April 9, 2017 - Tanya's Mountain Biking Marvels in Moab Trip - Day 4 - Winston Churchill Day - Palm Sunday

Elisa's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 3 DAYS

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well, to say I'm tired is an understatement - but I'll get to that in a moment.

As for today, we will be heading into the NYC (via Long Island Rail Road) late morning.  I hate driving into the city and so much prefer the train whenever possible.

Additionally, logistically, considering that The Theatre at Madison Square Gardens is right there and accessible at Penn Station, where the LIRR arrives into, it makes no sense to schlepp with the car, pay tolls and parking and fight traffic.

The show starts at 1pm and it was advised to get there at least an hour early since going through security takes time.  (Thanks Terrorists - appreciate all the unnecessary waste of time you have causes us doing virtually everything that used to be a breeze - ugh).

Ok - so why am I tired - well, after driving back and forth out to Manorville for Kelsey to visit the barn, see the horses, and her birthday-celebrating friend -- AND talking me into letting her ride for an hour - then driving back - I hit my yoga clinic (5 minutes late, mind you) and was pretty wiped out by the time it was over.

So, I get home to finalize packing for me and the girls and what do we realize...Gianna has no clothes!  She has grown out of most of them or the rest are pretty ratty by this point. 

WOULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL FOR HER TO LET ME KNOW THIS SOONER SINCE I HAVE BEEN BUGGING HER TO PACK FOR THE PAST 2 WEEKS!!!!

There we were, at 6:30 pm getting ready to go to the mall to shop for tops.  Of course, Kelsey decided she wanted a frozen pizza before we left, so I had to take care of that first and by the time we left it was 7:30.  REALLY?!?

​Ok, I was really annoyed.  But, at least today, everything was in the suitcase before leaving for the city.  

The other little joy is that I packed with anticipation of lots of cooler weather - low 40's. Well, after checking the weather forecast, the temps are supposed to be up closer to 60 degrees.  So, I re-arranged some outfits and brought less sweaters for all of us.  

Did I mention that I put my outfits in plastic freezer bags, labeled with the day I'm wearing them?  Yup - totally anal but it helps while traveling.  I also put undies and socks in with the little package lol!

The kids think I'm nuts, but in the end, it saves on bringing unnecessary clothes that I will never wear anything.

In light of our upcoming trip to England, I found it very interesting that today is Winston Churchill Day.

Sir Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Why do we celebrate this?

On April 9, 1963 Winston Churchill was the first person to become an Honorary Citizen of the United States. Winston Churchill Day commemorates this event.

U.S. President John F. Kennedy, acting under authorization granted by an Act of Congress, proclaimed Churchill the first honorary citizen of the United States. Churchill was physically incapable of attending the White House ceremony, so his son and grandson accepted the award for him.

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was a British politician, best known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. Widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century, he served as Prime Minister twice. A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer in the British Army, a historian, a writer, and an artist. (This material from: Wikipedia and www.cute-calendar.com)

(credit: iwm.org.uk)

During our London Trip, me and my gang will be visiting Churchill War Rooms, which includes the Cabinet War Rooms, Churchill's historic underground bunker, and much more information about the life of the former Prime Minister.

I cannot wait for this as I am a HUGE World War II history buff!

Well, I'm going to cut it short folks, as I've got to catch a train!

Back atcha tomorrow!

-E
xoxo

Tanya's Daily Scoop
CURRENTLY TRAVELING IN:
MOAB, UTAH

Half a Tour or 2 Tours in One

GREETINGS once again from Moab and Happy Palm Sunday to you!

I don't usually start out like this but I've gotta say that the beginning of last nights sleep was nothing short of wonderful!

I know, I realize that I didn't complain about my rest the night before  - it wasn't bad and I hate complaining - but I'll share with you now that it was soooo darn windy and disturbing that it sounded as though Rudolph and all of his reindeer friends were constantly landing right above us along with all the rest of the fun wind flapping sounds that were also going on.

Well at the beginning of last night it seemed as though the air was calm and all was quiet... That only lasted an hour or so until even higher winds had arrived and it sounded as though the structure was just about going to blow away. 

Luckily I can sleep through just about anything! I think Dave might've been a bit frightened though.

Plus with waking up before the sun break yesterday is not something I am a huge fan of - I do it way too much - but only when it is necessary! 

