Contrasting Stops: Flashy and Formidable

The past five days have been quite a contrast in our locations.  You might call the one flashy and the other formidable.     One spot we have visited before and the second we experienced for the first time.  .
When I last wrote here on the blog we had stopped for the night in Laughlin, NV.  Continuing our route north the next morning, we went west on Nevada state highway 163 toward Interstate 15 north.

Travel in NV and UT

  It was soon apparent that the strong winds whipping across the valley would be no great fun for driving that day.  So, why not make this one of our rare 100-mile-total-travel days?  Since we had parked very comfortably at the Las Vegas Elks lodge about 14 months ago, Ferd guided us easily off exit 41 of I-15 onto Charleston Blvd. Before we knew it we had a spot in the roomy parking lot.  This Elks Lodge is within the community, next to Fire Station No. 5 and near a middle school.  It’s a nice spot for a few days, away from the bright lights of the casinos. 
Speaking of the casinos,  we wanted to repeat a favorite restaurant from last year’s trip - an exceptional (in our opinion) buffet for $14 at the Main Street Station downtown.  Really, buffets aren’t usually our choice. But we were very impressed with the restaurant and the quality of food here. It’s too much food, of course, but if you combine lunch and dinner you can rationalize the many samples of dishes that are too hard to resist. On this occasion, the t-bone steak and bread pudding were a couple of the standouts on the menu. Additionally, our Las Vegas stay of three nights included an entertaining afternoon betting on horse races at the Hilton, as well as a rainy day of catching up on reading and Internet. 
After the brief Vegas layover, we were on our way north again. (Remember, our Destination Alaska 2010  trip approaches quickly.)  Moving in that direction, we chose a few spots in Utah that were calling us.  We’ve enjoyed many beautiful sites in southern and eastern Utah.  But, we had yet to do Zion National Park, which was now just off our route going north. So we headed approximately 120 miles northeast via Interstate 15 and Utah 9.  The drive up I-15 north from Las Vegas to St. George, Utah,  was a pleasant surprise for interstate travel. The road stretches through valleys and plateaus and mountain views, with a minimum of large trucks.
A few miles north of St. George we exited onto Utah 9, east toward Zion. This drive is yet another scenic one, introducing the layered sandstone cliffs and intermittent plateaus, passing through a few small towns.  Just outside Zion is the town of Springdale, the usual tourist mecca of shops, hotels, etc.  As we passed quickly through town, we were reminded that we were speculating on, and hoping to get,  a spot in one of the two park campgrounds for, oh maybe, two or three nights.  Nada. Our mistake on this trip is that we arrived at a national park campground late on a Friday afternoon.  We should really have known better.  The “no vacancy” signs were posted at the park entrance. But, fortunately for us, there was a cancellation in the reservation campground for that night. And it had just occurred in time for us to arrive.  Our guardian angel was working overtime.   A helpful ranger at the entrance gave us the news and some advice on parking for the next day so that we could have time to see more of the park. She also explained that we might move into the first-come-first-served campground in the morning.  The crowds shouldn’t have been a surprise to us. But, for some reason, we both had the illusion that the visitor population might be a little lower in the month of April. Not as far as we experienced this last weekend. We learned that there are two million visitors in this park annually.  That means that it’s pretty busy April through October, non-stop. The park seems to be managing it well, though. 
Settled quickly in our overnight spot, we had ample time to go to the visitors center to get the lay of the land. More friendly staff gave information on the shuttle system, hikes and ranger programs. To save on traffic through a good portion of the canyon, there is a shuttle system that runs during the peak season. We took our introductory ride the first afternoon, up the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to the final stop at the Temple of Sinawava, taking advantage of the late day sun on the gigantic cliffs.   As I mentioned earlier, formidable seems to describe this place. The sandstone cliffs are looming all around you and the Virgin River forces it’s way through them.    Flash floods have been known to take lives roaring through the canyon.  The next day we rode the shuttle again. But we got off and on this time for stops at the museum, the Zion Lodge, to walk by the river, etc.  
One of the features of this park that stands out is the diversity of landscapes, ranging from cacti to pine trees to cottonwood to aspen.  The elevations of the park range from 3600 to 8700 feet so there are vastly different environments represented in this 226 square miles.  The Human History Museum tells the interesting story of the explorers and inhabitants that played a part in Zion’s history.  For instance, the Southern Paiute tribe believe to this day that their people were here since creation. They first named this canyon “mukuntuweap,” meaning “straight-up-land.”   The sheer cut cliffs began formation 5-10 million years ago when the earth lifted developing the Virgin River that continues to carve the canyon today. Most of the cliffs were named by the Mormon explorers who began arriving in the 1860s.
To wrap up our visit, we drove the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, through the tunnel to the east entrance to the park. This road has full public access. Although, if you drive an rv through the tunnel, there is a $15.00 fee for the rangers to coordinate your trip from one side to the other.  It’s a fantastic zig-zag road up the canyon through four miles of beautiful views. And then you reach the mile-long tunnel through the mountain, complete with its own windows on the red cliffs.   
Zion was another example of how we are blessed to have our national parks.  Although we prefer a less-crowded situation, we were happy that we made this stop.  Click on the album below, if you’d like to see a few of the scenes from the park. 

