We travelled the southwest desert for more than three weeks. The weather was delightful, and the scenery was beautiful.
We saw delightful desert vistas.
Desert panorama east of PhoenixFlower covered hillsidesDesert sunset and colorful bitterweed flowersHuge desert spider? (actually the skeleton of an organ pipe cactus)
Flowers
Rains in many areas resulted in eyepopping flower displays.
Roosevelt Lake BridgePurple bloomed teddy bear cactusBlooms along the cliff dwellings trail in Tonto National MonumentMore flowers in Tonto National MonumentBarrel cactus
Amazing Desert Plants
Desert plants, especially the cactus, were unlike anything we have back home.
Satillo cactus topped with red blossomsCholla cactus treeOrgan pipe cactusJoshua Tree ‘forest’Prickly pear cactusExamining a saguaro with a dislocated head
Funny-faced saguaro
A tangle of cactus prickles to avoid!
RabbiTRAIL Trek: Southern California and Vasquez Rocks
We knew the intense summer sun and heat in the desert was quickly coming.
Indeed, after a couple of very warm nights in Quartzite, AZ and Joshua Tree, CA, we departed from the desert. We braved Southern California freeways intending to camp for two nights in Simi Valley, located a few miles from the Pacific Ocean and Los Angeles. We arrived stressed and tired in need for some old-fashioned comfort food. Pizza it was!
The next day we trekked to Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, a geologic area a few miles away from our campground that was on James’ bucket list. You may not have heard of Vasquez Rocks, but you have probably seen them. Many times.
Vasquez RocksVasquez Rocks (notice climbers for scale)
The rocks have been used as a setting for key scenes in more than 480 movies and television shows, including Blazing Saddles (1974), The Flintstones (1994), Joe Dirt (2001), Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1995), The Muppet Movie (1979), One Million BC (1940), Planet of the Apes (2001), The Ten Commandments (1956)… The list goes on and on!
Captain Kirk and Gorn; James and the lizard-squishing boulder?
Several Star Trek movies and television episodes also used the location. James found a boulder he thought might be from an original Star Trek TV episode that Captain Kirk pushed down on Gorn, the lizard man. I don’t follow Star Trek, but it sounded plausible to me!
Sister and brother tour Vasquez Rocks
Freeways and famous rocks behind us, we said goodbye to James after more than a week together. Pat and I were headed to the coast to follow the Pacific Coast Highway north and James was going to Alabama Hills, another famous movie location near Death Valley where many old time westerns were filmed.
Next Week:
We drive the Pacific Coast Highway, California Route 1.
After a short hike at Tonto National Monument where we visited a small cliff dwelling and enjoyed amazing desert flowers, we arrived in Lost Dutchman SP that afternoon.
Lost Dutchman SP
The park, named for a fabled lost gold mine, is located in the Sonoran Desert at the base of the Superstition Mountain, 40 miles east of Phoenix. We didn’t find any gold, but did enjoy hiking to the base of the mountain and seeing colorful sunsets each evening.
Camping at the base of Superstition Mountain in Lost Dutchman SP Bitterweed was in full bloom during a morning hike to the base of Superstition Mountain
Sonoran Desert Near Tucson
Further south near Tucson, we camped at a county park for two nights in the midst of a ‘grove’ of tall saguaro. Our truck was due for an oil change and tire rotation, so we took the camper off the truck. Taking the camper off for the first time, stabilizing it with jack stands and putting it back on the next afternoon was a stressful experience.
We succeeded with no sharp words or other mishaps!
Sunbaked Sonoran Desert near Tucson
Stately saguaro cactus in bloom
Abandoned building in saguaro ‘forest’
Joined by Pat’s Brother
We continued south of Tucson and camped near Whetstone, AZ, where we were joined by Pat’s brother, James. He arrived earlier that day after driving his blue RAM pickup and Adventurer truck camper from Florida. We would spend the next week camping and enjoying the sights together.
