My Journey

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Ace.....if I did videos, they'd be much like that.....the content I'm referring to.....of course the quality would be nowhere near that.....

Day 4.....3.27 miles (this sucks)

Day 5.....2.76 miles (this sucks even more)



We passed through Flagstaff, Arizona without making a single stop. We continued north.....along Highway 89.....passed by Humphreys Peak (12,633').....the highest peak in Arizona. I don't think that I've ever seen this peak with so little snow for that time of year, so it killed me not to climb it. Typically it's due to snow cover that I don't climb it.....this year.....it was due to the bum knee.....



We pressed on.....driving north.....spent that night in another Walmart parking lot in Page, Arizona (I misspoke in my last post as this was actually our last night spent in Arizona). Next day we crossed over the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge and made a brief stop here.....and then continued north.....



We didn't travel too far as I'd decided that I wanted to grab a shower at the campgrounds in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.....



It's a short, scenic drive off of Highway 89 to the campground showers that are located along Wahweap Bay.....




Apparently the hot water heater was not in working order so an ice cold shower was as good as it got.....that sure did have me thinking about the hot shower at home.....




This stop too was brief.....and soon enough we were back on the highway. Now I'd been watching the weather up north (in Montana) and it still wasn't good. Additionally, I was watching the weather on the mountain pass that we'd have to cross to access the interstate north. Well, I decided to pause any movement further north.....so we headed into the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.....



We were last camped here in December, 2020 and we ended up camping in the exact same spot as we did approximately 4 years ago.....



Looking to the north.....from the kitchen tables' window.....was that butte that I had named Butte 5220 (5220 reflecting its summit elevation).....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

We climbed that butte back in 2020.....it was awesome.....and it was actually while down climbing it that I injured my hip.....which resulted in me getting a hip replacement several years later.....



And now here were again.....with yet another injury.....



I kept thinking that the knee would heal up just enough that we could get out and at least explore just a bit.....



So we stayed here for 5 nights.....watching the weather up north and hoping for a small miracle here.....



We had more beautiful skies.....



Painted with that same fine brush.....



We had blue skies filled with puffy white clouds.....



We had several cloudy days.....with a light rainfall.....



And we had high winds and even snowfall.....



But ultimately.....there was just no way that we could explore so finally on the morning of our sixth day here, we packed it in and continued driving north.....

 

[Ace Brown]

Even with a good knee looks to me like climbing 5220 would be near impossible on the upper 1/3 and definitely no go for dogs. Easier on the backside maybe?


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[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Ace.....if you go to Page 240 you can see how we managed to find a route to the top. It was not an easy endeavor.....



Finally it seemed as though we were really headed home.....we drove north & west along Highway 89 but once we got to Kanab, Utah, I once again had a change of mind. So now we headed south back into Arizona along Highway 389. The highway turned west as we passed through the Kaibab Indian Reservation, & then north once again back into Utah. The reason for this.....simply to get a hot shower in Washington, Utah. That night was spent along a rural highway somewhere north of town.....



It actually wasn't a bad spot since few vehicles drove on this two lane road.....



The following day we had an appointment to make in Salt Lake City, Utah.....





This was something that has been on my mind for awhile now and since the dealership was on our route home, I thought why not have a look ? And a test drive.....





It turned out to be one long day on the interstate and we were less than a half hour late for our appointment.....arriving at 4:30 p.m. .....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

I had been watching some of Scott Bradys' Africa / Grenadier videos and I heard him recommend two Ineos dealerships.....one in Colorado and this one in Utah.....



I ended up agreeing with Scott and if I go forward with purchasing one of these, I hope it'll be from Warner Ineos in Salt Lake City, Utah.....




I test drove the truck and the station wagon too.....loved the both of them.....




The truck doesn't quite have the payload for what I had in mind, so if I go forward with this, it'll for sure be the station wagon.....




I've got to admit.....it was tough to leave without purchasing this one.....this is the one that most closely fit my needs.....



This Toyota in the background (to the left) is the same model I bought new way back in the early 70's.....fond memories of my youth.....



We spent that night camped in their parking lot.....it was like sleeping in a candy store.....and the following morning we left early.....it had snowed a bit overnight.....and more snow was in the forecast.....it was time to go home.....

 

[Ace Brown]

Thinking about replacing the Jeep?


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[Pacific Northwest yetti]

Can they be flat towed?

I do like them and unfortunately have no good personal use case. That I can easily justify.

That being said, I would love for you to get one and take it on adventures!!

 

[ghostdancer]

I’ve been looking at those Grenadier’s too. I don’t know why they don’t import the diesel version to the US. It’s a modern BMW diesel that should be US legal.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Ace.....never.....I've had the Jeep for too many decades to ever think of replacing it. I would only go with the Grenadier if I go on a specific trip that I've been thinking about. I don't want to get too far ahead of my skies since typically I prefer to post about what I have done as opposed to what I might do.....

PNWY.....I suspect that it could be flat towed (I don't know) but that's not at all the direction that I'm going with this (as you will see).....

