Author: Easin' Along

The one aspect of RV travel that I enjoy most is the opportunity to experience new things and new, out-of-the-way places–almost daily. Ease Along with me here, and I’ll give you a sampling of such an opportunity. Two of our grandchildren will join you.

After a great visit to Bryce Canyon, Helen and I traveled to Las Vegas for a three-night stay at Nellis Air Force Base, one of our favorite campgrounds. There was nothing extraordinary about our time there; it was a chance to clean our RV and take a few more chances in the Casino. Compared to last year’s visit, Las Vegas was packed with tourists this year.

Next up was an eight-night stay at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc (Lom-poke), CA, where our son and his family would join us for five of those nights. Helen and I used the first three days to do some general exploring and commissary shopping, but my primary task was to keep Helen from exploding. She was so excited about the arrival of her grandchildren, and I feared she wasn’t going to make it. Thankfully, they arrived before disaster struck–with trailer in tow.

Their time with us would also provide an opportunity to meet Honey, our grand-dog. Honey, a six-month-old Golden Retriever, is the inseparable companion of our granddaughter, Abby. She is a lively but well-behaved pup and did well on our walk along nearby scenic Surf Beach.  When a sneaky coyote ventured into our campsite, Honey sat calmly until the rascal scampered away.

Once everyone had the kinks out of their legs, it was time to visit a few of those out-of-the-way places I mentioned above, beginning with La Purisima Mission in the Santa Ynez Valley, two miles north of Lompoc.

Established as the eleventh Franciscan Mission in California following the Spanish colonization of Mexico, La Purisima Mission is a recreation of the living conditions of 1,000 members of the Chumash Tribe from 1812 until 1824. The Mission, restored by the State of California and a few private donors, is vast. Authentic representations of the shops, kitchens, living quarters and church are open to visitors. Our family enjoyed La Purisima very much.  For readers wanting more information, I have a link inserted here.

For our next fun and unique experience, we decided to visit Ostrichland at the insistence of our grandchildren.  It had been a while since I last hugged an Ostrich, so I was all in. We drove back into the Valley, near the town of Buellton, CA, until we spotted a large farm where about fifty Ostrich and an equal number of Emus roamed the grounds.  Admission was five dollars for us seniors, and a bowl of Ostrich food was another dollar.  I passed on the food, but everyone else in our crowd jumped right in.

The Ostriches must have eaten already because only a few took advantage of the offering. The Emus, however, were not to be denied. Carter served lunch to all of them that could stick their long necks through the fence opening.  What a hoot (or grunt in Emu dialect)! I took several pictures, including one with an Ostrich photo-bomber. Once all of the fowl were full, we were off to the Danish-inspired Village of Solvang for shopping and sightseeing.

Named one of the Ten Best Historic Towns in America by USA Today, Solvang is a place unknown to me. Nevertheless, this town has charm and breweries, wine-tasting rooms, and some of the best Danish pastries I’ve ever eaten. I couldn’t pass on the Cherry Danish and the Cinnamon Crisp. Solvang, founded in 1911 by three Danish-American educators, has four windmills and a replica of Copenhagen’s Littlest Mermaid to add even more Danish appeal to the town. The grandchildren took to the ice cream with great relish.

Three outings in the Santa Ynez Valley proved once again that America is a fascinating country with something for everyone on every corner.  Everything we enjoyed at this stop came as a complete surprise to me and a whole lot of fun.  Regretfully we had to say goodbye to the family when the time came for everyone to move out. Here’s a picture of our clan that turned out well.

We just completed the first month of this journey with three more ahead. Stay with us–we just got started, there will be more out-of-the-way places, and we’re still Easin’ Along on our way to find them.

Helen and I reluctantly waved goodbye to our friends in Cortez early in the morning and set out for the seven-hour drive to Red Canyon RV Village in Panguitch, Utah. We took the southern route through Arizona and passed beautiful Lake Powell on the way.  I would have preferred to take the northwestern course through Moab, but there is a tunnel near Zion National Park that is too low for Dora (trailer) to negotiate. Other RVers have made that mistake, and it’s not fun.

Two years ago, we planned to visit Bryce Canyon while camping in Moab, but a snowfall changed those plans. We were grateful for a second opportunity and a chance to do some hiking. Friends told us that this National Park is a must-see. 

