National Public Lands Day 2017

Venturous. Did you know that today is National Public Lands Day? This is a day to celebrate all of the lands that you have access to, for hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, bird watching, geocaching, and much, much more. These lands are set aside for humans to enjoy, for animals to have a place to go instead of into our cities, to protect culturally and historically significant areas, and to preserve a space of wildness that we seem to forget we need in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. This is also a day to get out on some of our land and do some good, from picking up trash to helping a trail crew, to planting a few trees. Public lands include parks in all shapes and sizes, from small city parks to huge national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, state parks, and more. I've made a list of a few of my favorite public lands, but have excluded those units run just by the National Park Service. I've talked a lot about the national parks and am trying to give a few other areas some attention on this post!

McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, TX

This national wildlife refuge located on the northern gulf coast of Texas is home to so many different species of birds, fish, turtles, insects, and plants that to list them all out would take up more space than anyone would care to read. Instead, let me point out the highlights: wild hogs, sea turtles, river otters, and alligators! The fishing here is amazing, you can catch blue crabs for days, and getting out on a canoe among the saltwater marshes is something that should be experienced by everyone. Just don't get in the water!

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT

Venturous. You know me and my love affair with Utah. Technically this is a national monument, but it is jointly run by the national park service and the bureau of land management, so I'm going to include it here. This monument encompasses vast reaches of desert in southern Utah, protects countless ancient indian relics, fossils, and precious water sources. This area is a mecca for hikers and mountain bikers, and is littered with world-class climbing and slot canyons suited to all skill levels. Need more convincing? Get out there and explore it yourself and you'll see exactly what I mean.

Ouachita National Forest, AR

I'm a little surprised at myself for putting this on my list. When I was thinking of places I like to visit I really wasn't sure I'd be putting too many places from the southeast region of the U.S. on my list, but here you are. Ouachita National Forest is a haven of deep green tunnels and solitude, and its forest service roads lead to amazing hiking and swimming opportunites. That, plus the perk of being able to camp just about anywhere you want in a national forest makes it, and all national forests, great places to get away.

Petit Jean State Park, AR

Another location in Arkansas, but this one is well deserved. Petit Jean State Park lies on the edge of the Ouachita Mountains in central Arkansas and boasts hundred foot cliffs and towering waterfalls. Its hiking trails weave from mountain top to canyon bottom littered with grottos, springs, and streams everywhere you look. Want to visit a state park soon? Make this place a top priority.

Colorado Bend State Park, TX

You know, Texas really does have a fantastic state park system. There is a park within an hour or two of just about everybody in the state, and Texans definitely know how to use their public lands. Most of the parks here revolve around water in some way, whether its a small fishing lake, a huge recreation area, a river, stream, spring, or something else. This state park in particular has springs, creeks, rivers, waterfalls, and small pools, all in one little area. And the best part? You can hike to them all, and camp near most. I will most definitely be going back.

There is more to public lands than just national parks, and I hope that I've showed you just a few examples of places to enjoy in the U.S. Don't forget, this is our land, Our Wild, and we should treat it as such. Now get out there and enjoy your public lands!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Wupatki

I've visited this small national monument set on the edge of the vast Painted Desert between volcanic cinder hills and sweeping prairie before, but this time I got to take my history-buff sister! Alisha and I made a special trip to Wupatki on our way home from the Grand Canyon last May just because I knew how much she would love the history and culture of the monument, and I had to share it with her. The ancient culture who lived, farmed, hunted, and built homes in this arid land are admirable for many reasons, not least that they lived next to an active volcano not too far to the south. All that remains of these ancestoral people are pottery shards and crumbling stone buildings, but you can't help but imagine how their lives once were.

Leave me a comment below and tell me if you've ever visited Wupatki National Monument near Flagstaff, AZ. Would you?

