Our goal today was to get to Kerrville, Texas. I had booked a spot at By The River Campground. The reason for going to Kerrville was we had heard endless great things about the area, particularly Fredericksburg which is another half hour drive East from Kerrville.
We arrived by mid afternoon and we were shown our spot. A very narrow back in spot by the Guadalupe River. The spot was very tiny and they charge $40 a night here! We used our Passport America to get 50% off for the two nights, so that definitely helped. Dan wanted to get something checked out with the truck, so he left to do that once we were set up and I took Piper for a walk. It is a beautiful area and we really enjoyed our walk.
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| View from behind our campsite |
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| Guadalupe River flows past the campground |
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Since we had heard what a nice little town Fredericksburg is, we decided to spend the day checking it out. Kerrville and Fredericksburg are located in the area of Texas called Hill Country and the area is really beautiful. There are rolling hills, rivers, pastures, beautiful homes tucked into the hill sides and both towns are well kept and clean.
Fredericksburg has embraced its German heritage and the town’s architecture, food and festivals reflect it. The main street of this town gave me the same feeling as when I have walked the main street of Banff, Alberta with all its unique shops, including a Christmas Store. Wonderful restaurants scatter the main street and beyond with most serving German cuisine.
As we wandered, we saw some old preserved buildings of homesteads kept and maintained close to their original state.
We stumbled onto a beautiful Japanese Garden and took a few moments to look at it and absorb its beauty. It was very soothing and spiritual in its own right. The gravel in the centre of the garden was raked in interesting designs. It must take a lot of time and patience to do this.
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| Panoramic of Japanese Garden |
The garden led us into a courtyard area off of the Naval Museum. The walls and the bricks of the sidewalk exhibited memoriam plaques of Navy sailors, crew, pilots, and service of ships and submarines, etc that served the USA Navy. There were so many that it would have taken days to read every single plaque. A beautiful tribute to those who served.
Shortly after, we discovered the fudge and candy shop on main street and did a selfie with Piper! What would life be without fudge? Dan loves fudge and it makes everything better…lol
We bought some fudge and saved it for later.
After combing the main street and side streets, we returned to our truck and moved it to the Visitor Centre. From here, we walked to Tubby’s Restaurant and had lunch. It appeared to be an all outside restaurant with a side outlet to order from. We sat a table in the nice warm sun. They had locally brewed draft beers and Dan tried the Lou Lou Ale. He said it was very refreshing. The food was more Mexican here. Dan had pork tamale with deep fried beans and rice with hot sauce and I had pulled pork with fries and they topped the whole plate with shredded purple cabbage. Not something I would usually eat, but it was very good.
There are many things to do in Fredericksburg, but we felt that we had achieved what we wanted to do, so we went back to our spot in Kerrville.
Friday, March 3, 2017
Leaving on a Friday especially with Spring Break starting in the area was a little worrisome, but we didn’t find traffic to be any worse than normal. We stopped at the local Wal-Mart in Kerrville to grab a few supplies and then we ventured out on I-10 West with the goal of getting back to Tucson, AZ in mind. We didn’t leave until after Noon due to stopping for supplies. We stopped at a Rest Stop that evening to eat supper and felt we would stay put for the night and catch some shut eye.
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| On the road again, need diesel... |
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| Our new friend Ri-Bert (named after our friend Albert who gave him to us) sits on the dash and sometimes slides across the dash!! |
This rest area is just humming with the highway running beside it and traffic running the entire night especially the big rigs. Later in the evening, we had a big rig pull in behind us and one pull in beside us and both left their engines running which truckers seem to do quite often. By 3 a.m. I heard Dan up and he went outside and then he started doing dishes…I got up and asked him what was up and he said he couldn’t sleep and would like to get going if I was ok with it.
So, by 4 a.m. Saturday, March 4, 2017 we were back on the road and heading towards El Paso on I-10. By 5:20 a.m. we were going through El Paso and believe it or not, the road was already busy with traffic, but not too busy yet. Our friend Cliff recommended avoiding El Paso, but seeing as we were going through so early, we hit it at the right time to not get caught in traffic. After El Paso, we entered New Mexico and immediately we saw the temperature drop by 10 degrees. It is amazing how much colder the higher elevation is. By 7 a.m. we pulled over into another much quieter rest area and made breakfast. After breakfast we had ourselves a nap for two hours. Feeling much more rested, we continued our journey into Arizona.
