In and around America (part two)

“From the rocky mountains to the cold stream wa-aw-ters.”

On Tuesday we stayed in Glenwood Springs Colorado at the Hot Springs Hotel. The pool was a really old huge natural hot springs where we soaked up the sulfur water, healing our everything. The next day we hiked up to a place called hanging lake which was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, with the clear blue green waters and graceful waterfalls and it wall all slowly pouring over the hanging cliff. I fell in the water which was freeeeezing cold but felt good after the climb.

I love the high altitude here, the dry air in my hair and the clean feeling in my lungs. When we were on the way to Glenwood we were over 13,000 feet and our car started to freak out. A local informed us that cars lose 40% of their power when climbing at that height which is like our 12 passenger van, fully loaded running on a old four cylinder engine.

I love the people here. For one, they do all this cool stuff like hike, raft, mountain climb, go off roading and whatnot but to top it off they have all the cool gear to go with it. You know, the satrapy sandals, the awkward length shorts, tricked out bikes and old jeeps. It makes me want to shop at REI. One of the best parts about this trip was seeing all the different kind of people. Sometimes I forget that not everyone lives in Southern California (although it seems that way). People live all over and are so different. Neal and I had a good time making fun of accents, lack of coolness, strange interests, unusual clothes, mass amounts of Wallmartage and obscure jobs but really it must be really funny to see dumb Angelinos who take pictures of farm equipment and general store signs. I mean gosh, we didn’t even know what brushhogging was. Who is normal and who is strange? I guess the strange is the stranger and the normal is the resident. Maybe sometime they will come visit us.

Today we arrived at the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort (don-da-da-don-da-da-don-don). It’s a neat little place with lots of activates and we are staying in a place fit for a link-n-log man. The boys went skeet shooting today, guided by a bona fied cowboy (no really). Mom, KK, Meg and I skipped on over to the Hoedown tonight where I learned that not only is Michaela is black but so is Meg! I had a lot of fun making a fool of myself (Thriller!) but decided to bow out when I started feeling sick. Apparently, it is an awful idea to eat large amounts of raw squash without chewing properly. But hey, it was tasty, free and full of organic enzymes. And it makes a good story right?

Today we went into Zion National park. Everyone went on the tram and we toured the park to see what we want to do tomorrow. Zion is amazing, the strata of red and orange rock jetting out of the deep canyon up to the blue, blue sky. When on the tram, we passed a trail called “Angles Landing” which is a difficult, five mile round trip hike to the top of a large bluff in the center of the canyon. I said “I want to do that.” Apparently, a lady died recently by tripping and falling off the cliff with her husband and two children watching the traumatic event. I went back to the car, grabbed some water, sunscreen, my vans and camera and headed off to the trail alone. On the first part of the hike I walked with some hardcore outdoor adventure guys. We zigzagged on the paved switchbacks, baking in the heat of the sun. Eventually, I lost them and trucked on alone until I caught up with them near the top. The paved path brings hikers up to a long peak, stretching up to the angles landing. To get to the top one has to climb on natural stair steps, as slanted, narrow or steep as they may be. There is only a chain bolted to the rock to keep you from tumbling hundreds of feet. I practically ran across the rocks (don’t tell my mom) full on adrenalin and stoping once in a while when I realized I was so out of breath that I could hardly keep my balance. After the exciting, technical climb my mind was whirring until suddenly I reached what seems like the heavens and was some how frozen in time. The top was amazing, undesirable. I sat there, taking the beauty of it all in, thinking of never leaving. I ate some banana chips of my fellow travelers and some honey packets I had taken form the lodge café. The two guys (who’s name I never got) headed down but I stayed for a while, just soaking the sun. I took pictures, had a short yoga session, prayed, laid in the sun and took some deep breaths of air filled with fresh beauty. At one point it sprinkled and I caught about ten droplets in my bottle. I met some more people and on the way down I climbed with a young married couple. We talked the whole way down about traveling and cultures and all sorts of things. They had been on a lot of mission trips although I am almost certain they are Mormon. Towards the end the three of us befriended a Swiss couple who had been traveling the states. All four of them were so nice and interesting. I am so glad I went. Afterwords, when my grandma picked me up, I could not stop talking, almost light headed form excitement. Adventures alone are always exciting if you want them to be.

This whole trip has been quite the Adventure. I have seen lots of new things (giant Van Gogh painting, car Stonehenge, the biggest cross, an albino squirrel Colony, a real lightning storm with genuine wet rain, lots of farms, lots and lots of farms, a72 ounce steak, a six legged cow, UFO McDonald’s, a brushhogger, mountains, lakes, rivers, streams, creeks, valleys, canyons, caverns, caves, big rocks, little rocks, Indian territory, white mans territory, “The Thing,” biscuits and gravy, travelers, tourists, tractor drivers, locals, guides, workers, James Dean, most of the country and my baby sister shaking her groove thang). Trapped in an aluminum box, whirling at 80 miles an hour, with six other people, I will have traveled over 4000 miles in two weeks. And the moral of the story is: Family is the most important thing there is and sleeping through everything really helps pass the time. But seriously, it was amazing. Tomorrow we leave Mt. Zion and down to the promise land. And thus concludes the The National Lampoon Hirtzel Vacation. Can’t wait get to back and to see you all soon.

--Much love from the happy traveler