“The landscape everywhere away from the river is of rock-cliffs of rock; plateaus of rock; terraces of rock; crags of rock; then thousand strangely carved forms.“ (John Wesley Powell)

We’re heading north through the high plateau region of Northern Arizona on our road trip today along U.S. route 89 and into Utah for our final destination at Springdale Utah, west of Zion National Park. Leaving the town of Flagstaff, we entered a mountainous region of dormant volcanic cones and craters. At Sunset Volcano Crater National Monument, we conducted a short walk amid a cinder cone region that remains heavily scarred and blackened by the latest lava blast that took place there 1,000 years ago. Passing east of the Grand Canyon, at higher elevations we stopped to photograph spectacular panoramas of the barren Marble Canyon plateau below dotted by deep river canyons and massive, horizontal mesas. As the Colorado River in the distance slowly came into view, we descended into Page, Arizona for a second time look at the geologic wonder of Horseshoe Bend. Turning west into Southern Utah, we passed through the rugged red rock region of Grand Staircase/Escalante National Park in Southwest Utah but in the interest of time, did not stop for a closer look. Turning onto route 9, our Zion entry would take place via its eastern entrance in late afternoon. Tomorrow , we will utilize the shuttle bus system from the Zion National Park Visitor Center to access designated hiking areas of interest.

“I shall smile when wreaths of snow blossom where the roses should grow.” (Emily Bronte)

I awoke this morning to find myself enclosed in a wonderful snow globe of silent whiteness. So as I continued my intentful gaze outside my motel bedroom in Sedona, Arizona at this first sight of gently falling snow I experienced a sudden urge to see the Grand Canyon again in all of its winter glory. After all, it seemed an easy enough drive via I-17 and I-40 to access the South Rim in a reasonable time frame Unfortunately, I did not anticipate the winter storm that Ruth and I would encounter along the way which would result in slick, hazardous conditions at higher elevations heading north of Sedona. After slowing my vehicle to 30 mph for extended stretches in this slushy road mess, the sight of snow plows coming into Flagstaff gave hope that we would actually see the Grand Canyon today.

So after a brief stop for breakfast on Old Route 66, we took advantage of a break in the weather and resumed our steady drive to the South Rim for arrival at the Visitor Center parking around 12:00 noon. As blue skies improbably settled in at the South Rim overlook near Mather Point, we again greeted the Grand Canyon in all its massive glory now blanketed with beautiful powdered snow. After a one hour visit along the “edge”, we returned safely back to Sedona in late afternoon after encountering several waves of snowstorm along the way. So for my nature lovers who have read this blog, I hope you will take the time to place the Grand Canyon on your travel bucket list. It’s definitely worth your time. Enjoy the photographs.

“The earth has music for those who listen.” (William Shakespeare)

Sedona Arizona has endured as of our favorite travel stops in the Western U.S. over the past several decades. It’s really quite simple for us to enjoy ourselves each time here as we settle into the Village Lodge in Oak Creek outside of town for a few days and begin to notice the colors, sounds, and shapes of nature’s subtle unfolding. Typically, it feels right each morning to just “gear down” with some easy trail hikes while staring wondrously at nearby red rock canyons. As usual, this system has worked for me after today’s hike as I observe that I’m feeling calmer, mentally sharper and significantly more aware of my physical surroundings. I recommend that you thus examine the matter of positive vortex energy of Sedona’s Red Rock canyons for yourself as a convenient excursion destination from the Phoenix vicinity. I hope you enjoy the following photographs from today’s five hour journey including: (1) a riverside hike at Red Rock State Park (2) a bit of self meditation at Buddhist Peace Park/Stupa and (3) a panoramic view of Sedona below from the heights of Airport Mesa.

 

“To me, baseball has always been a reflection of life. Like life, it adjusts. It survives everything. “(Willie Stargell)

For a man who usually obsesses only about winning and losing baseball scores and statistics daily, the March 2021 return of Major League baseball as a live spectator sport again in my life will no doubt serve as a major accomplishment of this road trip. For it’s been over a year since I saw my last game in person before the Corona shutdown exploded across the world. Yet as a consequence of this enduring pandemic, I seem to have adopted a fresh perspective to simply enjoy the present moment amid the live ballgame experience itself. So it did not really matter as it usually does for me about who won on this sunny Monday afternoon in Goodyear, Arizona. Nor did it matter to me which players stood out in hitting, pitching, or fielding performance. Neither did I seem to be bothered about wearing my mask the entire game or sitting in isolation from others. For I simply “tuned” in my senses to the sights, sounds, and smells of a live baseball game game again on our first Arizona stop of this road trip.

