Day 11-Los Angeles

We stopped for lunch at Bob's Big Boy in Burbank-the oldest standing Big Boy in America. This place has significance for me as it was the only place Mom and Dad would take their 3 energetic boys with reasonable confidence we could eat and not distract the other diners. That and the relish they put on the Big Boy burger made this a must stop for our noon-time meal.

I was concerned about parking the motorhome in the parking lot behind the drive-in and drive-thru. Friday is the day for the weekly classic car show and in anticipation of the influx of participants and observers, the parking directors were in place. They welcomed us into the lot and guided us to the back of the lot where another attendant directed us to an end spot and placed cones around the RV. Of course he came by the window to confirm that we were all eating here. We exited the rig and walked past the gathering classics, entered the full eatery and were quickly seated.

We ordered and discussed the order of the sights we planned to see. Warner Bros. Studios, Walt Disney Studios, the Brady Bunch house, The Wonder Years houses, the Foster's Freeze in Hawthorne, California where Brian Wilson was inspired to write Fun, Fun, Fun and, finally, the Beach Boys monument at Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson's childhood home.

The studios were close to the restaurant and, as soon as they were seen, we plugged in the next address found on Google and headed in the direction of the next locale. The Brady Bunch house's current owners built a fence around the front of the property to keep the tourists from looking in the windows. Next was the Wonder Years houses that held special significance for all of us as a beloved show in the Harvill household. The “Arnold's house” looks just as it did during the show except for the color. The landscaping is the same and the basketball goal attached to the garage in the back is in place.

We wondered how we might get a group picture with our best attempt to simulate the Arnold family picture from the opening credits of the series. When we pulled over beyond the house and got out, we were greeted by a neighbor who was pulling out of her driveway. She rolled down her window and, with a bit of sarcasm, said, “Really? A motorhome? That's subtle”. She then offered to take the picture we had hoped for. She told us where to find the locations for Winnie Cooper's houses (the house from the 1st episode before her brother was killed in the Vietnam War and the house used for the rest of the series). She also told us about George Clooney's house used in the 1st season of ER. We didn't go there. Tessa sat on the curb of the Arnold house as Winnie did in the opening credits of the show. Perfect! We took pics of Winnie's houses then headed toward Hawthorne. Tessa found the address for the American Horror Story house which turned out to be relatively on the way to Hawthorne. Tessa met and talked with 4 locals who were also fans of the show. We took pics and resumed our drive to Hawthorne.

We couldn't find a place to park at the Foster's Freeze so we continued on toward the street of the childhood home where the Wilsons along with their cousin Mike Love and friends Al Jardine and David Marks created the image of the Southern California surf culture and dominated the charts leading up to and, in ways, beyond the British Invasion. After shooting a few pics, we headed to the 405 freeway toward Mission Viejo. We arrived around 8 and brought in enough stuff to make it through the night. We were wiped out. We talked with Mike and Trish about our road trip and fell into bed grateful for what we had seen and done yet also looking forward to our re-entry into reality.

Tomorrow: down time with family and friends!

Day 10-Malibu

With laundry done and the temperature rising, we returned to the motorhome and began the familiar process of preparing to move on. We pulled out a little later than expected and began our drive toward the California coast with the ultimate goal of watching the sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

We could feel the heat pouring through the window that affirmed the 102 degrees we read on the Weather Chanel app. We never left mountains even as we neared Los Angeles. We placed our trust in the Maps app that guided us around the multiple freeway routes and led us to Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica. Traffic on the freeways was generally light for Thursday rush hour until we hit PCH at the Santa Monica pier. We turned right and joined the throng of drivers heading up California Highway 1. The homes and views of the ocean were varied and beautiful. The collective wealth as seen in the homes and autos was obvious.

After miles made slower by the traffic, we arrived at the Malibu Beach RV Park that sat across PCH from the rolling waves of the ocean. The after-hours manager waved us over and I parked on the uphill driveway in front of the general store that was just closing. Hummingbirds, 6 or 7 of them, were fearlessly feeding on the source of sweetened water suspended from a small tree outside the makeshift office of our campsite registrar.

We followed the road around the loop and backed into our ocean front site. The ocean waves rolled in as we connected the utilities and sounded as if a freight train was rolling by. When realizing they were the waves of the Pacific I looked forward to opening the windows and sleeping with the cooler air and constant crashing of the water across the highway.

