Short Move and Salton Sea, Thursday, March 28, 2013

This morning Tom called Caliente Springs Resort in Desert Hot Springs to check if we could get an RV site there for the next 4 nights.  We were in luck.  A little after 9:30am Tom squeezed out of the campsite at Happy Traveler RV Park in Palm Springs and I in the Jeep and we were on our way to Caliente Springs Resort.  It was a short move, 15 miles, and we were there in less then a half hour.  We were glad that we had made the move.  Compared to Happy Travelers, Caliente Springs has nice campsites that accommodate the motorhome and the Jeep- no need to park on the roadway, the slideouts are not up against the hedges that formed the boundaries between sites.  The best part is the cost as we pay for 2 nights what one night cost us at Happy Travelers since this is a Passport America Park and the discount is honored for all 4 nights.  And did I mention that this is indeed a resort with beautiful landscaping, a huge swimming pool/spa including a mineral springs spa and a full schedule of activities. 
After lunch we decided to drive to Salton Sea.  On the way, we came to Coachella Valley Reserve and stopped.  This was an interesting reserve that is an oasis on the San Andreas fault.  Tall Fan Palms are growing here.  Along the fault line water bubbles up.  A board walk allows visitors to walk along the fault line among the tall palms where it is noticeably cooler.  There are other trails through the reserve that we did not take as we wanted to move on toward Salton Sea.
Salton Sea is California's largest lake at 35 miles long, 15 miles wide and 227 feet below sea level.  It has no outlet so what flows in, including agricultural runoff, stays in the lake.  The lake is a state recreation area with campgrounds situated around it and almost limitless fishing.  Tilapia fish are the most abundant according to information we were told at the Visitor's Center.  Migrating birds are in this area during the winter months drawn here by the food source, the fish.  Over the years the salinity of the lake has increased which has affected the types of fish that can survive here and will eventually affect the birds.  The state is attempting a restoration program for the lake.

Palm Springs, Ca. and Aerial Tramway, Wednesday, March 27, 2013

We moved camp this morning to Palm Springs 57 miles to the west.  As we traveled on SR62 we were driving through mountainous terrain and descended several long hills that went straight down, no curves.  As we got close to to connecting with I-10 there was a huge windmill farm.  There had to be hundreds of windmills of different sizes and different blade configuration.  We have seen other windmill farms but this is by far the largest.  A short hop on I-10 and then off into the city of Palm Springs and to the Happy Traveler RV Park.  The RV park is an old park, well-maintained but small, small spaces.  Our motorhome is in the site but our Jeep is parked in front of the motorhome in a roadway through the park- like other towed vehicles.  At $48.00 for the night we are only staying here tonight.

Palm Springs is a very clean city with beautiful flowers blooming throughout.  We went to the downtown area and had lunch at Maraca’s, a Mexican restaurant.  We ate in their outside dining area, something that most restaurants in this town have.  The sidewalks have pavements with blocks of various celebrities that apparently have been affiliated in some aspect with this city.  A statue of Sonny Bono, the mayor at one time, is located here.  A huge statue of Marilyn Monroe is in another plaza area.   Before leaving the downtown, we went into a See’s candy store for our dessert of a couple pieces of this decadent candy.

Leaving the downtown, we drove to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.  In 10 minutes we were transported by the tram from the Valley Station (2,643 feet) to the Mountain Station (8,516feet).  The temperature varies about 40 degrees between the 2 stations.  It was 50 degrees on top.  The tram can carry up to 80 people and while underway  the floor of the tram rotates allowing passengers to continuously have different views.  At the Mountain Station we watched a short movie about the tram and then walked about outside to the viewing areas.  A paved walkway  from the Mountain Station descends to the Mt. San Jacinto State Park.  Tom and I walked down the walkway but didn’t continue on any of the trails- the walkway with the switchbacks was challenging enough for us.  We had been assigned specific tram times going up but going back down we just got in a line and waited our turn.  A fun day.

A Second Day in Joshua Tree National Park- Tuesday, March 26, 2013

We returned to Joshua Tree National Park today.  We wanted to travel the Geology Tour Road that was said to have the "most fascinating landscape in Joshua Tree National Park".  It was an 18 mile tour with 16 stops that corresponded to a paper that we had gotten at the Visitor's Center yesterday.  The road was composed of soft sand and some steep grades.  4-wheel drive vehicles are recommended.  We were in the Jeep but didn't need to resort to using 4-wheel drive at any point but a higher clearence vehicle is a definite need.  Again we saw piles of rocks but then we crossed a valley, Pleasant Valley,  which was still desert environment but different than the other areas of the Park.  The tour took about 2 hours as we stopped at several places.  Squaw Tank is a concrete dam built in a wash.  Dams were built by cattleman to catch the run off water for their cattle in the early 1900's.
After the Geology Tour we drove to Keys View, the highest point in the Park accessible by car.  It was noticably cooler there but the views were wonderful.  We ate our packed lunch at Quail Springs picnic area and were entertained by the ground squirrels and families with small kids crawling over the rocks.
 Moving on, we stopped at a pull out and walked a trail to the Ryan ranch. The Ryan's were a ranching family that had lived here years ago raising cattle.  Apparently, there was a strong well that was able to supply water for the livestock at that time.  Today there are just remnants of adobe buildings on the property.  As we were walking the trail to this ranch we were watching rock climbers climbing some distance away.  Rock climbing is the sport in this park.
About 3pm we returned back to the campground with a feeling that we had gotten around the Joshua Tree National Park well and tomorrow we would move on.

Joshua Tree National Park, Monday, March 25, 2013

Today we spent the day in Joshua Tree National Park.  Our first stop was at the Oasis Visitor's Center of the Park, about 2 miles from the campground, where we picked up some information about the park.  This park named for the unique trees that grows here also has some interesting rock formations.  There are what appears to be piles and piles of rocks as well as monolithic formations.  Our first stop was at a formation called skull rock that had the appearence of a huge skull and is amongst "Jumbo Rocks". 
Moving on we stopped at a parking area for Barker Dam.  From this parking lot there were 2 areas to hike to, Wall Street Mill and Barker Dam.  We first hiked the 2.2 mile trail to Wall Street Mill, an old stamp mill used for procuring gold and silver up until 1966.  Then we hiked the 1.1 mile trail to Barker Dam, a dam that was built to contain water for horses and cattle that were corraled in this area.  
At this point we were ready for lunch but so was everyone else.  The picnic areas were filled with no available parking.  We found a parking area for a trailhead that had parking available for us to sit in the car and eat our lunch. In this area there were some big monlithic rocks that numerous people were rock climbing.
Our last hike was a mile hike into Hidden Valley, an area with some varied vegetation in the center of a ring of huge rock piles.  We saw a snake slithering across the desert, got a picture of him but didn't try to figure out what kind of snake he was. The Joshua trees are in bloom at this time.  Birds seem to enjoy sitting on the blooms and picking at the florets.  The weather has been just about perfect, bright sunshine but temperatures in the low 80's and a cool breeze gently blowing nuch of the time.  It does get cold at night- this morning it was 47 degrees.

California- March 24, 2013, Palm Sunday

We left Quartzsite this morning a little past 8:30am and traveled 152 miles to Twentynine Palms in California.  We started out on I-10

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going west after 20 miles we crossed the Colorado River and we were now in California.

