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Dead batteries and Desert dilemma with clouds, moon, and rain

Even at lower elevation, temperatures dropping caused me more than one desert dilemma beyond being cold.

02 IMG_20221102_095910164_HDRlecwfbr junk left behind BLM Stanton Rd Congress AZ-3My first desert dilemma was the seemingly abandoned and broken trailer near where I decided to camp causing me to wonder if I should even park there.  I have camped in this area before.  Two days later, after dark, some noisy truck towed it away.  Sadly, they left trash behind, lots of it.  I had considered doing a video of the trailer and mess.  This, is one of the reasons public land management agencies use to close dispersed camping.  If we can’t take care of the land, we’ll loose the right to visit.

03 DSL_7949lewfbr desert Vulture Pk clouds BLM camp Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2Halloween caused no desert dilemma without trick or treaters, not even on the trail-cam.  Good thing, as I had no candy.  When I grew up, Halloween was mostly a community holiday, dressing up and joining local friends to beg from the neighbors.  Community is different now with many not even knowing their neighbors.  I don’t socialize with neighbors, if I can even see them often just due to distance.  Maybe your community is closer knit.  Much of my community is visited online, here on the blog, social media, and now YouTube who recently opened a Community option to my young channel.  I’m still trying to figure out how it works, and think many others are also.  My interpretation of the Geogypsy Community is a tribe of like minded people who enjoy communicating.  I posted a video about it here, and put up a short poll here that got one response in 11 days.  I guess my community isn’t very big, yet.

04 DSL_8198lewfbr cow BLM camp Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2The Congress camp community has nearby human-dug waterholes for livestock so I figured that would bring in more than just cattle.  I set the trail-cam pointed at said waterhole but other than cows, seems only quick moving birds or bats triggered it after dark.  That felt like a desert dilemma as water usually draws wildlife.

05a DSL_7988lewfbr sunset clouds camp Congress 1 AZ fb g-2

05b DSL_7992lewfbr sunset clouds camp Congress 1 AZ g-2Sunsets frequently cause the desert dilemma of which way to look because it’s 360°, especially at the end of an otherwise gray cloudy day.

06 DSL_8084lewfbr last light Weaver Mts clouds Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2And I do love clouds, but gray days mean less solar charging and that causes a desert dilemma because I live off-grid and rely on my camper battery to operate lights, start the fridge, and charge phone and laptop.  A drive 20 minutes each way to Wickenburg helped charge the “house” battery.  Yet after every stop in town I noticed the solar controller flashing “b01”, an error warning for very low or dead battery.  My cheap battery tester indicated the one-year-old battery was good.  Lights worked, fridge lit, and phone charged.  Now what?  I checked fuses and wiggled wires which solved the error, briefly.  Loose wires are always a nightmare.  Being I had an appointment for an oil change in two days at B&B Automotive just five miles from my Congress camp I figured to let them solve this desert dilemma.

07a DSL_8000lewfbr desert Vulture Pk sunset clouds BLM camp Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2

07b DSL_8006lewfbr desert sunset clouds BLM camp Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2And enjoyed another night of gorgeous sunset.

08 DSL_8053lewfbr desert Vulture Pk storm clouds Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2Except the next day was raining with awesome cloud shows and most of my desert dilemma was which way to look and point the camera.

09 DSL_8029lewfbr tripod in doorway with curtain BLM camp Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2While it rained I set the phone on tripod in the camper door with my drape over it to keep the rain out and Sierra in.  I took some awesome time-lapse and shared a video here.

10a DSL_8067lewfbr desert Weaver Mts storm cell Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2

10b DSL_8074lewfbr desert Weaver Mts storm cell Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2In between rain drops I was in and out of the camper all day taking photos.

11a DSL_8089lewfbr reverse sunset Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2

11b DSL_8087lewfbr sunset Stanton Rd Congress AZ fb mss g-2Sunset was no slouch either.

12 IMG_20221104_104013768_HDRlewfbr dead truck BLM Stanton Rd Congress AZ-3Friday morning I got packed and ready to roll for that oil change.  The shop called to say I could come in before my 11:30am appointment.  Oh boy, stop at the dump on the way and get rid of a week’s worth of garbage for $1.  But the truck wouldn’t start, as in dead batteries.  No problem, I put the handy jumper on it and waited 30 minutes.  Truck still wouldn’t start.  Now that’s a desert dilemma.  Called the shop and they eventually sent a mechanic out but his larger jumper still wouldn’t start the truck.  Only five miles from the shop but I’d have to get a tow.  My first thought was the old fashioned way of finding a BIG truck and pulling my unit with a chain, but now days that means the driveshaft would have to be dropped.  It was just a thought.

