A little different perspective on the quality debate that seems to have infected the rv world over the last few years. I personally look at things from a different lens being that I have a background in Submarine Nuclear and Non-Nuclear Quality Assurance, where proper manufacturing and assembly are paramount to the success of ships operation and mission, while protecting the humans that live and work on board. Do i believe that a higher standard needs to be had in the rv industry absolutely, but i also believe that after taking 14 rv manufacturing factory tours, that they are putting in the effort (even though most end users don't think so) to ensure a quality product is put out. Recently a former fulltime RV couple who i have followed for over 10 yrs, the Wynns, who have gone from RV's to Sail Boat's just purchased a $1.6 million dollar custom boat, and in this vlog they speak of the quality issues that they are going through as they continue their cruising around the world. Trust me i'm not trying to call anyone person or company out, i just hope to expand some thinking on the subject when the proverbial "issue(s)" comes up in your rig possibly.
Q24 RV Rally and Meetup
Welcome to the crazy
January 19th to the 29th will be the annual meetup of content creators. This meet up started in 2020 right before covid as a very informal gathering of creators who invited friends along for the festivities. That first meetup and subsequent meetups that have followed have been nothing short of amazing, and this years version should be nothing less than amazing as well.
This year has taken on a little more organization with the amazing work of Greg and Penny Cameron who just happen to live in Q, so they have step into the dare i say logistical position, but really i have no idea how we were blessed that they chose this group, because we would be completely lost without their guidance and can do spirit for all things gathering.
This year will have a few organized events i.e. River Paddling, Side by Side trail riding, Cooking class’s, Electronic Power Bank building class’s and a few more items, that will go with the always desired potlucks and the very enthusiastic evening campfires.
If you have not made it to Quartzsite to attend one of our events, you are missing out on a great opportunity to meet new friends, who will become family, and to experience the many sides of the nomadic community.
This year we will have every type of livable vehicle represented so it should be a great time. Looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new. Hope to see you there.
Traveling to Texas
We left southern California, Santee Lakes Regional Reserve where we cabin host heading to Irwing, Texas today. Travel days for us are what its about, we love the journey hence or name Living Our Journey 365. For this trip we are taking a lazy 8 days to get there. Along the way we will have various stops at campgrounds, rv parks, fairgrounds, state parks, national parks and harvest hosts with a little bit of boondocking thrown in as well. To say we like a variety of places to stay is an understatement, we are not glampers by any stretch of the imagination we don’t gravel, dirt, or grass actually we prefer it most of the time. Over the next couple of weeks i will be posting some of the stay’s we have so i can give you guys an idea of what’s out there when you start your journey, hopefully you will follow along with us.
Our Stay on The Bay in San Diego, California
Our Recent Stay in Point Loma, California
We are taking a long weekend off and just hanging out in our favorite spot on San Diego bay front. The Point Loma Annex Bay View RV Park is so convenient and chill it just calls us. This campground is dry camping only (no electrical, water or sewer). Its just a place to park and enjoy the bay views which we don't mind at all. Since we have the ability to provide our own power 2000 watts of solar panel's and 800 amp hours of lithium battery storage we just park it and enjoy. If you have a kayak or paddle board this is your spot since it has its own marina and shoreline access. If you have military base access and you have an rv and your in the area stop by and check it out, its not for everyone since it doesn't have resort amenities, but it does have a shower room, and there is laundry facilities near by as well.
.
