We were up early and surrendered our RV keys to Gerry at 6:30am.
We found a Starbucks and then headed to Friendship Park. It was a great morning for walking and riding bikes.
We had our breakfast and then waited for a phone call. The RV was ready at 12:45.
We left Phoenix and traveled the short distance to Picacho Peak State Park.
We didn’t venture out into the heat until this evening. Tim walked out and saw a guy pick a tarantula out of the road, allowing it to walk on his arms. He came to get me and his camera but when we got back to look, the hairy spider had wandered off.
It was pleasant outside and I sat watching the sky change.
I spied something dark moving in the road and there was another tarantula. This time, we were ready with our cameras. I had read that October, the most active month, is the time when the males go searching for female friends. Sometimes they can we seen walking together in a large group. Though they are scary looking, their bites are supposedly no more harmful than a bee sting.
We each started the morning with our normal exercise routine. I could hear Ralphy, the burro, braying as I walked.
We drove south from Payson. It wasn’t long before we began to see saguaros.
We got onto 202 and suddenly we were in 4 lanes of traffic with tractor trailers on either side…culture shock!
We went straight to Danny’s Truck and RV Wash. The big baby was very dusty and dirty and needed a big bath!
We headed across the street to the Cummins Dealer. Gerry is our service guy. He greeted us and came out to the RV. We have to get up super early. They want us ready to roll into the garage at 6:30!
After lunch, we went into Phoenix with a list of errands. Tim had a flat bike tire and my bike brakes needed adjusting and so we started at the Trek Bike Shop. We were in the store less than 15 minutes…missions complete!
We went to the Sprouts in Avondale where we were able to fill our 5-gallon jug with fresh water and then we shopped for some stuff that we had been wanting.
We found a carwash and treated the Jeep to a scrubbing as well.
The good thing about getting the RV serviced here at Cummins is that there are RV sites with electric that we are camped in. We can stumble out of bed and pull right in.
Service will take until about lunchtime and so we will have to find a way to occupy our morning.
There is a country lane that leads from the highway down to the campground. I was able to take my morning walk here. It was chilly but the sun was warm and I was moving quickly and soon felt comfortable. There is a burro that lives in an enclosure across from the campground. I went over to take his picture and he thought he was going to get treats!
We decided to take the Jeep and drive to the Mogollon Rim. We had been there before and remembered the view from the top. We knew there were places to walk as well.
The Rim from the highway.
We stopped at the ranger station in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest for maps and information but it was closed today. The views from the porch were outstanding.
We started on Rim Road.
We stopped to take pictures. Mogollon Rim is almost 200 miles long and bisect the state of Arizona. The limestone and sandstone cliffs are at 8,000 feet above sea level and 4,000 feet above Route 260 below.
We parked at the Rim Lakes Vista Trailhead and took a two-mile walk. It was 43 degrees but the sun was shining and we were moving. The air was fresh and the walk was invigorating!
We pulled into one of the few open camping areas and found a spot on the Rim for our lunch.
We sat there awhile looking out at the view. Ravens came as soon as we got out our food. We watched a group of five ravens or an unkindness of ravens soar in the updrafts along the cliff edge. We saw a raven chasing a hawk…not sure who won that race!
We saw these funny looking squirrels with extra large ears. They were large and had a red stripe on their grey backs. Their tails were extremely fluffy. They were Albert’s squirrels common here in the western mountains. I could not get a good picture but I did borrow this from the internet.
Screenshot
We rested this afternoon and then prepared for moving again. Tomorrow we will drive to Phoenix. We have an appointment on Tuesday at the Cummins there for the first oil change for the RV.
We were up early. It was cold last night but we had no snow.
I walked a short while in the campground. It was a small space and there wasn’t a lot of walking room.
We left for Payson, heading south. As we approached Flagstaff, there was snow on the roadsides and the mountains.
Shortly after we passed through town and began to descend in elevation, the snow disappeared.
We drove several hours first on the interstate and then through forest.
