A LITTLE ROAD TRIP TO UTAH

Well, it was time to give the roof top tent another try.  Last time over Thanksgiving a major storm sent us to an apartment in Prescott for the duration.  We (I) had experienced some discomfort in the tent due to a thin mattress, so this time we added more padding.  After a hotel night in St. George, we headed across the southern part of Utah on scenic Hwy 12.  Familiar territory for us, but we planned on seeing new things.

Our first night in the tent didn't turn out as planned.  We found and secluded camp just off of the Burr Trail within a stones throw of the Capitol Reef National Park boundary.  A really nice spot in the Junipers, off the road enough to eliminate any noise, and no one around.  After setting up camp, which was somewhat frustrating for me due to all the gear stuffed into the 4-Runner, we poured ourselves some wine and started to relax around the fire.  You'd think we'd be happy, but we were joined by the masses of gnats.  They were so thick that if they banded together, they could pick us up and deposit us where ever they desired.  They were incessant and unrelenting.  I damn near gave up right then and there when families of them took up residence in my ears.

As the sun set, they took the hint and went off to bed.  That's when the mosquitoes took over.  Needless to say the ate us up.  Deet was just a before dinner cocktail for them.  Luckily the new padding in the tent provided some comfort for us and we actually slept pretty well.

The next morning after coffee and breakfast, we broke camp before the gnats knew we were up, and headed down the Burr Trail Switchbacks.  This is one of the few places where one can drive through the Waterpocket Fold, a uplift in the earth's crust extending for over 100 miles.  The road, passable in most passenger cars, descends 800 feet in 1/2 mile giving one fantastic views of the road below.  As we reached the bottom we came across Hanna.

We stopped just to say hello and ask if she was ok, I mean it was 50 miles from the nearest town. She asked for some water saying her last water source was dry. So we handed her a bottle of water, 12 oz. I asked where her next water source was and she said, "oh, it's just another 10 miles" and she thanked us for the water saying she would be fine. So off we went, and within a few minutes I got to thinking, 12 oz of water for 10 miles in 85 degree weather, I’m turning around. So we got back to her and filled up all her empty water containers. Turns out Hanna has been walking since March covering 1200 miles in the desert southwest. Starting in Grants, NM she is mostly traveling cross country and will be back at her home in Colorado in a few weeks.

We figured it was time for a hike, so we headed up Surprise Canyon, one of the many canyons that cut into the fold.  Beautiful in the narrow canyon with it's towering walls and the lovely green plants that we walked through.  Perhaps that's why it's called Surprise Canyon as the lovely green plants were Poison Oak.  Surprise!!!  Not knowing our surprise encounter until later in the day, we continued our exploitation of Capitol Reef heading north to Cathedral Canyon.

After fording the Fremont River we headed north on a loop of about 58 miles through Cathedral Valley and some really beautiful country.  Mostly a 2-wheel drive road, with some exceptions when encountering some really deep fine silty dirt.  You know, the kind that makes dust that gets into everything.  Still worth the effort when you consider the scenery.

TEMPLE OF THE SUN AND TEMPLE OF THE MOON

We (I) decided that we weren't gonna share another campsite with all the biting critters, so we opted for a motel in Torrey.  Still managed to have a camp dinner before the luxury of a shower and clean sheets.  The weather report was telling us that a heat wave was going to be with us in day or two, so we decided that the next morning we would head north to cooler climes.

In the morning we were itching pretty good so we know a pharmacy was in order.  But first a small detour to Black Dragon Canyon.  Easily reached off of I-70 by turning right off the freeway at M.P. 147, through a gate and in short order we were in the canyon.  The purpose of going here is the pictographs on the canyon wall.  One that draws the most visitors is one that looks like a dragon.  With a wing span of 9 feet, it's pretty impressive.

MAN AND DOG?

So, onward north to Dinosaur National Monument in the northeastern corner of the state.  On the way we stopped for itch relief and the pharmacist told us about Fels Naptha Soap.

You wash both yourself and clothes with this soap and it is said helps elevate the itching caused by Poison Oak and Ivy.  A great tip as we were mostly itch free for the rest of the trip.

We spent two nights in our camp, I mean hotel, in Vernal, Utah and spending one day checking out Echo Park in the monument.  Another beautiful drive to a small campground on the Green River, across from the impressive Steamboat Rock.  Campground was closed due to the pandemic, but the roads in the monument had just re-opened.

