Where Age and Beauty Converge!

…The landscape everywhere, away from the river, is of rock –

cliffs of rock;

plateaus of rock;

terraces of rock;

crags of rock –

ten thousand strangely carved forms.

                                                                Major John Wesley Powell

Welcome to the Canyonlands—a geology showcase where age and beauty converge; a place where the Green and Colorado Rivers meet and common landforms (mesas, spires, canyons, buttes and arches) are plenty.

As best explained by Edward Abbey, "The most weird, wonderful, magical place on earth—there is nothing else like it anywhere.” The Canyonlands are divided into three distinct districts—”Island in the Sky” (a mesa that towers above the Canyonlands), “The Needles” (a group of tall rock spires) and “The Maze” (named for its many confusing canyons and gorges) covering over 337,000 acres in southeastern Utah. Each district is accessed from different areas and Venzaliner Journey highlights included a trip up Deadhorse Point to peer upon the Island in the Sky, a four-wheel drive jaunt down potash road compliments of Geologist John, several pictograph (painting on rock) and petroglyph (carving on rock) viewings, a few nights at Indian Creek BLM campground in “The Needles” district, an exploratory hike to what I deemed the "Hamburger Sliders", and a hike around Elephant Canyon with CPA John and Geologist John. 

 

Isaac Newton once said,"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." This is almost my thoughts exactly but maybe better said by Bernard of Chartres, “We are like dwarves perched on the shoulders of giants.” Ah, here I am, perched high above on Deadhorse Point…what do you think?

For movie buffs—this is where one of the most iconic scenes in movie history was created by BFFs Thelma & Louise—(approximately frame 1:16 you can see Deadhorse point in the background).

For those interested in geography and history, know that it was impossible to stand atop this point without wondering how and when this beautiful expanse was created.  Here’s a basic chart of the Canyonland geology layers which date back 150 – 300 million years ago from the Jurassic to the Pennsylvanian periods.

With the geology layers in mind, click here to see where age and beauty converged over several days in the Canyonlands, on the Venzaliner journey.  

Yes, Utah Rocks and Thelma and Louise live on!

Life unfolds before us.

A seemingly unending ribbon of highway going on as far as our eye can see.

The story unwritten.

The pages of the story of our life sit blank and unstained.

Unmarred by life's mistakes and tragedies.

Unblotted with tears and slash marks of anger.

Precious. White. Pure. Full of promise. Potential.

Hope-filled leaves fluttering in the winds of future promise.

The story of life.

                                                                  Lori Poppinga , “Five-Minute-Friday Story”

 

Just like the story of life, not every day on the Venzaliner Journey is picture perfect; however, even the imperfect picture days are filled with beauty as the day unfolds.

The plan was to visit Ouray and Telluride; the result was a drive through Ouray, Telluride, Paradox Valley, La Sal Mountain Range and ending with a hike and evening stay at Windwhistle Campground south of Moab, Utah. Cloudy, overcast and rainy for a good portion of the day and Ouray and Telluride were going to stay that way for a few days; therefore, I ventured down the road on "a seemlingly unending ribbon of highway."

 Click here to see how the drive unfolded.

Today's my page of life was filled to the brim and ended with settling down near the Roan Bailey Mesa  in the Windwhistle Campground along the Canyon Rim Recreation Area in Utah, south of Moab. However, before turning in for the night, I enjoyed an uphill "hike and seek" to let my life further unfold among Utah rocks!

Click here if you want to continue along the hike!

May your story of life continue to unfold.

Yes, Utah Rocks!

 

Advice from the Black Canyon

Carve out a place for yourself.

Aspire to new plateaus.

Stand the test of time.

Don’t get boxed in.

Listen to the voice of the wind.

It’s OK to be a little off the wall.

Reach Deep!
                                 Ilan Shamir

Here it is, another wonderful National Park to carve out a place for myself. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison, a place where explorers came for renewal and recreation rather than commercial wealth. According to the NPS, the Gunnison River, along with the forces of weathering, has sculpted this vertical wilderness of rock, water, and sky over the last two million years.

Ilan Shamir's poem describes not only the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, but my Venzaliner journey as well. A journey filled with aspirations and new plateaus, while standing the test of time, I keep trying not to get boxed in and definitely taking the time to listen to more than just the wind. Yes, I'm a little off the wall but I assume you can tell that by my actions.  However, by reaching deep I've enjoyed some of the coolest places, seen some of the most magnificent areas of the US and Canada, and met some of the most delightful people--all while taking the opportunity to realign my personal well being.

Life is good; especially after several days in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.  Although the weather was not condusive to seeing all of the overviews in the national park due to heavy cloud cover and rain, I enjoyed hiking trails above and below the south rim as well as downtime to reach deep! Click here to enjoy the views.

Be Water, My Friend!

