Spring Fever in Utah
- Thread starter kcowyo
- Start date
Andrew Walcker
Mod Emeritus
Nice KC, keep the story coming!
taco chaser
Supporting Sponsor
:xxrotflma hahahahaha. Thanks for the photo's, Utah is beautiful, I have got to get out there before every trail in the US is closed down.7wt said:
Last edited:
Michael Slade
Untitled
kcowyo said:
I LOVE this attitude. I wish more people shared it.
kcowyo
ExPo Original
Best Day Ever
April 27
It's fair to say we had been having a wonderful trip so far. Aside from the all night drive and nekkid Jeep guy, we had taken in beautiful scenery, dusty trails, cool cars and some awesome campsites. With little more than the desire to go, we found ourselves having a trip we couldn't have planned any better if we tried. And somehow it was about to get even better.
I was eager to get up on that Sunday morning. Eager to see our campsite and surroundings at first light and to spend some time sipping coffee in the tranquil valley. While the water was heating up, I stepped outside to survey the area. Looking down the trail towards that group of RV's and 5th wheels, I spotted what had to be a hot air balloon blowing up. As if I had just spotted Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster, I jump back into the camper frantically digging out my camera.
I begin hollering at Mia, still sleeping peacefully in her bag. "Get up! Get up! There's a hot air balloon down there!"
With more enthusiasm than I have ever seen, she rolls out of the bunk scrambling for her camera as well. Like two little kids at the circus, we look at each other in a state of disbelief as one after another giant balloon slowly inhales to life and slowly drifts off over the red buttes and sandstone spires that fill this valley. With little thought of composition, lighting or scale, we just start snapping off picture after picture as a dozen or more balloons fill the horizon.
Now I have had some amazing moments in travelling around the west over the years. I have seen freaky weather, kitschy tourist traps, historic battle sites, serene alpine lakes, moving rocks, grizzly bears and wolves, sunsets in Monterey and expedition rigs from around the world. But nothing I can recall gave me the feeling of elation and wonderment as watching those balloons seemingly pop up like bubbles from the red spires of Valley of the Gods. There are moments and then there are moments. This moment, was one of my finest and most memorable.
As the last balloon lifts off for it's silent ride over the area, the chase vehicles take off in hot pursuit, leaving a dusty stream over the trail. Nothing left for us to do but shake our heads in disbelief and sip coffee, amazed by our good fortune. What had seemed a selfish decision the night before now felt like the smartest move we'd made the whole trip.
.
April 27
It's fair to say we had been having a wonderful trip so far. Aside from the all night drive and nekkid Jeep guy, we had taken in beautiful scenery, dusty trails, cool cars and some awesome campsites. With little more than the desire to go, we found ourselves having a trip we couldn't have planned any better if we tried. And somehow it was about to get even better.
I was eager to get up on that Sunday morning. Eager to see our campsite and surroundings at first light and to spend some time sipping coffee in the tranquil valley. While the water was heating up, I stepped outside to survey the area. Looking down the trail towards that group of RV's and 5th wheels, I spotted what had to be a hot air balloon blowing up. As if I had just spotted Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster, I jump back into the camper frantically digging out my camera.
I begin hollering at Mia, still sleeping peacefully in her bag. "Get up! Get up! There's a hot air balloon down there!"
With more enthusiasm than I have ever seen, she rolls out of the bunk scrambling for her camera as well. Like two little kids at the circus, we look at each other in a state of disbelief as one after another giant balloon slowly inhales to life and slowly drifts off over the red buttes and sandstone spires that fill this valley. With little thought of composition, lighting or scale, we just start snapping off picture after picture as a dozen or more balloons fill the horizon.
Now I have had some amazing moments in travelling around the west over the years. I have seen freaky weather, kitschy tourist traps, historic battle sites, serene alpine lakes, moving rocks, grizzly bears and wolves, sunsets in Monterey and expedition rigs from around the world. But nothing I can recall gave me the feeling of elation and wonderment as watching those balloons seemingly pop up like bubbles from the red spires of Valley of the Gods. There are moments and then there are moments. This moment, was one of my finest and most memorable.
As the last balloon lifts off for it's silent ride over the area, the chase vehicles take off in hot pursuit, leaving a dusty stream over the trail. Nothing left for us to do but shake our heads in disbelief and sip coffee, amazed by our good fortune. What had seemed a selfish decision the night before now felt like the smartest move we'd made the whole trip.
.
Northern Explorer
Explorer
Great write-up. I have to get out there some day.
FourByLand
Expedition Leader
Beautiful shot and great story to go along as always.
Thanks for the afternoon mind trip, KC!
