Summer Vacation Trip - Day 13

I got Mollie up at about 5:45 AM so we could go and watch the sunrise.  Mollie was irritable about the early morning but she had told me that a ranger had said "Bryce Canyon is more of a sunrise park than a sunset park.”  Sadly, the clouds decided to block the sun, so we were only able to see its light through a few spaces between the clouds.  Mollie wanted to go back to sleep so I let her.  Meanwhile, I checked on the availability of horse rides at Bryce and learned they were booked for the next several days.  When I got back to the room and told Mollie about this, she got upset and became very worried that we'd "never get to ride a horse at all during the trip."  I assured her that I'd try to make it happen and asked her to be patient.  We ate breakfast (buffet) at the Lodge at Bryce Canyon (done at 0725).  After our meal was over, we visited the laundromat it was open this time.  We started up a load of laundry (Mollie helped me with her loose change) and killed some time in the room.  I gave Mollie the print outs I'd brought for the different horse ride places and Mollie called the Canyon Trail Rides company (at Zion) and set up a reservation for our three hour ride on July 1.  By this point, the washer was done and we moved the clothes to the dryer.  After switching everything over, we drove back to the Visitor Center to pick up some souvenirs and explore the exhibits a bit.  Mollie had a good time climbing into the children's prairie dog tunnel and hugging a “hoodoo” (the stacked rock formation).  We went back to check on our clothes and found they were completely dry (we were surprised by the effectiveness of the much-used machines).  We folded and packed everything away, checked out of the Lodge and went on a short walk on the rim trail.  The views were much better (clouds had lifted) but Mollie wasn't really in the mood to walk.  So, even though I wasn't ready, we departed from the main canyon area (1000).  Mollie told me she wanted to leave the park altogether but I didn't want to go - instead, I took the main park road so we could visit the many different sights (Rainbow Point, Natural Bridge, Swamp Canyon, Inspiration Point, and many others) that were visible from the many pull-outs.  I got out at several stops and walked alone (with Mollie staying in the car).  After about an hour, though, Mollie decided to get out at the last few stops and took lots more pictures.  Eventually, we had run out of things to do in the park that didn't involve multiple-mile hikes.  I had really been enjoying the cooler weather but it started to warm up with we got back to the town of Bryce Canyon.  At that point, Nicky called Mollie to chat and I stopped in a parking lot to keep the cell phone signal.  We ate lunch (snacks) in the car and left the area at around 1345.  We then drove back to US-89 by following UT-12.  I’d promised Mollie one more stamp (Cedar Breaks) but I wanted to make sure we found lodging before it got too late (I was worried about Holiday Weekend crowds).  We found a relatively inexpensive place in Hatch called the Bryce Zion Inn (1415).  The owner’s son was cleaning the hotel rooms and Mollie asked me about child labor laws (I replied that everyone had to help to make a family business a success).  We stashed our bags and then drove south (on US-89 again).  We got a gas fill-up at KB Express in Orderville (1425).  We then drove west on UT-14 and then north on UT-148 until we arrived at the NPS site.  After getting out of the car, we noticed lots of snow around - it was also cool enough to need a light jacket!  When Mollie saw the view, she told me that she thought Cedar Breaks NM was a "microcosm of Bryce Canyon.”  The rocks visible in the canyon were from the same geologic period as Bryce.  We were expecting the park to be deserted but the Visitor Center was so full that we could hardly move.  The NPS passport cancellation station was located next to a window that overlooked the one half of the canyon.  A little girl pointed out a Yellow-Bellied Marmot that was sitting atop the cliff and Mollie got really excited.  Meanwhile, he ran into the bushes and Mollie ran out of the visitor center to try and get a picture of him.  She couldn't see him so she gave up and got some pictures of the canyon.  Just then, all of the kids that were there got super excited because a (different?) marmot had appeared right near the overlook.  Many squeals (some from Mollie) ensued.  She was taking pictures next to a man whose camera lens was literally longer than her forearm.  Soon enough, the marmot's friend showed up and they both had fun running down into the canyon and out of sight.  Having satisfied Mollie’s need for pictures from that angle, we went back to the car and drove north.  We were at about 10500 feet of elevation and it was about 50 degrees (pleasant!). I convinced Mollie to climb on top of a snow pile - she slipped in the mud and got kind of dirty but she told me it was worth the mess.  We only stopped a few more times before heading out of the park to the north.  We then used UT-148 again and, later, UT-143 to get back to Hatch.  After getting settled in our room, we capped off the day by eating a delicious dinner at Hatch Station.  The owners were very nice and it wasn’t too busy.  We were finished by 1805 and went back “to chill” (as Mollie called it) in the room. Mollie told me she’d had a very fun day.  We read and watched TV and I researched entry requirements for Zion (and discovered that we had to ride a shuttle) so we’d be prepared for the logistics of getting to the horse stables on time.  Mollie wrote a blog post for Facebook (both parks).  Bed was at around 2200 so we could get up early again the next morning!

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 12

We woke up early in our cabin (0600) and, after seeing the schedule for the on-site restaurants, ate breakfast (snacks) in our room.  We immediately headed out on the trails near the Lodge so we could beat all of the other visitors to the viewpoint trails.  We were able to take in the views of the canyon in relative peace and cleared out of each area as soon as those places got too busy.  Mollie wanted to get some souvenirs so we checked out of the Lodge (0830) and drove a short distance to the nearby Campground Store.  I bought a new shirt and Mollie got some good gifts for her sisters (0850).  We then drove to the nearby North Rim Sinclair (gas) station, where we got old-timey full service from a nice old man.  He gave us lots of ideas about where we should go next.  We also experienced another one of the time-zone change issues when we were impacted by the hour difference between the Grand Canyon time (matched Arizona) and the area along the Utah border where we were exploring.  Following the advice of our service station attendant, we decided to explore the Cape Royal and Point Imperial areas.  We drove to the former spot first and stopped at various pullouts along the way.  In the beginning, the only people we came into contact with were a geologist from LA (who was visiting for the weekend) and an older couple who was looking (through their binoculars) for ruins down in the Canyon.  There were a few more people at the main overlook for Cape Royal but not so many that the quiet air of the canyon was compromised.  The pleasantness didn't last long, though, and the parking lot was almost full by the time we left.  We had to backtrack down the road to reach Point Imperial but found that it was about the same (views and crows).  We just snapped a few photos and got back on the road.  Our time visiting the Grand Canyon had been great but Mollie didn’t want it to end without a bit more wildlife viewing.  On our way out of the park, we tried very hard to spot some bison in the meadow where they’d been for most of the previous day but they were nowhere to be found.  Sadly, we departed via AZ-67 and drove north until we reached the town of Jacob Lake.  We stopped at the Inn there (it was really crowded) and decided to pick up some lunch (sandwiches) to go.  At this point (1215), I asked Mollie if we could go exploring along the UT-AZ border.  I pointed out that we’d been getting passport stamps for Mollie throughout the trip but there were some other parks (i.e., not in the Passport Book) that I wanted to see (e.g., Vermilion Cliffs and Grand Staircase-Escalante, both National Monuments).  These parks weren’t really on the way to our next stop for the night but I figured it would be smart to go there anyway since I didn’t expect to be back anytime soon.  She grudgingly agreed (because she wanted to go to an animal rescue facility nearby).  We then drove east on US-89A, continuing through pretty alpine forests until we reached an overlook for a huge valley.  After leaving the highest elevation of the day (8800 feet), the road took us quickly down into this valley (which was probably at about 5000 feet of elevation).  We found that the temps were above 100 in that area and it didn’t make us happy.  On the left side of our car, we found that the Vermilion Cliffs paralleled the road.  There were a few signs but no visitor facilities.  The formation consisted of an impressive plateau of reddish rocks that stretched for more than 30 miles.  We learned later that the Cliffs run southwest to northwest in an open, backwards “C shape.”  The sandy interior, popular with ATV users, is only accessible from the west.  We didn’t try to get into that area and continued east.  We passed through some little towns at the base of the cliffs but didn’t stop until we reached an NPS outpost at the Colorado River (Historic Navajo Bridge).  We were able to walk out onto a pedestrian bridge to see the green waters below and it was an impressive sight.  The Marble Canyon was much shallower than the huge, wide, deep canyon we’d seen earlier in the day but it was quite pretty.  Mollie actually did get some more new stamps for her book.  It was so hot that we didn’t spend a lot of time at the location.  Instead, we crossed the river and continued following US-89A.  The road went back up onto cliffs on the other side of the valley (almost 7000 feet again).  Eventually, we reached US-89 and turned northwest.  We stopped for milkshakes at Burger King in Page (1355) and then admired several good views of the southern end of Glen Canyon NRA.  It was clear that Lake Powell had the capability of generating a significant amount of hydroelectric power but I didn’t get a chance to “get my geek on” about the power plants.  Instead, we viewed it from high on the hills.  There was a Visitor Parking area (with shuttle busses) where we could have stopped for a trip to view Horseshoe Bend but Mollie was in the mood to get back to the cooler temperatures (and I didn't argue).  A short time later, we crossed back into Utah.  Just then, for the first time on the trip, it started to rain (just sprinkling).  Mollie took this opportunity to tell me that she didn’t like all the driving and just wanted to take a day off to relax.  I told her I'd try to set up an opportunity like that soon.  At about 1500, we stopped briefly at the Grand Staircase-Escalante BLM Visitor Center in Big Water.  The unique building was designed in the shape of a fossil shell and was filled with information about the types of dinosaurs that have been found in the area.  Mollie got some more passport stamps and then we drove about 30 miles west to the Vermilion Cliffs Contact Station at Paria.  This location allowed us to learn about that National Monument (we hadn’t seen any information signs during our circumnavigation).  The lady who worked there told us how the ubiquitous cliff formations in the area were labeled on maps by their colors (Chocolate, Vermilion, White, Gray and Pink).  She also described the “Grand Staircase” of these colors that were visible between Paria (in the Chocolate layer) and Bryce Canyon (in the pink layer).  The helpful Ranger suggested we take a drive through the Johnson Canyon, located about 25 miles to the west, so we could see all of the cliff levels.  Mollie agreed to let me explore this area and we soon located the 16-mile road (oriented north-south) that the ranger had mentioned.  Driving along that road was like taking a journey through the five geological eras.  Eventually, the paved road turned to sand/gravel and turned toward the west.  We found that this resulted in another 16-mile drive for us in the backwoods.  As we carefully made our way back to blacktop, we actually got passed by a speedy four wheeler.  After we reached US-89 again, I realized we hadn’t taken any pictures!  We drove north until we reached UT-12 and (despite construction delays) made it to UT-63 in good time.  By 1800, we arrived at the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park.  We immediately stopped off at the Visitor Center so Mollie could get her passport stamped.  She came back to the car with news that there was an the astronomy festival going on that night (we had seen signs for on our way into the park).  Much to our dismay, though, the ranger had also told her that the festival (along with all stargazing ranger programs) had been cancelled due to the cloud cover.  When we thought about it, we decided that we should be too upset because we had attended star party at the North Rim the night before.  The end result, though, was that we had a completely free night on our hands.  We checked into the Bryce Canyon Lodge and enjoyed a nice dinner in the main cafeteria (done at 1850) before going to visit our room in the “Sunset Building.”  We took a short drive to the laundromat to see if we'd be able to do laundry (we really needed to do some!) but found that it had already closed.  We then relaxed in our room.  At around the time for the sunset, we took a short walk from our room to the canyon rim to see it for the first time.  Mollie told me she thought it was “incredibly pretty” and "completely different from the other canyons" we had seen on this trip.  We stayed for a little while, snapping pictures, and then headed back to our hotel room.  We relaxed some more in our “TV-free” room, reading and looking at brochures of the park.  Mollie was able to connect to Wi-Fi somehow and wrote a great Facebook/Blog post about our visit to the North Rim.  We ended up going to bed early (2200) so we could wake up early the next morning to watch the sunrise!

