Author: mchazen

It was not a good night.  The sounds of the city, aircraft and wind kept waking us up.  It was a two cup of coffee morning.

Readers may have noticed there was not much written about our semi-daily workouts.  While in Grand Junction, a combination of altitude, cool weather and busy schedule conspired against us.  Well, the real excuse is that we just got lazy.  Whatever the reason, fast food and inactivity resulted in weight gain.  Arriving in Las Vegas, we were out of excuses and out of shape.  Jeanne brought the hammer down; it was back to exercise and healthy food.  Jeanne chose to exercise at the coach but I decided to find a local gym and use a treadmill to get started again.

There were two gyms (national chains) nearby.  Not sure exactly where gym #1 was, we called for directions.  Although it was only a few blocks away, it took two conversations to pinpoint the location.  This was a bad omen.  We soon found the place.

Approaching the counter in gym #1, the conversation went something like this:

   Marty:  Hello.  I will be in the area for only two weeks.  What are your daily or weekly rates?

   Young woman behind the counter:  You have to fill out this form.

   M:  I just want some rate information.  Can you answer a few quick questions?

   YW:  You have to fill out the form before someone can talk with you.

   M:  My wife is waiting in the car and I just want some rate information.  Isn’t there someone here to give me the info?

   YW:  You have to fill out the form first.

   M:  Look, I don’t want to fill out the form right now.  I just want some rate information.

   YW:  If you fill out the form, someone will be right with you.

   M:  If I had phoned would I have to fill out the form before someone talked with me?

   YW:  There is a liability issue here, you have to fill out the form first.

   M:  I’m not here to sue you, I only want some rate information!  I’m not going to fill out a form to get your prices!  This conversation is over, have a nice day.

I headed for the door.  Needless to say, this was not a pleasant consumer experience.  Was it unreasonable to ask how much they charged without filling out a form?  Why do they need to know how old I am to quote prices?  Or my phone number?  Or my e-mail address for that matter?  It took a few minutes to cool down.

We soon located gym #2.  Approaching the counter, the conversation went something like this:

   Marty:  Hello, I will be in the area for only two weeks.  What are your daily or weekly rates?

   Young woman behind the counter:  How often will you be here for a workout?

   M:  About every other day.

   YW:  Our daily rate is $15, but the $35 weekly rate is a better deal for you.

   M:  Thanks for the tip.  I’ll buy two weeks at the weekly rate.

   YW:  Would that be cash or charge?

   M:  Cash.

   YW:  Let me ring it up for you.

This was more like it.  No forms-for-information runaround.  The rest of the transaction went smoothly and included a brief conversation about living in a motorhome and traveling around the country.

After shopping at the Walmart Supercenter for groceries and supplies, I returned to the gym for an agonizing workout.  Amazing how quickly a 52 year old can loose muscle mass!  This is going to hurt tomorrow.

The remainder of the day was spent washing the Jeep, updating this web site and quietly watching TV at the coach.  We ate a healthy dinner and took aspirin before going to bed.  We were back on the workout-wagon.

We woke to another perfect travel day.

The drive from St. George to Las Vegas is only about 120 miles, so we lingered before hitting the road.  We gained an hour by crossing into the Pacific time zone at the Nevada border, so there was plenty of time to kill.

Due to our long stays in Arkansas, Colorado Springs and Grand Junction, the level-sensors in the black tank were not functioning properly.  We concluded ‘stuff’ was stuck to the sensors.  I’ll leave it to you, the reader, to determine what ‘stuff’ is.  Anyway, the plan was to flush the tank and fill it 3/4 full with clean water.  Hopefully the sloshing action during the short drive to Las Vegas would clean things up.  By 10:00, we were on our way.

The drive along I-15 parallels the Virgin River through a deep, steep canyon.  The drive is scenic, but loaded with dangerous grades for trucks.  We slowly picked our way along the winding road.  Suddenly, you emerge from the canyon onto a straight-shot highway through the Arizona/Nevada desert.

After living in remote areas for the past several months, we forgot about the Las Vegas smog.  A brown haze blanked the city.

The RV park is on the south end of town and we crossed through the entire city to reach it.  It is more of an RV resort really, complete with pools, activities, clubhouse and other amenities.  It will be a comfortable place to stay for the next two weeks.  We checked in, parked and set up.  Draining the black tank revealed the sloshing trick worked — the sensors functioned normally.

After three days of driving, we stayed in the coach, watched TV and enjoyed the wireless internet.  It was a two beer afternoon.

