Almost home

      We have driven almost 7000 miles - I am glad that gas was not as expensive as I had estimated for my budget. Today's drive was really long and included Kansas City (Why is it ArkanSAS (SAW) and KanSAS (ZAS)? We both liked the scenery - many rivers, hills, trees and farms - but I have maxed out on all of it and was reading off and on all day. I lost the ability to read in the car for a while, but now have it back and it is a great way to make time pass. I remember my Mom reading all the way back and forth from the cabin. (or maybe she was pretending so that she didn't need to moderate our battles?)

It was hard to find open campgrounds so late in the season and tonight we are well off the beaten path in a tiny campground in northern Missouri. We share it with only a couple other RV's who are also heading back to Minnesota to enjoy the rest of the fall. No TV reception, but they have WiFi - what a blessing. I am addicted to my email, Internet surfing and blogging. Now I am also addicted to having the access on my PDA so I can look up stuff while we are driving like how the stock market is doing and what chestnuts look like ( I think I saw some on a tree).

     I am ready to be home for a bit and recharge. It is time to pack the trailer away for the winter and pull out my sewing machine. Next time I hope that you all join us on the road. It has been quite a ride. 10 National Parks, 4 National monuments, uncountable National Forests, State parks, and not the least important - Interstate Rest Stops! Iowa has the best ones. See you all in person soon. Peace.

Yellow Brick Road

     The day started with a frost advisory, a peach colored sunrise seen only in the mountains, and a full moon. Overnight the wind was blowing madly, but it was quiet and frosty by the time I got up.
The weather is warming as we head into the plains. Now we are in Kansas! It has been raining here for three days, but is beautiful today. Sunshine and TREES! Well not too many trees - just around the rivers - but real oaks and maples.
     We crossed lots of ranch and farmland. Utah is the most mountainous state, is Kansas the least hilly? It looks prosperous though, with lots of grain elevators, tidy farms and pretty little towns. So much of the southwest is dusty and ragged. After days of rain everything in Kansas sparkles.
It is time to come home. We had our last beers for supper and my jeans need washing. The trees are gold and red, we see pumpkins at the corner stores, and a little frost on the ground in the morning. Many of the campgrounds are closing. I have almost finished the slide show of the trip.
     The RV is losing screws, but otherwise is working great. The truck is dirty, but running well. We have not been sick a single day. We are anxious to see friends and family, but still talking to each other. Good trip! Two more days of driving and then home on Friday night, God willing.

Royal Gorge - Canon, Colorado

     When Rick was a kid his family came to Colorado and went to see the suspension bridge over the Royal Gorge.   So today we drove there to see if it was as cool as he remembered. The day was very cool with snow falling over most of the road we covered yesterday on the way here. I am glad that we moved on.

     The Royal Gorge bridge was built in 1929 as a tourist attraction. It is in an historic gold and silver mining area. The bridge is 1300' over the Arkansas River. It can be driven over, but mostly is just walked on now. The deck of the bridge is made of 8" wide planks of wood which are not entirely close together (you can see through them to the river 1300' below). The whole bridge bounces as you walk on it.

     Besides the bridge, the river is crossed by a 2200' wide aerial tram. There is also an incline railway which goes 1500' down to the canyon floor. The picture is the bridge from the bottom of the canyon.

     We spent the day exploring this area. We had to bundle up a lot because the wind through the canyon was bitter, but after a while the clouds lightened up a bit. There was a bungee jump that went out over the canyon but it was not in operation today - ah shucks, we could have really made you jealous!

     As we returned to Colorado Springs we sought out a train hobby store that Rick was interested in. He got some train books and a couple fun box cars. Tomorrow we head east. The weather looks like it will be clear and sunny.

Snow is coming to Taos

     Most days I get up and check the weather to decide what our attire and activities will be. Today we were supposed to head to Taos. When I checked the weather I found that a winter storm is coming to the high areas of the West including Taos. The forecast was for 4-8" at 6000', 8-12" above. Taos is at about 7000'. The road out goes over a 9500' pass. We passed on the whole deal and headed to Colorado Springs where it was supposed to be 57 and sunny.
     It was really chilly last night. We turned off the heat when we went to bed, but at 4 am I got up to find that it was only 37 in the main part of the RV. I turned the heat on so that Rick would make it to morning. The sun was out when we got up, but never really got much over 50 until late in the afternoon.
Most of the RV traffic is now heading south. They can't understand why we are heading north, but I am ready to head home. We really want to avoid driving on slippery roads - I can't imagine what it would be like to have the trailer start to slide. So we are going to see a few sites in Colorado Springs tomorrow if it stays clear, and then head straight home.
    Our stop tonight is at a huge KOA with a great view of the mountains (and some powerlines and the highway). We have come full circle and now the moon is full again. I can't believe we have been away for over a month.

Museum Hill - Santa Fe

      We woke up to sunshine and went back to the historic district. Our first stop was the miracle staircase at the Loretto Chapel. It was built sometime between 1877 and 1881. The miraculous staircase took at least six months to build, and has two 360 degree turns with no visible means of support. It was one of those tourist things we had to see, but not the highlight of the trip.
     We headed up to "Museum Hill" where Santa Fe has four major museums overlooking the city. They were clustered around a lovely desert garden, plaza, cafe and sculpture garden. We went to the International Folk Art museum and Native American Culture Museum. Both were very well done and fun to visit. The weather stayed nice long enough for us to grill some burgers, but now it is really chilly. Snow in the mountains last night!

Santa Fe Plaza

      We took Old Pecos Trail (which is partly Route 66) to the Santa Fe trail and worked our way from our campground at the edge of town to the heart of the historic district. Some of the oldest city buildings in the U.S. are right down here in this area. They all cluster around a plaza across from the old government building.
     The area is full of shops, restaurants, galleries, museums and historic buildings. We had a great time looking at wares from Native American vendors under the awning of the government building and had lunch overlooking the plaza.
     The weather turned so we went to the Georgia O'Keefe museum for the afternoon. It included many photos of her home outside Santa Fe. Great exhibit. When we got outside it was thundering, but we had only 6 blocks to go to the car. Before we got there the heavens opened up with pouring rain and then hail. We were soaked and cold, but I made a stop at a quilt store before going back to the RV to warm up. Very strong winds, more hail, lots of rain and even stronger winds went on until late evening.
There are beautiful vistas, great shopping, wonderful hotels and restaurants. You should all come here.

Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico

      Long ago when planning this trip I came across a list of places "not to miss" in the southwest. Acoma Pueblo is a village located 370 feet up on top of a mesa and is the longest continuously inhabited place in North America. Some parts of the village are dated to have been built in 1100 a.d. There is no water, no electricity, no sewers. There are "catch basins" which hold water from the 10" of rain each year. Outhouses and porta potties take care of the sewer needs.
     We were taken up on the mesa by tour bus - no private cars can go up there except for the folks that live there. It is likely that natives from the cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde also lived in this pueblo.
     The object in the picture is an outdoor adobe oven. We bought some bread and pies made fresh today and had it for dinner.
The natives also make really beautiful pottery - very thin clay pots with intricate hand painting. We are not bringing one home due to the cost, but it was great to see the artistry.
     After leaving Acoma (Ac' o ma) we drove to Santa Fe through Albuquerque and the Balloon Fiesta. It is quite windy and one balloon went down this morning after hitting a power line. The evening balloon show was cancelled. Weather is getting much cooler tonight - 25 degrees with a high of 62 tomorrow. We are still at 6500' altitude.