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 11

I made Mollie get up at 0600 and we breakfast at the Sunglow Restaurant in Bicknell (finished at 0745).  We left the hotel and stopped for a gas fill-up at Brian Farm Service at Loa (0755).  We then continued west, using GPS to cross the mountains (we eventually lost signal); we took many back roads (including UT-62) and made a brief stop at a roadside “point of interest” site in Kingston Canyon.  Eventually, we found US-89 and headed south.  Mollie mailed post cards and bought stamps at the US Post Office in Hatch (1110).  She then called her mother.  We talked about current events for a little while and soon found ourselves in a place called “the Arizona Strip” (just south of the town of Kanab, UT).  We got off US-89 and followed AZ-389 to Pipe Springs NM.  While there, Mollie got a NPS Stamp and we took a very informative tour of the frontier “fort” (from the Mormon Pioneer days) that was located over an important fresh water spring.  We saw many animals and were able to avoid the worst of the heat while we were inside the building.  The tour was so good that I filled out a compliment form for the guide, Melanie, who turned out to be an intern (!).  We ate lunch in the car (snacks, leftovers) and made our way back to Fredonia.  We then took US-89A toward the Grand Canyon and saw lots of forest fire damage on the way.  We arrived at the North Rim entrance at around 1345 and were greeted by a herd of bison right near the entrance.  Mollie was on cloud nine and we stayed for a little while to watch them.  We had another time change (getting tough to keep up!).  After short time, we arrived at the Grand Canyon Lodge at North Rim and checked into our room a bit early (1430).  Before we moved the car (from the check-in area to nearer the cabin), we had a little time to walk around and look at the Grand Canyon.  Some allergies and some fatigue made me sleepy so I took a nap in the room (1500 to 1730).  Meanwhile, Mollie explored the area, visiting the gift shop (she bought presents for her sisters and mother), asking park rangers about animal viewing locations, etc.  After I woke up (felt better), I was ready to leave the room (1745).  We packed up a bag for exploring trails near the Lodge and then walked down to take pictures on the Canyon rim.  We ate dinner at the Deli in the Pines at North Rim (1825).  I had some pepperoni pizza and Mollie tried the Elk Chili.  She told me that the taste was good but that the ground elk mentioned in its description turned out to be giant chunks (and she then complained that she only got three pieces).  We decided to get another look at the Canyon, which was easily done because the Lodge had trails all up and down the rim and even had nice chairs on the back porch that people could sit on and admire the view.  Mollie snapped “a few” pictures before we headed back to the car.  We drove by the campground and used their WiFi for a bit.  Next (2000), we drove back to the meadow where we had seen the bison earlier.  Mollie told me that she’d "learned over the years that animals are more active at dusk” and she was hoping for a bit of a show.  Fortunately, she was not disappointed!  We found a huge herd of bison that were hanging out near the road and frolicking about, with the males squaring up a bit and the babies annoying their mothers (Mollie took a four and a half minute video of this).  I actually had to tear Mollie away from these activities so we could go back to the Lodge (they were hosting a “Star Party” and I wanted to get there before it was too crowded).  I dropped Mollie off get in line for the telescopes (with views featuring Jupiter and its moons) and re-parked the car.  After unpacking more stuff and taking it to the room, I walked down to the Lodge to meet Mollie.  It was very crowded but the lines for all of the telescopes were either fast or short.  We were able to see Jupiter and its four moons from several different telescopes.  The stargazer volunteers were worried that the clouds would hinder our chances of seeing a lot of stars but, luckily, the weather generally cooperated.  The stargazers showed the crowd the Big Dipper and the North Star, as well as others that had weird names and we were unable to remember.  We sat on some cool Adirondack chairs, looking out over the Canyon in the dark.  The only negative was that one side of the lodge was lit up very brightly due to the restaurant (it was still open late).  We stayed on the other side of the building and really enjoyed the clear night sky with no light pollution.  Overall, Mollie was very impressed with the event and said she was “able to see more stars than I’ve ever seen in my life prior to tonight!"  We stayed at the Star Party until around 2145 and then walked back to the room in the dark (using a flashlight).  When I’d made the reservation at the last minute (after four months of trying to get something on location), I found out there was only one bed available.  I offered it to Mollie but she said she was OK with sleeping on a pallet.  I double and triple checked this but she said she was happy and would make the best of the situation.  With very little to keep us awake (other than reading), we went to bed at 2245.

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 10

We both were awake by 0700 and ate breakfast in the lobby with our hotel owner, Catarino, who had been a great host for two of our nights in the area.  Both Mollie and I thought his family business story was very inspirational.  By 0800, we left Blanding on US-191 (south).  We had earlier discovered that gas prices on the Reservation were about $0.30 cheaper than in the main towns, so we drove a bit out of our way to fill up and were not disappointed (0835).  Mollie is proving to be very good at squeegeeing the windows!  After we had a full tank, ‘Sherpa’ (our rental car) took us west on UT-95.  The drive through the southern edge of the massive Bears Ears National Monument included some impressive terrain and geological formations.  It wasn’t too long before we reached our first stop of the day, Natural Bridges NM.  The temps were in the low 70s but we knew the heat was coming.  I hoped to squeeze in a hike before the direct sunlight was unbearable and time was short.  In this regard, the NPS Ranger at the Visitor Center was really helpful, suggesting stops (for both views and hikes) on the park road that followed the canyon edge.  He also gave us ideas for a route around Grand Staircase-Escalante NM and pointed out the iconic Bears Ears (two tall buttes to the east that were visible from the building).  Mollie got another NPS Passport stamp and then we made stops to view the Sipapu Bridge and Kachina Bridge from the overlooks.  We also parked for a short hike to the base of Owachomo Bridge.  As it has been for every day of the trip, the sky was clear and crystal blue and the sun angles accentuated the colors of the rocks (cream on the bridges and bright red on the surrounding bluffs).  It was shady and breezy in the canyon and we would happily have stayed there for hours if we hadn’t had more places to visit.  We saw a great view of the “Sleeping Ute."  Glen Canyon wasn’t located too far away but the closure of the ferry at Halls Crossing made the planned drive a bit more complex.  I was very happy that I had my trusty navigator!  We continued towards the northwest so we could visit Glen Canyon.  The drive in was calm and void of almost all vehicles.  Upon arriving at the edge of the NRA, we marveled at the gorgeous red rock canyons that the road followed.  Mollie was able to take pictures out the window and but she was much happier to stop at an overlook that had a great view of Lake Powell.  Nearby, Mollie noticed a canopy tent in a campground that had the West Virginia University logo on it.  Because we were only missing three state license plates from our game (and West Virginia was one of them), Mollie insisted that we turn around to go check the license plate for the car that was parked next to it.  Sadly, though, it was “just” a Utah plate.  We continued on UT-95 until we reached UT-278 and I made the decision to try to get Mollie a NPS Passport stamp at the Bullfrog Visitor Center.  There were usually other options, but the long “detour” was required because the ferry that would normally allow us to easily reach the Bullfrog area of the NRA was closed (because the water levels for Lake Powell were too low).  Undeterred, we then drove to the NRA entrance on 40 mile long road (speed limit was 65 mph) with very little traffic.  Unfortunately, we had to wait a long time for a second gate to open before we could get inside the park.  We then stopped at the Bullfrog Visitor Center (1215) and Mollie ran inside to get her stamps.  When she returned, she described her quick conversation with the ranger about time zones and bamboo cutlery.  It was unbearably hot at this location (over 100 degrees), so we got back on the road and didn't feel bad that we hadn’t spent much time outside.  We ate lunch in car (leftovers, snacks) on the way back to the main road.  Earlier in the day, we’d asked rangers about the best way to get to our next stop (Capitol Reef NP) and learned there was the paved road we were on and a gravel road (alternative) that had even more amazing views.  I really wanted to take the latter route but wasn’t sure about the rental car - in the end, we took the former route instead.  This caused us to have to backtrack on UT-278 for 40 miles.  One consolation was that we actually had internet service temporarily and Mollie was able to get the map application working.  Mollie also called her mother and had a disagreement about the quality and quantity of her photos (???!!!).  Meanwhile, we continued to appreciate Glen Canyon's beauty from within our nicely air conditioned car.  By 1350, we were back on UT-95.  A little later, we reached the town of Hanksville (UT-24) and we began to notice unique canyon features unlike anything else we had ever seen.  Some hills were different colors, and others were different shapes - we thought some looked like watchtowers.  I told Mollie that if the park was anywhere near as interesting as the area surrounding it, we were going to have a great time.  We arrived at the Capitol Reef Visitor Center at around 1500.  Mollie got the NPS Passport stamp and we explored the small museum a bit.  Then we drove around the park to explore, starting with the Ripple Rock Nature Center in the Fruita Historic District.  The woman working there told us which roads to take and broke the news to Mollie that animal sightings were unlikely.  We also learned that we wouldn't actually be able to see the “waterpocket” that made the park spectacular.  I realized that whoever planned the roads in the park must have decided that it would be a great idea to make the road through the “waterpocket” accessible for 4WD vehicles only.  The only other way to see it was to hike several miles out onto a ridge to get a glimpse of the valley.  Unfortunately, it was too hot to hike and we didn’t have a four wheel drive.  After this, we “settled” for driving on some dirt roads that branched off of the park's Scenic Drive.  These took us through beautiful canyons, so the visit wasn't a complete loss.  We located a few interesting trail heads but didn’t venture too far away from the car.  Mollie eventually commented that we’d “run out of things to do in the park”, so I turned back toward the park exit.  On the way, we stopped at the Gifford House to buy some cherries that the woman at the nature center had told us about.  Unfortunately, the store had already run out for the day.  Instead, we were able to enjoy some of their homemade ice cream.  As we passed the nature center again, we saw four mule deer sitting under the trees in the shade - Mollie got a lot of pictures of them.  After leaving Capitol Reef, we stopped at a roadside pullout so Mollie could take photos at Panorama Point.  We found another license plate there and then drove west until we reached Bicknell.  I found an inexpensive place to stay (Sunglow Motel) by 1645.  A bonus was that they had an attached restaurant with free drinks and discounts on meals.  We ate a relaxing dinner there and had a nice talk with the waitress, who told us she had moved to the town from Salt Lake City and loved it.  Mollie told me that she’d really enjoyed the day (“I learned a lot about geology and saw lots of beautiful things").  We were done eating by 1840 and Mollie spent time in the room writing post cards for her friend and posting on Facebook about our day.  Meanwhile, I went walking in the quaint little town after sunset - it was SO pleasant!  I found out they had a small movie theater and discovered that we’d just missed the last movie of the night - too bad... When I got back to the room, I watched TV with Mollie until about 2300, when we went to bed.

