Eating Crow.

Now there comes a time in everyone's life
when they need to redeem themselves
from the wrongs they have incurred
and taste the gamy flavor of a stringy blackbird.
It is my time to sit at judgments table
and feast on the horrible fowl
for forgetting to write yesterday's events
a task I'll plan fulfill right now.

After the events of the day, I was just too tired to write. So here it is, as much as I can recall. (If I can stay awake)

I was a half eaten mouse in the mouth of a boa contrictor as I wrestled in my mummy bag made to sleep someone much smaller than me. With cold creeping from the deep shadows of my room, I tried to free myself from the jaws of my nylon predator and search for another blanket. It was useless, my limbs were numb and bound close to my sides. After much tribulation and struggling I freed my arm and fumbled around the bed in search of blankets to no avail. Freezing, I thought about getting up and reached for the alarm clock that lay on the nightstand. My eyes squinted as I looked into the brightnes of the clock. 6:43AM. I am not much of a morning person to be sure, but this night, even without as much of a wink of sleep, I felt fully rested.

The trickle of the warm shower felt like rain in summertime.Each drop hit with a rejuvenating effect awaking my soul. (As I am still trying to recoop from the trip, I must stop now for I am tired. Might be continued later)

Here are some of the things we did.
Hiked to Cassidy Arch
Explored a cave area thought to be Butch's hideout.
Looked at some dinosaur bones.
Came back to camp.
Scaled the Reef.
Went on a Midnight hike.
Slept like a log.
(Not a dull moment all day.)

Waking

Venus’ shimmers in the
the pale blue where it turns from
blue to grey to orange.
The canyon walls also begin to shed their gray
in favor of a thousand different hues.
The air would freeze
water were there any. But the cold doesn’t
bite; it seems to make sound and light travel faster through it.
i love to feel as small as i am,
to brush against expansive nothing, where the light
strikes too many gnarled junipers to count.
to feel eroding absolution.
to hear deafening stillness.
i try to forget everything
except this moment, but symbiotic memories
stay with me
like a highschool girlfriend’s phone number.
The morning star is swallowed up by light, and so am i.

Capitol Reef Field Station: Day Two

A good night sleep does one well. After getting some good sleep and staying toasty warm through the night, we a woke before 8 am to get a great start to the day. We had wonderful pancakes and hash-browns with tasty orange juice.

Getting our gear together and putting on multiple layers to stay warm and to later shed only took a few minuets. Our first destination of the day was Cassidy Arch. It was a beautiful three and half mile hike. We gained high altitude as we looked at the wonderful and breath taking surroundings of great red rocks and many different layers of strata. At first the hike was surprisingly intense after the first 45 minuets, it calmed down quite a lot, becoming less physically intense.

After attempting artificial suicides of the beautiful arch, we enjoyed the peaceful ability to soak in nature. The return part of the hike provided a wonderful discussion on the history of language and the integration of other languages into the U.S. We then ventured into the supposed hide out of Butch Cassidy.

Butch Cassidy sure got a work out getting to his cave and supposed arch. We went over huge rocks, under trees, and through big bushes. We arrived at a wonderful cave filled with sand and brought adventure to the mind as I thought about the possible activities that were engaged in.

We all met up for a terrific lunch on the side of the road. I must admit I looked quite silly as I preformed random movements in front of the group to stay warm, even with my six layers on. I looked much like a giant marshmallow who shouldn't have been able to move my arms whatsoever. Getting back into the vehicles we went and visited the location of a dinosaur bone sight.

Seeing the dinosaur bones still stuck in the stone preserved as it was found, all naturally was beautiful and very touching. I was fascinated . I began to think of what the dinosaur may have looked like, how big its family was, what did it do on a daily basis, and lastly how did it loose its life. It was an emotional opportunity to become connected to the nature I was surrounded by.

We ventured on to a man made waterfall due to a high way being put into the park making travel more convenient and saving over a mile and a half of driving time. It was amazing to see how the water had carved out its new home so well. The rocks became smooth and the path was unblocked allowing a smooth trail to cut through the rocks.

