These Boots are made for Walking!

Today was a day to hit the trails. A beautiful 72 degrees and the canyons called. Thanks to some nifty second hand boots (thanks Katy!), I was ready to go. We did two easy trails (because we are aging and out of shape!!) The Weeping Rock and the lower Emerald Pools. Both were beautiful and offered some amazing views and here they are:

Mountain's Majesty

Have you ever been in the presence of something or someone that makes you feel so small, so inconsequential? For me, I feel that way here in Zion. I look up at these towering sheer cliff and spires, and I feel like a mere gnat. I watched rock climbers ascend one of the summits from the valley floor, and from my vantage point they looked liked little mustard seeds climbing up a tiny thread to the heavens.

The grandeur of this special place is really hard to capture on film because you must have context and scale to really appreciate what you are seeing. Despite this, I could not stop pressing the button on my camera, as I am desperate to somehow bring this magic to you.

So, here is a bit of what we saw today. I am sorry that you were not standing next to me to see the spectacle for yourself!

I hope you have enjoyed this small glimpse of Zion National Park. We will be hitting the trails again tomorrow!

Warning: Road Hazzards Ahead!

We left the house this morning at 7:30 AM on the nose. Being a holiday Friday, we expected to find the traffic tangled on the highways. We actually found the traffic to be quite light and found ourselves on the Pearblossom Highway in no time. All was smooth sailing until we crossed Stateline (which is where the craziness usually begins). Within minutes, we came up on an SUV whose front-end was fully engulfed in flames in the center divider. Two of the passengers were standing along the guard rail watching, while the last Joe was trying to haul and toss as much stuff from the back of the hatch as possible. All that was missing was a fire truck and some marshmallows.

Before you could say blackjack, Greg exclaims "WHOAH... That guy behind us just had a big blow out!" I looked into the side review mirror to see the guy in his car, towing a small trailer, slowly limp to the side of the road in a cloud of dust. Unfortunately, whatever was in the trailer was now decorating the highway.

Just around that time the wind gusts ratcheted up in ernst; the traffic on the 15N began to slow into a 2 lane crawl. It was soon evident why. Some poor soul was driving a conventional trailer and had jackknifed it. The truck went one way, and the trailer ended up in the ditch. I am sure that is not how they anticipated their holiday weekend would begin (or end, for that matter)!

(What you can't see is the truck on it's side and the trailer in the ditch!)

The roads can be treacherous. As is our tradition, Greg and I prayed as we were leaving this morning that God would protect us and grant us safe travels. We are certainly at his mercy when it comes to our safety, and we are just fine with that. So, please love ones be safe out there this weekend! Buckle-up, be kind and courteous, don't speed (be fashionably late, like me). And for Pete's sake, don't text or drink and drive. Take a cab, they need a paycheck too.

At the end of the day, we made it safely to beautiful Southern Utah and the gateway to Zion National Park, Springdale. Tomorrow we'll enjoy the splendor of one of my favorite parks!

T - Minus and counting!

It has been a good two years since Greg, and I hitch up the rig for some serious travel. Family duties called, and we needed to put our road maps and passports away for a time. Now we are just seven hour away from an EPIC (I love that word) adventure.

We are driving from California to Minneapolis and back! The classic ROAD TRIP!! Just Greg, I and the pup, on a round trip gig of 4746 miles!

We plan to see America in all of its glory! I few high points of the trip are, Zion National Park, Mount Rushmore & the Crazy Horse Monument, the Badlands of South Dakota, The old Domeier Homestead in Ohiowa Nebraska, the Colorado Rockies, Lake Tahoe a few Ghosts towns and a wonderful wedding in Minneapolis (some how it doesn't seem right putting this highlight next to a ghost town, sorry Kelsey).

The trailer has been reorganized and is now packed to the gills. Every nook and cranny of our glorious 32" has something in it. One reason I know we have everything with us, is because my house has never looked sooooo clean! It's nice to have all the comforts of home along for the ride. Sort of makes me wonder why we are leaving?

Anyway, Greg wanted me not to over pack. As we all know, fuel is a bit pricy these days (understatement alert!!). So, I did get rid of a few pieces of Tupperware and a 1981 Audubon guide. That should help lighten the load, don't cha-think!

I hope you will come on this journey with us. Who really know what a month on the road will do to us? I promise to share the good the bad and the ugly with all of you. Just think of is as a new season of survivor. Instead of getting voted off the island, one of us may end up stranded at a truck stop in Duluth!

Ahhhh-Mazzz!!

I just can't explain it. There is something about this town...

