Wupatki National Monument and Sunset Crater

August 3, 2016 suzy 11 Comments

One of the great things about traveling the country is that wherever we stop, our family will eventually join us! My sister and her husband arrived for a long weekend and stayed in a cabin at our campground.

We took them on an adventure to visit Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monument.

Lynda and Jeff are very familiar with this part of the country. Having done many road trips in Arizona and New Mexico, they knew exactly what they wanted to see again.

They suggested that we take the 73 mile Sunset Crater/Wupatki National Monument loop. This scenic loop would take us through the vast lava fields of Sunset Crater and then onto the ancient pueblos that make up Wupatki National Monument.

Located about 15 miles north of Flagstaff, this was a fun day trip for all of us!

Sunset Crater

Our first stop was the amazing lava fields at Sunset Crater. You see, nearly 1,000 years ago a fiery volcano destroyed the landscape and the tiny settlements that used to call this area home.

New mountains were created and where there used to be grassy meadows, there remains acres and acres of lava fields.

These photos truly do not do it justice. There was hardened lava as far as the eye could see.

The lava and cinder rocks seem frozen in time, almost as if they had just cooled down last week.

There is a one mile self-guided loop trail located at the base of Sunset Crater, but hiking to the summit is no longer permitted. Unfortunately, the trail to the summit and crater was closed in 1973 because of excessive erosion caused by hikers.

The wildflowers in the area were just beautiful. These are called Apache Plume. It is a drought resistant plant that is located mainly in the southwestern US.

A thousand years ago, this land was desolate and barren. Now nature rules again.

Our next stop was the Wupatki National Monument…

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Places to Go

Arizona Destinations: Meteor Crater in Flagstaff

July 21, 2016 suzy 10 Comments

We love to go on mini vacations on our two days off each week. In fact, we spend a lot of time doing research, trying to decide what we would like to visit each week. This week, based on a cool billboard off the interstate, we decided to visit the Meteor Crater.

And to make the adventure even more fun, we took the motorcycle. It was a particularly windy day, with gusts of 20 plus miles per hour, which made the ride to the crater a little nerve racking. But we were in for the adventure, right?

The crater is about an hour drive from the campground, which worked well for me, as I have about an hour butt-limit on the motorcycle.

Seriously.

But this was worth the wind and the tender rear end. You see the crater is a huge, huge hole located smack in the middle of the flat high desert of Northern Arizona. In fact, it is 3/4 of a mile in diameter and about 600 feet deep. A heck of a hole.

So how big is this hole? Well check it out!

Fifty thousand years ago, a giant meteor streaked across North America and struck the earth in what is now northern Arizona, exploding with the force of 2.5 million tons of TNT. It is thought that the meteorite weighed about 300,000 tons and was traveling at a speed of 26,000 miles per hour.

The force when it struck was about 150 times the force of the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.

The force of the impact not only melted most of the meteorite, but forced millions of tons of limestone and sandstone out of the hole, throwing rocks and meteor fragments for miles.

The crater and the land around it has been privately owned since the early 1900’s by the Barringer family. The family has built a nice visitor center along with a movie theater, restaurant and gift shop right on the rim of the crater.

Along the rim, there are impressive views. You can walk out on a platform that juts out over the edge. From this vantage point a sign informs you that a tiny rock on the floor of the Crater is actually as big as a house. In the center of the crater stands a cardboard cutout of a guy holding an American flag, but you can’t see him unless you’re looking through the platform’s fixed telescope.

This is a huge hole!

Click here for more photos and info on the meteor crater!

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Places to Go

A look at Monument Valley!

July 6, 2016 suzy Leave a comment

One thing that we love about the high plateau of Williams and Flagstaff is the fact that the summer is very mild. Travel two hours in any direction and you come down from the plateau into 100+ degree weather.

This week, we decided to bite the bullet and head for the amazing vistas of Monument Valley.

Yes, it was 102 degrees in the shade. But we have to tell you that the adventure was totally worth the extra heat! If you have never gotten the chance to see Monument Valley in person, be sure to add it to your bucket list.

Monument Valley is about a four hour drive from Williams. Heading pretty much due north, it is just across the Arizona/Utah state line.

Monument Valley is characterized by vast sandstone buttes, many reaching over 1,000 ft above the valley floor. It is located almost entirely on the Navajo Nation Reservation.

The drive was a long one. Once we went down into the valley, we passed from the pine tree forests into the hot desert. It wasn’t long before we started seeing red rock in the distance.

Because it was going to be a very long day, we decided to take the dogs with us.

