Year: 2020
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Mesa Verde, Bisti, Albuquerque, and Taos
Puebloan Country
We are now in Puebloan country. Leaving Durango, we snake up the highway to the top of Mesa Verde. From the road leading up to it, this place emphatically punches the clear blue sky. As I drive up, I wonder how there would be enough water to sustain a civilization. Because of the pandemic, we are unable to walk through the dwellings, but the views from the overlooks are awe-inspiring.
From here, we head to the Aztec Ruins. The grounds, along with the many rooms, seem embracing, bringing us into the past with a feeling of connectedness. The reconstructed Great Kiva echoes sacred ceremonies that transcend time.
Bisti Wilderness
We shoot south, and off the side of the highway, we follow Mark and Sarah, pulling into the parking lot of the Bisti Wilderness. This place has been on my bucket list, and having read about the wildness of this place, of the difficult route-finding, of people getting lost, I wasn’t going to attempt this without Mark being there. His search-and-rescue experience would be helpful. We set up camp just off to the side of the parking lot. Then, Mark leads us through the featureless terrain to fantastical hoodoos. We climb up and over them, weaving through the stands of sentinels and creatures. The sun dips below the clear horizon and paints the sky with wisps of pink and orange. This place would become one of our kids’ favorite places, where they remember the free range where they roamed and the boulders which they conquered. We head back to camp as the stars begin to emerge.
Chaco Canyon
The crisscrossing roads through the flat landscape makes us feel lost, and the rumble of gravel makes us dizzy. At last, we arrive at Chaco Canyon; we’re not lost. Stepping into the ruins, it’s not hard to imagine the once-advanced culture flourishing in this place. Because of time constraints, we choose to explore Pueblo Bonito. Climbing up to the precipice, we marvel at the structure’s outline, the design, rooms, and architectural details. And, I find myself constantly fearful of the kids falling into one of the kivas. We emerge safely and enjoy a picnic lunch by Casa Rinconada.
Albuquerque
Mark had suggested that we stay at Los Poblanos, and I’m glad we booked this place. We love the manicured lavender fields and tended gardens. The farm-to-table creations are amazing. The Biggest Little Farm is Daphney’s favorite documentary, and staying at this place brings back those warm feelings of being in a working farm, smelling the earth, feeling the connectedness to the rhythms of the seasons.
Taos
We next journey to Taos. There is so much history to this place. My college sociology professor, Monte Andres, recommend me Cather’s book, Death Comes for the Archbishop. Seeing Taos in person breathes life into the book. We take a day trip to Bandelier; the cliff dwellings are my favorite ruins, and I can see how this mystical place set in a peaceful valley can be so captivating to those who lived there.
In Taos, we stay at El Monte Sagrado, another recommendation from Mark. The kids love the setting, mesmerized by the falling leaves and the fish swimming in the pond. We love our room decorated with the Bali theme, and we wish our stay here was longer.
The Enchanted Circle drive ends up less scenic than what we were hoping for. We did enjoy lunch amidst some beautiful fall color.
Back in Taos, we pull in to La Luna Mystica, a hotel consisting of renovated RVs scattered outside of town. We have never stayed in an RV before, so this is to be our RV experience. We love our Airstream and its porch with a firepit. The kids enjoy jumping around the dining area. It’s windy tonight. We light a fire for ambience but quickly head inside before being blown away.
We wake up to a calm morning. Leaving town, we visit the bridge over the Rio Grande. Then, we stop by the closed San Francisco of Asis Church and travel the high road to Chimayo. In the church, the side chapel with all the crutches inspires faith, but the Atocha child off to the side seems creepy. I wonder if the dirt is refilled each day by a caretaker, or if it self-replenishes.
Soon, we’ll be leaving this land of “bright yellow waves of high sand dunes,” where the landscape is punctuated by “a few lines of dark juniper that crew out of weather cracks,” where wild pumpkins look “less like a plant than like a great colony of gray-green lizards, moving and suddenly arrested by fear.” Soon, we’ll be back in Colorado.
