United States of America

June 18, 2015June 18, 2015

24 hours at the South Rim of Grand Canyon

Remote is not the best way to describe the crowded Rim Trail at the Grand Canyon National Park. However, it was our word of the day after we saw a funny t-shirt at the Market Plaza store: “Remote is not just the thing on the coffee table.” And as we hopped on and off the bus to Hermit’s Rest, we actually experienced that refreshing peace one does in a truly remote place between the Abyss and Mohave Point.

Looking back at the South Rim Village from Trailview Overlook.

It was one of the few sections of the trail where it is not paved or without the rock barrier built by the CCC. We agreed as a security to stop if we were going to look at the canyon or take photos or gape at California Condors. It was quiet and beautiful and felt remote.

We had 24 hours to enjoy the Grand Canyon. We lucked in and grabbed one night in the Yavapai Lodge next to Market Plaza. We dropped our bags and walked about 40 minutes to view the South Rim for the first time (for my friend) about a mile from Veerkamp Visitor Center. Our goal was to mooch along the Rim Trail to Bright Angel Lodge and stop at anything of interest along the way.

We had 7:45 p.m. reservations at El Tovar dining room. This was also when the sun would have set and the bus would stop running to Hermit’s Rest. We planned to watch most of the sunset from Maricopa Point or Powell Point and catch the bus to El Tovar. Turns out that very few of the bus stops pick up/drop off in both directions. And we stopped to take photos so often that we reached Maricopa Point about the time we needed to turn around. That is when we discovered the only return bus stop was another half mile up the trail. We did not realize there was a 30 minute grace on our dinner reservation so we ended up dashing back on foot.

Finally I saw a California Condor! I have been reading about their decline and recovery my whole life! To see one riding the air currents wild and free was thrilling!

The El Tovar dining room is decorated in the classic Bavarian dark hunting lodge style. The patrons are noticeably grayer than the people we met on the trail. This is the only proper dining room we could find (the Yavapai Cafe was closed for remodeling) and it is expensive. The food was good, not great. Our server was competent but glum. And we were tired from hiking in the altitude and sun. It was a relief to get on the bus and ride back to Yavapai Lodge and crawl into bed.

We set the alarm for 4:30 a.m. so we could watch the sunrise. The Grand Canyon sunrise deserves a post of its own because it is delightful. Afterward, we ate breakfast at the cafeteria at the Market Plaza and bought sandwiches and salty snacks for our day pack. (We used my Nuun tablets to help us stay hydrated.) Our plan was spend the day riding the bus to Hermit’s Rest and hiking our way back.

Sunset: I have so many pictures on my phone of the Grand Canyon that it is a huge challenge to select photos for this post.

It was a great day and not as hot as the previous afternoon. Wear sunscreen even when overcast! It looked like thundershowers might cross our paths but they were always at a distance. About 3 p.m. we were satiated. So much beauty!

June 14, 2015June 14, 2015

Shout Out: LAX Luggage Storage and Spinlister

Many visitors to the USA land at Los Angeles International Airport and then head off to have adventures and need to stow a bag for a few days. Of course with security concerns, storage lockers in airports and other transit terminals are no longer available. My friend UK Sarah discovered LAX Luggage Storage last year when she broke her journey from London to Auckland so we could visit Yosemite.

This year we were determined to visit the Grand Canyon and she needed to store a bag. This became even more important since we were flying on US Airways and an extra bag meant an additional $25 each way. She could not remember the name of the company. So after she cleared customs I found her we went to the information desk in the Tom Bradley international terminal to ask for companies who store luggage. The older woman with a heavy Russian accent at the counter hardly let us finish our question when she began to protest that the airport does not provide luggage storage. We tried to explain that we were looking for a company UK Sarah had used last year. She said to look it up on the internet.

We were booked into the Hilton Airport Hotel and I was pretty certain that the concierge would know a company that could stow the bags. Sure enough he called LAX Luggage Storage and within 20 minutes the van arrived to pick up the bag. It was $77 to store the bag for 5 days. The fee is $10 a day plus a $5 pick up and drop off fee. They only accept cash. When you need the bag again, you call the number on the card and give them your claim number and then within 20 minutes they drop it off. It is a terrific service and worth the fee.

After UK Sarah collected her bag and checked in at the Air New Zealand terminal, we said goodby and she headed to the Koru lounge and I walked to Terminal 1 to check my bag for my Southwest flight. I was using my smart phone for my boarding pass for the first time. All of the lines for check in were long, so I joined the express line and waited and waited. It gave me an opportunity to chat with a young woman from Portland, Oregon who used a website called Spinlister to rent a bike from someone local in Redondo Beach.

