11.06.2023 – so, Here we are again in the USA.
When we return we stand out much more, how different the country is from its neighboring country: the streets are hugely wide, without potholes and tops, there is no rubbish lying around, everyone obeys traffic rules, no street dogs on the road, In the small towns, streets are asphalted, the houses neat, no roadside taco stands, no boys at the traffic lights, who want to clean the windows – you get ahead of yourself, as if you had landed on another planet in a rocket – somehow unbelievable.
The landscape is still exactly the same, Cacti, Bushes and mountains in the background. Alright, our first route is to Walmart, the fridge needs to be refilled. Here we notice the next difference – food prices are twice as high as yesterday, the saleswoman was unfriendly, the row of shelves with the tacos is completely missing. A few dollars poorer, With a full fridge, we drive a few kilometers further to a super relaxed BLM land. To round off this eventful day, Quappo discovers a completely new animal along the way: We'll google it later, that it is a “Mad-Monster” acts – the only poisonous lizard, that there are. Fortunately, Quappo keeps her distance and only shows us her teeth. Tel, Lucky !!
One night we hear a familiar noise – clear, There is a railway here again, We had successfully suppressed that. All the same, we sleep well !!
12.06.2023 – anniversary – We have been on the road for exactly a year now – we can hardly believe it ourselves. How quickly time has passed, What couldn't we experience in these? 12 months !
Despite our best efforts, we were unable to activate the American SIM card, So today we have to head to the nearest Walmart in Tucson. Here too we encounter extremely unfriendly employees, nobody is ready, to help us. A telephone is graciously provided to us, We call the hotline for an hour, are connected countless times until the employee tells us at the end, that everything is ok now and the card is in 30 minutes is activated. We leave the store in good spirits, head for the nearest laundromat and wait, wait, wait, wait …………..
The laundry has now been washed and dried – we are still waiting, the cell phone remains silent !! Frustrated, we drive to our parking space, enjoy the beautiful space outside for a long time and decide in the evening, to conclude a contract with the French provider free. With a lot of effort we manage to do this after a few hours.
Tuesday, the 13.06. – Henriette doesn't want to start – That can't be true now !!!!! At some point the engine starts running, but we are desperate – what's the point again? ??? At iOverlander we look for nearby workshops and check them out one by one. The American truck shops don't know any MAN, don't have time either. Want to help us. In Phoenix we find a German workshop, are lucky and the nice owner Reinhard is there straight away, to look at the problem. It quickly becomes clear, that Henriette's batteries are broken, new batteries can be obtained tomorrow morning. We can stop in front of the workshop, we are very happy and grateful (and happy, that the starter is not broken) !!
The next morning Reinhard gets to work, to install the new batteries, Hans-Peter assists him, First put up the sun sail, to gain a few millimeters of shadow. The new parts are installed quickly, Now Henriette should start again – but she doesn't ?? Perplexity is spreading, But Reinhard doesn't let such a small problem upset him. The power supply is tested, a relay is found, which also appears to be broken ?? Again, advice needs to be given, how best to proceed. There is no such relay in the USA – except in a Dodge 5,8 Liter – Reinhard knows this and orders the part. An hour later it is delivered, The work can continue until the next problem 🙂 Now another plug is bothering me, which connects the relay to the starter – The plug is quickly decided to be ignored, the cables are connected directly. Actually, it is working, the engine starts!!! It is now late afternoon, the employees finish work. In the hope, that we no longer need the tool, everything is neatly stowed away.
Reinhard gives us the tip, for a “german” Restaurant nearby, the really good stuff, offers freshly tapped beer. Sounds very tempting to our ears, so we set off. The asphalt is no longer quite as hot, so the boys can come with us. Gunter, The owner of the restaurant greets us quite unfriendly with the question, whether Frodo and Quappo were service dogs ?? no, they are not !! On the question, whether we can at least get a beer outside, comes a clear one “no” – Alcohol is not allowed to be consumed outside – The Americans are just a strange bunch.
Contrite, we retreat, We see a sports bar across the street, which has an open counter to the outside – that looks perfect. A really super-friendly employee named Cady happily welcomes our boys, brings them a huge bowl of ice water and cuddles them first 5 minutes. So we spend a nice evening here with freshly tapped drinks, American beer, Hamburgers and hot dogs !!
We sleep another night in front of the workshop, After breakfast we say goodbye to Reinhard and his wife, drive on the 14-lane highway through Phoenix. It takes us almost an hour, to get out of this huge city – the pensioners' paradise of the USA and Canada – to come out. Outside the center we drive through miles of cactus desert, in the background a few gray mountain ranges. Shortly before the federal border with California we turn onto a wide gravel road, come after 12 kilometers on the banks of the Colorado River. A super nice pitch with direct water access – at 40 Degrees of heaven on earth. Quappo immediately lies in the river, we will follow by return post. We'll decide right away, Definitely staying here for a day longer.
Friday, the 16.06.2023 – a wonderfully relaxing day, at 30 We dive into the water for a few minutes, Clean Henriette inside and out (unfortunately not so successful, there the 2 Fur babies also constantly go into the water and back onto the sofa), bake bread, try a yoga session, read, drink …………………..
Unfortunately we have to leave after breakfast the next day – We still have a few appointments in the next few days. In Arizona the tank is filled to the brim at a great price, 5 Kilometers further in California the gallon costs around 2 dollars more. The attempt, Unfortunately, contacting a vet fails – the practice is packed, next dates in 5 days. This is very stupid, the round spot on Frodo's lip becomes more and more strange, Our home remedies don't seem to be working. Now the weekend and Monday are also holidays – bad timing!!
To 2 Hours drive we arrive at the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, a spacious one 3.200 km2 large nature reserve in a barren desert landscape. The park was designed according to the typical for the region, bizarrely shaped, named after prickly Joshua trees, these trees are here up to 12 m high and up to 150 year old. Rugged rock formations invite you to scramble around, but just barely 40 The climbers are manageable at the moment. Fast 70 km the route goes through the middle of the NP, at the Keys View overlook on about 1.500 m machen wir einen kurzen Stopp, genießen die endlose Weite.
Und später entdecken wir tatsächlich das Ende der Welt – hier ist der Beweis !!
Mitten im Nirgendwo parken wir unser Häuschen, in der Nacht funkelt ein sensationeller Sternenhimmel über uns, so bleiben wir noch lange draußen sitzen. Nur ein paar nervigen Heuschrecken wollen uns ärgern – irgendwelche komischen Tierchen gibt es einfach überall !
Den nächsten Tag lassen wir langsam angehen, bei der Hitze kann man es nur im Bikini auf dem Liegestuhl aushalten. Nun sind wir zum ersten Mal wirklich froh, dass Henriette so groß ist – sie spendet uns genügend Schatten. Irgendwann raffen wir uns auf für ein kleines Stückchen Fahrt, unser Ziel heißt “Amboy-Crater”, a dormant cinder cone volcano, the one in front of around 10.000 Years arose and is above one 70 Square kilometer lava field rises. The volcano can be seen from afar, only 2 There are other vehicles in the parking lot. However, it feels even hotter here, the temperatures are 43 City, plus a real warm storm – Well, climbing the crater won't work.
We decide, exceptionally to get up very early the next morning and go on the hike with the sunrise. In fact, it's over in the morning 5.30 Watch super comfortable 22 City, We quickly reach our destination, walk around the crater rim and can 1,5 Hours later enjoy our well-deserved breakfast.