Seems that they are not as easy to impress as we are. They spent the entire journey in the back of the car with the air conditioner running.

Look familiar at all?

Monument Valley has been featured in many forms of media since as early as the 1930s. Director John Ford used the location for a number of his best-known films, including Stagecoach, starring John Wayne.

To many, this is what the old west represented.

Click here for more!

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Places to Go

A Yabba Dabba Doo Time!

June 21, 2016 suzy 8 Comments

On the way back from visiting the south rim of the Grand Canyon, we noticed this fabulous sign from the past welcoming us to a campground/roadside attraction named Bedrock City.

We totally had to stop.

We both grew up in the 60’s and 70’s, and like many of our generation, we absolutely loved the Flintstones. After taking several photos at the entrance, we decided to come up with the $5 entrance fee and see what was hidden behind those big brick walls.

I’ve always been a sucker for campy and fun. And Bedrock City, located smack in the middle of the dusty high desert seemed very promising!

After paying our entrance fees, we walked into a stone age ghost town.

Originally opening in 1972 at the height of the Flintstones popularity, Bedrock City once was a thriving road side attraction, offering live actors playing Fred Flintstone and the rest of the stone age crew, rides, a theater and much more.

Fourty-four years later, this little attraction is not much than a run down shadow of its former self.

Bedrock City also included a small restaurant, a dark and dusty gift shop, and a campground that has seen better days. Of course, this did not deter us much. I love a photo opportunity, and there were plenty of those to choose from.

The amusement park, while silent, was full of colorful representations of the old cartoon series. Unfortunately, the remaining structures at Bedrock City are in currently in terrible disrepair, with crumbling buildings and character replicas that need more than just a fresh coat of paint after baking in the desert sun for 44 years.

Click here to continue reading…

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Places to Go

Northern Arizona and the Grand Canyon!

June 14, 2016 suzy 8 Comments

We are currently living and working at the Circle Pines KOA in Williams, AZ. We arrived here about a month ago and were assigned a spot in the center of the campground.

I have to say that in our work camping career so far, this site is the best that we have had! It includes trees, a nice size yard (even when campers are around us), a huge fire pit and lots of flat space to store the motorcycle!

We love this laid back campground! It is a lot smaller than Bar Harbor, and St. Petersburg. With just 20 cabins, and about 150 pull through sites, it is not only pleasant to live here, but working behind the counter is that much easier.

We will be here until October 31, which gives us plenty of time to explore the area and take in all that we can.

And Circle Pines also owns a Go Cart track, putting a little variety into our work routines!

So why did we choose northern Arizona for the summer? Well, there were several reasons. At about 7000 feet above sea level, this area of the country does not get extreme heat in the summer. In fact, evenings are jacket weather!

But the biggest draw of the area has to be The Grand Canyon. Since neither one of us had ever seen it before, this area of the country was on our “bucket list”.

The Grand Canyon National Park

It is about a 60 mile drive from Williams to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The drive is actually very interesting as you move from pine forests to dry desert land. Keep an eye out for deer. They are everywhere!

Along the way, you will find the occasional camper parked off the roadway. You see in this area of the state, you can dry camp off road for as long as two weeks.

Entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park is $30 per vehicle. Parking spaces are plentiful and even include areas for RVs and buses.

Once parked, you can either hike along the rim trail, or take free shuttles to restaurants, stores and view points along the South Rim.

The canyon itself is absolutely breathtaking. No photos or words actually do it justice. You have to see it for yourself to understand the magnitude of this amazing Natural Wonder.

The Grand Canyon is about 277 miles long. At its widest point it is 18 miles wide. The average width is a distance about 10 miles. The average depth is about 1 mile.

Click here for more photos and info on the Grand Canyon!

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Camping Life

An insiders look at Campground Etiquette

June 5, 2016 suzy 6 Comments

As full time campers and work campers, we have come to the conclusion that for the most part, other campers are awesome! We all have so much in common. We love the outdoors, we enjoy cooking on the grill, we enjoy the stars at night.

But there is always one bad apple in the barrel. Isn’t there?

rv life camping etiquette — Circle Pines KOA, Williams, AZ

The problem is that most campgrounds this time of year become very full. A larger campground such as the one we worked in St. Petersburg, Florida has nearly 500 campsites.

Filled to capacity, you are looking at the very least, 1000 people crammed into one campground! St. Petersburg KOA was full to capacity the entire winter season that we were there.

The closer people camp together, the grouchier they become. It’s just a fact.

That is why campgrounds have the need to post rules. Usually you will receive a pamphlet of rules along with a map of the campground upon arrival. Some of those rules may seem a tad restrictive, but I have to tell you that there is a reason for every one of them.

