Life on the road

Going to Alabama…

Yesterday we got as far as Holbrook, Arizona. We got the trailer and truck parked at the KOA, then walked a couple blocks to a restaruant in town. It looked ok from the outside, but the food was, well, less than expected. Way less. I ordered a Mexican combo plate that had chicken enchiladas, rice and beans. The chicken tasted like it was canned, and the rest of it was worse than that. Across the road from the restaurant, there was a hair salon called “Hairlapeno’s”. We usually take pictures of things like that but, GASP! I forgot to take my camera with me. So, that opportunity was lost.

We walked back home to the trailer and called it an early night as we were both tired. About 4 a.m, FabGrandpa was whispering in my ear, “Do you think that restaurant is open for breakfast yet?” Of course he was just joking, we were not going to give them a second chance. However, he accomplished the goal of getting me out of bed and ready to go, but not before I had my customary chocolate coffee and email time.

As I am not so much a morning person, I rarely see sunrise. But since I was already up and in the truck, I did get to see this one. Way too early, I tell ya! See:

That is A.M. people. I barely had my eyes open.

New Mexico, which IS a state in case you are not aware (hehehe), is quite beautiful. Don’t let all that sunshine fool you though, it was 17 freaking degrees out there. I was freezing my hiney as we got the rig ready to go down the road!

Even though there aren’t many actual trees, there is some fall color in the landscape. I even saw a tumbleweed rolling down the interstate! Wasn’t quick enough to get a photo, but it was awesome as I have never seen one before.

We went through Albuquerque, and I have to tell ya, I have NOT missed all that traffic. We were there during the lunch rush:

I could have really done without all that. FabGrandpa accused me of pinching a hole in the seat. I hate traffic!

Lunch was at Lisa’s Truck Center. Again, I forgot to take a picture (what the heck is the matter with me today?), but the burger (without a bun, and salad without dressing) was great! The meat was six ounces hand patted and cooked on a grill.

There was lots of construction on I-40. In several places they had taken all the pavement up off of the east bound lanes, down to the dirt, and had us routed into one lane of the west bound side, with a concrete wall between us and the one lane of west bound traffic. It looked like they were rebuilding the entire road. Maybe next year it will be a smoother ride.

We made it to Tucumcari, a total of about 410 miles for the day. We stayed at the KOA in town again, and got a nice, flat site.When I went inside to register for the night, there was a delicious aroma of pot roast with potatoes and carrots. When I asked about it, they said it was for sale for dinner, so I got two plates of it. Boy was it ever good! I hope the next place we stay is cooking when I get there!

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Goodbye, Grand Canyon!

Karen · 3 Comments

Goodbye, Grand Canyon!

Goodbye, Marble Canyon!

Goodbye, Flagstaff!

I always liked the ending to that movie, “Muriel’s Wedding”, when the girls are in the cab saying goodbye to the town of Porpoise Spit. I felt like that today, when we got in the truck and left the canyon. We have been in Arizona for 18 months, since April 2008. It feels funny to be leaving, even though I know I’ll be back here in the spring.

But, we have friends and family we want to see back east, so Alabama it is for this winter. We’ll go to visit FabGrandpa’s Mom and Dad, his brothers, our children, my Mom, and my brothers and my sister. We’ll see as many of our friends as we can squeeze in in the six months we’ll be in the south. It’ll be a grand homecoming for us, and then we’ll be gone again, to do our thing at the Grand Canyon for another season.

So long, Arizona. I’ll miss you!

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Our Newest Assignment

Karen · 11 Comments

Everyone has been asking me where we are going for the next season. Today, I am happy to announce that we are to Payne Lake Campground in the Talledega National Forest, about 35 miles south of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It is about 185 miles from our hometown in Georgia, so that we will be able to visit our family and friends there over the winter. We will arrive around November 1, and will be there until about April 15, 2010. We are really looking forward to being there. See that lake? We haven’t seen that much water in over a year! I can not wait to go fishing. Their website says there are Crappie, Bream, Shell Cracker and Channel catfish in that lake. I am ready to get out my fishing pole!

(photo sent to me by the forest service ranger)

The job we will be doing is volunteer camp hosts. We will live onsite, make sure the campground is neat and clean, and check people in and sell sites to people who want to camp there. We have been volunteers before, at Unicoi State Park, and at Tanner State Park, both in Georgia. We have found that each park has differerent duties expected of volunteers, but they are usually about the same at each place. We pick up litter, clean fire pits, give out information about the area, advise people of the rules of the facility, and call for a ranger if someone gets out of hand.

