Tornado Sirens and the Great Deluge

The day started out fantastic with lunch at one of Texas's most reputed BBQ joints in Taylor. Louie Mueller's has been around since 1949 and is even a James Beard winner. The walls and ceiling are black from decades of smoke. Each person queues up to place an order - by the pound, of course.....brisket, ribs, sausage, chicken...sides are potato salad, coleslaw or beans with a dish of pickles and onions. The meat arrives on your tray straight from the smoker. The meat is the key in Texas BBQ; it is not about the sauce. The long smoking process at low temperatures produces the most tender meat that is more moist than you can imagine.

Getting back on the road, we were aware that a large weather front was in the region but the rain seemed manageable enough. We desperately wanted to get out of Texas to our next destination....Hot Springs, Arkansas in the Ozarks. About 10 miles from the Texas/Arkansas border, the blaring tornado sirens, streaks of lightning, a deluge of rain and repeated tornado warnings on the radio were enough clues to compel us to spend another night in Texas. So the Hampton Inn in Texarkana, Texas and the World Series game at the Outback Steakhouse was it!!

The weather forecast for today is much better so off to .......HOPE, ARKANSAS!!!!!

The Amazing Big Bend

K: I am still wondering what possessed us to traverse through the entire state of Texas to visit Big Bend National Park, the least visited National Park in the US. .... no cell coverage, nothing but Christian radio stations, no NPR and endless miles of highway. Thank god for the audio book "The First Eagle" by Tony Hillerman!!! But, it was so worth it. In the far southwest portion of Texas, along the Mexican border, the park includes the Rio Grande River, a vast desert and the Chisos Mountains with peaks reaching nearly 6,000 feet. The park is just beautiful. We had a wonderful campsight near the Rio Grande for 2 nights. The night sky was just stunning. Given its remote location, the Big Bend area has some of the best night sky in the US with clear light and pollution-free nights.

While we saw a number of road runners, we did not not see any bears, despite many sightings by fellow hikers just paces ahead of us. We will definitely return to visit this park one day as we must raft/kayak the Rio Grande.

V: Carlsbad Caverns, Guadalupe Mountains and Big Bend are three National Parks so worth the effort to get to. And so great to know that the mystery of the Chupacabra has been solved to my satisfaction. It is not a goat-bloodsucking demon ... but ... a bird - the Nightjar aka the Bullbat.

West Texas is beautifully rugged country, but dang it takes awhile to drive across the state. We will eventually get to Arkansas. We are bummed that we won't be back in Philadelphia for Halloween but hope to find a suitable

place to trick or treat on Saturday.

Very much excited about the notion of paddling the Rio Grande next fall (when the river is the highest). Anybody interested in joining us for that adventure?! And next time, we will have mountain bikes as Big Bend is one of the most mountain bike-friendly National Parks.

Sights:

Sips: Lone Star and Shiner Bock beer

Bites: Excellent campsight dinners - grilled chicken, Caribbean rice and spinach and mole chicken with black beans, avocado, Anaheim peppers and corn tortillas. Campsight breakfasts of scrambled eggs, veggies and beef.

Sights: Big Bend National Park and the ghost town of Terlingua. Viggo's scruffy beard which was left behind in Texas.

Sands, Stalactites, Stalagmites and a Skunk

K: I never thought that a 6th grade report on Carlsbad Caverns would lead us to the very remote SE corner of New Mexico and the SW corner of Texas. The journey has been so worthwhile. The region is a remote desert but it is stunning. Our first stop was at the White Sands National Monument. The dunes rival those in the Sahara and are so unexpected to see at the base of a mountain range. We had such fun "playing" on the dunes.

I really didn't expect to camp at Guadalupe Mountains National Park in SW Texas. In fact, I had never heard of the place prior to this trip. The remoteness of the area and proximity to, well, nothing, yields the most beautiful star-filled sky and sunrise that we have seen on the trip. It is one of the few places in the US that is fairly unaffected by pollution. We have had several great hikes through the desert and into canyons. And we were visited by a skunk at the campsite last evening!

