Shadrachandlynette’s Weblog

It was good, but not as good as Arches last weekend. For one thing the trail more or less paralleled the main road, so inbetween beauty and trees we saw portly touri (to be pronounced tour-eye which as we all know is the plural of tourist) stumble from their cars, take a photo and then jump back in the car.

Not that i’m judging, i’m just saying that if i’m on a trail, i kind of want it to be just birds and wind i’m hearing, not motorcycles and domestic disputes.

Another thing is that Garden of the gods marks their trails like i dance ballet…. NOT AT ALL. Trails were ending and beginning all over the place, and none of them were on the map they hand out. Eventually we just went off-trail and walked over the hills to get back to our car.

I do have a favorite part of the trail though which was when the trail departed from the road and climbed up a ravine. It became very quiet and beautiful, and it made the whole hike worth while.

In about 10 minutes we’re going to leave and meet some friends for Thai food, and then we’re going to listen to some friends of friends play at the newest local brewery (Trinity brewery).

Lynette and i have watched a couple of great movies this weekend already and i hope the trend continues through Sunday.

Death at a funeral:

Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist:

So that’s our Saturday. It’s one for the books.

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Amadou & Mariam

March 21, 2009 by shadrachandlynette

I’ve really been enjoying this band this week.. They just came out with a new album, and i’m LOVING this song:

The whole album is REALLY solid, so if you’re into African music (or even if you’re not), you should really check it out.

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the Moab Summary

March 19, 2009 by shadrachandlynette

I apologize for the size of this text, i wrote it in word and pasted it into the site

So as some of you may now, we went to Moab, UT. This last weekend.

Thursday evening after work we went up to Denver and stayed the night with our friends Greg & Amber. The weather reports were hinting that Colorado would be getting snow on Friday morning, so the original plan was to leave at 6am to get ahead of the storm. At 5.45am I looked out the bedroom window and there was no snow and clear skies, so I went back to bed.

We left Denver at 8am on Friday morning. We left the girls with Greg & Amber who have 2 miniature dachshunds of their own, so add our 3, they were officially presiding over a herd of dachshund. We made very good time into the mountains with little problem other than on Vail pass the road was super wet and muddy, so there were 6 or 7 minutes of furious windshield wiper usage.

We stopped in Fruita, CO. for lunch and gas and then headed on into Utah. That we know of, this was both Lynette and my first times in Utah.

After Glenwood Springs, CO. the mountains start getting very different. They’re no longer evergreen covered or “rocky” they’re more like giant sand mountains that have been worn down over time. I can only compare them to “the Badlands” or “Black Hills.” Very odd. Also very gray. They’re beautiful in their own way, but I’ll take the rockies any day.

After about 15 miles of Utah travel, the mountains started getting a little more interesting because they were more like “Buttes” rather than just faceless hills. I even took us north off the interstate about 5 miles and we drove on backroads to take some close up photos of some neatly formed areas.

Once we got back on the interstate, we drove for another 20 minutes and then headed south to Moab. As we got closer and closer to Moab the scenery changed drastically. Right before we got into Moab the rocks and dirt were so red that they were almost purple. We crossed over the Colorado river and down Main street in Moab. We got to the hotel at about 3.30 and threw our stuff in the room.

We went to Arches National Park and bought a 7 day pass ($10) and then headed into the park. We live near Garden of the gods here in Colorado Springs, and it’s always been a pretty impressive place, but when you get up the pass and into Arches, you realize that you’ve never seen anything like this before. Garden of the gods could easily be misplaced in a desolate corner of the park. I was struck by an overwhelming urge to get out of the car every 4 feet and take another photo. After about 30 photos we committed to just driving and seeing what we could see.

After about 5 miles we saw a sign with an arrow saying “Delicate Arch,” so we took that right and parked at the trailhead. We got out of the car and read the information sign that said “Delicate Arch, 1.5 miles.” We looked at each other and decided that that didn’t sound so bad, so off we went. The trail was pretty easy at first, and then we got to a steep raise. I’m used to walking on a treadmill, but inclines are new to me. Once we got over the first little area the trail was pretty easy again, but then we looked up and realized that a steep sheet of rock up ahead was part of the trail. I could be wrong, but I guesstimate that the rock was about 6 blocks long by 6 blocks wide and was tilted at a 35 degree angle. In this region of the country, they refer to these rocks as “slickrocks,” mainly because if these rocks were wet, you’d have no chance of staying on them. They’re super smooth as is, so if you added water, you might as well be standing on an oiled mirror. On all of the trails when you get to a slickrock like this, there’s no way to tell if you’re still on the trail or not, so they make these little piles of rocks called “cairns” so when you pass one, you just aim for the next pile.

