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Category: Places I’ve been

Back to Bryce Canyon for summer 2021

Hoodoos Bryce Canyon National Park UtahLeft the Ponderosa Pine forest near Prescott to continue back to Bryce Canyon for summer and did a little shopping on the way to my next stop in Dewey before the final stretch.

Vickie house Dewey ArizonaVickie has a nice Santa Fe style home she and her father built in Dewey with a RV full hook-up site next to the guesthouse.  I met Vickie working at the Mule Desk at the North Rim Grand Canyon in 2008.  Always a pleasure for me to chat with her when slipping through the Grand Lodge on the way to a geology or Condor talk on the verandah.  Hadn’t seen her in a few years what with me loosing my job at the canyon in 2018 and COVID keeping her home last year and this.

bunkhouse truckcamper Vickie's Dewey ArizonaI planned to stay one night, maybe two, and that turned into three.  We had a lot of catching up to do.  Plus a couple other mutual North Rim friends came over for dinner one night.  I helped her hook up a new printer to a new Chromebook and because of the strong WIFI I downloaded a lot of stuff on the new laptop.  A couple of old favorites, Picassa and Windows Live Photo Gallery are no longer available for download.  Moving data no longer happens laptop to laptop with a cable on Windows 10.  Love/hate relationship just like Google.  Good thing I back up files at least twice on external drives.  It’s a slow process.

hummingbird in nest Vickie's Dewey ArizonaHummingbird building nest outside the door

I also finally received an email with the official job offer at Bryce Canyon and had a bunch of paperwork to do online.

trees forest snowy mt clouds I17 N Arizona

Painted Hills clouds SR89 N Navajo Res ArizonaPlan E included spending at least one night at Lee’s Ferry communing with the Colorado River.  Took my life in my hands driving Interstate 17 north to Flagstaff followed by the bumpy SR89 through the Painted Desert.  The wind was blowing hard on the side of the camper.

Vermilion Cliffs Marble Canyon ArizonaSadly, by the time I got to Lee’s Ferry the campground was full.  I wasn’t happy about more time behind the wheel but continued up onto the Kaibab Plateau where I saw little patches of snow and wasn’t going to boondock with lows hoovering around freezing.

truckcamper Wheel Inn RV Park Fredonia ArizonaSo I kept on going for Plan F to the Wheel Inn RV Park in Fredonia where I stayed a few days in the fall.  It’s not particularly pretty but reasonably priced at $30/night and provided electricity for overnight heat plus decent WIFI for more work on the new laptop.  Dang, that takes forever and I’m glad not to have to do it any more often.  Wind gusts full of dust kept me indoors.  Wonder if wind is what tore off the shroud over the AC unit on the roof somewhere on the way.  Sure hope it didn’t hit anybody.  Another is on order.

Utah sign SR89A N ArizonaFinally, Sunday I could actually move back to Bryce Canyon for the summer.  I got an early start but the Mountain time zone worked against me and it was an hour later in Utah.  Arizona doesn’t honor daylight savings.  Why we still do that is beyond me.

both RVs Bryce Canyon National Park UtahArrived before noon to my big house and with the help of a friend moved clothes and food from the camper to the 5th-wheel.  Thank goodness I can park with the doors pretty close to each other.  Got all the utilities hooked up but with that night going below freezing didn’t turn on the water so still jugging it like this winter.  Didn’t feel settled in at all. Like confused a bit, not sure where things are or belong.

Hoodoos rim snow clouds Bryce Canyon National Park UtahAnd Monday morning I started back to work at Bryce Canyon for summer.  But at 24° it sure didn’t feel like summer.

Bryce Canyon National Park, Park Ranger, Places I've been, United States, Utah 26 Comments

Slowly moving northward

After an extra long weekend near Wickenburg to shoot the moon I continued moving northward, not far mind you but I’m in no rush.  Don’t have to be at Bryce Canyon until the 11th.

desert mts moon set sunrise Vulture Pk Rd Wickenburg AZThe morning after full moon rise I was up early enough to catch a touch of color at sunrise with a pale moon setting.

Vulture Pk evening clouds Vulture Pk Rd Wicknburg AZDamn wind kept me in most of the day working on the laptop which is slowly sickening including the sticky keyboard.  I’ve been putting off replacement all winter.  And surely it is spring because I saw a little cottontail bouncing around near camp.

Vulture Pk sunset clouds Vulture Pk Rd Wicknburg AZThen the day ended with a gorgeous sunset reflecting over Vulture Peak.

Thought about leaving the following day but with the great signal stayed and finished the last post and took care of lots of online business.  Plus going into town meant laundry and shopping, not my favorite chores.  From Vulture Peak I would be moving northward to Congress for a night where there is basically no signal at all.