Bayview Campgound Point Loma, San Diego
Harvest Host Boondocking at Nelson Family Vineyard
Harvest Host Boondocking at Nelson Family Vineyard
Second stop on the Spring Fling Tour: Winslow, Arizona "Take It Easy"
As we continue on up the road to our first destination on this “season” of travel we make a stop in Winslow, Arizona. This is the second time we have visited Winslow during out travels, we stopped here to “Stand On The Corner in Winslow, Arizona” the famous song by the music group the Eagles. That stop was a day trip as we were staying in Flagstaff at the time. This time we are staying the night in Winslow as we pass through heading over to Albuquerque, New Mexico which is a visit that i share in the next update. So since we have visited Winslow before, we decided to just grab something to eat at the local brewery and also visit a couple of memorials which we had no idea were in Winslow. We stayed at a little family owned campground called Take It Easy RV Park, this is not a place to stop if you looking for a resort feel because it is not. This was though a great place to stop for a night or two if your passing through or just want to rest for a couple of days, we don’t mind places like this for the night since they are not that expensive and put us close to things we want to do so it makes sense to us, but most would just drive right past. With that it served its purpose for us. Stops like this to cool little towns or cities during our travels are always fun and interesting because we love to explore and find new things. So after a great evening in Winslow we headed out to New Mexico to visit someone one that I haven’t seen in over 20 years when we were brothers in the Navy.
First stop on the Spring Fling Tour : Sonoran Desert RV Park
The Sonoran Desert RV Park over the past few years has become one of our favorite stops weather we are going out or come in to California. When we are passing through Arizona on our way to other parts of the country or coming back to California from our travels one of our favorite places to stop is Sonoran Desert RV Park. This is our first stop, it gives me a chance to check the rig before we head to parts unknown. This park is located in Gila Bend, Arizona. It has all the amenities that you could want. Its also located very conveniently off HWY 8 and Interstate 10. So if you are driving through Gila Bend and need a nice park to hand out for a few days this is a great stop over.
The next few post will be of the stops that we made on our way to South Dakota where we will officially become South Dakota residence.
Something Has Changed!
Five years ago, we embarked on this Journey. We decided at that time to move into our 4-month-old still new smelling Forest River Sabre 5th wheel. Our Sabre was perfect for what we were doing at the time. We were camping almost every weekend and even taking extended trips in comfort and style. Since we were so new to lifestyle, we decided to continue our travels with Little Mama (our Sabre) until we decided to upgrade at a much later date. Well, we took that and ran well drove with it, over the next 5 years we traveled well over 25K miles through California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Idaho, and Wyoming. We visited 6 National Parks and over 10 National Monuments. We visited family and friends and some amazing sites in-between it all, but as things begin, they also come to an end. We always discuss upgrading when we see a new 5th wheel we like, and with me being a You tube junkie who watches as many vlogs as possible, and comparison vlogs with the new rigs that are hitting the market every year, it, was inevitable that we would come across something that put that want and desire into hyper mode. Well for us it started with the introduction of the Keystone Arcadia. We watched as many reviews as we could and did as much research into that rig as I could. We were convinced that would be our next rig, but first we needed to walk into one. While searching for a dealer to do a walkthrough of the Arcadia we came across a new 5th wheel the Alliance Avenue. As we looked into the Avenue it appeared at first glance that it met all the points that we were looking for in a new rig. We really thought that we would have to settle because all we heard is that you will never find one that meets all your wants. Well the Alliance Avenue on paper met all of our wants, needs and desires, so now we had two rv’s that we needed walk-through and now compare. So, anyway I finally found a dealer that had the Keystone Arcadia on the lot so we decided to go check it out. So, we drove an hour and a half to the dealer, met up with the salesperson I had corresponded with and started walking out to see the Arcadia. During that short walk, the salesman asked if we were looking at any other 5th wheels so i told him yes, we had two others that we were interested in the Rockwood 2899KS , and the Alliance Avenue 32RLS, to our surprise he said well, we have all three on the lot. This was like a dream come true, when have you been able to see, besides a show, three rv’s from different manufacturers on the same lot right next to each other. So, we get to the Arcadia first and after much interest we walked in and was immediately let down, it just didn’t feel right for one, but as we walked through it, it just didn’t seem comfortable at all especially since this i was going to be our fulltime home. We walked out of the Arcadia very disappointed, we really thought that would be the one. So, from there we walked to the Alliance Avenue and from first glance it just felt different, every aspect from the outside was on point, i just felt put together well so from disappointment of the Arcadia we had really high hopes for the Avenue especially since we already felt on paper it was a good fit for us. Well, the salesman opened the door and from outside looking in, it just felt different, I walked in and felt like I had been there before. This rig really felt more like a home than an rv. So the more i walked and looked and explored the more i fell in love with the Alliance. It truly met all of my wants and needs. The home feel was a bonus, but the fit and finish was the deal sealer. It looked good, felt good and made us feel like we were at home, we had found our new home on wheels. Yes, we did look at the Rockwood, but it felt a lot like the Arcadia, it was different, but it felt like a rv unlike the Alliance. So, as you can tell I’m sure by now we did purchase the Alliance Avenue 32RLS and couldn’t be happier. We picked Big Momma up on the 4th of March 2022 and I have been getting her ready for our first long run at the end of May through June as we head north to Montana and Glacier National Park. We couldn’t be happier with our Alliance; I would buy this rig repeatedly again. It is truly a home on wheels, we will soon find out how she travels, and i expect she will perform as advertised. Stay tuned for more about the upgrades and add on’s as we prepare for her maiden voyage.
