Brown's Mill Battlefield (Coweta County, Georgia)

 

When a new hike that I had never done popped up on the Meetup schedule, I decided to take advantage of checking out a new trail. Brown's Mill Battlefield is a small park near Newnan, GA and commemorates a Civil War battle that took place here on July 30, 1864. From my research, a Union cavalry column launched a raid to sever Confederate communication and supply lines in the region. However, they were defeated by forces under General Joseph Wheeler. This defeat contributed to forcing Sherman's siege of Atlanta.

In the days leading up to the hike, my friend that manages the Meetup group was injured and had asked me to lead in his absence. I was more than happy to help him out. I arrived about twenty minutes before the scheduled start time to get a lay of the land and plan out my route. This trail system is meant primarily for mountain bikes and consists of several interweaving trails cutting back and forth on each other. But with a map on my phone and a good sense of direction, I had a pretty good plan put together in my head as the hikers started arriving. As usual, we did a quick round of introductions and I explained the plan. With that, we hit the trail.

The first thing I noticed was that the trail colors on the marker posts differ from those on the map. I soon realized that the blue trail was actually the maroon trail on the map. That's an unfortunate piece of coordination by the park administration. We made our way okay though, as we crossed a power-line swath multiple times along different trail routes. 

Eventually, I wanted to make my way to the outskirts of the park and began heading that way. Suddenly, though an unexpected lake came into view. I was expecting to see a small pond, but further along the trail. This made me question my perceived location on the map. Pushing forward we followed a use trail along the shore of the lake and eventually got into an area where the trail just vanished. I still had a good sense of direction and knew how to get us back, but it required a little bushwhacking. That normally wouldn't be an issue, but we had to pass through a section of thick thorn bushes. I warned everyone to be careful and just as I did, ended up slicing my finger open on one of the sharp little devils. Once we got back to a clearing, I took a minute to clean it and put a bandage on it. Nothing serious, but it was bleeding a bit and needed to be cared for. 

From there, we eventually found the correct trail and covered the outskirts of the park, including the expected small pond. The larger lake we found did not appear on any map we had available. From there, we road walked a bit to get back to the main hiking trail and encountered a fenced marker commemorating the battle. It actually looked more like a tombstone, but after researching it a bit, I discovered there wasn't anyone buried here and it simply marked the battle. The print had unfortunately been heavily worn and made it difficult to read on site.

Once the parking lot came into site, I explained our current mileage and that I was going to do another section, but that everyone was welcome to make their own choice: return to their car or continue hiking. Three of the fifteen or so hikers decided to join me. We followed the red trail, which is wide and well marked. It added an additional mile or so to our total distance, which reached about 6.7 miles by the time we returned to the parking lot. We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. While the trails were nice and well maintained at this park (other than the surprise lake and trail color issue), it's one of those parks where they've cut trail for the sake of cutting trail, instead of having a trail that actually leads somewhere. This my not favorite type and I will likely not return, but it was great to get outside and enjoy some fresh air and good company.

Appalachian Trail: Woody Gap to Gooch Gap (Lumpkin County, Georgia)

The weather has not been cooperative the last couple of weekends and though, I have wanted to some trail miles in, I really don't like hiking in the pouring rain when I can avoid it. That said, today, it looks like I may catch a break. For a while now, I've wanted to start doing some sections of the Appalachian Trail and the next one on my target list is the easy section from Woody Gap to Gooch Gap. I'm going to try to beat the rain and knock that piece out today.

On my drive, I catch a few drizzly rain drops, but I decide to push on and when I finally reach the trail head parking area at Woody Gap, the sun has come out and it's turning into a beautiful December day. Tossing my day pack on my back, I head south from the parking lot along the well maintained trail. The first part skirts along the side of a small mountain, but the grade is pretty level and the going is easy.

At about the mile-and-a-half point, I start a short climb up to Ramrock Mountain, which is really nothing more than a bunch of giant boulders poking out of the top of a hill. It reminds me though of just how out of shape I am. I really need to get back to doing this more regularly. On the descent from this part, I run into a man with an orange hunting vest on and a rifle over his shoulder. He asks if I have seen any deer, but I inform him that I've only seen and heard squirrels bouncing around in the dry leaves. He thanks me an continues along his way. I wasn't aware that hunting was allowed this close to the trail, but perhaps, he is only following it back.

