Home for the Holidays – 2012

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Michigan Traveler

The last time we saw any of our family was in August and IMG_4566we were looking forward to flying back to Michigan for Christmas.  We took the “Super Shuttle” to the airport. This is a great service that is available in many cities. For a reasonable fee they picked us up at our site in the RV park and dropped us off at the airport. Less expensive than a taxi service and you don’t have to inconvenience friends or neighbors.

BuckeyesWe met our son, Dave, as soon as we arrived in Lansing to go shopping and had dinner together. What a great way to start a Christmas visit!  We stayed at the home of our friends, Susan and Gary Aten.  Great friends who said, “Make yourself at home,” and truly meant it.  We finished our Christmas shopping and made popcorn balls and “Buckeyes” to take to Bad Axe.  We had plans to meet Bob’s sister and brother in law, but a big snowstorm hit their area, they lost power, and were snowed in. Hopefully we will have better luck when we return this summer.  Sue Aten invited other friends to her house for dinner – it was a wonderful way to share the holiday with friends.

We discovered our nephew, Adam, was flying from Iowa into the Lansing airport so we stayed in Lansing a day longer and picked him up on our way to Bad Axe. Christmas in Bad Axe is a highlight of the year as the Smith side of the family comes together from Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and in our case somewhere else IMG_4624to share the Christmas celebration together.

Christmas morning was like a picture postcard.  We had about an inch of new snow overnight.  Not enough to make driving hazardous, but enough to provide a clean blanket of new snow to enjoy.  The extended family had Christmas dinner at the Elkton Civic Center Hall with our traditional huge potluck dinner.  It is a perfect time for the family to get IMG_4600together.  As kids grow and begin their adult lives in new jobs, with marriages and births, it is harder to stay in touch and this event creates an opportunity to reconnect.  After dinner at the hall, it was back to Geri and Marcia’s to exchanges gifts with the immediate family.  Of course the center of attention was the newest member of our family, IMG_4584Ben and Tara’s daughter Adalyn, whom we call Addy.  Geri and Marcia have a big house, but how they manage to house all of us is a mystery.  Thank you, Marcia and Geri for your hospitality!

IMG_4630After a few days it was time for us to move on and we flew to Hattiesburg, MS on December 28th to visit Scott, Sandra and our granddaughters. It was quite a change to leave Michigan with snow and 10 temperatures to arrive in 600 and rain in Mississippi.  Our daughter, Elisabeth, had driven from North Carolina to spend IMG_4660Christmas with them, so we were able to see all of our kids.  We spent a couple of fun days, visiting and playing table games with them.  The big news was that Scott is leaving the active Army to take a fulltime position with the Army Reserve in Salt Lake City, UT.  He should be making this move shortly after the first of the year.  It looks like IMG_4670we may be traveling out west again sooner than we expected.

As all good things must come to an end, we had breakfast with Scott’s family and headed to the airport to fly back to Phoenix on Jan 1st.

Posted in Arizona, Fulltime RV, Holidays, Michigan, Michigan Traveler | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

San Diego, CA – November 2012

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Michigan Traveler

What a change we had from Lone Pine to San Diego!  As you may have noticed, the area around Tuttle Creek Campground was pretty desolate, beautiful country, but still desolate.  In San Diego, we camped at the Admiral Baker RV Park, a facility of the San Diego Naval Station.  We were in a small valley, a couple miles from the Qualcomm Stadium.  The RV spaces surround a playground and picnic area, and it was a big change from the desert!

The San Diego area is blessed with an extensive public transportation network.  We immediately saw the value of not driving our one-ton, dual rear wheel, long-bed pickup truck through downtown traffic and purchased monthly passes.  Between the trolley and bus lines, you can go almost anywhere with little hassle.

San Diego is one of the busiest seaports on the west coast.  Not only is there a lot of commercial activity, but San Diego is home to the Navy’s Pacific Fleet.  We took a two-hour tour of the harbor and saw the submarine pens, the Naval Hospital Ship – USNS Mercy, the Naval Air Station at North Island (almost the size of San Diego International Airport), and dry dock and repair facilities (the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson was in port for repair).  We were able to watch planes landing at San Diego International and what made this particularly interesting was the landing approach brought them in at low altitudes right over the downtown – not a sight you see in too many cities.  In the harbor there is a live bait facility where fishing boats can pick up live bait before they head out to sea.  It is a favorite spot for sea lions to hang out! After the cruise we had lunch at a restaurant right on the harbor, where we could watch ships coming in and out.  On the dock next to us was the Star of India, the world’s most active sailing ship and HMS Surprise, the ship used in “Master and Commander, Far Side of the World,” starring Russell Crowe.

We were only a few miles from Mexico, so took the trolley to the border.  We spent an afternoon wandering around Tijuana.  We explored some shops and bought some vanilla, and one of the shop owners was able to convince Pat that she just had to buy a silver bracelet.  We stopped for an authentic Mexican Margarita and watched the street entertainers.  It was a very relaxing afternoon.  The only downside was the long line to return back to the U.S.  Between the vendors and the panhandlers, it was a depressing end to the day.  It certainly made us glad to be U.S. citizens.

La Jolla (pronounced La Hoya) was our first experience kayaking in the Pacific Ocean.  It was a great day, warm enough for swimming.  Just south of the beach are a series of caves that have been cut into the cliffs by the surf.  We paddled through one of them and found a group of sea lions relaxing on a shelf inside the cave.  There were sea lions swimming and sunning themselves all along the shoreline cliffs.  We had lunch on the beach, enjoying the sun.  Not too bad for November 3rd!

