Camper at Three Way Campers for repairs. No photos.

We picked up the camper at Three Way Campers at noon and started our trip after we packed the camper. We arrived in Nashville, Tennessee today at 5:00. We stayed at the KOA in Nashville, which had a pretty campground. It is next to the Grand Ole Opry. Next time Susan would like to go see the Grand Ole Opry. We are a week behind schedule, but should be able to make our reservations at the Grand Canyon by Wednesday afternoon. Bob's hike to the Colorado River starts Friday.

We had to have repairs made to our camper before we left. We had taken the Cardinal to Three Way Campers for some minor work and they found a rip in the roof. The roof is a solid piece of rubber material and the entire roof had to be replaced. When we told the workers at Three Way Campers about our travel plans, they told us that they would make sure that we were on our way in time for us to make our reservations at the Grand Canyon. Susan thinks that Bob's sad face worked wonders. Usually they have two men working to replace the roof, but they had four men working on our roof.

Tomorrow (Saturday), we will stop in Morrilton, Arkansas; Elk City, Oklahoma Sunday; Albuquerque, NM, Monday; Holbrook, AZ (Petrified Forrest) Tuesday; and Wednesday at the Grand Canyon.

Today we left Nashville around 7:00. We stopped at McDonald's for breakfast. We drove most of the day and arrived at the KOA in Morrilton, Arkansas. The KOA was not very pretty. Bob cooked salmon on the grill and Susan steamed some broccoli and cauliflower for dinner.

Again we left early about 7:00 and stopped at a truck stop for breakfast. We drove all day and stopped at a KOA campground in Elk City, Oklahoma. Bob cooked salmon and corn on the cob on the grill for supper.

Today we left at 7:00 after eating cereal. We drove all day and arrived about 3:00 at the KOA in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We like to stay at the KOA campgrounds when we travel. KOA in Albuquerque was a nice campground. While Bob was cooking the salmon and corn on the cob on the grill, we were enjoying a glass of wine and sitting at a lopsided picnic table. When Bob got up to check the grill, the table tipped and so did our wine. Unfortunately, the wine spilled on Susan's clothes. Fortunately, the clothes did not stain because she soaked them.

Today we left Albuquerque, New Mexico at 7:30 after we ate cereal at the camper. We drove until noon and arrived at Holbrook, Arizona. After lunch we drove back about 25 miles to the Petrified Forest National Park and the Painted Forest National Park. At the visitor center, we purchased an audio CD that told you about the different places as you drive through the park.

Since we left home, we have been listening to the audio book of Angels and Demons. While we were waiting for the camper to be repaired before leaving home, we went to see the movie of Angels and Demons. Although we had listened to the book several years ago, Susan wanted to listen again to the book. We were at the end of the book today when we arrived at the Petrified Forest. We had to finish listening to Angels and Demons before starting the audio CD at the park.

The tour starts in the Painted Desert. When we pulled up to the first view, we realized that we had left the cameras back at the camper. We were both disappointed because the views were spectacular. We drove through the Painted Desert. As we started the tour through the Petrified Forest, a huge storm came through. It poured hard for about 5 minutes. We became concerned about flash floods so we turned around and headed back to the camper.

Tomorrow we head for the Grand Canyon. As you can imagine, Bob is very excited.

Today we finally arrived at the Grand Canyon. We have traveled 1,900 miles so far on our trip. We left Holbrook NM this morning and stopped at Winslow Arizona. We turned off on Business 40 and drove through town. In Sue's mind, we were looking for a Super Walmart. In Bob's mind, we were looking for a corner and a girl, my lord, in a flat bed Ford. Neither one of us found what we were looking for. We decided to take it easy and go on to Flagstaff for our shopping. (With apologies to the Eagles)

After we set up camp, we went to the back country office and Bob asked about the weather at Phantom Ranch. On his last hike to Phantom Ranch, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, the high temperatures ran between 110 and 120 degrees. Now, the temperatures will only reach the mid nineties. The lows will be around the mid fifties. Quite a difference! He will have to pack differently for the lower temperatures.

After that, we went to the Bright Angle Lodge and registered at the Phantom Ranch desk for Bob's meals. The ranch serves meals to the mule riders that ride down and stay in the cabins at Phantom Ranch. Hikers can also reserve meals. Bob will have lunch and dinner Friday, breakfast, lunch and dinner Saturday, and breakfast and a sack lunch Sunday. He will hike out to Indian Gardens on the Bright Angle trail and eat the sack lunch there. Indian Gardens is on the Tonto Plateau and about half way up to the South Rim. He had all meals reserved except the Saturday dinner. He was able to purchase that today.

That completed our errands and we then visited several shops and enjoyed the views of the canyon. We had pasta dinner at the camper and relaxed for the evening.

This morning between 5:00 and 6:00 AM when Bob was updating the web site, four or five small elk walked next to the window by Bob's chair. Later, a huge buck elk walked by the camper. His antlers were as wide as Bob could spread his arms, about six feet.

Sue at Trailer Village: Today was the day that Bob has anticipated for a long time. Bob awoke earlier than usual and awoke Susan at 4:00 so she could drive him to the bus stop. He was very excited when Susan dropped him off at the bus stop.

When I came back to the camper, I tried to go back to sleep but couldn't. Instead I drove over to Yavapai Point just as the sun was rising. I was hoping that I might be able to see Bob on the trail but couldn't. I did see a magnificent sight though.

The rest of the day I did what I wanted to do. I read a lot. In the late afternoon, I turned on the TV to watch the news. After a while, the screen went blank and the TV said that there was no signal. When I went out to check the cable outside, a neighbor asked if the cable had gone out. When I told him that it had, he told me that others had as well.

When this neighbor arrived yesterday, we noticed that he had a large telescope. I asked him if he was a member of the astronomy club that brings their telescopes to the Grand Canyon. When we were at the Grand Canyon several years ago, a neighbor was a member of the astronomy club. The members of the astronomy club are given free camp sites in exchange for setting up their telescopes in a parking lot for others to look through. The neighbor said that he was not a member of the club but he brought his telescope to set up in the parking lot. He said that they will set up tomorrow night and be here for a week.

Bob: Hike from Yaki Point to Phantom Ranch on the south Kiabab Trail

I started down the South Kibab Trail. This trail descends 4,500 feet over seven miles to the Phantom Ranch on the Colorado River. It is steeper than the Bright Angle Trail. I will hike out from Bright Angle Campground near Phantom Ranch Sunday Morning. That trail ascends 4,500 feet over ten miles. I will spend the night at Indian Gardens, about 1,500 feet above the canyon floor and four and one half miles in length. Monday, I will hike out, 3,000 feet of elevation over four and one half miles.

The South Kibab Trail is a ridge trail and has full sun. However, the views are spectacular. The Bright Angle Trail is a ravine trail and has more shade. The trail is very scenic with several creeks and many trees. There is no water supply on the South Kibab, so I carried four liters of water.

The hike down the switchbacks and beyond O'Neill's Butte was fine, the views of the sunrise beautiful. I stopped several times for snacks. For this hike, one's body needs twice the amount of food than normal. After I hiked to the edge of the Tonto Plateau and headed down the "Tip-Off", I started having some problems. The Tip-Off is the descent into the inner gorge and the Colorado River. The humidity in the canyon is very low and perspiration is quickly absorbed into the air. The water supply I carried was adequate to replace my body water, but salt is also removed during perspiration. I thought the snacks I ate would be enough to replace lost salt, or electrolytes. In hind sight, I realize that I did not replace enough salt, and I lost strength in my legs. Also, my attitude wasn't as positive as it usually is. Downhill hiking is more difficult for me than uphill. I made this hike seven years before and did not have any problems. (age and a few extra pounds matter!) Anyway, I finally and painfully made it to the river about 10:30 AM. I crossed the Black Bridge, hiked to Bright Angle Springs, changed into my sandals and immersed myself in the cool water.

After a refreshing and long rest in the spring, I hiked to the Bright Angel Campground, and set up camp. This time, I decided not to bring a tent. Instead, I used a ground cloth and an air mattress. I then walked to the Phantom Ranch Canteen. The campground and grounds are managed by the National Park Service. Phantom Ranch is managed by Zantara, a company that manages facilities in several national parks. I pre-ordered my breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the time I would spend here. I picked up my sack lunch and ate in the canteen.