From there the trail continues to rise and fall with a little elevation gain, but overall, it's pretty easy going even with my less-than-ideal fitness level at the moment. When I finally reach Gooch Gap, I find a woman sitting at an obvious campsite, complete with a firepit and logs setting around it for benches. I ask if I might join her to take a short break and she welcomes me. We chat about the trail and the weather for a few minutes, before she heads her own way down the road passing over Gooch Gap. After another couple of minutes and a swig of water, I start heading back the way I came.

I bump into a few more hikers on the way back. All of whom are very friendly. I wish each of them a Merry Christmas as I pass by. The return the sentiment. I'm reminded of how nice it is to be outside with the sun shining down and the trail leading me back to my car. I really miss this and need to get back to doing it more frequently. Finally reaching the car, I take another swig of water and check my mileage. It seems I've hiked almost exactly 7 miles round trip. Not a bad way to spend a Friday. 

Victorian Christmas at Hardman Farm (White County, Georgia)

 I was able to briefly visit Hardman farm earlier this year as part of the Falls to Farm New Year's Day Hike, but I didn't have time to explore much. Since then I've wanted to return and really take in this Victorian farm house. When I saw that the state park service was going to host a historical Victorian Christmas re-enactment at the farm, it seemed a great opportunity not only to see more of the farmhouse, but also to get my mother out for a little holiday cheer.

My wife, my mother, and I drove the hour or so to Helen on this drizzly Saturday afternoon. Luckily, the rains held off and we simply had to deal with a foggy drive. Once we arrived, we checked-in at the visitor's center and enjoyed some cupcakes a mulled wine, while we waited our turn to take a hayride from the visitor's center to the farm house. The field between was quite muddy and the tractor pulled trailer saved us from making a mess. I also think that my mother enjoyed it.

Once at the house, we finished our drinks before entering and were then greeted by a volunteer portraying Mrs. Ary Jones the head housekeeper. She welcomed us to the dinner part re-enactment and explained the various rooms, historical figures being portrayed in the various rooms, as well as the Christmas Tree decorating contest between rooms. She was very warm and her acting and accent were top notch. Moving into the family parlor, we met "Cpt. James and Mrs. Kate Nichols", the owners of the mansion. They were also very friendly and thanked us for attending their dinner party.

Moving through the various rooms, we met a host of historical figures and enjoyed wonderful conversation with the actors. The lack of mention of modern cars or highways in our travel story to the farm was quite comical. As we explained, we arrived by "carriage". 

After leaving the main house, we headed out to one of the farm buildings to meet Mr. and Mrs. Santa Clause. They thanked us for coming and just as they did, the tractor and trailer arrived to carry us back to the visitor's center. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience and both the actors and decorators did a wonderful job of recreating a holiday dinner party as it may have happened over a century ago. I think my mother really enjoyed it, but for now, we need to head home.

Paris Mountain - Sulphur Springs and Fire Tower Trails (Greenville County, South Carolina)

I've always hated Black Friday and the mobs that come with it, but a few years ago REI started the #OptOutside movement, which encourages people to get out and enjoy the great outdoors on this day instead of standing in line for retail sales. They back this up by closing their stores on this day. Though, I did have to make a purchase this morning of a special beer that is only released on Black Friday, I took advantage of my trip to Greenville, SC to get some trail miles in.

It's been a long-standing tradition that my wife and I spend Thanksgiving with her family in the mountains north of Asheville, NC and early the next morning, I always drive to Greenville to purchase that special release beer. On the way, I've passed Paris Mountain State Park many times and thought about stopping to check it out. This year, our plans were forced to change last minute due to my mother being in the hospital and my wife coming down with something. We just spent the holiday at home, but that didn't stop me from driving to Greenville anyway and since I'm here and not on the time-crunch I normally have, I decided to finally do some hiking at Paris Mountain.

