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2026 Leepin’ Across America
  • Mike and Kimberly
  • Mike and Kimberly

2026 Leepin’ Across America

An open-ended adventure by Mike and Read more
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  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    1
    Bed from a mining haul truckFor perspective it's twice as wide as the pickup truckThistleI love theses old looking buildingsWelcome to Sonita

    Ride to Parker Canyon Lake

    April 15 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    The weather has cooled down just a little bit and it’s a high in the low 80s so we couldn’t resist taking another ride on the bike.

    We headed out to Parker Canyon Lake, where we have been several times camping. It’s a nice ride through Sonoita to get to the lake. On the way we had to stop on the side of the road to allow a police escort for a wide load to pass. The wide load was the bed of a mining haul truck. It was huge!

    The elevation in Tucson is 2700 feet but the elevation at Parker Canyon is 5400 feet so it was a little bit cooler up there and it was a beautiful sunny day. We stopped and had a little picnic lunch again before returning home. It’s not a very big lake but it was pretty and so quiet there.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Detour on the driveHummingbirds

    Verde Valley RV Cottonwood,AZ (4/21-4/27

    April 21 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Our time in Tucson went by fast and we need to get moving North. We headed up the hill to Cottonwood. Along the way we passed several donkey crossing signs just North of Phoenix. We have seen this sign many times over the years but have never seen the donkeys.

    We also had to take a short detour due to an accident that caused I-17 to be closed. Other than the detour it was an uneventful drive day.

    Check out the video at the end. This is someone’s seasonal campsite. They have lots of flowers and hummingbird feeders. We saw 10 to 20 hummingbirds each time we walked by.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    1
    1Red rocks in SedonaSedona red rocksMidget BridgeView of the twisties from the top of the mountainViewpoint at the top of Oak Creek CanyonViewpoint at Oak Creek CanyonWhat the twisties look like on the map?

    Ride 89A Oak Creek Canyon

    April 23 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    Today we took a ride on 89 a through Oak Creek Canyon.

    Oak Creek Canyon is a river gorge located in northern Arizona between Flagstaff and Sedona, often referred to as a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon due to its scenic beauty. The canyon is approximately 12 miles long and 2500 feet of elevation gain from the bottom of the canyon to the top.

    We have been on this road several times. Almost always when we stay at Cottonwood we come up here. We started the ride heading through the town of Sedona. Which has beautiful, red rocks.

    This time I connected the headset and my helmet to my auto tour called guide along and was able to hear a lot of history about Sedona and information about the rock formations that I was seeing as we went through Oak Creek Canyon. The guide along told me all about the Midgley Bridge which was built in 1939 and spans 240 feet

    The ride through the canyon is beautiful and there are several twisties. Unfortunately, right before we got to the twisties construction started and we were forced into just one lane, one way at a time. Which means we have to follow all the other cars and go slow. Twisties are still beautiful, but it’s not as fun when you have to follow cars and go slow.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Route 66 sign in Holbrook
    Route 66 stuff in Holbrook on the side of the roadPetrified log lots of colorsOne big log that broke into piecesOne big log still intactThis log they made into a bridge at one point in timePainted desertOr painted desertHistoric Route 66 car

    Petrified Forest National Park

    April 24 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Today we headed over to petrified national Park. This is the 24th national Park we have visited in the motorhome. The drive to this park was 2 1/2 hours one way, so kind of far, but there is literally nothing around in this area so I would never want to stay closer to it anyway.

    Along the drive we passed through Holbrook Arizona, which is part of Route 66. We saw some fun and cool little route 66 things on the side of the road.

    Petrified Forest National Park is located in northeastern Arizona and is famous for its large deposits of petrified wood, which are remnants of ancient trees that lived over 225 million years ago. The park covers about 346 square miles.

    Mike and I have both been to this park before when we were younger, but never together. The southern end of the park is the location where most of the petrified wood is located. We went on a short hike to take a look at some pretty cool looking petrified logs. But let’s face it, once you’ve seen one petrified log you’ve seen them all.

