​The Rangers at Grand Staircase Escalante National Park convinced me getting a campsite at Capital Reef National Park for a night would reduce driving time and allow me to enjoy the park and ranger events I otherwise would not enjoy.  I left early and arrived at the Fruita Campground at Capital Reef National Park by 10am.  The drive went from dessert scenery to more mountainous green landscapes.  The towns passed were small with many farms and ranches spread out as far as the eye could see.  Upon arrival, much like Bryce National Park, Capital Reef National Park has a scenic drive with short and long hikes from the points and overlooks.  I started the scenic drive at the entrance and the furthest point “Gorge Trail”.  It required a drive down a gravel dirt narrow road to get to the trail.  I was not the only one, and other drivers were respectful and kind in letting people pass.  I completed a 2-mile hike past the petroglyphs, the pioneer, and to the tanks and back.  Luckily there was a breeze and some shade because it was the hottest part of the day.  I had a picnic lunch near Gifford House and wandered the grounds.  Unfortunately, there was no pick your own fruit available, the birds had gotten to any berries that might have been available. 
That night the rangers held an astrology talk with large telescopes for attendees to observe the night sky.  The Rangers shared information about the Dark Sky designation at Capital Reef National Park, and pointed out the stars we were seeing.  Then they invited us to the telescopes they had set up and showed us the surface of the moon and a few star constellations.  It was an awesome sight and so worth staying at Capital Reef overnight.  I was so lucky to get the one and only campsite that was available. 
IN the morning before leaving, I hiked the Fremont trail as the sun was rising.  Afterwards I left for the drive to Moab, UT.  

​Upon arrival at Coral Pink Sand Dune State Park, I set up camp.  While getting settled I managed to put a splinter under the nail bed of my right middle index finger.  Boy did that hurt.  Since it still hurt in the morning and it was quite red, I decided to go to the hospital clinic to have it checked out and make sure I did not get an infection. I was assured it was not infected and was given some proactive measures I could take to ensure it did not get infected later.  Then I spent some time exploring Kanab, UT and then went to the city park that had cell coverage and shade to relax.  After the previous few days of being on the move a day of relaxation was needed.  When I headed back to the state park, I explored some of the overlooks and trails.  Infront of me was sweeping acres of colorful sand dunes.  People were riding buggees and hiking in the shifting sands.  The sand dunes were formed by sand and high winds.  The Venturi effect occurs by wind funneling between Moquith and Moccasin mountains increasing wind velocity to where is carries grains of sand from the eroding Navajo sandstone.  When the winds decrease in velocity the sand is deposited among the dunes. 
The next few days would be early mornings and full days exploring and hiking national parks.  The first was Zion National Park.  I was told to get to Zion prior to 9am when the visitor parking lots fill up.  And once there, take the shuttle to the furthest point and work your way back.  The furthest point is stop 9 on the shuttle, “The Narrows”.  I was not prepared to do a 7-8 mile hike out and back in 90% water, but other people were and arrived with Flyfishing waders, water proof hiking boots, and dry bag backpacks for supplies.  Next time!  I stopped at “Big Bend” and did a short hike by the river, then on to “Weeping Rock” where I climbed up and stood under the curtain of water to cool off.  Then it was a hike along “The Grotto” trail to the lodge where I met other hikers.  On to “The Three Patriarchs” where I climbed to the plateau for the amazing view of “the three Patriarchs”.  I then took the shuttle to “Canyon Junction” where I got off and walked the two remaining stops along the river to the visitor center.  I had a picnic lunch in the shade at the visitor center before leaving the park around 1pm.  That was when I saw the hour-long line of cars waiting to enter the park which validated why leaving early in the morning was a wise move. 
After leaving Zion National Park, I went back to Kanab, UT to visit the Kanab visitor center for Grand Staircase Escalante National Park.  The Rangers were very helpful showing me where I could see the Grand Staircase Escalante National Park on my drive to Bryce National Park, and Capital Reef National Park.  It was the rangers that convinced me to stay at Capital Reef National Park campground for a night and leave Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park early. 
