The Southwest 2010

23 May - 3 June

I had really thought that C.J. and I might get away to the SW in late April or early June to visit some of the national parks that we missed last year. This time we would have the Aliner and the weather wouldn't matter as much. However, what with "this and that" it didn't happen and we were beginning to think it was late enough to consider going to Vancouver Island for a week or so. In mid-May the weather turned back to almost-winter with snow on our backyard 4000-ft Mt. Si and rain - lots of rain - in the lowlands. Scott Ernst and Robin Hastings, pilots from New Mexico were enthusiastic about the Memorial Day Dry Canyon Fly-in at Alamogordo so,when I got home Friday from a subbing assignment, I strongly suggested that we get out of the gloom and leave for NM on Sunday. C.J. was up for it and managed to pack just about everything we would need into the Outback and trailer even though she was working on two big projects at the time. Hopefully she could get the Foundation article done while on the road, and the Rat Race quilt could be finished when she got home.

23 May, Sun - We left in the rain at 1000 (photo left); there was fresh snow on the mountains as we went over Snoqualmie Pass. Costco gas in Yakima seemed to be low quality or something else was causing our poor gas mileage. We had to stop and buy more gas in Baker City (at typical inflated central Oregon prices). It was early enough as we passed my planned overnight stop at Weiser that we continued on to Boise and parked for the night at the Walmart on Fairview.

24 May, Mon - We left around 0900 for Sierra Trading Post where C.J. found good deals on pants, socks and Tevas; I bought some much needed new slippers (Acorn) - all at 20% off the STP discounted price. Then we went to the World Center for Birds of Prey ($9 w/AAA discount) and lucked into a tour with a knowledgeable docent. He had a harrier to show (named Potter!) and a couple of videos. We were trying to do activities that kept us somewhat separated from the elementary school field trip. Outside we saw a Bateleur Eagle with a bright red face cough up a pellet. Also in outside cages were a bald eagle, another eagle with a fancy crest and a peregrine falcon. Later we were led to the library and falconry archives building where all things falconry were displayed. There was also a wing where a full size Bedouin (Bedu) goat hair tent was set up along with wax figures of Arab falconers. We were about museum-ed out by noon and did not drive out to the Snake River Birds of Prey Conservation Area, saving that for another time. The next stop was at Costco in Twin Falls for gas and then a bit of a detour to Shoshone Falls (photo left, below)(no charge - Golden Access card got us in even though it's a city park, not a U.S. gov't facility). From there we headed east a ways and turned S on I-84 over Sweetzer Summit. We ran into some rain and some lumpy rain but it cleared as we came out of the mountains. A stop at the Welcome center didn't profit us as it had closed fifteen minutes earlier. We drove on through Salt Lake City around 1900 so there wasn't much rush hour traffic, and stopped for a Costco hot dog dinner in Sandy. Checking the GPS we found a Walmart in Orem and stopped there for the night around 2030. It was colder than the previous night but Timpanogos and the other high Wasatch Mountains were beautiful in the evening sun with a thick coat of new snow.(photo, left, below: Our Aliner at Orem Walmart could fit inside the neighboring motorhome)

25 May, Tues - We left Orem about 0900, left I-15 at Spanish Fork and headed up into the hills. At the big landslide near Thistle we left route 6 and headed south to Fairview. Climbing steeply out of Fairview the Outback began to overheat and we stopped to let it cool. The 9600 ft pass was well up in the snow covered mountains, surprising for so late in the season. We stopped for a break at Huntington Reservoir and again at a power plant/coal mine on the outskirts of Huntington. At the town we turned west for a few miles before joining I-70 for the trip over the San Rafael Swell, a scenic route, for sure. We stopped at three View Areas. Only the last one, Spotted Wolf, had no vendors of Indian jewelery/pottery. Back on the flats we stopped for gas at Green River ($3.07) then turned south for Arches NP. The "campground full" sign was out so we had to find a BLM site along the Colorado R. about 6 miles up SR 128. [Apparently all the campsites in Arches are now available by reservation so there is rarely a site unfilled.] After setting up around 1730 we headed back to Arches, made a quick stop at the VC then drove out to Wolfe Ranch and hiked 1.5 mi across the slickrock to Delicate Arch. There were a surprising number of folks, maybe 100, there waiting for the good light near sunset. We left before the sun had set but it was dark when we stopped at the VC again to fill our water containers. And dinner wasn't until pretty close to 2200.