I had picked out a dispersed camping area at Colossal Cave Mountain located near Vail and the East Saguaro National Park. Unfortunately, all of the 5 sites were full so we had to find something else. We decided to check out the National Park while we were close to it, but there is no camping there either and thought it would be best to not have the trailer on to check out the Saguaro 8 mile loop drive. We decided at this point to hopefully return before we leave the area to see it.
Getting closer to 4 p.m. it became necessary to find a spot and I remembered a couple we ran into telling us about the Pima County Fairgrounds being a good spot to camp. So, we went there. $25 a night to park in a dust bowl of nothing with buildings surrounding, racing cars in the distant area, and exhibitors staying here for a gun show and horse show. We really couldn’t see the attraction of this campground other than convenience especially if attending an event on site.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
After much discussion and searching the map, Dan and I decided to return to Madera Canyon where we had stayed at Bog Springs Campground when we were in this area back in the beginning of December. We were hopeful that we would get a spot as there are only 13 sites with half not being appropriate for our unit. We arrived at Bog Springs around 1 p.m. and thankfully there was a site for us. At $10 a night, we signed up for a week.
The beauty surrounding us at Madera Canyon is breathtaking with a variety of trees,
hills, mountains, and bush. Wildflowers are starting to bloom. Animals such as birds, squirrels, bunnies, and deer frequent the area. Black bears also roam here, but are elusive.
We took a walk down the hill to the entrance of the campground and then followed the Bog Springs Trail back up. This made for a nice little trek, a good walk for Piper.
Monday, March 6, 2017
We took a drive out to Box Canyon which is NorthEast of our campsite. Dan decided to let some air out of the truck tires (10 PSI) to give us a smoother ride. Along this narrow, gravel road which almost lends itself to an off-roading experience, there is beautiful scenery with an ever-changing landscape. A dry creek bed, a wet creek, wildflowers blooming, hills, ranches, and the winding road contribute to an enjoyable experience of the area.
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| Box Canyon |
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| Little spring flowers just beginning to bloom... |
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| The other side of Box Canyon there are a few ranches. |
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| View of Box Canyon on the way back to Madera Canyon |
We enjoyed a fire in the evening. The sky was clear and full of stars. One of the campers came by, Anne, and I invited her to join us by the fire.
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| Madera Canyon Campsite |
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| View from Campsite |
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| Piper loved laying in the tall grass |
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| A beautiful moon-lit night |
We spent the rest of the week virtually doing nothing but hanging around camp and enjoying the surroundings as both of us were sick with terrible colds that I had caught first and then Dan got it. It proved to be one of the worst colds we have had in ages.
More and more people seem to be car camping. They sleep in their vehicle, but have all the necessities with them for camping. Our new friend Anne from Florida travels in this fashion. I think she is very brave doing this all by herself, but she says she is having an amazing adventure and meeting all sorts of amazing people. Another camper, Phil, from Alaska, who was our neighbour for a few days, also camped by himself and slept in his vehicle. Although a couple of nights he made his bed on top of his site’s picnic table and slept there. He too was really enjoying his traveling and camping in the vehicle. Our hats are off to both of them.
By Sunday, March 12, 2017 we decided to pay for three more nights in hopes to get rid of the colds and maybe even do a hike or two before we vacate the area.
On Monday, March 13, 2017 I convinced Dan that we should do an easy to moderate hike or at least start out and see how we feel. We did an incredible 9 km trek taking a path from our campground that took us further South from where we had hiked before, then crossing the road and taking the Nature Trail that ascends up the hill. We hiked to the top of the furthest parking lot in the canyon where we sat at a picnic table and enjoyed a snack.
Then we returned on the same trail, mostly downgrade back to Madera Picnic Area. The Nature Trail was gorgeous, with views as far as the eye could see, trees such as Junipers and Mesquite, cacti of all variety, with the trail even crossing and running along side the stream that flows the length of the canyon road.