The rest of the day I spend lounging on my air mattress and reading. I knew I needed a recovery time for my legs to revive. I brought Physics of the Impossible by Michio Kaku. I rested until 6:30 PM. I had the late dinner, which consisted of salad, stew, cornbread and chocolate cake. The meals are served family style. I did not bring my hearing aids, so I didn't have much opportunity for discussions.

After dinner, at 8:00, I attended a ranger program. The topic was geology of the Grand Canyon. Interestingly, we were located on the Bright Angle fault, which run from the north to south rims in the park. The program was over by 9:00. I walked back to the campground and was ready to sleep.

Sue at Trailer Village Today I did a lot of reading. In the afternoon, I took a walk along the South Rim from the Back Country Office to the Hopi House. I always enjoy walking along the South Rim. There are always a lot of people to watch. I also noticed how much I hear other languages spoken. People come from around the world to see the Grand Canyon.

I like to make certain stops along the rim. My first stop was the Kolb Studio where they usually have beautiful art displays. This time I was disappointed. The display had art from children's books about the Grand Canyon.

My next stop was Lookout Studio. At the front, they have a gift shop. At the back of the shop, there is an area where one can look at the view over the South Rim. There are several levels of the overlook. I looked for a condor flying over the canyon, but unfortunately there were none to see.

Next I walked by the Bright Angel Lodge, the Thunderbird Lodge and the El Tovar Lodge. I like the El Tovar Lodge best because they have swings on the back of the lodge. I sat in the swing for about half an hour and read my book. At the front of El Tovar, there are many comfortable rocking chairs. After I walked through Hopi House, I sat in one of the rocking chairs and read for a short time. When I started walking back to the truck, I noticed a ranger reading a book to a group of children behind the El Tovar Lodge.

When I was walking by the Bright Angel Trail, I saw a group of rangers carrying a stretcher to the Bright Angel Trail. Immediately my thoughts went to Bob. I walked over to two rangers at the rescue truck and asked them if they knew anything about the person who needed to be rescued. They tried to reassure me that Bob would be alright. Another lady standing nearby came to me as I walked away and told me that the man in distress was an 80-year-old man. I was relieved.

After reading again back at the camper, I tried to call Mother on the cell phone. When I couldn't get a signal, I decided to go near the cell tower near the Back Country Office. When I didn't get a signal there, I decided to go to Tusayan, the closest town to the Grand Canyon. Although I still couldn't get a signal there, I decided to stop at Wendy's for supper. Sorry Mom!

Bob: Day hikes from Phantom Ranch I awoke about 4:00 AM and relaxed until it was time for breakfast. The early breakfast is 5:00, which I preferred. Breakfast is also served family style, but there aren't as many people. They serve scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, canned peaches, orange juice and coffee. When I leave Sunday, I will have breakfast, pick up my sack lunch and get an early start.

After breakfast, I decided to return to my site and spend time horizontally on my air mattress. When I first got up, I realized I needed another recovery day for my legs. They were "barking" (sore). I spent the morning taking short hikes, one to the Silver Bridge and another to the beach. After each hike I returned to lay down and rest my legs. I needed to walk in order to clean out the lactic acid and time off my feet for my legs to repair themselves. I spent the morning walking and relaxing until it was time for lunch.

The walk to the Silver Bridge reminded me why there are two bridges over the Colorado River so close to each other. These are the only bridges to cross the river in the park. The Black Bridge was the first bridge to be built. Actually, before it was a bridge, it was used as a cable car to transport people across the river. After several incidents when the high winds overturned the cable car, a bridge was built. The floor of the bridge consists of wood planks placed across the bridge from side to side and another layer of two planks laid side by side down the center of the bridge for the length of the span. This is the bridge the mules use to cross the river. The Silver Bridge has a floor of open metal grating. The mules can look down and see the water and will not cross ( I kind of feel the same way).

Anyway, the reason the Silver Bridge was built was to carry a water pipe across the river. The pipe is directly under the floor of the bridge. Water cannot be diverted from the Colorado River because of federal restrictions. The National Park Service takes water from a creek close to the North Rim and pumps it down to Phantom Ranch and then across the Colorado River to Indian Gardens. It was cheaper to build a new bridge that to route the pipe to the Black Bridge, and back up to the Bright Angle trail.

The Colorado River is a dangerous river that claims the lives of those that try to swim cross. The river is not wide, but the water is so cold that before a swimmer reaches the other side, their body stops functioning. The ranger told stories about some that tried.

After lunch, I spent time reading and lying on my air mattress. I love this mattress. An air mattress needs to provide a cushion so one doesn't feel rocks while they are sleeping. I have had lighter mattresses, but they did not work for me. I have used this one for several years and it is worth every dollar and ounce. I moved several times while my site was in sun. I carried it to a shady spot and rested or read.

I attended the same late dinner and then went to the ranger program. There are always several children that make this hike. Now that really makes me feel old. After the ranger gives his talk, he (she) talks to the children that are earning their junior ranger points. The ranger certifies their accomplishments in their book.

This evening the program was about the condors that the National Park Service have introduced to the Grand Canyon. He had a life-sized model of a condor cut from cloth. The cloth was sewn together with the correct colors of black and white. The ranger had a young boy hold the end of one wing and he held the other end. The wing span is over eight feet. Condors hunt carrion, not live animals. They rely on Turkey Vultures to locate carrion. Turkey Vultures have a better sense of smell and will circle any animal that seems weak and close to death. When the Condors see this, they join in the hunt. The condor's head is pink and smooth. This helps them reach into a dead animal's body and extract organs and meat. I know we need them, but I have a new opinion of condors. Anyway, I have seen them soar high above the canyon and they are beautiful to watch.

After the program, I returned to my camp site and went to sleep. The night temperatures have been in the mid to low sixties. I have worn a sweatshirt with a hook and socks. I only have shorts but it hasn't been that cold.

Sue at Trailer Village Today I read all day. Happiness! Bob: Hike to Indian Gardens from Phantom Ranch on the Bright Angle Trail I woke up at 4:00 AM, packed up and went to the early breakfast. I sat next to a young boy and his mother who was at the table opposite him. I asked him what grade he was in and he told me he was in first grade! How about that! I told him I was a second grade teacher and his eyes got big.

I started out after breakfast, about 5:30 and headed to the Silver Bridge. Since I took pictures Saturday, I kept my eyes on the other end and walked across. This was a major accomplishment for me. I am not comfortable with heights. People ask me why I take this hike when I feel that way. I tell them that my desire to do this is stronger than my fear of doing it. The Bright Angle Trail parallels the Colorado River for about a mile and a half, then turns up at the River House. Indian Springs, my stopping point for today is approximately three and two tenths miles from there. The hike is pleasant and runs along creeks draining from the south. There was one stretch of serpentine trails that was demanding, but my legs had recovered enough so that I wasn't suffering. The vertical rise from Bright Angle Campground to Indian Campground is fifteen hundred feet over four and seven tenths miles. Tomorrow, my hike to the South Rim will be three thousand feet rise over four and six tenths miles. That's double the rise at the same distance.

When I reached the Indian Gardens area at 9:00 AM, there were many trees and shrubs. Quite a change! I found the campground and set up camp. I chose a site close to the water supply and restrooms. I decided to continue my recovery strategy by alternating laying down and taking short walks. Earlier, I planned to walk to Plateau Point, about one and a half miles from the campground. Many years ago, I went there on a mule ride and I first saw the Colorado River. While I was there I looked down and saw a small red dot floating down the river. I realized it was a raft and I decided then that I had to go down to the river. It took me all this time to get there. Actually I returned for the first time seven years ago. This is just icing on the cake.

For lunch, I ate some of my sack lunch from Phantom Ranch and saved the rest for dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow. I saved most of my sack lunch from Saturday. The lunch consists of salty, high calorie food. There was a bagel with cream cheese and grape jelly, a small summer sausage roll, bags of Planter's peanuts, pretzels, Oreo cookies, and an apple. In addition, there was a container of a sport's drink that is added to water that helps replace electrolytes. I added one packet earlier this morning to my one and a half liter camelback for today's hike. This afternoon, I added another one to my two and a half liter camelback for my hike tomorrow. Tomorrow is more difficult and I want the electrolytes over a longer time period.

