snOw, Canada: Part 1

It has been a whirlwind since I got home in November and started back at KJT. I was so thankful that they wanted me back to help out and it was nice to get back in the rhythm of things. After I finished there, I decided I wanted some sort of vacation before I headed back to the ranch and the first thing that popped into my head was CANADA! Years ago, I had seen images of a beautiful ice skating trail that went through the woods and I had always wanted to go. So I bought a pair of ice skates on Craigslist and headed north.

Bracebridge

On my way up north I stopped in Bracebridge because they advertised having an outdoor skating trail. It was in a town park and was a figure eight that went around a gazebo and a war memorial. It was a picture perfect Canadian scene. However, the ice was really crappy and after I broke through twice into divots I decided to call it a day. Plus I hadn't been on skates in years so I figured it would be a good warm up. I continued on up to Huntsville where my hotel was. I checked in and had some soup for dinner before bundling up and heading out to Arrowhead Provincial Park. The ice skating trail is open occasionally during the evenings for Fire and Ice nights.

Fire and ice trail

They line the trail with tiki torches and you can skate at night. I got there just as the zamboni was coming off the ice so I was the first one on the trail. It quickly filled up though. I alternated between skating a few laps and taking time to warm up by the fire. It became insanely crowded and it got to be too difficult to navigate the couples skating hand in hand and the kids inching along. It was still very cool though.

Algonquin

The next day I headed up to Algonquin Provincial Park. I drove through to the east side of the park, monitoring the roads for moose because there were warning signs everywhere. I never saw one though.

All bundled up

I spent over an hour at the Visitor Centre because it had some beautiful exhibits. Their dioramas were excellent. I went across the street to Spruce Bog where there was a snowshoe trail. It went past 2 bogs and it was lightly snowing so it was a beautiful walk. I got back in my car and headed to Mew Lake campground, because I saw in the park guide that there was an ice rink there but when I arrived the roads were pretty snow covered and it looked deserted so I gave up on ice skating and went across the road to Two Rivers snowshoe trail. It was more of an uphill walk but it went along the ledge of a cliff so the views were a bit more open.

Some color in the vast whiteness

It's been a pretty mild winter down in NY so I haven't seen this amount of snow in awhile. Everything was just buried, it amazes me that things survive up here. There were a few other spots on the park guide that were indicated to be open for snowshoeing but none of the parking lots were plowed. Even Spruce Bog and Two Rivers weren't plowed but other people had driven through so it wasn't too awful. I was too nervous to attempt any other parking lots though because I didn't want to get stuck, You'd think with the amount of snow this place gets that they would be more adept at plowing. Even the hotel I stayed at didn't plow my whole stay.

Saguaro National Park

Another convention, another new place for me to visit. This past week I headed out to Tuscon to the Dude Ranchers Association convention at Tanque Verde Ranch. I had never been to Tuscon before and was expecting the desert but I wasn't expecting the mountains all around. That was as much as I could grasp since I got off the plane with a raging fever and a constantly running nose.

By the last day of the convention I was feeling well enough to sign up for a ride but it was too windy so it was cancelled. Since I had a few hours I decided to make my way over to Saguaro National Park. The ranch abuts the park boundary but I wanted to go to the visitor center. I used the Lyft app and the poor driver had no clue where he was or what I was asking him to do as I passed him a $20 to hand to the ranger for entry. He dropped me off at the picnic area and was concerned about how I was getting back but I told him I would just walk. I set off from the picnic area to the Freeman Trail. 

Freeman Trail

It was a mile long trail out to the site of an old homestead. After making the loop, I made my way back to the main road and walked the mile and a half back to the visitor center, stopping to take pictures of cacti along the way (and avoiding the curious stares of those in vehicles).

Saguaro

The saguaros are what people think of when they think of cactus so it was neat to finally see them up close. Plus there were a bunch of others that I could ID but my favorite, that I had never seen before, was the teddy bear cactus because it looks cozy from a distance but is still a cactus.

Teddy bear cactus

The mountains in the distance were covered in snow and the sun was poking out of the clouds so it was a beautiful afternoon (albeit with a wind chill in the 40s). I checked out the visitor center quick before it closed and came away with a new puzzle that was published for the Centennial.

