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\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \nToday is our first day of travel as we head out west.\u00a0 Other than our turn around point of Death Valley, CA, we have no plans. We take interstate 24 west to Franklin, TN and then head for the Natchez Trace Parkway.\u00a0 Our first stop is Arrington Vineyards where we sample some local wine.\u00a0 We learn that this winery is part owned by Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn music fame.\u00a0 We then head for a local restaurant,Pucketts, in downtown Franklin.\u00a0 We have a book called Road Eats which list many unique restaurants across the US.\u00a0 Our goal is to stop at as many as possible.\u00a0 Pucketts did not disappoint us. The pulled pork BBQ was just as good as described in the book.\u00a0 From Franklin, we picked up the Natchez Trace Parkway at mile 444 and will travel this in its entirety to mile 0. Tonight is a stop at Meriwether Lewis campground at mile 380 on the parkway.\u00a0 There is no power or water here but It is a free campground which makes it especially nice.\u00a0 Only two other campers are here. Total miles traveled today was 239.<\/p>\n
Day 2 February 8th: Meriwether Lewis Park to Rock Springs Campground:<\/strong> Day 3 February 9th: Rock Springs to Abbeville,LA<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Today was another 329 miles.\u00a0 We traveled the final 50 miles of the Natchez Trace to the town of Natchez.\u00a0 We picked up I-10 in Baton Rouge and crossed the Mississippi River. Just across the 20 mile long Atchyaflaya Bayou Bridge we stopped at a very nice welcome center.\u00a0 There was another View here from Alaska and we enjoyed chatting with them. From here we detoured down to Avery Island to tour the Tabasco plant.\u00a0 We had lunch at a little road side restaurant and had our first boudin.\u00a0 This Louisiana delicacy is a type of sausage similar to haggis.\u00a0 The crawfish and seafood versions were much better than the pork but we would probably not order any of them again. Tonight we found a county rv park in the town of Abbeville,LA for $20.\u00a0 I was able to get in a five mile run before the rain set in.<\/p>\n Day 4 February 10: Abbeville, LA to Lockhart,TX<\/strong>: Day 5 February 11: Lockhart, TX to Sonora Caverns, TX<\/strong>: Day 6 February 12: Sonora Caverns <\/strong><\/p>\n \n\t\t There is a winter weather advisory today with forecasted ice and snow on the roads.\u00a0 We had hoped to get out of here before the sleet arrived but by 8:00 AM the ground is already covered.\u00a0 We decide to spend the day here.\u00a0 This is our first non travel day. We spent several hours on a tour of the Sonora cave system.\u00a0 Our guide took us down 155 feet into the cave.\u00a0 This was one of the most spectacular caves that we have been in with many limestone and calcite formations.\u00a0 We are happy to be nice and dry in our camper as the sleet\/rain mixture continues all day.\u00a0 This afternoon the rain lets up and we are able to check out some of the beautiful scenery here in the Texas hills.\u00a0 I brave the cold for a six mile run while Sebastian and Jeff get a nice walk in.\u00a0 There is a pet goat running around which totally freaked Sebastian out.\u00a0 He has never seen such an animal before.\u00a0 The small campground is full this evening with about 10 other RV’s.<\/p>\n Day 7 February 13: Sonora Caverns to Carlsbad Caverns<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Tonight we are in White’s City RV park just outside Carlsbad Caverns National Park.\u00a0 We will tour the caves tomorrow.\u00a0 Today we traveled mostly back roads through some very remote desert area.\u00a0 There was absolutely nothing for miles and miles.\u00a0 We stopped for lunch in the town of Pecos at a local Mexican restaurant which was excellent.\u00a0 The winds are really blowing today as we travel through this flat as a pancake farmland.\u00a0 Just before Carlsbad, the Guadalupe Mountain range looms ahead.\u00a0 We had originally wanted to spend the evening at Guadalupe. There is a nine mile trail which takes you to he highest point in Texas at 8752 feet. We wanted to do this hike but the winds are forecast to 60 mph for the next few days.\u00a0\u00a0 We will save this hike for another time.\u00a0 Today’s distance was 290 miles.<\/p>\n Day 8 February 14: Carlsbad Caverns to Bottomless Lakes State Park<\/strong>:<\/p>\n From our campground in White’s City, it was a very scenic seven mile drive through the Chihuahuan Desert along the park service road to Carlsbad Caverns.\u00a0 \u00a0 In the visitor\u2019s center parking lot, we meet Rick\u00a0and Ami who are full time travelers in a Four Winds RV similar to our Winnebago.\u00a0 They invite us to join them on the self guided audio walking tour through the Natural Entrance\u00a0of the cave.\u00a0 This two mile tour takes us 750 feet below the surface into the Big Room of the caverns.\u00a0 The scale and grandeur of Carlsbad Caverns is truly a natural wonder.\u00a0 This should be a destination on everyone’s bucket list.\u00a0 In the afternoon we did another two hour tour led by a Park Ranger into a different area of the cave known as Kings Palace and Queens Chamber.\u00a0 This evening we rendezvoused\u00a0with Rick and Ami\u00a0 at the Bottomless Lake State Park a few miles east of Roswell,NM.\u00a0 Over wine and cheese, we swap RV adventure stories with them.\u00a0 Prior to becoming full time RV’ers, Rick and Ami lived aboard their 42 ft. catamaran while exploring the Caribbean and South America.\u00a0 They gave us lots of great information for rv’ing in New Mexico and Arizona.\u00a0 It was a pleasant evening with new friends.<\/p>\n Today was a short travel day of only 108 miles.<\/p>\n Day 9 February 15th: Roswell,NM to Alamogordo, NM:<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\t\t Jeff and Sebastian spent some time hiking around the park while I did a 7 mile run along some of the trails.