Winter is upon us…

Trail to Desolation Lake - 2009

Like most of the country, we have had a cold December with several big snow storms.  Meanwhile, in mid-December our website celebrated its 1^st anniversary with 30,900 photo views.  From a photographic perspective, we were surprised how well the Antelope Canyon pictures came out and enjoyed the opportunity to revisit Colorado’s San Juan Mountains and Jackson Hole.  We recently upgraded the computer and software which has helped as we have brought old Kodachrome images out of the boxes and into the spotlight.  In that regard, we have taken advantage of the cold weather to assemble two especially memorable and beautiful Colorado climbing trips:

New Galleries:   > Summits > Sneffels & Uncompahgre – 1974   and  > Summits > Trico & Wetterhorn – 1975

Yankee Boy Basin - 1974

From the wildflowers of Yankee Boy Basin to the evening and morning light at Denver Lakes, the beauty of the San Juan Mountains is always inspiring.  I found I had notes from these old climbing adventures so I added more commentary than you need, but perhaps it stirs a memory, brings a smile or inspires a new adventure. 

Denver Lakes Camp - 1974

 Another new gallery > Subjects > Sunbeam the Bus - 1971 to 1984

Since the VW Bus era ends in 2013 as the last production line closes in Brazil – we had to rummage through the archives and put together a tribute to our faithful sidekick - Sunbeam the bus.

The gallery includes comment boxes if you want to add additional thoughts or stories.

San Rafael Swell - 1973

Indian Summer in the Wasatch

Canadian Geese at Sugarhouse Park

After a taste of winter in mid October, we have enjoyed several weeks of mild and sunny weather.  We have been raking leaves and working on our end of season check list; which is way too long.   We found time to enjoy the Sandra Bullock film “Gravity” (in 3D no less) along with some biking and hiking.

Porter Rockwell Trail - Draper

Bonneville Shoreline Trail - Sandy

We added a new website gallery:

>Outings>Photo Field Trips>2013 Autumn Teton Trip

We hope you enjoy some late September photos of Jackson Hole along with the Jackson Lake Lodge and the Wort Hotel – some of our favorite hide-outs.

Oxbow Bend - Grand Teton National Park

The Wort Hotel - Jackson

New galleries: Outings>Jeep Trips>2013 Telluride & 1968 Telluride

LuJean and I decided to escape the August heat in the cool, thin air of one of our favorite spots- Telluride, Colorado.  Our trip followed the route my friend Tom and I used on our first jeep trip to the San Juan's back in 1968.  These two galleries show the contrasts and many of the surprising similarities 45 years later.  We also have included several video clips just for the fun of it.  We hope you enjoy our images of trails, streams and afternoon showers.

A Saturday night concert on Main Street with great folk and pop from the 60’s and 70’s along with some fresh snow on the peaks brings back the magic and the memories.   

For this trip, it was all about enjoying the roads.  There are some rough roads but no bad roads in the San Juan’s…

Summer is going way to fast…

At the end of June we escaped the heat and spent a few days in the Tetons.  Along with some nice hikes we enjoyed breakfast with Pat and Rick in Jackson

No July is complete without a trip to Albion Basin and a hike to Kathryn Pass.  Meanwhile Julie and her family headed to Disneyland and Newport.

In late July, Christy and little Ruby flew in for a brief and   fun visit.

New Galleries >Outings>Photo Field Trips

 A note from Rob:

We have added three new galleries, two from a recent trip to Antelope Canyon in Northern Arizona and a 2010 trip to Moab.  Photo shoots are the antithesis of a wilderness experience even though you are working in remote and very beautiful settings.  In both Page and Moab we were surrounded by folks from every corner of the world in search of the ‘magic light” that apparently only exists in the canyons of the southwest.  It’s actually fun, but you have to have a sense of humor and a Disneyland mind set.

For this Upper Antelope “chamber” shot we used our Pentax K10 at 1/20 F3.5  Generally, we set the ISO at 200 and the white balance to “shade” and used a tripod with a cable release where feasible.

This Lower Antelope image was captured at 1/10 F3.5 with the camera in “point & shoot” auto mode.  With excellent mid-day light, I noticed that some of the folks were getting great pictures with their iPad’s and iPod”s (go figure) so I decided there’s no reason to make things more complicated than they need to be.  

After an early dinner LuJean and I hiked out to Horseshoe Bend, south of Page thinking we might spend some quite time on the cliffs.  Again, the desert is a busy place these days, nothing like the 70’s.  Speaking of the 70’s, it was nice taking a ride down “memory lane;” that is U.S. 89.  Central Utah is one place where much remains the same.

LuJean loves the fresh air and sunshine and is always eager for a hike - within reason.  She’s a great sport and is confident that if we try The Wave on-line lottery a few times we will eventually end up out at Coyote Buttes.  With only 20 people per day I’m not sure I could handle the solitude…

Keep the ear muffs ready - it’s springtime in the Wasatch!

A note from Rob:


It was snowing hard on Parley’s Summit this morning but spring is apparently trying to come to the Wasatch.  It’s a welcome transition but it can be quick.  One of these days it will suddenly be in the 80’s and we’ll be saying “so, I guess that must have been spring.”

In the meantime, it rained worms a few days ago.  Worms everywhere, but the flowers are great and the grass is looking exceptionally good; I assume due to all the dead worms.  

Good Times in the Windrivers and Tetons

Cliff, near the base of Fremont Peak - 1972

A note from Rob:

We finally got around to adding some galleries to the Summit section of the website.  Fremont Peak in 1972 and East Temple in 1976 standout as exceptionally fine trips in the beautiful Windriver Range.  For me, another excellent adventure was a 1966 “miss-adventure” in the Tetons when we unexpectedly ended up climbing the South and Middle Tetons.

