News from Tucson

November has arrived and we definitely see a change in Tucson weather the past few days. Temperatures are quite cool in the morning and the high daytime temps are more like mid 70's instead of the 80's.  This is a great place this time of year.

Life is good at the hostel.  We spent the first week in the "big house" but are now settled in our own little room across the street.  We bought a coffee pot at the thrift store, retrieved our toaster from Matt and we are all set up.  Unless we are working (normally two mornings a week), we have breakfast in our room.  We have been back to the therapy pool at Reid park and found some favorite restaurants to frequent.  The hostel continues to be as entertaining as ever.  We have hosted people from France, Australia and Spain as well as throughout the US.  Zoe, from Australia, went to Sabino Canyon with us one day last week and we thoroughly peppered her with questions about life in Australia.

Last weekend we camped in Madera Canyon, part of the Coronado National Forest, which is about a half hour south of Tucson.  The elevation is high enough to include pines and deciduous forest and it was a treat to see flaming trees, something we have missed this year.  On Tuesday we hiked the Aspen Loop trail at the top of Mt Lemmon and enjoyed the quaking aspens in all their glory.  It was windy and not over 50 degrees, so we got a chance to wear warm clothes!  Megan's Aunt Margaret went with us and it was nice to get acquainted with her.

Now that we are more settled, we have removed the car top carrier and the bike rack on the van, so we don't look so much like gypsies!  The van has been running great and we even got it washed!  In Tucson an automated car wash costs $3 and it includes free use of the vacuum cleaners!  The accumulation of bugs on the front end was incredible.  A wash was definitely in order!!

We will check in later!  Stay well and warm.

Hot Springs and the Hostel

Last week was spent mostly at Faywood Hot Springs in New Mexico.  This lovely high-desert oasis is fast becoming one of our favorite spots.  For $30 a day we have our own little camping spot with picnic table, fire pit and running water and 24 hour access to about 15 different soaking tubs scattered throughout the property.  It is purported to be busy on weekends but during the week there are very few other people around and we wandered back and forth among the charming settings trying to decide which was our favorite.  One afternoon we puttered around the town of Silver Springs where many of the local transplants were bent on convincing us that this was the absolutely best town in the USA in which to retire.  It did seem to have a lot going for it.  We are not quite ready to abandon Ohio though.  

We are back in Tucson and have agreed to settle down at the Roadrunner Hostel for a couple of months to work and enjoy our local favorite haunts and spend time with Matt and Megan when they are not busy with school/work.  We hope to get out camping and hiking on our days off.  We have been camping the past three days near the top of Mt Lemmon where the temperatures are in the 30's at night but just a few miles down the mountain there is a gain of at least 25 degrees!  We had the campground to ourselves on Thursday night but we returned to our campsite on Friday evening to find what looked like a crowded refugee camp!  I guess the combination of a weekend coupled with the opening of campgrounds after the shutdown brought everyone out!  There were dogs and screaming children everywhere.  There were at least 4 other tents set up in our designated campsite.  Oh well!  It was interesting. 

So, we will report back when we have something interesting to say!  There are always lots of unique individuals coming through the hostel, so I am sure it won't be long.

Enjoying time in Tucson

After a couple of days on the Mogollon Rim east of Prescott, we arrived in Tucson and have been hanging out with our son, Matt.  We spent the first night in Tucson at the Roadrunner, the hostel where we worked last winter, and caught up with old friends.  Back to camping on the Mogollon Rim near Payson, Az:  During the night we could hear the bugling of the elk all around us in the heavily forested mountains.  The coyotes were also howling.  Looking up at the brilliant stars framed by the tops of the tall pines was indeed an amazing sight.  The threat of rain and wind convinced us to move on, but it was a great experience.  We took an afternoon to visit the Tonto Natural Bridge and hike the trail that takes you under the waterfall and under the bridge.  Here's a short description of the bridge from their website: "Tucked away in a tiny valley surrounded by a forest of pine trees, Tonto Natural Bridge State Park has been in the making for thousands of years. It is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world. The bridge stands 183 feet high over a 400-foot long tunnel that measures 150 feet at its widest point. Today, visitors can stand on top of the bridge or hike down below to capture the true size and beauty of this geologic wonder."

