The Route, Star Parties, AI Bands & Public Lands (#3)
Our journey through the rest of Arizona & Utah
3 for 3, hey! This week includes hike reviews, couple of opinions in the news,
The USA Adventure Route
Edan reminded me this week I have not shared the current route for our 50 day, 7000 mile foray into van life out West!
Inclusive of some weekend detours to Madison, WI for a wedding, and Vegas→BHM→Vegas for the Portico show, we have now completed our first 6 national parks across Utah & Arizona: Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Grand Canyon, with additional stops in Horseshoe Bend & Antelope Canyon in Arizona.
We are now in the thick of the trip: 4 weeks straight focused on the natural highlights in California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado! Only 4300 miles and 70 hrs of driving to go! Oops.
🎉The SD Card has been found!
Best worst case scenario? You incorrectly thought the SD card was not the one you had the whole time. We found it Tuesday evening after posting last week, and have organized since (and posted a number of our first posts of Utah on Friday on the gram!)
I’m working to finalize putting my favorite pics from my camera in one place on the internet, so in the meantime here are my Top 10 so far from Arizona & Utah, fresh off the press:
Our Hikes in Zion
Angel’s Landing:
Way back in April, I entered the lottery for an Angel’s Landing permit, and struck gold. Due to the steep, narrow, and chained nature of the hike, only 400-800 people receive permits each day to hike up to the top, who Frederick Fisher, the trail’s discoverer, described in 1916 as “so high that only an angel could land on it.”
We made the first shuttle into the park at 6a, and somehow found ourselves 4th on the trail. After lumbering up Hogsback, Walter’s Wiggles, and turning at Scout’s Lookout, we passed through the knife’s edge, only a few feet wide and over a thousand foot drops on either side. Slow and steady was the name of the game. Clutching every chainlink railing to the top, we were met with sneaky chipmunks, the morning light cascading down into the valley, and the most stunning 360º view.
It’s safe to say, if you’re up for the heights and elevation, it’s one of the finest hikes in America. Can’t recommend enough.
The Narrows:
My co-worker Kendra could not recommend renting e-bikes in the park enough, so for our final day in the park we splurged on a tandem Rad Power E-Bike (my Dad has logged over 7500 miles on his powerwagon) and zipped up the 8 miles right at 6a. Arriving at the Temple of Sinawah, we were shocked to beat the first shuttle and see only 5 other bikes at the stop.
The Narrows is a 16+ mile stretch of the Virgin river next to soaring canyon walls. If you want to hike it, you have to come prepared—a quarter mile in you wade chest-deep, the rocks underfoot can be loose and slippery, and the water is chilly!
We waded a few miles up to the river split where the walls are its narrowest (10-20ft wide), carefully picking our which rocks to trust with our steps. We parked on a rock in the center of the river, staring up at the sun splashing and falling onto the canyon wall above us.
For those 15 minutes, we had the Narrows to ourselves, without another passerby, which made the hike all the more special. And yes, I brought Giant Sour Patch Kids, and yes, they were fantastic for the moment.
The reason our isolation felt so unexpected was upon turning around and returning down river, we passed close to 1000 people. Why us? As we marched in the opposite direction of everyone else, we saw the all too familiar neon red and green water boots and wooden sticks for rent everywhere at the entrance to the park. Opting instead for our wool hiking socks, hiking boots, and our tent awning poles, it felt cool to pass by the masses knowing our risk had paid off, still basking in our private experience.
Light & Color (Antelope Canyon)
Ken’s Tours of the Lower Antelope Canyon did not disappoint!
After a sunset dinner at the cliff’s edge of Horseshoe Bend, we hit the 7a tour, shuffling up the canyon with a hundred other tourists on Navajo land. Two companies run tours every 15 minutes, and regularly mentioned slotting several thousand people a day. Our tour guide, Shoshana, pointed out many animals and faces in the rocks as we winded through the canyon.
This natural phenomenon is the spitting example of how color & light can do the most amazing things, especially in tandem with the natural world. It was baffling seeing desktop screensavers from Windows, Apple, and Google with my own eyes—the sandstone really did wind and curve in a mesmerizing way. What you don’t see in the pictures though, is the rough lumps all over the walls; a sign of the perfect imperfections across nature, and perhaps a hidden message to us all.
Vastness & Star Party - Grand Canyon
We’ve hit a lot of canyons the last couple of weeks, and it’s fitting we hit the biggest for last, The Grand Canyon, one of the most iconic national parks in America. I told Ana, Grand Canyon was definitely the first national park I ever heard about, and she agreed.
If you haven’t been, let me tell you, it’s big! Kind of incomprehensible really. I liked how the visitor center film phrased it “a vista that opens your world of imagination.” A reminder that things can be bigger than we can ever feel possible. In some ways, the essence of American exceptionalism, that there is an endless frontier, and that our nation should never limit the potential of a vision turning into a reality.
