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Laura-n-Sasha 3.2

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.
 

July 2011: At Grand Canyon National Park

So anyway, here is what was happening in July:

Happy Fourth of July, I worked on this day. But that is good, as I am not on salary, but hourly. Therefore I get double time for working on a holiday. Yay for me!

So we went into Flagstaff on July 5th, headed down first to Wupaki National Monument, and boy, was it hot!

We went to Wupaki National Monument, watched a Ranger-led program, saw some amazing ruins (that were more built up than here at Grand Canyon and used different materials) and drove through to Sunset Crater. We took lots of pictures, we always do, and I can finally get them up.

Pictures of Wupaki National Monument
Picture Explanation Options
Map

So we are in the Monsoon Season, you can tell because there are clouds behind me here.

 

 

 

 

Map Box Canyon Ruins coming up!

 

Map Do not go in Sasha!

Map

Map Collared Lizard, POSING For the picture! Not really but it was kind of interesting to see him just standing there for everyone to take his picture. Map
Map Lots of rooms here!  
Map Where I was standing was a garbage heap once.  
Then we went over to Sunset Crater. We had been there before, but this time we looked at where the people working there would live. And we found the sites for those who had RVs. Unfortunately, it is the case of the small RV. If you have a small RV, you know, 24 foot or a class A type RV, you would be able to get in, but the rest of us, who actually LIVE in our RVs, well, not to good for you.
Map

So this was on the way to Flagstaff, we took the road between Sunset and Wupaki. Beautiful road.

Please click on the info button to go to the page for the Sunset Crater, and click on the Map button. It is pretty cool!

Went to Granny's Closet for dinner, Tasty food, good drinks, excellent burgers, good salad bar but only OK steak. Probably could have just gone with a baked potato and the salad bar. It had been so long since I had a steak, I was hoping it would be good. But it really was not. Too bad, probably will not have steak again for a while.

One of the things that I dislike, is when waiters try to take away your plate or glass before you are ready. It was almost as though he was rushing us along, yet that lunch/dinner we had was relatively expensive. I just do not like to be rushed.

Map No water! Lake Mary and Mormon Lake - wow, very low. Picture taken the next day, July 6th as we were checking out the area southeast of Flagstaff.
Map

an observatory not accessible to anyone. South of Flagstaff, supposedly by USGS. It is called Perkins Telescope on the map but then says NPOI. Lots of large telescopes but all with barbed wire fence around them.

And trees that are not trees! Because they are too green?

Map
Map Very low water here. But behind this wall is where we had a picnic lunch. We tried having lunch on a Forest Service land. Where they would have actual picnic tables.

But it seems even for day us, the National Park pass does not work. But it can work for the Senior pass, just not the rest of us. This does not make any sense to us. And is totally annoying. I am not going to pay for a Forest Service pass! That is crazy.

Pinegrove: NO Picnicing allowed. NPS Volunteer Pass does not work. $18 a DAY, $3 showers, $5 dump. Huge Host sites. But they do not work for FS, they work for a contractor instead. Sigh...

Map Map

Black clouds coming in, but we went for a short hike up the mountain. Cooler climes for sure. I like when you go up first, then come down on the way out. But you can not do that in the Canyon. This was the hike up Mormon Mountain. You can't see the lake.

We hiked 3.41 miles. Not much, but good elevations. You see this sort of smile on my face? I was having bug problems. They seemed to like me more than Sasha. Not pleasant for sure. It took us 1.5 hours up, but only 0.5 hours down.

July 6th: Some observations: Sunset Crater has 4 sites for RVs, one site has building materials on it (which is the best size for our rig) and the other three are small with trees surrounding the sites. Would be hard to get in.

The Forest Service Campground is right near the Sunset one, and had nice sites. Two host sites with full hook-ups.

We went to the Farmer's Market, but as it was the first day this season, it was not that great. As much as I would like to get groceries at a Farmer's Market, we were not going back until tomorrow, and there was not very much to the market. Too bad, but maybe we will go when it is more, in swing.

We went to Beaver Street Brewery. Sasha had an excellent meal of ribs and beer, but I was not as hungry, so I thought I would try their pretzels with dip. Man, what a mistake! They were like bagels, not pretzels. I might be a pretzel snob, but they are supposed to be brown and WITH SALT! These were like a pasty version of that. Even with beer they were not good. But the server was nice and there was a gentleman there that we talked to as well.

July 7th: Starting the Monsoon season, rain any time between 11 am and 11 pm. At least it is good for my plants! Got a great amount done to our website, lots of uploading of pages. I want to have 2011 pictures completed by the time July is over....I think I can, I think I Can!

 

A little scare, but not to us...

..

..

Yvonne Jevtich Batal
U and Laura OK? heard about a Bear attack near you 2...Pls contact us

Bill Banner ‎.......bears near you???.....You have the right to "bear" arms. !!!:))

Sam Lish I can't "bear" that!

Sam Lish I understand the wife was "bearly" malled as well!

Ellen Harris Yellowstone Y
Me: No, this was in Yellowstone, which is in WY. NOT Grand Canyon - it appears right now that the man died. He surprised a mama bear with her cubs, and the bear did what is natural, she defended her cubs. They do not know if they had bear spray on them, which might have saved the man.