13 DSL_8108lecwfbr horses Vulture Pk camp Congress Stanton Rd AZ g-2Wild horses

Being the shop is closed on weekends I figured the tow could wait until Monday morning.  I’d rather stay in my pretty camp than a parking lot over the weekend.

14 DSL_8117lewfbr sunset clouds Stanton Rd BLM Congress AZ g-2Started by calling a couple tow companies in the closest town of Wickenburg and several didn’t have a truck big enough to tow my truck with the camper on it.  No way the camper would be coming off.  It’s a pain to come off and on, plus I couldn’t abandon it on public land with Sierra inside.  I finally called Good Sam Road Care Assistance.  I’ve paid for this service almost 20 years and thankfully only used it about seven times.  One tow pays for all.  But they are a pain in ass to deal with.  Last call years ago the lady I spoke to in Georgia didn’t even know what state the Grand Canyon is in.  Duh!  This lady in Illinois at least found me on maps but didn’t know what a “slide-in cabover truckcamper” is or what is boondocking/dispersed camping/off grid.  I recommended she ask for better training from Good Sam and tried to educate her.  I also gave her the name and number of the nearest tow company with a truck big enough that could find me.  But no, Good Sam has their system, a rather screwed up system.  She tried several tow companies out of the Phoenix area (two hours away) but when I followed up they couldn’t tow my truck with the camper on.  But finally found one and I scheduled the tow for Monday morning, when I would get a text conformation.  I have heard many horror stories from RVers about both Good Sam and AAA.  They will get to you, eventually.

15a DSL_8138lecwfbr Painted Lady butterfly Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2Painted Lady well camouflaged

15b DSL_7938lecwfbr Painted Lady butterfly on Broom bush BLM camp Stanton Rd Congress AZ-3With that done I had the whole weekend to just enjoy the sunny desert.

16a DSL_8154lewfbr desert framed Vulture Pk sunset clouds BLM camp Congress AZ g-2

16b DSL_8181alewfbr desert Weaver Mts sunset clouds moon BLM camp Congress AZ Pano g-2Except, the solar controller still indicated a dead house battery.  Could there be a correlation?  While driving the truck should help charge the house battery, but it shouldn’t deplete that battery.  Oh well, everything was working so I falsely assumed it was the controller and not the battery.

17 DSL_8188lecwfbr Raven bush BLM camp Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2I spent most of the weekend reading and outdoors soaking up the sun watching my world.  Plus I ate a little extra ice cream just in case the fridge stopped lighting.

18a IMG_20221106_171612262_HDRlecwfbr Gaelyn shadow shooting moon rise BLM camp Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-3

18b DSL_8217lewfbr moon rise Weaver Mts Stanton Rd Congress AZ fb g-2And I watched for the rise of the almost full moon over the Weaver Mountains.

19 IMG_20221107_113543608_HDRlewfbr Moorish Roadside Rescue tow truck g-3By Sunday night I had no interior lights, dead laptop battery, and low phone battery.  But I’d be OK because my tow would come Monday morning.  Except for yet another desert dilemma.  Morning text from Good Sam listed a tow company that couldn’t tow my truck.  I lost my patience and vented on Face Book tagging Good Sam and within 30 minutes they responded and we were private messengering with much better service than the phone call.  After several more tries they finally enlisted a company from the Phoenix area and it would be two more hours before they’d get to me.  I talked the driver into my rather remote location, but only about one mile off SR89 pavement.  Poor guy was way out of his element.

20 IMG_20221107_113704067_HDRlewfbr Moorish Roadside Rescue tow truck & truckcamper g-3Sadly, my truck couldn’t be pulled onto the tipped tow truck bed without tearing off the back of the camper.  I had thought that would be a problem.  But before just putting the front wheels up only a bit instead the driver hooked up his mega jumper, and the truck started.  Yea!  He followed me the five miles to the repair shop where I had to buy two new truck batteries.  And OUCH, have they gotten expensive!  They also charged my house battery up to 85%.  No time for an oil change and a reschedule would be two weeks out.  Not happening.

21 DSL_8262lewfbr moon rise towers Weaver Mts Stanton Rd Congress AZ fb g-2With the fridge back on I went back to the same camp to watch the moon for a couple more nights.  And maybe the lunar eclipse.