Carlsbad Caverns were definitely the most unique park or monument that we have visited. You see no evidence of what lies below the earth as you approach the visitor's center from the desert drive. The hike from the Natural Entrance, through and around the Big Room, was amazing. The only thing that we missed were the hundreds of thousands of bats who had already made their migration south to Mexico.

V: I had always desired to check out Carlsbad Caverns, and Guadalupe Mountains Park, ever since I heard of it. Wish I could have been one of the original spelunkers to explore the passages and rooms of Carlsbad! Just wonderful. I think every American, heck, every Anyone, should visit these caverns. The definition of 'awesome' they are! This is a shining jewel in the American National Park system, no doubt.

Highlights:

Sips: New Mexican red wine. Who knew, but the climate is certainly right. Our first try was a Cabernet/Shiraz blend. Despite being a bit young, it was quite good.

Bites: H&H Car Wash Cafe, El Paso, Texas. This small cafe attached to a car wash (all by hand) was rumored to have the best chile rellenos in the southwest, and it did not disappoint. The cafe is tiny. Ladies behind the counter whip up the Anaheim Chiles, lightly battered, stuffed with cheese and fried. They are served with a side of very spicy green chile sauce. Delicious!

Note. We did not try the All U Can Eat Chinese, American, Mexican Buffet. While the Drive-Thru Option was tempting, we took a pass.

At the campsite - Norwegian fish balls with pasta and broccoli (Knorr's)! Tonight, spaghetti with meat sauce, seasoned with New Mexican chiles.

Shopping at La Tienda in Carlsbad, NM - Anaheim chilis, fresh tamales, mole sauce, hot red chiles..... it was heaven.

Sights:

White Sands National Monument, Alamogordo, New Mexico. This may be one of the unexpected highlights of the trip. Set in the Chihuahuan Desert and ringed by mountains, lies an expanse of white gypsum sand dunes covering 275 square miles. It is amazing to see plants growing and animals living in such conditions. The animals evolve to white colorations to camouflage themselves. Sadly, there was no camping at this site as it was truly otherworldly. As we entered the park, it was clear that a "snow plow" had recently cleared the road. Picnic areas were set up, and it reminded us of the stark landscape of Iceland. We climbed and played on the dunes and even attempted to slide down. It was truly a beautiful, unusual and special place.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, southwest Texas. These mountains are one of the world's best examples of an ancient marine fossil reef. Formed more than 250 million years ago, the ocean covered much of Texas and New Mexico. When the sea evaporated, the reef was formed from sediment and minerals and fossils. The park is very remote with few roads for cars but miles of hiking trails. You can hike from the floor of the desert to the canyons and finally to the mountain forest.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Carlsbad, New Mexico, set in the desert of the Guadalupe Mountains, is one of the world's most spectacular caves. It is believed that the Indians living in the area never ventured into the caves, only to the entrance. Settlers discovered the caves in the 1,800's due to the hundreds of thousands of bats that fly out of the entrance to the cave each evening to feed on insects. Descending more than 800 feet to the end of the tourist viewing areas, you see thousands of stalactites and stalagmites and columns and natural pools of water. The caves are a constant 56 degrees all year round and home to hundreds of living organisms. It is just a beautiful experience.

"Do you know the way to ... Santa Fe?"

K: Santa Fe, New Mexico, was all that I had expected: picturesque, charming, tremendous culture, much to see and do, delicious food... . The town is home to the oldest house in America and the oldest church in America. The city, initially inhabited by Pueblo Indians, became the capital for the Spanish "Kingdom of New Mexico," the Mexican province of Nuevo Mejico, the American territory of New Mexico (which contained what is today Arizona and New Mexico) and since 1912 the state of New Mexico. All of these influences are still present today.

