Coral Dust Between My Toes

2011-05-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

Tis my faith that every flower

Enjoys the air it breathes!

"Lines Written in Early Spring,"

~William Wordsworth,

Lyrical Ballads, 1798

pic: flickr

Utah is experiencing a strange and rare spring...meaning it cant decide how to behave!!
Its cold and wet one day and then the next its hot and windy or windy and cold.
But the fruits of this behavior has got to be the greenest desert I can ever remember savoring!!
This morning the wildflowers were resplendent!!!
And since I was strolling this morning...with a dear guest with new blisters...I had time pull out my trusty wildflower book and do some "research."
The above bloom is called- Scarlet Gaura. (havent a clue how to pronounce it.)
Its a dainty little flower...it has no call to live and thrive in the desert...but it does!!! And its showy to boot! And as most desert flowers seem to be..it has unique attributes that help it to survive here in this harsh climate.
My Audubon wildflower book taught me that this flower is white when it newly opens and that it attracts night-flying moths which are its primary pollinators. By early the next day, the flowers are pink, and the color intensifies throughout the morning hours. The flower remains open for less than a day.
Fancy That!!!

2011-05-08T09:01:00.000-07:00

Each kind of bird has a name for its gathering.

Geese have "gaggles," seagulls "flocks."

Ravens come in "unkindnesses." Until now I

did not fully understand the meaning of

the term. I swear they were scowling at me.

from: The Animal Dialogues

by: Craig Childs

This book Im reading...
The Animal Dialogues...
FABULOUS!!

If I dared...I'd share something from every chapter with you!!!
but instead..I'll just tantalize you with some of what I found fascinating from my reading last night.

Craig Childs loves the desert even more than I...and hes a patient and mindful observer of all that surrounds him out there in the wild. Plus he's an excellent writer!!!
He's a little nuts though...
for he chooses to live in tipi's on the Colorado tundra...for years at a time...even through the winters!! Or he hikes for hundreds of miles through Mexico, just for the adventure. I think he prefers the company of critters and quiet than he does civilaztion.
so I guess the resemblance between us begins and ends with our love of the desert and for the inhabitants there of.
It turns out that Craig is as intrigued by ravens as I am.
I have alway sensed that the ravens I see in the sky or that are perched above our heads on the rocks watching us closely...are a unique and singular bird. We hike.. and then realize that we are in 'their space' ...and they watch...
I feel sure that there's more to them than just those huge bills and blackness beyond description. And those beady eyes that miss nothing!!! gulp
Craig describes them eloquently!!
May I share a few excerpts?

"I am always prepared for the impossible from ravens. Animals of omens and nevermores, they rule the desert, able to reach every crack and ledge while I am restricted to the ground as if wearing chains.
Of all bird species, Corvus corax, the raven, is considered the most ingenious. In one experiment with ravens it was soundly demonstrated that they have the ability to follow another's gaze- e.g., you glance at a peanut with interest, and a raven turns to see what you're looking at. This is a skill documented among only the smartest animals, especially those with tight social networks like wolves and primates."

Remember Alfred Hitchcocks'-- The Birds!!!!??? Can you say Creepy!!!!

" Ravens are the largest of the corvids, a group of birds whose behavior tops the avian IQ test. This is based on the number of novel feeding behaviors any bird species exhibits, derived from two thousand observations in the wild published over seventy-five years. Corvids--magpies, crows, jays, and raven--employ more adaptations and innovations than any other bird. Ravens pull up baited fishing lines by stepping on the line, reeling in slack with their beaks, stepping on the line again, and finally pulling in the fish. They poke sticks into bug holes, bend wire to hook meat from between cracks, unzip backpacks, and open ice chests."

Are you exclaiming outloud, like I did, that this cant be so?? Are you shocked and amazed?? I'll bet that now when you spy a raven flying overhead...you'll never "see" them in the same light again.

"Down to their every gesture, ravens are rich with character, more so than most people. Their sentiments are not disguised. They are theatrical birds. Even quietly perched on a church roof of under the arm of a bridge, ravens are obviously brooding, grumbling among one another, plotting the end of the world."

Dont look now...but there's a raven out there watching YOU!!!
See!!! Gathering coral dust between ones toes is always enlightening and now maybe sometime unnerving as well !!!!

2011-05-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

Paul Newman on the set of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969, dir. George Roy Hill ) (photo by Jimmy Mitchell, via 20th Century Fox: Inside the Photo Archive)

For years...about 7 to be exact...I have been telling our guests at the Spa about this scene in the movie BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID!!! We hike past this waterhole about once a week...(if I have anything to do about it)...and we stop and I give my little narrative about the movie. And it turns out that I've been wrong..all these years. I've been telling folks that it was Robert Redford who fell back into the water... it was Paul Newman all along!!!
Its good to get the facts straight.
Its even better to finally stumble upon picture proof of the fact!!!
Southern Utah is the backdrop to many a western movie!
Come gather some coral dust between your toes with me, and I'll share this spot with you!!!

"Uncommon Encounters" Is Right!!!!

2011-04-16T02:30:00.000-07:00

FROM THE BOOK: The Animal Dialogues

Uncommon Encounters in the Wild

by: Craig Childs

"Other than having a single lung, rattlesnakes are more of less the same as all vertebrates, including humans, only they are stretched long, the red bead of the heart resting above a cigar-shaped liver, followed by a ravel of intestines and a pair of lengthy kidneys. The snake has a few hundred sets of rib bones compared to a human's twelve. Ribs are connected to an equal number of vertebrae, which are hinged off of one another with ball-and socket joints, allowing the snake to freely articulate its entire body."

Hikers here in Southern Utah have a healthy respect for the rattlesnakes. And even though they are rarely seen or heard out on the trails here, we know they are out there...

We prefer not to see them and hope never to disturb one.

We also would never let the possibility of encountering this beast of the desert deter us from a great hike!! The possibility just adds to the adventure!!!

2011-04-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

“Allow motion to equal emotion.”

— Elbert Hubbard

Our weather here this spring makes one wonder what the summer will be like this year. The end of March was warm enough...no, hot enough....to draw out an old, hardy tortoise into its warming light. March is the earliest I've ever seen a tortoise wander from its protective den!!! And yet there one was...sunning on a rock on the side of the well trod trail of Paradise Rim!! What a treat!! What a great omen...for a good summer of hiking and discovery!!
and then....
April arrives with a bang!!!
April has left that old guy wondering about his motives.
April has brought snow...and no small amount either!
All the tortoises and lizards and snakes have run for cover!
All the beautiful wildflowers are bent over in shock...
I might doubt the omen of the tortoise...except for today...amongst the snowflakes we spotted a roadrunner perched on a black volcanic rock, staring us down!!!
Thats a more powerful omen than the tortoise!!
Yes indeedy it is!!
Bring on Summer!!
We are ready!!!

2011-04-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

“You need special shoes for hiking –

and a bit of a special soul as well.”

— Emme Woodhull-Bäche

We high-tailed it to Zion National Park yesterday...for we felt sure that Obama was going to close it down...to save a buck!!! We wanted to be sure to get a last visit in, not knowing how long the shut down might last?
Driving into the park...we quickly discovered that we were going to be in for a treat! The Park felt empty...and it was snowing...in April no less!!!
Its very hard to describe how this park effects the soul. No matter the time or season...you cant help but be moved. Yesterday was no exception...it was glorious to behold. And even though the trail to Hidden Canyon was unaccessible...to our liking anyway...we were not disappointed in the least. We built tiny snow men, and caught snowflakes on our tongues, and pelted one another with a few lightly packed snowballs!! What a delightful way to spend an afternoon...among the snowflakes and magic of Zion!!!

2011-02-23T08:45:00.000-08:00

"On the banks, on both sides of the river,

there will grow all kinds of trees for food....

Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing"

Ez 47:12

When we were hiking Stairway to Heaven a few weeks ago, a good hiking buddy pointed out a plant at the side of that trail that I hadnt taken notice of before. (thats odd of me...for I love the flora and fauna of the desert.) Im so grateful that she stopped to have us take note of the Yerba Santa plant...for I have learned something new and interesting here!! Lynette knew that it had medicinal qualities...so I 'googled' it and found a plethora of information on this little wonder of a plant.

Here is what I learned:

Yerba Santa – named “holy weed” by early Spanish priest because of its medicinal properties.

Here is a most interesting description of this plant-

“Yerba Santa is an exceptional member of the Waterleaf Family (Hydrophyllaceae) Most of these varieties of plant grow in cool, moist habitats, indicating a strong relationship to the watery element. Yerba Santa also has a relationship with water, although in an opposite way. With its tough, resinous leaves, it holds and conserves its water from the inside to meet the intense fire of its environment. This quality helps us to understand the medicinal use of Yerba Santa as a regulator of the water element. Yerba Santa coats the mucous membranes and holds the aqueous component in contact with the cells, reestablishing mucopolysaccharides. As such, it is an excellent herbal remedy for chronic respiratory ailments, used as an expectorant used to treat coughs and congestion, as well as aiding in loosening and expelling phlegm. It dilates bronchial tubes, and thus is used to ease asthma and allergy attacks. A tea, tincture or syrup is typically made from the leaves, sometimes including the flowers, or as a smoke from the leaves.” via

(Lynette said that a brother-in-law of hers even quit smoking with the help of this plant. )

Unlike many medicinal herbs, yerba santa actually has a pleasant taste. It has been used as food flavoring and in cough syrups to disguise the bad taste of other ingredients.

The Lord said He would provide. Isnt it amazing that such a non-descript little plant can be full of such wonders and cures?! Remarkable!!

2011-02-11T04:54:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about books on hiking.

And only one has come to mind right now.

I read this haunting story many years ago, but it is still vivid in my mind.

When I try describing this book to friends and family, the first words that come out of my mouth are, "you will never look at or appreciate your feet more after having read this story based on the true life of Mary Ingles Wilder."

spoiler alert!!!

Mary Ingles, is living on the frontier during the French and Indian War. Indians raid her settlement taking her sister-in-law, two sons, a gentleman, and herself captive. They travel from West Virginia clear to a spot near present-day Cincinnati, Ohio. On the way she gives birth to a little girl and earns the respect of one of the chiefs. She also tries to memorize the trip in case she gets a chance to escape.

Once at the Indian settlement, she makes friends with a sturdy Dutch woman that has just run the gauntlet. Mary is taken, with some others including the Dutch woman, to a salt lick to gather salt. During the autumn days spent there she and the Dutch woman escape. Regarded as lost, they are not followed. Since she had paid attention on her trip into the wilds, Mary knew that she must follow the river. With only a hatchet and two blankets, Gretel and Mary travel along the Ohio and New Rivers. The book supplies a map of their trip.

Mary's one driving force is her love for Will, her husband. She must get back to Will. Gretel's goal is food, which leads to trouble for Mary. Mary's persistence and single-mindedness and just plain guts get her through horrible conditions and depravation. She and Gretel almost starve to death, but they do make it back--even through snow.

We think we know how to hike.

I Know I would not have survived this ordeal...no matter how much coral dust I've gathered between my toes!!

Follow the River is a 5 star read as far as Im concerned!!

Give it a try!!!

2011-02-08T03:51:00.000-08:00

“How can you explain that you need to know that the trees

are still there,and the hills and the sky? Anyone knows they

are. How can you say it is time your pulse responded to

another rhythm, the rhythm of the day and the season instead

of the hour and the minute? No, you cannot explain. So you walk.”

-- Author unknown

This morning we did something new. New is always fun and adventurous. When its new...5 miles feels like 3 or 4, (despite the sand). New brings more possibilities. Learning one new hike this morning now means we can change up two or three of our 'regular' hikes with new variations. I love new trails. Im grateful to Kendell for sharing this with us, and to Cheryl for the great pictures. My camera died this morning when going for my first shot! dang!

