We Always Turn Left...

The name A Local Wander did not come by me lightly.  I think it's important to get out, explore, and find new things in the areas we call home.  The challenge sometimes comes when I realize we've moved to the land where my husband was born and raised-he's pretty much seen and done everything.  He lives for those days when we find ourselves on a road he's never been on before, and last weekend's drive home from Goblin Valley did NOT disappoint!

Otherwise known as the middle of nowhere!

Let me take you on our journey...

Starting at our house, we drive on the interstate,
 a dangerous mountain road,
another interstate,
and then the road to Hanksville.

We rarely ever go to Hanksville, but when we do it's fun to stop in at the Hollow Mountain Gas Station, literally built into a hollowed out rock...

This time we forgot diapers (I guess the babies thought they were kind of important) so we did go to Hanksville and came across this historic church building...

Now back to the map. This is the road to Goblin Valley...

And this is where we always turn left...

We don't turn there because that's where the road ends, but just because that's always the way we go.  As we turned this time, though, my husband noticed a sign indicating that if we went straight it would, indeed, get us back to the interstate for our drive home in only 29 miles.  It was a road he'd never taken before, and so OF COURSE I decided this was the day that we were going to do it.  This time we went straight!

There's a whole amazing world back there!  Free camping (which is something VALUABLE that I'll address another day), restrooms, historic mining claims, and hiking...

We now know a couple of things:

1. This is Temple Mountain Road.  It is only 29 miles to the interstate, but that 29 miles is rough.  My good mid-western roots would call this Level B at best. 
2.  It is BEAUTIFUL!  After the first 5 miles there is literally no one and no thing out there with you.  
3. Just when you decide you must have gotten lost, there comes a fork in the road with a sign meant to reassure you...

10 more miles on that dusty gravel road and you pop out of the barren desert and back on to the populated interstate highway.  From experience we know at that moment that the drivers around us are confused to all extremes wondering where in the world we just came from. But because we didn't turn left, we've now found a whole new world to wander through.

Tell me something you've found after turning a different way!

Do You Mean "White" Owl Canyon? (Lake Mead)

What happens when the spontaneity bug bites you on a Thursday afternoon and you know you're going to have do something about it?  You find yourself loading sleeping children in the van at 1AM and striking out on a 6-hr road-trip to southern Nevada, of course!  It happened to us two weeks ago, and we're going to spend this week telling you all about it-starting with an adventure at Lake Mead...

Lake Mead is very well known for boating and that little tiny thing called the Hoover Dam, but we don't own a boat and weren't feeling particularly tourist-y.  Instead we were looking for some really fun hiking.  On our drive down we scoured the internet and finally found a hike promising tunnels and slot canyons.  The description of the hike was great, but the directions to get there were a little hazy.  So, we stopped into the Lake Mead visitor center and had the following conversation...

Me: "We really want to take the kids hiking in a slot canyon."
Old Ranger: "There aren't any of those here.  You need to go to Lake Powell.  They have great ones."
Me: "Oh."
In my head: "You work for Lake Mead, Old Ranger.  How about trying to keep me here."
Me: "I read something about Owl Canyon.  Can you show me how to get there?
Old Ranger: "Never heard of it.  Stand here and wait a really long time and then I'll ask Young Ranger about it."**
Young Ranger: "Where do you want to go?"
Me:  "Owl Canyon, I think."
Young Ranger:  (looooooong pause) "Do you mean White Owl Canyon?"
In My Head: "How many owl canyons do you have?"
Me: "Yes, I suppose so."

And she finally gave me the directions.  But it wasn't over yet...

Old Ranger: "You make sure you're careful out there.  The terrain here can be very difficult."
Me:  "Oh, okay.  We hike in southern Utah all the time, so I think we'll be okay."
Old Ranger: "Your kids.  Make sure they're careful.  The terrain here can be very difficult."
Me: "Oh, okay, they hike in southern Utah all the time, so I think we'll be okay."
Old Ranger: "You make sure..." (repeat 5 times...you get the drift)

This was the first sign that we'd picked the right hike...

Not another soul on the trail.  The next parking area over was jam packed full and of course the simpler well-traveled trail near the visitor center was over-run with people.  But we had Owl Canyon 100% to ourselves the entire day!  The only challenge we faced was figuring out how to drop down into the valley...

