After two delightful days in Monterey we departed Wednesday on a trip along the California coast enroute to the Napa Valley. Lush greenery and beautiful coastlines, but not nearly as many groves of oranges to see. We arrived in the city of Napa after lunch and began our drive up the valley. Pat had plans for tours and wine-tastings and I went along as the driver/navigator.
The fields of grapevines are endless. The scenery is too good for postcards. Our first stop was at Robert Mondavi Winery. We walked around for a bit, shot a few photos and moved on to the next stop, the V. Sattui Winery. Here Pat did the wine tasting bit, although, thankfully, she did not spit the residue into a pot. I don't think the folks in California have ever had the pleasure of seeing a southern gal spit. This winery had a great gift shop with high end items and a very good deli that reminded us of a scaled down Whole Foods.
When we returned to the city of Napa in the afternoon we made a beeline to "Sweetie Pie's", a local bakery/deli. If you have ever watched the Food Channel on cable, you have probably watched Giada's show. I'm not sure about how to spell her name, but I sure know why I watch the show. Needless to say, most men watch the show because of their interest in the culinary arts. Anyway, on a show several months ago when our trip was in the embryo stage, Giada made a visit to Sweetie Pie's. We made it a point to visit the shop yesterday and again today. It was worth it.
Today we returned to the Napa Valley specifically to go on a tour of the Rutherford Hill Winery. The setting is so beautiful that it is used almost daily for weddings, receptions, galas, parties and fund-raisers. This tour, like the others Pat researched, is build around a wine-tasting followed by a 45 minutes tour. We struggled somewhat with the wine tasting as most of the available wines were red, ranging from $35 to $75 per bottle. The tour, however, was an entertaining and informative 45 minutes.
At the conclusion of the tour we headed to the outlet park so that Pat could help me pick out some walking shoes. Instead she left me to fend for myself while she went to Gymboree's to pick out clothing for our yet unborn grandson. October will not arrive soon enough!
Tomorrow Tour Director Pat has us scheduled to visit the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield, CA. Can't wait to see how the little devils are made. Afterwards we set out for Reno for a slight diversion, and then to Jackson Hole, WY where we will stay four or five days. I have convinced Pat to go wild water rafting while there. I don't think she is going to succeed in getting me to go on a balloon ride. We'll see!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
The Monterey Peninsula
We've been on and around the Monterey Peninsula the past 2 days. Yesterday we visited the world famous Monterey Aquarium -- a 'must do' for this area. The aquarium is of great interest for young and old alike. The otters are the stars of the show but you can see everything from finger size fish to sharks. There is so much for the children to do including a splash area where toddlers can get hands on with kelp, touch starfish and snails, etc. The penguin area is also a lively area where each bird shows a unique personality. Only small penguins are on site. Outside there are areas where you can view seals and otters in the ocean with scopes.
Afterwards we visited Cannery Row, the inspiration for the Steinbeck book of the same name. All of the old canneries are now just a piece of history and the plants have become gift shops, restaurants and warehouses. The views of the beach, the endless horizons, blooming plants, cacti, fishing boats, yachts and homes is magnificent. Hotels and motels are in abundance.
In the afternoon we set out on a 45 minutes drive to Carmel and the Big Sur area. We saw twenty miles of beach on one side and mountains on the other side. We could not find Kim Novak but did see a grove of redwood trees. The mansions along the shore line are gated and have price tags probably in the tens of millions. On the way back to our hotel we tried to enter a 17 mile scenic drive but without success. The charge to enter the drive was $10 to see the Pebble Beach golf course.
Today we drove to Fisherman's Wharf which is now restaurants, etc. Perhaps it was for fishermen in it's heyday, but no longer. If the Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam had all of these beads and trinkets at their disposal, they could have bought far more than Manhattan Island. There were several whale watching excursions just off shore, but we passed.
Next to the wharf is a real fish market/plant wharf selling wholesale and retail. Zillions of sea gulls make the walkway hazardous. Seals were also abundant just off the pier along with otters awaiting a fish thrown off the boats. We saw groups of kayaks in the water just off shore but no activity on their part. Perhaps they were watching and photographing sea life.
Several museums are near the Cannery Row and wharf area. It is amazing to watch the film and slides of the cannery operations. Workers put in 10-12 hr. days unloading and processing fish and packing tin cans with sardines and other fish. During WWII there was a great demand from Europeans but most Americans never developed a taste for canned fish other than tuna. Eventually, the nearby ocean was depleted of these fish and the canneries closed.
After four miles of hiking around the peninsula we ended the day with a pizza at Louie Linguini's.
Afterwards we visited Cannery Row, the inspiration for the Steinbeck book of the same name. All of the old canneries are now just a piece of history and the plants have become gift shops, restaurants and warehouses. The views of the beach, the endless horizons, blooming plants, cacti, fishing boats, yachts and homes is magnificent. Hotels and motels are in abundance.
In the afternoon we set out on a 45 minutes drive to Carmel and the Big Sur area. We saw twenty miles of beach on one side and mountains on the other side. We could not find Kim Novak but did see a grove of redwood trees. The mansions along the shore line are gated and have price tags probably in the tens of millions. On the way back to our hotel we tried to enter a 17 mile scenic drive but without success. The charge to enter the drive was $10 to see the Pebble Beach golf course.
Today we drove to Fisherman's Wharf which is now restaurants, etc. Perhaps it was for fishermen in it's heyday, but no longer. If the Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam had all of these beads and trinkets at their disposal, they could have bought far more than Manhattan Island. There were several whale watching excursions just off shore, but we passed.
