LAZAROW WORLD HIKE-ABOUT

San Ramon: At first, I thought it needed explanation. Not true. Top Left: "You're kidding me. After hiking 4 miles from the base below, you still want to climb up there...and snakes...?" The stance revealed it all. The rest is self-explanatory, too. (Not part of the formal trail either).

'LAZAROW WORLD HIKE-ABOUT: WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HIKE-ABOUT?'

Hike-about is an adventure that commenced June 2010. After storing our household movables, ridding ourselves of a house but retaining our 'home' together, we set off with the purpose of hiking in different parts of the world, not forgetting the home country, the USA.

Our primary focus is hiking to mountain peaks but any challenging hike will do just fine. Extended stays enable us to enjoy and experience living in various places amongst differing cultures. Hike-about has evolved into a way of life. It's also a process of discovery, both the world and ourselves.

We work and live 'on the road' but return to the city in which our grandchildren reside, every couple of months. This provides us the wonderful opportunity to be with them as well as a child or two, even three and of course, friends.

By the end of 2023, the blog contained over 1,560 hikes (less than that actually undertaken), each a set of pictures with stories and anecdotes from the trails. An index to the right allows the viewer to identify earlier experiences.

Finally, we are often asked about the journey's end.
O
ur reply, as accurate as we can state, is: "When we are either forced to cease through health issues or the enjoyment level no longer reaches our aspirations, we will hang up the boots."

"A Life Experience As No Other: Dare to Seize the Day Together", published by Fulton Books, depicts our life on the road and mountains until the beginning of 2017. It has developed 'exponentially' since then.

Jenni and Jeffrey Lazarow

Whereas we continue to update the blog regularly, we circulate email notifications infrequently.

Thursday, October 1, 2020

47. 08 Arizona and Utah: Two tough days, two of the most satisfying experiences undertaken: A summary only: 'Heaven on Earth'.

Setting the scene in Page, Arizona.






I have often been accused of favoring the latest hiking experience over previous ones. These accusations are accurate. When the brain is unable to absorb so much beauty together with much exertion by sending signals to muscles at a fervent pace, it tends to forget about earlier sights and struggles. Sometimes it even forgets the quality of hikes from the previous day. Tucked away in our little heads are so many experiences that we are indeed fortunate. We feel blessed and often, weary but always grateful.

Along the Spenser Trail at Lees Ferry, a view of the Colorado River. (This is not Horseshoe Bend.)



A short while after commencement, we look back from the trail.


Over the last two days we found two places, one visited some 6 years ago, the other, virgin territory. Both hikes and views were so spectacular that we thought we’d post a summary of an extremely limited number of photographs to provide a taste of what will be published in the coming weeks. I believe even Jenni will side with my sentiments, she being far more balanced and less susceptible to my excitement and emotions. 


Some rather narrow edges with steep drop-offs. (It became political. On the way up, we leaned right; leaned left on the way down.)

When climbing
the Spencer Trail at Lees Ferry in Arizona, very close to Utah, we determined an important lesson. This hike which reaches 1,800 feet, appears vertical and impossible, should be done a minimum of twice. Why you may ask? For the first occasion, a person should take a camera to capture the surrounding mountains, the exciting trail and of course, parts of the Colorado River. As an aside, we have been along and above this river on so many occasions in many different states that it feels like part of our lives. While it is difficult to explain and even understand the feelings I have for the river, suffice to say, if one can love an object of nature, the Colorado is it. Perhaps it’s coming from South Africa and finding a legendary river that we read about provides an extra impetus. 

Back to the point: On the second Spencer Trail hike, leave the camera at home and focus on the struggle and the surrounding beauty. Of course, then it should be undertaken at sunrise, sunset and between those times. Should we come across excited, then we are both expressing our true feelings. Perhaps the pictures will support the text. 



Other times, we just prayed.




Jenni succeeds.


Most of the time, we were enthralled, especially at the intial top.


At times, mesmerized.





As to 'Lellow' Mountain (Yellow), I love the word because our daughter, Natalie as a baby and a few years ago, Ellie and Benny (our grandchildren), pronounced ‘yellow’ in that manner. If nothing else, it's one thing I taught them. It has stuck in the little part of my brain that still has a few bytes of storage space. We’ll discuss Lellow um Yellow Mountain in the appropriate stand-alone blog. 



An Introduction to 'Yellow Mountain' in Utah.







Cheers, 

Jenni and Jeffrey

2 comments:

Suzy O’Leary said...

You’re both amazing .

Jenni said...

You are so funny. But we knew that already. In addition, you have many other fine attributes. When I saw "Suzy", for a second I thought it was the real Suzy and not Claudia. But only for a second. Great to meet you, youngster. Regards, Jenni and Jeffrey.