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Staci Adman
Staci Adman

Staci Adman

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  • Utah WA/OR SUWA TRIP 2023

    Home!

    30. september 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 50 °F

    We really, REALLY love exploring all over southern Utah (obviously, if you know how many times we’ve gone down there 🤣), but it’s the best feeling crossing back over the Cascades and into lovely Western Washington!Les mer

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  • Utah WA/OR SUWA TRIP 2023

    Freak Alley in Boise, ID

    29. september 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    My favorite place to visit whenever we stop in Boise (besides my grandma’s house when she was alive) is Freak Alley. This amazing alley located in the middle of downtown is full of murals painted by many artists. It has been amazing to watch over the past several years how the alley has obviously been embraced by the powers-that-be in the city. It is now well lit by street lights, it has been repaved, and it’s very clean. When we first visited it in 2016, the man who led the project was out there at night sweeping the alley, and nothing was really happening in the neighborhood at night. Tonight the area was HOPPING, with street musicians and several restaurants with outdoor seating up and down a block at one end of the alley. And that block was closed off to vehicles. How cool to see how that art-filled alley has energized this neighborhood!Les mer

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  • Utah WA/OR SUWA TRIP 2023
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    Burr Trail twisty section

    28. september 2023, Forente stater ⋅ 🌬 79 °F

    We have been camping and exploring the area off of the Burr Trail in Grand Staircase. That road itself is paved up until it crosses into Capitol Reef. The paving of the Burr Trail (in the late 80’s I believe) was very controversial, and we learned that the fight against it marked the birth of SUWA. We traveled into the beginning of the unpaved section today, which includes a very fun windy section that drops ~750’ off of the Waterpocket Fold and into the valley. I’m including photos here. If I’m lucky I can add a video later.Les mer

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  • Utah WA/OR SUWA TRIP 2023
    This was a road once upon a time. We parked and walked to the "trail".
    A pool in the little stream we followed up the wash.This seemed too huge to be a juniper. A relative/cedar?Its bark was amazing.I was a little nervous about who we might see around the next bend...Note the large pine trees up in the cliff walls!Sweet little barrel cactus in the top of the ridge.From the high point of our hike we saw a wildfire over the next ridge. 😬It's amazing to see trees this huge in this area.

    Indian Gulch/Stair Canyon to ridgetop

    27. september 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    On Wednesday we took a road out of the monument and into national forest land up Indian Gulch, with the goal of hiking a trail that eventually makes its way up onto a ridge. The road itself becomes impassable at a washout, so we parked there and continued on foot. The hike ended up being about 3.5 miles in with 1000+ elevation gain, a lot of which was at the end.

    At one point the road faded out at a steep washout so we started hiking in the wash, which actually contained a small stream. The bushwhacking became nearly impossible, but luckily we found the old road again running above us, which soon ended at a spring that someone had tried to contain to transport in a pipe (bits of that pipe are visible for miles in the roadbed) and the official trail continues from there. The trail heads up Stair Canyon, and as we gained altitude we started to see large pine trees, oak trees and eventually even Douglas firs. Some of them being on shelves high up the sides of the cliff! In the sandy wash near the point where the trail headed up the hillside we spotted huge footprints (bear or cougar?). We gained several hundred feet in the last 1/2 mile and had a nice view, but not the view back into the monument that we were kind of expecting. The transition from sage/rabbit brush through large trees to manzanita and cactus on the ridge top was a very cool experience.    Les mer

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  • Utah WA/OR SUWA TRIP 2023
    Campsite at the end of the road
    Eric making stew and biscuits for dinner!Pinyon jay flyover one morning.Closed off mine next to our campsite.Marker in the cement closing off the mine near our campsite.Fossils in a boulder up the washWhat seemed like a huge fossil in a sandstone boulder in the washFossils in the sandstone up our washThe wash next to our campsite became a little slot canyon in a couple of places.1You can see the entrance to the old mine in the lower middle of this photo

    Campsite up canyon from The Flats

    26. september 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    The spot we ended up camping in for the final three nights of our trip was another recommendation from Ranger Bob. It’s located in the northernmost part of Grand Staircase up a dead end spur road and next to a wash. We are camped among some large pinyon pines and junipers, and Pinyon Jays are calling out frequently as they fly above us in the canyon. Part of this site is ruled by ants, so we had to park the truck away from them. 🐜 🤣 Near our campsite is a cemented-up entry to a mine. Up the wash we found chunks of petrified wood here and there and some fossils in the sandstone. SO amazing!Les mer

