Less than four weeks left of the summer season at the North Rim Grand Canyon, it’s a mixed bag of happy and sad. It’s been an exciting summer filled with National Park Service Centennial fun. But after six months of work I’m ready for the season to be over. Yet it’s always difficult to say goodbye to the canyon. Especially when I don’t know where to go for winter.
This winter I’d like to go someplace warm and exotic, without breaking the bank. Preferably south of the equator. A few considerations: Cuba, Central &/or South America, Southern Africa pulls at my heartstrings, New Zealand and Australia are just too expensive, Cabo with friends, truck-camper through Mexico or the Baja…
Saving money as a seasonal employee is tough for me. Doesn’t feel like I have that many expenses but the cash just seems to flow out as much if not more than it flows in. Not too excited about spending over $400/month for rent at a RV park in Kanab, Utah where it also gets cold.
Maybe I’ll get a job. Have been referred to Big Bend and Death Valley, no interview or offers yet. Haven’t worked winters in many decades. Could volunteer somewhere but my mind is a blank slate.
The only event so far on the winter calendar is the Grand Canyon History Symposium November 4-6. The last one was awesome and I learned a lot.
Taking a week off September 19th thru 23rd and going to Yarnell to visit with my dear friend and life mentor Berta. Plus a dentist appointment and hair cut. Maybe talking about it will help.
Or maybe I’ll just do nothing. I’ve been feeling in a slump lately. Tired. Tired of working. Tired of being busy all the time. Lacking focus. Time for change for this gypsy gal. But what? And where to go for winter? I’m feeling the lost and don’t know what to do end of season blues.
Plus wherever I go, I have to move two RVs.
Actually I made it to the desert three days ago. First night near Quartzsite, second The Slabs and now I’m ready to explore Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. But first a day of relaxation and just being in the desert.
Trials and tribulations leaving Yarnell
Within a mile of Quartzsite’s first ramp south of the highway there’s scattered RVs boondocking in the desert. The town is only slightly busy instead of insanely busy, a few vendors set up and some of them even open. KB Supplies at Tyson Wells is open so I can pick some things up there the next day. I headed south on SR95 a few miles to BLM short-term La Posa, where you can camp up to 14-days free. Two people stopped me to say my right brake light was out. Something else to add to the list. Quiet and dark with a few RVs scattered around and a spectacular sunset complete with saguaros.
Kenny at KB very helpful and chatty. He’s from Idaho and likes the idea of forest camping at the North Rim. Bought four of those plastic lego-like levelers to use instead of heavy boards and a 7/8 wrench for propane tanks. Took the lens cover off to get bulb numbers and although I changed out a dull one didn’t help until I scrubbed off some corrosion on the ground connection. Another walk across the street to KB for the wire brush. They didn’t have the faucet part I need and recommended RV Lifestyles at the other end of town. They had a few more choices but not the one I need and sent me to Herbs Hardware. At least everybody knows what’s around town. Herbs had yet a larger selection but still not the one I need so they recommended Ace in Blyth having a large selection.
I finally left Quartzsite at 2:30p. Past Dome Rock Road which I think is another boondock site but don’t know if it’s long-term or not. A northwest wind buffets me around a little bit. Lots of truck traffic on I10. Crossing the not so mighty Colorado River and welcome to California with an Agriculture Inspection Station where I was waved right through. The Huge Ace Hardware in Blythe didn’t have the part either and they sent me down the road to Valley Palms RV but no luck. I may end up replacing the whole faucet but don’t relish the idea of crawling into the cupboard below the sink to get to it. I did gain an hour entering California’s Pacific time and good thing with all the time I wasted trying to find this part.
I’d hoped to stop at the Imperial Sand Dunes for some photos but there’s just no place to pull over and the crazy crowds of RV toyhaulers and trailers full of toys hell bent on tearing up the dunes doesn’t appeal to me. I see a sharp contrast between the north natural side of the dunes and the south side covered with ORV tracks everywhere. Glad some of it is spared.
As I continue west the haze increases and I don’t know if it’s clouds or Los Angeles pollution, or both. Feels about an hour later than it is because the sun’s so low. Damn daylight savings. The air stinks as I pass stock yards full of cattle crammed into small areas standing in their own slop. It’s enough to make me a vegetarian, almost.
Desert Slo-mo
From Salton City turned off onto S22, a lumpy, bumpy, bouncy road that thank goodness smoothed out for most of the 30 mile drive to the park’s visitor center. At first glance it’s just brown erosion, but in the canyons and mountains there are greens and oranges mixed with the shades of brown. Ocotillos rise like fountains, their marvelous twisted wood showing rows of shell-shaped leaves that appear briefly only after rain. Picked up a map and information about the many places to camp for free and at 3:30p parked off Rockhouse Road where I have a signal and big view. With 634,000 acres to explore I could be here for a while. Other RVs are in sight but not close, respecting each others privacy.
Sunday being the Winter Solstice I just hung out for the day. But I did have company and finally got to meet bloggers 
