Going to California (Led Zeppelin)
Welcome to Yountville
The link above will tell you anything you'd like to know about Yountville, California (at the heart of Napa Valley and, of course, wine country). I have been looking forward to this vacation for several months now, primarily because I'll be traveling with my parents. This is the equivalent of luxury - an idea I was somewhat accustomed to growing up ... an idea that has been overshadowed in recent years by a greater desire to explore the unfamiliar and exotic, to learn about the world on my own ... on a budget.
We leave on Thursday morning, and will be spending our first four nights at the Vintage Inn in Napa Valley. My father is an internist at Kaiser Permanente, and his well-chosen neurology conference is making this stint in gorgeous wine country possible. Thanks, Dad :)
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, we'll be in San Francisco visiting my cousin Dan, his wife Traci, and their new baby boy, Bryce. I love this city and, despite getting violently ill on my last visit, I cannot wait to return! Dan and Traci are two of my favorite people on earth, and I am so anxious to meet baby Bryce (the photos and videos that I've seen are ADORABLE, and I don't typically find babies cute).
So, I guess I'm going to California!
Lost Creek Wilderness {November 2011}
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
The Colorado Renaissance
No, I'm not talking about the Renaissance Festival in Larkspur, but something far more interesting ...
Considered the most impressive one-man construction project in the country (and, so claims Jim Bishop, perhaps the world), Bishop Castle is a testament to determination, beauty, obsession, and insanity ... in the most bizarre way imaginable. The castle itself is located in the mountains of south central Colorado, west of Pueblo, and is the still unfinished outcome of Jim Bishop's physical labor and creative musings, and Jim Bishop's alone.
When he was fifteen years old, Bishop purchased land for the price of $1,250 and began construction on his castle in 1969. Now, the castle features intricate wrought iron walkways and bridges that weave between its towers, spiral staircases, a fire-breathing dragon made of recycled hospital trays situated at the apex of the great hall, and stained glass windows ... all made by hand without the use of machines. But a castle cannot be complete without a moat or a dungeon ... Bishop's latest ongoing projects.
Although it can be seen on an official map, and even labeled on nearby road signs, you won't find Bishop Castle in any Colorado travel brochure, which is entirely due to the tension that exists between Bishop and the government. The man is known for passionate political and anti-government rants as well as his crude language; various signs throughout his property display these viewpoints.
The guy may well be off his rocker, but his work is undeniably incredible. As I climbed up narrow staircases en route to the highest towers, I couldn't believe I was putting all of my trust, and my life, in one man's hands. But it was absolutely worth every second - go experience this place!
Details: The castle is open every day during daylight hours, and it is free (donations requested). Bishop spends about seven months of the year working in his iron shop in Pueblo, otherwise he can be found on site, still building additions to the already ridiculous structure.
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| Bishop Castle seen from Highway 165 |
When he was fifteen years old, Bishop purchased land for the price of $1,250 and began construction on his castle in 1969. Now, the castle features intricate wrought iron walkways and bridges that weave between its towers, spiral staircases, a fire-breathing dragon made of recycled hospital trays situated at the apex of the great hall, and stained glass windows ... all made by hand without the use of machines. But a castle cannot be complete without a moat or a dungeon ... Bishop's latest ongoing projects.
Although it can be seen on an official map, and even labeled on nearby road signs, you won't find Bishop Castle in any Colorado travel brochure, which is entirely due to the tension that exists between Bishop and the government. The man is known for passionate political and anti-government rants as well as his crude language; various signs throughout his property display these viewpoints.
The guy may well be off his rocker, but his work is undeniably incredible. As I climbed up narrow staircases en route to the highest towers, I couldn't believe I was putting all of my trust, and my life, in one man's hands. But it was absolutely worth every second - go experience this place!
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| The highestmost point on Bishop Castle ... WAY up there |
Details: The castle is open every day during daylight hours, and it is free (donations requested). Bishop spends about seven months of the year working in his iron shop in Pueblo, otherwise he can be found on site, still building additions to the already ridiculous structure.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Pahá Sápa
The Black Hills (called Pahá Sápa in Lokota) make up an isolated mountain range in North and South Dakota as well as Wyoming. They are separated from the Rockies, and are something of a geologic anomaly considering the desolate and relatively featureless grasslands surrounding them. In the midst of a barren and monotonous landscape, the Black Hills are like an oasis of green ... an island of trees.
