The Great Salt Lake

After our stint in Oklahoma last summer, we were able to explore the American West on our drive home to Washington State. Along the way we stopped by The Great Salt Lake in Utah. You cannot just drive by without checking it out.

Here we are with the lake in the background. See, it is the whole Nomad Clan. Mr. Nomad holding Bubby, me behind Princess, and the shadow in the foreground, that would be The General taking the picture. Who knew you could capture the entire family without a tripod? Don't we look great after 10 hours of traveling? (No zooming please.)

Now here is a little useless information which makes this post qualify for Boring Saturday Posts: Did you know, although the lake appears to be right along the interstate that runs through Salt Lake City, you actually have to drive about 10-15 miles west to get to the lake? One of the locals told us the lake is shrinking. He said it is because of all the urban sprawl. That, and the people rerouting the water so it doesn't just drain into the lake like it used to. Now I have no scientific research to support this, just the observation of a yocal local. Isn't the reflection just amazing? It was a pretty calm day, but the water is so still because of its incredible salinity. If I'm remembering correctly, it can be as high as 30%. Considering the ocean is only about 2%-3% salt, that is impressive. With all the salt comes a sort of smell you really cannot label under the pleasant category.

Now, we did see birds floating on the water and flying all around, but there are no fish that can survive the salty waters. The only living thing in the lake are briny shrimp (meaning no fish), which the birds like just fine. (This information is what I am remembering from the little park leaflet we picked up.)

A little background story for you on the next photo: When we drove into Salt Lake City, we'd been on the road all day. We were all tired and ready to just get out of the van and relax, BUT we wanted to see The Great Salt Lake. So we coaxed the children into more driving and headed out to the lake. That is where the first two photos were taken. It was one of those Griswold moments. We came, we saw, we've got the picture, let's go.

Here comes the funny part. We drive back to the Air Force Base, only to drive up and see a beautiful view of the lake. The kiddos were like, "you mean we had to ride in the van for an extra 1 1/2 hours, and the view of the lake was here all along?!?" Shortly after, we were carrying in our bags, Bubby managed to get his first bee sting, the big kids were on each others nerves. . . . due to it being the first bee sting, Mr. Nomad and I were scrambling to find the nearest ER on the map. It was a beautiful moment.

After things calmed down Mr. Nomad went for milk with The General. I took Bubby and Princess for a little walk. Which is where this picture was born. Bubby survived the bee sting, Princess and The General survived one another, we watched the beautiful sunset and all was right with the world.

At the time Mr. Nomad and I laughed at ourselves. We thought we had been foolish to drag the family all the way out to the lake for a closer look, and a few pictures. Now after a few months have gone by, and as I am looking through those pictures, I am so glad we make the trek out there. Although we could easily see the lake from our billeting parking lot, it didn't quite photograph so well. If I didn't know it was back there, I would have no idea The Great Salt Lake was there at all.

How funny, it took finally putting this post together for me to see the huge difference in the quality of pictures we took that day. The ones out at the lake are amazing, while the sunset photos are nice. It is just more about the sunset than a unique body of water. Hmm. . .I guess blogging has it's advantages after all.

If you would like to play along with a Boring Post of your own, stop over and see Mary at Hope Echoes.

Where's the Beef? In Meers, OK, of course!

It is our tradition to visit Meers, OK each time we come to Altus, OK for training. This was our fourth trip, with our maiden voyage being way back in 1997 when The General was just a babe. I vividly remember taking turns with Mr. Nomad, walking the floor with the fussy newborn. While I loved my babies, I have to admit it was much better this time when the only fussing we heard was from the kiddos deciding on what to have for dessert. (More on that later.) Yep, this is it Meers, OK. It is pretty much a fork in the road. I'm not even sure what the population is. I doubt it is more than 5. So why would we make it a point to drive 45 minutes for this dumpy looking restaurant at a simple fork in the road? The famous Meers Burger, of course. (The burgers are huge, see Bubby and I were sharing.)When I say famous, I'm serious. Since our last visit back in 2002 the Food Network, and New York Times have been out to visit. The little burger joint in the Wichitas is now famous. I loved the quote from the owner, "the only way I thought a guy from Meers, OK could make the New York Times was to be on the FBI's most wanted list, not by making burgers!"