I continued to rest and read. I finished Physics of the Impossible. I went to sleep about 8:00 PM. I planned to wake at 4:00 AM and start hiking by 4:30 AM. My first night at Bright Angel Campground, while I was sleeping, a bright light awoke me. I looked up and saw a large bright circle. Being disoriented and confused, I decided it was a train headlight heading straight for me. Actually is was a waning gibbous moon. It rose between a gap in two mountain ridges. The inner gorge is a narrow, deep canyon with steep walls. Very little of the sky is visible. When the moon rises, very few stars are visible because of the bright light from the moon. I checked the time and it was 1:30 AM. I awoke several times, saw the position of the moon and checked the time. I remembered its location at 4:00 AM. That would help me later when I wanted to get up.

Sue at Trailer Village After I cleaned the camper, I again read. After lunch, Bob returned from his hike. He was very excited about his hike and already looking forward to his next hike. After he showered and unpacked, we decided to take a walk along the South Rim. We walked from the Back Country Office to the El Tovar Hotel. We sat in the swing at the back of the El Tovar Hotel. While we were sitting in the swing, we saw some Native Americans dancing next door at the Hopi House.

Bob: Hike out to South Rim from Indian Gardens on the Bright Angle Trail

When I saw the moon, I knew it was time to get started. I packed, ate a package of Oreos, and started my hike. I left Indian Gardens at 4:30. I was concerned about today's hike. This could be the most difficult leg, with a vertical rise of three thousand feet, double Sunday's vertical rise. I left the campground and proceeded up the Bright Angel Trail. The first segment is a gentle rise for about one mile.

I planned to eat a larger breakfast at the Three Mile Resthouse. As you might suspect, it is located three miles down from the South Rim. It is one and six tenths miles from Indian Gardens. This departure was at first light and the trail was darker that usual. I walked even slower that normal, if that's possible. My legs and lungs felt good and I was encouraged about the day. I reached Three Mile Resthouse and ate a bagel with cream cheese and grape jelly. I knew if the next one and half mile went well, I could reach the rim in fair shape. I walked slowly, stopped to enjoy the view, take a picture, and have a drink. A camelback is a rubber bladder that fits inside my backpack. It has a tube that reaches out of the backpack and reaches my mouth. Since I have two camelbacks, there are two tubes that I attach to my pack close to my mouth. I alternate between both tubes, depending on how much water or electrolytes I think I need.

I reached the Three Mile Resthouse, ate my bagel and cheese, and had a short rest. I felt good and was encouraged about my progress. My legs suffered Friday going downhill and by resting and walking during my recovery time, they strengthened. The trip to the One and a Half Mile Resthouse was similar to the day's progress, slow and careful. I reached the resthouse, ate some pretzels, and packed a sportsbar in my pocket. I proceeded to the top using the slow and steady model. I felt good, but tired. Along the way, I stopped, took a picture, sipped water and sports drink and kept on. I reached the top of the South Rim at 10:00 AM in the best shape of any of my previous hikes. I have wondered if this would be my last hike, but perhaps is just the next to last hike. I love the Grand Canyon!

More pictures of Bob's Grand Canyon Hike.

When Susan got up, it was raining lightly. At breakfast of Entenmann's chocolate doughnuts, we discussed plans for the day. Possibilities included laundry (A UNANIMOUS UGH!), going to the Visitor Center on the bus, riding on the bus to Herman's Rest, or going to the IMAX theater in Tusayan. The unanimous decision was the IMAX theater. We worked on the computers for a while and left the camper about 10:30.

Bob wanted to go to Maswik Lodge to buy a sweat shirt that he saw when we first arrived. He didn't buy it then because he wanted to look at all the other gift shops to see if he could find anything that he liked better. He didn't. Since it was a cool day, he decided that he wanted to buy the sweat shirt today. Susan also bought some more desert tea. She bought one jar of desert tea the first day that we arrived but she wanted more. The Grand Canyon is the only place that she can buy desert tea.

Bob also wanted to go to the Bright Angel Lodge to ask questions about hiking in the future. When he hikes, he caries a backpack that weighs about forty pounds. The backpack caries equipment for camping at Bright Angel Campground. While he was hiking down, he noticed everyone that passed him did not have a backpack. The information he learned at Bright Angel Lodge was that he could reserve a place to sleep and meals at Phantom Ranch and also have any other items he needed carried by mule. He needs to make the reservations thirteen months in advance. This is the official Plan A for 2011. While we were at Bright Angel Lodge, he also went to look in the gift shop and found a T-shirt about hiking the Grand Canyon.

We then headed for Tusayan and had lunch at Wendy's before going to the IMAX theater. National Geographic filmed the movie about the Grand Canyon. The movie was excellent. We both commented when the movie finished that it was a shame that they included a few scenes at the beginning of bare chested Native American women because we would like to show the movie to our students. We decided to buy the DVD and start the video after those scenes.

We returned to the camper and worked on the computers again. Bob is making a Flash video of the pictures that he took on his hike. He will publish them to the family web site when he is finished and when we have a good internet signal. We had salmon and corn on the cob cooked on the grill along with a baked potato cooked in the microwave. Jenny has told us that we are not roughing it in our camper. She's right!

When Susan got up, Bob said that he had been looking for information on the computer about Glen Canyon, where we planned to go when we left the Grand Canyon. He said that he had found a campground at Glen Canyon. Susan called the campground and make reservations.

Today we decided to go to Herman's Rest. The only way to get to Herman's Rest is to take the shuttle bus. Many of the busy national parks have closed the roads to cars to help alleviate the problem of pollution. The buses are fueled by natural gas which is a much cleaner fuel.

In order to get to Herman's Rest, we walked to the bus stop near Trailer Village. Since it was warm, I decided to wear shorts and a T-shirt. As we were waiting for the bus, clouds covered the sun and I got cold. We walked back to the camper and I put on jeans and a sweatshirt. We walked back to the bus stop and waited about two minutes before the bus picked us up. We rode to the Visitor Center where we looked at the exhibits and the book store. As we walked to the bus stop at the Visitor Center, a bus was loading. We got on and rode to the bus stop for Herman's Rest. We waited in a long line for about twenty minutes before we were able to get on the bus. While we were waiting in the long line, we had a conversation with a family from Maryland who had visited Cummings, Georgia. It was interesting to get their viewpoint on Georgia. They liked the schools.

We rode on the bus to the end of the road, Herman's Rest. The bus stopped at many points along the road for people to get on and off the bus. When we arrived at Herman's Rest, we bought some drinks and sat on a bench overlooking the Grand Canyon and ate crackers, cheese, and beef stick. When we finished lunch, we decided to walk from Herman's Rest to Pima Point. As we were walking along the paved trail, we passed a woman walking about ten feet ahead of a teenager who was playing a video game on an electronic device. He was not even looking at the view. His eyes were riveted on the video game. When we met two rangers on the trail about one minute later, Susan asked if they could confiscate the video game and make that teenager look at the view that he was missing. They both chuckled. On the other hand, Bob and I were walking about ten feet and taking a picture, walking another ten feet and taking a picture, walking another ten feet and taking a picture. (That is Bob's normal hiking pace.) When we arrived at Pima Point, a bus was ready to leave for the Village. We were able to get on but had to stand all the way back to the Village. When we pulled up to the bus stop near the Bright Angel Lodge, there was a condor flying over head.

Well, we finally did it-the laundry. We went to the bank and got rolls of quarters. Then we drove over to the laundromat at Mather Campground. We had two huge bags full of laundry. At the laundromat there are also showers. One little girl evidently had not taken a shower before because she screamed the whole time that she was in there. If Jenny had been there, she would have told the little girl to get over it. When we returned to the camper, we decided to just take it easy for the rest of the day. Susan read and Bob worked on the computer.

Since we are leaving the Grand Canyon tomorrow, we did put away the grill and carpet so we wouldn't have to do it in the morning.

Just pictures today.

This morning we had a Sunday breakfast of bacon and eggs with cheese and mushrooms. After our late breakfast, we drove to the Carl Hayden Visitor Center at Glen Canyon Dam. The dam was built to provide equitable water distribution among the five states that have a claim to the Colorado River system. The states are Colorado, Utah, Arizona, California and New Mexico. The Colorado watershed is divided into the upper and lower regions. The upper region takes its share of water and provides a holding area (Lake Powell) for the lower regions. Water is released at the dam based on the lower regions allotments. There are a a series of dams in the lower region that hold their share of water and act as distribution points.

