Still Just Grand

 

After doing the walk in the sky, we still had time for more adventures, and rather than drive far,  we headed to Meadview and a delightful RV park Meadview RV Park & Cabins 

The price for a night was reasonable, the people friendly, the sites clean, with everything working, and the weather was nice enough to sit outside and plan the next days activities.

We decided that since this canyon is only “Grand” and long 277 miles long that we would go check out the other end of it specifically the south rim which should be called the east rim since it is east of the west rim, but what do I know. 

In the morning, we cruised into Meadview proper to see the sights as it was highly recommended  by the lady at the camper park.

There isn’t much to Meadview. Just a sleepy little town above the Colorado river, and maybe it’s a haven  for Snowbirds, but it wasn’t very interesting. However, it looked good in the rear-view mirror

So Long Meadview

 There is only one road so we backtracked down the road we rode in on and decided against the 32-mile gravel shortcut.

Back in Kingman we filled up our fuel tanks and phoned the Grand Canyon railroad to see about getting a seat on their train tomorrow. Getting a seat was no trouble and we opted for the high-class dome car the “Fred Harvey” The railroad also just happens to have a RV park and a hotel. We picked a two-night stay in the RV  park that was next to the mainline railroad tracks,

Just an Occasional Massive Train

And we were treated to the sounds of trains rolling by all during the night.

In the morning, after a proper breakfast and koffee it was a short walk to the train depot. Over in the bleachers there was even a wild west show staged by the local Cataract Gang.  We could here the gang shooting at one another, and the fans cheering as the bad guys bit the dust. Its no wonder we have a huge issue with guns.

Only In amerika

 Soon they were backing our coach onto the platform and we were ready to board

Our train was pulled by two EMD F40-PH locomotives that did a fine job. Our coach was named Fred Harvey but started life in 1955 as the “ Mountain View” on the Great Northern Railroad “Empire Builder Train” . The Grand Canyon Railroad purchased the car in 2009, refurbished it and had it up and running in 2012.

Our Caretaker For The Ride

We enjoyed the scenery, snacks and soft drinks both coming and going.

At the park we went to the edge of the canyon and looked over.

You cannot see the river from this lofty perch, but you can see the treacherous trail the donkeys take to the bottom of the thing.

We found a spot for lunch and watched the parade of people walk past our vantage point. This place is packed, and people were complaining of the wait to get into the park. All I can say is take the train next time.

 

 

Camper Convoy

 Well after a fancy dinner at a equally fancy Vegas hotel casino, where just like on the ship the maître d wears a green jacket, it was decided that we would head out of Vegas and see what we could see. It’s a group ride but with camper vans, and  I  immediately discovered that hand signals are not very effective.

First stop was the painted rocks, just a few miles out of town.

Moving At Painted Rocks

The bright colors of the rocks are the perfect contrast to the desert and provided a nice background for my photo assignment. Of motion.

After the rocks we wanted to see some special sights. Some superior scenery, but all we could find near us was the “Grand Canyon”  It is Arizona after all.

It was unanimously decided to visit the  Grand Canyon Skywalk.  We turned the vans noses south out of the city on highway 93 and then  turned north towards  the town of Dolan Springs.

The road meanders through the desert. There are lots of desert cactus, whose green sharply contrests with the red stone.

Cactus 

Eventually the road turns into Hualpia tribal lands,  and  just before the site, you have to go through a checkpoint where you are asked if you have any alcohol or weapons I said no even though the van with a name,  bar is fully stocked, and my hatchet could be considered a wepon. The fellow liked my answers and said I could park anywhere I wanted.

I chose to park over by the 7 or eight motor coaches that had dropped of their riders at the skywalk

All the passengers of the tour buses were causing quite a commontion in the gift shop trying to decide which tour package to purchase. The choices were difficult and confusing to the tour bus riders, but seemed simple to me. Skywalk and lunch, or skywalk and no lunch.

Fortunately  for us another cashier  opened up across the room, and we walked over and instanly decided on the skywalk and lunch.  

Tickets in hand we walked outside to join the queue to wait for the bus to take us to the skywalk . Soon we boarded a bus that is very similar to a city bus back home, and began the journey to the skywalk. Our driver tried his best to entertain us with interesting facts about the skywalk in hopes of a tip.

