Travels

Spooky Guy in the Utah Mountains

You never know what (or who) you’re going to find when exploring through the mountains. Take Utah for example.

We discovered the largest living organism in the world in Utah’s Fish Lake National Forest —it’s one hundred and six acres of aspen trees grown from a single seed. Trees in the “Pando Clone” are 80,000 years old and they’re connected to a root system weighing in at 13 million pounds. The U.S. Postal Service named it as one of “the Wonders of America.” It was a beautiful surprise.

Life is full of surprises! During a camping trip in the Utah back woods, we took the ATV (four wheel all terrain vehicle) through fields and forests. There were wildflowers, patches of snow and piney fresh air.

It was a fun and adventurous trip — the same trip where we met a big man with a miniature poodle strapped to his chest. He looked like a football defensive player, which made the poodle seem even more tiny. He was driving an ATV and the poodle was bumping up and down in the baby carrier as he drove through gullies, rutted roads and snow drifts. It was the funniest sight to see this big, friendly man and his wife way out in the back-country with poodles riding shotgun.

The Spooky Guy

Surprises never cease. Back at the campsite a bedraggled man appeared out of nowhere. He walked up to us way out there in the woods like he was our next door neighbor.

“Hey man, can I have a ride into town? I need to get a package from the Post Office.”

He rubbed his straggly beard, then looked over towards the truck.

“I can pay you.”

My friend was hesitant. “How did you find us?”

He pointed to the binoculars hanging around his neck. “I glassed the mountainside, and found you. It was a long hike to get over here.”

Looking the guy up and down, Dave said reluctantly, “Yeah, I can take you.” Then he headed for the camper to get his truck keys.

As soon as he was out of sight, the mountain man moved closer to me and pulled a stone from his pocket. He lifted the rock up towards my face and said, “See this? It’s so sharp I could cut your neck open.”

It didn’t take me long to make some excuse and hurry for the camper. “Hey he’s crazy. Don’t let him in the truck.”

“I’ll be alright. I’ll keep an eye on him.” Then he gestured to the handgun poking out from under his coat.

Thankfully they got back with no blood spilled, but the next morning he came ‘round again asking for another ride. He pressured us, so we had to get firm. “No pal, we’re here on vacation, please leave us alone.” Which he did. Finally.

Tastes Like Chicken

But the fun wasn’t over yet. Our last adventure happened as we drove the camper down the road and onto our next destination.

I asked, “Say, do you want me to make some lunch?”

“Sure. That sounds great.”

So we pulled the truck over at the next rest stop. As soon as I opened the door to the camper, I was hit in the face by the smell of roasting chicken.

“Hey Dave, there’s a fire in here!”

And smoke, lot’s of smoke. Good grief! We were hauling a Kentucky Fried Chicken around with us.

The source of the fumes? A pile of pillows near the wall — right up against an electrical outlet. Pillows chock full of fowlish feathers! Thankfully, there were no flames. Just a big hole burned into one of the pillows.

One adventure may lead to another. It keeps us on our toes. Keeps the spark in our lives, humor on the horizon and wonders in our world. Just like the Pando Aspen Clone, life offers a network of possibilities with roots that can lead us to unexpected characters in out-of-the-way places!

Quotes:

“Planting depth matters…well sown is half grown.” Caleb Traugh on Twitter @Traugh_Ag

“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Resolutions: So many will fail; NOT because they didn’t set goals, but because they didn’t set behaviors.” -Steve Maraboli

“You are only young once. After that you have to think up some other excuse.” —Billy Arthur

Books I’m Reading:

Men to Match My Mountains, by Irving Stone, historical fiction on the opening of America’s Far West

The Confessions, by Saint Augustine, considered one of the greatest Christian classics

What’s Next:

Pikes Peak Writer’s Conference, April 28-30, Colorado Springs CO

Follow Laura on Twitter @Laura_Lollar

Like Laura’s Facebook page: https://facebook.com/LauraLollarColorado

How We Braved Hot Waters in Winter

We sure picked perfect days to stay at the Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort located between Salida and Buena Vista, Colorado. Descriptions of the Resort and what fuels the Hot Springs can be found on their website. The resort was beautiful and the food was great. And thank goodness, swim suits were required attire.

I had an unexpected experience at a hot springs where we stumbled upon their clothing optional policy. What a surprise to discover that! (Maybe I’ll share that story in a future article.)

At the hot springs the highest temperature was only 10 degrees! (Outside temps, not the water!) And in order to make it into the deliciously hot springs pools, we had to take off our towels and make a mad dash for the water.