26 May, Wed - The nighttime temperatures were comfortable and the midges went away after dark, mostly. We got up at 0730 as the sun crested the rim surprisingly early. We were on our way to the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park by 0900. On the way up we stopped at a viewpoint, then briefly at the VC for a trail map and to fill our big water jug. From there we drove to the south end of the park, Grand View (The Colorado had been called the Grand above the confluence with the Green before it was renamed.) We took our time getting our hiking gear sorted out so that we could catch the 1130 ranger talk on geology (wrapped around the story of Powell's first trip through the area). After that we hiked about a mile to the west looking down on the White Rim mesa (and the 100 mi road that follows its edge). When we got back we drove to Buck Canyon overlook for a scenic lunch spot. The wind had been gusty all day with big lenticular clouds to the north. That didn't keep us from going up to the north end of the park and hiking the 0.8 mi Upheaval Dome trail (although we met others who had turned back due to the wind). This time of year must be the prime time for visitors in the Utah canyonlands - last night there had been no parking spaces left at Delicate Arch and there had been a crowd at the arch itself, and today there were lots of people on the trails although it didn't feel crowded. Actually the parking areas at the trailheads are pretty small compared to most of the other parks we've been to - I'm glad we weren't dragging the trailer and expecting to park. There were tons of motor homes however, many of them rentals. On the drive back we detoured through the Willow Flat CG - small and full as of midmorning - and stopped at the VC to buy postcards and to watch the video. By then it was after 1700 so we drove out of Canyonlands and down to Arches to visit the VC there until it closed at 1830. Back at camp there was plenty of hot water in the solar shower for cleanup. I put a strap over the Aliner roof just in case the winds (photo, left, below: high wind lenticular clouds) got any stronger. [While at Arches VC I called for reservations for tomorrow night at "Mom and Pops RV Park" in Farmington NM, and Friday night at Edgington's RV in Alamogordo - no problem, lots of room and inexpensive, unlike the Moab area where everything is full up and expensive (well, the BLM sites weren't pricey at $4 per night with our "Golden Geezer pass)(and they weren't fancy, either, with open air toilets (photo, left below)). We needed to recharge the battery and C.J.'s cell phone (I had no coverage in most of the SW on my AT&T pay-as-you-go mobile.) after a four days of boondocking.] It was pretty hot in the Sport even with the fan, but too windy and/or buggy to eat outdoors. C.J. put away the fleece sleeping bags and put sheets on the bed with the quilt available if it cooled off (it did).

27 May, Thu - Since we were so concerned about the wind picking up before we took down the roof on the Aliner, we got up a little earlier and were on the road by 0815. We bought some $2.979 gas at Maverick in Moab and then climbed steadily but slowly to over 7000 ft before heading down a bit to Monticello (6000') where we stopped at the excellent TI for water and to check the radiator since the engine temperature was near the red area even though the ambient temp was only in the 60s. The coolant level was fine. We picked up some freebies including some info on Hovenweep, stopped for groceries, then drove on passing through Blanding before turning E off the main highway. The roads into and out of Hovenweep National Monument are now almost completely paved despite the map information and we reached the VC before noon. After watching the orientation video (using headsets) we set off on the two mile walk around Little Ruin Canyon which houses the Square House group of ruins. Many of the towers were still partially standing and we got a bunch of photos (photos, left, above: Twin Towers and a collared lizard). It was windy(photo, left, below at VC) which was a good thing because the temps were now in the low 90s and it was midge season so there were clouds of gnats. Trying to stop in the rare shade of a juniper was a losing proposition so we ended up having lunch on the shady patio of the VC. By 1415 we were back on the road taking the sort-of scenic road east through McElmo Canyon. We skipped Cortez, CO, and turned south toward NM. Just before the border in Towaoc we stopped at the Ute Mountain Casino Mobil station for gas ($2.799). On the way to Shiprock, the city located east of the famous landmark volcanic neck, it finally got hot enough to turn on the A/C. It worked for a while but then stopped putting out cold air. Apparently the A/C turns off if the engine temperature gets near or above the 3/4 mark on the gauge. So we drove on with the windows down enough to provide some cooling. It was only 28 mi from Shiprock to Farmington and we got to Mom and Pop's RV Park by 1700. It was a gravel and asphalt lot in the south end of town but cost only $20. That garrulous park owner casts metal toy soldiers as a hobby and has quite a display, plus a big model RR in his yard. We charged C.J.'s cell, the trailer battery, and we could have run the trailer A/C if we had needed it. When I checked the car coolant level it seemed a bit low so I added more water. The transmission oil cooler may be a problem since it blocks the flow of air for the driver's side radiator. Or maybe the car is overheating just because it's hot. We got our chairs out and sat in the shade of the next-door RV enjoying some chips and salsa and cold drinks (the refrigerator is working fine on 12V - and on 120V, and propane, too). The wind helped keep the temperature bearable. During the night there were several gusts that rocked the trailer so we got up and used the 3/8" goldline to secure the roof. There were some other loud noises occasionally but we slept okay considering that we were right in the city. [In fact, it was quieter than it had been near Moab where noisy trucks or motorcycles on Rte 128 had disturbed our sleep occasionally.]

