After I left Yellowstone National Park,  I began the 85 mile drive to Bozeman, MT. It was the end of a long day of driving and I was exhausted. Also, the sky was dark, cloudy and ominous looking. I entered Montana – the state I’d been dreaming about since I first started contemplating this journey. This state has fascinated me ever since I watched  A River Runs Through It. All I have been able to think about is how much I want to see the immensity of the sky in this state.

I passed through the town of Gardiner and then headed north into the Gallitin National Forest. The huge Absurakoka and Gallitin Mountain ranges immediately appeared before me – gigantic, overwhelming, and just a bit ominous. Perhaps it was because of the dark cloudy sky, but I felt intimidated, small, and scared as I drove through them. I continued on, and then noticed the beautiful Yellowstone River right next to me. It’s beauty as it wound around back and forth, sparkling and fresh, comforted me as I drove along the lonely expanse of 89.

At the town of Livingston, I turned onto Interstate 90, almost breathing a sigh of relief after the extreme solitude of the previous hour’s drive. In 30 minutes I drove over a little hill and the town of Bozeman appeared before me, surrounded by the most beautiful mountains. I took my exit and shortly pulled into my stay for the night, The Rainbow Motel. As soon as I saw it, my heart dropped. From the outside, it appeared shabby and dated, something I would stay at when I was traveling with my family as a kid.

Oh, well, I thought, it’s only for one night. I entered the lobby to check in, and a sturdy, no-nonsense but friendly Montana bred woman checked me in. And I got an actual plastic old fashioned key. With building dread, I found my room, turned the key, and walked in – to one of the cleanest, most well maintained rooms that I’ve been in my entire trip. The bedding was brand new and beautiful. The towels were snow white and soft! The bathroom was spotless! I was relieved and delighted. Exhausted from the long day in two national parks, and too tired to go out for food, I poured myself a bourbon on the rocks, grabbed a little sweet cigar, and walked outside to enjoy the sun setting – marveling that it did so at 9:45pm!!! It was so beautiful and peaceful. I enjoyed the night breeze and the colors of the sky.

The next day I rose early. Since I’d not eaten dinner the night before, I went out in search of a good breakfast. Thanks to the wonders of Yelp, I saw a highly recommended little diner, The Western Cafe, right in downtown Bozeman. I walked in and was immediately taken with it. It was small, decorated like a page out of Field and Stream, had a long counter on the right and some small booths on the left. Country music was playing in the background. It was cozy and inviting. I took a seat at the counter and a handsome bald bearded guy with an earring and tattoos brought me a mug of coffee and a menu. I didn’t need it, as reviews on Yelp highly recommended the homemade biscuits and gravy. I ordered that with two eggs over easy and it came out in no seconds flat (I could see the cook preparing it!). It was one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had.

 While I was eating, a middle aged man with curly gray hair came in and sat next to me at the counter. He was obviously a regular, as the workers there greeted him by name (Rick) and brought him coffee and juice right off the bat. He lamented to me the construction downtown and how hard it’d been to get around. I said, well, I”m just passing through so I hadn’t noticed! He asked where I was from, I told him, Kentucky, and he said he’d lived in Montana his whole life. He asked what brought me to Bozeman, so I told him that I’d quit my job, sold my house, and was on an adventure around the country for a few months. He was fascinated by my trip and called over the owner of the cafe, whom he introduced to me as Susan. He said “This young lady quit her job, sold her house and is driving around on an adventure!” She looked at me in amazement an exclaimed “Honey,that takes alot of guts!” I sat there long after I’d finshed eating, drinking coffee and talking to these friendly folks. I had the best vibe in there – I wanted to stay there all day. Finally I paid my bill, and when I got up from the counter and said my goobyes, Susan came over with a bag of food for me and said, “Here you go hon, for the road.” I got a lump in my throat and I felt on the verge of tears, so touched by this kind and generous gesture by a perfect stranger. And I am more firmly than ever convinced that you get back what you put out.

I made a couple more stops before leaving Bozeman, and snapped a few pictures of the mountains surrounding this lovely little town as I left.

  I headed west on Interstate 90 towards Missoula. With a clear blue sky and the sun shining brightly, I finally saw what I’d only imagined in my mind – the immensity of the sky in Montana. It is so immense that I just cannot capture it in the limited frame of a camera. You have to see it to really experience it. After an hour and a half of very flat terrain, the mountains appeared before me again and I kept noticing more winding creeks alongside me. These are fascinating to me, they are so prisitine and isolated and beautiful, and I was determined to find a way to get right next to one. About 20 miles outside of Missoula, I noticed a little exit for a state park. I turned off the interstate and made my way to a tiny little campground/park called Rock Creek Recreation area. I drove down a lonely little road, and there I saw it! The most beautiful little private little creek. I sat there for about a half hour enjoying the solitude.

I finally made it into Missoula and checked into my motel. I planned to be there two days. I needed to have my brakes looked at – they had made me a bit uncomfortable on Teton Pass, and I wanted to make sure they were checked out before I continued on my journey. I called a local Midas and made an appointment for the following morning. I made my way to downtown Missoula and found a little local spot and had a couple of delicious sliders and some sweet potato fries as I enjoyed a White Sox/Tigers game on TV.

 The next morning I loaded up my backpack with my computer and snacks, just in case my car required a long repair. I drove downtown and dropped it off, found a little local coffee spot and enjoyed a brew before finding some breakfast. I stopped in yet another local spot, The Hob Nob, very tiny, but enjoyed an amazing corned beef hash breakfast.

When I walked out the door I heard music – a guitar. I popped my head back in the restaurant and asked where it was coming from. The gal replied that Missoula holds a lunchtime concert series every day down at the river park, with food trucks and activities for kids including a carousel. So I made my way across the bridge that spans the Clark Fork River. Oh, another river for me to enjoy! I made my way down to the rocky banks, took my shoes off, and stepped into the cold clear beautiful water. Another one of my dreams fufilled – to have my feet in a Montana River.

After that, I walked into the River Park and enjoyed a little music and walked through the long long tents with lots and lots of food vendors. I found a little ice cream stand and asked the gal what she would recommend and she said, “Well, you’re in Montana, you have to try the Huckleberry!” I opted for that, and she offered another scoop of a different flavor, and I chose Mexican Chocolate. It was delicious!

 

 My phone rang – my car was ready for me, and it was only 12:30! I walked the short distance to the shop and picked up my car, which had nice new front rotors. I headed back to the motel and wrote the rest of the afternoon. That night, I sat outside on a picnic bench and witnessed one of the most stunning sunsets I’ve ever seen. Again, I wish my pictures could do it justice.

A lovely ending to a few days in the most beautiful state I’ve seen yet.

After a nice restful couple of days in Salt Lake City, I left on Sunday morning and headed north. My destination was Idaho Falls, since that would be a good stopping point and a perfect place to stay before heading to Grand Teton National Forest.

