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!!!

“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!

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.

"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!!!"

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

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!!

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.