At The Backroads

Field of Wildflowers, above Lake Hodges

I had been thinking of what to talk about for my pre-spring vacation post. There are just so many topics, so many places, so many things in my mind, yet so little time, that it is hard to come up with what to really write. Thus, I decide to go back again to the simple joy of spring, that is of seeing how God transforms drab and dirt into a colorful world.

Spring Brings…Life Anew… (hills above Lake Hodges)

Seeing the transformation of nature in spring fills the heart with hope , with all things possible. This otherwise ordinary hill bursts with colors of life, such a gift to behold. It is like the song…”the hills come alive with the sound of music”, I just could not forget this song from one of my favorite movies of all time, which was inspired from the musical of the same title ” The Sound of Music”. Let me quote the last stanza of the song….

I go to the hills when my heart is lonely
I know I will hear what I’ve heard before
My heart will be blessed with the sound of music
And I’ll sing once more

Colored Hills and Lake Hodges

True enough, nature just brings so much joy, peacefulness and inspiration taking loneliness away. What can compare with stopping for a while and spending time with nature, experiencing its transformations, breathing its wind, smelling its fragrance, and seeing its beauty?

The Beauty of Spring Brings Optimism

I will be taking a break from San Diego’s spring tomorrow, but I will not be leaving the inspiration from these hills behind. They will help me in opening myself more to the other faces and gifts of nature. I am not so sure if I will be able to update this blog for a week, but whenever I get a chance, I will share my favorite pictures of the day from the places we visit.

Happy Spring, and Happy Easter Everyone.

Lower Emerald Pool, Zion National Park

Zion National Park is Utah’s first National Park. The Park has massive and stunning stone canyon walls, quite different from the nearby National Parks of Utah, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches National Park. This part of the Southwest is a National Park haven, there are just stunning views everywhere you look.

Virgin River and Giant Monoliths, Zion National Park

Our last visit in this beautiful park was in August 2007. We were here for only two days, yet it rained mostly on those 2 days. As a result, we were not able to hike Angels Landing. Since then, we had been dreaming about going back to Zion to take this trail. Angels Landing is one of the most famous and thrilling hikes in the National Park System, and the view at the end of the trail is very rewarding. Hopefully, when we go back there sometime next week, the weather would cooperate with us.

Waterfall Near the Lower Emerald Pool, Zion National Park

Another fun place to hike at Zion is the Narrows.

Hikers @ The Narrows, Zion National Park

We were able to take this trail and the Emerald Pools before we got rained out . Hiking the Narrows was probably my most fun-filled hike ever as I had not really hiked long enough along a river before.

The Narrows, Zion National Park

I did river crossings, but not really zigzagging in and out of the water for the entire hike. There are two options to hike the Narrows. One is from top to bottom, this is a strenuous 16 mile hike and requires a permit. What we did was the popular one, that is starting from bottom to top. The Narrows starts where the Riverside Walk trail ends. This hike can be enjoyed by hikers on any ability level. More than 60% of the hike is spent wading, walking and sometimes swimming on the river.

Hiking The Narrows, Zion National Park

The rocks underfoot were very slippery. It required balancing on an algae-coated rocks in the middle of a siwftly moving river. Be careful not to take this hike however when there is a coming rain. We were lucky on the day we took this trail that heavy rain poured when we were near the paved trail already back to the shuttle stop. There is always a risk of flooding at the Narrows or any slot canyons during rain. A hike during this condition should totally be avoided.

Next week is our spring break, and I may not be able to update this blog during that week for we will re-visit part of Utah and Arizona, the painted desert in the South West. I originally planned for a trip to Northern California in Redwood National Park, but, we moved it for summer. This coming week, off to Utah we go, and I can not wait.