V: I can get so attached to my trusted, reliable-over-the-years camping gear. Yet, sometimes the conditions caused by the elements necessitate a break with such items ... especially when nature breaks them. A tent pole on the REI Taj tent was bent by the vicious Santa Ana winds whipping in Death Valley when we camped there, so I duct-taped it, but, alas, finally it snapped, and was useless. I am so glad there is a nice, new REI store in Santa Fe. I had hoped to simply replace the broken tent pole, but I knew the tent was discontinued. So maybe a repair could ensue.

Ash, the tent department guy in REI Santa Fe, was so great, suggesting that I could perhaps simply exchange the 'broken' tent for a new one! And, wow, so we did, acquiring a new Hoodoo 3 tent that will be simply great. Oh, and while we're there, might as well get a proper sleeping bag for the superb Big Agnes sleeping bag. Kind of nice to have some new camping gear.

I could see 'retirement' to New Mexico. No question about that. Something to ponder.

And how fun to meet a lady from Staten Island, New York, (where I grew up) in a shop in Madrid! She is now retired, living in 'Querque, and loving it.

Highlights:

Sips: The Coyote Cafe has one of the most diverse cocktail menus that we have ever seen, from edible "mojitos" to drinks served in flavored, frozen shotglasses to infusions that you can barely imagine. Our favorites were the green chile-infused margarita and the Desert Flower Margarita with tasty, dissolving prickly pear ice cubes.

Bites:

- Frito Pie - this delicacy's origin is disputed between Texas and New Mexico. However, most historians believe that the Frito Pie was invented at the lunch counter of Woolworth's more than 60 years ago. Meaty red chili is ladled into an opened "Frito's Big Grab" bag of corn chips, then shredded cheese is spread across the top. Onions and jalapenos serve as a garnish. The whole food pyramid in one bowl! We sampled the Frito Pie at the "Five & Dime General Store", the old site of the original Woolworth's lunch counter.

- Green chili cheese burger (GCCB) - the perfect storm of a hamburger: cooked beef, cheese, hot flame-roasted green chiles, served with raw onion, lettuce, tomato and pickle chips. This is a food staple all over New Mexico. We sampled ours in the historic town of Madrid at the Mine Shaft Tavern.

Chile rellenos - another staple in New Mexico. Roasted green chile peppers, stuffed with cheese and surrounded by crisp breading and topped with green chile sauce.

Restaurants - Casa la Sena and Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe are both outstanding! The elk tenderloin and herb-crusted lamb with sage gnocchi at Coyote Cafe were one of the best meals we have ever savored--wow!

And kind of fun to see Ted Turner, and his entourage, dining at the table next to ours.

Sights: Black Mesa Golf Course in Espanola, NM. The course is set in canyons and arroyos in the high desert north of Santa Fe. We both vow to return to play it again!

Georgia O'Keeffe Museum - houses many of her paintings and, currently, a photography exhibit of the artist in New Mexico. Georgia O'Keeffe ultimately moved from New York to New Mexico and settled north of Santa Fe. The landscape of the area is seen in much of her work.

Taos and the surrounding area. Set in stunning mountains and rich with skiing, hiking and rafting on the Rio Grande, it is also home of the Taos Pueblo, the oldest continuously inhabited community in the US. Pueblo Indians still live in the multi-family, terraced adobe buildings with the upper levels accessible only by ladder. Some of the structures are more than 1,000 years old.

Madrid (pronounced MAdrid) is an old coal mining town on the "Turquoise Trail" south of Santa Fe. Today it is largely an artist's community with old company stores and houses converted to galleries and shops. Oh so quaint!!

Off the Reservation

K: After the Grand Canyon, the route was through NE Arizona with our ultimate destination being Santa Fe. The route took us through the Navajo and Hopi Indian Reservations. The vastness of the Reservation land is amazing. The Navajos still seem to each have a Hogan on their properties which is the traditional six-sided dwelling now used for ceremonial purposes.

