First RV Trip

For years, Danielle and I have talked and dreamed about how we are going to enjoy our retirement years. We both have talked about all the exciting places we would love to travel to and visit. We loved the idea of traveling as a family and showing Madison the beauty of our country.

I have always dreamed of traveling the United States and experiencing all the unique things America has to offer. Places like Yosemite, Mono Lake, Crater Lake, Mammoth Lake, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, The Arches, Yellow Stone, Grand Teton National Park, Mt. Rushmore, Red Rock in Colorado, The Gorge in Washington State, and so on. I literally could go on forever about the places one could visit. 

Driving from one point to another with family, seeing and stopping at unique places along the way, and meeting people from across the country seems exciting. As Danielle and I would dream about this idea, we always wondered what was the best way to maximize this experience. I have always imagined the best way to do this is by RV. RV traveling forces you to slow down (you can’t go very fast in an RV) and gives you the flexibility to stop and stay at a location that just makes you smile. I have never wanted to be a full-time RV’er, just someone who had a smaller RV that could leave at a moments notice and explore wherever the heart desires with family and friends. In the spirit of maximizing this vacation, we invited Madison’s best friend Rebecca. Grandpa Steve also joined us to explore the lower US.

Early this year, while sitting around talking with family, I got tired of “talking about it.” I have seen a lot of people pass away at an early age who probably had those same “What I’d do in retirement” dreams Danielle and I have talked about. One night in early January, we decided we are no longer going to wait and just “talk about what we were going to do in retirement”. So, we decided we are going to make those dreams a reality.

There are so many places to rent an RV and we kind of got lost on what and where to look. We feared that we would rent an RV from a major company and the RV would be worn and abused inside, making the experience a bad one. We considered paying more for the rental to ensure we would get a well maintained and quality RV. 

During the research process, Danielle found a great website called, Outdoorsy. Outdoorsy is similar to an Air BnB but for RV’s and trailers. It is private RV owners who rent their RV’s while they are not using it. It is completely professional and our experience was a great one. If you ever want to rent an RV or small trailer, here is the link to Outdoorsy: https://www.outdoorsy.co/

If you ever decide you want to rent an RV, we would suggest reserving the RV early. What we learned quickly is the rental dates for RV get reserved quickly and early in the season. Lucky for us, Danielle located an RV for rent locally which was available for the dates of travel we had planned. Online, we submitted our requested dates of travel and quickly got approved. Over the next couple of weeks, we completed all the necessary paperwork and set our plan into action. The process was really easy and not confusing at all. In the end, we rented a 2017, Class C, Leprechaun Coachmen. The RV was 27 feet 6 inches and came with all kinds of fancy amenities. Here is a picture of “Lucky”, the RV we rented.

During the planning phase, Danielle and I selected Zion National Park as our “must see” location. Zion was ultimately our focus of this RV trip. We planned for other location that we could stop along the way or continue on to visit. We did agree that we could make adjustments on the fly if needed, but Zion would be the location we would not miss. The following locations we planned for this trip were, Aunt Bobbie’s and Uncle Leon’s house in Gardnerville NV, Mono Lake, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and the Arches. This route called for 1,595 miles with 27 hours of travel time to reach the Arches. We had 12 days to hit as many of the above locations.

PICKING UP THE RV:

Danielle, Grandpa Steve, and I drove and picked up the RV in the early morning. The gentleman we rented the RV from lived in San Jose, Ca. Once we arrived we got our first look at the RV. I was impressed with the color and how good of condition it was. The process of inspecting the RV was simple and quick. We received a quick lesson on how to operate the RV and all of the features. I was pretty impressed with the RV and all of the amenities that came with it. This process was seamless and before we knew it, we were on the road headed back to Livermore to pack up the RV for our trip.

Once we got back to Livermore, Danielle prepared for a trip to the store for food and extra supplies. We searched the internet for suggested items one would need on the first RV trip. Danielle and I planned to only buy food for the first three days. As I looked at the map, I could see there were plenty of grocery stores we could stop off and stock up if and when needed. This worked out perfectly because we did stop at stores for ice (for the cooler) and other meals.