Next to the wharf is a real fish market/plant wharf selling wholesale and retail. Zillions of sea gulls make the walkway hazardous. Seals were also abundant just off the pier along with otters awaiting a fish thrown off the boats. We saw groups of kayaks in the water just off shore but no activity on their part. Perhaps they were watching and photographing sea life.
Several museums are near the Cannery Row and wharf area. It is amazing to watch the film and slides of the cannery operations. Workers put in 10-12 hr. days unloading and processing fish and packing tin cans with sardines and other fish. During WWII there was a great demand from Europeans but most Americans never developed a taste for canned fish other than tuna. Eventually, the nearby ocean was depleted of these fish and the canneries closed.
After four miles of hiking around the peninsula we ended the day with a pizza at Louie Linguini's.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Yosemite
We got a little more guidance today before departing on 80 miles of winding roads to Yosemite. The road along the Merced River was scenic and very easy on the equilibrium. The Merced runs the full length from our quarters in Merced to the Yosemite Valley. At the higher elevations the rapids change from Class 1 to life threatening. The mountain and valley vistas are incredible.
About 25 miles out from Yosemite we saw several rafts braving the rapids with tour guides. We tried to book for Sunday, but we waited too late to join the party. Since it only took mild arm twisting to persuade Pat to be my partner in a new adventure, we are going to go online to see what we can book when we are in Yellowstone or the Grand Tetons in early June. If you have suggestions please comment at the end of the blog or send us an email. Any suggestions from our son-in-law will be ignored as he is an almost world class kayaker and will surely recommend something far beyond our skill level. Actually on these raft trips little skill is required as the guides do all the work and provide all the necessary equipment.
About 15 miles from the entrance to Yosemite we were confronted with a detour (US 140). A very large landslide had covered/destroyed about 150 yards of inbound road. As the road runs very close to the river, we had to cross a temporary bridge to the other side to continue the trip. When we inquired about the circumstances later, a park ranger told us that the landslide had taken place two years ago and that the park service still did not have a firm plan in place to address the situation. Although it slowed down entrance to the park, it certainly did not diminish anyone's spirit.
The Grand Canyon is the most awesome park that we have visited so far, but Yosemite is definitely the most beautiful. Yosemite Falls is the tallest (2,435') in the US and the seventh tallest in the world. Bridalveil Falls is a photographer's delight. In both cases we visited from a distance, although a hiker can make an all day trek much closer to the falls. A great surprise to us was the abundance of Sequoias in Yosemite although they were not as large as in Sequoia National Park or Kings Canyon. Unlike other parks there is an abundance of places to eat, restrooms, parking, free shuttle buses and campsites. We ended our day in the park with a trip to the Meadows for an up close and personal view of El Capitan. On this day, as with most park days, there was someone scaling this sheer granite mountain. He had been on the mountain for several days and had one more day of climbing to reach the summit. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!
Our plans called for us to return to Yosemite on Sunday to spend the day in Tuolumne Meadows which Julia tells us is the most beautiful section of the park. Unfortunately a surprise snow fall has closed off Tuolumne for the next several days and we are headed out instead to Santa Cruz for new adventures.
About 25 miles out from Yosemite we saw several rafts braving the rapids with tour guides. We tried to book for Sunday, but we waited too late to join the party. Since it only took mild arm twisting to persuade Pat to be my partner in a new adventure, we are going to go online to see what we can book when we are in Yellowstone or the Grand Tetons in early June. If you have suggestions please comment at the end of the blog or send us an email. Any suggestions from our son-in-law will be ignored as he is an almost world class kayaker and will surely recommend something far beyond our skill level. Actually on these raft trips little skill is required as the guides do all the work and provide all the necessary equipment.
About 15 miles from the entrance to Yosemite we were confronted with a detour (US 140). A very large landslide had covered/destroyed about 150 yards of inbound road. As the road runs very close to the river, we had to cross a temporary bridge to the other side to continue the trip. When we inquired about the circumstances later, a park ranger told us that the landslide had taken place two years ago and that the park service still did not have a firm plan in place to address the situation. Although it slowed down entrance to the park, it certainly did not diminish anyone's spirit.
The Grand Canyon is the most awesome park that we have visited so far, but Yosemite is definitely the most beautiful. Yosemite Falls is the tallest (2,435') in the US and the seventh tallest in the world. Bridalveil Falls is a photographer's delight. In both cases we visited from a distance, although a hiker can make an all day trek much closer to the falls. A great surprise to us was the abundance of Sequoias in Yosemite although they were not as large as in Sequoia National Park or Kings Canyon. Unlike other parks there is an abundance of places to eat, restrooms, parking, free shuttle buses and campsites. We ended our day in the park with a trip to the Meadows for an up close and personal view of El Capitan. On this day, as with most park days, there was someone scaling this sheer granite mountain. He had been on the mountain for several days and had one more day of climbing to reach the summit. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!
Our plans called for us to return to Yosemite on Sunday to spend the day in Tuolumne Meadows which Julia tells us is the most beautiful section of the park. Unfortunately a surprise snow fall has closed off Tuolumne for the next several days and we are headed out instead to Santa Cruz for new adventures.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Kings Canyon
We departed Three Rivers, CA this morning for a rather unpleasant trip to Kings Canyon. Never take shortcuts!! You will pay for it in spades! The long and winding road that we chose to take appeared to be shorter; however, there is a good reason why mapmakers illustrate some roads as if they were pretzels. By the time we got to the visitors center we were green around the gills.
Approaching Kings Canyon we began to take note of large Sequoias at about 4,000 ft elevation. Soon we were seeing tree trunks every bit as large as the ones we saw in Sequoia National Forest yesterday. By the time we reached the visitors center we felt like we were in the Groundhog Day movie. Every view was impressive.