The plan for the rest of the day is clear: There is a small sculpture park on the route to Bakersfield, We want to make a short stop here, Get water at the nearest gas station and spend the evening in the Walmart parking lot in Bakersfield. That's the plan ………..
But sometimes things turn out completely differently: the first turn, that we want to do is blocked, So we just take a little detour. This detour takes us for miles through the Mojave Desert (very impressive, Hardly any vehicles on the road), It seems to be a major detour. To get to the park, Google lets us turn into Bakers, everything seems fine. We turn onto a sandy road, Signs warn against this, that these roads are not maintained – We still think nothing of it. After a few kilometers there are suddenly hundreds of lanes, a main route is no longer recognizable. Lt. According to the navigation system we are no longer driving in the right lane and shortly afterwards Henriette stops – she dug in. We get out with shovels and curses, decide on, to drive back and skip the park. Right decision – but now it's storming so hard here, that we can no longer see our lane and can't find our way back. Standing still is not an option either, the ground is too soft. There, and then we somehow take a wrong turn, wrong again and again …….. zack, We're almost stuck again – This time Henriette really dug in. At 40 Regardless of the sandstorm, we are not enthusiastic about this sporty workout, but it doesn't help, we want to get out of here again. Hans-Peter shovels all the wheels free, the air is released, put the mats down – managed half a meter!!!! It still takes a lot of digging, let out more air, more swearing – after felt 2 After a few hours, Henriette has solid ground under her wheels again. Now the next problem – How do we get out of here? ?? Not a soul anywhere, 1.000 traces in the sand, it's still storming – our nerves are on edge. It does not help, we have to try, as good as possible, to return on our route. We make it just before the heart attack, to get in the right direction, At some point we come across a familiar sign and a wider slope – we made it !! As you can imagine, the situation was far too stressful, to also take photos – therefore only a picture of the liberated Henriette.
The tires are inflated again on the next bit of asphalt, This takes a while ………….?? The daily planning is now completely gone, We're just looking for a quiet place, to be able to sleep well. In a lonely field somewhere we find an opportunity, After this experience our eyes close early. We are very happy, that we have mastered this !!
It was a wonderfully quiet night, So we continue our route well rested. There is water at a gas station on the way, Our fuel should last until then. Shortly before the destination, the fuel gauge warns, we are driving on reserve. On me, only 20 Kilometer, we going to make that. The pulse is slowly rising again, We see the gas station sign in the distance – tel, Relaxation. But, What is that: There is a construction site at this exit of all places – everything blocked, exit not possible. That can't be true now, You can't have that much bad luck ????? Shortly before the heart attack again, We turn off at the next exit and come to the gas station with the last drops. Now the credit card doesn't work at this pump – still questions :)? Luckily there is 2 Kilometers further on there is another gas station, everything works here, breathing slowly calms down.
We reach Bakersfield later than expected, meet the nice employee Pat in the workshop, who will take care of us right away, measure everything and check. And, he can order new shock absorbers for Henriette, they should in 8 Be there for weeks. That fits, then we'll pass here again on our way to Mexico. As we continue our journey, the landscape changes with every kilometer: Here it is suddenly green again, fruitful, Mountains of snow can be seen in the distance, a temperature difference of 20 City – very impressive.
In Visalia we discover a small city park, We'll stay here for the night. As we walk through the surrounding residential areas, we can only be amazed: Everything here is impeccably maintained, a fat one, green lawn in front of every house, beautiful flower beds, clean streets – what a difference from the villages in Mexico.
21.06.2023 – Today is the driving test in Germany !! Hannes passes the test on the last day, we are all relieved. So we can continue our tour relaxed, drive through real forests, see beautiful flower meadows and marvel once again at the diversity of this country.
One last night in the middle of nowhere, the next morning the final repair work and cleaning the toilet – then we go to Hans-Peter's quarters for the next ones 4 weeks !!
22.06.2023 – another exciting day: Hannes and Franzi are flying to San Francisco today, We jet off to Hans-Peter's holiday home in Knight Ferry. We drive through a nice one for an hour, ocher hilly landscape, no towns far and wide – on, The men really have peace and quiet there ?? We like the town of Knights Ferry, but where are the log cabins? ?? The specified house number cannot be found, So we ask at the restaurant. The friendly waitress shows us the way – We drove past it 3 times and thought it couldn't actually be 🙂 ? But, that's it: a mini campground with 5 small log cabins, a small access to water and other things ?? Nichts !! Alright, es kann ja nur noch besser werden. Freundlich werden wir vom Platzwart empfangen, wir dürfen auch mit Henriette vor das Hüttchen fahren. Alles wird umgeräumt, hin- und her überlegt, was im Auto bleibt, was Hans-Peter braucht. Die Hüte ist sehr spärlich ausgestattet mit Kühlschrank, Mikrowelle und einem TV. Die Kaffeemaschine scheint ihren Geist aufgegeben zu haben, kein Schlückchen tröpfelt in die Tasse. Eine echte Heraus-forderung: alles muss mit der Mikrowelle gemacht werden – typisch amerikanisch. Später erkunden wir die Umgebung, da steigt die Laune etwas: das Örtchen liegt super nett am Stanislaus-River, hier kann man schön laufen, baden und in der Sonne liegen. Immerhin bietet der Ort einen General-Store, eine Eisdiele, einen Saloon, eine Rafting-Station, ein Restaurant und ein Post-Office -also, that should be enough to survive.
In the evening we want to eat a little something in the restaurant, unfortunately we are too late, the kitchen is already closing 19.00 clock. So then have a beer on the terrace – tastes delicious, the price of 17 dollars for them 2 Glasses is also excellent ?? OK, So one beer is enough for us !! The dogs sleep very restlessly, they are completely confused at first.
On Friday we drive to the next larger village, Oakdale, Let the washing machines run at full speed again, so that everything is in order for Franzi and Hannes. Hans-Peter buys a canned supply of beans – You can simply warm them up in the microwave.
Saturday morning: bad news: We have to move out of the cabin for this night, it had already been given to another guest before us. So repack everything again, rearrange, stow away – one very last night together in the Henriette. Our boys no longer understand the world, Where in heaven's name are we sleeping now? ??
25.06.2023, last day for me, we go to the river, Dive briefly into the ice-cold water, treat ourselves to a delicious ice cream and spend the rest of the day with final rearrangements -, Clean up- and cleaning activities – a weird feeling !!
Today we are going to Silicon Valley, There we arranged to meet our daughter Franziska and her boyfriend Hannes. Early in the morning we set off on the 6-lane highway towards San Francisco, reach the agreed meeting point 10.00 clock. What a hello: Franzi and Hannes are already waiting for us, it's soooo beautiful, to be able to hug both of them tightly in real life!!
26.06.2023 – This is of course a very special day – Today our chatter will be fine 4 year old. Of course this needs to be celebrated properly: with meatballs, Balloons and tie 🙂 !!