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Earth Cracks

Have you ever heard of earth cracks? These small breaks in the earth's crust tend to form in earthquake-prone areas, such as near active volcanoes, where the earth literally splits apart. On our visit to Wupatki National Monument this May my sister and I saw several of these earth cracks, relics from a time when the San Francisco Mountains surrounding Flagstaff, AZ were volcanic peaks that pumped ash and magma into the surrounding area. The ancient cultures who lived near the volcanoes used the natural dams inside earth cracks to catch and store rainwater, and so their culture was able to survive in the semi-arid prairie not far from the mountains. Their ruins still stand on the rims of earth cracks all over the area protected by Wupatki, and the crumbling rock and adobe walls can make you feel small and insignificant when standing in the shadow of the past.

Leave me a comment below and tell me if you've ever heard of earth cracks. Have you seen some before?

Pike's Peak Year Four

Established. For the fourth year in a row Torrey and I met up at Pike's Peak near Manitou Springs, Colorado to have a grand Colorado adventure. Clearly we've started a tradition, and I see no reason to stop! We time our meeting for the Pike's Peak Ascent and Marathon, an event that draws thousands of people to the small town nestled at the foot of Pike's Peak west of Colorado Springs, and an event that both Torrey and her dad participate in. When we first went to Pike's Peak together we cheered on Torrey's dad from the sidelines. As the years have passed, Torrey herself began to run as well, while I cheered on from the sidelines. I do a lot of crazy things, but running up a 14,000+ foot mountain does not sound like a lot of fun, especially with things like time cut-offs. No thank you! I'll continue to watch and cheer them on and let them do the crazy things.

This time around Ascent Day dawned early and we walked Torrey's dad, Dennis, to the starting line to watch him begin, then made our way to the Pike's Peak highway to wait for him at the top. Every year the Ascent draws tons of people, so they have a parking lot lower down the mountain with shuttles to take you to the top. Instead of taking the shuttle can you guess what Torrey and I decided to do? Three miles is nothing, so we decided to hike it! Except that three miles at a high altitude, and gaining more with every step, is actually no easy feat, and it wasn't long before I was feeling the symptoms of altitude sickness. I was out of breath and couldn't catch it, I had a pounding headache, and I could not, no matter what I did, get my heart rate to slow down. I felt like I was running a sprint, when in fact I was just short of crawling. I've rarely had a problem with altitude sickness before now, and I can't help but wonder if it is getting worse the longer I live near sea level in Texas. I remember a little bit of a headache the last time I was in the mountains, but nothing like this. Ugh!

I did my best to power through, taking lots of short breaks and using photography as an excuse to stop for longer times. There were several fat little marmots all over the trail, and I might have wasted a lot of time watching them scamper over the rocks in mockery of my struggles. Oh, to be a mountain-dwelling animal! When we finally reached the top (Torrey got there way before I did) we were fairly warm and found ourselves a sunny spot out of the wind to settle down and wait for Dennis. The clouds moved in a little bit towards the end of the run, just before he summitted, and we started getting announcements of a storm beginning to build, and recommendations to get off the mountain. Dennis arrived not much later, and we grabbed a shuttle back down to my car, then on into Manitou Springs for shopping, eating, and an early night.

The next day, Marathon Day, I walked with Torrey and Dennis to the starting line and watched them begin their race before driving all the way to the top of Pike's Peak to wait for them there. The day was colder than before, and not long after I arrived in the morning clouds moved in and decided to shower the spectators in sleet. I got pretty chilly and was glad when the race ended, and we could go get some warm food back in town! We all ate together before Torrey and I headed off and began our Rocky Mountain Park Adventure, but we couldn't begin our trip without honoring one more tradition that we've picked up along the way: Wine!