Yes, the burgers are that good. What makes them so yummy? They claim it is the fresh beef that sets them apart. They raise their own Texas Longhorns, so the beef is as fresh and lean as it gets. No hormones or antibiotics. While I cannot attest to their organic claims, I can tell you the burgers are delicious!

Do you see the side order of fried green tomatoes in the picture. Oh, takes me back to my childhood. My dad and grandma made the best fried green tomatoes. The ones are Meers were good.

Now them big city food critics may have listed the Meers Burger as one of the top 8 burgers across the nation, but what they forgot to mention was the fabulous desserts. I'm talking fresh peach cobbler, topped with creamy homemade ice cream. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Be sure to bring your appetite. The cobbler servings are as generous as the burgers. Four out of five of us shared the cobbler, and we weren't able to finish it off.

I would have to say, in my not so humble opinion, this is another one they should put on The Discovery Trail: Where West Meets Wild.

Medincine Park, OK

Now this little town isn't on The Discovery Trail, but it should be. The residents of Medicine Park are passionate about their little village. In fact they have breathed new life into what would have surely been a ghost town. Although they are still working, their progress is impressive.These are little artist shops along the main street. Now you have to get your mind ready for this, and remember this is a little town in Oklahoma. The first time we visited 7 years ago, I was less than impressed. We had heard about a little cobblestone village, I mistakenly anticipated something a little more European. As you can see, not so European, but none the less a quaint little village to stop for an afternoon of exploring.Here are my kiddos out front of the restaurant. This place was just an empty shell when we last visited. I love how they have preserved the cobblestone with so many of the structures. The Old Plantation serves burgers and salads. The food wasn't bad, but is wasn't fabulous either. Since there are not a lot of restaurants in town, this place is generally very busy. This translates to: WAIT.

On our second visit, we opted for a picnic lunch and dined down by the water. After our swimming adventure, we stopped by the ice cream shop for a little treat on our way out of town. . .YUMMY! It wasn't just any old ice cream, it was home made--with lots of flavors to choose from. We got monster cones for something ridiculously cheap, like $2 a cone. What a deal.Here are Mr. Nomad and the kiddos over by the riverfront area. Look closely and you can see the river in the background. I'm so bummed. On our first trip I didn't take lots of pictures because I knew we were coming back another day to swim. Then on our big swimming day, I forgot the camera.

Our friends brought their camera, but they just don't have an appreciation for the shots I need for my blog. So here is my one and only picture from the day we swam. I'm the dorky one with the white hat and sunglasses. I'm being swarmed by my kiddos.

What you don't see in this picture is the cute little bridge that goes over to a little island. There is also a waterfall you can sit on. It is like an old fashioned swimming hole, where there are some man-made elements to make the natural river more of a "bath", so to speak. There were also some huge fish kids were feeding out of their hands. (The General thought it was so cool, it gave me the heeby jeebies!) Now remember, this isn't over the top. It is a small little town in Oklahoma. If you keep that in mind it is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

Oh, I forgot to mention the cost for swimming is $2 per person. Be on the look out for the native Medicine Park resident. He is generally driving the golf cart around, making sure everyone has their wristband on. He is a wealth of information. He's lived here for a long time, and told us all about the town's recent redevelopment. He is also the one who told us about that yummy ice cream shop. Ya gotta love a man with a good ice cream source.

Discovery Trail: The Great Plains Museum

This one was right next to the Comanche Cultural Center. I wrote about that a few days ago, here. So we were able to walk right on over (blowing the whistles the nice ladies gave the kiddos the whole way. . .wasn't that a swell trinket?--typed with clinched teeth) to the museum. This one wasn't free, but it was affordable.Here are the kiddos in front of the steam engine. There were two portions to the museum, one outside and the other indoors. There is typically a guide outside to answer questions and give a tour. Unfortunately he was at lunch when we stopped by.