In the visitors center we watched movies and viewed illustrations and scale models of the development of Kings Canyon. Earlier canyons that we visited on this trip were the result of volcanic eruptions or the shifting of earth's plates. Kings Canyon, however, was the result of glacial action. For a change we visited a 'green' canyon.
A few hundred yards drive from the visitors center is a trail leading up to General Grant's Tree. Very, very large. It is one of the five largest trees in the world. On this same trail is a sequoia trunk that fell several hundred years ago. It became hollowed out from either rot, fire or a combination of the two. Visitors can walk about a hundred feet inside the length of the trunk. It must be very spooky at night.
Further along this same trail there is the Robert E. Lee Tree. I believe this is a small concession after naming the world's largest tree after General Sherman and an almost equally large tree after General Grant. There are great stories about the early days of Sequoia and Kings Canyon that would make a great research paper for young students. See: Buffalo soldiers, military supervision of the parks during early days, the logging days, local citizens efforts to save and preserve the parks, wildlife in the parks.
Leaving the visitors center behind we began a thirty mile excursion into Kings Canyon. As I mentioned earlier this canyon is green, not like the dusty, brown and red canyons we visited in New Mexico and Arizona. The yuccas are so abundant that there is a scenic view called Yucca Flats. There are pull-offs and overlooks almost every 50-75 yards, so there is ample opportunity for picture taking. I know that we are cave men as far as technology is concerned, but we are beginning to grasp the mechanics of digital photography and the camcorder. It's a long way back to the Kodak Brownie and shooting film for movie projectors. Actually we never mastered that technology either.
We're having the time of our lives and still have almost another month on the road. Again we commend the Forest Rangers and the Forestry Service along with thousands of committed citizens for their dedicated efforts to protect our national treasures. Thank you, thank you!!
Tomorrow we head out to Yosemite and Tuolomna Meadows. Early next week to the California coast and then wine country.
Approaching Kings Canyon we began to take note of large Sequoias at about 4,000 ft elevation. Soon we were seeing tree trunks every bit as large as the ones we saw in Sequoia National Forest yesterday. By the time we reached the visitors center we felt like we were in the Groundhog Day movie. Every view was impressive.
In the visitors center we watched movies and viewed illustrations and scale models of the development of Kings Canyon. Earlier canyons that we visited on this trip were the result of volcanic eruptions or the shifting of earth's plates. Kings Canyon, however, was the result of glacial action. For a change we visited a 'green' canyon.
A few hundred yards drive from the visitors center is a trail leading up to General Grant's Tree. Very, very large. It is one of the five largest trees in the world. On this same trail is a sequoia trunk that fell several hundred years ago. It became hollowed out from either rot, fire or a combination of the two. Visitors can walk about a hundred feet inside the length of the trunk. It must be very spooky at night.
Further along this same trail there is the Robert E. Lee Tree. I believe this is a small concession after naming the world's largest tree after General Sherman and an almost equally large tree after General Grant. There are great stories about the early days of Sequoia and Kings Canyon that would make a great research paper for young students. See: Buffalo soldiers, military supervision of the parks during early days, the logging days, local citizens efforts to save and preserve the parks, wildlife in the parks.
Leaving the visitors center behind we began a thirty mile excursion into Kings Canyon. As I mentioned earlier this canyon is green, not like the dusty, brown and red canyons we visited in New Mexico and Arizona. The yuccas are so abundant that there is a scenic view called Yucca Flats. There are pull-offs and overlooks almost every 50-75 yards, so there is ample opportunity for picture taking. I know that we are cave men as far as technology is concerned, but we are beginning to grasp the mechanics of digital photography and the camcorder. It's a long way back to the Kodak Brownie and shooting film for movie projectors. Actually we never mastered that technology either.
We're having the time of our lives and still have almost another month on the road. Again we commend the Forest Rangers and the Forestry Service along with thousands of committed citizens for their dedicated efforts to protect our national treasures. Thank you, thank you!!
Tomorrow we head out to Yosemite and Tuolomna Meadows. Early next week to the California coast and then wine country.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Won't Get Fooled Again
With sincere apologies to the Who for a play on words, we won't get fooled again by The Weather Channel.......
This morning we checked the weather forecast for Sequoia National Forest which is about 7,000 feet above our motel room in Three Rivers, CA. All appeared normal for a day trip, so we set out about 8:30 am for the great adventure amongst the largest trees on planet earth. It was about a 15 minute drive to the gate where fees are paid by poor souls not lucky enough to have a senior park pass. The ranger on duty gave us a parking permit, park literature and advice to drive carefully as it would be a 45 minute drive to the welcome center. Indeed it took all of 45 minutes to drive a relatively short distance since it was all uphill on a road full of twists and turns. We stopped at several overlooks along the way to shoot pictures of rivers, rapids and mountain scenery.
It was about 30 minutes after we departed the gate before we started seeing the big trees. What an amazing site. Their girth is so tremendous that you don't realize how tall they stand. There are several groves of trees scattered about the park. The forest service measures the significance of a grove by how many trees are at least 10 feet in diameter. Some of the groves had a handful and a couple had several hundred of these immense trees. You may have seen pictures in National Geographic or other publications of the tree that had been hollowed out by loggers so that you could drive a car through the opening. Sadly that tree fell a few years ago from the weight of a severe snow storm.