I expected to pay to enter the park, but in celebration of #OptOutside, the park is offering free admission today - that's a bonus! I ask about the trailhead for the Sulphur Springs Trail and the park attendant provides me with directions to the parking area. Once there, I see that a lot of people have the same idea, but I'm still able to find a parking spot without difficulty.

The trail begins right out of the parking lot and follows a small stream. Due to the name of the trail, I'm constantly sniffing the air for hints of sulfur, but all I really smell are the rhododendrons. I'm curious about how this trail got it's name, but that question will likely not get answered today. The trail meanders through the woods up and down through a ravine. It's well traveled, but still has some mildly challenging sections. I find myself getting a little winded as I climb some of the steeper inclines. I really need to get back into shape.

Coming to a large pool of water in the stream, I look up the hill to see a manmade dam with water trickling over it. At it's side, a circular stone structure lies in ruins. A informational plaque explains that the dam was created to provide a steady water source for nearby residence and the stone structure housed a mechanical valve mechanism to control the flow. The years have left it inoperable though. After climbing above the dam and continuing on the trail, I skirt the edge of the small reservoir made by the pent up waters.

The trail continues onward and eventually hits some areas with the trickling stream of water runs over large open pieces of stone. The surrounding ground is covered with fallen leaves, but the waters seem to have kept these stone outcroppings clean as the creek runs over them. In some cases, it's a steep climb to hike beside these waterfalls. I bet they are quite a a site to see during a rain storm and there are several of them along the trail.

Finally reaching a fork in the trail, I decide to check out the remains of the fire tower and the spur trail named for it. A couple of fellow-hikers indicate that it's only another half-mile or so. Along the way, I pass another gentleman before reaching the ruins of an old house, which served as a residence for the men charged with manning the fire tower. The steel tower itself is said to have stood nearby, but was later moved. An informational sign also explains that this was a bad choice in location as it does not offer a 360° view. Paris Mountain itself lies to the southwest and stands a bit higher than this hilltop, thereby blocking part of the view. The tower was moved in 1943 to a better location.

Turning back the way I came, I soon rejoin the main trail and begin making my way back down the mountain. This side of the loop is friendly to mountain bikes and a couple pass me as I head back down to the car. I don't care for the activity of mountain biking myself, as I feel it doesn't allow me time to enjoy my surroundings and is more about the adrenaline rush. That said though, I can see how this downhill might be fun. It has some sweeping curves and the trail is mostly clear of roots. 

Before too long, I'm back at the bottom and heading towards my car. A  park employee now had the area my car is parked at blocked off. Apparently, one a group reserved the picnic shelter and the parking area goes along with it. I explain that I must have arrived before the barricade was placed and he nods in agreement before allowing me to pass. I was able to get in about 5.4 miles today and it was nice to explore a some new trails. More importantly, it was great to #OptOutside.

Chattahoochee River - Fall Colors Kayak Tour (Fulton County, Georgia)

It's been a busy week, but to relax a little bit today, I decided to join REI on a lazy paddle down the Chattahoochee River. Though we've lived in the Atlanta metro area for four years now, I've never actually paddled on the Chattahoochee and this seemed like a great opportunity to add it to the list. 

Meeting up with the guide and other participants around noon at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, we did a quick run down of the kayaks and the plan for the day. Once all of that was out of the way, we loaded into the kayaks and launched into the river via a unique ramp contraption. It seemed unnecessarily complicated, but we were able to accomplish our goal with it and soon we were floating on the river. The water is uncharacteristically clear today. Normally, this river is quite muddy. 

We started by paddling upstream a bit to get a feel for the current and wind, but satisfied that it wouldn't be a problem, we turned our boats and head downstream. A number of rowing teams joined us on the water and quickly passed us with their coordinated rows. That's fine, I'm here to relax not work. 

The autumn colors are nearly gone, but a few still remain to add a nice palate to the backdrop along the river banks. The water here is very shallow and on one occasion, I actually beach myself, but through a combination of pushing of my paddle and rocking back and forth, I'm able to 'scooch' over the sandbar and get to slightly deeper waters. 

We continue downstream toward a large bluff with multi-million dollar homes built atop it. While the homes are beautiful and the views are probably very nice, I think I would choose somewhere else to build if I were going to spend that much money.