The two of us had to make a stop at our favorite restaurant and winery at the foot of Pike's Peak, called The Wines, and enjoyed a dinner on a sheltered patio while a thunderstorm rolled around us and down the valley towards the plains and Colorado Springs. It was something else, sitting in a protected spot enjoying great food and listening to the thunder echo among the peaks. We enjoyed ourselves for quite a while, and may or may not have left The Wines with a whole case of different wines between the two of us. It was bound to be a fantastic week!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: The Blowhole

This unassuming, gated-off hole in the ground is actually a natural entrance to a giant underground chamber buried beneath the desert at Wupatki National Monument. The blowhole is so named because it "breathes", pushing air out or sucking air in depending on the temperature and pressure outside. When we were there the blowhole was blowing air out of it, though we at first couldn't tell which way the air was blowing. There are several blowhole sites around Wupatki, and like I said above these are entrances to underground chambers; these chambers are called earthcracks and appear as a result of earthquake activity in the surrounding limestone bedrock, which enlarge over time. Each chamber and blowhole is connected by one or more passages, though as of yet nobody has explored the size, depth, or complexity of the earthcracks. Wouldn't it be cool to do a little spelunking in the area?

Leave me a comment below and tell me if you've ever heard of earthcracks or blowholes. They aren't really caves, though they seem pretty similar if you ask me!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Play Ball

While exploring Wupatki National Monument in northern Arizona my sister and I stopped to check out a reconstructed Ball Court. There is still some speculation as to the purpose of a ball court in the ancient indian's daily lives, but there is no doubt the ball court idea travelled all the way from the Aztec and Mayan cultures in Mexico. How neat is this!? Proof that trade of goods and ideas was already well in place a thousand years ago. Can you imagine people playing some sort of ball game here? Just picture it!

Leave me a comment below and let me know if you think this is as cool as I do!

Photoshoot Failure?

Amused. So I like taking pictures (no duh, right?) and I just so happened to be camped at a beautiful spot deep in the Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas. I had taken a weekend to run away and I thought it would be fun to bring Callie, who loves to swim, and Ghost (my new puppy!!) because I want to get him used to camping and hiking and swimming and pretty much everything I love to do. After I had picked the perfect spot and set up camp I wanted to take a few of those amazing tent-flap vista pictures. So I opened my tent flaps, set up my sleeping bag, got down on my stomach, and started snapping pictures.

Callie wandered over and decided she wanted to lay on my sleeping bag and take a nap. I started to shoo her away then realized I had a perfect picture framed right in front of me, so I started shooting again. Then Ghost wandered over and lay down with Callie. Now, I should point out that getting these two to get along hasn't been easy. Ghost took to Marley and Marley took to Ghost like long-lost brothers, but Callie is insanely jealous of the new puppy. Mostly her jealousy rears its ugly green head whenever Jared is around, and especially if she thinks Jared is giving the puppy more attention than her, but it also shows through whenever there are toys that she wants but Ghost has, or on occasion if she wants my attention but I'm playing with the puppy. Anyway, I thought the best plan would be to take them travelling together. Callie loves travelling as much as I do and I'd hoped she could teach Ghost the finer points of being an adventure dog.

I am happy to report that for the most part, it worked! Callie and Ghost played together, cuddled together, both sat on the front seat together in the car, and Callie allowed Ghost to follow her around while off-leash in the mountains. It was great! When Ghost came over and lay down next to Callie while I was taking pictures I thought for sure I was about to get some adorable photos of my two little adventure pups napping together. Apparently I forgot Ghost is a puppy. It wasn't long before he got bored with laying around and started entertaining himself. By chewing on his own feet.

The photoshoot quickly deteriorated from there. What had started out as a calm and peaceful photo session dissolved into a fidgity puppy and an annoyed Callie. I could see it in her expression as at first she just accepted the nuisance behind her, but slowly became more annoyed as he refused to settle down.

The photo above says it all. Now, remember, I was still on my belly, propped up on my elbows, snapping pictures as quickly as my camera could take them while this was going on. It didn't take long before Callie had had enough, at which point she got up and walked away, going the long way around the tent to curl up next to my side while I tried unsuccessfully to get Ghost to lay down and hold still for a couple of seconds. The whole photo shoot lasted maybe ten minutes, if that, but I think I have to call it a success overall. Wouldn't you agree?

Rocky Mountain Adventures: BEAR!!

