We arrived at the Marin RV Park just north of San Francisco yesterday afternoon after an uneventful drive from Fallon NAS.
Judy has her regular medical appointments in the City today and we will travel to Napa tomorrow for a few days before heading home on Sunday.
It has been a good trip and we are now back to local activities, so I'll close the blog for our latest adventure.
Thanks for following along.
Pat and Judy
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Monday, June 6, 2016
Nebraska/Utah 2016 Trip - Day 22
We got another early start today, leaving the Ely KOA about 8:15 AM. US Highway 50 gets my vote for "The Loneliest Highway in America". The road was virtually empty as we headed west over long stretches of straight and level high desert roads between hills and over and around mountain ridges including 8 or 9 summits ranging from 4,500 ft to 7,900 ft.. It was an interesting ride and not the terrain you might imagine to be representative of Nevada. We made good time however and passed through a couple of just-barely-hanging-on towns, national forest and BLM lands, two people riding horses, a few cows along the way, but other than that, only a lot of empty space.
We arrived at Fallon Naval Air Station, near Fallon, NV around 1:00 PM and are staying at the base RV park. The RV park is pretty basic. There are concrete pads with full hook-ups and that is about it. The park is in an open field with no trees, but there is a laundromat in the park that is convenient, as Judy is doing laundry this afternoon.
The base is a naval aviation training base and home to the Navy's "Top Gun" fighter pilot training school. The base appears small and the facilities look a little dated. Apparently the base is scheduled to expand to accommodate some joint service training functions, and there appears to be substantial construction here.
We will be traveling to Marin tomorrow for Judy's medical appointments in San Francisco on Wednesday. We usually get to meet Kevin for dinner at a Sausalito restaurant on at least one of the evenings we spend in the SF area. After that, we will head home by way of the Napa and Alexander Valleys where we will spend a few days before arriving home on Sunday, June 12th.
We arrived at Fallon Naval Air Station, near Fallon, NV around 1:00 PM and are staying at the base RV park. The RV park is pretty basic. There are concrete pads with full hook-ups and that is about it. The park is in an open field with no trees, but there is a laundromat in the park that is convenient, as Judy is doing laundry this afternoon.
The base is a naval aviation training base and home to the Navy's "Top Gun" fighter pilot training school. The base appears small and the facilities look a little dated. Apparently the base is scheduled to expand to accommodate some joint service training functions, and there appears to be substantial construction here.
We will be traveling to Marin tomorrow for Judy's medical appointments in San Francisco on Wednesday. We usually get to meet Kevin for dinner at a Sausalito restaurant on at least one of the evenings we spend in the SF area. After that, we will head home by way of the Napa and Alexander Valleys where we will spend a few days before arriving home on Sunday, June 12th.
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 21
We left Bryce Canyon RV Park around 8:30 AM and headed North then West towards our destination today, Ely NV. As we exited the park we got our last look at some of the red cliffs and rock formations along the road.
The drive was mostly over two lane roads with only a short stretch on I-15 N. There was very little to see except a few cows and horses and an occasional antelope. We also passed through a few hard-scrabble small towns that had not yet been officially designated as ghost towns. The road varied from flat and straight to up and down curves over several 7,000 ft+ mountain ridges and passes. There was some agricultural activity near water sources, but the majority of the drive was through dry open range land.
We joined U.S Highway 50 just east of the Nevada border and about 60 miles from Ely. The highway bills its self as "The Loneliest Highway in the U.S". I can believe it and we haven't even gotten to the good parts yet. It was also good that we got an early start as the wind came up just as we arrived in Ely about 12:00 PM local, gaining an hour as we crossed into Nevada. We are staying at the KOA in Ely. It is a nice park with level gravel sites, full hook-ups and trees and is a good place to stay overnight if you are travelling somewhere else. The town has a heritage of copper mining and as a railroad transportation hub. It is also a gateway of sorts to recreation access points in the Great Basin National Heritage Area.
After we got set up, we went out to lunch in downtown Ely at the historic Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall. We had a nice lunch in a smoke-free dining room, saw a Buffalo Nickle buffalo with silver dollar eyes on the wall, then returned to the RV after buying a few groceries at Ridley's, the local supermarket.
We will eat dinner in the RV tonight and try and get another early start tomorrow on the next leg of our trip on Highway 50, "The Loneliest Highway in the U.S" , to Fallon Naval Air Station, NV.
The drive was mostly over two lane roads with only a short stretch on I-15 N. There was very little to see except a few cows and horses and an occasional antelope. We also passed through a few hard-scrabble small towns that had not yet been officially designated as ghost towns. The road varied from flat and straight to up and down curves over several 7,000 ft+ mountain ridges and passes. There was some agricultural activity near water sources, but the majority of the drive was through dry open range land.
