October 4-6 - Kanab, UT to Springfield, MO

The sun was rising pink with lightning in the sky when we left Kanab and our friends Margaret and Nelson. A coyote walked across the road, and Les saw another basking on a rock. Our all-day drive took us through Page, AZ, by Four Corners, and over the Continental Divide at Wolf Creek Pass. The country kept changing, but continued to awe us. Our evening stop was at Riverbend Resort on the South Fork of the Rio Grande in Colorado. We just had time for a walk along the river before dark dropped down like a sledgehammer, and we cooked yams and leftover rice Barbara had packed for us. Tonight we needed our big comforter as the evening got cold. The lady who has the campground has a new grandchild in Houston, AK and told us that her father had invented the T@B camper like ours but sold the patent before these camp trailers “caught on.” Small world!
The next day we traveled a long stretch of prairie in southeastern Colorado. Les spotted two tarantulas walking across the road. There we no houses for miles, just beautiful, dry open scrub with a few cattle. Signs said “Land not for sale to ARMY!” Apparently the military wants this uninhabited area for missile testing, but it would ruin the ranches.
Kansas brought a different story: I saw my first feedlots. Thousands of cattle were in pens, eating and eating and eating. We did not get to tour one, but we saw over twenty lots, each by big grain elevators, and it seemed so big business and nothing like the long horns we saw grazing in a big field. I am thinking hard about eating commercial beef again! We are wondering what the cattle are fed.
Here we are at Dodge City, KS, at the Gunsmoke Trailer Park. Just ate a nice meal of vegetables. Tomorrow we’ll be in good old Missouri. This cowgirl is going to have a nice cool, windy Kansas sleep. Good night!

October 3, a day in Kanab area with Nelson & Margaret Gingerich

Nelson: “Oh, my God! A rattlesnake!”
We are just entering Peek-a-Boo slot canyon after a four-mile drive through deep, dry sand. Already we were amazed that our guide Nelson had just let air out of his Dodge Ram Durango’s tires and plowed on through the hubcap high sand. Now there’s a rattler at the opening of the canyon, neck level, in a pocket shelf of the rock. The opening to the slot canyon is like a tall hallway and less than four feet across. There waits the snake.
Nelson: “Don’t look at it! Stay to the side.”
Margaret, Les, and Judy exchange looks as Nelson slips past the snake. Their eyes have a conversation.
Judy: “We’re scared!”
Nelson: “Don’t look at it. Just walk by.”
Les’s blue eyes are big. Facing the opposite rock wall, he passes by with Judy holding his shirttail.
Margaret: “It’s sticking out its tongue!”
Judy: “Don’t look at it!”
Nelson: “Put on your big girl panties!”

Well, I’m here to write about it. We even passed back through the slot canyon and didn’t hear a single rattle. Of course, I didn’t look!
Next Nelson took us to the visitor center of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. We looked at artifacts, studied the rocks laid down over eons, and saw a film about the research opportunities offered by this monument. If you drive out of Kanab to the south, you can see the Grand Staircase, color layered upon color of rock, stepping up to Bryce Canyon on top.
In the evening, we watched a storm pass us by complete with double rainbows, and after dinner viewed a documentary on Butch Cassidy. Margaret’s quilts add such warmth and color to their home, complimenting the turned vases and photographs by Nelson. She served delicious meals, too, adding to our feeling of being special guests.

10/2/10 Grand Canyon

Last night we slept at Aiken Lodge in Kanab and ate at Houston’s Trails End restaurant. Les and Margaret & Nelson joined us for dinner. Today the riders traveled by bus to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Everybody was on mules this time as we descended on the Kaibab Trail into the magical canyon. We went as far as allowed by the park superintendent, the Supai Tunnel. Les and the Gingeriches saw us off for the ride. We traveled in four groups, and this time the mules stayed head to tail.

It was a day to relax, enjoy the beauty, and reminisce about our wonderful week. I felt nostalgic about leaving Pun’ kin and the friends I made. A storm came from the South Rim and chased us up to the top of the canyon. In the lodge, I rubbed the Brighty of the Grand Canyon statue’s nose for good luck, but I already had mine!

10/1/10 Paria River Canyon!

