WOW!!

Our stay at Bryce Canyon National Park was amazing. We timed it right and the weather was perfect. One word to describe this place is - WOW! We were there over Mother's Day and my request was breakfast together at the lodge and for Dick to take a hike. I so enjoyed my 6 hours of alone time and Dick is always up for a hike.

BRYCE CANYON LODGE, BUILT 1924

This time my photographer in residence put together a Youtube video of Bryce Canyon and even recorded his own background music.  It's difficult to capture the beauty of this place with photos but it's the next best thing.  CLICK HERE FOR DICK'S PICS  

Before heading into Nevada, we once again visited Mike and Rochelle Schlins at their B & B in Glendale, Utah. It's their busy time with lots of guests, but they made time for us. It's always fun to connect with friends. As soon as we arrived Mike met us at the door and said, "Guess what we bought - an RV!" Were we a good or bad influence on them? They are so excited to sell their B & B business and travel. We made plans to try and meet sometime this summer in the Rockies. 
We're heading to California for a family wedding and chose 
to drive "The loneliest road in America" (Hwy 50) across Nevada. Most of the towns we passed through were former mining towns or relay stations from the Pony Express days. One of the most interesting towns to me was Pioche - a living ghost town. About 900 people live there today, though it had 8,000 people in the 1860's mining boomtown days and during that time it was known as the baddest town in the West; badder than Tombstone, Dodge City and all the rest. We were told it was so bad 72 people died before one died a natural death. Passing through Pioche felt like we were time traveling back to the wild west days. 

HEADING WEST ON "THE LONELIEST ROAD IN AMERICA"

Nevada is an interesting state. In some ways it's STILL the wild west. It's very lenient with marriage and divorce proceedings, gambling is legal anywhere and everywhere and the state allows legal prostitution. It was very evident in some of the areas we passed through. Now it's on to California and family time.

__________________

**For a few days we were camped next to a heard of these cows. They're called Belted Galloways or the "Oreo Cookie Cows".  

CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK, UTAH

The park got it's name from the great white rock formations which resemble the U.S. Capitol building, and from the sheer cliffs or reef that presented a barrier to early travelers.

It's a quiet Sunday afternoon, with nothing happening, so I decided to catch up on where we’ve traveled since I last blogged. From Arches and Canyonlands we drove through harsh desert into Capitol Reef’s lush valley along the Fremont River.  The history of an area is what interests me. From indigenous people to Mormon pioneers this fertile area was used for thousands of years. The early Mormon pioneers planted orchards of peaches, cherries, apricots, pears, apples, plums, mulberries, almonds and walnuts and now the National Park Service maintains the orchards with historic cultural practices and the public is allowed to pick the ripe fruit. We were there the wrong time of year to enjoy the fruit, but we did enjoy the fresh baked scones, bread and pies from the Gifford House. This farmhouse was built in 1908 by polygamist Calvin Pendleton, along with a barn and smokehouse. Eventually, it was purchased by the Gifford family where they lived for 41 years. In 1969 they sold the farm to the park.  Now the Gifford House is a Natural History Museum, gift shop and bakery conveniently located next to the campground.

WAITING FOR THE GIFFORD HOUSE TO OPEN TO GET MY SCONE....

.....AND PIE FOR LATER

We also enjoyed a few hikes to overlooks and remote canyons to view petroglyphs, pictographs and names etched onto walls of pioneers that traveled through in 1871. Now it’s called graffiti and we did see a lot of that too. I love to hike but 8 miles is about my limit. I enjoy and prefer 2 to 4 mile day hikes. Most trails require some steep uphill climbs and I'm always huffing and puffing on the uphill and stopping now and then to rest (and anyone else we meet is doing the same).  Not Dick! I think he’s part mountain goat. I hear no huffing and puffing and he only stops to rest to take pictures. Then when we’re done with a 3 mile hike, he’ll head out on another 8 mile hike. Amazing!

Click here for DICK'S PICS OF CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK

Taken in 1979 when we camped at Capitol Reef - our first home on wheels

NOTE: Remember Aron Ralston?  We drove by the dirt road that leads to the slot canyon, which is in a very remote area southwest of Canyonlands National Park, where Aron was hiking when a boulder dislodged and he was trapped for 127 Hours (also a movie by that title Movie Trailer).  This is also the same area as Robbers Roost the outlaw hideout for Butch Cassidy and his wild bunch gang. This rough terrain is difficult to navigate into without detection. 

