Utah – Quiet Walk Photography

February 28, 2025August 10, 2025

Snow in Arizona – February 2023

Early Morning View from the Campsite on Black Rock Road

It is February and Clifford and I are camped on Black Rock Road in northwest Arizona. Even though we are in Arizona, winter feels like winter. We were pleased with the mild temperatures on the trip to Snow Canyon last week, but on my birthday, it is 18 degrees when we get up. Although the morning is quite chilly, there is a gorgeous blue sky all day long. What a great birthday gift that is!

Clifford is treating me to a buffet lunch at a casino in Mesquite, Nevada, about 25 miles away. After a great lunch, we go to the pawn shop that we had gone to when we were in Mesquite at the balloon festival a couple weeks ago. That day I had seen an old violin in a new case and talked myself out of buying it. In the meantime, however, it occurred to me that the case alone was worth the asking price. Fortunately it is still there, so today I buy it with Clifford paying half as a birthday gift.

On the way back to Black Rock Road, we stop at Cedar Pockets, the rest area/campground where we met our nomad friend David several years ago, but which closed due to covid in 2020. It is open again, but this time of year almost no one is there. Clifford naps in the car while I hike the trail that goes from the campground down to the rest area. Hiking by myself gives me time to connect with the beauty of the day.

What a fun birthday week with our outings, the beautiful scenery and blue sky, and a new old fiddle to try out. Not to mention some very pretty sunrises and sunsets.

Sunset over the Virgin River Gorge as Seen from Black Rock Road

One day, just as we arrive back at the campsite after a trip to St. George for groceries and supplies, David invites us over for dinner and a movie – “RV,” staring Robin Williams. It was especially funny because almost everything that went wrong is something we three can relate to in our own lifestyle of traveling and camping in our RVs.

On Valentine’s Day it is snowing and although I generally avoid walking in the wind, I bundle up to go out to take photos. Being a Montana mountain girl, I have missed seeing snow. Of course the snow doesn’t last long, but I enjoy it while I can.

Pine Mountain is so pretty the next morning, I have a good time walking about taking photos, despite the chill of the breeze.

A week later another snow storm passes through, followed by another a few days later. There is not a lot of snow and it is gone from the basin by afternoon, but the mountains retain their new white coats and I like feeling the freshness of new snow surrounding me.

Overall, February weather proves to be cold and windy with a mix of clouds and wind, chemtrails and wind, a bit of rain or snow and wind, a little sunshine now and then, but always wind. The wind makes the days feel too cold for walking or playing instruments outside. One day the wind was blowing hard enough to keep us rocking and rolling for hours with gusts up to 50+ miles an hour.

Both Clifford and I have lots of indoor projects. I’m currently tending toward “Ask and Listen” and moving forward in my day based on that with more focus on what feels good, avoiding the wind as much as possible, but popping out for photos most days.

What will March bring? We will soon see.

March 24, 2023September 25, 2025

Gunlock Falls, Utah – March 2023

Thursday, March 23, 2023 is a chilly morning at 39 degrees in northwest Arizona where Clifford and I are camped on public land. An overcast sky indicates that rain is on the way, but at least there is a nice rainbow to show for it.

Two nearby camp neighbor friends, Lori and LeeAnn, and I have an outing planned to Gunlock Utah State Park outside of St George, near the Nevada border. Due to the rain this month, Gunlock Falls is quite dramatic and making the news. We get ready to go despite the overcast sky, but Lori’s truck won’t start. After considerable delay, including reading the owner’s manual and calling the Ford dealer, which didn’t help, and a tow truck arriving, the truck starts. We ponder a bit about the wisdom of traveling, but soon we are on our way to Gunlock Falls, a little over 20 miles northwest of St. George, Utah. When Gunlock Reservoir overflows, the water spills down the rock face, creating dramatic waterfalls before joining the Santa Clara River. It is raining hard when we get there and there is no place to park so we go to the nearby reservoir and I take photos in the rain, feeling quite delighted with all of it. When the rain lets up we go back to the falls, the rocks are wet, and lots of people people are still there, many of them slipping and sliding on the wet rocks.

