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Follow our North American travel adventures. 2 vagabonds, 1 beagle, 1 truck, 1 fifth wheel trailer, and a dream to see all the beautiful places this land has to offer.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Off to find the Sun!
Finally November 1st came and time to head south for our winter snowbird adventures in the US southwest. Plans are to spend most of our time exploring Southern California and Arizona. I think we waited a little too long to leave though as the weather has turned ugly, rain rain rain and fog and cold. Oh well at least we are heading toward the sun now. We took the Victoria to Port Angeles Coho Ferry and had an uneventful crossing into the States, Yay!
First stop on the way south is the Oregon Coast. Its a nice scenic drive along Hwy 101 and very low traffic this time of year. We had nice stops in Seaside and Newport for a few nights each. Unfortunately, I picked up a bad cold as a going away gift in BC so I didn't get out too much but did have a nice walk with Anne and Angie on Canon Beach. We missed our big old Beagle Oscar a lot as it was his favourite place. RIP buddy :(
In Newport Anne and I spent an afternoon touring the historic old waterfront. Started with a great lunch at a local seafood eatery, OceanBleu@Gino's ,we were very impressed with the quality. Anne had popcorn shrimp and me calamari, yum! While walking amongst the busy fishing piers we came across a pile of California Sea Lions. awrk awrk Awrk!!!
After a couple quick overnighter stays in Cresent City and Nice,California we find ourselves in the California hills south of San Jose, very rural and quiet. We are in a big Thousand Trails park with at least 500 campsites but maybe 100 are occupied. BUT! it is sunny! The last few days its been nice and warm. I've had a chance to wash the rig and big baby blue and now working on getting a good coat of wax on each.
We plan on visiting Pinnacles National Monument and Big Sur but now Anne has the bad cold, augghh. Hope she gets rid of it faster than I did.
First stop on the way south is the Oregon Coast. Its a nice scenic drive along Hwy 101 and very low traffic this time of year. We had nice stops in Seaside and Newport for a few nights each. Unfortunately, I picked up a bad cold as a going away gift in BC so I didn't get out too much but did have a nice walk with Anne and Angie on Canon Beach. We missed our big old Beagle Oscar a lot as it was his favourite place. RIP buddy :(
In Newport Anne and I spent an afternoon touring the historic old waterfront. Started with a great lunch at a local seafood eatery, OceanBleu@Gino's ,we were very impressed with the quality. Anne had popcorn shrimp and me calamari, yum! While walking amongst the busy fishing piers we came across a pile of California Sea Lions. awrk awrk Awrk!!!
After a couple quick overnighter stays in Cresent City and Nice,California we find ourselves in the California hills south of San Jose, very rural and quiet. We are in a big Thousand Trails park with at least 500 campsites but maybe 100 are occupied. BUT! it is sunny! The last few days its been nice and warm. I've had a chance to wash the rig and big baby blue and now working on getting a good coat of wax on each.
We plan on visiting Pinnacles National Monument and Big Sur but now Anne has the bad cold, augghh. Hope she gets rid of it faster than I did.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Vancouver Island Summer 2012
This summer we stayed at The Living Forest Campground and made it our home base to work part time, me at my electronics business and Anne at her online endeavors. http://annemckinnell.com/blog/
But we did manage a couple great trips to explore what awesome beauty this area has to offer. A week was spent in Strathcona Provincial Park, where the highlight was the waterfalls powered by a heavy summer runoff.
A month later saw us on Quadra and Cortes Islands exploring the beaches and enjoying the sunshine.
But we did manage a couple great trips to explore what awesome beauty this area has to offer. A week was spent in Strathcona Provincial Park, where the highlight was the waterfalls powered by a heavy summer runoff.
November 1st we depart for a six month adventure touring the South West US Desert!
The trip ends
Well all good things come to an end and so does our fabulous year long odyssey around the US and Canada. We left Utah late May as the desert heat began to turn up. We made a bee line for the coast settling for a week or so in the Northern California foothills near Monterey.
After that we meandered our way home to Vancouver Island up highway 101. Highway 101 is like an old friend now as we have travelled it may times and love the scenery and rving along the Oregon coast.