New Mexico desert

      If I have learned one thing on this trip it is that there are so many ways for landscapes to be beautiful. We are camped tonight outside Grants, New Mexico. The campground is surrounded by volcanic rocks and desert.
    The campground owners created a path out into the surrounding area. I took a walk just as the sun was setting. There are huge piles of black volcanic rock, red soil, and many desert plants. We have been surprised at how many places we see evidence of volcanic activity - in Sequoia, Hurricane, Flagstaff and now in New Mexico.
     In the desert evening none of the plants, sounds or smells were familiar. I wondered about rattlesnakes and other creepy crawlers. Something rustled in the sagebrush and I reconsidered the wisdom of heading off on my own. Then a great big rabbit hopped into sight. The moon is rising - I think that we will have a full moon before we return home. Beautiful evening.
     The weather continues to be great. There is a much wider range of temps during the day - high 70's during the day and then low 30's at night. But this is great for RVing. We enjoy the day and then button up for the evening.

Sedona, Arizona

      We took a winding, very steep canyon road from Flagstaff to Sedona. The great red rocks are smooth and beautiful. Along the way was Sliderock State Park. You can do just what the name says - slide over very slippery rocks in a mountain stream into deep pools. Looked like a lot of fun but it was only 57 when we left Flagstaff and swimming in a mountain stream was not what we thought we would be doing.

     Sedona was a pretty town somewhat taken over by tourist stuff. We went to one shopping area which had many high priced art stores. Really nice art and some great Navajo rugs all way out of our price range but wonderful to look at.

     We had a great lunch at the "Cowboy Cafe" and then drove out into the red rock desert and got a little lost. All in all it was a wonderful 36th anniversary day.

Standing on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona

      Rick went off to get the oil changed on the truck while I had a conference call this morning. He told me that as the oil was being changed the serviceman came back with the air filter with a bunch of junk on top of it. We were getting only about 20% of the function of the filter due to the rodent nest built on it. The nest has probably been there since we left Minnesota!

     Jerry and Maura took us to Winslow, Arizona to see the corner from the Eagles song. We followed some of old Route 66 to get there and saw some of the old bridges of the original highway. We speculate that this is the road that Eleanor took when she drove across the country to meet up with Henry during WWII.
     There is also a great hotel, La Posada, built in 1929 for the Santa Fe Railway, that has been remodeled. Thick adobe walls, fancy tile floors, lots of french doors which led out to deeply shaded patios with fountains and flowers. It was a place for passengers to stop overnight on their way to California. We toured the lodge, did some shopping in the gift shop and had a fine dinner. Great day.

Grand Canyon to Flagstaff

      I got Rick up very early to tour more of Grand Canyon park. We hit our temperature low (28) overnight so I had to warm up the camper before he could get out of bed. We have now hit over 100 and under 32!
     The park was beautiful and clear in the early morning. We toured several of the old lodges and then walked a ways down Bright Angel Trail. This is the famous trail to the bottom of the gorge. As we walked down it I wondered why we had not walked further the last time we visited the park - then I remembered that I had two little boys (5 and 8) walking with me and there was no way I was going to go very far down this dangerous trail.
     The drive to Flagstaff was short and boring until we got close to town and saw the towering pines. It is a beautiful city. During a stop on our drive I noticed several spots on the edge of the trailer roof that were torn. Danger! Danger! We once saw a trailer going down the road with the rubber roof pulled half way back and flapping in the wind. So we got to Flagstaff, went to the RV store, bought goop to fix and roof and sent Ricky up there to stick it down again - It looks fine. WE will see! We had dinner with Gerry and Maura and made plans to visit more later in the week.

Vermillion Cliffs

     We left Zion and headed to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon via Highway 89. We expected a boring drive, but found ourselves driving through amazing vistas of the Grand Staircase National Monument and the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument. Long sweeping views of huge red rock cliffs, dark green pines and wide open range land with grazing cattle and sheep.

     We drove through Glen Canyon and the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River which was not as impressive as the Hoover Dam but still quite a sight! Then, as we drove along the Navajo Indian Reservation we found ourselves in author Tony Hillerman country and saw a lot of place names from his books. We did not see Tribal policeman Joe Leaphorn.

     We got to Grand Canyon National Park with time to take a walk along the rim and see the late afternoon soon shining into some of the dark areas of the canyon. I had forgotten how awesome the place is. We stayed in a campground in the park - very worn out and dirty - but convenient to the shuttle to everywhere in the park.

Laundry Day

     No pictures today - it rained all day. When I got up it seemed like the perfect "down" day. Time to catch up on chores and have a wonderful nap with a book. First we went to the hardware store to get repair items. Maintaining the RV is an ongoing project for both of us - screws fall out, stuff bounces to the back of cupboards and the refrigerator, the heat ducts separate, the trim falls off, etc. etc. Lots of bouncy roads, endless dust, dirt tracked in no matter how careful we are.
     When the downpours finally let up Rick climbed under the RV and I went to the laundry room to do 10 days of laundry. It makes me appreciate my lovely home laundry room and the ease of doing laundry. On the road there is always the need to save quarters and haul bags of dirty laundry across the campground (we are never close to the laundry). Today there were 4 washers and 4 dryers. As I was unloading my stuff someone ran in and threw stuff in all three of the working washers. I left my stuff and went back 30 minutes later. One more washer was "out of order" so I threw my stuff in the remaining two and figured that I would just go back later for the third load. 30 minutes later I found one load done and the other just a little wet. ARGHH!
     I dried the first load and put the 2nd through again. Put the third in and went back for more quarters. When the first load was dry I put the 3rd load in (only one working dryer now). I looked at load #2 which was on its second attempt of a wash. It was "done." HMM - wet and soapy and the washer was done washing. Back for more quarters and a little chat with the campground staff. They gave me free tokens and apologized. I put the wash into the only working washer and tried it for the third time. Wahlah - it worked and then needed drying. At 5:45 after starting at 1 I was done with the laundry. No nap, but we are now clean. I think I am done trying to do laundry until we get home again.

Zion Hikes

     The main part of Zion accessible by road is a long canyon which is serviced by a shuttle bus. We first had to shed our warm clothing because, although weather.com said it was only going to be 70 in the park, the park said it was going to be 86. Guess which prediction was correct?
     We took the shuttle to the end of the road and then walked along the river another mile as the canyon got tighter and tighter in a space called "the Narrows." Zion is known for an 18 mile hike in the very chilly water of the Virgin River which goes through this canyon. We did NOT take the 18 mile jaunt, although many folks were heading off into the narrow canyon.

