Grandeur: Yosemite National Park (by Jim and Sunshine)

Awesomeness is the first word that comes to mind when I think of Yosemite. From massive granite domes and cliffs, to towering waterfalls. From sequoia groves to alpine habitats. The idea for national parks, preserving unique natural areas, began here at Yosemite. It was the first land set aside for public use… signed by Abraham Lincoln in 1864 in the midst of the Civil War. While Yosemite Valley itself is a smaller area crowded with visitors, the entire park itself is massive. A quick visit cannot do it justice. We were fortunate to have four full days to explore, but it still wasn’t enough to even scratch the surface of what the park has to offer.

Posing with Ranger Kate at Yosemite

We were also fortunate to have a talented friend who works at Yosemite as an interpretive ranger! Kate Gunsolus is a former student of Jim's at UW-Stevens Point, and she graciously offered to give us an insider's view of the park. This greatly enhanced our enjoyment and helped us to avoid at least some of the crazy crowds.

With Kate's assistance, we were able to make reservations in the Crane Flat campground, about 30 minutes away from Yosemite Valley, centrally located to access other areas of the park. Due to the sheer number of visitors to Yosemite, we needed to have reservations (usually we just try for first come-first serve). The campground was filled, with sites packed next to each other. Fortunately, we had some wonderful neighbors, who Walden made friends with quickly. Our campsite driveway had quite the slope, so it took some finesse with wooden blocks and jacks to get the Burro somewhat level.

Walden in a bear box at our campsite

Silly faces at Wapama Falls at Hetch Hetchy

The first day was a Saturday (May 30) and we knew to avoid Yosemite Valley which would be a gridlocked traffic jam for most of the day. We instead traveled the opposite way to Hetch Hetchy Valley, a beautiful valley that had been dammed in the 1923, much to the dismay of John Muir. We hiked across the O’Shaughnessy dam on the shores of the reservoir to Wapama Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in North America. The trail led through rainbow carpets of amazing flowers. At the bottom of the falls, the power of the water was incredible. We were blasted with mist, and six footbridges spanned different channels where the water roared underneath. That night we attended a wonderful campfire program on woodpeckers. Walden now knows how to say "Pileated Woodpecker"!

Playing in the Merced River

On the next day, May 31, we drove down to Yosemite Valley and went on the Valley Tram Tour led by Kate. We drove through the valley in an open-air tram, with incredible views of the river, cliffs, and waterfalls. It was an entertaining and inspiring program, where we discovered the history and geology of the park. We also walked a trail through Cook's Meadow, a beautiful meadow in the middle of the valley with views of the iconic rock faces. The trail led to the Merced River, and Walden played in the water with Yosemite Falls roaring in the background. That evening, we attended a Buffalo Solider program by Ranger Shelton Johnson, who is well known from the America's Best Idea documentary by Ken Burns.

Valley Tram tour with Yosemite Valley behind

Walking the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls

On June 1, we drove back to Yosemite Valley and hiked to Vernal Falls (3 miles). Vernal Falls is a 300-foot tall roaring waterfall that cuts through a lush green valley. The trail ascends steeply through the forest next to the cascading Merced River, and then turns into a series of steps that actually climb next to the waterfall itself! This portion of the trail is aptly named the Mist Trail, as you are constantly being soaked by the mist of the rushing water. As the sun shines through the mist, it creates constant shimmering rainbows.  At the top, a sheet of water flows over the stone into the Emerald Pool, filled with glowing green water. What a beautiful place! Despite the steep climb, the trail was crowded with people, reminiscent of Angels Landing in Zion. We also explored the Happy Isles Nature Center (not much to write home about) and the Happy Isles, small islands surrounded by the cascading Merced River. We had very expensive showers ($5 per person!) at Curry Village. And we ended our day hiking to the Lower Yosemite Falls, again crowded with people.

