Lefty's Trail: February 2008

Friday, February 29, 2008

One Lap Down, Many More to Go!

Wow! I can't believe that I'm standing beside the Atlantic Ocean tonight after just dipping my toes in the cold, rich waters of the Pacific what feels like only yesterday! I'm back in Florida tonight after a trek around the country! It's kind of fitting, and in a way symbolic that I return to Florida on Leap Year Day. Whew! If that was lap number one, I can't wait for the rest of the race! I'm here to take care of some business for awhile and hang out with my dear mom for a bit. I'm sure I'll make some rounds and see some old friends, and then, off again!

I've been asked what were my "favorite" moments during the last three months, and I seem to be having difficulty putting the entire experience into neat little pockets that one could name a "moment". The entire adventure was more of a "lump sum" of all the moments than anything singular. I mean sure, I stood in awe amongst the towering redwoods of Northern California and I was mesmerized by the red cliffs of Southern Utah. I stood in jaw-dropping wonderment as I gazed across portions of Yellowstone and realized what true silence is in the Badlands of South Dakota. I was able to experience a night sky that can only be revealed in a place as dark as Bryce Canyon and I found serenity next to a semi-frozen mountain stream in Glacier National Park. So again, which one of these "moments" was my favorite? My only answer is that all of them were my favorite. Not one can rise above the rest, because without the others, each one becomes just another place.

It's been said that it's not just about the destination, it's about the journey. The pictures that I post here reveal only the slightest about the places I've seen. What made the trip a true adventure was the school-boy like excitement of wondering what was around the next bend in the road or the next switchback in the trail. Pictures are only pictures, and sadly, I can't transmit what I was feeling as I took them. In a few of those pictures, I think that feeling almost comes through, but the joy of looking at them is dwarfed by the pleasure of taking them.

I guess if I'm pressed to choose the moment or two that stood out, they're ones that don't have any pictures to accompany them. The sunrise in the Badlands with the temperature at minus-16 degrees that I shared with only a small herd of wild American Bison was a moment that I'll never forget. As I fingered the ice in my frozen beard I realized that it will be one of those moments that, when my time comes to leave this world, will be one that makes me smile and know that it all wasn't a waste. Another would be during one of my hikes in Redwood. I haven't been that enchanted by "some woods" since I was a much, much smaller boy. Those ancient giants made me feel like that ten year-old kid again. It was like the mystery of the world was back for an encore performance! That mystery is a feeling that we lose once we become "adults" and are forced into looking at the world through a different kaleidoscope. To have that feeling once again running through my veins and making the hair on my toes tingle was something for which I'll be forever grateful!

But again, I have to pull the zoom lens back out and look at the big picture. Each of those incredibly special moments wouldn't be what they were without the one before it and the anticipation of the ones that were to come. So, what was my favorite moment? I don't know. I think it's still out there waiting for me.

I'll be on the road again soon enough. I can't wait to find it!

Lefty

Friday, February 22, 2008

Just a Few of My Favorites

No commentary... just for your enjoyment. All Pics are copyrighted Lefty's Trail (TM). Haha!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

A Challenge to the Non-Environmentalists

Now, I need to start off by saying that I'm certainly not a card-carrying member of Greenpeace, but I have made an effort to be a little more "green" in my ways. It's certainly something that is important to me, and thanks to this little trip, it's been thrust back to the front and center.

I'm not asking everyone that's reading this to go out and wrap their arms around the nearest dogwood tree and give it a passionate kiss. What I am asking everyone to do is to just stop and think about some things for a minute or two. Quite often when I'm having a discussion with an individual that doubts our impact on Mother Earth, I'm left speechless that these folks can't see that we are all connected. Use of resources that she provides to us is one thing, AB-use of those same resources is something completely different. We all share the same breath on this planet... why not at least TRY to do things a bit differently?

I was hiking through the Redwood National Park last week, and had the opportunity to sit and simply look, listen, and feel the environment around me. These trees have been here for 2,000+ years, and it may sound silly, but it really felt like they had a voice. No, the trees weren't speaking to me in some out-of-body spiritual vision, but the sound of that forest was unmistakable. It was the sound of life. It was the sound of history. And, most importantly, it was the sound of the future. I know I've leapt off the deep end into some sort of mind-numbing rant, but tough. If you don't like it, stop reading. Actually, for that matter, if you don't like it, I INSIST that you keep reading.

