Day 45 Sunset Crater and Wupatki Pueblo

June 15, 2013

So after 4 -5 hours of sleep at the truck stop, we got on our way to the next town. Flagstaff seems to be our go-to town after hiking out of canyons and it is again today. We are in desperate need of showers, but cleaning off with baby wipes and putting on some fresh deoderant and clothes will do for now. Ryan came up with Olive Garden for lunch. We devoured endless soup, salad and breadsticks and had the nicest kid take care of us. He came on a bus from inner city L.A. to Flagstaff with his acceptance letter to Northern Arizona University and figured it out from there. He is now in a mechanical engineering program.

Our driving goal today is much shorter. We are going to Page, AZ to see Lake Powell. On the way, we stopped at two national monuments along one scenic route. Behind me is Sunset Crater Volcano, it last erupted around 1050.

Are we back in Hawai'i? This area is called a squeeze up, it occurs when more liquid lava moves up through a crack in the current lava crust. 

Wupatki Pueblo. It remains amazingly intact despite it may not have been lived in for about 700 years.  

Ryan reading about the 'blowhole' behind him. If you hold your hand over it, cool moist air is felt. It seems hard to believe with the 100 degree heat out here. We learned from touring Carlsbad Caverns, it means there is a cave system underneath.

This sign is on the door at Wupatki visitor center. Hmmm, I have felt that way a couple times in the last month and a half. But not today. Off to Lake Powell! We got to our campground, went grocery shopping and I took the longest shower of my life.

Total miles: about 180

Day 43-44 Hello Havasu Falls

June 13-14, 2013

We had a long drive from San Diego and planned to sleep at the trailhead and start hiking early the next morning. This Hualapai and Havasupai reservation area in northern Arizona is so remote and gas stations are few and far between, we didn't have enough gas to make it to the trailhead and back and nothing was open at 2am. We slept at the closest gas station, filled up in the morning and started hiking at 10:30am.

Here we go. Over 90 degrees already and 11 miles of hiking in front of us. There is about 1100 ft elevation drop at first and it levels off thereafter. 

These mule and horse trains were working hard all day. Lots of people hike down and wait for their camping gear to arrive later in this manner. We dodged a lot of poop on the trail. 

The trail gets a little thinner down in the canyon. There is gorgeous scenery all around, but after nearly 8 hours of hiking in the afternoon heat with temperatures in the 110's and the relentless sun beating down, I could care less. We arrived at Supai town to get our camping passes and there was still another 2 miles to camp.

But alas, the rewards begin. Here is the first view of Navajo Falls. I want to jump off the edge into the water. 

Here is Havasu Falls. The peculiar blue-green color is a result of high levels of lime in the water. It looks unreal. You couldn't make a waterpark this cool. After we rested for a bit and Ryan set up camp (I was fading), we played here for an hour or so and ate Pringles and peanut butter and jelly.

The next morning we are feeling better and more rested. We got an earlier start exploring the canyon. See that tiny hole above me, that is what you crawl through to get to Mooney Falls.

After the tunnel, there is a serious of chains and ladders down a steep trail to the bottom.

Here are the ladders. It reminds me of the Precipice Trail at Acadia National Park in Maine.

 Mooney Falls, another beauty. The water has so much force from the fall, it is tough to get close to this one.

Below Mooney Falls, there are endless little waterfalls along this stream. The high lime content in the water also creates these travertine "steps". 

Its a 3 mile hike past Mooney to Beaver Falls. I love this picture, we walked through this sea of green vines.

We are back along the stream, crossing over a ladder. 

Here is Beaver Falls. There is another series of ladders to get down to it. 

I couldn't not add this picture. Ryan just cracks me up sometimes. 

We spent over an hour here just playing in the falls, cooling off from the 100+ temperatures and had it mostly to ourselves. I think I may had died an gone to waterfall heaven. 

What an awesome place. On our way back to camp, Ryan lost his sunglasses in one of the falls and this started our thoughts about how to get out of the canyon. He didn't have a spare pair and looking into the midday sun without sunglasses would surely result in a migraine. We were booked through this evening to camp, but since we felt so good after our day hike, we decided to hike out in the evening and avoid the overbaked cookie feeling of hiking midday. We started our 11 mile trek back up at 5:45 and arrived at the hilltop at 11pm. We used headlamps for the last few hours and followed the trail of horse poop back. We got our trailer turned around and after about 2 hours of driving, found a truck stop to lay our heads for a few hours.

