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Tag: moving RV

05 October 2021

Following my Bliss: A slice of heaven in Skull Valley

RV Triple L Ranch Skull Valley ArizonaI almost knew what to expect in Skull Valley, and then it was better.  In fact I tried to visualize the ranch while driving the second leg from Bryce Canyon.  Would there be nearby trees in the High Chaparral environment?  What about my window views, sunrise, sunset?  I’m just retiring and moving my 5th-wheel home to a possible (temporary) permanent space.  I’m a bit nervous, but am following my bliss.

After the first day driving four hours from Bryce Canyon to the Cameron Trading Post RV Park I felt good about towing again.  It had been quite a while since I moved the 5th-wheel myself.  Too tired for exploration (I refrained from even looking at all the amazing jewelry) I called it an early night.

yellow flowers trees SR89 South ArizonaAnd that allowed me to get an early start for the second day’s drive of three hours that was rather uneventful except for dodging potholes on I40 west of Flagstaff and the roller coaster road section of SR89 south of Ashfork.  Spotted a few Pronghorn in the fields south of Chino Valley.  Before leaving Prescott I called my new landlord Larry to say I was close and Joann who I met at the Skull Valley cemetery and she followed me in the last few miles.


RR underpass Ferguson Valley Road Skull Valley Arizona

truck & 5th-wheel RR underpass Ferguson Valley Road Skull Valley Arizona by Joann

5th-wheel RR underpass Ferguson Valley Road Skull Valley Arizona by Joann

I followed Larry’s directions: 1/4 mile past the cemetery, cut wide for the 120° right turn onto Ferguson Valley Road; 1 1/2 miles then under the train trestle where pavement ends turn left at the intersection; (yes, I held my breath through the 12×14 foot opening)…

Triple L Ranch gate sign Skull Valley Arizona

Larry golfcart trees Ferguson Valey Road Skull Valley Arizona…one mile to Cottonwood trees and houses on left, past the Triple L Ranch locked entry gate where Larry was waiting to lead the rest of the way in.

new site Triple L Ranch Skull Valley Arizona by JoannThrough the red gate, also locked, at the cattle guard down a water-cut lumpy dirt road, past my nearest neighbor Susan who I’ve known for years, and through a dry wash to an open grassy field where I stopped and let Larry back the 5th-wheel from there.  I caught one of the rear stabilizer jacks going through the wash and it twisted plus damaged the body a little.

RV backing in Joann Skull Valley ArizonaIt would have taken me days where it took him only a few hours to wiggle the RV into it’s new space with just a few branch trimmings.  Back and forth, straighten and try again.  That’s the way it works.  He is a patient man.

RV on site Triple L Ranch Skull Valley ArizonaOnce parked and leveled the slides went out and everyone came in for a sit and water.  Then Larry took me for a golf cart ride around the place.  Past Ken’s motorhome—he’s the local handyman who I can keep busy for a while, the shop, greenhouse, Larry’s house, and Susan’s place where some guys were putting up fence panels for her two horses coming in a few weeks.  I was told about the friendly bull and two heifers who aren’t friendly but not aggressive, sometimes seen bobcat and bear, plus javelina, deer, and I’m sure much more. Saw hawks soaring and woodpeckers pecking.  I told Larry I never wanted to leave. Not sure I could get back out anyway.

trees grass Brushy Mt clouds Skull Valley ArizonaWhat a place.  The high Chaparral includes Arizona Oaks plus lots of manzanita interspersed with open grasslands, oh yea and several varieties of small prickly plants.  Good idea to wear leather boots and wipe off pants before coming inside.  My view is amazing, except for a few large piles of long timbers that are mostly toward the front bed end with no windows anyway. There’s a short pole in back with the electric box, the wire must be underground, that I should hang a bird feeder on. My desk view is west to Brushy Mountain.  You’re sure to see many photos of that view.

Map showing Skull Valley Arizona

closed general store & gas station Skull Valley ArizonaAccording to Wikipedia, Skull Valley is a small, populated place with about 800 people as of the 2020 census, and rural ranch community in Yavapai County, Arizona located 17 miles west of Prescott.  The local historic society operates a museum and stands by this story of how Skull Valley got its name from Will C. Barnes book Arizona Place Names, “In March of 1864, a company of the First California Volunteers, led by Captain Hargraves, was escorting Coles Bashford to Tucson.  While passing through what is now Skull Valley, they found piles of skulls, which were left behind after a battle between Apache and Maricopa tribes.”  The 4,250 foot valley is surrounded by rolling hills, so the elevation goes as high as 7,693 feet.  The High/Low temperature in July is 93/58 and in January is 56/29.  Bet you can guess when I’ll head further north or south.

trees Brushy Mt low clouds Triple L Ranch Skull Valley ArizonaAwoke my first morning to the delightful smell of light rain at 65°.