That night I had trouble sleeping and could not figure out why until I got in the car to drive to Bryce National Park and found the temperature was down to 44 degrees.  I was cold and found myself dressing in layers including my down jacket.  On the drive to Bryce National Park the temperatures dropped to 32 degrees.  I arrived at the park before the rangers were on duty, so I drove out to the furthest point “Rainbow Point” and drove the scenic drive back to the visitor center.  The scenery was magnificent and the clouds fluffy and provided depth to the vistas.  It was so cold, and I was dragging due to little sleep, so I did not take any longer hikes.  I drove to all the points and took the shorter walks to the viewpoints.  I made it back to the visitor center before lunch and the masses had arrived. I went back to “Sunset Point” for a picnic lunch overlooking the vista.  I met a few groups of people while eating lunch and struck up conversations and helped take group photos for them.   After which I drove back to Kanab, UT hung out at the city park and then went out for an early dinner before heading back to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park for the night.  

​Left Scottsadale, AZ early in the morning and arrived Wahweap Campground at Lake Powell around lunch time.  After setting up camp, I left to go exploring.  First stop was the Glen Canyon Dam visitor center.  The overlook had a view of Lake Powell and the marina full of boats.  I learned that before the 2023 snows and rains, Lake Powell was within 80 feet of being a dead lake.  One year of snow and rain has been helpful but they need a few years to avoid drought again.  I drove around Page and found the city park with a band setting up and rehearsing.  I hung out and had a picnic dinner before driving out to the location of the Star Gazer Tour.  The Star Gazer Tour was on private land.  John, a young part Navajo from Monument AZ was our tour guide.  Before sunset John drove us through the property to the slot canyon, we would be walking into to view the moon and stars after the sunset.  On the tour was one other couple from Mesa.  We learned a bit about each other, and John answered some questions for us as we waited for the stars to come out.  It was a peaceful and beautiful location to reflect and think about life in general.  After a few hours we drove out and I headed back to camp for a good night’s rest. 
The next day was an early morning and an all-day tour through the Lower Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley with Trulita, a young full Navajo Nation citizen living outside Page, AZ. She was 27 years old, the second oldest of six girls who grew up in a family that instilled a strong work ethic.  On the tour with me was Bruce, a young Thai gentleman in the USA as an intern for the summer.  Trulita was our driver for the day to facilitate all the activities we would experience, and a very willing to share about her family, the Navajo Nation, and her political perspective as it relates to the Navajo Nation. 
Our first stop of the day was Lower Antelope Canyon.  Bruce and I merged in with another group of people and were taken to the bottom of Lower Antelope Canyon by our tour guide Eli, a full Navajo citizen.  The climb to the bottom of the slot canyon was 22 feet down a steep set of metal steps.  I was shaking by the time we got to the bottom of the canyon, but with the morning light and the vibrant hues of color it was so worth the risk.  The walk through the canyon was a slight incline up so we walked out of the canyon at the end.  The colors and textures during the walk were spectacular. 
Trulita then drove us through the Navajo Nation lands to Monument Valley “Where the earth meets the sky”.  She took us to the top rise on the road to Monument Valley that Forrest Gump ran down.  It was a blast to sit in the middle of the road and take pictures, LOL.  Then it was on to the Navajo Nation National Park, Monument Valley.  Monument Valley was formed from timeless erosion.  570 million years ago (Paleozioc era) the entire Colorado Plateau was underneath the Gulf of Mexico.  We were taken through Monument Valley by Fernando, a 30-year experienced tour guide.  Fernando drove us through the 17 miles of scenic roads that public visitors to the park drive as well as behind the scenes to private lands where the 40 people that live in Monument Valley have their horses and petroglyphs.  Fernando shared a tribal offering song with us as we visited the private lands.  Fernando too was willing to share his life experiences, his family story and perspective of living on the Navajo Nation.  Before we left Monument Valley, we visited the Museum where Trulita shared personal stories based on artifacts in the museum, and spoke to the lists of names related to the wars they participated in.  It brought home how tight connected the citizens of the Navajo Nation were, the traditions handed down through the generations, and how small the tribe was (450K citizens). 
Trulita returned us to Page, AZ from which I drove up to Kanab, UT and the Coral Pink Sand Dune State Park where I would stay for the next 4 nights.  

