Cross Country - Snapshot Chronicles Roadtrip

Sunset to Sunrise at the Grand Canyon

July 19, 2009 by Mary Cardwell

Checkerboard Mountain

There were two ways to reach the North Rim of the Grand Canyon from Zion National Park. You could exit the park at Springdale and back track about an hour to the last main road junction and then take a left onto 89A or you could pay a $15 fee and take the 1920’s built 89A bridge out of the canyon and save yourself about 90 minutes of driving. With more than 2100 miles under our belt and countless hours behind the wheel, the $15 seemed like money well spent. Pardon my Boston accent but it was wicked cool! The tunnel fees covered the cost of an escort to make sure no one was coming in the opposite direction so large vehicles like our beast could drive in the middle of the road in order to fit through the tunnel. Not getting stuck in a tunnel or hit by oncoming traffic was worth the money right there but when we saw the views from yet another perspective, Zion was even more breathtaking. Just another reminder that going off the beaten trail has big rewards.

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon was only 3 hours away and we relished in the idea of getting to a destination by lunch time. I was so happy that I even let Dennis listen to country music again. As we cruised along, a song that quickly became his new favorite came over the radio. We had to listen carefully to make sure we heard it correctly. It was a love song from the perspective of a starry eyed man praising his new love. It was called “She was Rocking the Beer Gut.” I’m not lying.

The rest of the ride to the North Rim was mostly forest. We saw the remainder of a fire that we later learned happened about 3 years ago. It started as a lightning fire that the Park officials watched carefully but a strong wind spread the fire too quickly and 60,000 acres were lost.

North Rim Canyon

Everything about the North Rim was welcoming – friendly and informed Rangers, hot showers, General Store with cold beer and large clean campsites. Before we even unpacked, we rushed to get our first glimpse of the canyon. We had the boys cover their eyes and walked them toward the edge. On the count of three, they opened their eyes to the most famous natural phenomenon in the United States! Their reaction was priceless. After seeing nothing but rocks and trees for days we weren’t sure how they’d feel about a hole in the ground but the surprise element was just the trick!

Bright Angel Point, North Rim

We went down to the lodge and followed the path to Bright Angel Point to get the best view from the north. Den and the boys loved the adventure and the incredible views. I hugged the inside, ready to drop to my knees at any moment. Granted I don’t like heights but never did I expect my legs to wobble so much. Trying to be brave I would say “be right there” and wave. I never made it all the way out but they tell me it was amazing. A few days later, we drove to the South Rim after visiting Arizona. I wanted to see if it was much different. They were as different as my twins – you know they were created at the same time but it’s hard to find the similarities. The North view gave you more crevasses and turns where the South Rim gave you a much broader scope of the size.

Mather Point South Rim

If you have the time to see both, it’s worth the drive.

Luke and I were happy to find free WiFi at the General Store. Dennis was so kind and offered to finish the laundry so we could blog. After everything was posted, supplies and firewood loaded we settled in for the rest of our stay. A very lovely English couple stopped by to ask Den how to build a “proper fire” since it was their first time camping. They were on a 6 month world-wide tour and the States was their last stop. He helped them out and told them if it didn’t work out to join us. I was thrilled when they popped over and joined us for wine and s’mores and told us about adventures around the Globe. There was no shortage of conversation and the kids enjoyed getting to know someone from the UK. At the end of our visit, we gave them our contact information to keep in touch. Hello, Adrian and Louise. Hope you are safe!

There are moments that remind us why we fall in love with our significant others. My latest reminder came at 5:10 AM. I heard the sunrise over the canyon was not to be missed. I woke up and looked at the clock with every intention of sneaking out to greet the morning.

Sunrise at the North Rim

With one eye open, Dennis said “Are you really going to go? I’ll go with you” and without hesitation he got out of bed, put on his shoes and we were out the door. Why he indulges my crazy whims is beyond me but I’m so lucky he does. I wasn’t sure which way was east so we got to the edge of the canyon and followed the trail looking for the sun which was due to rise at 5:40. It took me a bit to figure out we were facing south and missing the sunrise but we kept walking anyway in hopes of seeing something. It was beautiful and peaceful but no sunrise. Ultimately, we took the wrong path back to camp but luckily it ended up on the east side of the canyon where the sun was just coming up. I learned the next day, my clock was set to the wrong time zone and we were actually right on time to see one incredible sunrise. I wouldn’t have wanted to share it with anyone else.