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Aspen, Crested Butte, and Durango
Leadville to Aspen
Riding a train through the Rockies has been a much talked about highlight for this trip. Earlier in the summer, Vacation Bible School’s Rocky Railway theme song “Your Power Will Pull Us Through” echoed in our household. The opportunity was perfect to end our summer with a trip through these mountains.
Leaving Avon, we snake through Leadville and check out the old train station. We then cross over the Continental Divide at Independence Pass to arrive at the St. Regis Aspen. Ironically, the most luxurious hotel on this trip is named after the saint and father of the poor. We are upgraded to a suite, which makes this stay even more lavish.
The aspen groves at Maroon Lake are striking. While Rocky Mountain National Park had some hints of fall color, here, we are engulfed in golden quaking aspens. We stroll along the lake until sunset and meet a Chinese family planning to take Milky Way pictures. I consider coming back as well, but after consulting my app, I realize that the galaxy center will not be in the ideal position, and the moon will likely wash out most of the stars. Instead, I head back for an early morning shot while the lake is still a mirror. Soon, a mean ranger arrives and chases everyone off the lakeshore; luckily, I’m on the main trail.
Since we’re on a luxury stay at the St. Regis, I splurge and order room service brunch. Then, we lounge by the pool before heading off to Crested Butte.
Crested Butte
We decide to approach Crested Butte via the scenic route. Along the way, we scout for lunch spots, and finally, I see a turnout to the left. It turns out to be a picturesque spot along Anthracite Creek. We enjoy our picnic lunch on one of the tables. Further along, around a hairpin bend, there’s a moose with her calf wading out of the small pond that sits on the inner curve of the road. I shoot pictures from a safe distance.
Before checking in at Elevation Spa, I ask the bellman about the best fall color around down. He directs me to Washington Gulch, which is only a few blocks away. There, swathes of golden aspens appear, like brushstrokes painted on a green canvas. We take some of my favorite fall color pictures here.
Leaving the aspen groves the next day, we make quick stops at several overlooks at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. We traverse the town of Ouray and meander along the Million Dollar Highway, stopping at scenic overlooks.
Durango
With so much to do in Aspen, we plan two nights here. The first scenic stop is to the Durango Fish Hatchery and Wildlife Museum. Because of COVID-19, the museum is closed, but the kids really enjoy the hatchery portion. For lunch, we join Mark and Sarah at the Vallecito Reservoir. The kids’ favorite part is climbing the large boulders.
We leave the lake and make it to Rockwood Depot with time to spare. Daphney and Jayden didn’t get much sleep after lunch, because they are too excited for the train. This is the part that they have been talking about the most, especially since Vacation Bible School’s theme was called Rocky Railway.
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Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Avon
Traveling during the pandemic
Plans might have to be cancelled, and with the pandemic surge over the summer, I started a list of each hotel’s latest date to cancel without paying for the first night. We stood ready to cancel this trip. Then five days before our departure, we decided to just stick with it. After all, Colorado’s and New Mexico’s coronavirus response have proven to be better than California’s. To prepare, we packed germicidal wipes and a spray bottle.
Denver
We have the routine down. After boarding our direct flight on Southwest, we glove up and wipe down all the surfaces in our area: seats, seatbelts, tray tables, arm rests, windows. Daphney loves doing this. The routine is the same at each hotel, with the addition of hydrogen peroxide spray on porous surfaces. Daphney takes charge of this after we check in to our stay in Denver. On this first day, we get supplies from REI and visit the aquarium.
