Chapter 14 - Homeward Bound

Tuesday, October 12 - We woke up to snow and 27 degrees in Flagstaff this morning.

We drove about three hours to Gallup. The rigs were quickly trashed with snowmelt.

Wednesday, October 13 - 32 in Gallup this morning.

Thursday, October 14 - 37 in Albuquerque this morning. We went SE to Fort Sumner to Sumner Lake SP. The office was closed, so we registered with the iron ranger. Then we found every site was a reservation site. So I called the number and was told site 9 was cool. We parked, had a Dorothy burger for lunch and a nap. Then the park host came to tell us we had to move as the site was reserved. He put us in the group site which was OK but came with cockleburs. 

@$%&#$& reservations. We want to go back to 2017 when not everyone had an RV, most people had to show up at an office weekdays and the campgrounds were empty.

We wanted to eat a steak at Perini's in Buffalo Gap. But, being a Saturday night they had no reservations before 4pm.

Friday, October 15 - Making progress, only 41 this morning in Ft. Sumner.

I am more sensitive to heat and cold in the last year. Especially heat. Dorothy is cooking and I am in the back and a heatwave encompassed me. I cut on the exhaust fan and had her open the front escape hatch to allow the heat an exit path.

We got gas for $2.85 in Muleshoe, TX. It was $3.09+ in the towns east and west there. That's a dollar less than we were paying in SW Utah.

We parked in the Waylon Jennings city RV park in Littletown. Free, but donations are accepted. I donated.

Saturday, October 16 - 44 this morning. We drove SE on US84, a fairly smooth road. All Texas roads are superior to those in New Mexico. Two states with best and worst cases. We stopped at a city park which is actually in the country. It and the adjacent golf course are owned by Sweetwater. W&E for $15 and a place I could wash the vehicles of the snowmelt from five days ago. Just us and one other RV in a large campground.

We stayed here a decade back. They were having a BBQ cookout and since we did not know anyone, we served as judges. Some good stuff and some that needed a lot of beverage to get the taste out of your mouth. They supplied all drinks, including beer.

It is certainly welcome to see trees and green grass. The campground has Cedar trees. I can not recall the type. I will call them enchanted.

Sunday, October 17 - It was 50 this morning. We got away at 7:30 so we could get to Coopers BBQ by 11:30. We had never taken this route through Texas. We had taken routes 50 miles away, but this one was more scenic. Lots of trees and green grasslands. We had prime rib. It was delicious.

I woke up from my nap warm. It was 82 inside. So I cut on the AC. That's way different from buttoning up the rig with Reflectic and running two gas heaters as we have done the last two weeks.

We have passed numerous rural car dealerships and noted their lots are almost empty. Dealers in cities have more stock.

Monday, October 18 - 54 this morning. Did laundry for the last time. Had ribs at Cooper's. Dorothy was under the weather all day from the BBQ sauce she had yesterday. Delicious, but deadly.

There may be more deer in the Texas Hill country than flies. It's big business. I liked the juxtaposition of Propane and Deer.

Tuesday, October 19 - We drove under overcast skies through some of the best-looking ranch land we have seen in Texas. West of Rockland. Parked at Lake Bryan which seems to be a part of Texas A&M. I lay down in the pavilion and enjoyed the breeze. I watched eight teams sail Vanguards. They did not do any drills or races. Just milled about.

I don't think we saw water in a single river bed until we got to Texas. There is water in the river beds here. Utah, Arizona, New Mexico are dry folks.

Wednesday, October 20 - 60 degrees today. A high of 88 is predicted. We are at Magnolia Ridge, a COE park on B. A. Steinhagen Lake near Jasper, Texas. It's a large property. The sites are anywhere from 50 yards to a 1/4 mile apart. The lake is swampy, with lots of cypress on the shoreline. Comes with alligators.

Morning temps the last seven days. The low was in Flagstaff. 27, 32, 37, 41, 44, 50, 54, 60.  I stored the space heater two days back. With the warming temps, we have been gaining something else, DEW. And today HUMIDITY.