We drove into Mazatlan yesterday afternoon, and I felt a genuine sense of excitement and joy. As we wound our way down through Centro to Passeo Claussen, I actually felt a sense of peace come over me. And that is understandable when you come face to face with the rolling waves of the Pacific in all of its glimmering-glory. It's like we arrive at summerland. Young and old walking, jogging, rolling down the Malecon. Faces with ice cream flavored smiles and squealing kids tumbling through the surf. This is what you see in JANUARY! Yep, it's summerland here is glorius old Mazatlan. We left snow in Nogales and arrived to 80 degrees. I just love the Tropic of Cancer.

We've unpacked and have settled in, for a sadly brief two weeks here in Summerland. With the weather so warm, we decided that we needed something cool for dinner. So this morning we visited the shrimp ladies (I am not being politically incorrect, as this has nothing to do with their size or shape), they sell fresh shrimp and lobster on one of the streets in Centro.

Greg and I were presented with bucket after bucket of icy shrimp and lobsters of all variety. I felt like I was Bubba-Gump for a moment. At last, we found the prize, some sweet river shrimp that would make the perfect ceviche and two stately looking lobsters that were destine for our gullets. They cleaned and bagged a kilo of shrimp and muscled the lobster-beasts into and bag for us and we headed back to the house with our treasures of the sea in hand.

Being Monday, I had work to do, so I made for my new office, while Greg prepared the Ceviche. I must admit that it was hard to concentrate with the memorizing view and the smell of cilantro and onions wafting up from the kitchen. So, in the true spirit of Mexico I said " oh well, perhaps I will get more accomplished mañana ".

Then I did the logical thing, I slipped off my shoes, opened a bottle of white and waited patiently for the shrimp to turn pink.

So far, so great!

We left a drippy and strangely snowy Nogales Arizona early this morning and made for the border crossing. It was so odd to see street corner taco vendors selling their fare from mittened hands. Not exactly the ideal photo for the Mexican tourist board to use.

Thank goodness a swift two hour drive down the well maintained cuota (or toll road), in the "Hassel Free Vehicle Zone", I might add, brought us to sunny and warm San Carlos Bay. Now, I am not sure what happens at the end of the "Zone" in 98 kilometers, but I suspect that is where the hassles begin. I let you know if that is a fact.

Anyway, we had a great lunch of savory fish tacos and sautéed shrimp at a nice patio café called Bananas. The waitress even made sure Lucky, or as he is now referred to, Senior Suerte, or Mr. Lucky, was comfortable. To celebrate our success of making it thus far, we each had a refreshing Margarita. Ahhh, I love life in the no Hassle Zone. I think I need to declare my office a "No Hassle Zone" when I get back to civilization (a term which I use loosely).

After eating the last chip and sucking the limes for good measure, we decided to stretch our legs before hitting the road again. We walked down the street and were awe-struck by the beauty of San Carlos bay. Senior Suerte went crazy. He ran around like a like a dog freed from a rolling prison (two days in a car will do that to you). I was amazed by all of the magnificent shells on the beach. I now have another use for poop bags, shell collecting! Works great.

We jumped back on the cuota and made of our stop for the night Cuidad Obregon. We were there by 4:00PM. The hotel a Quality Inn was at least twelve stars over last nights Motel 6 (sorry Tom, you can turn the light off now). The plan is to grab a quick dinner get a good night sleep and to be up by seven to head for our final south-bound destination of Mazatlan.

Haste Luego!

Senior Suerte es fini!

It's back...but I am already gone!

Yes, in fact, I did fall off the face of the earth. I went to the planet "holiday-land". Where I was menaced by orange goblins, angry turkeys, wrapping paper elves and a big fat guy, in a moth eaten red suit. Boy... am I glad that I have re-entered the earth's atmosphere!

Okay, that's a lie. I just got side-tracked and neglected my blog. So, I apologize. Forgive me and I promise to get back to a schedule of more regular postings.

I am writing this from, a well, less than luxury Motel 6 in Nogales Arizona, on the Mexican boarder. Greg, Lucky (the wonder dog) and I, set out this morning, in the rain, with the Champagne-super-nova (AKA the Privia mini-van) stuffed to the roof, for a road trip all the way down to sunny Mazatlan, Mexico. Where we will be staying in the Centro Historico district for the next two weeks.

We are determined to discover if two Gringos and a wonder dog can survive the long drive with its perils, and if we can blend into the scene in Ole' Meheeco! Greg and I made an initial incursion into Mazatlan last November for a week. And, I must say that we came back pretty smitten with the charm of Maz. Hence this longer gig and even one more planned for a month this coming May.

I know that some of my friends and colleagues think we've gone loco, and that very well may be. But we are having fun. So, stay tuned... this blog could get pretty interesting real quick!

Adios for now.