The last week of the trip has arrived.
Monday morning made for a lengthy and quite adventurous hike at Arches National Park. Patric and I decided to do Devil's Garden, which is a 7 1/2 mile loop that wanders past 8 arches along the way. We failed to notice on the map that this is a 'primitive trail.'
Primitive meaning not only might you get lost, you will.
And we did.
But not before checking out all of these:
Shortly after this last photo was taken, we did it. We got lost. Prior to this, the trail was pretty clearly marked with rock cairns, which are just little piles of stacked rocks. And then we couldn't find anymore cairns. So we just started traversing random rocks, some maybe a little dangerously, knowing full well this couldn't possibly be the trail.
And then we found two other people that were just as lost as us! This is where it gets a little weird. Well maybe not weird, but moreso strangely coincidental. Divine? Not sure. Anyway, the folks we ran into just happened to be on a cross country road trip to guess where, Santa Barbara.
Say what?
Turns out Sarah is moving from Massachusetts to California for grad school, and she's chosen the Bren School at UCSB as her post bach experience. Her friend Phill is joining her on the adventure across the country and flying back home shortly after.
And we just happen to run into them in the middle of a canyon, wandering lost with three options. We can see people up on the ridge where we were about an hour previously. We can a) make our way up to the ridge, bushwhacking all the while b) go back the way we came or c) wander farther down the wash and see if we can pick up the trail somewhere down the way.
I make an executive decision and suggest we wander down the wash. I'm not into backtracking, and I could just see us getting all adventurous and making it to just under the ridge where all the people were and then having to get heli-vacced out because we're trapped. I'm not into paying that bill.
So wander down the wash I will.
And low and behold, we found the trail. And we found two new friends along the way. Way too cool.
Phill and Sarah joined us for lunch before Buddo and I headed off to Canyonlands National Park:
where we narrowly won the race for tent space. Canyonlands only has one campground with 12 sites at the Island in the Sky portion of the park, which is where we were. Only 12 sites!! So tiny. But we got one. Here are some photos of our experience among the canyons:
After Canyonlands, we jetted over to Capitol Reef National Park, where of course, it was raining.
We got a break in the storm to catch the scenic drive and pick some fruit. And then it was on to the next adventure. Capitol Reef doesn't really have a whole lot to offer as far as hiking, especially when it's raining and muddy. We came, we saw, we picked some fruit, and we moved on.
The sun came out for a second, and then it was gone again. So we drove to Bryce Canyon thinking we could camp and explore more there. But of course, it started raining again, but not until after we made it to the silent city. So I had already been to Bryce Canyon in the beginning of my trip, but since we were so close at Capitol Reef, I wanted to take Patric by both Bryce and Zion. Little did I know it would be pouring at both.
We got a few cool pictures of Bryce Canyon before the storm rolled in and we peaced out to Zion. You can see those here:
After spending approximately 10 minutes inside the park at Zion, we decided to drive over to the Grand Canyon to see if things would get any better. The forecast said cloudy with a chance of rain. We were hoping that chance would just hang out for a bit until after we had a chance to pass through.
As we were driving out of Zion, a park ranger decided to pull behind me and follow me around the hairpin turns to the exit via the Zion-Mt. Carmel Scenic Drive. As soon as he pulled behind me, I knew he was looking for something to occupy his time with in this sad rainstorm. He was bored. So he needed to entertain himself. I made sure to follow the speed limit and take the turns as safely and slowly as I could. After making it out of one especially sharp turn, bloop bloop, sirens and lights. At first I thought he was calling the attention of some folks in the turnout who were attempting to take some photos in the rain over the edge. But no, he was blooping at me. So I pulled over, wondering what in the world he could be citing me for.
Park Ranger: "Hello Miss I'm park ranger so and so, I'm pulling you over because you crossed the fog line."
Me: "Can I ask what the fog line is?"
PR: "It's the white line to the right inside that turn you just made."
Me: "Oh, I'm sorry about that."
PR: "Can I have your license, registration, and proof of insurance?"