\u00a0 We can hear the Sandhill Cranes in the distance.\u00a0 Before leaving, we enjoyed a cup of tea with Rick and Ami.\u00a0 I am sure we will see them again someday.\u00a0 Today’s trip took us through Roswell whose claim to fame is UFO sightings.\u00a0 There is a museum here but we decided to continue on.\u00a0 We traveled some smaller highways enjoying the rural countryside.\u00a0 We then climbed to 8650 feet to the town of Cloudcroft.\u00a0 There is snow on the ground but the mountain pass is clear.\u00a0 The scenery is again stunning as we weave between the mountains.\u00a0 Descending from Cloudcroft, the White Sands Desert can be seen off in the distance.\u00a0 From this view it looks like the ocean.\u00a0 We continue 14 miles east of Alamogordo to the Oliver Lee State Park.\u00a0 We have a beautiful campsite with the Dog Canyon as a backdrop.\u00a0 Total miles traveled today was\u00a0171 miles.<\/p>\n Day 10 February 16th: Alamogordo, NM to Deming, NM<\/strong>:<\/p>\n We went for an early morning hike up the beautiful Dog Canyon this morning.\u00a0 It is a good climb.\u00a0 We didn’t have time to do the entire 11 miles but we did make it to 5000 feet with some spectacular views.\u00a0 Sebastian especially enjoyed the climb.\u00a0 Back on the road, our first stop of the day was to the White Sands National Monument.\u00a0 These 275 square miles of desert is the largest gypsum dune field in the world.\u00a0 The 16 mile driving loop through the dunes was like being on the beach in Florida except there is no ocean.\u00a0 From there we climbed through another mountain pass and into the city of Las Cruces.\u00a0 Here we continued on our Road Food tour with a stop at Nellie\u2019s Mexican Restaurant.\u00a0 This little hole in the wall served up some of the best Mexican food we have eaten.\u00a0 It was also some of the spiciest. From there we continued on 1-10 to Rockhound State Park just outside of Deming,NM.\u00a0 This campground is at 4800 feet on the slopes of the Little Florida Mountains and is a popular rock and mineral collecting area. Today’s trip was 162 miles.<\/p>\n Day 11 February 17th: Deming, NM to Tucson, AZ<\/strong>:<\/p>\n \n\t\t It is cold and windy today.\u00a0 We skipped the geode hunting this morning but I did get in a 3 mile run before leaving.\u00a0 Back on I-10 we crossed the Continental Divide at 4585\u00a0ft.\u00a0 We have spitting snow.\u00a0 Crossing into Arizona the desert landscape is dramatically different.\u00a0 We now have huge boulders perched one on top of another. They look as if they could topple at any moment.\u00a0 Our first stop in Tucson was to the Post Office for our mail drop.\u00a0 We next continued on our Roadfood tour, this time for fast food Mexican at El Guero Canelo.\u00a0 Their clam to fame is Sonoran hot dog.\u00a0 We ordered the Sammy dog which is two dogs in one bun along with\u00a0something called a caramelo.\u00a0 What makes these dogs special is both the homemade buns and also how they are dressed.\u00a0 \u00a0 The beef franks are topped with chopped tomatoes, pinto beans, onions, yellow mustard, jalape\u00f1o sauce, and mayonnaise.\u00a0 Boy were they good.\u00a0 We ordered a piece of Flan for later.\u00a0 Tonight we are camped at Gilbert Ray Park which is 13 miles west of Tucson.\u00a0 This is one of the most scenic spots we have camped.\u00a0 We are in the middle of the Sonoran Destert with large saguaro cactus surrounding us.\u00a0 This will be our home for two nights.<\/p>\n Day 12 February 18th: Tucson<\/strong>:<\/p>\n \n\t\t I enjoyed a beautiful 5 mile run in the Sonora Desert this morning.\u00a0 We next headed just a few miles away to the Saguaro National Park and then to the Sonora Desert Museum. Several hours were spent enjoying the well done exhibits at the museum.\u00a0 There was also a free flight raptor demonstration using Harris Hawks.\u00a0 This was very fun to watch.\u00a0 From our campground we were able to hike the Brown Mountain Trail enjoying some great views of the Sonoran countryside.\u00a0 Unfortunately dogs are not allowed so Sebastian had to stay behind. Tonight we tried the Flan which we had bought yesterday at the Mexican Restaurant.\u00a0 We wish we had bought several pieces.\u00a0 It was sooo good.<\/p>\n Day 13 February 19th: Tucson, AZ to Picacho,AZ<\/strong>:<\/p>\n \n\t\t Today was a short travel day of only 65 miles.\u00a0 Before leaving Tucson we continued on our Roadfood tour for a Mexican breakfast at Teresa’s Mosaic Cafe.\u00a0 Their huevos rancheros were incredible along with the homemade tortillas.\u00a0 We ordered a piece of their flan to go for this evening. From there it was an easy trip north on I-10 to Picacho State Park.\u00a0 \u00a0 Before hooking up in the campground, we drove to the Sunset Vista trailhead for a hike to Picacho peak.\u00a0 This 6 mile hike takes you to the top at 3374 feet.\u00a0 Since Sebastian was hiking with us, we opted to turn around before the last climb up to the peak.\u00a0 This steep climb using cables would have been difficult with Sebastian.\u00a0 We enjoy a quiet afternoon at our campsite at the base of Black Mountain.<\/p>\n Day 14 February 20th: Picacho, AZ to Quartzsite, AZ<\/strong>:<\/p>\n \n\t\t My 5 mile run around Picachio Park was tough.\u00a0 There is not a flat spot here.\u00a0 It is either up or down everywhere you go.\u00a0 Today is Presidents Day so the traffic on I-10 was not too bad.\u00a0 We took the Phoenix Bypass to I-8 into Yuma.\u00a0 The big saguaro cactus are now gone and the desert is mostly scrub brush.\u00a0 We saw several huge dairy cow farms along the interstate.\u00a0 Their size was quiet impressive.\u00a0 Yuma seems to be the RV capital of the United States.\u00a0 There are parking lots everywhere full of retired RV owners who winter here.