Thursday, October 21 - Louisiana today. We used to drive from Birmingham to Baton Rouge in a day. About 8 hours. We will take three days.

We landed in a city park in Opelousas the center of zydeco music. RV's on both sides of us, but no one home. One is abandoned. The security guy said they are going to have it towed. Oh well, it's fine with us. The cost $11, if anyone comes by to collect.

We had a divine meal at Cafe Sydnie Mae in Breaux Bridge, LA. Shrimp and lobster in a sherry cream sauce. We drove back in the dark. So what? Well, we don't see for shit in the dark. It was an exciting ride.

Outside Cafe Sydnie Mae, who is a state senator

Yummy!

Friday, October 22 - We drove east an hour to take an hour off tomorrow's drive to Mobile. We parked at the LSU Equestrienne center. Our last day out and it was the highest - $40. Ate at an old standby Mike Anderson's. We both had a fried platter. Too much fried.

Saturday, October 23 - We visited with old friends, Nancy and Ken, in Mobile.

Sunday, October 24 - Home. 

Recap: Five months and a week. 9,650 miles. The weather we experienced just after we were in Cedar City made our decision to start home. It would take us three weeks. We started back with a two-day stay in Cathedral Valley on October 1.  We eased down the road to Torry where we stayed for four days. We had one of the best boondock sites of our lives there.

Then we moved faster, single nights at Hole-In-The-Rock and Red Rock Canyon. Then Hancock Road (Kanab), Paria, Flagstaff, Gallup, Albuquerque, Sumner Lake, Littlefield, Sweetwater, Llano, Lake Bryan, Jasper, Opelousa, Baton Rouge, and finally Mobile. That’s 18 stops.

The camera is stored until the next trip.

Chapter 13 - Utah and Heading Home (Sadly)

Monday, October 4 - I tried to find the road into Cathedral Valley. I did not go east far enough. Why did I not look at my maps before leaving or take one with me? Stupid! By the time, I discovered my mistake it was too late in the day to do the drive. It is supposed to rain tomorrow and that may render the roads impassable for a day or more.

Cap Reef has always been our fav park. Each time it seems more impressive. It's always been the least visited park in Utah. That may still be true, but like everywhere else this year there are a lot of folks here. Fortunately, Covid prevents a lot of foreigners from coming reducing the number of Cruise America RV's that always seem to park blocking roads.

Tuesday, October 5 - A rainy and chilly day. We did laundry. The sun peeked out in the late afternoon. There may not have been enough rain to trash the dirt roads. The trails are to be highly respected as there is Bentonite in the soil. Which is as slick as owl poop. I may try the trail in mid-morning and hope to see tire tracks.

Wednesday, October 6 - The weather report was way off base. Instead of 80% rain, the day dawned sunny with no clouds. We headed 20 miles east and took the Caineville Road towards Cathedral Valley. The road was smooth and dry. The rock formations were quite different from those to the west. Some were quite dark in color. We went about 10 miles without seeing a soul, then two oncoming Jeeps met us. It was another scenic drive.

Stay another day and drive down to the water pocket fold one more time or head south and do the end trip drive I have been waiting to do for a year? Fall is here. Snow is forecast for next Tuesday. Hard to believe when it's 73 outside right now. The forecast low is 25. I am thinking it's time to head east. Stop in Llano and eat BBQ for two days, then Louisiana to eat some Cajun.  We have now spent 2200 nights in Koko!

Thursday, October 7 - Decision made. We will start our trek for Alabama today. So we will head down UT12 once again this morning. The sunrises in our campsite have been glorious each morning. A home right in this place would be delightful.

All below were taken from our campsite

We have driven UT12 several times. Each time it seems more extraordinary than I recall. Today was no exception, even with overcast skies. You start by climbing Boulder Mountain to 9,600 feet through endless groves of Aspens which remain in full color. The descent into Escalante country is always amazing to my eye. 

Surprisingly, there was little traffic this morning which allowed my 35mph looky-loo speed not to hinder others.