Here I Stand by Gunlock Falls. Photo by LeeAnn.

I take photos from different angles, dodging around people of all ages, as dogs pull on leashes adding to the congestion. Because of the over-abundance of humans and their pets, (and, yes, I realize my friends and are are part of this melee), it is tricky getting the photos that I might have hoped for, but I am happy that we are able to be here, and I trust there will be photos suitable for a blog at some future time.

*Gunlock Falls at Gunlock Utah State Park*

After spending time at the falls, we hike a bit for different views of the area.

*New Snow on Mountains near Gunlock Utah State Park*

Friday, March 24 is another chilly day with rain and sleet forecast.

Today we three gals go to Colorado City/Hildale on the Arizona-Utah border east of St George for spring water and raw milk, despite the forecast of snow at that elevation. Maxwell Park at Hildale has wonderful spring water with hydrants so people can fill their jugs with good water. After we fill our water jugs, I meander about taking photos.

*Rock Face at Maxwell Park, Hildale, Utah*

The fresh snow on the red cliffs is a delight to me. Lori, as the driver, is a little uneasy, understandably, because of the forecast for more snow, so we are soon on our way with a brief stop at Finey Farm Store for really good cheese and raw milk for kefir.

*Snow on Mesa on Route Back to Black Rock*

*Snow Lingers on Mesas, but Blue Sky is Seen*

On our way back to Black rock, we stop at an ice cream shop in St George where homemade ice cream is served. I probably don’t need such, but it is really good ice cream!

I am very appreciative of these outings with women friends, both for the good company and for the chance to see the beauty of nature in this part of the country.

Both outings have given me a chance to get some photos that I like, which will be fun to share in a blog someday.

March 22, 2023September 3, 2025

Virgin River Gorge – March 2023

Beautiful Blue-sky Day With Pine Mountain Seen From Black Rock Road

Friday March 17, 2023, is a beautiful blue-sky day with a few small cumulus clouds in northwest Arizona where Clifford and I are camped on public land. An afternoon hike at Cedar pockets is in the plans for our friend Lori and me, the same trail that I hiked with LeeAnn just last week. How special it is for me to share time with another woman friend. Being later in the afternoon, the lighting is different than the previous hike, with the Virgin River almost in shadows while the ruggedness of the mesa across the river is still highlighted.

Formation in the Virgin River Gorge – I Call It The Castle

Today the Joshua trees are in full bloom in a way I’ve never seen before. It is quite the delight to see them and I take lots of photos, of course.

Saturday, March 18, is a busy day with the usual domestic tasks, editing, and playing music with Clifford. In the evening, an odd thing happens. We are camped on a narrow dirt road far from any other campers except for our friends David, Rick and LeeAnn. They are the only people beyond us on this road, which gets rocky and peters out after crossing the wash. Occasional ATVs go by, but for the most part, the road is unused beyond where Rick and LeeAnn are parked. Shortly after dark, a couple big trucks — a cattle truck and a large enclosed delivery truck come down that road. They hesitate at the wash crossing, but eventually barrel on across and disappear over the hill on the hint of the rocky rutted road. Clifford calls the sheriff to report them, as there is absolutely no reason for trucks that size to be here. We are guessing that the trucks are carrying illegals trying to cross the desert at night to avoid the weigh station between Black Rock Road exit and St. George. There is a way to get across this section of desert, but very hard to figure out in the dark, and the way is certainly not our narrow dirt road.

Sunday, March 19, is rainy off and on all day, and as I walk over to Rick and LeeAnn’s camp to have coffee with them, I notice the cloud formations over the entrance to the Virgin River Gorge, which can just barely be seen from our campsite.

Cloud Formations Over Virgin River Gorge

Monday, March 20, I have morning tea with Lori, who is camped near us, and we do a special 30-minute loving kindness meditation. I like that the meditation ends with the same words that end the tai chi class that I do most days, a blessing for all beings to be healthy, happy, and free from suffering. There is a steady rain in the afternoon, sometimes with strong gusts and dramatic clouds.

