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Tag: wildflowers

02 April 2019

Dusty 65th birthday camping along Cow Creek Road with flowers

scene & painting from camp Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaIn late February Joann and I took a day drive to explore around the west side of Lake Pleasant finding the perfect views along Cow Creek Road and marked the map thinking to return and camp.  What a difference a month makes.

Gaelyn camp Cow Creek Road BLM Arizona by JoannBecause 65 years ago I was born in an Illinois snow storm but now live in Arizona, I like to run away where it’s unlikely to snow and experience the warm temperatures and flowers of spring in the desert.  Mornings were barely cool and days reached the mid 80s.  Delightful to thaw out after the winter in Yarnell.

Gaelyn Joann Station of Imagination campers Yarnell ArizonaSunday morning we finished the last minute packing in our individual rigs and rendezvoused in front of Joann’s place in town.  Sierra and I hadn’t been out since January’s trip to Kofa for the lunar eclipse.  This was a shakedown cruise for Joann’s RV after recently having some work done.

Joann's RV gravel Castle Hot Springs Road Lake Pleasant Arizona

Cow Creek Lake Pleasant mountains Cow Creek Road ArizonaI followed her down Yarnell Hill to Wickenburg for a quick grocery stop then continued to the second left turn for Castle Hot Springs Road.  After five miles of pavement to the second possible park entrance on the right, we turned left and continued off pavement to Cow Creek Road on the right.  Although some rigs were leaving there was still a lot of traffic with rows of OHVs kicking up dust too thick to easily see through.  Drivers and passengers wore goggles, helmets, and cloth over their faces, gloved hands gripped the wheel and no skin showed through.  With windows up and AC on we crept along.  Eventually Joann waved me in front to find a camp.

dust OHVs from camp Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaOMG!, I thought.  It’s Spring break.  What kind of dusty Hell was I leading us into?  For six miles we slowly crawled up and down and curved around on the well graded gravel past OHV camping, out of the “park”, and on to BLM with no options for boondock.  I kept looking for that view we’d experienced on our previous visit and finally found it with a raised and dusty wide place not far enough off the road esthetically but would have to work.  I stopped and motioned Joann to park watching the right front tire lift completely off the ground going up but nothing in the rear scraped.  After she chose her almost level place I pulled in along the far edge and leveled up with boards.

Lake Pleasant area mapChairs out in the limited afternoon shade and we had camp.  Along with much dusty entertainment, great views, and a signal too.  I texted a map to Sandee who would be joining us Tuesday.

RVs road valley mountains from above camp Cow Creek Road BLM Arizona

desert view South from above camp Lake Pleasant Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaA hillside climb created by OHVs provided 360° views.

Owl eyes clover & lupine flowers BLM Lake Pleasant Arizona

yellow Poppy flowers camp Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaAnd there were patches of flowers scattered around.  Lots of blue lupines, interspersed with deep magenta owls eye clover with its tiny dots of bright yellow, some blue/purple scorpion weed, a few orange poppies, and one white desert chicory.

Joann painting in camp Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaJoann set up her easel and caught the basic view with her watercolors in the late afternoon light.

desert from camp Cow Creek Road BLM Arizona

mountains sunset Cow Creek Road BLM Lake Pleasant ArizonaWe could see flowers over an edge on the west but it was way too steep for a late walk and intensely bright as there were no clouds so there was also not a colorful sunset.  After dinner we sat outside wrapped in blankets and watched the sky, Big Dipper, Orion, and Cassiopeia.

hill saguaros from camp Cow Creek Road BLM Arizona

saguaros mountains from camp Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaShooting all afternoon with the big Nikon I looked at the photos on my laptop that night and was terribly disappointed with the lack of crispness.  Don’t know if it’s me or the camera but I have been shooting with this for seven years, and that’s a lot of clicks.

desert flowers Cow Creek Road BLM Arizona

Owl eyes clover & lupine flowers below camp Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaThe next day I changed to my small mirrorless Nikon, which I’m not really happy with but was hoping the pics might be sharper.  Ha.  Also used my cell phone camera.

desert below camp Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaIn the morning we ventured down the bank via the most gradual place we could find, tip toeing between the glowing jumping cholla and all the little balls of trouble on the ground.  Joann got one stuck to her pants and was reaching for it with her fingers when I yelled stop then grabbed it off between two small rocks.

flowers desert below camp Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaSuch a delightful cactus garden with patches of blooming colors.  Predominantly lupine and clover plus yellow daisy-like Brittlebush, and a blue flower on a tall stem I guessed is wild onion.

