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.

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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, May 15, 2010

Hiking Havasu Canyon Mooney Falls Day 2 Part 3

01 Chain along trail looking down on Havasu Creek below Mooney Falls Havasupai Indian Reservation AZ (600x800)

The trail to Mooney Falls winds across steep sandstone walls and is not for the faint hearted.

02 Travertine cave formations above Mooney Falls Havasu Canyon Havasupai Indian Reservation AZ (600x800)

Parts of the trail feel like caving past travertine formations left behind by a different waterfall from the geologic past.

03 Mooney Falls Havasu Canyon Havasupai Indian Reservation AZ pano (408x800)

Mooney Falls pours over 200 feet (60.96 meters) of rock less than .5 mile (.8 km) beyond the Havasu campground. It suffered the least change when a significant flash food swept through the canyon during August 2008, but the pool was filled with silt.

04 Mooney Falls pool with workman Havasu Canyon Havasupai Indian Reservation AZ pano (789x800)

Workers digging out silt

A sandbag wall has been put in place and already it is being calcified and covered by travertine. The pools will regain their previous shapes, as the process repeats itself like it has been doing for millennia.

05 Silouette Res dog & Jake taking photo of Mooney Falls Havasu Canyon Havasupai Indian Reservation AZ (600x800)

Reservation dog & Jake, note natural arch

The overlook where we took pictures from…

06 Down stream from Mooney Falls Havasu Canyon Havasupai Indian Reservation AZ (600x800)

…provided great views of the falls and down canyon.

07 Descend at your own risk sign through hole in rock above Mooney Falls Havasu Canyon Havasupai Indian Reservation AZ (800x600)

Yet the continuing trail to the base of the falls requires climbing rock steps through the travertine, holding chain while negotiating slippery rocks and climbing two ladders.

08 Workmen coming up from Mooney Falls pool Havasu Canyon Havasupai Indian Reservation AZ (800x600)

Workers coming up from pool

Cloudy sky with possible rain in the forecast plus the treacherous looking climb to the base of the falls put us off for the day.

09 Gaelyn in travertine cave opening that descends to base of Mooney Falls Havasu Canyon Havasupai Indian Reservation AZ (600x800)

Did we return?

Friday, May 14, 2010

Grand Canyon North Rim opens for the season

01 Gate just south of Jacob Lake closed for winter Kaibab NF Hwy 67 AZ (800x600)

Welcome to Grand Canyon National Park, the North Rim. The gate will open at 7 am on Saturday May 15, 2010.

02 House Rock Valley & Kaibab Plateau Hwy 89A N AZ - Copy (800x551)

House Rock Valley and Kaibab Plateau looking west

Whether you drive into the North Rim from the east…

03 Hwy 89A S approaching Kaibab Plateau AZ (800x581)

Kaibab Plateau looking south

…or from the north you’ll experience summer desert, then possibly winter on the rim.

04 Jacob Lake AZ (800x596)

Either way, you’ll junction at Jacob Lake. A good place to stop for a snack. They home bake a variety of awesome cookies, the milkshakes are huge, and they have an absolutely amazing gift shop full of many Native American arts.

05 VC Jacob Lake AZ (800x382)

You might also want to check out the Kaibab Forest Visitor Center next door. There’s as much to do and see in the forest as the park.

06 Kaibab Lodge Kaibab NF AZ (800x586)

Or stop at the Kaibab Lodge for a meal about 20 miles (32 km) up the road. They have overnight accommodations quite frequently when the park is full.

07 Snow on the meadows melting Hwy 67 S Kaibab NF AZ (800x424)

The closer you get to the park the more it may still look like winter.

08 Entrance station GRCA NR Hwy 67 S AZ (800x489)

Be prepared to show your National Park Pass at the entrance station. What, don’t have one. Then it will cost $25 per car load to get in. Or ask about buying a pass. There are several different options.

09 Lodge GRCA AZ (800x589)

Have reservations? Check in at the Grand Lodge after 4pm.

10 Cabins GRCA AZ (800x570)

Then ask a porter to move the luggage from the parking lot to your cabin.

11 Bright Angel Trail GRCA AZ (593x800)

Take a walk out the Bright Angel Point trail…

12 Deva Brahma & Zoroaster Temples from end of Bright Angel Point Trail GRCA AZ (800x600)

…for magnificent views.