At noon, we parked on the Hole-In-the-Rock road. No scenic views, but after being in transit for 3.5 hours we were tired. It's a very large parking area with cedar trees providing privacy. The rigs are spread out at some distance from each other.

I had kinda thought we might drive Hole-In-the-Rock to the end this year, just for kicks. But with the impending rain tomorrow there is no way I will chance it. Ditto, for accessing the White Wave. Reasons to live another year.

Four months ago, I was bitching about it being daylight at 5am. Now I am bitching as first light is not until 7:30. It never ends.

Dorothy is remarkable. At home, she fills a kitchen garbage can each and every day. In KoKo she fills a much smaller can every day. 

Friday, October 8 - A very light drizzle started at 8:30 when we got away. It drizzled off and on as we drove south. Neither of us remembered the terrain from Hole-In-the-Rock to Tropic, which is just outside Bryce - where the caramel-colored formations start. The picture at the top of this blog was taken there many years ago. We have never explored the area we covered this morning and we should.

On a long shot, I told Dorothy to turn into Red Rock Canyon FS CG. I thought we might snag a site being 10:30 in the morning. Surprise, we are one of four in the CG. This place is usually full. So we have a paved spot to park - no red mud on the rig. Plus they have water and dump. Life is good.

Dorothy sees Sheep on the right

It's been 11 days since we got groceries so we can get a few things in Panguitch and more in Page in a few days.

If the rain is not enough to trash the roads, we can try to get to the Pinnacles tomorrow.

Saturday, October 9 - We stopped just north of Kanab, found a parking place on Hancock Road, and got lost trying to find Red Canyon. There are several staging areas for the numerous trails in Hog Canyon where Red Canyon. After ten miles on the worst roads ever - caused by ATVs - we got to Red Canyon about 3. Too late for much light to enter the narrow slot. We walked about halfway as it's Dorothy's fav slot.

We call these cow patty rocks

Red Canyon Slot

I asked a few people and studied several maps, but I still have no idea where the Pinnacles are located in Hog Canyon.

Dorothy was too tired to fix dinner and suggested we eat in Kanab. Escobar's is a fav of ours and so we went there to find it's closed on Saturdays! We wound up at Subway, with three very disinterested workers. They were out of most breads and did not even have any oil and vinegar.

Most people use the interstates to get between Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion. In doing so they miss the wonders of UT12. Fine with me as I like to drive about 15mph on sections of the highway. We left Capitol Reef, parked just outside of Bryce [in the rain - grumble] and are now near Zion wheeling the sand roads adjacent to the park. We get the scenery without the crowds. Besides the CG's are full with reservations only.

Our camping fees so far this month are $15.50.

Sunday, October 10 - The roads dried out fast, at least in Kanab. But cold weather is coming. Snow Tuesday and temps in the mid '20s for several days after. We don't want to, but it's time to head south and east. First heat, now cold weather, and smoke for pretty much of the five months we have been on the road.

We decided to have another go in Hog Canyon to the White Throne. On the way, I hooked into the deep sand and we had fun playing in it for a half-hour. 

We got back to KoKo at noon and headed to Kanab for lunch at Escobar's. In another half-hour, we were at the Contact Station. We thought we would park in the "premium" spots on the mesa, but the road was washed out.

Monday, October 11 - We left Utah. Sadly. Down the sorry road of US89. We parked in the forest just north of Flagstaff. Dorothy is making pork chops and sweet potatoes for dinner. Big front moving through - high winds.

Tuesday, October 12 - High winds and some rain continued through the night. It was 27 this morning.

Chapter 12 - Utah - Woohoo!

Tuesday, September 21 - There is something about state parks that makes people do odd things. Yesterday, we saw a 70+ yo guy jogging in the heat. He looked miserable. Today, there is a 50+ yo woman making loops around our loop - jogging with hand weights. It's 89! And screw the dry heat.

I was outside from 8 to 10 using the vacuum to remove some of the four months of accumulated dust from the carpets in the Jeep and KoKo. I had to quit. Too damn hot in the sun. 

We vegged and read the afternoon away. Dorothy was just too tired to do anything.