    We drove north through the park and took in the vistas of the surrounding painted desert.

    We also stopped at a old historic car. Petrified national Forest is the only national park that has a portion of the original Route 66 running through it, therefore that part of Route 66 will always be preserved as part of the national park.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    San Francisco peaks with fresh snow
    Colorado RiverJoshua TreeLas Vegas stripCampsite at Nellis very close togetherThat's our rig our friends took the pictureThe Thunderbirds are stationed at Nellis

    Desert Eagle RV-Las Vegas, NV (4/27-5/4)

    April 27 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Today we are headed to Vegas, baby!. Along the way we passed the San Francisco peaks in Flagstaff. Last night it snowed on the peaks and it was a beautiful sight driving by seeing all that fresh snow.

    As we left Arizona, we crossed the Colorado river into California. We will only be traveling for a short time up US 95 through California into Nevada. We got to see a few Joshua trees, even though we’re not that close to Joshua Tree national Park

    Mike and I were trying to figure out how long it’s been since we’ve been to Vegas and we’re thinking about 15 years. Driving into the valley, the skyline of the strip still looks the same as one casino just replaces the last one

    Since we are traveling with our friends, Barbara and Mark, who happen to be ex military, we are able to stay at the military campground on Nellis Air Force Base. The drive from Cottonwood to the base was 400 miles and a long drive day. In addition to that, we had to get a pass to be able to come and go onto the base and we had to get a campsite picked out at the campground. We left Cottonwood at 6:30 AM and didn’t get done setting up in Las Vegas until just after five. It was a really long day but uneventful.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Lots of red rocksDesert bighorn sheepThe first hike was the fire wave and seven wondersThe fire waveSlot CanyonThe red rocks against the blue sky was stunningThese rocks were pink and yellow

    Valley of Fire State park

    April 28 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    Today we headed over to Valley of fire State park located approximately 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Covering nearly 46,000 acres, it is renowned for its vibrant red sandstone formations, which create a breathtaking landscape.

    Boy, I thought the red colors in Sedona were fantastic but this state park is beyond beautiful as far as colors go. The pictures will not do it justice.

    As we entered the park, we saw several desert bighorn sheep. We drove to the back of the park where we hiked three trails that we combined into one big trail. This area reminds us a lot of arches national Park because you climb over a lot of sandstone. But we also walked through a lot of sand washes and slot canyons. We had to really pay attention to where we were going on the trails because they were not well marked and when you did find a marker, it was the same color as the rocks so it blended in. We only got off track a few times though.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Picture of elephant rockThe actual view of elephant rockDesert bighorn sheepTwo adults and a baby in between themThese holes in the rock look like a giant smiley faceMore pictures of the fire waveThe slot CanyonMore of the slot canyonThe guys made eyes with their shadows

    Elephant Rock - Valley of Fire

    April 28 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    After we completed that three combo hike trail, we headed to the east entrance of the park to see elephant rock.

    Then we stopped at the visitor center, which was very impressive with the amount of displays and information they gave.

    On the way out of the park, we were able to watch some more desert bighorn sheep, two adults and one baby, way up high on the rocks.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Mostly sandstone boulders to hike acrossThe sandstone made great stepsCheck out the thorns on this cactusThe pond at the top of the trailCan you see Mike way up high on top of the rocks?Pretty flowers on the cactusView from on top of the rocks of Las Vegas Valley

    Red rock canyon

    April 29 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Today we headed to the west side of Las Vegas to visit and hike in the red rock canyons area. This is part of the national Park service and requires a time entry. But I’m not sure why because it was not as busy as it was at Valley of fire State Park, and not nearly as impressive.

    We did a 2.4 mile hike on the calico tanks trail. We saw some red rocks, but mostly it was a bit of a rock scramble to the top where there was a small pond, believe it or not, in the desert.

