We left the camper at home, gathered our kids and met in Orlando for a hectic week with the Mouse! (And Starwars and Harry Potter and, and, and…)
Entrance to DisneyWorld
We had a chance to visit all four Disney Kingdoms and both Universal parks. If we were to do this again, we will have to remember to schedule a “down day” to let our poor feet rest and maybe sleep in. But we had some great times
Scott & Miranda at Magic KingdomScott with a new friendWaiting for Thunder Mountain at Magic kingdomA lot of rides used 3-D glasses…Castle at Magic Kingdom
Harry Potter!
The Harry Potter Worlds at the Universal theme parks held some of the highlights of our visit.
Dragon at HogsmeadMiranda practicing Magic at HogsmeadEnjoying “butter beer” at Hogsmead
Star Wars!
We will never outgrow the Starwars legacy!
All of us posing with the WookieStorm Troopers Marching!Mike on a SpeederScott riding a SpeederMeeting BB-8
Food!
Look at that smile while eating a funnel cake!The funnel cake had maple ice cream and bacon bits on top!Karen with a Giant Pretzel
Today we headed out on another Ferry, this time the MV Kennicott. It will take us from Ketchikan to Juneau. This leg is 20 hours long (did I tell you ferries go at about 16-18 knots – that’s close to 20 mph?). Some other people on board pitched tents on deck, I guess this is very common. We did not bring a tent. They don’t don’t let you sleep in your cars. (They do let you visit your cars every so often to walk your dogs). So, we booked a room. Nice and quiet. And small.
Here is our room on board the MV Kennicott. Not quite a deluxe cruise room, heh? But way more comfortable than sleeping on the deck.
This is the Ferry MV Pennicott, while we were waiting to board at Ketchikan
Not quite as many cars on this ferry, the workers didn’t have to do any jigsaw puzzling of the vehicles.
The Ferry ride was mostly along the Inside Passage, and we were alerted to several whale sightings. Here are some pictures I took of one of the whales:
Whale spouting
Fin on the whale
Back of the whale
You can tell that whales don’t like to pose for pictures! So here is a magnificent statue of a whale at Juneau so you can see what whales are supposed to look like:
May 21 2018 – Well, I guess we just didn’t get enough of giant monuments, so we swung up to the Valley of the Gods (BLM land) near Moki Dugway in southern Utah.
Moki. Dugway – dirt road, switchbacks, 1100 ft up, no guardrails. We didn’t go this way this time.
Road into Valley of the Gods
This monument is called “lady in a bathtub”
I think this one is Castle Butte
Chuck did some great Drone shots!
Valley of the Gods
“Seven Sailors wearing flat sailor hats”
Here is a drone video Chuck made at Valley of the Gods:
May 21, 2018. Goosenecks State Park. This was incredible. Just a quick drive off the main road, cost $5 to get in. Should have spent last night at this place – plenty of camping spots.
This is a MEANDER of the San Juan River in Utah. The river meanders 6 miles back and forth as it travels 1.5 miles. Chuck and I walked to the edge and saw this:
The first Gooseneck – San Juan River
Then we looked over and saw the second one right next to it – WOW!
May 20, 2018 – we started on our way home from the Overland Expo and headed for Monument Valley (Navajo Tribal Park).
This one wasn’t in the park, just along the road. Looks like a lady?
Beautiful monument along the highway
Bluffs along the highway (163)
Monument Valley was a very neat place. The rock formations were immense. It was fun to imagine how the first people who came across these “monuments” felt as they named each one.
This one is called West Mitten Butte
This one is supposed to look like an Elephant?
NIce shot of the camper at John Ford’s Point
This one is called Three Sisters
Panorama at John Ford’s Point
You could go on horseback rides if you wanted to!
Rain God Mesa
Yei Bi Chei and Totem Pole
This one wasn’t called Spearhead Mesa, but I thought it looked like one
This one, Cly Mesa, looked way more like an elephant to me than the other one!
North Window Overlook
Tried to take a picture of the camper being held between the West Mitten Butte and the East Mitten Butte. 🙂
Spent the weekend at the Overland Expo – West in Flagstaff. Did see lots of cool rigs, didn’t take many photos, but here is a shot where we camped with some friends. This was our third Overland Expo, we will most likely be attending more of them!
14 May 2018. Drove off of the rim and tried out a very cool Arizona State Park that someone had mentioned to us: Tonto Natural Bridges State Park. This was such a wonderful place, we would recommend it to everyone. Here is a little description:
Sign at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
The Arch was beautiful! You started at the bridge part of the arch, then followed the trail down one side and under the arch to another trail going up the other side. Going under the arch, you had to rock scramble (hands and knees), climb, and get a little wet. This was such a fun place!
