July 21, 2011 Price, UT

A note to novice campers:  If you get a phone call in the early morning hours, please stay inside your camper and wake up your own family instead of taking the call outside and waking up everyone else’s.  Thanks!

We packed up today and are spending the night in Price, UT.  At our next two locations, Dinosaur and Grand Tetons, the campsites are reserved on a first come, first serve basis.  Therefore we have two hotel visits worked into our plans so that we’ll be able to get there early.  I can’t say I’m disappointed to sleep in a bed...with my husband…and shower twice…for free.  We also need to resupply.   And wash all the Keens.  PU.

Beefalo:  90% bovine, 10% bison
And they bring traffic to a halt.  

July 20, 2011 North Rim Grand Canyon, AZ

This morning, we showered.  I only mention this because it was quite an experience.  I felt so prepared biking up to the showers with Lindsay, my dorm-style shower caddy strapped to the bike seat.  But I had not anticipated the $1.50 needed to start them.  I went back to the campsite and begged $1 bills from Karl and prepared to try again.  I felt blessed when the change machine worked.

The advantage to showering at this time of day was that we had the whole place to ourselves and the water was hot and the pressure firm.  That proved the disadvantage as well.  Lindsay and I nearly blistered our backs on the lukewarm setting and we felt like we were showering under a fire hose.  And every time the toilet flushed, everything came to a standstill.  I don’t think the boys fared much better, as they had to start the shower twice.  Something tells me we’ll be throwing our clothes away at the end of this trip.

Smelling fresh and clean, we piled in the car for a ride up the Cape Royal road.  It took about 4 hours to explore the road and we did very little hiking.  From Cape Royal and along the pull-outs on the way there we saw much of the main canyon, the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers, and the northeastern beginnings (Lees Ferry) of the Grand Canyon.  We happened upon a ranger-led talk about the Native American cultures of the canyon that was very enlightening.  And we visited Imperial Point, the highest elevation point in the park.

Angels Window at Cape Royal

Looking Southwest from Cape Royal

Point Imperial

During the late afternoon, I did laundry while the kids played at the campsite.  We cooked an early dinner and then biked over to the Grand Canyon Lodge for a few rousing games of Uno on the sun porch.  After sunset, we biked back to the campsite and enjoyed s’mores by the campfire.

View from the sun porch at sunset

Same view, just having fun with the camera settings

July 19, 2011 North Rim Grand Canyon, AZ

Arizona does not celebrate Daylight Savings - “We get enough sun, thank you.” - so we were up with the ravens at 6 am.  But we all seemed rested enough for a few adventures today. 

We started the day with a hike down the Transept Trail, ending at the Grand Canyon Lodge.  We admired the hazy view (smoke + humidity + pollution) from the sun porch, toured the lodge and bathrooms, and signed all three kids up for the Jr. Ranger program.  All you had to say was “badge” and Lindsay was hooked.  She completed her 4 required pages before lunch and then begged all day to return for her reward.  Karl, the naturalist that he is, tried to finish all the pages in his book by the end of the day.  A haiku he wrote:

Rattlesnakes biting

Wolves and coyotes howling

This is so much fun

Can you see their shiny Jr. Ranger badges?

On the sun porch at the Grand Canyon Lodge

View from Transept Trail in the morning

We spent lunch and the early afternoon at our campsite.  The sun finally came out and consequently, God turned on the heat.  The kids did various crafts, rode bikes, and captured hapless critters (more on that below), while Gerry and I read and prepped for other activities. 

This afternoon, we rode our bikes back to the lodge for the Condor Talk on the sun porch with one of the park rangers.  I am now filled with fun little facts about condors and am anxious to work my new knowledge into all my conversations.  You’ve been warned.

We also walked the Bright Angel Trail to overlook the canyon.  It turns out that Karl and Gerry are not fond of heights and barely made it over some of the bridges.  Lindsay and I climbed on every outcropping of rock.  Billy, in standard form, was a wild card and had to be hand-held at every turn.

View from Bright Angel Trail

Today, the wildlife was abundant.  We saw many ravens, chipmunk and squirrel.  Karl caught a horned toad and a collared lizard (while bike riding, if you can believe it).  On the Transept Trail we spotted a doe mule deer and 2 fawn.  And, in what could have only happened on an episode of The Crocodile Hunter, this European guy captured a 4-foot bull snake on the Bright Angel Trail and carried it to safety down the canyon.  Karl had stars in his eyes and I fully expect to see that fellow on Animal Planet one day.   

Horned Toad

Collared Lizard

I took over 100 photos today, including this one of the sunset from Transept Trail.

July 18, 2011 North Rim Grand Canyon, Arizona

Let me start this post with HAPPY 40^th BIRTHDAY, Gerry!  I’m sorry you have to spend your actual birthday in the car.  But I know this trip will be worth it.

We left Corrales at 7 am, heading west on I40.  No one was thrilled to be in the car again, and it wasn’t until Arizona that we all got in our groove. 

Me:  Hey, kids!  We’re in Arizona!

Karl:  I don’t see any big canyon.

