Outside of Fort Scott, MO to night at Crawford State Park. Fees are a bit high but a beautiful campground on a lake. Lots of birds, redbuds blooming and hardly any people. Other than the camp host we are the only people in this section of the campground.  Very quit.

Drove something over 300 miles today. Had intended to be farther east but we had a long detour to make and by the time we got here I was ready to get off the road. The only thing of note today was there were a lot fires where fields were being burned off. Gets rid of the dead grasses that weren't eaten during the winter and allows new grasses to grow.

You know, you can drive across most of these states without going on an interstate and still make decent time. Little towns that you have to slow down in, but that breaks up the monotony.

Hope to be in St. Louis tomorrow night.

Now in Dodge City. Long straight fast roads today. Not much worth writing about.

We are now in Raton, New Mexico. I picked a rather circuitous route to get here. Trying to stay at lower elevations to get thru the mountains. Our highest elevation was 9100 feet. No brutal climbs for the car and a level I can handle. In fact our campground last night was at 7200 feet and I experienced no real problems. Maybe I am getting somewhat acclimated. We hav been at 5000+ feet for a couple of weeks now.

Anyway, as we came out of the town of Espanola we noticed this small river alongside the road. To our surprise it was the Rio Grande. Stopped at the visitors center and talked to the young man there. He had at one time worked in West Virginia as a raft guide. We discussed sections of the Gorge and what types of rapids there are. He told us about the bridge that crossed the gorge and how to get there.

Drove into Taos and had Easter brunch. Then went to see the bridge. As bridges go the New River Gorge Bridge is much more impressive. But the gorge itself was steep and deep.

Picked up Rt. 64 and continued into and over the mountains. A narrow, winding road. But not terrible. After we crested at 9100 feet it dropped down into the Cimmaron Canyon. Beautiful drive.

But the best part was as we were approaching Cimmaron. A herd of Elk were in a field beside the road. Joyce counted 25 but then we could see more in the shrubbery across the stream. Got some pictures. As we were leaving town there were three mule deer grazing on the side of the road. Next were the prong horned antelope and Bison.  We had been seeing small dead animals being eaten by the ravens on the side of the road. We discovered that they were prairie dogs. At one point we saw about 30 or more doing a face plant on the side of the road. What they were doing was getting salt left over from chemicals for snow removal. Our squirrels in virginia do the same thing.

We have now made the turn for home. Will stop and see friends next weekend.


April 19

Left Cortez and headed south to see the Four Corners Monument. Owned by the Navajo Indians so we pd our money. Went in, looked at it, stood in 4 states and took the obligatory pictures.   Next was Shiprock. A huge Butte that from a distance looks like a sailing ship. There was no road to it, so all we could see of it was from the highway.

From there we went thru Farmington where we stopped for a good lunch. We ended up at Heron State Park , outside of Chama, for the night. A very quiet campground with electricity, water and restrooms. The remarkable thing to us was how much water there seemed to be.

Laid over here in Cortez, CO today so we could do chores. Laundry and groceries. Also went thrift store shopping. Got a couple of pieces of clothing, a slid on coaxial connector that I had been looking for, a puzzle and a set of clippers. A total of $4.01.

Joyce has been wanting a new card for Kroger. They have nice ones out here and w hike we were in City Market she got one.

She also likes to play the slot machines, so we went to Ute Mountain Casino. For the first time she lost. $7.00 for her and my usual $5.00.

We had gotten a power strip with a flat plug in it. We have these two outlets that we could not figure out how to use. Met a couple here who have been using a Trailmanor camper for years. He gave a couple of tips and one was about a flat plug. I found one at Wal-Mart yesterday. We now have a place where we can hook up the microwave.

Yesterday we spent the day in Mesa Verde National Parks. The old dwellings of the Pueblo Indians are something to see. It was a tiring day, but worth it. I have loaded pictures to Facebook since I am unable to load them to this.

Tomorrow we will go thru Four Corners and Shiprock and into New Mexico on Rt. 64 as we head east. Not sure exactly where we will end up but that's not unusual for us.

Another day of sightseeing and driving. Since it was a short drive to Cortez(if I had listened to Joyce) we drove 40 miles back the way we had come to see Natural Bridges National Memorial. It consists of a welcome center and a loop drive. It goes along White Canyon and there are viewing areas fo three different natural bridges. One, Saipapu, is among the largest in the world. Under its deck you could set the US Capital Building. There are trails to each of the bridges. I chose not to attempt any of them.

