You know how, when you are first waking up, especially if it is dark, you have to figure out where the heck you are? I've been doing that a lot the past few days, or if it's dark; trying to remember which side of the bed to get out of. It happens a lot when on the road, however then you are always in the same bed - just the scenery outside the window changes regularly. You wake up and have to look outside to see if there is an ocean, or desert, a redwood forest, a river, or a Walmart parking lot ;-(
Back at home I have been surprised to drift awake to see tall spruce and pine trees outside, one day bathed in bright sunlight, the next covered in fresh snow! But looking the other way where there is a window in the camper, there is just a closet now.

Even though I outran most of the stormy weather on my way back here, it appears that I have brought the cooler temperatures with me.

I washed the truck, only to find it looking like this the next morning.
The fifth wheel is back in it's 'between trips' parking spot, but the furnace is on low to keep it from freezing up until these unseasonably cool temperatures moderate.
The old hot tub is half full of water, but so far has refused to start up after taking the winter off. It is now about 16 years old, so I guess I should be glad that it has lasted this long, but I just invested several hundred in a new pump and controls recently, so it would be nice to recoup my investment.
The internet dish is shivering in it's new spot in front of the house, but working well.Most of the snow around here has now melted, though there are still patches in the bush, or where it was plowed into piles during the winter.
But not far up the road towards Jasper is Mosquito Creek campground. I went for a drive up there a day or so ago and found that there is still around 2-3 feet on the ground, and lots more where it has been plowed up.

The campground is 'open' all year, and a central area is plowed out on occasion, but don't even think of trying to get around the loop where the campsites are.
It's still pretty much winter up there.

Just been hanging out around home the last couple days wading through the backlog of mail and tax info, etc. My tax refund this year was huge! By the time I pay the guy to prepare the taxes, I'll have close to $2.50 left over to spend any way I wish!

Gradually been moving stuff out of the trailer as I discover I need it in the house. It's still freezing around here most nights, so I have to leave a little heat on in the rig to make sure there are no surprises. I certainly don't want to put any anti-freeze in there for just a week or two until the temperatures promise to behave.
By all accounts it was another very successful and enjoyable trip. Managed to 'rest' the edge of the 5th wheel on the edge of the box while traversing some pretty rough off-road camp spots, but all trees, other vehicles and gas pumps survived unscathed. Managed to keep focused around low bridges, drive-throughs, and other such hazards.

Reader's such as Jeff have asked how the 5th wheel compares to the truck camper?
Well, the answer it that they are both great, just different!

If anyone wants a personal reply, you have to sign in to make a comment, or use the e-mail link. I have no way of replying to an anonymous comment - just so you know.

Canadian gas stations should follow the lead of the US stations, where GREEN seems to be the universal color for diesel fuel as this pump shows. At home they are every colour of the rainbow, and you actually have to pay attention! For the first time, in Montana I think the diesel pumps had a choice of #1, #2, or a mixture of #1and #2, and some places also sold cheaper 'dyed' diesel for uses other than automotive. At least the pumps that I used in Utah and Montana (I drove right through Idaho without fuel!) did not request a zip code, so I was able to fill at the pump without going inside.

I find that the 5th wheel makes it preferable to stay in the same location for at least several days before moving on. Part of this is the effort in setting up camp that may include a stand-alone solar panel, internet dish, TV dish, BBQ, or other improvements. Once set up, it is easier to head off somewhere in the truck, and come back to a fully set-up camp.
My truck camper was not that easy to unload, due to the extra batteries I have stashed in the wheel wells, so I never take it off on the road - though I know lots of people do. So if I was going on a drive somewhere for the day, I usually took everything with me. Which means at the end of the day if you have found a better spot, there is no reason to go back. Or if you do return to the same spot, someone else may have taken over your spot (we're talking boondocking here, of course). You can leave some articles behind to save your space, but then you have to go back, or perhaps risk losing something. So I often did not spend two nights in the same spot in the truck camper - I would just stay wherever I ended up.

As far as exploring back roads, etc, the truck camper is certainly more capable of rougher roads and there is no danger of getting into a spot you can't back out of. As well, parking in a town or city is a bit more of a challenge with the 5th wheel as you need more space to park and turn around - same with gas stations. The 5th pulls really well behind the big Duramax/Allison, but probably uses a bit more fuel than the camper.