I took the conventional route on I-15 north from Salt Lake City. I must say that southern Utah was much more beautiful. The drive was a bit dull but once I crossed into Idaho and found it to be quite beautiful! The landscape was more vast and open, and I started feeling almost smaller as I drove along.

I arrived in Idaho Falls fairly early in the day, too early to check in to my motel. I saw that I was very close to the river, and then to my delight saw that I was right near the Falls! I parked my car and spent the next hour and a half enjoying the Falls and a pleasant little art fair that was set up in the park right across from the falls.

After a fairly uneventful day in Idaho Falls (dealing with computer issues, thank goodness for Best Buy and Geek Squad), I left Idaho Falls very early the next morning and headed towards Grand Teton National Park. This is when I really started to experience some beautiful country. I headed out on Interstate 26 east , the Swan Valley Highway, and not far after I started I stopped at a little scenic view for a spectacular shot of the gorgeous Snake River.

I came over a ridge and then drove down into Swan Valley…it was spectacular to see, down below with the Snake River winding through the town. I made a left and headed north on 31, Pine Creek Road, through some farmish land but still mountains all along, and then entered the Targhee National Forest, surrounded by beautiful pines and following along Pine Creek . The road was windy up and up and up! Finally I hit the town of Victor and turned onto 33 which turned into 22 after crossing into Wyoming. I went through Teton Pass with an incredibly steep grade 10% grade. It was a bit frightening and my brakes were scaring me a bit. But then I saw the Tetons on my left, covered with snow! Finally I  turned into Teton Village onto 390 and then into the park. about 9:45am.

I found the Visitors Center and talked to a nice young ranger. He suggested that I stop at both Taggart Lake (there are moose around!) and then stop at Jenny Lake. I took my map and headed north. At the Taggart Lake point, sure enough, I saw a throng of people to the right, and back in some trees, there was a moose! I snapped a few shots, wish my lens was better, and then continued on. I got to Jenny Lake around noon. I got out of my car, threw my backpack on, and walked about halfway across this beautiful lake. Then I got back in my car, and continued through the rest of the park, passing by Jackson Lake and Jackson Dam. I’ll just post all these nice pictures for you.

 

 

After about a half hour driving north, I entered Yellowstone at the South Entrance at around 2:30 or so. First thing I hit was Lewis Falls and snapped some lovely pictures.

I knew I was short on time, and I knew for certain I wanted to see Old Faithful! So I headed on the western part of the loop after touching base at the visitors center at Grant Village. As I drove towards Old Faithful the skies darkened and it looked ominously like rain. I arrived at Old Faithful around 3:15 and found my way to it. A crowd was already surrounding the geyser and I asked when it was next scheduled to go, and folks told me about 20 minutes. So, we sat there and sure enough, right on schedule, there it went!!!

I got into my car around 4pm and continued north, passing through Madison and Norris, seeing some interesting hot springs and pools of hot smelly sulferous gassy water. At Norris I turned north after about a 20 minute delay for some construction, finally arrived at Mammoth Hot Springs, where there were herds of moose right there in the little city square!

I finally left the park and began my drive north to Montana! I was exhausted and learned my lesson – Teton and Yellowstone in one day is too much!

After my adventures in Sedona, Flagstaff, Zion and Bryce, I was exhausted!! I needed some time to rest, recharge my batteries, and catch up on my blogging.  So, I booked myself a room in Salt Lake City for a couple of days and just happened to post on Facebook that I was headed that way. Right after I posted that, I got a response from my former horn student Cameron, who said he and his mom and sister would be in Salt Lake City the next day, would I still be there? I said yes, let’s get together!

I first met Cameron when he was a freshman at Jeffersonville High School. My dear friend Scott Cooksey, the band director there, called me and asked if I’d be willing to take him as a student. “Of course!” I replied. Scott continued, telling me that Cameron had Aspergers, a mild form of autism. “Makes no difference to me!” I said. I was happy to teach any and all of Scott’ horn players.

Later that evening I asked my partner to inform me a bit more about Aspergers, since I’d not had any experience with that in the past. She described some social interaction and communication characteristics for me to be aware of.  After that, I spoke to Cameron’s mother Jen, and we set up a lesson for one Saturday morning.

That morning, in walks this tall, thin, gangly young man with his horn. After the lesson, I  distinctly remember thinking this young man appears  no different than any other 14 year old boy I”ve met!  From that day on, I developed the most wonderful friendship with Cameron. He possessed an incredible enthusiasm, joy, and passion for the horn. He was a diligent practicer and made great strides from that first lesson through his Senior year.  And even more importantly, he was a kind, compassionate, and friendly young man who found a home as part of the Jeffersonville High School Band and was well-loved by all of them. I can say that he has been one of my favorite students ever, and I am so proud of him and all he has accomplished.

Cameron spent a couple of years on his mission trip in North Carolina and has now started  as a music major at Brigham Young University Idaho. He had just completed his first semester there and his mom and sister were picking him up and bringing him back home until he starts up there again in January, and Salt Lake City was on their way home.

I contacted Jen and advised her where I was staying and asked where we should meet up. “Temple Square!” she said. “It will be easy to find.” So, I drove up I-15 and sure enough, I couldn’t miss it! I walked in the South Entrance to the square, and was just checking in on FB, and about to text Jen, when here comes Cameron walking towards me! Still the same old Cameron after all these years, but turning into a man. (They grow up so fast!). We hugged and then walked over to his mom Jen and sister Jamie, who had JUST had her wisdom teeth taken out. She wasn’t feeling so great, so Jen sent me and Cameron off while she attended to Jamie. What a great opportunity for me to spend time with Cam, and he gave me a fantastic informative tour of the Square. First, we went into the Tabernacle, the original home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Oh, I was thrilled to see it! What I wouldn’t give to hear them sing in there! And to hear that organ, that has over 11,000 pipes! Just then,  two girls up front were giving the acoustical demonstration. First, one of them tore a sheet of paper in thirds, and I could hear that all the way in the back. Next, I saw her drop three things into a bowl, and by the sound of it I was assuming they were little rocks. But Cameron and a Sister who was speaking to us told me no, those were pins dropping! So it is true, the acoustics in the Tabernacle are such that you really can hear a pin drop. Amazing!

Next, Cameron brought me to the Assembly Hall, a lovely, more intimate building with beatiful stained glass windows and a smaller although still impressive organ!

Finally, we walked across the street to the Conference Center. We were greeted by a young man who invited us to take a tour of the building. So, a small group of us spent about 45 minutes walking through the center. Not only is the conference center a huge, 20,000 seat hall where the Mormon Tabernacle Choir presently performs, but it also houses some incredibly beautiful works of art – painting, sculptures, glassworks, and the most beautiful gardens on the roof of the building.

After finishing the tour, we met up with Jen and Jamie at the History Museum, and Jen snapped a picture of us in front of a display of old instruments. How appropriate! We all hugged as we said our goodbyes.

I told Cameron today how really glad I was to have the chance to meet up with them. It’s been a tad lonely the last week and a half, and was so comforting to see some friends from back home.