We had almost reached our threshold of rocks and trees, the timing was perfect for our next destination – VEGAS BABY!

An Enlightening Tour

July 19, 2009 by Mary Cardwell

One of many hillside letters

The next stop on our whirlwind tour was going to bring us to the great state of Utah and Zion National Park. Leaving Yellowstone was bittersweet. We enjoyed everything about our stay in Wyoming, making us sorry to leave but with great hopes that Zion was as good if not better than we heard. The drive from Wyoming to Utah was, well, boring. Dry, flat fields were replaced by more dry flat fields for most of our travels. Part way into Utah, however, it all changed. Hello again, Rocky Mountains! Having nothing like this on the east coast, I pointed out every new and cool rock formation as well as all the hillside letters we found. (No, they are not some Government code as we first suspected. Started by proud Berkley College students in 1905, there are now more than 400 hillside letters in the US, most of them in the western states). After making it through the rush hour traffic of Salt Lake City, we had a quick stopover at our Marriott hotel in Draper UT. Relaxed from the pool and spa, our clothes were clean and we were clean with full bellies, we hit the road for Zion.

The drive became more interesting every mile closer to Zion. Before we knew it, we hit Springdale UT, a small tourist town at the gates of Utah’s first national park. I was like a kid in a candy store looking at all the shops and cool trinkets. We checked into our riverside campsite in the park first and then returned to Springdale for some dinner and window shopping. We headed for a Mexican restaurant but when we missed the driveway we landed at Pizza and Noodle Co. instead. Best mistake we made that day! Excellent food, cool atmosphere and reasonable prices – two thumbs up!

View from our camp

Then it was back to the campsite only 5 minutes away for a relaxing campfire. I thought booking a site near the river would be pretty and I love the sound of the gentle current over the rocks. I did not, however, take into account the 8 billion trillion bugs that came along with such a view. Our campfire was short lived before we retreated inside in fear of something flying up my nose.

Happy campers!

Zion was truly a visitor-friendly park. Free shuttles ran all day and into the evening, taking hikers, riders, walkers and bikers to different points of the park saving hours of traffic jams by confused tourists. The shuttle stop was a quick walk from our campsite. Armed with a map and a plan but no hiking gear, we took the shuttle about ½ way up to the lodge to take a short, 1.3 mile hike to Emerald Pools. It was surreal being at the bottom of the canyon, with rich red rocks shaped by nature as far as you could see. About ½ way through the lower pools hike, we noticed the signs for the middle pools with a waterfall coming off the rocks. Sure, let’s keep going, we all agreed. It was only 98 degrees and no one was complaining…yet…so we continued to hike into more amazing scenery. We passed a family on the way down who told Dennis the best swimming would be found at the Upper Emerald Pool. By the time we got to the trail junction for the upper pool, we were all very hot and ready for a dip.

Hi Mom

The sign told us our destination was only 0.3 miles away. It didn’t tell us that it was straight uphill climbing over rocks. Luke and I fell far behind, taking our time as to not keel over and die. When we finally passed the “No Swimming” sign, there it was Upper Emerald Pool filled with illiterate folks swimming, including my husband and son. They swore they never saw the sign but fate is a bitch. I’ll come back to this later.

I chose not to swim, not because of the sign but because I was too busy complaining to Dennis that I was hot and tired. It took a little coaxing to get Luke to join Cam but once they were in the water, he was never coming out again. We booked a ranger-lead tour in the evening so we were under time constraints to get back to camp and get ready to head out again.

The tour was a 2 hour ride through the park as a Ranger talked about some of the finer points of Zion. It promised to make stops unavailable on the regular shuttle. Educational, off the beaten path, scenic and all we had to do was ride around and listen, I thought this would be great and it was.

Beautiful scenery

Our tour guide told us of how this dessert, like the Grand Canyon, was carved out from powerful waters millions of years ago. She talked about the animals that live in the area and what makes them unique to this area. It was at this point that Dennis’s curiosity got the best of him and he asked the Ranger why swimming wasn’t allowed in the Emerald Pools. A friend of mine once told me not to ask questions if you really don’t want the answers. She should have given Dennis that same advice. The ranger repeated the question for the benefit of everyone on the bus. “Good question” she said. First she explained about the importance of not disrupting a fragile ecosystem.