B & P scrambled down here...

My husband and I kind of just went over here...

And on the way back up we realized there was an obvious path going down here...

Getting down to the trail was by far the most challenging part. After that, we were on our way...

For more stories from our hike

 and beautiful pictures of White Owl Canyon,

please jump to  "Hiking White Owl Canyon Part 2"...

More Information:
More information on Lake Mead

The White Owl Canyon Trailhead starts at

the 33 Hole Road Parking Area

off the Lake Mead Highway.

Stay to the left as you come to the 

3 parking areas. 

The trail drops down 

at the 2nd shelter house from the left.

The entire trail does make a big loop if you 

don't want to turn around like we did. 

A detailed description can be found here.

**I believe Old Ranger had never heard of White Owl Canyon,
as for some reason it's not listed on the area's official hiking list.

Hiking White Owl Canyon

Miss the 1st part of our spontaneous road-trip to Lake Mead?

Catch up here...

By now you know that:
    1) I'm a slave to spontaneity,
    2)the rangers at the Lake Mead visitor center are moderately helpful, extremely entertaining, &
    3)the hike we chose looked promising...

So, let's get on it!

First, we found the tunnel...

Then, we found the slot canyon...

...and took some time to learn some things...

Learning all about owl poo

We saw a coyote.  We almost lost the kids (more on that coming, I promise).  We fought a little bit. We laughed a lot. And at the end of the day when we asked B & P what their favorite part of the day had been, they shouted at the top of their lungs, "THE HIKING!"  Me, too, boys.  Me, too.

More Information:
More information about Lake Mead

The White Owl Canyon Trailhead starts at

the 33 Hole Road Parking Area

off the Lake Mead Highway.

Stay to the left as you come to the 

3 parking areas. 

The trail drops down 

at the 2nd shelter house from the left.

The entire trail does make a big loop if you 

don't want to turn around like we did. 

A detailed description can be found here.

One caution: There is a LOT of trash and broken glass
along the trail 
before you reach the canyon.  
It is obviously a party hangout.
Especially with kids, be careful-
or turn it into a great service project for them!

Bikes and Pastries? Where Do I Sign?

If you've ever dreamed of being part of a sugar-induced athletic spectacle on a beautiful Saturday morning, I have a can't-miss event for you!

Each summer, the American Fork Rotary Club hosts their sweet version of a bicycle race. The normal part?  A 7-mile race course completed three times for a total of 21-miles ridden.  The delicious part?  All-you-can-eat donuts during and after the race.  Mesh them together and what do you get?

What makes this race a must-see is the way the above listed parts are mashed together.  After each7-mile lap, riders pull-over for a speedy donut binge.  Every donut stuffed down the gullet brings the reward of three minutes riding time subtracted off the clock.  The first go-round is simple enough; smiles and joking all around.   It's the second helping where the real competition begins.  A lot of riders take it all in stride, finish a pastry or two and continue on their way.  The die-hards are another story.

Imagine every disgusting detail you've ever heard about competitive eating and then picture it with sweaty athletes on a 100-degree day.  Smashing multiple donuts together flat like a pancake makes it easier to eat several in a short time.  Soak them in water and they slide through the digestive organs smoothly.  And of course each rider has an individual theory on pacing for maximum eating.  

The race is fun for spectators and riders alike.  After mastering the stomach or dodging the offerings of those who couldn't, crossing the finish line is a great celebration.  The first year my husband participated,  winner was the last to finish, but gained 78 minutes after somehow ingesting 26 donuts (notice I didn't say "after keeping down 26 donuts.  He gave everyone an unwanted gift by depositing them all on the concrete just after crossing the finish line).

It's fun.  It's completely disgusting.  It's a guaranteed great story to tell your friends.  Why not sign up to do something a little crazy every now and then?

Directions and Information:

This event is a fundraising event for the American Fork Rotary.  Past year's funds have benefited the Huntsman Cancer Institute, Kona Biketown Africa, World Bicycle Relief, and other Rotary causes.

Want to find out more?  Visit the official Utah Tour de Donut website for photos, this year's race information, and more.