What we didn’t know was on the itinerary during our 48 hours here was the 35th annual Star Party Week, where over a hundred astronomers volunteer their time and telescopes for the public to witness the other half of the park: the night sky. Following a spectacular sunset at Mather Point, and some celestial piano compositions by professional astronomer and musician, Dr. Tyler Nordgren, we got to peer into all kinds of telescopes and converse with sky nerds. We saw Globular clusters, double stars, red supergiants, the craters of a crescent moon, and the clearest Milky Way by eye I’ve ever seen! Ana now wants a telescope. What a coincidental & fun encounter for a Friday night—regular folks sharing their passions for free in a spectacular setting.
Our Public Land is up for Sale
Our Senate is currently seeking to list 250 million public acres for sale, and it is hitting home rather hard right now as we have literally past through areas that would be available.
I have seen photographers post pictures they have taken on land that is listed, and it is heartbreaking to imagine that our future generations could lose access to these beautiful places again, let alone how these lands will be used & forever changed once put in private hands.
Fortunately, Patagonia provided a very simple flow that allows anyone to guide them in calling their state’s senators, which I used! And the great news is I learned the bill has currently been nixed as of yesterday (Saturday 6/28), all because some 10 million Americans spoke out in opposition.
I encourage everyone here to research the bill & keep track of the current state in case a 2 minute call could continue to hold back an irreversible decision.
The Velvet Sundown - Spotify’s Continued Search for PFC
My friend Mark shared with me a new band that is blowing up on Spotify, The Velvet Sundown. The band describes themself their sound as mixing “mixing textures of ‘70s psychedelic alt-rock and folk rock, yet it blends effortlessly with modern alt-pop and indie structures.” It was a cool sound, somewhere between bands I’ve followed for a long time, like Allah-Las, Khruangbin, and Robert Lester Folsom.
The reality is, it is a band made end-to-end with AI, by Spotify themselves. A fake band with a fake name mentioning fake bandmates in their bio. It’s all a long-running scheme to increase “PFC,” or perfect fit content, Spotify’s push to scale streaming of material that either doesn’t require royalties or is quickly made music bought in volume at a discount. After all, royalties are the variable cost driver of their business. Here and now sits a perfect crossroads that raises an ethical question:
is art truly art if there is no humanity behind it?
My opinion is that, if left to our own devices, and if Spotify were able to operate however they’d like, AI impersonating bands and artists would proliferate. And I would argue the majority of listeners wouldn’t care, so long that the music fit their genres and was of a certain bar.
As a musician that has struggled to crack Spotify’s algorithm, with music I know could grow organically, this certainly puts me and a million other bands like Portico’s at an inflection point. While continually at the mercy of digital streaming platforms (DSPs), we will only continue to be pushed out if this takes off.
I’m curious to follow the news here. What artists will speak out? What does the industry think? And what does the average Spotify listener think, or more importantly, what do they ultimately choose to consume?
Highlight:
📍Top of Angel’s Landing, 7:30a on Tues, June 24th, 2025
10/10 Hike!
(Ana didn’t know this was a chain hike…)
Memorable Quotes:
“Everyone wants to change the world, but no one wants to change the toilet paper roll. Be the change” - Framed Quote in Westside Lilo’s Café Bathroom, Seligman, AZ
“You have perfect eyebrows, here’s my number” - Wizzy (a stranger), to Ana, at the Grand Canyon Public Library
What We’re Enjoying:
Lorde’s new album, Virgin (Pitchfork Review)
Steely Dan, Jim Croce, & America
Cribbage, the best 2 player game out there
Gas Buddy — Get ~15c/gal off on select stations by uploading receipts
VanMadeGear custom Chevy Express sunshades (with Marine Grade Reflective). One of our biggest splurges for the van in our recent renovation, but oh so worth it in the Arizona desert heat
Bluetti AC180 Power Station (+StarLink) - What is single handedly allowing me to work remote on the road. The Bluetti simply plugs into the wall and charges back in 45 mins (the equivalent energy of my WiFi for 30 hours)
(I have no reason to share these products other than the fact that they’ve been essential for our journey)
Little Tips?
Public libraries! Specifically the Page, AZ & Grand Canyon Public Library this week— perfect for AC in the afternoons in the desert & Free Wifi.
For roadtrips to national parks, play the License Plate game! Speaking of: anyone know where everyone is in New Hampshire? We’re stuck at 43…
Considering a roadtrip like this? For owning your destiny, the most popular national park campsites become fully booked 4-6 months ahead of time. Yeah, it’s kind of crazy. Research when they open (the timing is different for every. single. campground), and stay on top of your dates! While it makes your trip more rigid, the low-cost allows for deviations as needed or wanted, so it’s totally worth it either way. And staying IN the park is another kind of special and convenience.
What to expect Next Week: We are soaking up the Cali Life — Sequoia & King’s Canyon, Yosemite, and July 4th at Lake Tahoe 🇺🇸
So cool to experience Sky Party at Grand Canyon! Love all the tips plus music loves! 🩵🩵