Sierra cat in Joann's RV camp Cow Creek Road BLM Arizona by JoannI hadn’t let Sierra out the day before, so after our walk I got brave and just left the camper door open.  She was so good.  Did a little exploring never out of sight and mostly just hung out in the shade watching the world.  Plus she visited inside Joann’s RV.

saguaros valley mountains Cow Creek Road BLM Arizona

orange Globe Mallow & blue Lupine flowers Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaThe rest of the day was primarily moving our chairs around the rigs to sit in the shade and just enjoy, share stories, and laugh.  Still a few dust devil OHVs but not like the race of the day before.  I took a short warm walk in the late afternoon adding splashes of orange Globe Mallow to compliment the blue lupines.

mountains sunset clouds from camp Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaAfter a soft pastel sunset we both called it an early evening.

Bradshaw Mountains sunrise clouds from camp Cow Creek Road BLM Arizona

Bradshaw Mountains sunrise clouds Cow Creek Road BLM Lake Pleasant ArizonaAnd because of that I woke up in time for a colorful sunrise.  First peaked out the window then drug myself out of bed.  A delightful way to start my new year.

Saguaro cactus Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaAnother day mostly just hanging out in camp searching for elusive shade.  Wandering on whim.

donkey Cow Creek Road BLM Lake Pleasant ArizonaOccasionally heard a donkey serenade, “HeeHaw, heehawheehaw, heehawwww.”  Searching hillsides with the binoculars Joann finally found the lone guy.  Look closely in the middle.

Sandee & Gaelyn RVs Cow Creek Road camp BLM Lake Pleasant Arizona by Joann

strawberry shortcakeSandee arrived just after noon and much white knuckling on the gravel hilly drive in.  We shared strawberry shortcake for my birthday.  Then Joann left about 2:30pm.

Mexican Gartersnake in camp Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaWe sat around catching up since our last adventure in Valley of Fire.  Sandee has met up with me before to celebrate my birthday.  Truly, the biggest excitement of the day was Sandee’s sighting of a Gartersnake.

flowers desert valley mountains from camp Cow Creek Road BLM ArizonaBy the next day my sunburned face ached and I felt hot, dusty, tired, and ready to head home.  So I lead the way out at noon and Sandee did much better on this drive.

Weaver Mountains sunset clouds Yarnell Arizona1 1/2 hours later, camper backed into the driveway to unpack.  Enjoyed a spectacular sunset like hoped for out on the desert.  Yet all in all, I had a marvelous time.  Another birthday put to bed with great friends in a beautiful place.

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Arizona, birthday BLM, camping, Cow Creek Road, Lake Pleasant, wildflowers 28 Comments
07 August 2017

Overnight monsoon at Marble View

July 18 & 19, 2017

Two days off work so I headed out to a favorite rim overlook to camp, see how the site would be for August 21st’s partial solar eclipse, and ended up with amazing sunset and rise skies during monsoon at Marble View.

clouds meadow wildflower Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe drive out of the park and into the Kaibab National Forest includes long stretches of meadows with a profusion of wildflowers.

meadow wildflower trees Kaibab National Forest Arizona

clouds meadow flowers Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI allowed plenty of time to stop and photograph smell the flowers along the way.  I was also lucky enough to see deer and bison grazing under a sky full of heavy boiling clouds.

trees FR219 North Kaibab National Forest Arizona

buck mule deer trees FR219 North Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe closer I got to Marble View the narrower the gravel forest roads became.

trees FR219 North Kaibab National Forest ArizonaUntil finally the tree tunnel approach to the end.

old pinyon pine valley stormy sky Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaStormy sky to the north and east greeted me at this tundra like point with a big view all the way to Vermilion Cliffs and beyond.