By 5:00 PM, the RV was loaded with all of our things and was locked up for the night. Our planned departure time was 9:00 AM the next morning.

DAY #1:

Our original plan was to drive from Livermore into Yosemite and then spend the night at the base of Mt. Dana. Mt. Dana is located on the far eastern side of Tiago Pass. Mt. Dana is an amazing mountain that overlooks Mono Lake. I have stayed at the small little campground at Tiago Lake and was treated to some of the most amazing views of Mt. Dana, surrounding terrain, and beautiful stargazing. Mt. Dana was first on the list to visit. The following day, our plan was to visit Mono Lake. 

Tiago Pass provided the quickest and most scenic route to Mt. Dana. As the departure time grew closer, I learned that Tiago Pass was closed through August. Apparently, there is so much snow that the snow plows cannot even clear the roadway. This road closure forced us to change plans, remove Mt. Dana as a destination, and find an alternative route to Mono Lake. 

Danielle thought, why not visit Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Leon. This worked out great. Their house is tightly tucked on Kingsbury Grade at the base of the Nevada side of Heavenly Valley Ski Resort. It is a new house that Leon built with stunning views of the massive Sierras and in the opposite direction, beautiful views of the Nevada Valley and desert. This was an easy choice and allowed for us to spend our first night with family.

We left Livermore behind schedule around 11:00 AM. Not bad for first-time RV’ers and we expected that this time would decrease throughout the trip as we got more used to setting up and breaking down camp.

The quickest route (which we have been several times before) would have been to drive Highway 50 through South Lake Tahoe. As first-time RV’er’s, we wanted to travel the road and see things we haven’t before. Madison has never been through Reno so we elected to take Highway 80 into Reno Nevada. We connected to Highway 395 and traveled south to Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Leon’s place.

The drive wasn’t too bad. Traveling through major cities was a bit rough for my first time driving such a wide vehicle. People are in such a hurry and traffic is horrible. As I drove through Sacramento, I was just begging for a mountain road with people just driving to their destination. Now, the recommended speed for an RV this size is 60-65 mph, which is slower than we usually drive in our personal cars. We did not want to add any stress to the RV since it was not ours, so I set the cruise control for between 59-62 mph. Obviously, this made the drive a lot longer but as time passed, I realized the slower pace allowed me to take in the views surrounding us. It was surreal because I have traveled this road many times before and have always tried to get to my destination fast. Having the opportunity to sit comfortably in the RV and look around at all the sights, was a real treat. Seeing the remanence of a huge winter made the scenery even more spectacular. Leaving Sacramento and driving up Highway 80 we were treated by the massive snowcapped Sierra Nevadas.

During the drive, Madison and Rebecca got to visit and move around in the RV as opposed to just sitting in one seat the entire way there. Grandpa took the book I brought to read, kicked back by laying down on the couch and began reading. Looking in the rear view mirror seeing everyone relaxed and enjoying the drive confirmed the RV was a good decision. Throughout the first leg, I could see Grandpa Steve getting up and taking video and pictures of the scenes around us. Madison and Rebecca would see things and direct each other to look. The slow pace also allowed plenty of time for Danielle and I to relax and have some great conversations with each other. 

One thing I did notice along the way were the conditions of California roads. They are so bumpy and torn up. In Nevada, the majority of the roads (not all) are well paved and smooth. The smooth roads made for a great trip with very little noise from the cabin of the RV.

We arrived into Gardnerville around 6:00 pm with Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Leon greeting us from the porch. Their house is absolutely stunning and as many times that I have looked at it, I am always really impressed. It is for sale if anyone is interested, just contact Bobbie.

We pulled into the driveway and set up camp for the night. Set up includes leveling the RV, plugging in the power, and connecting the water and sewer. For the first night, everything worked flawlessly. 