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A Favorite Route

We all have them.  Different types for different folks. Our favorite routes suit each of us for whatever reasons.   For us, the routes that top the list are the ones that wind through an expanse of scenery with few companions on the road.   There’s one of those that starts on Ogilby Road, north of I-8  about 10 miles west of the Arizona/California line. Several times during our six years of wondering the byways we’ve enjoyed following Ogilby Rd. northwest to SR78 and then winding our way to Blythe, California.  Today we did that one more time. 

These roads begin in the Imperial Sand Dunes, twist through the Picacho Recreation Area’s desert mountain views, the Chocolate Mountains keeping us company to the west and the Colorado River to the east.  About 50-60 miles up the road we begin into the Palo Verde valley where the green agricultural fields cozy right up to the mountains in the distance.  The old favorite was as good as we remembered.  The ocotillo bushes were in full bloom, the brilliant orange fingers pointing every which way.  Much of the road was lined with bright yellow spring bushes. (Are those Brittle bushes?  I can’t remember right now. Oh well.)  Our timing was great in the valley as there were fresh hay fields and we drove right by a farmer cutting.  Oh that aroma. 

Still enjoying our scenery, we were ready to make additions to the old favorite.  From Blythe we went north on SR95 toward Needles, CA. The countryside works back into the sandy, hilly desert views. And the Colorado River resorts frequent the highway as it creeps right along with the river.   Approaching the town of Needles,  where we all know they experience some of the most extreme temps of the Mojave, it is quite beautiful seeing the steamy valley all stretched out.   From there we headed up Needles Highway toward Laughlin.  Even this road was pretty lonely. That’s a good lonely, I mean.   After about 220 miles, we decided to find a spot in Laughlin to stop for the night. So we took Casino Drive from the south into the city. Harrah’s casino lot at the top of the hill popped up as we drove into town,  with several rvers already situated in obvious parking spots.  So we thought we’d see what was up.  $5.00 for the night with a mountain view sounded agreeable. So we perched Ferd, bought a cold one at the convenience store and watched the changing golds, oranges and greens shift across our scenery as the sun settled for another night.  We had a new spot to pause after meandering an old favorite route.  See you down the road. 

Building the Alaska Itinerary, After a Hiccup

Life’s hiccups, or interruptions, can be quite annoying.  A few days ago we had a nasty reminder of the truth of that statement.  I (Nancy) woke up with a terrific toothache and my face puffed up like a battered boxer.  Details of this ordeal aren’t necessary here.  But, suffice it to say, there were dental items such as drills, forceps, needles and antibiotics involved in the solution.  It was no picnic, but I’ll survive. 
And I am so grateful it didn’t happen about 2000 miles north in a remote, tiny town in the Yukon.