Then she said the words that will haunt Dennis the rest of his life. “The main reason is because the bottom of the pools are covered with fecal matter from the wildlife in the park.” The next minute was a bit of a blur because I was trying too hard to hold back my laughter I couldn’t focus. I looked at Dennis, who was pale at this point, mouthing the words “fecal matter” over and over again in disbelief. Being the sympathetic wife I am, I said “HA! I’m glad I didn’t swim! That will teach you to follow the signs next time” and let my laughter rip!

Enjoying the tour

It only got better when Dennis had to explain to the boys what fecal matter was. The kids didn’t seem fazed but Dennis will never forget the lesson he learned that day.Dennis showered as soon as we got back to camp. We opted to skip the fire and went to town for some supplies and ice cream. Ice cream makes everything better…except the thought of fecal matter. LOL!

To see all our photos from Zion, visit Snapfish.

Waiting for Old Faithful

July 18, 2009 by Mary Cardwell

With our exhilarating morning hike behind us, we were all hungry, thirsty and pooped! There was enough time remaining in the day to continue our sightseeing but unfortunately there was little energy between us to continue walking. Dennis was a bit preoccupied with making sure we had enough propane to keep the refrigerator cold since he just stocked the fridge with cold beer. Taking all this into consideration, we decided we would drive to Fishing Bridge Village for propane and then, if time allowed, over to Old Faithful to see one of the world’s most famous guisers.

Yellowstone Lake

Yellowstone is comprised of 2.2 million acres so going from village to village is a feat in itself. It was more than 45 miles to go from Canyon Village to Fishing Bridge, separated mainly by Yellowstone Lake. Our first glimpse of the lake was so inviting, blue and icy waters. I’m telling you that Lake should have been classified an ocean! It went on forever. I kept expecting to see a lighthouse in the distance it was so huge. The kids were excited about fishing in the lake, especially since we were visiting Fishing Bridge. Yeah, you guessed it – no fishing at Fishing Bridge. The kids complained about the misleading name for the next 20 miles until we got to the gift shop and I bought them Huckleberry taffy…yuck. With propane tank filled to the brim, Dennis could relax again. With sugar quota met, the boys could relax as well. Me, well, I like being amused. Since Dennis was open for the ride, we decided to make one more stop at Old Faithful and save us the trip in the morning.

The Old Faithful faithful

We continued south through Yellowstone to the most visited and populated area. I told Dennis it was about 30 minutes away but it was actually 45 because I never seem to calculate properly. As we pulled into the closest parking lot, I thought I was looking at Gillette Stadium. The parking lot was about the size of a lot you would see at the stadium, with the same number of people. There were lodges, restaurants, and gift shops of course. Uncharacteristically of the park, there were no clear signs directing you to the guiser so like everyone else, we followed the crowd then instantly you knew you were at the right place. Three rows of benches surrounded a rather small hill about 50 yards away. Not sure what to do, we sat. And sat. And sat. A couple times I tried to find a “next show” clock to know how much longer we needed to wait for this world famous spectacle. I couldn’t find anything so we waited and waited. The seats started filling in and it wasn’t long until it was standing room only and we had front row seats. The anticipation was growing. Originally, none of us were jazzed about seeing this but we knew we’d regret it if we didn’t but for the first time we were actually getting excited about seeing the trusty water show.

Old Faithful erupts

Then it happened. First a little spit and steam came out of the ground. Then another spurt, this time about 20 feet higher. Finally, the ranger must have turned on the water full blast and water jumped 100 feet into the sky. It danced there for a minute and then fell back down and disappeared. Those next couple moments were very confusing. We looked at each other and those around us. Was there more? Should we applaud? People began walking to the gift shops and parking lots. “I suppose we’re through here” I said sarcastically. I don’t know if I expected the earth to open up or hear angles sing but I couldn’t believe we just drove over an hour for a minute of squirting water. Okay, maybe two minutes but the wonder of it all was lost on me and my family. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I can say I saw it but I learned the hard way the reason Old Faithful is famous has everything to do with her being predictable and not because she entertains for hours.

