SW Trip 2014 - Alabama, Oak Mountain State Park

Oak Mountain State Park - Birmingham Alabama

July 28 – August 1

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Oak Mountain State Park is one of our favorites in the south. There are so many activities to do there, from mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, golf, horse-back riding and swimming at the lake beach. We were surprised to find that the campground had improved the sites by completely asphalting the campsites and interior roads. This made the campground much easier to drive around and the campsites cleaner and more level. Our site was one of the nicest in the park, even though it was nearby the shower house. We setup and felt at home right away. Our reservation was for 6 nights, which also made it more comfortable to relax and enjoy more time at the park.

During our time here, we really enjoyed the first class mountain biking trails. Now that I have a real mountain bike, I was able to ride more difficult and fun trails. We spent four days riding the trails and had a wonderful time. We also went on a hike up the Eagle Overlook Trail; this was a very steep up and down trail, traversing a couple of mountain sides and creek crossings. The weather was perfect and actually quite cool for this time of year. Another day we decided to relax a little and took a kayak and picnic down to the small lake. The boys went with us and enjoyed some time to run around and have some fun.

It was so nice to stay in one place for several nights, we really felt relaxed and not rushed to go anywhere. The boys were able to run off leash a little, as they were being real good and stayed within our campsite. We had a campfire a couple of nights and enjoyed sitting out and relaxing.

Now onward back to Florida!

SW Trip 2014 - Heading Home!

Oklahoma – Tenkiller Ferry Lake & Beavers Bend State Park

July 15 -26

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After leaving Albuquerque, we were officially heading home. Without any serious plans, we headed east on I-40 after deciding to get across the Texas panhandle, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi as quickly as possible. We did one-night stops in Amarillo Texas and then Oklahoma City. Our destination was Tenkiller Ferry Lake in eastern Oklahoma. Kurt had visited this lake as a young man and remembered it to be an extremely clear water lake. We stayed in an Army Corps campground in a lakefront site, which was very nice. In the four nights we stayed there we got our kayaks on the lake for a paddle and drove around the beautiful mountains to check out the area. We also were looking for the possibility of a kayak shuttle on the Illinois River. The river looked great for a paddle, but it was too much driving and working with limited outfitters that really didn’t want to shuttle us or our boats, but wanted to rent kayaks to us, so we abandoned that idea. There were not any decent hiking trails nearby, so we pretty much hung out at camp and relaxed.

Our next stop would be in Beavers Bend State Park in southeastern Oklahoma. This was highly recommended as a great park. When we arrived, the park was so huge around Broken Bow Lake that it was difficult to find where the campgrounds were, due to inadequate signage. We finally found the park office and was told where to go and find a campsite. We were able to find a nice site on the river side campground loop; however, it was a pull through and our front porch was right on the street. We even had kids riding their bikes through our campsite, which we quickly advised them to stop. We had signed up for four nights as there were nice hiking and mountain biking trails within the park. One trail we were able to hike started right at the campground and turned out to be a fun, challenging hike up and back down the mountain. The mountain biking trails were in a completely different section of the park, which required us to drive about 20 miles to the trailhead. The trails were decent, but not really meant to be mountain biking trails. There was a lot of driving within this park to see the different features. Kurt did get his kayak on the Mountain Fork River for a short paddle; the paddling section of the river was very limited. On the third night there, a major storm blew through. Thanks to our weather radio, we were able to prepare for the winds and rain. We hunkered down for about three hours as the winds and driving rain pounded our trailer and the lighting snapped all around. Of course, the power went out and we had no idea when it would be back on. We decided then, if there was no power the next morning, we would go ahead and leave for a better place. At least it cooled down that night, so it was not too bad, except for the moron RV neighbor that ran his loud generator most of the night. They finally turned it off when Kurt reminded them of the no generator rule at 10 pm. The next morning we waited for the power to come back on. After speaking with another camper, we found out no one was able to get out of the park as a live power line was down across the entry road…  ugggggh… Neither the campground hosts or rangers were forthcoming with any information as to the status of electricity or roads. It was very frustrating. Around 11 am the power finally came back on, so we reluctantly decided to stay the night since it was already paid for. The next morning we did pack it up and get out of Dodge!

