Coeur D’Alene, Idaho

June 9, 2009

Leaving Kalispell, we crossed the Bitterroot Mountains into Idaho and the mining town of Coeur D’Alene, CDA, to the locals. The Bitteroots have always fascinated Russell because it is a grizzly highway for bears coming and going to Canada. CDA was exciting to me because of a historical fiction I read many years ago about a mining war between owners and workers. I don’t remember details, but the setting has stuck with me all the same. Neither place disappointed. We got to the Blackwell Island RV Park to meet Rick, a long awaited event.

Our favorite part of the Bitterroot was the town of Wallace, Idaho. They had every building in town declared a National Historic Monument to fight the I-90 freeway coming through. I-90 did get built eventually, completely above the small city. The buildings here are quaint turn-of-the-century and hold many off-beat museums. The three of us toured an old mine in Wallace. The tour, led by a former miner, is in a shaft that was worked for almost 100 years before ever making a profit when it opened up to tourists. The various owners had hoped to hit gold, silver, copper, lead, anything that paid. For several years it was used as a classroom for a local college to train miners. Economic factors impacted the need to have more miners. For the price of a ticket you tour the downtown museum, ride a trolley to the mine, don a hardhat to get the total mining experience and finally tour the town of Wallace on the return trolley trip. What a deal! We also enjoyed the local color with lunch and a pawn shop trip.

Pat joined us a few days later, not the least bit unhappy about missing the mine experience. But we all four returned to Wallace for a bike ride beyond all expectations. The national Rails to Trails program has converted the defunct Hiawatha Rail Line to a bike trail. This trek takes you from a few miles east of the Idaho/Montana border to near Wallace on the west side for an up close look at the heart of the mountain range. It is 17 miles, down hill, wearing a helmet and headlight. The ride goes through ten tunnels and over seven trestles that span amazing river gorges. You are often at treetop level, looking down, or in my case, forward.

The most daunting tunnel is right off the bat, the 1.7 mile Taft Tunnel, a curving, dank, dark, cold test of endurance. I white-knuckled the experience with a determined finish-without-falling focus, while the other three thought it was fun! The views on the west side of the tunnel make it worthwhile. Next is the section of gently sloping, bright, wide trail that curves along the mountain side. But more tunnels await, shorter, easier, but tunnels all the same. After falling in the second one, the others weren’t so bad.

Unfortunately you get a long look at the first trestle way before arriving. It is long and tall; fear of heights would be a real problem here. Grim determination and the mantra “Don’t stop, don’t look down” got me across. Again I need to mention that three fourths of our party was having a wonderful time! The vistas were unlike riding by in a car, you are actually IN the setting, the cliff faces are RIGHT THERE! The rivers, however, are WAY DOWN! Despite my fears, the trip was unforgettably spectacular and the reason for us to buy bikes again later in the trip.

I did adjust. We even stopped and enjoyed looking over some trestle railings. At one stop we looked at a mist of rain in the near distance and were spellbound by the scene until Russell mentioned, “it’s coming our way!” Start peddling – fast. We made the last portion of our trip hunched over handle bars, dripping with mud kicking up on all surfaces. Fortunately, the rain was fairly light and it stopped to allow us some drying time prior to getting on the school bus shuttle for the return trip.

The bus trip is mostly in the valley you were looking into from the bike path, a great perspective. It drops all riders off at the west side of that 1.7 mile Taft Tunnel. That is definitely not the appropriate side of the gauntlet. We all headed into the final leg of the journey, pedaling as fast as possible, for awhile. I had to stop and refused to get back on that bike. I just could not, would not, do it. I walked my bike the rest of the way. I told the others to go ahead. Fortunately, Russell ignored me and followed, pedaling very slowly the whole way. It was a very good thing because prior to the exit my light burned out. We caught up with Rick and Pat taking naps in the truck.