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  Traveling another 44 miles on I-10 we came to SR177 which took us north to SR62 west that was a direct route to Twentynine Palms.  Much of the route on the state routes skirted the Joshua Tree National Park, that we want to visit.  We are staying at Twentynine Palms RV Resort that is 2 miles from Joshua Tree N.P.  After lunch and watching the NASCAR race (I read and napped) we drove into the N. Park.  We had not seen any Joshua trees coming into this area this morning and had to go several miles into the park before we started seeing some.  This area is in the Mojave Desert.  The houses here range from just shacks to some nice homes but what is interesting to us is that all the houses have dirt yards- no vegetation, no decorative stones, just the dirt.  Tomorrow we plan to see more of Joshua Tree National Park.  The weather has been pleasant with temperatures in the 70's but will drop probably into the 40's tonight.

A Quiet Day in Quartzsite- March 23, 2013- Saturday

This morning we thought we would eat breakfast at the campground breakfast but when we went to the rec hall we were told that they were not doing breakfast today.  So we hopped into the Jeep and went to a local restaurant for breakfast.  We both had omelets which were very good.  We returned to the motorhome and spent time looking at maps and guide books planning our travels.
After lunch and a little rest we drove around this community.  Tom wanted to go to the Hi Jolly gravesite.  "Hi Jolly" was a Syrian that lived in this area and worked with camels that had been brought here in the 1800's to be used by the army.

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  We then just drove around the area and did stop at a couple of stores.  Returning to the motorhome we walked about the campground before having dinner.  

Quartzsite, Arizona- March 22, 2013- Friday

We got an earlier start today (don’t know why, just happened) and by 8:20am we were leaving Justin’s Diamond J RV Park going west on I-10.  After the past 2 days being overcast with clouds, today was a bright and sunny.  Driving along about 11:30am we heard a horn beeping.  Tom immediately thought someone was trying to get his attention that something was wrong.  About that time the beeping car, a green Prius, passed us and folks were waving.  It was Patty and Braxton that we had visited with yesterday.

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  We knew that they were going to California to visit a son and his family but didn’t dream that we would see each other on the highway.  Of course, they were soon well on their way ahead of us.  We had thought about going to Blythe, Ca. tonight but when I called to be sure they had room they said they were full.  We had stopped in Quartzsite to refuel before going into California and decided we would just stay in this area.  So we checked into the Holiday Palms RV Park, a very nice campground.  Once before we had stayed in this area but we were camping with a group out in the dessert during the very active January time.  At this time of the year it is much less hectic  here.  The drive from Tucson was 258 miles. 
We have not done much planning for this trip as far as exactly where we will be going in California and how long we will be staying at various places.  We thought that we would stay here in Quartzsite for 2 nights to for us to do a some planning. 
Late in the afternoon Tom decided to install the new kitchen faucet.  So like every project (so it seems) after getting the old torn out, he realized that he needed to go to a hardware store for something to complete the job.  This time he needed water line extenders.  So we went to the local hardware store and sure enough they didn't have what was needed.  So off to Blythe, Ca., 22 miles away,  when we located the Ace hardware store it was 6:02pm and they were closed.  A young man was pushing carts back to the store so we asked him if anyway for us to purchase something from the store.  He first said that they were closed but with more persuasion he said he would ask his supervisor and by luck Tom got the necessary parts.  Returning to the motorhome the job was completed and a late dinner was eaten- and no more leaking faucet. 

Visiting in Tucson- Thursday, March 21, 2013

This morning after breakfast we drove out in the Jeep in search of Camping World.  According to the pamphlet from the RV Park, Camping World was in a new location but after going to the “new location” and not finding a Camping World we check further and found that it is in the same location next to Lazy Days.  Returning the wiper blades that did not fit our motorhome the clerk told us that Camping World would be moving to the location that we had gone to in the future.  We then went to a Lowe’s to get a replacement for the kitchen sink faucet since the present one is has a big leakage problem.

Returning back to the motorhome, I attended to some laundry and then we were off  to visit with my cousin Patty and her husband, Braxton.  Rather than traveling the main roads to their house we drove across Gates Pass road that goes across the mountain, a very scenic and less hectic drive.

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  We had planned to go out to lunch but when we got to their house they had prepared a nice picnic lunch to eat on their patio area by their pool.  The weather was just perfect for sitting outside enjoying good food and good conversation.  It was a most enjoyable afternoon.  We return back towards the campground making a stop at a CVS store and then on the Gates Pass road we stopped to take a few pictures at an overlook.

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  Closer to the campground we stopped at Tiny’s , a local restaurant, to get a bite to eat for supper. 

Tomorrow we plan to move on.  Thus far,  there have not been any wind that we feel could be a problem. 

Tucson to Visit and Rest- Wednesday, March 20, 2013

At 9am (Mountain time) we left Las Cruces, New Mexico stopping at a nearby Pilot truck stop for fuel before getting on I-10 heading west.  We were seeing the familiar southwest views of cacti and other desert plants and treeless mountains that change colors as the sunlight changes.  We stopped at a rest area as we entered Arizona and had lunch.  Continuing our travels through Arizona we were reminded of our previous stays in this area and there was a certain homey feeling.  We had planned to stay at the Lazy Days campground in Tucson and for some reason we thought maybe we had better call to see if there would be a site for us.  Tom made the call and was told that they were full until the 24th of March.  So we started looking at other campgrounds and decided to check with Justin’s Diamond J RV Park, a place we had stayed once before, and they had vacancies.  About 2:15pm (Arizona Time) we arrived at the campground, after 286 miles, and we were soon parked and set up.  We planned to stay 2 nights.  We wanted to visit with my cousin and her husband, Patty and Braxton, if we could arrange a time to get together- they are busy being retired also.  We needed to get some groceries,  wanted to go to Camping World to return the wiper blades that we purchased several days ago and did not fit, and the kitchen faucet sprayer needs to be replaced as it is leaking badly.  And we were hearing the predictions for very windy conditions for the next 2 or 3 days and did not want to be traveling in 50mph plus winds.   We are both feeling weary from the rapid time changes – yesterday morning we were in Central time and tonight in Arizona, because they are in Mountain time but do not change to daylight saving time, we have gained 2 more hours essentially we are in Pacific Time.  I did call Patty and Braxton and we have arrange to get together tomorrow.

Good-Bye Texas, Hello New Mexico- Tuesday March 19, 2013

This morning before 9am (Central Time) we pulled out of Midessa Oil Patch RV Park in Odessa, Texas. After reading a blog a couple days ago by Nick Russell about an alternate route of travel to Las Cruces, New Mexico we decided to give it a try. I-10 swings south and then goes right up through El Paso, Texas into New Mexico. The route we took skirted along the northern border of Texas going along the Guadalupe Mountains National Park and then catching up with I-10 north of El Paso for the last 40 miles. Today like yesterday started with travels through the oil drilling areas of Texas until we started climbing the hills leading into the Guadalupe Mountains. The time changed from Central time to Mountain time so we gained another hour. We stopped at the Visitor's Center for the Guadalupe Mountains National Park and watched a short slide show about the mountains. Leaving the mountains we passed through salt flats. Salt Flat Cafe had been pointed out to us at the Visitor's Center as a place we could get lunch. After nearly passing the cafe we did stop and had a lunch of burgers that were very good. The last leg of the route getting us to I-10 north of El Paso had detours that caused some anxiety in both of us until, by luck, we caught up with the route we needed and knew we were on the right track. At 3:25pm (Mountain Time) we pulled into the Coachlight RV park for the night after 332 miles.. 