    Once you get to the water, you have to cross a small ledge and climb to the top of the rocks to get a stunning view of the Las Vegas Valley. I chickened out and didn’t cross the ledge, but Mike did and took some awesome pictures from the top.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    11

    The strip

    April 30 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 81 °F

    Today we headed down to the strip. Since it’s been about 15 years since we’ve been to Vegas, we wanted to check it out and see what new casinos are out there and visit the old ones.

    We parked next to the Wynn and then walked south all the way down to New York, New York, and then back north to the Wynn. It was a total about 7 miles of walking when it was all set and done.

    We took some time to watch the water show at the Bellagio and the thing I really wanted to check out was the sphere. We were able to see the Sphere pretty good from one of the pedestrian bridges, but I was a bit disappointed because most of the time it just advertisements for the shows they have there, and not some of the cool things that you get to see. Like a smiley face or an eyeball or the planet or a butterfly. We still had a good time though, but it was a late night and a lot of walking.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Virgin River GorgeNice big campsite

    Gateway RV - La Verkin, UT (5/4-5/10)

    May 4 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    Our time in Las Vegas went by fast, but we gotta get on the road and headed north. Our next stop is La Verkin, Utah just outside of Zion national Park.

    On today’s drive day, we left Nevada and drove through the farthest north west corner of the state of Arizona. From there, we entered the Virgin River Gorge, and crossed into Utah.

    The Virgin River Gorge is a canyon located in northwest Arizona, carved by the Virgin River, and it runs between St. George, Utah, and Beaver Dam, Arizona. It is known for its stunning geological features, recreational opportunities, and as a popular route along Interstate 15.

    The campground is just 30 minutes from the entry gate into Zion and we have a lot of adventures planned for the six days we’re here.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Scouts Lookout hike
    The Virgin RiverSaw a few deer in the field at the canyon bottomThe canyon and the Virgin RiverAnother view of the canyon and the Virgin RiverZion vallieWe are hiking to the top of that lower ledgeThis is a close-up of the lower ledge see my red arrow. Those are people.Zooming in more, the white dots are peopleStart of Walter's wigglesThe bottom of Walter's wigglesMore of Walter's wigglesWe made it to the top. Angel's landing is just another half a mile further.View from the topIt's a long way downView from the valley floorThis is the first section of switchbacks to get to that lower ledgeView from the top1Aerial shot of Walter's wiggles

    Scouts Lookout hike part 1

    May 5 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 39 °F

    We are headed back to Zion and yes, we have been there before. The first time we were here was when we were on the RV grand Circle tour in 2024. The stop we had at Zion during the grand Circle only allowed us a couple of days and we didn’t get any time to do the hikes we really wanted to do. So while we were are here, we are going to hit those epic hikes that we wanted to hit a couple years ago.

    The first hike on that list is scouts Lookout. Scout Lookout is the closest you can hike to Angel’s Landing without a permit, and also avoid the anxiety of hiking on the ledge of Angels landing with just a chain to hold onto.

    Zion is one of the busiest national parks and parking is extremely limited so we had to get up extra early in order to leave at 6:30 in the morning. Yes, I know I can’t believe I got up that early. We arrived at the park at seven and had to take a bus into the portion of the park where cars are not allowed to go, to get to this hike.

    The trail is all paved so you would think it would be nice and easy. However, the national Park marks this trail as strenuous. It is a total of 4.2 miles round-trip and 1200 feet elevation. This hike will be the first hike Mike and I do that’s over 1000 feet of elevation.

    Zion Canyon is spectacular with the sun rising in the morning, so it was well worth it until we started to climb those switchbacks.

    The part of this hike, I was most excited to do or at least challenge myself with was Walter’s wiggles. This is the most strenuous part of the hike as there are 21 switchbacks. Check out the very last picture in this post for an aerial view of Walter’s wiggles.

