Black Rock Road, Arizona – November 2022

Amazing Vivid Color at Sunset seen from Black Rock Road

Sunday, November 6, 2022

Clifford and I move from Echo Canyon State Park near Pioche, Nevada, to Black Rock Road, just south of St. George, Utah, because of the forecast for more snow in Nevada.  Since we don’t want to get stuck in Nevada for the winter, we need to get ourselves to a lower elevation right away.

Leaving Echo Canyon Nevada State Park

There is a mountain range between us and Black Rock Road in northwest Arizona where we intend to camp on public land near our friend David. There are a couple mountain passes to cross, not as scary as Connors Pass south of Ely, but still not comfortable. Pretty, though, with snow on the hill sides and in the mountains.

Through the Mountains

I am grateful for the safe trip from Echo Canyon to Black Rock Road. Arriving at Black Rock, we set up almost exactly where we were last year. Earlier rains have been good for the creosote, but oh, for a tree!

Black Rock Road, Same Site as Last Year

There is, however, a perfect view of Pine Mountain from the window where I sit at the table.

View from the Window – Pine Mountain

Monday, November 7, 2022

I’m up at 7:30, which is nice as it gives me a little more quiet time to get myself centered for the day. It is not as dark and cold here this morning as it was in Nevada. We have enough internet/cell service here that I can also listen to Pandora and inspiring videos.

Today is a town day in St. George. It is good to get our propane tanks filled and then return to camp to put things away just in time to see a very dramatic sunset that I almost missed.

The Sunset I Almost Missed

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

The storm forecast yesterday was little more than a drizzle until late. Sometime after going to bed, the rain became a downpour, waking me up, and it was hard to get back to sleep. When I got up this morning, I had a little over an hour before an online Qigong class, giving me time to reread the chapter  “Law of Intention and Desire” from the The Steven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra, noting the difference between attention and intention and how they correlate for manifestation.

Thursday, November 10….

In rereading the journal entries and looking at photos taken during the balance of November, there are themes that emerge. One is that being camped with no trees offers lots of opportunity to be aware of the sky – sunrises, cloud formations, sunsets. Sometimes serene, sometimes very dramatic.

Dramatic Sunrise at Back Rock Road
A Serene Sunset at Black Rock
November Sunset at Black Rock
Setting Sun Turns the Mesa a Vivid Color

Another theme is my desire to have what I call QT (quiet time) to get myself centered before jumping into the activities of the day. I find this hard to accomplish, as getting up before Clifford means dealing with the cold and the dark and not making noise. Several mornings, the temperature is in the low 20’s outside and quite chilly inside. Sometimes staying in bed is the best option.

Chilly Night Means Snow on the Mountain

The third theme comes from reading the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, contemplating the difference between intention and attention and how these principles guide one’s life if allowed to do so.

I go for walks in the desert almost every day.

Teepee Rock
Cholla with Cougar (our RV) in the Background

Now and then we make a trip to St. George for supplies. Once in a while Clifford and David go bike riding on the bike trails on the outskirts of St. George. I am always invited to go, but sometimes just having time at camp by myself is the best option for me.

One one trip to St. George, we drive to where we can see Snow Canyon from the highway.  One day we will take time to go right down into the canyon.

Snow Canyon from the Highway

Clifford checks in with ham radio nets on a daily basis, and plays his dulcimer and sings – outside in the sunshine when the weather permits, which is actually quiet often. He is also doing interviews regarding his non-profit, as the work is quite significant.

Clifford Plays and Sings in the Sunshine

We keep very busy with all of our projects. Since there is decent internet via cell service at this location, I am able to work on blogs as well as participate in online classes that are of interest to me. It is a good thing we are retired, as we certainly don’t have time to run off to a job every day.

Coffee with David (Photo by David Wasden)
Journal Caption to End November

 

Echo Canyon Nevada State Park – October 2022

Landscape at Echo Canyon Nevada State Park

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Today Clifford and I move from Pioche, Nevada to Echo Canyon Nevada State Park, about 15 miles to the east of Pioche. I am mindful of Segment Intending and everything goes well – packing, hitching, driving, finding the perfect site, and getting set up. We find a really a nice spot with a couple of trees and a hill in front of us on the door and window side for privacy and views.