Cottontail Ghost town rd Congress AZ

mts sunset Ghost Town rd Congress AZI enjoyed one night in Congress except for that problem with signal.  But even better was a visit by a local friend.  And more cottontails plus a pretty sunset.

Date Crk Mts sunrise clouds Ghost Town Rd Congress AZ Left after sunrise moving northward into Yarnell where I stopped for breakfast and a brief visit.  Then drove the curvy White Spar Road over the Bradshaw Mountains thinking I’d camp at the White Spar national forest camp.  I’d looked online about reserving a space due to it being Easter weekend and the only option I saw was first come first serve.  I was already questioning my sanity about staying so close to Prescott in a campground over a holiday weekend.  The campground was full as it turns out reservations can be made, way ahead of time.  So I moved on to plan B.

forest Copper Basin Rd Prescott NF AZNot far away I followed the Copper Basin Road a short way into the Prescott National Forest to the first designated dispersed camp site I found.  Even saw patches of snow in the forest on some north facing slopes.  A little bit of logging going on in this area to clean up after a fire.

Sierra cat at camper door Copper Basin Rd Prescott NF AZOMG!  I was back in the lovely smell of Ponderosa Pine with no neighbors and only a little traffic on the dusty gravel road.  Even Sierra noted new smells.  Wish I could share that with you.  Bonus I had an awesome signal and Joann lives only a few miles away.

tree reflections Copper Basin Rd Prescott NF AZ

waterbug rings creek Copper Basin Rd Prescott NF AZA small creek runs nearby.  I hadn’t seen flowing water in many months.  All a perfect tradeoff for limited view through the trees for sunset.

Rained just a little that first night and in the morning, the delightful forest smell had increased multi-fold.  Around noon Joann came and got me then allowed me to use her minivan while she worked the afternoon.  Nice that I didn’t have to move my rig and loose my campsite.  I went computer shopping and bought a new Lenovo laptop at Staples.  The prices are high when you want speed and storage.  Now I’ll have to spend time setting it up how I want.

field tree redtail hawk Prescott Valley AZI returned a little early to pick up Joann from work and saw a Redtail hawk in a tree nearby.  Only had my phone to take a photo.

Bradshaw Mts sunset clouds Sierra Prieta overlook Prescott NF AZ

Bradshaw Mts sunset clouds Sierra Prieta overlook Prescott NF AZThen we drove beyond my camp to an overlook for sunset.  Several people were there enjoying the view over Skull Valley and beyond to the Weaver Mountains.

Joann in minivan Copper Basin Rd Prescott NF AZJoann’s minivan

Hassayampa Bridge Wagner Rd AZHassayampa Bridge

Saturday morning Joann picked me up as we were attending a celebration of life for a friend lost last year.  You may remember my staying with Mary and Jerry last Spring on their 45 acres of Juniper/Pinyon woodlands in Wagner.  Sadly, Jerry, at age 80, was diagnosed with cancer shortly after I left and died months later.

Gaelyn & Freddy Ready puppet Copper Basin Rd Prescott NF AZMe with Freddy Reddy, Joann’s puppet

But before that, I had an appointment for a long overdue biannual haircut with my favorite beautician in Yarnell.  Went a little shorter than usual and the hair won’t stay behind my ears but it will grow and in a few months I’ll be hoping I was closer in miles for another haircut.

campfire Copper Basin Rd Prescott NF AZJoann camped with me that night and we even had a small campfire, my first all season, and we roasted hotdogs on sticks. I hadn’t done that in decades.

5th-wheel BRCA NP UTAnd I found out my 5th-wheel has been moved from storage to the park, leveled and the slides are out.  Just about ready for me to move in.

horses Wagner Rd AZI feel elated! It’s all around me. Online, FB, the people, the air. SPRING!!!!!  I sure hope you feel it too.

But alas, it was time to continue moving northward, or first a little more east.  So on to Plan C, a visit with a friend from my North Rim days who lives in Dewey, east of Prescott.  Because there is strong WIFI there I worked on setting up the new computer, and that’s a slow process.

Arizona, Congress, Places I've been, Prescott, United States , 27 Comments

Celebrating my birthday with friends blown in by the wind

desert Kofa Mts Palm Canyon Rd BLM Kofa National Wildlife Refuge ArizonaI know the wind seems to be a reoccurring theme lately, because it’s spring, in the desert Southwest, and its windy.  Like in many places as weather patterns change from winter to summer,  but that didn’t stop me from celebrating my birthday with friends blown in by the wind.

