Road Trip: Day 8

Redstone, Colorado








Brrr!! It's getting colder. But we're warm at night. Whew!

Road Trip: Day 7

A 2-mile hike along Park Avenue.



Cryptobiotic Crust: cyanobacteria, green algae, lichens, mosses, liverworts, and microorganisms that colonize the surface of bare soil.

Road Trip: Day 6

Ahhh!! We had a warm toasty night. The sleeping bag is perfect.







Today we moved on. It was beautiful driving through Tropic, the Creamery Route, Capitol Reef National Park which was formed by a "waterpocket fold," Fruita.

Road Trip: Day 5

Back to Bryce Canyon National Park. After we set up camp again, we went for the grand tour.

Sunset Point. These are called hoo-doos. There's a 1-mile trail down to the canyon floor.

Fairview Point

Agua Canyon

Natural Bridge

Rainbow Point, at the end of a 23-mile road. Elevation = 9500'.

Road Trip: Day 4

Last night I cried several times. It was my birthday, I wasn't supposed to be freezing cold all night. In the middle of the night, Dick went to the trunk of the car and pulled out the carpet and covered (part of) me with it. I will NOT do this one more night!!!

It's Saturday night and we won't be able to get a motel anywhere near Bryce, especially in the (cheap) price range we prefer. We ended up driving 30 miles, to Panguitch. There are 13 motels in town and we checked out 5 of them, before I was satisfied. Dick was satisfied with the worst of the 5, but not me. We always compare our choices to the Worst Motel Ever - the Bamboo in (Big) Mamou, Louisiana. Personally I think I'm a Holiday Inn kind of girl, but I'm married to a Bamboo kind of guy.

We strolled the town and bought a 15-degree sleeping bag at a local sporting goods shop and spent $3.75 at the thrift store. Since it was 1/2-off day, we were able to get several long-sleeved shirts for Dick and a heavy sweatshirt for me. Once again, our personal differences showed. Dick was thrilled to find his thrift shop treasures while I would have preferred shopping at Macy's.

And this is where we had dinner:

Road Trip: Day 3

Darn! We were so cold last night. After the sun came up and began to warm the tent - then we slept better.



Wouldn't this make a great Halloween card?



Happy 61st Birthday, Arlete

Then we hit the road and drove to Cedar City in Southeastern Utah.





Red Rock State Park

We were able to camp here tonight, but all campsites have been reserved for tomorrow night. Elevation = 8500' - uh oh, what will tonight be like?

Road Trip: Day 2

I take it back. We do need a "stinking" blanket. It got a bit cold last night.


Sand Mountain. Justin likes to come here with his quad-runner.

Highway 50, "the loneliest road in America." Austin, Eureka, Ely and still 77 miles to Great Basin National Park.



Rubber Rabbitbrush.

Upper Lehman Creek Campground, 7500'. It WILL be colder tonight. We wore more clothes to bed and Dick wrapped me up in towels and an extra sheet. Meanwhile he planned to freeze his ass off - he's a good boy scout and so kind to his wife.

Road Trip: E Nic to Aspen

Day One.



We were just a few miles from Justin's house when we realized we really didn't have adequate bedding. 2 Thermarest 1" mattresses and one fleece blanket. Do we turn around and hunt up some more stuff? Heck no, we declared. "We don't need no stinking blankets." This would turn out to be a mistake.

We traveled on non-freeway roads eastward until we turned onto Highway 50 in Placerville.




Lake Tahoe is in the background.


Our first campground was Dayton State Park in western Nevada. Dry and dusty, we're at 4400'. It got quite cool after the sun went down.

Happy Birthday, Dave

Dave and Phyllis Thompson. This is Dave's 60th birthday party at their house.



Carol and Jerry Helt. Carol and Phyl are sisters and Arlete's cousins.




Dick talks with Chuck and Carolyn Hodel. Chuck is Phyl's brother.

Nicolaus Labor Day Parade

"Hey, mister, throw me something."

Nicolaus High School cheerleaders:

Viva Mexico!









And nearby: