To kayak or not to kayak, that is the question

 It started with  a picture….maybe one of those calendars with all those great pictures of wonderful places like  the Delicate Arch in Utah, a lighthouse on the coast of Main, I don’t remember.   But I do remember it was a picture…of towering vermilion sandstone cliffs, calm blue green water….a kayaker…and I was hooked.  “I want to go there”.   The caption read, Lake Powell, Arizona.  That image has haunted me for years.  I googled it, oogled over the  pictures …. mesmerized .  “I want to go there”. 

I also don’t remember the first time I mentioned to Dennis that kayaking Lake Powell was, for lack of better terms, a “bucket list” item for me.  We got close to Lake Powell one year when we visited the Arches and Canyon Land and Deadhorse State Park around Moab.  But, like the Grand Canyon, that year we just didn’t quite make it. 

When we left the Grand Canyon yesterday, we chose to take the more scenic route which again brought us in proximity of the Canyon.  We stopped at three or four more overlooks that run adjacent to Highway 64.  It was as awe-inspiring as the day before and we had the opportunity to have our pictures taken again.

 Getting to Lake Powell was no easy feat due to a rock slide that occurred and blocked Highway 89 back in Feburary.  That meant a 45 minute detour on an already hot, dusty and really desolate road.  But we got to our campground (another “buffalo bob’s kinda place) and immediately set out to see where we could put our boats in the water.  First stop, Antelope Point Marina.  We were informed that even to drive in to take a quick look would cost $15.00.  no thanks….Next stop, the Arizona State Visitors Bureau at the  Glen Canyon Dam.  The nice folks in there informed us we would have to get our kayaks inspected for quagga and  zebra mussels….what????  Then they pointed out several nice places to put our boats in.  Off we go for inspection which was kinda funny.  There we were behind a guy with a huge monster boat and the inspector was crawling all over that boat.  Our turn….where’s the boats?  Oh, in the bags in the back of the truck…see, our kayaks are made by Advanced Elements and they are inflatable….we love them!  So portable!   http://www.advancedelements.com/   We passed inspection….

 Off to the sites recommended by the nice ladies at the dam….um…..ok…..let me say here that Lake Powell is a BIG BOAT  lake.  Like…..house boats big…..and the only places to put in are the public ramps that are maybe A MILE LONG!  We didn’t like the looks of any of them ….so we shot off back to Antelope but they were closed. We were hot, discouraged, confused and I felt really bad for Dennis…he tried so hard to find a place….we ate Chinese buffet.  Went back to “camp”.  I was determined to not give up.  Dennis suggested a tour boat.  (hmph). 

 

We got on up at 6:00 and drove back over to Antelope Point.  Antelope Canyon is supposed to be a good paddle….let’s just try ok?  Ok…..and we did…..and it did not disappoint….and I have to refill my bucket list….after the Grand Canyon and Lake Powell, it is empty….I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves….

antelope canyon

.this plaque is on the "watchtower" at the last stop we made at the Grand Canyon....fitting, isn't it!

And so, we pack up again this morning....looking for a westerly meandering route towards San Francisco and Zak and Carolyn....as we get back on the road again...

It really is more than a big hole in the ground.

It really is more than a big hole in the ground.....

welcome to the Grand Canyon

As most of my friends know, Dennis and I have had a long standing "stand off" when it comes to our travels, the close proximity we have been to the Grand Canyon and his determination to not go....and my whining and pouting about our not going and ....even many of you have joined...taking my side and giving Dennis a hard time about this matter.  Well, It is done....we have gone, seen and in my opinion, conquered the Grand Canyon.

on the edge..

a fabulous view

In the interest of space and time...I am just going to download some of my favorite pics...it was hard to decide.  Suffice it to say...we hiked...fit bit reports we went 7 miles and over 20 flights of stairs.  We stood perilously close to the edge and on several occasions I just sat on the edge to drink it all in....

why couldn't I get dennis to take this trail?

For those of you considering a trip to the canyon, our recommendation is definitely taking the free shuttles inside the canyon.  "blue to red" takes you to the  overlooks you cannot access by car.  And while the shuttles might be a bit crowded, once you disembark people just disperse.  And you have the option of walking the "Rim trail" which takes you essentially to the next shuttle stop.  If you want to walk the entire trail, great.  If you want to walk to one stop then ride to the next that works too.  We chose to walk between several of the stops which gave us tremendous views of the canyon and the trail is completely un guarded so we could just walk to the edge, which we did over and over again.  And we were amazed at the LACK of people...we might have come in contact with one or two people on the trail but other than that.....In other words, much to Dennis' delight the canyon was as "un touristy"  as he could have ever imagined.  

The shuttles were well run, the drivers informative and friendly and they ran from stop to stop so frequently that we never waited more than 5 minutes.  I never ever heard a grumble or complaint when the bus was full and a little squishy.  All in all it was a perfect perfect day of overwhelming awesome witnessing to the majesty of God and the splendor of his creation.  Our God is an awesome God...

.Colossians 1: 16   For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him and in and for Him.

looking straight down

 

 I'm not the best at this picture placement thing...please forgive and...we are packing up because after yesterday the only thing left to do is get back on the road again!

The Butte.....

As we headed out of Black Mesa, the question was…where to next?  This is the way Dennis and I like best to travel.  No real plan, no set agenda.  We know we are heading to San Francisco and we know about when we want to arrive but between now and then it is just the road, a map and whatever snags our attention.  I got a text from my sister in law Crystal asking where we were.  I had seen several of her posts from Elephant Butte Lake near Truth or Consequences New Mexico.  Dennis and I have been to the Butte once before ……got our truck stuck clean up to the axle in the sand and a nice fella in a tow truck was more than glad to pull us out for the right price…  I have never never seen a lake where folks will put their 30 foot travel trailers right on the water edge...driving across soft sand.  But thats ok....I have a good recommendation for a tow truck....

Well, Elephant Butte sounded good to us…we wanted to see Les and Crys, get our boats in the water and paddle around a bit.  So we veered south and ended up in a nice spot right next to Les and Crys. 

Ya never know....

They love fishing, we love kayaking so Tuesday we all engaged in our favorite boating activities.  I never get tired of paddling and it felt good to be in the water after all the wind in Black Mesa and being on the road for a full day.

Les and Crys

Wednesday we headed over to Truth or Consequences ….Now this really is a favorite spot of mine and Dennis’ and of Les and Crys’ as well.  It is an eclectic little town that has seen better days…Back when Ralph Edwards, the producer of the show (Truth or Consequences)was a regular during the festivals and parades.   Seems back in the ‘50’s ...when it was still a radio show, he decided to have a contest and promised to air the show from a town if they renamed their town  "Truth or Consequences"…Hot Springs New Mexico vied for the prize and won….hence the name!  He visited the town the first week in May for the next 50 years and the entire town put on the dog. 

me and Les

Our favorite past time is visiting one of the bath houses and soaking in the hot mineral waters that flow from the springs.  Riverbend has been “our spot” each visit and so the four of us headed over to soak, laugh, talk, reminisce. When the water go to hot we jumped into the Rio Grande to cool off.  We had to hold onto the ropes under the deck or else the current would have swept us down stream! It was a fabulous day. 

"minnow pools"

hanging on for dear life

soaking it up

pools overlooking the Rio Grande

http://www.riverbendhotsprings.com/

We were sad to leave Elephant Butte this morning…sad to leave Les and Crys and the great time we were having, making memories together in places we all love....we spent last night laughing and playing Yatzee then star gazing hoping to catch another glimpse of the International Space Station that had graced the skies the night before….it was amazing!   But it was time…time to move on, to move west…time to get back on the road again…..

Lawton town to Black Mesa

It has taken me a while to post because I just didn’t know how much of our time in Lawton I wanted to comment on.  “Camping” in a parking lot ….mom and dad’s tv going out and tv shopping with mom….staying at Ten Oaks ….in mom and dad’s apartment because of tornado –ish weather every night..watching the devastation happening real time on the new big screen…the picnic out at the Wichita’s that did not turn out as planned….Seeing first hand the changes in mom and dad even since I was last there in April….Changes I was not expecting to be so profound.  But, Ten Oaks is a good place.  Dad likes there and mom acts like she just tolerates it…she likes it there too. The changes make it so hard to leave.  But over -staying can be difficult and stressful.

Isn't this just a cool pic?  dennis doesn't know how he did it!

Dennis did have the opportunity to get out to the Wichitas and snap a few pics.  The Trading Post is a landmark for all in the surrounding area.  That sign stands as a sentinel to the Cache entrance to the Wichita Mountains.  In its heyday  The Trading Post sold Minnetonka moccasins, Frankoma Pottery, postcards, turquoise jewelry, little Indian dolls clothed in beaded leather outfits and just about any other souvenir a family could want as a reminder of days gone by in the wild west.changes again that remind us that the days continue to pass and we change as well….The Trading Post has at long last closed their doors…

So, when it was time, we headed back on the road again….

And on to Black Mesa State Park in the tip of the pan handle of Oklahoma.  This State Park is a favorite of Dennis' and it has become one of mine as well. 

Entrance to Black Mesa summit hike

Dennis and the coach whip

horned lizard

Collard Lizard

same coach whip!

