Road Trip 2014: Wupatki and Grand Canyon

July 3, 2014

[HINT: Click on the images in this post to get bigger versions]

Arizona has more national parks and monuments than any other state in the union. We were heading out to see a couple more of them on July 3. We had originally scheduled only a few hours at the Grand Canyon; Carla and I have been there a couple of times before. But my buddy Herb urged us to stay until sunset to get some great pictures. So we changed or plans and decided to spend the whole day in the area, spend the night in Williams, Arizona before heading on the last leg home.

July 3 travel: Flagstaff, Wupatki National Monument, the Grand Canyon

As you can see from the map above, the direct route to the Grand Canyon is directly north of Flagstaff on highway 180. One of my favorite drives in the entire country is Highway 89 north of Flagstaff, Arizona up to southern Utah. After passing the San Francisco Peaks of Flagstaff, you have a gentle decline with beautiful northern Arizona before you. Years ago when the kids were young we drove through here on our way home from visiting my folks in Prescott, Arizona where they lived after retirement. The area is on the edge of the painted desert and a big thunderstorm came up; the rain flowing in the ditches on the sides of the road looked like someone dumped thousands of gallons of paint. 

One of Carla's favorite places on earth (no hyperbole) is Wupatki National Monument. Here you'll find the remains of the ancient pueblo people such as the Sinagua who lived here around 500 A.D. Now that we had a full day, it was a no brainer we'd go north then head over to the east entrance of the Grand Canyon.

It was another stormy day as we approached the ancient site. There are no trees up here and as we walked up a hill to one of the ruins thunderclaps were closing in on us. I figured we'd be the highest thing for miles around so we grabbed a few quick pictures and skedaddled. When walking through the monument I didn't get a sense of how orderly the site is.

Birds' eye view of Wupatki pueblos.

Walking up to one of the sites we saw a couple of very colorful lizards scurrying down the path ahead of us.

Colorful lizard at Wupatki National Monument.

He sure didn't blend into the scenery here; maybe he is hideously poisonous and we lucked out. Or maybe he really does blend into the painted desert.

We stayed up on the accessible pueblos long enough to grab a couple of photos.

Walking up to an abandoned pueblo at the Wupatki National Monument

Jeanette making herself home in a pueblo at the Wupatki National Monument.

Jeanette and Carla at Wupatki National Monument

Jeanette and Carla  with a squall coming at Wupatki National Monument

We hopped back in the car promising ourselves we'd be back for a longer visit someday soon. We were on the edge of the storm and it promised to be an "interesting" day up on the Grand Canyon Rim.

After driving a little farther north on US 89 we headed west to get to the Grand Canyon. In the map below you can see the two of the rivers, the Colorado and the Little Colorado, that flow through and formed the canyon. We rougly paralleled the Little Colorado.

Rivers forming the Grand Canyon

On the way in we stopped by a Navajo view point that also had a small trading post. The storm we had been running from caught us. The winds were so strong we were afraid to get too close to the railing over the canyon; yes the wind was that strong. Carla and Jeanette went to the trading area - an open wooden structure with canvas top - when rain and hail hit. I jumped in the car and drove over near the entrance to the trading area; Carla and Jeanette hunkered down until it tapered a bit. Carla got a picture from inside the trading area after it cleared up a bit.

View of the Little Colorado canyon from the Navajo viewpoint.

When we first got there, Jeanette asked if this was the Grand Canyon. She is the most positive person I know and she marveled at it. I told her no, this is just a taste of what is coming. I've never been to the east end of the Grand Canyon so wasn't sure what to expect. Mary Colter, the architect behind La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona designed the Indian Watchtower here. Too bad I didn't get a picture; you'll have to go yourselves I suppose. I did get a picture of me though ;)

Howard at the Indian Watchtower on the east end of the Grand Canyon

It was early afternoon and we were hungry so we had a bite to eat before heading west to the main entrance.  I was surprised (shouldn't I have looked at a map?) that we were still 25 miles from the main entrance to the Canyon. But it was a beautiful drive where we saw a herd of elk and caught glimpses of the Canyon. We parked and made our way to the Canyon rim. Our jaws dropped. It was beautiful.

