Menu

Tag: friends

Healing rain and back to work with a better attitude

trees truckcamper FR219 Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAlthough it wasn’t easy to leave my happy place on the Kaibab, I left with a better attitude, refreshed after four days of nature’s healing rain, plus positive insight from friends.  With that I returned to Bryce Canyon and felt rewarded by working for special people who visit this beautiful place.

morning light trees House Rock Valley Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaEven after days of rain, I left the Kaibab under a smoky haze.

2020 Magnum Fire LeFevre overlook SR89A Kaibab National Forest ArizonaA stop at the LeFevre overlook reminded me how scorched an arid landscape can look after extreme fire.  It will grow back, this is still pretty fresh from the 71,000 acre 2020 Mangum fire.

hoodoos 2-bridges Navajo Loop Trail Sunset Point clouds Bryce Canyon National Park UtahTwo Bridges side of Navajo Loop Trail

trail crew working Wall Street Bryce Canyon National Park UtahTrail crew working on Wall Street

Back to work on Sunday with a better attitude and moderate morning start at 10:15 then done after two couple-hour information desk shifts including closing at 8pm.  Still feels like less visitors than early summer however they all want to hike the “most popular trail”, 2.9 mile Queens Garden and Navajo Loop combination.  Sadly, the Wall Street side of the Navajo Loop trail was closed due to a rockfall during the heavy rains on Friday.  Trail crew worked several days to clear and repair the damage.  Thankfully, the Two Bridges side of the loop was still open.  So just some unhappy hikers for a few days.

Plus now that the monsoon rains have arrived the general question is, “when will it stop raining?”  Our concerns aren’t about sweet visitors melting in the rain but remind them to pay attention to lightning.  Don’t be the tallest thing standing at the rim, or hover under the biggest trees nearby that often get struck by lightning.  Ponderosa Pines are fire resistant and will blow off burning bark.  However, lightning can travel through trees and ground at least ten feet.

hoodoos amphitheater valley trees Bryce Canyon National Park UtahMonday morning started with light rain that stopped in time for the 11am Hoodoo geology talk.  After an hour of answering questions I hid for lunch in the camper then returned to the rim and roved a couple hours at Sunrise Point with a comfortable temperature under 80° and a light breeze.  Then back to the desk for a couple more hours.

Pink Cliffs Valley Mollys Nipple Navajo Mt clouds Yovimpa Pt Bryce Canyon National Park UtahI was lucky enough to be scheduled for two days in a row to Yovimpa Point, my happy place.  The only bad part is getting up way early to first open the visitor center.  Good thing I packed lunch as the hotdog wagon wasn’t parked at Farview Point.  A gorgeous day that didn’t quite break 80°.  Visitation is light at Yovimpa Point, partly people don’t see the sign for the short walk.  Yet almost anybody who arrives is blown away by the massive 100° and 100 mile distant view from southeast to southwest.  At 9100 feet in elevation it’s like the view from on top of a mountain the car climbed for you.  I spent four hours answering questions, talking about the geologic view and fire ecology while keeping an eye on the weather radar and storm clouds that stayed north of the point.  One young girl and I talked for at least half an hour about the possibility of learning the languages and conversing with other animal species.  How cool is that!  Oh yea, that feeds into a better attitude.

Pink Cliffs Valley Mollys Nipple storm clouds Yovimpa Pt Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThen lightning became visible to the east and it was time to go with a warning to visitors not to linger.  The rain came down harder as I drove further north and I was soaked running into the building to drop off my radio at the end of the day.

Wednesday, my Friday, started as a repeat of the previous day with opening the visitor center.  This time I had a hotdog on the drive to the end of the road and asked about a punch card which they gave me.  Darn, I’ve been buying almost weekly for months.

Raven Yovimpa Pt Bryce Canyon National Park UtahMy first visitor, Raven, posed long enough to get a couple photos then I was busy almost constantly for at least three hours with people in and out to share mostly short stories.

Pink Cliffs valley forest clouds SW Yovimpa Pt Bryce Canyon National Park UtahRain once again stayed north of Yovimpa Point all afternoon and I enjoyed another marvelous day with visitors.  Got home just before the next bout of thunder and rain.

Stellar Jay birds puddle Bryce Canyon National Park UtahStellar Jays from RV window

With only two days off I decided not to go anywhere, and even though I like to travel, that’s like a treat sometimes.  I had hopes to shoot the full moon but the skies were filled with gray clouds, raining, and even hailed briefly, to the point of puddles.  Thursday 1.4 inches fell in an hour.  Seems monsoon has arrived.  I love the energy in storms while also respecting their massive power. Safest to watch and experience from some distance and preferably indoors.  Plus I don’t want to get my camera wet.

Lynda Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaMarble View storm

The most amazing power I feel is the love from friends with sincere suggestions that sometimes have to slap me hard to listen.  Dear Lynda reminded me to stop with the “if I make it through the season” line, and she’s right.  October 9th is my last day of work this summer at Bryce Canyon, and I’m going to make it to the end of the season.  Sweet Robert, after many years as a barista at the North Rim made a job move to the North Rim Country Store this summer and said he was excited about working at new places and looks forward to going anywhere he wants.  I can hear life mentor Berta telling me to move on to a new adventure in retirement when I can do what I want, when I want, and go anywhere I want.  Thank you all for helping me create a better attitude.

