The end of our journey.

Our view this morning!




We took the long route, avoided potential snow, and got to visit sights in the south that we had never seen before.   We covered nearly 4200 miles in our little house on wheels, and it was rather sad saying goodbye to it yesterday!  Even Clem, who said he was ready to go home, and get on dry land, said goodbye when we left the parking lot at the dealership!  He remarked as we neared our destination that we were like Lewis and Clark, but made it much faster.  And way more comfortably, I might add!  Actually, our journey was longer....from sea to shining sea!

 We live in a big, beautiful country, and there is so much to see.  I hope to travel more of it.  And, though I hated history in school, I love visiting historic sights, and learning about the people and things that came before, and how a place came to be.  And the outdoor girl in me wants to see all the National Parks, and hike the trails.  And, now this may surprise you, see all the hokey and kitschy things out there!! Oh.....NOT surprised??  Haha!!

It has been very fun.  The trip, and having you along!  Thanks for sharing it with us!

We made it!

We were about 31/2 hours from PBG, and made it home and unloaded, before returning the RV.  

Hmm....is it bigger than our little house?

Sunrise taken from RV window

It sure was fun being right on the beach.  I walked it in the morning, and gathered a few shells.  Nice way to spend our last night.  Although Clem complained the sound of the waves kept him up!  I think you would get used to it.  Some of the RV parks were pretty close to the highway, for on and off convenience, and you could hear the trucks most of the night, but we got used to that.  

St. Augustine, Florida. The oldest city in the US.

Oldest school house.

Flagler Colleg

And of course......

Ponce De Leon, you all know.  However, did you know he was only 4 ft 11?
Flagler brought the railroads into Florida, and started the rush to the area.  Tourism began with "tin can tourists", who came with tin cans full of fuel and food, and "cracker Settlers" came in covered wagons.  Our trolley tour gave us an overview, but I would enjoy coming back and doing a walking tour.  And driving down the beach road, there were some state parks and nature areas to investigate.  And this spot on the ocean would be a great place to camp out for a couple of days in order to explore by day!

We are only 3 1/2 hours from our little house in Palm Beach Gardens, and it is sinking in that we will be spending the entire winter there!  Can't believe it!

Very cool!!

No, this is not our RV, but we pulled into this park, and I wanted to snap a photo while the light was still good.  Now, we will NEVER own a house anywhere near this close to the ocean, but how cool to spend the night!  I asked the attendant, and she said some folks come from up north and spend six months here!  Just outside of St. Augustine on the barrier island.  A1A, or "the beach road" in Beverly Beach.  That is the ocean, and we are maybe 40 yards from the water.  We sat out and listened to the waves crash before dinner, then walked the beach after.  Have the windows open now and the breezes are blowing in, and the waves are crashing.  Can you tell I am thoroughly enjoying this spot?!  :-)

RV Life

As an aside, I may put a new page on, for some interesting insights into this adventure from the technical end!  Just in case you might be thinking about renting one.

But let me say that RV ers are a very friendly bunch of folks!  And this morning we got out a good hour and a half later than we had anticipated, because I wanted to take a walk, and ended up chatting with folks.  I really do enjoy that, but it is funny.  Guess you need to factor that in to your travel plans.....but then, that is part of the fun.  If we were traveling more casually, staying for a bit, it would be a very social stay, I am sure.

Decisions, decisions.....

As you can see, we have hit Florida!  Wow!  Now, it is a LONG state, so we have a way to go, but we are in the destination state!  And it is warm and lovely, and the birds I always hear when we are in Florida are chirping.

Had a hard time deciding what to do today.  Since we have been to Savannah before, we decided to go on to St . Augustine.  We have to be at our house a day earlier than planned, because they have decided to seal the streets just as we were due in!  So we would not be able to drive to the house.  So we will get in a day earlier than planned, unload, pick up the car, and go to Ft. Lauderdale, where we have to return the RV , and camp there for the night.  That should be fun, actually.  Maybe get a place near the water.  And have a nice dinner in the city our last night out.

Anyway, Savannah is lovely, with gracious old homes, and a central square.  The house famous for "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" is on the square.  One of my all time favorite books, by the way, and a true story.......truth is stranger than fiction, as they say.  I highly recommend it, if you have not read it.