Holy goosebumps Batman! My body had never been exposed to anything so shocking. Unless we’re talkin’ childbirth. I could see my arms turning blue starting at my fingertips and moving up towards my shoulders. Kind of like commercials where characters gradually turned to salt.

The large pools were positioned close together close to the bath house. You could choose from two large pools the size of a normal swimming pool. After we crossed over a bridge above Chalk Creek’s rushing waters, it led us up to three secluded Japanese cascading pools. Temperatures ranged from 107 degrees to 101 degrees Fahrenheit.

The hot water felt marvelous! Compared to the cold air above our shoulders it felt like a heated blanket wrapped around us from neck to toes.

On the way up to the pools ahead was a Juice Bar where they offered smoothies, beer, wine and light lunch or snack options.

Inside was a gas fireplace. You’d better believe I huddled up close to that flickering conveyor of comfort. Doug had to pry me away.

Our discussion sounded like this…

“Do we really have to go back out there?” I had wrapped my arms around a log pillar inside the Juice Bar.

“Don’t you want to get into a nice warm pool?”

“Can’t we stay here longer?” My nails were now digging trenches into the wood pole.

“Honey, you know you’ll feel great once you get into the water.”

But I was overcome with the sensuous feel of warm toes and dry towels. It was getting dark (and colder). And the idea of walking out onto frigid concrete with a wet head and frosty legs was a show-stopper. Eventually though I let go of the log pole and we ventured outdoors. Doug said he was proud of me. I vowed to put my cold feet on his back later that night in bed. Yes, he’s the one who kicks the blankets off in the middle of the night. He’s been known to put his icicle feet on me before sleep disables his wicked ways.

After the first afternoon of dipping, we went to a local store and bought me a fuzzy bathrobe. (Something I highly recommend. The fuzzier the better.) Doug didn’t buy one for himself because, well, he’s a manly man and could brave the cold like a champ. So now my ensemble consisted of the polyester designer robe and towels wrapped around my wet waist to shelter my legs. I made quite a dishy picture.

Are you getting the impression that all I can do is complain about the cold? Was I oblivious to the beautiful mountains, the features of this luxurious resort, the delicious food and the decadent warm waters? Well, I’m not ignoring the benefits of having a get-away and time alone with my frigid footed husband. We treasure those adventures. Between work, writing and family commitments, time for fun away from home are infrequent.

I hope you make time to visit a Colorado hot springs. Just not in the winter!

Colorado Dinosaur Bones

We got the heck outta town a few weeks ago and drove up to see the Dinosaur National Monument. We spent a few hours (and $25.00 entrance fee) cozying up to a collection of dinosaur bones embedded in the side of a rock face. The National Monument and the Dinosaur Quarry is located near Vernal, Utah at the border of Colorado and Utah.

Both me and my Mom have always been fascinated by geology and what can be found within the rocks that cover our earth. Mom jokes that she’s almost as old as the dinosaur bones. But far from it. She’s such a kidder!

It’s fascinating that creatures that large roamed the earth, but when you get close to the bones, you get a sense as to the size. It’s also very interesting to read the story of the paleontologist, Earl Douglas, who stumbled over bones projecting out of the rocks, which led him to start digging in 1909. President Woodrow Wilson made the area an official national monument in 1915. Read more about the Dinosaur Monument history.

The interesting thing is, all these bones were found piled up on top of one another and embedded in the rock. It makes you wonder how that happened. Well, they believe the dinosaurs died in a flooded riverbed which washed the bodies and bones to an area where their bodies stacked up in one spot. That’s why this was such a great discovery!

And they’re still finding more bones! In the summer of 2019, paleontologists found a Stegosaurus femur, three intact teeth and countless other fossils. Read all about these latest discoveries.

We were glad to find the Quarry Museum air-conditioned, but they do require you to be masked in order to enter. It can get pretty toasty in the summer, so bring a hat and water if you decide to hike the trails at the Monument.

It does leave you with a sense of awe that creatures like this lived in our neck of the woods, so to speak. And if you’re hankering to see more fossils and dinosaur bones, you can also visit Garden Park Fossil Area near Canyon City, Colorado.

Camping with Hubby at Flaming Gorge

We visited Flaming Gorge. There’s nothing like a camping trip to strengthen the bonds between husband and wife.

