I'm going to try to go to bed early tonight so that I can leave early tomorrow. I head to Colorado tomorrow and will be in a hotel which will be nice. I'm looking forward to it.
Today I did the Navajo Trail. I loved that hike. Takes you right up close to the canyon. I then drove over to Red Canyon, then back to my campground. I took my camera and walked to the edge of the campground, then out to an area beyond it which takes you to some bluffs. I walked around there exploring a bit and taking pics. I found some deer and, I guess, coyote tracks. Then I came back, ate, and have been getting stuff done online while in the driver’s seat of the car at my site. I'm going to try to go to bed early tonight so that I can leave early tomorrow. I head to Colorado tomorrow and will be in a hotel which will be nice. I'm looking forward to it.
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When I went to bed last night, there was a slight breeze. It was nice. I figured it would help cool me down. The tent holds in heat pretty well, so it was a little warm. Around 4:00 AM I woke back up. Not sure why. But the wind was picking up. Maybe that’s why. I think it may be caused by temperature differences in the park, because it steadily increased as the night went on. I wasn’t staked down since the ground had been too hard to stake into and I didn't have a mallet to help me with that. I'd set large rocks on the stakes instead. The wind got so strong at one point that I wondered if it was possible to be blown over. I kept reminding myself that the rain fly couldn’t blow off and that my body would hold the tent down. The tent was raised off the ground in all four corners - everywhere except where my body was holding it down. I considered collapsing it and sleeping the rest of the night in the car, but since the wind was fairly steady, I wasn’t sure how I could do this without it blowing away once I got out of it. But my theory of the wind strength being related to the temps meant that as the sun came up in a few hours the wind should die down. And that’s what it did. Around maybe 6 AM the wind was calm again. I fell asleep for an hour then woke up. Then fell asleep again for maybe an hour before waking up to a hot tent. Temps were almost to 80 degrees by 9:00 AM. I got up, packed up the tent, and then went back to the top of the hill near my site where I had explored the night before. I took some pics of the area in the daylight. It was getting hot so I didn’t dilly dally. From there I drove to Zion hoping to get a campsite. After Yosemite, I wondered if I’d have trouble. I was tired and really didn’t want to have to struggle to get a site. At the gate, they told me that the campgrounds were booked up and mentioned some on the other side of the park just outside of it. I’d planned to be here two nights, but as I drove through the park I decided to leave Zion and see Bryce instead. I’d seen Zion before. I’d wanted to spend more time here, but that meant staying who knows where and driving in and out each day. I hadn't seen Bryce before. So I found a KOA near Bryce, called, and reserved a site. I enjoyed Zion and stopped a few times to take pics or explore a little, then drove to the Bryce area. I got into Death Valley around 6:00 PM. After turning off the wrong way to get to the campground (following the GPS’s leading) I dead-ended at a small airport. I turned around and as I was heading back saw three coyotes crossing the street. I got a few pics of them (below). I credit the delay for my seeing an NPS employee as I entered the campground. She recommended I stay at the Texas Spring campground instead of where I had planned to go, saying it was quieter. It wasn't far away, and I still had a little time before it got dark, so I went for it. Glad I did. I didn’t see much of Furnace Creek, but it looked more open and crowded as did one I saw when I first entered the park. Not many people a Texas Spring, though. I got a site on the edge of the campground. It’s absolutely quiet and there aren’t many people here. I’m in my tent now. I have all the flaps open. I don’t know that I’ve ever camped with the tent this open before. At best, I’ve opened one of the flaps. I could probably take off the rain fly as there aren’t people too close. Fortunately, there is a breeze since the tent, even with all the mesh, holds in heat. I should be fine, though. After I ate dinner, I decided to try to go up onto the white hills near my site. It was easier than I thought. With new batteries in my headlamp, I went up and explored. It looked like snow-covered hills, but the ground was smooth and the crust-like surface gave slightly under each step I took like mud that was drying. It reminded me of a thick, soft, sourdough sugar cookie with a layer of hardened confectioners sugar icing on top. It wasn't regular dirt or sand. I think it has salt in it or something like it. With the moon being just over half full, and the hills being white, I could see without the headlamp for the most part. I walked around exploring up there for about an hour. So awesome. No one else up there. I could see the silhouette of the mountain ranges all around me and the lights of the lodge and resort area across the way and below me. What a great place. So glad I am staying here. Perfect temps outside. Now to get the temp in my tent down… I can credit this exploring around the white hills of DVNP as being the moment I realized how much I really love exploring new places, especially those off the beaten path. On the 20th, I left the house I was staying in just after 11 AM, drove the short distance over to the capitol building to check it out, then headed to Yosemite. I went to In-N-Out Burger on the way. I got fries and a grilled cheese “burger”. It was good and I was hungry, so I went back and got it again. The wait was long so as the 10 or 15 mins passed I got less hungry. But I still ate it all. I was hungry. It was after 1:00 and I hadn’t eaten yet that day.