Sunset at the Park

I took another Lyft back to the ranch and this guy wasn't nearly as great. It had been raining on and off all week so the roads were covered in water, with some of the dips having moving water and this guy just blew through them. I was thankful to get back without incident. It was so bizarre to me that I used an app to get a ride to a National Park but hey, it worked and now I can check another one off my list!

Riding in the desert

The next day I was able to reschedule my ride. It was still chilly but the sun was out and the wind had died down. I was the only rider so they had a new wrangler leading and a girl behind me to show her the ropes. I felt like I saw many more saguaros on the ride than I did in the national park but I guess I really only walked the road in the park. I just got a new camera and I just kept it on constantly snapping pictures.

Funny looking cactus

The way the arms of the Saguaro grow makes for some interesting photo opportunities.

Action shot of deer

Towards the end of the ride the horses perked up and we realized there was a herd of mule deer making their way along the creek. They kept popping out from everywhere and running through the creek and up the hill. It was a very cool sight to see. As we turned to head back I even spotted a roadrunner. I have never seen one still before so I could finally get a picture.

Roadrunner

When I got back to the ranch, I wandered around the nature trail and spotted a cardinal that was flitting around. It was neat to see such a pop of color in the desert.

Cardinal

 I grabbed lunch before hopping in the shuttle and heading off to the airport.

Lake at the Ranch

My shuttle driver back was amazing. He used to work for the Park Service and gave me a nice lecture on the saguaros as well as tons of other local info along the way. He was quite personable and knowledgeable. The Tuscon airport was absolutely packed but when I handed my stuff to the TSA agent she said I was pre-check so I got to skip to the front of the line which was great. It went downhill in Atlandta however as tornadoes were moving through so flights were delayed and cancelled all over the place. I luckily was able to make it out but I didn't get home til 3:30 am.

Despite my sickness, I still had a great trip. I learned so much at the convention, met some of the nicest people, ate really well, rode a horse through the desert and got to see a national park.

Daytona

The day after Thanksgiving I was traveling once again. I headed down to Daytona Beach Florida to attend the America Outdoor Association conference for the Ranch. I got there a few days early to do some exploring. And it was an...interesting city to visit. It didn't make sense to rent a car since I was staying at the beach across from where the convention would be held so I decided to get fancy and try an Uber for the first time. I didn't expect it to be so quick so when the guy called to tell me he had already done a lap past the arrivals I had to have him come around again. He said "oh wait, I think I see you, are you that heavy lady?" I cringed because I could see who he was referring to but I was next to her. He actually turned out to be a nice older gentleman though and we discussed national parks on our ride to the hotel. I stayed right on the ocean and it was a really warm day so I spent the afternoon sunning myself on the beach. The next day Jess drove up from Orlando and we got to visit which was amazing. It was great to catch up with her.

Historic sands of Daytona

Then I was on my own in Daytona and since I am so cheap I decided to use public transportation rather than just Uber around the city. I saw online there was a scooter rental place about a mile down the road so I thought that would be fun to try. I showed up right when they opened and realized it was Sunday so they didn't open for another hour. I wandered the  beach and came back but still no signs of life and it was a windy cool day so I said screw it and went to the movie theater to see Moana. The next day I was determined to get somewhere so I stalked the public transit website until I was confident I knew where I was going. I boarded the bus and was heading to the racetrack.

The patron saint of Daytona

I noticed that people would pull the rope to signal for a stop as soon as the bus pulled away from the last stop so I got close to where I thought my stop was and pulled the rope and instead of waiting until the next stop the driver just pulled over and let me off! I didn't want to be that idiot that signaled for a stop and didn't get off so I disembarked a mile from the race track and had to walk past the airport on the grass since there were no sidewalks. I finally ended up at the ticket office for Daytona and purchased my ticket.

Toyota entrance

The experience was amazing. It is so hard to grasp the scope of how massive it is and even when you are there it is mind boggling. We got to drive around the racetrack and get out and see the banking which is insane at 31 degrees.

