Co-Pilots for Julafton - Dec 24, 2014

Co-Pilots for Julafton - Dec 24, 2014

For the first time on the trip we woke up not fully sure of what the day had in store for us. We had gone to bed late, especially with Las Vegas being another hour earlier being Pacific time, so it was probably 2am when we fell asleep the night before. After wishing each other God Jul, and some stumbling around the hotel room, we phoned a couple of different helicopter tour companies, and after some initial dismay that they weren’t doing any tours of the Grand Canyon the next day, we managed to get the last two spots on a tour leaving from Las Vegas in just two hours! So we cleaned up quick, packed up, and checked out within about 20 minutes. On the way to the airport which was only a couple of blocks away, we took a small detour to the iconic welcome to Las Vegas sign. Even on Christmas eve it was busy, and there was a queue to take photos, even with someone working there for tips keeping things relatively organised. 

Filip looking fabulous in Sin City

Once at the airport we parked, grabbed our camera gear and checked in for our flight! The woman working there referred to Filip as my son which was pretty funny. We were a bit early so spent the time waiting watching videos of helicopter footage of all the beautiful sites along the canyon, including Glen Canyon, Canyonlands national park and Arches where we’d been just two days prior. As the previous groups arrived back, there was a family of Norwegians and the teenage boys in the family were chatting about what hashtag they should use for the photos they’d taken and posting to Instagram. I thought that was quite funny, obviously the whole point of doing this tour was to get photos for instagram, right? ;) But at last it was our turn! Filip and I were joined by a young Indian couple and one of their parents, along with our pilot Troy for the ride. Filip and I got to sit in the front which was exciting, with Filip as co-pilot right front and centre! We put on our noise cancelling headphones with microphone so we’d be able to talk during the flight despite the noise from the rotor. The takeoff was quite unreal, one moment we were on the tarmac and then suddenly we were hovering just inches off the ground. We made some manoeuvres apparently to show the tower that the copter was fully functional, and all of a sudden we were hundreds of feet up in the air and climbing, and flying at about 100miles per hour over Las Vegas. There were three other choppers leaving at the same time as us and we flew in a caravan of sorts due east, slowly approaching Lake Mead, then around Hoover dam before entering the Grand Canyon. It was amazing! Not just the cliffs and the scale of everything, but also how it appeared out of nowhere from a very flat landscape, and of course the colours and shapes too, just incredible. We saw the famous skywalk hovering over the edge of the canyon which is actually not in the national park but in the western section owned by the Hualapai tribe. My favourite part was zooming over the upper parts of the canyon with close proximity, it felt like being in a video game! We flew around the canyon for about 15 minutes before having to turn back, seeing other sights like an old airfield where the air force would practice taking off from aircraft carriers, plenty of boat marinas, a copper mine, the canal by Frenchmans gulley that helps alleviate flooding during rain events, and a retirement community about an hour away from any services like gas stations, hospitals or grocery stores. As we approached the airport we swooped around the las vegas strip again and saw all the famous hotels up close again from above, including the pyramid where we’d stayed! Filip had set his GoPro to film along the bottom window of the helicopter the whole time so we got some great footage of the trip. Overall, the helicopter ride was totally worth it. It was a great way to see the canyon, but also we saw so many other things and it was just fun to experience riding in a helicopter for the firs time. We had our photo made in front of the helicopter and being hungry now found the closest In-N-Out for a double-double each and chocolate shakes! 

Our identical neighbour helicopter taking off

Co-Pilots!

Filip with the best seat in the house

Approaching the amazing Grand Canyon

Our home from the night before guarded by a big cat

Fueled up, we got back on the road and veered off the highway to see Hoover Dam. Pappa / Morfar would be proud! It was quite cool to see, especially having been around plenty of hydropower plants in the past, and having seen it already from the sky. The spillway was immense, but bone dry as the water level was very low and overall the reservoir only at about 40% of capacity. The history of the dam is quite cool, and there were lots of reminders of this there like the plaques from each state that had been part of the project. Back on the road the highway through northern Arizona was straight as an arrow, and it wasn’t long before we reached Williams, AZ. The last few miles were quite hilly though and we’d gone through some wooded areas as we had reached Kalibab national forest. Williams was a very cute little town with an old centre of two one-way parallel streets. Everything was closed but the displays in the shops were nice, most referring to being on historic route 66. Our motel was one of the few places still open and the woman at the office was very friendly helping us get our key for our room. Despite less hiking we were quite exhausted so we spent the evening reading and watching some tv before heading to bed.