Rainbow on the Mist Trail

Throwing pine cones in Tenaya Lake

On June 2, Kate joined us to show us her favorite spots on Tioga Road, which leads to high elevation alpine areas of Yosemite, less visited than the valley. We stopped at overlooks strewn with glacial erratic boulders, threw pine cones into Tenaya Lake (to see which would float... Walden's idea!), and climbed Pothole Dome overlooking Tuolumne Meadows to eat lunch. Kate swore Walden in as an official Yosemite Junior Ranger. Then we hiked to Gaylor Lakes, one of Kate's favorite out-of-the-way hikes, to experience the alpine tundra up-close and personal. The trail climbed steeply up a rocky ridge, and then back down to two pristine alpine lakes. It was a different world, surrounded by snowy peaks, no trees able to grow at the high elevation, with still lakes partially covered by ice, and ground squirrels and marmots squeaking all around. Walden especially loved the snow fields, making Daddy stop at each one so he could throw snowballs (although, when Daddy threw a snowball at him, it resulted in tears). We also saw a massive snowshoe hare on our way back down the trail. What a day! We were going to have a singalong around the campfire when we returned to our campsite (Kate is a guitar player and songwriter extraordinaire), but Kate had an "interpretive emergency" she had to respond to... leading a full moon tram back in the valley. We still had a roaring campfire though to keep us warm!

Walden sworn in as a Junior Ranger by Kate

Hiking the Gaylor Lakes Trail with Kate

Yosemite has so many amazing and beautiful features it is unfortunately being loved too much. The hordes of people who visit Yosemite can make it unpleasant at times. Hiking shoulder to shoulder and waiting in line to see a view take away from the grandeur of the site. Getting stuck in traffic and having to search for parking make for a frustrating day. Luckily we avoided some of the crowds by visiting the more remote areas of the park on the busier days.

Campfire in Yosemite

Canyons and Big Trees: Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks (by Jim)

Boulder playground behind our campsite

Best campsite ever! This was our thought as we rolled into the Azalea Campground in Kings Canyon National Park on May 24th. To the disappointment of 3-year-olds throughout the country, we discovered that national parks (at least the ones we have visited) do not have playgrounds. In fact, the one time we did find a playground in a park, a sign made it clear that it was for park employee residents, not visitors.  However, this campsite was magical. Huge trees shrouded in fog, two towering sugar pines standing like sentinels guarding the entrance, and behind, an entire hill filled with boulders... a natural playground of caves, ladders, and slides. Walden was in 3-year-old heaven!

This partially made up for the day before, when we drove 8 long hours from San Diego to the southern entrance of Sequoia National Park, only to find out that the lower campgrounds were completely filled for Memorial Day weekend... AND we couldn't enter in that direction with our trailer due to the steep, curvy roads. We ended up having to backtrack a couple of hours to enter the park area from the west, and stayed at a Walmart in Visalia instead from May 23-24. Perhaps this helped add to the mystique of our new campsite!

Kings Canyon and Sequoia are two separate national parks with shared borders. They are managed jointly, but still maintain unique personalities. This definitely makes the area a bit of a challenge to navigate. We had planned to stay in Sequoia National Park, but ended up staying in Kings Canyon National Park. However, our campground wasn't in "Kings Canyon" itself, but actually near a grove of Sequoia trees called Grant Grove. Grant's Grove is the sequoia grove in Kings Canyon park... not Sequoia park. Crazy!

Exploring the stumps of Converse Basin

On the first day, May 24, due to the huge Memorial Day weekend crowds, we drove just outside of the park to Sequoia National Forest (just to throw in another federal site) and visited Converse Basin, once one of the large sequoia groves in the country, but almost completely cut over. Today, there are meadows filled with massive stumps large enough for a dozen people to stand on. Walden loved climbing to the top of the stumps, climbing through hollow logs, and touching the almost neon green moss. For some reason, the loggers decided to leave one solitary sequoia tree now called the Boole Tree. We hiked a 2.5-mile trail to see it, and the tree was especially impressive since it stood alone, towering over the landscape. The base was filled with caves and tunnels burnt by fire, and we spent a long time exploring and peering up at the massive column.

