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, January 22, 2011

Scenic Sunday – Feeding the…

a160 Doe eating bird seed at feeder Yarnell AZ by Mike (1024x768)

Friday morning Mike caught this sweetheart helping herself to the birdseed.

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Friday, January 21, 2011

Cango Cave South Africa

01 Gaelyn entering Tunnel of Love squeeze Cango Cave Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x768)

Entering the Tunnel of Love

I really enjoy crawling around underground and sliding through small holes surrounded by mother earth. Call me crazy. And yea, I know caving isn’t for everybody, especially claustrophobics. Not my problem. Just don’t take me to a crowded shopping mall.

02 Sunrise George Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x767)

After a great night’s rest at The Red House B&B in George I headed inland towards Oudtshoorn, destination Cango Cave.

03 Vineyard N12 N Outeniqua Mts Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x768)

The drive over the Outeniqua Mountains was fabulous (see previous post).

04 Cango Ostrich Farm R328 Oudtshoorn Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x862)

And the Klein Karoo is rich in vineyards and ostriches (another story).

05 Cango Cave map Little Karoo Western Cape ZA pano (1024x163)

Cango Cave offers two tours, Standard and Adventure.

06 Tight spots signs Cango Cave ZA (726x1024) (726x1024) 

Not too hard to figure out which tour I went for.

07 Cango Cave entrance Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (723x1024) 

I joined my tour group of about 20 people plus a very competent guide and we entered the 67F/18C degree cave for a 1 1/2 hour tour.

08 Throne Room Cango Cave Little Karoo Western Cape ZA pano (1024x576)

The cave formed in limestone deposited by an ancient sea about 800 million years ago followed by uplift 100s of millions years later.

09 Column Throne room Cango Cave Little Karoo Western Cape AZ (768x1024)

Artifacts like pot fragments, bone and stone points and ostrich shell beads, pictographs and hearths found at the cave opening indicate early hunter/gatherers used the cave up to 80,000 years ago followed by more modern herders.

10 Jacobs Ladder Cango Cave Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x766)

Walking over 200 steps on Jacob’s Ladder led us deeper into the cave beyond the typical “Standard” tour route and past some exquisite cave formations. Then the Tunnel of Love starts the challenge of squeeze as seen in the first photo.

11 Gaelyn in the Chimney Cango Cave ZA collage (1024x768)

But the Devil’s Chimney proved to be the trickiest. And some people didn’t do it and where fortunate that there as a loop back.

12 Arrow to Devil's Coffin Cango Cave Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x768)

After squirming through the chimney into a larger chamber I confronted an even smaller opening at the Devil’s Postbox where I crawled on my belly a couple body lengths and finally slid on my butt…

13 Gaelyn in the Coffin Cango Cave Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x768)

…returning to The Coffin, which is the beginning and end of the final circular route.

14 R328 S Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x768)

This was an awesome cave and I saw a lot of places I wanted to crawl into, if it had been allowed. Yet the road called so I backtracked to the Cango Ostrich Farm where you’ll see me tangle with one of those bad boys in a future post.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

SWF – Morning light over the Outeniqua Mountains South Africa

01 N12 N Outeniqua Mts Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x767)

After staying over night in George at The Red House B&B (see previous post) I was off early to Cango Cave (will post about that soon).

02 N12 N Outeniqua Mts Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x743)

The drive away from the coast into the Outeniqua Mountains was spectacular as I headed towards Oudtshoorn.

03 N12 N Littlr Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x649)

Outeniqua is said to be derived from a Khoisan tribe that once lived in these mountains and means "they who bear honey".

04 R328 N Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x767)

Sure was a sweet drive.

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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Knysna Heads South Africa

01 N2 W Knysna Garden Route Western Cape ZA (1024x348)

Knysna, which lies in the heart of the Garden Route nestled in between the Outeniqua Mountains and the Indian Ocean, looks like a town to shop in. The sidewalks outside all the boutique-looking stores were crowded and parking limited. Instead I went for scenic overlooks.

02 Lower Eastern Head Knysna Western Cape ZA (1024x768)

I wound my way along the Knysna Lagoon and ended up at the Lower Eastern Head overlook at the mouth of the Knysna River.

03 Mussel shells in tide pool Lower Eastern Head Knysna Western Cape ZA (1024x768)

Wandered out on the rocks enjoying the sun’s warmth and the crashing waves.

04 Trail Lower Eastern Head Knysna Western Cape ZA (1024x768)

A little path called me…

05 Lighthouse into Knysna Lagoon from Lower Eastern Head Western Cape ZA (1024x795)

…for a view of the lagoon and light house.

