Travel from Hatch to Torrey, UT

We drove our coach 124 miles, about 3 hours, from Hatch, Utah to Torrey, Utah.

Here’s the map, heading northeast:

Map route

Heading down the highway:

Road

Paladin spent much of the time in his safe space next to my chair, as usual:

Paladin in his safe space

Paladin in his safe space

Some nice old buildings in Panguitch (I’m going to try to take more pictures of interesting towns we pass through):

Panguitch

Nice houses:

Nice houses

I worked on my laptop while Jenn drove:

Laptop

Butch Cassidy’s childhood home:

Butch Cassidy's childhood home

An old building:

Old building

Junction, our turn:

Junction

Mountains:

Mountains

Interesting rocks:

Rocks

The Otter Creek Reservoir:

Water

Lots of straight portions of the highway:

Road

Which are a convenient and fairly safe time for me to get up and grab a snack from the fridge:

RV

RV

Mountains:

Road and mountains

Never Rip Overalls:

Never Rip Overalls

Some horses crossing the highway:

Horses

Horses

More road and mountains:

Road and mountains

Road and mountains

Curve

Up and down:

Up and down

Road and mountains

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Arriving at our destination for a few nights:

Arriving

Paladin on the dash while Jenn is checking in:

Paladin

Travel from Caliente, NV to Hatch, UT

We drove our coach 177 miles, 4.5 hours, from Caliente, Nevada to Hatch, Utah. Yay, another state!

Here’s the map, heading east:

Map route

An interesting point about this route is it isn’t the most direct route — that would be highway 14. However, as the map indicates, there is a portion with a too low clearance for our coach, plus that route is very twisty and across a mountaintop. We did drive that route in our truck later, and were very glad we didn’t try to take our coach that way. This is an important part of route planning; making sure it is feasible for our RV. The RV Life Trip Wizard really helps with this.

Anyway, on with the travel pics. Caliente is a fairly cute small town; here’s Company Row:

Caliente Company Row

Turning onto 319 East:

Turning onto 319 East

An interesting house in Panaca, and fellow RV traveler:

An interesting house in Panaca

A curvy highway:

Curvy highway

More curves

More curves

The GPS mirrored on the TV, approaching the Utah border, represented by the horizontal dotted line:

GPS approaching Utah border

Entering Utah:

Entering Utah

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Train:

Train

The clouds looked fake:

The clouds look fake

Utah highway:

Utah highway

Hey there Paladin:

Paladin

Snowy mountains:

Snowy mountains

Getting on to I-15:

Getting on to I-15

Where the speed limit was 80 MPH, not that we go that fast in our coach:

Speed limit 80 MPH

Paladin sleeping in his safe spot next to my chair:

Paladin

We didn’t really need fuel, but were concerned that truck stops would be less common out in the wilds of Utah, so stopped at T/A to top up:

Fuel stop at T/A

At the pump

We topped up the DEF, too:

DEF

A first for us, we parked with the trucks:

Parked with the trucks

And headed in to Subway for lunch:

Subway for lunch

A couple more Paladin pics:

Paladin

Paladin

I noticed a bunch of these interesting ramps along the freeway; presumably to let animals escape the road:

Ramp

Our exit:

Our exit

Cattle guard:

Cattle guard

Curvy road:

Curvy road

Highway leading to snowy hills:

Highway

Snow by the side of the road:

Snow

7,920 feet summit, with more curves and steep downhill ahead:

7920 feet summit

Sharp curve and mountain vista:

Sharp curve and mountain

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

“River”:

River

Arriving at our next destination:

Arriving

Paladin watching birds while Jenn checks in:

Paladin

Travel from Boulder City to Caliente, NV

We drove our coach 181 miles, four hours, from Lake Mead, Boulder City, Nevada to Caliente, Nevada.