Now, the part about listening to Joyce. We drove back to Blanding and had lunch and filled up with gas. We pulled out of the gas station and Joyce pointed left. I went straight because I knew that was the way to go. We pulled over and looked at the map. I showed her the way we were going and that it would get us there. She showed me her way but I convinced her my way was correct. It was supposed to be 81 miles. Much to my chagrin, 54 miles later, I discover she was right. Had I taken her way I would have saved 18 miles of driving. This doesn't mean that I will always defer to her judgement but I should check the options more closely.

We are now in Cortez, CO. Plan to explore Mesa Verde tomorrow.

I had three days worth to load and managed to wipe it out.

In essence, we have been taking all the scenic roads and seeing some spectacular scenery. Joyce has found flowers and taken lots of pictures. We are in Blanding Utah tonight and go to Mesa Verde tomorrow.

After I get over my peeve with myself I will try to reconstruct it.

After breakfast we took off to explore the Waterfold Pocket area of the park. To get there you take a dirt road for 20 miles. That's just to the park boundary. Then tou can drive another 30 miles to the roads end. Beautiful scenery, some wildflowers and lots of "washboard ruts".

April 13, 2014

Took scenic Rt. 12 from Cannonville today. Goes thru the Grand Escalante National Memorial. Why it's called that I don't know. This is one of the most awesome highways I have ever driven. Tall red rock mesas, deep canyons, narrow roads with steep ascents and descents. One section approaching the town of Escalante is a series of steep switchbacks. From the top it is called 35 Mile View. We could see much farther than that, I am sure. The sign board showed different mountains that were visible along the horizon and Navajo Mountain was visible and we had seen that from Lake Powell.

At one of the roadside exhibits we could see a granary by the Anasazi people. Must have been 500 feet up an almost sheer wall.  Stopped at the BLM welcome center at Escalante and looked at the exhibits. Discussed the road ahead. They said a steep climb and then a steep descent. Figured I wouldn't have to stay at that elevation, 9603 feet, for very long.

Moved on and stopped in Boulder for lunch. Had trouble finding a place to park and ended up in a lodge parking lot. Ate there which was a mistake. Very overpriced for what we got. A small bowl of watery soup and a tiny biscuit for ten bucks.

After lunch we started the climb over Boulder Mountain. Peak elevation of 9603 ft. Needless to say our car struggled to pull the camper up the mountain but made it just fine. As long as I was driving the elevation did not affect me more than if I had healthy lungs. I did get out a couple of times but was careful with my activity.

Arrived at Capitol Reef and set up camp. Wind blowing hard and temp was in 30s when we got up.

April 12, 2014

Headed up Rt 89 toward Capitol Reef. Up at 5:00. But that was OK. KNEW THAT WITHIN 5 miles we would be in Utah where we would go back to Mountain time. How confusing. We are now only two hours different than home. 

Utah is one of my favorite states. The scenery is gorgeous and the people friendly. Tho to be honest, everywhere we have been that has been the case, except for one old lady who gave me the finger in Page. She was blocking my way into the gas station and took offense when I pulled around behind her. 

Stopped in Hatch, UT for lunch. Colder and windy. We could see snow still on the mountains near us. Decided we would stop early in Cannonville where we had stayed before. That leaves us only a 100 miles or so to Capitol Reef.  To get here we came by the entrance to Bryce Canyon. Since we were there last fall will not visit again. 

Debating with myself how to go tomorrow. The easy way is to go back to 89 and continue on. The scenic way is Rt 12 thru the mountains. From what I have read quite steep and crooked. Just can't spend too much time above 7000 feet. Should be all right as long as I am just driving. 

I expect scenic will win. 

April 11, 2014

Up too early. We are on Pacific time and it has been bothering our sleep cycles. 

Booked a boat tour for Antelope Canyon and then went to visit the Hayden Museum at the dam. Fascinating, with lots go good exhibits and history. Dam tours were offered, but we did not book one. 

Took our hour and half tour and it was really nice. Went as far up the canyon as the boat could go. The canyon became quite narrow as we went in. So close we were warned not to reach out and touch the walls. Joyce took lots of pictures. I did not take as many, as is my usual thing. 

After lunch and a short nap I hiked the trail to the overlook at the Horseshoe Bend of the Colorado River. Quite popular and a famous picture. With out a wide angle lens you can not get the whole thing in a picture. The trail is short but steep and sandy. They claim it is rocky, but they don't know what rocky is. 