We had preplanned with Bobbie and Leon that we would bring Tri-Tip to BBQ for dinner. Once we arrived, Leon prepared Tri-Tip and Bobbie made some rice and a delicious green salad. Here are some pictures from the night.

After dinner, we were treated to a beautiful and amazing sunset. We all walked out on the deck with beverages in hand and enjoyed the views. 

We knew we had a long drive day ahead of us for day two, so the plan was to head to bed early, rise early and head out.

DAY #2:

We woke up, launched the drone and flew around Bobbie and Leon’s house to capture the early morning sunrise and views. After taking advantage of a nice sunrise, we enjoyed coffee and breakfast while sitting on the deck that faces the Nevada valley. 

(Music: Cruisin' by Romeo Cabrera)

During breakfast, I checked the weather for our next location, Death Valley. Our original plan was to drive from Gardnerville Nevada to an RV park I found in Death Valley. Our hopes were to enjoy some nighttime photography and the amazing view of the stars. Unfortunately, the weather for the day in Death Valley called for a high of 126º. There is nothing enjoyable about 126º. The beautiful thing about RV’ing I quickly learned, is that we could change plans at a moments notice. 

I looked online and located a way around Death Valley. Instead of traveling from Mono Lake down to Death Valley via Highway 395, I opted to take Highway 120 east along Mono Lake into Nevada. Looking for a place to stop for the night, I found the Wine Ridge RV Resort in Pahrump Nevada. Pahrump is located just north of Las Vegas and I didn’t even know the town existed until today. This needed to be the stopping point for us before our final leg to Zion National Park. 

What I quickly realized on my first day of travel in the RV was the estimated time of travel. Google Maps will tell you that the trip will take 4 hours and 37 minutes. That is 100% accurate if you are traveling the posted speed limit, which was most often 70 MPH. So, our travel time was a lot longer than what was displayed on Google Maps. Danielle and I solidified the new travel plans and started preparing. I knew today was going to be a long day and we needed to get on the road sooner than later. 

Even though we had a long drive, we knew that Mono Lake was going to be a treat. We took off and headed south on Highway 395. Again, traveling between 60 mph and 65 mph allowed for everyone to enjoy the beauty around us. We got to drive through some beautiful small towns and see some neat history along the way. At one point, we stopped off along the roadway on this lonely stretch of highway. We were in the middle of this huge canyon with large rocks covering the mountain walls. Running through the middle of this canyon was a quickly rushing river. You could tell the snow melt was plentiful as the river was clearly at its maximum. 

We couldn’t let a good drone opportunity pass us by. We pulled to the side of the road and launched the drone. The girls crossed the roadway and climbed along the rocks near the river. The girls also took a moment to take some pictures.

Just as you approach Mono Lake from the north on Highway 395, there is a scenic vista point for you to park and take pictures (pictures below). The scenic point is about 3,000 feet above Mono Lake. The day was so clear and provided a majestic view of the entire lake.

Prior to visiting Mono Lake, Danielle and I planned to eat lunch at a neat little place I have eaten at several times. At the junction of Highway 395 and Highway 120 sits an amazing little gem called Whoa Nelli Deli. Whoa Nelli Deli is a gas station and a restaurant. Several years ago, Grandpa Steve and I climbed Mt. Dana with Ryan and Kyle before heading to Mt Whitney. This place became a favorite stopping point for me and Grandpa Steve, so we made it our lunch destination for day two.

We arrived at the junction of Highway 120 and Highway 395 around 11:45 AM. At this time, everyone was a bit hungry. We arrived and got gas first. Just for the record, this photo is the price of gas to fill up in California. To fill up a half a tank in California, it cost me $100.00 and $96.00. Compare that to Nevada. I had to fill up three-quarters of a tank and it only cost $64.00. I was prepared for this and planned accordingly for the high prices of California gas.