When I found the RV park on the internet, the reviews mentioned the seafood restaurant that adjoins the park called Malibu Seafood and Patio Cafe. Located down a trail connected to the park, the venue offers fresh fish to take home and a menu filled with entrees to take up to the 2-tiered patio overlooking the sea. We enjoyed the fish plates as we took in the sights around us and reminisced about the journey we were completing. On the way back we crossed PCH to walk a little closer to the beach. We wouldn't trade anything for the sights we've seen but we all thought it would be nice to stay here for a coupe of days.

Sleep was sweet. We awoke to overcast skies and a few drops of rain. After our morning coffee we walked over to the store to pick up breakfast for Tessa and Jonathan and see if there was a t-shirt I couldn't live without. Yep, found it.

As we left the park we drove south toward Santa Monica to begin our trek back to Mike and Trish's via Bob's Big Boy for lunch as well as locating a few houses from the TV shows we grew up with.

Day 9-Lake Mead

Day 9-Lake Mead

The heat was turned on for a bit this morning to take the edge off of the cool fall-like weather outside. We left the camp and headed south for Nevada. We have become familiar with mountains of all kinds as they have been our companion since we entered the Mojave desert last Wednesday. In our short jaunt through Arizona enroute to Nevada after leaving Utah, we drove beneath massive walls of desert mountain, the tops of which we could not see from the windshield of the motorhome. We were enveloped by these red, brown and grey stone structures for what must have been 5 miles or so, and then they were gone as we entered open road again. Jonathan later commented that it's not that mountain views have become routine or not fascinating, they have become familiar. 

We could feel the heat rise as we descended down toward Lake Mead. Beth found an RV spot located inside Lake Mead National Recreation Area with a water front view. We drove through downtown Vegas past the strip to Lake Mead, about 30 minutes outside of Vegas and used our newly acquired National Parks Annual Pass to gain entry (this entry officially 'paid' for the pass. We now have the remainder of a year to use it for entrance to any National Park.). Upon arrival, the temp was 102. The registration office/store was closed but had envelopes posted on a board outside the entrance with available slots and prices. We chose a lake view. The Ranger told us that Lake Mead was way down and while we would be as close to the water as a motorhome could get, the water would be far away. Sure enough. The water was way down. But, wow, what a view! The water and its surrounding mountains are amazing. A few boaters and jet-skiers are still out as are a few swimmers on the beach below us. 

Lake Mead was formed by damming the Colorado River with the creation of Hoover Dam, a 726-ft
high structure which remains the Western Hemisphere's highest concrete dam. Begun in 1931 and completed in 1936 using over 5000 laborers, Hoover Dam's concrete is 45-feet thick at its crest and 660 feet thick at its base. According to the official Lake Mead brochure provided by the National Park Service, "the finished dam held enough concrete to pave a 16-foot-wide, eight-inch-thick road from New York City to San Francisco".

This is by far the nicest RV park at which we've stayed. The spots are clean and level with concrete pads for the rigs (Good find, Beth!). I hooked up the power so we could make a plan for the night while the motorhome A/C chipped away at the high temp outdoors. We were all tired and hungry but anxious to get a look at the Strip. We changed clothes and headed back toward Vegas. Las Vegas Boulevard eases you into sensory overload with the older hotels on one end that block by block give way to the masses of themed high rises, lights and people. We could not find a place to park so I drove through while Beth, Tessa and Jonathan formed their first impressions of the famous street. 

It was time to eat. The only place I felt I could find a place to park was at a huge outlying hotel/casino that boasted a great deal on a t-bone dinner. We pulled off the highway, found a spot to park amongst the other RVers and walked across the vast parking lot in search of the restaurant. The eatery was among a cluster of venues that included a pasta diner, sushi and steakhouse and others. Not knowing what to expect concerning the surroundings or quality of food, we sat down to order. Matthew, our waiter, once he came over, was polite and very professional. Check. He asked for drink orders, we gave it all! He brought the salads in generous portions. Check. The entrees were cooked to order. Check. The meal was good for all. Check. In short, dinner was really good

We drove back to the Lake, hooked up the utilities and settled down for the night. By the looks of Tessa's book and lack of bookmark this morning, she must have finished reading it sometime in the night. Jonathan has a few pages remaining in his book on the life of Walt Disney (shocker!) that he says he'll finish before Disneyland on Monday. 

