Repairing My Bedroom Slide-Out Room
Camping at Monument Valley
Solvang – The Flavor of the Danish
When you are in central California, a fun town to visit to enjoy some “old world” flavor is the small. Danish-themed town of Solvang. The town is very visitor friendly and you can easily explore the town’s windmills, see and listen to the chimes of the local clock tower and see statues of Hans Christian Anderson and his famed “Little mermaid.” Start your walking tour at the town’s Visitor’s Center to get maps and information on local celebrations and events. The town is filled with wonderful shops specializing in everything Danish from wooden shoes to chic garments to small trinkets that will delight young and old. The Danish restaurants and bakeries have wonderful items for every palette and meals can be leisurely and relaxed either inside or sidewalk café style. Explore the local history of the area at the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art or visit the Old, 1804 Mission Santa Inez. The annual “Danish Days” event takes place in mid September and is complete with parades, colorful costumes and plenty of Danish food and fun.
Enjoy the peaceful parks in the area such as Nojoqui Falls park or Hans Christian Anderson park or spend some time at the Cachuma Lake Recreation Area. Tour the many, wonderful vineyards in the area and sample the vintages in the local wine tasting rooms. Visit the local apple farms or spend some time enjoying the amenities of Chumash Casino Resort. The rolling and peaceful countryside of the Santa Inez Valley is well worth a drive and a few stops along the way.
Visiting Rainbow Bridge – A Natural Wonder
A great nature wonder to visit in southern Utah on the banks of Lake Powell is the massive and majestic Rainbow Bridge. Rainbow Bridge is often thought of as one of the world’s largest natural bridges. From the base to the top of the arch, the massive stone structure reaches 290 feet into the air and spans 275 feet across the arch. At the top, the arch is 42 feet thick and 33 feet wide. The bridge has long been held sacred to Native American populations living in the region. On May 30, 1910, President William Howard Taft designated Rainbow Bridge as a National Monument to preserve this colorful formation. The best way to access Rainbow bridge is via boat. You can either rent a boat and come here yourself, or take one of the 2 hour boat tours leaving from the Page docks. There is a walk from the pier to the viewing point which somewhere close to ¾ of a mile. Rangers are available at the viewing area to answer questions and to see that you don’t go any closer to the stone bridge. You can hike in if you want but it takes several hours and you will need a permit from the Navajo Nation to hike into the area.http://youtube.com/watch?v=XF62Rd30iq8
The Majestic South Rim of the Grand Canyon
No trip to Arizona would be complete without a trip to the majestic and incredibly beautiful Grand Canyon. The canyon’s South Rim is the most crowded side of the canyon especially in summer. If you want to go when the crowd’s are the thinnest, the best time is November through February however, that is also when you are most likely to encounter snow with icy roads and the possibility of fog or rain and poor visibility across the canyon. The South Rim is approximately 7,000 feet in altitude so if you have any kind of difficulty such as respiratory or heart problems, walking around in this area can be difficult. There is a large visitor center at Canyon View where you can get maps and information about the various viewing points. Grand Canyon Village also has shops, restaurants, lodging and good views of the canyon. There are easily accessible stores and restaurants in the park as well as lodging and camping. Lodging and camping spots can fill up as much as a year in advance so if you plan on trying to stay within the park, be sure to book your spot well ahead of the time you intend to go there. Parking at the various lookout points can be difficult, especially in summer so be sure to park your rig and take the free shuttle all around the south rim.