Tuesday, March 21. Rain most of the day, but I go for a walk to the wash despite the low 50’s temperature. The black rocks in the wash are shiny with the rain, and I am treated to a beautiful rainbow. Rain in the desert is so very important, which makes the rainbows an especially good sign.

Wednesday, March 22. Although it is a tad warmer today, up to 56 degrees, the wind is still chilly. I start the day with an intention to see beauty and harmony everywhere, which is what I see as I walk, noticing the mix of cumulus clouds and blue sky overhead.

Seeing Myself Surrounded by Beauty and Harmony

When I return from the walk, I have morning tea with Lori, and in the evening she makes dinner for all of us in our kitchen, as her space is much too small for a group meal. It is always delightful to enjoy a meal that someone else has cooked.

March Drama Clouds Seen from Black Rock Road

I am looking forward to another outing that has been planned with Lori and LeeAnn. It is delightful to have this time with these two special women, interesting and hardy souls who appreciate the connection to nature just as I do.

March 16, 2023August 31, 2025

Hikes in the Arizona Desert – March 2023

Wednesday, March 1, 2023 is overcast and rainy this morning, 38 degrees, in northwest Arizona where Clifford and I are camped on Black Rock Road.

I am midway through the online Qigong Global Summit. Very interesting information and helpful for my personal Qigong practice. I learned the Crane Walk Qigong routine and I’m looking forward to having space where I can do it without running into things. Outside when it is warmer will be good. Cougar (our RV) is just a bit too small for Qigong.

There is still a good coat of snow both on Pine Mountain to the north and the closer mountain to the west.

Afternoon Storm Rolls in Behind Pine Mountain

Morning Sunlight on Mountain to the West of Camp

The snow here at Black Rock Road has melted and left puddles. Rather unusual for this normally arid desert land.

Friday, March 3 is a chilly morning at 27 degrees, but the day is mostly sunny and it warms to 54. Despite the breeze, Clifford goes on a bike ride to the east. He sure does enjoy his bicycle outings. I prefer to stay indoors today. I do some editing for a couple of authors I know and play my fiddle, working on Jerusalem Ridge. Meals take time, but I am grateful to have food, especially as I read about people snowed in in California who have run out of food. I’m trying to eat slower and more thoughtfully.

My Map of the Battlegrounds in Saga of Sha’ha’non by Ang MacDonald

Monday, March 6, 2023. I am up in time for sunrise photo and then a walk to the mesa to the east, gathering a bag of creosote for the concoction that Clifford is preparing.

I pause here and there to take photos of filaree, small purple flowers no bigger than my pinkie nail, which grow as ground cover among the creosote bushes. The foliage as it ages turns rich shades of orange and red. Striking, but easily missed unless one is mindfully walking in the desert.

Tuesday, March 7. I was up before sunrise even though I went to bed late. I thought there might be nice sunrise color, but there was none at all. It’s only a tad warmer today and I mostly work on indoor projects, but I go for a walk and find the globe mallow that will bloom later this spring.

Walking in the Desert with Pine Mountain in the Background

My intention is for a day of well-being, mindfulness, effective and efficient use of time and energy, peace and harmony. Clifford goes on a longer bike ride today.

Friday, March 10. It is warmer this morning at 47 degrees, overcast, and there is a bit of rain in the evening. The word from family is more snow in Montana and the news is more flooding in California.

Saturday, March 11. I enjoy walking in the rain this morning, appreciating that the temperatures are moderating.

Sunday March 12. LeeAnn, a nearby camp neighbor, and I go to Cedar Pockets, the rest area/campground in the Virgin River Gorge, about 10 miles from where we are camped on Black Rock Road. It is very enjoyable spending time with her as we hike the scenic trail above the river from the lower rest area to the upper campground. When Clifford and I are traveling and camping, I don’t meet many women and seldom have the opportunity for hiking or hanging out with other women. I really appreciate the time LeeAnn and I have together.