​Since I could not arrive in Scottsdale until late afternoon, I was able to spend some of the morning with my friends in Yuma, AZ.  I made the drive from Yuma back to Scottsdale, AZ and arrived near the dinner hour when my friends got home from work.  During the visit, we did errands, I planned the next leg of the trip (I had changes in the plan) and did paperwork because life still goes on as I travel.  I was also able to get up early enough to hike in the Sonoran Desert in the McDowell Mountains while it was still cool.  There was wildlife out and the cacti thriving, as well as many people out on the trails with me.  We also went to a new museum in Phoenix, Musical Instrument Museum (MIM).  MIM is a comprehensive history of musical instruments across the world and through time.  It was incredibly well curated, interesting, and well designed.  They even had some of the Mummers regalia and music on display.  It took us 2-3 hours to get through the museum, and we could have taken more time, but our feet hurt. The visit ended with a family meal and a comedy show that had us all laughing.  

​Upon leaving the Bonita Canyon Campground, I drove back to Willcox AZ and then chose the longer route to Gilbert, AZ through Apache Nation.  Although I lived in AZ for years in the 90’s I never drove through the Apache Nation.  The drive was beautiful but there was nowhere to pull off and stop to explore the landscape or take pictures.  I arrived in Gilbert late afternoon. 
The weekend was spent with friends catching up and enjoying some down time.  Each day we walked in the morning while it was cool and swam in the late afternoon.  Highlights of the four days in Gilbert were visiting Merchant Square in Chandler, AZ, and watching baseball games.  The Yankee vs Phillies rivalry is still going strong, LOL I also had the opportunity to cook in a proper kitchen, and share recipes.  

​I had three rules for traveling on this trip cross country; (1) Driving from point A to point B should not take more than 6 hours, and always leave in the mornings to enable always arriving in daylight and time during the day for activities. (2) stay at least 2 nights so I did not feel like all I was doing was driving, and (3) no eating in the car so I took breaks to stretch my legs, and I did not unconsciously eat while driving.  When I looked at the distance from Alamogordo NM to Gilbert, AZ it was over 8 hours.  Thanks to other Vistabule owners who had just stayed at Bonita Canyon Campground in the Chiricahau National Monument, I found the place to stop. 
The drive to Chiricahau National Monument was 30 miles south of Willcox AZ through some rugged and remote settings.  The ranches and farms I saw clearly had to be self-sufficient.  I saw quite a few signs that indicated during rainy season the roads could be flooded and residents stranded on their properties.  It put in stark relief how different the needs are throughout the country.  I arrived at Chiricahau National Monument by lunch time.  I stopped at the visitor center to check in for the campsite and get information about the national monument.  As I was leaving the visitor center what should cross my path but a Coati.  These animals do not normally come out and I was told very hard to find in the wild.  I got settled into the campsite and immediately took my picnic lunch and started to explore.  I took the scenic drive to each of the overlooks, took short walk/hikes, and proceeded to the highest point, Massai Point, where I had lunch.  I walked around to the many viewpoints.  I even facetime a friend to take a walk with me, LOL.  I learned that Chiricahua Apache called the pinnacles “standing up rocks” that originated 27 million years ago when the Turkey Creek Volcano spewed ash over 1200 square miles.  The superheated ash melted together forming layers of gray rock called rhyolite.  Subsequent cooling and uplifting created joints and cracks in the rhyolite.  Weathering over time created erosion and enlarging cracks that formed the spires, balanced rocks, and shapes. 
It was too hot to hike in the afternoon, so I picked the hike I would take the next morning before leaving for Gilbert, AZ.  I got up early and hiked from Bonita Canyon Campground to Faraday Ranch.  Neil & Emma Erickson settled the ranch land in 1888.  IN the 1920’s Their eldest daughter Lillian and husband Ed Riggs took over the ranch and turned the homestead into a guest ranch from 1917 thru 1973.  Upon the death of all three Erickson children the ranch was made into an historic district within the national park.  