2011-02-07T04:51:00.001-08:00

CALIFORNIA QUAIL (Callipepla californica)

The California Quail is a highly sociable bird that often gathers in small flocks known as “coveys”.
One of their daily communal activities is a dust bath. A group of quail will select an area where the ground has been newly turned or is soft, and using their underbellies, will burrow downward into the soil some one to two inches. They then wriggle about in the indentations they have created, flapping their wings and ruffling their feathers, causing dust to rise in the air.
They seem to prefer sunny places in which to create these dust baths.
An ornithologist is able to detect the presence of quail in an area by spotting the circular indentations left behind in the soft dirt, some 7–15 cm (3-6 inches) in diameter.

2011-02-04T08:57:00.001-08:00

"In the American Southwest, I began a lifelong love affair with a pile of rock."

-- Edward Abbey

My Sojourns magazine arrive this week in the mail!!!
I love this publication!! Everything about this periodical is divine. The feel of the paper on which it is printed and the photography it contains is all beautiful and ??unique and beyond compare. Even the weight of it in my hands is perfection!!! The graphic design is eye-catching and the essays are always thought-provoking and enthralling!! Im just sorry it only comes a few times a year!!!

This printing is all about "portals."
Im sure you're asking as I did, what "portals" have to do with National Parks and preservation and natural history......
Well... it goes something like this-
the very first article is a strange and diabolical thing about the sun and life on Mars and, strangely enough, also about desert varnish. (a distinct black coating on our rocks in this area...it looks as though the rocks have been burnt on the surface)

The sun: a portal of life
Mars: is there life?
desert varnish: what is life?

Did you know that the sun has PMS on a celestial scale?!! Our glorious sun powers down, looses it zeal and its umph at times, so to speak. (and...nobody can tell it to snap out of it!!!) The sun is cyclic too!!!
Next the article asks us to think about the ancient Anasazi and the Hopi and Navajo nations who were and are highly concerned with all things celestial and whom are cognizant of what goes on in the heavens.
And then comes the interesting and fascinating segway into having us think about the phenomenon of desert varnish. It is on these silky brownish black surfaces that the Anasazi 'wrote' or pecked away on to communicate and leave messages. Some folks believe as Michaelangelo did, that the Indian nations were there to 'let the story out' of the stone, for the world to see.
We are asked to think about the ever present question- "what is life?"

"If the tiny life forms associated with desert varnish have the "know-how"--
the genetic ability and chemical wisdom- to survive extreme environments,
who's to say they arent intelligent in their own mysterious way? In an era
in which biological studies regularly reveal marvelous new layers of
existence (plants can think and remember! Slime molds can solve a maze!),
clearly we have a lot to learn about both "life" and "intelligence." For
looking at the worlds around us, curiosity has always been our wisest portal."
-Maria Melendez
Sojourn Magazine

So...maybe there is "life" on Mars as well??

Please become a friend of Zion National Park, and then you too can enjoy this semi-annual stellar publication!!

These amazing Anasazi writings are in my "own back yard!!!"

2011-01-29T09:53:00.000-08:00

We've been busy!
And now we have a new website....and look how nicely it turned out!!

Go check it out and let us know what you think!!!

Huber Wash Hike

2011-01-27T15:47:00.000-08:00

Rose doesn't like the flat country, but I always

did-- flat country seems to give the sky such a chance.

from: I Capture the Castle

by: Dodie Smith

This hike is best done in the fall and winter months due to brutal temps in the summer! It is an open exposed hike with very little opportunity to get out of the sun along the way.

Mount Kinesava

There used to be a sign marking Huber Wash, that we discovered this week no longer exists. The sign was located about 6 miles from of the south entrance to Zion. From the the highway you can see a gate off to the east down in the wash.This is where you should park. Pass through this gate and be sure to close it behind you. There is a path of use that leads toward the Huber Wash. Follow the beaten path 100 yards and down into the wash. (there is an electrical sub-station to the left.) Turn north (left) once arriving at the bottom of Huber Wash and follow the dry wash . After about .3 miles of hiking in the wash the Park Boundary is marked with a fence and hikers gate just above the wash on the left. Close this gate behind you. Beyond the gate is the national park boundary. Mount Kinesava is the mountain range in the distance. The Rockville Bench is to the southeast.

Continue upstream, staying in the main wash. Do not wander out of the wash, to avoid damaging delicate cryptobiotic soil. Look for petrified wood throughout this hike, however scavengers have stolen most of the small pieces. After an easy 2- mile hike the wash ends in an alcove or dryfall. At times there is a nice waterfall in the alcove, but there is always a nice display of vegetation growing in the alcove. In the winter there can be icicles hanging on the sides. Be sure to look for the petrified log-jam on the right side of the wash.

I believe most people stop their hike here and turn around and head back to the road. This week our group decided to scale the unique "yellowish" rock to the next level and there we discovered some carins that led us to the Chinle Trail where there was a lot of petrified wood laying about to enjoy. The definition below helps to explain why the "wood" we saw sparkled like glitter laden stone!! It was BEAUTIFUL!!!

*Cryptobiotic soil is one of the oldest living forms of life. If damaged it can take several decades to repair itself. The crusty ground cover is made up of mostly cyanobacteria, but algae, lichens, moss, bacteria and microfungi are also involved in the makeup. Long ago these were responsible for changing the earths original atmosphere one that is filled with life sustaining oxygen.

*Petrified wood: is the result of a tree having turned completely into stone by the process of permineralization. All the organic materials have been replaced with minerals (most often a silicate, such as quartz), while retaining the original structure of the wood. Unlike other types of fossils which are typically impressions or compressions, petrified wood is a three dimensional representation of the original organic material. The petrifaction process occurs underground, when wood becomes buried under sediment and is initially preserved due to a lack of oxygen which inhibits aerobic decomposition. Mineral-laden water flowing through the sediment deposits minerals in the plant's cells and as the plant's lignin and cellulose decay, a stone mould forms in its place.
In general, wood takes fewer than 100 years to petrify. The organic matter needs to become petrified before it decomposes completely. (thanks wikipedia!)

Hiking When its HOT!!

2010-03-20T05:49:00.000-07:00

Every summer, ill-prepared hikers head into the heat without understanding the effects of heat-related illnesses, including dehydration, heat cramps, heat stroke, heat exhaustion and heat rash. Don't ignore what your body may be telling you!! Listen...in order to avoid long-term health complications, and in the worst cases, death.

Symptoms of heat-related illnesses include:

Red, hot, dry skin, no sweating (sign of heat stroke)
Heavy sweating (sign of heat exhaustion)
Rapid, strong pulse
Headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Confusion
Paleness
Muscle cramps
Fainting

Ive said it before, and I'll say it again and again....

Drink Water Throughout the Hike!!

A 16-ounce water bottle won’t cut it. Hikers need to hydrate before, during and after the hike. It's important to drink water before becoming thirsty. Thirst is a sign of dehydration.

I LOVE my Camelbak. These are ideal for hikers who don’t want to carry a water bottle, and they have other pockets for other small items like keys, snacks or a cell phone and the always popular IPod!!! These types of backpacks typically hold 20 to 100 ounces of water.

Eat Caloric Foods for Energy

Hikers should eat before and after they hike. Depending upon the length and difficulty of the trek, it may be necessary to snack while on the trail. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats can provide short and long-term bursts of energy. Suggestions include: granola, dried fruit, oranges and apples, protein bars, and trail mix.

Just like hydrating the body, it’s important to eat before getting hungry. This ensures the body is not losing vital carbs and proteins, which are essential to sustaining cardio and strength. Additionally, a salty snack will help the body retain water needed during long hikes.

Never Hike Alone!!

Despite adequate preparation and experience, heat-related illnesses can strike unexpectedly. Hiking buddies not only provide companionship and encouragement; they can be crucial in an emergency situation. If a fellow hiker is sickened by the heat, cool him or her off with a wet shirt, find shade and hydrate. Carry a cell phone in case medical attention is necessary. In you choose to be a rebel and hike alone, be sure to tell someone where you going and when you plan to return.

2010-03-02T06:24:00.000-08:00

Its gunna get hot again!!!
I just know it is!!!
I have faith!!!
So why not have some fun recalling what it takes to enjoy a hike in the heat.

What is it that hikers should do and think about while hiking when its really hot outside?

First- Protect your skin against those pesky UV rays of sun. Its recommended to be sure and cover up as much of your skin as possible. "They" say that light colored, flowing clothing is actually more cooling that bare skin or our sexy tank tops. How about that?! Cotton is good, or even better is the new fangled sweat wicking fabrics that are out there now. And did you know that you can still get a sun burn through white clothing??!! Try beige or gray or other light colored clothes instead.

Second- wearing a hat is a great idea. Sunbeams beating on the ol noggin cant be good. Hats with brims all around; hats which can be dampened are even better.

Third- Sunglasses. I need sunglasses!!! My baby blues are hyper sensitive to sunlight. I must have sunglasses to cut down on the desert glare and to portect the retnias.

Fourth- Sunscreen is a must as well. Dont forget the back of your neck and ears and knees and under your chinny-chin-chin!! Get the sports brand variety- it wont sweat off as readily. Be sure to slather on the lipblock as well!!

Lastly- but definitley not least, drink lots and lots of water. Full hydration helps our bodies function more efficently!!*

Of course use good judgment!! I hike in the early morning hours before it gets too blazing hot!! And sometimes I got out later in the afternoon. Take breaks in the shade- take time to smell the creosote!!

Hot sand between the toes is great therapy too!!

(*Thirst is NOT an indicator of hydration levels, by the way. Outward Bound Schools warn that once your body sends you a message of thirst, you are already dehydrated. Have a Camelbak water bladder easily accessible throughout your day, and don't forget to use it. The water won't do you any good inside the container. Drink it up and look for more.)

Alternative to Hiking Sandals?

2010-02-28T09:02:00.000-08:00

Vabram Five Finger Classic

At first glance, I was convinced that this strange footwear had to be a joke!!!
But now...I've seen them on actual hiking feet!
If I could bring myself to put up my Keens...maybe I should try them on our trails?
How could I gather coral dust between my toes with these strange boys??!!
Could these be better than hiking sandals?
Leave a comment if you've ever worn them, or have an opinion.

Hiking, Walking, Moving

2010-02-23T05:48:00.000-08:00

Want to lose weight for free? No supplements needed, no drugs required, take a walk or a hike. With the economy deteriorating fast we are all looking for things to do that are free. Unemployment is up, prices are up, about the only thing going down are our home values and retirement funds.

The weather is perfect for walking. Start the walking regime that works for you. If you are in reasonably good shape, just open your door step outside and start walking. If you have any health problems at all, check with your doctor before you start any exercise program. You should walk fast enough to get your heart rate up but not so fast that you cannot speak comfortably. Try to increase your intensity or distance every few days. To increase your weight loss and conditioning try to jog for short spurts.

Grab the dog, call a friend, bribe a child, do whatever it takes to get moving. You will feel better after taking your walk or tackling a trail, and you may just lose weight in the process.

2010-02-20T21:56:00.000-08:00

I got to strap on my beloved Keens a week ago and hike the beaches of San Diego!! They were glorious!! The hiking shoes and the beach!! I gathered real 'coral' dust between my toes!!
ahhh!!!
I broke down and bought myself a pair of hiking shoes from Keen this month as well. They are marvelous!!! They're light and airy and come with plenty of traction and style!!
LOVE, LOVE, Love my Keens!!!

Day Hike Anyone?

2010-02-20T06:32:00.000-08:00

Billed as a backpack that is stocked and packed and ready to go for your pleasure on a day hike...they would be happy to take your $500 for the chance.
There's lots of good stuff in there though, including a first aid kit, poop trowel, space blanket, multi-tool, headlamp -- but alas, no duct tape. Alas, every well equipped backpack MUST come with duct tape!!
Doesnt it kind of make you wonder who would spend this much for a day pack...sure its a nice idea, but dont you envision the person purchasing such a thing as this, as being the one who would immediately get lost on a trail and need rescuing and find themselves on the news?
God bless the good intentioned hikers and God bless capitalism!!!
If you'd like- go HERE to find out more.

10 Most Dangerous Hikes in America

2010-02-18T05:39:00.000-08:00

(I know, I know...this isnt America...but still....)

From a slippery Sierra catwalk to a treacherous Hawaiian paradise, Kelly Bastone in Backpacker posted this list in 2008, naming the country’s 10 most hazardous hikes.