Astonished. "There's something over there" is not a phrase you want to hear when you're alone in the backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park. Sure, you could be refering to a cute little chipmunk, or maybe a herd of elk, but that's not where your mind goes. Especially when that "something" is definitely right where you put your bear canister, the required seventy or more steps away from camp. We both stood up slowly, hardly daring to breathe, and I side-stepped a few feet to where we had left the bear spray laying on the stump of a tree. Torrey stayed close, and she was only a few steps away from the tent, so I asked her to grab my camera, because I was pretty freaking sure I knew exactly what that "something" was.

And then I did something that was both brave and stupid: I snuck closer for a better look. My breathing was fast and shallow as I slid from tree to tree, taking care that there was something in the way of a direct path between me and it. We heard grunting and snuffling coming from next to the rock where I had put our bear canister, on the other side of a small creek spanned by a pile of branches laid side by side to make a crude bridge. Excitement was making me almost forget my caution as I searched for a clearer view, trying to see past the brush to make absolutely certain that I wasn't freaking out for no reason. And then it happened: the "something" moved just enough in its pursuit of our bear canister that Torrey and I both got a good look at a big, round, fuzzy head, a long honey-colored muzzle, and little ears covered in brown fur, to put the identity of the mystery creature beyond a doubt: BEAR!!

Sure, we had talked about wanting to see a bear the entire trip. We were in the mountains, after all, in the backcountry away from people. Torrey had never seen a wild bear before; I had only seen one from the safety of my car. It was a joke, really, the kind of thing that you say but don't really mean, at least not when you're up close and personal. I think this is a lesson in "be careful what you wish for." We watched, in equal measures of astonishment, terror, and excitement, as the bear tried its hardest to help itself to the contents of our bear canister. He (I assume it was a male because there were no cubs around, thankfully) was pawing and biting at the canister, rolling around on his back, the canister gripped between all four paws as his jaws tried to get a grip on the cylindrical plastic. Honestly, it was super cute in a big, scary-but-non-aggressive, way. We've sinced named my bear canister "The Cuddler," and that is what I will call it forever.

Then the bear noticed us. It dropped the bear canister and stood up on its back paws faster than a blink, which sent me scurring backwards towards Torrey, and sent her back towards our tent. It stared at us for a few seconds, checking us out, then it settled down on its haunches and went back to work on the bear canister. At that point I was done watching it, I couldn't get a clear picture through the leaves of the trees and bushes, and I only wanted it to leave us in peace. I tried to scare him off, yelling at it, waving my arms, making as much noise as possible, even swearing at it, to absolutely no effect. The bear just continued his clawing and biting at the canister. He even tried to run off with it, sending the canister flying and almost dumped it in the creek.

I think at that point the bear gave up on the canister. He jumped up onto a tree, sharpening his claws, then came sliding back down to earth before making up his mind to come our way. He crossed the creek as if it wasn't even there, and before we knew it he was on our side, coming straight at us before we could make a move. I had unlocked my bear spray when we had first sighted the bear, but the only thing in my mind at the moment was to put as much space between us and it as possible. Torrey and I backed up quickly, but the bear was faster, and still came within thirty to fifty feet of where we stood with my tent, a thin, flapping bit of fabric, between us. At what seemed like the last second, just as I remembered the bear spray and brought it up in front of me, the bear veered away from us and ambled off into the forest. Suddenly, it was as if the bear had never been.

A few seconds of stunned silence followed the bear's departure. I was still trying to swallow the fact that a freaking bear had just been coming at us. I looked at Torrey, eyes wide, and tried to muster the most nonchalant tone I could, though I heard my voice shake as I said the words "we won't be sleeping if we stay here tonight, huh?" I'm pretty sure her response was "fuck no."

