Holy Moly

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Yesterday, while driving from Utah to Nevada, heading towards the Great Basin National Park, I had the scariest driving experience yet. I have never experienced anything like the weather I did- ever in my life and I had to drive through it. I was driving on a highway were I was the only one for about 3 hours and I was driving through a valley and it got dark really fast. It did not just start raining either, it was huge splashes or rain. I put the wipers on and kept going but what really started to freak me out was that it got windy. And boy do I mean blow you across the road windy. I struggled with the stearing wheel and drove more in the middle of the road just to stay on the road. Then it happened- Lightening. The lightening was bright and repetitive. I just told myself to keep driving through it and it would be over soon enough. The lightening got so close I saw where it hit and it was within a 4th of a mile of me easily. I kept at a steady 40mph and told myself not to stop. Fuck that- The lighteneing and the wind and the thuinder were so intense. As I drove out of it 20 minutes later I sighed and looked for darth. He slept through the whole damn thing.
So I get to the park and I had made reservations to get a tour of the caves. There are undergroundcaves at this park which is why I went. You have to make reservations for the tours which I did ahead of time. I find a cool campsite- which was level and that was hard for me to find. I then drove to the office and went on my tour. It started to sprinkle before we went in but looked mostly ok. With 10 minutes left of the tour, while we were heading back (which was sooo cool and I love underground caves! totally worth it) The lights go off. Power goes out and the lights, which are supposted to be backed up by a generator, don't come back on. What would have taken 10 minutes took about 20 to get out. It was pitch black and there were 3 flashlights to 8 of us. As we came outside the storm had followed and I had to wait it out since the lightening was hitting so close that going out in the weather held a very high risk of getting hit by lightening. Oh Boy!
Afetr the weather clears up and it gets all sunnny I take darth out for a walk and then take the drive back to my campsite. As I am driving up- someone is in my campsite! I park and go up and tell them how I had paid and left the slip to the post at that campsite. This toothless redneck sweatpant wearin old fuck starts telling me that there was nothing at the campsite. I told him that I left a slip and that i had paid. I also said i had an rv and had nothing to leave behind. He starts to get huffy and is saying all sorts of stuff, still saying that nothing was left behind. I told him a left a slip which he then retreives. He took my slip off and had it! He said it says 6-11 not 6-1. Whatever- you can't make reservations at this campsite. I was pissed I went back to the rangersite- got my money back and drove two hours to a city called ELY in nevada and there I camped.
I was awakened around 3am to the strom that had followed me yet again. I could feel the thunder and was awake for hours since it was so loud.

No I am up and heading to Reno- hopefully the drive today will not be as bad or scary. 7 hours to drive- here I go!
:)

Utah, Arizona, Utah, then where???

I just spent the last two nights at Moab Utah which is right by Arches National Park. With all of the national parks I have been going too I got an annual pass.
Arches is by far one of the favorite places I have visited besides Bryce canyon. The views along with the trails throughout the park are like nothing I have ever seen. I ran into a couple I had made friends with in Zion, who are from France and play cribbage, and they asked if I would like to join up and camp and hike together. Of coarse I would! After getting skunked by Paulo in the morning, we got off to an early start. Many of the hikes we took have no shade so starting early helps. Lots of water is key as well. Since national parks are so undog friendly I had the air conditioning on for Darth with two bones that I recently bought. Jessi, Paulo's girlfrind did a hike with just the two of us while he rested his feet and entertained Darth. Uphill and downhill and lots of sand and huge stone arches is about the jest of the trails. I had a great time. I did two trails today and parted ways with my new friends.
I am currently in Ridgefield Utah heading to the Great Basin park that is known for it's underground caves.
Whewwww.. I am ready to sleep in my own bed here soon. I am getting mighty sore but my sunburns are healing up fast. SPF 30 does not cut it in Arizona.

great place, great hikes

I stayed in Sedona and the surrounding area more almost 5 days. I really love that place and enjoyed myself with all of the hikes to do in the area. Darth and I also explored the city including "Uptown Sedona" which has some of the most elaborate galleries I have ever been in. I stayed in a really nice well kept RV park within walking distance of the city and it was succluded back within trees and hills.
I went on a couple more hikes where there were vortexs and packed lunches and plenty of water. All of the hikes around the area including the ones to vortexs allowed dogs so darth got to join me on all of them. While hiking I have to keep in mind that Arizona is alot drier then Oregon so I have to be careful that I bring alot of water where ever I go. I also have to remember that most of the places I go are at a much higher elevation.
The second day I went to a place called Acrosanti. To explain what this is will take time but in short it is a community that is built around innovatiove design, environmental accountability and the focus of community. It is deisgned amd based on Paolo Soleri and his thoery of a intgrated urban design. He focuses on exploring alternatives to environmental issues with architecture and ecology. What is built already is only a tenth of what is planned on being built. It is quite amazing and the creation of bells, both bronze and ceramic, help financially support this process. I was blown away to say the least.
I went and hiked to Montezuma's Well and Castle. I also did a hike to see some petrogliphs. There was alot of historical sights to be seen. I bought a book just on Arizona and Utah and I am glad of this purchase.
During this time in the Sedona area I also visited an old neighboor friend who bought 90 acres. I got to visit with him and his wife and he took me hunting out on his property. There were alot of deer and bucks and I had a successful and fun time.

And past the grand canyon I go!

