Rita's Birthday in Valdosta

Shane and Makenna


We're in Valdosta enjoying our time with Mike, Jennah, Kevin, Makenna and Shane. Yesterday was Rita's Birthday. Here are a few photos to memorialize the day.

The boys


The girls


More Girls





Our Bouncing Baby Grandson


And Our Bouncing Baby Grand Daughter


Enjoying some of Grandma's Birthday Cake

Visit With John & Faye Jackson

John & Faye Jackson

We just spent two delightful days with our old friends John & Faye Jackson at their home in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Their house is located on a pretty lake in the Ozarks and is decorated throughout with antiques they've been collecting for many years - particularly during a 7 year period when John worked for Boeing in Lytham-St.Anne's, England. We hadn't seen each other for about 25 years and was wonderful to re-connect with them, and to provide mutual updates on our kids and grandkids.

We spent hours reminiscing about our times together in both Lexington Park, Maryland, where John & I went thru TPS together, and later in Orange Park, Florida, where we both lived during follow-on squadron tours at NAS Cecil Field.




Drove around the area with them to see some of the local sights. John mentioned that they're 150 miles from the nearest interstate, which means the area hasn't lost it's rural, friendly nature. We walked around the second day to explore on foot a little and generally to stretch our legs, and every car that passed threw us a friendly wave - without exception. Really a nice, relaxed and friendly place to live.

Guess they were having a Civil War re-enactment, or encampment, in one of the old towns nearby. Couldn't resist the photo above of an old Confederate leaning on his canon in front of a split rail fence.


We departed on the morning of the 17th for the last leg of our cross-country drive to Valdosta. Looking forward to seeing Mike, Jennah, Kevin, Makenna and Shane again.

Monument Valley

Our short 3 day visit to Monument Valley has been a real treat for both of us. This is one of those places I've always wanted to visit since, as a kid, I watched all of the westerns that were filmed here. The first night we stayed at Goulding's Lodge on the west side of the valley. It was old man Goulding who originally convinced John Ford to come here back in 1938 to scout the area as a location for "Stage Coach", the classic western starring John Wayne. That film opened the flood gates, with literally hundreds of movies using this stark landscape as backdrops. Even "Forrest Gump" had a scene filmed here.


Took a hike around the "West Mitten" on day 2. It was just outside our back door and centered a sweeping panoramic view over the Valley.


The present location of the Lodge was originally the film location for "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" starring John Wayne & Henry Ford. They've even kept a couple of the old cabins that were used as cavalry headquarters in the film. Really a neat place. The site commands some terrific views out over the valley - perfect I guess for both the movie and the hotel.

The second & third nights we stayed at the new View Hotel which is located in the eastern side of the valley on Navajo land. In fact it's an economic development initiative for the Navajo nation - owned & operated by members of the local tribe. Even the tour we took the 2nd day was hosted by a Navajo driver & guide.

The tour included a look back into "Mystery Valley", so named I'm told because it includes numerous ruins of the Anasazi people who lived here from around 1200 to 1400, then disappeared for some unknown reason - hence the "Mystery" part.


Old Anasazi dwelling up in one of the caves. We were able to climb up and take a look inside.


The view from one of our pit stops in Mystery Valley


Our trusty Indian guide fixing lunch - good burgers.



The tour provided several chances to scramble up & around some of the arches that housed the ruins. There's an Anasazi storeage area just to the left inside the arch. Pretty well preserved for being 600 years old. The wood in the lintel over the door looked like it had been cut and placed there last week.


Springtime in the desert - even the prickly pears were flowering.


Looking out of an abandoned Navajo dwelling towards one of the monoliths


Rita having her hair done in traditional fashion by a nice Navajo woman we met


One of many terrific vistas



All of the red sandstone monoliths reminded us very much of the area around Uluru and the Olgas in Australia. About the only detail missing that might have made the similarity complete was the lack of any Kangaroos jumping out of the bush.

When the wind kicked up in the afternoon we were pretty blanketed with red dust since the vehicle we were driving around in was open except for a roof to provide a sunshade. By the end of the day we were really looking forward to a hot shower.

Saw a few critters - mainly semi-wild ponies and cattle left to graze on the open range that must go for thousands of square miles. Apparently the way the Navajos control their stock is to ration the water from a few select points. All of the stock congregate there waiting for a drink in the midst of the harsh & arid landscape.

We're off for Mountain Home, Arkansas, tomorrow to visit the Jackson's. It'll take us 3 day to get there.

Zion

Morning breaking over the Valley, just across the street from the Zion Lodge.


Just spent 3 days in Zion National Park - one of the prettiest places we've seen on our travels. The weather was glorious. I don't think we saw a cloud during the entire time we were there, and the temps were in the 80's. The elevation on the valley floor is about 4000 ft, so it still gets pretty cool in the evenings after the sun disappears behind the vertical sandstone walls above.


One of several slot canyons on the East Rim Trail to Observation Rock.


We typically started out about 8 AM, when it was still pretty cool and gradually peeled off layers of clothing as it warmed up. Did the West Rim trail beyond Angel's Rest on the first day and the East Rim trail to Observation Rock on the second day. Both were pretty steep uphills, but the reward at the end was solitude and quiet like you couldn't believe and views that went on forever.

