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Menu
  • Home
  • About Geogypsy
    • Herstory
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  • Places I’ve been
    • United States
      • Arizona
        • Antelope Slot Canyon
        • Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
        • Colossal Cave Mountain Park
        • Flagstaff
        • Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
        • Grand Canyon National Park
          • Grand Canyon National Park North Rim
          • Grand Canyon National Park South Rim
          • Toroweap
        • Havasu Canyon
        • Horseshoe Bend
        • Jerome
        • Kaibab National Forest
        • Lee’s Ferry
        • Meteor Crater
        • Navajo Bridge
        • Oak Creek Canyon
        • Painted Desert
        • Pipe Springs National Monument
        • Prescott
        • Quartzsite
        • Saguaro National Park
        • Sedona
        • Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
        • Vermilion Cliffs
        • Walnut Canyon National Monument
        • Wupatki National Monument
        • Yarnell
      • California
        • Anzaberrego
        • Bakersfield
        • Death Valley National Park
        • Joshua Tree National Park
        • Redwoods NP
        • Salton Sea
        • Yucca Valley
      • Colorado
        • Mesa Verde National Park
      • Florida
      • Illinois
        • IL River
        • Morton Arboretum
        • Starved Rock State Park
      • Michigan
      • Nevada
      • New Mexico
      • Oregon
        • Crater Lake NP
        • Mt Hood
        • Oregon Caves National Monument
      • Texas
        • Alpine Texas
        • Padre Island
        • Port Isabel
        • Rio Grande Valley
      • Utah
        • Brian’s Head
        • Bryce Canyon National Park
        • Buckskin Gulch
        • Cedar Breaks National Monument
        • Cedar City
        • Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
        • Dixie National Forest
        • Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
        • Johnson Canyon
        • Kanab
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Category: life

24 October 2022

Recovering for a train ride adventure

I’m still not caught up but am recovering from “traveler’s revenge” and taking a lot of naps in preparation for a train ride adventure while also working on blog posts and videos.

Raven cemetery Skull Valley AZAfter what felt like an all day trip to town I drove the 30 minutes home with a stop along the way.  Actually, the Skull Valley cemetery is one mile from my turnoff that is a sharp 70° right turn at the bottom of a hill.  I often stop to let traffic go by.  This day I noticed a Raven also visiting the cemetery.

Bark scorpion Skull Valley AZOnce home and unpacked I went to walk up the berm and stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of a four inch Bark Scorpion.  It’s the first one I’ve seen on the ranch and I’m alright with that if they stay outside.  Went to bed early as I was recovering from a full day in town.

Sierra cat on desk Skull Valley AZDuring the cool of the morning and before the high of 81°, I cleaned the truckcamper floor and put down a new carpet runner.  I’m slowly working on getting it ready for winter occupancy in the desert.  Didn’t take long before I was hot and tired so took a nap.  I’m still recovering you know.  Later, I worked on a blog post and trail-cam videos.

How is it that my website was fine when I went to bed but “unsecure” and not opening in the morning?  Rebooting didn’t help so I contacted Hostgator (my web host) and they solved the error problem of  “SSL expired”.  Seems that’s one of the things I pay them to do, automatically.  (SSL, Secure Sockets Layer, is “a standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a server and a client—typically a web server (website) and a browser, or a mail server and a mail client (e.g., gmail).”)  Secure is the key word.  If an URL is https versus http, it’s secure.  Anyway, with that problem solved, I took a nap.  This time recovering from website shock.

https://geogypsytraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/06-two-inch-Horned-lizard-Skull-Valley-AZ.mp4

Later, while outside I saw this cute two-inch Horned lizard, also a first sighting on the ranch. They are harmless, eat ants, and are said to bring good luck.

driveway trees storm clouds Skull Valley AZThe next day it rained, slowly at first, on and off yet steady.  Had to update software to continue working on video.  Exhausting.  So I took a nap.  Thunder and lightning filled the evening air.

clouds Brushy Mt Skull Valley AZAwoke Sunday to rain cleaned air, ah petrichor.  May have been the last of monsoon.  Snow is already falling to the north.