     Our second hike came after lunch when we walked into one of the Emerald Pools. It was another really nice area with water drizzling down the rocks into a mossy pool. Nice and cool away from the hot sun. We passed on the hike to the top of one of the mesas described as "strenuous."

     Although there was much left to see, we headed back to meet our niece Kristine and her family at her home in Hurricane. Kristine gave us good directions, but we were not prepared to look for a house among the orchards, cows, and hay fields. Kristine and Donny live right at the edge of town - close enough to enjoy town schools, restaurants and services, but with a view of the rocky hills and surrounded by fields. We had a great dinner with Kaylee, Gerrod and Anthony and then showed them some recent pictures of the family in Minnesota. It was great to see them!

Bryce Canyon

     There are so many "wow's" from this day it is hard to know where to start. You must all promise to come to this part of Utah - it is the best so far.

Bryce Canyon is about 95 miles from our campground through the Dixie National Forest and on two nationally desiginated "Scenic Wonder" drives. The landscape continuously changes and is amazing.

    The picture is from a path down from the rim of Bryce Canyon into a slot canyon. There are so many wonderful hiking paths in the park. I just so wanted you all to be there to be able to take off into these amazing rock formations. Better than Arches or Canyonlands, better than Yosemite or Sequoia - just awesome!

     We spent the afternoon in the park and then drove back on a different route over a 9500' pass. The mountains were covered with dark ponderosa pines and aspens which had turned to gold. Our pictures can't do it justice. We hit it this area just as the leaves had turned their deepest hue, late in the afternoon when the sun and shadows were very dramatic. I wish you were all here - it can never be fully captured, only experienced.

    On our way to Bryce we drove through the mile long tunnel with no internal lights in Zion National Park - Yikes! but more about Zion tomorrow.

Back to Utah Parks

     We left Las Vegas to travel through the corner of Arizona into Utah on I-15. Again we saw desert, but it was interesting and sometimes beautiful. On earlier days we saw lots of Joshua Trees (sort of an ancient cross between a tree and a cactus). There were more of these plus many other types of cactus and pines. Midway on our drive we came to the Virgin River canyon - very dramatic high rock walls with a tiny river at the bottom.

     We more or less followed the canyon into Utah and to our campsite which is right on the river. Once again a lovely site with a great pool, grass and trees. It was over 90 today so we spent the late afternoon at the pool resting from our trip to the town of Virgin.
     Unfortunately there is no cell phone coverage here either - it so frustrates me. I tried to call our niece Kristine who lives just out of town, but had no luck using the cell phone. The campground has phone jacks at each site and says that you can check out a phone which I did - after putting a $51 charge on my credit card if I neglect to return the ancient $5 phone. Since the cord did not reach I had to stand outside next to the camper to make the call. However, I did reach Kristine and we will go to see her on Friday. Yeah!

Vegas

     So we had a little taste of easy living with a great pool and really warm weather. We got our RV and truck washed with a service that comes to your campsite. The old rig hasn't looked so good for a long time. We found RV wash places in Alaska at the campgrounds, but had not found one this trip. It is great to see out the windows again.

     Our afternoon was spent lazing around the pool. It was so relaxing and we both have been reading some great books including the Nevada Barr about Yosemite which visits many sites that we saw. It is fun to be "in the know."

     Our evening was spent on the Vegas Strip. First having a quick supper and then going to see The Blue Man Group. I think I will be able to hear again sometime soon and have almost all of the toilet paper out of my hair. Really it was great fun. Afterwards we walked around a little and saw the gondolas at the Venetian and some of the great water show. There is much that we did not have time to see and really think that we will be returning to stay for a few days without the RV.

Hoover Dam

     It was only a short drive (175 miles) to our new home in Oasis Las Vegas - a RV Resort! It is conveniently located on the edge of town, but really just off the end of the Strip - takes about 10 minutes to get to the south edge of the strip.
     Our drive was non-eventful except for the comment that California needs to put some tax money into Rest Stops. So many of them are closed that we saw any number of cars and trucks stopped along the freeway taking a pee break. Then when we got into Nevada the "Welcome to Nevada" stop was closed as well. However there are plenty of casinos with really big parking lots at all the exits so we just pulled off for a few minutes and used our own bathroom.
     Since we got to Vegas early we went off to visit Hoover Dam. WOW! Besides being amazing the new highway bridge that is being built so that folks don't need to drive on the top of the dam is amazing too. We were told that since each car needs to be checked before crossing the dam that there is sometimes a 3 hour backup on holiday weekends to get through the security check. The security folks at the dam tour confiscated Rick's 1 1/2" pocket knife so that we wouldn't stab a guard and take over the dam - Really! Our tour took us into the tunnels beneath the dam. Very cool - literally - since the air is cooled by the Colorado river water which is about 58.
     Then out for a really nice Italian dinner - the third meal out in 3 weeks. What a luxury. Then we looked for a grocery store but gave it up. I don't think that folks here eat at home. We will try again tomorrow.

Out of the Mountains

     Our itinerary says that today we were going to go to Lake Isabella.  However, after reviewing the trucker's bible on mountain passes, we decided not to go. All roads to this area which also has some of the huge sequoias appear to be really hazardous. One said that the rocks stick out so far on the side of the road that almost all RVs and trucks end up with some damage. No thank you.

     So we headed off to Barstow, California. First we had to wriggle our way out of our tight campsite. Rick was a magician and with only a couple of adjustments to get lined up with the RV and hitched, he carefully pulled out between the rocks and trees and we were free. However, we were told that our spare tire was wiggly and so we needed to get it snugged up before taking off.
    Our drive took us across the Mojave desert and past Edwards Air Force base. We saw a mine as we drove along and I suggested that it must be Borax. Only folks of a certain age would remember 20 Mule Team Borax from the TV show Death Valley Days. Well shortly we came across the "20 Mule Team Road" and then a sign which told us that indeed the mine was Borax.
     We had two big firsts today - It hit over 100 degrees and we started driving East. We are officially on our way home! Our campground is a KOA with some shade trees and a nice pool so we had a cool swim in the early evening. Really nice. Tomorrow Las Vegas.

Kings Canyon

     Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are adjacent to each other with a mixture of National Forest areas in between. All the areas have Sequoias, but Kings Canyon also has a huge, deep canyon with high granite walls on both sides. Most of the parks, like Yosemite, are wilderness areas accessible only by backpacking.

     As we set off to Kings Canyon from Sequoia we could tell that the smoke had increased. The Sierra Mountains already are pretty full of smog from the coastal cities, but the ongoing fire in a portion of the park really added to the lack of visibility. We drove through the worst of it with our air conditioner on recycle so that most of the smoke was kept out.
     There are several smaller Sequoia Groves in Kings Canyon and we toured them and then went off to see the canyon. There were more and more winding roads, no guard rails and steep ups and downs. I am done with the thrill of wondering every minute if I am going to plunge to my death over a steep embankment. Give me some flat!
     We had another cool evening with a great campfire. It gets dark early in the mountains. We have also noticed how quiet it is. I think that the huge spaces sort of absorb any noise and all we hear is the wind in the trees. It is just beautiful.