28 May, Fri - We were awake and on the road pretty early, 0830. The wind was really strong as we turned south causing our gas mileage to be really lousy. We had to stop twice for gas, once in Cuba (2.749?) then in Carizozo where weekenders were lining up for middle-of-nowhere prices (2.939). Not only was the mileage poor but the car was always close to overheating. We stopped at a rest area for a lunch break 60 mi south of Albuquerque and again while crossing the San Andres Mountains west of Carizozo. From there it was mostly level or downhill to Alamogordo so the engine temp dropped and we were able to run the A/C. We checked in to Edgington RV Park just north of Alamogordo then drove to the LZ (easy to find: N32* 55,706 W105* 56.722). PG Had, his wife Marilyn from El Paso, and Greg, a relatively new HG from Albuquerque were there waiting for others while keeping in the shade of the large open-sided structure in the parking lot. Lee and Erica showed up later as did Terry Kowing, now living in Tucson (Sherry was back in their room at the Satellite Motel). (photo, left of G, T & S, on Sat) Scott Ernst had called us as we were enroute from Carizozo wanting to know if his truckload of pilots should wait for us to arrive; we said, "No". There was big development over the Sacramento Mountains to the east with virga and gusty winds blowing from the launch. [Later Scott reported over-the-back at 10 mph.] We bagged it after hanging around for a while and drove through town, got cash from a Wells Fargo ATM and had early dessert at Caliche's, a frozen custard drive-in. Back at camp C.J. prepared a chef's salad to eat outside in the shade of the planted trees. I spent some time looking over routes back to North Bend, and setting up the new REI shade shelter for a trial run. There were too many midges to eat outside so we moved inside and ran the A/C for a while (We are allowed 20 kwh per day and had no idea how much the A/C used - not much at all, as it turned out). Later I connected to the RV park Wi-Fi, checked email and requested a trip routing from Good Sam. It was cool enough for comfortable sleeping and there was even a sprinkle of rain during the night.

