Sue's AT Journal


2016 HIKING, CYCLING, & RV TRAVEL ADVENTURES Thunder Mountain Trail, Red Canyon, UT

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TOPIC or DESTINATION	DATE
Note: entries with a date in the right-hand column are the only ones uploaded yet. I'm 'way behind on this year's journal entries but continue to work on them as time allows in 2018. We went a lot of places and did a lot of things in 2016! Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the 2016 year-end review dated December 31.

Yuma, AZ (January 1 to March 20)
Introduction to Our Website & Tentative 2016 Travel Plans	January 1
Our Morphing RV Lifestyle: More Freedom = Different Challenges	January 3
Another Perspective on Full-Time RVing	January 6
Snowbirding at the Desert Breeze Travel Camp on the Yuma Proving Ground AKA "YPG"	January 15
Long But Scenic Day Trip to Anza-Borrego SP, Borrego Springs, Joshua Tree NP, & 29 Palms Marine Corps Base in Southern California	January 19
The London Bridge? In Arizona?! Day Trip to Lake Havasu City	January 27
Cycling Through the Mittry Lake Wildlife Area	January 31
More Scenic Photos from the Laguna Wildlife Conservation Area	February 7
More Hiking & Cycling Adventures Near Imperial Dam Long-Term Visitor Area (LTVA), Including Scenes Along Ferguson Road	February 11
Painted Desert Trail & Other Scenes from the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge	February 19
Scenes from the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge & Castle Dome Mountains	February 22
A Long Winter Car Trip from Warm Arizona Deserts to Snowy Montana Mountains & Back	March 8
Colorful Spring Desert Flowers in Far SW Arizona & SE California	March 18

Twentynine Palms, CA (March 20-27)
Camping at Twilight Dunes RV Park, Marine Corps Air & Ground Combat Center	March 20
Introduction to Joshua Tree National Park	March 21
Hiking at Joshua Tree: To the Summit & Back on the Ryan Mountain Trail	March 22
Hiking at Joshua Tree: Hall of Horrors Trail Around a Popular Rock Climbing Area	March 22
Hiking at Joshua Tree: Cap Rock Nature Trail & the Legend of a Rock Star's Highly Unusual Funeral	March 22
Hiking at Joshua Tree: Wonderland Wash Trail in the Wonderland of Rocks + Scenes from Hidden Valley Campground	March 22
Hiking at Joshua Tree: History & More on the Wall Street Mill Trail	March 22
Hiking at Joshua Tree: Skull Rock-Jumbo Rocks Loop Trail x2	March 23
Hiking at Joshua Tree: Split Rock Loop Trail + A Side Trip to Face Rock (Bring Your Imagination On This Hike!)	March 23
Hiking at Joshua Tree: 49 Palms Oasis Trail	March 23
Hiking at Joshua Tree: Barker Dam Loop Trail x 2	March 24
Hiking at Joshua Tree: Scenes from the "Miniature World" in Hidden Valley	March 24
Hiking at Joshua Tree: End to End on the Boy Scout Trail	March 25
More from Joshua Tree: Scenes from Queen Valley	March 25
Murals, Quirky Art, & Other Interesting Scenes In & Near the Town of Twentynine Palms	March 26

Ridgecrest, CA (March 27-April 3)
China Lake Navy Air Warfare Station: Sierra Vista RV Park and the U.S. Naval Museum of Armament & Technology	March 27
In & Near Ridgecrest: Visits to the Maturango Museum & Sand Canyon	March 28
Eastern Sierra Day Trip to Lone Pine, Alabama Hills Rec. Area, Whitney Portal Road, Mobius Arch Trail, & Nine Mile Canyon to Kennedy Meadows	March 29
One Very Busy Day at Death Valley Natl. Park: Badwater Basin (lowest point in the western hemisphere), Dante's View, Devil's Golf Course, Artist's Drive, Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells, Towne Pass, Emigrant, Panamint Springs, Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes, + Hikes at Mosaic Canyon, Natural Bridge, & Golden Canyon	March 31
Hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in the Southern Sierra Range: Hike #1 South of Walker Pass	April 1
Hiking on the PCT: Hike #2 North of Walker Pass to Mt. Jenkins (and a nasty surprise at the end of the hike)	April 2
Spring Wildflower Photos from Southern California's Mojave Desert Region	April 2

North Las Vegas, NV (April 3-10)
Desert Eagle Puts the "Park" in RV Park! Camping at Nellis Air Force Base	April 4
Cycling/Hiking/Sightseeing at Red Rock Canyon Natl. Conservation Area	April 5
Hiking & Sight-Seeing at Valley of Fire State Park, Part 1: Fabulous Rock Colors, the Fire Wave, Ancient Petroglyphs, & Much More	April 6
Hiking & Sight-Seeing at Valley of Fire State Park, Part 2: I Had to Take Jim to See It, Too!	April 9
Serious Drought: Photos from Lake Mead National Recreation Area	April 9

Springdale, UT (April 10-17)
Scenic Drive from Vegas to Springdale + Camping at Zion Canyon RV Park	April 10
Introduction to Uber-Popular Zion National Park	April 10
Finding Solitude at Zion NP: Kolob Reservoir via Kolob Terrace Rd.	April 11
Zion Hiking: Pa'rus Trail & Riverside Walk	April 11
Zion Hiking: The Iconic Angel's Landing Trail	April 12
Zion Hiking: Lower West Rim Trail to Cabin Spring	April 12
Zion Hiking: Emerald Pools & Kayenta Trails	April 13
Zion Hiking: The Hanging Gardens at Weeping Rock	April 13
Zion Hiking: Eagle-Eye Views from Observation Point, Sue's Favorite Trail at Zion (+ some information about the Hidden Canyon Trail)	April 14
A Wintry Day Trip to Red Canyon Natl. Forest and Bryce Canyon Natl. Park	April 15
Cycling Zion Canyon Scenic Drive + Sue's New Specialized Crux Cyclocross Bike	April 16