Notice then my random attention to some rituals beyond the game in progress that captured my enhanced attention skills this day. Dutiful ushers roamed the aisles between innings carrying large signs reminding people to wear their masks throughout the game. However, on occasion when the ushers left their positions during the inning action itself, masks disobediently came off in mass fashion. With skillful artistry, groundskeepers raked and watered the baseball diamond and outlying wall perimeters periodically to restore the smooth, orange texture of the field. Meanwhile the outfield grass glistened throughout the game with a fresh green glow. Seating aisles and concourse corridors seemed spotlessly clean with a noticeable absence of food vendors strolling around. Players and coaches in each dugout seemed noticeably fidgety with most of them choosing to stand. Sadly, a lack of player – fan interaction took place as eager autograph seekers perched behind the outfield walls would have to wait for another day. Pod seating intended to separate each group of ticket attendees felt awkwardly lonely for a sport that normally encourages spontaneous social conversation between strangers. As we abruptly left the stadium after a fan quiet “seventh inning stretch”, strong memories of the dull brown desert basin in surrounding Phoenix ignited my strong intention to move on to the colorful, red rock mountainside of our next road-trip destination: Sedona, Arizona.

“And they three passed over the white sands, between the rocks, silent as the shadow.” (Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

Driving south through the arid plateau region of New Mexico on unbusy Highway 54 and 70 to Las Cruces today on our road trip, our daily schedule allotted an hour or so in early afternoon to walk around White Sands National Park. My first impression of this vast sea of sand whiteness from afar convinced me that one wouldn’t want to lose their way around here. Upon learning that the White Sands Missile Range was situated very near to the park further confirmed such foreboding suspicions. For such safety reasons , I understand then why the federal government actually closes the park for public visits on days when missile testing takes place. It seemed shocking to me as well that that the U.S. chose to conduct atomic bomb testing during World War II in close proximity to this special place.

So with safety planted in our minds today, we definitely would adhere to any well defined paths as we dragged our feet in deep sand along the Dune Life Nature Trail. Yet several dunes encountered here seemed to invite directional confusion. So it made sense that I could relieve my anxiety when needed by choosing to plop down on the ground and simply feel the fine grain sand on my body as I scanned for photographs opportunities over this mystical ocean of shifting sands.

The next day, we drove west on I-10 nearby the U.S./Mexican border headed for our upcoming, two night stay in the Phoenix, Arizona region. On the way there, we elected to detour to through the eastern portion of Saguaro National Park in the Sonoran Desert near Tucson. After obtaining maps and walking advice at the visitor center in early afternoon, we then opted to hike for a short while along the Tanque Verde Ridge Trail, hoping to find heavy concentrations of Saguaro cactus plants in the distance to photograph. A distinct feeling of awe for these hardy specimens definitely set in for me then in realizing they can grow up to 70 feet high and survive in this harsh climate for up to one hundred years. Stopping along the trail periodically to take some close up “shots” of these desert environs, I observed the stunning beauty of other species of prickly cacti there. If you ever have more time than we did to visit Saguaro in the future, I recommend you drive the eight mile, Cactus Forest Loop Drive for a more thorough look at this magnificent desert ecology.

So many visitors seem to find White Sands or Saguaro National Park as a thrill seeking adventure. After all, what a challenge it would be to arduously climb the highest sand hill or walk energetically along a long cacti trail? Yet there seems to be a deeper spiritual purpose in being there if one chooses to reflect in stillness about these unique natural paradises formed so beautifully over eons of time. Which option would you choose?

“Walking in Memphis, I was walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale. Walking in Memphis, but do I really feel the way I feel.”(Marc Cohn)

Moving west from Atlanta on I-20 and I-22, our next destination on this road trip would take place along the Mississippi Delta, birthplace of the blues. After a brief lunch at the Hollywood Cafe in Tunica for a taste of traditional southern barbecue and a glimpse of its star studded musical past, we then followed historic Blues Highway 61 to Memphis, Tennessee. For this one night stay, we felt fortunate to obtain an affordable motel within walking distance of the famed Beale Street corridor. This location also made for a pleasant walk along the river at dusk as well as a brief tour of the downtown district at night. Ending this mile long jaunt on Beale Street at night proved to be the best choice from a photographic perspective as I enjoyed taking pictures of the striking neon presence of entertainment clubs along this three block corridor. More tasty barbecue awaited us for dinner at the Irish Pub , Silkie O’ Sullivan’s that night with a live band performance included as well. On our walk back to our hotel, we spent a few minutes walking through the lobby of the famed Peabody Hotel.