After an hour and a half or so, we turn the boats and head back to our launch point. Without realize it, I get far ahead of the group and take advantage of the time to just kick back and relax in my floating lounger. Soon, the others catch up and we pull the boats out of the water in a much more normal fashion. We paddled about 3.2 miles in total, but it was worth it just to get outside and relax a little bit.

Frank Lloyd Wright Tour of Oak Park (Cook County, Illinois)

 

I'm in Chicago, Illinois this weekend and for a while now, I've wanted to revisit Frank Lloyd Wright's Home and Studio in nearby Oak Park, as well as the nearby homes he designed. I toured this area about twenty years ago, but as a great admirer of the genius architect's works, I couldn't pass up a chance to tour this neighborhood once again.

Heading into the welcome area of his former Home and Studio, which once served as his garage, I check-in for my guided tour and browse the gift shop, while waiting for the tour guide to arrive. Right on time, our guide calls for my tour time and we reconvene in the courtyard just outside underneath the largest gingko tree I have ever seen. The tree is over a century hold and it's trunk is roughly three feet in diameter at the base. Broad limbs extend to provide a canopy over the courtyard and the yellow leaves and ripening fruit provide a blessing of autumn to the entire experience. 

After a few words from our tour guide, we walk around to the front of the structure while he provides numerous interesting details about the property, the structure, and Wright's time in Oak Park. With that, we enter the semi-concealed front entrance. Refusing to make the main entrance obvious to visitors was something of a trademark of Wright's, as he wanted to encourage visitors to explore the design of the structure, rather than just walk in and ignore the beauty in front of them.

Unlike most of his works, this house was torn up and redesigned many times over his time in Oak Park (1889-1909) while he honed his craft and developed his own style. It was also necessary to rebuild many sections of the house as his circumstances of employment, self-employment, and the addition of children to the family changed over the years. It's obvious though that he put a great amount of attention and detail into every aspect of his home. Wright practiced the concept of integrated design in which he not only designed the structure, but also the furniture and adornments. This allowed the experience to be whole and complete.

We continue through the rooms of the home and then into the studio where his draftsman worked to commit to paper the genius springing from his mind. A false memory pranked me here, as I somehow recall an entire conversation about a geodesic dome atop the studio from my last visit, but in talking with the guide and reviewing the history, I seem to have imagined that. There is however an entire pully system supporting the balcony above the draftsmens' work area. This was part of the memory, but I recalled it being more intricate and associated with the dome. Ah well, I guess that's what I have to look forward to as I get older and my mind deteriorates, lol.

Having completed the initial guided part of the tour, I return to the gift shop and sign-out the audio player, which will accompany me on my self-guided tour of the neighborhood, which includes several more homes designed by Wright. It's just a short walk, but with each design, one can see his style evolving until finally, he perfects what will become known as the prairie style of architecture.

   

Each home a masterpiece in its own right, the desires and designs of the client obviously played a role in the building's final form, but these take a back seat to Wright's genius. He considers all aspects of the home and how it becomes part of the area around it. Not one to contrast with nature, Wright often incorporates aspects of it into the design. The most famous example of this being Falling Water in western Pennsylvania, where a natural waterfall actually flows through the home. While there is nothing that extreme in these early designs, you can still see the roots of these concepts in his choice of materials and colors.

 

     

After the short walk of about 0.9 miles, I return to the audio player to the gift shop and call for an Uber to get me to the airport. As I sit nearby waiting for my ride, I can't help but to mentally explore the patterns and geometry of the structural works of art I have just visited. Wright was at least a century ahead of his time and while his personal life may have been less than storybook, the genius he shared with the world will forever remain the stuff of legend.

Standin' on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona (Navajo County, Arizona)

 Okay, okay . . . it may be a little cheesy, but it wasn't my idea. Returning to Phoenix from Canyon de Chelly, our group stopped in Winslow, Arizona for a second lunch. Of course, we had to dine across the street from a certain corner made famous by the Eagles' song 'Take it Easy'. And as you can see, the statue is doing just as the lyrics describe, with the mural behind him portraying the second part of the verse:

"Well, I'm a standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona

and such a fine sight to see

it's a girl, my Lord, in a flat bed Ford

slowin' down to take a look at me"

There really isn't much here in this small desert town, but since we were driving nearby anyway, it made sense to stop. And now, I can say that I've been here and stood on that corner. With only an hour or so drive remaining, hopefully the sound of our own wheels won't drive us crazy.

