Thursday, April 5, 2018

Large Dream Catchers, Tiny Hummers, Baby Elephants and Old Tires - Playing Near Boulder City

March 24-28, 2018
Boulder City, Nevada

After our fantastic Friday I need to get caught up on blog posts so I spend much of Saturday at Starbucks where the WiFi makes this possible. We like our RV park, but the park Internet is frustrating at best. Tessa comes with me and in between snoozes she enjoys the variety of dog TV out the windows.


Getting it done at Starbucks in Boulder City.
Sunday we hang out at home then join John and Pam for dinner at the brewery. They're back for a week to wrap up their home purchase, and we agree we'll get together again before we head out on Thursday. 

Over the next few days we get out to see more of the beauty and fun of this area. 

Above our park is an interesting communications center, at the top of Bootleg Canyon. Pretty views in all directions.


It sort of looks like a big dream catcher keeping watch over the little town.

Las Vegas on one side

Boulder City on the other.
The last times we were here we missed our chance to drive Crane's Nest (NP 61) off Hwy 93 in Arizona, so we take an afternoon and fix that oversight. Another beautiful drive that drops down next to the Colorado River. For the first time, we start to see Spring blooms along the washes.

The tufted ridges are majestic.
A single flower gives one a whole new look.

Sometimes what looks like a big wall of mud,

gives us these interesting art pieces. The joy of slowing down.

The Brittlebush fills this section with bright color.

Not much Lupine this year, these purple pretties soften this rocky ridge.

We enter a small canyon of dark, tall walls.

Tessa loves to get up on the higher rocks.

A narrow path meanders to the water. We've heard it's a beautiful spot.

The deeper sand fills Bill's sandals so we turn back. Next time to the water!
A pocket of green in the shade of the canyon walls.

The wind comes up a bit.....

With full zoom I pull in this little hummer that Bill spots far up the hill. Cataract surgery success!

A couple spots get a bit snug.

Prickly Pear

Greasewood and Brittlebush showing off their yellow.

Desert Mallow - my favorite.
The first time we drove to Valley of Fire State Park we made a short stop at Redstone Day Use Area which we agree should be its own destination. With spring break filling up the more popular places, we opt to return to the bright red rock for some exploring.

The road hints of what's to come.

Deep red cathedral across the valley.

Caves to peak into and large boulders to scramble on.

Shelves to the top.

Don't you want to see what's in there?

Tiny slots change with the direction of the sun.

The brush looks blue among the red rock.

Sometimes that face in the rock is really easy to see!
I take over a hundred photos in this gorgeous place, and we head back on Highway 167. There's another Jeep road marked on the off-road map Sue left with us along this route that we want to check out. Caulville Wash wraps around, and turns back north through another unique area. 

Not far in we come across this large "spill" of bright blue.

This baby elephant catches my eye on the ridge.

We spend a long time walking along this layered wall, exploring the confusing story it's telling.

The bright blue shows up again in between layers of chocolate brown, cream quartz, red rock, and "strings" of  white plaster-like stone.

Unusual stacks overhead.

A blue and red pour at the end of the wall.

I love this rock tornado!

What is going on here?

Studying.....

Paper thin fins.
Clearly the end of the trail.

Fluffy explorer (we check for snakes).

Pretty slot trail.

I wouldn't want to meet the owner of these large feet in this tight space.

Standing water where the canyon climbs up the rock.

Beautiful.....I turn around.

Signs of high water flow.

Enjoying what we missed on the way in.
A quick side trip to the Anderson Mine rounds out another wonderful day playing in the desert. I never seem to remember that mines usually mean steep shelf roads, but as always, the views are worth the temporary rapid heart rate.

Anderson Mine site.

Fascinating geology.
Long vistas.

Not much left of the operation, but lots of old tires are everywhere.
As planned, we meet John and Pam for a final dinner until we're back in the same area next winter. We get caught up on their home-buying adventure, and what we're all doing over the summer and fall. We forget a photo - again :-)

Thursday we head out after two greats weeks in Boulder City. There's so much to see and do, and we'll definitely be back - especially now that we have friends who have a home here!!

The end....




18 comments:

  1. Great captions on all your photos, your humor and insights add some fun to the blog. We've never been to this area, you sure bring it to life. Easy to see why John and Pam have decided to make it their winter home.

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    1. Thanks Jeff :-) Some areas just draw you back for more and for us Boulder City is definitely one of them!

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  2. More flowers there than most desert locations. Love all that red rock and interesting geological colors. Sure glad to know people living in the area.

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    1. I was surprised at how late the blooms came this year. Hopefully there will be even more through April.

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  3. Now we have more to investigate when we return!! Our new backyard has so much to offer! Road 61 does have a lot of flowers. I love that cactus with the white bloom. I'll be checking that out! We are heading "home" (sounds strange) Sunday! We cancelled Moab. We've done Moab four times so we are going to head back to try out our new home. As always I love reading your blog...keeps me laughing!

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    1. Strange but so exciting. It is the ideal location and house. You'll have so much fun gradually making it your own. Between Jeep and hiking trails you guys have lots to enjoy there.

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  4. Gorgeous pictures! I loved the striations in the rocks. You’ll have another spot to visit in Arlington Texas next month! :))

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    1. Right?! We enjoyed visiting the Cowboys' stadium there last time, although it was also where the tornado touched down 1/2 mile from the rv park :-( Can't wait to see that you've found a new home!!

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  5. Yup, I missed this one. Don’t think I’ve ever heard of a “communications center” – what an innocuous phrase – compared to a dream catcher. Love seeing those wildflowers, you saw quite a variety and what a terrific hummer picture. Your “snug” picture looks pretty scary. What a road into Valley of Fire. The colors are amazing. And yes I do want to see what’s in there and would like to just climb all over those red rocks. Not sure how many of these wonderful spots I’ll only see through your pictures due to lack of a jeep. We find as you did that even in a two week stay, there are some places where you can’t see it all.

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    1. I couldn't find a single thing on that center, will have to ask the "locals" more about it :-) It is unique to anything we've seen anywhere else though. Those rocks are like a big playground!

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  6. The geology in your photos is amazing, Jodee! What a great getaway from the spring breakers!

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    1. Funny how that get-away becomes a part of our lives on the road :-) It's a fun and beautiful option in that busy area!

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  7. Darn darn darnity darn!!! I keep missing posts because I don't get notifications, no matter how many times I sign up. But hey! I'm not going to take it personally (I shouldn't, should I??). :-)
    Anyway, love this landscape...we've never been to Boulder City, but you know we'll be going there now to visit Pam and John. Maybe we can all meet up there! Tessa is always so adorable in her photos.

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    1. It's the perfect spot for us all to converge now - poor John and Pam may be sorry they let us know :-))))

      No, not personal at all!! It's frustrating on my end too :-(

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  8. Such wonderful things to explore in Boulder City...a place we have never been to! Beautiful landscape and awesome adventures. Love the picture of Tessa. And all the wildflowers. We haven't seen many here in Moab yet.

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    1. Anyone with a Jeep will love the area - lots to get off road and explore.

      I think there are less flowers in the desert this year than I can remember in many Springs. Maybe they're late - hoping!

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  9. Does Bill join you at Starbuck's? Looks relaxing... I had no idea where Boulder City was so I looked it up. Lots of gorgeous & colorful vistas out in the desert!

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    1. He's not a coffee house guy - especially for five hours :-) Even without a Jeep there's lots to see in that area!

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