\u00a0 We had searched for a RV site to spend the evening but almost all of them were for 55+ years of age. Plus it was just too busy for our liking so we decided to continue on. From Yuma we took State Road 95 through the Military Proving Grounds into Quartzsite. We passed through another Boarder Patrol checkpoint. This is the third so far on our trip.\u00a0 They haven’t checked us at any of these but just wave us through.\u00a0 Our Roadfood tour did not have any stops here in Quartzsite but we did find Silly Ed’s pizza which was recommended on another web site.\u00a0 We ordered the Goliath 20 inch pizza to go.\u00a0 We then drove three miles outside of town to the free Bureau of Land Management (BLM) campgrounds.\u00a0 This is basically a dirt parcel where RV’s can stay for up to 14 days at no charge.\u00a0 There is no power or water or anything else.\u00a0 But it is free.\u00a0 Today’s trip was 277 miles.<\/p>\n Day 15 February 21: Quartzsite,AZ<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Today was chore day.\u00a0 Our first stop was the laundry mat.\u00a0 Unlike on our boat, we have no washer and dryer aboard our RV.\u00a0 Next was a much needed hair cut at the local salon.\u00a0 We then headed to the RV repair shop to have a few minor repair items taken care of.\u00a0 Our stop at the Post Office was not so productive.\u00a0 Due to the holidays, our mail has not arrived.\u00a0 This means we will be spending another night here.\u00a0 The Post Office also only hands out General Delivery mail between 11-1.\u00a0 That is something new to us.\u00a0 Quartzsite is home to thousands of RV snowbirds and I guess the Post Office is overwhelmed with General Delivery mail.\u00a0 We really hope our mail comes tomorrow.\u00a0 There is not much to do here in Quartzsite.\u00a0 Luckily our campsite is free.\u00a0 These BLM campsites are a major draw for RVs here.\u00a0 There is both a long and short term BLM.\u00a0 The long term is $40 for 14 days.\u00a0 The short term is free but you can only stay a maximum of 14 days.\u00a0 These areas are really just dirt land where you find an open spot and pull over.\u00a0 Many people spend the winters here.\u00a0 Quartzsite has activities almost every night ranging from bingo to pancake suppers.\u00a0 This is not someplace I would want to stay but to each his own.<\/p>\n Day 16 February 22nd: Quartzsite to Joshua Tree National Park, CA<\/strong>: Back on I-10, we soon cross over the Colorado River and into California.\u00a0 There is a boarder check on the state line.\u00a0 The agent inspects our refrigerator for citrus.\u00a0 Evidently you can not bring in citrus from Arizona.\u00a0\u00a0 The desert has once again changed dramatically.\u00a0 It is mostly rock and sand with no cactus and only sparse vegetation.\u00a0 The mountains in the distance are getting bigger and bigger.\u00a0 As we enter Joshua Tree National Park, we begin a long gradual climb up to our campsite at Cottonwood Park Headquarters.\u00a0 Leaving Quartzsite we were at 879 feet and now we are at 3100 feet. There are plenty of campsites available.\u00a0 The sites are small with no electricity but it is a beautiful area with mountains all around.\u00a0 This afternoon we hike to Mastodon Peak.\u00a0 From here we have great views of The Salton Sea.\u00a0 Our 5 mile loop hike also takes us by the remains of an abandoned gold mine and also to Cottonwood Spring where we see some 50 foot tall desert palm trees.\u00a0 Today’s trip was 111 miles.<\/p>\n Day17 February 23rd: Joshua Tree<\/strong>: Day 18 February 24th: Joshua Tree<\/strong> Day 19 February 25th: Joshua Tree to Tecopa Hot Springs<\/strong>: Day 20 February 26 th: Tecopa to Death Valley,Ca<\/strong>: Our first stop after Tecopa was to China Ranch which is a local date farm. The drive down into the canyon floor to reach the ranch was impressive.\u00a0 It is a one lane gravel road which is cut between the canyon walls.\u00a0 Luckily, no cars are coming the other way as we traverse this twisty path.\u00a0\u00a0 At the date farm, we purchase some dates, date bread, and also enjoy a really good date milkshake.\u00a0 From there we again travel through a very remote and sparse desert area to Death Valley. Our campground tonight is at Sunset Campground at Furnace Creek in Death Valley.\u00a0 It is basically a gravel parking lot with no electricity.\u00a0 They do have water here. The desolation of the gravel lot is more than made up for by the majestic mountains surrounding us on all sides.\u00a0 We will spend the next week here in Death Valley.\u00a0 Total miles today was 80.<\/p>\n Day 21 February 27th: Death Valley<\/strong>: Day 22 February 28th: Death Valley- Furnace Creek to Stovepipe Wells<\/strong>: Day 23 February 29th: Death Valley Stovepipe Wells:<\/strong> Day 24 March 1st: Death Valley Stovepipe Wells to Mesquite Springs:<\/strong> Day 25 March 2nd: Death Valley to Valley of Fire State Park<\/strong>: Day 26 March 3rd: Valley of Fire to Lake Mead<\/strong>: Day 27 March 4th: Lake Mead to Willow Beach Campground<\/strong>: Day 28 March 5th: Willow Beach Campground<\/strong>: Day 29 March 6th<\/strong>:\u00a0 Willow Beach to Lake Havasu City, AZ: Day 30 March 7th: Lake Havasu to Cattail Cove State Park<\/strong>: Day 31 March 8th<\/strong>:\u00a0 Cattail Cove to\u00a0 Buckskin Mountain State Park: Day 32 March 9th: Buckskin Mountain to Lake Pleasant County Park, AZ:<\/strong> Day 33 March 10th: Lake Pleasant to Scottsdale,AZ<\/strong>: Day 34 March 11th: Scottsdale, AZ to Tucson, Arizona<\/strong>: Day 35 March 12th: Tucson, AZ to Tombstone, AZ<\/strong>: Day 36 March 13th: Tombstone, AZ to Deming, NM<\/strong>: Day 37 March 14th: Deming, NM to Guadalupe Mountain National Park<\/strong>: Day 38 March 15th: Guadalupe <\/strong>
