From Deserts to Forests

Albuquerque, New Mexico was quite a large city with an "Old Town " section that took a very long bus ride from the Ford dealer where my "rig" was being serviced. 

 Small shops, restaurants, and gift shops lined the streets.

The area had a relaxed, quiet atmosphere despite the many tourists.

From Albuquerque, I continued on to Amarillo, Texas where I stopped at another PA park. This one was rather run down but I was too tired to look for a different campground and they did have hook-ups so I used the time there to catch up on some much needed cleaning and reorganizing my cupboards.

Things tend to shift around while traveling and it is an ongoing challenge to pack food and supplies for easy access while at the same time avoiding problems, particularly when having to break suddenly!

On the way to Amarillo, I noticed several signs advertising 

"Free 72oz steak dinner" at a restaurant in the city.

I later found out that yes, it was free, but only if you can eat the entire full-course dinner within 1 hr! Most people couldn't manage to eat so much and then would have to pay a large amount for the dinner. Texans like to think big!

While at the campground, I met someone who works as a camp host in Colorado. He not only gets free hook-ups but also gets some pay. After a 3-month commitment there, he can go on to another park to work or just travel. It's an affordable way that many RVers travel. The work is not hard and is often about 4hrs/day.

On to Oklahoma City to stay at a Walmart, along with a couple from Quebec that I had met earlier. 

I wanted to see the Memorial Museum which was built after the bombing of a federal building downtown 20 years ago on Apr 19, 1995. 

I drove to the downtown area, surprised by how pleasant the city is with little traffic and beautiful parks amidst several skyscrapers. Parking was not possible on the street due to the size of my RV but I found a church parking lot that was almost empty. Since I could not find anyone to ask, I parked there and walked the short distance to the museum.

The experience in the museum was a deeply emotional one and there was a hushed atmosphere as numerous visitors walked by the exhibits.

A child being carried out from the rubble

 From that museum, it was quite a long walk to the Museum of Art. I wasn't sure of the direction and asked a taxi driver who was standing nearby. He offered to drive me for no charge! I expressed my gratitude but declined as I needed the walk after so much driving.

The Museum of Art was a delight after the difficult experience I had earlier. They happened to have the largest collection of glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly and I quickly became a fan.

blown glass in the ceiling of a hallway

While at Oklahoma City, I had to decide which direction I would go for my journey back to Canada. The choice was to start heading north to St Louis and eventually Detroit, or continue east towards Nashville, Tennessee and then directly north to Detroit, a longer way. After listening to the weather reports from Ontario, I decided it was still too cold to go north and continued on hwy 40. 

On March 25th, I arrived in Arkansas and found a wonderful state park where I've decided to stay for a few days, in the forest.

I'll write about that in my next blog.

It's been interesting to see the desert gradually transform to greener areas along the road, to flowering bushes and trees, and to forests.

Along the way, I was thinking of how I had shared about living in harmony with nature, how I talk about conserving energy and how much I dislike seeing the smoke stacks of factories polluting the air. I realized that I'm not really any different and that I'm also polluting the air when doing all this driving.

What is an adventure loving pilgrim to do? Perhaps get a horse and buggy? This is my biggest challenge!

Dale Chihuly 's wonderful artwork

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass.
It is about learning to dance in the rain"
                                                 - unknown

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." 
                                        - T S Eliot, poet

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice."
                                       - William Jennings Bryan, politician

                                                          

Nature is filled with magnificent wonders!

The 50 mi drive north on hwy 64 was on the Colorado Plateau which is rather flat with gentle undulations.
The plateau was formed along with the Rocky Mountains about 70 million yrs ago as a result of shifting plates, raising it from sea level to thousands of feet elevation.
Arriving at my destination, I was met by the awesome view of
The Grand Canyon, listed as one of the 7 natural wonders of the world.                                                          

Words or photos cannot begin to describe this magnificent landscape.
Given the large numbers of visitors, I was impressed by how well this area (the south rim) was organized, with free shuttle buses to take you along the rim, stopping at shops, restaurants, hotels, and trailheads. Despite so many services, the design is such that I never felt any chaos. There were many natural green areas and I always felt close to nature. Even beside the parking lot, I saw a number of deer wandering in the bushes nearby. The air was clear and, although there was some traffic and you could hear people speaking various languages, there was a sense of tranquility. This is an example of what living in harmony with nature could look like.