Rocky Mountain National Park
After stopping for Chinese take-out lunch in Estes Park, we arrive at Rocky Mountain National Park. The park has a timed entry reservation system; for us, because we’re camping, we can go in at any time. Moraine Park Campground is beautiful. Across from our campsite is a ledge overlooking the meadow. Around a meandering stream, elk graze and bugle. We set up lawn chairs and cook dinner: tomato bisque and cheese tortellini. As the sun goes down, everyone leaves. We’re left alone with a front row view of a bull elk trying to get his harem’s attention.
In the morning, we have hot oatmeal on the shores of Bear Lake. A patchwork of fall colors light up the opposite slope. We walk the loop. Back at camp, we move campsites since we could only get two different sites for the two nights. With no one nearby, we all shower. Yan throws naked Jayden into the tent. Unfortunately, he thinks my blue stuff sack is a nice place to poop on.
In the afternoon, we drive Trail Ridge Road to the Alpine Visitor Center. Keeping with our tradition, we buy a picture frame, and I also get the kids stainless steel mugs depicting animals and points of interest. These mugs will become their favorite ones.
After dinner at Bird & Jim, the Milky Way glows bright over the ridge. We fall asleep to the sound of elk calls. The next morning, we wake up to the same hauntingly beautiful sounds. We spend more time along Trail Ridge Road. After camping for two days, we look forward to a hotel stay.
Avon
Avon is a beautiful town, and its lakeshore has the beginnings of fall color. We find a fully stocked kitchen and washer and dryer in our villa at the Sheraton. It’s so nice to do laundry and have comfort for dinner and breakfast.
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Santa Monica
We had been locked down for too long. Going stir-crazy, we book a hotel in Santa Monica and head there to spend time at the beach. This is sort of a test trip for our upcoming vacation in Colorado and New Mexico. The wagon proved to be handy, since it was a walk down the California Incline, across the bridge, and across the parking lot to get to the sandy stretch of beach.
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Camping by Big Bear Lake
After baking a sourdough boule for our lunch picnic, we drive up to Big Bear Lake’s Serrano Campground. We have several goals in mind: get the kids outdoors, escape the valley heat, and see Jupiter and Saturn while they are near opposition.
The 130 mm reflector telescope had just arrived, and this makes it a perfect first opportunity.
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Comet NEOWISE
Here’s the comet taken from our rooftop, overlooking Loma Linda University Medical Center’s new towers.
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Spring and Summer Garden
It’s a sunny February. We’ve been talking about a vegetable and cut flower garden. Starting with seeds and peat starter trays, Daphney and I plant for our spring and vegetable garden. Soon, we watch our work pay off: Asian greens, cilantro, chives, basil, beets, dill, sage, poppies, nasturtiums, marigolds, and much more. Yan’s favorites are the Bells of Ireland.
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Visiting Sequoia National Park
Last time we were up this way, an early winter storm thwarted our visit to the giant sequoia trees. The road was open up just beyond Sequoia National Park’s Foothill Visitor Center. This time, it’s the novel coronavirus that nearly caused this trip to be cancelled. We had originally scheduled it for earlier in the month, but thankfully, we had moved it to this weekend. The opening of the Wuksachi Lodge and other areas would coincide with our arrival.
The first night, we spend a lazy hot afternoon by the banks of the Kaweah River at the private Sequoia Campground. Other guests float down the river, and Jayden points to them: “鸭子鸭子!” He thinks they are ducks.
With coronavirus changing the way we do things, instead of traveling to Philadelphia for a meeting, I am able to this from our campsite at Three Rivers. I get up early to join an editorial board Zoom meeting while the family wakes up on a lazy weekend.
Visiting General Sherman Tree turns out to be more challenging that I had expected. Yan had wanted to bring the stroller, but I insisted that the kids get some exercise by walking. Now, it is us parents that are getting the bulk of the exercise, carrying them most of the way, down and back up the trail.
After spending the middle night at Wuksachi Lodge, we drive into Kings Canyon and hang out by the South Fork of the Kings River. Here, I catch nothing with my fly rod setup; the fish are too smart.