Georgia, as you know, is famous for its peaches and pecans.  And once in Atlanta I ate at the famous Pitty Pat's Porch....talk about great biscuits!  And you can see them being made!  Pecan pie to die for!  And now, of course, Miss Paula Deene!  Everything that woman makes is a heart attack on a plate, I swear!  Y'all!

So we traveled from the spectacular mountains in North Carolina.  Did I mention that in addition to the Smokey mtns. we drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Not far, but enough to visit the Craft Museum.  Crafts are a big way of life in the Carolinas.  Pottery and textiles in particular.  Saw some really creative brooms, too!  yes, brooms!!  and baskets.  Would be neat to go back and drive the several hundred mile distance of the parkway.  It is much like the  Hutchinson parkway in NY , if you have been on that.  But it was commissioned  by Roosevelt to be a scenic route, rather than one built for speed.  So one needs to be on a leisurely pace as it winds its way through the mountains.

South Carolina entered the "low country."  And by the time we hit Georgia to stay for the night, the air mattress was practically flat!!  Charleston is the neatest city in South Carolina, and again, we had already been there, and to Fort Sumpter.  Visited with friends Jim and Joan many years ago.  Really neat city, big antebellum homes, and the gracious way of living once again.  Had also visited an old plantation.  So we moved on through there as well.

Hit Georgia, and REALLY low country.  I have been driving this morning, or I could have shown you photos of some large swampy areas.  Stopped at the Florida welcome center, where the photo was taken, and now we are headed to St. Augustine, where we will take the trolley tour and hop off at a few interesting sights.

The River Art District, Asheville

We just happened to be there for one of two annual open studio celebrations!  This studio belongs to Jonas Gerard, one of Asheville's most successful artists.  I loved the bright colors and his mixed media works.

Grove Park Inn, Asheville

Built in 1913, it took a team of 400 men with mules hauling stones up the mountainside a year to complete.  For more information about the south's most famous resort, see the link below.  

Grove Park Inn History     

A few scenes from downtown Asheville.

This is a high school, built by architect who built the Biltmore Home.  

Savannah

Just pulled into Savannah for the evening, after spending two full days and three nights in Asheville.  Nice to not have to pull out every morning.  And we had a great time touring the Biltmore and taking a trolley tour of the area with Bob and Judy.  And eating lots of BBQ!  
Last night Judy picked a place called the Fiddling Pig, because they had bluegrass music, in addition to BBQ.  What fun!  It was Judy's birthday, so a fun way to celebrate with her favorite type of music , and Banana Pudding for desert.  Remember the stuff your mom made with vanilla wafers?  Well, this is much better!  But pretty much the same!  I have photos to post of all of this, plus some great interior photos of the RV that Bob took with his wide angle lens.

I had mentioned that the nights get very cold in the mountains, and it dropped to 30 last night .   And our heat went out!!  I woke up pretty cold, and could not solve it, and Clem was not in the mood to solve it when I woke him.  Needless to say, it was even colder by the time we got up at 5:30!  THEN he found a way to fix it.  I stayed in bed with the covers over my head until he had the coffee ready and it was warming up in here! Warmed to a sunny mid 60's day again.

We stopped for a picnic lunch at a rest stop again, but basically made time again today.  Only 400 miles to go!  We have to decide how we want to spend our last couple of days.  Sas is curled up between us on the couch, and Loki is looking out the front window from the passenger seat.  He still rides under the blanket on the bed, but Sas rode today perched on the bedside table.

On the road again.......

Carol 

Guide Sign on Interstate 26 for Bat Cave, NC

Despite what the name may imply, this is a town!  We are not stopping, but I had to look it up!  Named for bat cave mountain which is named for a cave at the base full of bats. 

Sent from my iPhone 

COOOOllllllldddddd!

Ok, so it was 70 yesterday, and due to hit high 60's again today, but last night it dropped to 30 degrees.  And I woke up in the night to NO HEAT!

Great BBQ in Asheville

Doesn't look like much but really good! Famous for it's food and for the fact that President Obama eats here when he is in town.

Graceland

Just some of the gold records that Elvis won, displayed in what once was a racquetball court he had added to the mansion. 

