Monument Valley and much more

As we wrote in an earlier blog, it was cold in Bryce Canyon, very cold.  We camped in the snow and the temperature fell to about 5 degrees (F) below freezing at night.  Of course, since this is Vinni and Carsten traveling, our wonderful heater began acting up during the night.  We had to get…

Zion and Bryce Canyons

When we left Canyonlands National Park, it was our intention to drive to Moab, a town that lies just between the entrances to Canyonlands North and Arches National Parks (this part of Utah has many National Parks).  We arrive in Moab and found a fine campground in a National Forest just outside.  Moab, on the…

Canyonlands National Park

A high altitude desert where one canyon leads to another After having spent almost a month in Colorado, we left Mesa Verde and drove into Utah, home of the Mormons.  Here, polygamy is still legal, meaning a man can have more than one wife.  Today, most Mormons don’t practice polygamy, although there are still some…

Mesa Verde – Indigenous peoples cliff dwellings

After the exhausting driving up (and down) four mountain passes (described in Carsten’s previous blog) we finally arrived at Mesa Verde National Park. Mesa Verde means “Green Table” in Spanish and it is easy to see why it was so named.  Throughout the eons, the winds have blown the top of the mountain flat; with…

Black Canyon of theGunnison

As Vinni has previously told, throughout our many years together, I’ve entertained her with tales of the many fantastic places there are in the western US that I would like to show her.  One that I have particularly emphasized is the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Why the Black Canyon?  Everyone else that visits the…

Flaming Gorge to Golden

Just south of Grand Teton lies the skiing mecca Jackson City (Jackson Hole).  This is what one typically calls a “tourist trap”.  Tourist trap because it literally lives off tourism.  The skiing is supposedly great here.  The snow is dry and more like confectioner’s sugar than the wet heavy snow, we have in Europe.  The…

Grand Teton National Park

Our last night in Yellowstone some new neighbors appeared in the campsite next to ours.  Jim and Pat arrived with their 4-wheel drive with a camper tent on top.  They turn out to be wonderful neighbors who live in Golden, Colorado.  When they hear that I will be camping in Golden for 8 days while…

Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)

Carsten has often told me that there are so many beautiful places in the US that he wants to show me – especially the huge National Parks and forests in the Rocky Mountains.  The landscape and wildlife there is unique and beyond words.  I have to admit that Carsten has not been exaggerating; my experience…

Landlubbers for a while

Life as a land cruiser is much like life as an ocean cruiser.  Ocean cruising means: Repairing your boat in exotic locations”.  As we’ve found out, land cruising in a 40+ year old motorhome means exactly the same thing.  We’ve logged over 3000 miles in 3 weeks through the Rocky Mountains here in the US. …