PIKE'S PEAK ~ August 31, 2008

We went to Colorado over Labor Day weekend to visit some friends who live in Florissant near Colorado Springs. While there, we looked at Focus on the Family’s headquarters, saw the historic mining town of Cripple Creek, stood on the Continental Divide, and drove up Pike’s Peak. Due to its prominent height and location at the eastern edge of the Rockies where the mountains jut up from the flat prairie, Pike’s Peak was a symbol to pioneers and gold seekers heading west. "Pike’s Peak or Bust" became their motto, just as it became ours (scrawled in the dust on the back of our Ford Expedition).

To get there, first we had to wait in a long line of about 20 vehicles at the toll gate (it costs $35 per car). Then we started out on a nice winding road through the forest. Overall the road would climb 7,000 feet in 20 miles and take us through four different life zones - Foothills, Montane, Sub-Alpine, and Alpine Tundra.

Once we got above the tree line at 12,000 feet it became a continuous series of steep switchbacks, sharp hairpin turns, and dizzying drop-offs with an appalling lack of guardrails! That means 25 minutes of sheer terror for someone (like me) who’s afraid of heights!

The road took us an hour to drive one way. Most of it is paved but part of it is gravel. The posted speed is generally 20 mph but only 10 mph at certain places. You have to put your car in low gear and be careful not to ride your brakes or they will get too hot and fail. It almost looks like a highway to heaven... and let me tell you, I for one was doing plenty of praying!

It's amazing how they were able to build a road going all the way up a 14,110-foot peak. The Pikes Peak Highway really is a HIGH way. It was constructed as a toll road for tourists in 1888 and advertised as "the highest road in the world." (Today the highest road in the world is in the Indian Himalayas.) In those days, horse-drawn carriages carried passengers halfway and mule-drawn wagons transported them the rest of the way.

A cog railway was built in 1889, which made the journey easier for gentlemen in jackets and ladies in ruffled skirts going on Sunday afternoon excursions. In 1915, the original roadbed was improved for automobile travel. Nowadays the parking lot is filled with cars, many with out-of-state license plates, which shows that Pike's Peak really is "America's Mountain" and still a popular destination. In addition to a high altitude research station, you will also find a donut shop, gift store, and oxygen bar on top!

The air on the mountaintop contains about 50% less oxygen than at sea level. The two climbers in our family were fine the whole time. The rest of us had mild queasiness, breathlessness, and occasional heart pounding, but no headaches. We spent about an hour at that elevation.

The north side of the summit provides a dramatic view of a nearly vertical 1200-ft. deep ravine known as the Bottomless Pit. BE CAREFUL! HOLD ONTO YOUR CHILDREN! Sadly, it's been the site of a few suicides.

The peak temperature seldom exceeds 40F even in summer and snow is a possibility year-round. Standing in the cold thin air on the windswept summit, the view literally is breathtaking. You’ve probably heard that Katherine Lee Bates was inspired to write “America the Beautiful” based on her experience traveling to Pike’s Peak in 1893 and it’s true, we could see clearly all the way from the fruited Great Plains to the majestic Rocky Mountains (although they looked blue rather than purple), with spacious skies all around.

Click on the above image to enlarge it so you can read the commemorative plaque, then click your back button to return to this page.

On our trip up the mountain, my 8-year-old at one point began sobbing and blurted out, "I wanted to play a game when we got home, but now I probably won't even live to see tomorrow." Poor little guy! As we started back down he actually fell asleep, which I think was his body's way of handling the stress. As soon as we had safely reached the bottom he woke right up!

"I went up Pike's Peak and lived to tell about it!"

The eloquent and patriotic words of "America the Beautiful" have captivated the heart and soul of an entire nation.

Additional Resources

http://www.pikespeakcolorado.com - Pike’s Peak website.

http://www.pikes-peak.com/Page/122.aspx - Pike’s Peak Information.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20021013/ai_n10012355 - Pike's peak Timeline.

http://www.visitpikespeak.com/history.htm - Pike’s Peak history.

http://www2.gazette.com/pikespeak/index.php - Pike's Peak Bicentennial.

http://www.cograilway.com/ - Pike’s Peak Cog Railway.

“Extending as far as the eye can reach, lie the great level plains, stretched out in all their verdure and beauty, while the winding of the grand Arkansas is visible for many miles. Then the rugged rocks all around, and the almost endless succession of mountains and rocks below, the broad blue sky over our heads and seemingly so very near.” ~Julia Archibald Holmes, the first woman to climb Pike's Peak, 8/12/1858

SP CRATER HIKE ~ June 7, 2008

“The Lonely Mountain! Bilbo had come far and through many adventures to see it, and now he did not like the look of it in the least.” --The Hobbit

SP Mountain, also known as SP Crater, is an excellent example of a cinder cone and its associated lava flow. Plus it's in such pristine condition, it appears to have just stopped erupting!

Quick facts:

-SP is located about 25 miles north of Flagstaff

-The unmaintained dirt road is freely accessible by car but there are no facilities for miles around.

-Best time to go is in spring or fall; in summer go early in the morning and bring plenty of water.

-The moderate 1-mile hike is more like a steep climb on a loose cinder surface.

-The elevation ranges from 6,200-7,020 ft.

-The cinder cone is 3,900 feet across at its base, and 820 feet tall.

-From the rim, SP crater is approximately 400 feet deep.

-The volcano erupted about 1,000 years ago.

