Thanksgiving in Las Vegas

November 26, 2011

The turkey is reduced to leftovers in the freezer. The tree is trimmed. We are awaiting our umpteenth football game of the weekend, Tech and Baylor. We managed to avoid the shopping freenzy so far, but also have no presents for Christmas yet.

This is our first holiday season back in a stick home so the traditions of decorating and trimming the tree have brought back many memories. It was great fun to set up the manger, arrange the Santas, and hang ornaments. I haven't seen these treasures for 3 years. The best part is remembering the family, friends and students who gave us so many of these items. I have parts of 2 manger sets, 1 from Mom the other was Aunt Janice's. I remember the Kerrville after Christmas sale at Schreiner's with Mom when I picked up our Christmas pottery. Mom and I were both proud of the low, low price. Setting up the tree on the day after Thanksgiving was something we always did with Bill and Betty when we were in Waco.

Since it has been awhile, a few things slipped our collective memory: what happened to the tree stand? we only have 1 strand of lights? did you find the ornament hangers? But all the dust has settled and I have swept the tree needles yet again and it's time to catch up on correspondence.

From my perch on the sofa I can admire the sunset over the mountains, the tree, and the large screen TV. Life is good! It must to time to post on the blog!

We've been reminising our most recent trip and planning the next, but for now we are hanging out in Vegas. New traditions are good!

Living in Vegas

Look left: view of sunset over the western mountains. Look right: Rangers up by 2 over the Tigers. I guess there is not much to complain about, but somehow I find a way. In a minute we'll flip to catch up with the Raiders and Aggies, so I am truly multi-tasking.

We took a sports break today to take a short drive and hike. We are about 10 miles from the entrance to Red Rock Canyon National Park, geezers like Russell get in free. We hiked the Calico Hills for about 1.3 miles. The up, down and around made it more of a challenge than it sounds. It was a perfect day, evidenced by the number of folks who made the same decision we did to get out of town.

The Calico Hills are perfectly named. Orange, white, black, marmalade striped formations heaped in great globular mounds reminded me of a book Kyle got from my Aunt Mab when he was slightly more than a baby. We loved how the calico cat ate everything in sight to become The Three Hundred Pound Cat. I could just imagine him and an entire herd of such cats eating themselves to a frozen state, sleeping off the Thanksgiving dinner of all time. Perhaps I spent too long in elementary classrooms.

But now back to the reality of an opened patio door, no screen needed, with the mountains etched against the last glow of clear sky. A pine tree off of our patio frames the twin palm trees that appear to top the more distant peaks. Oh and Tech just scored again. Some things just don't get any better! Yes they do! A NELSON CRUZ HOMER!

A New Home in Las Vegas

Last night Russell commented that it has taken 2-3 months but we were finally settled. Looking at the calendar revealed that it had just been 6 weeks. Some things just feel like they last longer.

During our long-planned trip from Texas to Chicago in July and August, our Las Vegas condo closed and our stored furniture and boxes were shipped from Waco; all with a lot of help from friends and the internet. We left Indiana Dunes early August 11 and arrived in Vegas 1780 miles and 3 days later. Between the 14th and Labor Day Russell and Fred, handyman extraordinaire, painted, floored and plumbed. In the 3 weeks since Russell and I have been cleaning, sorting and moving in. The RV is in storage nearby ready for our next trip.

We are enjoying our new home! At 1200 square feet, it is small, but 3 times bigger than what we are used to. We love getting reacquainted with our stored stuff; it makes us smile to seeing our paintings and hear the clock chime. We love our view! the mountains west of town display wonderful sunsets, more smiling. We love meeting new neighbors and finding cool spots in Vegas. There is more work to be done, but the has-to-be-done parts are behind us and we are beginning to enjoy our new home.

More later to fill in the gaps about crossing the mid-west and seeing 7 new-to-us states.

A New Home

Indiana

We swung by Indianapolis on our way to Lafayette, and I am talking about the briefest of glances. I'm sure there is a city there, but you can't prove it by me. We only saw a couple of freeway systems under construction. The signage was so poor we were flying on guess work, not our best method of navigation. But! we made it and we were soon cruising into our campground on the Wabash River east of the city. Stately trees created a canopy that shaded and cooled.

We took in the local sights: the Tippicanoe Battleground, Perdue University (thought about our friend Tom who was a proud alum), the county courthouse, Walmart and Home Depot. The Erie Canal that connects Lake Erie with the Wabash, built long before statehood, ends at Delphi, a town just east of our campground. We talked about going but ran out of steam. A tour boat runs on the weekend, not weekdays. That would be a trip worth taking.

We woke up Tuesday night to heavy rainfall and heavier limb-fall. A thin but long dead limb landed on the roof just over our bed in the early hours. Fortunately nothing was hurt and the refreshing sound of rain was really nice. Temperatures were cooler that morning, but in a steamy kind of way. This morning the air was crisp, clean, and significantly cooler. Maybe 100 degree days are gone for this trip.

We are now just up the road at Fair Oaks. The park is just beautiful, wide sites, well treed (but we finally have satellite access with ease) there is a lake and several trails. Chicago is less than 2 hours away, so driveable for a day trip. I'm getting excited about my first visit to the city.

New Territory!