Canyon de Chelly (Apache County, Arizona)

As anyone who reads any of my blog posts will know, I really enjoy finding Native American rock art and ancient dwellings. I've spent a great deal of time in the middle of nowhere in the desert southwest searching for and often finding petroglyphs, pictographs, geoglyphs and cliff dwellings. One area that I've never been able to visit though is Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Part of this is just due to not planning the trip, but the other aspect is the accessibility. The park is administered by the National Park Service, but owned by and contained within the Navajo Nation. Visitors are allowed to drive along the rims, but can only visit the canyon floors with a park ranger or Navajo guide. About a year ago, I learned that REI contracts with the Navajo to plan camping and hiking trips into the canyon. I was anxious to take part in this activity and registered for it some time ago. 

Day 1

When the dates finally arrived, I flew from Atlanta to Phoenix and spent he night at a nearby hotel before meeting my guides and group on Friday morning. After some introductions and a quick discussion of the day's itinerary, we loaded our gear and ourselves onto the van and set off for the northeastern corner of Arizona, where Canyon de Chelly is located. Our group consisted of our two guides and six participants. Along the way, we stopped at Petrified Trees National Park for lunch and some light hiking. It was a great stop and I made a separate write-up about it.

Late in the afternoon, we arrived at the Thunderbird Lodge just outside the park. This would be our accommodations for the evening. After getting checked in though, we took a ride out to the Spider Rock viewing point to take in a magnificent sunset over the canyon. Spider Rock is a tall sandstone spire rising some 750 feet from the canyon floor at the junction of Monument Canyon and Canyon de Chelly. Navajo legends tell of the Spider Grandmother who lived atop the tall formation. We relax here for a short time taking pictures and just taking in the magnificent views before us.

As we wait for the Sun to descend to the horizon, we hear wild turkeys in the lush green trees growing around the dry creek bed in the center of the canyon. We scramble around on the rocks ledges trying to find the perfect shot and finally settle on what we believe will be the best view. A very short time later, the bright light of the orange sun sinks to the horizon and gradually becomes a fantastic shade of pinkish-red, before finally dropping below the distant canyon ridge and leaving hues of pink and orange in the clouds for us to admire. We snap a myriad of photos before heading back to the lodge. 

Once we arrive back, we enjoy a quick dinner in the restaurant and then all attend a Navajo dance ceremony, celebrating their rich culture and heritage. It's here that I learned that the Navajo migrated to this region only about four-hundred years ago, and well after the ancient Pueblo or Anasazi has long abandoned the area.

Returning to my spacious room, I crawl in my bed and quickly fall asleep. We'll have plenty of activity tomorrow and the long drive and big meal has made me sleepy. I'm thrilled to be here though. I can feel how special this place is.

Day 2

I awake early and get a quick shower, before heading to meet my group for breakfast. After we've filled our bellies, we load back into the van and are driven to the White House Overlook Road, where we are let out to begin today's hike. Our overnight gear will be taken to our campsite in the canyon below by truck. We simply carry daypacks.

With our Navajo guide and his gorgeous dog, Shiloh, now accompanying us, we're all set to begin the descent into the canyon along the White House Trail. The first bit is a road walk, but soon, we hit the sandstone and make our way down. From what our guide tells us, this area was once the location for a western film called MacKenna's Gold. Since returning home, I've searched for the movie on the various streaming services we subscribe to, but it doesn't appear to be available on any of them. I'll find it though. 

The way down is relatively easy, but somewhat steep. Everyone in our group has experience hiking and backpacking, which makes this much easier. The Sandstone has been carved into rolling hills here along the descending cliff, much like "The Wave", but without the color variations. Here, the stone is almost entirely orange with just small streaks of softer colors.