We look forward to hooking up with our friends, Nick and Barbara, sometime tomorrow.

We slept sound and woke to a clear, crisp day.  A light breeze kept the frost off he coach and car.  After our first cup of coffee, we realized it is November already.

Our destination is St. George, Utah, which is on the southern edge of the state, just north of the Arizona border.  It would be another easy drive.  Not wanting to arrive in St. George too early, we fiddled around before pulling out.

While preparing the coach to leave, we noticed two guys slowly walked past on their way to Burger King for breakfast.  They stopped on the return trip to watch us dump the tanks and make other preparations to leave.  It turned out they were Israelis on vacation.  A father and son duo traveling across America.  We were curious what two Israelis were doing in the middle of Utah.  They explained that most Israelis visit New York City and feel they experienced America.  Wanting something more, they rented a car in New York and started driving west, heading for San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco.  Whatever they were looking for, I’m certain they won’t find it in Salina, Utah.  However, the coach interested them and we gave them a quick tour of the inside.  No doubt they will have a great story to tell to their friends in Tel Aviv.

Diesel and propane were both available at the gas station and we used the opportunity to fill both tanks.  We sure buy a lot of hydrocarbons.  100 gallons of diesel, 28 gallons of propane and 18 gallons of gasoline in the Jeep.  If something goes wrong, it will be spectacular.

Around 10:00 AM, we finally turned onto the highway.  The route would take us west along I-70 and then south along I-15.  The traffic on I-70 was extremely light, but I-15 is a busy highway.  Despite the increase in traffic, the drive was uneventful.

Typical highway scene on our way to St. George, UT.

Entering canyon on the way to St. George.

We pulled into St. George around 2:00 and headed straight for the RV park.  When we arrived, the only indication of an RV park was the sign.  The rest of the property was a construction zone of half-completed commercial buildings.  Obviously, something had gone terribly wrong — Jeanne had booked the reservation just two days prior.

I found a place to park the rig, which is not an easy thing to do with a 38 foot motorhome towing a 14 foot Jeep.  A few calls revealed RV park #1 was sold and RV park #2 had bought the phone number.  We were redirected to the Temple View RV park about two miles away.  Jeanne was not happy and was quick to express her displeasure.  Having personally been the target of her ire, I can report it is not a pleasant experience.  The staff of the Temple View RV park probably felt the same.

We soon arrived, checked in and headed for our campsite.  Other rigs were getting parked and we waited about 40 minutes for our turn.  It was bad planning on the part of the RV park.  Getting settled in was a relief and I celebrated with a can of Miller Lite.  Shortly thereafter, there was a knock on the door.

Folks who make it to retirement are usually not bashful and our neighbor was no exception.  It turned out he was negotiating to buy a Jeep Liberty and was curious about the towing characteristics of ours.  A 45 minute conversation ensued that involved a complete inspection of our vehicle and towing system.  The conversation ended when the young salesman drove up in a shiny red Jeep Liberty and continued the sales pitch.  He smelled commission.  I never found out if they came to terms.

By comparison, the rest of the afternoon and evening was uneventful.  We hunkered down in the coach, grilled some chicken for dinner, watched TV and eventually went to bed.

The morning air was clear, the sun was bright and the air was crisp.  Perfect for traveling.

It had been a month since we last started the coach and we wondered if there would be any problem.  Well, no problem.  The motor fired on the first try and after a warm-up, we were on our way.

Jeanne poses in front of typical scenery on the way to Salina, Utah.

Marty points the way.

The coach parked at one of the frequent stopping places.

Jeanne scheduled an easy 200 mile drive to the small town of Salina, Utah.  The route took us west over I-70 through eastern Utah.  The rugged terrain was thinly populated and it was not unusual to travel 50 miles or more between towns.  We stopped a few times to take in the scenery and snap a few pictures.  We are eager to settle around Grand Junction and begin our exploration of this region.

We reached Salina about 2:30.  The RV park was right off the interstate and we never really did get into the town proper.  Characterizing the RV park as an organized enterprise is an overstatement.  It was really a few ancient hookups behind an auto repair business.  To the south was a gas station and to the north was a Subway.  All three businesses had a weather-beaten look to them.  We were dubious but decided to give it a try.  Anyway, at $12.00, the price was right.  We hooked up and spent the rest of the afternoon analyzing our Grand Junction experience.