South Rim of the Grand Canyon

South Rim of the Grand Canyon

 This picture is from an iPhone; maybe I ought to throw away my fancy Sony SLT A65

South Rim of the Grand Canyon

It was getting to be late afternoon/early evening when the storm caught up to us. Carla and I took matching pictures of the sun bouncing off a promontory. I had a polarized lens on which wouldn't pick up the rainbow.

South Rim of the Grand Canyon

Rainbos over the South Rim of the Grand Canyon

There is a great bus system here; four bus lines serving various parts of the canyon. We knew for sunset we wanted to go as far west as we could; somewhere close to Mohave Point. We stopped for a quick bite then scouted for a bus to get us to a sunset viewing site. It turns out that there is a special point picked for sunset watching; extra busses wait to pick people up.  We climbed on and went up to Mohave Point. As we got off, a squall of wind and rain hit. We aren't made of sugar so we knew we wouldn't melt; we hunkered behind a small tree. Other people were not so intrepid; dozens of site seers jumped on the bus. After about 10 minutes the rain stopped and we saw that there were very few people who stayed to see the sunset. Our good luck! I imagine this was one of the least crowded sunset views in peak season.

Sunset at Mohave Point, Grand Canyon

Sunset at Mohave Point, Grand Canyon

Sunset at Mohave Point, Grand Canyon

 After the sun went down it got dark in a hurry! And I don't mean a little bit dark. After getting back to the visitor center we had a hard time finding the parking lot we pulled into. Thank goodness for remote entry; I pushed the "unlock" button until I saw the lights blink. We piled in and headed south down highway 180 into Williams, Arizona. It was pitch black on either side of us; I used the high beams most of the way down; something that doesn't happen in the populated area we live in.

Arizona is one of our top spots for vacations; is there any wonder why? After a nice night's sleep we were headed out on the last leg of our trip home.

Fanno Creek Trail

Fanno Creek flows through Washington, Clackamas, and Washington counties. There is a trail alongside most of the creek; it comes within a mile of our house and Carla and I have walked on a few stretches of it. We've never walked north of Hall Blvd because of all the traffic. A few months ago the Tualatin Parks and Recreation District along with the City of Beaverton put a pedestrian crossing across Hall. I thought it was high time to get out along that stretch of the creek. I wasn't gone long because it started raining buckets.

Reflections in the creek.

Denny Rd entrance looking south.

Rowena Crest Trail

April 13, 2014

The past couple of Aprils we've headed out the Columbia Gorge to Mosier to have lunch at the Mosier Community Dinner which supports the local volunteer fire department. Mosier is a small town and this dinner at the local Grange hall has a small town feel. The locals make various salads and sides and they have a big smoker full of salmon out front. Seating is community style so you get to meet people who have been coming to this shindig for over 40 years.

Before dinner we went with the Watsons and Lees a bit past Mosier to the Rowena Crest Trail overlooking the majestic Columbia River. It's about 90 miles from our home on the west side of Portland.

We started in Beaverton, way on the left, and headed east 90 miles to get to Rowena Crest

 The only way to get an idea of this expansive view is to try a picture in panorama mode.

Looking north across the Columbia River into Washington.

One of the extra benefits for me is the view of the BNSF rail line running east and west on the Washington side of the river.

Train rolling west toward Vancouver, WA

Overlooking a little canyon with homes just south of the Columbia River

Mt Hood (I think) peeking over the ridge.

John borrowed a camera from me and Jay, a retired biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Service, brought his classification books to identify some of the flora.

John and Jay pursuing their crafts.

Dr. Jay classifying a plant

Karen, Carla, and Mary Ann

The girls hiked around and enjoyed the views. John, Jay, and I wouldn't know if we had a good time until we got home and reviewed our pictures and documents.

Jay didn't need a classification guide to identify this poison oak along the trail. I'm glad he pointed it out; I'm never sure if a tri-leaf plant is dangerous or not.

