Strawberry Reservoir | Utah

 

This is a very small area of the Strawberry Reservoir.  For those who are curious, I never saw any strawberries growing around here.  There are 7 campgrounds scattered around this part of the lake.  Out of those, only 1 has hookups, for people who must have air conditioning and other comforts.

 

My first site was overlooking the marina, of course.  Most days started out sunny and then started to cloud up midday.  This was sunset light, sometimes the best times to take shots.  Below is a little ground squirrel, they seem to be shy in this area.

I have no idea what kind of birds are, but I just like the shot.

 

This gives an idea how far away some of these campgrounds area.  I stayed in this campground the second time I was here this summer.

 

 

An old boat dock was in this little cove, but it has been retired. 

 

 

Following are photos during the second visit to this area this summer.  Just a different loop in the campground, different views.  I think I liked the views on my second visit more than the first visit.

 

 

 

 

 

Clouds sometimes create great sunsets. 

 

Maggie's Kids | San Carlos | Mexico

 

Maggie Arechiga is a Mexican woman who runs a shelter/orphanage called Agua y Mas Orphanage in Guaymas, Mexico.  Maggie is hoping to obtain an abandoned school building in San Carlos, which needs to be renovated, so she can move part of the orphanage/shelter to San Carlos from Guaymas.  Some preliminary work has been done to the grounds, but quite a bit of work still needs to be done, especially to the interior.  This will have to wait until she gets her final approval papers.  With 45 children at the present time, there is always loads of work as well as items necessary to clothe and feed everyone, as well as provide a safe place and utilities.

 

Maggie's Kids is the name of a Facebook page that provides information on what the local people have been doing to help Maggie with support for the past few years.  There are many people who travel from the States to San Carlos each winter and bring necessary items to help Maggie provide care for the children.  Maggie gets the kids out to have fun, and twice a year, with the help of San Carlos residents, they plan a camping trip to the local beaches. 

 

  

Allison Poutiatine and I met up in Utah and decided to visit a thrift shop in Monticello after our lunch in that town last week. We were looking for tents and other camping equipment for the next camp outing. After lunch, we wandered into Mimi's Thrift Emporium on the main street in town and saw a decent sized tent hanging from the ceiling and decided we needed to buy that for the kids.  While I was wandering around looking for other items, Allison started talking to Mimi and the other women about the orphanage and what the kids need. 

 

While I was wandering around, Mimi told Allison that she could donate clothing and a few other things.  They had already started taking clothes off the racks and putting them in the rolling suitcases we had also picked out.  When Mimi and her helpers filled those suitcases, they started filling large trash bags with all sizes of clothing and shoes.  Allison and I were both shocked at the amount of clothes that were being donated.  Mimi also donated a couple of rolling suitcases that were just a little less than perfect!

 

 

This is only one pile of hangers they cleared off!

More hangers have been emptied and stashed in bags for us!  There were multiple empty racks by the time they were done!

Mimi and her crew behind the counter - what generous people!  Allison on the left and me on the right in front of the counter.

This is the pile we ended up with, and some things may have already been taken to the truck!  Mimi told us she could do this twice a year, if we had someone who could transport items down to Mexico.  With social media, maybe we can find people willing to help Maggie's Kids!  Many thanks to Mimi and her helpers for the amazing generosity and willingness to help these children!

Maggie has set up a U. S. and Canadian account for the orphanage for donations, which would be tax deductible. Anyone interested in donating can contact.....  http://www.aguaymas.org/ 

 

 

Heber Creeper | Heber City | Utah

When I decided to come to this area of Utah, I had no idea that there was a train museum and a ride!  Of course, I had to check it out!

There were multiple train cars sitting in the yard, in all sorts of conditions.

 

Only this one does the tour.  Not a coal burning engine, but it's still a train!  This particular train is the Heber Creeper because way back in the last century, Heber City was a farming area and raised livestock, which was taken by train down to the big cities.  It only goes a few miles an hour, and back in the day, took them almost all day to make the trip. 

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In the station where tickets are purchased, I noticed this ornate hanging lamp that was specifically made for the lobby, I probably should have asked how old it was.

When we boarded the train, I found that the windows opened only a short distance, so it was a bit hard to take shots of the scenery.  Most of the train rides I've been on provided either seats or an open-air car where it's easier to take photos, unfortunately, this one didn't have an open car.

In the car I was in, the roof was showing some age.

 

Even though this is a desert area, there are some green spots, which are dramatically green when you have been looking at desert plants and sand most of the time.

 

At one area we stopped, some old time "train robbers" boarded us and  told us we were being held up and we should raise our hands.

 

He was joined by two female accomplices.

Turns out one of the robbers happened to be a singer and played a few tunes on her guitar.

 

Halfway through the trip, we stopped for lunch at Vivian Park along Route 189, it was accessible from the tracks.  It was a lush green area with nice facilities and beautiful scenery.

 

 

During most of the return trip, the train went along a reservoir, with very pretty scenery.

 

During the return trip the bank robber would tell anecdotes and the singer sang for us.

 

There was enough wind that day to allow the kiteboarders to get out and have some fun.

 

 

 

Thompson Canyon | Sego Canyon | Utah

Petroglyphs are ancient carvings on rocks.  In this area these are from 3 different time frames and different tribes. 

It seems to me that the red ones are less prevalent than the ones just carved in the stone walls. I have not seem many of the red ones, but lots that are not colored.

Since this was an old mining area, there are a few of these old train trestle, which is how the ore was moved to processing areas.

The rock formations in the area is stunning, they make you feel really small. 

In these canyons, people lived and died, and therefore were also buried here.  There is a little cemetery that people still visit.  Graves are rustic or modern, as you can see.

Many of the stones have items, like coins on them that visitors have left.

The most modern grave is one of a Vietnam Vet who had lived in this area.

Nearby is a tree where people have left items that have special meanings.

This was the strangest one I saw and it looks like part of a vehicle to me.

Back in the mining days, the workers lived out here and I'm assuming this is a small house built by one of them.  Or it could be that it was left from some of the Indians who lived in the area.

Around the corner, this little oven has been covered to help preserve it.

This building was a store for the mining people.  Unfortunately, this is all that remains.

Next door, this building was made of wood, but has fallen down over the years.

Someone had a car out here and behind it that square looks like the remains of a refrigerator.

Another house that has gone to ruin.  This was a nice one and even had a basement of sorts, possibly food storage.