Elvis was also very philanthropic, and was awarded Outstanding Young Man of 197....something.  I did not realize this about him. 

He and his parents are buried on the estate.

Flowers are sent from all over the world, and they are all displayed, even the plastic ones, until they are too weather beaten.  

The Biltmore Estate

This home, the largest private residence in the United States, was built by George Vanderbilt, and opened to the family in 1895, three years before he brought his bride to live there with him.  Now, what he did in 70,000 square feet, on 8000 acres all by himself, I can' t imagine.  In fact, I can't imagine living here at all!  It would cover 4 acres, were it stretched out.  42 bathrooms.  Clem can't find me in our house in Portland!  The couples only daughter, Cornelia, was born here, in a beautiful room.  No photos allowed, I am afraid, so I can't share the inside with you.  Take my word....amazing.  Bowling alley, indoor pool, changing rooms for the guests to use the pool, since heavens, they could not be seen in swim attire in the house!  My book group would have appreciated the library with his collection of 23,000 volumes.  He was said to be the be "the best read man in the country."  

This photo was taken on the back veranda, looking over the Great Smoky Mountains.  They are spectacular.  We drove through them to get to Asheville yesterday , and I just kept marveling at how gorgeous they are.  The gardens were designed by Frederick Law Olmstead.  

We have just by luck arrived here just in time for the Candle Light Christmas celebration to begin at the mansion tonight, so have returned for a break, then will have dinner and  head back.  Our park is only three miles away, so very conveniently located.  

Asheville, NC

Just a quick note this morning to keep me on track, then we need to get going on a busy day of sight seeing.  We passed signs for Dollywood.  I decided that, once again, I would not make a trip, but since we passed it, I would have gone to see it.  But we were making time.  Maybe next trip!  Also decided to pass on an old plantation in Nashville....I may have mentioned that.  Things are beginning to blur!  haha!

We reached Asheville pretty early, and got parked and plugged in while it was still light.  We took a walk around the RV park, then Bob and Judy arrived.  They had driven from Apex, near Raleigh, to meet us, and spend a few days with us.  We met them when we lived in Acton, Ma, and they returned from living in Germany to live next door to us.  They have been fast friends ever since.  I think we may now have tied them in number of places we have lived, though they also lived in Europe and Japan, where the Air Force took them.  It will be fun to spend time with them while we explore Asheville.

This has not been a culinary excursion, as we are seeing sights and making time across the country.  But we did eat out last night at a local hot spot.  Called the Tupelo Honey Cafe, we had to wait, but it was worth it, with very creative cuisine.  I had Southern Stroganoff on goat cheese grits with cilantro sauce and sour cream.  Pretty tasty!  And instead of the ubiquitous bread basket, they brought biscuits!  I LOVE biscuits!  (Pat....I have not forgotten you said you make really good ones, and you should make me some!  You SHOULD!   :-)    )

Ok...I need to get ready for our day.  The Biltmore Estate is on the agenda for today.
Have a good day!

Stuff and such......

This is seriously cool.  I am working on line while riding shot gun!  Clem's new Droid......DDRRRROOOIIIIDDDDD!!!.........serving as my hot spot.  How I love this technology!

And one of the things I love about RVing, is being able to hit the ladies room without having to wait for miles for the driver to finally agree to stop!

Day 10 on the road, and I looked around as we got underway to find both kitties sitting just behind me and staring at me!  Loki, who has been hiding under the covers for driving time, actually walked around and checked things out, and sat on the couch with me for a bit.  Last night just before we pulled in, he had come out and sat on the couch, and shocked us.  They are both back in their places now, under the drivers seat, and under the covers.  But they are definitely much more relaxed.  Little do they know they have another transition to make!  Clem said he figures they are thinking this is their life now!

We have traveled 3200 miles.  Had we taken the route across Mt Hood and into Idaho, and diagonally across the country, we would just about be there.  A bit longer this way, but less chance of snow, and has afforded the visits to Santa Fe, etc.   Looking forward to a couple of days in Asheville, where we will meet up with Bob and Judy.  Although I don't think we will know how to act staying in one place that long!

Note at top of blog....have added a couple pages you can access.

