Day 14: Zion River RV Resort

For the next four days we will be staying at an RV park in Virgin, Utah.  We usually stay at state parks, where one is actually out in nature.  This RV park, like many we have visited in the past, is basically a parking lot with nice landscaping.

So why stay here?  For one thing, it's the closest place to Zion National Park for camping.  It had good reviews, and it will serve as our base as we use the car to explore southwest Utah.

Not to mention, it has a pool, hot tub, great showers,  a store, a dog play area, Wi-fi, a laundry, very clean facilities---pretty luxurious for us!  

After catching up from a poor night of sleeping at Grand Canyon, we both slept solidly, despite the high temperatures in the afternoon (99).  This being a desert environment, once the sun went down, so did the temperature, to upper 60's by bedtime.  

It was cool enough in the morning for a long walk with Ranger, as well as an energetic play session in the dog play yard.  We had a big brunch, and then spent time on a major clean-up.  After several weeks on the road, with much time in dusty and sandy areas, this was needed.  So.....three loads of laundry, vacuuming, washing the floor, etc. etc....the place is now sparkling!
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By 2:00 we were ready to take a look at Zion.  As we drove in (about 12 miles) we started seeing signs that the national park parking lot was full; "park in town" the signs said.  The town of Springdale was full of cars, parallel-parked all along the way.  Once parked, a person can catch the Springdale shuttle bus into the national park, where you change buses to get into the park.  (Zion does not allow private vehicles in; you must ride their shuttles to see the park.)  

We parked near bus stop 6, caught a bus readily, and arrived at the visitor center.  As I remembered, the scenery was spectacular:

However, it was extremely hot in the sun (though temperatures only in the low 90's), and the park was CROWDED with people.  We didn't last long, just picked up print materials to do our planning for the coming days, then joined the dozens of people waiting in line for a bus back into Springdale.  (A ranger assured us that it would not be as crowded on a weekday; we will see.)  

Back at the RV park, I headed for the pool, while Dan enjoyed a cold beverage.  It cooled off enough to grill chicken outside, and it seems it will cool off enough to open windows soon for sleeping.  

Day 13: Grand Canyon

We decided that, given how things were going, it was time to move on.  I checked with the next place we had reservations, and yes, we could arrive a day early.  So we decided to tour Grand Canyon in the morning and then head out.

It was well worth the time to drive around.  Nothing is quite like the views of the canyon.

We left in early afternoon for a trip back to the desert.  Temperatures at North Rim were in the upper 60's.  In the area of Zion this afternoon...99 degrees!  We'll be in Virgin, Utah for the coming days, with day trips to various parks.  

Day 12: Desert to Cool High Elevation

Still not adjusted to the strange "no daylight savings" time in Arizona, we were up very early and on the road again, heading for the Grand Canyon, North Rim.

We left desert behind going through Flagstaff---lots of greenery there---and headed up Route 89.  At that point, we had plenty of fuel, no need to fill up when the gauge was over half....

But little we did realize how desolate an area we would be going through.  We went for miles through red, dusty land, with no towns and just an occasional stand by the side of the road where a Native American was selling pottery and jewelry.

Surely, we thought, there would be a gas station with diesel at the turn-off to Route 89A, going to Grand Canyon.  But no.  We went on for many more miles, through beautiful red rock formations, without towns, stores, or gas stations.

We finally reached Jacob Lake, the last town before one gets onto the 41-mile road that leads into North Rim.  And there we filled the tank, putting in the largest amount of fuel so far on the trip, for the highest price.

On the way in:

So it was a stressful beginning to our time at North Rim.  We found our site....which had a distinct downhill slope which was partially remedied by driving up on boards, but not completely. 

 In addition, in looking over the park regulations, we realized how  limited Ranger would be during our stay.

Then the refrigerator would not start up on propane.  (No electricity at this campground.)

It was still mid-afternoon, so we took Ranger on a walk of about 2+ miles along the one trail where dogs are permitted.  It led to the Lodge and Visitors Center at Bright Angel Point. The parking lot was packed.  People were all over.  I was able to get a few photos without people stepping in front of me....