We first discovered the SP Mountain area while scouting out campsites in northern Arizona last August. We were surprised to discover a large outcropping of thick black lava just north of the Coconino National Forest boundary. This was right after we had been to El Malpais National Monument in New Mexico, an extensive lava bed south of Grants.

Well, this Arizona lava flow easily rivaled that one, and yet we had never heard of it! Then it wasn’t until we got back home and Rich looked it up on Google Earth, that we saw the volcanic cinder cone from where the lava had come! It was a perfectly symmetrical conical shape with a rounded crater on top, just like the classic volcano picture that little kids draw.

U.S. Geological Survey Photo of SP Crater and Lava Flow.
The long narrow depression in the upper left is a fault line.

Of course this meant that we had to go back there and explore some more, but most of our weekends were booked up. Then when we had a chance to go back in October, one of our kids was sick. Finally on June 7, 2008, we were able to return to SP. In the meantime, this gave us plenty of time to research the area and plan our trip.

The above USGS Digital Elevation Model shows many of the more than 600 vents that have erupted in the 1,900 square mile area of the San Francisco Volcanic Field, a localized “hot spot” where the Coconino Plateau meets the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau. SP Crater is a cinder cone located at the northern end of the volcanic field, which includes Sunset Crater to the southeast. It gets that name from the red and yellow oxidized iron and sulfur particles which give the rim a “sunset” appearance. SP Crater has a less flattering name; its initials apparently mean “Stink Pot.”

Sunset Crater, National Park Service Digital Image Archives

Sunset Crater, considered to be the state’s youngest volcano, erupted several times between A.D. 1064 and 1250. It's been preserved as a National Monument since 1930. There is not much information available about SP Crater even though it is just as good if not better than its more famous neighbor. However, SP Crater is popular with geology students for obvious reasons such as its sharp rim, steep flanks, and radial symmetry. They say that it’s one of the most symmetrical cinder cones in the world. We took this picture of SP at sunrise - that golden glow was fantastic!

You will pass by the entrance to Sunset Crater Volcanic National Monument on the way to SP Crater. To get there, head north on Hwy. 89 past Flagstaff. The picturesque San Francisco Peaks will be on your left. Once you get out of town is when you will see the signs for Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monument. It’s a loop drive, so there will actually be two signs. Keep going north on Hwy. 89 till you pass the second sign.

Just past the second Wupatki National Monument turnoff, and just past Mile Post 447, is an unmarked cattle road. Go west on the cattle road about 5.2 miles, then watch for another unmarked dirt road which heads south and goes behind a hill. (Once you get around the other side of the hill, you will see that it is actually a reddish cinder cone.) These roads are dusty but flat and passable to most vehicles in good weather. Now you will see this view of SP crater directly west of you:

And this view of San Francisco Peaks (still snow-capped!) in the distance:

Keep driving south and shortly you will arrive at a fork in the road. Take the one that curves west toward SP. You will drive past a corral and a round metal cattle trough. We saw a bunch of cattle, including calves. When we stopped and looked at them, they stopped and stared back at us too. They were branded with the letters CO and we found out later that SP Crater is on the Babbitt family’s ranch land but they leave it open to the public.

Just up ahead you will see the SP access road. It branches off to the right across a field and turns into a narrow two-track road that heads up a ridge adjacent to the west side of SP. However, that part of the road is closed off with a little white sign that says “Foot Access Only.” So we stopped and parked right there.

Parents with small toddlers and others who don’t want to climb up the cinder cone can explore the base of the volcano, which is where all of the larger rocks settled. Kids will love scrambling on the rocks and running around the grassy field nearby. Some of the rocks are amazingly light for their size, because they are full of air holes. On other rocks you will see melted areas and cracks. You can also find big rock “bombs” sitting out in the middle of the grass that look like they just landed there. Imagine what it must have been like during the eruption!

The path up to the saddle on the ridge skirted alongside the base of the cinder cone. It looked like it would be a nice leisurely stroll, but considering the altitude of 6,500 ft., even that gradual rise was rather tiring. It was super windy, too, and we had to hold onto our hats. In fact, the wind was so strong that it was hard to hold the camera steady to take a picture!

When you reach the saddle, you can look over and see the lava flow on the other side, with a sandstone plateau beyond. The trail you're on continues down the north side of the ridge, and will take you to the lava field (or you can drive your car around to the lava later).

SP mountain rises 800 ft. above the surrounding plain. If you start hiking up the crater from the ridge you’re now on, it will save many vertical feet of climbing. There doesn’t seem to be any particular trail, so just pick a spot and make your way up the loose cinder surface. It’s a rather steep incline, and yet it’s sloped enough that you can walk up without using your hands.
At first the climb may seem easy, but it gets tiring after a while. Just imagine you’re working out on a stair-step machine, or trudging up 1,860 stairs to the top of the Empire State Building… or Frodo and Sam on Mt. Doom. Due to the nature of the surface, for every two steps up, you slide one step back. It works better if you zigzag back and forth. So it’s a moderately strenuous climb, but well worth the effort.

Since you’re on a continuous slope, there aren’t any good spots to stop and take a break. If you do want to sit down for a minute, you have to dig in with the heels of your boots to brace yourself. As we neared the top, we got a renewed burst of energy and scurried up the rest of the way quickly. Our family made it to the top in about 40 minutes, but if you’re in good shape and don't keep stopping, you can probably do it in less time.

You will know you’re finally near the top when you see several gnarled trees and an outcropping of large rocks; that’s the edge of the rim. Stepping up there for the first time, you don’t quite know what to expect – and then all of a sudden there’s an Imax-quality panorama of a 400-ft. deep crater in front of you. It’s much wider than I thought it would be, too. A photo can’t really do it justice – we should have taken a video and panned from side to side. I attempted to simulate that by splicing two images together, as shown below. If only we had a third one for the left side it would look even better!