The weather did cool off in Tulsa prior to our leaving on Tuesday morning, bring much needed relief to the area and us. However, our stay there was about organizing and meeting up with the Rutherford's. While there, we did take advantage of a wonderful farmer's market. We cooked fresh eggplant, greenbeans, zuchini, tomatoes, it was all wonderful.

The drive northeast to Missouri was blessedly uneventful in terms of road conditions, weather (even a smattering of rain!) and ease of driving. We stopped in Dixon at a very out-of-the-way spot on the Glasconade River. We enjoyed the peace and quiet of this country setting, even took a dip in the river, heavenly. The river is spring fed, a bubbling 42 gallons a minute. Hunter was our local guide, a friendly 5th grader who was also escaping the heat in the river.

Our next travel day took us through St. Louis (why didn't we plan a stop here?) to Illionois. Driving northeast on I55 the major landscape feature is CORN! It is indeed King here, rising at least 6ft, going on for miles. We are camped just south of Springfield at the Double J, a wonderful park. We spent yesterday in downtown hoping to see a bit of the Lincoln sites. We were all amazed at the show that Springfield puts on!

A Civil War "Vet" led the tour of the Old State Capital where we met President and Mrs. Grant. He spoke about growing up in Ohio, the son of a successful tanner. Grant lived in Illinois at the start of the Civil War and worked at the State House. We walked to Lincoln's home and neighborhood. The National Park Service manages this area. There is an interesting display about the process of excavation in one home. The Lincoln home is wonderful, especially since Abe himself arrived during our tour. He talked to folks and led a parade to the depot for his trip to Washington as the president. We heard his farewell speech and then a "press conference" a week after Bull Run.

There is so much going in to make history alive you could spend several days in this small downtown and still not see it all. We head back today for a walking tour of the Lincoln neighborhood and a visit to the museum. I expect them to be wonderful, and then I think we will be ready to say so long to the Land of Lincoln.

PICTURE: Abe leaving his home for Washington. The hat sits on the desk occupied by Lincoln while in state legislature, now occupied by ME while listening to Pres. Grant.

Points North!

We picnicked near the bank of the Red River on our way to Tulsa. Most of the trip was highway, but some sections of the east Texas drive had us anxious to get to the Indian Turnpike of Oklahoma. We did not know when we had it good! It was nice to have a thruway, no lights and minimal traffic, but the road conditions had Russell wanting to collect money at the tollbooth for enduring the rough ride. Oklahoma calls itself "The Turnpike State." They actually take pride in taking your money at every off ramp. To end with a more positive comment, we did enjoy the forested rolling hills.

AND what do you call Tulsa if Dallas was a steambath?

It may be less humid but that is small consolation for increased heat. Even in Dallas our A/C cycled off for long periods of time in the pre-sun mornings. Waking up in Tulsa today we could hear the air conditioner cut off only very briefly before kicking into action again.

However, the day must be met and we had things to do. Post office, new car tires, and haircuts made for a full morning. We took a nice stroll through a really good farmer's market and picked up more vegetables than we can possibly eat. Good thing the Rutherford's are arriving tomorrow to help with that.

We'll be here until Tuesday morning when we head north and east:
Springfield, MO;
Springfield, IL;
Lafayette, IN;
Fair Oaks, IN;
and finally Indiana Dunes, IN.

The last 2 locations are within an hour of the true destination: CHICAGO!

According to the weather map, we are literally hitting all the HOT SPOTS. Looks like we could be almost anywhere else in the USA and be cooler. Can we plan a trip or what!

More Texas Fun

WE have gotten to see so many friends and family on this trip, WHAT A TREAT!

We got with the Jones Boys in Coldspring. Now this is a dozen 9th grade boys from Lake Air Jr. High who now happen to be in their 60's with wives, children and grands. But on this weekend in July, they were only about 14. Thanks to JR and Glenda for hosting the party at their lakeside home. Thanks to David, Jack, Billy Ray, Jimmy, Russell, JR, and of course, George Jones for getting together now(7 of 12 is pretty good!) and all those years ago. The wives also had a great time. We met Becky and Jackie for the first time and enjoyed seeing Rosanne and Glenda again. We were sorry that Susan and Susie could not make the trip.

Waco. We always look forward to time with Doug and Linda. They truly take good care of us when we are there and often, when we are on the road. On this trip they surprised us with a trip to Lorena to see Elvis and a troop of entertainers that Vegas can only envy. The buffet of down-home food combined with great music that had all of us singing, and a few folks dancing. The moves of a certain 81 year old gentleman had our table of 60's wishing we had half the energy or flexibility! And Elvis -Johnny Memphis - was terrific!

While in Waco we made sure our storage stuff was ready for the trip to Vegas. Doug is meeting the movers for us in early August to send the numerous boxes and random furniture to its new home. We took care of family related things and the regular chores that had been put off. We enjoyed an evening at Billy Ray and Becky's beautiful home which is very near the airport park where we were camped. In cooler weather we could have hopped the fence and walked, but we certainly did not have cooler weather.

But we only thought Waco was hot, Dallas was a steambath! We camped at Lake Lewisville again, very convenient for visiting the doctors, which we did on a daily basis. The only thing I came away with was a pronouncement that I am completely out of shape and need to get with the program. So much for Sudoku!

We saw more than doctors, however. We spent great time with family - Kyle, Karyn, Bill, and Suzanne - and friends, Mike and Nancy. We also shopped for possible furniture. More planning for the Vegas move.

