Day 5 – Woohoo It’s a Hoodoo at Bryce Canyon
Woohoo it’s a hoodoo! The rock formations in Bryce Canyon are called “hoodoos.” These are tall spires that protrude from the bottom of the canyon and have varying thicknesses, creating interesting shapes.
Bryce and Grand might both be called canyons, but that’s where the similarities end. Whereas the Grand Canyon is so huge that it’s hard to comprehend, Bryce Canyon is more “manageable.”
We decided to hike to the canyon floor. The red rock formations were fascinating, and their appearance changed, depending on our perspective.
We began by looking down on the hoodoos from the top of the ridge. Then, as we descended, we walked beside them. Finally, we arrived at the bottom of the canyon and were looking up at the formations.
The intriguing formations fueled our imagination. We could see everything from a castle to Thor’s hammer. At one point, Ross claimed he saw a bowling pin, while Ethan and Autumn argued it looked more like a fried chicken leg. I think they were getting hungry. Or, maybe they just like to argue. (Probably both!)
The kids also had fun playing and posing for pictures in the the arched “doorways” and rocky crevices.
The steep hike back up …
Day 4 – A “Grand” Father’s Day at the Grand Canyon
Day 4
A “Grand” Father’s Day at the Grand Canyon
Not many dads can say they celebrated Father’s Day in as grand a way as Ross did today. We took him to the Grand Canyon. I hope he appreciated the view, because that was also his gift – considering we forgot his present amidst all the chaos of leaving for the trip.
We chose to visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, instead of the traditional South Rim. It’s harder to get there, which means fewer crowds.
As we drove the last 45 miles, it was hard to believe you were in Arizona. The North Rim Plateau is covered in green meadows and pine trees.
Our first stop was the Lodge. Upon entering the sunroom, we were facing a wall of windows, two-stories tall. They provided us with our first stunning view. It was like watching a movie of the Grand Canyon at the IMAX – only this was real.
When we walked out the sunroom doors and onto one of the viewing platforms, Ethan commented, “I imagined it being big, but I had no idea it would be this big.”
We selected one of the hiking trails and …
Day 3 (Continued) – Adventure with the RV
When traveling in an RV, sometimes you have unscheduled (and unwanted) adventures. We had left Bryce National Park and had just passed Four Corners. (This is the spot where 4 state borders meet – Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado).
I was ready to take a turn driving the RV for the first time, but Ross said it wasn’t a good idea. The wind gusts were terrible. Soon after, we heard a loud noise coming from the roof.
At first, we thought we’d left a vent open. No, it was closed. But there was a dark shadow flapping loudly over the vent cover. For a split second, I thought a giant bird had gotten trapped on the roof. (Guess I’ve been watching too many Science Fiction movies.)
Then, we realized it was the awning.
Ross pulled over. He had to climb atop the RV and fight with the awning. This wasn’t an easy job. Remember those wind gusts I mentioned? Not the best time to be climbing around the roof of an RV and fighting with a large piece of wayward canvas.
Ross was finally able to fix it with a hammer and some zip ties. (All we need is …
Day 3 – We’re Finally Somewhere (Mesa Verde)
After only 2 1/2 days of driving, we’ve finally arrived at our first destination – Mesa Verde National Park. Who knew I’d be risking life and limb before the visit was finished? (More about that in a minute.)
The Mesa Verde area was first inhabited by the Pueblo people. The cliff dwellings were built between 1190 and 1290. That’s a long time ago!
Historians believe the Pueblo people moved off the plateau and into the cliffs for a few reasons – protection, storage of corn crops, and better temperature control. There are more than 600 dwellings in the area.
Several dwellings are available for tours. Ethan suggested the Balcony House tour. The Welcome Center had descriptions of the tours and warnings on a couple of them. The warnings focused on the strenuousness of the trip. (They didn’t sound too difficult for anyone who was in remotely decent physical shape.) They even had replicas of the ladders you must climb at Balcony House. Frankly, the ladder looked innocent enough.
From the Welcome Center, we drove an hour up the mountain. This included stopping at a few viewing areas along the way. The best view, by far (Pun intended!), was from Park …
Day 2 – On the Road
Still trying to figure out where we stuffed things in the RV. That mad dash to pack before we departed left everything in a mess. Ethan and Autumn were great help loading the RV the night before we left. They were up until 4am. I was feeling pretty guilty (as only moms can do) until I realized they stay up that late at sleepovers all the time!
Today, my wonderful helpers have turned back into teenagers. They weren’t nearly as interested in helping.
Ross only slept a few hours last night before he hit the road driving again today. We’re all a little tired and impatient.
At least it was exciting to start seeing new landscapes and scenery, as we drove across Oklahoma and northern Texas.
The canyons fascinate me. There’s no pattern to them. You can be walking along, and all the sudden, you’re looking over a cliff. (Or, if you’re walking too fast, you’re at the bottom of a cliff.) There are small mesas that are a few hundred yards long and have dropoffs that are 20 feet or so. Then, in the distance, there are massive mesas that extend for miles and drop off hundreds of feet.…
Day 1 – We’re Off
We’re on our way . . . And we’re only 26 1/2 hours behind schedule.
