Travelogue

Lazy Daze at Grand Sierra Resort - AJGIt was a tough transition. Last night we had camped under the swaying lodgepole pines at Yosemite, and now here we were in the parking lot of the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno—perhaps we should have eased our way back into civilization more gradually. However, after 14 days out on the road, I desperately needed to do laundry, and on paper, the Grand Sierra Resort RV Park seemed like the perfect place to stop for the night—laundry facilities, heated pool, and easy access to the Truckee River Trail, which sounded like a great place for the boys to run.

Well, we’ve come to learn that things don’t always work out as planned. When we checked in around 7:30 that evening, we were informed that the laundry facilities were closing in 15 minutes and that the pool area turned into a nightclub after 8:00 with no one under 21 admitted. Oh great. Well, at least we had the running trail.

We pulled into our campsite, which consisted on a very dilapidated, crooked picnic table, and a rickety old fence separating us from the Truckee River Trail. Well, at least we were close to the trail.

Dad with picnic table - AJGThe boys donned their running clothes and headed off for what they said would be a pretty long run. They were back in 10 minutes. Apparently the Truckee River Trail was home to many of Reno’s “homeless,” and Tommy felt very uncomfortable about weaving his way amongst them. Andrew, however, thought Tommy was just overreacting. I was having a déjà vu experience. This was the same argument we had had in Alaska last year, except that time it was over the prudence of running near grizzly bears and not homeless people.

I believe this was strike three for the Grand Sierra Resort.

Later that evening, we did try to make the best of our visit, and strolled over to a nearby Action Park where the boys did had some fun racing go-karts on a drift track. We also took a walk through the Grand Sierra Resort, but it was a quick one since the boys weren’t allowed in the casino areas.

Andrew driving golf ballsAs we stepped out of the Resort to go back to our campsite, we were greeted by the pounding beat of “Rock the Casbah,” eminating from the pool area. Over the boys’ objections, I went in to have a peek. Let’s just say that this was not your typical KOA pool situation.

On the walk back to the campsite, we noticed a big, beautiful full moon rising over Reno. We would have sat out and enjoyed it, but our crappy picnic table had disappeared from our site while we were gone. Can you have a strike four?

I arose early the next morning to have first dibs on the washing machines. I had 6 loads, which had to be an all-time on-the-road record for us.

While the loads were going, we walked over to the Hilton Bay driving range right near the campground. This was actually quite fun. We each got a chance to drive some golf balls out over a man-made lake while attempting to get holes-in-ones on tiny islands in the lake. If you got one you won a prize. I wasn’t sure I wanted a prize. I was afraid it might be a few more nights in Reno. Anyway it wasn’t an issue. Although the boys came close at times, I barely made it out of the box withoug hitting the side walls.

Well, I think we were all pretty ready to leave Reno behind, but what was sad was that now, for the first time in 14 days, we were heading east, which meant only one thing—we were officially on our way home.

Travelogue

Lolo exploring Tufas of Mono LakeAnyone coming from or going to Yosemite via the Tioga Pass entrance should definitely make the short side trip to the “tufa castles” of Mono Lake.

Mono Lake is not your typical lake. Besides being over a million years old, and probably the oldest continuously existing lake in North America, it is 2 ½ times saltier than the ocean and 80 times more alkaline. This is because the water that flows in from the Sierra streams, carrying trace amounts of salts and minerals with it, has no way to leave the lake other than evaporation. So, the concentration levels of these salts and minerals keeps building up year after year. I think it’s the same reason that the Great Salt Lake in Utah is so salty. However, although the Great Salt Lake might be more famous for its saltiness, Mono Lake does have one it doesn’t—“tufa castles.” Tufa, not to be mistaken with “tofu,” are calcium-carbonate deposits that form in lakes with high calcium contents. Normally they would just be hidden beneath the water, but as lake levels dropped, they became exposed, some of them rising as high as 30 feet above the surface—and they do look like castles.

Lolo exploring brine flies of Mono LakeOne of the best places to see the tufas is at the Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve along the southern shoreline of the lake. You can get there by going south on 395 from the town of Lee Vining and then taking the turnoff for the State Reserve. From the parking lot, there is a mile-long loop trail that leads to a large concentration of tufa castles at Navy Beach. Although a ranger-led walk was forming when we got there, we decided to avoid the group-thing and enjoy the walk on our own. The “tufa castles” really were quite beautiful.

I was the only one of us that felt the need to swim amongst the tufas. The brine flies along the shoreline and the thought of the salt drying on our skin afterwards was not particularly appealing. The Gaidus men wisely chose to hang on the shore and photograph. With a wave of my arms, I parted the black mass of brine flies and entered the water. I expected to have to swim out to the castles, but the water never got any deeper than my knees. Well, it did make for a better photograph having one of us posing in front of the tufa castles.

Travelogue

Half Dome alpenglow reflectionYosemite Valley has unanimously bumped Lake Powell from its prominent position as our all-time favorite spot on Earth. Then why, I wondered, did so many people tell me of their negative experiences at Yosemite? When I dug a little deeper, I found that the common thread to their stories was their approach, which was to stay somewhere outside the Park and then drive in and try to “do the Valley” in a day. All they remembered were traffic jams and hordes of tourists on the trails.

However, there is an art to doing Yosemite right. First of all, you really have to stay in the Valley itself and allow yourself at least 3 days to do it justice. This does require planning your trip months in advance, because everyone wants to stay in the Valley. Secondly, you have find ways to get away from the crowds, which really isn’t that difficult once you know your way around. There are plenty of pullouts along the drives from which you can find a totally private spot on the river to float around and gaze up at the cliffs, and at night, the various meadows are a great place to get away by yourselves to watch the sunset or the stars. Also, if you are willing to hike more than a mile, you can leave most of the crowd behind you on the trails.

With that being said, the following is a description of how we spent a very wonderful and relatively crowd-free week in Yosemite Valley.

Day 0: Late Night Arrival

North Pine campsite with Lazy DazeThe family mood soared as we entered the Park through the Tioga Pass. I really didn’t think we were going to make it here today (see brakeline fiasco in Lone Pine). I couldn’t believe the change in the our enthusiasm level. We had definitely begun to drag from too many 100 degree plus days in the desert. Now it was evening, the air was crisp and fresh, the mountain lakes were sparkling, and there were big, beautiful pine trees as far as the eye could see—this was going to be so great!

By the time we finally arrived at the North Pines Campground in the Valley it was well after 10 o’clock. As we pulled into our campsite, we quickly turned off our headlights to avoid blinding the family gathered around a fire literally ten feet away from our front bumper. They certainly do pack you in tight here, much tighter than most National Parks, but it’s kind of a necessary evil. There are only about 400 campsites in the entire Yosemite Valley to accommodate the thousands and thousands of people who, like us, dream of camping in such an incredible place. Since we were one of the fortunate few to be able to reserve a site, I wasn’t about to complain about the tight accommodations.