 I contemplated skipping Bryce Canyon and going back to Zion to face Angel’s Landing again. But, I finally decided to just let it go. So, I packed up all my stuff, said goodbye to Kanab, and started the hour and a half trip to Bryce Canyon. Again Route 89 was my friend and I followed it to Route 12 East. The landscape was fairly non-descript, but all of a sudden I entered the Dixie National Forest and Red Canyon and it was amazing!!! Just a few short miles of some incredible red sandstone formations, including little tunnels built into the rock! What a pleasure! And then, in a blink of an eye, I drove out of it!

  Then I turned south on Route 63 and followed that into Bryce Canyon. I opted to take my car into the park rather than park outside and take the shuttle since  it was so early in the morning.

I arrived right in the park a little after 8 and found the visitors station. The ranger suggested I take the most popular hike, the Queens Garden/Navajo Loop. I asked if there was something a bit longer and he suggested that I take the Peekaboo Loop and make the hike longer. So, all set with my map, I drove to Sunrise Point right next to Bryce Lodge to start my day.

I had a little trouble initially finding the trail head, so I asked a couple who were walking along. She pointed me behind the lodge and said once I saw the rim, everything would make sense. So I walked down a path and then it opened up! OMIGOSH, my first view of Bryce Canyon was spectacular! A canyon of the most spectacular looking rock! HOODOOS! I will describe them as like the sandcastles kids make by taking wet wet sand and dripping it through their hands. It is hard to describe so I’ll just post several pictures so you can see for yourself.

I started down the trail, and if I thought there were alot of people at Zion, there were twice as many at Bryce this day! Throngs of people walking down the trail down into the canyon. Interesting that on one side was the amphitheater and hoodos and on the other side a very forested area.

Down and down I walked, sometimes on a trail very close to a steep dropoff. At the bottom of the Queens Garden trail I then turned left onto the Navajo Loop. This passed through a more woodsy area down at the bottom. Finally I got down to the Peekaboo Pass, but it appeared that a sign was indicating that the section was closed. No one went past the sign. I was so disappointed! I wanted to take that loop and I thought why would the ranger have suggested it if it was closed? Disappointed, I continued back up the Navajo Loop.  Right at the end of the Navajo Loop there is a most spectacular crevice or slot like formation at the bottom. Again, hard for me to describe but that’s why I took so many pictures.

 I finally came out at Sunset Point and saw a ranger there. I asked about the Peekaboo Loop and she said it was indeed open; but it was the connector to Bryce Point was closed due to a landslide. Oh, I was so bummed! It was only 10:30 and I couldn’t just go back…that would take too long. I walked back up to the lodge and a shuttle was there. I thought, well, I can take the Shuttle and see the two Points that I would have seen had I taked the extra trail. So I got on the bus and headed to Bryce Point. The bus driver said that it was possible to walk along the rim from Bryce Point all the way back to Sunrise, so I thought, there we go, that’s what i’ll do! And I’m so glad! I started at Bryce Point, then walked down to Inspiration Point (that was the scariest one, I thought), all the way down to Sunset and then arrived at Sunrise Point at about 12:30. So all together I had about a four hour hike, and hiked down to the bottom for the beginning and then along the rim for the second half. See, everything happens for a reason and I think that I had an even better experience doing it that way!

Hope you all enjoyed the pretty pictures. It’s even better in person! I think I’ll head up to Salt Lake City and relax for a couple of days before heading North to Grand Teton and Yellowstone!

This blog post is extremely difficult for me to write.

I’d never heard of Zion National Park, nor was it on my Amazing Adventure Map. But while I was in Sedona, Steve and Chris both said, well, you MUST  go to Zion if you’re going to Bryce Canyon, they’re right next to each other. So, I circled it on the map! I’d picked Kanab, UT as my home base for the next couple of days, as it was a short drive from Zion and Bryce, and on Thursday morning, headed out on the short 45 minute drive to Zion National Park, northwest of Kanab. I drove again on 89A before turning left and heading west on route 9 into Zion. I was excited as I passed the sign for the park entrance, full of anticipation for another day of hiking.

I passed through the admission ranger gate and the entire world changed. The most BREATHTAKING rock formations appeared before me, HUGE and red and sandstone and all enveloping, nothing that I’d seen at the Grand Canyon. I was truly aghast in amazement, and barely crawled along at 10-15 mph, frequently stopping to take pictures of the unbelievable rock formations all around me. There was one called Checkerboard Mesa that was just stunning. And I wasn’t even in the park yet!  Eventually I drove through one very short tunnel, and then came up to a tunnel that was a full mile long. I almost got a bit claustrophobic!

Closer and closer I got to the park, and drove down these switchbacks overlooking the canyon, getting close to the edge, with more and more unique and amazing rocks appearing in front of me. Finally I made it to the Visitors Center, backed my car in, and made my way to the Ranger inside the center. I admitted that I really wasn’t familiar with any of the hikes, but that I was in great shape, had all day, and was looking for a challenge. The ranger suggested that I take the Angel’s Landing Trail via the West Rim Trail. She asked if I had a fear of heights, and I said why yes, I do a bit. She said, well, you can hike all the way up the West Rim Trail, through the switchbacks at Walters Wiggles, and up to Scout’s Lookout which overlooks the Canyon. She said that the last half mile of the trail is up to Angel’s Landing, and she said it’s very narrow with often nothing on either side, and if your fear of heights is too much, you don’t have to make the climb.  That sounded great to me.

Zion has a FANTASTIC shuttle bus system. It takes you all along the length of the park to each of the trailheads. So, I jumped on a shuttle and headed towards the Grotto Stop. I got off the bus and full of excitement, walked over to the trailhead.

At this point, I have to admit that I was surprised at, after my extremely solitary day at the Grand Canyon, how many people were taking the trail. No matter, I started walking, greeting every person with a hearty “Good morning!”as they walked towards me. Also surprising was that this trail was paved, like a sidewalk. Hmmmm, I thought to myself. After hiking up the rugged Elden Lookout Trail in Flagstaff and Uncle Jim Trail in the Grand Canyon, this seemed a bit odd. As I continued on though, I began to be grateful for the footing it provided!

The hike started off pretty easily, and offered a fantastic view of the Virgin River running through the canyon. I spotted several deer along the banks of the river and just relished the view as I walked along.

 

Eventually, the path started getting steeper and steeper, and the switchbacks became more challenging to climb. I  also noticed how narrow the trails were and how close I was to the edge of the canyon as I got higher and higher. The final switchbacks to Scout’s Lookout were incredibly steep, and all I could think was that this hike could rival many a crossfit workout. I passed a woman on her way down who smiled and said “Not much further!” That was all the encouragement I needed to make that final push to the top, and I finally stepped out into the open and onto Scout’s Lookout.

Scout’s Lookout is a fairly flat long rock at the top of the canyon. There are no guardrails or other protective devices surrounding the lookout. I sat down a bit from the edge, took off my backpack, and tentatively snapped some pictures as I had a snack.