Bryce Canyon National Park, Places I've been, Seasonal Park Ranger, United States, Utah , , , 19 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

Socializing during COVID while boondocking in the Arizona desert

Saguaro desert mts reverse sunset clouds Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZI have missed face-to-face socializing during COVID even though I’m pretty darn good at isolating during the winter.

Gaelyn shadow truckcamper nearest neighbor Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZMy nearest within sight neighbor, also overlooking the Plomosa Mountains, sat 100s of feet away.  It’s a big desert without many obstructions.  I stayed a week, and we never spoke.

desert mts late light Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZ desert mts late light clouds Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZ

I did get to know a few of my neighborhood trees.

desert mts clouds Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZSat out in the warmest afternoon sun, a delightful 63° with no wind, reading or crocheting.

desert Plomosa Mts OHV dust BLM Quartzsite AZ

desert dust OHV mt sunset clouds Plomosa Rd BLM AZLots of noisy OHV and I figured out it’s because I’m so close to town, within sight in fact, and there’s a “trail” they can use. Sets up a lot of dust, in the distance thank goodness.

desert sunrise clouds moon Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZCaught a few sunrises and more sunsets.

desert mts sunset clouds sunburst Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZI often put off writing blog posts as my routine seems redundant to me, boring even for others.  I haven’t really traveled much this winter though I am enjoying many days of desert environment.  Makes me wonder why readers return.  I thank you, you feed my ego.

Packages arrived at my Wickenburg mail but nothing I couldn’t live without or felt the need to rush off the 1 1/2 hour drive.  I could go in a few days and make arrangements to outdoor socialize with friends in the area.

desert mts sunset clouds Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZReally, with a strong signal looking at the Quartzsite tower I spent lots of time online socializing with friends, sharing photos, working on blog posts, and a little news.  Heck, I did that for days and days.

Until…all shit broke loose on the 6th.  I was obsessed like I rarely am staying in touch with the news all day.  I felt my blood pressure jump and my computer wouldn’t respond. That’s some powerful energy.  My fridge wouldn’t stay lit and the ice cream was on melt down.  I ate faster.

desert mts sunset clouds Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZ

desert mts sunset clouds Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZI did get outside several times to cool down and center with nature thankful for a brilliant sunset.

sunset clouds Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZI also needed more down time the next day so figured to roll to Wickenburg on Friday.

truckcamper & Trish's rig clouds Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZ

Trish & Gaelyn Plomosa Rd BLM Quartzsite AZ

mts sunset clouds BLM Quartzsite AZHowever, Friday morning I got a phone call from Trish, who would be traveling from two months in California to her Colorado home and coming through Quartzsite.  So I directed her to my camp for her first boondock experience.  And we sat outside all afternoon safely socializing during COVID.

Christmas cards Ghost Town Rd BLM Congress AZThe next morning she continued her journey as did I.  Picked up my mail including three Christmas cards, bought groceries, and headed to Congress and my ole stomping grounds off Ghost Town Road.

truckcamper desert Saguaro Date Crk Mts Ghost Town Rd BLM Congress AZIn fact, this giant Saguaro, a diverse bird condo, might look familiar as I’ve camped here before.

Gaelyn water tank Ghost Town Rd BLM Congress AZ by JoannMy social life is feast or famine.  Saturday I had two visitors.  Joann drove down from Prescott and we took a walk to the “swimming pool”/wildlife water tank.  The camera is gone but the air and water were still too cold to dip.

Saguaro cactus Date Crk Mts clouds Ghost Town Rd BLM Congress AZLater Gypsy stopped by bringing vegie-cheese muffins we snarfed down as we sat in the sunshine, trying to avoid the wind, sharing our herstories as we all get to know each other better.  I’m so glad socializing during COVID is possible while boondocking in the Arizona desert.  Especially nice in real time because the signal is not reliable in Congress.

Gila Woodpecker bird Saguaro cactus Ghost Town Rd BLM Congress AZFlicker bird Saguaro cactus Ghost Town Rd BLM Congress AZ

And so I’ll spend a few more days of isolation working on posts and photos mostly offline before I have to do the necessary dump and fill again.

Starling bird looking out Saguaro cactus Ghost Town rd BLM Congress AZGilla Woodpecker bird inside Saguaro cactus Ghost Town Rd BLM Congress AZ

Bonus, I get to watch the birds in my local Saguaro condo.  This is a very diverse community hosting in the many holes Flickers, Gila Woodpeckers, Curve-billed Thrasher, and a solo Starling that only seems to stay overnight.

desert mt sunset clouds Ghost Town Rd BLM Congress AZAnd might see a few more sunrises or at least some sunsets.

sunset clouds Ghost Town Rd BLM Congress AZAnd before too long, another friend is coming to Quartzsite, so guess I might just head back that way, again.

Arizona, Congress, COVID-19, Places I've been, Quartzsite, RV life, United States , , , 31 Comments

Lijit

© Copyright 2008-2024. Geogypsytraveler.com