Ellen in her Element, Atop a Huge Rock

Canyons of Escalante RV Park

Though the wind picked up overnight, this morning dawned as a bright and near cloudless day.  I can feel a light wind buffeting Li’l Beast.  Low temperature overnight was a moderate 38 F.  For weeks we’ve had freezing temperatures overnight.  We set our heater to 55 at night.  Our inside temp. dropped to a low of 51, though I never heard the hearer switch on.  Escalante is expected to be sunny for the next week with daytime temperatures in the mid 50’s to 70.  Bryce Canyon is higher and will be significantly colder overnight.

We plan a somewhat leisurely morning: cappuccino and a scone, a shower, some laundry, and a short out and back hike.  A local tour company, High Adventure, provides a drop off and pickup service to trail heads for a fee.  I’d rather not drive Li’l Beast over washboard dirt roads.  Jeep rental at $295 for an 8 hours is too much.  I’d like to hike Zebra and Tunnel slot canyons or Peekaboo and Spooky slot canyons, but at $42 and $72 per person Ellen is less inclined.  She left a brochure open to some hikes on the table for me this morning.  There’s no mention of these slot canyons. Harumph. 

Lazy Dayz

Showers and laundry took some time.  Our clothes came out of the dryers damp to moist.  Shirts and pants are hanging inside.  It’s 1:30 and we’re just hanging out.

We’ve heard lots of squeaking as we drive along with our windows open.  I think our sway bar bushings are worn.  I’m looking into having them replaced in St. George or worst case San Diego or San Francisco.

Peekaboo & Spooky Slot Canyons

I called High Adventure Tours to learn more about their shuttle hikes.  I had wanted to hike Zebra and Tunnel Slot Canyons.  Ellen asked, “Do they have water in them?”  “Yes, Zebra does”.  We switched over to Peekaboo and Spooky Slot Canyons.   The loop hike is rated intermediate to difficult. There’s a climb into Peekaboo and there’s a hidden hole in Spooky.  At a 12 foot drop into the canyon, behind you there’s a hole and a 5 ft drop.  We were told people miss the easy way down. 

We actually drove to High Adventures to talk with Michaela in person.  She went over a map in some detail so we’d be prepared.  Tomorrow’s shuttle driver knows the route and will give us tips on trail intersections too. The “real” difficulty is the long uphill slog back up the canyon.  There are no trail signs on the route though there are cairns.  It’s not unusual for people to miss spooky or peekaboo entirely.  While we spoke with Michaela a group returned.  They  had rented a jeep and driven to the trail head.  They missed Peekaboo entirely, hiked spooky the wrong direction, and turned back at the 12 ft ledge. 

This hike will be an adventure.  Ellen has some misgivings, mainly about my shoulder’s rotator cuff and not being able to scramble up the peekaboo entrance or being unable to help her up.  I think the hike will be fantastic.

Worried about water, we visited an Utah Canyon Outdoors, a local outfitter, and got a platypus water pack for Ellen.  It’s a nifty water bag, day pack combo. I won’t have to carry all our water.   We’ll also carry sports drinks to replenish electrolytes.   With some trepidation, Ellen’s feeling better about the hike.

They will pick us up at our motor home and drive us the hour on dirt roads to the trail head.

Sign over Restroom, Escalante Outfitters

Escalante Outfitters

We had planned to eat at the Circle-D.  The restaurant was empty as we walked up.  That’s never a good sign.  We skipped it and went back to Escalante Outfitters.  I had an apple, toasted pecan, cranberry, arugula salad with poppy seed vinaigrette.  It was huge.  Ellen had a Homesteader’s Delight,  Mixed greens, Bocconcini mozzarella, tomatoes, kalamata olives, fresh basil, tossed in balsamic vinaigrette & reduction.  Their salads are huge and quite tasty.   We arrived at just the wrong time.  The restaurant was packed; we had a long wait to order and a longer wait for our salads.  We walked back “home” in the dark.

At the office, we told Debbie about our planned hike tomorrow, “Would it be OK to leave our RV here until 1:30?”   “Let me check”  Site #12 had not been reserved. Since they have numerous open sites, Debbie put a “block” on our site meaning it couldn’t be reserved.  With may thanks all around, we walked back “home”.

High Adventure Tours

Our driver will pick us up at 8:15 here at “home”.  We’ll have to get up early to pack, eat, and go.   Since we’ve never been through these canyons and don’t have a handle on difficulty aside from what we’ve been told, I will not bring DSLR cameras.  We’ll bring iPhones with an AllTrails map, and a small point and shoot.  We’ll bring some munchies and lots of water.  The first part of the hike is a steep drop into a low valley. I may leave some of our water at the bottom.

As for wildlife, I’ve read that it’s not uncommon to see tarantulas, lizards, and an occasional small rattlesnake. If tomorrow is anything like today, it will be glorious.  Temps hit 87 F with a low of 38.  

Shorts, today I’ll wear shorts again!  As I stepped out to drain our tanks, our Winnebago View neighbors dropped by to chat.  They’re from Aspen and travelling for a few weeks.  “I can’t be gone too long.  I have twelve grand children.  I have to buy lots of ice cream!”, one fellow said.  They dropped by to help with our refrigerator.  Ellen had mentioned it wasn’t working last night.  One fellow had trouble with his propane valve and thought if my problem was similar he could fix it. Nope, my refrigerator’s display is dead.  We chatted for a long while as the wind was picking up. I wasn’t dressed for the cold, but didn’t want to cut the conversation short. I froze.  No more shorts for me today.

I’m getting good at dumping the gray and black tanks.  There’s nothing to it really.  The only bummer on my rig is removing the cover cap.  One of my valves leaks a bit and liquid backs up in the drain.  When I remove the cap I get a cup of yuck that splashes on the ground.  It happens every time.  One solution is to drive with the cap off.  I’ve had people jumping up and down, waving, and pointing to the cap dangling in the rear.  “Yeah, the cap isn’t connected, I’ll get right on that…”

With a partial water fill our tanks show water 2/3, propane 3/4, gray and black tanks empty.

Views Everywhere as we Rise from the Valley

Boulder, Utah

We stopped for ice at the Chuckwagon.  Their bakery (such as it was) was open, but not appetizing.  With Ice and two cookies we headed off on U-12 to Boulder, Utah. “I Survived Route 12”, this popular on T-shirts.  One of our Sand Creek neighbors told tales of driving U-12 as if it’s a horror show.  I wasn’t looking forward to driving in this morning’s wind.  Being buffeted on a high narrow road could be trouble.

There are massive groves of aspens in the high country toward Boulder.  They must be magnificent at this time of year.  This year they were bare.  Cold temperature and high winds for a 36 hour period denuded the trees.  Now and then a few trees held their leaves defiantly showing bright yellow in a sea of gray.

