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Friday, March 23

What a great break with the family these last couple days! It was wonderful to see both Mom and Dad Buckman. While in Westminster, we visited Knotts Berry Farm; I expected a commercial sized farmers market, but Justin knew better. It was a huge amusement park, featuring the Charlie Brown comic characters and Knotts berries everywhere. The shopping area was nicely set in an old west theme. I learned that the Knotts Berry Farm is where the boysenberry became famous, being created in California then made popular by the Knotts restaurant. I was able to procure a small amount of boysenberry flavored souvenirs, only after nearly making myself sick riding all the wild coasters.

Click on photo to see cell phone pics from our Knotts visit.

After leaving Westminster, we spent the last two days in Springville, where I was able to get out and play with my camera while I was here. Sure, the weather wasn’t sunny 70’s California typical, it was still very enjoyable for me with rain and even a brief thunderstorm.

Let me tell you a bit about the Springville surroundings. If you have ever wanted to travel abroad to Ireland to see their lush green slopes and rocky ridges peeking out of the morning fog, you really don’t have to go farther than Springville in the springtime! I don’t know if the rainy weather contributed to how magical the surroundings felt (I obviously love the rain ), because while we were scooting around the upper hills, I felt transported to another country. The air was thick and fresh, and the sights down into the valley were dreamlike with the Tule River, angry from heavy rains, rolling through the abundantly green pastures and meadows. I looked to either side, surrounded by equally green hills punctuated with boulders, peppered with smaller rock then lightly sprinkled with colorful spring flowers- it all really lifts your spirits. We didn't venture further for the roads to the higher elevations were still closed due to snow. Down below, Lily ran free in a very large area fenced in with Justin’s father’s two dogs, where she could hound around in the rock or tear around the yard in pretend chase. It was a great place to rest up a few more days. The surrounding countryside is vineyard area, some areas so perfectly arranged in symmetric fields, it felt like a painting. It inspired me to make some of the photos into photo art, giving them a painterly effect. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Click above photo for Springville area.                                                               

Click above photo for artsy-fartsy pieces.

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California Bound

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Tuesday, March 13

We started this morning with one last hike through Red Canyon before driving out of the area. Lil enjoyed it just as much today as the first day, climbing rock like a mountain goat.

Click on photo to see Day Two of Red Canyon.

On our way to the next stop somewhere between Bryce and Las Vegas, we cruised up into some beautiful wooded mountain tops covered in snow and adorned with stark white birch trees sprinkled among the tall pines, the Dixie National Forest. The elevation was so high, it made the drive down quite nerve racking for me; extreme grades with the RV chugging into the declining curves like an out of control locomotive. O-kay, maybe I exaggerate a bit, but that’s how it played out in my head. We went along some back roads, riding atop washboard gravel, and found the first possibility for camping. It required squeezing the RV through two very narrow and short tunnels under the highway. We stopped right before going through to mentally measure the fit, and to measure our courage, of which I had none. Justin decided to go for it and slowly but expertly maneuvered through both tunnels with no difficulty. However, once we got through and into the campground, we struck out on finding any open spaces, so back through the tiny tunnels we went. Our next possibility was within the red rocks of another beautiful park. We drove in, again on gravel roads and every spot we came upon was occupied. We decided to go as far as spot 8, and if that was full, we’d  turn back. The farther in we drove, the more narrow and sketchy the road became. At one point, it was only wide enough for a single car, and as I glanced out my window, all I could see was a sheer drop off into a ravine after the soft shoulder. I squeezed my eyes closed and leaned far to the center of the RV, as if any of that would help if we slid off. Once again, Justin got us through it just fine, and not one line worry on his brow, though I will say he was getting tired of my anxiety fits. I was quite relieved when we got back on blacktop. We headed into the small town to get some lunch and decide our next move since we’d struck out at both camps. After lunch, it was decided we go the whole way to Las Vegas and rest up there for a few days.

Click on photo to see more of the Dixie drive.

It was later in the day when we arrived in Vegas, but Justin found the perfect spot for us to get some R&R at. It was the Oasis RV Resort just a ways off the strip. An easy night with pizza delivered right to our RV, then tomorrow we’d investigate more.

Wednesday, March 14

What beautiful weather!! Sunny, 70’s, and breezy. We walked Lil out to the dog park for some morning exercise then let her relax the rest of the day in an air conditioned RV. She seemed ready for a long nap after all the hiking.

We spent part of the morning at the pool in the RV resort. This place was pretty posh. Mostly filled with snowbirds staying for the winter, and they had all the amenities they could want here. For us just driving through, we appreciated those extra perks! After the pool, we had lunch at the RV with Lil, took another stroll to the dog park, then tucked her back in while we caught an Uber to the strip. Down on the strip, we strolled and drank while taking in the sights. We saw a fella dressed as Elvis come zipping by in his scooter. Ha, how awesome is that? I raised my hand to give him a high-five as he zipped by, and his only response was “Where’s your money? Where’s your camera?” and kept on rolling. Anything for a buck I guess, this is Vegas after all. Justin and I had a chuckle over it though. We deliberated catching a show, but opted to treat ourselves to what Google had told me was the best buffet in Vegas, The Buffet at the Wynn. I was more impressed by their décor at first; huge fresh floral arrangements of whimsical colors and other varied vibrant ornaments embellishing the fresh green vines growing throughout the lobby. What a gas! Even the buffet area was vivacious and stylin’. But the food, ohhhh maaan. They even had the crab legs already split so all we had to do was spoon it out and gobble it up! I gorged myself and felt like I was going to split open after eating so much. That brought an early end to our excursion, we both were too stuffed to do anything else.

I didn't bring my real camera into the city, so all you'll get for Vegas pictures are these few.

Thursday, March 15

We departed Vegas, satisfied we had seen all we wanted to. Our next stop was close enough, Bullhead City just outside of Laughlin, Arizona. There were a few things nearby we wanted to check out before leaving the area, and the RV spot Justin found at another snowbird village was free for a few nights. It sat high atop a hill with a perfect view overlooking Laughlin and the Colorado River, probably the best RV park around with this view.

Before settling in for the night, we parked over in Laughlin and took Lil on the riverwalk stroll, letting her play along the banks of the river. When we finished, we drove over into Bullhead City, just across the river from Laughlin, and had lunch at the Black Bear Diner; a very busy place with good ole café food. I ordered a taco salad thinking it would be a light lunch, and they brought out a salad the size of a watermelon! How the hell am I going to eat all that!? Who am I kidding, I tore into it and managed to make most of it disappear. We settled in at camp for the night and would check out Laughlin more tomorrow.

Click on the cactus to see a little bit of the Bullhead City area.

Friday, March 16

Still having great weather, even had to turn on the air conditioner last night, I sure am happy to be out of the freezing weather. Today’s outing was to Oatman where wild burros (mules) roamed the streets, eating from your hand. We kept Lil in the RV because the burros are known to try to kill dogs, thinking they are coyotes. The town itself was very small, and still mostly kept in an old western theme with wood plank sidewalks. The burros originally came from back in the 1800's when this town was a mining community. The burros would carry ore and tools back and forth in the mines. After the mines were shut down, the burros were released to make it on their own and the town mostly died. Today, the burros are abundant and have made friends with most of the townfolk, often being shooing off the wooden walkways. For the most part, they are welcomed, and a few even have names and will do tricks. Tourists arrive by bus and car and drive among them, slowly weaving past them in the roadway. We had a few cubes of feed we were treating them to. At one point, the burros were quick to remind us they are still wild animals and don’t give a shit if you’re in their path when they break out in a tussle or mini-stampede. A handful of them got feisty, kicking up their heels in a cloud of dust and chasing each other in an unruly fashion, barely skimming by myself and a few other tourists. That was enough to keep me away from the groups of burros, and spent a few more minutes photographing some of the younger ones, then we decided we saw enough and hit the road back to Laughlin.

Click on the photo to see our Oatman visit.

We played with Lil a while back on the riverwalk and eventually made it back to camp where we parked the RV and broke away on the scooter to check out the “nightlife” in Laughlin. We ate some appetizers at a few places while catching some beers. Most of the casinos were packed, and like Vegas, each had a stale smoky atmosphere. Laughlin is much friendlier and a slower pace than Vegas, our favorite spot was a cow-themed tiny casino on a second floor above a tiny convenience shop. Once again, after filling our bellies, we called it an early night.

Saturday, March 17

Happy St. Patricks Day! This morning, we went to check out a trail called Grapevine Canyon with Lil. It required traversing some steep granite-type rock which held a small spring, trickling through the middle. At the beginning of the hike were some 1,000 year old Native American petroglyphs. Interesting enough, though much looked as if modern imitation petroglyphs were carved over them.

Click on the Petroglyphs to see our Grapevine hike.

We left the Laughlin area and headed straight for Westminster, California to Justin’s childhood house where we would be able to relax for a few days with his Mom and little doggie, Martini. Maybe even catch up on maintenance on the RV. I hadn't been to Southern California since our wedding on Dana Point in, oh when was that again... 2012? I had forgotten how beautiful it was. The hills were rolling green with dense cities settled in the valleys. I had also forgotten how tough the traffic was, and I was certainly thankful I wasn't driving. We could immediately tell when we crossed into California, the price of gas increased drastically! We were happy and relieved to finally arrive at the house where Mom Buckman had already started corned beef and cabbage for dinner. What a great night!

Click on the photo to see a few along the way to California.

With great food and company, there may not be much for blog posting over these few days, but I'll be back at it when we start touring again.

See ya later!

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Sunday, March 11

It rained all night at camp, and it was pretty chilly. I worried it may have changed to snow up near Bryce Canyon where we wanted to go next. With the time change, we slept in then had a late breakfast at the Thunderbird Café across the road. It was a large scale classic diner kinda place, historic to the area. We waited long enough after breakfast that the sun warmed the day, melting anything that may have frozen on the roads over night. Leaving the Mount Carmel area was a scenic drive with cute little towns filled with rustic old buildings and antique junk cars. It wasn’t long until bits of Bryce Canyon formations started to tease us. I was getting anxious to see it all. We had to stop at Red Canyon so I could catch a few photos and Lil could get in a hike. We climbed up some pretty steep rocks to get a great view of the area below.

Click on photo to see more of Red Canyon area.

We drove to an elevation somewhere near 7500 feet where the land flattened out into a vast plateau. Our camp was at a small RV lot in the Ruby Inn area. After we checked in, we thought a quick drive through Bryce would help us know where to hike the next day. It turned out to be a long drive along the scenic road with many overlooks beckoning me out to photograph the spectacle of the canyon formations below us, which are called hoodoos. The ground became less barren, heavily filling with tall pine the higher we drove. Eventually, we got to the highest point near 9100 feet. I can’t even describe how astonishing it was. The hoodoo formations are a strong reminder of how 15 million years of wind, rain and tectonic shifts can carve out such intricate designs, some resembling small cities in the grand panorama. I stood at the top, the air felt so rich and fresh, I could virtually taste the melting snow, and the fragrance from the pine; it all rolled together in each intoxicating breath. Our excursion for tomorrow would take us down into the belly of all that, I couldn’t wait.