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  • Utah WA/OR SUWA TRIP 2023

    Wolverine Canyon hike

    25. september 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    We hiked down Wolverine Creek (a wash/no water) from a trailhead into the Wolverine Petrified Wood Natural Environmental Area, and we were blown away by the amount of petrified wood that is there to see. From tiny bits to huge trunks. The crystals formed in some by the mineralization were just gorgeous. Continuing down the trail the walls of the wash come closer together, and they include the towering Wingate layer which meant we came to a couple huge amphitheater-type areas. Eventually we turned around, and for our return route we turned up a wash that runs on the east side of the mesa that we had been hiking along on its west side. As we got closer to the top end we came upon a surreal land of petrified logs and rounds. It was absolutely incredible. Aaaand, when we get to the top end of the mesa we had quite the sketchy scramble to get down to a wash that we could follow back to the trailhead. Thank goodness that area of petrified wood is difficult to get to from that end, or it might not still be so undisturbed. Another magical Utah trip discovery. We are SO lucky!Les mer

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  • Utah WA/OR SUWA TRIP 2023

    Campsite looking into Circle Cliffs

    24. september 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Our volunteer time is over, so now we get to explore this part of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Our new friend Ranger Bob who works for the BLM gave us some great tips for places to camp and places to explore. This is campsite #1. We had a tiny bit of a cell signal here, but I forgot to upload this Footprint. The only downside at this spot was pesky yellowjackets. But luckily we didn’t get stung, just annoyed.Les mer

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  • Utah WA/OR SUWA TRIP 2023
    Before photo, with Janet digging a hole to partially bury a large rock
    A before photo, except we had already placed the log1Eric and I using this great net contraption to move rocks to block the road.Janet working on the art of disguising a roadCan you tell that this was a road?Pretty awesome camo work!Two campfire rings that we dismantled1Our group!Petrified wood.1

    Final SUWA project area

    24. september 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    Our final half-day volunteering for SUWA was spent at a new spot. We were tasked with disguising/subtly blocking off a short dead-end road road, sifting out one fire ring so it doesn’t continue to grow and eliminating two more fire rings to encourage the use of that single first one. The idea behind all of the work we did on this trip is to keep each area of dispersed camping within the wilderness study area concentrated in a small footprint.Les mer

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  • Utah WA/OR SUWA TRIP 2023
    Adding debris to disguise an area people had started driving through to find a campsiteWe did a lot of raking out of tire tracks.We collected wood from elsewhere to "plant" and scatter to discourage driving in certain areasOur fearless leaders Jack from SUWA and Ranger Bob of the BLM

    Main Restoration Area

    23. september 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    We were working for the first couple days in a semi-dispersed camping area off the Burr Trail road. People have started to expand the camping area beyond the footprint that is desired, so we were covering up and blocking off those informal areas.Les mer

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  • Utah WA/OR SUWA TRIP 2023
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    Deer Creek campground

    22. september 2023, Forente stater ⋅ 🌬 75 °F

    The spot where all the members of our work group stayed at night. On our second night Sue brought out our guitar and we all sang together, eventually hitting upon highlights from the “O Brother Where Art Thou” soundtrack. 😊Les mer

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  • Utah WA/OR SUWA TRIP 2023

    The Geiser Grand and The Sweet Wife

    19. september 2023, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    The Geiser Grand is our favorite place to stay in Baker City - we can’t resist the charm. Our favorite breakfast spot nearby closed several years ago, but luckily we discovered The Sweet Wife a few years ago. It is a fabulous spot, with delicious breakfast options and amazing bakery treats. What a luxurious way to start out a road trip that will soon transition to a week of camping!Les mer

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  • The Great India Adventure
    5-level pagoda
    We road around in one of these swan boats when we visited in 1999 when the boys were little!Don't know what the story was with this. There were 3 or 4 in a row with costumed ridersThe Sky Tree4Fresh mochi! Yum!2Free green tea!

    Whirlwind Tokyo walkabout (+ rickshaw!)

    8. mai 2023, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    We had about 6 hours to explore in Tokyo, so we checked out a couple of areas only to realize we had also visited them when we went to Tokyo in 1999!

    The subway/train system in Tokyo is so amazing. We could zip around on it easily. It was so lovely to walk around in moderate temperatures after the heat of India. We even took an old-style rickshaw ride in the Asakusa neighborhood!