Looking down the trail under Tonto natural Bridge
The South side of the arch, with a viewing platform you can stop at
The more adventurous can climb into the arch
The stream drips on your head as you start through
You can see the scale of this place better with chuck standing on the entrance rock
We had to climb up high on the left to make it through
Here is the view looking back
Both of us coming through the arch
Climbing out of the arch
Chuck took pictures, too!
And up the trail on the north side
Saw this guy and thought of you, Kathy Ulen, hope you are feeling a bit better.
May 13 2018. Spent the day traversing the top of Mogollon Rim in Arizona. 40 miles of dirt Road – didn’t quite make it to the end before we camped. Great Vistas, Steep drops, small lakes. Truck handled it all well.
Karen on the Rim of Mogollon Rim
Chuck on the Rim of Mogollon Rim
Camper on the Rim of Mogollon Rim
Sometimes the road was not “on the edge”. Mogollon Rim Raod
Camper driving a rougher road
Stopped for Lunch at Knoll Lake – that is an apple tree in full bloom
Knoll Lake
NIce View of the Camper on the edge of the Mogollon Rim
Close to same photo in black and white (ansel Adams – watch out!)
Spent the night in a forest campground – Kehl Springs
May 11-12 2018 – We drove into Arizona on desolate Highway 61 and saw another one of these observatories (VORs – Thanks Bob & Cathy!) (that’s three so far this year if we count the one by our house, too)
Desolate Arizona road
bowling pin observatory on highway 61
Then we headed into the Mogollon Rim area or Arizona. It was VERY windy the first couple of days, so we spent a lot of time at the campground.
Parked at Afton Point on Mogollon Rim, AZ
Chuck looking out at Mogollon Rim – @ Afton Point
Karen can climb rocks, too! (Or at least stumps) This one is in a sink hole near the campsite.
Settled in for a couple of nights at Canyon Point Campground. Very nice and relaxing. Well maintained.
11 May 2018. Left our campsite and headed to El Morro National Monument. This is a beautiful site, and really the only place for 150 miles that the native Americans and early settlers had to get water. The little Oasis pool here is no longer really natural, its been expanded and lined with cement, but is still full of water. There are a few petroglyphs here, and lots of early settlers left historical graffiti – their names carved into the rock walls.
Bluffs at El Morro National Monument, New Mexico
There are remains of a Pueblo at the top of this bluff at El Morro National Monument
Walkway to Oasis Pool at El Morro
Oasis Pool at El Morro
Bluff wall at El Morro where people have carved their names
Here are some photos of the some of the inscriptions on the wall:
Petroglyphs at El Morro
Early explorer inscriptions (in Spanish)
Zoom in to see these inscriptions
Can you see where the park superintendent (in 1920) “erased” all the inscriptions later than 1906?
May 10 2018. We continued our exploration of Volcanic badlands today – but this time on foot. Hiked the El Calderon area of El Malpais National Monument, saw lava tubes, caves, lava flows, sinks, close up cinder cone, and cinder bombs; cool stuff!
Chuck at mouth of Junction Cave, El Malpais National Monument
checking out another lava cave at the El Calderon Area of El Malpais
This is a Lava Sink – very deep – at El Malpais
So much lava around, someone lined the hiking trail with lava rocks!
Xenolith Cave entrance
If you get a (free) permit, you can crawl through the caves – the trail signs are cute!
Looking a the inside of the Cinder Cone for El Calderon
Climbing up the side of the Cinder Cone
Yes, we saw wildlife! Here is a lizard!
Then we traveled nearby to the commercial “ICE CAVE and BANDERA VOLCANO” site. This was actually much better than we had hoped, and we would recommend it. The hike to the volcano was relatively short, the cinder cone was magnificent. The Ice Cave was very educational (and also nice and cool after the hike to the volcano). The inside of the ice cave stays at no more than 31 degrees F.
Inside the cinder cone, BANDERA Volcano
Viewing the BANDERA cinder cone
Lava flows at BANDERA Volcano
Lava flows at BANDERA Volcano
Going down 70 steps into the Ice cave
Viewing Platform at bottom of steps at the ice cave
Ice at the Ice cave – oldest ice dates back to 1100 AD
May 9 – After our wonderful weekend in Texas, we drove to New Mexico (picking up 18 counties along the way). We spent two nights in Santa Fe, “restocking”, the headed to El Malpais (means the badlands) National Monument and Conservation area. This area encompasses over two dozen Cinder Cones, Lava Flows, Lava Tubes and caves. The last eruption was probably 3000 years ago (the “new area”), but most of El Malpais lava is 10,000 years old. There is also a ridge of Cinder Cones (30 of them) that erupted probably 200,000 years ago.
