I eliminated things from 2010, and things on my Top Five list here. They are in no particular order, but the first 3 are in California.
Back in 2006, my daughter, Corrie, and I went on the Photo Caravan Tour at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (formerly called the Wild Animal Park). The giraffe feeding will certainly never be forgotten.
The world's largest free standing boulder is located at Landers, CA. Just ask any local where it is. This rock has an amazing history involving spies and aliens from outer space! Read the whole story here.
My third unusual adventure in California was a boat trip to Anacapa Island, near Oxnard, CA. Not hard to get to, but very beautiful and not a popular tourist destination.
At the end of April, the whole island is covered with flowers, with seagulls nesting among them.
In 2008, before the trip around Lake Superior, the WINs had a gathering at a member's home near Chicago. He got us invited to a tour of Place de la Musique, a private estate nearby. To see more pictures and read about our tour of this amazing place, click here.
After the trip around Lake Superior, we met at Ely, MN, an amazing town at the edge of the thousands of lakes in the Boundary Waters. I went on a float plane to see the area. Wow! My pictures are here.
Later that summer I got to go to Crystal Mill, near Marble, CO, on a difficult 4-wheel drive road. I'd wanted to see this for quite a while. My post on the adventure is here.
One of my favorite places is Glacier National Park in Montana. In 2006, I went on a helicopter ride to really see the park. The glacier-carved walls and mountains, along with the many lakes, are truly spectacular. See more pictures from the ride here.
The rest of my unusual things are from Utah. Last year when I went on a houseboat trip on Lake Powell with some fellow WINs, I finally got to see Rainbow Bridge. I even got to walk under it, which is usually discouraged. More pictures here.
Utah has lots of petroglyphs, but one of the biggest is Procession Panel, near the top of Comb Ridge in southeastern Utah. It contains 179 figures in what is thought to be a funeral procession. Difficult to find, even with directions, I lucked out.
Canyonlands National Park contains the most remote areas in the Lower 48, and the site of my last 3 picks. One of my favorites is the confluence of the Green (on the left) and Colorado Rivers, which divides the 3 sections of the park. I've actually seen it 5 times, 3 from the ground on jeep tours and twice from the air, but it remains amazing to me. You can also see it by boat. Photos from my latest jeep tour are here.
In a separate section of Canyonlands is the Grand Gallery in Horseshoe Canyon, a pictograph panel containing several dozen figures. This is the most famous of the images on this panel. Named "The Holy Ghost and Companions", the images are taller than a person.It's a difficult hike, 7.5 miles round trip, where you have to climb out of the canyon at the end of the hike in the hot sun. I barely made it!
My last spot is the saddest. You used to be able to take a jeep ride 10 miles to Angel Arch, the largest arch in the park, in the Needles section of Canyonlands. But the road has now been closed. You can still see this view of 135-ft tall Angel Arch behind Molar Rock, but it's now a backbacking trip.I hope you've enjoyed my "strange and unusual things." Maybe you would like to share some of your own?
That is a great list. The only sad thing is we have only been to one of those on the list.
ReplyDeleteClearly, we have a lot more to do.
Thanks.
Wow! Where haven't you been? What a terrific collection of pictures and memories. You've done it again.
ReplyDeleteBTW, congrats on making the Hitch Itch website...for the second time! :c)
Paul, I swear to God, I didn't do it!
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures and your experiences to go along with them! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love that picture of the mill. And of course I am partial to those California stops. Nice post. Gives me ideas.
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving us some more ideas for places to see. Canyonlands is also one of our favorites.
ReplyDeleteNeat set of interesting places ... more ideas for us :-))
ReplyDeleteWe did the safari in San Diego and remember the giraffes fondly ... gorgeous eyelashes on those animals.
Diana this post is super!You've visited some amazing spots...The rainbow is one of my favs too and Ive added Anacapa Island to my list GOTTA see those flowers with my own eyes i bet its terrific. And how amazing is it that the rock art panels in Canyonlands and the ones in Seco Canyon are almost exactly of the same Figure? Makes me wonder if it was the same artist or various artists trying to leave this image in legecy? Spooky! Since the main mode of travel in those days was by foot, how did they communicate this image between each other?
ReplyDeleteWell If Im gonna see Angel Arch I better get my ar*# there quick while I can still make the trek!!
ITs a beauty! Enjoy your visit to Mesa-I hear its nice there now-my bff moved to Mesa last yr. She didnt enjoy the summer but she is bragging about the current weather!!
These photos and places are wonderful! The only thing that pains me is that I drove right past one of them without knowing that it was there!
ReplyDeleteGreat choices. I think the Grand Gallery was the toughest hike I ever did. Almost had to send for the helicopter!
ReplyDeleteOh wow I love them all thanks so much for sharing and that is some big rock and I loved all the pictures on the rocks how fascinating to get to see that in person, you are so fortunate and also so generous for sharing with others :o)
ReplyDeleteWonderful spots. Yes, I have a few of my own, but I'll think about posting them later. Have a good medical leave. :)
ReplyDeleteI know I don't comment very often but your blog is one of the best I read. Thank you for keeping it up to date.
ReplyDeleteDan
(Bubbadan)
Loved your strange and unusual things post! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete{{hugs}}