Tight squeeze at LodgePole campground

     So we got assigned a new campsite that we could keep for two more days and had to move our RV to a spot that is shorter AND there were three big trees and a bunch of huge rocks to navigate around. The trees wanted to grab the sides of the RV and the rocks kept us from moving forward and back. However, the great Parker got it in within 20 minutes of careful juggling.

     LodgePole is in the middle of the park and it was only a short drive to the Giant Grove of sequoias including the tree named General Sherman. It is impossible to describe the size of these guys. They are built thick and tall. They start by growing quite high in the first years and then after getting to be tall they get thicker and thicker for thousands of years. One of them had a tunnel in it that we drove through. It is hard to believe until you are right up next to them that they can be that big.
    At the end of the afternoon we climbed Moro Rock. It is 313' up stairs and ramps to the top. I should say that I climbed about 2/3 of it and gave up gasping for smoky air, and Rick kept on to the top. Both of us had an amazing view of the valley.
     When we returned to our campground we found it full of weekend campers in tents. Big families enjoying the park. I was happy that the parks are so well used, but really liked it without 10 hours of music from the radio at the campsite next to ours. We have also noticed many Germans traveling. Rick talked to one lady who said they were on a six week vacation through the American West. I would like to see the websites they use to plan the RV rentals and all the campground reservations. It is fun to share this great scenery with them.

Smoky Sequoia National Park

     Many adventures today. We drove on California freeways during the week and found there to be pretty polite drivers and lots of truck traffic, but overall OK. By the time we got through Fresno and back off the freeway Rick was tired. Then the road started climbing and climbing. From under 1000’ up 7000’. Part of it was so steep and continuous we needed to pull over and let the transmission fluid cool. Many steep drop-offs and no guard rails. The last part of the drive was in Sequoia National park and I noticed that we were driving into the clouds – only the clouds were smoke! We saw a lot of forest fire trucks and such and believed that it was a fire set to manage the undergrowth. However when we got to the Visitor Center we found out that it is a fire that has been burning in the park for about 10 days and is about 90 percent contained and should be out by Tuesday.
     Fortunately after driving through very smoky conditions, it cleared up and there is very little smoke in the campground. There are huge Sequoias everywhere, which is quite cool. Even a large one in our campsite. I love big trees. The campground is almost empty, but I got the dates wrong and we have only two nights at this spot. We will work on getting a site for the third night tomorrow. I was sure THEY were wrong until I actually found the reservation. Pooh.

     There are signs about being careful about bears everywhere. The brown box in the picture is a place to store food rather than in your car. We are supposed to close all windows in the RV and pull the blinds when we leave so the bears can't see in and try to get food. We are NEVER supposed to have food in the car and folks with baby car seats need to take them out at night and store them in the bear box.

     No electricity or water, no TV and music. But we can hear the wind in the pines and the creek trickling behind our camper. It is great. Also at 6500 feet it was cooler this afternoon and very cool tonight so we won’t miss our air conditioning.

Last Day at Yosemite

     We headed up the Tioga Road to the Tuolumne Meadows. Once again there were tunnels, passes, narrow winding roads, and road work. Apparently when fall comes and there are fewer people in the parks it is time to work on the roads. Delays have not been TOO bad.
     We had lunch by Tenaya Lake accompanied by a bunch of jays who wanted us to feed them. I have a bad record of being pooped on by birds so I tried to scare them off. We saw a bunch of climbers on the rocks across from the lake - a much easier climb than El Kapitan or Half Dome - sort of a beginners hill for Yosemite climbing.
     Tonight we have done laundry, gone grocery shopping and are cleaning up in preparation for leaving our little Yosemite KOA home and moving to Sequoia National Park. Hopefully I will have cell phone access there (Yosemite has been a dead zone), but we won't have Internet as we are staying in a park campground.

Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove

      Great day of sightseeing! First we drove high in the park to Glacier Point where we could look out over Yosemite Valley. It was quite a drive including through a long tunnel and up and over a pass. It amazes me to see the large RV's that people feel comfortable driving on such narrow, winding roads.
     We had our picnic lunch sitting in the car at a turnout (place where all the really fast cars can pass you when driving on crazy mountain roads). Then went to visit the Mariposa Grove of Sequoias. This grove was the inspiration for setting aside wilderness land as protected park land. The rest of Yosemite (over 100 square miles) was added later.
     We took a tram ride through the grove and learned a lot about the big trees - which are not good for woodworking and were at one time cut down to make toothpicks and similar trivial objects. Some of Yosemite's trees are over 2000 years old. I just love big trees.

Yosemite Valley

     We thought about camping in the Park but some information about the road in made it seem difficult. Ya, no kidding. One way in has a tunnel that requires a guide through it if you are longer than 25'. We chose to camp outside the park, but even in the truck the road in was interesting. A huge rock slide covered part of the road. Two temporary bridges took the road across a river, down a temporary road clinging to the edge of a cliff and back to the regular road. Several places along the road huge rocks overhang like a roof. We would never have made it with the trailer.
     We started in the Valley part of Yosemite. Even though it is late September the roads in the valley were busy. We parked and found that a shuttle bus runs around the whole area all day, so that is what we did. We saw El Capitan, the Half Dome, many climbers on the rocks, had lunch at the Wawona Lodge (one of the great national park lodges), and took a look at the campgrounds. Too many people and too much traffic, but it is a great park and when we escaped to walk under the trees for bit it was amazing.
     We will head for the less busy parts of the park tomorrow.

22 miles from Yosemite

      We looked at the map and decided that we would take the safer route to Yosemite via the freeways rather than the back roads. Luckily it was Sunday so our trip through Sacremento and three other smaller California towns wasn't really too bad except for going from about 7000' of elevation down to 191' and then back to 3000'. It was a tiring day for Rick and hard on the gears and brakes.
     We are staying in a KOA about 22 miles from the Yosemite Park entrance. When we arrived the KOA staff told us that we had really made the right decision in avoiding the back roads. They talked about 9% down grades, narrow roads with no guard rails, and sharp curves. I am SO glad we decided to be cautious.
     Our new campsite has huge oaks and pines everywhere, a pool, and rec room. It will be a great place to stay for four days. (There are also about 2 dozen kitties running around everywhere). It will be really nice to slow down a little and sleep in. We saw lots of almond orchards and vineyards around Merced, CA. So we celebrated our arrival to Yosemite with some Merced California wine. It was pretty good - or maybe we were just so happy to be here.

Too Much Nevada

     I am not eager to return to Nevada. What a boring, dusty, smoky state. Everywhere we stop there are slot machines and smokers - in the gas station, the RV campground office, and the grocery store. Blinking lights with obsessed gamblers smoking madly away.

    So what do we do on these long boring portions of the ride? We ask questions about all sorts of weird things - what is potash? where is route 66? what is in those dozens of double tank trucks drving into Salina, Nevada? Some things we eventually get answers to later on the Internet. I now know what sorghum looks like and it IS what was growing outside Fort Kearny.