The next day we did another one night stop in Greenville, Mississippi. We were making our way to Oak Mountain State Park in Birmingham Alabama, where we did have reservations. We had one extra night, so we stopped at another Alabama State Park, Lake Lurleen near Tuscaloosa.  This turned out to be a very nice lakeside park with great hiking and mountain biking trails. Too bad we only had the one afternoon to explore. We hope to come back to this park some day and spend more time, it was beautiful.

The next morning we headed to Birmingham and were excited to go back to Oak Mountain, where we did stay last year.

SW Trip 2014 - Abiquiu Lake & Albuquerque

Abiquiu Lake & Albuquerque

July 8 – 14

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We left Durango and headed south into New Mexico. My older sister Terrie, her daughters, husbands and their children live in the Albuquerque area. The plan was to meet up with all of them in Albuquerque. Our first stop was north of Santa Fe at Abiquiu Lake for three days of camping. Terrie actually lives about 15 miles south of this lake, where she also loves to camp. The first day there we hiked and biked around the park and lake. It’s quite beautiful, surrounded by mountains and high desert. The campground is an Army Corps of Engineer project. This campground was very spacious and well planned, with great views of the lake. Just 3 miles north of the lake is a compound called Ghost Ranch. This beautiful property is a desert retreat owned by the Presbyterian Church of the USA. It is used as a retreat, education, meetings, conventions, etc. The Ranch is located back in a box canyon surrounded by amazing mesas and colorful rock formations. This area is also one of the special places loved by the famous artist, Georgia O’Keeffe. One of her homes was on this property and she painted many of the landscapes around the canyon. We decided to go there for a visit, as there are great hiking trails on the property. They welcome visitors and the staff members are very friendly. They provided information on the hiking trails and other amenities on the Ranch. We decided to hike to Chimney Rock. This trail winds up the side of a mesa and ends at a large rock formation resembling a chimney. The views from the top are amazing and the trail was not too difficult. We enjoyed the hike and the exercise. Back at camp, we relaxed and enjoyed the evening and a campfire.

The next day, we decided to go back to Ghost Ranch for a different hike. The trail is called Kitchen Mesa and is a more difficult hike up the side of the mesa. The first mile or so is up sloping hillsides and then the trail continues up the mesa cliff. This was more difficult as there were narrow single track trails and a lot of rock scrambling. One section was a narrow slot canyon with large boulders to climb up and over. This was the hardest part. Once we got to the top of the mesa, the views were amazing and the climb was worth it. The mesa top is covered with white gypsum soil. The trail split into several areas around the mesa top. The views included looking down at the ranch, Lake Abiquiu and also Pederal Mountain south of the lake. It’s no wonder why O’Keeffe loved this area and got great inspiration from the natural beauty! Later that evening, Terrie drove up to the lake for a visit and dinner. Kurt made his wonderful chili and we had a great time together. We talked about our plans for a family get together the coming weekend at our campground near Albuquerque.

The next morning we headed south with the RV and setup camp in a town called Bernalillo at a great city campground called Coronado Campground. This place is unique in that each campsite has a small casita for the picnic table and with a roof and partial walls to provide shade. It was perfect for our family gathering! We drove around the area and went shopping to prepare for our cookout the next day. All the family was contacted and told of our plans. They would all be there the next evening.