Grand Canyon Caverns

Click on this photo to be taken to an album of more. Just a few to give you an idea of what it was like.

Nashville

Just passed Loretta Lynn's Dude Ranch and Famous Country Cookin' Restaurant! Still lots of trees but they are now pretty bare. Climbing a bit, and sure that will increase as we get into the Smoky Mountains. That is sure to slow our progress into Asheville. We are skipping the Grand Old Opry, which is now the Grand NEW Opry since flood and reconstruction. Tempted to stop at an old plantation, but think we want to spend several days in Asheville.

And the city of Nashville! Big! Dont know why I am always surprised by that. Just doesn't seem to go with country!

A big thank you to all the Veteran's out there. We do appreciate what you do and have done.

Carol
Sent from my iPhone

Arkansas

We stayed just west of the border last night in a lovely, quiet RV park, with lots of trees.  We sat at the picnic table and sipped wine under that stars.  So dark....they really stand out!  Arkansas is beautiful!  Rolling hills covered with deciduous trees.  They are about finished, but still lovely, and we could only imagine how beautiful they must have been a week or so ago.  Arkansas is called the Nature State, and it sure is.  52 state parks, rivers, streams, waterfalls, and hiking trails.....I would love to return and experience those.  And there is the Trail of Golf, so Clem could be entertained while I am on the trails!

These states also have the Civil War trail, and the Trail of Tears, and I would love to see  those as well.

We figured Bill and Hillary were in NY , so we didn't stop!  Made time, and got into Memphis TN by 2pm, in time to tour Graceland.  We were both happy we did that, though we probably never would have, had we not been driving through.   Oh , and it was pretty neat to drive over the Mississippi River!  Clem and I both spelled it out as we crossed it!

We are in town of Jackson TN tonight.  Surprised to find the RV park so full, given what we have been experiencing.  This time of year, pretty quiet.  (that is really great for the tourist attractions!)  We were told that an RV club is arriving this weekend, and some have already arrived.  They have a dart target hung on a tree, and the folks next door have Christmas lights  and a little tree flashing in front of their coach!  Pretty cute!  Another has a string of paper lanterns......now you KNOW if we buy a coach, I will have some of THOSE!!  haha!

Ooooooooooo....klahoma....

And the wind DOES come sweeping down the plain!! It is WHIPPING down the plain today! And the waving wheat? Well it is cut and baled for winter, but does smell sweet.
Ok, enough of that!

We stopped in Clinton, named for judge Clinton Irwin , rather than the famous Bill you may have been thinking about. The Museum had artifacts signs and memorabilia and a film with actual footage of building and traveling the old rt. A very worthwhile stop. I never realized the significance of the road. Ok contains more drivable miles than any other state. We once again passed several towns, but did see a building that was replicated in the movie Cars. And many towns take bittersweet pride in the Grapes of Wrath connection.

Home to 65 Native Indian tribes even today , it was the last refuge of the Kiowa, Apache, Comanche, and other tribes before the land was taken away from them during the land rushes.

The road turns northeast at the end of the state going through a mining town called Commerce, which is the boyhood home of Mickey Mantle. The main drag there has been named for him. Which reminds me, we passed a huge sign on the highway in Elk City that said "Hime of Suzanne Powell, Miss America 1981."

When we left Oklahoma City we left the "Mother Road," as she follows rt 44 toward Kansas. We will miss her!

I am blogging on my cell as we head to our next stop for the night.

Carol
Sent from my iPhone

Morning at the OK Koral!

Pretty nice to wake up to this this morning!
We are apparently at lower elevations, as our sleep number bed had collapsed a bit when we went to sleep last night!  Had to reinflate a bit.  Had been at 7000 feet the last night we spent in Santa Fe.

While we were sipping wine under the stars last night, Clem said he was not sure he could spend a month in the RV.  But this morning he was looking at RV's for sale, and checking out which vehicles could be towed.  Very interesting!

Setting out for our next adventure!

Cadillac Ranch

Santa Fe

Texas

The photo from this afternoon was sent via my cell when we stopped at a rest area for a picnic lunch.  Flat, flat, flat!!  I saw a tree at one point, and said, look.....a tree DOES grow in Texas!  We are driving across what is called the panhandle, and have stopped tonight at an RV park about 80 miles from the Oklahoma border.  Grassy and flat, and very different from other parks we have been in.  There were cows grazing just across the field as we got here just after sunset.

