Trip #79 (10): Sedona

May 15 – 20, 2016

Arizona: Homolovi State Park and Oak Creek Canyon / Sedona

Truck passes 90,000 mile mark

Sunday, May 15
Me sick, so delayed departure by a day. To break up trip to Sedona, we stopped for one night at Homolovi State Park outside Winslow. Nice day but very windy. Arrived late in the day but managed to get in a quick walk around ruin #1 behind the campground. Not rebuilt but potsherds all over, what’s left over the years anyway. Super windy so not interested in riding bikes. Busier than expected but picked spot #31.

Junior archaeologists like to pick up pieces and leave them on display, as if the rest of us can't see them ourselves.

Always enjoy new additions to this billboard along I-40

Monday, May 16
Bill drove over for a look at ruin #2 while I took my time getting ready. Still feeling sick so moving slow. A drive down steep Oak Creek Canyon hwy 89A and we were at our campground, Pine Flats, #27. No electricity, but we have the generator. Dark canyons not my favorite. Drove down to the Village of “Old Creeps,” looking around to get the lay of the land. Slipped on a slick rock down by the creek, with sand, and smashed my knee good. Didn’t affect movement, but swelled up quick and ugly.



Tuesday, May 17
Had a rough night of sore throat and coughing, decided I am ready to visit urgent care, need the drugs. Rainy day today, looked at some houses for future reference. Lots of expensive old crap out there, not too encouraging. Found an urgent care on the west side of town, pretty quick in and out with diagnosis of sinus infection. What? Really? I have allergies? That’s what the PA said. On to Walgreens for Z-pak, I could have done that. Big dark clouds over the dark red sandstone, got caught in some rain as we made our way to Oxauca, for a late lunch-dinner. Bad service for us as always, my taco salad pretty gross; Bill said his flautas not bad. Back to the dark canyon...

through the skylight, rain rain rain

What you do when it rains in Sedona.

Wednesday, May 18
Another rainy day, so out driving again to check ’hoods, this time discovered Pine Valley, and the idea of a lot as an alt. Another awful night of coughing.

No need to saturate a photo when it's sunny in Sedona.

Thursday, May 19
Finally a sunny day! Planned on biking around Bell Rock area but busy and not a place to park so did some more touring. Turned out to be several open houses in Pine Valley so we checked out a few. Again, not too encouraging. Later went back to the trailhead and got a parking space. Rode about 1.5 miles uphill on the rocks, 84 degrees full sun, and I was dyin’. Rode back on the highway -- that was enough! Totally out of shape and still remnants of sinus breathing issues. Moving on... More driving around and a visit to the library for some wifi surfing--there is no signal to speak of at the trailer--thanks canyon. Then the final 20 minute drive back up the canyon to camp. Finally got to sit outside with a fire, only to add to all the other smoky campfires that stink up the canyon. Not one of my fave spots to park.

The very short (hot) bike ride.

Friday, May 20
Both of us awake at 5:30 AM so decided to start the day the earliest ever (for me)... Breakfast, packed up and on the road by 7:15 AM!!! 10 am as I write and we are almost to Kayenta. Plus we lose an hour due to DST -- AZ does not participate.

Mileage milestone. In not quite 5 years.

RIP: Morley Safer “60 Minutes” and Allan “Wilbur” Young of “Mr. Ed”

Trip #78 (9): Denver, Farewell to Sue

May 3 – 7, 2016

Tuesday, May 3
Left Durango, finally starting to warm up after two weekends of snow, going as far as Great Sand Dunes National Park for one night. Got a great spot though it took some jamming to get it in there, it's a smaller, older campground. Took a bike ride all downhill to get to the base of the dunes, that was chilly!! Windy too! A large herd of about 20 deer were crossing the road just as we rode down the hill, the last few hesitating to cross as we and a truck were approaching, but they made it. Bill looked like part of the herd. The two miles back was killer, especially considering we haven't ridden since...?
A nice little seasonal river was flowing alongside the base we had to cross, but the water was surprisingly warm, and the higher sands surprisingly hot. Didn't go far, it was about 4pm when we headed back to camp. Quite the uphill ride back. Into a headwind. Ran our now propane-powered generator as this camp has no electric, I'm sure everyone was thrilled with us. Today is the last open day before reservations start — talk about timing. It wasn't too crowded on a Tuesday.

Wednesday, May 4
Drove on to Denver, bypassing Alamosa -- and Starbucks (we forgot to pack coffee, ugh) -- and of course he kept going with only a stop for gas and a stop at Sam's for a return, the rest, nonstop. This trip we are "freestylin'" like Frankie and Mike (Am. Pickers), because reservations were unable to be made (need to do it three days in advance), so all we could secure was one night at Cherry Creek, and hope for the cancellation list. After talking to the front desk, Bill wasn't feeling too confident we'd get a spot so we looked into private campgrounds in Englewood, driving over during rush hour — about 45 minutes to go 11 miles in crawling traffic. Between the Flying Saucer and South Park Mobile Home Community, we chose South Park, off Federal. The joke was that it was 55+ but it was a whole lot nicer than the saucer. So tomorrow morning we will move from Cherry Creek. After being on the road all day with the bonus traffic crawl to Englewood, we decided to stay in for dinner, can't bear another drive. Warm day, low 80s.

Thursday, May 5
Happy Cinco de Mayo!

After a short bike ride we made the move of the day for the next two nights at South Park, which turned out to be quite nice. Super quiet except for traffic, not many people around, and lots of signs, and bunnies, robins and crows hopping around in the green space. Plus we knew we wouldn't be around much with the services for Sue. Set up then headed out for some lunch and shopping close by, knowing we would be meeting the family for dinner WAY over in Lowry — another 45 to an hour drive in traffic. oh joy. Good lunch and margarita at Chili's then some shopping. Met the Martin gang and Amy's family at a pizza place in Lowry, loud Latin celebration at Salty Rita's next door as we sat outside. Kids and dogs everywhere, all having fun. Nice day for it. Tomorrow we will meet again. Oh yeah -- our drive back to the camp turned out to be through the Mexican neighborhood so we got caught up in the Cinco Crawl on Federal, the party was on that night!

Friday, May 6
Long, sad day today. Met the family at Fairmount Cemetery for the ceremony of placing of the ashes into the niche (as Bill about the "ditch"). The four or so kids were running around playing at first, not understanding, but I think Sue would have liked that. After that we moved on to the memorial service at Augustana Lutheran Church, and finally to the reception at the Wellshire Inn at 3pm. All planned out by Sue, down to the tulips that were handed out to guests upon their departure. There was a huge turnout both at the church and reception. Sue was a notable force in the Rotary and greatly respected as evidenced by the speakers and attendance. It was a great farewell.

Sue Fox

August 28, 1946 — April 20, 2016

Saturday, May 7
Colorado being what it is, another storm is moving in, was hoping to take some days to see Shelley,  should we stay or should we go... Bill read the word HAIL, so yes we should go. So off we went, on the road by 8:30 and home by 4:30 — including an iffy drive over Wolf Creek Pass... blue skies south of Denver and west to South Fork, but the gray skies and obvious snow over the mountain had me spooked but he is determined so up the pass we went, then the flurries started half way up, then it went from 46 degrees down to 26, and all I can say is thank God the snow wasn't sticking yet and the roads were just wet, not icy, and we made it over safely — AND I NEVER WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN. I live by the "what if." 7 miles of downhill at 7%, even in second gear you have to brake a lot, especially when being pushed by a 7000 lb trailer... whew.

RIP: Shiprock girl; Trump becomes presumptive candidate