March 24 - Tehachapi, CA

We chose the Harvest Host site, Dam Ranch to stay tonight. When we were driving to the location, we remembered we had stayed here once before. It’s amid horse farms and vegetable fields. Quiet spot but we are at 3,800 feet elevation so it got cold at night. 

Main reason we stayed here was to visit the Cesar Chavez National Monument for another stamp in my book. 

As I was driving through a steep canyon, I saw a sign for the Loop Train. Had to learn more so read their website. 

In the 1870’s the Southern Pacific Railroad Company wanted to connect its Central Valley lines with its Southern California lines. The only way to make this possible was for tracks to be laid east from Bakersfield over the Tehachapi Mountains into the Mojave Desert and back to Los Angeles. The need resulted in one of the greatest engineering feats of its time, the Tehachapi Loop. 

Once I arrived at the Cesar Chavez NM, I was amazed at the outdoor landscape. Beautiful native plants around a fountain. Very tranquil spot. 

Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, César E. Chávez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's first permanent agricultural union. His leadership brought sustained international attention to the plight of U.S. farm workers, and secured for them higher wages and safer working conditions. 

I also learned that Barack Obama was the president that  signed the order to create the National Monument in 2012. 

Tuesday we travel to our last campsite before we reach Nevada City. 

March 17-18 - Globe, AZ

The Globe City Park isn’t anything to write home about so I won’t say more about that, except they have a very clean laundry room. 

This area is also a huge copper mining plant. 

This “campground” is in the historic part of town. It’s also close to the Tonto National Monument which is where we drove today to get my stamp. Loved the park. It is a dog friendly park, so Banjo and Lenny were able to hike to the ruins and became Bark Tanger dogs. 

Tonto National Monument preserves the homes of the Salado Culture from 1250-1450. The people were farmers, foragers and craftsmen. As you can see we are in saguaro country. 

After visiting the ruins, we drove to Roosevelt Lake to check out the camping for the next time we are here. We really enjoy this part of Arizona. 

After lunch we decided to see what Stairazona was. The town of Globe is built on hillsides. The steep streets put Bellefonte streets to shame. The Stairazona are sets of stairs that take you through some of the historic parts of the town. Their local artists made it fun to climb all those stairs. 

With the walk to the ruins and these stairs, we got our 10,000 steps in today. 

Sunset was pretty. 

Next up is a drive to Quartzsite, AZ to watch the NCAA Wrestling Championships. 

Marc 16 - Salinas Pueblo Mission and Socorro, NM

On 2-lane roads, we traveled to tiger Salinas Pueblo Mission National Monument for a stamp in my Passport book 

At its peak, the Pueblo was home to 1,500-3,000 eastern Tompiro/Jumano people. Plains people directly interacted and traded with the Pueblo people. It was a hub of cultures gathering in those times. 

Back on the road to our Box Canyon boondocking site in Socorro. A walk around, we see lots of cholla cacti. 

From a top the hill, can you see Belle?  


Views are beautiful here. 

July 8 - Potosi Brewery - Potosi, WI

I said it before that the Passport America book has led us to some interesting and educational places. Today, we stopped at Effigy Mounds on the border of Iowa and Wisconsin. The mounds are sacred burial grounds for indigenous peoples. Several of the mounds are in the shape of animals. 

Along with our Passport America book, we also use Harvest Hosts to find new places. Tonight we are staying at Potosi Brewery in Potosi, WI. Potosi is another small town but the brewery area is huge. It’s been in operation since 1892. We enjoyed their beer and filled up a growler. 

Another great Harvest Host we would come back to if/when we are in the area again. However, we’ve decided we won’t come this way at this time of the year again because the mosquitoes seem to really like us!!

July 7 - Lake Park, IA - Silver Lake Campground

Another Passport America stop at Pipestone National Monument in Pipestone, MN. Another great spot to learn about the indigenous people who dug red rock in quarries to make pipes used in prayer and ceremony. This tradition continues today.

While we were there, they had people demonstrating how the indigenous people used the tools to make their pipes. 

This is an example of a quarry with the red rock

A great stop but had to get on our way to our campground in Lake Park, IA, Silver Lake Campground. It’s a city park in the middle of town right on Silver Lake. They’ve had torrential rains here last week. You can tell because the ground is soft where we needed to drive to our site. 

There were white pelicans on the lake. 

While we were here Shan sent us a pic of Arlo beating the heat. It’s around 100 degrees in Nevada City!!

Our temperatures have been in the 70s, low 80s and cools off at night. 

Sunset over the lake was pretty. 

August 8 - Devils Postpile National Monument

Todays adventure took us to Devils Postpile National Monument, a cliff of dark columnar basalt that was created by a lava flow thousands of years ago. 

We continued on the trail to see the Mineret Falls. There was a pack of us, Shan, Carl, Arlo, Bandit and Jax, Drew with the corgis, Andrea, and us. 

Forging a few streams kept the dogs hydrated. 

Lots of water coming over the falls. 

Carl, Arlo and Shan

Lunch back at the trailhead. 

July 15 - Riggins, ID - Nez Perce National Monument

It’s been quite hot here in Spokane Washington but cools down at night. It’s nice to have our coffee outside in the cool but sunny weather. 

Today we are sliding back into Idaho for a tad so we can visit the Nez Perce National Monument. Overnighting in Riggins, ID. 

Before leaving, Bill made us smoothies for breakfast. Since we don’t often have electricity, I bought a rechargeable blender. Has worked great.  

As we were pulling out of the Funny Farm, we saw bicyclists coming toward us. Guess who … Bill and Emily Gillis. They are part of a group who were taking a 40 mile bike ride today. 

We’ve been reading about the Nez Perce culture so we decided to visit the National Park. 

On our way there, we drove through southeast Washington into Idaho through the Palouse Valley on their scenic byway. There were acres and acres of wheat fields, some of the most productive farmland in the nation. They also grow 30% of the nation’s lentils. Beautiful drive. 

As we drove through the Nez Perce National Park, there were many places to stop and read about their culture. The Visitor’s Center helped us understand a little better about their life. 

As we arrived at our campground for the night, the temperature was 100 degrees. Glad we have air conditioning tonight. We are parked right along the Salmon River in Riggins, Idaho. The town population is 400 and they have a high school. 

Haven’t decided where or what we are doing tomorrow. Check back. 

June 11 - Painted Hills

Our last day around John Day Fossil Beds National Monument we drove to the Painted Hills unit to see colorful landscapes. Several short hikes showed us why they call this the Painted Hills. The drive to see them gave us a hint of what we would see when we hiked. 

The view from the Painted Hills Overlook Trail

The wild flowers were in bloom. 

Unfortunately the pictures just don’t capture the beauty of these hills. You’ll just have to visit them for yourselves. 

These pictures are from the Painted Cove Trail. 

 

From Wikipedia: The layers of color for which the site is named can be traced back to cycling periods of wet and dry climate conditions associated with the transition from the Eocene epoch to the cooler, more temperate Oligoceneepoch. The different layers of colors are due to the soil being composed of a combination of mudstone, siltstone, shaleand lignite.

On the way back to the motorhome, we stopped at our favorite brewery … the ONLY brewery in 45 miles. They had blueberry cider and some good IPAs. 

After we got back from the Painted Hills and the Brewery, my day was made even better with a FaceTime call with Arlo. He was all smiles and coos (except for the shot I got). But I think he recognized my voice. That’s what I’m telling myself. 

Tomorrow we visit a Harvest Host Lavender Farm.