist deep pool just a few hundred yards south from the campgrounds where we could stretch out in the frigged but refreshing water. Then we spent the rest of the evening trying to cook an early meal and then tried to find a scenic vista where we could drink a glass of wine and watch the sunset. Unfortunately the unusually overcast day prevented us from getting to see a red rock sunset.
So we went out to do a hike at the Cathedral Rock. It’s listed as a strenuous, but short hike to a set of rocks on top of a mountain. About halfway up, Katy ran into a proverbial wall where she emphatically stated her opposition to continue further up the cliff side of the rock. Not wanting to miss the opportunity to see the top, I continued on, leaving Katy in a nice shaded area to wait for me to come back. Upon reaching the summit I found myself in a small saddle/plateau between three sets of enormous tower like pinnacles. After exploring the area for a while and taking some panoramic pictures of the area, I descended back to where Katy was. At that point Katy and I decided we wanted to try to find the mysterious vortex which according to our map was in the area. Katy called the ranger station to inquire about its specific whereabouts and we learned that the place I had just climbed down from was the Cathedral Rock vortex. Katy and I had been under the impression that the vortices were physical or natural phenomenon that could be seen but the rangers explained to us that in reality they were actually a spiritual and cosmic feeling that you experience in certain areas. The ranger explained that some people feel something in these places and others don’t feel a thing. While I didn’t feel any particular uprising while on top of Cathedral Rock, it was incredibly inspirational. Not satisfied with the extent of our adventure for the day, Katy and I chose to follow the Templeton trail west in hopes of finding a way down towards Oak Creek. After a short hike we found ourselves on the banks of the creek with clear crisp water running over rocks surrounded with trees lining the banks. We explored that area for a while and realized we were near the Crescent Moon Picnic area that offered a nice swimming hole and even a rope swing for the more adventurous. We found a shady spot on the creek where we could have a light lunch and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. We then hiked back to our car and returned to the campsite. After smelling ourselves we decided it was an absolute necessity to try to rinse ourselves off. The Manzanita campground where we have been staying offers no shower facilities so after a few days of hiking and stinking we found a small waist deep pool just a few hundred yards south from the campgrounds where we could stretch out in the frigged but refreshing water. Then we spent the rest of the evening trying to cook an early meal and then tried to find a scenic vista where we could drink a glass of wine and watch the sunset. Unfortunately the unusually overcast day prevented us from getting to see a red rock sunset.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Sedona, Arizona
Sunday, June 14, 2009
On Sunday we drove into the northern part of Arizona and gained a newfound love for the state. In the southern parts the big cacti are interesting to see, but the northern part is unbelievably gorgeous! Imagine pine trees, rolling streams of water, red rock, grass and mountains everywhere. We said Sedona is like a little piece of heaven. We had reservations to camp at the Manzanita campground just outside the town. When we drove up to the site a short red-headed lady named Brenda came out to greet us. She was a pistol of a lady from Longview, Texas who you would want on your side, not against you! She was clearly rough around the edges and had no problem filling us in on all the drama that had gone on during the week. In the first two minutes of being there she told us about a crazy woman who was camping in an RV up on the road just above the campground and refused to leave. Apparently they almost went fist to cuff and the woman was kicked out of the site a few days earlier, issued a $300 fine for camping on the road, and still wouldn’t take a hike. She was simply staying on the road to torture Brenda. As we were setting up the tent, we saw the lady crawling down the mountain trying to sneak back on to the campsite so she could torture Brenda just a little more.
Regardless of the immense amount of drama, we were in love with the campsite and decided to make dinner and play a newly introduced game to me called Sets. Phil said it’s a game his family loves to play so he wanted me to learn with hopes that I liked it. Well, needless to say, I didn’t just like the game; I became very addicted and couldn’t focus on anything Phil wanted to tell me because I was so focused on winning “sets”. It must’ve been a sight to see watching me play because Phil took numerous pictures of me looking like a first time goofball who loved the game. He said he’s looking forward to us all playing together because I call “set” too often and get really excited. I can’t wait to play with his family now. When it got dark we lit an awesome fire and Phil now thinks I am a pyromaniac because I love messing with the fire. As for the crazy lady from earlier in the day, I decided I wasn’t taking any chances so we slept with the tent zipped up that night and Phil very sweetly walked me to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
On Sunday we drove into the northern part of Arizona and gained a newfound love for the state. In the southern parts the big cacti are interesting to see, but the northern part is unbelievably gorgeous! Imagine pine trees, rolling streams of water, red rock, grass and mountains everywhere. We said Sedona is like a little piece of heaven. We had reservations to camp at the Manzanita campground just outside the town. When we drove up to the site a short red-headed lady named Brenda came out to greet us. She was a pistol of a lady from Longview, Texas who you would want on your side, not against you! She was clearly rough around the edges and had no problem filling us in on all the drama that had gone on during the week. In the first two minutes of being there she told us about a crazy woman who was camping in an RV up on the road just above the campground and refused to leave. Apparently they almost went fist to cuff and the woman was kicked out of the site a few days earlier, issued a $300 fine for camping on the road, and still wouldn’t take a hike. She was simply staying on the road to torture Brenda. As we were setting up the tent, we saw the lady crawling down the mountain trying to sneak back on to the campsite so she could torture Brenda just a little more.
