The Swing of Things

October 15^th, Home In West Virginia

Joyce and I enjoyed a couple quiet days to recover from all the long driving and living out of a car.  There was quite the unpacking job and the poor MINI had so many dead bugs all over the front that only a serious detailing would make it presentable.  Aside from the aesthetics of the car, it was now flashing service needed due to the mileage we had reached. 

We were lounging in the den over coffee the next afternoon and we did a final figure on mileage covered from beginning to end – 8,067 miles of travel in 37 days!  For someone like me who has always been so full of wanderlust, that amount was a surprise even in my book.  Joyce had never undertaken that kind of road trip either.  When we looked at the actual mileage, it really struck us how far and wide we had traveled.  But, as we look at the map of our route in the middle of the country, it is obvious there is so much more of America to be seen.  Someday….

Last Days to Home

October 12th to 14th, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia!

After leaving Crestone and the mountains of Colorado, we had a few options to consider

on the route home.  One of our main inclinations was to avoid I-70 and all the construction.  I knew Joyce rarely saw her sister so I suggested going through southern Missouri on our way home and seeing her one more time.  Luckily for us, Sharon and Richard were going to be at their lakehouse on Stockton Lake so we landed there on Saturday evening the 12^th. 

Barn Sour and Running On Home

October 11^th, Parts Far and Wide

We woke to a beautiful, crisp morning with the clouds breaking up in the direction of home.  Like a horse headed to the barn after a long ride,

we pointed the car east with a ‘pulling on the reins’ feeling filling the car.  We were still in the mountains and range territory but within a hundred miles we would be setting eyes on prairie.  I felt a little melancholy leaving behind the grandeur of the Rockies.  For all the high peaks and cliffside roads, they give me a feeling of safety and shelter. I suspect that it’s the flowing water and evergreens in their stark difference to the dry washes and hot red rocks that make me feel that way.  I’ve learned that for my fascination with the arid Southwest it will be the mountains that call me back here.  Regardless of where we were though, it was the wonderful people we have met along our journey that pushes me toward another trip someday.

More Mountain Ranges and Eastward We Go

October 9^th to the 11th, Crestone, CO

Joyce and I were loathe to leave Telluride but we had a long day of driving through more mountains to a town called Crestone in Colorado.  We were told this was

a very artsy, counter-culture kind of place where we could expect to find quirky people.  I thought, ‘cool, my kind of place.’   I would have to reassess a bit as it turned out the town was a little more on the fringe than I had expected.

Our day of driving through Southwest Colorado was lovely. We saw more scenic vistas and views. We drove up and over Lizard Head Pass, hoping to see an elk or two. No luck on that score but we liked what we did see. I could definitely see a trip back to this part of Colorado for more exploration.

From Hot to Cold and Red to Blue

October 6^th  through 8th - Telluride, CO

Joyce and I got moving early on Sunday morning, even forgoing coffee and breakfast in our rush to head northward from Sedona. Our destination was Telluride by evening and it looked to be about 7 hours away.  We would be going to a completely different type of terrain from the red rocks.  We were already told that there had been snow

in Telluride but upon checking the weather there, we would have blue skies and mild temps.  And when I say blue skies, it’s a blue there you never see in the East.  I suspect it’s due to the contrast of the white at the top of the mountains against the sky but it’s startling in its depth of color.  And being big sky country, it seems like you could reach out and touch it.

Red Rocks and Blue Sky

October 5^th,  Sedona, AZ

In Sedona, you could feel the warmth in the sun but once you were in the shade it was immediately cool.  I was thankful for this during our hike in Fay Canyon.  We set off with water, camera and hiking boots strapped well.  We had been told some steep climbing might be in order and they weren’t kidding.  Most of the hike was along a

sandy path with scrub oak, mesquite and juniper trees as well as red rock surrounding us.  It was beautiful and for a while, mostly mild ups and downs.  We came upon the rock cairn that heralded the trail up to the arch.

Jerome Arizona and Big Nose Kate

October 5^th,  Jerome, AZ

On Saturday, we ventured out on another perfect weather day.  It really was beginning to be uncanny how great our weather had been, from one place to the next.  Daytime temps were in the low 70’s and nighttime temps were low 40’s…..our idea of perfect for both daytime adventures and sleeping under the stars.  We had found out that anything over 50 degrees and our sleeping bags were too warm. 

We set off on our first jaunt of the day….a scenic high mountain road up to the town of Jerome.

