Day 6: Red Rock Crossing

(Late, I know...)

Today was absolutely amazing. We visited Red Rock State Park and hiked up an amazing trail to Cathedral Rock. The terrain was mainly rocky and we had to cross Oak Creek to continue on. The hike was a whopping 1.5 miles round trip.

But it felt like 3. At least.

We weaved back and forth on the open path, surrounded by all sorts of local vegetation and funny looking lizards. We also encountered some mountain bikers who made my jaw drop. I couldn't even imagine trying this trail myself with a bike of all things. Once we got closer to the peak we had to climb up slabs of jutting red rock. At some points I even had to go on all fours to make it up. We brought 6 liters of water for the 5 of us and once we got close to the peak we started running out, effectively cutting our trip short (the Arizona sun is HOT). Even without making it to the very top the view from where we were was nothing short of breathtaking. We felt like we were on top of the world and it felt exhilarating to make it as far as we did.

Taking a dip in the creek afterwards was the perfect remedy for a much overheated Derek and I (he even got to fly off of a rope swing...lucky). I was too afraid of hurting myself further so I passed on the rope.

After lunch we dragged ourselves to do some shopping in the local village where Derek got me a wooden, locally made flute. The saleswomen was pretty convincing once she whipped out her own flute and played us a few tunes. I was sold after that. I find the sound of the flutes so mesmerizing and relaxing (I’d wanted once since I’d seen a man playing one whilst sitting on a rock wall at the Grand Canyon).

On our way back to the house we stopped at the popular Chapel of the Holy Cross which was inspired by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright more than fifty years ago. The chapel was built into the red rocks of Sedona and apparently took 18 months to construct. It was definitely a sight to see. After doing some research I found out that Arizonans chose the cathedral as one of Arizona’s 7 wonders. For good reason too. The inside was pretty majestic as well with tall ceilings and two long windows spanned from floor to roof. I wish I had snapped a photo of the front but I felt so exhausted from our hike and my head was pounding to the point that I could barely enjoy it.

We took our leave after a few minutes of oh's and ah's and headed home for a much needed recharge.

Want advice for relaxation and recharge? Hot tubs!! Especially in Arizona, at night, with no roof above your head. The stars are incredible.


Love

Vanessa

Day 5: Jerome, Tuzigoot, & Dead Horse Ranch

Today I would consider a lazy day. We left the house around 11am and headed to the city of Jerome, which is considered a ghost town. The city reminded Derek of the Florida Keys just with more elevation. Most of our time was spent going in and out of the local shops and having some lunch at a local eatery called the Iron Flat Café. Gatlin and Derek had a ginger and carrot soup (sounded and tasted interesting.) Then a lovely downpour started, sort of dampening our day. Almost every single shop was either an art gallery or gifts that were made by local artists. We found a lot of amazing art work. There was a very artsy/hippy feel to the place, loved that. They seemed to have a sort of an aversion to children. Each shop had some kind of smart-ass sign or poster in the front that would say something to the line of “All young children must be supervised by an adult, if not we will kidnap them and force them to work in our coal mine for the remaining years of their lives.” Not even a joke. About 90 percent of that is a direct quote. Vanessa found it amusing. The area seemed very pet-friendly.

Afterward, we went to visit some more Indian ruins named Tuzigoot (which was also part of the tribe, Sinagua, which also built Montezuma’s Castle…one of the ruins we saw on our first day.) It’s kind of funny that we have no idea why this tribe of Native Americans just up and left, it was somewhere around the 1420’s, seems pretty obvious the white man scared them off. There is just so much that we don’t know about the people who lived on this land way before we ever did. The ingenuity of these people is inspiring. Not only did they make amazing things we probably couldn’t do without machines but they used herbal remedies for everything. From candy to curing cancer, these Indians had a remedy from a naturally –growing-abundant plant. It really makes you stop and kind of question everything you thought you knew; something that we would have to get approved by our health insurance and then order through some far off pharmaceutical company they had just growing in their backyard. Gatlin was pretty enthralled by the medicinal value of the native plants and we stood their studying the names and uses of the plants for a while, at one point I think he actually embodied one of his World of Warcraft characters and started grinding some Sage into a potpourri. Actually it looked really fun.