As campground workers, we are more than aware of some of the biggest pet peeves of those that camp around us. Here is our list of the top 10 complaints that we receive at the campground and how to avoid being the bad apple.

Top Ten Rules of Campground Etiquette

life at the campground — Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA, Maine

10. Quiet time is not just a suggestion

Many of the campgrounds that we have worked at post quiet time as 10:00 PM at night until 7:00 AM. Why? Well, some folks want to sleep at night. Common courtesy is at play here.

Yes, we are all on vacation, but do respect your neighbors and keep the noise down after 10:00 PM. Most campgrounds try to enforce quiet time as best as possible, but we cannot be at all places at all times.

Click here for the rest of the list!

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Places to Go

Amarillo by Morning…

May 16, 2016 suzy 4 Comments

On our way west towards Williams, AZ, for our new summer job, we made a couple pit stops along the way. One of the more impressive ones was Amarillo, Texas.

Traveling along Interstate 40, once you get on the west side of Oklahoma City, the land flattens out where you can see for miles and miles.

The winds were strong. Dave said it felt like he was driving a sail boat. We were getting gusts of 15 to 25 mile an hour winds which seemed to be from the south, rocking the RV as we tried to make our way west.

Car sickness may or may not have ensued…

We had a scheduled stop in Amarillo and were very glad to get off the highway after about a 5 hour drive from Oklahoma City.

So why Amarillo?

So much to see and do here! Unfortunately, we only had one day to take it all in, so we chose a couple places that intrigued us. But keep in mind if you are ever in Amarillo, there are canyons, museums, botanical gardens, and even a huge livestock auction where you can hang out with real cowboys and get a glimpse of the cattle industry that is so huge in this area of the country.

We stayed at the Amarillo KOA and pretty much had the park to ourselves. I loved the wide open spaces!

These little guys greeted us at the campground store entrance. Amarillo must be home of the mariachi bands!

Or maybe the home of colorful metal musicians…

Cadillac Ranch

Once settled, our first order of business was to go out and visit Cadillac Ranch. Unfortunately, we had an issue with the tow cables on the car and had to replace them first, which entailed a trip to Home Depot.

Cadillac Ranch is located about 5 miles west of city of Amarillo. With our late start, we got there just as the sun was setting.

Cadillac Ranch is actually a public art installation. It was created in 1974 by an art group called Ant Farm. The installation consists of Cadillacs, representing the car line from 1949 to 1963. Each of the cars is half-buried nose first into the ground at an angle that is supposed to correspond with the angle of the Great Pyramid.

Note the graffiti.

You see when the art work was originally opened up to the public back in the 70’s, there was an issue of folks breaking off souvenirs and painting graffiti onto the cars.

After fighting it for a bit, the artists decided to allow others to add their own personal touch to this piece of art.

Visiting Cadillac Ranch and adding graffiti to the cars is now encouraged. In fact, while we where there, at least 20 other people were there with spray paint adding a bit of themselves to this piece of art.

Bring a spray paint can and paint what you want! Just be aware that it probably will be painted over in no time. Cadillac Ranch is an incredibly popular destination for those that are passing through.

So how about a famous Amarillo eatery?

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Places to Go

Oklahoma, land where the buffalo roam…

May 2, 2016 suzy 1 Comment

On our way across country from Atlanta, GA to Williams, AZ, we made several stops. One of which was to spend a couple days in Oklahoma City, visiting with my oldest daughter, Laura.

We stayed at the Oklahoma City East KOA. Check out this amazing site! We were so impressed by how beautiful this little campground was- and how well kept! Frankly, if it wasn’t for the scary tornado potential in the area, we would consider working here.

But there is the tornado thing and the fact that we really don’t have a basement. And I’m sure that is something that I just have to get over now that I live in a virtual tin can, but at the moment I am good with heading west.

Anyway…

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

My daughter took us on a tour of the area, including a drive out to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, roughly 100 miles south of Oklahoma City. It is the oldest managed wildlife facility in the United States.

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge was important in saving the American buffalo from extinction. In 1907 the American Bison Society transported 15 buffalo, from the New York Zoological Park to the refuge. At that time, buffalo had been extinct on the southern Great Plains for over 30 years.

The buffalo herd now numbers about 650 on the refuge!

One “rule of thumb” when you are around wild animals. If you hold up your thumb in front of them, and you can still see them, you are too close.

And as you can tell from the photo, wild animals come in all forms!

Scary.

