KERSHAW-RYAN STATE PARK, NV

Annette and Shug/Loop Hike

Kershaw-Ryan State Park sits in a narrow canyon several miles south of the small town of Caliente, NV. Situated below colorful cliff walls, the campground offers twenty spacious, gravel sites. Up canyon, 1\2 mile past the campground, the road dead ends at a day use area that offers covered picnic tables, a wading pond, a playground, lush lawns with beautiful gardens, and several hiking trails. Wild grapevines climb the cliff walls while oaks, elms,  and cottonwood trees provide a shady cover.

Kristy and Shug/canyon hike

We spend a few pleasant days hiking the trails and washes within the canyon, soaking in the spring green trees popping with color against the backdrop of the tawny canyon walls. A quick bike ride from camp along a back road leads us past a ranch with baby hogs rooting and playing in their pen, and fields shared by horses and cows with their spring babies.

Historic Train Depot

The road continues on to the historic spanish style railroad depot which now houses the library and city offices. The quaint little Caliente Museum, inside an old train car, gives a glimpse of Caliente's past. Once in town, we follow a 3-mile bike path that winds us through the heart of Caliente and circles us back to the depot. A train horn blares and a train rattles  by as we make a quick stop at the library to connect with WiFi before returning to camp.

Annette and Shug

Annette hanging off the side of the train museum

Easter breakfast... Pumpkin pancakes

Wash hike

Nature's landscape

Campsite at sunset

HITTING THE JACKPOT IN NEVADA?

Shug daydreaming about marmots

Stretched out in the backseat of the truck, one eye open, I listen to my moms bark about being done with the desert and craving mountain air and adventures. I completely agree with this analysis and start daydreaming about  the smell of pine trees in sunshine, clear mountain streams, and whistling marmots diving into their holes in the alpine meadows. I, too, am done with the desert and all of the prickly things that grow here. I've been speared by yuccas, pricked by mesquite trees, and suffered the pains of having cactus spines pulled from my paws. Give me a good old dirt trail that leads to an aspen meadow.

Boulder Beach camp

As we round the corner near the edge of Boulder City, NV, we head towards our campsite at Boulder Beach campground in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. My moms start howling about "winning the recreation jackpot". Sure, I see the great bike trails like the historic railway trail that winds along a stone ledge above Lake Mead and leads riders through five carved-rock tunnels on the way to Hoover Dam. And my moms go all waggy about the River Mountains Loop Trail, 34 miles of non-motorized paved bike path climbing up and down through desert beauty, connecting Boulder City, Henderson, the Las Vegas valley, and Lake Mead NRA--it passes right through our campground.

Historic Railway Trail

As if the bicycling trails were not enough, the blue green waters of Lake Mead beckon just a short walk down the road. My moms start dancing and turning circles about kayaking on these calm and windless days. Oh, it's been such a long time, and oh the water looks so inviting. Sigh.

Shug working on her cycling skills

So what do I think of Lake Mead NRA? The early morning walks are pleasant, but I have to be on a leash, a common practice in populated areas like campgrounds, but demeaning nonetheless. All I do is plod along and observe the rabbits hopping and lizards skittering under bushes...boring! I spend time working on my cycling skills and ride around the campground in my bike trailer, but it's not that comfortable and not that challenging​. On one occasion I fell out onto my hip and nearly got run over by my own mom. I tried not to make a big deal of it, but I was a little embarrassed, mostly for her.

Kayaking bliss

Here's the real deal: While my moms are out biking and kayaking and having a great time, I am left alone in the trailer listening to the same CD over and over. I prefer listening to NPR on the radio, but, and I hate to sound overly negative, the radio reception here sucks and plays all static all the time. I drag myself up onto the bed and mope myself to sleep. On a more positive note, I am racking up some serious guilt hugs and treats when they finally make their way back home. Who knows how many more days I'll have to suffer like this.

Suffering

Start of Railway Trail

Tunnel on Railway Trail

Historic bridge behind us.

