Friday, October 6
There’s much to like about Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and its little campground where the crew and I are camped for a few days.
Well-marked, wide trails start at the campground.
The crew and I make our way through rabbit brush (currently blooming yellow), sage brush, and red rock terrain.
If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know I’m not very athletic. If you want to see magnificent vistas from the top of a mountain, you won’t find them here!
The crew and I hike for fun and for moderate exercise.
I never set a goal for a hike, never push myself to reach a lofty destination. I like walking slowly, examining plants, looking for things to photograph, watching my crew.
I admit I meander, rather than hike.
That being the case, if a trail turns into more work than enjoyment for me, I do an about face and go home.
All of that to tell you this . . . .
The trails around Red Cliff make a splendid walk right from the start. For those of you who can’t or don’t want to go far, you can tailor your walk to fit your situation and still be wowed by the landscape.
A camp that offers several choices for walking the crew is a treasure. Not only does Red Cliffs have trails, it’s a pleasant walk down the entrance road.
For this post, I’ll keep us to the trail from the campground.
I truly believe the most skilled designer, landscaper, artist, whatever, on this earth could not assemble a more harmonious and visually pleasing landscape than what is laid out before us in nature.
The erosion of rocks provide safe haven for animals and birds.
And then . . .
Oh boy, here we go again!
When Roger is really, really happy, overflowing with joie de vivre, he says to himself, “Hmm, I feel great . . . I think I’ll grab that Reggie by the leg.”
That’s right. Suddenly Rog whirls around and clamps his jaws on one of Reggie’s hindquarters. Not viciously, just enough to make a challenge.
Reggie responds.
He rips into Roger and the battle is on! One moment we’re walking along serenely and the next moment the boys are at each other’s throats! All in fun, of course.
As quickly as the tussle begins, it’s over.
“Okay. What was THAT all about?”
I have to laugh at these two.
“Roger, get back here. You don’t need to be chasing whatever is up there.”
“It’s time for us to turn around. The sun is setting. We need to head back to camp.”
“Did you have fun, guys? It’s a beautiful world, isn’t it.”
Here’s a link . . .
In case you’d like to see more of the trail, the photos at “Travel Tom’s Outdoor Adventure Blog” are outstanding. If I had seen these pictures earlier, I would’ve pushed on further!
Oh well, if we come back someday, we will go to those places.
As it is, the crew and I head back to camp fully satisfied with our hike.
The Best Little Trailer comes into view.
Almost home!
More about Red Cliffs in the next post!
rvsue
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG!
RVSue and her canine crew is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Love the cliffs.
JOY IS FIRST! YAY, JOY!
This looks like a really beautiful area ! So glad to see that everyone is happy and enjoying it all.
First?
Rats.
Third is still very good!
Wonderful place you’ve got there. The boys were just so joyful they couldn’t resist a little tussle!
Beautiful and enjoyed the “tussling”…
Take Care
You are right, the world is beautiful. So grateful. Nice trail walk
That’s a great place for a stroll! I’m another “hiker” with basically no goal but enjoying the scenery and moderate exercise. It has been good to notice how many easy walks are in the places you go. I’m trying to decide whether I like high desert better than Sonoran scenery. I guess I’ll have to go see both over and over until I declare a tie.
Well said I love high dessert and Sonoran also.
I’m so grateful that you’re “athletic” enough to walk the trail and share those pictures with the rest of us. Thanks bunches.
Top 10?
Veey nice trails!
Yes, I believe you made it as did I.
Great post,Sue. I love the colors!
Such a beautiful area – as is so much of Utah. Great pics of the red rock and different hues of the brush. Boys will be boys I guess – they look so serious!
No comments today, just a thumbs up 🙂
Hi Sue and crew. Beautiful photos of the cliffs. I am looking forward to exploring that area. It looks like Roger and Reggie had a good fun day too. I call “meandering” thoughtful, meaningful exercise. Some of the best. A smelling the roses kind of thing. Anyway, you already know that. Thanks for the tour.
Hi Dawn! Glad you made it to Denver! Carry on!
As they say, Boys will be Boys! And those two are like brothers everywhere, they love to roughhouse. How many people do you meet that think they are littermates?
Ha! With Rog and Reg and you it’s “Tails and Trails”! LOL!
😁
Gorgeous scenery! Good to know one doesn’t have to “hike” to see beautiful sights! Jules has a bad leg which limits her destinations. We would love to see the blue water at Havasupi Falls..but it’s something like 10 miles in and 10 longer miles out!
Boys will be boys!
Gosh…I’ve scrolled back to look at your photos at least seven times now! Beautiful indeed! Love your backyard!
Sleep well!
What beautiful views, and I checked out pictures on the other person’s site also-spectacular. Thank you for sharing so many beautiful places with us!