The Grand Canyon is 277 mi long and 1 mile in depth. There are several hiking trails ranging from easy to difficult and you can get a permit to camp below the ridge.

I was tempted to do one of the  difficult hikes but then accepted that I'm no longer in my 20's and do have some limits! The "Bright Angel" hike I chose to do was moderate and I found that challenging enough as the trail had some melting snow, mud, and icy patches.  It was very slow going due to some sheer drops at the edges and quite a few people on the trail. I was happy to have brought my hiking poles with me! The 1 1/2 mi walking down took me more than an hour, partly because I stopped to talk to some interesting people along the way. I knew I would have to come back up and decided not to continue the whole route. A sign at the visitor's centre advised that "Going down is optional. Coming back up is mandatory" ! It took longer to come back up and it was getting colder so it felt good to get back and relax.

I had forgotten it was spring break, so the campgrounds were full. I was too tired to look for some free camping in the National Forest so I just stayed at the parking lot and hoped no one would knock on my door at 3 am asking me to leave! There were other vehicles parked and those probably belonged to people camping in the canyon overnight.

After an uneventful night, I managed to get up at 6am to watch the sunrise over the canyon and was surprised to see hundreds of visitors waiting along the rim and at a lookout point. There was a hushed silence , then a sense of excitement when the first rays of the sun shone above the horizon.It was delightful to see the changing colours as the suns rays slowly illuminated the rock formations, peaks and crevasses.

I left there shortly after for the drive back to Williams and hwy 40 .Since it was still early, I decided to take a side trip to Sedona, having heard so much about that area. Heading south on hwy 89A was a treat. The road wound up and down with some sharp curves passing through forests and some very spectacular scenery. Since a permit was required to stop along the way, I stopped only once at a small market to look at local crafts. While there I met a woman who told me she was working for a resort in Sedona that is selling vacation properties. She offered me 2 free nights at their RV park if I agreed to attend their sales talk the next day. I had no interest in buying property but she insisted there was no obligation so I went to check it out. The resort was beautifully manicured and had many attractions but it also felt very artificial to me. I suppose I've been spoiled by camping in the desert! I left after a few minutes and , breathing a sigh of relief, ended up staying at the casino parking lot overnight!
Back to hwy 40 and east towards Albuquerque, however, more of natures wonders called me and I took a detour to the Petrified forest. I found a shop that sold small pieces of petrified wood for $2/lb but they also had very beautifully cut and polished pieces for much more money. A table inlaid with a slice of the polished wood cost thousands of $. 
They are clever to sell small pieces for a bargain because it helps deter people from taking them from the sites and damaging the petrified wood there

I don't really understand  it but the process of turning trees to stone began to occur over 200 million yrs ago when the landscape and weather were very different from today. The landscape was lush with trees almost 200 ft high. Over time, the trees were knocked down by wind or water and carried downstream.

Some were buried in sediment (including ash from volcanoes) before they could decompose. Ground water dissolved silica from the ash and this mixture filled the cells of the tree, crystallizing after a very long time.Other minerals were incorporated as well resulting in the various colours. (info from National Park Service brochure)

As I drove back along the road, I came across "The Teepees"which was an interesting set of coloured hills created by various minerals.

Soon after that, I saw "The Painted Desert" , located at the north end of the park and close to hwy 40, and called by that name because of the many colours there.

 How can anything technological ever compare to these wonders of nature?

I continued the long drive to Albuquerque to stay at another PA campground where I am at this time. I know many more wonders and adventures await me and look forward to sharing those experiences.

But first, I have to go get an oil change for the Ford truck that is a part of my motorhome.

Since I started this journey almost 6 months ago, I have driven 

about 19,000 km! 

