Day 57, Sunday, September 30, 2018 - Lost Dutchman State Park, Apache Junction, AZ, Day 2

A Horny Toad

Sunday, September 30, 2018 - Lost Dutchman State Park, Apache Junction, AZ, Day 2, 0 Miles, 4,716.9 Miles for the Trip

Around 10.30 we headed to the Goldfield Ghost Town, a touristy combined real & fake ghost town that is mostly shops and restaurants. Still some good building photographs. We walked around taking photos, then headed to see Tortilla Flat, a town of 6 that started out as a water stop along the Yavapai Trail (now the Apache Trail & AZ 88). A very windy with one lane bridges, but paved road between the campground and Tortilla Flat; beyond that it is mostly unpaved for the next 15 miles to Roosevelt Lake.

We are now back at the trailer ducking the 100°F+ heat. There is a sing at the park entrance warning of flash floods starting tomorrow. Since there is a 60% chance of rain in Phoenix, it is probably a useful warning. You can see many washes that are currently dry, but in a heavy rain? Lots more photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

I was sitting over at Don & Anne's & she spotted a horny toad. She took a picture or two, but of course Don & I had to chase it all over the campsite, knocking off frames like there is no tomorrow! Almost felt sorry for the poor thing. It is amazing how well it blends in with the gravel next to the site.

Dinner was Anne's Chicken & Artichoke on noodles, and the part of the Kendall & Jackson Pinot Gris that she didn't use to make the chicken. I was going to head to the showers after dinner, but just as we finished it started to rain; first in weeks. The prediction is for 3" in Phoenix & 4" in the mountains. Hopefully, the mountains are not those at Show Low, where we are heading in the morning. In any case, the shower will wait until the next stop.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 56, Saturday, September 29, 2018 - Lost Dutchman State Park, Apache Junction, AZ

Site 24

Saturday, September 29, 2018 - Lost Dutchman State Park, Apache Junction, AZ, 79.4 Miles, 4,716.9 Miles for the Trip

The area we camped in started filling up overnight, including a pick up with a locomotive horn. Sure got my attention! We headed out just before the 11:00 check out time. Dropped our bathroom cards off at the office and whined about the extra charge for a site that didn't have a better view of the lake than the one next to it (mine). All we got was a shrug. By the way, my site T7 has an open ground that prevented me from running my EMS. It was dry enough that I was willing to take the chance of running without a ground to be able to have air conditioning.

We stopped at a Walmart in Mesa to see if they had my El Monterey Chicken, Cheddar & Mozzarella Cheese Empanadas. They didn't. I sure wish there was some consistency in the stocking of them in Walmarts. They are a Walmart only product, and few of them stock them. Too bad; they are good.

We pulled into Lost Dutchman park, and after a bit of confusion, got to our sites. Don & Anne are in site 24, and I'm next door in site 22. Electric & water sites for $32.50 per night. Paved, and almost level. I could have stayed connected to the trailer, but since Don & Anne's van seems to be losing air conditioning, we decided to take the truck for our trips in the 107°F afternoon heat. It is now down to 93°F at 7:45. The radio tells me the weather will break into the high 80's on Monday, when, of course, we will be further down the road & at 7000'.

Both of us have good views of the Superstition Mountains, although not as nice as the view from the dry overload sites (and with the heat, I would not want to be dry camping!)

We decided to head to a restaurant for dinner rather than cook in the heat. I seemed to remember excellent chicken fried steak at the restaurant in the Goldfield Ghost Town, but when we got there it looked different & no chicken fried steak on the menu. I came to the realization that the restaurant I was remembering was at another ghost town, the Calico Ghost Town in California. Same kind of tourist trap. At least the hamburgers were excellent at the Mammoth Steakhouse & Saloon here in the Goldfield ghost town. It was hard to tell the guests from the performers at the saloon - lots of "cowboys" walking around in old west gear. Semi live entertainment. A singer, a guitar & and entire band on the computer. Still, for country music, his voice wasn't too bad.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 55, Friday, September 28, 2018 - Pleasant Harbor, Peoria, AZ, Day 3

Friday, September 28, 2018 - Pleasant Harbor, Peoria, AZ, Day 3, 0 Miles, 4,637.5 Miles for the Trip

Another do nothing day, at least for me. Don & Anne went to Tempe to visit with relatives, while I hung out in the cooler weather (only 103°F today). Since the campground showers are a bit of a walk from my trailer, and I'll be dumping in the morning, I decided to shower in the trailer. It was interesting - I had to turn up the hot water shower valve to cool off the shower since the sun provide far too much heating to the water hose connection. Eventually, I ran enough water to reverse the valves to their normal positions.

I did lots or reading, switching back an forth from inside to outside. There was a family across from me that spent the entire day sitting outside their trailer - must have been local because I found the heat impossible after 20 - 30 minutes.

Dinner was a turkey sandwich & chips.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 54, Thursday, September 27, 2018 - Pleasant Harbor, Peoria, AZ, Day 2

Thursday, September 27, 2018 - Pleasant Harbor, Peoria, AZ, Day 2, 0 Miles, 4,637.5 Miles for the Trip

Well, it cooled off - only 105°F today (well, that's cooler than yesterday's 106°F). Today was a relax in the trailer day. While Don & Anne went to visit with Don's brother & family, I caught up on some internet reading as well as my current book - Wilber Smith's Desert God.

I'm amazed that the refrigerator is doing as well as it is. I've complained that it runs a bit warmer than I'd like at around 38°F - 39°F even with the controller set at full on 5, but even in this heat it is staying at 39°F. I am running the Texas Fan, which blows across the outside fins on the cooling system as Escape recommends at temperatures over 100°F. I sat outside for a bit (in the shade of the trailer) and I have to say that it is uncomfortably hot!