Drove thro Page to see what it looked like. The typical tourist town with lots of hotels, eating places and other entertainments. Then to Walmart to pick up some needed items. 

Left Holbrook this morning heading toward Page, AZ and lake Powell. Made a stop in Winslow to go see "Standing on a corner". Found the Flat bed Chevy but not the girl. Took some nice pictures, one of which is posted on Facebook.

Went to the Hotel La Podestra, a creation by Shirley Colter that she considered her masterpiece. A beautiful place where they still function as a hotel. But you can also take self guided tours. Joyce said, after we left town, that she could have spent more time there.

Left there and drove to Flagstaff where we stopped for lunch and gas. Then drove 125 miles thru high desert country to Page.

Camping near Lake Powell. Was 82 here today. Joyce has been finding more flowers. Am hoping the apples will be blooming when we get to Capitol Reef in a few days. We will stay here tomorrow and sightsee be for crossing the border into Utah.

 

Left Villanueva this morning. Long drive to Holbrook, AZ. Weather good, roads ok.

Yesterday and today we have had some reactions from fellow campers. They are fascinated by us putting up and taking down the camper. Quite interesting watching their reactions and answering their questions. They all say they have never seen anything like it.

BTW:  we are now in the Pacific time zone.


April 8, 2014
Packed and headed out again this morning. To Springer, NM and then down I 25 to Las Vegas NM. 83 miles to Springer on two lanes at 65. Nice road. Extremely low traffic.

Stopped at a place called Gladstone Mercantile about 50 miles from Clayton for a bathroom break. Interesting little place. The owner and a local were the only people there. I was quite surprised when the local said, "I've seen you somewhere before". I had no idea but when he asked where we had eaten dinner the night before. It was at the Wildhorse Grill and Restaurant in Clayton. He said he was eating there when we came in. I best not take up a life of crime. I'm too recognizable.

He and I had a pleasant talk about the wind and the tumble weeds. He said the wind blew a lot of dirt around and was bad where he worked at the "stock pens". He also said the tumbleweeds were an even worse problem when grass fires got going. They catch on fire and spread the fires quickly.

Ended up here in Villanueva State Park along the Pecos River. Not much here except a couple of trails that are to steep and dangerous for us.


April 7, 2014
Drove from Black Mesa SP to Clayton New Mexico. Only about 70 miles. In 50 miles we saw 3 other vehicles. Two Lane, 65 mph. Thru Kiowa Grass Plains. Lots of large ranches. Few communities.

We have seen news reports of the tumbleweed problems out here. We haven't seen where people were trapped in their houses but we have seen some sights to talk about. Most fences are covered, one place they were banked up against some cottonwoods to the very top. A good 25 to 30 feet. We got a couple pictures of them.

We needed to do laundry so I dropped Joyce off in town at a laundromat while I went to Clayton Lake State Park to set up camp. Forgot to mention that wind was at least 20 to 25 mph(sustained) and temp only in low 50's. It was cold. Nice campground whose main attraction was a lake and fossil dinosaur tracks. There were lots of them from 8 different types. They were discovered after the dam was built and during high water the silt and dirt was washed away in the spillway exposing then.

Went back to town and picked up Joyce. Went and had lunch and returned to camp. On the way out of town 100s of tumble weeds were blowing down the street at us. Quite a sight. On the way to camp we saw several pronghorn antelope. Joyce was very happy.

We walked over to where the Dino tracks were. They built a boardwalk around them and had lots of signage on what kind they were.

April 6, 2014
Things seen today.
Bobcat
Mule Deer
Road Runner
Large hawk/golden eagle(??)
Free range cattle in the road
Ladder-back Woodpecker
House Finch
Gold Finches. Lots of them
Magpies
16 Turkeys, with Tom strutting
Ducks and Great Blue Heron
Plus several wildflowers

Did some walking in the Black Mesa Wildlife Refuge. Checked out the three state monument. I draped myself around it where I was in Colorado, New Mexico and Oklahoma at one time and in two time zones.

Went and looked at dinosaur tracks in a stream bed.

Joyce and I also hiked the nature trail here at the campground. Was steep and rocky. Went along the Mesa above the campground.