Mount Scott

Our tour of the mountains included a trip to the summit of Mount Scott which offers amazing views of the Oklahoma countryside.

And of course a visit to Meer’s Restaurant- a popular place in the area famous for it’s giant Meer’s Burgers. Because we had to eat, right?

Here is a short video of our visit! To see is in large screen, click here.

Our next stop- Amarillo, TX! See you there!

Camping Life

Our experience dealing with Canine Diabetes

April 22, 2016 suzy 10 Comments

We are finally back on the road, heading to our summer destination, Williams, AZ. I wanted to talk a bit about some of the things that have been going on behind the scenes. Traveling with animals is a joy, but keeping them healthy while doing so can sometimes be a challenge.

I firmly believe that if we hadn’t been traveling that I would not have noticed Ralph’s symptoms so quickly.

You see, one of the things about the RV lifestyle is that we are all well aware of each other’s daily routines. Walking the dogs three times a day, along with extra potty breaks here and there had become routine after a year on the road.

We knew what was normal.

And then suddenly, Ralph couldn’t hold it any more. He was dribbling everywhere. He had to go every 2 hours, day or night. We were alarmed at the change.

At the time, we were in St. Petersburg, FL, so we inquired about a good vet in the area and then took him for an exam.

He was diagnosed with bladder stones and Diabetes. They preformed emergency surgery to remove the stones blocking his urethra and those in his bladder.

After recovery, they put him on insulin. Two shots a day. And I’m the chosen one to give them to him. Me. The person who has never given a shot before.

But I drew short straw because neither has Dave and he doesn’t do poop, yak, or apparently shots either.

The vet says it’s easy! (As he pokes Ralph with a needle numerous times while Ralph just sits there looking like he’s thinking about his next milk bone).

So that evening, with our new supply of syringes and insulin, I made my first attempt at giving Ralph his shot. Dave held him, I grabbed a fold of skin and injected him.

Ralph screamed.

I screamed.

Ralph very nearly bit Dave.

OMG. I don’t think we can do this! I turned into a blubbering idiot, while Ralph hid under the table. I didn’t want my dog to be afraid of me. But twice a day for the rest of his life, I was going to have to do this.

I called my oldest daughter, who just happens to draw blood for a living. She talked me through how to hold the needle and give the shot quickly.

It would take some practice. Lots of practice.

I’m a night owl, and can go back to sleep in a heartbeat, so I ended up with night shift duties. Ralph still was dribbling, was drinking tons of water, and losing weight.

Consistently for 6 weeks, Ralph had to go out every two hours. He was now down nearly 5 pounds. His ribs were showing. Despite increasing the insulin dosage about every week under the vet’s direction, Ralph’s health was deteriorating.

Click here to continue reading…

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Places to Go

Top 10 Things to See and Do in Tybee Island, Georgia

April 18, 2016 suzy 3 Comments

When you think about the state of Georgia, you most likely won’t think about beaches. Heck, we all go to Florida for that, right? But I have to tell you that there is one hidden jewel located right off the coast of Savannah, Georgia that will take your breath away.

Tybee Island Is a barrier island located 18 miles off the coast of Savannah, GA. Tybee is rich in history and beauty, and hosts great restaurants, accommodations and three full miles of uninterrupted public beach.

If you are interested in checking the island out, we have put together a list of the top 10 things to see and do in Tybee Island!

1. Tybee Island Lighthouse

I’m sure you already know I’m a fan of lighthouses. If I find myself near one, I just have to check it out. Tybee Lighthouse has been guiding mariners safe entrance into the Savannah River for over 270 years.

This beautiful lighthouse is surrounded by all of its historic support buildings, including the Tybee Museum, which was established in 1961.

For a small fee, you can gain entrance to the lighthouse, climb all 178 stairs and see a magnificent view of the surrounding area.

Note: Here and throughout most of the island, parking fees are required. (You can obtain a parking pass from most hotels and campgrounds in the area).

2. The Crab Shack

When we first starting going to the Crab Shack, 20 years ago, it was true to it’s name. It was really a shack. Over the years, this little restaurant has become a major tourist attraction, featuring large screened in dining rooms, outdoor dining under the trees, a gift shop, aviary, and even an alligator enclosure!

The atmosphere at this little restaurant is surely a draw. Heck, even Hollywood noticed!

The movie The General’s Daughter, starring John Travolta was filmed here.

But the biggest draw for us is the Seafood Platter. This one? This is a platter for two!

Look big?

You aren’t kidding!

This restaurant is the one that we compare every other one to. So far, nobody has beaten it.

So where do you fish? Click here for more!

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