While the truck is being serviced, I'll explore some of the old part of the city.

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it!"
                            -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German writer
                              
" Make each day your masterpiece"
                       -John Wooden,   Sportsman   

World wonders - Nature and Technology

From Las Vegas, it was a short drive to Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam, on the Colorado River at the border of Nevada and Arizona. Lake Mead is man made and is the largest reservoir in the US, its water supplied mainly from the melting snow of the Rocky Mountains. The levels are controlled by dams, the outflow regulated by the Hoover Dam to supply water to Arizona, Nevada, California and Mexico. 

Lake Mead


As I approached the dam,the traffic and electrical wires and transformers increased. I had to stop for a security check. 

They looked into one of my outside storage compartments and also  checked inside my RV for explosives.

 I stopped to view a new bridge that was completed in 2010 to relieve some of the traffic over the rim of the dam. I marvelled at the extensive electrical system and wondered if it is possible for our increasing technology to be in harmony with nature. I believe that living in harmony with nature is the only way humans can continue to live on this planet. We do need the technology and we are gradually becoming aware of working with nature as we not only find alternative sources of energy such as solar and wind power but are also learning to use these resources wisely. Living in an RV with no generator and depending on solar panels for electricity made me realize how wasteful I've been in the past. One light on at a time is enough and going to bed earlier is even better! LED lights use less power. Water is also a limited resource in an RV and it's amazing how little a person can manage with.

The new bridge is impressive  and attracts hundreds of visitors daily.
The walkway is walled off from the busy road next to it and has several historical plaques along the 1905 ft 
length.
At the end of the walkway, you have to turn around and head back, so that makes for some good exercise! It took 5 years to build this bridge and it is 880 ft above the river with a marvelous view of the Hoover Dam.

The Hoover Dam

I didn't realize that the Hoover Dam was constructed from 1931 to 1935. It is a National Historic Landmark and is a modern civil engineering wonder. It attracts more than a million visitors from all over the world yearly and on some days, over 5000 people come to see it!

Although I found the dam fascinating, I was happy to drive back through the quiet expansive desert again.

Along hwy 40 east towards Williams, Arizona
The road seemed to go on forever and I was happy I had about 3/4 tank of gas. I began to feel a bit concerned when there was no gas station for more than 3 hrs. Finally, I came to a station where gas was $4.59/gal!! Luckily I met someone who told me gas was less expensive just a few miles further , so I continued driving and was relieved to find gas for $3.49/gal. I have quite a large gas tank so that makes a big difference. After filling up, I continued and was rather annoyed when I came across a gas station only 2 blocks further that charged $2.99/gal! OK, I told myself, "Don't sweat the small stuff "  (It's a good thing I've been reading a book by that name, written by Richard Carlson !) How we react in any given situation depends so much on our perception.

Arriving at Williams, AZ, I had no problem finding the Canyon Motel and RV Park which offers Passport America rates and was very comfortable. Hook ups and wifi are always such a treat!

Williams is a small town on historic route 66 which was the main route from Chicago to Los Angeles  many years ago.
It began  in the 1800's with a series of wagon trails that eventually were linked together. Several towns developed and the railroad soon followed. It became a glorious adventure for many people looking for new opportunities in the west.
Now much of route 66 has been replaced by Interstate 40 but several sections have been preserved. 

Williams is also at the beginning of  a steam train ride and  hwy 64 heading north to a famous natural wonder of the world that I was fortunate enough to experience. The awe inspiring views have drawn an increasing number of visitors from all over the world. In 2013,  4,564,840 people visited this site!
Some photos will follow on the next blog!!


"When we stand at the border of reality, we are afraid that we will lose our identity by plunging in."
-Deng Ming-Dao

"Satisfaction comes from enjoying what you have, not from getting what you want." 
 - Amrit Desai

From Moonlight to Neon, Part 3

It was a long, isolated drive toward Las Vegas. The road seemed to go on forever but warm weather and clear blue sky felt very good !

 I had planned to stop and camp at Red Rock Canyon just west of the city but was unable to get a site because it was the week-end of the Nascar Races in Las Vegas. I decided to continue to the city since I wanted to find an RV park. 

