Time to go, Escapades is calling.

To make up for that we stayed at the Elks Lodge in Chula Vista and naturally caught up on all our old friends and neighbors in town. Days of partying turned int nights of partying. The diet went completely out of the window.

After so much fun with great friends and ex neighbors it felt strange to be heading out again. Towing the Miata got a little less stressful every day, but I still had Barbara peering out of the rear window as we pulled away to check the wheels weren't locked!

Hitched up and ready to travel

We are starting our summer of travel for 2018.

First we had decided to try and get together with our Aussie friends Mike and Lynne who were currently around Moab UT having a great time exploring all the tremendous National Parks nearby. Zion, Canyon Lands to name but two. They were heading West slowly and we were heading North East. It looked like we could meet up in Utah somewhere.

We posted on FaceBook that we were stopping in Parker Arizona and suddenly Paul and Karen our friends from Sundance in Casa Grande were on our doorstep. What a nice surprise. We chatted for an hour then went our separate ways.

We stopped in one of my favorite places “Valley of Fire State Park” North of Vegas. I have always promised Barbara I'd bring her here and we had 2 great days exploring this spectacular spot. We even hiked the Petroglyph Trail and felt the spirit of the ancient people in that special canyon.

Valley of Fire gets it's name from the vivid red sandstone formations

Hauntingly beautiful Petroglyphs

Prickly Pear cactus in bloom

Lost City Museum in Overton Nevada I feel a painting coming on!

When we first started this trip back in 2015 one of the early stops we made was in Panguich UT. For sentimental reasons we stopped there again before driving the stunning UT 12 thru the Dixie National Forest and Bryce National Park. If you drive this road don't expect to make fast time. If the breath taking views aren't enough to slow you down then the 8, 9 and 10% grades should! Twisting and climbing we crossed the snowline and crested the highest point at 9400'.

9400' and above the snowline on Utah route 12.

Mike and Lynne were dry camping on BLM land but the entrance was too rocky for the Miata to get into that spot and we picked a little campground called Sand Creek based on the RV Campground Review app. It was quite expensive for what it was but it's a popular place so we took what we could get. Mike steered me to another app that gives the location of BLM spots on a map iOverlander might be our “Go To” now for that kind of camping, it's really easy to use.

We had a great couple of days and nights catching up with all their news and their trip down to Baja Mexico. A nice dinner at Rim Rock Hotel and Restaurant followed by a beer or so at our rig with a trip into the Capitol Reef NP to round things out. It's funny how you can make friends so easily when you're RV'ing, and we just love these guys.

Barbara, Lynne and I in Torrey Utah

Capitol Reef NP Scenic Route

Sunday Farmers Market with a band in Torrey

More Aussie's! Turned out these ones were from the same city as Mike and Lynne

On we went, breaking our “No Interstates” rule to drive 100 miles up I70 to Grand Junction Colorado. Happily the Elks Lodge was open on Sunday and we were welcomed and given bowls of the soup somebody had thoughtfully provided. It turned out that the Exalted Ruler was an artist too and we were soon chatting away and showing pictures of our work to each other.

We were told to go visit the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River while we are in the area so we elected to stay 2 nights and do some exploring.

The Escapades Rally is at the end of this month and we are trying to hook up with one of the groups we are associated with to camp together. It's more fun if we are in the same area and cuts down on how far we have to walk to “Happy Hour”!!

I am definitely teaching an art class there now, so I have to stock up my supplies. Hobby Lobby here I come!