I challenge anyone to walk deep into one of those magnificent arboreal cathedrals and sit down for 30 minutes. It doesn't have to be Redwood National Park. It can be the seashore, it can be the local park. Somewhere you can get away from as many sounds of modern culture as possible. Sit there for thirty minutes and do NOTHING but listen. Listen to whatever natural sounds surround you. Listen to Mother Earth's voice for just thirty minutes. Close your eyes if you have to so you can really focus on her voice. Then, open your eyes and ask yourself this question: WHY NOT? Why shouldn't I at least make an effort? Why shouldn't I at least try? Is it because of some dumb party line? Some partisan talking point that you haven't stopped to think about for yourself? Whether you believe that Global Warming is being accelerated by man's abuse of the riches that we have been given, or if you simply believe that it is a repetitive planetary cycle that we don't have the slightest effect on, again ask WHY NOT? Why shouldn't I take better care of my house? My home? My children's home? And their children's home? Why not?
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On a semi-related note: I have a question for those individuals that tell me that the earth is only 6,000 years old. Most of the time (not all the time, mind you), these individuals tend to walk a fairly straight and narrow line when it comes to politics. I mention this because many of these individuals that I'm describing also don't believe in environmental issues or the phenomenon of global warming. They state that it's simply a "cycle." So herein lies my question... If the earth is only 6,000 years old, how can global warming just be a planetary cycle that goes up and down every ten or twenty thousand years? Quick? Your answer? I didn't think so.
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Ok, next time, I promise to leave politics out of it and just post some more pretty pictures and uninspired descriptions of my travels... or... maybe not.

See ya then!

Lefty

P.S. I spent last night in Bryce Canyon National Park located in Southwestern Utah. The way to the north rim of the Grand Canyon was indeed closed, and I didn't feel like looping all the way around to the south rim, so I just headed north. And I am glad I did! Bryce Canyon yesterday and some more early this morning and then Capitol Reef National Park today. Pretty sweet stuff. I'm spending the night tonight in a motel off of I-70 in south central Utah.

I plan on heading east towards Colorado tomorrow if the weather cooperates. It's probably about time for me to head back towards home in the coming days. Not that I won't be back out here really, really soon. But the IRS won't like my excuse of "finding myself" as a reason to not pay my taxes on time.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Follow Me!

Oh, what I have seen since the last time I sat down to write! Let's see, since then I've made my way down from Montana and Idaho, across Utah and Nevada, up through the Northern California heartland, back down the California coast, seen the bright lights of Vegas, and now sit in the middle of nowhere near the north rim of the Grand Canyon! Whew! Sorry for not writing in a while! It's been a blast, and believe it or not, the experience truly is getting me closer to figuring all those things out that I set out to find. No, I haven't answered the mysteries of the universe just yet, but I think I've learned a bit more about who Lefty really is.

I thought it would be fun to put up a map of my travels, and include some interesting tidbits about each of the spots. Next time I'll post some more pictures, and boy, do I have some doozies! It really is beautiful country out here.

If you are interested, the following footnotes accompany the numbering on the map above. The numbers don't correspond with "days" or anything, just interesting things or places along the way. Click the map to open it full size.