You see, I'm stubborn, and not one to give up on something once I've started it, especially if I was really looking forward to whatever it is. I really, really wanted to stay at Upper Wind River for our last night in Rocky Mountain National Park. It was a gorgeous backcountry site, open and dazzling, surrounded by little wildflowers and visited by hummingbirds. If the bear had been scared off when we had first tried yelling at it, waving our arms and trying to intimidate it, I might have begged Torrey to tough it out and stay, reasoning that the bear wouldn't return until it knew us scary humans were gone. But our intimidation tactics had absolutely no effect on the bear; he had shown us no fear, only a mild curiosity. He also hadn't been aggressive, and him coming at us wasn't a combative charge but more of a curious investigation. Nevertheless, we decided that it was in our best interest to get away from the area, because in all likelihood the bear would be back, probably at night, and we would have been at a huge disadvantage if we'd stayed. It didn't take us long to pack our gear, retrieve the chewed-up bear canister, and leave, even with us looking over our shoulders so often it appeared we'd developed a twitch. We hiked back to the car quickly, almost as if we didn't have heavy packs on, the promise of safety in numbers a lure too good to ignore. We might have been chased out of our final Rocky Mountain backcountry campsite, but we left with a backpacking story that both of us will have a hard time topping.

What do you think of my Rocky Mountain Adventures? Would you be interested in tagging along on a trip like this some day? Let me know! If you missed the rest of my stories you can read about The Eclipse, Skeleton Gulch, Box Canyon, Thunder Pass, Glacier Basin, Unfinished Business, Boulder Brook, and Upper Wind River! Just click on any of the links to take you to those stories. Thanks for reading!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: The Weight of History

Have you ever looked at something and really felt the weight of history on you? I mean, really realized that this piece of pottery, or statue, or arrowhead, or whatever, had human hands on it, shaping it, creating it. That human had a life, a family; they lived and breathed and talked and ate. They were real. They existed. Looking at the grindstones above, located at Wupatki National Monument in Arizona, I felt the weight of their history hover over me, and my sister and I were only visitors looking at a window into the past.

Leave me a comment below and tell me if you've ever experienced this awareness of past lives when looking at an artifact.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: A Grand Sunset

Our final view of the Grand Canyon came right at sunset. Alisha and I had finished up our forty mile backpacking adventure across the Grand Canyon that very day, and had stuck around to get in a few more views of the Big Ditch before we began our journey home. We, along with a hoard of other tourists, hung out at one of the canyon overlooks as the sun began to set, each one of us determined to see the canyon glow as the light died from the sky. The evening seemed to linger at first, but time seemed to speed up as the sun neared the horizon. In a few short minutes, it was over. The sun had diped below the distant canyon rim, the light faded quickly from the sky, and it was time for my sister and I to leave the Grand Canyon and all of its adventures behind. We'll be back, though, ready to take on another epic journey. Maybe next time we'll see the canyon from the river.

Leave me a comment below and tell me about an epic sunset you've witnessed. Where was it?

Ouachita Recharge

Placated. I hadn't camped since May. My work-home life balance was askew, I was overwhelmed to the point of getting stress headaches, and I was snappy with everyone, especially my husband. I needed a get-away, but finding the time was the problem. I just had so much going on. The last week of July I finally had enough, threw my camping gear into my car, loaded up Callie and my newest little pup, Ghost, and hit the road. I had wanted a cool respite from the hot and humid Texas summer and there was only one place to get a break: mountains.

I'd visited the Ouachita Mountains in central Arkansas before, and knew I could go there for some solitude, bright green tunnels of trees, and cool, clear mountain streams. It was the perfect place to run away to, especially with my little white adventure dog and my new adventure dog in training. On the four hour early morning drive I daydreamed about little creeks, pitching my tent alongside a babbling brook, and maybe taking a dip in one of the many swimming holes that dot the mountainsides. I could feel the knots in my shoulders release as I turned off the paved highway onto the dirt forest service road, and they loosened ever more as I dove deeper into the trees, following the winding mountain road until I found a place to stop and swim for a bit.

Callie, of course, shot straight for the water, chasing sticks and leaves that swirled on the lazy current. Ghost, on the other hand, wasn't so sure what to think about the cold wet stuff on his paws. He only ever got about elbow-deep, but it was a start! I had intended to camp at Bard Spring, a recreation area with established campsites, but as I travelled through the forest I found a wonderful little spot right next to a little creek and pitched my tent on a patch of springy moss. I knew I would be the only one there that night, and that suited me just fine. The dogs wandered around a bit while I sat in my chair and read a book, though Ghost decided to wander too far and had to be put back on leash for a while.

