Leg 64- Nov 21- Lava Bed National Monument, CA

 

Dallas wanted to share a magical location from her childhood with EP and I.  I had been skeptical of how cool it could be until we got there; boy was I wrong.  The landscape cannot be done justice by these photos.  Of all the spots we saw on our trip, this place may have been the most phenomenal of all. Odd rock formations dagger out of a supernatural plains.  The lava beds have lava tubes which adventurous souls can explore.  We put tiny bump caps and made the most of our day. 

Leg 63- Nov 20- North Eagle Lake Campground, CA

 

This stop was planned as just a spot to rest for the night but we ended up finding a beautiful campground we had all to ourselves.  The Bounder was barely able to fit but we snuck it in.  We hiked all over which involved hiding under picnic tables, having dad bounce us from rock to rock and esoterically chasing down pinecones.  I grilled out as the temperature plunged to 9 degrees in an absolutely pitch dark campground.  Luckily the Bounder held up and we held on through one of our coldest nights. 

Leg 62- Nov 19- Verdi, CA

As we neared Reno, we realized we were kinda close to Dallas's Aunt and Uncle.  We made a few phone calls and coordinated to meet up with Karen and Larry!  A casino RV campground turned out to be an excellent halfway point for us.  We all met up to enjoy an afternoon of walks, reading stories, getting chased by babies, and beautiful vistas.  I think it was wonderful that Dallas's family and EP got to meet; EP bonded so well with both of them.  It was a wonderful night. 

 

Leg 61- Nov 18- Fernley, NV

Today was a very very sleepy day.  We all 3 were a little tired so we took an easier day.  We completed some chores (including my car getting washed which had not been cleaned since Virginia).  Sasha and I chased each other across a field and, earlier, we all 4 played on a playground. 

 

 

 

Leg 60- Nov 17- Austin, NV

We made it to our overnight, a little park which was on the uphill side of Austin, NV.  We had really gone a long way this day so we just rested when we arrived.  Sasha had been cold so we pulled out Buster's old sweater; she's been wearing it every day since. 
 

Leg 60- Nov 17- Eureka, NV

When was the last time you saw an RCA store?

We stopped in Eureka as a break where we saw the old Opera House then took a walk around town.  The town was quite cute but we saw the worst racism of the trip so far; a car with an N-word phrase on the back.  Rough. 

A train house for railroad employees

 

Leg 59- Nov 16- Great Basin, NV

Many people had told us we had to see Great Basin.  Sadly, snow had just socked in the upper reaches of the park so we couldn't visit.  We took a side hike that turned out to be quite magical.  As we crested the hill side the temperature plummeted.  EP tried to walk and just ended up trying to eat pine cones. 

 

Leg 59- Nov 15- Ely, NV

There were not many folks in Ely so we risked breakfast.  Only one place is a siren's call to me.  We had a great time at Dennys then hit up the local museum.  It was chock full of artifacts and a whole pile of major mining equipment (with a rail car from 1897). 

 

Leg 58- Nov 14- Wilderness, NV

This place is not called Wilderness.  It doesn't have a name because it really is nowhere.  We drove about 2 hours and probably saw 4 houses.  We made it to a rest area (5 picnic tables, 2 trash cans and one grill).  We set up the Bounder then detached the Cruze to head toward Lunar Crater.  Being on a dirt road with only cows around, we let EP ride watching out the window.  We made it (on a rough road), the absolute nothingness is incredble.  You can see no human activity (or cowtivity).  Only the road in and the sign for the "park".  We hiked around until the cliff got to be too much.  As the temperature plummeted, I grilled outside.  I woke up in the middle of the night to look at the sky, but sadly we hit the only overcast Nevada night we would have. 

View from Crater Rim at absolutely nature

This slope is waaaay steeper than it seems

So excited to ride at the window

Tough slope hiking with a baby

 

Leg 57- Nov 13- Alamo, UT

Today was a day of splitting.  Myles returned to the vegas airport.  I took the Cruze to St. George to pick up more RV parts while Dallas took the RV, EP, and Sasha to the next stop.  My drive got delayed by stopping to get my Flu Shot (after hearing some rough stories of flu this year).  As I came over into Nevada (you can drive on Nevada roads very fast and it's incredibly fun), I passed a town called Caliente which still had a Radio Shack and an old cool Railroad Depot.    As I finished my drive, I came into an ancient dried lakebed.  I can never really capture the majesty of these wide open views but it really stirred my soul.  I met back up with EP, Dallas and Sasha where we fixed more of the RV and had a relaxing night in. 
 

Leg 56- Nov 12- Echo Bay, NV

Myles applies Nevada

We had planned to stop and stay in Valley of Fire.  We drove through the park but, alas, they had no room at the inn.  The nearest place would be a small campground at Echo Bay.  We had no idea what to expect and, oh boy, was it odd.  The park service clearly expends huge resources of labor and water to take care of non native palm trees and oleander bushes.  Additionally, the entire region has abandoned buildings, and huge sections of watersports infrastructure that are impossible now with the water so low.  It does not seem likely to come back anytime soon. 

EP ate her tomato like that

 

Leg 55- Nov 11- Snow Canyon, UT

After Zion, we had planned to head to Snow Canyon.  We made it, but unfortunately, the park was full.  After loading our water tanks, we headed for a turn off on the local highway.  Myles offered for me to ride on the back of the motorcycle, which was a total treat especially in the gorgeous valley.  We shared our first boondocking night with Myles next to highway 18 with hardly any people around us. 

Our boondock site

 

Leg 54- Nov 11- Zion NP, UT (Part 2)

We had decided the easiest way back to where we needed to get was to take the road through Zion.  We had expected to pay a boatload of money but since it was Armistice Day we paid hardly anything.  Based on the tunnel limits, it would mean that each adult had to take one vehicle.  I drew the straw of driving a 22 year old RV through the 90 year old tunnel then down an entire switchback mountain.  I made it (after spilling all of the olive oil) and we parked all the vehicles.  We took the shuttle up and down the park seeing wonderful sights.  A short hike in the Court of the Patriarchs which was highly impressive (and absolutely empty). 

 

Leg 53- Nov 10- Zion NP, UT (Part 1)

We thought we could accomplish Zion in one day.  We we were wrong.  The drive in was so pretty across the folded landscape (and we got to see on metric buttload of Big Horned Sheep).  They crossed right near where we had parked including going around Myles.  We took the easiest trail in the park where we saw tremendous views.  EP decided she had enough riding in the carrier so she decided she wanted to be chased all the way back along the trail.  I was absolutely exhausted while she continued to run and laugh.  

 

Leg 53- Nov 9- Red Canyon, UT

We took a hike in the canyon on the way to Bryce.  This may have been my favorite hike we've done in forever.  The rock formations, the color, the lack of hardly any people was a delight.  It got cold as rain came in but we still had a wondrous time.  Each of us found something that electrified us about the terrain.  Dallas loved these twisted logs which we named Twisty Mistys.  Myles found new viewpoints and loved it.  I ran on trails that seemed to wind all over the trail.  Later that night, when we got home, EP started her new activity of building lairs.  She takes each individual item from across the RV and makes a quite difficult to assemble lair.  It is shockingly impressive. 

A Twisty Misty

Myles above, Dallas Below

EP and her lair