22 DSL_8315lewfbr full moon rise Weaver Mts clouds Stanton Rd Congress AZ fb g-2But that night I woke up feeling nauseous and lost dinner into a waste basket.  Trust me, you don’t want to pray to a RV toilet.  And maybe not eat ice cream right on top of lemon chicken.  So no lunar eclipse and Tuesday was a down day.  Except for a cloudy full moon rise.

23a DSL_8352lecwfbr sunrise clouds Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2

23b IMG_20221109_093943892_HDRlewfbr low clouds Weaver Mts BLM camp Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-3Rained over night but not enough to flood, which can be a desert dilemma.  Woke to an amazing sunrise followed by heavy clouds and more rain that was suppose to clear before noon.  So I waited until around 10am to roll on to Quartzsite.

24a DSCN1432lecwfbr rainbow SR71 AZ fb g-3

24b DSCN1456lewfbr mts light clouds SR60 AZ g-3

24c DSL_8361alewfbr rainbow SR60 AZ Pano fb g-2

24d DSL_8360lewfbr hills rainbow SR60 AZ fb g-2Did rain a bit in between bursts of sunshine causing me to pull over twice to photograph the rainbows.

25 DSCN1481lewfbr I10 W exit 19 Quartzsite AZ g-3Exit 19 off Interstate 10 to Quartzsite

Actually bought diesel for under $5/gal in Quartzsite.

26 1000001616lecwrr Solar Bill g-3This is not Gus

Went to Solar Bill, met the new owner Gus, and bought yet another battery, this time for the camper to solve that desert dilemma.  Come to find out all the employees stayed on when the business sold.  It’s a good outfit.

27 IMG_20221109_155435872lecwfbr Aerial view Shady Lane RV Park Quartzsite AZ g-3Old aerial of Shady Lane hanging in laundry room

Then went to Shady Lane RV Park for the night (320° video of camp site) to take care of other chores.  Bonus, got to see Finius and Breezy on their last day at the park they just sold.

28 IMG_20221106_121442732lewfbr Sierra sleeping BLM camp Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-3Because I solved the current desert dilemmas, I took off to an absolutely favorite BLM camp with views of mountains all around because it is not a dilemma to be in the desert.  Enjoy that camp video here which almost catches me up to real time.  Except for writing about the train ride which I’m still working on.

29 IMG_20221109_093936135_HDRlewfbr bumper rock collection BLM camp Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-3Camp Congress bumper collection

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30 DSL_8076lewfbr desert Weaver Mts storm cell Stanton Rd Congress AZ g-2Order Geogypsy 2023 Calendars while they’re still available.

Arizona, Congress, Places I've been, Quartzsite, repairs, RV life, United States , , , , , , 37 Comments

Finally monsoon storms at Bryce Canyon

Pink Cliffs valley trees rain storm clouds Yovimpa Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahMonsoon storms over Grand Staircase from Yovimpa Point Bryce Canyon NP

Mornings are the time to get outside for activities as afternoons bring monsoon storms at Bryce Canyon.  And these monsoon storms are often more wind, thunder, and lightning, than rain.

The first several summers I worked in the Southwest at Grand Canyon I despised the rain.  But then I learned to embrace monsoon season, just not in a literal sense, and instead learned to respect and love the much needed rain in this arid land.  Yet lightning needs to be heeded and kept at a safe distance, car or building is safest when lightning is within ten miles.  Now days, we have battery operated lightning detectors and apps on our phones.  But I’m a bit old fashion and still practice what I learned as a kid; see the lightning and count, one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand equal to three seconds, etc. until hearing the thunder.  Sound travels approximately one mile in five seconds, and lightning can travel ten miles.  You do the math.

Pink Cliffs valley trees clouds Yovimpa Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahI love the dramatic skies seen during monsoon storms at Bryce Canyon.  Sometimes I can take photos and others I cannot.

buck Mule Deer trees from RV window Bryce Canyon National Park UtahA buck grazes in the forest outside my RV windows

I stayed home two out of three days off last week.  Rained hard and hailed as well.  The noon was so dim outside it felt like dusk.  I think storms mess with my internet signal at home.

Sevier River valley clouds SR12 West UtahSR12 west into the Sevier River Valley

Also went to Kanab for some groceries and lunch at my favorite Utah Mexican restaurant.

sandstone cliffs clouds SR89 north UtahIt’s a nice drive along SR89.