     Since we were driving the California trail for many miles we talked a lot about being in a wagon train and driving ever so slowly across such barren, waterless land. This led to talking about Rick's mom driving to California with another army wife to meet up with Henry. We saw a bunch of old cars driving through Canyonlands - 1929-1938 and it brought home what a challenge she took on in driving a little car with another woman all the way across the country to San Louis Obispo, California.

     Tonight we have stopped at a campground in Truckee, California. It has beautiful, big trees. Actually just after leaving Nevada we got to the Lake Tahoe area which is high, full of lakes and streams and trees. I feel like I can breathe again. Tomorrow - Yosemite!

Into Nevada

     Today we saw a lot of salt. Our drive started around the outside of Salk Lake City. It was really interesting to notice that each new housing area has a white steeple on a building within the 8-10 block square. I am assuming that these are the meeting houses for the Mormons. I was pretty interesting to see how much faith is part of the community here.
     After making it out of town we drove around the lower part of the Great Salt Lake which is really low so a lot of what we saw was Great Salt Lake bottom. A short way out of Salt Lake City we came to the Great Salt Lake flats for about 100 miles. Once again – No Services! It was very flat and really pretty boring after the first bit of interest in the idea of that much salt. At the far end we saw the Bonneville Speedway.
    We are now on Pacific time and closer than ever to California. But this time change has us going to bed earlier and earlier and getting up earlier – not a bad thing when we are trying to get on the road.
     Our stop tonight was in Elko, Nevada. Mostly it seems to be a town of casinos. Our niece Shelley lived here when first married. I would have cried every night. There is really nothing here to recommend it. Our RV “park” has mostly gravel everywhere with about 20 trees planted in the gravel to provide “shade.” Sometimes we are “camping” and some nights we are just “traveling in our RV and pretending that we are staying in a motel.” Actually I have stayed in lots of motels with nicer grounds. Ah well, we have cable TV and we are both tired.

Utah Desert high country

     First - I put some pictures into the previous posts now that I have better Internet access. And thanks for the comments - I miss everyone so much it seems like you are with us on the trip.

     We thought we had a shortcut today but saw a sign which warned to "expect road construction delays" so we went the longer route - I70 - which went through some really odd country. After seeing signs that said "No services for 100 miles" we headed into a high desert with huge walls of rock called "reefs" on the edges. There were only low desert bushes and a few short trees for miles and miles. The junk on the ground was light crumbly stuff that looked like ash. The road went up and up and then down and down. Too much to relax while driving, but too boring to be really interesting.
    Then the road went up through a high pass and there were trees, water and signs of fall everywhere. The bushes on the hills are now red and the Aspens are yellow. Really beautiful! We drove as far as Provo, UT - Isn't that where Donny and Marie Osmond are from? I am now humming songs from their greatest hits. Our campground tonight is why we are on the road - lovely grassy site with nice trees and a good view of the mountains. AND TV and Internet. We have not had TV or newpaper all week and missed the anxiety about the stock market completely. Sometimes ignorance IS bliss.

Some big canyons - not Grand

     Canyonlands was quite different than Arches even though they are only 30 miles apart. The views were mostly of some amazing canyons of the Colorado and the Green Rivers. The air was cooler in Canyonlands and there were even a few drops of rain.
     Moab is a good place to stay to see both of these parks. In addition, there are literally dozens of areas to do off-road biking and dune buggy riding. The town seems to be full of folks with Jeeps and souped up little 4-wheel drive vehicles. You can take a 100 mile road through the park and camp along the way - really into the wild. None of the campgrounds have water, however, so you need carry water and gas as well as all of your camping supplies and food. I could really see Kim having fun here.
     There were a few short hikes that we took to get closer to some of the views, but the alititude is still over 5000' and we both get winded pretty quickly. We had a nice picnic at Canyonlands for lunch and then headed back to look at more of the "Arches." On our drive we came across an old ranch that was there in the 1800's. Wow, it certainly would have been a hard place to live - hot, then cold, high and mostly dry. The ranch was next to the only stream we saw in the park aside from the major rivers. I am not up for moving to this sort of wilderness.
     Tomorrow we head back to the freeway system and go north. Hopefully to cooler weather.

National Park #3 - Arches

     It was only a short (150 mile) jaunt to Arches National Park today. Weather is much hotter - 92 this afternoon. We are staying in the town of Moab right outside Arches. It is really a tourist destination and full of campgrounds and motels. Lots of "No vacancy" signs and RVs everywhere. We found a campground with SHADE which is nice although the sites are pretty small and the ground is all dust. But it is home for two nights.
     Since we got in early we headed up the road two miles to Arches. What a fabulous park! The rock formations can't really be seen fully in pictures - they are too vast and amazing. We drove around a bit and got out and then hiked, but the heat and the dry air really take a toll on us quickly. Since it was late afternoon when we were there the shadows were long and really made the pictures show the dramatic difference between sunlight and shadow.
     We went grocery shopping after a dinner out and found dozens of French, German and Dutch tourists all buying water and snacks. We have run into a older couple from Wales a couple times now - very nice and so interested in the Western US.
     Off to fold my laundry now - everything on the road is harder - so I will shut down my laptop after sitting in the laundry room to make use of the very limited wireless in this campground. Tomorrow National Park #4.

Mesa Verde Challenge

     I have often looked at the pictures of the cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde Park and wanted to see them. A book by Nevada Barr about a National Park Ranger working in the park also made me really interested in seeing the ancient sites. I guess I never put the “Mesa” part into my understanding of where these villages really are. We drove up and up more until we were on top of the mountain on a large flat plateau – a mesa. The cliff houses are built under ledges which are sometimes hundreds of feet below the lip of the top of the mesa.
     We started by driving around and looking out across canyons to see some of the cliff dwellings. Then went to the Visitor Center to learn that to tour most of them we needed to get tickets for a guided tour. We were warned that the tours were “strenuous” and “challenging.” Remember – we are at 8100’ and just climbing into the RV is “strenuous” and “challenging,” However, this visit has been on my Life List of things I really want to do so we signed up for the tour which included a 100’ descent, a ½ mile walk over uneven path, and then an ascent up 5 ladders. (The other tour included a crawl through a 18” hole for 12’. I don’t think my body fits in an 18” hole).
     After a “last lunch” we headed off for our tour. We were somewhat reassured since there were plenty of other senior citizens on the tour. We started down some steps which quickly turned into stone steps about 5” wide and uneven depth. Sometimes we had to squeeze ourselves between two rock walls to get down, down, down into the area under the lip of the cliff. All of us were panting by the time we got to the bottom and the afternoon sun was quite hot so we stopped for a chat with the guide in the shade. Soon we moved into the large area which at one time had 100 people living there. It was truly amazing. I had a few minutes of absolute awe and then began to worry about the ascent of 100’ back up some very authentic wooden ladders made of tree branches stripped of bark. We were told not to look out over the canyon on part of the trip up.
     So we both made it and have pictures to prove it. One more life challenge checked off.
After two bottles of water and a quart of juice I am re-hydrated and ready for our drive to Moab tomorrow. National Park #2.

