Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona

Check out my explorations of Northern Arizona:

In early August of 1864, a contingent of thirty-six U.S. soldiers, led by an army captain named John Thompson, left Fort Defiance in the northeastern corner of Arizona Territory and trudged north under the hot sun through the sprawling homeland of the Navajos. Diné Bikéyah, as Navajos call their land [...]. He and his thirty-six men headed straight from Fort Defiance to the deep gorge at the heart of Diné Bikéyah -- Tséyi’ or Canyon de Chelly, the now-famous canyon lined with swaying cottonwoods and pockmarked with ancient Pueblo ruins. As Thompson and his men marched through the canyon, [...] they engaged in a fierce, and roundly victorious, battle against an unlikely enemy: the peach orchards that had been cultivated over hundreds of years by Diné families. In the course of his march, Thompson and his soldiers felled a remarkable 4,150 fruit- bearing peach trees and, for good measure, “effectually destroyed” at least eleven acres of corn and beans. Oddly, these binges of violence against Navajo peaches, corn, and beans came after the majority of Diné in the area had already surrendered to the army, following an aggressive and violent campaign for their removal from the canyon. [...]

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We can ask, of course, just what it was about these peach trees, corn stalks, and bean plants that invited such unnecessary violence, such “systematic eradication” of fruits, grains, and legumes.

Historian Peter Iverson muses, “perhaps the army simply wanted to remove evidence that contradicted the image of Navajos as full-time nomadic wanderers,” which had provided the (quite effective) rationale for their removal in the first place. Perhaps, too, the orchards and fields evidenced a Diné proficiency at agriculture in the high arid climes of the New Mexico territory that surprised Americans who expected Navajo country to be useless for agricultural purposes, a sprawling wasteland described in 1868 by William Tecumseh Sherman, the general of Union Army fame, as “utterly unfit for white civilization.” It is not implausible to venture a guess that these binges of violence against peach trees occurred as proxy to settler and soldier frustrations about the newly conquered Southwest and the challenges it presented to American notions of what good agricultural land should look like. Indeed, ideas about landscape and people, throughout this notorious removal campaign, served as the primary and most powerful impetus for colonial violence against people and peaches alike. Notions that the Colorado Plateau was uninhabited wasteland unfit for farming draw us quite a clear map of how we get from Thompson and his vexed tree felling to more contemporary cases of the interplay between nature, people, colonization, and power. [...]

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The social construction of the high, arid landscapes of the Southwest as “more or less worthless” has been a fundamental component of colonization of the Diné, as well as other southwestern and Great Basin tribes. In fact, the inhabitation of dry, arid landscapes by Native nations was used as evidence of their low status on the Western hierarchy of civilization, following a kind of environmental determinism that posited that “barren” landscapes supported villainous and savage peoples. [...]

The surviving Diné were to return to Diné Bikéyah, and General Sherman, who made the final decision to permit the Diné to return to their homeland, did so believing that he was sending them to what he considered, as one historian put it, a “waterless worthless waste” -- certainly not the kind of land [...] that would support fine orchards of thousands of fruit trees and scores of acres of beans and corn. In fact, upon returning to Diné Bikéyah, the Navajos of Canyon de Chelly masterfully regrew their orchards and, by the 1880s, were harvesting peaches once more.

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Text by: Traci Brynne Voyles. “In Search of Treasure.” Wastelanding: Legacies of Uranium Mining in Navajo Country. 2015. [Some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me.]

hey check out this flash flood in Canyonlands National Park that nearly swept away me and my coworkers during our week of backcountry/backpacking fieldwork on thursday

it was proceeded by 15 minutes of hail over half an inch in diameter

here’s the same above wash 20 minutes before the water came down and 1/4 mile upstream 

it has been a Week y’all, fieldwork is great and i love my job etc etc but sometimes it really hits home how much something like... not reading the plots as quick on our last day, or taking a 15 minute break before heading back to the trailhead, could have turned into a very different and highly dangerous situation. never underestimate nature.

June 21st is...

Arizona Day - Arizona became a state on Valentine’s Day in 1912. Arizona is home to the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in North America. Established around 1000 A.D., the village of Old Oraibi is located on the Hopi Indian Reservation in Navajo county. Known as the Grand Canyon State, Arizona brings the wilderness to you. The breathtaking views of the Colorado Plateau, which incidentally took over 70 million years to form into towering stone, are now one of nature’s grand centerpieces.

Day Of The Gong -  Mighty and gentle, earthy, and celestial, this extraordinary instrument is a conduit of Creation. With an international cultural history, the gong offers sensory and multi-dimensional sounds. Thanks to artisans worldwide, gongs come in an array of sizes, designs, and origins. As an instrument, they are both beautiful in design and performance. While gongs originate in the East or Southeast Asia, they also have an ancient history in Rome.

Daylight Appreciation Day - It recognizes the summer solstice (the longest day of daylight in the northern hemisphere) and encourages people to celebrate the many benefits of the sun.The day also offers an opportunity to learn more about the importance of daylighting. Daylighting is using skylights, windows, and other architectural openings to naturally light interior spaces. Doing so helps not only to reduce energy consumption but may also have health benefits.

Go Skateboarding Day -  Retailers, sponsors, parks, and individuals around the world host events showcasing this rebellious and creative culture. A combination of athleticism, dance, and art, skateboarding has grown up in an urban world. It also crosses multicultural divides and speaks to a diverse population. Skaters test the laws of gravity with a variety of ariels and twists, thrilling their fans.

Indigenous Peoples Day -  It’s all about bringing people together from different walks of life to share in the contributions of Indigenous People to our society. You’ll find an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional music while learning about how Indigenous Peoples helped to develop our agriculture, language and social customs. The day is also about how governments are creating crucial partnerships with Indigenous Peoples to protect their land, heritage and culture in modern times.

International Yoga Day -  One of the best and oldest ways to release the tension building up in both the body and the mind is practicing yoga. The benefits of practicing yoga, such as mastering countless techniques of controlling the body and the mind, have been widely recognized by the Western world for years, and International Yoga Day aims to continue to inform people how much dedicating a bit of time to the art of yoga can improve their lives. It is not just a physical practice, but also a mental one, with many of the teachings of yoga reflecting mental and spiritual states, and allowing your body to wander and drift into unknown realms that will give you a focus in your life and a calmness with your soul.

Peaches ‘n Cream Day -  Peaches’ n’ Cream is a simple, traditional, and delicious summertime dessert. Make some homemade vanilla ice cream to sweeten the deal, and your peaches’ n’ cream will be all the cooler

Selfie Day -  While the act of taking a selfie may predate social media, smartphones, and the word itself (which is now in the Oxford Dictionary), the popularity of taking these self-portraits keeps increasing. And the ability to take them gets easier all the time. Selfie sticks and multi-functional camera phones make it all too convenient to take these kinds of photographs as well as group selfies (aka groupies).

World Giraffe Day -  Whether you’re into conserving their native habitats, enjoy hanging out with our necky friends at the zoo or you just appreciate the joy of nature’s most weird and wonderful creatures, World Giraffe Day is a day of observance when you can really put your neck out!

World Humanist Day -  There is a philosophy of belief that indicates that humanity is more than just the puppets of some divine being or subject to a list of metaphysical oddities and creatures with their own designs. Instead, humanism believes that we are whole in and of ourselves and that our good behavior and civility is not reliant on anything except a true and honest desire to be decent people. Most of all this philosophy raises the importance of personal responsibility, if we behave as monsters, it is we who are monsters, there is no “The Devil Made Me Do It”. World Humanist Day celebrates this ideology and those who practice it, bringing reason and science to the world of faith and irrationality.

World Motorcycle Day -  Today motorcycles are used for an increasing number of applications, including delivery driving, passenger conveyance, recreation, and even just daily commuting. This is due, in no small part, to the incredible gas mileage these vehicles get, and how compact and easy they are to store even if you live in an apartment. Whether you’re using your motorcycle to get around from day to day, or are an enthusiast or hobbyist who goes on long rides as part of your yearly vacation, World Motorcycle Day is for you.

World Music Day - Music has existed for as long as mankind has found its voice, and quite possibly before. Every culture of the world has its own form of music, as distinct and unique to its area as language and cuisine. In the western world, we are familiar only with scales, known as the diatonic scale which should be familiar to anyone who took music classes or choir in school. But this is not the only or even the first scale that music can use. There’s the chromatic scale, which has 12 notes instead of the 7, and the octatonic scale, which has 8 notes, but these are just the beginning. In every part of the world, there are different scales and musical formats used, and these create a form of music that has its own signature. Then when you add in the cultural themes, the variety of instruments, and the forms of voice singing that can go along with it, music is a truly endless adventure. World Music Day celebrates this adventure and those that dare to take it.

have a pretty and atmospheric moment from the TT destiel season one/season four au that i wont shut up about???????????????

(pwease interact. i am begging u)

Morning came and went, soft and suffocating, as the fog bank rolled in, and Dean couldn’t recall a moment he'd ever spent this far west where it had managed to mimic the humidity of the South. But the fog bank was here to stay, he realized. Sideroads quickly disappeared into a grey wall, and the scarce shrubs were blanketed with Hoar frost, thick and chunky, like those crystal candy pops you could pick up in tourist traps. 

