travel Archives - Rachel What If

A Skeptic’s Guide to a Transcendent Weekend in Sedona, AZ

According to visitsedona.com, “Sedona has the ability to transform lives.” Having visited recently with my mom and sisters, I don’t know that my life has been transformed, however, we did experience a bit of transcendence.

Now hold on, before you assume that we were running around naked, chanting around a bonfire, or sitting on mats in true yogi form, lets define transcendence. It’s just a word that means beyond the normal, or average ordinary experience.

The Descent into Transcendence

While driving through Oak Creek Canyon, into Sedona, I remember being so inspired that I was actually talking to myself, out loud…alone… in my car. The drop into the canyon is unexpected,and the scenery dramatically changes from the generally flat, desert terrain of the Colorado plateau to the steep red rock canyons. The creek is shaded with lush cottonwood, maple, and willow trees, which are a rare treat for us South westerners. This makes for a “beyond normal” experience, while the curving road offers opportunities for discoveries around every bend.

Paddle boarding, Hiking, and Biking

Sedona is like Disney World for outdoor enthusiasts. There is no way you could do it all in a weekend. My sister booked the perfect house for us to stay that comfortably fit all of us. There was even a trail that began right in our driveway.

Our first day, we decided to look for nearby paddleboarding, which actually ended up being about a 30-45 minute drive. Well worth it for us because this was a big reason for our get together. This area is hard to find, so check out this site for more info.

From desert to jungle? Paddle boarding is scarce, but we found it.

The second day of our trip, we wanted to hit Slide Rock State Park, which is one of Travel Channel’s top ten swimming holes. It was so crowded we couldn’t park anywhere within a mile walking distance to the entrance. We decided instead on a hike recommended by our house hosts called “The Crack.” The info we found claimed it was only about a 3.5 mile hike one way, but it still took us at least an hour and a half to get there. The swimming hole was absolutely breathtaking!

We also managed to find the time to do a loop on our bikes on the Bell Rock Pathway .

The Bell Rock Pathway was perfect riding for us. We like to think we are a little more than beginning riders.

Finding Transcendence in the Vortex

All of us are constantly searching for our needs to be met in various ways. While preparing to become a teacher, I studied Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and how it applies to children and adults. I love the the way this theory neatly organizes and explains human behavior. I’d like to think that our girls trip was so fulfilling because it met our needs at every level. Of course our sense of belonging being the biggest chunk. What is even more interesting, is that Maslow later added transcendence to the top of the pyramid. He explained, ” A person is motivated by values which transcend beyond the personal self.”

Having never heard of such things as vortexes, (vortices?) we had no idea that our girls trip would be smack dab in the center of one. Maybe there is a little truth to Sedona’s claim to changing lives. Turns out, we were filling each other’s need to laugh, connect, and support each other. We transcended our every day lives by being together.

Vortex or not, we were inspired by the beauty of the earth and the connections of our hearts. We were recharged by challenging ourselves in physical adventures, or relaxing on our deck together. We were uplifted by each other’s love and support, and the majestic views. If you get the chance to go, don’t expect to be transformed. Instead, look for opportunities of transcendence.

The changing seasons in Southern Colorado remind me I am not invisible.

When the leaves change in Southern Colorado, the display of colors kind of demand your attention. Fall is beautiful, but, for me, it has a way of bringing with it feelings of loneliness, and somehow I start to feel a little bit invisible. I’m sure it has to do with how busy my family gets in the back to school, back to sports, back to business as usual, that I start to actually mourn the loss of our carefree summer months. This year, I’m getting a very clear message to pay attention, and that I have a whole lot in common with a leaf.

Yellow is my favorite

Did you know when leaves change from green to yellow, orange, or red, those colors were actually there all along? The leaves themselves are not actually changing, it’s their environment that is. The days are shorter and colder, which forces the plant to stop making chlorophyll. This causes the green to disappear, allowing the other colors to become visible. The most vivid and common color: yellow.

Yellow has always been my favorite color. It’s so cheerful and sunny. It’s not all loud and energetic like red. I do like green as well, which reminds me of abundance and life. Sometimes, I feel other colors, or want to love them, but yellow has always been what I most identify with.