We stopped at the Sandstone Bluffs Overlook for lunch and then headed to the La Ventana Natural Arch (the largest arch in New Mexico.
Chuck scrambling at Sandstone Bluff Overlook
Chuck at Sandstone Bluff, El Malpais
Sandstone Bluffs Overlook, El Malpais
View from Sandstone Bluff – you can see all the lava throughout the valley
La Ventana Natural Arch, El Malpais NM
Selfie in front of La Ventana Arch
We then spent quite a few hours driving across the “Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway” (4×4, high clearance recommended). Saw lots of Cinder Cones. Road is probably a geologist’s dream. Too bad we are not geologists.
Chuck airing down the tires to start the Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway hunt for volcanos
Lots of cows along this backcountry byway
Here are a few of the Cinder Cones (from volcanos that erupted 200000 years ago)
May 4 2018 – Spent the weekend with our friends, Jim and Tracy, in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area of Texas. You know they are our friends, because they let us stay on their driveway!
Here are Jim and Tracy taking us out to dinner – quite a feast!
Tracy and Jim
We had a great time at the convention – used the train to get to Dallas, made the traffic a breeze
Karen and Chuck riding the train
Jim came with us one day – on the Ft Worth – Dallas train
Hazel
Max
Chuck and Jim doing yard work
Figuring out how to get the sprinkler “just right”
May 2, 2018. We started our last practice trip before we attempt the trek to Alaska. This one starts by visiting Jim and Tracy near Ft Worth, TX and ends up three weeks later at Overland Expo West near Flagstaff, AZ. We are looking forward to practicing “restocking days”- groceries, laundry, etc and other aspects of long term traveling.
Our first overnight was at a cute New Mexico State Park near the borders of Oklahoma and Texas: Clayton Lake. Famous for its lake trout and the Dinosaur tracks that were discovered while the dam here was being built.
Our campsite for the night, Clayton Lake State Park
Short 1/4 mile hike to where the dinosaur tracks are
Big dinosaur footprint at Clayton Lake State Park
They said this track shows a meat eating dinosaur track. Clayton Lake
23 April 2018. All that rock crawling around southern Utah made us feel young again, so we picked up a Jeep to play with. We found out that Breann had not yet had her Jeep in 4-wheel-low, so we invited her and Haiden to join us on an adventure up Mt Herman Road.
Getting initial instructions at the Mt Herman Trail head
Breann and Haiden learning how to let air out of their tires
A view stop on Mt Herman Road
Where did you say we were, again?
Breann Crawling up a rock
Posing by a hanging rock on Mt Herman Road
Breann navigating ruts
Happy Breann and Haiden
View of Pikes Peak
4×4 Road off Rampart Range
Had a great time – and yes, Breann has now used her 4-low gears!
We were headed up Smoky Mountain Road again, (heading to see the smoke), but then we got to “Kelley Grade” and our fear of heights got the better of us.
Looking up at Kelly Grade, Smoky Mountain Road
A “hog back” (down on both sides) on Kelly Grade
View of the area
So, we turned around and headed back to Cottonwood Canyon Road, took a hike by Pariah River and settled in for the night.
Day 7, April 9, 2018. We took a quick trip into Page, AZ to buy some groceries and get our tire fixed (at least swapped for the spare). Ate fish and chips at a nice little shop and headed back to the “back country”.
We stopped at a BLM campground on Lake Powell, Lone Rock Campground. It was pretty neat, not too crowded. People camp right on the beach! But we decided to move on.
Lone Rock Campground near Page, AZ
We headed out to Alstrom point. What a beautiful spot! But very desolate going there and coming back.
Water crossing – Smoky mountain Road
View on Smoky Mountain Rd
Funny looking rock – looked a bit like a cottage
Then we made it to Alstrom Point – WOW!