We arrived in Payson around lunchtime.
We saw several people walking by our RV and stopping and pointing. They lingered there awhile, and we thought is a little odd. Later in the afternoon, I went out to walk. A woman saw me and came to talk. She wanted to know if our rig was new. She said that until this year, her husband and she had owned a similar Tiffin. He suffered a stroke this spring and they were forced to sell. They now travel in a smaller van. She said that her husband loved his Tiffin. When he saw us pull in, he just had to come and look. When Tim and I talked about it later, we were reminded how fortunate we are to have our health and to be able to travel and explore the way we do. Life is short.
We spent a quiet and uneventful day.
The sky was weird tonight.
We did venture into town this evening for dinner at La Sierra Mexican Restaurant. After our meal, we were chatting and I mentioned to Tim that I had been watching the family next to us. A couple with three teenage boys. The boys seemed to be happy and they seemed to get along well. Tim looked over and saw that the father was wearing muddied work boots. Tim reached over to the man and told him that he had a beautiful family. The two men shared stories of hard work and raising boys and the rewards and stresses of each. This guy was working 16 hours a day at two jobs and missing his family. He did a bunch of side work and eventually, he was able to start his own business. The mother helps to do the paperwork and payroll and bills. We had a lot in common with this young family. We are on the other side of all that now…but we did it too.
At around midnight last night we had booming thunder and gusty winds with lightning and rain.
Tim got up early this morning and it was still dark. I could hear rain on the roof.
It was moving day today. We were going to drive the RV up and over the mountain at Jacob Lake at higher elevations. There was a potential for snowflakes up there. The forecast showed that it was not below freezing and we relied on that information as we set out. We left at 7:45. The sky was gunmetal grey and it was still raining.
After 15 minutes of driving, we were at 6,000 feet. There was a short stretch of snow in the low-lying grasses.
A truck passed us coming from the other direction and there was an inch of snow on top!
We climbed higher and we were in the clouds. It was dense and foggy with poor visibility and more patches of snow.
We stopped for a break at Jacob Lake. We were at 9,000 feet and it was actively snowing.
As we continued our ride, there was light snow frosted on the tall pines. It was kind of pretty! It might have been a good day to take a Jeep ride on roads of Kaibab Forest.
It was 36 degrees and the roads were wet but not icy. I was so thankful for my good driver. Tim took it slow and easy.
As we made our descent, there were a few flurries, no snow on the ground, and the sun was trying hard to peek through. Elevation matters! Mountains also matter. Sometimes they have a way of containing the weather.
We got to a scenic viewpoint. I had no idea when we started that we would be able to see the Vermillion Cliffs.
If we were driving something different, it would have been cool to sit in the valley and watch the weather change.
We stopped near Soap Creek. We could see a portion of the Marble Canyon.
We had hoped to have a night of dry camping here with a magnificent view of the scarlet cliffs but our big baby and rain and mud are not a good mix.
89 followed the Vermillion Cliffs all the way to Navajo Bridge at Marble Canyon. There was no place for us to park the rig and so we traveled on.
The last glimpses of the cliffs from the other side of the Colorado River.
We had more clouds and more rain. We had no destination or plan in mind. Our goal was to get past Jacob Lake and toward Flagstaff.
We stopped for lunch and a planning meeting about an hour from Flagstaff. We were looking for a place to camp. It was cold and windy and it was obvious that we needed hookups; no dispersed camping tonight. We found a place 20 miles away. Tim was done driving. We made a reservation and drove in.
Don’t let this beautiful picture of the evening sky from our campsite fool you. It has rained and sleeted and snowed and we had a thunderstorm as well. It is supposed to be near 32 degrees overnight. In retrospect, we wished that we had rested in place and drove on but we didn’t. Travel isn’t always easy…but it is always worth it!
We spent the day cleaning and doing laundry and cooking and resting. Sometimes it is okay to have a snow day!