😎Already counting my blessings. I’m so thankful we have such amazing places to “meander” to our hearts content. On one hand I love to reach summits or a majestic view at the end of the trail, but on the other hand I too appreciate meandering. Honestly I’ve sort of been forced to slow down but even before that, one of my favorite things is to find a little flower hidden in the forest floor. I’ve always felt a little sorry for the hikers who blow by me on the trail striding so fast they’re almost running. The classic “Joy in the journey”.
I enjoy seeing all the beautiful pictures
and adventures you and the boys go on
I can’t wait to see more Sue.
Your photos are great again, as are the subjects! 😉 Thanks for sharing them.
Wow ! I like this place. Looks lovely !!
I just love all the beautiful photos from Utah. All of nature is so glorious, but I am enthralled with these red rock areas.
Had our HOA annual meeting tonight. Some of the folks were complaining about the semi-dead trees at the edge of our lake & want them gone. The grounds committee chair person said they had just voted to leave the deadwood as we have the herons, ducks, fish and turtles that uses these areas for perching and shelter.
We, the board, discussed this a few months ago and voted to leave it alone as well. Oh well can’t please everyone all the time.
Time to hit the hay for tonight. Thanks for sharing photos and life. Oh, I am a meanderer too.
Your comment about heading back home reminded me of Bridget leading the way. I’m glad you are so good at finding compatible dogs.
I thought of Bridgee baby too!
As!
Meant ah, darn it.
Me three! Great minds think alike! HRH and Spike live on in our hearts. 🐾 🐾 ❤️
Beautiful pictures and adorable spunky boys. I’m with you Sue…use it or lose it and enjoy life.
That truly is a spectacular camp. He is the greatest architect of all. I love that Reggie and Roger have such a brotherly relationship. It is special, and so interesting to see the dynamics of the crew change with the personalities of the pups. They are all so lovable and unique.
OK – looking for some input from those who have done some winter travel from the Northeast. We’re from the Albany NY area…..
We go to Florida every year for a month with our Casita, but for next year 2019, we’re thinking of taking an extra week and heading west and southwest.
So, folks… Do you think we can head to San Diego for a couple of days (visiting friends) and then meander eastward through the southwest, ending in the Florida panhandle for a bit of the beach and do it in 5 weeks? Realistic? Too much road time for a winter vacation? I really can’t decide.
We are still part of the working world, so even 5 weeks is a bit of a stretch, but you only live once.
When you get to the panhandle of Florida, we are in Apalachicola! St. George Island is just across the bridge with beautiful bridges and a wonderful state park with a campground! This is the Forgotten Coast and we love it!
Hi Geri, We’ve been on the panhandle quite a bit. Absolutely love it. St Joe Peninsula mostly. We’ve been out to St George Island as well. We’re heading to Grayton Beach this year. I think the panhandle is fabulous. We eat loads of oysters while we’re there – many in Apalachicola. Neat town.
I think it would really depend on how much you like to drive. We live in Texas, and driving to California is not a problem, and driving to Florida is not a problem, but doing the entire route would be a bit too much driving for us! Don’t know what time of the year you are going, but if you want to see some of the southwest, you could take a week to drive through Arizona and New Mexico, then amble northeast instead of going to Florida. You could easily visit Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Nashville, Knoxville, Mammoth Cave, and then head home. I’m sure other blogorinos would have even better suggestions!
Thanks, Mostly, It would be February to the beginning of March. It is much more driving than we would usually do, which is why I asked if anyone had done it. We would definitely do Florida for the beach and then shoot straight up home from there. Ambling through Arizona and New Mexico is exactly what we would like to do. I would love to do Big Bend in Texas, too. I know it will take us several years to scratch the surface, but we have to start somewhere. Have you been to Big Bend?
We haven’t done Big Bend yet, mostly because we pick places based on motorcycle roads. In fact, I’ve already been told our next trip back to Texas must include Fredricksburg, because somebody needs his Twisted Sisters fix (a famous motorcycle route in the hill country). If you are heading through the panhandle, Davis Mountain State Park is right on your route 🙂
Some years back I drove from Chandler, Az., to Antigonish, N.S. In my Ford pickup. I took a month off of work, stayed in motels and had a great time. Just my dog Buddy and I. I think you’ll have plenty of time and there are some fine beaches in the San Diego area, in northern San Diego county. Del Mar, Encinitas, Oceanside.
Go for it.
Donna
What an awesome time you and Buddy must have had. Sounds like a blast. Thanks for the beach tips around San Diego/
Well you probably know I drive back and forth from Az to Albany most summers. It is approximately 2800 miles. San Diego would be another few hundred. If I manage 500+ miles a day I can make the trip in 5 days (4 nights) but I am very tired when I get home. I have determined that 300 miles a day is much more comfortable for me. So unless you want to spend ten days or more of your 5 weeks driving, I would say ‘no, it is too far’. You might consider heading west as far as say New Orleans or even Galveston and going to beaches around there.