That was okay though. The kiddos had a great time exploring the trading post, black smith shop, and the rest of the fort. We've studied history pretty extensively, so for them they weren't so interested in stories. They were happy to pose for pictures and just explore on their own.

Since it was a little toasty outside, we decided to head into the comfort of air conditioning. Now this is where the kiddos had a blast. They spent over an hour playing dress up. The Civil War Soldier Uniforms kept it fun for The General, while Princess and Bubby were happy to be pioneers. Doesn't Bubby look like the little boy from those "Been Farmin' Long" posters that were popular back in the 70's or 80's?Every wagon train needs a to stop for supper. The General was such a trooper to play along. I'm so proud of him when he does this stuff. Most preteens are "too cool" for this kind of fun. I'm soaking it up, and appreciating this stage and his personality.

My friend's girls at the bank. Along with the wagon, there was a main street.

While dress up and pretend were by far the favorite activity, we also enjoyed looking at the Dust Bowl photos display. Since we have been studying The Great Depression in history, it was a nice surprise on the field trip. We came home and promptly watched "The Grapes of Wrath." Oh, how I love it when curriculum and real life field trips come together so nicely.

Discovery Trail: The Comache National Museum & Cultural Center

Next stop on the trail was the Comanche National Museum & Cultural Center. Our friend's daughter loves horses, so she was thrilled to see this right outside the center.
The Comanche people are descendants of the Native People of the Pacific Northwest. Native Americans came across the Bering Strait (think Russia to Alaska), and continued to migrate south down the North American Continent. Horses were introduced by the Spanish explorers, and the Comanche people took horse riding to a whole new level. Horses became invaluable in their culture of following the buffalo for their livelihood. Above the gang is posed in front of a little tee pee. The Comanche, like other plains people, used for shelter. The kiddos had a great time playing in and around the tee pee. They had little hidden tools for them to discover and play with.

I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by this little museum in Lawton, OK. Not to be a snob, but we have just relocated from Washington DC. DC, home of some of the best museums in the world. We have been utterly and completely spoiled the past few years. (If you are interested in seeing some of those sights, feel free to browse through my older posts under tourism. I have several from our DC field trips.)

Now this was a small museum, but what it lacked in size it made up in taste and thoughtfulness of the displays. (I'm sorry I don't have more photos. Since most of the exhibits were Comanche art, they didn't allow any photos other than in front of the tee pee.) I think my favorite part was the emphasis on how Comanche people have played an important part in our American history. They had lots of photos and displays of uniforms from soldiers and sailors.

One highlight was the Code Talkers. During WWII our success was in part to these Code Talkers. They would use their native tongue to send messages. The Germans and the Japanese were never able to break the code, so many strategic plans were able to get through to the different fronts.

Another area that touched my heart, was the artwork. Not only was it absolutely beautiful, but the content was very thought provoking. Not all, but a few of the pieces depicted a meshing of traditional native and Christian values. In one beautiful headdress, there was a Rosary wound into the feathers. I often wonder if things could have been so much different, so much better if more of the early missionaries had taken the time to learn the native traditions.

I know hindsight is 20/20, and I don't mean to judge harshly, but I love the story of Juan Diego. If you are unfamiliar with this Saint, click here to learn more. Juan realized the truth. You don't have to abandon your native ways to serve Christ.

So if you find yourself in Lawton, OK stop by and check it out. It doesn't take long, it's FREE, and the staff were very friendly. In fact the kiddos were over the moon at this stop. The little ladies not only stamped their cards, they round up several little trinkets for the kiddos to take home.

Discovery Trail: Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

The Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce have a fun little program this summer. They call it Discovery Trail: Where West Meets Wild! They have six stops, and you get a free souvenir at each location. Talk about a motivator for my kiddos.
Over the course of the past two months, we've enjoyed visiting the sites, so over the next few days I will be blogging about our Oklahoma Adventures.Our first stop on the Discovery Trail: The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Here the kiddos are out in front of the Visitor's Center. After my time in DC, I find I have more of an appreciation for the wide open range. Isn't it beautiful?