We spent the final couple of days camping out in our friend Kiki's cabin in the Unita Mountains.  Beautiful country that we had not explored before.  Just south of the Wyoming state line and the town of Evanston, her cabin sits at 9000 feet and was another beautiful campsite complete with clean sheets and our second steak dinner of the trip.

 APPROACHING THE UNITAS

 OUT FOR A WALK

Anyway, all in all it was another successful trip as no one got killed nor were any animals harmed in the making of the video.  Enjoy the video, till next time......

WE'RE BUSTING OUT

We're busting out, throwing off the chains, making our escape and what better place to hide out than Southern Utah.  It's the tent this time for a week to 10 days, exploring Grand Staircase Esclante, Capitol Reef and Cedar Mesa.  Could be other places in the mix, depending on the weather.  We've been hole up for the past couple of month and we've got cabin fever, so we're packing up the 4-Runner and we intend on doing a little off road exploration.  If the tent gets too uncomfortable, well, there's always a motel.  We'll be off the grid for some of this excursion, but when we come up for air, we'll post a few photos on Facebook.  The next blog post, in all probability won't happen till our return.

Here's a couple of photos from previous trips to peak your curiosity.

NATIONAL COWBOY POETRY GATHERING ll

It's been awhile since we posted anything here at Gassaway's Adventures, not because we haven't been doing anything, but I've been lazy and suffering from writers block.  A short update before main story.  We bought a new 4Runner and to go with it a roof top tent.  Here's a short little video on setting it up.  We intend to use it while 4-wheeling enabling us to go further afield.  Our first little trip was to the Arizona Desert, but with bad weather approaching, we only stayed one night.  We opted then to hold up in a apartment in Prescott waiting for the storm to pass.  It dropped 12 inches of snow, so we stayed in Prescott and explored homes for sale as this is a place we may move to in a couple of years.

I along with our son Eric spent 5 days in the Arizona Mountains on a deer hunt.  He did the hunting while I looked for the deer.  On the last day and with the light fading, Eric got his buck.

We are currently in training for another pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain.  Cathie wants to finish what she started after pulling up short in 2017.  We head across the pond in April, so stay tuned.

Now for the cowboy stuff:  Last year we attended our first Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada.  We had such a good time that we just had to go again.  This time, not being the rookies we were last year, we had a better idea of how to approach the many different sessions and shows.  The gathering is put on each year in the winter by the Western Folklife Center.  By joining the Center for the measly sum of $75 for the both of us, we get a discounted rate for the gathering plus the option to buy tickets of the bigger shows before they go on sale to the general public.  Knowing the lay of the land this year, we saw a lot more shows and really enjoyed ourselves for the 4 days we spent at the event.  Not only some great poets, but some great music.  Our new favorite in the music department was Corb Lund and his Hurtin' Albertans, and we really enjoyed the Battle of the Bands show.

Before arriving in Elko we had discussed not going to the gathering again for awhile, but after such a great experience this year, I sure we'll head north again next year.  Here's an example of the kind of poetry one hears at the gathering.  We heard Jessie Smith recite Three Wheeler last year and here's a video made several years ago.

Another favorite of mine is Rodney Nelson who is a poet from North Dakota.  His Bio says that he makes his living rodeoing which has caused him to enjoy a low standard of living.

COWBOY LAUNDRY

           Brides-to-be have much to learn,

   there's more to marriage than joy—
especially if the mate she's found
   is a sure-nuff country boy.

She's no doubt optimistic—
   oblivious to her fate...
The dangers that will come to pass
   she can't anticipate.

She dreams of newborn colts and calves,
   anticipation makes her grin—
But ranch life quickly dims these myths
  and reality sets in.

There's calves to work, cows to feed,
   meals are often late.
Unpaid bills, and drought and dirt
   are things she learns to hate.

It starts when "hubby" saunters in,
   a guy she's never seen unclean—
He's reeking and he's filthy,
   and she thinks it's kinda mean...

When he piles his duds upon the floor
   and gives her a big squeeze,
says "I need clean clothes in the morning,
   so wash these up, if you please."

She's gotta pick them off the floor,
   though the thought makes her kinda sick,
She thinks she sees them crawling,
   so she jabs 'em with a stick!

She's gotta get them to the washer,
   though it fills her heart with dread—
She shuts her eyes and throws 'em in...
   lightness fills her head!

But like a dose of smelling salts,
   the odor jolts this lass,
It's made up of sweat, of grease, or crud—
   and stuff that once was grass!

There's pine-tar too, and branding smoke,
   horse sweat and a drained abscess,
Diesel fuel and scouring calves,
   and a shot of KRS.