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 9

I wasn’t able to get Mollie going until 0730 this morning.  Once the car was packed, we used US-191 to drive back to Monticello, UT so we could fill up on gas (0825).  We then got on US-491 and continued into Colorado.  We encountered a good deal of road work on the way (frustrating) and weren’t able to get breakfast until we arrived at a McDonalds in Cortez, CO (0935).  The delays also meant that we didn’t make it to Mesa Verde NP until around 1000.  Unfortunately, this meant that we didn’t have a lot of choices for tours of the Cliff Dwellings when we arrived at the Visitor Center...  At 1045, I was able to buy some tickets for the first available tour of the Cliff Palace but the event didn’t start until 1630.  Meanwhile, Mollie was able to get NPS Passport stamps for Mesa Verde and another site called “Yucca House.”  Because of the wait until the tour began, I convinced Mollie that we should leave the park immediately and head toward Hovenweep NM, another park in the area.  This detour required us to use US-160 and several “back roads” to drive across the prairies and back into Utah.  Mollie helped me a lot by setting up the route in her phone so that we were able to get to the site easily.  During the drive, we had several interesting current events discussions and talked about how close Mollie had come to dehydration during the previous day’s hike.  Along the way, Mollie reveled in all the cattle and horses we passed.  We also saw some white flowers along the roadside that Mollie said she had been seeing since before Joshua Tree NP (she had been referring them to as "trumpet flowers").  When we arrived at the Hovenweep Visitor Center, she asked the Ranger what they were and learned that the flowers were called Sacred Datura, a poisonous narcotic.  Mollie was shocked that something so pretty could be have such a harmful effect.  She got another NPS Passport stamp and then we went on a nice walk on the Little Ruin trail.  We stopped at the Hovenweep Castle, Square Tower and Hovenweep House.  We also saw the Eroded Boulder House across the canyon and Sleeping Ute Mountain, off in the distance.  We talked to some local people who were enjoying the cooler temperatures of the day.  They gave us some ideas of other historical locations nearby that they thought we could find interesting.  After about an hour in the National Monument, we headed back into Colorado.  Mollie was able to locate Yucca House NM in her phone and set up the map in the car's GPS.  We ate lunch (leftovers) in the car on the way.  The GPS location took us into the middle of some farm fields and it took some online sleuthing to figure out that we were allowed to drive on a gravel route that had a sign “private drive."  After all the effort, Mollie was NOT impressed.  Her comment was “This is really nothing - it’s like someone just decided ‘let’s call it a national park!’” I couldn’t really argue because the parking lot was someone's driveway and the park was just a small walking trail around a partially fallen down building that had been covered up by bushes and tall grass.  Because I wasn’t sure about what would happen if I parked the car, I didn’t go with Mollie.  She later said she’d filled out a sign-in sheet that she discovered near the entrance and figured out that there had only been nine visitors (including her) in the past week.  Mollie completed the sign-in and then went on a walk around the site by herself.  After only about ten minutes, the bugs became too much to bear and, worse, she heard a loud rustling in the bushes.  The last straw was when she noticed an ominous sign that warned visitors of a pathogen that had been discovered in the area that was suspected to be passing between rodents, ticks, and fleas.  Mollie told me that the sign was from 2016 and this made her start wondering if the Park Service had figured out how to resolve the problem (she said “I hope they don’t manage zoonotic diseases the way they manage their trails”).  All of this caused Mollie to literally run back to the car and jump inside, breathless.  We had brought some hand sanitizer and she tried to clean her hands.  Prior to our visit, I’d believed I’d been to this NPS location in 2011 but her description changed my mind (so it was new to me too).  Mollie was very disappointed with the visit and asked why such a place would even be in her NPS Passport book (I couldn’t answer).  Despite the “setback”, I was able to convince her to agree to visit one of the interesting locations that the locals had recommended (a place I wanted to see for myself).  We headed over to Canyon of the Ancients, a site managed by the BLM.  The park was pretty big but only a little of it was easily accessible from Cortez.  The Visitor Center was very nice (lots of history and built relatively recently).  Mollie was quite worried that she might have gotten a tick during one of her hikes so she spent a while in the bathroom, making sure she was OK.  I walked through the museum but we didn’t end up staying very long at the park (much to the chagrin of one of the employees, who told us we could spend “hours” there).  Mollie was impatient to get to Walmart to buy snacks and other supplies for our trip and I took her there.  It was nice to stock up on treats and walk around in the nice air conditioning.  We’d been warned to leave the Mesa Verde Visitor Center at least one hour before the tour, so we left Walmart at 1500.  We returned to the park and started the long drive to the far end of Mesa Verde NP for the Cliff Palace tour.  We made no stops at pullouts along the way and arrived at the location where the tour started with about 15 minutes to spare.  Our Ranger Guide, Ann, walked around and introduced herself to each family and asked where they were from, went over some health and safety warnings.  Ann then began to guide us down into the canyon that contained the legendary cliff dwellings.  The trail went from metal stairs, to sandstone stairs, to ladders and finally stopped at an alcove right near the dwellings.  Our guide gave us a bit of history about the buildings and their discovery.  We had to wait on other tour groups, but before long we were able to walk into the dwellings a bit.  The blazing sun made it slightly miserable to stand out of the cover of shade but we were all excited to walk into the dwellings nonetheless.  The Ranger told us the Hopi's story of the creation of the world and explained the significance of some of their living spaces, as well as how Mesa Verde NP came to be.  After that was all done, the official tour came to an end.  We were still in the Cliff Palace but were told we could walk back at our own pace.  Everyone got ready to leave, but then a girl and her father began pushing through the crowd because she didn't feel well.  They got right up next to Mollie when the girl began to throw up profusely.  It appeared that she had symptoms of heat exhaustion - the Ranger had warned us about it at the beginning of the walk but admitted that it was difficult to avoid in the climate.  Mollie later told me that she had felt like throwing up during the Delicate Arch hike the previous day but admitted that these feelings only went away after I made her drink a LOT of water and she found a shady spot to recharge.  Unfortunately, the steep canyon where the Cliff Palace was located had no similar place for the poor girl to hide from the late afternoon heat.  We, along with all the other tour participants, quickly headed to the parking lot after seeing that girl “lose her lunch” (Mollie’s words).  Truthfully, I was also feeling the effects of the sun and was very happy to reach the air conditioning of the car.  We did a little exploring in the area a bit longer, following a road that followed the rim and stopping for photos in a few pull-out locations there.  On the long road back to the park entrance, though, we didn’t stop very much (Mollie’s choice).  Our day of sightseeing came to a close as soon as we left the park and we began the hour and a half drive back to Blanding, UT (via US-491).  We ate dinner (snacks we’d picked up from Walmart) on the way.  We saw a fire burning off in the distance, and after a bit of internet sleuthing, Mollie figured out that there was a big fire in Doe Canyon that had burned about 90 acres in 10 days (it was caused by a lightning strike).  We also figured out that the whole area was famous for its bean crops.  While we were driving, Mollie and I agreed that we’d had such a good experience at the Prospector Motor Lodge that we wanted to return for another night.  She made the phone call and talked to the owner about our plan - he gave us a discount!  Mollie then talked to her mother for a little while.  Just before reaching Monticello, we almost got hit by a mule deer that was running into the road.  Mollie told me that she’d really enjoyed staying in the area for the last few days because “they have such beautiful sunsets."  Of course, I liked hearing this and agreed that views like that were the perfect way to cap off our busy day.  We arrived at the hotel in Blanding at 2055.  After checking into the room, Mollie wrote a Facebook/blog post for all the parks we visited.  We talked a lot about how we’d just had a great “four park day” (even though Mollie admitted that one was a BLM site and there wasn’t a stamp box in her NPS Passport book).  We watched a little TV and went to bed at 2300.