    Our flight home boards momentarily!    Les mer

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  • The Great India Adventure
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    A motion sensor is triggered in the bathroom stall amd the sound of water and birds chirping plays!Beautiful currency3

    Tokyo!

    8. mai 2023, Japan ⋅ 🌧 52 °F

    I love Japan! The airport feels so calm. We landed at Haneda airport and we will leave from Narita airport this evening. Our plan is to take the monorail and train to the main Tokyo station, stow our heavy duffle bags and explore.Les mer

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  • The Great India Adventure
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    2"StayC". That'll work!

    Starbucks at the Delhi airport

    7. mai 2023, India ⋅ 🌩️ 97 °F

    We couldn’t resist stopping here since we have a lot of time to kill until the first half of our flight home. Fun to compare to US Starbucks. I couldn’t pay with the phone app here though, haha!

    We ordered “Chai Tea Lattes” of course!    Les mer

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  • The Great India Adventure
    Hand (and foot) weavingMotorized silk weaving. They were loud!1The silk is as fine as hair!21

    Silk weaving district tour

    6. mai 2023, India ⋅ ☀️ 97 °F

    We had such a unique behind-the-scenes tour of a neighborhood full of silk cloth weaving operations in Varanasi this afternoon thanks to Rajeev. Many small weaving operations produce for wholesalers. A guide from a local retail/wholesale outlet walked us through a maze of narrow alleyways (that cars could not fit in), and the sound of machine looms clacking away came from windows and doors everywhere. We were told that the silk weavers are Muslim, or at least predominantly so. We stopped at the window of an old man who was working on a hand-powered loom. Our guide said that he has three wives, which I thought was an interesting detail to share.

    After the walking tour we went back to the shop and enjoyed perhaps our last great lassis of the trip while they showed us all of their wares. I’m including a photo of what their previously clear floors looked like after they kept pulling things out for us to see.    Les mer

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  • The Great India Adventure

    Sarnath Buddhist & Wat Thai Temples

    6. mai 2023, India ⋅ ☀️ 99 °F

    Sarnath is north of Varanasi and the place where Buddha first began teaching and a huge stupa (shrine) marks the spot. It is an archeological excavation site and spreads out like a park. The museum contains a lot of pieces of stone carving from temples that were presumably found on site, and one pillar topped with four lions dates to the 3rd century BCE and is the state emblem of India.

    The museum was laid out with Hindu artifacts on one side/wing and Buddhist on the other side/wing. It made me sad to see how most faces were defaced either lightly or massively as if shot or hit, and quite a lot of heads were missing. Wonder what museum they are displayed in…

    After exploring this complex we visited the Wat Thai temple nearby that has a huge standing Buddha statue and lovely gardens.    Les mer

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  • The Great India Adventure
    We were guessing that the current residence is uo thereView back down towards our hotel1Sweet couple from Kerala who we were chatting withAll the angles for viewing and shootingTunnet to the river view

    Ramnagar Fort

    6. mai 2023, India ⋅ ☀️ 99 °F

    This fort across the Ganges from where we are staying has a very run down museum full of old weapons, vehicles ranging from a very old Cadillac to the fancy covered passenger platforms that went atop elephants, to old textiles, many of which are falling apart in the cases. We were wondering why no photos are allowed inside. Maybe to not show the neglect. The fort was built in 1750, and it is still occupied by a king.

    The view from the river side of the fort was lovely, and it was fun to see the old holes in the walls that allowed for viewing/shooting at all angles behind protection.    Les mer

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  • The Great India Adventure
    Oops! Everyone was taking photos inside, so i did also...😬We now always recognize Hanuman

    Banaras Hindu University campus tour

    6. mai 2023, India ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    Rajeev drove us through this lovely tree-lined campus and dropped us off for a walk through a temple there. That gave us a neat opportunity to talk with some students and other visitors.

    Rajeev explained to us that tuition is free for this university, but it is very hard to get into. We talked to a couple of young women who are in their second year out of three years of study here. They said it is a life-changing honor to be studying there. They also said that there is no gender discrimination for entry and that their classes have an equal number of women to men if not more women.

    I also captured a short video at a chai stand we patronized afterward.    Les mer

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  • The Great India Adventure
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    1The swastika is the reverse of this symbol taken by the Nazis from the Jain religion.A temple that sank into the riverbed!Cremations happeningAll the wood!Vendors jumped from boat to boat. This is a tea sellerLittle girl dressed as Shiva.A tiny part of the Ganga AartiCandles floating - make a wish and float a butter/ghee and flowers candleTowers of little candles as offering of fireCloser view of the tower of candlesLarge candle as fire offeringTraditional dance - they were challenged to do 41 spins!