Bob flew out on Monday to spend most of the week in Pittsburgh for work.  Pat relaxed and visited Balboa Park.  Balboa Park is a 1,200-acre urban cultural park. In addition to open space areas, natural vegetation green belts, gardens and walking paths, it contains museums, several theaters, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

When Bob returned we went out to Point Loma, home of the Cabrillo National Monument.  We walked down to the shoreline to see the tidal pools.  Because the tide was rising we didn’t see much of the pools but the cliffs and rock formations along the shore were an interesting sight.  From the top of Point Loma we could see almost all of San Diego and the harbor, even the northernmost point of Mexico.  Point Loma is packed with history.  It is the site of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo’s landing at San Diego Bay in 1542, the first recorded discovery by a European.  It is also the site of the first lighthouse in San Diego, and the coast artillery post for the defense of San Diego harbor in WW I and WW II.  There was more history than you can absorb in one visit.  Afterwards we drove to a nearby winery’s tasting room.  We had been in California since the middle of October and hadn’t sampled any California wine yet.  We found the San Pasqual Winery to have several wines that we liked and took home a few bottles to enjoy later.

We spent the next afternoon touring Old Town San Diego.  We wondered why Old Town was so far away from downtown San Diego.  In San Diego’s early days, as with any settlement, a source of drinking water was the first priority and while the San Diego River provided that, it was not near the natural harbor.  Later in the area’s development, fresh water was pumped to the harbor area and a downtown commercial area was created resulting in the population migrating to that area.  Old Town was a major way station and layover stop for the stage coach routes as well as a destination for raw materials and finished goods.  Much of Old Town is operated by the State of California as a state park with museums and interpretive guides.  It was interesting to relive the bygone eras of San Diego as a settlement of New Spain, as a state of the country of Mexico, and finally as a part of the United States.  Our guide told us the story of San Diego as though she was living that history and her stories made the history more real for us.

Veterans Day was spent exploring Balboa Park.  Between the gardens and Mexican era buildings, it was a delightful way to spend a pleasant afternoon.  Although the weather was chilly (temperatures around 600 – the locals said winter had arrived), we listened to an outdoor organ concert.  The organ is a huge instrument and the sound was incredible.  That evening we went to a local Applebee’s for Bob’s free Veterans Day dinner.

The San Diego Zoo is supposed to be one of the best zoos in the country.  We started by taking a bus tour to see the highlights, then we walked through to see the animals in more detail.  The benefit of taking the bus first was that we were able to see a lot of the animals while they were up and active early in the day.  Later, many of the areas appeared to be empty or the animals were laying down in the back corners.  The zoo lived up to its reputation.  The exhibits were some of the best we have ever seen and the layout was like taking a walk through the woods.  There were more animals, bigger ones, and in nicer settings than we had seen in other zoos.

Bob loves museums, especially military and maritime museums, with the aircraft carrier, USS Midway he got two for one.  Pat, on the other hand, had other interests, so we split up.  Bob toured the Midway and he said it is probably the best run military museum he has ever visited.  When you come on board you can pick up a free audio tour, keyed to a map of the ship.  On the video you hear a description of the areas of the ship and personal clips recorded by veterans who served on the Midway.  Volunteer docents led tours of the bridge and Combat Information Center (CIC).  There were also docents who were retired naval aviators who described what it was like to be launched by catapult and to land (or trap) on a carrier.  These personal touches made this a special experience.

While Bob toured the Midway, Pat and her bicycle took the ferry across the bay to Coronado, where she enjoyed visiting the shops and beaches.  It was a great day to ride around the peninsula.  The beach went on forever with beautiful, dark, sparkly sand.  It looked like someone had mixed gallons of gold glitter into it.  The numerous shops were interesting to explore, but she was able to resist souvenirs and bought only lunch.

On Thursday, Nov 16th we departed for Phoenix, AZ.

Posted in California, Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler, Military RV Parks, National Parks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Driving in the Mountains

Posted on November 18, 2012 by Michigan Traveler

When my wife, Pat, and I first started our journey as fulltime RVers.  Pat expressed her concerns about driving in the mountains with a rig as big as ours (38 foot fifth wheel).  We had driven through the Smoky and Appalachian Mountains, but our experience with mountains like we would find in the West was limited, and we had never driven in mountains at all with our new rig.  We spent out first year traveling in the East and, although some of the mountains in eastern Pennsylvania gave us some concern, we had no real problems there.  In our second year we decided to head West and we knew we would be getting into the unknown.  It is always better to admit you don’t know as much as you would like, and search out the answers, so we began our research.  Our first concern was Yellowstone National Park.  We knew, from a previous trip, that traveling there would include some very steep grades and switchbacks on mountain highways.  We began by posting our concerns on some RV forums and got a lot of good feedback.

One of the best suggestions was to purchase the Mountain Directory.

This became our bible for trip planning.  This directory is broken down by state, lists the major routes, and descriptions of  mountain passes, both east and westbound.  It describes the percentage of the grade and how long the grade is, the miles per hour for curves, as well as warning signs and location of  runaway truck ramps.  The value of the directory became apparent when we ran directions to Yellowstone on Google Maps and then looked up the route in the directory.  The description we read for part of the route said, “At this point the descent begins on what the locals refer to as ‘Oh, My God Hill.'”  After reading that we searched for an alternate route.  Any survival instructor will tell you the first thing you want to do is to avoid an obviously dangerous situation.  By using Google Maps and the directory in combination, we were able to find alternative routes that would place us on the least dangerous route.  In our Yellowstone example, the most direct route would have brought us in the North Entrance, but the easier route came in from the south.  This caused us to change our plans to visit the Grand Tetons and then Yellowstone, instead of the reverse.  In my opinion the most important factor in driving in the mountains is proper route selection.

In 2011, we spent some time visiting the Ohiopyle State Park in Pennsylvania.  The hills in the area have some very steep grades and you could smell the hot brakes on the cars that had been braking all the way downhill.  This is a great recipe for disaster due to brake failure.  During a descent you want to let the engine slow your vehicle, not your brakes.  This can be done in a number of ways.

First, you can shift your vehicle into a lower gear.  Even automatic transmissions will allow you to manually downshift.  As the speed increases the engine RPM will slow the vehicle to the speed for that gear.  The problem is excessive RPM for too long could damage your engine and/or transmission.

Second, you can use your cruise control.  As the speed of the vehicle increases beyond what you have set the speed at, the engine will drop to a lower gear ratio to slow the engine.  The benefit is that the engine will not run at an excessive RPM for too long.  The downside is the cruise setting may not be enough to slow the vehicle to a safe speed.

