Signs you won't see in Florida

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Here's a sign which escaped my posts...probably because this was shot on the first day of our trip back at a display area in Delta Junction (AK) commemorating the finishing point of the Alaska Highway. It's a bit more graphic about the perils of vehicle versus buffalo confrontations.

A look back, #2

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Yellowstone National Park in late April (2005) with low clouds, some snow patches and a herd of buffalo grazing. The vastness is stunning. Imagine this on a sunny day. Or watching herds of elk, bears roaming, Old Faithful gyser-ing, or the splendor of the rugged landscape, the mountains and valleys

Each National Park has its own character, its own personality. Yellowstone was the first designated NP. If you've been there, it's easy to see why. If you visit only one NP in your life, make it Yellowstone.

A look Back, #1

ORMOND BEACH , FL - - Now that we're back in OB we have a lot more free time. So we go browsing through the photos of other adventures we've had. We like the Canadian Rockies and have vacationed there a number of times. The hiking is spectacular.
The above photo is one of my favorites as is the location: Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park just outside Field, British Columbia. To hike here you must get a 'permit' from the park service - - easier said than done because of strict limitations on each day's numbers. You remote park in an area a short distance off the highway and take a 9-mile ride in a school bus before off-loading. The daily allocation of hikers works two-fold in keeping the area pristine and the trails relatively empty: There is a private lodge and cabins on the lake which discourage the "unwashed hordes" from coming near; and there are plenty of scenic trails to hike for all skill levels.
Double-click on the pic and you'll be better able to see the lodge/cabins on the lake in che center of the picture.

Chillin' out

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Chillin' out isn't exactly what we're doing as the temperature and humidity has been hovering in the 80s. Two days at home and, other than not having to unpack and pack each day, it doesn't seem real yet. Just like last year when we returned from Skagway (AK). Of course in about a week we won't even feel like we spent 6 months away.

On the feline front: The Queen and her younger associate, Princess, are glad to see us. Maybe they've figured out that the stranger who has fed them for the past 6 months isn't coming back...and neither is his cat.

The blog entries will probably be a bit more spaced out now since it's back to the basic routine.

The end is near

DESTIN, FL - - That's probably not the most interesting title I could have come up with. But, in the grand scheme of things we have about 420 miles left in our journey home. We've gone from "The Last Frontier" to the "Sunshine State" in a meandering, round about way with plenty of time to sightsee. Except for the last four days where the scenery has zipped past at (usually) 70mph. That was how I saw the half-buried Cadillacs in Texas, the "Welcome To" signs of a whole lot of states and lots and lots of Route 66 advertising.

So now we're in Destin: The beach is half a mile away, the clouds are dark, it's blowing rain and we don't feel like getting into the Honda anymore today. Tomorrow, we'll summon up the energy to make one last rush home to Ormond.

Oops

CORRECTION: The song referred to in the previous blog should be 'Willin' and not The Weight..although listening to either one will mellow out and bring back memories to anyone who wasn't benefitting from the music of the day.

Tucumcari to Tonopah, or vice-versa

TUCUMCARI, NM - - Remember when cars had fins?? Like this representation of a old Chrysler or DeSoto? We're traveling on I-40, but Route 66 is close by. Where better to have a representation of what a time it was way back when on Route 66. This sculpture is at the Tucumcari Convention Center. Nice building, but after driving thru the town we felt they were hoping somebody would show up as the place was d e a d.

And how many tunes can you name with lyrics mentioning Tucumcari and Tonopah, plus Tucson and Tchatchapi (sp??) Dust off the oldies, break out the Dago Red and a little Panama Red to go with it and crank up "The Weight" by The Band or Little Feat's rendition.

Zion, Part #2

GRANT, NM - - Although we've left Zion National Park over 400 miles behind I wanted to post 2 more pics. Above we see the intrepid LH leading the way up trail. The 2,148' vertical gain should translate to an average 10% grade, but some parts were steeper and some not so steep as in the shot below.

In this shot I like the colors and the sculpting of the rocks by huge flows of water over time. There was also a nice echo factor. The two ladies in the pic are from Quebec and were quite friendly. One thing to note while in this section: If you hear a sound like thunder or a train coming...you're finished. We never found out if flash floods in this section have killed anyone, but there were signs at the trail head to Observation point that people have slipped and fallen to their death (for not paying attention) on the trail. I should point out that I "hugged" the wall on the first mile down.

On the edge in Zion

SPRINGDALE, UT - - Today we're in Zion National Park, a spectacular carving of sandstone by wind, water and time. We've hiked 4 miles up and up to Observation Point, one of the many maintained trails in the park. I'm sitting on a government survey marker which says 6,508' elevation. I refuse to get close enough to look over the edge. The elevation gain on this hike is listed at 2,148' so I guess that's how far I could fall.

The valley below us has the park road where the shuttle buses run and the winding Virgin River. The sun is fairly overhead, hence a bit of washed-out effect on everything in the distance. Tomorrow, the real work begins as we 'really' do start heading home.

Out of touch

NEVADA SR 375, RACHEL, NV - - Last year, while in Nevada all I got was a pic of the ET Highway, this year in the pursuit of good blogging I went all the way. No, I didn't get picked up b space aliens but I did wait around for a lift. Waiting can make you hungry so I went to the Little A'Le'Inn in Rachel, NV for an Alien Burger complete with special space sauce. The combo restaurant/bar/motel has been a gathering place for 'spacey' folk and believers for a long time. It's location is about the closest you can get to the Air Force's Area 51 without getting arrested.