The lake created by the dam is called Lake Powell, after John Wesley Powell, the first non native American who first explored this part of the southwest. When Powell came through this area, the expedition named it Glen Canyon. Later, when the reservoir was created, the lake was named after Powell and the dam was named Glen Canyon Dam.

We took a tour of the dam with about fifteen other people. The guide was knowledgeable and spoke well. The tour included a walk on the top of the dam, and an elevator ride deep beneath the lake. There, we saw the generators that provide electrical power to the southwest. The guide emphasized that this project has paid for itself through the generation and sales of electrical power.

Before the dam could be constructed, a bridge across the Colorado River had to be built. Without the dam, the only way to reach the other side was to drive two hundred miles around the river. In addition, the town of Page was erected in 1957 to house the workers.

We returned to the camper for lunch. After lunch, Sue was in iced tea withdrawal and needed a quick fix. We drove into Page and stopped at McDonald's for some liquid refreshment. Earlier Bob noticed the front tires were not wearing evenly. We crossed some rough pavement in Arkansas and Oklahoma. He decided to have a front end alignment next week. We stopped at the Walmart and asked if they did that kind of work. They did not, but they told us Big-O Tires in Page did front end work. We looked for Big-O but did not find the company. Bob will go into Page Monday and find Big-O. Also, we need a new fuel filter for the truck, so Monday will be a work day.

When we first checked in at the campground, we noticed the dinner cruise price had been reduced. After we set up camp, we returned to the check-in building and purchased two dinners for Sunday evening. We got to the waiting and dock area about 5:15 PM for the 6:00 PM departure. After we boarded, we were taken to our seats at the lower level in the front of the cruise ship. We shared a table for two. Other tables sat as many as eight people. We started on the southwest salad and finished before we departed. We were waiting for three late arrivals. After we departed, we were told we could leave our seats and tour the ship, since dinner would not be served for about twenty minutes. We went upstairs and went out to the rear observation deck. Sue noticed she had a strong signal on her cell phone and decided to make her nightly call to her mother in Toledo. As she spoke, we continued to walk and went down to the lower observation deck. The motor was noisy, so we returned to our section and walked outside to the front observation area. While we were there, the main course was being served, so we returned to our seats.

We both ordered beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. The meal was well prepared. As we were eating, the sun was setting on the vermillion cliffs to the east. Our course was taking us from the marina to the Glen Canyon dam. Earlier today, we saw the dam from on top, as well as from the inside. Now we would see it from the lake side. Lake Powell is over one hundred and twenty-five miles long. We would cruise in the immediate area of the dam, and marina, but the scene would continue to change as the sun set and the light and colors became darker and muted.

As we were finishing our meal, a Navaho woman by the name of Lena Judy began to perform Native American music. She sang in Navaho, and played a guitar with several songs. However, she used a Navaho percussion instrument, somewhat like a castanet, for most of the songs. Several times, two Navaho women friends would dance while she sang. The dance was similar to native Hawaiian movements, but not like the Hula. They would rotate, always clockwise and use their hands and arms to enact the story of the song. Most of the Native American music we have heard in the past was about war or the hunt, with loud rapid singing and movements. Lena sang what she said were women's songs. She would first explain the story she was about to sing. Her Navaho songs told stories, about life events, such as crops, seasons, natural elements or missing loved ones. Her voice was clear and she sang naturally without strain. Her music was slower, mellower and very subdued. It seemed to be more like chanting. While we could not understand Navaho, the music was reflective and seemed appropriate to the sights we were seeing as the sun set on the cliffs. It was as if it were better not to understand the words and just listen to her voice. It added a surreal element to the evening.

We arrived back at the marina between 8:30 PM and 9:00 PM and walked back to the lodge. It was dark, but no stars were out. We drove back to the campground and called it a day.

This morning, Bob took the truck into Page to have a front end alignment. He noticed the front tires were not wearing evenly in the front. We had some very bad roads in Arkansas and Oklahoma. It was so bumpy, the clothes rack in the back bedroom fell. The right end is resting on shelves on the right side. The left side is ok, but the screws for the clothes hanger pulled out from the shelf above.

While Bob was at the mechanics, he also had them replace the fuel filter. While he was waiting, he walked through the neighborhood and found the tourist center. He picked up some bright, shiny brochures of the area. He wanted to see a slot canyon while we were in this area.

Bob left the mechanics about 12:30 PM and returned to the camper. We had lunch and afterward, Bob tried to email some revised spreadsheets to his principal, Wanda Floyd. The internet connections with AT&T are very weak and he was not able to send them. He tried from both the camper and the lodge with no luck.

The cloud cover we have had so far on out trip seems to have disappeared and the heat has finally come to the southwest. We can expect high temperatures close to 100 degrees for the rest of the time we spend in this area. They should be lower when we reach the Rockies.

We decided to eat at the lodge tonight. The restaurant overlooks a large bay and marina. We had a table next to the window thanks to Sue's request for a good table and Bob's suave and debonair banter. We had dinner while the sun set and enjoyed the great view. There were quite a few families with children at the restaurant while we were eating.

Today we decided to leave Lake Powell Thursday for Monument Valley, Utah. We went to Page to stock up at Walmart. While in Page, we made reservation to tour Antelope Canyon, a slot canyon. A slot canyon is formed by water erosion during flash floods. The canyons are very narrow, and usually deep. The colors from the sandstone and light create an interesting display. Years ago, Bob thought he would see them in the Grand Canyon and became interested in the canyon hike. He never saw slot canyons while hiking to the Colorado River, but there are several in the Lake Powell area.

We spent the rest of the day reading and updating the web site journal notes.

After breakfast, we showered and drove to Page for the slot canyon tour. We rode in the back of an off road vehicle. The rear was covered for shade and we sat back to back in two rows with five people in each row. Each row was facing the side of the road. There were ten people in the back and three inside with the driver. We rode southeast out of Page toward the steam generating plant and onto the Navaho Nation Reservation. From there, we traveled on a sand road, which required a vehicle with off road capabilities. Our tour guide and driver was a Navaho woman.

When we arrived at the slot canyon, the terrain was sandy and was surrounded by steep cliffs. There was a narrow opening as high as the height of the cliffs. The entrance to the canyon was through the opening. As we walked through the slot canyon, light from above filtered down. The day was sunny, with few clouds, and we were to take many pictures. The guide told us we could not use flash. Our Sony camera has a setting called "ISO". This is a European setting, but Sony has used it to take pictures with low light and reduces or eliminates blurring. Bob used this setting for most of the photographs.

Our guide reminded us that the danger in slot canyon is when flash floods came. The canyon is so narrow that there is no place to go and we could not outrun the water. No flash flood today! Bob always stands next to a guide or docent so he can hear what is being said. Because he was so close to her, our guide frequently took Bob's camera to take a picture and showed the rest of the group where to take their pictures and how they should stand to get the best photo. The cave was about a mile and a half and we walked, listened and took photos. We reached the end, took more photos and walked back. Bob took video on the way back.

When we reached the entrance, our guide noticed we (she) was late. The ride back over the sand road was twice a fast and twice as exciting. On the paved road, Bob was on the lookout for the state police. We made it safely (whee) to the area where we first boarded the truck. Mission accomplished. This one more thing Bob can check off his lifetime to-do list.

We left Lake Powell this morning about 8:00 AM and drove to Monument Valley. We arrived about 11:30 AM and had lunch. Monument Valley is on the Navaho Nation Tribal lands and is famous for the many movies make here. The first movie was Stagecoach, staring John Wayne.

Monuments are buttes or mesas that rise above the flat plain. A butte is taller that is wide, and a mesa is wider that it is tall. We drove to the lodge and visitor center. Since they are on Navaho land, there was an entrance fee of $5.00 per person. The visitor center was actually a gift shop in the lodge. We purchased a Native American CD of traditional flute music. Bob bought a lapel pin to add to his collection. He has one for each national park we visit. He wants to display them in a nice case someday.

We took lots of pictures and sat and enjoyed the view from the lodge. We decided not to go on any tours, since we could see everything from the lodge. Tomorrow morning, we will leave for Thousands Lakes Campground in Torre Utah. It is close to Capital Reef National Park. The park is one of the least known national parks and is part of the grand circle collection of national parks in the southwest. This is one of our favorites, cool, breezy and beautiful colors and vistas.