The summit was also higher than I anticipated. The top of the crater is at 7,027 ft. I had to sit down and force myself not to look around, or else my fear of heights would overtake me. But everyone else got an impressive view of the San Francisco Peaks, the lava flow coming out from the north side of the crater, and the high desert plateau beyond.

If you’re brave enough to look down into the crater, you can see the bottom. It’s not flat but is covered with a pile of rocks. I wouldn’t advise attempting to climb down to the center; it looked awfully steep. You can hike all the way around the rocky rim, though, if you want to.

Going back down takes about 20 minutes, and with gravity on your side it was a lot easier than climbing up. I never expected the descent to be so much fun! You really don’t have much choice but to slide down the loose scree on the heels of your boots – it felt a lot like skiing! But it’s such a gentle ride, you don’t have to worry about gaining too much speed or falling on the seat of your pants.

Just be prepared to get lots of cinders in your shoes and don’t bother trying to stop and empty them out until you reach the bottom. The cinders are so deep in some places that I actually sank over the top of my boots! Below, you can see the skid marks left behind from people sliding down:

Try to be careful and maneuver around all of the small plants so erosion is kept to a minimum. That’s why nearby Sunset Crater is closed to climbing and hiking.

When we got back to the car, we drove around the other side of SP crater to see where the lava poured out from the base. From there, the jagged black rock stretches five miles to the north. The depth of the lava varies from 50-180 feet thick.

We continued to head west on the dirt road through beautiful wide open country, with the San Francisco Peaks always looming in the background. We came across a portion of the Arizona Trail which runs through there. It’s a 790-mile non-motorized trail traversing the entire state of Arizona from Mexico to Utah. We came out at the other end of Babbitt Ranch, just before reaching Hwy. 180.

Did You Know…? “Most of the more than 600 volcanoes in the San Francisco Volcanic Field are basalt cinder cones. Basalt has the lowest viscosity of all common magmas. Cinder cones are relatively small, usually less than 1,000 feet tall, and form within months to years. They are built when gas-charged frothy blobs of basalt magma are erupted as an upward spray, or lava fountain. During flight, these lava blobs cool and fall back to the ground as dark volcanic rock containing cavities created by trapped gas bubbles. If small, these fragments of rock are called “cinders” and, if larger, “bombs.” As the fragments accumulate, they build a cone-shaped hill. Once sufficient gas pressure has been released from the supply of magma, lava oozes quietly out to form a lava flow. This lava typically squeezes out from the base of the cone and tends to flow away for a substantial distance because of its low viscosity.” (From: Priest, Duffield, Malis-Clark, Hendley II, and Stauffer, 2001, The San Francisco Volcanic Field, Arizona: USGS Fact Sheet 017-01)

Additional Information

http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/north_america/sp_mountain.html

http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/north_america/sp_mountain2.html

http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/fact-sheet/fs017-01/

http://wrgis.wr.usgs.gov/fact-sheet/fs017-01/

http://geology.com/volcano/sp-crater.shtml

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Arizona/description_arizona_volcanoes.html

COMING SOON!

We've been so busy going places that I haven't had a chance to upload any new entries in a while! Please check back soon for the following:

Arizona State Capitol Museum
Agua Fria National Monument
Boyce Thompson Arboretum
Picacho Peak
McCullough-Price House
Desert Botanical Garden
California Mojave Desert
New Mexico White Sands
... and more!

CIVIL WAR DEMO~ January 12, 2008

American Civil War, December 1862: Major General Ambrose Burnside, in command of the Union Army of the Potomac, sent troops to occupy the vicinity of Fredericksburg. General Robert E. Lee reacted by entrenching the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia on the heights behind the town. Burnside originally planned to cross the Rappahannock River 10 miles downstream from the town of Fredericksburg, but Confederate troops arrived there and blocked him. So he decided to cross directly at Fredericksburg. On December 12th, the Federal army went over the river and through the town. Over the next couple of days, Burnside mounted a series of assaults on Prospect Hill and Marye’s Heights which proved futile. Consequently, Burnside called off the offensive on December 15 and retreated across the river, ending the campaign and resulting in a Confederate victory.

Public Domain Image: Battle of Fredericksburg by Kurz and Allison

Several families in our homeschool group stepped back in time to the day when the Union Army attacked the town of Fredericksburg in December 1862. The boys in particular really got into it and had a blast! The Battle of Fredericksburg re-enactment took place at Pioneer Village, Arizona's most historically accurate living history site, with 90 acres located off I-17 just south of Anthem.

Considering all of the unusually rainy weekends we've had lately, we were lucky that it was a beautiful clear winter day. The re-enactors said that it was perfect weather for wearing their wool uniforms - but even so, they still got hot marching out there under the bright desert sun!

We arrived at 9:00 am when the gates opened and that gave us plenty of time to visit the Union soldiers' camp before the fighting began. Both Union and Confederate re-enactors are a great bunch of guys, eager to offer information and answer questions.

A Civil War Encampment, where soldiers slept in canvas tents.

The troops would practice loading their weapons, attaching bayonets, and performing various maneuvers. The boys in our group lined up to drill with the soldiers.

"The first thing in the morning is drill. Then drill, then drill again. Then drill, drill, a little more drill. Then drill, and lastly drill."