We spent the rest of our days in CDA enjoying the city. Downtown is vibrant! Most businesses are open and busy. Huge baskets of petunias hang from every old-fashioned light pole. There is an active night life and much alfresco dining to add to the atmosphere. The city is built along Lake Coeur D’Alene which gets fed by the Spokane River. Our park was on Blackwell Island where the river meets the lake. The lake was formed by retreating glaciers and has abundant marsh lands, and therefore abundant wildlife. One day Rick spotted a baby moose prancing across a marsh. He was cartoonish, wearing a great moosey smile. I’m quite sure that all the moose in this region are smiling.

We hiked in the city park which sits by the lake around an Idaho hill, or Texas mountain. It was a rugged, but very doable, climb to the top with a view of the lake on three sides. Many folks were boating, swimming, parasailing, and skiing. Pat and I explored the city another day with a Bed and Breakfast tour that was fun, and surely would have been skipped if we had not been together. One business is in an old elementary school now owned by a former student. Cool!

One thing we enjoyed about CDA was the opportunity to be with the Rutherford’s. We shared meals, movies, bike rides and walks in addition to our more daring adventures. There was a lot of talk about where to next, a tough problem to work out when the options are so vast. We decided on a trip to Seattle, they hadn’t been in many years and it was a first for us.

NEXT TIME: try CDA in winter? More bike rides, a kayak trip!

Kalispell, Montana

June 8, 2009

What a nice town! We had heard that Kalispell is a neat place, and have not been disappointed, especially in the Spruce Park on the River RV Campground, a beautiful spot on the Flathead River. The Flathead is a wide, rushing body; at least it is in early summer, fed by snow melt. Our campground is owned by a wonderful lady who grew up on the premises when her parents were the owners. They still live on the site and take great pride in it, as evidenced by the bountiful flowers and original wood carvings. We got to visit with the couple one evening as they were driving the grounds in their Cadillac Esplanade. It is such a wonderful place; one of the employees was planning her wedding here for later in the summer, under the spruce trees beside the river. I got all the details, but no invitation.

The town is a small city – Wal-Mart, Dodge house, mall, downtown – all we needed after several National Park gigs. All of this is set against the Rockies, and protected by them. Temps here do not get as extreme as at St. Mary. We had a lot of work to catch up on since we had not been near a sizeable town since Salt Lake City.

Our highlight of the city was the Conrad Mansion. The original owner and builder was a post Civil War self-made man and city founder who put himself into every aspect of the construction but died only four years after its completion. It was home to his wife, four children, mother and mother-in-law for many years after. Interestingly, there were no grand-children and except for Alicia, the youngest, the children died young. Alicia lived in the house, saving everything until the 1960’s, when she sold the estate to the city. This lady was so exacting, she even saved receipts from the original construction in 1895, toys, clothing, and furniture are still intact. All of these artifacts are exactly what makes this such a fabulous tour and glimpse into the life of privileged at the turn of the twentieth century.

Another day-trip was to the west side of Glacier NP. Again we could take the Sun Rd. about 12 miles because of the avalanche. The west side is very different, hardly any snow remained, the mountains are less rugged and it is more forested. We headed up a trail to a small mountain lake. I am so slow on an uphill climb that it is a drag on anyone else, so I turned back and enjoyed the lodge Russell reported that the small lake was well worth the hike. So was the McDonald Lake Lodge! Original tourists arrived by boat, so the front entrance is lakeside, next to a rushing creek. We did drive in as far as possible, but failed to find any place to park. This had not been a problem at St. Mary! We did relax a bit at a cataract in the river – more breathtaking stuff!

We enjoyed the drive from Kalispell to Coeur D’Alene, especially the beautiful Flathead Lake community and moonscape terrain west of it.

NEXT TIME: Flathead Lake

Glacier National Park East at St. Mary, MT

June 1, 2009

Russell and I have both wanted to see Glacier, the most remote of national parks, for years. In each of our previous trips to Montana we did not have time to get that far. So this was a MUCH anticipated destination. We headed to the more remote, rugged east side at St. Mary partly because it is the closest to the Canadian portion of the park.