    But before we even got to Walter’s wiggles, there were several other switchbacks we had to go up. The higher we climb, the better the view got and the more energy it took to get there. By the time we got to Walters wiggles I wasn’t sure we were gonna make it to the top. But we climbed all the way up with only stopping once to catch our breath.

    Once at the top, the views were awesome. We also had a great view of Angels Landing. More about that in the next post.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Celebrating when we made it to the top
    People on angels LandingAngels landingThe top of Angels LandingThose little things sticking up from the rock to the left of the tree at the top are peopleView of Walter's wiggles from the top going downWalter's wiggles on the way downWalter's wigglesView of the valleyFirst set of switchbacks before Walter's wigglesFirst set of switchbacks before Walter's wigglesThis is the first set of switchbacks to get to the first ledge we had to climb before we got to wiggSwitchbacks before Walter's wigglesBack on the vallie floor at the Virgin RiverVirgin RiverWalter's wiggles

    Scouts lookout hike part 2

    May 5 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F

    We took some time at the top to catch our breath and to watch all these crazy people hike on Angels Landing.

    Angels Landing is only a half a mile, but you are literally walking on the razorback edge of the mountain. While the park service put in some chains for people to hold onto. It’s not much there and when you try to pass someone everybody’s trying to hold the chain at the same time. There’s no way I would ever hike this. Actually, someone just fell off and died about three weeks before we got here.

    I tried to put in some arrows of the little tiny people you can see hiking up angels, landing in the second photo

    The hike back down was easier, although at the bottom of Walter‘s wiggles, my knees were starting to feel it. The views were even better on the way down because the sun was just a little bit higher in the sky, and you had a great view looking down into the valley.

    After hiking all of this, we decided we wanted to do one more hiking because we were all feeling pretty good so we headed back onto the bus to go to another stop to hike the Emerald pools more about this in the next post.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    What the waterfalls are supposed to look like
    We went to the right to start the hike and we ended the hike coming from the leftLooks nothing like the pictureView from behind the FallIt was cool walking behind the fallsThe brink of the falls on the middle poolFinally, some water at the upper poolNice view from up hereThe Virgin River down belowDetails about all three emerald poolsVideo of the lower FallZion valley

    Emerald pools hike

    May 5 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 48 °F

    So continuing on from our scouts Lookout hike we headed over to the Emerald pools hike.

    There are three different pools. You can see the lower the middle and the upper. We decided to just hike to the lower pool and see how we feel. We were disappointed because the waterfall looks nothing like the picture from the National Park Service board. But we were able to walk behind the waterfall so that was kind of cool.

    Since we were disappointed in the lower pool, we decided to go to the middle pool just to see if it looked any better. The middle pool was dried up. We couldn’t even see any water just a little trickle at the brink.

    Then for some crazy reason we thought maybe the upper pool would be better. So we continued on with the hike. While the upper pool actually had some water, it was never emerald in color like the name of the trail. We took in the sites up there for a little bit and then hiked back down.

    All in all this hike was another 3 miles and about 500 feet in the elevation game. At the end of the day, we were tired. The Total hike for the day just over 7 miles and about 1500 feet in elevation.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Entrance sign
    1Love the striated lines in the rocksCheckered board MesaBoth horizontal and vertical lines are naturalWindow in the tunnelRode east then came back & went northRed line is Kolob mountain roadReservoir at the top of the mountainLoved all the pines and aspen trees1Coming down the mountain

    Ride Zion and Kolob Mountain

    May 6 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    Today we headed out on a ride combining two area of Zion. First we headed on UT route 9 which is the road that you can drive through the park. We road all the way through to amount Carmel junction. We did this ride last time we were here and the views and twisties were so good we had to do it again.

    My favorite part of the ride is the tunnel where there a few windows that you can look through and see all the great views of the rocks.

    When we stopped in Mount Carmel there was a sign selling pies. Check out the picture.

    We headed back the way we came and after leaving the main part of Zion we turned onto Kolob Mountain road. This road only enter Zion in a small section and hardly no one goes there. Check out the picture of the National park. The red line I drew is Kolob mountain road.