Hard hat mining at Queen Mine in Bisbee, AZ – Ed and Pat’s brother, James
Gunfight at the OK Corral
We visited Tombstone, the western town where the gunfight at the OK Corral took place. There’s a lot to see along the dusty main street, including an entertaining reenactment of the famous faceoff. Justice prevailed once again as the Earp brothers and Doc Holiday defeated the roughneck cowboys.
Dusty main street in Tombstone – looking for a gunfight?Bird Cage Theater and Gunfight at the OK Corral: James poses with the Earp brothers and Doc Holiday, while we pose with the cowboys
At nearby Bisbee, we had a delightful lunch on the outdoor patio of Contessa’s Cantina. I’m not sure if the meals were Tex-Mex or authentic Mexican, but the food was very good.
Queen Mine – Extracting Copper from Deep in the Earth
Queen Mine Tour in Bisbee
We didn’t have time for a post-lunch siesta, as we were scheduled to tour the Copper Queen Mine. The mine opened in 1877 and continued until mining operations were discontinued in the mid-1970s. Today, the City of Bisbee offers the tours.
We donned safety vests and hard hats, and climbed aboard an electric mine train that took us more than 1500 feet into the mine. There are more than 143 miles of mine shafts across seven levels.
Ore was produced by drilling 25 seven-foot-deep horizontal holes and filling them with dynamite. The blasted rock was loaded onto one ton ore cars and transported out of the mine where it was smelted into copper plates.
We highly recommend this tour if you are ever in the Bisbee area.
Saguaro NP Sojourn
Hiking in Saguaro NPLizards and horned toads are well camouflaged in the desert landscape
Two days later we hiked a trail in Saguaro National Park that led to a rugged canyon lined with blooming saguaro, barrel and prickly pear cactus. We encountered curly-tailed lizards, horned toads and even a small snake on the three-mile trek. We finished in the late morning heat, a sample of the hot days soon to come to the Arizona desert.
On the Border at Organ Pipe Cactus NM
Organ pipe cactusCamping at Organ Pipe Cactus NM five miles from the US-Mexico border
Later that day we drove a few hours southwest to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, where we camped just five miles from the US-Mexico border. We saw organ pipe cactus, in addition to the other types of cactus mentioned above, amidst brilliant yellow palo verde trees in full bloom.
Joshua Tree NP
Joshua Tree – inspiration for Dr Suess?
Pat photos Skull Rock at Joshua Tree NP
Our desert travels ended a couple days later with a drive through Joshua Tree National Park in southern California. Joshua Trees are related to the yucca and have interesting shapes right out of a Dr Suess book!
There are many interesting rock formations in the park as well, including haunting Skull Rock.
During our final few days touring the desert, it had finally got hot with daytime temps approaching 100F. Evening and nighttime air conditioning was a must.
We were ready for cooler temps and a change in scenery.
NEXT WEEK:
The crazy freeways of Southern California, Vasquez Rocks and more.
After a couple of hot days and chilly nights in Valley of Fire SP, our travels continued toward Arizona. We had an unfollowed RabbiTRAIL from a previous trip to take care of.
Twilight Time Zone
In less than 100 miles, our route took us from Nevada to Arizona, then to Utah and back to Arizona. Our various timepieces couldn’t keep up with the time zone changes. Our truck had one time, phones had different times and wrist watches yet another time. We gave up trying to figure out what time it was and decided to temporarily endure our twilight time zone experience.
By the next day we were well inside Arizona and our various clocks finally synched to the correct time!
Colorado Horseshoe
Two years ago we camped at Lee’s Ferry on the Colorado River, a few miles down river from the Glen Canyon Dam. We highly recommend the campground and several great hiking trails nearby.
One afternoon we drove to Page, AZ for supplies and gas. Page is near the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. Down river from the dam the Colorado River has a horseshoe bend that can be seen at the end of an easy half mile trail. We didn’t stop in 2021 but did so this time and were awestruck with an iconic view of the river.
Colorado River Horseshoe Bend selfie
Morning view of snowy San Francisco Mountains near Flagstaff
That evening we spent a subfreezing night in a Coconino National Forest dispersed camping area near Flagstaff. The mountain tops were dusted with snow that night and we had to use our RV furnace to stay warm.