Off to my right was the infamous Angel’s Landing. I looked over and was surprised to see LOTS of hikers scaling up and down the rock. It looks quite daunting, and has a rope chain up the side. I sat there, looking at it. Looking at little 8 year old kids going up and down. Looking at folks 60+ going up and down. Big, small, tall, short, young, old…getting in line to go up and coming down with triumphant smiles on their faces. I thought to myself, the longer I sit and stare at it, the more scared I will get. And finally, after seeing a man in his late 60’s coming down, I thought, alright, if he can do it, I can do this. So I walked over to the base and stared….and stared and stared. And I just could NOT get myself to do it. The warning signs (6 people have died since 2004!), the chains, my experience with the edges of the Grand Canyon and my earlier hike up and looking out on Scout’s Lookout, my all encompassing fear of heights…all of these just got to me and I walked back to the safety of the Lookout. I chided myself over and over….Alise, you’re in fantastic shape, you crossfit,  imagine Erin Stimac’s voice encouraging you and motivating you, this trip is all about facing all your fears and conquering them, c’mon, just fucking DO IT!

I couldn’t.

Defeated and deflated, I turned around and walked the long long way back down to the bottom of the trail, tears streaming down my face, as I tried to hide my sobs from the hikers heading up the trail. I felt like a failure. I felt that the fact that I could not bring myself to hike that final half mile up to the top of Angel’s Landing that somehow that made me inadequate. Twice as I was heading down I stopped and thought about going back up to try it…but didn’t.

I got back to my room in Kanab and just cried my heart out. I am trying to understand why this has affected me so much. Why am I so hard on myself and why do I feel that I somehow failed? If anyone else had told me this exact experience, I would have wrapped my arms around them and been kind and compassionate and counseled them to be easy on themselves, and to look at what they had achieved – a very successful and challenging and enjoyable hike in one of the most beautiful parks in the world. Why do I feel that I don’t deserve the same compassion from myself? I think that deep down, for whatever reason, I feel inadequate, and just not good enough. And instead of looking at the wonderful things I have been doing the past month and a half (or even my whole damn life for that matter), I look at this one small thing today that I was unable to bring myself to do, and use it as confirmation of my unworthiness. “See Alise, you couldn’t climb Angels’ Landing, you couldn’t conquer that fear of heights, so that proves that you aren’t good enough”. Which I know in my head is entirely untrue, but the fact that I’m sobbing uncontrollably as I write this and reflect upon the experience at the top of Scout’s Lookout proves to me that I have a long way to go. It’s not my fear of heights itself – I talked to my brother after my experience in Zion and he assured me that a fear of heights is basic self preservation! But it’s about what that fear prevented me from doing, and the fact that I’m having a hard time being gentle with myself about that. And mostly, it’s the fear at the core of all of it – the core belief that I’m just not good enough.

 So, although I am going to some fabulous and beautiful places and doing some wonderful things and having amazing adventures, this little experience at Zion National Park reminds me that I still have some work to do on myself along the way. Much to ponder as I drive in the vast solitary stretches of the West.

The morning of my Grand Canyon adventure started at 4am. I left Flagstaff and was on the road by 4:30 just as the sun began to lighten the sky in beautiful hues of blue and pink. I began the four hour drive to the North Rim on my friend, Route 89 North. Off to my left I could see the faint outline of Humphrey’s Peak in the distance; I’d heard great things about hiking it, and I hope to some day soon. My drive continued, solitary and quite desolate. It was almost eerie how alone I was on the road.  After awhile I continued onto 89A and then started to see some change in the landscape. As I drove towards Marble Canyon, I had to pull off and snap a few spectacular shots.

Right around Navajo Bridge, I crossed the Colorado River. I looked down as I crossed and gasped in amazement, it was so vast! I was finally getting close! The landscape changed again and the temperature dropped further as I got closer and closer into the Kaibab National Forest.

At the very small town of Jacobs Lake, I turned south onto 67, the Grand Canyon Highway, and drove the last 25 miles to the park. As I finally entered a clearing, I saw a coyote flash across the road in front of me, a gaggle of wild turkeys, and then herds and herds of bison!

Finally, I saw the entrance sign for the park, jumped out and snapped a picture of my excitement.

I came to the Ranger Entrance and was greeted by a delightful young ranger lady who asked how I was. “Overwhelmed” I replied, and she smiled as she suggested that I purchase an annual pass to all the National Parks, gave me my maps, and sent me on the final 12 mile drive to the Visitors’ Center. As I pulled into the parking lot, I caught a glimpse of the Canyon on my left and screamed aloud. It was spectacular!  I parked the car and walked up to a ranger in the Visitors Center.  I’d identified a trail to hike that day, the Uncle Jim Trail, and she smiled and said it was a great choice. The trail winds through the forest to a point overlooking  the canyon. She directed me back down the road about a mile to the Kaibab Trailhead parking lot where I would find the start of my hike. Before doing that, I entered the Lodge itself, walked to the back and out the back door, and beheld the magnificence of the Grand Canyon for the first time. Folks, I just cannot put into words that first look at the majesty of this natural wonder.

Excited for my hike, I loaded my backpack with water, lots of snacks, and other essentials. I drove to the Kaibab Trail lot, parked my car, put on my hiking shoes, and by 9:30 entered the Ken Patrick Trail that would eventually turn off to the Uncle Jim Trail Loop. Three times I stepped aside for groups taking mule rides on the trail, but for the most part it was a nice solitary hike. I think I probably saw only 5 or 6 other hikers at the most in the entire three hours. The trail was fairly flat and easily negotiated, (I had to watch out for piles and piles of mule poop) and after about 2 hours I reached the far point of the loop, followed a very narrow path, and came to the small isolated point overlooking the Canyon. It was dizzingly spectacular. Pictures don’t really portray the vast scope of the canyon. I sat there as close to the edge as I was comfortable and ate an apple as I enjoyed the silence all around me, save for the wind and the bees buzzing around me.

After that short rest, I got up, dusted myself off and continued the loop back to the trailhead. This trail was so lightly traveled that once I got off the Uncle Jim loop and back to the Ken Patrick Trail, I could see my footprints from the beginning of my hike. When I finally cleared the trail back to the parking lot, I headed back up to the lodge and took the short half mile Bright Angel Point Trail around the lodge. This little trail challenged my fear of heights.  I got as close to Bright Angel Point as I could before finally turning back. Patti Hall would understand completely…at times I wanted to crawl on my hands and knees it was so scary!

My first National Park out west… BOOM! Next up, Zion National Park!

I left Sedona very reluctantly…I was so much at ease there and could have easily stayed much longer there, taking in the beautiful Red Rocks and hiking my life away. But Flagstaff beckoned, and I’d heard really wonderful things it. I’d been urged to take the back way up to Flagstaff, north on 89A, and I did just that. The drive was magnificent. Very narrow winding roads through lush forests of pine. At the top was a little turnoff for a scenic view. Tonya had suggested that I stop there, so I pulled off and beheld the most splendid view – as close as I could get to it without getting dizzy from my fear of heights! This scenic turnoff was even more pleasant as it was lined with several Native American booths with  crafts, jewelry and gifts. I bought a lovely little money clip etched with my spirit totem, the wolf.

