Elizabeth Clements's Blog: Expedition Me & You

Wolf Mountain Trail at Pedernales Falls State Park

To most people, yesterday was Black Friday, a consumerist holiday that it seems like nearly every American store in existence participates in. Even pet stores have Black Friday sales. I remember all of our efforts at Petsmart while I worked there, getting hyped up about how great our sales would be. We would spend hours merchandising and getting things ready only to be sorely disappointed by sales by the end of the day. My attitude toward this tradition and toward consumerism in general has c...

Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge

Chris and I had a wonderful time today hiking a loop of trails at the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. The area we ventured to is called Doeskin Ranch. While the refuge has a number of trails that are smaller in size, we opted to take portions of each trail and essentially travel a large loop around the area.
Doeskin Ranch TrailheadApproximately 45 minutes from Austin, it is easy to get to. We didn't even use the GPS, just maps. Signs direct you to where you need to go. Very user...

Hiking the Violet Crown Trail

Austin recently opened a new portion of the Violet Crown, a trail which winds along through the Austin Greenbelt. A couple of weeks ago, Chris and I visited for the first time. 
Visitors should note that the new trailhead does not have its own parking lot. You're advised to park at a nearby shopping plaza. Get directions to 4970 W Hwy 290 and park in the Spec's lot close to the frontage road. The trailhead is just slightly east from there on foot.
This is what the entrance looks like. You...

White Sands National Monument

Chris walked in the footsteps of an earlier traveler until we reached quite the scenic view!
We're quickly coming up on our first wedding anniversary! October 12th! Eek! When I first started this blog I had a feeling I wouldn't be updating it as much as I'd like. I never expected, however, for it to take a year to finally finish writing about our honeymoon. I should have known better, but it is what it is.

While Chris and I are adventurous types we are also the kind of folks who depend on stead...

The Very Large Array (Or Visiting the VLA)

Even though many months have passed since our final day in New Mexico, I still recall the events of our visit to the Very Large Array. When we last left you, Chris and I had spent the evening staring into space (literally) at an Earthship rental in Taos, New Mexico. When we awoke the next morning we packed the car and headed south. Our schedule did not permit us to see any sights while in Taos (very unfortunate) but we drove through the town on the way out of dodge. It seems like a neat place. Maybe on our next visit we'll squeeze in some sightseeing there.

We left mid to late morning in order to stop in Albuquerque to have lunch at the Loving Vegan restaurant. Traveling throughout the Land of Enchantment ended up being a little challenging for we two vegans but the Loving Vegan was simply amazing. I had never had such excellent Asian food even prior to going vegan. I'll be sharing a more depth analysis in another post, however, devoted to food and not to the VLA.

As soon as our bellies were filled with yummy Asian food, our journey continued. We spent approximately 5 hours on the road between Toas, Albuquerque, and Socorro. There does stand a gift shop and visitor center at the Very Large Array. I believe our arrival occurred between 3 and 4, and the center admits its last visitor at 4 o'clock. I recall a minor panic as we drove down the isolated road toward the VLA. Chris adores everything related to space and astronomy. She had been determined to purchase a souvenier and if we had pulled up with the doors closed I can imagine how horrible a day that would have been. But we were in luck! In fact, there were so many visitors that the lovely ladies running the registers kept the shop open for nearly the whole time we were there.

Once our purchases were made, Chris and I headed out on our self-guided tour. We made it just a few paces when I felt something in my pants leg. Then I had a sharp pain in my buttocks! I trotted back to the restroom as discreetly as possible. In my stall I discovered a squished bee in my jeans. I guess I smacked it pretty good when it bit me... Right in the bum.

Now that that crisis was taken care of, we continued on our self-guided tour.

Playing with parabolasA sort of greeting and educational area is set up at the beginning of the tour. Visitors will encounter a sundial in the shape of a telescope and a set of parabolas to communicate with, which are very fun. Essentially, you can whisper into one and hear it loud and clear in another. We nerded out a considerable amount over them! Even to the point of discussing whether or not to construct some in our backyard if we ever have a house.

As you wind your way along the gravel paths, it is difficult not to be impressed with the immensity of the dishes towering over you. See the image below for some perspective!

Those are some big dishes!
I tested my steadiness and managed to compose three great panoramas without my tripod. Here's my favorite.

