When Jason and I first visited Escalante and stayed at
Escalante Yurts, I immediately thought it would be a perfect spot for some
family adventures and togetherness. Two years later, Jason and I made that
bonding outing happen as our birthday present to everyone in my clan.
The yurts at Escalante Yurts have all the perks of camping and none of the drawbacks.
Planning this trip was a bit complicated. We told the group
about our idea last November and managed to schedule a weekend this spring when
the yurts and almost all my family were available. Although we planned months
in advance, only 75% of the crew ended up attending. Still, it was the greatest
concentration of us in a remote location in over 20 years. Hallelujah for my preparation
inclinations!
The hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls passes many intriguing elements like beaver dams, a pictograph, and ancient granaries.
We all arrived at the yurts within an hour or two of each other. Then, eighteen of us ate pizza and Spanish anchovies at Escalante Outfitters. Escalante Outfitters is an unconventional but tasty consortium of lodgings, gear, and grub. After dinner, we wasted no time getting pungently smoky around a campfire. Encompassed in its crackling hospitality, we chatted until after midnight.
Although some family members were already on their way down from Lower Calf Creek Falls as others were heading up, with the help of some freshly-pulled taffy all were convinced to assemble at the falls for a group photo.
The next morning, we headed off on the 5.5-mile trek to
Lower Calf Creek Falls, one of Escalante’s most popular paths. Our group spread
out quickly between teenagers trying to impress each other with speed and
younger children not being entirely convinced they wanted to move. Jason and I stayed
with the slower faction and kept the kids distracted through entertaining
readings and dramatizations at each of the trail’s 14 interpretive stops. It
was an enjoyable ramble with plenty of meaningful conversations, merriment, and
views of marvelous wilderness.
The kids were eager for some cousin time. Many games of Fugitive were played around the yurts, even after dark.
We spent the evening hanging around the yurts and carrying
out an epic Easter egg hunt covering a significant portion of the yurt’s 20
acres. Usually, our Easter hunts are impressive only in terms of the number of
items hidden. Obviously, this one’s ambitiousness extended to terrain
complexity and size.
When you have access to 20 acres and plenty of crannies, choosing where to stash goodies becomes difficult in a different way.
On our return journey, we made lots of stops. The first was
to see the Freemont granaries along the Escalante River and hike to the 100 Hands
Pictograph. This short, and somewhat-adventurous, trek has lots of points of
interest that kept the kids attentive. I’ve heard rumors that it was the
favorite outing of the weekend for many.
The grounds at Escalante Yurts are well-appointed with everything needed for a memorable stay.This is what happens when you let your brother give you a push.
Next, we snacked and refreshed ourselves at Kiva Koffeehouse
amidst gorgeous views and agreeable sunshine. Then, at Anasazi State Park, the
kids and once-upon-a-time kids explored replica dwellings and viewed artifacts
dating back to 1050. The last stop on our way home was Hell’s Backbone Grill, an
appetizing diversion. The Jenchiladas were just as scrumptious as I remembered
them.
The trail to the 100 Hands Pictograph is short and packed with rock art.
This weekend excursion was basically a reunion sponsored by
the Sabins. I wish my entire family could have come, but it was still awesome
to have a significant portion present. We got to witness Ryan’s performing
skills, sample Andrew’s chili, watch the kids excavate muddy stumps in search
of golden eggs, eat anchovies like the aliens on V, and laugh about childhood
mishaps. It reminded me that my brother has a superb sense of humor, my sister
an infinite reserve of kindness, and that countless connections bind us to each
other. Happy birthday everyone!
We visited Moab again this spring like we do every year. This
time, instead of undertaking the most protracted hikes and activities possible,
we made this a trip of the minute. Little hikes, short stops, and quick
diversions added up to a busy but awesome weekend.
Moab is usually pleasant in March, but “pleasant” may have
been a stretch this time. The first night, temperatures dropped below freezing.
We encountered ice on our initial hike the following morning, which happened to
be through Moonflower Canyon. Moonflower Canyon’s one-mile-roundtrip path
doesn’t pass anything particularly interesting; I’m not sure I would recommend
it unless you want an easy trek for kids. The rock art at the mouth of the
canyon is cool though. It can be viewed by walking just south of the parking
lot.