The air has not quit running as I sit here drinking coffee. We're going to do a bit of laundry before driving over Hoover Dam then head in toward Malibu on our last night of this, our fantastic motorhome adventure. 

Day 8-Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole

We tore down camp early and exited Yellowstone through the South Enterance. Our plan was to quickly pass through Grand Tetons National Park on our way to Salt Lake City and, ultimately, Malibu. I had forgotten tht we have 2 nights before Malibu so that will take the pressure off of the 17-hour commute.

I find it difficult to form words that adequately explain my first impressions of the Grand Teton mountain range. At 13,775 feet, Grand Teton rises forcefully and majestically out of the earth and dominates the skyline along with its surrounding peaks. The only comparison I can think of that I have seen is the Austrian Alps. They say that the Rocky Mountains, of which the Grand Tetons is a member is actually higher, but the alps rise more quickly so as to appear of greater altitude.

We stopped at the Jackson Lake Lodge to catch the view of Grand Tetons from the 60-foot window of the hotel. Wow! As with the Grand Canyon, the sight of this range creates a spontaneous sort of reverence. We will post pics but I fear they cannot do justice to the sight in person.

We also found ourselves captivated by the wifi signal that allowed us to catch up on our communication! It has been nice to shed our dependence on modern technology if only for awhile,  but it is also convenient to be able to quickly communicate through our various digital outlets.

We stopped in Jackson Hole for some quick exploration and to grab a bite to eat. The town of Jackson, Wyoming sometimes mistakenly called Jackson Hole, Wyoming carries some significance to me as the location where as a 5-year old on an overnight stay enroute to a camping tripYellowstone, I learned to swim. The valley surrounding Jackson is believed to have been named by trappers descending the mountains into what seemed like a hole. We entered a couple of shops
then settled on a local eatery overlooking the square. The corner borders of the square are entered
through arches made of antlers gathered when the local elk and moose shed them each year. The antlers are solid and fall off as opposed to horns which must be sawed off and are hollow.

After lunch we headed back to the motorhome and began our drive across the Wyoming wilderness back into Utah for the night. Throughout the drive we saw what looked like unfinished and unconnected fences along the sides of the road. The gas station attendant in Kimmerer, Wyoming told us that they are to keep snow drifts from covering the highway. I told him about how we in. Alabama deal with 1-inch dustings of snow in Alabama. He. Was neither amused nor impressed. He said that snow can fall as early as September and still be on the ground as late as June!

Since we didn't have a reservation, we decided to pull in where there was a decent RV park that had wifi so Tessa could continue her online Western Civ class. We found that park about an hour outside Salt Lake in Coalville, Utah. All utilities,limited cable and wifi for $29 a night. Now that's travelin'! I turned in early to try and get rid of a headache that I think is being brought on by hours behind the wheel. Complaining? No Way!

Tomorrow: 7-hour drive to Las Vegas.

Day 7- Upper and Lower Falls

Day 7-Upper and Lower Falls

We collectively decided to adjust our schedule for an earlier start today which meant we would have to shower the night before or get up early enough to get ready, strike camp and hit the road. Our plan was to see the sights early and get back to camp for some down time.

The falls are located in a section of the park called the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The highway leading to this spot was familiar as we had driven it coming into the park on Saturday. Vast valleys carved by Yellowstone River with its clear steadily flowing water supported lone Bison and an occasional herd. 

There is no indication of either falls as we followed the signs to the smaller parking areas that were filling up as we entered. The National Park Service planned the parking well as there is typically a short walk to the main site with trails that took hikers desiring alternate views deeper into the woods.

The first sight of Upper Falls is one of those Wow! moments. Thousands of gallons of water patiently but forcefully drop ??? feet from the Yellowstone River into the waiting basin below creating a stampede of mist that churned like foam from a massive crashing wave. We took the quarter of a mile trail to the left of the main viewing sight and was afforded closer views of the falls. On the way down the trail we came across a very healthy groundhog lying on the branch of a fallen tree. He seemed  comfortable and not in the least bit intimidated by his audience. At the first lookout our view of the falls added a rainbow at the head of the mist that afforded good picture and video opportunities. The foliage along the trail was unique as varieties of plants, flowers and wild grass with the ever vigilant tall pines combined to make individual gardens of color that were pleasing sights unto themselves.