This was the magic of the job, the moment’s where he didn’t hate everything about his sad and sorry life. He came, he saw, he conquered, though it never felt like it. Mostly it felt like chipping away at the towering brick wall of death and decay, as someone farther down worked to undo each and every effort. 

Maybe the reason Dean couldn’t remember the West looking like this was because Dad had never brought them this way in the winter months. The South West was a different animal in the summer, where the sunshine beat down until it finally set behind the flat horizon. Then nights would come, and the sweat that still dried on his back would send a chill through him, a t-shirt no longer enough to stay warm. Now, it was a hundred different shades of white and cream and brown and it stretched and stretched, like a gaping maw gently coaxing travelers farther from home. 

Sam was asleep in the seat next to him, curled up awkwardly against the heater, face flush where it pressed against the window, frost budding from the moisture of his breath along the glass. Snoring gently, he folded in on himself, face contorting, a nightmare frantic behind his eyelids. Dean sighed, but couldn’t bring himself to wake him. With any luck, he wouldn’t remember the dream when he woke up. 

The highway from Wyoming was long, the rolling hills and plateaus shifting into stretching plains until he finally wandered back towards the Rockies again. Morning faded into afternoon with no shift in the dull light, and Sam woke with a start, Jess’s name tumbling from his open mouth, eyes wide open. 

“Sam.” Dean put a hand on his shoulder, trying to ground him. Underneath his hoodie, he was shaking. Dean looked at Sam and saw himself, age four, alone in the Impala while Dad was out doing god knew what. “Sam. Look at me.”

His eyes were wild. After a moment, he levelled his stare with his Dean’s, holding a breath in, and then releasing it shakily in time with Dean’s own. 

“’s okay.”

“Yeah.” Sam’s smile wasn’t convincing, upper lip twitching, his eyes glassy. “It’s over.”

Dean repeated himself, until Sam’s breathing evened out. When his shoulder stopped trembling under his hand, Dean pulled it back to rest on his thigh but it fell there restless as they sat in silence. He punched the radio, hoping for passable reception, and left it on a staticy classic rock station. “We’re in Colorado. Bobby called while you were out. No news from Dad, but there’s something happening in one of these old mining towns. Cult shit. He says it checks out with the other cases.”

Sam nodded, and at least he was present enough to agree to a case, even though Dean knew he was anywhere but in Baby’s front seat. 

Rolling down the window, Sam stuck his head out and closed his eyes. The wind was wild and frigid, and the windows fog up immediately, condensation building on the inside. Dean wanted to bitch that Sammy would have to wipe it away or they’d have to pull over at the next rest stop, but he held it in. 

God only knows it’s easier to numb your senses than your thoughts.

The fort is in a sorry state

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This is a great essay published by the Sierra Club, addressing how important small chunks of public lands are important to us. The author tells us about his early adventures in one of the forest preserves of the Cook County (Illinois) Forest Preserve District. These preserves ring Chicago, are sometimes are in the city proper, and run through several suburban areas. The total amount of protected area is about 70,000 acres, or 11% of the footprint of Cook County. We live a block from one of the units, Thatcher Woods, which has been a source of friction in our community lately, with most of us grateful to have the resource right there, including its wildlife, while the nature haters, mostly old people and the younger privileged princes and princesses, are pushing to have the deer slaughtered because they eat the hosta and poop on the front lawn.

Here’s the essay in full. It’s a short essay, but a long post because it’s worth a full read.

As a 10-year-old in the 1970s, I found myself marooned in the vast sprawl of suburban Chicago. Seeking more inspiration and adventure than the strip malls, giant parking lots, and endless tracts of split-level homes on cul-de-sacs could provide, I would get on my trusty green Murray bike with the banana seat and ride the two miles or so to Linne Woods. This little nature reserve was the nearest outpost of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. In 1916, the same year the National Park Service was founded, the forest preserves were conceived in a bold act of civic devotion. They eventually grew to 70,000 protected acres or 11 percent of the second-most populous county in the United States. Today, these forests, prairies, savannas, and wetlands form a significant biodiverse refuge in a sea of asphalt sprawl.

While Linne Woods was barely more than 100 acres and surrounded by six-lane arterial roads, fast-food restaurants, and vinyl-clad houses, it was still, to me at least, a mighty citadel, bursting with mystery and magic and biological integrity. Towering old forests of oaks, hickories, and sugar maples were cheerfully carpeted in spring with trillium and mayapples. Growing in the bottomlands along the Chicago River were mammoth cottonwoods, which seemed to me as big as sequoias, where large mobs of raucous crows would roost. Along the western edge, the forest gave way to sunny open prairies and brushy meadows that filled the humid summer air with the scent of wild bergamot and Virginia mountain mint, both of which grew profusely. Here the natural world cast its spell on me and led me to be its lifelong student. Here I wandered aimlessly for hours and once tried to fish (unsuccessfully of course) with a stick and a string and a safety pin. Here I taught myself to identify trees and once fell through the ice of the river on a 10-degree day—and lived to tell about it.

Later, after I procured the driver's license that conferred full citizenship on a child of the suburbs, I branched out and began to explore forest preserve units further afield. Later still, as an adult, I have had the privilege to trek and tramp through America’s glorious public lands—from the dark, dripping rainforests of the Pacific Northwest to the swamps and bayous of the South, and from the austere canyonlands of the Colorado plateau to the emerald forests and still, clear waters of the Northwoods. Mine has been a life defined by my connection to wild land; it's something I have devoted my academic life to as well.  

I owe all of this to those humble patches of accessible public land near my house in the third-largest metro area in the country. As a suburban kid with city-bred parents and grandparents, I had very little exposure to wild nature. We didn’t have any sort of family traditions in the great outdoors. There were no camping trips, no grand tours of the national parks, no summer camps in the woods. My passion for wild nature all started from my bike trips to the urban woods—public woods, collectively held and open to all.

The Forest Preserve District strives mightily to incorporate an equity framework in all of its efforts to connect residents to its parks. Even as a 10-year-old, I could intuit that Linne Woods belonged to me (along with everyone else), and no one could tell me to scram. That made me possessive of them in the best sort of way. I was always shoving litter into my back pocket and later, in my twenties, I became a restoration volunteer on nearby preserves, cutting invasive plants and collecting seeds. It is only today—as a political scientist who grapples with issues of democracy, equity, and civic values—that I can more precisely identify what I only knew in my gut as a kid: These public places bind us to things larger than ourselves. They bind us to human community, the natural world, and collective values in ways that enhance responsibility and devotion and love. This is something we crave and need desperately.

Public lands do this partly because they are a kind of fountain from which issues a continuous flow of outrageously valuable things—treasures that are at once biological, aesthetic, cultural, psychological, spiritual, and historical. To be connected to such a place is to be a collective account-holder of a treasure trove more valuable, both tangibly and intangibly, than a million Fort Knoxes. But unlike a dead bank account, you must actively and vigilantly love and protect this treasure, because there are always those who don’t believe in sharing.

