Ten days off work starting with four at home, a night of camping, dropping the camper in St George, and home with two more days off to recover. The temperatures changed from 42° to 108°, not all in the same place but within about 100 miles.
First of days off after a full work week I often take as a down day, not doing much more than getting a blog post mostly written. I did boil water several times by the large stockpot full to then cool, filter, and refrigerate.
For some reason I had a good signal that didn’t drop most of my second day off. Watched an interview on Cobert with Alan Alda about his organization using improvisation, interpretation and communication to introduce science to the non-scientist. I love this idea, of course because that’s pretty much what I do as a Park Ranger. If you listen to any of the Clear and Vivid podcasts let me know what you think. Actually got a post out on the blog plus wrote a piece for…
Patti, a fellow blogger, asks “what is your version of retirement and what part does travel play?” She’s updating a post and asked for feedback. All this gets me to thinking about my upcoming retirement. So I called the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge about volunteering this winter. Now have a contact and need to send an email to the refuge manager. A lot will depend on COVID of course.
Social media is awesome when a long lost cousin who lives in Florida finds you and you chat for hours catching up.
The following day the boil water order was lifted and I did even less than the day before. With all these days off, I felt a little guilty about not going somewhere. I feel the need to travel. Instead I mostly emptied the truck camper of anything I might need in the next couple months and vacillated between leaving Saturday or Sunday. I don’t like to travel on weekends with the crowds. So I packed the few things I’d need for just a couple days leaving Sunday. Also worked out with April to feed and water Sierra while I was gone. Much easier than trying to bring her home in a carrier that she hates, couldn’t leave her in the camper to cook, or into the house. I made a plan to camp on the Markagunt Plateau, high elevation and comfortable temperature. Would be the last chance to use the camper for a while.
Left Bryce by 10am and stopped for breakfast in Hatch. Nothing to write about. Turned west on SR14 uphill and into the Ponderosa Pine forest.
My camp, white spot towards bottom just right of center, surrounded by OHV roads Dixie NF
I had read about Mammoth Creek Road near Duck Creek Village so I headed that way. Saw a sign for “designated dispersed camping”, not my cup of tea. Continued to follow signs to Mammoth Cave. Once at the overflowing parking lot I decided not to follow the hordes. I’ve seen lava tubes before.
Turned on FR1805 and past a motorhome to just out of sight. The space could have accommodated 8-12 good sized rigs and is probably used mostly by hunters and OHV folks. But I had it to myself. Strange construct that made me wonder if it was the open pit toilet.
A small lava flow nearby and some aspen trees. Otherwise, nothing to brag about. In the afternoon I could still hear the OHV but they disappeared after about 6pm. Absolutely no signal and probably could have had not too far away. Felt strange not to have my camp buddy along.
Woke up cold, grouchy and hungry with a smoky haze and orange sun glow. Took off by 9am and stopped for breakfast in smoky Cedar City. Planned on Denny’s and ended up at IHop, where I hadn’t been in a very long time and now know why. Nothing to write home about at a short staffed place.
I got to Lynda’s in smoky St George about 11am and it was well over 100°. The last hour of driving with no AC and windows was brutal. Been a long time since I experienced 4/70 (4 windows and 70/mph). Went to Harman’s for gelato, oh yum to grapefruit, and buy garlic filled bread to go with dinner. We had lasagna and made a plan for the morning cool that’s only 80° to take the camper off the truck.
After much cranking the camper cleared the truckbed, pulled out slowly and dropped the jacks down quite a ways. Yet not completely trusting the front camper jacks, Bob and I went to Home Depot for 2x4s at a surprisingly good price under $4 each and he built a saw horse to put under the front of the camper. Feels pretty solid now. Won’t get worked on until at least end of September.
Sunrise from Lynda’s backyard
Bob left long before I did Wednesday morning for his Big Bear home. When I left St George at 10:30am it was already 103°.
With only a little rain headed north on I15 it dropped to 62° by Cedar City. After grocery shopping back up to 81° as I continued north to SR20 east, then enjoyed an early dinner in Panguitch at 65°.
A light rain and 56° greeted me back to Bryce Canyon yet by the high flow of the Sevier River I’d guess way more rain had fallen while I was gone. I added a layer and unpacked the truck. Felt really strange driving without the camper. The truck flew down the highway working towards 20/mpg.
Sierra was happy to see me and has barely left my lap. I missed her too.