Back in the RV, we decided to eat dinner in the parking lot since it was a good 90 minute ride back to the campsite. We finished the loop around the west side of the park to get another perspective of the landscape. The west side of the park was very mountainous, offering more incredible views and the promise of critters. It was easy to tell if wildlife was in view. Cars would slow down to get a good view. We were forced to stop in the middle of the road at one point when we saw a buffalo strolling down the side of the road without a care in the world. It was walking toward us and right in front of our RV it stopped. This wonderfully huge and ugly creature was literally 4 feet away. He looked directly at us scrambling to grab our cameras to immortalize this moment and then crossed the street as if to say he had the right of way. I never got the shot.

Bear sighting in Yellowstone

In the morning, we packed up early and headed out for another long day of driving. My only minor disappointment with Yellowstone was that I never got to see a bear, from a far of course. I wanted to load my pictures on the computer so Cam rode shotgun. All we needed was to make ONE turn and we’d be on the correct road for the west exit. Cameron pointed the way for Dennis and off we went…in the wrong direction. Betty kept telling us to “make a legal U turn” but we thought the mountain air confused her so we just ignored her warnings. From behind the laptop, I would question if this looked familiar. Dennis would shrug his shoulders and tell me it all looked the same to him after hours and hours of being behind the wheel.

After ½ hour, I decided to take a serious look at the map and realized we were heading north, not west. Not happy about an extra 60 minutes to exit the park, we were trying to make the best of seeing new views and then, the sight that made it all worthwhile…a baby grizzly bear about 10 feet off the side of the road. After two more bear sightings, another pass through Mammoth Hot Springs and through a Bald Eagle sanctuary with 2 residents perched high in the tree, we made it down to the west exit and off to our next stop just outside Salt Lake City.

Bison and Elks and Bears! Oh My!

July 15, 2009 by Mary Cardwell

As we packed up our Montana campsite, our host told us of a spectacular drive through the mountains to Yellowstone National Park, our next destination. He spoke of Red Lodge and winding roads up the Rockies for views unlike any other that would take us to the Northeast Entrance of the park. He did warn us to drive carefully because of the high number of deaths on that road each year.

Welcome to Yellowstone

With our adventurous ways tamed just a bit after our last excursion, we followed Betty’s advice and took the safe, boring highway to the North entrance instead. The ride to the park may have been average but all that changed once we crossed through the gates of the world’s first National Park.

Mammoth Hot Springs

I was not prepared for the scope of Yellowstone. I read a lot about the park and the many different geological areas, each offering different experiences but as we climbed through the mountains, I was in awe of the beauty of the changing landscape. The first area we drove through was Mammoth Hot Springs. Large white stone, which looked like ice caps on a mountain top, were covered with colorful hot springs, pools and waterfalls. There is nothing else like this in the park, so if you have the time, it’s worth a stop and look around. We continued our scenic drive to Canyon Campground for a two day stay.

Canyon Campground was one of the larger campsites Yellowstone had to offer. We found our spot and settled in. The boys were ready to set up the tent to sleep outdoors that night until Dennis noticed the bear claw markings on all the trees around us. It was probably nothing and the Ranger assured us bears don’t frequent that area anymore but… The kids slept in the camper that night. I mentioned how I began to relinquish my fashion standards a bit in the last blog. In Yellowstone, however, I took it to an all time low.

Entering Yellowstone

I did something that I never thought I would do in my entire life. Dennis and I are both early risers and in an effort to not wake the kids we decided to go for an early morning walk to get the paper and a coffee. I went for this mile walk in my pajamas! Granted, they looked similar to sweatpants but never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be in public in PJ’s! Strange thing is that no one noticed or cared. More importantly, I wasn’t the only one.

Being uber relaxed, we plotted our day. A friend of ours had loaned us a book on all the day hikes in Yellowstone. I found one hike that seemed right up our ally and was only 2 miles from Canyon. After breakfast, we geared up and head out for an easy, 2-4 mile hike or so we thought.