13 Brachiopod fossil along Bright Angel Trail GRCA AZ (800x598)

Brachiopod

You could even look for ancient sea fossils along the way but please don’t collect them so others may enjoy as well.

14 North Kaibab Trail Roaring Springs Canyon GRCA AZ (800x600)

Roaring Springs Canyon and North Kaibab trail

Maybe you have a permit to hike across the canyon or just want to enjoy a few miles of the North Kaibab trail.

15 Trancept Canyon from Widforss Trail GRCA AZ (800x599)

Trancept Canyon from Widforss trail

Or there’s other easier trails to enjoy the canyon views.

16 View E from Cape Final Trail GRCA AZ 2 of 3 (800x600)

There’s also a 20 mile (32 km) scenic drive with multiple overlooks and the Cape Final trail is a gentle 2 miles (3.2 km) each way through Ponderosa Pine forest.

17 Sego Lily Cape Final Trail GRCA AZ (599x800)

Sego Lily

You might see wildflowers along the way.

18 Kaibab squirrel GRCA AZ (800x587)

And spot a Kaibab squirrel.

19 VC GRCA AZ (800x563)

Be sure to stop into the Visitor Center and get the latest scoop on what to do at the North Rim. Maybe I’ll see you there.

20 Morning over Bright Angle Canyon form Lodge GRCA AZ (800x600)

I hope you’ll get a chance to greet the morning from the lodge veranda as the sun highlights the colorful canyon walls.

21 Gaelyn with view S from Point Imperial Walhalla Plateau GRCA AZ (800x600)

And if you keep following my blog you’re sure to see a whole lot more of Grand Canyon as I work my third Park Ranger summer season here. Better yet, come for a visit.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

SWF - Sun setting on the Drakensburg Mountains South Africa

01 Mt view from Monks Cowl camp Drakensburg KwaZulu-Natal ZA (800x600)

Mountains tend to make their own weather. And during my stay in the Drakensburgs I saw these gorgeous green mountains turn from golden sun lit to drenched in life giving rain and back within about five minutes.

02 Sunset from Monks Cowl camp Drakensburg KwaZulu-Natal ZA (800x600)

These shots were taken about 30 minutes apart from Monks Cowl camp. Then it rained all night.

The next day I went hiking into the Drakensburgs with the son of Jo from memorable meanders which I’ll try to post about soon.

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To view more skies from around the world, or to share your own, go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Frankfurt Germany, a city of contrasts


I planned an 11 hour layover in Frankfurt on my way to South Africa in March 2010. And I hooked up with CouchSurfer Sue who really knew her history and gave me an excellent seven hour walking tour of the city. Join along here.
02 Chinese garden Bethmannpark Frankfurt Germany (800x600)
Chinesischer Garten












Sunday, May 9, 2010

Diverse walk in the Weavers

01 Hedgehog cactus blooms Weaver mts Yarnell AZ (800x600)

I’ve been home in Yarnell this weekend and it feels like summer. (Especially compared to the snow on the North Rim.)

02 Cactus anomoly Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x689)

Cactus blooming…

03 Poppies Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x600)

…flowers popping with color.04 Flowering Prickly Pear Cactus Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x600)

Every where I turned something caught my eye.

05 Century Plant Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x600)

Or caught my pants.

06 Looking SE towards Yarnell Weaver Mts AZ (800x600)

What a beautiful world we live in.

07 Unknown colorful bug Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x600)

From the small and unusual…

08 Ferns under rock Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x600)

…to a tiny hidden alcove of usual desert plants.

09 Mike Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (600x800)

We can look down on the world from above,

10 Turkey vulture Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x665)

or look up at the sky from below.

11 Granite lizard Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x600)

As life scurries along,

12 Gaelyn Weaver Mts yarnell AZ (800x600)

I just want to enjoy it all.

13 Unknown flower Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x600)

The sun reflects on one flower,

14 Tiny unknown white flowers Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (600x800)

and barely finds another.

15 Old Century Plant stalks reach for the sky above the boulders Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x600)

The old stalks may lean towards the earth…

16 Young Century Plant stalk against boulder background Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x600)

…while the young reach for the sky.

17 Pond Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x600)

And water gathers in the draw…

18 Dragonflies on pond Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ (800x600)

…providing a playground.

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