I had called Yosemite in the morning to reserve a site, but was told it was walk-ins only this time of year. It being off-season and middle of the week I figured there would be no trouble. Campgrounds have been empty and some are even closing or have already closed. As I pulled in to the park I saw a sign that stated that the two campgrounds I was wanting to stay at were already full. It was about 4 PM. I could have gotten here a little earlier, but hadn’t rushed. I would have passed on the extra food there and eaten stuff in my car had I known I needed to rush. The lady at the booth mentioned that I could try Wawona Campground in the south or one up north. Wawona interested me more. A little disappointed, but realizing that I’d wanted to see a bunch of stuff all around anyway, and that I’d have driven south at some point, I decided to aim for Wawona and try to get into the lower or upper pines campground the next night. I got to Wawona and drove around. All the campsites were taken! Even a site that I thought was empty. Now what??? Not sure what to do or how much further down the next site was I asked a couple near where I was parked if they knew anything about options. There was a group site that I thought about trying to move into if I got desperate. They told me about the site right across from them. Number 10. They said that the guys there had paid for two nights, but left early. They told them they were headed to San Francisco, so the site was vacant. There was stuff on the table, and a slip under it, so it looked like someone was there. I’d seen it. But they said it was available and I could have it. For free. So I’m in the tent now. It’s 8:31 PM. The sky is full of stars and I can hear the kids at the group site in the distant background, and that couple, and a kid on the site next to the the couple talking around a campfire. I can also hear cars going down the road. They get a lot of traffic there. I kept seeing cars come in trying to find a site, so I located the “Campground Full” sign and put it in place on the sign at the entrance to this campground. May save people some time in driving around, and cuts down on the traffic and lights coming through. It’s been quieter since I did that. I guess I’ll flip it back tomorrow before I leave. It’s not so cold that I can’t write in my tent tonight. It’s been so cold that even in my tent with a coat on I didn’t want to write. But in here now it’s perfect. I think it’s about 58 out right now. On the 21st, I woke up around 5 AM kinda cold. I think I stayed awake for about an hour before falling asleep again. I woke up and laid there for about 15 or so minutes before looking at the clock. I assumed it was about 7:30. It was 9:15. I got up, got ready, and packed my stuff. I needed to get over to the next campground to reserve a spot for my next night. That was at least an hour away. Before I left, I went over to thank the couple again. We talked for a bit. They were actually a little talkative, so it probably went about 15 minutes longer than I’d intended. It was fine. I then hopped in my car and drove off. I stopped to take better pics of the Tunnel View with better lighting. At the campground they told me I needed to go to the reservation office to reserve a place. I went over there and found out I was in the wrong place. I’d lost about 15 mins in the process. When I arrived at the correct office around what I think was 10:37 they added me to the list. There were 20 people ahead of me. I asked if that meant I likely wouldn’t get a spot and he told me there was a 60% or 70% chance I’d get a spot for that night. Not high, but in my favor. I was to come back just before 3:00 PM to see if I’d get a spot based on cancellations. I’m still not certain how it all works, but basically, it’s first-come-first-served on those vacancies. Some at the beginning of the pack had come in right at 8 to get on that list. I then came back at 2:45 PM and talked to the NPS guys about other options in the case that my name wasn’t called. Hodgedon Campground seemed like my best bet. It was a ways away, further north, but right near where I’d be going to head to Death Valley tomorrow. This seemed convenient except that I wanted to hike right by where I currently was, a several hour hike, which meant I may get to the campground too late to get a first-come-first-served spot. Then what? I could head straight there, but then what else would I do? I didn’t come here just to hang out at a campsite. I figured I’d hike, then take my chances with Hodgedon. They had everyone meet beside the NPS office and someone there gave everyone the scoop on what would happen. They had a certain amount of slots available. They’d read names in the order that