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Annie and Charlie's Travel Journal Fall 2004 Trip South Background: For the last several falls it has worked out fine for us to head south with the motor home to put it in storage for 4 months or so. Then we will drive home in the car, (which we drag along with us). The idea is that the motor home will then be pre-positioned in the spring somewhere in the south, when we will then drive back south and resume our journey. This way we avoid driving it through winter weather along with all the attendant salt and corrosion. Friday 9/24/04: We begin by heading for Helena, where we intend to first visit Montana State Historical Museum, and then attend our annual statewide Unitarian gathering at Camp Child (a YMCA facility near Helena). After driving through |
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spectacular fall scenery we arrive at MacDonald Pass (USFS Cromwell-Dixon campground) where we leave the camper, and then head into Helena to the museum where Chim's (Annie's aunt) fine Indian bust is now located, but not yet on display. We got to see it, met with Kirby Lambert of the museum, then looked around the premises. Among the wondrous items, we also find numerous Charley Russell paintings and small sculptures. Update 1/12/05! We just received an e-mail from the museum that our new Governor, Brian Schweitzer, has selected Chim's Bronze for his office. It is traditional for an incoming governor to select objects for their state offices. Quite an honor!! Photto the left shows his office. Saturday, 9/25/04, Sunday, 9/26/04 From MacDonald pass we then retraced our route about six miles to the Camp Child Road. Got there early enough to roost in a good spot. Briefly, the weekend was pretty loosely scheduled with too much time to wander about. We tried to listen to a lecture about the Chaos theory and how it relates to our individual congregations - a bit of a leap of the imagination, frankly. Lasagna dinner, campfire and music, pancake breakfast in the AM and another good service by Lois VanLeer. In the morning, an organizational meeting took place at which we agreed to meet once again next year and to do a lot more structuring during the year. |
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We took off after noon for our favorite camping site on the Madison outside Ennis. A gorgeous day. A couple cars jammed with teenagers roared into the area, carved donuts, one car getting stuck and requiring the whole crew to push it out of the weeds. C took off on his bike to set things straight with them, he took their license numbers, and engaged in a intense unilateral conversation! A safety issue, and all ended well. Monday, 9/27/04, Tuesday, 9/28/04 Wended our way from Ennis down through Yellowstone Park (some delay for road work) and then on to Gros Ventre campground just outside Jackson. Campground is sort of sparsely populated, which is great. On a side road near the entrance we found moose in the woods - a huge bull along with a few cows. Tried to get a good photo but the bull was lying down and the grass partly obscured his face. Early on Tuesday we went seeking these guys again but found only several cows and one smaller bull. We got to Tommy's mid-afternoon and roosted, as usual, by the river. Thunderstorms rumbled and flashed for hours. Wednesday, 9/29/04 The morning was given to C's working on Tom's computer and watching various moose wander through the property. At one point, I was reading in the motor home and completely missed seeing a huge moose cross the river and pass just behind the camper. A little later, I spotted what I though to have been the moose I missed (and I did get good photos) but it turned out to be a different moose entirely. The larger one had eleven points on one side of its horns. Thursday, 9/30/04 Visited Cindi and Corey (took him for lunch) and then had Mexican dinner with the Smiths and Jerry Dunham and Sandy from Eagles Mere, PA (where C grew up). Watched the first presidential debate and then visited with Cheri and Clay. Friday, 10/1/04 C and Tom played mechanic, tinkered, and cussed all AM and part of the PM making the generator work. Had all sorts of parts taken apart. We never use the thing, and that was the problem - the carburetor was all gummed up from disuse.Made a resolution to start it on a regular basis in the future. Temp is dropping, but sky is showing signs of occasional sun. Word of Mt. St. Helens eruption on the news. |
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Made a resolution to start it on a regular basis in the future. Temp is dropping, but sky is showing signs of occasional sun. Word of Mt. St. Helens eruption on the news. Saturday, 10/02/04 Visisted with family, and Charlie and I drove up around Freemont Lake--the foliage was not at its peak because of much rain and wind. Later, we drove up to Elkhart Park. Not many cars parked up there. Sunday, 10/03/04 Drove up to Jackson |