Keystone Arcadia 3250RL
Rockwood 2899KS
Alliance Avenue 32RLS
Grand Adventure Meetup, Quartzsite, Arizona 2022
Quartzsite, Arizona 2022
When we started this fulltime adventure, we never in a million years would have imagined that we would meet other likeminded individuals. Well not only did we meet some, but we continue to meet these amazing humans at almost every stop we make during our travels. One of the places that we have meet some of these amazing humans is in Quartzsite, Arizona. When we started our travels, we always heard that going to Quartzsite was a one and done deal. Others would say once you go there you will never need to return. Well for us that couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only have we comeback repeatedly, but we plan our winter travels to include a few weeks if we can work it into our schedule or at a minimum a few days, but we always return. The reason why is we love the desert vibe, its wild nature lends itself to its serene and tranquil atmosphere which continues to draw us back each year. Even though Quartzsite in January is anything but tranquil or peaceful around the Big Tent event, the boondocking spots away from the Big Tent are amazing. Also, it’s the humans that we have met there also. We have met some of the most wonderful people who have become long and fast friends and some have become family. So, if you ask me why I insist on going to Quartzsite each year those are some of the reasons and this year was no different. Winter 2022 launched new friendships, rekindle some old ones and did bring together kindred spirits.
This winter 2022 was special, this year as with other years we were able to meet more new humans than before. Besides the always boisterous and cheery Papa Drew from Papa Drews Rv, This year I was able to finally meet James Rennick from the YouTube channel Camper Sized Living (check them out please, great travel family). James is a family man of faith who has a heart of gold and will of iron. James and I have shared a few moments through Facebook, but this winter in Quartzsite brought us together and I am a better man for it. James, I want to thank you your amazing wife Kimberly and Ms. Autumn for your kindness. We look forward to our paths crossing in the future. I also got a chance to finally meet Marc Guido from Grand Adventure on YouTube (if you haven’t caught his vlogs, please check him out for his travel vlogs) who I have been a fan of his vlogging style for a couple of years now. Marc his wife Patricia and Zoe travel fulltime as well, and truly have some Grand Adventures. Even though I had never met James and Marc, the first meeting with both was as comfortable as putting on your favorite coat. The meetup next year looks like it’s going to amazing, so if you’re in the area reach out and check it out. I also want to give a shoutout to all the other nomads who made their way to the desert some specifically to hangout with us and some who just happened to get sucked into the fray of all the crazy that was.
Also during this time, the area in and around Quartzsite there were so many things going on, this year was the return of in per RTR (Rubber Tramp Rendezvous), also Skooliepalooza was full on. Quartzsite proper also has so many other events going on during the month of January that just adds to the interest of this place in the desert. In January there is the Rock and Gem show, The Big Tent sale, the many vendors surrounding the Big Tent, also the RV sale again located around the Big Tent. There are always many trails that go through the desert and surrounding areas for the side by sides and 4 wheelers so there are things to do here, these things may not be your cup of tea, but they are things to do. Also, there are many gatherings in and around Quartzsite, from RV manufacturing groups, camping in general groups, tenting, boondocking, survivalist and even nudist have areas in the desert so there is something for everyone, I’m sure.