Although we were exhausted, we were far too excited about being in Yosemite to just go to bed, so we went for a little stroll around the campground. The air was so fresh and the sky was so full of stars—the kind of sky you only see miles and miles away from the cities. Best of all, it was cool and green. I do love the desert, but it certainly does makes you appreciate trees.

Day 1: Valley Exploration by Bike

Boys in Ahwahnee Hotel "Great Lounge"The next morning, we decided to explore the Valley by bike. Yosemite Valley is a wonderful place to bike because it is flat and there are 8 miles of paved bike trails that cover the entire eastern section of the Valley, where most of the action is. Besides, the traffic can be pretty congested in the Valley, so we figured it would be better to just leave the RV parked at the campsite.

With backpacks loaded with cameras and spirits running high, we set off on our bikes to conquer the Valley. We crossed the bridge over the Merced River and got onto the bike path near Curry Village. At the intersection of the Northside and Southside Drives, we headed north towards Yosemite Village with the intention of doing the loop counter-clockwise.

Lolo and boys wading the MercedHowever, before going to Yosemite Village, we made a side trip to the historic Ahwahnee Hotel, which I think is one of the most beautiful in the National Park System. We had actually stayed here once when the kids were 7 and 5 years old, and it was an unforgettable experience. I remember that Herb had asked for a Half Dome view. When we checked into our room and opened the curtains, Herb almost fainted when Half Dome opened up before him. It was hard to get him away from that window. Well now we were campers, but that didn’t mean that we couldn’t enjoy the facilities. I planned to make the Ahwahnee lobby my extended living room and to talk Herb into a few meals here. Speaking of which, it was Tom’s 16th birthday the following day, so we made reservations for lunch in the elegant Ahwahnee dining room. Tom has had some pretty fantastic settings to celebrate his on-the-road birthdays, and I was sure this one would live up to what he had come to expect.

Back on our bikes, we headed over to Yosemite Village, which is the main center for visitor services in the park. As a result, it is pretty crowded throughout the day. However, if you need something during your stay in Yosemite, you’re bound to find it here. There are restaurants, lodging, a grocery store, post office, and even a medical clinic. Our goal in the Village was the Ansel Adams Gallery, which is run by his son Michael Adams. Over the years of travel, photography has become more of a passion than a mere hobby in our household, so the same way that kids have basketball or baseball players as their heroes, our boys pretty much have Ansel Adams. After viewing some of the wonderful prints on exhibit, both by Adams as well as several contemporary photographers, we signed up for a ranger-led Photography Walk later that week.

Lolo and boys on bikes approaching El CapitanFrom Yosemite Village, we continued on the bike path west towards El Capitan. We cruised right on by the Yosemite Falls Vista, since the roaring falls in mid-summer is reduced to a mere trickle.

However, there was plenty of water in the Merced River to have some fun, so we locked our bikes to a tree and spent a good part of the afternoon sunbathing on a sandy beach and swimming in the river. This was the life. The water was refreshing and the views were incredible. I only wished we had our tubes along, but they were back at the RV.

Once we were ready to move on, we followed the bike path south across Swinging Bridge and back alongside the Southside Drive towards the campground. Along the way we stopped at the tiny and often photographed Yosemite Chapel, hands down the cutest church I have ever seen. A bit further along, we came to Sentinel Bridge which we found was the place where Ansel Adams took some of his classic Half Dome shots. We would definitely have to come back here in the evenings when the sun was getting low.

Continuing on past the hustle and bustle of Curry Village, the other major center for visitor services in the park, we crossed back over the river and into the North Pines Campground, our home for the week.

We had seven nights reserved in North Pines. Originally, I thought we might choose to stay only five nights and then move on to something new, but after our first day in the Valley, we unanimously decided to spend every day we could in this Paradise.

Day 2: Tommy’s Birthday Lunch at the Ahwahnee and Hike to Glacier Point

Ahwahnee Hotel dining roomWhen we were planning our stay in Yosemite, the one hike that we all agreed just had to be done was the one up the cable route on the back of Half Dome. Herb and I had done this hike 20 years ago (in our previous lives) and remembered it as the most challenging and rewarding hike that we had ever done.

The hike, however, is a serious one—16 miles out and back with an elevation gain of 4800 feet. Although we all are in pretty good shape, especially the boys, we thought it would be a good idea to do a warm-up hike first to make sure everything was working properly, like hiking boots, 50-year-old legs, etc.

As our warm-up, we chose to do the hike up to Glacier Point from the Valley via the 4-Mile Trail as it would give us some good elevation gain (3200 feet) and distance (9.2 miles round-trip) as well as some great views along the way.

Mom and Dad on Four Mile trail to Glacier Point - TJGHowever, before setting out on our hike, we had Tommy’s birthday lunch at the Ahwahnee to enjoy. This would work out great, because we would be so nice and full from lunch that we wouldn’t have to worry about packing food for the hike. When we got to the Ahwahnee, we requested the Queen’s Table, which is where Queen Elizabeth ate during one of her visits here. However, since it was already occupied, we were seated at the table next to it in a lovely little alcove at the back of the dining room. Quite honestly, I don’t remember what we ate that day, probably because the views from the floor-to-ceiling windows are so spectacular that I was too overwhelmed to even notice or care what I was eating. However, based on the list of dignitaries and celebrities that have dined here, I’m sure the food was wonderful.

After lunch, we changed into our hiking clothes and rode our bikes over to the trailhead for the Four Mile Trail to Glacier Point, located along the Southside Drive. There were no bike racks, so we walked out bikes off the trail and locked them up to a tree behind a large boulder. Hopefully, we would remember where they were when we returned later that evening.

Half Dome and pine trees from Four Mile TrailThe hike was fairly strenuous with dozens of switchbacks to conquer, but the views of the Valley from some of the more exposed areas were well worth the effort. While we saw no other hikers along the entire four miles up, Glacier Point itself was full of tourists drinking lattes and eating ice cream, as most people arrive at Glacier Point by tour bus. Some of the hardier ones do choose to do the hike one-way back down to the Valley, but I think to really earn it you should climb it as well. Once on top, we fought our way through the throngs to a rock ledge with the best view of Half Dome and the Valley floor, set up a tripod, and took a potential Gaidus Family Christmas picture. Then we too had some ice cream before heading back down the trail to the Valley.

Although the way down was much less strenuous, it was also a lot harder on the knees, so we took lots of photo breaks along the way. Also, I had only packed my trail running shoes and they didn’t have nearly as good traction as my hiking boots, so I kept slipping and sliding on the loose gravel. Andrew and Tommy were kind enough to hold my hand on the steep parts, so that I wouldn’t fall. This slowed us down a bit. By the time we got back down, it had gotten pretty dark, and we were all a little spooked about running into a bear in the woods while trying to find our bikes, so we clapped our hands and made some noise to scare any lurking bears away. We found our bikes without incident and wearily rode them back to the campground to make dinner.

