Patagonia in Arizona, March 2022 and March 2023

Blog Resurrection ...

I haven't updated this Blog in seven years, and we have been to so many NEW places in these past years that it seems prudent to do so now.

We were looking for a quiet spot to rest for a couple of weeks before making the 4-day drive home in both 2022 and 2023, and found the small town of Patagonia perfect.  Side note - I highly recommend the bakery in town.

	Our campsite on Harshaw Road. There are many boondocking sites on this road before you get to the Hermosa Mine, as well as on San Rafael Valley Road.  Most sites are big enough for large RVs.
	Javelina on the Harshaw Road. About 8 miles up the road from Patagonia is the old Harshaw Townsite and the cemetery across the road. There is only one building left, but the cemetery is interesting, and there is boondocking at this spot. Read more on Harshaw and other local "ghost towns".
	The Patagonia Museum portrays the history of this town and area of Arizona. This is the jail tree, meant simply to hold prisoners, usually drunks, prior to 1937.
	At Patagonia Lake State Park. Being March, a lot of teenagers and kids were here for their Break. The campground was full, and the beach area was packed. The reservoir is used for swimming, boating, and fishing.
	I fell in love with these Arizona Sycamore trees. Their bark is so white, and against that deep blue Arizona sky paints a vivid picture. Photo taken along San Rafael Valley Road.
	The Fray Marco de Niza Historical Landmark on the Duquesne Road. GPS 31.33894044994597, -110.62755541429092
	The Lochiel Schoolhouse being restored by the Patagonia Museum.
	Mining was and still is prevalent in this area. There is currently an open mine on Harshaw Road, the Hermosa Mine, where they are developing the zinc-lead-silver deposit, and studying the manganese-zinc-silver deposit for possible development. Because of this activity, mining trucks do frequent Harshaw Road. I heard that as of 2024, Harshaw Road is closed to through traffic at the mine site. This headframe is not part of the Hermosa Mine, but left over from the late 1800s or early 1900s. It is between Harshaw and Mowry.
	A drive up Gardiner Canyon looking for new boondocking sites brought us to Kentucky Camp. We had an interesting chat with the friendly caretaker. A cabin can be rented on-site and is often used as a base for hiking the Kentucky Camp Trail. There are also many boondocking sites for any size RV on Gardiner Canyon Road.
	We also drove up Flux Canyon, which required 4x4 in a few spots, but leveled out to a nice, dirt road at the top of the "mountain". This was our view during lunch. The road ended at a locked, gated entrance at the back of the Hermosa Mine.

Sonoran Desert National Monument in Arizona, February 2022

I haven't updated this Blog in seven years, and we have been to so many NEW places in these past years that it seems prudent to do so now.

We had looked for the Sonoran Desert National Monument before, but had never seen any signs for it. I don't really recall any off the interstate driving through in 2023 either. Signs on Vekol Valley Road warned us about drug and human smuggling in the area because it is close to the southern border, but we had no problems in our two weeks here.

	Our initial plan was to camp in the BLM campground at the Painted Rock Petroglyph Site just north of I-8 and west of Gila Bend. But we always prefer to camp in non-developed boondocking areas for better privacy and solitude, so Brad called the BLM office and they recommended camping on Vekol Valley Road which is just south of I-8 about half way between Gila Bend and Casa Grande. We found a great spot about 1 mile south of the highway backing onto a huge arroyo. We couldn't have been happier. There are several spots along the road, and a large camping area about 2 miles from the interstate with a parking lot that Border Patrol seems to use to bring in ATVs. There were about a dozen campers strewn around this area. The road in is dirt/gravel, and accessible for the first few miles by any vehicle. This is the view from our campsite.
	Just past the large parking area I mentioned above, the road forks. If you go left (east), you find the abandoned Vekol Cattle Ranch with several buildings. This outdoor fireplace looks to have malachite or some other mineral embedded in the rock.  GPS 32.807111, -112.244076
	Another abandoned cabin at the old ranch site.
	This structure confused us. It is in the shape of t or cross, and clearly visible on Google Maps. A search on the internet found that it was built as a slaughterhouse when this area was used for ranching, but it was never used and burned to the ground, possibly from a lightning fire.  GPS 32.736886, -112.232749
	Back at the fork in the road, if you go right, and past the burned down slaughterhouse, take another left several miles south (possibly there were signs to the Table Top Mountain Peak Trailhead or Lava Flow South Trailhead, I can't recall - GPS of the intersection 32.718020, -112.228628), you will find some lovely sonoran desert scenery and a small campground NOT suitable for RVs. There is also a pit toilet here, and the trailhead for Table Top Mountain Peak. We didn't climb the trail, but we enjoyed the views while having lunch.
	Being spring, and having been a wet winter, wildflowers were blooming everywhere.

