Bryce Canyon Utah...Awe...Awe...

Just before coming to Boulder Utah for our visit to Hell's Backbone Kitchen, we stopped at Bryce Canyon.  This amazing natural wonder looks like gigantic rows of orange and sand colored stalagmites lining a huge canyon floor.  We were in awe.  We were also ready for an invigorating hike after being in the car for 6 hours.  So we donned our walking shoes and headed down down down the base of these mighty spires.  On the way we heard several foreign languages; an international destination!

Dave tried to joke with a few guys we thought were American.  When his joke was met with blank stares we realized we were in the company of non-english speaking Swedes.  So we smiled Shrugged and moved on.  At the bottom of the trail we looked up.  Wow.  These trees had to grow very tall to reach the uninterrupted sunlight above the towers.  The shade as we walked between the towers was welcome releif from the scorching afternoon sun.  We lingered at the base hoping we'd get some cloud cover for the hike back up.

Here Dave is posing in the shadows of the deepest pathways.  The literature on the park tells us that, unlike most canyons, these formations are not made by running water, but rather rainfall and wind.  They were referred to as "the world's largest pothole"  which sounds insulting given the awe-inspiring beauty of the place.  The canyon is home for a very small species of prairie dog.  They were about the size of a two-week old kitten and not too shy.  When they got close to us, Dave lumbered after one saying, "C'mon little fella, let's have a play, don't you wanna play little fella?"  I fell apart laughing, the prairie dog ran scared and the foreigners looked on like we were crazy.  I suppose we are...

As we started the climb back up we surrendered to the sweat.  It dripped freely as we climbed steadily.  There were a few families we passed trying to coax their kids to keep tromping onward.  Dave and I remembered similar times from our childhood and had a moment of deep honor for the offering parents make to their kids.  Here I take a rest on the base of an old fallen tree.

Once we reached the top again we took a long look at Bryce Canyon and soaked in the mystery of earth's origins and the miracle of our lives and the opportunity to enjoy all this beauty and take time to revel in the mystery.  As we headed to the truck we saw these mini tractors being pushed through the parking lot by park service people.  Turns out they are "trail sweepers" keeping the trail clear of rolly polly rocks.  We thought the flat trays on top should be used as serving trays for delivering martinis and lemonade to the thirsty hikers.  Jen for mayor, right?  In my next entry I will tell you all about the magic of Boulder, UT and our trek over giant rocks to the secret canyon swimming hole where Dave became the moss monster...

Sedona Magic

We've all heard about the mystic powers of the Sedona Arizona region.  Apparently there are portals that make the love and wisdom of God more accessible to us.  Not sure how we'd measure the truth of that, but I'm pretty sure we experienced it.  Certainly the beauty of the region inspires higher thoughts and a feeling that earth has a grand designer whose creative power and eye for grandeur are most superior.  Well, in our three weeks in Flagstaff we traveled to Sedona five times and each time received an uplifting dose of healing and inspiration.  The drive from Flag to Sedona is about 25 miles but takes 45 minutes.  The elevation drop is 4000 feet which makes the drive down very dramatic; switch backs down a canyon wall that looks out across adjacent canyon walls striped with sandstone and limestone and packed with pine trees.  Any of you who have traveled on hwy 89A into Sedona know what I mean.  Here is Dave on the side of that highway.

The drive takes you into Oak Creek Canyon - a deep canyon with a cool stream running through that collects in rock pools to create wonderful swimming holes.  Along the canyon floor there are oak trees, apple trees, and aspen amoung the ponderosa pines.  We went to a swimming area called Grasshopper point and enjoyed jumping off the hot rocks into the cool water.  We hiked upstream through the water to find a private quiet part of the stream.  There we sat on a big boulder in the middle of the stream and had one the deepest heart to heart talks ever.  We left feeling so blessed to have each other and to be on this great adventure together.

On another occasion, Dave took me on an "off road" hike right up some of the big sandstone towers.  He saw them from the official trail we were on and some how knew how to navigate up them.  He packed a blanket and picnic and asked me to adopt my most adventurous attitude.  He led me up crags and gullies, across mesas and up steep rock slabs.  At times I cursed him and was scared, but once we came to our destination, all was forgiven.  What a breath-taking view and the silence... We enjoyed a fabulous lunch 500 feet above the trail and for a while I didn't even worry about the hike down ;-)

We found a large flat area to do some handstands after lunch.  On the hike down there was some butt sliding and tree root holding, but it was a great adventure and once again we left Sedona feeling rich and satisfied about our love, our life and our deepening connection with nature.

There are several vineyards and wineries in the Sedona area and one in particular we wanted to visit called Caduceus was founded by one of Dave's musical hero's Maynerd Keenan.  He made a wonderful documentary about the progess of estabilishing a vinyard and making wine.  It is called "Blood into Wine" and he talks about the humbling and enlightening eight-year process he went through to get to know his land well enough to grow grapes worthy of wine-making.  He also talks about how his love for his mother helped drive his passion and he named his first wine after her.