The Very Large Array (VLA)It was an educational trip. To summarize, the purpose of the VLA is as follows:

"Astronomers using the VLA have made key observations of black holes and protoplanetary disks around young stars, discovered magnetic filaments and traced complex gas motions at the Milky Way's center, probed the Universe's cosmological parameters, and provided new knowledge about the physical mechanisms that produce radio emission."
This is according to Wikipedia. 
You may also recognize the site from any number of films including Contact and Independence Day.
I have read that some visitors are lucky enough to witness the dishes moving during their time there. Alas, for us, this did not occur.
Oh, be sure to explore the whole site. You can get a great view from one of the buildings on the second story landing.
If you're a prospective visitor please realize that cameras are allowed but cell phones are not. As mentioned before, the center is open daily until 4pm for self-guided tours but is closed on some holidays. Guided tours also take place on weekends. Presently, tickets for adults are $6. For more information, visit the website here. Also, if you're unable to visit in person or simply want to know more before going, you can partake of a virtual tour by clicking here!

Our Night In An Earthship

When Chris and I first started planning our wedding one of the first things we did regarding the honeymoon was book one night in an Earthship in Taos, New Mexico. Chris's coworker mentioned it to her. We took a look at the Earthship Biotecture website and made our reservation about two months into planning our trip. Yes, we were THAT excited about it.

I have been a huge nerd for Earthships since I was a teenager. Truth be told, I spent my summer vacation at age 16 researching eco-friendly things at the library (we did not have access to the internet at home that year). I learned all about electric cars, sustainable building methods, and conservation practices that you can use in day-to-day life. I fell in love with Earthships at a young age and you bet your sweet bippy I was going to spend the night in one if I could.

The Earthship village we stayed in
Getting to Taos from Puye had been difficult. Our GPS and phones gave us two completely different sets of instructions. We opted to follow those provided by Google, which ended up being a huge mistake. The maps app directed our 2003 Volkswagen Jetta through the Rio Grande Gorge until we began climbing a dirt road up a mountain. That's when Chris said, "No way, Jose." We turned around and added an hour to our drive in the process. Note to travelers, don't do what we did.

Check-in time for the Earthship should have been before 4pm. Due to poor satellite reception, we weren't able to get in touch with anyone at the facility until after the check-in time had passed. The two of us were having panic attacks in the process. Thankfully, the girl responsible for taking the reservations assured us that we could still stay the night when we finally got someone on the phone. We managed to get to the visitors center before 5pm and were escorted to our Earthship shortly thereafter.

The Lemuria Earthship, where we stayed the nightOur original plan had us visiting a natural grocery store in Taos for dinner-making supplies. After the nerve-wracking trek to the Earthship, though, we opted to eat what we had leftover from the wedding and to just spend the night relaxing.

We took so many pictures of the Earthship.

The greenhouse ran alongside the living quartersNever had I been inside a more beautiful yet small abode.

The bedroom. Small but so cozy!And it was SO QUIET inside.

All of the homes in the neighborhood were Earthships, too. Residences. With hopping rabbits between them and vast expanses of blue sky above them.

Direct view from the frontOne of Chris's goals for our honeymoon was to see the Milky Way with her naked eye. New Mexico is one of a few gateways the world has to the rest of the galaxy. That's how it feels, anyway. It's rich in space history, and it does offer views of the Milky Way. At the Earthship colony, stars began popping out to see us as soon as darkness fell. I attempted to photograph them with my camera using the longest exposure setting I had, but not much came of that.

After a couple of hours outside admiring the universe, Chris and I relocated to the indoors. I had had a wonderful time listening to her ooh and ahh over the planets and other celestial objects she was seeing with her eye, binoculars, telescope, etc. Her happiness is my happiness! But even in October the nights in New Mexico can be freezing. When it came time to go inside, we happily discovered that our rental came complete with informative books on Earthship Biotecture and DVDs about building them. I remember watching them and feeling inspired to one day build our own. I did, however, have a bottle of wine that night so all of the details are a bit sketchy.

When I say "bottle" I mean like two glasses... Maybe. Anyway!