Double-Double with Cheese please, hold the onion

Massive spillway at Hoover dam, not quite as big as Bakun though

Selfie time with the powerhouse photobombing us

From peak to pyramid - Dec 23, 2014

From peak to pyramid - Dec 23, 2014

Waking up calmly and gradually was a nice change compared to the alarm signals from the previous couple of days. After some dilly dallying we packed up and drove in the mile or so into downtown Salina to have breakfast at the famous Mom’s cafe on the corner of State and Main streets. This cafe is indeed famous, having been featured on the cover of National Geographic some time in the mid 90s! We found a booth and helped Filip orient himself around the menu of a classic American diner. We settled down for some eggs (over medium) with pancakes, sausage and bacon, while Ashley with her coffee was quite envious of the whipped cream Filip and I got on our hot chocolate! The boysenberry syrup for the pancakes was also a perfect touch. We begrudgingly had to say goodbye to Ashley as she would head back ‘up north’ as the locals call Salt Lake City, while Filip and I jumped back into the car and headed to the south-west. 

Ashley and I at the famous Mom's Cafe in downtown Salina, UT

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, especially compared to the storm in the mountains the night before, and we could admire the mountains to the west under clear blue skies as we were nearly the only ones on the road. Instead of taking the larger I-15 interstate we drove down on highway 89 through some picturesque little towns like Marysvale and Panguitch. Arriving to the entrance of Zion national park we knew we’d be in for a treat so we set up the GoPro to take a time-lapse as we snaked our way along the Zion-Mount Carmel highway below some incredible peaks and cliffs. After passing through a relatively long and dark tunnel we emerged into Zion canyon itself which was just breath-taking. The park seemed quite busy considering it was ‘dagen före dopparedagen’ but it also seemed most people at the visitor centre were foreign visitors. Having picked up a patch and some postcards at the gift shop we drove out to the grotto and had a quick lunch before prepping a pack with extra layers of clothes and some snacks getting ready for the hike up to Angel’s Landing. 

Excited about our healthy lunch of Pepis, Babybel cheese and peanut butter on bagels

It was quite cold in the shade on the east side of the canyon, surely not much above freezing, but once we started our hike bathed in sunlight the layers came off and it felt like we could have been hiking in shorts. The trail was impressive coming up the mountainside, with switchbacks constructed into the cliff side, obviously the result of a lot of hard work. The trail continued through a small ravine around the back of Angel’s landing before some more switchbacks and we arrived at Scouts Lookout. This is where many people finish their hike, as it provides a great view from there and signals the beginning of the scrambling section up the last half mile of trail. Honestly, I felt a bit uneasy about continuing, seeing how narrow the trail was and how far the drops were, but Filip and I gathered our courage and set off for the last little bit. There wasn’t any portion of the last half mile where you weren’t more than two or three steps from a sharp drop of several hundred feet on either side. We tried not think about it though and after about 30 minutes reached the summit! It was incredibly peaceful and calm up at the top, and the view was just stunning, with the giant peaks on either side of the canyon framing the virgin river as it was flowing along far below. Filip was quite at ease up top, exploring the top and taking lots of photos. After about 15 minutes we set off again to head back out, and the climb down was both faster and easier than the ascent.

The end of the canyon towards the narrows

Filip the mountaineer

On top of Angel's Landing!

We met many heading up as we were coming down, everyone in a hurry to reach the top before sunset although it seemed like that would be a bad idea to be up there after dark without lights. We drove up the end of the road to where the trail begins on towards the narrows but there wasn’t much light and we had some drive ahead of us so we left the park as the sun was setting and casting beautiful orange light against the white peaks on the east side of the canyon. The drive to Las Vegas was uneventful although the road was real busy. The view of the city from afar was quite impressive, with lights sprawling all over and the tall hotels of the las vegas strip visible from afar with all their different shapes and colours. We had managed to find a very affordable room at the Luxor resort for the evening, and finding our way to the giant pyramid shaped hotel with the light beacon piercing the night sky proved to be quite easy. The hotel was just like I’d remembered Las Vegas being, with lots of different kinds of people, European tourists, Asian families, and many sullen-faced retirees sitting at the slots. Filip seemed confused as to why anyone would sit by those slots like that hours on end. After taking a peculiar slanted elevator up to our room and relaxing for a bit, we set out to walk the strip. After checking out things like the Hershey store and posing by the fake Brooklyn bridge we arrived just in time for the fountain display at the Bellagio. It was really impressive and fun! The music was great and we enjoyed watching that a lot. We walked back through some shopping mall and had a terrible dinner at Chili’s which I’d rather forget actually. But I think we got a good taste of Las Vegas and got in a lot of people watching as well before re-joining the mummies in our pyramid. The hieroglyphs on the headboards of the beds must have cast some kind of spell because we both fell asleep right quick, with me still thinking of the view from Angel’s Landing.