Inside Whoa Nelli Deli, I ordered the Whoa Nelli Deli Burger, Danielle ordered the famous Fish Tacos, and the girls ordered the BBQ Chicken sandwich. Everyone enjoyed their lunch and the girls liked the BBQ chicken without the BBQ sauce. Here are some photos of us enjoying lunch before heading to Mono Lake.

After lunch, we shopped for a few souvenirs and headed south. As we pulled into the entrance of Mono Lake, I was suddenly reminded that the final half mile to Mono Lake is gravel. When we did our research on renting an RV, we also read some of the horror stories of the damages caused on trips. One thing I remembered was a lot of renters talked about damage to the RV from driving on gravel roads. Because we had a rental RV, we opted to view Mono Lake from a distance. So we continued on to our stopping point, Pahrump Nevada.

The roads to Pahrump Nevada are some of the loneliest roads I have ever been on. I have heard Highway 50 is the loneliest highway in America. But for goodness sakes, this has to be #2. I was traveling on Highway 160, and at one point did not see another car (in either direction) for 67 miles. The neat part of it were all the signs for drivers to watch for wild horses and wild donkeys. Here are some photos of the barren roads.

I was aware that over the next week this part of the country was going to experience a massive heat wave. To be honest, I was a little worried about the rental. It does not belong to me and I do not know what kind of issues, if any, the RV has had. According to our weather app, it was 107º. I could see the heat billowing off of the roadway. The air conditioner in the RV was blaring and I knew this RV was hot. I could feel the engine heat coming through the dash of the RV. Not seeing a single vehicle for miles on end made me begin to think of “what will we do if the RV breaks down” scenarios. I knew we had the shade of the RV and some food and water if anything did happen. If days went by, I was confident that I had watched enough Bear Grills that we would be okay. 

Here is a small video of the lonely desert roads.

(Music: Slip by Sofie Letitre)

After a very long drive, we made it to our one night stop destination, Wine Ridge RV Resort, at 7:00 PM. This resort is in the middle of the desert and it was HOT. The heat wave covers every place we plan on visiting. I am a little nervous about all the hiking we have planned. Due to the heat, we opted to change our plans once again and stay longer in Zion. We decided that the Grand Canyon would be another time and Zion would have us for four days.

Nonetheless, our little RV Resort in Pahrump NV was a really nice RV resort. Everything was super clean and well maintained. They have plenty of bathrooms and showers for the guests. The showers and restrooms are very clean, air conditioned, and not what I expected from an RV resort. The resort had two pools and an indoor clubhouse with table shuffleboard and a pool table. This was just a one night stop but it was a great little spot that we were glad we chose. The Wine Ridge RV Resort was clearly meant to be. Our RV site number was 911. What are the odds!!!

Well, we settled in and all gathered in the main cabin area of the RV to share the air conditioner. The heat was insanely hot! The girls then changed and got into their bathing suits and went to the pool. I joined them a little while later and took a refreshing dip after dark. This was what I needed. I was so hot and the sun was down. I walked right into the pool and fell in so I was fully submerged. I felt so refreshed after sitting in the pool for some time. After the swim, we returned to the RV and looked at the plans for the final leg into Zion National Park. 

Grandpa Steve was researching Zion and there was breaking news that someone died today as a result of heat stroke. They were hiking Angel’s Landing, which is a fully exposed hike with no shade. The temperature today inside Zion was 103º. The weather for the rest of the week was calling for 108º and up. The weather called for an increase in temperature each day through Friday. 

We all agreed that an early start was best so we could get into camp and enjoy as much of Zion as we could.

DAY #3:

In the morning we got up early, made some coffee and ate a quick breakfast.

We unhooked the RV, raised the levelers, and hit the road for Zion. The drive into Utah went through Las Vegas and Arizona. After going through Las Vegas, the landscapes began to change dramatically. The road eventually began to wind through a beautiful rust and red colored canyon. The sights were complimented with the Virgin River flowing through the center. Throughout the canyon, the signs warned drivers to look out for wild mountain goats. The mountain goats would just cross the road causing serious collisions. Of course our eyes were peeled for a mountain goat, but unfortunately, we didn’t see any. Nonetheless, we were treated to amazing views. Since we planned to spend some extra time in Zion, we rented a vehicle from Hertz in the town of St. George, Utah. St. George sits about 30 minutes west of the entrance to Zion and picking up the car from the local airport was a breeze. 