The short drive to the Lower Falls led to another small parking lot that was efficient but beginning to fill with cars, RVs and tour buses. Each had their designated areas with the inevitable traveler who found a place for their car

in a section of the lot set aside for larger vehicles. After a couple of trips around the zoo we found our place and walked up to the main viewing area. This spot is known as Artist Point and affords 3 views of the falls, canyon and river. At first glance, Lower Falls looks very similar to Upper Falls except for being viewed from a farther distance away. The surrounding canyon however is formed by what looks like sulphur deposits from unknown geysers somewhere nearby and thus clearly distinguishes itself from its cousin upriver. The viewing platforms were built to look as if they were natural formations, stairs included. Everyone was jockeying for camera position, ourselves included which made for a bit of congestion that, for the 1st time, made us ready to click the pic and get out of there.

Time passes quickly here. By the time we were on the road back to Fishing Bridge the clock was inching toward 1 PM. We drove past our turn off to make a quick stop at the Yellowstone Lake post office so Beth could buy stamps for the post cards she would send to her incoming 3rd grade students. On our way back to camp we pulled into the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center to see what it offered. The building was completed in 1931 in  traditional mountain construction with stone foundation and exposed beam frame. Inside housed a museum with stuffed birds, fish and wildlife indigenous to the area. Two Rangers were available for information related to the park in general and the Fishing Bridge area in particular. The. Museum store provided the usual fare including bear spray which the Ranger said he was required to carry.

The Fishing Bridge area hosts the greatest concentration of Grizzly and Brown bear in the park. The Ranger said that he had not seen a bear in the area in a few weeks but had heard that there was a bear in the RV site (where we are staying) yesterday. He also told of 2 encounters with bears that hit close to home. Once while hiking, a bear attempted to enter his tent while his friend woke up in a 3-sided shelter with a bear licking his head for the salt. When he awoke he looked up into the creature's eyes. They had a 2-second stare off before the bear turned and ran.

 Back at camp we attached the utilities, lowered the canopy and set up the folding chairs outside. After a lunch of Chicken Pot Pies,Tessa and Jonathan set up their ENOs. As a parent, I am always looking for generation defining trends. The ENO (hammock) culture seems to have a life of its own, at least in Birmingham. Suspending the airborne sleeping bag between 2 trees affords a great place to relax and in the case of J and T, to read. We all took it easy until our late dinner during which we talked about life and the days ahead. 

We have agreed that a positive aspect of motorhome living is that we spend time together that in Birmingham, while in same house, find ourselves distracted by other interests and demands. The flip side of constant closeness is that it can be difficult to have your own space. We also agreed, though, that the positive far, far outweighs the negative.

Our agenda for tomorrow calls for an early departure from Yellowstone as we head south to the Grand Tetons for a quick look before heading out for our drive that will ultimately bring us to Malibu. The pressure is off as we have 2 nights and 2 and a half days to get there. 

Day 6- Old Faithful

Day 6-Old Faithful

We all slept in. I got up in the middle of the night and turned the heat on to take the edge off of the hard cold that had set in overnight. We knew it was coming and it put a unique twist on summer for a family from Alabama. 

I stepped outside to set up the propane grill for bacon, eggs and hash browns. The air was still somewhat cool but the sun let me know it would be warm today. We all enjoyed breakfast then began the morning routine of showering before closing up the utilities for the day's drive. I'm grateful to the mans with the 2 schnauzers in Salt Lake City who told me we would be able to easily drive throughout the park (I thought we might have to shuttle, the first of which we never saw).

We met Jerry who was staying next door to us. He and his wife had retired from a school system in Utah and were traveling with his or her parents. We compared gas mileages and talked about our lives. They were pulling a large trailer so they could unhitch the truck and tool around at will. Jerry had had his 2nd knee replacement in April and was getting around well.

Cell phone access takes on a whole new meaning in these parts. We had hoped to find a signal strong enough to allow us to transmit photos and catch up with texts. The attendant at the camp registration office told Beth and Tessa that if we drove out the main entrance and turned left then drove for 3 miles we would see the cell towers across the lake and could reconnect with the outside world. We never did see the towers but could see by the ever increasing bars on our phone screens that we were heading in the right direction. We were able to send and receive texts as well. As make a couple phone calls, but we never did receive the right signal to allow us to send or receive data. 

