We got in about 2:30 yesterday afternoon, picked up the mail, got gas and a few groceries, and started washing clothes, getting the accounts updated, and getting organized. The last two days coming home we covered almost 800 miles; the trip in total was 3811 miles. Today we pick up the cats from the boarding place, start shopping for the weekend guests, and enjoy our own home.
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Sunday, June 5, 2016 - Santa Fe to Dodge City
First a quick recap of Friday & Saturday: Friday we hustled up to Santa Fe from Bernalillo, parked downtown & toured the art museum. Also ate at The Shed, as expected. Then we headed for Hyde Park to check things out, back to check in at the Silver Saddle, a quick snack at a Wendy's, and out for Fennboree Part I. It was a blast. Left at 9.
Saturday we had a good breakfast at Weck's, went to Fennboree Part II all day. That was also a great time. Left about 3, had supper & were in bed by 8.
Left early Sunday AM for home. 421 miles of I-25 & US-56, we got here. That's 3430 for the trip. Tomorrow we pick up US-50 to Emporia, I-35 to Ottawa, KS-68, MO-2, etc. home. It looks like another 394 miles or so.
Saturday we had a good breakfast at Weck's, went to Fennboree Part II all day. That was also a great time. Left about 3, had supper & were in bed by 8.
Left early Sunday AM for home. 421 miles of I-25 & US-56, we got here. That's 3430 for the trip. Tomorrow we pick up US-50 to Emporia, I-35 to Ottawa, KS-68, MO-2, etc. home. It looks like another 394 miles or so.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Day 12, Thursday, June 2, 2016 - Around Albuquerque
Well, mostly Old Town. We arrived around 9 AM, and took a leisurely walk around the Plaza
before shopping or visiting museums. Sandra always wants her picture taken there.
Unusually, the Plaza was devoid of cars. That's because of a festival to be held over the weekend to celebrate San Filipe, the patron of the local church.
Back to the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, where we saw a new exhibit about Route 66 along with items from the permanent collection. Here's our favorite painting - this critter follows you where-ever you go - I swear I saw his nose move!
Next stop - the Church Street Cafe for lunch. We've had the same waiter for the last three years. The food is good.
Last stop was the New Mexico Museum of Natural History, home of a cast of Stan (yep, a named T-Rex). We stop here every time we visit and have a little tradition. On a visit a number of years ago, we found a couple of staffers smooching in the dark Chixulub meteor exhibit, so we try to emulate them at that exhibit (as well as at the volcano & the cave).
Back to the HIE, dinner at Abuelita's (the green sauce is HOT!). Tomorrow we boogie off to Santa Fe, where we'll tour the museums, have lunch at the The Shed Cafe, and go off to a Fennboree bonfire. 42.5 miles on the day, 2881 for the trip.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Day 11, Wednesday, June 1, 2016 - Farmington to Bernalillo
Left the HIE about 7:45 for Aztec. With traffic and stops for gas & a Coke, reached Aztec Ruins National Monument. This was a Chacoan settlement along the Animas River, settled around 1000 AD & abandoned by 1300, and has nothing to do with the Aztecs. The ruins are partially excavated and conserved (restored/reinforced as needed) . The museum is well-interpreted and the self-guided tour is excellent. We took lots of photos, trying to show what it looks like (and incidentally maybe getting an art shot or two).
When we left the National Monument, we drove by the Aztec Museum and Pioneer Village. Wonderful, it was open! We thought it didn't open until 10 AM. This museum had a feline tour guide on our first visit in 2004, and she was queen of the museum the next time we stopped; alas, she is no longer remembered. In addition to the pioneer town and oil drilling displays, it possesses a unique item - a hand carved, rotating cyclorama of the West. Worth a stop!
Split a Green Chile Cheesburger at the Cuban Cafe (in Cuba) and arrived at Bernalillo about 2 PM. A quick laundry and off to Albuquerque to take our friend Larry Harrah to supper at the Frontier Restaurant, an Albuquerque/UNM institution that he had never visited. It's good! Then back to Bernalillo thru a thunderstorm (why do we seem to drive through more hail in NM that back in MO?).
235 miles on the day, 2838 on the trip. Tomorrow it's sightseeing in Albuquerque.
