Update on Southwest Summer 2021 Ultimate Road Trip

I already shared our plans to take about a two week long road trip in the southwest U.S. Well, we did that road trip and are back and I am ready to share the updated itinerary that we followed! We left the evening of Mon June 21st and got back the evening of July 4th. We stuck to our original plans for the most part, but there were times when we were spontaneous and changed up our plans completely! For example, we originally planned to go to Pike's Peak but ended up going to Great Sand Dunes National Park instead. We loved every bit of our road trip and I would definitely recommend it (or even just part of it) to others, so I am excited to share what we did and include our own pictures below! 

• Day 1 (Mon June 21st)

• At 5pm CO time, get timed entry permit for the next day at Rocky Mountain National Park

• Leave in the evening around 6; drive 13.5 hrs to Estes Park, CO

• Time Zone Note: CO is 1 hr behind AR (lose an hour)

• Day 2

• Arrive at Estes Park near Rocky Mountain National Park before noon 

• Explore city of Estes Park

• Go to Rocky Mountain National Park and hike Emerald Lake Trail (3.2 miles)

• Spend the night in Estes Park (Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake)

• Day 3

• Go through entrance stations around 4:30am and park on Bear Lake Rd at Rocky Mountain National Park

• Hike to the Loch via Glacier Gorge Trail (5.4 miles), hike to Andrew’s Glacier (2 miles further in; an alternative is hiking to Sky Pond)

• Drive Trail Ridge Road and stop at the Alpine Visitor Center

• Spend the night in Estes Park

• Day 4

• 8am horseback ride in Rocky Mountain National Park

• Ride the tram in Estes Park

• Leave by 1:00 and drive 2.5 hrs to Garden of the Gods

• Ride Garden of the Gods trolley

• Spend night in Colorado Springs area (Lone Duck Campground)

• Day 5

• Drive to Royal Gorge in Canon City

• Ride the zipline and skycoaster

• Drive to Great Sand Dunes National Park

• Cross the Medano River and walk to a sand dune

• Spend night in Monte Vista area

• Day 6

• Drive about 4 hrs to Black Canyon of the Gunnison

• Get first come first serve campsite at Black Canyon of the Gunnison 

• Drive South Rim Rd/Black Canyon Scenic Drive and stop at overlooks

• Hike Warner Point Nature Trail (1.5 - 2 miles) at the back of South Rim Rd 

• Spend night at Black Canyon of the Gunnison

• Day 7

• See the sunrise at Black Canyon of the Gunnison

• Drive 3.5 hours to Mesa Verde National Park

• Do the loop drive with stops at the pithouses and overlooks of the cliff houses

• Hike the Petroglyph Point Trail (2.4 miles, has views of canyons and petroglyphs)

• Drive 40 minutes to Durango and stay the night

• Day 8

• Float the Animas River at Durango (Mild to Wild Half Day Kayaking Trip)

• Explore and eat in downtown Durango

• Stay the night in Durango

• Day 9

• Start driving west (6-7 hrs) to Bryce Canyon

• Stop at Horseshoe Bend near Page, AZ and walk to the overlook

• At Bryce Canyon, visit the different overlooks and then hike the Navajo Loop Trail (takes 1-2 hrs) 

• Spend the night near Zion in Springdale, UT

• Day 10

• Drive into Zion National Park around 6am to get parking inside the park near the visitor center

• Hike Angel’s Landing (5 miles) at Zion 

• Spend night near Zion

• Day 11

• Drive into Zion National Park early and get parking inside the park near the visitor center

• Hike the Riverside Walk (2 mi roundtrip) and some of the Narrows. Check the weather, flash flooding potential! (2-2.5 hrs) 

• Do some of the scenic drive at Zion

• Drive to Kanab, UT - get lunch and then head to the Grand Canyon North Rim

• Time Zone Note: AZ is 1 hr behind UT (lose an hour)

• Visit overlooks and do the Cape Royal Drive at the Grand Canyon North Rim

• Spend night in Kanab, UT

• Day 12

• Drive from Kanab to Grand Canyon South Rim

• Visit Desert View Watchtower and overlooks

• Check out the Grand Canyon Village and walk some of the Rim Trail

• Ride the Hermit Road Shuttle Bus (red) - See Hopi Point, Powell Point, Mohave Point, and others. See sunset at Hopi Point.