The next morning, we drove south of Flagstaff, driving highway 89A to Cottonwood AZ. The highway descends narrow Oak Creek Canyon before reaching Sedona. The Google map of the route shows what can best be described as a plate of spaghetti!
Sedona
Many of our friends have recommended visiting Sedona, AZ, a charming town in a stunning red rock canyon between Phoenix and Flagstaff. Sedona has an attractive downtown district with shops and restaurants that remind us of Fredericksburg TX or Gatlinburg TN. It also has MANY dizzying traffic circles coming in and going out of town!
Red Rock formations near Sedona
No Dead Horses
We camped the next three nights at Dead Horse Ranch State Park south of Sedona, enjoying warm, sunny days and chilly, almost cold, nights. We unpacked our bicycles and rode throughout the park, along the swift flowing 50-foot-wide Verde River and around the three lakes in the park.
Serene lake at Dead Horse Ranch State Park
There was evidence of a substantial recent flood along the Verde River – tangles of brush in trees, piles of dirt and piles of rocks were everywhere. We spoke with a ranger digging a small ditch to drain an area of backed up water. He said a flood had occurred several weeks earlier from rapid snowmelt and a storm that dumped more than an inch of rain upriver. During the flood the river was as much as a half mile wide!
Swift flowing Verde River
We wondered about the park name – there were no dead horses from what we could see.
It seems a family from Minnesota came to Arizona in the 1940s looking to buy a ranch. At one property a dead horse was lying by the road. After looking at several properties, the father asked his children which ranch they liked best. They said, “the one with the dead horse.” So the family named it “Dead Horse Ranch” and when Arizona State Parks acquired the park in 1973, retaining the name was a condition of the sale.
A Detour and An Unexpected Blessing
From Dead Horse Ranch SP, we were bound for Lost Dutchman SP near Phoenix. We decided to skip the more direct interstate highway route for the longer route through the Coconino National Forest. The hills were covered with magnificent yellow and orange flowers, accented with skinny ocotillo and stately saguaro cactus.
Desert flowers in full bloom at Tonto National Monument
We drove along a long reservoir created by the Roosevelt Dam. Google routed us on AZ 88 through the canyon below the dam – the most direct route to Lost Dutchman SP. Unfortunately, the road was closed due to a rock fall. and we had to detour more than 40 extra miles to reach our destination.
Tonto National Monument was along the detour, and we decided to stop to check things out. We hiked a steep half mile trail to a small cliff dwelling overlooking the rugged valley. Yellow, orange and purple desert flowers were at their peak.
Tonto NM cliff dwelling and more desert blooms
The detour was yet another reminder that changed plans often result in unexpected blessings from our Amazing God!
NEXT WEEK:
We cross the Arizona desert bound for California and are joined in our travels.
After another cold night in Jackpot (campground only, no casino!), we continued south to Ely, NV.
We drove four miles west of Ely hoping to see a big hole in the ground. We were in search of Robinson Copper Mine, one of North America’s deepest mining pits at more than 1000 feet deep. Since 1867, more than 4 billion pounds of copper and 2.7 million ounces of gold have been produced from the mine.
Robinson Copper Mine, a deep pit near Ely, NV (from kghm.com)
A nice young lady at the mine entrance gate informed us the public viewpoint was closed due to nearby mining activity.
Some RabbiTRAILS lead to dead ends.
:>(
Extraterrestrial Sighting
A road sign announces the start of the Extraterrestrial Highway
We left Ely and crossed central Nevada. The region has many remote highways and Nevada highway 375 between Warm Springs and Ash Springs is known as the ‘extraterrestrial highway.’ The 94-mile highway skirts the highly classified US Air Force facility known as Area 51, where numerous events involving alien beings have allegedly taken place.
Contemplating the LONG ROAD ahead and what we might encounter
After miles of sagebrush, various types of cacti and a few tumbleweeds, we had a close encounter.
We came upon a truck with a flying saucer in tow and several chartreuse green aliens nearby. A sign assured us that earthlings are welcome at the A’Le’Inn, a restaurant, bar, motel and RV park in the small, remote town of Rachel, NV. This was not an alien outpost, but rather a kitschy tourist trap in the middle of nowhere.