Our Site at Echo Canyon State Park

I hike a short way up the hill at sunset and have a good view of the surrounding area and the reservoir below.

Hike Up the Hill to View the Landscape
Echo Canyon Reservoir Below

From our campsite we get a glimpse of the reservoir, which I like. It looks like the weather will be very nice for us. Only one other party is here.

Wednesday October 26. The sun is behind the hill until 9 o’clock a.m.,  but I watch the light creep across the land until it finally rises right in the kitchen window. It is exciting to watch the approach of sunlight, and now it is time for coffee. Maybe I’ll sit outside if it’s warm enough in the sunshine. I am happy to be here. It’s a great day to be alive!

By afternoon it is warm enough for us to sit out for projects.

Warm Enough for Projects Outside

Thursday October 27.

It was 27° this morning at Echo Canyon and we very grateful for the heater that we got at Bretz. It is satisfying to again watch the sunlight move across the land, and soon it will be at our campsite. I call sunrise the daily miracle as it brings light and warmth to the cold and dark of winter.

Friday October 28.

We sleep in this morning due to it being a chilly 22° outside and only 33° inside.

Chilly Morning at Echo Canyon

It is still dark the first time I get up. After breakfast, it begins to warm up and we decide to go on a photo outing up the canyon, as it is a good day for photos with a clear blue sky, lovely autumn colors, and the great rugged mesas of Echo Canyon.

Photo Outing at Echo Canyon
Photo Outing at Echo Canyon
Photo Outing at Echo Canyon
Photo Outing at Echo Canyon

Saturday October 29.

This morning I was up a little before seven, which gives me time for inspirational reading and journaling, along with hot tea, followed by a Qigong routine. I feel gratitude watching daylight approach. Today is the sixth anniversary of Mom’s passing, and my brother is back in the hospital, even needing a mercy flight. My sister calls, concerned, as am I.  It is good to have family who care about each other.

Sunday October 30.

The last two clocks I have purchased don’t work, so I don’t know what time it is and I don’t want to get up in the dark. It’s hard to even make tea without waking Clifford, and it might be much too early for that. I hold the positive thought that I am going to enjoy this beautiful day. It is a great day to be alive and there is good stuff on the to-do list.

We decide to back up the canyon again, this time for a picnic along the creek.

Reflections on the Creek Flowing Through Echo Canyon
Reflections on the Creek Flowing Through Echo Canyon
Picnic at Echo Canyon Alongside the Creek

Friday November 4.  It has been an interesting few days, as Wednesday rain turned to sleet and then to snow. It was very pretty and there was more overnight.

Rain Turns to Sleet and Snow
Snow Begins to Stick at Echo Canyon Reservoir

I went walking both days and have a lot of photos to sort through.

The Beauty of Newly Fallen Snow
The Beauty of Newly Fallen Snow
Cougar in the Snow at Echo Canyon

Within a day, the snow melts, but the forecast is for more snow and much colder temperatures.

Snow Has Melted Already

Although we really like this campground and had intended to stay longer, the weather dictates otherwise and it is time for us to move on over the mountain to Arizona to meet up with a friend and find a less wintry spot to camp.

A Final Sunset at Echo Canyon Nevada State Park

Arrival at Pioche, Nevada – October 2022

Pioche, Nevada

Sunday, October 16, 2022

I am especially grateful for our safe arrival here yesterday after leaving Cave Lake Nevada State Park about noon. Connors Pass over the Schell Creek Range at 7,723 feet is much steeper and more curving than either Clifford or I  recalled. It was very uncomfortable to say the least and I had to focus on the “I am safe” part of my daily mantra. I would prefer not to go that route again! Fortunately, we made it to the RV park on the outskirts of  Pioche by mid afternoon, pleased that the end spot is available.

Pioche City RV Park

After camping 2 1/2 weeks at Cave Lake, it is odd to be in town with noisy vehicles, buildings, and power lines. I like the boulders at the entry to this site and the honey locust tree that I see out the window. I miss the convenience of restrooms, which we had at Cave Lake. It is very convenient that we have decent cell service here in Pioche, so both Clifford and I will be able to caught up on internet related activities.