I arrived in Flagstaff a little bit after 1pm, and right away knew that I would be staying more than just the night. I found the historic Route 66 and took it into the little downtown area, parked my car, and started walking down San Francisco Avenue. Quaint is the word that accurately describes this little area. After checking out several outdoor gear shops, I found one with a much needed hiking hat, on sale. After having a delightful and hearty Blackbird Porter at the Flagstaff Brewing Company, I passed a great little music store. Finally,the opportunity I’d been waiting for! I went inside and found what I’d been searching for since I visited Gretchen and Tim in Bethesda. Now I just have to learn how to play the damned thing!

I drove back along Route 66, checked into my hotel, added an extra night, and relaxed for a bit. There was no need to search high and low for a good place to eat. Tonya and Chris’ friend Steve had already pointed me to Diablo Burgers, right in the heart of the little downtown area. Diablo Burger is very small…seating inside is just a few high top tables and the bar with a TINY kitchen behind the bar. The place is so small there’s no bathroom within their restaurant – you have to walk back around somewhere. There are several picnic tables outside for outdoor dining. I took a seat at the bar and enjoyed one of their seasonal light ales. Not sure what it was, but it was lovely on this hot evening. I can’t remember what the name of the burger that I ordered, but it had pesto, a fried egg, and I asked them to throw on some crispy bacon (‘cause bacon makes everything better). The burger arrived perched on a bed of fantastic hot fries. All Diablo burgers are served on English muffins – great by me, I love them that way. It was one of the best burgers I have ever had. Cooked perfectly medium rare. I finished the burger,  but could NOT even make a dent in the pile of fries.

 Dusk arrives early in Flagstaff, so I headed back to the hotel. I made one stop…at a FANTASTIC little shop called McGaugh’s Smoke and Bottle. This is an incredible little store with an amazing variety of beer and a fantastic selection of cigars. I chose about 6 little tiny cigars and drove back to my hotel, where I enjoyed a little cherry cigar in the lovely cool dark before hitting the sack.

Folks, I am not kidding, the sun is UP over the horizon by 5:30am this time of year in Flagstaff. I was up and dressed and headed over to Crossfit Flagstaff, a mere 2 miles from where I was staying. I walked in for the 6am class and was greeted not by the resident crossfit dog, but the resident crossfit CAT, Clark. Wow! Clark pointed me in the direction of the coaches of the morning’s class, Stephen and Rachel. I signed myself up (most crossfits I’m visiting have fancy schmancy electronic Wodify or similar computer programs), bought myself a Crossfit Flagstaff shirt, and began my warmup. This was one of the biggest and nicest crossfit boxes I’ve visited on my trip…similar in size and scope to Crossfit Maximus. We all did a prescribed warmup on our own, then Rachel led us through a short barbell complex group warmup. There was no strength element to the class (boo) and we went directly into the WOD of the day, which was named the River Styx. 1000 meter row followed by 21-15-9 KB swings and burpees. After well over a week with no crossfit, it felt pretty good to have my butt kicked!

 After class I went right across the street to a littlle coffee shop, enjoyed a cup of strong yummy brew, and in walks one of that morning’s 6am crew. Turns out this guy is from Macomb, IL (right down the road from where I went to undergrad) and he extolled the virtues of Flagstaff for me (as if I hadn’t already realized them!). After that, I grabbed a quick shower at the hotel, and then headed back downtown for breakfast at MartAnne’s – also recommended by Tonay and Chris’ friend Steve! At his suggestion, I ordered the Chilaquiles, Fratelli style (covered in pork salsa verde) and folks, they were out of this world. I made a valiant effort but will not disclose the after picture. I tried….really I did.

 What to do now with the whole day in front of me? Tonya had suggested the chair lift at the Arizona Snow Bowl, but unfortunately it only runs Friday through Sunday. However, there was a decent little climb very close to me …. The Elden Lookout Trail is about 2.5 miles one way and about a 2000 foot elevation to the top. It was cloudy and perfect for the climb. I drove a few miles to the trailhead and started up. The climb was very difficult – steep, very rocky, and quite strenuous. For just a short moment I thought I was in over my head, but just kept telling myself to put one foot in front of the other. Finally I made it to the top, and enjoyed a stunning view of Flagstaff. I have to say that crossfit really is a great preparation for climbing these higher elevations.

 After a tough crossfit workout and an even tougher climb up Mt. Elden, I was BEAT. I headed back to the hotel, took a well deserved shower, and drove back to Flagstaff Brewing Company. This time, I chose a wonderful Coconut Porter and at the bartender’s recommendation, ordered a half order of poutine. I had enjoyed an authentic poutine when I traveled to Montreal in 2004 for the GALA festival with VOICES. This was not quite up to the classic poutine, as there were no cheese curds, but after all that activity, it tasted pretty damned good. For those of you who don’t know what poutine is….it’s a bed of french fries smothered in brown gravy and topped with cheese curds. It’s OUT OF THIS WORLD.

 My final destination for the day was the Lowell Observatory, about 2 miles further down the road. I arrived just in time to hear a fantastic lecture on the discovery of Pluto (the planet that’s not a planet anymore), followed by a talk inside the rotunda on the how to’s of identifying planets, stars, constellations, etc. Unfortunately it was a bit too cloudy for stargazing, so I headed back to my hotel room and looked forward to the next day – THE GRAND CANYON!

When I first entertained the thought of an adventure in mid February, I emailed my dear friend Tonya. Three years ago, she’d done the exact thing I was contemplating – quit her job, sold her stuff, drove cross country and found herself in Sedona AZ. She’s been there ever since. I knew that she would relate to what was going on in my life and the reasons behind the desire to leave everything behind and find my true self. I was overwhelmed with emotion when she immediately fired back a two page email completely supporting my decision (in fact she wrote “LEAVE RIGHT NOW”) and inviting me to visit her in Sedona.

After leaving Houston, I drove up to Dallas to have dinner with my nephew, who relocated there at the end of January. After that short visit, I began the long, two day trip towards Sedona. I headed west on I-20 through some of the UGLIEST areas of the state of Texas. Ablilene was alright, but Midland Odessa with its oil refineries was especially bleak, ugly, and stinky. After finally merging onto I-10, I ended up in a little town called Van Horn, just about 120 miles east of El Paso, on the edge of the Guadaloupe Mountains.

The next morning I left at 6am and immediately the landscape changed. More and more majestic mountains appeared before me, and at Fort Hancock I pulled off and took some pictures of the lovely morning.

The city of El Paso appeared next, and shortly after that I drove into New Mexico and though my first border checkpoint. At Las Cruces I started the long stretch into Arizona towards Tucson and Phoenix. As I drove through these two very crowded and unappealing cities, all I could think of was how beautiful Tonya promised that Sedona would be! In Phoenix I turned onto I-17 north and finally started seeing some fantastic scenery. The  final segment of the drive on route 179  into Sedona almost blew my mind, as the famous Red Rocks appeared before me. What a great reward for a long 12 hour drive!

Since I’d gone through two time zones, it was only 4pm when I pulled into Tonya’s driveway….right at the base of Thunder mountain! She was sitting out on the front porch and I leapt out of my car and grabbed her in a huge bear hug. She introduced me to her fiance Chris, his adorable 8 year old son Alexander, and her fantastic dog Linus.

At this point, I have to try to describe Sedona. It’s pretty hard for me to put into words, other than this little town is surrounded by the most amazing, stunning, and unique red rock mountains imaginable. It is overwhelming and mind boggling to be sitting in a house or driving along and seeing this incredible beauty surrounding you. Tonya and Chris’ front porch faces Chimney Rock and the back porch of the house overlooks Thunder Mountain, Sugar Loaf Mountain, Coffee Pot and Munds mountains. The first hour or so I was pretty much speechless just taking in the majesty of the surroundings.

Dinnertime was approaching so we headed to Oak Creek Brewery which housed a little place called Simon’s Hot Dogs. As we waited on an assortment of those, and I walked into the bar and picked out a nice growler of a hearty local porter and we headed back to the house. Chris’ good friend Steve joined us, and we unloaded the goodies and enjoyed our gourmet hot dogs. After dinner, I brought out my amazing adventure map for Steve and Chris to look over. Chris is a former marine and experienced hiker and survivalist. Steve is also an experienced hiker and very knowledgeable about just about anything. They took a look at the rest of my proposed route and strongly suggested that I make some alterations in it in order to get to Glacier National Park earlier in the summer before the weather started turning colder. So, I continued to practice letting go of control and changed my route!

After dinner Tonya took me for a drive around the little town and as sunset approached, she took me to Airport Mesa to watch as the sun set behind the mountains. It was crowded with throngs of tourists taking pictures and admiring the beauty. As the sun finally passed below the ridge of the rocks, everyone burst into applause!

I couldn’t wait until it got dark enough to see the stars. Sedona is VERY dark at night, so around 9:30 we went out on the back deck and although a bit cloudy, I saw the most amazing display of stars, along with the bright Milky Way. I wish that pictures could do it justice, but that doesn’t work. Finally the time zones caught up with me and I fell into an exhausted sleep.

In Sedona at this time of year the sky lightens around 5am. I woke early and walked out onto the back deck and enjoyed the complete silence of the morning, except for the song of the birds and the insects. The plan that morning was to hit the local farmers market and then see the rest of the town. Alexander was SO disappointed that he had to go to the YMCA and couldn’t join us! Tonya and I piled into the car and drove the short distance to the Farmers Market. Although very small, it was comprised of some really nice little stands. We stopped at a little French pastry stand and I ate the most delicious little plum tart while Tonya chose a rich buttery brioche. We ended up with a great little assortment of cherry tomatoes, squash, some chard, delicious greens, and a fantastic little hybrid melon. Then we walked through the little shops of TLAQUEPAQUE, a beautiful open air market featuring art galleries, craft shops and other shopping options, walked down to the little Oak Creek, a fantastic duck filled creek that was completely out of place in the middle of the desert!

Our shopping completed, we headed back to the house and the boys joined us for lunch at a great little local place called Nick’s. The change in altitude and the previous day’s long drive was quickly catching up with me, so after lunch I caught a half hour cat nap. I woke feeling much refreshed, which was good since Chris and Steve were taking me on hike that evening. I eagerly brought out my new hiking shoes and backpack and waited for Steve to arrive. Hiking is one of my favorite things to do and I was so stoked to be going on a hike with these two seasoned guys. We drove the short distance to the entrance to Long Canyon Trail and headed out. Steve led the way and I worked hard to keep up with his long strides as Chris took up the rear. About a quarter of the way through Chris said that most folks he takes out start huffing and puffing at this point. I gave props to my crossfit conditioning and we continued on. Further along the trail, Chris broke off the main trail and we hiked through some really rough and rocky terrain. At one point we approached some pretty shear rock and approached a ledge. I looked at it and in my mind immediately thought “I can’t do that.” I didn’t say anything aloud, and when I came up to the ledge Chris coached me up it, saying “keep your hips close” and I found some footholds, and then thanks to crossfit was able to pull myself up onto of the ledge! Just more confirmation that you can do more than you think you can! Past that we came upon some incredible Indian ruins amidst the red rocks. To discover these isolated areas that most people don’t see is an overwhelming experience and I’m so lucky to have seen it.

Darkness was approaching and Chris had headlamps just in case we needed them. Let me tell you, it’s pretty surreal to be hiking a trail in the dusk/dark. It’s interesting that if you just trust your body, you can hike in the dark really without seeing. We made it back to the car around 8:30 in just about full darkness. I was exhausted but exhilarated to have made it through such a challenging hike! We arrived back at the house and I had a big glass of cold beer and Tonya made us the most delicious post hike smoothies. Fantastic first full day in Sedona!

The next day when I woke and looked out off the front porch, I could see dark clouds to the south of us, and I was hopeful that I would see some Sedona rain. Tonya was going to be busy preparing for a welcome home party for her friends Julie and Mike, so I took that opportunity to make a quick little trip to Jerome. Jerome is a little historic mining town located between Flagstaff and Prescott, about 20 miles south of Sedona. It’s at an altitude of about 5000 feet on Cleopatra Hill overlooking the Verde Valley. Driving up to the top to the town challenged my fear of heights but I did it! I parked my car and took some pictures overlooking the valley. Jerome has several art galleries, craft stores, wineries, coffee houses and restaurants. I perused through several of the little shops and as 1pm approached, stopped at Mile High Inn for some lunch. I took a seat at the bar and ordered a nice dark porter and ordered a breakfast for lunch burger with fries. It arrived, hot and delicious. Thank you Yelp for your fantastic recommendations. I finished up and returned to my car and drove back down the mountain. It seemed to be perfect timing as the sun had just burst blazing through the clouds and throngs of tourists were traveling UP the mountain.

I returned to the house which was prepped for the party. Most of the folks at the party knew each other through Pink Jeep, a local jeep tour company for which many of them worked or had worked (including Chris and Steve). I met some fantastically down to earth people, ate some scrumptious food, smoked a great little cigar from Chris’ humidor, and sat out on the back deck looking up at the clearest night sky yet, picking out the planets, satellites, and several shooting stars. Another beautiful day in Sedona.

Sunday I woke late, had some coffee and started blogging. After several quiet hours on the front porch in the cool breeze, I stretched and prepared for one last hike. I’d been looking out on Chimney Rock off Tonya’s front porch for days and that’s where I was headed. All I had to do was walk out her front door and up the street about 100 yards and I was at the base of the trail. I turned left onto Thunder Mountain trail and started walking. Soon I came upon a rugged path on the right and headed up towards Chimney Rock. After about 10 minutes I got a bit intimidated and headed back towards the main trail. But dammit, this whole trip is about not being scared and getting myself out of my comfort zone. So I told myself to get back up there and everything would be ok if I was just smart and used my common sense. This time I steadily climbed the red rocks, looking for firm hand and footholds, avoiding the agave plants know as “Cowboy Killers”. Eventually I got quite close to Chimney Rock and congratulated myself on conquering my fear of heights!

Now came the hard part…finding my way back down again. I kept telling myself that if I got up, I could get back down again, to just take my time, keep my center of gravity low, use my common sense and everything would be ok.  At a couple of spots that I lost my footing, but I just kept low, sliding down on my butt, and after some hunt and pecking for the best way back down, eventually found myself back on the Thunder Mountain trail. I found a great little enclosed spot under a tree that looked like an outdoor sitting area. I took off my pack, ae a Larabar, drank some water, pulled out my journal and just sat listening. It was fabulous. It was absent of all human noise; all I could hear was the cooing of some doves, chirping of the birds, the bugs buzzing past my ears, and the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. Those sounds of nature have always resounding in me. I remember watching CBS Sunday Morning and waiting in anticipation of the last 15 minutes which always comprised a final segment of a clip of nature. This was all that and more….as long as I wanted to sit there. It’s what I have craved my whole life…this silence except for the sound of the natural world around me.

After my rest, I wanted just a bit more of a hike, so I started the other direction down Thunder Mountain trail. I laughed out loud as I came upon a sign pointing up: “Chimney Pass.” I’d gone the hard way up first! This path much more easily brought me up the back of Chimney Rock, and as I got higher I could see that Chimney Rock is actually three separate rocks; hence its other name of “Three Fingers.”

Satisfied with my hike and tiring just a bit (and nearly out of water) I headed back down to the bottom of the trail and back to the house. My time in Sedona is just about at an end. I have found this little town and area to be much of what I’ve been searching for: stunning beauty, peace and tranquility, fantastic opportunities for hiking, a very laid back and easy going attitude among those living there, the most beautiful and spectacular display of nighttime sky and stars I have ever seen, and solitude. I’m very much looking forward to finding more of the same as I continue my adventures out west.

 

 

Houston was not originally a circled destination on my Amazing Adventure map. However, when I informed my YMCA class earlier this Spring that I would be leaving Louisville in June to travel the country, kick ass class members and dear friends Paula and Dustin told me that they were relocating to Houston in the summer. Paula told me if I didn’t stop in Houston she’d hunt me down!

So, after my San Antonio Foodapalooza, I backtracked east to Houston early Saturday morning. It’s interesting to note, (yet painful at the time), that there are no Starbucks on Interstate 10 between San Antonio and Houston. I made the three and a half hour trip without the assistance of caffeine. That’s alright, I’m almost getting used to making it through a day without it. Paula and Dustin’s house is quickly and easily accessible off of I-10, and I arrived a little bit after 1pm. Although I’ve been seeing many old friends along my adventure, I miss my friends in Louisville intensely. I cannot describe how wonderful it was to see Paula walk down to greet me and the feeling I had seeing one of my beloved YMCA peeps. The afternoon was spent catching up, touring their beautiful home, being introduced to their two HUGE Maine coon cats, Lewis and Blue, and waiting for a curiously difficult and lengthy internet installation. We also discovered a FABULOUS gourmet food and liquor store, Specs, where we picked up a few yummy items for cocktails and dinner. We returned back to the house to begin the social hour. Paula mixed a mean and tasty dirty martini with some delicious blue cheese and anchovey stuffed olives. I pretty much was in heaven with that and a few appetizers.

Paula whipped up a fantastic dinner of bacon-wrapped shrimp and scallops along with a heirloom cherry tomato salad simply marinated in balsamic vinegar. Dustin walked in shortly thereafter, fresh off his plane. We gave each other a big bear hug and then sat down to dinner. Afterwards, we eagerly made plans for the next morning, which would include an Alise-inspired Cardio Power workout!

The morning dawned beautiful, hot and humid. We fortified ourselves with some coffee and tea, donned our workout clothes, grabbed some water and dumbbells, and made the short trip to Memorial Park. We found a little shaded spot under a tree, threw our dumbbells to the ground, and started a little warmup in preparation of our workout. Dustin used 35# dumbbells, Paula and I used 20# dumbbells.

As if that weren’t enough, Dustin suggested that we walk around the entire 3 mile loop of the park. In the 90 degree heat. And humidity. With no clouds or any other shade. Ugh! We gamely made it around, stopping only once to try a few pullups on an available bar. Oh, good times!

I thought that we all deserved a little treat. So on the way home from the park, we just happened to pass a local doughnut shop that looked as if it might have something good inside. Why not! We brought those delightful treats home and then had a little decent protein along with them. Seriously, I was a little dizzy from the heat and just needed a little sugar to perk me up. Don’t judge me.

After that we got all cleaned up. Dustin was lucky that he would be going out with the two prettiest ladies in Houston. We piled into the car, headed off for the Galleria and spent about an hour and a half window shopping all the amazing high end stores, watching people ice skate on the rink on the lower level, and helping Dustin buy himself a pair of sporty driving moccasins. Mid-afternoon we headed off in search of an adult beverage, and pulled up in front of Canyon Cafe just as the final game of the World Cup entered into bonus time. We sat at a table and Dustin brought me and Paula a specialty of the house: a BadAss Country Iced Tea. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is aptly named.

Yay Germany!

We were in for a treat next, thanks to my dear friend Joe Mechavich, who suggested that if in Houston, I must go to Hugo’s. We arrived and were seated in a lovely bright table, and our experience began. First up was a fabulous margarita with an appropriate amount of salt on the rim. We took a look at the appetizers and ordered some little tacquitos, and then I was shocked as Paula ordered grasshoppers! I was eager to try my first insect ever. Folks, I have to tell you, they were amazing. They were pan sauteed, crispy, nutty and tasty! Think of the protein!

Our dinners did not disappoint. I debated between carnitas, baby pig, and pork shoulder with mashed plantains and plum sauce. Our server steered me to the shoulder, and I was amazed at how tender and moist it was. Paula went with the soft shell crab with a little corn pudding that was out of this world, and Dustin enjoyed the lamb. I’m pretty sure we licked our plates clean.

Dessert was next. MoJo had suggested that I try the hot chocolate. Paula went with the bread pudding, and Dustin had two scoops of some amazing cinnamon-chocolate ice cream. Demolition of dessert completed.

Monday morning Paula had to go in to work and left around 9. Dustin and I were charged with a few tasks: shopping at Costco, checking out a couple of Crossfit possibilities for Paula, making up a workout for later, and taking out the smelly garbage. Dustin investigated some gym possibilities in advance as the cats assisted.

Trips to Costco are always fun. But trips to prospective crossfit gyms are more fun! We scoped out a little spot, Crossfit TSC, and then Crossfit 1526. We had lunch at a bright little sandwich shop close to Paula’s office, and she walked over and then we headed to check out the construction on the assisted living facility she was going to be overlooking. Then we headed back home. Paula followed shortly thereafter and we threw on our workout clothes and headed to Memorial Park one more time. Thank goodness it was cloudy and the late afternoon sun was tempered a bit. This evening’s workout was all bodyweight: Ten rounds:5 pushups/10 situps/5 burpees/10 airsquats/50 yard sprint/50 yard recovery. I thought about all my YMCA peeps in my class as we cranked this one out!

After that butt-kicking, we went back to the house, cleaned ourselves up, and Paula prepared a simple but fantastic meal of some stuffed peppers and a baby kale salad mixed with the marinated heirloom cherry tomatoes from Saturday night. After dinner she pulled out some dessert options that were truly evil.

As I get further into my journey, I continue to be grateful for my friends who open their homes to me and welcome me with open arms.  Paula and Dustin have only been in my life for a short time, but the effect they have had on me is huge. It is absolutely true that what you put out to the universe, you get back.

Paula has charged me with an assignment for the remainder of my adventure: What Would Alise Do. I”m supposed to come up with a workout every day. Whoo boy, this is gonna be hard!

San Antonio! I was looking forward to this visit for two reasons; the history of the city and the fact that it would be only a short hour and a half drive from Austin!

I left Austin around 9:30am and arrived in San Antonio a short time later, well before I could check into my hotel. With the whole day ahead of me, I followed the signs to downtown, parked my car, and headed towards the universal San Antonio recommendation: The Riverwalk. I didn’t realize that it was actually below street level, and spent about an hour walking up and down the length of it, looking into the shops and watching the river boat tours as they traveled down the river.

I still had plenty of time left in the day, so I walked upstairs and headed north to the Alamo. When I finally saw it, I smiled as I remembered how everyone told me it was oddly placed in the middle of hotels and shops. Nonetheless, I got chills when I finally saw it in person. I stepped into the line, which was not very long, and was soon inside the walls of the historic building. I walked through the cool, dark interior and reverently observed the stone walls and the old artifacts of that famous battle so long ago – the rifles, knives, and other interesting items. I finished inside that building and then walked around the grounds behind, entering the long stone barracks building where I saw even more artifacts and read the history of the Alamo Mission and the independence of Texas.

After my history lesson, I headed towards Market Square, or El Mercado. This is where folks in the know recommended that I go to shop and eat while in San Antonio. It was a decent walk from the Alamo, and for a time I thought perhaps I might be headed in the wrong direction! But soon I came upon the square with its brightly colored flags down the center and had a fantastic time visiting the wonderful shops. I came upon the highly-recommended restaurant Mi Tierra, but it was so crowded that the wait was over an hour and a half, even at the bar. I walked out and right over to another highly recommended spot, La Margarita. This time I had no problem getting a seat at the bar. The bartender came over and I said that I’d heard that one could get a pretty good margarita there. He gave me a look and said, “Not the house margarita, I will make you a good one.” And he proceeded to serve me the BEST margarita I’ve ever had (sorry El Mundo!). I ordered the lunch special of four little steak tacos with a tasty tomatillo sauce and a cup of delicious beans, along with a second margarita. This was some authentic food!

After that rather late lunch I checked into my hotel, changed my clothes, and headed off to my first crossfit visit in over a week. Crossfit Unchained was a short 3 mile drive from the hotel, located just next to the I-35 overpass on E. Houston Street. I walked in and introduced myself to Arthur, the owner, and he welcomed me to the gym and pointed me in the direction of the foam rollers. Shortly thereafter the class began, led by Coach Calla from Minnesota, a tall young blond with a distinct Minnesota accent. The first part of class was heavy squat cleans, and it was quickly apparent that it had indeed been an entire week since I’d had a good workout, and that I was paying for indulging in all the NOLA food and drink! After the strength component and some excellent coaching tips from Calla, we were given a very challenging WOD: OTM for 10 minutes, 3 hang power cleans, 6 pushups, and 9 airsquats. It sounded innocuous enough but it was anything but. Coach Calla encouraged us to complete all the reps within 30 seconds and I managed to keep up that pace. After the 10 minutes were up we took off on an 800 meter run in the blazing evening sun. A thorough butt kicking! The rest of the evening consisted of nothing more than a nice long shower, some inspirational reading and an early bedtime.

The next morning I rose and headed back to Crossfit Unchained for a second helping. This morning’s class was led by Coach Alisia, Arthur’s wife. She was a beautiful, lithe, strong girl with a huge smile and even bigger energy. The morning’s class was great fun – Alisia expertly taught us two different rope climbing techniques, and the workout was a 20 minute AMRAP of 1 rope climb, 10 sledge strikes on a tire, and a 25 meter sled/prowler push. I’d been up a rope before but it was nice to try out a different technique and was proud of myself for being able to get up and down the rope for 20 minutes (although I did get a pretty bad rope burn on the inside of my leg!). A great class, with more excellent coaching and a super welcoming community. I’ve been so lucky on all of my visits to crossfit boxes so far!

After that workout, I headed back to El Mercado and walked into Mi Tierra for breakfast. At this hour of the morning I had NO problem getting a seat, and sat in the brightly lit, christmas tree decorated restaurant. I gratefully sipped some strong coffee as I scanned the menu and was overwhelmed by the breakfast selection. So many choices and they all sounded wonderful! Although I felt hungry enough to order everything on the menu, I settled on three breakfast tacos – huevos rancheros, barbacoa, and lengua. They arrived quickly, wrapped simply in foil, but hot and fresh. They were absolutely delicious and perfect after a strenuous crossfit workout. After I was finished, I paid for my meal and then walked through the bakery, which is known for some amazing Mexican pastries. I chose a caramel filled turnover and was not disappointed. Flaky light crust that could only come from using lard, and a delicious filling that wasn’t too cloying or sweet. I urge anyone going to San Antonio to head straight for Mi Tierra and some of the best food you’ll ever eat.

The rest of the day was spent blogging and dealing with an annoying computer issue. So see, life on the road on my adventure is not always glamorous and full of fun and games! After a non-productive call to the Geek Squad, I got in my car and drove to a local Best Buy and walked up to a Geek Squad member, who proceeded to wave a magic wand over my computer and fix it in less time than it took to drive there.

I had one more restaurant to hit for my last night in San Antonio. My sister Renée had given me a long list of recommendations from a friend living in the area. The very first rec on the list intrigued me: Puffy Tacos from Teka Molino. I’d never heard of such a thing, and it sounded interesting. Thanks to the magic of Google, I discovered that puffy tacos are the signature creation of San Antonio tex-mex. So, I made my way to this place that really looked like a hole in the wall! I ordered three puffy tacos: chicken, beef, and guacamole. Ok, folks….they were so incredibly delicious that I completely inhaled them in no time flat. They are made with corn tortillas and it’s like they are inflated with air, all “puffed up.” There were crispy and light and crunchy and greasy and juicy and succulent and AMAZING!!!!!

I’m not sure I’m really a fan of the geography, weather, or traffic of Texas so far, but I will say that the food has been a huge and pleasant surprise! Next stop is Houston and surely there will be more good eating ahead!