My "Travel Manager"....or is he the CEO......finally allowed a stop at a grocery store today!  I believe it was only because I could run in there while he gassed up!  Thank you, Mr. Kroger, for making a complex with gas, groceries, and drug store....oh....and WINE!!  Needed some more of that, too!  Our one stop of the day was at Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo.  A row of 10 caddilacs were buried nose down in the ground, their fins pointing in the air.   They are often restored for movies or photos, but unfortunately at this time, are basically graffiti.  And the idiots who contributed to this, left their paint cans lying all over the ground.  You know I would love to come back and paint them!  And pick up all the cans!

2400 miles and one week in, and we have been doing really well.  Our one problem is that I want to stop and see everything, and "the manager" is trying to keep us on schedule.  Now, I am thankful for his skill in doing this, truly!  But I am sure I need to do the trip again!!  We didn't get to see the pueblos, and the Rte 66 stops call to me, and we just don't have the time. Especially for things that are off the route too far.  The only other sights we saw today were ones visible from the road.  A water tower that leaned like the Tower or Pisa...no joke!  (I was driving, so no photo!)  And a 19 story high stainless steel cross that weighs nearly three tons.  These are in the town of Groom, population 587.  We also spotted an entire ghost town along the road...church and all.  I won't even get into the stops we might have made...like Tucumcari, the town that's "two blocks wide, and two miles long", and the town that is the midpoint of the road, and the Buddy Holly and Clovis...........oh yeah....I wasn't going to get into it!  Tomorrow we stop in Clinton, OK, for what is supposed to be the best Rte 66 Museum.  Some of the "museums" turn out to be souvenir shops, but this is supposed to be authentic.  I was very sad this evening to see that we then leave the old road, as it takes off north toward Chicago after Oklahoma.  It has been fun reading about the sights, even if we didn't have time to see all of them on this trip.

I meant to mention that I am enjoying the comments that you leave, and hope you realize that I am responding to them on the blog.  So if you have not already done so, go back to where you left a comment to see mine.  I get your comments emailed to me, so I know you have left one, as I get the email on my phone.  I do enjoy getting them, so thank you!

Texas

The photo from this afternoon was sent via my cell when we stopped at a rest area for a picnic lunch.  Flat, flat, flat!!  I saw a tree at one point, and said, look.....a tree DOES grow in Texas!  We are driving across what is called the panhandle, and have stopped tonight at an RV park about 80 miles from

Stop for lunch......on to Amarillo

Spectacular Day in Santa Fe

Can't tell you how stunning it was yesterday!  I had to wonder if this is what the weather is always like on a nice day.  Crystal clear , blazingly blue sky, and a quality to the light and air that was surreal.  One has to wonder if that is what brought Georgia Okeefe here to live.  And the many artists who also call this place home.  The city is full of art and galleries.  We won't make it to Taos, but guess that is true of that area as well.  

I was able to put another check on my bucket list yesterday!  We visited the Georgia OKeefe gallery.  Very interesting to see her work for real, and to see many photos of her working in her gallery or walking in the desert and collecting subject matter.  Ansel Adams took many photos of her which were on display.  

We took a bus into  town after a leisurely morning.....nice for a change!  ......as we stayed in a park close to town, and right near a bus stop.  That worked out very well.  No driving or parking required, which was a very good thing.  We were met with the sound of hundreds of motorcycles arriving and gathering.  There were police and an army truck and a few soldiers, and we were not sure what was going on.  It was the annual gathering for the ride for Toys for Tots.  About 600 finally gathered all around the square, with toys strapped to the back of their bikes.  Pretty neat, I must say.  Despite my tough exterior, some of you know I am really a softy at heart, and it chokes me up a bit again as I write about it.  It is a very cool thing that they do, and it was neat to witness it.  

My characters of the day were two guys dressed for all the world like old time lawmen, directing the bikes into the square.  I stopped to chat with them, and they told me they had been doing this for 26 years, but no, they did not own bikes "yet", themselves.  I will post their photo for sure!  