NOTE: In the Utah/Arizona border area we saw many women dressed in long pastel blue dresses that looked like they walked off a Little House on the Prairie movie set. We were told different stories of the polygamy that still exists today in certain areas of the US. After hearing all these stories and seeing what I saw as we drove through the town of Colorado City, AZ and other small UT towns, it peaked my curiosity and so I've been reading different bits of information about them. In the early 20th century, the FLDS church splintered off from the mainstream Mormon faith and took up shop in the twin border towns of Colorado City, AZ and Hildale, UT. There are a lot of misconceptions about the FLDS community (Fundamentalist Ladder Day Saints). A lot of people mistakenly lump FLDS polygamists in with the LDS Mormon faith. The fundamentalists strictly adhere to what was originally a tenant of Mormon faith (being polygamy), while the LDS church has since disowned the practice. We were also told that many polygamists leave their homes in a suspended state of construction because this allows them to avoid paying some type of taxes on the properties. Yes, the homes (large homes) in these towns were left unfinished on the outside but I haven't found any information about this fact.

Polygamist women and children
(I'm not judging these women, I just can't believe the rules they have to follow and nothing is done about it)

GEOLOGICAL WONDERS

While visiting Canyonlands and **Arches National Parks, we set up camp outside the parks in BLM or NF campgrounds at $5.00/night (with our Senior Discount Card) and left the mother ship either at dawn or dusk. We'd head into the parks before the crowds to hike and get just the right light for Dick’s Pics. I need not say more about these beautiful parks - a picture is worth a thousand words. Click here for DICK'S PICS.

While in Moab, I received an email (just in time) from friends we met in 2009 in Texas. They knew from my Blog that we were in the Canyonlands area of Utah. They live in Bozeman, MT and traveled to Moab to participate in the 10th Annual Photography Symposium We spent the afternoon together and had a chance to see the incredible photography and hear the keynote speaker. BOB'S PHOTOGRAPHY

A great visit with Bob and Ellie

**I see Arches NP eventually going to a shuttle system like Zion NP. There is so much traffic and sometimes no parking spaces. This is a very popular well-used park. A lot of it has to do with its close proximity to Las Vegas. We see so many rental RV’s in Utah and Arizona. People fly in, pick up their RV and head out to explore all the National Parks. Lots of foreign people too. Dick was hiking to Landscape Arch and passed a guy and said, “Howdy.”  The guy stopped and said, “Wow, you speak English!” 

I just had to share a couple of interesting RV's. We see all kinds!  

Retro boomers own this one

Saw many JUCY VANS.  It's made in New Zealand but you can now rent them in the U.S. 

Not sure what that is on the front of the truck - owned by a fireman?



I find it difficult to be a recycler while traveling. Very few places we camp have recycling bins. If they do it's maybe only for one or two things. It was refreshing to find this recycling wagon at Wahweap National Recreation Area at Lake Powell,  Wouldn't it be wonderful for all National campgrounds to do this? 

BEAUTIFUL ZION

After doing laundry and stocking our cupboards, we headed into Zion National Park in Utah for a couple of weeks. Fortunately, there is one campground that is on a first come, first serve basis. We have learned the best way to get a space (not only here) is to arrive any day but Friday and Saturday and before noon. It is amazing to watch on Friday and Saturday everyone frantically racing around trying to find an open space. We even get knocks on our door asking if we're leaving. Dick calls it campground Bingo.
Zion National Park is one of our favorite places and so beautiful in the spring. The park has a great shuttle system along the canyon drive. We loved getting on the shuttle just before dusk. We would get off at different stops and walk the road to the next stop to catch it again. No other vehicles are allowed on this road so it's very quiet. At the Big Bend stop it was amazing watching the climbers on the 2000-ft sandstone cliffs. Some would make it down before dark and those that didn't we'd see hanging there in their hammocks for the night. Unreal!