Back at camp, we warmed up and had dinner at the restaurant buffet then waddled back to the RV for a cold night.

Monday, March 12

Damn, did it get cold last night! I wanted to stay in bed until it warmed enough outside, but I was also eager to get going on our hike. We first took Lil out for her exercise so she could rest while we hiked down into the canyon.

Our hike was amazing! The sights enthralled me as we started down, but the farther we got, the more stunned I was by our surroundings. It felt like we were strolling through a fairytale land with rock cities rising above us in tall thin pinnacles. There was symmetry to a lot of them, their patterns so striking against the perfectly blue sky (my sky yesterday was not as pretty, so I was tickled). The trail wound through the pines, along broken colorful rock, and rose up through arch doorways in the rock. I couldn’t get enough of it. We eventually emerged at the top again, with the rock cities laid out below us. Man, what a view. I must have said that a thousand times. On the way back to camp, Justin dropped Lil and I off at the trail where we could walk a mile back so she could play, stopping to roll in what was left of the quickly melting snow. Today was a good day…

Click on the photo to see all of the Bryce Canyon images. The first half is day one, the second half is day two when we hiked down into the hoodoos. 

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Thursday, March 8

On our way to Utah today!  We had several stops on our agenda before spending a few days in Zion. First stop were The Toadstools. These are some pretty neat formations, looking just like you’d guess, a giant mushroom.  It was a short hike in, and it revealed to us an unusual surrounding that felt a little like walking on another planet. The limestone eroded away into interesting mounds and hills, future toadstools in the works. The toadstools that were present were few, but nonetheless impressive. Time had worn away so much limestone, leaving large rocks precariously perched atop their pinnacles as if giants gently placed them there. We had fun climbing around a while before heading back. Lil seemed to enjoy climbing the rocks as well, but was ever so cautious when crossing gaps in the rock; she gets braver every day.

Click on photo to see The Toadstools.

Next stop along the way was Johnson Canyon Scenic Drive; a simple road along some noteworthy attractions. They are all on private property, so no hiking just yet. There was a list of things for us to watch for, making it feel a bit like a scavenger hunt. A few rock formations along the cliffs that resembled certain animals, and most interesting to me was the old set to the Gunsmoke series, or at least what remained of it.

Click on photo to see more of the scenic drive.

Back on the main road, the last sidetrack was Huntress Slot (aka Diana's Throne), a few mile hike down into another well known slot canyon with striking mountain views. We parked the RV along the dirt road and started in on foot, sinking and sliding in the sand. It was brushy enough with quite a few tall trees, and the trails were well worn by 4x4 vehicles sporting about in the past. Somewhere along the trails, we missed the path to an easy way down into the slots, so instead we opted to scurry down a steep and slippery track made by rugged riders. Our mountain goat of a dog did just fine, though we struggled a little. Once at the bottom, the sandy trail wound through impressive scenery, multi-colored mountains looming over us with occasional trees dotting along the ridges. I was taken by how tenacious some of these plants were; with everything fighting for resources, trees clinging to sides of mountains, cactus and grasses squeezing out from cracks. Farther along the sand changed color a tad from an light orange to more vibrant coral, the contrast was subtle but eye catching. I had a hard time keeping up with Justin and Lil due to my frequent photo stops. We got to the end and had to turn back, giving us another vantage point of the path we just took. Then, the dreaded climb back out, it kicked my ass but Lil bounded up with no problem, pulling Justin a little as she climbed. Back at the top, I was breathless, thankful the rest of the evening would be low key. We found an RV park to stay at not too far outside of Zion, so we tucked in and called it a night.

Click on photo to see the slot canyon.

Friday, March 9

Up early, excited to start the day inside Zion National Park. We decided to drive the RV in and have a home base for the day. The one thing that made me slightly nervous was the tunnels. One is large enough for us, the other we were unsure of, so we paid the extra few dollars to have them close traffic going in one direction so we could drive down the middle. Now wait, don’t think we are unusual, this happens many times each day with the number of RVers that drive through. We eventually found a parking spot near the trailhead of the hikes we planned on for the day.

First hike planned was Angels Landing. This was the next thing I was apprehensive about. It is a few miles up some pretty steep switchbacks then a hazardous trek along the edge of the ridge, often described as a knife-edge 1400 feet in the air with sheer drop-offs and only chains to grip onto for dear life as you inch along the ridge. Some have fallen to their deaths on this particular hike, and I did not want to be the next name on that list. We got to the top just before the chains started. I gawked out over the thin ridge that laid before me, seeing only maybe a foot or two of walking space before the sides cut out drastically, then looking to either side of me and seeing the eensie weensie thread of a road and cars waaaay down at the bottom. OH HELL NO, nope, not doing that! I looked at Justin like he was crazy, because he was, and he convinced me I could make it. I was never so scared, and gripped on to that chain like a mad woman. The few spans where there was no chain, I felt like sprawling out onto my belly and inchworming myself along, but I couldn’t embarrass him that way. Instead, I shuffled along in squatty baby steps with my butt out and arms way out to balance. The sandstone was very slippery where it was covered in sand, which was EVERYWHERE.  A kid slipped in front of me and my heart leapt out of my chest as I squeezed my eyes closed and whimpered. But obviously, I made it to the peak and back. We even managed to sit at the top and eat a little (though I felt like vomiting), and snap some photos to prove we’d done it. I hadn’t taken many of the climb because I was way to stinkin scared. At any rate, I’d do it again, though next time I’d calm myself more so I could properly photograph it, because the view is stellar from way up there.

Click on photo to see the hike to Angels Landing and more of Zion.

Back at the bottom, we were beat. Not just from the hike, but from the fried nerves from braving it. I took Lil for a walk along a pet friendly trail so she could get her excitement in for the day, and lucky for her, there was a herd of deer on the trail. After fussing at them for a minute or two, we moved along. The river ran along the trail, and at the first access point, she bounded down to the water and waded around lapping it up. She managed to hit up every river access point along that trail, and was also pooped out when she got back to the RV. We drove the scenic drive farther into the park, and squeezed and inched by all the cars crowding the road near the trailheads along the way. We stopped at the gift shop and picked up some t-shirts to commemorate our accomplishment for the day, then drove back out. Lil had the best seat, atop my lap on a pillow with her ears flapping in the wind as she hung her head out to see the park pass by. We bailed on our last hike we had planned, we were all worn out and ready for rest.

Saturday, March 10

After a well earned night of rest, we wanted to go back into the park but wanted to take the scooter this time. We decided to go later in the day so it would be a warmer ride. For the morning’s excursion, we went to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. I was so impressed by the white dunes, I wanted to see more, and the color must be spectacular based on its name. We got out to the area, it was more wooded than I expected with ridges outlining it, but the dunes were still remarkable. Lil was so eager, she bounded through the cold sand the entire time we were out there. I wanted a better vantage point, so we decided to climb the biggest dune in front of us. It was deceivingly sizable, much taller than we expected, and the sand ran out from under each step we took, almost feeling like we were walking backwards at times. When we finally made it to the top, everybody collapsed to rest. The colors seemed to change between lovely facets of orange and coral as the sun faded in and out of the clouds. My favorite part were all the little tracks we could see from the dunes residents, most notably the tiny plump paw prints of the kangaroo mouse and scuttle tracks from the endangered tiger beetle. It was a great time, and a good way to burn off energy in the pup.

Click on photo to see the coral dunes.

We took the RV back to our camp and let Lil rest while we bundled up in layers to scooter into the park. The ride was quite comfortable, and we were able to peel off all our layers and squeeze them into the scooter trunks to take on our next hike. It was an “easy” one up to the Emerald Pools. Most of it was paved and led to meek trickles for waterfalls and somewhat puddle sized pools.  We opted to continue up farther on the less improved path of rocks and sand. At that point, I was feeling the burn of all the hiking we’d been doing the past few days. The upper pool was a little more picturesque but sadly, not that emerald. The excursion left me with some good photos anyhow. By the time we got back to the RV, it was after 5:00 pm and we were bushed. A light dinner with some photo editing, and this day was done.

Click on photo to see all of the Zion photos including Emerald Pools.

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Tuesday, March 6 

Today marks one month on the road so far!

A cozy morning snuggled up with Lil in bed, it felt good to sleep in a tad. We had a big day planned, so we pulled out and hit the road as soon as our coffee was ready. We took the RV around to places today, just in case Lil needed a rest (really, it was because I was too cold to tough it out on the scooter, and I wanted Lil to get some hikes in). Our first stop was Horseshoe Bend. It was just a few miles out of town. This was on my bucket list; hiking out in the desert to the edge of a canyon where in the peace of the day I could take my time getting just the right shot to capture such a magnificent view of the Colorado River cutting a perfect horseshoe deep into the sandstone, a serene scene in my mind. Let me keep it real for those of you that haven’t been there. My idea was shattered when we pulled into a parking lot holding several tour busses and many other cars, people streaming up and down a trail. The place was packed and the hike was just a stroll up over a knoll where just beyond fell the bend. People were speckled everywhere and scurried about jockeying for position at the rim to get their selfies. Some were even posing, getting pose direction from their photographer. All this activity going on around a rim without railing (yet), and the hard sandstone coated with microscopic marbles making parts of it quite slippery. I half expected someone to trip over the edge, echoing their scream as they fell. The canyon itself was massive in size making us all look tiny, and thankfully, the people everywhere really didn’t ruin my shot. Though it wasn’t peaceful, it did turn out to be entertaining to watch everyone. I wanted to come back later in the day when the shadows were not so overbearing, so we left. While it wasn't what I expected, I was still not disappointed and looked forward to coming back later in the day.

Click on photo to see Horseshoe Bend, see if you can spot the people on the edge.

We drove out to Antelope Canyon next, taking our chances on getting in on a tour of the lower canyon. This area is privately owned by the Navajo Indians, so we must get a permit and go with one of their tour groups. We got in on the 10:15 tour with a group of 8. People were streaming in masses down into the canyon with other groups, so I wasn’t expecting a very private excursion. Once again, my expectations were shattered. It was more impressive than I imagined. We climbed down extremely steep staircases like ants into their hill, disappearing into the wavy engulfing curves of the canyon walls. The trail at the bottom was so winding and narrow, seldom did others come into view, so it really did feel like a private tour, and I was snapping away. The shapes and curves of the walls were absolutely remarkable. The colors would change as the sunlight changed. It’s one of those places that make you feel so small and insignificant in the world, and must be experienced in person rather than through photos. It took about an hour to wind through it, and at the end, I was amused by how we all emerged from a small gap just a few feet wide in the crust of the earth. This time, I was blown away by what we just experienced.

Click on photo to see all that is Antelope Canyon.