Larry & Ken under RV Skull Valley ArizonaBy 9am the rain cleared and Larry and Ken came by to remove the rear stabilizer jack.  It’s among many parts I have since ordered.  After they left Susan came by to see if I needed anything from Prescott and then hung around for almost two hours visiting. I puttered around outside and in setting things my kind of right.

Cottonwood trunk rounds Skull Valley ArizonaA late afternoon walk provided gorgeous golden light and got me thinking about what a nice outdoor table one of these huge slabs of Cottonwood would provide, minimum four feet across.

RV living room packed Sierra cat window view Skull Valley ArizonaI am excited about making this little space my own but first worked on putting the inside to rights.  Seems everything about this place fits my simple requirements including a decent phone signal that I can tether to the laptop to get online.

grass trees sunset sunrays Skull Valley ArizonaIt’s so far Heaven in Skull Valley.  My first sunset.

trees mt low clouds Triple L Ranch Skull Valley Arizona

trees Brushy Mt low clouds Triple L Ranch Skull Valley ArizonaThe next morning clouds hung low in front of Brushy Mountain and it wasn’t long before the rain came, in fact predicted on and off for the entire day.  I was glad I didn’t have to go anywhere and just enjoyed the show out my windows.

RV trees truck across wash Triple L Ranch Skull Valley ArizonaRV to the left and truck to the right

But I did give some thought to the wash so moved the truck to the other side.  It’s a short walk for the peace of mind.  Predicted to rain the next day also when I did want to go out.  Larry says water rarely flows through this wash and goes underground at my crossing but without 4×4 I wouldn’t drive across it when wet.  Need to get some goulashes.

With a good signal, that evening I turned to YouTube for some evening entertainment and tripped upon FINDING JOE, a Joseph Campbell production about “Finding Bliss”.  So resonated with me as I found Bliss becoming a Park Ranger and now retiring I want to continue following my bliss into a new phase of life.  Or am I reverting to youth?

grass trees low clouds morning light Brushy Mt Skull Valley ArizonaOnce again the morning clouds hung low but cleared by the time I left for my one hour drive to Wickenburg.  (BTW, no water in the wash.)

Kirkland pozzolan mine silos Kirkland ArizonaAppalled by the mess at the site of the Kirkland pozzolan mine (used in concrete) that many locals fought against in 2018.  Nasty stuff that puts fine volcanic glassy material in the air.

Picked up five pieces of mostly useless mail and am paid for this service until November 19th.  That will give me time to get a Post Office Box in Skull Valley and notify the few who care about yet another change of address.  Happily filled the tank at $3.0899/gal for diesel, stopped at the Feed Store for water hose and more heat tape, Goodwill, and Safeway.  On the way home stopped at the Peeples Valley Market and bought local frozen organic ribeye steak.  Felt like a country girl having to unlock the gate at the end of the driveway.

cows in yard Skull Valley ArizonaAnd neighbors were grazing in my yard when I pulled in.

trees grass mts sunset clouds Skull Valley ArizonaLong day and a gorgeous sunset.  Heard thunder in the distance but didn’t get any rain.

mating Plains Lubber grasshoppers Skull Valley ArizonaNo rush the next day, I so love that, but I did get the water hoses hooked up putting teflon tape on every thread and still had a leaker at the source with a hose divider where I want to add a second outside hose option.  Oops, forgot to put in the hose washer.

ten foot tomato plants in greenhouse Triple L Ranch Skull Valley Arizona

vegies in bagPlanning that local steak for dinner I wanted to add fresh tomatoes to the salad and fried green tomato on the side, so took a walk to the greenhouse taking photos along the way. So much to see and many distractions.

