We left Denver today after spending a week there visiting with family and friends.  While there we recarpeted Mom's back porch and stairs.  She was very pleased.  We also went to Boulder and had lunch with Hayley and then explored the Pearl Street Mall and McGuckin's Hardware.  Yesterday we took Mom and Kathie to the mountains around Ward.  It was a beautiful day for a drive.  On the way back we saw about 10 Bighorn sheep grazing along the side of the road.  Have never been that close before. 

We left Denver this morning and headed west across Wyoming.  Big Mistake.  Had 25-35mph head winds and side winds all the way to Rock Springs.  And it is still blowing.  Don't remember it being this windy across Montana.  Besides, Montana is prettier than Wyoming.  May not come this way again.  Hope to make it to Twin Falls tomorrow but will see how it goes and how the wind blows.  For now, we are resting up in Rock Springs and listening to the wind.

Arriving in Denver

Multitasking over Raton Pass

We have arrived in Denver and will stay and visit friends and family for a week.  The trip was uneventful and we enjoyed watching the scenery change from the deserts of New Mexico to the mountains of Colorado.  We have finally solved the Antenna/Satellite dilemma.  Turns out there is a switch that needs to be on and then you need to do a channel search.  So we can now switch from our satellite stations to the local channels.  As predicted it was a fairly simple solution, just needed figuring out.  Mission accomplished.

Taos NM

We spent the  day exploring Taos NM.  Our first stop was the Taos Pueblo.  Navajo have occupied this pueblo for at least 1000 years.  We took in the sights and a little lunch in Taos.  And on the way back, we stopped at two old Mission sights. The first was the San Juan de Gracias church built in 1760 and the last was the Santuario de Chimayo church.  So we got a lot of local history, a very good lunch and another beautiful day.

Taos Pueblo church

San Jose de Gracia church in Las Trampas

Santuario de Chimayo church in Chimayo

Santa Fe

We are in Santa Fe.  The trip was uneventful except for some wind gusts that kind of took us by surprise.  East of Albuquerque at Grants, we passed through ancient lava beds that were produceds from  several volcanoes that were erupting up to 800 years ago.  At first it looked like someone dumped dirt along the road.

Today we spent exploring Santa Fe.  It is the oldest capital in America,  home to San Miguel, the oldest church in America.  It is a fascinating city with winding streets, a central plaza and adobe buildings surrounding the plaza.

San Miguel Mission Church

Oldest building

Front of the Govenor's Palace facing the central square

Town Square

We also visited the Loretto Chapel.  The story goes that the Missionary Sisters of Loretto  had the church built.  When it was finished the choir loft was too high and unsafe to reach by ladder.  All the local carpenters were unable to build a stair that would fit the space and reach the  high loft. The Sisters wanted music to accompany ther services, so they prayed a Novena to St Joseph who was a carpenter and when they were finished, a man showed up and built the staircase.  It has no center pole and is not attached to the wall in any way.  The Sisters considered it a miracle

We also explored the Govenors's Palace, St Francis Cathedral Basilica, and stood on the Old Santa Fe Trail and Historic Route 66.  You know you could "get your kicks on route 66"

Petrified Forest and Painted Desert

We made it to Holbrook AZ today by way of Flagstaff..  We got here early enough to go to the Petrified National Park and Painted  Desert which is just down the road from here. It reminded us of the Badlands but then there are these petrified trees everywhere.   Took lots of pictures, saw some Pueblo ruins and looked at lots of Petrified wood.  It is amazing to me how much the scenery can change in just a hundred miles.  

Pueblo ruins

Petroglyphs

Petrified log

BTW: If I do nothing else this trip, I WILL figure out this satellite/atenna problem.  Now the antenna interfers with the satellite. Before I coudn't get the antenna to work at all so we could not get network programming. Now the Antenna wants to take over. Other RVers seem to be able to easily switch from one to the other.  I will not be defeated!

Casa Grande Ruins

On the way back from Florence, we stopped at the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.  This 2 square mile area was built and occupied by the Hohokum almost 700 years ago. An estimated 3000 people populated this area at its peak.You can see the foundations of their dwellings and a large multi-story dwelling.  An interesting thing was that they built canals that carried water from the Gila River several miles away to irrigate their crops. Quite an architectural feat for a primitive people.  Ended the day with dinner at P.F. Changs.  On towards Santa Fe tomorrow.  About the frustrations we have had with the TV reception.  Good news - the antenna works and we can get local channels.  However we haven't been able to get Satellite reception at this site.  An ongoing saga.

Memory Lane

Today was a momentous day.  We drove to Florence AZ where I worked 42 years ago at Pinal Hospital as a Lab Technologist.  We found the hospital that is in the same place but has been modernized.  We also found the property where I lived.  It is the same except that the trailer I lived in has been replaced with a newer model.  And the Prison is in the same place as I remembered.  I used to go there and draw blood for the blood bank from the female prisoners.  The town has not changed much but is now referred to as Historic Florence. I had a bicycle that I rode back and forth to work.  Obviously it made a lasting impression even though I was only there for about 2 months.  No wonder my parents did not want to leave me there but they agreed to  let me stay.  Mom always said that they had a terrible trip home worrying about me.  Thanks Mom and Dad for letting me find my way.

My Homesite

The Prison

The Hospital

Historic Florence

Goodyear AZ

Left Quartzsite this morning after taking a walk in search of a Geocache, which we found successfully.  Stopped at a Rock shop. This old guy has been in Quartzsite for almost 30 years collecting and selling rocks, and he was a wealth of information.  We got several geodes the old-fashioned way - we bought them.  No hunting in the desert for us.  However, there were a lot of Rv's parked all over the desert collecting rocks. The "Old Guy" said they get a million rock hunters during the winter months from all over the world. Amazing.  After a gas stop where we contributed to the local economy, we departed Quartzsite and after about 100 more miles of  desert scenery, we arrived in Goodyear.   We are staying at the Destiny RV Resort which is just outside of Phoenix.  Most of the winter residents have departed so it is pretty quiet here.  Met  up with Stan and Dominique for dinner.  It was really nice to see them. We plan on spending another day here before movng on.  It's supposed to be 90 degrees tomorrow.

Quartzite AZ

We are in Quartzsite AZ, the Rock and Gem capital of the world.  They have a Gem and Rock show here in January that draws 250,000 RVers.  We finally left Palmdale yesterday at 11:00 after much difficulty with the brake lights on  the tow dolly.  Very frustrating.  We finally decided to leave anyway and after a couple of jolts, everything worked perfectly.  Go figure.  We came through San Bernadino and Palm Springs on Interstate 10.  Lots of desert scenery and distant Mountains.  Crossed the Colorado River and arrived in Quartzsite about 4:00.  Just in time for a walk, dinner and another walk to the Dairy Queen (which just negated all the walks - oh well).  We are going to do a little Geocaching this morning and then head to Goodyear AZ, which is just outside of Phoenix, where we plan to stop for a couple of days.  Supposed to be in the 90's tomorrow.

Wind farm near Palm Springs

The Desert

Farewell California

We are leaving California today and heading to points east.  We have had a great time in Palmdale and thank Jeff and Vicki for all their hospitality.  It was wonderful spending all of this time with you  and look forward to future times together

Fishing at the Fin and Feather

The 2 successful fishermen

Garret fishing like Paul used to do