:elkgrin:
Thanks for the afternoon mind trip, KC!
:elkgrin:
IH8RDS
Explorer
Funny you should mention that nekkid thing. A few months back I was researching White Rim trail and I came across a similar blog of a nekkid dude and a guy filming him. I believe the story was from 2006. Probibly didnt get caught in 2007. :jump:
Great pictures and story by the way.
Great pictures and story by the way.
kcowyo
ExPo Original
It was going to be hard to beat waking up to an unexpected hot air balloon festival but we had planned some special places to visit that day. We allowed ourselves enough time that morning for some coffee and a brief walk before regretfully packing up to head out. Neither one of us said it outloud, but it was clear we had found a great spot and if we had stay there a couple of more days, well that would have been just fine.
Nice campsite -
The day started off with a tremendous amount of promise and it continued to get better. The winds had died down and the sky was clear blue. We took a few pictures of our campsite and a few goofy self-portraits. I make some notes in my journal and it's clear to me we're both stalling, not at all eager to leave.
I even offered to set up the Zodi shower for her but then I noticed the one mishap of our trip. At home I had filled a 2.5 gallon water jug just for showers. As I went to retrieve it, I found it nearly empty. A pinhole leak had allowed most of the water to escape and (fortunately) drain out of the icebox. So scratch the whole shower idea...
Nestled under a giant spire -
So we exited Valley of the Gods somewhat reluctantly. But I always say the same thing when I leave a place too quickly, "I'll be back." I have no doubts we'll be back again sometime. Hopefully with more time to linger and lurk about, respectfully.
Valley of the Gods -
kcowyo
ExPo Original
Goosenecks State Park -
A few miles away from VOG, lies the remote Goosenecks State Park. The park offers unique views of the San Juan River by looking down into a 1,000 ft chasm and series of gooseneck turns. This amazing and rare geologic formation is known as an entrenched meander. The river meanders back and forth, flowing for more than five miles while progressing only one linear mile toward the Colorado River and Lake Powell.
Almost 2 years ago, I had the good fortune of staying in this park. I was on a three day weekend adventure with good friend Mark D. Stephens and his super cool wife Brooke. We home-based in the park while we visited many of the unique nearby areas in SE Utah. One of the funnier/not so funny stories of that weekend was the Stephens' losing their shower tent due to high winds and the high altitude. It flew the coop in a windstorm one afternoon while we were out shooting pics and we never could find it. And we looked and looked and looked...
It wouldn't have been hard to spot but it was nowhere to be found. I thought Mark was an incredibly good sport about it. Maybe he pouted on the way home, but he made the best of the situation while we were all there. It always makes for a good campfire tale if nothing else.
I want to show Mia the park and where my buddy Mark bid adieu to his Paha Que tepee tent. So we travel out onto the mesa where we all camped years before. Nothing had changed. We brought out our cameras and peered into the giant chasm for a bit. A few minutes later Mia asks, "What's that white thing down there? It looks like a tent or a tarp?" Knowing the story, she jokes, "Maybe that's Marks' tent."
That white thing down there -
My camera doesn't have enough lens to give me a decent view or photo so I grab my binoculars from the truck. And straight down below the campsite we shared before is a white tepee tent with a green roof, purple sleeve for grabbing the towel and a pale green bottom. I don't have a Paha Que shower tent but I know one when I see one. The binoculars don't lie.
I am dumbfounded. We walked up and down this area looking everywhere for it and never saw it. Has it been there the whole time? Did it blow away and come back? Did some other rube set up his top of the line shower tent on a cliff in a windstorm? I haven't a clue. And I have no way to retrieve it because I would have, if possible.
Long way down -
With a minimal amount of cell service and even less thought on my part, I called Mark from that very spot. I'm eager to tell him about our find and to get his reaction. Unfortunately I only get his voice mail as he is out in the Chiricahua Mtns of Arizona, relieving his cabin fever as well. It's probably not the kind of thing a guy wants to be reminded of anyway. Those tents aren't cheap and I know he's struggled to come up with a suitable replacement since.
So maybe I'll take the high road and not rub his face in it this time. Aww... who am I kidding? I can't do that and neither would Mark. But I'll save that jaw-jacking for our private conversations. The point is of this story is, yet another bit of Utah magic had shown itself on this morning. That and don't pitch your shower tent on a cliff overlooking the San Juan River.
bigreen505
Expedition Leader
I really need to figure out how to get out more. :truck:
Tucson T4R
Expedition Leader
Beautiful pictures and great writing covering your day's events and emotions. Very cool. Thanks for sharing your trip. :safari-rig: