Ehrenberg, Arizona: While we were killing ants yesterday, a flash flood crashed through Bright Angel Creek Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park. The brown-mucky water flowed into the Colorado and wiped-out several bridges. Fifty people had to be evacuated from the canyon via helicopter, one person has died, and twenty are still missing/unaccounted for (at this time). News tonight reported all hotels are closed in the park as the water system was compromised. Devastating news on so many fronts.
After I had posted last night, the thunderstorm decided to really go crazy. The entire RV was shaking. Lightning was cracking overhead and then hail began falling from the sky. The noise of fat hailstones on the roof of a camper is deafening. And it just wouldn't stop.
Dave recalled a time - at least twenty years ago - when we were heading into Canada and planned to camp one last night somewhere in northern Montana before crossing the border. We pulled into a ramshackle campground with just a few spots taken. The owner told us we were lucky - he had one site left for the night. What? The place was nearly empty. He explained a caravan of 40 RVs were due to arrive from their Alaskan/Canadian adventure this evening. We set up camp and an hour later 40 RVs (of every sort) pulled in. Every one of the rigs were banged up by hail! Huge divots covered every one.
We have seen what hail can do to a fiberglass box, but did go out to inspect as the storm did not abate until nearly midnight. If not for the gallon of water coming off the slide room this morning, there was no evidence that it had even rained - let alone hailed buckets. No divots on our RV. Every street in the campground was dry. Nary a puddle to be found! Mother Nature is so busy.
We found (and immediately murdered) five ants this morning. Is our issue over? Probably not, but we did the best we could yesterday and continued towards La Quinta this morning - with the can of RAID tucked away if another battle ensues.
Our route today was pretty straight-forward: the most direct route home, so we did what we usually do not do - drive the interstate freeways. At least I-17 south of Sedona is a gorgeous drive with thousands of elegant saguaro cactus reaching up to the sky. They all looked so healthy (they should, after all the water they had last night... not to mention an exfoliation treatment). It was shocking to us to see all the construction east of Phoenix - acres of AI buildings. No water, yet they are allowing massive water-sucking computing centers to be built.
Soon we were on I-10, which eventually passes next to our hometown. While stopped at a rest area for lunch, DT hauled the slow cooker from under the banquette and I filled it with one chopped green pepper, 1/2 cup roasted Hatch peppers (that I bought/froze in Longmont, Colorado - Kris and I split a freshly-roasted pound), four boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and then I poured a 7 ounce can of Herdez Salsa Verde (it was mild) over all and set it on low for six hours. Dinner is ready - and I also made guacamole before we left this morning, so apps are ready as well.
We stopped for the night on the Colorado River, so we can see California across the river. Actually we could walk across the river as it is so shallow. Shallow water did not stop a speedboater from screaming down the river. I kept looking out the window thinking it was a jet plane, until I realized it was a noisy jet boat. A guy at the RV park office told Dave the dam releases water every few days and the speedboaters know the schedule so enjoy the water when available.
Dang, it is hot here, and it is hot at home (two hours away). Maricela's crew will clean our house tomorrow morning, so I am happy to sit in the sand and come back to a clean house and verandah.
I don't know why, but the batch of guacamole I prepped this morning was one of the best of the trip. The best? Who remembers? But the chicken chile verde (served over rice) was 100% the best of the (3 times) trip. I think it was the freshly roasted Hatch chiles purchased in Longmont?
We will be home tomorrow and I will post a recap within a few days - before the 4L's descend Friday.
Until my next update, I remain, your Last Night of the Trip correspondent.
Total Ants Squished Today: 24. Less than we expected.
Campsite Information: River Sands RV Resort