Our Texas trip came to an end in Longview at the home of Jack and Susan. We were able to park in front of their house which is at the end of the street with no other nearby houses. Susan had a lovely dinner for us and we really enjoyed catching up with these long-time friends.

The Width of Texas

We entered Texas in El Paso with a wonderful visit with nephew Michael and his family, Stephanie and 4-year-old Parker. They have a beautiful new home that they bought this summer. Parker gave us the full tour! It was also an honor to see the awards that Michael has earned during his enlistment with the army. He leaves for a third tour later this month. Like El Paso wasn't hot enough in August, he is headed to the middle east!

Our next stop rattling down I-10 was Boerne. We have driven through many times, but finally stopped for a few days. We enjoyed cousins George and Sharon and friends Nick and Daffnes. We really enjoyed the beautiful town, river walk, and relaxing.

We got off the interstate at Flatonia and headed cross country through beautiful farm lands of central Texas. The fields looked lush compared to the burnt browns we had been seeing, but closer observation revealed the same drought conditions as the west. Arriving at Rainbow's End in Livingston, we were told "No outdoor cooking at all!"

This is our first time at the Escapees Park that serves at our permanent address. I had hoped to see the mail room, but didn't get past the lobby...bummer. Nice to be able to check our mail daily for awhile. We have gotten to put faces on the voices that answer our calls.

The park has the typical camp sites and picnic tables and so much more to make the large area a full community. The camp sites are spread out in three different areas, one is nestled in the pines. The difference here is that privately owned homes are situated throughout the park. Many homes are RVs or have space for one next to the house. Many of the homes have name signs and some have hung a shingle to advertise services they provide. There is also the Care Center. People who want to live in there RVs but can no longer manage the independence can settle here and have the care they need. They have a full care facility with state licensing. There are two activity centers and a nice pool. Of course, golf cart is the preferred mode of transport. Everyone waves and it is a very friendly place to be.

We also took advantage of the location to see some old friends. We enjoyed Diane and her family that had gathered for the 4th, and Mary and Russell, fellow RVers and Escapees members. Diane's parents and mine were friends long before either of us was around, so we grew up together. Mary and I met first day of 7th grade. These are 2 ladies I don't often get to see, so this was a real treat!

Our primary job this week was to fine tune a few things on the RV. Russell had an oil filter project to satisfy his suppressed desire to be a mechanic, even when everything is working fine. We also shook off some sand and dust from our months in the desert. I'd hate to say we were dirty, but some might. With the heat, this meant early mornings to take advantage of the coolest part of the day.

And now, a news break! We have found out that the Las Vegas condo sell has been approved. Closing is end of the month! Our trip has been curtailed somewhat. We plan to get to Vegas in mid August to get our stuff moved in and a few details worked out. We hope to be able to pick up the journey to the northeast in late September. We will have to make decisions about that as we get settled. We are looking forward to getting organized, or at least starting the process.

A Story of Wind

New Mexico

In an attempt to stay cool a little while longer, we have been hanging out in New Mexico. For the most part, cooler is a relative statement. Yes, we have needed to run the AC, but not much until noon. Here in Ruidoso this morning going outside felt much better in a sweat shirt and long pants. This afternoon is comfortably warm, the sweats are put away until at least tomorrow morning.

About wind. We could have ridden the winds east from Taos to Lake Chochiti to Corrizozo to Ruidoso, only hitting the gas to veer south or uphill. Camping in Corrizozo on a cliff overlooking the lava beds, Malipais to locals, yielded beautiful sunsets. But even the gusty winds could not keep the gnats from taking over a glass of wine. Russell quipped, "We have returned to fly country." The second night there, we watched sunset from the window as the winds were much worse. The same winds prevented us from having a charcoal fire anywhere in the state. The winds pretty well hindered our efforts to have a propane fire as well. We rose to the challenge of finding a wind block that would allow significant time to char a steak or two.

However, winds rock us to sleep-literally-and keep the temperatures down. The winds create music in the pines that is also restful. The winds of time have carved many of the dramatic vistas that New Mexico has to offer as well. They certainly have been at work at Chochiti Lake to create the "tent rocks" and slot canyon of Kasha-Katuwe. We waved to people who climbed to the top and related to the other geezers who turned around just past mid-way.

We spent yesterday afternoon at the horse races of Ruidoso Downs. Many of those horses were riding the wind, and then there were the ones we bet on. No, we did pick a few winners, but it seems we have a knack for picking the 4th horse to cross the line. Watching the horses as they are guided to the paddock and then on the track is a treat. Trying to bet on the best looking horse is a very tough call.

Tomorrow we head in to Texas for the next month. Our route is I-10 from El Paso to just east of San Antonio before veering north to East Texas. We will be staying at the Escapees Park near Livingston. We have been members of this group since 2008 and never visited before. They handle our mail and we talk to someone there most every week. It will be nice to see where we have officially lived for the last 3 years. After that we head back to central Texas for stops in Waco and Dallas.

Tentative plans have us cruising north to Chicago, Niagara Falls, Vermont, DC and then South Carolina, some of the places we had planned to see last summer. However, as with last summer, sometimes events occur to curtail the best laid plans. We can only plan and hope that all of this will really take place and know that if we are suppose to be some place else, then it is fortunate that we have the flexibility to do that.

