A Grand Visit

From a very rocky start, our unexpected extended stay in the Grand Canyon has been nothing short of a gift.  In that we are on orders for Rob to get stabilized before we move on, we certainly could not have asked for a better place to do so.

We’ve taken baby steps each day toward more and more activity as Rob’s health has continued to improve.  The first day, we got situated with the park staff and a new site that we could stay in for the duration.  We walked over to the general store and found our way to the nearest shuttle stop in search of our first canyon glimpse.  AAAHHHH.  We’ve arrived!

You don’t need my descriptions that can’t even begin to do justice to the magic that is the Grand Canyon.  We casually wandered our way down the less traveled path away from the Visitor Center and I found myself in jaw dropping silence at each turn.  With every shift of the sun or our position, the canyon changed and I filled my camera with countless images that don’t even being to tell the story. Each day since has been filled with similar experiences.  From watching the first sun hit the canyon walls to seeing the glow move through the canyon as the day ends.  We have slowly moved from day to day finding new adventures to explore that fulfill the added goal of improved stamina and health.

To start, we walked the rim from Visitor Center to Visitor Center seeing the unique and historic buildings from the origin of the park.  Day two we rode our bikes on the park’s interior bike paths.  As we added challenge, we went further afield and walked over 7 miles along the rim from the further reaches back into the park center.  And finally, yesterday, we really pushed the limits and descended the canyon rim 3 miles down (and back up!) Bright Angel Trail.

Each night we’ve grabbed our little lantern and hiked over to the Lecture Hall to hear the ranger talks.  Although not overly stimulating, they do impart knowledge in one form or another and are presented by the friendly, enthusiastic and genuine park rangers from all walks of life.  It bears noting that the hike there and back as well as the hour in the heat are both delightful!  The best program was more challenging but most exciting as we met behind the Visitor Center in the parking lot where the winds were whipping and the temps dropping to witness the night sky with that same enthusiastic leadership.

The crowds here are wonderfully diverse with English nearly being the least heard language which I love.  Surprisingly through our extended stay we’ve not met many people.  The cold weather has not exactly brought out the beer drinking crowd but we’ve grabbed a few campsite neighbors who were up for a brew, one of whom is from Rob’s alma mater.  Steve and Rob had some good laughs and we look forward to meeting them again when we visit Fort Collins.  Otherwise, it’s been a pretty solitary affair.

The weather has been … well, chilly?  For us, highs now in the 50s, winds 20-30 and nights below freezing are downright COLD!  I do find, though, that there’s a certain return to origin in having to stay warm.  Wool socks, extra blankets and cozy layers of clothes all have a certain romance if you don’t fight against it all.  I sit here curled up as the morning sun begins to creep through the window.  My tea is already cold and my fingers are the same and I’ve run out of layers to wear…and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!

We Have Arrived!

After all we've been through in the past few weeks, nothing more need be said.

We're taking one step at a time...

Grateful April 23

So we are entering the Mather Campground in the Grand Canyon.  Amazingly natural, there are no electric or water hookups, no big lights anywhere, just the absolute basics for the nature lover to camp.  Our relatively small RV is the largest the park can accommodate so maneuvering was a bit tight in a lot of spaces but we made our way to Site 255 on the Maple Loop.

255 was not exactly a great spot for our girl.  With a tight entrance and a tight curve in the spot and broken edges on the concrete, getting in and getting situated was quite the challenge.  Rob was having a hard time with the tight spaces and when I went in to check on how level we were (remember the broken jacks?)  and found Rob with his head on the steering wheel.

If you know Rob, it takes a lot for him to show weakness so I knew something was up.  I tapped his shoulder and he sat up complaining of a cramp.  I mentioned being level to him and, well, let’s just say he had no recollection of why we even needed to be level.  As a matter of fact, he had no recollection of pretty much anything beyond our being at the Grand Canyon. 

THIS IS NOT LIKE ROB, folks!

Having heart and stroke issues in his family, being the recipient of an artificial aortic valve and still not recovered from the flu – I knew I needed to get help right away.  EMS came within minutes and, before I knew it, we were driving away from the RV in an ambulance!  The only hospital with adequate facilities for possible heart or stroke care was 75 miles away.  It took 2 ½ hours and 3 ambulances to get there!