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And Ranger was excited to see one of the local mule deer.

It did cool off nicely in the evening.  However, our site was along the gravel road where every late-arriving camper traveled, so there was a series of headlights coming in, along with the crunching of gravel, right up until almost midnight.

Not one of our better days of camping!

Day 11: Standin' on the corner in Winslow, Arizona

What's with Arizona....they do not participate in Daylight Savings??  Dan and I were confused enough about the time we arrived yesterday (my watch and my I-phone gave two different times).  Ranger does not use time-pieces at all, so this morning, he was up with the sun, before 6:00 am!

And it was nice and cool for that early morning walk: 55 degrees.  

So with the time change, Dan was also up early.  After a big breakfast, we headed out to hike before the temperature rose too much.

Homolovi (Hopi for "place of little hills") was the site of settlements between 1200 and 1400, peopled by ancestors of today's Hopi.  They farmed along the Little Colorado River and built adobe homes.  At Homolovi II, which we visited today, archaeologists estimate that there were 1200 to 2000 rooms.  The site is covered with pottery shards---illegal to remove, of course.

By 11:00 it was getting warm, so we headed back to the RV.  Ranger was left in air-conditioned comfort while Dan and I headed into Winslow to explore.  And of course, we had to go "stand on the corner".

We had an excellent lunch at a small cafe across the street from the famous location, then headed out to do our grocery shopping.  That done, we retreated to the campground for some relaxation...and to wait for the temperature (by now in the low 90's) to start going down again.  

Critters seen today:  Jackrabbits, lizards, and several types of birds.  Thankfully, no rattlesnakes, despite the many warning signs about venomous reptiles and insects.

Day 10: A rainy day for travel

We got up early to start on what was to be the longest stretch of driving for the trip: almost 400 miles.

We drove the 275 more miles of I-40 across New Mexico under cloudy skies, with intermittent light rain.

Our destination: Homolovi Ruins State Park, just outside Winslow, AZ.  This is a wide-open desert park, with views that I have not been able to capture adequately with my camera.  

Strangely enough, after being in a loop of a campground in NM yesterday that totally filled by evening, this park is almost empty!  Lots of space, lots of privacy, an excellent site, clean bathrooms (though their water  heater is broken, so it will be a cold shower)....hard to imagine why more people are not here.

Temps falling from high 80's to the 50's overnight--- Yup, this is the desert!

Day 9: Santa Rosa, New Mexico

High winds continued all night, buffeting the RV, but in the morning, they had died down to just pleasant breezes. Temperatures were in the mid-60's for our morning walk and Ranger really seems happy to have it cooler (at least early; it's supposed to get to mid-80's) .

Rain is expected later in the day, but we had a sunny morning to take a hike.

This body of water, out in the desert, is obviously Santa Rosa Lake, another man-made lake formed by a dam.

Along the trail, we saw a ground squirrel,  a jackrabbit, and quite a few different birds, as well as this guy:

The campground emptied out early in the day, but now rigs are starting to arrive for the night.  With clouds moving in, I think we'll have a quiet evening inside the RV.  

Day 8: Windy crossing of Texas

This morning we got an early start and put Oklahoma behind us.

We crossed the Texas panhandle, going through Amarillo, and arrived in New Mexico for a late lunch at their welcome center.

It was extremely windy all day, coming from the south/southwest.   The RV fought through it, but the mpg dropped down to 11-12.   

We turned off at Santa Rosa, New Mexico, and found our site at Santa Rosa Lake State Park.  It's about eight miles off the highway, out in the middle of nowhere. 

We have a nice site, with covered picnic table, but  it is unfortunately oriented such that the wind comes through there, hitting the side of the RV with great force.  The mat outside is weighted down with pieces of wood normally used for  leveling the RV.  Poor Ranger: his ears are flying every which way.

Hoping for a decrease in wind tomorrow, though there is rain in the forecast.