As we drove along the highway toward Old Faithful we stopped at a number of "pull outs" as the mood or scenery drew us and we took many pictures, some of which will certainly be posted on our various media sites. The Old Faithful Inn complex is large and obviously visited by many throughout the year. 

The Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World is modeled after this property. We arrived about 45 minutes prior to the next outburst of the famous geyser and decided to spend our time in the gift shop. The offerings were what one might expect but the prices were surprisingly reasonable. The gift shop cashier told me that the Inn opens in mid-May and closes in mid-October. I can only imagine what the Inn and surrounding area looks like mid-winter.

A sign to the left of the hotel registration desk posts the time of the next geyser display with  'a+/- 10 minutes' addendum due.  To the unpredictability of Old Faithful. We arrived at the vast semi-circle seating area about 15 minutes early with phone cameras, SLR and iPad in hand. The 'show started about 20 minutes late but did not disappoint! The whole geyser ecosystem is fascinating with subsurface water boiling at 199 degrees Fahrenheit. 

We walked back to the Inn and selected a little restaurant/bar to get a bite to eat. Our waiter was Landon. Originally from Atlanta, he had been out here since August, worked the Inn. Waiting tables last season, then worked the resort at Big Sky during the winter. He was heading back to Atlanta after this season to await the arrival of his sister's baby due in December in Gadsden, Alabama (Beth's hometown). 

While waiting for our food, a chipmunk decided to run through the restaurant which provided a temporary show for the guests. Small cheers broke out as two of the waiters "guided" the little patron to the nearest exit. 

On our way back to the campsite, we encountered the now predictable gathering of cars/RVs ahead which signaled wildlife ahead. At one stop a large bull elk was feeding next to the road. Tessa snapped a ton of pics. At another, two moose were feeding as well. No bears yet! Beth read that there is at least one bear attack on humans per year. In 2011, two people were killed by bears. They are not to be messed with.

After setting up the site for the evening, Beth, Tessa and Jonathan walked to the other. Side of the motorhome and met another retired. Couple with a schnauzer (is there a pattern here? We. Talked about their travels and of the folks they knew in the Birmingham area then came back to the rig and settled in for the night after planning our trip to the Upper and Lower Falls tomorrow.

Day 5-Yellowstone

Day 5-Yellowstone

Last night was a little rough. I pushed all of us to make it to Salt Lake City. There are no two ways about it-it was a long drive. In my planning I knew that we had to log some serious mileage in order to set us up for a shorter drive into Yellowstone. 

Beth and I got up earlier than Tessa and Jonathan and walked over to the covering next to the pool at the SLC KOA (the nicest campground we've stayed in so far) for the pancake and bacon breakfast (at a minimal cost) that the KOA staff cooked up. The coffee had just finished brewing so we quickly poured a cup and placed our order.  We met a retired couple who spend half the year in Arizona and half the year on the road in their beautiful 43-foot motorhome they share with their two Schnauzers. The man seems to have been everywhere! When we mentioned the Gulf Coast, he talked specifically about Mobile.                 We ate breakfast, said our goodbye and headed back to begin to break down our site and move on. 

As we were about to pull out we met a man walking his two miniature Schnauzers (not the same guy at breakfast). One of the dogs looked just like our Chipper.  I approached the dog and held out my hand so he could get to know me. We struck up a conversation with the nice man from Utah who has traveled a good bit himself. He gave us good insights into what we should do while in Yellowstone. We all had Chipper withdrawals and all at some point mentioned how nice it would be to have a dog again.

-I have to stop here for a moment-

A couple of initial observations: 1st, this type of travel (camping-in a very upscale way) forces us, as a family, to pull together to help with the responsibilities of setting up and striking our residence on wheels and to deal with each other due to living 24/7 in relative close quarters. Secondly, people who travel this way are used to spontaneously meeting fellow travelers and, I have found, are very kind and friendly. There are, naturally, those who are quiet and choose to stay to themselves,  and that's ok. These two realities combine to make this a very enjoyable mode for seeing this land.  Finally, it seems that there are many from europe and the orient who have come over here, rented a motorhome and hit the trail. So, I guess the same could be done over there. The Europeans seem to have collectively figured out the getaway better than most Americans. I'm going to do some figurin'  and drop the European motorhome trip into my Bucket List!

Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. I guess I could have studied the map rather than commit to the Maps app on my iPhone, but I didn't expect to drive through so many states enroute to today's destination.  The Idaho countryside was clean and often quaint, in a vast surrounding mountain range kind of way.  It left me with the impression of 'leave us alone, we're doing just fine here. You can have your big city busy-ness. We like our clean water and air, our small towns and farms. You are welcome, friend, but we're not going anywhere'.

We purchased a set of portable speakers with which to play our iTunes Yellowstone playlist as we logged the miles. It made the drive pass more quickly and added to our enjoyment of the surroundings on the other side of the glass. Even the Beach Boys seemed appropriate as we drove past small lakes packed with Idahoans taking advantage of the unusually warmer weather.

The drive into the national park via West Yellowstone slowly introduced us to what lies ahead. We are so used to pulling into a Disney park and finding ourselves instantly in the world we came to see. Not so with this locale.  Yellowstone is vast covering 3,472   square miles. The park opens slowly reminding its visitors that those who enter here must take their time, relax, don't hurry things. That sort of living is for the outside world! On at least a few occasions we could see a traffic jam ahead which mostly turned out to be Bison sightings including one that walked right past our car. There are so many Bison here and encounters with them, usually at a distance, were so frequent that they became routine but never not captivating.

We finally found the Fishing Bridge RV campsite, pulled in and registered. On the walk to the office, I was struck by the scent of the pines that I had first encountered on my first trip here at the age of five. The staff was efficient though not as outgoing and social as we are used to in the south. We were given our assigned site after signing the waiver acknowledging we were in Grizzly bear country and headed to set up camp. Connecting the water, sewer and power is becoming a quick, systematic event; the boys set up the outside, the girls in. Due to the need for laundry, Beth and Tessa headed over to the laundry facilities while Jonathan found 2 trees for his ENO and I took a shower. It wouldn't get dark til 930 which afforded us plenty of time to explore the surroundings consisting of the General Store and the RV registration center. The late sunset left the impression that it was much earlier than reality. After dinner we talked for awhile then realized that it was 1130!  But, then again, what's the rush! We plan. To sleep in then enjoy our locally produced smoked bacon and egg breakfast before heading out to explore Old Faithful.

Day 4-Salt Lake City

Friday, July 20

Our drive to Salt Lake took longer than expected. On our way out of The Grand Canyon, we thought we had seen all we would see because of the rain yesterday. We came around a bend and saw another incredible view with enough time to pull the rig off the road into the turnout. This spot allowed us to walk closer to the edge of the canyon and get some great pics! 

As we left the park, there were many other 'visual gifts' on the road. As we took to the main highway, we encountered a detour on Hwy 89 due to the road buckling and collapsing. It re-routed us through some incredible Arizona desert country that we would have missed had we not been sent another way (there's a life lesson or Robert Frost poem in there somewhere). 

We reconnected with the main highway in Page, Arizona on the edge of the dam at Lake Powell. Shortly after crossing, we entered Utah and it was as if the State said 'I'll show you, Arizona!' as the landscape once again changed from desert to more evergreen mountain scenery. The many small towns we passed through were quaint with mom-and-pop restaurants and motels that looked more like I imagined Route 66 would have looked in its heyday. We ate at a Subway (I know, why not one of the mom-and-pops?) because it seemed all the local eateries shut down early for a Friday night. Back on the road as dark settled in we still had a bit of driving to do and made it into our campsite at 2AM. Early wake up call to head toward Yellowstone. . .

DAY 3-GRAND CANYON

We headed out for the Grand Canyon after lingering at the Kingman KOA a while. We disconnected the hook up and dropped the girls off at WalMart while Jonathan and I filled the tank and checked the tire pressures. We are slowly developing a routine with this kind of travel. We like it!

We started off on I-40 with the same mountainous desert landscape we had seen yesterday. Not to  say that it was predictable or that we were bored with it. Just the opposite. At one point, the sand and cacti changed to more green and suddenly we found our self in the midst of tall pines and, coincidentally, rain. Such a quick and dramatic transition.

As we drew closer to the Grand Canyon National Park, we saw more motorhomes and noticed when stopping at a general store on Route 66 that there are many Europeans here. Well, why not? The Grand Canyon is one of the 7 natural wonders of the world!

We pulled up to the gate at the park and purchased a National Parks annual pass. Looking back on the day, it was a good thing ($25 one day pass versus $80 annual). It started to rain about 30 minutes into our visit which meant that we would be back tomorrow. I struck up a conversation with the Ranger  who issued our ticket. She was ready to move on, she had climbed as high as she could go (I guess the grass isn't greener. . .).

