Travel & Photo Blog

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Monument Valley is on Native American land, which is proper that it remains in their hands, and one can only appreciate the grandeur of this landscape by being there yourself.  Famous for being the backdrop of scenes from epic movies over the years (How The West Was Won, Easy Rider, 2001-A Space Oddity, Forrest Gump, and National Lampoon’s Vacation), Monument Valley does not disappoint.  

In the extreme most SE corner of Utah, Monument Valley is very remote unless you’re visiting the Grand Canyon or Bryce or Zion. Put it on your list and plan to spend two 1/2 days driving and hiking among the sandstone buttes. When you go, plan to stay at Goulding’s Lodge just outside the park. 

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Skip (Richard) Haugh is my cousin that lives in San Diego and yearns to fish and surf. He takes an annual trip to Loreto, MX that sits ¾ of the way down the eastern side of the Baja Peninsula, and on the Gulf of California.

The late French explorer Jacques Cousteau once called the Sea of Cortez the “world’s aquarium” and it is thought to be one of the most diverse seas on the planet.

I flew to San Diego, then the three of us drove the 720 miles to Loreto with Skip’s boat in tow, stopping for one night about 2/3 of the way there. The arduous journey was rewarded with remarkable sights and experiences.

Day one was on the boat fishing as Skip and Larry angled the hot spots that they knew while I drove the boat. Eventually, I took my hand at fishing and caught a nice one. They caught and released all day with the goal of keeping only Dorado, similar to Mahi Mahi.

We had a great day on the boat (7 hours) while drinking copious amounts of water, applying sun lotion, and NOT drinking the beer that I forgot to pack in the morning. Actually, the plan was only a few beers because the hot sun required lots and lots and lots of water.

Day two was a scuba day for me while Skip and Larry ventured out to the open sea. Scuba revealed incredibly colored fish in water that offered visibility to about 15 feet. After scuba, I restocked the kitchen while they finished fishing. 

Day 3 was another adventure in the diverse sea that revealed the incredible colors, shapes, and variety of sea life. Finally, when we debarked our daily fishing journeys, the pelicans swarmed our boat to consume the bait that we would no longer need. Experiencing the sunrises each day is something I will not forget, as well as the adventures in and on the Gulf of California.

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The third leg of my 2015 trip, that also included Sequoia and King’s Canyon, my first visit to Yosemite exceeded my expectations, despite less than optimal weather. Rain, clouds, or shine, Yosemite will inspire and bring awe to any visitor. I drove in from the south and stayed one night at the Wawona Hotel, built in 1876. I met a host of friendly travelers who shared their insights as we discussed our plans and compared notes for the next few days in Yosemite.

One of my favorite moments was simply sitting on the banks of the Merced River watching Yosemite Falls in the distance. The morning mist on the valley floor gave me a sense that I was the first person to witness these sights. Untrue, but awe inspiring, nonetheless. Reflecting on Yosemite, John Muir said, ” The sun shines not on us, but in us.”One can’t help but agree with that sentiment when surrounded by the grandeur of the valley. If you haven’t been there. Put it on the top of your list. 

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The second leg of my 2015 trip, that also included Sequoia and Yosemite, Kings Canyon was memorable for its enormity and for the lack of humans. I’ve been fortunate over the years to enjoy these treasures relatively free of crowds. But this setting left me virtually alone in the wilderness, aside from lodging, which is a welcome blessing when you’re trying to connect with where you are.

I had little time to explore on foot so I was determined to drive as much of the park as I could. I found an incredible reflective pool after many miles of extremely winding roads through the canyon. Next time, I hope to stay longer and explore some of the remote treasures of this massive park that are just a short hike off of the road.

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The first leg of my 2015 trip, that also included King’s Canyon and Yosemite, Sequoia struck me with a profound sense of stateliness (as most would). After all, it hosts the largest tree on earth, General Sherman, and five of the ten largest trees in the world. 

My two-day visit to Sequoia gave me an unexpected reverence for age, persistance, and history.  These trees are estimated to be about 2,000 years old and are considered to be the largest living things on earth. 

I marveled at the size of the pinecones (size 10 boots shown below for perspective) and I spent much of my time looking up at the canopy as if I was gazing at the stars. Sitting in my camping chair, gawking up at the pillar of even an average Sequoia made a profound impact on me. For lack of a better phrase, “It puts you in your place”. You need to come here and witness these magnificent “beings”. 

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The first of my three trips to the Grand Canyon, I spent most of my time on the North Rim. Exponentially less crowded than the South Rim, I was able to enjoy my hiking and exploring in relative seclusion. When you’re here for the first time, and you reach the canyon rim for the first time to see the vista in person, you are left speechless. (That’s all I have to say).

As you may experience yourself, the Grand Canyon is difficult to photograph well from the rim. The vast panoramas, subtle hues, and depth of field are frequently lost in a two-dimensional photograph. 

The Grand Canyon is not about the photograph. It is about embracing the opportunity to witness a canyon that is 18 miles wide and over one mile deep. It stretches 277 miles and exposes nearly two billion years of Earth’s geological history. 

Theodore Roosevelt revered this park and in 1906, Roosevelt designated 23 sites that would become part of the National Park Service’s purview when it was created in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson. At the time, Roosevelt implored, “Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it.”

When I return for my fourth visit, I plan to visit the canyon floor and explore the river, but I will insist on and will enjoy the trip out of the canyon on a mule.

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