When we left the National Monument, we drove by the Aztec Museum and Pioneer Village. Wonderful, it was open! We thought it didn't open until 10 AM. This museum had a feline tour guide on our first visit in 2004, and she was queen of the museum the next time we stopped; alas, she is no longer remembered. In addition to the pioneer town and oil drilling displays, it possesses a unique item - a hand carved, rotating cyclorama of the West. Worth a stop!
Split a Green Chile Cheesburger at the Cuban Cafe (in Cuba) and arrived at Bernalillo about 2 PM. A quick laundry and off to Albuquerque to take our friend Larry Harrah to supper at the Frontier Restaurant, an Albuquerque/UNM institution that he had never visited. It's good! Then back to Bernalillo thru a thunderstorm (why do we seem to drive through more hail in NM that back in MO?).
235 miles on the day, 2838 on the trip. Tomorrow it's sightseeing in Albuquerque.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Day 10, Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - Holbrook to Farmington
Didn't sleep too well last night because we don't adapt well to really firm mattresses. Had a quick breakfast at a very overpriced McD's, and quickly headed off into the painted desert on BIA roads. After a couple of hours through scenery varying from 'scenic' to spectacular, we arrived at Chinle, gateway to Canyon de Chelley (pronounced de shay, a Europeanization of the Dine' name tsegi). This is a sacred place to the Dine' (Navajo) and important in their history.
We decided to tour the South Rim before lunch, intending to view (photograph) Spider Rock, home of Spider Woman, who taught the Dine' weaving. We stopped first at the White House Ruin overlook, a view of an Anasazi site.
Then it was on to Spider Rock, a pinnacle in the middle of a divide in the canyon. We toured the canyon to here on our 30th Anniversary, and visited the overlook on our 35th. We again took photos from the overlook this trip.
After lunch at the Thunderbird Lodge, our next stop was Lukachukai and the Totsoh Trading Post. We had visited there before, in 2005, 2007 & 2012 (and had met a daughter of the family in the Phoenix area in 2006). In 2012 I'd bought Sandra a small rug for our 35th Anniversary; today we bought another one.
After Lukachukai, we headed into a pass in the Chuska (pronounced chews' ka) Mountains. At the top, we got a view of Ship Rock, the Rock With Wings, another place sacred to the Dine'.
Finally, we arrived in Farmington and the HIE. A good Mexican dinner, download pictures, and to bed! 259 miles on the day, 2604 for the trip. Tomorrow we tour the Aztec ruins and head for Albuquerque.
We decided to tour the South Rim before lunch, intending to view (photograph) Spider Rock, home of Spider Woman, who taught the Dine' weaving. We stopped first at the White House Ruin overlook, a view of an Anasazi site.
Then it was on to Spider Rock, a pinnacle in the middle of a divide in the canyon. We toured the canyon to here on our 30th Anniversary, and visited the overlook on our 35th. We again took photos from the overlook this trip.
After lunch at the Thunderbird Lodge, our next stop was Lukachukai and the Totsoh Trading Post. We had visited there before, in 2005, 2007 & 2012 (and had met a daughter of the family in the Phoenix area in 2006). In 2012 I'd bought Sandra a small rug for our 35th Anniversary; today we bought another one.
After Lukachukai, we headed into a pass in the Chuska (pronounced chews' ka) Mountains. At the top, we got a view of Ship Rock, the Rock With Wings, another place sacred to the Dine'.
Finally, we arrived in Farmington and the HIE. A good Mexican dinner, download pictures, and to bed! 259 miles on the day, 2604 for the trip. Tomorrow we tour the Aztec ruins and head for Albuquerque.
Monday, May 30, 2016
Day 9, Monday, May 30, 2016 - Willcox to Holbrook
Well, I had this whole thing written and it disappeared! Damn laptop. Here's some pictures with a short comment about each:
Railroad station/visitor center in Clifton, AZ - see the mountains? We're headed that way.
Clifton has a flock of bighorn sheep wandering around town.
The Morenci mine - it eats mountains looking for copper.
One of dozens of scenic mountain views taken along US-191, the Coronado Scenic Byway - 90 miles of this.
Holbrook Arizona has rock shops and dinosaurs and petrified wood.
It's on Route 66. The Wigwam motel has rooms in concrete teepees, with classic cars in front of each. We're staying across the street in the Globetrotter Lodge - it has better reviews.