I got in the car after and could not for the life of me keep my eyes open. I quickly fell asleep. Later we enjoyed a wonderful dinner and great conversation as two of the local town folk came up to discuss oral histories and the best way to preserve Wayne Counties history. Somehow in the midst of all that we decided to go for a late night and pitch black hike using only the moonlight and stars to guide us. It was breath taking.

I began the hike looking once again, like a marshmallow but quickly having to remove layers. The night was perfect! Not too cold or warm. The moonlight bathed the red rock causing it to become a totally different colors. We were left with a stunning master piece by mother nature. The rocks took on almost a white glowing essence in the moonlight. We hiked for quite awhile visiting a water pocket, a bridge, and a once waterfall.

We ended by doing a solo walk for about 100 meters perhaps less. We individually walked in sheer silence through a canyon lit with glowing moonlight providing solitude, peace, and a beautiful oneness with nature. As I walked I thought of the people that had gone here long before me. About the amazing Indians, the out laws, the wars between the Indians and the White man. I thought of what they considered precious and sacred to their heritage. I thought of what I valued most, of my life long dreams, and of my goals. I thought of where I've been and what I've done. Who I am becoming and what I will become. It was awe inspiring.

After returning to the field station I immediately hit the sack to sweet and peaceful dreams.

Capitol Reef Thursday Blog Jeffrey Pannekoek

Thursday 29 October 2009

Capitol Reef. I did not quite know what to expect; I had heard a lot about both the park itself as well as the field station that we were going to stay at. From what I had heard, the place was simply fantastic. I was not sure whether it would live up to this. The drive there was scenic and beautiful. We drove through small towns and stretches of uninhabited nature. The stark contrast of the snow covering the other wise desert landscape never seizes to wow me. It took us a good couple of hours to drive up, including an hour and a half lunch stop at one of the small town diners, where we were received with questionable looks at the sight of us, out-of-towners. Time, however, seemed to pas quickly with good company and the anticipation of what was to come.

Upon arrival we were informed by field station manager Hau of the low-footprint approach the field station had to its presence and the presence of its visitors. It is an amazing philosophy and the low impact of the station and its affiliates is a testament to today’s conservationalistic approach to the national parks.

After the briefing we took a short hike, discussing some of the means by which the impact on the environment can be kept to a minimum. We walked passed pictographs and petroglyphs, remnants of those who were here before the very first pioneers, before the settlers, and far before we were here. It was amazing to imagine that where we stood, Freemonts had stood centuries ago, painting and pecking away at the rock, leaving their marks and, whether purposefully or not, a tale for us to interpret.

It is great to have this opportunity to be out here, close to nature and history. Even though today has been a relatively short day, it has been great. I am excited to find out what tomorrow will bring. Capitol Reef undoubtedly lives up to its reputation.

Jeffrey Pannekoek

The Trip

We arrived at the Capital Reef Field Station after three. We probably could have arrived earlier, but we stopped off for lunch in Loa at the Country Café. On a normal trip the stop at the down-home café could have been the highlight, what with the welcoming faces, the bluesy waitress, and the complete lack of concern for saturated fats. Ok so maybe the café wasn’t the highlight of the trip, but it was still pretty awesome. Whaen we walked in everyone was wearing camouflage—I haven’t seen that much camo since the CMT Cribs of Larry the Cable Guy’s house. The food was as delicious and tuck-stop-esque as was the Indian-and-wolf-clock-painting ambiance. I was dared to order the Ortega Burger, a mysterious dish that received no explanation in the menu. Never one to back down from a dare I ordered it without question. I could not have been more pleased, and I heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a great burger in Loa. What’s on it you ask?... Well that’s half the fun.

To make a long story short: The cliffs offer a challenging beauty; the petroglyphs dispute my tiring perspectives; but the Country Café provides self actualization.

Day One!