But the task is still unfinished,
   as she is well aware,
there's one more chore, for on the floor,
   lies her hubby's underwear!

She's seen some Hitchcock movies,
   storms have caused her awful fright,
But nothing she has seen before
   has prepared her for this sight!

An older, wiser ranchwife
   would read them like a book—
she'd know he'd oiled the windmill,
   and with another look...

She could see old Brownie had thrown him
   by the telltale gumbo mud—
And he'd repaired another prolapse
   'cause the front was stained with blood.

There are countless other stories
   that a cowboy's briefs could share
Like if he had been eating chili
   or had a real bad scare!

But the new bride lacks the knowledge,
   and in her frenzied state,
She grabs them with a plier
   and shows them to her mate.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Hon,
   you know what that stain means...
I wasn't careful where I sat
   and it soaked on through my jeans."

She just can't quite believe it,
   and she's plum filled up with doubt—
She says "If what you say is true, my dear,
   you wore this pair inside out!"

Oh, it won't be long 'til scenes like this
   will be common to the bride—
and countless other problems
   she'll learn to take in stride.

Yes, she'll see her share of troubles
   that the coming years will bring—
But if she can handle COWBOY LAUNDRY,
  she can handle anything!

Well that about does it.  We drove home with an overnight in Minden, Nevada, another place we were considering moving, but with a morning temperature of 7 degrees we just might have to re-think that.

ANOTHER TRIP ENDED TOO SOON

Well, from the title you can tell something happen.  This time it's not any RV breakdowns but issues back home.  A little background.  Cathie's father has dementia and is cared for by in-home caregivers around the clock.  After leaving Canada, Cathie was in pretty regular contact with the caregivers, receiving updates on her father.  She was receiving some reports that things were not going smoothly, so we decided to cut the trip short and head home.  We figured with hard driving we could be home in 4 days.

As we headed southwest, we kept receiving more troubling reports.  Our son Randy was asked to go and check on the situation.  Then one of the night caregivers quit.  With Randy covering the nights, he has a full time job, we decided it was best for Cathie to get home pronto.  So we made a slight detour to Omaha. The next day, I put her on a flight home, and I began the much slower trip back with the RV.  Now that we are home, we have got control of the situation with her father.

On my drive home, I slowed way down and took a week to get home.  By going slower I was able to take in a few sights along the way.  I headed south to Amarillo to pick up I-40 for the drive westward.  Amarillo had been on our trip agenda as we had planned on paying a visit to PALO DURO CANYON STATE PARK. This a a deep canyon said to be second only to the Grand Canyon.  I hoped to spend a day there and get in some hiking.  Well, as my (our) luck continued to suck, there had been 7 inches of rain in the days before my arrival and all the hiking trails were closed.  So I took a few pictures, checked out the campgrounds for a future visit and went back to town. 

I did manage to check out Cadillac Ranch, a tourist attraction of sorts along Route 66.  People are able to bring their own spray paint had have at it.  Of course in the tradition of people who tag such things, they also leave a mess.

So after Amarillo, I pretty much headed straight home, taking three more days.  I had intended on taking more time, but approaching storms with high wind warnings encourage me to drive 550 miles on the last day to beat the winds. I did manage to make one stop to stand on the corner in Winslow, Arizona.

And there was a girl my lord in a flatbed Ford, slowing down to take a look at me!

A Nebraska Sunrise

A MEMORABLE VISIT

We’re in Winnipeg primarily to visit my Camino Brother, Len.  Having met in 2015 while walking the pilgrimage on Camino de Santiago in Spain, we have each paid visits to our respective homes.  The connection one has with other pilgrims while walking across Northern Spain is long lasting and a special relationship one can only understand by experiencing the Camino for themselves.  So, we visit Winnipeg and Len and his wife Janet are the best of hosts.

Our first day was spent dodging the rain which we did with a tour along the Red River.  We made a stop at the St Andrews Church Rectory Museum, which depicted the history of the area.  Of course any drive in the countryside wouldn’t be complete without a stop for ice cream at a roadside diner.  The following day, with clear skies, we took a look at downtown Winnipeg with it’s many old historic buildings.  For lunch a Canadian staple Poutine, which if you haven’t tried it, it’s a must at least once. But be carful, it sorta grows on you and the desire for more can be irresistible.  Consisting French fries, brown gravy and cheese curds in it’s simplest and original form, it can be taken up a notch or two with just about any other ingredients one desires.  With a calorie count up to a billion, depending on ingredients, a 500 mile bike ride would be required as a counter measure.

