Observations from the Cockpit

Since appointing Zoe to the position of "Official Photographer" I have no pics to share; however, I can share a few facts and stories with you.

Referring to Zoe's Basin and Range and her Great Basin blogs, I found out that the two are related but different. Zoe's description of Basin and Range is a great explanation of that ten million year process that has been and continues to be under way between the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada, including Arizona south of the Colorado Plateau, and Southern California. The Great Basin, although being part of Basin And Range, is inclusive of northern Utah west of the Rockies and pretty much most of Nevada. The most unique feature of the Great Basin is that it IS a basin! And a basin without a drain! Ain't no way out, folks. What falls in the Basin stays in the Basin. And that's why we have the Great Salt Lake!

I am SO spoiled!!! We did the Lehman Cave tour as Zoe mentioned. It was interesting. The ranger was interesting. I couldn't wait to have it end! After 5 and a half months as volunteer tour guides at Kartchner Caverns State Park, AZ last summer, we both have to work at having a good time in other caves. Most of the "commercial" caves in the country were discovered 100-200 years ago when words like "environmentally friendly" and "ecology" and "preserve for our posterity" hadn't been invented yet. Kartchner was discovered in 1975 by 2 college students who knew all those words. They, and eventually the owners of the land, the Kartchner family, managed to keep the caverns a secret for 14 years until the state of Arizona bought them in order to create a new state park. (Here comes the oped part) Back then, Arizona had 2 things it doesn't have now - Money and VISION! If you think you might like to experience a beautiful cave adventure, you gotta see Kartchner Caverns!

I'll refer you to Zoe's "Zion: Day 2". At the end of that trail to the Narrows, I got into a conversation with a young man whom I would guess to be in his early 40's. We discussed getting out and seeing America and the world. He told me he had taken his kids to Italy about 4 years ago. It cost a lot of money, but he was doing well, and he thought it was important. Shortly after their return home, his and everyone else's 401K tanked. He told me it was a very difficult time for him, so difficult that he sat down to examine his life and accomplishments to that point. "I came to the conclusion that the only thing of value I had ever accomplished", he said, "was the trip to Italy. From that point on, I have invested only in memories!" You are an RVer in the making. See you down the road, Pardner.

And see all Y'all down the road,
Sundoggie