Description

I own no land, instead I have wheelestate. I’ve been a full time RVer since 1997. Working summers as a Park Ranger takes me to many beautiful places and playing during the winter takes me to many more. This blog is simply the story of my life's adventures.

Moved

Thank you for stopping by. Just to let you know, I'm still blogging but have moved to Geogypsytraveler. Hope you'll follow my adventures. Just click here.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Survival


I took a group of visitors on a fossil walk today and we got side tracked watching a struggle for survival. Rather amazing how much smaller the spider is than the bug. They both wanted to hang on to life. But the spider won.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Sunset at Grand Canyon


As the sun slowly sinks the shadows rise on the canyon walls.

Until the colors of earth and sky begin to merge.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Book it!



Just bought tickets.  Find out to where...(read more)

Sky Watch Friday - Stormy skies over the Kaibab Plateau

Driving home from Page across House Rock Valley on my last weekend I could see the storm clouds hanging over the Kaibab Plateau.

Is that a rainbow UFO?
The closer I got the more menacing it looked. But it didn’t rain.

Then as I drove through the meadows on the Kaibab Plateau the sky began to clear.

For more skies from around the world or to share your own go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.
Can't seem to link in to SKF, hope you'll find me anyway.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Lights Working


Since I arrived at Grand Canyon it seems I’ve had no time to really settle in. First training with the hike across the canyon. Then preparing for programs and opening May 15th. Followed by over a week of being sick and finally back to work. Oh yea, I did squeeze in the slot canyon hike and Lake Powell.

The lights work!
Any way my “to do” list was getting long. I am a list maker because it feels so good to cross things off the list. Raked all the pine needles and cones at least 30 feet around my RV for required “defensible space.” Took all four jacks off the camper to lighten the load and keep them from rattling the old beast apart at the corners. Started to look for a water leak under the bathroom sink in the camper but the water tank was empty. Maybe tomorrow I’ll look into that, or not.

Almost all of them
Then I tackled the 12 volt system to get the running lights working on the camper. I’m no electrician, but 12 volt is only two wires, hot and ground, and it doesn’t have much kick if I mess up. Which I didn’t, and now I’m legal after dark.

So I think I earned a day out in the forest tomorrow. Well, after I do the laundry anyway.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Backcountry Permit at Grand Canyon


I only waited 20 minutes in line for this
If you want to camp anywhere in other than developed campgrounds on the rims of Grand Canyon National Park you need a permit from Backcountry. There are three ways to apply. You can obtain a form and instructions for submitting requests on line. Then you can fax or mail your request. Or, you can go in person to the park’s Backcountry Information Center.

North Kaibab Trail
The earliest allowable time to request permits is on the first of the month, four months prior to the proposed hiking start date. There is a non-refundable fee of $10 per permit plus $5 per person per night camped below the rim.

The Box in Bright Angel Canyon
I got a permit for October 13th at Cottonwood campground, the 14th at Bright Angel campground near Phantom Ranch, and the 15th at Indian Garden. Two friends from Washington are joining me on this fall hike. Yes, it’s the same itinerary I hiked this spring during training except we stayed at the Phantom Ranch NPS bunkhouse.

These permits are not always easy to get, even as a Ranger I have to apply the same way as everyone else. Each year Grand Canyon NP receives about 30,000 requests for backcountry permits and issues only 13,000 permits for close to 40,000 people to camp overnight in the backcountry. So if you want to hike in the canyon plan ahead.

Looking up towards the South Rim and Bright Angel Trail

Monday, June 1, 2009

My World Tuesday - Cape Royal Trail

I got to spend the afternoon roving out on the Walhalla Plateau. That basically means I can go to any site, trail or overlook and hang out talking to visitors. It’s a tough job at Grand Canyon, but somebody has to do it.

View from Cape Royal
So I went out to Cape Royal, at the end of the road. What I find kind of interesting is that most of the visitor’s questions are about how I became a Ranger and where else I’ve worked instead of about the canyon.

Angels Window
On the .3 mile (.48 km) walk out to the view point you can see Angels Window and there’s a short trail onto the top of the window rock.

Cliff Rose
The air smells sweet from the flowering Cliff Rose.

Pinyon Pine cones
And the Pinyon Pines are heavily laden with cones. Of course it will be another two years before the nut matures. Guess I’ll have to come back to gather some of those delicious pine nuts if the critters don’t beat me to them.

Considering that it snowed on me yesterday, it was warm enough today to be in short sleeves most of the time.

To get glimpses of life around the world or to share your own go to My World Tuesday by clicking here.
I seem to be having trouble linking to MWT. Am I the only one?

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Stormy afternoon at Grand Canyon


View east across the Marble Plateau
Took a quick drive out to Point Imperial this afternoon to take some pics for a program I’m working on. It snowed on the way there.

View southeast, note the smoke at bottom right
There was thunder and lightning, which I find exciting. And I saw smoke in the canyon so called it in to dispatch.

Yes, that’s snow and hail right outside my door.

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