After only about two miles, we reach the canyon floor and spend some time admiring the White House, which is an ancient Anasazi cliff dwelling and one of the largest in the park. I've seen a number of cliff dwellings at other sites in this part of the country, but they never fail to impress me. The ancient peoples who lived here a thousand or more years ago were magnificent architects and even better rock-climbers. It's my understanding that they build their domiciles in this elevated areas for protection from both predators and from enemies. Who would dare try to and climb to these precarious homes at the risk of falling to one's death. 

From here, we follow the Canyon Road, which is nothing more than a sandy wash that trucks owned by the Navajo travel the canyon on. The ground is level, but walking in deep sand makes for hard work, especially with the Arizona sun beating down on us. Along the way, we encounter a number of wild mustangs grazing. Beautiful animals, which were very valuable to the Navajo after they were brought here by the Spanish. The Anasazi had no such beasts of burden at their disposal since they were here many centuries before the Spanish.

In the cliffs on either side of us, we see several other dwellings and grain storage bins built by the Anasazi. Our guide tells us the Navajo didn't make much use of the abandoned Anasazi structures when they arrived and so they have been left to the mercy of the elements here. For the to have survived for more than a millennia is amazing and a testament to their construction.

We've been traveling within Canyon de Chelly, but when we reach the junction with Canyon del Muerto (also part of the park), we stop for lunch before heading to our campsite further down the later canyon. Our guides built some wonderful Asian-style chicken wraps for us for lunch. We all pop a squat in the sand under some trees and refuel a bit. The mustangs have caught up to us and seem quite curious about our food. They don't cause any issues though and begin grazing nearby. 

After I finish my wrap, I wander a short distance a way to see another cliff dwelling our guide told us about. As I return, the others are heading over to visit it. Soon, with our hunger satiated, we continue our hike to tonight's campsite, which is still about four miles away.

The sand seems to get deeper and we do our best to find more solid ground to walk on, but it's not much use. I remember long ago thinking how much fun it would be to run along the beach, as we see in the movies. That is until I finally did it and realized how difficult running in sand actually is. This is no different. Every step is a workout.

Eventually, we reach our campsite, having hiked about 9.1 miles today. One of our two REI guides came down with the trucks and has spent the day erecting our tents. They are HUGE. This is by far the largest tent I've ever been in and I've got one all to myself. I joke that if anyone is looking for space, I would be willing to rent some out. That gets quite a laugh. I guess we'll be sort of 'glamping' on this trip. We all relax around fire pit and relax while our guides prepare dinner. We talk of the days of high adventure. 

Around six and with our dinner complete, we are summoned to the makeshift kitchen area to fill our plates with a delicious chicken pasta and fresh salad. As night settles and it gets a little cooler, we all settle around the campfire and enjoy some stargazing. With no major cities nearby and only the light of the fire to limit our night vision, we are able to see a vast array of stars. I catch a shooting star directly overhead. Our Navajo guide shares some of the interesting stories and legends of his people about this area. I really appreciate being able to learn about Navajo culture from a member of the tribe. 

With the colder night air settling in, we begin to break away and head to our respective tents. I had set up my sleep system earlier and now only need to strip some layers off and crawl into my sleeping bag. I left the rain fly off my tent and continue stargazing from my back and through the mesh ceiling of the giant tent for a while before finally dozing off to never-never land.

Day 3

I awaken a bit before the everyone else and about an hour before sunrise. It was cool overnight, but not cold. I was very comfortable sleeping. First order of business this morning is to head over to our designated restroom station. Upon my return, I find a camp chair at the fire and continue my stargazing. I catch a second shooting star just over the northern canyon wall. This one lasts a bit longer than the one I saw last night. 

Soon my companions rise and join me, just as the sun begins to illuminate the canyon. We relax around the campfire, which one of the guides restarted. It's not cold, but a nice campfire always warms not only the body, but the soul. Our guides are busy preparing a hearty breakfast of sausage, French toast, and cantaloupe. Soon they ring the dinner bell and we all go fill our plates. It's delicious and quite filling.

With some time to spare before we head out for the day, I decide to explore the canyon nook we are camping in. As I wander around the perimeter, I discover poisonous, but beautiful moon flowers, grape vines, and the poisonous nightshade berries, which seem to be very plentiful here. I also find some small shards that were likely pottery at one time. Perhaps, they washed down from the canyon walls above.