The Virgin River Running High and Muddy from the Recent Rains

LeeAnn and I Hike the Trail Above the Virgin River

Monday March 13. Today is warm and dry enough that we are able to play music outside. Clifford and I often do UK fiddle tunes together, outside when the weather permits, inside when it’s rainy or windy.

Tuesday and Wednesday March 14 and 15 are rainy days from drizzle to heavy, and we collect about 80 gallons of rainwater in big double trash bags. It helps to not have to go to St. George for water for dishes and showers. More snow and rain in California equals more flooding there. It is an especially challenging time for rural folks.

My indoor projects on these rainy days include journaling and working on December 2021 blogs. Clifford has ham radio and is always studying something. We are never bored, even though we might like to find weather suitable for being outside.

Thursday March 16 our friend Lori comes out to see us. She and I go for a walk to meet our friend David, and further down the road, LeeAnn and her husband Rick. It was fun visiting with all of our nomad neighbors. Later, Lori and I hike to the top of the mesa that I call Teepee Rock due to the pointed upcrop outline. It’s a long hike for me, but what a view from there!

February 28, 2023June 24, 2023

Birthday Celebration in the Gorge – February 2022

Clifford and I are camped in the desert south of St. George, Utah, for this winter season. Although it is warmer than Montana, which is now our home-base and where family is, it is definitely winter in this very northwest corner of Arizona. There are some days when we can sit outside to play music, many days when I go for solitary walks, and days when Clifford sits outside to review Carnicom Institute research. However, there are nights that are in the low teen and days when all projects are done indoors.

Grateful for a warm place to spend cold days.

On my birthday we join forces with our friend David and a couple he met camping here at Black Rock, and we pick up more trash from the campsites and the parking area at Black Rock Road. David has arranged for a dumpster to be delivered and on the delivery day, other folks join in and a large dumpster is filled to the brim with all the trash we have picked up.

Picking up trash wasn’t what I had in mind for a birthday celebration, so we watch the weather and wait for a forecast of a sunny day with mild temperatures. A few days later when the right conditions materialize, we head to the Virgin River Gorge, about ten miles away, for a picnic outing to celebrate. I want to go to Cedar Pockets, the campground in the Virgin River Gorge but it is still closed for repairs. So, we take the overpass to the other side of I-10 and drive up the dirt road to a spot that works for a picnic.

Finding a place in the Virgin River Gorge for a picnic

We pick up trash using our “grabbers,” before we set up a table and spread out the picnic.

Birthday picnic in the Virgin River Gorge

After eating, we play music – Clifford with his dulcimer and tongue drum and me with the fiddle, playing fiddle tunes.

While we are there, a woman who had stopped to walk her dog stops to chat because we are such an unusual sight, a couple fuddy-duddies having a picnic and playing fiddle music in the middle of the Virgin River Gorge. We exchange contact information before she goes on her way.

After picnic and music, Clifford and I hike up the ridge behind us, enjoying the sunshine on this winter day and the view of the mesa on the other side of the gorge from where we are.

The gorge is grand, rugged, and scenic and I am grateful that the weather cooperated to allow us to have such a fun outing.

The Virgin River Gorge is grand, rugged, and scenic

Hiking to a plateau on the picnic side of the Virgin River Gorge

Later in February, Lori, the woman we met on the picnic day in the Gorge comes to play music with us, as she also has a tongue drum and was eager to play with us. So fun to have a new-found friend in the desert.

One other outing in February is to the town of Colorado City on the border between Arizona and Utah to have dinner with a friend and while we are there, we go to Maxwell Park for spring water and the opportunity to take photos of the red cliffs, which look to be part of the same geological formation as that of Zion National Park in Utah.

View of the red cliffs from Maxwell Park in Colorado City

A new activity that is fun and engaging for me is experimenting with making creative composites using photos that I have taken on my walks as well as photos in my gallery. I like the process of using photos that might not be anything more than snapshots and coming up with an image that is creative and unique. I call these images BeCreative. They are a good stretch for me from my usual documentary style photos.