Monday October 17

Today we drive south toward Pananca for an exploratory outing to Cathedral Gorge State Park just off Highway 93. This state park has quite the amazing landscape with rock formations reminiscent of a tiny Bryce Canyon, but the camping doesn’t look so good for us. Sites are small with additional fee for electricity. We take a few photos at at the campground and then stop at he scenic overlook, Miller Point.

Cathedral Gorge view from Miller Point
Cathedral Gorge State Park

We plan to go back one afternoon for more photography, but today we are checking out Echo Canyon State Park and Spring Valley State Park, which are about 15 miles east of Pioche. My segment intention is for a safe and enjoyable scenic trip to find the perfect place to camp when we leave Pioche.

Exploring Echo Canyon and Spring Valley state parks is interesting and helpful. Both have reservoirs in what looks like a natural setting. Echo Canyon Campground has a great layout and lots of choices for camping.

Looking into Echo Canyon

Spring Valley is less suitable for RVs, but it was fun to go there to take photos along the reservoir.

Spring Valley State Park in Autumn
Spring Valley State Park

At Spring Valley, we take the gravel road to Stone Cabin, a sturdy cabin built by Mormon settlers when they settled in this area.  The landscape in this area is quite rugged and hardly seems like the kind of place where families would want to settle with livestock and gardens.

Rocky Terrain on the Road to Stone Cabin
Landscape near Stone Cabin
Stone Cabin

Tuesday October 18

Today we explore Pioche a bit with  a visit to the museum and lunch at the Gunslinger, a small cafe that specializes in subs and wraps.  I read that it was originally the blacksmith shop, and even now it is rustic with no inner walls.  However, it is quite interesting, the decor like a small museum.

Doc Holiday and Old West Paraphernalia
Billy the Kid
Lunch at the Gunslinger Cafe

Wednesday October 19

This afternoon we go again to the scenic overlook, Miller Point, at Cathedral Gorge for a picnic and late afternoon light for photos, despite spraying on horizon. I go partway down a long flight of stairs set into the rocks. The stairway leads down to the valley floor, but without hiking sticks, I didn’t want to go much further.

Late Afternoon at Miller Point
Late Afternoon at Miller Point
Stairs Through the Rocks to Valley Floor

Thursday, October 20

I am up by 7:30 this morning, giving me a quiet hour by myself. At sunrise, the light through the leaves of the honey locust tree outside the window is delightful.

Rays of the Rising Sun Through the Honey Locust Tree

Friday, October 21

Today is an outing to the Boothill Cemetery. While Pioche is less known than other rough western towns in the mid 1800’s, such as Tombstone and Las Vegas, Nevada, it was one of the roughest, most lawless mining towns of the Old West. In its early days, over 70 men were buried after violent deaths before anyone died a natural death. Sadly, small children and women did not do well in Pioche. We decide to come back later when the late afternoon sun is more favorable.

Pioche Boothill Cemetery

Morgan Courtney, Feared by some, Respected by few, Detested by others. Shot in the back 5 times from ambush

Saturday, October 22

This morning, I am up in time for a quiet hour before Clifford gets up. As quietly as possible, I make flower tea and take photos – a still life of the lovely unfolding leaves, the angel, traveling plants, and a kind of scuffy little box I got at the thrift store yesterday before the outing to the cemetery.

RV Still Life

At the RV, we play fiddle tunes and I do a lot of photo editing in preparation for the next blogs, which are a year behind (October 2021) It is a good and fun day, though I felt a touch of sorrow for the parents whose infants and little children died here. Hard life for them in the 1870s and early 1900s. Very rough town back then.

Sunday, October 23

It was very windy in the night, and when I get up at sunrise, I am surprised to see snow on the ground. Of course I get dressed right away and go out to take a few photos of snow on chamisa before it disappears with wind and sun. Where it’s melting, the droplets sparkle in the breeze. Very pretty. In reviewing the book that I am reading on spiritual laws, today is a review of Witness Choices. Ask yourself if your choices are choices for happiness. I’d say running out to take photos in the snow was a good choice.

Monday, October 24

Since we are leaving tomorrow, we go Panaca, the larger town to the south with a market, to pick up a few groceries and while we are there, we drive to the spring outside of town. Fresh flowing water is rare and precious in this land.