We had been beating the season in each of our stops with good results, fewer crowds, more moderate weather and a lot of luck. This native Texan did internet research in planning each destination, but weather hadn’t been a focus. We had no idea that roads would still be closed on June 1 when we arrived at the KOA. The campground did have a few visitors, even though they had only just opened that week. Fortunately, we bought groceries on our way north, sensing that shopping would be limited in St. Mary. After several days at camp, we were low on several basic foods. The only grocery store in town had not gotten stocked yet!

The highlight of any trip to Glacier is the Going-To-The-Sun Highway, climbing between rugged peaks over the continental divide. An avalanche had occurred earlier in the week, closing the central and most spectacular section of road. This was certainly bad news for us, far worse for the crews who would have to repair the damage, but we were not sympathetic at the time. Going-To-The-Sun is the only road crossing Glacier NP. As with most national parks, there are several entrances; Two Medicine in the south, Waterton in Alberta, Canada, West Glacier, near Kalispell, St. Mary and Many Glacier in the east. Going-To-The-Sun connects St. Mary to West Glacier, while each of the other entrances is isolated from the others. We got to go to all 5 major entrances!

Driving the 14 miles west from St. Mary along St. Mary Lake, you can almost see melting snow and glaciers scraping away the terrain. Extreme winters leave their mark, resulting in razor sharp summits with only bare rock to tell the story. The colors of rock are deep cranberry, turquoise, slate, olive. We hiked to St. Mary Falls and you didn’t have to go far to witness rushing creeks and the river. The sounds of cascading water were everywhere. The white waterfall and rapids filled emerald lakes. Glacier fed lakes just have a different color than other lakes, certainly very different from the sandy-bottomed man-made lakes of Texas.

We drove to Many Glacier – hunting for bear…with our camera. Lovely drive, quaint, not-yet-opened lodge, no bear. We drove to Waterton Lake in Canada past Chief Mountain. Chief is imposing for several reasons; he is sitting all alone, larger mountains are off in the distance, he is more of a butte, flat-topped, not jagged and spiked like the surrounding mountains. He dominates the landscape from the north, but is not at all visible from the south.

The village of Waterton is purely for tourists. The Prince William Lodge, not yet open, sits high on a cliff above the village, kind of like Chief Mt. in the south, now that I think about it. Waterton is a wide finger lake that straddles the border of the USA and Canada. The southern tip of the lake is a point of entry to the USA for hikers only. You must have a passport to go past the shore. Waterton is called International Peace Park, the only park that crosses an international border. On the boat ride from the village south, you cross a roughly 10 foot stretch of land, running east-west, which is free of trees and a marker on each shore of the lake denoting the border. It is the easiest border crossing in the world. The guides joked that you feel a bump in the lake as the border is crossed.

We had carefully timed our Canadian trip to allow for boat trip, sight-seeing, and a return before 6PM, when the most convenient border crossing would close. The next week, their hours extend to 10PM, but we would be gone. We arrived at the dock to find that the summer schedule had started that day and the boat we expected to find had already sailed. The next available trip put us past the 6PM deadline. So we got to see more of the area, have a nice dinner and go bear hunting again. This time we were successful! We caught glimpses of two cinnamon bears playing and eating in a marshy area, seemingly unaware of us on the road above. What fun! We also snapped several pictures of a bald eagle perched only a few feet away from us. We could not believe our luck! Unfortunately, most of the shots were with the 35mm that was not properly loaded. No photo evidence exists to show how close we actually were.

The drive through Alberta to the next border crossing was a nice bonus. The terrain is rolling grassland with cattle and ranch houses dotting the landscape. Only random glacier-droppings of boulders remind you that you are not in Texas or Oklahoma. And there in the background was Chief Mountain welcoming us back to the USA. We also enjoyed driving through the picturesque town of Cardston, Alberta on our way to the border. We crossed the border uneventfully, but it was interesting that we had far more questions coming back to our own country that entering the one we visited.