In addition to playing music, Clifford always has a focus on the ham radio and improving the antennas. He is also using portable scientific instruments to do some research on a topic that is coming to his attention.

Daily I watch the sunrise and sunsets, finding great pleasure in the light and colors that are special at that time of the day.

February 10, 2023August 3, 2025

Snow Canyon, Utah – February 2023

Yesterday we woke to 14 degrees outdoor temperature where we are camped on Black Rock Road in northwest Arizona. That’s a bit chilly for Cougar, our RV, but we turn on the heat and once the sun comes up, it doesn’t take long for the outside to warm up also. Our friend David comes for coffee to compare how our RV’s held up to the cold temperature last night. Pipes froze, but soon thaw as the sun does its job.

David, Clifford, and I, along with another couple that he recruited, have been picking up trash from the desert every day. People coming into the large parking area and those camping on the little dirt side roads have left literally tons of trash. It is wonderful to return the desert to its more natural state, but a big job and so much more needs to be done.

David Picking up Trash on Black Rock Road

As part of my birthday celebration week, a couple days after picking up trash, we (Clifford, David, the other couple, and I) go to a beautiful scenic canyon just a ways outside St. George, Utah – Snow Canyon.

Going to Snow Canyon was what I wanted to do for my birthday and it was the perfect day for it.

Carol and Clifford at Snow Canyon Overlook

We hike and enjoy a really good picnic thanks to LeeAnn. I walk barefoot up one of the towering petrified sandstone dunes, feeling the rough stone under my feet, knowing that even in my 70’s, I can do this.

Clifford Hiking on the Petrified Sandstone Dune

While the men relax, LeeAnn and I go hiking across the road from the picnic area. Such an interesting scenic place!

On the way back to the campsite, we stop at a shop in Santa Clara where Clifford and David buy a stain glass butterfly for my birthday.

David, Clifford (reflected in the window), and Carol in Santa Clara

Once at camp, I discover that Rick and LeeAnn have given me a string of solar lights – dragonflies that light up the night. What a great day!

MORE SNOW CANYON

January 25, 2023July 14, 2025

Winter in the Desert at Black Rock – January 2023

As January proceeds, there are many overcast and windy days at Black Rock Road in northwest Arizona where Clifford and I are camped near out friend David in a wide desert basin. Sometimes there is rain, which is good, and I don’t mind walking in the rain, but all too often it is too windy to walk, so indoor projects take the place of walks in the desert. Some evenings we play UK fiddle tunes after dinner. That is always fun.

Even on the windy indoor days, I keep an eye out for color in the sky as the sun nears the horizon morning and evening.

Sunset Color Reflects Off the Snow on Pine Mountain

Saturday January 7, it is 27 degrees this morning and there is frost on the creosote. I quickly head out to take photos of the frost, so sparkly and pretty, just as the moon is setting.

During the days we are inside, my projects include publishing blogs I’ve work on and rereading Fate of Angels, the last book in the epic fantasy series, Novels of Shannon. (Now renamed Saga of ShaHaNon by Ang MacDonald.) Clifford’s indoor projects include ham radio, but he always has a list of projects to keep his mind active.

I am grateful for the beauty that surrounds us.

Sunlight on Pine Mountain Viewed from our Doorway

In mid January, I start the Holden 5-day Qigong challenge. Qigong has been so good for my health, I would recommend it to anyone. I am also taking a 5-day class on proofreading to see if it is something I’d like to do when we are traveling/camping, as long as we have internet, which certainly isn’t a given, but could be a way to earn money while traveling. Catching sunrise and sunset and walks in the desert still fill my day.

Sunrise Golden Light Reflects off Mountain to the West

The Mouth of the Virgin River Gorge in Northwest Arizona.

Clifford knows that an electric bike is something he would would like to have, since he and David go bike riding often and he would enjoy it for his own explorations, so one day he orders one for himself.

