Friday, May 13 – Monday, May 16
Campsite at Sand Island Campground, Bluff, Utah
Warm, sunny weather necessitates bringing out the awning on the Best Little Trailer.
The shade from the awning creates cool air that wafts through the open window, encouraged by the Fantastic Fan set on “outflow.” These days are pleasant. You know, it’s that dry air.
I also put up the Wilson internet antenna.
Without the antenna the signal is very weak. With the antenna my Verizon jetpack’s connection is 3G with 3 bars, plenty good for blogging, emailing, and catching up on news. I spend a portion of these days editing photos and writing the posts about Wheatfields Lake, Canyon de Chelly, and the drive from Chinle to Bluff.
Bridget and Reggie enjoy twice daily walks around the campground loop and up the short road to the petroglyph panel.
(Note: As I type this, the BLM website about Sand Island contains errors. Route 163/191 is correct, not 153, and there ARE drinking water spigots at the campground. The BLM site says “no water.”)
Okay, let’s take a look at the campground!
This is what you see as you drive from the main road down the bluff toward the campground and boat launch area.
River floats launch here every day.
Group shelter on left, campground back among the cottonwood trees
Sand Island is a Bureau of Land Management campground.
It is located off Route 163 about 5 miles west of Bluff. Camping fee is $15 ($7.50 with senior discount pass). I pay for six days and choose a site away from the rest.
Cottonwoods, rabbit brush, and sage
Being famliar with Sand Island from previous stays, I’m surprised at how high the vegetation has grown. Maybe if there were flowers, it would be chopped down. Ooh, snarky-snark!
At any rate, I’m pleased with our site and set out our “outdoor room”.
The new 9’x12′ mat is unwrapped and staked down. New is nice.
When sitting under the awning my view is this rock which extends along one side of the campground.
Photo taken in the glow of sunset
The closest site to ours is an easy pull-through.
For that reason, campers who occupy it usually stay one night only and they’re usually the really big rigs. Arrive late, leave early, okay by me!
Actually the site is just a wide spot in the campground road.
Walking around the campground loop, we pass a site with a tent.
Keeping it simple. I like the color of that tent.
Another site is occupied by a Casita.
The couple who own it stroll by our campsite one day and ask, “What year is your trailer?”
“2011,” I reply.
They tell me theirs is a 1999.
Ah, the Casita . . . forever young.
The door’s square corners are the most obvious difference.
I’ve seen a lot of Casitas lately. A fellow camper at Sand Island tells me he saw a large group of Casitas camped at Comb Ridge, north of here, off Route 95.
A Roadtrek Class B peers out from the back of this site.
Reggie does what Reggie does. He moves (and wrecks the composition of this photo.).
I think this site is occupied by a Class C.
A step-stool and camp chair hold the site. Plus the yellow ticket on the post.
The crew and I approach a former site of ours.
The last time we were at Sand Island, we camped under this cottonwood. A T@B, Outback model, presently occupies the site, and grabs my attention.
No one is home. I take a few more photos. That’s what you get for being so dang cute!
I’m intrigued by the attached room and want to show it to you.
They’ve doubled their indoor living space. Clever!
I wonder if T@B sells these things. It looks like it’s meant for a T@B.
Hmm . . . I can see pros and cons with that room. It would darken the interior of the trailer. Also it would block the sun from warming the door side on a cold morning. I like morning sunshine and light on the open door.
A blue tarp was laid down, although it looks like the room has an attached floor.
On the other hand, that little room might warm up nicely and be very cozy. It provides room for changing clothes and for sleeping. . .also a portable loo if you want. Gee, pets could enjoy the space, too — cats, dogs, even birds, going in and out. What a wonderful addition, especially if camping on rainy days! I like it!
Three campsites are situated by the San Juan River.
One of them is empty. In fact, this site was empty when we arrived. I didn’t take it because there was a big rig with generator in the next site.
Walk a few steps (or ride) on a short path and you can see the river.
Bridget yawns. Riding in her car on a balmy day makes her drowsy.
Our first time at Sand Island a few years ago we camped in one of these riverside sites.
Reggie hops up on one of the big rocks.
Reminds me of another boy, adventuresome around water
“Oh, no you don’t Reg!” I lift him down and turn Bridget’s car around.
“I think it’s time for you two to take a nap.”
rvsue
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Scene not far from Sand Island Campground
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