It was a bittersweet end to an amazing journey. Anne's longtime companion Oscar the beagle succumbed to his many ailments and left us in Seaside, Oregon after a great time on the beaches of Crescent City, Ca and Canon Beach. RIP old buddy.
We have decided that the RV trip was so much fun we are going to continue this winter and head down and explore the US SouthWest, so stay tuned. :)
After that we meandered our way home to Vancouver Island up highway 101. Highway 101 is like an old friend now as we have travelled it may times and love the scenery and rving along the Oregon coast.
It was a bittersweet end to an amazing journey. Anne's longtime companion Oscar the beagle succumbed to his many ailments and left us in Seaside, Oregon after a great time on the beaches of Crescent City, Ca and Canon Beach. RIP old buddy.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Goodbye Utah
We ended our time in Utah with a swing down the South East taking in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks then down to a great free boondocking campsite in Goosenecks State Park. We then bid farewell Utah with a drive through Monument Valley.
Monument Valley was memorable not only because of the neat landscape but because we were witness to a bunch of old cars zooming by! They were all from Europe and involved in a New York To Alaska Ralley. Anne and I just parked on the side of the famous road and watched all the vintage autos cruise by and wave, it was a fun afternoon.
Since Utah we have been driving everyday to escape the heat!! Ever since we came down from the higher elevation of Utah it has been baking hot. So hot we have had to get up at 4:30 am and drive until its too hot for the truck to lug our trailer up the hills at the same time as blasting the AC which is usually by 10:00 am. One stop at in Needles California just south of Las Vegas it hit over a 100 degrees and the trailer AC couldn't keep up so we had to head out for milkshakes to cool down.:) After four long hauls we have made it to the California coast near Monteray and Santa Cruz beach and the weather is nice and cool again, yay!
Monument Valley was memorable not only because of the neat landscape but because we were witness to a bunch of old cars zooming by! They were all from Europe and involved in a New York To Alaska Ralley. Anne and I just parked on the side of the famous road and watched all the vintage autos cruise by and wave, it was a fun afternoon.
Since Utah we have been driving everyday to escape the heat!! Ever since we came down from the higher elevation of Utah it has been baking hot. So hot we have had to get up at 4:30 am and drive until its too hot for the truck to lug our trailer up the hills at the same time as blasting the AC which is usually by 10:00 am. One stop at in Needles California just south of Las Vegas it hit over a 100 degrees and the trailer AC couldn't keep up so we had to head out for milkshakes to cool down.:) After four long hauls we have made it to the California coast near Monteray and Santa Cruz beach and the weather is nice and cool again, yay!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Scenic Highway 12
After Bryce Canyon which is located at the start of Highway 12 in Utah we moseyed are way down to a little State Park , Kodachrome Basin State Park to check out the cool rock formations and colors there. The campground has a awesome view and it's a very pretty location. There were many hiking trails and even allowed pets so Angie got in some good hikes.
Next stop was another beautiful national park called Capitol Reef. Wow more terrific Utah scenery was served up! During sunset the cliffs light up.
Finally at the other end of highway 12 and a little way up highway 24 is a really cool state park called Goblin Valley. It's named that for all the interestingly shaped rock pillars and blobs the valley has. Anne and I had a good time walking amougst the goblins.:)
Next stop was another beautiful national park called Capitol Reef. Wow more terrific Utah scenery was served up! During sunset the cliffs light up.
Finally at the other end of highway 12 and a little way up highway 24 is a really cool state park called Goblin Valley. It's named that for all the interestingly shaped rock pillars and blobs the valley has. Anne and I had a good time walking amougst the goblins.:)
This One Looks Like Oscar
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Enjoying South West Utah
We have left Arizona behind and made our way North to Utah. First stop was Coral Pink Sands State Park for a few nights. It's a bizarre landscape of orangey pink dunes surrounded by red rock cliffs. Angie got to roam free and run and run as much as she wanted. She had a blast!
Next we booked a week in a great RV Park right near the entrance to Zion National Park. The park shuttle bus stopped right outside the campground so it was super convenient to explore the park, and man what a park. Everywhere you look is one spectacular view after another. The canyon contains a beautiful river valley with towering sandstone walls on each side and many hanging canyons. Hiking and canyoneering are the main activities here. Not having the equipment or the bodies for canyoneering we did a ton of hiking. Most of the hikes were easy along the valley floor and the Virgin River but several were a little more intense up into the mountain canyons with some decent elevation changes.