truckcamper camera tripod clouds stormy Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI parked away from the rim by big Ponderosa Pines to stay out of the wind and still have a view.

paintbrush valley clouds Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThen wandered slowly to the rim looking down for fossils and up at the view keeping a wary eye on the sky.  The wildflowers grow stunted like on the tundra from a lack of soil.

point tree monocline valley Vermilion Cliffs clouds Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaHad several local friends ask if the ammo box under a pile of rocks was still at the end of the point.  However, it’s a bit of a scramble and with storms and possible rain around I opted not to go for it and check.  There’s a decent signal at Marble View so I did send some pics into the cyberworld, mostly from the phone.

truckcamper trees clouds Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaStorms continued to build all afternoon but danced around my isolated point of view.

Gaelyn old pinyon pine valley Echo Cliffs storm Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaIt was love at first sight with this pinyon pine at Marble View overlook many years ago.  A true survivor of many monsoon storms.  It offers shade, counsel, and a fine view of Marble Canyon and Navajo Mountain.

camera on tripod storm Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI spent the afternoon watching the storms from different angles and in different directions.  Used the tripod and tried for lightning.  Sadly, my slow shutter finger didn’t capture any flashes.  I wished for a lightning trigger.

valley Vermilion & Echo Cliffs Navajo Mt reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaJust missed it

valley Vermilion & Echo Cliffs Navajo Mt reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaJust missed it again

valley Vermilion & Echo Cliffs Navajo Mt reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAnd again

Thank goodness for digital because I took 100s of pics trying to catch the lightning.

Gaelyn camera in camper stomy Marble View Kaibab National Forest Arizona

valley Vermilion & Echo Cliffs Navajo Mt reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaMissed it again

valley Vermilion & Echo Cliffs Navajo Mt reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe reverse sunset was looking good.  Then rain began to fall lightly so I set the tripod up in the camper door and continued to try and catch lightning by setting the timer for every three seconds over 30 shots.  The light show was excellent.

stormy reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest Arizona

rainbow red reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAs the last of the reflected sunset color made the sky turn red a vertical rainbow arrived to the east for a really grand show.

sunset crepuscular rays Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaWhile to the west crepuscular rays lit up the sky.

sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest Arizona

lightning Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaFinally!

The show continued and darkness set in when I finally got that long hoped for lightning shot, behind a tree.

sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAnd, believe it or not, I was actually awake in time for sunrise but with the dark low clouds wasn’t sure I’d get much color.

Navajo Mountain sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaBoy was I wrong about that.

Navajo Mountain sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe sun persisted and found a clear opening next to Navajo Mt.

moon sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaEven the crescent moon found an opening in the clouds.

Navajo Mountain sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest Arizona

Vermillion Cliffs valley Navajo Mountain sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI like being able to enjoy morning coffee with a show like this right outside my windows/door/back yard.

sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI should wake up for more sunrises.

23b DSC_2930ahdrlerw sunrise Marble View Kaibab NF AZ fb mss g HDR-Pano-3I know this post is photo heavy because I just couldn’t decide which pics I liked best out of the collection of several 1000.

Hazy Navajo Mountain Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAfter breakfast only low clouds stuck around yet the morning view was bright and hazy.

Annular solar eclipse series North Rim Grand Canyon National Park Arizona2012 Annular eclipse

I tried to figure out what the sun’s trajectory would be for the August 21st eclipse.  Even though it’s only a partial here—starting about 9:13am, peaking at 10:33 at 73.4% and over by noon—I still want to see it, safely with glasses and filter.  I won’t be able to get a landscape at the same time as the sun will be too high in the sky.

FR219 South Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI left camp reluctantly about 11:30 and made many stops for photos of various wildflowers growing under the young aspen.

lupine & aspen Kaibab National Forest ArizonaLupine

Surprised by the amount of growth after last year’s “pruning” I saw aspen trees already two feet tall and one foot for the New Mexican Locust.

