Had a Wonderful Trip Out West!

[Newtmaker]

Two friends and I just returned from a trip out west to see the solar eclipse. While we were in the area we visited the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Arches National Park, Canyonlands, Escalante, Dead Horse Canyon, and a couple other smaller parks. We had 14 days and a blast!
Sure wish I lived closer to that area! I have always loved the west.

Walt

[Blaine]

It's wonderful, isn't it? I've given the Pacific Northwest a pretty good look-over, and a bit of the rest of it. Grand Canyon, and Zion are truly perfect gifts of nature.

[Hobie]

That IS a beautiful part of the country.

[rjohns94]

Alnitak and I took a tour from San Diego to the badlands, hitting grand canyon north shore at sunrise, yellowstone, Bryce, custer, badlands, and las Vegas. (not in that order ,lol). Beautiful country Glad you enjoyed your trip. You chose well the parks you visited

[Booger Bill]

Did you see the eclipse from kannarville south of cedar city utah? That was the bullseye 12 miles south of me. I drove past there too from st. george. People wherever you looked! We do have scenery here. Just yesterday we got in the truck to go out for lunch and made a nice loop through zion NP. We live to ride the trails a lot around here, bryce and zion.

[rjohns94]

BB, your living large. great pictures

[Pitchy]

Some day, some day gonna make the move.

[Blaine]

Some day, some day gonna make the move.

Where your buddy lives in Nachiz is nearly a perfect place to hang a hat....

[stew71]

Hey Walt & BB, I'll bet we crossed paths out there!!! I just returned a few weeks ago from a seven day motorcycle trip to Utah and the North Rim with some friends. Some of the best riding ever. Spectacular scenery indeed.

Here's a link to the trip report I posted up on a motorcycle touring forum to which I belong.

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/ind ... 253.0.html

[Newtmaker]

Booger, we saw the eclipse from the Pink Dunes State Park off 89a a few miles south of Carmel Junction. It was a great spot. The sun was visible all the way down to the horizon for the entire eclipse.

Stew, we did see/meet a LOT of cyclists on the trip, and especially in the parks. Lot of impressive bikes out there

I have about got the wife talked into going back with me next year, only then we fly to Flagstaff, rent a car, and stay at the Zion Lodge for a full 8 days as we wander around the other parks out there.

Walt

[gamekeeper]

Cool...

[jnyork]

Sure wish I lived closer to that area! I have always loved the west.

Walt

They sell homes down in that part of the country, ya know. Some of them even have indoor plumbing .

[Booger Bill]

We live at cedar city, been here since feb 2005. Today we took another quad ride with another couple only 15 miles from where we live. I had no idea that area was so pretty. We were up about 8,000 ft and looking across at zion. When theresa gets some pictures up I will post some later. Our main thing we do is takeing these little atv jaunts. Bryce canyon, zion, cedar brakes are all about 30 minuets to a hour and a half away as is some utah and nevada ghost towns and mines to the west of us. The cheap houses and fantastic scenery is why we retired here. Its also tourist, cowboy, sheepman, indian and poligimist country. Some mexican drug cartel MJ farms too. Never know what you run into in the wilderness rides. Can see deer, antelope, elk, wild horses, turkeys and even mountain goats all within a hour and half drive one direction or another if you know where to go. Liveing here a good ATV is almost standard equipment.

[Booger Bill]

Hey stew71, I checked out your MC trip post. Great! In another life I did the same a number of times. Back in 1960 I worked at yosemite for the NPS. When we lived in california many of my weekends off were exploring the sierras around reno. Had 10 acres out of portola near lake davis. Way back I had a royal enfield 750 intercepter and rode up there a number of times, still later rode harleys and also flew that country in my citaberia. I remember landing at stovepipe wells in my tri pacer when all that was there was a gas trailer. A close friend of mine that is retired here used to work the concessions at stovepipe wells. Now runs a horse boarding motel here.

[RIHMFIRE]

very jealous...glad you had a great time!

[AJMD429]

Taking the two weeks minimum to drive out and really look around out west would cost me 2-3 month's pay (the self-employed thing) and alot of bad 'PR' from needy patients, but if I can ever get a partner to join up with me, the first year I'm going to try to take a few weeks off and see lots of cool stuff.

I guess it wouldn't jinx things to start making a list of places to go and see...

[Booger Bill]

Maybe I should hook you up with a old girl friend, "Freeda travel". I can understand the job interfearing. First things first! A good companion is nice but that can backfire too. I am reminded about a old close friend. He decided to take a number of months off in between jobs years ago. He outfitted a nice van for him and his wife and go see alaska. He said before they got home his marrage was over! Take a good spanial. They love to ride! How about that guy on the news a couple days ago? He decided to thumb his way around the country and write a book about his adventures and how nice the people were. Someone shot him in montanna!
I always loved any form of travel. Almost all trips had its up`s and down`s, it always was a adventure. When young I was always next to broke and went on the cheap. That posed many interesting trials. Slept on the ground or across the truck seat, shower up once in awhile at truck stops, picked up weirdos and once a escaped prisoner. You get in less trouble when you have good funds unless your like todd and buz on route 66.
I was lucky. My folks always liked to travel, although also on the cheap. The very last trip I took with my dad, he was 88 years old and had alzheimers. I was driveing him from wisconsin to my home in california. He always wanted me to stop at cheap motels and he always would try to beat down the price. At a indian run motel (Owner from india), I got in a fracus.
We got the room in fortuna california. I stepped out to get dad a newspaper. The manager seen me and invited me in their liveing quarters behind the office. Told me he wanted to give me some "Indian style" chicken and wouldnt take no for a answer. I could smell the chicken. Then he asks me if my dad and me wanted some females! I got up to leave and he made to grab my croch! I threw him up against the wall and had a short talk with him. He actualy was trying to pimp his wife and daughter! (They werent there, but he said they would be home soon from shopping.) I realised I was in this guys liveing quarters so refrained myself from beating on him, told him to leave us alone and left. I got back to the room, was adjutated but said nothing to dad untill we got up and on the road the next morning. Dad asked me if I beat him up, and was dissapointed in me when I said no! Thats why I didnt tell him earlier. I belive I could write a book myself on it.
Another time I was wanting a partner to share exspence`s to drive from wisconsin to california back in 1960. I was to report for work in yosemite national park. I had put a ad in the paper. I picked up a airman that needed to get to travis air base. That was only out of my way by about 500 miles as I was going by a aunt in san clemente first for a week before reporting for work.
I charged the guy $60s! We got some place in the dakotas and seen a sign advertiseing rooms for I think, $1.50 in front of a farm house. The lady put us up in two old huge beds in a large room with about 12 ft high ceiling. She tried to start a old paddle ceiling fan but couldnt reach the chain. I said I will get that, stood on the chair, chair broke and I fell backward on the bed with my 270 lbs, the entire bed flew apart to kindeling wood! She put me up in another room. She wouldnt take any money for the damage. (Thank God!) To top matters off, we got about 70 miles away the next morning and my partner says he left his wallet under the pillow! We had to go back and get it. That guy got his $60s worth out of that ride. I sure didnt!

[getitdone1]

Booger Bill,

Few more stories like those and you'd have a good book! I'm guessing there's a few more.

Don