Coming back out at the Madera Picnic Area, we had to cross the stream again, and there were families wading in the shallow water and having fun. Piper loved getting her feet wet and drinking some of the cold water. We then crossed the road and headed up the trail back to our campsite. We were out for three hours, hiking time was 2 hours and 23 minutes. We were so pleased we did this hike. It was an awesome day!
To finish off our time at Madera Canyon, Tuesday, we simply enjoyed the day and started to pack up with intention of an early start on Wednesday morning.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 we pulled out of Madera Canyon around 9 a.m. We had decided that we were going to swing over to Colossal Cave Mountain Park area to see if we could get a spot there for the night. It would mean a little back peddling, but if we could get a spot there, we could drive down the road and drive the Saguaro East-Rincon Mountain District National Forest Loop Drive. Thankfully, when we finally arrived at Colossal Cave Mountain Park, we found a spot and set up. We found out that we had to check in at the Gift Shop and pay $7.50 for the night, so we headed up to the gift shop and got confirmation that we were ok to stay where we were and paid the fee.
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| Our spot at Colossal Cave Mountain Park |
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| Tenting Sites |
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| A beautiful Cardinal pays us a visit |
We drove 11 miles North up the road to the Saguaro National Forest Loop Drive. It was 97 degrees Fahrenheit and we decided that it would be too hot for us to bike the loop as we intentionally were hoping to do, so we decided to drive it. The eight mile drive is a paved one-way road that allows for slow driving to give visitors a close look at the variety of Sonoran Desert life especially at the statue-like Saguaro Cacti. Almost like a fingerprint, the Saguaro all look different, some with more “arms” and extensions than others, some taller, some smaller, and presenting themselves in many shapes letting your imagination run wild as to what you see.
Protected since 1933, the Saguaro are considered a symbol of the American Southwest. A Saguaro starts out as a tiny seed but as an adult cactus, it can produce tens of thousands of seeds and live for 175 to 200 years. Their best chances for survival are to grow under the palo verde and mesquite as they are more protected and more hidden from the seed-eating animals in the desert. Although slow growing, Saguaros, by 150 years of age can grow to 50 feet and weigh more than 16,000 pounds.
(Information from the Saguaro National Park brochure (2011), Arizona, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior)
Returning to our campsite at Colossal Cave Mountain Park, we met our neighbours. A family that had just moved to Arizona from Texas were out for a little tent camping. Dan noticed the father, Greg, had a campfire ready to go and thought we should have one too. However, I had seen a sign posted that said “Extreme Fire Conditions, No Campfires Allowed” and told Dan I didn’t think we could have a fire. Greg lit his fire and I told Dan we should wait to see what happens when the Ranger comes by. Well, it couldn’t have been 10 minutes, and the Ranger rolled up in his truck and promptly told Greg to put the fire out. He stood by to watch them douse their fire with water and came over to tell us that the guy was an idiot…The Ranger and Greg exchanged a few words and the Ranger left.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
With a long day ahead of us, I arose early to get a workout in before we left for our big trip to the Grand Canyon. As I was working out, the Ranger came around and he went over and talked to the family camping by us and then returned to us. He asked to speak to Dan and I called him out of the trailer. The Ranger said, “I’m hoping you have more class than this, but did you take a sh%t on the floor of the Men’s Restroom?”
Dan said, “No, that’s gross…”
The Ranger said, “I think that guy, (pointing over at Greg) did it because he was mad I made him put his fire out last night.”
That was crazy. We told the Ranger that we had not encountered any problems with the family nor had we visited the Restroom as we are self-contained. Unbelievable!
At first, we decided we were going to take more of a scenic route to the Grand Canyon and avoid I-10, but as we drove and drove to the East with stop light upon stop light, Dan decided he would prefer to get onto the I-10. So, after traveling East for a few miles, we turned around and went back West until we could get onto the I-10. Before getting to the highway, we went through a long stretch of new road construction and noticed they worked around the Saguaro Cacti and then transplanted them to an area aside of the new road construction. This made sense to us after finding out the Saguaro are protected.
As we traveled further and further North towards the Grand Canyon South Entrance near Tusayan, the landscape became softer with more rolling hills and less cacti. Then, we hit higher and higher elevations and climbed some very steep hills opening up a world of tall Ponderosa Pine trees. We were very happy to see the trees and forest for a change from the desert landscape. Absolutely beautiful.