After our morning exercise, we set out for White Pocket. We first learned of this Jeep ride from the German men we met in Cathedral Valley. This area is actually famous for the Wave. The Wave is a 6 mile hike that is limited to 20 hikers each day. In order to see the Wave, you have to go to the Community Center in Kanab and enter the lottery at 8:30am on the day that you wish to hike. Tickets are limited to minimize damage to the delicate sandstone structures. This Jeep trail, the White Pocket, requires no permits. Access to this site is limited to those with a high clearance 4WD vehicle. Far fewer people are able to visit this area. White Pocket is the 4WD alternative.
It was hard to get information and directions online. It seemed like the location of the White Pocket was somewhat protected and that it is not widely advertised. In Fredonia, we were able to get maps and directions.
We traveled north on 89 past Kanab. We had the Grand Staircase to the north and miles of empty desert to the south.
After 39 miles, we turned onto a dirt and gravel road; House Rock Valley Road. This was a great ride. We entered Vermillion Cliffs National Monument. To the left there were rusty red craggy cliffs and bluffs. To the right there were green and rolling hills dotted with junipers.
There were some dark clouds but we left those behind! There was a small chance of rain later in the day.
The road was largely gravel washboard with a short section of dry and deeply rutted clay. We do not plan to be here when it rains!
There were long miles of pretty scenery.
We saw a raven carrying a dead snake. We saw dozens of antelope ground squirrels.
We turned left at the horse corral.
Fortunately, our maps gave us mileage and road names/numbers! The signs in the park are all brand new. They really don’t want people to get lost in the maze of BLM roads that exist back there!
We stopped to look at these twin hoodoos. This would be a really sweet little camping spot but that was not on the agenda for today. Tim said that they looked like cow patties. I had a more romantic notion. The rock formations reminded me of Smith Island Cake. Back on the Eastern Shore of Maryland there is this island. They are known for their heavenly cake…10 thin layers separated by creamy frosting.
We passed through a section of deep sand and here is where that high clearance 4WD vehicle became necessary. There were also sections of sandstone. The driving was not technically difficult but we had to have the right machine!
We were 36 miles into the wilderness. We parked with about 6-8 other Jeeps and trudged 100 yards through deep and soft sand.
What awaited us at the end of the trail was stunning. The rock formations here are Navajo sandstone. Layers of sedimentary rock that has been eroded by water and wind over eons of time. White Pocket is different from all of the surrounding terrain. It is predominantly shades of white and grey and cream but there is red and pink and orange here as well. The rock are actually petrified sand dunes. There are whorls and curls and swirls and twists. It is an amazing natural masterpiece.
Tim climbed some of the higher domes. He climbed boulders and stood on the top. He went his way and I preferred the more low lying areas or the bunny slopes and I wandered there. Finally, I was completely content to sit on a rock and take it all in. The pictures are beautiful but the videos are better. They give a better perspective of what it was actually like to be there surrounded by this really cool creation.
I noticed that the domed rocks were covered in a pattern of mostly pentagons. This is known as “elephant skin weathering.” These patterns form as a result of temperature changes…but why pentagons??? Interesting!
Are these signs of ancient life??? Tim thought he recognized sand dollar remains. I thought I could see shrimp like shapes and evidence of wormlike creatures…who knows?!?
We drove back and headed south toward 89A to make a giant loop. This ride took us through Kaibab National Forest. There is some privately owned ranch property out here.
Close to the pavement, we stopped at the Condor Viewing Site at Vermillion Cliffs. There were no birds visible with the naked eye. The guys out in the field had some pretty sophisticated equipment and they were watching the giant birds.
We had a few raindrops on our way back to the RV and we saw a piece of a rainbow.
We have had a great time here in Fredonia. We have seen a lot and there is a lot more that we did not see. We need to move on. The winter weather advisory begins tomorrow!
I had a nice walk this morning in the very small town of Fredonia. There is a Family Dollar and a gas station here.
The local policeman was busy this morning. I watched him pull over 5 different vehicles as I walked.