Yes, DG, the drive time is the big issue. I appreciate what you’re saying, especially since you’ve made a similar trip so often. We have a friend in San Diego I really want to visit. Maybe I should just fly out there on a separate trip. Money and time are always an issue and we’re trying to figure out how to use both wisely. Thanks for the input.
Wow, everyone! Thanks for the input. I really have some thinking to do, and some great places mentioned that I never would have known about. Thanks again!
I’ll chime in on your winter road trip.
We’ve done cross crountry twice, once in a class c and the other in a SUV…both with furkids. In the rv we traveled I-80 between the hours of 10am-2pm, so we wouldn’t be in the rat race with those traveling to work traffic and giving enough time to settle in for the evening. In May, it took us 17 days (from San Francisco Bay Area to the ADK’s) due to weather i.e. snow, tornado and floods.
In the SUV, (ADK to AZ) it took 5 days, we traveled 8am-3pm cuz I drove 80-85mph. The ferals were in crates so we didn’t want to spend too much time on the road.
The lower route will be better road conditions…out and back in 5 weeks plus beach time in FL..not sure if that would be enjoyable…you are the only one that can decide. I have to agree with DeGin…maybe as far as TX.
Las Vegas is 5 hours from us…desert… nothing drive…we jumped on a 45 minute plane ride. But that’s us!
Hi ApplegirlNY!
I thought I’d chime in with my thoughts on your proposed trip in 2019. I’ve driven from Philly, PA to the West coast multiple times, both towing my Scamp and just “bookin’ it” with the truck during all seasons of the year—even in winter snow and ice.
FWIW, you would not find me making such a trip with the time constraints at the time of year that you are planning. You’re talking about 6000+ RT miles (just destination travel excluding the meandering) in five weeks with uncertain weather conditions. And these are towing miles, right? Nope, wouldn’t do it. Too many miles in too little time with too much of an unknown weather factor. Setting up camp, breaking down camp and driving 500 miles a day in possible poor driving/towing conditions whoops me just thinking of it. Can’t see any fun in any of that.
You may have perfect travel conditions in both directions, but what if you don’t? Are you prepared to deal with it? You don’t have the luxury of time to allow yourself to come off the road because of the black ice conditions around Dallas, TX or to wait out a snow storm in NM. Then there are the gusting, high winds trying to blow your rig off the interstate in AZ and making travel treacherous. All are very real possibilities but perhaps you are planning on making special sacrificial arrangements to the weather gods and thus are assured of the fair weather omen.
I have a healthy sense of adventure but carefully weigh any potential risks before forging ahead. Your sense of adventure and comfort with risks may be greater than mine. Just be safe, whatever you decide to do.—Audrey
Hi Audrey. Yes, these are the very real things we must consider. It’s one of those things that sounds like a great idea one minute, and not so much the next. Thanks!
Boys will be boys is how the old saying goes. Your boys more so than most I guess. Roger is full of mischief and it has to go somewhere and Reggie is closest. I bet you get some of it too at times. Thank you for the wonderful pictures of this area. Since I can’t be there is sure is nice to live thru you in your adventures. Thank you so much. Be safe and give those boys a scratch from all us.
Sue, thank you for taking us on this slow, meandering walk through the rabbit bush and red rocks! I really do LOVE Utah! We really enjoyed our time there! The Double R’s really are a riot to read about! They are so perfect together.
We have had a welcome cold front come through, last 2 nights in the 40’s!! Yay! Feels so good to go outside to work and not sweat! Hahaha!
Take care Sue and Crew! You are loved.
💗
You are loved, too, Geri. 🙂
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 🙂
😀
Happy Birthday, Geri!! 🙂
That natural landscape was masterfully designed, you’re right about that, and about this being a beautiful world. It’s wonderful to see the boys so happy that they tussle and play because they can’t contain their exuberance.
Hi, weather,
I hope your day is unwrapping all sorts of blessings for you!
I’ve never spent any time off the freeway in Utah… The pictures you are showing are absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to do my own exploring! 8.5 years to go… ugh!
I’d love to be doing what you and the crew are doing now but those times have passed for us. Now I have to be content to sit quietly in our patio and enjoy the feathered friends who come to our birdbath and especially our little humming birds who count on me to keep their nectar feeder full for them. If you are reading this and trying to decide when you should start living your dream, the answer is now! If you put it off, you may never see it happen.
Detta and I send our love to you Missy and boys!! *Big bonus hug*
Good! Glad you have had a chance to check us out!
Sue:
Over on Becky Schade’s blog, she reported today that Amazon was terminating her affiliate account (she details the reasons there). Hope this doesn’t happen to you also.