Regardless of the immense amount of drama, we were in love with the campsite and decided to make dinner and play a newly introduced game to me called Sets. Phil said it’s a game his family loves to play so he wanted me to learn with hopes that I liked it. Well, needless to say, I didn’t just like the game; I became very addicted and couldn’t focus on anything Phil wanted to tell me because I was so focused on winning “sets”. It must’ve been a sight to see watching me play because Phil took numerous pictures of me looking like a first time goofball who loved the game. He said he’s looking forward to us all playing together because I call “set” too often and get really excited. I can’t wait to play with his family now. When it got dark we lit an awesome fire and Phil now thinks I am a pyromaniac because I love messing with the fire. As for the crazy lady from earlier in the day, I decided I wasn’t taking any chances so we slept with the tent zipped up that night and Phil very sweetly walked me to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Phoenix, Arizona
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Well, Phil’s perspective of the “fear of heights” went a little like this from my point of view……steep mountains, one lane dirt road, no guard rail, edge of the cliff the whole way, and turns with blind spots at every corner! If the car moved even one foot the wrong way we would’ve fallen off the edge of the mountain. When you have Dale Earnhart Jr. in the driver’s seat, it’s a little scary. He’s a wonderful driver, but I was a little freaked out. I kept myself occupied by taking pictures of the cacti that were deformed and interesting while Phil kept trying to trick me into looking down. No, thank you! After Phil experienced seeing all my nerves were being shot I confessed that I would love to go on the trail again. It was the neatest drive I’ve ever been on and totally worth it! I’ll always remember that drive.
According to the locals in Phoenix, we have stumbled upon some very unlikely weather. It has been about 85-90 degrees during the day and cools down quite a bit at night. Apparently, it’s usually around 105-110 at this time of year, so we’ve thought ourselves to be pretty darn lucky. Phil’s friend, Ross, has been so nice to let us crash on his living room floor. This morning he took us to a little restaurant that serves oven-baked pancakes. So, like bread, it rises! You can literally order a pancake that is about eight inches high! Little things in life like that excite me. It’s been a quick trip to Phoenix, but I’m excited to get into Sedona today. We’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about it.
Well, Phil’s perspective of the “fear of heights” went a little like this from my point of view……steep mountains, one lane dirt road, no guard rail, edge of the cliff the whole way, and turns with blind spots at every corner! If the car moved even one foot the wrong way we would’ve fallen off the edge of the mountain. When you have Dale Earnhart Jr. in the driver’s seat, it’s a little scary. He’s a wonderful driver, but I was a little freaked out. I kept myself occupied by taking pictures of the cacti that were deformed and interesting while Phil kept trying to trick me into looking down. No, thank you! After Phil experienced seeing all my nerves were being shot I confessed that I would love to go on the trail again. It was the neatest drive I’ve ever been on and totally worth it! I’ll always remember that drive.
According to the locals in Phoenix, we have stumbled upon some very unlikely weather. It has been about 85-90 degrees during the day and cools down quite a bit at night. Apparently, it’s usually around 105-110 at this time of year, so we’ve thought ourselves to be pretty darn lucky. Phil’s friend, Ross, has been so nice to let us crash on his living room floor. This morning he took us to a little restaurant that serves oven-baked pancakes. So, like bread, it rises! You can literally order a pancake that is about eight inches high! Little things in life like that excite me. It’s been a quick trip to Phoenix, but I’m excited to get into Sedona today. We’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about it.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Apache Trail and Phoenix, Arizona
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Our plan on Saturday was to make it to Phoenix by early evening so we could meet up with two friends of mine from Duke, Adam and Jen Burns. However, never wanting to keep things too simple, we found a route that would keep us off the main highways and let us explore a bit more of Arizona. We ended up following route 88 along Teddy Roosevelt Lake and the Salt River, a path known as the Apache Trail. From our perspective, the trail started at Teddy Roosevelt Lake, where the last handmade dam in the US still stands. From there, we jumped on the dirt road that would take us along the Salt River towards Tortilla Flats. The road itself was quite an adventure. It was only about the width of one and a half cars and had steep cliffs plunging off its northern edge to the canyon and water below. It was here that I learned of Katy’s not-so-mild case of fear of heights. But, she and I survived and arrived in Tortilla Flats, an old ghost town established in the late 1800s by a Dutchman who had discovered a gold mine in the nearby Superstition Mountains. We stopped for a prickly pear ice cream and then headed on into Phoenix. We made it to Adam and Jen’s around 5pm and met their 17 month old daughter, Nancy Kate. We had dinner with the trio and then drove to Scottsdale to stay with another friend from Duke, Ross Guttler.
Our plan on Saturday was to make it to Phoenix by early evening so we could meet up with two friends of mine from Duke, Adam and Jen Burns. However, never wanting to keep things too simple, we found a route that would keep us off the main highways and let us explore a bit more of Arizona. We ended up following route 88 along Teddy Roosevelt Lake and the Salt River, a path known as the Apache Trail. From our perspective, the trail started at Teddy Roosevelt Lake, where the last handmade dam in the US still stands. From there, we jumped on the dirt road that would take us along the Salt River towards Tortilla Flats. The road itself was quite an adventure. It was only about the width of one and a half cars and had steep cliffs plunging off its northern edge to the canyon and water below. It was here that I learned of Katy’s not-so-mild case of fear of heights. But, she and I survived and arrived in Tortilla Flats, an old ghost town established in the late 1800s by a Dutchman who had discovered a gold mine in the nearby Superstition Mountains. We stopped for a prickly pear ice cream and then headed on into Phoenix. We made it to Adam and Jen’s around 5pm and met their 17 month old daughter, Nancy Kate. We had dinner with the trio and then drove to Scottsdale to stay with another friend from Duke, Ross Guttler.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