Whenever we had an opportunity to visit with the local folks we asked, “What do ya’ll do in winter?” The answer was unanimous, “LEAVE!” The eastern side of glacier can reach temperatures of 65 below. Snow covers everything. Freezing temps can occur during any month up there. There was snow just before our visit and just after. Not just snow, but storms. Angels were smiling on us yet again. Further down the road, we talked to a man who had been at St. Mary just days after we had left. He fled in a driving snow storm!

NEXT TIME: JULY!

Yellowstone National Park

May 25, 2009

We traveled north from Grand Tetons to the south entrance of Yellowstone-dirt road and all. The lake region of Yellowstone was still frozen and just beautiful. We arrived at Old Faithful in time to see the geyser show off. It was grand! It starts with some belching, then short spurts, then a grand spray for several minutes ending with more sputtering.

We got settled west of the town of West Yellowstone, MT – Yea – wifi, TV and occasional phone reception. This KOA has an old-fashioned 2 person swing and plenty of space at each site – fabulous!

Yellowstone is so big that it is hard to see everything. Fortunately we arrived before school was out and avoided the massive traffic we experienced several years ago. We took several of the walking loops through the geysers seeing examples of all three types; hot springs, fumaroles, and mud pots. Each geyser had something unique about it and I wanted to see them all! Many of the hot springs was actually at a boil. Each was a different shade of blue, with bacteria growth of oranges, yellows and pinks. It is amazing to stand on the boardwalk and know that you are looking down into the mouth of a volcano, magma creating the heat in evidence at the surface. Fumaroles are noisy things, spewing dry steam from rocky surfaces. Mud pots could be called nothing else. It is like watching oatmeal simmer and boil in shades of brown and red.

We got a glimpse of Old Faithful Inn on our first day and wanted to see more. We ate a lovely dinner in the old dining room and got information about the daily tours. The lady hosting our tour group literally wrote the book on the lodge. The lodge, built in 1904, was the first of the national park lodges and set the tone for the rest. The goal was to create an atmosphere of living in the woods, complete with a tree house of sorts, four floors up in the lobby. The Inn, made of local materials, blends and enhances the natural setting and is comfortable. Much of the same furniture designed and built for the lodge is still in use, and still comfortably inviting. The original rooms are simple boxes with a shelf and dowel hooks to accommodate belongings, some had a sink, but communal bathrooms were the only option. This old style is still available but suites and private baths have been added as rooms were built on. The original cedar panels of the hallways are removed and steam cleaned periodically. We visited with one of the maintenance crew who added many interesting facts during our tour. He told us that the whole place shuts down in October for crews to completely clean and winterize. All first floor windows are boarded and water is drained from all pipes, in addition to other procedures. This gentleman has been spending his summers here since retiring several years before. We met many service people who had made the same retirement choice, including a lady who annually drives from South Carolina! She makes up dinners and freezes them for her husband who doesn’t want to leave home.

During the tour, the group is taken out to the front entrance for a sense of the view that greeted early visitors. While admiring the portico, one of the more erratic geysers, the Beehive, blew. The tour stopped for us to enjoy the rare spectacle. The hotel is situated so that visitors on the veranda, a deck on the entrance roof, may be treated to both this geyser and Old Faithful while sipping drinks and lounging in comfort. This is the kind of detail the architect considered in every aspect of design.

We also enjoyed the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The Yellowstone River falls in a beautiful cascade into the gorge. The falls and canyons are on the east side of what is referred to as the Grand Loop of the park. Geysers dominate the north and west sides while the lake region dominates the south. We drove through the north and south, getting the flavor, but lacked time for exploring. The north entrance features Mammoth Hot Springs. The Lodge here is a Victorian spa set in bare rolling hills. The springs are sulfuric, white-cake-frosting type formations. They beckon you to relax and “take the waters.”

