After overnighting along I-15, we’re hitting the road home, from the desert areas around Las Vegas, NV and Mojave, CA into the hot and pretty poor air quality of the Central Valley towards Livermore … and after 13+ hours on the freeway, we’re home again, back to reality.
After so much time away from people or at least from big crowds, we know we have to expect more activity at today’s destination: Bryce Canyon National Park. It’s been many years since Kirk had been here, even if not the 32 years since my last visit! Funny note – at the entrance sign, we meet a guy who had been here with his family also in 1988 – and he’s trying to re-enact the same photo as taken back … Read More
Out in nowhere-land, we had a destination in mind that takes us even further away from everything else. A hidden gem in the middle of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National: Kodachrome Basin State Park. Yes, named after the Kodak company (with their permission) because of the wide variety of colors in the rocks. A couple small hikes take us (including J.T. – dogs allowed!) to many different spires and various rock formations inside the state park. Need to get away even … Read More
Just when you thought scenic drives can’t get any better, we head out onto Hwy 12, through the Dixie National Forecast and the National Monument. The 1.9M acres of Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, where preserving the land’s wild character is a top priority. These public lands don’t just protect astounding scientific values, they safeguard one of the rarest natural resources of all – the opportunity for solitude – in a landscape sculpted by wind, water and time. We could spend a … Read More
Another national park, another great surprise! When you think you’ve seen most rock formations, bring on a reef! Not below the ocean, but for all to see here at Capitol Reef NP! A Wrinkle in the Earth, as the Rangers call it, where millions of years geologic forces shaped, lifted, and folded the earth, creating this rugged, remote area known as the Waterpocket Fold. After a first stop at Goosenecks Overlook and Panorama Point, we’re heading south on the Scenic … Read More
Time flies when you’re having fun … or when you’re taking the truck & trailer to the car wash to scrub off the sand and dust from the last 10 days! So after checking out from our RV Resort and getting the sand washed off, we’re heading out of Moab and onto our next adventure. It’s a scenic drive once we get onto Hwy 24 towards Capitol Reef National Park and our next overnight stop in Torrey, at the Wonderland … Read More
Kirk & his truck (ok, all of us) cannot get enough of off-roading! While the White Rim Road through Canyonland NP requires a permit, we are happy to do just a day-tip along the Colorado River, on Potash Road past the Potash (Solar Evaporation) Ponds and into the National Park. The road brings some tricky turns, narrowly avoiding the cliffs dropping off right next to us but also exposing us to some beautiful overviews along the Colorado. Once past the … Read More
Here’s a brand-new national park for our books: Canyonlands. Located right outside Moab, pretty much across the street from Arches, this park couldn’t be more different than Arches from the other. We head out north of Moab, to the Island In the Sky part/entrance of the park. How to describe it? A must-see. A blend of Grand Canyon and Monument Valley meets off-roaders dreams! But for day 1, we’ll stay on the paved roads… After getting our bearings at the … Read More
How this is already our last day inside Arches National Park I don’t know, but since our trip has more highlights yet to come, we slowly make our way out of the park. The Bambi is all packed up again as we plan the various sights to stop at on our way out. Stop 1 is what this park is most known for – or at least what’s the most recognizable arch in Arches: The Delicate Arch. Nestled about in … Read More
A slow day spent mostly at our site, as we enjoy the quiet, the views and explore the campground & its surrounding rocks a little bit. In the afternoon, in time for some pre-sunset photos, we head out to the Garden of Eden Viewpoint. Just a few miles south of the campground, the rocks look different, with more columns or spires. J.T. explore the areas near the parking lot (no dogs allowed away from paved paths), Kirk & his camera … Read More