We joined U.S Highway 50 just east of the Nevada border and about 60 miles from Ely. The highway bills its self as "The Loneliest Highway in the U.S". I can believe it and we haven't even gotten to the good parts yet. It was also good that we got an early start as the wind came up just as we arrived in Ely about 12:00 PM local, gaining an hour as we crossed into Nevada. We are staying at the KOA in Ely. It is a nice park with level gravel sites, full hook-ups and trees and is a good place to stay overnight if you are travelling somewhere else. The town has a heritage of copper mining and as a railroad transportation hub. It is also a gateway of sorts to recreation access points in the Great Basin National Heritage Area.
After we got set up, we went out to lunch in downtown Ely at the historic Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall. We had a nice lunch in a smoke-free dining room, saw a Buffalo Nickle buffalo with silver dollar eyes on the wall, then returned to the RV after buying a few groceries at Ridley's, the local supermarket.
We will eat dinner in the RV tonight and try and get another early start tomorrow on the next leg of our trip on Highway 50, "The Loneliest Highway in the U.S" , to Fallon Naval Air Station, NV.
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 20
We slept in today then decided to take a short hike on the Mossy Cave Trail, a .8 mile out-and-back hike with a 200 ft elevation gain. The trail is inside the park boundaries but outside the park entrance area. It is right off of State Route 12, designated an "American Scenic Route" through Utah. The stream running through the canyon carries water from the East Fork of the Sevier River to the Mormon settlers in the small town of Tropic. A canal was completed in 1892, connecting the Sevier River to the Paria River, which brought much needed water to the semi-arid Bryce Valley adjacent to what is now Bryce Canyon National Park. The canal follows natural water courses and has flowed more-or-less continuously year-round ever since.
The trail continues uphill along the stream then branches off to a small waterfall in one direction and a mossy cave on the side of the hill in the other. It was a a very pretty short walk and despite the slightly warmer temperatures today, we enjoyed it and didn't have any problems.
After the walk, we drove another mile or so into the town of Tropic, so named by the early homesteaders because it was usually warmer than the surrounding area. The town is small and appears to support some agricultural and ranching activities. There are also a few of the roadside amenities you might expect to find along a fairly well-traveled road.
After that, we returned to Bryce Canyon City, the commercial area just prior to the park entrance. The area is apparently all owned by one family and just about everything is named after the nickname of the founder of the original Bryce Canyon Inn in 1906, "Ruby" Styert. Everything in the "town" is named Ruby's this-or-that (e.g. Ruby's Campground, Ruby's Best Western Inn, Ruby's Auto repair, etc.) We ate lunch at Ruby's restaurant and afterwards toured the extensive attached gift shop. The area, just outside the park entrance, is geared to the tourist trade and offers a lot of of activities visitors may want to do..
We then went back to an overlook in the park we missed yesterday, Fairyland Point. It is easy to miss because it is outside the park entrance and the sign pointing to the overlook is only visible as you leave the park. The overlook was equally as impressive as the ones we visited yesterday. Very few people were there, apparently as it is outside the park entrance - a hidden gem.
We also went back to the nearby Sunset Point overlook, hoping to catch a picture of people returning along a trail on horseback. I took the picture yesterday but inadvertently deleted it. Alas, there were no horses to take pictures of today, but I did get a picture of hikers on a high ridge trail in the canyon. On the way back to the RV park we picked up a few groceries at a nearby grocery/convenience store. After a late lunch, we had dinner in the RV and went to bed early.
We are heading NW to Ely, Nevada tomorrow as we continue our journey hone.
The trail continues uphill along the stream then branches off to a small waterfall in one direction and a mossy cave on the side of the hill in the other. It was a a very pretty short walk and despite the slightly warmer temperatures today, we enjoyed it and didn't have any problems.
After the walk, we drove another mile or so into the town of Tropic, so named by the early homesteaders because it was usually warmer than the surrounding area. The town is small and appears to support some agricultural and ranching activities. There are also a few of the roadside amenities you might expect to find along a fairly well-traveled road.
After that, we returned to Bryce Canyon City, the commercial area just prior to the park entrance. The area is apparently all owned by one family and just about everything is named after the nickname of the founder of the original Bryce Canyon Inn in 1906, "Ruby" Styert. Everything in the "town" is named Ruby's this-or-that (e.g. Ruby's Campground, Ruby's Best Western Inn, Ruby's Auto repair, etc.) We ate lunch at Ruby's restaurant and afterwards toured the extensive attached gift shop. The area, just outside the park entrance, is geared to the tourist trade and offers a lot of of activities visitors may want to do..