Back in Pioche, we visit the museum and have lunch at the historic Silver Cafe. We have made good use of our time here in Pioche. We are grateful for the RV park on the edge of town and look forward to finding a good site at Echo Canyon tomorrow.

Historic Silver Cafe

Northern Railway Train Museum, Ely, Nevada – October 2022

View from Summit Road Near Cave Lake Nevada State Park

Wednesday October 12

Since we will be leaving this campground fairly soon, we decide on one more trip up the mountain. Once again, we are blessed with a beautiful blue sky, gorgeous autumn colors, and another picnic.

Autumn Colors on Summit Road
Beautiful Blue Sky
Picnic on Summit Road

Friday October 14

We thought the steam engine train rides at Ely were closed for the season, but somehow Clifford figured out that they are still open and running. We get permission from the park ranger to stay a couple more days at Cave Lake Campground. I don’t think the ranger minds since there are so few people at the campground. The lake has been drained so as to allow for repairs to the dam. Normally this campground is full of people coming to enjoy the lake, but now it is mostly vacant.

So we make another trip to Ely for the tour of the Northern Railway Train Museum and steam engine train ride.  The train takes us on a route through the local countryside where railroad cars once carried ore from mining sites. Of course, this outing also entails another picnic.

Picnic at the Northern Railway Train Station
Northern Railway Train Museum
Railway Snow Plow
Northern Railway Steam Train
A Fantasy Village Along the Train Route
Autumn at Cave Lake Nevada State Park

It has been a good stay here but tomorrow we will be leaving Cave Lake Campground and heading further south on US Highway 93 to Pioche, Nevada.

Cave Lake, Nevada, Autumn Color – October 2022

Landscape at Cave Lake Nevada State Park

Thursday, October 6

Cllifford and I have been camped at Cave Lake Nevada State Park for about a week.  We are thoroughly enjoying our time here.  Today is a photo outing/exploration day, as we drive northward from the campground to Success Summit, the high point on the Success Loop Road. We are exploring where we might go camping at some future time. Although going up in the suburban was fine, it is not a place that we could take our RV. It is a good day for a drive and a picnic with a great blue sky, gorgeous autumn colors, and expansive views.

Expansive Views on Summit Loop Road near Cave Lake Nevada State Park
Hardy Aspens near the Summit
Autumn Colors on Summit Loop Road

Friday, October 7

Reading Altogether in One Place has taken up too much of my time, but I did get almost everything done on my list, except finishing a blog due to poor Internet. I reflect on the book, which is an account of a wagon train on the Oregon trail where the men had all died. The women had built their lives around their men until they come to a point they had to make cooperative decisions based on the desires and abilities of each one individually, but also as to the needs of the whole.  It was interesting to read, as well as insightful.

Saturday, October 8 is another photo outing, this time close to our campground. We are again exploring the possibilities for camping in the future, but stopping for photos where the autumn colors are  especially engaging.

Autumn Colors Near Cave Lake Nevada State Park
Autumn Colors Near Cave Lake Nevada State Park
Cave Creek

In just a few more days we will head further south, but in the meantime, we are grateful for the opportunity to be here at Cave Lake.

Cave Lake Nevada State Park – October 2022

Saturday October 1, 2022

Sunrise at Cave Lake Campground

I am sitting outside in the sunshine at Cave Lake Campground at Cave Lake Nevada State Park outside of Ely, Nevada. Clifford and I arrived here just a couple days ago on our journey south for the winter. Although the sunshine is pleasant, it is still a bit chilly as I sip tea and write in my journal.

Cave Lake Campground – Tea and Journal
Monday, October 3

The mornings is cool, but the afternoon is  warm enough that Clifford is sitting outside minus his T-shirt to do a sewing project while I find myself a nice spot to play the fiddle where I won’t  be likely to disturb any neighbors.