Red Rock Canyon area from a distance

Luckily my new internet plan works on my Canadian cell phone ( I had the phone unlocked and a very helpful sales clerk at Walmart helped me take out the SIM card and put in one I could use in the US. "T-mobile" had a starter kit giving me unlimited internet and texting plus 100 min phone calls for $30 for a month!)I still don't know what a SIM card really is and can't understand how so much information can fit on a wafer less than 1/2in square!
 In a month, I'll be back in Canada
 and will have to look into a new system there.

Las Vegas is a place I've  wanted to visit for years but never got to. It was curiosity more than anything that took me there. I found a fantastic campground which was also a Passport America park. Because my RV is relatively small, I was able to get a site for about $15/ day (half price). That included access to their lounge, a pool and hot tub! Many people are parked here for the winter and most of the rigs are large Class A's with a few 5th wheels, large Class C's and trailers interspersed. Just about everyone has a toad (towing a car or truck) Mine is the smallest motorhome here.

The park is located on Boulder highway, in the southern part of the city. There is a bus that stops by this park and so I was able to go into the city and experience "The Strip".
It was far busier, nosier , and crowded than I had expected.
After the desert, hiking the strip was a very different experience!

Hiking in Death Valley

It was fun for a while but I soon felt sensory overload.
In the desert it was extremely still except the sound of my boots on the rocks. There nothing moved but hikers,
 cars on the roads and an occasional bird flying by. I felt close to the earth.

The strip of Las Vegas was 
a complete opposite experience.

promising the possibility of wealth

Lights, noise, crowds, music.
It was a fantasy world, with a lot of glitz and excitement, promising an escape for many from the problems of every day living.
There were more casinos than I had expected and some, like Caesar's palace, covered several city blocks.

I walked several miles and wasn't sure where to eat dinner. I went into the Flamingo casino and asked a waitress there if she knew of a good place. Not only did she give me some good advice but I felt I had met a soul-mate! She works there because of the good pay but then she is happy to get home to her garden and spend time in some of the beautiful national parks. "Velicity" told me she is a naturopath, does not gamble, smoke or drink
and believes in angels! she said she would get one of her angels to watch over me and keep me safe. It was a delight to meet her and I ended up having a very nice dinner about 2 blocks away from the strip. 
Even there, I had to wait an hour which I used to catch up on e-mails.
 They gave me a $10 card to play the machines while I was waiting but I would first have to pay $10 then use the card for more play. I gave the card to someone else who was excited to receive it. I have no interest in throwing away money on gambling and have seen too many people lose not only money but sometimes their home or their partner.
By the time I was finished with my dinner, it was already quite late but I wanted to see some of the free shows including a water show with dancing fountains and a lazer light show. They were well done and I enjoyed that very much.
On the way, I saw a man lying on the ground with a hotel worker standing beside him. I offered to helped and checked the man. He had been heavily drinking, walked outside and fell on his face hard enough to knock out a tooth and cause a gash on his forehead. He was talking and saying he didn't want anyone to call for help as he didn't have any money to pay for treatment.
Someone brought a first aid kit but they wouldn't allow me to help (concerns re liability). I had to leave and thought of how lucky we are as Canadians to have such a good health care system. I wonder how he dae out.
While I was walking the strip, there were several occasions when an ambulance or fire trucks sped by.
I was told that the Las Vegas has a very high crime rate.

Because of the lights, I never once saw the moon and only a few faint stars.
Coming back on the bus took much longer as I had to wait. The first bus dropped me off after about 45 min with info about where to transfer to the next one. I had to wait at a quiet intersection and felt uncomfortable because it was so late.
Standing at a corner at 11:30pm is probably not a smart thing to do in Las Vegas! 
Luckily the next bus came soon and I was able to get back to my RV.
I decided one visit to the strip was enough for me and can now cross that off my bucket list! 
Tomorrow, I'll leave here to drive to the Hoover dam and east towards the Grand Canyon. The  moonlight should be visible again there!

