Colorado – the Rocky Mountains
There are 3,422 named mountains in Colorado. Spanning over 3,000 miles from Canada to New Mexico, the Rocky Mountains dominate Colorado’s landscape. The Rocky Mountains is considered to be one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world, and Colorado is home to some of the best of the Rockies. Home to more than fifteen separate mountain ranges, Colorado is best known as the state that houses 4,053 mountain peaks that rise more than 14,000 feet above sea level.
Reference: Peakvisor.com
August 21st, 2023
Paul left a week before me, heading to Colorado for the Overland Expo, where I will meet up with him so I don’t have to commute from LA to Denver. Below is Paul’s recount of this incredible story of kindness that we sometimes hear about but hardly witness in real life.
Angels do exist!
I had not long turned off Interstate 15 onto the more remote Interstate 70 heading east into the Fishlake National Forest area when all five lights on my CTIS (Central Tire Inflation System) started to flash indicating that something was wrong and that the tire pressures were likely not at normal highway levels. I reduced speed significantly and continued driving until I could pull off into a rest stop area to figure out what was going on. The hours went by and I could not diagnose the CTIS issue, and it became clear to me that I needed to spend the night somewhere. It was just too noisy in the rest area so I slowly drove to a National Forest access road which was close by. Having secured myself in the forest, off the road and away from sight, I settled down for the night.
The following morning, it became apparent that every time I tried to test the CTIS, the tires deflated even more such that they were now so low that BAT was basically on six flat tires. In retrospect, I should have had a manual way to air up the tires but at this time I did not have that capability. I decided that a rebuilt of the valve block that controls the air levels in the tires was the best course of action, but having removed the valve block from BAT, I realized that I was missing the correct size socket to remove a pressure sensor in the valve block. Getting frustrated after several hours of attacking this problem, I walked off towards the forest access road looking for help. I listened and heard a pickup truck approaching so I waived my hand for help. Amazingly at that moment, the driver looked left up the forest access road and saw me walking towards the road. The sound of the truck continued down the road and silence returned to my despair. But then, a few moments later, I could hear the truck turning around and making its way back to me. Jeff, the owner of the pickup truck, listened to my story and then came to see where I was parked and what problem I was facing. Fortunately, Jeff told me that even though he lived about an hour away, he would drive home and find or purchase the correct sized socket for my needs. As it turns out, Jeff is a truck driver by trade and has been stuck roadside many times himself.
Jeff returned about two+ hours later with the socket and refused any payment from me as his way of paying it forward. Jeff and I proceeded to rebuild the valve block with a kit I had in my spares, and then reinstall the block back into BAT. Unfortunately the rebuilt valve block did not fix the issue, and it was now mid afternoon or thereabouts. BAT was completely stuck siting in the forest on six flat tires. Also I was concerned about getting to Denver airport to pick up Maggie in two days’ time as I was still 500 miles away. Jeff then suggested that he would return home again (remember this is a two hour round trip for him and then he would have to drive another hour back to go home again) to find an auto part store or purchase some online for an air pressure gauge and connectors so we could air up the tires manually. I was beyond grateful and cleared up my tools and got back inside BAT since it was beginning to get cold as the evening sets in.
A few hours later, now in the late evening, BAT and I are still stuck in the forest when I receive a text message from Jeff’s wife, Kim, that they were on their way heading back to me. I waited and wondered if Jeff could even find the small access road into the forest given that it was now dark. Sure enough, Jeff and Kim found me and delivered the essential air up hose which then allowed me to manually air up all six tires using the engine air compressor as the source for air.
Mission accomplished! Jeff and Kim came inside BAT for a quick tour and to warm up since it was almost midnight, and they still have an hour drive to get back home. I thanked them both for graciously helping me so unconditionally. They are both indeed road angels! The human spirit is truly incredible for aiding one in needs.
I eventually returned to Acela in Montana who found the source of the problem and fixed it…. But that, my friends, is another story.
Thursday 8/24/23
I flown in from SNA – Denver to meet up with Paul, and then we drove straight to Loveland for the Mountain West Overland Expo in Loveland, CO.
The expo doesn’t start until Friday morning, but that evening we roamed around the expo fairground to check out the venue and started meeting other overlanders, including a couple of other Bliss owners and exchanged stories.
Friday 8/25/23
Not off to a good start on Friday as it’s been pouring rain nonstop. Paul ventured outside to ck out a few vendors and attended one seminar. I elected to stay in to reorganize all the cabinets and clean house. He came back soaking wet from the rain. It’s one of those rainy day that is just perfect with a hot cup of coffee and a good book to read. And that’s exactly what I did, I read a book.
Saturday 8/26/23
The weather is much nicer today, 76 and sunny. We walked around the expo and visited several vendors. They have such cool overlanding gears from high end expedition trucks to modified vans, trailer, rooftop tent, outdoor cooking gears, clothing, earth friendly biodegradable products, navigation equipment, etc., things that you don’t even think of, they have it there!
I was beat at the end of the day, hot and sweaty, so I came back to BAT to rest and relax while Paul stayed out for happy hour.
Sunday 8/27/23
It is much hotter today so I decided to stay indoor; had a decent lunch and painted a few watercolor pictures while Paul roamed about hanging out with his Bliss buddies.
The Expo closed at 3 pm just as the rain started to come down. We wrapped up and dump the two tanks at a nearby station, then join the Bliss rendezvous at the Wild Cider Farm.
Upon arrival, Spencer guided us to our camping spot. We had a total of 5 Bliss units all lined up in the orchard that makes quite a cool view.