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\nIt was a cold 41 degrees this morning.\u00a0 We were up early and back on the Natchez Parkway by 7:00 am.\u00a0 There were lots of deer and turkey along the roads.\u00a0 The parkway is nice with hardly any traffic.\u00a0 Just past Tupelo we pass through an area that was hit by the 2011 April tornadoes.\u00a0 The devastation continued for miles with trees tumbled down\u00a0like pick up sticks. We detoured off the parkway in Jackson,MS for lunch at another restaurant in our Road Food book.\u00a0 The Elite Restaurant has been an institution in downtown Jackson for over 50 years.\u00a0 Jeff tried their fried chicken and I had the fried shrimp.\u00a0 Both meals were very good.\u00a0 The city itself looks pretty run down.\u00a0 It is not someplace we would come back to. Tonight we are at the Rock Springs Campground at mile 54.8 on the parkway.\u00a0 It too is free but with no water or power.\u00a0 I was able to get a 4 mile run in before dark.
\nToday we traveled 348 miles.<\/p>\n
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\nThe rain continued all morning as we traveled west on I-10.\u00a0 Today we saw our first oil well along the interstate.\u00a0 Luckily the rain quit just before Houston.\u00a0 There was lots of traffic along this stretch.\u00a0 Following our Road Food book, we made a stop in Luling,Texas at the City Market which reportedly has the best barbecue in Texas.\u00a0 Our meal consisted of beef brisket, pork ribs, and a beef sausage ring all served on brown wax paper with four slices of white bread and homemade sauce.\u00a0 It was a eat with your fingers type of place.\u00a0 The locals are all drinking a soda called Big Red so we tried that also.\u00a0 We would have to say this is some of the best barbecue we have had. Of course we will continue to sample as we travel across Texas. From Luling, we headed to Lockhart State Park for the evening.\u00a0 Today was another 380 miles of travel.<\/p>\n
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\nToday we traveled through the hill country of Texas staying on the back roads.\u00a0 Our first stop was Johnson City to visit the boyhood home of President Lyndon B. Johnson. From there we traveled 15 miles for a driving tour of LBJ’s ranch which is now a National Historical Park. The park service provides you with an audio CD to play in your car while driving through the 762 acre ranch.\u00a0 You can also do a ranger led tour of The Little White House where LBJ lived.\u00a0 While President he spent 25% of his time here.\u00a0 Next we continued on our Road Food tour with a stop in Fredericksburg to sample some pie at the Fredericksburg Pie Company. Fredericksburg is a German town with lots and lots of shops.\u00a0 It is quite crowded today.\u00a0 Coopers Barbeque in Mason, TX was our next destination.\u00a0 \u00a0 Here we sampled beef brisket, pork ribs, lamb ribs, roast chicken, pork loin, and beef sausage.\u00a0 Coopers has been voted one of the five top BBQ places in Texas for the last five years.\u00a0 Similar to our first BBQ stop several days ago,\u00a0everything is served on butcher paper and is no frills. The food was excellent.\u00a0 From there we continued 100 miles to Sonora Caverns RV Park for the evening.\u00a0 Our mileage today was 261 miles.<\/p>\n\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \n\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \n\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \n\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \n\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \n\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \n
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\nWe found a dune buggy trail behind our campsite.\u00a0 It seems to go for miles and miles.\u00a0 Almost all the RV owners have a dune buggy in tow.\u00a0 Riding around on all the vacant BLM land seems to be the major pastime.\u00a0 I was able to get in a six mile run before leaving on this trail.\u00a0 Our first stop today was at a place called The Pit Stop.\u00a0 This facility is similar to a gas station, only here you purchase water and propane.\u00a0 You can also dump your holding tank.\u00a0 Water is .25 per gallon.\u00a0 Our next stop is the Post Office in hopes our mail has arrived.\u00a0 We can’t leave Quartzsite unless our mail is here.\u00a0 We have to wait until 11:00 am for general delivery.\u00a0 After a 30 minute wait in line, Jeff returns with the mail in hand.\u00a0 Yahoo!\u00a0 We are free to leave.<\/p>\n
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\nToday was a short travel day of only 38 miles.\u00a0 We traveled north through the center of Joshua Tree National Park from Cottonwood campground to Jumbo Rocks Campground.\u00a0 As we climbed above 3000 feet we reached the transition zone of the Colorado and Mojave Desert.\u00a0 Sightings of the wild armed Joshua tree confirmed that we are now in the Mojave Desert.\u00a0 These twisted, spiky trees straight out of a Dr. Seuss book were named by the Mormons after the biblical figure, Joshua.\u00a0 These trees are actually members of the Agave family. The drive through this 792,000 acre park was amazing.\u00a0 We climbed to Jumbo Rocks Campground which is at 4400 feet. After selecting our campsite amongst the jumbo rock boulders, we did a short 3 mile hike along the Skull Rock trail.\u00a0 A coyote crossed our path as it was passing through our campsite.\u00a0 We also saw several jackrabbits. They are huge with big floppy ears.\u00a0\u00a0 We have seen\u00a0hoof prints and droppings from the native big horn sheep but have yet to see the animal itself.\u00a0 This evening we were rewarded with a magnificent sunset among the rocks.\u00a0 Joshua Tree is truly an amazing place.<\/p>\n
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\nThis morning we had another coyote in our campsite.\u00a0 We will really have to watch Sebastian.\u00a0 He would make a great snack for the coyote.\u00a0 Today we used our bicycles for the first time on this trip.\u00a0 We found a very nice 20 mile loop along some of the less traveled dirt roads.\u00a0 Our first stop was Queen Mine, an abandoned gold mine which was in operation until 1967.\u00a0 From there we continued to Barker Dam which was built around 1900 for watering cattle.\u00a0 At Hidden Valley Camp Ground, we stopped to watch several rock climbers in action.\u00a0 This is a very popular activity in the park.\u00a0 This afternoon we attended a ranger guided hike on the Skull Rock trail.<\/p>\n