Thursday January 19, 2003 Today is Clifford’s birthday. Since this is a special day, David comes over to help Clifford put together the new electric bike. I do some of the daily tasks while they work on the bike and then we go to St. George to the Wildlife Museum followed by an early dinner at Cracker Barrel. Good birthday for Clifford.

The next few days are so cold and windy that I don’t bother to go walking as I don’t do well with cold wind. Sometimes I pop out for a photo of sunrise or sunset, but mostly these days are indoor project days for both of us.

Toward the end of January, as temperature moderates a bit, we go on an outing with David to the Pioneer Museum and to Santa Clara, a village outside of St. George where I buy a stained glass sun at a little shop that David knows about. Then we go on a scenic drive to another small village, Vejo, where there is a well-known pie shop, the intention being to have pie. Unfortunately, today the pie shop is not open, but the drive was still scenic and worth the outing. A pie is purchased at Smith’s on our way back to camp and shared there.

View from Gunlock State Park on the way to Vejo

Another fun outing is on the horizon before the end of the month, so January 2023 is off to a good start.

November 30, 2022May 10, 2025

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

September 30, 2022January 10, 2025

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.

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.

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

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

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

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

May 15, 2022February 21, 2024

Nevada Adventures Begin – May 2022

It is time for us to begin the journey north to Montana. Clifford and I spent the winter in northwest Arizona, staying longer than intended as we waited for snow and cold to leave northern Nevada. Well, the Ruby Mountains are still cold and very snowy, so a change of plans is in order. We will still go to Nevada, but stay to the east side, traveling north to Idaho on US Highway 93.

Time to Say Goodbye to Black Rock Road, Arizona

May 10^th we say good-bye to Black Rock Road and pull out, traveling through a landscape of red and black lava west of St. George, Utah, before winding through juniper covered hills, crossing over the Bull Valley Mountain Range, and across a large valley to Enterprise, Utah. Once past this farming valley, as we take a westerly direction, the landscape with its dead trees does not impress me. Our first stop in Nevada after crossing another smaller mountain range is the small mining town of Pioche.

Thanks to Clifford doing a little research, we find an RV park on the edge of town allowing a week stay by donation. There are no restrooms, but there is water and garbage cans, a big plus after months of boondocking. The RV park has about ten spaces and we are pleased to find a spot available. We get settled in without unhitching since we won’t be here long.

The next day, as I am interested in seeing the restored area of town with its museum and old buildings, I head toward the heart of town. While I learn a lot about the town, it is a cold windy day and everything is uphill from the RV park. The walk was stressful on my heart and I realize I must take better care. The following day is a day of rest and indoor projects. A couple days later when the temperature and wind moderate, Clifford and I go to the museum together. It is still a long uphill hike, but more enjoyable than my previous visit to the museum.

The old Lincoln County Courthouse is now also a museum and we pay a visit there, learning that Pioche was a violent nearly lawless town in the 1870’s when silver mining was the rage. There is a Boothill Cemetery we’d like to see, but since we didn’t unhitch, it will have to wait, as it is too far to walk.

Life-like Manikins in the Historic Lincoln County Courthouse Courtroom

In the morning, I go for a walk and find my way down into the pit next to the RV park where I take photos of a few wildflowers at sunrise. It is one of those places that could be made into a lovely walking park, if anyone cared enough to do it. When I am a rich lady……..

Our friend David had told of us a place he camped east of Pioche, so after staying a week at the RV park, having taken advantage of cell service to get caught up on email, blogs, and texts to family and friends, we head to Eagle Valley about 15 miles to the hills east of Pioche to find a place to camp. As it turns out, we find a small free campground, Meadow Valley Campground, just outside of Spring Valley State Park. The spots are small, probably designed for tent campers. We are fortunate that no one else is camped here, as it gives us the opportunity to park in the only spot big enough to accommodate our RV. Since we don’t know how long we will be here, we don’t unhitch, but get set up to enjoy whatever time we have. The rugged hills look like a great place to go exploring and we are pleased to have such a scenic setting as our home for a week or two.