 

“There’s always something in Atlanta that’s so far from people’s comfort zone.” (Metro Boomin)

If you are looking for a place that combines the “cool” spirit of modern day, multistory life in a big city amid creative designs of urban open space, then Atlanta, Georgia seems to be your kind of place. Yet would Ruth and I want to live here ? Probably not as we no longer desire to push beyond our suburban “comfort zone” to stay continually “buzzed” by the frenzy of faster living conditions evident in Midtown and Buckhead Atlanta’s, densely occupied, urban core.

Yet Ruth and I can continue to appreciate Atlanta’s progressive spirit in “walkabouts” downtown from a touristic perspective. Regrettably, however, these two South Floridian residents felt it impractical to brave the cold weather to amble outside today. Instead we chose more prudently to tour the modernistic galleries of the “High Museum of Art” for a morning dose of Atlanta’s “avant garde” energy vicariously in warmer inside conditions. Ruth also experienced an extra dose of serendipitous enjoyment today as she surprised her friend’s son with a quick wave as he worked at the “High” Art Museum as one of the assistant directors filming a popular television show, “The Resident” that day. Join us in feeling that heavy dose of urban creative energy we experienced from core Atlanta indoors in the photograph set below.

“Don’t count the days. Make the days count.”(Mohammed Ali)

There seemed to be a definite vibe in the air of endless freedom again on the first day of our road trip. So I was not going to get stressed by the heavy traffic north on the Florida Turnpike and I-75 as we steadily made our way to South Georgia on the last weekend of February. With so many vehicles speeding by me at 90 mph+, I nevertheless remained determined to make good use of my cruise control operation to keep my speed in range of the legal 70 mph. Feeling more inclined to share the driving load with Ruth today, I also seemed more intensely curious than normal about my surroundings. Why then did I see so many leafless trees in the heart of winter when temperatures today rose to almost 90 degrees? What happened to the citrus groves that once grew everywhere in Central Florida? What else beside peaches and pecans was there to interest a tourist in South Georgia? Booking our first night room in Tipton, Georgia for locational reasons, we were on track to reach Atlanta earlier than expected by late afternoon tomorrow.

On the morning of day two, I looked forward to adventuring into the the interior of Southern Georgia for a short visit in Warm Springs, former home of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Winter White House. Passing through these rolling hills of seemingly unchanged towns and rural farming communities, I daydreamed some about our upcoming visit to Warm Springs. Why did this man of such inherited family wealth and high political stature choose to regularly visit this obscure Southern town? What curative magic did the town provide for him from an emotional standpoint? How strongly was the Democratic Party pulse from that 1930s-40s era still felt in this region?

Our Warm Springs visit thus took place with a manageable drive from Tifton on this foggy Sunday morning during the last day of February. Strong messaging about FDR’s life in Warm Springs soon became apparent at the Memorial Museum, as we browsed the multitude of displayed artifacts from the twenty one years period that FDR had visited there. For I first and foremost understood  then why this polio stricken man loved Warm Springs as a place to deal with his debilitating paralysis condition. I would also conclude from our tour that FDR found an uncanny calling in Warm Springs on so many occasions to look beyond his own health problems to unselfishly serve this poor rural community and the polio inflicted masses who flocked there amid hard economic times.

Exiting the rear of the museum, a majestic, flag shrouded walkway led to the Little White House and adjoining buildings, where we conducted a self guided tour of FDR’s vacation home and surrounding environs. Amid this scenic hill setting overlooking a remote woods leading outside town, I imagined FDR admiring nature’s serenity from his living room windows. Touring the home interior, room by room, I also obtained a genuine “ feel” for FDR’s leisurely passions of non fiction reading,  foreign stamp collecting and frequent informal chatting with friends. Yet I seemed most “moved” emotionally by the tragic circumstances of FDR’s untimely death on April 12, 1945 in this house. How sad that an unfinished self portrait of an ailing FDR remained my strongest memory of this extraordinary man as I exited the complex.

 

“The road is there. It will always be there. You just have to decide when to take it.” (Chris Humphrey).

Ruth and I feel fortunate that we have been able to continue our travels through long distance road tripping amid the ongoing threat of the Corona pandemic. What about you? Do you similarly aspire to drive freely amid America’s wide open spaces west of the Mississippi River? How might a road trip west (or for that matter anywhere else in this country) help you reconnect with yourself or distant friends/family? What “quality” learning experiences might you be desiring to experience anew in “hitting the road” again to see this country? 

Might I then be of assistance to you in providing some suggestions of future journeying interest? If so, may I invite you to take a look then some road trip goals that Ruth and I are planning to accomplish during our upcoming, eight week journey.