Cindy and David had visited here a while back, and they recommended a restaurant, so after a bit of looking at shops on the square, we made our way there for brunch.  Cafe Pasqual.  Write it down! If you are here, you should definitely go!  Fantastic food, and popular with the locals.....always a good sign.  We had to wait a bit, but it was worth it.  Thank you, David!!

A very old city, Santa Fe is celebrating 400 years.  We visited the Governors Mansion museum, which was an adobe building, and , though reconstructed, they have put in areas of lucite where you can see through to the old construction of 4 ft thick walls.   Loretta Chapel is another landmark, which is best known for the legend about its "miraculous staircase." The chapel, a lovely gothic creation , had been built with no way to access the choir loft. A mysterious carpenter appeared to build the circular staircase in answer to the Sisters Novena, then vanished without pay when it was finished.    Some other lovely churches, and interesting southwest architecture.....I may have to try to paint some when we get to Florida!  

We have spent two nights in one place, which was nice and relaxing, and I think we needed it.  But we are setting off early today, and going to try to make time.  though, I do have one quick stop I want to make in Amarillo..................   

Spectacular Day in Santa Fe

Spectacular Day in Santa Fe

Spectacular Day in Sant Fe

Sedona

Looking at photos, I forgot to post one of this neat town!  Amazing that these views are all around.  Shops galore. I showed GREAT restraint!

Good Morning!

Kitties have had their breakfast and I am sipping on a cup of pumpkin spice coffee, sitting at table in my PJ's.  Rather a typical morning!  I was thinking how much fun it is to have you all along for the ride!  And hoping I am not boring you!  I guess you can always get out! haha!

Clem and I went for a stroll last night, and met one of our "neighbors,"walking his little Yorkie.  Of course, I had to say hello....to the yorkie!  (Always a good ice breaker, however.)  The man is from Texas, where he owns a home and business in Corpus Cristi, and a second home in northern Texas.  They are in a new RV, their second,  and spending a week here, as they do every year.  He was giving us some pointers about Santa Fe, and chatting about RV life, and he said, buy in Oregon....no sales tax.   He spent $200,000 on his latest, and "could have saved a chunk of change, " had he bought in Oregon.  They drive a 37 foot "pusher"....see I am getting the lingo down!  That means, it is diesel powered, and the engine is in the rear.  More power, less noise.   More expensive by about $50,000.  So, he STILL owns a VERY nice "coach."  (No longer called a rig.)  They love the life.  He said he loves having their own stuff along with them.  And friend Linda , proud owner of her own RV, has told me she enjoys always having her own bed along!

Well, hope everyone has a lovely day.....and remembered to change their clocks!
Another interesting thing:  We crossed a time zone, which should have been in Arizona, except they don't practice day light savings (very smart people!  How do I get that passed in MY state?)  So, our watches were off by an hour.  But the time changed!  So I didn't have to change my watch!  Simple people are easily amused they say!  Have a good one!  

Time Change

Ok, this is funny.  We drove across a time line today when we crossed into New Mexico. (Arizona does not have  daylight savings, so it was same time zone as Pacific)  But tonight the time changes.  So I don't have to change my watch!

Petrified Forest and Painted Desert

Wow....what a day!  I hardly know where to begin.  We stayed overnight in the town of Holbrook, another Rt 66 town, just off the interstate, which now replaces much of the old road.  There are rock shops and trading post tourist traps along the road,  here  named Navajo Boulevard. And Wigwam Village, where you can rent a tepee to stay overnight!   But the sight that amazed us was a huge collection of dinosaurs in front of one of the shops!  It was closed, (Clem rousted me out early again....I think there is a method to his madness!) so I could not check it out.  But a stop at the Petrified Wood Store cum museum, satisfied my curiosity.  Not only is this a land of amazing quantities of petrified wood, it is a land of fossils and dinosaur remains.  I was overwhelmed with the array of wood in the shop, and we had not yet seen the forest!  Cut and polished, it is a thing of beauty.  Turns out, it is not really rare, and it is found in many states in different forms, but here there is an entire forest of it.    I was astounded as a very young girl, when a friend brought me piece of what I could not believe was wood. And now I have seen it for myself, and it was amazing.  Millions of years in its formation, it lays there in its crystalized splendor.  Some of the logs were huge!   We walked  one trail, but  I would have loved to have had the time to walk some of the others.