It was too late for lunch and too early for dinner, so we enjoyed a slice of chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream, along with conversation with the owner.
He was quick to bring our attention to several signs forbidding video recording in the establishment. We wondered if there something he was trying to hide!
The Valley of Fire
Our truck thermometer confirmed we finally found warm weather!
Our search for warmer weather was finally rewarded at Valley of Fire SP (VOFSP) in southern Nevada!
VOFSP is a popular state park a few miles east of Las Vegas. The campground sites are first come, first serve and a disheartening ‘campground full’ sign greeted us when we arrived. We stopped for lunch and a visit to the dump station, and while we waited, we overheard a ranger telling another RV traveler to drive through the campground as the campground full signs were often incorrect.
We were elated to find an available site, although it did not have electricity or water. It was nestled up against rugged red rocks not too far from the restroom and showers.
It reminded us to trust and give thanks to the One who provides for our every need and more!
Camping in Valley of Fire SP
That afternoon we had an unexpected sighting of several bighorn sheep not far from the campground. Two rams were facing off and when they butted heads, a loud crack echoed among the rocks.
Bighorn sheep seen close to the campground
As the hot sun fell behind the rocks, our camper cooled in the shade. It was time for dinner, showers and sleep. It was the first night since we picked up the truck camper that we didn’t use our small electric heater or RV furnace. We slept soundly in the cool desert night.
The next morning we rose early to drive the five mile White Domes Road to the Fire Wave/Seven Wonders Trail. After hiking a half mile enjoying the sweet fragrance of desert primrose, we discovered the firewave – colorful red and white swirls in the Aztec sandstone. The trail continued through a narrow slot canyon and ended with a steep and rugged uphill climb back to the parking lot.
Fragrant desert primrose was in full bloom at the start of the Firewave TrailWave patterns in the Aztec sandstoneWandering through a slot canyon
Despite the remote location, we discovered that cell service was available from the parking lot. I spent several hours working on the April 10 RabbiTRAILS blog post.
Later that afternoon we hiked several other trails including the White Domes Loop Trail where several movies (including Star Trek Generations) have been filmed.
VOFSP is beautiful and rugged, and reminds us of Arches NP in Utah without the epic arches. The park is best visited in the late fall, winter or early spring. Signs warn visitors of life threatening heat during the summer months.
Last Call for Names
This week is the last chance to send suggestions of names for our truck and truck camper. Max, Pancake and Oscar will have named siblings in the near future!
We have been traveling in our truck camper for nearly two weeks, traveling southeast from Oregon to Idaho. Although the mountains are slowly emerging from their solid white blankets of snow, it is still cold by Florida standards, especially at night. Long pants, a flannel shirt and jacket are the uniform of the day. We long for shorts and a T-shirt!
Our route took us near La Grande, OR, where our Wolf Creek truck camper was birthed. We toured the Northwood manufacturing plant where Wolf Creek and Arctic Fox truck campers, and Arctic Fox travel and fifth wheel trailers are made.
Truck camper build process photos
Truck campers like ours are put together from the inside out, starting with a base and floor. Internal walls and framing come next followed by components like water tanks, plumbing and wiring. Kitchen and bathroom fixtures, appliances, cabinets and drawers are added. The nearly finished interior is then wrapped with pre-assembled exterior walls and roof. Finishing touches include cushions, bedding and window coverings on the inside and decals on the outside.
Aluminum welded frames receive foam insulation and are then laminated with interior and exterior layers. After openings are precision cut, the walls are attached to the outside of the camper shellExterior walls are made of interior and exterior layers laminated to a foam core
The manufacturing process for travel trailers and fifth wheels is very similar, although the components are much larger, and involve heavy-duty frame and wheel assemblies.
Northwood produces just a few models at any one time and our model (Wolf Creek 890) wasn’t in production during our tour. It is next scheduled to be made late summer 2023.
Unlike larger RV manufacturers, just a few of each model are completed each week and sent to select dealers nationwide. Individual hands-on construction with great quality control is very much evident during the entire build process.