Then we headed over to the Cider bar to get our drinks. I had the Spiced Apple Pie Cider and was pleasantly surprised how good it was. I have tried a few of them before, but they tasted more like beer so I was never into it. The Bliss family got a couple of picnic tables where we gathered and exchanged stories. Spencer & Roxanne are the Bliss US reps. Kim & Boyd were from San Diego, retired and moved to Durango Colorado. Todd is from Flagstaff who spoke German like a native, who said he lived there for a few years – amazing linguistic skills. Werner & Tabea are from Germany, now roaming the US the second time since they were not able to complete their tour in the first round due to Covid. We all ordered pizzas and continue with our Cider drinks. It was a beautiful evening with friendly company. We retreated to our truck as the mosquitoes were on the hunt for fresh blood. Within 20 minutes, the rain started to come down so we all got back just in time.
Monday 8/28/23
We caravan to Buena Vista, almost a 4 hour drive.
Unfortunately, mother nature greeted us with a heavy pouring rain upon arrival. We quickly found our camping spot and retreated into our living quarter.
Luckily, within a short time, the rain stopped so we came outside to socialize. Spencer started the fire ring so Roxamne can cook the chicken in the Dutch oven over the fire. We had chicken tacos, chips, salsa, Mexican stew, Posole, cooked by the multi-talented Todd. Roxanne also made fresh guacamole. Paul made his famous margarita, which was a hit. Oh soooo good!
As the night fall, so was the temperature. I had on by big Northface coat, hat & gloves to keep warm. We eventually moved to the fire pit as it was getting even colder. We enjoyed drinks and chat over the crackling fire. By 9:30 pm, we called it a night after a full day.
Tuesday 8/29/23
Paul tampered with the CTIS with the help of Todd, Werner, and Spencer early in the morning After several hours into the afternoon, they were not making progress so Paul gave up. I hung around with Bella playing Jenga with a $5 bet. If she wins, she gets $5. If I win, I get to keep my $5. Pretty fair right?!!! Unfortunately, Bella didn’t win…
I offered Bella a watercolor painting session. She’s such a fast learner, and so adorable. She had me at “hello” when I first met her at the Overland Expo. Then we played Uno, where Bella (6 year old) had to explain the rules to me. This young lady is such a good host like Mom & Dad. I’m certain she’ll become a public figure when she grows up. She’s incredibly comfortable around adults and not stuck behind electronic toys & gadgets like other children I’ve seen.
Spencer & Roxanne invited the Overland Chef to come to our campsite and cooked us a very gourmet meal: a chaceutterie board, hand made pizza, mixed Jicama salad, and a refreshing cucumber drink (non-alcoholic). We gathered around the Overland Chef trailer to socialize while Jesse & Robin prepare the meal for us. We had 4 different type of pizzas made from scratch:
- Apple blue cheese
- Iberia
- Margarita
- Spicy
And to top off the evening, we had apple pie pizza & S’mores pizza. What’s so amazing is Jesse came up with the idea out of the blue since he had some leftover apples. He asked if anyone of us had cinnamon or brown sugar. Roxanne came up with brown sugar and marshmallows, while Werner came up with the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, and Tabea came up with a chocolate bar. Jesse declared that this combination would work, so he quickly caramelized the apples in the cast iron pan, while I crushed the cinnamon cereal. He topped the prebaked pizza dough with the apples and sprinkled the marshmallows on the pizza. He flashed baked the pizza in the pizza oven and then sprinkled the crushed cereal on top. Voila, a perfect Dutch Apple pizza! But he’s not done yet. He also made the S’mores pizza, another delightful dessert that was spontaneously created on the spot. OMG, the entire experience is just exploding in my mind and so yummy for my tummy! I don’t think we can top this organic experience anywhere else.
Once again we gathered around the fire pit after dinner to keep warm and enjoyed another round of friendly chats before bedtime.
Wednesday 8/30/23
Paul woke me up around 9:30 am for a group picture before a few people take off. Like a good trooper, I got out of bed, put on some clothes, brushed my teeth and came out to greet a group of happy campers who are ready for their departure. We had a group picture taken by Robin and then bid farewell to Kim, Boyd, and Todd… until we meet again — it’s a small world right?!
The charming Bella invited us over for blueberry pancakes, how thoughtful is she at her mom’s expense. 😋
I came back to my unit to make avocado toast and coffee. Then we all met up for the group hike. The trail was beautiful with a couple of the grand vistas. We could not have asked for a more beautiful weather, sunny and vibrant colors of the earth. We had fun taking a few panoramic pictures for the group.
We came back to our camp site and had a delightful lunch provided by Jesse & Robin, and a few sides from Tabea.
I was going to take a shower but Bella asked me to play flatline with her. I waged a $5 bet knowing she would win. Well she went across the rope in 10 seconds, and I did it in 15 seconds. She won fair and square this time.
Then we played hangman and finally Uno. Bella wanted to win some more money but lost her $5 back to me. Oh she wouldn’t quit. She went back to her unit and digged out $2 from her piggy bank so she can bet with me. Her mom said “you know that’s gambling right Bella?” But that didn’t faze her. We took turn winning and losing until Spencer decided to do a group Uno. That was great fun! We actually had to stop the game to go make dinner as it was already 6:30 p.m. We had a beautiful sunset potluck tonight with wine, graced by a romantic lantern, candle lights and also the blue moon.
The evening ended with another fireside chat and laughter. Then the inevitable came, we had to bid farewell to the entire group as this is our last night together and each family will take off at different time in the morning. It was a round of big hug to our new friends and the Bliss family.