Taos, NM

We were back in Taos last week. We had done a day-trip last fall and had another brief visit many years ago. This time, we stayed 8 days and didn't see even half of what is available in this busy town. We had a different focus.

Kyle is a sponsor for the youth group at his church. They spend a week each summer working for Habitat for Humanity either in Taos, NM or Jonestown, MS. Last June we were in Memphis and drove down to Jonestown for a day-trip to lunch with Kyle. This year we were able to spend the whole week in Taos while the group was there.

We really enjoyed hanging out with the 22 high school kids and 4 sponsors. They worked on a foundation for a new house, landscaped at First Presbyterian, and worked the stock at Habitat's re-sale store in Taos. Russell manned a rake to help lay concrete, I manned a camera and held a chair in place. I did have a brief stint as "hose master" keeping the concrete wet and tools clean. Other than that, we visited and enjoyed.

It was wonderful to be with Kyle and see him at work. Of all the accomplishments Russell and I have achieved together, Kyle is by far the very best.

We did a little bit on our own in Taos. Russell dipped a line in the Red River and a small mountain lake before we drove to Albertson's for whole trout. We walked the plaza, farmer's market in Taos, a car rally in Red River, and the ice cream shop in Arroyo Seco. We drove the back roads and enjoyed our RV park. We both had hoped to do more, but the fire haze from eastern Arizona had us feeling sluggish.

We have been to Alpine several times visiting the Rutherford's. I hate to think about those beautiful aspen and ponderosa pine gone for the near future. The poor people who are displaced and possibly homeless have a very long time before their lives are back to normal. How many animals, wild and domestic, have been caught by this 400,000 acre blaze? All of this caused by someone leaving a campfire without checking that it was out. We have done that, but without the disastrous results, fortunately. We have been burned out by someones deliberate actions. Fire touches all of us, usually for the good, but it seems to be a very fine line.

Now we are at a CORPS lake. Cochiti Lake is on pueblo land southwest of Santa Fe. Beautiful and remote. The Cochiti have been here for over 700 years for good reason, it is at the base of the Jemez Mountains along the Rio Grande. The dammed river creates the reservoir and recreation area. The winds here keep the temperature down and create a great place for sail boats and wind surfers. The fire haze is present here as well. Charcoal fires are not allowed at all, quite disappointing since they have really nice grills and picnic areas. We finally broke down and bought a small propane grill. It is a poor substitute. One of the park rangers asked, "Isn't there enough smoke in the air for you?" He does have a point.

And throughout the whole north central New Mexico trek there have been the MAVERICKS! They have just kept on winning in the finals. We were elated last night to take home the championship! I've texted and facebooked Dallas friends through the entire drama. This has been fun. Russell is of the belief that a game 7 would have been even more fun, but I have to disagree with him on that one. GO MAVS!!! It was a great victory for a deserving team.

Santa Fe, NM

The winds in the southwest have just been amazing, 20mph is a good thing, it gets worse. This keeps the heat down, but makes moving a large vehicle somewhat dicey. Since the velocity tends to pick up as the day gets warmer. So we started our 6 hour drive at 4:30 this am. The increased ease of driving made that early alarm well worth it.

We are back and really enjoying Santa Fe, again. We are even staying at the same park, we liked it so well. Today we arrived in time for lunch, showers and a trip downtown. And what a great trip it was!

Russell saw some commotion on the plaza, so we checked it out. "Odd Thomas" is being filmed and we got to watch part of the movie. Willem Defoe walked into a restaurant. That was it, twice. We talked to the film crew and jockeyed for a good place for pictures. Russell got a really good one after they finished shooting. We followed Willem off the set and down the street for a bit then got on with our own walk. He seemed very personable. Not so much so that he came over and shook hands with us, though. DRAT!

While standing on the plaza craning our necks, I met Ray. What a nice man. We visited about the movie and then he gave me a tip, "the best Santa Fe tip there is." He told us about Tia Sofia, a wonderful breakfast/lunch restaurant that is a favorite with locals. On our way to find it, we happened into a fossil and rock store, Russell's favorite. We visited with the owner who is also a collector. he told us history of a piece and really make it come alive.

A return trip is planned for tomorrow! Can't wait.

Winslow & Meteor Crater

After years of driving I-40, really Kyle's first trek was at the age of 5 and we had made several laps by then, we finally stopped at Meteor Crater. This natural landmark is a mere 6m south of the freeway; we should have solved this mystery years ago.

Yesterday we headed over to Winslow to see the town made famous by the Eagles in the 1970's. Turns out that Winslow was the largest town in northern Arizona when the Sante Fe Railroad built a depot and hotel in the 1930's. The hacienda style mansion was designed and built by Mary Colter, a rare female architect at that time. She took every detail to heart and despite a butchering in the 1960's, the labor of love is still impressive. Stars of the Golden Age of film flocked to this locale to rest, play and tour on day trips.

We really did enjoy seeing the restoration of La Posada. The atmosphere is restful and a showcase for local artists. The new owner has taken great pride in showing off the old photos and the new efforts to bring back the glory. Open windows and doors provided a breezy cool on a early June day with a high of 86. The hotel reviews that I read were not great, but it is definitely a work in progress.

