92 replies to this topic

[hoyden]

I thought you would enjoy talking to Jeff as well as seeing Hart Mountain. It's a great place!

 

Hi! Jeff was great! We could have chatted into the night, but I had to get set up and he had to get back to work. 

Oh, Hart Mountain is definitely special! Thanks for the pointers!

[ski3pin]

"and we watched the sunset, and we were content."

Contentment......a peaceful calming.......a connection with our earth, a worthy search.

hoyden, you have all of us in your back seat.

[hoyden]

Thanks, ski3pin! 

 

Oct 13, 14 : Logan, UT

 

I spent two days in Logan with my friend, but only got one photo - a painting she has in her apartment.
Pugsly approved.

 

 

Since she was working the day I arrived, the dogs and I took over the guest room and I got a good shower.
There is definitely something to be said for modern plumbing.

 

We went out to eat a bunch, and this was outside our breakfast place

 

 

but the best and most unexpected was an Indian restaurant attached to a gas station. 

It was YUM!

 

 

We took a drive up to Bear Lake, which was large, borders both Nevada and Idaho, and it really pretty.

 

 

Edited by hoyden, 29 October 2016 - 05:10 AM.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

"I stopped in Frenchglen for some expensive gas and to encounter the surliest person I met on the trip..."

Be thankful you found her in a good mood! M is a bit of a legend to say the least, but believe it or not... she has mellowed. About 30 years ago I asked the wrong question and thought I was going to be tarred and feathered.

[hoyden]

"I stopped in Frenchglen for some expensive gas and to encounter the surliest person I met on the trip..."

Be thankful you found her in a good mood! M is a bit of a legend to say the least, but believe it or not... she has mellowed. About 30 years ago I asked the wrong question and thought I was going to be tarred and feathered.

 

Holy cow. That's funny!

but musta been her daughter then. This was a younger woman! 

Edited by hoyden, 29 October 2016 - 05:27 AM.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Its probably her grand daughter. M is about 70+ now.

It appears the Apple didn't fall far from the tree. Sometime over a campfire I'll regale you with a few stories about the mercantile.

[hoyden]

<snip> Sometime over a campfire I'll regale you with a few stories about the mercantile.

 

I can't wait!!!

[hoyden]

Oct 16 : Mystic Hot Springs

 

Practically every place I visit I want to stay. I’m at Mystic Hot Springs now, trying not to worry about my camper batteries, thinking about sheep-farming, hippie living, life on the road, vanlife, city benefits, middle of nowhere tiny house on a few acres….

 

One of the really nice things about being on the road is that if you have a bad day one day the next day is completely and totally different. As well, like yesterday when I drove far too long and had a rather discouraging day, I had no plan for place to sleep but I didn't freak out and found a wonderful spot outside Winnemucca, Nevada. It was the lack of tension that enabled me to do that. I had decided that since I have my house on my back even if I sleep in a parking lot somewhere and get crap sleep, the next day will be totally different so it doesn't really matter.

 

Mystic Hot Springs is on the edge of Monroe, Utah. Upon approach, I pass what looks like a hippie bus graveyard and a trailer park. The signs for the Springs look hand-painted, which are quite nice, but the funky approach isn't confidence inspiring.

 

 

 

I pull into the parking area and follow a sign pointing to the office.

 

 

It's $15 for use of the Springs and $15 for camping, which includes power hookup if I want, access to bathrooms and showers. Sounds good. I pay and get set up, with a nice little park on one side, and the hippie bus graveyard on the other. On second thought, the busses might be residences. They might not drive anywhere, but cool looking places to stay

 

 

When I walk up to the springs, I'm greeted by a welcoming committee.

I keep my distance.

 

 

There are two larger "group" tubs on the lower area, the smaller of the two (on the left, closer to the building) is the warmer and where I ended up spending most of my time.

 

 

A short walk up some steps reveals three bath tubs with view out over the property and out a ways.

 

 

Made for a nice sunset view. These tubs were more like bath-temperature, but still quite relaxing.

 

 

Up a little higher are two more bathtubs. I didn't get to try those because they were occupied when I was there.

 

I settled in, and soaked up some relaxation.

 

 

 

I spent most of the evening in the tubs, and ended up in the larger one down below watching the sky darken. That night a wind storm whipped up, and from inside the camper it seemed like all hell had broken loose outside. I thought I heard the wind trying to lift my solar panel, but it could also have been my abundant imagination.

 

The next morning proved that no destruction had happened.
I packed up and motored on.

Edited by hoyden, 29 October 2016 - 02:13 PM.

[hoyden]

Oct 17 : Cathedral Valley Campground

 

There is no place like home. Spent some time today on my rough back road drive towards Cathedral Valley Campground wondering if I would have made better use of this time if I had gone back home instead. I would have had community and some downtime to work out the “perspective” part of this time off.

 

Then I realized that if I had, I’d have spent a goodly amount of time wishing I’d gone on an adventure instead, logicing that an adventure would give me perspective on full-timing and real out of my head time. I felt like Dorothy all of a sudden – “there’s no place like home” and perhaps I had to go on this adventure to find out what is important to me: community and a home base.

 

It's not my home-town that I want, but Home: Community. Location.

 

 

I found out later that there are three ways to access the campground. All are 4x4 recommended, high clearance vehicle required. My route was no exception. The more common route, it seems, is to cross a wash which two days later was impassable. If you cross the Cathedral Valley to come in, you face a rocky, twisty, steep uphill. The way I came in wasn't too bad, until closer to the campground. Then it got pretty rocky. Glad I have my very capable Tacoma!

 

Obviously nice road here, but the photo doesn't capture how steep this is!

 

 

I saw a couple of these dwellings, but I'm not sure what they are. For hunters?

 

 

 

When I drove into the campground I spotted another FWC! Of course, I drove up to say hello.

Turns out, they are on the Wander the West forum too!

Hi, Wallowas! :-D

 

I parked two spots over from them in the small barebones campground, and we did a bit of exploring down to the overlook and had some wonderful chats that evening. Just when I start to get despondent about life on the road, I meet amazing people out there!

 

Pugsly used to be so photogenic. You can see the other FWC camper there in the background!

 

 

Argos and I went exploring and found the cliff edge for some amazing views of Cathedral Valley

 

 

Pretty spot to camp for the night.

 

 

The dogs were not cooperating for picture-taking. Apparently, something elsewhere was far more interesting.

 

 

The view was amazing.

 

 

The rocky outcroppings out there looked rather flat when I first arrived. As the sun lowered, the shadows caught up, and gave definition to these structures. Lighting has such an amazing effect on view, perspective, appearance.

 

 

 

 

I got these photos with my little Lumix point and shoot! Not too shabby!

 

 

The dogs weren't terribly impressed, but they did seem to like it up there.

 

 

We had some nice evening clouds.

 

 

and a lovely sunrise the next morning.

 

[Stalking Light]

Very cool. I love Cathedral Valley, I have only gone in across the river and from the highway through the lower valley. Sounds (and looks) like you had a great journey.