Our handsome final product
Later that day, we crossed into Idaho and spent the night a few miles southeast of Boise in Mountain Home. The next morning, after dealing with the frozen water connections mentioned in our last blog post, we continued to Twin Falls, where we would turn directly south to Nevada and (hopefully) warmer weather.
Shoshone Falls
Shoshone Falls
Twins Falls is named for Shoshone Falls, a beautiful waterfall on the Snake River, a few miles upriver from the town. The Snake, floated by explorers Lewis and Clark in the early 1800s, flows 1078 miles from Wyoming’s Grand Tetons through Idaho before it joins the Columbia River near Pasco, WA.
Public viewing platform at Shoshone Falls and the Snake River Canyon
We’ve seen many spectacular waterfalls in our travels. After driving a narrow road down into the Snake River Canyon, we rounded a curve for our first view of the falls. They were a marvelous surprise, and my spontaneous reaction was “Oh – wow!”
Jumping the Snake
Evel Knievel Attempts to Jump the Snake River Canyon
A few miles downriver, we visited a 60+ foot sloped mound of dirt on the southern edge of the Snake River Canyon. This was the spot where, on September 8, 1974, daredevil Evel Knievel attempted to soar nearly a third of a mile across the Snake River Canyon on a rocket powered motorcycle.
There was considerable media hype for the event, and Pat and I remember watching as the motorcycle failed to complete the jump (by a considerable distance). A parachute opened not long after the takeoff and lowered Knievel to a safe landing.
Standing on the takeoff rampSnake River Canyon beyond the jump ramp
After stressful offroad 4×4 adventures with Max in 2021, we decided to pass on an attempt of our own Snake River jump in our truck camper, even if the new truck is bigger and stronger!
Our day ended a few miles south of Twin Falls at the Nevada border town of Jackpot. Jackpot is the home of a large casino and campground.
Snow in northern Nevada, near Jackpot
Send Those Name Ideas!
Many thanks to you who have sent name suggestions for our truck and truck camper. We’re still welcoming additional suggestions and will let you know our choices in the next few weeks!
Next Week
We drive south through Nevada to Valley of Fire State Park, near Las Vegas. Was cold weather finally behind us?
Along the way we have an extraterrestrial experience.
Since picking up our truck camper on March 30, it has been COLD. Daytime highs have been in the 40s most days and it has dropped below freezing each night. Early in the week, portions of I-84 in eastern Oregon had winter travel advisories. One morning In Idaho, our water connections froze when the low was 15!
Along the road in eastern Oregon. We we thankful for snowplows and dry weather
The cold weather has restricted our daytime outdoor activities and we have needed to use electricity each evening. Thank goodness for our portable electric heater!
As we drive south to find warmer weather, we have met a number of other campers doing the same!
We left Portland on a chilly morning, truck camper mostly set up and stocked for the trip ahead.
Our route was I-84 along the Columbia River Gorge. There are tall bluffs on both sides of the river and across the river is Washington (state).
A number of waterfalls are visible along the route and we stopped to see an iconic Oregon waterfall, Multnomah Falls.
The falls are the tallest in Oregon at 620 feet. There are actually two falls (the upper portion is 524 feet) and we walked up several switchbacks to the Benson Bridge, a footbridge at the brink of the lower falls.
It was fairly crowded, with a number of families posing for photos on the drizzly Sunday afternoon. Of course, we did the same!
It was crowded at the falls
Multnomah Falls selfie
There was a heavy iron fence along the trail to the footbridge – wondering if it was to keep hikers safe from hungry T-rex dinos
Continuing on I-84, we saw several impressive hydroelectric dams and ship locks along the river.
Bonneville Dam
We stopped at Bonneville Dam, 40 miles east of Portland. It was completed in 1937 as the largest water impoundment project in the US at the time. The dam is half a mile long and 171 foot tall, and produces enough electricity for a half million homes!
Although security was tight and photos weren’t allowed, we toured the visitor center, remaining inside due to a heavy downpour. On the bottom floor we saw a few fish swimming about behind large windows that provide an underwater view of a fish ladder. Charts on the wall indicate many more fish are visible during late summer salmon migrations.