Panguitch is a small town about 15 miles from the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park, and our campground was two miles closer. Red Canyon RV Village is a bit run-down and in need of some maintenance.  The RV sites are primarily dirt with a few gravels sprinkled around, and the showers, while very clean, need a do-over. Nevertheless, the staff was friendly and, at $40 per night, the price was right.  Besides, we were not planning to spend much time in the campground.  Ruby had a nice view of the mountains.

Helen and I had three full days to explore Bryce Canyon, and we hiked each day. On the first day, we drove to various lookouts in the truck, then went to the Visitor Center to pick up some maps. The theater was closed due to COVID, which was disappointing.  I always enjoy the movies offered by the National Park Service about the history of the various National Parks and the points of interest in them. A young Park Ranger greeted visitors outside the Center instead and was very helpful in pointing out the trails he would advise two Senior Citizens with a total of five joint replacements to take. He marked the paths on our map.

We left the Center to walk a portion of the Rim Trail and sample what was yet to come. The first glimpse of the red rock formations below the rim blew me away.  I walked forward but looked down most of the way. Stunning is the only word I can think of to describe the view.

On day two, we were up for a longer hike. Helen’s sister had visited Bryce a few years earlier and recommended that we take the Navajo Loop. The Park Ranger informed us that a portion of Navajo Loop was closed, but we could combine part of the Queen’s Garden Trail with the Loop and enjoy a nice hike of about three miles. If we started at Sunrise Point, we could descend 320 feet or begin at Sunset Point with a drop of 600 feet. The Ranger reminded us that going down is usually harder on knees and hips than climbing up–good advice–we started at Sunrise Point.

When we departed the Rim Trail at Sunrise Point, the temperatures were warming up, and there was not one cloud in the sky. At the bottom of the winding descent, the trail flattened out (somewhat) and led us through and around some magnificent formations. The formations, called Hoo-Doos, result from fifty million years of wind, water, and ice erosion carving through what was once an enormous crater lake. The brilliant red colors make them stand out, and they remind me of gigantic Totem Poles.

We met some delightful people on the trail and played tag with a couple from San Francisco who appeared to be about our age. Helen and I moved at our usual Easin’ Along pace while young hikers walked briskly by us. I gave my camera a workout.

Once we reached the Navajo Loop portion of the hike, the trail rose 600 feet up from the canyon floor through a series of switchbacks.  I looked at Helen with that “can we do this” stare, then inhaled deeply and took off. Taking my time and taking more pictures, I made it slowly.  Bryce Canyon sits at 8000 feet in elevation, and the air is a bit thin there. Once at the top, my gasps had to be evident to all around me.

Helen, too, took her time and made it about five minutes behind me. She said she would gladly have paid someone to carry her the last 100 feet. Since no one volunteered, she dug her hiking poles in and trod on.  At Sunset Point, we gave each other a high five and celebrated our achievement.

A visitor joined us on our third full day. Ben, the grandson of some great friends and former neighbors, graduated recently from the University of Alabama and worked now as a staff writer for a weekly newspaper. He lives about two hours north of Bryce Canyon.  Helen and I don’t recall meeting Ben in the past, but when Helen learned he lived in Utah, she told his grandmother that we would love to host him while we were in the area.  Ben loves Bryce and the outdoors and welcomed the opportunity. He arrived mid-morning in time to join us for brunch in Dora.

After spending the day with Helen and me, Ben planned to meet up with a friend in Capitol Reef National Park, an hour’s drive back to the north. With time somewhat constricted, we decided to hike to Inspiration Point, which would take about two hours, allowing for pictures and a presentation by a Park Ranger on Bryce Canyon

We had a lot of fun hiking with Ben.  He is gifted intellectually and seemed very comfortable around two people he had never met. At one point on our hike, he heard a family speaking in a foreign language.  Ben turned to greet them and then carried on a ten-minute conversation with them in fluent French. The family, from Lyon, spoke no English. I was most impressed.

We all were equally impressed with the view from Inspiration Point, which sits higher than the other viewpoints we used. Our hike required another ascent along a trail of about a mile round-trip, but we made it with no difficulty.  I suppose we were seasoned hikers by now.

Back at the parking area, we said our goodbyes to Ben and told him we would love to stay in touch. Helen sent him away with a lunch cooler filled with two fried bologna sandwiches, loaded up, along with some oranges. He will do well on whatever path he chooses in his future.