Sequoia tree in Grant Grove

The next day, May 25, we walked from our campground to Grant Grove to visit the massive grove of standing sequoia trees. The giant trees are beyond words. Really, if you haven’t stood beneath a 3000+ year old tree words cannot do it justice. Their deeply furrowed reddish bark is several feet thick and feels a bit fuzzy and soft in the cracks. All the older trees have massive fire scars at the base and often there are caves large enough for several people to climb into. The fires inhibit the trees’ ability to move water and nutrients upward so the tops of the trees die and fall off but they continue to add girth. The Grant Grove is home to the General Grant Tree, the 3rd largest tree in the world (by volume) and called the "Nation's Christmas Tree." The Fallen Monarch is a massive tree that fell and became hollow, providing a neat tunnel to walk through. Even Daddy could stand up straight inside! The cavalry kept their horses here when they protected the park early on. We also hiked the North Grove Loop (1.5 miles), a much more quiet walk (the Grant Grove is at the mercy of tour buses) through a sequoia and mixed conifer forest. That afternoon, we hiked to two small waterfalls in the bluffs around Grant Grove.

Blooming dogwood on the North Grove Loop

Grizzly Falls, Sequoia National Forest

On May 26, we finally drove into Kings Canyon itself, a massive U-shaped valley carved by glaciers. The canyon is one of the deepest in the country with a maximum depth of 8,200 feet. The drive from the top of the canyon down the side to the Kings River was breathtaking. We stopped at a tall waterfall called Grizzly Falls in Sequoia National Forest before entering the park itself. Once at the bottom, we ate lunch on Muir Rock, a large boulder on the side of the King River with amazing views into the deep green water. This was, according to legend, where John Muir would give speeches about preservation. We hiked along the rushing river and through the beautiful Zumwalt Meadow (4.5 miles). We also stopped at Roaring River Falls where the water shoots out of a narrow slot in the rock. Most of Kings Canyon is wilderness area accessible only by backpacking. The diversity of this park was remarkable.

View of Kings Canyon from Zumwalt Meadow

On May 27, we drove to Sequoia National Park. Our campground happened to be conveniently located at the halfway point between the actual Kings Canyon and Sequoia. Obviously, based on the name, Sequoia National Park protects large forests of sequoia trees, including the largest tree in the world (by volume), the General Sherman Tree. It isn't the tallest tree. And it isn't the widest tree. But if you calculate the volume, it's the largest. On our drive into the park, we pulled off on the side of the road and watched a black bear cub playing with its mother on a log... very cute! Walden watched entranced with his binoculars. This was the first of MANY black bears we would see in the park. In nearly every meadow is a mother with one or more cubs. Unfortunately the bears have become habituated to people and are not afraid of people getting close with cameras.

Black bears feeding in a meadow

Sequoias along the Congress Trail

We hiked the Sherman Tree Trail to see the General Sherman Tree, and the Congress Trail (2 miles) that loops through the massive trees. With the sunlight streaming through, it was like walking through a primeval fairyland forest. We also hiked up Moro Rock, a steep 300-foot climb to the top of a granite dome with incredible views of the road snaking down into the valley (the one we couldn't drive on with the Burro) and the high snow-capped peaks of the back country area. Our final walk was around Round Meadow, just down the road from the Giant Forest Museum, which was a restored wetland that had once been surrounded by hotels, restaurants, cabins, and parking lots. Today, it is a beautiful, quiet area ringed by sequoias and filled with black bears, including an uncomfortably close encounter with a cub! And yes, we did drive a car through a sequoia tree! It was a fallen one that the CCC tunneled through in the 1930s. Walden was ecstatic!

The next day, May 28, we drove back to Sequoia since we couldn't possibly see it all in one day! We watched more bears, climbed Moro Rock again for a short interpretive talk, visited Crescent Meadow, walked a portion of the High Sierra Trail to Eagle View for a stunning vista of the mountains, and hiked the Log Meadow Trail to Tharps Log, a fallen hollowed tree in which a farmer built a small cabin and summered for 30 years. We also rushed back to the General Sherman Tree to hear another quick ranger talk.

Hiking to the top of Moro Rock

On top of Moro Rock!

Exploring Tharps Log

We were tempted to stay for several more days in the area. Both parks had so many more opportunities, and we were sad to leave our beautiful campsite. But, as we're finding with many of our stops, there will be plenty to do when we visit again in the future! On to Yosemite!

