Moab Re-Visited

After last years motorcycle UT trip exploring Zion, Arches and Bryce National Parks we had such an awesome time, we had to come back to Moab to explore more of what they have to offer.

Our first stop was Dead Horse Point which towers above the Colorado River and provides beautiful views of Canyonlands. There is a legend that says around the late 1800's, cowboys used this point as a corral for wild mustangs, there they picked the horses they wanted and left the remaining horses there blocked off where they eventually died of thirst within view of the Colorado River below them. So sad, not sure why they couldn't just set them free instead.
We hiked the rim, which consisted of several overlook trails along the way. Of course we had to check out each overlook as we didn't want to miss any amazing views! The whole hike was beautiful and peaceful, took a little lunch break on top of a rock overlooking the Colorado River absolutely serene! The rim loop hike was 5.2 miles however, by the time you add in all the overlook trails we ended up with a 10 mile hike, no wonder our feet were feeling a little sore lol! It was well worth the sore feet though!
Jerry was ready to spice things up a little so... we rented a two person kayak and kayaked down the Colorado River for around 10 miles! Wow, quite an adventure that was, what a blast we had!! We experienced a combination of calm waters and rapids (class 3), lucky us we never tipped! We stopped along the way and enjoyed a nice picnic lunch overlooking the river, such a perfect day! This is something we will definitely be doing again....hummmm do I see kayaks strapped to our truck in the future... lol!
Time to hit the trails again, this time in Canyonlands! We had to go check out the Mesa Arch as we have a gorgeous picture of this arch in our bedroom at home, so we had to go see it in real life, definitely, just as beautiful in person!
We also took in the sights of Upheaval Dome which is actually a mystery as to how it was formed. They have 2 possible causes out there, one being a salt dome that cracked and tilted the rock over time or a violent meteorite impact that fractured the rock. Scientists are still actively researching the mystery that they hope to one day solve. Again, a fun hike with spectacular views!

Another fantastic trip to Utah, can't say enough good things about this beautiful state! I think we may have to return for a 3rd time!!

Here are some pictures of the gorgeous views we enjoyed along with some of our kayaking adventure! Hope you enjoy. Now onto Idaho!

View from our campsite - Have the best of both views - Snowcap mountains & the Beautiful redrock

View from one of the overlook trails at Deadhorse Point
 

 

Groundhog Jerry - Checking out to see what's going on - lol

One of the pretty desert plants we came across

Photo opp from Deadhorse Point

Cool shadow picture at Deadhorse Point

More beautiful views at Deadhorse Point

Views of the Colorado River - atop of Deadhorse Point trail

Our perfect spot for a little lunch

Can't get enough of these views

 

There's our kayak on top - Ok let's do this!

All suited up and ready to go

There's my pilot of the canoe - Good job babe

Oh there is some of those rapids

Views along the way

More pretty views

Let me know if you need me to help...otherwise I'm going to enjoy the views!

 

Our nice picnic area - Jerry enjoying his apple

Cool picture - look at that storm coming in

  

Here's that famous "Mesa Arch"

Picture Time

View from top of Upheaval Dome

 

Another picture of Upheaval Dome

 

Wow - Look at that snow - So pretty

2017 Summer Adventures

Out of the AZ summer heat and on our way to the North Western states to enjoy cooler weather, beautiful country and get in some good hikes!

First stop Escalante, UT to explore the Staircase National Monument, arrived here on Monday 5/1 and have hiked all of the "Slot Canyons" if you're not sure what a Slot Canyon is check them out on the web or check out our pictures! I will tell ya that if you are claustrophobic what so ever I would not suggest going, as they are about a foot wide and 50 feet tall! You will be climbing through sideways, very cool though and quite the experience!! Also, took a beautiful 3 mile hike into Calf Creek Falls where you dead end at the fall, we enjoyed having a little lunch and listening to the sounds of the falls! Another day we checked out the Escalante Petrified Forest which was a short 1.5 mile loop but pretty strenuous. We have never seen so much petrified wood just laying on the ground and so easy to pick up and take, we didn't take any by the way. On our way out we had to ask the Ranger (not the Jerry Ranger) what keeps people from taking it out? He said you are welcome to come inside and see all of the petrified wood and letters that had been sent back to them, it was quite amazing. Apparently there is an Indian curse that comes with taking these ancient items from their resting grounds, "Bad Luck Forever". We went inside and it was quite interesting to read the letters from people that had taken the petrified wood from the park, they all have experienced bad luck ever since they took it and they sent it back asking for forgiveness and to please place it back from where they picked it up. One person bought a set of book ends in Oregon from an individual that said they were made from petrified wood from Escalante and this person had nothing but bad luck for 3 years, he drove from Oregon just to return the book ends to end his bad luck streak, Thank goodness we didn't take any!

Now onto Moab to checkout Canyonlands!! Excited to see what kind of adventurous hikes we come across there! Stay tuned... Hope you enjoy the pics!

First hike - Devil's Garden - Pretty cool rock formations

Devil's Garden - More cool rock formations

These are the "Slot Canyons" Beware!

Peek A Boo Canyon - Yes, there was climbing and crawling involved lol -



Peek A Boo Canyon - There you are!

Peek A Boo Canyon - You aren't stuck are you babe?

Peek A Boo - So Awesome!

On the trail to the Slot Canyons

More awesome pictures of Peek A Boo

This canyon is so crazy!

Spooky Canyon - What??? we are suppose to go through there... Let's do this!
 

Zebra Canyon - Wow this is too cool!

Spooky Canyon - Don't lose me in this maze!

Spooky Canyon - Hope there is no earth quakes coming! 

Having a great time in Spooky Canyon

Hell's Backbone Canyon - Scenic Drive

Views along the scenic drive

Calf Creek Falls - So Beautiful

Check out this Petrified Wood!

Petrified Forest - Wow - colors are amazing!

View from on top of the Petrified Forest - Spectacular!

Zebra Canyon - This could get a little complicated!

Atop of the Slotted Canyon's - Hello out there!!

Our home this week - Great RV Park

Nashville Passage

Couldn't pass up Nashville, checking out the country music city of America was a must! We went downtown on Broadway the Music District of the city. We definitely did not have a lack of options for music, as the streets were lined with pubs and wanna be breakout country music stars in each one. It was a fun-filled night of great music and good times!!
Of course we had to go to the music hall that sends these wanna be stars to stardom...The Grand Ole Opry! Very exciting to be in that actual hall just knowing of all the famous people that have been on stage there. The show for that night consisted of Marie Osmond (surprisingly this was her first time ever performing here, it was on her bucket list lol), Ricky Skaggs and many other breakout artists.
The following day we went to see the Johnny Cash museum in downtown Nashville. Very cool museum, even though you think of Johnny Cash the man in black and a bad guy. He was actually a very good and spiritual guy. Thoroughly enjoyed the museum, what a music legend.
Now onto Memphis the home of the King!!

Down in the crazy Music District on Broadway, taking it all in!

Outside the Grand Ole Opry awaiting the show!

The Grand Ole Opry Square Dancers that perform at every show,

Outside the Johnny Cash Museum getting ready to head in and check out the legend!

Johnny Cash Lives!

Good Ole Ricky Skaggs playing some great tunes!

One of the many other great performers that evening.

Marie Osmond putting on an awesome performance!

Marie doing a duet - great music!

Pennsylvania Passage

On our way home we felt the need to stop by the courageous 9/11 memorial in Pennsylvania. This memorial was dedicated to the courageous people on flight 93 that knew they were another terrorist flight that was about to unleash destruction somewhere in the U.S. They bravely took over the terrorists and the plane went down in a field in a quaint town of PA. This memorial seemed to be just as emotional if not more moving than the 9/11 memorial in NY, as these people on flight 93 knew that was going to be their last day. We listened to the recordings of the messages left on family and friends voice mails telling them that their plan had been hijacked and saying their good-bye's...talk about heart wrenching. Even though it was very heart breaking it felt good going and honoring all of the hero's on that flight. 

The entrance to the Flight 93 Memorial. 

                                       

This is a picture of the main guy that organized the revolt against the terrorists.  He is the only that said "Let's Roll"

Another view from the memorial looking down the flight path. 

A view from the memorial of the flight path. "A common field one day. A field of honor forever."

Another picture of the flight path to the memorial rock at the impact area. 

This sidewalk marks the flight path to the impact area.

This is a picture of us looking from the impact area towards the memorial museum. The black spot in the picture is the direction of the plane coming in on impact.

This rock was placed at the impact area of the plane. They excavated 40 ft deep until they found no more remains of the plane or people and then they back-filled it. This area is blocked off, as this is the actual cemetery for all on flight 93.
You will notice flowers on the memorial rock, those were placed by the family members of the ones lost, as they are the only ones allowed to go out to the memorial rock. 

The memorial wall with all of the names of the people that lost their life that day

Now onto Nashville, TN!