White Rim Road in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, October 2022

Blog Resurrection ...

I haven't updated this Blog in seven years, and we have been to so many NEW places in these past years that it seems prudent to do so now.

The White Rim Road is a checked Bucket List trip. Campsites and a road permit have to be pre-booked months in advance. We drove this 100 mile long primitive road with friends Paul and Sue who drove their Jeep, and Dolores in her Dodge RAM 4x4. Campsites are also primitive, which means sleeping in a tent, something I haven't done in many, many years. But I was willing to put my comfort aside for this trip of a lifetime.

	This is the Shafer Trail which is one way of accessing the White Rim Road from the Visitor Centre in Canyonlands National Park. We drove in from Moab on the Potash Road, and exited 3 days later on Mineral Bottom Trail. You can choose which direction to drive the road, just know that many sections are single-lane.
	The view from Potash Road heading towards the White Rim Road.
	Near Thelma and Louise Point and below Dead Horse Point State Park, a view of the Green River (which isn't so green here) along the Potash Road.
	It's a long way down. The White Rim Road sits about half way between the Islands in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park which is about 800 feet above and the Green River some 800 feet below. I know this photo is small, but maybe you can see our two vehicles parked in the crescent of the overhang, and some of our group standing there also.
	Setting up camp for our first night at Gooseberry Campground A. We have an amazing view of the snow-capped Manti-Las Sal Mountains at sunset. This first night was freezing, going down to 28F or -2C. And my air mattress deflated in the middle of the night so I ended up sleeping on the slickrock. All part of the experience, right?
	This rock has eroded with what looks like two hammers on either end.
	Storm clouds developed as we were setting up camp on our second night at Candlestick Campground. The sun is setting causing the red rocks to glow against that dark, cloudy backdrop. Spectacular. We did get a light sprinkle in the night, and the winds picked up, and it was still really cold, but we survived, and the scenery made it worthwhile.
	Paul in his Jeep going up the Murphy Hogback. This was on the last day and while the ascent and descent were steep, it was not extremely difficult.  Hardscrabble Hill was more scary with its tight switchbacks and steep dropoffs.
	The road had finally descended to the Green River, and we had this lovely view. We averaged about 11 mph or 18 kph overall during the 3-day drive. Much of it is very bumpy over slickrock, with some sandy stretches.
	More views from the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park showing the White Rim Road (if you can see it on the left between the two eroded canyons).
	The White Rim Road might be slightly more visible in this photo as it comes from the bottom left and skirts the eroded canyons as it continues to the top right.  Photo was also taken from Island in the Sky.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this trip, for me it was tough. Sleeping in a tent in freezing cold weather, bumping along in a pick-up truck all day, rushing to get to our reserved campsite and set up our gear before dark were all part of the adventure. I think we could have used one more day to better explore some of the side roads and hikes along the way. However, I wouldn't do it again, but I am glad I did it.  Bucket List Trip - CHECK!

Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and Utah, Fall 2022

Blog Resurrection ...

I haven't updated this Blog in seven years, and we have been to so many NEW places in these past years that it seems prudent to do so now.

We started our 2022-2023 trip in Lewes, Delaware at Cape Henlopen State Park with family. However, since it was really a family vacation, I am not posting any photos here. Cape Henlopen is a lovely park bordered by Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean with beaches, fishing, cycling, etc. Following our week here, we were supposed to visit friends Mike and Julie in the mountains of North Carolina, then visit friends Barbara and Wayne in Central Florida, however Hurricane Ian changed all of that and we decided to make a run for Colorado since it was still only the end of September. We haven't been to Dinosaur National Monument (which sits on the border of Utah and Colorado) since 2012 and have always wanted to return. And so we did ...