It is being rearranged, Franzi drags her backpacks into Henriette, Hans-Peter explains to Hannes all the technical details about the car, Before you know it, it's already midday. We walk together to the train station, drink another strange iced coffee (They sometimes have really strange drinks here), then it starts for me: Short farewell on the platform, I'm already sitting alone on the train heading to the airport. When I change, I find a friendly train employee, who helps me, this is how I reach the airport 3 hours before departure. The luggage- and passport control works very quickly (I was already afraid, that I missed an inspection), So I treat myself to a delicious coffee with a cinnamon roll and am completely relaxed. Boarding will begin at some point, I can not believe it – I actually have a window seat and the seat next to me remains empty. So I enjoy one last view of San Francisco, a delicious meal and a cozy place to sleep.
10 Arriving home hours later, everything is immediately familiar again, schön, to arrive home. The next 3 Weeks are filled with an incredible number of appointments: meet dear friends; mother-in-law, Visit children and grandchildren; countless invitations to dinner (I had full board, so to speak); Drink champagne with your favorite neighbor; Celebrate Erna's birthday; do office work in between, Prepare tax returns and house bills; Work through doctor's appointments – it was right, really nice, but also tiring. And I had to realize, that I'm even more used to stress !!
So, all work done, met most of the friends, Children and grandchildren hugged tightly – we're going back to Henriette's: am 20.07. I'm flying back to the USA, I'll be picked up by my lovely husband (the one after 3 Weeks log cabin is a bit emaciated) and I'm looking forward to it 2 Days with Franzi and Hannes. Frodo and Quappo can hardly believe their luck, I throw myself over with joy, finally everyone is together again. Franzi and Hannes had a great trip with Henriette, they explored all the highlights in the area, nothing was given to himself (26 km hike 40 Grad in den Grand Canyon) and had a lot of fun – and Henriette was brought back without any injuries !
21.07.2023 – Today we celebrate the next birthday child: Hannes !!! At lunchtime there is delicious hamburger and freshly tapped beer at Rivers Edge, In the evening there is a campfire and a round of canasta. It is mandatory in the Leva family, To be able to play Canasta, So Hannes has to learn that too. The beautiful day goes by far too quickly, The next day everyone has to get out of bed early, because the two are flying back to Germany. We'll take you to the Hayward train station, a few tears flow, then we are alone again.
Where are we going now? ??? Small briefing, we agree on heading towards Lake Tahoe. To do this, you first go back the same route, until we turn left just before Oakdale. Somewhere in the middle of nowhere we find BLM land, quite a pretty place, However, the ground is bone dry, the sand is extremely fine. In a matter of seconds everything is powdered with the brown-red sand. In the evening another guest joins us: a very love, but completely dirty and disheveled retriever bitch, she watches over us all night. She always looks hopefully at the door, She would probably like to come with us. Hans-Peter gives her a large portion of dog food, which she devours with relish. Frodo already has panic in his eyes: He doesn't want to share his pillow with another member of his species. We feel a little sorry for her, but we have to leave the nice lady at the door.
The route continues on a beautiful route through huge forest areas, a bit of a Canadian feeling arises. On the way we stop at a hiking car park, lace up your boots and walk the trail to Margarete Lake. Somehow we get off track, have to turn around, a few friendly locals show us the right path. But here too we lose the path after a kilometer, Unfortunately we can't reach Margarete.
A few kilometers further we find a great spot by a small pond in the Hope Valley Sno-Park – Perfect !!
By chance I read about a nice hiking trail in the evening – So the plan for the next day is clear: we march to Crater Lake. A really tiring affair, because things only go uphill – and quite steep. A fantastic view of the snow-capped mountains all around makes up for the exertion, Quappo is happy to refresh himself on a small snowfield and in the cold water of the lake. It goes down very quickly, When you reach the bottom, put your feet up, they are free for the rest of the day.
25.07.2023 – today is going to be exciting: Hans-Peter has decided, to install the height putty for our heating. He is supported by Bernhard via WhatsApp, a helpful electrical engineer, who offered his services in the Panamericana group. Hans-Peter dares to cut the cables with telephone support, to extend and connect other cables. He's busy all day, full concentration is required. Finally everything is wired, now comes the exciting moment: the heating is running ?? First of all, disillusionment, an error message appears on the display – what a frustration. But giving up is not an option, my husband reconnects the line again – and lo and behold, Everything is working fine. Passed master's examination in electrical trade with flying colors !!!! Now it can get cold, we are prepared !!
To 2 We leave the beautiful place for a few days, we head to Lake Tahoe. A few Americans had already warned us: It would be really crowded here, a tourist hotspot !!
You were right: it's really really crowded here, all parking spaces are full, The police are diligently handing out parking tickets on the shoulder. The planned hike must therefore be cancelled, we are glad, as we emerge slightly from the fray. Standing freely is impossible here, So we set up camp at CP Sugar Pine. A huge one, very nice place in the forest; the ranger warns us straight away, that we have to put all food items in the bear boxes – Master Petz is probably very hungry here.
In the evening we feel like we're running 3 Kilometers on the campsite grounds, it is really huge. We start the next morning with a swim in Lake Tahoe – the water is refreshingly cold – or rather cold as hell !! Swimming is known to make you hungry – Breakfast tastes twice as good today.
While we're on the phone with Kea for a moment (she will today 2 !!), we hear a cyclist screaming loudly: here is a bear !!!!!! We immediately jump out of our chairs, look in that direction and actually see a mama bear with her little one strolling through the middle of the campsite – how sweet. Unfortunately there isn't enough time for a photo – it just happened too quickly. All the same, We are very happy, that we saw the furry animal, the ranger was right after all.
After this beautiful experience, we pack up and continue along the riverside road. The area is super beautiful, However, it is full of people here, bicycles, Restaurants, Souvenir shops, Cafes, boot ……. – a reason for us, to escape the hustle and bustle.
Shortly before Mount Rose we discover a nice hiking trail, run the loop twice (so that putting on the hiking boots was worth it) and find 4 Kilometers further on there is a perfect place to spend the night in a lonely ski gondola parking lot – Perfect ?? – actually yes: if not in the morning 3.57 clock the excavator would have started, to carry out his leveling work next to us. We are wide awake, check the situation (We're not actually in the way) and try to go back to sleep. A short time later, one truck after another drives onto the site to dump sand and gravel. We decide, rattled, to get up earlier, Henriette parked in the far corner and went for a walk. The excavator driver apologizes for the noise (how nice), but the terrain must be ready before the start of the ski season – ok, we understand that.
Today is city day: first a visit to Walmart and hardware store, then we park Henriette near downtown Reno. We are standing in a government parking lot – Hans-Peter freight, whether we for 3 Can stay here for hours, yes ready, They also keep an eye on Henriette !!
Also, off to gambling hell: Along the Riverwalk we come to the middle of the hustle and bustle in a relaxed manner: There are food trucks everywhere, Market stalls, Stages with live music, a huge crowd of crazy people stroll through the hustle and bustle in good spirits. In the casinos, the older women have fun playing the one-armed bandits – it's like in the movies.
A young woman climbs to the top of a hotel facade – a considerable height. We walk up the street- and from, are fascinated by the food on offer, the crazy dressed one, roaring and swinging Americans, the 24 Huge casinos open for hours and the exorbitant prices of drinks – a great, intoxicating mood. Frodo and Quappo are of course petted and admired hundreds of times, they always endure it patiently.
We don't want to spend the night in the city, So we drive a little bit further north. We are looking for a parking space at the Red Rocks – Unfortunately everything here is already occupied: Hundreds of Mormon crickets hop around on the sandy bottom, taking up space. Alright, we agree with you, that we leave them alone and they hop away contentedly.