Next stop, lunch! We grabbed a quick bite of BBQ at a joint in town before moving on. It seemed like the right time of day to try Horseshoe Bend again, so out we went. There were more people there now, but I didn’t care, I knew the view was going to be great. Lil had a little more fun hiking it this time too, climbing up on rocks with Justin, really getting into the adventure spirit. I got what shots I could, and quite happy with that, we left again.

Still not tired out yet, we drove on to check out Lake Powell. We got out at the park area, letting Lil dip her paws in the water for a bit. Stunning views of Navajo Mountain painted the horizon. Along the shoreline, some of the sandstone were turning white from mineralization. It was a beautiful area to play around in. We drove up and over to the other side where we could get a view of the Glen Canyon Dam holding back the water of the Colorado River. The viewpoint we walked out on was a bit dizzying. The sandstone rolled and split in asymmetrical layered chunks. I crawled out as far as I felt safe on one ledge, imagining the flaky sandstone layers giving way beneath me. After a bit of playing around on the stones with Lil, we all were exhausted and decided to call it a day.

Click on the photo to see the Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam area.

A few hours to work on all my photos, have dinner and then get some good rest for the next big adventure.

Wednesday, March 7

We rolled out around 8:00 this morning after making sure we reserved one more night here. We wanted to get out to the Antelope Canyon Tribal Park Office this morning to inquire about getting a permit to hike a more secluded portion of the canyon on our own. They happily granted access and out we went. It started as an easy hike through sandy canyon trails, and got more challenging the deeper we got into the canyon. Eventually, it narrowed to barely a foot wide but towered over us. Sunlight was reflecting off the slot walls illuminating it in a beautiful golden color. Lighting dramatically affects the look and colors of the canyon. It was a significant difference between the two days we walked within its walls. Lil was doing great, in fact, she was having a blast. She stayed out in front of us climbing rock almost the whole way. The only obstacle we came across was a cobbled together ladder around 10 feet tall. Justin carried her up as she clutched on to him, and as soon as her toes hit the sandstone, she was off again. We hiked in as far as we were allowed, somewhere around 3 miles, then sat for a while to absorb the awesomeness of it all before we hiked back out.

A bit of an afternoon rest after grabbing some supplies at Walmart, then back to one last adventure for Page, catch a sunset over Lake Powell. We hiked up about 1000 feet, straight up a very steep mound, the tallest in the area. We had a grand view of the lake and surrounding area. Sunset was masked by clouds, but a sliver of pink burst through at the very last minute. We hiked back out in the slimming remnants of light, drove back to camp and had a quick dinner. I think we've all earned a relaxing evening.

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Sunday, March 4  continued…

Our next stop was at Petrified Forest National Park. As you guessed, it has one of the largest deposits of petrified wood in the world, but wait, there’s more! The drive along its roads reveals the magical marvel of the Painted Desert, more ancient petroglyphs, ancestral Puebloan homes, fossil dinosaurs, a portion of the original Route 66 and so many vistas to pull aside and attempt to take it all in. Today was a lovely day for this stop too, nice blue skies with just a smattering of fluffy clouds, and a gentle breeze, well actually more like a fierce striking wind. It was so damn windy, I had trouble standing upright at times, and Justin mentioned a point where he felt the RV would actually flip on its side. Apart from that, it was an overwhelmingly fun day. I couldn’t believe the palate of colors mother nature conjured up in just one area, it was impressive. There were areas of “forest” we could walk to get a close-up view of the crystalline tree trunks strewn about. There was one particular area called the Rainbow Forest where the most abundant and colorful pieces could be found, with remnants splintered around in sparkly wood chips as if they crumbled off a dead tree just yesterday. Actually, this area used to look like the tropical jungles of Costa Rica today, back over 200 million years ago when trees were dense and dinosaurs called this place home. Well protected since becoming a National Park in 1906, there is so much to see, we made a day of it. After we all were winded out, exhausted and dried out from fighting the intense desert gales, we parked just outside the park at a souvenir shop where they welcome boondockers. It was time to relax, work through the zillion photos I took and get some grub in our bellies. Even Lil was worn out.

 There are a ton of photos to click through here, trust me, it's worth it!!

Monday, March 5

It got cold last night! 17 degrees when we woke, and the water in the RV froze (not the first time that’s happened to us). I was very thankful we had the propane heater to keep us warm through the night. It didn’t take us long to get things together to meander on.

We were headed in the direction of the Meteor Crater in Arizona, so we thought, why not stop? The terrain was so flat and boring as we drove on, I thought I’d be able to spot this thing miles away, after all, it is over 4,000 feet across and 700 feet deep. But surprisingly, it wasn’t that easy to distinguish; what appeared to be foothills were actually the rim. When the meteor struck (estimated to be about 150 feet across, weighing several hundred thousand tons and hurtling into the crust at 26,000 miles per hour), it raised up and folded back the plains sending rock and debris the size of houses flying for miles. They found large fragments of it, and sell small fragments in their gift shop to suckers like me.  Some people were not impressed, calling it “just a hole in the ground”, but me, I geek out about this kind of stuff. It was damn cool to be teetering on the edge of this massive event that happened some 50,000 years ago, knowing that we are not all that strong and untouchable of a planet. It was a quick visit, and thankfully, active duty military get in free, or we may not have seen it at all. In the first photo, look for the people standing on an overlook to the lower right. That should give you an idea as to its size.

On we drove, through mind-numbing sameness as Justin said. We were close to the Navajo Nation Reservation, and were seeing a lot of signs along the road beckoning us to come visit their shops. We fell for the one with a large photo of a mouthwatering Navajo taco, and swung in there for a nibble. It was a large complex in the town of Cameron, selling all sorts of Native American creations and trinkets. The restaurant was also oversized, able to handle the busloads of tourists that come through during busy season. We split the Navajo taco, good thing too because it was more food than we could eat. It was just as good as the photo made it look; frybread layered with cowboy beans, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and some spicy green chilies. I got some of the frybread to go to have it with syrup later (Dad called it “stretchers” when he made it as a treat for us). Imagine warm slightly doughy and chewy bread deep fried just enough to give it a faint crunch. I should have gotten a bag full.

Driving after eating was even more sedating, and I hoped we’d arrive at our destination soon because I was fighting off sleep. Eventually, the town of Page came into view. We found a good spot in an RV park and settled in. We’d be here a few days based on what the area has to offer. We rolled the scooter off the back and burned around town a bit. It was very chilly, but we didn’t have far to go. We had a beer and munchies at one stop, then went back to the RV to crank the heat while we laid out plans for the next few days.

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Thursday, March 1 continued...

We arrived in Albuquerque and found the RV park within the Kirtland Air Force Base which meant a good chance to catch up on the blog with their wifi and do some laundry. You know, I brought all these books, games and other things to do during the down time I thought I'd have. Turns out, this blog has been keeping me very busy with the photos and writing. 

Justin did a bit of research on this city, and there is quite a lot a person can see and do here. It's also a nice change from hiking dusty trails, though it's still plenty dusty here. Someone told us they had rain for the first time in seven months last week. 

Friday, March 2

After a night of rest and catching up, we were ready to check out the town on scooter. First stop was the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History, after all, I'm married to a nuclear mechanic that has worked with both types of nuclear onboard a submarine- destructive power (nuclear bomb) and energy power (nuclear reactor).  This place was pretty fascinating, and the volunteer staff were quite helpful and friendly, adding in their own bits of experience and history. We strolled through for a while, viewing their extensive exhibits from the pioneers of the atom to the possibilities for the future of nuclear power. The things that struck me; I've never seen a ballistic missile before and the sheer size of the thing "blew me away" (bad pun, I know), and they also had pieces of Trinitite, melted sand and residue left behind on the desert floor after testing a nuclear bomb at the Trinity site in July, 1945. I bought a few small pieces from their gift shop, and they came in a tiny protective case with strict handling instructions.

After the museum, we buzzed into Old Town Albuquerque. Along the way, we traveled down part of Route 66 through the city. It was such a feast for the eyes. I was pleasantly surprised at how clean and hip this city was. The businesses were adorned with bright colors and interesting shapes and textures to catch your eye. There were still some of the old kitschy neon signs reminiscent of an earlier era of the city when Route 66 was an attraction.

Old Town was founded in 1706 by Spanish Colonists, and still had much of the original adobe houses and shops. It’s just what I was hoping for; vibrant yet slow paced, narrow streets and alleys leading to more stimulating décor, shops with all kinds of collectables, restaurants that had outdoor seating in clean and small patios. It was quite fun strolling up and down this small section of history. We caught lunch at a diner just outside the historic district then headed back to the RV.
Lil needed some attention, so we secured her into her scooter bucket, donned her doggles and buzzed off to a nearby dog park. She loved the open free space and chance to play with other dogs for a while. It wasn’t long before she tired herself and we headed back.

Saturday, March 3

I was excited for this mornings excursion, a hot air balloon ride over the city! We rolled out of bed early enough to catch the first ride of the morning with Rainbow Ryders. It was really something to watch them prepare for the ride, and how much of an orchestration it was to get the balloon inflated. Our basket held approximately 6 people, and we stayed warm enough being under the propane burners. As we lifted off, I did get that tiny butterflies feeling. We ascended to an altitude of around 7400 feet above sea level (2400 feet off the ground). The view was breathtaking. I could literally see the curve of the earth on the horizon, though my fisheye lens helped exaggerate that. We were one of nearly 30 balloons up in the air this morning. Apparently, this is quite a regular thing around here since it’s the perfect climate for hot air balloons. I’d love to see this place when they have their hot air balloon festival attracting over 500 balloonists. We landed safely and were welcomed back with an Irish balloonist prayer and a champagne toast; “The winds have welcomed you with softness, the sun has blessed you with it’s warm hands. You have flown so high and so well that God has joined you in laughter, and may he set you gently back again into the loving arms of Mother Earth.”

More to see and do! We drove just a little ways out of town to see another ancient attraction, the Petroglyph National Monument, Petroglyphs of the West Mesa. These were drawings carved into lava flows which erupted from the earth around 200,000 years ago. Ancient people carved stories and images into the sides of the black lava rock strewn across the area. It’s difficult to date exactly how old these are, but archeologists estimate some to be as old as 3,000 years while some may be as young as 500 years. The carvings have evolved over time, being added to and changed, and sadly destroyed by vandals in more recent times. It was fun to walk along the trails at the base of these rock to try to spot where they were. There were so many, it seemed at one point that every rock and been marked. Lil had more interest in the smells of other critters that played within the brush along the trail.

We worked up an appetite so we found a local pizza place to get our fix. The local favorite was cheese, pepperoni and green chili peppers, and I’d agree with locals, it was pretty tasty! After lunch, we worked our way onward. The ridges in the distance had perfectly flat tops, flattened by relentless winds that slowly eroded the facade exposing multicolor layers. An occasional dust devil would swirl by, uplifting tumbleweeds and debris into a dirty funnel. I even was able to catch a shot of a tumbleweed as it rolled by! There was a lot more lava along the drive; New Mexico is actually home to many young volcanoes which was interesting to me. Such beautiful countryside, much of which is held in protection by differing Native American tribes. We continued on to Gallup on Route 66 where we found a nice and clean RV park to stop for a night, rest and catch up on chores. They even had a dog park where Lil met a new friend and played a while.

