April 2019

Booko, sleeping in Daisy's bed.  It was a tight squeeze
but he did manage to get most of his body into it

April.....the beginning of the end of our winter vacation.   Time to start getting the camper ready and preparing for the trip home to Canada.
First and foremost, we had to celebrate Kay's birthday even though she had to work but that was ok too.   At this point in our lives, do we really have to acknowledge another year??
We decided too that it was time to clean out the shed and,  get the upstairs apartment cleaned out as construction on that was to start in November when we got back.  Now that was a nasty job but everyone was in the right state of mind to get stuff cleaned up and get rid of a lot of unnecessary junk.  Before too long, the trailer was full and we needed to do a dump run.  Man, we got rid of a lot of junk and got most of the upstairs cleaned out as well.  Things were looking pretty tidy.

the Hassayamppa

The camper was slowly getting packed up and Karl and Naomie had booked the casita for a few days.  They both had had a few hectic weeks lately and were looking for a little rest and relaxation.   Also, Naomie was missing Daisy who had now become part of our family.  Initially John and Kay were not too happy with me agreeing to look after Daisy but I told both of them that I didn't expect them to have to do anything with her, that I had agreed to look after her and that was the end of it.  Eventually Daisy wound her sweet little way into their hearts and before too long she was following both John and Kay around like they were long lost friends!!  I even heard them both talking to her!!  Daisy was quite fat when we first met but we had managed to slim her down by about five pounds by the time Naomie took her home.

water in the Hassayamppa

Karl had never really experienced the desert before and was eager to get out and see the sights.  He was like a sponge trying to learn the names of all the trees and cactus he saw.  He gave it a valiant try!!  Because Kay was working while they were there we loaded up the jeep with adult beverages and headed over to Box Canyon for their first adventure.  It was a lovely warm day and we took our time getting there and I answered lots of Karl's questions about the fauna and flora we saw.  He was like a kid in a candy store and I loved seeing the big grin on his face every time I looked at him.

John and Karl on the Box Canyon run

Karl and Naomie

The water had receded in the river enough so that John was able to strata the origin or the water flow from where it actually comes out of the ground right down through the box with it's tall walls and narrow passage.  It was soo cool and Karl and Naomie loved it.

traveling down the river

Hedgehog cactus in bloom

For their second trip out, we gave Karla dn Naomie the side by side and we took the jeep and did the big loop over to the lookout and around by the pond behind the mountain and over and through the big boulders.   It was an awesome trip as well and Karl got to see a different aspect of this beautiful desert.  Like so many others, Karl had no idea what the desert truly entails and was shocked to see how green and vibrant it really is.  Of course he thought it was just dirty old sand and cactus where everything either pokes you, stings you or bites you!!  He has had his eyes opened over the few days he was here.  He now is bound and determined to return and maybe bring the horse with him so that he could ride some of the many trails that lay just outside out back door.

Kermit with Karl driving and Naomie in passenger seat

You can see for miles

hills and cactus

One of the many older saguaros in the area

Time to stop and smell the roses and have a beer

the shark rock

California poppies

The Loop Trail - trail between the boulders

Karl doing some exploring

Hedgehog cactus

With the departure of Karl, Naomie and Daisy, it was really time for us to put the finishing touches on getting the camper road ready,  We had discovered that the air conditioner on the truck needed repairs so that was done before we left.  800.00 later and we had AC again!!

weBooko chillin at the bar

We made one last trip up to Gilligan's with Kay before we left and then it was time to say so long and head home.  It is always tough to leave and a lot of the time the only good thing about it is that now you get to count the days as to when you can return.

John, Kay and Booko chillin at the bar

Must have been a rough day!!

Can there ever be too many flower pictures???
I think not.

We left Congress on the 23rd and headed North.  More adventures awaited on the way home and more once we arrived back in the Northern Forest of Saskatchewan.

                                               
We headed up through Jerome and Sedona to do a bit of sightseeing and the scenery really was quite spectacular.  Jerome is a very small town built into the side of a mountain and the street are narrow and winding.  Parking would be an issue if you ever wanted to stop and shop but it is quite a touristy town and would be fun to explore.  Sedona and the surrounding areas are beatiful but it too is full of tourists and although I would have like to do some shopping.....well asll the people is a real downer for me.

downtown Sedona....The Pink Jeep Tours

outside of Sedona

beautiful scenery

We stayed our first night at the Cinder Hills OHV area.  It lies just outside of Flagstaff, Arizona and is quite lovely for an overnight stay.  It was a boon docking area and the only bad thing I could say about it was that it was busy and very dusty.  The ground is made up of pulverizer volcanic ash and very easily disturbed so that when a quad or dirt bike went past,  you were breathing volcanic ash until it settled back to the ground.  Certainly not my favorite spot but good enough for one night.

Nice big pines at Cinder Hills

Utah

Utah

One always knows you are in Utah when you see these iconic
rock formations

Valley of the Gods

We spent our second night in the Valley of the Gods.  An incredible place that is famous for it's unique rock formations.  There are not really that many camping spots in this area but if you are lucky enough,  you will find one and can spend some time in amongst these ancient formations and just imagine all those that have walked this area years ago and called it home.  The place is teeming with incredible history.  It had been several years since John and I stayed here and it was good to be back.

Chillin after a long day in the truck

The highway just cuts through these rock formations

we met this beast fueling up...not sure what the
hell it is though....is it a plane....a bus???

Still in Utah but way north now ...ther is snow in them hill up by Price

hole new ball game.  we are wrapped up like eskimos

Northern Utah and it is COLD!!

We stayed in Price Canyon on our third night and the change in temperature was very noticeable.  Last night we were in shorts and enjoying the sun in Southern Utah.  Tonight...well that is a whole new ball game.  We are wrapped up like Eskimos in the dead of winter.  Gee, Im thinking we have gotten soft from the lovely Arizona weather!!

Wit is still really chilly and oming and snow

The next day we hit Wyoming and spent two nights there.  One night in Edem, Wy and the nest night in Cody.   It is still really chilly and there is definitely no sitting outside and enjoying the scenery.  It is a good thing I brought some oven meals and stuff that I could cook in a frying pan because there was no way that John was going to be barbecuing!!
Montana was calling and each day we got closer to home.    The weather sucked and I couldn't help thinking how nice it would be to just sit by the wood stove in Leoville and be warm!!
Our last night in the USA was spent at another of our "go to" spots just outside of the Charles Russell Wildlife Refuge in Montana.  We were only a day away from the border and it would be nice to get back into Canada.  There is always something that feels "safe" about coming home and being in your own country.  Not that I have ever felt unsafe in America because I haven't.  It's just not "home".

Sask Landing 

We crossed back into Canada on the 30th of April.  We had no issues at the border, not that we were expecting any either.  We had all our documents ready and I'm sure that makes things easier for everyone.    Once we were cleared, we headed to Sask Landing and our first Canadian camping spot on our return journey to Leoville.  The weather had greatly improved although there was still a chill in the air.   A big bonfire took care of that we enjoyed our first night back in Canada.

Lake Diefenbaker at Saskatchewan Landing

Jace and Kimmy wearing the hats we had picked up for them