Our Third Month: By the Numbers

Burro craziness in the morning

10,436: Total number of miles traveled (Stevens Point, WI to San Francisco area, CA)
3,011: Number of miles traveled in May
19.2: Total average MPG (we normally get about 30 mpg when not pulling the trailer)
19: Nights spent in the Burro in April
12: Nights spent in Grammie and Grandpa Steffensen's house in April 
1: Nights spent in Walmart parking lot (in Visalia, CA, after failed attempt to enter Sequoia National Park)
16: Total number of states visited
5: Number of National Park/Monument sites visited in May (Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area... Alcatraz)
2: Number of National Forests visited in May (Coronado National Forest... Madera Canyon, Sequoia National Forest)
2: Number of State and Regional Parks visited in May (Patagonia State Park in AZ, Sweetwater Summit Regional Park in San Diego)
6: Number of tires replaced (4 on the CR-V, 2 on the Burro)
1: Number of Happy Meals consumed by Walden (Daddy takes complete fault)
17: Number of black bears observed in Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks
5: Number times we drove through the giant sequoia tree at Sequoia National Park
52,500: Volume (in cubic feet) of the General Sherman Sequoia Tree, the largest tree in the world, located in Sequoia National Park
6: Number of National Park ranger programs seen (moon - theme too broad; geology - not enough content or focus; giant sequoia - average; woodpeckers - well done; Buffalo soldiers - interesting approach; Yosemite Valley - awesome!)
2: Number of laundry mats used since leaving Wisconsin (number is so low thanks to the generosity of family and friends!)
5,611: Total number of photos taken on the trip (Jim has given up sorting)
Countless: Number of times we've said, "I wish we had more time here"
Priceless: The smile on Walden's face every time we find a playground

Three Months on the Road (by Sunshine)

Now that we are at the half-way point of our journey I thought I’d share some reflections and check in on how life on the road is going.

Observations

Moving through rainbows. Yosemite National Park.

We are fortunate to live in a country with a plethora of amazing and beautiful outdoor spaces. I’m sad that many people do not have/take the opportunity to experience them. I don’t just mean the grandeur of national parks. We’ve found spectacular trails and parks in urban spaces that people can enjoy regardless of where they are from. One doesn’t always have to travel far, they just need to unplug and get outside. Being outdoors does wonders for the soul.

Some animals seem to be everywhere we go – robins, red-tailed hawks, jays, chickadees, juncos, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits. In the desert, it was fun to see lizards because at home the closest you get is a newt or salamander but only in the right season. It is strange to be in places like California with both lizards and squirrels running around the same area. We have been fortunate to encounter very few mosquitoes or other biting bugs on the trip. The only place they were a problem was when we camped near New Orleans, LA and there was standing water in the campground. It is mysterious why we haven’t had problems anywhere else but it is awesome! Many times we can barely go out in our backyard in Wisconsin at this time of year because the mosquitoes are so bad.

There is a lot more diversity of people and languages when you leave Wisconsin. Jim and I used to speculate as to why we saw mostly people who looked just like us hiking, camping, and experiencing the outdoors. Now that we’ve visited wildlife refuges, national forests, and local/state/national parks around the country we think it may be because there just aren’t many other kinds of people in the places we visit in Wisconsin. They’re not outdoors because they’re not there period. The further West we’ve gone, the more variety we see. It is fun to walk around the campgrounds and listen to the different languages being spoken.

Reflections

My Loves

At the start of the trip, Jim told me that he was concerned about spending so much time with Walden and me, 24 hours a day, every day. Going to work was a break. I understand what he meant and didn’t take offense. I’m happy that we haven’t driven him crazy and he is enjoying being with us every day. At the same time, I miss my one-on-one time with Walden. I was used to our daily routine and special time together. On the road, I spend more time preparing/cooking/cleaning up meals, organizing the car and Burro, and planning for the next leg of our journey while Jim spends time entertaining Walden. I’m thrilled they get this time together but sometimes have to request Mommy and Walden time.  