We then spent a quick 5 minutes to pay homage to rock music by visiting a corner of old Route 66 that now boasts a guitar playing guy permanently enshrined across from the Standing On the Corner tourist trap. We walked and then drove around to find a cafe in town. From what we saw, La Posada was the only option, we didn't even find a McDonald's. Street construction did not help our efforts to see the town or the town's efforts to keep tourists from leaving.

This morning we visited the meteor crater, a family owned landmark, museum, theater and gift shop. Daniel M. Barringer, a New York mining engineer, bought the land with the belief that it was caused by a meteor and that he could mine the out-of-this-world ore. Did he ever realize that he was only half right? His descendants were persuaded to join forces with a local family to open it to the public. They have been mining the tourist dollar since the 1940's.

The compound is well done and informative. A guide gave a really good presentation and fielded every question. A short movie also helps to explain the event, which happened about 50,000 years ago. This hole in the ground, about a mile wide and 550 feet deep, was caused by a rock about 50 yards in diameter. It dove deep into the ground, hit the water table and exploded to the tune of ten times the magnitude of Hiroshima. It created a debris perimeter of 7 miles. The largest known rock is on display. It is about the size of a doll house and weighs slightly less than a small car. No one knows how much asteroid liter has walked away from here over the years. Most of the remaining debris is dirt sized or smaller.

Scientists and astronauts use and explore this crater. Tourists don't. You can see it from a large window in the museum or brave the winds and walk the sidewalks to several decks. There is a person statue in the bottom that is visible with the telescope, but not unaided. It is a shock to be told that it is there after looking down at it for several minutes completely unaware.

We are very glad that we finally made this stop, anticlimactic after so many years of "we'll go see that one day." Well, this was the day and we can check it off the list.

Turning 60!

Russell really did all that was possible to make sure I had a gentle landing at 60 this week. We shopped, watched movies, swam, and visited 2 canyon parks in the Las Vegas vicinity. Both were wonderful and we had great hikes.

On Friday morning, the last day of being in my 50's, Russell wished me an early Happy Birthday and told me that the place he had selected for dinner was best on Friday. OK, when and what do I wear?

We arrived at McCormick & Schmick's a little early, so a martini at the bar sounded good, and it was. We were taken to the table and presented with menus that said, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TERRIE!!!" Very Cool! Russell suggested an appetizer, another treat! This evening is going very nicely. But he kept hemming and hawing over the menu, just couldn't decide what to order. The waiter appeared a couple of times just to check on us. Nice.

A masculine hand rested on my back (this waiter is really getting chummy) when I saw Karyn and heard Kyle, "Happy Birthday, Mom." I totally lost all composure! Later Kyle commented that I was trying so hard not to cry and be loud that I resembled the whale mating call. He claimed that lobsters awaiting their diners were looking for me. The three of them completely surprised me. Russell was about to run out of ideas to stall for his son who was again running late. The only non-surprise of the evening!

During our delicious dinner, I learned that K&K had tickets for Barenaked Ladies at the Red Rock Casino that night. I love this very-definitely-clothed-guy band from the 90's. It was a very fun SRO concert outdoors poolside.

Back to the dinner, more was to come. Russell had gotten 4 tickets for the Gladys Knight concert for Saturday. More whale/lobster calling. I had tried to get tickets on line only to find that none were available, so was really shocked by this latest revelation. What a great birthday and it was still a day early.

We had a relaxing day with K&K on Saturday, Russell cooked a wonderful steak dinner here at home and then went to a fabulous Gladys Knight evening. She was amazing! Old songs and new, gospel and rock, torch songs and dancing. Gladys introduced her brother Bubba, a Pip, literally. This 69 year old man sang and danced with an energy I don't think I ever possessed. All 4 of us enjoyed it equally. It was Gladys' 67th birthday. So her band played the usual. Our table sang to me! I don't think Gladys was offended.

We ended our weekend with a Sunday Brunch at Green Valley Ranch Casino before taking Kyle and Karyn to the airport. They were just wonderful to give their weekend to come play with us. Russell outdid himself on this one. The gift of yourself and your time to do things just because another person wants to is really the most loving one possible. I'm still grinning!

Today was laundry and groceries. Tomorrow we are headed east. So life is back to normal. But I really had a very gentle introduction to the 60's. I guess the 6th decade will be just fine!

Valley of Fire State Park

I have read about this terrific park since we were in Vegas last year and really wanted to make the 50m trek to see it this go-round. We had had enough of the urban and made the drive on Sunday afternoon.

Deserts are all different! Seems odd to say, but we had driven northwest a few weeks ago and this drive northeast was way different. You leave town sooner, for one thing. Nellis AFB may be somewhat responsible for that because they occupy most of the area. It is much drier as evidenced by scant, puny vegetation. The surrounding mountains are grassy at best, mostly rock. Not even a Joshua Tree or yucca breaks the landscape. This range is called the Muddy Mountains. I can't imagine how long ago they were ever wet, but the color certainly captures the right image.

None of this prepares you for the splash of reds that break loose once you approach the park. It is reminiscent of Bryce Canyon, Red Rock Canyon or Sedona, but some of the formations are unique. Our first stop was the Beehives, swirly rocks with wild wind/sand-made hash marks that dot the flatter landscape. Past the visitor center you climb into huge red and orange boulders that are streaked in white and broad canvases of black oxidation. A sandy floor with small shrubs and grasses separates formations. We were fortunate that many are still in bloom!