Was posting on my Geogypsy Facebook page and noticed the “Page Support Team” was open for questions.  So I asked why only 10% of the 800+ followers are shown my posts.  Amazingly, I got an almost immediate answer in their chat box.  The Facebook algorithm is currently based on how many people interact with my posts.  So, I put out a post asking for interaction and had 281 people reached, 33 Likes, and 36 comments that I responded to.  Cool.  My ego likes this.  And I like conversation, as you know if you comment on this blog.  Sadly, the numbers went back to less than 10% after that.  Guess I’ll have to let go of that one again.  After all, life really is about pick and choose your battles.

Dawg House Farview Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahLast Saturday I greeted the 5:45 morning at a chilly 46°.  My schedule started with opening our information area outside by 8am.  After answering questions and offering park orientation for two hours I drove 18 miles to the end of the road through rain and hail.  On the way I stopped for a hot dog at the concession operated “Dawg House” trailer set up at Farview overlook.  I’m originally from the Chicago area and was raised on hot dogs.  Yes, I know what’s in them but eat them anyway.  Don’t we all have a regional hometown food favorite?

Pink Cliffs valley trees storm clouds Rainbow Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahA big thunderstorm hung over the length of the park for over an hour.  After advising people along the rim about the danger of lightning under 10 miles away I returned to my truck and sat out the storm at Rainbow Point.  Monsoon storms don’t typically last more than 30 minutes to an hour moving from basically southwest to northeast.  Yet another storm can follow behind.

Ranger Gaelyn storm clouds Yovimpa Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahOnce it passed I roved a couple hours at Yovimpa Point, just south from Rainbow, with the almost 100 mile view to the North Kaibab Plateau.  Instead of the scheduled Grand Staircase geology program times with few if any people, most of us are doing “mini programs” whenever people arrive and show interest.  Yovimpa is never overcrowded.  I wouldn’t mind hanging out there all day.

White Cliffs valley trees clouds Yovimpa Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahClouds danced all around leaving us alone with the light and shadow game below.  Sure glad I brought the big camera that day.

Sunday after several hours at our information area and closing at 8pm, I presented my slide show evening program about wildlife at Bryce.  Finally got the audio working for the most commonly seen animals: rodents, birds, and large mammals.  I’m still working out the right volume and some of the sounds were quite loud.  Made me wonder if visitors in the nearby North campground were looking for wildlife in camp.

Monsoon storms hit hard the next day so I didn’t go to the rim for either the 2pm hoodoo geology talk or 4pm history walk.  We had to move our information station into the visitor center and limit the number of visitors inside while keeping the rest safely under the wooden porch cover.  When thunder roars, go indoors.  We all talk about lightning safety.  I thought people would already know but sadly not the case way too often.  I had forgotten what it’s like to work the inside desk but now with heavy plexiglass hanging between us and visitors.  Felt like I was shouting through the mask and glass, barely able to hear their questions.

trees hoodoos clouds Red Canyon SR12 West Dixie National Forest UtahHoodoos at Red Canyon Dixie National Forest SR12 west

I felt more than ready for the end of my work week on Tuesday.  With only some billowy clouds and no rain the precursor of many days of blue skies.

I don’t mean to bitch and complain about the visitors.  Really, 98% are good and kind people.  Sadly, it’s the one a-hole that’s remembered at the end of the day.

pioneer building SR89 Glendale UtahPioneer building along SR89 Glendale Utah

Maybe I should get out of this business. I’m snippy with some folks.  Am I just getting old?  After door counting this morning and plaza after lunch I ended my short day roving by Sunset Point. I am truly amazed we don’t have to carry more people off the Navajo Loop trail. Flip-flops and no water. Carrying dogs. What part of “NO DOGS” do people not understand?

Sevier River UtahSevier River

I met a lovely couple from the Phoenix area who are friends of an online friend’s friend.  The bonus of blogging is connecting to awesome people.

trees cliffs SR14 East UtahThe first of my two-days off, I went to Cedar City with a park friend.  Nice to have someone else drive and spent a wonderful day chatting away making shopping so much more bearable.  Plus, it’s a pretty drive, now under blue skies instead of monsoon storms.