The Birthing Scene Rock seemed to function as a message board for the ancients.
The Birthing Scene, just a few minutes from Moonflower, was
our next stop. This is a large boulder that has petroglyphs on all four sides,
some of them quite singular. No hiking is required to reach this distinctive rock,
making it a worthy stop for even halfhearted sightseers.
Getting up this ravine, part of the hike to Funnel Arch, isn’t easy for the short and unskilled.Funnel Arch’s substantial curves don’t see many visitors.
Our last outing along Kane Creek Road that morning was a
hike to Funnel Arch. While this trail is only one mile in total, it requires a class
five climb up a small cliff without a rope. Isn’t the necessity of a rope what
makes a class five climb a class five climb? Luckily, Jason is a monkey when it
comes to scrambling, and he was able to help me, and my stubby limbs, navigate
this precipice. I wouldn’t recommend this trail to those with small children or
a strong sense of self-preservation. Admittedly, Funnel Arch is magnificent and
probably worth the bother.
We’ve visited Eye of the Whale Arch before, but the afternoon light was more flattering this time.This pool isn’t usually present next to Sand Flats Road.
These short activities gave us the flexibility to get to our
sunset photography tour with Tom Till on time, which was a Valentine’s Day
present from Jason. Tom Till has been photographing Moab for about four
decades. Although Jason and I are more familiar with Moab than its typical visitors,
Tom showed us some spots we had never been. We got shots of Eye of the Whale
Arch in pleasing afternoon light, took in the view from a secluded section of the
Pinyon Interpretive Loop, and stopped for some reflection pictures in a couple
fleeting ponds along Sand Flats Road. Normally, spare water is not part of Moab’s
landscape, but it had gotten some serious rain in the preceding weeks. Capturing
this atypical moisture was fun. Since I take portraits much more frequently
than landscapes, I found Tom’s tour informative and interesting. My biggest
lesson learned was noticing lighting changes; they are dependent not just on
time of day but also on time of year.
La Sal means “The Salt.” Someone is going to get serious hypertension from that serving.
The next day, we went down to the newly designated Shash Jaa
Unit of Bears Ears National Monument. I remain confused about whether this area
is still slated to be called Bears Ears. Whatever its official name, I’d call
it splendid.
You aren’t supposed to get up during vacations at 6:30, but we bucked habit to make it to House on Fire Ruins while light reflecting off canyon walls consumed it in daily flames. We trekked through Mule Canyon in time to photograph this midmorning phenomenon. Mule’s walls seemed to not only reflect the sun but a patient wisdom from watching civilizations spring up and disappear again over the eons. The stream flowing through it, probably much deeper and wider than normal, harmonized its tranquil chant to the hushed dignity of the vibrant hills.
For structures that burn every day, House on Fire Ruins are in pretty great shape.
After burning photos, we checked out Mule Canyon Ruins. These
remnants are easy to get to and make a nice brief stop. The partially-excavated
structures include a kiva, towers, and connecting tunnels.
Next, we hiked to Cave Tower Ruins. These ruins consist of seven
structures surrounding a spring at the mouth of a canyon, most of which have
crumbled to rubble over the last 700 years. Even though time’s tenacity has
removed some of the interest of this site, its peace and presence justify a
visit.
Remember, I said this was a trip of many short stops? Well,
we kept stopping. Butler Wash Ruins was the next in our long string of distractions.
This brief ramble leads to an overlook above a rock alcove filled with
structures from the 1200s. These buildings are reminiscent of Mesa Verde, probably
because the inhabitants of Mesa Verde heavily influenced the residents of
Butler.
Faux Falls does not look artificially constructed.
Somehow, after all those breaks, we made it back to Moab
just in time for a photography experiment at Faux Fall. Although made in the 1980s
by tinkering humans not God, this “fake” cascade looks anything but fake, and the
cottonwoods and desert shrubs surrounding it don’t seem to mind either way. We
wanted to make it to Faux Fall for sunset photos, and we did. As assumed, I took
a surplus number of pictures.
No, this isn’t normal for Moab in March.Castle Valley gets its name from its intense towers of Wingate sandstone.
Our last day in Moab, we hiked a portion of the Porcupine
Rim Trail to a few viewpoints overlooking Castle Valley. We found this trail in
an unusual state due to the odd combination of precipitation and chilliness
that Moab had been experiencing. Snow covered large sections of the first
portion. Slick mud bogged and streams of water flowed over the rest of the path
making us glad we weren’t dragging our bikes that day. We didn’t see many jeepers,
bikers, or dirt bikers, probably for the afore mentioned reasons. Muck made the
going slow, but viewpoints made it meaningful. The whitewashed La Sals provided
a stark contrast to the scarlets of sandstone and the jades of juniper and
pinyon. The consensus? Both Jason and I were glad we trekked this trail, but we
would pick other hikes to repeat before this one.
The panoramas of Castle Valley are the best thing about Porcupine Rim.We accumulated layers of brightly-colored mud on our shoes on Porcupine Rim. It was slippery, so I’m surprised we didn’t accumulate it on our butts.
We may not have embarked on any grandiose explorations
during this visit to Moab, but we took in a lot of beautiful, and often-overlooked,
components of an exceptional section of the planet.
Our time at Ulusaba went quickly. Our last game drive took
us right up to when we needed to catch the first of our flights home. We just
barely had a chance to finish packing before heading to the airstrip. We did
not have time to take showers. Getting wet on our drive that morning didn’t
count because it made us more stinky, which is opposite what an ideal shower
should do. After about 10 hours in the Johannesburg airport and an 11.5-hour
redeye flight back to Amsterdam, we reeked in multiple ways. If our morning
breath didn’t get you, our safari funk would. It’s pretty sad when you think, Geeze, something smells foul in here,
and then you realize that foul something is you.
The Oude Kerk was built in 1213. This historic sanctuary sits in striking contrast amidst the Red Light District’s gaudiness.
We were really worn out and ready to be home, lengthy
showers didn’t change that, but we couldn’t waste a beautiful day in Amsterdam.
Even Jason’s earth-shattering sneezes from the cold he picked up in Africa
didn’t keep us from visiting the Oude Kerk and the National Maritime Museum.
This misericord features a woman gathering excrement from a man and is meant to illustrate the Dutch proverb, “Pull gently at a weak rope.”
The Oude Kerk, Amsterdam’s oldest building, is an unusual
church. Not only is it oddly placed in the middle of the city’s prostitution
district, but it’s uncanny down to its bowels. When we visited, its wooden
vaults were filled with a melodious cacophony. Ravens, melancholic rhythms,
bomber strikes, kitchen clinks, and forlorn voices combined and lapped us in wave
after wave of eerie composition. This din was provided by the Instrument of
Troubled Dreams, a bizarre art instillation featuring a mellotron that guests could
play. We lightheartedly created our own unsettling musical fantasies with this apparatus.
That wasn’t the end of the unexpected eccentricity we encountered at this historical
church though.
The Basilica of Saint Nicholas is much newer than the Oude Kerk. It only dates back to 1887.
The carvings under the folded seats in the Oude Kerk, known as
misericords, feature representations of Dutch proverbs. One would expect bland
depictions in an 800-year-old church, but some medieval craftsmen must have had
a rather crude sense of humor. Instead of revered characters and noble deeds, think
excrement. I jest not.
The original VOC Amsterdam shipwrecked on its maiden voyage in 1749. This replica hasn’t shipped enough to wreck.On the VOC Amsterdam, you can pull things, push things, and steer things.
After visiting the Oude Kerk, we walked to the National Maritime
Museum. We only had about an hour and a half to explore it before closing. We
spent the majority of that time discovering the replica of the VOC Amsterdam
and examining the Royal Barge.
The Royal Barge was built in the 1800s for a Dutch king. Royal barges were quite trendy at the time.
Perhaps Amsterdam was a fitting finish to our African journey.
Its crest does feature two golden lions, amongst other things, and this trip
was the shiniest gold lion we’ve ever received.
The National Maritime Museum is located in a building that was constructed in the 1600s and was once used by the Admiralty of Amsterdam.
For days after our return, I dreamed of Africa every night as my brain tried in vain to process the marvels we had witnessed. My memories of that wondrously untamed place remain vibrant yet otherworldly. Every once in a while, I have to remind myself that they are real.
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