We are encouraged to read that Utah, Arizona and Colorado may be opening some of their National Parks and recreation areas.  This coming week will probably find us in SW New Mexico visiting Faywood Hot Springs.  We spent a day there last spring on our way home and loved it.  There is room for camping and the use of the springs is included in the price.  

Reporting from Arizona

A combination of the threat of cold weather and the closure of the National Parks has pushed us further south.  Let me try to capture the essence of this past week.
Just to mention a super trail we hiked on our last day near Moab, in case any of you are in the area!  It is a 5 mi., round trip to Morning Glory Arch.  It is not even in the National Park but right on hwy #128 along the Colorado River.  The trailhead is named Negro Bill (named after one of the first non-native american's to settle in the area).  The trail followed a clear, rather wide stream flowing out of the canyon.  There were at least 12 stream crossings along the trail!  The canyon walls were steep, which provided much shade and because of the abundant water, the area was green with trees and wildflowers (and lots of poison ivy)!  At the end of the trail, far into the canyon, was a spectacular arch reaching high up to the canyon ceiling.  Water was trickling out of cracks in the canyon wall.  This has to be one of my all-time favorite hikes!
We reluctantly left our campsite on the banks of the Colorado and moved to Captiol Reef National Park.  We settled in the Fruita campground which is an oasis in the middle of gigantic, red canyon walls.  There are fruit orchards all around and the general public is allowed to pick and eat the apples and pears from several of the orchards. This area was settled by Mormons.  The trail we hiked and liked the best was "Cohab Trail." Evidently this canyon was used to flee federal officers who were hunting down Mormons practicing polygamy.   Unfortunately, there were several huge RV's in the campground that ran generators in the evening and the tent camping was not separated from the RV camping.  Also, by Monday we were receiving reports that the park and all facilities would be closing by Wednesday morning if congress did nothing to prevent the government shutdown.  This did indeed happen, and on Wednesday we drove through southeastern Utah (Glen's Canyon, Monument Valley) and set up camp north of Flagstaff, Az in National Forest land.  The scenery through S.E. Utah was some of the most spectacular we have seen.  Initially we set up on top of a great hill with a view of Mt Humphrey and also the view looking back toward Utah, but the winds were wicked Wednesday night and Thursday and we had to move to a more protected area.  One of our tent poles was damaged by the wind while we were gone into town on Thursday morning, but we feel grateful that the tent was even still there.  It was being beaten to pieces and the tent pegs held tight.  We were able to get a replacement kit to fix the pole at Peace Surplus, a fabulous store in Flagstaff that has everything for outdoor sports and living.
Before signing off, we want to highlight a few of the colorful characters we have met in the last week so we don't forget them.  First there is Ted, an ER nurse, from Eugene, Or. who cruises around on his Harley Davidson on his off time.  He was a gentle, quiet man who we shared morning coffee with and heard many stories  about life in the ER and on the road.  He carried everything he needed for camping on his motorcycle and sat up often during the night in his little camping chair to watch the stars.
Camping on the other side of us was "Santa Monica."  We never did learn the names of this couple from Santa Monica, Ca. but they were a colorful duo who shared our dislike of the RV'ers camped around us.  They had arrived in an extended cab pick up and had everything but the kitchen sink with them.  It took them hours to set up, but they had intentions to stay a week and of course, were not happy about being kicked out of the park.
Then there were the two girls from Maine who we met at the laundrymat in Moab who were rather unfriendly in the beginning, but ended up giving us all their extra groceries as they were turning in their rental and flying home that afternoon.
We camped next to a couple from Ohio outside of Arches and they were the most fit, ambitious hikers we have ever seen (they were just retired so probably in their early 60's).  They were up before sunrise and returned to their campsite after dark, day after day and frequently hiked 10-15 miles without any apparent trouble.  More ambitious than this couple, I assure you.
Our plan is to shower, do laundry and hike near Prescott this weekend with Michaela and then perhaps spend a few days in Sedona area.  Signing off for now!

Pictures...maybe?

Mike is working on downloading Michaela's pictures of Glacier and Yellowstone.  There is hope.