  The weather continues to be very pleasant with temperatures in the 70's during the day and dropping down in the 50/60's at night.

Texas Oil Fields- Monday, March 18, 2013

We were on the move this morning at 8:40am heading west on I-20.  We did stop for fuel at a Love's soon after starting.  We traveled through the hill country of Texas and then we were in the oil fields area.

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  We stopped at a rest area near Sweetwater for our lunch.

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  There were a large group of windmills in this area.

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  As we got closer to Midland the oil business seemed to be booming.

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  Oil drilling equipment was being relocated and the refineries appeared to be in full swing.  We had planned to stay in Odessa tonight but had heard that the campgrounds were filled with workers from the oil fields so we weren't sure if we could find a site in a campground or would need to go to a fair ground in the area.  We stopped at Midessa Oil Patch RV Park and were able to get a site for the night although there are many workers in this campground.  Our travels today were a little shorter than the previous days at 298 miles and we were off the road before 3pm.  Tomorrow we hope to be through this state of Texas. 

Sunday, March 17, 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Going West on I-30

This morning at 8:35am we left the Downtown Riverside Park, in North Little Rock, getting on I-30 and traveling through Arkansas and then into Texas.  We were in need of a few things from Walmart so when we spotted one in Arkadelphia, Ar. we decided to stop.  When we got to the parking lot we found entryways with 12 feet6inches height barriers.  We may have been able to get in but we didn’t want to chance it.  Luckily there was a parking lot across the road that we were able to park but we didn’t get any cases of water that would have been gotten if we had been parked closer to the store.  Tom did find wiper blades for the motorhome.  The blades that Tom had bought at Camping World on Friday did not fit and will need to be returned to Camping World at some point.  There are only 2 rest areas on I-30 in Texas, the first just as we entered the state and the second one at mile post 143 that was filled to the brim with vehicles.  In this case, we stopped for lunch in Sulfur Springs and found Juan Padre Restaurant with a large gravel parking lot across the street for parking the motorhome.  Traveling through southwestern Arkansas and the northeastern Texas areas we were seeing redbud and Bradford pear trees in bloom and other trees with leaves developing.  The weather has been really nice with temperatures in the 70’s.  We have hung up our heavier coats and gone from long sleeved to short sleeved shirts.  We traveled 377 miles today a little farther than we like but we also wanted to be west of Dallas/Fort Worth so we didn’t have to face that first thing in the morning, a Monday morning.  We are stopped for the night just a few miles west of Fort Worth as I-30 runs into I-20 at Cowtown RV Park-a Passport America Park that does not honor the discount since the occupancy rate is high at this time.  Tomorrow we will continue our travels through Texas on I-20.    And that is how we spent St. Patrick’s Day- driving west from Arkansas into Texas and eating Mexican food for lunch!!

Saturday, March 16, 2013 West of the Mississippi

We got underway this morning at 8:40am.  Our travels today continued west on I-40 through Nashville, Memphis and then to North Little Rock, Arkansas, 375 miles.  Crossing the Tennessee River west of Nashville we noticed there were quite a few fishermen out on the river.  About 11:30am we were sitting on the highway as traffic had stopped due to an accident.  The talk on the CB radio indicted that it would be a while before the clean-up would be completed so I make sandwiches and we ate lunch as  we waited.  We were moving shortly after eating.  We did make a fuel stop at a Pilot Truck Plaza. 

At a little past 4pm we pulled into Downtown  Riverside RV Park in North Little Rock.  This small, 56 sites, park is city owned and is on the north bank of the Arkansas River.  The park honors Passport America discount which we have so we only needed to pay $11.56 for a full hook-up site with 50 amp electric.  Next to the RV park is an old railroad bridge that is now owned by the city and has been converted to a pedestrian walkway across the river, The Clinton Presidential Bridge.  Immediately, on the other side of the bridge is the Clinton Presidential Library and adjacent to the library is the William “Bill” Clark Presidential wetlands with a boardwalk around the wetlands.  After supper this evening we walked across the bridge, took some pictures of the Library which was closed for the evening and then walked around the wetland park.  There were a couple ducks in the water and numerous turtle heads poking out of the water.  This RV park was a good stop.

A New Motorhome Adventure- March 15, 2013

Yesterday, Thursday, March 14, 2013 we left home again for a new motorhome adventure that will have us making a big circle tour.  It was a cold morning with temperature at 31 degrees and a strong wind.  Finally at 10 am we were finally ready to hit the road.  Traveling southwest we came to I-81 in Virginia and proceeded south on that route through miles of Virginia.  Driving was challenging for Tom with the wind until we were south of Harrisonburg.  It was cold all day even though there was bright sunshine.  After 311 miles we stopped for the night at Fort Chiswell RV Park in Max Meadows, Virginia a little past 4pm.

This morning we got an earlier start at 8:20am.  It was still quite cold but not as windy with reported temperatures to be in the upper 20’s.  We stopped for fuel a couple miles from the campground at Flying J’s.  We continued on I-81 through the 80 remaining miles of Virginia and then into Tennessee.  East of Knoxville I-81 ended and we were then on I-40 headed west.  Tom was concerned about replacing the wiper blades on the motorhome.  When we saw a Camping World near the highway in the Knoxville area we made a stop.  Since it was around noon we decided that we would this would be a good lunch stop.  So as Tom shopped for wiper blades I threw together salads for our lunch and we had lunch.  About 30 miles east of Nashville we stopped at Countryside Resort near Lebanon for the night at 2:35pm central time.  Not only were we in a different time zone but we found ourselves in a much nicer weather zone.  It was 75 degrees with clouds.  What a difference 356 miles makes!  Our windows are open and we are in our shirt sleeves as we walk about the campground at 6:30pm.

New Laptop and Windows 8

This week we took the big plunge and purchased a new HP Pavilion g7 laptop computer.  It came with Windows 8 installed.  The laptop does not have a touchscreen.  That’s ok because it will cut down on smears on the screen.

Windows 8 uses “live tiles” on the start screen very much like the tablet computers use.  We have Nexus 7 tablets so we feel comfortable with the tiles.  Now don’t get me wrong, there is still much to learn about using Windows 8, but after working with it for several hours, I think I like it.

When we are not traveling, I give computer instruction through the local senior center.  A number of seniors have contacted me and have windows 8 and feel a bit lost.  Having and learning more about windows 8 will help me to show them how to use their computers.

Right now I am using the new windows 8 computer to write this blog entry on windows live writer.