Stunning Beauty thwarted By a Cold Wind

With No Expectations We Couldn’t Be Disappointed, Right?

The road to Boulder is fine.  There was little to no wind.  Cynthia, a good friend, suggested we stop in the charming little town of Boulder and visit Hell’s Backbone Grill and Farm for a bite.  Boulder is a tiny little town.  You have the visitor’s center, a gas station (diesel at $3.39 per gal.), a motel, cabins, a curio shop, and Hell’s Backbone Grill.  There may be more, to the town, that’s what we saw.  Blink and you’ll miss Boulder.  I began to question Cynthia’s recommendation.  It looked like there was nothing here.  I imagined a chicken fried steak with reconstituted mashed potato, but I know Cyn better than that.

So we asked about Hell’s Backbone at the visitors center.  “It’s about a quarter of a mile down the road by the rental cabins.”   It might be a bit more than a quarter mile, but it was obvious as we approached.  It was the only series of buildings along the road.  There is a sign for the restaurant that would be easy to miss if you weren’t looking for it.  My parking was questionable, but I thought since the restaurant was closing in an hour and didn’t appear to be too busy it would be OK.  Hell’s Backbone closes for lunch at 2 pm.

They’re Everywhere!

Walking toward the front door we knew we had found something special.  A sign read “Help Rescue Escalante”.   Another sign mentioned honoring all peoples of all races and colors. Inside were more signs and sayings about diversity and appreciating the outdoors.

Ellen ordered Jen’s Outrageous Potato, Bacon, Cheese Soup and a Kale Salad.  I ordered the Boulder Patty Melt medium rare.  Ellen loved her soup and the kale salad.  My patty melt was served with caramelized onion, cheese, and a marvelous sauce.  It was superb.  It came with an amazing potato salad that didn’t try to be something else.  This was fantastic meal.  We had chocolate chili with whipped cream for desert.  Not moose, the chocolate was thick, buttery, and melted in your mouth.

When I find something exceptional, I make it a point to point it out.  Ellen and I chatted with our server for quite a while, about the food, the chefs (who are the owners), the quality of the food.  “We’ve been discovered”, he said,  “NPR and The New Yorker ran articles about our restaurant.  We have people coming from all over the country .”

If you didn’t know to stop at Hell’s Backbone Grill, you’d miss out on an amazing experience. Who knew a restaurant of this quality and charm is nestled in such a small town in the middle of “nowhere”.  It’s a beautiful nowhere to be sure,  But it is really isolated.

High on Utah 12

Utah 12

I have never knowingly driven an 18% grade, never.  There are at least two extended 18% down grades on U-12 headed west.  We drove the knife edged ridge, the “horror story”, in awe of the panorama.  That stretch of road was no problem.  On the down grades, I used a lower gear and stab breaking and had no problem whatsoever.  Turnouts are abundant. I’ll often let cars pass.  In poor weather conditions or with snow and ice on the road, U-12 would be problematic.  A clear road and perfect weather make for a relaxed drive.

Cottonwoods mark the Escalante River

Stopping for some Kiva Coffee

The View from Kiva Coffee’s Deck

Kiva Coffee

A sign on the right announced Kiva Coffee.  Instinctively i turned off the pavement, bumped on a short dirt patch, then rode pavement up to a parking lot.  I really didn’t “need” a coffee, but the  view atop the ridge was enticing. Kiva Coffee has glass windows overlooking a wide canyon.  Cottonwillows in bright yellow marked the Escalante River below.  We savored a cappuccino and latte from the back deck.  We enjoyed our brief relaxation and left with a Vanilla Raspberry Scone and  Escalante restaurant recommendations.

Ellen Loves to Scamper on Rocks

Cottonwoods along the Escalante River

The Long and Winding Road

Ellen and a Family from Munich

We met a family from Munich at the next scenic turnout. Two guys had climbed a knob.  Of course Ellen put her hiking boots on and climbed up too.  We saw them at the next turnout and at the market when we stopped for supplies.  The checkout gal wore an “I’m With Creepy” T-shirt.  We commented on it and she ushered over a co-worker, wearing an identical T-shirt.  “I was married five months ago.  My husband doesn’t want me wearing this T-shirt.” We were all joking around, having some fun.

Ellen asked where we might find a campground.  She recommended the park just up main street.  It’s close to restaurants in town.  Or we could go about three miles out of town.   There’s another one there with lots of room.

Canyon Escalante RV Park

We turned into the park just up the street, Canyon Escalante RV Park.  We chatted with the manager as we checked in. She recommended we disconnect and drain our water hose tonight. “The Circle-D has the most raves. For pizza go to Escalante Outfitters a bit further down Main St.”  “Would you like a slice of pizza?”, Ellen asked.  We usually order far too much pizza and have leftover for the next day.  “Oh, you don’t have to”  “When do you close?  We’ll bring a piece back with us.”  “9 PM”.

We settled in, checked out the shower/toilets, started recording the JETS vs Patriots, and left for pizza. Escalante Outfitters was moderately busy.  The log cabin is rustic and toasty warm. The outfitters side is to the left; the restaurant to the right.  We weren’t sure they served pizza and had to ask.  “Yes, you’re in the right place. Take a seat”  It took a while to order and a longish time for the pizza to arrive.  It was worth the wait.  They make the sour dough themselves.  The pepperoni was better than I can purchase in any market.  It had fresh basil in abundance. We ordered an 18 inch pizza, enough for leftovers for us.  We had one slice packed separately.

Back at the RV Park, we rang the doorbell (it was well before 9 PM).  Debbie was surprised and happy to have a slice of pizza delivered. We do thinks like this.  Random acts of kindness are fun to do.

As for the JETS vs Patriots, it’s not going well for the JETS. 24 to zero.  Not well at all.

Michigan, Arizona, North Carolina, 

Morning

Last night’s wind storm and moderate rain has passed.  Undoubtedly it snowed in the higher elevations last night.  Daytime temperatures should be high and melt the snow in a day or two.  I’m feeling good about taking U-12 tomorrow and not today.

I’ll take a hot shower in a warm room today.  Unfortunately, It will be a short hot shower.  Southern Utah is in a drought.  We’re asked to conserve water, nothing unusual for a Californian.

Parking at Capital Reef trail heads over the weekends is difficult.  We’re planning to head out early this morning and wait for warmer temperatures while parked.

The World Stage

I’m reading an article about our withdrawal from Syria. It feels to me like we’re leaving with our tail between our legs.  It’s such a sudden retreat.  I can only think there was a “quid pro quo” with Turkey for our retreat that may one day come to light.