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 8

We got a later start than usual and took our time eating breakfast in the lobby of our hotel in Blanding.  We actually didn't hit the road until around 0800, when we headed north to Moab (the town right outside of Arches NP).  On the way, I decided we should look for a hotel so we could drop off all of our bags and avoid rushing back to town in the evening to find a place to stay.  We first stopped at the KOA Kampground but found their rooms would be VERY pricy.  Mollie checked the prices for other lodging in the area and discovered they were all pretty high.  Fortunately, we saw a place, Red Rock (AKA JR's Desert) Inn.  It was quaint hotel on the southern side of town with a sign that indicated it would be inexpensive.  After talking to the lady at the front desk, I decided that we should stay there - we got a bonus when she told me the room was cleaned and we could put our belongings inside immediately (0835).  We stored our bags and then Mollie called her mother.  After the call, she told me she was ready to go exploring.  First, though, she told me we needed to find a pharmacy (to get medicine for her cold).  This task required some exploration and Google Maps.  As we looked around town, Mollie told me she thought Moab was similar to Jackson Hole, WY.  We eventually found a place (Walker Drug) and Mollie was able to find what she wanted inside (1000).  We had originally decided that we wanted to roam around Arches for a bit, then move on to Canyonlands for a little while, and go back to Arches for a sunset hike to the Delicate Arch.  This plan was thwarted, however, when we drove to the Arches entrance gate and saw a massive line of cars trying to enter.  I immediately revised the plans and drove north on US-191 towards Canyonland.  I filled up on gas at Chevron near the Archview RV Campground & Resort (1030) and then we drove a short distance to the start of UT-313, which took us to the NP entrance.  After getting inside the park (the NPS Annual Pass has definitely paid for itself!), we stopped at the Sky Visitor Center and found that it was VERY crowded.  Parking was scarce but we managed to find a spot (much to the dismay of a Mustang driver who tried to slide right into a spot that we had been waiting for).  Mollie got a stamp for her NPS Passport and we got our first glimpse of the Shafer Canyon, which was just across the street.  Mollie was very interested in discovering all of the roads that tourists could take down into the canyon with their off-road vehicles and told me that she thought it was “crazy to think about seeing all of the natural monuments and canyons up close like that.”  We left the visitor center area and drove to the Mesa Arch, where we took a walk on a pretty nature trail.  The site provided a perfect frame for, as the name implies, the mesa below.  As we were walking to the overlook, we talked to a man about the logistics of slickrock bike riding, something of which we had absolutely no prior knowledge.  Mollie snapped a bunch of pictures and we walked a bit farther down the canyon rim before trekking back to our car.  We also made stops at the Green River, Buck Canyon, and Orange Cliffs overlooks before arriving at the incredible Grand View Point Overlook and Rim Trail.  Though the entire trail was a mile outbound (and another back), we only walked about a half mile.  The view was amazing nonetheless and Mollie took many, many photos.  I believe she truly understood the reasons why I had insisted in visiting the park.  We soon began driving back toward Moab and officially left the park at around 1330.  On the way back towards town, we stopped at a Dinosaur Park on the corner of US-191 and UT-313.  We were very hungry, so got lunch at Paleosafari's Café (1415M).  We took our time eating what Mollie described as a “delightful meal” and then drove back to town and decided to pick up some food for a picnic dinner (at the parking area of the Delicate Arch, later in the day).  Mollie had spotted a place called Sweet Cravings Bakery and Bistro, a modern little restaurant that had sandwiches and wraps, and we stopped there (1530).  As we were ordering, we started a conversation with the very friendly barista about the jobs that are available in Moab.  We left once our food was ready and headed to our next stop.  Our revised plan to go to Canyonlands NP first and pray that the crowds would die down in Arches proved to be a success.  There were almost no cars trying to go through the entrance booths and many cars were already leaving the park for the day.  We stopped at the Visitor Center (1550) to get a stamp for Mollie’s NPS Passport.  Mollie bought souvenirs for her sisters and we watched the informational park film.  Some of this was a stalling tactic avoid the worst of the desert heat (at this point in the day, it was about 96 degrees F).  A Ranger told Mollie that, "people like you that are from the East Coast tend to think that it's cooler because you aren't sweating, when in reality your sweat is just evaporating before you can notice it."  Heeding his advice, we filled up all of our water bottles and reservoirs (Mollie tallied up almost four liters between us).  We then drove further into the park to enjoy the many amazing locations and sights. Mollie told me she was “almost immediately awestruck by the miles of mesa and unique land formations."  She asked me to stop at almost every pullout we saw so that she could take photos.  We stopped at the Park Avenue, Courthouse Towers, and Petrified Dunes viewpoints, along with The Windows, the Double Arch, the Parade of Elephants, Skyline Arch and Tunnel Arch.  We took our time because we were waiting for the best time to start our hike out to the Delicate Arch.  Eventually, we reached the Wolfe Ranch parking lot, where access to the Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint was possible.  We ate our food from Sweet Cravings quickly, eager to start our hike and avoid the large crowds.  Our choice of time was very deliberate because we knew that some of the more casual visitors that were in the park would leave to eat dinner in Moab and then return for the renowned sunset hike.  The temperature was dropping slowly, but surely, as was the sun, and we started our hike about three hours before last light (1745).  The trail wasn't completely empty but we were able to navigate away from the large groups and climb a large section of steep slickrock at our own pace.  After the first mile, Mollie told me she wasn’t feeling well.  The cold she had did not pair well with the intense heat and the steep climb.  I told he we could go back to the car but she was extremely motivated by the photos that she wanted to get at the end of the trail and kept going.  I made her chug a lot of water (more than she wanted).  Her mood was pretty low for most of the hike but I noticed that she didn’t seem to be as afraid of heights as she normally is.  After taking our time, we made it to Delicate Arch and, as we’d hoped, found that the view was spectacular.  There was a rather large group of people that had made themselves comfortable in the shade of nearby the boulders and Mollie joined them to recharge.  Meanwhile, I walked around all of the site and got some good selfies.  When I returned to talk to Mollie, however, she told me that she was having trouble getting photos because there was a constantly developing line of people that wanted their picture taken under the arch.  I pointed out that we were lucky to even be in the vicinity of the iconic views we were getting of the Delicate Arch and she agreed that it was a really amazing thing to just be there, photos or not.  Eventually, Mollie told me she’d satisfied her desire for pictures and had somewhat quenched her thirst.  We then began our trek back to the parking lot.  The return leg was definitely easier and Mollie quickly perked up.  However, I reminded her that she needed to keep drinking water, regardless.  I climbed up a steep embankment of rock and got a photo of the Delicate Arch within the outline of another (smaller) arch.  Mollie and I were definitely energized after such an amazing hike and were very glad to be getting done already, since there were MANY more people headed into the area.  After we made it back to the car (2015), we started back towards Moab.  In the first few minutes of the drive, I was startled to see that someone from Virginia was following me close on my bumper and I pulled over to let them pass.  It has been an inside joke between me and Mollie for several years that our vacation day is success whenever we don’t see anyone from home but we aren’t always (or even usually) so lucky.  Still, we had to agree that the day had been an amazing one (and it wasn’t over).  The sun was clearly starting to fade (sunset was 2047) as we drove out of the park and, as we passed some of the landmarks Mollie had photographed earlier in the day, she asked me to stop again so she could photograph them in a different light.  She was proud to be able to get a picture of the La Sal mountains in all of their purple-tinted glory.  At our last stop (Park Avenue) I stayed in the car while she took photos.  When she returned, she told me about a nice conversation she had with a lady from a town in Utah who was visiting the park with her grandchildren.  Mollie was a chatterbox by this point and she bragged about how she “got almost 21,000 steps and climbed a total of 50 floors” (according to her pedometer).  She added that “the exhaustion was well worth it because Arches is definitely in my top five favorite national parks now."  She actually talked a little about college (it was more in the context of a possible Gap Year but I’ll take it).  We reached the hotel by 2130 and Mollie enthusiastically wrote up the Facebook posts (also for her school related travel blog) for both parks today.  She commented that she was getting excited for our planned day in Colorado “for a Walmart and some more NPS passport stamps!”  We watched a bit of TV before bed (2245).

