Mountain Hauler

The Tacoma has been such a reliable vehicle.  Brother named it Mountain Hauler.  It is our second Tacoma, we drove our first (Mountain Climber) from 2000 through 2015 and it had over 200,000 miles on it when we sold it.  Our current Tacoma, a four-door, 4x4 was purchased before we ever considered living in and hauling a trailer.  We did not buy it with any consideration of the towing capacity or the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating).  When we purchased the Hideout we were looking for something that could be towed safely by the Tacoma (which was paid off).

Day 1: Leaving AZ

The case for a new tow vehicle:

When it comes to trailers there are many intricacies to the weight limits.  We initially thought it was a simple matter of staying under the truck's maximum pull capacity (in our case is 6,500 lbs).  However, we later learned that the truck also has maximum limits on each axle.  Because our Hideout is capable of carrying weight up to 7,500 lbs, we have to minimize the personal property, water, propane, etc to keep the weight under 6,500 lbs.  We also learned that even if the Hideout is under 6,500 lbs, we can still overload the rear axle of the truck.  Prior to leaving we sorted through our belongings and left as much as possible in storage in AZ to lighten the load and keep the rig within safe limits.  Because of our weight limitations we cannot haul much water in our fresh tank.  We cannot add a generator.  We cannot bring certain personal property (such as bicycles).

During our trip we felt the discomfort of our weight limitations.  We experienced three memorable nights in hot climates, without hook-ups, without air conditioning.  In two of those nights we listened to the generators around us and we breathed their fumes through our open windows.  Were we wishing we had a generator?  Yes.

Joshua Tree, CA

When we were in dry camping or boondocking situations we had to limit our fresh water.  It was inconvenient.  In a couple of cases we filled our tank while at a campsite and then had to haul the full tanks to a dump station when we left.  This was nerve-wracking because we knew we were over our limits and the rig handled differently with full tanks.

In a few situations we wished we had our bikes.  The most memorable was when we went to Mackinac Island and paid too much to rent bikes for two hours. If we would have had our bikes we could have ridden around longer, with less pressure and could have saved a good deal of cash.  There were also campground where kids were riding bikes and Brother and Sister could have joined them.

Hill City, SD

The case against a new tow vehicle:

We looked into it and we would probably spend between $15,000-20,000 to upgrade our truck.  An upgrade would allow us to fill the Hideout to capacity and haul a generator.  But what else could we do with $15,000-$20,000.  Well, for that money we could just pay for full-hook ups whenever the weather is too hot to boondock.  That would buy at least 500 nights of campgrounds! Taking these funds out of our investment accounts would also mean we would lose passive income from interest.

Boysen State Park, WY

One of the benefits of driving a 6-cylinder is the savings in gas.  If we had an 8-cylinder not only do we have to pay for the difference in price of the vehicle itself we also have to pay a premium every time we drive it.  When the Hideout is parked we drive the Tacoma on our adventures - every miles of those outings would cost more.  We would go from 10-12 mpg to around 8 or less when hauling the Hideout.  Also, let's be realistic, the long term price of gas is not going down...

When dealing with the water limitations we simply have to plan our moves in advance.  We have to know where we can fill and where we can dump.  We also have to know the distances between those points. When possible we have to use campground facilities and dump our water down the campground drains (to minimize water in our tanks). 

Boondocking, WY

Finally, regarding the bikes or other property that we couldn't take - when I count how many times I missed it all it seems absurd that I would even consider spending all of that money for such a minor convenience.  While on these adventures the whole point is to get out to see and explore - and explore we did.  For the vast majority of time the kids were occupied by our adventures.  They mentioned the bikes a couple of times.

Somerset Beach, MI

The question is, can we make some minor changes to the rig that will improve our experience for next time?  I think the answer is yes, certainly.  There are modifications we can make to the Hideout to make us more comfortable and we may be able to reduce the weight even further.

The Verdict? Mountain Hauler stays! The costs outweigh the benefits of a new truck.  We will use what we have for as long as possible and find ways to reduce the inconveniences.

