Meandering the Blue Highways

Southwest 2021-18: Rhylote NV to Alabama Hills CA to Home

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 02:51:00 +0200

March 24-25, 2021

The next-to-last day of our trip, we left Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas and meandered to Pahrump, Beatty, and Ryholite NV (see our Southwest 2021-17 post for more on those stops).

Rhylotite NV to home, Visalia CA.

We continued on CA 190 through Death Valley, making numerous several-thousand-foot descents and ascents en route to the Alabama Hills, where we'd camped the first night of our trip, five weeks earlier.

Southwest 2021-17: Nevada: Valley of Fire State Park, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, and Ryholite

Sat, 29 May 2021 19:54:00 +0200

March 24-25, 2021

Before leaving Kanab, Utah on the next-to-last day of our trip, we decided to head for Red Rock Canyon just west of Las Vegas. Marilyn Googled the campground, and to our amazement there was one site left. We booked it and headed out.

Snow-capped peaks west of Hurricane UT.

Our route from Kanab UT to Red Rock Canyon NV

took us in and out of Arizona.

Highway 89 took us south, dipping into Arizona. Soon we were driving through the state-line towns of Colorado City AZ and Hildale UT, once the stronghold of Mormon fundamentalists and Warren Jeffs. Many houses are huge, with multiple wings.

Typical multi-wing Mormon house in fundamentalist Colorado City AZ/Hildale UT--

though much more grandiose than many.

At Hurricane UT, we turned west to pick up I-15 toward Las Vegas. We passed by St George UT, then reentered Arizona, where the highway goes through the Virgin River Gorge, another beautiful drive.

Entering the Virgin River Gorge in northwest Arizona.

Virgin River Gorge

The Virgin River runs between the Beaver Dam Mountains to the north and the Virgin Mountains to the south. It's the border between the colorful, layered rock formations of the Colorado Plateau and the "mountain-and-basin" geography of the Mojave Desert.

Vehicles are dwarfed by the walls of the Virgin River Gorge.

At Moapa, we took the turn-off to Valley of Fire State Park and its amazing red Aztec limestone rock formations. Ancestral Puebloans lived in the area 2,500 years ago.

The colors in Valley of Fire are just amazing.

Valley of Fire SP east of Las Vegas.

The amazing Beehive formations are visible from the road.

Beehive rock formation

Numerous hikes lead to other incredible sights, such as Pink Canyon and the Fire Wave.

Big horn sheep along road in Valley of Fire State Park.

On our way out, we were treated to a herd of big horn sheep—our second of the trip!

As it was getting late and time to head toward Las Vegas, we promised ourselves to return to take better advantage of the park and headed out. Having reservations does put a damper on some of our meandering.

We arrived at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area west of Las Vegas about an hour later. Doug parked the van on our site, which, like the one pictured below, was rather sloped.

Promaster in site next to ours, with similar elevation,
rather looks like it's flying.

Then Marilyn said she wanted to try the camp host's suggestion to park sideways. Doug drove what seemed to be a mile inside the camp site following Marilyn's signals to go back, forth, up, down, and around, and succeeded in wedging the van in sideways.

They used large rocks to assist with

getting the van up onto the blocks.

Then Marilyn concluded that no matter how many blocks we put under the tires, we'd still be rolling out of bed. So Doug drove another 2 or so miles unwedging the van, drove it straight in, put a couple of blocks under the front wheels, and we had a reasonably level van—and a nice windbreak for the picnic table.

Doug relaxing in our campsite at Red Rock Canyon.

We mentioned that Marilyn scored the last campsite. After finally settling in, Doug met a gent who had doubled up in another site. That morning he'd been about 30 seconds from securing our site with the camp host when we pushed "reserve." Before leaving the next morning, we helped him move his tent to our site to ensure it'd be his.

We didn't drive through the paid scenic area of Red Rock Canyon, but the view from our campsite was pretty sweet.

Leaving Red Rock, our destination was the Alabama Hills, bringing us full circle from our first night of the trip five weeks before.

Typical of us, we drove south to go north.