People who camped in the park were treated to a variety of wild life. We saw buffalo – lots of buffalo. There were crowds of people snapping one picture after another. They must not have been from Texas or the central plains states!

NEXT TIME: stay in the park at Mammoth Hot Springs

Jackson, Wyoming and Grand Teton National Park

May, 2009

We camped one night at the Moose-Wilson KOA near Jackson, WY. Our view from Teton Pass clearly explains why the valley is called Jackson Hole. The name comes from an old fur trapper who worked the area.

Downtown's park square is complete with deer and elk antler gates at each entrance. Saloons, T-shirt shops and river guides abound. We really enjoyed the National Park Service’s visitor center and game preserve. As usual, the NPS rangers were friendly and very well informed. The well-displayed exhibits were helpful and gave us a good preview of the Grand Tetons.

We took a walk near the campgrounds and discovered a baby eagle in a nest atop a telephone pole. There are 4 by 4 foot platforms on utility poles throughout the west, many with large nests. This is the only one we got close enough to see the baby, screaming and yelling either at our presence or a lack of food.

The Grand Tetons are so majestic! The vantage point is from the east, looking at these snowy peaks from across a lake or, at times, across a meadow. The string of finger lakes at the base of the range provide perfect reflection pools. In mid May, snow covered all but the lowest elevations.

This was our first stay inside a national park, the first that could accommodate a large rig. The advantage to staying in the park boundaries is that you are there – no time is wasted getting to the entrances, although we covered a lot of distance getting to the many areas we wanted to see inside the park. The downside is there is no TV, WiFi, or phone coverage except at the lodge. So we spent a lot of time at the lodge, which was a good thing.

Wildlife is everywhere! We saw bear, elk, moose, wolf and eagle. A group of us at the lodge watched two wolves stalk the elk herd. They managed to corner a member of the herd, but she used terrain and vegetation to escape and rejoin her friends. Russell was working inside and missed the event, but later he elevated it to a life and death struggle to the end when relating it to others .

Our experiences here led to a desire to improve our equipment. We bought a new digital camera and binoculars and dusted off the old Cannon 35mm camera.

NEXT TIME: more hikes, ride the Jenny Lake boat, stay longer.

Salt Lake City, Utah

May, 2009

Our Salt Lake City stop served several purposes: we wanted to see more than just the airport, and we could fly to Texas from this air hub.

Salt Lake City is beautiful with much to see and do. We took the free shuttle from the huge west side SLC KOA campground to the LDS Headquarters in downtown. They have many buildings covering an area of at least six city blocks. Russell did way better than I did searching ancestors. Our tour of the public buildings and beautifully gardened grounds was informative. There are several restaurants within the headquarters. We went to a roof-top garden at the Joseph Smith Building, once the Utah Hotel. The food was delicious, with gracious service and the gilt building was amazing. The day was so glorious that the roof was open allowing sun and fresh air.

We took an interesting day trip to Ogden to see the old Union Depot, once the center of railroading to the west. Currently it houses a restaurant, train museum, Browning Arms exhibit and antique car museum, all for the price of $5. The genius of John Browning is no secret to true collectors, but I was surprised. This man completely revolutionized weapons of all types and sizes. His designs and inventions continue in today’s guns. He and the Browning Co. designed guns for Winchester, Colt and many other large manufacturers. Rare autos from the Browning family are in the first floor museum. There were cars here we had never even heard of before and all are in beautiful condition. Most of the cars are still drivable and participate in local parades. We always knew that east met west at Promontory Point, Utah and Ogden was the hub of activity in creating that link. We did not know that in 1904 a shorter route was built that crossed The Great Salt Lake. They had a depot in the middle of the lake on a man-made island in the form of a wooden landing that was wide enough for a row of buildings. People lived out there!