We arrived in Virgin Utah at the Zion River Resort about 3:00 PM. The City of Virgin is a very small town about 10 minutes from the entrance of Zion National Park. Zion River Resort sits along the Virgin River. This is the river that flows down through Zion. We pulled in and were so surprised at how nice the RV resort was. It was jammed packed with RV’s, tents and people moving about. We quickly parked and checked into the resort. The staff were so friendly and provided us with a ton of information about the amenities and things to do nearby. During the check in process, they also informed us about the resort’s nightly ice cream social. Every night at 8:00 PM, they make and serve ice cream to the guests until the ice cream runs out. The ice cream flavors consisted of name brand ice cream (Blue Bunny) and homemade ice cream with some really unique flavors. Of course, we couldn’t let an ice cream opportunity pass without attending, so we got our ice cream tickets and planned for ice cream at 8:00 PM sharp. 

We left the office and found our campsite, #43. Setting up camp was easy as could be. We pulled in, set up camp, and within 20 minutes, our camp was all set up with lawn chairs, tables, the cooler. If you ever get a chance to visit Zion and you need a great place to stay with an RV, check out Zion River Resort. https://www.zionriverresort.com

Shortly after setting up the RV, we walked around the RV resort to check it out. Again, the cleanliness of the resort along with the amenities was impressive. They had a pool, pool table, social room with books and board games and movies you could check out and play on your RV DVD player. Inside the resort, there are cottages for those who are not RV campers or tent campers. I did not get a chance to look inside one because the RV resort was full to capacity.

As we were touring the resort, we walked to the river that backs up to the RV campsites. We walked through some tall bamboo-like trees that were green and lush, they towered over me, and were at least 10-12 feet tall. The trail through the trees was sandy and cool as you made your way to the river. Once there, the sun was brightly reflecting off the river and the rocks that broke through the top of the water. Here is a small video of us walking through the tall bamboo-like trees. 

(Music: Blinded by Emmit Fenn)

As we looked around and took in the view, parents had lawn chairs halfway submerged in the river watching their kids play. We were blown away with what we were seeing and instantly knew what we had planned for the rest of the day. We immediately went back to the RV, changed into our swim gear, gathered all our things and got back to the river as fast as we could.

After relaxing in the river for some time, Danielle and I discussed what we were going to do for dinner. The heat was a factor and the idea of BBQing in the heat was daunting. While checking into the resort, one of the staff members suggested a neat little place about 3 minutes down the road called Fort Zion. We jumped into Grandpa Steve’s rental car and drove to dinner. As we pulled up to Fort Zion, we were quite surprised and this little gem. The place looked like and an actual civil war fort made completely like a fortress with wooden posts. A truly unique place on the side of the road with the view of the canyon hills that show the beginning of Zion. The food was pretty good and the interior was unique. It included a trading post and a petting zoo. If you ever get a chance to stop by, it is worth it. Here is the link to check it out. https://www.facebook.com/virgintradingpost/

After dinner, we headed back to the resort with great anticipation for the ice cream. The staff was correct, the ice cream line started right at 8:00 PM and ice cream went fast. We hopped in line and Danielle, Madison, Rebecca and I all ordered the Campfire S’mores. Grandpa Steve ordered the Corn Bread flavor. Madison and Rebecca found a set of chairs in one of the courtyards where we all sat in the warm weather and enjoyed each other’s company. The ice cream was delicious and I looked forward to the next ice cream social the following night. Grandpa Steve said he was really surprised at how good his Corn Bread flavored ice cream was. He recommended it for the next ice cream social.