Half Dome and Royal Arches from Four Mile TrailThat night I was awoken from my peaceful slumber by what sounded like a mule screaming in pain. Since we were camping right next to the Yosemite Stables, this was not as implausible as it sounds. In my half-awakened state, I envisioned bears running amuck through the stables terrorizing the horses and mules. When I looked out the back window, I saw utter mayhem. People were running around like crazy, shining flashlights up trees, while a ranger’s truck kept circling the campground. I couldn’t believe that Herb and the boys were sleeping through this. They probably wouldn’t believe me in the morning and think that I had dreamt it all. Most of the people were now congregated around a tall pine tree in the campsite across the way, shining their flashlights up into the branches. I figured it must be an animal of some sort, most likely a bear. Gradually the group disbanded and I fell back asleep.

El Capitan Alpenglow - TJGThe next morning I was determined to find out what all the commotion had been about. When I told Herb and the boys about the mule noise, Andrew’s sleepy response was, “How does Mom know what a mule in pain sounds like?” That was not exactly the question I had expected. When I noticed that the guy in the campsite where the action had occurred was packing up his tent, I quickly ran out to conduct what Herb refers to as a “Lolo Extreme interview.” I call it being nosy.

Our neighbor told me that the previous evening while lying in his tent, he had watched the silhouette of two bear cubs pass by his tent. As if that wasn’t disconcerting enough, it was soon followed by the silhouette of the mama. I guess other campers saw the bears and that’s when the commotion began. The two little cubs ran up the pine tree on his campsite, which I guess got the mother bear pretty upset. I’m not sure who was more scared of who, the bears or the campers. Eventually, the cubs came down and ran off with their mama. I still have no idea what the source of the screaming mule sound was.

Apparently, these bear episodes are not uncommon in the campgrounds, so every night rangers ride through the campgrounds persuading them to leave. I spent the rest of my nights in Yosemite gazing out my back window waiting for some more bear excitement, but it never reoccurred while we were there.

Day 3: Floating on the Merced and Photographing Half Dome from Sentinel Bridge

Lolo and boys tubing the MercedDay 3 was to be our rest day between the Glacier Point hike and the trek up the back of Half Dome, so we decided to spend it floating around the Merced River. Now that we knew our way around the Valley a lot better, we realized that we could pretty easily take the RV and find a pullout along either the Northside or Southside Drives from which we could access the river. This way we would have all the conveniences of home along with us, including our tubes, and could use that spot as a base camp for the day. We could run or bike from there, make lunch, shower, etc. It turned out to be a great idea, and one that we would repeat several times that week.

Fortunately, there were enough choices of pullouts to allow us to be quite fussy in our selection. We chose one along the Northside Drive where there wasn’t much room for other cars, so that as Herb put it “we could have a little piece of paradise to ourselves.” Half Dome from Sentinel Bridge with Andrew tubingUnlike the sandy beach we had been at the other day, this section had a rocky shoreline, but our Crazy Creek chairs worked just fine on the rocks. Also, the river was narrower and rockier here, so the current was much faster and more fun for tubing. The boys found a section a little bit downstream that was pretty fast and required some maneuvering between rocks. They suckered me into being part of a human chain, placing me on the tube in the middle so that I couldn’t escape. Not noticing that the nozzle of my tube was open, I bounced my butt along the rocks on uninflated vinyl. The boys were quite amused when I picked up my flaccid tube at the end of our ride. Herb tried it next, but he did it the wimpy way—on an inflated tube.

Later that afternoon we moved the RV to a parking area near Sentinel Bridge where we intended to photograph Half Dome when the lighting got low. We were definitely not the only ones with this idea. The bridge was already full of photographers with some very impressive tripods and camera gear, but we managed to stake out some territory of our own. The reason this spot is so popular with photographers is the way the light hits Half Dome at this time of day and the way the Merced River, which flows through the foreground of the picture, creates a second image of Half Dome in its reflection. Half Dome alpenglowWe wanted to personalize our photos, so we sent Andrew out as our stunt tuber to float down the river. After a few passes under the bridge, he decided he had had enough and came up to take some pictures of his own. Meanwhile I went back to the RV and cooked up a chicken marsala dinner.

After dinner, we walked out on the bridge once more to take one last look at Half Dome before calling it a night. To our surprise, it was no longer completely in shadow, but lit by a beautiful reddish glow. We later learned that this phenomenon, known as alpenglow, occurs as the scattered light from the setting sun hits the mountains. Whatever it was called, it was stunning. We ran back to the RV for our cameras, and just got in a few shots before the lights went out on Half Dome for good that night.

Day 4: Half Dome Hike

Lolo and boys hiking up Half Dome's shoulderThe next day (Day 4) was the one we had all been anxiously anticipating – the 16-mile round-trip hike from the Valley up the steep back of Half Dome via a precarious cable route, with a total elevation gain of 4800 feet. We awoke at 5:30, very early for us, to get an early start on what was estimated to be a 10-12 hour hike.

After packing our backpacks full of camera gear, snacks, and plenty of water, we rode our bikes over to the Happy Isles Nature Center to start our trek up to Half Dome. From Happy Isles we followed the Mist Trail through a lovely forest of ponderosa pines and black oaks. The trail was rough asphalt and pretty flat at first, but it soon steepened and became much rockier. At .8 miles we came to Vernal Bridge and a great view of Vernal Falls rushing towards us. Vernal Falls is one of the few falls in Yosemite that don’t dry up in the summer, so the hike to it is very popular this time of year. There are flush toilets and drinking fountains near Vernal Bridge. In fact, this is the only place to get water along the entire hike, unless you choose to treat water from the Merced.

Half Dome cable view from top of shoulderA little bit past the bridge we came to a junction with the John Muir Trail, but continued upriver on the Mist Trail, which was not really a trail anymore but rather a steep granite stairway of seemingly endless rocky steps. With each step we became more and more aware of the approaching falls as it got louder and louder and began to spray us with a fine mist. Finally we reached the brink of the falls and gazed down its thundering cascade from behind the safety of a guard rail.

Herb looked at his altimeter watch and informed us that we had climbed 1,000 feet so far. I felt like choking him. That meant we had 3,800 more feet to go. This was going to be a very long day.

Just beyond the top of the falls, the trail led past the Emerald Pool, full of happy swimmers ignoring the Danger No Swimming signs. I must admit that the thought of hanging here in the sun for the day was tempting—which was what most of these people were doing—but onward to Half Dome we must go. Then, I suggested a quick swim to cool off, but the more practical part of the family didn’t want to hike all wet. So, we decided to swim on the way back down. It would give me something to look forward to.

Half Dome cables with climbing touristsOn a more practical note, there are outhouses near Emerald Pool. The next bathroom stop wouldn’t be until Little Yosemite Valley.