Sure enough, 45 minutes later we arrived at the Foothills Visitor Center. This center was well-stocked with maps, postcards, displays, posters, calendars, etc. The story of the sequoias and how they were abused by early visitors and logging companies makes you ever more mindful of the role played by early conservationists in persuading Congress to set aside land for national forests and monuments. The only reason that logging companies did not completely wipe out the sequoias many decades ago was that so many stands of trees were totally inaccessible.
Upon completing our stay at the visitors center we set out to see the big trees including the Sentinel and the General Sherman Tree. Must have been named for Leroy or Simon Sherman. Surely not William Tecumseh Sherman who set the South's progress back at least a century. About this time Pat pointed out that we better cover up with additional layers of clothing because something resembling snow was starting to fall. Trusting Pat's instincts more than mine, I added a sweater and jacket to my thin outer layer of clothing. By the time we had driven to the Lodgepole Center the snow was falling at a rather intense rate and the ground and trees were being covered like a winter wonderland. One vacationer was singing Oh Tannenbaum.
At the Lodgepole Center we set out on a short hike to see the General Sherman Tree. This is the largest tree on this planet. Now the snow is falling more heavily and school children on their field trip were making snowballs. We saw one old timer make a snowball and then proceed to eat it. Must have been suffering from an early stage of dementia and reminiscing about some childhood winter. After a short half mile hike we came upon the General Sherman. WOW! We took a few pictures, but they will inadequately describe what we saw. This tree, if it was to fall, would be about the length of a football field and about the weight of 50 giant whales. We made a brief pit stop at another center for lunch and were served by a young lady from the Ukraine. Imagine that for a summer job/internship as a college student--working a shift in Sequoia National Forest.
About this time we were starting to get concerned about making the drive back down the mountain on what may be slippery roads. We stopped at the camp store to purchase a few refrigerator magnets, postcards, etc. Although the snow was not blinding, it was a concern to two low country southerners that drive in snow once every 20 years. We started the return trip to Three Rivers, marveling at the sights that had been enhanced by the snowfall. By the time that we had dropped to 5,000 ft elevation the snowfall had let up. After another 1,000 ft descent there was no evidence of snow except on the hoods of vehicles.
Tomorrow we're off to Kings Canyon which is north of Sequoia Park.
This morning we checked the weather forecast for Sequoia National Forest which is about 7,000 feet above our motel room in Three Rivers, CA. All appeared normal for a day trip, so we set out about 8:30 am for the great adventure amongst the largest trees on planet earth. It was about a 15 minute drive to the gate where fees are paid by poor souls not lucky enough to have a senior park pass. The ranger on duty gave us a parking permit, park literature and advice to drive carefully as it would be a 45 minute drive to the welcome center. Indeed it took all of 45 minutes to drive a relatively short distance since it was all uphill on a road full of twists and turns. We stopped at several overlooks along the way to shoot pictures of rivers, rapids and mountain scenery.
It was about 30 minutes after we departed the gate before we started seeing the big trees. What an amazing site. Their girth is so tremendous that you don't realize how tall they stand. There are several groves of trees scattered about the park. The forest service measures the significance of a grove by how many trees are at least 10 feet in diameter. Some of the groves had a handful and a couple had several hundred of these immense trees. You may have seen pictures in National Geographic or other publications of the tree that had been hollowed out by loggers so that you could drive a car through the opening. Sadly that tree fell a few years ago from the weight of a severe snow storm.
Sure enough, 45 minutes later we arrived at the Foothills Visitor Center. This center was well-stocked with maps, postcards, displays, posters, calendars, etc. The story of the sequoias and how they were abused by early visitors and logging companies makes you ever more mindful of the role played by early conservationists in persuading Congress to set aside land for national forests and monuments. The only reason that logging companies did not completely wipe out the sequoias many decades ago was that so many stands of trees were totally inaccessible.
Upon completing our stay at the visitors center we set out to see the big trees including the Sentinel and the General Sherman Tree. Must have been named for Leroy or Simon Sherman. Surely not William Tecumseh Sherman who set the South's progress back at least a century. About this time Pat pointed out that we better cover up with additional layers of clothing because something resembling snow was starting to fall. Trusting Pat's instincts more than mine, I added a sweater and jacket to my thin outer layer of clothing. By the time we had driven to the Lodgepole Center the snow was falling at a rather intense rate and the ground and trees were being covered like a winter wonderland. One vacationer was singing Oh Tannenbaum.
At the Lodgepole Center we set out on a short hike to see the General Sherman Tree. This is the largest tree on this planet. Now the snow is falling more heavily and school children on their field trip were making snowballs. We saw one old timer make a snowball and then proceed to eat it. Must have been suffering from an early stage of dementia and reminiscing about some childhood winter. After a short half mile hike we came upon the General Sherman. WOW! We took a few pictures, but they will inadequately describe what we saw. This tree, if it was to fall, would be about the length of a football field and about the weight of 50 giant whales. We made a brief pit stop at another center for lunch and were served by a young lady from the Ukraine. Imagine that for a summer job/internship as a college student--working a shift in Sequoia National Forest.
About this time we were starting to get concerned about making the drive back down the mountain on what may be slippery roads. We stopped at the camp store to purchase a few refrigerator magnets, postcards, etc. Although the snow was not blinding, it was a concern to two low country southerners that drive in snow once every 20 years. We started the return trip to Three Rivers, marveling at the sights that had been enhanced by the snowfall. By the time that we had dropped to 5,000 ft elevation the snowfall had let up. After another 1,000 ft descent there was no evidence of snow except on the hoods of vehicles.
