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Tag: cold

23 November 2021

Winter is coming, even in Arizona

trees sunrise clouds Skull Valley ArizonaWinter is coming to Arizona and that brings beautiful sunrises at a respectable hour

OK, I’ve been “retired” for a month and a half, have a beautiful place to live and park the 5th-wheel, and now winter is coming.  Yes, even in Aridzona there is winter.  And you all know how much I dislike cold weather.  My current location in Skull Valley, Arizona is about 4500 feet so will see some winter, not like buried in feet of snow or sub-zero, but anything below 40° overnight is cold to me.  So it’s getting close to time to head further south with the truckcamper and enjoy the Sonoran Desert for a while.

Like always there are chores to be done because winter is coming, the 5th-wheel roof repairs finished, and calendars mostly mailed.  Now that I have a new physical address and post office box I’ve notified all who need to know.  What used to take 10-30 minutes over the phone talking to a paid employee now takes one to three hours online with some automaton that doesn’t understand my question.  Does anybody except Amazon really care where I live?

hawk & kestrel on poles Skull Valley Arizona

Kestrel bird on pole Skull Valley ArizonaTalk about taking time.  I love living rural.  However, when I went to Wickenburg last week it was an all day trip with an hour drive on each end, lunch, groceries, fuel, thrift store, and the last visit to paid mail service.  Bonus was seeing what I thought was seven hawks along the drives.  I live in hawk country with open fields full of rodent meals.  As I drive I note how many hawks are seen roosting on poles, hawk one, hawk two, hawk three…  Just so you know, these shots were taken on a back road barely driving at all.  Then when I zoomed in, I realized one of these birds is an American Kestrel.  I have seen them before although they are noticeably smaller than most hawks and fast in flight so I’ve never gotten a photo before.  Made the long day worth while.

grass trees boulders reverse sunset clouds moon Skull Valley ArizonaNot quite full on Tuesday

grass bushes full moon setting Skull Valley ArizonaSaturday setting

Was cloudy on Thursday so didn’t see the almost full moon rise.  I also didn’t plan to be up all or part of the dark cold night watching the eclipse, difficult to photograph almost straight overhead.  Did happen to wake up about 3am and took a gander outside to see a hazy white orb.  Being much warmer in my bed, that’s where I went.  If I’d been camped in a warmer place maybe I’d have seen more of the eclipse.  Instead, I caught the moon setting Saturday morning at a much more doable hour.  Maybe next month I can capture the full moon over Saguaro cactus in the desert.

trees mountain clouds Skull Valley ArizonaI’ve watched November temperatures go from high 70s and 40s to mid 60s and high 30s.  That should be my cue to head further south as winter is coming.  Yet it’s so nice to have a home base that it’s not so easy to leave.  As I walk around the ranch, the Cottonwood colors have taken on a tarnish and the carpet of leaves becomes more dense.  Definite signs that winter is coming.  I’m sure the cold will chase me south sooner than later.

trees sunset clouds Skull Valley ArizonaI don’t travel over holidays, or really celebrate them much either.  But I did buy an organic duck to cook, my family’s traditional holiday meal over turkey.  Every day, I am thankful for what is given me and grateful for what I already have.  That’s easy because life is good.  Well, except that winter is coming.  I’d love to live perpetual summer with a little spring and fall thrown in.  What’s your favorite season?

I am thankful for all you readers who keep me motivated to continue writing even when there isn’t a whole lot happening like this last week.  I want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

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Arizona, life chores, cold, moon, Thanksgiving, winter 34 Comments
27 April 2021

Second week of training at Bryce Canyon National Park

Finally finished second week of training at Bryce Canyon.  No matter how many times I go through training in the same park I always learn something new.  Yet I’d also be more than happy to just be “out there” doing my job as an Interpretive Park Ranger.