Third, the exhaust brake.  This is what truckers call the “Jake Brake.”  Most passenger cars will not have this, but most if not all, large pickup trucks and motor coaches will have it.  My first piece of advice is to read your vehicle’s owner’s manual!  I know, most of us don’t; but this is one case where it is a MUST!  We own a 2011 GMC Sierra 3500 pickup truck and, while your vehicle may be different, most are similar to what I will describe here.

When we are towing our trailer, we set the transmission in the “trailering mode.”  This adjusts the engine RPM to compensate for the weight and friction of the trailer, and provides for better engine efficiency and fuel economy.  When, in the “trailering mode,” I set the cruise control, the transmission will automatically adjust the gear ratio, slowing the vehicle when we are descending.  This will generally do what needs to be done on gentle grades.  If the grade is steep and/or long, I will press the button to set the exhaust brake.  The exhaust brake will automatically adjust the gear ratio to slow the vehicle during the descent.  The added benefit is that if I feel we are traveling faster than I am comfortable with, I just have to push on the brake pedal, hold for a short of time, and the gear ratio will readjust to slow the vehicle even more.  Once I have done this I can even speed up a bit if the grade gets more shallow for a period and the truck will slow down again to the same gear ratio after I let up on the accelerator.

I am not a professional commercial truck driver and I don’t pretend to be.  I know I descend slower than many drivers would prefer and I ALWAYS descend at or below the posted speed limit.  I feel it is better for me to be a little slow and safer than to roll my 50 foot combined length of truck and trailer and cause an accident.

Preventive maintenance is a MUST!  I always check my tire pressure and lug nuts before driving, under-inflated tires lead to blow outs and rollovers.  Don’t drive faster than your tires are rated for.  Too many RVers are traveling at 70 MPH on tires that are rated for no faster than 65 MPH.  Brakes should be inspected and wheel bearings should be inspected and repacked at least annually.  Last year I discovered that one of the seals had ruptured on one of the trailer wheels and the brake linings were coated in grease.  It was much better to find this out in the shop, than while descending an 8% grade!  If you are not towing a fifth wheel trailer, sway control bars should be used and have the appropriate pressure set.  You should be using a weight distribution hitch to keep your truck and trailer in proper vertical alignment.  Make sure your trailer brake controller is set for the appropriate pressure, you have good electrical contact between the truck and trailer, and all brake/directional lights are functioning properly.

Driving in mountains often includes driving through tunnels.  Do you know your overhead clearance?  Your paperwork from your manufacturer will tell you the maximum height of your trailer, but that may not be the maximum height when you are hitched to your tow vehicle.

Hitch your trailer to your tow vehicle, climb on top with a long pole and a level.  Extend the pole from the highest point on the trailer with a string on the end and use the level to insure the end with the string is the same height as the top of the trailer.  Then have the person on the ground mark the end of the string, that will give you the exact height of your trailer while on the road.  We discovered that one route into Custer State Park in South Dakota had tunnels that were neither tall enough or wide enough for our rig.  Good route planning allowed us to avoid an unpleasant situation.

Standard overhead clearance on all U.S. highways in rural areas is sixteen feet and in urban areas it is fourteen feet.  Trusses and highway signs must be seventeen feet above the roadway.  If overhead clearance is less than this, it will be marked with the lesser height.

Width is also a factor and that should be measured as well.  I found that if my extended mirrors will fit, everything else will too, but you should know the measured width before you get on the road.

Weight and, more importantly, weight distribution is important.  If you haven’t weighed your rig you should do so soon.  CAT Scales are available in many truck stops and you can find the one closest to you by going to the CAT Scale Locator.

The charge is generally around $10 and worth the expense.    You will need to weigh your tow vehicle separately from your trailer.  The weight of your trailer should not exceed to total Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).  The weight of the rear axle of your tow vehicle with the trailer attached should not exceed to Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) of the rear axle of your tow vehicle.  If your trailer is too heavy, you need to shed some weight by getting rid of stuff and/or moving stuff from your trailer to your tow vehicle.  If your rear axle weight is too high, you need to shift stuff to the rear of the trailer, get rid of some stuff, or  . . . buy a bigger truck.

A good recommendation is to have a 3 X 5 card in the cab of your tow vehicle with all of your critical measurements so you don’t have to trust your memory.

There are a couple of articles and web sites that will give you some advice on driving in mountains that I found to be beneficial and they may help you as well:

Mountain Driving – http://www.workhorse.com/Portals/0/documents/24-26%20Knaack-Mountain%20Driving%20JA10.pdf

RV’ing Without, BRAKES! – http://donfairchild.hubpages.com/hub/RVing-Horror-Story-BRAKES

We have traveled through the mountains of Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California.  I don’t claim to be an expert, but I now have a few thousand miles under my belt of driving through mountains.  I hope you find this article to be beneficial to you.

Posted in Driving in Mountains, Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, CA – October 2012

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Michigan Traveler

If you have ever watched an old time western, or a more recent science fiction movie like Ironman, then you may have seen where we have been camping.  Because of their unique formations, photogenic quality, and dramatic High Sierra backdrop, the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, CA, has long been a favorite location for Hollywood producers of Western movies.  Old, old time stars like Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, Randolph Scott, and the Lone Ranger rode these hills in their adventures.  Science fiction films made in the Alabama Hills include, “Screechers,” “Tremors,” and “Iron Man.” “Foreign-based” films such as “The Charge of the Light Brigade” and “Gunga Din” are among the 700 plus movies filmed in the Alabama Hills.  Lone Pine is home to the Lone Pine Film History Museum, where you can see a brief movie that highlights the film-making history of the area.  Over 10,500 square feet of exhibits and displays gives you an insight of this unique American cultural heritage.

