Easin' Along

After Helen and I enjoyed a fantastic week with our kids and grandkids, it was time to turn around and head home. We had a delightful journey on this trip to the West Coast and spent over two months camping on beaches in temperatures that never exceeded 75°. We had a few more adventures planned for the days ahead, but leaving our family was still difficult.

We drove to Fort Irwin near Barstow, CA, from El Capitan for a one-nighter. We were thankful we were only there for one night because the heat was stifling. But we didn’t know what stifling was until we reached Las Vegas and 118° degrees. Poor Mortimer! We had to feed him ice and lots of ice water until we could drop the temperature in our trailer with both air conditioners blasting away.

While there, Helen and I visited the strip several times but remained indoors. We usually park in the large outdoor lot behind Harrah’s because our long-bed truck is difficult to park in the garage. Hot weather made the garage a bit more attractive on this trip, and we went in the early afternoon when the garages were less crowded. Regardless of the eventual outcome, we enjoy playing the penny slots in the casinos—people-watching adds to the fun. Elvis (several of them) was in the building.

From Vegas, we drove to Page, Arizona, on Lake Powell, near the border with Utah, for slots of a different stripe. Helen and I visited Page several years ago to hike and take a boat ride through the Canyon on Lake Powell. Because we had visited the area, we only scheduled two nights on this trip. However, the Page area has a lot to offer, and  FOMO (fear of missing out) took over, so we read up on what was available. Most prominent on the to-do list was a tour of the Antelope Canyons on the outskirts of town.

I remembered a post by my bloggy friend, Ingrid, about her visit to the slot canyons several years ago and sent her a message asking for a recommendation. She had toured Canyon X on her trip, but we couldn’t get tickets. Helen suggested we drive to the tour offices and beg. Sure enough, two spaces were available for the 4:00 pm tour of Lower Antelope Canyon. A Military Discount made the tickets affordable, and we booked the tour. We went back to the campground and took a nap.

When we returned to the Canyon, the parking lot was full of cars and tour buses. Helen checked us in, and the tour operator directed us to a shelter for Group “E,” where we joined about 25 other canyon-goers. Helen and I were the only Americans in the group. After a few minutes, the leader called the roll and led us about a half-mile away to the Canyon entrance. The steps down to Lower Antelope were steep, but there were no more steps after that.

Once inside the Canyon, I marveled at the color and the formations. Our guide, a college-age member of the Navaho Tribe, explained that we were amid layers of petrified sand that had formed over millions of years. The bright orange sand and sweeping turns made great photo ops, and I snapped away. Occasionally, we could look upward and see a bright blue sky that offered a lovely contrast to the orange sand spiraling toward it. Once again, I experimented with black & white and placed the result next to the same photo in color here.

We made friends with a family from Poland who were hiking ahead of us during the tour. The family included the group’s grandfather, who had never visited America. Their trip aimed to show Granddad the wide open spaces of the American West. They were very charming, and Grandad often helped Helen over a large rock or two.

In addition to the bright orange sand, many formations along the path offered some interesting viewing. The residents had names for most of the formations, and I wish I could remember them all, but senior moments prevented me from doing that. I remember the names of two formations: The Lady In the Wind and the Singing Sandstone–appropriate names for both.

The trail was just over a quarter of a mile, and we climbed upward to the end long before I was ready to leave. Climbing out of Lower Antelope Canyon brought a fun-filled afternoon excursion to a close.

Thank goodness for FOMO. We’re Easin’ Along (ahead of a storm in the desert).

In our last post, I shared some of the good times our family had while camping at El Capitan Canyon near Santa Barbara, CA. We played, ate, laughed, and enjoyed a campfire in the cool weather. All of the above added up to a great time in the campground. We ventured out occasionally, and I want to share some outings with you in this post.

Feeding the Llamas and Finding a Little Kid

A llama farm occupied one edge of the canyon, and campers were invited to hike over during feeding time and check out the llamas and goats that lived on the farm. Our grandchildren jumped at the opportunity. Unfortunately, the feeding was over when we reached the pens. A farmer tending the animals was about to let us into the pens with the goats and llamas until he realized that one of the llamas in the pen was very protective of the goats and might not be very welcoming.

We enjoyed watching the animals, and just as we were about to leave, a kid goat jumped up on a picnic table next to us. He was a cute little fellow and had no fear of us. Our youngest grandchild, Cason, would have taken him home with her if possible.

In Search of the Monarch Butterfly

The campground brochure contained information about a Monarch Butterfly Habitat near the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. In need of some exercise, we decided to check it out. The hike was short but a bit steep as we neared the bluff. Collin gave his Mom a hand to the top of the overlook.