But of course we had to meander our way there. Rather than jumping on 95 and going straight to Death Valley, we took a road Doug had seen on the map that went south, then west, then northwest to the desert town of Pahrump NV and ultimately Beatty, NV.

I don't think I've ever seen as many billboards heading into a town as there are in Pahrump NV.

And then there are interesting nature signs.

Western deserts are populated by wild burros and horses.

Road signs warned of wild burros and horses and a $500 fine if one were to feed them. So when we entered Beatty, NV, what did we see a block from downtown?

But they're so cute!

At Beatty, we got gas, knowing it was over a dollar less than in Death Valley and turned west our first rather steep climb of the day, up over the hill and down to the ghost town of Rhyolite. Named for the volcanic rock in the area, Ryholite came into existence in 1904, with the discovery of gold. The town grew to about 4,500 people. It had everything: a school, restaurants, a three-story building, train station, opera house, and all the modern day amenities—electricity, running water, telephones. Then came the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, which led to a recession, panic, and the financial crisis in 1907, and Ryholite died.

Looking from the cemetery to Ryholite townsite up against the hills.

We've walked through the town several times. Our destination this time was the cemetery, which Doug had learned of and explored on an early 2020 trip to Death Valley.

Mounds in the foreground repeat row after row into the distance.

The cemetery is eerie, with rows of mounds lined up as far as the eye can see.

Wood grave marker and fence.

Wooden grave markers either rotted out or had the names worn off by blowing sand. Other sites were outlined with stones or had crosses made of stones.

The stones were perhaps original, perhaps added in later years.

Quite a few mementoes were left by the graves.

We were amazed to see about a dozen recent markers in the cemetery.

Perhaps one of most famous people whose final resting place is in Rhyolite Cemetery is Mary Elizabeth Madison, AKA Panniment Anne.

Panniment Anne's grave site by a Joshua tree.

Born in Washington, DC, in 1912, her colorful life included several husbands and eight children, four of whom survived. Tuberculosis first took her to Shoshone Hot Springs just south of Death Valley in 1929. She began prospecting nine years later, accompanied in the summers by her youngest

daughter.

Mementoes at Panniment Anne's grave site.

Pondering the lives of those whose identities were blown away with the wind, we left Rhyolite in time to drive through Death Valley and over the White Mountains to find a campsite in the Alabama Hills before dark.

Southwest 2021-16: Goosenecks State Park, Monument Valley, Pahreah, and the Fog-Snow-Rain-Hail-Sleet Day

Sat, 24 Apr 2021 05:52:00 +0200

March 22-23, 2021

All aboard!

Our route from Goosenecks to Kanab

When we arrived at Goosenecks State Park after driving down the Moki Dugway, we paid $5 to enter. The campsites near the entrance didn't entice us, but as we drove down the dirt road along the edge of the canyon carved by the San Juan River, we came to numerous sites we could definitely see staying in.

Is this what they call living on the edge?

We picked a site and parked about 10 feet from the edge of the canyon— a 1,000-foot drop—between the Goosenecks of the San Juan River, for which the park is named. Doug walked back to the pay booth and paid an additional $5 to camp for the night. Talk about expensive lodgings!

Satellite view of the Goosenecks of the San Juan River. Green arrows point to the Goosenecks and to our campsite on the edge of the Goosenecks.

Like the Colorado, the San Juan River twists and winds its way from its source at 14,000 feet until it flows into the Colorado 360 miles later at what is now Lake Powell. The Goosenecks are 6 miles long but cover a distance as the crow flies of 1.5 miles.

Doug standing at the Goosenecks.

There was a labyrinth, connected to a mini-labyrinth, right next to our campsite!

It was quite windy—the theme of our trip—so Doug turned the van broadside to the wind so the cargo door side would be protected, as would we, sitting outside.

Marilyn successfully navigated both labyrinths!

Those rock formations are much further away than they look.

Marilyn walked toward the end of the spit of land, thinking she'd go to the end. But when the air is so clear, distances are deceiving, and she turned back long before the end.

