Angels Landing... or Bust...

Uh... maybe I shouldn't put it that way... 'cause if ya "Bust" on the way to Angels Landing... you... Uh... meet up either With the Angels... or.. the Devil! :)

This is a poor picture... with the setting sun washing everything out... but... you can see Angels Landing... It's the Middle Rock on the left side... just in front of the white canyon wall behind it... You scale up its razor back, coming up behind it from Walters Wiggles... hanging on to a chain hung down the middle... :) ... and parts of you, which for the moment shall remain nameless... blow kisses at the world! ... as you stumble along... leaving finger prints in the steel chain!

Made it 'bout half way a couple years back... but... decided it was Too Late in the Day... right... so... this time, we're taking off earlier... and see if I can move a lil' quicker... and make the top...

Walked up to the Weeping Rock area last evening... a perfect example of the water falls in this place. There, the water just weeps out of the rock wall that hangs out over your head... it drips down on you like a never ending rain...I tried to get the camera set to capture that... and apparently... still have some learning to do :) ... so I guess you'll have to go there to see it for your self.

Early summer, in spite of there being more people along with you, is likely a pretty awesome time here... everywhere we go, there are wet walls of rock, that just now are showing the sproutings of Columbine...

My guess is... in just a few weeks, with all the water and sun... those walls are going to be pretty amazing...

Except for the falls at the Emerald Pools... the water falls here all seem to come directly out of the wall... Like someone ran a pipe to it... they just shoot out eight or ten feet and come down in a misty spray that drifts off with each breeze... at the Upper Falls of Emerald Pools.... you get pretty warm climbing up...

*Upper Falls at Emerald Pools Drifting Away to Almost Nothing*

... then you turn a corner around a big rock... and it's like you walked into a cooler... in the height of the summer, I'll bet it's really appreciated... if... the falls are still flowing then... We've already seen a few disappear after last weeks rain...

*The Falls over Weeping Rock*

*The Big Bend from Hidden Canyon Trail*

 Walking through this place... you feel like you've gone a lot farther then you have. Everything is straight up here... so the trails all look like a can of worms, switchbacking back and forth to climb each rock face. But they do give you some awful nice views...

At times people seem to compete for THE picture taking spot... Why bother... six steps up the trail is another... of an equally sweet, and inspiring view...

*What is it about silhouettes?*

From the spectacular... to the quieter... more serene kind of scenery... it's really fine... Sometimes... it's like you're walking in a painting... yeah that's it... I'm a Disney Character... jumping into a picture...

*Ya Gotta Save Your Sunglasses...... Don't You?*

The strap of my camera, snagged my high dollar sunglasses... and sent 'em flying... sliding down that rock slab to oblivion... except... they hung up... right on the edge... gotta go get 'em! :) ... the picture don't show it real well... but... I kinda wish that stone weren't so steep! :)

Good thing is...there's always another View... to calm you back down a mite.

Heading Out to Conquer Angels Landing... We'll see who wins...
Brian

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Time slows... and the Days Stretch Out...

We've decided... that, like most of the other National Parks, if you have the option... either spring or fall is the best, and for us, only, time to travel Zion. :)

This year, we were hoping to find a boondocking site nearby, so we could stay around for a while... and give a lil' support to our less then fat budget... That don't look like it's gonna happen, this time around. Over toward Virgin, 'bout 12 miles west of Zion, there was a BLM area folks used that was reported to us...

We looked for a couple days... just couldn't find it... the area that seemed to be the right place... looked like it had been flooded... sure wasn't a place I wanted to drag a 12,000 lb. rig in to...

... Well... I was right... That area is GONE... Last December they had a bit of rain around here... one gal told me it was 18" in 11 days... that qualifies as a bit don't it? The consequence was... that area got buried under maybe a foot or better of soft, deep sand... and I suppose some of it just plain gone...

*Backroading Near Zion*

*We don't need no stinkin' T-Posts!*

  It's gated and locked up now... so we kept looking... Went up Kolob road... but awful muddy and wet...

*Views along the Road... Scouting for a Camp*

 ... and then we found a spot...closer and good view... pretty perfect really... except... there's room for a couple outfits... and they were pretty much already there... so... we'll use our DAV discount :) and keep using the park camp for another couple days... and then... move on... starting east for Easter back in Denver...

So... We're just kickin' back and doin' some walkin'... which is a bit of a task... 'cause the spring time crowds are bigger than what we saw in the fall... and we've had a bit of trouble parking the truck... (the shuttles don't start running for another day or two) ... and I didn't bother gettin' the Raider down... in the Rain...

... and on one walk... we had a great event... we were lucky to be in the right place... at the right time... to see one of the rare and dreaded, Rocky Mountain Bushy Tailed Micro Badgers!

*Rocky Mountain Bushy Tailed Micro Badger!*

Otherwise... it's a time of strolling along... just breathing... and wondering... Capturing some of those small jewels in the Big picture... that so many travelers hurry on past and seem to miss...

*Zion Canyon Serenity*

Not that everyone... goes rushing by, studying their map, to rack up the Trail Miles... There are a few folks that stop and take the time... to enjoy the trip... and let it soak in...

*Love Birds in Zion*

We're walking along... seeing what there is to see... breathing free mountain air... and sometimes... you see weird things...

*The weirdest Hiking 'shoes' I've ever seen*

Not to worry... Those are something ya'll are NEVER gonna see on me... on my Raider... or any other place! :)

You walk across Far Country Traffic Backups at the bridges...

*Zion Canyon Traffic Jam*

... and Hikers in Training...

*Hiker getting his Indoctrination Hike*

Walking the dogs around this campground last night, we talked about one of the drawbacks or dangers... to boondocking. That's that... when you're camped out... all alone... in far country... there are no people around...

I know... that sounds odd for me to say... but... it's true... Staying in a forest or park camp for a bit is kinda nice... see the variety of ways of going... from the smallest back packing tent... to the humongous toy hauler motorhomes... and everything in between...

To be able to have conversations with people... and hear their stories...

Like... the guy who runs this lil' rig down the road... Full Timing...

*Minimalist Full-Timer*

... another proof that it don't take a huge rig... it takes the desire... and the hunger to wander...

Walking and Wondering...
Brian

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Bad Weather Makes for Good... and Bad... Times for photography

I keep having people ask me; "What Camera do you use, your pictures are beautiful!"... My Daughter, as she was starting her photography business, got the same reactions to her photographs...

There is a misconception that Beautiful art.. is dependent on reeeeealllly expensive hardware...

It just ain't so folks! ... Good or better hardware can make some things easier... but... the Art has to be there in the first place... and THAT... only comes from the heart and the spirit... of the Artist.

It's kind of sad to see good people run out and spend a small fortune... at least it is to me... on Top of the line cameras... but when they click the shutter... they've got the same old run of the mill pictures...

Pictures... NOT photographs...

Two things are in play here... the first is, the mechanical Composition of the picture, and the second... is that part... I'm in danger of getting all Spiritual Vortex... foo foo here :) ... but... the second is the Spirit... the Artist captures in their picture... that renders it into a Photograph... Understand?

So... my advice to someone who wants to improve their photography... is to study up on composition... BEFORE... you spend any more money on Hardware... and... then... with those principles of composition in mind... spend some time... just seeing what you are looking at.... What is it, that keeps pulling your eye back... How can you capture THAT view... using the proper principles of good composition?

It's my opinion... something I'm still working at :) ... that good photography is a lot like life in general... Most of what surrounds us is noise, and dirt, and meanness. The clamor of it drowns out  the good... if ya let it. You have to focus your attention... on those sometimes small little Good Bits, in life and photography... and, as much as you can... exclude the "Clamor and Confusion" from your thoughts... and lens...

 It's kind of like the teamster that bridles up his wagon horse... and has blinders on the bridle... so that horse has his vision focused on what he's doing...

To capture a good picture (good life?)... often the "Whole Picture" is just too much. It's overpowering... so you have to narrow your focus to what the eye and the mind can carry... but... don't get too narrow a focus either... you have to have all the parts to make a complete picture...

Is all my rambling confusing enough for you? :) Get a book or two on composition... start working at it... and the ideas will grow on you... and... if you let it... the work of capturing good photography can spill over into Other... pursuits... and maybe shine those up too?

Yesterday, the current storm dropped rain all day. Never quit... all day... until pretty late. Everything was fogged or clouded in... so we just did some chores... and walked the dogs in the rain... Late, almost six pm... the clouds broke a bit... and we were able to get out a little wider...

Not as spectacular as the night before... but... again, if you focus down a little tighter... looking for those Jewels in the confusion of rain and clouds... they're there...

I walk, or drive along... looking up and seeing nothing but dark clouds and rain... but, every once in a while... the clouds lift, or split enough to let a small little vision appear for a few seconds... if you're ready to capture it...

*Zion Diamonds in the Mist*

Usually it's a lot smaller view than the whole horizon... and that's fine... diamonds are tiny... but people been goin' gaga over 'em for centuries...

*Zion Waterfall*

One thing I've always had a great difficulty photographing well, are water falls. They seem so beautiful when you're standing there lookin' at 'em... but when you get home... my pictures just fall flat... I've decided that's because I try too much, to capture the water alone... too narrow a focus... but standing there, on the mountain... That waterfall is seen in all the shining glory of the mountain.

