Destinations

Observing Life in Liberia Through a Car Window

After having taught twice in the African country of Malawi and then last year in Togo, I was ready to continue teaching in Africa. The next opportunity presented to me was to teach in Liberia, another country in West Africa. Liberia has a unique history. The country was designated as a place for freed American slaves to return to in Africa if they so desired. Some did. Unfortunately they created an elite society that showed an unwillingness to participate in…

Continue Reading “Observing Life in Liberia Through a Car Window”

A Hillside Hike and Exploring Lehman Caves In Great Basin NP

After having driven through Great Basin National Park the day before, we needed to find some other options for our second day in the park. Fortunately there are plenty of things to do, especially hiking. Unexpectedly, we were also able to do another activity which was to explore Lehman Caves. Great Basin National Park has quite a few options when it comes to hiking. Fortunately these options also include various ability levels. While at one point in our lives we…

Continue Reading “A Hillside Hike and Exploring Lehman Caves In Great Basin NP”

An Unexpected Hike in Great Basin National Park

Tuesday was a travel day for us. Having spent a day in Capitol Reef National Park, it was time to move on. Our next and final stop was Great Basin National Park in Nevada. The drive there was over three hours long. I figured we would be tired when we arrived in Nevada so I didn’t plan any activity for the day. The drive indeed was long. There were no real places of interest requiring a stop so we drove…

Continue Reading “An Unexpected Hike in Great Basin National Park”

Capitol Reef National Park’s Unique Mix of History and Adventure

Monday’s weather was cooler than Sunday’s. There was also a prediction for a thunderstorm in the afternoon. With that in mind we dressed for the anticipated weather and headed off for Capitol Reef National Park. I read online that the park was undergoing some construction projects and parts of the park were closed. I wasn’t sure how that would impact our day. This park does not have a pay booth as one enters because part of the park is just…

Continue Reading “Capitol Reef National Park’s Unique Mix of History and Adventure”

The Fascinating Scenery of Utah’s Byway 12

Having spent two days exploring Bryce Canyon National Park, it was time to head toward our next location, Capitol Reef National Park. We could drive north and then east to Torrey, where we planned to stay. That was the shorter route, but we went back towards Bryce Canyon to drive Highway 12. Highway 12 is a designated Scenic Byway so it seemed the more interesting choice. The beginning of the highway passes through an area known as Red Canyon. As…

Continue Reading “The Fascinating Scenery of Utah’s Byway 12”

Hiking to the Inside of Bryce Canyon National Park

Having spent an afternoon in Bryce Canyon National Park, we were ready to see what more the park had to offer. The weather was about the same as the day before so we were looking forward to a good day. First, however, we needed to get some breakfast as our motel did not provide any. We stopped at a cafe in the town of Panguitch. We were able to get a table, but the place was pretty busy. Our waitress…

Continue Reading “Hiking to the Inside of Bryce Canyon National Park”

Rounding the Stunning Amphitheater at Bryce Canyon

After spending time at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, we were ready to move north to Bryce Canyon. It was not a really long drive from Kanab to Bryce Canyon. The drive is generally very nice passing through a variety of terrains. I particularly liked the green valleys we would pass through. They seemed so peaceful. The biggest challenge of the drive was the traffic. Highway 89 is generally a two lane road with occasional passing lanes. We…

Continue Reading “Rounding the Stunning Amphitheater at Bryce Canyon”

Grand Canyon’s North Rim Offers Remarkable Views

In 2019 we visited the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. The South Rim is the most commonly visited section of Grand Canyon National Park. Statistics indicate only ten percent of visitors to the park visit the North Rim. It’s easy to see why. The South Rim is closer to the major cities of Arizona with Flagstaff often used as the major jumping off point. The North rim is not near any major city. To get to the North Rim from Flagstaff…

Continue Reading “Grand Canyon’s North Rim Offers Remarkable Views”

Vegas to Kanab, Utah Via Valley of Fire

In 2016 we spent a week in Utah checking out three of Utah’s big five national parks. We intended to go back and see the other two, but just hadn’t made it. It was time to go back and check out the two we missed: Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef. We planned to make a trip of it by including the north rim of the Grand Canyon and Nevada’s only national park, Great Basin. There were some other spots including…

Continue Reading “Vegas to Kanab, Utah Via Valley of Fire”