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Monday, 10/04/04 We have a last cup of coffee with Tom, he hands us a fish he just caught right next to us, and we hook up and head south. We watched a large flock of geese heading south. We arrived at Steinaker St.Park ($11) around 3 PM. Got a nice site (only one other camper here) and admired the gorgeous slick rock and sage scenery. Full of brown cottontails and huge jackrabbits! Quakies are at their peak and the junipers are jammed with berries. The weather is a couple shades warmer than in Pinedale and that feels good. Tuesday, 10/5/04 Second day at Steinaker. Drove down to Vernal, passing Pelican Lake, and then to Ouray NWR. The cloudy and rainy day predicted was gorgeously clear, and we sat atop a lookout for lunch and viewed pelicans and geese and ducks on the Green River, along with autumn foliage at a surprisingly windless time. Among the critters we observed at both places were geese, pelicans, bluebirds, several kinds of grebes, coots, daffy ducks, flicker, white-crowned sparrows, marsh hawks, short-eared owls, meadowlarks, pipit, goldfinches (and maybe purple finches), mourning doves, and more. Got a couple pics of mule deer, too. In the eve we watched the Vice Presidential debate--deemed to be a draw. (Remember site #112 when we land here again.) Wednesday, 10/06/04 On our way out of Vernal we stopped at gas station ($1.93) and car wash and then a hardware store--the latter for purchasing mouse traps since we discovered we're inhabited. Here we go again! Drove down UT 40 to CO 139 and then over into UT once again and down to Hal Landing ($5) campground where we had stayed a couple years before. We're not |
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Thursday, 10/07/04 Nice circular drive in the shadows of the La Sal Mts. and gained over 5000' in altitude--up from @3000'. We hit snow on the ground at 10,000'. Large, irregular mosiacs of quakies beamed with gleaming sun, some trees with beautiful large, white trunks. The rabbit bush nearly matched the aspens. Oh--we caught a second mouse, and I think that's it for our free riders. And the price of gas rose seven cents overnight. Later we took a drive along the Colorado up to Potash. Hard to see the river because of the tamarisks. (Two bumper stickers at the grocery store: "Jesus Rocks" and "Peace is Patriotic". New phrase: "Mishap Review Board") Friday, 10/08/04 Made calls to Pinedale then drove through Arches NP. Opted not to do hikes since Charlie was not feeling so well. One road we'd never taken was one from Balanced Rock to Hwy. 191, about 7.5 miles over some bumpy four-wheel terrain. The Jeep held its own. Saturday, 10/09/04 Drove up to Isle in the Sky (Upper Canyonlands), explored every road, including some good camping areas on the left several miles in. Stopped in the Visitors Center. The exciting part of the day was negotiating White Rim Road, a dirt (and rock) road which extends many miles beneath the rim of the canyon. We took it for 4 miles, then veered off onto the Potash Road, another 17 miles--equally challenging. The Jeep did a great job but we saw several Outbacks negotiating the same roadway well. Friday, 10/08/04 Made calls to Pinedale then drove through Arches NP. Opted not to do hikes since Charlie was not feeling so well. One road we'd never taken was one from Balanced Rock to Hwy. 191, about 7.5 miles over some bumpy four-wheel terrain. The Jeep held its own. |
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Saturday, 10/09/04 Drove up to Isle in the Sky (Upper Canyonlands), explored every road, including some good camping areas on the left several miles in. Stopped in the Visitors Center. The exciting part of the day was negotiating White Rim Road, a dirt (and rock) road which extends many miles beneath the rim of the canyon. We took it for 4 miles, then veered off onto the Potash Road, another 17 miles--equally challenging. The Jeep did a great job but we saw several Outbacks negotiating the same roadway well. Sunday, 10/10/04 Took of from Moab and arrived in Canyonlands NP ($5) before 11 AM. There were only two sites large enough for us so we grabbed the one at hand. Sites filled up early. Drove around a bit, rode bikes. Fretted all afternoon over a dog left in a car, apparently for over 8 hours--in heat up to 90 degrees. I squeezed water trough the screened window, as did a neighbor. The rangers can do nothing in this case--calling the police in Monticello 60 miles away did not seem a likely fix. This pup looked a lot like Tucker, and my sadness and anger at the situation were significant. Monday, 10/11/04 Hiked 3 1/2 miles on Slickrock Trail. I think we were first on the trail; numerous times we stopped and listened to the wonderful silence. There were four viewpoints off the main "trail"--Big Spring Canyon, Little Spring Canyon, Island in the Sky, La Sal Mt. In the afternoon we took off on the four-wheel road to Colorado Lookout. It's said to be a seven mile road but I'm sure they must have meant seventeen--or seventy! If we thought the Potash road was challenging, this was in entirely different category! Our Jeep crawled up some of the angriest looking rocks I've even seen on a road, but in an hour's time we pulled over and walked the last mile or so. The view of the river below is probably one that few tourists get to see. An Italian photographer dashed from his car to take our pic as we crawled up massive rocks--which was the road. The few other tourists there were also European. Birds we saw on the trip were juniper titmice, desert sparrows, chickadees, horned larks, ravens, hairy woodpecker, and more. Can't believe that we forgot to bring all our bird books from home! |