We had a great time in Bryce Canyon.  Long ago, I realized that our National Parks are the greatest gift Americans have given ourselves.  I hope to see many more of them; there is so much to learn there. After watching college-age girls and young moms race past me on the trail, I learned I need a pair of leggings. Easin’ Along will go much better, I’m sure.

When we finalized all of the plans for our RV trip, I realized that my birthday fell during our visit with some dear friends from our Army days in Germany over forty years ago. Things couldn’t have worked out better. Helen and I both looked forward to returning to Cortez, Colorado, and celebrating the big day with Paul and Dayna.

Cortez, Colorado, is in the four corners area of the state. Paul and Dayna have a lovely home and farm with a magnificent view of the Mesa Verde mountain range and the National Park. We toured the National Park and the remarkable cliff dwellings two years ago and came away impressed. We bypassed that opportunity this time, but I recommend it highly.

We arrived late in the afternoon after a long drive from Albuquerque, NM, and greeted warmly–it was great seeing them. Only my friend Paul would have a full-hookup RV site adjacent to his home, complete with water, electric, and sewer connections. We plugged in the RV and reconnected as friends.

My friend Paul is one of the greatest (and most unique) guys I have ever known. We first met in the halls of the Third Infantry Division Headquarters in 1972. He was very outgoing, and I was pleased to learn that he lived in a house next to ours in a small village outside Wurzburg, Germany. Over time, we developed a solid friendship.

Paul had and still has the energy of a ten-year-old. He attacks every challenge with great gusto. When I first met him, he was always fixing things, making things, or making things happen. Paul adores animals and has a great passion for the outdoors. He is outrageously funny, can swear with the best of them, and yet, a heart of gold beats inside that chest. I’ve never met anyone like him.

As much as Paul is rambunctious and non-stop, Dayna is gentle, sweet, and lovely, both inside and out. She spends hours gardening, raising almost anything that grows in a sizeable garden and her greenhouse. She has a passion for western art and artifacts which adorn the walls of her spotless home. Dayna loves anything with four paws.  Together, they make a wonderful couple.

For our first full day, they planned a trip to Telluride, Colorado, for us.  Helen and I grinned broadly at hearing the plan since we had heard good things about the town but had never been there. We left Cortez in mid-morning for the hour or so drive to Telluride, where we would tour the area, have lunch, and return.

Once underway, it didn’t take long to reach snow-covered ground.  Southwestern Colorado is facing drought conditions and, although this appeared to me as a lot of snow, it was nowhere enough for relief this year. Nevertheless, it was pretty to drive through.

After Paul retired from the Army, he spent several years working in the area around Telluride, overseeing the reclamation and redistribution of soil and the tailings of mineral mines prevalent in the past several decades. He took us to several projects and gave us some history of the mining industry and the work necessary to restore the area, preventing chemicals from leaching into the streams and destroying habitat.

In Telluride, I was impressed with the Victorian architecture of the homes.  I felt confident that, although the houses seemed small, they commanded steep prices. I felt the same way about the condominiums at the ski village. Thankfully, the hoards of visitors had not yet arrived, and we could move around well.  A clerk at one of the resorts told us that visitors begin arriving around Memorial Day.

We chose to have lunch at the Cornerhouse Grill. A couple of local contractors sitting at the table next to us recommended the Cheesesteak Sandwich and the Fish Tacos.  That was good enough for us.  Helen and Dayna had the tacos. I had the cheesesteak; Paul had chili.   All said their meal was delicious. On the way back to Cortez, we passed a herd of elk.  They looked as sleepy as I felt.

For our final night with our friends (that afternoon, Paul replaced a defective toilet seat in our fifth wheel), Paul grilled marinated chicken thighs, and Helen prepared cheese grits. After an excellent meal, we had a (low key) birthday party.  Birthday parties for me are usually events I avoid like the plague–never wanting to be the center of anything. My reluctance notwithstanding, I enjoyed myself immensely.

Besides the sumptuous meal, Helen and Dayna found a cake consisting of four quarters–chocolate, red velvet, carrot, and caramel. I sampled all.  Dayna gave me a “potato” cactus (Opuntia Fragillis) from her greenhouse. My challenge will be to keep it alive, but, thankfully, it is a hardy species.

After the party, Paul and Dayna helped us carry everything back to Dora. We needed to turn in early for the next day’s drive to Bryce Canyon. We hated to leave but left with good memories of a great time.  I can’t thank them enough for the hospitality, but it’s time to be Easin’ Along.  Join us next week in Bryce Canyon…awesome doesn’t begin to describe it.