Live demonstrations focused on Weapons, Cooking, and Camp Life. The kids rolled paper ammo cartridges, got to hold a gun (the average musket weighs 8-9 pounds), and ate a piece of hardtack (a flour-and-water biscuit, which in those days often became infested with weevils and maggots).

Relaxing around the campfire. When not drilling, standing guard, or faced with the sheer terror of battle, soldiers would spend their spare time reading, writing letters to loved ones, playing cards and other games.

Union troops getting ready for action. It was a great honor to be the flag bearer and when a flag bearer fell in battle, someone else would leap forward to take his place. But their mortality rate was quite high since the goal of the opposing force was to seize the enemies' colors.

The Union Troops Advance Through Fredericksburg!

Confederate citizens either went into hiding, ran away, or prepared to defend their homes and businesses as the Union army invaded their town.

Some of the townspeople got involved in the street fight. (It was an exciting interactive experience for the spectators, too. A gang of boys - mine included! - ran after the Union army, tossing rolled-up newspaper "rocks" at them, but there was so much commotion at the time that I didn't get a picture of that!)

The Confederate troops fall back as the Union army advances. (Newspaper ball "rocks" can be seen on the ground behind them.)

Union soldiers ransacked the town (and got back at the boys who had pelted them with "rocks" by throwing ladies' clothing at them).

Union troops gathering in front of the bank.

Hanging out at the Sheriff's Office.

The Union Army's orders were: "Push a column of a division or more along the Plank and Telegraph roads, with a view to seizing the heights in the rear of the town." In the battle of Marye's Heights, Union troops tried to take the hill, but the Confederates were already entrenched behind a stone wall.

Confederate troops on the march.

Casualties lying in the street.

The Confederates are victorious, and the Union Army retreats. The actual battles lasted from approximately 10:30 - 2:30 with a lunch break in between. We stayed for a while afterwards to wander around and chat with the Confederate soldiers, then left at 3:00 pm although we could have stayed until 5:00.

This event was sponsored by the Arizona Civil War Council, Inc. The Arizona Civil War Council (ACWC) is a non-profit association of volunteer history enthusiasts who re-enact events of the Civil War and Arizona's Territorial Period.

WANTED: ARIZONA VOLUNTEER REENACTORS: No experience is needed and gun NOT required. Instructions will be given on making or buying uniforms, men’s civilian clothes, and costumes for ladies and children. You must be over 16 to use any weapons; under 16 may be drummers, flag bearers, or cannon-assistants IF accompanied by a parent. Dues are about $20/year to cover liability insurance. Visit their website at http://www.arizonacivilwarcouncilinc.com/ for more information.

Did you know...? Gods & Generals (the prequel to the hit movie Gettysburg) showed the Battle of Fredericksburg with its street fighting scenes. In fact, one of the re-enactors on the Confederate side with whom we were talking afterwards explained how he actually played a major role in the movie Gettysburg, as well as Glory.

Additional Info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fredericksburg - Battle of Fredericksburg

http://www.nps.gov/frsp/fire.htm - Fire in the Streets

http://www.nps.gov/frsp/assault.htm - Assault on Marye’s Heights

http://www.nps.gov/archive/gett/soldierlife/cwarmy.htm - What was life as a Civil War soldier like? Get more details in this fascinating article from Gettysburg National Military Park.

THANKSGIVING TRIP ~ November 22-25, 2007

I don’t know about you, but the day after Thanksgiving my e-mail inbox was inundated with special sales, deals, and other offers. It seems that everyone was jumping on the “Black Friday” bandwagon. Of course I love a good sale as much as everyone else, but I don’t see why we have to be bombarded all at once over Thanksgiving weekend when most of us would rather be spending time with our families than spending money on retail commodities. Okay, I admit being a little disappointed at having to miss out on some such giveaways because I was busy traveling with my husband and children... but we had great fun on our trip together so I suppose it was a worthy trade-off!

After a big turkey dinner, we brought some leftovers with us and spent Thanksgiving night camping out in the middle of the California desert.

On Friday morning we went to the General Patton Museum.

Later on Friday afternoon and evening we took a look at Hollywood, the Santa Monica Pier, and the Third Street Promenade.

On Saturday we saw the big cloud of smoke from the Malibu fire, but the highlight of the day was getting to meet evangelist and author Ray Comfort who was open-air preaching at Huntington Beach.

On Sunday we drove back to Arizona via Route 66 from San Bernardino to Victorville and through Barstow, Amboy, and Needles.

We had a long distance to go so we didn't have much time to stop and explore along the way, but the area around Amboy in particular was a beautiful scenic (and desolate!) part of the Mohave Desert that I would love to visit again soon.

I hope you are taking an opportunity to enjoy some quality time with your families and loved ones amid the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

Click on this link to read our family newsletter:

http://www.knowledgehouse.info/Xmas%20Letter%202007.pdf

LIFE & TIMES OF LAURA INGALLS WILDER ~ November 10, 2007

This field trip combined lots of fun with learning about history, and it was a gorgeous day – neither too chilly nor too warm, but just right! About 20 kids (ages 4-12) and 14 parents showed up with the Desert Hills CHristian Homeschoolers group. Sharon Cullers, a homeschool mom, was our tour guide. She was assisted by her daughter and daughter-in-law.
First we went to visit the Bank and Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff locked up our lunches in the jail for safekeeping.

Then we got to sit inside the old church and take a group picture on the front steps, and after that we peeked into the teacherage.
Next door, we had “class” in the one-room schoolhouse.

The kids got to sit at the old school desks, while Mrs. Cullers taught us about the life and times of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author of the Little House on the Prairie book series.