Thankfully Doug did all the preliminary research, made reservations, and got us safely to the campground after we visited Dinosaur National Monument. He’s great with logistics. All I had to do was sit in the truck and let him do all the driving. He also packed the truck, unloaded the truck, set up the tent and the canopy too. Then he carried both kayaks 98.367 yards down to the water’s edge. (I did carry my makeup bag to the tent.)

In case you think I must be a real prima donna, I did the shopping, meal planning, packed the coolers and did all the cooking. I’ll have you know that in 19th century Italy, a prima donna refers to the “first lady” in an opera who performs leading roles. Generally she sang more music than other women in the company. In other words, she did the most of the work.

So being a prima donna isn’t always a bad thing. I entertained my wonderful hubby by breaking into song the entire way there and back. Just sayin’, I do earn my keep!

Once we got to the campground, it was time to pick the best spot for the tent. You don’t want it too close to the fire and the opening should face the picnic table. There can’t be too many lumps on the ground and it’s got to be level. While our site was close to the potty, it couldn’t be downwind.

Every year we have to re-learn which tent poles go where and in what order. There’s nothing funnier than watching two fairly intelligent people trying to teach each other how to understand simple directions. And it’s amazing how instructions can be easily misunderstood:

Hubby: “Grab that pole and push it towards me.”

Me: “Which pole?”

Hubby: “The long one. Push it over this way.”

Me: “What way?”

Hubby: “Push it through the sleeve on the top.”

Me: “It’s stuck.”

Hubby: “Here let me come over and do it. You hold the corner down.”

Me: “Which corner?”

After the tent was finally set up, we took a quick drive over to the Visitor’s Center. We camped within a few miles of the Flaming Gorge Reservoir, a beautiful mini-Grand Canyon that borders Utah and northwest Colorado. When we got there, we approached a sign that said, “Danger Cliffs. Guard your children.” Nobody has to tell me twice. I’ve been afraid of heights my entire life. Just thinking of it as I write this article twists my stomach in knots.

We could have gone horseback riding while we there there, but the trail meandered along the rim. That was a deal breaker. Why would I want to climb up on something five feet higher to look down into the abyss? Even at the Visitor’s Center I wouldn’t go near the corner window, which was suspended over the gorge. I let Doug take the pictures.

The next day we took the kayaks out. Now, I’m fine with water. I grew up with lakes and pools and even competed in synchronized swimming events. I have no problem getting into the kayak; it’s the getting out that gives me the trouble. Thank goodness Doug was a submariner in the Navy. He knows all about how to lift heavy, awkward, talkative objects out of the water.

We had a great time once we got settled at camp. The weather was perfect and the bugs were few. Once it got dark, we started a campfire and sat with our heads tilted way back looking at the stars. There was no light pollution and we could even see the Milky Way and tons of shooting stars. It was a wonderful experience.

Doug leaned over to me and said, “Isn’t it great we get to sit here in the woods, smell the pines and look at the stars?” I replied, “You mean like we do when we’re home?” Ha! Somehow it’s different when you drive six hours, get woodsmoke in your clothes, sleep on the ground and put up with noisy neighbors!

But after two days of tenting, I was ready for a shower. So, we packed everything up (again) and moved over to the cabin he’d reserved. T’was a welcome change. If you ever decide to go, we stayed at the Red Canyon Lodge near Flaming Gorge. There is a small lake there in case you want to take your kayaks or canoe.

We had planned to move from the cabin back to the tent on our last day, but I hated the thought of setting everything back up again. Instead, we left a day early and stopped along the way for a visit at my brother’s house. He has a shower.

Now, just so you know, I don’t mind tenting. We’re fairly mobile and have a better selection of camping spots. I like it better than trying to navigate one of those huge campers. But after you get home and think of all the work you put into the trip, you might question whether it was worth it.

Yes, yes it was. The stars, campfire, kayaking, snuggling together in the tent and seeing Flaming Gorge definitely was worth it. And now that we’re home, we really appreciate our comfy bed and a full sized shower!

We still have noisy neighbors, however. There’s nothing like a few screech owls to remind you of the great outdoors!

How I Got My Horse Fix on Poncha Pass

I’ve been horse crazy since I was a kid. With long blonde hair, I pretended to be a Palomino. And my bedroom was full of plastic horse figurines. They were collectables, ya know.

When we went to our Camp as kids, my sisters and I would gallop stick horses through the pines, whinnying and tossing our manes. We’d even snort, paw the ground and rear up on our hind legs. I found my horse fix any way I could get it!

That’s why it was such a treat when my sister, during a recent family reunion, asked me to go horseback riding. We drove up to Poncha Pass near Salida, Colorado and pulled in at Granite Mountain Outfitters. A nice lady named Sue is the owner.

