945 April 9, 2023 Grand Canyon West

Last night we had hoped to go out to the overlook to watch the sunset.  The sky was so cloudy that we decided not to go.  Tim looked out at about 7:15 and saw red sky.  We hopped into the Jeep and drove to see the end of our day.  It was one of the best sunsets of this trip!

This morning, I walked in the neighborhood.  I saw this jackrabbit and several more as I went.

The Grand Wash Cliffs were the backdrop for the town of Meadview.

We traveled today in the RV to Grand Canyon West.  We parked the RV in a dry camping lot outside the entrance.

This afternoon, we took the Jeep to the Visitor Center and boarded a shuttle.  We are saving Skywalk for tomorrow.  Today, we went to Guano Point.  The views of the western portion of the Grand Canyon are spectacular. 

We sat for a long time just looking.  The pictures don’t show the majesty and grandeur and colors, nor do the reflect how it made me feel.  On this Easter Sunday, this place was my sanctuary.  It was a place to reflect and be grateful.  My heart felt full.  You cannot appreciate the immensity and beauty without being present.  The improbability that a combination of weather and water and rock colluded to create this masterpiece is unfathomable. 

We walked and climbed and sat again to just look.

I know there are reviews that say that this place is a waste of money and time.  I did not feel that way.  The tours are run by the Hualapai Tribe and it is expensive to come.  We have been to the South Rim and the North Rim and we hadn’t seen this part.  I am glad we came, this is someplace special.  We think that being surrounded by nature is good for our health, our relationship, and we know that we are making lasting memories.

Helicopter rides in the canyon.

We got back to the Jeep and then took the short ride to Hualapai Point.  I was not interested in the zipline over the canyon but there was a hiking trail.  We saw 3 pronghorns grazing and then, alert to our presence they ran.

Brussel sprouts and grilled salmon for our meal.

We watched the sunset and we are happy.

We stepped outside before bedtime to gaze at the night sky. Trillions of stars scattered like diamond dust…breathtaking.

944 April 7-8, 2023 Gregg’s Hideout

I had a great walk up the hill. I walked to the scenic overlook and down Pierce Ferry Road.

The Joshua trees are blooming.

We packed the Jeep for an overnight camping trip. We had found a possible spot near the airstrip but we were feeling adventrous and decided to check out Gregg’s Hideout. There were two ways to get there. The first, was the long way around on the paved road. The second, was 4WD roads that wiggled across the desert and through the mountains. You know that we chose the rough ride!

There was a very steep switchback and after that, the road was really rocky. We got to a portion with a rock obstacle. Tim evaluated and knew that we could get over it. He had me spot him at the bottom. The Jeep made it handily and on we went.

We followed the route on Tim’s Ride Command app. We turned onto Gregg’s Hideout Road and we found that a grader had recently been through and the road was more or less smooth for the rest of our journey.

As we rounded the last bend, Lake Mead came into view surrounded by cliffs and mountains.

We traveled past the primitive campground and onto a elevated penninsula. It was here that we made our home for the night.

The sky and the lake were gorgeous.

We both took walks.

We saw a lizard.

There were a few birds and this raven sat on the rock for awhile.

Tim’s video.

We ate our picnic dinner and then the sun went down.

As we lay down to sleep, we could hear a burro in the distance wishing us a good night.

Tim had a rough night. Either pollen or dust or probably a combination of the two aggravated his allergies.

This morning dawned sunny and mild. Tim rose early and I was going to roll over and sleep some more…but I heard someone telling Tim good morning. I peeked out and saw a man and his son walking to the water with their fishing gear. Up to that point, we hadn’t seen a single soul since we left town yesterday.

The ride out was just as pretty. We did take the main thoroughfare back to the campground.

The rest of the day was for laundry and blogging and chores and rest!

943 April 6, 2023 Pearces At Pearce Ferry

We each began the day with walks through downtown Kingman.

We got packed up and we were on our way to Meadview.  It was another picturesque ride. 

The first 30 miles were through open range cattle country.  There were lots of cattle guards and reminders to watch for cattle.  There were none out on the road today.  They were grazing on the hillsides.  We did see two dead ones…

Once we reached 2,900 feet, we began to see Joshua trees.  There was a dense forest of them as we crested the ridge.

Meadview is 60 miles north of Kingman in a pretty remote area.  We were surprised to find that there was a nice community here and in addition a couple of restaurants.  We settled in and had some lunch.  We were excited to explore.  We found the Meadview Chamber of Commerce where we were able to get some maps of the area.  This town is the beginning of the Lake Meade National Recreation Area. 