We camped at Tuttle Creek Campground, which is operated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  Tuttle Creek is in the middle of the high desert right next to the Alabama Hills.  The Alabama Hills got their name from Confederate sympathizers who prospected and mined the area during the Civil War.  In other words, there was not a lot of shade.  When we left our last site, June Lake, there was snow on the ground.  The 2,000 foot drop in elevation did wonders for the temperature.  It was much warmer here, and the view was outstanding!  What a sight to wake up to in the morning.

The next morning we drove to the Interagency Visitor Center.  There we discovered another instance of Los Angeles diverting water from the Owens Valley.  We learned that the water diversion had almost drained Owens Lake, destroying wildlife habitat and causing large dust storms in the area.  As with Mono Lake, the courts got involved and ruled that Los Angeles had to take corrective action.  Consequently, Owens Lake is maintained at a minimum level to eliminate dust storms and some of the habitat has been restored.

The Manzanar National Historic Site was our next stop.  Manzanar was one of ten War Relocation Centers established to relocate Japanese Americans away from the coastal areas in the states of Washington, Oregon, and California.  In February, 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 and directed that 120,000 men, women, and children were taken from their homes.  Most moved voluntarily, but some were actually arrested and sent into these Relocation Centers.  Manzanar was typical of these camps.  They were quickly constructed and looked like prisoner of war camps, with barbed wire fences and guard towers.  The internees, as they were called, were told the security was to protect them.  They quickly noticed the lights and the guards were focused to the inside of camps, not the outside.

The 500-acre compound held 504 barracks that were divided into four rooms each.  Any combination of eight individuals were allotted to each of these rooms, family integrity was not always possible.  These rooms were furnished with an oil stove, a single hanging light bulb, steel cots with straw filled mattresses, and blankets.  They endured temperatures of 1100 F in the summer and winter temperatures were often below freezing.  The wind could blow right through the walls until improvements were finally made, mostly by the internees themselves.  The internees planted their own crops and gardens, worked in the infrastructure of the camp, and in shops that made camouflage netting.  In 1944, the military reinstated the draft for Japanese Americans or “Nisei.”  Nisei soldiers served with distinction in the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT).  PFC Sadao Munemori joined the Army one month prior to Pearl Harbor, but still his mother and siblings were interned at Manzanar.  He served as a member of the 442nd RCT and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor when he threw himself on a grenade in Italy.  Manzanar is a symbol of a sad time in our country’s history when we let fear trample all over the Bill of Rights.  Let’s hope we never let this happen again.

When we first pulled into our campsite, there was a smell of coolant coming from the engine compartment of the truck.  Bob checked it out and couldn’t see any sign of a leak and the coolant level looked correct.  He thought the filler cap may have been a bit loose so we decided to just keep an eye on it.

When we returned from Manzanar, the smell of coolant was stronger and there was a drop in the coolant level.  We decided we had to do something about it and did some online research to find a local shop where we could take it in the morning.

Friday morning, Bob drove into Lone Pine and found the radiator was definitely leaking.  He called GM Road Service because it was under warranty.  They arranged to have it towed to the nearest GM dealer.  Unfortunately the nearest GM facility was 150 miles away in Lancaster, CA.  Bob went with the tow truck, prepared to stay overnight.  Fortunately, the dealer ordered a new radiator when Bob called and they were able to repair the truck the next day.  Bob got back around 7:00 pm on Saturday.  Both of us figured there were better ways to spend our time than sitting around getting repairs done.

Mt. Whitney was just a few miles behind our campground.  At 14,497 feet, Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the continental United States.  You can hike from the Whitney Portal trailhead along an 11-mile trail to the peak, but it is a change in elevation of 6,137 feet – not an easy hike!  We hiked a short portion of the trail and had lunch at Whitney Portal.  It was a beautiful day and we watched the water flowing down a partially frozen waterfall.  There were ponds with ice on the surface and one of the hikers we talked to said there was six inches of ice on the pond at the peak.

Tuesday we were up early and on our way to Hesperia where we planned to stay at the Desert Willow RV Resort to pamper ourselves after a couple of weeks of boondocking.

Posted in California, Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Yosemite National Park – October 2012

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Michigan Traveler

We left Death Valley on October 18th, and traveled to the Inyo National Forest in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.  We had gotten an early start so we were not traveling in the heat of the day through Death Valley and arrived at the Oh! Ridge campground in the early afternoon.  Compared to our earlier camping in the desert outside of Las Vegas and in Death Valley, Oh! Ridge was a big change.  First, it had trees!  Not as many as you would have in a typical Michigan campground, but far more than we had seen lately, and it was at 4,000 feet above sea level.  Our campsite was beautiful with a terrific view of June Lake.  We spent the afternoon sitting in the sun, reading, and enjoying the view.

Friday we rode our bikes into town to go to the post office, the hills made the ride quite a challenge!  It was such a beautiful day we kayaked around June Lake.  Even though it was October 19th, the weather was so nice it felt like a summer day.  The water was as clear as tap water and the ducks were so used to people they would swim right alongside of our kayaks.  We stopped at a local marina and then walked to the local candy store for ice cream cones.

About ten miles north of June Lake is Mono Lake which has the same characteristics as the Great Salt Lake in Utah.  It is fed by streams and rivers but doesn’t discharge it’s water anywhere, except by evaporation.  As a result the salt and other minerals remain.  The salt content of Mono Lake is three times saltier than the Pacific Ocean.  Mono Lake is a stopover for many migratory birds, some of whom travel as far as Brazil and return each year.  Bob found Mono Lake to be an interesting story of progress and development versus conservation.  In the 1970’s Los Angeles purchased land in the mountains around Mono Lake and built aqueducts to divert water from the rivers and streams to Los Angeles.  As the population of Los Angeles increased, the amount of water diverted also increased and Mono Lake started to dry up.  Finally David Gaines, a local citizen, started a committee to challenge Los Angeles’ actions.  Eventually the U.S. Court decided that Mono Lake had to be maintained at a minimum level for the maintenance of the lake, protection of wildlife habitat, and the water needs of the local communities.  This effort is ongoing today and the lake levels are rising.  One of the interesting geologic features of Mono Lake are the Tufa.  These are created when the fresh water springs, rich in calcium, bubble up through the carbonate-rich lake water.  The calcium and carbonates react to form calcium-carbonate salt deposits which are called Tufa.  This solid, limestone-like material continues to develop, forming vertical towers with the spring water percolating up through them.  As the lake receded in the 1970’s, these Tufa became visible.