Climbers in Zion

I would make no rock climber. I decided to challenge myself on the Hidden Canyon trail by continuing on a narrow ledge, hanging on to chains, along a sheer sandstone drop off.  I was wondering what would happen if I met someone that wanted to pass me on that ledge. About half way up at the scariest, narrowest point, Dick says, "Stop right there I want to take your picture." There was no way I was going to stop, I was almost at a panic point and kept repeating to myself - you can do it - don't look down. On the way back down he led the way and snapped a few pictures. When we hiked to the Angel's Landing Trailhead, I hiked only as far as Scout's Landing and let Dick continue. I was warned it was even more dangerous than the Hidden Canyon trail and not for the faint of heart. You will also see pictures Dick took hiking that trail too.  DICK'S PICS OF ZION  
We received word from Maggie that our Michigan friends, Joan and Phil Richardson, would be traveling to Zion. We enjoyed visiting both evenings they were there. Perfect timing.

Our Michigan friends visiting Zion

In 1981, we met Mike Schlins while at a laundromat in Sitka, AK. He took us fishing and hiking and we had a wonderful eight days there. We also reconnected with him a few other times when he came to the Midwest, and then we lost touch for about 20 years. I reconnected with him on Facebook about a year ago. He had moved to Glendale, Utah, about 35 miles from Zion. He and his wife, Rochelle, invited us to park our motorhome in the parking area next to their B & B, the historic SMITH HOTEL. It was so much fun and they even included us in on the breakfasts with their guests. What a great camping spot!

Fishing with Mike in Sitka 1981

Mike and Rochelle at front entrance of the Smith Hotel B & B

One noticeable fact as we travel in the Southwest is the water shortage. Demand is greater than supply and it's a big problem. We started hearing about this problem while at Lake Mead and then different people who live out here and how their allotments of water all work.   AMERICA'S WATER CRISIS
Yet it doesn't seem to be just in the West. Isn't that what's going on in Florida? More and more aquifers are being drained because of the need for water and that's why there are more and more sinkholes. **
We decided to head back into Arizona where the temps looked warmer and give it more time to warm up in the Canyonlands, Arches and Bryce Canyon National Parks our next destinations.

WHAT ABOUT THE GREAT LAKES?
**This was sent in by one of my faithful blog readers:

We need to stop the exportation of water from the Great Lakes to China

   " The only thing they do import from us, which needs to be stopped, is water. China is the biggest consumer of Nestle, which sells several brands of bottled water and the plant is based in northern Michigan. When John Engler was governor of Michigan in 2001, he made an agreement with bottle water giant Nestle, allowing them to open a plant in Mecosta County. They have then pumped more than a 1/2 million gallons of water a day drying up streams and ponds that feed the Great Lakes."

 

And this - more recent:

Nestle Waters North America Reaches Agreement Ending Michigan Legal Case -- STANWOOD, Mich., July 7 /PRNewswire/ --

"Under provisions of the agreement Nestle Waters will continue its sustainable use of natural spring water from four company-owned wells located in Mecosta County, Michigan. The Company will continue to withdraw an average of 218 gallons per minute of spring water (313,000 gallons per day), with rates varying depending on the time of the year and seasonal conditions at the site. The agreement makes the water withdrawal rates permanent."

 

So that is how Michigan water goes to China.....they pay for the IceMountain water that is bottled from "free" underground springs in Mecosta County, MI

 

Whether or not the "sustainable use" is correct = is anybody's guess.....

It is too bad.  I refuse to buy bottled water - we have a reverse osmosis system here and I use that in a sustainable bottle (not plastic).    The bottled water costs more than gasoline!

 

Hugs,
Jean 

INTO NEVADA

We found a quiet National Forest campground just outside of Prescott, AZ called White Spar not too far from the historical Whiskey Row.  One morning we drove our car down 89A, a road we were warned to not drive on with the motorhome. We were heading for the little town of Yarnell to meet up with a friend we met several years ago while traveling in New Mexico. It's so easy to make friends while traveling. There's always an opening line - Where are you from? We keep in touch through email and hope to meet again. Most everyone is very friendly. There are exceptions though. I had a strange thing happen to me the other day. We saw a woman riding her bicycle into the state park in the late afternoon and then she set up her tent in a space next to us. When I first saw her riding in on her bike I made the comment that she looked like a homeless person. Then I thought we should never make assumptions. She is probably riding across country on a grand adventure and if she was homeless why would she pay $20.00 for a campsite in a state park. So when I saw her sitting out at her picnic table I decided to walk by and ask if she was on a cross country trip. It was really strange. She slowly turned her head and gave me a long stare and said nothing and then turned back. So then I asked if she spoke English thinking that was why she didn't answer. She again turned slowly and stared at me and then turned back again. She had on large sunglasses so I couldn't really see her eyes. So weird.  So then my imagination starts running wild - she is in hiding and on the run from the law. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