We stopped at a scenic overlook, the Colorado River far below and snowcapped mountains in the distance.

We took Pierce Ferry Road to Pearce Ferry.  I’m not certain why the spelling is different…but it is! 

Thanks to this grader for a nice smooth road today!

In 1877 Harrison Pearce set up a ferry for Mormons from Utah to cross the river into Arizona.  The terrain on this side of the river proved to be too difficult for the wagons and eventually the ferry ceased operations.  This area is now used for taking out rafts and other small craft. 

We took a 4WD road and found this set of extreme rapids downriver. 

We drove to South Cove.

This picture shows where Lake Meade used to be.  All of the short scruffy brush and grass is where the water was.  The levels in the lake have been on a downward trend for the past 22 years.  Today, the water was at 1,045 feet.  15 feet lower than one year ago and 173 feet below full.  If the lake levels reach 895 feet, the lake would be at dead pool status.  This is the point at which the water can no longer flow downstream from the dam.  Millions of people would be affected if this occurs.

If you look closely at these pictures, you can see the muddy water of the Colorado River entering the lake.

We took the gravel road to the Meadview  Airstrip.  We walked here and we think we might have found a great place to camp with the tent tomorrow evening.

It was 4:15 and we decided that we wanted to see Grapevine Canyon.  This was a ride through a wash for about 10 miles.  The canyon walls rose above us.  We were grateful to find that the canyon road connected to Pierce Ferry Road so that our trip back was a lot easier!

It was another day of adventure and awe.  We are so lucky to spend so many of our days immersed in natural beauty!

942 April 5, 2023 Oatman and Route 66

Another morning cool and bright.  I took a walk into Kingman.

Later, we drove the Jeep on Route 66 all the way to Oatman.  We listened to 60’s music which added to the nostalgia of the ride.  The road is nicknamed the Sidewinder.  There are 191 turns in 8 miles with no guardrails!  It was a fun ride and the scenery was breathtaking.

We arrived in the quirky town.  There was a large group of antique cars and we gawked and took pictures.

We missed the 12-noon gunfight.

We wandered in and out of all the shops.

Normally, the burros come down during the day from the Black Mountains and wander on the street but there were no burros today.

We went to Sally’s Sweets and bought ice cream for our lunch!

We went back to Kingman and stopped on this ridge where families and friends leave memorials for loved ones that have passed.

We went to Safeway for a few groceries.  We are leaving tomorrow and we will be camping in Meadview.  This is a really remote spot and the services there are limited.  We are staying at least 3 nights and may extend our time so we wanted to have all of our favorite stuff.

This evening, we went into historic Kingman and had dinner at Mattina’s Italian Ristorante.  This place had white tablecloths and cloth napkins and everything!  We enjoyed an excellent meal.

What a great day!

941 April 4, 2023 Kingman

It was super chilly this morning.  It was 36 degrees with a feels like temperature of 31 degrees because of wind.  I took a brisk walk into Wickenburg.  The history of this town literally rises up out of the sidewalks.  There are beautifully crafted bronze statues that are reminders of the past. 

The Yavapai Native Americans lived and farmed here for eons. 

Henry Wickenburg was the founder of this town.  He had a large and successful goldmine.

The prospectors arrived with their mules to seek their fortunes.

There were brothels and saloons in town.

The American Cowboy was and still is a strong presence.

Horses.

The railroads are a big piece of the western story.

The jail tree where outlaws were chained.

The tradition of music.

There were replicas of native wildlife as well!

There are murals on many of the buildings depicting life in earlier times.

Little red schoolhouse.

When I got back to the RV, it was time to go.  We traveled north on the Joshua Tree Parkway of Arizona Scenic Road.  It was breezy and we could feel the wind pushing us.

Joshua trees grow at about 3,000 feet of elevation.

Then, the hillsides were dotted with saguaros.

The mountains were bisected by the road.

There were fantastic rock formations precariously arranged by natural forces.

We crossed a bridge over Burro Creek, running with current.

We crossed over the Big Sandy River.  This is one of the intermittent rivers that feeds Alamo Lake.  It was also flowing.

We went through the tiny town of Wikieup and into scruffy desert. With expansive views.

We have been traveling most of the time for over 5 years and we still get surprised and delighted by a pretty ride!

We arrived in Kingman after about three hours.  We stopped at Walmart to stock up on supplies.

We could see the dust blowing.

Some snow covered peaks.

We checked into the Fort Beale RV Park and rested for a short time.