Always Walk Around, Always

Our Holander friends were gone early.  Han left a near full gallon of RV anti-freeze for us.  Thanks! However, I have more than we need already.  I left the gallon on a bench hoping someone who need it. Leaving this morning we went through our usual process.  Push-out in? Check.  Disconnect power?  Check.  We went through the remaining check list.  ALL OK!  I stepped out to walk around and saw our DirecTV antenna half way down. WHAT?  Then I remembered I disconnected power before the antenna had stowed.  Imagine if I had not walked around the motor home today. 

I simply reconnected power and with a push of a button, the antenna lowered and stowed.  No Problem, with a walk around.  Imagine if we had gone through a low clearance with the antenna half up.

Hickman Bridge Trail Head

Leslie mentioned a few short moderate hikes we could take in Capitol Reef:  The Hickman Bridge Trail, The Cohab Canyon Trail,  Sunset Point, and the Petroglyphs.  Han, our Holander neighbor, mentioned that parking at Hickman Bridge was difficult, “Arrive early”.   Early for a trail head, that is different than “early” for Lamar Valley.  We did not get up at 4 AM.  We left Sand Creek RV Camp around 8:15 AM.  We stopped at the visitors center to do some recycling, and drove on to the trail head.  Are we lucky?  We found an oversized parking spot in the parking loop. Aside from that, the parking loop was full.  

We parked.  We had breakfast. We dressed for a short hike. We headed up the trail

We met a number of fun, interesting people as we stood in awe of Hickman Bridge. We spoke with a family whose son came on the trip without packing anything. He had a red pajama style top and bottom  That was it.  Another couple were avid hikers and well travelled.

A Beautiful Day at Hickman’s Bridge

Cohab Canyon Trail Head

Returning to Li’l Beast, we ate a quick lunch.  I changed into shorts and we went off again. The Cohab Canyon trailhead is close by the Hickman Bridge parking lot.  After lunch in Li’l Beast, we walked across the bridge over the Fremont River,  saw the huge rock across the street, and found the trail head for Cohab Canyon just behind the rock.   The trail climbs to a fork in the trail.  To  the left, the trail winds down to the campground.  To  the right, the trail continues up and away.  We took the path to the right.

Solitude.  Walking this trail we encountered nobody for the longest time.  “Just the two of us!”  Nearing a ridge top, as the wind picked up we heard voices above.  We met a couple from London.  They are vacationing across America.  Their travels will take them to San Francisco on this trip.  We spoke frankly about Boris and Donald with distain.  I wonder if travel is a political watershed.

In all we encountered five people on our hike.  Mid hike, we had an entire valley to ourselves. 

Modern Graffiti Sucks, EDNA & MARI?

A Step toward Prevention

Petroglyphs

On the way back to Li’l Beast, Ellen felt ill.  We sat in the parking lot for about 30 minutes while she recovered.   She didn’t’ really recover, but agreed we should move on to the petroglyph turnout.  We both walked the boardwalk that is the petroglyph trail.  The petroglyphs are remarkable.  I was pleased to see a huge fine for defacing archeological resources on Federal Land is a crime.  I was equally surprised that the graffiti carved in stone have not been erased.

Sunset Point

Sunset point was one of Leslie’s suggestions.  It sits at the end of a dirt road.  I took that road.  It is a mile of brutal washboard punctuated with potholes, some huge potholes.  We shook and rattled our way to the end.  Ellen was “relaxing” in the back bed and getting thrown about.  She had no interest in hiking a half mile to an overlook. I drove back, bumping and rattling all the way.  I stopped at The Chuck Wagon in  Torrey for ginger ale and water.

Sand Creek RV Resort

We’re back “home”.  There was some confusion about sites.  #2 was taken. We wound up in #10.  I think Leslie overbooked.  The fellow who was in #10 moved to a non-site “site”.  I’m glad Leslie worked it out.

There are three Winnebago Views grouped together.  Our 24J,, a 24H behind us, and a 24D with dual push outs.   Of course Ellen chatted with both families.   Each floor plan has advantages and disadvantages.  We’ll revisit floor plans if/when we get serious about replacing Li’l Beast.

Plans

We’ll drain the swamp and refill our water tank to 2/3 before we drive off on highway 12.  We’ll go through Boulder,  stop at Calf Creek, and go on to Escalante.  Temperatures are not expected to be sub freezing tonight.  We can dry camp if we want.

Han sang the beauty of Bryce Canyon without even mentioning highway 12 as an issue.  Another fellow in camp could only talk about 12 as “dangerous”.  Ellen wasn’t pleased.  Did say the drive is gorgeous.  At one point you’re driving a knife ridge that drops off on either side.  “There’s no guard rail!  How could they not put in a guard rail?”, he was incredulous. He said he’d asked if anyone ever drove off the ridge, “Not that we’ve ever found” a ranger answered.  I’m confident in the sprinter chassis and my driving ability.  We’ll be fine.

In reviewing yesterday’s post, I lied.  We saw a cottontail scamper across the road as we drove south on 24, not just cattle.

Happy Birthday!

It’s a never ending birthday celebration.  I could get used to this. 

It’s another 28 F day with clear skies.  Looking out the kitchen window, Ellen said “Everyone’s gone.  We’re slow pokes.”  I think there are still a number of people here.  The four tent people broke camp and left.  At Mammoth Campground we saw groups of tent campers enduring 7 degree morning temperatures.  My days of hiking and tent camping in the snow were over years ago.

Ellen just dragged our hiking boots from cold storage under the bed. I’ve exchanged flip flops for hiking boots. 

No Cold Boots Here!

Last night I finished “Roses are Red” by James Patterson.  Though Patterson has a great reputation, I did not like this book at all.  Each chapter is a few pages long.  It makes reading choppy.  There’s little description.  In the beginning it was nearly impossible to know if Alex Cross is a man or woman!  The ambiguity was stunning.  Worst of all was the ending.  It simply fell flat.  There was no resolution for the main character.  We, the reader, knew what had happened.  But the main character is left in the lurch.  Unless there is a sequel, this sucks.  If there is a sequel, I hope it flows better than this book did.  Compare any book by Robert Ludlum.  Patterson is a hack by comparison.  End of Rant!

Oh No.  “You should put away whatever you’re doing so you can eat your croissant!”   “Oh Yes Boss!”

Dry Humor?

The Castle

I Should Have Worn Shorts!

Armed with the information Leslie gave us, we drove off to Capitol Reef Visitors Center.   The drive took us through the small town of Torrey Utah.  The tarmac ribbon winds around, up, over, and down hills along a magnificent red rock escarpment.   The geology of the area is there for everyone to see.  Layers of very different rock are exposed to the marvel of all.  There is little vegetation on the exposed rock faces.  The foothills are a mix of grasses and sagebrush with an occasional stunted evergreen.   We were driving through a virtual desert.