ARIZONA! Grand Canyon, Wupatki Ruins, Sunset Crater Volcano, and Walnut Canyon

Driving back into Arizona through the Navajo Nation was a real homecoming.  Husband and I used to work in the Four Corners area - it was fun to enter AZ from a less traveled route and still see familiar sights.  It was a long drive (350 miles) from Moab, UT to Williams, AZ.  We booked a week at the Canyon Gateway RV Park.  The park offers all pull-through sites, nice restrooms and showers and laundry.  There are also mature trees between the spots that offer some shade, though the weather was beautiful and we enjoyed sleeping with the windows open most nights.

The Grand Canyon is the one National Park that Husband and I had visited on prior occasions.  It was Brother and Sister's first time visiting.  Though I don't think it affected the kids enjoyment, I was a little disappointed by the hazy air conditions as a result of a number of wildfires burning in the area.  We didn't know that there were wildfires prior to our arrival.  The morning conditions were much more clear than in the afternoon.  This is the best picture I was able to take.

We visited the watchtower for the first time.  Though the air inside was a bit stuffy and stagnant it was fun to climb up and observe the inside decor.

We also visited the Tusayan Ruin museum and 800 year-old ruins and heard the Ranger Talk.  Though we had been through the area before, I found it very enjoyable and educational.  I love seeing the textiles, woven products, and pottery from the time period.  It makes you appreciate the "stuff" we have today and seeming ease by which we can obtain things.

While in the park we also had a unique opportunity to observe wildlife up close!  This elk was right by the road and I was able to take pictures right out of the passenger window as it grazed and raised its head to look at motorcyclists driving by.  I've never seen one up so close and for such a long time.  We could observe the fuzz on the antlers!  We also saw lizards, a deer and a very tame fat squirrel that practically walked right up to us!

We were going to spend a second day at the Grand Canyon, but the air quality was really poor, so we started considering what other sites were in the area.  To my surprise there were three other National Monuments!  While we had visited Walnut Canyon over 15 years ago, Wupatki and Sunset Crater were new to us. We had an amazing time at all three.

Wupatki Ruins and Sunset Crater are so close to each other that they are sort of combined, though they each have their own visitor center.  We entered from the North, or the Wupatki side in the morning which was good because it is lower in elevation and a great deal warmer.  The first site we came to was the Lomaki Ruins.  There are three buildings/pueblos on the trail.  The last one is the most intact and quite spectacular.  They are all built on the edge of rocks overlooking a wash.

Walking near ruins that date back 800 years makes you think about how much life has changed for humans.  I also think about the difference between wants and needs and how we spend our time.  One can imagine that life was more difficult, food more scarce, and survival not such a surety.  There is a middle way of life somewhere between the destructive over-consumption of our society and the scarcity endured by prehistoric peoples.  I wonder if we will find that middle path.

However wonderful these ruins they don't compare to what you find when you get to the 100 room Wupatki Pueblo.

In addition to the pueblo there is a ball court and ceremonial room.  There is a beautiful path and self-guided tour.  One of the most unbelievable thing I learned is that the National Park Service actually RENTED out the pueblo to NPS Rangers in the 1920s for $5/month.  Can you believe that?  First, that NPS had employees living in the 800-year old ruins and secondly that they charged them!  Wow.

One last interesting fact about the Wupatki Pueblo is that they built using the existing rock.  Here is a picture from the back showing how the existing rock is the foundation for the second floor.

So we were at the Wupatki Visitor Center and ruins for a while (kids got their Junior Ranger Badges) and by the time we were done we were not sure we even wanted to stop at the Sunset Crater Volcano - it didn't seem like it would be as interesting.  Additionally we were ready to be out of the sun and in the air conditioning.  However, we were pleasantly surprised that the Volcano is 2,000 feet higher in elevation and the weather was much cooler.  Also the afternoon was overcast and cool.  As a result we decided to take a walk around the accessible trail - this is a place I want to go again to do the longer hike.  It was beautiful.

We then proceeded to the second visitor center and the kids finished up their second Junior Ranger books of the day.  There we heard stories in English and Apache and Navajo about the volcano.  It was excellent.  This Hopi painting and the story were in the visitor center.

It ended up being a very long day, but really enjoyable.  Our final adventure of this 12 week extravaganza was at Walnut Canyon.  Because we had visited this park before we knew what was in store.  It's really hard to fathom how people lived like this.  In order to view the ruins you have to walk down 240 steps and around a mile path on the side of the canyon wall.  It is wonderful, but I just don't seem to be able to relax with our four-year-old girl bouncing around.  I forced her to hold my hand the entire time and she complained about it the entire time, but hey, at least she didn't slip off of a cliff, right?