Justin and I (as well as our 9-month old Shepherd mix, Kona) left around 6:30 Saturday morning for South Dakota, a state neither of us have had reason to visit before now. It takes just as long to get to Telluride and the San Juans in southwestern Colorado as it does to drive to the Black Hills of South Dakota. So, why not? I don't know about the rest of the state, but this area is truly beautiful.
We chose a 13 mile loop hike beginning and ending at Big Pine Trailhead to explore Black Elk Wilderness, which derives its name from an Oglala Lakota Sioux holy man, and to see Mount Rushmore. Heading out on the Centennial Trail around 1:00 pm, we arrived at our campsite after four miles or so. Black Elk Wilderness is a part of the larger Black Hills National Forest, which is unlike any forest I've seen in Colorado. The ground is covered entirely in pine needles making it soft and bouncy; granite cliffs and irregular mountains are scattered randomly; and sunlight radiates through the trees and illuminates the forest floor with a soft golden glow.
Thank God for Daylight Savings Time ... and the arrival of spring! We found the perfect campsite, cracked a beer {New Belgium Trippel for me, Stone IPA for Justin}, and began climbing to the top of a nearby rock outcropping; we had a good three hours before dark. The view was spectacular (see the first photo). We also thought we'd have premium seats to the 'Supermoon' (a full moon that coincides with the point at which the moon is closest to the Earth in its orbit ... this year it would have been the largest full moon in nearly twenty years). But, no such luck - it was too cloudy. Despite this, we were still able to enjoy a gorgeous sunset from one of the higher cliffs. Two games of mountain bocce ball, a blazing campfire, and several Avalanche Ale brats later, we were in our tent for the unseasonably warm 40 degree night.
The next morning, we prepared to trek the 8-9 miles along Grizzly Creek back to the trailhead. The faces of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln greeted us after a few hours.
I've never had any desire to go out of my way to see Mount Rushmore. The sculpture is a bizarre sight, and it has an equally bizarre history. Construction on the memorial began in 1927 as an effort to "communicate the founding, expansion, preservation, and unification of the United States with colossal statues of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt" (Gutzon Borglum, sculptor). Although it leaves a legacy to our country, a shrine of democracy and freedom, Mount Rushmore excites plenty of controversy. The land upon which it resides was seized from the Lakota Sioux tribe in the late 1800's, and Borglum was an active member of the white supremacist organization, the Ku Klux Klan.
The memorial is not at all what I expected. It's smaller and less remarkable than the images I'd conjured up in my mind. Also, it's a bit eerie ... especially when you catch a glimpse of it from the heart of the wilderness, much less so when you view it from the road in your car. Although this isn't something that necessarily impresses me, I do appreciate the grand scale on which it was ideated and created.
Our final stop required us to drive back into Wyoming where Devils Tower, a vertical column of volcanic rock, rises dramatically above the surrounding terrain. Mostly, it's a rock climbers haven. But it also has a special significance to Native Americans, who have regarded the tower as a sacred site long before climbers found their way to the area. Indian stories and legends of the creation of Devils Tower vary, but my favorite goes like this: Seven sisters were playing in the meadow when bears began to chase them. They all climbed atop a rock and prayed to the Great Spirit to save them. At that moment, the rock rose up towards the Heavens as the bears left deep claw marks in its side (which correspond to the columns we see on the tower today). When the girls reached the sky, they were transformed into the seven-starred constellation, the Pleiades (or Seven Sisters). Once again, gazing at the tower, I sense a connection to something bigger ... and it too feels quite eerie. This may be intensified by the fact that we arrived at Devils Tower in the middle of the night, and to see the dark silhouette of something so massive suddenly appear on the horizon sends chills down your spine.
I cannot believe we packed so much in to less than three full days. Each place that we visited maintains extremely strong ties to the American Indian heritage ... I feel blessed and priviledged to have been a part of that culture, even if for a brief moment. As I said before, it's pretty eerie - in a good way. Although the landscape is beyond beautiful, and ridiculously unique, nothing compares to the history that you can learn about a place and its people or the feeling it gives you to be in the midst of it all hundreds of years later.