The Caduceus winery and tasting room is in a town called Jerome and was a most interesting place to visit.  It was a copper mining town in the mid 1800's.  The town is built on a steep hillside and the roads through the town zig zag up the hill.  There is an old west ghost town feel to the place and many of the buildings have a haphazard yet charming way of fitting themselves into the hillside.  We enjoyed a tasting at the winery then wandered through the town as the sun set.  We found a vista just outside town to have a tailgate picnic dinner then drove home under a stunning sky.  The clouds looked like they were filled with lava as the sun made its final descent.  Dave was singing loud to Queen and with the window down I let the desert air blow across my face.

We also enjoyed an interesting yoga class in Sedona at the Seven Centers Yoga Studio.  It was called Five Elements Yoga and the teacher took you through postures that emphasized the earth element - getting energy into the legs and feet - then sat us in meditation and passed out aromatherapy sticks so we could breath in a plant essence that was earthy.  And we sat in silence for a few minutes taking all that in, then moved on to the the other elements: water, fire, air and space.  It was engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Dave was able to reconnect with one of his Guitar teacher's Randy J and they went on a "man hike" together while I worked on my book.

Our time in Flagstaff was wonderful.  We left two days ago feeling a strong bond to the area and to our generous host Todd Nelson who shared his home with us for three weeks.  Here is a picture of one of the tunnels we passed through on Hwy 12 driving through Utah. We are now in Boulder Utah and boy do we have stories for you about this place.  it is AMAAAZING!  Details coming soon.

From Hot June to July Monsoon

Its been a wild ride of weather from the moist oxygen-rich air of Maui to the dry winds and high heat of Flagstaff Arizona.  Our first week in California was rainy and cold then we got a dose of Chico heat just as we headed east to Bishop.  Bishop was hot dry and windy so we left early for Flagstaff traveling through 113 degrees in the Nevada desert.  Dave and I have been here in "Flag" for ten days and we'd heard people talk of the Monsoon season - rains in July, but we just couldn't imagine such a shift as we piled on lotion and turned our humidifier on at night to handle the intense dryness and heat of June in Flag.  But yesterday it shifted.  The July monsoon season is here and the wet air and cool temperatures are sweet relief.  Just before the rains yesterday Dave and I rode bikes through Buffalo Park on our way home from 6 AM yoga class.

Buffalo Park is a huge wild park with pine trees and desert prairie and rock formations shaded by Valley Oaks.  The park is high on the hills behind town so the views are lovely.  We climbed through the rock where Dave boulders now and then.  Bouldering consists of short powerful "problems" moves that are very challenging.  You only climb ten or twenty feet up and you have a pad below to pad your fall.  Hopefully, you also have friends there to cheer you on and help catch your fall if you should take one.  Many people prefer bouldering to sport climbing.  Dave boulders to build strength for sport climbing.   It is done without any rope or harness so its riskier but more convenient since there is no need to pack in a bunch of gear.  Here Dave is showing his arching upward salute on the boulders at Buffalo Park.

The park is in the foothills above the historic downtown district where we love to hang out.  Here I am busting a move on the boulders overlooking the Flagstaff suburbs.

We went to a wonderful Latin restaurant a few nights ago.  A place call Criollo that was voted best restaurant last year.  Dave had fish tacos and I had stuffed Relleno peppers.  They were filled with black beans, corn and delicata squash, topped with avocado and chipotle salsa.  Oh my.  After dinner we walked to "The Green Room" a bar that was having karaoke contest.  Dave was set to enter and I was sure he would win.  We were told the contest began at 9 PM.  Late for us, but we were willing.

We got there at 8:30 and started playing.  It was one of those bars that has a ping pong table, dart boards, a punching bag and this awesome game where you try to toss large bean bags into a hole in a wooden ramp about 30 feet away.  I love aiming games and Dave does too so we whittled away an hour playing.  Then Dave tried the punching bag entertaining many onlookers with his dramatic approach.  Then we hit the ping pong table and Dave ruled for five games in a row.  Here he is in action.

We never made it to the Karaoke.  It didn't start at 9 or 9:30 or 10 PM.  We turn into pumpkins at 10:30 PM so we headed home to get enough sleep for our 6 AM fourth of July yoga class.

Dave had a really great day of climbing on the third.  He met the author of the local climbing guide and they have started a friendship.  Dave climbed with him yesterday and was able to send a 12a problem he'd been working on this past week.  He is feeling strong and really enjoying collecting new climbing buddies.

Today Dave took a rest day from climbing.  We ran our three miles in the morning, enjoyed chai together, then headed to a yoga class at 9:30 AM.  Back to the house for big salads.  In the afternoon I got a massage while Dave took Strong Heart (our truck) for an oil change and wash.  Now we are enjoying an afternoon snack at Macy's Cafe as the big raindrops fall outside.  This evening I will take another yoga class (call me crazy) and Dave will play his guitar.  He's been writing songs and actually, I wrote the lyrics to a song I hope he puts to music and sings for all of you some day soon.

We are both settling more deeply into the joy of this road trip.  The freedom to allow our days to unfold organically and follow the current desires of our hearts and bodies is a luxury we wish for everyone.  There was a transition time where we felt odd without the regular call to duty and list of chores, but now we are comfortable and allowing the spaciousness to bring forth our natural creativity, humor, and desire to connect more deeply with nature and the wonderful people of the this planet we share.