What better way to wind down the camping season than an AltoGather? Close to forty Altos and their owners descended upon Arrowhead Provincial Park, just a tad north of Huntsville, for a few days of chatting, laughter, and the sharing of ideas.
12 volt doodads
A couple of 12 volt mods are the latest bit of tinkering I have been up to. Inspired by a mod completed a while back by fellow owner Vince, I decided it was time to make a couple of updates.
The 12 volt outlet used to power the television is in a bit of an awkward location. It is tucked low behind the screw jack housing, and has always been a pain to fiddle with. I removed the existing outlet, and fashioned a new bracket. The outlet is pretty cheap, so I bought a Blue Sea version, and it is a much better unit. One cannot go wrong when sourcing a Blue Sea product, as they are well made, and come at a reasonable price point.
The 12 volt outlet used to power the television is in a bit of an awkward location. It is tucked low behind the screw jack housing, and has always been a pain to fiddle with. I removed the existing outlet, and fashioned a new bracket. The outlet is pretty cheap, so I bought a Blue Sea version, and it is a much better unit. One cannot go wrong when sourcing a Blue Sea product, as they are well made, and come at a reasonable price point.
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| how handy is that??? |
2019: a couple of little jaunts
Camping continues to be a tad sporadic this summer. We headed out to Perth in August, to check out a municipal park called Last Duel. It got this name as it was the location of an actual duel between two fellows who were vying for the affections of a local woman. Unfortunately for one of them, his days of flirting with the ladies were soon over.
Service side sun shade
Tucson really kicked this mod into gear. Our site at Gilbert Ray had the service side of the camper facing directly west, fully exposed to the pounding sun. We quickly realized it would be wise to put up the second awning, however, we simply had no room to extend the awning out and run the guy-lines. Needing to do something, I jerry rigged our 6x6 ground mat, angled down to provide some needed shade.
2019: Sandbanks...hanging out in The County
Our yearly trip to The County has become part of our DNA. It is a destination we just have to get into the camping schedule, and without a visit, I’m sure we’d feel as if the summer was not complete.
2019: the summer camping begins
We found that once we got back from the big trip, our summer camping plans have become very loosey goosey. Previously, and mostly through necessity, by mid winter, our summer was planned and all booked out. We do have some trips planned, but for the most part, we will be winging it.
2019 SouthWest: Observations and wrap-up
After ten years of Alto camping, we had a pretty good idea of how an extended road trip might play out, and for the most part, that was the case. What we found intriguing though, was when some of those past experiences did not play out as we assumed. We thought a little wrap up might be appropriate.
A few simple stats of our journey to start:
- 78 days on the road
- 74 nights in the Alto
- 16 states
- 36 different overnight locations
- 15,305 Klms (9,510 M)
- 2687 litres of gas (710 gallons)
- Average 17.6 Ltr/per 100 klms (13.4 mpg)
We covered a lot of ground.
We wanted to explore and learn as much as could about the SouthWest, but about half way through the trip we found that we were not staying long enough at our destinations. In fairness, that was sort of the plan, but next time out will certainly be different, and slower. We could have easily stayed a week in Santa Fe and Savannah, so even a few extra days here and there will be a good thing in the future.
We did a lot of hiking...sort of.
As much as we intended to spend a ton of time on the trails, we did far more “hiking” around the cities and towns we visited. This is by no means a surprise, we just thought our focus would change somewhat because of the amazing landscapes we were in. We think the combination of the shorter stays, and our love of exploring the urban landscape, put our hiking plans a bit on the back burner.
We were surprised about food and meals.
We love camp cooking. Planning what to cook and eat is a huge part of the enjoyment of our weekends away. Not the only part by any means, but still a big part. This trip...not so much. I know for a fact we pulled the Q out twice, and the little Coleman stove, the only purpose it served on this trip was to annoy us with its constant tinny rattling while we drove.
Oh, we tried to cook for sure, but ended up wasting a bunch of our first grocery order. What caused this shift...we figure it was our short stays. By the time we got back to camp from our exploring, the last thing we wanted to do was haul out the gear, prep the food, and cook up a meal. So easy eating became our style, and we still ate relatively healthy. What helped was the quality and variety of offerings found in the grocery stores. From the creative in-house kitchens to the vast selection of products, we had more than enough options available for quick, simple evening meals. We did not solely rely on this and made our breakfasts, like our new favourite, avocado toast with tomato, topped with balsamic glaze...Yummm
We thought we would boondock more.