28 hdrlewr wildflowers aspen Kaibab NF AZ g collage (1024x576)Fireweed, Paintbrush, Daisy, Aster

Under the young yet larger aspen grew paintbrush, lupine, fireweed, aster, daisy, and more.  The young aspen seem to dance with twists and turns in their trunks caused by the weight of winter snow.

meadow jct FR611 & 25 & SR67 Kaibab National Forest ArizonaFinally back to the main highway, pavement, and home for another week of working at Grand Canyon.

Getting there
This eastern view over Marble Canyon and beyond to Navajo Mountain is an easily reached location on the Kaibab National Forest.  From SR67 between Jacob Lake and the entrance to North Rim Grand Canyon National Park, Forest Road (FR) 611 East, FR 610 South/right curves East and parallels forest and park boundary, FR219 North/left to end.  About 14 miles of typically good gravel road doable by any vehicle if taken slowly.  Space for four to eight camps.  I’ve seen smallish camp trailers and motor homes.  A fantastic place to disperse camp for free on the Kaibab National Forest up to 14 days.

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Arizona, Kaibab National Forest, Marble View, Places I've been, United States camping, forest, monsoon, sunrise, sunset, wildflowers 22 Comments
17 April 2017

Lava and flowers at Mojave Trails National Monument Amboy Crater

March 28-29, 2017

sunflowers Amboy Crater Mojave Trails National Monument BLM CaliforniaThe Southwest spring wind blew me from one lava flow at Fossil Falls to another at Amboy Crater in Mojave Trails National Monument.  Although I’d driven in the area before this was my first actual visit to one of our newest national monuments thanks to President Obama.  But there was no way I had time to visit the entire 2,500 square miles so I chose the easy to access Amboy Crater and hoped for flowers.

Started with a nice tail wind south on US395 but then the darn road turned eastward and the camper really caught it on the side.  Carpets of pepper-grass blanketing the ground between scrub reminded me of the 70s when I decorated my bedroom in harvest gold and avocado green.  BLM signs for places called Spangler Hills and Trona Pinnnacles beckoned for future explorations.

Towns—if you can call the crumbling remains of buildings that time forgot—barely slowed down for.  Red Canyon, Johannesburg, and Randsburg made me wonder if I’d switched countries to South Africa.  At one time mining occurred in these parts and this was a major route.  Now it is littered with living ghost towns and only a few hold outs.

yellow flowers radar US395 South Boron CaliforniaAs I drove along a huge golf ball-shape stood out on a hillside and I whizzed past a stone entrance sign covered with wood.  Strange things occur in the remote desert so I did some homework later.  Not far from Kramer Junction (US395 & SR58) the ball-shape turns out to be a radar antennae operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) but originally built by the US Military as part of an air defense network that provided detection and early warning of non-friendly (enemy) aircraft.  The original Boron Air Force Station was converted to the Boron Federal Prison in 1978 as a minimum security prison meant for white collar non-violent offenders.  Closed in 2000, the facility sits abandoned and falling apart with the assistance of vandals.

Stopped in Barstow for supplies and when coming out of the store noticed something hanging down from under the back end of the camper.  Thank goodness it wasn’t a holding tank but a protective plastic cover with about half the 100 screws in it pulled out.  Now what did I bump?  Crawled underneath to assess the situation and decided to bungee it up rather than take it off and not have a place to put it.  I’m talking a slightly flexible, 4×8, molded chunk of plastic.  All I could do to hold it up with my head while stretching the bungees.  No photos.

Route 66 parallel to I40 East CaliforniaFinally headed east on I40 and looked longingly at the Mother Road, Route 66, running parallel to the go-fast freeway.  I like to lollygag along the old “blue line” highways and saw several tempting exits yet continued to Ludlow before cruising the crumbling, deteriorating, and mega-patched pavement from the past called the National Trails Highway.

I could have pulled off on a dirt two-track anywhere on the BLM but I really didn’t want to do a whole lot of bouncing with this bungee thing going on.

sunset Amboy Crater Mojave Trails National Monument BLM CaliforniaAnd finally, late afternoon, I drove to the end of the newly paved .5 mile road at Amboy Crater then turned back half way to an empty paved lot for the night.  There were a couple RVs in the end lot and I was joined by two others.  Sore and tired I watched the sunset.

sunset Mojave Trails National Monument BLM CaliforniaExcept for the incessant wind and many trains, it was a quiet night.  Fridge wouldn’t light and I don’t get that because it was downside from the wind and plenty of propane.  The stove worked.  This has happened a few times before.  I ate the last of the ice cream.  A sure sign to head home soon.