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 7

I realized this morning that I’d stayed in the same hotel when I was in Chambers in 2011 (it had a different name but was previously a Route 66 icon, “The Chieftain”).  Our day started early (whatever time zone we were in!) and we ate a nice (free!) breakfast at the hotel.  We then (0630) headed north on US-191, traveling deeper into the Navajo Nation.  We stopped for gas in the little “town” of Klagetoh (0840).  Mollie was a great help (again) with GPS directions and researching fuel prices before we needed the fill-up.  We continued north through the Reservation until we reached the larger town of Ganado, where we stopped to visit Hubbell Trading Post NPS site.  The weather was great again (60s/70s and no clouds).  All morning, we’d struggled with telling the actual time (the cell phones, bank signs and watches all said something different).  When we got confirmation, we discovered we’d “lost” an hour along the way.  The post, which flourished in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, was operated by the Hubbell family, who were very respected by the Navajo, for several generations and the place was still active during our visit.  Mollie got a NPS Passport stamp and we watched native weavers working and saw some churro sheep, the source of the wool needed for the beautiful Navajo rugs and blankets.  I bought Mollie a pretty Navajo winter hat (0925).  Nearby, there was also a group of young students there who were being trained to make native art and ranching maintenance.  It was great to visit such an interesting place but we then hurried on our way.  We drove a short distance north across the Painted Desert and soon reached the town of Chinle.  Just to the east, we found the Canyon de Chelly (pronounced “Shay”) Visitor Center.  After we got the NPS Passport stamp, we stopped to tour a “Hogan”, a traditional Navajo home, and learned a lot about the building and culture from teenage volunteers.  The rangers inside were also assisted by these young ambassadors of their nation and we got good advice about navigating the Reservation.  We spent the next 90 minutes driving along the canyon rim, stopping often to take short walks on the edge and peer through our binoculars.  We spotted horses grazing along the river deep in the valley (Mollie was happy).  The trees along the water (which apparently hadn’t been visible for almost 13 years due to a severe drought) were very green and a stark contrast to the reddish rock walls.  Our favorite stop was at the Spider Rocks, tall spires in the middle of the canyon.  We bought a Navajo bracelet from a native vendor (it was made of juniper berries and had a horse charm).  We also bought some souvenirs at the Visitor Center on our way out of the park (1320) and then headed into Chinle for lunch (chicken parmigiana sandwiches and chicken fries) at Burger King (1345).  As we were leaving, Mollie went out to the car without me.  When I saw her again, she explained that she’d decided to purchase lunch for a lady and her daughter.  After getting the food in the line, Mollie came out to the car with a pretty arrowhead necklace...  We headed north and then west (further into the Navajo Reservation) and we stopped at Navajo National Monument.  Not only did Mollie get a third NPS Passport stamp, but we learned a bit of the Navajo language (the ubiquitous term Tsegi means “in between the rocks” and is pronounced the same way as the word “Chelly”, which is related).  We got to take a walk on a paved path (Sandal Trail) along the edge of another canyon where the Ancestral Puebloan people built cliff dwellings.  The 135 room town (named Betatakin) was quite impressive.  On the way back to the Visitor Center, I detoured (solo hike) on the Aspen Trail, which had a huge descent into a relict forest of glacial era trees.  The temps had reached the mid-80s but there was almost no humidity, so the steep climb back to the car didn’t seem too bad.  After about an hour at the NPS site, we headed back to the east until we reached Kayenta.  There, at a different Burger King, we got milkshakes (1750) inside the restaurant and I posted about our trip on Facebook.  Mollie was having trouble getting in touch (via text) with her mother and this frustrated her.  By 1830, we left Kayenta, headed towards Utah (northeast).  Before we left Arizona, we got to see lots of horses and dogs roaming around on the northern edges of the Reservation.  We also watched as the terrain prepared itself to host the iconic landmarks that lay near the border.  The first monument in the Olijato-Monument Valley soon presented itself, and Mollie insisted that I stop at a pullout to get some photos.  From there, Mollie asked to stop at almost every pullout on the road.  At one of them, she encountered a large group of people (presumably family) from Omaha, Nebraska, who actually flagged her down (from another pullout that was about fifty feet down the road) to ask if she could take their picture.  She obliged them and I got out of the car to get a few more photos of ourselves.  Then the happy travelers piled into their van, which a teen girl in the group had dubbed the "Swag Wagon", and sped off down the road.  Before we parted ways, the driver of the caravan jokingly requested, "if you see us broken down on the road, please stop by and help!" Then it was time to get back to our pullout hopping.  Mollie wanted to stop to visit the Olijato-Monument Valley park but I asked her if we could skip the attraction.  The Native owned location charged $20 for entry, it was already 1900 and we had been on the move throughout several time zones for about twelve hours.  I tried to reason with her, saying that the views were enough to give her a bit of a photography high but that I was rapidly running out of steam from all of the driving we had done to get three NPS Passport stamps in one day.  Mollie made it clear that she REALLY wanted to go to the Monument Valley Visitor Center (Navajo land).  I’d been in the area in 2011 and knew that the view of the landmarks from US-163 was just fine for photos and I continued to stop at pullouts.  Mollie eventually acknowledged that she’d been able to get plenty of great photos and good views.  Before long, the Monument Valley was nothing more than a small irregularity in the horizon in our rear-view mirror.  However, the Red Canyon didn't stop there and, during our drive into Utah, we were treated to some more breathtaking views.  The sun was quickly making its way down to the horizon and soon its light only touched the plateaus of the canyon.  We passed through the town of Mexican Hat, a sleepy little town located along the San Juan River.  We spotted a bizarre balancing rock formation at the top of the hill, and soon realized that it was related to the name of the town.  The rocks looked like an upside down sombrero.  Clouds that had appeared in the sky while we were appreciating the canyon helped to see the sun off as we approached the end of our drive.  It was late and we weren't anywhere near a place to get a quick bite to eat, so we ate dinner (snacks) in the car.  Our adventure today ended in Blanding, Utah, a place that I’d discovered (from my pre-trip research) was a great headquarters for several days in the area near the Four Corners.  We checked into the homey little Prospector Motor Lodge (2055). After we got into the room, Mollie logged online and posted about our trip through Monument Valley.  For several days, I’d asked Mollie if she wanted to make the daily Facebook post.  She’d mentioned (both on this trip and the Spring Break in April) that she needed to write a Travel Blog for a school project (a graduation requirement).  With all the effort she took to make her write-up "perfect" (it was VERY good!), we had very little time to relax and unwind before going to bed (2245).

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 6

We were up early in Needles and were ready to go by 0600.  Mollie insisted on getting breakfast (burritos) at Jack-in-the-Box and then we headed east.  Our three hour drive on I-40 took us across the Colorado River into Arizona and across a pretty desert that continuously sloped higher.  By the middle of the state, we’d entered an alpine forest and Mollie mentioned how it looked like Wyoming (“I like it here”).  We stopped for gas (it was much cheaper than California prices) in Lake Havasu at 0640.  Mollie was excited because she saw lots of pronghorns.  We also saw a huge dead elk on the side of the road (it must have caused a nasty accident).  It was another amazing day of weather, with a crystal blue, cloudless sky and temps in the low 60s.  During the drive, we had lots of conversations about relationships and current events.  Just before we arrived in the Flagstaff area, we discussed her possible visit with her friend, Zack (from Texas), in Baltimore over the July 4th weekend.  By 0930, we had reached the Walnut Canyon National Monument, located about 10 miles east of Flagstaff.  We’d somehow missed it during our trip to the area in 2010.  There was only one (short) access road and a small parking lot, so we were lucky to arrive early (they were denying entry about an hour later).  We went into the visitor center, which was perched precariously on the edge of a rocky bluff, and got a NPS Passport stamp for Mollie.  We then walked on a trail that descended more than 700 steps into the steep ravine.  Almost 1000 years ago, the ancestors of the local native population built cliff dwellings and we were able to walk among several of them on and “island” perched above the canyon.  We saw lots of pretty birds, flowers and cacti but the resident mountain lions were elusive, despite Mollie’s many attempts to find them with our binoculars.  After we (somehow) made it to the top of the cliffs again, we walked on the shorter and flatter Rim Trail.  The cicadas were out in force and very loud (Mollie didn’t like them).  We also saw the ruins of a Sinagua Pueblo building the whole park was an interesting place.  After almost two hours visiting, we departed to the west, bound for Flagstaff.  Our plan for the afternoon was to stop at two parks (Sunset Crater and Wupatki) that we’d previously visited so Mollie could get the NPS passport stamps we’d missed before Mollie bought her book in 2016.  As she had been for several days, Mollie was a great help with directions and finding places for food, gas and lodging.  We stopped for a nice lunch (Culvers) at 1130 and then drove north on US-89.  First, we stopped by Sunset Crater National Monument visitor center and got another NPS Passport stamp.  Since we had visited this park back in 2010, we didn't dally for too long.  However, we did stop at one of the pullouts to walk the “A'a Trail” and got a great view of the iconic cinder cone for which the park is named.  We were soon back on the Loop Road that connects the Sunset Crater area to Wupatki National Monument and were granted our first look at the Painted Desert.  We were actually surrounded by that view for the rest of the afternoon.  Upon arriving at the Wupatki visitor center, Mollie got another NPS Passport stamp.  We went on a short walk through the remnants of the impressive Wupatki Pueblo.  The "Blow Hole" was particularly interesting, and we stopped momentarily to marvel at the ingenuity of the Natives that inhabited the area close to a millennium ago.  After the walk, Mollie grudgingly reported that her sneakers had worn out so badly she had nothing to wear.  At that point, I pulled out the “Walmart shoes” that I’d bought for her (under protest) and made her bring.  She wore them with little complaint, actually...  We left the park at around 1330 and backtracked to I-40.  We then headed east until reaching the town of Winslow. Mollie took a few photos of the “man on the corner” and other landmarks.  We got gas at the Pilot on the eastern edge of town and Mollie had fun cleaning the car windows with a long squeegee (1545).  Back on the Interstate, I encouraged Mollie to text cousins Chuck and Kathy to tell them about our trip (she did and they exchanged responses for a while).  After only about 15 minutes of driving, we arrived at the entrance to the Petrified Forest National Park.  Our first stop in the park was at the Painted Desert Visitor Center, where Mollie got another NPS Passport stamp and I got water.  While she was inside, she asked the Volunteer Ranger where we might be able to find wildlife inside the park (the answer was that there probably wouldn't be any and this displeased Mollie).  When she returned to the car, we began to drive through the park and were treated to some more beautiful views the Painted Desert.  We stopped at several of the park's many pullouts to take pictures.  Eventually, we arrived at the Blue Mesa and Mollie was happy when she saw two pronghorn antelope, admiring them through our binoculars.  We drove another quarter mile or so to reach the Blue Forest trailhead; we got out of the car and followed a paved pathway which took us down into a small canyon.  We got our first real look at the petrified wood the park contains.  However, the desert sun was beating down on us with a vengeance and some particularly annoying visitors spoiled the silence that we had enjoyed at the beginning the trail, so we turned around and headed for the car.  By then, it was about 1730, so we decided to head towards the park exit.  As we backtracked, Mollie kept her eyes peeled for any other pronghorns or animals that could have shown themselves on the horizon, but her search was unsuccessful.  We were tired and had been on the road for almost 12 hours so we decided to stop early for the night.  We found the nearby (Mollie called it “quaint”) town of Chambers and checked into the Day’s Inn at 1840.  We ate dinner (snacks) and I went for a swim in the hotel pool.  Meanwhile, Mollie wrote the first Facebook post of the trip (she needed to “blog” for an IB graduation requirement).  We had no idea what time it was because all the clocks said something different.  We spent the rest of the evening resting up for another long day of adventuring.  Bed was as around 2230.