Around 5:00, it was beginning to get dark and we realized we were the only ones in the RV park.  It was also getting cold.  In the thin, dry air, the outside temperature immediately dropped into the 40s when the sun went down.  So, here’s the deal:  we’re camped in a tiny town in eastern Utah right off the interstate.  There is nobody around, the temperature is dropping.  And, it is Halloween night.  Is this spooky, or what?  We made sure the coach was securely locked before retiring for the night.

Well, dear readers, the Excellent Adventure continues.

During the final week of our stay in Grand Junction, we sincerely tried to buy a house, but it just wasn’t meant to be.  The short version is we offered on a house under construction but couldn’t come to terms.  The longer version involves gory details of an over-engineered contract.  The deal-breaker was a non-price issue.  In the end, we decided to walk away and try again in the spring.  The process was disappointing and a rehash of the particulars is beyond the scope of this triplog.

Sometimes things just don’t work out.  Nevertheless, we resolved to return in the spring to try again.  Hopefully there will be a while new set of properties to choose from and we plan to expand our search to some of the surrounding communities.  Special thanks goes to our broker, Lana, a true professional, who stuck with us through the ordeal.  Her help and guidance is very much appreciated.

The weather is getting cool with the night temperatures falling to into the high 30s.  The trees in the valley have changed to a bright, bright yellow.  Every time we go for a drive we are struck with how beautiful this valley is.

We have been here about seven weeks and the coach has been sitting in one place for at least a month.  Our return to the road required some preparation and we spent parts of the last two days getting ready.  Jeanne cleaned the inside of the coach while I attended to the usual outside tasks of oil, tires, tanks, etc.

On our last day in Grand Junction, it rained.  During a break in the rain we made a grocery store run for supplies.  Otherwise, we hunkered down and waited for the storm to pass.  By evening, the sun was breaking through the clouds and you could see snow on the surrounding mountains.  Beautiful.

So, with heavy hearts, we will be leaving tomorrow to continue the Excellent Adventure.

We have received comments from dedicated triplog readers regarding the lack of timely updates.  In response we offer our sincere apology; there just hasn’t been much to report.

Our time has been devoted to finding the perfect house.  Each night we schedule properties to view the next day, pinpointing each on the map and charting a route.  If a property passes the drive-by test, we call our Realtor, Lana, to arrange a showing.  The process is discouraging in that each property seems to have a fatal flaw.  Living in the coach makes thing worse since there is nothing pushing us to make a quick decision.

All this effort has turned into a job of sorts.  After breakfast we pile into the car and cruise neighborhoods.  After a quick stop for lunch, it is more of the same until we quit around 4:00 PM.  What remains of the day consists of dinner, TV and planning the next day.  I seem to remember doing something similar about two years ago.

We got close on one property and even reached the point of meeting with the builder to pick options, but detailed measurements revealed there was no way we could fit an RV on the property.  Rats!  That night we had hot fudge sundaes for dinner to sooth our disappointment.  Sometimes things just don’t work out.

So, after three weeks we have nothing to show for our efforts besides gas receipts and a knowledge of how to decode real estate ads.  Here are some examples:

Majestic views = unstable hillside.

Secluded = out-of-control vegetation.

Rural = chicken farms, stockyards, horses and flies.

Mature area = rusting cars in front of neighbor’s trailer.

Needs TLC = call the demolition crew.

Close to transportation = located in a narrow strip between the interstate and railroad.

You get the idea.

A detailed description of each property would only make this entry intolerably long.  However, we did see some interesting things, including one property with a filled-in swimming pool, one with storage for six cars, one on two acres of alkaline soil (dead dirt), one with a mounted elk head that dominated the living room and one with too many pictures of the ugliest baby ever born in Mesa County, Colorado.

Despite the disappointment, we’re not giving up.  The delusion of finding the perfect property at the right price keeps us focused on the task.  We are resolved to keep at it until scheduled obligations force us to move on.  If we leave before finding something, we plan to return in the spring to try again.  We found the area.  Now if we could only find the house.

So, dear triplog readers, keep visiting this site and wish us good luck in finding our dream home and ending the Excellent Adventure.

Wow, October 1 already.  Time flies when you’re having fun.

The last few days have been spent in a whirlwind of house hunting.  Most of the time was spent driving at an average speed of 20 miles per hour.  Slowly, we’re getting to know the neighborhoods and values.  Not wanting to rush the issue, we decided to stay at least an extra week, maybe longer if necessary.  That’s a benefit of living this lifestyle.  If you want to stay, you stay.  If you want to leave, you leave.