After the night in the hospital including countless tests and consultations, it was determined that Rob had some kind of migraine, flu or blood pressure induces amnesia “event”.  Not that it’s easy not to have a definitive diagnosis – this one is better than most alternatives.  The recovery plan was to RECOVER!  We were directed to get Rob stable on some BP meds and adjust some migraine therapies and simply GET SOME REST from the flu.  That required a 7 day hiatus from travel – besides, it’s really not smart to get behind the wheel quite yet!

And the next day we were in a shuttle back to the park.   After it all, I can feel nothing but grateful.  For Rob’s AMAZING cardiologist in Charleston, Steve Miller, who has never been anything less than an exceptional doctor and friend and who made himself available at every turn.  For the EMS techs who professionally and sensitively got us where we needed to be.  For the nurses and support staff at the Flagstaff Memorial Center who made us feel safe and comfortable.  For the testing professionals who showed skill and talent in their specific field.  For the docs at FMC – the ER, internist, cardiologist, neurologist.  For the park staff who worked magic and found us a way to stay in a site for the week – nothing short of a miracle considering they book 15 months in advance.   

For all this and more – we are Grateful, Grateful and Grateful. 

Grand Canyon Bound! April 22

The next morning we were off bright and early headed for Williams, AZ just south of the Grand Canyon.  We had a reservation at a typical RV park.  You know, with the hookups, the pool, laundry and such so we could take care of some housekeeping before going off the grid in the Grand Canyon.  We made a reservation at the Grand Canyon Railroad Hotel and RV Park that it had it ALL (including a WHOLE LOT of concrete!). 

Williams was exactly what you’d expect for a Western town that’s located on Route 66 – actually the last town to be bypassed by Highway 40.  With “saloons” on practically every corner, the train station and train paraphernalia at every turn and Route 66 signs in every window, the town certainly did not lack personality. 

We did a walk through the town, grabbed a few basic supplies, stopped at the brewery down the street (even though Rob is still far from feeling very good) and headed back to the RV park to get some work done.  I did the laundry (I had forgotten how bad public laundry machines were!) and Rob investigated why we were leaking hydraulic fluid under the RV.

The hydraulic verdict was that the two leveling jacks that we hadn’t replaced when preparing our exit were both now inoperable.  This meant that we essentially now have no way of leveling ourselves when we stop for the night.  Problem with that is more than blood rushing to your head when you sleep but more that the refrigerators used in RV’s require quite a level ground to stay operable. UGH

Being that the only solution to the jacks was replacement, we ordered the jacks to meet us in Las Vegas. We now have the new challenge of finding level places to park in all of the upcoming parks – should be interesting to say the least! 

Next morning, after some more leveling jack drama, Rob cleaned up yet again another pool of hydraulic fluid and we headed for the first most anticipated destination on our itinerary – the GRAND CANYON!  After another uneventful drive, we did our obligatory stop at the Park Sign where we shared Holy City Brews with a group who had just finished a 26 hour continuous cross canyon hike (we’re talking up and down TWO of the trails!).  Man, there are some amazing athletes out in these parts!

Oh man, I was so excited to finally make it to the Grand Canyon!  I had managed to score three nights reservations in the interior campground and was really psyched to get to know this amazing park after years of dreaming about it!  Check in went so smooth – the staff here are over the top great - and we headed to our site.  YES, the GRAND CANYON!

Let's Catch Up a Bit - Apr 21

So the last time I wrote, Rob and I had toured Saguaro, met Joe in Flat Oak and were on our way to the Petrified Forest.  We chose a road that was longer but less vertically challenging which proved to be rather uneventful other than what seemed an eternal hill climb.  Coming from near sea level in Tucson we climbed and climbed to the high plateau of northern Arizona. 

We pulled into the Petrified Forest welcome station around noon and, as was becoming the custom, spent an hour in the parking lot for a lunch break.  We watched the introductory movie provided (which we’ve grown to appreciate) grabbed some obligatory ice for the beer and headed into the park.

The painted desert

The petrified forest is quite a different park than we’ve visited to date.  With a 26 mile road cutting through the length of the park, it had numerous stopping points but few facilities – no campsites, etc.  We set about hopping from one overlook to the next, the first area highlighting the painted desert with its vast expanse of layered stone that shifted color as the sun and clouds moved across the sky.