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 5

We were both feeling tired so we slept a bit late.  As a result, we didn’t leave the hotel until around 0730.  We stopped for gas in Mojave (right next to the hotel) and Mollie used some of the cash from Grandpa Jim to pay.  Per my initial planning, we were about a day ahead of schedule, so I asked Mollie where she wanted to go.  She replied that she wanted to visit Joshua Tree National Park, which was about three hours away, and the Mojave National Preserve (which was on our "maybe" list).  I adjusted our itinerary accordingly and we headed east on CA-58.  We ate breakfast (snacks) on the way.  The nice (mostly four-lane) road cut through Edwards Air Force Base and I talked to Mollie about the significance of the location (and the airport back in Mojave).  Meanwhile, we made great time across the high desert and switched to I-15 in Barstow before getting on CA-247.  We were treated to some views of the snow-capped mountains near Big Bear and enjoyed the sparsely traveled roads all the way to Lucerne Valley.  We stopped there (0920) and picked up some food so we could have a picnic later.  Afterwards, we continued east to Yucca Valley.  As we drove, we started to see a lot of yuccas, junipers and pretty desert flowers.  We used VA-62 to reach the town of Joshua Tree and stopped for information at the park visitor center.  Mollie got another NPS Passport stamp and we then entered the park (via the West Gate).  I'd last been to Joshua Tree in 1995 but hadn't seen everything (and had forgotten more than I remembered about the visit).  We were fortunate that it was another beautiful, cloudless day, with temperatures in the high 70s/low 80s.  We pulled off the road a few times to walk through small forests of Joshua Trees.  We also spotted several people climbing the huge boulders.  Mollie told me that the place reminded her of the City of Rocks in Idaho.  Deeper in the park, we stopped for a short walk through a grove of different desert flora at Cap Rock and then drove up to Keys View, where we found a viewpoint from which we could see the Salton Sea, San Andreas Fault and mountains near the Mexican border.  We had been warned to avoid use of our car air conditioning because of a seasonal bee swarm and we did see a lot of them (fortunately, they didn’t bother us).  After the treat of the amazing vista, we then headed east again, stopping at the Hall of Horrors formation, the Saddle Rock (where I saw a climbing route called "A Cheap Way to Die") and the Jumbo Rocks.  At the later location, we took a walk on the Discovery Trail and climbed on the boulders.  Our favorite part of this stop was noticing that several of the rocks could be compared to other things.  There was one called Skull Rock and one called Face Rock, which appeared to contain new profiles every time we looked at it from different angles (I must have spotted 10 different people and animals).  The area started to get much more crowded, so we drove a little farther east and a little bit to the south.  Our last stop in the park was at the Cholla Cactus Garden (there were more bees there, so we didn't get out of the car).  Around this time, we ate our lunch (turkey sandwiches, chips and fruit).  Mollie told me she was ready to move on, so we headed north to the Twentynine Palms entrance and stopped briefly (for water) at the Oasis Visitor Center.  We then (1315) headed out of town on Amboy Road.  This route to I-40 was eventful, with spectacular valley views, evidence of volcanic activity (cinder cones) and slices of Americana on old US-66.  Mollie commented that she had really liked the park ("it's very chill") and told me she was glad we'd "detoured" there.  We reached I-40 by 1500 and drove east, resuming our search for license plates from around the country (we’ve tried every year but only ever managed to see 48 states in one trip).  When I commented that Rhode Island had always been one of the plates we didn’t ever see, Mollie told me that she wanted to move there so she "could drive around the country and help people with their license plate games" (I thought this was very funny).  Soon, we signs for the Mojave National Preserve and I took Kelbaker Road to access the interior of the huge park.  We stopped to enjoy picturesque views of the Granite Mountains and search the peaks for bighorn sheep with our binoculars (no luck).  We also took a short (off-road) detour to look at the Kelso Dunes, spectacular mounds of sand that reached 650 feet.  After driving about 25 miles north of the Interstate, we reached the Kelso Depot Visitor Center.  Mollie got another Passport Stamp and we watched the park video, which turned out to be an effective advertisement for the place (it definitely made us want to stay for more than one day).  We talked to the park ranger for almost 30 minutes, mostly about the possible whereabouts of the Mojave Desert Tortoise but also about a funny looking bird we'd been seeing all day.  Unfortunately, we had no luck with the identification, but the ranger asked us to email him with more details (or photos) of what we saw after we departed.  After touring the small museum (a fancy train depot for the Union Pacific that was in its heyday in the 1920s and has since declined in importance), we walked around to see the rest of the "ghost town".  The temps had reached the low 90s in the valley but there was a nice desert breeze.  At about 1645, we backtracked to I-40 and headed towards the Arizona border.  Motivated by her desire to get NPS Passport stamps, Mollie was a great help with directions, gas prices and lodging searches all day.  Because we were drained from the driving and heat, we decided to stop in Needles, where we checked into a Motel 6 near the east edge of town (1750).  I asked Mollie what she wanted for dinner and she told me she’d been dying to eat dinner Jack-in-the-Box since the trip began.  We went there for dinner (burgers) at 1805.  She told me the restaurant was really good.  We went back to the hotel and I went swimming in the pool (alone) and walked around nearby (to get more steps).  When I returned to the room, I tried to help Mollie upload all of her camera photos to Google but it wasn’t working well.  She was excited to go into Arizona in the morning and we went to bed at about 2200 so we could get up early the following day - for many more NPS Passport Stamps!

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 4

Both of us were up very early (0600.  We ate breakfast at the hotel restaurant and departed Fresno at 0700.  Before we planned this trip, the farthest north I expected to drive was to Kings Canyon National Park.  However, my experience of driving from the Owens River Valley to the Central Valley proved that the distances might not be too much to make a “detour” to Yosemite National Park. I was a bit concerned that the entire planet (or, at least, the most populous US state) might have a similar idea because it was so hot (almost 90 degrees in the morning).  Armed with the knowledge that it was unlikely that either of us would be in the area again in the near future, I told Mollie I'd try to take her to get another NPS Passport stamp.  We drove north on CA-41 and made good time to the base of the Sierras.  Since I again anticipated that we’d lose cell phone service for most of the day, I recommended that Mollie contact her mother.  She did so and soon after that we stopped for gas at a little town called Madera (0725).  Soon after, the road changed from four lanes to two.  Fortunately, traffic wasn't too bad on the route until we reached the town of Oakhurst, just south of the park entrance.  There was a huge group of motorcyclists and many other visitors and we slowed almost to a stand-still in places.  I mailed some letters from a town called Fish Camp and then we got back in the conga line that snaked to the south entrance.  It seemed to take forever to get inside the park but we passed the first major attraction (Mariposa Grove) by 0830.  I told Mollie that we'd better hurry to Yosemite Valley to make sure we'd have a place to park for the great views and this turned out to be a wise decision.  Even though we passed up every single potential stop along the 35-mile road, we arrived in Yosemite Village to find that all the parking lots were filled! Even the parking along the Southside drive was packed.  We managed to snag a "30-minute maximum" spot near the Market and walked a short distance to the Visitor Center for Mollie's NPS Passport Stamp.  One funny thing about the day was that there was actually cell service throughout the valley (so much for remote getaway).  Mollie bought several souvenirs (for her family) and I bought her a ball cap.  We saw the Yosemite Falls from that area and looked around a little bit until we walked back to the car.  We then (1200) drove down to the Yosemite Valley Lodge and parked again.  For most of the day, we weren't sure any of the parking spots were "legal" spot but we took our chances.  We ate a light lunch (leftovers) before venturing away from the car.  First, we walked on the Valley Loop Trail towards El Capitan and found rock climbers, campers, Native American log huts and several amazing vistas that "weren't on the tour".  The temperatures were pretty nice (70s most of the day) and we enjoyed seeing the puffy clouds along the rocky ridges above.  The views of the Half Dome and North Dome were stunning, as was the view from the Valley up to Glacier Point.  Mollie got annoyed with me for “walking too close” so I backed off and let her take photos to her heart’s content.  After the nice time we had on the dirt/gravel trails, we walked back towards the Lodge and explored the paved hiking/biking path that provided more views of the terrain and water falls.  Mollie was very impressed by the whirlpools in the Merced River and several "high water mark" signs we encountered.  In the Valley, we encountered a small, heron-looking bird along the water but couldn't figure out what it was.  After walking back to our car, we drove down the Northside Drive and took lots of pictures of El Capitan and Bridalveil Falls.  We'd been warned that there would be a "mass exodus" for the exit in the afternoon so we headed back to the south at around 1330 so we would be able to make stops at places we'd skipped on the way into the park.  Our first attempt was a failure as we found the Bridalveil Falls parking lot full and cars lining the roads for "their turn”.  We gave up that idea and drove up to the Tunnel View, where we got some more good photos.  Mollie saw some people feeding a funny raven and enjoyed the view a lot (she said it was a great highlight, among many others during the day).  We continued to the Glacier Point access road and found it packed as well so didn’t stop.  One thing we didn't want to miss was the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias.  We got lucky when we arrived at the visitor center because a shuttle bus was waiting to take us to the grove.  We'd previously read about a massive reconstruction project at this location and discovered that it had been largely completed.  There were new "encounter stations" and trails and everything looked brand new.  As we got off the bus at the top of the access road (1400), we found that a park ranger was about to give a guided tour of the grove all the way up to the Grizzly Giant.  We tagged along for a little bit but he'd budgeted 1.5 hours (!) for the tour and we didn't have that much time to spend among the trees.  We ended up walking about 3/4 of a mile (to the top of the trail) and saw lots of amazing trees.  Mollie got really upset at me for “leaving her behind” and it took some time for me to get her back to a happy place.  It kept looking like rain but held off the whole time we were there.  We got back on the shuttle at about 1445 and made it down to our car quickly.  Our trip down the mountain wasn't too hard and we had a fun time playing a game where we imagined each of the states as students in High School (I made Mollie laugh a lot with my imaginary characters).  Mollie had seen a place for ice cream called Robert Frosty's in Coarsegold and I stopped there so she could treat me to a sundae.  We used CA-41 all the way to CA-180 and then switched to CA-99.  Since we'd gotten to experience the major highlights of NPS units in the area, I decided we should try to get in some driving to the east so we’d have a good starting place for the following day.  We had to dodge a lot of (“rush hour”?) traffic and saw one horrific accident (a little car left the highway and flipped several times until it came to rest in a mangled mess).  We got dinner (McDonalds) in Kingsburg at 1725 and encountered what appeared to be some sort of human trafficking situation that even Mollie noticed (ugh).  Mollie called Nicky again (very short conversation).  We made pretty good time to Bakersfield and then got on CA-58.  Next, we drove through the foothills of the Sierras one more time, mostly backtracking from a few days before.  However, the views were different with the sun at our backs and we got to see some amazing shadows, clouds and solar and wind power farms.  After as much driving as I could stand, we started to encounter VERY heavy wind and I decided I wanted to stop.  When we reached Mojave (home of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShip One), we got off the highway to check on lodging (Mollie helped me a lot).  We found a pretty good deal at the Motel 6 on the edge of town (2045).  After such a memorable day of sightseeing, it was also nice to have gotten ourselves within a “manageable” distance of several more National Parks.  We rested and read in the room until about 2300.

