Slick Rock Country!

Portal RV Resort
Moab, UT
May 20, 2015

Oh, how I love travel days. Whether going to new places or familiar places, the excitement builds! This past Wednesday was a perfect day for good-times-rollin as it was a bit overcast, no winds to deal with and the scenes along the way were spectacular. Yes, we have traveled this route for two years in a row, but somehow it just didn't look the same. I love to take pictures as we are rollin down the road. Joe always comments how nice it is to see where we have been as he does a great job of keeping his eyes on the road. It's a good thing I don't drive! 

I love this stretch of road through Monument Valley.

We are a couple weeks later than last year...all the wildflowers are gone! Sorry Carol....

HAPPY TRAILS!

 We are all settled in at Portal RV Resort. We are happy! The Tan Clan is happy to have a nice green grassy doggie park to play in. The weather is perfect! And Pearl has already had a taste of some good ole Moab slick rock and a chance to play in the dirt! 

Up next...Poison Spider!

Brins Mesa

Distant Drums RV Resort
Camp Verde, AZ
May 16, 2015

No changes in the weather all week-end. Saturday also dawned with a slight chance of rain, no thunder storms, a hike chosen, and two enthusiastic adventurers. 

As we drove into Sedona, the clouds were hanging low. We made a left turn onto Jordan Road off 89A just past the "Y" on the north side of town.  

Another left turn on Park Ridge Rd which started out paved, but quickly changed to dirt...make that mud! 

The kiosk explains the devastation of a fire in 2006 started by illegal campers who walked away from hot coals left uncovered. It destroyed over 4300 acres. 

The forest was green and wet...

Our 7.2 mile trek started out in Mormon Canyon. 


The first mile or so offered a gentle rise...




and was a good warm up for the rock scramble to the top that came next.

What a reward...

After a few minutes spent taking in the clean, fresh air, and the huge views, we were on our way. We walked across the mesa (which is not horizontal like Doe Mesa, but rather a tilted "plate") from east to west and down we went...this time into a different canyon.

Beautiful Arizona spruce with gray bark lined the path along with wildflowers. There were several creek crossings as the path twisted and turned thru the canyon.

When we reached the end of the trail, we had hiked all the way to FR 152. That is the gravel road we took to get to the Devil's Bridge  and Vultee Arch trailheads.


Our return trip was the same...

a nice climb up the west side of Brins Mesa...











 a meadow walk across the mesa...we hurried as the rain was chasing us and gaining fast...

and a scramble down the east side. 

The rains did catch us just as we were going down the edge on the east side.

 An unusual tree trunk caught our eye. 

Yet another hike we highly recommend for its heart pumping, deep breathing, gorgeous forest, beautiful mesa, and because it was just dang fun! I am so glad we didn't let the weather deter us as the low clouds and mist added so much to the splotches of sunshine we enjoyed. 

Until next time, play in the mud...  

and happy trails!

P.S. We ended the day with a stunning Arizona sky!