My last full day at the North Rim offered a glorious good morning.
And a colorful good night.
Goodbye Grand Canyon until we meet again in the spring.
View more skies from around the world, or share your own, at Sky Watch Friday.
I am compelled to visit a very special person, a life mentor, who lives in Washington. If you’ve been around for a while you may remember my dear friend Darlene, who I traveled with over a couple of winters. So I’m thinking fall road trip.
I do not want to haul my large RV home for various reasons. Instead I want a cab-over camper similar to what I’ve had before, not too old or long but with the basic comforts: toilet, stove/oven, sink, hot water, bed, fridge, table, heat. Been checking on Craigslist for months starting with the nearest option three hours away in Saint George, Utah, then Flagstaff, Arizona at four hours. Doable on my three day weekends. Dang these things sure do hold value, or at least the owners think so. Really, do you think I’d pay $1000 for a 35+ year-old camper? A new one can cost up to $30,000. That’s more than I paid for the 36 foot 5th-wheel with three slides that I live in. I’ll keep looking.
Anyway, back to the road trip idea. My season at Grand Canyon is over October 17th, then it usually takes me a couple days to pack it up and roll with at least a one day layover in Flagstaff on the return to Yarnell. Where I’d like to be for at least a week to visit with friends unseen over summer. But I don’t want to dally too long as winter will be chasing fall out of the Pacific Northwest. I don’t like to be cold.
Working on a tentative plan to take about a week to get to the Columbia River Gorge where Darlene lives. Don’t know how long I’ll stay there. Then, weather permitting, continue north and west before a slow ride south along the coast. All this with visiting people and places along the way.
With that said, I’m open to suggestions. I’ll want to visit parks and forests along the way, national, state and local. Think moderate hiking, hot springs, rockhounding. Plus any unusual places you might know and where to find some good grub. (Bear in mind I can’t eat seafood.) If you’ve been there, tell me more.
Plus I’d love to meet up with you if you’re located near my route.
Tentative route to Washington: Keep in mind I want to do this in 7 days, about. (In Red)
US93 north from Wickenburg, AZ, thru NV to US50 west to Great Basin NP then east to Austin, north NV305 to I80 west, and north on US95, OR78 northwest, Mahleur Cave, Mahleur Lake to Burns; US395 north Mahleur NF, John Day Fossil Beds NM, Umatilla NF, hot springs at Ritter, to Pendleton; I84 west to Biggs, US97 cross Columbia River to WA14 west.
From there: Weather permitting and the money don’t run out. (In Blue)
North into WA, central or eastern, cross Cascades, ferry to Port Townsend, loop Olympic Peninsula, south on US101, side trip to Cave Junction and Oregon Caves if still open, then back to CA south US101, coastal 1, SF, 1 & 101 to Oxnard, or earlier to Death Valley NP then south to Mojave NP, or east to Joshua Tree NP…
Here’s a rough map for folk like me that love maps.
Of course this all hinges on me finding the right camper.
And would someone tell me please how to make a better map than this Scribble thing. Can’t seem to get to Google with my slow connection. Anybody?
Not all Grand Canyon views are seen within the National Park. When visiting the North Rim other options for viewing the canyon can be found in the Kaibab National Forest. Several points are accessible by gravel roads and although I cruise in a 2-wheel drive pickup truck these roads may be traveled by any high clearance passenger car or SUV, with caution.
I’ve previously visited some of the western viewpoints like Crazy Jug, Fence Point and Fire Point but am trying to see them all. So I drove out to Timp Point the other day. From the paved State Route 67 I followed Forest Roads 22, 270, 222, 206 and 271 for 16 miles. All very well signed along the way but I still recommend a Kaibab National Forest map. The road gets narrower and rougher the closer you get to the point. From FR222 on it’s an extra wide, one lane gravel road through forest of aspen, pine and fir. 15-25 mph was my average speed to be safe and I constantly watched for sharp pointy rocks and the occasional vehicle coming the other way.
Had to slow down a little for extra rough spots but the 1.5 hour gravel drive is certainly worth it. The views spectacular.
From the parking area a short trail of maybe 1/4 mile each way leads to a rocky outcrop which I chose not to boulder hop too far out on.
Views to the south across canyon, to the north to the canyon walls and west down canyon and beyond.
I only met two people along the trail and we stopped to chat. I answered a few questions because that’s what Park Rangers do even when off work.
The Rainbow Rim trail joins the many points from Parissawampitts to Timp for a total of 18 miles one way. This trail is for hiking, biking and horse traffic only. Picking a middle point and going out either way from a base camp would be ideal. There is no water so bring lots.
Just a few, 3 maybe 4, sweet camping spots along the southern rim of the point are private, spacious and have enough room to easily turn around. I saw one small trailer in a site. Sure would have to take it slow to tow out there.
So, when will I learn to bring all the camp gear when I go for a ride to explore a new place?
I sat at the edge of Grand Canyon watching an ant. One ant persistently trying to move a carcass at least 8 times its size. Would have made good macro video if I’d been able. That ant was kicking up dirt. Finally had to go for reinforcements.
I listened to the wind whisper in the pines, like ocean waves, very meditative. The smell of the Cliff Rose wafting in the air. Bird sounds, until a jet flew over.
A peaceful place to relax in the moving shade of a few giant old pines and enjoy a personal slice of the canyon.