Our Home and Native Land

Las Vegas, Nevada was our last destination before going home for a rest. We decided to stay in Vegas for a week to give ourselves an opportunity to plant our roots for a while and to take in all the sights and sounds that Vegas has to offer. We camped in nearby Henderson and stayed at a lovely KOA Campground where we had the good fortune to meet another pair of wonderful snowbirds from Wisconsin, USA. Hats off to Jim and Elaine for their kindness and generosity. They gave us lots of great Vegas tips, coupons and suggestions for future travel. 

Of course no Vegas trip would be complete without taking

in a show. We saw Cirque de Soleil "O" as well as Cirque de Soleil One - The Michael Jackson Show. Both were equally impressive artistically but the music of Michael Jackson was amazing! We felt as if we were attending a live concert especially during the song "Man In The Mirror" when a hologram of Michael appeared on the stage. We also visited Counts Kustoms where the Counting Cars Show on the History Channel is taped and went to Nellis Airforce Base for Aviation Nation, an award winning airshow by the United

States Air Force. On our last night in Vegas we decided to hang out on Fremont Street. I think I'll let the pictures do the talking on that visit. After a great week in Las Vegas, it was time to 

put the motorhome in storage and head home to Newfoundland, Canada for a visit with family and friends and to celebrate Christmas.

It was so nice to be home and we were reminded of how beautiful our home province is. We did not miss, however, all of the snow and gray skies. In fact while we were home we experienced the "storm of the century" which placed the capital city of St. John's, and surrounding regions, into a State of Emergency for 6 days. Below is a video taken from our front window during the height of the blizzard. Almost 100 cm. of snow fell over three days, shutting down schools, government offices and city facilities for a week and necessitating the need to call in the military for assistance.

What was left of our family (2 of our kids are away working), pulled together and we got everything cleaned out. 

Shovelling out the dining room window and vents

Oh boy!!!

Though this storm was brutal, and we are still waiting for things to return to normal we are reminded of how Newfoundlanders pull together during times of crisis and do what needs to be done. This was eloquently demonstrated through An Ode to the Newfoundland Storm by local comedian Mark Critch.

A quick trip to Cupids, NL to check on our summer home also reminded us of why we love this place so much. 

There was no damage and everything seemed to be in working order but it's time to head back now and leave all this snow behind. We are looking forward to sun and warmer temperatures....two things you DON'T have to shovel!

So, here's our journey so far! I wonder where we will go next?!

Welcome to Death Valley!

I once read that Death Valley was a land of extremes; extreme heat, extreme dryness and the lowest point in North America! Death Valley, located in Eastern California, is certainly all of these things but one thing for sure, it has mesmerizing harshly beautiful landscapes unlike anything we have ever seen. 

When we first discussed going to Death Valley, my immediate thought was that we were going to a desert. I expected to see a lot of cactus and miles upon miles of sand dunes. My senses were completely unprepared for the mountains that towered above the dry lake beds, the dark night skies, and the huge craters and rugged terrain that also define Death Valley. The long stretches of lonely roads that wound their way through huge expanses of Mars-like land often made us feel like space explorers on a brand new expedition. 

Talking about space, our first stop was at Rainbow Canyon nicknamed Star Wars

Canyon located at the western border of the park. Commonly used by the United States Air Force and Navy for fighter jet training and for filming movie

scenes like some of those found in the Star Wars movies, we were treated to some pretty spectacular scenery. 





Sitting atop Father Crowley overlook we joined other onlookers and photographers who had come to not only see the canyon but also to take in the flight training exercises. 

I was lucky to have captured this shot! These guys are fast!

Although the sand dunes are only a small portion of Death Valley, they are quite spectacular! The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes were quite accessible and a fun place to visit. Many people come here to walk over the dunes and feel the soft sand beneath their feet. Not at this location, but we are told that some of the dunes in Death Valley can reach to over 680 feet tall!