January 13- 18, 2013 Panama Canal Cruise

Sunday (13th) was another sea day but what a sea day.  This was the day that we would be traveling through the Panama Canal.  "Uncle Marty"Harrington narrated the events of the day as we made this travel.  At 7:45am we entered the Miraflores Locks and approximately 8:50 am we departed this set of locks.  Then about 9:30am we entered the Pedro Miguel Locks and about 40 minutes later we departed these locks into the Gatun Lake area that would take about  2 hours to pass through.  We would then go through the last set of locks, Gatun Locks, which we exited about 3:35pm.  It was an amazing trip as the pilots maneuvered this massive ship with only 2 feet of clearence on each side through the locks.  The other unusual event of the day was that this morning we saw the sun rise over the Pacific Ocean and in the evening we saw the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.  The ship would remain at sea during the night.  Tom and I were both feeling pretty bad that we did not go to the evening's entertainment but stayed in our room.  We were also experiencing some rough seas.  The travels through the Pacific Ocean had been fairly calm but once we were in the Atlantic Ocean the swells were 9 or more feet.
Monday (14th)  the ship docked in Colon, Panama a little past 6am.  About 8am we were on a bus tour to visit an Embero Indian village.  After an hours drive we came to the Gatun Lake where we boarded motorized canoes for a ride to the village about 45 minutes away.  The thatched roofs could be seen as we approached the village.  The villagers greeted when the canoes landed.  A large thatched roof structure had booths set up for the selling of crafts.  A talk about the village was given and then lunch was served.  A banana leaf rolled into a cone-shape had a piece of fried tilapia fish and several pieces of fried plaintain.  Later trays of fresh fruit- melon, papaya and pineapple-  were passed around.  After lunch native dancing was done.  Before leaving the native women placed head bands adorned with hibiscus on each of the female visitor's heads.  We returned to the ship about 3pm and the ship departed at 4pm.  The night's entertainment was a comedian, Steve Scott.
Tuesday (15th) the ship docked in Cartagena, Colombia about 8:30am.  At 9:15am we were on a bus for about a 4 hour tour of the Best of Cartagena.  Our tour guide, Jose Villa, was really a good guide, his English was well spoken and he was very knowledgeable.  We did some walking about the older areas of the city where the srteets were too narrow for buses to travel.  Cartagena was a beautiful city and supposedly the drug problem is being dealt with.  We returned to the ship a little past 1pm and by 3pm we were sailing toward Florida.  The seas remained to be quite rough.  The night's entertainment was a split show between Sean O'Shea, a singer, and Michael Dubois, a juggler.  The juggler had his hands full with the motion of the ship.
Wednesday (16th) was a sea day.  Because of strong winds we were unable to go out on the deck 6.  The upper decks were mostly all sun- too hot and sunny for us.  so we spent much of the day in our room.  In the afternoon, John Grantham, the Cruise Director, presented a show, "Meet the Stuntman", about his former life as an actor/stuntman.   Dinner in the Grand Restaurant was a formal night in which lobster was served and baked Alaska for dessert.  The evening entertainment was "A Touch of Broadway" put on by the Celebrity Production Cast.
Thursday (17th) our last day at sea as we were moving north toward Florida passing by Cuba.  In the morning a Crew Talent Show was presented in the Theater.  A flash mob started the show off with a dance to "Thriller".  Several crew members then presented their acts- comedy, juggling and the best was a waiter with a great voice that was called back to do a second number.  Tonight's entertainment was again a split act of Craig Dahn, pianist, and Steven Scott, comedian.  The seas was much calmer on this day. Our luggage had to be outside our staterooms by 11pm.
Friday (18th) at 7am the ship docked in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  It was a chilly 59 degrees.  We had been in temperatures in the 80's so this was a real change.  We were assigned a lounge to wait in until we were allowed to leave the ship and collect our luggage.  About 8am we were released to go off ship to where our luggage was.  After retrieving our luggage we then boarded bus for the airport.  Our plane left a little past 12 noon and we arrived in Baltimore about 2:30pm.  It was really cold in Baltimore as we waited for the shuttle to take us back to LaQuinta Hotel to get our car.  We stopped for dinner in Westminster and then by 6pm we were home.

January 9 through 12, 2013- Panama Canal Cruise

Wednesday (9th) we were up early as we were scheduled for a tour at 8am.  We had docked at Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala at 7am.  The tour was a tour of Colonial Antigua- Past and Present.  From the dock we rode on a bus about 90 minutes to the city of Antiqua, 4500 feet above sea level.  We had views of volcanos and sugar cane fields along the way. We walked about the city with a guide and then had lunch, buffet-style of chicken, beans, rice, some hot green sauce and soup, in an outside courtyard of a hotel.  We returned to the ship about 8 hours later.  The night's entertainment was performers, magicians and comedian, from previous nights sharing the stage.
Thursday (10th) again we started out early getting out of bed at 6:30am.  This was another sea day.  We had another talk by "Uncle Marty" about the efforts to build the canal.  And then another talk about the upcoming ports and the activites that were offered at those ports was given.  It was an extremely windy day.  We had attempted to eat lunch on an outside deck but the wind was so strong that it blew the lettuce off our plates so we retreated to inside dining.  The night's entertainment was "Liverpool Knights" with the ship's entertaining staff.  Tom started to not feel too well  with cold symptoms.
Friday (11th) we arrived in Puntarenas, Costa Rica about 7am.  We had not scheduled any tours here so we had a leisurely breakfast and then left the ship on out own.  Tents were set up along the  beach with vendors selling their wares.  We found an internet place that for $2.00 we could have an hour of internet service (the ship charged .75 per minute and the service was bad).  So we sent out some emails to family and checked emails.  We met an American lady that is living in Costa Rica as we were walking about the area.  She said that she wanted to sell her house in Costa Rica and move to Nicarauga as it was getting to be too expensive to live in Costa Rica.  Another couple from the ship told us that 2 people had died on the ship from heart attacks- we never heard anymore about this although we had been asked to vacate an elevator for a sick person and the person was a lady that was very upset- we wondered if she could have been the spouse of a deceased.  The entertainment for the evening was a juggler.  Tom continued not to feel well.
Saturday (12th) was another sea day.  Another talk by "Uncle Marty" about going through the canal.  There would be 3 pilots on board each taking 2 hours at a time at the helm.  In the locks the ship will only have a 2 foot clearence on each side as the locks are 110 feet wide and the ship is 106 feet wide, this is the widest that any ship can be going through the canal. It will cost $320,000.00 to 350,000.00 for the ship to go through the Canal.  Sean O'Shea was the entertainer on this evening with a high energy musical performance.

January 6-8, 2013 Panama Canal Cruise

Sunday (6th) after getting up we went to the Fitness Center for our morning workout and then had breakfast.  This was our pattern for most mornings.  During the night we had another time change from Mountain to Central time.   About 1pm we arrived in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  The ship was docked at the pier.  Again we had not chosen to take any tours but just walked about the local area.  There was a nice mall close by that we walked about but our last stop was at a Wal-Mart.  We wanted to get some cokes to have in our room and knew that we could get a couple of six packs in Wal-Mart- other places sold cokes individually.  Many street vendors out trying to sell their wares.  We returned to the ship and caught the football games on the TV.  The ship left port at 8pm after our dinner and before the entertainment.
Monday (7th) was a day at sea.  We attended two seminars during the day.  "Uncle Marty" Harrington gave the first of 5 talks he would do on the cruise about Panama leading up to going through the canal.  Dr. Connie Soja gave a talk on the Reefs of the Mexican Riviera.  We particicpated in a golf tournament(?) in one of the lounges in the afternoon.   In the evening 2 people were removed from the ship as we neared Acupulca due to illness.  Word was passed about Norovirus and santization procedures were stepped up.  Purell dispensers were everywhere throughout the ship and as we entered the dining rooms a wait staff dispensed the Purell.  We now could no longer serve ourselves in the buffet lines or pour our drinks, this had to be done by ship staff. The nights entertainment was a comedy impressions act, Kimika.
Tuesday (8th) started out with some excitement as we were eating breakfast in the Spa dining room.  The ships horn sounded and then the ship listed, the plates flew off the counter, the dining room staff ran to the windows forgetting the broken dishes.  Tom also checked it out and saw a small fishing boat that was in the way of the ship.  No collisions occurred.  The second "Uncle Marty" Panama talk was given this morning.  And another golf tournament in a lounge in the afternoon.  This was another sea day.  The dining was formal on this evening.  The nights entertainment was Jack Walker, a singer from Scotland.

