Hello Everyone. I have made it to TEN X Campground at The Grand Canyon! Here is a video of my spot:
The drive up here took a while, but was really simple except for a weird little on/off thing around Flagstaff. Anyway, I got stuck in traffic outside of Flagstaff that caught me up for about 1/2 hour or longer, couldn’t tell:
I did get to a LOVE’S on the way up off of 17 where it split to go to Flagstaff or Prescott. This is what DAISEE2 weighs:
She can weigh up to 12,500lbs. SO I’m good to go. SO Happy about that!
I stopped by this place on my way to TenX. I tried to “DUMP” DAISEE2, but their dump station was overflowing and I couldn’t do it. They charge $25! Wow – I remember when it was $8 in Naples. I think I’ll be ok. I might try to go into town to find a place to dump. We’ll see. Maybe I’ll see something on Saturday when we go on the tour.
Here is a picture of DAISEE2 waiting for me to get out of the Trading Post across from Bedrock City.
I tried something different today. I drove up here with the fridge turned off. When I got here it was this temperature. It’s -1 now. I heard the gas running the fridge last night. It cycles on and off.
It’s 6 degrees and 48 degrees now. It’s supposed to be safer driving with the propane off, so I guess I’ll do it that way from now on. I have it on now and won’t turn it off for my trip down to the Group Site tomorrow. I’ll probably keep my computer on the table too. There isn’t much bouncing around – it looks pretty flat. We’ll see.
First time using my awning lights – I was eating dinner outside tonight. Now that I don’t have Metaxa with me, I’ll probably go outside more. I just like being inside with her when I take her camping.
This is how DAISEE2 looks all tucked in as I’m walking to the toilets. She looks so cute! Gonna sign off for now. I’ll get back in tomorrow and add to this great camping experience.
Woke up today, Thursday, September 5, 2024 to these temperatures. I bet it’s 90 in Mesa right now! Let me check. Oh it’s only 85! I need to go to my meeting, I’ll be back!
I used my little Bluetti last night to charge things and it is down to 50% so I need to recharge it. I’ll plug it in when I go to the Group Site today. There is electric there. So now I’m using my Big Bluetti to charge things. Boondocking is different. I think I prefer plugging in – nothing to worry about. But the silence here is wonderful. I’m so glad I’m here!
The sun is coming up now and it is still 61 degrees here. I don’t see anyone out of my windows so it feels like I’m all alone in the woods. It’s interesting, I thought at one time that I wanted to be a Nomad in DaisyBF. I found however, that at my age, I like to have a homebase. I’m grateful for Jack because he is a great companion and helps me with DAISEE2 and makes sure our vehicles are in the best shape. As an example, we got a bill for our two Jeeps the other day and it was supposed to be $1200. So he got on the phone and checked with a couple of different insurance folks and got it from Geico for only $900. STILL way too much for 6 months, but much better. So I digress. I was thinking about trying to find boondocking areas to camp for free, but realized I like these little weekends with RVW because I am with other people. I don’t think I would be happy all by myself in the woods like Carolyn and Sadie. But watching her videos gives me some satisfaction that I prefer the way I camp over her way. I’m not THAT adventurous. I like my creature comforts!
Going to go visit Shannon now. Took the bike down. It’s only 7AM. Had to leave a message for Jack. I’ll wait to go until I hear from him.
Took a ride around the campground today looking for the HOSTS. Can’t find them. We need our bathrooms unlocked along with information on the Electric. I scoped out the loops. One is very interesting without any designated sites – just a road. A nice ride. This is a BIG campground and practically empty!
I’m beginning this again on Friday, September 6, 2024. Today we’re spending the day at The Grand Canyon. It will be hot. It’s 65 right now and I bet it will be in the 90’s during the day. I’m now parked in the “Group Site” and I’m level now with the use of my levelers as the above picture shows. Also, my rig is parked so the sun beats down on the huge window all day long. I will put the reflecitix in the window before I leave which is a help, but I know DAISEE2 will heat up. I need to prove to Sue that Waggle works away from the rig. It is on its own Verizon network.
So I’ve been thinking about boondocking. I’ve decided I like having electric hook up instead. Although now that I have my new batteries, DAISEE2 holds her own and the solar panel helps too for charging my house batteries. Today I woke up to 12.5 battery level and I’ll try to remember to watch it today but yesterday it went up to 13.1. I just don’t like worrying about power. I like to run my A/C without running the generator, but it is a good idea to run it “with a load on”. Anyway, I just like campgrounds with more amenities. I like flush toilets – although the toilets here are not bad – pretty clean without odor for vault toilets. I like SHOWERS! I just can’t wash my long hair in this shower so I will probably not ever use it. And I wish there was a DUMP STATION here. BUT I did learn a valuable lesson – dump when leaving a campground no matter what. Then I know the tank is empty. The last time I remember dumping was at Patagonia Lake. I stand corrected, I dumped in June at Canyon Point. So I was at Fool Hollow and should have dumped when I left, but didn’t and now I’m at 2/3 full. I’ll stop at the LOVES on the way back since I know they must have a dump station. Otherwise, I’ll need to go to State Trailer and do it in Mesa. Anyway, too much to worry about. Now my weather station isn’t working. I’ll go change the battery and see if that helps. That was it – new batteries. I also needed to change the battery in my MiFi. I’m glad I had one. I need to research getting another one. I might go to a Verizon store in Mesa to buy one.