A special thanks to Spencer, Roxanne, and Bella for hosting this wonderful event, bringing together 5 families from Germany, Colorado, Arizona and California. Also big thanks to Jesse and Robin from Overland Chef for providing us a very gourmet dinner and lunch while camping in the beautiful Buena Vista wild wonder! ❤️❤️❤️
Thursday 8/31/23
I was up till 2 AM editing pictures and loading pictures into Google photo for the group. Had a bit of the late start this morning with the boiler and computer/jetpack going on/off as we switch on/off the appliances. Also took a bit of time to order parts for the boiler. We had a light late breakfast and then headed into Buena Vista historic downtown. Another charming town with shops and restaurants as people stroll along the shops, or sitting in the bakery/coffee patio enjoying their lunch. If we had more time, we would have loved to walk the town, but we have a three hour drive to Arvada to meet up with a family’s friend in the area.
We arrived in Arvada, CO at about 5 pm. Susan & Todd greeted us at their front yard as the truck pulled up. They were expecting an RV or 5th wheel but definitely not a big ass truck! After a quick greetings, we went into the kitchen to make homemade pizza. Susan has already pre-made the dough and toppings. She showed me the right flour to make a good pizza and the proper mozzarella cheese. She made everything looks so simple as she cuts the mozzarella cake in half and fed it through a food processor which grated the cheese to perfection. Then Todd came in and started to work on the dough and tossed it in the air. I thought he was joking but he said they actually took a class on making pizza. Although he’s not a pro, it was quite entertaining just to watch him. Susan has three types of paste: spicy tomato jam, regular pizza sauce, and homemade pesto sauce. Yes, you read it correctly: tomato jam! This is the first time I heard of it too and it made the pizza tastes sooo good. So I made my pizza half & half. Half tomato jam & pepperoni, and half with pesto & ham, topped with fresh basil and grated parmesan, and sprinkled with Italian herbs.
We took the pizza out to the backyard where Todd has already fired up the BBQ grill which was lined with oven bricks, so that’s the trick! Once he slides the pizza onto the bricks, it only took a few minutes to cook. The pizza came out beautifully done like a pro. And the taste? Fantastic !!! It was so gourmet that I ate the whole pizza of which I usually can only consume half the portion. We sat down in their tranquil backyard and the weather was just perfect to enjoy this delightful meal catching up on our life’s journey.
We went out to show Susan and Todd our truck and then went back to the house for the fresh peach pie. I can’t even remember when I last had a fresh peach pie. The peach tasted so delicious and full of fragrance. I seriously don’t even understand how I was able to pack in a whole pizza and the peach pie! 🍑
I had pizza twice this week and both are so unique and very tasty.
Friday 9/1/23
We said good bye to Susan & Todd about 10 AM and headed out. Traveling south to La Veta, CO to visit an old friend, Greg, a colleague that I’ve known for over 30 years. It was a four hour drive in the hot and dry weather with tempt of 97 degree. Greg owns and manages the La Veta Pines RV Park here after a long term career in aerospace. We arrived at the RV park about 4pm. As we approached the park, I can see Greg coming out to guide us into our parking space. As soon as I opened the door, Greg smiled and said “what a beast!”
We checked in, unwind a bit, and it was ice cream social hour hosted by Greg & Leesa. We met another couple from San Diego and exchanged some stories. Then they excused themselves to go to the “Art Walk” downtown La Veta. We were lucky to have Greg be our local tour guide and walked us into town and visited a few galleries with art work from local artists or artists from across Colorado. After the walk, we ended up in the La Veta Mercantile — a unique gift shop that serves drinks and a small theater that hosts local artists that perform on the weekends.
La Veta is a small town near Colorado Spring with a population of about 800 people. It’s the kind of town where everyone knows each other… seems like a quaint and friendly town so far.
Saturday 9/2/23
Laundry day. After we put all the laundry away, I hung out with Greg, catching up on what transpired in our lives after retirement. Looks like we both did a lot of traveling, and in some cases, went to the same destinations .
Paul and I invited Greg and Leesa out to dinner at the Legends, sharing our travel stories, having a good old time.
Then we went back to camp so Greg can host movie night with S’mores. We watched “Second Hand Lion” with Robert Duval and Michael Canes, quite a heart warming movie.
I really like the entertainment concept that La Veta Pines RV Park has established. Ice Cream Social, Movie Night, and tomorrow, there will be a concert with a female western singer. They have something different every night for their guests that bring people closer together.
Sunday 9/3/23
Today is “adventure” day! We took our ebikes onto a dirt road as recommended by Greg to check out Lover’s Leap, part of the Spanish Peaks. It’s been over a year since I rode the Ubco ebikes. It was nerve racking to ride on this dirt/gravel road as the front tire felt like it doesn’t have traction and want to spin uncontrollably. After a while, I was a bit more comfortable with the bike until we climbed up a hill. The bike could not move forward even though it was on full throttle. I had to get off the bike and tried to walk it up the hill. It was not an easy task as the bike weights 116 lbs. After a few incidents of this problem, I told Paul about it. We switched bike so he can check it out. Well he experienced the same problem and had to walk the bike uphill too. He said it seems the bike thermo indicates that it’s overheating. We got to Lover’s Leap, took some pictures and check out the Spanish Peaks towering vertically over the canyon with a river/creek runs through it. Looking down from here, we can see a few cabins along the creek, known as Small Kansas.
On our way out, Paul finally figured out the problem with my bike. One of the cable was disconnected from the rear tire forcing the bike to run on one engine, which caused the overheating condition. Once corrected, the bike was perfectly fine.
We made it back on the main road and as I thought we were heading back to camp, Paul said we’re not finished yet. We’re going to ride into Cuchara, a popular tourist town, which is 11 miles away. I really hesitated because that’s a 22 miles round trip in the bike, and I had very low confidence of riding the bike in the main road. Paul said “c’mon you can do it, that town has lots of shops and restaurants.” Somehow I mustered up the courage and gave it a try.