Filip showing where we'd been and the narrow trail up there

Visit from ‘Up North’ - Dec 22, 2014

Sunlight was already peeking in through the curtains when we woke up, but we still managed to see a beautiful sunrise over monument valley from our balcony. After packing up we drove into the monument valley navajo tribal park and saw the incredible iconic view of the mittens and Merrick’s butte. We drove the self-guided tour around the park, admiring the remnants of rock formations formed by erosion with time. Although I now know what the US southwest looks like, especially Texas, this is exactly what I had grown up thinking that the wild west of spaghetti western movies looked like! Heading north out of the valley we stopped about 10 miles north of the park and took some pictures at the iconic spot on route 163 facing south where the road dips down in a long straight away, the scene just about anyone will ever have seen on a travel brochure to the US. As we continued north and climbed up onto a plateau just behind Bluff, UT, the weather turned bad as the temperatures dropped and it started sleeting. We had to slow down and I was worried we wouldn’t get to hike up at Arches after all. However, the minor storm only lasted about an hour and as we approached Monticello and then Moab the sky was blue, and the sun was shining. We had made great time so we turned off the main road and followed the colorado river for a bit as it snaked around some impressive cliffs where we saw plenty of rock climbers. We stopped at the trail head for Corona arch and set out on our first proper hike of the trip! Crossing some train tracks and then following a trail marked with cairns, we arrived to the slick rock portion and had to scramble a tiny bit but there was a ladder and some steel cables which made it easy. Then! Around the bend we saw the incredibly astonishing Corona arch prodding out from the side of the canyon. It was huge! And orange and just amazing! We passed the also impressive bow tie arch but I was just in total awe of Corona arch. We set up a time-lapse with the egg timer and had a snack enjoying the view of the arch and the rest of the canyon with about 5 other hikers who were there. We soon had to turn back though, not before admiring the sea of cairns that had been set up along the trail and after a quick hike back were in the car again heading to Arches national park. There it was windy! The flags were not even flapping, just standing straight out as if frozen. The friendly ranger told us we’d have plenty of time to hike up to delicate arch so we took our time and saw the windows and balanced rock as well quickly on the way up into the park. This hike was a bit more crowded  and the bottom portion reminded me a little of enchanted rock back in Texas. However, it seemed as if we were climbing and climbing up into nothingness as the summit was never visible and we kept going around different turns. My favourite bit was the last section where the trail hugged the cliff wall and then around one last bend the sky opened up and delicate arch was there in front of us beyond a stone bowl in the mountain. The view was terrific, we stayed for about 30 minutes and saw the light turn as the sun was setting. As we were sitting there we somehow had service on the phone and received a text from Johanna and replied back with a ‘selfie’ from delicate arch! Such a crazy contrast, the beautiful formation having taken millions of years to create, and the modern technology of being able to whiz away a photo through the ether all the way across the ocean to the Netherlands. As the sun was setting we struck down back the trail as the first drops of rain were hitting and as we drove out of the park we could see the dense rain clouds dropping off the hills to the east. We’d set Salina, UT as our destination for the evening, a few hours further down the road. I’d mentioned this to my dear friend Ashley (who lives in Houston but from Salt Lake) and she decided to drive down for the evening rom Salt Lake where she was spending Christmas with family! The drive over to Salina started off easy but in the mountains just east it began to snow and temperatures dropped to about 25F so we had to slow down while double trailer trucks were screaming by at 75mph unconcerned about the snow and what I thought were slick conditions. We made it though! With the car barely recognisable with all the grimy dirt kicked up off the road from other cars coming down the mountain. After checking in at the Econo Lodge we went out to the Mexican restaurant next door and sat down for a meal waiting for Ashley to arrive. It turns out her family was from this town of less than 3000 residents! It was great to be reunited and Filip was also happy to hang out with someone else besides his uncle for a while. After Ashley gave a quick tour of the town showing off where her father grew up, we retreated in from the cold and went to sleep, excited about a hot breakfast the next morning in town and looking forward to more hiking in Zion!

We're in the Wild West!

Iconic shot, alone on the road

Climbing to Corona

The incredible Corona Arch!