View of Lake Powell and Navajo Mountain at Alstrom Point
Day 6, April 8 2018. There was a bit of rain last night, so we took the “gentler” Cottonwood Canyon Road. (If it hasn’t rained, two wheel drive is ok). The rain had mostly dried, we only had one water crossing and a few mud holes. At the Northern end of this road is Kodachrome State Park. The views around there were spectacular and we made reservations to camp there Wednesday night. Here is a foreshadowing:
View near Kodachrome state Park
View near Kodachrome state park
We stopped at the Gorgeous Grosvenor Arch:
Grosvenor Arch
Grosvenor Arch
Grosvenor Arch
and on to a short hike in the Cottonwood Narrows:
Cottonwood canyon Narrows
Cottonwood Canyon Narrows
Cottonwood Canyon Narrows
Cottonwood canyon narrows
View of trailhead at Cottonwood Canyon Narrows (north)
Chuck topping off the air in a slowly leaking tire. Near Dance Hall Rock
Made a quick trip (two days later) to get it fixed – broken rim, so only swappped for spare
Day 5 – April 7 2018. Still on Hole-in-the-rock Road. Had 10 miles of 4 wheel road and then 50 miles of washboard road to drive on out. Slow going, and we had to baby one of our tires…
Made it to the end of the Hole In The Rock Road – Got a little rocky towards the end – the Vanagon probably wouldn’t have made it.
Rugged Road – Hole in the wall
Caves along the Hole in the Wall Road
Cool Mountains along Hole in the Wall Road
This one called 50 mile mountain
Yep , big rocks along the road
This one looked like something out of Star Wars!
The hole in the rock is a break in the sand mountains to get to Lake Powell. Sometime in the 1880s, settlers used this passage to move 250 people, 85 full sized wagons and 100 livestock through this drop. It was too rugged for us to walk down (because we were still too sore from yesterday!). I can’t imagine full-sized wagons going down this!
There is the hole in the wall!
Peaking through the hole to Lake Powell
Lake Powell, far below
Can you imagine FULL-SIZE Wagons? With Horses!
Looking down hole in the wall
A nice guy (who was contemplating climbing down to the Lake) took our picture
A little history at the top
The we found a nice spot to camp for the night, a bit windy, but no one around
Today we started on Hole in the Rock Road. Very wash-boardy, and it happens to be Spring Break Week for way too many families – but we are having a great time.
First stop was Devil’s Garden. Lots of Hoodoos here:
Devils Garden
Devils garden
Devils Garden
Devils garden
Devils Garden
Devils Garden
Then we went on to two Slot Canyons, Peek-A-Boo and Spooky. (Up one, back the other) .Total hike was a little more than five miles, but there was also rock scrambling and rope work involved. We are getting a little old for this kind of adventure – because our muscles are sure tired afterwards.!
Hiking to the slot canyons
Chuck
The rope climb to start peek-a-boo. Quite a line up of spring break families!
You need to help each other up the slots
Then we drove on to our camping spot for the night — out in the middle of nowhere!
Followed Highway 24 south through Capitol Reef – brought back memories of breaking my arm there not so many years ago. Scenery is still spectacular.
Highway 24 south of Goblin Valley
I’m going to keep track of how many of these optical observatories We run across…
Beautiful scenery coming into Capitol Reef
xp in Capitol Reef
Great views at Capitol Reef
We then turned on Highway 12 and traveled through the Grand Staircase – if we have time, we’ll explore off-road here in a few days. We camped for the night in Escalante at the Petrified Forest State Park.
View from Highway 12
Chuck and Karen
Scary View from HIghway 12
View from Highway 12
Deep Gorge from Highway 12
Tall cliffs on highway 12
Nice colors!
Slick rock!
Chuck and our XP
View from Highway 12
We ended the day at Escalante Petrified Forest State Park – love the colors in the Petrified trees!
On our hike we saw several petrified logs
Petrified logs on our hike
View back to Escalante Petrified Forest State Park Lake
Day 1 – 4/3/18. Snowmobiles are put away for the winter, we are heading for a couple of weeks of adventure in Utah. Drove out on Interstate 70 – I love this road when there isn’t traffic!
Loveland ski area still has snow!
Glenwood Canyon
Glenwood Canyon through tunnel
Spent the night on BLM land near Goblin Valley State Park in Utah (the campground at the park was full, but plenty of BLM around there!)
Our first park camping with the XP was in Nevada (near the eastern edge of Nevada). Got to travel through lots of desert to get there. Place was very neat – almost like a mini Bryce Canyon. We hiked the whole inner loop; saw lots of jack rabbits.
This is the second time this year we have camped at Lake Ogallala. It is such a nice campground! Right alongside the Dam at McConaughy Lake State Recreational Area. And it’s about halfway between us and our son, Mike – so we’ll be staying there again! This time I tried to capture the fall colors:
Wow – what a cool park! We got there after the season was over, so it was nice and quiet. But, it appeared like a scene form the ‘Dirty Dancing’ Movie — stages, boats, picnic areas, beaches. Very Cool. Probably crazy in mid summer. But we enjoyed the peaceful quietness of the place in October.
Chuck and I sitting in the porch swing
Camping spot at Rocky Gap State Park
Boat rentals, volleyball, all closed for the season
