Out of this World

This entry is in response to the WordPress Daily Post Photo Challenge: Out of this World.

I’ve visited some truly beautiful places on this earth. But some of them have made me feel like I’ve left our planet.  Here are some photos of places I’ve been that have an alien type of beauty.

Craters of the Moon National Monument

Located off the beaten path in Idaho (if Idaho has a beaten path!) Craters of the Moon is the site of an ancient volcano. Windy and quiet, the lava flows and cinder cones give it a truly lunar feeling.

Craters of the Moon National Monument

Great Salt Lake, Utah

We spent a night in Salt Lake City, Utah on our vacation route. Checking into our hotel just before sunset, we decided to take a short drive to see the Great Salt Lake. The “beach” of salty sand went on and on toward the horizon, with only a slim, shallow band of water visible in the distance. Although we were on the edge of the city, it felt like we were on another planet.

The Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, Utah

Haleakala National Park, Hawaii

I have never seen anything more desolate and other-worldly than this volcano on the island of Maui. Instead of joining the crowds that travel to the top for sunrise, we explored on our own during the day. Truly one of the most beautiful and incredible places I’ve ever seen.

 

The Silversword plant is a rare species that lives only on Haleakala.

 

 

Mr. Maid checking out the vivid variations of color in the soil.

 

 

The telescopes of “Science City” add to the “out of this world” feeling by looking like a base on the Moon or on Mars.

 

Gateway to the West

In response to the WordPress Daily Post Photo Challenge:

Perhaps it’s because I’m not a native of St. Louis, but whenever I’m on the grounds of the Gateway Arch Monument, I have the urge to act like a tourist and take a picture. Especially when it’s gleaming on a bright, sunny day, it makes me proud of my adopted city. These were taken a few years ago, from the approximate spot where my husband proposed.

Not only does it give me an “ooh shiny!” kind of distraction, but it is also, indeed a giant, shiny, hunk of steel.

You can read all about the Gateway to the West here.

photo my own

 

 

Took a Hike. Found My Bliss.

When I was a kid, Dad would take us on hikes – or as I remember them – forced marches through the woods. He had an uncanny ability to lose the trail. I touched on the topic briefly in this post. We’d be dragged, if not kicking and screaming, then at least whining and bickering through bug-infested jungles. Needless to say, I was not a fan.

I’ve surprised myself by discovering a love for hiking in my later years. Nearly every trip Mr. Maid and I take involves an opportunity to get out there and haul my old bones up, over to, or around, whatever Mother Earth has to offer.

There are few places that give me a greater sense of peace and connection to nature than on a hiking trail. I have come to crave the fresh air, the physical challenge, and the surrounding flora and fauna. And nothing gives me more satisfaction than that feeling of finally reaching the summit.

Here are a few of my favorite moments…

Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii – Dragging my ass through a strenuous hike often has me feeling like Wonder Woman, so as you’ll see, I often have the urge to strike this pose. Cheesy smile and all!

South Kaibab Trail, South Rim, Grand Canyon, Arizona

North Kaibab Trail, North Rim, Grand Canyon, Arizona

Trail to Apakuni Falls, Glacier National Park, Montana

Avalanche Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho

Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine – There’s that pose again! You can read about our misadventures on this hike here.

Dante’s View of Badwater Basin, Death Valley National Park, California

Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California – my other ‘go-to’ pose – because hiking really does bring me closer to my bliss! Namaste, ya’ll!

Written for the WordPress’ Daily Post Photo Challenge: satisfaction

The Maid Goes to Maine: Part 9 – See Ya Later Seaside

Welcome to the ninth and final installment of the Maid Goes to Maine. If you’ve been keeping track, you are no doubt thinking “it’s about damn time!” Other obligations have forced me to draw out this saga way longer than I intended. We could have walked to Maine and back in the time it has taken me to tell you about it. Anyway, we are at last at the end of the journey.