We left Monument Valley this morning about 8:00 AM. We drove on state roads, which were virtually empty of traffic. We passed many steep inclines, canyons, buttes and mesas. The view was breathtaking. It is a strange feeling knowing we were alone in this vast, empty country. The gas stations are few and far between and we needed to start each day with a full tank. On our way to Torrey, we missed one turnoff and added miles to our trip.

We passed Glen Canyon NRA and Lake Powell again on our way to Capital Reef. We stopped at the recreation area. It was a relief to find a gas station there. From there, we drove to Hanksville and headed to Torrey. The sky was overcast and rain was visible in our direction. We drove through several light showers, but they did not last long. This was an exciting drive with fantastic views of this wild, western country.

The last time we were here, we came from the west. Today, we drove through Capital Reef from the east and arrived at Thousand Lakes RV Campground in Torrey Utah. We stopped here several years ago and enjoyed our stay. There are high, red cliffs at the west boundary of the campground.

We will take several day trips to the Grand Staircase Escalante and Capital Reef. Escalante is a wild, desolate wilderness. There are no paved roads through the park. We will drive south to the park and along the northern park boundary.

Today we drove into Capital Reef National Park and stopped at the Visitor Center. After looking at the exhibits, Bob asked if Susan was ready for her pie and she anxiously said yes. When we were at Capital Reef several years ago, we stopped at a historic house where they served small fresh fruit pies. Of course, we had to taste one of their pies with ice cream. It was delicious. We shared a blueberry pie with vanilla ice cream.

When we stopped at the historic house in Fruitia, Susan said, "Just the very sight of it brings back the taste delight of it. I'll savor every bit of it right now gleefully." (Sue put that in for Bob. Sue has a book that she reads to her students about an ant that finds chocolate candy. Other animals that found the candy before the ant saved the candy. When the ant finally found the candy, it ate it instead of saving it. Bob loves the story.)

There were cherry, apple, strawberry-rhubarb, strawberry, and blackberry pies. We shared a blackberry pie with vanilla ice cream. We sat in the shade outside while we ate. Susan asked who fixed the pies and the woman said that Cafe Diablo, a local restaurant prepares the fruit pies for the national park.

We then drove on the scenic drive to the end of the road and returned to the camper.

Today we decided to drive through Escalante National Monument. We packed a lunch and started. By 10:30 we had driven as far into Escalante as Bob wanted to go. Three years ago, we traveled Route 12 coming from the other direction. Part of Route 12 through the National Monument is on a high, steep ridge with no shoulders, called the Devil's Backbone. The CCC built this stretch years ago. It was the only part of road that could not be built until the CCC did their work. On our previous visit, we were towing our smaller camper with the Explorer on this road. It was a difficult section for both Bob and the Explorer. Bob wanted to see it again without towing a camper. At the campground, they have bumper stickers that say "I made it over Route 12".

Susan suggested that we keep going and drive to Bryce Canyon National Park for the day since we were about half way there. Bob agreed. We drove to Sunset Point in Bryce Canyon and ate our lunch at a picnic area. We then drove to the end of Bryce Canyon enjoying the views along the way. We then returned to the camper, again crossing the Devil's Backbone.

When we got up early today, the wind was really blowing the hard. The trees in this area are all permanently leaning in the direction that the wind was blowing. This is a very windy area! We got the camper ready to go. Susan was worried about driving the camper in the windy weather because many years ago, we had an accident with a trailer when the Santa Ana winds blew over our trailer. When we were ready to go, Bob told Susan that we would not leave until Susan felt comfortable. We sat at the front of the campground for about ten minutes before leaving for Salt Lake City.

We drove through some beautiful countryside. From Provo, Utah to Salt Lake City, it was suburbia most of the way. We arrived at the KOA about 1:30. We have an extra long campsite. After settling in, we went shopping at Costco and Wal-Mart to stock up on supplies. Tomorrow would be a work day before continuing on our trip.

When we got up today, we decided to go to McDonald's for breakfast. While we were there, a woman came up and started talking to us. Bob told Susan that Susan that she reminded him of Barbara Flanigan, a friend who taught with Susan at Cedar Grove in DeKalb County. She joined us for breakfast and told us her life story.

Today we were very productive. While Susan did the laundry (UGH) at the campground, Bob had the oil changed in the truck. We finished about the same time. While Bob cleaned and washed the outside of the camper, Susan cleaned the inside. After lunch, we rested, showered, and went shopping at Wal-Mart. After Wal-Mart, we drove through Salt Lake City. We drove through downtown. Boy was it windy! We saw five window cleaners on the side of a tall building. We were glad that we were not the ones up there when the wind was blowing. We also drove through the University of Utah. Bob wondered what the university was called and he remembered that Utah was named after the Ute Native American tribe. On their website the are the U of U, or The U. We looked for the Salt Lake while driving around, but never found it.

We asked the workers at KOA for the name of a good Mexican restaurant. Two of them told us about the Red Iguana so we went to the Red Iguana for dinner. It was authentic Mexican food and we enjoyed the meal. We returned the campground and prepared to leave tomorrow for Idaho.

We decided to go to McDonald's for breakfast and get diesel fuel before hitching up the camper. The sausage burrito was not good at McDonald's. The worst thing of all is that when Susan asked for a large unsweet tea just as she always does, this McDonald's charged her $1.69 instead of $1.00 like every other McDonald's. To make matters worse, when she asked for a refill, they told her that they do not give free refills on unsweet tea, just sweet tea. Does this make sense? NO. It seems to me that they would charge more for sweet tea and not give refills on sweet tea since that costs more to make. Can you tell that Susan was mad?

After McDonald's and getting diesel for the truck, we returned to the campground and hitched up the camper. We drove on Interstate 15 to Pocatello, Idaho. It was an easy drive but not very picturesque.

Why did we come to Pocatello, Idaho? It is not a very exciting town or campground. They do have McDonald's where Susan got unsweet tea for $1.00, but we have not seen a Wal-Mart yet. It sounds to me that I am complaining so I will stop. See what happens when McDonald's starts my day off wrong. Bob says that it is not pretty. There are llamas and mules in the field next to the campground. We are planning to drive to Craters of the Moon National Monument tomorrow. Tomorrow will be a better day.

After driving through town, we returned to the camper and made reservations at KOA Yellowstone West for July 6-8, KOA at Jackson Hole for July 10-11, and Spruce Lake RV Park near Rocky Mountain National Park for July 12-19. Oops! Where are we going to stay on July 9? Time will tell.

Today we drove to Craters of the Moon National Monument. The drive took about two hours. We looked at the exhibits at the Visitor Center and then drove through the park. We took several short hikes. We stopped at a picnic table along the road and ate lunch that Bob had packed. The landscape at Craters of the Moon is unusual but scenic.

Millions of years ago, this area was formed by volcanic eruptions. The Craters of the Moon National Monument is located in the Snake River Basin. This is a flat east-west plain through southern Idaho called the Great Rift. This flat river basin is surrounded by mountains to the north and south. Because of continental drift, this area was once located at the stationery "hot spot" that is now underneath Yellowstone National Park. In fact, this caldera is only one of a series of eight to ten calderas that were once over that hot spot and have drifted west through the great rift valley, reaching Oregon.

A caldera is the sunken remains of a volcanic crater created by a violent eruption. The Hawaiian Islands is another example of a stationery hot spot creating, in this case, volcanic islands. As continental drift moved the earth's crust over the spot, islands were formed. The islands continued moving westward, and in turn, caused the creation of additional islands. These volcanic activities are still active today.

Today we decided to drive to Bear Lake State Park in southern Idaho. The scenery on the drive was remarkable. Signs along the side of the road said that this was the route of the Oregon Trail. Susan tried to imagine how it had looked as the pioneers drove their covered wagons over the trail. As we drove, we listened to Valley of the Horses on the audio book.

When we arrived at Bear Lake, we were both disappointed because it was not a scenic view. Susan wondered if the pioneers felt disappointment too. We ate the lunch that we had packed in the cooler and returned to the camper.

