Kleiner Einschub von Craig und Jean

Könnt ihr euch noch an den Blogeintrag erinnern, wo uns das Zelt fast um die Ohren flog? Wir schon!!! Dieser Abend bleibt uns nicht nur wegen des Windes in Erinnerung. Denn die Begegnung mit den beiden Hippieaussteigern Jean an Craig war für uns einmalig! Umso grösser war die Freude, als wir auf Facebook diesen Eintrag von Craig entdeckten: 

I have wanted to see Arches National Park ever since I read Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey way back in college. The book describes the American Southwest in a way that makes you want to crawl through the rocks on your hands and knees exploring every little detail. What Arches has become resembles Thunder Mountain at Disneyland more than the desolate place it was. Sad.

As has been our penchant lately, we took off down the road in search of something less populated. We sure found it! After a few side trips down dirt roads made muddy by the thunder storms moving across the valley and having to backup the beast for about a half a mile we found Whistlewind Campground, a BLM site with water and the old reliable pit toilets nestled in a red and white sandstone bowl filled with junipers, piñon pines and wildflowers. Nirvana!
As usual, we met some fascinating people after we all pitched together to save tents snd camping gear during one of the most intense windstorms I have ever been in. Hank, an artist from Taos, NM, and Martina and Philipe, a young couple from Switzerland touring the US parks became new best friends. We saved the campground from destruction and than settled in for a peaceful evening. Philipe and Martina came over after dinner to get out of the wind so we sat in the RV playing snd listening to music and telling tall tales. We were laughing so hard at the camping misadventures we had survived on both sides of the ocean that we forgot about watching their tent during the passing squalls. By the end of the evening, their tent was still standing and we had met some new friends. Over all, a very successful, rewarding day.