As usual we had an amazing time in the desert, of course we will return if we can next winter with more fun, more adventure and more amazing meet ups. So until next year, safe travels and happy adventuring.
Inspections: Why do you need one and who should you go to.
The only way to mitigate some of the major issues is to get ANY rv new or used your considering buying professionally inspected not by the dealer PDI inspections, but by a Certified inspector by NRVIA.com. That inspector will find all those small things that you never will and then put repairs back on the seller before you purchase it. That inspection gets you over the first year or more hurdle. We have to start holding the dealers responsible for the rvs they are selling. The issues we are seeing as a buyer come from delivery and the dealer 70-80% of the time. We as a consumer have to get smarter at this, and this is one of the first most important steps.
A wonderful stop at Hanger 25
HarvestHost
As we go from destination to destination one of the the reoccurring things is to find safe and interesting places to stay, and Hanger 25 fit that to a T.
If your sitting there reading this and wondering what the hell is Harvest Host and what does it have to do with Hanger 25, well let me explain. First off Harvest Host is an amazing program that utilizes local business i.e. Farms, Wineries, Museums, Golf courses and other business in a given area. These business have teamed up with Harvest Host to provide safe places for travels to stop for the night and rest, but also allows the businesses to be supported as well by the travelers. It is such an amazing program for the cost it really can’t be beat. If you are interested please click on the link and join, with my link you will save 20% 0n your initial membership with Harvest Host.
So now that you know what Harvest Host is let me get you caught up on Hanger 25 a wonderful Harvest Host stop.
Hanger 25 which is located in the city of Big Springs, Texas. Hangar 25 Air Museum is housed in a fully restored WWII era hangar. The mission of Hangar 25 Air Museum is to promote education through the collection, preservation and exhibition of the history of the Big Spring Army Air Force Bombardier School and Webb Air Force Base while honoring all veterans, past and present.
How did we end up here, well it was pretty simple, a couple of years ago i was watching a YouTube vlog of couple of full-timers who were traveling through Texas and needed an overnight stop, so they looked for a Harvest Host and Hanger 25 was that stop for the night. They did a great vlog on the site and from that point on it had been on my radar. So fast forward to this winter as we were traveling to see our son who moved to Dallas , Texas, the route that we were taking from New Mexico to Dallas had us going right through Big Springs, Texas, and of course I made the decision to take our rest day at Hanger 25 and i’m really glad I did. For someone that is a fan of all things military and especially all things military that fly this just seemed like the perfect place for us to explore, and explore. They have some pretty amazing artifacts from the second world war and also some really cool training and experimental aircrafts which over the span of my life in one form or another I studied and was a fan boy of. From the museum had bombers, fighters and planes that accomplished reconnaissance for the United States to get the job done. One of the coolest parts of this base where the museum sits is that the base was used as the main training base for the bomber crew that dropped the bomb on Japan during WWII so there is some great history in this are. So if your traveling through the northern part of Texas and need a stop for the night, i would highly suggest a stop at this Harvest Host. Hanger 25 is pretty cool. As for RV parking there is enough parking for a few dozen RV’s onsite so that is never an issue. They do have water and there is power as well if you require electrical for the night. If you stop here make time to tour the museum you won’t regret it.
Runyan Petting Zoo and Road Stand
Runyan Roadside Stand and Petting Zoo, a little side of the road Americana.
Read moreHope, New Mexico - Finding A Lost City
Hope, New Mexico
One of the many fun things that we do when as we travel is stop at the usual scenic vista's or the landmarks that are scattered around this beautiful country of ours. One of the other things that we LOVE to do is stop at the less known, the forgotten or the just why is this place here spots. Well Hope, New Mexico was just one of those forgotten places that we happened upon as we driving from Carlsbad, New Mexico to Las Cruses, New Mexico. The cool thing about Hope is that it is not a city or a town, it is still classified as a village. a group of houses and associated buildings, larger than a hamlet and smaller than a town, situated in a rural area. We love traveling the backroads of when we can, and this one US 82 a two lane road that stretches between Carlsbad and Alamogordo, New Mexico. Hope is located in northwestern Eddy County at US 82 passes through the center of the village, leading east 20 miles (32 km) to Artesia and west 90 miles (140 km) over the Sacramento Mountains to Alamogordo.According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.22 square miles all land. Founded in 1884 as "Badgerville", the name was changed in 1890 for post office purposes. The town was featured in Life magazine on May 29, 1950, with an account of the newly elected Petticoat City Government under Mayor Ethel Altman. In the novel World War Z, the town is the site of the United States Army's first offensive battle against the zombie menace. So as your out there traveling with or without your RV take the time to explore, you never know what you might find interesting out on America's lost highways.