Click on photo to see all we did in Albuquerque.

Sunday, March 4

Chores done, weather is warming up. Time to pack up and pull out.

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Tuesday, Feb 27 continued…

After leaving Guadalupe, we went into Carlsbad. We were curious if the Carlsbad Caverns were going to be worth the stop so we briefly checked out the attraction’s visitor center and decided it was a definite! Lunch at a Mexican restaurant just outside the park, and we were done with our excursions for the day. I really wanted to upload some of the photos I took over the last few stops, so Justin was sweet enough to let me have a wifi stop in town while he and Lil went off to run errands (gas, groceries). Needless to say, I had so many photos, I ran out of time and wasn’t able to get them all up. We weren’t in any kind of rush, so he let me sit at Starbucks for a few hours while my laptop churned away. Our camp for the night was simply a patch of BLM (Bureau of Land Management) acreage outside of town, boondocking. When I noticed light starting to fade, I abandoned my wifi task so we could go find our BLM spot. We got there just as the sun was setting.

It was indeed a patch, of dusty gravel in the middle of a scrubby cattle field, polka-dotted with dehydrated cowpies here and there. It was very peaceful really, especially with the lovely sunset. We were the only ones there, and nothing for miles; the desert hills in one direction and a few lights from the town far off in the other direction. Reviews told us this was a good spot to let your dog run, and so… she did. At first it was cute; she would grab up a cowpie like a frisbie and run in circles like a nut. Then she caught wind of something that gave her the speed of Flash Gordon. She tore off into the desert brush as the last bit of sun slipped away. I ran after her as long as I could, but for every foot I gained, she gained ten. I’ve never seen that chubby dog run so damn fast, and within a minute she was out of my view. Yup, you can guess, I lost my shit. Thank goodness for Justin (my rock) or I most certainly would have had a meltdown. Here we are, literally in the middle of the desert, dangerous spiders and snakes all around, and my baby girl is lost, likely thirsting do death, and every terrible scenario possible is flashing through my mind. We walked for almost a half hour, back and forth on a dirt road in the darkness calling for her. I had just given up, hoarse from yelling and running. (Cue dramatic music) I dropped to my knees like a blubbering fool with my tears staining my dusty face. (Now cue angels singing.) Just then I heard a faint crunch of gravel in the dark in front of me. I raised the beam of my flashlight up and saw the glorious goofy face of my tired but still very excited mutt. I hooked on to her harness so fast, then rolled her up for some hugs. Man, were we lucky. I was ready to put down roots in this forsaken place until she came back to me. Learned my lesson too, never ever again will this spaz be off leash until she is trained on recall.

We got back to the RV and checked her over for any injuries, properly hydrated everyone, I took a long shower, then all exhausted parties collapsed for a restless night of slumber.

Click on the photo to see more of our Carlsbad experience.

Wednesday, Feb 28

Restless night of slumber I was saying… Wind was gusty and kept knocking around a loose cap outside on the RV, keeping us awake. Of course, I brought Lil up to cuddle with too, still stupidly grateful she came back to us.

I made some bad french toast for breakfast, then we drove up to the Caverns. It was very windy and still chilly up in the elevation, somewhere near 4400 feet. Lil stayed behind in the RV while we walked the caverns. We took an elevator 750 feet down to the “Big Room”, an immense 8.2 acre area adorned with colossal features like “The Bottomless Pit”, “Giant Dome”, “Rock of Ages” and so on. Let me tell you, when I previously exclaimed how wonderful the Cathedral Caverns were in Alabama, I was woefully unprepared for the marvel of Carlsbad Caverns. If you ever find yourself in this area, you really need to make the time to visit the caverns, it will blow your mind. After taking it all in, we headed back to the RV.

With no real destination in mind, we started driving, aimlessly headed northwest. We wound up at a small RV park in the town of Mayhill, a tiny town up in the foothills of the Sacramento Mountains with one store and one restaurant. I was stunned to see snow flurries in the air. The spot was cute enough, a crystal clear brook babbling just outside, and flocks of farm geese grazing by driving Lil crazy. We even were visited by more deer and turkey. I'm keeping this dog under lock and key with so many tempting things to chase. We don’t need any more drama. We did walk up to the tiny town with her where the shop owner invited us all in to stroll around, telling us how much he likes dogs. It was cold enough, we hunkered down for the night to enjoy a relaxing evening for a change. Hot tea, soup and salad.

Thursday, March 1

The night was cold, but we stayed warm enough with the propane heater going. We woke to find a thin delicate layer of snow that quickly melted away with the rising sun. We were too cold to enjoy it further here, onward we go.

Click on the photo to see more from Mayhill area.

We curled up and down through the twists and turns through the Sacramento Mountains, it was beautiful and quite a change from the desert we'd been seeing. Soon, the mountains broke to reveal a vast white area in the valley below too far off in the distance to make out what it was, but I knew, and we made our way down to those white sands, White Sands National Monument to be exact. It was just a stop off on our way to Albuquerque, but I was jazzed about seeing and walking on the tall white sand dunes. They are so large, they can be seen from outer space. It sits around 4200 feet above sea level, covers approximately 275 square miles. It's unique because it's sands are composed of gypsum and reflect the heat from the sun (typical sand dunes are crystal and absorb heat). If you want all the nerdy details, look them up at the Wiki site. We spent a fleeting half hour there, though after seeing them in person, I could have spent several days photographing them. It is really quite surreal, to be able to walk and sled along them anywhere you want, even camp if you get the permit. This is a place I'm coming back to!

Click on the photo to see more of White Sands.

After that brief stop, we were hungry, and we saw a sign for Del Taco along the way. Let me just say, I haven't eaten there since moving away from the Pacific Northwest, and had been googling close locations as we drove west. If you've ever had their chicken soft taco, you'll know why I'm nuts about it. We filled our bellies fast, it tasted so good, then drove on. 

Along the road, I kept seeing signs for Valley of Fires camping. How inviting, I thought. Then I understood why it was called that. In a small area, there was a massive lava flow field, huge knots of folded oozing lava from a nearby volcano many years past. It spans nearly 20 miles and is quite the sight to behold, a break in the daunting monotone desert and a lovely contrast to the white sands we previously played in. Of course, we stopped long enough to get Lil's picture atop one of the frozen flows.

Click on the photo to see more of Valley of Fires.

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Thursday, Feb 22  (continued)

On the roads to the next park, there were 3 or 4 different border patrol cars parked, we even had to drive through 2 random checkpoints. Easy enough because we must not look suspicious. They just asked if we were natural born citizens and let us drive on through. The song, The Traveler by Chris Stapelton played; “I couldn’t tell ya honey, I don’t know… where I’m goin’ but I’ve got to go. ‘cuz every turn reveals and open road… I’m the traveler…”

Blammy! Our peaceful wandering was shattered by another stinking blown tire! Same area as the last time. And now, we were on some road near the US-Mexico border with nearly non-existent cell service. We pulled off the side on to a gravel road and climbed on the roof of the RV to try to get a signal to call roadside assistance, again.  This time they were surprisingly fast, sending a couple of kind Mexican fellas in a pick-up equipped to render assistance. It happened at 1:30, and by 2:15 it was repaired and we were rolling again! We decided to make our next stop Del Rio. There was a Goodyear there where we could get 5 new tires to replace the old ones with to this doesn’t keep happening.

I noticed there were more goats and sheep than cattle as we drove along, and a lot of named creeks with not a drop of water- though they seemed to gradually fill as we got closer to Del Rio. Every now and then a citris tree heavy with brightly colored fruit would catch my eye and make my mouth water.

We arrived at our next camp just outside of Del Rio, Lake Amistad (meaning “friendship”  in Spanish). This was a huge National Park that lies on the United States-Mexico border.  It is a reservoir created for flood control, water storage and power generation. This park spans 81 miles up the Rio Grande and other neighboring rivers, which feed it giving it over 540 miles of shoreline; like I said, HUGE! (You should say that word in your best Donald Trump voice, otherwise it doesn’t hold merit.) So, with that much water, you would think this place is a tropical oasis- quite the opposite. It was very dry and the lake had receded so much, what would have been a water front camp site was a mile or greater from the water.  It had a warm and dusty charm, I say charm because we had previously been traveling through so much mist, I welcomed the dryness. Plus, most people will tell you the desert has its own way of charming people.

There were only 2 other campers in the entire area we picked. We were boondocking again (with the exception of paying for the site) and had no hook-ups, so running the generator wasn’t so bad with so few people around, but we kept that to an absolute as needed basis.

We went for a walk with Lil, in a feeble attempt to find the lake without trails to follow. We were surrounded by overgrowth of scrub brush, thorny and thick in spots and sparse in others. Tiny freshwater clam shells were crunching under our feet, we were walking on the lake bed. Not far into the hike, (or bushwhacking?) Lil caught the scent of deer and saw them bound away. The sun was setting low in the sky, giving a gentle glow on the tall yellow grasses and sage green brush. With still no water in sight, we aborted our adventure and started back to the RV. It would be very easy to get lost in this brush, for there was miles and miles of it, and who knows what kind of dangerous critters come out at night in these parts!

I watched the sun set from the roof of the RV, hoping to get some good photos. The thicket was still warmly illuminated by the long and low rays, and the sky started to turn all sorts of beautiful colors. They say sunsets in the Texas desert area are the most beautiful, I believe that now.

I made us un-stuffed peppers for dinner, worked on my hand-written journal until my hand cramped, then we fell off to sleep.

Click on the photo to see more of the Lake Amistad area.