​Again, I did not get much sleep and left Lubbock around 6:30am. I followed the reverse directions out of town using exit 14.  I still got some clay mud dirt on the car and trailer, but not as bad and the ride was much smoother.  On my 5-hour drive to Alamogordo, NM I stopped in Roswell, NM for breakfast at the Cowboy Café.  The locals in the café were so helpful.  I realized when I stopped for breakfast the small amount of clay mud, I had on the trailer was turning to cement.  I needed to get it off before it caused damage/stains to the skin of the Vistabule.  They pointed me to a car wash that was willing to power wash VistaKat #201 and wipe it down so the clay did not stain the surface.   Roswell, NM was interesting and fun to see the Aliens around town, LOL. 
I arrived in Alamogordo, NM by 11:30am- the hottest part of the day.  Rather than set up camp, I drove straight to White Sands National Park.  Perfect timing – June 4th was a full moon, and the National Park was open until 11PM with special programming.  To take advantage of the late-night programs, I went to Oliver Lee Memorial State Park to set up camp.  The state park host came to welcome me and answer questions.  The facilities were well maintained, and convenient.  The campsite was situated with desert foliage around it.  This meant very little wind or storm breaks surrounded the trailer. 
I drove back to White Sands National Park and had time to explore the park before meeting Ranger Thoran for the 1-mile sunset hike through the sand dunes.  White Sands National Park is tucked-away in the Tularosa Basin in southern New Mexico in the Chihuahuan Desert covering 275 square miles of the largest gypsum dune field in the world.  The Ranger shared the history, science, and wildlife of White Sands during the walk.  When the Permian Sea retreated millions of years ago, deep layers of gypsum were left behind.  Mountains rose and carried the gypsum high.  Later melting glacial water dissolved the mineral and returned it to the basin.  Today rain and snow continue the process.  We ended the walk at the top of a sand dune to watch the sun set over the park.    After sunset, I stayed to wait for the full moon to rise.  Unfortunately, during that time, the clouds rolled in, and I could not see the moon rise.  When I arrived back at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park the moon had risen with very little cloud cover.  I stayed up until 11:30pm to take pictures of the full moon.  I slept very well that night. 
The next morning, I went back to White Sands National Park to hike in the cooler morning hours.  I had my picnic breakfast and set off for a 1-mile hike on the Dune Trail.  Hiking in the sand dunes is much different than hiking in an east coast forest, LOL.  I missed trail markers, and when tried to follow other footsteps I realized they were lost too.  After retracing my steps and getting back on track a few times, it turned into a 2-mile hike in sand – good workout!  The rest of the day was dedicated to exploring Alamogordo, NM and Cloudcroft, NM.  I had to find out what the Largest Pistachio was all about, so I made my way to Pistachio land.  I did some taste testing, bought some very fresh pistachios, and looked around at the property and store.  It was starting to get very hot, so I headed into the hills to explore Cloudcroft, NM.  Cloudcroft is a small mountain town located in the Lincoln National Forest and from its inception it was always designed as a tourist destination while the west was being settled.  After walking around the small town, I decided to stick around during the hottest park of the day and spend time at the library using their WIFI and working.  The drive out of Cloudcroft back to Alamogordo was just as beautiful on the way down as it had been on the way up – souring mountain vistas, and beautiful fluffy clouds made for amazing views.  Unfortunately, there were no pull offs, and narrow roads, so photography was impossible. 
After organizing dinner and getting settled in at the campsite for the evening, it became apparent that a thunderstorm with 50 mile an hour winds would be coming through later that night.  At 8pm the storm arrived but only lasted for a few hours - the storm was as advertised on the weather app.  It was scary being in a small teardrop trailer with a fierce storm raging, but VistaKat #201 came through like a champ; the trailer stayed grounded, it rocked but did not move off the chocks, and nothing flew off or was damaged in the storm. 
The lack of sleep due to storms, and the long days of travel and exploring finally caught up with me.  I spent my last morning in NM leisurely having breakfast, cooking for the coming days, and getting organized for the next leg of the trip.  As it started to get hot again, I headed out with my picnic lunch to find a shady place to eat – not an easy task in the desert with few shade trees.  I went back to Pistachio Land to use their covered patio and take the tour of the property and learn more about the agriculture of the area. 