The tagline for Spinlister is “rent a bike from someone you like” and it is modeled after AirB&B only for bicycles. Rental rates vary. Her rental was $10 a day and included use of a helmet and bike lock. It also offers surf and ski gear. Spinlister is a very cool idea.

June 12, 2015June 12, 2015

Relaxing Sleep in Sedona at the Hilton

Apologies. — My camera is in the shop so all of these photos are taken with my phone.

I do not often dedicate a post just to lodging in a place I visit. I believe this is the fourth visit to Sedona and the other stays have been at the Enchantment Resort. It is a super special place for a girls weekend or couples get away. However it is more expensive and not always available. I also am a HiltonHonors member so I decided to see what they have to offer in Sedona.

The Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock was under $200 a night and included 2 free drink coupons, access to the fitness facilities including the beautiful pool, classes and tennis. Our room was a suite with a lovely patio area to enjoy a little of the outdoors and the views of Bell Rock and Courthouse Rock.

We dined in the restaurant for lunch and breakfast and found the food and service to be very good. We enjoyed the lounge as well for more conversation and a nightcap before bed.

UK Sarah gives the pool, sauna and jacuzzi two thumbs up.

Darlene the Concierge gave us very good advice about things to do and places to eat. I booked a massage at the spa and Linda gave me an A+ massage working out the knots in my shoulders from cycling. UK Sarah swam laps then used the sauna and jacuzzi. She said the jacuzzi was one of the best she has experienced.

When I return to Sedona I will stay at the Hilton again. Especially if I am organizing a business meeting or retreat or traveling with family. We felt a peace and grounded energy from Sedona and the Hilton Resort was a gracious complement to the Sedona environment.

June 11, 2015June 11, 2015

Majestic Sedona Stuns First Time Visitor

I love traveling with my friend UK Sarah because it helps me see places I have been to several times with fresh eyes. We flew into Flagstaff and picked up our rental car and drove to Sedona on Highway 89A. It is a beautiful drive along Oak Creek. We stopped at Rock Slide State Park to take pictures because all of the other laybys were full of cars also taking pictures.

We spent some time enjoying the amenities at our hotel and then went to Bell Rock and Courthouse Rock for a short hike. It was great fun and we came up with our word for the day: Majestic. We needed to come up with more vocabulary than Wow! and majestic just fit.

We took the time to read the Sedona Vortex Map. Bell Rock is one of the places that the energy is strong even from the parking lot. Call us skeptics but we did not feel it. Perhaps we are insensitive.

There is a Butte Loop trail around Courthouse Rock--yeah, we didn't do that one. — There is a Butte Loop trail around Courthouse Rock–yeah, we didn’t do that one.

After our hike we drive to the end of Verde Valley School Road to view Cathedral Rock more closely. Majestic. Better than a man-made cathedral.

We returned to the Hotel and changed for dinner. Then we walked to the Cucina Rustica for a delicious Italian meal with impeccable service from Paul. Dining outside in the warm Arizona evening with guitar music in the background would be very romantic with the right person. We took advantage of the ambiance to have a great conversation and to catch up after 6 months in very different time zones.

I love the cloud formations as much as the rok formations. — I love the cloud formations as much as the rock formations.

Today we will visit Chapel of the Holy Cross on our way to the Grand Canyon.

June 6, 2015June 6, 2015

Dining Next to the Mayor

Shipping containers make an interesting building.

I enjoy living in midtown Sacramento because it is a complete neighborhood. My neighbors range from people without homes to the 1% with a Maserati in the parking garage. Within walking or biking distance I can find every imaginable restaurant and shop I need. I am meeting friends for a drink or lunch more often. Tonight my friend Monica and I met for a walk and stopped in at the Federalist Public House.

The Federalist Public House is built with shipping containers, which makes a fun and funky atmosphere. We ordered a pizza to split and beverages and then sat down at the end of one of the long rows of picnic benches. Everyone sits community style so we started our meal next to strangers. People watched the baseball game on television and others played bocce ball in the astroturf bocce court along the back wall.

At some point the couple next to us left and the waitress put a “reserved” sign down on the table. Then out of the corner of my eye I see a man sit down and put his iPhone on the table. I could tell by Monica’s face that she recognized him, but she did not say hello. I glanced over and realized it was Sacramento Mayor and former Phoenix Suns basketball star Kevin Johnson. A few minutes later his wife Michelle Rhee, the education reform advocate, sat down across from him.

Monica and I played it cool. Other people in the restaurant interrupted to say something to Mayor Johnson or take a photo with him. And the wait staff kept bringing Kevin and Michelle additional dishes including the polenta and then a giant ice cream sandwich. We could not help but ooh and ahh at the two supersize oatmeal cookies filled with vanilla ice cream and dipped in chocolate and rolled in pistachios. They offered to share with us and so we got to taste it. Yum!