Famous Tourist Destinations 2022

Famous Tourist Destinations 20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World Travelers are always looking for inspiration to guide their adventures. Coming up with a list of places to visit can be challenging when you're staring at a globe. What are the top tourist attractions in the world? The most iconic sites that all travelers have on their bucket-list of things to see around the globe? Some destinations just stand out above the rest. Many are the type of places where you can take a photo, and it requires no explanation to identify the location: the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum. But some places are less well known to new travelers or those who have not yet ventured out to the more exotic destinations. These can often be the most rewarding to visit. For many of these attractions, it's what they symbolize and the destinations they represent that make them so significant. In other cases, it is the site itself that makes it worth visiting the country. Some of these are the more popular UNESCO World Heritage sites. If you're looking to start your own checklist of places to visit during your life, begin with our list of the top tourist attractions in the world. Note: Some businesses may be temporarily closed due to recent global health and safety issues. 1. Eiffel Tower, Paris   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World Eiffel Tower at night | Photo Copyright: Lana Law   The symbol of Paris and one of the most photographed structures in the world, a visit to the Eiffel Tower is a must for all travelers. Few landmarks inspire such a passion for travel as this single iron structure. Young travelers heading out on the road for the first time, couples looking for a special getaway, artists looking to spur their creativity, and romantics of all types are all drawn to Paris. This is a city where history and culture collide and where travelers of all kinds can find the experience they're after.   2. The Colosseum, Rome   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World The Colosseum   The most famous and largest structure still standing from the Roman Empire, the Colosseum is also the biggest attraction of modern-day Rome. It's been a bucket-list destination of travelers for generations. And it does not disappoint. Set in the heart of the city, the Colosseum is an easy place to visit. Direct flights from around the world land in Rome daily, making it a destination you can visit in a weekend if you choose. Wander through Rome's ancient streets, tour the colosseum, and if time allows, plan a trip to other areas of Italy.   3. Statue of Liberty, New York City   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World Statue of Liberty   America is full of great sights and places to visit, but it's the Statue of Liberty that represents the United States like no other place. This symbol of freedom in New York City was gifted by the French to the American people in 1896. Of all the attractions in New York City, this is one every tourist must see. The best thing to do at the Statue of Liberty is to take a ride up to her crown and soak up the view over the city. Access to the statue is via ferry, also a highlight of a visit.   4. Machu Picchu, Peru   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World Machu Picchu | Photo Copyright: Lana Law   If you are planning to see only one attraction in South America, this is the place to come. The ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu is arguably the most impressive ruined city in the world. Much of the attraction comes from its location, high in the jungle-clad mountains of Peru. Set on a high plateau with soaring green mountains, the setting is surreal. The sheer tenacity of the original builders to create this amazing place in what would have been impenetrable jungle, is, in itself, impressive. Visitor numbers are now limited to a maximum per day, so the experience has been greatly enhanced. - Read More: - Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Peru   5. The Acropolis, Athens   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World The Acropolis in Athens | Photo Copyright: Lana Law   Perched above present day Athens, the Acropolis draws you up and in. Follow in the footsteps of ancients as you walk up the same steps that have been walked on since 438 BC - 2,500 years. Views out over the city are incredible as you walk between the meticulously restored ancient buildings. Near the end of the day, you'll want to linger and watch the sunset from the stairs near the entrance. This is a nightly ritual in Athens. The site is also impressive looking up at it from the city below. Spend an evening dining on a rooftop patio to soak in the view of the hilltop ruins lit up at night.   6. The Taj Mahal, India   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World Taj Mahal | Photo Copyright: Lana Law   The Taj Mahal is the one sight in India that all travelers need to see. The country is filled with incredible cities and fabulous places to visit, but the 17th-century Taj Mahal is the one place that says you've been to India. This mausoleum, commissioned by the Shah Jahan for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, is known internationally as a symbol of love. This fantastic structure, made with inlaid precious and semi-precious stones, has to be visited to be fully appreciated. Its riverfront setting, surrounding gardens, and reflecting pools are also what make the Taj Mahal so special. - Read More: - Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in India   7. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World Pyramids of Giza | Photo Copyright: Lana Law   If you've visited places like the Colosseum in Rome or the Acropolis in Athens, built over 2,000 years ago, you may think you have a good handle on ancient sites. But the Pyramids of Giza take ancient to a whole other level. These were built over 4,500 years ago. Tourists were coming to see these magnificent structures literally thousands of years ago. Located just outside Cairo, the pyramids, which is also where you'll find the Sphinx, are easy to get to, and tours are easy to arrange. A sunset camel ride around the structures is a wonderful experience.   8. Great Wall of China   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World Great Wall of China   In a land of modern cities and towering skyscrapers, the Great Wall of China, built between the 14th and 17th centuries, is a stark contrast but a striking image that all visitors to China should see. A stroll along the top of the wall provides an incredible view of the structure snaking off into the distance. The wall stretches an astounding 21,196 kilometers, through some remote areas. Many travelers seeing the sights of China choose to visit the wall on easily organized tours from Beijing, a relatively short motorcoach ride away.   9. Angkor Wat, Cambodia   Stone faces at Angkor Wat | Photo Copyright: Lana Law   Surrounded by jungle and, in some cases, overgrown with huge trees and roots, the ancient structures of the Angkor complex may look like a movie set to some visitors. Wandering through Angkor Wat, the main centerpiece of the complex, it's easy to feel like you've entered another era. This is without a doubt, one of the most impressive sites in Southeast Asia and the main reason many people visit Cambodia. The stone faces peering out over the buildings and gates are images that you won't soon forget.   10. Petra, Jordan   Petra   You may have an Indiana Jones feeling as you walk through a 1.2-kilometer-long narrow crack in the sandstone hills and emerge into a hidden city. First built over 2,000 years ago and lost to the outside world for 600 years, the city was only discovered in 1812. Stunning buildings are carved directly into the red rock walls and are wonderfully preserved, just begging to be explored and photographed. If you arrive early, an eerie silence, coupled with long shadows, give this abandoned city a special feel. - Read More: - Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Jordan   11. Grand Canyon, USA   Grand Canyon | Photo Copyright: Lana Law   The greatest natural attraction in the United States, the Grand Canyon is a key sight for all travelers planning their lifetime of adventures. Standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon, looking out over the carved landscape, will awaken your senses. Several hikes in the canyon and along the rim offer unique perspectives. Walk even a short distance down the Bright Angel trail to gain additional views and to experience what the canyon is like below the rim. For even more adventure plan a rafting trip down the Colorado River through the canyon. The Grand Canyon looks different throughout the day and at different times of the year. One trip is never enough. If you are going to add this place to your to-see list, consider what you want to do here to determine the best time to visit.   12. Stonehenge, England   Stonehenge   Stonehenge is one of those places that makes you ponder what went on here over 4,500 years ago. It's long been a mystery to historians, and has captured the imagination of countless visitors. Despite the large number of tourists that descend on Stonehenge, the place still has a mystical feel. At the site, giant stones, some standing, some fallen, are set in two roughly circular patterns that are oriented to highlight the summer and winter solstices. For a truly memorable experience, plan your visit during one of these times. An easy day trip from London, Stonehenge can easily be worked into your UK itinerary.   13. Borobudur, Indonesia   Sunrise at Borobudur   Set in a steamy jungle with three volcanoes providing the backdrop, Borobudur is Indonesia's top tourist attraction. Borobudur dates from the 9th century and is one of the largest Buddhist temples in the world. It's a fascinating place to wander about. Over 500 Buddhas are spread around the site, some of which sit under ornate stupas. Try to visit early in the morning when you'll have the best chance of experiencing a bit of early mist, and the view to the volcanoes will be the clearest.   14. Niagara Falls, Canada & USA   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World Niagara Falls in winter | Photo Copyright: Lana Law   On the border between the United States and Canada, these great falls have been drawing explorers and travelers for centuries. Just over an hour from the city of Toronto, Niagara Falls is easy to get to, and the town is a fun place to spend a night or two. Walk up to the edge of the falls, stroll along the paved walk lining the gorge for different views, or take a boat tour for a close-up look at the water pouring over the lip of the gorge above you. For a bird's-eye view, head up the Skylon Tower to look out over the falls. At night, see the falls lit in different colors. If you're visiting in winter, watch the huge plume of mist rising into the sky above the falls. 15. Bagan, Myanmar   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World Bagan, Mayanmar | Photo Copyright: Lana Law   While this ancient site may not be on the average traveler's radar, it's another of Southeast Asia's bucket-list attractions. Spread out over a lush plain are more than 10,000 sacred structures dating from 1044 through to 1287. Hire a bicycle and pedal your way from one amazing structure to the next, or take a tour. Some of the structures can be entered, but the real beauty is the sheer number that dot the landscape. For an aerial view, consider taking a hot air balloon tour at dawn.   16. Sydney Opera House   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World Sydney Harbour   Like many other attractions around the world, the Sydney Opera House is one of those places that is easy to identify and obviously associated with Australia. A photo of yourself in front of the white sails screams Australia. The Sydney Opera House was built in several stages and officially opened in late 1973. To fully experience the building, take a tour inside to see the unique shape and hear the exceptional acoustics. Soak up the view from the Opera House area back towards the world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge.   17. Mount Kilimanjaro   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World Mount Kilimanjaro   The highest peak in all of Africa, this majestic mountain - a dormant volcano - is one of the most recognizable symbols of the continent. The snowcapped peak is often the backdrop to photographs of the wild animals that roam Amboseli National Park and other areas. You can see this beautiful sight from afar or tackle the multi-day hike to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro for the fantastic views over the land and to watch the sunrise. - Read More - Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Tanzania   18. The Louvre, Paris   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World The Louvre, Paris | Photo Copyright: Lana Law   If there is one museum in the whole world that you absolutely must see in your life, it's the Louvre. Even if you are not a fan of museums, this one is worth the trip to Paris to see. Although most people know it as the home to the most famous painting in the world, the Mona Lisa, this is just one of the reasons to visit the Louvre. The museum holds countless masterpieces by the greatest artists that have ever lived. But even the building itself is an icon. The glass pyramids and the 18th-century building are recognizable to almost everyone, and have been shown in countless movies.   19. Forbidden City, China   Famous Tourist Destinations ,20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the World Forbidden City   Like the Great Wall, the Forbidden City in Beijing is one of the top places to visit in China. The sprawling complex dates from the 14th and 15th centuries and is a spectacular example of historical China. Over the centuries, the palace has housed 24 Ming and Qing Emperors. Inside the city, the Palace Museum holds over 340,000 artifacts showcasing the treasures of China's dynasties. In front of the Forbidden City is Tiananmen square.   20. Prague Castle, Czech Republic   Famous Tourist Destinations - IDENTYBEAUTY Prague Castle   Sitting atop a hill across the river from the center of the city, Prague Castle casts an imposing aura over its surroundings. The castle is an incredible collection of buildings constructed from the 9th to 14th century. Stroll over the ornate 14th-century Charles Bridge spanning the Vltava River and head up the hill to wander the narrow, twisty streets in the castle complex. The castle is one of the largest in the world, and around almost every corner is a historical building, church, or open square. Famous Tourist Destinations - IDENTYBEAUTY Read the full article

Gotta take advantage of the view when you have it. . . . #overthebigsky #underthebigsky #flight #thesouthwest #clouds #desertrat #wannabe #adventurer #windowseat #solotravel #wander #wanderlust #mybutthurts #wtfblotto (at The Colorado Plateau) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRnrZQzHI0T/?utm_medium=tumblr

Telluride Glass House, Colorado

Telluride Glass House, Colorado Real Estate Development, USA Architecture Photos

Telluride Glass House in Colorado

Jul 8, 2021

Design: Efficiency Lab for Architecture

Location: Telluride, Colorado, USA

Telluride Glass House

Efficiency Lab for Architecture PLLC, a firm comprising a team of architects, planners, designers, and educators committed to a better understanding of efficiency in the built environment, is proud to unveil the Telluride Glass House, nestled into the steep cliffs of the Telluride Box Canyon in Colorado. Carved into a vertical wall of Aspen trees, rock cliffs, and wandering creeks, on a 3.4-acre lot adjacent to majestic Bridal Falls, the house consists of three cascading glass boxes with a combined floor area of approximately 7,000 sq. ft.