When we planned this stop, we had intended to go to Yosemite National Park.  However, our Mountain Driving Guide had stated that the tunnels in the park did not have enough overhead clearance for our trailer – this is why we decided to stay at Oh! Ridge.  Our revised plan was to spend two days at Yosemite (leaving the trailer at Oh! Ridge) and stay overnight at the Wawona Hotel near the Mariposa Grove of giant Sequoia trees at the south end of the park.  Based on weather reports we made our reservation for Sunday night, because the forecast was for rain late Monday-early Tuesday.

We visited the Interagency Visitor Center at Mono Lake just north of us near the town of Lee Vining to more information on Yosemite.  When we spoke to a Ranger about our plans she warned us the storm forecast of rain, with snow in the mountain passes, had been moved up to Sunday night instead of Monday night.  That might close the Tioga Pass on Route 120 into and out of Yosemite.  She advised us to go right away and return on Sunday.  We knew we couldn’t get a room at the Wawona that night and decided to take our chances the next day.

Sunday we were up before sunrise to get into Yosemite as early as possible.  As we drove through the Sierra Nevada Mountains we were struck by their beauty.  The downside was while Pat was admiring the scenery, Bob had to keep his eyes on the road.

Yosemite Valley is just a beautiful sight.  The cliffs that form the valley walls are impressive and the valley floor is lush forest and meadow, quite a change from the desert canyons of Bryce, Zion and Grand Canyon.  Because we were concerned about the weather closing Tioga Pass we covered a lot of ground in a short period.  By a combination of shuttle bus, hiking, and driving we were able to see El Capitan, Half-Dome, the Cathedral Rocks, Bridal Veil Falls, and others.  We hiked back into Yosemite Falls and while the view was great there was no waterfall – the source of Yosemite Falls dries up in late summer, so at this time of the year you can only see the site of the waterfall, not the waterfall itself.  The Ranger at the visitor center had told us the “must see” sights included the Tunnel View and Glacier Point, as well as the Mariposa Grove.  It was great advice!  Tunnel View gave us a whole different perspective of El Capitan and Half-Dome than we got from the valley floor.  Glacier Point was awesome!  You could see almost the entire Yosemite Valley from there, sights we saw on the ground we could now see from an “aerial” view.

It was late in the afternoon when we drove to the Mariposa Grove of Sequoias.  According to our Ranger, this is the best grove of Sequoia trees in the park.  We thought we would see a small collection of sheltered trees, but it was a forest full of them, one large Sequoia after another.  As we walked the trail through the grove we learned how the Sequoia trees are managed.  As with every other forest we have visited, fire is an essential element for healthy growth – fire clears the underbrush and unleashes seeds from the Sequoia acorns.  Of the many trees we saw in the grove, two stand out.  The largest Sequoia in the grove is the Grizzly Sequoia and it is estimated to be 1,800 years old.  It is 96 feet in circumference and 28 feet in diameter at the base.  One of its limbs is seven feet in diameter, larger than any other non-Sequoia tree in the grove.  The second is the California Tunnel Tree.  In 1895 this Sequoia had a tunnel cut through its base wide enough to allow horse-drawn carriages to drive through.  This is actually the second Sequoia to have a tunnel cut through it.  The Wawona Tunnel Tree was tunneled in 1881 and fell over after a record snowfall in 1969.

It was starting to get dark when we left the Mariposa Grove.  We went to dinner in the nearby town of Fish Camp and checked into our room at the Wawona Hotel.  This is a historical hotel, initially constructed in 1879.  We had purchased the historical package which meant we had to use a communal toilet and shower.  Little did we know that the facilities were not down the hall as we expected, but we had to go outside, and around the porch to the back of the building.  Fortunately the hotel provides all guests with warm bathrobes!

The next morning we were up early, had breakfast at the hotel, checked with the front desk and were informed that Tioga Pass was reported as open with no restrictions.  With this good news we were on our way.  Unfortunately, it took us about an hour and a half to get to the pass, only to find that it had closed since we left the hotel.  Now the fun began.

In order to get back to our trailer, we had to cross over the Sierra Nevada Range.  There are other passes over the mountains, but they could be closed as well.  We headed north toward Sonora and Placerville and when we got cellular coverage Pat called the California Department of Transportation hotline.  We quickly found out our next option, Sonora Pass on Route 108 was already closed, then we found out that the next one, Ebbetts Pass on Route 4 was closed as well.  Shortly after that we found out our third option, Carson Pass on Route 88 had been closed.  The hotline suggested that Echo Pass on Route 50 was still open, but you had to have tire chains or a four-wheel drive vehicle with snow tires on all four wheels.  We had four-wheel drive and good tires, but they were not snow tires.  As we drove into Jackson, CA we saw a sign for a California Highway Patrol station and stopped in.  Thankfully we were told we would meet the requirements with our vehicle and we just hoped Route 50 stayed open.  The higher we got in elevation, the worse the driving conditions became.  There was blowing wet snow and at least an inch of slush on the road.  This was nothing that we had not been used to in Michigan, but there you didn’t have a 7,000 foot mountain to slide off.

Finally, about 4:00 PM we were over the mountain range and headed back south toward the campground – we had been driving since 8:00 that morning.  From there on it was relatively smooth sailing and we got back to the trailer by 5:45 PM, what should have been a three hour drive (108 miles) turned into over eight hours and 340 miles!

The next morning we woke up to 310 temperatures and snow on the ground.  We decided to head to lower altitudes and warmer weather, so we packed up and headed to our next planned stop, Tuttle Creek Campground, near Lone Pine, CA.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Posted in California, Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler, National Parks | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Death Valley, CA – October 2012

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Michigan Traveler

Our initial plans for this year did not include traveling this far west; however, as we continually re-evaluated it was apparent that we had the time and opportunity go farther west.  This is the beauty of being fulltime RVers, you can change your plans on the fly.  Neither one of us had ever been to Death Valley or the mountains of California, so that’s where we headed.