In the background of the forest you can see the painted desert.  We thought it was pretty neat, but it got more beautiful as we drove along and the gray streaks gave way to red.   In some areas the hills came very close to the road, which was amazing.   We stopped at  several view points, including one which is on the National Register, where there are quantities of amazingly well preserved petroglyphs.

Rejoining Rt 40 after our drive thorough the forest, we decided to try to make it to Santa Fe to stay the night, so we can spend the entire day in the city tomorrow.  The drive was amazing as we crossed over into New Mexico, passing from the painted desert into the red sandstone mesas.  The terrain changed  again to black rock, with gorgeous golden rod colored trees standing out against the hillsides.  Clem thinks they are cotton trees, so we will have to see if we can verify that.  All in their fall glory, what ever they are!

It took us to past sunset, but we made it.  A bit more of a challenge to get into your site and hook up when light is limited!  But we are learning the ropes and getting better at it.  And once again, tired after a full day, nice to pull in and just have dinner "at home."

A fun aside about the kitties.  They are more and more comfortable, but still not fond of the drive.  Sas makes a bee line under the driver seat, where he spends the day, and Loki crawls under the covers on the bed for the day!  We park, and Sas makes another bee line for his food dish!  Then takes a nap!!  Tired from all that sleeping under the chair I guess!

I will post photos of the day...stay tuned!

A rig for us to buy?

Oak Creek Canyon

Red Rock Country

Our guide book convinced us that Oak Creek Canyon, south of Flagstaff, was the smaller cousin to the Grand Canyon, and well worth a visit.  Since we decided that the Grand Canyon was a trip in itself, and we were not going to do it this trip, we would make this stop.  Following directions to what was to be the best viewing point for the Canyon, we headed out on Rt 89 A toward Sedona.  Well, the book did not mention the hairpin turns, and 7% downward grade for miles on end!  NOT a nice drive in a 30 foot RV!  My heart was in my throat the entire descent!    And there was no turning back!  Fortunately, we stopped at what we thought was the park we were looking for, and a very nice couple informed us that this was a great ride for a motorcycle or small car, but probably not an RV!  Didn't we know?? While we chatted with them, they said they had just retired, and were touring.  Clem said he had retired seven weeks ago, and had hoped to make it to eight weeks!! They informed us we could continue in the same direction,visit Sedona, and then take an alternate route back up to Rt 40, and find the roads very friendly.    Whew!!!  Can't imagine what the return trip would have been like!!  They also informed us that the route we were on used to be the only way to get to Sedona.

We collected our composure, and had lunch at the bottom, before heading out for Sedona.  The red rocks were beautiful, but actually even more spectacular from Sedona!  We could have saved ourselves the trip and anguish!  Sedona is a really neat  town, and the views in all directions are gorgeous.  And driving out along the alternate route, it was really breathtaking.  Red rocks and cliffs all around.  Then into a forest of junipers and pines, then barren, flat dry land, then back to red rock.  Very interesting.  We did not stop at a meteor crater.  My engineer is trying to keep us on pace, even though we are behind already.  I really wish we had rented it for a longer time, but we need to get it back on time, or pay a very stiff penalty.  Tried to extend it, but they are booked!  Got two more days at least.

Tomorrow the Petrified Forest, then on to New Mexico.

Seligman

Population 510, and serves up a healthy dose of kitch!  Unfortunately, we hit it early, and the Snow Cap Drive In was not yet open.  The sign reads, "sorry, we're open", and the menu advertises Hamburgers without Ham!  I was really looking forward to a milkshake!  We visited a couple of souvenir shops, then set out for Flagstaff.

Unplugging and getting ready to hit the road Friday morning.

Rte 66

This was taken where the gentleman has 40 years of collectibles from the old road.  I am sure we will see much more today in Seligman.  (pronounced SLIGMAN, by the way!)

The Mojave Desert

This was taken from moving RV, but it gives you an idea.  Tried to load several, which I normally am able to do, but working off park's wifi, and maybe that is a problem.  Will have more to share later.

OH, I am SO glad you finally stopped DRIVING!!!!