May 10-11 - leaving California

We made a change of plans. We were going to Carlsbad Caverns, but decided it would be too hot to boondock. So we headed north east from JTree to BLM land in Flagstaff, AZ. 

The landscape and the temperature changed from high desert to mountains and 70 degrees. 

This is still desert

Trees and mountains started to appear. 

We arrived at Cinder Hill OVH land. This is a great place to bring your ATV to explore. It’s part of the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. This crater erupted years ago in 1085 leaving a mountain cone of cinders. The land around where we camped was mainly cinders. Lenny didn’t like walking on it so we didn’t get too much hiking done. 

From Flagstaff, AZ, we motored up the road to Mesa Verde on Route 89. Lots and lots of red rocks. Drove through Native American lands. Four Corners, where you can stand in the corners of Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico was closed because the Native Americans have been hit hard with COVID. 

Good thing his paw isn’t bigger or he might have honked the horn. 

We ended up in BLM land outside the entrance to Mesa Verde. This is our view. 

Unloaded the car and drove to Cortez, largest, closest town. Well what do you know, there was a nice quilt shop to visit!

After some quilt shopping, I found a hike in the Hawkins Preserve, part of the Cortez Cultural Center. 

This is a claetcup cactus. 


Bill is looking over a small canyon that has been burned. Not sure if it was a control burn or not. 

Back to the RV for cast iron pizzas. Sat outside for awhile. Nice evening but supposed to drop in the 30s.