Monday, September 3, 2012

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Lighthouse Trail

Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Texas

April 2008

Our goal: The Lighthouse, is barely visible (upper center) from a roadside overlook:


Trailhead:


Views along the trail:












On Kellisa's Spring Break, we visited Palo Duro Canyon with our Primo Matt, the day after visiting Black Mesa in Oklahoma. 

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Four Corners

Four Corners
Arizona-Utah-Colorado-New Mexico

June 2007

4 wheels - 4 states

The only place in the United States where four states border each other. Besides standing in four states, you are also standing in the Navajo Nation.



Wednesday, May 9, 2012

White Sands National Monument

White Sands National Monument
New Mexico

March 2012

The Organ Mountains rise between Las Cruces and White Sands National Monument:







Our last training hike (7 miles) before the 2012 Bataan Memorial Death March:




Sierra Blanca rises to 11,981ft. above the sand dunes. After talking to a family from Albuquerque, we learned that Ski Apache on the slopes of Sierra Blanca Peak offers skiing for the disabled. Look for pictures of Kellisa snow skiing next year... 


Kellisa is all smiles after our hike as we drive back to the hotel:


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Franklin Mountains State Park

Franklin Mountains State Park
Texas

March 2012



We spent a day pushiking in the Franklin Mountains. The sandy, desert terrain was a perfect location to train for our Bataan Memorial Death March attempt 5 days later. We also used the time to be interviewed, photographed and videoed by the El Paso Times. The article and pictures were a front page feature on Friday, March  23, 2012.

Kellisa didn't mind that the nature trail was too narrow because it meant for a bumpier ride over the large rocks lining the edge of the trail:


The view into New Mexico beyond the Franklin Mountains:


Aztec Caves (in the shadows, center-left):


Hiking to Sneed's Cory:



Looking over the desert into New Mexico:


While scouting the trails, we made a new friend- Had Robinson of El Paso Paragliding. With his vast knowledge of the area, he was able to recommend some trails for us to try. According to Had, the Franklin Mountains are a  premiere location for paragliding. I couldn't help but to inquire about the possibility of Kellisa paragliding. Since Kellisa has a passion for wild adventures and thrill rides, I know she would absolutely love paragliding. The sport is almost ready for a disabled child to ride tandem up to 10,000ft. above the desert and mountains. This gives me some time to figure out how to ask Lisa if I can take Kellisa paragliding.