Since Don & Anne ate at Don's brothers, I had my last batch of frozen stew.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 53, Wednesday, September 26, 2018 - Pleasant Harbor, Peoria, AZ

Our Sites

Wednesday, September 26, 2018 - Pleasant Harbor, Peoria, AZ, 108.5 Miles, 4,637.5 Miles for the Trip

We made a couple of stops in Sedona on the way out of town, then headed down AZ 89A & AZ 260 to I 17 into Peoria. We are at Pleasant Harbor RV Resort & Marina. This is a resort that actually looks like one, although the section they put us in is labeled "Temporary Sites", has one picnic table per 6 sites, and is on dirt. Electric & Water site for $36.00 per night, although Don & Anne are paying a bit more since they are "on the lake" (which is about 50' below & a couple hundred feet away - hardly worth an extra $6.00 per night). Bathrooms are drive to only, and we haven't found the showers yet, although they did give us access cards (one per trailer) to them. By the way, is is 106°F at 3:00, and even now at 8:20, it is still 94°F outside. Needless to say, the air conditioner is running & I don't expect to shut it off to sleep.

After setting up we went to visit with Don's brother who lives a short distance from the campground. We hung around until around 6:30, then headed back to the trailers so I could do my 7:00 eye drops. With three different drops that are on different schedules & number of times per day, it seems my life revolves around them, but they do seem to be slowing down the damage caused by Glaucoma.

Dinner was a turkey sandwich, peaches and Cape Cod potato chips.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 52, Tuesday, September 25, 2018 - Lo Lo Mai Springs Resort, Page Springs, AZ, Day 2

Cathedral Rock & The Vortex

Tuesday, September 25, 2018 - Lo Lo Mai Springs Resort, Page Springs, AZ, Day 2, 0 Miles, 4,529 Miles for the Trip

It was domestic morning - we eventually found a laundromat in Sedona and did our usual 2-3 loads each of laundry. Somehow, I ended up with a pair of ladies medium panties in my dryer. I suspect they stuck to the drum of the rotary washing machine. They had a lost & found box, so in they went.

After laundry I suggested stopping in at the local Safeway for a package of English Muffins. A full cart & $180.00 later we got out of the store. It has been awhile since we shopped, and they had both Beyond & Bubba Burgers.

After stashing the food in the refrigerators & freezers, we headed out to look at some of Sedona's "Red Rock". We started at Red Rock State Park, but at $7.00 each, we asked what we would see in the park, and the attendant admitted "not much" and sent us on the rest of the Red Rock Loop. We stopped at the Crescent Moon Resource Management area and took some photos as well as walked to one of Sedona's Vortexes. Many more photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

After that it was out Dry Creek Road to Boynton Canyon. The roads in Sedona are interesting - most end in a gated community. There are many hiking trails, but we didn't do any of them this trip. Eventually, it was dinner time so we went to Picazzo's Organic Italian Kitchen for pizza. Excellent white (garlic & olive oil rather than the standard tomato sauce) mushroom pizza.

When we got back to the campground, someone was parked in Don's parking space. Turned out to be blog readers and fellow escape owners, Anna & Gerald. They live in Oak Creek, south of Sedona, read that I was here in the campground, and stopped in to say hello.  We chatted for a bit, then headed in for the evening.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 51, Monday, September 24, 2018 - Lo Lo Mai Springs Resort, Page Springs, AZ & Jerome

 

Wukoki Pubelo

Monday, September 24, 2018 - Lo Lo Mai Springs Resort, Page Springs, AZ, 111.8 Miles, 4,529 Miles for the Trip

After packing up the trailers we headed back on the 35 mile loop road to stop at the two visitor centers, and the Wukoki, Wupatki & Lomaki Pueblos.

The drive to Sedona from Flagstaff on US 89 is interesting. You drop around 3000' in relatively few miles, complete with many 15 MPH switchbacks. The F150 did a good job of holding the trailer while in 2nd gear, although some braking was necessary for the hairpin turns. A pretty drive, although I didn't get to see much of it other than the road.

We are in Lo Lo Mai Springs Resort in Page Springs, about 9 miles south of Sedona. Full hook sites (although the price is the same for either water & electric sites or full hookups). One of the staff drove us around the campground to pick out our sites. We found two that let us face each other, although it took some long runs for both water & electric for my site, for $44.66 per night. We are here for two nights, today to see Jerome, and tomorrow Sedona.

We headed to Jerome after setting up. It is an amazing town built on the side of a steep hill. There are switchbacks within the town, making it at least three levels that overhang each other. We walked around looking at some of the galleries, including the one I bought my owl at last year. The same artist is now making all kinds of other animals, including turtles, bats, roadrunners, and cats. Nice stuff, but i already have too much for my tiny house, and even tinier trailer. More pueblo & Jerome photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

We ended up in Jerome past 5:00, and decided to eat dinner at the Haunted Hamburger in town. I had the Ghostly Hamburger (Cheddar cheese, bacon & mushrooms on a substituted turkey burger) and an order of onion rings. The burger was good, but the onion rings, while OK, didn't match those at the Patio Drive in in Blanding, UT.

After that is was a short but curvy drive down Historic 89A back to Page Springs & the Campground.

Day 50, Sunday, September 23, 2018 - Sunset Crater National Monument, AZ

Agatha Rock, AZ

Sunday, September 23, 2018 - Sunset Crater National Monument, AZ, 168.5 Miles, 4,417.2 Miles for the Trip

We got a reasonably early start out of Gouldings campground, stopping for gas at their station. Probably should have waited until we hit Arizona since it is cheaper there - $3.13 at Gouldings, and most of the stations we passed once we hit Arizona were under $3.00, although just. We had to adjust our clocks, not because we crossed a time zone, but because Arizona doesn't do daylight savings time.

Not a long drive to Sunset Crater National Monument. We passed Agatha & Owl rocks along US 163 in Arizona, and continued on US 89 to Sunset Crater National Monument.

We are in the campground, dry camping in paved sites with picnic tables, fire rings & grills for $12.00 per night with the Senior Pass. Bathrooms with flush toilets, but at the only water faucet they as k you not to fill your fresh water tanks - they have a limited supply. I'm still well over 1/2 a tank, so no problems. The place looks like a fiberglass trailer rally. There are two Casitas, our Escape & Scamp, and an Oliver in the campground loop.  More pictures at today's LakeshoreImages page.

After setting up, me in a pull through & Done & Anne in a back in site we headed into the park to see the lava field & remains of the volcano. Don needed gas & Anne wanted to confirm our reservations for tomorrow night so we drove about 5 miles towards Flagstaff to find gas & a cell signal.

