Box Canyon Mark and Bobbie have been everywhere, and have mental files of boondocking spots and scenic hikes that would rival any travel publication. So when Mark says “It’s one of my most favorite hikes,” I take note.
It’s over Jim’s celebratory birthday lunch when Mark makes his pitch. “Hear me out. I know of a place you would love. It’s a long drive, and we would have to get an early start, but it is one of the most fun hikes ever. It’s like Disneyland!” Continue reading
There is unfinished business in the Capitol Gorge Wash. After the Golden Throne hike, only five of the original eight opt to hike the wash, and two out of those five turn back early. So the group decides to return the next day, as there are many reasons to revisit the wash. Continue reading
I awake after my restless boondocking night to see Debbie outside my window walking her dogs, the ever-entertaining Rupert and Elliott. I have originally announced my plans to do a “solo acclimatization” hike on my first day, but Debbie assures me the group hike will be “doable,” with plenty of photo stops along the way (READ: Opportunities to gasp for breath, slow my pounding heart, and steady my dizzy, swirling head.) Continue reading
Boondocking is an interesting exercise for someone fresh out of the corporate structure. I have never been much of a “color outside the lines” person. Much to my chagrin, I have been a rule-follower all my life, which made me a good data analyst. Left brain stuff, I am really good at….Right brain? Not so much. Continue reading
I feel it is important for me to get back on the road and resume my original plans as quickly as possible. I have heard lots of stories both good and bad about the “post-retirement syndrome.” The general consensus is, it takes a while for things to level out. Continue reading
As I mentioned previously, I have been trying for well over a year to get a permit to hike The Wave in the Coyote Butte section of Utah. Having been so excited about the prospect of crossing this off my “bucket list,” I was surprised by the feeling of trepidation that was eating away at my stomach the night before as I sat in the local Mexican restaurant swigging a margarita, trying to plot way-points in the wilderness into an automobile GPS. Continue reading
Page, Arizona is a little one-horse town established back in 1955 to support the building of the Glen Canyon Dam. There is nothing much here but a lot of budget motels and fast food restaurants, with one lone Walmart for shopping. But the abundance of beauty on all sides is what caused me to choose Page over Kanab, UT, the equidistant town from the Wave hike.
“Sandfall” in Upper Antelope Canyon
One of the main attractions was my desire to explore the Antelope Slot Canyon. Continue reading
After getting my Snow Canyon “fix” (along with a big plate of turkey for Thanksgiving dinner,) I departed St. George, UT bound for Page, AZ to get closer to the location for the Wave hike, and to explore a few of the attractions near Lake Powell. I didn’t want to cut through Zion National Park, because I knew it would only frustrate me to drive right through one of my favorite parks without time to stop and explore. Having been here over Thanksgiving six years ago, I wanted to explore some different areas of Southern Utah this time. Continue reading
I have been trying to get a permit to hike the Wave at Coyote Buttes in Utah for a year and a half now. The hiking is by permit only, and there are only 20 permits issued per day; ten reserved by advanced lottery, and the remaining ten for pre-dawn walk-ups. I had some freakish accidental “beginners luck” the first time I tried a year ago last summer. I got my first choice on my first attempt. I was gleefully checking flight schedules when I got the “woops!! Not so fast!” email from Paria Canyon Continue reading