From South Dakota to Arizona

America the beautiful! I decided to take a picture of the camper in each of the campsites we had on our trip to Arizona this year, showing the diversity of our country’s western landscapes. Traveling from Hermosa, SD, to our first stop, the Alcova Dam south of Casper, Wyoming, was uneventful, except for fighting the wind between Lusk and Casper (a normal occurrence in Wyoming, we’ve discovered!) Skies were cluttered with thick clouds and the sun peeked in and out. The geology of the area at Alcova Dam is spectacular, with big red and white sandstone mountains thrust up sideways and many beautiful rounded pebbles washed smooth by ancient waters.

This is where we discovered the trailer brakes weren’t working, as we negotiated the hills into the reservoir! So we headed back the 30 miles to Casper and parked at Stalkup’s RV. You can see we were nestled in with all the other overflow campers, many of whom were also waiting for Monday morning and the service department. Despite the heavy winds and rain showers we managed to find the quilt shop and the kiddie playground for Ron to metal detect.

Tuesday we were on our way to Idaho to visit John and Elizabeth. They live about 100 miles from the Grand Tetons and the country is irrigated farmland between mountain ranges covered with aspen and pines.

More on our visit with them later.

Our next stop was just north of where I-70 joins I-15 in Utah at Yuba Lake State Recreational area. People pull their campers right up to the shores of the reservoir. Signs direct you to the sandy north beach or the rocky west beach. Ron and I decided for the sand, unfortunately, thinking it would be a great place for him to detect. However, the sign didn’t tell you if you have a 34’ fifth wheel you may bog down in the foot deep sand! After putting it in 4 wheel drive and revving it up, we blew through all that sand to the firmer ground, and stayed there! The sun was bright and hot and the temps only got hotter from there!

The next night was south of St. George, Utah, in the Virgin River Canyon area in Arizona. Here we felt 100 degrees for the first time this year and it was a shock to our systems, as we experienced frost at John’s house only 2 days before! The Virgin River has carved an amazing canyon through these mountains in many shades of reds, yellows, whites and browns and again the mountains are lifted up sideways to the world and formed into amazing shapes.

Our last stop for a while is here at the gold camp north of Lake Havasu City. Even though every day it’s been hot (into the 100’s) we are getting into the pattern of getting up before daybreak, going prospecting until 10 or 11 and then resting in the afternoon until around 6, when it cools off enough to turn off the generator and air conditioner. The desert is so quiet! The only sounds we can hear are the occasional quail, a jackrabbit thumping through and a housefly or two. Ron ran over a small rattlesnake yesterday with his quad and it got so mad it bit at my tire as I flew by – I am grateful he didn’t go for my leg! We are loving this easy life and looking forward to the cooler temperatures on their way.