He Turned Fast Food Into a Beauty

Day 2 National Parks 2011

Up at 5:30am, without a sleeping bag it is 20 degrees chillier to sleep in the car.  At 6:20am, the sky already felt warm.  I got up to pee overlooking the beautiful sunrise paint the canvas of the sky and the desert.  I felt my chest congested and my sinus on fire.  Hot water canteen was still warm after 26 hours.  I recited my Buddhist prayers and rolled off at 8:30am. 

Ely Shell gas station was where I pulled over for a total wipe down.  It felt really good.  The baby changing station was totally convenient for this wash process.   

I stopped at Subway for a grilled cheese sandwich.  A foot long with half this, half that and turned it into two sandwiches.  The man layered it all perfectly beautiful like a commercial and each bit tasted just like how he layered it.  It’s not that he did not work fast, but he was perfect and precise.  The way he worked was a very beautiful process to watch.  I somehow swallowed my half sandwich in a flash.  

I called my sister to let her know where I was and that I was still alive.  I continued my drive after that. 

I was tired at 1:30pm at Utah Salt Water Lake area on i50.  With the window down, it was warm wind that was blowing.  I took a 30 minute nap sitting up and ate the rest of my sandwich even though I wasn’t hungry.  It felt really good to see the vastness and feel the wind and listen to the wind. 

The vastness of land, horizon and the lack of city urban suburban life was what I needed.  The section of Ely to Delta was confusing, tiring, stressful.  I knew once I got onto i70, that it was all going to be okay.  

i70, I missed you, the Vermillion Sandstone Mountains, Grey Black Metals of Goblin Valley etc.. I really missed this area.  It physically scares me and I find it visually beautiful, turbulent stormy wind is hard on my mind.  Yes the cross over from Nevada to Utah was strange, I wonder if it just is like this in borders of states.   

It was 68 miles to Ely city from the city of Eureka, then to the Delta and to Salina city was another 224 miles.  Then another 277 miles to Rifle city in Colorado. 

I stopped to have dinner there and It was already late, the sun was setting at Grand Junction.  The station had gross restroom and shower laundry facility.  I decided I didn’t want to eat there.  I pulled over at the Olive Garden Sign and stopped at a restaurant where I had red potato.  It was frozen and microwaved, it was half warm and cold, full of fresh red onion.  Seriously, all of this had hazard written all over it and I did not register.  I swallowed it and then spit it back out.  It was all gross.  

I drove to a gas station with a restroom sign that read, “Absolutely no men allowed!”  The female staff told me about Glenwood Spring Hot Spring etc… and said all of Colorado is beautiful.  I pulled out and drove across to La Quinta Hotel parking lot next to Sonic and slept in the car.  It was a full parking lot at 10:30pm.

Miles driven today 569 miles

Time on the road 14 hours     

Watchman Campground

Day 14 National Parks 2010

There is wind today.  The weather is in the 90’s.  With the wind carrying the cold from the icy river brushing against the 140 degree mountain surface, it all meshed nicely. 

A couple who stayed at another site wanted my site and was very happy I was leaving.  I am happy for them, I really liked my spot by the river but not off the Pa’Rus trail, the foot traffic is bothersome to me.  This site is surrounded by greens and trees, and had it’s own privacy protection, an isolated feel, quite wonderful.  Nature changes though, it is this way this season and next season it will be different. 

I went to visitor center to find out about backpacking in the back country and charge batteries.  Zion back country seems pretty exciting.  I would need more about canyoneering too.  I don’t see myself as a repeller.  But I would like to add a wet suit to me list of too brings. 

Watchman campground “C” loop is in front of Watchman Mountain Ridges.  My site number is #4.  The sites here are spacious and it’s is not as packed as South Campground.  The mountains are colors of blood orange, fire red and sienna.  My tent is nestled under 2 trees full of squirrels running about.  I have only seen chipmonks run about not squirrels, here the squirrels dominate. 

I’m not sure if it is the mountains or the names of the mountains after biblical terms, somehow find it inviting to have conversations with the Zion Mountains. 