You can't see the Canyon from the parking lot. It's about a 7-minute walk and then it just opens up. I made sure to keep an eye on Beth, Tessa and Jonathan's initial reaction. They were speechless. In fact there was a sort of collective reverence. While people were talking with each other, there was an overall hush. We took photos. Beth teared up at the overwhelming sight that cannot be translated via words or photography. About 15 minutes in it began to rain and we hustled back to the motorhome for the 5-minute drive to the Grand Canyon Camper Village.

The girls stayed in the rig while Jonathan and I went in to register. The manager and her assistant had just signed-in the folks ahead of us and then started arguing about some issue somewhere in the camp. We waited for what seemed like 10 minutes without a greeting or the slightest acknowledgement that we existed while they continued to argue. I walked up and said, 'we just want to check in. . .' She said, 'I know' then gave us our lot assignment. The TripAdvisor reviews sure nailed this place. Unfortunately, we had no other choice for lodging. Once we set up, we settled in for the night. Tomorrow's agenda: Grand Canyon and long drive to Salt Lake City enroute to Yellowstone.

Day 2-Kingman, Arizona

Thursday, July 18

Yesterday's drive from Mission Viejo to Kingman was a great adventure on many fronts; we were all getting used to traveling in a motorhome, I was getting used to driving the rig, and we were taking in the rugged beauty of the Mojave dessert. The vast landscape was awe inspiring. We all agreed that we had never seen such unique mountains that truly stretched out for miles.

We pulled into Kingman a couple hours later than we had planned (the incline through much of the Mojave slowed the motorhome) and headed to Mr DZ's Route 66 diner. It. looked like what I imagine a restaurant might have looked like in the heyday of the Mother Road. The food was ok. When we plugged the address to the KOA into my maps app, we discovered we were only 5 minutes from our destination.

I am presently sitting under a covered patio right outside the general store at the Kingman (AZ) KOA campground after our 1st night sleeping in the RV. I must admit I was a little apprehensive (and intimidated) at the thought of setting up the full hook-up at our site. Pulling into the campground after hours, we were greeted by an envelope taped to the door which welcomed the Harvill family and gave us our assigned space and Wifi password! When all was said and done (including a quick phone call to Trish to confirm the water hook up) it was really easy to hook up the utilities and, as Mike and Trish said, the motorhome turned into a house. We all slept well and needed the rest.

Today we will make a quick (if that is possible) stop at Wal Mart and begin the 3-hour drive to the Grand Canyon…

RV

So begins our trip out west. I always have this notion that we'll be sitting on the couch at 830 the night before we leave with the luggage sitting by the back door as we relax til bedtime. Then there's reality-up til 1AM finishing work stuff, running mail out to the mailbox, throwing last minute items in the suitcase. We were going to make it with 2 large cases for the 4 of us. However, we ended up with 4. 

The 5AM wake up call came early and I stumbled to the kitchen to make coffee for Beth and I. We were out the door by 7:10ish and were on our way to Atlanta. Traffic was not a problem. It was the time change and offsite parking that stole the minutes we would have needed to catch our flight that would have taken us through Salt Lake City to Orange County. Well, we missed the flight and, with the added fatigue all responded with a little frustrated energy. We were able to confirm 4 seats on a direct flight and would only lose about an hour and a half before landing. 

We are grateful to have the opportunity to use Mike and Trish Rye's motorhome for our domestic Grand Tour which will take us to:

Kingman, Arizona

The Grand Canyon

Salt Lake City

Yellowstone

a couple of nights in eastern Utah

Malibu, California

It's fun traveling with these guys. We have figured each other out and know how to help each other not only get to our destination but have a great time doing it! 

The last time I went to Yellowstone was when I was 5 years old. Mom, Dad, my brothers Rob and Jamie as well as Grandma Ree and Grandaddy J took 2 weeks to drive out and tent camp. I learned to swim at a camp in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and remember 2 things about Yellowstone, rain and bears. On the way back through Arizona, we saw a sign pointing to a movie location and, as I recall, drove down a dirt road and watched a bit of the filming of 'McKenna's Gold' with Omar Sharif and Julie Newmar. 

It was that trip which prompted me to take my family on the same journey. Lot's of driving, but I anticipate great memories in the days ahead.