But the advantage is suddenly reversed when I unhook from the fifth wheel, and only have an empty pickup to drive around with! This year, I explored a lot more rough 4x4 roads near Zion, Arches, and drove part way down the Canyonlands White Rim road that I could never have done with the camper on the back. Ditto for better mileage on the empty truck versus the camper always on.
But I found that I have to be a bit more organized when leaving the 5th behind for the day. With the camper on the back, everything is always with you, whether that is food, water, or clothing. So if a laundromat or recycling depot suddenly presents itself, you can take full advantage.
Certainly, the extra space and comfort of the 5th was greatly appreciated - not to mention the shower with the skylight.
But basically, everything is a trade-off and a personal preference, as the Bayfield Bunch have said. It all depends on what is more important or practical to YOU, not what someone else thinks.
For myself, I think the decision on which to take will boil down to roughly a distance versus time equation. If there is long distance driving, few stops and/or expensive fuel, I think I will be taking the truck camper. But in a more relaxed trip, with time to stop and relax for days or weeks at a time, the the 5th will likely get the nod.

Check out the prices of this CANADIAN kokanee beer in a US store. It is roughly HALF the price of the same product made and sold in CANADA! Whose government is ripping us off in taxes? At least the dollar exchange is about even now, so it is a good deal for us traveling in the US, but I feel sorry for the Americans coming north to see our higher prices for almost everything, and no dollar advantage to offset it.
Another advantage of the 5th is the overall storage space available. With the truck camper, every space was filled, including the cab of the truck, which typically holds my mountain bike, generator, satellite dish, tools, and numerous other things. There is not much room for firewood, spare fuel, or other optional items. The fifth wheel has storage compartments and cupboards everywhere inside - most of which are still empty, as well as a 'basement'. And then you still have the full open box of the pickup for other bulky items. Not that you want to get too heavy, but there is space. I'm considering even throwing my recliner into the 5th wheel - perhaps evicting the hide-a-bed in the process!

I've got my new satellite internet dish set up on the front lawn, and called my local ISP and gave them the bad news! The satellite system is a bit more expensive and a bit more restrictive than the local option, but the big advantage of the satellite is that I can take it with me to my 'other' house, or anywhere else I happen to travel. Last time I checked, I can't take my local internet with me to Arizona or Anchorage, or Baja, or Newfoundland!

It still amazes me to see where some of the visitors to the blog come from, or what they were searching for. Today, I see visitors from Romania, and I have gotten visitors from China, Pakistan, Australia, Argentina, Chile, the Bahamas and all over the place. I've gotten a lot of 'hits' from people searching for information on that house with 'razor wire' on the Oregon coast near Tillamook!
Some of them send occasional notes or comments, and others I just notice a pattern of visits from a particular city or location, so I know that it is a repeat visitor!

And, of course, I get lots of folks finding my site coming from others in the RV blog 'club' such as Wandering Willy, Bayfield Bunch, Hitchitch, Veragirl, Geeks on Tour, WheretheheckisAndrewJay, and many others.

I met a few more of my fellow travelers this year, and look forward to meeting old and new friends down the road.

Two days in a row of fairly hard driving to avoid the lousy weather finds me at home a day ahead of schedule. First, there was the early morning departure from the Salt Lake City are to avoid the high winds and snow that were predicted. That day's end found me in Great Falls, Montana.
Did a quick calculation of purchases over the last two months and found myself a bit low on maximum allowed personal exemption for the border crossing. So I filled it up and bought a new laptop, taking advantage of the Canadian dollar at par. They nailed me for the GST on the new satellite internet system, but that should have been paid anyway.
The plan was to spend the night with some friends near Waterton National Park, however they called to say that the blizzard had begun and a winter storm warning was in effect, calling for a large accumulation of fresh snow. With that outlook, I put the pedal to the metal (in this case carpet), and fought the very strong headwinds and crosswinds around the edge of the storm and made for home. The truck and trailer handled it well, but I think the fuel consumption skyrocketed as a result. In a bit of a reversal, the weather at home in the mountains was calm and dry, unlike the winds and snow and rain out on the flats. Of course, there was time along the way to stop for a hot double-double at Tim's!
Glad to find no snow on the driveway or sidewalk, and only a few remnant drifts around the hot tub, and that the robins and other birds are back - singing up their own storm.
Got the new satellite dish all set up on the front lawn in short order - and online!
For some reason I had not been able to connect with my previous ISP since just before I left in early March, so I sent them a note to cancel that service as well.

Once again, nothing much to take photos of across the wide open plains - in a snowstorm,
Here's a link to the storm story in the National Post

Great Falls

The weather reports were calling for a 'wind advisory' midday in
central Utah, followed by plunging temperatures and up to 18" of snow
in some mountain areas, so I made an early start to avoid rush hour
traffic as well.
I was on the road by 0530 in the dark, and still on the road by 5:30
pm, but managed to make Great Falls, MT.
It was a fairly 'blah' day as far as weather and scenery are
concerned, but I saw no evidence of heavy winds, or snow, or falling
temps, so I guess the plan was a success?
It should be an easy drive to the border tomorrow, then maybe home the
day after.