The Maze, UT

Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon, AZ

Barr Trail, Pikes Peak, CO

Mt. Washington, NH

Muir Snowfield, Mt. Rainier, WA

Huckleberry Mtn., Apgar Range, MT

Kalalau Trail, Kauai, HI

Buckskin Gulch, UT

Abrams Falls, Great Smoky Mtns., TN

Mist Trail, Half Dome, CA
( I wonder where Angels Land ranks on the list?)

Click here for details on each.

One of Ten Top Adventures

2010-02-17T05:54:00.000-08:00

Im re-visiting a book that may be one of my all time favorite books I've ever read. At least as far as being inspire and motivated by a true and unique story.
You may be wondering what it has to do with hiking?

First, learn a bit about Greg Mortinson.

"A dazed climber descending from a failed attempt on K2, got lost, stumbling into a remote village."

Greg Mortenson is the co-founder of nonprofit Central Asia Institute www.ikat.org , founder of Pennies For Peace www.penniesforpeace.org , and co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Three Cups of Tea www.threecupsoftea.com , and author of the bestsellerStones into Schools www.stonesintoschools.com.

In 2009, Mortenson received Pakistan’s
highest civil award, Sitara-e-Pakistan
(“Star of Pakistan”) for his dedicated
and humanitarian effort to promote
education and literacy in rural
areas for fifteen years.

This guy has done more by himself to help Pakistan than all the hundreds of millions spent by the U.S. government. I love the title of this article: He Fights Terror With Books I highly recommend his first book.

"Never has the failure to climb a mountain
led to such success. After Greg Mortenson
failed to climb K2 in 1993 to honor his
dead sister, he picked a new mountain. He
raised enough money so a small village in
Pakistan could build their own school.

In 2006 he published Three Cups of Tea, a
book chronicling his journey. By 2009 he
had supported more than 131 schools in
Pakistan and Afghanistan. At a time when
U.S. foreign policy is governed by military
might that includes Shock and Awe and a
flock of high-altitude drones, Greg Mortenson
took a simpler, gentler approach. He traveled
on rugged roads to small villages—in the same
remote regions where the United States
dropped bombs from unseen and unheard planes
high in the sky—to deliver cash so locals could
build schools from stones and have basic
supplies for their children. He took the war
against violence out of the sky and put it in
the hands of young girls on the ground. "

Outside – The Top 10 Adventure Stories of the Decade

Can I Have That....Please!!!!????

2010-02-15T05:34:00.000-08:00

are you tempted to purchase one for you and every member of your hiking family!!??

Hoverwhat?? Hoverflies!!!

2010-02-13T06:19:00.000-08:00

(image from wikimedia)

They like landing on sweaty skin, sampling the salt.

"Flies in the Diptera family Syrphidae are commonly known as hoverflies, flower flies, or Syrphid flies. …

Many Syrphids mimic bees or wasps in appearance. It is thought that this mimicry protects hover flies from falling prey to birds and other insectivores which avoid eating true wasps because of their sting. …

Hover flies get their name from their characteristic flight pattern of hovering nearly still, then darting a short distance very rapidly only to start hovering again, a pattern not seen in the wasps and bees they mimic."

Wikipedia

They can be found at altitude on trails most everywhere around the world.

"About 6,000 species in 200 genera have been described.
Hoverflies are common throughout the world and can be
found on every continent except Antarctica. Hoverflies
are harmless to most other animals despite their mimicry
of the black and yellow stripes of wasps, which serves
to ward off predators. …"

wikipedia

How about that!!??

2010-02-10T06:10:00.000-08:00

All sorrows are less with bread.
from: Don Quixote
by: Cervantes 1602

I was fortunate enough to spot a pair of foxes out and about on the Paradise Rim hike, early one morning. Every once in a while I am treated to such a rare event. I am always grateful!!!
Enjoy!!!

Principles of Leave No Trace

2010-02-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Plan Ahead and Prepare

1. Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
2. Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
3. Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
4. Visit in small groups. Split larger parties into groups of 4-6.
5. Repackage food to minimize waste.
6. Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.

Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

1. Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.
2. Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
3. Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
4. In popular areas:

1. Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.

2. Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.

3. Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.

5. In pristine areas:

1. Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.

2. Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.

Dispose of Waste Properly

1. Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter.
2. Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
3. Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
4. To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.

Leave What You Find

1. Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch, cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
2. Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
3. Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
4. Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.

Minimize Campfire Impacts

1. Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
2. Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
3. Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
4. Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.

Respect Wildlife

1. Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
2. Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
3. Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
4. Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
5. Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.

Be Considerate of Other Visitors
1. Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
2. Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
3. Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
4. Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
5. Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises

link here

Merril Mens Hiking Sandal

2010-02-02T05:11:00.000-08:00

Built with open-air breathability of a sandal, but the comfort of a shoe, this sandal features a waterproof leather upper for support, and Aegis® treatment in the spandex neoprene lining and EVA footbed adds the best in antimicrobial protection. The nylon-injected arch shank provides excellent arch support and stability. Protect your foot with each step you take with the help of a rubber toe bumper, Vibram® siped outsole and stretchable mesh tongue.

Features & Benefits of Merrell Men’s Saugatuck Multi-Sport Fisherman Sandals:
Waterproof leather upper with an elastic lace and lock system provides a customized fit.
Aegis antimicrobial treatment in the neoprene lining and footbed fights odor and bacteria.
Nylon injection molded arch shank supports the arch for added comfort and stability.
Rubber toe bumper protects the forefoot from bumps and scrapes on rocky terrain.
Vibram siped rubber outsole provides excellent grip on wet surfaces, keeping you steady.
Compression molded EVA foot frame enhances walking comfort and stability.
Other Important Information About Merrell Men’s Saugatuck Multi-Sport Fisherman Sandals:
Material Content: waterproof leather upper, spandex neoprene upper lining treated with Aegis, compression molded EVA insole, Vibram rubber outsole.
Care: Buff with a leather cleaner. Wipe off with a dry cloth.
Imported.

Mens Teva Hiking Sandal

2010-02-01T04:57:00.000-08:00

Coupling the freedom of a flip-flop with the security of an ankle strap, the "Original" Teva was an instant hit and quickly became the shoe of choice within the Grand Canyon River Guide community. As a commitment to our heritage on the Grand Canyon, you can still find styles like the Original, the Ultimate Thong and the Universal Buckle within the Teva® collection today.
From this beginning a culture of passion for the outdoors has defined the Teva® lifestyle. The name Teva®, pronounced "teh'-vah", comes from a Hebrew word meaning nature. The hand in our logo is derived from the symbolic language of the Hopi people. When translated, the hand is a symbol for friendship and the spiral a symbol for water giving us our creed: "friendship with water".
Moving into the next 25 years, Teva® remains committed to both the innovation in footwear suited for the outdoor lifestyle and the protection of the earth's waterways.
(description from Teva official site)

Its Been Snowing Outside!!!

2010-01-30T08:22:00.000-08:00

Question of the day: are snowshoes getting better because their popularity is booming, or is their popularity booming because snowshoes are getting better?

Snowshoe questions and answers Here.

If you like snow, (crazy people) you may be in luck. Right here in Southern Utah you can find plenty of the white stuff,(hopefully for only a short time) to lure you out and give snowshoeing a try!! Remember all you really need to bring are your best waterproof boots and trekking poles! And have fun!!!

Give Pine Valley a try
or Brian Head Resort
and surprisingly even Red Mountain Trail!!

Chaco Hiking Sandals

2010-01-30T04:46:00.000-08:00

Chacos sandals' straps are incredibly adjustable for the perfect fit. Toe straps hold your big toe snugly in place. The polyurethane footbed, with its sculpted heel cup and sturdy arch, provides excellent support. In fact, the American Podiatric Medical Association approves Chaco shoes for your feet's health.

Chaco's anatomical pull-through strap system; the single strap is completely connected through the sole, so you'll have maximum adjustability with a fit that will conform to any foot. The biocentric footbed offers premium support for your adventurous feet, while the durable rubber outsole consistently works hard to provide traction on most any surface.

Product Features

Material: Polyurethane, nylon, rubber
Sole: Vibram Unaweep rubber
Adjustability: Adjustable strap (instructions included on box)
Recommended Use: Hiking, wading, fly fishing, camping, traveling, casual
Warranty: Lifetime (manufacturer defect)

(amazon description)

Chacos advantages-

*Aggresive arch support which controls pronation

*Sculpted heel cup centers the foot's natural shock absorbing pad.

*Heel risers increase lateral stabillity

*Multiple widths ensure proper fit.

These Hiking Sandals are Really Keen!!

2010-01-29T16:11:00.000-08:00

The web sight for Keen Footwear, www.keenfootwear.com asks people to “follow their dreams.”
In my opinion, Keen hiking sandals ARE a dream!!
And the story of their development is a dream come true as well.
Martin Keen, a footwear designer from Rhode Island, was trying to attract attention with his new sandal at a trade show in Las Vegas in 2003.. Keen, 38, a veteran shoe designer as well as an international sailing champion, loved to wear sandals while sailing, but had grown tired of bashing his toes on the cleats and winches and deck fittings. So he designed a hybrid sandal with a closed toe that offered the protection of a shoe and the comfort of a waterproof sandal. Then along came Angel Martiniz a former executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Reebok Ltd. and the former chief executive officer of Rockport Co. shoes, Martinez was a legend in the footwear industry, a 25-year veteran with a stellar track record for building brands. Angel with the business and marketing experience and Martin with the creativity, turned a novel idea into an international success!

"It's an amazing little company," said Mark Sullivan, group editor and publisher of Sporting Goods Business, a publication that tracks the outdoor market from New York City. "It's incredible how quickly they've become a legitimate footwear company. Teva, everyone's funky sandal company, has tried and tried to break out of the sandal business and become a footwear company without success. But Angel has already done in a year what Teva couldn't do in 15 years."

Keen Footwear is now located in Portland Ore, after having its start in Alamdea Ca. It turns out that Portand is home to more than 20 footwear companies and 20 outdoor apparel companies. Genius abounds in Portland!! Smart move for Keen!!
Oh how I love to hike in Keens!!!

Hiking Red Mountain Trail

2010-01-28T07:42:00.000-08:00

When I was young in the mountain,
I never wanted to go to the ocean,
I never wanted to go to the desert.
I never wanted to go anywhere else
in the world, for I was in the
mountains. And that was always enough.
from: When I Was Young In the Mountains
by: Cynthia Rylant

While Utah is a dry climate (ha!!!), the weather can change often. Plus there can be dramatic temperature variations with the elevation changes. The elevation in southern Utah can go from 3,000 feet above sea level (St George/Zion area) to over 10,000 feet (Cedar Breaks area).
The climate in St. George is semi-arid with two separate rainfall seasons in the early spring and late summer which average about 3 inches of annual precipitation. Although average maximum temperatures for the summer months are between 95 and 101 degrees Fahrenheit, the low humidity makes these temperatures agreeable. Oh so agreeable!!!!
The Southern Utah climate features bright sunshine, small annual precipitation, clean air and a wide daily temperature range. Another attractive feature is mild winters with infrequent traces of snowfall which rarely stays on the ground more than a day. (says who!!??)

St. George's climate is an attraction in its own right. It has become a green oasis in the desert, (do you see any green!?) and the combination of the warm, dry winter climate and natural beauty is always to be counted upon! (Ha!!)
Generally speaking, winters in southern Utah enjoy low humidity and clear, blue skies. At lower elevations the weather is milder, with occasional light snowfall.....
The record high temperature in Utah was 118 °F (47 °C), recorded south of St. George on July 4, 2007, and the record low was -69 °F (-56 °C), recorded in the Bear River Mountains of northern Utah on February 1, 1985.
Bring on the Heat!!!!