I’m back at 3PM after our tour of the Grand Canyon with the ladies. We left at 8:00 and were finished with the tour around 2:30. It was AMAZING! New things to experience each time I go there. We took the FREE shuttle bus around the rim. It stopped at various outlooks and was just fantastic. Our weather was great and it only got up to about 88 by the time we were finished. It was 90 in DAISEE2 when I got home, so I turned on the A/C with the generator and it’s at 87 now after about 10 minutes. My battery was at 13.3 when I got back due to the solar panel. I can’t get over how fantastic the bus system is around the park. There were not too many people there and our group did really well. This is a FANTASTIC rally. Next on the agenda is a “foot soak with natural oils etc” at 4PM. Then “Happy Hour”. We were going to go back for sunset but decided it would be better to go tomorrow night instead.
So let me start with a video of driving along the rim in the shuttle bus:
This was our first stop at Yaki Point. This is my selfie there. Next is the picture of the group at Yaki Point:
We saw WILD LIFE!
And More Wild Life:
Starting this again on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Woke up this morning to the sounds of scratching.
I had a MOUSE in the potato chip box. It only liked cheetos because it broke into 2 cheetos bags. That was funny. Anyway, I opened the cab door and I HOPE it jumped out. I’ll be concerned about it all the way home and after, not knowing if it really got out or not. Can’t be sure when it got into that box. It could have done it when we were over at the ramada. But why did it take so long to make noise? It did get to some cheetos – not sure whether it got in some other way. Maybe it smelled the chips. I guess I’ll never know. I’ll just need to keep an eye out because they can do some damage. UGH!
It got down to 60 in the rig this morning. I actually got a fleece out last night because I was cold. It sure is nice in here right now – 63 degrees! Today is going to be JAM PACKED! But let’s put in some more pictures from yesterday:
Alice, Shannon, Sue, Shirley, Marie, Barb, Mary & Pat – only Ulna was missing. This is the trail you see all of the people hiking the switchbacks along the trail. Looks difficult to me. I don’t think I’d try it.
This was all of us at Hermit’s Rest:
Shannon wants to go to Yellowstone next summer and I’m trying to work it out with Bill and Cathy to get us up there at the beginning of June. It would be the same trip I planned for last year, but earlier in the season. I’m hoping it won’t impose on them too much to have both of us near them for $20 a night rather than $180 a night like Sue & Marie paid this summer. But we’ll see. Not sure it won’t be too much for them. But they have been there for 18 – 19 next year summers. So we’ll see. Plus it will be safer traveling with another. I may need to cancel my AA Convention in July in Vancouver. But hopefully not. I can always go to the next one in 2030. I may not be RVing as much then. Who knows. I sure hope that mouse is gone!
Saw some mules too:
Here I am at Mojave Point:
Got back from the HUMMER Tour. It was fantastic. Our driver was David and he was personable and knowledgeable! He told us ALOT!
Here is our group on the TOUR at the RIM! Yavapai Point:
Our driver Dave got a great shot of us at the Grand Canyon Sign:
My first sunset picture. It rained while we were eating, but we were safely out of it under the Ramada. We thought sunset might have been spoiled by the rain, but it perked up.
I’m going to put a few pictures in of the sunset – I think I took 7 but won’t put them all in. We went to Mather point for the sunset: I put this picture as my virtual background on ZOOM.
People were throwing coins on the flat rock for luck I suppose.
This was all of us. Donna, Me, Marie, Sue, Barb, Pat, Elna, Alice & Shirley. It started out with 5 added Donna and Shirley and then Pat & Barb. It was a great group. We had a blast together. Love these weekends!
Jennifer just sent this great picture of Maggie and the baby:
Hard to believe she just had that baby! Looks so beautiful!
David took a picture of the group at THE SIGN:
Shannon and I are going to plan a trip to Yellowstone in June 2026. We originally planned to go in 2025 but I’m going to Vancouver and can’t do two big trips like that. Jack mentioned about going to Kentucky for his parents ashes, and realized I might not be able to go because of the kitties. I’d like for him to do that. We’ll see how he does that. Time will tell. He’ll go in the fall because it would be a good time to see the changing of the colors – probably in October in the future.