Friday, Feb 23

A very comfortably warm night, not too hot and not too cold. Lil and I went on a short walk around the empty camping area and saw 5 more deer cross the gravel road right in front of us. They moved slowly, curious and cautious about our presence. One walked with heavy stomping feet as if he were warning us off, or taunting Lil.
Soon after that we were ready to go, not much to unhook when we boondock. On the drive out, a couple large turkey flew up from the ditch. So much to see around here. We needed some supplies, most importantly, those damn tires, so into town we went. We had decided the day before to walk across into Mexico since we were this close, and it was deemed the safest area to cross around here.  We found a designated parking area for pedestrians where left Lil to guard the RV. The weather was mild, in the low 60’s and heavy overcast, so we knew she would not overheat. Our plan was to just stroll across into the little town, buy a trinket, eat some food, have a beer and come back, maybe 3 hours max. I was very nervous with butterflies in my stomach. I had so many bad stories about Mexico rolling around in my head. We paid our 75-cent toll to cross and made it over with not a single person manning the bridge. The Rio was actually very pretty, though very small. The town we crossed into welcomed us with tightly packed streets and plethora of  vendors selling crappy clothing and cheap souvenirs. Justin pointed out a bar called Crosby’s telling me it was made famous by George Strait in a song… I’ll have to look that one up later. Within under 5 minutes we passed by a guy selling tacos from a roadside cart. We passed, but I quickly turned when I smelled them, I was starving and would risk eating something from the side of the road in Mexico. They were little cheese, bean and beef filled corn shells rolled tightly then covered in sautéed onions, a pile of fresh veggies and drowned in a mildly hot guacamole sauce. Oh my gosh were they delicious! The vendor spoke fluent English, and helped me understand how much they would cost me… $2.00, a steal! We walked and ate those tasty little buggers and swung into another tiny store to grab a couple of cold Mexican Cokes to wash them down. Ahhh. A little more aimless wandering and I found a shop to get a set of carved marble turtles (because I saw a couple turtles in the Rio when we were crossing). Again, the clerk was very helpful but didn’t speak English. Justin talked to him in Spanish to get a good price for my little set and I walked out happily clutching my $6.00 set of little turtles. One last goal to accomplish- a quick beer. None of the bars were open this early in the day, probably a good thing. We did find a “fancy” restaurant where we could sit at their bar and we enjoyed a couple of Dos Equis. With that, our time in Mexico was over. We walked back, hoping there would be no trouble crossing into the US. The customs agent had a light casual conversation with us about our experience, throwing in his necessary questions, and once again we were back on US soil. In all, we had been gone around 1.5 hours, but that was more than enough for me! Next time we visit Mexico, it will be at an all inclusive resort.

Click on the photo to see more of our Mexico experience.

We checked in with Goodyear, but our tires were in yet, but no luck so we found a laundromat and we sat there for an hour while I did my chores. Then, we decided to just go to Goodyear to see what they had in stock rather than waiting. While Justin worked with them to get new tires, I spent some time at McDonalds uploading photos. Feeling accomplished with everything we took care of this morning, we made our way to our next stop.

Seminole Canyon State Park was where we stayed. The draw to this place were the ancient pictographs; Pecos River rock art dating back 4,000 years. There were no open RV spaces, so once again we were boondocking for the night. The spot we had was still a campsite, although a primitive one. It had an awesome view over the desert and the trailheads were very close. We had a dinner of chili dogs then took Lil out to explore some of those nearby trails. Lil’s favorite part was a rabbit she found hiding under a bush. Mine was the who-knows-how-old broken glass strewn along the ground up off the trail. I let myself imagine it was from the days the Southern Pacific Railroad ran along this very spot (built in 1882 per a historical marker).

Saturday, Feb 24

This morning, we got out on the scooter to buzz up to the park office and see if we could get in on the 10:00 am tour down into the canyon to see the pictographs, and luck held out for us.  It was not a strenuous hike, but a significant one. We were led down into the belly of the canyon, where time had eroded a large dome under one of the walls. It was there that ancient people drew out stories of their times, displaying elaborate animals, Shamin priest figures and other meaningful symbols. They were considerably faded, but still remarkable. Nobody really fully understands their meanings, but it’s obvious this place was a magical one to the people. Along the path were some of the various limestone rock, split to reveal some of the fossils of long ago; 90-million year old sea creatures, and some mammal teeth, possibly camel that roamed these ravines long ago.

After our pictograph experience, we had lunch at the RV and took Lil out for a good hike to a canyon overlook. The sky was clearing nicely, mist fading off to reveal dreamy blue skies. I was stunned by the beauty of the canyon, vast and seemingly endless, bending and cutting deep through the heavy stone to make its way to the Rio Grande. This hike was maybe 3.5 miles round trip, but long enough. As the day drew on, it got hotter and you could almost hear the plants slurping up any remaining dew droplets. Looking across the landscape you could see the heat waves begin to ripple into the sky. Lil had plenty of drinking water we brought along but she chose to cool off by laying in one of the few watering holes on the rock. Through the trails, I stepped over many more of those 90-million year old fossils from when this was ocean. I’m still amazed at how much our planet has changed.

Click on the photo to see more of the Seminole Canyon experience.

A busy morning left a tired doggy, she snoozed on the couch while we drove to our next destination. The rock formations along the way were carved out to make room for the road, leaving exposed the multitude of flaky layers of crust, folding and drooping in places.  The terrain became more hilly, and looked like someone had poured gargantuan piles of salt from the heavens, then sprinkled them with pepper and parsley leaving us looking like a flea scurrying among them. The view was endless and no civilization was in sight; no towns, no towers, just desert and scrub brush. I thought I saw a cell tower at one point, but that was just a mirage. In the distance, faint outlines of mountains came into view.

It was almost without warning that we fell into a valley of giants, Big Bend National Park. Once we passed through the entrance, the road edged in blonde grass went on for over 20 miles to the first stopping point.  Big Bend is over 800,000 acres! It’s named for the great curve of the Rio Grande where the story of Pecos Bill lassoed a tornado, which carved out the mountains we drove through.

The sun was setting low and started to cast long magenta shadows on the mountains and caverns. We were driving through a dehydrated dusty basin with jagged foothills shooting up around us in peaks and columns. This was the first time not having a plan didn’t work out so well; there were absolutely no spots left for RVs, and we drove around trying to locate an overflow lot, but this place was so large, we couldn’t find anything. We drove on another 30-something miles out of the park to the town of Terlingua where we found a spot with hook-ups at a big RV facility. It was just on the edge of the park, and had gas and a restaurant so we felt lucky. It was so dry and windy, we could taste the dust being kicked up. By the time we got settled in, it was after dark and we were tired. Dinner at the café was mediocre, but it filled the hole. All I wanted was food and sleep. I tried to take Lil out for a potty walk, but she couldn’t find a single patch of grass to go in, it was tough, but she found her spot eventually.

Sunday, Feb 25

The desert does have hot days, but man do the nights get cold! Low 40s last night after having temps in the upper 80’s earlier, such a swing. The sun brought a good view to the park we stayed at. Basically hundreds of RVs nestled in a dust bowl. The bright sun rapidly warmed us, leading up to a beautiful day to spend inside Big Bend. We decided to make the morning of it and drive on in the afternoon.  As we drove through the park, the mounts seemed to morph and move with each turn. The dust (and surprisingly- air pollution) in the air created a haze that softened the harsh features of distant peaks. There were a few gas stations located throughout the park, there had to be with a park this size. We took advantage of one to make sure we’d make it out ok. Our attraction today was the Santa Elena Canyon; a deep cut into one of the mountain ranges where the Rio passes through. One quick stop along the road to get a photo of some horses that stood below on the edge of the river. Those horses were grazing on the edge of the Chihuahuan desert in Mexico. All we had to do was walk across the shallow area of that river and we would once again be in Mexico. When we got to Santa Elena, we stopped briefly at some old ruins on the side of the road where I met a friendly horny lizard. Then again at an overlook just on the outskirts of the canyon. It was staggering, literally dizzying, the magnitude of it and how it loomed over us. On our way down to the river, a road runner scurried across the road in front of us. We parked the RV just under a tree surrounded by tall grasses and had lunch at a picnic table right behind the RV. I walked down to the water to get a better view of the Santa Elena, and man was she magnificent! It made me wish we had a canoe to paddle in. Lil was not allowed on these trails, so we skipped the hike in, I was satisfied enough with this view anyhow.

Click on photo to see more of our Big Bend experience.

On our way back out I couldn’t stop gaping my mouth at the sheer size of the boulders that tumbled down off the mountains. Solid rock the size of cars or greater laid at rest in the grasses next to the road. Farther along we drove, a long and quiet ride aside from the wind gusts. Fence, windmills and grassy desert went on for miles with an occasional herd of cattle. It was tranquil, but lonesome.

We arrived at Davis Mountains State Park late in the day. We had hoped to partake in a late night stargazing experience at the nearby McDonald Observatory, but they were closed this night. That gave us time to take Lil on a stroll up the hill to check out their “Lodge” area. Now, it held a park store and restaurant, all of which was closed and absent of any life. This building didn’t look like a lodge to me, rather, I told myself it was an old secret research facility hidden deep in the mountains until it was purchased and made part of the state park. It held an eerie clandestine character to it. I imagined there were long corridors and many more rooms far below ground level. Justin just laughs at me when I tell him these things. A walk back crossing over a bone dry riverbed to the RV for ham, stuffing with gravy and green bean casserole for dinner!

Click on the photo to see more of Davis Mountain.

Monday, Feb 26

After leaving Davis Mountains, we wandered over to Balmorhea State Park. It held a natural San Solomon Springs that we wanted to SCUBA dive. It was a pool around 25 feet deep that covers 1.3 acres, holding 3.5 million gallons of water and gushing out 28 million gallons daily! We brought with a mini SCUBA system for each of us, something Justin designed to be more compact than a standard dive rig. The weather was low 70s but windy. The water was warm, around 72-75 degrees all year long. We donned our wetsuits and slipped (literally) into the spring. It was surreal to be in such a tropical feeling environment in the middle of a desert.  It was crystal clear, and teeming with friendly endangered fish that would nibble at our ears. We even spotted a turtle swimming around near us. At the bottom, we could see the springs jet out of the sand, making it writhe and wiggle like there were thousands of worms squirming about in it. I could feel the force as I waved my hand over it, praying that my gopro camera on my head was catching some of this. After about 30-40 minutes, we ran out of air and had to end the dive. What a great way to refresh after all the desert driving.

Click on the photo to see more of the Springs experience.

Our stop for the night was Guadalupe Mountain, where we scored one of the last RV spots in their “park”, which was really just a parking lot deep up in the valley of the mountains. We got the perfect corner spot, and the park was filled (holding maybe 20 RVs) by 6:00 pm.  A walk down to the office with Lil led us to read some info plaques telling us that these mountains we were viewing are actually fossilized reefs from an ancient time when the very spot we stood would have been an abyss within a vast ocean some 265 million years ago!! We walked back to the RV and I couldn’t stop staring in wonder at those towering reefs and how insignificant we really were in the age of this planet. While our SCUBA gear dried on the table, we sat and enjoyed the view.

Tuesday, Feb 27

This morning we wanted to partake in a hike but once again, no dogs allowed on trail. We chose the shortest and fastest one, leaving Lil to rest in the RV sitting in the cool mountain air. After halfway in, I was glad she hadn’t come, this terrain would have been difficult for her though she would have given it her best shot. It started as a dusty trail through grass, emerging into white rocky crevices and eventually crawling deep into gorges with sheer rock faces on either side. It ended within a canyon called the Devil’s Hall, quite the spectacle of nature with tall slate grey walls that echoed with our chatter. We turned back at this point, but I’m sure further exploration would have led us to more wonder.

Back at the RV, Lil was actually still sleeping, and greeted Justin happily for a walk along some picnic trails before we pulled out for the next destination.

It’s time to get out of Texas.

Click on the photo to see more of the Guadalupe experience.