Camping at beautiful Princess Campground is a real treat. Daphney loves having a roaring campfire. As the sky darkens, the Milky Way emerges above the low ridge on the other side of the meadow. We finish our trip with oatmeal and strawberries.
On the way back, Daphney craves for more. “When are we going to Joshua Tree again?”
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Building a Playhouse
Two days after California’s statewide shelter-in-place order, I embark on a coronavirus home project. Little did I know that Lowe’s and Home Depot would see surges in their sales; everyone is doing the same thing. Earlier, Yan and I had perused many designs and plans. We settled on a design by Rogue Engineer, with modifications.
Yan asks, “How long will this take?”
“Oh, maybe a week or two.”
Well, that turns into three months. Except for dangerous parts like roofing, each step of the project is daddy-daughter bonding time. After completion, we celebrate by having a slumber party.
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Cottonwood Campground in Joshua Tree National Park
Our original plan was to leave early Saturday morning, early enough to secure a campsite at one of the first-come-first-served campgrounds in Joshua Tree. Because of coronavirus, the park had decided to remove reservations for all campgrounds.
Having debated about camping at Black Rock, we decided to go deeper into the park. By this time, about a mile before the West Entrance, we long line greets us. It would be another hour until we make it through the toll kiosk.
One by one, we enter and exit campgrounds: Hidden Valley, Ryan, Jumbo Rocks, Bell, White Tank. Our last hope is Cottonwood. Skipping lunch, we head there straightaway. Only two sites remain, and we grab one of them. A few minutes later, an RV pulls in at the last site. Finally able to relax, we see many more cars come in, circling to find a spot. We are so lucky.
After having a late lunch of inari sushi and seaweed, we backtrack to Split Rock. There is a nice large patch of shade underneath, and Daphney and Jayden enjoy climbing all over the boulders.
For dinner, we have homegrown greens, beets, and sourdough grilled cheese. Afterwards, we walk to the nearby amphitheater, where the kids are able to be their silly selves. After dark, we explore the surface of the moon with binoculars and talk about it looking like cheese. With her lantern in hand, Daphney insists on reading National Geographic Backyard Guide to the Night to her stuffed fox. Then, she teaches Jayden some of the constellations.
This rounds out Jayden’s first ten nights camping and makes Daphney’s 33rd night.
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Daphney’s Fourth Birthday
Daphney gets an extended celebration of her fourth birthday, with events spanning the entire week and both weekends. The coronavirus shelter-at-home order gives us plenty of excuses to make this birthday extra memorable.
We surprise her with the special gift book, Fables of Ancient China, compiled just for her. And Auntie Alice surprises her with a garden cake, perfectly themed to match her own venture into vegetable and flower gardening.
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Fables of Ancient China
Another project during the coronavirus shelter-in-place order is creating a storybook as a gift to Daphney on her fourth birthday. Years ago, I bought a book of 100 Chinese Fables from a bookstore in Hong Kong. After picking out some of the stories that are fitting for a four-year-old, I illustrated to the text.
The book features original text in Classical Chinese with pinyin pronunciation guide. Also, each spread displays the modern Chinese equivalent and English translation. To bring the stories to life, Yan and I also recorded read-along audio. Guqin music accompanies two of the stories. First, the guqin melody 鷗鷺忘機 speaks directly about the story The One Who Likes Seagulls. Then, in The Frog of the Shallow Well, the turtle exclaims, “The greatest happiness is to live in the East Sea;” 極樂吟 describes the utmost joy.
Book available on Blurb and Amazon.
Download: Fables of Ancient China (PDF page spreads, 10 MB)
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Jayden’s Dedication Weekend
We are so blessed to have Jayden dedicated by Pastor Shawna Campbell at the University Church this weekend.
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Family Portrait in Hanfu
Yan ordered hanfu from China, but we couldn’t find one that fits Jayden. I used a pattern I found online to make one that fits him.