It's hard to get perspective when surrounded by such massive nature. The canyon dwarfs the van. The rock formation in the distance, which looks huge, is massive up close. The small white spot about halfway between our van and the rock formation is an RV.

Van at the Goosenecks of the San Juan River.

Not saying it was windy, but when the wind slamming into the side of the van woke Doug around midnight on a DARK night, Marilyn was already awake. We were both imagining the wind tumbling us over the edge of the canyon. Not that that would happen, but we both agreed it would be good if Doug moved the van to face into the wind. Then, of course, Marilyn imagined Doug would simply drive us over the edge. But somehow, he managed to wake himself to an alert state and execute a 270-degree turn, putting the van into the wind.

The van the next morning, after Doug turned it 270 degrees in the black of night.

Sunrise over the Goosenecks.

The morning clouds, with that menacing curl on the right, may have been a clue as to what lay ahead for us that day...

What to say? Mexican Hat Rock is amazing!

We left Goosenecks and drove to Mexican Hat Rock, for which Mexican Hat UT is named.

Monument Valley

From there, we drove along 89, which would eventually take us to Kanab UT.

We were driving through Monument Valley Tribal Park, which is on the Navajo Reservation and operated by them. Though it remains closed, we saw several small tour buses.

As we approached the grand formations in Monument Valley, we noticed they had dressings of snow.

The formations within the paid area are at a distance from the road, but those along the road are equally awe-inspiring.

As we got closer, fog rolled over the formations, increasing the sense mystery and spirituality of the rock formations.

Rock formation dressed in fog.

Monument Valley is in both Utah and Arizona, so going through it on 89, we crossed into Arizona.

More intriguing formations, also shrouded in fog.

We passed horses a number of times that more than likely were wild.

Not only was it foggy, but it had begun to snow. We were, after all, at about 5,000 feet in March.

The driving got exciting.

More amazing formations, rich with the colors of the Colorado Plateau.

From fog to snow to rain...

Then it warmed up a bit, and the snow turned to rain.

Bridge across Glen Canyon Dam on Colorado River.

At Page AZ, we drove across the Glen Canyon dam.

The Glen Canyon dam on the Colorado River creates Lake Powell, but crossing the bridge that day the lake looked more like a river.

Though we've camped along the Colorado River in numerous places, read books about it, and witnessed the effects of its diversion on the lush agriculture of our home state of California, it's still difficult to fathom that every drop of this 1,450-mile-long river, which averages 300 feet across and 20 feet deep, is committed via the 1922 Colorado River Compact among 23 Native American tribes, Mexico, and 7 US states.

Typical of our trip through the Southwest, the rock formations and colors were stunning.

Soon after Page, we crossed back into Utah, where Doug had another side trip in mind. It required finding a not-very-well-marked dirt road—which he did, of course.

Driving Pareah River Valley Road to the Pareah (Paria) town site.

Our destination was the Pareah town site, which was six miles down the sometimes-excellent-sometimes-a-bit-rough-sometimes-downright-ornery dirt Pareah River Valley Road.

As always in this part of the country, the vistas were more than worth the drive.

Who wouldn't want to live here? It's gorgeous!

The town of Pareah was settled along the Pareah River by Mormons in1 1865. It eventually comprised 47 families and 20 Paiute Indians. Frequent flooding led to the demise of the community after a few decades.

Beginning in the 1930s, the ghost town of Pareah was used as a movie set for Westerns.

Rapidly-approaching dark clouds as we explored the old town site.

With ominous clouds moving toward us, we decided we should probably head back to the main road...

Van made it up to Doug's former campsite.

...but not before Doug found the flat spot where he had once camped in the VW Westy and wanted to see if the van could make it up. Clearly, it could.

Doug drives. Marilyn takes pics outside in the hail.

To prove the van's (and Doug's) feat, we needed to record the van descending from the campsite. With Doug driving, Marilyn stood outside taking pictures—as it started to hail.

From fog to snow to rain to hail.

The dirt road became white with hail as we drove back to the main road. As Doug said, "Just another white-knuckle experience."

Back on the main road, the temp outside dropped to 32, and it continued to hail...

