As much as possible, when we travel, we try to make our journey on the US highways and avoid the Interstate Freeways. When pulling the Scamp, 60mph is our maximum speed. I don’t have a strong desire to move faster. Our tires are small, and I don’t want to risk a blowout at high speed. I’m also not in a hurry. Most of the US highways have a maximum speed limit of 65mph. We’re learning that it’s not the destination but the journey that is important. The old highways follow the contour of the land. The road rises and falls with the topography and winds along rivers and valleys. The big Interstates seem an attempt to conquer the land. We want to see America, the small towns and rural places. We’ve been reading On the Road by Jack Kerouac as a family. At Christmas, we decided to start the Handley Family Reading Group. On the Road is our first novel. Virginia and I are not in search of a hedonistic lifestyle or have a desire to revert back to our teenage beatnik days and a counter-culture way of life. What resonated the most with me from Kerouac’s tale was the pull of the open road and a desire to learn what lays beyond…

Wukoki Pueblo at Wupatki National Monument, Arizona

We exited Zion National Park on the east side and returned to US89 bound for the Grand Canyon. In this instance, it was the faster route instead of the Interstate through Las Vegas. I had forgotten what a beautiful stretch of land lay between Kanab, UT and Page, Arizona. The Vermillion Cliffs were stunning in their banded cake-like layers. I didn’t have great lighting and I knew we had a long drive that day, so we enjoyed our passage without taking time to stop and photograph the scenery. I’ll be adding that area to my bucket list of places to revisit. I want to stay overnight in order to photograph the mocha-colored hills in sunset/sunrise lighting. On our way to Flagstaff, we stopped at Wupatki National Monument and Sunset Crater Volcanic Monument. Both monuments offered great viewpoints and short hikes.

The Grand Canyon is beautiful in winter when crowds pressure is much lower. We camped at the Yavapai RV Village because winter storms were forecast. We wanted electricity so we could use a space heater to help keep us warm through the night. I figured with the storms we wouldn’t have enough solar rays to recharge our batteries. The standing air temperature wasn’t bad, but the wind chill was bitter cold. Still, I managed to be out for sunsets and sunrises every day. I’ve always wanted to photograph the Grand Canyon under winter conditions, and this was my chance.

A winter mantle of snow on the Grand Canyon at dawn

Sunrise from Mather Point, Grand Canyon, Arizona

Hoar frost and Pinyon Pine, south rim Grand Canyon, Arizona

We initially planned to remain at the canyon for five nights, but the weather was looking worse and worse. Not wanting to get stuck for an indefinite time, we decided to drop lower to sit out this storm cycle. We passed through Flagstaff and then descended to the Cottonwood area where we have been camped at Dead Horse Ranch State Park for the last week.

While in Cottonwood, we’ve visited Tuzigoot and Montezuma’s Castle National Monuments. These were great locations to learn about the early inhabitants of this region and see the structures they built and how they lived. The storms have come in wave after wave and we have ducked in and out of cover and sometimes hiked in the rain. One of our challenges this week is learning to control the condensation in the Scamp. The windows weep constantly, and our mattress is damp on the bottom where it contacts the cold fiberglass. We purchased a set of Dri-Deck rubber tiles, a product made for boats. We interlocked the tiles and cut them to match the rounded corners of the trailer bed platform. The tiles raise the mattress 9/16ths inch and allow air to pass under and the mattress so it can breathe. We uncovered our roof fan and programmed it to outflow at 10%. We also have a dehumidifying bag hung inside to help pull moisture out of the air, and most of the windows are covered with insulation. This is keeping the inside much drier. Tomorrow we drop down to a lower elevation further south where we should find warmer weather.

Red rock and approaching snow storm in Sedona, Arizona

Last light before the storm, Sedona, Arizona