Knowing the South Rim was open and in full swing, I wanted to stay at Mather Campground in the park. However, upon further investigation, on the Allstays App, I was able to check availability before we got there and it looked like it was completely full. I felt disappointed, but told Dan that there appears to be plenty of dispersed, primitive camping sites in the Kaibab National Forest that lies just outside the South entrance to the Grand Canyon and since it was getting late, we should pull in there for the night and figure it out the next day. We pulled into Road 688 just off Highway 64 (South) and saw a number of campers pulled into various dispersed sites. It looked really beautiful with all its tall trees and each space was far from the other allowing for room and privacy.
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| Dispersed Camping near South Rim Grand Canyon |
The issue with dispersed and primitive camping for most campers is there is no power, water, restrooms, or dump. However, during the course of this trip, Dan and I have become fairly proficient at being self-contained and we can make it a very long time without being on utilities. How? We have solar panels with inverter that power our unit provided we park in a sunny spot that catches the most sun all day. During this time, we do not use our coffee pot, but boil water and use a French press to make coffee. Otherwise, we use everything else we normally would like the TV, recharge devices, a hand vacuum, and yes, even use the blender to make Margaritas!!
Water wise, back a few months ago when we met Gus while camping in California, he showed Dan a system he came up with. We carry four large 7 gallon blue water jugs in the truck that have water in them at all times. Gus told Dan to get a Tsunami pump from Wal-Mart that works with a hose that fits onto each jug and plugs into the lighter outlet in the truck. This way, we don't have to hold up the giant, heavy jug to put water into the trailer, the pump does the work.
What about dumping? For dumping, we have a large tote and when the tank is full, be it grey water or black water, Dan fills the tote and we put it in the back of the truck. Then, the next time we find a dump station, we empty it. The tote has really been handy to have as we do not have to move the trailer.
Friday, March 17, 2017
Temperatures had dropped through the night, but thankfully not to freezing. The sun came up and it shone bright and warm. Our primary goal today was to investigate the area, move the trailer if needed, find a laundry and do laundry, find and use a dump station, and figure out the best way for us to see the Grand Canyon.
We drove into Tusayan Village to see what was there and found an IMax Theatre, Pink Jeep Tours, many Helicopter Tours, Skydiving into the Grand Canyon, a few shops and restaurants, one campground, and a few hotels. It is a very nice little Village with amenities and very close to where we were camped. We stopped at the IMax Theatre with Tourist Information to ask a few questions. The gentleman at the counter said we could use the dump station and laundry at the campground across the road, but there would be a charge for the dump. I told Dan I thought we should be able to use the dump for free and there is laundry at the Mather Campground in the Grand Canyon National Park, so we proceeded into the park.
Another smart thing Dan and I did was buy a National Park Pass when we went to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. The pass has paid for itself almost twice now and it encourages us to take in the various National Parks, Monuments, Seashores, etc. Cost for the Grand Canyon is $30 per vehicle without a pass.
We were able to use the dump at Mather Campground for free. Dan checked out Mather Campground sites and Trailer Village Campground sites with Piper while I did our laundry and he returned he said, “very shocked” with the price of the camping at Trailer Village that provides full hookups…$45 per night for two people and each additional person is $3.45 per night! Outrageous!
While we were still in the park, we drove around and looked at the various buildings and areas, but there was no parking available so we were not able to get out and look at the canyon. We decided we would plan to have that amazing and awesome experience together the next day.
On the way back to our campsite, we pulled into various primitive camping areas to have a look at them and decide if we wanted to move the trailer. We were very satisfied with our location and proximity to the Grand Canyon National Park and decided to keep the spot we had. When we returned to the trailer, we moved it a little to maximize the daylight on the solar panels. Dan was happy to build and enjoy a fire that evening. We looked forward to the next day when we would see and gaze at the Grand Canyon together for the first time in our lives!!
Saturday, March 18
We had chosen a portion of the Rim Trail of the Grand Canyon (South Entrance) to walk today. It was the first time we have ever experienced the Grand Canyon first hand. Upon first sight, the vastness of the canyon was awe inspiring, breathtaking, and mesmorizing. The colours in the canyon walls demonstrate millions of years of geologic layers of rock. Greens, oranges, purples, pinks, greys, sand, rust, and whites colour the vast landscape.