Holesinsky Harvest Host
Holesinsky Vineyard and Winery
Yesterday was a continuation of an amazing swing through the middle of the Western States to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National parks with many varied adventures and stops along the way. I planned this stop at Holesinsky Vineyard and Winery a Harvest Host venue simply because it was a great stopping point on a transition repositioning traverse. Well this stop became an unexpected gem of a stop for a few reasons that came to pass during this Harvest Host stay. We got there late in the afternoon and by the time we got there two of the eventual 4 other guests had already arrived and set up. So, we rolled to our spot and in typical LOJ fashion we managed to get a spot that gave us the best view of the valley behind us. Well as we were finishing up our setup the other two guest rolled in, quick introductions were made, and the venue greeter Billy the Labrador showed up and just made is self at home. I have to say Billy has become my favorite dog. I wish everyone could meet Billy. Following Billy and then getting final setups done and completed we gathered to walk up the hill to the Tasting Room. When we and two of the other couples got there, one of the other couples had completed their tasting and were headed back to their rig. So, Mama Tessie and I and the other two couples made ourselves comfortable with Caitlyn the Sommelier who was freakin awesome with a quick wit and able to easily roll with the crazy we brought with us. Caitlyn served and explained and bantered away as the group became more rambunctious as we continued to go through the awesome list of great wines available. A couple of hours passed, we got our bottles to take and souvenirs to remember our stay. We swerved back to the rigs and relaxed for a bit then gathered for a group chat, some went to other local events, some of us stayed and sat around the fire pit and chatted and others retired to their rigs. Those of us that stayed and chatted around the fire Jean Guy, and Carol Ann who are from Vancouver, Canada had some great conversation and general bonding. It was really a great time I think had by all. We also had a great time meeting and chatting it up with Mike and Kristin Logan who are local to Idaho and were visiting a Harvest Host for their first time. I really think this was one of the best Host experiences we have had. We really look for forward crossing paths again with these two couples, it really felt like we have been friends forever. Tessie and I really love this fulltime lifestyle, it affords us the opportunity like this one to meet others who are like minded and just simply enjoy life on our terms. We always look forward to the next stop, simply because you never know who you might meet and become friends with who will most likely become family for its all said and done!
Onward to Wyoming we go!
Grand Tetons
So, following Bryce Canyon National Park which we will definitely return to at some point
we rolled out on Monday morning and headed north to Wyoming. The plan was to continue to roll up HWY 15 into northern Utah and into and across the lower portion of Idaho. But had a change of plan and decided to make an in route stop in Salt Lake City.
We checked into the SLC Holiday KOA which was awesome for a stop to break up the miles before heading into Wyoming. We woke up early the next day and headed to Wyoming the drive through Idaho was pretty uneventful, the only issue we had which really wasn't much of one was the weather.
When we left Utah, it was in the high 70's, once we hit Idaho the temps drop to the low 50's with drizzle and rain and never rose above 55 the entire time we drove through Idaho to Wyoming. Our final destination was the Fireside Resort in Wilson, Wyoming just outside of Jackson Hole.
Wilson, which is the gateway to The Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone National Parks turned out to be a great little tourist town. Wilson is where all the local activity is located, they have really great restaurants and shopping with some great scenic places and a very unique history. We spent 4 days in which we explored the Grand Tetons and a small portion of Yellowstone National Park which is our further point on this run. While in the area we were able to not only explore Jackson Hole, but we were also able to see the historic Mormon Row, which has been on my list of places to see for a very, very long time. We also checked out Jenny Lake which we really wanted to explore, but we were not able to do because of the weather. The day we decided to checkout Jenny Lake was the worst weather day with 25 degree cold and rain. Even though the weather was horrid we still made it there for the experience. We will definitely explore more the next time we are here. The 1250-mile cruise up the Wyoming/Montana has been so much fun. This particular journey is not over yet, but if it did end right here it would provide years of memories to come.