Along the strip of Las Vegas

Seen on someone's T-shirt:
"Suspend your disbelief"

A quote from the Dalai Lama 
" My religion is kindness"

From moonlight to neon , Part 2

The Tuttle Creek campground, a few miles west of Lone Pine, was better than expected for BLM land. 

View from campsite

The campsites were on a higher elevation from the valley below and were at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountain range of which Mount Whitney is the highest (14,505 ft)

The view from the sites is to the valley and another range of mountains, some white capped.

The days were nice and warm but it was cold at night due to the altitude. I thought I was back in canada when I woke up 

A real Canadian snowbird!

one morning! I had to get my ladder out and climb up to the roof to remove the snow from my solar panels in order for them to work.

There were few other campers there at the time but I was able to share stories with one woman I met. This included black tank incidents which all RVers have experienced. I told her of the time I was using a brush to clean my toilet when the brush fell off the handle and dropped into my tank. I was not about to have the tank disassembled and decided that I had invented a new way to clean the tank. The brush would scrub it while I was driving along! So far it has been no problem.

The night skies were very clear and the moon becoming fuller.

I love the moonlight in desert country with its soft bright light, casting a glow to the plants and sand. "The silence was deafening" (I'm not sure who said that but now I know what that means). I've always enjoyed the stillness of these environments, feeling that all is well.

One day, I went for a long bicycle ride to the "Alabama Hills" which was just over 4mi  from where I was.

That was a challenging drive with my little 6 gear fold up bike

and some steep grades! A turn off to "Movie Road" (a 2 lane dirt road) took me past some strange rock but fascinating rock formations.

"Alabama Hills"

There was a good hiking trail up to see the arches in the photos.

This continent certainly has a very large variety of landscapes! It would take several lifetimes to see it all.

After 3 days, I left to drive to Death Valley on route 190. The distance to Panamint Springs near the entrance to the park was only 50 mi but took me about 2 hrs due to ever increasing elevation as I got closer. valley was easy driving and before I knew it, I was slowing down for steep grades and numerous very sharp curves. A race car driver would love this!
There were sheer drops, deep canyons, high mountains, cliffs, with some gentle slopes for a brief break. Many times I caught myself saying "Wow" or perhaps close to tears to see such beauty.

Death Valley National Park is about 3.4 acres in size. It is the hottest and driest spot in North America with less than 2 in of rainfall/yr and a record high of 134 degrees F!
The highest peak is Telescope Peak (11,049ft) and the park has the lowest elevation in North Am at Badwater Basin ( -282 ft below sea level)
The distance between these 2 extremes is only 15mi, with a vertical drop of twice the depth of the Grand Canyon!

Coyotes on the side of the road looking for food

Along my way I saw some people stop to feed 2 coyotes so they could get a good photo. This is against park rules and is a dangerous practice since most wildlife are naturally afraid of people.
The people drove off before I could pull over but I did manage to get a photo from inside my RV. I noticed 2 crows watching. According to some beliefs, 2 crows showing up brings good luck.
Driving along the vast salt flats had me feel like I was on another planet, far from civilization. The air was crisp and quite warm to me (about 75F). The stillness.....oh, the stillness!
Every once in a while, a car or Rv would pass by me.

Spring blossoms

Due to a recent rain, spring flowers and flowering bushes 
appeared in many areas.

detail of salt "flat"

Salt flats

                      

Years ago, Borax (a salt) was collected from these flats, processed and shipped by mule train to urban centers.

The vast desert, far from crowded cities

In the afternoon, I arrived at "Furnace Creek" which is a major service center for the park including a hotel, fuel, camping. I stayed at the Texas Spring Campground which was a good place to stay. There were no hook ups but they had pit toilets, water, and a dump stn. A few miles away was the Ranch resort which allowed visitors from the campground to get a day pass for $5 to use their showers and pool fed by hot springs.
That was a delight in the arid desert!
During my time there, I got to see the full moon rising over the mountain top. I had never watched a moon rise and I felt overcome with awe.

Texas Spring Campground,elev 196ft below sea level!

