Out West Adventures--Day 3

Again words can't begin to describe what we saw today.

We are at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The larger visitor center and more common site to visit is the South Rim. We are really in the middle of nowhere. It's the end of the season here and already getting very cold. The park's lodging is closed for the winter already, so we are staying at the only place near the park...it is a very cute and cozy lodge. Right now we're sitting by a fire in this wood beam lodge where they have internet. There are some French hikers at a table nearby and a retired couple at another table and some other young, hippie hikers wandering around. The World Series is on. It's fun...and we're about to go eat dinner in the lodge restaurant.

It's been another wonderful day. Just wonderful. We have planned this trip well, I think, for both of our needs. A place to stay each night already arranged and a main destination for most days. But everything else is up in the air. We're really enjoying the flexibility.

Well, they are ready for us and I am ready to eat. Tomorrow we cross the southwest.

Out West Adventures--Day 2

Day 2—October 21, 2008

There aren’t really even words to adequately describe today. It was just a good, good day. It started when Andy woke me up in time to watch the sun rise over the mountains…it just happened to be the view right outside our hotel room. The time difference meant we felt like we’d slept really late when it was like 7am in Las Vegas. We had a leisurely breakfast and then headed out towards Utah. As Andy put it, we traveled from Sheol to Zion today...Zion National Park, that is.

We drove across a stretch of desert, basically, where the mountains and plateaus were absolutely beautiful!

Then we got into the river valley that runs through Zion Canyon and, finally, to Zion National Park. It is just breathtaking. It’s a desert…only an average of 12 inches of rain a year. This year they’ve only had about 5 inches. Yet this river runs through the canyon and hydrates the land. Also the canyon is primarily sandstone, which absorbs water when it does rain. Then, in some places it leeches back out and forms little springs or waterfalls coming out of the side of the rocks. Plants can root in the rock and live off the water inside. They told us that the water coming out of the rocks has been in there for about 4,000 years!

Really, it was just a wonderful day. We were immersed in God’s good creation. I kept singing "Glory, glory, hallelujah!" in my head (the Daisy May version, for the record). I was also very aware that I am journeying with this man who continues to astound me with his love and compassion for me and his abundant excitement about the world and to whom I am lucky enough to be married. Andy and I had a hard time living apart for so many months earlier this year, but we are so much better now. I just feel really grateful that we are able to take this vacation together right now. I am also extremely grateful that we can both appreciate and celebrate God together in the midst of moments like today.

Out West Adventures--Day 1

Day 1—October 20, 2008
I am writing this from the inside of a pyramid. That’s right…we’re staying tonight at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas…the one shaped like a pyramid. Crazy!

For those of you who haven’t heard, we are on a long awaited trip out west right now. We have begun in Las Vegas (only for one night) and then are going to make our way towards Albuquerque, New Mexico for a Christian Educator’s Conference. This trip is basically my graduation present from our parents and my grandma and a rare big vacation for us. I thought I’d write a bit about it when we have access to internet.

Today we flew into Las Vegas and also got to visit Hoover Dam.

Got to see a bit of the Grand Canyon from plane and could see the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead really well. The mountains here, at least out this far, just jut up from the ground sharp and dusty. They seem abrupt…beautiful…absolutely beautiful…but bare. I felt glad to witness the stark beauty of this landscape, but even more grateful for the mountains I know that are green (with bursts of red and yellow and orange right now) and rounded…full of life, though scarred from centuries of human impact. They seem wise to me, our beautiful blue ridge mountains.

Hoover Dam was very cool...and very huge! We got to go on the tour and see some of the inside workings of the electrical plant and go up to see the top of the dam. Wow. It’s even more amazing to think they built it in the 30’s without the benefit of modern technology and machinery!

Then, to Las Vegas. Oh my. It is amazing in many ways. I am very impressed with the way they just decided to have a crazy vacation city in the middle of the desert only about 100 years ago and then just made it happen. The lights, architecture, and various attractions along the strip (like mock Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, New York roller coaster, pirate ship show fully equipped fireworks effects) are astounding and sometimes breathtaking. We walked down to the Bellagio Hotel to watch the fountains dance to music and that was cool! I can’t help but feel like I’ve walked onto that island with Pinocchio and keep looking around at different things that are happening and think “this can’t be right.” (I almost never think myself conservative in nearly any way…but tonight…man oh man! I felt like the church lady or something! There are lines that ought not be crossed…it turns out I think there are some lines. Oh my.)

I’m really glad we got to include Las Vegas as a little stop on our out west adventures, but I am not sure I could manage much more time. There’s just so much going on all the time and everywhere you look…my brain is exhausted. As my mother would say if she were here: “Auditory overload!” However, I think I would get overloaded in just about every way if I stayed here for long!

I’m excited that tomorrow we head out for Zion National Park. It’s supposed to be beautiful.

Also, this trip includes a car with push button start. Seriously, you just put your foot on the break and push a button…then the car starts. It’s still freaking me out! A little too Back to the Future for me…I just want to southwest travel…not time travel just yet!