RV Adventures

Bryce Canyon National Park

/ marniesteve / Leave a comment

Our nation has some incredible national parks and Bryce Canyon ranks up there as one of the most unique and naturally beautiful that we’ve visited so far. Punctuated by hoodoos, massive, beautifully-colored stone columns sculpted from thousands of years of erosion, Bryce in places reminded us of the man-madeTerra Cotta warriors we saw in China. Lined up one after the other, the fluted walls can be seen from the roadside but are best explored on foot. We did both.

First we drove the length of the park using this cool app called Just Ahead, which provides GPS-guided audio narration that plays automatically as you travel down the road. We’ve used this tool before, and it really helps provide an introduction to the park and its history.

From Rainbow Point in the south we worked our way back north stopping at ten overlooks along the way. Each viewpoint was different from the last. One included a massive stone arch; another provided sweeping views all the way to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. The drive was a great way to get oriented to the park, and it helped us plan the next two days.

The next morning we were in the park by 6:00 a.m. in an attempt to avoid the heat and the crowds. We succeeded and were rewarded with a spectacular sunrise and cooler weather.

The premier hike in Bryce Canyon National Park is the Queens Garden/Navajo Loop Trail. The three mile walk took us through massive hoodoo “forests,” stone arches, and snaking switchbacks which provided incredible views of the landscape.

The hike culminates in the climb up Wall Street, a steep, narrow canyon which has been fortified with stones to support the trail. It’s a popular spot in the park, so we were glad to get in and out relatively early.

Even though it was very dry we found water at Mossy Cave. The short hike to small waterfall featured a large cave that is covered with icicles in the winter. No ice this time of year, however. In fact, many people were playing in the water. We skipped that.

One of the most appealing features in Bryce Canyon is the five mile shared-use path that runs from outside the park to Inspiration Point. We loaded up the bikes, hitched up the dogs, and pedaled the path through the forest and into the park to see the sights from another perspective.

Along the way we could see the canyon rim, the lodge, and other park features. The dogs really seemed to enjoy it. Mia, in fact, slept most of the way!

Bryce Canyon National Park is one not to miss, even though it’s not massive. You can probably do the park in a day or two, but don’t rush. The incredible views change with the time of day and with the weather. That’s why we hope to return during a different season to see it again.

The Summer of National Parks

/ marniesteve / Leave a comment

Our RV travels are underway once again, after about six weeks at home in Prescott. After our last six-month adventure on the road, we needed a little time to get caught up on “stuff.” We saw doctors, dentists, and veterinarians, took care of car maintenance, hair maintenance, and house maintenance. We bought some new kayaks for our future trips, and most importantly, we had lots of fun time with friends and neighbors.

We’re now setting out on a two-month western road trip with the goal of hitting National Parks along the way. Our first overnight stop was in Page, AZ on one of the hottest days of the year.

The Page Lake Powell campground had full hook-ups which meant we could run the A/C without problem. Luckily we have great air conditioners in the trailer and in the truck, so we survived. The heat, however, kept us from doing much exploring.

As we crossed into Utah we couldn’t help but be amazed and troubled with the low water levels of Lake Powell. We keep hearing about the great drought in the West, and this was clear evidence that our planet is shifting.

We’ve now crossed into Utah and are exploring Bryce Canyon National Park. A complete report from our time in Bryce will follow in the next few days.

In the meantime, we invite you to join us in real time with Track My Tour. Our entire trip will be chronicled day by day and you can follow along at https://trackmytour.com/Jck0C

More adventures to come!

Wildflowers of Fredericksburg, TX

/ marniesteve / Leave a comment

When we visited the Texas Hill Country last year, just prior to the start of the pandemic, we fell in love with the area. The time was February, so it was still chilly and things weren’t blooming. We’d heard wildflower season was a good time to visit, so we put it on our 2021 schedule. Those flowers did not disappoint!

We spent a week based in Fredericksburg at the Oakwood RV Resort. The central location allowed us to explore this cute German town, as well as a variety of sights that were new to us. 

One day we visited the National Museum of the Pacific War which featured an in-depth treatment of the events leading to the U.S. involvement in the Pacific theater through the end of WWII.  Admiral Nimitz, the leader of the Pacific fleet, was born in Fredericksburg and the museum sits in and around his family property. Since Dad was a Navy man in the Pacific, in Leyte Gulf, we were particularly interested in those details.  

Over several days we explored Fredericksburg’s cute downtown area and enjoyed the fabulous German pastries which abound in this town.

We also had fun poking around the many varied shops that line Main Street in Fredericksburg. We bought a few t-shirts, hats, and Bob even tried a few things on!

There are more than 50 wineries and tasting rooms located in and around Fredericksburg — not to mention dozens more wineries located within an hour or two drive of Fredericksburg. We visited just one but it was a good one. 

Das Peach Haus sits on a large orchard and features seating around a beautiful lake. It was a nice place to relax with a glass of wine and finish up a busy day of shopping.

A highlight of our return visit to the Hill Country was the Burnet Bluebonnet Festival. The cute little town of Burnet really turns out to celebrate the iconic flowers which dot the roadsides. We wandered the large vendor area, listened to some real Texas music, and soaked in the festivities. 

For some reason, bluebonnets make everyone want to have a photo shoot. We saw people pulled to the side of the road everywhere to get an iconic shot with the blooms. We had to join in on the fun!

One of our favorite activities in the Hill Country is to drop in to Luckenbach for a Lone Star. The old west ghost town was made famous by Waylon Jennings in his song, “Luckenbach, Texas – Back to the Basics of Love.” Every afternoon at 5:00 p.m. local artists gather with their guitars for a picker’s circle. The unplugged, acoustic, informal concert is always different and always fun. 

While we were in Fredericksburg we were able to snag appointments to get our COVID-19 vaccine. We opted for the one shot Johnson & Johnson shot and we are both feeling fine.

The big draw to this area was, of course, the flowers. Several times we drove the Willow City Loop, one of the famous country roads that feature abundant wildflowers. Each trip around the 13-mile loop was different, depending on what was blooming most that day. Bluebonnets, Indian Paintbrush, Primrose, Daisy, and so many more could be found in the meadows and roadsides throughout the countryside. 

We also visited the nation’s largest working wildflower farm, Wildseed Farms, which is right outside of Fredericksburg. The poppy fields were stunning, planted to commemorate World War I and to honor the service and sacrifices of our military. 

Just across the street from Wildseed is the Jenschke Orchards, which features u-pick fruit throughout the year. We were lucky to be here at peak strawberry season and took advantage of the ruby red berries that were growing in abundance. 

A week is not nearly enough time to fully explore the Texas Hill Country, and we still have a list of things to do on our next visit. For now, we are heading west towards Arizona and are looking forward to a warm reunion with family and friend