We stopped for a short hike to the Mouse's Tank, named for a Piute Indian infamous to the area. I was excited because this is the trail that boasts the most petroglyphs of the area. We entered with our usual "Get some exercise" approach to a hike no matter where we are. We spotted the first drawings on one of those black surfaces of a rock at about eye level. Wonderful, crude etchings that communicate to us from hundreds of years ago. We began to see more as our eyes got trained. Russell got really good at spotting lone pictures and some that were fading as the black top layer wears away. He really worked to help me see things that were perfectly obvious to him.

We got to the tank, a little bit of water and turned to make our way back to the car. The more we walked, the more these pictoglyphs popped out at us. They were EVERYWHERE! The very best were right at the trailhead. Just goes to show that you have to slow down sometimes.

Our trip was further enhanced by Phillip, Nicholas and their parents. Their Dad had a high-powered zoom and was able to point us to some of the higher art that we would not have seen otherwise. We had to wonder how did those guys get up there? Phillip is 6 and somewhat vocal about the "long" walk of half a mile. But really, walking in sand is way different than a hard top. We enjoyed seeing the walk from his angle.

Our next stop was cut short by the late time and waning energy. We did get to see the wonderful shades of red, purple, yellow, and much more along the Rainbow Trail. We got to see less than half of the 1.75m trek. Next trip! There are about 20 scenic stops on the park map and additional trails. We only got to 3 of them, there will be a next trip!

Pictures to follow, that is another story!

Las Vegas, NV

Random Thoughts in May

We arrived in gale force winds and chilly temps, April 29. "Hope it warms up soon!"

Since then, we've had very hot afternoons with little or no breeze; rain (yes!); more wind; cool mornings and evenings, a lovely sunshine most days. I'm quite certain that ol' sol will get quite hellish before long, but for now it is nice to have such bright skies, most of the time. One morning this week, I was actually treated to a full rainbow! It made the chilly, dampness all worthwhile.

We have driven back out to the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge. Very strange experience. Coming in, we could see the dam and Lake Mead behind it, breath-taking. Going back in the Saturn, nothing, just concrete sides. We couldn't tell if we had crossed the bridge or not! We had to turn around and go back after traveling a few miles into Arizona. We really do sit higher in the RV! Never realized just how much.

We did enjoy the walk across the bridge. Pedestrians are allowed on the dam side only. I would like to see the river and south view as well, but there is no access on that side. We were all alone to walk the bridge going east. It was so peaceful and lovely. The colors were deeper at that early hour than when we saw it at noon. As we made our way back west, a small crowd had arrived. The last of the group was a man with his bugle. His mournful sound carried over the bridge and into the canyon. Just amazing!

I was very unhappy however, that I couldn't capture all of this on our new camera. I figured it was a dead battery, but it was really broken and getting repaired. I miss having it.

On Mother's Day we took a drive to the ski area an hour to the west. We found a nice campground, lots of snow, a few hikers, and 3 girls wearing jackets, shorts and sandals flying kites. The road ends on top of a cliff that caught the winds perfectly. We walked a short bit on a beautiful trail at 7000 ft through the pines and 40 degrees before descending back to sparse cacti and 80 degrees at 3000 ft.

We followed that with a walk through the historic Sahara Casino which closes its doors on May 16 for the final time. It was opened in 1952 for the glamorous and rich to play. On May 9, 2011 it was skeletal at best. Today's big draw - $1 hot dogs. I wish we could have seen it at its peek instead of just imagining its former glory.

Otherwise, our days are rather mundane. We see the sites of Albertson's, Lowes, and a few buffets. I did win $2 on the penny slots last night, not bad on a $5 investment! The pool calls our names, but so does the laundry room. All things returning to normal.

Catching Up After a Long Absence

You may know that we lost Russell's Mom on April 17th, exactly 2 months shy of her 88th birthday. She has been in failing health for several years and too weak to hold her own weight for the last few months. We elected to not add to her confusion by moving her to a nursing home and instead moved in to be with her. It was a period of confusion, frustration, and many funny stories. We also had time to enjoy being together and reflect on what's ahead. Betty was able to leave her failed body and rejoin all of the people she was missing here on earth. As our friend Linda said, "She is living again!"

However, we were ready to hit the road again and resume our own lives. We did that, leaving Texas for the first time since October. We drove a new route through west Texas in hopes of missing the many fires, but you can't miss the evidence of fire much anywhere in west Texas. We know the consequences of fire and felt terrible for the people involved.

We saw majestic sunrises and sunsets driving through New Mexico and Arizona and talked about the place we have been. We speculated about others that we will have to stop and see; next time.

One dramatic difference from our last trip west was the stretch north of Kingman, AZ approaching the Nevada border. Last year the road and bridge bypass over Hoover Dam were under construction and an absolute nightmare. All of that is finished! The new highway is beautiful and a dream to drive. We were especially excited to see Hoover Dam from the bridge and the view did not disappoint. We will go back soon to park and walk the bridge for the full effect.

Over the last years of travel, we have used the opportunity to investigate real estate and the prospects of living outside of Texas. We've checked out high-rises in cities and raw property in the countryside, cabins in the mountains and bungalows on the shore. We've considered cost of property, taxes, ease of living, winter climate, availability of health care and nearby activities. We want to continue RVing, just have a home-base for winter.