         

Dennis spent some of his old college days here collecting with one of his most beloved prof’s at Cameron University, Dr. Jack Tyler.   Lots of memories for him and now for both of us.  Collecting is what we do the most when we are here.  Road kill….sounds romantic, doesn’t it!  Dennis’ great thrill is throwing me into the dash of the car when he stops on a dime, driving in reverse at 30 miles an hour, slamming on the emergency brake and jumping out of the truck to chase down and catch a horned lizard or any type of snake.  Turtles are a lot less challenging…..and we hike.  Turning over rocks and boards looking for whatever is keeping cool underneath.  I reminded Dennis MANY times today…. that outside his little world…the world of his peers who have wives that accompany them on collecting trips….and that is a pretty limited group….most and I mean a majority of women would not consider what we did today a vacation.  But ya know?  That doesn’t matter to me….we had a blast.  Road riding, hiking, talking, taking in the vastness of the part of the country that we both love….isn’t that what vacationing is all about?  

mule deer (yes, there is a fence!)

The wonderful thing about the Black Mesa area is that in the area around the park it is truly "open range".  There are thousands and thousands of un fenced area where the cattle roam freely.  We spotted pronghorn, mule deer, prairie dogs and we crisscrossed between Oklahoma, New Mexico and briefly into Colorado....I was never sure what time zone we were in...

So, we are off tomorrow....Heading to Lake Caballo, New Mexico to catch up with my brother and his wife for a day or two.  Lots of good things to catch....walleye and whites for Les....horned lizards and whatever else crawls, slithers or creeps along our path as we get back on the road again......

hiking the summit trail 

huge cottonwood trees in the campground

turning boards..hunting for critters

open range looking towards Black Mesa

First Leg of the journey

First Leg....

Lake Bistineau covered with Giant Salvinia

Our first stop, Monday, was Lake Bistineau, Louisiana.  We tried to camp here once before but it was Memorial Day weekend and of course, there was no room at the Inn....The nice park people did let us take our bikes down and take a turn around the campground and down a lovely bike trail to shake off the road.  We went back into town and got a hotel room.  This year was different, however.  In more ways than one.
First of all the park was pretty much deserted since we were coming in on Memorial Day (eve) and the three day weekenders were gone.
Second, the lake, pristine and full of beautiful cypress tress the last visit was now choked with a very invasive water plant, Giant Salvinia (Salvinia molesta).  It has rendered the lake completely impassable, unuseable and  impossible to enjoy.  Even though the park ranger reported the park was "slammed" over the weekend I had to wonder "WHY?"  
Third the physical grounds are in terrible shape....Dennis and I thought maybe they had experienced storm damage because the trees are down, torn up and bent...further investigation indicates that they may be logging.  We went on a bike ride that turned treacherous- loosing the trail which was somewhat marked with small flags on the ground.  But which ones to follow?  Orange?  Red?  not to both.  Dennis ended up on the ground, tires spinning and arm bleeding.  I had to ditch in a brush pile to keep from running him over.  
End of trail riding....no kayaking....But we got a good nights rest and we were up and back on the road by 8:00 a.m.



On the way in...somewhere on I 44 between Wichita Falls and Lawton I had the great idea that maybe we should check out Buffalo Bob's, an RV park just across from Mom and Dad's assisted living center.
Now, we ALWAYS stay at the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge.  We dream about camping there all year long....talk about going, remember our past camping trips there.  It is HOME for Dennis and me.  We dated there, have fished, kayaked and swam in the small lakes that dot the refuge.  We brought our kids here all through the years when we trekked to Lawton....created memories with them and their spouses and now Ella Anne there...and .....and ....we are at Buffalo Bob's....a concrete monstrosity...devoid of trees, buffalo, longhorn, lakes, mountains, memories.  Full instead of well let electric boxes for easy access and hook up should you come in at night, huge fifth wheels and winnebago type bus campers with multiple sliders and awnings, inhabited by construction workers that move from place to place and Casino goers....and in the middle of it all is our little pop up...It reminds me of "Little House" the well known children's story.  But it is close to mom and dad.  We can be at their place in under 60 seconds instead of the 30 plus miles between them and our beloved Camp Doris.  For now....we are parked...cherishing the time with mom and dad until we get on the road again....

Beautiful Buffalo Bobs.....

Go west old man....

Well...thought I'd give blogging another shot this year...the thing I've learned about blogging is...it's really for the blogger...if someone stops by, great!  But by and large the ramblings on with the electronic pen record our travels and let us look back...
.I skipped last year...our plans were unexpectedly changed when daddy got sick and hospitalized.We were staying for the first time ever in a cabin at T.H. Stone Memorial State Park, Cape San Blas Florida..one of our most favoritest places in the world when we got the call....but i clung then as i do now to God's promise...."for I know the plans i have for you..." ....So here we are, on the road again...excited about the blessings that always come with our time together ........on the road again...with the ribbon of highway stretched out before us...(can you mix two songs in the same sentence?)