Sitting down in the forest, listening to the birds and the creek, watching my dogs splash and play; it was exactly what I needed. I had needed a recharge, a break from day to day life, and this trip had done it. After our evening walk along the forest service road, after we had eaten dinner, and the evening had closed in around us, Callie, Ghost, and I crawled into the tent and I fell into the deepest sleep I've had since backpacking in the Grand Canyon. It was bliss.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Duck Rock

Do you see the duck perched at the top of this rock? There are some weird and amazing rocks in the Grand Canyon, and adults and children alike see shapes of familiar objects in them just as they would see shapes in the clouds. My sister and I were on our last day at the Grand Canyon, trying to soak in as many sights as we could while also trying to avoid walking or standing as much as possible, so we drove around the South Rim and made our way to the overlooks near sunset, including Duck Rock. Now, can anybody tell me the function of a rubber duck?

Leave me a comment and tell me that you got the Harry Potter reference. Please. I swear I'm not a nerd...

A Snapshot and The Scoop: The Brightest Night

There is just something about sleeping under the stars that speaks to a lot of people, and if you get the chance to sleep under the stars in an amazing place with some of the darkest skies around? Even better. Alisha and I had that chance on our Grand Canyon Adventure back in May, and our last night in the canyon was all the more beautiful for it. We had gone to bed with the occasional droplets of rain sprinkling the tent, but for some reason I woke up in the dead of night. Maybe it was the complete calm, which we hadn't had for three days. It could have also been the light; it was bright enough in the tent to see the outlines of my sister and our gear, and in my befuddled state I wondered what jerk was shining his headlights into our tent when we were clearly sleeping. I peeked out the ventilation window to take a look and was greeted by the clearest, brightest sky shot through with stars, and the cloudy Milky Way running across my field of vision. It was so amazing that I woke my sister up, wanting to share the brilliance of the night with her. It couldn't have been a better last night in the canyon.

Leave me a comment below and tell me, are you a star buff? Do you like star gazing?

Exploring with Family

Stoked. I am so flipping excited: I have a whole new family I get to explore with! Back in June when Jared and I visited his family in the northern part of the country I got to know my soon-to-be in-laws a little bit better. We spent several days with Jared's family at a resort near Bemidji, MN, and aside from the kayaking, swimming, campfires, and cookouts we held, Jared's parents, siblings, little niece, and I took off for an afternoon to explore the nearby town and state park.

Our first stop was Babe the Blue Ox and Paul Bunyan, located on the shores of Lake Bemidji. Charlotte, our niece, wasn't too sure about Babe at first, but when Jared picked her up and pointed out the ox's butt from the parking lot where we stood she seemed to get over her hesitation pretty quickly. Quickly enough to pick Babe's nose, anyway. Her and Uncle Jared had a good time picking noses and pointing out Babe's rear end every time they had a chance.

From Bemidji we headed to Itasca State Park, a mid-sized park located less than an hour from town that just so happened to contain the lake that is considered the headwaters of the Mississippi River. You read that right. We got to see where the Mighty Mississippi begins its course across the country, until it runs into the Gulf of Mexico. It was full of other visitors, of course, but we couldn't pass up the chance to walk across the headwaters of the river, though it is a relatively small stream at its beginning. We spent some time splashing around in the water with Charlotte and Adam, Jared's brother, while we were watched by Jared's parents, Chuck and Renee, and Adam's wife, Kelli. Jared, Adam, Charlotte, and I all pulled off our shoes and walked across the Mississippi River!

We spent a couple hours in the park before heading back to the resort for dinner, but I'm sure it was only the first time I get to explore with my new family members. I'm determined to take Kelli on a camping trip, and I can't wait for Charlotte to grow up enough to go adventuring with me as well. Who knows, maybe we can get the whole Johnson family together for a camping trip some time in the near future. We can even bring a camper and have things like air conditioning and running water. It'll be fun, I promise!