When Russell saw an article about Las Vegas, it seemed a natural choice to both of us. The city was attractive for all of the above reasons and made even more feasible by the very anemic housing market here. Luxury cars are more expensive than some of the condos we've seen. We have narrowed the field and hope to have a winter home soon. We will put out the "OPEN" sign and expect company! However, there is much to be done...like actually making a purchase!

We are enjoying Vegas for the month, affirming that this really is a place of diverse activities, but we are talking about the next destination. As Russell's cousin Gary said, "You just wonder what's over the next hill!"

"Why didn't you tell me you were my son?"

Waco, Texas This is just one of the fabulous quotes we can laugh about while staying with Russell's mom, Betty. Another gem came after Russell took her photo and immediately shared it with her; "What am I doing in bed?" (she hasn't been out of bed for more than a few minutes in more than a month!) Other Moments With Betty are not so humorous so I won't even get started, at least not here. Our travels are somewhat limited since one of us is with her around the clock. We do have relief for a few hours once a week. We have a roll-away bed in her efficiency apartment and we take turns spending the night. The folks at Lakeshore Estates have been fabulous and made the experience as comfortable as possible. Also desevring of praise are the wonderful people at Providence Hospice. They provide care for all 3 of us. We must be pretty fair nurses because Betty has really improved over the last month. We came back from the hospital 5 weeks ago with an estimate from the doctor of 1 month for Betty's remaining life span. Doctors are often wrong. We are glad that Betty has responded to care and we plan to continue to care for her ourselves. However, the situation is confining and may need to be altered somewhat in the future. So although our RV travel is limited to the Core of Engineer parks around Lake Waco - we move every 2 weeks - our trips into the absurd are frequent. I would like to tell you that we handle them all with grace and humor, and if you believe that, thanks! However, the truth is that we are often left perplexed and frustrated.

North Texas Weather

8am in Burleson, south of Ft. Worth on I-35W, and I just opened the door. After my grousing about north Texas weather, a little praise seemed appropriate.

Today is gorgeous! 64 now, 72 for a high, sunshine; Minnesota eat your heart out!

Our first experience with the Jellystone Campground chain is a favorable one. Rustic Ranch is a new addition to the group and folks are scurrying around expanding and improving the older RV park that they bought. My cousin and her husband are staying in a really nice cabin on the property, the reason for our visit. The cabin is very luxurious, Jacuzzi, fireplace, 2 queens, a set of bunk beds, mini-kitchen, nice furnishings. Their kids and grandkids are joining the mix tonight and through the weekend. There is plenty to keep everyone occupied.

Must get going to enjoy the bragged-about-day. Hope all are having equally fine time!

Ice Hazards

February 11, 2011

North Texas weather has struck again! And despite all of our pledges to not be here, we are weathering the icy temps along with home dwellers who can't avoid it. Now I know that to our friends from the north this is pure whining on a topic about which we truly know very little. That is true and the adage "ignorance is bliss" works here.

We woke early on Tuesday, Feb 1 with our usual get-up-and-roll attitude. Going to Davy Crockett Natl. Forest! Sure it's cold, but we can do it! The slide covers were frozen: rolling up was not going to happen. Why fight with nature? So we just stayed put for a few days, let the weather pass.

The forecast for snow on Friday, our designated day of travel, prompted us to get moving on Thursday. Covers still frozen, but not too bad. Russell and a broom did the trick. We are off! But wait, Russell wanted to check the small wet spot under the engine. We're sure it's just water, but better to be safe. So he pulled forward and found diesel fuel instead. We better make a quick stop at the Cummins Diesel shop on the way.

So we spent Thursday night in the Cummins Diesel parking lot waiting for a part to replace the small fuel pump, not to be confused with the larger fuel pump that costs way more both in parts and labor. It seems the consistent freezing temps froze some gaskets. While there, we got a computer report on the engine, it passed with flying colors! "Barely broken in and lookin' good."

An exuberant Russell celebrated the great news by repairing the intake water hose and the front furnace. We had rolled up the water hose prior to the frost, but it seems there was water in the line that froze and broke the hose anyway. The furnace has had issues, no big deal, just tweak it a little. tighten wires, replace a switch. Easy! Especially for me from the inside.

Snow is just beautiful! We woke up Friday to powdery stuff, Russell and a broom back to the roof. The pump got fixed; temperatures rose enough to clear the roads (mostly); we're on our way to Davy Crockett Natl. forest by 2:00 - be there by 5! Perfect!

Clipping along, beautiful weather, life is good! What's that smell? Someone's burning brush. Why do we still smell it miles down the road? We stopped on the first available wide space on the 2-lane TX Hwy 7. Smoke coming off of the right front wheel is immediately the obvious source of the problem. The wheel cover is too hot to touch, the smell overpowering. One look from Russell, "the brakes froze up!"

Every full-timer has a story about being towed, now we will have ours; that's why we have road-side assistance insurance. A tow will be here to take us to Bryan within the hour, it's 4pm, GREAT! Around 5 the driver calls to tell us that he just can't make it. We are too big, too far out of town, it's getting late... any reason he can think of, he ain't coming! We re-call the insurance, making sure they have the name of the offending tow company. "How are you guys fixed for staying where you are tonight?" We have just topped-off the water and LP, the furnace works, we have food. All is well. And as my sister, Lynn, says, we have each other. We even had a few semi's roll by to rock us to sleep.