At recess the kids played old-fashioned games – they rolled hoops around, played tug of war, and jumped rope. My son Jon exclaimed, “Wow, who knew that these old games could be so much fun!”

We got to watch a gun fight and pose for a picture with the gunfighters after the show.

After that, we ate a picnic lunch on the village green and learned how to do the Virginia Reel.

Then we went to the blacksmith shop, where the blacksmith showed us how they used to make tools, horseshoes, and nails.
We looked at the Exhibit Hall, and from there we walked over to a large log cabin from the1880's. This is where we made butter, candles, and rope.
Even though we were at Pioneer Village the whole day long (8:30 am to 4:30 pm), the time sure went fast! One girl said “This was the best day of my life!”

Here is an article that I wrote several years ago about Laura Ingalls Wilder: www.knowledgehouse.info/njfklaura.html . It has a recipe for making homemade butter, similar to what we made at the place. Yum! This was the third time that our family has done this field trip and we always enjoy it!

Did You Know…? Whenever school attendance was impossible because of distance or weather, Laura was taught by her mother at home. Later, Laura homeschooled her own daughter Rose.

“I believe it would be much better for everyone if children were given their start in education at home. No one understands a child as well as his mother, and children are so different that they need individual training and study. A teacher with a room full of pupils cannot do this. At home, too, they are in their mother’s care. She can keep them from learning immoral things from other children.” ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

WINDMILLS ~ September 29, 2007

Don Quixote: Dost not see? A monstrous giant of infamous repute whom I intend to encounter.
Sancho Panza: It's a windmill.
Don Quixote: A giant. Canst thou not see the great arms whirling at his back?
Sancho Panza: A giant?
Don Quixote: Exactly.

An army of windmills!

This wind farm can be seen on I-10 near Indio, CA (in Altamont Pass just east of Hadley's Fruit Orchard). The area contains more than 5,000 wind turbines that look like giant pinwheels spinning in the breeze. It takes 10 minutes to drive through them all!

SAN ONOFRE ~ September 28-29, 2007

San Onofre State Beach.

At low tide you can go way, way out.

Sandstone Bluffs overlooking the beach.

Trail from the bluff-top campground down to the beach.

A train track runs right alongside the campground.

High tide, the next morning.

SAN PEDRO, CA ~ September 27, 2007

Korean Friendship Bell

An old building on the waterfront with rows of gargoyle-like sculptures.

Close-up of creature with a pipe sticking out of its mouth...
What could it be? Anyone have a clue?

San Pedro shipyard and a cargo ship, with
giant cranes to load and unload containers.

Stacks and stacks of China Shipping containers.

A film crew was there doing a movie or something which was pretty cool - we saw a bunch of cameras at various angles, a guy who looked like a director, catering trucks, tents, etc. with security personnel keeping curious onlookers like us away. Note the big black camera on the left, and the camera extended up on the boom at the right behind those three guys.

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA ~ September 26, 2007

Point Vicente Lighthouse

Walking between Point Vicente and Long Point

This part of the road is kind of like a roller coaster due to shifting terrain!
It's all uneven and crooked, despite being regularly repaved and realigned.

Wayfarer's Chapel exterior.

Wayfarer's Chapel interior.

This is a beautiful glass chapel surrounded by trees, built in 1951.
It was designed by the son of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
The sanctuary and gardens are open daily for prayer and meditation.

WAY OF THE MASTER ~ September 26, 2007

If you are a fan of The Way of the Master television program hosted by Ray Comfort and actor Kirk Cameron, you should visit their Christian evangelism ministry headquarters in Bellflower, CA (L.A. area). We called ahead to see if we could visit them while we were over there. Most of the crew was in Europe filming the fourth season (13 episodes in 13 different countries in 13 days!), but we got a nice tour of the ministry. They really made us feel welcome and even had a sign in the lobby saying “Welcome Rich Olsen & family from Arizona.” We got to peek inside Ray Comfort’s office and the soundproof studio, among other things.

Bellflower, California headquarters for

Living Waters Publications/Way of the Master Productions

Soundproof Studio where they air The Way of the Master radio show.

Display area in their bookstore.
Ray Comfort has written more than 50 books including The Evidence Bible.
And if you want gospel tracts, boy, do they have a huge selection –
at least 70 different eye-catching tracts and other conversation starters!

CREATION MUSEUM ~ September 25, 2007

The day after we went to Legoland, we visited The Museum of Creation and Earth History in Santee, CA just northeast of San Diego. While there’s been a lot of interest in the AiG Creation Museum in Kentucky since it opened this summer, it’s nice to know that there is a Creation Museum on the west coast for those of us who aren’t able to travel back east. The Museum of Creation and Earth History is operated by the Institute for Creation Research Center founded by Dr. Henry Morris. (This is where Ken Ham used to work before he founded Answers in Genesis.) Exhibits are laid out like a walk through time, explaining the history of the earth and universe according to the Bible beginning with Creation. (This part reminded me of the Adventure walk-through at Legoland!) Other exhibits explain ongoing ICR research in genetics, plate tectonics, radioisotope dating, and weather modeling. Plan to spend 1½-2 hours at this museum with your children, although high school students and adults could stay even longer. Admission is FREE! However, you will probably want to purchase some educational resources in their bookstore to bring home for further study. Visit their website: http://www.icr.org/museum

LEGOLAND, CA ~ September 24, 2007

Our family has gone to Legoland just about every year since 1999 when they first opened. My three boys have always been Legomaniacs so they love it. Even my oldest who is now 17 still hasn't grown tired of it. Unfortunately, toddlers will find little to do except ride around in their stroller and look at things. Which is okay since they’ll see something new and colorful around every corner.