Right past the Emerald Pool, we crossed a bridge back over the Merced and began the steep climb up a series of endless switchbacks with Liberty Cap to our left and Nevada Falls slipping in and out of view ahead. At mile 2.8 the Mist Trail came to an end and joined up with the John Muir trail. You can take the John Muir trail a short distance to the right to a bridge over the Nevada Falls, but we took a left and kept plodding onward following the signs towards Half Dome. I checked Herb’s altimeter watch. We had gained 2,000 feet in elevation, less than half of what we had to do that day. This was going to be a humbling experience.

We continued on through Little Yosemite Valley, where Herb and I had backpacked 20 years ago. There was a very nice restroom to stop at there—the last one we would encounter on our way up. Unfortunately, there was no water and we were going through ours pretty quickly. We were going to have to start rationing.

Dad on Half Dome ledge - TJGEventually we came to a trail junction signed for Half Dome, 2.5 miles away. Another check of the altimeter watch showed that we were at 7,000 feet, just 1,800 more to go. We continued our ascent through a lovely forest of Jeffrey Pines and red firs. The boys were now in the lead and I was dragging a bit behind. About this time, a black bear ran full speed across the trail, just a few yards in front of the boys. I, however, must have been staring down at my weary feet and missed it. After that, the boys stuck a lot closer to Herb and me.

Finally, after what seemed like a week, the back of Half Dome came into view. The trail continued up the shoulder of Half Dome in a series of very steep and rocky switchbacks. I wasn’t looking forward to coming back down these in my poorly tractioned trail running shoes, but I wouldn’t worry about that ‘til later. I had plenty enough to worry about for now. This part of Half Dome was hairy enough, and we hadn’t even gotten to the cables yet. For some reason I don’t remember this being so bad when we did it 20 years ago. They must have made it steeper. There were lots of signs warning hikers to turn back if a storm was approaching, but we had no excuse—the sky was perfectly clear.

Half Dome summit view in sunglasses - AJGWe made it to the big rock slab at the base of the cables, where we found dozens of other hikers just sitting there, staring in awe at the cables and contemplating their next move. We joined them and started staring as well. It really was very intimidating. The route was about 400 feet up the back side of the dome, and so steep that hikers need to hold onto cables to make the ascent. The steel cables are about 3 feet apart and are suspended at arm’s height from pipes set in the rock. About every 10 feet or so there are wooden boards attached to the rock to serve as a place to place your feet and rest.

Fortunately, we didn’t know at the time that a hiker had fallen to his death from these cables a month ago, or we probably would have talked ourselves out of it. Rationally, I knew if I just held on tight to the cables, I would be fine. The trouble was that the cables were really crowded with people going both up and down, so that as you passed each other, you had to let go with one hand and hold onto the cable on one side with both your hands as the people went by. That was going to be the tough part. When Herb and I did this 20 years ago, I don’t remember there being anybody else but us on the cables, but today there must have been at least 50 people at a time on the route

Lolo cautiously descending Half Dome cablesIt was interesting to watch and listen to the other hikers’ discussions about whether or not to go up. You couldn’t predict their decision by looking at them. There were two couples near us that came up with a split decision. The girls decided to go up while the guys remained behind. Fear of heights was not a matter of machismo.

I knew there was no way we weren’t all going to do it, but Andrew and I were definitely more apprehensive about it than Herb and Tommy. In a crevasse of a rock at the base of the cables we found a bunch of rubber gloves which people had left behind for other hikers to use while gripping the cables. I selected a hot pink pair.

At this point I just wanted to get it over with, so we started our ascent. Tommy was worried that I would be the weak link, so he very kindly went behind me, I guess with the intention of catching me if I slipped. With sweaty palms inside my hot pink gloves, I gripped those cables, pulling myself further and further up the Dome. My arms actually hurt later from the pulling, but Herb told me that if I had used my legs more, I wouldn’t have had to pull so hard. The entire 15 minutes or so it took to get to the top, I never took my eyes away from the granite face in front of me, knowing full well I was missing out on an awesome view of Clouds Rest behind me. That view could wait until I got to the top. The final part of the ascent gets a lot less steep and before I knew it I was standing on the large flat summit of Half Dome (elevation 8,842 feet). All of Yosemite Valley and Tenaya Canyon spread out before us. It was absolutely breathtaking!

Lolo and boys descending Half Dome shoulderNear the dome’s highest point, there is a slab of rock that protrudes out beyond the cliff face, kind of like a diving board. I remember looking up at Half Dome from the Valley Floor and thinking that it looked like Half Dome’s eyebrow. Some of the braver hikers on top walked out onto this slab to get their pictures taken. Some even sat on its edge with their legs dangling over. It made my palm sweats just watching them. 20 years ago, when Half Dome was less high, Herb had walked out on this slab so I could take his picture. I too had followed, sort of. Herb has a very embarrassing picture of me crawling like a worm out onto the ledge.

Herb, who was an avid rock climber for over 10 years before the kids were born, felt the need to walk out on the overhang once again. However, he did admit to feeling a bit of vertigo that he hadn’t experienced the last time. Tommy walked out next and had no problem, except for the embarrassment of his mother yelling for him to get back from the edge. Andrew and I decided to just enjoy the view from the safety of a broader and flatter surface.

Andrew and Nevada FallsI could never completely relax on top because I knew that I had to get down the cables again, and I had a feeling that going down was going to be a lot worse than going up. There are two different approaches to going down. One is walking forward while looking out at the expansive view before you, and the other is going backwards while pretending you’re really interested in the geological make-up of the granite you have your face pressed against. While Herb and the boys were okay with either, I chose the latter method, which is a bit slower. I think I caused a little gridlock at one point, but frankly I didn’t care. What was everybody’s rush?

I think that probably the worst part of the entire hike for me was climbing down the steep rocky switchbacks on Half Dome’s shoulder below the cable route. The gravel was so loose that I kept slipping and sliding the whole way. Fortunately, my butt only made contact with the ground once.

It was a long way back and we were almost out of water. I really thought we had packed more than enough, but it was so hot and the hike was so strenuous that I guess we drank a lot more than we anticipated. We should have brought along a water filter or iodine tablets so that we could have drank the water from the Merced River. It looked so tempting, but we knew how sick we could get if we drank it unpurified.

Near Nevada Falls, there is a choice of ways down to the Valley. The John Muir Trail is slightly longer and less steep. Many people use this trail to make the hike to Vernal and Nevada Falls a loop with the Mist Trail. We, however, chose to retrace our steps on the Mist Trail because we wanted to swim in the Emerald Pool.

Lolo and Andrew at the Emerald PoolHowever, when we finally got back to the Emerald Pool, we were so thirsty that we didn’t know whether we should stop to swim or just continue on for water. We knew that there were water fountains about 1 ½ miles ahead at the Vernal Falls Footbridge, but I really wanted to swim. Luckily, Andrew found an unopened bottle of Gatorade in the bottom of his backpack, and solved the problem.