My sickness last year (candida overgrowth of my digestive system and multiple new food intolerances combined with celiac disease) has changed my relationship with food yet again. In some ways it is for the better and when I fully recover my body will be healthier than before. It has also added an extra challenge to the trip because I’m so limited in what and where I can eat. Some days involve a lot of time planning meals, locating hard to find foods, and preparing the limited number of foods I can eat. I’m thankful for the fresh fruit and vegetable stands we’ve found in California.

I may want to get a job or have some kind of work after this trip. I have a need to feel productive beyond caring for my family. I’ve always had this feeling and even though I enjoy my time at home with Walden, I feel drawn to create and accomplish something tangible.

This adventure still feels like vacation. Jim and I both though after a while it would start to feel like a routine and ordinary life would take over. Being in new places weekly has kept the fun and relaxed feeling present.  

Gratitude. Kings Canyon National Park

It feels both like the time is going so fast and so slow. I can’t believe three months have passed and we are half way done with our adventure. It feels like we could go on like this forever. At the same time, we have done so much in the time we’ve been on the road that being at home feels like a long time ago. Even the places we visited last month seem like they happened in the distant past. We are doing well living in the moment. 

McDonald's and Migrants (by Sunshine)

Reflections on this day – May 29th. We woke in Kings Canyon National Park and fell asleep in Yosemite National Park. I justify everything that happened in between as a means to an end. 

Enjoying the toys, popcorn, air conditioning, free wi-fi,
and cell phone charging station while the Burro tires are
installed. You get what you pay for at Les Schwab tire stores.

We left Kings Canyon headed for Fresno, CA knowing we needed an oil change and possibly tires for the CR-V. We debated where to go for services with our key deciding factor getting things done efficiently. We chose Walmart, even though it would be the first time the CR-V was not serviced at a dealership. We got both an oil change and tires despite our discomfort in not being able to shop around for the best prices and quality of tires. Since we were in Walmart over lunch, Jim and Walden ate at McDonald's. It was Walden’s first McDonald's experience which made which makes me uncomfortable for so many reasons. (From Jim: You have to have your first McDonald's Happy Meal at some point! And Walden was one happy kid!) While the boys ate I got groceries despite the limited selection of items. Again Walmart, you saved us time. Ugh. While we were at Walmart, Jim noticed the Burro tires were bald on the outer edges. We called around town and found a place that would put new tires on that afternoon. We might have been able to find a better deal with more research and Jim could have replaced the tires himself to save money BUT it was 97 degrees, we all had colds, and we had three hours more to drive before days end. So we got the tires and headed out of town. Unfortunately, we also discovered that the axle was slightly bent on the Burro, which caused the uneven wearing of the trailer tires. Being this far into the trip, however, we decided to just keep on going and reverse the tires when they start to get worn.

One noteworthy aspect of our limited time in Fresno was how friendly and helpful the people were. Not just one or two, but everyone we encountered (granted we were there less than a day). The young woman at McDonalds, for instance, was so excited that this was Walden's first time, she gave him all of the sides to try (yogurt in a tube was by far the favorite) and delivered more french fries when he ran out (mostly for Daddy). It was a refreshing bonus on a day when we had a lot to accomplish with limited time. As I’ve found in many areas of the west (especially CA) there was also tremendous diversity in people. In Stevens Point, and many parts of Wisconsin, we never see this much diversity. I realized that my perspective on where race-related issues occurred was limited to certain areas of cities like Milwaukee and Madison. Isolated pockets so to speak. Traveling through other parts of the country has made me realize that diversity issues are an everyday occurrence for many more people than I thought.

The drive to Yosemite out of Fresno was fascinating. We saw migrant workers for the first time. All around Fresno are groves of oranges, nuts, dates, and other crops. The area is in serious drought and the land is dry and brown except for the green irrigated fields. I’d only ever heard of migrant workers so it was interesting to see them all in the field with large straw hats pulled down to shade their faces from the nearly 100 degree sun. There was a truck on the side of the road with a bed full of water coolers. Behind it was a trailer hauling two portable toilets. I’m pretty aware of our food system and where my food comes from. Yet, seeing the workers and the drought stricken land with irrigation gives the ability to buy a package of strawberries in Wisconsin in the middle of winter new meaning. The drought in this part of California is so bad, 5 years and counting, that when we stopped at a gas station near Yosemite, the restrooms were closed to save water and portable toilets were available in the parking lot. The land is so dry and brown for so many miles I began to wonder what extreme measures people living out here do to keep their cattle and horses alive. It was an eye-opening day in many ways.

