Growing up in the Bay Area in California I have always had a love affair with the ocean. When I was 19 I was lucky enough to transfer schools and attend university in Hawaii. It was a dream come true and I’ve never stopped missing my home in paradise since I left it. After we … [Read more…]
I always drive. In fact, she doesn’t know how to drive stick. I have tried many times to teach her, but she always seems to have an excuse as to why it wouldn’t be a “convenient time” to learn. This weeks excuse, “well, I have to snuggle the kitty right now, so I don’t think … [Read more…]
Death Valley was… HOT. We were struggling and it was only spring! We showed up and the valley had already reached a whopping 108 degrees. It was hard to get excited about going out to hike and explore. The kitty didn’t even pretend to be excited. He was grumpy at us the whole time. He … [Read more…]
Zion National Park holds a special place in my heart. I feel like my whole body and soul resonate with this place! The red rocks. The desert. The huge walls. It all just feels RIGHT. We left for Zion the week before we launched. It was our “test run” park. We have been to this … [Read more…]
In his book about his travels across 1960’s America, Steinbeck describes his preparations for his trip as futile. I want to start this post with a quote from his novel; he has a way with words that I can only dream of possessing. “A trip, a safari, an exploration, is an entity, different from all … [Read more…]
I have been saying to a lot of people that I feel “comfortable” here in the parks of Southern Utah. I feel like I have been in these parks quite a bit. It is very easy to navigate. I know where we can camp. I know the “fun spots”. I’m really glad that we started … [Read more…]
I have a deep love for the desert. It just feels good. I just love the colors, the smells, and feeling the dry air gives me when I breathe it in. Canyonlands is one of my favorite places because of this. Now that I have professed my love for this blessed area, I need to … [Read more…]
Capitol Reef is Utah’s best kept secret. We had a BLAST exploring the park. From the mellow grassy areas in the Fruita Historical District to the rugged hikes up to Cassidy Arch, it was all outstanding. And the best part is, it wasn’t crowded at all. Yeah we know, the more we tell everyone, “there … [Read more…]
It is funny to me how this area is called a “canyon”. When I hear canyon, I think small, tight, and narrow. Bryce Canyon puts off no such vibes! In fact, it was quite the opposite The sheer expanse of red rock is what really moves a visitor. The Amphitheater overlooks, the rolling colors of Fairyland, … [Read more…]
It is only fitting that the first stop on our tour was a park that neither of us had been to before. And boy, we had been missing out. Great Basin is a hidden gem. We left Utah thinking that we would head to “hot nevada”. We were wrong. It was so cold the whole … [Read more…]