The Pool was still quite full of people ignoring the Danger No Swimming signs. I think the real danger is in the springtime when the water flows so swiftly that there is a real chance of being swept downstream over the falls, but in mid-summer the current just isn’t strong enough. The water was very refreshing and it certainly felt good to wash away the layers of dirt that had accumulated from 10 hours on the trail.

Feeling reinvigorated, we continued down the steep rocky steps past Vernal Falls and back to our bikes at Happy Isles. It had been a very challenging but extremely rewarding day. I think we should do this hike every 20 years.

Day 5: Ranger-led Photography Walk, Sentinel Beach, and Ahwahnee Meadow

Half Dome with flowersThe next morning we rode our bikes to Yosemite Village for our scheduled Photography Walk with a park ranger. When I saw that the group gathered in front of the Ansel Adams Gallery included several young children, I was concerned that the talk would be too basic and that Herb and the boys would be bored, but I worried for naught, because our ranger was amazing. She was able to connect with group members of all abilities, from kids with point-and-shoot cameras to the most sophisticated of photographers. I think that every one of us learned something new that day.

For the next hour or so, she took us on a stroll through a meadow we hadn’t been to before and taught us to focus on some of the more intimate details of nature that one rarely takes notice of in a place surrounded by such overwhelming icons as Half Dome and El Capitan.

Lolo and boys relaxing at Sentinel BeachWe were all pretty sore from our Half Dome hike the day before, so the most activity we wanted for the rest of the day was relaxing and floating on the river. We rode our bikes back to the RV and went on a quest to find the perfect river spot. After missing a few opportunities to pull over, we decided to pull into the Sentinel Beach Picnic Area along the Southside Drive. Since this was a parking area, we didn’t have it all to ourselves like our spot along the Northside Drive the other day, but by wading across the river to the beach on the other side, we pretty much did. Also, from this side of the river, we could just sit back and gaze at Sentinel Rock. The river was a bit wider and slower here than our spot the other day, so the tubing was more leisurely than exciting. The boys took the tubes up the river to Swinging Bridge a few times where the water was a bit faster and then drifted back down to us.

Mom and Dad at Ahwahnee Meadow - AJGIn the evenings, we usually tried to find a scenic spot to park the RV where we could have dinner and take some photographs. On this particular evening, we parked on the road south of the Ahwahnee and set up our beach chairs in the Ahwahnee Meadow facing Half Dome. The amazing thing was that despite the thousands of visitors who were running around the Valley, we were the only living souls that had come to spend an evening in this beautiful meadow. The boys went for a run while Herb and I sat in our chairs sipping wine, and as Herb said, “wait for the Big Fella to turn colors.” We got a bit nostalgic—perhaps it was the wine—as we reminisced about sitting in this same meadow as newlyweds over 20 years ago. Things had changed a bit since then. We were a bit more seasoned now, and rather than just being by ourselves, we had two wonderful happy and healthy boys running laps around this very meadow, waving to us on each pass. Oh, and one other thing had changed—Half Dome had gotten bigger and the cables steeper since I last climbed it.

When the boys got back, we set up the tripods in the meadow and just hung out there while Half Dome did its “alpenglow” thing. It was so peaceful and serene that none of us wanted to leave, so we just stayed on and waited for the stars to come out. As it got darker and darker, I got to thinking more and more about bears and whether they liked meadows as much as they did campgrounds. While Herb and the boys took time-lapsed exposures of the surrounding cliffs and stars, I protected the family by keeping watch for any suspicious movements in the field. I’m not sure what I would have done if there was, but thankfully I didn’t have to find out.

It was well after 10 o’clock before we left the meadow that night. I think we were all becoming aware of how little time we had left in Yosemite and didn’t want to waste one precious moment of it.

Day 6: El Capitan Vista, More Floating on the Merced, and the Ahwahnee

Gaidus family on log with El CapitanWell, it had finally arrived—our last full day in Yosemite. I think for all of us the significance of this was bigger than just Yosemite. It symbolized the end of an era and probably the happiest week we had ever spent together as a family—and believe me we’ve had many. Soon after our return home Andrew would be heading off to college, and life as we knew it would be forever changed. Or maybe it was just me thinking these mushy thoughts while the Gaidus men were just worrying about where to float on the river that day.

For our farewell tour of the Valley, we decided to take the RV out for the day and drive the 12 or so miles of the Valley Loop once again, stopping wherever and whenever we felt like it. Also, we thought it was time we paid a little more attention to Yosemite’s other famous landmark in the western end of the Valley—El Capitan.

El Capitan "Nose"We drove along the Northside Drive and pulled into a parking area with a great view of El Cap. It really is an impressive sight—3,000 feet of the largest piece of exposed granite in the world. Since there was no one else there, we thought it would be a good place to compose another family Christmas picture. There was even a conveniently placed log with El Capitan looming behind it that we could all squeeze onto. With the aid of tripod and self-timer, we managed to get off a few good shots just before a tour bus pulled into the parking area. Soon there were dozens of people scurrying around trying to get their own perfect shot of El Cap. We decided to hide in the RV until the crowd left.

It actually was pretty entertaining. After they were done photographing El Cap, many of the people became interested in peeking into the RV, not realizing that we were in there and that although they couldn’t see in through the tinted windows in the back, we could see them perfectly. I felt like I was in an aquarium.

We continued on, making the turn near the exit onto the Southside Drive to head back towards the eastern end of the Valley. It was another hot day in the upper 90s, so we began our search for a pullout with river access. This time we stopped at one that required a little further walk through the forest to get down to the river, but that was okay. I think it was called El Capitan Vista, but if it wasn’t, it should have been.

Boy's getting "wi-fi" at the AhwahneeFor pure swimming and beaching, this wasn’t as good a spot as some of our other stops this week, but it was by far the best in terms of views and solitude—two very important Gaidus criteria. We were directly across the river from El Capitan and could even see little tiny climbers on its face. In fact, except for those climbers, there was no one else in sight. After spending the rest of the afternoon floating and gazing at El Capitan, we unanimously dubbed this our favorite river spot.

Later that afternoon, we moved the RV to our spot near the Ahwahnee Meadow and walked across the meadow to the Ahwahnee to have dinner on the outdoor patio. The boys had another motive for wanting to go to the Ahwahnee—WIFI. It had been 8 days since they last had Internet access and they were beginning to show signs of withdrawal. So they brought their laptops along and made themselves quite at home in one of the lovely sitting rooms of the hotel; and just like at home, they wouldn’t come to dinner when I called them. So Herb and I enjoyed a glass of wine alone, which was quite nice, before they finally decided to join us. Dinner was great—much more casual and affordable than the elegant dining room inside. However, I still think everyone should experience eating in the Ahwahnee dining room at least once during a visit to the Valley.

After dinner it was back to the sitting room for more laptopping before finally returning home across the meadow.