Starting at the Grand Canyon Visitor Centre Parking Lot 1 we walked the Rim Trail for about 4.5 km to the El Tovar Hotel. During the trek, we took our time and checked out the unique landscape, seeing caves in the side of the canyon, some almost round or forming a perfect arch, some crows soaring alongside the cliffs, Scrub Jays, and the odd critter scurrying down the steep embankment.
We stopped at the Yavapai Point and Geology Museum and took turns going into the building to look at the various geological displays. All along the Rim Trail, large samples of rock have been placed on platforms to demonstrate the different layers of rocks that the canyon is composed of and the years they were formed. It was nice to see them up close to have a better look at their unique designs and colours.
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| The Grand Canyon, vast and beautiful... |
The trail and the park becomes more crowded as the day moves on. We hate to judge, but stopped to watch a few times, people sitting on the most outer edge of a rock above the canyon floor. Did I mention the canyon is a mile deep? The thing is, when you fall, you don’t fall straight, you tumble and I imagine it gets very messy. Dan was reading some stats about deaths in the park; average 15 to 30 deaths here a year, falling off the canyon and heart attacks top the reasons for the deaths. We could see why.
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| Bright Angel Trail zig zags and descends down into the canyon |
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| Birds catch some lift and soar above us |
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| Verkamp's Visitor Centre; designed to show how the local Indians used to build their homes in the area |
Upon reaching the El Tovar Hotel area, we found ourselves a bench in the shade and enjoyed our picnic lunch we had packed. Piper laid on the bench between us and enjoyed the goodies we had brought for her as well.
Dan popped into the Verkamp’s Visitor Centre to ask about the Bright Angel Trail and got some information on a few of the areas’ trails that descend into the canyon. Then, we continued our 4.5 km trek back along the Rim Trail to our parking spot. The Rim Trail is paved and we felt that it is much harder on the body wearing hiking boots and walking a hard surface than walking a dirt trail. We also carried our backpacks to be prepared for anything; lots of water, food, coats, first aid, etc. Even though it may have been overkill, we look at it differently. We are prepared and it also keeps the body in shape for carrying the weight of the pack.
We returned to our camp by 1:30 p.m. The weather was perfect for our first time seeing the Grand Canyon and the day, completely awesome!
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Dan and I decided to see a little more of the Grand Canyon South Entrance Park area by bike. We had selected a route that would take us across the park, let us see the Grand Canyon again, then through the forest and ultimately back to our parking spot. It was a glorious day, the weather was perfect yet again, not too hot, not too cold, sunny and warm.
Dan had Piper run beside the bike (very slowly) to give her a little exercise as well and when she tired, I put her in my bike basket. As we rode, we saw and passed the mules / donkeys at the Mule Barn that are used to pack people and their luggage up and down the canyon. Following the Greenway Trail, we rode a long time to the East part of the park passing the Train Depot, Market Plaza, Yavapai Lodge, and arrived at the Grand Canyon Visitor Centre to use the facilities. Continuing to head East, we were now on the part of the Grand Canyon Rim again that allows bikes and it was spectacular. We stopped to have a snack and take a couple of photos.
We continued our bike ride East through Pipe Creek Vista and to South Kaibab Trailhead Parking Lot. This is where we would turn around. According to the map, there was a trail called Arizona National Scenic Trail that bikes are allowed on, but it is not paved. I felt that if it wasn’t too rough, I could take Piper on the bike on it. However, Dan and I searched high and low for something that marked the trail properly and while I decided to take a different trail and head back to the truck, Dan continued to look and find the Arizona National Scenic Trail.
I returned to the truck without water, the keys, a map, or really anything besides Piper and the GPS. Dan had the daypack on his back and he also had the map (which is not to scale). I had waited at the cross road section where Dan should have come off the Arizona Trail, but alas he did not show, so I thought it best to go back to the truck and wait. Piper and I waited and waited for Dan to show and my thought was he missed the turn off and he has biked his way to Tusayan! That would put him miles out of the way. Waiting and hoping for the best, Dan finally showed up.