Happy Independence Day! Today we chilled out at the camper. The only time that we left the camper was to go get iced tea at McDonald's and get more diesel. On our excursion, we decided to leave and go to West Yellowstone a day early. When we returned to the camper, Bob worked on the school spreadsheet and Susan looked at materials to teach writing. She also checked out what had been added to Picasso,

In the late afternoon, the clouds started building up. We were able to cook out on the grill. Bob grilled a juicy steak and corn on the cob. Susan steamed some asparagus in the microwave. After dinner, Bob put away the grill while Susan washed the dishes. After a while, it started hailing. The hail came down for five to ten minutes. We were hoping that it did not damage the camper. About ten o'clock the fireworks started in Pocatello. Susan watched from her chair in the back of the camper. Of course, Bob was asleep.

When we got up, we got the camper ready to hitch up to the truck. We left and drove north to West Yellowstone in Montana. On our way, we stopped and found that we could not unlock the door to the camper. We decided to call AAA since we have coverage for the truck and the camper. When we arrived at KOA in West Yellowstone, Susan called AAA. They informed Susan that they would have someone there within an hour. We waited about twenty minutes before they arrived. The man very quickly fixed our lock, but talked to us for another half hour. He told us the lock was "out of time". When he left, we finished setting up the camper and ate lunch.

We decided to drive into Yellowstone National Park. We drove to Old Faithful Lodge. When we walked up, we noticed many people watching Old Faithful Geyser. We asked someone when they expected Old Faithful to erupt. He said in about five or ten minutes. When we turned around, Old Faithful started. Bob took video of the geyser going up and back down again. We then walked through the lodge, gift shop, and visitor center. At the visitor center, we saw a video that showed why the area at Yellowstone had geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and mudpots. We drove back to West Yellowstone where we bought some milk. We then drove back to KOA.

When we first made reservations at this KOA, we could only reserve two days. When we tried a few days later, we could reserve another day. When we arrived, the people at the reservations desk informed us that we would have to move to another site for the other reservation. Today we had to move but could not move until 11:00. We did not want to wait until 11:00 to start our tour of Yellowstone so we put our camper in the overflow parking until we returned from Yellowstone.

We left the campground about 8:30 and decided to drive the northern loop at Yellowstone today and the southern loop tomorrow. We drove by several geyser basins. At one point when the traffic slowed down to a crawl, we were trying to decide if the traffic was slow because of construction or because people saw a wild animal. We discovered that the traffic slowed because people were looking at an Bald Eagle on a branch of a tree. In a nearby tree was a huge nest. Susan tried to take a picture but did not get it.

When we stopped for a bathroom break at Obsidian Cliff, we saw picnic tables and decided to eat our lunch that Bob had packed. While we ate our lunch, we watched about a dozen children try to climb the cliff. One teen-aged girl very easily climbed to the top of the cliff and back down again. When we continued our scenic drive, we drove to Canyon Village where we stopped. We walked through the lodge, gift shop, and visitor center. We each got a cup of Moose Tracks ice cream. Yum, yum!

We drove back to KOA where we set up on a new site down about four campers from where we were. Since we are lower, the view is not as good as the other camp site.

Before Susan got up, Bob walked down to the KOA office to get a cup of coffee. There was a "Koffee Kabin" located there. When he was there, he observed that they served a fresh breakfast for a decent price. When he came back, he suggested to Susan that we walk to the office and have breakfast. They served a very tasty breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and hash brown potatoes.

After breakfast, we packed our lunch and started on our adventure for the day. Since we drove the northern loop of Yellowstone yesterday, we decided to drive the southern loop today. We drove from Norris to Canyon Village. Yesterday we had stopped at Canyon Village but decided to wait until today to see the upper and lower falls of Yellowstone. When we left Canyon Village, we turned onto the North Rim Drive. From several points along the drive we could see both the Upper Falls and the Lower Falls. We stopped at Upper Falls, Lookout Point, and Grand View.

We stopped at Fishing Bridge to have a lunch at the picnic area there. After lunch, we walked over to the visitor center. At the visitor center, they had exhibits of many of the birds that reside in Yellowstone. After looking at the exhibits, we walked out the back door and saw a beautiful view of Yellowstone Lake. In the background were the snowed capped mountains surrounding the lake. From there, we drove for many miles along the beautiful Yellowstone Lake.

We continued on our drive until we stopped at Old Faithful. Bob remembered that they sold ice cream at the lodge and he wanted some. Of course, Susan was not going to argue with him even though we had to wait in a long line for at least twenty minutes. While we were at Old Faithful Lodge, we noticed that many people had gathered around Old Faithful Geyser. We went outside and watched Old Faithful erupt again.

We drove back to the camper and had salmon and corn on the cob cooked on the grill along with sliced tomatoes.

We left the campground today about 8:00 after hitching up the camper. We drove back into Yellowstone and headed south toward Grand Teton National Park. It turned out to be a very frustrating morning. Because we were unable to get reservations at the campground at Grand Teton, we were anxious to get to Grand Teton as quickly as possible since we were going to try to get into a campground that was first-come, first-served. Along the way, we had to wait for about ten to fifteen minutes for some cars in front of us that stopped on the road to look at some animal along the side of the road. We finally passed them. Then we came to two places of road construction. Both times we had to wait for about fifteen to twenty minutes to get through the construction.

When we arrived at Coulter Bay Campground, we had no problem getting a camp site. Unfortunately we had no water or electricity. We also had to park along the side of the road. In addition, a tree branch was in front of the door so it was hard to get in and out of the camper.

After getting the camper set up, we drove into Jackson Hole and found a really nice grocery store to shop. We drove back into the park and drove past Jenny Lake and Jackson Lake. Susan told Bob that she wanted to have dinner at Jackson Lake Lodge. When we arrived at Jackson Lake Lodge, we made reservations for dinner at 5:30. They seated us at a table next to the large window that overlooked the beautiful view of the Grand Teton Mountains. Bob ordered elk loin with potatoes and cabbage. Susan ordered buffalo prime rib with corn and grilled asparagus.

We went to bed about 9:00 since there were no lights to read and no computers. You can run a generator for electricity at the campground, but not after 8:00 at night. Susan put an extra blanket on the bed. It got cold during the night (about 42 degrees) but it was warm under the covers. In the morning, Susan did not want to get out of the warm bed because the camper was cold. The gas furnace runs on battery power. We were not sure how long the battery would last to power the furnace, so we kept it off during the night. When Bob got up several hours before Susan, he turned on the gas furnace. Usually when it is cold, we have two electric heaters to keep our camper warm. We decided to run the gas furnace over night, but set at a lower temperature the next night. (As it turned out, we were able to find a site in the RV campground and did not use the gas furnace.)

When Susan got up, she suggested that we stop at the RV campground village at Coulter Bay. She hoped that there would be a cancellation and we could get a site for the rest of our stay here. The lady said that they did have one site that had a plumbing problem but we could have it. The sewer connection was blocked and could not be used. We said that we would take it. We had to wait until after 11:00 before moving. We drove to Jackson Lake Lodge where we had breakfast and then sat in their large lounge that had huge windows looking out at the mountains. In the lounge, they have electrical outlets for people to use their laptops. We checked e-mail and got caught up on the news.

We drove back to the campground to see if our site was available. The attendant told us that a plumber was on the site trying to fix the problem. She gave us the number of the camp site so we went to check it out. The plumber was still working but didn't think that he could fix it. Someone had dropped a big rock down the drain. He said that he thought he would be done in a short time. We went back to get our camper and returned to the site and set up camp.

We ate lunch at the campground and then left to see more of the Grand Tetons. During the day, we made several stops at various overviews and visitors' centers. We ended up at Jenny Lake and strolled around the area. The visitors' center had once been a photographer's studio. The owner eventually donated the building to the National Park Service. The building had been used and moved several times until it became a visitors' center at this location. There were several interesting geological displays. In one display, there was a timeline showing the geological development of this area. The timeline was displayed as one year. The mountains were actually formed in the last five minutes of the year. Humans came to this area in the last second.

Bob walked up to the office to see if it was alright to stay another day in our campsite. The registrar said that we could. We decided to drive to Jackson Hole today to get gifts for the family. On the way we passed the Moose Visitor Center. We looked at the exhibits and watched a movie about the Grand Teton National Park. This visitor center is fairly new-- built about two years ago.

We continued our drive to Jackson Hole where we attempted to find a parking space (easier said than done). We first looked for a restaurant for lunch. We walked through town and settled on the first restaurant we saw (The Sourdough Something). We looked through several stores. We saw a sculptured rocking chair in one store. It was really cool and expensive.

