PHASE ONE
Las Cruces, NM to Cranbrook, BC
March 27th 2009 to April 25th 2009
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The "guys" ready for anything???? |
Good Ole Route 66 ... now only existing in small pieces as the Interstate System has carved it up |
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The Tramway costing a lot of money was not working so we drove to the top. A free view and a hot dog ... what a deal! |
Cell Phone and other dishes serving the area perched on top of the Crest |
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It was a long way down and you can see that it was cold there. On the floor of the desert it was in the high 70's F |
We drove towards Santa Fe along the Turquoise Trail to Cerrillos. This was a huge town back in the day and was a rival to be declared the Capital of the State |
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Not a lot there now ... but still looking like it was in the early last century |
The local Bar. Elsie wouldn't let me go in. And it was hot.... |
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Main Street ... where's Clint??? |
Lots of historical sites ... see next picture |
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One of the oldest buildings. Was the first Drug Store |
As I have said ... Santa Fe is really an engaging place ...Lots of history |
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Still in use and neat to see |
Most of the area is very Catholic due to the Spanish influence |
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Still in active use -- over 400 years |
This is the famous Loretto Chapel with the mysterious staircase. Go back to the epistle for a more complete description. |
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The Alter ... very simple yet it had an "air" to it! |
The staircase itself ... not a nail in it.... |
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It does seem to "float" doesn't it? |
My lunch ... avocado, crab and local cheese .... it was the best lunch I have had for years |
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Elsie's Chicken Wrap ... it was HUGE but so good that it disappeared very quickly |
There it goes .... down the hatch |
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We forgot to check on the weather we would hit on the way to Moab. The weather.com said that Moab was sunny and warm. Here we are in one of the several 7000 ft plus passes. |
YECH!!!! |
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This is where you start worrying .. sticking to the window ... Hmmm what about the road? |
As we head closer to Moab, the scenery changes and so does the weather |
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Back in another Pass |
Weather.com was right ... it was nice in Moab. Moab Portal RV Park |
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The sunsets at this Park were spectacular |
Our trip to the Arches ... if you can read this it explains just how they were formed |
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This is just as you leave the Park entrance and begin a long climb up |
Hard for the camera to catch the brightness of the formations |
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I don't know why I take these shots ... they never seem to be big enough to read. |
From left The Three Gossips, Sheep Rock, Tower of Babel, The Organ |
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You had the feeling that you were on a different planet some how |
Elsie is pointing to the Balanced Rock |
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The Three Gossips .... Erosion is sure a powerful force |
Sheep Rock |
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Balanced Rock ... hard not to think that on the next wind storm??? |
Balanced Rock explained .. maybe if you copy the picture and then blow it up??? |
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Where is Clint???? |
Elsie playing Mountain Goat to get that perfect view? |
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The famous arches explained |
This is the famous "Arch North Window" |
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Neat views. Here we are into the Park probably 20 miles |
The Turret Arch |
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Arches all over the place |
Surface of the Moon?? |
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Road to Salt Lake City |
Mount Baldy .... This is Spring???? |
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Snow line is awfully low!! |
This is what the locals call "This is the Place Monument" The first Mormons saw the valley and decided that "this was the place" to build |
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The Mormon Temple ... impressive building! |
Would have been nice if the weather had co-operated |
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Interior of the Temple ... waiting for the Organ Recital to begin. What an impressive experience. The organist was not afraid to play the organ as it was supposed to be played ... Loudly!!! |
How to spend a Great Rainy Day!!! |
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Naomi Peak near Plymouth UT |
Beautiful drive on a nice day ... entering Idaho ... sure beats the heck out of the I5 |
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This is the Spring??? |
WOW |
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Ahh ...Cranbrook and Fort Steele RV Park. The deer were wandering around .. |
We were the only Rig there for most of the visit ... still a little early ... but where the hell is Spring? |
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The view from our Picnic Table .... |
We did get snow ... this was just the warning shot... It sure came down hard later. |
Return to Previous Spot in April June Epistle