The warm breeze felt great.  The sound of the birds and the leaves singing by the wind is soothing.  Watching the blue sky and the colorful mountain takes me back to childhood when I used to do this daily. 

Is it selfish of me to want self protection? Self preservation? Is it selfish of ne to not want to withdrawn from everyone?  Is it selfish of me to want to advance forward and take leaps and take flight and wanting to leave others in the dust?

I ate Korean Nori, Taiwanese mochi, go raw sheets, gobo jerky, tea.  Then I took a nap in 99 degree weather underneath the tree for 2 hours.  I woke up from the nap and found myself hungry again.  For dinner I ate beans in tomato sauce and the last of Bulgarian cabbage stuffed rice. 

A camper family across from me offered me to join them for tubing for $17 and offered to let me borrow their bikes but none of the bikes fit my height.  Yes, bike a big thing that I felt I would have like to have but really I don’t have any room for it, even a folding bike. 

Another neighbor named Mike gave me info on shower in Springdale.  He and his son are heading up to Yellowstone next.  They are from Irvine.   I told them what Maya told me from North Rim Grand Canyons that it snowed and it would be best if they had snow chains.  They did, they came prepared. 

I feel like I lived two years in two weeks.  It is amazing what two weeks can do.  How come I have waited this long to do this?  Why is this the first time I am doing this?  I so needed to have done this all my life.  What a fool I have been to not have done this any earlier. 

In the afternoon when I was about to go for a walk I realized I forgot to pack and organize the car for urban travel set up.  So I took the time to do it.  I got super excited about organizing.  Most of all I love efficiency and smooth flow.  I did not make it out for a swim in the river or a walk or a hike today.  Well, that is okay.  That is what is good about traveling solo, any change of plans based up on current personal needs supersedes any itinerary or pre planned ideas.  It feels good to be in the now. 

I like the chi in Watchman campground.  Having the Watchman Mountain as background is marvelous.  The feeling is good.  I spent 5 hours in the river yesterday and that was the highlight for me. Sometimes the logical success oriented part of me feels like it is a waste to not cover every inch of this place or any new place I am at and do everything.  A part of me want to tackle and climb Angel’s Landing but today’s moment was to feel the grounding and not run high.   Today was spent in cleaning up, gathering myself for the next stretch of my trip.  Taking care of things is like closure to something and preparing for a new beginning.  I even had time to sit and do artwork, super satisfying. 

I can’t believe I did all this in two weeks and all the mileages I covered.  I can’t believe how refreshed I feel.  I can’t believe how wonderful and how light I feel.  I feel good, just like this warm breeze that blows through.  The leaves chimes musically with the aid of the wind. 

As the Watchman Ridges turn burnt orange into pink and firey red sunset, the moon rose against the tungsten twilight blue.  It was so beautiful to watch.  I feel so privileged to be alive to witness this amazingness. 

I have been covered in bug bites since I arrive here in Zion.  But today was the first day it all itched and swelled.  Delayed effect?  Extra potent time release thing?

Power Rangers Nurses Singing Disney Elton John Tunes

Day 13 National Parks 2010

So glad I had my rain fly on last night, it was a wise choice.  The wind came through and it got super windy and chilly at night.  I didn’t get going in the morning until 7 am.  I had instant noodles for breakfast.  I didn’t get to the visitor’s center until 11am.  I met 3 nurses from San Diego.  I seem to either run into people in the Educational field or Medical field.  They were young professionals new in their career who loved to sing Disney Elton John songs.  They each picked a Power Ranger Color and hiked as that particular power ranger.  They invited me to join them on the Narrows Slot Canyon river hike.  I don’t watch Power Rangers and I called out a color that wasn’t one of the existing Rangers. 

Although it seemed like too late to start a hike, it was perfect to do the Narrows because it would have been too cold to do it any earlier.  Now the sun is bright and on the water warming it.  Up until now, the water had been in the shadows and cold.  The water is still cold because it is snow melt water.  It’s going to be cold until possibly August.  The water was so cold I could not feel my toes.  I see why people spent the $20 to rent a pair of warm water boots to stay warm so they can feel their toes.  This is a health hazard.  In fact people where hiking in their wet suit.  I needed one of those too.  The excitement of navigating the slot canyon Narrows distracted me from any possibility of hypothermia and frost bite. 