January 2 through January 5, 2013 -Panama Canal Cruise

Wednesday, January 2, 2013, Tom and I left Taneytown and headed off for the airport in Baltimore.  We were going to travel a little differently this winter.  We spent the night at La Quinta Inn.  We met up with friends Dave and Libby Hagan and had dinner at G & M Restaurant, a well-known crabcake restaurant.
Thursday (3rd) after a breakfast at the hotel we were off to the airport at 6:20am.  We had some gels and lotions taken out of our carry-ons.  We had been careful to keep liquids out but obviously we couldn't even have a tube of toothpaste or shaving foam.  By 8:30am we were boarded on the plane but the air traffic at the airport was so heavy that it took about 45 minutes to get off the ground.  We arrived in San Diego, Ca. at 11:30am (PT).  We were met by Celebrity Cruise personnel at the airport and transported by bus to the pier.  Herded like cattle through one line after another we finally got on board the Celebrity Century ship about 2pm.  We were able to get lunch on board after finding our state room- 4006.  Dave and Libby Hagan were in room 4000.  Bruce and Cricket McGinnis, the trip planner, were on board and we met them on a stairwell.  During the mandatory muster drill we found Jimmy and Rose MacBlane, Beth's parents, sitting in the row in front of us.  At 5pm the ship left the dock and our 15 day cruise was underway.  At 6pm we dined in the Grand Restaurant and met our waiter, Vernon, and his assistant, Ruben.  These 2 would be serving our dinners for the entire cruise as we were assigned to a specfic table for this meal.  At 9pm we were entertained in the Theater with a show performed by the ship's entertainers.
Friday (4th) we were up at 6:30am although we thought that it was 7:30.  We had a time change during the night from Pacific time to Mountain time loosing 1 hour.  This day was a sea day.  After breakfast we walked around the upper deck for about 2 miles and then we just explored where things were on the ship.  We did attend a talk about the activities/tours on the first 3 ports of call.  An Art Auction was being held on board that we attended (free Champagne!!!)  In the afternoon we watched the movie "Dark Shadows".  This evening was the first formal night.  After dinner we were welcomed on board by Captain George Iatrou, the Master of Century with a champagne toast.  The nights showtime was Dance Around the World.  The aerial/Vadagio duo were indeed the show stoppers with their aerial performance.
Saturday (5th) after breakfast we went to the Fitness Center and used the treadmills.  At 11:30am we arrived in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  We did not go on any tours of this area.  We did get off the ship (from this port we had to be tendered from the ship) and walked about the harbor area.  Like all areas of Mexico we were approached by numerous street vendors selling "silver" very "cheep", "almost free".  At 6:30pm as we were having dinner the ship departed Cabo San Lucas.  The nights entertainment was Gossamer Magic- Peter Gossamer, a magician and comedian.  And later in one of the lounges there was a 50's party that a group of us attended.

Home- November 5, 2012

This morning we packed up and left Fort Whaley a little after 10am.  Since this was going to be our last time out with the motorhome for this year we did additional housekeeping chores prior to leaving.  The holding tanks were given a good flushing and the floors and rugs were vacuumed well.  We do not anticipating going out in the motorhome until early spring.  This year will be a little different as we will be home most of the winter.  Sure hope that the snow is little and the temperatures are mild.  At present it is below average temperatures and a possibility of snow is predicted later this week so my hopes don't look too favorable.
We stopped in Kent Island for lunch at Annie's.  Great crabcakes of lump crab meat- need I say more!!  We were home about 3pm.

Weekend at Whaleyville- Sunday, November 4, 2012

Thursday, after Hurricane Sandy, we again left home to go to Whaleyville, Maryland to Fort Whaley campground for a weekend with the Traveling Americans.  This is our last campout for the club for this year.   There were others in the group that also came in early for the weekend.  As a group we went to a local restaurant, Station 7, for the Thursday night burger specials. 
Friday Tom and I drove down to Ocean City and walked down the boardwalk.  It was evident that the beach had been hit by a hurricane.  Sand was packed up against the sea wall along the boardwalk and backhoes and bulldozers were being used to move the sand out on the beach.  We noticed that some shops had water markings on the store front about 18 inches high.  Friday evening again as a group we went to another local restaurant, Doyle's, for dinner.
Saturday started with a pancake breakfast provided by our hosts.  After breakfast, Tom and I went to Salisbury to the mall.  It was a cloudy, dreary day.  In the evening we assembled for a pot luck supper with the hosts providing fried chicken for the entree and everyone else bringing sides and desserts.
Today Sunday we had a pot luck breakfast and then our weekend activities as a club ended.  Some folks went home and others like us are staying until tomorrow and a few are staying until Thursday.
Tom and I took a ride to check out a campground in the area but were unsucessful in being able to get past the gates.  The remainder of the day has been spent watching football games.  We did go out to dinner later in the evening with 3 other couples.
Tomorrow we will pack up and go home. 

"Superstorm" Sandy

Yesterday we had rain all day.  From about noon time we saw the wind increasing and then about 8pm we had very strong gusty winds that continued as we went to bed.  Upon rising this morning the winds were much calmer and rain continues but not as heavy.  Government offices and schools are closed again today.  Fortunately, we have not had any power outage but other areas throughout the state have had problems.  The threat of trees falling continues as the ground is so saturated that a gust of wind could topple trees.  The news programs are showing destruction along the coast where the storm was the strongest.  It has become quite chilly with temperatures in the low 40's.  In the western part of Maryland and West Virginia there has been blizzard conditions with snow fall about 2 feet deep. This is a good soup day so a pot of vegetable soup is cooking on the stove.  We are still undecided if we will go to Whaleyville this weekend.  We have gotten word that the campground, Fort Whaley, is open but we are thinking that we will make that decision tomorrow.

Samboree and Sandy

This past Thursday (10/25) we went to Frederick, Md. for the Maryland Good Sam Samboree.  Sandy, a tropical storm/hurricane was moving slowly toward the east coast.  We had a nice time at the Samboree enjoying time with camping friends.  Our Traveling Americans group had 6 units represented.  Saturday evening we were hearing that Sandy was getting closer to the east coast.  Todd had called us on Friday that he was in search of a generator and we searched in the Frederick area without any luck- in fact we were told that we would need to go west of Ohio to find one.  The closing Samboree ceremony was held on Saturday night so we were able to get under way earler than usual on Sunday morning.  We had anticipated rain on Sunday morning but luckily it was only cloudy as we tore down and got home.  Tom had stopped on the way home to fill the motorhome with fuel as this would be our home if the electric in the house was disrupted since we have a generator in the motorhome.  We decided to go down to Virginia to see Todd and the grandchildren (Beth had gone to Salem, Mass. for a weekend girls outing with her mom, aunt and cousin) since this week our youngest grandchild, Gabi, would be celebrating her first birthday.  We hads a nice visit even took Parker (3) and Gabi for a walk around the neighborhood without any rain.  Just as we were leaving there it started to sprinkle rain and then just a little before Potomac Mills we were into rain showers that continued all the way home. At home it was raining lightly but there was no winds.
Today, Monday, we awoke to steady rain but as yet no winds.  Government offices and schools are closed.  The television morning news had reports of grocery stores being bare due to people stocking up on food.  In Baltimore the news showed a line at a liquor store.  The news reports along the coastal areas are showing high tides and winds but at 8am the storm was reported as being 300 miles off the coast.  Coastal areas are bein evacuated- Ocean City has a mandatory evacuation in effect.  We needed milk so we went out to our local grocery store and found it to be well stocked with food- living in a smaller community does have its benefits.  We have filled our bathtub with water to flush toilets if need be and purchased a case of 6 gallons of water for drinking.  At this point we are as prepared as we will be for when the storm actually hits late tonight or early tomorrow morning.