Dinner was Spaghetti, meatballs & sausage, along with garlic rolls (I didn't have any Italian bread so I used some rolls to make garlic bread broiled in the trailer oven). Not bad if I say so myself!

Until Tomorrow -

Day 49, Saturday, September 23, 2018 - Gouldings Monument Valley Trading Post, UT, Day 2

Sunset & Moonrise over Monument Valley

Saturday, September 23, 2018 - Gouldings Monument Valley Trading Post, UT, Day 2, 0 Miles, 4,248.7 Miles for the Trip

Not a lot of text today, but many photos. We started the day with a trip along the Monument Valley Drive. The light varied as we drove by the buttes, mittens, and formations, but we got lots of photos.

At John Ford Point, there was a guy with a horse charging $5.00 per photo of people on a horse. Don & I insisted that it was a fake horse as we drove along the road before the point, but Anne insisted it was real. Of course, she was correct, but it was an awful calm horse that hardly ever moved even its head (the tail did a bit of swishing). I guess I'd want a calm horse if strangers were climbing on & off on the edge of a cliff. Anyhow, he was busy most of the time, although I did get a photo of him & the horse alone. More Monument Valley & Valley of the Gods photos at Today's LakeshoreImages page.

I bought a couple of pieces of native made pottery to add to the TV shelf at home. I've got to stop soon - the shelf is getting full!

Around 3:00 we headed back to the campground so I could do my eye drops, then headed to the Valley of the Gods. Quite different from Monument valley. Much less crowded, maybe less "monumental" formations, but lots of them. Anne had a great time naming each of them. Again, we took lots of photos even thought the lighting was a bit harsh. On the way back to the campground we stopped at the Mexican Hat Lodge Swinging Grill for steaks for dinner. The grill really does swing, rocking the steaks & Texas Toast over a wood fire. Excellent steaks, although a bit more expensive than our usual dinner, even for restaurants. As we drove past Monument Valley on the way back to the campground, the sun was setting and an almost full moon was rising over some of the formations. We got a couple of photos.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 48, Friday, September 21, 2018 - Gouldings Monument Valley Trading Post, UT

Monument Valley at Sunset

Friday, September 21, 2018 - Gouldings Monument Valley Trading Post, UT, 182.2 Miles, 4,248.7 Miles for the Trip

We retraced some of the roads we had already driven on the way to Monument Valley, but did stop at Picture Rock State Historical Site for a couple of photos. We could have continued another 35 miles into the Needles section of Canyonlands, but decided to skip it. We also stopped at Wilson Arch for a "trailer in front of the arch" photo.

We arrived at Gouldings Campground just before 3:00. We are in sites 57 & 58, back to back sites. Mine has the utilities (and grill & picnic table) on the wrong side, and the sewer connection so far away that even if it was on the right side, I couldn't reach it. $52.00 plus tax per night, bringing it to $107.00 for the two nights for a full hookup (sorta) with cable on red sand. The monument is on the border between Utah & Arizona, which makes for interesting clocks - Arizona does not do daylight savings time & the Navajo's do, whether in Arizona or Utah, as does Utah. Depending on where you are, it could be an hour earlier or later...

After setting up we headed to the Gouldings Grocery Store for some tomatoes, asparagus, and junk food. Dinner was Beyond Burgers, & asparagus. After dinner, Don & I headed to the Navajo Monument Valley visitor center for some sunset photos. I wish the moon was full and more towards the major monuments, but you take what you can get. Very crowded, including a volleyball team that posed for a photo with their backs to the camera.  More photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 47, Thursday, September 20, 2018 - Archview RV Resort, Moab, UT, Day 2 & Canyonlands NP

Grand Point Overlook

Thursday, September 20, 2018 - Archview RV Resort, Moab, UT, Day 2, 0 Miles, 4,066.5 Miles for the Trip

We started out the morning with me heading to the Legends Barber Shop for a haircut. Don decided he needed one as well, and Anne went along for the ride. By the end of the visit, each of us had a new do. On the way back we stopped at the campground, then headed to Canyonlands.

At the visitor center I confirmed that False Kiva is now off limits. They had major vandalism about two months ago, and closed access to the site. I sure wish it hadn't happened - I found it one of the most thought provoking & serene locations I've ever visited & I was hoping to show it to Don & Anne.

We continued into the park, first stopping at Mesa Arch. Not as impressive during the day as it is at dawn, but you would never guess by the number of people. I never got a chance to shoot the entire arch without people, but took a bunch of photos anyway.

After that we drove to the Green River Overlook & checked out the campground. The campground was fully booked, as usual. After that we drove to Upheaval Dome, then back to Grand Point Overlook.

At the barber shop, the woman cutting Anne's hair suggested we check out the Petroglyphs that are just after the climbing area along the Colorado River on UT 279. Many, many drawings in fairly good condition, so lots of pictures. You may need to look at the larger versions of the images to appreciate the art. Pictures of the Pwtroglyphs & more of Canyonlands at today's LakeshoreImages page.

After that we headed to town for a stop at the City Market for food, Walker Drug Store for water (they were out of individual bottles at City Market) and a chair to replace my destroyed one. They had a $49.95 chair with built in fans (don't ask) on sale for $10.99, so I bought one. It is comfortable enough that Don & Anne may pick one up on the way to Monument Valley tomorrow.

Dinner was ham steaks, pickled beets & mash potatoes.

Day 46, Wednesday, September 19, 2018 - Archview RV Resort, Moab, UT

The View from Dead Horse Point

Wednesday, September 19, 2018 - Archview RV Resort, Moab, UT, 96.7 Miles, 4,066.5 Miles for the Trip

I forgot to check the camera for photos before I finished yesterday's post and today I found some photos we took at the Hanksville BLM office of the Wolverton Mill. A bit different from all the other mills I've photographed. Most were grain mills, one an air compressor, but this one was built to process gold ore. They rebuilt it at the BLM office site, including using a helicopter to haul down the wheel.

