Raven magic gives courage to visit the darker places of one's consciousness and shed light and change. Native American practices teach us NOT to try and figure it out - therefore, I won’t.
Aside from ravens there have been multiple sightings of horses, elk, mule deer, prairie dogs, Asses, ostriches and several birds of various colors and sizes. Mountain lions are lurking somewhere but the saying goes something like this, “You’ll never see a mountain lion - and if you do, it’ll be too late!” They also say not to hike alone but until I meet someone willing to trek with me, I’m not willing to sit back on my haunches and allow splendid vistas, landscapes, waterways, and whatever other explorations can be experienced, pass me by.
The last awesome hike I did was the Narrows in Zion National Park, UT. However, it turns out I made one small mistake. The hike is normally 16 miles traversing in and out of water, up and down rocks - the first 3 miles running along a dirt road before actually hitting the river. I somehow managed to get immediately into a river (which fortunately dumped me into the right place), adding extra mileage and time to my hike – on private property nonetheless. There were no other people but there were others to speak of - cows - and lots of them.
A couple of days prior to the Narrows I combined two hikes to round out the day - Angels Landing and Emerald Pools. I think I wrote about this earlier – how the heat of the sun drained me but it was still quite spectacular. It wasn’t nearly as narrow as written about in pamphlets and online but I suppose it would be scary if you were afraid of heights.
Onward…
Since completing the Narrows I took a short hike in the morning before work staying at Bryce Canyon, UT – clockwise around Queens Landing and Navajo Loop. It was strenuous only on the way up, once again in the sun and heat, and way overcrowded - well beyond my liking. Therefore, on my day off in Bryce I decided to venture off to Cedar Breaks for two short hikes totaling 9 miles, making for a lovely day. One hike was along the rim - the other, to admire wildflowers. After which, a splendid dip in Navajo Lake.
Round up…
Moab (Arches National Park) – met lots of wonderful people, enjoyed plenty of laughter, one incredible hike with no one around, rock scrambling, rollerblading, and yummy yummy foods.
Virgin (Zion National Park) – more wonderful people, the Wild West, OSCARS (Hungry? Don’t blame Oscars!), body surfing on the river (a few bruises), and an animal refuge.
Bryce Canyon – whoa Nelly! This was the least interesting of places although the hoodoos are impressive and this is more like the Wild Wild West. Everyone raves about Bryce and while I do understand why – it is way overpriced and way overcrowded. That said, I met some of the most awesome people while camping. Andreas and Peter – essentially, Gonzo ( Fear and Loathing)! They picked me up along with some cyclists crossing the country (Joe, Jocelyn, and Daylin) to enjoy a glorious sunset all together. Check out Joe’s bloghttp://joesbikeride.blogspot.com/. There were also Joe and James – camping neighbors who allowed me to borrow their rubber cobra to play a joke on Bridget and Kate (I didn’t think Abe would be frightened). The jokes didn’t produce the results I was seeking but I wasn’t entirely disappointed. Morning coffee and nighttime stories were also shared with this duo while they remained neighbors. Of course, I cannot neglect to mention Mulee Pete! He’s a quick draw McGraw-type demonstrating the ways in which some of Hollywood’s finest gunslingers reached for their guns! He also taught me how to crack a whip.
The Grand Canyon is immense and the name quite fitting. It is monsoon season and it has rained everyday since our arrival. I LOVE IT! My tent did procure a few leaks – nothing major and I have fixed them since (I hope) – it’s been raining since I’ve been typing this and I have yet to see if the latest adjustments held mother nature at bay. I am optimistic. Thanks for helping me pull the fly taught, Abe.
Last night was Kate and Abe’s 9th wedding anniversary. I ordered a beautiful moon for the two of them. If they told me a week ago – I would have produced a full moon but they only informed me yesterday morning. On such short notice, what’s a gal to do? ☺ Bridget downloaded a sick song. ☺ The lovebirds and Bridge called it a night while I tended the fire until it died down and out. A little night reading – and out go the lights.
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