Sedona Explorations Begin

October 4^th,  Sedona, AZ

Joyce and I had a good night’s sleep in the campground with relative quiet and a full view of the Milky Way from one horizon to the other.  The night before we had gone on a Star Gazer tour given by some local astronomers.  We had been directed to a school soccer field where they had set up camp chairs and blankets near two high-powered telescopes.  It really was a lovely experience and very informative.  I saw three falling stars during that time and Joyce saw two.  So far we felt like we had lucked out on this trip with good fortune and good weather.  Perhaps those falling stars portended more good will to come. 

Alternative Itinerary

October 1^st to October 3r^d,  Las Vegas and Sedona

We were Vegas bound on Tuesday morning and had a place to land for at least one night with the option for two.  It took no time to get to Vegas and the next airbnb place.  It was a house located in a nice subdivision but unlike the other airbnb places, this one lacked warmth and a homey feeling.  Neither Joyce nor I could put our finger on it but the energy of the place just seemed off.  It felt more like a revolving door of a college dorm than a home.  The hosts were IT consultants who worked out of the home and we found out later had only been here for 8 weeks.  They had rented the house and set up their telecommuting office along with opening it up to airbnb for more income.  Definitely a smart move financially but interesting how it totally changed the vibe in the house.  We were inclined to make our decision more quickly and just go with one night there. 

Geology Tour and Valley Lore

September 30^th, Death Valley, CA

This was the 3^rd Monday of our trip and in the morning our first priorities were coffee, breakfast and laundry.  Joyce had hit the jackpot in her quest for interesting geological formations and photo opportunities so exploring would definitely be on the agenda.  With an exploration of the general store, we learned about a canyon nearby called Artist’s Palette and it looked to be right up our alley.

 

Long Haul to Death Valley

September 29^th, Death Valley, NV               

I used to have more patience for camping but it seems that has changed some.   There are more times now when the lack of convenience is more hassle than novelty.  In Yosemite one has to be especially diligent about keeping the campsite clean of smells and almost everything has to be locked up in a bear-proof food locker unless you are actively using it.  This basically means you are unpacking and packing at least twice a day, even for a simple bit of coffee.  The strict rules, though, seem to go a long way to keeping wildlife away from campgrounds.  During our stay at the Wawona campsite, we were never visited by any wildlife at night.  In fact, we saw very few animals at all during our stay in Yosemite.  It would have been nice to see some wildlife but with enjoying all the beautiful country around us it didn’t seem to matter.  

The day of our travel to Death Valley was a Sunday and very warm and dry.

  

The Piece de Resistance – Yosemite Valley

September 28^th, Yosemite, CA 

This day had us waking up early again after resting very well.  Our campsite was so comfortable with the exception of the arrival of a bunch of rowdy college age kids partying into the wee hours.  I was kind of surprised no ranger came by and told them to cool it since they spoke with such strictness about the rules and regulations such as quiet hours starting at 10pm.  It would seem that park rangers are not in the campgrounds through the night.  Perhaps it is the night air but even though we couldn’t help but hear them in the clear air we still managed to get decent sleep that night. 

We lingered again for a bit over the morning coffee and campfire but we had a lot of ground to cover. Aside from the sightseeing of the famed valley we were desperate for our first showers in a couple days. 

The First Big Hiccup

September 27^th, Yosemite, CA 

Walter is going to be in shock at this but Joyce and I got up our first morning of camping at 8am.  Our typical sleep schedule had changed quite a bit but we had rested well the 

night before and were ready to begin our day. 

It was an easy-going morning around the campfire…..warming up a bit.  Once we had stepped out of our tent we could feel the chill in the morning hours.  That morning was another bright, clear blue sky day with a forecast of 68.  How we were lucking out with such perfect weather was beyond me but a pleasant surprise.   We lounged around the fire and contemplated where to explore first in the park.

Grand Yosemite!

September 26^th, Yosemite National Park, CA

Our ‘fast and furious’ trek to make it to our campground before dark was still a chancy proposition as we entered into the late afternoon.  We passed through the eastern gate of Yosemite National Park with about three hours until dark.  According to GPS we had more than two hours of driving within the park itself before reaching camp but now we were seeing one gorgeous view after another.  I was thankful that Joyce had chosen to drive since this was my first glimpse of this incredible park and my head was swiveling constantly. 

Yosemite or Bust

September 26^th,  Yosemite National Park, CA

Joyce and I were working on doing better with regard to our schedule or actually, I was doing better about estimations on travel time due to a bit of a lecture on the topic by Joyce.  I needed to hear it and vowed to do better.  My usual style of ‘laissez-faire’ was not working when it comes to getting to campsites before dark.  And let me tell you, it really does make a difference.