Death Valley & Zion
One night in Willow Beach, AZ along Colorado River
Two nights in Death Valley @ Furnace Creek campground
Getting here included a drive thru Las Vegas and seeing the Mandalay Bay hotel, rising up gold in the distance, was creepy to see since the shooting...
Stopped for lunch at Amagrosa Opera House area in the trailer, but walked over to a little cafe that yes, had the best cappuccino EVER. Fired me up for the rest of the day. I need to get some of that more often.
First day was nice, breezy and cool, but the next day warmed up. Happened to be there during the California 49ers Celebration, but just the first few days of it. Rode bikes to the borax mine up the road.
Second day warmer so biked around a little in the am, visited the event vendors and village area; met a young Japanese guy riding his bike from Vancouver BC to Argentina! wow, broken English but managed to understand. Says at most he'd done 120 miles in one day. He figures it will take 18 months. Later drove to the official first day of the re-opening of the Keane Wonder Mine Gold Mine, walked around there then drove to the other open campground by the sand dunes and stopped in at the Saloon for a bit of wifi. Tried another hike way back past Furnace Creek but it was just too hot for me. I couldn't slog thru the sand in that sunny hot slot canyon. Back to trailer, but tough to cool off.
Now we have 4 unscheduled nights before we move on to Zion, but it's Veteran's Day weekend so all the parks are filled; soooooo......
Two nights in St. George @ Quail Creek campground
St. George, when oh when did you get ALL THIS GREAT SHOPPING? guess Bill hid it from me last time, but this time NO WAY. Joann's (I think I've hit every one from Flagstaff to Vegas, which had the biggest store I've even seen in Vegas) but first lunch at In n Out, there is every chain store known crammed into this part of town. (yeah, loved it) The next day we drove the bikes to the city paved trail that started behind the mall and went about 10 miles or so, some steep hills for sure. Get that blood circulating! Met the couple in the site next to use also in an Airstream, a greek Greek, but living near San Francisco. Of course we would run into them again in Hurricane at the same car wash. small world.
Two nights IN TOWN in Hurricane @ Willow Wind campground
Fantastic! Loved this little town because the full hookup campground was a block off the main highway so we could WALK to anything: McDonalds, the grocery, the post office the restaurants the theater, you name it. Rode bikes all around town the first day, visited an antiques shop (got some vintage Hawaiian fabric) the next day we rode. Enjoyed this stop. Seems like the place for many to spend the winter so quite a friendly community packed into this RV park. I would go back anytime. We were in pull thru spot #118.
Oh yeah.... Right after we set up we remembered to check the trailer tire that was signaling low on air and sure enough, there was a nail. So got to spend the rest of the afternoon getting that plugged, putting on the spare, going to Walmart...
Three nights in Zion @ Watchman campground
Sunday morning, time to head to Zion for noon check-in. Electric Only. B32
Did the Watchman loop trail and got to see the mountain sheep across the way, they were fabs, about four of them.
Next day we drove up the canyon to the Hidden Canyon hike, straight up, my fave, and got as far as turn to the left along the ledge, but Bill was feeling the vertigo so don't need any accidents! Many cars here along the road as the shuttle buses were not running during the week. Drove to the end but no where to park so instead stopped at the small lodge for a look around.
Got out for a bike ride on their short paved trail along the river.
Walked out to Springdale a bit, lots of construction. Later drove to look around Grafton, the old ghost town and site of a scene in Butch Cassidy (the bicycle scene they say).
One night in Page @ W--- campground
Just one night, good to have full hookups. Lazy day, walked down to the water, so very exciting... actually kept the trailer on the hook to make leaving quicker.
