Southwest 2012

After two weeks, it’s day 14, and the last day of our trip. Today we awake in Lee Vining and make our start up Tioga Pass. The pass usually isn’t open this early, but due to low snowfall we’re able to cross over the Sierras at the best place imaginable… Yosemite National Park Right at the peak of Tioga Pass at 9945 feet is the entrance to the park. Over a day ago we were 294 feet below sea level. … Read More

Leaving Death Valley National Park this morning has its ups and downs … Starting at Stovepipe Wells at sea level the up comes first, as Hwy 190 West climbs to Towne Pass at 4,956 ft elevation, just to drop back down at a 9% grade to about 2,000 ft. Then? Back up again to well over 4,000 ft with a soft descent into the Eastern Sierra – Owens River valley at 3,700 ft above sea level! After getting gas (yup, … Read More

We’re taking our time getting started today, knowing that we’ll win an hour back once we cross a couple more state lines. Yep, today, we’ll cover 4 states in 1 day! Not as impressive as the 4 Corners, but hitting Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California in just 1 day still is a lot! We’re soon on I-15, and cross from Utah into Arizona. Here, the freeway snakes through the Virgin River Canyon, before dropping us into Nevada. After about an … Read More

2 nights of dry camping in a row get rewarded with: coin operated showers at the Marble Canyon US Post Office (ok, same building, next door, behind the Laundromat). 50 Cents to get in, plus $2 for 5 minutes of water … but it’s cold! OMG! I spend another $2 before I’m ready to actually to embrace the cool … 😉 Then we’re heading uphill (about 3,000 ft in elevation gain) and against the wind for the next hour and … Read More

Just when we thought we had had an impressive day yesterday, we get today started! It is completely quiet as we wake up at the Natural Bridges National Monument campground, and that’s an unbelievably nice experience! Ahhh …. But soon enough we’re up and get ready for yet another fun filled day! Leaving the trailer (with dog) at the site, Kirk and I head out to the 9-mile loop drive through the park. Already at the first pullout we’re mighty … Read More

Mesa Verde National Park is impressive – once past the ranger/entrance station, it’s a 15-mile drive to the Far View Visitor Center, covering approx. 1,500 feet in elevation gains, but not without taking us up and down and up and down and up again, thru, along and over the green plateaus. We decide on the self-guided tour of Spruce Tree House in the Chamin Mesa part of the park. It’s a another beautiful ride to get there, and once out … Read More

Got some chores done first thing this morning. A load of laundry: check. Flea stuff and de-worming meds shared with dog: check (ok, just her). Brushed hair: check (both hers and mine). Forgot to have Kirk sign the postcards before dropping them into the mailbox: check. It’s time to get going! We’re leaving the KOA and with it the “urban area” of Albuquerque behind us and are headed through the high desert for the next 3 hours, following Hwy 550 … Read More

Steve recommended that we head up north on 54 to check out the  Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, head east on 380 through the Valley of Fires, and stop for lunch for one of the world best burgers in San Antonio, NM. Instead of decided which ones to do, we just hit them all. But first we had to make a stop across the street from out campground. Yep, the world’s largest pistachio. Andrea has a knack for finding superlatives of … Read More

Welcome to the very windy high desert of southern New Mexico! It’s almost strong enough to blow our little trailer out of the site!! Another beautiful day and it will be hot again, too. But first things first – the dog needs to get cleaned up! (We still have not settled on a name, but J.T. is what she goes by in official documents, such as the vet’s –> J.T. as in Joshua Tree. .“Waggin’ Tails” is a boarding & … Read More