On the way back to the campground, we stopped at the Jackson Lake Lodge and used their wifi system to check e-mail.

Today is a travel day. We got up early and drove south through Jackson Hole. From Jackson Hole, we drove southeast through a mountainous region. Along the side of the road much of the way was Hoback River. The scenery was quite picturesque. As we drove, Susan pictured being snowed in in one of the cabins along the side of the road. We reached Interstate 80 at Rock Springs and continued eastward on the Interstate. We realized that most of the rest of our trip will be done on interstate highway until we reach home. We decided to stop at KOA at Rawlins, Wyoming. We had a nice view out the back window at hills and the town.

Bob wrote: Wild, wonderful Wyoming! If you need trees, grass and shopping centers, this is not for you! It is wind swept, and seems like the steppes country. So beautiful and isolated! Open range and full of solitude. You can look from horizon to horizon and see the "Big Sky Country". I'm glad there are still places like this in our country.

Today is another travel day. We left Rawlins, Wyoming about 7:30 and drove along Interstate 80 to Interstate 25 at Cheyenne. From Cheyenne, we headed south to Loveland and then west to Estes Park. The road from Loveland to Estes Park was crowded and mountainous. We arrived at the Spruce Lake RV Park about 12:00. After registering and setting up camp, we ate lunch. During lunch, we discussed our plans, and decided to drive into Rocky Mountain National Park to get a map of the park so we could decide what we wanted to do tomorrow. As we drove into the park, we saw Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and stopped to look at the exhibits. As we walked into the visitor center, Bob noticed that a movie about the park was about to start in a few minutes so we went to watch it. We left the visitor center and entered the park and got the map of the park. We drove a short distance and returned to the camper. Susan started making a pot of spaghetti for supper.

Today we drove to the Park and Ride parking lot at Glacier Basin where we got on the Bear Lake shuttle bus. The bus took us to Bear Lake. We walked all the way around Bear Lake, which was formed by glaciers during the last Ice Age. We saw some spectacular views. From Bear Lake, we then walked to Alberta Falls. Most of the trail was fairly level. When we arrived at Alberta Falls, we ate cheese and crackers that Bob had packed. We then walked to Glacier Gorge to catch the shuttle bus back to the Park and Ride at Glacier Basin. Unfortunately, we got on the shuttle bus to Bear Lake. The bus driver was not happy with us when we did not get off with everyone else at Bear Lake. However, he did not have the correct destination sign in the front of the bus. Oh, well. When we were driving back to the campground, we stopped at Moraine Park Museum. While we were there, we saw several children taking an oath as Junior Rangers. They had just finished a ranger program session.

Today is the day for our bus tour of the Rocky Mountain National Park. Bob especially wanted to take the tour so that he could look at the view rather than concentrating on driving. After breakfast and a shower, we were ready to go but it was too early to leave. We decided to go get iced tea and a latte at McDonald's. Since we could get the bus tour at one of two visitor centers, we tried to decide which one. One of the visitor centers was across from McDonald's and we could get our choice of seats because the tour originated there. Beaver Meadows Visitor Center was a short distance from our campground. We decided to go to Beaver Meadows. When we arrived at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, we found the place that the tour bus stopped for passengers. While sitting there, a young girl in a ranger uniform came up and sat down. We discovered that she was our tour guide. She was a junior in civil engineering at Virginia Tech. When the bus arrived, we saw that the bus was already fairly full. We then wished that we had gone to the other visitor center so that we would have had our choice of seats. We sat in the front facing the side of the bus. Before we left, two more couples came with tickets for the tour, but the bus was full. One of the couples was able to go because one family held their two children on their lap. We think that some of the passengers came on the wrong day. The tour is only held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The tour took us past the Alpine Visitor Center to Milner Pass. The bus was fueled by bio-diesel. About four times while going up a steep slope, the bus stalled and had to be re-started. Each time it stopped, everyone on the bus was holding their breath, hoping the bus would start. The bus driver thought that the bio-diesel fuel was the problem. When we stopped at the Alpine Visitor Center for lunch, the bus driver called about the problem and they sent another bus.

The lunch at the Alpine Visitor Center was good. Bob had an elk bratwurst with onions and peppers. Susan had a barbecue pork sandwich with cole slaw. Besides the delicious food, the view was beautiful. Outside, it was extremely windy and cold.

The tour guide on the bus stood in the middle of the bus talking mostly to the people in the back of the bus. It was difficult to hear her from where we sat.

When Susan got up, Bob said that he wanted to go out for breakfast. He remembered seeing a restaurant across from the park near Dairy Queen last night. When we drove past the restaurant, it had a deck with outdoor seating that overlooked a garden. As we sat on the deck, we could look up and see the mountains in the distance. We had a delicious breakfast with a fantastic view. As we were eating breakfast, we heard a loud crash and glass breaking. When we looked, we saw a tanker truck slow down and stop in front of Dairy Queen. We could not see what he hit, but later in the day we saw some city workers putting up a new stop light on the corner. Apparently, the truck hit the stop light while making a right turn onto the main street. As we were leaving the restaurant, we saw a hummingbird getting his breakfast from the flowers in the garden. In the garden, we noticed day lilies, petunias, and other annuals. The garden was surrounded by a ramp from the street to the restaurant for handicap access. Very nice design.

When we were having breakfast, we discussed our plans for the day. We decided to have a work day. Susan did the laundry while Bob worked on the turn signal. We learned that it was not working again. He replaced the bulb and we hope that it will work. Bob then washed the bugs off the front of the camper. He came over to the laundromat and helped Susan fold the clothes. After resting for a while, we cleaned the camper. Bob wanted to have the transmission flushed on the truck so we decided to drive to the Jiffy Lube in Loveland. Susan suggested that we also go to the Barnes & Noble that she saw when we drove through Loveland on the way to Estes Park.

When we arrived at Jiffy Lube, we sat on the side in an outdoor waiting area and read. Bob kept checking on their progress and reporting the progress to Susan. When they finished the work, we started on our way to find Barnes & Noble. Bob noticed a warning light on the dashboard so we headed back to Jiffy Lube to get it corrected. They quickly fixed the problem. We continued on our way to Barnes & Noble. Susan of course bought a book. Since we were hungry, we decided to eat at Chick-Fil-A.

Today we drove to the Colorado State Forrest Park. It is located north of the Rocky Mountain National Park. We were listening to the Mammoth Hunters audio book while we drove. The park stretches along the west side of the Medicine Bow Mountains and into the north end of the Never Summer Range. We rode and enjoyed the audio book. We stopped at the visitor center, which had been a private lodge that the state took over and operates. We saw many hummingbirds flying around three feeders hanging from the eave. We returned to the campground are relaxed for the rest of the day.

We decided to drive along Trail Ridge Road to Grand Lake today. This is the same drive we took earlier on the tour bus, only we went further. When we were here many years ago, we remembered camping at Grand Lake near the Never Summer Mountain Range. We started early so there would not be as much traffic. We drove along the road to Alpine Visitor Center. When we arrived, the gift shop was closed. When we started walking back to the truck, we noticed that the gift shop had opened. We walked in. This time we looked in a part of the gift shop that we hadn't noticed before. When we started looking at the Native American jewelry, Bob told Susan that she should get her Christmas gift there. Bob loves Native American jewelry! Before we left, Susan had bought two heart necklaces. (Susan is not stupid. When Bob tells her to buy jewelry, she does it.) We bought some other gifts and then continued on our way to Grand Lake. As we neared Grand Lake, the road was under construction. Part of the road was unpaved. Grand Lake has changed and did not look the way that we had remembered it.

On our return trip to Estes Park, we stopped again at the Alpine Visitor Center to have lunch. We enjoyed our lunch there a few days ago so we decided to eat there again. The visitor center is above the timber line, cold and very windy. After lunch, Bob wanted to climb the trail to the top of the mountain. Susan decided to wait for him at the Visitor Center. While there, she read that the wind at the top can blow 150 miles per hour. It was not that windy today--only 35 miles per hour.

Bob wanted to go to breakfast at Claire's again, where we ate earlier in the week. Again we sat outside on the deck looking at the garden and the Rocky Mountains.

Today we drove to Boulder, Colorado and then to Loveland, Colorado where we had a nice lunch on the patio at Panera's. We drove today because we wanted to listen and finish the audio book of The Mammoth Hunters. When we got back to Estes Park, we had not finished the audio book. Bob drove to the Moraine Park Campground. On the road to the campground, we saw a herd of elk crossing the road. We finally finished the audio book as we returned to the campground.