Our plan was to boondock where and when we could, but that soon changed, mostly due to the unseasonably cool, actually, cold weather. Faced with cold evenings, having power was a much desired service. Some nights we ran our two electric space heaters all the time, just to keep the cold at bay. We could have managed with the propane furnace, but the question was, why bother? The state parks we camped in were all very nice, well run, and the sites generally came with electrical hook-ups. They were also a tremendous value compared to what we are used to paying. Pretty much a no brainer given the weather situation.
We did though, boondock at Quartzite, and it was a neat experience. We were well past the crazy times of the big RV show in January, so we almost had the place to ourselves. That experience gave us a little taste, and it is something we will do more of in the future.
We are not fans of the Interstate.
We already knew this, and the trip only solidified this for us. One does not get a good view of a state while hurtling down an interstate crammed with transport trucks and drivers with dubious skill sets. You need to get onto the secondary highways to really see both the landscape, and the people that live in it. As an added bonus, it is a far less stressful journey...there is a lot to be said for being able to mosey along, driving through towns and cities, soaking it all in.
The key take-away is to slow down.
We will spend more time in each location, exploring and just relaxing. This has been expressed by many others, we just had to figure this out as well. Many spots deserved far more time than we allowed before hitching up again, and that will change.
We learned a lot on this trip, not only about the SouthWest, but also about how WE travel for extended periods. All this will help make our next big adventure even better, and we already can't wait.
A few simple stats of our journey to start:
- 78 days on the road
- 74 nights in the Alto
- 16 states
- 36 different overnight locations
- 15,305 Klms (9,510 M)
- 2687 litres of gas (710 gallons)
- Average 17.6 Ltr/per 100 klms (13.4 mpg)
We covered a lot of ground.
We wanted to explore and learn as much as could about the SouthWest, but about half way through the trip we found that we were not staying long enough at our destinations. In fairness, that was sort of the plan, but next time out will certainly be different, and slower. We could have easily stayed a week in Santa Fe and Savannah, so even a few extra days here and there will be a good thing in the future.
We did a lot of hiking...sort of.
As much as we intended to spend a ton of time on the trails, we did far more “hiking” around the cities and towns we visited. This is by no means a surprise, we just thought our focus would change somewhat because of the amazing landscapes we were in. We think the combination of the shorter stays, and our love of exploring the urban landscape, put our hiking plans a bit on the back burner.
We were surprised about food and meals.
We love camp cooking. Planning what to cook and eat is a huge part of the enjoyment of our weekends away. Not the only part by any means, but still a big part. This trip...not so much. I know for a fact we pulled the Q out twice, and the little Coleman stove, the only purpose it served on this trip was to annoy us with its constant tinny rattling while we drove.
Oh, we tried to cook for sure, but ended up wasting a bunch of our first grocery order. What caused this shift...we figure it was our short stays. By the time we got back to camp from our exploring, the last thing we wanted to do was haul out the gear, prep the food, and cook up a meal. So easy eating became our style, and we still ate relatively healthy. What helped was the quality and variety of offerings found in the grocery stores. From the creative in-house kitchens to the vast selection of products, we had more than enough options available for quick, simple evening meals. We did not solely rely on this and made our breakfasts, like our new favourite, avocado toast with tomato, topped with balsamic glaze...Yummm
We thought we would boondock more.
Our plan was to boondock where and when we could, but that soon changed, mostly due to the unseasonably cool, actually, cold weather. Faced with cold evenings, having power was a much desired service. Some nights we ran our two electric space heaters all the time, just to keep the cold at bay. We could have managed with the propane furnace, but the question was, why bother? The state parks we camped in were all very nice, well run, and the sites generally came with electrical hook-ups. They were also a tremendous value compared to what we are used to paying. Pretty much a no brainer given the weather situation.
We did though, boondock at Quartzite, and it was a neat experience. We were well past the crazy times of the big RV show in January, so we almost had the place to ourselves. That experience gave us a little taste, and it is something we will do more of in the future.
We are not fans of the Interstate.
We already knew this, and the trip only solidified this for us. One does not get a good view of a state while hurtling down an interstate crammed with transport trucks and drivers with dubious skill sets. You need to get onto the secondary highways to really see both the landscape, and the people that live in it. As an added bonus, it is a far less stressful journey...there is a lot to be said for being able to mosey along, driving through towns and cities, soaking it all in.
The key take-away is to slow down.
We will spend more time in each location, exploring and just relaxing. This has been expressed by many others, we just had to figure this out as well. Many spots deserved far more time than we allowed before hitching up again, and that will change.