Once I got past the slickrock and caught my breath, we continued on through some more sandy and rocky areas. Eventually we were funneled onto a trail with a cliff on the left side and a steep wall on the right side. We followed that for a short time until we rounded the bend, and there was delicate arch. At the bottom of the trail when I had read “Delicate Arch” I was imagining the arch which is actually called “Landscape Arch,” so I wasn’t all that excited to see it, but when we got to the top and saw the arch that was actually Delicate Arch, I let out a surprised “OHHH!” There, on the top of this mountain, was the arch that I’ve seen on every Utah license plate. It was a little like seeing a celebrity. We hung out on top for about 20 minutes taking photos and catching our breath.

The sun was starting to set, and there were about seven people on top other than us, so we thought it’d be a good time to head down (that way we wouldn’t be the last people on the trail in case it got dark on the way down). By the time we got back to the huge slickrock, the sun was completely gone and the stars were coming out. We could see the cairns scattered across the face of the slickrock, so we just adjusted our trajectories as we went. On our way down we had a group of 3 people pass us, so we got down and still had 4 people behind us. (it may sound stupid, but it felt good to know that if we fell or got lost, there’d be people coming behind us). As we were putting our bags back in the car, the last 4 people came to the parking lot and we all left together.

There’s a strange feeling of teamwork when you’re on the mountainside. When you pass people they usually say “you’re almost there” or “.2 miles to go” and then in turn when you’re on your way down a trail, you tell people that stuff too. When you all get to the bottom together there’s a short nod or waive like you’re the best of friends, and then you get in your cars and you’re strangers again.

It was dark by the time we got into the Saturn, so we headed out of the park and went to a restaurant/brewery in Moab called “Eddie McStiffs.” We ordered some super hot chicken wings as an appetizer and then a pizza with green chili sauce rather than tomato sauce. The dinner was really good, but really hot. Thankfully Eddie McStiffs makes a great selection of beer, so that helped the hotness of the food.

End Friday

Saturday morning we were SUPER lazy and slept in til about 11am. We did some grocery shopping once we got up and then headed back into Arches. Originally when we went to Moab, it was our ultimate plan to spend 1 or 2 days in Arches and 1 or 2 days in Canyonlands. On our way into Arches the second day, we realized just how big Arches was, so we decided that instead of going to Canyonlands, we’d just canvas Arches.

We pulled off at the first trailhead in the park called “Park Avenue Trail.” (so named mainly because on the sides there are steep jutting rocks that look like sky scrapers in a city). We started off down the trail. Almost immediately we saw lizards scurrying around all over the place. The trail is about 1 mile long, and when you get to the end, you turn around and go back. We’re still not sure if they actually measure the trail when they give it a mileage, or if it’s just “as the crow flies” because the Delicate Arch trail said it was 1.5 each way, but it felt more like 2 each way, and Park Avenue Trail is supposedly just a mile each way, but it really felt like 1.5 or 2 also.

Once we got back to the car we drove on to the next trail, then the next, then the next. All in all we hiked Park Avenue trail, Balance Rock trail, the Windows trail & The Double Arches trail. After the Double Arches, we were tired, so we headed back into town and had dinner at “Moab Brewery.” This time we ordered less hot sounding food. We each had a burger and Moab was 2 for 2 in the great beer department.

End Saturday

Sunday morning we woke up at 7.45 and partook of the continental breakfast at the hotel. Then we drove to Arches. We wanted to get an early start because we still had a ton of hiking to do, and this was our last day. We started with a couple of easy trails to Sand Dune arch and Broken arch, and then we went off road. Most people go to Broken arch and then turn around, but there’s a sign that said “trail continues through arch” so that’s what we did. Once we went through Broken Arch we hiked along a trail comprising of both sand and slickrock. That trail came out to a large rock formation which we climbed down and then we were on a pure sand trail. I don’t know whether to call it a desert or not, but we walked for about a mile on sand, surrounded by gnarled trees, brush bushes, cacti & lizards. We were completely alone for at least an hour. At the end of the trail was an arch called “Tapestry arch.” The interesting thing about Tapestry Arch is that it’s not on any maps that the park gives you, and it wasn’t in our hiking guide either.

