Sledding in a Missile Range

March 27, 2012 White Sands National Mounment

As I looked across the horizon I saw white sand for miles. In the far distance mountains edged the sands. I love Sleeping Bear Dunes so it is no surprise that White Sands was awesome.  I have never tried sledding as Sleeping Bear. I am not sure if the sand is slick enough.  White Sands is definitely slick enough.



We bought sleds and wax at the gift shop.  After 2 days of hiking we were looking forward to just plain fun without too much work.











James has driven most of the trip.  I guess he likes to drive, as he doesn't ask me very often.  That's okay, I like to navigate.  But here James wanted to take pictures of Love Dove floating over the sand, so I happily drove.







As the boys slid down the sand, James and I sat at the top soaking up the sun.  When what to our wondering eyes and ears should appear but a man playing the guitar! Seriously? How awesome. I'm laying on white sands made from minerals that dissolved out of nearby mountains, soaking up sun, it's not crowded, and now I have music to boot!  Check him out! Syd-music (Sarah W and Will definitely check it out!)  He and his wife were on vacation. We chatted, sledded, and chatted some more.  We met several nice people that day.  I'll leave you with this:  The sun wears you out fast.  Drink lots of water. Buy a sled and wax. Go for it! and Have fun!

Carlsbad Caverns

March 26, 2012

After the Guadalupe Peak hike we were exhausted, however, this was our chance to see the caverns. We did our normal routine; visitor center, Jr ranger book, watch park movie, check out the gift shop, and experience the park.

We hiked the natural cavern entrance rather than taking the elevator.  If you ever go, take the time to use the natural entrance.  The feeling of entering a large whole in the earth and descending deeper and deeper and deeper is surreal. I can only imagine the excitement and fear felt by the 1920's National Geographic team that used this wire and wood ladder for cavern exploration. It is preserved because the cave environment encourages preservation and slows down decay.  It is essential not to litter in the cave.  

The Cavern trails are paved, well marked, signed, and designed to keep you from damaging the rock and yourself.  But initial tours we very different.  Tours that now take 3-4 hours used to take all day! Visitors had to follow Jim White, the initial cavern explorer. He found the cave as a 16yr old cowhand and by the time he led tours he knew it like the back of his hand. Visitors hoped he didn't die in the cave on their tour because no one would know how to get out.  Nowadays handrails and lights mark the big features but back then a small handheld lantern was all a visitor had.  Even though visitors walked through and over the rock formations to move around the cave, they may have missed huge cavern features simply due to their light not shining far enough.

James took some amazing photos.  We saw draperies, stalagmites, stalactites, cave popcorn, and many other formations.  It is awe inspiring and a testament to the advantages of preserving natural wonders. 

Top of Texas

   

March 25, 2012

No camping at Carlsbad Caverns? Where are we going to stay? Oh look this park I've never heard of has camping and it is close by!
That's how our trip to Guadalupe Mtns started.
 There tent sites are desert gorgeous. But we only have a 2 person tent with us. Long and short version of the tent story; 4 person tent finally at end of life, sent it home. Bought new tent, a 2 person. Thought is kids and grownups have separate tents. Problem: other 2 person tent is at home. So RV site it is, basically an angled parking spot next to more RVs.  But it worked.

At the Visitor Center we learned about the Butterfield Stage Coach, it never missed a beat. Guadalupe Mtns was a high elevation resting point.  Drivers could get food, horses, and water.  Water was a rare commodity on the route and Guadalupe was a reliable water source. We imagined ourselves as ranchers/farmers at Frijole Ranch. A ranch with a spring in the front yard. The spring was diverted to the orchard, garden, and a bath house. Ingenious little ranch. The Visitor Center had amazing displays on native animals in the different habitat zones found in their park.  Guadalupe is special because it has so many different habitats: high mtn, ponderosas, desert, and water to name a few.

Our big adventure at Guadalupe Ntl Park was hiking the Top of Texas trail, Guadalupe Peak, which is the highest peak in Texas.  We are not highpointers. Do you know what a high pointer is? Someone who seeks out the highest peaks in each state and then goes there.  Our adventure loving selves makes one think we should be highpointers but we are either searching out water or rocks not highpoints.  Anyway, we thought let's try it, give it a go, reach for the top, Top of Texas that is. So here is our account of the Top of Texas.


Guadalupe Peak is 8.4 miles roundtrip with a 3,000 ft elevation rise.  Backpacks loaded, check. Positive attitudes, 2 out of 4 people, check. Hesitation, the other 2 out of 4 people, check. And we are off. A fabulous description of the trail is found HERE! We wonder down the desert trail and almost instantly we encounter switchbacks. Then more switchbacks. As we round the mountain the habitat changes. Desert gives way to trees and deep green plants.  There is water and snow on the trail. As we go higher we encounter less plants and more gravel and rocks.  The views are stunning and with each view comes a peak.  This trail is 4 miles of "oh I see the summit" followed by reaching it and discovering that's not it.  The actual summit is hidden until the very end.  The boys were highly frustrated by this.  As we reached the 3rd false summit, I was so excited to be there. I thought this is the top of Texas, we made it! Then I turned a corner and saw another huge mtn in front of me; that was the top of Texas.  The boys were exhausted, we all were.  They sat on the rock (seen in picture with Anna and boys) and ate lunch.  Then proceeded to mutiny. They refused to go anywhere but down.  I wanted down too. I was so over this hike.  It was exhausting. But who hikes 3.6 miles of a 4.2 mile hike up to give up? Not us. So onward we pushed. Literally pushed. Pushed ourselves. Pushed the kids. Pushed our feet.  Our tired feet.




