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Phoenix To Seattle Road Trip With 3 Dogs & A Cockatoo Day 2: California, Here We Come

5/15/2014

6 Comments

 
Typist: Bethany
Tent camping at Lake Mead National Recreation Area was an adventure in itself. The campsites at the campground we stayed at the first night, Las Vegas Bay, all have massive asphalt pads with very little room for a tent let alone one that will fit three dogs and a cockatoo. After hours of plotting, the only place I could fit my tent without having it on the asphalt was, according to the camp host and a ranger the following morning "out of bounds." The invisible boundary they both saw was unclear to me but I am all for vegetation and land restoration so I followed the rangers advice and moved to another campground. The ranger indicated the Bolder Beach campsites tended to be larger. Most of the campsites there were larger and, thankfully, the boundaries of each site were clearly defined by rocks, tent pads and even surveyors flags. However, completely dismantling, packing and resetting up camp all in one day was exhausting, to say the least. Fortunately my amazing traveling companions were just that, amazing. Plus the pets kept my spirits high.
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Lake Mead Campsite 1 at Las Vegas Bay
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Lake Mead Campsite 2 at Boulder Beach
Then came the wind storm. As I reflect on some of the great conversations I had with locals and regular campers at Lake Mead, the one that stands out the most was the couple who told me that the only problem they have ever had camping there is the wind. Such foreshadowing! Long story short, the dogs crates held the tent up until I moved the van to tie guy lines to it. We slept in the van. Well, the pets did. Wilhelm locked me out of the van so I slept in the tent until the locksmith arrived at 2:30AM. Needless to say that was our last night of camping on this trip. As soon as the wind died down I packed up and we spent our last night in Nevada in a motel. We first enjoyed one last romp on the beach and a final, spectacular Lake Mead sunset.
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Leo surveys Lake Mead.
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Huxley sniffs the shore.
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Wilhelm wading in Lake Mead.
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Brychwyn on Boulder Beach at Lake Mead, Nevada.
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Sunset from Sunset Point, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada.
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Day two drive from Lake Mead, Nevada to South Lake Tahoe, California.
The second day of driving on our return to Seattle from Phoenix was the longest drive I had planned for our entire three week road trip. I was originally going to break up the drive into two days but a one day long drive through the desert and more time at South Lake Tahoe had a lot of appeal. And most of this drive was enjoyable. The desert had all the colors of Death Valley National Park and even some sand dunes. It wasn't too hot to leave the air conditioning off and the windows open so the dogs could enjoy the smells of the passing scenery. Long drives are hardest for Leo but he busily played in his Popemobile.
We took our only drive break of the day at Walker Lake. However, we didn't stay long. The first reason being that I chose a closed state park fr our stop. The second reason being the massive amount of bugs. I don't think the bugs were the reason that the park was closed but either way, getting out of there quickly seemed wise.
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Leo gazes out on Walker Lake, Nevada.
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Brychwyn, Wilhelm and Huxley at Walker Lake, Nevada.
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Last moonrise and sunset as we leave Nevada for California.
Had it not been for a closed road, we might have made it to South Lake Tahoe in time to enjoy the sunset. I did get a glimpse of the lovely blue lake in the twilight driving down towards town from the mountain pass. After the day (and weeks) of desert driving, the biggest thrill of this drive was seeing trees. Not bushes, shrubs, cacti or landscape but real, native, forest. I almost jumped from the car to hug the first conifer I saw. And if I hadn't been toting bags of poop when walking the dogs around our South Lake Tahoe motel that evening, I would have collected a mass of giant pine cones. Obviously, our time in South Lake Tahoe is going to be fantastic!
Please forgive any & all rough spots in this post as it has been done on mobile from the road! We will be reading and enjoying your comments but, due to being on the road, it will be difficult for us to respond right away. Thanks for understanding and for coming along on our adventure.
6 Comments
Molly The Wally link
5/14/2014 09:59:25 pm

We think you are amazing to have made it all the way there and back with your merry band of companions. Quite an adventure. I can well imagine seeing trees again must have been quite a thrill after all that sand and cacti. Have a tremendous Thursday.
Best wishes Molly

Reply
Bethany
6/6/2014 09:54:04 am

Oh the trees! And to be out of the dust (not sand, dust!) is such a relief. The dogs were FILTHY.

Reply
Mary link
5/15/2014 12:58:39 am

Yep, like I said, you are wonder woman, Although no longer in disguise. I was so worried about you guys in that wind, it was something else. I'm glad you're safe and on to the next adventure.

Reply
Bethany
6/6/2014 09:55:58 am

I have actually tent camped in wind like that before.. even gusts up to 90MPH, though not alone and not with four lives in my charge. A golden lasso sure would have come in handy during that wind storm! :)

Reply
Jodi, Kolchak and Felix link
5/16/2014 06:22:36 am

You are amazing. I knew your trip had some background drama, but man! You really went through the ringer. I have to say, the fact that you arrived at the conference with such poise and calmness around you is nothing short of amazing - and with three dogs and a cockatoo in tow, I bow to your superior skillz. I think I would like to be you when I grow up. Oh and I regret not stealing Brychwyn when I had the chance. I should have grabbed the corgi and ran.

Reply
Bethany
6/6/2014 09:59:22 am

I would have just laughed at you running off with Brychwyn but Elizabeth might have tracked you and tackled you! Jason and I always joke that if anyone ever stole Brychwyn they'd promptly return him once they heard him bark... for several straight hours. The blue eyes aren't so amazing when your ears are ringing! :)

And thank you. I honestly owe it all to the pets. I HAD to keep it together for their sake. I may very well have abandoned everything and hopped a plane for home if I didn't have them to care for and to cheer me up!... even with the barking.

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