I spent the first few hours reading the tour books that I should have read 3 months ago but was too distracted by buying a new home to actually do it.  Then we spent an hour trying to make some last minute reservations at Yellowstone (Cookout! ) with very iffy cell service.  I hope Gerry doesn’t die of radiation poisoning from holding the phone up to his ear for so long.  

Northeastern Arizona is really very pretty.  We took the scenic route to the North Rim, and it did not disappoint.  Amid the mesas and rez trucks, we happened upon the Navajo Bridge – a surprise to us all.  (It’s probably in one of the books…)  It crosses the Colorado River and Vermilion Canyon.  Very beautiful and very hot.

It started to get rainy as we entered Kaibab National Forest, just north of the canyon.  The temperature dropped to 60 degrees and I was cold in my flip flops.  It sprinkled off and on while we set up camp.  The weather is clearing up as I type and if I bother to turn off the computer, I can see the Milky Way from our campsite.  The last time I was here was 1992.  There is a new check-in station for the camping, but that is about it.  We decided that we are North Rim folk – it’s quiet and discreet and I’m having trouble with connectivity.

"Thanks, CC, for the awesome jacket!"

Dinner tonight was hot dogs and corn-on-the-cob.  Not bad for the first night.  We are camping in two tents this go around.  Tonight is my night with Lindsay.  I hope we are better than average camp partners.

We made it!

July 17, 2011 Corrales, NM

Packing.  We leave tomorrow for the Grand Canyon and beyond.  

Our schedule for the next few weeks

I have to admit that I’m a little nervous about all the camping, but I know my extra-fancy (XF), new & improved, wuderbar Thermarest will carry me through.  Now to get it all in the car…

All this + 2 coolers + 2 camp tables + 5 people + 4 bikes

In preparation for this next trip, I started a list on the drive back from the East Coast.  It was my best friend during the past week.  Make fun if you want.  But I bet I didn’t forget anything.  

Palate preparation for the end of our trip.

July 12, 2011

Another day, another funny conversation with Billy.  


He squeezed Lindsay's arm in the lego box when she was trying to help him straighten his room.  It was a really punky thing for him to do.  As my mother says, "He's a mess."  So I took him on my lap to talk to him about kindness.
Me:  Billy, you need to be kind to Lindsay.  It says in the Bible to be kind to your brothers and sisters.  Jesus wants you to love your neighbors.  Lindsay, Karl, Mommy and Daddy are your neighbors.
Billy:  OK.
Me:  [kiss] Be nice to Lindsay.
Billy:  Did Jesus say to not pick your nose?
Me:  [stifling laughter] I don't think Jesus mentioned nose picking in the Bible.  

July 11, 2011

El Reno, OK --> Corrales, NM

8 hour drive home today.  In addition to the high external temperature, inside tempers are also running hot.  In Texas, we had to turn on George Winston (music to soothe the savage beast) and threaten to pull over if Billy didn’t pull it together. 

Me:  OK everyone.  It’s quiet time.  Lean your seat back and just close your eyes for a minute.

Karl:  zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Billy:  I don’t want to go to sleep.

Me:  You do not have to go to sleep.  But you have to be quiet and relax.

Billy:  I DON’T WANT TO GO TO SLEEP!

Me:  You do not have to go to sleep.  But you have to be quiet and relax.

Billy:  AAAAAUUUUGGGG!  I DON’T WANT TO GO TO SLEEP!

Me:  CLOSE YOUR EYES!  IF I SEE YOUR EYES OPEN, I’M GOING TO SPANK YOUR BOTTOM!

Billy:  [eyes closed] AAAAAUUUUGGGG!  I DON’T WANT TO GO TO SLEEP!

Me:  [unbuckles seatbelt and moves toward the back seat] BE QUIET!  NOW!

Billy:  zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…

Lindsay never went to sleep.  Just ask her - she's never tired.  But, she was quiet and that is what counted today.  

We pulled into Albuquerque around 2:45 pm.  It’s good to be home.  I feel like I can see again!  And there is so much to see.  For example, nowhere in the country do so many people display their love (Obamanos!) or hatred (One Big Ass Mistake America) for our current president so proudly on their bumpers. 

I hope they clear up the construction on Coors Blvd before we return again in August.  We use that road nearly every day.

Lindsay:  What are they doing out there?

Me:  Looks like refitting the sewer lines and maybe extending the road.

Lindsay:  Can I roll down my window and ask that guy?

Me:  No, honey.  They are working.

Lindsay:  That guy isn’t working.  He’s just standing there watching.

The house is hot and the cupboard is bare so we ended up at our local favorite, Sweet Tomatoes, for dinner.  Lindsay wanted to eat her soup with her straw and Karl tried to slurp his ice cream with his.  Everyone ate with their hands.  It was a good opportunity to talk about manners and when it is appropriate to experiment with your food.

Me:  Lindsay, as much as you like to experiment, I hope you’ll be a scientist one day.

Lindsay:  That’s exactly what I want to be!

Karl:  I don’t want to be in the CIA anymore.  Now I want to be in the FBI lab.

Me:  Great!  Billy, what do you want to be when you grow up?

Billy:  A Dragonsnake.

We’ll be in town until next Monday.  It will be a week of shopping, cleaning and repacking.