We then went back to an overlook in the park we missed yesterday, Fairyland Point. It is easy to miss because it is outside the park entrance and the sign pointing to the overlook is only visible as you leave the park. The overlook was equally as impressive as the ones we visited yesterday. Very few people were there, apparently as it is outside the park entrance - a hidden gem.
We also went back to the nearby Sunset Point overlook, hoping to catch a picture of people returning along a trail on horseback. I took the picture yesterday but inadvertently deleted it. Alas, there were no horses to take pictures of today, but I did get a picture of hikers on a high ridge trail in the canyon. On the way back to the RV park we picked up a few groceries at a nearby grocery/convenience store. After a late lunch, we had dinner in the RV and went to bed early.
We are heading NW to Ely, Nevada tomorrow as we continue our journey hone.
Friday, June 3, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 19
We toured Bryce Canyon National Park Today, starting off at the Visitors Center where we watched a 15 minute orientation video and toured the exhibits. Then, after a short visit to the gift shop we began our driving tour.
The park is basically long and narrow with a series of "amphitheaters" or canyons on the east side of the park. There are numerous overlooks along the 18 mile drive from one end of the park to the other where you can stop and enjoy the views and take pictures. There also numerous trails where you can hike down into and around the canyons, and in some cases take guided tours on mules or on horseback.
The spectacular rock formations in the canyons are called "hoodoos", crimson-colored spire-shaped rock formations. These tall sandstone columns were formed by erosion and geological lifting over millions of years. Here is the link to more information about the hoodoos and the geology of the park:
The National Antique Motorcycle Association was holding a national ride through three national parks in Utah and they happened to pass through Bryce Canyon today. There were lots of old guys (and gals) on old motorcycles lovingly restored. One couple I talked to was riding a 1942 Harley Davidson restored to its WW II colors.
The park is basically long and narrow with a series of "amphitheaters" or canyons on the east side of the park. There are numerous overlooks along the 18 mile drive from one end of the park to the other where you can stop and enjoy the views and take pictures. There also numerous trails where you can hike down into and around the canyons, and in some cases take guided tours on mules or on horseback.
The spectacular rock formations in the canyons are called "hoodoos", crimson-colored spire-shaped rock formations. These tall sandstone columns were formed by erosion and geological lifting over millions of years. Here is the link to more information about the hoodoos and the geology of the park:
The elevation of the park varies mostly between 8,000-9,000 ft and the rock formations are mixed with an alpine forest setting of pine, birch fir and spruce trees along with mixed underbrush vegetation.
The park is very popular with tourists and a shuttle bus service is provided to encourage visitors to use it to reduce traffic congestion. There are also two campgrounds, a general store and a hotel lodge and restaurant in the park. As in Arches National Park, there were also a lot of tour buses and visitors from other countries.
We drove to the end of the park, stopped at all the overlooks on the way back and had lunch at the hotel lodge restaurant. The weather was perfect again, sunny and temperatures in the low 80s' although it did seem hotter by the end of the day. It was another great national park visit that we thoroughly enjoyed.
The National Antique Motorcycle Association was holding a national ride through three national parks in Utah and they happened to pass through Bryce Canyon today. There were lots of old guys (and gals) on old motorcycles lovingly restored. One couple I talked to was riding a 1942 Harley Davidson restored to its WW II colors.
The park is also hosting the "16th Annual Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival" from June 1-4. The festival includes daytime and evening programs as well as stargazing after dark at a viewing station within the park. Shuttles are provided to the site to view the evening sky through telescopes set-up by astronomers attending the festival. We went to the site and made our way in the dark (no white lights were allowed) along the line of over a dozen telescopes set-up by the amateur astronomers, viewing everything from planets and stars to galaxies. It was really impressive to see how many stars are out there when you look at the sky on a clear night at 8,000 ft with no other lights visible.
We decided to not go to Zion tomorrow. It is a long drive from here (83 miles) so we will save a visit there for our next trip to the area. The plan for tomorrow is to see a little more of the park and relax a bit before leaving on Sunday.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 18
We left Moab about 8:30 AM for Bryce Canyon National Park. We backtracked up to I-70 then headed west. The first part of the trip was pretty boring with lots of open spaces and nothing else. The ride was easy however,as there was no wind and and the road was pretty straight. About two hours or so into the trip the landscape began to change as we climbed across the San Rafael Reef (a small mountain range) and entered the Fishlake National Forest. We climbed over several passes well above 7,500 ft. The rock formations were very impressive as we continued to drive around 6,000 ft occasionally climbing above 7,000 ft and descending to 5,000 ft. We eventually turned south towards Bryce Canyon and traveled between two mountain ranges until turning east to Bryce Canyon National Park, arriving about 2:30 PM.