Day 7: Departure

All good things must come to an end, so we said farewell to the Valley and drove back out along Tioga Road and through the East Entrance. Yosemite had been a real vacation for me. Now I had to get back to work, plotting interesting and exciting stops for our journey home. Yosemite would be a hard act to follow.

Travelogue

Dad fixing brakes - TJGThe western route out of Death Valley was much steeper and twisting than we had anticipated, but quite beautiful as the Death Valley ranger had said. After a particularly intense series of twists and turns, we pulled over to enjoy the view and to let our brakes take a well-need rest. That’s when Herb discovered that he could press the brake pedal all the way down to the floor with little or no resistance. We waited a bit to see if letting them cool off would help, but to no avail.

We weren’t sure what to do. The options weren’t that great. Having the RV towed out of Death Valley to some semblance of civilization would probably cost more than our entire vacation. Driving it as is wasn’t particular appealing either.

We turned on the laptop and looked at our map program to see how far away we were from the next town. The news wasn’t good. The nearest town was Lone Pine, and it was about 25 or 30 miles away. However, there was some good news as well. The road from here to Lone Pine was straight as an arrow, meaning that the mountains and twisting turns were behind us and we were into the flatlands.

Road out of Death ValleyWe decided to go for it—driving slowly and downshifting to slow us down. Fortunately, the road was perfect for this—straight, flat, and totally devoid of other vehicles. I don’t think we passed another car the whole 25 miles. Still, it was quite tense.

At one point I glanced back at the boys in the rear of the RV and saw them contentedly watching a Seinfeld episode on TV. They were oblivious to the situation. We decided not to ruin it for them.

Eventually, we saw the intersection for US 395 (which is also the Main Street of Lone Pine) up ahead and slowly coasted and downshifted to a stop at the light. We noticed a Visitor Center on our left, so we pulled in to inquire about where we could get some mechanical assistance for our problem.

Mind you, it was already lunch time on Saturday, and since nothing was going to be open on Sunday, time was of the essence. Also, the family had gotten quite cranky about the blistering heat of the past few days and was very much looking forward to our stay in Yosemite Valley, which was supposed to begin that evening.

Lazy Daze without brake fluid at turnoutAt the Visitor Center, we found that our choices were the lone mechanic in town (I’m sure his prices would be cheap) or a NAPA auto parts store. As I expected, Herb who is definitely a do it yourself kind of guy, decided to go the NAPA route. We slowly inched our way through town and pulled into a parking lot right across the street from the NAPA.

Herb took out some old towels and crawled under the RV to assess the situation, while we all anxiously gathered round to hear the verdict. The sounds we heard from beneath the RV were definitely not good. It was probably about as bad as it could get—the right rear brake line had rusted and split opening, explaining why we had lost all our brake fluid. I think this was a bigger job than even Herb anticipated, but we were all so used to him being able to fix everything that we just assumed everything would be okay and that we would be on our way in a few hours.

The boys went off on a run, while Herb and I went over to the NAPA to see what could be done. As we expected, they didn’t have a direct replacement for the brake line, but they did have the parts to kludge one. While they began working on that, Herb went back across the street to crawl under the RV and remove the old brake line. Poor Herb. It was about 105 degrees out and the brake line was not coming out easily because of a lot of rusting. However, Herb finally did manage to get it out, as I knew he would, and brought it across the street to the NAPA. Meanwhile, the clock was ticking away. It was already 3:00 and the NAPA store was closing at 5:00. The guys in the store were great, but I’m sure they didn’t plan on wasting their Saturday night on our brake line. The kludging of the new brake line got pretty tense at one point, when the only steel tube they had in stock had to be bent into position. If it broke, we would be spending a good deal more of our vacation in Lone Pine than we wanted to.

Not that Lone Pine isn’t nice. It really is. There is a great view of Mt. Whitney from the corner by the NAPA store. In fact, Ansel Adams took one of his famous shots of Mt. Whitney from this very town. However, we still really wanted to be in Yosemite by bedtime.

Thankfully, the construction of our new brakeline went off without a hitch. The NAPA men had done their part and now it was up to poor Herb to install it. He’s definitely my hero. He worked the rest of the afternoon in the blistering heat and got us to Yosemite Valley before midnight.

What a day, but it could have been a lot worse. Herb had nightmares that night of losing the brakes while going down the steep descents out of Death Valley. He was going to really need this week in Yosemite to recover.

Travelogue

Lolo at Zabriski Point OverlookI don’t think we were all approaching Death Valley with the proper level of enthusiasm that it deserved. Lake Mead’s oppressive heat had drained us, and as far as the boys were concerned, Death Valley was going to be a Lake Mead, minus the lake—not a very appealing thought at that moment.

We entered Death Valley from the east on Route 190 and made our first stop at Zabriskie Point, which according to the guide book was one of the most spectacular overlooks in the park. I had a hard time convincing the men to get out of the air-conditioned RV to climb up the steep hill to the viewpoint, but I knew they wouldn't stay behind for too long. They just wanted to make sure I knew how miserable they were. The thermometer on the dashboard read 120°F. Even though they wouldn’t admit it, I think we all felt that the view of the colorful badlands of Golden Canyon was definitely well worth it. I walked out on the actual point so Herb could take my picture. The boys were too cranky to follow.

Scotty's Castle courtyardWe continued on to the Furnace Creek area where we were surprised to see some greenery and tall palm tress—very different from the rest of Death Valley. There is a beautiful, and quite pricey, resort here complete with an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, and spring-fed swimming pools.

After a brief stop at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, we headed onto the North Highway for the 50-mile drive to Scotty’s Castle, one of the most popular attractions in Death Valley. The drive north took us through some very desolate but beautiful scenery, with desert stretching to the west and mountains rising to the east. Along the way we saw some of Death Valley’s renowned alluvial fans, which are these beautiful and colorful fan-like piles of debris that funnel out of the mountains and spill out across the valley.

About 40 miles into the drive, we noticed that we were being followed. A small coyote, with panting tongue, was running alongside our RV. Whenever we slowed down it did, and whenever we sped up, it followed suit. We couldn’t understand how he could keep up that pace in the heat. Later when we told a ranger about the coyote, she explained that he was looking for a handout and that they were often quite clever at achieving this. I felt kind of badly that we didn’t give him anything for his efforts, but then again, we know that feeding wildlife in the parks is not a very wise thing to do.

Death Valley sand duneScotty’s Castle was definitely very cool and worth the extra drive. It’s also located at a higher elevation than the rest of the Valley, so the heat was a little less oppressive. I must say that on the approach it was pretty odd to see a Moorish Castle rise out of an otherwise empty and unhospitable landscape.

The tours themselves are given by park rangers dressed in 1930s clothing who greet you at the door as if you are one of Scotty’s guests. I won’t give it away, but the tales of how this unlikely castle came to be were definitely very entertaining and intriguing. In fact, Scotty never really owned the castle at all. The one-hour tour is a definite must for anyone visiting Death Valley.