Pun’ kin is listening to me. Hank: “He’s a good mule. You just have to tell him what you want.”
Hmmm, how do I do that? Maybe I’m learning?
These people who run and work the Red Rock Rides are genuine, love their area, the land and people. They have a deep cowboy culture, which comes through true – hard work, pride in mastered skills, good food, big families, humor, story, and song. Pete M. always has a smile on his face – he loves his work.
Today a sad announcement was made – Keela’s mother died. As a child, her mom and the children traveled down the Paria every spring to spend the summer gardening with her father who worked down there. They put up all their vegetables for winter. In the fall, she went back up the Paria to attend school. The family took two days to travel the Paria, camping at the Crack Spring. Occasionally they had to climb the canyon wall to avoid flooding.
This was our day to travel down the Paria, starting at 7 am, first light, and completing the traverse of 28.5 miles at 3:30 pm. It was incredibly beautiful as light came into the canyon, glowing on the rocks. We crossed the river many times. Indications of times past were some Indian designs in a rock wall, and names and dates of early pioneers written in axel grease on other rocks.
Pete and Keela’s son Tawn drove a four-mule cart with rubber tires. When I found myself getting too hot after lunch, I rode the buckboard for a spell, bouncing over boulders.
“Hold on now,” Tawn would say, and we would drop down a 4-food cutbank into the riverbed. Then he yelled encouragement to the team, and up a steep bank we would go, riding like a roller coaster, but don’t dare put your hands in the air!
What a wonderful day!

Thursday, September 30 – Butch Cassidy trail country

Robert’s great-grandfather was Sheriff Haycock. He once went after Butch Cassidy and came upon him on a trail to the hideout.
“It would be in your best interest to turn around and go back to Panquitch,” said Butch.
The sheriff was a reasonable man, so he turned around. And now we have Robert!
I crawled into Butch Cassidy’s hideout and saw the old cabin ruins used by the gang when in this area. We rode in Losee Canyon where a whole herd of sheep and ranchers once died. After lunch at the hideout, we rode out in Casto Canyon. Trees were turning yellow next to towering red rock cliffs.
Pete took us on a tour of the ranch. He has over 300 head of horses and mules. The alfalfa is cut, watered, cubed, and comes out a shoot into a wagon by these amazing machines. The cubes of alfalfa are about two inches square. Pete has tons harvested and stored for feeding his stock. We got to see the cutting, examine the machines, look at the storage area, and watch the horses and mules in their corral. Then we had a drive by tour of the fields and town of Tropic.
Talent night had a group of women in big t-shirts squatted down with knees protruding under the t-shirts, doing a Dolly Parton workout. Wannabe cowboy Joe did a rope spin, how to peel a banana like a monkey and a four-person lifting trick. Some of us showed how older folks could still rock (in rocking chairs), and I read my cowgirl poem. Wrangler Curly recited some of the amazing cowboy poetry he has been sharing this week. These poems end with a funny twist.

Here’s my poem, “Cowgirl UP?” which I read aloud.

A stranger she came into town one sweltering day in fall,
And stood to see come cowpokes dressed in chaps, pointy boots and all,
And she wondered about her getup for she wore no wide-brimmed hat,
While on her feet were snow boots lined with worn fur, just like that.
She dreamed to ride an appaloosa, but she didn’t know for sure:
Did they have spots or were they grey? Could a saddle she endure?
The wrangler put her on a mule, oh, lord for goodness sakes!
She wondered could it be more stubborn than old Missourian rakes
Like her grandpa long deceased, but she clambered up on Pun’ kin and started up the hill.
She began to call him Pumpkin Pie knowing that he will
Take her safely up and down, powered by his mighty ears,
Moving like some hidden gears to make his legs surefooted, strong,
So she could gawk or sing a song.
Now in her home far north a way,
She dreamed to ride Red Rocks one day,
But never did she set her sight
On friends and wranglers who just might
Bring laughter, jokes, and poems too,
So she just wrote this one for you.

9/29/10 Thunder Mountain

The riders are divided into two teams. I’m on the “B team,” best Bad team ever. Today we rode up Thunder Mountain with our guides Hank, Dion, and Kitty, amazing wranglers all three. They work from before dawn and end up serving our dinner at night. They do farm work, too, and get the horses and mules ready, plus anticipate our every need on the rides.
On our way up Thunder Mountain, we traveled through Red Rock Canyon, then up through bristlecone and ponderosa pines. When we got to a hogback ridge with a narrow trail, Hank called it “butt-tucker ridge.” We saw more hoodoos of red sandstone, and near the top we came through volcanic rock and ash. It was a gorgeous trip!
In the evening we got to see the alfalfa cubing machines in action right in front of our camp! Some of the men in our group went out to drive the machines. Later, we all went to a Western dinner theater. One of our riders joined the entertainers on stage.