We are in Moab catching up on laundry, sending out some mail, washed our hair (yoo hoo) and then will probably take our last hike around here before heading to Capitol Reef National Park tomorrow.  It has been so nice to be set up at the campsite for 5 days and not have to mess with rearranging gear.  We have had some nice campfires and even made crispy, tasty burritos over the fire last night.  The wind has died down.  We came back to the campsite the second evening to find our bedding and tent covered with fine, red grit!  Everything had to be shaken out.  We learned to zip the windows shut.

Yesterday we spent the day in Canyonlands National Park.  It is only 30 miles from Arches, so we kept our campsite.  Canyonlands is similar to the Grand Canyon but with canyons much wider and not quite as deep.  The Green River flows on the west side of the park and the Colorado flows on the East, so there are places where you have vistas of both.  There is also a strange dome with a crater in the middle that we hiked to.  The geologists don't really know what caused it, but it is very strange looking...about 2 miles across.  There were lots of BIG rocks to scramble over to get to the viewing points.  More later from further south in Utah!

Stunning Arches and Windows

Mike was discharged from the emergency room just before 10 pm last night. No definitive diagnosis but most likely just a case of dehydration. We hit Wendy's for a baked potato and chili and then drove back to our campsite and crashed.  It was heavenly sleeping in the tent, listening to the Colorado River rush by and Not being cold.  We were up at dawn for coffee and oatmeal and then spent the morning in Arches National Park, where Mike wore the camelback and sipped water continuously!  We especially enjoyed the primitive trail that took us behind the North and South Windows (for those of you who have been there...like Joe and Mary!).  It gets hot by mid afternoon, so we are hanging out in town for awhile, catching up on email and getting the van gassed up.  Bert, I am looking for a post office as I have a card to send you!!  I hope to get it in the mail today.  Jeannette sent me a text that the funeral was today.  I wish I could have been there to celebrate Joe's life with you.  He will always be remembered fondly in my heart.  We are very happy with our campsite.  It is large and has lots of shade.  We will have a fire tonight and roast potatoes (sounds like we like potatoes, doesn't it?)  We will probably stay put at this site for a few days.  We can see a lot of the area by fanning out from here.

nothing but time...

I am stuck with nothing to do but I do have internet so I will update.  Mike is in the emergency room in Moab, Utah having some tests run after collapsing this afternoon and passing out.  Of course, the doctor wants to rule out any major problems, so here we wait, but we are fairly convinced that he was dehydrated.  He is now on an IV drip and is feeling better, although still weak.  We traveled most of the day and experienced a dramatic change in temperature (35 degrees where we got up this morning and 83 degrees at our campground next to the Colorado River).  I think he was not drinking enough water.

Sunday and Monday were spent in charming Idaho Springs where we got Michaela sent off for home and Mike changed the muffler on the van in the O'Reilly's parking lot.  We ignorantly asked the guy in the store what were the major industries that kept Idaho Springs going, and he looked at us with a blank stare and said "potatoes."  We also got some prescriptions filled at Sam's, ate lunch downtown at a restaurant much like Panera, and poked around in a very well-organized, used bookstore.

We fully intended to go to the Grand Tetons but the weather there was forcast to be quite cold and we decided we had enough of cold noses poking out of our comforter at night and shivering while waiting for coffee to perk (thanks again to Jeannette for the camping coffee pot) in the morning.  We have a campsite on BLM land right next to the Colorado River with quite a bit of shade, so we will probably stay put for two or three days.

Well, here's hoping we get out of here soon!