Dave, near the saddle between the South & Middle Tetons - 1966

Rim to Rim Adventures at the Grand Canyon

In what could be a PR photo for the TV show The Amazing Race; we have L/R:  Barbara, Carolyn P, Art, Art's friend, Carolyn D, Cliff, Nancy, Nancy's sidekick & Rob S.

A note from Rob:

I love this 1971 photo!  The juxtaposition of elegant Barbara in her shinny black shoes and red dress along with  Art in his spiffy blue socks and plaid shorts; as they remain unfazed while Nancy appears to be having a major meltdown on the tarmac of the Kanab Airport.  The unnamed side-kicks of both Art and Nancy seem to register mild concern for Nancy’s situation as Carolyn D and Cliff assume stand-by mode and Rob S blissfully smiles.  Carolyn P is just happy to be out on another lark in the fresh air and sun.

In the photo below, the trans-canyon backpack team has made the 70 mile drive to Page, Arizona.  No small accomplishment with eight people and equipment in a seven passenger VW bus – 135 miles to go.  Meanwhile, the Carolyn’s and Barbara drove to the North Rim Lodge for a relaxing Labor Day weekend among the ponderosas’.

After a long slow climb from Cameron to the South Rim, it appears to be time to consult the map in search of the South Kaibab Trailhead.

As noted in the Quill Traders Gallery, a stop at the permit office yielded the backcountry permits only after everyone had a hat; a problem Nancy quickly resolved by fashioning hats out of discarded newspapers.  

Early Monday the hikers emerged triumphant from the canyon tired and very thirsty.  As I recall, we all united in the lodge dining room for a joyful breakfast that consisted mostly of pitchers cold Roaring Springs water.  As was generally the case, the restaurant staff was sad to see us go - or was that glad?

We added a new gallery: Outings>Backpack Trips>Stevens Arch



Stevens Arch as viewed from the Weeping Dinosaur bench.

A note from Rob:

As our winter slide scanning project nears completion we wanted to share a family backpack trip we did over Memorial Day weekend in 1999.  Julie and soon-to-be husband Matt joined Christy and me for a trip down lower Coyote Gulch to Stevens Arch.

For me, it was exactly 30 years after my first trip to Jacob Hamblin in 1969 and provided many contrasts.  Most notably, we traded cows for campers.  As much as I prefer cows, I would have to admit the canyon vegetation was much healthier and despite tents on every viable campsite the canyon was still spectacular.  

 

Ready to get truckin - Matt, Julie, Christy and Rob’s excellent JanSport backpack. 

You will note the rich Kodachrome color but a lack of sharpness in this batch of images.  I was between cameras in 1999 and have no idea what we were using.  Thus, we see that great film and scenery can’t compensate for a poor lens.

 

A brief escape from the snow and ice…

Its 700 miles from our frozen, snow covered driveway to the beaches of California’s  Newport Coast.  

For us it’s a day and half of driving, but with our long-time friends, Tony and Ilene the drive was quick and fun.  Thanks to their sons connections at Marriott we found ourselves in a setting that made winter a distant memory.

 Nearby Crystal Cove State Park provided the backdrop for morning walks and great views.

Alas, all to soon we were back on the road heading north through a Cedar City snow storm and home to a driveway that had to be shoveled in order to get the car back in the garage.

Now, the sound of the ocean waves seems like a far distant dream…

Reelin’ in the years…

One of the highlights of our recent trip to Southern California was enjoying an evening with Cliff and Liz. 

Rob, LuJean, Cliff and Liz – photo complements of Liz’s iPhone.

It was fun to get acquainted with Liz.  We especially enjoyed hearing about her younger days in New Jersey and when her family did a cross-country excursion in their VW bus.  Turns out Cliff also had a bus which he loved driving on dirt roads when he lived in Denver.  Aside from sharing VW stories, Cliff reminded me of cold, wet times at Dead Horse Lake in the Uintas (a trip I had managed to forget) and fun times touring southern Utah with Hank as a viola duet.  Cliff and Liz live close to the beach in Culver City with three high schoolers while their oldest studies forensic psychology in New York.

It was great fun for us to meet Liz and once again enjoy Cliff’s contagious smile.

A Time Warp at Café Rio



L/R:  Jeff & Sheri, Nancy & Sam, Linda & Gordon, LuJean & Rob's chair.



So here we are after how many years?  The picture is a little fuzzy, but that may be a good thing.  How miserable would it be for the wives as the guys relived adventures during the 70’s?  Apparently not so bad, since Sheri generously offered to host a BBQ on Jeff’s new deck.  Meanwhile, Gordon suggested we climb Lone Peak.  LuJean is already excited for the next “rendezvous.”  When we come up with a date, we will notify Quill Traders far and wide…

2013 Auto Show

Once again we found a splash of color amid the dreary January inversion at the Auto Expo.  The most stunning feature of the 2013 line-up was the staggering prices.  Glad we were just there for fun and not shopping.

Official portrait courtesy a nice Jeep rep from Michigan who had to drive to Park City to see the mountains.  L/R: Alexander, Julie, Spencer, Maddie, Kate, Thomas, LuJean and Rob.  Sadly, Matt was home with the flu.

 Maddie found a VW Bug that seemed a good fit.




Ford styling was impressive this year.


 Thomas was set for a test drive while Alexander enjoyed Range Rover leather.

Julie was torn between the practicality of the Honda Odyssey and her love – the Volvo wagon.

Of all the designs the Mercedes was among the most beautiful but Rob’s sticking with the timeless simplicity of  Jeep.