Approaching a Cottonwood Grove and the Visitors Center

Traffic & Parking at Capitol Reef Visitors Center

The fist sign you’re approaching Capitol Reef National Park are the cottonwoods.  They stand in defiance of the arid red rocks. Cottonwoods love to have their feet wet.  They thrive along river and creek  banks.  Now, in the fall,  they are vibrant yellow.  We turned toward the visitors center and immediately parked in an oversized parking space.   As busy as the center was, we were very lucky.

Milhous?  Really!

We were drawn to the cottonwoods.  They stand in a grove fed by small streams.  As cars and motor homes came and went, we wandered along the road among the cottonwoods.  The contrast between the yellow leaves and red crags held us transfixed.

There was an ebb and flow of families at the visitors center.  Crowded one instant, it was nearly empty the next.  As with most touristy information centers, the visitors center is loaded with trinkets and memorabilia.  We found a copy of the tour and trails book Leslie had loaned us.  Among the geological picture books, I found and purchased what looks to be an informative text focusing on southern Utah geological formation.

Back in Li’l Beast we drove the Scenic Drive.  We didn’t get very far.  First we stopped at a picnic area for photos of knurly trees and cottonwoods.  Leaving the picnic area, we passed the Gifford Homestead and had to stop.  The last two vanilla ice creams in the Gifford House freezer went to us.  A trail runs along a branch of the Fremont River just behind the Gifford house.  We walked that trail.

Cottonwoods along the Fremont River

Ellen loves to dally, taking photos as she goes.  I found myself on the trail by myself, with tall thicket standing seven or eight feet on either side of a four foot wide path.   A mama mule deer and her fawn entered the path ahead of me.   I stopped and eyed they.  They stopped and eyed me.  We were twenty feet apart.  I moved a step aside.  Mama deer took two steps toward me.  I moved another step aside. Mama took three steps toward me. The fawn did not move.  I stepped off the trail, and mama strode past me.  I could easily have reached out and rubbed her fur.  The fawn still had not moved.  I pushed a bit further into the grass and the fawn sprang past me in a rush.  I managed to take one photo early in the encounter.

Kismet

The trail opens onto the campgrounds and into fields of delicious apples and pears.  Visitors can pick fruit from the trees.  Mule deer love the apples and claimed this as their territory.  They were playing together and eating fallen apples.  Two mid-sized males squared off in a mock duel.  The colors of the trees, the young children focused on picking fruit while their parents watched them and the deer, and the deer resting or cavorting weaved a marvelous tapestry of color and motion.

Apple Pickers, Two and Four Legged Varieties

And Apple Eaters

Ellen and I were separated for a while.  I thought she had forged ahead and doubled my pace to catch up.  Not finding her in fifteen minutes, I turned back.  There she was watching the mule deer.  Reunited, we walked loop C of the campgrounds when a fellow said, “If you want a really great photo, look over there”, he said pointing behind him, “There are two bucks with huge racks just sitting there.   You could get quite close.”  He was right, we could get quite close.  I heard Ellen say, “Not so close!  You’re too close!” a few times as I used a tree to mask my forward motion.  

The campground is idyllic.  Perhaps we could stay Sunday night.  The camp hosts are in sites 1 and 2 on loop A.  We found a sign outside site 1, “Have a reservation?  Pull on through. If you don’t have a reservation, a limited number of sites may be available at 8:30 AM depending on cancellations.  They will be handed out on a first come basis.”  Cool, we thought, we just have to be here early.   Further up the road another sign read, “Campgrounds Full.  No First Come Sites until Nov. 1st”  Crap.  We’ll stay at Sand Creek.

Oh Well, Play On…

I should have worn shorts!  The weather today was outstanding, 70 F with full sun.  With luck I’ll wear shorts tomorrow.

We drove the remainder of the Scenic Drive out to the turn-around and back.  The road is narrow in places, though easily negotiated at moderate speeds.  We crossed numerous washes.  These are places where cement lines dip in the road  to prevent erosion. These are places where a flash flood could wash out the road.   At one turnoff a sign prominently stated, “Do Not Enter If a Storm Threatens!”   Dangerous flash floods fed by the rugged terrain are common here.

Headed “home” we stopped at the Chuck Wagon General Store in Torrey.  It’s a small reasonably stocked friendly place.  Off season, their bakery closes at 3 pm.

Dutch or Hollanders?

We were settling in at Sand Creek, when a neighbor pulled in beside us.  We took a curious interest as campers will.  I was outside doing something when the fellow came around and asked if I owned my rig.  He said he’d be going to higher elevation and expected the temp to drop to 17  F.  What could he do to protect his water lines.  This led to a discussion of water pumps, external showers, antifreeze in gray and black tanks, for thermal mass fill his water to 2/3.  Provided daytime temps are well above freezing he should have no problem.  Then he asked if I  had wire.  “Why what’s wrong?”  The sewer line on his rented rig had come loose.  He had jury rigged it with tape and wanted something more reliable. “Sorry no tape”  I then helped him get his sewer line working as best I could as an informed observer. His wife, Rosalie said, “This is pretty shitty”.  To which I replied, “literally”.   She spoke what sounded like German, but was significantly different.  “Dutch?” I asked.  “Yes, we’re from Holland.  We had visited our daughter in Los Angeles.  Now were on vacation, but with this.”

“Do you have a screw driver?”, Han asked.   I pulled my took box out, “Here’s what I have.  Here’s a screwdriver.  Use anything you need.”  After a while he got the sewer line to drain using a wand attached to a hose. He drained and cleaned his tanks, then secured the broken line with aviation clamps.  “That should hold for a while” he said.

We shared some wine to celebrate the end of their misfortune and chatted about politics, and the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Holland.  The 75 anniversary of the battle of Arnhem was last week.  I mentioned HBO’s Band Of Brothers, a miniseries, as devoting one episode to the Battle of Arnhem.  As we spoke the wind came up.  It grew cold.  We exchanged information: email, phone numbers, addresses.  If you’re ever in Holland/San Francisco call and we’ll get together.

While chatting, Han mentioned there was one of these huge RV Busses that went off the road recently.  There were 30 Chinese who had rented the bus through a Chinese company.  Four of them died, the other 26 were hospitalized.  He said he stopped to help a group of Chinese who couldn’t speak a word of English, let along Dutch.  He said they had plates stacked high in the kitchen sink and the RV stank. Their electrical was out.  They had probably drained the house batteries.  “How can they safely drive in the U.S. without understanding the road signs?”, Han asked. “At least someone should speak English!” I thought of driving in Italy and Germany where I certainly do not speak fluently.  I did take the time to research road signs.  Perhaps the Chinese did too.  Who knows?

Han also sang the praises of Bryce Canyon.  He said, “You gotta do this” and he explained where to go, which hike to do, and what to avoid.  Not only can you see the hoodoos, but you can walk among them.