Today I went with a few other students to the Capitol Reef field station. There were some problems with students being unable to go; since there were so many spots open my husband was able to come along with me, which has made this trip very enjoyable so far. He did almost beat me when we were playing ‘two lies one truth’. I didn’t win, but we were tied… so it’s okay. The drive up here was pretty enjoyable, I didn’t (like most people here) get very much sleep last night, so it was nice to sit back for a few hours and do nothing. The conversation was pretty comfortable, which added to the peaceful feeling.

This is my first time coming here, and actually the first national park I’ve been to in Utah. We left a little earlier than expected and were a little ahead of schedule, until we came to a small blizzard. We had to slow down for this so it took is a little while to get through. When we finally did get through we stopped for a very long and very delicious lunch.

When we arrived we had a small orientation, picked our rooms and headed out on a small hike. We discussed Indian petroglyphs pictographs, and then hiked on to look at some. To be adventurous, we took a different path back to the station, planning to walk on the opposite side of a nearby stream. So, we hopped across it, and 45 seconds later, hopped back to the other side… It was wild!

When we got back we played a few games, ate dinner (had some really good cookies for dessert) and played another game. We were supposed to go repelling tomorrow, but current weather conditions wont allows, so we’ll be going on a hike instead. Which is fine with me, I don’t care what I’m doing as long as I get to be out in nature.

We made it!

It really happened. So many times I thought this trip was doomed. The snowstorm seemed the final blow, and as we drove over snow and slush this morning, we wondered how we would hike in this stuff. But we made it here. It’s cold but it’s beautiful. The snow-frosted red cliffs have a unique beauty people never get to enjoy in balmier weather. Hau took us on a great hike along Pleasant Creek to see petroglyphs. We imagine what it was like when Fremonts lived here and pecked out the figures that puzzle us now. It was only a short while ago in geologic time. The very same boulders may have been their footstools to reach those high places on the red sandstone.This was worth the hassle getting here and a payoff came when one of the students commented after the hike, "This place is awesome."
I don’t want to forget Shelly, our waitress who served lunch at the Country Café in Loa. She kept all our 9 orders and checks straight, plus gave expert advice on what and how much to order. When I told her she was good at her job, she said, “I’ve been doing it a long time.” So how many customers has she served and how many stories could she tell? Maybe we should interview her in our oral history project for this area.
Our trip leader, Tara Ivie, had done a super job taking care of us. We had a great dinner and cookies with milk for dessert. The students are terrific good sports and I am so glad all of them came. There is a good feeling here. Something about this place seems to bring that out people. I'm glad we made it.

Sleep

Today I learned that staying awake at 4:30 the morning before a long drive is probably not a good idea. I have two great loves in this life, sports and hiking. Last night my two loves came into dramatic conflict. I spent my last few hours with my girlfriend who had an unhealthy fear that I would either die or forget her after being gone for three days. This feeling she had was unfounded of course, but I tried my best to assuage her fears. After many long goodbyes, I finally arrived home at two in the morning. It was at that moment that a sight more tempting than the bathing Delilah met my sore eyes. (Note the word sore is not meant in a metaphorical tone, they were actually sore due to lack of sleep and the dread of waking at 7:30 to be in a car for 4 hours.) What was this Delilah tempting me? What could entice me to stay awake at this ludicrous hour where my only companions would be law-breakers, delinquents and graduate students? The Phoenix Suns first game of the season had taken place that evening and I had recorded it. The prompt lay on my screen seducing me. Like a coke addict staring at a pile of blow I weighed the consequences in my mind. I stared at the screen blankly, knowing that if I were to go to bed I wouldn’t see the Phoenix Suns home opener for three days. To the lay person, this would not seem like much of a problem, but for myself it was the end of a 4 month sobriety session. If I watched this game, I would be up until at least four in the morning, and cranky, grouchy and rude the following day when I would rather be having fun with others in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

There is probably no doubt in your mind as to what I chose to do. Part of that might be the fact that I mentioned at the beginning of this post how unwise it is to stay up until 4:30. I guess the suspense and intrigue of this choice died from the first sentence that I typed. Typical me. I can still be self deprecating and hopefully coax a laugh out of someone.