Tomorrow we're off to Kings Canyon which is north of Sequoia Park.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Catching Up
Very busy the past couple of days. On Monday we left Flagstaff and headed to Vegas where the temperature both days was about 108 degrees. We've been to Vegas twice before, but every trip is different. The first time we went about five years ago we were like babes in toyland. The neon and glitter floored us, and we shot pictures like we were visiting a foreign country. This time we put the cameras away and tried to look and act more sophisticated. Of course there are limits to your sophistication when you're playing penny machines and have blown your budget inside of three hours.
If you have not been to Vegas and plan to go in the future, be sure to buy a Monorail pass. We bought two one-day passes for nine dollars each after a modest discount with coupons. These passes entitle you to unlimited rides for 24 hours. There are other passes available for longer durations. There are about 6 or 7 stops at popular locations along the Strip. It's easy to access the Monorail, and it's a great time-saver even if you enjoy walking as we do. If you're on a tight schedule and are trying to make a show on time there are as many taxis as in NYC. Also an efficient bus service.
Last night we attended the Folies Bergere at the Tropicana Casino/Hotel. It is patterned after its namesake in Paris. The Paris version of Le Folies Bergere has been around since the late 19th century. The Vegas version is fifty years old and is the longest continuously running show in Vegas. The topless scenes (about a third of the 13 scenes) are tasteful and are not bawdy. I would have no problem recommending this show for mature teenagers. The scenery, costumes, staging, music and dancing are as good as any broadway show we've attended. Needless to say, the young men and women are attractive and energetic. The comedian performed for about 15 minutes before the show's closing scenes. Very funny. No foul language. Sorry, no photography allowed!
After the show we walked to New York New York which we think is the most "authentic" of the theme casinos. As you walk through the streets of the casino you would easily think you're strolling through familiar Manhattan streets. We stopped at ESPN Zone and overindulged to our regret this morning.
Winds were gusting most of Tuesday and were especially strong in the evening. Some of the gusts were 35-50 mph. The winds were so strong that the Bellagio had to cancel several of their evening fountain shows. The fountain show is one of the most photographed free events in town, along with the Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio, the shark tank at the Luxor (I believe), the lions at MGM Grand, the pirate show at Treasure Island and the canals at the Venetian. You should also visit the newest mega casino, the Wynn Casino/Hotel. It's almost a city unto itself. Every visit we promise to visit the old sections of the Strip, but never seem to work it into the schedule. Too much to see in a short visit.
This morning we departed for a 375 mile drive to Three Rivers, CA. Again the winds were almost enough to blow you off the road. Most of the trip was in or near the Mojave National park which is almost entirely desert scenery. The last 50 miles of the trip we entered lush farm land where the orchards and other crops stretched as far as the eye could see. When you are traveling through Florida it's difficult to see much of the orchards except what's along the roadside because the land is so flat. In California with the rolling hills it is easy to see the full scope of the scenery. Very impressive to see the fruit on the trees (and ground), but did not see any farm labor. We did see large trucks on the way to packing plants with full load of fruit and vegetables.
Tomorrow we make a short drive to Sequoia National Forest and on Friday to Kings Canyon. We'll start up again with the digital photos and will forward them to all.
If you have not been to Vegas and plan to go in the future, be sure to buy a Monorail pass. We bought two one-day passes for nine dollars each after a modest discount with coupons. These passes entitle you to unlimited rides for 24 hours. There are other passes available for longer durations. There are about 6 or 7 stops at popular locations along the Strip. It's easy to access the Monorail, and it's a great time-saver even if you enjoy walking as we do. If you're on a tight schedule and are trying to make a show on time there are as many taxis as in NYC. Also an efficient bus service.
Last night we attended the Folies Bergere at the Tropicana Casino/Hotel. It is patterned after its namesake in Paris. The Paris version of Le Folies Bergere has been around since the late 19th century. The Vegas version is fifty years old and is the longest continuously running show in Vegas. The topless scenes (about a third of the 13 scenes) are tasteful and are not bawdy. I would have no problem recommending this show for mature teenagers. The scenery, costumes, staging, music and dancing are as good as any broadway show we've attended. Needless to say, the young men and women are attractive and energetic. The comedian performed for about 15 minutes before the show's closing scenes. Very funny. No foul language. Sorry, no photography allowed!
After the show we walked to New York New York which we think is the most "authentic" of the theme casinos. As you walk through the streets of the casino you would easily think you're strolling through familiar Manhattan streets. We stopped at ESPN Zone and overindulged to our regret this morning.
Winds were gusting most of Tuesday and were especially strong in the evening. Some of the gusts were 35-50 mph. The winds were so strong that the Bellagio had to cancel several of their evening fountain shows. The fountain show is one of the most photographed free events in town, along with the Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio, the shark tank at the Luxor (I believe), the lions at MGM Grand, the pirate show at Treasure Island and the canals at the Venetian. You should also visit the newest mega casino, the Wynn Casino/Hotel. It's almost a city unto itself. Every visit we promise to visit the old sections of the Strip, but never seem to work it into the schedule. Too much to see in a short visit.
This morning we departed for a 375 mile drive to Three Rivers, CA. Again the winds were almost enough to blow you off the road. Most of the trip was in or near the Mojave National park which is almost entirely desert scenery. The last 50 miles of the trip we entered lush farm land where the orchards and other crops stretched as far as the eye could see. When you are traveling through Florida it's difficult to see much of the orchards except what's along the roadside because the land is so flat. In California with the rolling hills it is easy to see the full scope of the scenery. Very impressive to see the fruit on the trees (and ground), but did not see any farm labor. We did see large trucks on the way to packing plants with full load of fruit and vegetables.