Returning to camp, I take advantage of the sandwich station our guides prepared and make a turkey, cheese, avocado, and hummus sandwich to take with me for lunch. We'll be hiking further into the canyon today and then returning to this base camp to sleep under the stars once more. 

We depart camp about 10:00 AM and travel northwest in a somewhat zig-zag pattern as dictated by the tall canyon walls around us. Very soon after departing, we reach another ruin known as Antelope House. This one however is essentially at the base of the canyon wall and would not have really required much climbing to reach. Also, there is a Navajo-run snack and jewelry stand here. We pause for a short time, while some of my fellow participants browse, but we're soon on the trail again. 

Our next major landmark is Fortress Rock, where more than a hundred Navajo hid from the American military for several weeks. The tall island in the middle of the canyon appears to be unclimbable, but our guide exclaims that the backside has a way up - precarious, but possible. 

As we make our way further into the canyon, we encounter more cliff dwellings, grain silos, and wild mustangs. We also begin to see more petroglyphs and pictographs. These illustrations are a combination of Anasazi and Navajo. The two can be distinguished between by the location and content for the most part. The Navajo art is generally lower to the ground and in some cases represents men on horseback. This timeframe makes a particular panel obviously Navajo, as the Anasazi wouldn't have known of horses.

Some of the works are quite elaborate, including one in an area known as White Cow, where a woman referred to a the Loom Lady still weaves rugs to this day. We are asked to not take pictures of the Navajo or their homes without permission, and being respectful, our entire group carefully photographs the rock art without including Loom Lady's home.

A burro has been following us for a while, but soon diverts across the creek bed and continues on ahead of us. Near Many Cherry Canyon, we see another structure atop the cliff wall, but our guide exclaims that this one is actually Navajo and not Anasazi. Resting at the fork of two smaller canyons, it was used as a lookout when the Navajo and American military were in conflict. Another group of mustangs passes under the dwelling as they walk past us.

Our guides weren't sure how far we would make it today, but with everyone of us being a strong hiker, we reach Blue Bull, which is one of the most amazing petroglyph panels I have ever seen. Before exploring it though, we stop and enjoy the sandwiches we made for lunch. Luckily, we find some cottonwoods with the roots exposed and use these as seats while we feed ourselves. 

With lunch out of the way, we leave our day packs and wander a short distance to the rock art panel. This panel is most likely Navajo in origin due to the types of images, but there are so many. On the right, a large bull stained in blue on the the red sandstone gives the area its name. Horses, human figures, spirals, hand prints and all kinds of other images cover this wall. It's amazing and represents the reason I love finding these types of things.

After spending some time exploring the area, we had back to where we dropped our packs and begin heading back to camp the way we came. The return trip is relatively uneventful and after a couple of hours, are back around the campfire. Our distance for the day is 11.9 miles, which is a pretty decent hike. Luckily, the sand was not nearly as deep in this part of the canyon. I'm not sure I would have made it that distance in the deep sand we had yesterday.

For dinner tonight, our guides have prepared a fajita-like spread with chicken and flank steak. Though, I didn't actually make a taco out of mine, I did really enjoy the meal provided. It was just the body needed after a hot day of hiking. With night settling in, we once again, return to our tents and call it a night. With a slight chance of rain, I had put the rain fly on this morning before we left. I also wanted to try sleeping a different way to relieve some of the back pain I've been experiencing. I used two of the camp chairs in my tent and essentially reclined into one while in my sleeping back, while putting my feet up on the other. I can't normally sleep like this in a tent, but with the spaciousness of these tent mansions, I figured I might as well give it a try.

Day 4

I slept in just a bit later this morning, but I'm still the first one up. I think the comfort of sleeping in chairs as I did last night allowed me to better relax and get better sleep. As I make my way out of my tent, others are stirring as well and soon we get another campfire going to ward off the cool morning air. It was good sleeping weather again last night, but a fire to warm up by is always nice. 