While 
camped there, I met up with another good friend, this time from Alberta. He had been to Death valley several times and was able to be an excellent tour guide for me. Because he had an SUV (or was it a van? I'll never know the difference!)
I was able to see many areas of Death valley that I wouldn't have experienced otherwise. I also had the opportunity of doing some challenging hikes that I probably would not have attempted on my own.

An interesting site were the charcoal kilns or "beehives". These were designed by the Swiss to convert wood to charcoal. 
That day we did a very long hike up from the beehives toward a mountain peak that looked appealing. There was already a bit of snow at the parking lot and this became deeper as we climbed with the air becoming colder in the process. Luckily I was able to borrow a down jacket. 
unfortunately, the snow and steepness of the path gradually got worse and we had to turn back, but it was a great workout.

A few days later, we left and continued our journeys in opposite directions. I stopped at Zabriskie Point but the road into the area was closed. The short hike up to a look out resulted in some fantastic landscapes.

It was difficult to leave Death Valley and I know I would like to go back again sometime.

As I drove out of the park, the landscape flattened.
I was fortunate to see some Joshua Trees in bloom, an experience I had been hoping for.

Joshua Tree blossom

 On I drove to stop at Ticopa to visit the hot springs.
They had private cabins you could use, containing a shower and a small pool of hot springs water.
That felt incredibly luxurious after all the driving!

And so, once again, I'll have to continue in part 3 of this journey!


" Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey" (Fitzhugh Mullan")

From moonlight to neon, part 1

Like the butterflies, I left the coast to travel north, back to Canada for the summer, stopping for food, fuel and rest along the way.
First,east to Bakersfield, a city in southern California and in the middle of a large agricultural area and some oil wells.

It is located in a fertile green valley between mountain ranges.

Passing large orchards of almond trees in bloom, the ground covered in their fallen blossoms,made me want to run down between the rows (but there was a fence!)

Spring wildflowers in distance

Soon I came near the mountains and stopped at a farmer's market.They had many varieties of oranges and a type of citrus fruit I have never seen before.They called it "Buddha hands" and grow it to be used for making candied peel. It has no juice and is also good for zesting or adding to a glass of water for flavor.

heading into the mountains

A display of oranges and Buddha hands
Gas there was $3.79/gal! That was a shock after filling up in Arizona for $2.15 in one place! California gas has added tax.
Continuing south east then the long drive north to Lone Pine took several hours.
To pass the time, I listened to Kitaro. His fascinating suited the environment I was driving through.
North of my route was the "Sequoia National Park" and I would have loved to spend some time there but that will have to wait for another trip.When I first started this journey, I wanted to see everything but soon realized it is better to see less and spend more time in an area and discover its treasures.

Lone Pine is a  town just west of Death Valley and took me out of the way a bit but I wanted to see "The Alabama Hills" near there.Many movies, commercials, and TV shows have scenes from there as it is such a remarkable place.
I stopped at a visitor's centre for information about a BLM (Bureau of Land Mangagement )campground a few miles west of there. It's free if you want to be somewhere out in the desert but I chose to stay at an organized campground which cost only $5 and has other people nearby. Tuttle Creek campground was very nice.There were no hook ups or water and just some pit toilets but each site was very spacious, well kept,had a picnic table and a wonderful view.
 I dumped my grey and black water tanks and filled the fresh water tank while at the visitor's centre. I've learned that driving with empty tanks saves on gas (water is very heavy!)It's a juggling act because I need lots of fresh water prior to going into a desert area where there may not be any  water available. Part of RV life is to keep daily track of the tanks (including gas and propane), find out where the dump stations are and how far I will will be from services.
It's amazing how some people show up in the desert with only a small bottle of water, expecting more available.It can be a very dangerous place and preparation is essential.

More adventures await in Part 2!

"Without imbalances,there could be no movement in life" (Deng Ming-Dao)

"Yoga folds movement and Stillness into one another" (from "Wherever you go, there you are" by Jon Kabat-Zim )

"If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we'll be happy with more?" (author unknown)