This year we returned in our newer, much trustier Neon to our favorite town in New Mexico-Silver City, to visit H-man's parents and to soak up some much needed vitamin D. On a side note we also used this trip to get in some quality birding time and to spend some much needed time together before H-man leaves Humboldt for his job as a Forest Service employee in other parts of the state that aren't here.
We left Humboldt Friday the 16th of May and drove across the state into Nevada ending up in Ely Nevada much later that night. Not that we planned to drive so dang much, but, a lesson was to be learned. We intended to stay in Eureka Nevada, 144 miles to the west of Ely. " How clever we are" we chuckled to ourselves as we approached Eureka Nevada "to leave from Eureka California and end the day in Eureka Nevada, my aren't we smug?" FAIL. There were no hotels with vacancies in either Eureka Nevada or Austin Nevada, a mere 77 miles away. So we drove on, and on. Arriving at the most beautiful hotel I have ever seen in my life in Ely Nevada. And by beautiful I of course mean that it had a bed and it had a vacancy. I may have frightened the poor man behind the counter a little with my delirious gratefulness I was so happy.
Lesson learned: when you are intending to drive across the vast emptiness of Eastern Nevada, make sure to get hotel reservations. And also, drive the speed limit in Eureka Nevada at night, even if it is 12:30 a.m. The local fuzz just won't stand for 35 in a 25 zone, even if you and said officer are the only people insane enough to be out.
The next day H-man took this photo:
Onward! We stated loudly and to each other stopping only for birding and the occasional pee break. Peschoe Nevada was our first town stop along the way, mostly a ghost town but very beautiful and atmospheric.
the sign at the bottom right says "Been Closed for 50 years"
Very shortly after that we stopped at Cathedral Gorge just out of town. It took me a few minutes to realize that I had visited the gorge many years before when I was living in Needles. My mother and her boyfriend had brought me there while we were visiting the town of Panaca for a highschool football game. I was thrilled once I realized this because I had been amazed at the beauty of the place when I was there 12 years ago and had always wanted to go back but could not remember where this place was. Serendiptious defined.
We spent some time walking in the gorge and reveling in the beauty before we finally had to leave. But not before confusing some random people: As we left the gorge up a staircase, out of breath we passed a couple at the top.
"Is it neat down there?" the woman asked H-man, who was panting
" No, not too much" he replied thinking the woman had asked if there was "heat down there"
"Oh, just the walk then?" she asked looking pretty confused or bewildered
" uh yeah" He looked at her like she was crazy, the look was returned.
So after doing our daily job of confusing people we were on our way again. It was only a short drive to Utah from Panaca.
So there was only one reason we wanted to go through Utah on our way. Not because of it's natural beauty and the friendly people, shit no. We went because we wanted to see FLDS polygamists. H-man has been interested in the culture for several years now and since we had the chance this trip to make our way to Hildale/Colorado City we took the opportunity.
I insisted on stopping through Zion National Park on the way however where we saw our first rattlesnake of the trip-a Western Diamondback as well as some gorgeous natural features.
We made it St. George that afternoon, where we got a hotel, then drove the 1/2 hour out to the site. I didn't get any pictures from that evening but we went back the next day
All the houses are huge and everyone just wants to be left alone. That would pretty much sum up my view of the town. The bulletin board above was posted at the town's grocery store. It was selling rabbits, jeans, cell phones and machinery. We saw very few people when we returned the next day, but the evening before we had seen a very beautiful young girl in the typical dress, except she was wearing jeans underneath it. We also saw a lot of people with cell phones and a lot of cars, many with their windows tinted. We stopped for a spell at the local UEP park where everyone jumped in their vans and trucks and sped off.
An observation: the FLDS wants so much to be disincluded from American tradition and edicts in order to live their own lives and follow their own beliefs. I struck me, however, how much their lifestyle resemble, at least to me, the stereotypical American dream: a home of your own, a close knit, hardworking community and family life, clean living and faith.
After our foray into alternative lifestyles we went on to Silver City via Flagstaff and Springerville. We reached Silver much later than we thought we might, mostly because of our stop at House Rock Arizona and a dinner stop in Flagstaff.
At Silver City we spent quality time with the parents, seeing the local sights, hiking, geocaching and birdwatching. It was wonderful to spend time with them and visit our favorite areas of New Mexico and Arizona.
Then we had to return. We came home through Southern California, Blythe, Needles and Bartsow to be specific. Then up through San Francisco to vist my side of the family, and then home. It's good to be back but I sure love these trips. Visiting religious extremists, confusing tourists, frightening hotel owners and reminding ourselves that there really is no place like Humboldt County. That's a good vacation right there.