The paved road was much easier to travel on that I even accelerated to max speed of 30 MPH. It was a little scary as it was a one lane road and we were slowing down vehicles behind us in the 45 MPH speed limit zone. I pulled off the road several times to let these vehicles passed by. We finally made it to Cuchara, and before we can turn into town, the rain was pouring down. We quickly took refuge in the giftshop and then walked around town buying souvenirs. We had an early dinner at the Dog Bar & Grill restaurant to relax and ride out the rain.
By the time we left, the weather was fine and we rode back to camp safely. We were exhausted from the long ride today as we left about 11 am and came back about 5 pm. My shoulders were aching from the tension of riding on the main road. In fact, Greg was worried about us and asked around if they saw 2 people on ebikes because we should have been back hours ago. He was happy to see us back at camp.
Although it was an adventurous day, I actually had a lot of fun and built up more confidence to ride the ebike.
Greg & Leesa hosted a country music night featuring Patty Clayton, singer and songwriter. It was a good show but we were tired from the bike ride beaten down by the wind, sun, and rain so we turned in early for the night.
Monday 9/4/23
Happy Labor Day!
In observance of Labor Day, I decided to have a “do nothing day!” and moped around inside BAT. Well I did do 2 small loads of laundry…
I came over to the office to pay for an extra night of camping at the La Veta Pines RV Park and ended up chatting with Greg, reminiscing about the good old days and not so good days at RTX. We chatted for a couple of hours about work, family, business, retirement, etc.
Later that evening, Greg picked us up to have dinner at his house. What a beautiful property on a hilltop. Upon entering the driveway, a few deer were wandering around, chomping down on the grasses. The noise from the pickup truck didn’t even faze them. They just looked up to see what was going on and then went right back to eating like they can’t be bothered.
We had tacos for dinner, margarita and key lime pie. One of Leesa’s friend, Emily, also joined us for dinner. Leesa and Greg told us stories about campers at their RV Park. He said 98% of the campers are fine and the other 2% makes great stories to share.
Some of the stories were hilarious! Then Emily said “at 8:45, we have to go see the Starlink Satellite Train!” When the time came, we went out to the front yard and sure enough, it is the coolest thing to see in the dark night sky, a train of satellites was moving in a straight formation, but not connected. It looks like a string of fairy lights in the sky. We were snapping pictures and tried to count how many satellites were on this train; looks like there were 20. And as they moved above our heads, they suddenly disappeared into the vast night sky. Later on Emily googled the info and found that they didn’t really disappeared but rather at a certain angle, they didn’t reflect the lights from the sun, that’s why we couldn’t see them anymore. That was a very cool experience! Too bad our phone camera was not able to capture the images very well to really depict the the satellite train properly.
Tuesday 9/5/23
We took a stroll downtown La Veta, picked up a package from the post office, and then checked out the town from store to store. Of course we went into Charlie’s Market for a malt and some groceries.
There were a couple of real estate offices so we window shopped a few properties. The prices are unbelievably affordable — a 38 acres with ~ 3,400 sqft house for $520K – WOW!
We bid farewell to Greg and Leesa that evening as they have to go out of town since we wouldn’t have a chance to say good bye the next morning. They were amazing hosts in every which way. We hope to catch up with them again in the near future.
Wednesday 9/6/23
The Great Sand Dunes National Park is only 70+ miles away from La Veta so it didn’t take long for us to arrive at the park. We stopped by the Visitor Center to gather info and buy some souvenirs as it’s our way to contribute to the national park system.
Excerpt from the Greatdunes.com website: “On the eastern side of the remote, high-mountain San Luis Valley, between the Blanca Massif and Crestone Needle, are the Great Sand Dunes, the tallest sand dunes in North America. The dunes cover approximately 39 square miles and rise to almost 750′ above the valley floor.
The dunes are the product of the wind and rain eroding the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo Mountains that ring the San Luis Valley. They have collected here because the prevailing winds across the valley blow in this direction. But here, at the foot of the mountains, the wind has to drop some of its load of sand in order to clear the mountains. So over the course of millennia, the dunes have built up to where they are today. And tomorrow they will be different because the wind still blows and still moves and deposits more sand here.”
We parked at the trail head, had a late lunch while waiting for the weather to cool down and the sun to fade and cast more shadows on the dunes in order for the pictures not to be washed out from the bright sun.
By 4:30 pm, we started the hike out to the dunes. The wind was stronger than expected but it helps cool us down from the blazing sun. The hike became increasing difficult as our feet sink into the sands and the wind sweeping across the dunes like a sand storm. We were huffing and puffing ascending along the spine. As we gain in elevation so was the wind speed. We are completely exposed to the element and the wind is swirling in several directions that I had to stand with my back against the wind until it blows over.
Not long after a few more uphill battles, I decided to head back as the wind kicks up so much sand that was irritating my eyes and allergies. I went back to base camp while Park tried to conquer a few more slopes. By 6pm, we packed up and headed to Zapata Falls for our camping spot before nightfall.
We made it there just as the sun was setting on the horizon. In the distance, a huge haze of smoke from a wild fire nearby draping across the valley which made the sun an unusually intense red color;. I didn’t have a chance to snap a picture of this dramatic scenery since we’re still looking for our camp site before it gets too dark.
We finally settled in, had dinner, washed up and shut down for a much needed night rest.
Thursday 9/7/23
We had a nice and easy day today. After a late breakfast, we went for a hike to see the Zapata Falls, a secluded 25-foot waterfall sheltered in a rocky crevasse. When we got to the trail head, the sign said in order to see the waterfall, you’ll have to wade water at the end of the trail as it snakes into a cave like structure. Hmmmm…
As we hiked up the trail, we saw a couple coming out and asked if they had to wade through water to the falls. Luckily, they said you can hop on the stones across the creek so you don’t have to get wet. When we were almost to the creek, we saw another person walked out completely soaked. We asked the same question, and he responded “I jumped in the water, it was refreshing!” LOL, we thought he got wet just to cross the creek to see the falls.