Sure enough, he missed or exceeded the turn towards the Village when coming off the Arizona Trail and continued biking until he realized he was on his way to Tusayan. He said the ride out was beautiful and mostly downhill so upon discovering that he needed to go back, the legs were definitely feeling it being mostly uphill to come back.
Happy to be reunited and that all was ok, we returned to our campsite and checked out the GPS. My ride had been 20 km, and Dan’s ride, upon trying to calculate how far out he went and back beyond what I rode, we think he did about 34 km!
Back at camp, we spotted the remains of an elk perhaps in the nearby dispersed campsite..
Monday, March 20, 2017
We were going to spend another day in the park and check out the Hermits Rest portion of the Grand Canyon Rim, but this is a shuttle area and being that dogs are not allowed on the shuttle, we would be hiking it again on that hard surface and decided to give our bodies a rest today.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Awww, the first day of Spring! We packed up and headed into the park, this time following Highway 64 to the East Park Entrance and then onto Cameron. We stopped in the East Park at the Desert View Area to check out the Desert View Watchtower. It was an amazing building with 85 stairs inside it that lead to the top of the tower with 360 degree views of the area around, mostly of the Canyon. Dan and I took turns checking out the tower and we both really enjoyed looking at it and in it.
When we arrived at theTower RV Parking Lot, there was only a couple other units in the lot, upon our return after looking at the watchtower, the lot was full and Dan desperately wanted to beat these people out onto the road. I quickly grabbed some snacks for our lunch on the fly and brought them into the truck. We were headed toward Cameron that presented itself as more desert area, lots of sand, brush, some cacti, and fairly barren.
From Cameron we traveled North on Highway 89 into Utah. This is the first time for both of us to go to Utah. The landscape is full of mountainous hills with vibrant coloured rocks upon layered rocks. It really does feel like “God’s Country”, beauty as far as the eye can see. Small towns like Kanab look well kept and there are beautiful homes scattered in the hillside.
We pulled into a dispersed camp site (no utilities) near the Mount Carmel Junction. The turnoff is immediate at the bottom of a steep hill and with trailer on and traffic behind, somehow Dan maneuvered us onto the dirt road without problem, although a little intense because the turn came up so quickly.
We chose one of the few sites that were available for a trailer of our size and set up beside a couple of younger people, Crystal and Bryan from Oklahoma that were tenting. They greeted us and said they were pulling out in the morning, but they had been tenting at this campsite for a week and never had any problems, also adding that most people coming in this area do not come this far down the road. They were right which was nice for us.
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
The main reason for coming to this area was so we could check out Zion National Park and entering from the East with the trailer would be a little more difficult as there are a couple of very long tunnels into the main area of the park that are low clearance. The park normally charges $15 to let the big motorhomes and trailers go through as they have to stop the traffic at one end so the larger unit can drive down the middle of the tunnel allowing for just enough clearance. This was something I read about before our arrival and that is why we wanted a spot that was outside of the park entrance where we could leave our trailer. We did see quite a few larger units go through and traffic sometimes stopped on one end for five minutes or so.
The drive into Zion from the East was spectacular. Although considered desert, Zion houses a remarkable diversity of plant and animal life. This is because annual rainfall at the higher elevations provide enough moisture so plants and animals alike can continue to flourish and remain in the area. These plants and animals are extremely adaptable to their surroundings as sometimes need is to survive drought or the rushing in of a massive flash flood that destroys everything in its path. Adaptability is survivability out here.
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| The colours of the signage pop against the colourful mountainous hills |
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| Natural Arch |
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| There are a few openings like this to allow light into the massive drive-through tunnel |
The colourful bands and swirls of oranges, reds, purples, greys, and browns are an amazing and overwhelmingly beautiful treat to the eyes, almost mesmerizing and hypnotic to the onlooker. Dan and I really enjoyed looking at the surrounding hills and colours.
We were really hoping shuttle service in the park hadn’t started yet so we could drive ourselves to the highlights in the park with Piper in tow. Unfortunately for us, shuttle service was running and no dogs allowed. In fact, no dogs allowed on any of the trails, the shuttle buses, and no kennel service provided in the park. There is one paved path called Pa’rus Trail that bikes and dogs are allowed on. We checked out the Visitor Centre and read some of the history of the park displayed in the outside exhibits and decided we would grab the lunch we packed and eat, then walk the Pa’rus Trail with Piper.