We had a short drive to Moab, buying gas at Green River on I 70 for $3.39 per gallon. Cheaper than the $3.49 in Hanksville, but more than the $3.17 in Moab. We checked a number of places to stay, and most were filled. My first choice was Dead Horse Point State Park, but both campgrounds were completely booked. We settled for Archview. I've stayed here before, in fact Don is in the site I stayed in during 2011. He & Anne are in site 42, I'm in 43. Both are small sites, small enough that I have to park the truck perpendicular to the trailer & I'm still in the driveway. At least the mulberry tree that dropped purple berries all over my trailer & tracked inside is not in fruit this time of year. I did have a red ant mound next to my power pedestal. I sprayed them with my roach & ant killer & all it did was make them mad. Luckily, there was an Orkin Man spraying some of the cabins & while it wasn't part of his contract, he came over and sprayed them. What ever he was using worked! Sites are full hook up with cable TV, fairly level, on sand, and $48.96 per night with taxes & a 20% first timer's discount. Glad Anne reserved them since I've been here before.

After setting up we headed into town to pick up my prescriptions and hit a grocery store. While they didn't have Bubba burgers, they did have my favorite non meat hamburger, Beyond Burgers. I picked up some for tonight's dinner.

On the way back we noticed a green chair that looked a lot like my folding chair in the middle of the road. Didn't think much about it until we got back to the campground & discovered that mine was missing. I suspect I left it sitting on the tonneau cover while getting out the ground cloth & it fell off on the way to town. We went back to try to retrieve it, but it was broken up badly enough to call it toast. I still have another one just like it, so I'll have to dig it out of the back of the truck.

We decided to go to Dead Horse Point for the afternoon. Great views, so I made far too many panoramas looking at the same view from different parts of the point. The heavy clouds softened the lighting compared to the last time I was here. On the way back we drove through both campgrounds, as well as the Horsethief BLM campground. There were a couple of sites available at Horsethief & it looks like many more will open up tomorrow, but with no electric & still very hot weather, we will probably stick with hookups.  More photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

Dinner was Beyond Burgers, a Knoor's side, and left over chicken Alfredo. Don & Anne both put the stamp of approval on the Beyond Burgers. Not bad for the first time eating vegetarian burgers!

Day 45, Tuesday, September 18, 2018 - Duke's Slickrock Campground, Hanksville, UT, Day 4

Tuesday, September 18, 2018 - Duke's Slickrock Campground, Hanksville, UT, Day 4, 0 Miles, 3,969.8 Miles for the Trip

A slow day. Still hot - temperatures in the high 90's. We drove to the BLM office to check on some hiking locations, but all the ones we wanted to see seemed to be a bit too long a hike in the heat. So, we pretty much sat around and read all day long.

Dinner was the last of the chicken patties and me having a Quorn fake chicken patty (one of Karin's favorites, and one that I can't tell from chicken. We also

Day 44, Monday, September 17, 2018 - Duke's Slickrock Campground, Hanksville, UT, Day 3 & Capitol Reef NP

Along the Scenic Drive

Monday, September 17, 2018 - Duke's Slickrock Campground, Hanksville, UT, Day 3, 0 Miles, 3,969.8 Miles for the Trip

We headed to Capitol Reef National Park around 10:00, and spend most of the day (until 3:30) driving around the paved & gravel roads taking lots of photos. We stopped at the Gifford House for lunch - individual fruit pies & ice cream. Mine was cherry; a bit too sweet for me, but good. As usual, I took a bunch of general photos and some panoramas. I didn't have my GPS attached to the camera, so some locations are a guess. Many more photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

Back at the trailer, we decided it was still too hot to make dinner, so we went to Stan's Burger Shack. I had the fish & chips dinner. The fish was OK, but the chips were deep fried mashed potato chips. I also made the mistake of ordering a chocolate shake. I ordered one in Blanding, and got a cup of soft ice cream & a spoon. I thought that was just a Blanding thing, but evidently, it is a Utah thing, or, at least, a this part of Utah thing. The shake was not to drink, but designed to eat with a spoon. At least we didn't have to cook in the heat.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 43, Sunday, September 16, 2018 - Duke's Slickrock Campground, Hanksville, UT, Day 2 & Goblin Valley State Park

Goblin Valley State Park

Sunday, September 16, 2018 - Duke's Slickrock Campground, Hanksville, UT, Day 2, 0 Miles, 3,969.8 Miles for the Trip

We headed to Goblin Valley State Park to show Don & Anne one of my favorite parks in the area. While Matilda, my GPS said it was only 14 miles away, that required a turn on a gated dirt road. We elected to follow the pavement, and it was about 30 miles to the park.

While the campground was just about full, we spend some time wandering around the Goblins, then drove out to the entry for Little Wild Horse Canyon. We didn't hike the canyon, but did take lots of photos along the way. The lighting is kinda harsh, but we were stuck with a cloudless day.  Many more photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

After that it was back to the campground in Hanksville. Another very hot day, although the peak was only 99°F rather than yesterday's 101°F. Still, very hot, particularly in the sun (there are no shade trees in this campground, even for an extra $4.00 that Bule Mountain charged). We spent the afternoon sitting in the trailers reading blogs, forums, and books. I discovered that this year they started reservations at Capital Reef, and checked for availability - there are two sites open on the 18 - 20 - of October... So, we will stay here for another couple of days & drive to Capital Reef to see the park.

Dinner was Wacky Mac Chicken Alfredo put together by Anne. We had cornbread from Duke's Restaurant that was served prior to our meal yesterday. Some of the best cornbread I've ever had. I guess they also think so. While they had no problem giving us a second round with dinner, when we went to buy a double order (6 pieces with honey butter), it was $10.00. Still, it was pretty good cornbread!

By the way, I apologize to all that sent comments to the site - Google used to send me email notification of pending comments, but seem to have stopped.  I haven't found how to start receiving email notifications, and just discovered a couple months backlog of comments awaiting review.  Again, sorry; I'll check more often!