Before leaving Bar Harbor, we took some time

The Maid Goes to Maine: Part 8 – The Battle of The Bubbles

Bubble Rock, Acadia National Park

You’d think that after 50-some years on this planet, I’d have learned to go with the flow. Sometimes a detour, a mistake, or a miscalculation can result in something much better than what was originally planned. The universe tried to teach me that lesson again during our vacation in Maine.

We had planned to do some hiking at Acadia National Park after enjoying the views from Cadillac Mountain, but had to cancel when a storm came through. So, the next day, Mr. Maid and I were going to devote most of our day to hiking a few of the trails in the park.

A few years ago we started buying “Best Easy Day Hikes” books from Falcon Guides for our destinations. We’re a bit more advanced than the term “Easy” would imply, but by no means are we experts. Our daily life and our local terrain don’t give us much opportunity to get in tip-top hiking shape. Day hikes of no more than five or ten miles at a time are sufficient for this pair of old geezers with our creaky knees and aching feet. The most strenuous hikes in the “Easy” guides are usually, to steal a line from Goldilocks, “just right.”

The Maid Goes to Maine: Part 7 – Lobsters, Cadillacs, and Walking on Water

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Acadia National Park is located just outside Bar Harbor, Maine. This makes it very easy to spend a fun filled day doing something both in town and in the park.

When we decided to go to Maine, Mr. Maid half-jokingly said he wanted to go out on a lobster boat. While researching things to do on our vacation I came across the website for Lulu Lobster Boat. Mr. Maid may have been imagining exciting scenes from The Deadliest Catch or The Perfect Storm. What we got instead was a very enjoyable and educational trip and neither of us had to risk our lives.

See the boat tucked in under the walkway?

The Maid Goes to Maine: Part 6 – Getting Loopy at Acadia NP

Once again I feel I must begin with an apology. A few of my fellow bloggers have chastised me for not getting any photos of the incredible breakfasts offered by The Manor House Inn for my last post. In my attempts to spend my vacation somewhat “unplugged,” I was not thinking about blogging opportunities throughout my journey. I will assume that this is just one more reason why I will need to return to Maine in the near future.

I hope that I will appease the critics with some pictures of the delectable scenery instead. I’ve traveled to several National Parks around the United States, and Acadia National Park does not disappoint. You can visit the official website here.

One thing I love about this park is its proximity to Bar Harbor. Our B&B was right downtown, but it was less than three miles to the park’s main entrance and Visitors Center. If you’ve ever visited any

The Maid Goes to Maine: Part 5 – B&B Newbies

The Manor House Inn, Bar Harbor, Maine

I was going to start this post by apologizing for the delay since my last post, but I’m sure no one has even noticed. It’s not like I left you at a cliffhanger… Will the Maid make it to Bar Harbor? Will Mr. Maid singlehandedly deplete Maine’s lobster and IPA resources? If you have noticed the delay, I’m humbled… but honestly, you need to find a hobby.

Anyway, my saga left off just as we finished our trek up the coast of Maine and arrived in Bar Harbor. As I explained in Part 4, our trip occurred during the off-season, so there were some good prices on lodging. We ended up booking a suite at The Manor House Inn. The house was built in 1887

The Maid Goes to Maine – Part 4: Going Up (Coast) to Get Down (East)

Pemaquid Point Light House

Monday morning dawned bright and sunny as we said goodbye to Portland. Our visit was short, but we had a good sampling of what this nice little city had to offer. The next leg of our Maine journey would take us to Bar Harbor, where we would spend the majority of our week. This part of Maine is known as “Down East,” something that sounds a bit funny, as it is so much further north, or “up” from the rest of the country.  The 175 mile drive

The Maid Goes to Maine – Part 3: A Day in Portland

 

On Sunday we woke up to our first full day of vacation. Our plan was to get an early start and see some sights. After sampling some local beers the night before, I was ready for a big breakfast. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the words hungry and hungover both start with the first four letters.

I love using yelp.com to discover places that we might not normally find, especially in an unfamiliar city. We found two breakfast restaurants within walking distance with good reviews and set out to the one that was