The 2018 RV Trip Continues

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Tuesday, Feb 20

The night was warm, and the air inside the RV grew stagnant. It must have been around 1:00 am that I broke down and turned on the a/c. The open windows and ocean breeze just wasn’t cutting it. I was awake early enough to try to catch the sunrise over the ocean this morning. I took Lil out with me, my camera and a hot thermos of coffee while Justin stayed back at the RV. The sun stayed hidden behind clouds, which turned out to my advantage for I wouldn’t have been able to get the photo over the water with the stirring blur in the water and rolling clouds. If you’ve ever been to the coast, you noticed how all the trees bow inland from the constant push of the ocean winds. While trying to make a dramatic looking photo of one of those trees near the beach, my sweet dog decided to photobomb the shot. I couldn’t resist, I had to snap it quick and include it in the gallery. That’s just my sense of humor, take it or leave it.

Click on image to see more of Corpus Christi experience.

After getting back to the RV, we decided to try boondocking for our next stop. Boondocking is staying where there are no developed campsites, no amenities, no water, electric, and for free. We chose Padre Island down the coast a bit. It is the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier islands in the world, and camping is allowed directly on the beach, in the salt and sand. Sounds lovely, but I was getting hangry, so we found a spot to stop for lunch, Mikels & Mays right on the beach 10 minutes from Padre Island. While we sat eating, I couldn’t help but notice how one customer was being refused service while he sat patiently on his chair waiting. I felt bad, so I threw him some of my sandwich, which he promptly flew down to gobble.

Padre Island… it was everything one could imagine for camping on the beach. We drove along the sand, careful to avoid the really soft spots, and snugged the RV up next to some dunes. Very few other people around, it felt as if we had miles of the beach all to ourselves. Some moody weather was rolling in again which had the gulf churning out some good sized waves. It sounded like a roar at times.  With still 3 hours to go before high tide and the aggressive waves making their way closer and closer to our wheels, we moved back up off the beach until the tide changed. Lil enjoyed al long walk on the beach with us, so many interesting smells for her, and there were Portuguese Man-of-war jellyfish blown up everywhere, we were careful not to step on any. Surprisingly, there were almost no seashells, but don’t be sad for me because I was able to find a perfect sundial, slipper shell and shark eye shell. By 6:00 pm, we were back down on our spot and all set up. We grilled hot dogs for dinner as the sun set. Then built a small fire to sit around and soak up the whole experience; camping in the sand on the beach with a fire. Lil was wrapped like a little burrito in her serape. She had curled up in my chair after I got up, and she was too damn cute there to move, so I sat on her beach bed and enjoyed the beach fire with her and Justin up in their chairs. After the warming glow of the fire faded off, we went to bed, leaving some windows open to let the sounds and smells of the ocean fill the RV. The occasional rain pattered on the roof throughout the night. Life is good!

Click on image to see more of the Padre Island experience.

Wednesday, Feb 21

Two weeks on the road! I’ve got a lot more in me, this whole experience has been wonderful so far!

The high tide in the early morning had come up over our wheels, but did not entrench us in the sand. We were able to easily drive out of it. Another beach walk with Lil and we tucked her back in her bed in the RV so Justin and I could take the scooter down the beach farther than the RV could go. We puttered through soft spots, having to push the scooter at times, and made it about 5 miles before having to leave the scooter. At a certain point, only 4x4 vehicles are allowed, so we parked next to the warning sign and went on foot just a little farther. The beach was the same as where we had camped with the exception of those larger soft spots that would have trapped us. Apparently, near the 20-mile point there are much larger shells to be found, but since we only made it to the 5-mile point, we called it good. I did find a cool yellow float that I grabbed up. We puttered back to the RV, rinsed off the scooter (she was covered in sand) and consulted maps to find our next destination.

Onward into the west plains of  Texas. I found classic country road trip songs to sing along to (Texas Tornado by Tracy Lawrence or On The Road Again by Willie if you want a soundtrack for the blog). There were a few hokey roadside attractions along the way; a rusty iron longhorn, a giant snake, and even an oil rig outfitted with longhorns to look as if it were a bucking bronco while it worked the field. The farther we drove, the palm trees and sand were replaced by white rocky fields , scrub brush, yucca and cactus and every now and then you could see more oil rigs pumping away. Lil stayed curled on my lap most of the way, watching out the window and jumping up in excitement every time she saw cattle pass by. I knew we were getting close to our next stop of Laredo when we saw Border Patrol units more frequently.

We arrived in Laredo late afternoon. It was pretty much right on the border of Mexico. We picked Lake Casablanca International State Park to stay the night. I hadn’t expected much being so close to the city, but was pleasantly surprised as we pulled in. The grounds felt secluded enough, and were surrounded by rolling bluffs. There were trails strewn along the sites, covered in white shale and a fun mix of other beautiful rock. I immediately noticed a sweet fragrance in the air. It was warm enough to merit a t-shirt so after we parked, I quickly changed immediately took Lil and my camera out on some of the trails. Again I find myself picking up the precious pebbles, and even found an agate broken exposing the tiny crystal city inside. That sweet fragrance was coming from patches of colorful desert flowers. I stopped to get Lil’s photo in one while she stuck her nose up taking in the smells. There was also an old abandoned building atop a bluff, which was begging to be photographed. The park service believes it may have been used as a museum at one point, but it now sat empty, boarded up and watching over the park from its perch on the mount. We walked the trails past many cactus and some pretty intimidating crown of thorns bushes. While all the pokie plants didn’t seem inviting, I was loving the terrain. So different from where we had traveled from; arid and dry yet still vibrant and intriguing. After getting back to the RV, I took some time to work on photos and the blog, then made a dinner of tortellini. During dinner, we decided that while we’re in Texas, we just have to find a genuine Mexican restaurant and also try Texas BBQ. One last quick walk with Justin and Lil led me to run back to the RV to get my camera. The city lights were illuminating the sky in a lovely blended manner and barely lit the old building I shot earlier. With a brisk wind making me work quickly, I took a minute to shoot the building against the glowing night sky.

Click on image to see more of the Lake Casablanca experience.

Thursday, Feb 22

It got much cooler throughout the night, mid 50’s by morning. I made us eggs and bacon for breakfast, then suited up to go explore the nearby lake with Lil. I read that this place was rich with fossils from marine and mammals if one found the right spots. I walked along the lakefront with Lil, her bounding in and out of the water. Eventually, we came upon some bluffs that calved away washing into the lake. The stood a good 25 feet above the waterline and exposed several different geographic layers in time. Just below them, on the water, the waves had washed away enough to expose what I was looking for; fossil oyster beds where many fossils of both marine and mammal could be found. I was able to find a piece the size of my hand to look more closely at, hoping it would yield some nice tiny specimens. From what I've read, around 42 million years ago Laredo had large gulf waves breaking along a beach, and wasn't the dry dusty climate found today over 150 miles from the gulf.

We got back to the RV and tidied up. Justin had done some research on the maps and found a good trajectory to continue on in, so on we went!

 The 2018 RV Trip Continues

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Friday,  Feb 16

On through Oklohoma we drove, our next stop we decided would be the Broken Bow area. I needed to upload a few days worth of photos so we stopped at a coffee shop near the park. Internet was soooo slow (if you recall from my intro to the last blog post) I abandoned that task for the moment.

We pulled into Beavers Bend State Park. It was in a hilly area with a nice lake nearby, though we were not planning on partaking in activities, simply a stop over. We did get to walk the trails with Lil along the Red River though, which was a nice setting close to our RV.

Click on image to see more of this area.

Saturday, Feb 17

On through Oklahoma. This area boasted Native American heritage. The views were of rustic yet upscale log houses, horses and beef herds. Our breakfast was at this cool diner called the Gemini Coffee Shop in Oklahoma. On the outside, it looked like just another hole-in-the-wall restaurant in a dying strip mall, but when we walked in, I realized what a find it was. Bubbling with local regulars, and quaintly decorated in a friendly farm style, I felt right at home. We sat at the half moon diner style bar in retro 60’s chairs and placed our orders. The owner seemed to know everybody, greeting them all by name, and had regulars phoning in their orders for pick up. The food was great and the atmosphere was hard to leave, but on we must go into Texas!

Our next stop was Mission Tejas State Park in Texas. It was very small, and heavily wooded. We didn’t expect much here, but I was pleasantly surprised but the history this tiny park held. It contained a segment of El Camino Real (Royal Road or Kings Highway), a segment of roads leading up from Mexico that local tribes used for trade and travel.  On the grounds was also the Rice Family Home built in 1828 as a family home, but hosted travelers along the Camino Real. Also here is the Mission Building which was build by the Civilian Conservation Corps to demonstrate the style of log homes built in this area in the early 1800’s. Lil enjoyed walks along the nature trails which had recently been burned (controlled burn I’m guessing). It was here she had her first introduction to white tail deer bounding away from us on the trail and a large roly-poly armadillo scooting past the RV in the night.

 Click on image to see more of this area. 

Sunday, Feb 18

Another early out morning. Nothing more to see here so we headed toward our next stop of Galveston Island. I will say, road kill is a different kind around here; black pigs and armadillos.  We stopped for gas in the small town of Crockett, Texas. While we were checking the maps, an old silver haired duffer in a faded wrangler shirt and a sharp military haircut pulled up next to us in his pickup to bend our ear a while. He liked our “rig” and was curious about it. The conversation carried on about work, health, honesty, discipline and respect. He had a true heart of gold and a genuine smile, telling us of his childhood when he trained with the great Roy Harris right in his own back woods. He spoke of his dog Zero and how he would “doodle off” to go get him ice cream treats from the kitchen every day. He melted my heart, it was such a treat to chat with him a while.

We drove on, headed south. This rain or mist seemed to keep following us. It now hung in the air around craggy oaks, silhouettes against the contrasting white wooden fences. I wondered if we were ever going to outrun this weather. At least it was warmer, 70’s I’d guess. Our lunch was at Whattaburger chain; we’re told it’s the bomb here in Texas. I’d call it only average. While stopped, I took advantage of the PetCo across the way to get Lily’s nails trimmed.

We made a quick stop at Sheldon Lake State Park, a day use park. Justin wanted to fish their sites. Lil and I walked the boardwalk while he fished. He caught one, but nothing he’d brag about, but it’s time spent fishing nonetheless, a good day.

Click on image to see more of this area. 

After leaving Sheldon, our resting place was Galveston Island State Park. We checked the forecast to see if the weather would allow a visit to the Schlitterbahn waterpark, but with a high only in the low 70s, it would be too cold for me to spend the day all wet. I’m hopeful we’ll hit up a waterpark at some point in this ride though. Our spot was on the bay side closer to all of the nature trails, which suited us just fine. Though, for some evening entertainment, we did scooter up and down the coastal road to see if there were any neat spots to stop at for a local drink. We had Lil in her bucket on the scooter, outfitted in her doggles. I swear she enjoys these rides more than me. She also brings a smile to everyone that sees her. We found one spot close by and stopped for a quick drink on the deck where Lil could sit with us. She won over the bartender, who brought her some dog treats.  We soon left, scooting along a back road, and passed the most random blip of a pasture with a few cows and chickens,  then ended the day with a taco supper at the RV. The sunset was almost a watercolor painting, perfectly blended and matte.