The drive was what one might expect from a 3 and one half hour trip in a Utah winter. There were frequent bathroom breaks, a snowstorm that made the Matterhorn Bobsled feel like a Sunday stroll in the park and approximately 14 bearded fellows who I could barely see because they were camouflaged, looking like they had never seen someone who hadn’t slayed at least three deer. After a hearty lunch and my decision to try to sleep with 15 miles remaining in a 250 mile trip we arrived and I was elated to be cold, elated to be outdoors and relieved to be alive and awake.

Capitol Reef.

The adventure began at 9:30 in the morning. After the business of putting pen to paper and signifying that we had understood the dangers of our proposed trip, 7 students, a professor, and our trip adviser set off on a long adventure. The white tipped mountains lead the way as the ashen road wound through the frosted valleys. Landscape changed dramatically , going from white rolling hills to fragmented red plates. Upon the mountains shone the sun, that peeked from clouds intermittently. Beauty was all around. We reached our destination at 3:30pm and met the field station manager, Hau, who went over the rules and explained the importance of preserving nature. Promptly following our discussion and answering any questions we may have regarding the rules or the park, he took us on a hike. Hau showed us some "artifacts" that have been left here from the ancient cowboys. He explained that even though the artifacts were items that we may see as trash, they are important and historical. One mans trash is another mans treasure, that is if it is over 50 years old. A bitter breeze blew through biting at our noses as we continued forward. With Hau in the lead, the hike continued through the pastel canyon. He took us out of the wind and as we rested he explained what makes our national park unique. He spoke about someof the symbols that we may see, then we continued on. After a short while, we came to sudden stop. There upon the wall was yesterday's news. Adorning the wall in stipple art were petroglyphs and pictographs. Though they were a sight to see, it was sad to see that they had been defaced in the past.

Capitol Reef Field Station: Day One

Our journey to Capitol Reef has not been what was expected. I have and haven't been much of an out door enthusiast. My father is a big fan of the outdoors which allowed me to become acquainted rather early. However, I never really seemed to have the time to soak in and enjoy the nature all around. I did take a geology class that really opened my eyes and sparked my interest in nature and the world or should I say the earth around me.

Out of excitement I chose to come to Capitol Reef to research and write on its geology. I arrived quickly at the pre-designated launching location. We packed the cars, double checked to make sure we had everything, and then divided up into cars and headed out on our adventure.

The first while was pleasurable in a comfortable warm car with great conversation. Eventually it changed with some rather frigged stops. Yet, we enjoyed a great meal all together at a country old school dinner. It was quite obvious we were the out of town folk. We ate and talked until and till I had to 'roll' myself out. It was wonderful. I caught a little shut eye as we roamed through a random snow and ice storm. It turned out it was clearer on the other side.

Coming into the park provided an absolutely breath taking view of nature. It was amazing to see what I had been reading about for the last couple of weeks. A brief pit stop at the visitors center got my excitement pumping. The windy roads to the field station was a little tough to handle but I made it with no regurgitation of my wonderful lunch!

Driving through Fruita was just as I had imagined by reading about it in "Before there was a Park". The station is wonderful but not quite as I thought it would be like. A little after arrival we discussed conservation and preservation. After a little time to settle in and put more warm clothes on because it's freezing here, we went on a beautiful short hike.

The hike provided time to soak in the new surrounding and appreciate the natural beauty of the park. We discussed some petrographics. We did so while sitting on a rock high up in the middle of no where. Then we went to look at them. I was amazed at the sacredness I felt for the pictures, the scenery, and the location. I really was touched by the people and the lives they lived.

After we returned to the station we enjoyed my first game of Scrabble and made a wonderfully delicious dinner. After doing the dishes and cleaning up we began our writing for the night. It's been a long and eventful day starting at 5 am. It's great!

10/29/2009 capital reef

Well Today we traveled from UVU to Capitol Reef. We stopped at this small town cafe that was fun to experiance. When we got to the national park, we were allowed to go on a short hike to see pictographs and petropgylphs. There was also a fun little river next to the hike. All in all it was a very nice day.