Today we got started on our return trip by 7:00. We drove east to Loveland and then drove north on Interstate 25 to Interstate 80. The rest of our trip to Toledo, Ohio will be on Interstate 80 through Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. We arrived at the KOA in Gothenburg, Nebraska about 2:00. There are a lot of trees in the campground. We were not able to get a pull through site with full services, so we stopped at their dump station before we set up camp.

When we woke up, it was raining. We left our campsite about 7:00 and headed for McDonald's for breakfast. We drove on Interstate 80 in the rain much of the day. Since today is Mother's birthday, we called her to sing and wish her a happy birthday. Jenny called us when she was driving to work. We stopped at KOA in Adel, Iowa about 2:00.

Bob got Susan up at 6:00 and we were on the road by 7:00. We stopped for breakfast at McDonald's . Most of the day we drove in the rain. We arrived at the KOA campground in LaSalle, Illinois about 2:00. We are finished with The Mammoth Hunters and have started The Plains of Passage audio book.

Today we drove from La Salle, Illinois on Interstate 80 through Illinois, Indiana on the Indiana Toll Road and Ohio on the Ohio Turnpike. We arrived at the KOA and set up the camper. We drove to Bill and Barbara's house. After a short time, Bill, Bob, and Susan went to visit Mother at Sunset House. When we returned to Bill and Barbara's house, we ate dinner of grilled salmon, salad, potatoes, and asparagus.

Today we had breakfast before going to Bill and Barbara's house. Barbara mentioned that she was thinking of getting a laptop for downstairs. She thought that she might get more jobs to substitute if she could check e-mail at night downstairs. Bob offered to help them look for a laptop and set it up.

We went to pick up Mother at Sunset House and brought her back to Bill and Barbara's house for lunch. After visiting for a while, we took her back to Sunset House.

In the afternoon, we went shopping for laptops at Office Max, Office Depot, and Best Buy. After shopping, we went out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant.

Today we went to buy a laptop computer for Barbara. While Bill, Barbara, and Bob went to Best Buy to buy the computer, Susan went to Target to shop. When we returned to Bill and Barbara's house, Bob and Susan decided to take Mother to lunch. We drove Bill's car to get Mother since Mother could not get into our truck. When we arrived at Sunset House, Mother was not in her room. We went looking for her and found her in the dining room. As we started down the hall, Mother had a hard time walking so we decided to put her in a wheelchair. We took her to Steak & Shake and ate hamburgers for lunch. We returned Mother to Sunset House. When we returned to Bill and Barbara's house, Bob worked on setting up the computer. Dick and Peggy arrived about 3:00. We sat and talked until Margaret and Riza arrived for dinner. Ann, Barbara's sister, also came to dinner. Barbara had prepared marinated grilled steak, green beans, salad, and potatoes. For dessert, Barbara prepared a dessert of several layers of angel food cake, cheesecake pudding, Cool Whip, strawberries, and blueberries. We enjoyed our visit with everyone.

We slept late and then went to Costco's to shop. We arrived at Bill and Barbara's about 11:00. When we arrived, it was decided that Barbara, Peggy, and Susan would go to Elder Berman's to shop for Mother's birthday and Bill, Bob, and Dick would go pick up Mother at Sunset House. When we got back to Bill and Barbara's house, we ate lunch of sloppy joes, potato salad, baked beans, potato chips, cake, and ice cream. Bill, Dick, and Bob went to the computer shop. While they were gone, Mother tried on her new clothes. After a while, Mother was ready to go back to Sunset House. Bill, Dick, and Susan took Mother back.

Bill had bought tickets to the Toledo Mud Hens baseball game. They left about 5:00. Barbara and her sister, Ann, Peggy, and Susan went to the glass museum. We looked at the displays before we watched a class making some glass objects. After class, we watched a demonstration of a young man making a glass vase. As we were leaving, some people were setting up for a wedding reception. Barbara drove through Toledo on a guided tour. We stopped at Tony Paco's to eat. The restaurant became famous from Klinger's comments about it on M*A*S*H. The restaurant was located across from the Toledo Mud Hen stadium. We continued on our tour of Toledo. Barbara showed us the house where she and her sister Ann grew up. When we drove by, a man saw us looking at his house. Barbara talked to him. Later, we stopped for ice cream.

After hitching up to the truck, we left the KOA in Toledo, Ohio. We stopped and ate breakfast at Cracker Barrel before we headed toward Interstate 75. We drove on Interstate 75 to Renfro Valley, Kentucky and set up camp.

Today we left the KOA at Renfro Valley, Kentucky and drove down Interstate 75 to Interstate 40 in Knoxville and then to Route 441 and Route 66 to Pigeon Forge. We checked in at KOA and set up camp. Since we were going to meet Julie at one of the rest stops, we have called her several times this morning to keep in communication. Her dad was having a catheritization this morning. After we set up camp, we called Julie. She was already driving toward us. She asked us to call her when we got on Interstate 40. We met at McDonald's at Exit 4 on Interstate 81. They had not eaten lunch and Alyssa was hungry. After lunch, we put Alyssa's gear in our truck, got the car seat, and drove back to Pigeon Forge. We stopped at Wal-Mart to shop before going back to the camper.

Today is our first day we get to spend with Alyssa. We want to take her to Smoky Mountain National Park. We drove into the park on the Gatlinburg bypass. Our first stop was at the Sugarlands Visitor Center. We asked about the Junior Ranger program. We were told that she had to attend three sessions with a ranger. Since we only have today, we decided not to do it. We looked in the gift shop. Alyssa wanted a seven in one device. It included binoculars, compass, and a monocular. We then watched a video about the Smoky Mountains in the theater. After the movie, we drove to Laurel Falls parking area. We decided to take a two and a half mile round trip hike to Laurel Falls. We slowly walked to the falls, stopping to look at the views and looking at nature. On our hike back to the truck, we observed a lady sitting in her husband's lap while her son fanned her with his cap. Bob asked if they needed any water. They said, "No thanks." We kept walking. When we got to the parking area, we saw two ranger cars with flashing lights and an ambulance. We drove towards Sugarlands Visitor Center, but when we got close, the traffic was stopped by a ranger's car. After a short time, a helicopter came into view and landed at the visitor center. We then waited for about five minutes and the ambulance went by. We waited another five minutes before the helicopter with the woman inside took off. Then the ranger's car moved and the traffic started moving.

We drove to the Chimneys to find a picnic table to have a picnic lunch. We had to drive through the Chimneys about three times before we found an empty table. We ate a lunch of cheese, crackers, and potato chips. Alyssa had a salami sandwich with tomatoes.

We drove back to the campground and rested for a short time before we took Alyssa to the swimming pool. Alyssa swam for about half an hour when it started raining. We walked back to the camper in the rain. We sat outside on the patio until it started raining harder and we had to go inside the camper. We all rested for a while. We watched Dr. Seuss videos. We decided to eat at a restaurant since it was raining hard and we wanted to grill out on the patio. We drove down the strip looking for a restaurant. We decided to eat at Applebee's.

Today we ate cheese grits for breakfast. We relaxed in the morning. After cleaning up, we went to lunch at McDonald's. Alyssa played on the playground at McDonald's. Then we went shopping at the Outlet Mall for school clothes for Alyssa. We bought clothes at Children's Place, Disney, and Old Navy. When we returned back to the camper, the sky was black with clouds. In a short time, the clouds went away and the sky was blue. We asked Alyssa if she wanted to go to the swimming pool. Of course, she said, "Yes." We went to the swimming pool.

After that, we had dinner on the patio. Alyssa helped us fix dinner. She helped shuck the corn on the cob and set the table. After dinner, Bob took Alyssa to the playground. When they returned, we ate Moose Tracks ice cream. Susan read a story to Alyssa before she went to bed.

Today Rob and Julie came to visit in Pigeon Forge. We all went out to eat dinner at the Old Mill Restaurant. Laurel Creek ran along the restaurant and was very scenic. Next to the restaurant were several shops with souvenirs and artifacts. We waited a while and were seated at a table and the food was served family style. After dinner, Rob, Julie and Alyssa returned to Kingsport TN.

Happy birthday Sue! Today we headed home to Marietta, Georgia.