All Good Things Must Come to an End

33 Days, 29 states, 10, 000 miles of driving, and a wedding. From Georgia to California and back, the best summer of our lives is winding to a close. We woke in St. Louis to a home-cooked breakfast, loaded up the 4Runner, and got on down the road to Nashville, Music City. The Southern Summer Sun of Nashville scorched the asphalt and our skin, and we pulled into our last destination with a bitter sweet feeling. Relaxing in our hotel, we wanted to be home where we could start our lives together as husband and wife. We dined in the evening at a Japanese Steakhouse with Native Nashvillians more interested in phone conversations than dinner and called it an early evening. We awoke like Rip Van Winkle from 20 years slumber and packed the vehicle for the last time. I pointed White Lightening southeast and rode out into the middle of Tennessee. Saying little, we longed to be home, to return to routine, but in our hearts, we wished we could continue to the next wonder, the next National Park, the next adventure..

From Arches to the Arch

We surfed on sunshine from the scorching Kansas plains to the fiery furnace of Missouri. Sunday dinner with parents is always a welcome event especially for those who live far away from those who gave birth to us. We awoke Monday to blazing sunshine, humidity, and fatigue from the road. We opened the backdoor and caught the largest catfish anyone had seen in these parts. We strapped a harness on it and rode that fish down the Mighty Missip to Downtown St. Louis and the Gateway Arch, an engineering marvel.

A gleaming metal structure that explodes out of the ground and blinds visitors with a thousand glittering suns. The catfish bucked bucked at the sight, and we jumped off and straightened our duds out. We pushed tourists out of the way and boarded the tram to the top of the Arch.

A beautiful panoramic view of Downtown St. Louis and Old Man River. Tomorrow, we head out to our last stop on our trip, Nashville.

Taming the Arkansas River

Last camping spot of the trip, Collegiate Peaks, is located in Central Colorado nestled among 14’ers. We pitched the tent and met our campground host, a very loquacious elder gentleman from Ohio.

We strung our hammock up and swayed in the shade away from the summer sun listening to birds and watching ninja squirrels duel it out. Board and card games filled the night as we relaxed and recuperated from a long journey throughout the country. In the morning, we breakfasted at a local establishment and drove through rolling hills and angular mountains to the Royal Gorge. The Arkansas River carved the Royal Gorge’s 1100 feet walls like your Dad carves a Thanksgiving turkey.

After stopping to order our marriage documents, Ann and I checked into a whitewater rafting company. Our trip would be through the Royal Gorge braving Class IV and V rapids.

The ferocious journey took two and a half hours, and it was as exhilarating as it was scary. I personally saved three drowning orphans from the jaws of Sledgehammer Rapids and battled mountain goats in hand-to-hand combat to the death.

After rafting, we quenched our thirsts and appeased our rumbling tummies at a local pizza joint. The following morning, we made our way through eastern Colorado and the monotonous Kansas – Dorothy should have stayed in Oz.

Six Places at One Time

The white chariot and morning sun awaited us to wipe the sleep from our eyes. Out of the Martian landscape of Arches, we rolled towards the Four Corners. The Four Corners provides a spot where you can be in six different places at one time: Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Navajo Land, and Ute Land. After cheesy, touristy pictures were snapped, we drove towards Mesa Verde.

Mesa Verde’s emerald paths lead towards a hidden gem, cliff dweller’s homes. Built into the sides of steep cliffs, the dwellers carved a rich life full of festivals, religious ceremonies, and farming. We toured Long House, which took more than 140 years to build into the cliff. It was home to up to 120 dwellers at a time, but it was mysteriously abandoned in 1300.

After asking too many questions, I was shunned by our spacey Park Ranger and made to stand with my nose in a corner. The shame, the shame. Feeling grimy, we flew towards our hotel for the evening. For dinner, we partook of the most scrumptious steak dinner at a local establishment. Our next stop will provide our last opportunity for camping on our trip as it winds down.

A Martian Landscape

The road leading out of the Grand Canyon, US 64, provided abundant overlooks of the canyon bathed in the morning light. We traveled via camel back across the lands of the Navajo and Hopi on our way to Utah. Perched atop Gretchen, my camel, we waddled through Monument Valley with its spires, monoliths, and sculptures that erupted out of the Earth.

Our first caravan stop in Utah was Dead Horse Point State Park – a bizarre name for a beautiful place.