Back Home- October 15, 2012

Today, Monday, was a much better day of traveling than yesterday.  The winds were calmer.  It was overcast most of the way from Ohio to Western Maryland.  We traveled on I-70 to Washington, Pa., then I-79 south to Morgantown, W. V.,then I-68 to Hancock, Md where we picked up I-70 again to Hagerstown, Md. and at that point we meandered on down to Taneytown.  The mountains were in full fall colors and would have been so much prettier if the sun had been shining but we enjoyed the views nevertheless.  It was a long trip of 343 miles through mountains that slowed our speed down but we got home safely by 4pm.  And all is well in Taneytown so it seems.

Rough Traveling Day- October 14, 2012

When we left Cloverdale, Indiana we knew that weather was going to be a factor today.  A storm system was moving west to east and as we were preparing to leave the rain started.  But the rain was the least of our problems- it was the wind blowing from the south so we were driving through a crosswind with heavy gusts.  Tom was fighting the steering wheel most of the way across Indiana into Ohio.  The rain was with us for just the first leg of today's travel as we had gotten ahead of it. We got lunch on the east side of Columbus at a Mexican restaurant.  As we got within several miles of Zanesville, Ohio, tonight's destination, we were caught up in traffic due to an overturn semi on a bridge.  We finally got to the campground, Wolfies Campground, about 2:30pm in Zanesville, Ohio and it was warm and sunny- but clouds have now moved in with some rain and more is predicted for tonight.  Hopefully, the winds will die down for tomorrow's trek home.

East of The Mississippi- October 13, 2012

At 8:15am we were on the road going east on I-44 toward St. Louis, Missouri.  In the vicinity of St. Louis we took I-255 around the city and then onto I-70 east across the Mississippi River into Illinois. 

From 2012-10-13

From 2012-10-13

In Illinois we stopped at a Flying J for fuel a little after noon so we parked the motorhome and had lunch at the Denny’s restaurant on Flying J’s premises.  We had planned to stop for the night at a KOA campground in Terra Haute, Indiana which was a little more than 300 miles, which we did.  Tom registered us and came back saying we would only have water and sewer hook-up and the cost was $56.95 for the night- this was the most expensive camping fee we have paid this entire trip and in Terra Haute, Indiana.  Go figure!!  Oh, there was going to be a ham and bean dinner at no cost- big deal. The Trailer Life Campground directory for 2010 had quoted the cost of this campground as $36-45.00 and one would assume a full hook-up would be no more than $45.00.  Here 2 years later than the date of the directory we were going to have to pay almost $12.00 more for a water/electric only site than the most expensive site in 2010- talk about inflation!!   We got into our site and were beginning to hook-up.  Tom came into the motorhome saying that the water was but a trickle and at that point we decided we were not going to stay here.  Tom went to the office and got a refund and we were on our way.  Thirty miles up the road was another campground, Cloverdale RV Park, that we stopped.  For half the cost of KOA  ($28.89) we have full hook-ups (water, sewer and 30-amp electric) and the campground is neatly maintained in a quiet setting.  For the life of me I do not know what the draw to KOAs are.  These campgrounds are most always more expensive and offer nothing more than other campgrounds.  I have heard some folks say that they only stay at KOA’s and I think that these folks are missing some very nice campgrounds and are paying so much more.  Another point- is it any wonder why RVers are finding WalMart parking lots, Flying J lots and other such parking places as suitable overnight camping sites?  We went a little further(362 miles) than we had planned but we both feel better about the campground that we are staying in.

Richland,Missouri- October 12, 2012

The weather forecast for last night was that there could be storms during the night in Oklahoma.  Knowing the potential for severe weather in the area we were in Tom set up the weather radio to alert us if there was any such weather during the night.  Thankfully,  we did not get alerted to any thing.  But we awoke this morning to the sound of  thunder but it wasn’t until we were preparing to leave that it started to rain.  As we continued our travels over Route 66 through Oklahoma the rain fell  fairly steady.  We stopped to eat lunch in Wyandote, Ok. before leaving Route 66 and then getting on I-44/Route 66 in Missouri.  After lunch the rain tapered off.  We stopped at a rest area along I-44 where the picnic table shelters resembled diners, garages and other businesses along Route 66. 

From Drop Box

Even the floor of the Information Center was tiled in map showing Route 66 from Chicago, Il. to Santa Monica, California.  Finally 328 miles to the east we stopped in Richland, Missouri at the Gasconade Hills Resort-( resort ???).  This evening the clouds have cleared out and the sun was shining but it feels chillier.  

Amarillo to Chandler, Oklahoma- October 11, 2012

Continuing east on I-40 we traveled through the panhandle of Texas.  The World's Largest (supposedly) Cross is along I-40 in Groom, Texas.  We had passed this cross on previous trips through this area but had never stopped.  Today we stopped and were impressed with this area.  Around the base of the Cross are sculptures depicting the stages of the cross and the tomb that Jesus was buried.  After that stop we continued eastward into Oklahoma.  We made a stop at a rest area for lunch and parked beside another Phaeton.  There were a mother and daughter traveling together and they came over to inquire about our motorhome- how long? what year? and on and on.  They were in no hurry to move on but we had a nice visit.
We had been waiting for a call back from Tiffin today about replacing our windshield and after not getting that call we decided that we would not go toward Red Bay, Alabama but would go straight home.   We left I-40 in Oklahoma City and continued our eastward trek on the famous Route 66.   In Chandler, Oklahoma, we stopped for the night after 313 miles at Glen Oak Mobil and  RV Park, a Passport American park, a nicely maintained park.  We did get the call this evening from Tiffin saying that if we were there on Monday they could work us in Monday or Tuesday- so we made the right decision to go home as we need to be home by no later than Wednesday.  We will get the crack repaired and deal with replacing the windshield at a later date.

On to Amarillo, Texas- October 10, 2010

This was our last morning of getting up and going to the Balloon Fiesta launch field.  Today there was a mass ascension with the 19 nations outside of the U.S. being honored.  The wind did seem to be stronger today than the last 2 days but most balloons got up in the air.  There were a few of the bigger balloons that had to be packed away after trying to get them inflated was difficult with the wind.  Balloonists are assigned launch sites and then section by section of these sites the balloons are inflated and then launched.  The sky becomes filled with balloons in a  short time.  We were on the grounds a little before 7am and by 9am the balloons had been launched and we were returning back to the motorhome.