The next day, Friday, we prepared for our cookout and were excited to see all the nieces, their husbands and kids. I had not even met some of the younger ones, so this was a special event for me to see them all at one time. My sister Terrie arrived first and we began sharing stories and contacted the nieces to see when they would arrive. Two of the nieces, Stephanie (husband Jimmy, daughter Abby, son JJ) and Erin (fiancé Rich) all live in Albuquerque. The third niece, Melissa (husband Gene, daughters Elena, Mary and Jennifer) were actually leaving Amarillo that day heading back to ABQ. Melissa had just finished her residency in OB/GYN and just passed her board exams. They had lived there for four years during her final doctoral studies. They were so excited to get back to ABQ and be home. She will be starting her new job in September working with a group practice. It was such a joy to see them all, especially the great nieces and nephew. The kids all had a great time, eating and playing and getting to meet their distant Aunt and Uncle. We truly enjoyed our time together. We hope to go back next June for Erin and Rich’s wedding. It will be a wonderful family celebration!

On Saturday, Erin and Rich invited everyone to their home for a cookout. We all met there in the evening and had a great time and great food. It’s too bad our families live so far away from each other. It would be so nice to have regular visits with them and watch the children grow up. Hopefully, we will be able to visit them more often on our trips out west, which we plan to continue as often as possible.

We decided to stay another day to go mountain biking. There is a biking trail north of the city called White Mesa Trails. We were told it was very good with trails for novice to technical riders. We drove about 25 miles north and found the remote gravel road to get to the trailhead. After arriving and studying the trail map, we decided to start out on an easy double track, which would take us to the top of the mesa and some more difficult trails. As we rode around the base of the mesa, the trails continued to get more difficult to follow, as they were not clearly marked. Kurt headed up to a difficult trail and I decided to take the easy one back to the trailhead. The day was getting hotter and I was running out of water, and still had a couple of miles to get back. Kurt had also turned around and eventually met up with me, which was a life saver as he had more water and I was getting very over heated. We slowly made our way back to the truck. I was on the verge of a heat stroke and was happy to get in some shade and cool down. I must say that this trail was not fun and could be very dangerous to those who do not know the trails. We both were ready to get back to camp and relax.

After some dinner, we started preparing to leave the next day for our official turnaround point to head back home. Our plan was to make our way toward Oklahoma and stay at one of the beautiful lakes.

SW Trip 2014 - Durango, Colorado

Durango, Colorado

July 3 – 7

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During the drive to Durango the landscape changed drastically. We have left the desert and were now viewing green valleys and rocky mountains. It was beautiful and also cooler. We passed through town and headed for the RV park on the north side of Durango. This park is located along the Animas River and also the train tracks for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway. This was awesome, as the train only passed through 3 times going north in the morning and the return trips around 5 pm.

After getting setup, we boarded the Durango Trolley to take us into town. This was a great, free service to get around town and not have to drive and park. Durango is very much a tourist town, even though this was the Fourth of July weekend, it was not too crowded. Also, the locals were very friendly and helpful; they really understand that tourism brings money to the town! We checked out downtown, stopped in a local bar and had a drink on the outdoor patio. We found the trolley made it so easy to get around, with multiple stops along Main Street. Our plan was to take the trolley into town the next day for the July 4^th Celebrations.

The next day we did take the trolley into town to check out all the activities for Independence Day. There was a breakfast, family events, barbeques and various other venues for the holiday. We walked around town and did a little shopping. We also checked out the local mountain biking trails. The Animas River flows along the town, which we found was great recreation for rafting, paddling and tubing. The town created a “whitewater park” on the Animas River south of town, which was a lot of fun for watercraft to challenge the manufactured rapids. We headed back to the RV for lunch and returned later to town for the rest of the celebrations. We decided to drive into town as the trolley did have limited stops and times due to downtown Main Street being closed off for the holiday. We were able to park for free at the train depot parking area, which turned out to be perfect viewing for the fireworks. The parade was at 6pm along Main Street and in true western style was filled with local personalities, tractors, horses, fire trucks and marching bands. After the parade, we hung out in downtown until the fireworks began. We were able to setup our chairs by the truck and watch the fireworks in comfort! It turned out to be a great Independence Day celebration.