Tomorrow we make a short drive to Sequoia National Forest and on Friday to Kings Canyon. We'll start up again with the digital photos and will forward them to all.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Oak Creek Canyon
After visiting the rims of Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater, Canyon De Chelly and the Grand Canyon, we finally visited a canyon that we could drive through and look up. Oak Creek Canyon is relatively small, about 15 miles long and 1 mile at it's widest point. The road through the canyon is tight and full of twists and turns. Eat a hearty breakfast before starting and take a double dose of dramamine if you suffer from motion sickness.
There are several overlooks on highway US 89-A that takes you from Flagstaff to Sedona. Our main stop was at the visitors' center where we embarked on about a 90 minute hike. We crossed several small creeks which were probably feeding into Oak Creek. They were easy to cross by way of rocks in the creek bed. The park and the trail are pet friendly, and many dogs of various sizes were on leashes and enjoying the outdoors. Children barely out of diapers were hiking along with their parents.
When we jumped back into the van and set out for Sedona we saw dozens of small homes, chalets, and larger homes along the creek. Surprisingly many had no vacancy signs posted. It appears that there has been quite a building boom in the past decade as Sedona has become a tourist destination. There are probably several ski slopes nearby although it's questionable as to how the roads are traveled in winter.
The drive from Flagstaff to Sedona is about 30 miles long and a short journey if you're not inclined to stop along the way. Although Sedona is promoted as an artists' colony, there is something for everybody. The main street is terraced with shops on several levels and every building looks new or recently remodeled. There are shops selling art of all persuasions, cowboy duds and boots, tourist trap items, etc. One can get a jeep tour or a bus tour of the area, but we did our touring on foot. The main street is only about ten blocks long, so it's easy to get around. Many shops open into additional shops on side streets. An additional nice feature of Sedona is the free bus service that takes you from on end of town to the other.
There are several overlooks on highway US 89-A that takes you from Flagstaff to Sedona. Our main stop was at the visitors' center where we embarked on about a 90 minute hike. We crossed several small creeks which were probably feeding into Oak Creek. They were easy to cross by way of rocks in the creek bed. The park and the trail are pet friendly, and many dogs of various sizes were on leashes and enjoying the outdoors. Children barely out of diapers were hiking along with their parents.
When we jumped back into the van and set out for Sedona we saw dozens of small homes, chalets, and larger homes along the creek. Surprisingly many had no vacancy signs posted. It appears that there has been quite a building boom in the past decade as Sedona has become a tourist destination. There are probably several ski slopes nearby although it's questionable as to how the roads are traveled in winter.
The drive from Flagstaff to Sedona is about 30 miles long and a short journey if you're not inclined to stop along the way. Although Sedona is promoted as an artists' colony, there is something for everybody. The main street is terraced with shops on several levels and every building looks new or recently remodeled. There are shops selling art of all persuasions, cowboy duds and boots, tourist trap items, etc. One can get a jeep tour or a bus tour of the area, but we did our touring on foot. The main street is only about ten blocks long, so it's easy to get around. Many shops open into additional shops on side streets. An additional nice feature of Sedona is the free bus service that takes you from on end of town to the other.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
I Can't Believe I'm Here
No, neither Pat nor I made that comment , although we were totally in awe of what we saw. It was said by a young man in a wheel chair who was being pushed along by his brother. Several hours later it still brings tears to my eyes to think about these two young men and what the Park Service has done to make these areas that we are visiting accessible to everyone. Yes, we couldn't believe we were there either.
The Grand Canyon takes your breath away. There are visitors from everywhere. It's like the Tower of Babel, but with modern languages. One can travel from vista to vista for days and let it all soak in or stay in one spot and stare at the same scene endlessly. Neither words nor pictures can adequately describe the scenery.
We started at the Visitors Center at the South Rim Entrance and watched the 35 minute IMAX production about the early days of Indian occupation and John Wesley Powell , who along with 9 intrepid companions, explored and mapped the Colorado River's path through the Grand Canyon in 1869. This production sets the stage for what we saw later at the overlooks. Like brave men going back to the Vikings and later Columbus and the great Spanish, French and Portuguese explorers of the age of discovery, you had to wonder if these men were visionaries or fools. Pat and I opted not to go down the Colorado River on floats or down the trail on burros. We're not crazy.
Despite my lifetime problem with vertigo, I was able to creep up to the rails and less secure overlooks to enjoy the views and shoot many pics. It was amazing to watch so many visitors go beyond the secure areas to get better views. There were times we had to hold our breath as teenagers and small children posed in areas we would not dare venture.
We shot about seventy photos which we are emailing for your enjoyment. Trust me, they do not do justice to what you see.
The Grand Canyon takes your breath away. There are visitors from everywhere. It's like the Tower of Babel, but with modern languages. One can travel from vista to vista for days and let it all soak in or stay in one spot and stare at the same scene endlessly. Neither words nor pictures can adequately describe the scenery.
We started at the Visitors Center at the South Rim Entrance and watched the 35 minute IMAX production about the early days of Indian occupation and John Wesley Powell , who along with 9 intrepid companions, explored and mapped the Colorado River's path through the Grand Canyon in 1869. This production sets the stage for what we saw later at the overlooks. Like brave men going back to the Vikings and later Columbus and the great Spanish, French and Portuguese explorers of the age of discovery, you had to wonder if these men were visionaries or fools. Pat and I opted not to go down the Colorado River on floats or down the trail on burros. We're not crazy.
Despite my lifetime problem with vertigo, I was able to creep up to the rails and less secure overlooks to enjoy the views and shoot many pics. It was amazing to watch so many visitors go beyond the secure areas to get better views. There were times we had to hold our breath as teenagers and small children posed in areas we would not dare venture.