Watching architect Michael Reynolds discuss his designs and inspiration behind Earthships had us convinced that we needed to start saving to build our own. If money were no object, we concluded that it would be the best option for us. Realistically, though, as we are neither rich nor contractors, an Earthship is not likely in our future. It was really fun to dream about it while staying in one, though.

If you'd like the chance to do the same, visit the website and take a look at the models available to rent. Many are pet-friendly. If you can't make up your mind, one of the people who takes reservations over the phone can assist you. She chose the right one for us!

Puye Cliff Dwellings

While Bandelier National Monument was relaxing and inviting, Chris and I were most definitely interested in additional exploration when it came to cliff dwellings and New Mexico's historic sites. Our schedule permitted us one destination on Tuesday. We could choose to visit the Taos Pueblo or Puye Cliff Dwellings. Although the Pueblo is supposed to be pretty spectacular, Chris and I are wary of crowds. The Taos Pueblo is a very popular place. Although it's filled with authentic Native American artisans and craftspeople, she and I felt more like we wanted a one on one experience doing something a little more exciting than shopping.



Puye is beautiful. A Pueblo guide provides an intimate tour throughout the site. What I enjoyed most about it is that her experiences were firsthand. She is a direct descendant of the individuals who used to inhabit the cliff dwellings and her knowledge about the area was not only complete but also genuine. In fact, the people who used to live at the site now live approximately 10 miles away.

This was, by far, the most adventurous tourist destination I've visited. Unlike at Bandelier, the ladders for climbing the cliffs are tall. There were several instances during which I felt like one slip of a foot and I'd fall to my death. In retrospect, I'm surprised we weren't asked to sign a waiver before we headed out...

The views are incredible here!



Our guide shared a lot of stories about local flora and fauna. She told us about how the 1,500 Pueblo People  who used to live there had kept turkeys as pets. The children were responsible for walking the turkeys everyday. Okay, so maybe they were also kept to make blankets from their feathers and for the occasional meal, but it made me really want a turkey of my own. Hahaha.

At the Mesa Top we were treated with a panoramic view.



Ruins of the pueblo are found there, as well as those of a keva. Visitors are not allowed to photograph the keva for spiritual reasons. We were, however, allowed inside. We climbed down a ladder into the cool, dark room. It felt refreshing to be out of the sun, even if it smelled dusty inside. Our guide told us about how kevas are used for ceremonies and rituals.

The majority of folks at the Mesa Top had taken the bus instead of the hike through the trails. None of them seemed very adventurous, and I think for the most part they spent about 15 minutes asking questions, taking pictures, and looking dumbfounded that anyone would be able to live at such a high elevation with such primitive resources. Let's just say they didn't seem like the type of folks that would go camping!

What's left of the pueblo is majestic and striking.




It's very difficult to describe.

We visited so many incredible places on our honeymoon I've found it impossible to pick a favorite. Suffice it to say, though, Puye is not a location to pass on!

Our long day concluded with a long drive to our next destination, where we spent a night in Taos in an Earthship...

Santa Fe Wedding Guide

For anyone interested, I thought I should compile a complete list of resources for anyone who may want to replicate our destination wedding! As mentioned previously, Chris and I had a vegan wedding in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We planned everything ourselves with much help from our moms. I had a very difficult time with everything and any help I can provide to others attempting something similar could be valuable. So, here goes.



Venue
Hyde Memorial State Park
It cost $500 for an entire day's use. It is a state park and is run by rangers. They are not overly helpful, but the price is amazing. The scenery is fantastic. We booked for their final week. Unless you want to risk ran, sleet, hail, and snow, I would suggest booking a week or two before their final weekend for your fall wedding and probably the opposite for spring.

Officiant
Marilee Harrison, Humanist Celebrant
We could not have asked for a more professional officiant. We loved Marilee. She provided us with options for our secular service including pre-written vows. She spoke clearly and with purpose and she was really, really nice. We paid $250 for all of our services. Definitely worth the investment.

Favors
Greenworld Project Saplings
Our woodland theme required appropriate favors. Chris picked out the little tubes filled with spruce saplings. They were easy to transport and care for. We ended up with three for ourselves. We planted them and although they are having some difficulty I expect they will continue to grow. They also have options for different trees and even flowers.