The gang's all here, checking out the bison. They have an informational video about the founding of the refuge, which is home to bison, elk, Texas Longhorns, and many, many other interesting creatures.

Princess & Bubby pointing out the bison/elk/longhorn mosaic mural. I thought it was very cool.

Bubby in front of a very cool pond habitat. Look closely and you can see a fish and beaver in the water. Isn't it great how they have all the different animals? I love how they point out the interconnected nature of habitats. The center was well done, and lots of fun. You know how I love a good field trip, and this was definitely one of them. (I'm also very fond of nature, so it was a perfect fit.)
Our next stop was Scott Mountain, which was the kiddos favorite stop. Bubby loved climbing all over the rocks and Princess and The General were chasing a lizard.

Isn't it cute? The General is pretty quick, but the lizard won out in the end. They must have stalked that poor lizard for half an hour. Just when they would grab it, the lizard would scramble over their fingers and out of reach again. (No lizards were harmed in this outing.)

Then it was onto Prairie Dog Town, which turned out to be a rather frustrating event. All over the refuge they have signs asking people to please not feed the wild life. At Prairie Dog Town they were very detailed about the risks of feeding the animals (most of which were harmful to the animals.) So I was a little put out to see nearly all the park visitors feeding the prairie dogs nasty white bread. Maybe they are just too stupid, and they couldn't read the gazillion signs which said: DO NOT FEED THE PRAIRIE DOGS! It was especially fun explaining to Bubby the importance of following the rules, even if EVERYONE else is breaking them.

As you can see, this is a pet peeve of mine. Time and time again Mr. Nomad and I are saddened to see trash and rude people at our nation's National Parks. We wonder, what happened to common sense and good manners? Okay, now that I've gotten that off my chest. . .back to the refuge.

We saw a herd of bison. The seed stock from this herd came from the New York City Zoo. At the Visitor Center they had the time sheets from the gentleman who escorted the bison from New York City to Cache, OK. They shipped them in on a train in the early 1900's.

Here are the Texas Longhorns. This is probably one of the few herds with pure longhorn bloodlines. At the refuge they try to preserve different species on the open range. They have had great success with the bison, elk and longhorns. We've been over there at least three times now, and we have yet to spot an elk. . . bummer. I'll just have to be satisfied with the ones we saw at the Grand Canyon.

Mr. Nomad and Bubby checking out all the exploring we have left to do.

Mountains in Oklahoma??

Surprise, surprise there are mountains in Oklahoma. The Wichita Mountains are actually the oldest range in the United States. Princess and I on top of Mount Scott. The other thing Oklahoma has is plenty of wind, as you can see by the swirling hair.Here my kiddos are in the middle of our friends' daughters. On this day we hiked a trail in the Wichita's National Wildlife Refuge.

Now these mountains are not the steep, shear cliffs of the Rockies. You can see how over time the erosion has worn the rocks down. After seeing the dramatic effects of erosion at the Grand Canyon, it is interesting to think how long these mountains have been here. In the Grand Canyon and Zion the rocks are sandstone, which isn't very hard. Here in the Wichita's the rocks are quartz and granite, by far the harder stone.

I think this has been my favorite thing this summer. Exposing my children (and myself) to the vastness of our country. Discussing the differences of the geography, and how people live. It is so neat to be able to point out lessons we've learned along the way.

Just a little Cliffy post for you today.

A Father's Love.

I'm sure my husband cannot be the only man like this. You know the type, the direct route kind of fellow. I have to admit, he humors me, and allows me my little exploring stops. BUT, it has to be along the route.

Enter Princess: Remember when I told you about the big ballet recital she is missing? I'll refresh your memory click here. Given that disappointment, I would tell Princess we needed to focus on the fun we would be having on our big adventurous summer. Being the trooper she is, Princess put on her thinking cap. She decided the one thing she wanted to do see was The Four Corners. You know the place where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona meet. The only problem, Four Corners was a couple hundred miles out of our way. Hence the title for my post.