• Spend the night in or near Grand Canyon (Mather Campground)

• Day 13

• Ride the Kaibab Rim Route (orange) shuttle. Hike the South Kaibab Trail - hike 0.8 miles to Ooh Aah Point and then come back (1.5-2 hrs round trip)

• Drive 6-7 hrs to Albuquerque, NM and spend the night there

• Day 14 (Sun July 4th)

• Drive from Albuquerque to home

Southwest Summer 2021 Ultimate Road Trip

We are very excited about getting to go on an adventure of a lifetime in less than 2 months!  We are going to be road tripping across the southwest from June 22nd through July 4th. We rarely treat ourselves like this, but it is definitely time with me graduating from graduate school and our four year anniversary falling within the trip. I am sharing what we have planned in our itinerary below! (We are not planning some things, such as where to eat and sometimes where to stay.)

Day 1

• Leave home and head to Estes Park near Rocky Mountain National Park
• Spend the night at Estes Park Campground at Mary’s Lake 

Day 2

• Hike the Loch via Glacier Gorge Trail (5.4 miles) at Rocky Mountain National Park
• Drive Trail Ridge Road at Rocky Mountain National Park
• Spend the night at Estes Park Campground at Mary’s Lake 

Day 3

• Hike Emerald Lake Trail (3.2 miles) at Rocky Mountain National Park
• See the sunrise at Dream Lake on the Emerald Lake Trail
• Leave by noon and drive 2.5 hrs to Garden of the Gods
• Spend a couple hours until they close at 5
• Spend night at Lone Duck Campground 

Dream Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park

Day 4

• Pike’s Peak (3 hr long cog train)
• Drive 1 hr 20 min to Royal Gorge in Canon City
• Zipline and/or skycoaster
• Stay the night near Royal Gorge

Day 5

• Drive 3 hr 40 min to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
• Drive South Rim Rd/Black Canyon Scenic Drive and stop at overlooks
• Hike Warner Point Nature Trail (1.5 - 2 miles) at the back of South Rim Rd if time
• See the sunset at Sunset View Overlook from Sunset View Trail at Black Canyon of the Gunnison
• Spend the night near Black Canyon of the Gunnison 

The Painted Wall at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Day 6

• See the sunrise at Cedar Point (⅔ mile trip) with the Painted Wall at Black Canyon of the Gunnison if possible
• Drive 1.5 hours to Telluride 
• Ride the Telluride Gondola
• Drive two hours to Mesa Verde
• At Mesa Verde National Park: 
• Spruce Tree House Overlook
• Hike the Soda Canyon Overlook Trail (1.2 miles, has views of Balcony House) or Petroglyph Point Trail (2.4 miles, has views of canyons and petroglyphs)
• Drive the Cliff Palace/Balcony House Loop Drive (if road work is finished and it is open again)
• Drive 40 minutes to Durango and stay the night

Day 7

• Float the Animas River at Durango 
• Maybe: Horseback ride
• Stay the night in Durango

Day 8

• Start driving west (7 hrs) to Bryce Canyon
• Stop at Four Corners Monument between CO, UT, AZ, and NM
• Have breakfast/lunch at The View Restaurant of Monument Valley
• Try to get 2 shuttle tickets to go into Zion National Park the next day
• Hike at Bryce Canyon - Hike the Navajo Loop Trail that starts at Inspiration Point (takes 1-2 hrs) 
• If time, can connect that trail to the Navajo Loop Trail and Queens Garden Trail for a longer trip (2.9 mi roundtrip)
• See sunset at Inspiration Point or Sunset Point at Bryce Canyon
• Spend the night near Zion or Bryce

