Sand’s the Enemy! Part I

Moab makes me happy. The insignificance one feels amongst its enduring landscapes is both decompressing and peaceful. Ahhh…the dramatic cure for the ego-driven modern pace. This April Jason and I kept up our biannual Moab tradition. We had a delightful trip, save the sand, but I’ll get to that shortly.

The Sovereign Singletrack offered every type of terrain.
The Sovereign Singletrack offered every type of terrain.
Who can resist posing a picture like this when such a boulder exists?
Who can resist posing a picture like this when such a boulder exists?
The vistas on Sovereign were expansive.
The vistas on Sovereign were expansive.

Our first day in Moab we biked the Sovereign Singletrack. This 10-mile expedition involved a lot of uphill grunting and technical maneuvering. It was tremendous fun until we decided, per our guidebook’s suggestion, to take a jeep road as our route back. This ATV path was practically a sand dune…and thus the villain enters my tale. (Dun, dun, duuunnnnn.) Those blasted particles slowed our movement more than molasses on an arctic expedition and I repeatedly had to dump sand piles out of my shoes that were so massive they made my sneakers two sizes too small.

Sovereign had enough slickrock to satisfy.
Sovereign had enough slickrock to satisfy.
The beauty of Moab lies not in its lushness but in its harshness.
The beauty of Moab lies not in its lushness but in its harshness.

After Sovereign, we detoured to the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park. We took a 1.8-mile trail to some viewpoints above Upheaval Dome, a 5-km circular impact crater of mysterious origin. This route was quick but the scenes it passed were pretty impressive.

1 setting sun + tons of blazing stone + 2 energetic rascals = this.
1 setting sun + tons of blazing stone + 2 energetic rascals = this.
The hike to Upheaval Dome's viewpoints was easy but it still had a touch of adventure.
The hike to Upheaval Dome’s viewpoints was easy but it still had a touch of adventure.
Upheaval Dome is a spherical oddity that can't be fully appreciated unless seen by the air.
Upheaval Dome is a spherical oddity that can’t be fully appreciated unless seen by the air.

And so ended our first day in Moab and the first part of my story. Next week our clash with sand continues.

A Civil Ball

A hundred and fifty years ago I wasn’t even a twinkle in my great-great-great grandpa’s eye yet I’ve spun across the dancefloor with the Union and Confederate clad as colliding petticoats have added their swirls to the drones of the dulcimer.

Recently, Old Glory Vintage Dancers put on a ball commemorating the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War. Jason and I attended attired in hoopskirts and waistcoats. Visiting the past sometimes simply requires a closet not a callbox.

Some sentiments are timeless.
Some sentiments are timeless.

Time gracefully reversed at this event with live period music, parlor games, and a presidential visitor. And what would a ball be without dancing? (That was a rhetorical question.) We romped some of my era favorites that evening like Oslo Waltz and Soldier’s Joy.

On that note, hoopskirts are both super annoying and super fun to dance in. It’s a paradox that cannot be explained by even the most astute logic…sorry Spock. Corsets, on the other hand, not only defy explanation but patience, especially when laced ineptly. Unable to fasten my own corset for this affair, I enlisted Jason’s help. Despite his best efforts, he somehow managed to make that inglorious contraption way too loose at the top and bottom yet so tight in the middle that my ribs were bruised by the end of the evening. Now and then it would be convenient if Jason were a lady.

President Lincoln made a stately appearance at the ball.
President Lincoln made a stately appearance at the ball.

A century and a half ago our country rejoiced in its reclaimed indivisibility. Jason and I lately remembered that historic elation with energetic steps and uncomfortable undergarments. Long live patriotism and pantaloons!

Achieving 60

Life is full of milestones, whether they be goals accomplished, changes initiated, or years reached.

Jason’s dad, Keith, realized one such achievement recently, his 60th birthday. As with most noteworthy occasions, this called for embarrassment and gluttony.

Sabins are not known for their decorum.
Sabins are not known for their decorum.

Jason and I, along with various other Sabins, planned a surprise party for Keith. For my part, I commissioned a fancy cake depicting some of the highlights of his life and compiled a scrapbook with memories contributed by various family members. No one could ever accuse me of doing things halfway.

My friend Robyn made this amazing cake.
My friend Robyn made this amazing cake.
The majority of Keith's siblings attended and they were in top teasing form.
The majority of Keith’s siblings attended and they were in top teasing form.

Lots of relatives and friends showed up for this celebration, an indisputable sign of 60 years well lived.

Happy birthday Dad!