My Life and Travels
Drove back to Monument Valley to look around the gift shop at the valley edge and to take the 16 mile drive out into the valley. We had taken guided jeep tour back in 2007 and this time we have a vehicle we can take ourselves.
Also on Monday night the weather (no wind) and the people (no one running around with flashlights or driving in or out of the park) combined so I could take some night time pictures.
The wind blew hard all day in the 20 to 30 mph range but up to 50 mph gusts. We stayed inside the coach all day.
We drove over to Monument Valley this morning and did a little shopping. Didn’t find very much most of the individual stands at the entrance to Monument Valley were closed/empty. A lady at one of the shops said the vendors and the management who is running the building are not getting along and the management company has locked out most of the venders. We didn’t stay at Monument Valley very long, the wind was coming up and I did not close the slides on the coach before we left.
Here are some Gooseneck State Park pictures:
Fishing:
While we were in Montana this Spring my wading boots were wet the whole month and a half we were there. When we got to the big house I made some 12 volt boot driers.
This is where I put them when I wanted to dry them.
Today’s drive:
We drove the longer way to Gooseneck because I wanted to check on a gas station we saw a couple of weeks ago to get propane. Good thing we stopped today because the station has propane but not the adapter to fit our coach, we need propane before Albuquerque.
Campsite view
Parked right on the edge for 4 nights.
Do have some weak internet here.
Here are some pictures from today’s drive:
It is hot today 102 here and tomorrow 105 is the current forecast. The plan is to go to Lees Ferry / Marble Canyon for a couple of days than on to state park north of monument valley.
I think we may try to get into Jacob Lake FS Campground on the north side of the Grand Canyon. The elevation is 5000 plus. They always have some drop in sites and we will try for an open one.
Today’s drive 118 miles
In site 12, pull through on far side of the hill from the cell towers, did not get internet until sun was almost down.
We also got a new battery for the pickup. When we got here the battery voltage was 11.9. It is only 4 years old but I don’t want to take a chance. I put a voltage meter in the pickup so I would know if was having any voltage leaks. If the battery goes dead while it is in tow mode it has to go to a Ford dealership to reprogram the transmission. At 102 degrees in the shade I decided to go to Interstate Battery and have them put it in. When we got back to the Campground after running a bunch of errand the voltage was at 12.6 right where it belongs.
We are still in Richland enjoying the Garcia’s hospitality. Tanya and Mike are taking a short vacation so Jean and I are taking care of Bryn and Jack for a couple of days.
I have drafted out our fall trip from the big house to Navajo Dam. The current plan is to leave August 21 and arrive at Navajo Dam on September 11 for two weeks of fishing. Then it is on to Albuquerque, NM for the balloon fiesta. Then someplace and back to the big house in time to see the Village’s production of “The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee” in Everett before it closes on November 17th, we can purchase tickets starting August 7. Brian is playing the school principle.
60 miles – Salmon Cove Group Campsite on Hwy 410, WA
150 miles – Hermiston Rest Stop, ID
330 miles – Bliss Rest Stop, east of Glenns Ferry, ID
300 miles – Pony Express Rest Stop, north of Ely, NV
235 miles – Virgin River Canyon Campground, I-15, AZ
170 miles – Lees Ferry, AZ
190 miles – Gooseneck State Park, UT
170 miles – Navajo Dam, NM
1605 total miles
Wednesday is moving day.
Hurricane for groceries and then on to Lees Ferry, Az.
The current plan is Lees Ferry Wednesday 9/20 until Monday 10/2 with some fishing in the Colorado River.
Monday 10/2 Homolovi State Park in Winslow, AZ for groceries, laundry, gas and propane for the week plus we will be in Albuquerque. The Flying J in Winslow has a decent place to get propane. Finding a place to get propane is always one of the biggest challenges while traveling in a motorhome and even more when towing a vehicle.
Tuesday 10/3 Bluewater Lake State Park, NM to dump and fill with water.
Wednesday 10/4 Albuquerque and the Balloon Festival until 10/16.
At this point not sure what we will do after the balloon festival.
I spent most of Saturday and Sunday at our campsite by the river reading a book.
The microwave has been acting up the last 4 weeks. Some days it will work some it will not work. When we first got the motor home I took the microwave in to have it repaired under warranty. I remember the guy saying that the door was out of alignment and that is why the microwave generator would not work, the unit didn’t know the door was closed.
Last week we gave it one more time and it was getting replaced. It acted up Friday before we went into town so it’s gone.
I ran some avalanche cord around the unit and tightened it up with a turnbuckle. When we get to the big house I’ll install the vents around the outside so it looks finished.
Today was shopping day in St. George. We went to FedEx to get some things for the Balloon Festival printed @ 69 cents per copy, PETCO for Hank’s tic medicine, Walmart for milk, Lowes for new microwave, GOODWILL for shorts, COSTCO for steak and Ford for truck part.
At COSTCO the tailgate handle broke on the driver’s side.
Here is where the latch broke.
I don’t carry a lot of tools however I happen to have the tork T30 screw driver head I needed. Had to take the middle shelf of the pickup’s storage system out of the back and then I could get to screws to remove the inside panel and unlatch the tailgate. Didn’t take too long.