Poison oak along the trail 

April 2013

I wasn't happy with the pictures I took of Mosier this day, so I'm going to reach back to last year's pictures when we went with the Lees.

Smoker full of salmon in front of the Mosier Grange Hall

Buffet line

Family-style seating.

Carla, Karen, and John enjoying dinner.

After dinner last year we headed up the hill south of Hood River to get a glimpse of the apple trees and Mt. Hood.

A row of apple trees

Mt Hood rises up to the clouds.

The Oregon Gardens

Saturday/Sunday March 22/23, 2014

Weddings are a great occasion to hang with friends I don't get to see as often as I'd like. One of the great things about Carla being in a bunco group for over 20 years is we get to go to a lot of weddings of kids we've known for years. Cam and Lisa's daughter Kirsten married Colin at The Oregon Garden near Silverton which is about an hour south and east of our home in Beaverton. 

Knowing we'd be out late, drinking, dancing and having fun we figured it would be a good idea to stay at the adjacent resort. Given the in-and-out spring weather we experience in western Oregon, the wedding was held in the main hall; but we had our fingers crossed that we'd be able to explore the gardens a bit on Sunday before coming home. We totally lucked out: cloudless skies and temperatures in the high 60s greeted us. We made plans Saturday night to meet for breakfast with the Suzanne and Darrel. After checking out of the hotel we headed over to the gardens for a little walk.

First was a great bell. Darrel is a musician (The Bozo Brothers Band) and said it was an "A" tone.

Bell at The Oregon Garden

It isn't just Japan and Washington D.C. that have cherry blossoms; we've got them too,

Blossoming cherry tree at The Oregon Garden

Cherry blossoms at The Oregon Garden

After putting up a wood duck box a couple of weeks ago, we've been interested in birdhouses. I don't know what kind of birds live here or what they think of being in such close quarters but it is interesting.

Bird houses at The Oregon Garden

Back in the 50s  Frank Lloyd Wright's was commissioned to build a house by Evelyn and Conrad Gordon, a gentleman farmer and his wife, near Wilsonville, which is just a bit north of Silverton. This was one of a series of affordable homes built by Frank Lloyd Wright. The house is known as "The Gordon House". The house is one of a series of Usonion houses which are built to link nature and architecture. The term Usonian comes from Wright's nomenclature for United States of North America.

The Gordon House at The Oregon Garden

When it was built in the 50s it had a commanding view of the Willamette River out the front windows and Mt. Hood out the back. After the Gordons' deaths new owners were preparing to demolish the house to build a bigger one. A group came together to buy the house and transport it, in pieces, to its current home at The Oregon Garden. New concrete was poured and the house was put back together piece by piece.

Wright loved horizontal lines; notice the mortar work on the fireplace below. The horizontal lines were emphasized while the vertical lines were de-emphasized.

Main living space in the Gordon House at The Oregon Garden.
Notice that original stereo equipment

Suzanne, Darrel, Howard, and Carla.

 We caravanned on the way home and stopped by the Mt. Angel Sausage Company for a lovely extended lunch on the deck. The weather was the best we've had since last September. We spent almost two hours eating sausages, drinking beer, and talking. Darrel told a story about his dog, Belle, tangling with a skunk. The method of cleaning a skunked dog is peroxide and baking soda. Darrel had a chance to practice again; when they got home they discovered Belle hadn't fully learned her lesson.

What a great weekend. The rain came on Tuesday and we've been back to the gray and wet. We learn to take advantage of our opportunities here in western Oregon.

Duck Box Installation

Our neighbor Jonathan Schlueter's mission is to provide nesting space for our local wood ducks. He built 5 new duck boxes this week and offered to come over and install one on a tree in the wetlands. Of course I said "yes".  I've watched my neighbor's (Jay) box with nesting pairs for a couple of years.

Wood duck box as viewed from our deck

Close up of the wood duck box

Chickadee box which Jay built a few weeks ago. Jonathan moved it higher so it will be more habitable.

Jay's box already has a nesting pair so I'm hopeful we'll see some action in the next week.