Blackie & Larry Skull Valley ArizonaMy bovine neighbors followed me.  Blackie, who is black and white, is quite friendly and now that we’ve been introduced I can pet him.  The all black smaller yearling stays back but they seem to hang out together.  I also met the two outdoor cats that gave me a sniffing over, and Larry’s daughter who also lives on the ranch.

trees clouds crepuscular rays Triple L Ranch Skull Valley Arizona

trees grass boulders reverse sunset clouds Triple L Ranch Skull Valley ArizonaSunset tonight was pretty but quickly over.  Have I mentioned how much I love this place?

grass trees boulders Brushy Mt sunset clouds Skull Valley Arizona

grass trees boulders Brushy Mt sunset clouds Skull Valley ArizonaAnd how much I love not having to do a damn thing all day long.  This retirement gig is going to be OK.  If I don’t get too lazy.  Did manage shooting an exceptional sunset.

trees animal trail Skull Valley ArizonaThursday afternoon I took a walkabout.  Wasn’t sure where I was going but left the house headed mostly westward following animal trails.

trees windmill Skull Valley ArizonaNot too far out of sight of home I came to a creek with some water in it and turned south following parallel but plenty steep above the rather marshy flow.

trees dock dry swimming hole clouds Skull Valley Arizona

trees dock dry swimming hole clouds Skull Valley ArizonaI had a feeling I’d end up back by the greenhouse and did after passing what once upon a time could have been a great swimming hole.

butterflies & flowers Skull Valley Arizona

Scrub Jay bird tree Skull Valley ArizonaThe clouds danced overhead for my several hour stroll and I didn’t even walk one mile.  Yet I saw so much.  A plethora of butterflies eluded my camera and birds spoke hidden in trees.

Plains Lubber grasshopper Triple L Ranch Skull Valley ArizonaThe giant, 2-3 inch, colorful Plains Lubber grasshoppers posed plenty long and appeared to be mating.  They were everywhere.

trees storm clouds rainbow Skull Valley Arizona

trees double rainbow Skull Valley ArizonaDay to dusk gave rise to a colorful sunset and even better the reverse colors on rain filled clouds plus both ends of a double rainbow but couldn’t see the middle of the arc in the sky behind gray clouds.

Gaelyn with balloonsOnly a few more days before leaving Skull Valley to retrieve the truck-camper and finalize my season at Bryce Canyon.  When I sent Joann a message with that information she was already on the road and headed my way.  Actually, she was headed beyond me by several miles to pick up her granddaughter Perci and go to breakfast in Yarnell, so she picked me up on the way.  We also stopped at a couple yard sales and Perci scored with free balloons, fingernail polish, and small cheap bags of jewelry, ribbon and cloth. She’s making clothes for her dolls.  Nice to know that still happens for 10 year-olds.

The rest of my weekend involved preparing this post and packing the truck for a six hour drive this week from Skull Valley to St. George, Utah where the camper is, with Sierra cat in a carrier.  Oh, I’m sure that will be another story.         

 

(I’m still working on the 2022 Geogypsy calendar.  If you see a deserving photo let me know.  Also, if you’re interested in ordering, $25 each including shipping in USA.)

 

                 “If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living.  Wherever you are – if you are following your bliss, you are enjoying that refreshment, that life within you, all the time.”      -Joseph Campbell

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Arizona, moving, Places I've been, RV life, Skull Valley, United States Following my bliss, moving RV 42 Comments
28 September 2021

Work days talking rock and getting ready to roll

After four days off of boring chores I returned to a few more work days and then prepared to move the 5th-wheel to it’s winter home in Skull Valley, Arizona.

fall colored Aspen leaves Natural Bridge Bryce Canyon National Park UtahAlthough temperatures at Bryce Canyon were ranging from 50-80° fall was in the air with possible nights coming below freezing.

Western Bluebird Bryce Canyon National Park UtahYet the Bluebirds hadn’t quite given up on insects and headed south like I would soon do.

Raven bird Agua Canyon Bryce Canyon National Park UtahSunday, my Monday, two desk shifts with dinner in between and close the visitor center then my last evening program for the season. Volume up or down?

empty Sunset Point overlook Bryce Canyon National Park UtahIt really has been busy this month and yet I enjoyed a few moments at Sunset Point all alone.  But not for long before presenting the 11am hoodoo geology talk to a large group followed by roving a while and ending the day at the information desk.  The coyote sound in my evening program was heard at the North campground and reported to me by a visitor.

Badger on rock Yovimpa Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahOn Tuesday, my Friday of a short week, I spent the afternoon at Yovimpa Point.  A visitor spotted a dark brown medium-size mammal moving across a nearby rocky ledge and thought it was a very big squirrel having just visited Zion where the Rock Squirrels are large and overly friendly.  Being sure it wasn’t that I had to dig deep into my brain while taking some lousy and out of focus photos before realizing it’s a Badger.  The first one I’d ever seen at Bryce.