29 May, Sat - We got up early enough to get to the LZ at 0800 to meet with the PG group who wanted to be on the top by 0900. We met Jeff and Jay and Jim and Greg and rode up with Jeff along with Scott and Terry. It's a rough road once you get off the pavement and definitely requires a 4WD, preferably something big. From the HG launch and parking it's a 10 min walk through the brush and down a steep face to the PG TO. The wind was blowing in pretty strong so after the first HG took off I let a few other PGs go first. I launched about 1008 and flew to the right to the house thermal just left of the HG ramp but the lift was mostly ridge. From 6900' at launch I got 300 over a few times but traffic was pretty heavy and unorganized so I headed to the lower ridge closer to the LZ (a big stretch to make at 8-to-1 and 3.6 mi from the TO). After crossing a ravine and some low stuff I found lift on the point. A thermaling falcon (?) showed lift farther out and I went for it. The resulting thermal got me over 7600' which was as good as anyone got this morning. Looking back behind launch I could see overdevelopment and virga so I headed for the LZ, still 6:1 away. Making it to the huge, grassy landing area was easy only because there was lift over Scenic Drive (the road that loops around the east side of town to the Space History Museum and hospital). The LZ was thermally as well but I had to get down quickly because there were two PG and one HG also inbound behind me. Robin Hastings was there operating the Dry Canyon Control Tower on the radio (151.925 Mhz) and lots of pilots had landed and were landing. C.J. and I signed up for the fly-in ($40) but didn't bother collecting a flour bag for the bomb drop. After hanging around for a while we drove to Walmart to restock our Triscuit supply and pick up fruit, cheap avocados, pop and cereal. We had lunch at Quiznos whose billboards had been promising better subs than Subway (they were); the launch and some hang gliders were visible from the patio where we ate. Since we weren't going to fly in middle-of-the-day conditions in the high desert, we decided to visit White Sands National Monument, about 15 miles to the west. It was 93 deg F according to the car thermometer and the sun was glaringly bright on the gypsum sand dunes. We saw the film, visited the small museum, and then took the 16 mi RT drive into the heart of the dune field where almost nothing grows. Along the way we walked the Interdune Boardwalk and got some photos of Soaptree Yucca (photo, left). C.J. later got pics of blooming soaptree yucca, ocotillo and cholla (photo left, below: blooming cholla). It appears that we were in the desert at exactly the right time. After stopping at the Visitor Center on the way back to refill our water bottles with cool water we headed back to the LZ. We probably should have gone the extra 20 miles to see the Missile Park at White Sands Missile Range it was too hot for us Northwesterners. After checking on the plan for the evening we went back to camp to get showers and rest. We paid for two more nights even though we could have camped at the LZ for free (but without showers or shade). The A/C cooled down the trailer but we still decided to sit outside in the breeze. Around 1900 we drove north about 4.5 mi to an outdoor gathering at George and Velma Woodcock's house. Just as we arrived a hang glider was "parked" and trying to set up to land in strong, gusty winds. He had gotten to 12,500' and another pilot had flown up to Tularosa and back to Alamogordo. Our hosts served a bunch of elkmeat tacos along with a huge vat of beans, and this wasn't even the official fly-in party. We left around 2030 to get away from the loud music and threat of karaoke, a privilege of geezerhood.

30 May, Sun -0800 meeting again and we rode up with Scott. 0900 at launch but conditions were light and people were sinkinmg out all over the brush-covered slopes below launch. When I moved my gear I must have pulled the bite valve off my Playpus so there was water everywhere. I finally found my valve down inside my harness and the low humidity and hot sun dried my stuff quickly. Dried me, too, so I hiked back up to the hang launch to refill the Platypus from Scott's water jug. People including C.J. finally launched and some reported turbulent air (not C.J.). Had specifically said that flying after 1130 was a bad idea. so Jeff___ and I hiked back to the trucks. Jeff left his wing at the PG launch for the evening flight but I carried mine up the steep trail not sure if there would be an evening flight. C.J. landed in a clearing not far from the road at the base of the mountain and got a ride back to the LZ. Since none of the hang pilots wanted me to drive their vehicles down, I rode down in Scott's truck with Kitty (Martin's wife from Socorro). The road is just as steep, rocky and rough on the way down and not wide enough for most of its course for two trucks to pass easily. Later C.J. and I dropped the Outback off at Walmart for an oil change and walked to a nearby Sonic for 2-for-1 shakes (not especially good even if they were advertised to be "made with real ice cream, really"). I bought a ratcheting 10' strap and a couple of 12' tie-down straps at Walmart to secure the Aliner roof when windy. I had plenty of time to shop because the oil change took over two hours. When we got back to the LZ a bunch of people were loading up for a trip to the top to catch a possible glass-off. Conditions didn't look as stormy as they had the past two nights so we went up in Scott's truck. On launch conditions were changeable with the deal-breaker being a NW wind in the LZ. Gradually conditions improved and we all went down to the PG launch. Bo from Santa Fe (?) launched and got up but yelled down that it was NW so the rest of the group sat and waited. [One reason for not launching was that Dave Church, a hot local HG had gotten "drilled" down onto the brushy ridge just below launch, and no one wanted to join him.] Finally people began to launch but when I stepped up, my risers were twisted and I had to go fix them. Nevertheless I eventually launched and got a good, if somewhat short flight and landed close to the spot. Tommy West, a local former/future HG measured it at 10' 7". I packed up quickly and went to pick up C.J. who, like many, had not made it to the LZ. She had landed next to Scenic Drive where one lane had been closed for construction. Better to be "short" than land in the field of creosote bush that separated Scenic from the grassy LZ, the LARGE, city-owned, irrigated field set aside for use of Dry Canyon pilots. After a shower at the campground we joined the rest of the pilots, friends and family at the Woodcock's again for a huge meal of brisket, turkey, corn, salad, watermelon salsa and birthday cake. When awards were handed out, I was surprised to find myself in first place for spotlanding (at least among the PGers; Robin had actually beaten me by an inch in his hang glider). The trophy was artfully constructed of a slab of cedar topped by a wing covered with granite paint. There were also trophies for duration, XC and bombdrop. We left right after the awards ceremony to avoid the chance that someone might insist we participate in the karaoke. We really wanted to rest up in case we wanted to fly again or begin the first leg of our journey home.