“Every architect dreams about building the proverbial glass house,” notes Aybars Asci, AIA, LEED, President of Efficiency Lab. “It’s a spatial construct that heightens our sensories and allows us to contemplate our natural surroundings with greater focus and appreciation than we otherwise would.”

Simple Complexity Accordingly, when the client approached Efficiency Lab about the desire to build a glasshouse, Asci presented an open plan vision, defined by fluidity, that would blur the boundaries between the landscape and the proposed building environment. The plan focused on the architectural expression of three cantilevered glass boxes. Each 45′ × 45′ glass box is positioned in a moment of suspension, providing a horizontal approach to the vertical terrain of towering Aspens rising from the surrounding mountains and cliffs.

“I came up with the idea of creating something breathtaking in just a few weeks, but it took years of careful refinements to bring the vision to life,” Aybars Asci explains. “While the general concept was quite simple, the project was a reminder that sometimes complexity is the path to achieving such levels of simplicity.”

The steep terrain of the mountainside played a major role in the architectural design, beginning with rockfall and avalanche mitigation elements. The dual hazard conditions required the construction of avalanche and debris flow barriers on the uphill side, while a permanent soil retention system, including anchors tied into the mountainside, created level platforms for the house.

Achieving a Delicate Balance The three cascading pavilions are cantilevered and stacked in recession. Their composite steel and timber floor framing provides a tectonic lightness of the glass boxes that reinforces their anchoring to the stereotomic mass of the retaining walls. Abundant use of natural finishes further contributes to the integration of the built environment and its natural surroundings, including split-face marble brick, with exposed natural patterns, that finishes the exterior retaining walls.

“There is a sort of symbiotic relationship, where the cantilevers create a delicate connection between the light-footed house and the majestic mountain,” says Asci. “The retaining walls merge into the slopes and integrate with the mountain, while the pavilions, suspended in space, create a counterpoint of lightness.”

Panoramic Absorption The interior of the glass pavilions features Northern cedar flat ceiling planes, designed with recessed lighting to eliminate any hanging obstructions to the breathtaking views. The wide-open floor plate is framed in glass courtesy of window panels separated by minimal ¾” wide mullions, providing uninterrupted horizontal views to the south, where only Aspen trees rise in vertical contrast. At more than 9,000 feet of elevation, the insulated window panels presented another challenge, resolved through the insertion of capillary tubes to mitigate atmospheric pressure differences between the manufacturing site of the insulated-glass units and the high altitude of the house.

The design layout of the three-level glasshouse provides a separation between privacy and togetherness. Entry to the glasshouse is accessed from the ground level, where a stone pavilion and mudroom sit adjacent to a garage, guest bedrooms, and a game room. Ascending to the middle level, the open floor plate contains the Glass House common spaces, including an open kitchen, an unobstructed, expansive living room, and an adjacent dining room. The upper level is reserved for the three-bedroom family living quarters.

On the two upper levels of the glasshouse, the interior polished concrete floors extend seamlessly beyond the glass walls to expansive exterior deck space, courtesy of the cascading design of the cantilevered pavilions. An external pathway on the middle level leads to a cylinder wooden-clad soaking tub, designed along with landscapers to be a solitary point of discovery.

Living the Dream The completed project immerses its inhabitants in nature, where lines of snow on the railings and rooftop in winter blend into the striations of snow on the overhanging cliffs. Embraced by the mountains of the moonlit canyon, and framed by the stars above, the concept of living in a glass house is now a dream come true.

“From my very first visit to the site, I knew that this project would require decisiveness and clarity and that it would draw upon everything that I have come to know and feel like an architect,” concludes Aybars Asci. “I felt the responsibility of touching the land, and I understood that that came with the responsibility to create the very best that the human spirit can offer.”

Telluride Glass House in Colorado, USA – Building Information

Architects: Efficiency Lab for Architecture AOR: Tommy Hein Architects Interior Design: Gachot Studios Structural Design: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP MEP: Bighorn Consulting Engineers Civil Engineer: Uncompahgre Engineering Geo-Hazard Engineer: Trautner Geotech Landscape Design: Caribou Design Associates General Contractor: Finbro Construction

About Efficiency Lab for Architecture PLLC “Efficiency is Beautiful” is the ethos behind Efficiency Lab’s research-driven design philosophy for building a more sustainable, inclusive, and equitable future. The firm applies first-principles thinking to every new challenge, combining conceptual clarity and analytical processes, including the use of algorithmic tools and building performance modeling, to pave the road towards greater efficiency in the built environment.

In its quest to develop an architectural language engraved in nature, the firm’s dedicated team of design professionals provides the full range of services, including master planning, feasibility studies, architectural design, interior design, furniture design, product design, efficiency consulting, Building Information Modeling (BIM), data visualization, and more.

Photography: Josh Johnson

Telluride Glass House, Colorado images / information received 080721

Location: Telluride, Colorado, USA

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Colorado Architecture – selection of contemporary architectural designs:

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CoorsTek Center at the Colorado School of Mines Architects: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson with Anderson Mason Dale Architects photo : Nic Lehoux CoorsTek Center at the Colorado School of Mines

New Aspen Art Museum Building Design: Shigeru Ban Architects photo by Aspen Art Museum New Aspen Art Museum Building

US Air Force Academy CCLD, Colorado Springs Design: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) picture © SOM US Air Force Academy CCLD

La Muna, Aspen Oppenheim Architecture + Design photograph from FTI Aspen House

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Comments / photos for the Telluride Glass House, Colorado design by Skylab Architecture page welcome

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Holding Two Truths

Life is often trying to find the balance between two conflicting ideas. I’ll give you a couple of examples to explain my point a little better.

Yesterday I was on a hike with one of the other volunteers who lives close-by. We started in a fairly large city where she lives and then headed out on a micro (imagine church van but smaller), and got to one of the aldeas (villages). From there we set off on foot and meandered through two other aldeas before getting to the trail that leads to another aldea literally on top of this mountain which has no roads or way of getting there except by foot. The hike is about a 3,000 ft climb and it wanders through cornfields and pine forest before eventually topping out among a rock-strewn, cold, eerie plateau. Instead of fences made of barb-wire and wooden posts, the fences consisted of a small wooden gate and rocks stacked about four feet high. I felt like I had walked into a different world, or perhaps Ireland 500 years ago. We strolled down to the town which consists of about 20 houses or so and one of them had a sign that said “tienda” with an arrow pointing toward a small window where a few small belongings were kept. As we stared in the window all we saw where a few small packages of Tortrix (national snack of Guate), beans in a can, and a few beverages. We bought some chips and beans and headed toward a perch to enjoy your well-earned snack. As we rested and chatted I thought about how different this was from my life the past four summers in Colorado where I would often see dozens of people on the trail all elbowing for the same ‘Instagram photos’ to show how cool their summer vacation was. In contrast, we had met maybe ten people who were all indigenous Mayans. This isn’t meant as a bash on Colorado, only meant to point out the grand differences.

           As we ate our ‘frijoles con pan’ we talked about our mixed feelings being there. The people in the village were not accustomed to foreigners, and understandably so since it was so far removed from everywhere and everything. They looked at us with distrust and instead of the normal warm Guatemalan greeting we were met with looks of puzzlement. I was so grateful to my friend for showing me the new ‘hike’ with all its wildness and isolation. While hiking I often imagined that this is what tourists hope for when they buy that plane ticket to come to Guatemala, but instead they’re met with bustling crowds, street vendors, and hostels. I wanted to tell my friends about what a ‘treasure’ I had found so that everyone I know can come and do it as well, but wouldn’t it then lose its wildness? This isn’t just a hike through a National Park like I’m accustomed to, this is peoples’ lives. People live and work here, and do I really want a caravan of foreigners to come in and ruin the peace and quiet that we experienced yesterday? My conflict lies in wanting to show others a beautiful part of this country that I’m falling in love with, while at the same time respecting the lives and values of the Guatemalans that make the country so beautiful. I don’t want to turn their livelihoods into a tourist attraction regardless of how beautiful and wild their homes are.