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Tuesday, 10/12/04 Full day of travelling. Stopped off at Natural Bridges and along the circular drive we did a shorter hike over slick rock and down toward an arch. Stopped for the night on the Dirty Devil River ($3) near where it meets Lake Powell (near Hite Crossing). Wednesday, 10/13/04 Only a couple hours' drive to Capitol Reef NP (#71, $5). Amazed to see that only about half the campsites were taken (though when we left the whole place was filled up). Rode bikes to the Visitor Center and picked sweet apples from an orchard on the way back--needing to share with a sapsucker, some wasps and a few deer. Drove later down to the Grand Wash and up *** Road, then into Torrey to use the PO (closed) and get a few groceries. Gas in Torrey was $2.17! A few miles back it was still $2.04 (such a bargain…) Third and final presidential debate this eve. Thursday, 10/14/04 Called Abigail for mail and general check in, then "did" the Burr Trail all day. Another gorgeous clear day. Had lunch in The Gulch, as it's called, and came back through Torrey. Twice Charlie tried to use a local small-town Post Office (as well as once yesterday), and they're all closed at the hours we've tried. The place where we bought gas yesterday for @$2.04 went up to $2.19. Oh well… Friday, 10/15/04 We used Park directions to get to Sheet Canyon, 13.3 miles down the Notom road and Burr Trail, but the directions were not correct. Went on a bit further and followed a sign to Oak Canyon, unknown to us. Took the Jeep about 4 miles up a truly Jeepy road, parked it, and then boondocked down into the canyon--not Oak, but a canyon to the side of Sheets (we could not get through the direction we were going). So we made our way up to the top of a cliff and had lunch, enjoyed a few hours of dead quiet, save for the ubiquitous jets above. Saw a bluebird and a canyon wren and a few juncos. Numerous little paw marks in the sand--and ours were the only human footsteps down there. Back home again, we picked some more apples closer to the campground and I made a large batch of applesauce |
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Saturday, 10/16/04 Off to Bryce Canyon NP after gassing up at @2.19 in Torrey. At Bryce we got a site, #4, up on the hill of Loop A. Drove the length of the scenic road, some of it just resurfaced, and then veered off to various viewpoints on the way back. Neither of us felt like hiking. The weather forecast was very ominous sounding - snow at our elevation for the foreseeable future. So we cut short this our stay at Bryce. Sunday, 10/17/04 To Zion NP, after a run out to Bryce Point early in the AM to watch the sun play on the beautiful pinnacles. Timed it just right and just as we were leaving this quiet spot a whole busload of Germans descended in droves. The day is cloudy and the forecast says rain for the next few days. At Zion we got electric site B 31($9), our first of this trip. We took bikes up the Pa'arus Trail, visited the Visitor Center and watched TV for a bit. |
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Monday, 10/18/04 Sort of a gray day, sometimes drizzly. Since we needed to do laundry, we went into Springdale, and later into Hurricaine for food. Charlie was delighted to find non-flavored Metamucil and Prilosec--items not found in any store for weeks. Tried to switch campsites for the remaining days but found that the sites next to the stream are reserved. In the evening we watched the longest play-off baseball game between the Yanks and the Sox. Tuesday, 10/19/04 Looked over other camp sites and changed over to A-16. It's a lot more private, and quite large. Put up the awning to keep some of the territory dry. Trotted over to the Visitor Center and took the shuttle up to Zion Lodge where we had lunch. Then shuttled again up to the end, walked the river walk (looked long and hard for an American Dipper and finally discovered only one), then shuttled home. Drove down into Springdale to pick up mail, and all three thoroughly stuffed envelopes had arrived. Rained on and off, especially in afternoon and evening. Wednesday, 10//20/04 Rain and more rain! Took in the movie at the museum, then later went down to the local cinema and saw two films on large screen--one on native folks in Zion and other Anasazi areas, the second on caribou and reindeer. I perused the local pottery shop and then we drove east up through the tunnel to see the myriad of waterfalls pouring over the slick rock. Miniature rivers raced down the cracks of Checkerboard Mesa and the sandy areas we had hiked before were now rushing streams. Numerous cars were up there doing the same thing. Certainly pity the guys camping here in tents! Watched the Sox beat the