Clifford’s Sewing Project
Playing Fiddle Tunes
Wednesday, October 5
Today we make a trip to Ely for errands and admire the murals on the walls of the old downtown buildings.
Murals in Ely, Nevada
Murals in Ely, Nevada
Then we make or way to Renaissance Village, a portion of the original mining town that has been restored. Although the Village is closed for the season, we are free to walk the streets and peek in the windows of the buildings. Fascinating to think about all the folks who lived here in the early 1900’s and how much life has changed in the past century.
Sitting Outside the Country Store with an Oldtimer
Renaissance Village, Ely, Nevada
Renaissance Village, Ely, Nevada
Renaissance Village, Ely, Nevada
Back at camp, we are treated to another rich sunset.  Today was a fun day in town, and tomorrow we plan to head up the mountain to explore what is that direction.
Sunset at Cave Lake Nevada State Park

Montana to Nevada – September 2022

Saturday September 24, 2022

After spending the summer near family in western Montana, Clifford and I are heading south for the winter. I am grateful for all the time I’ve had with family. Despite the early August mosquitoes, hot spell, and forest fire smoke, it was great being in western Montana with my kids and siblings.

Goodbye Montana

It’s a good day for travel with light winds, a great blue sky, and trees just beginning to turn to autumn color as we travel southeast on I-90 along the Clark Fork river.

Clark Fork River Along I-90 in Western Montana

I am grateful for the safe and pleasant drive from my sister’s place where we were camped this summer, to the rest area south of Butte, Montana, where we are spending the night.

Sunset at Rest Area near Butte, Montana, on  I-15 South

Sunday September 25, 2022

Sunrise at Rest Area near Butte, Montana on I-15 South

Our travels take us through the ever-changing landscape of southwest Montana.

Southwest Montana Landscape along I-15
Organ Pipe Rock Near Dillon, Montana

We take I-15 from the rest area near Butte to the rest area at Dubois, Idaho, grateful for the clean facilities and the large parking area where we find a parking spot on the edge alongside the grass median.

Shrubs at the Dubois Rest Area Attractive in Autumn Colors
Sunset at Dubois Rest Area

Monday September 26 was an overnight stay at the Walmart in Burley, Idaho.

Tuesday September 27, 2022

For the first time, we are traveling south through Nevada to avoid going through Salt Lake City. We stay on I-15 until turning south on US highway 93 at Idaho Springs, Idaho.

Tonight we are at the pullover north of Wells, Nevada. It was a harder day of travel due to traffic on 93 as well as more wind. We sure are glad to get to this spot safely and after picking up trash, I take a few photos of the rather scenic desert landscape.

View from the Pullout North of Wells, Nevada
View at Sunset North of Wells, Nevada

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Even Weeds Look Good at Sunrise
Cougar (our RV) at Pullout North of Wells, Nevada at Sunrise

Our destination today is Cave Lake Nevada State Park near Ely, Nevada. About half way between Wells and Ely, Nevada, we stop at the Schellbourne Rest Stop which features kiosks that recount the history of the Pony Express, highlighting the bravery and hardships of the young men who traversed Nevada on their route delivering mail from St. Joseph, Missouri to San Francisco, California in 1860.

Schellbourne Rest Stop Features the Pony Express
Nevada Landscape Near Schellbourne Rest Stop

We arrive at Cave Lake Nevada State Park by mid-afternoon. It is perfect timing for us to catch the park ranger and get the Annual Nevada State Park Pass. The ranger is very nice to take the time for us since he was on his way out.

My research on the two campgrounds indicated that Elk Flat is more favorable for RVs, but since the headquarters is at Cave Lake Campground where we met the ranger, we camp here.

Our campsite at Cave Lake Nevada State Park Near Ely, Nevada

There is a very scenic view from the only pull-through site, but it is really tricky leveling because of the curve and slope of the land. The landscape is a juniper and opinion pine forest with views of mountains, hills, and mesas all around.

View from our Campsite at Cave Lake Nevada State Park

We like what we see and are treated to a beautiful sunset at the end of the day. I am grateful to be here!

Sunset from our Campsite at Cave Lake Nevada State Park

Friday, September 30. September comes to a close with reading Seven Spiritual Laws and sipping hot tea, as I enjoy the egg sandwich that Clifford made for breakfast. I am very happy there are showers at this campground, quite the luxury for our traveling lifestyle. I am grateful to be alive, savoring the beauty and the perfection of the moment.