I asked Rosalie where they were from, “Holland” she answered.  There is a distinction made “in country” between being from The Netherlands and being from Holland.  Holland specifically refers to Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland.  Amsterdam is located in north Holland and Rotterdam is located in south Holland.  Han said “Amsterdam is a zoo.  There are too many tourists. Rotterdam used to be like Amsterdam before the war. It was heavily bombed by the Germans.  There are some old parts, but most of Rotterdam is brand new.”

In honor of our freezer/refrigerator going out, we cooked all our “frozen” burritos tonight.  With enough Lime Cholula and salsa slathered on top, they were great.  

Just before my conversation with Han, I had opened a beer that fizzed all over the kitchen counter.  That put Ellen on edge.  A bit later I had a 2nd beer (a no-no, just ask Ellen) and it too fizzed all over the dinette table.  That put me in the dog house, bigly.  Then having a glass of wine with Han was too much, until I invited her to the party.  She and Rosalie chatted up a storm.  All was forgiven, or at least forgotten.

We’ll stay at Sand Creek another night.  Tomorrow we’ll take two hikes, weather permitting.   Tonight the wind is knocking Li’l Beast around.  We’re swaying side to side as if a huge hand is shaking us.  No rain thus far though.

Changing Weather and a Violent Sunset

A Few of Ellen’s Photos from Echo Island

Tee Pee Moon

Anderson Pot Pie

Our hot point convection oven had given us conniptions in the past.  We’d turn it on, put food in, and it would shut off in two minutes!  I tried everything I could think of to no avail.  I even read the manual.  This evening we’d try convection on the pot pies. Google to the rescue!  I found a video of a woman cooking raspberry scones in her hot point convection oven.  She did exactly what I had done; exactly!  Except she waited until the oven reached temperature, then she put the food.  Opening and closing the door triggers “step two” for the oven.  Once the door is closed, the oven accepts a cook time!  That’s news to me.   We set the timer and cooked the chicken pot pie.

When Ellen bought the pie, she was told that any Anderson’s supermarket has them. The pie was as good as expected and they’re easy to prepare now that we know how to use the convection oven.  When we (Ellen) doesn’t want to cook, we’ll pull out a chicken pie.

Echo Island RV Resort, Coalville Utah

On long distance drives, we look for an RV campground a few hours before sunset or when we get tired.  Ellen found Echo Island in Coalville on AllStays, a smartphone app. They had a site for us.  In fact they had many sites open.

This RV Park was envisioned as a destination resort.  Members paid a membership fee and could use the park “free” based on their membership class.  It has modern tiled sowers and bathrooms, hot tub and swimming pools, a half basketball court, horseshoes, 160 RV sites, tent sites, cabins, and four Tee Pees.  It has a fishing hole and a creek that runs through the property.  Fishing is said to be good here.  For a family looking to get away for a week, this could be a great place to go.   Their website emphasizes family activities in the park.

Two years ago the LLC declared bankruptcy and Echo Island was purchased by its current owner.  Some of the original club members are grand fathered in.  There are a few fifth wheels that look to be unoccupied.  We walked the grounds, which are extensive for an RV park. There is no “draw” here; little here or nearby to explore. 

We were surprised that the restrooms and showers were closed.  Last night we refilled our fresh water tank to 2/3 and stowed the hose. We had moderate rain overnight, The temperature dropped to 28 F this morning, not cold by our “new standards”.   The sun is up.  Temperature and barometric pressure are rising.  I thought today would be cloudy.  For now we have glorious sunshine and clear blue skies!

Plans

I’m sure we will drive through high passes that had snowfall overnight.   We have a choice of taking WY-89 or I-80.  89 is a more direct route to Escalante and Bryce, though I-80 will be clear of snow and ice.  I cannot say that of 89.  We’ll probably take i-80 then cut over to 89 later. It’s the longer, safer route.  Li’l Beast has done just fine in snow and ice.  Even so, there is no reason to go looking for less than optimal driving conditions.

We’ve agreed to save The Grand Canyon for another trip.  We would have to back-track. We’ve done that often enough. More significantly, we could feel rushed.  Like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon is huge.  A few days here, a few more days there; that could easily become two weeks or more.  Should we go to the canyon, our travels could bump up against November commitments.  

Long term travel in a Small Motorhome

You had better be best friends for long term motor home camping in cold weather.  In warm weather, you can enjoy the great outdoors.  In freezing weather, you’re confined inside.  That can be warm and cozy, or a tight quarters nightmare. 

We chose a Winnebago because they have a long track record and a reputation for building reliable motor homes.  They listen to their customer base and “fix” things that could be improved.  We chose a View because it is built on a Mercedes Diesel Sprinter platform. We chose a 24 J for its large living space with its push-out.

The 24J is perfect for a couple, or a very small family. It can sleep six, though I cannot imagine traveling with four children or four adults.  For the two of us, it is perfect. There is enough room that we’re not constantly bumping into each other mornings and evenings when were indoors.  With the temperatures often below freezing in fall travel, we are indoors for hours.  We read, talk about yesterday, today, and tomorrow’s plans.  We review our photos. We post on the web.  We also have the TV on tuned to  off air HD, cable when it’s available, or a satellite DirecTV channel.

Ellen cooks and cleans up.  She thinks I make a mess and throw water “all over the place” when I do dishes.   She’s a great cook.  We carry prepared food for those times she just wants to relax.  Paper plates ( not great for the environment ) help with cleanup on those days.

On a typical evening we’re exhausted from the day’s activities,  we relax after dinner, and hop in bed around 11:30 give or take.  We don’t watch the clock or plan to hit the sack at a particular time.  It just works out that way.  Unless we’ have plans, we do not set a morning alarm.  We get up when we get up, usually between 7:30 and 8:00.

At night the heater is set to 55, regardless of projected overnight temperatures. We sleep on and electric pad that we set to 4 to preheat.  Most nights a 2 setting is perfect.  If temperatures is expected below 20, we’ll set it to 3.  We drove Li’l Beast home from Connecticut in January 2015 in a cold winter storm.  Sleeping we felt cold creeping in from below the mattress.  We tried an electric blanket.  That didn’t work out.  Ellen found an electric heater pad that solved the problem.  We’ve used it ever since.

We’re now comfortable not winterizing in freezing weather provided daytime temperatures rise well above freezing.  We prefer to shut everything off when we travel and don’t’ want to risk frozen pipes. Evenings we turn on the black and gray water tank heater, put a light bulb in the outside water cubby, and set the heater to 55.  The heater has a small duct that feed into our fresh water tank.  With the electric pad, we don’t need the heater but set it to keep our fresh water tank above 32 F.  The View’s propane heater and insulation can keep the interior warm in near 0 F  temperatures.  The heater is very efficient.   Running it as we do in very cold weather, we use about 10% of our propane on a cold day.  In Gardiner, Montana, we purchased a small electric space heater.  I first thought it would go in the outside water cubby,, but it is too big and way too powerful.   We use it inside to augment the propane heater.  It’s amazing, we use it daily.

