An Easter wilderness

We have been reluctant to commit to too many things since we have returned to Durango. The last time we went camping to the wilds was June of 2016! That was before Costa Rica! Before all of Europe! Before the Disney Cruise and Christmas and Austria and the New Year. So we have a soft schedule of getting outside to the wilderness every other weekend for the duration of the summer. If you are looking for us, go to the wild. We will be there. Easter was no exception.

What more appropriate place to spend Good Friday than in the desert. Our friends, the McAlvany’s, have begun a tradition of celebrating Passover on Good Friday, which was the Last Supper that Jesus had with his disciples. He of course added communion as a ritual he hoped Christians would continue in after his death and resurrection which we partake in weekly, however, this was a really beautiful and meaningful experience that was completely new to all of us.

The ritual has liturgy that we all participated in that is punctuated with a traditional meal of lamb and olives stew and matzo ball soup, courtesy of the great chef M-C. There was lots of wine which the kids did not complain about and an overall sense of reflection, and anticipation to the despair for Jesus’s followers that followed the next days in Christian history.

We toiled all day on Saturday hiking. Justin planned 3- 10 to 12 year old hikes for a crew that ranged in age of 2-12. But with the promise of ruins, and artifacts, and petroglyphs…and ice cream, (let’s be honest, they did it for the ice cream) they were all troopers. It’s amazing just how far little legs can go!

Two of the hikes followed washes, weaving in and out of sage and cottonwood trees, over sandstone slick rock and into box canyon alcoves revealing the remnants of a long ago civilization. It’s like Mesa Verde, but with out the crowds and the feel of being a herd animal, shepherded and closely monitored through history.

The third hike took us up over the reef. It climbed across wide open expanses of slick rock, past some beautiful petroglyphs and to the high side cliffs that towered over the wash we were camping in at 900′ tall! We could see Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado as we stood in Utah.

After a some ice cream, we headed back to our beautiful campsite below the cottonwoods, where the kids built their own fire with flint and steel wool overlooking the adults cooking dinner.

Sunday morning, we awoke to endless pounds of fried bacon, (a huge treat considering the boys had been without any meat for all of lent), poached eggs, McAlvany coffee (read, european strong coffee) and a nice Sunday service, recounting the death and resurrection of Christ.

We detoured the long way home across Cedar Mesa, down the ridiculously steep and winding Moki Dugway, through the Valley of the Gods which is like a miniature Monument Valley without the entry fee, and then back through the mountains to Durango. All the kids got rides on the motorcycle with David and a turn at the wheel of the 4-runner with Justin. It’s pretty much kid heaven.When the boys speak of their favorite memories, desert camping with friends always makes the top three.

The top of the Moki Dugway. Like a giant’s steps, the road switchbacks 3 miles at an 11% grade to descend the 1200′ span between Cedar Mesa and the valley floor.

It was a beautiful Easter and perhaps the most meaningful I’ve ever had. Makes you really grateful for good friends, good food, cold beer, beautiful views, fascinating finds and the health and freedom to experience it all.

Happy Easter!