More Colorado High Passes

     We are definitely in "Rocky Mountain High" country. Rick does not want to hear me sing any more John Denver. Today we headed off to Mesa Verde on a route which promised roads that were manageable by our RV and truck. The drive began fairly flat and then the road became narrow, windy and steep. We climbed to the summit of Wolf Creek Pass at 10,800’ and drove into an area of big rocks, pine trees and running streams that looked like the Black Hills. The drive down from the pass was actually harder as it was much steeper going down than up.
     Our drive was fairly short today – under 200 miles – so we arrived at Mesa Verde National Park in early afternoon. The mesa is huge and high. We could see it from miles away. Sort of mystical and haunting.
     We checked into the park at the entrance and were told that the campground was four miles into the park. Four steep and steeper miles. Rick is a wonderful, calm driver and manages the brakes and transmission perfectly so we don’t overheat. I KNOW that he can manage it all well, but still I am just worn out from holding on to the seat and clamping my jaw shut.
     The campground is pretty empty except for the few sites that have water and electric. The hills rise up all around us even higher than our current 8100’. I am just beat both from the drive and the altitude. We relaxed all afternoon and then took a walk around the campground. Just a ½ mile which was partly uphill has worn me out.
     Once again the minute the sun drops behind the hills it is really chilly. Good sleeping weather.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

     National park number one on our grand tour of the West. We are at San Luis Lakes State Park, Colorado, in a little campground that closes tomorrow. There are only a dozen or so campers here. Our campsite is at 7500’ – high desert country. The sun is setting and reflecting off the 14,000’ Colorado peaks all around us. Across seven miles of desert we can see the Great Sand Dunes National Park. An almost full moon has risen over the mountains in the other direction. It was a sunny day at about 70. Now that the sun is setting there is a very cool breeze. It’s supposed to get down into the 30s tonight. Everywhere there is sagebrush, cactus and a bush with little yellow flowers. It smells dusty and herbal, and a little smoky from a nearby campfire. I can hear a flock of geese flying down to the reservoir. It definitely feels like fall. Are you here with me?
     It was a good day - sunny when we got up and clear. We drove to Walsenburg, CO and headed west into the mountains. (After waiting for a parade to go by – Yes, the small town parade went down the highway for about 30 minutes).  Our first challenge was to be a 9500’ pass – It was a piece of cake. We were on the way down before we realized that we had made it to the top.

The Great Sand Dunes are pretty awesome. However, since the park is at 8100’ we did NOT do a long hike into them, but managed to climb one and sit down. The sand is deep and fine which makes it hard to walk in, but feels good on the feet. In the summer they say it can get to 114 out on the sand so it was great that it was much cooler.

I am happy that I can curl up in a nice warm be tonight – it is very chilly. Tomorrow we have another pass to tackle – 1000’ higher than the last one.

Rain rain go away - 4th Day

     It rained all night and drizzled all day and was only about 57. We started the day with a list of tasks as well. Since we are going to be camping high elevations - over 7500' - it seemed best to call in a prescription for Rick's high altitude sickness prevention. That meant we had to be sure to stop at a drug store when we hit Pueblo.
     Then, as we were putting in the big slide, we noticed that some of the rubber gasket had come off and was drooping into the living room. Not a good thing when it is raining. When we closed up it seemed like the outside facing pretty much would keep the rain out, but it was a problem to be solved. I found a Camping World in Colorado Springs, but they could not work on the rig until Tuesday. They referred us to someone in Pueblo. By lunch time the rubber gasket had slid out about 2 feet. YIKES! We drove endlessly through rain and boring 2 lane highway to Pueblo and YES they were able to jam it back into the slip. They told us it could come out again, though, so we will have to keep an eye on it. Then we beat it over to the pharmacy and were able to fill the prescription.
     The campground tonight is right on the freeway and noisy, but we gave ourselves a night out at a Mexican restaurant and a little grocery shopping. Now it is raining again. Tomorrow we tackle our first mountain pass and then get to the Grand Sand Dunes National monument. I am hoping for some sun but may not see it as I squeeze my eyes shut when we climb over the pass.
     We are both beat! Traveling is hard work.

Third Day Sightseeing in Nebraska

     Well it DID rain and I did not get all the windows closed in time so I have a wet book.  It was chilly and rainy as we started out across the rest of Nebraska. Our first goal is to get to North Platte to stop at the Golden Spike Tower which is a huge Union Pacific Rail yard. It handles 15,000 railway cars every 24 hours. This was a big deal for Rick to see and I enjoyed it too. We went up in a tower and looked out over nearly 3000 acres of rails and cars getting repaired, moved around and readied for going east or west.
     After leaving North Platte we headed further west on I80 along the Pony Express Route. Much of this follows along the river valley which was fairly pretty. It is clear that fall is coming and things are dry but the hills are covered with yellow and purple flowers along with the gray green sage and gold grasses so it is really beautiful.
     I managed a couple of phone calls with my consulting job today and got some work done this afternoon so things are still moving along ok with the job while I am on the road. We will have internet access for a couple more days and then go into the dark while we are in state and national parks over the weekend.
     We stopped today in Sterling, Colorado at a dusty, deserted little campground which has some decent shade trees and is far enough away from the Interstate that we will once again have a peaceful night. Still very cool - we had to close up all windows when the sun went down.
     Life on the road is good.

Day 2 - Into Nebraska

     The KOA in Des Moines was really quiet and pretty so we both had a great night's sleep. It was windy and cool this morning as we drove through some lovely hilly areas and then into the Nebraska flats. We traveled off and on along the Platte River and saw lots of historic sites related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition as well as the beginning of the Oregon Trail. There are Black-Eyed Susan Daisies blooming everywhere - This must be the season for them.
     We have seen lots of fields of crops that I can't identify - I need the city girls guide to farm crops so that I can figure out what some of them are. Rick spent summers on his uncle's farm and said that one of the mystery ones is "sorghum." Can't prove it by me.
     There was a lot of truck traffic today and with the wind the driving was harder and longer. We stopped for the day at Fort Kearny State Park. The Fort was set up to protect settlers on the wagon trains and folks going to the California gold fields. Some of it has been restored. We stayed in the State Park campgrounds which were nearly empty and really pretty. Things are going well. Looks like rain tonight.

Off to California - First day

     We left Apple Valley by 10 am. Sunny and 60. Very little traffic on the road so it was an easy start to our long trip. Gas is under $4 so life is good. We saw lots of wind farms on the way to Des Moines as well as many pieces of them on trucks. They look much smaller standing in a field than the parts do sitting on a truck. They are HUGE.

     No problems with the trailer - we just needed to get everything re-situated after a lot of informal use over the summer. I am frustrated that I only seem to get my personal email and not my business email like I do at home.