Sent from my iPhone

On the road north

Pulled the pin in Moab today.
Fueled and washed the truck and pointed it north.
Pulled off at exit 284 in Lehi, UT at the big Cabela's store. They
have a very nice Rv dump, fresh water, a horse corral, and a dog kennel.
Lots of room, and a few trucks and RV's taking advantage of the space
and the view.
Nicer (and quieter?) than the average Walmart, anyway!
Nothing worthy of a picture today. It's feast or famine!
North again tomorrow ... :-(

Sent from my iPhone

Canyonlands NP

Today we hit Canyonlands in our quest to visit a few National Parks during – Parks week.  Unless I forget some, we visited Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands this week.

There is quite a variety in the way each park handles the free admission.  In Zion, I was greeted by a Ranger in the gate who issued me a free, week-long pass for Zion – normally $25.  In Bryce, the ranger in the gate gave me no permit, but gave me the requisite maps and brochures.  In Capitol Reef, there is no gate, I drove right through without stopping.  In Arches, I got a special looking pass, good for the week, but expiring the next day.  In Canyonlands, a handwritten sign in the gate!

Oh well, free is free, and who am I to complain.  Next year I will likely buy an annual pass.

I took the obligatory photo of the park sign, but I much prefer the one I took the last time I was here – where Harley was along to pose on all the signs we encountered.

Previous visit.

The scenery had not changed much either, and was still stunning.

The weather was good and I hiked the mile trail at Grandview lookout in shorts and sandals, the way it is supposed to be done!  

The local wildlife was on duty, and this guy wanted to play hide and seek with me!

 

Even the author got into the picture.

     

I drove through the campground and could not resist a photo of this rig!

Then, like many of my recent days spent in national parks, I decided that it was time to go 4 wheelin’.  And you can do that legally in many of the US parks.  Yay.

Here’s the road I chose.  Not for the faint of heart.

It starts out gently, driving on a teeny ledge for about 3.5km before it even starts to get serious about going down.

Don’t look now!

Made it to the bottom (of this section) and then it was later in the day, so time to go right back up again.

The road follows along that ledge.

    

Good times were had by all.

No trucks or lizards were harmed during the production of this blog episode.

Arches National Park

After beating a hasty retreat from Bryce Canyon, I headed north through Antimony, east through Loa, then Torrey, and into Capitol Reef NP.  I kept on moving east and found a very nice and very deserted mesa  top to spend the night a bit west of Hankesville.

The next day turned cold and rainy for a while, but improved as we caught the interstate east for a bit, then south to Moab.  Did quite a bit of looking around for a good spot to camp as well as refilling the fuel and propane tanks.  I settled finally on Willow Springs road a bit to the north of Moab.  It is BLM land and a bit of an ATV area, and mountain bike area, but most of the ATV’ers were somewhat family oriented, so they were not as loud and disruptive as they might have been.

 

I knew you had to start early to get a parking spot in Arches, so I managed to make it to the end of the park at Devil’s Garden and be on the trail by 9.  There were only about 8 other vehicles there at the time.

There are many many arches in the park of the same name, but there has been some ‘recent’ changes to some of them.  This one shed a few tons of rock from it’s underside back in 1991, which is only the wink of an eye in geologic time.  Incredibly, it was captured on film.

And Wall arch completely crumbled one night in 2008 – nothing much to take  photo of – other than a pile of rocks.

This one is known as the Double O.

The sign warns of ‘difficult hiking’ on the ‘primitive trail’ back to the trailhead, but there was only a bit of seriously sloping rock to contend with.

Of course there were flowers.

And steep rock. 

And holy rock.

Got a bit of a shock when getting back to the trail head a couple hours later.  Now, there were swarms of people coming up the trail, and every imaginable parking spot was taken, with cars cruising for spots.  So I kept my spot and hiked through the campground for a look around.  Found another trail leading out of the campground, going to Broken Arch.

 

It wasn’t really, but there is a crack in the top of it.

Coming back with the campground in the distance.

In the campground ( and this is a first for me), the posts that held the camping permits had locked compartments on them.  This campground is 100% reservation now, tho apparently there are a few rare cancellations or no-shows.

I hit a few more of the viewpoints along the road back, but most of the parking lots were packed, and I did not feel like hiking with the crowds, so didn’t stop for long.

Then, much to my pleasure, I found a shortcut leading right back to my camp.  A nice, rough 4x4 road leading down out of the park.  And the same road that I am camped on – Willow Springs!

I would not have wanted a much longer wheelbase in a couple spots, but me and the truck had fun.

And before long, we were right back in camp!

One more day of free park entry.

Where should I go tomorrow?