...and then the the hail changed to sleet...

...and the sleet changed to rain. Fortunately we had replaced the van's stock tires with snow tires before leaving on this trip.

Arrived in Kanab, we checked in at the campground we had reserved, did laundry, and got take-out hamburgers and fries from the drive-in across the street.

It was quite a day for us Central Californians who are accustomed to 275 days a year of sun and temps that rarely go below 60.

So we plugged in the van and turned on the heater, showered night and morning, and the next morning continued to work our way west toward home.

Next up: Valley of Fire and Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas, and Rhyolite Cemetery

Southwest 2021-15: Utah: Muley Point and Moki Dugway

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 04:19:00 +0200

March 22-23, 2021

Before we get going with our travels... Wow! Are we excited! We just checked our new email subscription service, Mail Chimp, and we have 12 new subscribers! Thank you, all, for signing up, especially because some of you had to sign up for the second time. That's because Google decided to no longer offer a subscription email service. After researching the options, we decided on Mail Chimp. Of course we'd love for everyone who hears about our blog to sign up. It's easy. In the left sidebar, you'll see Sign up here & our new posts will show up in your inbox. Yay! Just type your email in the box, click on Subscribe, and the next time we post—hopefully soon—you'll see it in your inbox. Thanks!

Bears Ears Buttes

After a night at Natural Bridges National Monument campground, we drove the loop road, stopping to walk to the viewpoints and wonder at some of the bridge. Exiting the monument, we stopped to look at the Bears Ears, the namesakes of Bears Ears National Monument. We wrote about these areas in detail in our Southwest 2021-14 post.

In Southwest 2021-14, we wrote about the 120-mile long Comb Ridge and Comb Wash. Their entire length is clearly visible on this satellite map. The blue line shows our drive from Natural Bridges to Muley Point, the Moki Dugway, and Goosenecks State Park.

We soon turned south toward the Moki Dugway. But of course we had to meander along the way. This time it was Muley Point, another spot Doug had read about in his in-depth internet reading of places and roads and vehicles. And thank goodness for that, as while we often discover places while meandering, some we would not find without Doug's extensive reading.

Marilyn was thinking Muley Point was just off the road, and began to wonder as we drove on and on down the gravel road...

...which became a red dirt road...

,,,and across numerous cattle guards.

After 5 miles there was a hopeful sign informing us we were entering Glenn Canyon NRA (National Recreation Area). We descended a short way to a rocky mesa.

Fortunately, Doug still had his wits about him and stopped the car well back from the edge, as Marilyn sat stunned at the immensity of what was before us

There truly are no words for the view from Muley Point, which looks out over winding canyons carved by the twisting San Juan River.

Doug at Muley Point.

A number of people were camped there, and we were tempted, but it was cold and windy, and with little protection, the night was bound to be even colder.

Returning from Muley Point to the main road, we pondered another view of the Bears Ears buttes.

View to east departing Muley Point.

And then it was time for the Moki Dugway! Spanish Explorers used the word moqui to describe the Pueblo Indians. A dugway is a road carved out of a hillside.

Satellite view of the Moki Dugway

The Moki Dugway begins on the top of Cedar Mesa. It's on the website of the most Dangerous Roads in North America, but really it just takes a bit of care while driving. Doug had been up it at least three times, twice in the VW bus and once in Mz Agnes (our Ford van), but this was his first time going down. Being a bit scared of heights, he was a bit apprehensive. Marilyn had been up the road once with Doug. This would also be her first time going down.

The Moki Dugway is 3-mile-long narrow gravel road with switchbacks that descends 1,200 feet. When we reached the crest of the top of the road, a couple of cars were pulled off. Perhaps the signs pictured above and below were causing them to have second thoughts?

Once committed, there's no turning back.

Heading into the first switchback.

Reaching the curve shown in the photo above.

Looking over to where we're going...

...and down to the road below us.

Moki Dugway on right and road across the valley below on left.

Passing another car on the narrow road is interesting.

Still going down...

...and down...

...down switchbacks...

...around curves...

...and more curves...

...and approaching another switchback...

