The Muleys

Last weekend we camped on a side road off the Wolverine Loop.  It was a pretty quiet camp, but not far from the park boundary.  First, we went over and tried Upper Muley.  It was too busy and noisy for me, but there were some beautiful arches.  (I'll let EDO feature those because she took—by far—the best pictures of them.)  Next, we did a one-way through Lower Muley, using the Post Trailhead as our exit point.  It was nicer:  Not nearly the traffic.  All in all, though, the National Parks are like Disney World:  Packed with consumers.

I made a bunch of pictures and uploaded too many of them.  Here.  But, the real revelation of the trip was VSO.  She pounded out the miles.  Amazing.  After a complete sternotomy and six weeks of radiation, most people wouldn't be crawling.  Instead, VSO was covering six miles of rough country every day.  And doing it with a smile on her face.  The girl has grit.

Slow Growers

Rural Ways has been quiet for at least a fortnight.  While there is surely some laziness involved, the weather can also be blamed:  We've had a three week run of spectacular Indian summer weather.  It has provided a good opportunity for seeing new places.  Indeed, a colleague has often mentioned that he knew of a place near the Sevier River in southern Utah where 40-inch old growth Engelmann spruce were common.  I got him to take me there last week.

Southern Utah is known for its red-rock canyons, but much of the state exists at elevations above 9,000 feet, and even 11,000 feet.  Conditions in these places often feature ecosystems more frequently associated with Montana or Alaska.  In the case of forested systems, some of the most common disturbances—such as logging or fire—are absent for long periods—sometimes many hundreds of years.  The result can be slow growing trees that reach large sizes.  In this case, a 42-inch spruce, with an estimated germination date of about 1600.

Walking on the Water

We were out for a couple of miles this afternoon.  On our way back along the creek, we needed to find a crossing.  EDO walked on the water.

On the Point

Earlier this week, I found my way around from about Yankee to a narrow point above Center Creek.  Another place with a few Great Basin bristlecone pines.

Another Winner

Last year, VSO won a blue ribbon at the Escalante plein air.  She competed this year, too, but came home without an award.  (She submitted the painting above.)  Instead, EDO won a blue ribbon.  In her first competition, she submitted the painting, below, to the judges in the Junior Division.  And came home with a $50 cash prize for top place.  (Both paintings would look better if they were not photographed in the glare of the sun . . . must be an amateur behind the camera.)