     Our neighbor ran out to take our picture as we left so we have an official Day 1 photo. It is good to be back on the road.

Cannes, France

    There is nothing like sleeping to the sound of waves on a really comfortable bed.  I slept like a log.  We stop on the French Riviera at Cannes today.  Amanda’s aunt Barb suggested that we order breakfast in our room to save time when we were getting ready for a day of touring.  Our choice was pretty complete and breakfast came right on time.  I ate while Rick showered.  It is raining today so there isn't much to see as we dock at the port.
    Barb also suggested that since we are a big group we could hire a guide and a car just for ourselves rather than taking the ship tours.  She has a suggestion for a company in Rome.  I booked tours in Italy with them and they gave me information on a company to use in France.  As we left the ship to get to our tour it is just pouring.  Our tour guide was able to bring the car right close to the ship and has a couple big umbrellas for us.  I am so happy that we made this arrangement, especially on such a crummy day.
   Our guide took us on a winding drive along the cliffs of the Riviera.  We stopped at some great overlooks and then got to Monte Carlo where we walked around the casinos and saw a lot of expensive cars and luxury jewelry.  We walked the road where the famous race takes place – I don’t know how anyone can drive the narrow and winding streets.
    Our next stop was the Principality of Monaco high on the hill above Monte Carlo.  We ate at an outdoor café with an amazing view of the Mediterranean and ordered Salad Niçoise.  I have not had one since Jo and I were here in 1969.  Carter again had a little tummy trouble and Marlene and Amanda had to clean him up in a bathroom smaller than one on a plane.  Many adventures on this trip!  After lunch three nuns came by and saw Carter.  They were so taken with his happy smiles and played with him for quite a while.  They told us that they blessed him.  He just loved the attention.  He is doing really well adapting to this trip.
    After lunch we drove to the ancient town of Eze.  It is located on a high cliff 1,401 feet above sea level on the French Mediterranean.  The area grows flowers for perfumes and has dozens of varieties growing everywhere.  There were some beautiful shops including perfumeries.  Great views and photo opportunities.  Our ride back was sunny so we had even more spectacular views.  We didn't stop much so that we were sure to get back to the boat before it left port.  Carter and Rick napped all the way back.
    We had another wonderful family dinner in the formal dining room.  Our waiter remembered to get a high chair for Carter and had already ordered him green beans and pasta so he didn't have to wait.  Since he was not so tired and could eat right away he had a fine time at dinner.
     We went to be early – very tired from the busy day.  However, I found the ship library and got a couple books so I had a little time for ready before I dropped off to the sound of the waves.  The seas are very calm.  We feel no rocking at all which is good for Matt.  He has had no seasickness issues and is having lots of fun.

Boarding the Brilliance of the Seas

     We got up earlier today and once again Arik, Rick and I went out for some breakfast in an outdoor cafe.  Arik used his Spanish and right away got some Café con Leche.  Barcelona has a lot of pollution – much more than Madrid which has been working hard for the last ten years to be a “green” city.  I am getting pretty wheezy but soon we will be out on the fresh ocean air.  Today is another warm and sunny day.
    We are packing up for the ride to the ship.  Carter and Matt feel good again and no one else has gotten sick.  Thank goodness.  When we all got down to the lobby we had quite a pile of luggage.  We had requested “big” taxis but they don’t seem to exist.  When the first driver arrived and saw our pile of luggage which included a stroller and two bags per person, he called for help and several more taxis arrived.  When we got to the ship we found hundreds of taxis and buses delivering folks to the boat.  However the process was very smooth and orderly.  We had to leave our large luggage to be delivered to our rooms and took our carry-on luggage with us.

     While we waited for our luggage to arrive we went to the luncheon buffet.  There was lots of fresh fruit, sandwich fixings, soups, and plenty of hot foods too.  We found where to go to get a high chair for Carter and he was thrilled with fresh grapes and yogurt.  We took some extra cartons of milk to put in the little fridge in our room.  This is a very handy thing to have with a child along.  He can have fresh milk and snacks any time he is hungry.
    Our cabin is great and actually pretty spacious with good storage.  We have been on some “small” ship cruises where there was almost no room to turn around in.  Here we have a huge bed, a nice sofa and desk, a big closet, and a reasonably big bathroom.  Not bad for a ten day cruise.  We got unpacked and got the door opened between our cabin and Matt’s.  Carter thought it was great to run back and forth.  He loves it but was crabby and tired.  We went out to the balcony and found Arik peering at us over the divider.  We just need to be sure that Carter isn’t on the balcony alone and that we keep the chairs away from the edge.  Fortunately the balcony has a solid glass front so Carter can’t stick himself between the railings.
   We had our required emergency drill and then we went to dinner together and the food was wonderful.  However, Carter was tired and really hungry so we wasn't in a mood to sit very long.  The waiters were very nice to us and clearly have had lots of kids on cruises before.  They were very accommodating in finding something that Carter likes to eat.  He had a meal of green beans and red jello and was happy.
    When we got back to our rooms we slid open our big doors to the balcony and relaxed in the warm, ocean air.  It was a beautiful sunset – the end to a wonderful day with my family.  The big bed with its wonderful linens and piles of pillows is calling my name.  Good night.

Touring Barcelona, Spain

     I slept well last night in a much more comfortable bed.  The room was pretty chilly so we will ask for more blankets tonight.  It is warm and sunny today – on the way to 75.  So I opened the windows in the room and let the heat and warmth rush in.  We checked in with the rest of the group.  Marlene and Amanda are going to look for a place to wash clothes.  Carter has already gone through half his wardrobe with his diarrhea.   Matt doesn't feel well now so he is going to stay in bed.  They have a room that is a “family” room with some bunks as well as a crib.  We are off to a slow start.  Rick couldn't wake up  and Jenn and Arik are still jet-lagged.  I am hungry.  Rick, Arik and I finally got going to a coffee shop where I introduced Arik to Café con Leche.  He loved it too.
    We are in a nice area which is close to everything including some little grocery stores.  We stopped and bought some plain donuts and juice for Jennifer.  We picked her up and went to the square to buy tour bus tickets fall all day.  Our first stop was the Sagrada Familia – a cathedral that was designed by Anton Gaudi and is still in the process of being built.  Everywhere the architecture reflects natural elements of trees.  Anywhere you stand you can see interesting features in the pillars and spires of the church.  I had not known of this architect before, but Arik did a bunch of reading on his style.  After we talked about it I could see that many buildings in the old part of Barcelona were designed by Gaudi.  Jenn and Arik were really happy to be able to see so much of the town in such a short time.  They really enjoyed the tour bus.  We found a place with a bunch of soccer Jersey’s for Jennifer as Barcelona has one of the most famous soccer teams in the world.  Lunch was at a European McDonald's which was also very interesting and relatively cheap.
    We got back to the hotel and found that Matthew and Carter were mostly recovered, thank goodness.  Marlene and Amanda had found a place to do wash as well as some disposable diapers in a small grocery.  We all had to carry diapers in our luggage so that they would have enough on the cruise.  The cruise ship does not have diapers for sale.  Amanda and Marlene had taken Carter on the tour bus with them for the afternoon so they got in some sightseeing too.
    For dinner we went to a Tapa’s bar.  Each of us chose a couple small plates of various little appetizer type foods: Olives, little burgers, cheese croquets, fancy potatoes, and veggies.  We all shared.  It was so good and pretty cheap.  Dinner, including wine and beer, was only 52E for all of us.  The experience of sharing a meal in a sidewalk café on the streets of Barcelona was just priceless.
    We took some night pictures of the wonderful Barcelona architecture and then stopped at a “gelato” bar.  Oh my goodness, it is so good compared to ice cream.  I am glad that I had a pretty light breakfast and lunch so that I had plenty room for this treat.  We were back to the hotel by 9 and in bed by 10.  Tomorrow will be a busy day.