Meeting up with Ed Trautwein at the Ranch House in Yarnell

We then headed for Lake Mead National Recreation Area. We had planned to stay a few nights but it wasn't our kind of place - too many RV's crammed in together. Probably because it's right outside of Las Vegas. This park has a 30 day limit in the campgrounds and it looked like people were set up for the full 30 days. It wasn't what we think a National Park should be. From the campground ridge you look down at a huge boat storage building with a lit up parking lot. Then there's also the Hoover Dam which is a huge tourist attraction. I think the best way to explore Lake Mead NRA is by boat. So we traveled north in our land yacht to Valley of Fire, Nevada's first state park. We were told about this beautiful place by some people we met in Florida. That's another thing about traveling. You get all kinds of good traveling information from other campers. The campground said FULL, but we were fortunate to find a site in the open area. After one sleepless night there (Spring break still?), we were fortunate to find a vacant campsite tucked up in among the red sandstone formations where we could see no other campers. The hikes in the park were short but beautiful. Click here to see Dick's Pics: VALLEY OF FIRE 

Enjoying the morning at our campsite in Valley of Fire State Park, NV

                                     

SAGUARO COUNTRY

Cactus wren  Photo taken by Dick Mallery

In my last blog I said we were headed for the big cities of Tucson and Phoenix. Along the way we  went to Green Valley to visit Traverse City friends, Nina and Jerry Mann, who now have a beautiful adobe winter home there. It was great fun to sit outside on their back patio under a full moon, watching for the rare comet Pan-STARRS, which we never did see.

We headed north and stayed in the Tucson Mountain Park at Gilbert Ray Campground. It is located next to Saguaro National Park. I love the saguaro cactus and all the creatures that depend on it and we arrived in time to experience the desert in bloom. One day we spent 6 hours touring the Sonoran Desert Museum.  I'm not a fan of museums and zoos, but this place impressed me when I visited it in 1979 and again this time.   SONORAN DESERT MUSEUM

Mountain Lion at Desert Museum Photo taken by Dick Mallery

We then moved to the NE side of Tucson to Catalina State Park and visited Sabino Canyon.  Maybe it was the time of year but it felt like an amusement park with all it's crowds. As we hiked through the canyon we could hear the sound of the tour guides on the shuttle buses over their speakers. It is a good thing that they don't allow cars on the drive to the top of the mountain anymore - too many people. Again I say, the Boomers are coming, the Boomers are coming!!  Over 10,000 Boomers retire each day and they say for the next twenty years. We are finding some places less attractive because of all the people. When it gets too difficult to get into parks we may change our way of traveling.

We then traveled up to Apache Jct. to Lost Dutchman State Park. This is a beautiful place next to the Superstition Mountains on the outskirts of Phoenix and a convenient place to camp for a week while we visited my parents and do some repairs. Dick is not in his element when we're in cities. He is not patient so that adds to his frustration with people and traffic. He did hike to the top of the mountain to get away from it all but there were a ton of people on the trails. He was happy to move on.

My parents

We moved north to Camp Verde to a National Forest campground situated along Clear Creek under Sycamore and Cottonwood trees. It was very quiet with lots of birds - nesting Kestrels, ravens, woodpeckers, cardinals, yellow-rumped warblers and at night listening to the calls of the great horned and screech owls.  My parents drove up to visit for a day, Laurie and Bill Bassett, friends from home, drove down from Oak Creek, where they rent a condo for a month, and we visited around a campfire under the full moon. We hadn't seen them since the Everglades and it was fun catching up.  We had a quiet few days until the weekend when the park filled up with loud, inconsiderate, partying people. We get spoiled with quiet secluded places. We'll be leaving soon to find that place.