people added their name to the list. If someone wasn’t there to respond to their name being called, their name was scratched from the list, and the next name on the list was called. You’d be given a number, and would go line up outside the NPS office where you’d wait to talk to someone about getting a site. Then off you’d go on your merry way. I was number 21. I didn’t have high expectations. Then they started calling names. I counted the names as they went along. One person’s name was called, but there was no response. So they skipped them. Several names later no one answered to the name. Later two in a row didn’t answer. At this point the lady showed that she had three numbers left to give out. My hands were sweating. I had figured we were at about number 17 - a few numbers before mine, but had lost count, so really didn’t know where we were. In my mind, I was just barely outside of the three left, unless there was a no-show. Then he called the next name – “Chandler”. Wow! Maybe I didn’t remember my place in the line. Or had miscounted as we went along. Either way I was super relieved to hear my name called next. I’ve never been that relieved to get a site, and have never seen it like a prize : ) I got a campsite and went and set up my tent on it. It was late, but I then went to do the Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls hike. I figured, if nothing else, I could go to Vernal and no further. I left for the hike around 4:30. It was steep and the end of it was steep and a little dangerous. Steep uneven steps. But the view was awesome. It was later so while I passed a bunch of people coming down, I didn’t see anyone coming up. I was the only one up there. Awesome view. I got back to my car and ate dinner. I was so hungry. I loaded up on protein. My muscles were tired. I then went back to my campsite, locked up the food in the bear box, then headed to Yosemite Village to the hotel there and got an ice cream drumstick and a truffle. As I was heading out to eat the ice cream, I ran into a couple I saw twice on the hike and talked to them, half thinking about my ice cream that was likely melting while we spoke. We talked for about 20 mins. I then sat down and ate the softened, but still composed, cone. They came up later before leaving and told me to visit if I was ever in Tennessee. Scott and Kelly. Very nice. So I sent them a text and mentioned I’d try to find them on Facebook. I didn’t have room for the truffle, so saved it for later. I locked up the rest of my stuff in the box as they are very clear about leaving nothing outside or even in your car. Bears. I’d always been told I could leave stuff in my car, but they have pics of a door ripped off a car where the bear smelled food inside. I need this car, so I’m putting everything in the box tonight. And here I am, in the front seat of my car typing this. It’s now 10:37 PM. My food has settled I think, so I may head into my tent shortly. Maybe I’ll read, or do some writing first. It’s 51 which is a little warmer than last night at this hour, and warmer than what I’ve seen the most of the rest of the trip after the Badlands. So it may be warmer tonight. Tomorrow I head to Death Valley. I had a great night of sleep last night. My campsite was nice and quiet and temps were crisply cool - perfect for sleeping. I exited my little tent this morning to the view of huge trees all around me. I wished I had another day here. But I have to keep moving as I'm wanting to be back home on the East Coast by the end of the month. I left for Sacramento, California after breakfast. My goal was to get there by 7:00 PM, but there were a few things I wanted to see on the way. I did make sure I stopped at a beach before heading inland. Stepping into the ocean there meant that I have been in the ocean on both sides of the U.S. in the same year, which would be the third country I'd done this in this year (also New Zealand and Canada). Well, I guess with Canada I didn't step into it but simply saw it. I drove to Prairie Creek State Park and walked around a bit. It was raining but I had a poncho so it wasn't a problem. I pulled into my Airbnb in Sacramento around 10:30 PM. Well after the time I'd been aiming for. There was just too much to see along the way. It's going on midnight now. I’ll get some rest, then head to Yosemite tomorrow. I left Auburn around noon on the 18th and drove to the Crescent City KOA in California. I arrived late, so it was already dark. I think I drove through some nice scenery coming in, but it was too dark to see any of it. I set up my tent, then went to Taco Bell as most everything else was closed at that hour (about 9:45 PM). After eating I went to Safeway to stock up for the trip ahead.