We quickly got the motorhome and Jeep ready for traveling and by 9:15am we were on the road heading east.  It is time to head toward home.  Shortly after getting on I-40 east, another motorhome came up a ramp to merge into traffic as Tom moved into the left hand lane.  We heard a sharp crack and sure enough that motorhome unknowingly had thrown a stone that hit our windshield and left a sizable star.  What a sick feeling.  We know that in time the cracks will run and the only place to get the windshield replaced according to Tiffin is at Tiffin in Red Bay, Alabama.  We are in the process of trying to find out if the windshield could be replaced on Monday.  If we can be assured of that we will go to Red Bay.  If no assurance can be given that it will be done on Monday then we will need to find another time to do it.

We have continued on I-40 through New Mexico and into Texas where we lost an hour as we changed from Mountain to Central time.  Tonight we are in Amarillo at the Amarillo Ranch RV Park- a very nice, conveniently located campground, 300 miles to the east of Albuquerque.

More Balloons, Santa Fe and Hard Rock- October 9, 2012

This morning the news on the TV was that it was a great day for flying hot air balloons so we got to the Fiesta grounds without delay.  When we arrived a lttle past 7am balloons were being inflated and starting to ascend.  It is quite a sight to see hundreds of balloons in the sky.  Another challenge was underway but all balloons in the air do not participate in these challenge races.  The challenge was to drop the marker from the balloon into a boat on the field.  I believe there were several balloons that were giving balloon rides at this time.  Balloon rides were advertised at $399.00/person which seems awfully expensive.  Tom and I have taken 2 rides (one in Pa. and another here in Albuquerque during an RV rally) that were not that much for the two of us.  It was a beautiful morning - clear skies and a little warmer than the previous mornings.

By 9am the activities for the morning were coming to an end so we hopped on the bus to return to the Fiesta campground.  Since it was warming up we shed some of our outer clothing and then took off in the Jeep for Santa Fe about 40 miles north.  In the Plaza area we visited the St. Francis Cathedral Basilica and then the Loretto Chapel.  The Loretto Chapel is known for its miraculous stairway.  This spiral stairway has two 360 degree turns with no visible means of support.  It was built in the 1800's but not known by whom.  Originally there was no railing but the railing was added later at the insistence of the nuns.  We then walked about area stopping in the shops and outside vending areas.  I found a torquoise necklace that I didn't think I could live without.  We had lunch at the Burrito Factory before returning to the Albuquerque area.

This morning at the Balloon Fiesta there was a Hard Rock Cafe and Casino booth that we stopped by.  A coupon for commemorative pins was given to us.  So before returning to the motorhome we went to the Hard Rock Casino to get these pins in honor of the Balloon Fiesta.  We also were given $25.00 promotional dollars for signing up for a Player's Card.  Tom and I sought out the cheap slots and played on our promotional dollars for a couple hours and then we started cashing out our winnings.  We ended up with $17.00 plus in winnings which we spent before getting back to the motorhome when we stopped at Fuddrucker's for supper.  What a busy but fun day!

Balloon Fiesta, Monday, October 8, 2012

Today, started out being another “iffy'’ day of balloon flying with the wind being the problem.  Before we committed to going into the Fiesta we waited to hear through TV reports that the balloons were preparing for flying.  A little past 7am we did make our way to the field.  There were some balloons in the air and more on the ground getting ready to go up.  A flying competition was happening.  There is a so-called Albuquerque box that the balloons can fly that takes them one direction at one altitude and the opposite direction at another altitude.  It was interesting to see balloons flying in opposing directions.  Then at some point the balloons cross the take-off field flying as close to the ground as possible without touching the ground and try to toss out a marker to hit the center of  an “x” that is laid out on the field in a given time period.  The mornings have been cold here with temperatures in the low 40’s but it does warm up to the upper 60’s/ lower 70’s by late afternoon.

By 11am we were back to the motorhome and the Balloon Fiesta activities were over for today as nothing is scheduled for this evening.  Tom then made arrangements to have our waste tanks pumped out. 

Balloon Fiesta- October 7, 2012

This morning we were hesitant in getting to the Fiesta launch sites.  The weathermen last night were thinking the wind could again be a factor.  We listened to the TV this morning and when we heard that there was movement on the launch sites we made our way over there.  A little past 6am we were on the grounds and the Dawn Patrol show was just beginning with about 10 balloons inflated.   When these balloons took off for the skies more balloons were inflated and this continued until after 9am.  The skies were filled with balloons.  Those balloons of unusual shapes were the longest balloons inflating.  It was just a wonderful morning.

And this evening was something, also.  We went to the Fiesta about 6pm and saw 5 gas balloons inflated.  Gas balloons were suppose to have been launched yesterday for a race but the wind prevented that from occurring at that time so they were going tonight.  Gas balloons are filled with hydrogen and sand is used as a ballast.  Three of the balloons were flown by USA pilots, one by Russian and one by Great Britain.  Two of the USA balloons had female co-pilots.  The race is to which balloon travels the furthest not the fastest.  They will be flying for hours, possibly days.  As these balloons were leaving the hot air balloons were getting prepared for Balloon Glow- inflating the balloons but not flying and then lighting with the burners the balloons that they seem to be glowing.  Balloons were everywhere.  Tom read that there are 584 total balloons.   Never have we seen so many balloons at one time and most were one of a kind.   We returned to the motorhome to watch fireworks from there.

Balloon Fiesta Disappointment- October 6, 2012

Today, Saturday, was the opening of the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.  We were up at 4:45am and shortly after 5am we were on a bus to the Fiesta.  Ballooning activities were to begin at 5:45am.  We got onto the grounds and made our way into the souvenir tent to buy a few things and then were in line for about 30 minutes waiting to purchase breakfast burritos.  The line really wasn’t terribly long but the service was extremely slow.  There was a gentle wind and about the time for the activities were to begin it was announced that the wind was more than 10mph so the activities were cancelled for this morning.  So we paid admission into this fiesta in order to spend money and nothing else- bummer!   When we left the motorhome it was 61 degrees but the temperature dropped several degrees and felt much colder.  We caught a bus back to the Fiesta campgrounds and snuggled down for a nap.  Before noon we got into the Jeep and went down to “Old Town Albuquerque” where we had lunch at “Little Anita’s” and then walked about the shops and by the street vendors.  The stores were ready for the Balloon Fiesta crowd and the crowd was there.  The Fiesta has sessions in the morning and then on certain days in the evening with each session requiring a new admission of $8.00.  We did learn that packets of 5 tickets could be purchased for $35.00 but were unable until this morning to find where to purchase these tickets- the ticket booths did not sell them and said they didn’t know where they were being sold.  We did stop to purchase these tickets before going for lunch.

This evening the wind was blowing stronger than this morning.  We listened to the local television station to hear about this evenings activities and according to the wind strength we didn’t think it was worth going over to the Fiesta grounds.  One activity had been cancelled this morning.  At 7:30pm fireworks were set off and we were able to sit outside the motorhome and watch without the loud banging.  The wind is to continue through the night and then taper off so it is up in the air what will take place in the morning.

Yesterday when we got into this campground area we noticed a strong aroma of caramel popcorn.  We just knew that someone somewhere was making batches of caramel corn.  Today we learned that there is a Cocoa Puffs cereal factory nearby that is responsible for that aroma in the air and not caramel corn being made.