Given the choice I much prefer to rise and shine after the sun has made it's appearance. 
​Such as today. ​

With the past two days having been overcast and cloudy (which to me is the best mountain biking weather possible) my pics haven't been too great. 
​
​But today my dearies the sun is out and there are blue skies all the way - making for better photos!

Stepping out of our luxury campsite we have such a gorgeous view of the surrounding dramatic red rocks and the beautiful snow capped 13,000 foot peaks of the Lasal Mountain Range  - which I found out yesterday that they are *laccoliths.

Yesterday's view of the Lasal Mountain range (c)travelincousins.com

*A laccolith is a sheet intrusion (or concordant pluton) that has been injected between two layers of sedimentary rock. The pressure of the magma is high enough that the overlying strata are forced upward, giving the laccolith a dome or mushroom-like form with a generally planar base.

Or in more basic terms what I was told is that it is a Volcano that didn't make it to the surface! 

Something else I learned yesterday was that in the 1950's - 1960's Moab was ​the Uranium processing capital of the world and we can thank them for creating 4,000-5,000 miles of trails!!!

Which I suppose is at least one very good reason that Moab is the Mountain Biking World Capital!

But we aren't the only ones using some of these trails...

Our timing for this trip just so happened to fall right at the beginning of the 51st Moab Easter Jeep Safari.

It is an annual event hosted by the Red Rock 4-Wheelers off-road club, where 4-wheelers come from around the world to challenge the rough terrain of the backcountry in the Moab, Utah area.

​Although its title does say it's a festival of jeeps, a few take on the trails in 4x4 trucks. The Easter Weekend safari lasts for nine days, going through Easter Sunday.

The Jeep Safari started in 1967 when the Moab Chamber of Commerce decided the jeeping community would be welcomed to rally on the Behind the Rocks Trail.

The following year they added the Moab Rim trail, and participants were mostly Chamber members--just friends in the community enjoying jeeps on red rock. Now there are about 10,000 "jeeps" that show up for the Jeep Safari and the town is just booming like I have never seen it before.

And now onto our day out there in Canyonlands National Park:

After attempting and failing last year to set up the bus/jet-boat shuttle for the Shafer Trail. I had tried again plenty early this year and got a reservation!

Woo Hoo - as mentioned we were up before the sun and prepped for our ride. Got on over to Tag-Along Adventures for our shuttle and we were off!

Being shuttled out to the entrance sign of Canyonlands National Park and the pedaling away for our long day out into the vast wilderness of the park.

Making a quick pit stop to take a peak inside and pick up a few souviners from the Visitors Center, as well as getting my National Parks Passport stamped.

Before we really even got started on the trail I had immediately noticed that my booty was already rather sore. Which is definitely not a good sign when you have 23+ bumpy miles ahead of you.

Down the Shafer Shakes (I nick named it that) - all the crazy switchbacks that I was glad to be going down - going up would've been hell! And OMG in a car - NO THANK YOU!

Pedaling and pedaling away.  Squinting and getting red eyes - I didn't mention to you but I could not find my sport sunglasses before leaving on this trip.

I wasn't too thrilled about it so we left without my missing sunglasses - what could I do?!

Dust Devils suck all the time, but without sunglasses they sucked all that much more!

*A dust devil is a strong, well-formed, and relatively long-lived whirlwind.

There were times that we couldn't see the trail or each other. Having to get off of our bikes and turn away from the direction of which it was coming from. Ugh 

Eventually arriving at Musselman Arch to enjoy the view, take a snack break and lots of pictures - the pictures are to come tomorrow in my trip recap!

And while out there we saw the most unexpected thing...but you're gonna have to come back tomorrow to find out what it was.

Miles and miles later a jeep came from behind and lo and behold it was Doug - our shuttle driver who drove out hours to bring us the news that there was a problem with the Jet-Boat!

What is it with us and mountain biking with boats??

If you'd also recall last September while biking the Outer Hebrides we also had a boat issue/cancellation!!! 

So we opted to finish out the 23+ miles and meet our driver at the end of the trail - the Colorado river and take the shuttle back.

Only when I was sitting in the back of the jeep for the return did I realize how far we really went!

Passing the Goosenecks, the famed Thema and Louise filming location (and finding out a tidbit about why the ladies wore scarves in the movie - find out why tomorrow), passing petroglyphs, rock climbers and much much more.

But today is a new day and I gotta get out there and have some more fun!

See ya back here tomorrow,
​-T