Southern-UT/Northern-AZ in Early-May

[MarkBC]

Well, Mark, let's say May 2, in Fredonia, AZ at noon? Then we can head into Tuweep, if that works for you. The town only has 1000 souls . . .

Great -- a specific plan! Yes.

And who else is interested in showing up here, then?

 

[MarkBC]

May 2 at noon, Fredonia, AZ. Then, on to Toroweap, aka Tuweep, on a remote (and very cool) part of the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

 

[Dughlas Stiubhart]

May 2 at noon, Fredonia, AZ. Then, on to Toroweap, aka Tuweep, on a remote (and very cool) part of the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

View attachment 11677

It looks like my friend Guillermo, from Truckee, will be showing up in his VW Syncro pop-up camper.

 

[Tuna]

Well we'll be in Cammeron getting a Navajo Taco about the 1st or 2nd.Then who knows,we got 3wks or so to play... Where are the best campsites along VOTG road? can you get off the road a little bit with 2wheel drive? 1/4 mile would be ok,just don't want cars driving right by my camper.I have heard there by the apex of the road(half way)

 

[Desert Rancher]

Right about mid way through VOTG, there are a couple of very short (~1/4 mile) side trails that have good camping. You can camp anywhere along the VOTG's (smooth dirt) road, but it is better if you can get off of the main road just a bit.

It's a neat place to see.

 

[MarkBC]

Gene I hope you are right. I have been pretty involved in this issue for a while and the mining companies have thrown a lot of money around at the local and national level. I urge anyone who loves these wild areas to become informed on this issue and support the proposed withdrawal. I'll step down off the soapbox now.
Dsrtrat

RE Uranium mining near GC: This link to a video just popped up today on another site I frequent:
Grand Canyon Uranium Mining PSA

I don't know anything about the issues...yet.

 

[clikrf8]

I would love to be with you folks but camper is still a few months away from delivery. This area is next on my itinerary for photography. Hopefully, I can persuade the hubby to drive there. Lately, he has been hesitant about driving long distances. I tell him that if he gets tired we can always find somewhere to pull off the road to rest.

There was a post on Expedition Portal about traveling to the various lookouts along the North Rim. These looked very photographically intriguing, especially SB Point.

Please post photos and your itineraries and where you camped and how much fun you are having. I am ENVIOUS.

Have a wonderful time.

 

[MarkBC]

Hopefully, I can persuade the hubby to drive there. Lately, he has been hesitant about driving long distances. I tell him that if he gets tired we can always find somewhere to pull off the road to rest.

Don't you drive, too? Yep -- none of my business, of course.

Once you get the camper I'm sure you'll have plenty of adventures to report on -- with photos!

 

[clikrf8]

Yeah, I drive but I am a poor driver, had a stressful situation a few years back and totally lost confidence. I can do back roads, most state highways but 80mph interstates are too much. Interstates are boring anyway, a quick way to get somewhere fast. But, I prefer the backroads and byways. And, he won't let me drive when we go somewhere and he is the better driver.

Can't wait until mid-July.

 

[MarkBC]

Hey all -
I'm heading out on this trip Saturday (30-Apr) morning. First destination is Fredonia, AZ, where I'll meet Stew at noon on Monday (2-May).
Here's my likely route from Bend, OR to Fredonia -- 908 miles:

(The yellow squares don't mean anything other than what I had to do to force the software to follow the route I wanted.)
I picked this route 'cause it's more-or-less the shortest.
I'll camp Saturday night somewhere in eastern Nevada...not sure where Sunday night. Stew and I plan to head to Toroweap/Tuweep Monday pm.

After a couple of days at Toroweap I'll wander more-or-less north and east in southern Utah for the remainder of my 3-week trip.
Anyone else? Happy trails!
- Mark

 

[highz]

It looks like I'll still be shackled to my job the first week in May. Dang. I was really hoping to get away. This just makes me even more certain I'm going to retire next year. Will you be updating your progress on WtW from the road? If there's a last minute change here and I can get away, I might head northwest and keep an eye out for your rig.

 

[MarkBC]

It looks like I'll still be shackled to my job the first week in May. Dang. I was really hoping to get away. This just makes me even more certain I'm going to retire next year. Will you be updating your progress on WtW from the road? If there's a last minute change here and I can get away, I might head northwest and keep an eye out for your rig.

Yes -- retire as soon as you can. Is it too late to do so this month?

I will likely post from the road when I have a cell-internet connection (or can leach wifi), but according to T-Mo's coverage map there's a big patch of no T-Mo in central UT south of 70, so hard to say...

My rig is a white F250 Superduty "Supercab" (aka extended cab) with Oregon blue "Pacific Wonderland" plates; Four Wheel Hawk camper with "WTW" stickers on the camper back-window and right-side window.

 

[ski3pin]

MarkBC, have a great trip, be safe, have lots of adventures! Show us how retirement should be done!

 

[dsrtrat]

Mark,

I just returned from a week on the AZ strip. Bring some insect repellent as the black flies are out in force in the PJ. They don't bite but can be bothersome. Try to camp where there is a breeze as they are grounded by a stiff wind. The no see um's usually hit in mid to late May, depending on elevation. Have fun.

Dsrtrat


Hey all -
I'm heading out on this trip Saturday (30-Apr) morning. First destination is Fredonia, AZ, where I'll meet Stew at noon on Monday (2-May).
Here's my likely route from Bend, OR to Fredonia -- 908 miles:

(The yellow squares don't mean anything other than what I had to do to force the software to follow the route I wanted.)
I picked this route 'cause it's more-or-less the shortest.
I'll camp Saturday night somewhere in eastern Nevada...not sure where Sunday night. Stew and I plan to head to Toroweap/Tuweep Monday pm.

After a couple of days at Toroweap I'll wander more-or-less north and east in southern Utah for the remainder of my 3-week trip.
Anyone else? Happy trails!
- Mark

 

[MarkBC]

Mark,
I just returned from a week on the AZ strip. Bring some insect repellent as the black flies are out in force in the PJ. They don't bite but can be bothersome. Try to camp where there is a breeze as they are grounded by a stiff wind. The no see um's usually hit in mid to late May, depending on elevation. Have fun.
Dsrtrat

Thanks for the insects warning, Dsrtrat!
"PJ"? -- what's that? OK: "Pinyon-Juniper"?

The black flies that I'm familiar with (in the northern Cascades) definitely DO bite (taking little bloody bites of flesh), so I guess these must be different -- I'm glad!
I encountered no-see-ums years ago in southern UT, but I was such a newbie that I just ignored them as slightly-annoying gnats...until I woke up the next morning with many bite-welts.

I won't make that mistake again!

 

[Barko1]

In Minnesota we called em "flying teeth"