31 May, Mon, C.J.'s Birthday - It looked cloudy, somewhat more humid (38%!) and SE wind becoming SW. We decided to head home. After stopping at the LZ to say goodbye, we topped up the gas tank (2.679) in town and headed the 55 mi to White Sands Missile Range. The guard stopped us at the gate, checked our IDs and had us park there. It was only a short walk to the Missile Park and we took some photos of the missiles which had been tested at White Sands over the years (Photos were okay so long as we did not aim the lens at the testing range to the east). The V-2 building was closed for the holiday so we could only peer through the windows at the big rocket displayed horizontally with much of the innards visible. Back on the road again we drove over the San Andres Mountains at the 5700 ft pass. Since the car was still overheating, we turned north in Las Cruces on I-25 instead of trying I-10 to Tucson-Phoenix-Las Vegas and north through Nevada - probably too hot. It was a long day of driving to get back to Farmington but we stopped at a rest area for lunch, bought gas in Socorro, and stopped for a birthday ice cream at Coldstream Creamery in Los Lunas. From there we took a less-traveled route to intersect I-40. Driving into the headwind degraded our gas mileage so we got gas again in Grants (2.599) About 80 (?) miles down I-40 we turned north on another lightly traveled and scenic route(SR 371). After some rough stretches of road we reached Mom and Pops RV just before 2000, took showers and ate outside in the cool evening.

1 Jun, Tues - Surprise! The weather in Farmington is much cooler at night. We needed to dig out the fleece blankets halfway through the night. In the morning we had a leisurely scrambled egg breakfast then checked out and drove (in traffic!) out of Farmington to Aztec Ruins Nat Mon (photos, left). It was interesting to see the ancient walls and rooms, the plaza, and the restored Great Kiva. About 1030 we drove back through town to get gas at a Safeway (2.649) and a loaf of bread and a bag of apples. We stopped on the way to Shiprock to mail two postcards at Waterflow, NM, then headed N on 491 to Colorado and across to Monticello, UT where the TI was "closed on Tuesdays". In Moab we got gas at Maverik (2.979) and ice cream/frozen yogurt at HogiPogi with a coupon from the helpful TI folks. Leaving the Arches/Canyonlands behind, we started to run into clouds. It was still a long climb up SR 6 to Price and 7500' Soldier Summit. We got into Orem's Walmart parking lot about 2000.

2 Jun, Wed - After another scramble for breakfast, we bought some avocados and corn at WM. We got on the road about 0850 and stopped in SLC for gas at a Costco. Along the valley and over Sweetzer Summit we were getting good gas mileage, 21 mpg at the summit(!). We got off I-84 to visit the old (1905) town of Rupert and had lunch in the town's central square which is now a park. I refilled the gas tank at a Maverick (2.899) and mileage dropped to a disappointing 18 mpg even on the rolling Snake river Plain. We stopped at the Twin Falls TI to use their wireless to get Eastside Subaru's phone number. Then I called and made an appointment for a 90K maintenance on Monday. We also got a list of Good Sam approved RV Parks and decided to use our $25 rebate (for new members) on Neat Retreat in Fruitland, ID. Traffic was heavy due to rush hour and construction in the Boise-Meridian-Nampa area. We got gas at Costco in Nampa (2.939, also 85 Octane as were both Maveriks and SLC Costco - maybe the percentage of alcohol is the variable affecting gas mileage). We pulled in to Neat Retreat around 1820 and set up in light rain which became heavier later.

3 Jun, Thu - Last day on the road! Taking advantage of the time zone change to come, we got up around 0700 and took a morning shower before another breakfast scramble. We drove north to Weiser and crossed the Snake River there, passed by the Good Sam Oasis RV Park on the Snake before hitting I-84 at Huntington. It was a nice drive over the Blue Mtns. We got gas at Pilot near Stanfield/Umatilla. Just past Yakima we took the canyon route which we were not able to do on the trip out due to a bicycle race there. We were home by 1700.

Now our "states visited with the Aliner" map would look like this:

(Looks like we'll have to plan a trip to the East Coast.)