Review of 2016

This post will probably be without pictures as I wanted to post about the years events.  This was a big year for us.  We went from working stiffs to retired people full time traveling in an RV.

We started out with a five year plan to be able to see some of this beautiful country.  This was year five when all of it was going to come together.....and it did.

January of 2016 started with us putting the house on the market, hoping to sell by July.  It also started the process for getting everything out of the house....cause as everyone knows.....not much fits in a motorhome.  I have no idea where all the stuff came from but it seemed never ending.

By June we were starting to get worried as we had no offers on the house.  Lots of houses for sale in the neighborhood and all were selling...not ours.  Lots of people looking...no takers.... on Fathers Day we were just vegging as it was hotter than.....blazes out.  Real estate agent called and ask if we could show the house....of course.....WE HAD AN OFFER.....and a good offer.

Okay now we have to get in high gear and get the house cleaned out.....finally done by the end of July.  Motorhome has been upgraded with things that will make living easier and more like a home....since we will be living in it.

House finally closes on August 17th.  We hit the road on August 18th.  We have be in the New Mexico for the Balloon Festival the end of September.  We make a bee line South Dakota and Minnesota.  South Dakota to change resident status and then on to Minnesota for visit with my son.

Next is a bee line to New Mexico to the balloon festival....made it.....

Now we could slow down a little bit....whew!

We did lots of site seeing....as you can see from the blog.  We have been relaxing in Pahrump, NV. since Thanksgiving...just being retired.

So this year has been the year that everything came together...thank you God....and we are on our way.  We expect next year to bring lots of new adventures.

To those of you that follow the blog, thank you for following our journey and Happy New Year to everyone.

Death Valley Badwater Basin revisited

Yesterday was a beautiful day so we decided to take a drive out into Death Valley.  We turned onto Badwater Basin Road and that took us to Badwater Basin.

Note the snow on the mountains in the background.

On the way back we took a side road to the Natural Bridge.....don't think we will do that again.... the most washboardy road we have been on in a long while.  Hope my fillings are still all in place.

Our next side trip was Artists Canyon, we love this drive, it is beautiful.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.

A few more:  Badwater Rd

Bryce Canyon and beyond

I think first I will talk a little about the campground we are staying in for a week in Kanarraville, UT.  It is a couple of miles off I15 about 10 miles before Cedar City.  The name of the park is Red Ledge RV park.  It has full time people living here and some tent sites.  All the sites are full hookups.  It is the off season so they had us take up a couple of tent sites.   Fine with us we had grass.  Nothing fancy about the park but it is clean and an the management is very eager to please, something you don't see much of these days.  The town itself has no services, no gas, no groceries...nothing... you will have to drive into Cedar City...odd...but it is a Mormon town.  Across the street is a little hobby farm (in town)...two horses, a goat, a Llama and a couple of ducks....  The campground is quiet and has a down home feel.  The only negative is they don't require dogs to be leashed or picked up after....so you better watch where you step. We would stay here again if in the area.

Now back to being a tourist....Bryce Canyon is about 80 miles from Cedar City so it was a full day to drive up there....but of course well worth it.....  It is off season so we didn't have to deal with any crowds or traffic.

Most of the time people, including me, will use Zion and Bryce in the same sentence because they are close to each other....I can tell you that there is nothing physically the same about the two parks.

Zion, you drive into the canyon and look up as the canyon walls get taller and taller.

Bryce, you drive through a forest and come out on the top looking down at all the rock formations and hoodoos. 

The trip takes you through Red Canyon and gives you a preview of what is to come....

The more you climb the more forest appears.

The drive is forested all the way to the top of Bryce Canyon where Zion is pretty barren of any forest.

Once at the top every outlook is more stunning than the last.

Here is a link to more pictures....  As usual they don't do it justice.

Bryce Canyon

After a day of rest we headed out to see Cedar Breaks and Kolob Canyons.

Cedar Breaks is on the way up to Bryce Canyon but we didn't have time to check it out so we headed back up that way.  Cedar Breaks is a National Monument...so my geezer national park pass worked.  I can tell you that park pass has been getting a workout.  Best ten bucks I ever spent.
It reminds me of a small Bryce Canyon.

We continued up the road to Brian Head which is a big ski resort.  The area is pretty quiet as the weather has been to warm to even make snow.  Not good for people who need the tourist trade.

Our next stop was to come back down to the I15 and take the exit (40) to Kolob Canyons.  Anyone traveling the I15 and needing a break you can see the Canyons on a five mile scenic road and even stop and have a picnic.  Beautiful drive.

And so ends our tour of the area for this time.  We will be here until Saturday and then will be headed to Las Vegas for nine days and then on to Pahrump for six weeks.
While in Vegas will catch up on things, like a haircut and have the car checked out and order a gas strut for the entry door on Motorhome.

Here is a link to a few more pictures of Cedar Breaks and Kolob Canyons.

Cedar Breaks and Kolob Canyons

That is all for now...............

Zion NP Utah

We are spending the week in Hurricane, Utah and checking out the area.  Yesterday we took a road trip into Zion NP.  We might go back without Buddee as there is one area you can only view from a tram that goes through that area.  They don't allow dogs on the tram and we didn't want to leave him in the car for that long.