...and we're down! Just after we leave the Moki Dugway is the turnoff to the Valley of the Gods. We decided not to go that day and went on to Goosenecks State Park, hoping for a campsite.

We converted one of our videos going down the Moki Dugway and uploaded it, but unfortunately it wouldn't open. Of course, there are lots of videos on You Tube, including this one from 2019.

Heading to Goosenecks State Park, we passed open range signs, which are prevalent throughout the Southwest. Some, like this one, are edged with flashing lights.

This time we were rewarded with actual cows...

...who weren't in a hurry to cross the road.

Looking back to where the Moki Dugway climbs to the top of Cedar Mesa.

Next up: Goosenecks State Park, Monument Valley, Pahreah, and the Fog-Snow-Rain-Hail-Sleet Day.

Southwest 2021-14: Mule Canyon Ruins and Natural Bridges National Monument

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 17:03:00 +0200

March 21-22, 2021

After four amazing days in Moab, we enjoyed a last visit with our friends, for now, then headed south. Our vague destination had been Mexican Hat, with the idea of camping at Goosenecks State Park. The next day, we'd drive up the Moki Dugway, a favorite road of Doug's. However, after going through Monticello and Blanding we saw the sign for Natural Bridges and on an impulse turned west on 95.

Driving 95 reminded us of going across Nevada 50: a succession of basins and ridges. About 15 miles from the turnoff, we climbed over Comb Ridge. It's a 120-mile-long monocline—layers of horizontal rock that all slope downward—running north south. That's a very rough definition. For a more thorough treatment here's a link to the geology of Capitol Reef National Park, including the Water Fold, which is also a monocline.On the west side of "the Comb" is Comb Wash.

This satellite map is especially good for showing Comb Ridge, running north and south, and on its western edge, Comb Wash.

Debating whether to get a sure campsite or risk Natural Bridges, which has only 13 first come-first served sites, we drove through Comb Wash BLM Campground. We investigated several sites, then decided to check out the camping on the other side of the highway before making a final decision. We passed only three sites before coming to a small sign that said if we continued we'd be trespassing on reservation land.
We decided just to go on. Soon we came upon the Mule Canyon Ruins just off the road. We decided just to go on. Soon we came upon the Mule Canyon Ruins just off the road.

Mule Canyon Anasazi ruins: looking from housing block to kiva (under protective roof) and tower.

Anasazi lived in this area from about 750-1150. In the Comb are ruins of cliff dwellings and granaries and many petroglyphs. Excavation at Mule Canyon revealed an L-shaped block of 12 rooms, a pithouse, 2 kivas, a tower, and a trash area.

L-shaped block of rooms.

Kivas were typically used for ceremonies and meetings. The opening in the wall is a tunnel to block of rooms.

It's thought that 2 or 3 families occupied the rooms. A tunnel connected the room block to the kiva, while on the other side of the kiva, another tunnel connected it to the tower.

Kiva and Tower, believed to have been 2 stories tall, beyond. Opening in wall is tunnel to tower. Vertical slab deflected heat from fire built opposite it

In direct line of site from the tower to the southeast are the Cave Towers, so perhaps the towers served for communication. Given the tunnel from the kiva to the tower, another possibility is that the towers use was defense or ceremonial. Tunnels are not common in this area, which, along with pottery shards found at the site, indicates an influence by the Anasazi of Mesa Verde in Colorado.

Arriving at Natural Bridges National Monument

We left the ruins and continued on to Natural Bridges. To our joy we had our choice of sites! We settled into a large site with a view out over the valley. Within three hours, the campground was full.

View from our Natural Bridges campsite.

It was chilly enough for down jackets, but the sun was warm.

Juniper Titmouse, a small cute, but pesky, little guy, in Juniper tree

From a nearby juniper tree, a Juniper Titmouse, was quite brazen. The couple times a morsel dropped from Doug's hand as he read, the bird zoomed from the tree and snatched it up almost before it hit the ground.

Juniper tree, right, and pinyon pine, left

Natural Bridges sits in a juniper and pinyon forest, common at elevations from 4,500 to 7,500 feet that experience temperature extremes and have little water.