We crossed several snow-covered mountain passes and although the rains had ended, it actually got colder! We slowed our travels a bit to avoid threatening winter weather on a couple of the passes, and it was snowing as we arrived at a Boondocker’s Welcome location in Cove, Oregon.
Snowy mountain view in Cove, Oregon
Bob, the host, kindly let us join him by a warm, wood-burning stove on his back patio, enjoying a view of mountains on one side and distant valley on the other.
Names Needed!
As RabbiTRAILS blog followers, you may have noticed our prior Chevy truck and two travel trailers had names. There is a story behind each of these names:
Max, our truck
Max, our 2017 Chevy Silverado 1500, came equipped with the ‘max’ trailer towing package that allowed us to tow more than 11,000 pounds. We never towed anything that heavy thank goodness, but the name stuck.
Pancake, our Alaska bound travel trailer
We adopted Pancake, our 2008 Funfinder travel trailer in 2011. The prior owners named it for their camping tradition to make pancakes the first morning whenever they camped in the little trailer.
Oscar, our home to Newfoundland and several other trips
In 2019 we purchased Oscar from an RV dealer in Frankfort, IL, just south of Chicago. We made a connection between Frankfort and frankfurters, and a well known producer of frankfurters: Oscar Meyer. Thus Oscar became the name of our Shadow Cruiser travel trailer.
We’d welcome your suggestions of names of our new camping setup. Here are some details to get your brain cells working:
Our truck and truck camper – trying to get warm!
Truck – 2023 Chey Silverado 3500HD. Purchased from a dealer in Harrisburg PA.
Camper – 2023 Wolf Creek 890 truck camper. Purchased from a dealer in Portland OR.
Next week: join us as our long road takes us to the La Grande, Oregon plant where our truck camper was birthed. We continue to Twin Falls, Idaho where we view Shoshone Falls on the Snake River and the site where a well-known daredevil attempted to jump the river on a rocket-powered motorcycle.
Until then, please like and comment, and don’t forget those truck/truck camper name suggestions!
We left Alaska for home in early September 2018. Although we had many wonderful experiences on the 12,000 mile trip (at that point), we didn’t look forward to the 5000+ miles ahead of us to get home.
Were we crazy for driving so far? Was it worth it?
These questions and more were answered as we crossed back into the US few weeks later. The long trip WAS worth it. The remoteness, the wildlife and the adventure of the trip was life changing.
And like many others who have driven to Alaska, we yearned to make the trip again.
It’s five years later and we’ve decided to act on our longing to visit Alaska again.
Some Updates
In January, we said goodbye to Max, our Chevy pickup truck.
Max, our 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup
Although we had significant repairs to Max in 2022, he took us on more than fifteen months of great trips, including:
Sunset on Cadillac Mountain (Acadia NP), showing the way at L’anse aux Meadows NF, Cape Bonavista Lighthouse in NF, awaiting first sunrise in North America at Cape Spear near St John’s, NF
We replaced Max with a heavy duty pickup. This much larger truck would allow us to change our mode of camping.
Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD
During the above trips we camped in a travel trailer. The 2018 Alaska trip was in Pancake, a 16-foot Funfinder travel trailer.
Views of Pancake
The 2019-2022 trips were in Oscar, a 24-foot Shadow Cruiser travel trailer.
Views of Oscar
Both trailers served us well for many miles and nights of camping.
We desired a simpler and more flexible way to travel and camp, so we sold Oscar and purchased a Wolf Creek truck camper…from a dealer in Portland.
Portland OREGON – 3000 miles from home and almost half way to Alaska!
The new camper will rest entirely on the bed of our truck – it’s called a truck camper. It’s a bit smaller, but there is no trailer to hitch and pull, no slide to contend with and we will be considerably more nimble.
Our new camping setup
This now brings us to our newest journey: 2023 Alaska Revisited!
The Florida Hillbillies
On March 25 we started west with our truck packed with six months of camping gear and two bicycles.