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\nToday I did an 8 mile run from our campground out to the park entrance. Jeff and Sebastian followed in the RV.\u00a0 It was a beautiful run down through the canyon as the sun was still rising and it was all down hill as we dropped from 4400 feet to 2200 feet.\u00a0 Back in the RV, we continued on a two lane road out of Twenty Nine Palms, CA to the small town of Amboy where we visited the Amboy volcanic crater.\u00a0 We stopped at the famous Roy’s Gas Station on Route 66.\u00a0 Before the interstate existed, Roy’s was the only place to get gas for miles and miles.\u00a0 Now it is more of a tourist stop. From there we continued through the mountains to the small town of Kelso which is in the Mojave National Preserve.\u00a0 The geological diversity of this area is amazing.\u00a0 We have seen volcanoes, huge sand dunes, vast desert areas, and towering mountain peaks all within a small area.\u00a0 From Kelso we continued to Tecopa Hot Springs which is our destination for tonight.\u00a0 Before going to our campsite, we drove another 7 miles to the town of Soshone for dinner at the Crow Bar Grill.\u00a0 Diesel fuel in Soshone is $5.50 a gallon. After settling into our campsite we tried out the hot spring mineral baths here at the campground which is the big draw to Tecopa.<\/p>\n
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\nBefore leaving this morning, we both went and had another soak at the mineral baths.\u00a0 I was hoping they would not be crowded early in the morning.\u00a0 But even arriving at 7:00 AM, there was already a crowd.\u00a0 It seems to be mostly Japanese people.\u00a0 The women and men each use separate pools.\u00a0 There is both a hot pool and a cool pool for both.\u00a0 Clothing is not allowed as they don’t want any chemicals introduced into the water.\u00a0 It is a strange place and I didn’t stay in the tubs very long.<\/p>\n
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\nThe word for today was WIND!\u00a0 Boy was it windy.\u00a0 We started off the day with a hike in Golden Canyon.\u00a0 This was a ranger led talk on photography in the desert.\u00a0 We did a 4 mile hike through this twisty and turning labyrinth to the Eastern valley wall to a place called the Red Cathedral.\u00a0 After exiting the canyon, we watched as a dust storm with over 60 knot winds traveled north through the valley floor to the Furnace Creek Campground.\u00a0 We were glad that we were not there right now.\u00a0 We continued south another 11 miles to an area known as Badwater.\u00a0 Being 282 feet below sea level, this is the lowest point in North America.\u00a0 It is also the hottest spot on record with a temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit recorded here.\u00a0 This is also said to be one of the driest places in the U.S.\u00a0 Today was the exception as we actually experienced a rain shower which is very unusual.\u00a0 They only get 1.2 inches of rain here a year.\u00a0 This basin is now a shimmering expanse of salt.\u00a0 Four thousand years ago there was a 30 foot lake here.\u00a0 This water evaporated and left a 1-5 foot layer of salt.\u00a0 We walked about a mile out into the salt basin.\u00a0 This salt taste just like the table salt that we purchase in stores.\u00a0 This evening we did some much needed laundry.\u00a0 Tomorrow we will head north to another campground in the park.<\/p>\n
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\nOur morning started with another Ranger led hike to the Kit Fox Canyon.\u00a0 We saw several fox dens as we weaved our way through the canyon floor.\u00a0 In the afternoon, we did a second Ranger talk along Salt Creek.\u00a0 Here we saw our first Pup Fish.\u00a0 These minnow like fish have learned to adapt to this harsh desert environment.\u00a0 The water here is five times as salty as the ocean.\u00a0 These fish were trapped here thousands of years ago by the retreating oceans.\u00a0 This afternoon we paid our highest price ever for diesel at $5.90 per gallon.\u00a0 Ouch!\u00a0 It is the only available diesel for many miles.\u00a0 Tonight we moved to another area of the park called Stovepipe Wells.\u00a0 Jeff dropped me off seven miles from the campground so I could get in another run.\u00a0 It was really tough running these 7 miles in the hot afternoon sun along the desert floor.\u00a0 Our campground is another gravel lot with no power.\u00a0 We do have water along with some great views.<\/p>\n
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\nJust a mile from our campground are the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. This morning our Ranger talk lead us on a mile walk through the sandy dunes.\u00a0 We learned to identify several animals\u2019 footprints in the sand.\u00a0 These sand dunes only make up 2 % of the park.\u00a0 Contrary to popular belief, most deserts do not consist of sand dunes and many are cold and dry.\u00a0 The definition of a Desert is 10″ of rain or less per year. We stopped in the Ranger Station for Jeff to be sworn in as a Junior Ranger.\u00a0 He has been working on his Junior Ranger book all week and has now completed all of his homework assignments.\u00a0 After a detailed check of his book and taking an oath, he was awarded a plastic Junior Ranger badge. This afternoon we hiked from our campground into the Mosaic Canyon.\u00a0 This 8 mile hike was very rewarding.\u00a0 The walls of this canyon were unlike any of the other canyons that we have explored.\u00a0 The polished rock appeared to be almost marble like.\u00a0 There were several spots where we had to do some rock scrambling over the boulders.<\/p>\n