2010-01-22T03:35:00.000-08:00

I have lived my life by faith, choosing to
believe that life has to make sense, choosing
to believe there is Spirit behind matter,
choosing to believe consciousness survives
death, choosing to believe there is a God
and that God is Good.
from: Consider the Butterfly
by: Carol Lynn Pearson

Something unexpected rose from the desert washes in Snow Canyon park 5 years ago this month. Something rare and wondrous and humbling. We were receiving rain- lots and lots and lots of rain. Rain fell from the sunless sky for 5 days straight, without letting up. It was a warm, thawing downpour. Snow in the nearby mountains began to melt in vast quantities, and with alarming speed!! There was hardly time to think or speculate. All this surplus water, all this runoff had nowhere go! The sand and stone were as saturated as a sea sponge and so the deluge began its run to the lakes. Rivers, streams, and gully washes formed in places that hadnt seen water in a hundred years. Trails closed or were washed completely away. Roads and paved paths were swept away in the ferocious currents, as well as 21 beautiful homes!!! And the sound...the unprecedented noise of rushing, tumbling , crashing water, making its way to Vegas, was a din of proportions unheard of in these parts. This desert is normally a thing of serene quite, hardly a bird peeps. But, for a few days we were treated to the disturbing, though at the same time mesmerizing sounds of water madly foaming and raging as it pounded its way over paths unaccustomed to such treatment. It was a tumult not soon forgotten. And a show of mother nature awesome power that we hope wont soon be repeated!!

Johnsons Arch

2010-01-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

Right at the west entrance of Snow Canyon State Park there is a parking lot! If you park there and cross over the road you'll find a small wood fence with a swinging gate. If you would like a very mild, easy hike, head south on that well trod path and you will find an impressive arch tucked back in a delightful canyon. The "hike" is only 2 miles round trip, and very easy to do. I The locals call this hike Johnsons Arch. Tucked back in this beautiful canyon are glens of cottonwood trees as well as willows which get their water from a natural spring. Johnsons Arch was named after Maude Johnson who was a Mormon pioneer who settled here eons ago! This trail is closed from March 15th-Oct 31st because there is a nesting pair of Peregrine falcons which nest back in there every year.

If you'd like a very talented artists perspective on this amazing natural arch gohere to see Roland Lees rendition of the arch.

2010-01-15T09:26:00.001-08:00

sand angels...me on the right!!

Happiness
A state you dare not enter
with hopes of staying,
quicksand in the marshes, and all

the roads leading to a castle
that doesn’t exist.
But there it is, as promised,

with its perfect bridge above
the crocodiles,
and its doors forever open.

Stephen Dunn

2010-01-11T16:19:00.000-08:00

MOKE MARBLES

MOQUI MARBLES

SHAMAN STONES

MOKO BALLS

NAVAJO CHERRIES

There seems to be quite a few names for these very unusual geological formations found here in Southern Utah and Arizona. I find myself hiking across 'pools' of these rock about 2-3 times a week. (more on that in a moment)
American Indians that lived in the area are said to have used these strange geological anomalies for games, and in their slings for hunting and to absorb bad spirits and to even reduce pain. (more on this in another moment)
Break one of these stones open and you will find that they are filled with sandstone. The dark outside shell has iron, phosphorus and lime in its make-up. Nobody seems to know for sure how these fascinating rocks were formed...but there sure a a lot of interesting theories. Astroid hits, volcanic actions and mostly mystery are the hypothesizes I have read about. But all agree, they are old, old, old. 120-199 million years old!!!
Some folks in these parts believe that the stones hold mystical powers. Hold one in your hand and it may absorb negativity and replace it with useful energy. (Im all about useful energy!!) Maybe...just maybe I had better appreciate the fact that I can and do hike over beautiful 'puddles' of this stone, and that I do gain more from the experience than I realize. All I know is that these marbles have been in the Navajo Sandstone for millions of years and that its a safe bet that they were in there before the dunes were turned into stone by oceans of water those millions of years ago!!!
How about that!!??

Hiking Red Cliffs Extreme!

2010-01-08T13:53:00.000-08:00

My pallid words cant begin to describe a day like today! Or more specifically, a hike like todays!! The delightful ladies from California wanted something a little extra special and a little more challenging today...to cap off their week (they have no idea yet about how special tomorrow will be for them when we take them to Zion!)
So...we drove to Red Cliffs to do the 'extreme' hike out past the ropes! These pictures tell it all!!
It was a superb hike with superb company!! Plus this time there was water!! Rushing streams and waterfalls!!
There was frosty coatings on the plants in the shade.
There were puddles of sunshine!
There was fun!!

And no good hike comes with out challenges!!

It was an amazing, glorious morning, and now I can finally say that I have my feet back under me...after what felt to be a long winters nap. Im hiking with confidence once again! Wish you could join us!!
Click here to see pics of our hike on Thursday to the cinder cone!!

Awesome Chasim Revisited

2010-01-06T16:44:00.000-08:00

Earth Your Dancing Place

Beneath heaven's vault
remember always walking
through halls of cloud
down aisles of sunlight
or through high hedges
of the green rain
walk in the world
highheeled with swirl of cape
hand at the swordhilt
of your pride
Keep a tall throat
Remain aghast at life

Enter each day
as upon a stage
lighted and waiting
for your step
Crave upward as flame
have keenness in the nostril
Give your eyes
to agony or rapture

Train your hands
as birds to be
brooding or nimble
Move your body
as the horses
sweeping on slender hooves
over crag and prairie
with fleeing manes
and aloofness of their limbs

Take earth for your own large room
and the floor of earth
carpeted with sunlight
and hung round with silver wind
for your dancing place
by: May Swenson

Would you like a weather report for January in Southern Utah? I dont mean to rub it in...but here it goes anyway. For the last two days our hiking temperatures have been in the 50's!! Which is all the sweeter knowing that just a few hundred miles north it's SNOWING as we hike and slather on the sunscreen!!! SWEET!!!

No wind, only warming sun to stop and bask in while taking a break for lunch!! Desert Cliffs' turkey wraps are to die for!!! Dont you wish you could join us for a bite?
Sand, sand, everywhere sand....taking time to dump it out one last time!! ha, tricked you!!...there is never a last time for accumulating coral dust between the piggies!!!
Jackets are hardly needed, and are quickly stripped off and tucked away in our trusty camelbacks for possible future days of inclimate weather. Shorts and shirt sleeves are certainly justified.
Even the equines and their riders reveled in such a day as this!!! And there monsterous grey dog too!! They sweat, we sweat as we joyfully trod the high desert of paradise!!

2010-01-04T14:14:00.000-08:00

"Tish-ah!" said the Grass. "Tish-ah, tish-ah!"
Never had it said anything else-never would it
say anything else. It had bent resiliently under
the trampling feet; it did not break, but it
complained aloud every time- for nothing like
this had ever happened to it before.
from: Giants of the Earth
by: O. E. Rolvaag 1926

Yes!!! Most assuredly the sky is indeed this blue!!
The hiking cairns were even magnificent today!!!

The smiles are that genuine!
The vistas are that perfect!!
The sand truly is that sparkling white!!
The ice is the only reminder that it is winter time.
We spent another glorious day in the desert today-hiking with delightful new guests from So. California- who have never visited this part of the country before!!
It just doesnt get better than this!!!
I love the opportunity to see what I have in my own back yard through the eyes of newcomers!!
Hiking every single day this week is seriously going to challenge me. After my 2 week hiatus in December...Im feeling the repercussions!!! I know Im in for some painful moments. Today was proof positive of this fact. But at the same time, Im confident that I'll get my legs and lungs back pretty quickly. Today was also proof of this. We made good time on our 4 1/2 mile hike to the top of Snow Canyon State Park!! And it was fun!!!
Im the luckiest hik'in grandma on the planet!!!

2010-01-04T13:09:00.001-08:00

I believe that men are generally still
a little afraid of the dark, though the
witches are all hung, and Christianity
and candles have been introduced.
from: Solitude
by: Henry David Thoreau

I realize that one of the commandments has something to do with NOT worshiping graven images or idols....
I think I may be called out on the carpet on this one. I think I would be stating the obvious,when I say that I WORSHIP the sun!! (But I will also be found guilty of worshiping the Son as well. I know from whence all my blessing flow!!)
I have missed being in the sun these last few weeks! And am so pleased that I got my widening butt out on a trail today...and that this time I got my Builder to join us!! Yep...thats my second confession for the week...I aint been hik'in enough lately!!
And man does it show!! My legs and my lungs felt the neglect!! It was an interesting day for me.
I experienced several things today that I dont usually experience when hiking.
First: there was the "jelly legs." I honestly cant remember when I last 'lost' my legs, or when I felt that all I had was mush for legs as they protested to what I was asking them to do. I really cant remember!! (but... again....2 weeks without hiking hasnt happened to me in years either!) Thank heavens it didnt last long. It was over it quick, but it was humbling to feel the sensation.
Second: a received a lesson in empathy!! I've "jumped the crack" half a dozen times in my hiking career. I've coaxed, encouraged, and prodded hikers over the yawning chasm. Today...it was me who froze...not with cold...but with out-right fear!! (Where the heck did it come from!!!??) If it hadnt been for my Builder and Leanne, I would have turned around and gone back the way we came. It's very embarrassing to admit this, but its true. I was down on my butt, not daring or wanting to move...frozen...where formally I have just hopped, skipped or jumped across! I MUST go back, and soon and conquer the gap!! Just like getting back up on the horse!!
Nick was kind enough to point out that the only other time he's seen that expression on my face was when I sat on precipice, staring down into of pool of COLD water as we hiked through the Subway in Zion. I perched there wishing I was anywhere else in the world but right there, knowing that I'd have to jump in and swim...with no sign of sunlight warming a rock, for what seemed like miles!!! That was fear!!! Fear of being completely uncomfortable!! Today's fear was unreasonable, but real never-the-less. I am going back to prove whos boss!!!

It was another glorious day in Southern Utah!! We have guests arriving at the resort this week and for several weeks following. I'll be hiking most every day!! I cant wait!! Ive missed it so!! My toes have missed the coral dust between them!!

HIKING IN SNOW CANYON STATE PARK

2009-10-13T19:10:00.000-07:00

She did not entirely approve of volcano's; their
action, she implied, was disruptive like the
tantrum of a child. Rivers that overflowed their
banks were rather silly. The grandeur of mountain
ranges and the fertility of valleys she spoke with
respect. Her tone, when she described a plateau,
was almost affectionate.
from: Good Morning Miss Dove
by: Frances Gray Patton

We have a geological wonder in our backyard.
Snow Canyon State Park is the said wonder.
I'd wager that most residents of our community have never wandered the many trails that can be found there.
The Park is made up of white and red Navajo sandstone.
3 times in the last couple of million years, lava flows have seeped through its deep canyons. Because of these ancient magmatic events, the lava flows in Snow Canyon happens to be a perfect example of something called inverted topography.
What is inverted topography you ask??
Well, as I understand it, it happens when older rock sits above younger rock.
How does this happen you ask??

In a nutshell, it goes like this:
1.4 million years ago the first lava flow began. Lava erupted from vents and cinder cones that are prevalent in this area.
1.1 million years ago, another flow came through the park region and this time the lava came from/near Pine Valley Mountain.

20,000 years ago, the Santa Clara flow came through and blanketed the park with another layer of lava. THis flow came from additional vents and fissures that are nearby. This last flow went south through the canyon and covered the canyon floor.

The beautiful Navajo sandstone that protrudes from this basaltic flow, which we take every opportunity to climb, are called turtlebacks!! Love that!!! These turtlebacks are all thats left of the high ridges of the canyon that the lava flow around.

So...if I havent confused you completely...maybe this diagram will help illustrate what I had difficulty using words to describe.

(image from a great book- Geology Underfoot in Southern Utah by Richard Orudorff)

Slots Hike Revisited!!!

2009-10-10T05:30:00.000-07:00

"I love the grim gaunt edges of the rocks,
the great bare backbone of the Earth, rough
brows and heaved-up shoulders, round ribs and
knees of the world's skeleton protruded
in lonely places."

from: Heart of the Desert Wild
by: Maynard Dixon

click on the above photo to get a better view of the Indian petroglyphs in the background.