Sandy Eggo (by Walden)

When we finally drove into the city where my Auntie Shawna and Uncle Chris

Picnic at Mission Bay

live I asked, “Is this San Diego?” Mommy said, “Yes. We are here.” I asked, “Is it sandy here?” Mommy laughed and said, “Actually, yes, there is sand here. Would you like to play in it?” I was so excited! I was also excited to meet Shawna’s dog Spike in person since I’ve only seen him on Skype before. It was very disappointing that he either ran away or barked at me. He wasn’t snuggly and I couldn’t pet him but luckily Shawna gave me my own puppy with zipper on top that I can carry with me. I taught him not to be naughty, put him on Spikes leash, and have been taking him everywhere I go.

Chasing kite tails

The first time I got to play in the San Diego sand was at Mission Bay where we had a picnic. We grilled hot dogs, ate watermelon, and watched boats, kayakers, and swimmers. Shawna brought kites to fly and I ran and chased the tails trying to catch them. I was so disappointed I could not hold the kite and be lifted into the sky like Curious George. I thought that’s how kites work. We watched the sun setting over palm trees. Mommy and Shawna looked for sea shells and I jumped in, ran through, and squeezed the sand.

The next day Mommy, Daddy, I went to a place called Balboa Park.

Stopping to smell the roses

There were interesting buildings, musicians, and a pond with giant goldfish. Mommy and I walked through a huge garden of roses and put our noses in the flowers to find the best smells. In the afternoon, we went to a place called La Jolla to see harbor seals. They lay on the rocks next to the ocean and you could walk right up to them (though, Daddy said not to get too close). My favorites were the baby ones. There were so many seals piled up I wondered which one was the mommy one. Sometimes they made an ‘arf arf’ noise and fought with one another. There were also tide pools with snails, crabs, and enemies (anemone).

Baby on the beach

I was glad there were also some seals on the beach so we could go see them and play in the sand again.

My best tattoo face

Sea treasure

Uncle Chris’ job is giving people tattoos at a shop in Pacific Beach. I had been thinking a lot about what tattoo I wanted and decided on a hammer on my arm weeks ago. Right before we went in the shop I also decided I wanted a mosquito on my arm. I watched Chris draw the designs and met some of the other tattoo artists. When the drawings were ready Chris put them into a special machine to make them purple. (They became stencils that the artists place on the skin before inking. The stencils will wash off in a few days.) I was very still and brave when he put then on my arms and it didn’t hurt at all. The very best part of being at Chris’ work was getting to play with his wind-up robot collection. He keeps it next to the tattoo area and I could point out the one I was interested in and he’d let me try it. He even gave me one to take with me! After my tattoos were done, we walked to the beach and I got to play in the sand again. We found purple jellyfish creatures and giant kelp washed onto the beach. There were people surfing and a guy with macaws that talked. Daddy and I got to share a giant ice cream sandwich made with fresh made chocolate chip cookies and rocky road ice cream.

Auntie Shawna’s job is selling vintage jewelry at Kobey’s Swap Meet.

Vintage treasures at Kobey's Swap Meet

We went to visit her there and ate fresh peaches, cherries, and little donuts for breakfast.  I’m so happy when Mommy lets me have treats and not just oatmeal or yogurt for breakfast. This was our last day to see Shawna because we are driving away from the city. Daddy said it is a holiday weekend so we want to go where there are fewer people.

