A descriptive look at traveling and full-timing with our second RV, a fifth wheel toyhauler.
Laura and Sasha started this adventure in April of 2005
for a two week vacation in a truck camper.
April 2011: Enroute to THE Grand Canyon
So first we were in Canyonlands National Park (for most of the month) but I had gotten word from Grand Canyon NP, Desert View that they wanted me in March. But there is always paperwork, and it sometimes takes a while, especially when the person doing the paperwork gets sick and "forgets" to pass it along to someone else. So it took a while. But that turned out to be OK, as Canyonlands really needed me too. You see, March and April are Canyonlands busiest months, so the longer I could stay there, the better. But I wanted to make sure that I was in Grand Canyon by May 1st, as they would be having training, and I wanted to be a part of it.
So We were going to head out to Grand Canyon, and I decided that a new page needs to be put in...Enroute To THE Grand Canyon.
April 22nd: On the road again, this time to GRAND Canyon National Park! We got there in a day and a half, will have some pictures soon of the places we saw.
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So again, we did not take pictures of us pulling out, just getting to our first destination. However, some of these pictures do have GPS! SO I have put them in. It makes it easier later on to put them into the website. This is at Twin Rocks Trading Post and Cafe. We had Dinner here. AND they had no problem with us staying over in their parking lot! NICE! |
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Click on the pictures to see the larger view Llamas ========> |
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The long endless road! And for our Canyonlands friends==> |
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Red Rocks but also water, however, it looks a little low. I could be wrong on that. We are now in Navajo Nation ==>> |
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Really is the endless road, but it takes you to Monument Valley, where all the western movies took place. | |
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Pretty good shot here at Navajo Nation, I think this is the Rooster butte, but I am not quite sure. Red Red Rocks though, how can anything grow? |  |
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I believe this is Shiprock, but again, not sure. It almost looks omnious, with the dark clouds in the background. | |
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We got to Grand Canyon National Park on April 23rd at 2 pm. We would have to find my boss to figure out where we were going to be for the season. | As it turns out, the spot that they wanted us to be in was WAY too small. So we were able to get another spot instead. While we would have to deal with winds, we had no neighbors on either side of us so that was good. |
So I had basically one day to figure out where I was going to work and what the ride would be like. SO Sasha and I took a ride on April 24th to check out some of the viewpoints and here are a couple of shots:
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April 25th: I start work...
April 27th: So Sasha went off on his own while I was working. He took a ton of pictures of the Grand Canyon. But really the pictures do not do justice to what you can see with your own eyes. So I am only putting up a couple of pictures. Unfortunately, Sasha is not in any of them.
April 29th: Sasha just got a job with the Grand Canyon Association. he will be working at the Desert View Visitor Center, full time at first, then maybe part time later in the season to allow him more play time. (Maybe!) Also, we had a couple of comments from friends on Facebook including this one:
Sally Owen: I'm curious, Sasha, about how it is that you and your wife are doing so much travelling. I'm gathering that you travel to places you want to see and spend time and work as needed. I have loved all the great photos you have shared and greatly enjoyed your stories. If that's what your doing...what a super cool way to live!!! I would spend most of my time in the southwest, as you have.
Sasha: Thanks for the kind words.
How do we do it? Well, for one, we don't have to keep and maintain a house as we sold it 5/07. And we have a reasonable amount of savings. And we don't have kids. Add up these 3 things, you can have a lot of freedom to do what you want. More details on my part of the web site.
I have volunteered with the NPS in every park Laura has worked at to date, but this is will be my first paying job since "retiring" 4/09. Our general modus operandi has been for Laura to work as a seasonal NPS Park Ranger at various National parks April-Sept. I volunteer which sometimes gets us our RV site rent comped.
During winters we tend to go to warm places. The last 2 of which we both volunteered at Lake Mead NRA, just outside Las Vegas. It's a great place to winter.
In between these 2 general seasons we try to visit family and friends. And get doctor and dentist visits. Of course, sometimes family and friends come to visit us........
It is our shared hope to live, work and volunteer in every National Park of any significance. We expect to be doing this for a long time. This is not a temporary thing with us.
Me: Well, as there are 394 National Park Service sites, I think we will not be going to all of them. However, there are 58 with the words National Park in their title...That might be a little more doable.
then:
William James: Now I'm confused....thought you were starting a season in canyonlands!
Me: Well, I DID start the season in Canyonlands, but I got an offer from the Grand Canyon in March....It just took them almost a month to get the paperwork figured out. While it is the same GS level, I went from a Park Guide to a Park Ranger Interpretation. For most people, that does not mean anything, but for those of us in the know, it is something. I will be doing 4 programs, mostly about the prehistory here at Desert View.
Me: Let's just say that most of my programs will be WAY different than what I have done before, and I am learning much more about anthropology and archeology.
Sasha Jevtich Yeah, I was all psyched for a 2nd Canyonlands season. We were there a week and just got settled in and Laura got the offer from Grand Canyon NP. We thought it over and Laura's Canyonlands supervisor was totally cool and supportive of it.
So here we are, in one of the world's most spectacular places.
William James Nice well congrats to both of you and also with you finding a job n the fly Sash....that was fortunate!
Sasha Jevtich: Laura's new Grand Canyon supervisor got me the job referral, not too shabby huh?
If you want to go back to the beginning of April click on the link. You can also check out our expenses for April
Check out Next Month: May for pictures and Expenses of May