Berries on Juniper tree

We had seen junipers loaded with berries earlier in our trip in Joshua Tree National Park, much of which is at 5,500 feet in elevation. When water is scarce, a juniper will actually stop water from going to its major branches.

Pine cones on pinyon pine

Pinyon pines, from which we get piñons, or pine nuts, grow at most to 20 feet tall. A tree that is only 6 inches in diameter and 10 feet tall might be 80 years old.

Uncle Robert, aka Conchita, at a pull out at Natural Bridges National Monument

We left before coffee the next morning to enjoy the views of the major natural bridges. First up was Sipapu Bridge. It's a little hard to spot from a distance.

Arrow points to Sipapu Bridge

Zoomed in to Sipapu Bridge.

Though there may not be water under the bridges now, bridges are formed by moving water eroding rock. By contrast, arches, such as those in Arches National Park, which we'd visited earlier in our trip, often form when water seeps through cracks in rocks and freezes. Water and wind continue to enlarge the cracks until all that's left of the rock is an arch.

The next bridge, Kachina, was a little easier to spot.

It's amazing how water carved its course through the rock.

Here a tunnel goes under the rocks, perhaps making, in a few centuries, a new bridge.

Bears Ears

Leaving Natural Bridges, we saw to the north the two buttes that make up the Bears Ears the national monument is named for. Bears Ears has often been in the news in recent years. Barack Obama designated it a national monument in 2016. In 2017, his successor diminished it by 85%. "What Remains of Bears Ears," an April 2019 article in the Washington Post, is an excellent analysis of the history and issues of Bears Ears, with maps and fabulous pictures and drone footage of cliff dwellings and petroglyphs. Joe Biden is reviewing some of his predecessor's changes to national lands, and his Interior Secretary, Deb Haaland, herself a Native American, toured Bears Ears in April 2021.The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition has long been working to protect the ancestral lands of numerous Indian tribes.

Next up: Muley Point; Doug's favorite, the Moki Dugway; and camping on the edge of the Goosenecks of the San Juan River.

Southwest 2021-13: Moab, Utah: Dead Horse Point and Grandstaff Trail

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 05:28:00 +0200

March 19-20, 2021

Doug had heard of Dead Horse Point, also near Moab, so off we went. A few miles past the entrance to Arches National Park we turned west on 313 and followed it for 22 miles to Dead Horse Point.

Like Arches National Park, the formations on

nearby 313 were also stunning.

Passing colorfully striped cliffs typical of the area, 313 climbs steeply and goes through several switchbacks the first fewmiles. Then it travels across the top of a mesa.

The Colorado Plateau that encompasses this area was created by centuries of accumulation of sediment—the layers of color seen in the cliffs—brought by wind and water, plus volcanic eruptions and erosion.

Much of the land surrounding Moab is BLM land. In fact, 42% of the state of Utah is managed by the BLM: Bureau of Land Management. Like the campground we stayed in, Grandstaff, along the Colorado River, there are numerous other BLM campgrounds in the Moab area. We drove through one located on top of a mesa with no protection from the wind. We were glad to be down by the river.

La Sal Mountains

Southwest 2021-12: Moab, Utah: Arches National Park

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 02:38:00 +0200

March 17-18, 2021

As soon as we’d claimed a site at Grandstaff Campground, we headed for Arches National Park. Moab was crazy crowded. It’s the pandemic? It’s spring break? It’s Moab?

Driving into Arches National Park. Several switchbacks along towering cliffs leading up the hill to the arches.

We're running out of words to describe all we’ve seen in the past month. They all apply to Moab: Stunning. Gorgeous. Amazing. Beautiful. Awesome. Stupendous. Astounding. Unbelievable.

Looking down at the double line of vehicles at the entry station. Across from the park is a large mining operation.

Granted, Moab is crowded and commercialized, with party boats on the Colorado River, ATVs, crowded parks and trails, plus the mining. Yet as our friend’s daughter said, "The world comes here because it’s Moab. We really can’t try to keep it to ourselves, or want it to not be crowded." Our wish is merely, "May we just not love this amazing area to death."

