Reunited and it Feels So Good…

I must be candid in saying my world has felt a bit more “wobbly” than I expected after retirement.   Some say this is to be expected, but I personally didn’t expect it.  Don’t get me wrong, I am having the time of my life.  But I just keep having this looming feeling over me, like “Vacation is gonna be over soon, Suzanne…and THEN what?”   I trust it will pass.  😉

After my restoration and rejuvenation at the lovely little Snow Canyon and Red Mountain Day Spa, the axis of my universe is steadied once more, and I am eager to meet up with the Red Rocks Gang once again, now in Zion National Park.   I have only been to Zion for a day back in 2006, so I am eager to see it through the eyes of those who have come to consider it a spiritual center worthy of its namesake.

Morning mist floats through Zion's Watchman Campground.

Morning mist floats through Zion’s Watchman Campground.

Though site B38 was close to the road, it still offered lots of privacy and phenomenal views out my bedroom window.

Though site B38 was close to the road, it still offered lots of privacy and phenomenal views out my bedroom window.

The Virgin River flows through the heart of Zion

The Virgin River flows through the heart of Zion

Spending  10 days in Capitol Reef National Park with these guys, the Box Canyon and Life’s Little Adventures gang, I have come to appreciate what it means to “do” a National Park.   In the past, I have driven through, stopped at the Visitor Center, asked for a few recommendations, and hit the high spots.

I spend time at this sign pondering the travesty of an information board titled "Zion in Less than Three Hours."

I spend time at this sign pondering the travesty of an information board titled “Zion in Less than Three Hours.”

IMG_2355 IMG_2084But these guys treat the area of a National Park like the lead-up to a glass of rich, red Cabernet.  Admiring the colors of deep blood-red and russet, the sturdy “legs” that curve along the inside of the glass.  The first whiff of the aroma that smells of cedars, black currants, and earthy oak.    Often times, the joys of savoring an area so beautiful and pristine that it warrants protected status is not swallowing the entire glass with a big gulp, but rather teasing the olfactory senses with what potentially lies at the heart.   In other words, the surrounding areas can offer just as much pleasure as the vintage itself.

Hiking up Gooseberry Mesa outside the park

Hiking up Gooseberry Mesa outside the park

I loved watching how this layered formation got smaller and smaller as we climbed.

I loved watching how this layered formation got smaller and smaller as we climbed.

"Two drifters...off to see the world.  There's such a lot of world to see..."

“Two drifters…off to see the world. There’s such a lot of world to see…”

View from near the top of Gooseberry Mesa

View from near the top of Gooseberry Mesa

As I have mentioned, hiking with the Red Rocks gang offers the best of both worlds.  There is always camaraderie if you want it.  On any given hiking day, you might find yourself walking with a writer, an artist, a philosopher, a nutrition expert, a fitness guru or a spiritual seeker.  And sometimes, these can all be rolled into one person.  😉

But if you feel the need for a little solitude, there are no hard feelings, no questions asked, and no beats skipped.    You do your thing, and I’ll do mine.  Same day, same mountain.   If the Red Rocks Gang offered a brochure, it would read, “Come join in our fun, and do so at your own pace, your own distance, your own comfort level.  But also do so at your own risk, because our brand of fun may become habit-forming!”

Riding to the Temple of Sinawava at the end of Zion's Scenic Road.

Riding to the Temple of Sinawava at the end of Zion’s Scenic Road.

It takes a team effort to change Bobbie's flat tire.

It takes a team effort to change Bobbie’s flat tire.

It is also a thrill to explore hidden canyons, quiet corridors, and less beaten paths with those who share the same love of exploration.    Whereas I have found group hikes to be monotonous and boring in the past, there is something about feeding off each others adrenalin addiction that makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts.   The irony of hearing 10 people celebrate in “having the place all to ourselves” is indicative of the cohesive nature of the group.IMG_2358

Following Jim and Gayle's fast pedals along the Pa'Rus Trail makes me feel like a kid racing bikes.

Following Jim and Gayle’s fast pedals along the Pa’Rus Trail makes me feel like a kid racing bikes.

Ever since my first day of retirement on October 1st, I have had this overwhelming desire for perpetual motion.   I want to just walk.  And walk.  And walk.  Some days, I wake up feeling a little like Forrest Gump, when he decided to run across the USA.   What better place to do it than among such like-minded friends?  What better place to do it than within these hallowed walls of Zion…

The Watchman Trail

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Lunch Stop on Watchman Trail Overlook

Lunch Stop on Watchman Trail Overlook

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East Rim Trail

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12 thoughts on “Reunited and it Feels So Good…

  1. You have become a walking fiend! Im thinking a 10-Mike hind doesn’t phase you anymore? The lack of solid purpose lingered with me for months after I left my last “regular” job. In time I found other things to replace it, but yet took time.

    Nina

  2. We knew you would miss us eventually…someone to push you along to the next level and beyond. Who knows where you’ll end up now! And there is more in store before you run off again…
    Box Canyon Mark

  3. Beautiful post, Suzanne:) So glad you are getting to visit Zion with the Gang and spending more than three hours! We spent a month there and still have spots we haven’t gotten to visit. It is so much fun to have the time to get off the main trail and see behind the scene. The Gang is showing you the “other” side of Zion:) Enjoy!!

  4. Zion is beautiful for sure! When I retired, I hit the road immediately, so I had things to do, places to go, and lots to learn. It still took me some time, though – that guilty feeling that I’m not accomplishing enough. Although I’ve loved every single day, I still need to thing of something – at the end of the day – that I’ve done. Even if it’s just dumping the tanks or vacuuming the rug. It’s pretty hard to get through a day without doing something that counts. LOL 🙂

  5. I love your song lyric titles! These are simply fabulous pictures of Zion. I have a serious case of green envy of your times with the Red Rocks gang. Just sounds and looks wonderful! What a perfect way to begin your retirement. You are finding what we have found, that even 2 weeks is usually not nearly enough in our National Parks.

  6. Do you feel the resonance? It’s bouncing off all of your posts and into my head and entire body. Your photos make me feel like I am RIGHT THERE! I’ve been to most of these places, but have not experienced them in the way that you describe. Never in a million years could I keep up with that Red Rocks Gang, but a few solo/duo walks of less distance would be wonderful. I’d gladly sign on as Trail Cook! ;->

    Virtual hugs,

    Judie

  7. I can relate to the lack of structure and “what’s next” feeling after retirement. Did you ever to those “goal setting” forms at work, with the three “constituents”; yourself, your clients and your peers? I changed it up to be “myself, my family and the world” and set goals for the year…it lasted a few years but it helped with the transition!

  8. Congrats on retirement! Zion is one of my favorite parks. I had three days there, not three hours but would rather have been three months! Will definitely be going back on an extended tour at some point in my life!

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