Journey to Mars

When you look up into the heavens and see a giant red planet just floating in a sea of blackness. You close your eyes and imagine what it would be like to be there. Magically as you open your eyes, You have a feeling that you are no longer in Kansas.

How pray tell could this happen. How could something so in-hospitable and beautiful exist in one place and on one lifeless planet. Low and behold! This is not a lifeless planet and it does exist. It exists on the very planet we call home. 

"TELL US!" the masses scream. "TELL US, where we might find such beauty so that we can partake in these wondrous sights." "And tell us if you are suffering from second hand smoke from Colorado."

Well no to the second part and as for the views, this is Fisher Towers in the Castle Valley east of Moab Utah. This hike is a favorite of ours because of this scenery. It is somewhat different than other areas of Moab. That is why there is so much to explore around here and it is never quite the same.

Lisa's sister, Heidi and nephew Nyle drove over from Steamboat Springs Colorado for a visit. We took them on that hike last year and they wanted to do it again. Kendra hasn't been there so she went along also.

My little Martian

The Colorado River as it starts to cut into the canyons

Kendra and Nyle

At the end of the trail you look back and I think it looks like the Grand Canyon. This is just some amazing country. The hike winds around the bases of those tall spires. It is 2.2 miles one way up hill. But as with most hikes around here you are rewarded with breathtaking panoramas.

The weather has been cool and cloudy for quite a few days so we haven't been out a whole lot. So adios amigos. Hasta la vista.

52 years young

What a good day. We decided to start with a hike. We found this hike a couple of weeks ago and have never done it. So we weren't quite sure what to expect from it  The hike was to Castleton rock. A pinnacle popular with rock climbers.

Castleton rock

The hike was a very steep climb. Not a good hike to start Kendra on. Even Lisa and I where feeling it. We decided to turn around and try later on.

52 year old stud muffin

It looks like a very cool hike.

Once down we decided to do a drive instead. I wanted to drive the long canyon road. Lisa did it with Steve and Joan when I was gone and their pictures where beautiful. But on the way we stopped to look at some Dinosaur tracks that are along the way.

Lisa and Kendra looking at the tracks

This rock with the tracks on it fell from higher up. That is why it sits at an angle and the road lies still farther down. A little farther up there are petroglyphs from ancient Native Americans.

After that we got to the trail head and started up the long Canyon. This is considered an easy route and I was told how easily Steve and Joan's Jeep went up it. Their Jeep is on steroids and we have Lil' Blue. 

The scenery is beautiful and breathtaking. Then we came to a part of the road where a giant rock has fallen over it and you drive under it. 

That was pretty neat. Then just a little farther down the road we came to some obstacles that we didn't think Lil' Blue could get over. Remember it is totally stock with no modifications. A couple was walking down the road to look at the path. So we got to talking to them and he was convinced that we could make it up. What does he have to loose, right? So Lisa got out and was supposed to take pictures. That is why there are very few pictures. Any ways it took 2 attempts at the first one but we made it.

Lil' Blue scratching and clawing her way up

The next obstacle was a 2-3 foot step with soft dirt and rocks in front of it. With the help of this guy throwing rocks under the tires we got up after about 10 attempts. WHEW!

This was the step from above

We left a little paint on the rocks but we got up there. 

Lil' Blue is smiling now

Then we had some time to look at the scenery.

Checking out the road we just came up

After the drive we went back to Moab and had dinner. 

It was a good day full of adventure. The birthday beers are flowing.

Mission Impossible

This is your mission, should you choose to accept it:

Fly 1230 miles to the frozen tundra to move your daughter out of her apartment in 1 day in frigid temperatures. Pack all of her belongings into a 19 ft. camper and drive that camper the same 1230 miles back to Moab Utah in 2 days. Driving thru gale force winds and mountain passes of 8600 feet and living in a space of 1300 square feet. This blog will self-destruct in 5 seconds.

It sounds like I was embellishing the details. I would have to say that that description was spot on.

Last Wednesday Lisa and I woke up at 3:30 in the morning to make the hour and a half drive to Grand Junction Colorado for my flight to Minneapolis Minnesota. The first leg of the flight was to Denver Colorado in a turbo prop plane. I do like turbo props for many reasons but I don't like them flying over the mountains. The 50 minute flight was very turbulent to say the least. In fact the guy behind me started to throw up. I am like "No, no." It was bad enough to hear it and I knew that if I smelled it I would loose it also. Thankfully I didn't.

That flight also brings back the guilt that I feel about an indiscretion that may have happened on the flight. The lady next to me slept, and I tried to sleep, so does that mean we slept together? Oh the infidelity of it all.

The second leg of the flight from Denver to Minneapolis was okay except for being a full flight. I walk onto the plane (a jet this time) and get to my seat. In the window seat there is a lady that is overflowing into my seat. So I sit down and prepare to be cozy with this lady. Our thighs rubbed together for an hour and a half. I was in the middle and there was a lady in the aisle seat. Not the sandwich I was fantasizing about.

I made it to Minneapolis where my daughter was going to pick me up for the 250 mile drive to Fargo. She arrived early and had parked her car in the ramp. The parking ramps in Minneapolis are huge and she wasn't quite sure where she left her car. Eventually we found it and had a good laugh. We then drove the hour to my Sisters house where we left her camper in January when we brought it up from Kentucky.

We first had to stop and find a hitch somewhere on the way. The hitch picked up we got to Ramsey MN. and hooked up. We had a good but brief conversation with Jeff, my brother-in-law. sadly we missed my sister because of her work and the limited time we had to get things done. So it was a quick good-bye and off we went. This was the first time Kendra's GMC Envoy had pulled this camper and it did well. Kendra then took the wheel. It was her first time pulling a trailer. So I earned a few more grey hairs. She did a great job. Not hitting one curb.

We made it to Fargo, dropped the trailer at my brothers in West Fargo and went to Kendra's apartment. She lives downtown and there was no place to park a camper down there. It is after 9 now and I am running on empty.

Next morning we start organizing piles. We made two trips to the thrift store. Two trips to her camper. one trip to the consignment store. Cleaned.  Then if you have moved before, everything else that was left was thrown into boxes and was going in the camper or to my mother-in-laws house. Kendra's car completely full we went to my brothers house to get the camper and then drive to Fergus Falls MN to my mother-in-laws house. We got her out of there in one day. Day 2 of exhaustion. That was Thursday.

Friday we just had some loose ends to tie up. Cancel the cable, oil change and then I had dinner with my son and his girlfriend. Saturday Kendra was in Fargo to say her good-byes. Wish I had more time to spend with friends and family but we were on a mission.

Sunday we hit the road. I was glad to leave because it was cold there. Of course the wind would have to pick up, slowing us down. 60-65 was all we could do for the entire trip. We stopped in Gothensburg, Nebraska where I de-winterized her camper so we could stay in it.

Monday we got going early again and again the wind picked up. Only today we were climbing up some elevations. Slow driving day again. Determined as we were, we got to Moab Utah around 10. Got her set up for the night and then poured myself into bed.

So not Mission Imposible, Just Mission really really hard.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.