Yes, my dear, Point A to Point B husband drove several hours out of our way just so Princess could experience this:

She was tickled to be sitting in all four states at one time.

Again it was a bit of a Griswald experience. This place is located within the Navejo Nation, so you drive quite some time on two lane roads, with a lot of nothing in between. You would see little homesteads along the road with lots of cars. I kept wondering , "what on earth do these people do to survive?" It is rocky, desert all around. There were very few places with any type of animals. The homes appeared modest, no frills, very primitive. The nearest town of any size for a gallon of milk could be 45 minutes away.

Okay back to the Griswald expereince of finding the Four Corners. You continue to drive along, and along, and along. . .you get the picture. Then all of a sudden there is a little sign on the side of the road announcing the Four Corners. You turn, go up a dirt road, stop and pay $3 a person to a girl sitting in a plywood hut, and viola you are at the Four Corners.

There is the monument you see in the picture with a small platform. Surrounding the area are some stands where people sell Native jewelry and other crafts. A couple of food vendors, and there you have it, The Four Corners. Oh, I forgot the very nice port-a-potties.

The sweetest thing is that although I have to say I was a little amused by the lack of grandeur, Princess was pleased as punch. We all took our turns standing in four states, then had a simple picnic lunch. I managed to peek at a few stands before we headed out. (The jewelry was beautiful, too bad I'm on a budget with all the things we need for our new house.)

I was so proud of my husband. It is the times like these my heart just melts with a deep and profound love for this man. He is a great husband, but I am awed by the blessing I have in being married to a man who is so dedicated to being a fabulous father. My children have no idea how fortunate they are, they know nothing else. This is how it has always been for them. Their father has always put them above all else. As they grow older, I know they too will better appreciate the man they call "Daddy!"

Happy Father's Day. We love you from here to the moon, and back!

Daddy and his kiddos at The Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, NM. We stopped to show the them where he learned to SCUBA when he was in college. (Note, this was not off the travel route ;)

Visiting The Grand Canyon

Our kiddos promptly climbed up on the sign, leaving us alone on the ground. We didn't know how to pose without a bunch of children surrounding us. I laughed when I first saw this picture. We look a little lost without "the love" around us.

There it is, The Grand Canyon. After the great experience at Zion, I have to admit The Grand Canyon was a bit. . .hmm Griswaldish. You know the Chevy Chase Vacation movie? They drive forever, get out, look at the canyon. . .yep that's The Grand Canyon. Then get back in the car and drive away.

Don't get me wrong, it is beautiful and amazing. However, unless you have older children and time to go on a hiking or rafting adventure down into the canyon, it isn't as cool as climbing around the cliffs at Zion. The real difference is at Zion you are in the canyon, looking up. At The Grand Canyon you are at the top looking down. Both very beautiful, just different.

Here's a nerdy little tidbit. My husband calls me Cliffy (the mailman from Cheers) when I share these info bites. They call The Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon the Triple Staircase. The fossils and sediment you find at the top of The Grand Canyon you will find at the bottom of Zion. The stuff at the top of Zion, you will find at the bottom of Bryce Canyon. Isn't that interesting?

Speaking of interesting. . .Of course finding beetles and other bugs was far more exciting for my kiddos. They were quite disappointed that there were no snakes or lizards. I love that. After dinner we went back to enjoy the sunset. The previous days of hiking had tuckered poor Bubby out. He was so tired he slept through the whole experience. Which was actually okay. It may have been a bit much trying to keep him from stressing his big brother out. You see, The General has a little thing about heights. He calls it TERRIFIED. I'm not sure how we overlooked this in planning our perfect trip. Alas, it was an excellent opportunity for growth. Who says I'm not using that MSW?

