MESQUITE-NV & SALT LAKE CITY-UT

Bread - 'Baby, I'm-A Want You' song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCHHHAeSBvY)

I love Nevada.

I can breathe there: my lungs don't seize up.

I like the warmth; it's hot, but it's not blistering hot. I like waking up to sunshine :-)

I love Nevada.

Nevada was agreeable with everyone; everyone was in good spirits:

Patriotic Bleu - Daddy's boy. LOL

The RV Park was atmospheric. The host was pleasant, and helpful. If we ever go through Mesquite again, we will book a spot again (when we are not boondocking).

But we had to be back in the PNW by the 18th, so, we cut this stay short.

Morning temperature; Mesquite-NV. I'm liking waking up to warmth :-)

Ready to roll …

I LIKE this billboard!

I'm not sure where we were between Nevada and Utah; but as Holland drove along, I was petting Bleu when I felt something in his fur. I thought he had a burr … but he had picked up something else, someplace between West Virginia and Nevada:

Bleu has a tick - ICK!!

We had though we were finished with the severe weather - but Cedar City, Utah proved us wrong :-(

A lighthouse in the middle of Cedar City-Utah.

Noon temperature in Cedar City-Utah.

Flood Warning; Cedar City-Utah.

Heading back to the PNW for appt's - then off to wander.

Boondocking is the goal.

We're pretty much 'peopled out' after the Oak Point Madness the Winter if 2022.

We only enjoyed  3 or 4 days of sunshine, this entire trip from Coast to Coast.

Beaver, Utah was much nicer to us … 

Afternoon temperature in Beaver-Utah.

A portable Tiny Home.

Afternoon temperature in Nephi-Utah.

Road work had traffic backed-up for MILES.

Heart shape in the clouds.

Oquirrh Mountain Range in Western Utah.

Provo, Utah moved at a manic pace.

A PERFECTLY shaped heart in this cloud formation.

I love mountains; Elohim is faithful.

We secured a site at a KOA RV Park in Salt Lake City-Utah.

Cars squished for scrap metal $$$$.

Oquirrh Mountain Range, Salt Lake City-Utah.

The Capitol City of Utah … Holland has driven this road many times when he worked in the oil fields.

Steady stream of traffic in both lanes.

The traffic in Provo was insane.

And the KOA RV Park was in the heart of Salt Lake City; for Pete's sake!

Cities and I do not get along :-(

City drivers are crazy drivers. I do not drive in cities … and I am not a good passenger in city traffic; just thinking about city traffic makes me nervous: being in the midst of crazy drivers (even as a passenger) gives my heart a workout. Holland kept saying, "It's okay Baby - I'm driving; relax." What my husband doesn't understand is that him driving does not matter: my heart will still morph into overdrive when crazy drivers are zipping in and out of traffic, doing manic frog leaps.

I always thought KOA Parks were in the country: WTH!!!

I hate city traffic.

But Holland was not rattled, and we finally arrived at our destination safely.

And ordered Supper to be delivered to our front door. My husband is a good man :-)

Our KOA RV spot; we also bought a membership across the States.

It was a tight fit: but Holland did it :-)

Elephant Ears - kitty-corner from our front door.

We ordered Chinese for delivery; Egg Foo Yung.

Even though this KOA was in the heart of a city, it was a very nice Park.

NEVADA~Mother's Day 2023

May 14th: I woke up this morning to an early morning text from Pam - nothing from my daughter, or grandkids; but incoming texts, and phone calls from friends wishing me a good Mother's Day, kept coming throughout the day :-)

And my 4-legged son kept me busy all day ;-)

Bleu started his day with a little time out …

The look Bleu gives his kennel when he is spending time out in {doggie penitentiary} 😉

But he quickly changed his tune, and was sprung to run/leap/explore/& sprawl out, in the warm sun rays outside.

Bleu playing with a caterpillar.

I am a rock hound … so, I enjoyed looking at the colorful large boulders placed around the Park.

Pretty colorful rocks.

But what we all enjoyed the most was the warm sunshine :-)

The temperature was higher than I normally enjoy - but the atmosphere is different than the PNW, and my lungs were not struggling to keep me alive (the air is drier and the humidity is not cloying); and the high heat really felt good.