The black and gray tank heater is what makes it possible for us to camp in freezing weather.  We have to be plugged into power to use it. I’m guessing here, I think that heater would drain our batteries in about four hours.  Then we’d be SOL.  For us, the key to freezing weather camping is having an electric hook-up. 

Regards recycling, we learned that Montana does not recycle.  Yes, you will find recycling bins at resorts that separate out glass, paper, aluminum.  Those are there to keep the environmentally aware visitors happy.  All those bins arrive at land fill in Montana.  One day that may change.

Foreboding Skies, but perfectly clear Over the Pass

8% Grades are Common in Utah

Clearer Skies and a Hint of Fall Color

Heading Out

We have a pre-flight check list we go over before driving off. Toward the bottom are: ensure fridge is running on 12 volts and walk around the RV.   Last night I noticed a abandoned 40 ft. quality yellow extension cord hanging on a power post with no camper in sight.  Someone drove off and left that cord!  I’ve learned to always do a walk around.  You never know what you may have forgotten to stow.  I’ve nearly left a rubber mallet, my water filter, and a sewer connector.  When we pulled in the push-out, we heard a karumph followed by the sound of breaking glass. WTF?  Rain on the push-out awning had frozen solid.  It was breaking free and falling to the ground making an awful racket.

Always Walk around Your RV Before You Drive Off

Our near final check: Is the refrigerator running on 12 volts? Oh Crap, it didn’t switch over.  “It’s the fuse”, I thought. I’ve seen this before.  To get to the fuse I had to take off the fridge’s controller board’s cover, remove the controller board, and unplug some of the connectors.  Yup, the 20 amp fuse was blown.  I installed a fuse extension that brings the fuse outside the housing. I bought one anticipating another blown fuse.  This little gizwatchie makes fuse replacement easy. I installed a fuse and tried to power the fridge.  I’ve learned not to reassemble everything before testing. The fridge would not power on.  The display was dead.  I checked the refrigerator breaker. It hadn’t tripped, but another 20 amp fuse was blown too.  Cool, I replaced that.  Still the fridge display was blank, it would not power on.  In my overconfidence, I had not shut of power to the fridge while making my “repair”.  I probably shorted something that killed the fridge controller board. What a rookie mistake.

I called some repair shops in Salt Lake. “We’re booked for a week and a half. Can you wait?”, was a common answer.  A week and a half in Salt Lake City?  Hell No!  I did get a call back from a mobile repair guy, but we’d driven about one hundred miles past Salt Lake.  We’ll use ice in tubs in the fridge and freezer to keep our food fresh.   A little adversity will not dampen our spirits or stop the adventure!

MY concern that we hit ice or snow was unfounded.  The roads were all clear with not a hint of water on them.

Where To?

We’re headed south, but where should we go first: Bryce, Escalante,, The Grand Staircase, Capitol Reef National Park?  We took I-15 to avoid Salt Lake. At Scipio we took 50 east to Salina.  We stopped at Barretts Foodtown in Salina for supplies and ice for our fridge, then continued on to highway 24 toward Loa and Capitol Reef National Park.   The road off 70 to 24 is bizarre.  The turnoff is to a “rest stop”, but the frontage road that runs along 70 for a few miles eventually feeds into 24! How really strange.  There could be a more direct route, but that’s the path our Rand McNally GPS preferred.

The Only Wildlife We Saw Enroute

Often on the Road

An thousands of them

Nearing Capitol Reef

Rt 24 winds through ranch lands with abundant free range cattle.  It rises and falls through rolling hills covered with fir trees then drops into a wide valley with near mountains to the left becoming red rock cliffs as we drove along.  We encountered numerous black Angus roadside with a number of them standing on the road.   24 is a comfortable slow drive with speeds of 55 to 40 and 30 “in town”.

When we hit 70, Ellen called around for RV campgrounds.  The first was full. The manager gave us phone numbers for two others. The second Ellen called had a single dry site available.  Nope, that’s not for us! Ellen called the third.  “We’re full, you should call the dry campsite you mentioned!” Ellen called the second campground back and said we’ll take the dry campsite if it’s available.  “It’s still available”, Leslie said.  “What is your name, and email?  I’ll hold the site for you.”  Ellen managed to get her name out before we drove out of cell coverage. We tried reaching Leslie a few times on rt 24.  When we neared Fremont and with good connectivity, I pulled over. Ellen called again and got through.  “Of course I held the site for you.  We may even have an electric hook-up available.  We have a guest who could be leaving tonight.”  we gave her the “usual’ info to hold the site. “I won’t charge your card until we know which site you’ll get.”  Spirits uplifted, we drove on toward Capital Reef.  This is only the second time we’ve had trouble finding a site off season.  The last time was in northern New Hampshire in October; RV parks were closing.

Sand Creek RV Park

We arrived at Sand Creek RV Park just as another Sprinter based motorhome arrived behind us.  We were slow to decamp from Li’l Beast.  A woman from the other camper walked into the office well ahead of us.  Though she was seated at the desk, Leslie waved us in and the woman said, “you arrived first”.  I have no idea what was said between the two of them before we walked in.  Leslie said, “I was able to get the electric site for you this evening.”  We were ecstatic.  The woman who arrived behind us took the last site, dry camping.

Leslie lives here and was happy to share her favorite places in the area.  She said, “It’s fall break for kids.  The campgrounds are full today and tomorrow.  You should have no problem getting a site Sunday or next week.  Our sites for tomorrow will fill quickly”  We took her hint and paid for two nights right away.

The last time Ellen spoke with Leslie on the phone when she learned the dry site was reserved for us Ellen said, “I’m so happy I could kiss you.”  Well, she actually did kiss Leslie.  I smiled and said, “I thought that was my job, but then I might have some difficulty with you all.”   That got a laugh from all three women.

Before settling in, we took a brief walk around the campground.  The sun was setting; it was growing cool.  We had missed sunset today. 

With our freezer’s status questionable, we’re convection cooking a frozen Michel Angelo’s eggplant lasagna.  Our little electric heater is warming our toes.  Though Sand Creek RV Park is nothing to look at, It’s location is great.  Most of all I appreciate Leslie’s handling of our “situation”.

Warm and Comfy Once Again

No Hunkerin’ Down with This Mess Coming.

YUM!

With the cycles packed away, a quick search of Bakeries turned up Persephone with rave ratings.  A propane fill and pot pies can wait for a stop at the bakery.  Our GPS guided us to Café Genevieve.  Oh No, it’s “shut”.  The bakery was right beside the café.  With no parking I stopped to let Ellen out and noticed that all the outside tables were full. The place was crowded.   I parked just up the street and waited.  After a long time, Ellen saw The Beast and walked up with a package of goodies. 

