Joined
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118 Posts
Turned the E over to John this morning - saw another Kiwi Green in the shop from VA - John said it was the 3rd Kiwi Green in a row.
Trip from Fort Collins, after a week with family was a great one. Took Hwy 14 and 40 west along the Poudre River to Steamboat Springs. Went 26 miles north to the SBS State Park at about 8'000' - glorious place!! The Pine Borer Beetle had decimated the pines and the Park Service had long since removed them. Instead of trees, every space that wasn't road or a campsite was wildflowers - I've never seen so many colors and shapes. Beautiful site overlooking the lake and being overlooked by 10,000' Hahn's Peak. Big deer, with antlers, walked thru the campground and Aladdin was not happy he couldn't give chase.
Next day, on to Dinsosaur National Park - where dogs are not allowed out of the parking lots or the campgrounds. No hiking - so no point in going in and the regular Vistor's Center was under renovation anyway. Instead, went 10 miles north of Vernal, UT to Red Fleet State Park which again was on a lake and surrounded by beautiful rock hills and a ledge 300' across from my campsite with dinosaur tracks - who needs a National Park anyway? State Parks are just as nice and much less crowded and dog friendly.
Still following Hwy 40 thru Utah to Provo, turned south on I-15, took exit 188 onto 50 and then Hwys 89, 24 and 25 to climb to FishLake National Forest and stayed at Mackinac campground because it had pay-for hot showers. National Forests are dog friendly too and we hiked the west side of FishLake, also known as the Spanish Trail, which goes for 1200 miles. Saw elk on their way for water. All this water at altitude made me want a little inflatable boat. Local restaurant had a board posting daily catches - the top was a 38 lb trout/Mackinac/Char - looked more like an ocean fish than what I expected to see come out of a lake!!
What is there to say about Utah, except that around every turn there is more mind melting scenery!!!! Took Hwy 12 thru the Grand Escalante National Monument/Staircase and, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING, kept coming to mind as I drove over narrow, crumbling, ridge roads - I believe one portion is aptly named, Hell's Backbone. Kept hoping I'd wouldn't drive the E off the edge while trying to take in the scenery.
Made it to Cannonville and definitely passed up the hot, dusty, but convenient KOA on the road and drove 9 miles further into the boonies to the wonderful Kodachrome State Park. Campsites up against a canyon wall and under petrified geyers (67 of them); lots of trails, very clean, free hot showers, very friendly pleasant rangers, very quiet, great star gazing, very well arranged sites; gorgeous state park - sorry I couldn't stay longer!
And then unfortunately, I had to leave UT and head into NV and CA - hot, dusty, brown, polluted/hazy air, trash everywhere, crowded, bad roads, scary looking people, stray thirsty dogs, starving horses, hovels everywhere - 3rd world looking. Stayed in a Motel 6 in Apple Valley and followed the posted advice and took everything of value out of the E, including my bike so it wouldn't be stolen.
And then on to Chula Vista, where I'm staying in a KOA Kamping Kabin while the E conversion happens. What a pleasant surprise..........especially considering what most of the KOA's I passed up along the way looked like. Lots of greenery, flowers blooming everywhere, well-staffed, well maintained, two off leash dog parks, a dog washing station, immediate access to bike trails and the temperature, at sea level, is in the low 70's with a pleasant sea breeze. I'm grateful to be spending the week here instead of in a motel.
After this epistle, don't know if I can figure out how to attach some pics, but I'll try.
Tried but couldn't get it fo finish loading. Will try posting separately.
Trip from Fort Collins, after a week with family was a great one. Took Hwy 14 and 40 west along the Poudre River to Steamboat Springs. Went 26 miles north to the SBS State Park at about 8'000' - glorious place!! The Pine Borer Beetle had decimated the pines and the Park Service had long since removed them. Instead of trees, every space that wasn't road or a campsite was wildflowers - I've never seen so many colors and shapes. Beautiful site overlooking the lake and being overlooked by 10,000' Hahn's Peak. Big deer, with antlers, walked thru the campground and Aladdin was not happy he couldn't give chase.
Next day, on to Dinsosaur National Park - where dogs are not allowed out of the parking lots or the campgrounds. No hiking - so no point in going in and the regular Vistor's Center was under renovation anyway. Instead, went 10 miles north of Vernal, UT to Red Fleet State Park which again was on a lake and surrounded by beautiful rock hills and a ledge 300' across from my campsite with dinosaur tracks - who needs a National Park anyway? State Parks are just as nice and much less crowded and dog friendly.
Still following Hwy 40 thru Utah to Provo, turned south on I-15, took exit 188 onto 50 and then Hwys 89, 24 and 25 to climb to FishLake National Forest and stayed at Mackinac campground because it had pay-for hot showers. National Forests are dog friendly too and we hiked the west side of FishLake, also known as the Spanish Trail, which goes for 1200 miles. Saw elk on their way for water. All this water at altitude made me want a little inflatable boat. Local restaurant had a board posting daily catches - the top was a 38 lb trout/Mackinac/Char - looked more like an ocean fish than what I expected to see come out of a lake!!
What is there to say about Utah, except that around every turn there is more mind melting scenery!!!! Took Hwy 12 thru the Grand Escalante National Monument/Staircase and, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING, kept coming to mind as I drove over narrow, crumbling, ridge roads - I believe one portion is aptly named, Hell's Backbone. Kept hoping I'd wouldn't drive the E off the edge while trying to take in the scenery.
Made it to Cannonville and definitely passed up the hot, dusty, but convenient KOA on the road and drove 9 miles further into the boonies to the wonderful Kodachrome State Park. Campsites up against a canyon wall and under petrified geyers (67 of them); lots of trails, very clean, free hot showers, very friendly pleasant rangers, very quiet, great star gazing, very well arranged sites; gorgeous state park - sorry I couldn't stay longer!
And then unfortunately, I had to leave UT and head into NV and CA - hot, dusty, brown, polluted/hazy air, trash everywhere, crowded, bad roads, scary looking people, stray thirsty dogs, starving horses, hovels everywhere - 3rd world looking. Stayed in a Motel 6 in Apple Valley and followed the posted advice and took everything of value out of the E, including my bike so it wouldn't be stolen.
And then on to Chula Vista, where I'm staying in a KOA Kamping Kabin while the E conversion happens. What a pleasant surprise..........especially considering what most of the KOA's I passed up along the way looked like. Lots of greenery, flowers blooming everywhere, well-staffed, well maintained, two off leash dog parks, a dog washing station, immediate access to bike trails and the temperature, at sea level, is in the low 70's with a pleasant sea breeze. I'm grateful to be spending the week here instead of in a motel.
After this epistle, don't know if I can figure out how to attach some pics, but I'll try.
Tried but couldn't get it fo finish loading. Will try posting separately.