Winnipeg is home to the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League and as luck would have it they were playing a pre-season game later in the evening.  Len just happen to be a fan and a season ticket holder.  So while the girls stayed home to watch a chick flick, the boys headed to the game.  With an official Jets jersey provided by Len, I fit right in with the locals as long as I didn’t start chanting, “we want a touchdown”.  Anyway, a really fast paced game, interrupted about every 10 minutes or so, with the shovel crew skating around the arena scraping off the loose ice.  In the end, Jets win over the Calgary Flame 4 to 1.

Also in store was a trip up to Lake Winnipeg for fish and chips and later because it was my birthday, ice cream.  Made from the local fish pickerel it is on par with any good white fish.  The area around the lake that we visited is home to what seemed like thousands of “cabins” owned by local families.  On our visit, most are vacant as the beach season is over in Manitoba.

We were treated like royalty during our stay, with many home cooked meals prepared by Janet.  Before leaving, Len, who considers himself a vintner of fine wines, gifted me two bottles of his Pilgrim’s Merlot.  At the appropriate time, each will be opened for a toast to Len, Janet and to Pilgrims everywhere.

As I write this, we are now at Itasca Lake State Park, in Minnesota.  It is here where the mighty Mississippi begins in long and winding journey to the Gulf of Mexico.  You can walk across the river at it’s source, but with the wind blowing and the air temperature hovering around 45, we opted to stay dry.  After our visit here we will be heading south looking for warmer climes and more opportunities to take a hike, ride a bike or paddle a kayak.

THE PUSH NORTH

In the past it was our custom when leaving on a trip to leave early, like “oh dark thirty” early.  Our thought was to get through the desert, which you must past through to get just about anywhere from Southern California, before the heat.  So up and out the door at 4 was our mantra.  As we got older the departure time began to be later and since we’re retired, what’s the rush anyway.  So instead of trying to get 500 miles under our belts on the first day, we usually settled for a respectable 350.

But this trip is different.  We are headed to Winnipeg, Canada to visit my Camino Brother Len and his wife Janet.  It’s 2000 miles from home to Winnipeg and we want to get there and then back south before winter sets in.  Now, Len tells me the weather is fine and it won’t be winter for some time.  But in the next sentence he’s telling me about how they winterized their cabin at the lake on the 1st of September.  Why is this Len?  Then I find out he has winterized his RV.  I’m thinking it’s not called Winterpeg for no reason, so we’re gonna get there, stay about a week and get outta there before it’s time to go ice fishing.  This past winter Len sent me a message one day saying the it was colder in Winnipeg than at the North Pole!  I’m not taking any chances.

So, we’re out the door at 4 am heading north on I-15.  With a stop for breakfast in Victorville and fuel in Barstow we pretty much drove straight through to Beaver, Ut.  After an overnight there, we continued on to Laramie, WY for a quick visit to our grandson McKyle who is a student at the University of Wyoming. (Go Pokes).  He has only been there for two weeks, but Cathie was all ready missing him so we had to stop.  We got a tour of the campus, took a look at McKyle’s cramped living conditions in the dorm.  We shared a couple of meals, giving him a break from a collage student’s menu of Top Ramen, before continuing north.

As is our custom we try to stay of secondary roads on our travels which we did after leaving Laramie.  Years ago I read a book called Blue Highways by William Least-Heat Moon.  He wrote about his journey in a van around the US, traveling on highways the on road maps were in blue as opposed to the major routes that were depicted in red.  It is a better way to see America and it our preferred way of exploring our country.

So we continued north traveling through vast cattle ranches in Wyoming.  We overnighted in Spearfish, South Dakota then onward as the landscape leveled out in the Dakotas and the ranches gave way to vast fields of hay, corn and soybeans.  This is the American Heartland.  More recently called “fly over country”, to me this is the best of our country.  Friendly people who wave as they pass going the other directions.  The woman who was working in her garden who stands and waves to us as we pass.  Small towns where the gas station attendant still pumps the gas and washes your windows.  Where many communities offer campsites free or a small fee for an overnight stay.  My kind of travel.

A MUST STOP

FREE CAMPING

Our last day before arriving Len and Janets was spent dodging thunderstorms.  The weather report said it was a possibility later in the day, but a few arrived early.  So by watching the radar on the iPad we were able to pull over and seek shelter beside a building as the storm approached.  So, we waited out several storms in local coffee shops and what was to be a 4 hour drive turned into 8.  But eventually we arrived a Len and Janet’s and we are now safely ensconced in their driveway enjoying some fine Canadian hospitality.