Hello, autumn…
It’s the week of Fall Break and this middle school teacher needed a recharge and rest! At the start of the last week of school before the break, I decided to load up my car, get out of town, and just drive away from the madness of teaching. It was a wonderful comforting thought as I maneuvered through 140 parent-teacher conferences on top of teaching, coaching, and providing a parent dinner. Then on Wednesday of that week I realized that I should probably have an oil change and two new tires before splitting town. And that meant that I would have to stick around on Friday to get it done. Grinding my teeth, I pushed back my plans of deserting the desert until Sunday.
After getting the new tires on the car, I decided to wear them in a little by driving to a new hiking location on Saturday. I completed a 7-mile hike to the top of the Pyrite Summit in Buckeye, Arizona. It was very windy, and I wasn’t planning on going so far, but I was proud of my accomplishment! I loved the views of the western side of the White Tank Mountains from the summit.
As I drove home, I realized that my feet were hurting more than usual and looked down at my hiking boots. They had over a couple hundred miles on them in the past 10 months… maybe it’s time for a new pair before my trip. So I made my way to the I-10 to head over to Avondale to get new boots. Suddenly I heard what sounded like a gunshot. I looked over to my right, and my right side “vent” window had been struck by a random object and was crackling into little tiny spiderweb veins. Miraculously the window was still intact, most likely from the tinted film acting like tape. I pulled off the freeway onto the next exit, and called the insurance company immediately. They were very kind and tried their best to find a window repair company who could help me that day, but sadly the odd-shaped “vent window” needed to be shipped to any window replacement company. That meant waiting in town for the repair until Monday.
Feeling very frustrated and upset, I drove home. I had a decision to make. Use this opportunity to “ruin” my vacation or just let it go. I figured it was a sign that I wasn’t meant to be on the freeway on the weekend, so I let it go and went hiking on Sunday. I hiked the “Walkin’ Jim” trail up in the Lake Pleasant area. It’s very remote and not well-maintained. But the views are spectacular, and the atmosphere is entertaining with the burros giving me a hard time about intruding on their territory. I actually found a gorgeous geode, lined with crystals, on the trail. I figured it was a sign that changing my attitude meant finding treasures along the way.
Gorgeous sunrise painted the sky over Lake Pleasant.
Walking through miles of Saguaros under the wispy cloudscape…
Hopping off the trail to explore a dry riverbed… found these beauties growing along the cliff.
Lots of spiders out- sad that I didn’t see any tarantulas.
Although cairns are silly on well-maintained park trails, they can be crucial to survival for remote hiking. Please don’t knock them over, despite your “cairn philosophy.”
On Monday morning, I packed up the dogs into the car with the perishable food in a cooler, and headed over to Chandler, Arizona to get the window replaced. It took about 90 minutes, and I tried to be very patient. It was very hard to do! I ended up walking the dogs all over the industrial park. I found solace in the cool air, blue sky, and gorgeous palm tree landscape. Then finally it was time to go!!!!! We headed up the I-17 to our first destination, Flagstaff! I was going to set up camp in one of my favorite spots, Fry Canyon, and then go into town to meet my son, Nathan, and have dinner with him. I made it to Flagstaff by noon, and realized when I got out of the car that it was windy. Not breezy. Like ripping-a-tent gales of wind!! So I drove up to the east side of the San Francisco Peaks to see if the wind was better by the Sunset Crater Volcano. I knew of some good campsites near Lockett Meadow. I got out of the car, and my hat flew off my head from the massive gust of wind. Nope. Not a good spot to camp. I did take a few photos of the landscape before seeking another wind-less camping area.