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\nThis morning we drove to the upper end of the park for a tour of Scotty’s Castle.\u00a0 This Spanish style mansion was built in the 1920’s by the wealthy businessman Albert Johnson.\u00a0 Much of the original furniture and clothing are still inside.\u00a0 It reminded us a lot of the Vanderbilt’s Biltmore House.\u00a0 The history of this place is very interesting.\u00a0 From there we drove to another campground called Mesquite Flats.\u00a0 This is a much nicer campground than the others in the park.\u00a0 It is smaller with only 30 sites.\u00a0 Most campers don’t come here because of its remote location. We have seen Backroads Bicycle Tours throughout the park all week.\u00a0 This afternoon we decided to get out our bicycles out for an 18 mile ride to the Ubehebe Volcanic Crater.\u00a0 It was a beautiful but hilly ride to the crater.\u00a0 From the cinder top we could peer down into this 600 foot caldera.\u00a0 This crater last exploded 200 years ago with a violent release of underground steam pressure.\u00a0 This area has been very active over the past few years and some think another explosion could occur at anytime.\u00a0 This was probably the most magnificent spot we have seen in the park.\u00a0 Unfortunately our time here has come to an end. Tomorrow we will start working our way slowly back east to home.<\/p>\n
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\nWe took the northern route out of Death Valley to the town of Beatty.\u00a0 Nearby was the ghost town of Ryloite.\u00a0 We made\u00a0a brief tour through the ruins of this cowboy town.\u00a0 From there we headed south paralleling the Nellis Bombing Range.\u00a0 We were lured into stopping for lunch at a local casino with their offer of steak and eggs for $5.99.\u00a0 The irony of this is that neither of us ended up ordering this special but both had their burgers.\u00a0 We then skirted around the northern side of Las Vegas avoiding most of the heavy traffic.\u00a0 Our destination for tonight is Valley of Fire State Park.\u00a0 Just past the entrance, we have a glimpse of why this name was given.\u00a0 The fiery red mountains of sandstone loom up over us.\u00a0 We find a great spot in the Atlatl\u00a0campground overlooking the valley.\u00a0 Total miles traveled today was 237.<\/p>\n
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\nWe began the day with a four mile run\/ walk through this great state park.\u00a0 This has to be one of the most magnificent we have visited.\u00a0 Valley of Fire was the first State Park in Nevada.\u00a0 It derives it’s name from the red sandstone formations formed from great shifting sand dunes 150 million years ago.\u00a0 This area has undergone massive uplifting and faulting.\u00a0 Many of the rock faces are inscribed with petroglyphs.\u00a0 This morning we attended a lecture at the visitor center on these carvings and how to locate them.\u00a0 We saw many petroglyphs on a hike to an area called Mouse’s Tank. We were also rewarded with our first sighting of the bighorn sheep.\u00a0 Up in the rocks we spotted a heard of five sheep along with a small lamb.\u00a0 Just outside of The State Park, we traveled along the North Shore Road into the Lake Mead Recreation Area.\u00a0 The twisted yet scenic drive reveled the incredible volcanic history that makes this section of the region so dynamic.\u00a0 After briefly stopping at two local marinas on Lake Mead, we continued on to the Boulder Beach Campground. We are only a few miles from the Hoover Dam.\u00a0 Today was a short mileage day of only 86 miles.<\/p>\n
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\nThis morning, we drove into Boulder City for groceries and fuel before continuing on to Hoover Dam.\u00a0 At Hoover Dam, we signed up for the power plant tour which took us down into the bowels of this engineering feat.\u00a0 From there we had a short drive of only 15 miles to our campsite for tonight of Willow Beach.\u00a0 This campground is part of the Lake Mead Recreation Area and is set beside the Colorado River in the Black Canyon, only 10 miles below the Dam. It is another great spot and we will spend two nights here so that we can kayak tomorrow on the Colorado River. This evening we hiked down to the water to check out the kayaking.\u00a0 On our way back to our campsite we had our second sighting of Big Horn Sheep just below our camp site.\u00a0 Today was another short travel day of only 41 miles.<\/p>\n
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\nDuring our run\/walk this morning, we again spotted the Big Horn Sheep high up on the hill.\u00a0 They don’t seem to be afraid of humans, and watched us with intent curiosity.\u00a0 I think Sebastian’s presence was baffling to them.\u00a0 Aboard our RV, we carry two inflatable kayaks.\u00a0 These kayaks are wonderfully portable with their own backpack for places just like this.\u00a0 Loaded with these on our backs, we journey the steep 1\/2 mile down to the Colorado River.\u00a0 The real challenge will be toting these back up the hill.\u00a0 While setting up our kayaks, we talk to someone who is kayaking from Hoover Dam to Yuma,AZ (340 miles).\u00a0 What a great trip that would be.\u00a0 Another thing to add to our bucket list.\u00a0 The section of river that we are paddling is amazing.\u00a0 The narrow gorge snakes through the tall canyon walls.\u00a0 Other than a multitude of birds, there is not another sole on the water.\u00a0 Sebastian happily sits in the bow taking in all the sights. The water is incredibly clear and cold. About three miles upstream, we find a nice sandy beach for a picnic lunch. Jeff didn’t get to do his Polar Plunge while in Antarctica earlier this year so decides to give this 57 degree water a swim.\u00a0 He did it, but not for very long.\u00a0\u00a0 From there it is a much easier paddle downstream back to our campsite.\u00a0 We have really enjoyed our stay here and will for sure come back some day.\u00a0 Willow Beach is our new favorite campsite.<\/p>\n
