Description

I own no land, instead I have wheelestate. I’ve been a full time RVer since 1997. Working summers as a Park Ranger takes me to many beautiful places and playing during the winter takes me to many more. This blog is simply the story of my life's adventures.

Moved

Thank you for stopping by. Just to let you know, I'm still blogging but have moved to Geogypsytraveler. Hope you'll follow my adventures. Just click here.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Great road trip but no license plate

01 Mike at LeFevre overlook SR89A AZ (735x1024)

At least not for me. But Mike got his new to him Jeep licensed in Colorado City.

02 GSES while dropping off Kaibab Plateau SR89A N AZ (1024x768)

Dropping off the Kaibab Plateau with views of the Grand Staircase Escalante.

03 Old house SR389 W AZ (1024x766)

Evidence of somebody’s dream.

04 JB's why I love chocolate sign Hurricane UT (1024x754)

At breakfast this sign says it all.

05 Stormy sky to the S from SR389 E AZ (1024x757)

It was about 94 degrees in Saint George, Utah. And I’ll have to go back in a couple weeks to get a 5th-wheel hitch mounted in the truck.

06 Rain falling on the Vermilion Cliffs from SR89A N Kaibab NF AZ (1024x743)

Although we watched the stormy sky all the way home we barely got a few rain drops.

07 Clearing yet stormy sky over the meadows SR67 S Kaibab NF AZ (1024x768)

Someone asked about the first image of standing dead trees in my SWF post. In 2006 lightning struck near Jacob Lake starting the Warm Fire which ultimately burned almost 60,000 acres. Now I see aspens taller than I am.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Rafting the Colorado River

01 Gaelyn looking up stream at Colorado R Tuweep GRCA NP AZ by Mike (1024x766)
Gaelyn dreaming at Toroweap
While I was in South Texas this winter my supervisor told me she’d recommended me for the annual Colorado River trip for park employees. I've dreamed of rafting the Colorado River...

Thursday, July 7, 2011

SWF – Sky journey

01 2000 Outlet burn SR67 N Kaibab NF AZ (768x1024)

I am a traveler. So, I take a lot of photos while driving.

02 Jacob Lake Lookout Tower SR67 N Kaibab NF AZ collage (460x1024)

The sky captures my attention as much as the terrain.

03 Rain SR389 W AZ (1024x749)

Moving along from 35-65mph brings the changes on rapidly.

04 GSES from SR89A N Kaibab NF AZ (1024x759)

I was on my way off the Kaibab Plateau down through the pinyon/juniper woodlands.

05 Sun ray thru clouds Hurricane UT (1024x641)

Descending into the desert to Kanab then west to Saint George.

SWF long badge

To see more skies from around the world, or to share your own, go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.

Nature walk with Artist-in-Residence

 01 View SE & cloud shadows in cayon from Cape Royal NR GRCA NP AZ (1024x767)

My world has been very busy at the North Rim. Amongst my daily schedule of working in the visitor center a couple hours, presenting one to three programs, and roving in between to answer visitor questions I am the lead for our Artist-in-Residence program. Click here to learn about this program offering artists a chance to live and work at National Parks.

02 Storm brewing over Deva & Brahma temples NR GRCA NP AZ (1024x750)

Six artists, in almost any genre, are chosen each year to stay at the North Rim Grand Canyon National Park for three weeks to immerse themselves, allow their creativity to flow, interact with visitors and present outreach programs in the park and upon returning home.

03 Thea Gavin AIR NR GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

A couple weeks ago I joined the visiting Artist-in-Residence (AIR), poet Thea Gavin, on a nature walk with other visitors. We stopped at a quiet overlook and sat 5 minutes with eyes closed followed by another 5 minutes eyes open. Then we wrote what came to mind following Thea’s suggestions of starting with “It is _____ again…” and ending with “The _______ tells me….” Here’s what I ended up writing.

04 Rain over canyon NR GRCA NP AZ (1024x754) 

It is June again at the canyon.

The wind sometimes caresses

or makes me feel unsteady.

 

During a lull, soft bird song drifts past,

increasing to tree rustle, grasses wave, shadow dance.

 

Yet even when strong wind blows the song of the canyon my way

I prefer it to the noisy family that needs to

“Move on because of the beauty.”

 

The wind tells me to look inside at

my own turbulence and

find the calm.

--Gaelyn Olmsted 6/24/11

(The place we sat had a noisy family come by briefly.)

I need to do this more often. We all do.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Time for an upgrade

01 Techies Kanab UT (1024x768)

Last Wednesday I had to take my laptop to Techies in Kanab (the nearest town at 85 miles) for a thorough cleaning. Seems to be an annual process removing copious amounts of dust bunnies even though I use canned air trying to keep it clean. And HP Pavilion is notorious for over heating when dirty. I couldn’t pick it up until the next day. So I drove towards Saint George to look at trucks.

02 Hurricane UT (1024x765)

It was late afternoon by the time I got to Hurricane and I didn’t see any trucks on the few lots passed so decided to stay in Hurricane for the night.

03 Dashboard Ford King Ranch (1024x767)

In the morning I continued to Saint George where there’s many car lots and at the third dealer I found the kind of truck I was looking for. So I took it for a ride. Not in town, but north towards the sandstone cliffs surrounding Snow Canyon State Park (which seldom receives snow).

04 Test drive Ford to Something canyon SP St George UT (1024x740)

Sweet! A 2005 F350 Super Duty diesel King Ranch with only 80,000 miles. Now that will pull the new 5th-wheel with no problem at all. I didn’t explore the park. It was just a turn around site. After all I was on a “test drive” and gone for about an hour.

05 Inside new Ford (1024x768)

And it’s loaded with leather bucket seats, moon roof, heated seats and side mirrors, AC, cruise control……. (Did I just drool on the screen? ;)

06 Old & new Fords side by side Premier car & truck sales St George UT (1024x750)

The old and new, side by side. Which shall it be?

07 Gaelyn driving new Ford St George UT (1024x688)

She called my name and I called her Canyon. I usually name my dogs after places (Denver, Denali and Carson) and my trucks after rocks (Aqua/Turquoise, Malachite and Sterling Silver), this one gets both.

08 Side mirror view of GSES NM SR89A S Kaibab NF AZ (1024x768)

So I drove her….

09 New Ford NR GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

….home.

My old girl Sterling F250 served well over almost seven years of towing and still has more to give. We both shed a tear and move on.

Monday, July 4, 2011

MWT – Happy Independence Day!

10 NPS truck in 4th of July Parade GRCA AZ 2009 (1024x891)

We shoot water instead of fireworks at Grand Canyon’s North Rim

I rejoice in the celebration of our independence and always loved watching, but not listening to, the fireworks. Yet I also truly enjoy celebrating in our National Parks or Forests, where NO Fireworks are allowed. Would be nice to keep Some of Arizona green. Please use caution with fireworks and if camping where there’s no fire restrictions put your fire completely out before you leave. Have a Happy 4th of July my friends!

mwtnarrowbanner

To see what others are up to go to My World Tuesday by clicking here.

Google Analytics