She cooked perfect eggs, with potatoes and English muffins for breakfast. She fixed my normal birthday lunch of meatloaf, creamed potatoes and English peas. And sweet tea - the first we have had the whole trip. [She also got bacon the other day - another trip first] For dinner she is making fish tacos.

I have lost 30 pounds in the last four months. Some due to diet. Probably more due to Leukemia. Had to punch a third extra hole in my belt.

Tomorrow, we will head north to Winslow and stay at Homolovi SP. We have not been there since 2008. This time we will go on the Indian Reservation looking to photograph some of the painted desert that adjoins the Painted Desert NP. 

We have had hookups more on this trip than any other trip by a wide margin.

134 nights total - so far

33 nights in RV parks

68 total nights with electricity. (Includes staying with friends, COE etc)

It's been hot folks.

Wednesday, September 22 - I spent an hour this morning cleaning windows. Damn, they were dirty. The front window on KoKo was filthy in slant light.

The fire smoke was barely noticeable today.

We headed east to Winslow and Homolovi State Park where we stayed our second night in KoKo in 2008 on the way home from California. This time to try to get a few decent images of the Painted Desert.

We stopped along the way at Walnut Canyon NM. I had no idea what it was. It was another Indian Ruin as described much like Mesa Verde - farming on top with living below the rim. There were 267 steps, so we passed. We had lunch in the parking lot.

We have been watching The Sopranos, Southland and The Wire for the last month or two. One episode a night. This time we have subtitles on The Wire so we don't have to guess what was said.

Dorothy cooked a pot roast with carrots and potatoes. She had been wanting this dish for some time. It takes a while, even in the pressure cooker. The heat from the stove challenged the ac. I think the stove won. The roast was quite tasty.

Anyway, dinner put us a few minutes late getting to an overlook for the painted desert, 13 miles north of us. Still managed to get several images in the last minutes of the golden hour.

My fav. I like this formation better than the like ones on Cottonwood Road, John Day, and a few other places.

Thursday, September 23 - We did the tourist thing in the morning. We went into Winslow ( Dorothy did stand on the corner) and people watched. Had a lousy Tex-Mex lunch and came back to KoKo for a nap. At 4 we went back to the painted desert looking for mesas with some color. We found none and returned to the canyon we photographed yesterday. Today we were there at the start of the golden hour and got some decent images. A massive gray storm cloud then obscured the sun and that was the end of that.

UTAH

Friday, September 24 - We made it to Utah, barely. Lone Rock is just across the state line. The reports are true, there not much water in the reservoir.

See the brown line? That full pool.

We wanted to stay at an RV park on the reservation near Tuba City and photograph a canyon that was supposed to be Bryce-like but with different colors. The RV park must have folded. No signage. There was a nasty road. I did not want to take KoKo down it just for fun. We could see there was a canyon. But there was no place that I felt comfortable leaving KoKo while we explored. So we returned to US89 and returned to Page.

We got to Lone Rock around 2pm and it was not uncomfortably warm. By 4pm I was quite warm. The sun ball dropped at 6:30 and it was quite pleasant.

Saturday, September 25 - It was cool enough until noon, then quite warm until after 9. 

We had a sunset that lasted an hour. First, it illuminated the clouds in the east - about 120 degrees of pink clouds. Then we got a light show in the west. I did not bother to take pictures since the colors the camera captures are never the same as what I see. 

Sunrise at Lone Rock

Sunday, September 26 - We headed west on one of our fav roads - US89 where it cuts through a portion of the Vermillion Cliffs. Some of the best scenery in the country. I gave up trying to take pictures of it because you would need a wide-angle lens - at least as wide as what the eye sees to capture it. And then print it about 12 feet long and 8 feet high.

We know every road that turns off 89 and call them out before we get there. All too soon you get to the sorry roadside town of Colorado City. Then Gooseberry Mesa comes into view followed by peeks of the towers of Zion.

Our destination was much less scenic - the sandhills of Sand Hollow State Park. This park must account for 25% of the state budget. It's a money machine. Thousands come on the weekends for the lake, several hundred more on all manner of sand vehicles.

