Going camping on the way to town

Mike and I both have the next two days off and we’re heading Out of the park.

It’s about time to run away and play.

We poured over the maps.

Packed some food and camp gear.

And in the morning we’ll drive into the Kaibab National Forest…

…to some unknown beautiful rim camp.

Going camping

Some people camp very simply while others take the RV. Guess this is somewhere in between.

Drakensberg Mountains South Africa Part 1

Joan and I left Wagendrift Nature Reserve and continued into the Drakensberg Mountains, meaning Dragon Mountains and locally called The ‘Bergs. Read more here...

Wagendrift Nature Reserve South Africa

After replacing my lost camera, Joan and I headed north towards the Drakensburg Mountains. We camped at Wagendrift Nature Reserve near Escort where I would later rent a car.  Read more here...

It’s our weekend

Yea, I know, for most of you the weekend is almost over. But for Mike and me our weekend off work together is Monday and Tuesday. I actually have Sunday off too. So we’re taking off as soon as Mike’s off work and heading to our nearby Kaibab National Forest to Marble View, about 40 miles away.

Can you find the fossils?

We’ll watch the full moon rise tonight and after sunrise Monday we’ll be fossil hunting. I’m sure to have some beautiful images to share when we get back.

Going camping

It’s been a little stormy looking over the canyon lately, but not much rain.

Yet we’re taking our chances and going camping in the Kaibab National Forest on our first multiple days off together since Mike started working several weeks ago.

View from Crazy Jug, one of those points is Parissawampitts

So many choices. I think I’ve whittled it down to Parissawampitts or Crazy Jug Points where we can park the truck camper almost on the North Rim of Grand Canyon. Then rest and enjoy the view or take a hike on the Rainbow Rim trail.

Smoke from Saffron Fire above Grand Lodge

With the predicted light winds from the west we shouldn’t be affected by the smoke from the managed Saffron Fire further south near Swamp Point.

And if we don’t like it, we can move. More when we get back.

Scenic Sunday - Burro Creek

Last winter a friend and I took a ride to Bagdad, and beyond. As it was late afternoon by the time we got to the gravel road leading into Burro Creek we didn’t go very far. I really need to return and camp out there to do some rock hunting: opalite, agate, pastelite and apache tears. Located off highway 93 in central Arizona it’s just north and east about 50 miles of where I live.

To see more beautiful scenes from around the world, or to share your own, go to Scenic Sunday by clicking here.

MWT - Zion National Park Part 2

Entering Zion National Park from the East entrance requires a drive through two tunnels and if your rig is oversized...

Going camping

View from nearby Fire Point taken last summer
OK, I have three days off. Actually 2 ½ at this point in the day. So I’m going camping. Heading out into the Kaibab National Forest to the edge of the canyon. There’s a couple points I’d like to check out, Stina, Timp, North Timp, Locust, Fence and Parissawampitts (say that three times fast) . I’ll just see how it goes. Be back in a few days with more pics and posts.

Cedar Canyon Breaks for City Utah

After I left Navajo Lake I headed to Cedar Breaks National Monument. Unfortunately I couldn’t stay long as I still needed to get to Cedar City to shop and get an oil change.

So I continued west on scenic State Route 14.

Which lies north of Zion National Park.

The road continues downhill through forest that shows the standing dead of a bark beetle kill off. Yet there are also trees decades old to carry on.

Continuing west I drop off the Colorado Plateau through Cedar Canyon which follows Coal Creek.
Cedar City lies in a valley below at almost 6000 feet (1829 km). Of course it took me longer than planned to get all my stops made in this unknown town.

Because that’s four hours from the North Rim and I prefer not to drive in the dark I decided to camp in the Dixie National Forest at Cedar Canyon campground then return to Cedar Breaks National Monument the next day. (I will post Cedar Breaks soon, I promise.)

Camping at Navajo Lake

Navajo Lake formed when lava flowed across the east end of this valley thousands of years ago.  Read more.

I gotta' get out of this place....

