Monthly Archives: November 2018

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

November 25, 2018

Posted under

Arizona, Boondocking, Nevada, USA Travel

Comments

4 Comments

Getting Warmer

November 18-20, 2018
Kings Row RV Park, Las Vegas

We stayed a few days in Las Vegas. We walked our legs off seeing the sights (which included the Strip as well as The Container Store and IKEA), but we also got our laundry done. We stayed at a very basic and vintage RV park called Kings Row. Our site was essentially overflow parking in an asphalt parking lot, but the facilities were better than average. The showers were large and quite nice with actual doors, shower curtains, plenty of hooks, and a shelf for bottles. This seems pretty obvious, but you’d be surprised how many showers are lacking these basics.

IMG_9358

November 21-25, 2018
BlueWater Resort & Casino, Parker, AZ

Next, we headed to Arizona to do some dry camping. Most casinos offer overnight RV parking for free or a small fee. BlueWater did not charge a fee even though there is also an RV park here. We planned our stay to include American Thanksgiving on Thursday. One of the restaurants at this resort had a Thanksgiving buffet. It included far more than turkey and the fixings. We left stuffed!

Oh look! We’re having pizza!
BlueWater Resort & Casino from our parking spot

On Friday and Saturday, the 72nd Annual SCSC Thanksgiving Regatta was held on the Colorado River in front of the resort. There were many different types of boat races: K Boat, Grand National, Unblown Flat, Sportsmen Extreme, GPS 100, Crackerbox, Comp Jet, Formula Light, etc. This regatta was different than the Formula 1 races that used to be held in Saskatoon. This was a smaller venue and there were no Formula 1 races, but there was a Formula 1 boat that did the course for all to see. The Formula Lights looked similar, but smaller. There were a few accidents (crashes and flip overs). One driver had to be taken to hospital. The Crackerboxes were really fun, but those boats really took a beating. They started with 6 on Friday, but only 2 made it to the finals! There are 2 people sitting side by side in crackerbox boats and the engine sits in front of them. The Sportsman A Hydro races were exciting. The drivers try to duck as low as they can in order to be more aerodynamic. They just raise their heads in bends.

The resort from the marina
Formula Light race
Notice the head tucked down (Sportsman A Hydro)
Formula Light

The following pictures were taken by our friend Sheila M. because I forgot my camera:

 

Goodnight!

DSC01298

Poppy, Kenzie, and Bunnah (picture by Sheila M.)

IMG_9361

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

November 19, 2018

Posted under

Dogs, USA Travel, Utah

Comments

2 Comments

Zion National Park

November 17, 2018

We met up with Sheila and her girls (Kenzie and Bunnah) in Cedar City, Utah. We camped at The Home Depot for a couple of nights and then headed into Zion.

IMG_9143

Kenzie making herself at home in the Airstream

Even though I had read that there were some first come – first served campsites in the park, there were not any. They all were reserved 6 months in advance. We had to find a commercial campground outside the park. We chose the one right at the park entrance. We paid $72 CAD ($55 USD) for ONE night. Never in our lives have we paid so much for a campsite. I guess you pay for location, but that’s all we got.  We were expected to share a picnic table with our neighbour and there was nowhere to park the truck. However, we were close to the action, and by action I mean ZION!

IMG_9304

As soon as we unhitched, we headed into the park. We had an America the Beautiful pass from last year and it covered the admission for the 3 of us. We decided to drive Utah Highway 9 from the south to the east entrance. Oh the glorious views! This route includes the Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel, which was built in the 1920s, when vehicles were much smaller. This tunnel is 1.1 miles long and fairly narrow. Vehicles 11’4″ tall or taller or 7’10” wide or wider require traffic control and drivers must pay an additional $15 fee per vehicle. There are many switchbacks leading to the tunnel. It’s a wild ride! For this reason, we did not continue with the trailer to go on to Bryce Canyon.  We will go to Bryce on a different road another time.

Here are some sights along Utah Highway 9 inside Zion.  I have not adjusted any colors.  This is wonderful, colorful Zion! (Click to enlarge)

Blind Arch
Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel
Blind Arch
Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel
Kenzie and Bunnah
Kenzie, Bunnah, and Poppy

Checkerboard Mesa:

Once we got to the east entrance, we stopped for a picnic lunch. There are no picnic areas in Zion, so we just used the parking area at the entrance.  Afterwards, we headed back. The views were different in this direction.

The hole in the rock is a window for light in the tunnel

We returned to camp to drop off the girls, and then we took the shuttle through Zion Canyon. This scenic drive is no longer open to vehicles. Park guests must use the shuttle. It has 9 stops.  We took the shuttle from the Visitor Center all the way to the last stop at the Temple of Sinawava. We got out for a walk along the North Fork of the Virgin River to the Narrows.  Most of the walk was quite lush, sometimes swampy, and incredibly spectacular.  There are hanging gardens throughout, but even in this damp environment, there are cacti. Zion is in the desert after all.

As we took the shuttle back to the Visitor Center, night was falling. The Airstream looked beautiful against the backdrop of Zion and a rising moon.

IMG_9349IMG_9351

Goodnight Zion. You are spectacular!