We learned a lot on this trip, not only about the SouthWest, but also about how WE travel for extended periods. All this will help make our next big adventure even better, and we already can't wait.
2019 SouthWest: the last stretch...Savannah to home
Continuing our quest to travel only secondary highways on the way home, we made our way northwards to Lee State Park, near Bishopville SC. We are on our way to Durham NC, to have a quick visit with Dale’s girlfriend Debbie. This park will get us about half the way there.
2019 SouthWest: Savannah and the beach...awesome!
On our Hwy 84 drive back east, we looked at the map and realized that the 84 continues all the way to the east coast at Savannah Georgia, and by just adding a day to our drive, we could dip our toes in the Atlantic, and see what we have heard to be a beautiful historic city.
2019 SouthWest: Hwy 84 all the way to the coast
Our journey on the 84 took us all the way from Texas to Georgia. We were able to chunk up the distance and stay at state parks all the way...North Toledo Bend LA, Lake Lincoln MS, Frank Jackson AL, and Reed Bingham GA.
2019 SouthWest: Waco...worth a visit
Before heading to Waco, we scoured our maps for a route to get us a little further south, and into some warmer weather. We have had a fair amount of cool evenings on this trip, in fact, we have used the duvet and electric heaters far more than we have not. The other priority was to avoid, as much as possible, travel on the Interstates.
2019 SouthWest: Texas Big Sky
Continuing our eastern path, we drove from Santa Fe to Amarillo, down to the I-40 along Hwy 285. The drive along 285 was a steady descent through scrubby ranch land, punctuated by rich looking red soil and rocks. The stretch of I-40 to Amarillo was a good drive, nice and smooth, with surprisingly little traffic, I think perhaps we lucked out a bit. Just outside Amarillo we took the opportunity to stop at Cadillac Ranch.
2019 SouthWest: the lure of O'Keefe
The lure of Georgia O’Keeffe is strong. Being admirers of her life and art for many years, to visit her home and studio, to be in the area which inspired her so much, was definitely a huge bucket list item for both of us.
2019 SouthWest: Santa Fe...we finally made it.
2019 SouthWest: The Red Rocks
The drive into Sedona is fabulous. We crossed the Verde Valley and soon descended into Sedona and the Oak Creek Canyon. The red rocks appeared, and only got more spectacular as we drove into town. They are an impressive red, the massive rock cliffs and formations making a bold statement against the blue sky.
2019 SouthWest: a few classic towns
Headed to Cottonwood along the I17, and it is quite the scenic drive. It is also the first of probably many extensively long uphill/downhill travels. Throw in a bunch of switchbacks, and it only goes to confirm that I am truly not a fan of the experience. Not only is the drive a little white knuckle, because of that, I rarely get a real good look of what is passing me by. Oh well, such is travel.
2019 SouthWest: cacti and burros...
On our way to Sedona, we stopped at Lake Pleasant Regional Park, north of Phoenix, just to break up the drive a bit. Like it’s sister park, Usery Mountain, it is a well run park with lots of excellent facilities. Maricopa County sure knows how to run its parks!
2019 SouthWest: Jumbo Rocks...and they sure do!
We entered the Park from the south entrance off I-10, and headed to the Cottonwood Visitor Centre. We immediately noticed there were a lot of cars and people in the park, and the Visitor Centre was packed. Scooted in just long enough to talk to a Ranger and find out where the dump station and water was located. There is no water in the Jumbo Rocks Campground, so the first order of business was to get the Alto squared away for the time we are here.
2019 SouthWest: The Q.
Quartzite was a mining town until the mining stopped, and was the verge of becoming a ghost town, when it became a meet up and trading location for rock swappers and gem collectors.
2019 SouthWest: Tucson adobe...gotta love them
Wandering around Tucson, we were immediately drawn to the colourful adobe houses. Both the older houses and new builds still maintain the style and liberal use of colourful walls and trim. The older sections of Tucson are a mix of original and revitalized houses, with a number of them being businesses.
We kind of went a little crazy with the photos, but wanted to capture as much of the exuberance these wonderful adobe houses have to offer.
We kind of went a little crazy with the photos, but wanted to capture as much of the exuberance these wonderful adobe houses have to offer.
2019 SouthWest: Tucson & new friends
We headed towards Tucson and the Gilbert Ray Campground with a bit of anxiousness, as the campground is non-reservable and filled on a ‘first come/first served’ basis. Knowing this, we made the plan to arrive on a Sunday, and around check-out time of 11:00am.