           The second example comes from living with an indigenous Mayan host family. They speak a native dialect called Ixil that has been spoken for who knows how long. There are only three towns in the country (and world for that matter) that speak Ixil and all three of the towns speak a different dialect, so much so that the people from my town prefer to speak in Spanish when visiting the other two towns even though the language is technically the same. Talking with other volunteers this can often be a point of frustration and contention because they don’t feel included in group conversations. For instance, I went with my work partner to give a charla (talk) on nutrition and most of the women attending the talk only spoke in Ixil so my work partner gave the whole thing in Ixil and me and my friend were lost pretty much all of the time. Input becomes practically impossible when you can’t even figure out the context of what is being said. This is not a one time incident by any means. After talking with other Volunteers and experiencing other meetings or charlas myself, this seems to be a regular occurrence. It’s only human nature to want to feel included and know what’s going on, right?

           The way this is manifested is that the majority of classes that are taught in schools in this region are taught in Spanish because that is the national language. With this comes the gradual loss of indigenous languages whether that’s the intended consequence or not. Thus, as David Orr says, “Education has become a great homogenizing force undermining local knowledge, indigenous languages, and the self-confidence of placed people.” As I’ve witnessed from first-hand experience the first generation to learn Spanish can still speak the local language as well as Spanish. The next can understand the local language, but not speak it, and by the third generation it tends to be lost altogether. Obviously, that is a great generalization, but it has tended to hold true in the circles I’ve been around.

The conflict of this whole situation is that I want my host family to speak in Spanish. I want to know what they are saying, to laugh at their jokes, and to get to know them as people, but that can be challenging when they are only speaking in Ixil amongst each other and I only know about ten phrases in Ixil so even grasping the theme is difficult. The other frustrating part is that I know that the majority of them speak fairly good Spanish so it wouldn’t be that hard for them to switch when I’m around; however, my host mother doesn’t speak much Spanish so out of respect for her they only really speak Ixil when she is around. Nevertheless, it’s a challenging balance because I want to speak Spanish, but I want to respect their right to speak their language, because after all, I’m the one who came into their world and they have embraced me with open arms. Such is the life of holding two truths and seeing the world as it truly is – a few streaks of black and white with a whole universe of grey.

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/after-wolves-rebound-across-us-west-future-up-to-voters-national-news/

After wolves rebound across US West, future up to voters | National News

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — The saucer-sized footprints in the mud around the bloody, disemboweled bison carcass were unmistakable: wolves.

A pack of 35 named after a nearby promontory, Junction Butte, now were snoozing on a snow-dusted hillside above the carcass. Tourists dressed against the weather watched the pack through spotting scopes from about a mile away.

“Wolves are my main thing. There’s something about their eyes — it’s mystifying,” said Ann Moore, who came from Ohio to fulfill a life-long wish to glimpse the animals.

Such encounters have become daily occurrences in Yellowstone after gray wolves rebounded in parts of the American West with remarkable speed following their reintroduction 25 years ago.

It started with a few dozen wolves brought in crates from Canada to Yellowstone and central Idaho. Others wandered down into northwest Montana. Thriving on big game herds, the population boomed to more than 300 packs comprising some 2,000 wolves, occupying territory that touches six states and stretches from the edge of the Great Plains to the forests of the Pacific Northwest.

Now the 2020 election offers an opportunity to jumpstart the wolf’s expansion southward into the heart of the Rocky Mountains. A Colorado ballot initiative would reintroduce wolves on the state’s Western Slope. It comes after the Trump administration on Thursday lifted protections for wolves across most of the U.S., including Colorado, putting their future in the hands of state wildlife agencies.

The Colorado effort, if successful, could fill a significant gap in the species’ historical range, creating a bridge between the Northern Rockies gray wolves and a small Mexican gray wolf population in Arizona and New Mexico.

“Colorado is the mother lode, the final piece,” said Mike Phillips, who led the Yellowstone reintroduction project and now serves in the Montana Senate.

WOLF FEARS IN COLORADO

Yet the prospect of wolves is riling Colorado livestock producers, who see the predators as a threat their forbears vanquished once from the high elevation forests where cattle graze public lands. Hunters worry they’ll decimate herds of elk and deer.

It’s a replay of animosity that broke out a quarter-century ago when federal wildlife officials released the first wolves into Yellowstone. The species had been annihilated across most of the contiguous U.S. in the early 1900s by government-sponsored poisoning, trapping and bounty hunting.

Initiative opponents have seized on sightings of a handful of wolves in recent years in northwestern Colorado as evidence the predator already has arrived and reintroduction isn’t necessary.

“We can live with a few wolves. It’s the massive amount that scares me,” said Janie VanWinkle, a rancher in Mesa County near Grand Junction, Colorado.

VanWinkle’s great grandparents shot wolves up until the early 1940s, she said, when the last wolves in Colorado were killed. The family runs cattle on two promontories with names from that era — Wolf Hill and Dead Horse Point, where VanWinkle said her great grandfather’s horse was killed by wolves while he was fixing a fence.

“I try to relate that to millennials: That would be like someone stealing your car,” she said. “He had to walk home 10, 15 miles in the dark, carrying his saddle, knowing there’s wolves out there. So of course they killed wolves on sight.”

Mesa County’s population has increased more than five-fold since wolves last roamed there, to more than 150,000, and VanWinkle sees little room for the animals among farms in the Colorado River valley and the growing crowds of backcountry recreationists on the Uncompahgre Plateau.

Colorado’s population is approaching 6 million — almost twice as much as Idaho, Montana and Wyoming combined — and is expected to surpass 8 million by 2040.

“Things have changed,” VanWinkle said.

The pack that showed up in northwest Colorado last year is believed to have come from the Northern Rockies through Wyoming, where wolves can be killed at will outside the Yellowstone region.

Even with protections under the Endangered Species Act, thousands of wolves were shot over the past two decades for preying on livestock and, more recently, by hunters.

YELLOWSTONE RECOVERY

But rancor that long defined wolf restoration in the region has faded somewhat since protections were lifted in recent years. Opponents were given the chance to legally hunt wolves, while advocates learned state wildlife officials weren’t bent on eliminating the animals from the landscape as some had feared.

“I’ve got a simple message: It’s not that bad,” said Yellowstone wolf biologist Doug Smith, who with Phillips brought the first wolves into the park in 1995 and has followed their impacts on the landscape perhaps as closely as anyone.

“I got yelled at, at public meetings,” he said. “I got phone calls: ‘They are going to kill all the elk and deer!’ Where are we 25 years in? We still have elk and deer.”

On a cold October morning, after examining remains of the bison eaten by the Junction Butte pack near a park road, Smith asked a co-worker to have the carcass dragged deeper into brush so it wouldn’t attract wolves and other scavengers that could be hit by a vehicle.

Later, as the sun struggled to break through cloud banks, he hiked up a trail in the park’s Lamar River valley to where the first wolves from Canada were released.

The animals initially were kept in a large outdoor pen to adjust to their new surroundings. The pen’s now in disrepair, sections of chain-link fence crushed by fallen trees. But Smith was able to show where wolf pups had once tried to dig their way out , and another spot outside the enclosure where some freed adult wolves had tried to dig back in.

All around were young stands of aspen trees. The area had been overgrazed by elk during the years when wolves and most grizzly bears and cougars were absent — direct evidence, Smith said, of the profound ecological impact from the predators’ return.

EUROPE DEBATES WOLF RETURN

Yellowstone’s experience with wolves has spurred debate among European scientists over whether a gradual comeback of wolves on the continent could also revitalize landscapes there, and be welcomed or at least tolerated by local people, said Frans Schepers, with Rewilding Europe, which works to restore ecosystems in multiple countries. There have been no European wolf reintroductions to date, but land-use changes coupled with fewer hunting and poisoning campaigns have allowed populations to begin rebounding naturally in several countries.

Since 2015, wolf packs that traveled over the Baltics have established three or four packs in the Netherlands and packs in neighboring Germany and Belgium. Government programs provide money for Dutch farmers to erect fences to deter wolves.

In the British Isles, where the last wolves were exterminated in the 1700s, a wilderness reserve in Scotland is seeking permission to bring wolves to about 78 square miles (200 square kilometers) of fenced enclosure to help control a runway deer population and draw tourists.

Alladale Wilderness Reserve owner Paul Lister views Yellowstone, where wolves controlled elk numbers, as a model.

“All the native predators are gone,” Lister said of the Scottish reserve.

THE BALLOT BATTLE

In Colorado, hunting outfitter Dean Billington foresees economic disaster if the 2020 wolf initiative passes. His Kremmling-based Bull Basin Guides & Outfitters is ideally situated for one of the state’s largest trophy elk herds, the White River elk herd. He estimates his firm alone spends more than $250,000 a year for hunting leases on ranches.

“They’re land wealthy and day-to-day poor,” Billington said of ranch owners. “This income keeps the western ranching guys afloat.”