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

November 14, 2018

Posted under

Airstreams, Nevada, USA Travel

Comments

3 Comments

Not the Pony Express

November 14, 2018

Nevada to Utah

IMG_9115

This section of highway intersects with the old Pony Express Trail. At the rest stop, there are information signs, and you can take the gravel road which follows the original route. We stuck to the paved highway.

This stretch of highway is also part of the Lincoln Highway. We are now on the lookout for these highway markers after Eric “Nomadic Fanatic” posted YouTube videos of the route this past summer.

Nevada scenery on the way to Utah:

Mount Fuji?
These hoodoos look like fairy chimneys in Turkey

IMG_9137

Where are we now? Name that State!

IMG_9142

Glorious red mountains in Utah.  We stopped in Cedar City for the night (Wal-Mart). I’m getting screaming fast wifi from the neighbouring Home Depot. That’s how I am able to upload this post and the previous one. We are waiting for our friend Sheila and her pups to arrive tomorrow. We will head into Zion and possibly Bryce Canyon.

I need to state again how much I love travelling in the USA. The rest stops are plentiful and clean; the people are friendly and helpful; and where on earth do you find such varied geography? OK, Turkey has amazing geography too, but it’s not so easy to use an RV there.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

November 14, 2018

Posted under

Boondocking, Chinook Motorhome, Oregon, USA Travel

Comments

1 Comment

And That’s How It’s Done

November 13, 2018

We followed our friend’s advice, and set out on Deadman Pass near 10 am.  OK, it was closer to 9:30, but the temperature was above freezing and there was no snow.  Always check highway cams and weather reports before attempting a treacherous pass.  All looked well, so we set out.

We didn’t get too far when visibility became greatly reduced:

Heavy fog
I wonder what the sign says

 

The fog was intense, but the twists in the road also added to the white-knuckle experience.  Look at what the map shows:

IMG_9083

The fog started to lift and we could see there had been a truck in front of us the entire time:

IMG_9084

As the fog completely lifted, we could see it hanging over a valley and a sundog:

IMG_9087

After that, it was smooth sailing:

Over the pass
Co-pilot Poppy

So, that is how you get through a treacherous pass. Follow experienced drivers’ advice, check weather reports and highway cams, don’t rush it. Phew!

Oregon scenery on the way to Nevada:

Hey, is this what we think it is?

IMG_9103

Oh yeah! A 1970s Dodge Chinook:

IMG_9106

For the night, we crossed into Nevada and stayed in Jackpot (free parking at Cactus Pete’s casino).

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

November 12, 2018

Posted under

USA Travel, Washington

Comments

4 Comments

The World’s Greatest Waterfall

November 12, 2018

IMG_9075

The Long Long Trailer

Fortunately, the snow in Keremeos only stuck around for a few hours and it didn’t hurt any of the flowers.  We checked weather forecasts for the coming week, and our best time to leave was today.  Snow is coming to Oregon on Wednesday, and we need to get through Deadman Pass before the snow arrives.

Deadman Pass is located between Pendleton and La Grande, Oregon, and that stretch of highway is considered to be one of the most dangerous roads in the US.  The best time to attempt the pass is around 10 am, after the frost has melted.  We stopped for the night in Pendleton and already there were warning announcements that visibility was down to 500 feet in the pass this evening.  We noticed a lot more frost the further south we went today.

On our way, we stopped at Dry Falls State Park, which a friend in our RV park recommended. It was stunning.

IMG_9074

For scale, look at the kayak to the far left

IMG_9046IMG_9051

IMG_9056

IMG_9059

Find the 2 kayaks

Click on each image to enlarge:

 

It was strange today because we weren’t travelling with little Daisy. It’s our first time in 15 years not to be on an adventure with her. Poppy decided to take the opportunity  to fill my lap. Yes, her dream came true and she became a lap dog. She was a lot calmer today. However, we know that she gets worse as the miles click by. Maybe cuddles and a warm lap will get her through this travelling ordeal.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

November 9, 2018

Posted under

Airstream living

Comments

4 Comments

It’s time to get outta Dodge!

November 9, 2018

IMG_9044

Oh no! We had hoped we wouldn’t see the white stuff. It started snowing in the late morning. Not much fell, and it never got too cold (34F/1C), but still, this is a clear sign that we have to leave.

We had planned to leave on November 16, but friends contacted us and are leaving Saskatchewan on November 13. Yesterday, I called to get our travel insurance changed to November 12, so we are free to leave then. We will play it by ear. It’s supposed to warm up again at the start of the week.

Looking west:

IMG_9038

Looking east:

IMG_9041

Poppy zooming by:IMG_9042

 

SaveSave

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

November 8, 2018

Posted under

Airstreams

Comments

5 Comments

New Logo

We have a new logo and tag line!

cropped-atomicpod1.png

Logo:
I created the logo to reflect googie art, which more accurately represents the name “Atomic Pod.”

Tag Line:
We considered variations on 1950s expressions like:
“Agitate the Gravel and Travel”
“Far out Adventures”
“Radioactive Fun”
“How the Cool Cats Go”

However, we decided on “The Remedy for Farsickness.”  Whenever we were on a holiday, before we became full-time RVers, one of us would always ask the other, “Are you homesick yet?”  The answer was always, “No!”  We both were far more addicted to travel than to the stationary life we had been living.  When we weren’t travelling, we would talk about far away places. We remedied that longing by becoming full-time travellers. We don’t nearly suffer from farsickness as often as we used to.