But, back to preparing for our four-month meander through the northern country. The response to my last post was a lot of fun.  Friends and family are sharing experiences, giving advice and making arrangements to meet us.  We are thrilled.  It gives a special additive to the trip.  Plans are underway to meet our friend Will, from Juneau, along the road at some point. After emails from Mary and Norm we chose the Teklanika campground in Denali.  And upon hearing from Nancy and Bob about their time in the Skagway area and the airplane ride from Talkeetna over Mt. McKinley, those are confirmed on our list too.  We are still considering the Dalton Highway to Coldfoot and the Arctic Ocean.  That would be about 500 miles north from Fairbanks (left photo).  Let’s hear it on that trip!

Of course, finances always enter the equation.  Studying of the overall cost of this trip taught us that food/grocery prices are quite a bit higher, in addition to many other items.  Maybe we can compensate on the food a little.   So we’re stocking up on canned goods and staples.  Who knows. Perhaps we’ll save a few bucks for an extra rafting trip down one of those gorgeous rivers in Alaska. Jerry has reorganized the basement again to make room for our additional supplies.  Yes kids, once again he has worked his magic down there.  (No chuckling allowed.)  There are empty storage bins. How to use them? Fill ‘em up with stuff not restricted in crossing the international border.  And non-perishables,  --  dah!  In our case these would include foods such as various types of beans, whole wheat pasta, our favorite Classico spaghetti sauce, tuna, Sam’s canned chicken, coffee, V8 juice, Campbell’s chicken noodle and tomato soup. Not to mention the everyday paper products.  I guess you could say that these few extra days delay for the teeth situation put us into the hording mode.  The bins are no longer empty down below.   As Jerry would say in his own inimitable way:   “I have it all dialed in.”

Another to-do list item was haircuts.  There will be many days of boondocking, taking advantage of the idyllic scenery along the roadways.  So I want a somewhat more freestyle haircut to fit the mood. WE took care of both heads. My hair clippers worked magic on Jerry. And I found a friendly and skilled stylist, Pilar, to give my Alaska cut.   Check out my wedge.    What do you think?   

Oh yeah, almost forgot, the teeth delay did work toward one goal.  The passport renewal is complete.  We were able to receive the “expedited” passport by FedEx at our new Yuma friend Joanne’s (Chuck’s mom).  The fast processing worked well.  It took two weeks, from door to door,  to get-r-done. Thanks Joanne, for being our receiver, and for just being a great lady.  It was fun meeting you.

We are paring down the preparations list at a fast pace and piling up the places-to-see list.  Dawson Creek, Tok and Homer are getting closer.  We’ve both enjoyed the book our good friends Jerry and Dee gave us. It’s by Charlie Marshall, a fellow rver,  who writes about multiple adventures to Alaska .  She describes so beautifully and humorously her multitude of fantastic experiences. Among her words of wisdom are: “Plan for a little extra moola.”  and “If you moon a mosquito, repellant is the bottom line for comfort.”  The mind is working overtime now.   How does that tune go?  ……Anticipation, anticipation, is keepin me waitin.

Planning for Alaska

While the spring warms in Arizona, we’re gearing up for what might be dubbed “Destination Alaska 2010.”  We’ve allotted May through August, and possibly into September, for our first trip to Alaska. Hopefully, this time frame will be enough to leisurely explore the areas we’ve chosen. We’ll enter via the east route, Montana into Alberta,  and return the west route, British Columbia into Washington. For several reasons, we’re putting more effort into our planning for this trip.