Time for Tea at Cave Lake Nevada State Park

Pioche, Nevada, to Divide Bridge, Montana – June 2022

 

Traveling North

After spending two weeks at Meadow Valley Campground east of Pioche, Nevada, Clifford and I pack up Cougar (our RV) and head back to Pioche at the beginning of June, again finding a spot in the RV park on the edge of town. I definitely miss the scenic setting and the wild flowers at Meadow Valley, but I think an important step to inner peace is not to lament what has been left behind, but to be open to new “pieces of perfection.” I sit outside after going for a walk, appreciating the gorgeous blue sky as I enjoy a cup of french press coffee and write in my journal.

Pioche City RV Park

Pioche gives us a chance to get caught up with email and other internet related activities before we begin the trip north to Montana. While here, we take time to explore town a bit more, noticing old buildings including the original Lincoln County Courthouse built in 1872 at great expense to the town. The Overland Hotel and Saloon was originally a boarding house and bar, which burned to the ground in 1940 and was replaced in 1948. A few miner’s cabins still remain.

Lincoln County Courthouse, Pioche, Nevada, Built 1872
Overland Hotel and Saloon, Built 1948

Mining Related Building in Pioche, Nevada
Privy in Pioche
The Leaning Cabin

We have  lunch at Gunslinger Subs. This building was once the blacksmith shop and its original construction is still evident. It is a bit of a museum in itself.

Gunslinger Sub Cafe with Tintype of Billy the Kid

We plot our journey to Montana and decide not to try to make it to Seeley Lake in Montana by Father’s Day. It was tentatively a destination with family, but too much of a push for us to get there in two weeks.

After just a couple of days, we begin the journey from Pioche to Ely, Nevada, mostly a straight shot north on US highway 93. Except for Connors Pass over the Schell Creek Range at nearly 8,000 feet, it is a relatively easy journey.

Nevada Landscape North of Pioche, Nevada
Nevada Landscape North of Pioche, Nevada

Ely is a one-night stand to do laundry, go to the market, and we park overnight at the Silver Sage Truck Stop. It’s very trashy on the perimeters of the parking lot but at least it is quiet.

Our next one-night stop is about 10 miles north of Wells, Nevada, at a pullout that provides some privacy from the highway behind a small stand of junipers. I pick up trash along the fence where we are going to park, and then we take advantage of the internet to catch up on email and texts.

Pullout North of Wells, Nevada off US Highway 93
View to the South from Pullout North of Wells, Nevada off US Highway 93

Our next night is spent at the Burley, Idaho, Walmart. We are happy to find a spot along the edge of the lot next to grass and a tree. This is the opportunity to get stocked up on supplies and groceries. Despite our travels, I have kept up with Duolingo this past week and rise to #1 in the Diamond League, which is especially rewarding since I lost my streak while we were two weeks without internet at Meadow Valley. I have also kept up with Qigong live classes as often as internet allows.

Burley, Idaho, Walmart

From Burley we travel to the rest area at Dubois, Idaho, about 50 miles north Idaho Falls, off I-15.

Lava Fields Near Idaho Falls, Idaho

Dubois Rest Area is a good stopping place as the rest rooms are clean and the lot is large. The first time we stayed here, it was almost empty, but now it is a paved lot and fills with travelers and semis by evening. We are fortunate to get a spot on the outside next to the grass median. I always pick up a bag or two of trash when we are here, which makes a more pleasant place for us to spend the night and nicer for the next travelers. It is here we discover damage to our storage rack, grateful we didn’t lose anything, and it is repaired with wire and gorilla tape.

Evening at Dubois, Idaho, Rest Area.

A week after leaving Meadow Valley, we arrive at Divide Bridge Campground in southwest Montana, about 40 miles north of Dillon and 15 miles south of Butte. What a relief to be here! Not only are we here, but one of the sites right alongside the Big Hole River is available. These sites are always my favorite. The river is high and I am looking forward to walking about to take photos the next few days.

Campsite Along the Big Hole River at Divide Bridge Campground, Montana

Meadow Valley – part 3

Globe Mallow at Meadow Valley Campground

Some days here at Meadow Valley BLM Campground are rather breezy to windy, just as it was in Arizona. I am trying to be more at peace with the wind, seeing it as mother nature’s “wild child,” talking to it as though to soothe a petulant youngster.