Florida Hillbillies with their truck packed to the gills
A friend said we resembled the Beverly Hillbillies. So we wrote some lyrics as our trip gets underway:
A theme song instrumental to put you mood to sing-along!
Come and listen to my story about Pat and Ed
Max was their truck and Oscar was their bed
Traded them in and got something new
A real big truck and a kangaroo
Chevy that is, 3500 HD, truck camper too
Well the first thing you know they’re making lotsa plans
Their friends asked “are you touring distant lands”?
Five years later Alasky was the place to go
So they packed up their rig and hit the road.
Denali that is. Icy glaciers. Alaska RabbiTRAILs!
So say goodbye to Ed and Pat as they get underway
And they would like to thank you for your prayers along the way
Watch for weekly blog postings about their new abode
Reminding you to follow as they take the long, long road!
RabbiTRAILS that is. Browse a spell. See you real soon.
And add some comments, y’hear!
NEXT WEEK: we endure the long 3000-mile trip to Portland and pick up our truck camper. After a couple days setting up the camper, our journey begins.
Leaving Corning, NY, we drove south through colorful rolling hills in central Pennsylvania. We boondocked at a Cracker Barrel near Harrisburg and continued on I-81 across the tips of Maryland and West Virginia.
Our destination was near Roanoke, VA, where we planned to camp for a couple nights at Peaks of Otter on the Blue Ridge Parkway. From there, we would continue south to visit friends near Knoxville and our daughter and her family in Georgia.
But we had to make an unexpected change to these plans!
A few miles into western Virginia, Max started to shudder and make odd noises. We limped to a garage in the next town to have Max looked at. The mechanic gave us bad news: he suspected Max’ problems were the transmission.
We backtracked a few miles to the nearest Chevrolet dealer in Winchester, VA and the diagnosis was confirmed. Max needed a new transmission.
After two days and quite a few dollars, Max was repaired.
Deciding not to risk further travels through the mountains to Knoxville and Georgia, we beelined it down I-95, instead, arriving home on October 15.
We are thankful despite issues with Max
Our three month Newfoundland trip spanned nearly 10,000 miles, across 17 states and 4 provinces. We camped in 44 different locations and visited remote areas where we enjoyed exploring, biking and hiking during overall great weather. Oscar provided trouble-free accommodations and we were healthy throughout the trip.
2022 Newfoundland Route Recap
Back Home
After Thanksgiving with family at our home, we spent several days in Ft Myers, FL doing hurricane relief work for homeowners affected by Hurricane Ian on September 28. We volunteered again with Samaritan’s Purse, part of the Billy Graham organization, gutting flood damaged homes so they could be rebuilt.
Ready for Hurricane Relief Work in Ft Meyers
Steve and Audra were among the 80+ volunteers serving that week with SP. We learned that we share a passion for travel, adventure and giving back. Their YouTube blog has excellent videos about their cargo van conversion and recent Florida travels.
One of their recent blog episodes gives a moving recap of the impact of Hurricane Ian and the work done by Samaritan’s Purse teams. This video is definitely worth watching: click here for video
Christmas and Beyond
We had an enjoyable Christmas as we celebrated the ‘Good News’ of Jesus’ birth.
Starting in January, we will explore new RabbiTRAILS at several Florida state parks south of Tampa and in the Florida Keys. We’re also planning a longer journey in the Spring and will share plans when things firm up. Watch for blog updates.
Until then, we pray you will be blessed as you take the LONG ROAD and follow your own RabbiTRAILS in 2023!
From the Utica area, we drove southwest through New York hill country past small towns, lush vineyards and fertile farms. Our destination was a Harvest Host location and state park in Watkins Glen, NY.
Camping at the Creamery
We camped for the night in a field at Sunset View Creamery. The creamery is a large dairy farm with a nice store where we sampled (and purchased) several types of cheese along with other local farm products.
By then, it was mid-afternoon and we had to hurry to visit Watkins Glen. Although the town is noted for its role in auto racing, our visit was to see the gorge at Watkins Glen State Park
The large parking lot was crowded when we arrived. There is a charge to park but entrance to the state park and gorge is free. We crossed a busy street and the entrance to the gorge trail was ahead.