Last year we topped our propane at the shell station. I pulled in back at the propane station.  A fellow working on a drain overflow stopped to ask what I wanted.  “I’d like a propane top-up”  “Oh, we don’t to that”  “But I filled here last year” “yeah, our fitting for your vehicle drove off weeks ago.  We have another on order, but until it arrives we cannot help you.”   He mentioned propane was available at Alpine, “You’re headed to Alpine, right?”  Yes, we were.

Pot Pies.  Albertsons was just up the road.  Again I dropped Ellen of and parked.  A LONG time later Ellen came back with two pies.  “There were none on display and I asked if they had any”  “Oh, I’ll look in back.  We may have one that’s not heated.”  “Two maybe?”   Ellen took two back with her.  Two out of Three isn’t that bad.

Rt 89 Going Right Through Town

Going Down.

We Followed This Guy All Day

We drove 89 south to 30/89 south to 89 south to 80.  The weather front drove heavy winds that made driving tedious, sometimes intense. We followed a fifth wheel with a CA license plate from Jackson to the Salt Lake/Ogden turn off.  They went Ogden.  We turned toward Salt Lake. I’d had enough of long distance driving in wind when Ellen said, “Lets stop before Salt Lake”. Oh Yeah, Let’s do that!  We’ve stopped maybe 50 miles shy of Salt Lake City at Echo Island RV Park.  We have WATER, YAY!  We do not have toilets or showers, BOO.  Still we’re far enough off 80 to be quiet and have Sat reception.  The wind kicks up now and then.  I vividly remember driving in a wind storm in the 70’s in Wyoming.  I was driving into a head wind in second gear making maybe 20 mph. It was unbelievable.  I came around a curve on 80 West to find a 16 wheeler on its side.  Now THAT was WIND.  I remember that sight every time I drive through Wyoming.

Watching the wind now, the aspen are losing their leaves.  It’s more like a leaf storm than a wind storm.  We’ve been seeing more fall yellow in the aspen and TBD as we drop in altitude.  Now to see wind stripping leaves from the trees, we’re sad.  Perhaps there will be no fall color for us.

Site C7, Echo Island RV Park, Coalville Utah

“I don’t like it!”  Neighbors drove in beside us to our left.  Ellen prefers a view, over a view of a camper.  I don’t blame her.  No big problem though.  I’m having a Blue Sky IPA in my new Jackson Drug Mug; No Problem.

For the first time in weeks we have not turned on our electric heater.  Temp inside was 70 F. Outside temp showed 67F.   I do not expect temps below freezing tonight.  Even so we were told to disconnect our water line, “It could freeze.”  It is raining now.  It’s not heavy rain.

Plans

“How about going to the Grand Canyon”, Ellen floated that idea as we descended through a valley’s long 5% grade.  With little traffic and nothing to worry about, I actually heard her. “Sure!  Should we go North RIm or South?”  We both agreed, south would be best.   It may rain tonight.  I hope we don’t have snow. We’ll see.

Sometimes you just know it’s time to go home.  Other times the fun is not over, you keep going.  This may be a keep on keeping on moment.  It is weather dependent, but less so as we move south.

One Possible Destination

Another Possible Destination

Bavaria in Wyoming!

Cable Repair, Jackson Hole

Schwabacher Landing Grand Teton

Yesterday

We had driven to Snake River Overlook of highway 89 in our search for wildlife.  The west side of the Snake River rises up to a mile wide plain of sagebrush.  That plane rises up another 40 feet to another mile wide plain of sagebrush backed by aspen and pine. The trees cover the lower Teton Range.  On that second plain about two miles distant, “Hawkeye” spotted motion.  There stood a bull elk.  He was massive compared to the nearby cows.  Even with minimal thermal radiation, the elk’s image was small and focus was difficult at 60x.  Ellen had spotted the bull elk with the naked eye, “Hawkeye” indeed.

The pot pies we ate for dinner last night were loaded with chicken and vegetables. They were very good.  Were they as good as Mountain Mama’s?  We don’t know.  We do know we’ll get more on our way out of Jackson when we leave.

Bicycle Boneheadedness

I had a fall on my bicycle in Coeur D’Alene that seemed insignificant at the time.  Now weeks later, my shoulder is giving me fits.  I cannot raise my arm above shoulder height.  I’ve had similar injuries to my left shoulder in a ski accident (showing off).  I know it will heal, but for now what a pain this is.  Ellen asked “should we just go home”  She’s concerned that I might crash again.  It’s not likely on the flats.  The cause has to do with accessing my bike’s granny gear, badly.

Temperature this morning dropped to 25 F.  Not very cold compared to Gardiner or West Yellowstone. I’m no longer concerned about water line freezing if we have an electric hookup.

This is my “half” of an apple?

Fireside Resort, Ready to Go.

Can’t Forget her Flag

Crossing the Snake River

Sitting on Big Don Dahlin’s Bench

Bicycling

The cycles are unloaded. Ellen’s trike’s battery is charged and ready to go.  There’s a paved bicycle path that runs from Teton Village to Jackson then runs north through the park.  “The path is perfect.  It was just paved.”  fireside’s manager told me as I paid for another night here.  “Today is going to be a beautiful day and even warmer than yesterday!  Have Fun.”  We can pickup the path just across Moose Wilson Road. 

The path follows Moose Wilson Road along sparsely populated private property.  We looked for wildlife as we peddled.  The  path goes through a tunnel under Moose Wilson, crosses the snake river, and winds through Emily Stevens Park before running along Rt 22.  down to Jackson.  

We rode from Fireside Resort to Jackson square. Downtown Jackson is busy with traffic.  We walked our bikes in town.  On the square we stopped at The Local, but they stopped serving lunch just minutes prior. Jackson Drug, the original drugstore and soda fountain, was open.  Our lunch was OK.  Interestingly I recognized a cut from Dark Site of the Moon done in a country format. “Do you know who this band is?  It sounds like a country cover of Pink Floyd, a rock band.” I asked our waitress.  She didn’t know, but went to find out.  The Band is “Green Sky Blue Grass”.  “You might have found a new favorite band”, she said.  Blue Grass?  This was very good blue grass

Today was a gorgeous day with temperature into the 70’s.  I wore a shirt over t-shirt and was comfy warm.   I remembered the drive up route 22 to Moose Wilson Road as steep.  The bicycle path runs along Rt 22 some of the way.  The path does not have any steep grades of any length.  There are 5% grades both up and down. None area a problem.  The path along rt 22 skirts wide fields on the right.  Hawkeye spotted a coyote hunting and stopped to watch.