Shortly after hanging out in the courtyard area of the resort, we headed back to the RV to prepare for our first time in Zion. Once in the RV, we checked the weather. The heat wave was now directly over Zion and was bearing its true force. The weather called for a high of 108º. We knew with the high heat, shade and water were a must. The Narrows is a famous hike that is deep in a canyon slot and blocks the sun the majority of the day. With 99% of the hike taking place in ankle deep water, we decided the Narrows would be best for our first visit. The recommendation was to be in the park at 7:00 AM and catch the first shuttle to the trailhead of the Narrows.

We all planned for an early wake up, so we quickly prepared our packs and headed to bed anxiously waiting for a wonderful hike. 

Day 4:

The Narrows Hike is finally here. We all woke at 5:00 AM and prepared our lunches, packed our packs and settled in for some breakfast. The anticipation was building as Zion has always been a place I have wanted to see. I have heard stories, and people have shared photos of the hikes within Zion. Hearing and dreaming about Zion National Park for so long, it was a destination on my bucket list. Today is the day, June 19th, 2017, I finally get to see it! Preparing for this RV trip, we all looked at pictures of our destinations throughout the trip and we always spent the most time viewing the pictures of Zion.

Zion National Park has the reputation of being the most visited National Park in the US, and everyone we have talked to said to be at the park before it opens due to the mass crowds. We took everyone's advice and left camp at 6:43 AM. We left the campsite and arrived at a store just steps away from the entrance of Zion. The place is called Zion Outfitters and is another highly recommended place to rent the gear for the Narrows Hike. The recommended rental gear consisted of water shoes, neoprene socks, and hiking sticks. To be honest, I originally didn't think we needed those river shoes. I already owned a pair of Merrill water shoes and believed they would be just fine (I'll explain later, but I'm glad I rented the shoes). As I looked around at the people preparing to enter Zion, I noticed experienced hikers wearing heavy duty river shoes of their own. I realized that my shoes might not cut it, so I gave in and rented the gear. The full package consisted of the shoes, neoprene socks, and a walking stick. The boots were black with bright neon colors and not anything you would wear out on the town, but they are worth the $24.00 rental fee. We requested our sizes, the staff checked that the shoes fit properly, and we suited up for the hike.

We checked the time and saw it was 7:20 AM, we quickly ran to the car and drove into the park. Fortunately, Grandpa Steve had a pass that allowed us to enter the park for free, saving us the $30.00 entrance fee. At the first right, we turned into the visitor center and parked in the first parking spot that was open. I could tell with only 20 minutes past the opening of the park, there were hundreds of people waiting in line for the shuttle bus.

One unique thing about Zion that I have not experienced before was the shuttle bus system. If you want to get to the trailheads, you can walk, but the best way is to wait in line and take the shuttle to one of the eight stops along the way. While we waited in line for about an hour, we talked to people who were sharing the lines with us. The conversations were great and consisted of the hikes each person had planned and asking who had done which hike already. One lady nearby told me this was her second time at Zion. She had traveled by herself from Los Angeles to Zion to hike Angel’s Landing. She loves the park and last year did the Narrows, Emerald Pools, and The Watchman Trail. It was great to hear the reason for her travels. Another person told Grandpa Steve that Zion is an annual trip. Their mother passed away and the family spread her ashes at the top of Angel’s Landing. Each year, the family makes a trip to Zion and hikes Angel’s Landing to spend time with their mother.

The line eventually made its way to our turn. We boarded the shuttle and headed to the trailhead. The shuttle ride travels through large canyons making nine stops total, with the final stop being the Temple of Sinawava. The route to each stop travels along some iconic hikes and you are treated to views of Weeping Rock, Angel’s Landing, and Emerald Pools. As you travel along the route, the shuttle driver gives history of what you are looking at. All of us were in awe at what we were seeing, and furiously taking pictures to try to capture these sights. They said the entire shuttle ride to the Temple of Sinawava would be 40 minutes. It did not take that long at all. Plus, the time flew by as the park just grabbed your attention at every turn. 