Now back to high elevation and cold mornings. This many days off could be like retirement, without going back to work on Saturday.
Wow. I am tired just reading about all this. Isn’t it lovely having a lap cat?!
I hear you about the weekend crowds.
Sure glad I had days off to recover.
Interesting journey Gaelyn, and doing something a bit different. I bet your cat missed you,that’s the problem when we get so attached to our animals. What would you do when you eventually make up your mind to retire.When I retired, well I sort of semi retired but carried on as a volunteer archaeologist.Then when we moved to Crete still volunteered as an archaeologist,but now fully retired have been studying the ancient Minoan and Mycenaean script writings. Keeps the old brain active. Anyway enjoy whatever you are doing for your next season and stay safe.
Focusing on getting ready to retire at the end of the season, if I make it that long. Not sure what I’ll “do” yet, but will have more time to think about it. I love the idea of volunteering, so…
Love the amazing variety of weather and temps elevation gives to Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. The geology of the whole area is incredible. I had a friend ask me why I never used my AC in the car. I told her we were going to get hot hiking anyway so get acclimated early… lol Actually I do use it sometimes but not always. Something about that 4/70 😄
I do enjoy the changes in topography but without the AC to regulate I am surprised not to have caught a cold. I do like a window at least partially open but not to be beaten by the 4/70 blast. On the list to fix.
That temperature change! A wonder you didn’t end up with pneumonia. I didn’t realize St George would be that hot for some reason.
St George is over 100 all summer. Right now at Bryce it’s 46° and I’m sitting in front of a heater, later up to 78°. Welcome to high elevation.
Hope the camper is repaired to your satisfaction but I know that it had a few problems so it is good that it will be done. Sure Sierra must have missed you. She has become so much part of your life now. Seeing the comment above, Nigel always wanted to do archaeology but it never happened..
we have a few busy days coming up and then 1 to 4 September we are going to La Rochelle on the coast. It will be so nice to get away for a break.
Keep safe, hugs from us both D & N
I am so jealous of your coastal trip. I haven’t seen the sea since 2014 in SA. Enjoy!
WOW 42 to 108. That’s incredible. 108 is unbelievable unless you were in Death Valley. So is 10 days off unbelievable. How did that happen? Is volunteering at Kofa really retirement? You make me wonder if I should do some volunteering now that it is getting so hard to get reservations. But I really don’t want to stay at one spot for 3 months. It might be difficult to find something given that I have zero experience that isn’t nearly 15 years old. I was a volunteer trail guide for kids at our nature center and on the speaker’s bureau for the Nature conservancy but that was long ago and doesn’t seem relevant to NWR’s and State Park volunteering. Not interested in cleaning bathrooms that’s for sure.
How great that you can leave the camper at your friend’s house to be worked on. Do I understand that Bob came just to help you? You sure have some fine friends. Is your truck AC out? So you had to drive back without it too?
Guess it doesn’t matter when you are at Bryce in the 50’s in August. Sounds divine. I am really going to enjoy seeing what you do as retirement. Hoping for inspiration.
I asked for extra days off between my scheduled days off. Volunteering would mean doing something I love without 40 hours a week. You have more skills than you admit to and would probably be a shoein to volunteer places that didn’t require cleaning toilets. I won’t do that either. If there’s a park you like pitch to them about leading nature walks. You know so much. Bob was already visiting his sister after a trip to the North Rim so we coordinated my dropping the camper. He’s a retired engineer so I suspect the repairs will be very well done. No AC in the truck is just one more thing to fix before I leave Bryce.
Thanks Gaelyn for sharing your time off too and scenery. I have friends in St George may get there someday. From when I was in the SERVAS host book. It’s a great culture exchange to have travelers all over come for short stays. They played pickleball there and tourneys. Oh, I met a neighbor named Lyn and looks/reminds me of you, outdoors and friendly. keep truckin’ 🙂
St George is bloody HOT all summer and I wouldn’t want to live there. I belonged to Couch Surfers and hosted travelers. Very interesting. Glad you’re making local friends. See you in the fall.
Yep you did get a lot done. You’ll be happy to get the camper fixed.
Amazing the temperature variations you see. Here in the flatlands it’s pretty much the same temps for a hundred miles or more radius. A little more in the cities maybe.
Having the camper, and truck, repaired is a big relief. Much of the temperature fluctuation is elevation changes within 100 miles. 2700′ in St George, 5800 Cedar City, 8000 Bryce.