    When we left the valley floor we were at about 3200 feet elevation and it was 77 degrees. We road north up the mountain to the reservoir passing through Zion and the views were stunning. The elevation at the top was 8000 feet and the temp was down to 55. The terrain also changed drastically from sandstone to alpine meadows and pine trees. We loved it although it was pretty cold. We turned around and headed home. Another awesome ride day    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Map of the Narrows. We started at the bottom.
    One of the sand bars where you could walk on land instead of waterThe light hitting the canyon walls made them really look beautifulThis is the best picture with the light hitting that back wallThis is the side Canyon with a lot more vegetationSide Canyon1This is in the side Canyon. It was not very deep in this part.

    Hike the Narrows

    May 7 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    WOW!!! This hike was epic and definitely in our top 5.

    The Narrows is a unique hike in Zion National Park where you walk through the Virgin River, surrounded by towering sandstone cliffs that can reach up to 1,500 feet high

    Before we started the hike, we had to rent some gear because on this hike, your hiking, literally in a river bed, and sometimes the water comes up to chest high. We rented a dry bib package which consisted of chest waiters that include waterproof, neoprene socks that are attached to the waiters so no water gets in, river boots which are waterproof sort of but help you navigate the river rocks and a hiking stick that is about as tall as your shoulder. We were able to pick up the gear the night before so we were ready to hit the park early in the morning.

    Once we arrived at the park early, we had to take the shuttle all the way to the end of Zion Canyon. After departing the shuttle, we had a 1 mile hike to the river on a paved path. That was the easy part! Then we entered the river and the canyon called the Narrows. We have hiked Fern Canyon in the redwoods, but it’s nothing like this hike. This is the most unique hike we’ve ever been on. We were walking on river rock through the water, and then sometimes there would be sandbars along the side of the river, where you could walk for a short time on land. But most of the hike was through the water. For the most part, the water was knee-deep, but there were several times where you had to walk through a deep section and the water came up to chest high. Not only was it difficult to walk on the river rock in the water, but the current was flowing pretty good and sometimes it felt like it was going to sweep you away.

    But all the effort of this hike definitely paid off from the moment we stepped into the water. Seeing the cliffs on either side of the river, towering 1500 feet above us with the most beautiful rock, formations and serene peace with the water running by. It was unbelievable!

    We headed 4 miles up the river to a section called floating rock. Mike wanted to keep going further, but I knew it would be a long walk back, so we turned around and went down a little side canyon almost a mile. In the side Canyon there were a lot more trees and vegetation, and there were no people so it was just beautiful. The sun hitting the walls of the canyon is undescribable and I know these photos will not do it justice. We got to a point in that side canyon where you either had to get in and swim or jump onto a giant boulder to get across the water. Neither of those happened so we turned around and headed back to the starting point where we entered the river.

    By the end of the hike, we logged 9 1/2 miles. Not much elevation at all, but walking across River rock and in deep, fast flowing water was more than any bit of elevation we’ve done before.

    Now we can check this hike off our bucket list    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    1He always has to stand on the edge of a cliff and take a picture1

    Kolob Canyon in Zion

    May 8 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Today we headed to Kolob Canyon in Zion national Park. This is on the far northwest edge of the park and you can only get to this section of the park by driving all the way around to a separate entrance. It is not connected to the rest of the park.