So I hand everything over and Patric and I wait. All the while, making fun of the fog line and how uncanny this situation is right now. We're talking about a hairpin turn here. You know one of those ones where you turn all the way around to go back the other way while switchbacking up a mountain. Apparently, I took the turn just a little too sharp and crossed the fog line.
I'm tellin' you, he was bored and needed something to do.
Three minutes later while Patric and I are still talking crap and making fun, he walks back up. He probably heard half of our conversation, but he sent me on my way without a ticket. I don't even know if Park Rangers are allowed to issue tickets…what's your bet?
Anyway, two hours later, I got pulled over again. This time for actually speeding. Although unknowingly. Honest! I was going 70 in what I thought was a 65 zone. Ok, yes I was still 5 miles over, but that's pretty much allowed, right? Anyway, it was actually a 55 mph zone but I think because I was from California, the small town northern Arizonan let it slide. He was a really cute old cop who gave me a $78 ticket with no points on my record, rather than a $198 ticket with a point on my record.
So that's cool.
We got to the Grand Canyon only to find it was raining there as well:
So we took off once again, this time to Vegas. We were in search of a dry place to sleep, and come on, I needed to make back the money to pay for that speeding ticket.
So 4 1/2 hours later and we're checking into our castle for the evening. We stayed at Excalibur and had a rather displeasing meal at Dick's Last Resort. Not displeasing because of the service, that's supposed to be both equally terrible and sarcastic. The food was the displeasing part. The chicken on my salad was straight out of the freezer section at the grocery store. Gross. And I don't complain about food often.
Off to the Pai Gao tables where I won $70 and learned that our money now has color in it. I guess I'm just too poor to be rollin' around wit dem Benjaminz in my wallet.
Sarah and Phill from earlier actually came over to join us and we had a grand ol time wandering the strip. It felt weird being that close to home…and not going home. But the journey ain't over yet folks.
Time to drive up to northern Utah where our cousin Jonathan lives with his wife and daughter. I had a blast building lego towers and superhero dogs with four year old Myah in her Batman themed room, and then it was time to head out to Green River, Wyoming where Patric and I would be running the next morning.
Saturday was a milestone for Patric! Not only did he finish his first half marathon, he placed third in his division!! Watch out.
After finishing the marathon we jetted over to Spearfish, South Dakota where I would have another race the following morning.
Two marathons. Two states. Two days. Done and done. I still can't believe I did it. And I could potentially see myself doing it again, which is the weird thing. I may start cramming two into every weekend so I can make sure to get em all done by 30. Yes, I am crazy. We've established that.
I think I need to get my doctorate and become a professor so I can write a memoir entitled THE REAL LIFE NUTTY PROFESSOR. That was a bad joke. But I'm sure I got at least a pity laugh right?
Anyway, after finishing up in Spearfish, Patric and I drove over to Mt. Rushmore where I hobbled around with all the other hefty Americans with their hot dogs and ice cream cones. Only I didn't get an ice cream cone. They were just too expensive for my broken piggy bank at this point. Spending a summer traveling really does a number on the pennies in the pot. I digress.
Another one of the cooler things I've seen on this trip.
From Mt. Rushmore, we drove on over to Wind Cave, my 14th and final park on the road trip. We took an hour long tour of one of the largest caves in the world, which still is being explored and discovered. They've made it through 142 miles of cave and there is still no end in sight. Nuts.
The pictures aren't all that great, but the cave was truly awesome. So glad we took the time to check out. Even though it meant driving until 1 in the morning to get to a sleeping spot. Monday marked the longest day of driving ever. Patric and I got up at 7, hit the road by 7:30 and made it home to Riverside at about 7:30pm. That's 13 hours of driving with the time change. Bleh.
And then it was over. I'll be back with a more reflective piece later. For now, I have to go jump into the belly of my classroom and attempt to figure out what the heck I'm doing come next Wednesday when my 30ish 9 year olds show up. Yikes.
The Adventurist will soon become Tales of a Fourth Grade Something. Perhaps.
Anyway, it's been real folks. Hope you had fun following along with me on this nutty road trip. It was truly life changing.