The intricate lifelike detail of the Lego models, especially in Miniland, is awesome, even though they’re starting to get a little weather-worn from sitting out in the Southern California sunshine.


While the park is geared toward younger children, most rides have some height requirement, barring the smallest kids from riding. My youngest started being able to go on more of the rides at age 3. Thrill-seeking teenagers will find most of the rides a little ho-hum, but they’ve added a few rides for them, too, like the Technicoaster. Legoland is unique in that they have a lot of interactive stuff that requires actual participation from visitors.


Make sure you’re at the door when they open at 10 am so you will have enough time to see everything, since they close early (5 pm) at this time of year. It’s not as large as other theme parks but it’s just right so you can make it around the whole park without getting too tired out. The little kids rides start on the left when you go in, and the more exciting rides for the older kids are on the right. Just beware of the Hideaway playground near the Knight’s Kingdom because once the kids get in there you won’t be able to get them back out!

The boat ride will take you on a tour past several famous landmarks including Mount Rushmore. Yes, the faces are really made of Lego bricks! And don’t miss the Adventurer’s Club which is hidden away in a corner of Fun Town (adjacent to a gift shop). It’s a really cool (and a little bit scary) walk through a rainforest (with authentic rainstorm sounds and lighting), ancient Egypt (with an earthquake) and the Arctic (watch out for that polar bear!). Adjacent to Miniland they even have a collection of famous artwork made from Legos.

Starry Night

M.C. Escher

The Scream - "Oh no! We have to go now!?"

Did you know that Legoland in Carlsbad, CA offers not just one, but many Homeschool Days throughout the 2007-2008 school year? You're really lucky if you live in the area because then you can go more than once! Legoland’s Homeschool Days include all of the following Mondays: Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26, Dec. 3, 10, Jan. 7, Feb. 4, Mar. 10, Apr. 14, May 12 and May 19. Homeschool Day is only $17 per person for up to 6 people as compared to the usual $44 child/$53 adult! This is a tremendous savings if you have one or more Lego maniacs in your family. My kids are in the Lego Club and even the coupons they get with their membership couldn’t beat the homeschool price.

The only catch is that to get the discount, you must sign up for their e-mail list at least two weeks in advance of when you want to go. They will send you an e-mail coupon specially coded for your family, so it is non-transferable. Print it out to redeem at the ticket window (you will have to show your valid photo ID). For complete details and to register, go to: www.legoland.com/groups/education/homeschool.htm?csref=_eduinfo. You can also download a Home School Days Resource guide at www.LEGOLAND.com/eduinfo.

Legoland is never crowded when you go on a weekday, even on Homeschool Day. The kids were able to go on a ride and then get right back on again. Just so you know, Legoland parking is $10. And if you need any additional tickets for some reason, the Costco just around the corner on Palomar Airport Road sells Legoland tickets for a few dollars off the regular retail price.

SEE ALSO: www.lego.com/legoland/california for complete info, frequently asked questions, a map, and lots more.

CARLSBAD, CA ~ September 23, 2007

Carlsbad State Beach. Pretty!

Carlsbad State Beach on the weekend.

Carlsbad State Beach on a weekday.

SALTON SEA ~ September 22, 2007

After leaving the dunes, we continued west on Hwy. 78 to Brawley,

quite a nice looking town actually. From there we went north on 111
along the eastern shore of the Salton Sea.

We always see the Salton Sea on the map and finally took the time to drive by it.

We were thinking of camping there but most of the beaches were "closed for the season."
The whole place seemed rather abandoned and it smelled funny besides.
I thought it would be a lot better than that, but I guess it can't compare to the ocean.

So we headed north to Indio and then west over the San Jacinto Mountains. The sun was setting as we went up the switchbacks and hairpin turns on Hwy. 74. (At least they have guardrails!) We were surprised at all the traffic. We thought we'd find a place to camp up on the mountain, but primitive camping spots weren't to be found like they are in Arizona. We ended up paying $10 to stay in the Oak Grove Campground in the Cleveland National Forest. I had thought we'd go through Julian, but driving around the mountains in the dark we ended up somewhere completely different.

Interestingly, the bubonic plague still exists in Arizona, Colorado, and California. So if you don't want to get the "black death," it's best to avoid contact with wild animals like rodents and squirrels, and stay away from prairie dog burrows. No human cases of the disease have been reported since 1996 (2 of the 5 were fatal), but people and their pets can become infected if they are bitten by infected fleas from wild animals and pets that are allowed to roam outdoors.

ALGODONES DUNES ~ September 22, 2007

The sand dunes along I-8 near Yuma are overrun with dune buggies,
but along Hwy. 78 they are beautifully shaped in their natural state.

The above picture of my two youngest boys reminds me of the scene
in Star Wars where C3P0 and R2D2 first landed on Tatooine.
The Star Wars movie was actually filmed near here.

Climbing the dunes at 1:30 in the afternoon -
it was hot with the sun reflecting off the sand!

It wasn't easy climbing up the sand dune mountain but we all made it to the top.
By the time we got back to the car, our shoes were completely full of sand.
The kids couldn't resist rolling around in it, so they ended up with sand in their pockets,
hair, and everywhere. That sand was thick! I wonder how long our tracks stayed there.

ARIZONA TO CALIFORNIA ~ September 22, 2007

A double rainbow is always an amazing sight, and
this one looked even more impressive with the
juxtaposition of a train and Hwy. 60 near Salome.