Justin and I (as well as our 9-month old Shepherd mix, Kona) left around 6:30 Saturday morning for South Dakota, a state neither of us have had reason to visit before now. It takes just as long to get to Telluride and the San Juans in southwestern Colorado as it does to drive to the Black Hills of South Dakota. So, why not? I don't know about the rest of the state, but this area is truly beautiful.
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| The Black Hills/Black Elk Wilderness |
We chose a 13 mile loop hike beginning and ending at Big Pine Trailhead to explore Black Elk Wilderness, which derives its name from an Oglala Lakota Sioux holy man, and to see Mount Rushmore. Heading out on the Centennial Trail around 1:00 pm, we arrived at our campsite after four miles or so. Black Elk Wilderness is a part of the larger Black Hills National Forest, which is unlike any forest I've seen in Colorado. The ground is covered entirely in pine needles making it soft and bouncy; granite cliffs and irregular mountains are scattered randomly; and sunlight radiates through the trees and illuminates the forest floor with a soft golden glow.
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| Centennial Trail (#89) |
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| Horsetheif Trail (#14) |
Thank God for Daylight Savings Time ... and the arrival of spring! We found the perfect campsite, cracked a beer {New Belgium Trippel for me, Stone IPA for Justin}, and began climbing to the top of a nearby rock outcropping; we had a good three hours before dark. The view was spectacular (see the first photo). We also thought we'd have premium seats to the 'Supermoon' (a full moon that coincides with the point at which the moon is closest to the Earth in its orbit ... this year it would have been the largest full moon in nearly twenty years). But, no such luck - it was too cloudy. Despite this, we were still able to enjoy a gorgeous sunset from one of the higher cliffs. Two games of mountain bocce ball, a blazing campfire, and several Avalanche Ale brats later, we were in our tent for the unseasonably warm 40 degree night.
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| Our chosen campsite |
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| Sun setting over the hills |
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| Kona playing bocce with us |
The next morning, we prepared to trek the 8-9 miles along Grizzly Creek back to the trailhead. The faces of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln greeted us after a few hours.
I've never had any desire to go out of my way to see Mount Rushmore. The sculpture is a bizarre sight, and it has an equally bizarre history. Construction on the memorial began in 1927 as an effort to "communicate the founding, expansion, preservation, and unification of the United States with colossal statues of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt" (Gutzon Borglum, sculptor). Although it leaves a legacy to our country, a shrine of democracy and freedom, Mount Rushmore excites plenty of controversy. The land upon which it resides was seized from the Lakota Sioux tribe in the late 1800's, and Borglum was an active member of the white supremacist organization, the Ku Klux Klan.
The memorial is not at all what I expected. It's smaller and less remarkable than the images I'd conjured up in my mind. Also, it's a bit eerie ... especially when you catch a glimpse of it from the heart of the wilderness, much less so when you view it from the road in your car. Although this isn't something that necessarily impresses me, I do appreciate the grand scale on which it was ideated and created.
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| Mount Rushmore from Hwy 244 |
After we arrived back at the car and snapped a photo of the four presidents from the road, we were on our way to the Badlands. The landscape here is most unique ... I'd say it resembles what I believe Mars or the moon to look like. Furrowed cliffs, gnarled spires, carved ravines, and grass-capped buttes ... It's an area of raw and rugged beauty. John Evans, a government geologist dispatched to the Dakota territory in 1849, likened the area to a "magnificent city of the dead, where the labor and genius of forgotten nations had left ... a multitude of monuments of art and skill." I imagine the Badlands to be a severe and sinister place, but the warm glow of the setting sun during our evening drive transformed the landscape into something rather inviting.
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| "The bad lands to cross" |
Our final stop required us to drive back into Wyoming where Devils Tower, a vertical column of volcanic rock, rises dramatically above the surrounding terrain. Mostly, it's a rock climbers haven. But it also has a special significance to Native Americans, who have regarded the tower as a sacred site long before climbers found their way to the area. Indian stories and legends of the creation of Devils Tower vary, but my favorite goes like this: Seven sisters were playing in the meadow when bears began to chase them. They all climbed atop a rock and prayed to the Great Spirit to save them. At that moment, the rock rose up towards the Heavens as the bears left deep claw marks in its side (which correspond to the columns we see on the tower today). When the girls reached the sky, they were transformed into the seven-starred constellation, the Pleiades (or Seven Sisters). Once again, gazing at the tower, I sense a connection to something bigger ... and it too feels quite eerie. This may be intensified by the fact that we arrived at Devils Tower in the middle of the night, and to see the dark silhouette of something so massive suddenly appear on the horizon sends chills down your spine.