Upper Falls - look closely for the tiny people on the right (spots of colors)

The very first leg of the hike took us from Uncle Tom’s parking area through a trail to Artisians’ Point. This was a fairly popular walk that brought you into the beginning of the “Grand Canyon of Yellowstone”, where you could see the Upper Falls waterfall and all the tourist on the other side of the canyon. Once you reached the parking lot at Artisians Point, most folks turned back but thanks to our trusty hike book, we went to the back parking lot and continued our hike. And oh what a hike it was!

Taking a breat at Artisians Point

I would not classify the next part of this trail as easy. We hiked up and up and up and up alongside a cliff, continuing further along the canyon. The higher we climbed, the more amazing the views. We saw Bald Eagles swooping over the rocks, canyon walls that look like watercolors dropped from the sky. Sure we were hot and tired but loving every minute of it, most of us at least. After hiking to a top elevation of 8100 feet, we saw the trail split back to Clear Lake and Lily Pad Lake where we continued our adventure. At this point, the boys regretted all the hiking gear we took. Dennis took on all the gear no one wanted to carry. Now, the jokes about how it is the jack ass that carries all the gear through the canyon are so obvious I couldn’t resist but I seriously have to say thanks to Den.

Lily Pad Lake

We came across Lily Pad Lake where the name was well suited. With my love of frogs, I moved quickly through this area, the boys on toad alert the whole way. I made it through without a sighting! At least 3 miles into the walk so far and no end in sight, we made it to Clear Lake, again properly named.

We were all so tempted to jump right in and cool off but the idea of walking back in wet shorts wasn’t so appealing.

We all reveled in how our hike brought us up a cliff and then down into the woods that opened into these inviting lakes but imagine our surprise when we rounded the corner to find yet another, completely different landscape. The next 1/8 mile was several boiling pools of mud. My skin could have used that treatment, I tell you! Some were a roaring boil, others were spurts that jumped 3 feet in the air. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. We would have admired them longer but the smell of sulfur was almost unbearable! Just like the first time Cam saw the hundreds of bugs that met their fate on the front of our RV, his gag reflex kicked in and we hustled out of there very quickly!

We couldn’t believe we saw three unique geological areas on our single but tiring hike, and then we rounded the next corner to see our final change in landscape – a large open meadow with rolling grass and shady trees. Pinch me! I can’t believe this is real.

Elks roam free

As Luke’s hat almost blew off his head again, we all offered to carry it for him because it is now a sacred symbol of our adventures. As Dennis turned from joking with Luke he stopped dead in his tracks. An entire herd of Elk were grazing in the field below. Back in South Dakota, Luke learned the hard way not to yell “Look! It’s an animal!” when spotting wildlife and we all stood still and watched these beautiful creatures surrounded by nature. We could see a few Buffalo way off in the distance, thankfully posing absolutely no threat to us.

After 3 hours and 6+ miles, we spotted our last show stopping site – the parking lot where we started. We could see the finish line. I was a little disappointed I didn’t see any bear, from a far of course, but our time in Yellowstone wasn’t done yet.

To see our entire photo album, visit Snapfish.

Our Gilligan Adventure

July 12, 2009 by Mary Cardwell

Our second morning in Fort Smith Montana greeted us with a beautiful sunrise and the promise of a wonderful day ahead.

Sunrise in Montana

Bighorn Lake was a mere 20 minutes away which seemed like a stone’s throw after all the traveling we’ve done thus far. A relaxing day at the lake was exactly what these travelers needed. Our campground host told us of a place near the marina where we could rent a boat by the hour and get the most fabulous view of the canyons. Sold! With fishing gear, picnic lunch and sunscreen in hand, we headed up through a local Indian reservation to the marina.

Indian Reservation drive

At the risk of repeating myself and sounding trite, the landscape was incredible at every turn. Mountains, fields, cliffs, colorful and vibrant met us around every corner. Just when we thought we almost touched the heavens, the next turn presented the peaceful and tranquil lake that sat at the base of glorious red cliffs as far as the eye could see.

First view of the marina

Being the Monday after the long weekend, there weren’t a lot of people around us. We glowed with anticipation of cruising this magnificent canyon, the third largest in North America with the Grand Canyon being the largest of course.