boulder tree sunset clouds Skull Valley AZ

last light cliff Bradshaw Mts clouds Skull Valley AZI was motivated to clean the camera sensor though I’m scared at the same time.  For months now there’s been a reverse “C” shaped something probably dust on photos with the lens set between 18-30mm.  It shows up in the sky about half way between center and 2 o’clock.  If it’s on clear sky I can remove it post-processing.  But it needed to go.  I recently bought a camera cleaning kit that includes anti-static gloves, camera cleaning cloth, cleaning swabs, air blowing, cleaning brush, screen and lens cleaner.  After wiping down the outside including degreasing the view finder I removed and cleaned the lens glass. Then the scariest part.  Locked the mirror up to expose the sensor and first blew air with the bulb (not wet breath) followed by two quick sweeps with the sensor cleaning swab.  Put the lens back on and voila, the “thing” is gone in several test shots.  I was told that dust and hair gets stuck to the sensor by static.  So I was nervous about adding to it in my never that clean home with floating cat hair.

trail-cam Striped Skunk Skull Valley AZtrail-cam fox Skull Valley AZ

While I mess with the DSLR camera, the trail-cam works on its own.  A Striped Skunk wandered by about 3am and that night after dark a fox came through.

train over tressel Camp Verde RR AZBut I was asleep for that because the next day I was off on a train ride adventure and the Verde Canyon Railroad deserves its own post.

I’m done recovering from traveler’s revenge and now planning for the next journey.  When the days drop into the 50s and the nights head toward the 30s it’s time to move further south into Arizona’s Sonoran Desert.  Won’t be long.  Feel free to join me in the desert of Congress, Arizona to watch November’s Beaver moon.  I’m sure to be awake for the rise and set of the full moon, and maybe for the lunar eclipse between 1-7am.

Campark trail-cam on ladder Skull Valley AZTo watch the video from a couple months of wildlife caught on the trail-cam and my review on the cam, follow this link https://youtu.be/7n_jDP-6WKc.  (I am not being paid or compensated in any way.)

To order Geogypsy 2023 calendars please leave a comment below or use the contact tab above.  Final photo choices can be seen here https://geogypsytraveler.com/2022/10/14/time-to-order-geogypsy-2023-calendar/.

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22 September 2022

Arizona to Illinois for a groovy 50th high school reunion

water tower Downers Grove ILMy lazy summer days had to be over flying from Arizona to Chicago, Illinois for my high school reunion and all plans all seemed in place.

view W sunset clouds Skull Valley AZI wrote and scheduled two blog posts for the week and reminded my neighbors about being gone with Joann there instead.  Whenever I fly I spend at least two days all ready to go and filled with anxious excitement.  Travel by camper isn’t like that.

view W storm clouds Skull Valley AZJoann came by the day I’d leave and because of heavy rain we both left earlier than planned.

flowing driveway wash Skull Valley AZThe driveway wash was flowing but not enough to stop us from getting across.

Lynx Lake Prescott AZ

spillway Lynx Lake Prescott AZWe both headed to Prescott and met up after retrieving my new glasses for the second time at the parking lot for my shuttle to Phoenix airport that evening.  Then after lunch Joann drove us to Lynx Lake where the water was actually high from all the recent rain.

VA hospital Bradshaw Mts low clouds sunset Bucky's Casino Prescott AZWatched sunset from a hill where Bucky’s Casino offers a large view of town.  And back to my shuttle for a two hour ride to PHX.

Gaelyn & Sandeesquirrels on tree Channahon IL

This United red-eye flight was packed and even with a window seat and bunched coat for a pillow I didn’t get any sleep.  Thank goodness only three hours.  After a struggle to find my way out of the building my bleary eyes saw Sandee parked and waiting at 5:30am.  We both took a nap at her place and went to bed shortly after dinner.

view W I&M canal Channahon IL

view E I&M canal Channahon ILFelt groovy the next morning and went for a short walk along the nearby Illinois-Michigan canal.  The 96 mile I&M was dug to connect the Great Lakes to the Illinois River in the 1840s.

Blue Heron bird I&M canal Channahon ILGreat White Heron bird I&M canal Channahon IL

Although there is a sluggish current, this section is mostly wetland and I saw a Blue and Great White Heron.

Madison Elementry School Hinsdale ILLater I borrowed Sandee’s car to visit my babysitter from the 50s and other than the elementary school, nothing looked familiar.

Gals night out group shot 50th reunionThen we met at a restaurant for Gal’s Night Out.

Tivoli theater & bowl Downers Grove ILThe next night was a casual meet at an old Downers Grove hangout, Tivoli Bowl in the basement of the movie theater.  Lots of mingling and memories and catching up.  I saw people I remembered and more I did not, plus a few far out old boyfriends.