So... I'm working at keeping the waterfalls in their proper Context... with as much of the Mountain captured as I can... The rains have water pouring out of every crack and crevice... waterfalls where there weren't any the day before... pretty awesome...

So... Don't worry about your "Cheap" camera... my photographs, come from a Nikon P80 and a lil' pocket S8000... something around 1/2 ans 1/2... Whatever success I have in producing Photographs... and not just pictures... I give credit for to those that taught me to compose a picture properly... and... then to search out the Spirit... in what I'm photographing...

Which means... hang on... This is where it gets Good Vibrations foo foo again :) you have to find the Spirit... inside yourself... and have the cajones... to expose it to the world!

Do that... and your pictures (and more?) will become, Photographs.

Clickin' Shutters in Zion
Brian

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Canyon to Canyon... Lee's Ferry to Zion...

Made a lazy start, hoping to see the rafts that were preparing yesterday, leave out on their journey... so by late morning... we were still sittin' in camp... and hadn't even sucked the slide in. :)

*Lee's Ferry Camp*

and... bein' as how I'm so good at bein' lazy... we succeeded!

I piddled around doin' some housekeeping and other work on the Ol' 'puter... Heidi did some "store management" and dog walkin'...

finally... a short while after 10... those adventurers pulled out... or... floated away I guess is more accurate...

*Riders on the Paria Riffle at the start of the Grand Canyon*

I'm no boat expert... not one part of a fraction... but... My bet is that fella straddlin' the kayak... strapped on the back there? ... won't be doin' that... very far down the river! ... A forest svc. guy told us... just a few miles down is a genuine rapid they call "Badger"... said it took him three tries, in his training... to bring their power boat... UP... that little drop...

Me?... I'd be face down on that frame those boys are sittin' on... cursin' the fool that talked me into this nonsense!!!!

After the next several rafts floated by... we fired up and ran by the Lee's Ferry Nat Rec. area dump station... which is poorly marked ... (it's across from the water tower... in front of the residential area) did are chores there... and headed out...

all the way to the balanced rocks just a couple miles or so before we got back to highway 89A...

When we left, we were in shirt sleeves... 'bout 5,000 feet of groaning climb for that Ol' '99 later... we wuz sayin'; "Dang? Whar in the the hail is tha gol' durn sun?!!!" ... as the temp fell off to 34 degrees, windy and a spitting snow storm, rolling through Jacob Lake at just under 8,000 feet.

Made the choice to take the "southern route" and miss the tunnel and it's $$$ charge. Any rig that is a dually, or over 11 feet or so tall, has to pay a toll for the tunnel. They have to shut the tunnel down so you can roll through alone... running down the center of the road... so you don't hit the roof on the sides!

Not sure you save anything, making the run around, considering 4 dollar fuel..... buuuut... I'd not been that way in a long while... so it's how we went...

Kept our eyes peeled for the boondocking east of Virgin that we'd been told about... and never could see a thing... the only places that seemed likely... looked like they'd been flooded out... so... we just went on to Zion to set up in the "South" campground for a couple days... We'll scout from here... at $8 bucks a night for us... how can we complain?

Anxious to see the place again... and the cloudy weather promising some Special sights... we jumped back in the truck and made a quick run Up Canyon...

*SUPPER!*

*Zion... and a river runs through it...*

*Words are useless... to Describe... Zion*

You have to grab the opportunities when they come... had about an hour yesterday... this morning it's solid, grey overcast... maybe a day for chores. :)

Kickin' Back in Zion
Brian

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Punched through the Wind and Landed at Lee's Ferry

Wiggled and Wobbled with pretty much a straight on side wind, that kept me running a rolling road block at 55 mph, just about the whole way from Ash Fork to Lee's Ferry on the Colorado... left not so early and arrived... not so late... so I guess it all worked out right!

That part across the part of the Navajo Reservation... west of Kayenta is some desolate country... just about as lush as that stuff north west of Moab!

But... North of there... and west... it gets downright Western Purty!

*Take out the asphalt... and You've got a John Ford Western Scene!*

Been by here many times... never made the turn up to the "Ferry" before... bad move... it's really pretty here. Stark, rocky desert... but... like a lot of the desert... an awesome spiritual beauty, all it's own...

Pretty good camp... though... for those like me... I'd guess spring and fall? ... the temp rose 10 degrees as we fell off into the canyon... starting at 55 degrees, that's a nice change... starting at 105 in July? ... not so much! :)

But... like I said... a pretty nice camp... can you see the Eagle?

Our camp is sitting on a bluff right above what the river folks call The Paria Riffle ... which apparently, marks the starting point of the Grand Canyon...

The rafters start their runs through the Canyon here... and several rafts were preparing last evening for departure today...