Another day trip took us to Park City, a popular ski resort town. Unfortunately, ski season had ended but summer season hadn’t begun yet. Most events and many shops and restaurants were closed for vacation. We did enjoy the walk through down and certainly got some exercise getting back uphill to our car.

Another day we drove to the Kennecott Copper Mine, now owned by Rio Tinto. This rich copper mine began as nearly 10 different mining towns with workers heading underground to capture the many ores found here. In the early 1900’s strip mining began and is projected to continue for at least another 20 years. This has become the deepest man-mad hole on earth, 1 mile deep, and has produced more copper than most other mines put together. It also produces gold, silver, and other commercially useable ores. It is so weird to drive into the area and see these “Hot-Wheel” looking toy trucks way down in the pit, only to find that they are really massive dump trucks over 23 feet tall! The museum and video were equally amazing.

NEXT TIME: The State Capital, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir practice

Bryce Canyon, Utah

April 26, 2009

We had planned a trip to Bryce 25 years ago, but ran out of time. So this week-long stop was long overdue, and well worth the wait. Fairyland is overused in describing Bryce for a good reason. You can see that the top layer of limestone that you are standing on is exactly the same as the tops of the formations. Colors have “washed” down to the base of these hoodoos and walls from white to pink to red. Hoodoos are eerie formations of spires, fins, horseshoes and arches. The less eroded areas form mazes of walls.

We hiked the most popular loop, down Queen’s Garden and back up the Navaho Wall Trail. The Queen’s Garden trail descends through the formations that make Bryce famous. Once at the bottom you are walking in a thinly-treed forest along a creek. These pines seemed miniature from above, or were hidden altogether, shade the walkway, a beautiful reprieve which is much needed for the Navaho hike out. You walk through towering walls that but touch at the top-at tourist level-focusing what light that does filter through into a rectangular sundial for those with the ability to read it. The assent is steeply carved into a wall, switch backs twisting you up the nearly vertical wall. I had to stop at the end of every full loop. As tiring as it was, I was somewhat disappointed to come out of the time travel to arrive back in the land of tourists and cars. In the trail you can imagine the geologic and environmental forces that shaped this magic and feel the ancients who peopled these canyons.

We also enjoyed Red Rock Canyon and hiked through this smaller state park. Snow was a nice bonus.

We actually stayed near Red Rock Canyon at a very small park. Being new to travel, we were nervous about the road conditions getting deeper into Bryce. This fear turned out to be well-founded. There are two narrow, low red rock arches over the roadway – very picturesque! However at just over 13 feet tall, a trip through that passage would be a little daunting. I’m sure we would have made it, creeping and sweating the whole way. The more popular and closer RV Park is Ruby’s. This complex includes the RV park, a hotel, restaurant and store. Many services, like a free shuttle, are available later in the season. We did spend a lot of time at the hotel because of their wifi service. As I write this, we probably have the confidence to make our way into Ruby’s on another trip.

NEXT TIME: Take UT 12 east to Moab, Capital Dome, Arches and the other canyon lands. Also revisit Grand Canyon, North Rim, and Zion.

April 20, 2009

The small community of Munds Park is convenient to both Flagstaff and Sedona. Here we got to the pines, mountains, and cooler weather of northern Arizona. The Munds Park RV Resort backs up to the Coconino National Forest with easy access for long walks.

We took the northern route to Sedona through Oak Creek Canyon. The road runs southwest from I-17 through the forest climbing to the mountain top where we stopped at the vista point. The view is spectacular as the pines open above Oak Creek. In the distance pines thin to reveal colors and bare rock of Sedona. The view is also a preview of the switch-back road we would descend.

In Sedona we did the usual walk, exploring small shops and snapping pictures. We also took a tour to the west side of town to see the back side of formations. The day ended with a view from above at the mountain top airport.