At the actual skywalk we had to put our cameras and phones in lockers that are provided free of charge, and then wait in a long queue before nearing the actual door to the skywalk. Then just when you thought you were goin  out on the walk you are given booties to cover your shoes. Then your turn finaly comes to go out on the skywalk.

The Skywalk

The skywalk is excellent. You have a panoramic view of the canyon that is several thousand feet below your feet. 

If you are ever in the neighborhood go do the skywalk. The lunch isn’’t bad either.

 

 

 

Camping In Vegas

 After the blizzard conditions that the van with a name pulled us through without so much as a slip, or a skid , we continued to travel south through eastern Nevada. In one end and out the other of  Elko.

We did a run down 229, and intersected with US 93 the original Lincon highway in Nevada.

What Is Left Of The Linclon Highway Marker

Then it was south to Ely and on a night in a KOA that I gave low marks to a couple of years ago, but this time the showers were hot. The night was not as the low temperature got down to 9 above zero.

The van with a name, heater did a lot of running overnight , sometimes on high, and the noise from the thing made for a restless night. Needless to say, in the am the water was frozen, but would thaw out later in the day, and without any damage.

The infamous Trones noticed that she needed to be at the Las Vegas sooner than we anticipated, so we started to make a more direct trip to be able to meet the deadline. This provided us with a unique opportunity to sample some motorway food.

Is The Box More Nutritious?

It was quite exciting to arrive in Vegas and be treated to combat driving on the city’s many multi lane highways full of fast-moving cars.

After getting tied down at the world-famous Arizona Charley’s RV paradise we were treated to auto acrobatics by a couple of uber drivers who invented the traffic laws as the speeded through the traffic.

Trones got to the airport on time and Kriss got her hired camper van picked up in time.  

I put  all my money on red 32, and well I may not have any change left for blog ink.

 

 

 

Free Flying

 As any real laskan sourdough or sour Jill knows just about the only way to get in or out of laska is in a plane, and as I was getting ready to go on a holiday that involved air travel I was getting just a little more apprehensive than  normal, because, as everyone should be aware by now our great felon 47 and his pal musk have been dismantling our government , and stealing the money for themselves, and as my travel day grew closer who knew if there would be a FAA by then.

No Rules No Problem

When I called the airline, they said there shouldn’t be a issue but just in case they suggested arriving at the airport early to practice on the slides, they had installed at the gate,  so in case of evacuation I would be ready.

Straight slide for high class passengers and twisty slide for everyone beyond row 4

The flight went off without a hitch and soon enough  I was sitting in the high-class lounge in SEA trying to get club soda out of a overcomplex soda machine. 

Ice Cold Back In The Day 

The flight into Spokane was also uneventful and soon we were on the ground bags in hand, and off to see Buster.

Buster Will Eat Your Ice 

The next day it was time to fire up the van with a name.  The van had had quite a winter sitting in some cold temperatures. My clear dishwashing liquid was now white. A can of club soda left in the refrigerator had exploded and ripped the can to shreds. The tabasco sauce left over the winter was fine after a few shakes of the bottle.

The vans battery was dead, but the engine came to life after a jump. Hoping that the battery might take a charge we went for a test drive, got the tire pressure checked, and returned to the vehicle with the jumper cables. The battery was having nothing to do with taking a charge. All it took to get the battery replaced was a call to a local shop, a short drive, and a credit card. The van was back in business.

The trip  out of Spokane and into Pendleton Oregon was a smooth ride, and just about long enough for a first day on the road.

It was Sunday so there were no tours at the famous Pendleton Woolen mills. But you could peek into the works of the mill.

Since Planning is everything when starting off on a couple of months road trip,  I like to start off in some lousy weather, and I was not disappointed on this trip.

Just A Minor Blizzard

The second day our we ran into snow. More snow than I had driven in all winter. The snow was followed by a frigid night in Ely Nevada.

Finally dropping down out of the very high desert into the high desert the temperatures warmed up and by the time we pulled into Las Vegas the weather was just about perfect…