And these trees were BIG

As I write I realize that I haven’t been very educational in my blogs.  We have learned so much about history and geology as we progress but, as has always been the case, these wonderful things just pass on right through.  SO – do visit the National Park Service website to gain more insight.  The history is truly worth the read.  www.nps.gov

The further we progressed into the park, the more we entered the old petrified forest.   With everything from a bridge made from a 110 foot fallen tree gone petrified to areas with large pieces scattered around like a bomb had gone off.  The wood is so fascinating with the various shades and colors contained.  Some almost casting a full rainbow of sparkling colors – wood turned to gemstone!

One of the park’s highlights were the signs of the previous Indian civilizations that lived in the area.  From an excavated 8 room pueblo to a large collection of petroglyphs on one huge rock they called Newspaper Rock.  Additionally, several solar calendars have been located in the park.  We were able to view one where sunlight traveling down a rock crevice on the summer solstice strikes the placed petroglyph at exactly 9am each year – for what they estimate to be near 1000 years without alteration!

A little local kitsch for our parking lot campground

We enjoyed the park but both were worn from the constant driving heat and the windblown sand and were glad to take fewer trails and hikes than is our nature and we settled into our site for the night – a luxurious gift shop parking lot!   No complaints here given the complete absence of any alternatives.  Hard to imagine the stories told by the end of this adventure – and we’re not even an official 2 weeks in!

A Journey Measured in Friends

I had just wrapped up my post for the day when we pulled into our campsite for the night at Oak Flats campground in the Tonto Mountains.  The area is being threatened by a battle between native Americans from the area and mining interests so there are a lot of teepees and makeshift dwellings around that are used during protests making the area seem haphazard.  The other campers in the area appeared to be settled in for the long hall and I didn’t know what to expect.

We found a place that was relatively peaceful and began settling in.  Within minutes, the “locals” started coming to introduce themselves.  There was Stan who made his own camper from a truck that had been on their family farm.  There was Thomas who , when offered a beer, quickly noted his preference for medical marijuana.  Later came Dory and Daisy, two women I had seen feverishly cooking over an aggressively smoking wood fire. And then there was Joe.

Joe is a gift, plain and simple.  An unassuming presence of an older man (who later divulged his 82 year age), he approached ready to be instant friends.  Not someone that I would have guessed would have a taste for specialty beer, he accepted a Half Calf milk stout quickly and with enthusiasm.  

Now in truth, (and forgive me Joe if you’re reading) I wasn’t so sure about Joe, or the whole crowd for that matter, from the beginning.  I consider myself an open minded person and really aspire not to be judgmental but I have to say that I was cautious upon first meeting, say in the name of safety.

All of the above cast were interesting and unique characters with some great stories to tell but Joe not only grabbed my ear but my heart.  Raised in Michigan, he was a crane operator and a pilot through the years.  When his marriage broke up and when he didn’t like smelling diesel fuel all day any longer, he bought himself a camper truck and hit the road.  He was 46 then.

Joe has been living out of a simple makeshift camper now for 35 years.  He moves around about 3000 miles per year – up and down the mountains to stay in his favorite weather profile.  He’s traveled through Florida, New Orleans, the Sierra in California and up into the Canadian lakes above Glacier National Park but finally settled into the Arizona mountain country.

Joe loves birds and has a well kept bird book handy and has great stories of seeing his favorites.  He walks at dawn each day.  He chooses sites where he can fish and has learned to use a pressure cooker to can his catch for keeping it shelf stable.  He does the same with chili, making a batch in the lower elevations to take to the mountains and filling the jars as he empties them with fish.  His favorite color is yellow and his hands get especially cold when the weather turns.  He has a laptop and is still learning how to make things work in that regard but manages to use it to make phone calls with Google.  He was quick to ask for our email address so he could check in on us.  His mother lived to 103 and he gets his physical every year with a good report.

We spent a couple hours in casual conversation moving from the dust and sun of the campground path to chairs in the shade.  And I felt like I was having a good chat with my father…or my father’s father for that matter.  They would have liked Joe too.  We invited him for dinner but he declined saying he had things he needed to eat and we said our goodbyes – no longer a handshake, but a hug.  

After spending earlier in the day around all of the Indian lore, I know Joe’s presence was clearly  a gift.  Joe was just what I needed to get a little taste of feeling at home.   

This morning as we were preparing to get back on the road, Joe stopped by after his morning hike to be sure we knew right where to turn to take the route we had chosen.  Another act of kindness.  I studied his features that so mimicked my father who would have been Joe’s age and we said our goodbyes.  As we pulled out, Joe was on to the next camper talking to Dorie, continuing to share his spirit.  On this journey measured in friends, I know I have added a special one to the list!