One chilly morning, 34 degrees, I walk down the road where I can catch the sunlight on the vegetation on the rock face. As I wait, the chilly wind nearly drives me back inside. Brrr….

Waiting for Sunrise
Cliff Basks in the Sunlight
Claret Cup Waiting for the Sun

However, the daytime temperatures have been in the 70’s, so no complaints there. I enjoy sitting out with yerba matte tea, having more time to read inspirational material since I don’t have internet to distract me with texting or checking email.

Sitting Out in the Sunshine

And then my laptop hard drive fails, so I can’t even work on projects like editing or writing blogs. This is not a happy event, but now I have even more time for reading and journaling. I contemplate the Buddhist Eight Noble Truths, as well as dwell on my own daily intentions of mindfulness, the  allowing of well-being, and surrounding myself with beauty. Well, this is certainly a place for that to be easy and joyful to accomplish. I also think about the Martha and Mary quandary I have faced for years. Here I have more opportunity to find a better balance between these two aspects of myself.

One of our projects is to make a mountain-man shirt for Clifford. I read (like reed, not red) the pattern and pin, he cuts and sews.

Working on the Mountain Man Shirt

The shirt turns out quite well and he wears it when he and I go for a longer hike up the drainage. We see a rock cairn in the wash at the beginning of the trail.

Rock Cairn in the Wash

The trail is rugged and wildflowers are abundant, including prickly pear blossoms seen for the first time in all of the walking about that I have done. Eventually we arrive at a spring where the landscape and dense vegetation force us to turn back. Great hike.

Clifford Heads up the Drainage
Dense Vegetation
Great Hike for an Old Lady
Intrepid Hikers Pause
Wildflowers Along the Trail
Canyon Walls
Prickly Pear Blossoms

.Besides the daily hikes, I look forward to sitting outside with reading material, my journal, and French press coffee, adjusting for sun or shade as need be. Lizards and birds, butterflies and ladybugs come to visit. Life is quite delightful and our allotted two weeks passes quickly. I am sorry to leave the rugged hills with their blooming shrubs and wildflowers, but we have Montana with family to look forward to.

Ladybug Visitor
A Visiting Butterfly
Saying Good-bye to the Rugged Landscape and Vegetation at Meadow Valley

Meadow Valley – Part 2 – May 2022

Stansbury Cliffrose at Meadow Valley Campground

Clifford and I are camped at Meadow Valley Campground east of Pioche, Nevada. We are have only been here a few days, but we really like this scenic setting. In the early mornings, as the rising sun lights up the hillsides, evening primroses are abundant, adding to the delightfulness of my morning walkabout.

Formations Silhouetted at Sunrise
Evening Primrose at Dawn

Every day I hike somewhere, sometimes through the campsites beyond us before winding through the tent sites on the other side of the wash and then further up the drainage where it deepens into an arroyo. Walking the path to the far side of the wash, I discover a pocket of claret cup, also known as king cup cacti.

Claret Cup Cacti

Every day there are more wildflowers; such fun for me!

Fleabane
Indian Paint Brush and Stansbury”s Cliffrose
Mormon Tea in Blossom

A project Clifford takes on is turning dirty water to much cleaner usable water via filtering through various types and layers of fabric. It looks messy, but it is surprising how well it works, as he started out with dirty water and came out with clear water.

Clifford’s Water Filter System
Mud Water to Clear Water

One of our first days here, we walk up the highway to the border of the Spring Valley State Park.

State Highway 322 to Spring Valley Nevada State Park
Clifford Waits for Me in the Shade
Warm Day for a Walk

It is a very scenic walk and a patch of red catches my attention. I am excited to find Indian Paintbrush not far off the highway,

Castilleja (Indian Paintbrush) Near the Spring Valley State Park Boundary
A Healthy Clump of Indian Paintbrush by Sagebrush

If we weren’t still hitched up, we would have driven there to further explore the state park. As it is, it is a good long walk for us and I am glad it is downhill getting back to camp.

Relaxing in the Shade

Back at camp, we enjoy sitting in the shade of junipers, relaxing after our outing.

Claret Cup