Diane,
Can you tell me where on her site you saw this? I read her blog fairly regularly and have never seen this.
Barbara . . . .She wrote about it in her most recent post in a paragraph toward the end.
Another learning experience on here! Just got back from a big trip and kept seeing that yellow flowering shrub all over the west; so pretty! I thought it was sagebrush blooming. Now I realize we were seeing rabbit brush, which is new to us “east of the Mississippi” folks. Those red rocks are amazing. We stayed in a national forest just outside Sedona. We’re still in awe of those formations! Thanks for amazing pics and for sharing your life with us all. Hugs and special pats for the boys. Judy
Boys will be boys!! 🙂
Sending you and “our” boys love and hugs from me and Gracie pup! Thank you for sharing your beautiful red rock pictures, Sue. I felt like Gracie and I were meandering along…..bliss! 🙂 N’nite!
I was very proud of Gracie tonight. We had 21 trick or treaters this year. Little Miss was a good girl and did not bark or growl at any of the kids. Tomorrow, she will be back to raising cain if someone is walking down our street…. She got some extra loving and belly rubs!
Gracie pup rocks! hahahaha!
🙂
“It’s a beautiful world, isn’t it.”
Yes, Sue. Yes it is.
Thanks, as always, for sharing the photos.
Morning…. looks like your links to Amazon are gone this AM? Might be my machine but best to check. thanks
Hi, Kathy,
Your machine is fine. I’m making changes on my blog in order to be sure I comply with Amazon rules. If you see links, you can still use them to go to Amazon and shop. Thanks for checking. 🙂
Hello RvSue and crew and blogorino’s,
Back from Grand Cayman and ready to comment!
As usual, your post is beautiful AND funny! I read IO’s comments about the amazon rules. We know your affiliate deal with amazon is important to you, so don’t worry about offending us with links to stuff you don’t personally use-I imagine your readers are intelligent enough to only buy stuff they really want! 😀 Your blog is hard work and you deserve the rewards you get! Once again, the area you are in is magnificent – thanks for showing it to us.
I follow a blog by another nomad rv type lady, she just posted she got kicked off her amazon account because of new rule changes…wow…I sure hope this doesn’t affect you Miss Sue. I like to be able to click on your links and contribute a tiny bit toward your lovely blog. I hope you are well..hug the pups for me!
Oops, asked and answered! I’m guilty of posting before reading!
I just got license renewal for my two doggies…I just was made aware,that Arlo will be 11 in a few early next year..time flies…….
I don’t know what the future will,bring for my little fur friends, but they bring joy to me each day. I am sure you feel the same…so. Everyone out there, cherish your pups!
My sister and brother-in-law live in a very nice retirement mobile home park in Yorba Linda CA. A couple of weeks ago she put out her little chihuahua out to potty right in front of her home and a coyote grabbed her dog and ran off with him. My sister started screaming and chasing after the coyote and scared him and he dropped the dog. The dog’s neck was broken and so he passed away instantly. The vet said that it was a good thing that her dog was on the ground because he was certain that the coyote would attack my sister in order to get her dog. The vet also said that coyotes are becoming very aggressive these days. Keep safe while out and about and I love reading your posts and enjoy your pictures very much!
Hi, Shirley,
What a terrible thing! I’m so sorry for all involved.
I don’t know anything about Yorba Linda. I’m guessing the coyotes are more brazen about where they hunt due to human population where the prey has declined in numbers. I’m not saying one doesn’t need to be very careful with their pets. Little dogs do attract the attention of predatory animals.
In 2011 the original crew and I camped at Elephant Butte, NM. The coyotes roamed around the campgrounds. They were skinny and becoming bold around people. At the campground where we were, people at one campsite regularly put out food for the quail.. water, too. This, of course, attracted not only quail, but rabbits and rodents. Well, of course, who is going to be attracted to the quail, rabbits and rodents? I wonder if something similar is happening at your sister’s mobile home park.
I saw a similar situation at a campground near Barstow, CA. The camp host attracted quail and then at dusk he enjoyed watching a coyote come down off the hill to his back yard to kill and carry away dinner.
Thank you for sharing this tragedy with us, Shirley, as an important reminder for all of us with small pets.
Thank you Sue. I used to never hear the coyotes howl when camping at the Grand Canyon South Rim or at Yellowstone but this past year we have heard them every night, and this is just outside the campground! I thought that they were always afraid of people because when I was little, they would never come close but I liked to view them from afar. Yorba Linda is a city in So. Cal and there are some rolling hills right next to the mobile home park and so I’m think that’s where the coyotes are living. A ranger at the Grand Canyon told us that while he was just walking around he felt a strange feeling and turned around and there was a pack of coyotes following right behind him. I hike and walk around Antelope Island this time of year in Utah because we are close and now I’m thinking I better keep better watch of what is around me.
Happy hiking!