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 3

We were both awake by 0600 and rested in our room.  I explored a little outside and discovered that the loud "white noise" that had helped me sleep was caused by a roaring river that came up to the yard behind the Lodge.  The air was crisp, the sky was crystal blue and there weren't any clouds at all.  Mollie commented that she was very happy that we’d made the late night drive because it cut down on the early morning driving.  In other words, we were already inside Kings Canyon National Park and just had to make our way out again while everyone else was arriving at the main entrance. We got packed and then (0655) went down to the Cedar Grove Lodge Café, where we enjoyed a delicious breakfast (pancakes, biscuits and gravy).  We then explored the river bank and nearby campground.  Retracing the part of the drive when I passed the Lodge the night before, we drove east toward Roads End.  We were treated to amazing views of the canyon walls (including North Dome) and the rough rapids of the King River; we took hikes on the River Trail (both at Roads End and then at the Zumwalt Meadow parking area).  Unfortunately, the river had swamped the area and, even though we waded through some streams and mud, we couldn't get all the way through to the wildlife area.  We did get treated to the sight of a mule deer that swam across from Zumwalt Meadow to where we were.  After we reached the car again, we drove a short distance to the Roaring River Falls.  The mist coming off of the crashing water was cooling and energizing.  At 0900, we returned to the Cedar Grove Village and located the small Visitor Center (so we could get another NPS Passport Stamp for Mollie).  We reviewed some of the brochures and decided that we really wanted to see the Grants Grove area (near the park entrance) so we headed west on CA-180.  Along the way, the daylight revealed the route we'd driven in the dark during the previous night and it was shocking to see the curvy, edge-of-the-cliff road.  Despite the nature of the route, though, it provided spectacular vistas of the beautiful canyon and breathtaking drop offs.  There were more than 30 miles of scary switchbacks but, fortunately, there were almost no cars going in our direction.  We took our time and really tried to appreciate the whole experience.  We decided that Kings Canyon National Park was sort of schizophrenic because it had beautiful trees, canyons, remote and inaccessible areas but the "villages" inside of it were separated by vast distances.  From the map, it was clear that everyone often had to leave the park property to reach each area.  During the drive, Mollie told me some stories about school and summer plans with her mother.  Several of the interesting places on the park map appeared to be closed for the season, so we didn’t stop very much during the drive back to the park entrance.  At 1100, we arrived at a famous landmark on the edge of Kings Canyon National Park called the Grant Grove, a forest of Giant Sequoia trees that were preserved in the Nineteenth Century.  After our trip through Redwoods National Park (and the Sequoia Sempervirons) last year, we wanted to see these genetic relatives that thrive in areas between 3000 and 7500 feet in the Western Sierras.  For the first time on the journey, we had trouble getting a parking spot (we expected that would be a common theme for the rest of the trip) but our patience eventually paid off.  We took a short walk through the grove and marveled at the huge trees, which were very different (shorter and thicker) from their coastal brethren.  The forest below them was also populated by different trees due to the elevation.  We found a downed (hollow) tree that we were able to walk through and it gave us a real appreciation for the overall size.  Since I'd just finished a book about Ulysses S Grant, the stop to visit the redwood named General Grant was very timely.  As we were finishing our visit, Mollie got very excited when we encountered a team of Hot Shots.  Just after 1200, we departed to the southeast, bound for Sequoia National Park.  We didn’t have to drive very long before reaching the first roadside attractions (more Sequoia groves).  We enjoyed the lazy, curving road (called “The Generals Highway”) and were immediately convinced that the NPS unit was much more focused and compact (not counting the backcountry, where the PCT went) than Kings Canyon had been.  The road took us through over 40 miles of forest and we loved the scenery.  Mollie discovered that we had free Sirius-XM Radio and this added tunes to our drive - the only thing missing was a convertible top!  We stopped at lots pull offs to walk in remote redwood groves.  The trees were soft and sounded hollow when we knocked on the wood.  At one stop, we met a young couple from another country (Nordic?) and took pictures for each other.  Mollie and I later explored Wuksachi (a place from which I tried unsuccessfully to obtain lodging before the trip) and then drove to the Lodgepole Visitor Center. Mollie got another NPS Passport Stamp.  We found out that there was a convenient shuttle bus route that we could use from there so we boarded the next bus that arrived.  It drove us to Sherman Tree area and we got off at the main parking lot.  We then took a walk on a nice path down the hill through another Sequoia grove.  Along the way, we saw huge trees, including some that had grown close together until they looked like double and triple trees.  The pine trees nearby, which apparently liked the shade that the redwoods provided, were also massive.  We marveled at the General Sherman tree, which is considered one of the largest trees in the world (measured around the base).  There was fire damage evident on almost every tree but the Sequoias apparently thrive in that type of environment, continuing to grow for up to 4500 years (despite the hardships).  We found the shuttle bus again at the bottom of the hill and took it back to our car.  From there (1330), we drove a short distance, eating our lunch (snacks) on the way.  We stopped at the Giant Forest Museum in Three Rivers so Mollie could get some more souvenirs (1400).  It had become very crowded by then so we didn't stay too long, instead opting for a drive up the Moro Rock-Crescent Meadow Road.  We encountered the Tunnel Log there, which we were allowed to drive through (multiple times).  We drove over near the Moro Rock but couldn't park (too crowded) so we "settled" for a stop at the Crescent Meadow.  We found the trailhead for the High Sierra trail there (60 miles of hiking to the summit of Mount Whitney!)  I told Mollie that it looked like something new for my bucket list.  Mollie and I walked about 50 yards of the trail but then settled for a short trek around the beautiful meadow, spying an occasional Sequoia (both standing and fallen) as we walked.  We encountered some people who were talking to a park ranger about "Can Kings Canyon and Cedar Grove be done in a day?" and his response was "you might not think it is worth all the effort" (I thought that was funny).  We walked the entire circuit (most of it by ourselves) and we got to see a yellow-bellied marmot (the other people nearby thought it was a beaver.  Back at our car, after lots of hiking and a full day of mountains and trees, we decided it was time to head back to civilization to find a place to stay.  We took the Generals Highway (it eventually became CA-198) down the mountain, making only one more stop (at the Foothills Visitor Center) before leaving the park.  On the way back to the Central Valley, we talked some more about our day and people back home.  We were still in good spirits as we reached civilization, even though the temps had soared into the high 90s (ugh...).  We drove west to Visalia and then took CA-99 to Fresno.  Mollie called Nicky so she could chat about our trip - it was a short call.  Afterwards, Mollie and I talked more about current events, our trip itinerary and relationships.  After thinking about our plans for the next day, I suggested to Mollie that we stay near the campus of Fresno State and she agreed. Mollie helped a lot with directions and lodging searches and we checked into the University Inn (1800).  We immediately unpacked and got ready to go out to eat.  Based on the hotel clerk's recommendation, we wanted to try the Dog House Grill.  Unfortunately, it was too crowded and we were uncertain what to do.  Before driving away, I noticed there was a Buffalo Wild Wings next door and Mollie told me that she’d never been there.  We ended up eating a really good dinner (special drinks, 20 different wings, sides and dessert) and we even had leftovers.  After a satisfying meal, we went back to the room (1930).  We were very tired from all the driving but both agreed that it had been another exciting day of exploring.  We read and watched some TV in the room until it was time for bed (2230).