September 28 - Bryce Canyon and Stone Creek

“It’s a hell of a place to lose a cow,” Ebenezer Bryce is reported to have said.
Bryce Canyon National Park is decorated with hoodoos; a Piute word meaning, “Men turned to stone.” We rode down through these fantastic formations made by ancient sedimentation, uplifting, and differential erosion. Bristlecone pines grew among the rocks.
I am riding a mule! I have learned that mules are smarter than horses, more stable and steadier, can go longer without water, and use their ears to cool their bodies. My mule Pun’ kin seems to be powered by his wonderful long ears. They go like windmills as he quickens his pace. I trust myself to his surefootedness completely.
It’s a hot day. When we stop for lunch, we must choose a long ride, a short ride, or return to camp. I consulted with Robert and wrangler Hank and chose the long ride along Stone Creek. It’s a usually dry wash that winds through semi-desert country. At one point we descended Stone Creek Hill, an extremely steep switch-backy hill. I leaned back, pushed my stirrups forward, and let Pumpkin Pie take me down.
Got very hot, but another rider, Cathy, had me soak my kerchief in water and tie it around my neck. Hank had me drinking lots of water. When I saw our bus driver Ken and the bus, I started grinning. What a great day!
Tonight at dinner, Jimmy Collins came and sang oldies. There was a bonfire, and the stars are brilliant with distant spilt milk stars streaking the sky.
About my cabin, #14, Molly’s Nipple: Jim Ott, cook extraordinaire, keeps calling me that. As a joke, I hung a bra out there with a nipple drawn on it. It helps me find my cabin at night since they are all identical. Jim finally came, laughed, and told me the story of the mountain named Molly’s Nipple. Molly was the wife on a homestead near there. The family split up, and it was not a happy ending, but some of their descendants still live in the area.

September 27, 2010 - Zion National Park and Tropic, UT

From my new home named “Molly’s Nipple,” I hear chatter along the semi-circle of cabins. A field of alfalfa is in front of us, and Powell Point, Utah is in the distance, a table-top series of hills with hoodoos on the sides. The sun is behind the cabins, we’ve had showers and refreshments, and all are awaiting dinner in the barn, also known as Keela’s Cathedral. Keela and Pete own the ranch, horses, and mules, and have the National Park concessions for riding. Daylean and Robert take care of food, entertainment, and all the multiple arrangements for entertaining guests. Both have children and grandchildren also involved in the work.
Today we rode the Sand Bench trail in Zion National Park. We started at the Virgin River in a stand of Cottonwoods and rode up the canyon past the Court of the Patriarchs – three mountains- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We continued on toward Sentinel Mountain. A grey squirrel whistled like a bird, and lovely big-eared mule deer browsed quietly in the forest. Rabbit brush was blooming yellow and prickly pear was in fruit. On the way to our picnic lunch at the top of the trail, we passed juniper and scrub oak.
I got too hot coming down and felt weak. Tomorrow, drink more water! Too bad I don’t like beer – they have one called Poligamy Porter – “Why just have one?” the label quips.

Visiting Bristols and Ready to Ride

September 26 – Tucson to Las Vegas
We drove over 400 miles through AZ, CA, and NV and were rewarded by seeing Kate Bristol, her parents Mike & Emmily, and her uncle & aunt, Jim and Amy Bristol. Kate is active and alert. She stayed awake to meet us after a busy day, but went to sleep quickly when Mike put her to bed.
Les & I spent the night at the Hyatt Place Hotel on Paradise Road across from the Hard Rock Café where we ate a late supper. We attended a meeting of the Red Rock riders, and I boarded a bus with them at 5:45 am the next morning. I’m off for six days of horseback riding! Cowgirl UP!





Les, Kate Bristol, and Mike Bristol Judy – ready to ride!

Tucson Time with Barbara and Marcus

September 20-25 - - Marcus & Barbara’s House, Tucson, AZ
Cacti tangle the front yard, and two happy faces greet us as we arrive the evening of September 20 after 4100 miles of travel. Our days here have been filled with good food and conversation, visits to the birthing center, men doing projects, bicycle rides, and girls swimming. Les and I have been learning about Tucson days, how to get up early (Marcus gets up to run at 4 am!) to go out exercising, and how to stay inside during the heat of the day. Barbara is doing well at 35 weeks into her pregnancy. She is able to do more moving about, but is still resting a lot, and she has adjusted gracefully to being more confined. She is crocheting/sewing/knitting and does lots of work by computer and phone from her easy chair “office.” She increases her swimming distance each day, and floats for five minutes every few laps. Marcus has done an amazing amount of work remodeling the house and landscaping their desert climate yard. They have a variety of cacti and fruit trees. Marcus and Les hauled in a load of rocks today, and Marcus is arranging them around water channels and cactus gardens. Besides projects, Marcus is teaching a class in environmental history, doing research for a professor, and working on his thesis. Those two are planning some projects and trips for next week right now.
Tomorrow we drive to Las Vegas. We booked a room at the Hyatt Place where the Red Rock riders will gather. We’ll leave the T@B camper here, and Les will return Monday to spend more time with Marcus and Barbara.
We have seen hundreds of horses on our way down here, but not once have I seen anyone riding a horse! I will soon be doing something about that!