After our week at Zion we decided to head up to Bryce Canyon National Park next and then we can drive down famous Scenic Highway 12 towards the other National Parks in the South East of Utah. Bryce sits up at over 7700 feet and some of the park is as high as 9100 feet so it gave our old Big Baby Blue truck a workout dragging the trailer up, but we made it! The Bryce Canyon is made up of very cool looking hoodoos that at sunset and sunrise glow red.,orange, pink. There are also trails down into the hoodoos but no elevator up, ack, it's a chore coming back up especially because of the high elevation. Luckily there is a road that follows the canyon rim with many pull outs to take in the amazing views.
You can tell from the photos Utah is gorgeous country. We are looking forward to more as we head east to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks as well as many State and National Monuments. Utah is just loaded with stuff.
Next we booked a week in a great RV Park right near the entrance to Zion National Park. The park shuttle bus stopped right outside the campground so it was super convenient to explore the park, and man what a park. Everywhere you look is one spectacular view after another. The canyon contains a beautiful river valley with towering sandstone walls on each side and many hanging canyons. Hiking and canyoneering are the main activities here. Not having the equipment or the bodies for canyoneering we did a ton of hiking. Most of the hikes were easy along the valley floor and the Virgin River but several were a little more intense up into the mountain canyons with some decent elevation changes.
After our week at Zion we decided to head up to Bryce Canyon National Park next and then we can drive down famous Scenic Highway 12 towards the other National Parks in the South East of Utah. Bryce sits up at over 7700 feet and some of the park is as high as 9100 feet so it gave our old Big Baby Blue truck a workout dragging the trailer up, but we made it! The Bryce Canyon is made up of very cool looking hoodoos that at sunset and sunrise glow red.,orange, pink. There are also trails down into the hoodoos but no elevator up, ack, it's a chore coming back up especially because of the high elevation. Luckily there is a road that follows the canyon rim with many pull outs to take in the amazing views.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Off to Arizona
While heading to Arizona we had a stop over in Albuquerque. The next morning we woke up to around 6 inches of snow!
What a shock after spending the previous week sunny with highs in the 80's. Luckily it was a distant memory by that afternoon. The campground was right on the old Route 66 road and had a few cool old retro trailers.
Next we drove west into Arizona and stopped at another old Route 66 campground in Holbrook, Arizona. We stayed here so we could go see Petrified Forest National Park. It had an amazing topography of pinkish hues, they call it the painted desert. Also much of it was littered with petrified wood. They looked like real logs but are hard stone. While in the area I dragged Anne to some cheesy left over Route 66 novelty stops like the Wigwam Motel and Winslow Arizona where we stood on the famous corner from the Eagles song Taking it Easy. :)
Our favorite stop in Arizona was Sedona. We have spent the last two weeks touring, hiking and photographing the area. The place is amazing with the red rock cliffs and beautiful vistas. Tomorrow we head north to Utah and can't wait to see all the great National Parks and scenery it has to offer.
Next we drove west into Arizona and stopped at another old Route 66 campground in Holbrook, Arizona. We stayed here so we could go see Petrified Forest National Park. It had an amazing topography of pinkish hues, they call it the painted desert. Also much of it was littered with petrified wood. They looked like real logs but are hard stone. While in the area I dragged Anne to some cheesy left over Route 66 novelty stops like the Wigwam Motel and Winslow Arizona where we stood on the famous corner from the Eagles song Taking it Easy. :)
Our favorite stop in Arizona was Sedona. We have spent the last two weeks touring, hiking and photographing the area. The place is amazing with the red rock cliffs and beautiful vistas. Tomorrow we head north to Utah and can't wait to see all the great National Parks and scenery it has to offer.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
In the high desert of New Mexico
We went north from west Texas and into southern New Mexico and the first stop was Carlsebad Caverns. Man what a deep hole! It's around a 700 foot decent, but they have built a concrete path down so it's not too bad. Also they have an elevator to wisk you back up, yay! Unfortunately my little point and shoot camera was basically useless down there so you will have to wait until Anne process her pix. Needless to say its way cool in the cave with lots of neat rock formations.