Not invisible, just hidden

So you see, like those leaves, I have discovered that I am not invisible. It’s okay to be all covered up in green for a while. As I said before, I like green. I love my life and am so abundantly blessed. What I am trying to say here is that I believe fall is happening just for me this year. Sorry everyone else. When you look out at the landscape, what is the color you see most? Yellow. I kinda feel bad too, because Summer has always been my favorite season and truthfully it always will be. But this year, I’m getting a great big hug from fall. It feels so good.

Fall canyon
Molli with fish!
He let me have this one.

It seems extra important during the changing seasons to get outside and experience it. Why else do people jump in huge leaf piles but to get the season literally all over them? Mostly, I wrote this post so I could show off my pictures of us getting outside to get fall all over us. However, I have been feeling a little invisible lately, and not in the way that would be awesome if you were a super hero. I hope fall is happening just for you this year too. I also hope you know you are not invisible either! (Unless you really want to be 🙂

Jason, on the bridge to the Silverton cabin.
My dog Blue

As always, thanks for reading and for your awesome support.

Rachel

Peace and Perspective on the Silverton to Lake City Loop.

Waterfalls and mountains are still the best places to gain perspective and peace.

I usually can’t pass up a good self-help book. Maybe it’s a weakness, but I like to help myself. Sometimes, there is some life saving advice in those pages. I also love reading in general, especially if I can escape whatever thoughts aren’t helping at the moment. While reading is wonderful, I love it when I get to escape for real, on a four wheel drive road, to experience some actual self-help wisdom from mountains and waterfalls.

If you ever have the chance to go on a drive (with an expert driver) from Silverton to Lake City, count the waterfalls you see. It’s almost like the license plate game, but much more inspiring. This portion of the Alpine Loop is by far one of my favorite off road adventures. It has a lot to do with the fact that it is a loop and not a there and back. It comforts my need to “get more done,” that you just don’t get traveling back on the same road you went in on.

Rough roads

The rough and untamed old road over Engineer Pass and back through Cinnamon is not your average jaunt over the hills and through the woods. People die on this route all the time. It’s steep and narrow, and there are no guard rails to stand between you and a whole lot of harm’s way. A simple mistake could result in a major tragedy. Some river crossings could be shallow and easily traversed in the morning hours, only to be raging rivers, and impassible that same afternoon.

As any good passenger, I am totally engaged in the scenery, pointing out the amazing waterfalls in every direction, and searching for wildlife. I don’t like driving for this reason. You just miss so much, staring at the road all the time. Thank goodness my husband loves to drive. We make a good team.

From Lake City to Silverton
Waterfall on the way to Lake City
Avalanche blocks the route from Silverton to Engineer

Waterfall science

The abundance of waterfalls we saw on this drive is more than just the fact that snow was melting. There are waterfalls big and small around almost every corner in this part of Colorado. I just learned you can’t even help but feel calm and peaceful when you are near waterfalls. The constant flow of water over the rocks are releasing negative ions that our bodies take in as positive energy. I dare you to just try and be grouchy the next time your near a waterfall. You just scientifically can’t do it. Don’t believe me? Check out this website. (They are trying to explore the world one waterfall at a time.)

Did you know that someone who loves waterfalls a cataractophile? And someone who loves trees is called a dendrophile? If you love the sun, you are a heliophile, and a pluviophile if you love rain. Words are cool, and we get to make them up. Still, it’s hard to describe in words the emotions you feel in the mountains.

My hubs, Jason, driving the high elevation near Silverton.

Mountain top perspective

The peak of the mountain is always a natural stopping place for people to take in the views. On the Lake City loop, there are several opportunities to park and gain some perspective. Usually you can see where you came from, and where your headed, and a whole lot more. It looks a little like opportunities and possibility, and feels alot like being small and sorting out priorities.

Reaching the top is awesome, but it’s usually pretty cold and windy so we move along after a few moments. And also, there are no waterfalls at the top. I don’t know which I like better, mountain tops or waterfalls. Each hold significant value on our round trip from Silverton to Lake City. The cool thing is we get to experience both.

We spend a lot of our free time getting out in the mountains. Even if there aren’t any waterfalls or mountain tops, it always manages to help us get our heads straight and our hearts balanced.

Having lived in Durango, CO for so long, I am still overwhelmed by how much there is to see, and lucky I am to be able to experience so much. If you are interested in learning more, check out this post on the best places to Paddle board in my area. Please reach out to me, or a leave a comment below to share ideas on the best places to get some perspective or gain a little peace.