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| Justin and I near the base of Devils Tower |
Thursday, March 17, 2011
♣ Love Thee, Notre Dame ♣
This day, dedicated to St. Patrick, is one of my favorites of the year (after Christmas of course, and maybe my birthday ...) I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be the case had I not attended the most Irish university in our country. They know how to celebrate anything Irish at Notre Dame, and I miss the place more than ever on this day. But, each year, I feel my connection to the university so strongly. I think of tailgating and green beer, the Victory March and bagpipes, but I also remember my friends, the Notre Dame family, and the meaning of loyalty, faith, and love. Above all else, it brings a sense of belonging as well as a feeling of contentment and comfort. Today, everyone wishes they were Irish. I get to be Irish everyday!
Notre Dame, Our Mother
Notre Dame, our Mother
Tender, strong and true
Proudly in the heavens,
Gleams thy gold and blue.
Glory's mantle cloaks thee
Golden is thy fame,
And our hearts forever,
Praise thee, Notre Dame.
And our hearts forever,
Love thee, Notre Dame.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Comanche Grasslands {Photos}
The Comanche National Grassland is a unique place to visit, especially when you're used to vacationing in the mountains and foothills. This time of year, there's not much to look at in terms of beauty per se, but come summer, the brown landscape will transform to a lush green. At that time, I'll be back for another visit (and to hike the 10.5 mile round-trip trail to the dinosaur tracks ... I know, nerd).
Despite the arid environment, you can't beat the serenity and stillness of a highly unvisited area where sky meets horizon every way you turn, or the satisfaction of enjoying a sunny spring weekend outside.
Despite the arid environment, you can't beat the serenity and stillness of a highly unvisited area where sky meets horizon every way you turn, or the satisfaction of enjoying a sunny spring weekend outside.
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| Welcome to Comanche |
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| Purgatoire River |
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| Picketwire Canyon (and cacti) |
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| Picketwire Canyon |
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| Sunset from our campsite |
Friday, March 11, 2011
Happy 64th, Daddy
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| Schönbrunn Palace, Austria, October 2010 |
There are some things besides Italy that are good in my life at the moment ... my dad being one of the most important. He's showed me unconditional love; he's made incredible sacrifices to ensure I have the best of everything; he's offered words of wisdom, sprititual guidance and boundless encouragement throughout all stages and transitions of my growth; and he's acted as one of the most deserving and respected role models I've ever come across. In all honesty, I am a daddy's girl. But, it's hard not to be when you're the only child of a protective and loving father.
Happy Birthday Dad, I'm so sorry the ND Irish couldn't win it for you tonight!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Italy: the consolation
The above link will take you to a lovely description (complete with photo gallery) of this charming restored barn in the heart of Tuscany, Italy. This shall be my home for a time in September; it will also be a celebratory location for my 25th birthday on the 16th.
So it wasn't in the cards for me this year ... medical school, I mean. The interviews went well - I'm a decent judge of these things, and I've learned to trust my instincts. As for a short-term solution, I've requested to speak with Dr. Winn, the Dean of Admissions at the University of Colorado. He's a Notre Dame alum, and he's an amiable, though painfully realistic, guy. I believe it to be my MCAT score that's preventing me from receiving that acceptance letter ... perhaps my low-ish science GPA, maybe both? I don't know anymore. Three years is just crazy, and I am mentally, physically, and emotionally drained. I need someone to tell me bluntly what the hell is wrong with me.
This really is not the end of the world (despite how I felt yesterday afternoon in the car, stopping for a split second to give partial credence to the thought that I almost wouldn't have minded being in a car accident on that particular day). Either way, I suppose I'll find the answers and fix what I can for next year. I've always believed things work out the way they're meant to .... and there is always a positive side to every misfortune.
I must admit, Italy is a pretty fantastic consolation prize!
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