It wasn't easy... but worth the effort

It took us absolutely ages to get the shed out of the secure parking in the garage of the hotel in San Fran. It was so secure that the exit had been blocked by a car and nobody could find the keys! Of course Brian remained very patient (not). Once we were free we headed for Yosemite National Park riding in brilliant sunshine as soon as we left the city and the coast. In fact it soon became baking hot. We set up the tent on the first campground inside the park after purchasing an annual pass for all the National Parks in America (something Roy had recommended we did - a good call as it goes) After considering lighting a camp fire we decided not to bother as everyone in the campground appeared to have done this and as a result we were choking on the smoke that was lingering around. Gasping for breath we chose to retire to bed early.

The next morning we were up early, mostly due to the fact that it had been freezing cold that night and we didn't sleep that well. This was for the best as we then went into Yosemite valley and because we were early we missed most of the traffic and visitors which meant we could take in the views at our leisure.


The diversity of the scenery was spectacular from one end of the park to the other. Green and lush to rocky and mountainous. Because we got through it quickly we decided to press on - into and around the Nevada deserts.

I can't actually describe what this was like. The first taste of what was to come was when we pulled up to look at the map. I could see a spiral of air picking up the sand and grit and twirling it around up to about 15 feet. Then it seemed to disappear. The next minute we were being whipped around and the map nearly pulled from Brian's hand. We both had our helmets opened so we got battered with the materials flying round. Quickly as it came..... it went. We then continued and went from a popular tourist attraction with lots of traffic and people into a creepy and extremely windy place. The vast emptiness of the environment was screaming at you.


It was an experience I will never forget. The roads just seemed to go on and on in long straight lines in front of us.


We could see mountains and hoped to reach them and get a break from the strong and gusty winds but they continually seemed to move away from us. We were relieved to reach a place called Benton where we planned our next stop which wasn't too far away.

Tonopah used to be a thriving mining community but is now quite run down. We stayed in a hotel that has a casino downstairs. It was astonishing to see people sat at the same machine for hours, never moving, having drinks delivered and apparently oblivious to everything else around them chasing the dream of wealth and good fortune. I noticed some oil on Brian's right boot as we were stood in the elevator. He checked it out and it seems we have a bit of a problem with the shed. We finally heard from my daughter, Lucy who had just returned from holiday. My son was due back in a couple of days. Emails from family and friends are really important and we look forward to hearing what's going on back home so it was great catching up with her.

More and more desert the following day, going around area 51 looking out for aliens and finding some in the cafe we stopped in for a bite to eat.


We stopped in St George that night and actually had a couple of nights there as Brian was exhausted from fighting the winds and none stop desert riding. This was good because it gave me a chance to get my hair back to it's unnatural colour using some miracle from a box. I also managed to have an on line chat with my step son, Alex, which was rather lovely.

The next day we had a delayed start because the side stand switch packed in on the shed. I wasn't too concerned because I knew Brian would be able to fix it. He knows the shed inside out and he had it fixed in no time. We then headed for Zion National Park, using our annual pass to get in. We rode there and through the park in our t-shirts. It felt great. The park was beautiful with amazing shapes and colours and a narrow one mile tunnel.


On to Bryce National Park which was another astonishing formation like an alien planet in places.

We stopped at a Mount Carmel that night making the Grand Canyon a stones throw away the next day. The Canyon is astonishing and quite incomprehensible even when you're stood looking at it. I was surprised at the silence and total solitude of the place. I took lots of pictures but none of them will convey any of these to others. All they really do is remind us that we have been there and experienced it. Anyone that can should really put this on their list of 'things to do before I die'

I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed the three National Parks we have done in the last couple of days. They were definitely 'awesome' After Denali Park I was little apprehensive about doing another park but these have renewed my enthusiasm. We were free to roam around using hop on, hop off buses which were provided free of charge to enable us to see various areas of the parks. They made me feel that these were indeed National Parks, accessible to the Nation and it's visitors.