We'll let the pictures do most of the talking, though they don’t do the area justice.

Gigantic hole in gigantic wall. Or is it a cow's skull?

Queen Nefertiti.

Southwest 2021-11: Over the Colorado Rockies to Moab, Utah

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 01:55:00 +0200

March 16-17, 2021
After two days snowed in in our AirBnB in Longmont CO, we were able to depart. We were sad we weren't able to visit again with Marilyn's niece and her family due to side roads still being icy, but at least we'd had one great day with them. We needed to get going and get over the Rockies ahead of the next storm.

Van dug out of the snow by Doug but sitting on ice

Doug had the van warmed up, but was a bit apprehensive about all of the ice beneath the tires, not to mention our white top.

It would take us at least 4.5 hours to get to Grand Junction, our destination for the night.

Southwest 2021-10: Snowed in in Colorado

Sat, 10 Apr 2021 00:11:00 +0200

March 11-16, 2021

What awaited us in Colorado...

...and warmer days behind us.

Southwest 9: New Mexico: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument - Gran Quivira

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 17:09:00 +0200

March 10, 2021

Marilyn, Gran Quivira Pueblo ruins, New Mexico.

Leaving Carrizozo NM, we knew we needed to get to Fort Collins ahead of the predicted "epic" snowstorm, but we couldn't resist stopping at Gran Quivira Pueblo.

On a previous trip, we'd stumbled on the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument near Mountainair NM, and visited all three pueblos: Abo, Quarai, Gran Quivira. Mapping out our journey, we realized we needed to re-visit at least one, as their history is amazing.

Our favorite animal sign.

Southwest 2021-8: New Mexico: Silver City, Valley of Fires, Carrizozo

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 00:03:00 +0200

March 7-10, 2021

We never tired of looking at the colors and ridge lines of Arizona's mountains that range from the cool shapes of their peaks...

...to ridged buttes.

Southwest 2021-7: Southern Arizona: Patagonia, Bisbee, Douglas

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 17:18:00 +0200

March 6-7, 2021

Mural of Bisbee, Arizona, in downtown parking lot.

It was time to give the van an oil change and a wash, so from Arivaca we headed north to Tucson.

Southwest 2021-6: Southern Arizona: Why, Ajo, & Arivaca

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 01:22:00 +0200

March 5-6, 2021

Unique mountain ridges are all across southern Arizona.

En route to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, we passed through Why, Arizona. We couldn't pass up a picture, plus, once we had service, the answer to the question, Why is it named Why?

The answer is rather logical. It got its name because the original name was merely Y, representing the town's location at a Y intersection. This did not meet the post office's requirement of a minimum of three letters for a name. Thus Y became Why.

Heading to Organ Pipes we also passed through Ajo, which intrigued us, and we decided to visit it on our way out. So that morning after packing the van, we headed north, passing Why (and the Y intersection for our eastern Arizona leg) to this interesting town and the coffee shop we'd seen on our way to Organ Pipes.

Southwest 2021-5: Arizona: Quartzsite, Gila Bend, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 17:43:00 +0200

March 3-5, 2021

Our campsite at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

It was the season of Snowbirds, and we anticipated little chance of camping at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on the US-Mexico border. But since Marilyn had not been with Doug when he was there previously, we at least wanted to drive through.

Almost due west of Joshua Tree National Park, we crossed the Colorado River from California to Arizona.

It was to be the first of many days experiencing the Colorado--little did we know that we would camp along it in Moab, UT three weeks later.

Southwest 2021-4: California: Mojave National Preserve & Joshua Tree National Park

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 00:13:00 +0200

February 28-March 3, 2021

Van in campsite, Hole-in-the-Wall Campground, Mojave National Preserve.

After another night of being buffeted by the wind, we departed Death Valley. Our destination was southeast to Mojave National Preserve.

We discovered Mojave National Preserve a couple of years ago and wanted to spend time there again. We took the "short" way to Hole-in-the-Wall Campground, having forgotten what a rough, sometimes steep, often dirt road it is from the park headquarters at Kelso. Next time we’ll come in the same way we left, on the paved road that runs from the campground to US 40.