Our broker, Lana, has been diligent at producing properties and sharing information about the area.  Not wanting to waste her time, we do solo drive-bys.  For the ones that look promising, Lana schedules a showing.  It works well this way.  Very efficient.

We keep confronting the same issues of location, utility, inventory and value.  We’ll work through it, no doubt, but there is an element of frustration.  Strange how our criteria changes from region to region.  Where we were looking at big acreage in other areas, we feel that isn’t necessary here.  The process is evolving and it will be interesting to see how it ends.  We need to be patient and smart.

One day, we drove east along I-70 as far as the small town of Rifle, about 60 miles from Grand Junction.  Last time we made the trip, the weather was rainy and we couldn’t see much of the area.  This time, it was clear enough to appreciate the surrounding region.   Rifle was a nice little town, but not for us.  The trip wasn’t wasted, each town struck from the list narrows the search.

Several months ago, I purchased a hat from via Allison Transmission web site.  It was a $3.95 hat with a $5.95 shipping and handling charge.  Anyway, it did an excellent job covering my bald head from early spring to present.  Problem is, Jeanne started making disparaging comments about the hat.  Not to beat around the bush, she said it looks filthy and it smells.  I tried to explain that the hat is just ‘broken in’, but she would have none of it.  My faithful friend is now quietly resting in the Grand Junction landfill and the search is on for a worthy replacement.  I’ll keep you posted on this.

This morning we woke at 5:15 AM to the sound of 12 gauge shotguns firing close by.  I reminded Jeanne it was October 1, the opening of duck season.  Hunters were out in force along the Colorado River less than a quarter mile away.  I longed to be out there with them, there is nothing better than the smell of gunpowder on a clear, crisp fall morning.

The weather has been beautiful.  Except for one rainy day, sunshine and high 70s has been the rule.  The nights might drop into the high 40s.  The 30 degree swing is quick and can catch you by surprise.  What a relief from the heat and humidity.

We look forward to continuing our house hunt next week, and possibly the next.  Could this be the end of the Excellent Adventure?

We were in no hurry to get up.  Still tired from the prior three days, we resolved this would be a day of rest.

Our only activities were a Walmart run, a trip to Lowe’s for a replacement florescent light and a leisurely stroll through the Fruita, Colorado street fair.  The rest of the time was spent hanging around the coach and enjoying the warm sunshine.

It was good to be home.  Even a few days of restaurants can get really old really quick.

After a quick breakfast and fueling the Jeep, Gavin met us in the Walmart parking lot.  He had our day planned out with military-like precision.  When we started, little did we know he would share some of the most magnificent sights the Uinta Mountains offered.

Generally, the route would take us north on US 191 into the Uinta Mountains.  However, we would take many side trips on gravel roads.  After driving about 45 minutes, we reached the high country where stands of pine and aspen are separated by open fields.  The aspen was in full fall color and the bright yellow stood in contrast to the blue sky, red rocks, green pine and brown meadows.  The pictures associated with this log entry doesn’t do it justice, but you’ll get the idea.  It was perfect.

Jeanne and Marty in the Uinta Mountain wilderness.

Long view of aspen changing to fall colors.

Typical view along one of the many backroads Gavin showed us.

Jeanne, Gavin and a happy Jeep.

Changing aspen along the roadside.

Jeanne and Marty hiding among the aspen. Can you find us?

Jeanne and Marty at the Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area.

Road at the bottom of Sheep Creek.

Young Bighorn Sheep begging food from strangers in the campground. Mama was nearby.

Fresh water salmon spawning in the creek upstream from Flaming Gorge.

Another view of spawning salmon.

The lake at Flaming Gorge.

Jeanne and Marty at Flaming Gorge.

Jeanne and Gavin at Flaming Gorge.

Jeanne and Marty at Flaming Gorge, picture taken by Gavin from across the other side of the lookout.

Happy Jeep.

View of the back country on the return trip to Vernal, Utah.

On one of our side trips, we came to one of the Green River tributaries and found the salmon were spawning.  Gavin knew the salmon were in the middle of their spawning and arranged the route so we could see this.  These are small fresh-water salmon from the Flaming Gorge Lake.  We watched the salmon for a long time while keeping an eye on some Bighorn Sheep trying to beg food from us.

After lunch at a restaurant overlooking Flaming Gorge, we headed back via a 30 mile gravel road through some really remote country.  We stopped several times to take pictures and explore the immediate area.  Eventually, we dropped into the canyon where Gavin lives.

We said our goodbyes and conveyed our deep appreciation for the tour and insights he shared with us.  We really had a great time.  After our stay in Grand Junction, we may take the coach through Vernal and stay for a few days to re-visit the area.