The best part of this visit was that it was ruined by flying ants. Yep, you got that right. We couldn’t go to the top of the building because there was a sign that said “Closed Due to flying ants.” I don’t know about you but that is pretty hilarious. I don’t know what I should have expected if I went past the sign. Flying ant attack? Either way I didn’t take the risk. Those winged little insects are intimidating. Don’t let their size fool you.
Lunch was made at Dead Horse Ranch, a small park with some surrounding lagoons and a river that was not much to look at. We took a river hike and searched for the river for about 20 minutes and came up empty. We then realized that the river had dried up big time and was now un-swimmable and right under our feet. But there were lots of snails everywhere. Cute little squirmy things. I'm afraid we stepped on a lot of them and didn't even realize it =/

Big bummer about no swimming ops though.

That night we hoped to go back to Bell Rock which we had hiked to the night before but we got back too late. Double bummer. The highlight of this day was definitely seeing all of the amazing artwork from the locals in Jerome.

Good stuff.

Peace.

Derek & Vanessa

The Grand Canyon: Day 4

After falling asleep at the ripe time of 9:00pm the night before, we awoke to our second day at the Grand Canyon. Gatlin, Jared and Maria took a helicopter tour over the canyons in the morning but we stayed behind because we didn’t feel like spending $300 dollars for the flight, but more importantly because we wanted to sleep in. They loved it. We would have preferred the Jeep tour down into the canyon but the price for one person was an outrageous $265.

Today we visited a few historic buildings that played the usual role of Historical-Recreation/Anecdotal Museum/Gift Shop/Air-Conditioning Relaxation/Tourist trap. And I loved every minute of it. Every store had something a little different that I wanted to absorb. If I could have I would have bought every book in their book store sections. (Notice the tiny entrance to one of the buildings on the left)

A little knowledge gained from one of these expensive, yet irresistible books was the history behind the canyon’s discovery and expeditions…which is fascinating. I found out that sometime in the 1500’s the Spanish discovered the area but found it worthless, probably because they didn’t see any signs of jewels or gold or fountain of youth or opportunities of religious persecution. So it wasn’t until about three centuries later that Americans started exploring the canyons namely, John Wesley Powell in 1869 (a very inspiring individual I might add.) He decided to take, what was then the first independent exploration in the history of the US, a scientific voyage into the canyons to study its geology and geography. He discovered uncharted areas and was also the first to start studying Native Americans, whom had lived on the canyons for hundreds of years. And he did it all with one arm. Now that is skill.

After the gift shop we started a 15 mile hike but because of a little sciatica and the flustered faces of returning hikers, we set an alarm on Derek’s Iphone for 30 minutes and then headed back up. We shared the trail with some mules that left stinky evidence of their existence on the trail. We talked to a few people that went all the way to the bottom (which ends at the Colorado River). One guy said it took him about 4 hours to get there but that getting to jump into the river at the end was totally worth the hike. The trek back up was pretty rough, as most inclined trails are. You start to realize how out of shape you really are. It was exhausting but I can’t wait to come back one day and make it all the way to the river. I’m sure it’ll be worth it.

We bought a couple of books at the stores and Gatlin got a hat that he fell in love with. It’s amazing how, no matter how many times you look out at the massive Grand Canyon, it always takes your breath away. Something so grand (pun intended) and natural just can’t be expressed in words or even photos. Even though it seems obvious, I loved how much the park was into natural preservation and earth friendliness. I sort of felt at home here. It’s something I miss in Orlando.

Yesterday was pretty much packed every hour, it felt like as soon as we finished one thing we started the next. We visited a lot of scenic areas and went to a place called Watchtower. There was an opening in the protective fencing where you were allowed (or at least we assumed) to walk out over a strip of rocks to a point much lower than the tower. I had some serious trepidation about going down to this area because: 1. tailbone pain and 2. fear of dying. But I did it anyway, Derek reminded me “you only live once,” a fellow traveler also reminded me that “you only die once” as well. That was pretty hilarious.

That night we ate at a place brilliantly named We Cook Pizza and Pasta. I’d say it was a little overrated and a lot expensive. After eating, last minute, we decided to pack back up and head out to see the sunset over the Grand Canyon. (I had changed into my pajamas already, and decided “ehhh” it’s just a sunset, should be fast.)

What a mistake.

It was friggin freezing on the cliff. I could stand it for about a minute. I had to run back to the van in fear for my life. The uncontrollable shaking didn’t help the tailbone pain either. I learned my lesson.