Russell called insurance again at 6am, all is well, we want to be in Bryan early so they can get us fixed up today, Saturday, Feb 5. We'll see Davy Crockett on another trip. There's a wrecker on its way. NO WAIT! the insurance didn't like their rate, and cancelled that one! A man in Arizona decided it was better to send a wrecker from Houston! The ETA went from 11am to 4pm - a mere 24h on the side of the road.

However, our new friend Charlie got to us about 2pm. He gave us a real education in towing a 40' RV. He also asked where we'd be staying for the weekend. The insurance company had assured us that we could stay at the repair shop. Charlie was stunned, "Only if you want to be locked in until Monday!" He knew the shop and assured us that we were not going to stay there, and in fact would be lucky if anyone was available to let us in when we arrived. I hurriedly packed a few things while our home was being hoisted.

We were repaired, new front brakes, by Tuesday noon. It seems ice was again the culprit. While driving, we got ice and slush into the wheel which caused the shoes to stick. More snow was predicted for north Texas that night. Hurry back to Waco so we can stay still for a few days.

THE GOOD NEWS:

We have a tow story!

The insurance company has apologized and is paying the hotel bill.

We were going to need new brakes soon, anyway.

We had all the things we needed to spend a night fairly comfortably on the side of the road.

We found a place to stop and didn't run off into a ditch somewhere.

We spent the weekend in Bryan/College Station, a nice place to visit.

We learned a lot!

A Sunny Day in Texas

January 23, 2011
We have been really enjoying the COE parks, Waco Airport and now Stillhouse Hollow. We have also looked at the state parks online and wanted a look at them in person. Therefore, we took to the road yesterday with a picnic and GPS to track down the best of the hill country.

We drove from here southwest to Burnett and then on to Inks Lake. This really is beautiful country. The campgrounds are way busier than where we are now, not surprising with so much to do in the area; hiking, Longhorn Caverns, boating. However, the lake level is way down, giving the whole place a "vacant" kind of look. I read that the LCRA lowered the lake for maintenance by 8ft and will bring it back to usual levels in mid February.

We then drove toward another state park we've heard a lot about, Colorado Bend. On the way to LLano, we spotted a nesting eagle and stopped for a photo. From LLano we headed toward San Saba, and then east to the park. Obscure does not begin to tell the story. Despite the remoteness of the place it was incredibly busy!

To get to the park, you take a FM out of San Saba, turn onto a county road, then another that turns to dirt, then another that gets more narrow; roughly 10m off the original FM. We passed cattle guards, cows, bikers, hikers, scouts (boy and girl) mesquite, and a creek with low water crossing. The road winds down, at long last, to the Colorado River and the primitive campground run by the state. It is beautiful! This is a place to forget the phones and computers and just hike, take pictures, and in warmer weather, swim. But NOT in a 40ft RV.

We could have easily found all of this online, but then we would have missed the adventure.

Our drive completed the loop by heading east to Lampasas. We could see smoke from the park road and found the source when we drove by an extensive grass fire. Someone's attempt to burn off the gathered brush got out of hand. They fired up about 50 ace rs in the process, but didn't appear to hurt anything else and the VFD had things under control by the time we drove by. This touched memories of farm life that we do not need to revisit.

It was a wonderful day that we enjoyed together. We covered at least 200m in Central Texas Hill Country. We saw wildlife, creeks, lakes, and a river that makes it all possible. We learned that we have been spoiled. The state parks are rustic and what camping is about But for now, we prefer the wide, paved sites of the Corps of Engineer parks that cost us old folks half the money of the more crowded, dirt version the state is offering. Things change, and I'm sure we will revisit these places at a later date to take full advantage of all they have to offer.

A New Year, 2011

We had heard great things about the Grapevine RV park, The Vineyard, but had not been able to get reservations on prior attempts, until now. The park is really lovely and our window view was the sun setting over the lake, no obstructions! The weather was perfect, crisp and clear for the most part. It was a great place to practice with the Nikon camera from Kyle - Paul Simon's song keeps cruising through my mind. Ducks are willing subjects. Also sunsets, campfire, the marina; Well, I'm just glad we don't have to pay for film and development anymore.

We celebrated a quiet New Year's Eve with campfire, a very nice home-cooked dinner, and football. We also watched "Wild Hogs." It wasn't any better than the first time we saw it - old, fat guys cussing on bikes; but we did enjoy seeing the town of Madrid, NM again. Our evening came to a close long before midnight, but nearby revelers alerted us to the year end. Bless each of them!

We spent a wonderful New Year's Day at Kyle's house. I got to share cooking duties with him and loved it. We had a mighty fine dinner complete with ham, black-eyed peas, cornbread, sweet potatoes, winning football teams and friends in addition to our family. A down-south kinda' day.

We have now moved to another pretty lakeside spot in Waco. There are differences; Grapevine park is nestled under the jets of DFW, Waco is tucked away under Cessna's (for the most part) of Waco Airport and a shooting club that makes about as much noise. This section of Lake Waco doesn't get much activity in mid-week January, so it is quiet, spacious and lovely.

Even better....it's cheap! Russell gets the geezer discount with his newly acquired SENIOR PASS for National Parks. He got the $10 lifetime pass in November. This gets us $12/night as opposed to $24/night at all Core of Engineer parks. We have become fans of the COE!

HAPPY NEW DECADE TO EACH OF YOU!