Looking Back to 2010 - Phantom Ranch

 

With the news of the recent flooding of Bright Angel Creek in Grand Canyon National Park, memories of our grandest adventure of all came flooding back.  In the years before retirement from teaching (and the launch of this blog), we traveled many miles with our children to numerous sites in the extraordinary U.S. National Park System.  As a couple, we have continued our journeys and adventures for the past 20 years.  A few national park trips in the past 8 years have included our grandchildren.  You will find those adventures within this blog.

On the drive back to Houston in 2009 after attending our son's Army deployment ceremony at Fort Drum, NY, we decided to plan our hike into the inner Grand Canyon.  I remember stating that if we were ever going to do it, we shouldn't wait any longer. (Not getting any younger, ya know) After securing reservations for beds in the bunkhouse at Phantom Ranch one year in advance, we were committed.  

As a pair of 55 year olds living on flat land at sea level, we were wise enough to know we couldn't achieve our goal by simply driving straight to GCNP and hitting the trail.  Having the luxury of a whole summer off from teaching, we spent about a month logging 100+ miles of hiking at elevation throughout the western states.  Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque, a short section of the Continental Divide Trail at Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado, many trails in Colorado National Monument, Bryce Canyon NP, and other day hikes.  We were as ready as we would ever be.

In 2010, we were still tent camping.  At GCNP, we pitched our tent in the campground and listened to the rain throughout the night.  Early on a misty morning, we hopped on the shuttle bus to the South Kaibab Trail head, donned ponchos and backpacks, and started off.  The distance to Phantom Ranch on this trail is 7 miles . . . downhill hiking mile after mile is no joke.

After about an hour, we were able to stow our ponchos and enjoy the relatively cooler temperature.

looking at what was ahead of us

Confluence of Bright Angel Creek and Colorado River

Clear water in the creek joins the river that was its true color after the recent rain.

at the bottom with the view of one of the bridges that crosses the river

Phantom Ranch bunkhouses - I stayed two nights in the women's building while Brian slept in the men's.

While we spent two days at Phantom Ranch, we were told the inner canyon can get up to 110 degrees.  It was 85 degrees during our viist.  Our good fortune came at a price, though.  A ranger was going through the nearby campground warning people of potential dangers.  He was injured in a rock fall while doing this and had to be evacuated by hellicopter.  

Brian signed the trail logbook at the river level of Bright Angel Trail before we began our 10 mile hike back up to the South Rim.

We made it out safely!

a well-deserved souvenir t-shirt

Looking back, I am grateful that we had a successful experience.  Recent events of last month's flood and last year's Dragon Bravo Fire on the North Rim,  reminds me that we are interlopers in the natural landscapes of God's creation.  Grand Canyon was formed by raging waters and that process continues.  We were lucky enough to visit the North Rim again a few years ago.  I fervently wish my grandchildren will be able to see more of our public lands in the coming years.  They are under threat these days and the National Park System needs more funding and staffing.  Same for national monuments administered by the Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service.  Our nation stands to lose something grander than ourselves if we do not support them.  

Week 5 - Homeward Bound

 

peaceful evening at Bulltown Campground near Burnsville, WV

Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area, Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia

West Virginia State Capitol, Charleston

Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight  

poem by Vachel Lindsay

    We enjoyed our drive on the Cumberland Parkway through Daniel Boone National Forest and camped on Cumberland Lake.  On to Tennessee and our ill-fated attempt to visit the State Capitol in Nashville.  We were frustrated by the lack of visitor parking, so we gave up after seeing numerous "Permit Parking Only" signs.

    We spent two nights camping at Priest Lake and spent a day roaming around the Franklin and Murfreesboro area, locating geocaches.  We visited a National Park Service site - Stones River National Battlefield where one of the bloodiest Civil War battles was fought in December 1862.

in the stairwell of a public library

Day is done, gone the sun,

From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky.

All is well, safely rest,

God is nigh.

(Opening lyrics to "Taps", written by Union Army General Daniel Butterfield in 1862.)

Little Rock, Arkansas - our 24th state capitol visit

Not far past Little Rock, we exited the interstate to see an unusual building in Benton - the Gann Museum.  The building is made of blocks of bauxite (an ore of aluminum).  A knowledgeable young man inside gave us a tour and told us of the history of the building and its contents.

We decided to avoid Texarkana and drove minor roads in Louisiana and entered Texas near Caddo Lake.  We traversed very familiar territory in East Texas along US Highway 59.  

We traveled for 39 days, through 13 states, covering 7,046 miles.  We are now acclimating to the heat and humidity of Houston and are planning our fall adventure to Arizona, Utah, western Colorado, and New Mexico.  

Friends, Old and New

 

Grey Towers National Historic Site - Pinchot Estate

ancestral summer home of Gifford Pinchot, first chief of the US Forest Service,

also past governor of Pennsylvania

View from the terrace of Grey Towers overlooking Milford, PA

The Finger Bowl at Grey Towers, a unique outdoor dining space

that allowed platters of food to be floated between diners.

Sundial on one tower wall

closer look at the sundial

We attended a geocaching event in New York, hosted by CaptainMath, and enjoyed a 

nice evening view of the Delaware River from the New York side

Gravity Railroad car in Hawley, PA

https://www.waynehistorypa.com/research/historictopics/gravityrailroad

Here is the "old friends" part: a 60-year friendship

Peter Miller and Brian

Seen while geocaching:

near Sackets Harbor, NY

We traveled another short section of the Lincoln Highway in Pennsylvania

Near Leesburg, Virginia

Brian's input:

 As usual. Kris has done a great job summarizing our adventure, but she asked me to add a bit to explain some of the connections with people.

Another road trip is behind us, and I am already thinking about the next one and how to plan it around doctor and dentist appointments.

This trip was quite different in many ways.  Having to plan in advance and make reservations, scheduling and coordinating with others for part of the trip, meeting with family and friends, as well as the fact that we are slowing down a bit, made for a few adjustments.

Although we didn’t go to any new major destinations like National Parks, enjoying lesser known areas and attractions is very enjoyable in its own right.

Plattsburgh, New York is only 63 miles from Montreal, so my first cousin, once removed, Travis doesn’t get many visitors that are just passing through.  We have been there several times though, and always enjoy the time together.  We had a stress-free, relaxing time with him, and unlike during family reunions, no other relatives to compete with to talk.

 After we left Travis’s and were on our way to Peter's, I got a message from a geocaching friend in Pennsylvania.  I met Kevin (CaptainMath), who is a fellow county chaser, last year in Texas.  He has a unique cache that I wanted to find, but it was out of commission when we headed north.  He was on the road, too, and couldn’t fix it, but said he hoped to soon. I learned he had repaired it, and would like us to find it.  We had reservations for camping 100 miles away, but we are flexible. He offered his front yard for ‘camping’, so we headed his way.

He has created quite a few complicated geocaches that tell a story, and his wife, Joy, has created artistic containers for many of them. Kevin took us on a tour of some (not all, by any means) of his favorites.  Although our stay was brief, we had some great conversations and saw a few excellent caches.

While visiting Peter Miller, it occurred to me that we have been friends for almost 60 years.  I moved to Houston in July 1966, and met him when school started that Fall.  We became friends through High School, and have kept in contact through the years.  We have stopped to see him in many states when travelling over the years. He was the one that went with me to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2 years ago.

If I don’t say it aloud every day while on our trips, I do think it, that we are so very blessed to be able to travel where we do and the way we do, together.  Life is good!