Rachel

Climbing up on the tire offers even more perspective.

Flat Water Paddling in Durango, Colorado

How paddle boarding is helping me disconnect from stress and reconnect to the people and places I love.

Dang it! The fin on my board is broken and flat water paddling season is just getting started!

I would be more upset about this, but I’m too excited about all the people I am slowly persuading to try out the sport by lending out my board. I am secretly building a paddle board gang that I hope will start wearing matching swim shorts and using slang paddle board language.

Yes, my fin will have to be replaced, but my husband finally got out on my board, and probably even enjoyed it. Not only will I have swayed him into connecting with the flat water promised land (can land be water?), I have also gotten my children, my friend’s children, and most recently my sister-in-law’s children into the sport.

Surf’s up

Paddle boarding is really modified surfing. Us mountain people are trying to pretend that we have an ocean, or that we are cool enough to be surfers. I often wish I lived near an ocean because I long for that meditative ebb and flow of the waves to connect and align my breath. I want to stare out over the water and see endless horizons, where sky meets water and contemplate life’s mysteries.

Still, there’s something terrifying about getting too far away from shore. I am more of a cautious adventurer. I used to think I was kind of a mermaid, until my husband had to pull me from a tangling mess of baby waves in Newport Beach surf during our honeymoon. Also, there are sharks in the ocean.

Still, paddling a lake or placid river makes me feel like I belong somehow. Putting your ore in and pushing away is proof that you are willfully disconnecting from safety and stability. Most importantly, you are opening yourself up to the stillness, building your relationship with the water. I think this is what hanging ten is like, a little.

So, in an effort to build my gang, as I mentioned earlier, here are my top three places to catch some waves, I mean float peacefully, in my #hometown.

My 3 favorite Places to Paddle in Durango, Colorado

Animas River

My all time favorite place to flat water paddle is hands down the Animas River. Yes, I said flat water. I recently saw some crazy guys doing some actual surfing in wet suits on the huge waves of the Animas. This is not what I am talking about. The river is high, I am waiting for the stillness.

Just behind North City Market, you will find the drop off point for the rafting companies. There is rarely ever parking here, but get there on a weekday, early, and it should be available.

The first time I put my board in here, I knew lots of people visited this area to play. What I didn’t know, was that you could paddle up river for about an hour on flat water to reach a sandy beach. What I love about this is not only is it an excellent workout, but it has a destination! Paddling around a lake has its own rewards, but this is almost like going on a trail run! Round trips are my favorite, but I’ll take a there and back any day. Plus, the way back is so easy!

Even more surprising is that I had been to this location several times and had no idea. I’m not sure if I am disappointed, or elated. Loving your community means seeing old things with new eyes, in new ways, or even discovering them for the first time. I recently wrote about this in my post about staycations.

Lake Nighthorse

Ya know those turquoise waters in all the Pinterest posts showing beautiful exotic tropical locations? Lake Nighthorse is almost like that. The water is at least 20 degrees cooler than tropical waters, but man is it blue. We don’t get as much of that in the Animas.

Nighthorse is a mere 5 minutes from downtown Durango! With an $8 day pass, you can get your board out onto those crystal clear waters. It is even wakeless on Mondays and Wednesdays. Don’t get me wrong, we enjoy our wakeboarding and boating days, but as a paddler, its cool to have the whole lake to yourself. They also have great bathrooms!

Just don’t expect to get a great beachy area to have lunch or park your board. I usually park by the boat ramp so I don’t have to carry my board too far. This lake is also a bit windy at times, but there is a water break and fun wakeless area here. Nighthorse has been my go to paddle haven since it stopped snowing in late May.

Pastorius Reservoir

Definitely one of the most secret places to bring your board within 10 minutes of Durango is Pastorius. This site has a technical description and directions. It is literally nestled inside of ranches and homesteads on a little known county road. Its a farely shallow lake which makes for smooth waters almost all the time. In a drought year, this lake is very low and probably not as pleasant.

A local favorite for fishing, it has only recently been discovered by paddle boarders, or maybe just me. I had been here several times for fishing, but hadn’t seen any paddlers until this summer. It costs nothing as of this writing to play here, but there are very little amenities and no bathrooms.

Want to join my gang?

Hit me up on my Instagram account @rachelwhatif, or email me at hello@rachelwhatif.com to find out about the matching shorts.