The initiative calls for initially introducing 10 wolves annually by Dec. 31, 2023, with a goal of 250 wolves within a decade.

“You’re putting wolves in my backyard,” Billington said of supporters of the reintroduction initiative. “They say they’ll compensate for lost cattle and sheep, but how would it feel for these people in Denver if their dog in the back yard was mauled to death by the wolf and someone throws a few bucks at you to make you feel better?”

Rob Edward with the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund, the group behind the initiative, sees reintroduction as a national rather than state issue since it involves public lands that account for 70% of western Colorado.

“Colorado’s public lands are diminished without wolves,” he said.

The Yellowstone experience is key to his group’s arguments: Reintroduction restores balance to the ecosystem, improves wildlife habitat and will benefit hunters by thinning out weaker prey.

Standing in the decaying pen where Yellowstone’s wolves got their start, Smith said that if the Colorado reintroduction initiative passes, success ultimately rests more on human tolerance than the animals’ proven biological resiliency.

“Don’t recover wolves unless there’s areas where you can leave them alone,” he said.

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Anderson reported from Denver and Larson from Washington, D.C..

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On Twitter follow Brown: @MatthewBrownAP; Anderson: @jandersonAP, and Larson: @larsonchristina

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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More pics from fieldwork last week, featuring two new friends (Mystery Spider and a tiny maybe red-spotted toad (Bufo punctatus???) baby. there were dozens of em hoppin around, hope they made it through the flooding. Also featuring the crazy but beautiful clouds that turned out to be carrying the hail that gave us giant welts. 

