Digital Vagabonding | Kaleidoscopic Wandering

Posts Tagged ‘Digital Vagabonding’

August23

Images from Great Basin National Park

By: JoAnna

Nevada isn’t known for its national parks, but beyond the endless desert landscape, stunning sunsets and glittering casino lights is a natural environment begging to be explored. Great Basin National Park, a half-day’s drive north of Las Vegas on the Utah border, is home to the second highest peak in Nevada, pristine alpine lakes, a rainbow of wildflowers, the darkest sky in the lower 48 states and miles of quiet hiking trails.

It is an underrated, serene national park that I hope to visit again someday. Three days doesn’t even begin to give this hidden secret in the Silver State the justice it deserves.

Despite the haze from the California fires, every view in Great Basin National Park is a good one.

Images from Great Basin National Park

Posted in: Photos, Roads Scholars 20092 comments

August18

Slowly, Slowly … You Will Climb The Mountain

By: JoAnna

Slowly, Slowly ... You Will Climb The Mountain One of our favorite stories from our Peace Corps service happened to a friend of ours.

At dinner one night, Josie was served a heaping plate of rice, beans, ugali … something starchy. The details of what was on the plate are foggy, but the point of the story is that it was stacked high, and, as is common when visiting many countries, it is impolite not to eat what is on your plate. Josie told us that the copious amount of food was daunting … definitely more than she could eat in a sitting. Noticing her wide eyes examining the overstuffed plate in disbelief (maybe even fear?), Josie’s mama told her, “Pole, pole. You will climb the mountain.” Pole translates to slowly … and bite by bite Josie conquered that plate of food.

As we embarked on our latest adventure — this time in Great Basin National Park in Nevada—these words swam through my head, and rightly so. We were actually climbing a mountain … and it was definitely a slow and tedious process.

Posted in: Do, Go, Roads Scholars 20090 comments

August1

Cedar Breaks: The Love Child of Zion and Bryce

By: JoAnna

Cedar Breaks: The Love Child of Zion and Bryce We’ve hiked the trails in Zion. We “did” Bryce Canyon. We’ve visited the Grand Canyon — both rims, one in the winter and one in the summer. When it comes to traveling the national parks of the spectacular Southwest, we’ve made a dent.

Utah, in particular, is filled with gorgeous national parks. You leave Zion just to enter Bryce. When you leave Bryce, it’s easy to head for Capitol Reef. Drive just a touch further and you’ve reached Arches.

With all the excitement of bouncing back and forth between these national parks that are frequently cited as “must sees,” it’s easy to forget a small spot located only 56 miles to the west of Bryce and an even shorter drive north out of Zion’s Kolob Canyons area.

Posted in: Go, Roads Scholars 20091 comments

July28

Images from Bryce Canyon National Park

By: JoAnna

There is more to Bryce Canyon National Park than the brilliant orange color seeping from the hoodoos.

Balancing cairns on Queens Garden Trail.

Images from Bryce Canyon National Park

Posted in: Photos, Roads Scholars 20090 comments

July28

Deciphering the Secret at Bryce Canyon

By: JoAnna

Deciphering the Secret at Bryce Canyon At the Grand Canyon, you stand at the edge, peering into a gaping hole, the splendor of the canyon sweeping before you. At Badlands National Park, the unforgiving precipices exist as far as the eye can see. In Yosemite National Park, the waterfalls and cliff faces surround you.

When I travel to national parks, it is usually obvious why I’m supposed to be impressed. There is a moment of catching my breath, of blinking once again … just to make sure I’m seeing what is really in front of me.

Not so with Bryce Canyon National Park.

The afternoon we arrived in Bryce, we decided to drive to Rainbow Point, the southernmost area of the park accessible by car. I stood at the lookout, trying to be impressed. Okay … there were a few distinct rock formations with a funky orange color, but so what?

Posted in: Contemplation, Go, Roads Scholars 200912 comments

July9

Images from Yosemite National Park

By: JoAnna

My debut visit to California’s Yosemite National Park was met with 4th of July crowds and a prescribed burn. People and smoke … lots of both. Nonetheless, we managed to capture some beautiful pictures of the park.

On the Mist Trail:

Images from Yosemite National Park