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\nWe were up and out of our campsite early today.\u00a0 The winds are forecast to blow really hard and we wanted to get to our next destination before they picked up.\u00a0 Already, it is gusty and we travel extra slow just to keep the RV on the road.\u00a0 We make a quick stop in Kingman, AZ for some mail and then to Lake Havasu City for the evening.\u00a0 The Windsor Beach State Park is right on the Colorado River.\u00a0 This area is much different than our previous camp.\u00a0 The river is very wide and the town very busy. Lake Havasu City seems to be another RV Capital of the southwest. There are RV parks everywhere.\u00a0 The weather forecasters were correct.\u00a0 It is WINDY!\u00a0 We have had gust to 55 MPH.\u00a0 There is a haze in the sky for miles.\u00a0 It is the dust.\u00a0 Everything both inside and out seems to be covered with a fine layer of grit.\u00a0 Another RV’er had recommended two restaurants, Scottie’s Broasted Chicken and Angelina’s Italian.\u00a0 Having a hard time choosing, we finally decided to give Angelina’s a try tonight. It was very good.\u00a0 On our way back to the RV, we stopped in at Scottie’s and ordered chicken and Ribs to go.\u00a0 Now we have dinner for tomorrow and also get to try both restaurants.<\/p>\n
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\nMy morning run took me down to the London Bridge.\u00a0 Yes, it is the actual London Bridge which was falling down over the River Thames in London.\u00a0 It was purchased by a local resident and the pieces were transported to Lake Havasu City.\u00a0 The bridge was reconstructed in 1963 and is now a major tourist attraction.\u00a0 Our drive today was a short 33 miles just outside of town to Cattail Springs State Park.\u00a0 The park ranger assigned us to the best spot in the park as someone had just vacated it.\u00a0 We are right on the beach overlooking the Colorado River.\u00a0 This afternoon we do a 3 mile hike along the shoreline bluff trail.\u00a0 We have wonderful views across the Colorado River into California.\u00a0 The clear blue waters provide a striking contrast to the surrounding desert brown mountains.\u00a0 It would be another great place to kayak but today it is just too cold and windy.\u00a0 Tonight we attend a ranger talk on hummingbirds which is very interesting.<\/p>\n
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\nOur morning started with a two hour volunteer led hike learning about desert plants.\u00a0 It is evident that the lack of rain this year is taking its toll on this already aired part of the country.\u00a0 This walk really helped us appreciate the many plants and animals that inhabit the desert washes and hillsides.\u00a0 Our travel today was a very short 13 miles to Buckskin Mountain State Park.\u00a0 Like Cattail Cove, this park is also located on the Colorado River in a very scenic area.\u00a0 We would like to get the kayaks out but it is still way too windy.\u00a0 Instead, we spend the afternoon hiking some of the trails around the park.\u00a0 We are again rewarded with great vistas of the Colorado River from high up in the barren hillsides.<\/p>\n
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\nToday was a short travel day of only 169 miles.\u00a0 We stopped in the town of Wickenburg,AZ to pick up our weekly mail drop.\u00a0 From there we traveled another 22 miles to Lake Pleasant County Park just outside of Phoenix.\u00a0 The park is surprisingly huge with a large lake.\u00a0 We are now back in the land of the large Saguaro Cactus.\u00a0 We inflated the kayaks for a paddle this afternoon.\u00a0 The winds seemed to pick up as soon as we hit the water.\u00a0 With the choppy water, the kayaking was not to great today.<\/p>\n
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\nToday was another short travel day of 77 miles to Scottsdale,AZ.\u00a0 There is a 15k road race here tomorrow so we decided to hang around another day for that.\u00a0 Jeff has more sense than me and he has elected to stay with Sebastian while I try to kill myself on the run.\u00a0 I haven’t been running this long a distance so I am a little unsure of my ability to complete this 9 mile run.\u00a0 Tonight we are at a very nice RV park just a few miles from the race.\u00a0 This afternoon we enjoyed their\u00a0pool and hot tub while doing laundry.\u00a0 Tonight we took advantage of the free shuttle to the casino.\u00a0 They have an all you can eat crab leg buffet which was pretty good. The RV Park had given us a $30 coupon for use in the casino.\u00a0 We decided to try our luck on the slot machines with this free money.\u00a0\u00a0 We couldn’t cash this money in but we could cash out any winnings.\u00a0 We ended up leaving with $60 of the casino’s money.\u00a0 It was a productive evening.\u00a0 We at least paid for tonight’s stay at the RV Park and also our dinner.<\/p>\n
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\nI hope we didn’t wake any of the other RV’ers this morning as we left really early for the 15k road race.\u00a0 Today is the start of daylight savings time so we made sure to move our clocks ahead last night. When we arrived to the race shuttle area, hardly anyone was there yet.\u00a0 There were only five other runners on my shuttle bus to the mountain top start.\u00a0 We later discovered that Arizona does not observe daylight savings time.\u00a0 Now I have a two hour wait up on top of the mountain in the freezing temperatures for the race start.\u00a0 No wonder there was hardly anyone on my bus.\u00a0 Time goes quickly and I am soon to the finish of the nine miles.\u00a0 It was a good run and I end of getting second in my age group.\u00a0 Not a bad way to celebrate my birthday.\u00a0 After a quick shower, we are again back on the road to Tucson.\u00a0 We see an advertisement for In-N-Out Burgers.