Tonight's stay is basically must a stopover for me. Tomorrow I head to Sacramento, California. On the 12th, I slept in a bit then headed out to another friend's house further north in Auburn, WA. I'd passed her house on the way to my Portland stay, but with people's schedules, this just worked out best. Before driving there I went and got my oil changed at "Oil Can Henry’s". First time getting an oil change since I left my house in Maryland. So impressed with that place. I’d use them regularly f they had locations closer to home. On the 13th we hung out in Seattle then came back and watched "Friends". I saw about 4 episodes during my stay which, surprisingly, is about double as many as I've ever seen in my life. On the 14th, we went to Mt. Rainier and Narada Falls. Both were very impressive. On the 15th, I got some stuff done online as this would be my last opportunity to work on planning for a while, then we hung out in Seattle that evening. We spent the 16th and 17th in Leavenworth, and also spent a good part of a day at Lake Chelan. Beautiful part of the country! Late that evening we make the long drive back to Auburn. Tomorrow I continue south. Before leaving Vancouver, BC and Canada, I used some of my remaining Canadian coinage in a parking meter and went over to get a sour cream glazed donut from Tim Horton’s. We don't have many of these places in the US, so I figured this was one of my last chances. I walked around for a bit and got some food truck Asian noodles to balance out the doughnut that had kind of become my lunch. I then hopped in my car and headed back to the States. I stayed with a friend for a few days in Vancouver, WA. We also spent some time in quirky Portland, OR while I was there. I was grateful to have such a great tour guide, someone that knew all the places I HAD to visit while in the area. We saw Mt. St. Helens, Multnomah Falls, Salt and Straw for ice cream, Voodoo Doughnuts, and other great spots. I’d planned to go to the Whistler Olympic Park, but it was closed for the season. It was raining anyway, so not sure how enjoyable it would have been. I saw a bear while driving there, though. I would have taken pics but the camera was in the trunk, and I figured I’d see it again or others on the way back, but I never did. I then drove to Vancouver, BC. After getting settled into the unit I'd rented, I found a Mexican place in town to eat at that I could walk to from the condo. The meal wasn’t big and they gave me maybe 15 chips and what looked like a spoonful of salsa to go with it. When I asked for more salsa to put on my meal I got about the same amount. I wasn’t going to get dessert there. Besides, for some weird reason, I was really wanting a chocolate chip cookie sundae. I spent way too much time trying to find a place to get one on my phone, then gave up and looked for brownie sundaes. I found some places that were a 30-minute walk away, so after not finding anything, but still wanting something sweet, I decided to just see what I could find as I walked around the city. I walked for quite a while until I reached a pretty active area in the middle of Vancouver. Across the way, I spotted a crepe café. The sign outside showed savory crepes and at first I thought that was all they had. I started to leave when I saw something else about sweet crepes on their sign. So I decided to check out a posted menu. I didn’t see one outside the place but there were some menus inside on the counter. As I entered the cafe, I noticed someone else looking over one of their menus, as well. I walked over to where the menus were when I recognized the guy looking over the menu… it was Chris from Moraine Lake!! (see September 29, 2015 post). I couldn’t believe it! I’d seen a few Facebook pics of his from Vancouver, so I knew he was here somewhere and had meant to see if he wanted to connect while I was in town, but never did. Still, I was shocked to have seen him. It’s a big city, with lots of restaurants. And there were so many ways I could have missed him both in going somewhere else for dessert or in my timing being even just a little off. I got my crepe and we went across the street to a bar as he wanted to get a drink there. I ate my crepe and he drank his Guiness. We caught up for about an hour then walked around town for a bit before parting ways. Good times. Tomorrow I drive to Portland, Oregon. On the 4th, I woke up to 31 degree temps. It may have been a touch colder during the night, but that’s the temp I saw at 9 AM. I had heard a few people at one point that morning, but as I got ready to go I never saw anyone else out. It’s cold so maybe they are staying in their tents and campervans until it warms up. I took a few pics of the foggy lake, then packed up my tent and prepared to leave. I then headed out to Whistler, BC – a place I’d been looking forward to for a while, both for the scenery, but also the house and warm bed. I checked in to my unit in Whistler, then headed out for a Mexican restaurant that had been recommended on TripAdvisor. I could walk there very easily from where I was staying. Whistler is nice. A little village with the mountains looming over it. This will be a nice few days here. Before heading back to my unit for the night I stopped in for a dessert crepe at a place near my condo. Good, but somewhat pricey. Banana and Nutella crepe! : ) On the 5th, I woke up kind of late after not falling asleep right away. It was a lazy day. There isn’t a whole lot to do in the area, and with a comfortable setting and good wifi I figured I’d get some stuff done online. So I did. I then got some carry out Mexican food, ate it in the unit (it’s a couple mins away walking), then walked around the village some more that evening. I stopped in to get some ice cream at Cows which was amazing! I was going to get a milkshake but as I waited and saw the flavors, I changed my mind. I’m going back again before leaving. This stuff is great! On the 6th, I woke up late again, got some stuff done around the unit, then went to get my hair cut. The place I got it cut at was, from door-to-door, less than 2 minutes walking! This place looked to be one of the best reviewed and turned out to be in the same complex as the unit I'm staying in. I then went to “Mongolie Grill” which was amazing, and Cows ice cream for a second night. Such good ice cream. I walked around some more before heading back to the unit. I haven’t done a whole lot here, but it’s been a nice stay. I’ll pack up a bit tonight in preparation for leaving tomorrow, watch Arrested Development, then head to bed around midnight probably. Tomorrow I drive to Vancouver. |
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July 2023
AuthorI've exchanged my ID badge for a passport, and am chasing the wind Categories |