Entrance to the Gorge
The trail starts at the bottom of the 400-foot deep gorge and continues for 1.5 miles as it follows a small stream up 832 steps. The paved trail goes over and under waterfalls, bridges and tunnels. The layered sides of the gorge were accented here and there with trees displaying colorful autumn leaves.
Gorgeous gorge views
The trail ends at the top of the gorge, where you can hike one of two trails along the top of the gorge or take an inexpensive shuttle back to the bottom of the gorge. Some visitors start with the shuttle and then take the steps down to the entrance. We think the views are better hiking up the gorge however.
The park has a lot to offer in addition to the gorge – a campground and cabins (both were closed for the season when we visited), biking and other hiking trails.
After a chilly no-hookups night at the Creamery, we arose early the next morning for a short drive to Corning NY to visit the Corning Museum of Glass.
The museum and town of Corning are worthy of a day or two visit, but we only had a few hours to explore the museum.
The museum has exhibits ranging from ancient glass artifacts more than 3500 years old to contemporary glass art, as well as various scientific and practical uses of glass in modern society. There were also several live glass-blowing demonstrations.
CMOG has glass antiquities and modern art displays, plus live glassblowing demonstrations
Who’d have thought there was so much to see at a glass museum!
After a quick lunch we were on the road again heading south to spend the night in Pennsylvania. We were on the way to Virginia and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Next week: our plans take yet another unexpected turn.
The device is a MOUSE TRAP! When triggered, a portion of the trap rotates and deposits the mouse in the adjacent screened box. This trap is more humane than a spring-loaded mouse crusher!
With Vermont behind us, we continued through the Adirondacks and were surprised with the remoteness of the area, considering we were in New York. We passed through Spectacular, aptly named for the colorful fall drive we were enjoying.
Spectacular evening view of the farm adjacent to our campground
Max’ gas gauge was between half and quarter full. To continue or not to continue? We decided to play it safe and turned around to fill up at the only gas station in town and for more than 30 miles in each direction. You can’t take chances when you get 10 MPG.
Downtown Utica NY and Golden’s (Google Streetview)
Utica burger and garlic parmesan fries
We set up camp and the next rainy morning we visited Utica, a small city several miles away on the Mohawk River. Lunch was at Golden’s, a highly rated tiny downtown restaurant, where we tried Utica Burgers. The burgers were topped with cherry peppers, pesto, mozzarella and tomato, and included sides of garlic parmesan fries.
The burgers were good.
The fries were GREAT!
Erie Canal in the Utica area
After lunch we visited the Erie Canal. Completed in 1825, the canal extends 351 miles east-west from the Hudson River to Lake Erie. It is 120 feet wide and 12 feet deep, and a series of 34 locks raise and lower vessels a total of 565 feet.
Erie Canal Lock 20 Near Utica NY
At Lock 20 State Canal Park, just outside Utica, we watched a small tug boat and canal maintenance barge enter the lock. The downstream gates closed and the lock filled with water. A few minutes later the water level had risen 16 feet and the upstream gates opened. The tug and barge were on their way.
Quiet Erie Canal downstream from Lock 20
Similar to historic railroads, Pat and I are fascinated by canals – they are rich in history and much slower paced than interstates and airports. We dreamed of taking a boat trip on the canal or riding some of the bike trail adjacent to the canal. Unfortunately, our time was short. Perhaps on a future trip…
Where is the trail? Hard-to-find blazes showed us the way
We hiked the Vista Trail in Black River Wild Forest near our campground the next morning. The hike wasn’t long but it was challenging because a thick mat of colorful leaves completely covered the forest floor and trail itself. We hiked across low wet areas and climbed rock outcroppings as we searched for small blaze markers attached to trees and rocks. Our slow-going efforts were finally rewarded: we enjoyed lunch at the vista where the fall leaves had peaked and were visible all the way to the distant hills.
Vista view of endless fall colors
Next week: we near the end of our Newfoundland Journey as we hike Watkins Glen State Park and tour the Corning Museum of Glass.
Take the LONG Road... 