We’ve arrived. Crossing the creek wasn’t easy as you have to balance yourself on uneven and pointy stones from one section to the next. Now we see why they said it is a hidden water falls. On the very last part of the trail, the water was knee-deep, so if you really want a full frontal view of the falls, you’ll have to get wet. We weren’t prepared for that, so we leaned into the cave, while balancing our feet on the stones to snap a few pictures of the falls and declared victory. Woohoo, we did it!
On the way out, we can see the entire San Luis valley and the sand dunes situated against the mountain.
Excerpts from the Colorado.com website:
“The parking lot alone is worth the visit to Zapata. Views of the Great Sand Dunes are breathtaking, as layered dunes build against the base of the Sangre de Cristos to the north. Straight to the west across the San Luis Valley are the sharp volcanic domes of the San Juan mountains. A good time to visit is during sunrise or sunset when subtle pink, purple and gold tones radiate from the landscape.”
We hiked back to camp, had a late lunch. I gave Paul a haircut, cleaned up and relax the rest of the evening.
Friday 9/8/23
We knew it’s going to be a long day today going to Black Canyon of Gunnison so we had an earlier start than usual. The journey is only 200+ miles but it took us almost 7 hours to get to the south rim camping area, mostly due to construction traffic and one stop in Gunnison for groceries. On the way out of the groceries store, the GPS took us onto a dirt road of which we would have to do 70 miles on it to the Black Canyon. It didn’t look right so we stopped and asked a parked pickup on the side of road and he confirmed that was the wrong direction. We had to double back into town and get on hwy 50W.
We finally got to the south rim campground and drive through Loop C since it was on a first come first serve basis. Oh dear, each camp spot was very narrow and short. You literally have to park on the side of the road. BAT can barely fit into one space but we would have to put our stairs onto the road. Disappointed, we were thinking of driving into Montrose, about 20+ miles away to get a proper campsite. On the way out, we decided to try Loop B just in case. We found one decent spot and decided to camp there for the night since we were too tired to drive further. When we looped back to that spot, the Camp Host just got off his cart and about to put up the sign “Reserved” onto the camp spot we were going to pull in. Urgh!!! Luckily, the kind gentleman said we could camp in site 10B even though it was marked as “Closed” with red cones in front of the drive way. We were so sooo thankful for his help.
We got in and call it a day. I was so tired, I stretched out in bed trying hard not to fall asleep, but managed to get up and made dinner at 7pm.
Saturday 9/9/23
Since we had a long ride yesterday, I wanted to hike to a few viewpoints today to stretch my legs. Hiking in 82 degree temperature with dry heat wasn’t such a great idea. We managed to see the Tomichi, Gunnison Point, and Visitor Center. Lots of interesting facts and info at the Visitor Center along with another great viewpoint of the canyon there.
The hike back was treacherous, not because of the terrain, but because of the uphill climb and the heat. We are seriously out of shape. Thinking back on the Angels Landing trail at Zion’s National Park that we hiked in 2014, there’s no way we can do it today, although I was in much better shape then….
We finally got back to our campsite, hot and sweaty. After cooling down a bit, I did a little more reading, but felt compelled to paint since I saw a really nice watercolor painting in the Visitor Center. It’s always relaxing for me to paint. The outcome doesn’t always turn out great, but the process is very enjoyable.
After dinner Paul asked if I wanted to go back out to some of these viewpoints to take sunset pictures of the canyon. I opted out, too lazy to put on all the gears again.
Sunday 9/10/23
The South Rim has 12 viewpoints spanning 7 miles long. Since this Loop is not achievable on foot and BAT is too big, we took the Upco bikes so it’s easier to stop and go at each viewpoint. It is much more pleasant today with the slightly cooler temperature and the easy ride on the bikes. Some viewpoints require a little hike, but not too bad.
We managed to hit all the viewpoints today, each offers a little different perspective of the canyon. Overall a great experience and enjoyable day out.
On the way back, we stopped at the Tomichi Point since it has a data signal so Paul can track his package delivery to a local post office. Paul said he had his mouth opened during the ride, a bug flew in and bit him on the tongue before he had a chance to spit it out. His tongue quickly got swollen on one side. I urged him to go by the Visitors Center since it was nearby and see what advice the rangers have for him. This big boy was embarrassed to see a ranger?!! The ranger said unfortunately the medic team is out on a search and rescue mission and they don’t have anything to dispense for him. He said if the swelling isn’t better by tomorrow, do seek medical attention in the nearby town, Montrose .
When we got back to base camp, I gave Paul an allergy pill to see if it would help. Will see how it goes tomorrow.
Don’t y’all wanna ask why Paul had his mouth opened while riding the ebike?!!! He doesn’t know either!
Monday 9/11/23 (Newly Updated)
We drove into Montrose to retrieve a package at the post office and notice the flag was at half mass. Who died? Paul asked. Then it dawned on us it’s 9/11. It’s not that we don’t remember 9/11; it’s because we don’t look at the calendar to see what day/date it is most of the time. We shall never forget what happened on that fateful day in history… a moment of silence and remembrance to all the victims and all the heroes on 9/11.
Our next destination was planned for Goblin Valley State Park in Utah. Seeing that it’s 200+ miles away, we didn’t want a repeat of the trek to the Black Canyon and get exhausted upon arrival. We decided to do some laundry in town, dump, refuel and look for another destination half way to Goblin Valley. Paul found the Colorado National Monument some 80 miles away en route to Goblin Valley so that’s where we’re heading. Since this wasn’t planned ahead of time, we don’t even know if there’s a campground as we haven’t had any cell signal for the last 3 days. Upon arrival at the park’s gate, we saw a ranger and asked him about camping here. He said there’s a campground 20 miles into the park. Seeing our big rig, he offered to escort us through the tunnel as it was a half-moon tunnel with 10 feet height on the side and 16 ft height in the middle, which means we had to drive in the middle of tunnel. Now, how cool is that to be escorted by the Park Ranger?!
