http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/MikeCoke/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from MikeCoke en-us Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:10:29 +0000 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:10:29 +0000 Monday Dec. 8 2008Drove 155 miles todayLeft Pahrump and stopped in Baker at Del Taco for lunch. Then on to Calico Ghost Town and spend 2 nights here.Last time we were here was back in late 1973 or early 74.The upper part of the campground with full hook ups is far from level and it took a while to get us even close to level. Our Spot Calico Ghost Town CampgroundTuesday Dec. 92008This morning we http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/blog-359259.html Thursday Dec. 4 2008Drove a total of 92 miles from Stove Pipe Wells Campground to Terrible's Lakeside Casino and RV Park.On the way to Terribles we stopped and had lunch with Wendy's parents at Chinese Buffet located behind WalMart. Then we headed to Terrible's and got all setup. For dinner the 4 of us headed over to Terrible's Casino for dinner for their Buffet. Our Spot at Terrible's Friday De http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/blog-359233.html Sunday Nov. 30 2008Drove a total of 42 miles from Mesquite Campground to Stove Pipe Wells Campground today.Got all set up in time to watch the Bronco's game they won. At halftime we walked over to the Stove Pipe store bought Fountain Diet Coke's. It was so nice outside that we sat outside watched the Game on TV through the Motorhome's door. Our camp site at Stove Pipe Wells Campground Mond http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Death-Valley-National-Park/blog-359221.html Tuesday Nov. 25 2008Left Terrible's and stopped in Pahrump to fill up with gas dropped off 2 packages at the local shipping company and I stopped at Doghouse VW Repair to pickup a few more parts.Drove 121 miles to Death Valley National Park Mesquite Spring campground on the North end of the Park 5 miles from Scottys Castle. Pano of our camp site at Mesquite Campground Wednesday Nov. 26 2008S http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Death-Valley-National-Park/blog-356804.html Nov. 19 2008 Drove 140 miles to Stewart's Point camping area in Lake Mead NRA free dry camping area.our camp site at Stewart Point Lake Mead NRA.Nov. 20 2008 Drove 44 miles to Las Vegas Wash Campground in Lake Mead NRA. It's about 8 miles from Henderson and is a good place to camp when you need to do errands in town.our camp site at Las Vegas Wash Lake Mead NRA.Friday Nov. 21 2008Planned on http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/blog-356272.html We left home to get away from the Cold Snowy Colorado winter. Last year we used our 93 Ford Explorer on a tow dolly and to save weight this year I bought a 1972 VW Beetle to tow. The Bug needs some work and I will do it along the road. Before we left I put on all new brakes and 4 new shocks. The previous owner had no keys and had jury rigged an ignition switch so I fixed that and got new keys made http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Utah/blog-352943.html On Saturday Dec 30 I rode my bike to the 2pm Ranger lead hike in Golden Canyon. It was not as easy a ride to Golden Canyon as I thought it was going to be but I made it there back. After the program was over I continued up the Canyon I'm glad I turned around stated back when I did the sun had set it was getting dark when I got back to the campground. Sunday Dec 31 we stayed in to watch the http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Death-Valley-National-Park/blog-116559.html Departed Terribles and stopped in Baker CA to fuel up eat lunch after filling up. Stopped at the Kelso Depot Visitor Center built in 1924 and in use by the Union Pacific Railway until 1985 the depot now serves as a museum and information center. After visiting the the Kelso Depot Visitor Center we headed over to Kelso Dunes for the night. The night was a cold one it got down into the teens http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Mojave-National-Preserve/blog-160817.html Saturday Dec 23 Wendy's sister Bonnie her husband Bill arrived.Sunday Dec 24 we watched the Denver Broncos football game there were given the win by a muffed field goal at the end of the game. Now all they have to do is win the last game to get into the playoffs.On Christmas day the weather was nice we opened our gifts in the space between out Motorhome Wendy's parents 5th Wheel. That even http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Death-Valley-National-Park/blog-116558.html Death Valley Sand Dunes Furnace Creek Sunset CampgroundFriday Dec 22 we headed toward Furnace Creek stopped to walk around the sand dunes. After our walk we arrived at Sunset campground 15 minutes after Wendy's parents arrived there. We all though that was quite amazing they came from Oregon us from Colorado.The Park Service has reconfigured all the sites at Sunset lost around 200 sites ac http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Death-Valley-National-Park/blog-116510.html After we visited the Castle we headed to Mesquite Spring Campground. We picked out a site from the many that were not taken lots to choose from since there were only 2 other campers there. After we got everything set up we walked over to the self service pay station paid our 12 for 2 nights.If you have not been here Mesquite Spring Campground is in the North part of Death Valley about 3.5 http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Death-Valley-National-Park/blog-116375.html Left Snow Canyon on Sunday Dec 17 headed to Las Vegas. Arrived at Arizona Charliersquos Boulder RV Park in time to see the Denver Broncos football game. After the Broncos won we went to the casino had dinner at the Wild West Buffet. It was not the best buffet we have been to in Las Vegas but it was good.Monday morning we took the Sightseer to Findlay RV just across from AZ Charlie to have a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/blog-115122.html This is the begining of our Winter trip that will have us on the road for about 6 weeks or so.We got a late start only traveled 143 miles stayedin a parking area just south of Navajo National Monument on SR 564. The next morning we started towards Las Vegas. We stopped at the Carl Hayden Visitor Center at the Lake Powell Dam in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area then stopped had lunch at http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/blog-113953.html After Black Canyon or the Gunnison NP we stopprd in Grand Junction had the MH furnace worked on got it working. Stayed the night in GJ then the next day we went up to Colorado National Monument. Entered the Park at the East entrance took Rim Rock Drive to the Parks campground spent the night there. The next day we hiked The Window Rock Canyon Rim Trail from the Campground to the Visito http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/blog-111764.html Arrived at Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP in Colorado on Sept 20 the weather was nice the next day the 3 of us went on a rim hike. That night it started raining was only raining when I checked at 3am after I went to bed it started snowing and when we got up there was 8 inches of heavy wet Snow on the ground we had no AC power in the campground. Before we left the Park we drove to the Visi http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/Black-Canyon-of-the-Gunnison-National-Park/blog-109265.html