Living the Dream 2018

"There's a feeling I get ...When I look to the west And my spirit is crying for leaving" ... Led Zepplen, 'Stairway to Heaven' It was overcast the day we left Zion National Park and the first time without sun since we arrived eight days earlier. That helped ease the discomfort of leaving our second most favorite spring destination. The next stretch of our trip incorporated new destinations and experiences, starting with spending a few days in Escalante, Utah visiting Grand Staircase National Monument and Bryce Canyon. We didn't mind that the cloudy weather followed us since we were going to be travelling anyway. What we didn’t expect was to be caught in a snow storm.  About two hours into our four hour journey, two things became apparent:  it was raining a lot and the roads were getting narrower and windy as we ascended into the mountains. Rain soon turned to sleet and then snow as we finally reached the summit at 8,000 ft. Don't forget we were ...

“Traveling: It leaves you speechless,  then turns you into a storyteller.” - Ibn Battuta Zion National Park is in southwestern Utah, near the town of Springdale. Being our third visit there, we easily settled into our favorite RV spot along the Virgin River, right outside the entrance to the Park. On either side of our campsite, brilliant red, orange and yellow cliffs welcomed us back. After hooking up, we immediately went to Blondie's Diner, home of our favorite  buffalo burger. Each time we go there, we're greeted by this handsome fellow: 2015 2016 2018 "Not all who wander are lost" - J.R.R. Tolkien Zion Canyon itself stretches for 15 miles and is up to 1/2 mile deep in some spots. It was formed by the uplifting of the Colorado Plateau, along with millions of years of erosion by the North Fork of the Virgin River. Zion is a slot canyon and therefore, the majority of the Park is accessible only by shuttle buses that run continu...

Deb, Mike, Sue, Doug and Coco in Sedona  Tulips, Bunnies and Quentin Tarantino For the first time in four years, Doug and Sue went to separate destinations after leaving Sedona. Doug and the RV headed for Santa Fe, NM to attend the annual Plein Air Convention, followed by teaching another plein air workshop - all in all, a very busy schedule. Sue and Coco went with Deb and Mike back to their home in Henderson, NV.  At first, it felt strange not travelling together. Doug missed partnering with Sue to navigate on the road.  He also had to rediscover where everything is kept in the trailer because Sue always has the answer to: "Hey Babe, where do we keep the ...?". Sue and Coco missed Doug too, but.... well, being in a real house for a bit when on the road is always a plus. “There's no retirement for an artist, it's your way of living so there's  no end to it.” - Henry Moore  The Plein Air Convention was a 5 day event where Doug attended a number o...