Bringing back mental images of the Camino de Santiago

We got a bonus while we were taking out break in Vegas. Alicia Darias Zara who had helped us so much in our quest to walk the Camino, even hosting us overnight at her home outside Pamplona, happened to be in Las Vegas for a bit. While her husband Marino, who was so kind to cook us a delicious dinner that evening outside Pamplona wasn’t available, we met Alicia for lunch at Balboa Pizza in the District. We reminisced about the trail and all the camaraderie that came with it. Fun!

Talk to you soon!

Hiking Las Vegas

We took this time before the intense heat of Vegas summer to hike many of the trails we always liked, as well as trails we have yet to explore. We re-explored the historic rail trail following the track bed that brought all the material needed to build Hoover Dam back during the Depression. Kona liked the 5 tunnels through the mountains because they came with their own shade.

We learned from News 3 that the Gold Strike Canyon Trail, which usually would close for the sumer on June 15 due to the heat, was going to close in two days because of construction closures resulting from I-11 corridor issues. The Canyon was spectacular, a deep slot canyon that obviously carries water to the Colorado River every time it rains. It was long given the heat and had 3 fairly extreme scrambles down boulders (2 of them complete with ropes that were needed to get down and up), but we enjoyed it thoroughly.

To wrap up the new hikes we headed to Lake Mead Recreational Area to find Liberty Bell Arch with our friends Ron and Teresa. Despite the assurances in some postings on the web, as well as the extremely limited signage we found, our hike for the day ended up being closer to 10 miles in total, not the 2 miles out and 2 miles back that everyone seemed to suggest.

The trail had just about any kind of terrain that you could imagine. First, we headed down a wash created slot canyon with smoothed and swirling sandstone walls. Next, we climbed up steep rocky mounds to abandoned mining shafts complete with abandoned mining equipment. Finally, we made the long slog up to the base of the Arch. 

The Arch was just as advertised. From the proper angle there was no question as to how it go

t its name. You could even imagine the clapper extending below the rim of the bell, as well as the distinct brace at the top where it was originally attached in the belfry. I tried really hard to pick out the crack, but I guess I had to leave that to my imagination as well.

We brought out lunch as we read that a mile past the Arch there was a gorgeous overlook of the Colorado River. As advertised, it was there, so we downed our lunch watching the guided raft tours drift by. From up here we could see not only the Colorado River, but we could see the I-11 corridor as well as the I-11 bridge over the Dam itself. All in all, it was a great view before we began the long slog back to the car.

As far as exploring new Vegas hiking, mission accomplished!

Talk to you soon!

Our new life

We’ve finally settled into our new life. It took a while for us to get used to being trailer trash, but we have managed to adopt to what is needed to blend in. While the Equinox is crammed full of golf clubs, an inflatable kayak, a couple of folding chairs that we can sit on for an impromptu picnic lunch, all our geocaching paraphernalia, hiking shoes, hiking poles, all the bottled water you could possibly need, and a wide variety of snacks, it still doesn’t put us in the class of these experts!

I do have to admit, however, that when it comes to making sure you have everything with you that you need, I like the way these guys think a bunch.

One thing we have learned is that our neighbors wherever we seem to park Colectiva suffer from some of the same ailments we seem to be living through. Voices here are quite loud – because nobody here can hear worth sh_t, everyone speaks louder assuming that you can’t hear any better than they can. I am just guessing a bit, but I assume that the last guy by this sign maybe couldn’t read it – or maybe couldn’t even see it!

However, only about 40 feet past that recently downed traffic sign is an electronic speed monitor that tells folk in bright red letters when they are violating the local speed limits in the RV Park. While the last speed clocked was only 15, perhaps the highest speed recorded of 51 (holy crap!) was the guy who took out the sign. I, for one, will be watching over my shoulder as I stroll through the Park with Kona.

Talk to you soon!

Revisiting with success this time

We visited the old remains of the Gold Butte ghost town many years ago. Gold Butte was incorporated in 1908 but didn’t last long, as total mining production only reached about $75,000. Since we previously visited, Obama designated the area a National Monument, less than two years ago. We scoured the area back then but were never able to find the petroglyphs that were supposed to be there.

Making our way to the site took us right by the infamous Bundy Ranch. In 2014 Cliven Bundy and a group of supporters engaged in an armed conflict with law enforcement over a 21-year dispute between Bundy and the BLM regarding the government’s authority to manage public land.

We were quite surprised given all the conflicts and skirmishes to find all the huge American Flags that adorned the family’s properties. There was even a very large and ornately decorated structure to show the family’s patriotism. Interesting, and also very impressive.

On this visit we were far more successful. It turns out that Kona the pooch is a petroglyph hunter! On most of its managed lands, the BLM has a policy of not informing the public regarding the location of ancient rock art. Apparently since the government has not allotted the BLM funding that would allow them to staff the sites sufficiently to protect the art, their policy it to protect it by not telling anyone where it is located. I guess this makes sense but doesn’t seem to me to actually serve the public these lands are being preserved for.

Fortunately, some of those who agree with me make the effort to post their location online. Usi

ng information from the Bird and Hike website we were able to find a trove of native rock art that we missed the last time here. In fact, we were fortunate enough to find the most famous rock art in the area – the popular “Falling Man”. Nobody knows exactly why this image was created, but give the route we had to take to get there, we totally understand.