Since it was getting late and the men were still a bit cranky from the heat, we decided not to make the side trip to the Ubehebe Crater, but to head straight back down the North Highway to Stovepipe Wells where we planned to camp for the night.

Stovepipe Wells gas pumps - AJGBack in March when I was planning this trip I had called the Stovepipe Wells campground to make sure that they were open in July (as it is the off season) and to ask whether reservations were necessary. I didn’t realize at the time why the gentleman on the phone sounded so amused by my questions, but when we pulled into the village of Stovepipe Wells on this July afternoon, I realized how foolish my second question was. The campground, which was quite large—I think over 200 sites—was totally empty. The only other inhabitant was a bedraggled-looking raven with its mouth open, gasping for air in an attempt to regulate its body temperature. I think he was the campground host.

Check-in was at the small motel across the road, and the nice woman behind the counter gave us the premier site #6 (one of the 15 with electric) and told us that we were welcome to use the motel pool. I knew where I would be spending the evening.

There wasn’t that much to the village, but it actually was quite nice and compact. Besides the campground and the motel, there was a general store, a saloon, and a restaurant—pretty much all a tired tourist needed after a long hot day out on the desert..

Stovepipe Wells General Store - AJGThe pool was just what we needed. We did notice that everyone else hanging out at the pool was European, which is something we often find when visiting the National Parks in the West. We had heard that Americans usually only come to Death Valley in the winter—I now know why—but Europeans come here in summer to experience the essence of Death Valley, which is its extreme heat. The hotter the better. Well, they must have been very happy.

If we had more time to spend in Death Valley, there definitely would have been a lot of other stops I would have liked to make, like Badwater (just to say I had been at the lowest and hottest place in the U.S.), the Ubehebe Crater, and the infamous Racetrack, where rocks mysteriously move on their own. Maybe next time, but certainly not in July again.

The next morning, we took a ranger’s advice and headed towards Yosemite via the west entrance of the park, where the drive was said to be spectacular—and it was. Little did we know at the time that we would be making an unscheduled stop in the town of Lone Pine where we would become far too familiar with the NAPA Auto Parts staff. I’ll explain in the next stop.

Travelogue

Andrew waterskiing Lake Mead - TJGThe best word to describe Lake Mead in the summer time is “HOT!!” It was 120 °F when we arrived and despite it being “dry” heat as opposed to the humid heat back home, it still was extremely uncomfortable. As we checked into our campground at Echo Bay, we looked longingly down at the lake, but alas, it was not to be. The gentleman at the desk of the Seven Crowns Resort informed us that there was no beach or lake access at Echo Bay, nor for that matter, from anywhere nearby. I wanted to reach across the desk and choke him with my sweaty hands.

The water looked so inviting, but we would just have to wait until tomorrow when we had our ski boat rental. Not having much else to do in the heat, we decided to go down to the marina and make sure that everything was set for tomorrow. At the docks we encountered the most bizarre scene – hundreds of 2-foot long carp with gaping mouths practically climbing all over each other in their attempts to get a handout. It looked like a scene from a horror movie. However, it did succeed in making the water seem a little less tempting. I think we were all silently hoping that these creatures remained near the docks and that we wouldn’t be swimming amongst them tomorrow.

Lazy Daze at Lake Mead Campground by moonlightWe drove back up the long hill to the campground, which disappointingly did not have a view of the lake. However, it did have electric, so we plugged in and waited for the AC to kick in. Gradually it got down to a relatively refreshing 85 °F.

The boys had been absent from civilization (as in Internet access) for several days now, so they took their laptops and rode down the steep hill to the Seven Crowns Motel where there was free WIFI (and probably better AC than we could get in the RV). They were gone for hours.

The next morning we arose bright and early to claim our ski boat at the earliest possible hour. After about a half-hour instruction from the marina on boat do’s and don’t, we were ready to go. All my bad thoughts about Lake Mead melted away as we skimmed across the water taking in the awesome scenery. We took advantage of the early morning calm waters to do some waterskiing. The marina people had warned us that July was monsoon season and that the winds really picked up in the afternoon. We would later find out how true that was, but for now we blissfully cruised the lake looking for a cove to hang out in for the day. We didn’t have any detailed charts of the lake so we weren’t exactly sure where we were going, but we did find a great cove in what we think was Temple Bay.

Andrew diving off boat with many preservers - TJGThere really aren’t beaches along this part of the lake, so we just tied the boat up to rocks on either side of a canyon and swam from the boat. The water was a superb 80 °F, perfect for just floating in the two collapsible floats we brought along. As usual, the boys found a creative way to entertain themselves, similar to the “scrotum squeezer” they had invented 2 years prior on our trip to Lake Powell (see Trip 2005 – Lake Powell if this has piqued your interest). It’s not as bad as it sounds. What they do is try to see how many life preservers they can put on themselves and then jump in the water. This year they achieved 8—1 normally placed, one upside down worn like a diaper (the illustrious “scrotum squeezer”), 2 on each arm, and 2 around their necks. Needless to say, this outfit made for some interesting dives off the boat.

Dragonfly on Dad's toe - AJGEventually, we left our secluded cove and headed back out onto the main part of the lake. As foretold, the winds had picked up a great deal and there were some serious white caps on the lake. However, we still had an hour or two left on the rental, and we were not about to return this boat 1 minute sooner than we had to. We scanned the shore and saw a beach that looked somewhat protected from the wind. As we slowly approached the beach, I took a line from the boat and suavely jumped off the bow onto the shore to secure us. Unfortunately, what deceptively looked a lot like sand was actually muck, and I sank straight down to my thighs. I wasn’t sure if and when I was going to stop sinking. Needless to say, Herb and the boys were hysterical as I struggled to remove myself from this predicament. It wasn’t pretty.

Andrew photographing Lake Mead carpThe boys have less of a problem than I do playing in muck, so they quickly jumped in to join me. Unfortunately, there were some broken shells buried in the muck and they both managed to cut themselves.

Knowing the heat awaiting us back at the campground, we swam around till the very last minute before returning to the Marina. After returning the boat, we killed some time playing with the giant carp that hung around the dock. Herb was the only one brave enough to hand feed them Ritz Crackers. They really were harmless—no teeth and all lips.

That evening, despite the heat, the boys really had to get in a long run. They waited until it got dark and a bit cooler (100 °F). For some reason they went separate ways. Tommy decided to leave the campground and run along the road away from the lake. On the way back, he did some unplanned intervals after a coyote came out of the bushes alongside the road. Meanwhile, Andrew decided to do 40 laps around the campground loop, which we had previously measured as a ¼ mile. I think the entire campground must have thought he was crazy.

Well, I think we were all pretty much done with the heat and ready to move on. However, our next stop was Death Valley, so we would all have to put up with it for a little bit longer.