Moab, UT (April 17-May 1)
Zion to Moab + Camping at Spanish Trail RV Park	April 17
Hiking & Sight-Seeing at Arches National Park: lots of interesting rock formations, canyons, valleys, arches, "windows," and petroglyphs to view (Delicate Arch and the hike to it was our favorite)
Camping at Horsethief BLM Campground on the high mesa near Canyonlands NP (tip: much cheaper, bigger, and quieter than private RV sites in Moab)
Hiking, Cycling, & Sight-Seeing In & Near Canyonlands National Park (almost as impressive as the Grand Canyon but without the huge crowds -- beautiful canyons cut by the Colorado and Green Rivers)

Red Canyon, UT (May 1-June 4)
Back at Red Canyon Village RV Park (we like it here!)
Scenes from Various Day Trips to Cedar City via Scenic UT 14 and 143 (through Duck Creek, Cedar Breaks Natl. Monument, & Brian Head) -- still lots of snow at 10,000+ feet at the end of May
Cycling on Bike Paths in Bryce & Red Canyons
Hiking in Red Canyon (Natl. Forest): Thunder Mtn. (Sue's favorite), Birdseye, Hoodoo, Pink Ledges, Arches, Buckhorn, Golden Wall, Castle Bridge, Casto Canyon, Losee Canyon, Cassidy, Ridge, Ledge Point, & other trails
Hiking in Bryce Canyon NP: Fairyland Loop (Sue's favorite), Peek-a-Boo (Jim's favorite), Bryce Point, Rim, Queen's Garden, Navajo/Wall Street, Bristlecone, & other trails
Day Trip Thru Grand Staircase-Escalante to Capitol Reef NP via Scenic UT 12, 24, 62, and 22

Colorado Springs, CO (June 5-July 5)
Overnight at Camp Hale, a nice NFS campground north of Leadville on the old 10th Army Division post (where troops did mountain training during WWII)
Camping at the US Air Force Academy's Peregrine Pines FamCamp (7th time here -- love it! can stay only 30 days, though)
Photos from Our Cycling & Hiking Adventures: USAFA campus, Falcon Loop, Red Rock Canyon, Pike's Peak
Scenes from Garden of the Gods Park
June's Wildflower Succession in the Pikes Peak Region

Leadville, CO (July 5 to Sept. 6)
Back to Our Favorite Summer Hangout at 10,200 Feet Elevation (we've been coming here most years since 1998 for the Leadville Trail 100 foot and cycling events to volunteer and/or race; cycling, hiking, and running are terrific here)
Cycling on the Mineral Belt Trail, Hagerman Road, and Other Dirt & Paved Roads in Lake County
Hiking & Cycling Around Turquoise Lake
Photos from Windsor Lake Hikes
Photos from Native Lake/Bald Eagle Mtn. Hikes
Hiking the Vast Network of Trails at the Leadville Fish Hatchery
Hope Pass Hikes: Lots of Memories Here from the LT100
Hiking Segments of the Colorado Trail
Aborted Hike on Mt. Elbert, Colorado's highest peak (hail + lightning 1/2 mile from the summit = Sue's fastest descent ever!)
Mt. Massive Hike (Colorado's 2nd-highest peak)
Summer's Wildflower Progression In the High Country
Volunteering for the Leadville Trail Events (Silver Rush 50-Mile Bike & Run, the new 100-mile bike stage race, and LT100 bike & run)
Scenic Day Trip to Colorado Springs (knee injections, shopping)
Ending Two Months in Leadville on a "High" Note: Successful Ascent to Summit of Mt. Elbert (14,443') on a Perfect-Weather Day

Red Canyon, UT (Sept. 6 to Oct. 15)
Scenic Drive from Leadville to Red Canyon
Third Time at Red Canyon Village RV Park
Revisiting Hiking Trails at Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon National Park
Cycling at Red Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Tropic Reservoir, & Cedar Breaks to Panguitch on Scenic Byway 143
Visiting Kodachrome State Park
Parowan Gap Petroglyphs & Dinosaur Tracks
Snowbird "Flight" to Warmer Climes for the Winter: Five Days thru UT, AZ, NM, TX, LA, MS, AL, & FL

Pensacola, FL (Oct. 19-30)
Staying & Playing at the Blue Angel Navy Recreation Site on Perdido Bay (this is our 2nd time here)
Scenes from the Awesome Air Museum and a Blue Angel Training Flight

Kings Bay, GA (Oct. 30 till sometime next spring)
Our Fourth Winter at Eagle Hammock RV Park on Kings Bay Sub Base , St. Mary's, GA (about a mile from the FL border, as the crow flies)
Scenes from Our Hikes & Bike Rides
Jim's MAKO Partial Knee Replacement & Recovery
2016 Year-End RV Travel Review	December 31

You can find additional photos of our travels from previous years on our Picasa site.

"Runtrails & Company" - Sue Norwood, Jim O'Neil, Cody the ultra Lab, and Casey Girl

� 2016 Sue Norwood and Jim O'Neil