We shot about seventy photos which we are emailing for your enjoyment. Trust me, they do not do justice to what you see.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Indian life in Arizona.
When we first started planning this expedition many months ago, our daughter Julia became enthused and practically planned the whole trip for us. She, Robert and their lab puppy had set out in June 1998 on a month long trip with graduation funds along with their sleeping bags, backpacks, bicycles, kayaks and all other worldly possessions strapped to the top of Julia's six year old jeep. They wound up in Truckee, CA and ended up living in the Lake Tahoe/Reno area for nine years. On the way west and for the next nine years, they extensively traveled throughout Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, California and parts of Mexico. Whenever we talked to Julia she had fresh exciting travel tales to relate to us. In retrospect, I don't believe her stories did justice to the wonders we have seen so far on this trip.
Today we set out on a day trip from Flagstaff to nearby parks and monuments. Early morning we arrived at Sunset Crater National monument. The volcanic eruption that took place about a thousand years ago left a huge crater and mountains of red and black lava rock. There are fields of rock bigger than enormous boulders and some fields of lava that have been reduced to cinders. The hiking trails are the best way to see the sights and are not challenging. For those folks who are not inclined to take a hike, there is plenty to see from the roadside.
When the eruption took place the Indians that lived in the area moved further away to an area now known as Wupatki National Park. Here they build their pueblo dwellings. These clay brick huts were well suited to the dry climate and were more advanced than the huts that were home to feudal serfs in Europe. They also constructed ceremonial rings and larger rings for games. Such rings were scattered throughout Arizona, so there must have been competitions between families/tribes. Hopefully, the losers did not meet the fate of losers in some Mayan competitions. While in Wupatki we stopped at several overlooks where one could see painted desert scenes that are beyond our photographic skills. Perhaps with Photoshop we can enhance our photos to depict more accurately what we actually saw.
Both Sunset Crater and Wupatki are on the US-545 loop off of I-40--less than 25 miles from Flagstaff to the entrance.
After lunch we traveled to Walnut Canyon National Park, about ten miles from Flagstaff. There we could see remains of Indian cliff dweller homes. Unfortunately this past December there was a rock slide that destroyed the longest and most scenic hiking trail. Still we were able to take short hike in where we could see and photograph the dwellings. If you look carefully at our pics you will see what looks like horizontal slits in the mountainside. These caves were the result of natural forces and were simply enhanced by the Indians that dwelt there. Over three hundred such dwellings have been identified in this area. Just imagine trying to collect the barest essentials of food and water while living on a cliff hundreds of feet from the canyon floor.
Tomorrow we visit the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
Today we set out on a day trip from Flagstaff to nearby parks and monuments. Early morning we arrived at Sunset Crater National monument. The volcanic eruption that took place about a thousand years ago left a huge crater and mountains of red and black lava rock. There are fields of rock bigger than enormous boulders and some fields of lava that have been reduced to cinders. The hiking trails are the best way to see the sights and are not challenging. For those folks who are not inclined to take a hike, there is plenty to see from the roadside.
When the eruption took place the Indians that lived in the area moved further away to an area now known as Wupatki National Park. Here they build their pueblo dwellings. These clay brick huts were well suited to the dry climate and were more advanced than the huts that were home to feudal serfs in Europe. They also constructed ceremonial rings and larger rings for games. Such rings were scattered throughout Arizona, so there must have been competitions between families/tribes. Hopefully, the losers did not meet the fate of losers in some Mayan competitions. While in Wupatki we stopped at several overlooks where one could see painted desert scenes that are beyond our photographic skills. Perhaps with Photoshop we can enhance our photos to depict more accurately what we actually saw.
Both Sunset Crater and Wupatki are on the US-545 loop off of I-40--less than 25 miles from Flagstaff to the entrance.
After lunch we traveled to Walnut Canyon National Park, about ten miles from Flagstaff. There we could see remains of Indian cliff dweller homes. Unfortunately this past December there was a rock slide that destroyed the longest and most scenic hiking trail. Still we were able to take short hike in where we could see and photograph the dwellings. If you look carefully at our pics you will see what looks like horizontal slits in the mountainside. These caves were the result of natural forces and were simply enhanced by the Indians that dwelt there. Over three hundred such dwellings have been identified in this area. Just imagine trying to collect the barest essentials of food and water while living on a cliff hundreds of feet from the canyon floor.
Tomorrow we visit the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Standing On A Corner In Winslow, Arizona
What a great day to be in the Southwest. The weather was great, my lovely partner did her fair share of the driving, and we avoided greasy food.
Today was a great lesson in identifying a gulch, a ravine, a plateau, a mesa, a canyon, a draw, a butte, etc. Most of the river beds were dried up but apparently subject to flash floods. We crossed the Little Colorado River which would make the Savannah River look like an ocean. I still don't know what Roy Rogers or Gene Autry meant when they said, "Let's cut them off at the pass". Must be a small canyon.
We departed Gallup early this morning for Canyon De Chelly. This area was highly recommended by expert trail guides Payne & Payne. De Chelly was the first canyon that we actually entered and were totally amazed by the scenery. This canyon reminds me of Niagara Falls. You don't realize it's there until you're there. The National Park Service has done an outstanding job of managing and protecting our national parks. The rangers are friendly, professional, and quick to answer questions or offer advice. I expect that someone who acts disrespectful to the scenery would quickly see a ranger's dark side. The national park service treats these national parks like treasured gems.