Hey it’s not like being at Grand Canyon is all that bad. But I have three days off. And if I stay home I know I’ll be working. Not so good. Also need a change of scenery. Plus HAVE to go grocery shopping where there’s more selection than Kanab or Page. And it’s HOT in both those places. So, I’m heading further north into the Dixie National Forest to camp tonight near Cedar Breaks National Monument. Then tomorrow shop in Cedar City and back home. I have CouchSurfers from the Czech Republic coming tomorrow night to crash in my camper. Probably have to get some work done on Thursday.

Remember Whensday - Cadillac Camping

I borrowed Mom’s Cadillac to go camping with my boyfriend and another couple in September 1974. We had to use the repelling gear from the tree limb to lift the loaded canoe then drove under it and lowered it onto the roof. Plus tie the trunk shut.

We rented the second floor of the Bessemer House for a week. This building was originally an iron ore assay office and the walk in safe was still there.

We also went camping on Michigan’s Upper Pennisula at Pigeon Lake.

The Cadillac took those back country gravel roads pretty smooth and came home with only a few minor scratches. Mom was not happy.

Sally from The (Mis) Adventures of Karl and Sally has started a new meme where the past is remembered through sharing old family photographs and this is #8. I love the idea and hope you will too. So join the fun by clicking here.

Road Trip

I will be off camping for the night in the Kaibab National Forest. Going to try for Locust Point which overlooks the Grand Canyon. Hope to post pics tomorrow.

Have a great day!

The Big and Small at North Canyon - Kaibab National Forest

On my last days off I took a drive into the Kaibab National Forest and headed to Marble View. Unfortunately the last .25 mile becomes very narrow with low branches so I set up camp overlooking a finger of North Canyon.

The sky continued to boil and brew but the storm kept skirting around me towards the west.

It’s like the weather really couldn’t decide what to do. Yet even with all this cloud cover I sunburned my back.

Desert Paintbrush about 3 inches tall
This open patch of ground on the rim is much like tundra in that the plants grow very small. Probably not much depth of soil over this broken up limestone.

Hairy Golden Aster

Wrinkled Grasshopper (yes that's what it's called)
I had my nose down low to the ground searching for fossils and saw this creature blending in with the rocks.

Fossil hunting
Some fellow Rangers showed up unexpectedly and also assumed the fossil hunting position.

This strange bug I can’t identify showed up on one of their hats. (This bug’s for you Joan.)

taken at 6:18pm
As the sun began to set the wind increased. Can you tell which way it blows by the tree on the right? Another reason for the small plants.

taken at 7:09pm
Here you can also see smoke low on the horizon from a prescribed burn near Dry Park to the west. I’m sure the rising heat had some effect on the clouds, but that’s not smoke high in the sky. The burn was almost out by the next day from rain.

taken at 8:09pm
As the storm blew in over me the temperature dropped and a little rain fell.

The wind rocked the camper but I was snug.

House Rock Valley and Marble Canyon
In the morning I walked out to Marble View at the very end of the narrow road. I might try to drive out there next time to camp. Yet I liked the western sunset view where I was. And I had the place to myself.

Oh yea, I promise to show you the fossils collected tomorrow, or the next day.

My World Tuesday - Lone Rock Beach Lake Powell

After leaving Buckskin Gulch I’d planned to hike the 1.5 mile (2.4 km) Toadstool Trail in Grand Staircase Escalante but it was 2pm and too hot to hike with no shade. Another day.

I continued on to Lone Rock Beach at Lake Powell where you drive right onto the beach to camp. It was still hot and also very windy so I parked nose into the wind and made my own shade.

Wahweap Bay is just one little finger of Lake Powell.

RVs, tents & houseboats line the shore for maybe a mile. I’ll bet they’re stacked on top of each other during the summer.

I sat outside working on my evening program, actually trying to remember and rework last year’s program. I’ll post this sometime.

And watching the world watch me.

To discover life around the world of others visit My World Tuesday by clicking here.