Me: We are still in Flagstaff, our last day of our weekend, going to go to a late breakfast, and then go shopping. We had fun and also went hiking, but no major animals around us, just lots of birds and bugs.

Sasha Jevtich No grizzly's in the Grand Canyon. That attack was in Yellowstone, about 750 miles north. Thanks for thinking of us though!

Sasha Jevtich We do have mountain lions however. Pretty rare to see one and if you do, my understanding is they are not interested in humans. There are too many elk and deer here to keep them fed and happy!

Yvonne Jevtich Batal Great.. Thx for getting back to me
I know you had gotten away from Grand Canyon, and were exploring other areas so I was afraid u were there
Phewwww
XO. Y

Sasha Jevtich We were just playing and exploring around the Flagstaff area. Took a 3 day, 2 night mini vacation. Did not tent camp as all week long we have thunderstorms in the area. Did 2 nights in a notel motel. Ate out a lot. Brewpubs in Flagstaff are AWESOME. Now we hit Sams Club and Farmers Market for grocery shopping. Then home tonight.

Sasha Jevtich No Costcos in Flagstaff :<(, closest ones are south towards Phoenix metro. Sams is the next best thing...


July 9th: Laura, the Sky Ranger in action. Her high power (100mW) green laser is shown during the recent Star Viewing party at the Grand Canyon. It is a YouTube video, but you might be able to see my green laser pointer while viewing it.

July 13th: Not raining today, only a high of 79 degrees and blue blue skies. A few puffy clouds but nothing to worry about. And that will be true for the next couple of days too. Ahh, the weekend for me!

July 14th: We went on the Red Line Shuttle in the Village, and took a couple of Pictures:

Pictures of The Red Line
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Map

Hermit Road

 

 

 

 

Map Some places have a railing but not all do! We will be going back, as the part we went on, most of it was paved!

 

Map The shadows are amazing here.

Map

Map Any of my Environmental Friends seeing this? A clean-up site. Right here in Grand Canyon. Sigh... it is a mining site ===>>> Map
Map Close to the edge...But blue, blue sky!  
Map Beautifully artistic shots
Map Beautifully artistic shots
Map Beautifully artistic shots - LOVE LOVE LOVE this one. The sun is setting behind us, and an almost full moon is in front of us. The exposure time is longer, that is why it is grainy.

 

Nighty night, we are going to try to have a bit of noise in the background while we sleep - Waves crashing on the shore. A $2 app for our iTouch. I will let you know how it worked tomorrow morning. Well, not so good, Sasha tried going without earplugs, but I did not. He says I snore and I believe him. While he snores louder than me, the white noise did nothing! Sasha: Both of us snore. First person to sleep wins. Not enough "juice" unfortunately to overcome snoring. At least with the "Ocean Waves" setting. Foam ear plugs staying in....

July 15th: Sasha went on a hike to Cedar Mountain, the first one this year. Supposedly, there used to be a road, but he said there would be NO WAY that he would take his motorcycle down it, as it is more a hiking path now. So there are a few pictures. I will not be putting GPS on these as the trail goes right past most of the houses here. It is a special place, if you work here, you will find it.

Pictures of Cedar Mountain
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Map

The elusive Mountain.

 

 

 

 

Map Closer...

Map

Map The Edge...

Map

Map The Watchtower!
Map Close to the edge...But blue, blue sky! Map
Map   Map
Map You see it don't you?
Map OK, I'll help you find it!  

 

July 21st: At Wildflower in Flagstaff for lunch with Sasha, as a pre-birthday lunch. He will then go grocery shopping while I work on the website and apply for winter jobs.

July 22nd: Happy Birthday to the most wonderful man in my universe, who rocks my world, who makes me laugh and think. I hope you have a fabulous day, maybe working on your moto so that we can go riding again. LOVE you so much, my most excellent adventurer and husband. (He was working on his moto that day, and I had an evening program.)

Also: To all the ones who love dark night skies, I got into a program with Astronomy From the Ground Up to learn how to use telescopes and other cool instruments in Acadia National Park on September 25 through the 29th. I only have to pay for my flight, everything else is paid for through AFGU. A big honor for sure.

July 23rd: I had another evening program and this time Sasha and Lauren (a co-worker of mine) went to it. Lauren even got into the game, volunteering to play "the river that runs through it" with a couple of other people. It was a great program. Sasha took pictures but I have not gotten them from him. I plan on having this program video-logged so that I can send it to Interpretative Development Program (IDP) for a certification. It will help me get further in my career.

Please check out the next couple of pages of July: Laura's Evening Program and Taking a Ride 7-11.

SO do you think it is possible that I will actually get to work on July's page before July is over - I'm making bets on it! Anyone want to take me up on it? Too Late, I finished July...Well, the month is not totally gone yet, but you are more than welcome to check out the Expenses for July. We are not planning anymore expenses if we can help it!

July 31: Of to work, Sasha too, and hopefully no rain until after my program.

Check out Next Month: August for Pictures and Expenses for August.