Saturday, the 28.07. – Today we are driving a long way (around 270 Kilometer) further to the north, cross national borders, drive a large part in California. The route is really absolutely desolate, There is simply nothing here – really nothing at all: A bit of bush grows on the right and left, in the distance there are dry lakes, Every now and then you see a field and very rarely a lonely ranch. To 250 After a few kilometers a few trees appear, the landscape seems much friendlier. So we are quite pleasantly surprised by our intended parking space: a free one, lonely campground in the forest, a small stream flows through the middle. Everything seems to be completely new, the toilet block really sparkles, the fireplaces as well. Freshly sawn logs lie on the side, That really calls for a relaxing evening around the campfire. We wash ourselves in the small stream, The dogs roam through the undergrowth and in the evenings we sit by the warm fire for a long time.
It's so beautiful here, that we decide straight away, to stay another night. So we spend Sunday comfortably doing laundry, Repair work on our living room table, read, Yoga and writing a website.
Again in the evening there is an ice-cold bath in the stream, afterwards a cozy campfire – what a wonderful life !
The next day we continue north: short stop in Cedarville – a very idyllic little village with extremely nice shops. A few supplies are being stocked up, because we want to spend the next few days in the wilderness. After this last human settlement we drive around 300 Kilometers through absolute nothingness – actually even more nothing than before 2 days: As far as the eye can see, only dry steppe, a few tufts of grass, not an animal far and wide. A good sandy road takes us through the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge – Antelopes actually live here ?? Unfortunately, none of the animals can be seen – injury. To 4 Hours we reach the really nice Virgin Valley campground – an oasis in the middle of the desert. There are a few green spots here – and water !! And, in fact, our eyes discover a magnificent one, clear natural pond, where you can really swim – what a dream. We're actually still standing 3 other Camper here, hard to believe.
Unfortunately, they are very annoying, big brakes sitting outside, the beasts are really aggressive and hungry (no wonder, There aren't many opportunities to suck blood here). After breakfast we fill up the tank, then we move on – actually. Henriette probably has something against it and is going on strike for now: the starter doesn't make a sound ???
Quite annoyed by these escapades, we are finally able to get our car running with the help of the on-board battery. On me, Maybe it was too hot here again ??
After further 40 Kilometers through the desert we reach the Bog Hot Springs: the water in the small stream is really boiling hot, you can barely walk in with your feet. Quappo first burns his stomach, He always has to put himself in every little water straight away 🙁 . The evening gave us a truly sensational one, spectacular sunset, Before we go to bed we have another hot bath 42 City. A really whole, very bizarre place !!
We're slowly longing for a little less heat and a little more green, we are thinking about, look at the mountains of Idaho. Henriette is on strike again, we only get it on with difficulty. Finally on the road we drive through the endless desert again for a whole day – We have now arrived in Oregon, but here too the landscape hardly changes.
We set up our night spot at the Antilope Reservoir, the boys can take a long bath (we do without it, because the water is very contaminated). Millions of mayflies visit us at night – We'll quickly batten down all the hatches.
Thursday, the 3. August: A discovery on the morning round: a rattlesnake slithers in the grass next to us, She immediately hisses at us very angrily, We quickly retreat. After this experience we pack, fingers crossed, that Henriette starts – so lucky, today it works the first time.
After a few trips behind the pilot car (no idea, why they are used, there is absolutely no reason for it) we reach the next state: Idaho !!
We don't know anything about this country apart from the potatoes, we are excited, what else it has to offer us. Shortly before Boise we turn off to the Snake River, here is a cozy place by the river in Celebration Park. We have a really nice run in the evening, well-marked loop to Halverson Lake, In the end we actually meet a few unknown objects ?? Oh yes, Those are raindrops, It felt like we hadn't seen them for half a year. felt !!
Again we are woken up early in the morning: a pickup truck is parked right next to us, 4 Workers get out and loudly deal with it, build a new sign. After half an hour all the men disappeared, Apparently materials have to be procured first. In the meantime we crawled out of bed and made our way to the old railway bridge and the petroglyphs. Everything is very well maintained here, perfectly signposted and really nicely prepared – exemplary!! Our journey continues through green farmland, Tons of hay are made on the huge areas. Hundreds of cattle, on the other hand, stand in small pens in the dirt and have their food pushed through the fence – We humans are already stupid ??
A good hour later we arrive in the state capital Boise (Who has ever heard the name? ?? Definitely not us !!) an. The name is based on the French term “Boise” back, which can be translated as wood. This term fits perfectly, because the city is not only located in the middle of the so-called green belt, but also really has a lot of trees to offer. You can see newly planted trees all over the city, They really try hard here, to continue to live up to the name. During a short stroll through the city we marvel at the impressive Capitol, the nice restaurants, businesses, Art galleries and cafes, the wide streets and huge parks. We really like the city, everything is super neat and tidy, the people are relaxed and cosmopolitan. Later we hear from an interested reader, that Boise is the state capital with the lowest crime rate – learned something else !!
We're barely out of city life, We also drive right into the surrounding mountains – Foothills of the Rocky Mountains. There is a lot of traffic on the street, the townspeople all escape in their pickup trucks, Caravans and campers for the weekend in nature. The beautiful route leads along the Payette River into Green Valley, There are countless camping opportunities here on the right and left of the route – almost all free places, where you can get up to 14 can stand for days. Only those “special” places, z.b. next to the hot springs (They are everywhere here too) costs a few dollars. Even though we're so late, there is a hidden one, nice place in the forest, about a crickly one, We even have access to the river via a steep path.
Saturday, the 05.08.: In the morning we walk a little further along the path, always along the river. There is already a lot of activity on the water: lots of hose- and paddle boats float on the water, From the noise, everyone is having a great time. On to the next one 60 For kilometers we accompany the water as it travels through narrow gorges, wide valleys and many curves. There is a nice parking space in a wider area, Of course there are already a few more campers here. We barely switched off the engine, A friendly neighbor comes to us: he's totally gone- and torn away from Henriette, his enthusiasm for our girl knows no bounds. We show Coby (that's the name of the nice Idahoan) also the interior, he asserts, This is the best day of the year for him so far – so cute. In the meantime the other neighbors come with theirs 2 Boys too, They also want to know everything about us and the car. In the meantime, Coby gets it 2 cold beers for us, besides, we have to promise him, to come to him for a hamburger afterwards. Of course we don't need to be told twice and are happy to accept the invitation. With difficulty we get our chairs and table set up, We really are the event of the day here. We enjoy the hamburgers, get to know Coby's wife and the rest of the family and thank us at the end with a bottle of mezcal, which we test together – a super nice one, fun afternoon. In the evening we relax by a campfire, before everyone falls tired into bed.
The next morning we are served a real Idaho breakfast by our other neighbors: Tacos with a delicious potato filling, cheese and ??? no idea, but tastes really good !!! We say goodbye to all the nice people, drive further into the mountains. Our goal: der Iron Creek Trailhead, a very well-known hiking trail, We want to test it out. The parking lot is jam-packed, really seems to be a highlight ?? Also, Just go ahead, Boots and backpack put on, We're already marching off. The path goes through a beautiful forest, However, the sky is getting darker by the minute – That wasn't planned! All our invocations of the rain god are of no use: heavy rain- respectively. Hailstones fall on us, We also hear a violent rumble of thunder. A group of trees provides some shelter, but the rain doesn't seem to want to stop. Quappo and Frodo are already alerting animal protection, They don't find it funny at all. Alright, it does not help, we have to go back. We arrive at the car completely soaked, The boys are allowed in with their towels dry, Let's put on fresh clothes first.