We had a few setbacks in the last week. Six days before time to leave, our RV rental fell through. Ugh! (and a few other choice words.) After searching every dealer who rents RVs in a 3-hour radius, we discovered there were no rentals available.
Ok, Plan B. Let’s buy a used RV . . . in 2 days.
No problem. I didn’t have anything else to do. I was just trying to leave for a month-long trip.
In order to find what we needed on such short notice, we had to drive all the way to Fletcher, Ohio. That’s 3 1/2 hours from our house. And, we had to do the deal on a Sunday. Thank goodness that Mike at Poor Farmers’s RV agreed to meet us.
I knew that buying an RV on a Sunday was going to be problematic. I tried to pre-plan and account for every variable.
Of course, this meant there were glitches everywhere – from the bank’s new cashier check system not working to the printer in Poor Farmer’s accounting office being cranky.
After four hours of Mike’s time …
Planning the Journey
Planning a month-long trip that covers 6,000 miles and at least 11 major sights (along with as many minor sights as we can possibly squeeze in) is a little different than planning a week’s trip to Florida – where you’ll stay in the same hotel and lounge on the same beach every day. When the enormity of this trip finally sank in, I began to hyperventilate (as well as say a few things that should not be repeated aloud).
What was I thinking? I don’t have time to plan this trip. I don’t even know where to start.
I took a deep breath. Ok, I’ve planned trips all over the world. Surely, I can get my family across the USA, where everyone speaks English and the road signs are written in a language I can read.
I wasn’t really questioning my ability. But, I was questioning my time. There was none.
I thought back on my childhood vacations. That was back in the dark ages – before GPS and Mapquest. How did my mom handle the logistics? Then I remembered that she would call AAA and request a TripTik®.
I’ve been a member of AAA for 20+ years. But, I …
Westward Ho in a Modern Covered Wagon – Disconnect the Devices & Reconnect on a Family Vacation
I’m a working mother, who’s hurried, hassled, . . . and hungry for some quality family time. On my endless taxi runs to soccer and dance practices, I’ve dreamed of whisking my family away on some of the idyllic, memory-filled summer vacations that I enjoyed as a child. This summer, it’s happening. We’ll spend four weeks traveling the West – conquering as many sights as possible. Join us on our journey, and share the fun and frustrations of family togetherness. Also, I’ll give you all the info about our destinations, in case you want to visit. In the end, we’ll see if my fairy-tale vision of a family getaway turns out more like “Leave It to Beaver” or Chevy Chase’s “Vacation.”…
The Announcement
As a parent, you yearn to make your kids happy. To clarify, you don’t just want them to be happy. You want to be the instrument of that glee. You want the feeling of exhilaration that occurs when YOU put that smile on their faces. You want the credit. Maybe that sounds shallow. Yet, if you carried that baby in your tummy for nine months (or helped your wife through pregnancy or waded through endless adoption procedures), then you deserve a little reward.
When your children are young, it’s fairly easy to be the source of their joy – an ice cream cone, a lollipop, a trip to the zoo. As they grow older, it becomes more difficult to be the hero. By the time they progress into their teens, it’s darned near impossible.
I know this first hand. My children are teenagers. Well, at 12½ years old, Autumn (my daughter), thinks she’s a teen. My son, Ethan, is 15. So, he’s official. At these ages, it’s difficult to extract any response from them – unless you text them, of course.
Perhaps this is why I’m still basking in the glow of the day I told them that we were …
Dreaming of 4 Weeks Out West
I’m a working mother, who’s harried, hurried, . . . and hungry for some quality family time. (Sound familiar?) For years I’ve dreamed of whisking my family away on some of the idyllic, memory-filled summer vacations that I enjoyed as a child. (Ah, remember those days? – no internet, no DVD players, … no seatbelts.)
This summer the dream becomes reality. My family will spend four weeks traveling the West – disconnecting from devices and schedules while reconnecting with nature and history.
We’ll set out to conquer as many Western sights as possible – from the Grand Canyon to the Grand Tetons, from the very alive Sequoias to the very dead Petrified Forest, from Yellowstone’s geysers to the yellow stars of Bryce Canyon’s night sky. We’ll be turning off the TV and turning on the grill; unplugging the iPods and pulling on our hiking boots. (Okay, Okay. The RV has a television, and the campgrounds have WiFi, but we won’t be using them all the time.)
In the end, we’ll see if my fairy-tale vision of a family getaway turns out more like “Leave It to Beaver” or Chevy Chase’s “Vacation.”
Please join us on this quintessential American vacation. Share …
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Day 15 – Still Wandering Nevada (and the Pioneer Center)
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Day 14 – Wandering Nevada (Virginia City mining)
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Day 13 – Yosemite (More Hiking)
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Day 12 – Yosemite (Unscheduled River Escapade)
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Day 11 – Yosemite (Phenomenal Views; Stupid Tourists)
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Day 10 – No RVs Allowed
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Day 9 – On the Road Again toward Sequoia
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Day 8 – Viva Las Vegas in an RV
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Day 7 – On the 7th Day, We Rested
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Day 6 – Zion Park & Tunnels with Windows