Camping was at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. This is the first campsite that was not like the others... . It was free so there were a number of campers that, well, weren't camping. Sleeping in their cars was more like it. My assumption is that they were homeless and sleeping at a nice campsite with a bathroom facililty was better than the alternative. There are a lot of really poor people in this country.

Canyon de Chelly (pronounced 'Shay') is on the Navajo Reservation and preserves the ruins of the indigenous tribes that lived in adobe dwellings along the cliffs.

V: The Grand Canyon is, as any who have visited it know, so inspiring. My mind went to the early explorers such as the Powell Expeditions, which navigated the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in 1869 and 1872, I believe, in rather primitive five-man rowboats. Amazingly intrepid feats those folks accomplished in the days of exploring and settling the American West.

We weren't going to make it to the Native cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park in CO, so the smaller ruins at Canyon de Chelly were worth seeing. A free campsite does seem to attract quite a few interesting folks sleeping in their cars, and, yes, grilled spam with a wonderful mole sauce is so yummy.

To note K's comment on some of the poverty we have seen on this journey: yes, life on Reservation Land can be challenging, and yet it is worth noting that the Navajo are very enterprising, never missing a chance to sell the silver jewelry and native-designed pottery at any place they can.

Looking forward to Santa Fe, a place I've never visited.

Highlights:

Bites: Grilled spam and pasilla peppers with mole sauce, black beans and rice.

Sights: Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Navajo and Hopi Reservations

Grand Canyon Photos

Pix from the south rim hike and the south kaibab trail hike into the canyon.

The Grandest of Canyons

K: Two days at the Grand Canyon and wow! It is really the grandest of all of the canyons. We were so fortunate to get nearly record highs in the daytime (high '70's) and only into the '40's at night. On the first day we hiked much of the south rim and watched the colors of the canyon change from mid-afternoon full sunshine to the sunset at the far western Hermits Rest. It is truly spectacular, and one could stare into the vast expanse for hours. Day two, we hiked into the Canyon from the South Kaibab trail. We responsibly followed all of the advice and resisted our temptations to hike to the bottom of the Canyon in one day. We hiked down several miles and then back up. It is such a different perspective to hike into the Canyon and see the scene changes.

V: The wonderful vision of the pair of California Condors riding the air currents above us was enchanting, engaging, and pristine and pure affirmation of the glories of the natural creatures and wonders of this country's magnificent West and Southwest, so vast and so beautiful, in so many ways.

And I am continually impressed with the numbers of people exploring, traveling, discovering these places as we two are. I guess people are spending their time and money close to home--in the USA. Next, into the natural beauty and culinary delights of New Mexico.

Highlights:

Sips: Caguama Cerveza - El Salvador (may be better than Corona)

Bites: Grilled spicy turkey sausage, red rice and beans and grilled onion and peppers!

Sights: Grand Canyon National Park camping and hiking.

A Date Shake, a Salty Sea and Patton's Tanks

Highlights:

Trips: From Joshua Tree and the Mojave Desert with 100+ temps, to the Salton Sea, across Souther California to Arizona (more record temps north of 100 degrees to Flagstaff, Arizona and 50 degree temps. Or from sea level to 7,000 feet. Had hoped to overnight in Sedona, but once again we were foiled on a Saturday evening.

Bites:

Shield's Date Garden, Indio, California - the date capital of the world and home of the movie "The Romance and Sex Life of the Date", the least understood of all fruits. Shield's is known for its classic date shake, a mixture of chopped dates and ice cream.

Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar, Flagstaff, Arizona - one of Conde Nast Traveler's top new 100 restaurants in the world 2007. After a long day of driving, we ended up in Flagstaff which turned out to be a really neat town with a very historically preserved downtown. What a find to dine at this great restaurant - a delicious cheese sampler, Barramundi and Osso Buco!!!

Sights:

Salton Sea, southern California - created by a flood of the Colorado River this large lake in the middle of the desert was once a resort area for southern Californians. However, wtih no outflow of water, the salinity has only increased and now the lake is only home to some pelicans and the hardiest of fish. The towns along the shore are mostly deserted. It is just so strange to see a vast lake in the middle of the desert.