Until Tomorrow -

Day 42, Saturday, September 15, 2018 - Duke's Slickrock Campground, Hanksville, UT

Hite Overlook of Lake Powell

Saturday, September 15, 2018 - Duke's Slickrock Campground, Hanksville, UT, 120.1 Miles, 3,969.8 Miles for the Trip

A beautiful drive north on UT 95 to Hanksville. We stopped a couple of times for photographs, including the Hite Overlook. It was an interesting overlook - both my GPS & the signs at the overlook stated we were looking over Lake Powell. Not a lake in sight, although there was a very lonely concrete boat ramp going nowhere. It does point out the drought conditions here in this part of the southwest.  More photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

We arrived at Duke's Slickrock Campground around 1:00, with Don & Anne setting up in site 21 & me in 20. I got everything unhooked & leveled, then fired up the AC (it is in the high 90's today, with a peak of 101°F). The voltage feeding the trailer dropped to 102V and my Progressive EMS shut off the trailer. So, the first thing I did was check with Don - he was running his AC & had 119V. I shut off the electric to the water heater & switched the refrigerator to gas. The AC started up, ran through a couple of cycles with the voltage at 104, then dropped enough to cause the EMS to disconnect. I dug out my 50 amp to 30 amp adapter, and plugged into the 50 amp side of the pedestal. Usually this solves the problem, but not this time. The office called in their maintenance man who remembered some problems with some of the pedestals in this section. I dug out my 30' extension & plugged into site 22, got 121V unloaded, and 119V with the AC running. I suspect there is a neutral problem, because there was almost 250V across the 50 amp hots. I sure wouldn't want to plug in a 50 amp trailer. An open or poor quality neutral on a 50 amp connection can cause higher than 120V on one leg & lower on the other.

So, I packed up the trailer & moved. We are here for 2 days, $35 per night ($39.03 with tax) for level, full hook up pull through sites on gravel. I parked the opposite direction so our doors face each other. We have no shade, and it is way too windy for the awnings. I hope things calm down later in the day, although the local radio station (which, unfortunately plays elevator music - I'd call it grandpa music, but I'm a grandpa & I can't stand it, although the did play one John Denver tune which was OK) noted that the weather won't break until Monday.

While the AT&T app shows an excellent -57dBm connection, there doesn't seem to be any data, at least I can't connect to websites or a speed test site using the Mobley AT&T modem. My phone connects to my favorite on line radio station KJZZ in Phoenix, so it may be that the radio bands that the Mobley uses are not available here in Hanksville, although the Mobley did download some of my email. Verizon, at -90dBm shows 6.42MB down & 1.14MB up when it connects, which isn't often. The campground WiFi is good at 9.65MB down & 1.66MB up, and so far is the most solid service.

We again wimped out on cooking dinner in the heat and headed to Duke's Cafe. I had a fish sandwich on a pretzel roll, which was better than it sounds.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 41, Friday, September 14, 2018 - Blue Mountain RV Park, Blanding, UT, Day 4

Friday, September 14, 2018 - Blue Mountain RV Park, Blanding, UT, Day 4, 0 Miles, 3,849.7 Miles for the Trip

While it was a restful, uneventful day for me, not so for the Guidos. Anne developed chest pains, and Don talked her into a visit to the emergency room. After a day of testing, they ruled out everything important, but didn't come to a definite conclusion. She is doing OK and arrived back at the trailer around 7:00PM.

I took the truck to a car wash (well, I guess it should be called a truck wash since all 4 bays were filled with pick up trucks). I only removed a layer of grime - there are still many bugs left on the grill. I vacuumed some of the red dust (they call it sand, but it is too fine to qualify as sand). The entire truck bed is covered with a layer, heavier towards the rear. While I got rid of some of it, there is still lots left. I also filled the truck gas tank with $3.30 per gallon unleaded (at least it is back to 87 octane), shaved off a half inch of beard, had a shower, and finished a depressing book - Paul Trembley's The Cabin at the End of the World. An interesting read, but I could now do with something light!

Dinner was a pot pie. I used tonight's eating alone as an excuse to try cooking a pot pie in the microwave. 11 minutes vs 65 in the oven, and a lot less heat in the trailer, so I've wondered if it is worth it. I wouldn't want to do 11 minutes of microwaving when dry camping because of the large number of 12V amp hours (about 28 or over a 5th of the battery capacity), but with hookups, it is a time saver. The verdict - not as good as baked (less flaky crust & the liquid in the pie gets too thick. Still, it is quick!

Until Tomorrow -

Day 40, Thursday, September 13, 2018 - Blue Mountain RV Park, Blanding, UT, Day 3

House on Fire, Mule Canyon, UT

Thursday, September 13, 2018 - Blue Mountain RV Park, Blanding, UT, Day 3, 0 Miles, 3,849.7 Miles for the Trip

We all decided it was time to slow down a bit (actually, I think Don & Anne were ready to rebel). We went to Mule Canyon and a mile hike to the House on Fire ruin. This is a favorite of mine to photograph - I took 1st place at the New York State Fair Photo Contest a few years back with an image of the ruin. We met a fellow traveler at the ruin, chatted a bit about places, then headed back to the grocery store & the trailer. It looks like quite a flood went through the canyon recently. I included a photo that shows grass & bushes, that, is some places, were leaning downstream 4' - 6' above the canyon floor. Glad we didn't go earlier when the bottom was covered with mud, or even earlier when the flash flood occurred!

We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting around reading outside. A bit of wind, but the tree Don & Anne are parked next to provided shade (at an additional $4.00 for the tree).

Dinner was brats, snap peas, and watermelon for dessert.

Day 39, Wednesday, September 12, 2018 - Blue Mountain RV Park, Blanding, UT, Day 2

Butler Wash Ruin

Wednesday, September 12, 2018 - Blue Mountain RV Park, Blanding, UT, Day 2, 0 Miles, 3,849.7 Miles for the Trip

While there was 0 miles towing, we put 181.6 miles on the truck. We started out with a stop at Butler Wash Ruins, a short 1/2 mile hike. After that it was trip to see some arches on Arch Canyon Road. It is the same road we will be hitting tomorrow to see the "House on Fire" ruin, but we drove by it & tried to follow some instructions from the campground owners. Not sure who was right, but Arch Canyon Road ended well before the turns they gave us. I included a photo of the "end" where we had to back down to find a spot to turn around. Even low range, 4 wheel drive wouldn't make it over the gravel & hill. Looking at a BLM map, it looks like the road we wanted is before Butler Wash Ruins.