Cliffs from the boat

Dennis, now affectionately known as “The Skipper”, came back from the rental office to let us know he booked a pontoon boat for a three hour tour. We loaded our gear on the boat. We were like giddy school girls unable to hold back our excitement. After short instructions, Dennis got behind the wheel and away we went. The boys and I took in the fresh air and hung our heads over the sides like dogs sticking their heads out the window of a car. I’m not sure but our tongues may have been wagging just a bit! The sun, the water, the views…perfection, sheer perfection!! Each cliff was like a work of art hand painted by God, one more exquisite than the next. The boys each took a turn driving the boat. Their smiles were brighter than the sun.

Luke chillin'

It was about this time that the black cloud that followed us from NY to South Dakota managed to find us yet again. We noticed it way off in the distance and the folks at the marina ensured us the storm would arrive well after we returned from our three hour tour. We decided to pick up the pace a bit, just in case. As we continued to cruise, we hit a nice breeze and then it hit – Luke’s favorite hat he bought when we were in Toronto went flying off his head and into the waters. The current was pretty strong and it floated away quickly. “Save Canada! Save Canada!” we joked as Dennis turned the boat around to grab it. I picked up the fishing net our neighbor had loaned us and leaned over the boat in an effort to save the day but I couldn’t catch it! I had it trapped but couldn’t get underneath to scoop it. Dennis came over to help and we crossed signals and both let go of the net which quickly floated away next to the sinking hat.

In true Cardwell fashion, we refused to let it go and went to plan B. Cameron quickly dumped his shirt and shoes and dove over the side of the boat to rescue the missing goods. It was 35% heroic, 35% stupid and 30% excuse to go in the water. He quickly reached the net and hats but had to grab his glasses, forgetting to take them off before hitting the water. His hands were full and the current was strong, rendering him unable to swim.

Cliffs up ahead

I could see panic starting to set in, he was helpless as he started to drift further and further from the boat. I think in a panic I started hitting Dennis, telling him to go in after Cameron. He was already preparing to dive over the side and in a second flat, Dennis dove over the edge to calm Cam and save the day. Luke kept an eye on the action and guided me as I brought the boat to them. Safe on the boat, Cam said he was never so excited and scared at the same time. My hero, the Skipper!

We drove just a little further when we noticed the clouds coming toward us. We had enough adventure for the day and decided to turn around and head back to shore just in case. We were told by the guides and our host not to miss Black Canyon on our tour. Since the clouds were still in the distance, we decided to stop there for a few moments to eat our lunch once our stomachs had settled a bit. The boys wanted to cast their fishing lines but sadly time was not on our side. I think we were in Black Canyon less than 5 minutes when the storm was coming up quickly.

Here come the black clouds!

Dennis started the boat while the boys and I packed up everything and put it under the covering. Full steam ahead, Skipper! I sat in the front of the boat to help identify driftwood that was being tossed by the storm. The waters became very rough and the boat ride wasn’t so glorious anymore. It was impossible not to sing the Gilligan’s theme song in your head … “the weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed, if not for the courage of the fearless crew the Minow would be lost, the Minow would be lost…” Then it got worse. Here comes the rain! Thunder and lightning were over head. We could see the bolts of lightning in the near distance. The rain was slapping me in the face, I could barely see but it didn’t matter. We just needed to get in as quickly as possible. This is where I wish my kids weren’t so smart. They began to recite the laws of science and remind us that metal and water are conductors of electricity and we were sitting ducks! We tried to calm the kids, telling them there was nothing to worry about but when I turned around and Dennis made that “HOLY CRAP” face to me, I got really nervous.

We pulled out our old standby “it’s just around the corner”,

Just around the corner

trying to keep our minds off of the life threatening situation we were experiencing. Then, right around the corner, we saw the marina. I wanted to cry I was so happy! Three crew members were calling us in, frantically waving their hands “over here! Over here!” As soon as we touched the dock, they rushed us off the boat and told us to run to the safety of the office. There was another woman who seemed as panicked as us, yelling “Up here! Get up here!” We grabbed everything we could and ran up the stairs to the office like we were teenagers with a case of beer being chased by the cops! Once we were safely inside, we exchanged a few hugs and a whole bunch of high fives, happy to be alive. We were all so jazzed with excitement and relief that we just experienced one of the greatest adventures of our middle class lives. Thankfully our three hour tour didn’t end the same as Gilligan’s but it was certainly exciting!

To see all our photos, visit Snapfish

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