Bryce Canyon National Park, Places I've been, United States, Utah , , 23 Comments

Stormy skies at Marble View

sunset glow Vermilion Cliffs & Navajo Mountain from Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe stormy skies at Marble View were a perfect match for my feelings in turmoil, yet ultimately soothed and calmed me down.

meadow forest clouds SR67 South Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe day began with sunrise at Sunset Crater then onto the Kaibab Plateau and Marble View with a stop at the North Rim Country Store to top off fuel and say hi.  Believe it or not, I drove away without paying but had left my credit card behind.  I didn’t get far along Forest Road (FR) 611 when I realized my stupidity and turned around.  Then back again and it took about an hour from pavement to get to Marble View overlook on the Kaibab National Forest.  One of my favorite places to camp, look for fossils, storm watch, and just hang out.

view South trees storm clouds Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAfter parking and leveling in the perfect spot for views I let Sierra out and she roamed a little but not too far then hid in the wheel wells for at least an hour.  She was more than ready to get out of the camper but I’m sure found all the smells and textures very different than Yarnell.

trees Marble Canyon storm clouds Marble View Kaibab National Forest Arizona

storm clouds Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI had the place to myself for a while and only had to share with two other campers.  Storms blew from west to east yet mostly stayed to the north of me.  I love watching and feeling the power of monsoon storms.  It only rained on me a bit yet I heard that Flagstaff was hit with both hail and rain so I left there in time.

trees last light Marble Canyon reverse sunset clouds Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaClouds were too heavy for much of a sunset however rays struck out just before sinking below the horizon to shine on the valley and outline a bit of the walls of Marble Canyon where the Colorado River flows.

view East trees light & shadow Marble Canyon clouds Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe morning started off only partly cloudy then continued to build throughout the day.

view Northeast trees Vermilion Cliffs storm clouds Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaWhile only a light rain fell on and off throughout the day thunder and lightning kept my attention as the storms wrapped around the point to the north and south.  House Rock Valley got hit hard causing flash flooding according to the Flagstaff weather reports.  I like being high and relatively dry at Marble View.

storm House Rock Valley Vermilion Cliffs from Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaSierra only went out briefly first thing in the morning then stayed in the rest of the day.  All that thunder booming might have had something to do with that.  Then when it was almost time to go to bed, windy and slightly raining when I went outside to unplug my electric, and she slips out on my return.  Of course she doesn’t come when called and I decide to go to bed.  When I woke up at 2am and opened the door she was happy to come inside.

rock trees pt Kaibab monocline House Rock Valley Vermilion Cliffs Marble Canyon Navajo Mt from Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaFriday morning again begins with only a few clouds and I get out for a walk.  At the point the view takes in north to south.  Marble Canyon is seen below.  Far off to the left the Vermilion Cliffs rise up and due east is Navajo Mountain about 100 miles away.

Kaibab monocline House Rock Valley Vermilion Cliffs clouds from Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe far wall of North Canyon clearly reveals the East Kaibab Monocline.  The east-dipping fold developed between 80-50 million years ago during the uplift of the Kaibab Plateau.

unidentified yellow flowers trees valley from Marble View Kaibab National Forest Arizona

trees Marble Canyon Navajo Mountain clouds from Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThere is very little soil on this 270 million year old Kaibab limestone making it easy to search for marine fossils.  What flowers grow are stunted almost like being on a tundra.  The wind can be fierce and the trees are twisted and gnarled on this ancient landscape.

trees valley plateau mountain storm clouds from Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaLate in the afternoon storms again rolled from the west.  The last slash of light created a glow to the east.

sunset glow Vermilion Cliffs from Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI was inside processing sunset photos when the phone call I’ve been waiting for not to happen came through.  Berta passed away peacefully in her sleep.  I posted the above photo on Facebook dedicated to the most amazing woman I’ve known so far.  Then I shut down the whole social media thing knowing there would be a huge response I was not ready to deal with yet.

It was understandably a rough night.  I am so sad for the loss of my best friend, yet I am happy she is gone.  Her family did everything possible to make her comfortable to the end.  And now it is time to grieve and recover.  We will carry her memory to the end of our days.

Sierra on hood of truck Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaIn the morning I let Sierra out and she went wandering down the forest road.  I wondered if I’d ever see her again.  Then about 20 minutes later she returned and curled up on the hood.  I know I need to quit worrying about her, but I do.  I’ve tipped her world upside down.

storm to north Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaMore heavy storms this time dropping hail briefly followed by a steady rain.  Heavy wind picked up from the northwest and the temperature dropped radically.  I spent most of the day indoors and took a few phone shots through the window.

Gaelyn Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaMy last day was mostly clear with some big fluffy clouds to create light and shadow play across the valley below.  I started to make arrangements for the next move, into the park.  I am feeling some mixed emotions about being on the North Rim.

rainbow Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI could just live right here enjoying the scene through storms, sunshine, or rainbows. Well at least until the snow came.  But it’s time to move into the park and visit the canyon and friends.

 

Arizona, Kaibab National Forest, Marble View , , , , 18 Comments

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