Three reasons a staycation may be better than a vacation.

Awe, just look at those pictures on Insta of your friends smiling in the pool, in Italy, with drinks, and tans. Yay them.

Ok, in all honesty, I do have an awesome trip planned, but its not happening until the end of November. That’s like Christmas. It might as well be an eternity away. But, I am not going to let this summer go by without at least pretending to be on vacation.

In the following, I have listed three reasons a staycation can be a more rewarding experience than traveling, or it is validation you can use to explain to your friends why you never go anywhere. Either way, no matter where you spend most of your time, you can be reminded of how and why you landed in your hometown in the first place.

You are an expert

No more FOMO for you! There is so much pressure on vacation to find the places only the locals know. Or to see as much as possible considering the price you paid to get there. When I took my family on our first ever tropical vacation last year, I had so much anxiety about trying to squeeze in everything, I actually cried when all they wanted to do was nap in the rental one of the days. Don’t even ask me about the hour and a half drive to see the amazing monkey preserve to pull up to a run down shack, in a shady part of the middle of nowhere.

Sure, trying new foods and changing up the view reminds us how awesome and diverse the world is, but there is nothing like the satisfaction of already knowing where to get those delish organic green smoothies, what time the absolute best breakfast burritos are sold out, and not having to open google maps every time you leave the hotel.

It’s more than a little ego boost to know the smoothest waters to take your paddle board, where to see the most inspiring sunsets, and the back roads to take to avoid the summertime traffic.

Learn about the tourists

My default mode seems to be set on the ‘I prefer to be alone’ setting. I love to be alone, until I don’t. When people travel, they simply cannot isolate themselves because of then unfamiliar environment. There is no choice but to ask for help. It may be directions, help with a menu, currency questions, and many other basic tasks. Asking for help opens us up and humbles us to be teachable. People naturally like to help each other.

When we are comfortable, know where we are going and what we need, we rarely interact with others that we don’t know. You probably can’t relate, but some people even pretend not to see people they know when they’re running errands, simply because they don’t have the time to chat. The nerve! (insert winky face emoji here)

Because you are now planning your hometown staycation, schedule in some opportunities to talk to people you don’t know. Ask where they are from, and maybe what has brought them to your part of the world. Remember, this is a vacation, so your are not busy running errands. Be friendly. How cool would it be to know you were that nice girl who told them about the awesome mine tour they experienced, and the local handcrafted soda brewing tour.

Look for “Invisible” stuff

I have this weird fascination with Bigfoot, but not for the reasons you might think. I love the mystery of it. There is no solid, scientific evidence that Bigfoot exists, but here’s the cool part: There is no solid, scientific evidence that Bigfoot doesn’t exist. Uh huh. See what I did there? That’s the magic. It’s not that I think he’s out there, trying to eat campers, it’s that he might be.

The point is, ever since I started sharing my fascination, people starting popping out of the woodwork, telling me that they are “believers”. I’ve been gifted several Bigfoot collectors items, that I totally love, even though I consider myself an anti-collector. There is even a Bigfoot believers conference somewhere up north I’ve been invited to. I’m in the tribe ya’ll! Who wouldn’t want to be an exclusive member of a tribe like this? I even have the t-shirt.

There are tribes of people doing the coolest stuff in every corner of the world. You can find them on social media, a google search, or just going for a walk with your eyes open. I even found the cutest little tribe of fairy house builders right down 3rd Avenue, in my town, that several locals don’t even know is there! What the ….? A whole fairy community. Invisible! Awesome.

Cheapest, Endless, Instagram Worthy

My heading was not just a bunch of keywords thrown together to get your attention. Ok, yes it was.

Traveling is a dream of mine so I won’t sit here and try to make it sound incredibly dull and not worth the money. What I hope to do though is inspire you to be excited about where you spend most of your time. From now on, I will use the hashtag #hometown, #durangocolorado or #staycation to post on Instagram for ideas. Will you do that too?

I am so grateful to live almost all my days in this gorgeous place, interact with interesting and unique people, and feel like I am an expert on local favorites.

If you have been following my story, you know I am transitioning from teaching to writing. I would love to hear your ideas about staycations, travel, education, and writing in the comments below!

Reach out to me at hello@rachelwhatif.com with your story or ideas for a stay-cation.