Overall though, our stay at the Grand Canyon was pretty epic and I can’t wait to go back.

Love and Peace

Derek & Vanessa

Day 2 in Sedona, Arizona

For the past two days I've been enjoying the sights of Sedona, Arizona. I absolutely am in love with this place. The mountains and canyons in this area are some of the most amazing things I've ever seen in my life. We arrived yesterday at 8:30am after leaving Orlando at 7:30am. The 3 hour time difference takes some getting used to but it's kind of a blessing at the same time. I woke up much earlier than usual and felt great. We landed in Phoenix and drove a couple of hours to our first stop: Montezuma Castle

This is an old area where natives used to dwell. They'd use ladders to get up to their homes carved into the mountain side. After this we headed to our rental home which is stunning....

Today we visited Slide Rock Park,my favorite place so far. Everyone was jumping off cliffs into the river and sliding down the naturally carved shoot. I jumped once and paid the price of irritating the stupid sciatica that is ruining my life at the moment. But I digress. It was an amazing place to be, with wild blackberries growing in the area. They were SO delicious. I had stained fingers by the end of our visit =P

We headed to another swimming area after Slide Rock but we were rained out pretty quickly. We also attempted to catch the sunset at the Airport Mesa which is famous for their awesome view but the clouds put a damper on things. Instead we climbed up a small mountain to an amazing view of the city and surrounding red rocks. Unfortunately for me it was too dark to really capture anything on camera. Tomorrow we head to The Grand Canyon for two days with a quick stop to catch the sunrise at the cliff we visited tonight. Until tomorrow =D

It's HOT in Florida

The Florida heat seems to be taking it's toll on our garden. And at the most inopportune time. For the past 3-4 months I've been dealing with tailbone/lower back pain and it really has pissed me off. I could go on and cry about my situation but I don't care to do that at the moment. Nevertheless I do feel sad that I've neglected the garden because of my situation.

Last week I did something to re aggravate my injury and now life sucks. I didn't realize how good I had it until this pain reared it's ugly head. So now I'm basically an invalid. And the garden is dying. I am sad.

Oh, and I almost forgot about the deer rampage. Notice the missing leaves:

On the upside: I've crafted a laptop...lap stand for myself since dorsal recumbency is the most comfortable position for me. I found some ideas online and used whatever I could find at home to make my nifty little stand.

Not the prettiest thing in the world but it does the job!=)

Go green by going...blue.

Speaking of canvas bags, check out Blue Avocado. Started by a small group of moms who wanted to do their part in greening the world, Blue Avocado makes reusing bags easy and cute. I found them through Superforest (because they are awesome) and at first I wasn't impressed but after browsing through their site, I was sold. They offer a lot of great info like tips on remembering your bags. What I like most about their totes is how easy they fold and stuff into something tiny (for easy carrying around). Their commitment to sustainability is also a plus. Watch this video about their Billion bag pledge aimed at reducing the use of plastic bags:



BTW if you've never gone to Superforest.org, pleeease do so now. Really. Go. They are the shiz.

Of inner thoughts and feelings. How cute.

I'll admit it, I've given into buying canvas bags for grocery shopping. I've even walked in, realized I forgot to bring my own bags and purchase more. Then I feel better about myself and I expect everyone to do what I do/did when they forget their bags. Man, how self righteous am I?

I've always gotten on others for not doing things my way. I've come to realize that it's not fair to act like that towards them or even myself for that matter. There's a difference between not caring and forgetting. There's also a difference between caring and taking on too much. Maybe not for everyone but for many I'm sure. I think I've got the "take too much on" syndrome (among other things). It's basically an unwavering need to satiate my craving for knowledge and experience. I usually end up overwhelming myself with everything I want to learn/read/do/watch/listen to. I have a serious lack of patience and organizational skills. And I feel like a failure when I'm not a pro at something. ( I don't mean to bore you with my self deprecation but the best way to deal with a problem is to recognize it and then work on fixing it...or so I'm told)

I do things and have beliefs that not everyone agrees with. When I'm criticized about those things I get pretty frosty towards that person. I hold a lot of grudges. Not good, I know. But I'll keep on doing what I believe in no matter what people say about it. I'm well aware that my tastes and beliefs may change with time. And I know the same thing is going to happen to other people. So everyone needs to get off of their high horses and chill out. Myself included.