Tomorrow we're off to Farmington via AZ-77, N-15 and US-191 to Chinle, N-64 and N-7 to Lukachukai, N-13 thru Chuska Pass, US-491 to Ship Rock and US-64 to Farmington and Aztec.
For the day, 309 miles, 2348 for the trip
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Day 8, May 29, 2016 - Deming to Willcox
Deserted (de' sert ed) - Saw a lot of desert today, some Border Patrol vehicles, and even a blimp. On our way out of Deming, we ran across these critters out for their morning stroll:
We headed south past the Tres Hermanas Mountains. Our first stop was to be Columbus, site of Pancho Villa's 1916 raid. It has a state park - reputedly the only one named for an invader of the U.S. The museum at the park is in an old RR station and supposedly opens at 9 AM. It didn't. We did see the outdoor exhibits, such as this armored car. Despite a nice little hill for a lookout post, armored cars and airplanes, Pershing didn't catch Villa.
On to Hachita, shown on the NM map as a ghost town. Let's just say some of the ghosts are not incorporal - while many of the buildings are deserted, the place is populated. The 'ghosts' thoughtfully provided a rest area at the edge of town.
Among the deserted buildings are this Catholic church and the saloon - if they're empty, it is indeed a ghost town.
On to Lordsburg for lunch (trivia - the destination for a certain conveyance in a well-known 1939 John Ford western). As has happened to so many towns bypassed by the interstate hiway, the downtown area on Main Street (next to the tracks) was full of empty buildings as the thriving ones moved out near the big highway. We passed though here in 2012 when returning from the Las Vegas Libertarian convention. We don't ask the welcome center what they recommend, we ask them where they like to eat. We made a point to return to Ramona's, a small place on Main Street, with a strong local clientele. We got there before the rush (luckily), and invited two ladies to share our table. Turns out they were travelers, as well. Folks were lined up outside when we left. Best meal of the trip.
Got to Willcox about 12:45, unaware that we'd gained another hour. We said we'd gallivant around the town, but they came up with a room early. So we gallivanted anyway, ending up at Buffalo Sisters Trading Post, owned by a Comanche lady. Told her of our visit to the cultural center in Lawton. Dinner at a truck stop (the town shuts down on Sunday), a quick laundry, and process some photos.
Tomorrow it's about 300 miles through mountains to Holbrook, via US-191, US-60 and AZ-77, through towns like Safford, Clifton, Eager, and Show Low. 210 miles for today, 2036 for the trip.
We headed south past the Tres Hermanas Mountains. Our first stop was to be Columbus, site of Pancho Villa's 1916 raid. It has a state park - reputedly the only one named for an invader of the U.S. The museum at the park is in an old RR station and supposedly opens at 9 AM. It didn't. We did see the outdoor exhibits, such as this armored car. Despite a nice little hill for a lookout post, armored cars and airplanes, Pershing didn't catch Villa.
On to Hachita, shown on the NM map as a ghost town. Let's just say some of the ghosts are not incorporal - while many of the buildings are deserted, the place is populated. The 'ghosts' thoughtfully provided a rest area at the edge of town.
Among the deserted buildings are this Catholic church and the saloon - if they're empty, it is indeed a ghost town.
On to Lordsburg for lunch (trivia - the destination for a certain conveyance in a well-known 1939 John Ford western). As has happened to so many towns bypassed by the interstate hiway, the downtown area on Main Street (next to the tracks) was full of empty buildings as the thriving ones moved out near the big highway. We passed though here in 2012 when returning from the Las Vegas Libertarian convention. We don't ask the welcome center what they recommend, we ask them where they like to eat. We made a point to return to Ramona's, a small place on Main Street, with a strong local clientele. We got there before the rush (luckily), and invited two ladies to share our table. Turns out they were travelers, as well. Folks were lined up outside when we left. Best meal of the trip.
Got to Willcox about 12:45, unaware that we'd gained another hour. We said we'd gallivant around the town, but they came up with a room early. So we gallivanted anyway, ending up at Buffalo Sisters Trading Post, owned by a Comanche lady. Told her of our visit to the cultural center in Lawton. Dinner at a truck stop (the town shuts down on Sunday), a quick laundry, and process some photos.
Tomorrow it's about 300 miles through mountains to Holbrook, via US-191, US-60 and AZ-77, through towns like Safford, Clifton, Eager, and Show Low. 210 miles for today, 2036 for the trip.
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