\u00a0 This is Regional franchise similar to Mc Donald’s.\u00a0 Someone had told us that their burgers were really good and we have wanted to try them.\u00a0 A double burger, fries, and chocolate milkshake make a great birthday dinner.\u00a0 After running nine miles, I don’t feel so bad eating this.\u00a0 We were\u00a0 impressed with how the staff really hustles.\u00a0 The place was packed and they do a great job of turning out the food.\u00a0 For fast food, it was actually pretty good.\u00a0 With our bellies full, we continue on to Catalina State Park.\u00a0 We have a great campsite at the foothills of the Catalina Mountains.\u00a0 This evening we check out some of the hiking trails.\u00a0 The park has an amazing network of trails. One climbs to the summit of Mt. Lemmon which is the highest point in the Catalina’s at just over 9000 feet.\u00a0 We would like to return here someday and do this hike. This area was also used by Lance Armstrong and his Radio Shack bicycle team for training several years ago.<\/p>\n
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\nThis morning we did a short hike to the Equestrian center here in Catalina State Park.\u00a0 For\u00a0 $15.00\u00a0 a night, one can stay in the park with their horse and trailer.\u00a0 There is an extensive network of horse trails and the paddocks were completely full of horses.\u00a0 On our way out of Tucson, we met up with Jeff’s sister who is also visiting Tucson and friend Chris for lunch at Thresa’s\u00a0 Mosaic Cafe for a Mexican meal.\u00a0 From there we headed to Tombstone, AZ for the evening.\u00a0 Our RV Park is in the heart of this historic old west town.\u00a0 We toured through the town checking out all the well know sights such as the O.K Corral, Bird Cage Theatre, and Boothill Graveyard.\u00a0 This evening was a ghost tour aboard the trolley.\u00a0 Although pretty touristy, some of the stories were very entertaining.<\/p>\n
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\nContinuing our long trek home, today we opted for the more circuitous\u00a0\u00a0 route staying south of I-10.\u00a0 On Highway 80 we first headed to the historic town of Bisbee.\u00a0\u00a0 We stopped here briefly for a cup of coffee and walked around the downtown area.\u00a0 It seems to be an interesting town with lots of nice shops.\u00a0 The huge copper mine that made this area famous now serves as an open air museum.\u00a0 This open pit mine is enormous.\u00a0 From Bisbee, we continued south to the town of Douglas.\u00a0 Douglas sits on the US\/Mexico Border.\u00a0 We drive south until the road ends at the concrete and steel boarder fence before turning around. From Douglas to I-10, this stretch is heavily patrolled by the US Border Patrol.\u00a0\u00a0 Every few miles we see a Border Patrol vehicle. Otherwise, we see no one. It is a beautiful drive through this section of the Chihuahuan Desert.\u00a0 In Deming,NM, we head north 25 miles to City of Rocks State Park.\u00a0 Today’s mileage was 237 miles.<\/p>\n
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\nWe have really enjoyed our stay here in City of Rocks State Park.\u00a0 There is a four mile trail which circles the park and winds its way across the plains of the Chihuahuan desert.\u00a0 Exploring this on my morning run, I was\u00a0really surprised at how far out in the desert the trail took me.\u00a0 I never feel very comfortable running out here by myself in the land of rattlesnakes and Mountain Lions. It was however comforting to know that Jeff and Sebastian were out walking in the area also.\u00a0\u00a0 We learned that these bizarre monolithic rock formations exist in only six other places around the world.\u00a0 Formed of volcanic ash and welded together 35 million years ago, they have been sculpted into all sorts of shapes by the wind and water.\u00a0 The campsites are nestled between these stone sentry’s.\u00a0 We continue on I-10 to El Paso and then east on State Road 80 which is referred to as The Mountain Pass Road.\u00a0 Arriving late afternoon to the Guadalupe Mountain National Park, we cross our fingers that space is still available for overnight camping.\u00a0 Here it is first come first serve.\u00a0 The campground consists of a paved parking lot. The advantage to being here is that the trail head for all the hiking trails begins here.\u00a0 Luckily there are still plenty of open spots.\u00a0 At $8 a night it is a deal and we will spend two nights here so that we can get in some hiking tomorrow.\u00a0 Today’s mileage was 243 miles.<\/p>\n
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\nAs planed, we spent most of the day hiking the Guadalupe Mountain trail.\u00a0 This 8.4 mile hike took us to Guadalupe Peak which is the highest point in Texas at 8749 feet.\u00a0 The trail was very steep and rocky with an elevation gain of 3000 feet.\u00a0 We enjoyed lunch on top with great views over the Texas plains.\u00a0 We were very lucky with the weather today.\u00a0 The winds were almost calm and it was partly cloudy making it very enjoyable at the peak.\u00a0 We had wanted to do this hike when in Carlsbad on our trip west but at that time the winds were blowing 70 knots.\u00a0 In talking to the Rangers, today is an exceptional day and should be enjoyed to the max. It is rare to find a day when the winds are less than 20 knots.\u00a0 At Guadalupe Peak, we signed the log book and took pictures at the plaque.\u00a0 Going down, we soon realized how steep the climb had been. We couldn’t believe our eyes as we passed a true hiking dive outfitted in a long\u00a0flowery dress and flip flops about 1\/3 way up the trail.\u00a0 When she asked if she was 1\/2 way up, Jeff said “no only 1\/3 and you better be careful on the rocks”.\u00a0 We are still wondering how she made it that far and if she made it back down without serious injury.\u00a0 This afternoon Jeff completed his third Junior Ranger program and received his spiffy badge along with being sworn in by the Park Ranger.<\/p>\n