Click on image to see more of this area. 

Monday, Feb 19

I’ve come to really love these mornings. Lil gets invited up into bed to cuddle for the last hour of sleep we enjoy, and the sun slowly creeps through the windows. The smell of coffee brewing while I’m squished up next to Lil all warm and cozy. Plenty of breeze came through the open windows last night to keep us comfortably cool.  We took Lil on a walk along the many trails along the estuary. There were many birds to see, one being a type of large light pink spoonbill kind. We climbed the viewing tower to get a better view spanning over the bay area, it was very relaxing.

We left Galveston Island, next stop was Corpus Christi where today we were lucky enough to just score the last RV spot on the water at the Naval Air Station. Alas, our luck didn’t hold. With the sound of a sharp and very loud pop, we quickly  knew we had just blown out a tire. Justin safely pulled us off the road into the nearest driveway, just barely on the outskirts of a small town called Edna.  It was the passenger side rear inside tire (duels). While these RVs do come with a good replacement tire, they do not include the jack necessary to lift such weight. I called our roadside assistance, and after an hour, they still had no luck finding a service to aid us. And just like that our luck returned; the place we pulled into was a small shop of some sort and one of the workers just returned. He had all the tools needed to jack us up and spin off the lugs to get to the inner wheel. Justin and he had it replaced very quickly, and we headed into the little town to get the blown tire replaced… you know, in case it happens again. Back in business 3 hours later. We drove through a little town called Victoria. We had hoped to spend a bit of time there, but we had already run short of that so it was just a drive through. Corpus Christi was close, so we kept driving. All of the homes along the beach were so vibrantly colored; ranging from azure, yellow, kiwi green, coral, seafoam and so on. I adored the character. The names of the towns were equally charming; Jamaica Beach, Coconut Cove and so on. Then you had the names of the houses; Yappy Turtle, Banana Boat, Pelicans Nest.  A quick gas stop in Surfside Beach where there were food trucks and a place selling daiquiris to go.  I’m in heaven!

Closer to Corpus Christi, the landscape changed to a more industrious one. I spied wind turbine fields off in the distance, and what seemed to be refineries scattered along the skyline.

Upon arrival at the base in Corpus Christi, we found our spot on the breezy beach, on a concrete pad. It was very nice, though a full RV park. I was thrilled with the free laundry facilities nearby, and the wifi. It’s stops like this where I’m very grateful to be able to catch up on laundry, photos and my blog, but I feel terrible for Lil who sits staring off in the distance waiting to play.  After laundry and homework, it’s Texas steaks on our grill tonight! And we’ll be rocked to sleep in the arms of welcoming ocean breezes.

Click on image to see more of this area. 

 The 2018 RV Trip Continues

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It's Friday...I think. We found a small "coffee shop" in the south eastern part of Oklahoma so I could upload. So far, the coffee leaves much to be desired and the internet is slug speed. As I type this, a server walks by to ask "We just got opened last week so is the internet ok?" and I feel guilty for complaining. At any rate, you should get some photos, and at the very least the text at this stop. 

Monday, Feb12

We left the caverns at 8:00 am, it was too damn cold to do anything outside anyhow. This was a driving day for sure. We stopped for an hour or so at a Starbucks in the nearest town so we could use wifi. I obviously was able to get all my photos up and a bit more on the blog while Justin worked on downloading some navigation updates to the nav system in the RV. It was then that we decided to head to Memphis, TN. We found an RV park there that boasted of free laundry and wifi, two things we seem to take for granted when at home. It was still cold, mid 30’s but the sky was blue. I’m thinking we try to head south after this, look for warmer weather.

When we got to the park, again it was very empty. It was on the edge of the Mississippi river with a cool view of passing barges and tugs. The banks were lined with broken limestone rock and the swift water was a gritty muddy brown. It was still cold, so I dedicated the afternoon to doing laundry and walking up and down the river banks with Lil. We did happen upon a fossil shell stuck in a large limestone rock, too large to carry and too tough to break out, sadly it stayed right there in the clenches of the stone. I was able to get a sunset photo, but didn’t try too hard because I’m a sissy in the cold, go figure.

Through out the night, I could hear the hum of barges working tirelessly on the river and it lulled me to sleep. Morning came and greeted us with frozen puddles in the park. Nothing on the RV froze, so that was a relief. A quick sunrise photo over the mighty Mississippi, a brief walk with Lil, and we pulled out to go check out the big city of Memphis.

All the night before, I was singing to Justin little excerpts of  “Walking In Memphis, walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale…”, I was sure he was sick of it, but he wound up playing it for us anyhow. We strolled with Lil past Union Avenue and up and down Beale street. It was still early, but the city still held a lively vibe, even when the neon lights were still resting from the night before. I could just imagine the night crowds, hear the blues rolling out of each doorway, see the glowing lights and smell all the soul food. Made a mental note to come back when we have time to experience it at night. On our way back to the RV, we strolled along the cobblestone banks of the Mississippi past the riverboats, then on we went in search of Graceland. Just a quick stop so I could get a photo of the outside, after all, they were closed for tours today anyhow. It was its own small piece of majesty nestled in a downtrodden area of the city, surrounded by kitschy souvenir shops. A few quick photos and some  support to the closest souvenir vendor and down the road we went.

Click on photo to see more of the Memphis area. 

This was the first time we ran into heavy traffic, basically a parking lot on the interstate, but our navigation got us off and past it rather quickly.

Into Arkansas we went, south toward Hot Springs National Park.  There was so much litter along the roads, and any most roads leading off the interstate were dirt. A lot of the paved sections looked like patchwork pieces with all of the repair the’ve had. And with as many vacant business as I saw, I thought, this is where gas stations must come to die.

We passed through a few industrious in their time river towns; some had successfully bloated into a large city like Little Rock, but most seemed to be barely hanging on. Farther on we went until we started gaining elevation into the Hot Springs area. We got our RV spot right on a little river with many trails along it. Then scootered a mile or so into town to see what the area’s “hot spots” were.  This town was actually pretty cool. Stuck in time with the early 1900’s era architecture, but you could tell in its heyday that it must have been quite an attraction. The hot springs had been harnessed and commercialized into bath houses resembling ancient roman buildings encased in various creative stonework. They still had much of the original detail, and a few were open for tours while others had been slightly modernized to still accommodate bathers. I couldn’t help but feeling a little twinge of creepiness, like I was standing in the set of an old horror movie, waiting for ghosts to pass in front of me in a mirror or something. The whole town felt that way, but its also part of what I liked about it. We strolled up and down the main street until the rain started again. It was too cold to tough out, so we scootered back to the RV to warm up for the night.

Wednesday,  Feb 14

Today marks one full week on the road so far. I’d say we’re doing great. I love my office on our bed with squishy pillows, a cuddly dog, and the creek right out the back window.

Rain again last night, a lovely patter on the roof of the RV. I could also hear the creek babbling no more than 20 feet from the back of the RV. And true to form, the rain quit by the time we wanted to go outside. The morning started with eggs, bacon and mimosas. With that fuel, we took Lil on a hike through the trails up the hill (mountain?) behind us. It was a moderate hike uphill, around 4 or so miles. At the top was a lookout, but with the heavy mist in the air, one couldn’t see more than 50 yards, but that in itself was just as captivating, almost eerie at times.  Some of the foliage seemed to glow with color, almost as if they were radioactive. Every now and then an old foundation of a tumbled building or century old buildings themselves would creep into view from the mist, and again I felt like I was in a scary movie; you know, the one where someone escapes from the local insane asylum and tears off running through the woods to disappear into the fog. Maybe I just have an overactive imagination. Along the trail, there were so many different kinds of rock, ranging from white to rosey pink milky stone to jet black flaky flint stone. I can see why this area is known for producing such stunning gem and rock formations. Arkansas is one of the top places in the world to get high quality quartz, and there are several local mines in the Hot Springs area. Walking along the trail, I even found two lovely little crystal pieces mixed in the gravel.

After the long hike, we tucked Lil in and took the scooter into town, about a mile out. With this town being named for the bountiful hot springs, we had to partake. We opted for a soak in the mineral pools of the Quapaw Bathhouse.  Four different pools ranging in different temps from 98-108 degrees. It was so soothing to relax in them for the morning. Since they didn’t allow recording devices in the pools themselves, I have only a few quick pics from sneaking in my cell phone so please forgive the poor quality.

After the baths, we had lunch at the Ohio Club, the oldest saloon in Arkansas known for hosting gangsters like Al Capone and even the local celeb, Billy Clinton (he grew up in this town).  20’s era styled music played while we enjoyed our meal. Onward to another local attraction, the aquarium. Quite small, it felt more like a pet store selling fish, but still interesting enough for me.  There was a creepy old wax museum as well, but we didn’t brave that one, I didn’t want any nightmares tonight. One last stop on the way back was at the local mine’s gem and rock shop. So many eye catching stones, it was hard to walk away with just a few, but I did, with the promise of being able to visit their mine tomorrow and mine for some crystal myself.

And to end the day on a fantastic note, spaghetti for dinner!

Click on photo to see more of the Hot Springs area. 

Thursday, Feb 15

It got a little warm last night, and the misty haze seemed to be lifting, just in time for our adventure we’ve got planned for today. We started the morning with yet another hike with Lil. Just a few miles this time, up to Goat Mountain. The view was exceptional with the clouds clearing, but wouldn’t ya know it, this time I left my camera behind. We found so many rock clusters that yielded lovely colored stones so I picked up a few (ok, I picked up a lot, filling every pocket I had) so I could send some home to the nieces and nephews. When we got back, we packed up and headed north 16 miles to find the crystal mine, Coleman Mines. They have an area open to the public to allow us to “mine” for our own crystals.

The weather was much warmer, and after all the rain, it was certain to be a red clay mess. We stopped off at walmart to get some throwaway clothing so we wouldn’t ruin our good clothes. When we arrived, we were greeted by an enormous quartz crystal rock the size of a garbage can with crystals the size of bread loaves emerging from it! They say we have to be able to carry out what we find, well I’m sure as hell gonna find a way  to carry that out if I find one like it! We got our permits to mine and drove the RV right out to the edge of the entrance. It was a gaping wound in the earth with heavy machinery excavating deep into the crust. I felt a little guilty for participating but the temptation to find crystal was too strong. We tromped up a surprisingly dry road into the public hunting grounds. While it was messy, it wasn’t muddy. There were tall dirt piles surrounding the roads leading into the active mining pit, so we climbed up one and began the hunt. At first I just raked through the dirt to look for them, but I soon realized it was easier to look atop the piles for glistening gems. I found plenty ranging from a grain of rice to a quarter, and was thrilled at those, glistening and purely clear. It was surreal. Then I began to collect the larger specimens of rock displaying the different forms and stages of crystal. When my load got too heavy and I got too hungry, we went back to the RV to unload and eat and sort through our finds. Of course, Justin outdid me in sheer size and quality of his finds, some of his crystals were the size of a candy bar! We went back out and finished up with one last sweep. With too many pieces to carry, we ended our search. Granted, most were not great quality, but we did get a couple dandies, I’ll sort through them later. I did learn one thing; I was willing to reach my hand into a fire ant hill to acquire crystal, then quickly regretted it!  The whole drive on to our next stop, I couldn’t stop thinking about how great of an experience it was, and the feeling of the smooth cold crystal on my fingers upon the first find. Memories that are going to last me a very long time.