It was super awesome, what a gift to be able to do this with others to follow in these nurses’ lead in the river, as to where to step and how to grip the canyon walls in rushing currents up the chest.  I used my $100 titanium hiking poles for this trek.  I didn’t know if it is also for water or the water will rust them.  I just know I needed poles to stabilize my trek in this river of rushing currents.  It was really hard to move or balance when I couldn’t feel my legs from the cold water.  I was hiking upstream in swift rapids.  At least there is no wind today that would make it colder.

Did I bring a water bag? Nope!  I need to add that to my list of to brings. So I double ziplocked my camera and hoped it will stay dry that way.  It worked.  I also kept the camera where my head was to keep it from swimming in the water.  I did fall into the river from a slip off a rock, fortunately I did not go into a full body dunk.  I call that falling in the river karma paid, done.  Thanks for letting me keep my camera dry. 

 

I broke off from the Power Ranger Elton John singing nurses from San Diego at the section called Wall Street where the river “Y” with Orderville Canyons.  This section of the slot canyon had tighter Narrows and lower water level.  At this section where I broke off with the group, the river was very dangerous and difficult to navigate. The water currents came up to my chest.  I had to hang onto the mountain wall for safety.  It was during this time I smashed my wrist watch.  I just felt so wonderful hiking in the water and my eyes were in awe with the colors of the slot canyons with the afternoon sun on the red canyons.  This all felt so peaceful, wonderful, physically strenuous but mentally refreshing.  The afternoon of soaking in snow melt water really took down the inflammation I had been experiencing in the body, it’s really a good thing.

 

 

I turned around in my river adventure around 3:15pm and made my way back out.  At about 4pm my knees were exhausted.  My pace slowed big time.  I am glad I turned around when I did.  I was at the river trail head at 5pm.  It was warm during that time, the sun shone through and there was a warm breeze.  Just felt really good inside my head.   

 
 

The Keens water shoes held up today pretty cool.  Do did my very expensive Black Diamond hiking poles.  This is a pair of thermo water boots you can rent in town for $10.  I didn't know about that or the cold of the water.  It think it is worth the money to get a pair to keep the body warm and keep the ankle from getting injured in the river. 

It is clear after today, I will not backpack through the Narrows.  It's hard enough to navigate in the river and to add the weight and shift of wet backpack then sleeping in wet tent and wet sleeping bag, not a good idea.  It written on the guide books that there are water snakes here.  I am glad I did not see one.  It would really freak me out. 

On my way back to camp I inquired into the Watchman Campground of which I have reservations for.  I wanted to cancel this so I can stay at the South Campsite I am currently in.  I was told there would be a cancellation fee and then an additional night of stay at South Campground for $16 more.  So I guess I will be packing up tomorrow and driving to Watchman campground. 

Lisa, one of the nurses I met today told me I should go to San Diego next and hang out at the beaches.  Sounds like a good idea.  Kelly the other nurse told me to drive up the coast on the way home.  I am sure it is scenic, but what an exhausting drive that will be.  Sounds like my next destinations have all been laid out for me.  The nurses’ next stop is Vegas and they spoke of it as the highlight of their trip.  I see Las Vegas as a place to stop to pee and eat. 

For dinner tonight I had stuffed Bulgarian cabbage with giant Spanish beans and avocado.  It was all very delicious.  I watched the sun set over the backdrop of the mountain ridges.  The mountain was first orange then fire red, very beautiful and peaceful experience. 

In Zion it is clear, you are in Utah.  All the mountain are named after religious terms.  I saw a group of Amish tourists.  Their energy looked liked the mountain prairies of 60 years ago, it was all very interesting to observe. 

Zion National Park

Day 12 National Parks 2010

Woke up at 5:30am and did morning ceremony.  I then hustled to hang my tent and sleep stuff on the clothes line to shake off pounds of sand.  Then I laid each item on the picnic table to pack them sand free.  I didn’t roll off until 7am.  Skipped breakfast and water, just hit the road.  I had snacks packed in the shotgun seat to munch, nor and mushroom chips, etc..  The drive was exhausting.  I took a Taco Bell 20 minute rest.  I kept on driving, a lot of miles to cover today.  I kept on driving, even though I had trouble in staying focused on the road.  It’s a combination of driving fatigue, heat on the road, and general travel exhaustion. 