High above the canyons of Utah, your breath escapes you in sounds of Ohhs and Ahhs while you try to comprehend the sight in front of your eyes. Panoramic overlooks provide peeks of Canyonland carved by a river over time. The blazing sun cut our time short at the park, and we galloped over to Arches National Park, a red brick landscape sculpted out of the Earth. Enormous monoliths stand guard on the road to precarious arches.

Impossibly balanced boulders sit perched atop spindly stands. We took a short hike through the Windows section of the park, which provided our first glimpse of arches. Wind carved red arches stare back at you, and you can truly appreciate the power of wind, sand, and time. Rain clouds threatened the dry desert, so we packed up Gretchen and headed to town for dinner, comfort food and a reprieve from the desert sun.

Fighting Gretchen’s snorts and snarls, we headed towards Delicate Arch racing the fading sun. The 1.5 mile hike to Delicate Arch was the most brutal hike of the trip, but the reward at the end eased the pain of our aching muscles and burning chests. Splashed in light from the setting sun, the Delicate Arch made dealing with the snotty, slobbering camel all day worth it.

The wonders of the Grand Canyon cannot be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself.

Speechless at the sight. Red, beige, and brown streaks across the canyon walls with a river somewhere below. We traveled out from Las Vegas early Monday morning eagerly awaiting our first glimpse of the Grand Canyon. The deserts of Nevada waved goodbye as we entered Arizona’s dry lands. The area around the Grand Canyon is green with trees – a sight I didn’t expect.

We dashed towards the South Rim like kids in the candy store. I cannot imagine what the first person thought when they glimpsed this awe inspiring sight - that vast chasm with vivid colors painted across. We traversed the Rim Trail and stopped at various overlooks.

We could not tear our eyes away from the grandiose vision for a moment. One often wonders what the average person thinks of the canyon in modern America, and the most perplexing utterance came from a gentleman who said, “We drove all this way for a hole in the ground!” Indeed, but not any hole in the ground.

After our communion with the canyon, we jetted towards our campsite in the park. We noticed cars stopping at the entrance – two elks lazily lying in the grass grazing. A wondrous night spent under the stars with thoughts of the glorious canyon in our heads. Off to Arches National Park in the morning.

Viva Las Vegas

The happily married couple awoke refreshed on their last day in Vegas. Lunch with Ann’s family started the day splendidly, and wedding photos were perused to choose the cream of the crop. Our final dinner with family took place at a Brazilian Steakhouse where everyone ate more than humanly possible. For the evening, the elated couple went to the Bellagio hotel to see O. This Cirque show is based around water, the trapeze, and artistry. Ohhs and ahhs emanated from the crowd, and the new husband was awed by the show. The Bellagio’s water fountain display ended the evening, and the two headed back to their hotel room to rest for tomorrow’s journey – the Grand Canyon.

Our Wedding

Jangling nervous and butterflies greeted the couple when they woke on their wedding day. Encouraging words from friends and families soothed the agitated, and they prepared themselves for one of the most memorable days of their lives. A stunning woman strode through the door resplendent in white with shocking red shoes. He was clad in blue with a white boutonniere. Heartfelt vows and crying family and friends defined the ceremony. Pictures of the couple, family, and friends were taken, and they all headed towards the reception suite. A lovely cake, tear-filled toasts, and many congratulations made the in-suite reception truly special for the husband and wife. An incredible day exhausted the couple, and they relaxed together in their wedding suite with room service and unforgettable memories.

Wedding Festivities

We woke on Friday in Vegas, hopped in a taxi, and headed to the Las Vegas courthouse to get our Marriage License. Bob the Limo Man drove us around Old Vegas and the Strip to and from the courthouse. Upon arriving back at the hotel, we ran into family, ate breakfast, and lounged at the pool. The cabana at the pool made the stifling heat bearable, and the frequent visits from the waitress made poolside more fun. Our rehearsal dinner took place at Diego’s inside MGM Grand. We felt truly blessed that so many friends and family made the journey to Vegas to join us for our wedding. Dinner went swimmingly, and the soon-to-be married couple parted ways to have one last night of freedom on the town. Pictures of these events will come later.

The Disneyland of National Parks

Half dome, El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, and waterfalls make Yosemite as picturesque as any National Park in America. Unfortunately, its proximity to the largest cities in California make it crowded with the same people who go to Disneyland.

These tourists litter at the park, feed wild animals, and treat the natural wonders like any amusement park. I looked around fruitlessly for Mickey and Goofy, and at one point, I swear I could hear, “It’s a small world after all.” The major activity of our day was to hike the Mist Trail.