The evening's temperature; feels GOOD!

It was a good day.

I am blessed with a wonderful husband - a good life - loving friends - and a fuzzy little love machine :-)

UTAH & NEVADA

May 13th: We spent our first night in Green River-Utah, last night at a Love's Truck Stop. I don't; think we'll be utilizing their RV Hookup Sites anymore: it was too spendy for so little - we got a parking spot. Period. NO internet connection was included in the nite fee; you could buy internet service, though :-(

This road outside our RV spot was busy 24-7; people on the move. But, it was relatively quiet.

We headed out of Green River, towards Moab-Utah.

The landscape of Moab was awesome … BUT the tourist season was beginning … and traffic (foot, as well as vehicle) was busy-busy-busy.

So, we passed on sticking around.

We'll revisit Moab in the Fall; when tourist season is at a lull and the streets are not jam-packed with people walking out in front of your vehicle. 5th Wheels do not stop on a dime.

Moab in May is operating at a frantic pace.

Green River-Utah; sign of 'severe weather'.

Utah's Snowfall Nearly Breaks Century-Old Record: 

(https://www.abc4.com/video/utahs-2023-snowfall-nearly-breaks-century-old-record/8528644/)

This WAS 'The Plan'.

The landscape is full of contrasts.

The 'Blue Hills' of Utah.

Iron-rich-Red Cliffs of Utah.

RV Spaces in Moab is on the ridiculous side …

Reroute to The Arches region of Utah.

Moab is a tourist trap; like beach towns are.

Reroute to The Arches region of Utah (it was so hot, we passed that too).

These cliffs look stained with coal smudge.

Backtracking, I asked Holland to stop at the Moab Giants-Dinosaur Park: I know it's a kids attraction, but I am a dino nut ;-)

We couldn't get inside though because Bleu was not allowed :-(

But we did eat lunch there before hitting the road, again :-)

Moab Giants Dino Park; Park Entrance.

Iron Butterfly - 'Most Anything You Want' song:

 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBuEnkgfxA8)

I had the Triceratops Chicken Caesar Wrap, for lunch; Holland had the Pulled Pork Sandwich.

Bleu wasn't allowed in the Park; we passed this time around.

Pretty desert flowers.

We drove through several different rock formations; each held their own appeal - but I don't understand why 'The Reef' is named after a reef: it looks nothing at all like a reef.

These solidified mud plops were called 'The Reef' area.

These natural cliffs look held up by brickwork.

Mother earth is showing her soft side. LOL

A heart shape in the storm swept sky … can you see it, in the clouds?

Further along, Holland pulled over so I could get a picture of the 'Ghost Rock Canyon' … and I was excited to be standing in a Historical spot!

The Badlands & Outlaw Country :-)

Utah's Ghost Rock Canyon; 7,405 feet elevation.

Outlaw Country; Ghost Rock Canyon-Utah.

White Navajo sandstone:

(https://utahgeology.com/navajo-sandstone/)

Small is actually very BIG.

Iron stain in the quartzy white sandstone.

A road cuts through it …

Direct sunlight made the  mineral-rich rocks look like fools gold.

These two peaks looked like ancient volcanic cinder cones. Seen along I-70.

We will NOT be repeating I-70; one experience with it is enough!

We need to find another route besides I-70: it's just too rough; if the weather wasn't trying to destroy everything in it's path, the road itself was doing all it could to rattle teeth, and jar bones - as well as rattle and jar the 5th Wheel. We will not be traveling I-70 again.

On our route to Nevada, we escaped a run-in with a run-away tire and rim: Elohim was faithful. We were grateful.

Elohim safe-guarded us; and kept us & ours, safe.

Near the dusking hour, we entered Nevada, and started looking for a place to set up for the evening.

We found a spot in Mesquite-NV.

We liked it so much, we stayed another night :-)

Desert color - I LOVE adobe style & color.

Palm trees: everywhere. They made Nevada look, and feel, exotic :-)

A Dove lit on the truck hood when we parked; Devine assurance.

THE BLESSING in Hebrew! HA BRACHA (Lyrics) | Joshua Aaron: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoniopAzp8M)

Mesquite-NV. We spent 2 nights here.

Despite some of the set-backs we are experiencing, we are enjoying our time on the road.