I made it to Zion National Park South Camp.  The walk in camp is like Bryce where you park at an empty space and pay and put the tag up.  I rolled into #76 camp site when an elderly couple was pulling out and insisted I stay there free for 2 nights and refused to accept my money.  They decided to leave early and had two more nights on their prepaid site.  The timing of it was amazing.  Any second earlier or later I would have missed her waving and flagging me down.  I am grateful at the simplicity and smoothness of such a tender exchange.  This was 1:32pm. 

I set up tent and the ground was covered with rocks.  The only way to stake my tent down was to tie it to the picnic table.  It took me an hour to set up.  Mostly I had to solve the rocky ground issue.  I was super tired when I was done and sleepy.  I pulled down the rain fly to let more air through and I slept in the tent.  This spot #76 is by the river front campsites and in between us is the river trail.  The river front campsites cost more.  There is no shower facilities here, people use the river to dip in, also no dish washing facilities here. 

I woke up at 5:30pm and hiked to the museum bus stop and got on the bus.  The river trail will take me to the museum but I wanted to get a bus tour of the place.  I went to the Emerald Pools Trail and got off at the Zion Lodge where the trail head was.  The lower pools were pretty with water dripping.  The upper pool had frogs that croaked and echoed all over the canyon.  They have a large sack in their jaw that helps them create these loud sounds.  It’s quite cool to watch them as their sacks rattle.  It’s the most exciting part of this part of the pools. 

I stopped to listen in on a ranger tour in progress on a trail.

This little guy is so loud. 

I hiked all over Mt. Emei in Sichuan China to try to locate these cute little frogs with a German traveler and had no success, here they are. 

I was told the Narrows opened two days ago.  That until then the water level had been too high and currents too dangerous.  So this is why after Bryce I had to skip Zion, I didn’t know it then that the Narrows was still closed.  Now that it has opened, I am here.  I have always wanted to do the narrows slot canyons.  I had wanted to backpack through it.  But given the height of the water level and my height, I’d just be swimming with my back pack on.  It is not fully open, it is only open to Springdale.  The rest of the water is still too high.  I heard parts of it requires a bit of swimming and to avoid swimming and falling into the water if you can.  I shall tackle this tomorrow. 

I need to add spray bottle to my to bring list and window clean stuff to clean off smashed dried bugs off the windshield.  There is no dish washing facilities here.  People are asked to take water back to their site to wash then dump the water outside the restroom gutter area. 

The restrooms here at Zion National Park are not well maintained.  I don’t want to touch anything.  Grand Canyon National Park South Rim had the best restroom so far with shower and regular maintenance.  North Rim Grand Canyon National Park restroom go head to head with Bryce National Park and Arches National Park ranks behind.

North Rim Grand Canyons National Park shower facility had a heater that was super hot and wonderful, Clayton the facilities guy maintained it regularly but the facilities itself was outdated.  Bryce National Park shower facilities were more current but less maintained. 

As for laundry facilities, North Rim Grand Canyons National Park wins.  Bryce National Park and Grand Canyons National Park South Rim go head to head. 

As for campsites, all the national parks I have been in so far including Kaibab National Forest Dispersed camping had really good chi.  Here at Zion National Park, the mountain backdrop and the river by the campsite makes up for the actual campsite deficiency.  The campsites just feel very well used and nature doesn’t quite have time to exhale and regenerate. 

As for sleep I liked it all.  I like the sound of running river here.

Drinking water, the water at both North and South Rim of Grand Canyons National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park all taste good and sweet.  The drinking water at Arches National Park is terrible to drink.  The water here at Zion isn’t good to drink either.  Always pack your own water enough for the week just in case. 

I walked around other campsites to see what others were doing with their setup.  Everyone had their rain fly up and so I too will put up my rain fly for the night even though it is very hot. 