Pistachio Land is a family owned and operated business (McGinn Family) that raises grape vines and pistachio trees.  The pistachio trees were all imported from the middle east.  The only places in the USA that grow pistachios are CA, AZ, and NM.  McGinn Sr, handed down the business to McGinn Jr, who built the giant 30 foot pistachio in honor of his father who started the business.  The business harvests and produces both pistachios and 4 varieties of wine. The tram tour through the property was led by Aaron who shared the history and techniques used on the property to produce the crops. 
I headed back to camp in the late afternoon when it was still hot enough to need the air conditioner in VistaKat #201 for the first time on the trip.  Again, the weather channel indicated another nighttime storm with 50 mile an hour wind.  I felt much more confident about riding out the storm, so made sure I had dinner, and settled in for the night.  Only this night there was a group of women who were setting up a tent camp before leaving around 7pm.  I asked if they were aware of the storm coming, and they assured me they did.  It did not work out too well, by 8pm the tent had blown over and was starting to roll away despite the stakes they used and the reinforcement of rocks on the bottom of the tent.  By 9:30 during the storm they were back using headlights to light the area while they broke down camp and left.  I felt bad for them, but I had to laugh too.  It was like a 3 stooges show to watch.  The storm was over by 10pm, and again VistaKat #201 made it through like a champ.  

​Due to how little sleep, I got the night before, when I arrived in Lubbock, TX I decided to go straight to the library so get some work done before going to my Harvest Host – Pheasant Ridge Winery, for the night.  I knew once I got there, I would not want to return to the library. 
A few hours later I left downtown Lubbock for Pheasant Ridge Winery for the evening.  Instead of listening to my hosts Bob and Jennifer Cox and taking the exit 14 to get to Pheasant Ridge Winery, I listened to Apple Maps and took exit 11.  BIG MISTAKE!!!!  The directions took me down a clay mud dirt road after a rainstorm the night before.  I had presence of mind enough to not hesitate, stop or try to turn around.  I just kept moving forward.  Luckily it was only a mile to the next turn onto a gravel road, but the car and trailer (VistaKat #201) were covered in clay mud.  Not getting stuck was pure luck.  Someone was looking out for me. 
Bob Cox, my host at Pheasant Ridge Winery met me upon my arrival, and graciously brought out a high-pressure hose to help me clean up the mud off the car and trailer (VistaKat #201).  Afterwards there was not a drop of mud or water inside the trailer when I finally got situated and opened the teardrop.  Not long after a group of friends from Dallas TX arrived for a wine tasting.  I joined in and got to taste and learn about the Pheasant Ridge Winery.  I purchased a few bottles as gifts for friends I was visiting.
The evening was breezy, sunny, and a gorgeous sunset over the vines.  Again, the weather turned around 11pm when the thunderstorms again started and ended around 3am.  

​I left Hot Springs, AR early to make it to Ardmore, OK before lunch.  I had a visitor coming to meet me from Dallas, TX.  The drive from AR to OK was fascinating.  The gas was significantly cheaper, with very little traffic.  Much of the traffic was large logging trucks.  I passed many a Lumber Company along the route.  The small towns I drove through had the old west flat storefronts.  I saw funky artwork along the sides of the road (Firetruck standing upright with a flag stuck through the front grill) and many confederate flags.    
I arrived at Ceder’s Edge RV Campground prior to my visitor, Elizabeth, arrived from Dallas TX for the afternoon.  We had a wonderful lunch, caught up, and tried to stay under my awning to stay out of the hot unrelenting sun.  After lunch we went to Lake Murray Sunset Beach for a walk and continued the conversation.  The beach was inhabited by a very diverse population.  The facilities were extremely rustic – a metal corrugated changing room in the hot sun.  Not sure I would want to use it. 
After Elizabeth left for Dallas, I quickly got everything put away and battened down the hatches.  The first of the thunderstorms I experienced on the trip was coming through.  The storm started around 11pm and ended around 3am.  It was loud thunder and noisy rain hitting the aluminum teardrop trailer.  I did not sleep well, so around 5:30am I just got up and started my drive to Lubbock, TX.