The game plan was to head up to UT and due to $$$ roam around there, take little 1-hr travel legs to BLM free or cheap, $5 night, campsites.
First night was easy, stayed at Big River, BLM, Parker, AZ as needed to make a Wally-run (resupply at Walmart) and then head out. My Camping Buddy George was heading West toward Death Valley and the Gawd knows where but direction of back East to Kentucky to hang out there.
The initial leg was to a campsite just below Flagstaff, AZ but it was Full, so pressed on to Flagstaff to see if the Sunset Crater campground was opened yet.
Nope, but there is "Free" camping just across the way. Long drive from the Q so just found a spot and parked it.
Nice, but dusty, the 553 Rd across from the Sunset Crater, just north of Flagstaff, has little pull offs along the road. Apparently there's a gravel mining operation further into the area as there are the 18-wheeler trucks tearing down the road, did I mention Dust???
Washboarded roads, I guess the thinking is, either take'em slow or go fast to ride on the top. Anywhere in between is murder and will knock your teeth out.
Stayed at the initial place for one night since it was late and nice to be among some trees...Miss the trees.. Had to look for a place for "SID" (Solar-Internet-DISH)
Next day, wanted to scout around, had to walk for better sites OFF the main dusty road.
Found several but by time I got back to the camper, loaded up and got to the one site, someone else grabbed it. Found another but wanted to check out the road a little more, diving eh?, to see what was what.
Came back, someone grabbed that one too, so figured just better grab what I can and park it.
Found this one, and actually better as it's off the main dirt dusty road.... Did I mention 'Dusty'...
Apparently these sites, up against the hills come with their own firing range as empty shell casing were all around and a tree stump on the hill was pretty chewed up.
Wind was becoming a problem and a PITA with the talcum powder dust whirring about.
I blew a water pump while there and didn't really realize what that actually ment i.e. NO WATER... for Washing and Flushing, so went into town to try to find one. There's an RV sales/dept lot at north end of town. While they had the pump, they wanted apx 2x the Amazon price for it.
Now, some issues about having no address for shipping Krap to... I could use the South Dakota address, but then I have wait for it's arrival there, then request they reship to me here, apx 2 weeks. I then thought of the UPS local stores that "Sometimes" will NOT accept packages for non-customers. I called, they will accept for $5 each package, and kept that in mind.
Then suddenly remembered Amazon Lockers. Pretty kewl. fast 2 day shipping and it's at the locker. They have a search location thing and you just use that address for the shipping. FYI, there is a size limit and locations are sparse, but a bigger city should have them. (Update, I whined to Amazon Techs and they might work to improve it, here's hoping, it's pretty convenient. Location map sucks)
So went onto Amazon, ordered and shipped to the Locker, happens to be Whole foods in Flagstaff.
They then track it as normal, once arrived, they send you a 6-digit code and a scan bar code in an email. You just go to the location, Yellow boxed wall, screen in the middle, either punch in the code or scan from phone and the locker door swings open and Voila' there's the package.
I needed to do a dump n fill in the next day or two and without water, useless in the container without a pump, so bought some bottled water and used that. What a waste, went through a whole case in a 24-hr period.
I had to Dump n Fill, went to KOA. They are YOUR friends and a default, like McDonalds, when all else fails. Usually for $15 you can use their facilities. Did it and went back out there to install the pump.
Sadly, my electrical abilities are less than nonexistent but managed to 'Spark' my way though it. Bought a crimping box of misc crimps and with Crimper thing, still couldn't get them to work, should be obvious right? so ended up electric taping the ends together. I needed to get those little red/yellow screw caps, but the ones I had, of course, were too big.. (Note to self, Self? get more electrical krap to play with).
So got it installed and will order another one to keep as a backup. I now know the importance of it and if I was really out in the middle on No Man's land, I couldn't order, no cell coverage, would have to come in without water until I got to a store and cell coverage. So Lesson's Learned on that one. Who woulda thunk a water pump would go out, right??
At this point in time, I was ready for an R & R and since the KOA was right there and time to Dump again, I figured I'd just go in, catch up on internet etc and enjoy the stay. It was pay-day, sorta so figured what the hell.. do it, been out here, boon docking, some 8+ months, it was time..
Stayed there 3 nights. heheh.. yeah, I know, Merry Christmas to me...
Moving along, spent apx 3 nights at the Sunset Crater area, ORV at Cinder Hills. (just south of the Crater turn off, apx 1 mile south, just as you start to climb the hill)
Nice place if not busy.
Only two others there and if you can pick a spot in the back, near a fence it's not really a problem.
Now that the "Waiting for fuel" time is over, we're about to head on out. First stop, Goosenecks SP, UT..
I've been there several times already, just north of Mexican Hat.
I wanted to get close to the Moki Dugway and Muley Point. I had planned on doing these before, but had an engine cooling issue, still do, but believe it's just a top off leak.
Wanted to get a fresh start and hit it early.. well, everything is relative as I usually don't get going till 1100hrs.. even with the best of plan.
So next stop?
Goosenecks SP on the next blog post (this one is getting too long..)
Cheers..
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