Not having done any research for this park, and not knowing what to expect, the 20 miles into the park was a constant climb and twist and turns. Being on the passenger side, all I see is cliffs and more cliffs. This is supposed to be the “park’s scenic drive with inspiring views of sheer-walled cliffs, deep canyons, and towering monoliths…” but my anxiety didn’t allow me to enjoy this landscape. Perhaps when we have had our decent rest and come back out on a bike ride, I would feel differently.
By the time we arrived at camp, it was approaching 5pm. Too late for the Visitor’s Center, but there’s always tomorrow. I was stressed out from the winding road so I passed out in bed until about 7pm. Paul woke me up for a little walk before dinner. It was quite pleasant outside and we do have a great view of the rockies from our camp site.
Tuesday 9/12/23
Chores day. Paul’s second attempt at fixing the CTIS did not materialized. He was able to fix the automatic window on his side, which is somewhat a redemption for him. I stayed indoor to catch up with some of the e-chores.
We took a walk around the campground via Loop C in the early evening and discovered the grand view of the canyon, the “Heart of the World,” without having to hike or bike to see the views of the various named monoliths such as Kissing Couple, Independence Monument, Praying Hands, Pipe Organ, etc.
Wednesday 9/13/23
Excerpts from the Colorado National Monument pamphlet: “Inch by inch, foot by foot. All around you, this dramatic landscape is always changing. Earth’s powerful forces and past climates built the land up; erosion continuously wears it down. They tell a spectacular story of our dynamic planet. “
Another adventure on the ebikes today. We rode along the Rim Rock Drive and pulled over at every overlooks with spectacular panoramas – the sheer wonders of the Colorado Plateau. It is truly amazing what Mother Nature can create. The carving of each Monument is truly a work of art.
The weather is very pleasant today. The slight breeze, the warm sun, the sound of nature and the grandeur of this canyon all came together as a masterpiece of the earth’s delightful symphony. It’s so good to be alive and be present in this moment of wonder.
Thursday 9/14/23
Commute Day. We stopped by the Colorado Welcome Center in Fruita to refill our water tank which is almost empty. Surprisingly, the Western Slope Vietnam War Memorial Park is on the same campus. I walked around the memorial to see the various inscriptions and displays; suddenly, the motion sensor triggered the song “Painted Black” by the Rolling Stones accompanied by a short narration of this memorial. “While the song “Paint It Black” was not written about the Vietnam War, it has great meaning for many combat veterans from that war. The depression, the aura of premature death, loss of innocence, abandonment of all hope are perfectly expressed in the song” as noted by a writer, Bill, from SongFacts.com.
My emotion sensor was also triggered, tugging at my heart string, as I was a Vietnam War survivor. I went into the Colorado Welcome Center just to see what they have inside and was greeted by an elderly gentleman, asking if I needed any help. I told him I was just browsing at the various brochures, and complimented about the Vietnam War memorial. He said he was a Vietnam veteran and his name is on the wall there. I thanked him for his service and sacrifices. He started telling me a couple of stories about the war that made me choked up, wiping away my tears. He must have felt bad so he stopped and turned our conversation back to Colorado…
We left the center and continued our journey to Goblin Valley State Park. We weren’t able to get a camp site within the park, but luckily we found a BLM site outside the park and camped there for the night.
Friday 9/15/23
We arrived at Goblin Valley with just a short drive into the park. Excerpts from the Goblin Valley State Park pamphlet: ” From deposits laid 170 million years ago by a vast inland sea, Goblin Valley State Park was sculpted by forces of nature. Today, thousands of other worldly stone gnomes inhabit the valley, evidence of this land’s unique geologic legacy. These uniquely shaped goblins lure visitors to join them in their desert playground. “
Before we got here, I saw some pictures of Goblin online and had low expectations for this park, and I was trying to dissuade Paul not to visit this park. But to my surprise, when we got to Valley 1 and started hiking down, I was tickled in amazement. It is a huge valley with tons of hoodoos in various shapes and forms. All you need is just a little imagination and you can see all kind of figurines such as caterpillar, a dog, a turtle, an armored soldier, a frozen city lost in time… It was so much fun to hike around the valley and discover nature’s finest creations, shaped by wind and rain.
Paul’s acquaintance sent him the coordinate to check out the Mars Desert Science Station nearby so we thought we’d give it a go since it was only about 30+ miles away. There’s no tours available but you can drive by and see it from the road. Well, the last 4 miles was a very rough dirt trail and the landscape was just a very dry desert. We didn’t want to do 4 miles on this dirt road after about a mile into it, worrying about the tires and road condition so we decided to turn around. Paul wanted to just park there for lunch so he can experience the feeling of being on Mars-like. There was nothing to look at, just dry desert all around. I’m sure y’all curious about this area, so I’ll post a picture so you can see…
On the way out, we see that we were about 30 miles from the Capitol Reef National Park so we headed there. We arrived at about 4:30 pm looking for a campsite, but of course it was all full since it’s the weekend.
Disappointed we drove out of the park looking for a campground, and stumbled upon a national forest site just 6+ miles away. It was perfect for a couple of nights so we can explore the park the next day. What a day full of surprises!
Saturday 9/16/23
Another adventure day exploring Capitol Reef on the ebikes. Riding the bike at max speed of 30 MPH on a 55 MPH highway was nerve racking for me, but I made it. First stop at Goosenecks Overlook with an expansive panoramic view of the vast and colorful landscape. Then we entered the park and rode the 8 mile scenic drive that offers breathtaking views of the Waterpocket Fold.