    This is a small area and not many people visit it so it was nice to get away from all the crowds, but you can tell that they don’t spend a lot of money on the upkeep in the section of the park either

    There was a very short 5 mile scenic drive and at the end of the drive we did a short 1 mile hike. The hiking path very good shape, but it was still a nice little hike for our last day in Zion.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Mountains with snow
    We will ride this on the bike soonLove the rock formations hereRock arch2Campsite

    Rubys Inn RV- Bryce City UT (5/10-5/14)

    May 10 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    Today was a nice easy drive over to Bryce Canyon. We stayed at this same campground when we were on the RV grand circle tour. The campground it literally right outside the park entrance. On the way over we passed some mountains with snow. Then we crossed over a lower mountain pass at almost 8,000 feet and we also passed under a big rock arch with the rig. This park is our favorite in Utah and since we were so close we couldn’t pass up stoping by againRead more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    According to sign at the trailhead, it's 1900 feet, but we tracked much less.1HoodoosNeat pictures through the window of the rocksLove the color and all the pine treesEnd of the rim trail and we start our descent down1Tower bridgeYou can see part of the trail at the bottom of the hoodoo's2Mike taking another picture. Of course on the ledge.1This the view of the rim trail across the top

    Fairyland Loop trail

    May 11 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 48 °F

    When we visited Bryce Canyon last time on the RV grand Circle, we only got enough time to do one hike so today we headed out on another hike that we were not able to do. The fairyland loop is a total of 8 miles and 1400 feet of elevation change. Now this marks the most elevation change we have ever hiked.

    We got up early and headed out for the hike trying to beat the crowds although this park is not nearly as busy as Zion. There was only one other car in the parking lot when we got there. We also wanted to beat the heat. Once the sun comes up, it starts to warm up quickly.

    The hike started along the rim trail, which isn’t that exciting because you don’t get to see much in the canyon as you walk along the edge. Once we began to descend into the canyon or amphitheater as it’s actually called, the views were beautiful. This is one of our top five places to hike. We both just love the unique hoodoos that are in the park. The terrain is so different and every time you turn the corner the view just changes dramatically. The photos are not gonna do it justice.

    At the bottom of the canyon, we made it to Tower Bridge. Named after the tower bridge in London and it closely resembles it. It was pretty neat to see. Then it was a long 4 mile hike out of the canyon with over 1000 feet of elevation gain. This was a tough hike for us. I don’t think it would’ve been so bad if we were at a lower elevation. But the hike started at 8000 feet and hiking at a higher elevation really takes the wind out of you.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Lots of twistiesLooking down into the canyonThe hog backThe colors were so beautifulThis is a different layer of rockSummit of Boulder MountainBoulder MountainView of a lake from Boulder MountainRest area at the top of Boulder MountainView of the grand staircase from Boulder MountainFood truckView of the valley and grand staircase from Boulder MountainView of the canyonLots of red rocks

    Ride scenic byway 12

    May 12 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Today we headed out on the bike to ride scenic byway 12. We have been on this road before when we were on the grand circle tour in the motorhome. But we went from Torrey to Bryce Canyon at that time in the motorhome. It was a crazy road to drive in the motorhome with lots of twists and turns and a lot of steep grades. Today will be much better on the bike as this is one of the top 10 motorcycle roads in the US.

    Scenic Byway 12, also known as "A Journey Through Time Scenic Byway," because it passes through the grand staircase. The Grand Staircase is a series of colorful sedimentary rock layers that extends 100 miles from Bryce Canyon to the Grand Canyon.

    The sequence of sedimentary rock layers tells a story spanning millions of years. These layers are often compared to a history book, with each layer representing a different chapter of Earth's geological past.

    The ride was awesome and along the way we also rode over an area that’s known as the hog back. Check it out in the first video. It’s a narrow section of the road where it drops off on both sides so you’re kind of like riding on the razor edge of the mountain. No guard rail, I was a little nervous.

    After the hog back, we rode over Boulder Mountain. The summit was at 9600 feet. It was much cooler up here and boy it was beautiful. Lots of pine trees and they smelled so good. From there. we rode down the mountain into Torrey.