2019 SouthWest: Scottsdale...lots on the go
Monday morning we headed into Scottsdale to visit our good friends Jamie & Johanne. We have known them a very long time, and a few years back they purchased a condo here, an escape from the crazy winters in Ottawa.
2019 SouthWest: Hwy 60 to Scottsdale
We had a quick stop over at Roper Lake SP, to break up the drive to Scottsdale. Roper is a nice little park, with good facilities, some hiking trails, and apparently, good fishing. We hiked one of the trails after set up, and it was a great way to shake off the white line fever.
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| Mountain snow... |
2019 SouthWest: the amazing White Sands
It was a nice drive along Hwy 70 from Roswell to Alamogordo. The road winds it’s way up the east side of the Sacramento Mountains, through the Hondo Valley, then descends into Tularosa. From there it is only a short distance to Oliver Lee Memorial Park.
2019 SouthWest: Roswell and the little green men
We headed to Roswell. Why you ask, because of the UFO’s and aliens of course. Being on a tour through New Mexico and not going to Roswell would be akin to visiting Paris and not going to the Louvre. Well, perhaps that is a bit of an extreme comparison.
Dale, not fully understanding why Roswell, was a little taken aback by the UFO thing...I believe her words were “Are you for real?”
Dale, not fully understanding why Roswell, was a little taken aback by the UFO thing...I believe her words were “Are you for real?”
Insulating Wall Liners
In extreme temps, we have found that the side walls and glass can transmit a fair amount of coolness, as the R value is minimal. There are ideas out there to combat this chill, products like Reflectex, that have been used as sun shields, but we were mostly hoping to improve the warmth inside.
We ended up finding a material at the Scout Store that is intended to reflect heat or cold waves. It came in the shape of a large sleeping bag, so this meant it needed to be taken apart. It is silver on one side, and a poly type material on the other. We used the side curtains as templates and fashioned up a set of reflective panels. These are velcroed in place, silver side out, and the interior curtains are then pulled over them as normal. For the back window, we used the same material, but sandwiched an extra layer of polyester mat insulation in between. We sleep with our heads by this rear window, so it warranted a little extra insulation.
We have tested the effectiveness, and quite frankly, it feels warmer. Less cool spots, and certainly less cold radiating from the side wall. We only made the panels for the back half of the Alto, thinking the sleeping area is what needed the extra comfort.
We ended up finding a material at the Scout Store that is intended to reflect heat or cold waves. It came in the shape of a large sleeping bag, so this meant it needed to be taken apart. It is silver on one side, and a poly type material on the other. We used the side curtains as templates and fashioned up a set of reflective panels. These are velcroed in place, silver side out, and the interior curtains are then pulled over them as normal. For the back window, we used the same material, but sandwiched an extra layer of polyester mat insulation in between. We sleep with our heads by this rear window, so it warranted a little extra insulation.
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| a little extra insulation built into this one |
We have tested the effectiveness, and quite frankly, it feels warmer. Less cool spots, and certainly less cold radiating from the side wall. We only made the panels for the back half of the Alto, thinking the sleeping area is what needed the extra comfort.
2019 SouthWest: Hwy 285...not the usual scenery
I don’t really rely much on either Google or a GPS, preferring a paper map with some extra details filled in via Google. As it was a short drive, I forged ahead just based on Google’s recommended route.
We followed Hwy 17 north, through some pretty basic flat, one could say hardscrabble, landscape. In a town called Pecos, we turned onto Hwy 285.
We followed Hwy 17 north, through some pretty basic flat, one could say hardscrabble, landscape. In a town called Pecos, we turned onto Hwy 285.
2019 SouthWest: Marfa Texas
The next day was a field trip to Marfa, a little town south of Fort Davis, deep in the Chihuahuan high desert, this town is steeped in the arts and culture. One quirky art installation we just had to see was the famed Prada shoe store, way out along a highway in the middle of nowhere.
2019 SouthWest: Mesas & Buttes
On the I-10 route between San Antonio and the Park, we could see the trees becoming smaller, the cacti plants starting to appear, and the landscape becoming more arid and desert-like. Within 5 hours, it became very classic SouthWest landscape, desert with no trees, butte plateau hills, and the temperature had risen to to 27C.
2019 SouthWest: The Riverwalk and Mexican Market
Our final day of our stay in San Antonio was to head downtown in the late morning and walk the Riverwalk loop around the canal system. We were blown away as to how beautiful, organic, creative and whimsical the Riverwalk is. That a city would go to that much effort and so much cost to create such a public space that is free for all their citizens to use and to attract tourists, is commendable.