The weather was cooperating for a while, but black clouds presented themselves above us to the South and we decided not to walk the Pa’rus Trail. Instead, we opted to drive a little further West down the road and check out the Town of Springdale, just outside the Park’s West Entrance. It was a cute little place lining the road as we drove. I saw a sign that said “Fresh Fudge” and told Dan, as it is one of his favourite things. Also, feeling a little disheveled with the situation of not being able to take Piper with us exploring, fudge makes everything better…Dan went into two different shops to find his favourite, maple walnut, and bought a couple of slices.
We opted to leave the park mid-day, with an hour’s drive back to the campsite through the beautifully coloured hills. After exiting the second and final tunnel, I noticed a family of mountain goats on the hill beside the highway. There were a couple of vehicles pulled over to watch. Dan got out and walked closer to take some photos. Piper and I watched from outside, but beside the truck. There were two baby goats in this group and they were so cute. They jumped and frolicked, playing up and down the steep rocky hillside. I imagined the mother goat calling out to them, “be careful, don’t get carried away now, stay away from the road,….”
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| We stopped and watched the mountain goats |
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| The babies love to frolic and play |
After viewing the mountain goats for quite awhile, we continued our journey only to come across another huge herd crossing the highway into the lower canyon. One lonely goat wandered the road looking a little concerned and lost as to where everybody went…we gave him lots of room to discover the rest of the herd just down the hill from him and watched as he joined them.
Even though we didn’t get to explore Zion as much as we would have liked, we enjoyed the day for what we did see and returned to our campsite.
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Rain and dropping temperatures made for a cold awakening. We fit in a walk between rain showers around the dispersed camping area that lays alongside the Virgin River that flows from the top of the canyons in Zion National Park. The area is quite beautiful and from where we are set up, we can’t hear the traffic of the highway above us at all. In fact, it gets to be deafening quiet in the night.
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| The Virgin River |
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| Our dispersed campsite in the distance |
Dan and I spent a lot of time studying the map of Utah, Idaho, and Montana. Trying to decide the best route to take into Canada, but also trying to figure out the best time to make the jump. This is a very difficult task as weather is always unpredictable and there are many high elevations ahead of us which will also add to the possibility of freezing temperatures. This is the first time in our lives that we do not have a house to return to after a vacation and while it will be a little bit of a struggle getting through the last bit of cold weather, it will all be worth it.
We have planned about three stops so far to get us up to Alberta. However, then we wondered if British Columbia’s weather would be less cold. No matter how you look at it, there are mountains in the way. We may just go for it and use straw bales around the trailer again.
After much debate, we decided to lay low at our dispersed campsite near Zion’s East Entrance over the weekend and then move North again. We went for a walk, read, and ventured down the road about 5 miles to pick up a few groceries. Prices were actually quite reasonable; we were surprised as it seemed that everything that we had seen like restaurant prices and gas were more expensive as businesses capitalize on being in a more remote area.
Friday, March 24, 2017
There was definite frost on the ground upon awakening. The windows were fogged and condensation ran down them. The temperature was 24 Fahrenheit, freezing…
My feelings were to run, but where? Where could we go that is warm right now, but also closer to our final destination?
Dan and I concluded that the temperatures were about the same all the way back into Alberta so we may as well keep moving North and get back to our home base.
We pulled out and continued North to Panguitch and then headed West and got onto the I-15 North. We headed North for a while and then headed for Highway 6 North that would take us to Little Sahara Recreation Area near Eureka. We knew the camping was not free, but we expected it to be less than $12 a night. After hours of driving, we pulled in and found out it was $18 a night to camp in the sandy recreation area and decided that we did not want to pay that.
After reading a little information online about Eureka, we decided to try to take in the main street and check out some of the older buildings. Eureka was a mining town that began in the 1870s. Although the local Mormon settlers realized there may be a fortune in gems or minerals in the area, they were discouraged from mining and so ignored what was glittering in the sand. It was a non-Mormon cowboy that took interest discovering ore, gold and silver in them there hills and soon Eureka became a bustling and busy little frontier town. In the 1950s the price of ore plummeted and the cost of mining started to outweigh the benefits as many of the mines had flooded as well. As a result, Eureka eventually became a ghost town.