Chillin in Idaho Falls

It's been an exciting week of extremes.  Last Sunday we shopped in Great Falls, Mt and then picked up Michaela at the airport.  It was a bit harrowing on the trip back to the campground in Glacier as it turned dark and we were on alert for cows meandering all over the mountainous roads.  Monday morning Mike dropped Michaela and Becky off at the trailhead across from the customs office and border crossing into Canada.  Yelling "Hey bear" to alert the grizzlies and black bears of our presence, we hiked our way across the Belly River valley and arrived at beautiful Cosley Lake around 1 pm.  We forded several streams and crossed a suspension bridge but never did encounter a bear.  It is hard to describe the color of a glacier lake.  The shore of Cosley Lake is pebbled with small pieces of flat rock in an array of beautiful colors...pink, blue, grey, black instead of sand or dirt.  It felt so good to make a depression in the smooth rocks to fit your back and lay looking at the surrounding glacier shaped depressions that make up the mountains high above you.  Day two found us hiking further into the valley and to a spectacular waterfall.  Michaela took many great pictures that she promised to send copies of, so I hope to get some posted at a future time.  Our camera has been a big disappointment (it is ancient) and I am disappointed that I have no pictures to share.  Tuesday night it poured and by Wednesday morning, all our gear and our tent were pretty well saturated and we decided to skip a hot breakfast and pack up and tackle the 9 miles out to Mike, the van and warmth and comfort!  It took us 5 hours of sloshing through mud with heavy, wet packs, and we were so glad that Mike decided to arrive earlier than the appointed time we had agreed on.  He wrapped us in warm blankets and stopped to buy us hot coffee and donuts before returning to the campground and packing up and heading out to return to Great Falls and a warm motel.  We took hot showers and ordered in pizza and on Thursday morning we hit a laundry mat to dry out sleeping bags, tents, wet clothes. etc.  By 4 pm on Thursday, we had camp set up in Yellowstone National Park at Norris campground and even though we did not have the energy to do any serious hiking in Yellowstone, we did have a great time wandering the boardwalks surrounding the geysers, mudpots, hot springs and fumerols throughout the park.  We saw Old Faithful erupt, visited and participated in a tour of the canyons and waterfalls of the park and visited Yellowstone Lake.  It was cold both nights we camped in Yellowstone and after checking the weather report for the Grand Tetons, we have decided to head to Utah and the promise of warmer temps.  The bumpy roads in Glacier pretty well destroyed our muffler, which evidently was not in the best of condition anyway, so Mike is planning to put a new muffler on tomorrow morning before we head out.  We met a guy at O'Reilly's this afternoon that was just a wonderful human being.  He is going to let Mike use his ramps to repair the van and although he is not working tomorrow at the auto parts store  (he drives school bus in the mornings), he is bringing his ramps back into town this evening after he gets off work so they will be there for Mike to use in the morning.  We will not soon forget our new friend Nolan!

Living the Dream

I have been so remiss in posting!  I keep waiting for a more convenient time but seems like it doesn't happen.  We have been in Glacier for over 24 hours and I am at a loss for words to describe the awesome beauty.  We have taken some pictures, so hope to get those downloaded and post a few.  We are surrounded by Canadians in the campground (this is very near the border) and the guy next to us has been here dozens of times and has been so helpful with suggestions for hiking.  Today we hiked part of the Garden Wall trail near Logan Pass and then down to two waterfalls - St Mary's falls and Virginia Falls.  I carried a pack to try to toughen up for hiking in the back country next week.  Probably only had 15 pounds in it but I think we did around 7-8 miles.  Made it and don't feel too bad.  Wonder how I will feel in the morning...

We feel like we are finally doing exactly what we came to do.  It's nice to settle into a camping site for more than one night and unpack a little and spread out.  There are bears around and we can't leave any food out.  I actually saw a bear near Lake Mary today.  He was just stepping into the water.  We were in the car on the road above him.  While hiking the Garden Wall, we glanced above us and just above our heads on a ledge was a full grown, white mountain goat.  He calmly gazed at us, not a bit perturbed about our presence.
Just a word about Theodore Roosevelt National Park:  The campground was buggy and we could actually hear the traffic on I-94 but we did set up the tent a few feet from the Little Missouri River and it was nice to sleep where we could feel the breeze blowing and hear the river running.  On our drive around the scenic loop we came across a wild horse who was determined to rile up a small herd of buffalo and when he finally succeeded in getting them stampeding around, he walked off in the other direction.  Pretty funny.  We got to use our bikes a bit in Teddy Roosevelt and hiked 3 shorter trails.  The topography is interesting.  Guess it is considered the Badlands.

We will spend another two nights in this campground and then hope to move to one further north that allows tents (can't have them here because of too much bear activity in the area).  It will also be closer to the trail we hope to begin our backpacking trip on .  That's all for now!