#1 - The starting point of Lefty's trail... Jensen Beach, Florida. Some serious memories here. Some good, some not so pleasant... including the reason I started this little journey.
#2 - Beaufort, SC: Wanted to visit an old friend and say goodbye. I've had a tough time letting go of her, but it was good to see her one last time. I don't think she checks in and reads this blog, even though she was the one that said "I'll stay in touch. We can be friends, and I'd hate to think of life without you as friend." Yeah. Uh-huh. That's why she hasn't initiated contact in 5 months. Karen, if you do read this, sorry, but that's the truth. Ok, I digress... sorry about that folks. While on this # on the map, note the curiously incorrect placements by this cartographer of Augusta and Savannah, GA. They put Augusta where Savannah is, and put Savannah down the coast where Brunswick is supposed to be!
#3 - A quick stop at my Uncle Bill's place before "heading west"!
#4 - Christmas & New Year's in Little Rock! Simply the best. Thanks for it all you two!
#5 - Some time in Tunica, Mississippi proving to myself that I'm actually a decent poker player.
#6 - Iowa City, IA... home to my dear friends Ann and Bishop. Thanks for the hospitality! I hope it works out for me to loop back that way on my return trip.
#7 - The "frozen tundra of Lambeau Field", also home to my friend Greg. What's happening Schmitty!!!
#8 - Snow started to fall really heavily here in southern Minnesota, so I darted back south in an effort to stay out of the worst of it... HA! That didn't work out to well after spending a couple of days stuck in Ames, IA. Oh well... found a great little Mexican restaurant there. You know me.
#9 - Omaha, NE: Not much to mention here, so I won't. hehe.
#10 - Sioux Falls, SD: Spent the night here and felt like I was finally on the road. No old friends in front of me, no security blankets. Just me, the road, new people and places, and life waiting to be lived.
#11 - Badlands National Park, SD - You already know about my camping trip here. So far, one of the best memories of the trail.
#12 - Buffalo, WY - First attempt at heading to Yellowstone - road closed.
#13 - Sheridan, WY - Second attempt at heading to Yellowstone - ditto.
#14 - Billings, MT - My third attempt at heading to Yellowstone - uh-huh... you guessed it.
#15 - Livingston, MT - Finally an open portal to the park! Stocked up on supplies for camping.
#16 - Mammoth Springs Campground & Yankee Canyon Campground. Spent some wonderful nights here. Went for my first "Vision Quest" on a mountain top. Although nothing was more powerful than that morning in the Badlands. More about that quest another time.
#17 - Drove across Yellowstone to where the road would have come in from Billings. Highest elevation that I've been at on this trip - 8,000+ ft. above sea level. Elk, Bison, Coyote.
#18 - Butte, MT: Along with Missoula, Butte became a second home for me as I traveled in this region. I looped around a couple of areas, but weather seemed to force me back to Butte or Missoula more often than it cooperated.
#19 - Watched the Superbowl in a hotel in Missoula. Thank GOD the Patriots lost!!! Also, after finding out that two of the campgrounds in Glacier National Park were open for "winter" camping, I stocked up on supplies here and then headed north.
#20 - Couer d'Alene, ID: Actually, this stop came before I headed to Glacier. I went up and down that stretch of I-90 a couple of times.
#21 - Glacier National Park: I spent three nights here. It wasn't nearly as cold as it was in the Badlands. Actually, even though there was a TON of snow, the temp was a balmy 26 - 35. Not bad, really. Some beautiful country up here, at least West of the Continental Divide. I was amazed at how much it changed as soon as I went over it here on the east side of the park. Quite a contrast compared to other places that I've crossed it before. It went from alpine terrain to "high plain" or even "desert". Very interesting.
#22 - Crossed the border back into Idaho... this time Southern Idaho. Some really interesting landscapes up here, and quite high in elevation. Near white out conditions from snow, fog and blowing snow. Found out that it takes awhile to get anywhere moving 5 mph!
#23 - Idaho Falls, ID. Again, nothing too special other than another Super 8 Motel.
#24 - Salt Lake City, UT - Would have been some beautiful country here, but I discovered what happens to the best that Mother Nature can provide if too many people and too much industry comes around. So much air pollution that I could hardly see the lake. Ugh! Maybe another day would be different, but this was quite disappointing.
#25 - Bonneville Salt Flats - I neared the world land speed record of 600+mph while driving on I-80... haha... just kidding... kind of.
#26 - Reno, NV - Got stuck here for a night 'cause Donner Pass into California was closed. I managed to find some entertainment at Harrah's Hotel and Casino. Imagine that!
#27 - Mount Shasta area, California. This was some cool country. After coming through some of the valleys at sea level or just above, there was this 14,000+ft. behemoth in front of me. Spent some time hiking near Lake Shasta. Was going to camp here, but those crazy Californians don't like the people with national park passes, so I moved on up the road. Saw that I was relatively close to Redwood, so moved on.
#28 - Starting point of a great week. Headed west from Grant's Pass, Oregon, down US 199 towards Redwood National Park. I had NO IDEA that I would run into one of my NEW favorite places! Smith River National Recreation Area. Wow! Stunning views, a pristine river, trout that bit no matter what you had on the end of a line (thanks Bill!!!), and some incredible mountain drives. I spent three days and two nights in this wonderland just soaking it in. I will be back!
#29 - Smith River Campground - Really, starting a campfire with damp wood is not as easy as you'd think, even with the right "stuff". But once it's going... AHHH!
#30 - Redwood National Park - Simply amazing. I challenge anyone to walk through these forests and not come out without a greater appreciation of the environment. More on that topic next time...
#31 - Started down the scenic "Shoreline Highway"... Also known as California Highway 1. Stunning views, sheer cliffs, hairpin turns that really do make your hair stand on end, and some awesome photographic opportunities.
#32 - Spent the night on a bluff overlooking the Pacific with huge surf thundering against the rocks below... slept like a baby.
#33 - San Francisco, CA - Very cool city, but too many people for me. The Golden Gate Bridge was cool.
#34 - Monterey Peninsula & Carmel Bay - Interesting. One minute you are in fairly dry, barren land... grassland mostly, then all of the sudden, "boom"! I guess everyone in Central CA was here though since it was the weekend and beautiful weather. Got out and strolled around for a awhile. Didn't want to pay 11 dollars to take the scenic 17 mile drive though. Maybe next time. There were just too many people and too much traffic!
#35 - Death Valley - Again, too many people. I guess I need to plan on visiting parks in off seasons, like I did with Yellowstone and Glacier. It was beautiful, especially with some of the wildflowers in bloom, but again, just too many darn people. I'll go to Death Valley again in July. That should be interesting!
#36 - Vegas - Come on, you really didn't think that I'd come all the way out here and not at least stop in, did you? All told, a successful venture at the Bellagio, walking away $600 up at the $2-$5 no-limit hold-em table... RUN while you can, Lefty!
#37 - Zion National Park - Stunning! Again, some great photos. Still a lot of people, even for a Monday. I guess a lot of people heading out of Vegas after the long weekend stopped in here.
#38 - Here I am in a little town named Kanab. I'm going to head towards the North Rim of the Grand Canyon tomorrow, but I've been told that there's a lot of snow. It's 54 degrees here in Kanab, but it's only at 4,500 feet. The road to North Rim goes over 7,000 and close to 8,000. So I may not be able to go that way. The back-up plan is to head north from here to Bryce Canyon National Park, then north up 89 to I-70. From there, head East into Colorado.

So, there you have it. Lefty's Trail. At least the physical side of it. The more interesting side is the spiritual and non-tangible side that I've been able to connect with. It's been a blast and I'm looking forward to a few more days before I head back East.

Next time, another photo update and some thoughts about what you can't see.

'till then.

Lefty