We aired down to my normal 18 pounds. And quickly found that was too much pressure for the extremely fine and dry sand. So I went to 12 pounds. And that did the trick.

I am too much of a dinosaur to understand how to download maps so I can follow trails on the iPhone. There were no other vehicles to follow being late in the day. A few sand buggies and I know better than to try to follow them. So I winged it. Started out climbing the dunes. Got to the top, but I was chicken to descend as I might not be able to return up the steeper slope. So we found a few rock ledges to play on. Saw some that were for buggies only.

Monday, September 27 - Did the dunes again. Had a long ride on a sand road, but stayed away from the steep rock ledges. Saw one guy studying a way up one. He was still studying it when we came back a half-hour later.

My fav. I like the way the green bushes glow against the sand.

We ate lunch at a place we are familiar with Costa Vado. Then a trip to Wally World for provisions. Dorothy fixed baked chicken with asparagus for dinner.

Tuesday, September 28 - We made a trip to Costco. Then went an hour north to Cedar City to stay with friends, Geran and Patty, who we met in Silverton. 

                                         Mooch Docking

Cedar City is 3,000 feet higher than the lowlands of Hurricane and fall is here. It got to 42. And we are headed higher.

Wednesday, September 29 - Geran and Patty gave us a tour all around Brian's Head. I got some decent pictures of the Aspens sporting their fall colors.

There must have been 500 sheep, two sheepdogs, but no shepherd

Cedar Breaks

Thursday, September 30 - Brrr. It was 35 this morning. We headed north to Beaver and then into the Tushar Mountains. We found a parking spot along Kents Lake Road. We drove a counterclockwise loop following Kents Lake Road back to 183. Partly scenic. Aspens galore. 

Friday, October 1 - 35 again this morning. I had the furnace going, the Wave 3 on high, an extra blanket, and my long johns. Double Brrr.

We continued north on I15 and then turned back south on UT24. After driving two hours, we wound up about 30 miles from where we were parked yesterday. It would have been shorter to take the rough dirt road, but painfully slow at 10mph. We are parked overlooking Cathedral Valley (the seldom visited section of Capital Reef NM) 

We are at 9,400 feet. We can see not only Cathedral Valley but all the way to I70 in the north and to the main area of Cap Reef on UT24 to the south.

We stopped for lunch at a rest area on UT24 and meet a Lazy Daze couple from Spokane - Pat and Maija. We jawed for an hour. Nice folks. The only problem is they choose the blue color and they make reservations. They even have a spreadsheet detailing their trips. I should work on converting them to No Reservations style.

Saturday, October 2 - It was warmer this morning, only 37. While I was chilly in my nest Friday, last night I was warm and toasty. What was the difference? I think it was me.

We descended to the valley, 2000 feet below. I managed a few decent images. This was our third trip. 2010, 2018, and this year. The first time we accessed the valley from UT24. Somehow we discovered the northern entrance. In 2018 we saw exactly one red truck above the valley. This time we have seen several rigs. There are only 2/3 places where you can park with a view of the valley. They were taken this year. But, we saw a dozen ideal, flat places with trimmed grass no less. It's been discovered.

Cathedral Valley - A place most will never see

Missing Puzzle Piece?

California smoke - It was clear Friday when we arrived, but I messed around and did not try for a picture until the sun was less than ideal. I figured the next day would be good. Wrong! The valley was filled with smoke Saturday. I used two images from prior years to illustrate the area.

Sunday, October 3 - We elected to head south with no particular destination in mind. We had 1/3 tank of gas in KoKo and Rubi was nearly dry. I knew I was not going past Torrey without a fillup. We filled up with $4.09 a gallon gas and parked to surf. I found a boondock place just east of Torrey. It's been there forever, but someone has lengthened the road so there are a lot more parking places. We

parked in a u-shaped super-sized red rock place with a view of the red bluffs to the north. Dorothy said she would not stay for longer than a week or ten days here. 

This is a good place to end this chapter.