We thanked them for our taste and then continued our walk. I love a cup of coffee after dinner so we stopped at The Trade, a relatively new coffee place on K Street near 24th Street. Then we hurried back because of the gathering dark clouds and marveled at the unexpected lightning show.

May 31, 2015

Art Community near St George

The community of Kayenta is a community designed sensitively to blend in with the desert landscape. All of the homes are in adobe looking in hues from chocolate to sand. The development is low density with native plant landscaping. We approached from St George passing through Ivins. Almost as soon as we entered the community we felt a kind of peace and tranquillity.

Also curiosity: how much do you think these homes sell for? Can you rent one on luxury homes for the week? It is hard to turn off the real estate orientation when you travel. You imagine yourself living there and of course wonder how much money it would take.

The first visit we stopped at the art village and most of the shops were shut. The Xetava Garden Cafe was open and I bought a coffee. It was free-trade, organic and a couple of other wholesome modifiers, including delicious. We wandered around looking at the chalk art on the ground from the competition from earlier in the week. I admired the driftwood horse and Carole admired the interesting garden benches.

The next visit we did some serious jewelry shopping. We browsed in several art galleries. And we ate lunch at the Xetava Garden Cafe. Carole enjoyed the waffles on the brunch menu and I had the tacos made with filet mignon. We both gave thumbs up to our choices. The service was excellent.

We also sympathized with this bubble of liberalism. We saw a poster for a marriage equality fundraiser and felt like cheering. St George is a lovely community with loads of friendly people. Seventy-five percent of them are Mormon and probably conservative. A friend shared how we could spot polygamist families and we saw at least one group watching the Triathalon. So we threw up a small cheer for the organizers of an event hoping for a long shot–or a Supreme Court decision.

May 29, 2015May 28, 2015

Gem of a Park: Snow Canyon State Park

Snow Canyon State Park is just the right size!

St George is centrally located making it possible to do day trips to Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park and the north rim of the Grand Canyon. An Ironman Triathlon made driving to Bryce Canyon complicated and we could not shift our spa appointments. Locals raved about Snow Canyon State Park, so we decided to give it a go.

Jake the Snake at the Ranger station at the campground.

From the Inn at Entrada on the Northwest side of St George it is just a few minutes drive. You drive past the Ivins roundabout with the beautiful sculptures of mustangs and Paiute Indians. The entrance fee is a modest $8 per car and it allows access all day, so you could plan an early morning hike and then return after dinner for some stargazing from the rocks at Upper Galoot picnic area.

The ranger at the gate gave us lots of good information about the hikes in the park. She also mentioned that if we came across a tortoise, and if it pees out of fear, then we need to bring him to her or the ranger station so they can rehydrate the tortoise. Turns out the only wildlife we saw in the park was Jake the Snake in the ranger station.

The ranger station at the campground is also a gem. It has high quality exhibits and gift shop. Volunteers man the desk and offer good information about the park.

We went back the next day to hike a little. A group was setting up for a wedding, people were enjoying the campground, and groups of hikers and cyclists were enjoying the trails.

You can easily combine a half day at Snow Canyon State Park and a visit to Kayenta art village and the Xetava Gardens Cafe.

If you think Snow Canyon State Park looks familiar it is probably because it has been used as the setting for many popular films.

May 27, 2015May 27, 2015

Hymn to Zion National Park

All day I kept thinking of the lyrics from the hymn: We’re marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion. We’re marching to Zion, Beautiful city of God.

Red steep canyon walls are the backdrop pretty much everywhere along the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.

Zion is an awe inspiring sight. I thought maybe these Zion fans had never been to Yosemite. We are so blessed in the United States of America because we have so many truly special beautiful natural places. Zion National Park is among the best.

It was about an hour drive from the Inn at Entrada in St George. Highway 9 is very pleasant with small towns dotting the way. Go early in the morning for two reasons. First, the parking lots fill up quickly. Do not panic though because you can park and ride a shuttle from Springdale. Almost everyone moves about the parks on the shuttle buses or on a bike. Bring a daypack and remember water and sunscreen. Second, on the first of May it was 93 degrees in the afternoon. And it only gets hotter throughout summer.

The Visitor Center is a good stop to plan your trip. We got great advice from the volunteers and rangers.

The main Zion Canyon Visitor Center is on the edge of Springdale. It has a large selection of hiking gear and books just in case you forgot something. Even if you think you have your whole day planned, check in with the fabulous rangers or volunteers at the desk. They are full of useful information. Most importantly there are good bathrooms and you can never go too often if you are planning to hike.

We boarded the bus and laughed at the cute ads admonishing us not to feed the animals. Judging by how aggressive the squirrels are, I believe we should stop feeding them. The deer are also acclimated to crowds. Careful though, they are wild so admire from a distance.