Naturally – who would have thought, Half an hour later the sun comes out and offers us a spectacular view of the bizarre Sawtooth Mountains. Our parking space offers us a fantastic location 360 The city of Panorama – Once again we would like to thank the app IOverlabder for this tip.
The weather forecast for the next day sounds promising: It's supposed to be sunny in the morning !! The plan for the next day is clear: we have to get up early, to be able to enjoy the hike in the sun.
And, the plan worked: After a quick coffee we get ready for the hike: at 7 degree morning temperature, an onion look is the order of the day: short pants, long about it, T-Shirt, Sweater and jacket, plus a scarf, Gloves and backpack. After an hour the sun actually comes out, The jacket can now rest in the backpack. The hiking trail is incredibly beautiful, We climb ever higher on long serpentines, while Quappo is very busy, to run after the countless little squirrels.
The views are stunning, We always have to stop, to take photos. To 8 kilometers and 600 After a few meters in altitude we have reached our destination: Swatooth Lake shines before us. The salami rolls we brought with us taste twice as good here, We really deserve that.
It goes down much faster, Once we get down there, the sky is cloudy again: also, Did everything right today: Back at our dream place, we put our feet up, Immediately a pleasant snoring sounds from the sofa.
After felt 20 After sleeping through the night for hours, Frodo and Quappo are in top shape again the next morning and have a great time doing their morning rounds. The weather promises a mix of sun and clouds, It shouldn't rain. So today we'll get to work on the housework: to make the laundry, baking bread, Sweep the living room, Repair exterior storage box. Hans-Peter has good ones 4 hours to do, to get the box really tight again, a horror idea, if it were to break off while driving.
During our morning walk we see an interesting camper standing on the side. The window will immediately open and on “Hi” comes towards us. A little small talk, then we go back to breakfast. We're putting everything together, we head to Stanley Lake.
However, we pass by the camper again, We stop and just want to give them both our business cards. However, the quick squeeze in the hand then becomes 1,5 hours 🙂 – the two, Mike and Karin from Washington State, are super nice and very interested in our car and our trip. They run a really large tree nursery in Zillah, grow millions of apples every year- and cherry trees big. Your plan is, to travel longer at some point, but the company still prevents them from doing so. Maybe we could inspire them a little, put their plan into action ??
There is a short walk at Stanley Lake, the lake is very beautiful, with real small sandy beaches and a nice campsite – you can endure it here. Afterwards there is a flying visit to Redfish Lake – a huge lake, on which large sailing boats sail around. A sign on the access road shows, that all campsites “full” are, Apparently a very popular destination.
We find a place by a small stream, Grill some sausages for us in the evening (and the boys) at the campfire.
Thursday, the 10.08. – The sun shines from the sky in full force in the morning. After the morning round, our extensive breakfast and a lesson “Duolingo” we drive on the Scenic Highway to Ketchum. The route is incredibly beautiful, the peaks of the Sawtooth Mountains continue to recede, the valley becomes wider and the mountains become treeless – a very pleasant landscape. We park in Ketchum, put on your boots and take a hike 8 Miles of walking. The climb is steeply uphill, the boys let their tongues hang down to the floor. The meadows are a blaze of color, We haven't seen so many different flowers in a long time.
There is a monument to Ernest Hemingway along the way, he spent his last years here. And a second monument points to the world's first ski lift, this here 1936 had been built – So a very historic path !!!
Ketchum is an impressively pretty one, incredibly beautifully maintained place, with really chic houses, Tons of golf courses and blooming parks. The nearby Sun Valley ski area looks promising, one can understand, that Hollywood legends have built a second home here.
In the evening we land at Silver Creek, a deep blue stream, which is probably good for fishing. Our friendly neighbor Billy gives us a few tips for the area, We will implement that tomorrow !!
First after breakfast we head to a small nature reserve at Silver Creek, it seems to be a fishing paradise (Fishing is – as far as I can tell :) – Incidentally, the absolute favorite sport of all Americans,) we watch the flying skills of the hummingbirds, see big salmon in the clear water and read a notice at the visitor center, that there will be an event for stargazers the next evening. Another neighbor on the parking lot has also set up a huge telescope, he enlightens us, that there are a lot of them today and tomorrow “Perseids” you can see.
Next we go to an old one, very special shop on the highway – a paradise for fly fishing anglers: there are millions of fly baits out there, in all colors, Shapes and price ranges – very impressive.
The next point of the day: Crater of the Moon National Monument: a huge lava field, approximately 15.000 year old, There are outbreaks every few years, is the last one 2.000 years ago. In the afternoon we drive a few kilometers to the next parking space, Today the earth is very quiet. From a distance it looks like this, as if a farmer had plowed his heavy soil with a huge plow. From here a bonsai tree grows crookedly out of the lava, otherwise everything is desolately black. There's a bit of a feeling coming up, that you have just landed on another planet – However, the many vehicles get to you, who drive around, straight back to reality.
Definitely an impressive landscape !!
In the evening we work on Billy's last tip: a rodeo in the small town of Carey ! We are really looking forward to this spectacle, We watch spellbound, like more and more pickups, Horse trailer, Cowboys and children storm onto the site. The children's rodeo takes place today, the adults won't be there until tomorrow. We are right in the middle of the action: There are little cowboys and cowgirls running around everywhere, the food stalls sell delicious hamburgers, Waffles and huge scoops of ice cream, Horses and cattle stand next to the fence.
Now it starts: two young riders carry the flag, the national anthem sounds, all visitors stand up, hold your hand to your heart – national pride is palpable in every nerve. First are the “Sheep-Rider” your turn: even the very little ones (some can walk straight) are put on the backs of sheep and let into the arena. Most of them are in the dirt after the first meter, a few bravely make it to the middle of the arena. Every now and then a few tears flow, but immediately the little ones become clowns, Mom and dad comforted.
The next item on the program is hobby horse riding, The little ones all do this with great enthusiasm. Now the older children can go into the arena and try their luck on the backs of calves. At the end they are “right” Riders on their western horses, Many people fail here because of their own nervousness or. that of her horse. You see crashes, Refusals and many, who go off course – Apparently it's not that easy after all. It's dark now, it is cold, So we quickly drive back to our parking space.
Arrived here, the starry sky is already shining in all its glory. Hans-Peter looks through the neighbor's oversized telescope and is trained to become an astronomer in a crash course. We actually see some shooting stars, Let's see, whether all wishes come true.
After this power program we need a day of rest: So we look for a quiet place a few kilometers further along Silver Creek, swim in the clear, quite cold water and plan the further route. The wind protection brought from Germany is used for the first time, he is doing us a good service, because it blows really well here. In the evening, countless uninvited guests join us again: Millions of mayflies enter our living rooms through the smallest cracks.
All housework is done, the toilet is clean, we are fresh again after a swim in the cold water of the Snake River. There is a small pool in the riverbed here, So we can swim with the little fish.