Rather than dry camp at the National Park campground in Death Valley, we chose to stay at the Longstreet Inn Casino & RV Park just outside the National Park with full hookups.  A bonus of this decision is that Bob (the family political junky) got to watch the Presidential Debate on TV.

We got an early start because we planned on doing some hiking and wanted to avoid the heat of the day.  Bob had done some research to identify possible hiking locations.  As we drove into Death Valley we spotted one of the sites at Zabriskie Point, and were able to get on the trail by 8:15.  We hiked the Golden Canyon/Gower Gulch loop.  This part of Death Valley is a mix of the Badlands and the Grand Canyon.  We hiked down into the canyon which was nice because it kept us in the shade.  The temperatures were fairly cool at the beginning and the shade certainly helped; however, by the time we were done the temperature was over 1000.  Going back via Gower Gulch had us hiking up a dry river bed.  There was no real defined trail nor any trail markers like we had in Golden Canyon.  It reminded Bob of fitness runs in Ranger School – you didn’t know where the end was so you just had to keep going.  The hiking was rough in that the river bottom was all loose rock and we had to do some occasional rock climbing to get to the next level of the Gulch.  We were fortunate that the walls of the gulch provided more shade than we expected on this part of the hike.   Finally we were able to see Zabriskie Point and our spirits lifted knowing the end was in sight.

From there we went to the Visitor Center where we learned more about the history and environment of Death Valley.  One interesting site at Death Valley is the “Racetrack” where boulders the size of a compact car move across the desert on their own and no one knows how it happens, even though the tracks they make are very clear.  We got some strange looks as we drove through the park as we still had our kayaks on the truck.  We’re sure some people thought we we crazy, bringing kayaks to Death Valley!

After lunch we visited the Borax Museum and learned the Twenty Mule Team wagons were not just something we saw on “Death Valley Days” on TV.  If you don’t understand what we are talking about, ask your parents.  Yes, the show was that old!

It was great to see Death Valley and learn about the challenges the settlers of the Old West had to deal with, but one day was enough for us.  We pulled out the next morning for the OH! Ridge Campground in the Inyo National Forest near Yosemite National Park.

Posted in California, Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler, National Parks | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Las Vegas – October 2012

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Michigan Traveler

Why did we want to go to Las Vegas?  The answer is simple, Bob needed to be close to a major airport in order to fly to Pittsburgh for business.  Las Vegas was a reasonable drive from the Grand Canyon and we could stay at the military RV park at Nellis Air Force Base.  Desert Eagle RV Park at Nellis AFB is a great facility!  The sites are easy to get into and the staff has their act together to the extent that Bob thinks they should be the example for others to model.

You can’t go to Las Vegas without spending some time on “The Strip.”  We parked at the Bellagio to visit the Conservatory and watched the famous Bellagio fountains.  What a water show!  We wandered up and down the strip to see the river gondolas at the Venetian, a variety of casinos where we played the penny slot machines (we are not big risk takers), and checked out the Hershey’s M&M store.  It’s amazing how many different M&M products are on display, and even more amazing what people are willing to pay for a bag of M&Ms that they packaged themselves.  We also watched the Volcano at the Mirage.  It seems nothing in Vegas is small.

We had dinner at one of the buffets and you could tell that inflation has hit Las Vegas buffets.  They are no longer a cheap meal, prices on the strip ranged from $22 to $40 per person.  Bob said he could remember going to a buffet for $4.50 ten years ago.  After dinner we stood outside the Treasure Island Casino to watch the “Sirens of TI” show.

As we were leaving the Excalibur Casino we were offered a chance to see a show for free and get vouchers for gaming or dining (our choice) if we attended a timeshare presentation.  Not having any special plans we decided, “Why not?”  Friday, we spent four hours listening to the presentation and then saying “No thanks” to three different people.  That night we had second row seats for “Menopause the Musical.”  The show was absolutely hilarious!  We both enjoyed every minute of it.  At one point one of the actresses was singing “I’m having a hot flash, a tropical hot flash,” and came into the audience to sing directly to Bob.  She told the audience it looked like Bob was having a hot flash he was so red in the face.  By the end of the show Bob was laughing so hard there were tears in his eyes.

One day we were riding our bikes around the base and saw Air Force One parked on the ramp.  That was when the President was in Las Vegas for debate preparations.  We were able to take pictures from a couple hundred yards from the plane.  You just never know what opportunities you might run into.

Bob was gone Monday afternoon through Thursday night.  We went back to the Strip on Friday to see the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay (another gift from our timeshare presentation).  This is a neat exhibit and displays more than just sharks.  We quizzed each other on the fish we recognized from our trips to Bonaire.  One of the nice parts of the exhibit is the tube you can walk through and see fish swimming all around you.

That same night we visited Fremont Street.  Obviously there are a lot of casinos, but the cool thing about Fremont Street is that there is a “neon roof” with continuous light shows over Fremont Street and street shows for passersby to watch.  There is even a zip line ride that runs almost the length of a block.

On our last Sunday we went kayaking on Lake Mead.  We talked to the tour director at the Base Outdoor Recreation office and he gave us a good recommendation for kayaking spots.  We were able to see Hoover Dam from the reservoir and paddle around some small islands.  We stopped at one of the islands to have lunch.  The water was so clear, Bob regretted that he didn’t bring his snorkeling gear along.  After kayaking, we drove over to Hoover Dam and spent some time walking across the dam.  To say Hoover Dam is an impressive site is an understatement, it is huge!

Tuesday, Oct 16th, we were on our way to the Death Valley area.

Posted in Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler, Military RV Parks, Nevada | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Grand Canyon – September 2012

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Michigan Traveler

On our way to the Grand Canyon we crossed over the Glen Canyon Dam.  It is from this location that many of the rafting trips into the Grand Canyon begin.  It was our first impression of how big and expansive everything would be from this point forward.

