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Published: April 2nd 2015
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Roadtrip SW USA: Winners are Grinners...or are they? The lottery for permits to visit The Wave has begun. Only 10 places per day...so many here our chances about 5 percent.
He turns the lottery wheel like an egg beater...the numbered balls bouncing...opens the cage...reaches in..."Number 26" he calls...that's our number!
This is what we came for...what will we do?
******
I Feel Lucky...Yeh...I Feel Lucky Today.
When planning our SW USA trip my Number One wish...in fact my only wish...was to visit The Wave in Arizona.
I first saw it in a blog that blew my proverbial mind
"THE WAVE" .
Twisting...turning...petrified striations...orange, yellow, red, brown and gold...I'd call it a dream if I didn't know it was real.
"Walking the Wave" in the Paria Canyon-Vermillian Cliffs Wilderness thus became my "Walking on Water" Quest.
Now we are off to those parts...that's where we're going.
Bit of research...aaah...not that encouraging.
"For a chance to visit The Wave," it said "up to 100 people or more participate in a daily lottery held in Kanab, Utah. 10 winners will hike 6 miles round-trip to this sandstone formation on the
Arizona-Utah border."
Got the lowdown from the Ranger Station in St George...gotta get to the Staircase Escalante Visitors Centre in Kanab.
So that's where we are heading.
Met a guy who'd tried 18 times...unsuccessfully.
But do I feel lucky?
Can't explain it...but I do!
******
I've won only one raffle in my life.
Looking at an Art Exhibition in the Commonwealth Bank HQ in Sydney when I was nearly 25. Lady came up and asked if I wanted to go in the $2 raffle to win an oil painting by Kevin Best...even let me choose the ticket book colour and the numbers!
So I chose "Green...about to have a birthday so 24, 25 and 26 please."
Rang me two weeks later at work. "If you have ticket Green J26 you have won the painting."
Going through my wallet and finding that ticket was a thrill hard to describe.
Standing on the train going home with a painting nearly as big as me...priceless.
I'm looking at it now.
So the idea I could win the lottery for The Wave was challenging the odds indeed.
Won once...twice unlikely...to get the same number...impossible!!!
******
Booked the Comfort Inn next door to the Staircase Escalante Visitors Centre in Kanab...checked the sign...opens 8 a.m.
Guess who's going to be first there?
Yet we weren't.
About 5 4WDs parked outside full of people...not stepping outside until the doors open as the polar vortex has hit here hard...its freezing.
But doesn't stop us waiting at the door...and people lining up behind us!
Doors open...people streaming in...30 then 40 before I knew it.
"We'll open the lottery at 8.30 and draw it at 9 a.m." the Ranger says. " Drawing for Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Today Friday permits fully booked."
He explained that due to the conditions this was a tough trek...lengthy drive in...6 mile trek...gotta be fit...gotta be sure you can make it.
No swapping...no wheeler-dealing or you forfeit.
By the time the draw started there were about 100 and all were representing groups of 2 or more.
We were Number 26...and as more streamed in my optimism was waning.
As we had to be at Home & Away's home in Colorado by a particular
date, Denise & I agreed that if we did not get the Saturday we'd give it a miss.
Otherwise we'd miss other areas of Utah, Arizona and Colorado we wanted to see...and we didn't want whole days of driving.
More and more stories were flying around the room that people had got bogged the days before...others got caught behind them...had to get tow-trucks to pull them out...hassle, hassle, hassle...not feeling optimistic at all now.
So with heavy hearts we entered the room for the auction.
******
The Ranger gave us the Rules again...very serious...filling a round wire lotto cage with numbered wooden balls. All the seats filled...people lining the walls.
A few little girls to our left being told by their mother to not get too upset if they missed out...Denise as is her way smiling and encouraging them also.
"9 a.m. We will start the lottery for Saturday"...grinding the wheel.
"Number 43."
"Accept."
"How many are you?"
"Two."
"Next draw" ...grinding the wheel.
"Number 37."
"Accept."
"How many are you?"
"Two."
My body is twisting in a knotted ball. Talk
about tense.
"Next draw" ...grinding the wheel.
"Number 16."
"Accept."
"How many are you?"
"Six."
There are audible groans flying around the room...the little girls to our left whooping with joy.
I feel sick.
These girls are too small to handle it. They won't be able to endure the trek. 10 places taken in 3 draws. People getting up and leaving.
Little kids winning...you're kidding!!!
I just sit there deflated...like a tyre losing air.
"That's Saturday filled. Now we will start the lottery for Sunday"...grinding the wheel.
"Number 26."
Time stops...that's our number!!!
My heart misses a beat.
Like a movie projector that has jammed.
"Reject" I say weakly.
The Ranger looks at me. He knows I'm the Aussie who has travelled half way around the World to be here. I was talking to him earlier.
"Are you sure?" he asks.
I look at Denise...like looking in a mirror...dejection looking back at me.
"We can't do other than Saturday," I say. "I'm sorry. We have to say No."
Winners are grinners they say.
Yet on this occasion we
were not.
******
But life goes on.
Denise saying I'll be in torment for days...thinking those little girls probably won't go.
Meeting heaps of people after that who had been trying for years without success.
Yet we were successful at our only attempt...valid reason for saying No...never be that lucky again.
Yet I was content.
I had this overwhelming feeling we'd win and we did.
Hell of a lot better than simply missing out.
So I was smiling as we headed East...let's visit the Toadstools...they're around here somewhere.
It's Friday morning.
If we accepted Sunday for The Wave we wouldn't be leaving this area until Monday...gotta keep going.
Do I feel lucky?
Yep...I gotta say...I do!
Relax & Enjoy,
Dancing Dave
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Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
Oh, NO!!!
I'm so sorry that you missed out on the Wave just so that you could get to our home on time.