American Southwest 2009

Another amazing day in the Southwest. We woke early, checked out of
our Moab hotel, packed up the car, and drove north out of Moab to
Canyonlands National Park. The weather was sunny, dry, and brisk. We
wound our way into the park, gaining altitude and driving onto a mesa
known as Island in the Sky. After an hour or so we reached the end of
the road at the Grand View, a scenic area that looks out onto and into
massive canyons on three sides. We arrived just in time for the Park
Ranger's 11:30 lecture and had him to ourselves. He told us about
John Wesley Powell's explorations along the Colorado River 2,000 feet
below us, and also some colorful anecdotes about Butch Cassidy and the
Sundance Kid robbing banks and fleeing through the area to a hideout
known as Robber's Roost. He also told us about the legend of Dead
Horse Point. The boys scrabbled onto the rocks, staying a safe
distance from the precarious drops, and had time for a short hike and
lunch before we drove back to the visitor's center, where we all had a
quite a surprise. But first, a bit of background. While preparing
for our trip the first week of M-term back in East Hampton, we watched
a series of National Park videos about the Moab area and Canyonlands
National Park. These podcasts were all hosted by a woman Park Ranger
named Karen Hanker. Each time, we downloaded a new podcast, the boys
would greet her -- "Hey it's Karen again. How you doing, Karen?"
Well, as we drove into the park this morning, the gang commented that
it would be funny to see ole Karen Hanker, and as we talked, the
legend of Karen Hanker grew, to the point that Hank even composed a
song, a Moab version of "This Land is Your Land," which contained a
line about Karen Hanker. So on our way out of the park, we decided
to stop at the visitor's center. Michelle and Max went in before the
rest of us, and as Michelle came out a couple of the boys asked her if
there was a woman ranger inside and she said yes. We found Max just
inside the door, and he said to us in an urgent whisper, "That woman
has a name tag that says 'Karen.'" The rest of us stood and looked at
the ranger behind the desk, until finally we realized it was indeed
THE Karen Hanker. Several of us cautiously approached, then Hank
walked up, said Hello, and told her she was in a song he had just
composed, whereupon Hank sang for her his Moab/Karen Hanker "This Land
is Your Land." We then told her the whole story of how we became
Karen Hanker fans, and she was quite flattered. The photo below is
proof that this all actually happened. Afterward, we drove through
the incredible Utah landscape -- from red rock dessert back into and
through snow covered mountains, and on to Salt Lake City. We're due
to arrive at 10:20 PM tomorrow (Wed) night.