Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Monday 31st March….into the back country

It was time to move out of the park and into the beautiful wilderness.  Found this great spot which is what they call BLM or Bureau of Land Management.  They are 35 sites here no hook ups or water but there is a fire pit,  table and two communal bathrooms.  The cost is 12 dollars per night and these are the views from the site.IMG_5643

IMG_5644

IMG_5645

IMG_5646

I think you will agree pretty spectacular.

My new friend came out and it is nice to have some one to go on hikes with, share a meal and get your self esteem knocked down a peg or two when I lost another crib game.

The two motor homes look good and Ramona is just about over her inferiority complex at being so small. IMG_5648

The weather is still warmish during the day but as soon as the sun goes down the temperature drops a lot.

Plan to do lots of hiking and seeing some of the great parks in this area.

Have a great night….

Monday, March 30, 2009

Monday 30th March…forgot to mention..

Whilst out in  the back country I may not have internet access so will blog when I can………give you all something to look forward to.

Monday 30th March..where did this month go?

Reflected back this morning on where I have been this month, the places I have visited, the friends I  have re-connected with and the new friends made.  Must admit when I woke up this morning and saw the white grounds and vehicles had some yearnings for being back on the beaches of Mexico.

This afternoon the lady next door,  who parks too close and who beat me at crib again, asked me if I wanted to go for a drive and we went into the back countryIMG_5630

the views were quite stunningIMG_5634 IMG_5636

We found this small campground which offers only pit toilets and no hook ups but the location is spectacular.IMG_5635 We have decided that we both would like to spend a few days here so tomorrow we will bring our motor homes  here on the understanding that she doesn’t park too close to me and that I might be allowed to win ONE game of crib.

Also reflected back today on Paola and Daniela, I wonder how they are doing and hope they are being good girls….wish you all a great evening.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Sunday 29th March….and it snowed!!!!

Today was just a laid back southern lazy day…the weather changed over night with quite strong winds blowing and much cooler temperatures.IMG_5624

IMG_5626

 

 

 

 

 

 

Talk about close parking, Ramona looks like a match stick vehicle compared to this huge monster of a motor home.

Actually this motor home belongs to a woman traveller from Alabama who kindly invited me in for tea.IMG_5627 I thought Ramona was swanky but the inside of this motor home is very spacious and well laid out.

My losing streak continues as my new friend challenged me to a game of crib, I think she is a crib shark!!

Tonight it actually started to snow…….going to move tomorrow onto some canyon lands and hopefully the weather will improve….Pura Vida

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Saturday 28th March…….now in Moab

I figure because this is my blog I can write anything I want so I would like to put in a plug for a couple that live in Canada and have put together 4 amazing travel e books.  I mentioned them a couple of days ago and have had some requests for the web site.  The e books are all about Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Texas.  These books describe in details places to camp, hikes, routes everything you need to know even if you are not travelling by RV they would be a great asset and the price is so low.  I used them for the last 6 days and can attest to the quality of information.   The web site is www.frugal-rv-travel.com   check it out!!

I left Bluff this morning around 9am and stopped first at the local post office, remember I told you this is small town America.

I had bought two T shirts in Arizona for Paola and Daniela and I wanted to post them to the girls care of Robin in SMA.

So I went into the post office and the charming young lady behind the counter was a delight, this is how it went, you really had to be there.

I said I would like to post these two shirts to Mexico what is the best way and what shall I put them in.  The first thing the lady did was take off her sweater and place it on the way scale.  I just said yes it is hot in here.  She said no I am weighing my sweater to see about how much it would cost you and the best way.  By now there were 2 other women behind me waiting.  I could tell this lady behind the counter had a sense of humour and I told her in Canada the post office workers don’t take their clothes off for customers.  That got a chuckle from everyone.  So I got the T shirts in a small envelope and handed it to the lady for weight and she told me $8.02 cents.  I gave her 8 dollars and was looking for the two cents when one of the ladies behind me came up and said I have 2 cents you can have.  I said thank you only in America can you go into a place of Government business, get great service including the removing of clothing and strangers give you money.  I want to live here!!  Everyone laughed and I gave away another 2 Canadian key chains and left which a good smile in my heart!!

Back on the road these are some of the vistas on the way to Moab and it goes without saying that NONE of these were taken whilst I was driving…….IMG_5585

IMG_5586

IMG_5590

As you can tell the day was sunny and quite warm and as long as that snow stay on those hills I shall be a happy camper!!

IMG_5594

IMG_5598

IMG_5600

IMG_5601

 

 

 

 

 

 

I stopped at a car wash and spent 45 minutes giving Ramona a spa treatment and think you will agree she looks good!

Soon time for lunch and another boring place to stop and have that sandwich and good old cup of tea.IMG_5602 Is it just me or do you see a ram’s head in the rock above?

IMG_5604

This was around the corner from where I was having lunch and afterwards I walked over but it was a tourist trap so soon turned back around and went climbing.IMG_5613

IMG_5611

I climbed to the top of this rock

IMG_5614Actually that is not strictly true..in fact it is not true at all…..I don’t even know why I wrote it…..my blog remember!!!

Soon I was in Moab my base for the next little while doing some exploring and having fun.IMG_5618not a bad park, see how clean Ramona is…

Amazing place they have soccer shirt trees!!!!!!IMG_5619

Have a great weekend…

Friday, March 27, 2009

Friday 27th March..another cool morning..

When I camped last night it was dark so I was happy to be in such nice surroundings.IMG_5472

The forest is with the Grand Canyon boundaries.IMG_5473

I should explain that yesterday I was on the south rim on the canyon, the north rim is 10 miles across the canyon as the crow flies but takes 5 hours to drive around.  So on the south rim I hiked the west part of the trail this morning as I was leaving I stopped at view points on the the east side of the south rim.IMG_5474

IMG_5476

IMG_5479

IMG_5482

IMG_5484

IMG_5485

 

IMG_5486

IMG_5488

IMG_5494

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry this one is not very clear.

IMG_5498

IMG_5499 Inside the tower.IMG_5500

IMG_5501

When I pulled up into the parking lot here I just had to park next to Ramona’s sister this is the first RV I have seen in nearly three years the same as mine, of course I think Ramona is better looking!!IMG_5508

So I leave this remarkable part of the world and the memories will be with me always.

The next stop wasIMG_5509

IMG_5512

IMG_5515

Yes I was still cold..IMG_5523

Now on the road towards Moab and it wasn’t long before this appeared.IMG_5549

The beauty of RV’ing you can stop for lunch anywhere!!IMG_5537

Sitting on my step having lunch snapped this…the very old and the new.IMG_5541

Before long I was feeling like stopping for the night and found this great park in a small town America called Bluff.IMG_5551

IMG_5557

Went for a nice long walk before it got dark.IMG_5553

This is for Charlotte, my lovely 8 year old third cousin in England this is where I mailed your Grand Canyon post card.IMG_5552

IMG_5559

IMG_5566 Appropriate name.

IMG_5561

IMG_5581

IMG_5574

So ends another great day.

Tomorrow should see me in Moab where I intend to stay a while and see the sights there and in the area.

Thursday 5 th January 2023…it was a great run!!!

 This was my first ever blog post back in November of 2006!!! With just a couple of days off I have written a blog every day since and I hav...