    In Torrey we grabbed some great nachos at a food truck and then turned around and did it all over again. What an awesome ride.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    From the rim
    Sunrise at the start of the trailThis rock is called Thor's hammerThis is the two bridges section of the trail. Loved these switchbacks.At the bottom of the switchbacks is the two bridgesEnd of the Navajo TrailHeading to peekaboo LoopPeekaboo loop is 3 milesThe description said there was a beautiful site around every cornerIt was right every turn had an amazing viewThe switchbacks I had to go up on peekaboo loopThis area is called the windowsAnother pic of the windows

    Hike Navajo to peekaboo Pt 1

    May 13 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    Today is hike day unfortunately Mike’s knee is giving him issues so I’m on my own. Today I’m going to hike down Navajo trail over to peekaboo loop and then back up a different part of the Navajo Trail.

    When we were at Bryce before we hiked down the Navajo Trail at sunrise and just loved it. It was so magical. So here I am again super early in the morning to make that sunrise hike. Who am I?

    The Navajo Trail has a section of switchbacks that are often photographed when you see pictures of Bryce Canyon. Of course, my pictures won’t look as good and the sun shining on the rocks first thing in the morning is never gonna look as good in a photo as it did in person, but it was breathtaking.

    It was a perfect hiking day as the clouds rolled in after the sun rose, which provided great shade during the hike and being there first thing in the morning has its advantages as there was hardly anyone in the park. I felt like I had it all to myself it was so quiet and peaceful and serene

    These are the pictures of me heading down Navajo Loop and only about half of peekaboo loop    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    The windows sectionHad to hike up the switchbacksNeed door carved in the rockDead bristle cone pine treeInspiration pointEnd of peekaboo Trail, heading back up the Navajo Trail

    Peekaboo loop continued

    May 13 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    I know for one hike this was a lot of pictures, but it was just amazing. I can’t even begin to describe it. The description of the peekaboo loop hike is that there are amazing views around every turn. And that was so correct every five minutes it felt like I kept stopping to take a photo. I wasn’t even halfway through the hike and my battery was starting to run low.

    When I started Navajo Trail, I went down switchbacks, but now I’m peekaboo loop. I have to go up some switchbacks.

    The 3 miles on peekaboo loop was awesome but now it’s time to head up the section of the Navajo Trail called Wall Street. Last time we were in Bryce, we came down Wall Street and all the switchbacks now I gotta go up all the switchbacks.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Pine tree in the middle of the path
    Wall StreetPeople on Wall Street for perspectiveStarting the switchbacksThis is looking down and I'm only about halfway upLooking down from about 3/4 of the way upFinally made it to the topThe very top of the switchbacks

    Part 3 - Wall Street

    May 13 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    OK, I know you’re tired of looking at the rocks, but this is the last bit of pictures

    This section of the hike is called Wall Street because of the really high and close in walls of the rock

    After that short section, I had to head up all the switchbacks. Not nearly as many switchbacks as we did on Walters wiggles in Zion, but doing these switchbacks at 8000 feet still kick my butt.

    I started my hike at 6:30 when the sun rose and by 930 - 6 miles later and 1300 feet of elevation gain I was spent and done. It was an awesome experience. I’m so sad that Mike was not there with me to see it all and I missed him on the hike. But I’m glad I went by myself and did it anyway it was an awesome experience.    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    Crack in the windshield
    It's on the driver side at the bottom cornerUtah Highway 21. Nothing to see here.Sagebrush as far as the I can seeWelcome to NevadaThe campsite is only 5 miles from the state border

    Baker RV - Baker, NV (5/14-5/18)

    May 14 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    The best travel days are the ones that are uneventful. Doesn’t matter if you see anything neat on the drive as long as there’s no issues then it’s a great drive day. That was not today.

    While we were getting ready to pack up and leave Bryce Canyon at Ruby‘s Inn. We noticed a 12 to 15 inch crack in the windshield. The cracks started from a rock chip and cracked overnight. While we were here the temperatures during the day were in the low 80s and we were facing west with the sun shining on the windshield but at night it was getting down to the mid 30s. We think that that big fluctuation and temperature and the sun shining on the windshield made that rock chip turned into a crack. We put a piece of clear tape over it just to hope that maybe it will stop the crack, but we’re not sure if that’s gonna work or not. Right now it’s not in a line of vision and it hasn’t extended yet. Knock on wood. So we’ll see what happens.