Our first view of the Grand Canyon was from the Desert View overlook just inside the East Entrance Station on the South Rim.  We’ve seen a lot of gorgeous scenery out here in the West but we were impressed!  It was huge and beautiful!  We climbed the watchtower for a view from a higher perch and it got even better.  What an amazing place!  The watchtower itself had walls decorated with traditional Indian drawings.  It was built by the National Park service as a visitor’s center but also as a way of honoring the heritage of the local Indian tribes.

We continued on through the central part of Grand Canyon National Park and made our way to our campground in the Kaibab National Forest, just south of the town of Tusayan.  The National Forest has no place to fill (or dump) water (or waste) tanks so we had to fill the fresh water tank while still in the Grand Canyon N.P.  The campground was very nice and we enjoyed the site even though we didn’t spend much time there.

On our first full day in the Park, we hiked three to four miles of the south rim and took the park buses to numerous overlook points.  We were again impressed with the bus system which made getting around so easy and cut down on the motor traffic in the park.  The National Park system really seems to have mastered this service.

The next day started early with a spectacular helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon.  It was Pat’s first helicopter ride and she certainly enjoyed it.  The tour was with Maverick Helicopters and they did an excellent job.  Our pilot was a great guide and gladly answered all of our questions.  We have dozens of great pictures and even a couple of video clips!

We took the bus to the more eastern end of the central park area in the afternoon for more views from the rim.  We also saw many of the donkeys that are used for tours into the canyon.  The next day when we hiked into the canyon ourselves, we would see many of them returning from an early trip with supplies to the ranch at the bottom of the canyon.  We also joined the geology walk with a park ranger to learn more about the formation of the Grand Canyon and why such a formation exits only here.  We stayed late in the park to watch the sunset from Mohave Point

Our last day here started with a hike on the South Kaibab Trail down into the canyon.  Bob had been looking forward to this ever since our arrival (Pat, not so much).  The hike itself was only 3 miles round trip—a pretty short distance considering we do more than that most days as our morning exercise.  The big difference—a 1,140 feet change in elevation.  We started at 7,260 feet and the turn around point was at 6,120 ft.  The first mile and a half was easy and pleasant.  We passed “Ooh Aah” point which lived up to its’ name.  The return trip was everything we expected—difficult and hot, but it was satisfying know we did it!  The views along the route were impressive.  It was very different looking up at canyon walls where previously we had looked down.  If we had to choose one word to describe the Grand Canyon, it would be immense!

After we climbed back to the South Rim, we called it a day after a little souvenir shopping, then back to the trailer to pack up for an early start to Las Vegas tomorrow.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Posted in Arizona, Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler, National Parks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bryce Canyon/Zion National Park – September 2012

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Michigan Traveler

We arrived at Red Canyon campground in the Dixie National Forest in southern Utah relatively early in the day because they don’t take reservations.  Not having a guaranteed camping spot where we’re headed makes Pat very uncomfortable—hence our 7:00 a.m. start.  We were all set up in our site by 2:00 which gave us the chance to bike to the nearby visitor center and get recommendations for the following days, and then relax.  The view from the front yard was amazing!

Amazing was the key word for the week!  Everywhere we looked we saw views that were beautiful and totally unique to our “Michigan” minds.  The day after arrival, we headed for Bryce Canyon National Park, about 13 miles from our campground.  We boarded a free shuttle bus for the Rainbow Point Tour. This guided tour took us to the far southern end of the canyon (well, as far as you can go by car or bus)—about 18 miles from the park entrance and then we stopped at many of the overlooks on our return trip.  The bus driver/guide was entertaining and knowledgeable, making us very glad for this recommendation from the ranger at the visitor center.  One of the most picturesque views in Bryce Canyon is the “Amphitheater” seen from Inspiration Point.

Technically, Bryce is not a canyon because canyons are primarily carved by flowing water.  Most of the sculpting at Bryce Canyon was, and continues to be, done by the freezing and thawing of water.  Approximately 200 days a year, ice and snow melt and refreeze at night.  When the water becomes ice, it expands causing cracks and eventually the rocks are chiseled into the existing shapes.  The process was began 55 million years ago and continues today!  The shapes are called hoodoos.  The hoodoos sometime look like familiar shapes, one of them actually looked like a poodle!  Arches are also created when holes are enlarged but the top has not yet eroded away.

In the afternoon we hiked the Rim Trail for 1.5 miles.  As the name implies, this trail follows the rim of the canyon.  Every turn in the trail produced another amazing view.  Good thing we had a good charge on the camera!  Following that, we hiked the Queens Garden/Navajo Loop trail down into the canyon.  Our morning guide had recommended this hike, and said that we should start it at the southern end (called Sunset Point) and end at Sunrise Point.  We were really grateful for this advice by the time the hike finished.  Our beginning was very steep with many, many steps going down into the canyon!  The climb back up to Sunrise Point was long but much more gradual.  Pat really wouldn’t have wanted to go up all of those steps at the end of the hike!

We ended the day watching the sunset from Sunrise Point.  The sun was actually setting over the mountains to the west of the canyon and we were on the west side of the canyon so we weren’t seeing the sun set in the canyon but the shadows in the canyon were very interesting.  It was a fitting end to an “amazing” day.

The next day we headed for Zion Canyon in Zion National Park.  This area is equally beautiful but different than Bryce.  The massive rock walls surround the spectacular gorge of the Virgin River.  We entered the park via the East entrance which involved passing through a 3 mile man-made tunnel.  It also involved descending from an elevation of about 7000 ft. to about 4000 ft. with lots of switchbacks.  Bob wasn’t allowed to view the scenery as he drove!

One of the big differences between this park and Bryce is that we were seeing this canyon from the bottom instead of the top.  Looking up at the walls that were up to 2,000 ft. high was overwhelming!  Our camera was again in constant use.  Like Bryce, the park had a bus system so we could ride the bus from one landmark to the next.  In fact, much of the park was accessible only on the bus (or via bicycle)—no cars allowed.