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| Eureka City Hall |
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| A liquor store now, but Dan thought the deer head on this building was funny |
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| Eureka Main Street |
To read more about Eureka: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka,_Utah or http://www.theemptyroad.com/eureka-utah-a-living-ghost-town/
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| Salt Lake, Utah |
Utah is absolutely beautiful with its high mountains in the background and pristine blue coloured Salt Lake. However, we decided that Utah drivers were some of the worst we had come across this entire trip and this was the first time in almost 19,000 km that someone fingered us! Humph.
Now, we decided we were going to make our next leap up to Salt Lake City area, where I wanted to stop and visit a friend I’ve had since we were five years old. I called my friend Rhonda, giving her little more than 2 hours notice of our arrival and hoped that she was able to see us. Not only was she available, she and her husband John did not have any plans that night and also offered us to park the trailer in their driveway. We were so thankful for their warm hospitality. To top off the visit, Rhonda treated us to supper that night. It was so amazing to reconnect with an old friend and remember all the great times we had together. Thank you Rhonda and John.
Saturday, March 25, 2017
It was pouring rain as we pulled away from Salt Lake City area and continued on I-15 North. Dan and I decided we would try to make the next jump up through Idaho into Montana and stay at Clark Reservoir. Camping at Clark Reservoir without services is free.
Our drive North eventually lead us out of the rain and the scenery was mostly rolling hills
with beautiful snow covered mountains in the background. Clark Reservoir was captivatingly beautiful and campsites had small shelters and fire pits. The water was not turned on yet in the campground, so unfortunately, with the lack of water and because we hadn’t been able to fill our tank, we knew that we wouldn't stay here long.
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| Clark Reservoir |
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| Clark Reservoir, View from our Campsite |
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| Our campsite, Clark Reservoir, Montana |
Sunday, March 26, 2017
We decided to drive around Clark Reservoir, check out some of the other campsites, and see if there was a working water tap in our vicinity. The area is really beautiful and the campgrounds are laid out very nicely. The best part is that if you do not require electric or hook-ups, you can camp here for free up to 14 nights. We could see this area becoming very busy in the summer months.
We checked out an old canoe used by the Indian Tribes that used to have their camp in the area. The area used to be where three rivers met and since has become a reservoir area after a dam was constructed. The old Indian “Town” is now under water between where plaques in recognition of the area were and the island is that is in the reservoir. Clark Reservoir, named after Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition were brought to the area by Sacajawea where she was reunited with her tribe and relatives.
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| Piper stands on an old canoe likely used by the Tribes that lived in this area in the past |
We managed to collect some firewood that had been left behind at another campsite as Dan enjoys a good fire every once in awhile. That night, with the wind howling and temperatures dropping, I opted to sit in the trailer and stay warm, but Dan sat by his fire and enjoyed it immensely.
Monday, March 27, 2017
The closer we got to Alberta, the more ambitious we became about getting home. I found Willow Creek Reservoir in the Allstays App. It indicated that camping was allowed. We followed the directions and came to a long rocky semi-developed road and pulled the trailer to near the edge of the reservoir. There wasn’t a sign, no information, not a soul around actually. However, we set up for the night. The wind was fierce and cold and it howled as it blew through the cracks of the door and windows in the trailer.
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| Changing landscape as we travel North through Montana |
Dan and Piper went for a walk and came back excitedly to tell me that there were large trout in the reservoir and they were right by the shore. Dan said seeing the large trout was a highlight of the area for him. The surroundings were beautiful and we enjoyed it for the short time we were there.
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| Willow Creek Reservoir near Augusta, Montana |
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Ready to take a giant leap forward and get back home today…We knew the day would be long and tiring. Pulling away at 9:00 a.m. from Willow Creek Reservoir in Montana near the Town of Augusta, we drove for seven hours to reach our final destination. Montana’s scenery is always so beautiful and we enjoyed the drive. It felt good to be back and we were excited to see our family and friends. What an incredible experience. We saw so many things and learned so much. We are truly grateful to have had this opportunity. Thank you to all of you who joined us on our journey through reading the blog. Thank you to all our new friends and strangers that helped us along the way and made our time that much more enjoyable.
Now, onto the next adventure…
God bless.
