Another bulk update, sorry just not finding any good internet sources.  I had one at the Phoenix RV resort/campground that gave me four hours free, what I didn't know that once you signed on the clock was ticking.  I tested the connection and then signed off then later I went to write my blog only to find out that I had used all my time.........  Other times I tend to visit those places that are more remote maybe someday I will start using that wifi hotspot on my Droid.

So what has happened in the past couple weeks?  Well in Phoenix I was able to spend some time with my Aunt Loretta, her daughter and her family, Sunday was spent at the zoo.  I have not seen them for years!  It was a great visit!!

 The zoo was awesome but this guy convinced Cherri she probably does not want to pick up a rattle snake.

From Phoenix we went over to Quartzite which is a huge snowbird RV area.  Sorry I do not see the attraction.    There are lots of free camping places to go to, this one is close to the expressway and noisy.  If you need water it costs you five cents a gallon, I'm not sure what the dumping fee is.  We spent the night but I did not sleep well at all with all the noise.

Lake Havasu, AZ which is the home to the original London Bridge is really nice and we had a great campsite at the State Park but a little expensive, twenty bucks got us a dry camping spot on the water.  I got in the water a few time at least up to my waist.  Not sure if the water was that cold or I was just that hot.  Temp in the sun was at 137 and inside the camper 91.

Next stop was the Grand Canyon, AWESOME but not much time by the time we arrived so we drove back out of the park to BLM land just south of the park entrance.  The BLM land is off North Long Jim Loop Road where there are dozens of spots on both sides of the road some very accessible to larger RV's others for tents only.  No maintenance is done here and it is apparent by the amount of trash and fire pits that are clogged up with ashes.  Knowing what I know now I would have went to the BLM land mid way through the park and made this our base camp and not towed the trailer all over the park today.

After a couple days at the Canyon it was time to start North but to go north from the South Rim is a days drive!  We stayed at Coral Pink State Park just inside Utah this would be a great place if it were not a weekend.  But because it was a weekend we took the last site and the only person in the park without an ATV.  The biggest drawback here was not the ATV's but how close the sites were to each other.

The next day we went up to Bryce Canyon National Park for a couple days, another awesome park!

We spent two days here exploring in and around the park and could have spent a week or two easily!

Only a 150 or so miles north of Bryce Canyon is Yuba State Park which like Pink Coral is an ATV campground but mid week this time we only shared the entire campground with three others so we hosted a campground campfire but this was cut short due to high winds.

We also had another guest but he/she did not stay long.

Moving a bit further north to Salt Lake City, Antelope Island State Park.  We arrived early afternoon and while registering I asked the elderly gentleman attendant for his recommendation for auto repairs so as soon as we set up the camper we were off getting estimates on a new serpentine belt and the sway bar links.  I checked with two places and went with the shop that was recommended, only a few dollars more but best to go with the recommendation.  I also decided to put some new tires on the truck, these still had some life in them, if I were at home doing normal driving but even at that I would only get another three to five thousand out of them.  So off to Costco for some new tires too.

I would like to say we were able to explore Antelope island but the wind had followed us as we drove over the causeway the wind was pushing the truck sideways a bit.  We picked up two people walking along the road once on the island we all squeezed into the front seat of the truck, turns out that they were our camp neighbors.  Their tent was laying down sideways, another neighbor was just taking their tent down due to the wind and she decided to just sleep in her car.  The wind was hitting the side of the trailer so hard that it was really rocking, rocking so bad I went out and moved the truck to help block the wind.

Really moving north now to Craters of the Moon National Monument.  The quote of the day, speaking of all the lava rock laying around "This place is sure a mess".   Love the campground here, most the sites are blocking other sites with lava rock, yea Cherri thought this was a mess too. :)

This picture was taken inside one of the lava tubes.

Yellowstone National Park was next, unfortunately most of the park is closed this time of year but we were able to see Old Faithfull, timing it perfectly.  As we walked up Old Faithfull started erupting. The campground here is also still closed so I found a spot in town at one of the RV campgrounds, this was probably the most I have ever paid for a site then the next day when we left I found a half dozen fantastic and free sites just out of town.

From Yellowstone we went north and crossed into Canada at Sweet Grass passing through customs without being searched this year and the day went without incident or so I thought.  As I came to a stop light just outside Strathmore, Alberta Canada I heard a squeaking noise.  Concerned, I rolled down my window to listen better but all was quiet.  A short distance down the road we pulled into Walmart because this was going to be a camping at Walmart night.  It was raining but I did my walk around the trailer as I always do anytime I stop only this time I saw my passenger side front tire ready to fall off.  Apparently the wheel bearing went which overheated and killed the axel.

Well trying to keep to the positive side of things, if this was going to happen this is a great place for it to happen.  A RV repair shop is right around the corner and I have already made arrangements to limp the trailer in first thing in the morning.  For this to happen north of Dawson City not only would be a lot more expensive but I'm sure not fixed as fast.

Well that was yesterday, apparently this axel will take more time, maybe tomorrow but we will probably be here until Friday.