Ahh, the sunset. You know when you are at a place that is just so grand, you cannot capture the beauty in one photo? That is how the sunset at The Grand Canyon was. We kept clicking away, but with our camera we just couldn't capture the depth of the shadows. The various hues of blue, purple, red, orange and yellow. Then there is the fact that it is just so HUGE.

See what I mean??

Then we realized Bubby had the right idea. It was time to hit the hay. Good night.

The Wonders of Zion.

I've been trying to figure out how to put this post together for a while. I have two problems, make that three. Problem number one; my husband needs the computer for work. Really, isn't blogging more important than studying??? Second, it was so beautiful, so wonderful. How do I tell you all we did and learned without boring you. . . Three, well there are three of them. AND they keep interupting me!

Here we go: When the Mormon settlers back in the 1800's found this area, one man settled with his family to farm. He named it Zion, saying he had finally found a safe haven after all of his years of struggle. I couldn't agree with him more. After the endless hours of desert plains, coming into Zion was quite a feast for our eyes.

The General, Bubby, Princess & I out in front of our hotel. We were waiting for the bus. They have a wonderful shuttle system that takes you from your hotel to the park entrance. Once inside the park there is another line that goes around the park. Cars are actually not allowed in some areas. It has significantly reduced the noise and pollution. I loved the convenience, and riding on a bus was a treat for the kiddos. After 2 1/2 days in the van, a bus without seat belts was a welcome relief. Oh, did I mention this whole shuttle system is FREE!

Here's Princess with the flower she drew for me. She thought it was so cool you could draw with the rocks.

You see the canyons of Zion are Sandstone. Depending on your belief; young earth theorists say thousands, old earth believers say millions of years ago this part of the country was a huge sandy desert. After which the area was covered by a shallow ocean. The sand was cemented together by the calcium and other things of that nature (sorry I can't remember exactly the term) that leaked down through the layers. After the ocean dried up the area was once again a desert, only this time more of a high plains desert. Two major plates of the earth's crust meet here, causing some upheaval, which gives us mountains. Finally you have the Virgin River flowing through, along with wind erosion you are left with the beautiful canyons we see today.

After lunch we headed into the park for a hike. We rode the bus to the end of the line, getting off at Temple of Sinawava to hike on the Riverside Walk. It is an easy little hike, with a paved walking path.
These two rock formations are called the Altar and the Pulpit. Maybe that is why they called the area the Temple. Anyone know for sure?

I was surprised to see all of these beautiful flowers growing out of the side of the canyon. While walking along the river, you have to remind yourself you are in a desert.

Of course wading in the cool mountain waters was the favorite activity for the kiddos. You can see Bubby has entered the "it is impossible to get a decent picture phase". All of my children go through this stage. It lasts until they are around 4 or 5. Please bear with me.

These little fellows were all along the trails. They would just lay on the path, once I almost stepped on one. They were so tame, they creeped me out. I could just see one jumping up to bite the kiddos. No, I'm not crazy for thinking that. We saw an impressive picture of a hiker's hand all stitched up. Apparently, the poor guy thought since the squirrels were so tame, he'd share his lunch. It did give me some serious credibility with my children.

These three peaks are named Isaac, Jacob and Abraham. Apparently a Methodist pastor visited Zion in its early days and named many of the areas. One especially challenging hike goes up to Angels' Landing. I can see how some blur the line from worshipping the creation rather than the Creator.

On our second day our hiking destination was the Middle Emerald Pool. The first half was very easy. The second part up to the Middle Pool was a little more challenging, but well worth the effort.

The waterfall we hiked under.

The General standing by the Middle Emerald Pool. They named them the Emerald Pools because the green algae looked like emeralds in the brownish red desert.
Before we knew it, our time was up. It was time to leave this beautiful oasis. Driving out of the eastern part of the park we passed by The Arch.



Then drove through the tunnel. It was about a mile long, and was built back in the 1930's by blasting through the sandstone. Quite a feat for that era.

As we drove on, the canyon slowly began to fade away. Good bye Zion. Your riches are so great, we will be back to explore again another day.

If you would like to learn more about Zion click here.