Humans are fallible, we all know this. We make mistakes, we forget things, we get lazy. We're just not perfect. It's ok to change our minds, to take things back if we didn't mean it.
It's not cool to act like you're better than someone else because they didn't choose your path. The best way to make things happen in this world is by being open minded and...caring *cue the cheesy music*. I definitely don't mean to preach, just thinking out loud. Sometimes I think I care too much and I wish people could change their views so we could finally have some peace in this world. Who knows, maybe we'll find it someday or maybe we're just part of a constant cycle. Part of a group of people who care about themselves, the environment, humankind but...never get anywhere.

So in turning this around to be much lighter and bubbly, I recommend to thee, Jason Mraz. He's the most uplifting mofo I know of. I love his music, his lyrics, and his blog (http://freshnessfactorfivethousand.blogspot.com/). He keeps things real, even if things are ugly.

With that, I am finished.

Namaste.
Peace.
Adios.

The end.

Check out this crazy stop-motion video

Protesting across the globe for Iran

Over the past few days I've been keeping up with the protesting in Iran. The most amazing thing I've seen is the will of the Mousavi supporters. I've also seen how important Twitter's role has been in relaying information out of Iran for the world to see. Many passionate Americans have also taken in upon themselves to help the protesters in any way they can. This moment shows how far we've come technologically speaking. It can't be denied that we've reached a new age where we don't have to rely on mainstream media to know what's going on across the world. All over the country people are showing their support by doing something as simple as changing their avatars to green and spreading information to setting up proxies so those from Iran can still access Twitter and other social networks. The seriousness of the situation is sometimes hard to grasp. Many Twitter users ask that their names remain anonymous due to fear of government retaliation. It's speculated that hundreds have been arrested, from protesters to journalists but it's hard to get a count on how many deaths there have been. We've seen photos of computers destroyed and dorm rooms ransacked by Iran's hired militia, of men bloodied and bruised. Their militia seem like nothing more than bullies who only know how to resort to violence. Death threats seem to be the mantra of the Iranian government at this time.

And yet Twitter has proven to be a powerful tool. The US State Dept must think so too since they asked Twitter to delay their usual update time on Monday so Iranians could continue communicating. Iran has blocked most forms of communication in an effort to stifle the movement and exposure to the violence they're putting their people through. They've blocked things like Gmail, Yahoo Messenger, SMS, cellphones, and ISP's. They're also not allowing journalists to report on the riots. So the Iranian people have taken to using Twitter and Youtube to show the world what is going on.

At first I wasn't sure where I stood on the issue. I had no idea what the candidates stood for in the presidential race but at this point, after seeing the violence committed against peaceful protesters and the complete disregard for those voices I now stand with them. I don't agree with any type of suppression against people who only want their voices heard. I've found out more about what's going on in Iran through Twitter than any other media source and I think that really says something.

It's hard to watch the videos and images of people being shot and beat and not get angry. I can't imagine how hard it must be for some of these people to not fight back. There must come a point where enough is enough, where rage takes over. I feel at a loss as to what I can do to help but I'll continue what I have been doing and hope that justice prevails.


5th day of protesting:


California:


Toronto:


Germany:

Driving the Greasecar

After months of dreaming and searching, we finally got a greasecar (it runs on vegetable oil). It's quite exciting if I do say so myself. My boyfriend, Derek, found some listings on Greasecar.com. We found one we really liked and headed to N.C. for it. Derek, myself, and our roommate Jeff took the leap together. A lot of people thought it was funny that it took 3 people to get a car. But why not make it a vacation when you can? So we hopped on a train from Kissimmee, FL. The whole ride took about 13 hours and was surprisingly awesome other than the persistent dripping of water on me when I was trying to sleep. We arrived in Durham, NC and tried to rent a car which failed. Memorial Day weekend. Oops. 170.00 dollars later we arrived at our destination by cab and got our car, a 1982 Mercedes-Benz 300SD. Love it.

Now we just have to figure out where to get our fuel from...

After getting the car we evaded the cops for a few days since we didn't think ahead about getting tags. Double oops. But we decided to head to Helen, GA anyway. After a really grumpy drive we arrived around 1am to the little German town. The three of us spent a day at Unicoi State Park the next day. Jeff made us some delicious breakfast and Derek fell in the river as he was trying to save a little boys baseball from an untimely death. A success overall I'd say...except for Derek. Sorry babe.

Pictures coming soon!!

Peace.