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 2

To avoid the worst of the day's heat, we quickly packed and got on the road (0600).  We picked up supplies in Walmart (0625) on the way out of Las Vegas and then headed north on US-95.  We ate breakfast (snacks) in the car on the way.  We were accompanied by a LOT of traffic and couldn't figure out why but then we reached Creech AFB and it all made sense (“rush hour” for the base).  We got some amazing views of drones flying in the pattern and then had the road to ourselves except for occasional triple-trailer trucks going the other way.  Mollie got a chuckle out of one sign that welcomed us to a town with a population of 50 people ("smallest town on any of our trips").  Just as she has done for several previous trips, Mollie figured out how to use the GPS on her phone with the car’s view screen (this made navigation much easier).  We continued west until we switched to NV-373, which turned into CA-127 as we crossed the border.  We then used CA-190 to reach Death Valley National Park.  On the way, we talked a lot about current events and a little about relationships.  We'd visited this National Park in 2006 but Mollie didn't remember much about that trip (except for the "sherbet mountains").  We drove all the way down to the bottom of the valley (elevation was 100 feet below sea level) and stopped for an NPS Passport Stamp and some souvenirs at Furnace Creek Visitor Center (0850).  It was already 106 degrees at that point...  Nearby, we climbed up to a beautiful vista at Zabriskie Point.  We then started our westward journey across the flats and mountains.  Basically, our visit was mainly a "pass-through" on the way to the Sierras but we explored parts of the park I'd never seen.  At one stop, we enjoyed a stroll on the Mesquite Sand Dunes.  The sun was nearly overwhelming by this point but we both marveled at the lack of humidity.  Our drive took us on a climb over the peaks of the Panamint Range and the view was pretty amazing.  There were lots of "dips" in the road that made Mollie laugh and some warnings about turning off AC to avoid overheating engines.  We made it through just fine in our rental car (Nissan Rogue, nicknamed "Sherpa").  During this segment of driving, we talked about my life plans after Mollie’s graduation. I'd made a non-refundable reservation in a hard-to-get lodge in Kings Canyon National Park but noticed that there were two parks on the east side of the Sierras that Mollie was interested in visiting. Knowing the drive would be onerous, especially since the Yosemite Road (CA-120) was closed for heavy snow.  I was hesitant to go north but I left it up to Mollie and she chose the extra adventure where we were.  Taking a deep breath (knowing it would be a LONG day), I then steered us onto CA-136 and we drove to Lone Pine.  We found an Interagency Visitor Center there (1130) and got lots of information about the area.  We ate lunch (snacks) and also got some fresh water out of a "farm spigot".  After getting some gas nearby (1215), we continued north on US-395.  Our second stop in the Owen's River Valley was at Manzanar National Historic Site, which commemorated another one of the Internment Camps from World War II where Japanese-Americans were forced to live.  We'd previously stopped at similar camps in Heart Mountain (WY) and Minidoka (ID) and Mollie wanted to learn more about the history of this tragic episode in US History.  The visitor center was excellent and we watched a park video that explained the plight of the residents.  Mollie got a NPS Passport Stamp and then we took a short driving tour of the expansive property.  We found a pretty monument to those who died in the camp.  The views of the High Sierras (Mount Williamson, in particular) were breathtaking but then the reality of the terrible situation that was being commemorated brought us back to earth.  Mollie and I talked for a while about our rights and freedoms and how we hoped something like this could never happen again.  Soon (1300), we were on our way north again.  We continued north on US-395, paralleling the Eastern Sierras, and enjoyed our many views of the snow-capped peaks that rivaled the Grand Tetons in their beauty during our almost two hour drive.  The last few miles were the most impressive, as we climbed up towards 10,000 feet and found ourselves in the foothills of those mountains.  Temperatures were in the 60s and it felt so good after the heat we'd felt in the valley.  There were huge fields with countless cattle and several beautiful lakes.  We stopped often to take photos.  At one point, we saw ominous looking smoke to the north and it reminded us of how lucky we've been during the last few years to enjoy such amazing visibility prior to each terrible wildfire season.  Our target was the Devil's Postpile National Monument but we got an ominous warning on a sign about it being closed when we reached the Mammoth Lake area.  Fortunately, we found a National Forest visitor center and learned more about the situation.  The snow, which usually accumulates between 500 and 1000 inches every year, was so deep this season that there was no expectation that the road to the park could be plowed anytime soon.  While there appeared to be several opportunities to climb up (through the snow) to the rock features (which we were told they looked like part of the Devil's Tower in Wyoming), there was no way to access the site by car.  The Ranger actually said "they never should have built the road up there because it is closed most of the year”.  Meanwhile, Mollie spotted a passport stamp for the park and, despite the news, added it to her book.  She immediately started struggling with the "legitimacy" of taking a stamp without "touching" the park.  The quandary gnawed at us for a bit but then I figured out that we could get very close to the edge of the federal property if we visited one of the resorts so that made it easier to justify.  We headed into the town of Mammoth Lakes and then drove as far as we could on Lake Mary Road (which was also partially closed for snow).  We parked near the Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center and then walked around a few of the lakes nearby.  There was a bit of snow on the ground and lot of melt-run-off and it seemed like the roads could have been opened.  However, this would have meant that the cross country trails would have to be closed for the season; our consolation prize was seeing some of the amazing scenery (mountains, lakes, waterfalls). We had hoped to encounter the PCT but we never did.  The crisp mountain air and lower temperatures were awesome and I told Mollie that if there is any place in Southern California I could return to for a week of fun, this place would be it.  Filled with some "mountain highs", Mollie and I reluctantly went back to our car so we could leave.  It was then that the immense remaining journey (payment for the extra sightseeing) hit me.  I'd expected to have about a five-hour drive to Kings Canyon but was wrong by almost two additional hours.  The Cedar Grove Lodge was actually only 40 miles from our location (as the crow flies) but it was almost 400 miles by road.  I've previously encountered a lot of situations where I had to "drive 50 miles to go 5" but this one wins the prize.  Since there was nothing I could do about the reality of the distance, we immediately (1600) headed south on US-395.  In addition  to more great views of the Eastern Sierra Range, we also saw lots of amazing high desert scenery as we drove on perfectly straight highways for hundreds of miles.  We passed the China Lake Naval Base, which I’d never visited before, but didn’t see much else in the way of civilization.  We eventually turned on to CA-14 so we could reach CA-58 and then took CA-99.  All the roads were mostly free of traffic and we made good time.  But 400 miles is a LONG way and we still weren't used to the Pacific Time Zone.  Mollie exchanged phone calls with her mother.  We avoided stopping as much as possible and ate our dinner (snacks) in the car.  We talked about Mollie's post high school graduation plans (majors, school locations).  The huge amount of driving took its toll on me and I was glad that Mollie was in a talkative mood for most of the afternoon and early evening.  We passed many trucks that looked like they were full of feathers but we eventually realized they were full of eggs (!) with feathers as “cushioning”.  The sun took a long time to go down on the west side of the Central Valley.  This meant that it wasn’t really dark until passed through Visalia.  We got gas in Dinuba (2055) and then started up the western side of the Sierra range.  We reached CA-180 (Kings Canyon Highway) and made good time on the curvy winding road on the ridges above the valley.  Mollie dozed for a lot of this drive... We arrived at the Kings Canyon Park Entrance by about 2130 and then lost cell signal.  This was significant because it was only then that we realized our GPS map was planning to take us off the pavement for a "short cut".  I fell for this “wild goose chase route” because my trusty navigator was almost catatonic by then.  After about two miles, I encountered a "road closed" sign in the woods.  Cursing myself for the detour and extra time wasted, I returned to the park road and (sans GPS) made my way through the dark canyons towards the end of the world (so it seemed).  One of the scariest moments of the night was seeing huge splashes of water in the river along the road (at a couple of points, I thought the road would be swamped but I later learned it was all an illusion).  I made one more wrong turn but reached Cedar Grove Village at 2300.  During the epic drive, I did get to see a swooping owl, a gray fox and a trio of black bears (mom and cubs).  I was exhausted when I shut off the car.  We found our key pinned to the bulletin board (due to some coordination by Mollie back in the Central Valley).  Mollie was barely aware of any of this and was asleep before I'd finished emptying the car (including of food, to avoid bear encounters).  I then (2345) headed to bed, hoping that the next day would be "leisurely"...

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 1

I got up early to make sure we were completely packed and ready for our trip.  Mollie slept in and I had to wake her up just before 0900.  She was VERY grumpy about being forced to get up early.  She ate breakfast (grits) and said she was ready to go.  However, I discovered that she hadn’t actually packed her bags completely and was apparently going to leave things behind that we’d discussed bringing.  Fortunately, we were able to get everything together in time for our departure by the time Brenna arrived to take us to the airport (1000).  We got through check-in and TSA relatively quickly and set up in the boarding area without much difficulty.  Mollie and I discussed our itinerary a lot and we each did some reading.  Before boarding our first flight, Mollie got herself some lunch (sandwich).  We departed from Reagan National on time (1245) and arrived at O’Hare on schedule (1345 local).  We had almost two hours before the next flight and I did a bunch of walking in the O’Hare terminal and picked up lunch for myself (1420) while Mollie Skyped with Brenna.  We took off on the next flight at about 1600 and enjoyed free DirectTV on the plane.  Mollie enjoyed several great views of scenery below and watched movies.  We didn’t talk a lot but were both in pretty good spirits.  We arrived in Las Vegas late (1800 local) and had to do a lot of walking and shuttling to get to our rental car.  We did have a new experience of FiveStar service (i.e., pick your own car) with Hertz and selected a Nissan Rogue that Mollie nicknamed “Sherpa”.  We were on I-15 (headed north) by 1900; Mollie enjoyed seeing all the amazing scenery on the Vegas Strip and the pretty mountains in the distance.  It was very hot but there wasn’t a lot of humidity.  We checked into the Air Force Inn at Nellis quickly and then went to eat dinner (Del Taco for “Taco Tuesday”) at 1915. Mollie had trouble with her order and ate one of my tacos as a result.  This led to some giddy ribbing on my part...  Mollie’s assessment of the place was “meh”.  We were both pretty exhausted after our long day of traveling but Mollie insisted on watching a TV show (2100) in our room, despite the three hour time difference.  As a result, we went to bed at 2230.