The view from the campground.
Today we had another adventure planned. I drove the first portion. We started on the paved Forest Road 22 toward the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The landscape changed as we climbed in elevation. In the beginning, there was barren desert. More vegetation, especially sagebrush began to appear. Junipers and pinyon trees grew as we went.
The road turned to gravel and at this point we passed though acres and acres of charred and lifeless trees. The terrain became rockier and more rugged.
We saw a gambol quail, some wild turkeys, several raptors including a red tailed hawk with a tasty morsel clamped securely in his beak, and a fat squirrel.
At 7,000 feet there were tall ponderosa pines. Aspen trees were dressed in golden finery, leaves quaking, the last vestiges of autumn.
We started at Parrisawampitts Point. We hiked at 8,000 feet. Initially we could only catch glimpses of the Grand Canyon.
We walked on the Rainbow Rim Trail and came to a clearing at the point. The entire time that we were driving today I was anticipating what we might see. The Grand Canyon takes my breath away every time that I see it!
We went back to the Jeep and continued on to our true destination. We zigzagged through Kaibab National Forest. There was good signage and the trails were all marked on our GPS. We also had great maps.
We drove toward Marble Point at an elevation of 8,900 feet. Here at this higher elevation, the aspen trees stood tall and naked. Aspen trees grow in stands. All the trees in one group share an extensive root system and are considered a single organism. The trees are all clones of one another. The oldest stand of aspens is more than 80,000 years old and grows in Utah.
It was Ranger Milton at the St. George Forest Office that recommended the drive to Marble Point.
We left the Jeep in the parking area and walked the very short distance to the edge. It was nice but not all that.
Tim was eating his lunch and I went wandering. I found the road out to Marble Point.
Such an expansive vista. We could see Vermillion Cliffs and Marble Canyon. This is the beginning of the Grand Canyon.
It was 56 degrees and a little windy. Tim lit a fire and we sat in silence on the plateau, taking in the view before us. Shadows were cast by the clouds overhead. The beautiful colors and layers and rock formations were overwhelmingly lovely. I could feel the breeze on my face and the warmth of the sunshine on my skin. I could hear the wind whispering through the treetops. The air smelled of fresh pine and burning wood. This place was special…splendor comes to mind. My heart was full.
This is another place that few other people will have the privilege to explore and experience. This has been a theme of this entire trip. We have been searching for the scenic byways, for the Jeep roads less traveled and this search has led us to lots of amazing places. Thanks Milton!
We got an alert on our GPS for a Winter Weather Advisory in this area.
We made it back to pavement.
This was the view on our way back. From this vantage point, we v=could see all the steps in the Grand Staircase.
1164 October 15, 2024 Peek-A-Boo Canyon And White Wave
We had a short ride today from St. George, Utah to Fredonia, Arizona. We are so close to the state border that our watches and phones are all whacked out. The time keeps bebopping back and forth. Arizona doesn’t participate in daylight savings time. It really does not matter…we have no appointments to keep! We will simply eat when we are hungry and go to sleep when we are tired!
We stopped along the way. Baby was thirsty!
Because of the time change, we were at our campground very early. We ate some “brunch” and then packed drinks and snacks. We went to the Kaibab Ranger Station for local maps.
When we checked in at the campground today, there was a printed brochure for the White Wave and Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon. This was a Jeep trail and it looked nearby and it was a fairly short ride to get there. We decided that this would be our adventure for today!
We drove north, back into Utah and through the town of Kanab.
We followed the directions to the trailhead.
The road was really sandy and we came to a section of deep sand. Tim had just inflated the Jeep tires yesterday before towing her today. We pulled over and aired down before continuing. In 4WD low and with tires at about 20 psi, we had a bumpy but decent ride.
ATV’s sharing the trail.
We arrived at the Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon and went for a hike. I’m not quite sure why but I love hiking in a slot canyon. This was exceptionally beautiful. The walls were striped and swirling sandstone. Antelope Canyon is similar. The colors there might be brighter but here, we could walk without a guide and at our own pace. There were a handful of other people hiking as well.