    As we continued to pack up and get ready to move, we started retracting the slides, and the front kitchen slide would not go all the way in. It would retract to about 7 inches to go and then stop. The benefit of traveling with friends is you have someone to help you when you need it. From 10 AM until 1 o’clock we tried everything we could to get that slide to retract. Checkout time was 11 so we had to move the rig out of our RV space even with a slide partially sticking out. Luckily, there was a large space in the campground where we could pull both rigs off to the side and not be in anyone’s way and continue to work on the slide. With a boro scope , we inspected every inch under the slide and could not find anything that was stopping it from retracting. We called the manufacturer and tried to get some information on how to bring the slide in manually without the motor, but to no avail, we could not get it past that sticking point. After four hours of messing around with it, I think Mike about had it, and just started rocking the crap out of the slide from inside and it finally budged and retracted. We heard a big pop when that happens so something is not right. But we got the slide retracted enough that we can drive. The slide will stay inside, not extended, until we get to our service appointment at the end of September. It makes it a little bit tight in the kitchen, but is definitely still livable.

    That makes it bad thing number two out of three and they say that everything happens in threes. As we finished packing up to leave the baggage doors (the little basement doors) would not stay shut on one of the doors no matter what Mike did when he locked it it would not stay locked. So our fear was driving down the road and the door come open and all of our stuff go flying out. So we spent another 30 minutes trying to get that all situated. We ended up bungee cording it shut. That’s bad thing number three hopefully that’s it for a while.

    We finally left the campsite at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, which is extremely unusual for us to ever leave that late in the day but we wanted to get on the road into our next reservation. Luckily it wasn’t a very long drive to Baker Nevada, but while driving it seemed everyone in a car, driving around us, was determined to cause an accident in front of us. They were all driving so erratically and cutting off in front of us. We were hoping that we could just make it without any problems.

    Once we got off the interstate we were on this lonely, 2 Lane Rd. headed to Baker Nevada on Utah Route 21. We were glad to be away from all the traffic. But driving on this little 2 lane road for 100 miles in the middle of nowhere was crazy. I mean really this is the most desolate remote road we have ever driven on in our entire lives. You can look out and see absolutely nothing but sagebrush for hundreds of miles. There was no houses no towns nothing it was crazy. I’m just so glad. Nobody had any issues driving on the road cause this was not the place to breakdown.

    Finally, we arrived at our campsite, which happens to be behind the gas station in this very very very small town. It’s not a campground. It’s just a couple of campsites that the owners created behind the gas station. The total population in the town of Baker is 41 people, so really it’s a small town. But it’s right outside the entrance to great basin national Park and that’s our next national Park to visit. This will be national Park number. 25 out of Total 63 national Parks    Read more

  • Mike and Kimberly2026 Leepin’ Across AmericaTraveler
    That snow is not on Wheeler Peak
    View of the mountains across the basinThe peak on the right hand side is Wheeler PeakThe trees are just starting to leaveView of the basin1Still some snow on the ground at the topRoad closed at 10,000 feet

    Ride in Great Basin

    May 15 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    Today we went for a ride in great basin national Park. There is only one scenic road that rides up the mountain to the top of Wheeler peak in the park. We started the trip at 5300 feet. Because the top of the mountain still has quite a bit of snow we could only ride to a point at 10,000 feet on the mountain. Before the road was closed.

    Wheeler Peak is the second highest point in Nevada. As we rode up the mountain, you could see forever across the basin. Similar to how it was on our drive, but with a higher elevation view, you could see even more. It was also neat seeing all the snow on the mountain. Since there is only one scenic drive, that’s paved. It was a short ride for us today.

    After the ride, we stopped in the visitor centers to check it out and have a game plan for our visit the next day.    Read more