Here’s the map, heading north:

Map route

Decorations in Boulder City:

Decorations in Boulder City

More freeway decorations:

Freeway decorations

Paladin was contented in his safe space:

Paladin in his safe space

A trike:

Trike

Las Vegas in the distance:

Las Vegas

Overpass art:

Overpass art

Wall art:

Wall art

Passing by Las Vegas:

Las Vegas

Exit:

Exit

Overpass art:

Overpass art

We stopped at Love’s for fuel:

Love's

We were interested to see that this Love’s has RV and boat storage:

Love's RV and boat storage

Fuel time:

Love's

Spendy for less than half a tank:

Fuel pump

I used my laptop while traveling:

Using laptop

Motorcycles:

Motorcycles

A lake:

Lake

Curvy road:

Curvy road

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

A long straight road, heading for the hills:

Long straight road

A bunch of Joshua trees:

Joshua trees

Downgrade sign:

Downgrade sign

The exaust heat warning light came on, with all the hill climbing; went off again shortly thereafter:

Exaust heat warning

Rocks and curves:

Rocks and curves

Rocks and curves

Our destination:

Our destination

Travel from Williams, AZ to Lake Mead, Boulder City, NV

We drove our coach 183 miles, 3.5 hours non-stop, from Williams, Arizona to Lake Mead, Boulder City, Nevada.

Here’s the map, going right to left (or heading west, if you prefer):

Map route

Maybe someone didn’t like their dog? Devil Dog Road:

Devil Dog Road

A view heading downhill:

View

A truck clipped our mirror, crossing the center line. Doesn’t seemed to have done more than scrape it, but it was rather disconcerting:

Truck clipped our mirror

Based on the their trailer, they may not be the best driver:

Truck

Paladin not looking impressed by a rough stretch of road:

Paladin

I put him on my lap for a bit:

Paladin and David

Passing a motorhome; hey fellow traveller:

Motorhome

This was a non-stop trip, so we had a lunch of chips and a sandwich while driving:

Chips and sandwich for lunch

Jenn eating chips while driving

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Another motorhome (a Thor Aria was one model we considered when shopping for an RV; Thor isn’t the best brand, but the Aria isn’t bad):

Motorhome

More interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Steep uphill:

Uphill

Travel trailer delivery:

Trailer delivery

A pickup with a camper, towing an interesting trailer; I’m guessing a contractor:

Interesting trailer

Approaching the exit from I-40:

Approaching our exit

Yet more interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Our exit:

Exit

A view (and yes, our windshield was getting rather dirty, from lots of bugs):

View

We encountered a motorcycle accident; the rider was on the ground, attended by several people. I hope they’re okay, but it didn’t look good:

Motorcycle accident

Paladin peeking:

Paladin

Last stop in Arizona:

Last stop

Info sign:

Info sign

Hey look, more interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Hilltop view:

View

Approaching Hoover Dam:

Approaching Hoover Dam

Approaching Hoover Dam

A glimpse of Hoover Dam from the center lane of the bridge next to the dam (when Jenn later saw the bridge from the dam, she said she was very glad she didn’t know how high it was when driving over it!):

Glimpse of Hoover Dam

Entering Nevada:

Entering Nevada

Our exit:

Exit

View of Lake Mead:

View of Lake Mead

Lake Mead National Recreation Area entry station:

Lake Mead National Recreation Area entry station

Jenn going to the RV park office to check in:

Jenn going to RV park office

Following a guide to our site:

Following guide to site

The timelapse video from this trip will be coming later today, and our review of the RV park tomorrow.

Route 66 around Seligman, AZ

Williams isn’t the only town celebrating the history of Route 66 (or stuck in the past?). We took a drive along one of the longest drivable portions of Route 66, from Willams (actually on I-40 until just after Ash Fork) to Kingman, Arizona, with a stop for lunch at the Roadkill Cafe in Seligman. A 129 mile trip, plus a faster 114 miles return via I-40.

Here’s a map showing Williams on the right, and Kingman on the left:

Route 66 map

The equivalent satellite view:

Route 66 satellite

The portion of Route 66 between Ash Fork and Seligman were the best; after that, the road was much like any highway, resurfaced and recently painted. So in retrospect, we could have skipped that longer portion. But hey, at least we can say we’ve done it. Apparently this is the longest section of the original Route 66, too.

A useful reference site for driving Route 66. And another one.

Here’s Jenn with Route 66 sign, at the start of the portion after Ash Fork:

Jenn with Route 66 sign

Driving Route 66:

Route 66

Route 66

There were several series of dark-humor Burma-Shave signs along the highway:

He tried to cross...

...as fast train neared...

...death didn't draft him...