Well enjoy the pictures of this stop and we will see you on the road at the next stop which will be Yellowstone! Thanks for following along on the journey with us we appreciate you being with us.
Bryce canyon National Park
When we left the last post we were heading out of the Las Vegas, Nevada area where we spent some quality time with family, visited 7 Magic Mountain's in the desert, boondocked at Red Rocks Canyon and drove the 13 mile loop around the Red Rocks Conservation Authority. From there we moved the rig over to Nellis Air Force Base for a few days at the Desert Eagle FamCamp which is one of our favorite places to hangout when we visit Vegas. After seeing of the Vegas Strip sites and relaxing for a day we headed out on the road to Utah to our next destination Bryce Canyon. The drive to Bryce from Las Vegas is only 4 hrs but we took an extra day to visit Salt Lake City in route. We stayed at SLC KOA which was pretty nice, but a bit pricey, but what can you expect for a decent campground in the middle of large city. Once setup we headed out to get some food, then drove around and saw some sites of the city. I might post those in a separate post. The next day we got up drove the rest of the way to Bryce Canyon Pines Campground. We got to the campground late in the afternoon a few hours before sunset, so we set up the rig, changed cloths and headed out the park for sunset. We got there about an hour before sunset, the campground is only 12 minutes away. We headed into the part to Inspiration Point where we were told the sunsets were pretty awesome and it was. We also got to see some wild life on the way which was pretty cool. I got some pretty good low light shots. One of these days i will invest in some filters, but overall i think the pictures turned out pretty well as you can see. That pretty much completed our arrival day. All of the pictures in this post were taken at or near Inspiration Point. I hope you enjoy these pictures, there will be follow up post so stay tuned for that.
Heading to Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park
As we continue our journey to Yellowstone or Bust, we leave Red Rock Canyon just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada we head north towards Utah and ultimately to Bryce Canyon.
Bryce Canyon has been on my places to see list as most National Parks are for a very long time. We chose to bypass Zion and head to Bryce because it is on our path to Wyoming and Yellowstone.
Anyway, we left Red Rocks Canyon campground, which was an awesome stay, and headed up Hwy 15 towards Utah. We traveled through some amazing scenic views once we hit Utah as you can see in a few of the pictures in this post. Once we crossed into Utah, we did a stop at the Utah visitor center which was really interesting. If you’re ever crossing into Utah from Nevada, make some time to check out the museum in the Visitor/Welcome Center you won’t be disappointed.
Once we left the Visitor Center, we headed to our overnight stop in Salt Lake City at the Journey KOA. I have to say I was very impressed with our first stay at a KOA after 4 yrs. of traveling. Even though it was a very short stay it gave us good feels and it’s a really good place to stop and visit the city. It’s a little pricy, but hey it’s a KOA so its expected. The short stay in SLC was pretty chill for the most part, we had dinner, drove around the city a little, made a stop at the State Capital building which was really cool before heading back to the KOA where we rested for the evening before we pushed our way up to Bryce Canyon. At some point I will post about the stop in Salt Lake City, we found a couple really interesting points of interest there.
We rolled out of Salt Lake City and headed to Bryce Canyon the next day. The drive to Bryce was pretty uneventful, but very scenic. We had our midpoint stop as usual at a truck rest area and then headed to Bryce Canyon Pines Campground which is approx. 15 min from the Entrance of Bryce Canyon. We checked in, parked the rig, unhitched and setup the rig. After we got all set up, we hoped back in the truck and headed into the park just before sunset to and saw a little of what we would explore over the next three days there. Bryce should definitely be put on your list of destinations to see for sure.
The following pictures are of the drive to Bryce. The next post will be us at Bryce Canyon NP. — with Tessie Faustino-Jones.