Later, we drove into historic Kingman.  We stopped at the Route 66 Museum and Visitor Center.

We took an invigorating walk downtown.

940 April 3, 2023 Wickenburg

It was a glorious morning for a walk!  I went all the way from our campground to the edge of the lake, taking in all the campground loops as I went.  I got almost 4 miles.

We packed up and drove the RV from Lake Alamo.  We had a wonderful time and this was a lovely park.  When Claudia recommends a place, we always try to go.  She has impeccable taste and we trust her implicitly!  Maybe next time more roads will be passable and maybe we will find that slot canyon!

We arrived in Wickenberg before lunchtime.  Today was a catchup day.  We got fresh water and groceries.  We got the laundry done and I spent all afternoon loading the blog. 

Tim took a walk into Wickenburg and scoped things out.

This evening, we went out to dinner and had some great BBQ.

We took a stroll through this old fashioned western town. Everything is beautifully constructed and well done.

This is really a neat place and I cannot wait to take my walk in the morning and explore a little more.

939 April 1-2, 2023 White Pelican Surprise

We did our morning exercise and then prepared to move the RV to Campground C.  We quickly got settled and then packed for our roof top tent camping trip.  We traveled on gravels and dirt roads.

Up a steep hill!

The spot we wanted on the lake’s edge was vacant.  We got set up and walked around.

There was so much to see.  The western grebes were active and fun to watch. They pitter patter on the top of the water to gain momentum and then go down for a deep dive to spear fish with their beaks.

There were great white herons and blue herons and lots of other ducks as well.

A pair of white pelicans.

There was a crappie fishing tournament this weekend and there was an occasional boat on our end of the lake.

We heard braying and saw a group of three burros on the bank across the water.

All at once, there was a huge squadron of migrating white pelicans soaring above us.  We estimate that there were about 150 birds.  We watched them circle and then land in the lake.

White pelicans fly south to Baja and other areas in Mexico and Southern California.  They can easily fly 100 miles a day. They seek thermals and fly in vees and long lines to conserve energy. Their pouches and webbed feet are extremely susceptible to frostbite and so they need to be in warmer climes.  They breed, raise their young, and then fly north in the Spring.

The birds huddled together in a large group. 

Just before sunset, a second smaller squadron came in and then a third.  It was so exciting to watch.  The birds were close enough that we could hear the air moving across their wings.  They have a 9-foot wingspan and they made quite the dramatic entrance!

The flock slowly formed a long parade and they made their way to a more sheltered area.  They left sentries at the opening to the cove where they rested.

The evening brought bats and bullfrogs making all kinds of noise. 

We watched the sunset.

Tim in his happy place.

At around midnight, the burros and the coyotes sang together.

This morning, the sun was warm and bright and the coolness of the night quickly abated.  We took our time packing because the pelicans were still huddled in the lake and we wanted to see them go.

An early fisherman.

At about 9am, the bird took flight.  On their way to the plains for the summer. 

We saw this powered paraglider.  We just never know what we will see!

We hope to always be awed and delighted by the experiences we are so lucky to have!

938 March 31, 2023 Beauty, Burros, Birds, and Blossoms

Overnight the burros sang to us…or probably to each other! 

This is an awesome place to take a walk.  I went down to the high boat ramp.  There were lots of boats going out.  This is supposedly a great lake for fishing. 

The other lower ramps are closed due to flooding.

I hiked the Wild Burro Trail.  The trail mascots were on the hill watching me as I moved across the ridge and into the wash.  As I moved forward, I realized that the trail was very close to the herd of burros.  I turned around and walked back the way I had come. 

I hiked to the top of the hill where I had 2 bars of phone service.  I stopped to call Mom.

I walked the campground loops and then it was time to go in for breakfast.

Tim and I passed one another and I encouraged him to hike the trail.  Enjoy his video from the summit.

We took the Jeep out to Wickenburg Road and down to the water. 

The scenery was incredible.

The wildflowers are even more lush and abundant today after yesterday’s rain and in today’s warm sunshine.

The road disappears into the water!

We saw 2 pairs of white pelicans. The bump on this bill is called a nuptial tubercle. It will fall off after the bird beeds and raises its young.

And ducks and songbirds.

We saw more burros.

We walked a lava flow.

Volcano cone in the distance.

This was an amazing ride.  We found several pretty campsites.  We decided we wanted to do another overnight roof top tent adventure.  We went to the park office when we got back and extended our stay for another two nights.  It means we will have to change sites in the morning but then we can travel back into the outback and find a place to sleep.

Gambel quail at our site.  They have such an odd call.