Gaelyn photographing from window King Valley Rd Kofa National Wildlife Refuge Arizona by JoannAfter a couple days filled with laughter camping with me near Kofa National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Joann continued to Yuma with a promise to stop again on her return home to Prescott.  I settled outside in a sundress soaking up a few rays and reading for several hours before the wind increased enough to send me back inside.

buds Beavertail cactus Stone Cabin SR95 ArizonaBuds on Beavertail cactus, the only bloom

As days get warmer it feels almost like summer arrived on the desert, yet I know me in shorts at 10am and 73° with no wind isn’t really southern Arizona summer that can easily break triple digits daily.  Then after noon the wind kicked back in sending sheets of dust across the land.  I go back inside the rocking camper.  Sure glad it’s heavy and I’m four wheels down.  So I work on the previous long post because I was two weeks behind.  Usually the wind drops after sunset.  Note I said usually, but not that night.  Sadly, the wind just blows dust and no rain making the land more parched and dry with nothing blooming.  Last year’s rather green desert was because of winter rains.  All life in the desert will suffer from this lack.

Redtail hawk Palm Canyon Rd BLM Kofa National Wildlife Refuge ArizonaSaguaro cactus Redtail hawk Palm Canyon Rd BLM Kofa National Wildlife Refuge Arizona

Joann was blown in by the wind Sunday afternoon and parked her minivan on the leeward side of my camper.  We watched a Redtail Hawk roost with a quick snack then soar off looking for more.  Lots of lizards and rodents in this desert but hawks don’t get lucky every time.  Nor do I taking photos of bird is a struggle zoomed in and trying to hold still.  We sat outside for a little bit but the wind got too much for me so we ended up chatting and laughing in the camper.  Sierra even woke up briefly to join us.

historic Stone Cabin ruin SR95 Arizona

fireplace historic Stone Cabin ruin SR95 ArizonaWindy again the next day would have kept us indoors so Joann took us for a ride.  Much easier for her to pack up and take a passenger than me.  We headed south a few miles to the “Stone Cabin” built in the late 1800s as a stage stop for travelers.  What remains measures about 20×25 feet including a corner fireplace.  Over time other buildings were added as a gas station, store, RV park, and Randy’s Hamburger Stand where I ate in 2016.  Now all the structures look like ruins with a row of electric boxes but no power.  Land might be for sale or lease.  We didn’t stay outside long in the hair-blinding wind.

desert Dome Mts King Valley Rd National Wildlife Refuge ArizonaAcross the highway we drove east into King Valley and more of the Kofa NWR.  I camped off this road a few years ago but didn’t like the lights from a nearby Border Patrol check station or the sight of the often flying blimp.  The Kofa Mountains are named for the rich King of Arizona gold mine, discovered in King Valley in 1896. The mine used to stamp its property “K of A”, and is commonly known as the Kofa Mine. The old mine and its surroundings are private property.

desert Kofa Mts King Valley Rd National Wildlife Refuge ArizonaCurving around the southern foot of the Kofa Mountains a subtle change in elevation brought more cholla into the Sonoran desert mix.  Note a familiar peak on the left seen from a different perspective.  In the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge campsites are strictly limited to specific areas within 100 feet of the road and, the further we went, no signal at all.  We turned around at a junction to McPherson Pass 8m and Castle Dome Mine Road 15m.  May be a good thing because I discovered during research later this lead to an old military site with possible undetonated ammunition.

map Kofa National Wildlife Refuge ArizonaHave now been on all the west side roads into Kofa from SR95

Joann left in the afternoon for a quiet alone-time camp near Congress.

desert Kofa Mts low clouds Palm Canyon Rd BLM Kofa National Wildlife Refuge ArizonaStarted the next day slowly as was up feeling sick to my stomach during the night.  Don’t know what I ate different but something did not agree.  OK, TMI.

desert Saguaro dark clouds Palm Canyon Rd BLM Kofa National Wildlife Refuge ArizonaThe sky was magnificent with stormy clouds but my lack of ambition kept me shooting mostly out the window.

desert Kofa Mts dark clouds Palm Canyon Rd BLM Kofa National Wildlife Refuge ArizonaEventually, about 12 drops of rain hit the window leaving behind dusty spots.

A photographer friend—who upgrades regularly—called to find out how long I’d be in the area and I ended up buying an almost new lens from him.  My “go-to” 18-200mm lens bit the dust a while back and I should be happy with this Sigma 18-300mm replacement.  Happy birthday to me.