Lost Dutchman State Park and the Superstition Mtns.

Mission San Xavier del Bac near Tucson

Funny Face loves laying in the sun on the motorhome dashboard

THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTHWEST

When we travel west we always stop in Columbus, New Mexico. We like its uniqueness and friendliness. We camp in town at Pancho Villa State Park. Before Janice left us, we wanted her to experience The Pink Store, located just across the border in Palomas Mexico. When we crossed the border it was a bit unsettling to see Mexican police and military with M16s. We walked as quickly as we could to the The Pink Store to shop and have lunch. Before we went into Mexico, a park volunteer, who goes over to Palomas often, made the comment that it is very safe and there has never been any problems for US citizens.  Janice immediately asked, "What about Canadians?" Yvonne Romero, the owner of the store, always greets us as we arrive and makes everyone feel welcome.

Mexican Military in Palomas   Photo Credit Janice Henshaw

Statue of Pancho Villa in Palomas Square

Tarahumara woman selling her creations in Palomas

The Pink Store

Lunch   Photo Credit Janice Henshaw

This year we stayed to experience Camp Furlong Days. The annual event promotes friendship and goodwill between the US and Mexico.  Residents from both sides of the border join in celebrating. The date of this event is the date Mexico invaded the United States in 1916.  This year the Columbus Historical Society honored the 18 US victims of that day with photos on display. There were speakers and vendors and people singing and dancing in the plaza. The most spectacular of all was the parade of riders who had traveled over 150 miles to cross the border to join with riders from the U.S. in a celebration of peace.  

Parade of Mexican riders joined with the US riders 

Cabalgata Riders 

Centered in the Village Plaza - dancers, music, arts and crafts and food treats

 

This man is holding a picture of his grandfather who was killed the night of the raid.
 He was born the same date and time of the raid thirty-two years later. 

Sapphire Energy outside of Columbus, NM    Click here to read more

Loved the food at this little place in Columbus.  Manuela, the owner, takes orders, cooks, sometimes serves and somehow squeezes a little time to chat with customers.  

We make so many new friends while traveling and sometimes we're on the same routes and staying at the same campgrounds. We also look up friends from home who are traveling in the South for the winter. It makes traveling so much more fun. We looked up Marlene and Dave Ferguson before they headed back to Michigan and then spent a couple of days doing fun things with Mary Ann and Bob Warner. Of course when we're in Deming we try to look up the Kretek twins who we met through the Warners three years ago. These two women are now in their 80's and have lived in Deming since birth. They are very involved in the community and are very active. If they're not playing golf then they're involved in some fundraiser. They are characters and have some interesting comments on historical events in the area. They definitely don't like Pancho Villa. Their parents lived during the time of the raid and I'm sure they heard many things against him through the years. Also they remember as children the sound of the bomb that was tested in a remote area north of them.  It shook their windows but their mom said it was nothing, just go back to bed. Their brother had a paper route and had to go deliver papers and he saw the glow from it.  Info on atomic bomb 

Regarding the spaceship crash and the aliens, their friends who lived near Roswell saw the army come in and haul something out.  The army (government) said it was just a weather balloon but the ranchers say it was a space craft crash and they believe the ranchers and their friends.  Info on Alien Spaceship    (Gertrude and Geraldine Kretek pictured below)

Camping friends, Jon and Ellen Konnert, we met in Big Bend and again at Columbus and once more at Portal.
We look forward to meeting again.

From Columbus we continued west on Hwy 9 to Arizona and into the Chiricahua Mountains. We love the Portal, AZ side.  It was the first time driving into our favorite National Forest Campground with our new, taller motorhome.  We weren't sure if we could get in without scraping, so we parked the motorhome at the visitor's center and drove the car to the campground watching for branches that may be too low. There was only one that we had to worry about but we squeezed in just fine. 

After a couple days we drove to the West side of the Chiricahuas to the National Park but camped just outside of the park entrance because all the larger camping spaces were full. This little triangle of BLM land was the best camping spot. We were the only ones and it was dark and peaceful. The next morning, inside the park, we caught a morning shuttle to the top of the mountain and hiked the 9 1/2 miles back to our car through beautiful rock formations and landscape. Now it's on to civilization and the light and noise of Tucson and Phoenix.