*Rafts Loading at Lee's Ferry for a Grand Canyon Run*

 OK... I know some think I'm nuts... cuz I ride a big bad motorcycle... and thought I was more nuts, back when I was straddlin' broncs... but...

*hmmm.... boogie boards? Big Cajones?... or Waterlogged grey matter?... You decide :) *

... Boogie Boards? or whatever they call 'em... On THIS river? When... a Zodiak has its motor sceaming... just to keep from goin' down river?

*The Outboard on this "Zodiac" was workin' hard to push the boat upriver... slowwwwwly!*

We'll pull out shortly, bound for Zion... but... this is a spot worthy of a stay... for a night... or a few days...

*Lee's Ferry Buildings from the 1800's*

*Lee's Ferry on the Colorado River*

Time to go... there's a lot of work to do... to go slow you know :) ... and... the fun part! Gotta find the dump station here... so we're ready for the next Long Camp...

Stayin' Dry on the Colorado River
Brian

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Ya Know What Happens When You Wait for the RV Road to Dry Out?

Uh Huh you guessed right... It Rains! :)

Sat here for a couple days, to let the road tween here and the pavement dry out from the recent lil' storm. Turns out it wasn't all that bad anyway... The sun and breeze had things firmed up fast, but what the heck, I am in a rushin' hurry right?... so we slowly packed up yesterday to be ready to pull out and roll this morning...

... so... last night... it rained... :) Not a lot... just enough for Buck to carry a  bunch of muddy foot prints  back in from his morning constitutional.

Hmmm... I've writtten about waiting... a lot. I waited... a lot. The only thing waiting got me was fewer assets to roll with ... and ... uh... more rain! :)

So, I got One more little reminder last night... Just roll... just pick up your feet, like that great philosopher once said, and step off in the direction of your dreams... The obstacles still come along... The rain still comes... That will never change. Not ever. You just walk around 'em! 

Really!... You just, turn your trail... Find that narrow, quiet little seldom used trail... and go around...

The ONLY thing that has changed... is... You Aren't WAITING any longer. Your dreams come closer... and you're Moving. You are Living! HooYa! :)

From Drifting Gypsy Biker Cowboys... to Folks Wandering the Oceans in a Sailboat... climbing Mountains...  Putting the Interpretations of those Mountains by Their Spirit onto Canvas, Hurdling Agility Obstacles, Racing Fine horses in a Rodeo Arena or... painting custom cars and motorcycles... the Dreams are many.

Don't let 'em wait... "step off in the direction of your Dreams"... Today.

Uh... One thing?... Take a rain coat! :)

Well... today, shortly... we'll roll. Where to? Not really sure. North, past Flagstaff. Likely a nite camp somewhere between Lees Ferry and Jacob Lake. A day or two later, we'll find a camp somewhere around Zion... for as long as we stay there.

One way or the other... I'm not waiting...

Shrugging off the Rain
Brian

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Under the Frozen Surface...

Lies the Arizona Mud... The storm is past... but the waiting continues...

*Sunrise After the Storm*

Rained and spit snow most of yesterday... and the wind blew... at least for what it does around here.

Don't mean to insult the power of the Arizona weather... but... the wind here ain't got nuthin' on the Colorado Plains... or Wyoming. :)

I thought it was starting to break up late yesterday afternoon, but last night... it kicked in it's last gasp and left a thin layer of frosty, crispy snow to wake up to this morning...

*Sun Teasing After the storm, just before Sunset*

Yeah... it teased us. The wind dropped, the sun peaked out and though it might still be cold, it was a pretty place.

But it had to drop a little more before it could move on...

That's OK... I'm in no hurry... We'll give it another day, maybe two, for the weather to clear... before we start to make our move for Zion...

That's not a long haul really, but, we'll use two days to make it. Somewhere, past Page, we'll find a wide spot. A quiet spot, and lay up for the night. Our only other decision being, do we try to go straight to a boondocking camp? or maybe use the Watchman camp IN Zion for a night or two... while we find the camp? Time will tell...

*Storm and Sun... in Competition*

*Sun Breaks through to Warm the Snow Crusted Grass*

But... that'll all wait another day or two... while the ground drys out a little... so we don't have to wade and wallow through a sea of mud to get back to the pavement... which is juuuuuuust on the other side of those junipers.... so near and yet so far. :)

Yup... one of the minor dangers of RV Boondocking... The weather... You have to decide... "Do We haul out before it comes?... or... Do we wait after, for things to settle and the "roads" to firm up, before we can move?"

Me?... Done both... can't say one beats the other... depends on the mood at the time I suppose... but... if you are going to just wait out the weather... better make sure you have plenty of propane, water, groceries... and...

...beer! make sure you have beer! :)

Waiting on a solid road...
Brian

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