April 5, 2014
Left the Great Salt Plains this morning heading for Black Mesa State Park in the NW tip of Oklahoma. A 291 mile drive and not an Interstate to be traveled. Mostly 2 Lane roads with a speed limit of 65 mph. Love these western roads. Very little traffic and a few small towns to get thru. Long day, but a good one. Got here late afternoon and setup with no problem. Fixed a problem we had with the stove cover. It would not stay in an upright position when cooking. Industrial Strength Velcro was the answer. Now Joyce can use all 3 burners at one time. We have moved out of the lowlands and are now in higher country. Campground is at 4300 feet.

We are really remote now. Nearest town is 30 miles away. No TV reception at all. No cell phone service. You decide whether we are lucky or not.

What a shock, 29 degrees this morning. A far cry from yesterday's morning temp of 70. Not unexpected tho. We had seen the weather forecast and knew it was coming.

After breakfast we drove to the Selenite Digging area. All we had to dig with were 2 screwdrivers and a kitchen spoon. Not a problem. Dig down thru the upper crust and take the sand out and spread it out. The sun would glint off the crystals making them easy to find. A woman loaned us a garden trowel and we used that for a while. Found a number of crystals and they now have been washed and dried in the sun. Packed away for the ride.

Ate lunch in Cherokee and then took a trail out into the flats to look for shorebirds. Saw several.

This evening we drove back to Cherokee for dinner, gas, post office and some groceries. Hat a nice dinner. We noted that the town seemed reasonably prosperous. Lots of oil drilling, a vibrant ranching and farming area.

We have been seeing these fields that looked as if it were Kale growing finally saw a sign telling us it was winter canola. Have seen it in full bloom, but never before.

Joyce found a couple of flowers she had never seen before. That makes her happy.

Tomorrow we leave here, from the banks of the Salt Fork of the Arkansas river, and head west to Black Mesa State Park.

April 3, 2014
Left Devil's Den this morning about 9:30. Good thing we were on the road that early. On the way out a vicious thunderstorm with heavy rain, wind and hail caught us. Over in about an hour but made driving difficult. We drove out if the weather heading west, but the wind has been difficult to drive in. We are now at Salt Plains State Park in north central Oklahoma. Temp has now dropped to 50 and supposed to be 38 as the low tonight. Quite a differences from this morning. Went out and saw some birds after dinner. Gulls, herons, cormorants and lots of Vultures.


April 2, 2014

Yesterday, after a delightful stay at Petit Jean State Park, we drove 131 miles to Devils Den State Park. Not a bad drive at all. Got off I 540 at exit 43. Sign said use Exit 53 if your RV was 30 ft or longer. Since ours is shorter, we did not use that exit. A narrow road, not well maintained. But, the problem for longer RVs is the 8 switchbacks coming down a steep mountain. Checked in at the visitors center, paid for two nights. Again very inexpensive and then we set our unit up. Just can't get over how much easier it is than our old one.

We brought a small TV with us, as the camper has an antenna. We have been getting in excess of 20 channels, but at this location we only get 4. The major networks so we can keep up with the news and weather forecasts. We are so deep in this valley that there is no cell coverage. If we go up on the ridge we get a signal.

Our first job was to do laundry. Got half of it done because while there were 4 washers, only one dryer worked.

This morning I hiked the Devils Den trail while Joyce looked for wildflowers along the trails near the creek. My hike took me along the creek and then up thro the mountain to a set of waterfalls. Nothing big but nice just the same. Ended up putting my camera in my pack and then hurrying thro a section of trail where water was falling on it from a rock outcropping.

The geology here is fascinating. Caves that go back into the mountain several hundred feet. They are very narrow. There is one called the Devil's Icebox. Air coming out of it is 55 degrees and is quite welcome on hot humid days. As I hiked along the trail it was very evident where I was.

Saw some wildflowers that I hadn't seen this year. Bloodroot and Cut-leafed Toothwort among them.

We leave here tomorrow and head into Oklahoma. Not sure where we will end up.

Drove to Jean Petit State Park in Arkansas yesterday. A beautiful campground and area. We are camped on Lake Bailey. Up early this morning and went to the Jean Petit overlook. Great views of Ada Valley and the Arkansas River as the sun was coming up.

Below is the legend of Petit Jean

There is a 95 foot waterfall here in the park so we went to the Cedar Creek Falls overlook. A great view from above the falls. On to Mather Lodge to the trail head to the bottom of the falls. The literature says a 2 mile hike but round trip it was close to 4 miles according to my GPS on my phone. The first half mile drops over 200 feet to the creek.  Trail was steep and footing not the greatest but it was worth it.