DGS Downers Grove IL

Mustangs banner DGS Downers Grove ILThen in the morning was a cool tour of our alma mater, Downers Grove South High School.

students in hallway DGS Downers Grove ILCouldn’t put a person in these new tiny lockers

It’s been added onto so many times nobody recognized a thing.

Happenings in 1972Sadly, 90 students have passed out of a class of 689.  One student will be added to the school’s display of “Distinguished Alumni” for her invention of the Marilu surgical tool.

DGS 1972 50th reunionThat evening was the official celebration with over 100 in attendance including students and spouses.  I even danced with our Homecoming King who is married to the Homecoming Queen and has been since high school.

Gaelyn & Judy

Lake MI Chicago skyline IN Dunes NPChicago skyline

The next morning I took off to meet a cousin not seen in probably 40 years.  She drove from Michigan and we met at the Indiana Dunes National Park.  We caught up like a couple old friends catching some rays on the beach, stayed the night, and went back to the dunes the following day.

IN Dunes NP Jr Ranger badge & book#37 Junior Ranger badge

In the afternoon, we had to keep on truckin’ our separate ways but continued talking about me coming to Brandywine Lake where she still lives and I used to vacation with my parents.

Elspeth Gaelyn Sandee shadows Midewin NTP IL

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie ILOn my last day Sandee and I were guided by fellow student and daughter of my Girl Scout troop Elspeth where she used to work at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.  She should have been a Park Ranger.  It was out of sight!

Gaelyn under Gemini Giant Rt 66There’s a very good chance that Foto Friday Fun won’t show up until next week.  I’m having a blast and decided to stay in Illinois for a couple more weeks and will still be very busy.  I will post more about the canal, dunes and prairie but right now, I’m getting ready to go to the lake and everything is copacetic.

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14 September 2022

Busy going nowhere fast as travel plans fall into place

view S stormy sky Skull Valley AZLast week I wrote about the power going off.  Turned out that a freak storm with high winds, that I watched but didn’t really experience, knocked down 16 electric poles just north of Wickenburg in my county of Yavapai.  Power was restored by Sunday morning after about 36 hours.  Sure glad to have the truckcamper so I didn’t loose any food and solar kept my phone and laptop charged.

Sierra on deskThen the storms cleared like monsoon was over and the temperatures went back up into the mid-90s.  Even with AC on I lacked ambition.

(stolen from FB)

sunset clouds over Brush Mt Skull Valley AZThe trail cam has picked up a roadrunner, several javelina, and some racoons.  I haven’t yet downloaded any of those pics from the cam’s SD card.  Been feeling lazy.

reverse sunset clouds moon Skull Valley AZThe only moon shot I got this month and it’s not yet full

But that lazy will change real soon with the plans I’m making for a week in Illinois to attend my 50th class reunion (link to the 40th).  Those activities include gatherings Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings.  Plus I’ll be visiting with some other folks I haven’t seen in about that long.  Cousin Judy from Michigan and I are going to meet at the Indian Dunes National Park.  That’s about a 1 1/2 hour drive for each of us.  I haven’t been to the dunes since Girl Scouts, before it was a national park.

Brush Mt storm clouds Skull Valley AZClouds but no rain

Then I hear from Elspeth, whose mother was our Girl Scout leader in Downers Grove.  She’ll be at the reunion and we’ll meet again at the nearby Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie where she used to work.

rainbow Bradshaw Mts Skull Valley AZFeeling all nostalgic, I spent an evening watching The African Queen.  And although I long to return, that’s not the journey I have in mind.

view W Brushy Mt clouds Skull Valley AZSaturday, Joann stopped by for some final directions from Sierra.  The only reason I’m able to make this trip to Illinois is because Joann volunteered to stay at my house, and Sierra approved the arrangement.

reverse sunset clouds Skull Valley AZI am excited!  And by the time you read this post I should be flying out of Arizona.  Hopefully the next posts will be about more than life on the ranch, watching out the windows, and staying inside because of the bugs.

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Hi, I’m Gaelyn, the Geogypsy

I retired after 29 summer seasons as a Park Ranger, traveling solo for 40+ years. My passions include travel, connecting to nature, photography, and sharing stories.

I started exploring US National Parks in 1977 and 20 years later became a seasonal Park Ranger.  I’ve lived full-time in a RV for 30 years working summers and playing winters.  I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow old, other than grow up.

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