As Im bracing myself for the onslaught of winter....Im happy to revisit these pictures of our glorious spring!! It helps to keep in mind that the winters here in sunny Southern Utah are short, very short in comparison to winters elsewhere!!!
I believe we have seen the last of the lizards for this season. They have burrowed down deep for a short winters nap.
Remember when I promised myself that I would take a geology class....
I think it may be time!!!
I never grow tired of speculating on just what geological upheaval caused this sandstone to be so beautiful!! Every hike shows off a variety of sandstone wonder!!
I've contemplated creating my own book for wildflower recogniction. All the books I have seen thus far have no concept of perspective. There are dozens and dozens of yellow flowers that grace this desert....but they range in size from a respectable sunflower, down to a speck of yellow, with barely decerable petals. A finger, a sandle or a coin would help so much in determining which flower you have the good fortune of gazing upon. Maybe someday.....

Keens Sandals Win Again!!!

2009-10-07T16:19:00.000-07:00

Work consists of whatever a body is
obliged to do, and Play consists of
whatever a body is not obliged to do.
from: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
by: Mark Twain

While hiking up a rocky trail the other day, I got to thinking about blisters.
Which comes first....a foot fetish and thus good feet?
or
Good feet...then a foot fetish to be sure the goodness lasts!?
Not sure of the answer...Im just so grateful that I have never been plagued with a blister problem.
A blister is usually caused by friction or rubbing of the skin.
The trick is reducing friction.
Here's what I have learned.
Prevention is the best medicine.
Here's some great ideas.

Blisters on the feet can be prevented by wearing comfortable, well-fitting shoes and clean socks.

Moisture wicking socks made from synthetic blends can help reduce friction and moisture on the skin of your precious feet.

Some people choose to wear two layers of socks (or a sock that is made with double layers) to aid in blister prevention.

When hiking carry a spare pair of socks. Change during your walk if your feet become sweaty or wet.

Watch for 'hot-spots' Take care of hot spots. Tape them, bandage them, change socks, change shoes.

Trusty Duct tape solves many ills- believe it or not- and the shiny back is slick enough to slide on socks and other skin. One other option is to apply petroleum jelly or talcum power before hiking to reduce friction.

Stay hydrated - Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. Among other things, staying well hydrated will help prevent a myriad of ailments plus allowing you to perspire freely. When you stop perspiring your sweat will form salt crystals on your body increasing friction.

Everyone that knows me, know that I hike in KEENS. I LOVE Keens!! Keens have never let me down or disappointed me while hiking!!!

But if you cant be persuaded to wear Keens, pay heed to these tips for buying good hiking shoes.

Remember the following when you shop:

Shop during the middle of the day. Your feet swell throughout the day, so a midday fitting will probably give you the best fit.
Wear the same socks you'll wear when hiking, or bring them with you to the store.
Measure your feet. Shoe sizes change throughout adulthood.
Measure both feet and try on both shoes. If your feet differ in size, buy the larger size.
Go for flexible, but supportive, shoes with cushioned insoles.
Leave toe room. Be sure that you can comfortably wiggle your toes.
Avoid shoes with seams in the toe box, which may irritate bunions or hammertoes.

Hiking the Gila Trail!!!

2009-10-05T05:28:00.000-07:00

To the eye prejudiced by the soft blues
and gray of a familiar Eastern United
States or European district, this immense
prodigality of color is startling, perhaps
painful; it seems to the inflexible mind
unwarranted, immodest, as if Nature had
stripped and posed nude, unblushing before
humanity.
from: A Century of Sanctuary
by: Fredrick S. Dellenbaugh

With the Stroke of a Pen

2009-10-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

Zion National Park was born a hundred years ago this summer

By Lyman Hafen

A hundred years ago this summer President William Howard Taft was just getting his feet wet as chief executive of the United States. He’d gotten off to a rough start when his inauguration just a few months earlier had to be moved inside the Capitol to escape a blinding snow storm. Meanwhile, the immediate past president, Theodore Roosevelt, was off on safari in Africa, a trip underwritten by Scribner’s Magazine and the Smithsonian Institution. Robert Peary had just completed his epic journey to the North Pole, and Alice Huyler Ramsey, a 22-year-old housewife and mother from Hackensack, New Jersey, had just become the first woman to drive across the United States. With three female companions, none of whom could drive, she spent 59 days on the road in her Maxwell automobile traversing 3,800 miles from Manhattan to San Francisco. For many Americans it was probably not a summer to remember. But for those of us who hold a tender spot in our hearts for Zion National Park, it was a monumental time.

In his one term as president, Taft emphasized trust-busting, civil service reform, and strengthening the Interstate Commerce Commission. He pushed for the 16^th Amendment, improved the performance of the postal service, and appointed six new justices to the Supreme Court. In the process, he managed to alienate enough of his key constituencies to assure his overwhelming defeat for a second term in the election of 1912. All in all, he was not a president much remembered a century later. And yet, for those of us who hold a tender spot in our hearts for Zion National Park, his presidency was monumental.

That’s because, on July 31, 1909, President William Howard Taft exercised his authority under the recently passed Antiquities Act. He signed an order declaring a place called Zion Canyon in southwestern Utah, Mukuntuweap National Monument. With the stroke of a pen he set aside for posterity the formidable towers of stone that stand sentinel above the Virgin River—the place we know and love today as Zion National Park. The monument’s original name “Mukuntuweap” was the name the canyon had been known by for centuries. According to a September 1872 report by Major John Wesley Powell, the Southern Paiute people who lived along the Pa’rus (the river now known as the Virgin) called the canyon Mukuntuweap, meaning “straight canyon.” There are other theories as to how to interpret the word Mukuntuweap, but regardless of what it means, it became the original name of the monument signed into law by President Taft.

During the years leading up to President Taft’s action, Americans had become more and more aware that such a place as Zion Canyon existed. The road to Zion was rough and few had actually seen the place, but an artist and writer named Frederick Dellenbaugh had opened many hearts and minds to the canyon’s grandeur with a series of paintings he exhibited in the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, and an article he published in Scribner’s Magazine in January of the same year. Indeed, the Scribner’s article introduced this “New Valley of Wonders,” to hundreds of thousands of Americans from sea to shining sea.

These and other efforts in the years leading up to 1909 played a crucial role in convincing the folks in Washington that a place called Zion Canyon was worth setting aside for posterity. For me, all it would have taken was one sentence from Frederick Dellenbaugh’s Scribner’s article. Upon confronting Zion’s great West Temple he wrote: “Niagara has the beauty of energy; the Grand Canyon, of immensity; the Yellowstone, of singularity; the Yosemite, of altitude; this Great Temple, of eternity…”

Note: Zion National Park Centennial events continue through 2009, with a special commemoration to be held July 31, celebrating President Taft’s monument proclamation. For more information go to: www.zionpark.org

reprinted here with the generous permission of the author-Lyman Hafen

A Man Hunt in Scotland!!

2009-10-03T05:17:00.000-07:00

You can have extensive farming and
intensive farming; well, I am going to
have intensive living after this. Im
going to enjoy every second, and Im
going to KNOW Im enjoying it while
Im enjoying it.
from: Daddy-Long-Legs
by:Jean Webster

I'd like you to meet someone!!

This is Flora and she's a guest at the Ridge for the next few weeks.
Shes a dream guest.
She has a smile that will light up any room.
She has taken to our program- "hiking is fun!!!"
She loves life!!
She is full of youthful exuberance!!
And....she may be my newest hero!!!
You just gotta love women who takes their destiny into their own hands in hopes of making dreams and wishes come true!!
First I have Lynley, my sweet cousin, who left the southern comfort of her home and her family and friends. She left the lush greenness and humidity of the south for our hot, dry, red rock tundra, without nary a soul of acquaintance!! (except us)
And now I've spent some time with sweet Flora, and heard her story.
Its worth sharing.
Here we have a 30something girl who had an epiphany of sorts. She has come to realize that sitting in a high rise office for 62 hours a week, just wasnt getting her what she wants the most.
And what does she want the most you ask????
TRUE LOVE AND FAMILY!!!
Eastern Canada has been her home, and the man of her dreams didnt manifest himself there...so she has decided to go where her "ideal" man may be. Shes doing her best to stack the cards in her favor.
Flora will soon be casting off to distant lands, where the men are red-headed, freckled,and tall and handsome!! This dear woman has quit her job- bought a one-way ticket to the bonny land of Scotland where she has already landed a waitressing job-"what better way to actually meet people!?"
She's taking a month to be with us at the Ridge, "to kick her butt into shape and to do some "me" time." She signed up for a significant duration of intense physical activity...for herself!! I think shes already learned to love hiking!!
So I suppose....
Im not ashamed to admit that I'm am a little envious. The adventures of youth havent lost their appeal. Traveling, change, and the unknown are all things that have appealed to me!! This beautiful young lady has the world at her feet. Shes taking control, and not resolved to just complaining about what's not right in her life. Shes got Girl Power, and is doing something about it!! I feel certain that all of my 'girly' readers will be wishing her the very best in her new adventure. Some of us will even be jealous....
YOU GO DEAR GIRL!!!
May the red-heads stand up and take notice!!!

Stay tuned for the 'Adventures of Lynley' as well!!

(I'll need to be sure to recommend THIS movie to Flora before she goes!! And this fabulously entertaining PBS mini-series called Monarch of the Glen!!! So fun!!)

Do you have a favorite red-head?

HIKING AT SAND MOUNTAIN

2009-10-02T06:19:00.000-07:00

If the desert is holy, it is because
it is a forgotten place that allows
us to remember the sacred. Perhaps that
is why every pilgrimage to the desert
is a pilgrimage to the self. There
is no place to hide, and so we are found.
from: Refuge
by: Terry Tempest Williams

Its been over 2 years since I've had the opportunity to hike in the deep, delicious sand at a place we lovingly call "Sand Mountain."
It was my chance in introduce its beauty to my son and and to dear friends and new owners of Desert Cliffs Resort and Spa !!
I strapped on my beloved hiking sandals and waited in sweet anticipation to get moving. I felt confident that the trail would look familiar and be all that I remembered it to be.
The first half of the hike went well. I got us easily down to the green, vibrant Virgin River. This is the only hike in our repertoire that involves flowing water!! There's something special about a river flowing through a desert!!
But then....to find my way back....was another matter. We were never lost per say....but I came out somewhere wholly unexpected!!! What does this mean??
I get to go back and do it again!!! Before I attempt to take a guest out there...I have to be sure!!
Shucks!!! I'm gunna do it again!!! Wanna come??!!

Hiking shoes required!!
Coral dust inevitable!!

Zion Park In the Rain!!!

2009-10-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

The Utah deserts and plateaus and canyons
are not a country of big returns, but a
country of spiritual healing, incomparable
for contemplation, meditation, solitude,
quiet, awe, peace of mind and body. We were
born of wilderness and we respond to it more
than we sometimes realize. We depend upon it
increasingly for relief from the termite life
we have created!
from:Heart of the Desert Wild
quote by: Wallace Stegner

Nick introduced us to the hike known as "Many Pools"

The weather was unusual-and helped to fill some pools that had dried out in the heat of the summer.

We stumbled upon some Indian paraphernalia that had been left behind after some sort of ceremony had been preformed the evening before. Interesting. Wish I could have been a fly on that wall.

The power of wind and rain, water and ice-evident everywhere one looks in our glorious Park.

see....MANY pools!!!!

Sprinkle a little water...on a hot thirsty desert...voila!!!! Flowers!!!

Oh the tenacity of a cedar tree!!! Holding on for dear life!!! Or is that a pinon pine!!?

Hiking the trails with good buddies from around the country....makes life all the better!!!

Lookie that....Im not the only crazy that loves hiking sandals!!!

Pine Creek Canyon....never will see the likes of me!!! Its a safe bet!

Wet, red, coral dust is fine by me!!!

Hiker of the Week

2009-09-30T05:12:00.000-07:00

The impossible could not have happened,
therefore the impossible must be
possible in spite of appearances.
from: Murder on the Orient Express
by: Agatha Christie

This is Michelle.

She's been with us at the Ridge for 2 weeks.
I hadnt had the opportunity of hiking with her until Thurs.
Wanna here her story??!!
Wanna hear again why I love my job??!!

A year ago Michelle had a staph infection that attacked her leg via a small cut on her ankle. The flesh eating bacteria went to work on her and she tells us that she was just days away from loosing her beloved leg at the thigh!!! oh my heck!!!