The next morning we headed out to go mountain biking at a local trail, Horse Gulch. Since the town is down in the river valley, all trails go up the mountains, which is a grind to start off with. This trail began with a ½ mile, very rocky double track uphill! It was more of a bike-hike for me, but once we got though that climb, we were in a beautiful meadow and valley. The trails were pretty difficult, so I stayed on the easier ones while Kurt went on to the technical trails. After an hour the temps got hotter and we headed back downhill to the trailhead. It was not one of the more fun bike trails we have ridden, but we still got some great exercise. After returning to the RV, Kurt drove north along the Animas River to find put in and take out spots where we could run the river. I decided that I would shuttle him and let him get on the river upstream, as this was the calmest part of the Animas.

We decided to stay an extra day in Durango so that we could ride the train from Durango to Silverton and back. This would take about 12 hours total time for the trip, so I went in search of a pet sitter that could come to the RV and walk the dogs during this time. After several calls I was able to find a great pet sitter. She actually came by the RV later in the day to meet the dogs and get all the instructions. She was so friendly and also is a vet tech. I could tell she is a true dog lover! We were now set to get our tickets and enjoy the train the next day.  Later in the morning, we drove to the put in and Kurt got on the river. I would pick him up in town at a local boat ramp. Later, we went back to town to take the dogs to a local leash free dog park. They had been cooped up for a few days and needed to run. They really enjoyed the freedom and met some new doggie friends. Then we went to the Whitewater Park and sat along the riverside watching the people on rafts, kayaks and tubes shoot through the rapids. Almost all those on tubes were dumped in the rapids and lost their sunglasses, hats, shoes, etc.  It was very entertaining and funny.

Our last day in Durango was spent on the train trip. This is a historic train run that began during the mining days in the area. The train runs mostly along the Animas River and many views were looking down into the Animas Canyon. Despite the cloudy skies, the views of the mountains, forests, river and canyon were amazing. The train staff was very friendly and accommodating. After a 4.5 hour ride, we arrived in Silverton, an old mining town. This was the quintessential western small town. It is now a tourist based economy, as there were many restaurants and tourist shops. We had a great lunch at a local barbeque place, which was awesome! We walked around town for about an hour and then we boarded the train for the return trip. Along the way, we saw some scenery that we didn’t see on the way up. After 4 hours, we were back in Durango.   We were so fortunate to be able to take this trip, as this is the only way to see the Animas canyon and the surrounding mountains.

When we returned to the RV, the dogs were well taken care of but still happy to see us back. The pet sitter had texted me after she had walked and played with the dogs. What a great experience! We then began preparing for our departure the next morning, heading to New Mexico. There we will stay a few nights at Abiquiu Lake and then on to Albuquerque to visit my sister, nieces and husbands and all their children.

SW Trip 2014 - Mess Verde National Park

Mesa Verde National Park – Cortez, Co

June 30 - July 2

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After leaving Moab, we headed to Cortez, Colorado to visit Mesa Verde National Park. The RV park where we stayed was a commercial park that is a first class facility and very well managed. We were surprised to find such a nice park in a remote area. The park had a very nice dog walk area where we could let them off leash, which the boys really enjoyed. The park was about 1 mile from the entrance to Mesa Verde, which was convenient.

The next morning we headed out to Mesa Verde National Park. This park is the only N.P. that preserves the “works of man”. The Ancestral Pueblo people made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to 1300. Today the park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. The park mainly consists of two mesas with roads along the way for visitors to view and visit the ruins. The three main and largest ruins provide ranger-led tours in order to actually enter the ruins; otherwise, they can be viewed at a distance across the canyon. Our first mesa drive was on Chapin Mesa, where we were able to enter the ruins of Spruce House. Then we drove the loop drives and visited several villages with pit houses (the oldest known residences) and other ruins along the way. We were able to view Cliff Palace and Balcony House from a distance, they were still spectacular!  The next mesa we drove was Wetherill Mesa. Along this drive and loops, we saw the Long House Ruins and Kodak House from across the canyon and several pit houses arranged in a village. This mesa drive only allowed vehicles up to a certain point, at which they provided trams to gain access to the ruins and viewpoints. Heading back out of the park, along the road there were several overlook points with views of the surrounding valleys and canyons within the park. Mesa Verde is an amazing collection of ancient ruins, but the downside involved about 100 miles of driving (many with steep grades) to get to the remote areas of the ruins. We spent more time driving than actually viewing and exploring the ruins. It was a long day , but we were glad we did visit this park.