Yellowstone We Have Arrived
Yellowstone National Park
So, after spending a few days exploring the Grand Teton’s we took a day trip since we were base camped in Wilson, Wyoming the gate way to The Grand Teton’s. The drive into Yellowstone from Wilson is a 50 min drive to the South Entrance of Yellowstone. So, we got up, had our coffee, hoped in Papa (Our awesome Ram Truck) and headed to the Park. The drive to Yellowstone from The Teton’s is very scenic to say the least. Once we reached the entrance, we really didn’t have any expectation because for one it was still pretty early in the summer there was snow on the side of the roads, it was still a little rainy and the temperature was just breaking the 50-degree mark which is perfect for a drive.
Well, we drove through the gate after flashing our America The Beautiful Pass (Everyone should have one of these passes if you’re planning to visit National Parks or Monuments) to the ranger. She gave us some information about wildlife and things to see and we were off. We really had no particular are of focus, but we did want to get to the Lodge. The almost hour-long drive was filled with some awesome sites. The views of the mountains and forest were spectacular, we drove around a bend and came upon a clearing. In the distance we could see few cars stopped on the side of the road, so we figured there was something going on but had no idea what. Well, the closer we go the clearer the vision became, in the clearing there was a lone bear foraging in the tall grass and trees. It was so amazing to come across this beautiful creature in the wild. I stopped the truck and since there was only three cars was able to get a clear view that amazing creature for what seemed like an hour, so 5 minutes in the park and we are a part of bear jam go figure. So, after the siting we headed deeper into the park stopping at many vista points and looks to check out mountain and lake views and also the occasional waterfall. We happen to get to Lewis falls at just the perfect time. We stopped got out walked across the road to get some pictures and video of the waterfall. Just as we got back to Papa the rain started up on cue. So, with the rain falling we pushed on until we reached the Grand Yellowstone Hotel, which in itself is a story, but overall, It was pretty amazing. We walked over to the gift shop to get our (We Were Here) swag, while inline the cashier mentioned that the ol faithful would be doing its thing in a few minutes, so of course we walked over to catch show which was pretty spectacular. Following Ol Faith we walked back to the visitor center, got our National Park Sticker for your Passport, we stopped and had ice cream then headed back to Pap and back down the road we went headed back to base camp. On the way there we got to see even more wildlife and some more amazing scenery. We only spent 4 hours in the park, which was not even a scratch, so we are planning a return already to see what Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks hold for us.
7 Magic Mountain's
Seven Magic Mountain’s
Las Vegas, Nevada
As our journey to Yellowstone or Bust or gets underway, we head out to Nevada, Las Vegas to be exact to visit a friend who has become family. As we head northeast to Las Vegas we continue to get excited about what is to come over this excursion. As we head down highway 15 to Las Vegas we look to the right and we see the colorful rock formations sticking out of the desert tan sand and it jars our memories that this is the colorful rock formations that we have heard about from our daughter and friends as they have visited. We make a note that since we are here for a few days we will most definitely take the time to check it out. Well day two comes around we head out to see the brightly colored desert art stones. From a distance they don’t look as big as they do once you are up on them, but they are pretty substantial in size, shape and vividly colorful. Mama Tess in her usually fashion renames them her Rainbow Mountains which is very fitting for what they look like and for us as parents of three Pride babies. Once the site of the beautiful art exhibit in the desert it becomes very clear these seven stacked rock vividly colored columns of rocks have become a fixture in the Nevada desert. They are stunning and beautifully done and well maintained. These are definitely a must see for anyone visiting the Las Vegas area. As we parked you can hear the chatter from people gathered in the parking lot getting ready to walkout to the site, the excitement and the quizzical looks on peoples faces as to what is this all about. Well at the beginning of the path there are two plaques that explain the whole thing from time of artist conception to formation and building in 2018. The exhibit was only supposed to be here a short time, but the projects popularity continues to grow over time. The exhibit has been extended again until 2022 to allow more to come visit this amazing display. If you haven’t been come or go and see. Its well worth it in my opinion.