But with what I could only deem another miracle and with the help of modern medicine, she recovered from that horrific experience. Michelle went through the rigors of physical therapy for months and months. She was told that she may not ever walk again normally.
Yet here she is!! A year later, keeping up with the program. She told me that the first time she got on a treadmill in one of our classes she started to cry. Tears of joy and gratitude. She thought she may never be capable to doing any such thing ever again. Thurs. she hike to the top of Third Ravine with me and several other guest. She did great!! She had a smile on her face and slight limp to her gate, but soshe is thrilled and grateful at her progress and with her her come-back!! She still has some "issues" to deal with due to this devastating illness...but once again I find myself so inspired by people and their stories and the trails that some overcome!! Not to mention the witness once again to the marvel that our bodies are in their ability to recover and be healthy...given the chance.
WAY TO GO MICHELLE!!!

2009-09-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

Perhaps nowhere else is the basic structure of the earth's surface so clearly, because so nakedly, revealed. And yet- when all we known about it is said and measured and tabulated, there remains some- thing in the soul of the place,the spirit of the whole, which cannot be fully assimilated by the human imagination. from:Heart of the Desert Wild quote by: Edward Abbey

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS MORNING??

2009-09-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

May all your trails be crooked,
winding, lonesome, dangerous,
leading to the most amazing view...
where something strange and more
beautiful and more full of wonder
than your deepest dreams waits for you.
from:Desert Solitaire
by:Edward Abbey

I got up this morning expecting it to be like any other morning really. Im the first one up at 5:15 AM; I dress in my hiking attire which is a bright florescent green shirt, shorts and my marvelous Keens. I cant eat that early in the morning, so I check my email real quick and then head out the door. This morning I climbed into the truck and found that My Builder had been a sly one...there on the seat was a present with a card, just waiting for me to discover!! Awww...how sweet is that!!!!
He went shopping for me at one of my favorite places-COLDWATER CREEK-and choose a beautiful white blouse for my wearing pleasure!! Awwwwww....so, so spoiled am I!!
As I was driving through sleepy, peaceful St George my phone rings, vibrates really- and it was my Builder again, wishing me a happy birthday.
All this before 6:00 AM!!!
At work, Im handed a 50.00 gift certificate for the Spa, and every one wished me a heartfelt happy birthday too. Then we were given our assignments and we headed out to the trails. This morning we had 6 guests hiking with us. We had the 101 hike which was to be Anasazi Ridge. A beautiful hike indeed!!
If I didnt think that this day was going to be a good one, this mornings hike firmly confirmed to me that its going to be a GREAT day!!
When we only had about a half an hour left to hike, we took our guest down to where the Anasazi petroglyphs are located on the side of the hill. Its a treat to descend into the shady side of the hill to 'hunt' for the petroglyphs that are scattered throughout all the nooks and crannies on the sandstone rocks. Its kind of like a scavenger hunt. As we billy-goated our way along, we spotted a gentleman perched on a rock ahead of us. He was a local resident and it soon became wildly apparent that we were going to have a wonderful experience with the petroglyphs!!! His name was Ray Urbaniak and he has written a book about these remarkable Indian writings. And...he was at this particular spot this morning because it is still considered the summer solstice and he was waiting for the sun to appear between the cracks in the rock. He then proceed to educate us a little about what it was that was going to happen in a few short minutes. The guest were game to slow down and stop and watch and learn, so we all found perches, and listened. Ray has a twinkle in his eye and a passion for what he knows and sees in these beautiful Indian writings. He was so very happy to share with us wealth of knowledge.
Try and visualize this with me. We have "Tube Man and Owl Man and the spiral sun sign etched on this sandstone rock before us. I have walked past these quys for years now. I have always appreciated them for their uniqueness and for their clarity and for the history they represent.

But.....I didnt know!!! I didnt know anything!!! And now I do,(at least a little more) and I can hardly explain the awe and wonder I feel now. These figures were drawn with such care and precision and forethought, that my mind has been boggled once again. I kind of get chills when I think about it now. The sun came through that little crack above our heads, as it rose in the east above the red rocks of Snow Canyon, and shone down on these "men", these stick figures so to speak, and fell with exactness as a line through their fingers and toes and then moved said 'energy' on to the next figure above it. It was poetical and marvelous to witness. Then the light was gone. Then it came back, and had shifted the perfect distance so that the light began to move up the body again, but this time it went right through the center of their bodies!!!

(the white line you see going through "tube mans' hand is not etching. IT IS SUNLIGHT!!)

We couldnt allow ourselves to stay for the whole show (I love my job too much to screw up too much) but Ray told us it would happen again a third time and the ray of light would appear again and move up the left side of the figures, bisecting the left hands and carrying energy to each figure and to what they represent!! magical!!! How about that!!!???
Oh but wait!!!
THere's more!
As I was leaving the Spa this morning, and heading for the truck, I spotted another good omen. Right out the back door were some road runners!! Now, you may not realize this, but spotting a road runner around here is a big deal. They are an elusive bird. They make themselves scarce around these parts. Its considered good karma or mojo if you happen to spot one on your trail or anywhere near by. This morning...what do I spy...but TWO of them. It became apparent that they were, shall I say, distracted, when I saw them. They were in the midst of doing some danc'in and wiggl'in and mak'in the most unusual clicking sounds I've ever heard. I sure I was witnessing an elaborate kind of courtship dance!!! As soon as I got the camera out and attempted to snap some shots, they became distracted and scampered across the parking lot...so even though the pictures are disappointing... can I say that my glorious morning has been anything but disappointing!!!
Its good luck to spot a road runner!! I had TWO sightings!!!!

And.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!
Im grateful to this marvelous world in which we live and to many who share it with me!!!

2009-09-27T17:19:00.000-07:00

The best thing for being sad
is to learn something.
from: Once and Future King
by: T.H. White

(I bet Tank has never seen exercise balls before??!!)

Wednesday brought a bonus!!
We guides were treated to lecture after our hike; presented by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management)
It was very informative!!
It was a LOT of fun!!
These knowledgeable docents highlighted the intriguing critters of this area.
The star of the show was my personal favorite of our desert...the Mohave Tortoise!!
Meet:
Tater-Tot &
Tank

Sure, there was a King Snake and a Gila Monster too!!
But Tank stole the show.

they estimate that Tank is about 50years old and Tater-Tot is 5years old

apples are his favorite treat!!

and I learned some new fun things....

(first you need to understand that we have been well conditioned around here. We have become downright fearful of a chance encounter with a tortoise on a trail!! Not because the darling tortoise is vicious or preditory, but because the tortoise is thought to be on the endangered species list. Which turns out really isnt the case. They are really only on the threatened list.
We have been literally brainwashed into thinking that any encounter with the tortoise is practically illegal!!!)
Most of what we have been indoctrinated in is mostly urban legend!
They are protected to be sure. And probably for good cause! There just arent enough of these grand creatures roaming the coral sands of our area!!
And so..... the REAl reason why we dont mess with the tortoise????
We dont want to scare the liv'in pee out of them...literally!!
As you can imagine, water is a scarcity around here. When a tortoise finds water, they have to make it last. And they can, for up to 3 months, in its bladder!! Imagine!!!
And if a giant human approaches a helpless tortoise,it becomes frightened, and wets!!! And then it has no water in reserve. Thats a BAD thing for a DESERT tortoise!! They need every drop of moisture they can get!!
Now I understand why we should give them a their space!! ah ha!!!

Did you know that Gila Monsters have venom!!?? Enough to cause REAL damage to ones epidermis if you get bitten!! They talked about the possibility of loosing an arm if you are bitten there!!! ugh!!!!And man do they bite!! And they dont let go!!! Oh my, those powerful jaws!!!I guess they're kind-of beautiful in a prehistoric kind of way?

King snakes are our friends!!
They eat rattlesnakes!!(among other things) BLESS THEM!!!

Tread gently Everyone

2009-09-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

To be plain with you, friend,
you dont carry in your
countenance a letter of recommendation.
from: Barnaby Rudge
by: Charles Dickens

Look what I spied on my hike yesterday!!!

Can you guess what it is?
Do you wonder why it is that I knew what it was right away?
(Sometimes I do. I have bizarre stuff locked away in my mind.)

This happens to be a the track of a Sidewinder;
Also known as a horned rattlesnake or properly known as crotalus cerastes.

This tract is evidence of another venomous snake that graces the red rocks and sandy washes of our region.

Wanna know more?

Did you know that when a snake produces their young its called a litter?

How about this visual...sidewinders give birth to live young ones!!!!

Tricky juvenile sidewinders use their tails to attract lizards for their lunch.

The adults loose their taste for lizards but prefer the more delectable rodents of the desert. (ummm....yummy)

Are you wondering if there is any GOOD news about a snake??

How about knowing that the venom from these snakes isnt as "toxic" as that of other rattlers...whew....that is good news.....NOT!!
I say....give ALL rattlers a very with girth!!!
Tread lightly while gathering coral dust between your toes!!!

talk about beady little eyes!!!!!
Down right CREEPY!!!

Zion National Park Needs Your Help

2009-09-25T04:43:00.000-07:00

"Im in the Circle of Trust"
from: LOST
season 5

Times are tough!!
Boy dont I know it.
But I thought I'd throw this out to you anyway.
Maybe I can catch ya at a good moment, or during a generous circumstance, or when your feeling philanthropic!!!

Just know that Zion National Park is always looking for love, help and support. (who isnt right?)
The love is easy.
So easy.
Visit once and you'll be in love.

Help and support sometimes doesnt come as easily.
Now that I've been 'elected' to be on the ZNHA board for the Park-my eyes have been opened.
Zion Park needs help.
All national parks need help. The government cant fund them all at a level that is necessary to keep parks operating as they should. Not all needs can be met with the budget the government sets.
Thus most all national parks have an Association; formed to promote, educate and fund raise for their park.
So we have Z.N.H.A.

ZION

NATURAL

HISTORY

ASSOCIATION

You can become a member!!
You can feel warm and fuzzy for doing so.
There are different levels of commitment.
There are varied 'perks' for doing so.
There are discounts at the store, on oline and for informative workshops.
There are pins and bags and books and the BEAUTIFUL publication of the Sojourn magazine!!

What will your money help to do you ask??
You know that lovely newspaper with a guide and map that you receive when you enter the park? We do that!!!
There's the Junior Ranger Program and the Field Institute. We do that too!!! Last year we renovated the pioneer home at the Grotto for an 'Artist in Residence' program. We help and support Pipe Springs and Cedar Breaks too!!! There's the satisfaction of helping out the Big Horn sheep herd in the Park for a small donation. And there's so much more!!!
If you're interested and want to learn more...please go here and see what else your valuable contribution can do!! Or go here and sign up!! You wont be sorry!!!
Tell 'em Cindy sent you!!!

NEW TRAILS

2009-09-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

This is Mindy. She's been a hiking guide for Fitness Ridge for quite some time. She became pregnant and hiked as always. Then she became really pregnant and l hiked on and on! About a month before she was due it finally became just to hard to hike-especially in this wicked heat-so she took some time off. Then little Lincoln decided that he was going to make his entrance a little early... 6 weeks early...and now Mindy and her husband are enjoying every aspect of new parenthood.
We threw her a baby shower not too long ago. And Hollie, another hiking guide, who we have now learned is also a writer and a poet, wrote Mindy this darling poem.
I felt that it would be fun to share it here, since it has to do with hiking and with motherhood.

A Hiker's Guide to Motherhood
by Hollie Reina

At the trail head you'll find that you're starting off blind
and the path looks rocky and hard.
Many people will say how to start on your way
and they'll tell you how long and how far.

You might not want to go and you'll step out real slow
thinking why did I do this and how?
Just remember your feet and that baby so sweet
and the joy that you're feeling right now.

You will climb many hills and take many spills
and you'll feel like you've been left behind.
You'll get slogged down in sand and not want to stand
and ask how much is left of this grind?

But life is a thrill as you crest each new hill
and the view before you is grand!
The further you go the more that you'll grow
and you'll see it in one tiny hand.

At times it is tough and most certainly rough
but you'll find strength where you least thought you would.
Now get on your way there is no more delay
on the hike that is called motherhood.