At 20 miles long and with 96 miles of shoreline, Blue Mesa Reservoir is the largest body of water in the state of Colorado. Driving along Highway 50 through the Curecanti National Recreation Area brought me upon this beautiful area where Ute Indians once roamed and hydroelectric power is now generated for the Upper Basin of Colorado.  Check out the magnificent colors and views...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water.
Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup,
you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle,
you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Now water can flow or it can crash.
Be water, my friend.

                           ~ Bruce Lee ~

 

 

Venzaliner Goes Off-Road

 

Fairplay, Colorado—ever heard of it? Those who have respond with "what are you going there for?" If you haven't, you may have heard of South Park, the TV series; Fairplay is the basis for the town in that show. Although I am not a fan of the TV series, I totally enjoyed Fairplay and the surrounding area; and here is why.

 

Yep, this is it; camping in Fairplay with my Aunt Joyce & Uncle Bill. Although not apparent by the picture above, this path goes uphill and is not quite like the roads the Venzaliner normally travels.  However, if Uncle Bill says we can make it...let's do it...here we go!

This is "on-road"

This is "off-road"

This is "a tight-squeeze"

This is "the final resting-spot"

Nothing better than the crisp cool mountain air, meals off the open fire and relaxing by a campfire. Click here to take in the campsite views and read on for weekend highlights! 

Sorry to report, I missed the World Championship of Burro Racing (64 years of hauling ass!). However, I did take in the 2012 South Park Plein Air Art reception at the Coyote Creek Studio Arts and enjoyed viewing the week's artwork and tasting one of Colorado’s fine wines from DeBeque Canyon Winery.

 

Lance Armstrong might frown on this, but after wine tasting and hors d'oeuvres, it was time for a bike ride to Alma (the highest incorporated town in North America at 10,578'; 10 miles round trip) along with a stop at the ever-popular "Al-Mart" general store. Click here for additional bike ride photos

 

Another stop, Bristlecone Pine Scenic Area where at 11,700 feet a strand of bristlecone pines have been gnarled and weather-sculpted for years (the oldest tree in this area is over 800 years old)! Click here for additional Bristlecone pictures. Speaking of old, I need a nap!



P.S. Bill will just have to wait for me!

As if Bristlecone was not beautiful enough, a little four-wheeling atop Mount Bross was amazing!  You be the judge; click here to check out the photos of Mount Bross!

Thanks Joyce and Bill; it was a great weekend! And once again, it's time to journey on...

 

 

"Be well, do good work, and keep in touch"

                                         – Garrison Keillor

 

"Your Mountain is Waiting"

“You're off to Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting,

So... get on your way!”

― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

 

“It's opener, out there, in the wide, open air.”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

After seeing this view, I couldn't help but think of Dr. Suess' "Oh the places you will go".  It's wonderful to be off to great places.  Next stop, Fairplay, Colorado. But first, enjoy traversing the northern end of the Mosquito Range and the views of Hoosier Pass; elevation 11,539 feet with the Blue River to the north, the South Platte River to the south.

The Venzaliner was jealous of the number of stickers on the Breckenridge/Alma road sign. Oh, but look at all the great places!

 

 

Journey on Judy, journey on!



Must Do, Must See--Hanging Lake!

 

Just can’t get away from Glenwood Canyon until the must do must see hike to Hanging Lake, a national natural monument.  Aron, Robyn, Ben, Elaine, Tracey and I trekked up Deadhorse Creek Canyon to Hanging Lake, a beautiful turquoise travertine lake high above Glenwood Canyon. A short (1.2 miles one way) but strenuous (elevation gain of 1,064 beginning at 6,387 feet) hike that amazingly passes through millions of years of geologic history—“Precambrian metamorphic greenstone, schist and feldspar followed by layers of sedimentary sandstones deposited during a period of ancient seas” so reports the USDA.
 


Judy, Robyn, Aron, Tracey, Elaine, Ben

 

The rocky traversing trail has stairs carved into the canyon face rock and ends at a boardwalk around Hanging Lake which is fed by Bridal Veil Falls.

 

 

And just before the boardwalk a short trail meanders to Spouting Rock where the crystal clear mountain water passes through the limestone and drains from a cliff creating a great place to cool off with a mountain shower!

 

Hanging Lake’s national natural monument designation was given by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar in 2011 to encourage preservation and enhance scientific understanding of this rare wetland ecosystem with falls, hanging gardens and travertine deposits. 

 

 

 

Below is a short video (my apologies, not a videographer) of  the beautiful pristine Hanging Lake.

 

If you haven't had enough of Hanging Lake, click here and enjoy more pictures of the hike! 
 

Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty.

                                                             -- John Ruskin --

 

Tribute to the American Workers

Today was the day to pay tribute to the American worker who provides strength, freedom, and leadership to our country through their social and economic achievements. According to Wikipedia, the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday: A street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations", followed by a festival for the workers and their families.  