Hoover Dam

Big bike/mountain bike area

River Mountains Loop Trail

Bonkered

River Mountains Loop Trail

Annette kayaking/Lake Mead

Shug enjoying the ride

What a dog

DESERT DISCONNECT

Cottonwood Cove Campground

As we drive along the road following the Colorado River North towards Boulder City, NV we decide to spend a night at Cottonwood Cove Campground near the small town of Searchlight.  The 14 mile road from Searchlight to the campground winds us through a remote desert landscape with Lake Mohave shimmering in the distance​. We pass an RV park, a motel and a marina as we head to the small campground tucked into a little cove-like canyon at the far edge of the parking  area. We manage to thread the needle with Biggie, squeezing her into a tight spot before setting up.

Annette and Shug near marina

Campgrounds have their own energy and personality. Cottonwood Cove challenges us to settle in and relax, and we just can't find our flow. Maybe it's the relentless, dry desert wind, maybe it's the lack of hiking trails, or maybe it's the total-fail dinner mishap when our hamburger patties fall apart and crumble to the bottom of the grill, but we all three decide that we are done with the desert for awhile. We crave mountains, alpine lakes, meandering streams, and pine trees. Throwing our sweaty,  wind-chapped bodies on top of the bed,  we sleep....We roll on!

Shug playing in the sand

Sun dropping down

Biggie Moms at sunset

EVER WONDER WHAT'S IN THE POINT OF NEVADA?

The wash leading into Grapevine Canyon

As we roll Biggie Moms out of California we pound out a couple of horn honks in honor of our fabulous adventures in this great State.  Nevada lies ahead and we are excited about our plans to explore the many State Parks, the Great Basin National Park, and as many wild places and historic landmarks as we can find.

Big Bend of the Colorado State Park

Our adventure begins at the southern tip of Nevada where we set up camp at Big Bend of the Colorado State Park. Biggie has no problem fitting into the spacious site because the space is enormous. A cruise ship, a trash truck and a 747 can all fit in one of these sites. After setting up, we head to Laughlin to gather info at the visitor center. Then decide on a walking tour along the River Walk in town. Even though it was the hot part of the day we were comforted by the shade of the many casinos along the way. As we chomp down an In-and- Out burger we decide to cross the river and drive through Bullhead City, AZ and complete a river loop drive back to camp. We reminisce about our lovely day and discuss tomorrow's​ adventure.

Viewing the river from Davis Dam

Davis Dam controls the flow of water from Mohave Lake above to the Colorado River below. After an Early morning hike around the campground with Shug resting comfortably in the trailer, Annette and I decide to ride our bikes to Davis Dam from the trailhead in Laughlin. A nice paved pathway winds us above the river where we spot campers along the banks and boaters and jet skiers zipping by. The path leads us up and across the Dam and gives us nice views of river below.

Buttery Gold

On our third and final day we decide to follow the online advice from many who describe the Grapevine Trail  as one not to be missed. Even though we plan to move on today, we decide to get up early and explore this special place, and boy are we glad we did. In a little desert oasis located in the Spirit Mountain Wilderness area, hundreds of petroglyphs cover the rock walls and a spring-fed creek with a waterfall weaves it way through a sea of blooming desert flowers. The trail gets its name from the grapevines that line both sides of the path, sweeping down, over and around the huge granite boulders. We delight in scrambling over these decorated rock obstacles and soak in the buttery glow of the golden hillsides. With a loop through the flowers, a dive around the rocks, and finishing off with a joyous splash in the water Shug gives her seal of approval for another great day in the desert.

Grapevine lined trail

Petroglyphs

Annette and Shug blending in with the beauty

More petroglyphs

The colors of the desert

Great petroglyph panels

Best buds

PUSH PAUSE THEN HIT REFRESH

Shoshone RV Park at sunrise

Home sweet home

We're closing in on the final days of our camp host job at Shoshone RV Park. We've spent two days per week for three months of our lives making reservations, checking people in, cleaning, completing paint projects, maintaining pupfish ponds, and meeting people from all over the world. 

Debbie (park manager) with Annette and Shug

While in Shoshone, we've crossed paths with all kinds of people. Interacting with foreigners proudly utilizing their English skills, spouses dealing with grief and loss in search of healing, conservancy groups and college classes conscientiously working to better the world through nature conservation, enriches our traveling life. 