We had already been driving all day and were not looking forward to another two and a half hour trip to Grand Junction.  However, we sucked it up and made the drive.  What a relief to reach the coach and flop into bed.  We probably drove 1,000 miles in the past three days and a lot of it over gravel roads at 20 miles per hour.

The past three days gave us a lot to think about.

Today we drive to Vernal, Utah to visit a friend and tour the area.

Here’s the backstory:  We met Gavin at the wedding of Dennis and Kelly about three years ago (?).  As an avid outdoorsman, we had lots in common and were soon swapping stories.  We told him about our Great Adventure and said that someday we would be close to Vernal and would like to see him.  The feeling was mutual and we kept in touch.  Our stay in Grand Junction would be our chance to get together.

Around 7:30 we left with the Jeep and our first stop was McDonalds across the street from the RV Park.  Bad move.  After taking our money, they let us stand there while giving priority to the drive-thru customers.  It was obvious.  When another customer asked if we had ordered, I said we placed our order in April and were patiently waiting ever since.  This time, it was Jeanne who discussed the situation with management and our food appeared shortly thereafter.  By 8:00 we were on the road.

The route would take us north along state highway 139 to Rangely, Colorado and then east along US 40 to Vernal, Utah.  The countryside was typical of this area with grasslands changing to woodlands as the road cuts through mountain passes.  The area is remote.  On one stretch, it was 75 miles between towns.

US 40 passes close to the National Dinosaur Monument.  Since we were somewhat ahead of schedule we decided to visit the site.  It turned out the monument covers an enormous amount of land along the Yampa and Green rivers.  There is no way you can see the whole thing in one day, so we decided to limit our visit to the quarry and a short auto tour.  The place is awesome.

The quarry is covered by a unique building built right up against the side of a hill.  Inside is the exposed quarry, an overhead crane, workshops, exhibits and, of course, the gift shop.  The design of the building is unique in that it allows natural light to reach the quarry site.  It was a great idea and the direct sunlight won’t hurt fossilized dinosaur bones.  We stayed there quite a while.  This is very different than seeing dinosaur bones in a museum.  Seeing and touching fossilized remains in a setting like this makes the dinosaurs seem very real.  These creatures really did exist and this is the exact place where they lived and died.  And, they were big.  Really big with big teeth and claws.

View of the Green River valley at the Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal, Utah.

Indoor quarry at the Dinosaur National Monument. Can you see the fossilized bones?

Jeanne with the dinosaur bones.

Marty poses in front of working ranch in a bend of the Green River. Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal, Utah.

Jeanne searching for skipping stone along the bank of the Green River.

Petroglyphs at the Dinosaur National Monument.

More petroglyphs. What do these represent and why were they carved?

Does this represent a star constallation, or is it Native American grafitti.

Can you see the lizard? Can you see two lizards?

Overlooking the valley where Gavin lives near Vernal, Utah.

Jeanne and Gavin at overlook.

Jeanne and Marty at overlook near Vernal, Utah.

After leaving the quarry, the auto tour took us along the Green River and some of the smaller creeks that cut through the country.  The views were stunning and we stopped several times to explore and take pictures.  A highlight of the tour was viewing the Indian petroglyphs carved into the rocks.  We asked all the questions with no answers:  Who carved these?  What did they represent?  Why would someone go through the trouble?  Maybe it was just Indian graffiti, or a joke the Indians intended to spring on some future travelers.  In any event, it was a strange echo from the past.  Native peoples really did visit this site and spent enough time here to carve these images.

Time was running short, so we headed for Vernal.  There is no doubt we will return someday for some in-depth exploration.

Gavin met us at the hotel after work and showed us around before it got dark.  Our first stop was an ridge overlooking the valley where he lives.  Good thing we had a 4-wheel drive vehicle.  Next was a quick visit to his friend who had built a cabin and was right in the middle of a kitchen addition.  The structure sort-of reminded us our our friends Doug and Karen in Southern California.  Our final stop was Gavin’s house.  Discussing the details someone’s home is way beyond the scope of this triplog.  However, I will share that Gavin lives in the Man-Zone.  A bachelor definitely lives here.  The first clue is the china cabinet he uses as a cigar humidor.

Over a steak dinner at one of the local eateries, we talked about our travels while Gavin talked about living in Vernal.  Before separating for the evening, we made plans for the following day.

By the time we went to bed, we were dead-tired.  It was one more interesting day on the Excellent Adventure.