In exchange for our duties there, we will receive a full hook up campsite, free propane, a telephone line, and free satellite internet service at our site. We will be provided our uniforms and a truck to drive while we perform our duties. It is a win win situation for both sides.

(photo sent to me by the forest service ranger)

We’ll be leaving the North Rim on Sunday. It will be about 1800 miles to reach our destination, but I am sure we will find lots of neat things to see on our way. Can’t wait to be on the road again! Oh, and if you are in the area over the winter, come on by and visit for a spell!

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You Know You’re Really Lazy When…

Karen · Leave a Comment

…you get up to move your chair closer to the table because you don’t feel like holding your drink in your hand between sips.

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The Sun Sets On Another Season..

Karen · 10 Comments

Today was my last full day to work at the North Rim this season. It was a beautiful day, with a cloudless sky and tempertures around 56 degrees.

As the shadows got longer, I felt a little bit sad that it is over, but happy thinking about my memories of the summer here.

It was a wonderful, almost perfect sunset, with the only clouds I saw all day turning pink, red and purple over the meadow beyond the entrance station.

What a great way to end my season!

I won’t be wearing the uniform again until next year. And so, we will be moving again soon. In about a week from now, we’ll be on way down the road.

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First Snow Day Of The Season

Karen · 14 Comments

When the alarm clock went off at 4:30 a.m., I thought I heard the soft pattering of snow on the roof of the trailer. I jumped up (OK, I slowly got up and grumped about it some) and looked out the front door to verify that it was, in fact, snow. Yep, snow. On October 7.

My duty station this morning was the entrance station. I was surprised to see the buffalo out in the meadow in the snow, because they haven’t been around in more than a month. They are usually gone back down to House Rock Valley by this time.

Sunrise over the meadow on the Kaibab Plateau. How beautiful is that?

The snow came in showers, and snowed like crazy for about a half an hour at a time. A couple of times it was coming down so hard and fast that it covered the road.

But, then, a half hour later, it was all gone again, and the sun was peeking out. The forecast high was 52, but I don’t think it got there today. That wood stove really came in handy today.

This is looking across the road from the entrance station, to the parking lot.

And here I am playing in the snow, um, er, I mean working. Isn’t that a cute outfit? I was glad when my shift was over, so I could go home, get a blanket, a cup of hot tea, and a gluten free cookie!

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Company Comes To The North Rim

Karen · 3 Comments

Because we live in such a remote area, and have such a small community, whenever someone has company, we ALL have company. It’s not that we are being nosey and and hogging up each other’s friends, it’s just that we are all starved for news of the outside world. Or, it could be that any occasion is a reason for a party. Whatever.

Lenny, Kenny, Sandy, Dennis, Walt

So, a last week our neighbor and co-worker, Dennis, came over and asked if he could borrow my dutch oven so he could make some stew for his visitors who were coming the next day. I gladly loaned it to him because I sort of knew I would be eating that stew, too. The next day, I was working at the entrance station, when the guys came in. Even though I had never met them, when they showed me their pass and ID, and I saw that they were from Kentucky, I knew they were the guys coming to visit Dennis. Sure enough, they were. I gave them detailed directions to where their friend lived.

FabGrandpa and Zach

When I got home from work that night, FabGrandpa wasn’t here, but I knew exactly where to find him. I went over to Dennis’s place, and found him eating the pork and chile stew. When I came in, I was still in uniform and the guys were all, “You gave us great directions” and “How did you know we were the right people?” and someone handed me a bowl of stew. Yum.

Me and Kenny

The next night there was a party at Dennis’s place. We had a campfire in the barbecue grate. It was loads of fun. Even though we hadn’t met until the night before, it was like we had all known each other forever.

Lenny, me, and FabGrandpa

Zach, FabGrandpa, and Walt

Kenny tending to the fire.

Dennis’s company left the following Monday. Today, Dennis came over with a bunch of bananas. He said one of his visitors left them at his place. So, I thought, when life hands you bananas, make banana pudding!

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A Very Long Time Coming

Karen · 3 Comments

Last winter we worked at a Christmas tree lot with our friends. It was very hard work, having to lug all those trees around, keeping them watered, fluffing them out, standing them up, tying onto people’s cars, etc. Our last day working there was Christmas Eve. When we received our last paychecks, each of us was shorted 13 hours pay. Our friend, Lynda, who was the manager of the lot, called the owner of the company several times, and sent several e-mails, with no result. I also called several times, and sent several e-mails, and then just decided to write it off, and call it one more business owner who took advantage of a traveling gypsy employee.

Well, guess what? On Friday, this was in the mail!

It only took, what? almost 10 months for him to pay us? At least he did, but we won’t be selling Christmas trees again. Ever.

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