General George S. Patton Memorial Museum, Chiriaco Summit, California - we saw this museum off of I-10. Since the General is actually a relative of Karen's, we had to stop. It is one of the best military museums! The museum is located in the desert where Patton established the Desert Training Center to train US troops for combat in North Africa in WWII. More than 1 million troops trained at the Center. Almost purchased the book "Patton's Principles of War Applied to Business."

Western Arizona - beautiful country. As the desert turns into forest, the change in scenery is just dramatic as are the changes in temperature. In a span of several hours, we traveled through the Sonoran Desert through two national forests and the red rock canyons of the Sedona area.

Next stop.....Grand Canyon

Joshua Trees, Tarantulas and.....the Mormons

K: We have emerged from Joshua Tree National Park and finally have cell/data coverage. I diverge to rant just a bit.... I have been to the developing world in Central America, South America, SE Asia, including rice paddies and deep in the Vietnamese jungle. And I have always had cell/data coverage. It does make one wonder about the good 'ol US of A. Outside urban cities, there is little quality cell service in this country and none in national parks. Ok, now that I have that off my chest.......

Joshua Tree National Park was magical, mystical, surreal and ... hot. Yesterday, we hiked a trail that took us through the heart of the May 2009 forest fire in the Lost Horse Mine section. Wow. It was so interesting to see how the desert can recover from such an event. The Joshua Tree (or yucca) is native only to the Mojave Desert and western CA. It does not seem to cross the path into the Sonoran desert, which is so interesting - the Joshua Tree vs. the Saguaro Cactus.

Wildlife has been most interesting. We did a second hike yesterday late afternoon and saw TWO tarantulas. They were clearly out for a stroll in the evening hours. They were big as a fist and slightly furry. Fortunately, they didn't visit our campsite. And, then, the more interesting creatures.... the Mormons. When a group of boys and male adults showed up at the two campsites next to ours, I assumed it was a boy scout troop, or something like that. The first clue was the fireside gathering and the readings from the book of Revelations. The second clue was the reading from the other "books" that to my knowledge were not books from the bible. So far the world is not ending so I think I will stick to my own reading list rather than Revelations!

V: The gist of the 'sermon' next to our campsite was "Satan and the War in Heaven'. It was an interesting campfire tale, indeed.

The unexpected encounter on the trail of the furry long-legged ones prompted me to wonder do Tarantulas dance the Tarantella? (I have no idea why I pondered that.)

The New Age vibe is strong in Joshua Tree, and, in that spirit, I burned/sacrificed my black convertible shorts, ones that had been with me for many a year, indeed, at least one decade, on many a kayak paddle, on many a hike. But, alas, too many holes and rips to repair led to no other alternative. I had purchased a new pair of outdoor shorts at a store in the town of Joshua Tree, so, if something comes in, something must go out.

Oh, and it was resourceful to use the desert heat to dry out, thoroughly, some hand-washed items we needed to do, as you can see in one of the photos.

On to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon tonite.

Desert Playlist: A note, for my buddy Juan, in particular, is that our playlist in the desert rambles has included such stellar albums as Patti Smith's "Twelve" and a healthy dose of U2's "Joshua Tree", of course, and a fine Norwegian musical group that must be discovered by others--Madrugada, and their exquisite debut album "Industrial Silence", in particular. Check them out!

Highlights:

Sips: Finally, red wine from a bottle and not a box since we were camping in the same spot for more than one night.

Bites: Yummy meal of grilled chicken and pasilla chile peppers with lentil curry sauce and Karen's perfectly cooked spuds from the campfire.

Sites: Wonderful two nites camping in Joshua Tree National Park -- exploring the Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert, and enjoying the beauty of the Mojave Yucca and the Cholla Cactus. Camping on Wednesday eve in Red Rock Canyon State Park, in southern California, which was the westernmost point of our trek.