In the dark of the night, because the restroom was so gross, I had to bring water back to my campsite and hide in a bush and wash that way while breathing in fresh air and look at the star filled sky.  At Grand Canyons National Park, you can see the Milky Way clearly at night. 

 

Secret Hike in a Wash

Day 11 National Park 2010

This is what the inside of my tent looked like, full of sand from the wind.  The wind actually changed the arc of my tent frame.  I have no idea how my tent did not fly away when it was just staked into the sand.  It must have been from invisible help of which I am very grateful to. 

The lip sore from Antelope Canyon is still on it's ways to recovery, looking less green, purple, and bloody.

The stormy wind quieted down.  Sunrise was beautiful to see.  The calm after the storm is quite a thing to experience.  The wind blew all evening into the early morning, so much so that the side of my tent would hit me and wake me up from my sleep.  I did need to pee at night but it was just too windy and unsafe to be out.  The winds blew so strong that I doubted my ability to stand and shut my tent doors.  The wind was nothing to be afraid of but I was scared.  The sheer power and speed was scary. 

Too windy for tent?

This tent pops up and needs a ladder to get into

I enjoyed my morning sunrise walk to the Rangers up the hill to get another night.  I am tired from not getting much peaceful continued rest.  It was good to not have to move sites this morning.  It really saved me the effort of set up and take down energy. 

Park Avenue trail

My day didn’t start until 10:30am.  I did Park Avenue trail and then went out to check out the wall art in Moab.  I met Norma and her family from Salt Lake City, UT.  Her husband looked out for my safety and as I stepped out to look at the art they invited me to join them for their secret hike up a wash.  There are lots of washes up here.  I don’t know my way at all.  It was a pull off at the right across from the camp Recreation across the Colorado River.  We hiked through pools of water and climbed over slabs of rock and crawled under.  It was fun, I felt like a kid again.  Both parents are fun and were showing the kids how to climb, crawl, roll etc…  They were teaching their kids how to live playfully as a kid and not to loose that.  This is a very different perspective in this modern era, a very nice thing to see all in the same time instilling safety, responsibility and informed education of nature, biology.  It was so nice they included me and I had a very fun adventurous time. 

We had the whole place to ourselves.  I saw traces from campers and I realized I would not enjoy being all alone here all by myself backpacking.  I think I would be a bit scared at night. 

There is no sign for this wash, you just have to know where to stop and where to enter, I could not have done this on my own.  I wanted to backpack through a wash and I got to hike in one today, very grateful for this Christian family to fold me in.

Suppose to have dinosaur print here somewhere.  I looked hard, maybe in the wrong place but I did look in the direction the sign pointed to. 

Rock climbing classes are popular in Moab

Petroglyphs, very easy to miss, helps to have others standing on the road looking first to clue in on where to look.  I drove by it three times before I finally knew where to stop.

Then I tried to locate the bear and the hunter petro glyphs but I tried 3 times and just couldn’t find this wall art.  Total Fail!  I went to the dinosaur track but it was way up the mountain.  I also couldn’t find the entrance the Court House Wash Trail to see more petro glyphs and I tried twice.  I ended up at Burger King at 4pm and charged all my electronics again. 



This is right behind my tent site, access is through the ampitheatre.

When I drove up back to camp, the headaches and heaviness came back.  I had trouble driving safely.  I have no idea what is going on.  I sang Samadhabadra’s Song and made it to the Amphitheatre to do the Sklyline Arch hike from the back end to get to the inside of the arch.  I was the only one there.  I laid within the arch and attempted to rest the headache and illness I was swamped in.  I felt after 40 minutes of rest.  The sun and the warm rock felt great.  I felt super healed.  It was a beautiful sight to see.  I am so up high and over looking an entire valley.  It was an easy climb, short and I had the entire place to myself.


Feels very healing to nap on the hot rock underneath the arch, had the entire arch to myself

I returned to camp by 7:15pm and had Burger King Pie with High Mountain tea.  What a nice way to wrap up the day.  I didn’t do laundry.   I have enough clean fresh clothes to not have to.  It’s just that I’ve worn all my favorite pieces already.  It’s down to cotton and linen.  Need to get good rest tonight to do the long drive to Zion National Park.