I thought this park is similar to Valley of the Gods but it’s actually a lot more lively here, especially riding through the Fruita Historic District with several orchards lining that area.
On our way back, Paul wanted to explore a dirt trail branching off from the scenic drive. I opted out and rode back to the Visitor Center while Paul ventured off.
We made it back to our campsite in the late afternoon. My shoulders were so sore and stiff from all the tensions of riding the bike on the main highway.
Sunday 9/17/23
Paul wanted to take the bike back into the park to do some hiking. After that long ride yesterday, I just wanted to have a down day and relax. Paul went solo and I stayed in, sleeping in, oh yeah!!!! I did clean house a bit though.
Monday 9/18/23
Knowing that Bryce Canyon is a popular national park, we had an early start today to ensure we can find a camping spot inside the park. Upon entry, we were directed to the Sunset Campground which operates on a first come first serve basis. We were awarded from the early arrival. The camp host, Lorraine, after seeing “the tank”, she was kind enough to escort us to a campsite that was big enough for BAT. We were so lucky with this spot as it is very close to the main road to catch the shuttle throughout the park.
After settling into our site, we took the shuttle to the Visitor Center and discovered that Bryce is celebrating its centennial, 100 years establishment as a national park! We had to get the centennial t-shirt to commemorate this event.
Excerpts from the NPS.gov website:
“Nature’s Fairyland: A Century of Wonder
A lot has happened here in the last 100 years: the rim of the Bryce Amphitheater has retreated an average of 22 inches, 18,000 freeze and thaw cycles have shaped and toppled countless hoodoos, the sun has risen 36,889 times over Thor’s Hammer (not to mention innumerable stars every night), a beloved national park was created, and perhaps you got to see it for the very first time. Rangers like to call a person’s first view their “Bryce Moment”: when the forested plateau rim suddenly gives way to a vast, sublime and chromatic expanse. Some have described it as “a cave without a ceiling”, others “a forest of stone” or “red painted faces”. What do you see in this landscape? What words could ever do it justice?”
So here I am, first time visitor, long awaited and overdue, I will have to think of how I can sum up my impressions of my “Bryce Moment”….
Tuesday 9/19/23
Today will be an easy hike. We trek the rim trail from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point. As we approach the Sunset Point from the rim, both Paul and I were in awe! A spectacular & magnificent panoramic view of the canyon perfectly carved in red sandstone was beyond words to describe the overwhelming reaction we have for Bryce. This is “the Bryce Moment” that the park rangers described for first timer. We didn’t want to move from this spot; we just wanted to stand there and absorb this viewpoint as there was so much to take in. “Wooooow” is all I can say as this imagery is absolutely explosive for the brain to process.
We meander to Sunrise Point and continue to inhale this earthly wonder. I think we took the most number of pictures at Bryce in comparison to all the national parks we’ve done on this trip.
Afterward, we hopped on the shuttle to Bryce Point. The amphitheater here is another breathtaking viewpoint. People were roaming every which way to take pictures and videos, as they should, and so did I. Our final stop for the day was at Inspiration Point. Another spectacular viewpoint. What a day we’ve had, perfect weather, amazing park, excellent hike!
The Park Services did an extraordinary job in maintaining this park, so well organized and clean. We truly appreciate the shuttle service to help us get around the park easily and efficiently.
Wednesday 9/20/23
We met a gentleman visiting from Yellowstone yesterday who tipped us off about the hike to the Queens Garden Trail. Based on advice from the Park Ranger, we should hike from the Sunrise Point to Sunset Point (a different loop from the trail we were on yesterday) as the trail in the reverse order is much steeper descending into the canyon can cause twisted and sprained ankle.
Just seeing the trail from above at the viewpoints yesterday already gave me anxiety overnight. I was trying to think of excuses to not make this hike today as it’s about a 2 miles hike with very steep slopes. But I knew Paul wouldn’t let me off the hook so I courageously (unwillingly) took the challenge. As we arrived at the trail head, I took a deep, deep breath. Then Paul asked: “ready?” Like can I say “no” at this point? So we marched forward… The viewpoint continually changes as we hiked along the trail descending into the canyon.
While enjoying the scenery immensely, I also thought “man, hiking back up on the other end is going to be a bitch!” Even though there are a lot of hikers on this Queens Garden Trail, at certain section of the trail, there was only the two of us immersed in this wonderland with the sounds of nature and the sounds of our footsteps leaving footprints here. We finally found the Queen Victoria hoodoo. Someone really had a great imagination naming this hoodoo because it truly looks like the statue of Queen Victoria.
Here she is, in all her glory, Queen Victoria:
Well, I found and named a few hoodoos myself: the Virgin Mary, the Chinese Prince, the Buddhist Monk, etc….
So the inevitable moment came where we had to hike back up. Yes, it is as treacherous as I thought it would be. We went from steep to very steep on the ascend. We had to stop often to catch our breaths. Towards the last section of the trail, I can see the zig zag trail leading up to the top of the canyon. Although this section is not as long, it reminds me so much of the Walter’s Wiggles trail leading up to Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park.
And finally, we did it! Woohoo!!! Hot, sweaty and dehydrated, but it felt rewarding that I achieved another great hike and height, overcame my anxiety and fear. Oh it felt great!
We rewarded ourselves by going to the Pizzeria by the Lodge and stuffed ourselves with the Supreme Pizza after burning off some calories from the hike.
There wasn’t enough dining tables as this place was very crowded. We saw a lady who was about to finish her salad and asked if we could share a table with her. She, Jennifer, graciously agreed. We had some pleasant exchanges and found out that she’s been to South Africa three times. She shared many great stories from her adventures and videos of her safari trip, walking among the lions (yes she did!) Very inspirational. She offered her contact info in case we want to make a trip to South Africa; she would give us tips and pointers. Very nice and friendly lady.