Catering
The two of us were determined to have a vegan wedding. Santa Fe has a number of options. For awhile we went back and forth between ordering food from Annapurna World Cuisine and Thai Vegan. Ultimately, though, we put an order in through the Whole Foods location on St. Francis Street. The price was right but on the wedding day the order was not ready. The staff were less than apologetic but the issue did get resolved. We ordered a number of salads by the pound and some wraps. Family said everything was great but I was less than impressed.

Cake
Treehouse Pastry Shop
When we visited Santa Fe in May, Chris and I attempted to sample goods from the local bakeries that offered vegan cakes. Unfortunately, nearly each of those establishments only make vegan cake or cupcakes as special orders. You do have a number of options, though. First, Revolution Bakery produces amazing vegan and gluten-free baked goods. Annapurna World Cuisine makes chocolate and carrot cakes. They are traditional style cakes so depending on how fancy you'd like to be, you may need someplace else. The third option, which is where we ordered from, is Treehouse Pastry Shop. Their menu includes many, many flavor options. We went with the lemon raspberry. Essentially, it ended up being a layer cake with raspberry jam in the middle and lemon buttercream frosting. It was really sweet, but I enjoyed it a lot. Vegan baked goods can be difficult for non-vegan establishments to make, so that could explain the epic sweetness.

Rings
Southwest Silver Gallery
To keep in line with the southwestern theme of our wedding, Chris and I really wanted to have rings that were locally created. Initially, our idea was to order turquoise bands. It took us months to find something we both liked, though. We ended up ordering a two person set from Southwest Silver Gallery. The local artist designed and manufactured the bands. They're silver and have a distinct southwestern look to them. Also, you can't go wrong with $179.

Gifts
We had originally intended to purchase gifts for all of my parents as well as my brother but had such difficulty finding anything appropriate that wasn't also cheesy. Ultimately, we only purchased gifts for our mothers with whom we could not have hosted such a wonderful celebration. While we were in Santa Fe in May, we bought two original watercolors by a local artist. We bought a couple for ourselves as well, in order to remember our time there.

The rest of the planning was not Santa Fe specific (clothes, flowers, decorations, etc.) so this entails all of the resources I can provide. If you're looking for any other recommendations, though, do not hesitate to ask. Also, if you end up using this guide to plan your wedding, I would love to see a photo from your big day! Feel free to leave me a comment. Thanks for reading! And congratulations!

Bastrop State Park

Chris and I visited Bastrop State Park today for a nice hike. It's been a few weeks since the last time we went exploring and Chris was really itching to get out there. Her goal for the both of us is to one day backpack so the sooner we start training, the better. 

Several years ago, wild fires destroyed homes, land, and public areas throughout Bastrop. The state park stands as evidence. Regrowth is happening, but it will be decades before the park is normal again. 

Despite t...

Throwback Thursday: NRAO Green Bank Telescope

A very, very long time ago, Chris and I lived in Elkins, West Virginia. In 2008, the two of us drove 1-2 hours to visit the Green Bank Radio Astronomy Observatory located in the same state. I was a nerd-in-training then so the immensity of its importance didn't strike me at the time, but I still found the experience worth remembering. And I had fun taking pictures.


You are not allowed to use digital photography close up, so this is the best photo I got. The sun was setting. It made everything very picturesque. 
The telescope is used in a number of sciences including Chemistry and Physics. Here's what the website has to say about its use in Planetary Science:

When the GBT is used as a partner with a transmitting radar antenna, it can be used to map asteroids, moons, planets, and comets to a level of accuracy that is often better than spacecraft which are actually in orbit around those objects. Also, radar penetrates the soft surfaces on some of these worlds, giving geologists the kind of details they could only have gotten by landing on them. 

Visitors are guided on a tour throughout the facility. You can also take part in demonstrations at the science center on site. When the two of us went the educator provided a demonstration that involved pouring liquid nitrogen across the floor. It was COOL. Literally.

It's a neat place to check out. For more information on what projects the telescope is currently involved in, check out "Green Bank in the News." As an example, the GBT helped scientists discover that our Milky Way Galaxy is part of a super cluster of galaxies that stretches nearly 500 million light years across.

The site is open nearly every day (closed on major holidays) with varying hours depending on season. For more information, visit the Visit the GBT website.

If you've visited the GBT I'd love to see any of your photos! Feel free to leave them in a comment :-)