Start/finish line

We also got our pictures taken in the winners circle. I thought it was nice that they had a pro photographer there shilling for you to buy their picture but they also offered to take the picture on your camera as well. Or maybe that's an elaborate scheme to take a crappy pic on your camera so you are forced to buy their professional one. We also got to go in the press area, in pit lane, and up into the stands.

Winner!

It was well worth the money and I would love to go back and check out a race. Across the road from the race track was a mall so I browsed for a bit before boarding the bus back to the hotel. It was over an hour ride but I got to see more of Daytona so I didn't complain. The next day I was feeling confident about public transit so I again headed out to the streets. This time, the bus stop wasn't where google maps said it was and I was wandering around a side street that didn't look very promising when this old man stops me and says "excuse me miss? you dropped your smile". Please. There was also a construction worker randomly walking (and I could see no construction) so I decided to just walk back to the main highway and catch the bus there. Well the construction worker cycled back around to where the construction was actually happening and did a few laps before stopping to talk to me. Because I was early, I ended up talking to him for 15 minutes. He made it about 5 before he asked if I had a boyfriend so next thing you know I told this guy that I am in school and saving up to buy a car (he recommends Toyota) and I am catching the bus to pick up my paycheck at the Hampton Inn because my boyfriend is at work. I was so relieved when I saw a bus that I just jumped on it. Turns out it was the wrong one and I ended up at the transfer station for an hour (not the nicest part of town). I finally got the right bus and wouldn't you know, it goes out on its loop and it stops where I was originally picked up and with my luck there is a person who gets on (paying in quarters!) so I am ducking in my seat so that the constriction worker doesn't see me in the window. Oy.

Ponce Light

I had an uneventful ride 10 miles down the coast to Ponce Inlet. It is a lighthouse with a museum complex and it was wonderful. I spent 3 hours there going through all the exhibits and found it fascinating. They also let you climb the tower (203 steps) for a 360 view.

203 steps

 After leaving there I walked over to Lighthouse Point Park and walked out on the jetty and watched 3 idiots on jet skis try to avoid getting swept out to sea.

Boardwalk at Park

I then set out on the generously named "walking tour" which wasn't much but there was another tiny museum that I stopped at.

Walking tour

I grabbed dinner and waited for the bus to take me back up to the hotel. Then the real fun began at the conference where it was jam packed for 3 days. I met some amazing people and learned a ton. I don't know that I would recommend Daytona as a vacation spot unto itself and I wouldn't recommend going out after dark but it was an ok spot to kill a few days and hey, I had an adventure!

The Long Road Home

After I got back from my West Texas Whim trip the season was busy through the end but the last week was extra special because mom and dad came out to visit! They had been to the ranch in May when they drove me out but only spent a couple hours. This time they flew into ABQ and spent a few days touring around New Mexico before arriving. It was nice to have them there (especially to help with chores ;)) and I loved being able to show them the beautiful scenery and what I do every day. After the other guests left we spent a few days cleaning and getting everything wrapped up for the season. Then it was time to head back east! We packed up the Mazda again and headed out at dawn. 

Supermoon on the drive out

The first day we drove to Oklahoma City. I was amazed at the miles of wind turbines we passed.

Wind turbines!

As we were driving I heard on the radio that there was a shooting at the Oklahoma City airport! We were wondering whether to stop or keep going but by the time we arrived they had found the shooter. Luckily we got a hotel room because the airport was shut down for the night and all the passengers were dispersing to find hotel rooms.

OKC Memorial

The next day we hit the road and stopped at the Oklahoma City Memorial. I'd missed it when we drove out because it's not really advertised as an NPS site. It was a still a special place to stop because it commemorated the bombing in a truly beautiful way. After leaving Oklahoma we detoured into Arkansas for more NPS sites.

Fort Smith

The first stop was Fort Smith. It was on a beautiful spot overlooking the convergence of two rivers and had a lot of history in its buildings and on its grounds. After lunch we hopped back in the car and headed to Pea Ridge, AR.