We rode the shuttle bus to the end of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to hike the Temple of Sinawava trail. It was a relatively easy hike. Just right.

When we told colleagues that we were going to Zion National Park, they proved they did not know us very well by suggesting we hike Angels Landing Trail. Right, a trail that is so steep they provide chains to hang onto. They sell a t-shirt in the gift shop for those who finish! Or they’d say, “You have to do the Narrows.” Seriously? It requires a swimsuit and water shoes and you the water is above your waist on some parts of the trail. We were perfectly happy with the short and beautiful hikes we chose.

Next up was the lower Emerald Pools trail we started from The Grotto, ending at Zion Lodge.

The Zion Lodge on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive in Zion National Park.

The Zion Lodge has accommodations, a couple of food options, and a gift shop. It is not one of the grand lodges of the National Park System, more Yosemite Lodge less Ahwahnee. It would be super convenient if you wanted to do some of the longer hikes. We got some refreshments and did a bit of shopping and then caught the bus to the Zion Human History Museum. We were 20 minutes from closing and this was enough time to take in the views from the patio and look at the exhibits.

One more short ride on the bus and we were back at the Visitor Center and our car. We were tired and extremely saturated with sun and beauty. It was a great day and we still had our stop at the Iceberg Drive-In to look forward to… milkshakes!

The view of Zion Canyon from the lower Emerald Pools Trail.

May 23, 2015May 23, 2015

5 Top Places to Eat in St George, Utah

The challenge is to rank all of the great places in St George and choose only 5. So I’ll just say it now, I plan to cheat a little and mention a few honorable mentions as well. Prices are very affordable for a vacation spot and low compared to California or Washington, DC.

Chocolate and strawberry — Mini shakes at Iceberg Diner.

1. Iceberg Drive Inn

We drove by the Iceberg Drive Inn on our way to Zion National Park. The sign “famous thick shakes” caught my eye. After a day hiking in Zion it was an easy choice. We stopped for dinner and bought the combo: hamburger, fries and mini shakes. We could have easily filled up on the shakes alone!

2. Xetava Garden Restaurant

Drive to Ivins outside of St George and keep going a little way to the Kayenta Art Village. Among the great places to shop is a cafe with terrific coffee and very good food.

3. Croshaw’s Gourmet Pie

If you have read my blog you know that I break for pie. When I read taht there was a place called Croshaw’s Gourmet Pie I made my friend go there. We started with scrumptious pot pies. Then moved on to amazing dessert pies. So good.

4. George’s Corner

We ended up at George’s Corner because few places are open on Sunday. Lucky for us the food and service is very good. There is live music on the weekends on the bottom floor. Enjoy it or ask to be seated upstairs where conversation is possible. Of course they also have awesome pie.

Touch of chocolate at the bottom of banana cream pie is delish.

5. Egg and I

The breakfast at the Egg and I was delicious. The portions were generous and the service was top notch.

Honorable mentions: Grandma Tobler’s Bakery is a solid place for breakfast or to pick up sandwiches before a hike. The women who work there are super nice.

Cliffside Restaurant is a place with a heck of a view.The food tasted great too–we split the Chicken fried chicken. Then both of us got upset stomachs and we were less enthusiastic about the place.

May 21, 2015May 18, 2015

Glorious Spa Weekend in St. George, Utah

nn at Entrada in St George — Saint George is very peaceful, especially after Las Vegas!

Meeting girlfriends for a spa weekend is a wonderful benefit of easy travel and personal resources. For a number of years we went to the Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Arizona. This year we wanted to try a different place and I had read a few articles in travel magazines about Saint George, Utah. It had the advantage of being close to Zion National Park.

It turned out to be a terrific choice. First, it is inexpensive to fly into Las Vegas, Nevada and then it is a quick 2 hour drive to Saint George. Second, not surprisingly for a community with 75% Mormons, people are really friendly. Third, food and lodging are less expensive than in Sedona or Santa Fe.

golf course at Inn at Entrada — The view from our patio.

We stayed at the Inn at Entrada in St George and close to Ivins. Our room had a fireplace, a small kitchen area with a bar and a roomy bathroom with huge tub. Plus we were able to park our car in the garage so it was always comfortable even in the heat. he Entrada’s spa is in the modern fitness center and the treatments were all terrific. We especially recommend the Heavenly Hair with extra massage. Our room was on the golf course and a pair of mallards visited us each morning to splash in the stream that went by our patio. Each day we received a fresh supply of water and cookies. The registration area offered sweet rolls.

The biggest advantage to Saint George is how beautiful it is in every direction. There are dramatic mountains, red rocks, and volcanic lava flows. Then the sky! The clouds, rainbows and stars are a continuous show. It is hot even in the beginning of May with temperatures in the low 90s.