	We found excellent boondocking just off of Harper's Corner Road, on Blue Mountain Road with a view of the valley below us and mountains south of us.  It doesn't get much better than this!
Split Mountain Area
	At the Split Mountain boat launch on the Green River.  This is a typical take-out point for rafters.
	The Cub Creek Petroglyphs on the road to the Josie Morris Cabin.
	The Josie Morris Cabin which she built and lived in from 1905-1964 until about age 90! She had a garden, fruit trees and some livestock. She dug her own irrigation trenches in this harsh environment.
Island Park
	The Island Park area is spectacular. The small primitive campground, Rainbow Park, is on the Green River and suitable for tents, car camping, and vans. The road is accessible by most vehicles in good weather. This photo is taken from the Island Park Overlook, just past the campground.
	Another view from the Island Park Overlook. The cottonwoods and aspens are almost in full fall foliage.
	The Green River is popular with rafters. I suspect these rafters put in at the Gates of Lodore in the very north of the park, and will take out at Split Mountain.
	The abandoned Ruple Ranch on the Green River.
Yampa Bench Road and Echo Park
	The Yampa Bench Road provides sweeping views of the Green River and vertical cliffs that tower above it. 4x4 is recommended.
	At the western end of Yampa Bench Road is Echo Park and this feature called Steamboat Rock. There is a primitive campground here at Echo Park for small vans, cars and tents, although 4x4 is necessary to navigate the roads here.
Gates of Lodore and Loop Drive
	Getting to the Gates of Lodore in the northern-most section of the park takes almost 2 hours from the town of Dinosaur, CO, but it is worth it. Here is a group of rafters who had just put in at the Gates of Lodore Campground, which would accommodate RVs up to about 30'.
	Just north of the Gates of Lodore is Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge. Due to the time of year (early October), we didn't see many fowl, but the drive through the park on Wildlife Drive was really nice.
	From the northwest end of Wildlife Drive, we took the Swinging Bridge across the Green River, and followed Crouse Creek Road. The bridge is VERY narrow. Our truck had mere inches to spare on either side. Here I am on Crouse Creek Road.  Google Maps has marked a spot on this road as a Hideout for Butch Cassidy, but we didn't see the cave which is apparently high up on the canyon wall.
	Crouse Creek Road ended at Jones Hole Road, which we drove to the Fish Hatchery. It was getting late in the afternoon, so we hiked just a bit of the trail at the end of parking lot. This, I assume, is Jones Hole Creek. What a beautiful spot.
Fantasy Canyon
	Fantasy Canyon isn't far from Dinosaur National Monument, and just south of the town of Vernal, so we take a day trip there from our campsite. It is a protected area of weathered grey sandstone in the midst of oil and gas drilling.
	The stange shapes created by erosion show many weird faces!
	We roam the area for hours. There are picnic tables and a porta-potty on-site, but no overnight camping allowed.
Flaming Gorge
	In the Fall of 2012, we visited the Flaming Gorge, but were just passing through on a cloudy day, so photos were rather blah. So we take a day trip north to this reservoir on the Green River to see it in its spendor. This is Red Canyon, 1,700 feet deep and 4,000 feet across (518m x 1,200m).
	Cart Creek Bridge on Highway 191.
	The Green River below the Flaming Gorge Dam. There is a boat launch behind where I am standing to take this photo.

We are so glad we were able to return to Dinosaur National Monument after 10 years!  We spent two full weeks exploring the park and the area.  Thankfully, we had excellent weather for the duration.  We didn't go back to the Quarry Exhibit Hall this time, although I highly recommend it.  This park does NOT disappoint, and we don't understand why it isn't a national park.

San Diego, California, January 2022

Blog Resurrection ...

I haven't updated this Blog in seven years, and we have been to so many NEW places in these past years that it seems prudent to do so now.

We have briefly visited San Diego twice before - once on our honeymoon many years ago, and again only 5 years later. We have always wanted to return, but as ardent boondockers, San Diego didn't fit the bill. But we decided to bite the bullet and we booked a non-hookup site at Campland-by-the-Bay on Mission Bay. The Mission Bay area is wonderful for cycling. We rode our e-bikes all over - on the Bayside Bikeway, Fiesta Island, Crown Point Park, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach. Getting to and from places was pretty easy from our campground, although the highways get busy during rush hour.

	Although the campsite wasn't cheap ($70/night for no hookups) and we camped on the asphalt, we had a fantastic view of the marina and small beach, the bay and Fiesta Island.
La Jolla
	La Jolla is a very pretty seaside town. It's only a short drive north from Mission Bay.
	Brad being entertained by the ocean waves.
	There are caves you can kayak to in La Jolla, but I don't think this is one of them. We were thinking of taking the kayak tour, but didn't have time.
Coronado Island
	View of the bridge to Coronado Island from Coronado Tidelands Park.
	Hotel del Coronado is iconic for its style. It's been featured in movies including Some Like It Hot (1959), Wicked, Wicked (1973), My Blue Heaven (1990) and most recently in 2016 the fantasy-comedy Daydream Hotel.
Del Mar
	This garden at Del Mar's North Beach was planted and is maintained by a volunteer in memory of his golden retriever who used to love this dog-friendly beach. What a labour of love and devotion.
	North Beach in Del Mar, just north of La Jolla.
Cabrillo National Monument
	Cabrillo National Monument is on a peninsula across from Coronado Island, and a bit more on the wild side. Pictured here is the lighthouse and a U.S. Navy installation.
	The Point Loma Tidepools and cliffs at Cabrillo National Monument.
Balboa Park
	The Spanish-Colonial architecture of the buildings in Balboa Park is beautiful. There are several museums, an art center, science center, and gardens. There are also vendors selling food. It's a lovely cultural place to hang out.
	A pool ending at the Botanical Building.
	The Bea Evenson Fountain.