Yankees--and when the Sox were leading, the fans were throwing balls and anything they had out at the players. Cops in riot gear were called in. Thursday, 10/21/04 …and even more rain. In fact, yesterday had the highest amount of rain for that date ever here in Zion. Early this AM Clay called and asked how we were because he had heard that the Virgin River was flooding at 15 feet. We got up and walked over to the bridge to make sure it wasn't going to get flooded out, but it seemed that the crest had happened around 10:30 last evening. Went down to the library to use the computers, then in the afternoon we drove through the tunnel once again, out the park and up North Fork Road. There are some rich folks' ranches up there. In the park, the waterfalls were not as abundant nor as prolific as the previous day. Friday, 10/22/04 Well, guess what? It rained all through the night and most of the day, but toward day's end it did begin to clear. Hard to believe that we haven't been able to hike at all during these days at Zion. In the morning we drove up Kolab Reservoir Road, but got only about halfway up. The temp descended a degree or so each mile we went up, and we finally turned around when we got into serious slush on the road. Cleaned up the motor home inside and got dumped so can get a good start in the morning. (For next time, site #B 54 is also a good site.) |
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Saturday, 10/23/04 Left by 8:30 and the day is gorgeous! As in every year, we noticed there are even more homes built around St George. The Virgin River near St. George had only a small amount of water in it--unbelievable after all the cresting and flooding a couple days ago. Stopped for gas in Mesquite @ $2.36/gal. Unbelievable. Around 11:30 we got to Valley of Fire SP ($14) and got the only empty campsite in Arch Campground (#17). This place reminds me of City of Rocks in New Mexico--each site has rock formations to nestle into. The Visitor Center down the road is quite informational, and we drove to various overlooks: White Domes (where we did a hike through deep sand and through great rock formations), Rainbow Vista, Fire Canyon and more. |
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Wednesday, 10/27/04 to Friday 10/29/04 In the morning we moved the MH to storage as planned and took off to the north. Sure enough, we didn't get far before it began to rain and storm - at times quite hard - which lasted pretty much for the next 1280 miles and three days - most of the way home. It was particularly bad north of Salt Lake when we were dealing with both the heavy rain and traffic at the same time. Over Malad summit, and later over Monida pass, it turned to snow and slush which the Jeep doesn't like as it's wheel-base it a bit to short and it is generally unstable in slush. Otherwise it was an OK trip but a tiring one. |
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Sunday, 10/24/04 It was a hard call but because of clouds we decided to leave (it cleared up beautifully later) but Valley of Fire is a place we'll revisit. It seems to be a place popular with folks from Las Vegas--a wonderful place for kids to climb on hundreds of formations. As we left the park we went by more Paleozoic mountains, some with red intrusions showing vividly. We reached Lake Mead and followed it for a long time. We'd go by miles of baron land and suddenly see a huge marina. The lake is very low. We drove down to Needles (gas prices there $2.80), saw an increasing number of Joshua trees, drove through Searchlight and witnessed the usual smog over the mountains. |
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Then on to Lake Havasu--much more built up--and on to River Island St. Pk. (#1, $14), south of Parker Dam. This area has been going through an overhaul and is hardly attractive now with no grass and sparse plantings. As we were looking for ducks in the river, we watched a young woman who's jet ski had stopped dead in the water. Evidently she decided to swim to shore dragging the jet ski - but she had a tiny baby screaming in her arms as well. There was no way we could get there too help, but before long a boat came by and rescued the duo. I could hardly believe my eyes at her decision to take an infant out on the river. Monday, 10/25/04 We decided to try to find a new site at another park that does not have such traffic noise. First, we went to Parker Dam to make sure we had a storage place. We did, and doing the contract for Inge was easy because we used the one we'd had two years ago. Explored La Paz County Park and decided instead to move to Buckskin Mountain St. Pk. just down the pike (#14, $20). It's larger and a lot quieter and has riverfront areas--though we close to live by a hill. Went into Parker to do laundry, get some boxes for packing, and get new wipers. Charlie washed Ms Roo and we did some other sorting and cleaning. Tuesday, 10/26/04 A day of sorting and tossing and hauling and packing. We never seem to travel light! Looked at weather channel and it seems we're in for some poor weather for traveling. Wind is starting to blow and clouds are coming our way. |