...he volunteered

Burma-Shave sign

Route 66

Seligman, AZ:

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

We stopped at the Roadkill Cafe for lunch:

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

Roadkill Cafe

A very interesting menu:

Roadkill Cafe menu

Roadkill Cafe menu

Roadkill Cafe menu

Roadkill Cafe menu

Jenn had the Fungi Burger, I had the Swirl of Squirrel:

Roadkill Cafe menu

Route 66 sodas:

Route 66 sodas

Route 66 sodas

Bread

Burger

Swirl of Squirrel

Back on the road, more of Seligman, AZ:

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Seligman, AZ

Continuing along Route 66:

Route 66

Route 66

Route 66

Route 66

Route 66

Grand Canyon Railway and National Park

While staying at the Grand Canyon Railway RV park, and the reason for staying there, we took the train to the Grand Canyon.

This was a special wedding anniversary treat for us; we did the train trip on a day when they used the historic steam train, and went to the park in the Luxury Dome train car, did a bus guided tour, and returned in the Luxury Parlor train car.

Before boarding the train, there was a little cowboy show:

Cowboy show

Cowboy show

Cowboy show

Cowboy show

All aboard! Here’s the Luxury Dome train car; a double-decker car, with a lounge below and a full-length dome above:

Train

After that car, at the end of the train, was the Luxury Parlor car, where we boarded:

Train

Us in our seat in the dome car; the TSA was still requiring masks except when eating and drinking:

David and Jenn

The Luxury Dome car, built in 1955:

Dome car

Each car had a Passenger Service Attendant:

Attendant

A glimpse of the front of the train out the dome window (don’t worry, better pics later):

Train

Snacks and beverages:

Snacks and beverages

Beverages

The train newspaper:

Newspaper

A photographer took some pictures:

Photographer

Here are a couple official photographs of us, in the dome and on the rear platform:

Photograph

Photograph

The Luxury Dome car was only about half full:

Luxury Dome car

I walked the length of the train, starting from the rear platform:

Rear platform

Rear platform

The Luxury Parlor car, built in 1947:

Luxury Parlor car

Passage between cars, with the steps to the Luxury Dome visible:

Passage between cars

The lower floor of the Luxury Dome car:

Luxury Dome car

Luxury Dome car

One of the Observation Dome cars; they have smaller domes:

Observation Dome car

Observation Dome car

Observation Dome car

The dining car:

Dining car

Dining car

The historic 1923 Pullman car:

Pullman car

Pullman car

A Coach car:

Coach car

Singer:

Singer

Looking over the train from the frontmost observation dome:

Train

Arriving at Grand Canyon village:

Grand Canyon village

Tour bus:

Tour bus

On board the bus:

Jenn and David

Ranger operations building:

Ranger operations building

A bunch of pictures of the Grand Canyon:

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Jenn and David

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Tour bus

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Jenn

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Jenn and David

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Bridge

Bridge info

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Lunch was included in the bus tour; it was supposed to be a buffet, but in these COVID times, it was instead a sack lunch:

Lunch

Lunch

Jenn found a hat in the gift store:

Gift store

More angles of the big hole in the ground:

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Jenn and David

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

When we tipped the bus driver/guide, she gave us a snowy canyon pic she had taken:

Snowy canyon pic

Back at the train station in the park, I got some pictures of the 1923 steam train engine:

Steam train engine

Steam train engine

Steam train engine

Steam train engine

Steam train engine

Steam train engine

Engineer

An assist from a diesel engine:

Engine

The power car:

Power car

Coach cars:

Coach cars

The rear of the train, with observation dome cars, the Luxury Dome car, and the Luxury Parlor car:

Train

 The rear platform of the Luxury Parlor car:

Luxury Parlor car

Champagne toasts in the Luxury Parlor car:

David with champagne

Jenn with champagne

The conductor making a PA announcement:

Conductor

Snacks:

Snacks

Singers:

Singers

On the rear platform:

On the rear platform

View from the rear platform:

View from the rear platform

View from the rear platform

View from the rear platform

The cowboys stopped the train:

Cowboys

Cowboys

Cowboy train robbery:

Cowboys

The sheriff going after the robbers:

Sheriff

Lastly, an official photo of the steam train engine:

Steam train engine

This was a fun way to spend our anniversary, and quite the experience. Highly recommended.