Sunday (13.08.2023) Let's head to the town of Twin Falls. Our first point of the day: go to a laundry. Like everywhere, the shops are open on Sundays, that's really practical, That way we never have to worry, what day of the week it is. Calendars and appointments have now become foreign words, We no longer need them in our everyday travel routine 🙂
To 1,5 The beds are freshly made for hours, the T-shirts clean in the closet, the towels are fluffy and clean deep into the pores. Satisfied with the day's performance, we take a look at Shoshone Falls, a pretty waterfall, which is actually said to be higher than Niagara Falls. It's certainly more impressive at another time of year, the water masses are not that powerful right now. In the evening we went shopping at Walmart, The parking lot is ideal for overnight accommodation – it is surprisingly quiet. Otherwise, the city looks like every city in the USA: countless shopping malls with all the well-known fast food chains, Residential area with huge houses and properties, 6-lane roads in between – So they obviously don't have a space problem here !!!
Monday morning I take the chance, go shopping again for a moment, then we drive out of town, We continue a little further east and towards the mountains – We're slowly getting back to Wyoming (wasn't actually planned). On the way a short stop at the Potato Museum with a delicious snack – The Idaho potatoes taste extremely delicious.
To 3 Hours on the well-developed highway we find a place with a few small lakes on our well-known Snake River. So we all hop into the clear, cool wet, at 35 It's just wonderful.
Our tour continues along the Snake River, we want to look at Creek Falls – a tip from a friendly local, who spoke to us yesterday. First we drive past the parking lot, there are no clues whatsoever ?? Alright, They must be somewhere around here ?? We ask ourselves, until we finally reach the small path, which leads to the viewpoint, find. Photos have been taken, Now all you have to do is find a nice spot for the rest of the day – With so many options, it's not difficult. We park right on the water, the babbling of the river is totally calming and relaxing.
After the wake-up call of the sun and a quick morning coffee, we head to the Palisades Creek Trailhead. We follow beautiful paths 8 Kilometers to the destination: dem Lower Palisades Lake. Your feet can relax in the cold water, We enjoy the bagels we brought with us, the bananas are shared fraternally. On the way we only meet a few hikers and riders, otherwise we are completely alone. Unfortunately, there are no moose or bears to be seen - which is a shame !!!
Four hours later we arrive at Henriette's tired and happy, drive a few kilometers to a place right on the lake and everything – except Frodo – go for a swim. In the evening the neighbors join us, curiously examine our car – as always we are an attraction. From here it's just a few kilometers to Grand Teton NP, so we decide without further ado, to take this park with you too. We get to know Joschka during our morning walk, a Dalmatian, who listens to German commands ?? The matter is quickly cleared up – The owners of the huge American motorhome monster are actually German too, So we can switch to German. We hear from you, that Joschka one “more correct” It is a service dog and can simply fly in the passenger compartment of the aircraft ?? Maybe we should have ours 2 also train ??
The weather is perfect, A short time later we marvel at the magnificent Teton Range mountain range – together with thousands of other tourists 🙂 We had already thought so, that the parks are very full in the summer months, But these crowds of visitors surprised us. Despite it, the park is beautiful, we are glad, to have taken this detour.
All campgrounds in the park are occupied, So we drive up a forest road on the mountain opposite, There are countless camping options here. These places are also well attended, but we finally find a nice place. We've barely parked Henriette, We see a big MAN standing further back ?? What a coincidence, these are tracks around the world, two Germans, with whom we have already been in contact via Instagram, but we haven't met them in person yet. A big hello, Karin and Oliver are just as surprised, that we found them here. We talk about each other over a glass of wine and dinner together – until a sudden downpour abruptly interrupts our conversations. Everything has to be packed up quickly, now it has also become dark.
Friday morning, 18.08.2023, Karin and Oliver say goodbye, Let's see, when we'll run into each other again ?? Our dogs are here on site 3 found new friends, So they are already exhausted before breakfast.
Today there is only a short hike of just under 4 Kilometers – but they have a lot to offer. The path goes steeply up the mountain, it doesn't want to end at all. 370 Elevation gain in just over half an hour, My heart rate also skyrocketed !! Daily performance provided, Now we're looking for a comfortable spot at the Palisades Reservoir.
Arrived at the lake, The water actually comes from above – that was not planned ?? The coffee is therefore available in the car, We postpone swimming until the next day.
The next day the clouds also took over, the sun only occasionally flashes through the cloud cover. Our drive goes through a short part of Wyoming past the tourist hotspot Bear Lake towards Salt Lake City in Utah. A huge one, A densely populated valley stretches out in front of us with a lot of industry, the large salt lake in the background and the Bald Mountains on the other side. We find a parking space high up on the mountain, after a real scramble for Henriette. There is a pickup truck with a few teenagers hiding in every serpentine curve, who shoot into the canyons with pistols and rifles – a rather strange Saturday evening treat for us ?? Once at the top you will have a spectacular view of this metropolitan region. It gets even more beautiful at night, the lights of the cities strung together sparkle in competition. Luckily, the trigger-happy boys all went home, It wasn't until the next morning that we were greeted by the first off-road vehicles, which are loudly rattling here.
Sunday, the 20.08.2023: Today we want to take a look at the Mormon temple complex in Salt Lake City. A parking space is quickly found, the streets in the city center are hugely wide, everything seems dead. Our eyes look for the great temple with the trumpet angel – we can't find him ?? As we get closer we see the problem: the entire building is cordoned off and scaffolded, the angel probably in the cosmetics farm. The tabernacle and the meeting room can be visited. Tons of people meet here, that look, as if they had just flown in from the South Seas. We ask one of the friendly girls, who walk around all the time with the Bible under their arm and offer to help, after: Today the Mormon Tongan community meets here in the church. They celebrate church services together, most in local clothing (Men wear long skirts, the women wear a bast skirt over the dress) and in oversize ?? In fact, we'll read about it later, that in Salt Lake City about 9.000 Immigrants from Tonga live, The Mormon community gave them the start of a life in the USA. It is also striking, that there hardly seem to be any people of normal weight, Almost everyone carries tons of extra kilos with them – This is also confirmed by our research on Google: The Tongans are among the most obese peoples in the world !!!
A short stroll around the city around the large temple complex, There is actually not a single restaurant here on Sundays, Shop or cafe open – everything seems desolate. A few huge monumental buildings testify to the size and wealth of the Mormons: The administration building and the congress center alone are very impressive.
The city was interesting, But we don't want to stay here any longer. Behind the center you go directly into the mountains, We do some quick shopping in the town of Evanston. This is where it begins “Mirror Lake Scenic Byway”, which we want to drive tomorrow. Just beyond the border from Wyoming to Utah you will find countless camping opportunities next to the road, perfect for the night. We are always thrilled, how many opportunities the population has here, to enjoy nature on weekends and holidays – just great.
A violent storm shakes us awake in the morning, We must pay attention, that our breakfast sandwich doesn't get blown away. The rest of the route is really beautiful, we climb over passes from over 3.200 m, Green flower meadows and countless small lakes line our path. We take a break at Mirror Lake, Walk around the pretty lake and talk to a few German emigrants.
In the afternoon, Henriette has to prove her climbing skills again, It goes steeply uphill into the Uinta National Forest. There are again good parking options here with a stunning view of Provo and Lake Utah. At sunset a few cars join us, everyone wants to watch the spectacle from here.