The incredible views of wonderful waterfalls, majestic mountains, and soaring skies offset the sheer number of people, concrete path, and concession that littered the trail.

After a roundtrip of 5 miles, the exhausted hikers turned into campers. Our campsite was located at the southern end of Yosemite, and it was a beautiful spot with very friendly neighbors.

Bikers, Wine, and the Stars and Bars

Cruisin’ down the 101 it’s ‘bout that time – to bring up how wrong it is for a bar in Crescent City, California to have the Confederate Battle Flag painted on it. Among the glorious redwoods, we traveled through Northern California towards Napa skirting the Pacific Coast most of the way. Bountiful homeless, bedraggled hitchhikers, and beautiful vineyards border the road on our journey. A nicked up windshield and traffic proved insurmountable to reaching our desired goal of a winery tour at the O’brien Estate. Wait – what’s that? Pardon the interruption to our regularly scheduled broadcast. I spy bikers wearing their colors, the Rough Riders, and bandanas riding through wine country. One is brandishing a whip and has the Iron Cross as his taillight! Have we entered the Twilight Zone today? No, it’s just California. Finally reaching Napa, we relax in our wonderful hotel overlooking the river that runs through downtown Napa. We dined at a fantastic restaurant in the evening partaking of French cheeses, filet, and strawberry shortbread for desert. Yum! Next port of call? Yosemite.

Majestic

No word can truly capture the majesty of the twisting, soaring trunks of the Coastal Redwood. Frequently surpassing 300 feet tall, the redwoods stretch endlessly into the sky. We lunched on the Pacific Ocean and, then, built our traveling home.

The authors of this story headed out of camp rambling like butterflies with no set destination. Through happenstance, we landed at Stout Grove, the lush, fern-covered grove that is home to 100 redwoods.

The dwarfs ambled through the Fern Gulley half expecting a dinosaur to peek around the trees.

After our hike, we drove back to camp, and we made my birthday dinner. What a truly magically place to spend your birthday! Toes in the Pacific Ocean and Redwoods as dinner guests.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Who’s the fairest lake of them all? Snowy mountain peaks surround Crater Lake, and due to the 64 feet of snow this year, huge snowdrifts look like cream cheese frosting spread all over the park. Crater Lake is 1297 feet deep, the deepest lake in North America, and it was formed by a collapsed volcano. The narrators of this story navigated the mountain passes and winding roads to overlooks at several places scattered around the lake. In the afternoon, we braved a hike to the lake shore that is equivalent to climbing 65 flights of stairs.

The view from the shore was magnificent, and we ran into a couple from Marietta, small world. At the shore, brave souls were jumping into the lake from a rocky ledge.

The nearby rangers related that the water was probably 300 feet deep under the ledge and about 45 degrees. The rangers tried to goad us into jumping, but I indicated that hypothermia would put a damper on my day.

The Crown Jewel

The northern Rocky Mountains adorn the High Plains of Montana like a crown, and Glacier National Park is its crown jewel.

Razor-tooth mountains and a glassy lake welcome Fred and Wilma back to Bedrock. Jaw-dropping mountainscapes surround Barney and Betty as they make up camp in the heart of grizzly country.

After a brief rainstorm that gave way to rainbows, Homer and Marge listened to a speaker from the Blackfeet nation, and they called it an early evening to rest for tomorrow’s activities. Morning broke like eggs on a griddle – wind sizzling and the sun popping. George and Judy Jetson set out for Jackson Glacier Overlook, and they hiked the St. Mary’s/Virginia Falls Trail.

Gorgeous cascades of waterfalls and pristine forest rewarded Boris and Natasha. After a picnic, Duke and Lady Jay hiked to Sunpoint – the windiest place on Earth- for a spectacular view of Chief Mountain and St. Mary Lake.

Batman and Catwoman steered the Batmobile towards camp when a traffic jam snarled Going to the Sun Road. No batsignal, no call from Robin – what emergency awaits? A black bear who can be black, brown, or honey colored had wondered at onto the road, and the park’s visitors stopped to photograph the cuddly bear.

A brief trip to the Many Glacier section of the park revealed rugged mountains dotted with cool whip glaciers. He-man and She-ra spent the evening listening to a Park Ranger regale the pair with legends of the wolverine. A brief sleep before a long travel day to Bend, Oregon and Crater Lake.