We reached the habitat area only to find that the Monarchs had long since departed. Nevertheless, the view was amazing (see the photo at the top of the post).

Ostrichland

In our continuing search for critters, Justin took us to Ostrichland, where we would serve lunch to a large group of Ostriches and Emus. Feeding this group was an all-day, paid event for the large birds, and we wouldn’t miss out this time. We received a bowl of food for a few dollars each and turned loose around the pens to feed some hungry creatures. They didn’t turn it down.

Solvang

Solvang, CA, is a Danish Village just a few miles away from Ostrichland. Helen and I visited there a few years ago, but we felt that Collin’s family should see this unique community. We did some window shopping, but the big attraction was the pastry shops on almost every corner. We had lunch on the patio of one of them.

Santa Barbara 100^th Spanish Festival

A highlight of our outdoor activities was a trip to Santa Barbara for the 100th Spanish Festival, a week-long event. When we arrived, a lot was going on. Music filled the streets, and food trucks filled a lawn near the courthouse, serving many Spanish delights. I love tamales, and I had my fill (if that’s possible).

Vendors lined the sidewalks, offering crafts and other items to browse through. I found nothing that stirred my interest…until I spotted a Henna Tattoo stand. Thinking it might be fun for everyone to get tattooed, I held my hand out and requested a ship’s anchor for the back of my hand. Collin got one, also. Before long, all of the granddaughters and my daughter-in-law had some ink. In my opinion, Austin won the prize for the best design—a lovely flower for the inside of her wrist.

The only lowlight of the Festival is that my credit card got hacked, probably at a food stand, and I was charged over $7,000. Fortunately, the credit card company did not let it go through, but I had to cancel my card.

We had a fantastic time in El Capitan and hated to leave. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Enjoy your Labor Day. We’re Easin’ Along.

The idea for our trip to the West Coast began when Collin, our son who lives in South Carolina, told us that he and his wife, Austin, would attend a conference in Santa Barbara in August. Helen jumped at an opportunity to plan a family gathering and include our son, Justin, and his family, who live in the Los Angeles area. Collin agreed to extend his vacation and bring our granddaughters with him. Thus, a road trip was born for two bi-coastal grandparents, BeBe, and Big Daddy.

Helen and I made reservations for Justin’s family next to us at the Sun Outdoors campground above El Capitan State Beach. We secured a cabin for Collin’s family in El Capitan Canyon Resort, adjacent to the campground. Although our trip had been fabulous up to the gathering, we anxiously counted the days until we were all together again as we moved up the California coast.

I have hundreds of pictures and moments to share about our time in El Capitan, but we’re heading home in a series of short stops, and time for blogging is limited, so I’m going to break up our family gathering posts into two segments. First, I want to outline some of our time in the campground, and then, in the next post, I’ll tell you about some of our excursions.

Food

All the adults in my family are outstanding cooks, making mealtime very memorable. We prepared meals in and out of the trailer and treated ourselves to S’mores over the campfire. Big Daddy even participated and fired up the griddle for Blueberry Pancakes and bacon. We ate well in camp.

Kids Playing Together

The most heartwarming portion of our time together is seeing our grandchildren enjoy each other’s company. At most, they are together once a year, and with their schedules becoming more active, it gets difficult to achieve as they age. Helen works very hard to set aside time for these meetups, and we both delight at watching them come together. This year was an exceptional experience for us.

Don’t Forget Mortimer

Mortimer attracts a lot of attention inside every campground we visit. A little girl in the campsite across from us came out looking for him daily. It was cute. Austin got trapped when it was playtime one afternoon. She was a good sport and let him pester her well into the evening.

Campfires – A Wonderful Way to End the Day

Fortunately, the weather in El Capitan was fantastic during our stay. The evening temperatures were comfortable, and we could enjoy time around the campfire. We quickly went through a bag of marshmallows and had to go out for more. Someone in the crew found a bag of square marshmallows created just for S’mores. Those didn’t last long, either. Big Daddy told one of his “Spider Monkey” stories, wherein all of the children become reimagined as cute little spider monkeys who find themselves in a pickle, and one of the Spider Monkeys becomes the hero who saves the others from inevitable demise. This time, Carter was the hero. I make these up on the fly. I couldn’t repeat the plot if I had to. I bowed to the applause.

Time Passes Too Quickly

All too soon, it was time to say goodbye. I didn’t think Helen would pull herself together in time to pass out hugs as everyone packed up to leave. She managed to choke it back, but it wasn’t easy. Cason helped me put another pin in the map I use to record our travels–El Capitan got a gold pin only because I didn’t have a star.

Join us next time, and I’ll take you to some area attractions, including the 100th Santa Barbara Spanish Fiesta. For now, we’re Easin’ Along–feeling loved and very well-hugged.