We had our lunch at the beginning of “the narrows”.  This is near where the river enters the canyon and you can walk along the river trail with the canyon walls just a few feet away.  As you can see, we had a visitor join us for lunch.  Unfortunately for him there are strict rules prohibiting the feeding of animals.  The soaring walls, natural springs, and hanging gardens create an unforgettable experience.  We hiked along this trail for about a mile and then hiked the Kayenta trail to the Emerald Pools which was a three mile loop.  As barren as the canyon sometimes seems, there is wildlife everywhere if you look for it.

After stopping at the visitor center and the Zion Human History Museum we were ready to leave.  We had to be out of the park no later that 7:00 because of our big truck.  The tunnel we had passed through coming into the park (and via which we would leave) was too narrow for two-way traffic when any of the vehicles were as wide as a dual rear wheel (doolly) truck.  This meant that they had to stop traffic from the opposite direction in order for us to pass through and this would only be done up until 7:00 each evening. We weren’t taking any chances that we’d miss that deadline!

Our last day at Red Canyon was a day to relax.  Bob did some hiking on the trails around the campground and Pat rode her bike on the bike trail and then we packed up and prepared to hit the road early again the next morning.  Next stop—the Grand Canyon for more amazing scenery!

Posted in Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler, National Parks, Utah | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Salt Lake City – September 2012

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Michigan Traveler

Once again we needed to be close to an airport so I could fly to Pittsburgh for work.  The RV Park at Hill Air Force Base was the perfect solution.  The RV Park is across the road from the fitness center, a couple of blocks away from the Base Exchange, Commissary, Post Office, and Chapel.  It was not like a typical campground, being in the middle of these facilities, but it was certainly convenient.

When we initially made the plan to go to Salt Lake City it was intended to be a place to rest and take it easy.  However, we were impressed with how much there was to do here.

I have always associated Salt Lake City with the Mormon Church, officially known as the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints.  We chose to drive in to see the Temple on Thursday because that’s the night the Tabernacle Choir practices and their practices are open to the public.  Temple Square is a great place to visit if you want to increase your understanding of the Mormon religion.  In the two visitor centers there are volunteer guides available to answer questions and displays and movies describing Mormon history.  We took a tour of the Temple Conference Center.  What a huge venue!  It can seat 21,200 people with no obstructed views of the main stage.  Some of the ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympics were held in the center.  It is an amazing place.   After our tour we walked up the hill to visit the State Capital Building.  The building is another impressive site, I love marble buildings.  As we toured the House and Senate Chambers it was easy to see Utah has a smaller population than Michigan; the chambers were much smaller than we were used to seeing.

After dinner we returned to the Temple to watch the Tabernacle Choir.  The tabernacle was full and the choir was magnificent.  It was obvious the this was not your typical church choir!  I can’t think of a much better way to spend a Thursday night.

On Saturday, we drove up to Park City to visit some of the 2002 Olympic venues.  We got a better appreciation of the challenge of ski jumping when we were able to actually stand in the upper starting house for the ski jump after looking at it from the landing field.  The courage these athletes have to hurdle themselves down the slope and sail into space is awesome.  Our tour also took us to the top of the bobsled and luge runs.  What an opportunity to get “up close and personal” with Olympic history.  We took a bobsled ride down the mountain to see if we had Olympic potential.  There is also a small museum devoted to the development of skiing in the Park City area and the 2002 Olympic Games.  An interesting feature in the Olympic part of the museum was the individual stories of the athletes as well as the staff and volunteers of the games.  The best part of the trip was watching future Olympic athletes practicing ski acrobatics.  We watched them on practice ski jumps that ended with them landing in a pool of water.  Some of the future athletes were as young as 8 and 9 years old.  The practice was so entertaining that I could have watched it for hours!

We attended the Utah State Fair and had a great time wandering through the booths, sampling the food, visiting the animal stalls and displays, and watching acrobatic acts.  We have attended more state fairs since we have been on the road than we ever did back in Michigan!

Even though I had visited Salt Lake City when I was in the National Guard, I had never been to the Great Salt Lake.  The best place to enjoy the lake is from Antelope Island State Park.  Antelope Island is known for its scenic beauty, especially in the northwest quadrant of the island at Buffalo Point and White Rock Bay, where mountains and hills overlook the Great Salt Lake and other islands that are visible in the lake.  Antelope Island was used as a ranch for cattle and sheep from the earliest days of the arrival of the Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley. The Mormons controlled the ranch on the island from 1848 until approximately 1870.  The island was purchased in 1870 by John Dooly, Sr, and he established the Island Improvement Company which managed the island and ranches from 1884 until 1981.  The Fielding Garr Ranch is now a museum, operated by the State of Utah.  At the ranch you can see how sheep were raised and the living conditions the family had in the late 1800’s.  Antelope Island State Park was established in 1981 as part of the Utah State Parks System.

Pat & I hiked to the top of one of the mountain peaks and were rewarded by a spectacular view of the entire north end of the island.  While it was one of the shorter trails, it was a challenging climb.

In order to experience the Great Salt Lake, we launched our kayaks from the marina.  The Great Salt Lake is extremely salty, with salt levels reaching as much as 25% of the lake, by volume, so it does not support fish, but does support large numbers of brine shrimp which provide food for visiting waterfowl.  The water level fluctuates quite a bit and the level was very low during our visit.  When I went to swim in the lake we had to walk about a 1/4 mile from the beach to get to the water’s edge.  Then the water was so shallow I had to walk several hundred yards further to get into water deep enough to float.  We both thought the Great Salt Lake would not be a great place to “go to the beach.”

In between our sightseeing we “hung out” at the base, did some cleaning on the trailer and made plans for the future.  Hill AFB has a very nice museum with nice indoor displays and airplanes ranging from a Vietnam era C-130 to a B-52 Stratofortress and B-1Lancer.  I rode my bike to see it and had a great visit; however, the return ride was almost all uphill and there were moments when I wasn’t sure I would make it back to the trailer!

On September 20th, we headed south for the Dixie National Forest and Red Canyon Campground.

Posted in Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler, Military RV Parks, Utah | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment