Summer Plans - 2015

 

This is a photo of one of the more dramatic places I explored last summer - Tent Rocks in New Mexico.  This rock formation is called a slot canyon - you can hike through the slot to find other areas with bizarre rock formations that look like tents - teepees.  I did a blog on it last year with more photos.

 

The reason I was digging around in my old photos today was because it was a cool, drizzly day and I didn't want to go anywhere.  I've been looking at maps and lists of places I wanted to see this summer.  It will be a busy summer, lots of hiking and fun things to see. 

 

When the weather warms up I'll head to northern Arizona, where the elevation is anywhere from 4,000 feet and higher.  There are good portions of the old Route 66 I want to drive, and from all reports, some should not be done hauling a trailer.  So, I will leave my 5th wheel and explore in the truck.  I hope to get to the Grand Canyon and down to Sedona, where there are energy vortexes as well as great hiking.  I have to stop at Winslow, Arizona because that's where the statue is - Standing on the Corner, in honor of the Eagles' song Take it Easy.  Gotta get a photo of myself with that statue! 

 

Shortly after that, I'll head north to another canyon and then back into New Mexico.  My camping permit is still good there and I can camp for $4 per night, with hookups.  There are a few things in the northwest part of that state that I missed last year.  After that, I'll head into the southwest corner of Colorado to see a few things and on into Utah.

  

Utah has a good selection of national parks and monuments in the eastern part of the state and most of them offer camping, although without hookups.  I'll be able to see arches, canyons and other rock formations.  There are unlimited hiking and photographing possibilities in this area.  Depending on how long all this take me,  I'll make my way to a few other areas and then head south for the winter. 

 

I know from living on a sailboat down in the Caribbean that all plans are never written in stone - we used to say that our plans were written in sand at low tide.  Luckily, I'm used to being flexible and wherever I am, I'll be exploring that area.

I'm hoping that fuel costs will stay low - I was able to find this the other day, while other stations were posting $1.95ish.  Gas Buddy is a great app to find out where the bargains are in your area.

 

Here's hoping all my fellow RVers have a fun, safe summer wherever they go. 

 

 

Tent Rocks, New Mexico (aka Kasha-Katuwe)

Cochiti Lake Park is run by the Corps of Engineers and very closeby is a National Monument called Kasha-Katuwe, more commonly known as Tent Rocks. Yes, another area of rock formations, different from other areas I’ve hiked. These rocks are shaped, for the most part, like Indian teepees. Some of them have boulders perched on the top.

 

There are two trails in the park, the more difficult one was a mile and a half to the top. I decided to do the difficult one first since it included a canyon slot, climbing rocks and an increase in elevation of over 600’, which was mostly during the rock climbing area. The canyon slot was very interesting, a trail between boulders that are the height of buildings at least 4 stories tall. The trail through this area may be as close as 2-3’ and then it opens up into wider areas 20’ or more in other places.

 

 

 

Then, suddenly, you exit the canyon slot into an open area with more rock formations towering over even the highest pine trees. The trail continues with a slight incline and a few rocks to climb over. Soon, the trail is littered with boulders to climb around or over and it becomes steeper.

When the trail finally levels out, it’s on the top of the mesa with mountains on all sides. The day was clear, so there was a great view of the mountains.

 

The downhill hike was so much easier since gravity helps. It took me much less time coming down than going up, besides I had already taken most of my photos. By then, the light had changed and I got a different perspective on the formations.

 

I hiked the other trail, a very easy walk through the lower part of the park near some of the rock formations. It was not as dramatic or impressive as the other trail, but way less strenuous. Great exercise for the day, with both trails, I walked/climbed about 4 miles.