In this picture we are standing with our backs to a ruin while looking across the canyon at other ruins in the cliff.

This picture below is taken on the other side of the mountain at even more dwellings.  I didn't see a tally of the number that exist, but there are many!

It was a great hike and Sister was so proud of herself for taking every step on her own!  The kids earned their Junior Ranger badges after a very nice talk with the Ranger on duty.

While I am sad that our 12-week adventure is over, I am also glad to get back home and to start the new semester.  This has been such a fun adventure and we have seen and done so many things! I know that I will be planning the next trip very soon so that I can look forward to the next outing.

Canyonlands

From our campground in Moab it took approximately an hour to reach Canyonlands National Park, Island in the Sky Visitor Center.  We allowed one or two days for Canyonlands, but after driving such a distance we decided to see it in one day.  We stopped at the visitor center first to obtain the Junior Ranger books and find out if there were any short hikes we could complete despite the high temps.  The Mesa Arch trail sounded like something we could handle.  After exploring the visitor center and watching the video we decided to stay for a a Ranger Talk about ravens.  It turned out to be very good - did you know you can tell the difference between a raven and a crow in the sky? Ravens soar, crows don't!  I also learned ravens are very clever, use tools, work in tandem when hunting, and that their numbers are increasing even while their prey decrease in numbers.  This last fact is a result of human activity - ravens are able to obtain human food (trash) to supplement their diet.  Anyhow, the talk was good and then we went off to explore the park.  Our first stop was the half mile Mesa Arch hike. 

It was a hot desert day - the temp approaching the high 90s.  The high desert is full of pinon pines and junipers.  It looks a lot like our land in NE Arizona....

 ...until you come upon this beautiful site!

In this part of the park you are driving/hiking on a plateau that was formed into a V shape by the Green and Colorado Rivers.  The Mesa Arch looks out over the canyon formed by the Colorado River.  This is the same river that formed the Grand Canyon, but we are much further north.  Clearly water is a force to be reckoned with!

As you drive further out to the point of the V plateau there are a number of beautiful views.  For instance this is the Green River Overlook.

But at the point of the V there is the Grand View Point Overlook.  Out there is where the two rivers join at the confluence (though it is not really visible from here).  Here is just a glimpse of what you get to see.

During the day we also had a nice picnic at the Upheaval Dome formation.  We ended up taking the Junior Ranger books home and completing them.  We drove back into Arches at night to do some star gazing to complete one of the Junior Ranger activities, although the moon was so bright and full that it was hard to see many stars!  The next day we went to the visitor center in Moab to turn in the books, obtain the badges, and purchase the patches.  The staff at the visitor center were so complimentary about the kids' badges and patches.  We had a nice conversation about our travels.

Canyonlands was a very good place to visit prior to the Grand Canyon because it shows just how much impact the Colorado River has had on the area.  There are two other areas in Canyonlands that we did not visit.  Each of the areas are separated by the rivers so you have to enter from completely different "sides" of the park.  Island in the Sky is the most accessible, The Needles is second, and The Maze is the least improved in terms of roads.  It would have been fun to drive into The Needles area, but we didn't have time.

While in Moab we saw this sculpture, I thought it was cool.

We experienced a desert storm while in Moab one evening.  The sky became very dark, it was very windy and dusty until it rained.  I welcomed the storm because it cooled the temp quite a bit, but was frustrated because I was trying to grill and my propane flame kept blowing out - that is how windy it was!

The last thing I want to mention is that we ate out twice in Moab and one of the meals need to be recognized!  If you are there, check out Arches Thai Cuisine & Pho - wow.  I had mango curry it was amazing, vegan, and topped with an orchid! Husband also had a vegan curry which he loved, Brother had a chicken fried rice and Sister had tofu, rice and steamed veggies - both kids cleaned their plates. 

 Would love to spend more time in Utah.  I am sure we will be back.

Arches!