Amboy Crater trail Mojave Trails National Monument BLM CaliforniaWith barely any wind the fridge lit in the morning and I went back down to the trail head parking.  A 1.5 mile trail leads to the west and open side of the cinder cone, then an 80 foot incline and additional .5 mile rim walk.  Which I guess is not really at the top rim of the 250-foot high cinder cone.

Desert iguana & chuckwalla Amboy Crater trail Mojave Trails National Monument BLM CaliforniaBeing I still had a long drive ahead of me to get back to Arizona that day I just wandered around the lava a bit looking at the pretty flowers and being startled by the skittering lizards.  These two measured over a foot long.

Sunflowers Amboy Crater Mojave Trails National Monument BLM CaliforniaAmboy Crater stands alone in the desert and is a dominant landmark seen for many miles.  A rather young cinder cone last erupting about 10,000 years ago.  It breached on one side and lava flowed for 24 square miles.

wildflower collage Amboy Crater trail National Monument BLM CaliforniaDue to the cone’s youth and lack of mature soil, plant life is limited.  Yet I still found flowers in some pockets of sand captured within the lava flow.

Mojave Trails National Monument at 1.6 million acres is the second largest desert preserve in the world—Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia is larger—and creates wildlife corridor link with Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave National Preserve and several wilderness areas.  The monument’s diverse features include lava fields and cinder cones at Amboy Crater, primitive 4×4 camping at a desert wetland at the Bonanza Spring Watchable Wildlife Area, rock-hounding at the Chambless and Trilobite Mountain sites, and sand dunes in the Cadiz Wilderness.

Route 66 on road Amboy CaliforniaPlus there’s a long stretch of Route 66 which I’d hoped to drive more of to the east when I left but knew the road was closed (and will be until mid-September) just beyond Amboy at the Kelbaker Road north back to I40.  So there I was standing on the side of the road along Route 66 just before the road block and two different vehicles stopped to ask me directions like I would know.  One how to get to Cadiz the other to I40.  And I did know, because I read a map and do my homework.

Colorado River I40 CA-AZ borderYet even planning isn’t often enough.  Google told me four hours to home.  What does Google know about my slow rate of pace.  Even though once I crossed the Colorado River into Arizona it felt like home I had miles yet to go.

wildflowers US93 South ArizonaUS93 South

Dazzos Chicago Style Eatery US93 Wikeup ArizonaFour hours turned into seven because of all the stops I just had to make for flowers, fuel, and to pick up dinner for Berta and I at Dazzos Chicago Style Eatery in Wikeup, Arizona US93 for their world famous Italian Beef sandwich. (BTW there’s an RV Park there too.)

wildflowers SR89 North ArizonaSR89 North Yarnell Hill

Then because it was late I parked in Berta’s drive for the night after we enjoyed a couple hours of catching up.  Much easier than getting home late and wanting to unpack at least the necessities.  So I returned home four weeks and a day after leaving for Valley of Fire.  Been living with wind for almost two weeks and it seems to have followed me home.  Hello Spring in the Southwest.    Ah….chooooooo!

Know before you Go

Carry a paper map in case you have no signal.  Check the monument’s website and road conditions/closures.  Be aware of weather conditions as summer temperatures exceed 110°F and winter nights drop to 36°F.  Heavy rain during summer monsoon can make roads impassible.  Carry, and drink plenty of water.  Fuel up your vehicle because it’s a long ways between services.  Watch for snakes, spiders, and scorpions.  This is a leave no trace landscape so pack it in, pack it out.  Because the US Armed Forces has and still does use the desert for bombing ranges there may be unexploded devices.  Need I say leave them alone.  People have also reported feeling the ground vibrate during “war games” within the nearby military base.

Mojave Trails National Monument map g-2

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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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