The same train a little farther down the road just before it
starts curving away from the highway through a little canyon.

We took the back roads south from Blythe on Hwy. 78 through the Palo Verde Valley
and then past the Chocolate Mountains where we saw these Desert Tortoise signs.
This stretch is also known as the Ben Hulse Highway, an important route at one time.
It originally followed an old Indian trail.

The Mesquite Gold Mine, the first open pit gold mine I've seen.
You can take a walking trail up a hill overlooking the pit.
This mine had just resumed operations the week before,
and the VIPs were all there to check out the operations.

OURAY TO DURANGO ~ September 3, 2007

The most spectacular portion of The San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway (US 550) extends from Ouray to Silverton. The route goes by mountain passes, ghost towns, and canyon walls with waterfalls. It’s a paved two-lane highway but it’s slow-going with many sharp curves, switchbacks, steep grades, no shoulders, and an appalling lack of guardrails.

For the first seven miles south of Ouray, the byway follows the Uncompahgre Gorge. You will be driving along the vertiginous edge of a deep canyon the whole way. The weak-hearted should do themselves a favor and don’t look down to avoid having an extreme panic attack. There are several pullouts for stopping to enjoy the breathtaking views if you dare.

The stretch through the gorge is characterized by steep cliffs with no guardrails, and by the number of hairpin “S” curves used to drop elevation. There is a tunnel to go through, followed by a narrow bridge over Bear Creek Falls, and then the road passes beneath a reinforced concrete snow shed at the deadly Riverside Slide avalanche zone.

After that you will breathe a brief sigh of relief when you leave the gorge and enter a nice flat valley. It was kind of a weird marshy area, though, with steam rising and strong sulphur fumes – you know, the “rotten egg” smell. We weren’t sure if it was the leachings from a nearby mining operation or naturally occurring swamp gas.

Then the road again ascends several switchbacks past the Idarado Gold Mine. The mine tunnels extend beneath the 13,000-ft. mountains a distance of about five miles to the Pandora Mill near Telluride on the other side. (It would take more than 60 miles to get there by highway!) A portion of the trestle bridge is still standing, extending into thin air. A few houses are also still standing, awaiting renovation by the Colorado Historical Society.

Soon the road crosses Red Mountain Pass at 11,018 feet, providing views of Red Mountain and several ghost towns. The last large scale mine was the Standard Metals operation on Red Mountain Pass which continued until late in the 20th century. From there, the highway descends through another steamy, ghostly valley to Silverton.

South of Silverton, the byway goes over Molas Pass (10,970 ft.) and Coal Bank Pass (10,640 ft.), then parallels the Durango & Silverton narrow gauge railroad track before returning to Durango.

Travel Tip: Driving south on the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway from Ouray to Silverton puts you on the vertiginous outside edge of the highway; driving north from Silverton to Ouray allows you to hug the inside of curves. Between Durango and Silverton it’s just the opposite. Driving north from Durango to Silverton puts you on the outside edge of the highway; driving south from Silverton to Durango allows you to hug the inside of curves. At first I thought the northbound Durango to Silverton route was scary, but it turned out to be pretty tame compared to the southbound highway out of Ouray, which is mile after mile of sheer terror for anyone who has acrophobia. It gives me nightmares just thinking about it!

MONTROSE TO OURAY, CO ~ September 2, 2007

Driving south of Montrose on Hwy. 550 you will pass through Ridgway. The area was made famous as the filming site of the John Wayne western movie "True Grit." We just missed their True Grit Days which was coming up on the second weekend in September. The True Grit Café is full of John Wayne memorabilia. Ridgway is also home to Dennis Weaver and supposedly Ralph Lauren. It’s a beautifully scenic area with green pastures and trees on the edge of the San Juans, with a spectacular view of Mt. Sneffels. The Uncompahgre River runs through the area and they say that wild animals such as deer, elk, and bear are commonly seen in and around town. Ridgway has a state park and reservoir, both of which have trout fishing. We almost thought about stopping and camping near there, but decided to go a little bit farther to Ouray.

The San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway starts at Ridgeway and heads south through the Victorian mining town of Ouray. The area is known as “Little Switzerland” because of its setting at the narrow head of a valley, enclosed on two sides by steep granite towers and dramatic waterfalls. Ouray has a hot springs as well as an ice climbing park. In addition, the town’s motto is “Jeep Trail Capital of the World” and Ouray serves as a hub to the dramatic Engineer Pass, Cinnamon Pass, Imogene Pass, and the infamous Black Bear Pass. Recording artist Bill Fries, a.k.a. C.W. McCall (and Ouray mayor for two terms) wrote a song called “Black Bear Road” based on the phrase, “you don’t have to be crazy to drive this road, but it helps.” Black Bear is a difficult, dangerous trail even for 4WD vehicles and is travelable in only one direction. The road descends over a series of infamous switchbacks. It takes two hours to drive 12 miles.

Originally established by prospectors who arrived in 1875 searching for silver and gold, at one time there were more than 30 active mines in the vicinity. The town was named after Chief Ouray of the Utes, a local Indian tribe. The entire town is registered as a National Historic District with most of the buildings dating back to the late nineteenth century and many of them also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Ouray is only about 10 miles from the famous Telluride ski resort, but with the mountains in the way it’s a 60-mile drive to get there. Perhaps due to its isolated location, Ouray is friendly and down-to-earth, with none of the pretentiousness of standard tourist towns. A walk down the main street is an authentic old west experience.