Sept. 19
Walked through sand, sagebrush, and swarms of brine flies to the shore of the Great Salt Lake this morning. Les touched it, and I waded in and tasted it. (Did some spitting on my way back to camp!) Bright yellow Black-eyed Susans line the campsites. After breakfast and a coin-operated shower, we went to the visitor center of the Antelope Island Great Salt Lake State Park. We learned about the great Bonneville Lake that covered the area, but the 2.7 billion year old folded rocks were the most interesting. This gneiss is some of the oldest rock on earth.

Driving south, we saw a huge cloud, then we realized it was a wild lands fire. From what we heard, it has been burning for two months and was started at a military base with machine gun practice. We could see the red of flames over the next ridge of mountains, and the road we planned to take was closed, so we continued on the interstate until we could move to the scenic route through forest and red rock and pink sand dunes.
Oh, no! Oh, yes! For the fourth time, we turned back. We went to find Margaret & Nelson’s house in Kanab, then drove on and realized after a few miles that we wanted Alternate Highway 89, not 89. It was getting dark, so we pulled into a car wash next to the Hitch ‘n Post RV park. The car and trailer were spiffed up, and a truck driver helped us back into the last slot at the Hitch ‘n Post. We sat outside and ate tomato bean soup and toasted each other with wine. “Cheers,” as Jasper would say.

September 18, 2010 Antelope Island State Park on Salt Lake, UT
Grumpy me, last night, said we were only driving and not having any adventures. “Let’s just drive and sleep at a rest area,” I groused.
We turned in when we saw a brown tent sign. It was in the Big Belt Mountains, and we went down an old highway surrounded by amazing rock formations. There was the Missouri River following us along the way. I had hoped to see it way up there in Montana! In the dark, we finally found the town of Craig’s campground, right by the good old Missouri River.
This morning we backtracked for the third time, this time on purpose. We went back into the canyon with the huge rocks to cook our breakfast among them beside the Missouri River. White pelicans were flying and sitting on the water. Deer were all along the way.
Happy that we had an adventure, we drove all day down through Montana, Idaho, and into Utah. We saw deer and mountain goats along the way. We saw triangle barns – two triangles set into the earth, and hay bales or sod forming the tent like roof. We saw golden fields and rocky mountains.
Antelope Island is the largest island on the Great Salt Lake. A seven-mile causeway supports a road out to the island. The lake has no outlet, so the 2.2 million tons of minerals that come down three rivers into the lake just stay here as water evaporates. Right now the Great Salt Lake is low. We could smell the mud as we drove out. Some of the oldest rocks on Earth are found here on Antelope Island, older than those at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Then there is oolite sand, round particles formed by calcium carbonate coating brine shrimp fecal pellets! Sleep on that one! Good night.

September 15, Liard Hot Spring to Dawson Creek
A sharp breeze blew at 6:15 am as we walked the boardwalk over the misty marsh and into the woods to Liard Hot Spring “Alpha Pool.” (“Beta” was closed because of bear activity.) What a way to start the day in the 106+ degree hot water! Les and I had the pool to ourselves and then walked back to our camper for an egg and vegetable breakfast, our only real meal today. We drove all day and listened to an entire cowboy detective story. We stopped to see hoodoos – plugs of rock sticking up in the landscape, and it was snowing. We saw the cow and calf bison herd, caribou licking the gravel by the road, deer, and a cunning little red fox with a big black-tipped tail.

September 16, 2010
Sun setting red orange, and we are still driving south toward Red Deer, Alberta. We left Dawson Creek by 8 am, and stopped at a funky pub in Valleyview for lunch. The walls were hung with beer flags, iron skillets, wool carding and other tools, signs & sayings (for instance “Complaint Department: push this button” with a mousetrap attached). Nutcrackers lined one high shelf and a teapot collection was arranged on shelves in the windows. When we left out of that town a different way than we entered, Tagish Charlie made a run for the North, and we noticed after losing an hour and a half heading toward Peace River! Ugg, the navigator found it very hard to laugh. So, here we go down Queen’s highway 2, bound for the USA tomorrow.

September 17, 2010
This morning we woke up at Mitchner Provincial Campground in Lacombe, Alberta. There was a heavy frost. The caretakers live in a trailer, and on the porch it says, “Two old crows live here!” Actually, they both look rather like crows. In the night when we arrived, we passed the man bundled up walking down the road, looking like a fat raven with his feathers ruffled. The lady had black hair and looked rather intelligent like a crow. Maybe they were Crow Indians?
Today was a day of hawks. We must have seen two-dozen, sitting individually on fence posts, looking out into fields. Occasionally a hawk was staring at us as we drove by. Today was a day of snow – snow in Alberta, snow in Montana – and we thought we were going south!
It’s getting dark. We stopped at the First Peoples’ Buffalo Jump State Park near Ulm, MT, but it was closed. Walking up the path, we could see teepees and a long cliff where the Indians herded the bison to stampede, fall over, and die. Meadowlarks were singing to the cold evening.