We took walks after dinner and then drove over to the Bill Williams Overlook.  The sun was already behind a mountain but we stayed and watched the sky color.

937 March 30, 2023 Alamo Lake State Park

More laps in the campground.   I don’t know why it’s so much harder to walk when I’m walking in circles!

We were packed and ready to roll early this morning.  Tim thought we might be able to stop in a small town on the way and pass a couple of hours but each town; Vicksburg, Hope, Harcuvar, Salome, and Wenden; was just a blink! 

We turned onto Alamo Road and the scenery started to be really spectacular.  This was such an amazing ride.

Though we arrived before 2pm, we were allowed to check-in. 

Tim heard braying and climbed the ridge across from our site to look.  A chocolate-colored burro was walking in the wash below.

We grabbed some lunch and then took the Jeep for a ride.  We went to the Bill Williams Overlook at Alamo Dam.

Bill Williams was a guy who did a lot of beaver trapping.  He didn’t like people too much and preferred remote places and solitude.  This river was part of his territory and is aptly named for him.

The dam is an earth filled dam.  It is used to control flooding.  With all the recent rain and wind, Alamo Lake is very high and muddy.  The flooding lake waters can rise as much as 3 feet per hour and 20 feet in 24 hours.  The water is released into the Bill Williams River and it flows out to the Colorado River just above Parker. 

We explored the park and saw this herd of burros.  The burros here are descendants of the burros used by miners and railroad workers in the early 1900’s.  The burros are protected by Federal law.  The herd here becomes quite large.  There is water and ample food supply here.  When the numbers become too high to sustain a healthy herd and environment for other wildlife, the burros are moved placed in a Federal Adopt-A-Burro program.

We took a 4WD trail out of Campground C.  We passed a bunch of OHV’s .  We got to this particularly steep slope and Tim went to check.  It was doable.  It gave him an opportunity to engage the locking hubs, a feature of the new Rubicon. 

The wildflowers are plentiful and stunning!

We had short bursts of rain in late afternoon.

This evening while I was grilling, I could hear burros in the wash.  There was a herd of 7 gathered.

I went after dinner to find the dumpster and heard thunder.  As I returned to the RV, I saw these storm clouds.

All at once a rainbow covered the entire sky.  I had trouble taking a picture of the whole thing because I was on a ridge and couldn’t back up at all.

The rainbow brightened though no longer full.  Then there was a double rainbow for a few minutes.

I dragged Tim outside in the chilly, raw rain to look at the pretty rainbow before it disappeared.

936 March 28-29, 2023 Itty Bitty Bouse

Laps around the campground to begin the day.  We packed food and bedding.  Then, we went into town for firewood and gas.

We traveled on Swansea Road to Midway.

We took Powerline Road and then when the landscape got interesting, we took one of the many little roads up into the hills.  The BLM road map to this area looks like a bunch of spaghetti.  There is no way to know until you get there what condition the road is in or how passable it might be.  We had fun exploring and then backtracking when roads became too narrow or harrowing!

We found a nice flat spot nestled among hills.  

We both took turns walking through the desert.  There was evidence of burros but we didn’t hear or see any.

Tim brought me posies.

Shale.

Tuff.

Petrified wood.

A little lizard.

We had perfect camping weather with temperatures in the mid-seventies and NO WIND!

Last night there was a rare occurrence in the night sky, a planetary parade.  We waited for sunset and then watched as the sky turned dark blue. 

The moon was half full and cast lots of light.  Venus popped out first, the brightest of the planets.  We could see Mars which appeared red.  Uranus should have been close to Venus but we couldn’t see it without a telescope.  Mercury and Jupiter were close to the horizon so our view was blocked by the rise of a hill and feathery clouds.  It was fun to look!

This morning, we wangled our way back out of the desert. 

We stopped at the Bouse Museum.  The indoor exhibits were closed but we wandered the grounds.

This mining cabin was moved from the Swansea Mine for this exhibit.

We also went to look at the Bouse Community Historic Display at the Bouse Rest Stop.  Bouse was the hub of this entire region in the 1800 and 1900’s.  You wouldn’t guess that now!

Tim saw a drag line bucket.  His father was an equipment operator in a quarry in North Carolina. He was proficient at using a drag line. It is not easy to do and he was proud of his mastery.

Bouse is a tiny town.  We have enjoyed our stay in a very nice RV park and we have found plenty to do.  Tomorrow we are moving on to Alamo Lake State Park.  We aren’t sure if we will have service there or not.  We are looking forward to seeing something new!