Too soon, we were at the end.
We walked out the way we had come.
There was a family with a tour and that guide went out of his way to answer questions for us and also to take our picture!
We got back into the Jeep and found our way across the wash and up the hill, through more deep sand, and to the White Wave.
We had to fight our way up a steep and sandy bank to get to the Wave. I finally finished on all fours, determined to get to the top. Once up there, we had to walk across a very steep sandstone hill. Tim went first. I watched him and then I tried but I was not feeling very surefooted and safe. I encouraged him to walk on.
We were in this amazing place. I sat on the rock and tried to take it all in.
Then, I decided that I could see a trail at the bottom of the hill. I scooted myself along and made my way down. It doesn’t ook like much in this picture but I was 2/3 of the way up!
Tim had a different perspective from above.
Tim’s video shows the White Wave the best!
We pulled over to check on this couple. The serpentine belt had come off and they were not going anywhere. The woman was able to call for help and someone was on the way.
Another gorgeous morning for walking; a little bit chillier than it has been.
We spent the morning in town running errands. We went to the grocery and we wanted some seafood. Maryland crabcakes in Utah… not thanks!
We had a very quiet afternoon.
This evening, we dressed up and went to dinner at Painted Pony in Historic St. George. We had a delicious meal.
After eating, we walked down the main thoroughfare. It was too dark for good pictures with my camera but it is a beautiful city.
We stopped at the Tabernacle built by Brigham Young in 1871.
It is undergoing some construction and Tim was inspecting.
Most of the buildings in this part of town were brick and stone and Tim proclaimed the masonry work to be topnotch! High praise indeed.
We walked to the Town Square. The park had lots of lovely art.
This fountain was fashioned to roll over red rock. It was really pretty.
Another nice fountain.
The traffic circle.
St. George is another place where we could spend more time. The weather is chasing us. We still have a couple more Jeep adventures in mind and we want to get those in before the snow!
We settled last evening at around 6:30pm. I read and then slept. At 1am, the stars were out and Orion was bright and beautiful. The moon still hung in the sky and so the Milky Way was not visible.
When we got up, the sky was just beginning to lighten. We watched the sunrise as we had our coffee. It was too windy for a morning fire. We had a rare 3rd cup of coffee; reluctant to leave this place.
We spotted the Skywalk!
We packed and left by 8am.
We stopped at the Burnt Canyon Overlook intending to hike to the Rim. The trail was not clearly marked. We followed a wash for a while and then maybe a game trail. We went about .35 miles and then turned back. We could still not find the main trail and we could see tall trees in the distance. We did not think we were on the right path to find the edge. We weren’t sure exactly where we were and we still had 80 more miles to drive!
We stopped in the pines for breakfast. There were lots of nice cacti here as well.
Whipple cholla.
More prickly pear.
We saw a longhorn cow drinking at a muddy water hole. Tim stopped so that I could get a picture but she ran. She did finally pose for me.
A bathroom in the middle of nowhere…such a luxury!
Hitchhiker.
So pretty.
We were nearing the end of our trip when we saw a bunch of girls and a couple of women standing in the road near a ATV that was turned on its side. We stopped to help. A Jeep with a winch arrived at the same time that we did and the couple was able to pull the ATV out of the ditch and then reattached the winch in a place where he could pull it over. Tim and the other adults all pushed until the vehicle was righted. The woman who had been driving must have taken the turn too quickly and the whole until flipped and rolled. Fortunately, no one was injured. The riders had all helmets on. It is dangerous out here. There is a lot that can go wrong. You have to be careful and be prepared. The wonderful thing to witness was how every single person got out to help. We check on every person that we see biking or hiking. We always make sure that people have adequate water. We always stop. It was nice to see others will do the same…people are good.
Almost there!
We got back in early afternoon. The day was spent getting stuff sorted and clean!
