CuRVWander

  In 2020 the pandemic lockdown was underway and we were in a place where there wasn't much to do except watch TV.  You would think with hundreds of DirecTV satellite channels, Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video there would be plenty to occupy time.  But such is not the case.  We were endlessly searching for something we would like but had not already seen multiple times.  One evening while surfing channels I came across the History Channel just as they were premiering a new series, The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch. From previous posts it is already known that I am a watcher of the series Ancient Aliens.  But generally I tend to avoid virtually all the other series that sensationalize paranormal or UFO activity but never gather any measurable and repeatable data.  Skinwalker Ranch showed promise to break that mold.  The "hook" that reeled me in was that the principal scientific advisor was someone I was familiar with from watching and reading about s...

Flaming Gorge as seen from Canyon Rim Trail  Continuing from the last post I am doing a little fast-forwarding. July 2023 While Cyndee was convalescing from her surgery I did some hikes.  The anesthesia had some lasting effects and she was sleeping for long stretches so it was possible for me to get in some short hikes during her "naps".  The Canyon Rim Trail was close enough to the volunteer campground that I could just walk to it and take in the sights. Looking east into the gorge. It is 1,380' (421 m) down to the water from where I am standing. This is pretty typical of how close the trail parallels the canyon rim. Red Canyon Rim Trail. It is loaded with rocks that are perfect for rolling an ankle on. If you don't take a picture, it didn't happen. I started the hike in the middle of the trail and hiked to the terminus at the Red Canyon Visitor Center.  Walking into the public area and campground I was treated with another encounter with our local herd of big ho...

  My writing about our adventures in fulltiming have gotten woefully behind.  I'm going to compress some time with this post. May 2023 We had a very welcomed resident in the volunteer campground.  A Great Basin Gopher Snake.  This guy and a companion did a good job of keeping the rodents at bay.  I didn't have a single mouse get under the hood of the truck or in the camper all season. Spring was long, cold and wet.  It made for some gorgeous flora. Cyndee at the Swett Ranch taking in the perfume of a giant lilac bush. Notice the long sleeves and vest. We had been photographing so many small, delicate flowers in the  desert that coming across all these large flowers really got our attention. More yellow flowers amongst some very uncommon long, green grass in the high  elevations of the Uinta mountains. The first mowing of the yard of the Swett Ranch. Growing conditions were so perfect that mowing was needed  every week for the first six weeks....