January 4, 2021 – April 9, 2021 Our Winter Adventures

We spent much of January and February trying to stay warm.  We were reluctant to move north because of chillier temperatures. 

Yuma, Arizona was our home base for a while.  Though we had some windy days, it was warm and sunny most of the time.  It is nice to be in a place where things are familiar.  We loved riding our bikes in West Wetlands and along the canals.

One of the best decisions we made was to purchase our Roof Top Tent.  We know there are a lot of sceptics out there…we have heard from you!  Some of you think that we are crazy and a few of you think it is cool.  We have really enjoyed our off-road, overlanding trips.  This adds a new element of adventure and has allowed us to experience the wilderness in a whole new way.  We can really take our time and explore in natural, undisturbed, and isolated settings.

#1 Ajo, Arizona – This was our first RTT experiment.  We were 5 or 6 miles from people.  We were so excited and had so much fun!

#2 Ferguson Lake, California – We had incredible views over the lake, part of the Colorado River.  So quiet. 

#3 Sandstone Canyon Ocotillo, California – One of our favorites…to be out in this canyon all night by ourselves. 

#4 Sheep Canyon Borrego Springs, California – This was a windy, party night.  We learned a lot during this trip.

#5 Hawk Canyon Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Borrego Springs, California – This was a great, secluded spot where an owl hooting all night was our lullaby.

#6 Echo Canyon Death Valley National Park California – Tucked away in a tiny box canyon just us and the bighorn sheep on the ridge,

#7 Shea Road Parker, Arizona – We were sheltered from the wind.

#8 Parker Dam Parker, Arizona – This was a neat little canyon that turned out to be a wind tunnel.  The hike was great!

#9 Whitmore Canyon Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument Arizona – It will be difficult to find another spot as stunning as this…but we are going to try!

#10 Wolf Hole Grand Canyon National Monument Arizona – A quiet, remote place after a long day!

The town of Ajo was a really pleasant surprise, we liked the vibes of this place.

We got to see a lot of the Colorado River from the Mexican border in Yuma all the way to the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. 

Colorado River in Yuma.

Colorado River at Blythe.

Ferguson Lake.

Colorado River at Picacho State Park.

Lake Mead at Cal Nev Ari.

Colorado River in Parker, Arizona.

Parker Dam.

Colorado River below Hoover Dam.

Colorado River at Whitmore Point Grand Canyon.

Lake Powell.

We really liked Picacho State Park and we loved sharing an adventure and dinners, and wine with our good friends, Lee and Claudia.

Mountain Palm Springs Campground in Julian, California was a gem.  We had the place to ourselves and loved camping in the desert, under the stars.

Borrego Springs in southern California will always be a favorite stop.  There is so much to do in the surrounding area – Jeep trails and hiking.  It’is also a great campground in an artsy fartsy town and it is just really fun!

We have been to Death Valley National Park 3 times now.  There is so much to do and see that we have to go back.  We already have a list of things for the next time.  During this trip, the drive in Titus Canyon was a highlight.

We had a lot of fun in Alabama Hills in Lone Pine, California.  The rock formations were super cool and the Sierra Nevada Mountains were breathtaking.

We have worked really hard to stay active and we took some amazing hikes.  Painted Canyon and Ladder Canyon was both challenging and beautiful.

We hiked up and into this dormant volcano at Amboy Crater in the Mojave Desert.

Walking in Golden Canyon in the bottom of the Death Valley Badlands was another terrific hike.  It was difficult to get to the ridge…but so worth it!

Our trip was certainly impacted by COVID.  We had to take extra care to keep ourselves safe…but what better way to be socially distant and still have the luxury to travel.

We are always on the lookout for wildlife.  No snakes, no tarantulas, no scorpions.  We did get to see bighorn sheep,

and burros,

and jackrabbits,

and lizards,

and javelina,

and coyotes.

And so many beautiful birds.

Writing this and reviewing all of our thousands of beautiful pictures makes us grateful all over again.  We are immensely grateful for our health and we are appreciative of this opportunity to get out and see the country. We are free and having fun!

We have planned this summer to travel north to Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.  In the meantime, we hope to visit friends and family in Atlanta, Maryland, and Kentucky.   The blog will resume in early June.  Signing off…