We also took day trips from Munds to Flagstaff and the small town of Jerome. Jerome is a former copper mining town, now considered a “ghost town” except for tourists and the folks minding the stores. Jerome is built straight up the mountainside. Steep step walkways take the visitor from one street to the one above it. Some walkways wind through floral gardens, others run parallel to creeks of snow melt. Some buildings remain in their original condition from the late 1800’s, except for the pull of gravity. The view from these lofty streets is impressive!

NEXT TIME: Verde Valley, Crater Rim east of Flagstaff

Routine

The exciting adventures and wonderful tours of Tucson and Phoenix have made a farce of my premise that we are not on vacation! There is no doubt that we have taken advantage of beautiful locales, however the travelogue doesn’t give the complete picture.

We were in Tucson for 2 weeks and in Phoenix for a full month. Interesting tours were hardly daily occurrences. We continued the business of business. An RV and truck require cleaning and maintaining, if not as much as a house. By living at home instead of in hotels, we fix our meals and clean dishes, without benefit of a dishwasher, in a very confined space. The space issue means that if you get an item out, you really need to put it away ASAP to allow for whatever you need to do next. Dishes, computers, printer, sewing, books, etc, all have to be put in their assigned spaces prior to a meal or whatever else happens next. Therefore, routine events take a little longer.

Add to that, laundry, grocery shopping, exercise and the other daily chores of living. We are fortunate to have an oversized refrigerator, freezer and pantry, but still small by house standards. We buy groceries more often than we used to in stores we are probably unfamiliar with. Our home has a built-in laundry hamper, a nice extra, but we opted not to get the washer/dryer. So there is a weekly trek to the laundry room instead of the ongoing one-load-at-a-time concept. I have found that getting several washers going at once and being done with it is has advantages over always being in some stage of laundry.

We also have work to take care of online. We each have a laptop and responsibilities. Russell’s daily work with the stock market allows our lifestyle. He is very disciplined and knowledgeable from years of study and following the markets. He also manages bills and rental property for his Mom. I help Russell with his work and handle business for my parents. There is a flurry of additional computer activity when the weekly mail arrives.

None of these routines is all consuming or daily. It is not at all like the routine of going to work for someone else, like we did for three decades. However, each job has its space and time and adds to the fullness of our life on the road.

Phoenix, Arizona

March 20-April 19, 2009

We spent a month at the Eagle View RV in the suburb of Fountain Hills– arranged by our friends, Rick and Pat Rutherford who live in the area. I highly recommend the Rutherford’s as trip planners. They had maps, activities, events and free stuff ready and waiting for us. We had a relaxing combination of enjoying friends and seeing Phoenix.

Our touring events included Saguaro Lake, Indian Casinos, Taliesin (the Frank Lloyd Wright home and university) the Phoenix Fine Arts Museum, and Botanical Gardens. We saw a great show of impersonators – up close and personal on the front row- which made Russell part of the Shania Twain act. He was great: dancing, singing and living it up with the pretty lady-impressive. He became a real celebrity in the crowd. We also had a wonderful evening at a nearby dude ranch for a cook out and dance. The evening included Indian stories and a birthday dance for one young visitor. Another day we rode horseback through the desert and Verde River.

Our greatest adventure began at the Botanical Gardens. Besides the beautiful plants they had an exhibit of Chihuly Glass. These museum quality pieces of sculpture were interspersed throughout the gardens, blending and contrasting with the desert cacti, succulents and flowers. It was amazing! The fun came to an abrupt halt with the realization of being robbed. People had broken into Pat’s car and stolen our purses, beginning an education we really could have done without.

We had been warned about leaving anything in a car in this area, but obviously didn’t take the advice seriously enough. The loot included 3 sets of keys (Pat’s, Russell’s and mine) assorted credit cards, and 2 cell phones in addition to 2 very nice purses and all the assorted stuff that women carry. Of course most of our prized possessions wound up littering the roadway somewhere. All four of us spent the better part of a week repairing the damage and did not get all of the replacements until months later.