With this being our last day in the canyon, we eat a quick breakfast of muffins and fruit and begin breaking down our tents and gear to be hauled by truck back up to the top. The massive tent disassembles much easier than I had expected and within just a few minutes, I'm all packed up and ready to go. I offer to assist others, but they all seem to have it well in hand and I just relax for a bit and enjoy the last embers of the campfire. 

Soon our gear is loaded onto the trucks and we begin our shorter, but more adventurous hike out of the canyon. Returning part of the way we had hiked on Saturday afternoon, we reach the Bear Trail, as our guide calls it. From here, we begin ascending the canyon wall. Most of it is pretty easy, but there are some really steep sections where we need to use both hand and tole holds that have been carved into the sandstone. It's a bit of a work out and I'm reminded of how badly I need to drop a few pounds. 

After about 3.6 miles and 800 feet of ascent, we reach the top and find our loaded van awaiting us. This is where we leave our Navajo guide and we all thank him for sharing his expertise and culture with us. I believe everyone offers him a gratuity, which he richly deserved. With our gear already in the trailer, we climb aboard and head back towards civilization. We return to the Thunderbird Lodge, where we stayed on Friday night for a restroom break and use the nearby picnic area to enjoy some Caesar chicken wraps for lunch. Now we just have a four or so hour drive to get back to Phoenix, though we'll make one more stop along the way.

Petrified Forest (Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona)

I'm in Arizona for a few days to do some camping and hiking in Canyon de Chelly National Monument with REI. From Phoenix, it's a four or so hour drive and to break up the monotony and give everyone a chance to stretch our legs, we stopped for lunch at Petrified Forest National Park. As this is my first time visiting this park, I was looking forward to exploring a little bit.

While our guides prepared some lunch for the group, most of us explored the Giant Logs Trail behind the Rainbow Forest Visitor's Center. Even though we're well into October, it's still very warm here in the open desert and I'm glad to have had some sun protection on. The trail winds and wanders through some terrific specimen of petrified trees. As I understand it, about 225 million years ago downed trees accumulated in river channels and were often buried by volcanic ash. Over the eons, groundwater carried silica and other minerals from the ash into the logs where it gradually replaced the organic matter and petrified the logs. The beautiful colorations are attributed to this minerals, while the structure is due to the cell walls of the formerly living trees.

I've seen petrified wood many times before, but not in such concentration. The ground is covered with beautiful sections of logs as far as the eye can see in practically every direction. While the crystals now forming the objects are incredibly hard to the touch, there is no mistaking their former incarnation as living trees. The structures are quite obvious. It is curious though that the logs break into such perfect sections, almost as if cut with a chainsaw.

After enjoying a wonderful charcuterie lunch, we climb in the van and continue on our journey, but before too long, we stop at another trail for more sightseeing at he Crystal Forest. Here, we make a loop of approximately half-a-mile through even more stunning examples of the crystalized wood. The quantity of specimen here just blows the mind. To think that all of these 'rocks' were living trees in ages past. In some examples, it's even possible to see the bark separating from the inner wood - astounding!

Finally, we make our way to Newspaper Rock, which is a series of large house-sized boulders with numerous petroglyphs carved into them. The guides made an unplanned stop here after I explained my interest in Native American rock art. The examples here are well worth seeing, but must be viewed at quite a distance unfortunately. One of the guides shares her binoculars with me, which makes the whole stop worthwhile.

After this last stop, we are back on the road and headed for our destination inside Canyon de Chelly. I'm really grateful to our guides for having made this stop. It was well worth it and it was nice to get a little exercise on what would have otherwise been a very lazy day driving to the park.

Woodfin Falls (Jackson County, North Carolina)

 

For my final diversionary stop along my route to Asheville, NC, I drive a short distance up the famous Blue Ridge Parkway to Woodfin Falls. Confusing the parking area, I mistakenly stopped at the Woodfin Valley Overlook first, but quickly realized my mistake. The area I actually needed was another mile or so up the road. Once I arrived, I quickly headed across the road to the sounds of children playing. When I arrived at the ridge above the waterfall, I was a little disappointed. I bet this waterfall is beautiful after a rain, but there isn't much to see after the dry spell we've recently had and only a trickle of water flows over the cascades. It's still a pretty area though and I'm happy to have any chance at all to visit the parkway again.