POST SCRIPT!!! ZION NEWS ALERT!!

2009-09-22T05:05:00.000-07:00

NPR radio joined us on our stroll through the tunnel.
Go HERE to read and listen to what they had to say about this memorable day!!
So cool!!!

2009-09-21T17:01:00.000-07:00

There is much more to this place
than the weird atmosphere.
Some creature was watching, the
old crab could tell,
By the creepy feeling that ran
through his shell.
from: Kermit the Hermit
by: Bill Peet

Arizona Hairy Scorpion - Hadrurus arizonensis

We see these beasts around our desert every once in a while. They have even been found on the bottom of the pool at the Ridge, to be scooped out and revived some how to then scurry off back to the sand. When we first moved into our home 11 yrs ago, I found one of these critters from the 'underworld' in the guest room!! augh!!!!(The name Hadrurus has its origins in Hades, the underworld. )
Monday we discovered this one scrunched up on the asphalt near the entrance to Snow Canyon State Park. I took some pictures and then attempted to nudge him from his dangerous position on the road. He wouldnt have anything of it. He intended to stay right where he was. I thought about searching for a stick or some other such implement to move him and even went to look for one...but when I turned around to head back toward him...SPLAT!!!!...a big, black SUV sped past and wiped him out!!! ta ta Mr Hairy...now we have road kill for the ravens!!! oh well....I had good intentions. (Yes I am a little crazy...for even caring)

Thought I'd share some interesting facts about these arthropods. (are you asking yourself,"What the heck is an arthropod?" Here's what I learned-An arthropod is an invertebrate that has an exoskeleton (external skeleton), a segmented body, and jointed attachments called appendages.)

*Scorpions have a wide range of habitats- from sand dunes to rocky hillsides where they dig extensive burrows, often to 20 feet deep!

*All true scorpions glow bright green or yellow under a black light. Groovy!!!

*This is an aggressive and active scorpion, which, as with all scorpions, is nocturnal.

*Like all scorpions, the desert hairy scorpion gives birth to live young, which remain on the mother's back for a week or more before leaving.

*The hairs that cover these scorpions are used to detect ground and air vibrations.

*Commonly thought to be insects, scorpions are actually in the same family as spiders, ticks and mites; the arthropod family!!

ahhh....the things you can learn while gathering coral dust between your toes!!!

2009-09-19T04:17:00.000-07:00

The reason death sticks so closely to life isn't
biological necessity- its envy. Life is so beautiful
that death has fallen in love with it; a jealous,
possessive love that grabs at what it can. But
life leaps over oblivion lightly, losing only a
thing or two of no importance, and gloom is
the passing shadow of a cloud.
from: Life of Pi
by: Yann Martell

About that coral dust i collect between my toes....
(it gathers there whether i wear my favorite hiking sandles or whether i hike in shoes)
i guess it could be argued that it really isnt dust.
i suppose that a vast majority of it is indeed just plain ol glorious red sand. Sand that has been eroding away from the magnificent red rocks through all generations of time.
But there is dust too!!!
Today, i have learned from the newest edition of the SOJOURN magazine, that 'dust' can come from the most unlikely places.
Did you know....
"The earth is still gathering more than a hundred tons of space dust every day-to the delight of scientists. Each speck, broken from an asteroid or shed by a comet, might hold a hundred thousand smaller specks. And among those sub-specks are the diamonds and sapphires, the inky-black carbon and rich organic molecules that date to the days of our planet's creation-and even earlier....Even the manner in which the tiniest grains cling together holds clues about how the dust grew as the Sun and planet took shape. Since every atom in our bodies came from inside of stars, explains astrophysicist Don Brownlee, by studying these interstellar dust particles, we can learn about our cosmic roots....."
Happily scientists receive a steady supply of clues. The earth grows fatter every day, snowed under by a continuous microscopic flurry of space specks. Rare as they are, on average, every square yard of the planet should nonetheless receive one speck each day.
Statistically, its a good bet that there's a fresh piece of space dust on the hood of your car daily-and a dozen fresh specks on your roof. Lie on your lawn for a day and you stand a shot at being pelted by a glassy mini-marble or a delicate crumb of comet dust.
"They're everywhere, " Brownlee says. " You eat them all the time. Any carpet would have'em. "
(Exerted from the The Secret Life of Dust by Hannah Holmes)

Space dust, coral dust, sand....its all GOOD!!!
im just so grateful that i can be out 'gathering' whenever i choose!!!

(image from deviantart.com)

Symbiotic Relations In the Desert

2009-09-18T05:53:00.000-07:00

I remember Mimi asking me as a child
to make a lens by curling my fingers
around to my thumb. I closed one eye
and, with the other, looked through my
hand lens. I played with scale. Blades of
grass were transformed into trees, a gravel
bed became a boulder field. Small riverlets
pouring over moss became the great rivers
of our continent. My world was my own creation.
from:Refuge
by: Terry Tempst Williams

Now that Im finally back to hiking in complete comfort,with my beloved Keens snugly strapped to my feet....(oh how I missed them while they lay on the mud room floor in Salt Lake for a week!!)I am once again completely enjoying plowing through our red sandy washes.
When my piggies are happy, Im free to enjoy the scenery again. Instead of worrying so much about all the sand that can and does accumulate in regular hiking shoes, I can kick the sand free with one quick wiggle and move on to answering some of the more fascinating questions that fellow hikers ask.
One common inquiry we hear, "What's that green stuff on the rocks?" And before I even look in the direction they are pointing, I know exactly what they are referring to.

What they are seeing is our beautiful crustose or fruticose lichens which grow so well in this area. Not only do these lichen come in a wide variety of greens, but lichen can also be oranges and yellows and tans.
I've learned that a lichen is not a single plant or life form, but a union between a fungus and an algae, or an occasional bacteria. The fungus aspect of the 'plant' give it its shape and helps it reproduce. And at the risk of getting a little technical, the fungus doesnt have chlorophyll, so it cant 'eat,' so the algae feeds
it through photosynthesis. (I remember that word from high school!!) The fungus finds and stores water and food for the algae. The algae processes sunlight for the both of them. The two inhabit a tiny world made better because they have each other!! Together these two can survive almost anything. It survives and thrives in the HOT, dry, and barren places that no other life might be found. The pretty lichen we have around here grow on hot rocks of all places. And while they reside on a rock they work hard at breaking down their home, and gradually turn the into....sand!! The sand I gather between my toes!! Of course this doesnt happen overnight. It takes eons of time for even a little soil to form around a lichen. And when the timing is right and the circumstance are perfect, maybe a small flower will grow there in that shared speck of soil.

Doesnt the desert look just a little bit different to you now? I know I appreciate this beautiful little organism so much more than before!!
And arent you inspired to make your little bitty corner of the world a little more comforting and inviting for the good life!!??
thanks Sojourns for this fun information!!

ZION NATIONAL PARKS' TUNNEL

2009-09-16T03:58:00.000-07:00

"Under a wine-dark sky I
walk through light reflected
and re-reflected from the walls
and floor of the canyon, a radiant
golden light that glows on rock
and stream, sand and leaf in
varied hues of amber, honey,
whiskey--the light that never
was is here, now, in the storm
sculptured gorge...
from:Desert Solitaire
by: Edward Abbey

Not too far from the beautiful Zion Lodge you can find a VERY famous tunnel.
Legends have been born within its confines.
Local yokels love joking about some of the "illegal" activities that have taken place in this marvelous tunnel.
During the Centennial Celebration, which took place about a month ago, these old timers and local young folks spoke openly about all the antics they 'got away with' within its darkness. (I suppose many of us never grow up!!) There aren't many people who can brag about a run through a mile and a half long tunnel which was built 80 yrs ago in the mighty sandstone cliffs. The best boasts of all where those about the crazies that ran though in their birthday suits!! (there are no lights built into the walls and ceilings of the antiquated tunnel.) Running from one carved out window to the next on a starless night would be a thrill unique to only this tunnel. Add to the thrill, the possibility of a car plowing you down in the middle of the night...and voila...legends are born!!!
But on the day of the Centennial Celebration, were events that may NEVER happen again.
First off, all traffic through the park was halted.
For hours. (20,000 cars travel through the park on any given summer day.)
Then a passel of shuttle buses were enlisted to shuttle the select few to the north entrance of the tunnel. This is where we began the leisurely stroll down through history and an engineering marvel.
And nobody was excluded either. Once you had your "golden ticket," walkers in wheelchairs and folks pushing walkers all were able to make their way through. Hiking apparel wasnt required and hiking sandals and flip-flops were allowed.
It was a wondrous way to spend an afternoon. I knew full well how lucky I was to be able to attend such an event. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Now its my job to to continue to try and spread the word about all the glories of Zion National Park. Its pay-it-forward for me!!

(oh yeah!! If you are an engineer freak or a history buff or just a lover of all things Zions Park, BUY this book for a mere 5 bucks!! The proceeds go directly to the Park!! Its a beautiful publication, full of the most amazing black and whites of the building of the tunnel. It'll be the best 5 bucks you've spent in a long time!!!)

HIKING FOR GOOD MENTAL HEALTH

2009-09-15T02:35:00.000-07:00

The sun hit me and Granpa in the face.
The world had got born again. Granpa
said it had, and he taken off his hat
and we watched it for a long time. Me
and Granpa had a feeling, and I knew
right off that we would come again to
the mountain top and watch the morning come.
from: Education of Little Tree
by: Forrest Carter

Life is good!!!
And even though in the very same breath I can also attest to the fact that life is very uncertain as well, Im stick'in to my gut....that on the whole life is grand!!!
Though no one can disagree that it is the uncertainty that keeps us humble.
But again this morning, Im once again marveling at the incalculable blessing my hiking job is for me!!

The alternative to not hiking might be me sitting home anguishing about the uncertain future and the impact the economy is having on the world...but no...
instead I hike the trails each morning reveling in the red rock wonder that is found in my own back yard. The grandeur of the desert truly does bring with it a sense of peace and comfort in its magnificence-every single time I get out in it!!

The desert is so quiet. You may not have known that about our desert. Even the birds are quiet and seem to reverence the space. Often all you can hear is the breeze fluttering through the silvery sagebrush or rustling past your ears. Or, if you stop for a moment, a pesky bug may buzz your head. To hear a call of a bird is a rare treat.
The most common creature we spy on the trails would have to be the darling little cottontail bunnies. These sweet little critters seem to be having a banner year. I'm noticing a greater abundance of these furry little coney's compared to years past. (Watership Down comes to mind) I'll take this as a good omen as well.

The relative silence is a calming balm to my soul that no music on my mp3 player can replicate.
I love breathing deeply out there in the sweeping badlands and to really smell the desert. Until you experience it for yourself, it can hardly be described how many unique and aromatic smells exist in a desert. There are several varieties of sage that posses their own unique smell. The creosote bush smells different in the heat of the day compared to how it smells when its raining. And dont get me going about the rich, poignant smell of wet, red desert sand!! In my heaven the streets will be paved with red wet dirt; to heck with gold!!!

Today our horizons are sullied by gray clouds of smoke. We can taste it and smell it everywhere. It's a little ominous. Tragedy has struck a nearby community. Forestfires are raging and have destroyed 10 homes in the last 24 hours!! My prayers go out to all the families whose lives will never be the same after such a sever blow from mother nature. But the fallout sure does bring with it some spectacular sunrises and sunsets enhanced by the smoke. WOW!!

So what am I really trying to say?
Once again, Im feeling enormous gratitude for the desert, and for my many, many blessings.
I feel such gratitude that I find" protection" in the hoodoos and redrock formations. There is something very restful and serene about the timeless mesas and canyons.
I seem to gain courage from the towering red sandstone cliffs which we traverse each morning. Its so easy to find oneself meditating on things eternal while out in the brambles or on the slickrock. It seems to come naturally to glimpse things of the divine out there. The world could come crashing down around my ears at any moment I suppose. Its true. But I am convinced now, that when and if I need comfort or reassuring that I might not be able to find in any other way, I WILL find it in "my" desert.