While we were in San Diego we stayed at Sweetwater Summit Regional Park. It was up on a hill and we could see houses and roads all around. At night, the city lights twinkled. Airplanes and helicopters flew right over us and we could see the red and green lights on their wings. When we went up the hill next to the playground we could see all the way to the ocean. One time we took a walk on a bridge over the Interstate. I had great fun watching the cars drive under me and running to the other side of the bridge to see them come out. When we walked by the golf course I asked where Uncle Randy was. He taught me to play golf in Georgia. Mommy explained that Uncle Randy lives by a different golf course in a different state next to a different ocean. Next to the golf course we walked by pens of horses and some were wearing masks and blankets. Another day we walked through a canyon with palm trees and a river at the bottom. In the bottom, were forts people had made with tarps. The people left their shopping carts at the top of the canyon next to the trail. I was curious to see more but Mommy and Daddy said we better keep walking. San Diego was such an interesting place! 

Our campsite on top of a hill at Sweetwater Park.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (by Sunshine)

TING. TING. TING. TING. I’m woken by a loud ringing sound. It is 5:15 am and a Gila

Many cactus here are older than
the trees in Wisconsin

Woodpecker is drumming its beak on the metal roof of the ramada in our campsite. I decide to get out of bed and scare the bird away hoping Walden will sleep longer. I’m actually thankful for the early wake up because it means I get a few extra minutes for my morning routine. Almost every day I get up before the boys, dress quickly, and enjoy a bit of solitude. I do yoga while the sun comes up over the mountains, shines through the pines, or lights the area where we are staying. Some days I have time to take a short walk, read, or journal as well. Though brief, these moments alone are precious and set the tone for my day. It is quiet and I’m not being a mom or wife. I’m relaxed and can appreciate every detail that comes into my senses. On this morning, I watch Gambel’s Quail run through our campsite, listen to the chattering of birds, and feel the warmth of the first rays of sun as they reach over the mountain in front of me. When the sun is coming up (or going down) and there is something on the horizon for reference the sun appears to move so quickly. I think about how a day can seem so long even while the sun moves so fast. Then I think about how a day can seem so long yet months and years can go by so fast. Life seems too short for all the things I want to fit it. I get overwhelmed with thoughts like these so I focus on the time I have now. Right now. While I’m alone in enjoying the sounds of the morning I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for this experience I’m having. This yoga. This day. This journey with my family. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude.

Ajo Mountains

Organ Pipe is in the heart of the Sonoran Desert. In addition to being a National Monument it is also an International Biosphere Reserve. It contains plants and animals unique to this region of the world and can be used as a comparison of a healthy bioregion to similar areas impacted by humans. I like this idea because it is a crazy, wild, and remote place that might suffer from misuse or neglect without protection. Its southern border is Mexico and it is far from any major US city. There is a highway that runs through it from north to south. Even though the park is in a remote location there is a steady stream of traffic moving from Mexico to the US; presumably people heading to Phoenix to visit family or get supplies. There are signs everywhere warning visitors they may encounter smuggling and illegal immigration and should dial 911 if they witness any suspicious individuals. Border patrol vehicles are seen frequently and park rangers drive the road through the campground regularly. Along one trail, we saw a flag on a high pole identifying the location of a water container. Presumably it was for people who crossed the border, hiked through the desert, and couldn’t make it to their destination. The visitor center was named after a young park ranger who was shot while on duty by members of a Mexican drug cartel. Even with all this we never felt worried or unsafe. It just made the visit all the more memorable.

The monument is named for the organ pipe cactus, a cactus with several tall vertical 

You can hear wind moving through the organ pipe arms

columns that reach into the air. They are common in Mexico, but are rare in the United States, since they cannot withstand frost. The monument has a large, healthy population of organ pipe cacti, which share the landscape with “forests” of saguaro cactus, cholla cactus, ocotillo, yucca, and many other hardy desert plants and animals. One quote from an interpretive panel was really memorable, stated by a visiting Saudi Arabian Prince, “This is not a desert… this is a garden.” The Sonoran Desert is the most botanically diverse desert in North America. We saw more wildlife in the few days at Organ Pipe than we’ve seen in most other places!

One of Jim's amazing photos!