Saw a lot of wildflowers. Trout Lilies, Early Saxifrage, Rue Anemone, and Spring Beauties.

Tomorrow we move on to Devils Den.

Explored the park today. Drove several miles to the boat landing on the Mississippi River. Joyce found a few flowers and we got pictures of a tug pushing a string of barges. It was quite foggy on the river and made for interesting pictures. Drove back to the camper and had lunch.

After lunch we drove several more miles to find there museum and nature center plus a couple of lakes. Took a while to find them. One of the side trips we took led us to a shelter. In that area was a house that had fallen in. Couldn't tell if was from neglect or a tree that came down during one of the two ice storms that they had here. A lot of tree damage. The woman at the visitors center said it sounded like gunshots going off.

We finally got to the nature center and it was closed. We did see a red tailed hawk wit a broken wing in a pen. On the way we saw a Barred Owl and Joyce got a nice picture of it.

Later in the day I took a short hike down one of the 18 miles of trails here. Trees blocking it in a couple of places.

Now watching a BB game on TV. Can't get the Va game since it is on cable. Just as well as I get to tense watching them play. Thunder storms have been rolling thru, some quite heavy. We have been under watches and warnings all evening. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny but a little cooler but I expect we can handle 64. Was up to 69 today.

Hopefully I will find a place where I can post these.

March 27

Now at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park north of Memphis. Been raining since we got. Comes in waves. Heavy rain and lots of thunder. Set the camper up in the rain and while we got wet, the inside of the  camper did not. However, we do have a leak around one of the roof vents. Have a basin catching the water and not leaking heavily.

This is another state park that costs us $11.43 per night. Gotta love it. Has lots of trails and bird and wild animals. Also a nature center. Weather supposed to be better tomorrow and good on Saturday. Plan to leave Sunday but sure of where we will go.

We bought a small TV with us since we have an antenna. Tonight we can get over 25 channels. Yesterday it was 29. Able to watch some the programs we like and some of the BB games. I have mixed feelings about it.

Very windy today. Affected us quite a bit. Both hands on the steering wheel. Then mix in rain, fortunately no hard and it is a challenge.

March 26

After spending more time in Asheville then we had planned, we are now in Lebanon, TN at the Cedars of Lebanon State Park. Weather was quite cold in Asheville this morning as we packed up-to leave.

Yesterday was nasty day. Heavy snow squalls all day, high winds and cold. Not a fit day for man nor beast. I had really wanted to leave yesterday, but in retrospect I am glad we did not. There was snow in the Smokies, and while not a large accumulation, the road was steep and curvy. Would not have been good with blowing snow and poor visibility.

Today was a pleasant day to drive. We changed time zones and when we got to our original destination for the day it was only 12:30 CDT. too early to stop. Decided to drive closer to Nashville so tomorrow's trip won't be as long.

This a nice campground about 8 miles from I 40. Not crowded and with discount only $11.43. Can't beat a deal like that.

Today has been really pleasant. No place to be,no real schedule to keep. We devoted this day to shopping for some small items we needed/wanted. I repaired the leg on one of our tables that folds against the wall. In the process found out that there is a leaf you can put in it.

Wasn't able to watch the ball game last night because I had trouble hooking up the cable. Tried to run the coax thru the window but that was a no go. Did some research this morning and the solution was so simple. Run it in under the Velcro. Felt kind of dumb. Took care of of that and now we have cable. I have ambivalent feelings about that.

Went to the Asheville Farmers Market and looked around. Lots of crafts, honey, pork side meat and various other things. Not much is there this time of year. We did buy some "creasy salad" and are looking forward to eating it.

Weather and traveling may be interesting tomorrow. Forecast is for mixed rain and snow in Asheville and the lower elevations. We have to go thru the Smokies tomorrow and they are predicting all snow. So stay tuned.

Got to the Asheville West KOA around 4:30. Drove thro some rain on the way here but I have driven in worse. Met our friend Katherine Cross for dinner at a Chinese Buffet. Had seen her for some time and it was quite nice. We are still figuring out some of the things with the camper. We are staying here tomorrow to make sure we learn everything we need.

Managed 14 mpg today. Not too bad.

Joyce and I are heading west again. Hope to get as far as Utah again. We have a new to us camper and are hopeful it will be more comfortable than our pop-up. I will try to update this as often I can. 

Our first stop will be in Asheville for two nights. Too sort everything out as we haven't camped in it before.