We were ready for some exercise, so the next morning we drove to Cortez to a great group of mountain bike trails called Phil’s World. The trails were excellent, with all levels from easy to technical. Kurt rode a couple of miles with me on the easier trails, and then he headed for the advanced trails. I continued on the easier trails and really enjoyed the ride. The trails were so well designed that it made them really fun without too much difficulty. After a couple of hours of riding, we drove into Cortez and found a local place for lunch. It was an old fashioned “drive in”, with the car hops that come out to the car, take the order and then deliver the food.  The food was good and we were full. After a couple of shopping stops, we headed back to the camper and began some preparations for our departure the next day to Durango, Colorado.

SW Trip 2014 - Moab Utah

Moab, Utah

June 27 - 29

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We were excited to get back to Moab, we love it there. My sisters and friends will be staying there for a week and we will be there for the weekend. The drive back was beautiful, with a different view of the drive down to Bluff. The rock formations, cliffs, and windows were amazing. On the drive back, we noticed there was a vibration coming from the truck. We stopped and Kurt looked around and found nothing out of order. After arriving back at the RV park, he checked the truck again. This time, he found a huge bulge on the tread side of one of the tires. This was pretty scary, as we could have had a blow out while towing the trailer. He took the truck to a local tire dealer, recommended by the RV park owners. They checked the tires and explained that they were all old and needed to be replaced. Kurt had expected to have the tires replaced while on the trip since they were the original tires from 2008, but we didn’t anticipate that it would occur with a possible emergency. The dealer gave us a great price on all four tires, but had to order them. They would be in on Monday, the day we were scheduled to leave, but he promised they would be in first thing in the morning and we would be out by noon. Also, he replaced the bad tire with a “loaner” used tire so we could safely drive around Moab for the three days. What a nice guy in a great town!

That evening we met Cindy, Terrie, Cliff and Mike at the condo they were renting for the week. It was a great location south of Moab, with beautiful views of the Moab Rim to the west and the slickrock cliffs to the east. We hung out with them for drinks and lively discussions. Also, as the skies got darker, we were able to do some stargazing and actually saw the Milky Way! We had all decided to go kayaking on the Colorado River on Sunday.

The next day, Kurt and I went mountain biking back at Moab Brands, as we had really enjoyed those trails and they were close to town. As usual, we started out biking together, but Kurt wanted to ride the advanced trails. I rode the easy/moderate trails for a little over an hour, but headed back to the truck as it was getting much hotter as the day went on. The temps in Moab had gotten up over 100 degrees, much hotter than the week earlier that we had been there. We went into town and did a little shopping, and then went back to camp to let the dogs hang outside for awhile. Cindy called me later when they got back to the condo after visiting Arches National Park. Again, we went over to hang out for the evening.

The next morning, we all met at the Moab boat ramp to launch our kayaks. We unloaded the kayaks and gear, then the rest shuttled their cars to the take out at Gold Bar Recreation Area. The weather was warm and beautiful, but being on the water helped alleviate some of the heat, as the water was cold. We had a relaxed paddle downstream for about 10 miles with great views and amazing rocky cliffs. The boys were a little bored with the flat paddle, when a jet boat came by they were excited to ride the wake! I guess if you’ve already paddled Class II & III rapids, this was very tame! Oh well, we all enjoyed the day on the river, it was special for us all to be there together. Later in the evening, we brought pizza and wings to the condo and continued our fun together.