The last few weeks we have seem some amazing sites and landscapes.  I think when God  created earth he looked at his creation and determined it needed some character.  He took four tools at his disposal, wind, water, sand and temperature and proceeded to create.  The finished product, which is ever changing,  defies most adjectives that are in my vocabulary.  Pictures also do not do it justice.


Anyone that has seen these landscapes know exactly what I am talking about.  Those who have not should try to do so.  It is simply amazing.

As usual here is a few more pictures of the area.

Zion NP

That is all for now......

Antelope Slot Canyon Tour

One of the last tours we took while we were in Page was the Antelope Slot Canyon walking tour.  We started out in Page seated in the back of a pickup truck.  It was about a 15 minute drive out to the canyon, which is located on the Navajo Indian Reservation.  All the guides are Navajo and the one we had was very well versed on the history and exactly where to stand in the canyon to get the best pictures.
Our guide is on the far right of this photo.

The drive included some off road so we had to be hanging on and got bounced around a little.  It was fun.

Once we arrived at the canyon we were grouped together and started the tour.

The weather was cloudy but the pictures are still amazing.  The guide went around to everyone and showed them what settings to use for each different camera they were using.  It was amazing how he knew what settings to use on so many different cameras and cell phones.
Robin used her cell phone and I used my camera and you can't tell which pictures are from which camera.

The tour inside the canyon took about an hour and we took many....many....pictures.  This place was awesome!!!!

I have included a link to all the pictures we took and a WARNING.....there are lots of them, but I couldn't decide which ones to post so I posted them all.....

Antelope Slot Canyon Tour

Hope you enjoy.....We are now in Hurricane UT for the week and hope to get to Zion and Bryce and whatever else we can find.....

Until next time........

Lake Powell and North Rim Grand Canyon

Part One.....Page Az. Lake Powell
We kind of stumbled on to this area looking for an area to kill some time.  Well I can tell you right now it was one of best stumbles I have done for awhile.  I was aware of Lake Powell but not of all the Navajo Reservation and the landscape in the area.

For those of you that have been here...you have kept it a secret very well....for those of you that haven't been here you need to get it on your bucket list.

We headed up to Page, Az. from Flagstaff on US89.  It brings you on to the Navajo Indian Reservation and the Lake Powell National Recreation Area....I think.  Your National Park Pass will get you into Lake Powell.

The closer we got to Page the more the landscape changed until we were driving through some pretty impressive canyons.

All we could say was WOW around every curve.

 Along the road coming into Page and again as we did our day trip to the North Rim we saw many little open stores where the Navajo sold their jewelry, pottery, rugs and blankets.  These little road side stands were all along the highway.  It appeared that they would drive up whenever in the mood to sell their wares and set up shop.

We checked in at our campground and set up for the week.  The next day was Sunday so it was relaxing with QVC and watching some football.  Unfortunately the Vikings had their first loss of the season....bummer....Rams lost also......

Monday we headed out to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  There was a threat of rain but we went anyway.  Most of the services have already closed for the season.  The landscape went from
bluffs and red rock.

to what is probably considered high desert

to the forest

to the North Rim of the "Big Ditch" better known as the Grand Canyon.

Absolutely amazing........
One other stop we made on the way up to the North Rim was at the Navajo Bridge that crosses the Colorado River.

We started back to Page and the skies opened up...lots of rain most of the way home.

More pictures of our trip to the Grand Canyon.

Trip to North Rim

Part Two... Lake Powell boat cruise through Antelope Canyon.
They have several different cruises on the Lake and do lots of business renting out houseboats in the summer.  They are getting ready to close up a lot of the services including the cruises.  They are mostly running through the end of October....so we got lucky.

We started out at 10:30 for and hour and a half cruise through the canyon.

As you came in closer to the canyon the walls of the canyon got closer and closer.
I am going to let the pictures do the talking as I don't think I have the vocabulary to describe the landscape as well as the pictures do....and again the pictures do not do it justice.

Here is a link to many more pictures of the canyon and boat ride.

Lake Powell Antelope Canyon

 After departing the boat and walking back up to the buildings we had the pleasure of spotting a roadrunner.

That is all for now.....
Tomorrow is a hike into the Antelope Slot Canyons.  
Enjoy!

Petrified Forest and Painted Desert

I guess I had better get caught up on the blog as we are getting ready to leave Williams, Az. tomorrow and I haven't completed a blog entry for the Petrified Forest and painted desert that we toured last week.  I probably won't be doing and entry for Williams Az. as we did tour the Grand Canyon and did an entry post than.  What we did do this time was spend more time around Williams.  It is a town of restaurants and route 66 gift shops.  We did take a tour through Bearizona Wildlife Park, it was cool.  Definitely would recommend.

Now back to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert.

We pretty much spent the day touring the area and enjoying the scenery.  We started out in the Petrified Forest. Pretty amazing how wood can turn to stone.

The Petrified forest than became the Painted Desert.  Of course, as usual, the pictures don't do it justice.  It is definitely worth a days drive to see it.

Tomorrow we have headed out to Page, Az. and Lake Powell for a week.

Here is the link for more pictures.
Petrified and Painted

Bye for now