Yesterday I got to see the Grand Canyon. It was cool. IT was a big gapping hole in the ground and I stood and looked into this hole with thousands of others that were either staying there or passing by. It was interesting in the least, and I spent the night at a very cool state park outside of the Grand Canyon.
This morning I was ready to go on. Seeing the Grand Canyon was cool cause now I know what it looks like and what the park is all about. However... Bryce and Zion took away my breath and has me wanting to go back unlike the Grand.
The Grand was nice but there are alot of lodges and rich snobby people there if you do not hike. I would only go back to hike the trails. Dogs are not allowed on the trails so t will be some time before I come back.

I left early this morning and am in Sedona. Sedona is so so so so awesome!!!!!!
I am planning on staying at least till saturday but I know I will probably stay longer. This city was worth the trip and is worth a trip again. I am staying in a full hook up RV park which is very secluded but within walking distance to the town itself. I am very close to all of the hiking as well. There are so many trails to hike and explore within 3-4 miles that are fun short hikes to long all day or overnight hikes. I have a book alone on the hikes just in this small area. I am so excited!!
Tomorrow I am planning on looking around the uptown of Sedona and do an afternoon hike. It was 101 degrees here today but it didn't feel like it. I went on a hike in the Red Rock Crossing and stayed there most of today. The area I hiked into was where one of many vortexs in the area is.
I am going to take a shower and do laundry now....
more soon!

June 21st, the second day at Bryce Canyon...

After I very cold night, I woke up with many ideas of what I wanted to do but not sure what to do exactly... haha!
My friend Kyle lives a couple hours away and came to meet up with me. His father had the day off and was going to come meet up with me later in the afternoon. Kyle and I decided to go hiking and he came early since he had to work that evening.
The biggest and most disappointing thing about national parks is that they are not dog friendly. Dogs are not allowed on any of the trails, so when I walk him I have to used the road. Luckily for me this time, Kyle and his family are very close to being true cowboys and knew the people who took care of the ranch and horses at the park. Darth was lucky enough to be able to stay at the ranch with a friend of his.
When I thought the park was amazing enough boy was I wrong. We hiked into the canyon, which was about 1200 feet down, and then we had to do it back up. The trails Navajo and the Peekabo trail is what we ended up doing, which is about 5 miles. The incline was rough cause of the altitude. The canyon is at 8,000 ft already. I am so glad I did the trail. It was cool. My camera died but I downloaded pics Kyle took- thank god!

After much fun, catching up, hiking breathlessly up hill and trying not to laugh because of how much effort it took, the hike was so memboral. The canyons are a whole different experience that I have not had till now.
After good byes... Kyles dad Dave pulled up around 1 and told me to put on long pants. He brought with him his horse trailer with his mule Dorothy, and his horse Ozzy. As I mentions, Dave is a true cowboy. He is a trail head at many different places and leads tours and hunting parties in Montana during the fall. He is quite the amazing man and I am glad I got to see him. We got to go out on trails that are only open to horses and mules. The trails also lead down towards the bottom of the canyon and riding a horse down steep curvy very narrow trail is nerve racking as all hell. I got used to it though pretty quicky and was busy looking at the heart of Bryce Canyon. Along the 7 hours we took to ride, he pointed out eatable plants and trees, rare flowers, and wildlife like foxes, turkey vultures, and other birds of prey. I was speachless almost the whole time enjoying the veiw and him talking.
Horseriding to explore a new place is the best thing I could do. I was so happy that night and happy that I was there. It made me want a mule as well.... hahahaha. They are what he calls the cowboys cadillac.

I am now in Zion national forest which is where I headed from Bryce this morning. The $25 it takes to get in is worth the money. There is a large group of bicyclists that started in Austin Texas which are riding to Anchorage Alaska. They are all camped out, and many from Texas as well. It is hot but I love it. Most other I know would complain but I am laying outside enjoying it as much I can. The hikes offered here are varied and has a huge range from steep, short hikes to long, all day hikes. It seems that most everyone here, except the bikers, are here to hike. Not many children are present, and many friendly people have offered to go hiking with me.The neighbors next to me even play cribbage!!!! oh joy!!!!
They have also been nice and offered to watch darth if i want to go out since one of them sprained an ankle- how very nice :) They are french too and I think I have had a change of heart about the french :) :).

Bryce Canyon is fascinating I must say

After leaving Provo and the surrounding area, I drove many hours on back roads with cattle crossings and rolling hills as far as the eye could see to, to a spectacular place called Bryce Canyon. If you have never been to Bryce Canyon and love Hiking- this is a place that one must visit. I was breathless... I found a great campsite, and was very lucky to have since about two hours later the whole campground was full. As I entered Bryce Canyon I found out that it was one of three free weekends offered so that saved me $25. I also was informed that the astronomy festival was going on that happens annually. After I set up the RV and leveled it out (which can be very hard to do by myself), I took darth for a quick walk and got back before a huge thunderstorm. It rained and poured and it was the loudest thunder I have ever ever heard. I took a nap through part of it:).
The weather cleared up as if knowing about the astronomy fest and I walked down to the parking lot where it was a complete nerdville, and saw around 20 telescopes set up ranging in size. Some of those telescopes I found out while looking through them, cost as much as $6,000 or more! I got to see saturn, a dieing star, star clusters (which look like a pile od diamonds), and much more. It was so so so cool. There were people from all over the country and there was a lady from pennsylvania giving constalation tours. I had fun and the fact I could see the milky way without a telescope but by my very own eyes was mindblowing. The darkness that settles on the canyon is so peaceful.
So that was my first day at Bryce Canyon and I can't really complain much.... :)