Other mundane activities during our stay included our usual routine and trips to the chiropractor. The fall in Tucson was still being felt and had to be taken care of. I went three times each week for three weeks of treatment and physical therapy. Obviously, this cut down on the amount of hiking I could do with Russell. Fortunately, Rick likes to hike so the men took on some of the rougher terrain of the area while I recouped. Pat was often at work during these excursions. I was able to rejoin the group on some beautiful walks before leaving. March is a good time for hiking in Phoenix because the temperatures are mild and the cacti are blooming.

Tucson, Arizona

March, 2009

We spent 2 weeks in Tucson soaking up sun. The Far Horizons East RV Park was a new experience for us because most of the snowbirds have been spending winters here for years in their RV or park model home. This resort provides a very active schedule of dinners, classes, clubs and outings. We enjoyed the sense of community.

We really enjoyed our hikes in the Saguaro National Park. These unique cacti grow profusely with no two the same. I went nuts with the camera. I also went nuts with the heat and elevation. Even though we had water, I collapsed from dehydration on a mountain top. Once recovered, we limped down to buy a big hat and backpack water carrier. Chiropractic was in my immediate future.

We visited several great places while there. The Titan Missile Silo and Pima Air Museum were a step back in time in the Cold War and air history. Tombstone was a step way back to Earp, Hitchcock, and the Clanton’s at the OK Corral. Further back still, we visited Tubac to see the ruins of pueblos and fort. Mt. Lemmon was an interesting geologic time warp.

We made great friends, relaxed, and ate more Mexican food.

NEXT TIME: San Xavier Mission, Sabino Canyon

West Texas, Southern New Mexico

February, 2009

Our RV-on the road- adventures began in earnest on February 26, 2009. We headed to Van Horn, TX. Cruising down the road through vast deserted desert is really a great way to start. The next day-more desert as we drove through El Paso to Las Cruces.

We spent 2 weeks at a wonderful resort, Hacienda RV, just off I-10. Highlights included a visit to Ft. Bliss to visit our nephew and his family, hikes in the desert, the Organ Mts., markets, Mexican food, Cloudcroft, relaxing. Lowlights – adjusting to altitude and toilette repair.

We had a great time at Michael’s home in El Paso with his wife and son. He took us on a behind-the-scenes tour of Ft. Bliss. It was neat to hear him talk about his job and hear the pride he feels to be in the Army. We ruined his day, however, when we beat them at a trivia game back at home. He began with the confidence of youth and lost with the grace of a gentleman.

Las Cruces was the start of our Mexican Food Tasting Tour. Russell fell in love with marinated peppers and was determined to replicate the recipe. He sampled peppers through several states, never finding any as good as the ones in La Mesilla. Certainly the ones we tried to make from the same ingredients were no match.

We really enjoyed our low-key visit in a city that is large enough to provide services without the drag of heavy traffic and confusing freeways.

Family and Friends

We moved into our rig in April, 2008. The Destin trip was December '08 and our next trip, the one we are still on, began in late February '09. The times in between these dates were very special and productive. We lost Russell's Dad in May of '08 after several years of decline. By being mobile, we were able to live in Waco and then Kerrville for several months to enjoy and assist our parents. It also provided time to visit friends across the state, and take care of our own health issues before beginning a long trip. This was the opportunity of a lifetime for people who have never lived in the same town as their parents. It was a chance to spend time with our families and still be in our own home, small as it might be.

In terms of full-timing, we were also allowed the luxury of showing off our new home and get used to the new living arrangement with a little extra elbow room. We organized, re-organized, re-fined and did it some more, each time jettisoning some more stuff. We also got to meet some great people and live in parks close to home. Brazos River RV in Waco is very pretty, near the river, and run by a very nice family. Buckhorn Lake Resort is known as one of the best in the USA with good reason. Many snowbirds winter here every year. These two experiences gave us a great foundation for full-timing in RV parks.

This time preparing for THE TOUR was time of the highest quality.