Sandee & Gaelyn in truckcamper Palm Canyon Rd BLM ArizonaAnother friend from Mesa, Sandee was blown in by the wind around noon in a borrowed minivan for her overnight stay.  We’ve celebrated my birthday together before at Grand Canyon and with Joann near Lake Pleasant.  She brought Ruben sandwiches, fruit and vegie snacks, and chocolate cake.  The wind kept us inside chatting away the afternoon and most of the next day before she had to leave.  She hopes to visit Bryce Canyon this year.

And I should be there as my start date at Bryce is April 11th, about a week earlier than I expected.  And because I am such a procrastinator I finally decided I should get the camper repaired.  I contacted Jay who quoted a camper repair in November then had to wait and see if he could schedule me before I had to leave the area for Utah.

desert Kofa Mts early light clouds sunrays Palm Canyon Rd BLM Kofa National Wildlife Refuge ArizonaThe next morning greeted with some color and sun rays.  And it was time to go, shopping in Blythe then dump and fill at Shady Lane RV Court.  My last morning this winter waking to the Kofa Mountains.  I saw goodbye pee on two of the tires.

RVs sunset Shady Lane Quartzsite ArizonaWindow view sunset

Even with an early start the brutal wind knocked me around on the drive.  Parked by noon, I asked the owners about having work done with the camper off the truck and got the OK if all messes where cleaned up.  But of course.

RVs clouds Shady Lane RV Crt Quartzsite ArizonaWouldn’t be first choice to spend my birthday in a RV park but even with great clouds the predicted wind and fast signal kept me in another day.  Thank you for all the birthday wishes.  Plus I wasn’t sure where to go while waiting for an answer about the repairs.  I walked a couple blocks for lunch at Taco Mio and was extremely disappointed.

RVs sunset clouds sunrays Shady Lane RV Crt Quartzsite ArizonaFinally, late afternoon an answer that repairs couldn’t be scheduled until after the first of April.  That’s too late so I started to make a plan or two or three.

18-300mm lens & lightning triggerSaturday morning I drove two hours blown in by the wind to Wickenburg to pick up mail I hadn’t seen in months.  That would include a couple of birthday presents, a lightning trigger from Pat and the camera lens.

grass tree Vulture Pk Vulture Mine Rd Wickenburg ArizonaThen I went a few miles from town to camp off Vulture Peak Road.

desert hillside moon Vulture Mine Rd Wickenburg Arizona

desert hillside moon Vulture Mine Rd Wickenburg ArizonaPlace was crowded but I managed to get past most of that to a semi isolated area with an open view east for full moon rise.

desert hillside bird moon Vulture Mine Rd Wickenburg ArizonaEven got one shot of the moon with a turkey vulture in front of it. Talk about coincidence.  I am happy with the new lens, just have to get accustomed to the zoom turning the opposite direction from previous lenses.

Flicker bird in tree Vulture Mine Rd Wickenburg ArizonaFlicker

female Vermilion Flycatcher bird Vulture Pk BLM Wickenburg Arizonamale Vermilion Flycatcher bird Vulture Pk BLM Wickenburg Arizona

female & male Vermilion Flycatchers

So nice to be back in bird country:  Cactus Wren song, Flicker pecking at the camper, Curved-bill Thrasher, doves getting friendly, hopping Sparrows, wobble-topped Gabel Quail, my first ever Vermilion Flycatcher male and female, and I even saw a cottontail.

light cactus grass Vulture Mine Rd Wickenburg ArizonaThe signal is great here as I look up at a huge tower.  It’s still windy but warm enough to sit outside on the leeward side.

full moon Vulture Pk Rd BLM Wickenburg ArizonaTried that night for the true full worm moon rise but I can’t seem to see a good focus when it’s so dark.  Something to work on.

So now time for another plan.  Depending on weather, Congress, Kirkland or Prescott before plan A to Flagstaff and north; Or, plan B towards Nevada, St George, Fredonia, and north.  Just trying to stay warm as long as possible because it will be cold at 8000 feet in Bryce Canyon National Park, and will probably snow before summer when I hope visiting friends will not be blown in by the wind.

 

For some reason, I couldn’t get this song out of my head.  Seems appropriate in so many ways.

Blowin’ in The Wind      -songwriter Bob Dylan

How any roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, and how many times must cannonballs fly
Before they’re forever banned?

The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
the answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, and how many years must a mountain exist
Before it is washed to the sea?
And how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn’t see?

The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
the answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, and how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
And how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, and how many deaths will it take ‘til he knows
That too many people have died?

The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
the answer is blowin’ in the wind

Arizona, Kofa NWR, Places I've been, Quartzsite, RV life, United States, Wickenburg , , , , , 30 Comments

Lijit

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