The next morning we climb the viewing hill, We look at Provo and Lake Utah from above, We are shocked to see a huge one, thickness, black cloud gathering. The retreat begins immediately, Breakfast is served indoors in the Henriette – It's already splashing loudly on our roof !! As we continue our journey, Henriette gets really clean again, it pours in buckets from above. Our destination for today is Bakers Hot Springs – warm springs in the middle of nowhere. To get there, we drive around 60 Kilometer Gravelroad, Henriette doesn't miss a puddle. The road is getting worse and worse, Shortly before the finish it becomes a real mud track – Help !!!
Hans-Peter can turn around just in time, We decide very quickly, Skip the hot springs :). That's how we get there 2 Hours of piste with a completely dirty Henriette in a small village with huge stables and silos. With Google's help we find out, that it is a chicken farm, the largest egg producer in the USA, approximately 42 Millions of laying hens work for him – Tag- and night, Sonn- and holidays !!
After the coffee break, the next moment of shock: Henriette simply walks out at the intersection and refuses to be persuaded, to continue. Hans-Peter discovered or. heard, that air escapes – he gets it closed, the car drives again. But only until the next time you brake – we're standing again. Also, Play the game again and think about it, what we can do. There was a truck repair shop in the small town, Here we are looking for help. A friendly mechanic will come to us straight away, looks at the problem, releases all the compressed air and sprays contact spray on the culprit. He mean, Water would probably have gotten into the electronics – There were probably too many puddles ??
Our girl behaved perfectly during the test drive, so we decide, to continue our route. At Sevier Lakes (large dry salt lakes) let's stop, enjoy the impressive scenery and Hans-Peter frees the windows and lights from the mud crusts.
So prepared we continue to the Great Basin National Park the next day – Nevada's only national park and only park, which costs no entry – Hardly anyone gets lost here. Wheeler Peak is impressive 4.000 Meters, that stands out here in the desert. There is also the oldest tree in the world here: den Methuselah, one close 5.000 (!) year-old bristlecone pine. We get the information in the visitor center, that there is a beautiful hiking trail to Lexington Arche – even allowed for dogs. We don't need to be told twice and set off on this tour. A thick black storm cloud accompanies us along the entire route, but it is decent and drains its water a few kilometers further. Everything around the park is BLM land, You can quickly find a suitable goodnight place.
At night you can hear the shooting stars falling from the sky – it really is incredibly quiet !! Now we want to drive up the serpentine road to Wheeler Peak – actually for vehicles 24 Walking not allowed ?? Henriette is a little longer due to the spare wheel, But no one checks here and so we can climb the beautiful panoramic road to the top. You can see a few snowfields on the mountain peaks, small glaciers and the bristlecone pines actually grow right up to the top. As always, dogs are not allowed on the hiking trails, So there are only short photo stops. We've barely reached the top, it gets dark: a huge storm cloud moves into the picture, Shortly afterwards, thick rain clouds drip from the sky.
We continue through deserted areas on dead straight roads, Every now and then I nod away, this ride is really soporific. Luckily, Hans-Peter stays awake and we reach our parking space unscathed: On the way to Pernau we pass through Tori, free campsite, the one for OHV vehicles (Fun vehicles, with which you can ride around here) is thought.
Saturday, August 25th. 2023: after good 20 Kilometers we reach Cathedral Gorge State Park, a very small one, but nonetheless a very noteworthy park. We feel like we are in a miniature version of Bryce NP or. von Göreme: pretty sandstone towers build up in front of us, you really get the feeling, to stand in a beautiful cathedral with many towers, where the sky is the roof.
Gaudi probably also got his inspiration for the Sagrada Famlilia here – who knows ?? We walk around the park with the dogs, Quappo barely makes it back to the car, South Africans simply cannot tolerate such high temperatures 🙂
It's possible at lunchtime 5 Miles further to a natural pond, where you can swim wonderfully. Clean and refreshed, we head to the next desert parking space. Pitches (really beautiful, with toilets and trash cans) There are a dime a dozen in the area – and we always stand alone ??
On Saturday morning the birthday serenade for my brother is delivered, early we look for the shade, it will be a hot day. 80 Kilometers further we reach Upper Pahranagat Lake, a nice spot for a lazy summer day. Quappo is happy, the beach right on your doorstep, Unfortunately, we two-legged friends are not allowed into the water, it is a nature reserve.
Towards the evening we walk the circular route around the lake, see it 2 Desert rabbits and lots of ducks, Birds and lizards. At dusk the usual suspects arrive: it hums around us , we flee inside. As an exception, let's take a look today “TV”: the first 3 Parts of the film adaptation “swarms”. We had read the book, when we were in Tofino, that's how we knew exactly, where everything takes place. At first we actually had a bad feeling about the whale tours on the Baja, as the scenes of the attacking whales are still haunting our minds. Luckily our whales were nice and not infected by the jelly !!
Sunday, the 27.08.2023 – Today we're going to gambling hell in Las Vegas !!! At 41 We'll stay in the car for a while with the air conditioning running, At dusk we make our way to the strip. It's a crazy sensory overload, you don't even know, where to look everywhere. On the way we come to Venice, Paris, New York – all within a few kilometers – already crazy. Plus so many crazy people – in really all shades. Every now and then we walk through the huge arcades, to cool us and the dogs down a bit.
From a distance we see a huge globe flashing – what is that now? ?? As you get closer, the globe disappears – now we see an oversized Christmas ball ??
We'll solve the mystery later: this is the newly opened Sphere, a huge event arena, with a height of 110 m is currently the largest spherical building in the world. Of course also the largest LED display (building-costs 2,3 billion US dollars) of the world – everything gigantic, impressive, a great spectacle – we are amazed.
Around midnight we return to our parking space next to the Hotel Rio on tired feet, Our dogs crawl onto the sofa completely exhausted and don't move an inch – That was really a lot for both of them !!
It hardly cools down at night, For once we didn't sleep so well. After shopping at the great WinCo store, we escape the hustle and bustle and head back into the desert. After just 20 We stand for kilometers in total solitude at Lake Mead – what a difference from last night ???? We start the day at a leisurely pace, swim in the lukewarm lake, let the many impressions slowly seep into the brain, while sweat drips from every pore when you do nothing – it's just unbelievably hot !!!
Lake Mead lies in the center of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, a huge recreational- and nature reserve. The lake is the largest artificial lake in the USA, because of its size and features, which he provides for the western United States, very important. The reservoir was 1936 completed and is used to generate hydroelectric power and as a storage lake for the drinking water supply of southern California and for the irrigation of agricultural land in Arizona, Nevada and California. Drought has left the reservoir over 22 shrink in years. The water is currently only closed 27 percent filled, to the original status of 1937 that came about 170 km long lake last year 1999. It is almost a memorial to the consequences of climate change – We can see that here with our own eyes – very frightening !!
The place is just too beautiful, to stay just one night – So Hans-Peter unpacks the SUP and we can set sail. The thermometer continues to climb frighteningly inexorably today – We meet at noon, like on the grill. Even at night it hardly cools down, Frodo remains lying outside on the sand until well after midnight.
With this weather, plans have to change: it doesn't help at all, only in 3 It should cool down in days ?? This is how we do it (after a final dive) in the sweltering heat “Valley of Fire”, a state park just around the corner. The first impression is “Wow” – Where do all the red stones suddenly come from? ?? Everything around along the last 500 Kilometers were gray, sandy, green and now these crazy colors !!! We are immediately excited and take in the scenery.