Travelogue

Tom getting waterfall "big air"Not wanting to face another long driving day without some fun, we left I-70 after the town of Green River and took the more scenic Highway 24 through Capitol Reef National Park. It was a bit longer and slower than staying on the highway, but well worth it. I also had just the right destination in mind—the Fremont River Waterfall, which we had discovered on our visit here in 2005.

Now that we were veterans, we found the very easy-to-miss parking lot for the falls and climbed through the bushes down to its base. We were surprised to find that we were all alone, except for a heap of clothing lying on the beach. I kind of wondered where the owner was and whether they were coming back. On our past visits, there had been quite a crowd splashing around in the pool beneath the falls or clambering up the slippery rocks beside it to jump into its thunderous spray. Now here we were on a hot summer afternoon with the place to ourselves.

I ventured into the pool first and walked in waist-deep water towards the falls. As I got closer to it, I could feel it sort of pulling me—much more powerful than I had remembered it being the last time I swam here. Meanwhile the boys had entered the water and were heading towards the falls. I warned them to be careful as it seemed to be a bit stronger this year. With the enthusiasm and invincibility of youth they grabbed a branch and said they would use that to pull each other out if necessary. I really didn’t think there was any danger. After all, we had swum right under the falls many times in the past with no problem.

Mom and Dad by waterfall - TJGTommy held on to one end of the branch on the shore while Andrew headed towards the falls holding onto the other end. The next thing I knew, Tommy was standing their dumbfounded as his branch no longer had anyone on the other end. I quickly looked towards the falls and saw an obviously distressed Andrew with a look of sheer terror on his face struggling to get out from under the falls which kept pulling him down. Tommy kept reaching the branch towards him, but Andrew was too busy trying to swim out of the current to try and grab it. Meanwhile, Herb, not realizing how serious the situation was, continued videoing what he thought was just a bit of family fun. So we actually do have this moment of family idiocy captured on film. Before we had a chance to do anything, Andrew managed to get out from under the falls on his own. He tried to laugh it off at first as no big deal—I think he felt a bit foolish, as did we for letting him in there in the first place. However, later that evening when reviewing the film, he admitted to just how frightening it really was. Hopefully a lesson was learned by all of us.

Travelogue

Parents with Lazy Daze in Campground - AJGGoblin Valley had been on my list of places to visit ever since I first saw it’s otherworldly mushroom-shaped rock formations in the , but it is so remote and off the beaten track that we just never got around to visiting it before. Let’s just say that it’s not the kind of place you stop at along the way, because it literally is on the way to nowhere. It requires a 14 mile out and back drive through some very desolate countryside.

We almost missed the turnoff; in fact, we actually did miss the turnoff and then had to retrace our steps back several miles to find it again. Our mistake was relying on our GPS to tell us when to turn rather than doing it the old-fashioned way of just looking for a turnoff sign. When our GPS finally did tell us in its smug little monotone voice that it was time to turn right, we just stopped dead right in the middle of Highway 24 and looked to the right across an expanse of seemingly endless desert and sagebrush.Lolo hiking among the goblins There was no road in sight—not even one of the bumpy washboard variety that Utahians like so much. I was really disappointed. I really wanted to get there this time. We thought we remembered seeing a sign (that we hadn’t bothered to read) a few miles back so we made a U-turn and drove back about 5 miles. Sure enough, there it was: Temple Mountain/Goblin Valley Junction. We made the turn and crossed our fingers that it would be paved. Thankfully, it was. In fact, the last 9 miles or so of road looked brand new.

Our first stop was the Observation Shelter where there was a wonderful view out over the entire valley, which is literally chock full of hundreds of the strange rock formations that give goblin valley its name. I kind of thought they looked more like mushrooms or giant phalluses, but I can see why the state of Utah went with the name Goblin Valley instead of the alternatives.

I must admit that we have gotten a bit jaded after visiting so many spectacular places like Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Badlands, and such, that it’s really difficult for a rock formation to “wow” us at this point. However, that being said, the “goblins” were very cute and being able to walk amongst them and get up close and personal gave a quite enjoyable and intimate feel to the place.

Goblin Valley in morning lightWe took the short path from the Observation Shelter parking area down into the Valley and wandered aimlessly amongst the goblins. There really was no specific trail to follow, so we just kind of randomly headed towards any formation that captured our fancy. Fortunately, you can’t really get lost because the Observation Shelter is visible from almost any point.

After hiking and photographing for a bit, we headed towards the campground, which was only a short drive from the Observation Shelter. We were very pleased when we saw it. It was just what we look for in a campground—empty and great views. There were 25 sites (only 5 of which were occupied), and each had a paved parking pad and a very welcomed shade covering over the picnic table. Although there were no goblins here, I think the scenery was even better than the valley. The campground was set in an amphitheater of multi-colored badlands that got even more colorful as the sun got low.

Goblin Valley Campground at sunriseI immediately grabbed a book and plopped my butt in a beach chair in the shade. It was amazingly comfortable considering it was about 100°F. The boys went for a run out on the Curtis Bench Trail which led from the campground along a ridge overlooking the valley. Although they couldn’t find the spur trail down into the valley, they did manage to see an incredible sunset over it. I was kind of jealous that I missed it, but that beach chair sure was comfortable.

The evening cooled down nicely as it always seems to in the desert, and we had a very enjoyable BBQ under the stars. It’s amazing how many more stars you can see here than nearer to civilization.

The next morning we rose early so as to not miss the morning light on the badlands. It did not disappoint. After taking some more photos, we headed out on our way towards Lake Mead where we had a campsite and a ski boat waiting for us..

Travelogue

Boys post run on Chief Hosa lodge porchToo many long driving days in a row! The family fabric was being stretched and twisted. We didn’t intend to go this far today, but just couldn’t find a desirable place to stop. The KOA in Strasburg, Colorado that we planned to stop at looked depressing. I guess when we think Colorado, we think of majestic snow-capped mountains, but this place was east of the Rockies and still in the flatlands. One of these days I’m going to write a campground guide that deals more with the overall aesthetics as opposed to just listing its amenities.

So we drove onward, through Denver and higher and higher into the Rockies. As the mountain views opened up before us, we finally began to feel like we were on vacation. We found a great little campground called Chief Hosa right off I-70 about 20 miles west of Denver. It had an absolutely lovely forest setting with tremendous views of the Continental Divide, and the temperature at this elevation (7,700 feet) had cooled to a very comfortable 70 degrees

The boys went for a run and Herb while I strolled over to the porch of the Chief Hosa Lodge with hors d'oeuvres and a well-deserved bottle of wine. The campground host had told us that this historic lodge was no longer open, but that the views from the porch were spectacular. He was right. After peaking in the windows of this beautiful granite and lodge-pole lodge, we spread out our feast of snacks on the porch and toasted a beautiful sunset. The boys soon returned from their run and quickly devoured the rest of our snacks.

I think we all needed this stop to rejuvenate and remember why we were driving all these miles in the first place.