Total driving miles: 590

Total hiking miles: 28 (plus another 1.4 if you count how far away from the trailhead we had to park our rig)

One word to describe Havasu Falls: paradise

Things you see at night but not during the day: crickets, mice, bats, cows on the road, rabbits on the road

Things you are happy to see at night but not so much during the day: horse poop (it means you are still on the trail)

Items lost: sunglasses

Items found: a cellphone

Items forgotten: toothpaste, toothbrush, tripod attachment (turns out when I pack for a backcountry trip after 4 hours of sleep, I tend to forget key items)

Lessons learned: hike early or hike late this time of year

I love: liner socks, my toes are much happier!

Day 41-42 Goodbye San Diego

June 11-12, 2013

Well it has been lovely spending 2 weeks with Chris, Julia, Isla and the newest addition Cora, but our time must come to an end...Thank you for all your hospitality and glad we were able to be in San Diego to help out during Cora's birth. See you four in August!

Enjoying every moment being an aunt!

Ryan and Chris toasting with a "deuce deuce" 

Saying our goodbyes before Isla heads off to school. 

Cabrillo National Monument at Point Loma. We are so close to Mexico my cell phone thinks I am abroad and sends me a message to note the extra charges. No texting or making phone calls here! 

It's not everyday you get to jog with an aircraft carrier sailing into harbor in front of you. Ryan, Chris and I took our morning jog on the Bayside trail at Cabrillo Natl Monument. There were great views of San Diego and Coronado. It was a nice run down the hill, but a bit of a struggle getting back up. This girl walked it :) 

Fish heads fish heads, roley poley fish heads... We made a pit stop for lunch and then Ryan and I are on the road again... We've got a LONG drive ahead of us.

Day 40 Go Padres!

June 10, 2013

Isla REALLY wanted to go to school today, I think she is getting her fill of her aunt and uncle ;). More than anything, she was missing her little friends. Ryan and I had another great run at Mission Bay, then we headed up north to Escondido to check out Lost Abbey Brewery, which was yummy.

Afterward we relaxed at Carlsbad State Park beach for about an hour and watched the surfers. 

We met up with Ryan's buddy Min again to take in a little Padres baseball. Since they are not in the same league as the Detroit Tigers, I feel better about cheering them on! And they won by a run against the Braves. 

Day 39 San Diego Zoo

June 9, 2013

The trifecta of touristy kid entertainment ends with the San Diego Zoo today. So many animals to see, so little time...

The koalas just got a remodel of their homes at the San Diego Zoo. They were all out on their trees looking like balls of fur.  

This is an Okapi, native to the Ituri rainforest in central Africa. They are shy animals with a keen sense of smell and sound. They have stripes similar to zebras, but are more closely related to the giraffe. This is the first time I've ever seen on of these. 

Isla was excited to meet her new friends, Marina and Makayla after lunch. 

As chance would have it, one of our work partners and fellow Worthington residents, Marvin, his wife Beth and their girls are vacationing in San Diego and are at the zoo today. So fun to see friends from home!

Guess we should consider switching to GEICO insurance. 

I'd hate to meet up this guy on a trail somewhere...He has a ferocious look about him.

All in all, a fun day, but this girl is whooped...Chris and Julia grilled out burgers and we had some good laughs watching Crazy. Stupid. Love. tonight. 

Day 38 Sea World

June 8, 2013

Sea World is on the agenda for today. Isla is pretty much a pro at Sea World, since she lives about 5 minutes away. She wanted to show us her favorite things.

This play area looks like much more fun than any adult ride I've seen! 

Shamu show. These Orcas follow commands and do all sorts of tricks, including splashing enough to get half of the audience soaked. 

Chris joined us for a little while, Isla was super excited to have her Daddy! 

Sky tram ride. 

Adult beverages while Isla was napping. IPA tasting at Coronado Brewing Co.

The lady sitting next to me swears Isla must have taken dance classes. She has not. She is a natural and is always singing and dancing. She put on her fancy spinny dress for our trip to Old Town San Diego.

 Great mexican food at this spot in Old Town. Yum.

Day 37 San Diego Safari Park

June 7, 2013

Instead of school today, Isla chose to come to the Safari Park with Ryan and I. It was a nice day with lots of beautiful animals, fun and walking.

Carousel ride, why not?

This was a fun game in the little splash park. If you whisper or roar in one side, you can hear it in the other opening across the way.

 One of Isla's favorite animals, the graceful giraffe.

This was my favorite part of the day, the cheetah run.

As usual, the lions are chillin'.

What a fun day at the Safari Park. Isla, thanks for hanging out with your aunt and uncle!