Snowed in, in the Sierras

K: From below sea level to 10,000 feet in a morning. We started the morning with a hike across the sand dunes in Death Valley. The dunes are just gorgeous with desert cactus and windswept trees surviving in the rolling dunes. We continued our drive westward through Death Valley with the intention of making our way to Mono Lake, the ghost town of Bodie and, ultimately, Yosemite National Park. As the full Sierra Nevadas came into view, we were stunned with the amount of snow cover. Against the backdrop of a clear blue sky, the mountains were just stunning. Then we learned of the severity of the storm over the last 24 hours. All the passes which give access to Yosemite from the East are closed due to excessive snow!

So it was Plan B. We traveled as far North as the Inyo National Forest to see the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest (thanks Alex). At 10,000 feet atop the White Mountains, the Bristlecone Pines are the oldest trees in the world. Some of the trees exceed 4,ooo years in age and are still growing. They thrive in the cool, dry climate of the mountains. We had a wonderful hike through the snow covered forest to see the trees. Now we head south to warmer temperatures and, eventually, Joshua Tree National Park.

V: Shaking off the dust, literally, it was good to get in the car and head through Death Valley toward Yosemite. Bummer that the passes were snowed in, but it was so incredible to see the ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. Hmmm....if these are the most ancient trees on Earth....then was the Garden of Eden in California? One would imagine these trees to be massive, towering shade canopies; however, they are short, scrubby and gnarled.

I am looking forward to Joshua Tree National Park tomorrow. And Karen will get to play U2 on the iPod all day long!!! I am also looking forward to a sip of that tasty brew when I am done driving for the day.

Highlights:

Sips: Mammoth Brewing Company Paranoid Pale Ale

Bites: Fresh beef jerky, sage honey and jalapeno stuffed olives at Gus's Really Good Fresh Jerky roadside stand

Sights: Inyo National Forest and Bristlecone Pine Trees

Nearly airborne in Death Valley

K: Well, it is safe to say that I now am an experienced camper. After leaving Las Vegas on Tuesday (and $150 richer thanks to a lucky run at the Blackjack table), we arrived in Death Valley in the afternoon. It is a vast expanse of a national park with such great diversity: the lowest elevation in the Western Hemisphere at 282 feet below sea level, rocks, canyons, sand dunes, oases and a massive salt basin. All of this is surrounded by some of the highest mountain peaks in the US, including Mt. Whitney.

We set up camp on the desert floor, and the wind continued to pick up throughout the night with gusts that had to have reached nearly 50mph. I am still amazed that we weren't airborn and that the tent stayed on the ground despite shaking violently all night long. While the tent withstood the wind (despite a couple of bent tent poles), it did fill with sand. There is nothing like waking up with sand everywhere. Unbeknownst to us, the western pacific was suffering one of the worst storms in decades with some places near San Francisco getting 20 inches of rain and in the Sierra Nevadas, several inches of snow. Apparently Mammoth Mountain is going to open for skiing on Friday!

V: My ears still ringing from the non-stop slot machine dinging and neon lights glowing (yes, I can hear the neon lights of Vegas), I was excited to return to Death Valley. I recall fondly my brother and I driving through Death Valley in my 1973 Plymouth Fury, my left arm out the driver's window and his right arm out the passenger window, both severely sun burned. I am still amazed at the number of people out here camping in mid-October. It wasn't ideal, but Karen found a nice campsite for us.

Then the wind picked up. I could not even pitch the tent by myself; we could barely pitch it together. And the wind just did not stop. It is the most severe wind that I have ever camped in. Yes, a little gritty sand got blown into the tent, into our sleeping bags, into our nose, ears, eyes and throat. But we both survived the night, and Karen has officially her camping merit badge.

Highlights:

Sips: Corbett Canyon Merlot (in a box, of course)

Bites: Spanish omelette and corned beef hash at the Totem Cafe in Lone Pine, CA (delicious)

Sites: Death Valley National Park