The Trip North

California--->Montana

5/14 Rialto--->Parker, Arizona

5/15 Parker--->Grand Canyon

5/16 Grand Canyon--->Page, Arizona

5/17 Page--->Bryce Canyon--->Salt Lake City, Utah

5/18 Salt Lake City--->Jackson Hole, Wyoming

5/19 Jackson Hole--->Grand Tetons--->Yellowstone


Aw, it's amazing what a good night of sleep will do for you! We woke up really early Wednesday morning and tried to get a head start on the 100 degree weather that was coming our way. It's always an adventure with no AC's! So we booked it as fast as we could to Parker, our sweet desert oasis. IT is impossible for us to enter or leave California without stopping at the river. We knew this time we could only stay one night but we just had to go anyway. We left Rialto so early it gave us almost the entire day to enjoy the river and lay by the pool while soaking up some last Vitamin D. We were assuming that Montana was not going to give us this much sunshine for a couple of months so we needed it today. After dinner we went to the pool side bar to watch the Kings face off against the Ducks in hockey schedule. Our whole travel schedule is revolving around the game schedule! We are going to win the Stanley Cup this year, I can feel it! So we wouldn't want to miss out on one game!!!

We got a call from Grandma Cathy today who it out and about in her motor home, Barefoot. She is on her way to Yellowstone to hang out with us for a week and thought it would be fun if we met up on the journey north. She asked if we could come to the Grand Canyon tomorrow and she would get us a site right next to hers and make us dinner, then Thursday we could all go see the Grand Canyon together. So our choice was either to go to Moab or go meet with Grandma. The weather report called for temperatures of at least 95 in Moab and we were having a hard time finding a campsite. We would also have to drive an extra 500 miles to be in Arches and Canyonlands only to spend less than two days there. We would need at least a week to explore all the areas there that we wanted to.

If we have learned anything in the past two years of living on the road it is that you must LISTEN TO IT! Doors will open and others will close. It's important not to force a door open. Change directions, slam on the brakes, make a u-turn.... do whatever you have to do to take the open door because it always works out for the better.

So we decided to listen to our own advice! Even though Moab, Canyonlands, and Arches have been on our bucket lists we knew this wasn't the right time... Plus we have been dying to see the Grand Canyon for years now!

Ironwood sign post on Hwy 62

Our mark from January was still there in May!

Someone even left my name!

Chasing trains across the California desert

Shoe fence....

Our desert oasis

Wild asses

Colorado River

On Friday morning we packed up the motor home and hit the road early. We had 270 miles to go. I was so excited to meet up with my grandparents "on the road." I don't know exactly why but there is something so special about the road community and the way of life out here. Meals are shared and prepared with joyful and giving hearts, they are eaten outside under the stars around a picnic table. There is more time talking and enjoying conversation, less faces hiding behind the screens of technology. More time being who you are and less time building facades and masks.
And quite frankly that's all I really want for my life. Our road life is not pretty, not glamorous in any way, shape, or form. But if you can get past that you will probably have the most fun of your life. You will meet life long friends. You'll have people excited to see you any where you go. You will see things you have only dreamed of and check off some many things from your bucket list! You will laugh harder, reflect more, love deeper, enjoy more........ stress less.

Life with no AC while driving to the Grand Canyon

Gma Cathy and Fred's motor home BAREFOOT next to DESTINY!

She made us an incredible dinner!!!

After we got there we walked over to the Grand Canyon IMAX movie and got to watch an incredible little documentary. It got us all pumped up for tomorrow and the moment we would actually see it! Grandma and Fred cooked us up an incredible feast when we got back to our site. Nothing beats grandma's cooking, a glass of wine and fresh mountain air. We spent the rest of the evening talking "motor home" and comparing travels, sharing tips and all the destinations to come. Grandma has an awesome blog up of their travels and she's much better at updating it than I am with ours! You can find it at http://barefoot1586.blogspot.com

 

Goodnight- tomorrow is the day to see one of the seven natural wonders of the world!