Grand Canyon

This is Bright Angel trail which takes you to the canyon which is almost a mile deep. You cannot hike down and back up in a day - it takes too much water, strength and stamina and the park suggests two days at least. You can stay at Phantom Canyon at the bottom. You can also take a mule ride down and then back up the next day.

I am still learning how to use this program so nothing is in order here! Upon arrival at the park, we saw a desert pig-havlina, I believe. We went up the four flights of the watchtower, designed by Mary Coulter, to see the Grand Canyon for the first time. We then visited Tusayan Ruins, the westernmost village of Anasazi. The photo is the remaining part of their kiva. They grew corn, ate the native animals and plants and built cisterns for water. Very intelligent people.

We have gone to many ranger talks which we love. Today, the desert plants spoke to us! Junipers with parasite mistletoe, pinyon pine which gives us pine nuts, ponderosa pine, rabbit brush, barberry, and fern plants. Small leaves on all to survive this harsh climate. Animals we have seen include elk, deer, rock chipmunks, ravens, and today we saw a condor soaring in the sky!!!!! 73 here now.

Oh my, such an amazing place. On to Phoenix.

Coral Sands State Park, Utah

What a pleasant surprise! We randomly decided that on our way to the Grand Canyon we would stop at Coral Sands State Park. You pay $16 for a nice campsite but NO hookups! But, in return, you walk on the sand and see this!!!! Our favorite place in southern Utah so far!!

The next blog will be at the Grand Canyon where we are now camped at Trailer Village (unique name???) We boarded a shuttle bus to Yavapai Point and walked to the Village Center (2 miles) along the rim. We walked down Angel Bright trail for aways. This afternoon we are doing one of my favorite things-IMAX! Then we will go out for a hamburger - a rare treat for travelers on a budget.

P.S. I remember, when in New York, walking at least 40 blocks to see the IMAX Mt. Everest film!

Capitol Reef National Park

Using Chris's gift of walking sticks, we hiked to

Hickman Bridge this morning-two miles round trip.

Capitol Reef is a 100 mile stretch of Wingate sandstone formations located in southern Utah. It is named "Capitol" because there are domes in the park that resemble the Capitol dome in Washington, D.C. The "reef" is coined that because it is a barrier.

The bighorn sheep walked right across the road while we were following the Scenic Drive.

We finished the day with my favorite activity: we hiked through Grand Wash. I love the washes in Borrego Springs and this was the most spectacular wash I've seen.

Now on to Grand Canyon!!!

More of Mt. Rainier

On the left is

Madcap Falls.

To the right is the forest we hiked through to the falls.

We are now in Ashland for a week.

Mt. Rainier National Park Waterfalls

Narada Falls is on the

left - a small hike down to the bottom of the falls.

On the right is Carter Falls which was a 2.2 hike straight up.

Mt. Rainier is a spectacular park with such a spiritual quality to it. Wish we could have been there in July for the wildflowers.

The campground had no electricity - no TV for Earl but he managed!

Case of the Missing Basket

Earl hung his latest pine needle basket with a scroll sawed middle piece

(with a scroll sawed butterfly on top of that) above our slide on the wall in the living room. Lo and behold, when we arrived at Ike Kinswa State Park, it was gone!

First thought, someone stole it - impossible.

The mystery was solved when Earl climbed the ladder, looked at the top of the living room slide, and there it was! A bit wet, a bit out of shape!

What happened? When we were traveling and the slide was in, the basket must have dropped on the top of the slide. When we arrived, we pushed the button and the slide goes out (with the basket on top!) Hence, the pouring rain attacked it.

It is salvageable. Earl will "paint" the basket with wax and reshape it and almost as good as new!

Lake Mayfield at Ike Kinswa State Park, WA

Earl took these photos as we camp on the western side of the Cascade Range of WA.