Guadaloupe National park is only 35 miles down the road from the caverns so we headed there and camped right in the park. When we first arrived the mountains were covered in snow as a cold front had just passed, so it was a rare treat to see snow in the desert. It only lasted a day or so though as temps got back up into the 80s pretty quick. One day we hiked out in to a nearby canyon to see an old cabin built as a homestead in the 1930s. It as only a 4.7 mile hike but at 6000 feet and in the dry hot desert it was fairly taxing, and smart Anne decided to go with a black sweater, hehe.
Next we stayed at a few New Mexico State parks on the way to see White Sands National Monument.
I can't rave enough about the state park campsites here. They are spacious , have electric, water, free showers, dump stations and generally great views for 14 dollars a night or you can buy a yearly pass for 225$ and then pay 4 dollars a night. geeshhh, back home in BC you pay 30 dollars and get a fire ring and maybe a picnic table.
White Sands is straight up awesome. Miles and miles of white gypsum dunes with a sprinkling of cacti and grasses. First day we saw it we lucked out and a local dude had his camel there, was so cool to see and it was friendly, Anne loved it. We had two great evenings there watching the sun set on the dunes, so beautiful and peaceful and when the wind quit the second night it was eerily quiet. The great expanse makes you feel really small.
Guadaloupe National park is only 35 miles down the road from the caverns so we headed there and camped right in the park. When we first arrived the mountains were covered in snow as a cold front had just passed, so it was a rare treat to see snow in the desert. It only lasted a day or so though as temps got back up into the 80s pretty quick. One day we hiked out in to a nearby canyon to see an old cabin built as a homestead in the 1930s. It as only a 4.7 mile hike but at 6000 feet and in the dry hot desert it was fairly taxing, and smart Anne decided to go with a black sweater, hehe.
Next we stayed at a few New Mexico State parks on the way to see White Sands National Monument.
I can't rave enough about the state park campsites here. They are spacious , have electric, water, free showers, dump stations and generally great views for 14 dollars a night or you can buy a yearly pass for 225$ and then pay 4 dollars a night. geeshhh, back home in BC you pay 30 dollars and get a fire ring and maybe a picnic table.
White Sands is straight up awesome. Miles and miles of white gypsum dunes with a sprinkling of cacti and grasses. First day we saw it we lucked out and a local dude had his camel there, was so cool to see and it was friendly, Anne loved it. We had two great evenings there watching the sun set on the dunes, so beautiful and peaceful and when the wind quit the second night it was eerily quiet. The great expanse makes you feel really small.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
More from Big Bend
Exploring the area to the west of Big Bend National Park we found some more awesome scenery in the often overlooked Big Bend Ranch State Park. The park has an amazing drive along the Rio Grande river with numerous pull outs and picnic areas to enjoy the views.
Also there is the leftovers of a movie set of fake old west buildings that make an excellent photo shoot place. The place is called Contrabando and has been used in 6 different westerns. I found a reddish heart shaped Prickly Pear cactus piece and had fun placing it in many locations.
Back in Terlingua we lucked out and caught the end of the annual Chihauhau races. Check out the video. Too funny.
We did get back to Big Bend National Park a couple more times for sunsets at the Mule Ears rock formations and a hike up Lost Mine Trail in the Chisos Mountains, pant pant.
We are currently in Fort Stockton, a small desert town on the Interstate 10 hwy, restocking and resting up for New Mexico next!!! Oh we had a major thunderstorm the other afternoon with huge hail stones but after the sunset was spectacular.
More photos here
Also there is the leftovers of a movie set of fake old west buildings that make an excellent photo shoot place. The place is called Contrabando and has been used in 6 different westerns. I found a reddish heart shaped Prickly Pear cactus piece and had fun placing it in many locations.
Back in Terlingua we lucked out and caught the end of the annual Chihauhau races. Check out the video. Too funny.
We did get back to Big Bend National Park a couple more times for sunsets at the Mule Ears rock formations and a hike up Lost Mine Trail in the Chisos Mountains, pant pant.
We are currently in Fort Stockton, a small desert town on the Interstate 10 hwy, restocking and resting up for New Mexico next!!! Oh we had a major thunderstorm the other afternoon with huge hail stones but after the sunset was spectacular.
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