So ends another perfect day at Bryce Canyon National Park!
“Bryce Canyon’s serene vistas are deceptive; the landscape is never static…. At Bryce Canyon, the forces of weathering and erosion never rest, not even for a day. This dynamic, mesmerizing place is like no other. ” Excerpts from the park’s pamphlet.
Summing up Bryce Canyon after having several Bryce Moments: to be alive and to play in nature’s wonderland, to breathe, touch and feel the earth’s marvel, sun kissed, brushed by Bryce’s soft breezes, leaving footprints in the canyon, while getting Bryce imprinted in my heart and soul, how can anyone asks for more. If you need a dose of gratitude or a refill, this is where you go! I am truly blessed in every aspect of life! Thank you Bryce for these wonderful moments and memories.
Thursday 9/21/23
We left Bryce a lot earlier than usual since our battery was running critically low because we have not had much solar energy parking under the trees for the last three days, and the Camp Host did not allow us to start the engine, which serves as a generator to charge our battery. The battery level was so low, we couldn’t even make a cup of coffee in the truck. When we got outside of the park, we were able to park and have breakfast after a decent amount of charging the battery from driving.
We arrived at Nebo Market in Nephi on the way to Salt Lake City to buy some groceries and camp for the night. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, a gentleman approached the truck on Paul’s side and remark what an awesome truck BAT is. While we were shopping inside the market, he approached us again, introducing himself as Kyle and suddenly offered for us to park the truck at his place just about a mile down the road. We were pleasantly surprise that a complete stranger, whom we hardly had a conversation with, except for a little greeting from the parking lot. He provided his contact info in case we wanted to take up his offer. Weighing our options, park at the noisy market overnight, or at someone’s house? Slam dunk! Paul texted Kyle and informed him we were heading over after the groceries shopping.
Kyle and Julie came outside to greet us as BAT pulled up. We parked on the gravel next to the garage. We invited Kyle and Julie inside to have a glass of wine/beer. We chatted for almost an hour about the truck and travels here and there. It turns out Kyle is quite a professional artist (hobby) with oil painting, pencil, and other medium. His artwork is quite impressive. If I compare my artwork to his, it’s like a fifth grade level vs professional level.
Friday 9/22/23
The next morning, before taking off, Paul texted Kyle to say good bye. Kyle said his wife has something for us so give them a few minutes. They both came out and Julie gave us a bag of bright cherry tomatoes, and a couple of cucumbers all from her garden. But best of all, Julie said she loves to sew and has a little business on the side and presented me with a beautiful apron that she has made. I was sooo speechless and thanked her with a big hug. OMG, this couple is truly so wonderful. They offered us a place to camp and sent us off with gifts?!!! But that’s not all, Kyle offered us to camp at their house on our way back if we needed a place to camp overnight. Despite all the bad press you see on the news and social media across the country, Kyle and Julie represent the true spirit of America! I hope we can repay their kindness some day.
We stopped by Fort Laundry in Provo to do laundry. When we were finished, Paul didn’t feel well so we found the Utah Lake State Park nearby and camped for the night. Hopefully, he feels better tomorrow so we can continue on our journey to the Great Salt Lake the next day.
Saturday 9/24/23
Stopped by Costco to pick up food and supplies.
Camped at Cabela’s in Lehi, UT, the most expensive “free parking” since I went shopping there and spent some $$$. But it was really worth it to get some retail therapy while living on the road. 😁
Sunday 9/24/23
The commute to the Great Salt Lake State park was an easy one; it only took us less than an hour to get there. Paul is still sick with a fever. I coined him and he went back to bed after lunch. I enjoyed the afternoon with my watercolor — painted a few sceneries of the places we have visited. It’s addictive and very relaxing for me.
As the sunset, I walked around the Marina to capture some pictures of the great salt lake, one of the highest salt content on earth . I talked to a couple of ladies who have swam in the lake. They said the water temperature is a bit on the cool side but bearable . Hmmmm… dare I float here? Maybe tomorrow?
Monday 9/25/23
Paul felt better today so we went to the Visitor’s Center, which was just a few yards from our parking space. It’s a small center but has lots of information about the area.
Did you know: (info from the park)
The Great Salt Lake is the largest remnant of ancient Lake Bonneville left in the Great Basin and the largest lake west of the Mississippi River. It is one of the saltiest bodies of water on earth and more than four to eight times saltier than the ocean.
Why is the lake so salty? Three major rivers flow into the Great Salt Lake. However, as a terminal lake, it has no outlet. Water escapes only by evaporation, leaving natural salts and minerals behind. Over the past 10,000 years, more than 4 billion tons of salt has collected in the lake.
The earth’s saltiest bodies of water:
- Dead Sea 33% salt
- Great Salt Lake north 25% salt
- Great Salt Lake south 14% salt
- Ocean 3.5% salt
We walked around the marina and the beach. It’s a small recreational area, but quite scenic. I chickened out and didn’t float on the lake as the weather was a bit cold for me.
The beauty of traveling the world is a tremendous learning experience from the people, culture, way of life, food, sightseeing and absorbing knowledge by immersing yourself in connecting the sight to the history behind it, including stories told by the locals. Not everything has to be facts and data, the people and the stories are so much more colorful and interesting than reading about a place or watching a youtube video. You have to be there to experience it first hand.
Salt Lake was my last stop and then I headed home, leaving Paul unsupervised on the road. I feel bad taking off, but I also believe Paul does enjoy to the road without me restraining him from exploring. Paul headed north to Montana to take care of the CTIS problem that he encountered at the start of the trip.
Endless Trail Expeditions 