We sat in Tapestry arch for awhile drinking water and eating jerky and nuts. After about 15 minutes another guy came along and we said hello, etc… and parted ways. We headed back through Broken arch, up the trail and back to our car. Then we drove to the next trailhead. The next hike is “Skyline arch” and it’s not so much a hike as you walk down a little gravel trail for about .2 miles and then you’re there. We took a photo or two and then left. Our next stop was our last stop in the park.. Devils Garden.

Within Devils garden there are several arches. Tunnel arch, Pine Tree arch, Landscape arch, Partition arch, Navajo arch, Double O arch and Private arch.

Tunnel arch and Pine Tree arch are right inside the area and easy to see. Landscape arch is a little less than a mile into the devils garden. After seeing Landscape arch, you have a choice to make. Turn right and go down a gentle .9 trail to your car and leave, or Turn left and introduce your calves to a whole new world of ache. We turned left. As soon as you make your decision, you instantly question your sanity. There before you is a rock wall that you must now climb up. The rock is about a 45 degree angle for 70 feet, then turns into an 80 degree angle that you have to cling to and scurry over for about 10 feet, then you’re back to the 45 degree angle for another 30 feet.

When we got to the top, my legs were screaming and my lungs were heaving. Then you have an instant photo opportunity.. You can climb out on a rock fin about 15 ft. wide and you’re floating above a certain death inducing fall. Of course we climbed out with shaky legs.

After the fin we went back to the trail and were greeted by a sign reminiscent of the sign in M.A.S.H. Turn left for Partition Arch, Turn slightly lefter for Navajo Arch, Go Straight for Double O Arch, etc… We started with Partition Arch and then came back to the sign and went to Navajo Arch. Here again we were offered a choice. Scramble back down the rocks and go to the car and leave for the day, or continue ahead 1.2 miles to the Double O Arch. Again we continued on. After 1.2 miles of sand, rock, slickrock and a thin rock fin that Lynette was NOT a fan of, we stumbled into a little mountain top oasis. We relaxed in the area, took photos of Double O and then once again, we had a choice.

Continue on for another mile to Private Arch, or turn back. Our legs were shot, and the sun was starting to think about setting. If we went another mile, we risked hiking the most dangerous parts of the return trip in the dark. This time we headed back. About an hour and a half later we got to the car, tired, sweaty, defeated.. But with a certain sense of accomplishment.

That night we went to a local pizza place called “Zax” which made us a TREMENDOUS hawaiian pizza, and lucky me, they served beer made by the Moab Brewery, so I enjoyed a “Scorpion Pale Ale.”

There’s something about a day of hiking that entitles you to any food you want. In fact it was funny.. On our hike back down through the Devils Garden, Lynette and I were naming foods we were going to eat that night. Then when a couple of people passed us, we overheard them saying “Dude I’m going to eat so much pizza tonight” and then another of the group said “Ice cream.. A whole carton of ice cream!” Lynette and I had already decided on pizza followed by rootbeer floats at the motel, and that’s just what we did.

End Sunday

Monday morning we woke up around 10 and went for breakfast at the “Jailhouse café.” We went through a couple of shops, and then headed out of town. We felt good. There were 3 things we didn’t do in Arches. We didn’t hike to Private Arch (because we were losing light too quickly), We didn’t hike to Tower Arch (because you need a jeep to even get to the trailhead), and we didn’t hike through the Fiery Furnace (because you need to have a tour guide or else you’ll very probably get lost and die without one)(I didn’t think of it at the time, but it would have been extremely ironic to be named Shadrach and die in the fiery furnace)

We will eventually hike these trails I’m sure.

In summation, you can do Arches in 3 days, but it’d be easier to do in 4. We’re already planning our next trip. There are a couple of names in the hat. Santa Fe, New Mexico… Taos, New Mexico… Yellowstone in Wyoming… Grand Canyon in Arizona… etc… It’s going to be a good summer for sure. We’re lucky to live in a place that is not only beautiful in and of itself, but serves as a fantastic jumping off point to so many other beautiful places.

Until then we’re going to do a lot of local hiking to get our legs good and strong for hiking elsewhere.

Well, that’s it. =)

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