We packed and left on Friday morning. Our plan was to go across the state to Camp Verde and stay at the Clear Creek campground. We stopped in Flagstaff for lunch, shopped a bit and headed on our way. Got to the campground and it was full. Anywhere within a hundred miles was full. Which defeated the whole purpose of driving over there. The campground was 45 minutes from the Fossil Creek Trailhead. Backtracking that far would not work. So, we decided to go back and camp in Williams and do the overland trail. Then we looked at the weather after there. 44 degrees at night. We only had thin fleece bags we would have froze. So, we drove home, made it to Steve's sister, Teri's 50th birthday party after a 435 mile day.
We then decided to just hike down to the hot springs between Kingman and Hoover Dam. We repacked to only stay one night and left early yesterday morning. Either way we had 30# or so on our backs. It is in a wash and we forgot about the mile of being a mountain goat. I hate rocks which could have snakes and I had 30# on my back which made me off balance. By the time we got to the Springs to camp the place was packed to start with. We basically plopped down for a bit or should I say a long time to let me recuperate. I'm pretty sure I had heat exhaustion by the time we got there. The last bit over and through the rocks was rough. I was dizzy, nauseous, and was beginning to have a headache. I need to put electrolyte's in my water from now on. We set up out tent at the side with the sun and stayed in the shade.
We used the heck out of our Katydin water filter there. We took our packs and used a bottle that kids left laying around for water. All was fine, a bunch of people and then the boy scout troop showed up and camped across from us. Four adults and a bunch of boys. We ended up putting our tent up a bit higher on a flat spot and ended up with a nice rock on the side to put our stove and food stuffs. I love our new tent from REI, it is big enough for us and we can sit up without hitting our heads.
Not done yet, then a bunch of kayaks showed up with drunk college students in them. So, at last count last night there were 72 kayaks and canoes on the beach. Which as you know adds up to at least double that amount for people. The boy scout troop was from Rancho Somewhere, CA and we were not impressed as the guys as in troop leaders made the boys do all their own cooking which I thought was great, but they weren't supervised very well. It got dark and half of them were still down by the river without an adult. By dark all those boys should have been at camp.
We had our Beef Stew for dinner and around nine tried to go to bed and that's about when the drunk college kids decided to serenade our side with a guitar and 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall and finished it. Meanwhile they were traipsing to and from the hot springs. Oh, hot springs, the boy scouts knocked down three of the sand bags so our little camping spot got a bit wet, we were glad we moved up to higher ground and if a flash flood occurred we were a bit higher. The leader that was still at the camp went up to check and got the sand bags put back into place.
We got up at 6 am packed up, cooked breakfast and then were mountain goats yet again. It is a slight up hill all the way back to the trailhead through a wash, sand, I really hate sand, did I mention that? It took us like 2-1/2 hours to get back to the truck with many stops on the way and all I could think about was the cold Gatorade sitting in the truck. Did I mention Sand?? I really hate the stuff, I slogged along through it and my legs just felt so heavy all the way back.
We made it to the truck and I mostly finished a Gatorade and an orange juice before we left the parking lot. My heels had been bothering me most of the way out, yep, big blisters that had popped. So, the heels hurt, and the new hiking boots? I'm about ready to have them dumped or burned. I spent $129 on them, they are Keens. My little toe has always bothered me in them and now they put blisters on both heels. I give up...
We are home now and I slept most of the day after a long hot shower. We won't make plans on Memorial Day again, our plans will all be made on a normal week so the places we want to go will not be packed, and if anyone wants to come with me? They can take the time off work just like I do!
Where will our next adventure be? In the 35' motorhome resting. :)
A Blog about my hobbies (which I sell), chickens, and life on our Third Acre in Arizona
Robin, that whole trip sounds like torture! I think you're wise to avoid holidays in the future! A 35' motor home vacation sounds heavenly!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. You asked where I get the mini easels and canvases. There's a big craft store called Craft Warehouse where I usually get them. I think it's just Washington/Oregon, tho. And I've seen them at Ben Franklin craft stores, but don't know if you have them down there. Try Hobby Lobby or whatever large craft store you have close by. I'm not sure about Michaels---don't remember seeing them there, but it's a possibility. Or check on-line to see if you can find a source.
They're fun to paint on. I hope you can find some.