    The Varanasi Ganga Aarti

    5. mai 2023, India ⋅ 🌙 82 °F

    Our guide and driver Rajeev has taken such care to make our trip with him amazing. We were supposed to go back to Delhi from Agra yesterday and part ways with him to take the night train to Varanasi and have a new driver here. Instead, Rajeev drove us the 8 hours+ to Varanasi from Agra so he could stay our guide and make sure our time here was perfect (and safe).

    Tonight Rajeev arranged for an evening boat ride up and down the Ganges that then took us to a perfect viewing spot for the nightly spiritual ritual held at dusk called Ganga Aarti. Boats were packed together like a game of Tetris on the water, and thousands of people gathered on the ghat (steps) on the side of the river. Thousands of people travel here every day to take part in this very important ceremony. Fire is offered to Lord Shiva and the Ganges River. We watched as flowers and floating candles were put into the Ganges. It was incredible.

    Before we settled down for the ceremony, our boat ride took us past Manikarnika ghat, which is the sacred Hindu cremation spot that is going 24-hours a day. Rajeev counted 13 funeral pyres burning this evening (and they also do electric cremation). The piles of wood stored in that area were impressive. I’ve shared a couple photos and it’s safe to look at them - there is nothing graphic in them.

    We returned to our hotel in time to catch part of a wonderful traditional dance demonstration with incredible live music. This trip never ceases to amaze us with great surprises like this!    Les mer

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  • The Great India Adventure
    Our hotel from below on the river side
    The Gamges in front of our hotel"The burning place"Old temples built around all overAnother old templeThe complex where the large temple is locatedLassi break! In bowls instead of cupsAll of the lassi bowlsLassi server who kept smiling at is and the stainless steal bowl holding the lassiStreet scene in part of the old cityColor sceme of a lot of the old buildings.Another solar timepieceSundialView SW of the Ganges from the observatoryView NE along the Ganges from the observatoryExit from the observatory left us in this colorful small streetTemple by the riverShrine by the riverVideo of activity at the river

    Morning walk - Kashi Vishwanath Temple

    5. mai 2023, India ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    No photos were allowed in this temple, which is the most sacred shrine in Varanasi and inside a large complex that is heavily guarded. So many heavily armed military guards! This is because of occasional conflicts with the mosque next door, which was built by a Mughal emperor after he destroyed the temple that had been on the site. Evidently some Hindu revivalists have tried to reconsecrate the site of the former temple.

    We had to register with our passports and visas in order to go into the temple. We couldn’t take our phones, bags or even smart watches. A priest took us in and shuttled us through to near the head of the line to go by the shrine itself. It was a very hustled and crowded experience, and an extremely moving experience. Passing in front of the shrine spontaneously gave me goosebumps and brought tears to my eyes. I’ve never felt a feeling quite like that.

    On the way to the temple we had a glimpse from afar of the “burning place” as our driver/guide Rajeev called it. I took a somewhat surreptitious photo. Our guide warned us sternly to not engage with people in that area who say they want to tell you about the person being cremated, because then they expect you to give them hundreds of US dollars and they get very angry if you don’t. A guy did try to do that, and he even told Rajeev in Hindi that he’d split the money he gets from us with him. It’s stuff like this and the hawkers who won’t take no for an answer that I definitely will not miss!

    After the whirlwind temple experience we walked through some of the old city and visited a virtual museum and small observatory made by the same man as the one in Jaipur. It was getting so hot that we needed to return to the hotel to relax in AC before we continue our explorations in the late afternoon.    Les mer

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  • The Great India Adventure
    324Sealed container of water from the Ganges!

    Arrival in Varanasi - BrijRama Palace

    4. mai 2023, India ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    Our final destination and the final palace of our adventure in India!

    (Edited to add flute player in the courtyard in the morning!)

    It was a crazy drive to get through the city. Thank goodness we have an expert driver. We couldn’t believe it when we discovered that we needed to be shuttled by boat up the river to the hotel!

    Varanasi is called The Holy City, and I read that it’s one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. It is located along the Ganges River and is a hugely important pilgrimage spot for Hindus.

    Hindus believe that if you die in Varanasi you will be free from the cycle of birth and re-birth. Cremation on funeral pyres happen here 24/7, and the ashes and remains are put into the river. People also bring ashes to the river to immerse them.

    We feel like we are ending our trip with the most intense spot of all!    Les mer

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