Ranger Gaelyn outside desk with visitors Bryce Canyon National Park Utah by J ParsonsBiggest problem for me right now is cold temperatures.  It’s only the middle of April and at 8000 feet summer comes late, like maybe July.  Not sure I own or could wear any more layers of the NPS gray and green and still be able to move.  Then there’s Spring wind pretty much constant from 5-20mph with 40mph gusts.  Stuff blows off the outside tables even when weighted with rocks.

The first of RV parts arrived, the replacement AC shroud for the truck-camper.  Got help loading the large yet not overly heavy box into the camper.  And there it still sits.  I’m not going on the roof.  And between wind and snow, not asking anyone else to either.

Pink Manzanita floweres Bryce Canyon National Park UtahFirst flowers on the Manzanita

Tuesday I modeled two programs during training.  Sadly, we won’t be offering the hour-long less than one mile rim walk about cultural history as it’s too difficult to maintain distancing.  However, my boss thought it would be good for the new folks to hear and see.  Then after dinner I presented my evening program about the wildlife around Bryce.  And because after the dark temperature would drop into the 30s I presented the PowerPoint inside instead of at the outside amphitheater where the visitors’ will see different programs every night.  Not happening for a few more weeks.

The other ordered RV part, water check-valve, was unknowingly shipped USPS, a problem at Bryce Canyon National Park.  Because there is a post office in the adjacent town of Bryce Canyon City that’s where snail mail goes, usually.  If it’s addressed to the park it lands in Panguitch, 30 minutes away.  I blew off two texts from USPS because I didn’t expect them and thought them spam.  Then I tracked the order, and sure enough, the part to give me running water was sitting in Panguitch and needed to be picked up.  Thank goodness a friend here could do that for me as I was working the hours of operation for the post office.  For some reason they couldn’t send it to Bryce Canyon City.  Once I had the part it was easy enough to remove the old and replace.  Not for the first time.  And voila, running water.  However, the water still has to be turned off overnight due to below freezing temperatures.  It’s a start.

trees snow Pink Cliffs low clouds Piracy Point Farview overlook Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThursday’s training included driving the scenic road, stopping at overlooks, and demonstrating “popup” programs.  These are short interpretive opportunities that can begin with a visitors’ question or prompted by the Ranger.

valley Table Cliff clouds Piracy Point Farview overlook Bryce Canyon National Park UtahSnow fell on us at the Farview overlook about halfway to the end.  It was light, intermittent, and rather pretty.

hoodoos snow valley low clouds Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThe further south we drove the heavier the snow blew sideways.

snowing Ponderosa Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahAt Ponderosa Point I had enough and sat in the truck to stay warm.  We didn’t make it to the end where I was suppose to demonstrate an idea for soundscape.

After finishing up the second week of training at Bryce Canyon in the morning I worked the outside desk and helped close the visitor center at 6pm.  It seems the perfect time for many visitors to want to use the restroom.  Won’t be long and hours will change from 8a-8p.

Saturday, my day off, I did laundry in town as it’s too hard to park by the NPS apartment laundry room.  A real treat for the day was taking a hot shower in my own house for the first time this year.  Color me happy.  I am easily amused.  And nights in the low 40s meant leaving the water on, for a few nights anyway.

hoodoos Pink & White Cliffs Inspiration Point trees from Sunset Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahSunday I was officially dressed and on the schedule giving my first hoodoo geology talk at 11am under clear skies.  I always think I’ve forgotten everything but after a quick look at my outline I open my mouth and it all falls out.  The afternoon I worked the outside desk, door counter, and back to the desk with help closing the visitor center.

Dark clouds SR89 North to Panguitch UtahAfter a couple days almost in the 60s temperatures dropped again and Monday’s prediction was high 30s, extreme winds, and 70% chance of snow.  I drove to Panguitch under cloudy skies for my first vaccine, then back with the wind whipping.

Now finished with my third season of training at Bryce Canyon I spent most of the afternoon outside dressed as the abominable green Ranger and managed to stay mostly warm.  Flurries began at closing.

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Bryce Canyon National Park, Park Ranger, Places I've been, United States, Utah cold, Park Ranger, snow, training 18 Comments

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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