Just like before the pandemic

After enjoying Zion, we searched Google and found a couple of places to go that we had never been before. One, just across the Utah – Arizona border and just outside of St. George a bit, the Little Black Mountain Petroglyph Site was our first destination. The directions were sketchy, and there was only one sign pointing the way at the beginning of a maze of dirt roads through the high desert. With roads branching off constantly, we just tried to stay on the one that looked like it had the most traffic. After several miles, off in the distance we spotted a sun cover, a porta-potty and a picnic table – bingo!

According to the BLM, this site, consisting of over 500 glyphs, was made by members of several different native American groups over an 8,000-year period. Scientists believe the site was used for religious and ceremonial purposes, as well as for seasonal observations. This was certainly not the most impressive grouping of rock art that we have seen, but it was quite impressive.

The big bonus is that it has literally been a year since we have done any exploring like this. We had to search out the site from pretty sketchy directions. When we finally got there, it was a really cool find. On top of it all, it was so remote that there was nobody there, so we explored to our hearts content, and didn’t have to even think of the potential of Covid exposure. Oh, the feeling of momentarily being back to normal was awesome!

Talking to you soon.

Zion National Park

We decided to venture out and visit Zion National Park. Beginning next month, you can only visit the canyon by boarding a shuttle bus which isn’t something we would even consider. However, in the months of January and February, you can drive into the Park in your car. So, even though it is still a bit chilly, we decided to head up and explore a bit.

When our kids were young, we would visit a dude ranch on the edge of Zion National Park. We remembered hiking into the Park from the dude ranch, making our way down the entire north wall of the canyon, and then picking up a shuttle bus which took us back to the dude ranch. We set out to see if it was still in business, and were pleased to find out it was.

Although we had been to Zion NP many times in the past, there were many areas we discovered where we had not visited before. Kolob Terrace was one. To the early Mormons, Kolob meant the place where the Gods lived. Kolob Terrace must have been one of those places. The scenes were magical with the snow cover and the clouds moving amongst the peaks.

We also visited Smithsonian Butte National Backcountry Byway. This, of course, is not named for the Brit who left a fortune which founded the museums on the capitol mall in Washington DC. No, this is named for Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism and the church of the Later Day Saints. While it was a challenge to drive up, even in a 4WD vehicle, the views made it well worthwhile.

Talking to you soon.

Best birthday present ever!

Today I got the best birthday present ever, and one I certainly didn’t expect. One down, one to go!

Talking to you soon.

More fatigue ventures

We decided to break the boredom by driving to Oatman Arizona. We had been there many years ago, and not much has changed. Old Route 66 still winds through the downtown area, and the burros left over from the mining days still roam the streets. We were surprised that it was packed! And, from my estimation, perhaps 10% to 20% of the folks milling around were maskless (the Woman thought it was more like 40%!) So, we just hunkered down in the car.

Oatman was founded in the mid-1800’s. It was a typical mining community in the days, quickly blossoming to a population of 3500 during the peak of the gold mining activity. Today its population is only 128. We spotted the burros, drove by the Oatman Hotel and the Oatman Jail, and were surprised by two particular residents that we though we recognized.

Since we didn’t feel safe walking around Oatman, we decided to head back to Vegas via Christmas Tree Pass. We stopped and grabbed some Arby’s in Bullhead City, drove through Laughlin, and then headed off-road to the Pass. While there were a few four wheelers on the dirt road, the Pass was pretty empty. We found a great spot to hike a bit, and then set up our chairs for a nice lunch. It was yummy and awesome!

Talking to you soon.

Fatigue continues

Despite some vaccine being rolled out, most of us just can’t get it. So, we just plod along doing whatever we can to entertain ourselves while still keeping ourselves and our friends. This often has meant coming up with unique schemes to allow us to do at least a couple of things we used to love. Down the street from us, we occasionally see the book club gathering, in a socially distanced, outdoor air (yet sheltered) setting.

Our routine is less adventurous. Every day is mind-numbingly the same. However, there is one part of the day we truly look forward to, that gives us the strength to get through the monotony. The fire is warm, the smell of the pinon wood is yummy, and the view is awesome!

Talking to you soon.