Im alive, and living in the greatest country in the world. I have a testimony of a divine plan for us all. I know why Im here and have purpose and perspective of the things that are most important. I am healthy. I have a family who I adore. I have a man at my side who still rocks my world. Each of these things are a gift and a blessing. I dont mean to brag. Thats not my intention. I just wish to express my gratitude, and to share with you what these vistas of the desert do for the likes of me. I get so much more than is expected!!!

I dearly love this "barren" land of ours. And I see no down side to my being able to gather coral dust between my toes.
I invite one and all to join me whenever you can!! These trails are made for sharing!!

WEE RED WONDERS

2009-09-14T05:37:00.000-07:00

(try saying that 3 times fast!)

We seem to be within a great honeycomb
of light, the burning center of an
immense flaming rose.
from: Platero and I
by: Juan Jimenez

In the deserts of Arizona I learned about a beetle who has some magic 'juice' within its being. Gods' wonders never cease to amaze!! This world in which we live is full of 'em!! Sonny-who was our guide through the desert- picked off this tiny, really tiny speck of a bug (that was too small to identify as a bug-we just took his word for it) off a particular species of cactus and smashed this flea sized dot onto the palm of his hand.
One speck, surrounded in a dot of spittle, produced this!! Turns out its a powerful dye! A dye used in almost everything we see and use that is red or pink. Its in our drinks, our candies and our clothing etc...its in dye #40 and others. Very Interesting, very interesting indeed. You and I will never look at the color red again without thinking of the Cochineal beetle .
Once again I marvel at the many wonders of a desert environment!!

TAK'IN CARE OF THE FEET THAT HIKE!!

2009-09-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

Vanity working on a weak head,
produces every sort of mischief.
from: Emma
by: Jane Austen

I actually have one up on Martha Stewart!!
How 'bout that??!!
Recently she suggested this helpful hint for pampering your feet.
Well I'll have you know, due to my extreme foot fetish, I have been snipping the toes off old cotton socks for years now. I have found no better way than this to keep lotions and creams on my heels, especially while sleeping!
I put many a mile on my trusty feet, and Im proud to say they are soft and smooth as a baby's butt. Every morning after I hose off the desert sand from between my piggies, I am glad I have taken the extra time to pamper my feet. I expect a great deal from them.

Try it, you'll like it!!!

image from no biggie

THE HIKING CRONIE

2009-09-12T19:36:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the author, ANNE Lamott!! I love that my good, good friend Jan turned me on to this amazing writer!! I have been perusing one of my favorite books by her (not recommended to the easily offended) Traveling Mercies. I've been percolating some ideas in my head how best to use some of her thoughts on getting older...and vola', some pictures from our sisters retreat turned up on my computer yesterday, from Sharon! It was the perfect stimulus to get me started. Let me share some direct quotes from her book.

"I am trying to accept that I am actually m-m-m-m-middle aged. And even though I am a feminist and even though I am religious, I secretly believe, in some mean little rat part of my brain, that I am my skin, my hair, and worst of all, those triangles of fat that pooch at the top of my thighs. In other words, that I am my packaging. Even though both feminism and Christianity have taught me that I am my spirit, my heart, all that I have survived over the years and all that I have given, still a funny thing happened after I started liking a guy; I looked in the mirror, and sighed, and thought to myself, I will cut my eyes out."
Anne has her epiphany while watching a movie about gypsies. She compares the old gypsies to the younger gypsies and lovingly calls the old, wise gypsies-cronies. I too will admit that I have my ups and downs with what I will now call cronehood. There's good and there's bad. I have highs and I have lows.

But on the whole, I must confess that I have many more highs than lows. I have reached a point in life where I am comfortable in my wrinkly skin--for the most part. Again ANNE says it so much better than I could--
"Maybe it (being a crone) leaves me needing to consider how wealthy I am in the knowledge that the girl of my past is still in me while a marvelous crone is in the future--and that I hold both of these females inside."
"I want what the crones have: time for all those long deep breaths, time to watch more closely, time to learn to enjoy what I've always been afraid of--the sag and the invisibility, (oh how true!) the ease of understanding that life is not about doing. The crones understand this, and it gives them all kinds of time--time to get much less done, time for all these holy moments."

"So I've been thinking, realistically, I'm probably not going to lose five pounds before.... or have the little canopy above my eyes snipped off. And how what I am going to do instead is to begin practicing cronehood as soon as possible: to watch, smile, dance."

Ahhhh...Thank you Anne Lamott!!!

WONDERING WHY ONE WITHERS??

2009-09-12T18:56:00.000-07:00

I had no reason to fear bats, and as
I grew and discovered how many people
are deathly afraid of them, it made me
wonder about fear. Whether it all starts
with the people who raise us.
from: Missing May
by:Cynthia Rylant

I often come home after a hike-(with LOTS of coral dust between my toes) and feel grateful that I am not strapped by horrible, debilitating fears and phobias.

Over the years I have met quite a few 'hikers' that have a great fear of snakes. I suppose this is quite common and possibly justified. I dont understand it, but it doesnt mean that I dont try and be compassionate about it.

A big ol rattler sharing the path with you is not an experience one goes looking for!!! But I have been hiking for years now, and I have only come across 5-6 snakes in that time. But, whats really disturbing to me is to see these fears completely curtail, or paralyze some hikers to ever venturing out of doors!! (First off, didnt they KNOW they were coming to a desert environment BEFORE they signed on??!!) Their experience in our beautiful desert is tainted by their fear.

We had a hiker not too long ago that was petrified of lizards. Not just in the chance of seeing them, but just knowing they shared the sand with us was more than she could handle. After the first morning, as she cried and gasped for breath and begged us to take her back home; we never saw her again...outside the enclosed facility. Poor,poor, crazy girl. YES indeed- I am passing judgment. COME ON... A little blue tailed lizard will do nobody any harm, unless your a bug!!
It is indeed hard for me to remain compassionate to those fears that make no sense.

Guess what porphyrophobia is the fear of!!?? You'll NEVER guess...not in a million years (Unless of course you have this mental disorder)... its the fear of the color purple!! Come on now...whats that really about?
Some other fears:

There is the fear of books, and color and ferns and even knees!!
I am so grateful that I am not incapacitated by any such seemingly irrational fear.
I found a list of phobias the other day, HERE.
It has made me all the more grateful for my good mental health, but it made me also question the workings of our brains. Could it really be possible to be crippled by the fear of the figure 8!!!????
Snap Out of It, for pete sakes!!!!!!!!!

My Feet Hurt!!!

2009-09-12T18:53:00.000-07:00

And when my feet ache, I feel tired!!!
Its truly amazing how fast I can wear out a pair of hiking shoes when I hike in them almost every day.
Lets see....
I hike between 4-6 miles every weekday...
The average being 5 miles times 5 days...
25 miles a week, give a take a few....
Yep...my feet are amazing!!
Plus....
Many of our hikes are up and over and through some pretty wicked lava flows. Basalt rock is murder on the soles of shoes!!
So I'm very excited to report that my brand new, spiffy KEENS are on the way to my waiting feet!! (thanks Joe my love!) I love having Christmas in Sept.!!
I wore my last KEENS for over 3 years!!
I have no way of computing how many miles I put on them. I wore them even when I wasnt hiking. My favorite place to wear them was trekking down to Havasupi each summer. Many, many, many miles were tread by them (and me!).
I even took them a few times to the shoemaker for a little touch-up work, to keep them going for as long as possible.
I LOVE, love, LoVe the KEEN hiking sandal!!

They are cute, cute, cute and practical too!!
Perfection!!

BACKCOUNTRY HIKING IN ZION NATIONAL PARK

2009-09-12T17:42:00.000-07:00

To enter wilderness is to court risk, and
risk favors the senses, enabling one to live
well. The landscapes we know and return to
become places of solace. We are drawn to
them because of the stories they tell,
because of the memories they hold, or simply
because of the sheer beauty that calls us
back again and again.
from: Refuge
by: Terry Tempst Williams

The Subway hike’s scenery combines the mountains of
California’s Yosemite National Park with the series of smooth mini
waterfalls seen in Guatemala’s Semuc Champey and adds the Utah
twist of slot canyons, wavy layered sandstone landscape, and the sandy
desert environment. It requires a permit, basic repelling equipment,
and wetsuits are recommended. It can be accomplished by mildly
experienced climbers or even beginners with experienced climbers. It is
an all day hike requiring about seven hours. Just remember, you and
everything you take will get soaked!
The hike begins with a gradual descent through scenery of
large grey cliffs and sandstone hills. Although this is a less popular
portion of the hike, the views of these diverse mountains create
amazing contrasts that are certainly picture worthy. As the hike
progresses, you suddenly find yourself in a slowly narrowing slot
canyon. There is no wonder where the name “The Subway” comes
from; throughout the canyon, the cliffs on the canyon’s sides drop
vertically until rounding outward giving the feeling of hiking through an underground cave or a natural
subway track. The cool water that flows down the center constitutes the train and you as the passenge walking/swimming down. No words can describe how astonishing these rock formations really are. The water is slow and safe, but cold enough to make you shiver if you stay in too long. All the while, one can look up to see green trees and mountains towering above. At times, ropes are required and harnesses are strongly recommended to work down some of the steeper areas which
include small cliffs and even waterfalls. A famous obstacle is “The Bowling Ball” which is a spherical rock stuck between the narrowing of two slot cliffs which forces
hikers to either hold their breath and swim under it, or use their strength to
climb over it. Either way, given the environment and circumstances, it feels
like living an Indiana Jones movie (only the large round rock doesn’t chase
you down the canyon).
Just when you think this hike can’t get more diverse and interesting,
it does! Now comes the Semuc Champey‐like portion of the trail. It is
composed of a series of small waterfalls, streams, and pools that trickle into
eachother. And it doesn’t stop there; you can find mossy patches on
the waterfalls and slide down them! Don’t be a wuss, you gotta do it!
It’ll be the slimiest, slickest natural
waterslide you ever ride.

At this point, the slot canyon begins to widen and you find yourself following a river between two very large cliffs. For the next couple hours, trails lead through
boulders, trees, and bushes alongside the river. This may get a little
repetitive but fear not, for yet another unique feature is thrown in just
before the end of the hike: dinosaur tracks. Yep, that’s right. A couple
very large rock slabs completely covered in dinosaur tracks that are
just as well preserved as ones you pay to see in St. George. They are on
the right side of the river and can easily be missed without marking
them on a GPS system. To end the hike, several rock pile markers
indicate where to follow a trail up and out of the canyon. This is
probably the most difficult part of the hike, but just remember that
you’re done once you reach the top. This is a beautiful hike that will require some planning and experience to accomplish, but it is well worth all the time and
effort. People do large hikes just to observe one of the many
features this hike has to offer. Enjoy!
BY-Creighton Petty

DINOSAUR SHRIMP IN THE DESERT

2009-09-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

And at some immeasurably remote time beyond
human caring the whole uneasy region might
sink again beneath the sea and begin the cycle all
over again by the slow deposition of new marls,
shales, limestones, sandstones, deltaic conglomerates,
perhaps with a fossil poet pressed and silicified between
the leaves of rocks.
from: Heart of the Desert Wild
quote by: Wallace Stegner

I talk all the time about the pre-historic nature of our desert region when I hike with friends. I talk in numbers that can hardly be fathomed; like 350 million years ago our beautiful red rock was formed by oceanic pressure. I talk of volcanic action that took place 10 thousand years ago!! We have the most amazing dinosaur tracts that grace the ground, practically in my own back yard!! Zion Canyon was carved by water thousands and thousands of years ago...
And then....

Every once in a while we stumble across these bizarre creatures swimming in a stagnant pool of water that was captured in the rock from a recent rain storm. These creatures look like a Hollywood special effects job!!! Steven Spielberg would be proud!!!

These little guys are called Tadpole shrimps, or can also be known as Triops, dinosaur shrimps or shield shrimps. They're not really dinosaurs, but they have been on earth for about 300 million years.Wrap your brain around this if you can: When these crustaceans first appeared on earth, there were no birds, no dinosaurs, and definitely no humans or other mammals. They are the oldest surviving group of animals.

I know I feel lucky when I spot one of these critters swimming in a shaded pool of rain water...and a little creeped out as well!!!