The Mighty Saguaro

We’ve spent the last two days touring the two separate areas of the Saguaro National Park.  Yesterday we drove into Tucson from our campsite at Rockhound.  We arrived midday and went straight to the Rincon Mountain District of the Park.  

Not mentioned in any of their marketing material, there was essentially no place to stop or park an RV – even the visitor center parking lot!  Undeterred, we did find a makeshift pull off and took a minute to make and enjoy lunch before walking to the visitor center.

We had planned to bike the 8 mile loop as this was highly regarded as a great site to bicycle.  In that it was after noon AND we were in the desert AND that Rob was still far from 100%, we were advised to stick with a motorized option (that being our clearly unexpected RV!)

We had quite a time getting through the tiny, twisting and diving roads in Moonshadow but we persevered!   The park was lovely but we were more distracted with maneuvers than sightseeing and left there thinking we’d get the real idea in the west division of the park.

We stopped along the way to get our Trader Joe fix and refill fuel at Costco (thank heavens for their fuel prices!) and continued through Tucson to the Tucson Mountain District of the Park.  We spent the night at a remote campground but still managed to share a few great Holy City beers.  (grin)

This is where the story gets interesting.  We got up early today for our Saguaro experience.  We were captivated by this amazing cactus upon first sight yesterday.  It is like stepping into a movie set from an old western film!  The Saguaro was almost wiped out over the years with ranching and mining in the area but this park has revitalized the population and they are thriving again.  

The park is literally a forest of different cacti with Saguaro being the leader.  These regal, fascinating giants seem to have personalities of their own.  I couldn’t help but want to fit each one with a caption. Just take a close look at the photos!  Some were guardians, some were playful.  I can’t tell you how many reminded me of the arms of the scarecrow in Wizard of Oz!

Some interesting Saguaro facts include:   Each flower only blooms for 24 hours – how lucky we were to catch this season!  Woodpeckers build elaborate encapsulated nests inside the cactus; they look like adobe building structures.  Each cactus including the saguaro has an essentially wooden framework within it that remains when the plant dies.  A 30 year old Saguaro is about the height of an average male, the big ones have grown for at least 150 years.

We spent the morning maneuvering what in this park was an unpaved (?!) 5 mile loop.  We stopped along the way to see petroglyphs from the Hohokam Indians, the natives of this region.  The markings, the first petroglyphs I have ever seen, were estimated to be from 800-1200AD.  It’s always inspiring to be in such a place and imagine life as it was before WE came.

We took a 4 mile hike through the desert which ended up feeling a bit like a forced march! With cacti in absolutely every direction on covering nearly every surface, sitting down and shade were NOT in the cards!  But through it all, the amazing giants of the cacti world held our interest and kept us inspired.  

Our time at the park ended with viewing the video for the West side park which was brilliantly done (and viewed in the welcome a/c!)  The film quoted numerous Hohokam Indians who told that in their culture the Saguaro, as well as all nature, are “people” and therefore must be treated with respect and reverence.  No wonder I felt the need to name them!  As the film ended, a large curtain rose with the  screen to a wide open 20’ high picture with views of the Saguaro field outside.  What an awesome way to end an awesome experience! 

Rocks and Flowers

Yesterday Rob did find himself on the mend enough to start moving again.  We packed up and headed the 38 miles to see the Carlsbad Caverns.  Having waited out the Easter weekend and arriving just after opening hour, we were treated to having the Caverns essentially to ourselves.

In contrast to the Caverns of Sonoma we saw last week, Carlsbad was an amphitheater of geology.  With one room that covered over 8 acres of property, the massive size of every part of it was unimaginable.  Of course, capturing the size on film – or any of the phenomenal detail of the formations – proved useless with our simple cameras. 

How can I tell you about waterfalls of rock formation that “spill” several stories high – all underground deeper than the 800ft we originally descended!  Stalactites and stalagmites that formed over hundreds of thousands of years and are still changing.  Marvelously thin “soda straws” that stretch impossibly long that can break with a light touch yet remain intact.  Flowing ribbons called draperies that look just like strips of bacon hanging from the ceiling.  And the fact that all of this formed from water slowly trickling through rock from the surface, mixed with nutrients and gas that little by little formed it all. 

Fully awestruck, we got back on the road toward the next encounter.  As you would imagine, the Caverns are hidden well up in the mountains and we had about 150 miles to go before hitting El Paso down a LONG stretch of desert highway.  The highway was LONG enough to have us both on the edge of our seats waiting to roll to a gas depleted stop!  It was shocking to pass through so much oil land without a gas station in sight!!