After that we headed to Natural Bridges National Monument. We stopped at all the "bridges" and photographed each of them. As usual, I also included a bunch of trees.

After that we headed to Muley Point & the Moki Dugway, then on to Goosnecks State Park. They now have an entry booth so I had to pay $5.00 for a 5 minute photo stop.

The next stop was at Mexican Hat for a few photos, and since it was almost 6:00, a stop at the Olde Bridge Bar & Grill for dinner. I had a Quesadillas, and Done & Anne each had a Navajo Bread covered with "Stuff". Their meals were huge, and although mine was smaller, it was very good.

The original plan was to stop at Monument Valley, and maybe drive the loop road, but by the time we finished dinner, it was late enough that we settled for a "Forest Gump" shot of the valley (Not sure why it is called that since I never saw the movie, but I've been told that is what it is), and headed back to Blanding.  Many more photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 38, Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - Blue Mountain RV Park, Blanding, UT

Site 31, Blue Mountain RV Park, Blanding, UT

Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - Blue Mountain RV Park, Blanding, UT, 96.2 Miles, 3,849.7 Miles for the Trip

I went out again last night, this time with the 80 - 400mm lens, hoping to get some photos of planets or constellations. No such luck; all I ended up with was blurry blobs. I guess I need a real telescope...

We decided to stop after breakfast (the breakfast burrito was better than the pancakes) and do laundry. While there is a laundry listed at he Blue Mountain RV Park, the one here at Mesa Verde is huge, with lots of large front loaders & large dryers. The price wasn't bad either. We arrived in Blanding around 2:00. It is hot, and the park doesn't have much shade. Site 32 does have a large tree, but it is rented tonight. Don & Anne are going to move to it tomorrow. They are currently in Site 30; I'm in 31 and will stay here. The last time I was here (in 2014) I stayed on the other side of the tree in site 33, but it was much cooler in June. Full hookup sites for $32.00, $35.89 per night, including tax.

With internet access available, I thanked people for birthday greetings, talked with my daughter in DC, and caught up on some of the forums I follow. We decided to forgo cooking dinner (too hot) and headed to a recommended diner, the patio Drive In. A small indoor eating area; much of their service is at the drive up window. The burgers were highly recommended, but I had a chicken Philly, along with curly fries & a basket of onion rings. All was excellent, as was Don & Anne's burgers. The onion rings were fresh cut onions, lightly breaded; some of the best I've ever had. I also had a chocolate shake, which, I discovered, is not a drink, but eaten with a spoon. It was good, but not what I expected. All in all, a very good stop.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 37, Monday, September 10, 2018 - Morefield Campground, Mesa Verde National Park, CO

Shiprock, NM

Monday, September 10, 2018 - Morefield Campground, Mesa Verde National Park, CO, Day 2, 0 Miles, 3,753.5 Miles for the Trip

I went out with the 17 - 35 mm wide angle lens & took a few photos of the milky way; even managed to include a meteorite.

We ate breakfast at the campground complex. Pancakes & bacon for $8.00, and expensive (and lousy, but free refills all day) coffee at $2.65. Still, easier than making it at the trailer. We will probably do it again tomorrow.

After breakfast we headed to Canyons of the Ancients National Monument & Hovenweep National Monument to see & photograph more ruins. There is a nice museum at the Canyons of the Ancients visitor center that we enjoyed. We stopped along the way to upload yesterday's web page & photos since I seem to be able to receive mail, but the internet connection on the park WiFi, as well as both AT&T & Verizon don't seem capable of uploading anything.

Lots of driving (it is a 90 mile loop around the two locations, and we added another 150 miles by going to photograph Shiprock in New Mexico. I did it on a previous trip, but only from the south, and there was quite a bit of smoke from area wildfires. This time I got off on the wrong direction, but found an interesting location to photograph it from the north. There was still quite a bit of haze, but I posted a few images.

Anyhow, it was dinner time by the time we hit Cortez on the way back to Mesa Verde, so we stopped at the Denny's for dinner. I had my usual when in real restaurants that don't have fish on the menu - a chicken fried steak. Not the best, but far from the worst. On edit - maybe I have to knock it down a notch or two - I was up much of the night, thankful I had a bathroom in the trailer!  Things seem to have settled down now that I'm in Blanding.  More later...

We arrived back at the campsites around 7:00.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 36, Sunday, September 9, 2018 - Morefield Campground, Mesa Verde National Park, CO

Cliff Palace

Sunday, September 9, 2018 - Morefield Campground, Mesa Verde National Park, CO, 99.6 Miles, 3,753.5 Miles for the Trip

First off, happy birthday to me! 74, and I am still kicking! We headed out this morning, heading to mesa Verde with a stop at the Durango Albertson's for some Bubba burgers. I guess they are not as popular in Colorado as they are in other areas - none to be found. We did pick up a bunch of stuff anyway, so it wasn't a wasted stop.

After that it was on to Mesa Verde. All the in park sites with hookups have been filled, so we are dry camping for $15.79 per night. I'm in site 249, and Don & Anne found a shady site next door. After dropping the trailer we headed to Cliff Palace for a 3:30 tour. Cliff Palace is 45 minutes from the campground - the park is large, with long distances on 35MPH roads, so you have to plan for travel time.  More photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

A good tour by Ranger Jackie. It was very hot in the sun, so we spent much of the time in the shaded parts of the ruins. After that we drove to some of the overlooks for more photos. We arrived back at the campground around 7:15, and had grilled chicken patties along with Bush beans & strawberry shortcake for dessert (my favorite birthday cake).

Unfortunately, you won't see any of this until we get a usable internet connection. With the amplifier & external antenna AT&T is fast enough to download my mail, but can't do uploads of images or the Dreamweaver web pages.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 35, Saturday, September 8, 2018 - Pagosa Riverside Campground, Pagosa Springs, CO, Day 2 & Chimney Rock NM

Chimney Rock National Monument

Saturday, September 8, 2018 - Pagosa Riverside Campground, Pagosa Springs, CO, Day 2, 0 Miles, 3,653.9 Miles for the Trip

We got a late start, but since we were only going to Chimney Rock National Monument, and staying at Pagosa Riverside Campground for tonight, who cares? The park is about 20 miles of so from the campground with a good dirt road entering the monument. We stopped at the visitor center and bought tickets for a guided tour - $7.00 each with the senior pass. Our timing was great; the 12:00 tour started just as we arrived. The 1.5 mile road from the visitor center to the start of the tour was very washboarded; it tossed my GPS off the dash.

The tour was great, with lots of information about the people living in the area and the restored buildings. Many more photos at today's LakeshoreImages page or my Chimney Rock National Monument page.

After the guided tour, there was an audio tour of a lower section with houses & a Great Kiva. Back at the visitor center there was an opportunity to try throwing an Atlatl, a device that was used before the invention of the bow & arrow. We all tried but no bullseye!

After that we headed back to the campground for a late afternoon of reading, ducking under the awning when light rain showers caught us a couple of times.

Diner was spaghetti, sausage & meatballs, and what would have been watermelon for dessert, but it started to rain, so we packed it in.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 34, Friday, September 7, 2018 - Pagosa Riverside Campground, Pagosa Springs, CO

Our Sites

Friday, September 7, 2018 - Pagosa Riverside Campground, Pagosa Springs, CO, 123.5 Miles, 3,653.9 Miles for the Trip

We had some great skies overnight; I stepped out o the trailer around 9:30 and while there were some clouds over the mountains, most of the sky was clear. Almost no ambient light, so the milky way was visible, and I watched two meteorites streak by in just 10 minutes. I was just a bit too lazy to dig out the camera & tripod (my excuse is the truck lights up on the back, sides, and even the front when you open the doors, and doesn't go out until after 1 minute or two after you close the door, so I didn't want to spoil the night for others.)

I did get a few sunset photos, as well as an interesting building backed by mountains, and the usual campsite photo.  The other photos can be seen at today's LakeshoreImages Page.

We stopped at a Walmart on the way for some supplies.

We asked for two sites together, and the only ones that had were these back to back sites. They worked well, and we are here for 2 nights. $41.40 per night with Good Sam's discount for electric & water (plus cable) sites. AT&T data is OK (as is the phone), while Verizon is a bit weaker & slower, but both, and the campground WiFi are usable.

We didn't do much other than sit around reading during the afternoon. Dinner was Bubba burgers (turkey since the beef are all gone) with smoked Gouda cheese, coleslaw, some left over pasta & shrimp salad, and watermelon for dessert.

Until Tomorrow -

Day 33, Thursday, September 6, 2018 - Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Thursday, September 6, 2018 - Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO, 169.1 Miles, 3,530.4 Miles for the Trip

We got an early start and stopped in Pueblo, CO for gas & propane. A good price on propane at $2.19 per gallon, at least compared to Dakota Ridge, where they wanted $3.75.

At the park, we drove through loop 1, and didn't find 2 nearby sites that would fit the trailers and were not reserved. In loop 2, there were two sites that looked like they would work, but while Don & Anne managed to fit & level the Scamp in site 62, I couldn't level the Escape 21 in site 65, even stacking all the Lego blocks from the front storage bin under the low side. I found site 71 was just large enough, and level enough that with the Anderson leveler & one of the new 4" levelers both under one side, I was close enough. Both are dry sites for $10.00 each using the Senior pass. Actually, there were quite a few one night sites available, but most were too small or very unlevel. I have a great view of the dunes out the back window.

After setting up, we headed to the visitor center for pins, "T" shirts, and a hat for Anne. After that it was down to the parking lot for walking on the dunes. While we didn't climb the dunes, we did get a bunch of photos of the dunes & some deer along the road. I had to move a log on the sand flat to get more of the dunes in the background, but the clouds were wonderful.  Great Sand Dunes photos, as well as the site picture are at today's LakeshoreImages page.

After that we headed back to our trailers. Anne is making something with left over shrimp & pasta, and we will finish off yesterday's chicken for dinner. We will probably eat here in my trailer since it is quite windy and cooling fast outside. The weather report called for 44°F tonight. Glad I filled the propane tanks, because I suspect the furnace will be running towards morning!

Until Tomorrow -

Day 32, Wednesday, September 5, 2018 - Cheyenne Mountain State Park, Colorado Springs, CO & Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO

Wednesday, September 5, 2018 - Cheyenne Mountain State Park, Colorado Springs, CO, 67.4 Miles, 3,361.3 Miles for the Trip

I can't start today's page without mentioning last night's shower at Chatfield State Park. It was 3 minutes for $.50, which isn't a terrible price, but the first minute was needed to get the water hot enough to stand under. No shower curtain, but that didn't matter since the stream of water coming from the shower head was so anemic that I'd bet less than a gallon was produced during the entire 3 minutes. Luckily, I put in an extra $.50 for a 6 minute shower because it took at least 4 minutes to rinse the soap off. At least it was an honest 6 minute shower. Plenty of hooks, and a miniature bench. All in all, one of the worst showers of the trip.

Back to today. A short drive, mostly on I 25 to Cheyenne Mountain. A pretty mountain directly in front of our sites, although much of the time it was buried in the clouds. A nice, cool but rainy day, at least off & on. We are in sites 39 (me) & 38 (Don & Anne). Nice sites with the best "view out the back window" of the trip. It overlooks the park in which Colorado Springs is located. I made a panorama of the view, then made another one at night. The nighttime view is beautiful. The site was $30.00 plus a $10.00 reservation fee, plus $7.00 to get into the park (no water feature so it is a dollar less than Chatfield) Still pretty expensive, although it is also a full hookup site. Site photo & views at today's LakeshoreImages page.

After setting up we headed to the Garden of the Gods, the reason we came to the area. I've never seen it and it is well worth a visit. Beautiful rock formations with interesting color, and one of the largest "Trading Posts" (Gift store) I've ever seen. We spent a couple of hours driving around, ducking rain storms, and taking photos. Many more at the page I put together for the location.

On the way home we stopped at Safeway, buying a pile of groceries, and baked chicken for dinner, along with red, white & blue potato salad. The blue was blue cheese. Not one of my favorites, but interesting.

Until Tomorrow.

Day 31, Tuesday, September 4, 2018 - Chatfield State Park, Littleton, CO, Day 2

Tuesday, September 4, 2018 - Chatfield State Park, Littleton, CO, Day 2, 0 Miles, 3,293.9 Miles for the Trip

A nice, relaxing day. Anne called an old friend (and one of my former students) who lives in Denver, and he came over to visit for the afternoon. Phil has (as usual) a new project underway, which we talked about as well as catching up on the last couple of years.

We spent the last hour of the afternoon trying to make a reservation at Cheyenne Mountain State Park near Colorado Springs. While the first come system for Colorado parks is "interesting", their reservation system is "really interesting!" If you go to a park's website & click on camping, it takes you to an all Colorado page where you need to reenter the park name. After a difficult to use form to chose the date, type of site, etc, when you choose a site, it gives you a choice of using your Colorado Parks login, Reserve America login, or open a new account. My Reserve America login didn't work, so while I have never reserved on line in a Colorado State Park, when I spent over 10 minutes opening a new account, it told me the account already existed. We finally managed to get sites using the Colorado system over the phone, although that wasn't the easiest reservation we've ever made....

Other than that, not much happening today. Dinner is being put together as I type - I'm making a salad, and Anne is making a shrimp & pasta dish. The flies are biting, so we will eat in my trailer. After dinner I will try out the park's showers. $.50 for 3 minutes, which I find a bit excessive for a park that charges $38.00 per night & is on a reservoir, but then.

Until Tomorrow.

Day 30, Monday, September 3, 2018 - Chatfield State Park, Littleton, CO

Waiting to Pick Our Sites

Monday, September 3, 2018 - Chatfield State Park, Littleton, CO, 23.8 Miles, 3,293.9 Miles for the Trip

A short drive to Littleton, CO from Golden. The plan was to stay 2 days, and find a laundromat to do our 4-5 loads of laundry. We arrived at 11:00AM, and discovered the strangest first come. first served campground procedure I've ever found. Even the volunteers at the desk thought it was "interesting". When you arrive without reservations, they have you sign up on a list. They have a parking lot for you to wait in. At 1:00, you stand around outside the office, then they read the names off the list, and the individuals come into the office one at a time to reserve a site from those available. While the system does work, it is very slow. We didn't get out sites until almost 2:00, which pretty much killed the day for going anywhere.

The sites are nice, large sites with good spacing between neighbors (196 for me & 192 for Don & Anne). $30.00 per night for full hookups (plus an $8.00 per day entry fee for the vehicle). Very nice sites with lots of room - mine was a almost level pull through, Don & Anne's a back in. Site photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

There is a laundry, as well as showers at the campground (at the other end of the loop) that had 4 washers & 4 dryers, so we decided to do our laundry at the park. We got it all in the four washers, but three out of the four dryers were not very hot, and required 2 hours to dry the clothes. Still less expensive than driving to a laundromat. The internal park road to the campground is around 5 miles long, and another 15 or so to Littleton.

Dick & Anne came over for dinner and a last good by. We had cheese brats, Chili cheese brats, snap peas, and watermelon.

Until Tomorrow.

Day 29, Sunday, September 2, 2018 - Dakota Ridge RV Resort, Golden, CO, Day 3

Rocky Mountain National Park

Sunday, September 2, 2018 - Dakota Ridge RV Resort, Golden, CO, Day 3, 0 Miles, 3270.1 Miles for the Trip

We got a slightly earlier start than normal, arriving at Dick & Anne's at 8:55. The plan was for a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, and we wanted to leave early to attempt to beat the traffic. Things were not too bad until we hit the park. Check the photo of the backed up traffic at the entrance station. 1.2 miles of backup. It was moving fairly quickly, thanks to a separate lane for pass holders. When we got close to the station, we were waved through using Dick's Senior Pass.

I took lots of photos, including a couple of panoramas. There was some haze in the air from smoke, but for the most part it was a nice day for the trip. Many more photos and the panoramas at today's LakeshoreImages page.

We drove the length of the Ridge Road, returning to Golden on US 40 & I 70.

We got back to Dick & Anne's around 6:00, and had cheeseburgers, corn on the cob, sweet potato fries & blueberry shortcake for dessert.

Until Tomorrow.

Day 28, Saturday, September 1, 2018 - Dakota Ridge RV Resort, Golden, CO, Day 2

Red Rock Amphitheatre

Saturday, September 1, 2018 - Dakota Ridge RV Resort, Golden, CO, Day 2, 0 Miles, 3270.1 Miles for the Trip

A windy night, but little rain. We stopped at Camping World on the way to Dick & Anne's, but neither of us found what we were looking for. I did pick up a set of ramp levelers, different than the Anderson ones of which I lost one of the two. While they don't go as high, they have the advantage that they are short enough to fit both wheels without modification.

With Dick & Anne we checked out a downtown city campground (it was & is full) that is nicer and, I'm sure, cheaper than Dakota Ridge. We also visited the farmer's market and walked along the creek.

After that we dropped Anne off at the trailer (she was getting too much sun) and headed to the Red Rock Amphitheatre. A huge place filled with lots of vacationers & locals. They were putting in a concert while we watched. I took a couple of photos, including a panorama from the bottom. On the stairs leading to the top or back of the amphitheatre there is a sign stating the climb to the top would use up 40 calories. At close to 5000', it also used up a bit of breath!  More photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

They had a museum that we went through that listed all the performances from the start to 2017. Just about every musical performer has played here. I discovered that John Denver was part of the Chad Mitchel Trio in 1965, about the time that they performed at Oswego - I was a student & ran the followspot for the concert. I don't remember him being there, but that was early enough in his career that I might not have noticed. When Chad walked into the gym, he borrowed the glider I was flying and asked to toss it. It was a hand built, high performance glider, he threw it and it circled around above us and hit him in the back of the head. He gave it back to me...

We got back to the trailers around 2:30, and hung out until 5:00, when we headed back to Dick & Anne's to go out for pizza (something we haven't had so far on the trip). Good thin crust Hawaiian pizza at Mannie & Bo's with a nice Dry Dock Amber beer.

Until Tomorrow.