Talked to a young man on a months long road trip from Florida and was reminded of my first road trip at 22-years old.  Living in a Vega for three months was the best trip ever and started my gypsy life.  The next morning I posted my retirement announcement on Facebook and as I answered the many congratulations it dawned on me I could travel next summer like I did way back then.  I grew excited about the idea of documenting the journey like I couldn’t do then. I want to revisit some places and discover many new.  That was an epiphany! Now I am more than excited, like that young woman who took off in a Vega with a dog 45 years ago. Now solo with a cat is where it’s at, and I’m glamping with the camper. I could see visiting people and caravanning with others sometimes along the way. I haven’t felt this excited about something in a long time.  I’m going to love this retirement thing with no more work days.

trees cliffs Cedar Canyon SR14 East UtahCedar Canyon

Navajo Lake SR14 UtahNavajo Lake

One more trip to town before moving so I don’t have to shop along the road.  But with mornings hoovering just below freezing I didn’t get a particularly early start.  Drove to Cedar City via SR20, the slightly quicker route, then after too many shop-stops returned on the even more scenic route SR14.

evergreens and fall aspen SR14 East Dixie National Forest UtahEven saw a touch of fall color towards the top of the almost 10,000 foot pass.  Treated myself to dinner at the highly recommended Outlaw Saloon in Hatch, Utah and all I can say is, WOW, what took me so long.

jewelry in RV bedroom Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

window RV bedroom Bryce Canyon National Park UtahFriday I finally put the new sewer gate on and packed away some of the dust-collecting decorative chachkas that would not survive a rolling move.  There’s only a little more to do before the RV would be unlivable.

Back for another four work days.  The count down is on!  After a light overnight rain, Saturday afternoon brought downpour with thunder and lightning that cancelled my 2pm hoodoo geology talk.  Then it cleared so I went to rove at the rim for a while in raincoat with no camera in case it started to rain again.

Ranger Gaelyn Yovimpa Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahSunday morning I opened the visitor center in cold fog before heading out to Yovimpa Point.  Then while eating lunch in the Rainbow Point parking lot I was interrupted by a couple who locked the keys in the trunk of the their rental so I called LE (law enforcement) to deal with that.  Even with a brutal wind at Yovimpa I stayed two hours and did several talks hiding behind a huge Limber Pine in between.

visitors dancing Yovimpa Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahA group of young folks danced and took video, nothing professional, and when I photobombed them was invited to join in.  Keep your eyes open for their video that they hope will go viral.

hoodoos valley Ponderosa Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahPonderosa Point view into the hoodoos

Stopped at several overlooks on the return drive.

hoodoos valley Agua Canyon Bryce Canyon National Park UtahAt Agua Canyon overlook the weirdest thing happened.  A little boy about 10-12 walked up to the fence with a throwaway mask in his hand, held it up to catch the wind, and then intentionally let it go.  I was horrified and said I couldn’t believe he’d just done that.  His reply, “I have another one in the car.”  And I said don’t throw it over the edge anywhere.  I told him it was a good thing I wasn’t a cop as I’d written him (his parents actually) a $100 ticket for littering.  He just walked away and no adult present said a thing.  WTF?

Thors Hammer hoodoo valley full moon Earth Shadow Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

hoodoo window full moon Bryce Canyon National Park Utahhoodoo window full moon Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

hoodoo windows full moon Bryce Canyon National Park UtahAt that point I went home for dinner then back to Sunset Point and down five switchbacks carrying the tripod for the night before full moon rise.  A nice couple was there, he set up with tripod very low. I shared the compass coordinates and we got lucky with the moon rising over Thor’s Hammer and through the hoodoo windows, again.

Pink Cliffs & beyond Mollys Nipple clouds Yovimpa Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahOne more day at Yovimpa and thank goodness not windy.  Briefly saw a pair of Peregrine Falcons flying together.  Talked with a lot of awesome visitors about geology and fire ecology.  My last day there presenting official programs.  I will miss this happy place.