After taking care of provisioning and maintenance needs (AND GAS!), we continued down the highway hoping to find a good stop for the night.  After several disappointments, we decided to stretch the day a bit further and headed for Rockhound State Park half way across New Mexico.  What a GREAT choice!

This wonderful little park is well planned and maintained.  Founded by a rock and plant loving gentleman, there are geology lessons and gardens throughout.  Perched on a random hillside, this park allows visitors to remove up to 20 pounds of rock each.  Although I couldn’t find any, The hillsides are apparently teaming with geodes and thunder eggs, four colors of jasper, white and peach opal and more.

On top of that, the botanical aspect of the park was dazzling.  With desert gardens planted around the grounds, there were beautiful and unusual flowers everywhere.  Not the big, full color displays like we're used to but marvelous, delicate bursts of color in the midst of hearty and intimidating cacti.  It was a particular treat for this flower hound.  

  

We were so impressed with the park itself and its amazing staff of caring, intelligent caretakers that we decided to spend a second night.  With a bike ride and a couple of short hikes, meeting some new friends and ending each day with a night sky overflowing with stars, I have to say this is all working out just fine!

Starting to Get the Idea

We left off in Marfa TX where we stayed in the parking lot of El Cosmico, a new age hippie camping community.  With painted vintage campers along with Teepees, yurts and hammocks, people were sleeping in just about every manner.  They had a high priced gift shop ($300 4” handmade bowls?!), a makeshift bar and they offered a decent cup of coffee in the morning (with almond milk offered!).  Rob was still barely keeping it together so we played it cool (no bonfires or star parties for us yet).  Had a little picnic by the RV and played some cards. 

We hit the road early for the Guadalupe Mountains.  Again the scenery amazed us, the drive being along the edge of several small mountain ranges.  We drove into the Mountain time zone and gained an hour, entering Guadalupe Park around 11am.  National Park camping is generally first come first served.  We checked into the visitor center that informed us that everything was full.  We started considering alternate plans and lo, and behold, people started leaving!  We picked a site with an unimpeded view of the mountain range with a patch of grass and a picnic table and settled in.

Since Rob has not been recovering well, I made the decision that we were here until that changed.  We are in a wonderfully peaceful place with no artificial lights, a gorgeous view and all for a whopping senior rate of $4 per night!  We’re here until wellness arrives! 

It didn’t take long to get comfortable.  Rob took a nap and I took a hike!  My destination was Devil Hall, about a 5 mile round trip up the valley washout.  The hike was delicious!  Beginning with a relatively steep trail incline it moved into a big rocky washout.  Then the hiker’s staircase (which was steeper than any staircase I’ve seen before!) before a final rocky climb to Devil Hall.  With beautiful scenery in every direction and some good exercise, I was invigorated!

Returning back to our campsite, there were lots of people ready to hear about (and DRINK) Holy City beers!  Beginning with a group of 18 trail runners to folks from ages 23 to 70+ from multiple forms of sleeping arrangements – RV, tent, little pop up campers and the backs of cars!  What fun we all had talking adventures, lifestyles, beer and family.   Holy City beware – you’ll be hearing from these folks!

And now we’re on day 2 of mandatory recovery and we’re sitting still.  Well, Rob is!  I got him fed and things settled and headed out for another hike.  This one doing Frijole and Simon Springs trails, just under 8 miles.  I got out after 9 which I realized later was a bit delayed from ideal.  IT GETS BRUTALLY HOT HERE!!

I had a magical hike with huge vistas, wonderful wildflowers and a peaceful spring in an oasis of a canyon.  The trail again was challenging enough for my intentions today with significant climbs, more scrambling over rocks and LONG stretches in the beating sun.  The springs was a real delight at the mid point.  Walking from the rocky mountainside, all of a sudden entering lush forest with a crystal clear pool of water that has brought life to this area for lifetimes!  The last mile or so of the hike had me wondering if I’d make it before the heat got me but make it, I did.  With more good memories to record.

Rob, too, has had a better day and appears to finally be on the mend.  We’re here either way but if this continues, tomorrow will be Carlsbad Caverns in the morning and then El Paso for RV supplies and repairs (I’ll spare you those sad details!).  With Guadalupe being such a treat, I’m anxiously awaiting all the parks to come!