Breakfast at the Little Cottage Cafe

We have been on the road since 4:00 am and it is now a little after 6:00 am and we are hungry!  The Little Cottage Cafe in Bismarck has great reviews and we are anticipating good eats.  We have spent the last two nights sleeping in rest areas and it hasn't been too bad.  No hassles from anyone and fairly quiet but it will be good to arrive at the first National Park on our trip and do some real camping.  We should pull in well before noon.

Adios, Family...We are on the open road

Lots of catching up to do!  We spent 3 lovely days with sister#2 in Frontenac, Mn, making pies, eating pies, talking, laughing and a special time with her son, dil and grandson, Jacob.  Then on to Mike's hometown for the family reunion, which took place in Irvine Park, which is an awesome city park that is more like a regional or state park...it even has a zoo.  It was very hot on the actual day of the reunion so we were thankful for the large pavilion under which to sit and visit.  We used our bikes in Irvine park and we made very good use of the YMCA in Chippewa Falls ,we even used the olympic-size swimming pool on Sunday morning.  Today we stopped for a short visit with Becky's 92 yr old uncle.  Wally is the only remaining sibling of either of my parents and is doing quite well although he no longer drives, nor does his wife, so they are dealing with issues of trying to stay independent.

It is cloudy and sprinkling as we drive west toward Fargo.  Our plan is to stop for the remainder of the day in Fargo and use the bike trails up and down the Red River but we may have to modify that plan if it is raining.  Guess that is what the next 6 months is all about..spontaneity and flexibility.  It is terribly dry in Minnesota and Wisconsin so we can't begrudge them the rain. Tomorrow should find us in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  We will have to get the camera out and start snapping pictures!

A Sister to Emulate and 60+ miles on the bikes!

It is Tuesday morning and we are nearing Madison, Wisconsin.  Before I get into the drive through Chicago and first night sleeping in the van (this year), I want to just say...I have some awesome sisters!  The one I just spent 3 days with, who is a tinny, winny bit older than I (no need to say how much) is a hard act to follow.  Each morning she throws on her cute little biking shorts and we all fall into line behind her as she clears the path ahead, chirping a cheery "Good Morning" to each fellow-biker we pass.  Noah (witty and adorable son of my niece) calculated that we rode 61 miles on our bikes this Labor Day weekend. On day two, I blew the front tire of my bike, so now my "free" bike will actually be worth the cost of two new tires and tubes.  We figured my bike was old...maybe 50 years old, but evidently the tires were that old as well.  Now I am riding on new Kevlar!!

The plan to navigate Chicago in the late evening was a good one. As always, there was plenty of traffic, but it moved along.  There is construction from O'Hare airport all the way to the Wisconsin border and only two lanes and sometimes one, so it was good to be driving that section late at night. We arrived at the first rest area in Wisconsin shortly before midnight and crawled into the comfy nest set up in the back of the van.  It consists of air mattress, two down comforters and 10 pillows.  Thanks to Mike and Brandon, who raised the shelf 2" that sits over our feet and lower legs, we are actually able to turn over, although it was a struggle getting my favorite pillow wedged between my knees.  I will get it figured out!  We slept soundly for 6 hours and then arrived ravenous at a Denny's in Janesville for lots of coffee and a Grand Slam.

So, now we are looking forward to some Honey Crisp apples (grown near Lake City, Mn) and a nice visit with sister #2.  It's good to be on the road again.

A Bike ride and a flat tire

It was a perfect day in western Michigan with my sister, and niece and family.  We biked out to Lake Michigan and went swimming.  It's such a great lake...sandy bottom and the water temperature was in the 70's!  It almost beats the ocean since there is no salty residue.  The waves were not big enough to body surf but rolling nicely.  There were 7 of us in our entourage and we covered somewhere between 20-25 miles.  We were within 2 miles of our final destination when a loud "pop" brought us to a halt.  My rear tire (not just the tube) had a large hole in it.  Mike rode on ahead and brought the van back to rescue me and got to the store this evening and has fixed my tire.  We will be off to Whitehall (north of Muskegon) to ride more trails tomorrow and eat at the Brown Bear.  Definitely glad we brought the bikes!  The van rides like a dream, even with the bike carrier on the back.  I think we are off to a good start!

Expectations

It's hell getting old and so in order to keep track of our adventures and have some lasting memory of them, and secondarily, to share our exciting lives with our friends and family, we have created this space.