The campground in Organ Pipe has 208 sites. The bathrooms have flush toilets and some have solar showers. Compared to other national monuments we’ve visited this is HUGE. There were fewer than 10 people there while we visited. The busy season runs from January through March. The rest of the year the park is nearly deserted. We found one of the few sites that had a roof over the picnic table and a giant saguaro cactus. This is considered the “first summer” season for the desert, the driest time as plants wait for the monsoon rains of “second summer.” However, the temperatures were quite comfortable, with 80s during the day and cooling to 50s at night. Watching the stars at night was breathtaking; with a wide open sky, little light pollution, and a new moon, the number of stars visible was extraordinary.

We drove the Ajo Mountain loop and searched for cactus cristates – growth anomalies

Organ pipe cristate

that cause them to develop flattened fanned areas. We did the most strenuous hike we’ve ever done with Walden in the backpack trying to reach a natural arch on the side of a mountain. It was literally a climb on all fours over slippery rocks for several sections! Unfortunately, when we reached the top of the summit, we didn’t see an arch and the trail marked by cairns had disappeared. All that crazy climbing and no arch for a reward. HUMPF! We did feel a little better the next day when the visitor center manager told us he’d been on the hike twice and never made it himself.

While walking around the oldest organ pipe cactus in the park, I came within a foot of a rattlesnake. Walden was only a few steps behind me and my heart was pounding in my chest… not just because we’d been so close to the snake, but also because I realized I hadn’t been concerned about where I was stepping. After that, I always walked in front of Walden and my eyes constantly scanned the ground. This was beneficial because I spotted a Gila Monster on our hike to the arch, which Walden later informed a ranger “it isn’t really a monster, it is a lizard.”

Cholla glowing as the sun sets

That evening we watched the sun going down from the top of a hill next to the campground. As the sun shone through the spines of the cholla cactus, they glowed and looked like soft fur. On our way back to the Burro we saw jackrabbits and a kit fox (very cool!) both with oversized long ears for keeping them cool.

On our last day, we took a real desert hike to Victoria Mine, an old gold mining site. 

Newborn ground squirrel

Along the way, we found a newborn ground squirrel that didn’t even have its eyes open yet. It was stumbling along the trail in the hot sun, obviously separated from its mother. We gave it some water and moved it off the trail into the shade of a mesquite bush. I hoped its mother would find it, but deep down knew the circle of life would likely not play out in its favor (which in our attempt to explain to Walden sounded like, “Well, the baby might be food for a snake or fox.”)

What we noticed about the desert was that small variations in color were very noticeable. When everything is brown or beige a bit of green on a plant or white in a rock jumps out at you. The pink flowers of the cholla cactus seem out of place. The green bark and branches of the palo verde tree seem fluorescent. The adaptations the plants and animals have to survive in this harsh environment are impressive and could teach humans a lot.

Walden earned another Junior Ranger badge at Organ Pipe. He’s always been very observant and does well with nature bingo. These programs are teaching him a lot and they are fun for us to do as a family. One new thing we discovered at Organ Pipe was that there was also a booklet with activities for “not-so-junior” rangers! So Mommy and Daddy were sworn in as Desert Rangers (complete with patches) at the same time as Walden being a Junior Ranger.

On our way to CA

We drove north out of Organ Pipe to get to Interstate 8 which would take us to San Diego. Most of the 5.5 hour drive was through a desolate landscape. The eye opening thing was the diversity of land uses we encountered. In Ajo, we passed the largest most beautifully colored pile of copper mine tailings we’ve ever seen. Then there was the largest dairy farm we’ve ever seen. Even more impressive than the spread of barns for the cows were the miles and miles of fields growing hay and grains to feed the cows. The fields were lined by irrigation ditches and rows of homes for the staff. After we passed miles of solar arrays, we agreed this was a more practical use of this sunny landscape. When we passed the southern edge of Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area in California it seemed as if the miles of massive sand dunes might swallow the road. Water in the Coachella we doing? Soon after, we drove through miles of enormous wind turbines which again seemed like a great use of this arid landscape. This was definitely one of the most diverse and unusual days of driving we’ve encountered. Canal, an irrigation ditch dug from the Colorado River to Riverside County in California, glistened as it ran through the dunes. The contrast between the sand and water gave us an eerie feeling of awe and wonder. We marveled at the ingenuity while wondering what are