Albuquerque, New Mexico- October 5, 2012

This morning Tom  filled the water tank and then had the propane and fuel tanks filled in preparation for today’s move to Albuquerque for the Balloon Fiesta.  Tom had made a reservation to stay on the Balloon Fiesta grounds but we would be dry camping.  We left Gallup a little after 9am and after 155 miles a little past 12 noon we arrived at the Fiesta grounds in Albuquerque and were soon parked with hundreds other RV’s.  The Fiesta officially starts tomorrow, Saturday.  The pads on the nose rests on my sunglasses had come off so we needed to go to a Sam’s Club to get a repair done.  But before going to Sam’s we stopped for lunch at brew pub.   We then returned to the motorhome.  And then Tom remembered that he had forgotten to empty the black tank this morning.  We are only 1/3 full and maybe we will be okay-if not, there is a service on the grounds for emptying tanks that we might need to use.

A little about the weather – today it is warm in the mid 80’s with a breeze.  The wind is expected to increase tonight and tomorrow and temperatures are to drop into the 60’s by Sunday.  The wind could be a negative factor with the balloons tomorrow.

Canyon de Chelly- October 4, 2012

This morning we drove northwest back to Arizona with the Jeep to Canyon de Chelly National Monument.  We had been to this National Monument several years ago but it was wintertime and there was not much activity.  We drove around the rim at that time but we wanted to take a tour into the Canyon.  To enter the Canyon you must have an Indian guide except in one small area, the white house, where you can hike from the rim.  Today we hoped to be able to take that tour into the Canyon.  Stopping at the Visitor’s Center we inquired about Canyon tours and were given a list of tour operators but no recommendations and we would need to call the phone numbers provided and arrange the tour.    The Thunderbird Lodge Tour, we were told, was a group tour on their vehicles at the cost of $57.22 per person for half day and we would need to go to the Lodge and purchase tickets.  So we opted to do the tour through the Lodge.  We got our tickets about 11:30am for the tour at 1pm.  We did drive up along the rim and ate our lunch we had brought along.  Then at 1pm we were back to the Lodge to board the the truck with an extended bed equipped with seats.  There were 13 people on the tour.   Our tour guide, Dave, drove us through the Canyon on very challenging terrain that consisted of 8-10 inches of sand, 4 wheel drive was needed and used most of the way.  We were so glad that we didn’t arrange a tour taking our Jeep with a guide.  Petroglyphs and pictographs and cliff ruins   were pointed out along the way and an explanation of what the origins and meaning  may have been- different Indian tribes living in this area left their markings.  This area remains in the Navajo Nation Territory and is still inhabited by these people.  In the summertime, people move down into the Canyon from up along the rim and farm the land raising vegetables.  At several stops there were vendors selling  jewelry, pottery and other Indian wares.  After 4 hours and a rather exciting ride (Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride??) we returned back to the Lodge and our personal vehicles.

Gallup, New Mexico- October 3, 2012

This morning we traveled a short distance- 88miles- to Gallup, New Mexico.  We will stay here at the USA RV Park for 2 nights before going to Albuquerque for the Balloon Festival.  After getting into our assigned campsite it was lunchtime and we were in New Mexico.  We just love the food in this state with the red, green or Christmas (mixture of red and green) chili.  El Sombrero restaurant was the restaurant that we had our lunch.  In the afternoon we visited at a local museum, Gallup Cultural Center,  which had some nice native American displays but the audio speakers were not working.  We then stopped in the downtown going into Zimmerman's, a Western wear store, and Richardson's, a store that sells expensive native American goods and also serves as a pawn shop.  We did alot of looking, not buying.   Parker, our 3 year old grandson, just loves trains so we made a stop to take pictures of the trains traveling through this area.  Parker would be in his glory in this town as there are 100 long trains with 4-6 engines that go through here everyday.

Holbrook, Arizona- October 2, 2012

This morning we awoke to a cool motorhome but with sweatshirts on and the bright sunshine we soon warmed up.  We packed up and left Jacob Lake continuing south on US-89A  south passing the Vermilion Cliffs and then onto US-89 and finally onto I-40 east.

Our Brake Buddy alarm sounded during our travels.  Tom stopped and checked the problem and found the 12-volt accessory outlet to be the problem.  The braking system was disengaged until Tom could research the problem.  Nearing Winslow at noontime we stopped at the La Posada Hotel for lunch in the Turquoise Room.  We have had lunch here previously and enjoy this old Santa Fe  train hotel.  It has a feel of stepping back in time.  We were unsure as to how far we would travel today as we plan to be in Gallup, New Mexico on October 3rd.  We  did stop for the night in Holbrook, Arizona – 249 miles today.  Tom was able to fix the problem with the braking system after getting a new accessory outlet from a parts store in Holbrook.

Grand Canyon, North Rim- October 1, 2012

On this day we left Glendale, Utah and drove the motorhome a short distance of 64 miles to Jacob Lake, Arizona.  We had a private campground in mind but when we arrived in the area the first campground we came to was Kaibab National Forest Jacob Lake campground which was right along highway US 89A.   So we decided to stay here for the night.  There was no hook-ups but for $8.50(actually the rate was $17.00/night but our Senior Park pass gave us 1/2 rate) we weren’t complaining.
So after getting set up and eating an early lunch we were off to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon which was about 45 miles away.  Arriving at the Visitor’s Center/Lodge area we got our first views of the Canyon on this north side.  We have been to the south rim twice before.  This north rim is a higher altitude than the south rim and has harsher winters necessitating the closing of this section of the Grand Canyon about the middle of October.  We took the trail out to the Bright Angel Point.  Unfortunately, the smog was fairly heavy hanging in the Canyon.  We, then, drove a road eastward that had several areas for viewing the canyon.  Much of the drive was through pine and aspen forested regions.  The aspen trees are just beautiful at this time of the year with the leaves turning a bright shade of yellow that the sun seems to reflect off.  We saw several deer in the meadows along the way.
Returning to Jacob Lake later in the evening we stopped at the only restaurant in the vicinity at the Jacob Lake Lodge.  We were pleasantly surprised with our meals.  Tom had a breaded pork chop topped with crisp fried onions with baked potato, salad and zucchini.  I had a chicken breast topped with a portabella mushroom, walnuts and dried cranberries in a very tasty sauce along with the salad, baked potato and zucchini.  Tom and I shared a dessert of a slice of coconut custard pie in which the custard was a homemade cornstarch custard.  A really memorable meal in a very positive way.

Bryce Canyon- September 30, 2012

Today, Sunday, we went about 40 miles northeast from the campground to Bryce Canyon National Park.  Just prior to Bryce we came to Red Canyon in Dixie National Forest.  As the name implies it was the cliffs and formations are red.  We stopped at the Visitor’s Center and then continued on to Bryce Canyon.  Bryce Canyon with spires, grottos and hoodoos is quite an impressive area.  We drove to the farthest viewing area and then from that point drove toward the entry point stopping at the viewing areas.  We had been told that yesterday this park was so crowded that it was impossible to find parking spaces but today we did not have that problem.  Apparently, there were lots of folks that were there yesterday for the free entry day.  We did leave the park for lunch at Bryce Canyon City, just outside the park.  We ate at Ruby’s, an establishment that has been around for many years even before Bryce Canyon was made a National Park.  The food was pretty good – we had the lunch buffet- and the prices average.  We then returned to finish our touring of the Park.  Tomorrow we leave this beautiful state, Utah, as we again will going into Arizona.