2019 SouthWest: Art & The Pearl
The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) was originally the site of the Lone Star Brewery, dating back to 1884. In 1977, the Mayor christened the new museum by smashing a bottle of beer against the facade. We are discovering that breweries are playing a large part in present day neighbourhoods.
2019 SouthWest: San Antonio - The Missions
We are staying at the Alamo KOA, partly due to wanting full services to de-winterize, and partly due to its convenient location to downtown. We were very fortunate to get in for 4 nights, considering we were arriving when the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo is town, one of the largest events in Texas. Being such a popular show, the vast majority staying here are participants in the rodeo, all massive rigs, either motor coaches, or camper/horse trailer combos, which we have never seen the likes of before.
We purchased an all day transit pass (for a shockingly low amount of $2.75), a great way for visitors to check out the city. Today was a bit overcast, with that annoying spitting rain, so we decided it would best to make the circuit and see the Spanish Missions. The San Antonio ‘Viva’ metro bus service offers a dedicated bus route that only stops at cultural destinations, including the Missions...what a fantastic idea.
We started at The Alamo, which is in the centre of the city, and then headed south on the bus to the other missions.
We started at The Alamo, which is in the centre of the city, and then headed south on the bus to the other missions.
The Alamo
2019 SouthWest: Gruene Hall
Seeing a write-up about Gruene TX in our local paper struck us that it would be our kind type of place to check out. We are attracted to smaller places, that are quirky and historical, and Gruene ticked all those boxes. Plus, it seemed to be a place that would capture the essence of Texas.
‘Gruene’ (pronounced ‘Green’ by the locals) is a former 1800’s German settlement, which is now a historic district within the city of New Braunfels, just east of San Antonio. This area is now on the US National Register of Historic Places.
This link provides an overview of Gruene’s history and how the buidings were saved from demolition due to the initiative of an architectural student...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruene,_New_Braunfels,_Texas
Gruene’s central attraction is its 1878 circa, wood 6,000 sq.ft. dance hall, ‘Gruene Hall’ is the oldest dance hall in Texas. In the mid-1970’s it was revived back to be a popular music venue, drawing crowds from all over to hear country and blue-grass.
Here is their web site: http://gruenehall.com
After settling into our hotel, we headed over to Greune Hall to catch some live music and absorb the ambiance of this authentic historical place.
While having drinks and listening to the music, we had nice chats with a friendly Texan couple, Janelle and Oscar, and then another local man. We are discovering that Texans are friendly and love to chat...just like we do. They made our visit to the Hall extra special.
Also of interest to us was checking out the mid-1800’s wood homes and buildings, including it’s original water tower. Most of Gruene’s buildings have been preserved and have been turned back into thriving businesses.
Our visit to Gruene was a memorable way to start our visit in Texas and our journey into the SouthWest.
‘Gruene’ (pronounced ‘Green’ by the locals) is a former 1800’s German settlement, which is now a historic district within the city of New Braunfels, just east of San Antonio. This area is now on the US National Register of Historic Places.
This link provides an overview of Gruene’s history and how the buidings were saved from demolition due to the initiative of an architectural student...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruene,_New_Braunfels,_Texas
Gruene’s central attraction is its 1878 circa, wood 6,000 sq.ft. dance hall, ‘Gruene Hall’ is the oldest dance hall in Texas. In the mid-1970’s it was revived back to be a popular music venue, drawing crowds from all over to hear country and blue-grass.
Here is their web site: http://gruenehall.com
After settling into our hotel, we headed over to Greune Hall to catch some live music and absorb the ambiance of this authentic historical place.
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| the benches get cleared away to make the huge dance floor |
While having drinks and listening to the music, we had nice chats with a friendly Texan couple, Janelle and Oscar, and then another local man. We are discovering that Texans are friendly and love to chat...just like we do. They made our visit to the Hall extra special.
Also of interest to us was checking out the mid-1800’s wood homes and buildings, including it’s original water tower. Most of Gruene’s buildings have been preserved and have been turned back into thriving businesses.
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| barrels are for more than just whiskey |
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| the Gruene founder's mill office |
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| Texas floor mat in the general store |
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| the Gruene family home, now an inn |
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| the town's iconic water tower |
Our visit to Gruene was a memorable way to start our visit in Texas and our journey into the SouthWest.