Pea Ridge

It was a battlefield site and seemed pretty similar to others I had seen. My favorite part was the gift shop where I got a NPS Centennial t-shirt and Christmas ornament (both 30% off). We layed over in Springfield, MO for the night and went into St. Louis in the AM.

Previously we'd done the Arch but this time our destination was the Science Museum. Last winter they released a National Parks IMAX film but it was only released to large cities so I knew I wanted to stop and see it somewhere on this trip. We spent the morning playing around in the science museum before seeing the film. It was gorgeous and the soundtrack was great. Then we were stuck on back country roads heading to Vincennes, IN.

George Rogers Clark

It is literally right across the border and that means it's in Eastern Time. We didn't get there until 4:15 because of a detour and it closed at 4:45 so I was pretty pissy and wasn't really into it. It commemorates the older brother of Clark (of Lewis and Clark). It is a memorial that is filled with murals depicting his contribution to American history. I just wanted to get to our hotel and sleep but we had another couple hours on the road, most of it country highway again. After a good nights sleep we got up early to make the final push back home to NY. We made it home at 3:30. The trip was shorter than the way out in May and the temperature was in the 70s and 80s the whole way which was amazing. After all the traveling through, it felt nice to finally be back in my own  home and in my own bed.

Big Bend: Heading Out

Sunrise in Cottonwood Campground

The next day dawned just as stunning. I was wondering if every day and night in Big Bend is this gorgeous. It was jarring though that sunrise wasn't until 8am. I packed up camp and headed back up the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. My first stop was at the visitor center. 

Castolon Visitor Center

It wasn't open yet but there were a couple outdoor exhibits on the cotton mining history. My next stop was Tuff Canyon. 

Tuff Canyon

Tuff Canyon

Tuff Canyon

There were 2 overlooks down into it but also a trail to walk through it which I took advantage of. You could see the power of flash floods that had coursed through and there was even a couple pools of water hidden away. The sun on Cerro Castellan across the way was gorgeous.

Cerro Castellan

I drove up to Burro Mesa Spur Road  and hiked the Lower Burro Mesa Pour Off. The trail leads to a dry wash but once you got there no signs existed as to where the trail went so I just hiked up a dry wash until it got too closed off. It's frustrating not to know where a trail goes but since it follows a wash I guess it doesn't make sense to mark it since any marker would just get washed out with the regular flash floods. I saw a few turkey vultures perched up above so I got out of there. 

My last stop was the Sam Nail Ranch. It is remnants of an old ranch and because the windmill is still working it is in a shady lush grove of trees. It was neat to be in a little oasis in the middle of the desert.

Trail to Sam Nail

Sam Nail Ranch

From there it was time to head out of Big Bend. I saw on the map that just outside the entrance was the Terlingua Ghost Town. I decided to stop by but as I drove through Terlingua I was rethinking that. The town is just...gritty. I did not get a good impression and when I got to the ghost town I saw it was a commercialized one where there were shops set up in the old buildings. 

Terlingua Cemetery

Nothing about it appealed to me so I got out of there as soon as I could. I headed out through Alpine and Marfa Texas. I stopped outside of Marfa at the Prada store. 

Prada Marfa

Melissa  had told me about it and I recalled seeing pictures of it. Apparently its an art installation and its supposed to be ironic to see a Prada store in the middle of flat nothingness. The store was kinda dirty so I just snapped a picture and continued on. I got back on the interstate and drove to Chamizal National Monument in El Paso. I didn't realize it was literally across the river from Mexico. It's kind of a neat park because its a living dynamic park that celebrates the Mexican culture with art exhibits and theatre productions. 

Chamizal

There was a small visitor center so I learned about the history of the border dispute. The bridge to Mexico is adjacent and all I could hear was honking horns so it wasn't a very peaceful place to relax. 

Driving across West Texas

By the time I got back to the ranch I had clocked about 1200 miles. It was such a spontaneous whirlwind road trip but I had the time of my life. I am sooooo thankful to Meris and Seth for giving me the opportunity. I had never just taken off like that but it was exhilirating and it was nice to travel with no expectations and just be impressed and awestruck by what I saw along the way. I think this is a turning point for "planning" my future endeavors.