We had may moments of joy before and after the breakdown.  So many amazing vistas.








And eventually we made it to the summit. Yahoo!! We shouted from the mountain top! We signed the log book, rested our feet, met new people, and had a snack.  The log book had entries of Bible verses for strength and triumph. It had words of encouragement and referrals to the curses used to get up the mountain.  It was encouraging to see we weren't the only ones struggling.  At the top we met a co-ed scout troop from Cuidad Juarez, Mexico. We also took lots of photos with the summit marker.  The paper we are holding says the elevation, 8,751 ft. It was a long and hard hike. It took us 8.5hrs. By the time we reached the parking lot we could barely walk.  My toenails were sore from pushing into my shoes; 3,000ft up means 3,000ft down! We survived, enjoyed the view, stopped a kid mutiny, and decided we are not actively seeking highpoints!

Diamond Mining

We have been blessed to visit several Arkansas State Parks.  The boys were so excited to go to Crater of Diamonds.  It was slightly out of our way but everyone should dig for diamonds, at least once in their life, right? 

We arrived after a rain.  Rain pulls diamonds to the surface.  Well actually it washes away lighter weight sediment.  The diamonds thus rise to the top. We attended a short presentation on how to mine for diamonds. After all, this isn't Minecraft.  We are using real tools. Speaking of which, the park rents every tool you could need for the hunt.  We opted for tweezers, a pocket knife, and small shovels.   Our 1st steps on the field were filled with anticipation and hope.  

Our 2nd steps were filled with muck and mud. Both boys were quickly muddy up to their knees.  E sank into a mud hole and T followed.  I anticipated dirt but this was crazy. I, lover of dirt, was turned off.  The boys may as well rolled around in it.  They were covered.  I hunched over for a while but, as you can imagine, its not a long term option.  I finally gave in, knelt and crawled through the field.  James squatted for a while and then found a shady spot under a lone tree.

Within 2hrs we were all done. What, that's it? Really? 2 weeks of anticipation and build up for 2 hrs of mining.  I mean really 2 hrs. Start to finish.  Yahoo! I don't have to sit around and wait for the kids to get bored. I don't have to coerce them to leave!

There were lots of people, hundreds in fact, mining.  On a cool windy muddy day people sat around sifting mud, digging trenches, and being very patient.  E was the most determined. He had hopes of taking us all to a Dude Ranch and purchasing a laptop.  T tried but the kid really just likes to play in the mud.  James had the spot under the tree and watched. And me, well I have decided there are some things in life I don't understand and diamond mining is one of them.  I don't have the patience or focus for it.  I'm glad I tried it and now I never have to try it again!

In classic Mobley fashion the boys finished up a multi park ranger program called Arkansas State Park Jr Explorer.  They received hats, bandanas, badges, and certificates.  The Ranger was so happy to see someone complete the program that she had us pose for the photo.  I'm glad she did.  It is a little boy scoutish but makes me chuckle.   And now out of Arkansas we go!

I got in Hot Water...

 March 20, 2012 For some unknown reason I have been fascinated by the idea of going to Hot Springs National Park. Okay, I know why.  I love water. I love springs. So we went. Our 2 days were rain filled and cold.  We didn't hike any of the trails but we did learn a little something and enjoyed a bath.

 The city is built around and literally over the springs, which means the park is in downtown.  The public faucets for collecting hot springs water for personal use are scattered throughout the downtown.  This faucet provides hot water. It was so nice to have hot water radiating from the Sigg bottles on that cold rainy day.

This picture is goofy and I like it.  For those of you who have known us for a while, can you tell we are aging? lol.

The Visitor center is located in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse.  The traditional bathing methods include hot/cold packs, "medical" treatment, and walks in the woods after bathing.  There are several bathhouses in town and the park service is or has renovated some of them.  After renovation they house gift shops, art galleries, and baths.  The architecture on each building on Bathhouse row is slightly different. A fun JR Ranger activity involved identifying each building using clues from the design style.

Both boys earned a Jr Ranger vest.  They have worked so hard in so many parks.  Way to go!

March 2012

Update

Hello! We are not lost. Well we were lost for about 10 mins in Arches but that is because great conversations with kids and following cairns at the same time  is tricky. We have lots to blog about and we will try to share it this week. James and Aaron will be busy climbing so I'll blog away.

1 more thing, should James and I get married again in a Vegas style wedding, lol! Hope all is well with you!