The San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, Arizona
Heading back to Flagstaff, I realized I was only a few miles away from Walnut Canyon, and that it was on my bucket list of places to visit. Checking my weather app, it looked like the wind was going to remain until after sunset. No need to find a campsite in this weather… I know that my tent would probably end up in a tree if I drove away after setting it up. Why not go hike Walnut Canyon? Finally, something exciting on this trip! At the ranger station, I’m informed that I cannot do the Island Trail because dogs are prohibited. But I decide not to let that get me down, and the dogs and I hike the Rim Trail. The views were awesome, and I loved seeing the rock formations and cliff dwellings, even from a distance. The wind was so strong at the top of the cliff that it knocked me down. I hung onto the fence to get a few shots in and decided to seek shelter in the car.
Walnut Canyon
I headed back to town and still had a few hours to kill before Nathan was free to meet. So I decided to go to Mount Humphrey to see the fall leaves at Aspen Corner. It was a gorgeous drive up the mountain, and the wind actually calmed down a little. I walked the dogs along the aspen trees and enjoyed the bright colors contrasted with the blue sky and fast-moving clouds overhead.
After the rejuvenating walk along the aspens, I went back to Flagstaff to have dinner with Nathan. We drove through the downtown area, but all the outside eating locations were closed. It was literally freezing with a high wind. We finally got take-out and ate in the car as the wind rocked it back and forth. I wasn’t planning on this crazy wind, and I was trying to make a quick decision about where to stay for the night. I pondered about where I was going the next day. All I knew was it would be north.
So after dinner I decided to drive north to Page, Arizona, and hopefully find a campsite along the way. After two hours on Hwy. 89 in blustery wind and slushy rain, I finally made it to Page. I was tired and very grumpy about my failed camping plans.
I decided to stay in the Walmart parking lot for the night. I was new to this, and parked the car on the edge of the parking lot, away from everyone, where it was dark and private. I was going to move the boxes in the back of the car to the front of the car and stretch out on my sleeping bag. I started moving them around and juggling the dogs’ leashes at the same time. Then I realized there was a black pickup truck that had driven past me slowly three times. I had a gut feeling it was not lost. I quickly reloaded the boxes and drove out of the parking lot for a while. Then I parked again, in a central location with campers on both sides of me. I made sure the car was locked, but now that I didn’t feel 100% safe, sleep didn’t come easily. I finally fell asleep for about 2 hours before being woken up. The dogs crawled on top of me (in the drivers seat) and we waited patiently til 5 a.m. before heading out for some breakfast and refueling the gas tank. I tried not to focus on the planned eggs-and-bacon sizzling under the pine trees at my gorgeous campsite. Oh well!! I do love an egg McMuffin!
We drove south of Page for a couple miles to Horseshoe Bend, which was on my bucket list, and waited patiently for the entry stations to open up. It was still dark and very cold. The dogs and I walked slowly to the overlook. There were only a few people around, and it was dark and quiet. The wind had stopped blowing at last, and the earth seemed still. I happened to look back and caught the glow of the sunrise around the silhouette of Monument Valley. It was breathtaking, even though obstructed a little by city lights and power lines.
We made it to Horseshoe Bend, and I marveled at the geological phenomenon. It was breathtaking to view as the light began to soften and create pink hues that reflected on the sandstone formations. It was a great way to start the day!!
Whenever I go to a location that is popular with photographers, I always try to find a different perspective or subject. Here are a few that I focused on…
I think this is my favorite photo of the trip… the perspective of the massive landforms is highlighted by the size of the photographer in the distance.
After a gorgeous couple of hours reveling in the beauty of God’s creation, it was time to hit the road again. Tired pups were happy to relax in the heated car as I drove south to Hwy. 89a. It was time to go to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon!! First stop was the Glen Canyon Dam to capture the morning light on the Colorado River.
Back into the car and time to speed across the desert… I love the Grand Canyon and wanted to get there as soon as possible!
I drove up from the glowing vibrant colors of the high desert into the green trees of the Kaibab Mountains. Then suddenly the road turned white… it was covered in a layer of ice. I recognized the slick surface from years of driving in eastern Washington and knew to slow down my acceleration and not hit the brakes. I drove for almost 100 miles at a slow speed, taking it easy around shaded curves. The Kaibab Plateau was remote and gorgeous, but I sensed the danger of the snowy-icy roads. That’s when it occurred to me that I planned to camp in the plateau. It was covered in snow. What will I do tonight? I started thinking over my scenarios during the very long drive to the northern rim. I got to the ranger station and longingly looked at the ranger’s red hot wood stove that was pumping out heat under a snow-covered roof. The ranger mentioned that it was going to be at least -10* that night. I gulped. My sleeping bag was designed for 0*… little worried about the negatives! I looked over at the shaking dogs, who already had their snow vests on. I decided to go to the rim, enjoy the views, and then decide what to do next. Hopefully my desert dogs will survive the cold day!
We got to the North Rim, and it was a sight for sore tired eyes! Although the dogs aren’t allowed on the Bright Angel Lookout Trail, I decided to rebel and take them anyways. I didn’t drive this far in hazardous conditions to not even hike!! They were angels on the trail (ha ha) and I took a few photos. The only downside of the northern rim is that the morning light washes out the colors of the Grand Canyon. I concluded that evening light would have been better, but there was no way I could wait all day. I still loved taking the photos and finding different angles and perspectives to frame the Grand Canyon. It was a glorious morning of beauty.
Toto enjoyed the view!
Just a little cold…
Sadly I tore myself away from this beautiful remote location and started my way back down to the desert. I decided I would drive back to Flagstaff and try camping there again. It helped that the ice and most of the snow melted on the Kaibab Plateau, so driving was less stressful.
If you look closely at the mirror, you can see the quaint little ranger station in the background.
After finally arriving back in Flagstaff, I picked up some steaks and vegetables to make my son a home-cooked meal under the pine trees. I love to cook on my propane stove when camping- it’s one of my favorite parts of camping. Flavors seem to come alive when eating primitively. We meet up at a campsite at Fry Canyon, and I start setting up camp. Tent is up, firewood stacked, and dogs are settled in.
Time to cook! I pulled out the propane stove and got ready to light it. Then I realized I don’t have a table for it. And the only flat surface is a dry forest floor (not good) or the plastic box lid (also not good). I sat down to think. Desperately. I can’t cook without starting a forest fire or melting down a storage box!! Also, I was starving because I hadn’t eaten much for 36 hours. I was shaking from hunger. I reluctantly handed the food to my son to take back to his dorm. No sense in wasting beautiful steaks!
Nate’s meal from the ingredients… he’s such a good cook!
I won’t let this get me down! After he left, I ate a can of cold beans and relaxed in front of a roaring fire. It was a cold yet happy night under the stars. At last.
Around 2 am I woke up to shivering dogs. I packed them on top of my comfy sleeping bag, wrapped them in blankets, and tried to sleep. By 5 a.m. their shivering did not decrease, so I started the car’s engine and put them in the front seat, with the heater blasting. They curled up to sleep while I broke down camp. Without a camp stove, there was no reason to stick around for dawn. I enjoyed the light of the Hunter’s Moon streaming through the pine trees as I stowed away the tent and materials into the car. Time for a leisurely drive home. We headed down south on the highway, stopping at Sedona to enjoy the hot air balloons rising above the red rocks.
I decided to conclude my road trip at Dead Horse State Park in Cottonwood, Arizona. I had heard about it from other people, and wanted to check out the Verde River during autumn. I love the wide trunks and showy leaves of cottonwood trees, and thought it would be a great last stop. It didn’t disappoint! The dogs and I walked the Verde River Trail and enjoyed the fall foliage. It was a peaceful morning of walking.
And with that last click, the trip was over. Time to go home! It was a hungry and exhausting journey of lots of setbacks and obstacles, but of course I still had fun. I learned a lot about northern Arizona and how to prepare better for future adventures.