06 Divers Lower Eastern Head Knysna Garden Route Western Cape ZA (1024x768)

This deep and narrow channel through which the sea pours in claimed the three-masted barque “Paquita” after her anchors fouled twice in 1903 and now the wreck draws scuba divers.

07 Indian Ocean & Western Head from Upper Eastern Head Knysna Garden Route Western Cape ZA pano (1024x541)

Next I followed a twisting road up to the top of the sandstone cliff and Upper Eastern Head overlook.

08 Caves in Western Head from Upper Eastern Head Knysna Garden Route Western Cape ZA (1024x698)

Across the channel on the Western Head is the privately owned Featherbed Bay Nature Reserve. Access is by boat or train to the restaurant and resort with hiking trails to the beach. Looks like a place to carefully watch the tide.

09 Train on Western Head from Upper Eastern Head Knysna Garden Route Western Cape ZA (1024x511)

The last fully operational steam train in South Africa, the Choo-Choo, has provided views of the coastline and hidden valleys inaccessible by car as it chugs across the Knysna Lagoon and beyond for 42 miles (68 km) since 1928.

10 View into Knysna Lagoon from Upper Eastern Head Knysna Garden Route Western Cape ZA (1024x521)

The Knysna Lagoon is home to the world’s only estuarine seahorse species but they’re so tiny you’re unlikely to spot one even diving.

11 Knysna Lagoon N2 W Garden Route Western Cape ZA (1024x607)

Other adventures called so I continued west along N2…

12 Red House B&B George Little Karoo Western Cape ZA (1024x768)

…to George where I spent the night at The Red House B&B to rest up for the next day’s caving and more. Future post.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Goodbye old girl

01 12-08-04 Gaelyn & Carson Vicksburg AZ (1024x692)

Me & Carson in Vicksburg, AZ 12/04

I’ve been living on the road in some sort of RV for 14 years now.

02 4-06-05 Rv in San Benito TX (1024x692)

Carson in San Benito, TX 4/05

Most of you know I’ve just bought the newest and nicest RV of my life. And I’m loving it.

03 7-28-05 Home at Jo's Mancos CO (1024x412)

Mancos, CO 7/05

Yet it’s not easy to say goodbye to this old girl.

04 10-27-05 Home in Yarnell AZ (1024x768)

Carson in Yarnell, AZ 10/05

She’s taken me many places in the last six years.

05 4-27-06 5th-wheel at Raintree East side (1024x771)

Cave Junction, OR 4/06

Not new by any means. This 27 foot 1977 Wilderness has covered some miles.

06 8-31-07 Cave Creek campsite Siskiyou NF OR (1024x768)

Siskiyou National Forest, OR 8/07

Originally from Oregon, I had someone rebuild the inside to my specs.

07 10-26-07 Colleen & Gaelyn's truck & 5th-wheel BLM Havasu City AZ (1024x607)

Colleen by Havasu City, AZ 10/07

I made it my own by covering the walls and flat spots with my chachkies stuff.

08 2-04-08 Home Yarnell AZ pano (1024x154)

Yarnell, AZ 2/08

I learned how to hook up to her alone. OK, there may have been some swearing.

09 4-27-08 Gaelyn's RV space GRCA AZ (1024x768)

Carson at Grand Canyon NP North Rim 4/08

I never really learned to back up very well. But there’s a lot to be said for going forward.

10 11-12-08 Sunset reflection Yarnell AZ (1024x768)

Yarnell, AZ 11/08

I fixed plumbing leaks and finally paid to replace the water heater. In fact that job introduced me to Mike.

11 4-25-09 All hooked up Yarnell AZ (1024x533)

Yarnell, AZ 4/09

And we both lived in this small space five months last summer.

12 5-14-10 5th-wheel #8 Norton Court NR GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

Grand Canyon NP North Rim 5/10

Now as much as I’ve grown comfortable I’ve also been looking to upgrade for several years. Guess now the time was right.

13 1-17-11 Old Wilderness RV leaving Yarnell AZ (1024x768)

What next? She’s been bought by a neighbor who plans to make her into an art studio. I look forward to seeing this transformation.

14 1-17-11 Prefered new view Yarnell AZ (1024x795)

And I really enjoy the view now that she’s gone.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

SS – Fall along Bright Angel Creek

In the bottom of the Grand Canyon along the main corridor rim-to-rim trail Bright Angel Creek joins the mighty Colorado River.

a531 Fall colors along Bright Angel Creek GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

Taken on Grand Canyon hike 11/28/10

In 1869, Major John Wesley Powell named the clear waters of Bright Angel Creek in contrast to the muddy Colorado River and a tributary upstream he’d named the Dirty Devil.

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