Inspiration Point at Bryce Canyon National Park

Day 9

• Spend the day at Bryce Canyon and/or Zion 
• If we were able to get shuttle tickets, do Angel’s Landing at Zion 
• If we were not able to get shuttle tickets, hike at Bryce Canyon and/or head to Zion to explore and hike
• Hike Canyon Overlook Trail at Zion – 1 mile roundtrip; need to drive there on Hwy 9 
• Try to get 2 shuttle tickets to go into Zion National Park the next day
• Spend night at Zion Canyon Campground

Canyon Overlook Trail at Zion National Park

Day 10

• If we do get shuttle tickets and have not done it already, do Angel’s Landing at Zion
• Other hiking options if we get shuttle tickets:
• Riverside Walk (2 mi roundtrip) & the Narrows - Start from the Temple of Sinawava via the Riverside Walk, walk upstream, turn around and hike back to the Temple of Sinawava (2-2.5 hrs) 
• Emerald Pools Trail - round trip distances are 1.2 miles to lower, 2 miles to middle and 3 miles to upper
• Hidden Canyon trail - likely to be closed due to rockfall; 2.2 miles roundtrip but steep and strenuous (requires chains in places) 
• If we don’t get shuttle tickets, hike West Rim trail to Scout lookout and beyond at Zion or do Canyon Overlook Trail if not done previously
• Spend night at Zion Canyon Campground

Angel's Landing at Zion National Park

Day 11

• Drive from Zion to Grand Canyon National Park (about 5 hrs)
• Ride the Kaibab Rim Route shuttle (orange) - See Mather Point, Yavapai Point, Yaki Point, and Ooh Ahh Point
• Ride the Hermit Road shuttle (red) - See Hopi Point, Powell Point, Mohave Point, and Pima Point
• Stop to walk the Trail of Time (1.7 flat miles, takes about an hr)
• See sunset at Grand Canyon at Hopi Point (or Yaki, Pima, or Yavapai Pts) 
• Maybe: Go to the Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center to see the 34 minute IMAX Grand Canyon film around 9pm
• Spend the night at Mather Campground

Day 12

• See the sunrise at Mather Point at the Grand Canyon 
• Hike
• Bright Angel Trail - goes into the canyon, hike just part of it OR
• South Kaibab Trail - is farther back and goes into the canyon; hike 0.8 miles to Ooh Aah Point (1.5-2 hrs round trip) or walk farther: 1.5 miles to Cedar Ridge (takes 2.5+ hrs round trip)
• If wanting souvenirs: visit the Hopi House near the Verkamps Visitor Center
• Drive Desert View Road and see Shoshone Point (short hike), Grand View Point, Moran Point, and watchtower at Desert View Point
• Drive through the night to Albuquerque or Santa Fe, stop to rest

Desert View Watchtower at the Grand Canyon

Day 13

• After resting at Albuquerque or Santa Fe, continue the drive home
• Optional: Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in Jemez Springs, NM or Bandelier National Monument in Los Alamos, NM

And that completes our adventure plan! Stay tuned to see how our road trip goes in a couple months!

Tips to Help you Hack Your Finances

It can be super hard starting out in this world as a young adult, or having to start over later in life. I want to share a couple tips with you that have helped me, though. 

Credit Cards

First of all: credit cards. They can be great for you or terrible depending on how you use them. What you shouldn't do is treat credit cards like you have extra cash to spend on things you don't truly need. What is good is to get a credit card and use it to get only the things you normally would anyway, like gas and groceries. If you know how to live below your means, you can get a lot of benefit out of having a credit card. 