It’s been years since I’ve ridden. In fact, the last time it was mosquito season and we herded cows through the sage and all over the ranch. I couldn’t sit down for days.

Anyway, we told them about our riding experience and my sister was paired with a quarter horse named LeRoy. I ended up with Houdini…

…a mule.

Now, before you go and get all judgmental on me, you should know that Houdini was one talented critter, fully capable of opening any gate. In fact, we were told that Houdini recently opened seven gates and let out so many cattle it took hours to round them all up.

So I swung into the saddle and sat proudly upon my mule.

And off we went with our personable guide, Andrew.

Just us and the great outdoors! We rode through meadows with wildflowers, tall stands of aspen and an old logging camp. No stress and no noise.

Except for my mule. He liked to groan. He did it trudging up the hills and he did it when “nature called.” No braying. No snorting. Just groaning.

But he was sure-footed as a goat.

When we got to the mountain top, our guide took pictures of us from every angle.

Then my sister’s horse took a selfie.

On our way down, there was more groaning. This time it was from me.

“Um, Andrew? How much longer till we’re back at the ranch?”

Bones in my bottom were competing for attention with the spectacular scenery. The late afternoon sun lit up a few deer butts on a distant hill, like spotlights in the sage.

Everything glowed. I wanted to bottle it.

Then all at once, our two and a half hours were over. I dismounted my mighty steed and dropped to the ground with legs quivering like jello.

It was one of the most memorable rides of my life. The good folks at Granite Mountain Outfitters gave is a little piece of heaven that day.

I got my horse fix — on a mule.

And I tossed my mane a little as we drove away.

Wild and Crazy Road Trip

Family road trips bring back fond memories, don’t they? Everyone would pile in the car and snuggle up together for hours on end. It was a bonding experience with our sweaty little arms and legs stuck to each other on those vinyl seat covers. Why, when I was a kid, we couldn’t wait for the chance to leave our friends and favorite TV shows for hours of uninterrupted time with sisters and brothers. Yes, it’s true. I’m not kidding.

So, when we moved from northern California to upstate New York and I learned I’d have to drive it alone with the kids, I jumped for joy. Why, what better way to solidify that parent/child relationship than four days in a Sprint in July with no air-conditioning? Yep, keep ‘em cooped up in a car so they have no choice but to listen to you. Nothing but 2600 miles of open road and four days of togetherness!

Somewhere in Utah we ran into road work. Two lanes gradually merged into one, squeezing us into a narrow channel that was blocked on both sides by concrete barriers. It was unsettling. There was nowhere to go except forward. And it went on and on for miles. Thankfully the kids were quiet and calm, so I could focus on keeping us off the walls. Just like a bobsled team, we swiftly sped down and around, leaning into the curves.

All of a sudden, my eldest let out a blood curdling scream and I nearly jumped out of my skin. “Mom! Get it off me! Get it OFF me!

Panicked, I darted my eyes from the chute up ahead to the rear view mirror. What was terrorizing my child? What could I do to make it stop?

But in the reflection, all I could see was a ginormous 18-wheeler. He was right on our tail, bearing down on us. He was close. Scary close. He blasted his horn. I couldn’t see the driver’s face. For a moment, I felt like Dennis Weaver in Steven Spielberg’s movie Duel!

MOMMMMMMY! GETITOFFMEEEE!” My six year old’s lungs were piercing my eardrums. The baby was crying. My middle son was yelling, “Bug Mom. BUG!” (The last time he did that, he was inches from a tarantula.)

Pressure. What to do? What to do?

There was nothing I could do (They say the only time a woman feels totally helpless is when her fingernail polish is wet. I beg to differ!)

So there we were with 40 tons of metal cozying up to my back bumper and a car full of screaming kids, barreling down a concrete runway with no escape. The bug played a starring role, but like the driver of that truck, I still hadn’t seen its face.

With nerves of steel, I tightened my grip on the wheel and yelled for everyone to calm down. (Yes, you know that worked, right?)

Then the concrete barriers gave way and we made our escape down the exit ramp and onto a wide and welcoming shoulder. Not a moment to lose, I threw open the door, sprang from my seat and rushed to the aid of my eldest.

It was about the biggest bug I’d ever seen outside a movie theater! It had a huge body with long, waving antennae and at least 18 legs. It had crawled up his shirt and onto his neck. He was paralyzed in fear. Hesitating for only a moment, I did what any good mother would do.

I asked my four year old to shoo it away!