Arches to Canyonlands – Day 2

View of the Grand Canyon from inside the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim in Arizona

On the North Rim of the Grand Canyon sits the Grand Canyon Lodge; this is the view from inside their lobby.

View from the north rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona

That’s the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in the distance, the same rim where millions of visitors go each year as opposed to this side where a fraction of that visits. Somewhere between is the Colorado River, where even fewer yet venture down its roaring waters.

John Wise on the north rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona

I have vertigo, and this narrow trail passes over a ridge top with fairly steep falls on both sides. While the look is exaggerated for sure, that I’m being triggered by my fear is not.

Caroline Wise and John Wise on the north rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona

Mission accomplished. We’ve been to both sides of the Grand Canyon National Park. Somehow we’ve got to get down deep in this big ditch behind us for a trip down the river: someday.

The road to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah

We are on Route 12 heading towards Bryce Canyon National Park but are not stopping there as we have a destination in mind that is further away.

Somewhere between Bryce and Escalante, Utah

Still on Route 12 driving northeast through southern Utah.

Somewhere between Bryce and Boulder, Utah

First panorama with the new camera and wouldn’t you know it, our sensor or lens would be dirty. Click the image or click here to view a larger version.

Capitol Reef National Park in Utah

On a backroad in Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. This is likely the first time we’ve been able to drive into a narrow canyon on a dirt road. Discovering we can travel and go places after living so many years in front of a computer or reading books is enlightening in its own right.

Geological formation in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

We are falling in love with geology all over again. Still in Capitol Reef National Park.

Abandoned stone cabin on Route 24 between Caineville and Hanksville, Utah

This abandoned stone cabin that always stands out to us for its intricate stonework finally got me to stop and grab a photo. This crumbling building sits next to the road on Route 24 between Caineville and Hanksville, Utah.

Confluence of Muddy Creek and Fremont River becoming the Dirty Devil River in Utah

The confluence of the Fremont River and Muddy Creek outside of Hanksville becomes the Dirty Devil River that runs into the Colorado River just above Lake Powell. There are times when the Dirty Devil can be run with kayaks.

Arches to Canyonlands – Day 1

Arizona sunset

Taking another long weekend getaway. This time, we are heading up over Northern Arizona, where we are for sunset, and stopping in at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon before going up into Utah.

Arizona sunset

Our destination is a cabin in the park, but it will be seriously dark out before we ever get close.

Sunset near Flagstaff, Arizona

It’s these kinds of sunsets that keep our love affair with the Southwest alive and well.

Los Angeles – Day 4

Caroline Wise on the road in Arizona

It’s still morning, and she’s yawning; it’s not like one of our 2:00 a.m. drives back to Phoenix, Arizona.

So, while it’s true that I’m shooting with a new camera on this little excursion out to Los Angeles, I only have the memory stick that came with the camera, which is 8MB. The 64MB sticks were delayed getting to market, so I’m still shooting like I’m using floppy disks or film. Btw, that 64MB card when it came out was a bit more than $100.

Los Angeles – Day 3

Oki Dog in Los Angeles, California

This is the World Famous Oki-Dog at 860 N. Fairfax Ave in Los Angeles, California. When I was an angst-ridden punk rocker in the late ’70s, I used to go to their original location on Santa Monica Blvd and get their pastrami burrito and fries for a few bucks, and both were enough to feed two or three people. The pastrami burrito is one of the weirdest concoctions ever: it is made of two massive overlapping tortillas, grilled peppers, onions, and a mound of pastrami; cover that with chili, pickles, and mustard and there you go: a grease bomb. I introduced Caroline to this kind of indulgence back in 1991 on her first visit to the United States, probably within her first 48 hours in America.

Los Angeles – Day 2

John Wise and family in California

Family from left to right: Mike and Penny Knezetic, me, Ann, and Woody Burns. And in the front row, Sarge’s butt (Woody’s dog), John Wise (my father), and his wife Diana. We were meeting at Ihop in Calabasas, California. This was the last time I saw my Aunt Penny, as by the time Caroline and I visited Buffalo, New York, later this year, she was in a nursing home.