The first step of using a credit card to help you get ahead is to pay what's on the credit card off each month. If you do that, you will never pay interest. I recommend setting it up on autopay for the full amount so you don't accidentally forget and have to pay interest. (Extra tip: make sure when you apply for a credit card that you get one with no annual fee so that having a credit card truly doesn't cost you anything extra). Having a credit card will allow you to build your credit score, allowing you to have lower interest rates when you take out loans for things like cars or a house in the future. 

In addition to this, you can get credit cards that give you cash back or other kinds of rewards. So, not only do you never pay interest and build your credit score, you are also being paid to purchase what you would have to anyway. I started out with a Discover It credit card. It gave me a couple percent cash back on purchases. Over time I've been able to get cards that give higher percents cash back. 

Stocks

Next: the stock market. This one can seem really hard to get into, but it is more accessible and easier to get started than you might think. Before you invest in the stock market, you should set aside some savings. Also keep in mind that stocks are a long term investment, so whatever you put in needs to stay there at least a few years. 

After you have some savings set aside and some more that you want to invest, now it's time to talk about how to start investing. My first advice is to go with something like a mutual fund where each stock buys you into multiple different companies. It's safer to invest in multiple different companies than to put all your eggs in one basket. I have mutual fund stocks that are for places like Amazon and Apple. I also have exchanged traded fund stocks, although I don't like them as much since their rate of return has not been as high. Since 2016, these stocks together have almost tripled in value, so I know they can give a good rate of return while being fairly low risk. 

My next advice about stocks is to wait until the market is down to buy. You don't want to buy stocks when the market is up, or you will get less bang for your buck. For example, I bought my stocks in January of 2016 when the market was down, which is one thing that has allowed me to have a very good rate of return. December of 2018 and March of 2020 are other times that the market has been down and it was a great time to buy. If you are going to use an investing company like Edward Jones, you can let them know that you want to invest but prefer to wait to buy until the market is down. Your financial advisor can help you determine when it is a good time to buy. 

Speaking of investing companies and financial advisors... When you have an account with a place like Edward Jones, you get a financial advisor to handle your money and give you advice for no extra cost. The only cost involved is that they get a small fee from your earnings. I think that's worth being able to have someone do the work for you and give you invaluable advice. 

Life Hack to Help You Feel Better on Less Sleep

 This school year is going to be one for the books. I'm going to be teaching full time and attending my last year of grad school. While in college, I've grown accustomed to being too busy and getting too little sleep, but this year will be a challenge even for me. I need to be strategic and pull out a life hack that has helped me before. 

Has your alarm ever gone off when you were in the middle of deep sleep? Mine has. It leaves me with brain fog and can affect my whole day. There is a way to make sure that never happens! You can get a free app for your phone called Sleep Cycle. Sleep Cycle is a smart alarm. You set a time frame in which you want to wake up (mine was set for 6:10-6:40 this morning). Sleep Cycle monitors frequencies you emit to be able to tell when you are in deep sleep and light sleep. When you are in light sleep during that alarm time frame, the alarm wakes you up. 

I found Sleep Cycle years ago and have never ceased to be impressed with it. It gives me a better start to my day. I have less brain fog and am less grumpy when I use Sleep Cycle as my alarm. 

Anyways, I have no affiliation with Sleep Cycle and just wanted to share this life hack with you. I encourage you to try it if you have difficulties waking up in the mornings. 

It's pretty interesting to see your sleep data that Sleep Cycle tracks for you! Here is my data from last night's sleep. 

Quick & Easy Avocado Quinoa for One

I have wanted to like quinoa, but never found it very tasty... until now! This meal for one is quick, tasty, and healthy! 