Ranger fashion week Bryce Canyon National Park Utah by P DensmorePosted on Bryce Canyon’s Facebook page for National Park Fashion Week  (It’s a joke many parks did)

Possibly* my last work day and I wake up literally freezing at below 32°.  That in itself makes me want to move from Bryce’s 8000 foot elevation.  By the 11am hoodoo geology talk it had warmed into the 60s.  Had a large attendance and presented several more mini talks about the hoodoos.  (I say possibly* as the government could shutdown before I return for the last work days in October.)

Sierra cat packed inside RV Bryce Canyon National Park UtahWednesday morning in the low 30s makes it hard to motivate but I have much to do getting ready to roll the next day.  By noon I am mostly packed and if I was physically stronger could have rolled at least as far as Kanab 1 1/2 hours away for a warmer night.  But my helper will arrive in the morning so I pretty much puttered the afternoon away.  Rather frustrating that I used to do everything by myself and now am unable.

Tim & truck towing 5th-wheel Mixing Circle Bryce Canyon National Park UtahTim arrives the next morning around 9:30 and I set him onto the roof to sweep the slides and take the booster down then I can crank down the antenna. After hitching the truck to the 5th-wheel the hoses and power cord were disconnected and I’m ready to roll.  Not sure why that took three hours but I rolled out at 1 pm.  Thirty minutes later I left the nearby Sinclair with both propane tanks full and all eight tires aired.  Finally on the road again and at first feeling a little nervous as it’s been years since I towed the 5th-wheel.  But once on the highway it follows so nicely I barely know it’s there.

Mollys Nipple Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument SR89 East UtahThe four hour drive moves me through familiar country and after passing through Kanab I am looking back up towards the not quite visible Bryce’s Pink Cliffs and see Molly’s Nipple, on the right, that I’ve looked at from the opposite direction all summer from Yovimpa Point.

Cockscomb SR89 East Utah

fence Lake Powell at Glen Canyon dam SR89 East Arizona

sandstone cliffs SR89 South Arizona

21d DSCN0196lewfbr Painted Desert storm clouds SR89 S AZ g-3

I pass through the Cockscomb and over the ever shrinking Lake Powell at the Glen Canyon Dam, whiz through Page and drop down onto the Painted Desert.

RV Cameron RV Park ArizonaBy 5pm Arizona time I pulled into the night’s destination at the Navajo Reservation RV Park and Trading Post in Cameron, Arizona and enjoyed a carry-out dinner of Green Chili Stew before calling it an early night to bed for the next day’s final leg of this journey.

5th-wheel RR underpass Ferguson Valley Road Skull Valley Arizona by Joann

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Arizona, Bryce Canyon National Park, Park Ranger, Places I've been, RV life, United States, Utah end of season, moving, moving RV 33 Comments
28 September 2020

Getting things done before end of season

yellow Rabbit brush flowers hoodoos valley Table Cliffs sunrise clouds Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahFinally getting things done before end of season less than a month away.  That’s me, always procrastinating.

late light hoodoos trees Sunset Point Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahBut three days off in a row feels like a treat and makes it a little easier getting things done.  That followed by a four day work week, and two days off with company, then back to work.  Do we call what I do work?  Yes, but a nice balance being a summer seasonal Park Ranger and gypsy.

Last week’s days off were all about getting things done that I put off for too long.  The computer’s been wonky so I did a double backup in case it dies.  Also worked on the 2021 calendar photos and blog post.  Guess the profit from those sales will go towards a new laptop.  Once the final photos are chosen I’ll format and order so let me know if you want a calendar.

hoodoos trees Bryce Point Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahFinally got around to ordering a bunch of stuff—almond syrup for my morning latte, a Bissell pet-fur vacuum cleaner, camping solar shower bag, and Queen-size memory foam topper for the camper’s bed.  Need to have things shipped while I still have a physical address.  Other chores were mundane like laundry and cleaning house—which I can almost put off forever—and replacing a dripping water hose.

Southeast view from Yovimpa Point Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahView southeast from Yovimpa Point 9-14-20

Gray & White cliffs haze cloud from Yovimpa Point Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahAs above with smoky haze 9-19-20

Back to work on Saturday with the opening schedule, a couple hours at the visitor center, then gone the rest of the day to Rainbow Point, 18 miles, at the end of the road south followed by my choice of where to rove.  OMG!  Another crazy busy Saturday.  Parking lot overfull by 11am so I drive down the road about 1/4 mile to a wide spot and walked back up to Yovimpa Point for a 12:30 and 1:30 Staircase geology talk.  The high wind felt cold and chased me off the point before the second talk.  Finished the afternoon roving at the Natural Bridge overlook for about an hour and then ended my day a little early.  What the heck, I have hundreds of hours of sick leave.