Moab, UT is the perfect place to stay to visit Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.  We stayed at Slickrock Campground which was approximately 5 miles from the entrance to Arches.  The best part about the campground was that there were mature trees and each site gets some shade.  It reached temps of just over 100 degrees while we were there so shade helped a lot.  Brother begged us to visit Arches because a friend of his who had visited many National Parks said he loved it.  We were unsure if we would be able to visit Utah this summer, but we made it happen and Brother was thrilled!

Arches is such an amazing place.  When you reach the park entrance you realize that you have to drive up a mountain to enter the park.  It is a great drive with switchbacks up to the top.  From the bottom I was grateful we were not pulling the rig!  I only took one picture of the "front" of the park. 

We planned 2-3 days at Arches so the first day we stopped at the visitor center to obtain the Junior Ranger books, drove through, stopped at some of the scenic stops, studied the map and planned which hikes we could take the next day.  I think that most of the parks we have visited are best visited over at least two days - especially if you are interested in completing the Junior Ranger booklets.  Trying to squeeze in everything in one day can become a bit of a marathon.  We are in the habit of packing in our lunch and water, but in the extreme heat we had to find water refill stations (which are sparse). 

Here are some of the best observations we made on day one:

Above is the Courthouse Towers formation.  It is really cool to view because the base looks like it is made of brick or some sort of block, but these are just naturally occurring cracks and crevices in the rock layers.  However, you can see where the name came from!

 Next we stopped at Balanced Rock.  This thing looks like it is going to roll down on top of some unsuspecting tourist any moment!  The key characteristic of all the rock at Arches is that there is hard rock above the softer sandstone which is eroding away.  This is what leads to the amazing arches and other formations like Balanced Rock. 

This was the best picnic spot by the Devil's Garden Trailhead.  There were tables under trees and under built ramadas.  We saw a couple lizards and a raven while eating.  It was a very nice spot to sit and relax in the heat. 

Skyline Arch

Though you can see some arches as you drive through (like this one - Skyline Arch).  The best views come from hiking back to them.  We didn't do any hikes the first day because it got to late in the day and too hot.  Instead we took in the view from the air conditioned seats of the truck with a few more brief stops on the way out for pictures like these:

Fiery Furnace

Lastly, here are a couple of views exiting the park and coming down the switchbacks.  In the picture to the left you can see three roads.  The most distant is the highway 191 that leads to Moab.  The other two are connected to the one we are driving upon.  You can see the entrance station in the middle of the photo and you can see the line of cars entering the park in the late afternoon. The picture on the right gives a view of the entrance road as we travel down the switchbacks. 

In retrospect, despite feeling that day one was amazing, day two was the best.  We started early and headed to the Windows Trail.  One of the activities in the Junior Ranger book was to sit quietly in a special place in the park for 10 minutes and observe nature and contemplate the surroundings.  That 10 minutes was a highlight of the day and our experience in Arches.  Brother has talked about it a number of times since then.  I found myself getting emotional as I contemplated the arches.  Though they seem sturdy, stable and permanent, they are really only there for a geological moment and they change continuously.  We were privileged to witness a moment in the life of the arches.  We were privileged to experience that moment and many other moments together as a family this summer and despite the sense that our moment is lasting, it is really very fleeting.  One glance at Brother and Sister and I am reminded how swiftly the time is passing.

On the path to the North Window

North Window

Turret Arch

North Window on left, South Window on right - "the Spectacles"

We found a spot by the South Window where we conducted our 10 minute contemplative silence.  It was awe inspiring.

Our next adventure was to Sand Dune Arch.  This is a fun spot for the kids. It was also in the shade and there was a nice breeze through the rocks.

We also walked the trail to Skyline Arch to get a closer look.

The last stop of the day was at Delicate Arch - the iconic arch of Arches National Park.  Unfortunately the trail was too long for us to manage, so we just visited the viewpoint and got a glimpse of it out in the distance.  While at this stop a couple from British Columbia Canada struck up a conversation with us.  The kids' vests and hats often draw comments from others and these folks were particularly interested.  Brother had a great time telling them about our adventures.  It was cute to see him shine with pride after earning all of those Junior Ranger badges!

Of course the kids earned their Arches badges and we bought some patches for their vests.

Arches is beautiful.  When we visit Utah again to see it's other parks we will certainly have to stop here again and hike one of the trails we missed this time!