Prickly pear and claret-cup cactus (these will soon be showing off their bright spring blooms), and the view from the Toroweap desert water tanks. Here is a photograph of one of the many Fairy Shrimp residing briefly in these ran filled desert water pools at Toroweap: www.flickr.com/photos/12150532@N04/32824618843/in/photost... I stopped on my loop hike and later Fred and I returned to these artistic desert water tanks, some brimming with Fairy Shrimp - - to photograph them and enjoy the sight of the short lives of the desert Fairy Shrimp. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Not one to sit still for long, I took photos at the overlook and then walked south to photograph Vulcan's Throne and Lava Falls. Then returned to hike the rim of the canyon along a circular route, cutting through the empty of campers, campground, and spending time enjoying the fairy shrimp show, in many of the recently filled desert water tanks. Part of the appeal of Toroweap is there are no signs saying "if you fall over the edge it is a long way down" or five foot high cyclone fences keeping you away from the canyon rim edge. In short you have to use good judgment and the park service doesn't try to warn and protect the lives of everyone. who can't use common sense, good judgment and care. In other words: Let Natural Selection .... work. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fred and I did our best to contact "somebody" with the park service, BLM, or any ranger station to find out the conditions of the roads leading to Toroweap (Tuweep) and to see if we could get a permit to camp there for one night (Friday March 3rd, 2017). We couldn't reach anyone and when we were given the opportunity to leave a call back number, nobody did. We decided to head for Kanab, Utah and spend Friday night there and head out to Toroweap early the Saturday morning and make a day trip out of it. There are three roads into Toroweap: 1. From St. George, called the Main Street Route. It is 90 miles long and climbs up over the south shoulder of Mt. Trumbull (good petroglyph panel). It is impassable in winter due to snow and mud. It is the route I took on my first visit to Toroweap in April of 2008. 2. From Colorado City, called the Clayhole Route. This is the shortest way in, just 56 miles but it is impassable when wet (and it had been wet before this March 2017 trip). 3. West of Fredonia, is the so called Sunshine Route. It is 61 miles and is the most dependable way in to Toroweap. That is the road I came out of in 2008 after camping at Toroweap (first come first serve camping back then). And this is the road Fred and I took to and from Toroweap from Kanab. No matter which of the three routes you take in, there is now a gate past the rangers' station, which doesn't allow vehicles to get in and out during "off hours", so no stealth camping. And the road between the rangers' station and the viewpoint and campground at Toroweap, takes care, caution, and high clearance for the last mile or two. Big towing bill if you do a transmission on this stretch. We had a long talk with volunteer ranger Bob on the way in (and later on the way out). The campground was empty he told us and if we could have camped had we known, who to contact (we do now). Oh well. Next time. We saw only a handful of people at Toroweap. Most seemed intent on doing a Chevy Chase "vacation" visit to this beautiful sight. They drove up took a few photos, and left. Fred and I wandered the canyon rim and spent considerable time enjoying the desert water tanks, full from recent rains, and some alive with fairy shrimp. Fairy Shrimp [Branchinecta lynchi] and Tadpole shrimp have incredible "survival and reproduction" strategies as many plants and animals of harsh desert environments do. Freshwater shrimp can complete an entire life cycle in two weeks if needed: egg to egg laying adult. Freshwater shrimp produce two types of eggs. 1. non-fertilized eggs and thick walled "resting eggs". The first kind are produced when water and food are both abundant and hatch only females. When the pools start drying up, food is scarce, and the chemistry of the stagnant water changes - the shrimp produce eggs of both sexes. This generation of mating shrimp produce the "resting eggs". These can withstand freezing, boiling heat, and complete drying out of the eggs (for decades, even for 100 years) UNTIL the next fresh water in the right amounts, falls again. The "resting eggs" can only hatch if the pool dries out completely. Fairy Shrimp, have two pairs of 11 legs, which they use to row their way around in life, swimming upside down. Their color tends to reflect what they eat, so the fairy shrimp at Tuweep were "green" looking. Algae eaters no doubt. They usually hatch in January and die in early March. I will post a few photos I took of the fairy shrimp in the pools at Toroweap. Here is the link to photographs taken, when I camped at Toroweap in April of 2008. A campground owl kept up his call, all night long and a beautiful moon crossed the night sky. A wonderful experience: www.flickr.com/photos/12150532@N04/albums/72157604781519716 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday the 3rd of March, 2017: The weather was great. Warm and sunny. Fred and I spent hours hiking the plateau containing innumerable, unique, and artful sandstone rock forms. Little Finland, now located in the Gold Butte National Monument. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Story: There is beauty in winter I do like living in a place where there are four seasons to look forward to. Winter, however, is not my favorite (that would be Autumn). What I have against winter is: 1. adverse road conditions where "getting out" on the road is dangerous, stressful, or impossible. 2. long nights and short days. 3. too much snow, clouds and high winds. 4. cold. I list cold last for good reason. You can dress for cold weather and if the roads are OK, and the weather good there are a lot of things I enjoy doing during the short days of winter. The winter of 2017-2017 has been the absolute worst year in a decade, for poor road and driving conditions (ice, snow, visibility, slush, wind, etc.) The result: cabin fever and too many jigsaw puzzles. So after the last football game on TV I started looking forward to heading to the Southwest as a way to "get outside" and hike and drive back roads as soon as possible. I watched the 15 day weather forecast like a hawk for all the towns closest to my favorite places in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. Turns out there were some really nice windows of great weather in Southern Utah, Arizona, and Northeastern Nevada in January and February. I was primed to go. I even stirred up some interest among a few of my like minded friends. The problem: When roads were good to drive in Eastern Washington (where I live) and wonderful in the Southwest (where I wanted to go), the roads in between were terrible (covered and iced, traffic accidents, and road closure signs). Around the first part of February there appeared to be a brief opening for road conditions from here to there, with great weather: there (The Southwest). I had two of my road trip friends convinced to go for it, but then yet another succession of winter storms moved across the Western states and I was forced to admit - - road trip #1 for 2017 was not a go. My friends agreed. Trip cancelled. Cabin Fever continued. Another SW road trip weather and road conditions window happened around the 22nd of February. Ed, a good friend and an excellent photographer, whom I have traveled with many times on road trips, had an opportunity to join me. His wife was back in the Southeast helping out their daughter, who was having major foot surgery, and my wife was in Colorado with her two little granddaughters day care duties. So Ed and I set the 22nd of February as our departure date. We had motel reservations set in Boise for the way down and back and then several days at St. George, Utah, where we intended to use as our "base camp" for drives, hikes, and photo ops in the Arizona, Utah, Nevada corner of the Southwest. Ed picked me up in his nice Jeep Wrangler on the 22nd and we were on our way. What a great feeling it was to be "on the road again" and out of the house! We headed for Boise, where we had rooms reserved for Wednesday night the 22nd. Between my house and Boise the roads had been ice and snow clear. No problems driving at all. We headed out of Boise for St. George, at dawn on the morning of the 23rd of February. The farther east we traveled on the interstate, the higher the winds became, snow started falling and worst of all, ice patches started showing up on the interstate. I-84 east of Boise, is an 80 mph highway that some folks will drive at 80 mph, even when ice and snow on the road, coupled with poor visibility tell most reasonable people, that isn't a great idea. About 100 miles from Boise near an exit off I-84 (near Bliss, Idaho), traffic came to a stop. State police were directing everybody off the interstate eastbound, who had not yet passed that exit. The interstate was closed down due to a wreck involving to semi rigs, on the ice covered freeway. We were lucky. Had we arrived ten minutes earlier we would have been past the exit and stuck in the long parking lot of cars, having to wait for hours for the wreck to be cleared and the eastbound lanes re-opened. Ed and I checked the maps and he used a smart phone ap to see that roads all over the area were showing no movement of traffic. It appeared we could get around the wreck by taking highway 26 as others were doing, but I wanted to be certain and ask about the interstate road conditions beyond the wreck between Bliss and Salt Lake City. I jumped out of Ed's Jeep and in blizzard conditions, went over to a police vehicle blocking access to the interstate. He rolled down his window and confirmed that yes, you could get around the wreck by taking a loop on highway 26 but it was slow going with all the interstate traffic, attempting to do so. When I asked about the highway and weather conditions beyond the wreck to Ogden and Salt Lake City, he just shook his head and said "terrible". I returned to the Ed and his Jeep with the bad news, and though both of us hated the decision, we decided to abandon our trip to the Southwest. We called and cancelled our room reservations and started back to Boise, Baker City, La Grande, and Pendleton. Ironically the farther we drove towards Eastern Washington, the better the weather and roads became. At Pendleton, the sun was shining, so we decided to salvage the day and took off for Walla Walla, Dayton, and Starbuck, Washington to visit and photograph Palouse Falls. Ed spent Thursday and Friday nights at my house, so Friday, we took a good weather consolation drive along back roads in the Ellensburg, Washington area to photograph some wildlife and winter snow scenes. Saturday morning Ed headed back over Snoqualmie Pass to his home. Exactly one week after Ed and I had given our Southwest trip a try, I decided that the roads and weather forecast again "looked right" for a the trip that had now twice been abandoned. I didn't feel right asking Ed to commit to another attempt, especially since his wife would be returning home from their daughter's place, so I decided to make Mesquite, Nevada, instead of St. George, Utah, my destination and go solo. I called up another "like minded" road trip, backpacking, hiking friend in Boise (Fred), to let him know I was going to give "strike three" a chance, and head out on in my pickup truck on Wednesday the first of March 1st, 2017, as early as possible. Fred (suffering from major cabin fever, like me), said he would love to meet up with me in Nevada, though he only had a narrow window of two days to spend in the area, due to his work responsibilities. So, I sheepishly called my wife and told her "You won't believe this (but after being married 46 years, of course it didn't surprise her), but I am going to give the trip another - go". Wednesday 3.1.17 I drove to Ely, Nevada.There was only ONE icy interstate section about ten miles long east of Baker City, Oregon, where they reduced the speed limit temporarily to 30 mph, but once past that - - dry road only. When I got to Ely, I got a room for the night. The next morning it was 9 degrees, but no wind, no snow, clear dry highway and THE SUN WAS SHINING. Just before the intersection of Nevada's highways 93 and 168, where I would cut over towards Mesquite, Nevada. My pickup truck shook, then a loud noise boomed. A few seconds later it happened again. I knew immediately what it was, given where I was. Fighter jets (twin tail dual exhaust), were heading single file for some above the desert flight training. They were flying on the deck (a few hundred feet above the ground and at high speed). I pulled over and stopped to watch the last jet cross the road above me and then pull into a vertical climb to join the flight formation gathering. It was a wonderful experience. I got to Mesquite, Nevada and got a room and got my hiking gear ready to go for a trip out to the very recently designated Gold Butte National Monument, a short distance southwest of Mesquite. A cell phone from Fred said he would meet up with me early Friday morning for the back road driving, hiking, and photo ops at: Whitney Pocket; Devil's Throat; and the fascinating rock formations of Little Finland by Mud Wash. We piled into Fred's vehicle Friday morning (a nice roomy Ford Explorer rental unit), and were on our way. The weather was perfect. Few other people out in the area that day. We spent the day hiking and photographing, and bumping along the designated back road routes in the area. To add a little excitement to the day, the left front time of Fred's vehicle blew a hole through the sidewall, while traveling Mud Wash. A Laurel and Hardy scene ensued, as we read the owner's manual, unloaded the back of the Ford Explorer, and got the doughnut spare put on. (Fred doing all the heavy work. Me claiming old age as an excuse for doing the light work associated with the tire change). We got back to Mesquite in time for Fred to get the blown tire replaced and for the two of us to have a nice Mexican dinner at Mesquite. They even had horchata, my favorite drink, when I used to work in Mexico from time to time. Before dawn the next day (Saturday March 4th) we were on our way to Toroweap on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. It was a 56 mile drive, (by the best route) on dirt roads, with a four wheel drive only section near the end. The road started just west of Fredonia, Arizona. There was some conflicting information on whether or not any of the road would be open to Toroweap and we tried in vain, to see if we could obtain a permit to camp the night there. All worked out well though. We decided to spend the night in Kanab, Utah, and make the Toroweap a "day trip", which we did. NOTE: My first and only other trip to Toroweap was in April of 2008. Friend Ed (who had attempted this trip with me a week earlier), friend and photographer John, my son Derek, and I had all four camped at Toroweap on that occasion. We took the long route in from St. George on that trip. With John's guidance, I had just purchased my first digital camera: a Canon Powershot G9, and was trying to learn how to use on the spot. Here are my Flickr photos of that Toroweap trip and camp out: www.flickr.com/photos/12150532@N04/albums/72157604781519716 Fred and I spent the entire day at Toroweap and were surprised to learn that the campground was open but not one person was camping there. I hiked through the campground later in the day and visited site number one, where Ed, John, Derek and I had camped 9 years ago (no permit required then, just first come first serve). I was delighted to find fairy shrimp in some of the sandstone water tanks at Toroweap. Along with tadpole shrimp, I find their life strategy (with eggs viable for up to a century), fascinating. We celebrated our Little Finland on Friday and Toroweap on Saturday good weather and good fortune, with a wonderful, end of the trip dinner at the "Rocking V" in Kanab. I did justice to a one pound rib eye steak and Fred went local with some bison steak washing the meal down with his beverage of choice: a Spiral Jetty. Thanks Fred. Sunday morning Fred headed back to Boise and I dithered. I thought about extending my stay with some hikes in the area but winds in excess of 20 mph and cold weather was going to move into Southern Utah. My wife would be flying home on the 10th, so I decided to start on home myself. I got a surprise on the drive home. North of Ogden, it started blowing and snowing. It got worse and worse until visibility was really a problem, with snow on the road but fortunately no ice. All the way to Twin Falls, it was near blizzard conditions. Then the snow stopped for most of the way to Ontario, Oregon, where I got a room for the night after seeing the huge "Winter Driving Conditions Ahead" warning sign, across the freeway. Monday morning the 6th of March: no wind, no snow, dry road, sunshine. I drove from Ontario to La Grande, Oregon. No problem. Then across the Blue Mountains between La Grande and Pendleton, I was reminded that winter is not yet over in the Pacific Northwest. Solid ice on the road and 40 mph across the Blue Mountains. I kept my pickup truck in 4WD, Everyone, mostly truckers, were driving sensibly in the conditions, so I didn't see any accidents or vehicles in the ditch. I was sure glad I hadn't tried driving the road the night before. At a lunch stop at Meacham (yes of course: biscuits and gravy, side of bacon, and big glass of milk at the Oregon Trail Cafe), locals talked of the snow that was due in the mountains that night. I was pleased to arrive home by noon on Monday the 6th of March, 2017. A good road trip, excellent hiking, good company, and I managed to gain weight on the trip (might have had something to do with Mexican dinner, in Mesquite; Steak dinner in Kanab; and more biscuits and gravy at Meacham). Enjoy some of the photographs. Oldmantravels 7 March 2017 https://flic.kr/p/SHruN5

Come my tan-faced children,

Follow well in order, get your weapons ready, Have you your pistols? have you your sharp-edged axes? Pioneers! O pioneers!

For we cannot tarry here, We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger, We the youthful sinewy races, all the rest on us depend, Pioneers! O pioneers!

O you youths, Western youths, So impatient, full of action, full of manly pride and friendship, Plain I see you Western youths, see you tramping with the foremost, Pioneers! O pioneers!

Have the elder races halted? Do they droop and end their lesson, wearied over there beyond the seas? We take up the task eternal, and the burden and the lesson, Pioneers! O pioneers!

All the past we leave behind, We debouch upon a newer mightier world, varied world, Fresh and strong the world we seize, world of labor and the march, Pioneers! O pioneers!

We detachments steady throwing, Down the edges, through the passes, up the mountains steep, Conquering, holding, daring, venturing as we go the unknown ways, Pioneers! O pioneers!

We primeval forests felling, We the rivers stemming, vexing we and piercing deep the mines within, We the surface broad surveying, we the virgin soil upheaving, Pioneers! O pioneers!

Colorado men are we, From the peaks gigantic, from the great sierras and the high plateaus, From the mine and from the gully, from the hunting trail we come, Pioneers! O pioneers!

From Nebraska, from Arkansas, Central inland race are we, from Missouri, with the continental blood intervein'd, All the hands of comrades clasping, all the Southern, all the Northern, Pioneers! O pioneers!

O resistless restless race! O beloved race in all! O my breast aches with tender love for all! O I mourn and yet exult, I am rapt with love for all, Pioneers! O pioneers!