Ghostdancer.....why do want the diesel ? Then you'd have to deal with the high Sulphur content in the diesel fuel issue ? I'm only considering gasoline.....that's perfect for my planned route.....



Just posting this so that readers can see what's on my mind.....the X3 Gen 2 made by Patriot Campers.....




I've been talking to these guys as well as the Grenadier guys.....




This seems like the perfect fit for the dogs and I.....




I strayed away from the truck camper once before.....and I quickly lost $60,000.....time will tell.....

 

[Ace Brown]

Expedition Portal classifieds often has trailers of this type. Huge savings over new.


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[Pacific Northwest yetti]

Regardless, of your decision. I, and am sure many of us, would love to continue to follow along. As long as you continue to post. It may sound funny but believe it or not. I look up to you in your “retirement” . Your adventures, staying active, dog wanders and travels. As I would love to continue to feed my wanderlust as long as I can, after retirement. Much like you have found fulfillment doing so.

 

[blanketslayer]

Regardless, of your decision. I, and am sure many of us, would love to continue to follow along. As long as you continue to post. It may sound funny but believe it or not. I look up to you in your “retirement” . Your adventures, staying active, dog wanders and travels. As I would love to continue to feed my wanderlust as long as I can, after retirement. Much like you have found fulfillment doing so.

Same! In the thick of career and parenting here , but have a spreadsheet of places with links to travel too and a good chunk of those are courtesy of this thread.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Ace.....thanks.....I actually looked there but didn't see the particular model that I'd be interested in. Used could certainly work for me. I'm looking at a hefty price tag for the rig that I had in mind, but now that everything that is foreign produced has a tariff attached to it, I'm not so sure that I'd still go this route. Grenadier was already quoting a 6 % increase in price for 2025 and Patriot said to expect an increase of $6,000 for the X3 Gen 2 model. Add the tariffs and at a minimum, I'm looking at a price increase of maybe $25,000 over 2024 models. Not so sure it's worth it.....

PNWY.....thanks.....those were some really kind words. My battle cry is to never give up.....no matter how difficult the challenge. Each year that I do this, the challenge becomes ever increasingly more difficult. Once an injury was nothing more than an inconvenience, but with age, the same injury becomes a major challenge. My dream is to have the strength and courage to one day hike up into the mountains, lie down in the forest, and take my last breath there.....

blanketslayer.....you're living the best time of my life.....raising my 2 sons.....




Whenever I go on a road trip for an extended period of time, I always struggle with the transition from cabin life to camper life. I question myself.....do I really want to do this ? Am I ready to give up the easy life ? Am I ready to give up my dog chair and my daily hot showers ? And then, after maybe 2 weeks, I quit looking back.....and I get into my groove.....



And then one day.....finally.....it's time to go home. I'm excited.....and I'm apprehensive as well. Am I ready to give up those mountain climbs ? Am I ready to give up those night walks under the stars along the roads that I barely know ? Am I prepared to return to a neighborhood ?



And this day.....was just like every other arrival day at the cabin.....



We drove through northern Utah, then through eastern Idaho, and finally.....it was late afternoon.....that we entered Montana. We then passed through the western section of Yellowstone National Park.....and finally we were home.....



I parked at the end of my driveway and trudged through 16 inches of snow to get to my barn & my snowblower (I measured it.....the above picture was taken long after).....



That was the beginning of 3 days of snow removal.....the snow had melted and frozen over & over while we were gone and it was almost like removing 16 inches of ice as opposed to 16 inches of a light snow.....



The dogs.....they love the travel life.....and they love the cabin life. They were certainly happy to be home.....happy to roam free.....



For me.....it's a struggle.....amplified as I age. Many times I've posted these lines from a favorite book of mine.....and here it is one more time.....

"Descending from the heights we met the first blade of grass and the first flower, and finally the slopes were hairy with sage brush. Perhaps our passage from the cold upper reaches to the familiar earth had been too rapid; as I looked back at the lonely peaks, then at the huts and fields below where people groped their whole lives away. Torn between contentment and longing, caught between two worlds, one that possessed me, yet could never be more than a passing phase, and that other which is a part of human existence, I yearned to retain my dual identity." George B. Schaller........Stones of Silence, Journeys in the Himalayas



As the days passed, I started to get back into the groove of cabin life.....



And the dogs.....too.....they adjust so easily.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Snowfall was frequent during those last weeks of March here at the cabin.....




The dogs loved it.....me not so much anymore. It's funny how much the younger me once loved conditions such as these.....




Now I'm fine with a good book waiting on the good weather that's sure to come.....



It snowed a lot late March and right into early April.....




I noticed a Robin.....a sure sign that Spring was nearly here.....



And then one day.....the snowfall finally stopped.....my favorite days in Montana were nearly here.....



And we started to think about & to plan our next road trip.....we'll be leaving soon.....

 

[Riversdad]

I really envy your life and appreciate that you share it with us.
Hoping that I will get to go to some of the places that you've shared but for now life gets in the way.