Sunday was just as busy.  I worked the afternoon at the visitor center and after dinner presented the 8pm evening program about wildlife at Bryce Canyon.  Typically, visitation would level out after the holiday to boomers and folks without children.  But so many people are homeschooling that travel to parks with kids is still a thing.  Not to mention all the extra RVs.

fall red & ever green below Yovimpa Point Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahAutumn red mixes with evergreens below Yovimpa Point

Murphy at work in my laptop Monday morning, and on the website too, while I’m trying to post about the 2021 Geogypsy calendar.  Hoping to use the calendar profits to help pay for a new computer.  Still working on the comment problem here but it basically has to wait until days off, and help from a friend.  Instead my work schedule took me to Sunset Point area that day in high winds that could have blown my hat off.  Thunder boomed with cloud-to-cloud lightning and I managed to present the 11am hoodoo geology talk, but not the 1pm, before sprinkles of rain became grapple (mixed hail and snow) and then turned into a down pour just after I got into my truck.  So I returned to the visitor center to help with inside orientation knowing it would be very busy as people descend on the building when it rains.  Have been spoiled by being outside for that and it’s difficult to hear and talk through plexiglass especially wearing a mask.

Still plodding along on getting things done now that I have an end of work date of October 24th.  The Bissell pet-fur vacuum arrived and works pretty good.  Now I just need to get into the truckcamper with it to de-fuzz the place before moving into it for the winter.  Solar shower also arrived and will be convenient for outside hot water washing.  Set up the towing, winterizing, and storage of the 5th-wheel for winter on the same property as last year.  Can you hear my big sigh of relief?

hoodoos rainbow storm clouds light Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahMy Friday on Tuesday brought another day of rain and hail.  Yet I still led a 4pm Rim Walk with 23 visitors even with sprinkles and we saw a rainbow.  Or at least half a rainbow.

hoodoos trees sunset clouds Bryce Point Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

trees sunset clouds moon Bryce Point Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahCompany arrived Wednesday and we visited until time to watch the light change on the hoodoos with hope to catch a bit of sunset color.  Then back to my RV to make dinner for a birthday boy/man.

yellow Rabbit brush flowers hoodoos sunrise haze sunburst Bryce Point Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

hoodoos first light Bryce Point Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThey even convinced me to get up before sunrise so we could photograph before they left Thursday for fall color in Colorado.  Hard to believe this was the first sunset and rise I’ve shot all summer.

trees sunset clouds from RV window Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahSunset

trees sunrise clouds from RV Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahSunrise

Well, other than through the RV window or door.  Lazy or what?

Back to work on Friday under clear skies with a light smoky haze on the horizon and roving the busy rim from 10am-2pm.  Most questions are about directions and trailheads.  Then back to the visitor center for the rest of the afternoon and more questions.

Another crazy busy Saturday and not necessarily because it was National Public Lands Day and also fee free as most visitors don’t even know it’s a free day.  All parking lots at overlooks were full and closed several times throughout the day.  Extra shuttles were added.  And even the overflow parking was maxed with mostly RVs.  Volunteer visitors helped us pick up litter at three popular overlooks.

first light hoodoos shadows trees Bryce Point Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahMy afternoon Rim Walk went with, once again, 23 visitors and some wonderful conversation about overflowing national parks.  My cultural history talk/walk includes how people’s connection to the land has changed over time, both historically and as individuals.  I love when visitors share their stories.  I’m still calling this summer “weirdly wonderful” as it hasn’t been quite as crowded as the previous summer.  Really think we need more national parks to accommodate people.

trees sunset clouds moon Bryce Point Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahI wrote this on a Sunday off work—not my usual day—because I’m leading an almost-full-moon walk on Wednesday night.  I will post about that soon, or as I’m getting things done.  Then a friend calls and says, “How about checking out the fall colors on the North Kaibab?”  So that has me thinking about my next two days off.

trees sunset clouds Bryce Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahI found out from a cousin his dad, my 97-year old Uncle Kay, died last week.  He was the last of our family’s elder generation, and now it is us boomers who are the seniors.  Hard to believe.

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Bryce Canyon National Park, Places I've been, Seasonal Park Ranger, United States, Utah chores, end of season, moving RV, photography 15 Comments
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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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