You can explore the park on a panoramic road, There are overlooks everywhere, Parking spaces and small hiking trails. Arrived at the end of the street, However, all parking spaces are blocked and cordoned off ?? What is that supposed to mean? ? We get the explanation on a sign: Due to excessive heat, these places are completely closed in July/August, Unfortunately we won't reach our goal, der Fire Wave – injury ! Alright, We are allowed to take a short walk to Rainbow Vista, We leave the dogs in the car with the air conditioning running, it's just too hot for the furry animals, They burn the calluses on their paws the first step along the way.
A really beautiful park, That's what nature did a few years ago (more precisely: before 150 million years) A lot of effort was put into the design. Sweating wet, we later look for access to Lake Mead again, we need to cool down. A few miles beyond the park we find a perfect spot with direct water access, all men/women dive immediately.
The night was even hotter than the previous one, The boys' panting accompanies us all night long. There will be some wind in the morning, but even that hardly brings any cooling down, one thinks, the good Lord turned on a huge hairdryer – really very extreme.
We pack up in the early afternoon, a little further on Overlander we discovered a place in a forest, maybe it's a little more moderate ?? The road leads past the Hoover Dam through spectacular, inhospitable canyon landscapes. A few miles further the hills become gentler, but everything still seems very inhospitable.
Just before Kingman we turn onto Big Wash Road, There are many parking spaces here. Henriette is parked, We're just about to get the chairs out, suddenly hordes of giant wasps are buzzing around us – we are standing on their nest ?? We quickly get back in, that is too uncomfortable for us. The piste spirals ever higher in many serpentines, until we reach the top of Windy Point Campground. A fantastic place, everything beautifully prepared – and we all alone ! Just as the name suggests, It's winding pretty hard up here. All the same, We are inaugurating the brand new fire pit with our bratwursts, observe violent thunderbolts in the distance. During the night the thunderstorms finally discharged directly above us, The raindrops hit the roof all night long. A nightmare seems to me: We'll get back down there safely on the muddy slope ???
The next morning we did a soil test: and, it is quite muddy and slippery, it will be an exciting descent. It starts to rain again, So we quickly pack up and set off. Every now and then I have to hold my breath, but my driver and Henriette master the descent brilliantly – I'm relieved. A short detour to the ghost village of Chloride, one of the oldest silver mines here in the USA. In fact, everything looks like a cobbled together museum, partly funny and scary at the same time.
Rain falls from the sky all day long, everything is gray on gray, every now and then we cross the old route 66. Before Flagstaff we turn into a forest, There are already several other campers under the pine trees. But there really is enough space for everyone – everyone has their own privacy here. The next day we discover millions of other campers on the way to Dog Lake – everyone has made themselves comfortable in the woods. It's a long weekend in the USA; on Monday, to the 04.09. ist Labourday, that is being exploited. We like this style, to spend the weekend, look good – with campfire, the camp, Riding an ATV, the grill ………. what more do you want ??
Our hike is really going through the motions today: arrived at the destination, it starts to drizzle, It's really raining. For a very long time I have felt an almost foreign feeling: cold ??? On me, Back at the car there are dry clothes and a coffee – the world is right again.
In a forest behind Flagstaff we join a huge camping party, The majority of people here are Mexicans. Music sounds from every corner, dogs bark, the little boys race around the square on the ATVs, it is grilled, cooked and campfires burn all around – So there's really something going on here. A short time later it starts to thunder, There is quickly silence on the square, everyone retreats to dry land.
Sunday, the 03.09.2023 – We drive the extremely beautiful one in bright sunshine , breathtaking, impressive panoramic road 89A through Oak Creek Canyon, a river gorge between the cities of Flagstaff and Sedona. The canyon is often referred to as the Grand Canyon's smaller cousin because of its scenic beauty – we can agree. New rock massifs appear behind every curve, Red sandstone shines out in all variations between the trees, you can – once again – hardly get enough of it. Clear, that we are not alone on the street here, There is a real buzz here. On the well-known hiking trail “West Fork Trail” We're happy to forego it – you queue here for an hour, to even get to the parking lot - unbelievable ??
Sedona, “The most beautiful place in America” That's what travel experts say, and that's what it says in the welcome to the sun-drenched destination all year round: Sedona is the most beautiful place on earth !! In fact, we are very impressed by the village with the breathtaking backdrop of the red sandstone cliffs of Red Rock Country, you feel like you've been transported to a typical western film.
After so many impressions, we relax in the Verde Valley, before heading to the next sightseeing point: dem Montzuma-Castle National Monument. The castle is one of the best-preserved prehistoric structures in North America. The Sinagua Indians have lived here since 12. Century lived in the rocks, the “Apartments” can be clearly seen from below. A strategically perfect place, Enemies could be easily seen from afar.
So, We spend a very quiet night on a lonely hill in the middle of small cactus bushes with a view of a magnificent starry sky.
Henriette is inspected extensively by some curious people driving past, So we don't set off for Phoenix until around the afternoon. This city is impressive in a certain way: so much construction (you drive over 100 Kilometers from one corner to the other) in the middle of a dry desert, It goes through the city on 10-lane roads, plus hundreds of green golf courses in the concrete desert ?? Everything is more than questionable ??
Our monster is parked in front of Reinhard's workshop, We want to have a little dinner in the sports bar: Unfortunately nothing will come of it, Everything is probably closed today on the holiday. On me, In the liquor store around the corner there are a few ready-made products for the microwave, We enjoy them in the car.
Tuesday, the 05.09.: In the morning Reinhard returns from the long weekend with his large camper and is amazed, that he finds us at his door. A short chat, We are already saying goodbye for the second time. One last stage before the border: do laundry again at a laundromat in Tuscon (The laundromats in the US are simply awesome: huge machines, everything is quickly clean and dry; We have not yet found any such shops in Mexico), Buy a few little things and look for one last nice parking space in Arizona: We looked at Madera Canyon, a great area with many beautiful hiking trails and parking spaces. Unfortunately there is not a drop of water in the stream – injury, It's certainly much nicer here in spring. It's too hot for hiking right now, So after a little round we spend the evening with a glass of wine under the starry sky.
We leave the last ones in our thoughts 3 Review months: Unplanned, we got to know so many beautiful corners of the USA (Lake Tahoe, Idaho, Northern Utah) – We would like to go on a further journey of discovery here over the next few weeks. Really annoying, that we always just 3 Are allowed to stay in the country for months, The USA is simply too big and diverse for that. The people again welcomed us warmly and openly, We felt welcome everywhere, The dogs weren't a problem either. Let's see, whether we will come back at some point – We do not rule this out under any circumstances.
06.09.: another exciting day: After a quick Walmart purchase we drive across the US border: 2 young border officials see us coming and immediately run to us: such a great vehicle !! What we plan to do, where we were all over America, whether we liked it ????? They're both really nice, a few minutes later we are already in Mexico. We'll cause more excitement there: no, not on this track, we have to go back, take a different track, the boss has to be brought in ?? As always, nobody speaks a word of English here, we explain with our hands and feet, that Henriette one “rodande house” – is a mobile home. After a quick look inside, the officials are satisfied and let us enter. 20 Kilometers further we come to the entry office, Here too it is quick and uncomplicated: we get the tourist visa for 180 Handed out for days without any problems.
So – So now we are back in Mexico !!!!!!!!!