Servings: 1
Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients: 
1/4 cup quinoa
1/2 cup vegetable broth
Pepper to taste
1 clove of garlic or 1/2 tsp. minced garlic 
1/2 an avocado
Lime juice, enough to drizzle over avocado

Instructions: 

1. Rinse quinoa with water until water runs clear. Drain well.
2. Heat quinoa, broth, and pepper to taste in a small sauce pan to boiling. Reduce to simmer and allow to cook until liquid has evaporated (about 10 minutes). 
3.  Stir in garlic, then remove quinoa from heat and leave covered a few minutes while preparing avocado. 
4. Cut avocado in half lengthwise (if not done previously) to get 1/2 an avocado. (Tip: leave the pit in the half being saved for later to prevent it from browning.) Remove peel and cut avocado into pieces. Drizzle lightly with lime juice. 
5. Plate the quinoa and add the avocado to it. Mix as desired. Enjoy!  

Note: If you want a different amount of quinoa, this recipe can be easily adjusted. Just use one part quinoa and two parts broth. 

Guide to a Eureka Springs Vacation with a Dog

We just got back from vacationing in Eureka Springs, AR. We spent three days and two nights there with our dog. Although you can’t do everything with a dog, there’s still plenty to do! I am making this to help anyone who might want to visit Eureka Springs with a dog. This is also a good resource for anyone who likes to enjoy the outdoors! 

Where to Stay
There are dog-friendly hotels, but we opted to camp since it is cheaper and offers outdoor activities. The place I recommend for this is the Dam Site Lake Campground along the Beaver Lake. Dogs are allowed everywhere except the designated swimming area and the shower houses, and there is no pet fee. Our campsite was right on the water, so we could just walk down from our site to swim with our dog. There are also hiking trails along Beaver Lake. 

What to Do: Seeing the City
When we got there on the first day, we wanted to see the city. Be aware that if you want to explore downtown, you will need to pay $5 to park. It is handy to keep $5 bills on you for that purpose. There is one free parking area but you will have to walk pretty far if you want to visit the downtown stores from there. 

Quite a few of the stores in downtown Eureka Springs allow dogs. Natural Treasures and Packrats Paradise are a couple I remember that allow dogs. We wanted to check out Blackie's Backyard, but it was not open when we were there. Do not be afraid to peek in and ask the store managers if dogs are allowed or not! Some store managers also leave out water bowls for them. 

Besides stores, Basin Spring Park is nearby and allows dogs.

Besides downtown, there is the Bark Park. We went there twice and did not see other dogs there, so that was kind of a bummer. It is a good place to let your dog get some energy out after being in the vehicle a while, though. 

Christ of the Ozarks also allows dogs. Don’t miss seeing the piece of the Berlin Wall if you go!

What to Do: Outdoor Adventures 
The second day we were there, we went floating. If you have a smaller dog, you can probably get away with kayaking. With a German Shepherd, we always opt for renting a canoe. We did a float trip on the King’s River, but there are lots of places nearby to float and swim. I want to look into floating on Beaver Lake next time. 

The third day we were there, we went to War Eagle Cavern. As far as I know, War Eagle Cavern is the only cavern that allows dogs. They are allowed everywhere except the gift shop. There is a doggie hitching post outside the gift shop if your dog doesn’t mind being left for a few minutes. The cove of Beaver Lake and the cavern are pretty cool! The gift shop was also one of my favorite shops we visited! (One of us watches the dog while the other goes inside when there is a place we want to go into that does not allow dogs.)

Lake Leatherwood offers outdoor activities and is dog friendly. I was not impressed with it, though. There was a lot of trash around the lake. I preferred Beaver Lake where we were camped. 

There are lots of hiking options in and near Eureka Springs. We did not end up hiking because it was hot and had not rained recently when we were there. We may have visited Tea Pot Falls or Eagles Nest Falls if it had rained. 

See at least one sunrise or sunset! This is a picture of a Beaver Lake sunrise:

If you like fishing, there are lots of great fishing spots in or near Eureka Springs! Options include Beaver Lake, the White River, and the Kings River, among others. 

Where to Eat
I saved the best for last! Eureka Springs is unique in that you can experience fine dining with your dog! Several restaurants have outdoor seating areas where dogs are allowed and you can be served. The food was one of my favorite parts of the trip! The four restaurants below are ones that had outdoor seating where dogs are allowed that we ate at. 