For example, there’s planning for the portion of the trip in Canada.  Do we have auto, rv and medical insurance coverage? Are our passports current? Will we have, or want to arrange, cell phone service for the Canada portion?  What items are restricted from transportation over the border?  These questions, plus others on the list, are all answered now. In fact, last week when I was using my passport to go to Mexico from Yuma, I noticed that it would expire before our scheduled return through Canada.  Renewing it jumped to the top of the priority list – obviously.  The Internet to the rescue once again.  It didn’t take long to find this very informative website:  http://travel.state.gov/passport/.    But, guess what?  4-6 weeks is the standard processing time for a renewal.  Oh no, that won’t work for our plans to cross into Canada on or about May 1.  Wait though….there’s info on “Expediting”  If you need your passport in 2-3 weeks, there is a way.  Pay an extra $60 fee, in addition to the $75 renewal fee. Also, include $14.96 overnight delivery charge with your payment for the return of the passport.  And send this package to a special address in Pennsylvania (via another $15-20 overnight delivery).   Actually, if you have an even shorter timeframe of travel, there are regional offices, i.e. Tucson, Chicago, L. A., where faster processing is possible.  That requires proof that you are leaving the country in less than two weeks, such as, a hotel or rental car reservation.  We decided to go with the option of overnight delivery in 2-3 weeks.  I need it. So I put the package together in a day. And now I am tracking the progress online through the website above.  In a week’s time the news is that my passport is in the “final stages.”  It’s been another one of those learning experiences, right?

Besides out-of-country planning, we’ve  been whittling away at a to-do list ……oil changes, tire checks, and stashing a few extra belts and parts.  Friendly advice tells us that it is wise to be prepared in case trouble pops up when you aren’t near one of the large cities up north.  Hopefully, lengthy and/or expensive repairs will be avoided.

Speaking of advice and information, we’ve gathered quite a variety. Reading materials, both printed and online, have helped us become familiar with the routes and every aspect of the country. Of course, people sharing personal tips is priceless. The list of  possibilities for outstanding nature and wildlife experiences grows daily.  Every time we turn around we’re reading or hearing of another route or location that sounds appealing.   We’re devouring camping and travel guides, studying maps, and soaking up blogs.  The Great Alaskan TourSaver booklet is patiently waiting for us to pick which scenic float to what glacier or other types of adventures we’ll select.  Since “going to Alaska” is an extremely popular theme with rvers, we have had many generous and enjoyable conversations with friends and strangers about their favorite town, bear-siting spot or mountain view.  It’s clear that the planning for our first Alaska trip is an experience of its own.

And we sure would like to hear more from anyone who has more to tell us.  There’s still time.

A Moving Easter

Easter 2010 in Yuma  was both pleasant and surprising… Pleasant because our  friends Jan and Chuck and Joanne, Chuck’s mom,  included us in their family holiday.  We all had a delicious meal of Jan’s ham and Jerry’s mashed potatoes, topped off with apple pie ala mode.  The friendly meal was much appreciated.  Everyone was smilingly full so why not jump right into The Whole Enchilada.  And so we did.  Actually, there is no food involved.  Jerry and I had three experts teaching us a unique card game that is appropriately named as it builds to a crescendo on the last hand.  Our teachers were very generous with advice, but not necessarily with any allowances for beginners. Pay back is ………right?  After getting our fill of The Whole Enchilada, the girls attacked a jigsaw puzzle and the guys got involved in checking electrical circuits, or whatever it is that they do.    

Then came the surprising piece of the day.  Everything began to rumble and shake around us.  We all looked at each other for some explanation at first.  Was it just some big Arizona wind shaking the motorhome?  No, not this.  There seemed to be quite a bit of time ticking away as we saw Joanne’s car and the motorhome parked across the lot moving side-to-side.  Sure enough, here it was,  my first earthquake.  Wow! That’s the most descriptive word I can come up with for the feelings and thoughts that ran through my head.

Within a few short minutes Chuck had located the information about the earthquake on the USGS website. It occurred at 3:40 p.m. and was centered in Baja California, about 60 miles from where we are currently located.  There are now reported to have been approximately 100 aftershocks.  We felt several in the 15 – 30 minutes after the initial quake.

As I said, this was a moving day.  We’re all safe.  See you down the road.