1. Check out the the High Museum of Art/History Center in Atlanta, Georgia as well as spend quality time there with some close friends.

2. In the great Mississippi River town of Memphis, Tennessee, visit  “Elvis Town” for a bit of blues music in the historic Beale Street corridor.              

4. Drive the historic car route west  along the I-40 corridor combined with a brief stop at the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Oklahoma.

5. Hike amid the wave-like dunes of New Mexico’s White Sands National Monument.

6. Enjoy the return of Major League Baseball in 2021 by attending a Spring Training game or two in the Phoenix, Arizona vicinity.

7. Feel the mystical presence of Saguaro cactus fields near Tucson, Arizona.

8. Hike nearby the famed red rock cliffs of Sedona, Arizona and experience the positive effect of vortex energy.

9. Gaze with wonder at eons of rock layered time at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Northern Arizona.

10. Walk along the River Narrows pathways amid the snow capped canyons of Zion National Park in southern Utah.

11. Find two economical tickets to see a live nightly show or two along the famed “strip” in Las Vegas, Nevada.

12. Share two weeks of fun with several friends of ours who live in California beachside settings as we make our way north along State Highway 1/101 through busy Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco Bay vicinities.

13. Experience wild nature’s bliss in a Pacific coastal setting, at Morro Rock and Harmony Headlands/Montana de Oro State Parks in Central Coast, California.

14. Enjoy the the Bay Area panorama of the Golden Gate Bridge and curiously walk amid the intriguing sights, smells, and sounds of downtown San Francisco, California again.

15. Feel the pioneer spirit of explorers Lewis and Clark by driving the scenic highway along the Columbia River gorge along the northerly border of Oregon. 

16. Complete accessible hiking routes nearby Jenny/Jackson Lake watersheds at Grand Teton National Park in Northern Wyoming.

17. Access the eastern portion of Rocky Mountain National Park to conduct day hikes from Lyons Colorado.

18. Enjoy the seasonal awakening of springtime from our motel window overlooking a verdant valley setting in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

19. Relive youthful times of aimless shopping, biking and walking encounters by visiting our past neighbor in Lincoln, Nebraska.

20. Find historic memorabilia at the Bob Feller Baseball Museum in Van Meter, Iowa.

21. Obtain an affordable ticket to attend a New York Yankees/ Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball game at Progressive Ballpark, in my childhood home of Cleveland, Ohio.

22. Drive slowly through the rustic Blue Ridge Mountains of Western Virginia and North Carolina.

23. Experience a breath of southern antebellum air along the riverfront district and city squares in historic Savannah Georgia.

*By the way, I’ve discovered two wonderful travel apps called “inRoute” and “Roadtrippers” that enable me to download the itinerary of  our projected road trip with impressive visual clarity. So check out two maps of our upcoming adventure that I’ve created from each of them in the photos below.

“I can speak to my soul only when the two of us are off exploring deserts, or cities, or mountains or roads.” (Paulo Coelho)

I’ve checked in with the road-trip “gods” again and am excited that Ruth and I have gained clearance to “take off” on our next U.S. road trip travels beginning, Saturday,  February 27. Yes, we’ve obtained their wise consent for us to head westward on schedule in spite of the lingering dangers of the Corona pandemic. For we’ve convinced them that because we have assertively managed to receive both doses of the Pfizer“shot”,we’ve lowered our risk considerably to catch or spread COVID during this vacation. Yet they’ve informed us in very definitive terms, that it would be morally responsible of us to think equally about others at potential risk and thus continue our mask use and social distancing practices that are currently in place. So we plan to stay in touch with these higher authorities periodically on this vacation to gain additional insights for adapting to those crowded urban centers or live entertainment /sporting events along the way.

We also realize that the currently frigid weather trends covering much of the country will become an additional factor to consider as we prepare to “lift off” on our latest highway adventure. For it seems prudent for us to follow a more southerly path and avoid patches of higher elevation for the first leg of our adventure for sure. We’ve also prioritized pre-booking our lodging accommodations at our landing destinations more than usual, particularly at those motel “way-stations”that offer more lenient, room cancellation policies in cases of last minute routing change. Please refer to our intended clockwise motor path by noting the blue circles on the U.S map displayed above. My next blog will elaborate our intended routing corridors on this road trip in greater detail.

Who might these “road trip gods” be then that I will so dutifully listen to in the course of this adventure? That would be Ruth and I of course. For we feel fully confident to make the right decisions in staying safe, healthy, and emotionally energized during the course of this two month vacation. So wherever you are today, I invite you to escape from any winter woes and join us in celebrating our relentless road trip pursuit of those positive California vibes in the following “Oldies” song during the weeks ahead.