Annette and Shug running thangs

The park, buzzing with excitement and lively conversation, creates a space for people to hit the pause button and slip out of their daily groove, taking time to relax by the pool, to gaze up at the night skies, and to slow down enough to soak in the sights and sounds of the desert oasis of Shoshone, CA.  Each night croaking frogs, howling coyotes , and hooting long-eared owls deliver a flawless symphony filled with joy and longing and collectively we exhale and think, "Yes, this is where we are supposed to be."

Desert beauty

Annette sawing the mesquite tree

Occasionally, situations challenged our positive outlook​ on life. Annette named one couple the "Grench Canadians" because their relentless grumpy attitude started up at check-in and stretched well into their second margaritas. They launched complaints about the site not being level so Annette got out our levelers for them and squared up their motorhome. Uh-oh, now a mesquite branch  interfered with the trajectory of their awning. Annette, sick with the flu, climbs up on the picnic table and begins sawing off thorny mesquite branches to get clearance. Oh but wait, now the dogs are in danger of stepping on mesquite thorns and incurring a multi-thousand dollar vet visit. As Annette hauls the cut branches away from the area she hears a whiney,  woeful voice saying that it's too late now for the awning because the sun has dropped so low in the the sky. Controlling the sun is out of our jurisdiction, he he he. At some point in the grump fest, while washing her hands the woman asks Annette, "Just how hard is the water here?" Annette mumbles some pH mineral water hooey and tries to sneak off. Just as Annette starts dragging her droopy, deflated, flu-ridden body away from the complaint zone, the woman says "Don't leave until you've shared a margarita with us." Amazed, Annette reaches for the green elixir and guzzles it as the woman says, "I think we can make this spot work." And they do and they end up stopping at the office on their way out to say what a sweet little park this is.

He he he

Lynn behind the counter of the Charles Brown General Store

Meanwhile, Lynn is working at the general store in downtown Shoshone. Annette, Shug and I walk up to the General store every night to visit Lynn and she usually entertains us with the story of the day. Nevada residents drive 30 miles over from Pahrump and even 90 miles from Las Vegas to buy California Lottery tickets. Sunday nights regularly draw a group of Thai monks from Las Vegas who spend several hours hanging out and buying lottery and scratch tickets hoping to hit it big and sometimes handing Lynn a few dollars as a good-luck tip. Another customer, a 60-something man, comes to the register ready to pay for his items then says that his money is in his other pair of pants in his car. He wanders out of the store and then back to the counter this time carrying his extra pair of pants and begins digging money out of the pockets which tickles Lynn to no end. Customer service jobs, at times, leave you perplexed and amazed, as with the regular customers, man and wife, who wear long fake-fur leopard print hooded-coats in the heat of the desert. They remind Annette of Siegfried and Roy minus the real tigers. Another time, an angry man approaches the lottery counter and says, "I want my usual." Since Lynn has never seen him before she says, "I don't know your usual," which throws him into a huffing fit and he starts sputtering while jabbing his finger at the glass front of the case. 

Shug and Lynn working hard

We loved our time in the little town of Shoshone. Fortunately, nice, kind and fun-loving people outnumber the negative nellies. Our interactions with strangers often cause us to reflect on each person's story as well as our own. These brief connections with those around us offer opportunities to recognize our similarities as we move through life's joys and struggles. Each day reminds us to seek ways to connect with and support our fellow travelers as we journey along life's path. We remind each other to fully notice and participate in each moment, to see the color of the cactus, to smell the creosote after a rain, to hear nature's symphonies in the starlit night and to feel the warm dry desert breeze against our skin, for life is short and our moments are dwindling.....we will continue to create our lives, to be resilient in dealing with life's obstacles and sorrows and to move, with as much grace as possible, forward........ROLL ON!!

Lynn (Vanna White) posing by the amethyst display

Annette and Shug working on the pupfish ponds

Clay (park manager)

Eating breakfast at the Crowbar Cafe and Saloon

What?

He he

Home for three months...What a town!!