The view down the valley from Observation Rock - had two pairs of peregrine falcons circling overhead while we ate lunch

Another view along one of the slot canyons


And Another


Some of the back country on the West Rim Trail



The Red Sandstone reminded both of us the the Uluru/Ayers Rock area in Australia



Usually we have the back country hikes pretty much to ourselves once we get about 15 minutes from the trail head parking areas, even in Yellowstone & Yosemite where it can get quite crowded. Zion is the first place we've been where just about everyone seemed to be making an effort to get out on the trails. Our early start times meant we didn't have too much company on the way up, but boy was it crowded (both days) on the way back down. Thankfully, most of the crowd stayed on the shorter hikes, but we still saw a lot more foot traffic than usual 4 or 5 miles in.

Part of the charm of the place, aside from the manicured nature of the trails, was the shuttle system they started several years ago to reduce traffic. There used to be about 4000 cars a day on the 6 mile valley corridor (looking for one of the 400 parking spaces). Made for some pretty heavy congestion I guess, because now the only way to access any of the trail heads or view points is via the free shuttles that run every 10 minutes or so and which run all day from 6 AM to 10 PM. Was actually a very pleasant way to get around, and being able to ride back to the Lodge was a real treat with tired legs from 5 hours of hiking up and down the hills.

Going to give our legs a rest for a day or two while we drive over to Monument Valley.

Death Valley

The Sand Dunes near Stovepipe Wells


We passed thru Death Valley on the way up to Southern Utah. Spent the night in Stovepipe Wells, where the temperature on arrival was a balmy 110. We felt like slabs of bacon frying in the sun as we walked around some of the local "attractions". A pretty bleak and stark landscape, especially after the lushness of Yosemite.


The old stage coaches at the Desert Borax Museum in Furnace Creek, which was about as well-named as any place on earth



The valley is just behind me in the photo above. Hard to believe that this was Spring, and that the REAL hot weather was still a month or two away.

Nice to have seen it, but I doubt we'll be returning any time soon.

Zion is next.

Yosemite

Yosemite Falls from the Merced River near Curry Village

We left Mt Shasta the morning of the 3rd and drove down to Oakhurst, which is near the south entrance to Yosemite National Park. The weather was forecast to be cold and rainy during our time there so we brought along our waterproofs just in case. Turned out to be pretty after all - a little overcast in the early AM but burning off to sunny skies and ideal hiking temperatures by mid-morning.




This is the view from the main entrance, just after you pass thru a tunnel. That's El Capitan on the left and Rainbow Falls on the right

It was still a bit early in the season and there was still work going on to clean up some of the camping areas (and roads) for the upcoming summer season, but the up-side was that it wasn't too crowded yet. We usually got an early start and were on the trails by 8:30, so parking and generally getting around wasn't much of an issue.

View of Yosemite Falls from the Lodge trail leading up to it

The hikes were just gorgeous. The trails were New Zealand style - well manicured and easy on the legs - and the scenery was extraordinary. We've never been in an area that seems more the "Lost World" than the Yosemite Valley. With 2 or 3 of the world's 10 highest waterfalls gushing above thanks to the springtime snow melt, we half expected to see velociraptors running around the grass. Instead we saw deer - lots of them. At first we tried to be quiet to keep from spooking them as we passed, until we finally figured out that they were so used to people that they were only mildly skittish.

Some parts of the valley floor were a little muddy, but generally OK


We were on top of these guys before we saw them. They didn't even look up - just kept grazing


Lots of photo ops along the way. All we had to do was point & shoot



After 3 days here we're off to Death Vally enroute to Zion.

Visit with Rita's Brothers

Spent a pleasant afternoon and evening with Rita's brothers Ray & Richard on May 1. We stayed in the old gold mining town of Gold Hill, near Medford, in southern Oregon, which is only a few minutes away from Richard & Pat's place and in the same little RV park where Ray lives - they have a few little motel-type units with kitchenettes which were quite nice.

Had a great Mexican dinner with everyone at Pat's favorite restaurant, then departed the next morning for Mt. Shasta where we spent the night about 2 blocks away from the old house (actually just a vacant lot now) where Rita and her family lived many years ago. Guess the place was knocked down to make way for the I-5 right of way many years ago and all that's left are a couple of old trees. Still, Rita said the rest of the street, including nearby landmarks like her old grammar school and the local Catholic church, looked remarkably the same. Too rainy and cloudy to see much of Mt Shasta, but was still pretty enough to get the general idea.

The Adventure Begins

We'll be leaving in an hour or so to begin the long cross-country trip to see Jennah, Mike & the Grand Babies. First stop will be in southern Oregon (near Medford) to see Rita's brothers Richard & Ray. It'll be a short day - only about 5 hours for the drive down. After spending the evening with them we have another short drive on Saturday to Mt. Shasta, California which is where Rita grew up. The place we're staying appears to be only a block or two from the Arens' family's old homesite which was cleared to make room for the construction of I-5 many years ago. The weather isn't supposed to cooperate, unfortunately - cold & showery for the first few driving days, then slacking off as we get to Yosemite on Sunday. We're really hoping to be able to tramp around the area, weather permitting, and are bringing along our NZ waterproofs just in case.

Will be spending 3 days in the Yosemite area before we point the car east. Will be in Death Valley next Thursday, where the long term weather forecast says it's supposed to be 108 deg. on our arrival, going up to 111 the day we depart for southern Utah & Zion National Park. The longer term outlook is for sunny skies and temps in the 80's in Utah. Here's hoping it turns out that way.

Looking forward to a fun trip. Will be a treat to see the family again in Georgia, and we're particularly looking forward to seeing the Jacksons again as we pass thru Arkansas.

Will try to take some photos enroute, but for now...we're off!