Amigos
Amigos is in downtown Eureka Springs, so you will need to park nearby for $5 if you want to eat there. Everything from the food to the service was fantastic! They have delicious carne asada, margaritas, and flan, among other things. Amigos is a do not miss! 

Horseshoe Grill
Horseshoe Grill is not downtown and has its own parking area, so not having to pay for parking is a plus! The food and service were good! They have some great side options, like Mac n cheese and baby bakers. 

Sparky’s 
Sparky’s is also not downtown and has its own parking area, so you don’t have to pay for parking. We got burgers and they were some of the best burgers we’ve ever had! Sparky’s menu is huge! The outdoor seating is a little ratchet, but it was obvious that the employees are very cleanly and have great practices.

New Delhi Cafe
New Delhi Cafe is downtown, so you will need to pay $5 for parking if you go. This was my least favorite, mostly because of the server we had. It’s worth a trip if you are curious about what Indian food is like, otherwise I wouldn’t recommend it. 

Other Restaurants 
Rowdy Beaver does not allow dogs; we asked.

There were some other places that we did not have time to check out: Bad to the Bone BBQ Pit, La Familia Tex Mex, Eureka Grill, and Anglers Restaurant. They had outdoor seating, but I don’t know for sure if they allow dogs since we did not go. There are also food trucks and other places you could get to-go at if you don’t mind not dining in. 

Final Thoughts 
Eureka Springs is worth a trip! We hope to go again, perhaps without our dog so that we have some different options. I hope this is helpful for you if you decide to go with your dog! 

Our Chicken System

Counting Losses
It has been a sad week for us in our chicken adventure. We lost two of our eight chickens to predators. They were taken in the same day, and all that was left was two piles of feathers. I am almost certain that coyotes did this. One reason I suspect this is that I saw a young coyote in the middle of the day in a nearby field the day before it happened.

The chickens taken were the two that often strayed from the flock to adventure on their own. I know this is natural selection at play, but it is sad to lose any livestock. We have cared for them every day for 6 months now.  

The farm must go on! Coyotes are extremely difficult to get rid of. Trapping is the best way to get rid of them, and I am not prepared to do that. We will therefore no longer free range the chickens for the foreseeable future. 

Adding a Dust Bath House
It is very important this time of year that the chickens be able to dust. Dusting (flapping in loose dirt) is how chickens bathe. I decided that if they can no longer free-range, we needed to provide them with a dust bathing area in their pen. I have seen people do this by putting dirt in tires. We happen to have an old dog house that I thought might be even better. It is enclosed all around except for the entrance, which is perfect for keeping the dirt concentrated.

I burnt a brush pile the other day, so I was able to add some ash to the dirt mix inside the chicken dust bath house. The chickens were cautious around it at first, but some grass clippings inside helped convince them that the chicken dust bath house is a safe place. 

Other Features of Our Chicken System
Our chicken pen is a stall in our barn. I do not remember exactly, but I estimate that it is about 10ft x 12ft. Obviously more space would be better, but the hens are content with this much space.

The picture below shows the set-up we have for the waterer, feeder, and roost. I really like the roost that my husband Luis made. I can pick it up and move it, making it very easy to clean out the area underneath. The waterer is on landscaping blocks to help keep the water clean.

The feeder is a store bought feeder with a PVC pipe extension. We have it suspended between the walls with rope so that the chickens cannot knock it over. Unlike feeders I have tried in the past, this one has very little waste. We use kitty litter boxes for the nesting boxes, and we have hay in them for the nests. We tried pine shavings, but the chickens would just scratch the shavings out.

I have been around chickens my whole life and had my own since I was about 12. Although we do not have a perfect chicken system now, what we have is pretty good! Let me know if you have any questions about keeping chickens!