We are staying at Bryce Canyon Pines RV Park, about 10 miles from the Bryce park entrance. The RV park is at about 7,000 ft and reminds us of the Tahoe parks we used to go to in our earlier camping days. The sites are dirt and gravel (almost level) with lots of pine trees and shade. We have full hook-ups and Internet, but no TV. The weather is perfect - high 70's, sunny and a light breeze.
After resting at the RV for awhile we went to dinner at the Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant, a Cracker Barrel-style restaurant just down the road.
The plan for tomorrow is to explore Bryce Canyon National Park as we did at Arches National Park. We are here for three nights so we are not sure what will do Saturday. It could be more Bryce Canyon, maybe a drive to Zion National Park (80 miles south) or somewhere else, or perhaps just take a day off and relax around the RV.
We are staying at Bryce Canyon Pines RV Park, about 10 miles from the Bryce park entrance. The RV park is at about 7,000 ft and reminds us of the Tahoe parks we used to go to in our earlier camping days. The sites are dirt and gravel (almost level) with lots of pine trees and shade. We have full hook-ups and Internet, but no TV. The weather is perfect - high 70's, sunny and a light breeze.
After resting at the RV for awhile we went to dinner at the Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant, a Cracker Barrel-style restaurant just down the road.
The plan for tomorrow is to explore Bryce Canyon National Park as we did at Arches National Park. We are here for three nights so we are not sure what will do Saturday. It could be more Bryce Canyon, maybe a drive to Zion National Park (80 miles south) or somewhere else, or perhaps just take a day off and relax around the RV.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Nebraska/Utah Trip 2016 - Day 17
We got an early start this morning and arrived at the Arches National Park Visitors Center just down the road at 8:00 am. We watched a 15 minute film about the park and its unique geological history and toured the exhibits in the center.
We then started our tour of the park, an 18 mile out-and-back trip along a payed road with numerous side roads, viewpoint stops and pull-outs where you can stop and take pictures of the spectacular rock formations. There is also a small campground at the turnaround point. There are also a variety of hiking trails rated accordingly as easy, moderate and difficult, some of which require permits and/or National Park tour guides.
The park is very popular. There were numerous tour buses with foreign tourists, mostly Asian as well a lot of rental RVs. We also heard a variety of other languages spoken during the day. Despite the crowd, we were able to find a parking spot whenever we stopped to take pictures. We were also able to get the pictures we wanted without a lot of other people in the way.
The arches and rock formations in the park are fantastic and after awhile, bordered on sensory overload. There are over 2,000 arches in the park, most of which you cannot see from the road. There are many you can see however, and even hike out to them if you wish to do so. We took one short "easy" hike which wasn't exactly easy for us in the bright sunshine and 90+ temperatures. The red rock arches are made of sandstone that is constantly eroding, creating a landscape that has changed over the centuries and will continue to do so in the future. Here is a link to more information about how the arches and rock formations were formed and continue to evolve:
We then started our tour of the park, an 18 mile out-and-back trip along a payed road with numerous side roads, viewpoint stops and pull-outs where you can stop and take pictures of the spectacular rock formations. There is also a small campground at the turnaround point. There are also a variety of hiking trails rated accordingly as easy, moderate and difficult, some of which require permits and/or National Park tour guides.
The park is very popular. There were numerous tour buses with foreign tourists, mostly Asian as well a lot of rental RVs. We also heard a variety of other languages spoken during the day. Despite the crowd, we were able to find a parking spot whenever we stopped to take pictures. We were also able to get the pictures we wanted without a lot of other people in the way.
The arches and rock formations in the park are fantastic and after awhile, bordered on sensory overload. There are over 2,000 arches in the park, most of which you cannot see from the road. There are many you can see however, and even hike out to them if you wish to do so. We took one short "easy" hike which wasn't exactly easy for us in the bright sunshine and 90+ temperatures. The red rock arches are made of sandstone that is constantly eroding, creating a landscape that has changed over the centuries and will continue to do so in the future. Here is a link to more information about how the arches and rock formations were formed and continue to evolve:
After finishing the driving tour and almost running out of digits in the camera, we traveled back into Moab for a light lunch. We found the Moab Brewery and we each had a bowl of soup and split an appetizer. I also had one of their craft beers which was very good.
The plan for tonight is dinner in Moab at a BBQ and Blues restaurant then maybe a free Bluegrass concert in town.
We travel to Bryce Canyon National Park tomorrow where we will stay for three nights. The weather forecast remains great with slightly cooler temperatures predicted in the Bryce Canyon area.
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