The mountains were misty with rain, and Rich and Pete longed for a nice comfortable rest after their climb. So I suggested getting a room for the night rather than camping out. Even here, most of the hotels were all booked for Labor Day. However, this led us to discover the old Western Hotel dating back to 1892. This structure is one of the few remaining examples of a wood frame hotel from the 1880’s.

Wow, talk about authentic! The lobby looks just like it did in its heyday, with stained glass windows and an ornate tin ceiling still adorned with the original lighting fixture. (One of the world’s first to have alternating current.) After checking in at the historic registration desk, you climb up a steep red-carpeted staircase. Once upstairs, you walk down a creaky narrow hallway where there are a dozen or so small rooms featuring antique dressers, brass beds covered with quilts, and lace curtains fluttering in the breeze. The walls are not insulated, and there is no central HVAC system, not even a window unit. The only way to control the temperature is by opening or closing the window. No phones, no TV, no alarm clock, and the bathroom is down the hall. (Well, actually, the ladies' and gents' toilets are down the hall and the BATH – meaning an old-fashioned footed tub – is in its own separate room.)

At least it beat camping out in the cold and it sure was neat to stay in such an old-fashioned place right out of a classic western movie! Five of us slept in a tiny room with two twin brass beds – two of us in each bed and one on the floor, but that kept us nice and cozy. The proprietor (who also operates San Juan Scenic Jeep tours out of the hotel lobby) caters to hikers and jeepers, so he didn’t mind us bringing in a sleeping bag and pad to sleep on the floor.

It’s a family-owned business, too, with two sons (age 10 and 16) helping out in the dining area, mom and dad in the kitchen, and their little girl (age 6) hanging out with grandpa in the lobby. Grandpa was there until late at night and again at 7:00 in the morning, so I wonder if he lives in his own room at the hotel. Adjacent to the hotel lobby is the saloon with its original carved wood bar, historic paintings (one is an enormous western landscape; the other is a nude woman in a classic pose - just so you know!), and the famous “face on the barroom floor.” Check out their website at www.historicwesternhotel.com.

LAKE CITY TO MONTROSE, CO ~ September 2, 2007

Lake City was named for nearby Lake San Cristobal. There are quite a few smaller lakes and a stream runs through there, too. We saw lots of beaver dams and lodges. The whole area is picturesque and unpopulated. Lake City is a well preserved turn-of-the-century town. It’s one of Colorado’s largest historical districts, with over 75 buildings from the late 1800’s. I would have loved spending some time walking around Lake City’s charming downtown and admiring its quaint Victorian architecture. As one of the most isolated 19th-century Colorado mining camps, Lake City is still a quiet little town in the middle of nowhere, a perfect getaway destination from civilization.

From Lake City we headed north on Hwy. 149 to Blue Mesa Reservoir. Created by Blue Mesa Dam, the 20-mile long fiord-shaped reservoir is Colorado’s largest body of water, with 96 miles of shoreline. The road skirts alongside of it, so we got to see the lake from one end to the other. The most amazing thing was, on this huge lake hardly anyone was there on a beautiful 70º Labor Day weekend! We saw one sailboat and a few other boats, but Arizona lakes are way more crowded than this one! Their facilities include two marinas, three boat launches, and a National Parks Service visitor center with displays. There are hiking trails, too.

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison begins below Blue Mesa Dam. The deepest and most dramatic section of the canyon is preserved as a National Park. The Black Canyon is so steep and narrow that the walls are cloaked in dark shadows because sunlight doesn’t reach them. The Gunnison has one of the steepest river descents in North America, dropping an average of 43 feet per mile, and as much as 240 feet per mile at Chasm View. (In comparison, the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon drops an average of 7.5 feet per mile.) On the north side of the canyon is Painted Wall, the highest sheer cliff in Colorado at 2,250 feet. There is a scenic drive along the south rim, a campground and several miles of hiking and nature trails. The canyon is also popular with rock climbers. It’s not the place to go if you’re scared of heights, however! We didn’t have time to stop there but I shudder just thinking of it!

Cimarron is a small community on the Cimarron River, just south of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. We passed by the Cimarron Shooting Club, and a place that resembled a Pioneer Village with old buildings to walk around. From there to Montrose it’s wide open prairie for the most part. Montrose is the largest town in the area. Incorporated in 1882, it became an important shipping center with the Denver & Rio Grande railroad as well as a branch railroad line serving the mineral-rich San Juan Mountains to the south.

Montrose has an airport and is gateway to the world-class ski resort Telluride as well as the exclusive Valhalla Shooting Club & Training Center on the grounds of the five-star Elk Mountain Resort. VSC features a 16,000 square foot indoor pistol facility with a state-of-the-art automated shooting range and a two-story 360-degree live fire scenario house. The computer-controlled lighting, sound effects, and props were created with the assistance of Broadway stage designers. Realistic scenario rooms include a subway station, bedrooms, kitchen, bar, nightclub, industrial area, a warehouse, the first class section and cockpit of an airliner, and many other fully furnished settings.

This is a great concept and it’s worth checking out the video on their website at www.valhallatraining.com, but Valhalla is certainly out of our price range. A lifetime membership costs something like $60,000! (Norman Schwarzkopf and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are members.) It’s open to day visitors, but members and resort guests have priority. If you were to just take a two-day class it would cost around $500 per person. Then they will let you stay at the resort for a special “reduced rate” of only about $300 per night. There is an on-site restaurant, but even that will average $30/plate. Hmm, is it really a progressive one-of-a-kind educational facility or more like a reality-based playground for the rich and famous?