Barrel cactus at Hole-in-the-Wall Campground.

Southwest 2021-3: California: Death Valley National Park

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 20:30:00 +0200

February 24-28, 2021

Hills at upper end of Texas Springs Campground, Death Valley.

After a last soak in our private hot tub at Benton Hot Springs, we turned the van east toward Tonapah, Nevada, on Hwy 6/95, a drive Doug has long wanted to do. At Tonapah, 95 turns south while 6 continues on east (recalling from our previous post that it crosses the country to Provincetown, Cape Cod, Massachusetts). It was a beautiful drive.

Southwest 2021-2: CA-East Side of the Sierras: Movie Rd, Bishop, & Benton Hot Springs

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 01:31:00 +0200

February 23-24, 2021

After two days in the Alabama Hills, we departed via Movie Road, following it to its northern end at Hwy 395.

Southwest 2021-1: California: East Side of the Sierras - Alabama Hills

Sat, 27 Mar 2021 23:44:00 +0200

February 21-23, 2021

Mt Whitney, 14,505 feet, highest peak in the continental US, viewed from the Alabama Hills.

Our first trek in our Promaster Van, which we bought and had converted in Fort Collins, CO, in fall 2019, began Feb 21, 2021, after the world had been in the pandemic for a year. We’d both had our second COVID vaccine two-plus weeks before, and while still masking and social distancing, thought it safe to venture out.

We live on the west side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Our first destination was the Alabama Hills on the east side, a mere 70 miles from home—as the crow flies, that is, or on foot, as Doug and friends did in 2007. They hiked the High Sierra Trail from Kings Canyon National Park on the west side to Mt Whitney on the east side. By car, it’s 250 miles, south to Bakersfield, east to Tehachapi, north to Lone Pine.

Red Rock Canyon State Park, a popular camping site along Hwy 395 north of Tehachapi.

Southwest 2021: On the Road Again...A Year-Plus into the Pandemic

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 05:05:00 +0200

On the road again! In late February 2021, both of us having received our second Covid-19 vaccine two-plus weeks before, we headed out for our first trip in our Dodge Promaster Van since purchasing it and having it converted in fall 2019. We continue to take precautions, wearing masks and social distancing.

But we didn’t know what we would find out on the road. Turns out it depends. Some campgrounds are crowded and showers are closed completely with restrooms open on alternating days. At others restrooms are entirely closed, and at still others they are entirely open. Stopping for coffee is also interesting. In some places, we can use our own coffee mug, while at others you must use their paper cups. From town to town in the same state, some interpret the law to mean coffee makers and cream dispensers cannot be used and others interpret it to mean the opposite. Masks and social distancing are required everywhere we’ve traveled, and for the most part, folks comply. The country is gradually reopening, yet much remains closed, often permanently, due to unsustainable economic losses caused by the shutdown.

2020: A Year for Meandering Closer to Home

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 03:43:00 +0200

While this post is rather long and meandering, we and our new Promaster van, "Uncle Robert," spent the majority of 2020 at home. (For the full scoop on our van, see our "Introducing Uncle Robert" post.) In fact, the van has only been on two long trips ever, the first in Nov 2019, when Doug picked it up in Fort Collins, CO, where it was bought and converted, and drove it home. In Dec 2019, we drove the van to WA for Christmas with Doug's kids.

Uncle Robert, our 2019 Promaster 1500, Port Townsend, WA, on Puget Sound, 1/1/2020

The only meandering that got done after that was quite limited. In February, Doug took a friend to Death Valley in the '86 VW Vanagon.

Vanagon, Death Valley, February 2020. In the background is 11,000-foot Telescope Peak on the west side of Death Valley.

In July, he did a solo trek in the bus to Kings Canyon for an overnight respite in the mountains. Then in August, we took Uncle Robert to Courtright Reservoir in the Sierras. More on that below.

Our Promaster 1500 at Courtright Reservoir, Sierra Nevadas, 8/20.