Talk to you soon!

More "lifers" in Vegas

We thought that we were fulfilled with out Vegas birding outlook when we spotted the Phainopepla at the Desert National Wildlife Refuge. But then we decided to visit the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. The first thing we identified when we got there was the Rufous Hummingbird. We may have stumbled on them before, but this was the first time we spotted them and identified them – bonus!

The Preserve is part of the Las Vegas Wash reclamation area, with settling ponds intended to clean the run off that enters the Wash prior to it emptying in Lake Mead. Because of its nature as a group of ponds, it attracts many water species. We spotted Rudy Ducks, which we love, and added another “lifer” in these American Avocets, both large and impressive, with a very long bottom grubbing beak with an ever so slight upturn at the end.

There were Yellow Headed Blackbirds here, as well as Killdeer, both already on our list of identified birds, but birds we enjoy seeing nonetheless. We did score one more “lifer” for our efforts however. These Long Billed Dowitchers were scouring the pond bottoms along with the American Avocets looking for some tasty treats.

All in all, our visit was a super success!

Talk to you soon!

Thought it was my hitch - wrong!

Soon after I had my Roadmaster tow bar serviced at an RV Rally, I was in San Diego. After bottoming out my hitch receptacle leaving a particularly uneven intersection, the Equinox began lurching violently from right to left, causing Colectiva to actually sway from the force. I came to an abrupt and complete stop, but when I slowly pulled forward to find a place to pull off the road, it stopped. This has happened a handful of times since then, and the same routine stops it. I assumed it had something to do with tightening up the tow bar with new components, but since I now know how to stop it, I haven’t really investigated it further.

Until I read the October issue of Motorhome magazine. Apparently, a large number of Chevrolet Equinox owners who tow their 4-cylinder models report this same issue. Apparently, it doesn’t plague the 6-cylinder models, only the 4. Apparently, Chevrolet has acknowledged the volume of complaints from Equinox 4-cylinder owners but has no idea why this seems to happen. They still officially list the vehicle as flat towable. Chevy says that they will continue to investigate and will post any findings.

I guess it wasn’t just me! Oh, and sorry Roadmaster, not you either!

Talk to you soon!

Some more Vegas stuff

Even though we have lived here for 20 years, we had never checked out Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. We went to an outdoor musical there once, but just saw the amphitheater, and not the subject of the Park. Thanks to the entry line being miles long – I actually couldn’t see then end of the line due to a rise in the highway in the distance – we bailed out on Red Rock National Conservation Area and headed for the State Park. We hiked all the trails in the Park, and had a great time learning about its history from the very informative docents.

The ranch dates back to the early 1800’s when prospectors mined the seasonal springs coming out of the Spring Mountains, and folk on the Spanish Trail would stop here for rest and supplies. By the 1970’s, James Wilson and George Anderson acquired the ranch and enhanced its structures to include a blacksmith and store. These structures are still part of the Park, some of the oldest structures still standing in the State.

By the mid-1900’s, Alfred Krupp bought the ranch so his wife, Vera, could pursue her interests in riding and horses. Vera loved it so much she became a citizen and began living at the ranch year-round. Alfred had been convicted of war crimes in Germany, which made him unable to become a US citizen. They eventually divorced, Alfred living in Germany and Vera at the Ranch. A tour of the ranch house/mansion revealed how eccentric Vera was. In her private bedroom, the docent showed us the secret passageway behind one of the closet doors that lead to a private sitting room, with views of the mountains and totally bathed in the warmth of the sun.

Interesting stories abound here. When Vera had to leave the ranch due to health she wanted the state to make it a state park, however the amount the state could afford to pay was not what Vera needed. So instead, she sold it to none other than Howard Hughes – legend has it he never even set foot on the property in all the time he owned it. Some banditos raided the ranch stealing a number of valuables, including the infamous Krupp Diamond. The banditos were apprehended and the goods recovered. Vera eventually sold the Diamond to Richard Burton for $307,000, who gave it to Elizabeth Taylor, and it eventually became known as the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond. After her death, it commanded auction proceeds in excess of $8 million!

Talk to you soon!

Taking in some Vegas stuff

Even though we are settled down in Vegas to see the kids and get our annual medical appointments out of the way, the wanderlust is still in our blood so we continue to find new things to discover. Today that included the Desert National Wildlife Refuge. At over 1.6 million acres, it is the largest wildlife refuge in the US outside of Alaska.

We toured the fairly newish visitor center and took in their film. Then we drove in a bit – all of the roads within the refuge are unpaved, and the ones we drove on weren’t suitable to do over about 10 mph, so we didn’t get all that far. But the views were spectacular! We just plopped our carry along folding chairs on the side of the road and had our yummy picnic lunch. There was absolutely nobody anywhere in our field of vision, except birds and hares and a few skittering lizards.

We did get one big bonus. When we were in Tucson rubbing elbows with Ken and Georgia Halloran they told us we would no doubt see some Phainopepla if we kept our eyes open. They said we would recognize it since it looks much like a Blue Jay, but is jet black. Well, we did, and we didn’t – kept our eyes open, but were denied our Phainopepla sighting. Well, when we got to Desert National Wildlife Refuge, the ranger there mentioned that people had told him they were present. And sure enough, we bagged another “lifer”. Perseverance pays off!

Talk to you soon!