Raise the mighty mother mistress, Waving high the delicate mistress, over all the starry mistress, (bend your heads all,) Raise the fang'd and warlike mistress, stern, impassive, weapon'd mistress, Pioneers! O pioneers!

See my children, resolute children, By those swarms upon our rear we must never yield or falter, Ages back in ghostly millions frowning there behind us urging, Pioneers! O pioneers!

On and on the compact ranks, With accessions ever waiting, with the places of the dead quickly fill'd, Through the battle, through defeat, moving yet and never stopping, Pioneers! O pioneers!

O to die advancing on! Are there some of us to droop and die? has the hour come? Then upon the march we fittest die, soon and sure the gap is fill'd. Pioneers! O pioneers!

All the pulses of the world, Falling in they beat for us, with the Western movement beat, Holding single or together, steady moving to the front, all for us, Pioneers! O pioneers!

Life's involv'd and varied pageants, All the forms and shows, all the workmen at their work, All the seamen and the landsmen, all the masters with their slaves, Pioneers! O pioneers!

All the hapless silent lovers, All the prisoners in the prisons, all the righteous and the wicked, All the joyous, all the sorrowing, all the living, all the dying, Pioneers! O pioneers!

I too with my soul and body, We, a curious trio, picking, wandering on our way, Through these shores amid the shadows, with the apparitions pressing, Pioneers! O pioneers!

Lo, the darting bowling orb! Lo, the brother orbs around, all the clustering suns and planets, All the dazzling days, all the mystic nights with dreams, Pioneers! O pioneers!

These are of us, they are with us, All for primal needed work, while the followers there in embryo wait behind, We to-day's procession heading, we the route for travel clearing, Pioneers! O pioneers!

O you daughters of the West! O you young and elder daughters! O you mothers and you wives! Never must you be divided, in our ranks you move united, Pioneers! O pioneers!

Minstrels latent on the prairies! (Shrouded bards of other lands, you may rest, you have done your work,) Soon I hear you coming warbling, soon you rise and tramp amid us, Pioneers! O pioneers!

Not for delectations sweet, Not the cushion and the slipper, not the peaceful and the studious, Not the riches safe and palling, not for us the tame enjoyment, Pioneers! O pioneers!

Do the feasters gluttonous feast? Do the corpulent sleepers sleep? have they lock'd and bolted doors? Still be ours the diet hard, and the blanket on the ground, Pioneers! O pioneers!

Has the night descended? Was the road of late so toilsome? did we stop discouraged nodding on our way? Yet a passing hour I yield you in your tracks to pause oblivious, Pioneers! O pioneers!

Till with sound of trumpet, Far, far off the daybreak call—hark! how loud and clear I hear it wind, Swift! to the head of the army!--swift! spring to your places, Pioneers! O pioneers!

~Walt Whitman

12 Most Beautiful Places in the World

12 Most Beautiful Places in the World

Massive glaciers, astonishing mountains, plains sprinkled with wild creatures We sure reside at a large, beautiful universe. Even though distinguishing every one our mother earth ‘s best strikes could simply consider a life, we all think these 12 outofthisworld arenas and wonders want to maneuver into the exact top of one’s trip list.

Famous Places to Visit: Yellowstone National Park, USA

  Yellowstone National Park is the oldest park in the entire whole world, composed of miles of wild beauty left for humankind’s joy, but also because of its security.  It’s a car park that’s dispersed across several countries, from Wyoming into Idaho and Montana, including diverse and breathtaking all-natural features — fast temperate deserts, also a simmering volcano showing its own ability in gushing geysers and hot springs, deep canyons, compact ancient woods, snowcovered mountain-tops, stunning vistas, and paths that are breathtaking.

Most Beautiful Places in the World: Arches National Park, USA

In an elevation of over 5,000 feet at the desert of southern Utah is Arches National Park, a magic place of reddish stones and blue heavens.  It really is that which we imagine that the face of Mars to seem like, in reds with greater than 2000 stones and fans piled up to create bridges, pinnacles, and arches.  With it being bordered by the Colorado River into the south east along the park stretches across 76,679 yards throughout the Colorado Plateau.

Beautiful Places: Joshua Tree National Park, USA

Together with also a historical past that is rich and also geological characteristics, Joshua Tree National Park is just a special place that brings explorers and wanderers.  Even the Colorado Desert is covered with the creosote bush and racks of spidery ocotillo along with cactus.  Cooler Mojave Desert, and also the wetter hosts weirdly Joshua trees that are twisted and subtropical.  The vegetation is interspersed with geological structures.

Where the 2 different desert ecosystems of all Southern-California , both the low and high slopes of the Mojave and the Colorado, bond, they make a universe entirely its very .  Safe as Joshua Tree National Parkthis exceptional world includes creatures and plants that our lives have been shaped by ordinary drought, strong winds, and also infrequent temperate rains.

Places to Visit with Kids: Apenzell, Switzerland

Apenzell could be the most conventional of of the regions, a world where the time has ceased, where the Mount Säntis guards in fact the landscape of rolling mountains filled with plump cows, and where tradition and culture have been renowned.

  The village of Apenzell could be the Switzerland of the imagination and also at the fairy tales of the youth, having its own richly carved chalets, carriages drawn by horses at full feathered head dresses, a crowded village square where most of the village company is ran, richly painted emblems and panels all Appenzell’s buildings, along with gnomes competing for space with blossom boxes lined with vibrant red geraniums.  A festival is or perhaps even a concert, wedding, or even party in also there are hiking paths that develop in to paths when its blanket yells everything.

Best places to visit in the world: Blue Lagoon, Iceland

The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa in Iceland located at the heart of a lava field between Reykjavik and Keflavik International Airport to the Reykjanes Peninsula.  For Iceland, that is famed for its landscapes that are curious and own strange, the Blue Mountains, using its silent seas that are milky-white, is actually really just a sight that is bizarre.  The lagoon is fed and man-made with water from the Svartsengi, also a hydroelectric powerplant that is local.

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Faraway in the enormous South Pacific establishes a dream-like island using a volcano that is dormant during its heart, included in thick jungle, surrounded by an amazing necklace of miniature sand-fringed islands which shape a turquoise lagoon concealing rich coral reefs along with tens of thousands of fish.  As you see this place whilst putting in a plane from Tahiti, you realize that you’re reaching probably perhaps one among the most gorgeous islands on the planet, where luxury hotels and nature contend to satisfy your every dream.

Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

Even the fjords are also the product of constant dividing by glaciers.  On all areas, waterfalls that fall carrying substantial amounts of rainwater to the ocean cover all such fjords.  Granite hills are dotted with dense rainforests lakes, and creatures which don’t exist somewhere else.  It is not hard to assume the world because it happened tens of tens of thousands of years.

  In accordance with Maori legends, even the 14 fjords that sort Fiordland National Park were created with way of a huge stonemason called Tu Te Rakiwhanoa, that cut the profound valleys together along with his large adzes, that will be equally as good an excuse as any for perhaps probably just one of their most spectacular corners of earth, inhabiting over 1.2 million hectares in the northwestern end of the South Island of New Zealand.

Most Beautiful Places in the World: Geiranger Fjord, Norway

From the realm of countless of gorgeous fjords, Geiranger is recognized as Norway’s most amazing: Even a spectacular production by glaciers, this fjord is roughly 15 km long and 1.5 kilometers wide in its broadest part.  With vertical mountain sides and no shore, gain a foothold and the mountain that is left handed farms require witness to the attempts of humanity to overcome nature.  Biking is the maximum amount of pleasure, although the means of visiting the fjord is by post.

Exciting Places to Visit: Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls called mosi oa tunya — that the Smoke that Thunders is a scene of majesty and elegance.  The most significant water drape on the planet, this monumental waterfall in the Zambezi River on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe could be viewed from 40 km from, whilst the seas of this normally placid Zambezi river perched across the border of the broad basalt cliff in to the glorious gorge 100 meters beneath the

Sossusvlei, Namibia

Located at the southern portion of this Namib Desert in the National Park, Sossusvlei can be really just actually a clay and salt pan surrounded by dunes that are red that are immense.  Sossusvlei, loosely interpreted as”Deadend marsh” and roughly 60 kilometers from the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, is where the slopes prevent the water from the Tsauchab River from flowing any farther; when there weren’t some waters that’s, something that occurs quite infrequently

Interesting Places to Visit: Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Salar de Uyuni, located high up in the Andes in Bolivia could be the biggest salt level in the entire world.  It was a lake which dried out, leaving behind km of scene comprising odd rock formations sparkling salt, and islands.  The ideal spot to watch that this landscape is Incahuasi Island.

Best places to visit in the world: Krabi, Thailand

  Krabi is a resort town in the coast in Thailand.  This settlement surrounded by beaches and was shaped by karsts jutting from this forest.  Certainly one of the most well-known destinations of the city would be Tiger Cave Temple, a Buddhist temple perched however the perspectives are worth your time and time and effort.

See more articles about the United States!

11 Best United States Water Parks

          12 Most Beautiful Places in the World