Nevada to Arizona

As usual, it was a very enjoyable stay at Stewart’s Point on Lake Mead.  Didn’t get to see the navy seals (?) parachuting into the lake day and night like some visits in the past, but was able to get out on the lake a bit in my new inflatable kayak!  Like always, after a week or two, I start to get itchy feet to move on, and Hailey has run out of willing mice and lizards to play with.

So, once again we packed up, and was pleased that my repair on the slide motor worked flawlessly.  We were just pulling out onto the Northshore Road, and saw a Park Ranger there (the first one I have ever seen that close to Stewarts Point).  While stopped just down the road at a picnic site talking to a couple of full-timers from Cochrane, Alberta, the Ranger went by with full lights and siren – on his way to a ‘CPR in progress’ call down at Las Vegas Bay campground.  I’ve responded to a few of those when I was back up working the National Parks at home, and they often don’t turn out well.  But in this case the AED was recommending ‘shock’, and a helicopter came out from Henderson, so I hope it was a positive result.  I pulled in to that campground on my way through for a dump and fill, and some of the responding rangers were just departing the scene.

After a bite and some fuel in Henderson, we headed across the ‘new’ bridge at Hoover dam, then on down 93 through Kingman where we joined the I-40 eastbound.  We were headed to Sedona, where some friends are spending a few months, and another friend was just showing up to do some hiking in the area.  I was ready to stop and spend the night around Williams or Ash Fork, but that is pretty high elevation, and there was snow on the ground, so kept going on to Flagstaff.  Of course, part way down the highway, in the dark, I noticed that there were NO lights on the trailer, so had to find a quick place to pull off and correct the problem with a slight adjustment to the plug.  Knowing the Oak Creek canyon on 89A was not suitable for trailers or high profile vehicles, we had to continue down to the 179 turnoff, then jog our way back up towards Sedona.  Our usual location of forest road 525 was available (yay), so pulled and and just parked for the night and set up in the morning.

It is a common balloon landing area, so first thing in the morning, we were welcomed by the intermittent roar of the propane burner as a balloon floated otherwise silently over our camp.  Photos from the bedroom window.

It wasn’t long and we were hitting the numerous trails in the area with our (local) guides and their two dogs.

Like last year, the trails were occasionally steep, and they soon had me hanging on for dear life!!

It was so scary that Hailey didn’t want to look!

Some time was spent by the campfire in the evenings, while contemplating the –20 to –30C temperatures back at home.

But once the fire was out, the night visitors come out!

A number of our hikes involved cliff dwellings …

I think the photos say it all.

A couple of thanks are in order.  Thanks to Wandering Willy, who brought down a spare modem for my satellite internet system.  The replacement seems to be working and has me back on the air, without depending on my phone or the trucks wi-fi.  Of course it has cost me a few beer!  It was a bit of a roadtrip from Sedona down to Quartzsite and back where WW was camping, but good to see the country without towing for a change.  We didn’t even have time to stop and check up on Al and Kelly from the Bayfield Bunch as we passed right past Congress on the way.  We did see the nice new trailhead for the Yarnell Firefighters memorial on the way through.  Will have to budget time to hike it next time through.

While in Cottonwood one day, I decided it was time to get the tires rotated on my truck.  I stopped at the Discount Tire shop on the road towards Jerome, and they did the whole job including re-programming the pressure sensors.  For FREE!  Thanks guys.  Take your business there!

That’s about it for now!