Click on photo to see more of the Mining experience.

Friday, Feb 16

Our next stop was another nearby gem spectacle; Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. We were prospectors after all so why not try for diamonds? The night was warm upon our arrival and the park was quiet. The ranger told us we came at a good time, for they were turning away RVs for March already. The diamond field was walking distance from our space. The night was restless with the humid warm air and dreams of crystals and diamonds. When morning came, the weather shifted and brought in a cold and windy day with light precipitation. I took Lil on a mile or so walk down to the Missouri river, then we headed to the field sporting our throw-away Walmart outfits. The field had greenish soil from mineral deposits. Other than that, it looked like a regular farm field, plowed in furrows. They plow only monthly, and a hundred people or more must search this area daily. We set off to an outer edge to surface hunt, on our hands and knees picking at anything shiny. With an average of only 2 diamonds a day being found, we knew our chances were low, but we had fun anyhow. Our feet turned into elephant feet as the mud clung on, but we never lost a shoe! After three hours, I was so cold I had to quit. We screened our slim pickins and brought them to the shop for identification. Just as we expected, no diamonds but enough calcite and crystals. No matter, we can still say we mined for diamonds. A long hot shower, lunch in the RV and some research for our next destination.... Oklahoma, then south, way south, to warmer weather.

Unfortunately, there are no photos to go with this stop, too muddy to bring out my camera. I still see quartz crystal clusters every time I close my eyes.

The 2018 RV Trip Continues

Click Here to Get to Entire RV Trip Gallery

It's been a busy few days-  without internet and little cell service so I haven't been able to post. I can catch up now, and hopefully will get some photos up soon depending on this internet connection. But please do check back to see when all of the pics get up. Here are my last few days:

Friday, February 9

A cool crisp morning. Justin had n 8:00 phone interview so Lil and I went off for a walk. I grabbed some fresh coffee and poked around with her for a while. We got back just in time as he wrapped up his phone call.  Places to go, things to see! We packed up and were out by 9:30.  We are headed north.  Approximately one hour up is Calhoon Falls, SC so we stopped there for a break from driving.  The hike was refreshing, but do our dismay, no falls to be found within the park itself. At the very least, we got some more exercise in for Lil.

Click on photo to see more of this area.

One of the things I am looking forward to on this whole trip is finding hole-in-the-wall places to eat when we have to eat on the road.  That’s what we did, found this place called Hudson Café; “You’ve tried the rest, now try the best!”.  How could we go wrong? It was a large shed type building with a few booths sprinkled around the inside. We ordered at the counter, then sat to wait for them to bring it out.  We waited, then waited some more. They sure were not fast, but the food was quite good! Score one for the dives! With full bellies, we hit the road again.

Headed north yet, aiming for Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia, the gorge there has some raving reviews for activities, if one gets granted permits to hike to the floor of it. I could see faint outlines of the Blue Ridge range in the distance. The rest of the drive held dramatic scenery of red dirt, small ravines and large limestone mounds among the tall pines, and every so often it was littered by the rotting remains of abandoned buildings.  There were a few towns dotted along the way, seemingly accidentally antique, leaving the feeling as if time had forgotten them.

Lil spent most of the drive snuggled up in her bed on the couch, but every so often she would climb up on my lap to watch where we were going. We arrived at Tallulah Falls and were set up by 3:00 pm, but unfortunately we were not granted permits to hike the gorge floor. It was too late by our arrival, and any for the next day were cancelled due to incoming rain. Not to worry though, we still had enough other trails to walk. We started with the North Rim trail around the gorge, I’d guess between 300-600 gain in elevation in the short distance it was. The views over the edge into the gorge below were captivating. A time or two, In peering over the lookout ledge, I’d feel myself sway a bit from the view. It was a strong yet fragile image with bold rock faces leading down to the falls and river far below.  Some of those mammoth rocks were precariously balancing, awaiting erosion to free them to fall to the gorge basin below. I kept wondering how often that would happen, and if any hikers had the experience of seeing the event. I suppose this is one of the dangers that require them to issue access by permit only.

Lil was again quite the adventurer. She was pulling us along the trails most of the day, but no off-leash today. I didn’t want to risk her running off trail into a dangerous part of the gorge where I couldn’t get her. At every overlook, she was up on her toes peering as far as she could get her nose to see what was below, but with such caution it melted my heart. That dog!

Click photo to see more of the Gorge area.

We got back by 5:30 pm and relaxed with a couple beers while sitting outside, waiting for the rain to move in. It was a gorgeous campground, hilly and with many trees but nearly empty this time of year. How fortunate were we that the whole place was nearly all ours. The temps stayed comfortable in the mid 50s, great for hiking!

Later that night, we looked at the map to see where to next. This is where Justin had to remind me that it’s not about the destination, rather the journey.  With a vague eastern direction in mind, we were satisfied.  Tacos for dinner, then I worked on some photos from the day, and we actually made it to bed at a normal time by 9:00 pm. This time, Lil is going to start sleeping on the couch. It’s just a tad crowded when she takes up half the bed.

Saturday, February 10

The rain moved in during the night, and such a soothing sound it made on the RV. Lil did great on the couch until the rain, she seemed scared so I put her back in the bed where she curled tightly next to me. The rain quit by morning, well, mostly. It was a fine mist in the air but nothing worth spoiling our morning hike. We went along the South rim this time, which held a more spectacular view. Stirring as described by Justin. Lil enjoyed it just as much as the one the day before. I proceeded down stairs to get to a suspension bridge while Justin and Lil went back around to the North rim to meet me on the other side.  The view of the falls from down there was quite something!  Such a closer view, and I was so close to getting on the trail to the floor, but I minded the rules and stayed on the proper trail. On my way back up, the some 600+ stairs kicked my butt a little, but I’d say it was worth the work.

When we got back to the RV, we decided to pull out since the rain was getting heavier. We left by 10:00 am headed East driving in the rain. The only radio station we could get in was blues playing on an old country station, which fit the weather perfectly. About an hour East, we stopped an a tourist trap of a town called Helen. It was a bustling small town tucked within the foothills boasting a solid German theme; from building façade to food. We lunched at a place called Old Heidelberg Restaurant and Pub. We were the first patrons of the day, and the food came rather quickly after ordering and delicious it was! We wandered the streets for a spell before getting back on the road.

The rain got heavier as we drove, and the rolling hills with twisty turns made me a bit nervous. It was vineyard country, and some of the hills faded into the foggy rain. I guess it would have been a beautiful sight had I not been so nervous about our RV on these roads. Instead, it felt a little creepy.

Next stop was Amicolola Falls State Park. There was a steady drizzle but we went up to see the falls anyhow. I’m glad we did because this was the most impressive falls I’ve seen yet, so wide and monstrous that at one point while taking Justin’s picture with Lil, the falls seemed to come straight from the sky above. But more damn steps!

Click on photo to see more of this area.

We were making such good time on these stops today, we decided to head East for one more park.  The rock façade changed from limestone to a heavier, more impressive lumbering landscape.

We arrived at Cloudland Canyon State Park by 5:00 pm. The rain was heavy again so I took the time to work on photos and the blog, staying cozy and warm inside the RV. I’m sure Lil appreciated the break too, she had a lot of hiking these last few days.

Sunday, February 11

It rained all night, heavy at times, and the wind shook the RV every now and then. Lil started the night on the couch but wound up in bed again, leaving me with only 12 inches of space for myself.  Not a restful night for me.

The rain did end by 7:00 am, the weather gods must be smiling on us because we’ve gotten lucky every day while this storm system works through the area.

The temps were mild in the 60s still, a good morning for a hike since we really didn’t get a chance to get out last night.  We drove the RV out to the parking area where the overlooks and trailheads were. The vantage point was pretty stellar with a sweeping view of the lower canyon and falls. The three of us hopped around peering over each overlook. Justin took Lily to a fishing hole where no license was needed and he fished a while so I could continue down the trails to photograph the falls. More stinkin steps! I quit counting after 550 on my way down because it was making me sad to know I’d have to climb them all on my way out. Both of these falls (Cherokee and Hemlock) were quite stunning. I could feel their booming force in my chest and I just stood there a minute to absorb it. One of those moments where it’s so forcefully loud but peaceful at the same time.  Again, we seemed to have the whole place to ourselves.  The mist from the falls was heavy in the air and it made it a little tricky to shoot them without getting my lenses too damp. Along the trail to the second falls was one of those gargantuan boulders hanging out above the path. I stood a moment to imagine that thing giving way wondering how or where it would land in the gorge below.  By the time I was done playing around down in the falls, I was pretty damp, but welcomed it because the hike out was quite warm.  We met back up and hit the road toward our next destination, eastward into Alabama!

Click on photo to see more of Cloudlands area.

We stopped at a Walmart so I could find a gate to block Lil in our “living room” so she might stay on the couch at night. We’ll see how that works out.

Then in sticking to our goal for local eateries, we had lunch at Carliles in Scottsboro. The hospitality in this area is more southerly welcoming than in Charleston. The hostess was quite chatty; I tried my hardest to quiet the inside voice that was screaming “I just wanna eat, I’m starving!” and smiled while she carried on. Even our waitress had to bend our ear a while about how much she loves sweet tea. Goodness. Food was good though, I had some of their tomato pie, a first for me.

We got back on the road and arrived at our destination of Cathedral Caverns State Park.  I can say so far, Alabama seems to be somewhat behind Georgia in updating their park system. The RV site was a little scary, I swear I could hear banjo music off in the woods. Setting the unease aside, we went to take a cave tour. Holy smokes, I was blown away! I’ve toured a lot of caves and caverns, and none held as much splendor as this. Some of the rooms were as big as an auditorium with formations as tall as a water tower, the photos simply can’t serve justice. And wouldn’t you know, one of their charmed talking points was a fossil shark tooth exposed high above in one of the ceilings.  We saw many other fossils in the stone along the way. I wanted so badly to jump off the path and begin chiseling some out. We were also fortunate enough to see the caverns during uncommon flood stages, making the sight even more dramatic. I fully enjoyed the tour.

Click on photo to see more of the Caverns.

Spent the night swatting away mosquitoes while catching up on all the photos I took today, and hopefully tomorrow we will find wifi somewhere so I can upload them all to the blog.

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