Well, no street parade and no festival; however, Aron & Robyn took it to heart in Glenwood Springs and gathered a group of friends, family and new acquaintance (that would be me!) to celebrate with a river float down the Colorado River through the Glenwood Canyon with Captain Dead-eye Dave and the Glenwood Springs Crew!  What a day—sunshine with temperatures of 80+, water crisp, cool and moving slowly, coolers full and air pump secured nearby.  Captain Dead-eye Dave new how to direct his crew...no men (or women) overboard, all made it back safe and sound and even enjoyed a stop at the hot springs...Thanks Dave, Aron & Robyn; a great day it was!

Since it was a day on the water and I didn’t have a dry bag with me, the phone stayed in the car and that means no pictures except for the picture above of the girls with Matte Curry, Glenwood Springs Local’s Choice 2012 Most Fun Person…and that he was (love those shorts Matte)!

P.S. Click here for pictures after the float and from my bike ride through Glenwood Canyon to Glenwood Springs a few days later.

Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold.

But other times it's essential to take time off

and to make sure that your most important decision in the day

simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow.

                                                                                          ~Douglas Pagels, These Are the Gifts I'd Like to Give to You

Grottos, Ghosts, Gold & Nutrition

Over the Roaring Fork River and through the White River National Forest

to the grottos and Independence we go!

Oh what a beautiful day for the Venzaliner and I to take a scenic drive from Aspen across Independence Pass to Leadville continuing over the Tennessee Pass via the 10^th Mountain Division Memorial Highway to Minturn and ending in Vail for the evening.

Independence Pass is a scenic and historic byway that extends 32 miles from Aspen to Twin Lakes crossing the Continental Divide over the Sawatch Range at 12,095’.  According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, it is the highest paved state highway over the Continental Divide in Colorado. The pass began in 1881 as an old stage road; in 1927 Independence Pass was built in its current location and then paved in 1967. Today, the beautiful winding road that traverses mountainous terrain and narrows in areas therefore restricting vehicles to 35’ in length…Venzaliner is only 32', hooray!

After departing Aspen, I took in Aron & Robyn’s suggestion to stop in at the Aspen Grottos for a short hike and exploration. The trail leads to ice caves along the Roaring Fork River made of Precambrian granite rock; however, I could not figure out how to get down into the caves without impairing my future hiking abilities so I settled for climbing along the river and enjoying the smoothly sculpted boulders, cascades and pools. Click here to enjoy the Grottos!

Next stop, the ghost town of Independence where I walked around the remnants of the 1880’s mining town where the Independence Gold Lode was discovered on July 4, 1879 and over $190,000 worth of gold was produced between 1881 and 1881.  Soon after, the bust followed and Independence was abandoned for mining opportunities elsewhere.  Click here to check outIndependence today.

The Venzaliner reached the summit without difficulties and the views were spectacular. 

 

 

Time was getting away from me so we coasted on down to Leadville, over the Tennessee Pass through Minturn and into Vail where I caught up with Tracey and Nat for some appropriate nutrition!

 

A friend who is far away is sometimes much nearer than one who is at hand. Is not the mountain far more awe-inspiring and more clearly visible to one passing through the valley than to those who inhabit the mountain?

                                                                                      Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese born American philosophical essayist, novelist and poet. 1883-1931

Drop dead georgeous!

Maroon Bells, the most photographed peaks in Colorado so I hear!

Aspen Snowmass Jazz Festival one day, Maroon Bells the next. Yes, I took this picture with my phone; arent' they drop dead georgeous?

Don't let these bells fool ya.; according to the US Forest Service, they are unbelievably deceptive with "downsloping, loose, rotten and unstable" rock that kills "quickly and without warning." 

Even with the thought of death, how beautiful is this? After an evening of jazz, the close proximity seemed only logical to head toward the Maroon Bells for a morning hike!
While hiking, my thoughts drifted, reminding me of John Denver's Rocky Mountain High...enjoying the "Talk to God," and as the "sight turned inside...seeking grace in every step." Yes, the most beautiful mountain vistas in Colorado, I believe; click here to judge for yourself.

Life and beauty, that's what there is at the Maroon Bells near Aspen Colorado! Sing it John Denver...

What happens when you mix a few of my favorite places (Florida, Australia and the Colorado Rockies) with my favorite wine friends (Elaine, Tracey & Nat)…

Tracey, Elaine, Nat & Judy

The Hopeless Wanderer is brought out of The Cave and led To Darkness.

Sigh No More; My Head Told My Heart, Roll Away Your Stone and Hold on to What You Believe while you Feel the Tide and enjoy the Dustbowl Dance.

Awake My Soul Little Lion Man. Lover of the Night, Where Are You Now?

Jazz Aspen Snowmass Festival Labor Day 2012--an amazing concert with awesome friends; and the view wasn’t bad either. 

Patron or Patron?









 

Thanks Mumford & Sons!!