Monday morning we got up early and prepared to head out. Kurt got the tires put on the truck and was back around noon. It was a good feeling to know that we would be driving safer with new tires. We took off for our next destination, Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado.

SW Trip 2014 - Bluff, Utah & San Juan River trip

Bluff, Utah – San Juan River

June 20 – 26

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Bluff is about 1 mile long, a very small pioneer town founded by Mormons. We stayed at Cadillac Ranch RV Park, one of two in town. We also found that there isn’t a grocery store in town, just a convenience store that does carry some groceries. After getting settled in, we drove across town (about 4 minutes), then headed out to scout the river put-in at Sand Island BLM campground and boat ramp. This is where the group will be launching their kayaks to paddle downstream on the San Juan River to Mexican Hat.

The next morning, we headed west to Mexican Hat to find the boat ramp where they will take out their kayaks. It is a maintained boat ramp and park. This take out is about 23 miles downstream from Sand Island. After that we drove out to Goosenecks State Park to check out the overlook of the San Juan River. The views are amazing and the surrounding area is scattered with red rock formations, buttes, mesas and canyons. On the drive to Mexican Hat, there was a view of Monument Valley in the distance; amazing being that it is about 50 miles away. Next, we drove up highway 261, which goes up to Cedar Mesa. This road climbs up the side of the mesa on a special dug out road called the Moki Dugway. This gravel road is on the side of the mesa with many switchbacks and steep drop offs. Wow, it was exciting and scary at the same time and the views of the valley were amazing. After reaching the top, we headed back down towards Mexican Hat. The highway back to Bluff goes over Comb Ridge, a natural monocline going north to south and nearly 80 miles long. The pictures of the Comb from the air or satellite show an amazing natural structure. Later in the day, Kurt found another put-in upstream from Sand Island, called Footbridge Road. We drove out there to find the location, as he wanted to do a short paddle the next day on the San Juan.

The next morning, we drove Kurt and his kayak to the put-in where he launched. Two hours later and 8 miles downstream I picked him up at Sand Island. It was a fairly mild part of the river, with not many rapids, just very calm. This would give him a little idea of the river trip ahead of the group.

The next afternoon, the river group arrived in Bluff. Cindy, Terrie, Cliff, Mike and Debbie met us at our camper for a barbeque cookout. We all had a nice meal and discussed the river trip. They would launch the next day at Sand Island.

The next morning we all met at Sand Island, unloaded the kayaks and gear, and then shuttled their cars back to Bluff, where they would be stored until the end of the river trip. I watched as they all shoved off and headed downstream, they would be facing 3 major rapids which are Class II & III. I wondered and hoped that all would go well and they would have a great time paddling and camping two nights on the river. I headed back to the camper to hang with Kody and Kirby for two nights.

The next day, I visited Bluff Fort, the historic original encampment of the Mormon pioneers. There was so much history there about how the Mormon families suffered great challenges to create the road over the rock ridges to get to the chosen area. Some of the original log homes and buildings are still in place, others have been reconstructed.  Later, I was also able to get the dogs and their bedding washed. They were way overdue for a bath. I got some other housekeeping done and also cleaned the interior of the truck (it was full of red sand and gravel). I was getting ready to shower and have some dinner when I got a call from Kurt. They were already at the Mexican Hat boat ramp and were ready to get off the water. After I drove to Mexican Hat, they explained that the three ladies had all turned over their kayaks (at least once if not more) and most of their camping gear and clothing were wet, along with losing some of their gear. They were ready for a hotel room and a shower. We shuttled them back to their cars so they could go back to get their kayaks and gear. Even though they were mostly wet and survived the rapids, they still had a great time.

After everyone got some rest that night, we met again the next evening in Mexican Hat for dinner at a favorite restaurant, Swingin’ Steak. The meat is cooked on a swinging grill over the wood coals. We all enjoyed the steaks and side dishes. It was a nice evening to hang out with the family.

The next day, we all headed up to Moab, for a few days of celebrating and hanging out for some good times.