About 9:30 A.M., our shuttle bus reached the final stop. We all jumped off, posed for photos and hit the trail. The hike starts with a mile long trail to the river. The trail is flat and doesn’t require any more effort than putting one foot in front of the other. Along this trail, you are consumed with the tall mountains that surround you. The Virgin River runs on the left side of the trail as you walk to begin this hike. These rocks and mountains are 1000 feet straight up. All along the walls of these rocks are fresh deep green trees and plants with water squeezing out the cracks. They call these plants the hanging gardens. Apparently, these canyon mountains hold water inside of them and the moisture makes its way out through the sides. Often times, you will see small water falls that appear out of the side of a rock.

Before your know it, you are at the trailhead. It is crowded with people putting on their river shoes or securing their phones and cameras in water proof bags. We made our way down the stone steps and took our first steps into the river. The trail begins with ankle deep water. The water is warm and flows over the golden colored rocks that line the bottom of the river. When I looked at the rocks and took the first couple of steps in the river, I couldn’t feel the rocks at all. I was immediately thankful I rented the river shoes as they made this hike so much easier.

As we hiked up the river, you are just consumed by the views. That saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, is so true. I immediately started snapping pictures and realized the pictures will never do this majestic place justice. The sounds and sights just made you stop and look around. The tall canyons glowed orange, red, and black with lush deep green trees and plants protruding from them. It is so hard to describe but this place spoke to me. I was stunned and taken back by the beauty of this hike. I felt calm and was so thankful. I looked around at the family and could see the smiles and everyone snapping pictures.

We walked along the hike and each step we took, we were amazed that the Narrows Hike got more beautiful and stunning. We continued to hike for about 3 hours. Although we hiked for 3 hours, we only made it about 2.5 miles in. Our pace was slowed because there were so many scenes that pulled at us to take out our cameras and take pictures. Eventually, we stopped to eat lunch on a small beach area along the hike.

After lunch, we continued to hike for about thirty more minutes. We reached a point where there was a combination of shade and sun. There was a deep section of water that allowed us to jump in and float down the river. Every one of us jumped in and went down the river. 

After enjoying the nature made river slide, we collectively made the decision to head back to the shuttle. The walk out took us almost 2 hours. I imagine it would have taken less if we didn’t stop once again for so many photos. On the way back, the sunlight had made its way to pierce the canyon slots. Much of what was just shade on the hike in, was now in full sun. You could feel the temperature rising as you approached the end of the trail. After reaching the shuttle, we hopped on and headed back to where we parked our car. Out of the shade and out of the water that the hike provided, you could really feel the temperature. I checked my phone and it was a stunning 108º.

We quickly returned our shoes and enjoyed a full lunch at the Zion River Brew Pub that is located just outside the Zion entrance. Food was good and hit the spot after the hike. 

For a full detailed blog of the Narrows Hike, click on the blog "The Narrows: Zion National Park"

Once we finished our delicious lunch, we headed to the souvenir shops, purchased some souvenirs and headed back to camp. Once back at camp, we picked up the ice cream social tickets, and for the rest of the day we grabbed beverages and walked to the river to relax and take in the views. Our plan was to stay in the river as long as we wanted, come back to the RV, have dinner and enjoy some S’mores.

While enjoying the warm weather when the sun was down, Danielle and I talked about the weather and upcoming days. We looked at the weather and the temperature gradually increased every day. We talked about the idea of heading to Tahoe for steady 85º weather. Knowing that some of the other Zion Hikes were in fully exposed sun, the decision was easy. We decided to wake up at our own pace and head to South Lake Tahoe to enjoy a couple of days of tolerable weather.

DAY #5:

Today we slept until we naturally woke up. I woke up around 7:00 AM and decided to take advantage of the laundry room the resort had. I did a load of laundry, showered and ate breakfast. Within a couple of hours, we broke down camp and headed out. We were sad to leave and wished the weather was different so we could maximize the time in Zion. We all loved Zion and the resort, we all agreed that we will be back soon under more manageable weather conditions.

We drove several hours back to Pahrump NV and set up camp. The girls jumped into the pool while Grandpa Steve, Danielle and I went into the clubhouse and enjoyed some shuffle board. The temperature in Pahrump was 113º and we debated on food. Danielle noticed that the Resort was attached to a winery with a nice restaurant. Danielle went and researched if we could have dinner there without dressing up. They told us any attire was fine and to come and enjoy dinner.

Around 6:30 PM, we made our way to Pahrump Valley Winery for dinner. Pahrump is a small little desert town that, from the looks of it, doesn't have a good economic base. I would not believe that an insanely good restaurant would be in the middle of the town. We walked in and to our surprise, this was an amazing restaurant. The food was delicious and it was obvious we were underdressed. Our server was amazing and of course we went big and ordered whatever we wanted.

Dinner was delicious and now we were all full, and ready for bed. We planned to wake up at 3:30 AM and make the final drive to South Lake Tahoe.

DAY #6:

Danielle and I woke up early, broke down camp and packed up the RV in a different format so the girls and Grandpa Steve could sleep during the drive. Starting early was the way to go. The colors along the lonely roads were amazing. We drove Highway 95 all the way into Garnderville. Here are some pictures along the way.

We arrived at Bobbie and Leon’s at 12:35 PM and set up camp. Bobbie informed us that more family would be coming to her house for dinner. The weather was 91º and completely tolerable. We planned to just relax, run to the store, and plan for a full day in South Lake Tahoe tomorrow.

About 6:00 PM, Aunt Patty arrived and shortly after, Megan, Jessie, Audra, and Harkin showed up. It was great to see everyone, hang out and chat.

Yet again, we were treated to an amazing sunset and a summer lightening storm off in the distance.

DAY #7:

Today we decided to wake up without the alarm and go at our own pace. We woke up about 7:30 AM, enjoyed some breakfast and coffee and prepared for the day. Bobbie and Leon were nice enough to loan us one of their vehicle’s for the day so we could drive into South Lake Tahoe and spend the day on the lake and walk downtown. About 11:30 AM we drove into South Lake and the weather was beautiful. We went to the store to get sandwiches for lunch and then headed to Nevada Beach. 

Around 6:00 PM, we left the beach and headed downtown. We parked and walked to one of our favorite dinner spots, The Stateline Brewery. After dinner we walked around and enjoyed some of the sites and the surroundings. Madison and Rebecca still had room in their bellies for ice cream from Coldstone. After that, around 8:30 PM, we headed back to Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Leon’s and called it a night.

DAY #8:

We woke up around 7:00 AM and began the packing process to head home. We enjoyed the morning and set a take off time of 9:00 AM. This far along in the trip, we mastered out depart times and left at 9:03 AM. Today we opted to take Highway 88 home through Kirkwood. This was the right choice and gave us some beautiful views to close out our RV trip. Here are some photos and videos along the way home.

SUMMARY:

The trip ended with the heat being the only real issue we confronted. In total, we travelled 1,912 miles and traveled through four states. It truly was an experience that added additional memories to our family. Doing an RV trip wasn’t bad at all. I thought we would deal with more issues, but everywhere we went and visited turned out great. The time together seeing so many beautiful sights was a real treat. If you ever get the chance to RV camp, its worth the experience if you take the time to plan correctly. Plan early, pick places you want to visit along with the routes you want to go. Be daring and pick places that are unique and be prepared to adjust plans if a location calls for more time. For us, the trip was a success. As a family we immediately talked about doing it again, and also returning to Zion. 

We had such a good time that we started dreaming about taking an RV through Canada with a destination location of Banff Canada. In fact, Danielle and I spent time talking about places we want to visit next summer. So, we tentatively planned for Crater Lake National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Yellow Stone. Stay tuned and start making your dreams a reality!