After lunch we considered taking the path toward and into Grand Teton National Park.  We considered leaving the bikes at sunset, taking Lyft back to our RV, and getting the bikes.  That would work, but we could easily cycle out of cell phone range.  Instead we chose to cycle back to Fireside then continue on to Teton Village.

We arrived “home” at 6:23 a full 15 minutes before sunset.  We’re relaxed, far from exhausted.  What a fun day. 

FIreside Resort

The resort has a number of fee standing modern looking cabins that are available year round.  The resort is five miles from Jackson Hole, the rebound ski area.   I wonder if we can take the gondola to the top today.

We arrived just before closing and were assigned site 57.   The sites are packed pretty tightly though that’s not a problem.  It’s so cold mornings and evenings that everyone is buttoned up tightly.  Even with so many close in, it’s quiet here.

The resort rents jeeps!  We heave one for the day.  Now we can drive the entirety of Moose Williams Road.  Part of the road is closed to motorhomes.  The Jeep has blacked out rear windows.  No worries about having our camera gear visible to thieves (not that there are many). We’ll head off in search of moose and The Four Seasons.  The Four Seasons, Jackson is located in the ski village at the end of Moose Williams Road.  One of Ellen’s daughters was there just a few days ago.  We’re sorry we missed her.

How strange will it be driving a jeep after 35 days driving The Beast?  I’ll know right away.

Moose Wilson Road

We loaded up the jeep and drove up Moose Wilson Road.  It runs to Teton Village and the famous ski area of Jackson Hole.  We stopped and walked the village.  The Four Seasons Hotel sits at the base of two chair lifts.  It would be a wonderful place to stay in January.  The tram was closed and under repair.  I saw workers high up working on the tram;s cable.   The Village is open year round.  The Four Seasons concierge said they have much more foot traffic in the summer. In winter they see outdoor enthusiasts and skiers.  Yes, there are stay and ski packages available at the hotel.  Understated elegance with a western theme, that is The Four Seasons, Jackson Hole. January room rates for two people is expensive, but not exorbitant.  I’d love to ski here next January.

We skipped getting a quick bite at the hotel,.

The road is mostly paved, though it becomes a packed dirt road as it does into Grand Teton National Park.  There the road runs into sparse trees with meadows and marshes scattered here and there.  The dirt road runs for miles. A sign ahead of the park entrance reads: No RVs beyond this point.  That sign thwarted my Moose Road drive last year.  We cruised on through in the jeep.

The park entrance kiosk was closed.  It seems that Grand Teton is less seriously controlled than is Yellowstone.   Moose Wilson is best driven at slow speed.  We drove 15 mph over long stretches of the road.  We scanned for moose as we went.  From time to time I’d pull over to allow faster traffic past.   As the road approaches Moose Crossing it rises to a bluff overlooking a picturesque stream and marsh.  Perfect moose habitat.  A sign at the parking area there warns people not to approach wildlife.  Watch the wildlife at a distance.  We stopped, looked, listened, and after about twenty minutes I drove on.  “We’ll come back around dusk”

Dornan

That observation area is at the end of the road at Moose Crossing.  We were famished.  We drove past Grand Teton National Park Headquarters on our way back to highway 89.  Just across the snake river Dornan’s Road branches to the left.  A sign announces food at Dornan.      

Dornan has cabins on the snake river.   I expect they had closed for the season, but I didn’t check.  The cabins are centrally located and would be a great place to stay in the park.  There are two places to eat here: Dornan’s Chuckwagon and Dornan’s Pizza Pasta Company.  We parked.  Ellen said, “I’d live a slice of pizza”.

As you walk through the doors to the pizza company, you pass a spacious shop on the right that has hundreds of bottles of wine for sale.  I was stunned.  The wine shop rivals many shops in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Passing the wine shop, you walk into a large room and picture windows opening onto the stunning view of Grand Teton.  To the right sits a spacious rustic bar.  We ordered two personal pizzas and took a table.  The pizzas were very good.

On the way out I stopped at the wine shop. “We were the first wine shop in the valley.  We used to have wine and food pairings.  I’ve looked at binders from the ‘80’s that list the wine and food pairings.  Some of the wines served are mind boggling.”,  She was very knowledgeable about wine and the history of the shop.  The shop carries wines from around the world with a very representative selection from the Napa Valley.

We drove back across the Snake River to the visitors center.  We wanted to find last year’s memorable turnout where we walked with a moose.  The Ranger mentioned a few likely places.  “That’s it” He mentioned Schwabacher Landing and I recognized the name.   It’s the next turnout north of Moose Crossing.  We chatted about the park and wildlife.  He didn’t have information about moose sightings.  “They are solitary animals.  They’re common in this area.”  He gave us a better map.

Schwabacher Landing

The road to Schwabacher was open.  As we recalled, the road makes a sharp right turn as it drops down into the Snake River valley.  This is a area where the river branches into a number of rivulets branching off from the main channel. With a jolt the paved road becomes dirt and bounces along for a few miles to a dirt parking lot.  A hiking trail winds along a rivulet.  On the trail side sits a plain of sagebrush while evergreen trees line the opposite side of the rivulet.   I was flooded with memories of last year’s encounter as we walked.  This year we saw playful pairs of ducks and a few other hikers.

The view of the Teton Range, gray and towering over the green pines, the golden marsh, and deep blue water is breathtaking.   Though our anticipation of moose sightings was dashed, we thoroughly enjoyed our walk along the gurgling water with warning calls echoing from the trees.  “Danger” they called.  We were the danger.

We drove back to the moose overlook and walked a trail along the water.  We stayed for a few hours as the sunlight slowly faded.  Groups drove up, looked for a moment or two, then drove away. Now and then a couple would stop and wait with us.  When we gave up the hunt and drove away there were five other hold-outs.

At Albertsons we replenished our supplies.  Ellen found fresh baked pot pies in a warming shelf.  “They’re not Mountain Mama’s, but these really look good”  Checking out, the fellow ahead of us had two of them too. “They’re very good” he said.  “I’ve never tried one.” I had the impression the checkout gal would go get a few herself.

Driving back to Fireside Resort, I turned off 22 too early and drove far up and into the boonies.  It took a while for us both to realize “this is not right”.  Just before finding a turnout, we saw a low wide animal lumbering into the brush.  A porcupine!  The correct turnoff for Fireside was another three miles up 22!  Shortly after the turnout I  saw reddish-brown motion ahead roadside.  Just In time I saw a red fox briefly stare into the headlights then disappear.  “Did you see that?  A red fox roadside!”

Home, we carefully unloaded the Jeep being careful not to forget anything.  I was not impressed with the jeep.  It did its job without inspiring confidence in its handling.  I actually prefer driving Li’l Beast.  Now that’s a surprise to me.

Today, temperature climbed into the 60’s.  It was warm in the sun.  In mid afternoon the day’s cold wind abated.  Even the shade was comfortable without the wind.