Utah License Plate

Filip and Delicate Arch at sunset

F & T road trip 2014 starts!

Texas is soooooo big - Dec 20, 2014

After arriving the previous afternoon and having taken care of the most important errands like acquiring a brand new iPhone and and an Xbox game controller, my nephew Filip was ready to join me on an epic road trip through the southwest of the US! We had aimed to set off early and managed to leave by the respectable hour of 7:30 and were in great spirits but 20 miles in to the journey we were caught in terrible traffic on Interstate 45 heading north out of Houston. We managed to move 1.5 miles in about 50 minutes but after that setback we quickly covered plenty of ground. We were aiming to get well into New Mexico by nightfall so stops were minimised until we got to Amarillo. Although… we did stop for gasoline in Corsicana where Filip asked me “Do you know what is a corn dog?”. We looked to see if we could find one so we could satisfy his curiosity, but without luck, and despite my attempts of discouragement, he settled for a burrito from Taco Bell instead. Perfect American road trip fare, right?

The Flying Dutchman Arrives!

Do you know what is a ... Corn Dog?

North Texas roadscape

Amarillo though! I was expecting vast fields of yellow flowers but instead saw one giant highway with lots of billboards and tall fast food signs instead. We passed the famous Big Texan tourist trap and headed straight for the wonderful Nordic Galley Bakeri before they closed. We managed to get there just in time by 17:30 and met my friend Eriks wonderful mother and family that run the bakery. We were treated like royalty, fed a delicious meal with apple tart for dessert and after exchanging stories were sent off with a giant bag full of treats for the coming days. On our way out of town we stopped by cadillac ranch and managed to have a quick look by the light of our flashlights but the wind was biting cold. We left Amarillo and the fragrance of feed lots behind us and soon entered the land of enchantment! It was time to put as many miles behind us as possible, and managed to get to Santa Rosa and our nice little motel room by about 10pm, and settled down for the night.

The wonderful Joni at Nordic Galley Bakeri in Amarillo!

Cadillac Ranch by night

Timelapses, four corners and shotgun holes! - Dec 21, 2014

We’d agreed to rise early and set off at the crack of dawn, managing to pull out of Santa Rosa by 6am. Eager to test our photography equipment, Filip set up a GoPro to take a time-lapse of the car interior while we were driving, and later on the outside to show the road from New Mexico north into Colorado. We stopped in Albuquerque quickly for a mocha and some hot chocolate to go with the delicious muffins that Joni in Amarillo had given us the evening before. The scenery in New Mexico was beautiful, with mesas, ridges, and snow dusted mountain tops in the distance. The road straightened out as we got further north and after crossing the continental divide not once but twice we ended up on a smaller rural road sneaking into Colorado almost without us noticing it. We did however stop for the obligatory photo by the ‘Welcome to ___ enter state here’ sign. It was the first time for either Filip or I in the colourful state! 

Seen along the road in New Mexico - a giant Kever!

Ninja moves trying to avoid the sticky mud in Colorado

We quickly reached our target of Mesa Verde national park and climbed up the mesa and through the burnt forest sections arriving at Chapin Mesa museum in time for the 13:00 tour. It was a pretty large group of 73 that joined us and Ranger Kaitlin on the short stroll down to Spruce Tree House, an ancient Pueblo people dwelling built into the cliffs below the mesa. We had a great time learning about the lifestyle of the people that had lived there 800 years earlier, and finding features such as paintings in the plaster of the interior walls of the structures, and how the ventilation chimneys worked for the ‘kivas’ where the families would gather in groups. We met some interesting people on the tour also, including two women from the USA national rugby team, and David from Seattle who had spent time in Poland teaching workshops there on traditional methods of native americans for cooking and healing. Having gotten our fill of the cliff dwellings, Filip and I decided to hurry onwards and westwards while the sun was still out and try to get to Monument Valley by sunset. Again we stopped by another beautiful Welcome sign, this time on the border to Utah. Crazy though was that the sign was riddled with bullet holes from shotguns! Coloradans must be trying to send a message to their Utahn neighbours… We kept going and arrived after sunset but before twilight so just got to see the contours of the famous mesas of monument valley. We’re excited though about the prospect of some delightful sunrise views instead! We toured the facilities that Gouldings trading post had to offer where were staying, and barely had anything for dinner with neither of us very hungry after two days of mostly sitting on our butts. Tomorrow though, finally some proper hiking in store up at Arches national park!

Filip hiding from the cold up high on the mesa

UNESCO world heritage site Mesa Verde!

Bullet holes welcoming us to live a life elevated