Fast Train to Barcelona, Spain

 We got up to catch the AVE train to Barcelona.  We did not anticipate any problems after scoping it out on Saturday and, indeed, everything went perfectly in catching a taxi and getting to the Renfe train station which was only about 15 minutes from our hotel.  After checking our suitcases, we were able to just hop on and go to our seats without any problems.

     The train is just great!  The ride is very smooth and sooo fast.  We could see our speed, outside temperature and location on a digital display at the front of each car.  So we watched the screen as we traveled and were awed by the speed.  At times we were going over 200 MPH.   The cars are ultra modern and clean.  There was a movie and music at each seat just like the airlines.  The track was laid just for this train so it was new and so well built that it seemed like we were just floating along.    It takes about 2 ¾ hours to get from Madrid to Barcelona.  When you factor in the time to get to the airports and the time it takes to go through security, the fast train is almost quicker.
     The country outside our windows looked a lot like Wyoming – mostly bare of trees, brown and dry.  We were on the high plains.  The temperatures were about 10 C. and windy.  We saw some herds of sheep, some very old stone towns, and lots of stunted little olive trees.  It was interested, but not beautiful to this Minnesota lakes and trees girl.
     Barcelona industry goes out a long way from the port so we knew we were getting close to the town for a long time as we started to see big commercial buildings.  We had no problem finding our luggage in the train station and found a taxi quickly too.  Our new hotel is called the Petit Palace Barcelona.  It is very high tech.  We were put into a conference room which has pull down screens, a movie projector, and a computer as well as two beds.  It is odd, but quite big and perfectly workable.  It has tall windows which open unto a courtyard.  Across the yard is a school with lots of kids on the playground.  Sort of noisy now, but it should be quiet at night.
     We went out walking for a bit down the main avenue and Arik and Jennifer found us.  They had gotten to the hotel at 11 am and slept all day.  They said that they hadn't been able to find Matt and family in the hotel.  We went out to eat at a sidewalk café and then returned to the hotel where we found Matt and Amanda.  They were listed as Nesbitt Matthew so they did not have anyone else whose LAST name was Nesbitt.  Ah well, at least we found them and we are all in place to start the cruise together.  I was worried with all of us arriving at different times that someone might not make it.
     Carter has an upset stomach – sick on the plane and now here.  We are hoping that he will be better tomorrow.  I stayed with him while they went out for some dinner.  Carter was not interested in eating anything, but seemed to be very happy to see Grandma.

Toledo, Spain

     Today we are off on a tour of Toledo, Spain.  The whole town was declared a  "World Heritage Site" by  UNESCO in 1986. The old stone walls and gates still surround the town. The tour took us on walks over very uneven and narrow cobblestone streets and up and down many stairs.  The old city is located on a mountaintop, surrounded on three sides by a bend in the Tagus River.  The town is known for its metal working and has a tradition of making fine swords and knives that goes back to Roman times when the city was a center during the Roman occupation.
    We walked through the town to Church of Santo Tomé to view El Greco’s painting: The Burial of the Count of Orgaz."  We also visited a synagogue and a monastery.   In its earliest days, Toledo was known for its religious tolerance and had Christians, Muslims and Jews all living together.  The detail in these buildings is amazing with endless carved details and stonework.
    As we walked the streets we noticed that there were markers on walls of the buildings on each side which indicated the width of the street.  We saw lots of big trucks and tour buses going down them despite almost zero clearance.  We had to keep our eyes open as we walked.  No real sidewalks so you just had to duck into a doorway when a wide vehicle came by.
   Our tour was a “half day” trip so we were back to Madrid by 3.  We had a sandwich at Starbucks and then went back to the hotel for another afternoon rest.  Our legs were really tired from all the ups and downs and walking on uneven surfaces.  At dinner time we went back out and walked back to the “Opera” square.  There was a long “shopping” street that had no car traffic – just shoppers on foot who were strolling along window shopping.  It was warm and sunny with lots of folks enjoying the perfect evening and sitting at sidewalk cafes having a drink.  It was just exactly what I think of when I think of European cities.  We had dinner at an Italian restaurant which was in a beautiful old building and full of charm.  However, it was also full of smokers.  The ban on smoking indoors has not made it to Spain.  I am still coughing.
     We packed up for our travel tomorrow and finished my Nevada Barr E-book.  I am so happy to be able to bring plenty of reading along without filling up my suitcase.

More touring of Madrid, Spain

     It was a BAD night.  We both had a “nap” until about 12:30 pm and then tossed and turned on the hard bed until about 4 am.  I then slept until about 9 and got up feeling really groggy.  Putting my earplugs in and listening to music on ITunes finally helped me settle down and sleep.  Yuck.
    We went to Starbucks for a light breakfast and then walked to catch the Madrid tour bus.  We have a three day unlimited off/on ticket so we can use the bus as much as we want to.  We got a little lost and found ourselves in “Opera” Square which was beautiful and full of locals walking on a sunny Sunday morning.  We eventually go to the tour bus which took us to the Prada Museum to see Velasquez, Goya and Rembrandt paintings.  These beautiful creations from the “Old Masters” were pretty dark and very religious.  Not really a favorite for either of us, but we had to see them since we were in Madrid.  We had a cheap, but very tasty lunch at the museum – I had a delicious jambon (ham) and queso (cheese) sandwich.  I am finding that a lot of the Spanish that I picked up during my three months of student teaching in Mexico City is coming back to me.
     After lunch we took the “Modern” loop of the tour bus.  The weather has become cool and rainy, but we saw a lot of the city.  Once again we went back to our hotel for a rest.  Then out to dinner – this time to VIPS which is sort of a nicer version of Denny’s.  A good, family restaurant.   Each time we go out I am trying a new beer – Dutch, German, and Spanish so far.
   We left the restaurant and took another evening stroll and spied on the many enthusiastic lovers in the park.  The sun is out again along with all the families and dog walkers.  We bought some ice cream at an outside stand and sat in the park for more people watching.  A perfect evening.
    My internal clock is doing better.  I actually got less tired as the day progressed – probably the café con leche.  I just love, love, love that coffee.  I didn't drink coffee when I was in Europe the last time.  Wow, did I miss out on something good.