                  The mountains provided a beautiful backdrop for the setting sun!

Some of the best motorcycle riding we have done on this trip has been at Death Valley! The endless open roads with not a car in sight provides us with a wonderful opportunity to get up close and personal with all that the desert has to offer.

Into the mountains we go!

 Artist Palette Drive was a beautiful run that took us past beautifully colored      rocks created by the oxidation of the metals found in the ground here.

        This photo was taken by Blair Radford (www.sharetheexperience.org)

Death Valley also has an interesting history including how it got its name! During the 1849 California Gold Rush, Death Valley received its name from prospectors and pioneers who perished during their winter journey across the valley to the gold fields. The charcoal kilns pictured below are also remnants of the park's history.

Built in 1877 by American Indian, Hispanic and Chinese workers the kilns provided a source of fuel suitable for use in the smelters of the lead-silver mines that once existed. 

During our October/November visit to Death Valley, the daytime temperatures

often soared to 28 degrees celsius which meant lots of water and needed opportunities to escape the sun. Needless to say it did not surprise us to learn that the hottest air temperature ever recorded in Death Valley was 56.7 degrees celsius! Likewise, Badwater Basin is another example of the extreme harshness of the Death Valley landscape. At almost 300 feet below sea level, this is the lowest point in North America. Water from a spring below is undrinkable because of the salt. In the pictures below the salt flats stretch for miles!

Hiking through Golden Canyon and taking in the view of the Valley from Dante's Peak are also must do activities on any visitors list. After leaving Badwater Basin early in the morning, we went right to Golden Canyon before the temperatures became too hot! As we walked through the canyons we were in awe at the rock formations that towered above us. Red Cathedral reaches into the sky in the background.

Not a great selfie, but we made it!!!! Can you see Steve in the background?

Dante's Peak, an almost 5500 foot viewpoint atop the Black Mountains, was one of the last places we visited during our 4 days in Death Valley! It really was great to be able to take in the entire view of Death Valley below! 

Death Valley is certainly a place we will never forget!

Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite National Park located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Central California was another amazing spectacle! Up to this point our travels along the coast and through the valleys simply could not prepare us for the geological wonder we were about to experience. Driving from the West on Highway 140, it didn't take long for the Sierra Nevada mountain range to come into view.

Before we knew it we found ourselves slowly ascending the two lane highway along the edge of the mountains. As in previous drives, the climb was slow going and at times nail-biting. There was certainly no room for error when the side of the road gave way to a 1000 foot vertical drop. The following pics will give you some idea of what we had to navigate.

Once reaching the summit, we set up camp for the night in a lovely little campground and prepped for our visit to the National Park the following day. As in previous trips, we would be exploring on motorcycle!

Established as a National Park in 1890, Yosemite is best known for its dramatic scenery within a condensed space. Deep valleys, towering granite mountains, and beautiful waterfalls can all be found wowing the visitors that come to Yosemite.

El Capitan comes into view!

Close up shot of Half Dome

A sunset ride through Yosemite and back to our campsite takes us past more spectacular sights!

The beauty of Bridal Veil Falls

Time for a selfie atop Glacier Viewpoint. Half Dome is in the background.

We were pretty hungry and cold after completing the hours run back to our RV. Who wants to cook after a day like that? We decided to give the Iron Door Saloon in neighbouring Groveland a try. What a fun little place with delicious food and a very interesting history!

The next day we decided to drive back through Yosemite in the RV and exit through the West Entrance via Tioga Road. Again this drive was another completely unique and amazing experience as we passed slabs and slabs of smooth, white granite created from ancient forces 500 million years ago.

Our exit from the park along Tioga Road took us along the highest automobile pass in California and one of the most scenic mountain roads within the National Park Service.

We were absolutely in awe of Yosemite but it was time to move on towards another National Park on our bucket list.........Death Valley! Our night in Lone Pine, California gives us a hint of what is to come!