After touring De Chelly we moved on to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. We were driving a 28 mile route from east to west and saw beautiful scenery, but no petrified wood. However, about midway through the tour we finally stopped at overlooks where you could view petrified trees from a distance or hike down the trail for an up close view. As we continued westward we happened upon even larger specimens. In a few cases entire tree trunks over fifty feet in length were within reach. It pays to visit the rangers station before entering the park to watch a twenty minute video that illustrates the formation of the Petrified Forest. Sadly many people ignore the rangers' warnings about removing small pieces of petrified wood. It was said that over a ton of petrified wood is illegaly removed from the park each month. As we left the west entrance to the park we saw a large company that specializes in selling petrified wood. The amount that they had on display was almost equal to what we saw on our tour. It's so tragic that some people abuse our national treasures.
After leaving the park we had to make quick stop in Winslow, Arizona to pay homage to Don Hendley and Glen Frey.
So here we are in Flagstaff for a four day visit to the Grand Canyon and other national parks and also for some much needed rest after over 3,500 miles of driving.
Today was a great lesson in identifying a gulch, a ravine, a plateau, a mesa, a canyon, a draw, a butte, etc. Most of the river beds were dried up but apparently subject to flash floods. We crossed the Little Colorado River which would make the Savannah River look like an ocean. I still don't know what Roy Rogers or Gene Autry meant when they said, "Let's cut them off at the pass". Must be a small canyon.
We departed Gallup early this morning for Canyon De Chelly. This area was highly recommended by expert trail guides Payne & Payne. De Chelly was the first canyon that we actually entered and were totally amazed by the scenery. This canyon reminds me of Niagara Falls. You don't realize it's there until you're there. The National Park Service has done an outstanding job of managing and protecting our national parks. The rangers are friendly, professional, and quick to answer questions or offer advice. I expect that someone who acts disrespectful to the scenery would quickly see a ranger's dark side. The national park service treats these national parks like treasured gems.
After touring De Chelly we moved on to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. We were driving a 28 mile route from east to west and saw beautiful scenery, but no petrified wood. However, about midway through the tour we finally stopped at overlooks where you could view petrified trees from a distance or hike down the trail for an up close view. As we continued westward we happened upon even larger specimens. In a few cases entire tree trunks over fifty feet in length were within reach. It pays to visit the rangers station before entering the park to watch a twenty minute video that illustrates the formation of the Petrified Forest. Sadly many people ignore the rangers' warnings about removing small pieces of petrified wood. It was said that over a ton of petrified wood is illegaly removed from the park each month. As we left the west entrance to the park we saw a large company that specializes in selling petrified wood. The amount that they had on display was almost equal to what we saw on our tour. It's so tragic that some people abuse our national treasures.
After leaving the park we had to make quick stop in Winslow, Arizona to pay homage to Don Hendley and Glen Frey.
So here we are in Flagstaff for a four day visit to the Grand Canyon and other national parks and also for some much needed rest after over 3,500 miles of driving.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Gallup, NM (aka the city of murals)
We drove to Gallup today via President Eisenhower's wonderful interstate road system. It sure made sense to take the train before the interstate system was developed. About every ten minutes a train passes through Gallup heading east or west. Both passenger and freight trains.
Gallup is known as the city of murals. Many public and privately owned buildings are adorned with billboard size murals depicting western and Indian scenes. Gallup is a town of about 25,000 citizens composed of various ethnic groups. About equally divided between causasian, native american and latinos. The people are most gracious and go out of their way to assist tourists like the Hanes.
We made a late day visit to Red Rock Canyon which is about a 15 minute drive from the heart of town. We arrived just before they locked the gates, so we didn't get to view much more than the visitor center. Early tomorrow morning we will set out for Canyon DeShelley--pronounced deshay. It's one of Julia's favorite camping sites, so we obviously will enjoy our time there.
After the early morning tour we set out for Flagstaff, Arizona where we will spend four days. On the way to Flagstaff we will stop off at the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest. During our stay in Flagstaff we will have a full agenda and will be on the go constantly. More later.
We have a very poor internet connection at the Sleep Inn, so tomorrow we'll provide a better update on activities.
A very special hello to Anne Nevil.
We should have a picasa web site up and running this weekend and will have close to 300 photos loaded.
Gallup is known as the city of murals. Many public and privately owned buildings are adorned with billboard size murals depicting western and Indian scenes. Gallup is a town of about 25,000 citizens composed of various ethnic groups. About equally divided between causasian, native american and latinos. The people are most gracious and go out of their way to assist tourists like the Hanes.
We made a late day visit to Red Rock Canyon which is about a 15 minute drive from the heart of town. We arrived just before they locked the gates, so we didn't get to view much more than the visitor center. Early tomorrow morning we will set out for Canyon DeShelley--pronounced deshay. It's one of Julia's favorite camping sites, so we obviously will enjoy our time there.
After the early morning tour we set out for Flagstaff, Arizona where we will spend four days. On the way to Flagstaff we will stop off at the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest. During our stay in Flagstaff we will have a full agenda and will be on the go constantly. More later.
We have a very poor internet connection at the Sleep Inn, so tomorrow we'll provide a better update on activities.
A very special hello to Anne Nevil.
We should have a picasa web site up and running this weekend and will have close to 300 photos loaded.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Santa Fe, a haven for artists
We ate at an authentic Mexican restaurantant last night and Pat discovered that real tacos are not quite the same as Taco Bell fare. It was a place where the locals stop to eat, so it must be good. Of course, Budweiser is Budweiser no matter where you eat.
After breakfast this morning we headed up into the mountains for a three hour tour of the countryside. It was very refreshing to drive over a hundred miles without seeing any golden arches. Many of the small towns were little more than crossroads, but several were artists' colonies. The churches and adobe homes are small but beautiful. On the back leg of the trip we followed along the banks of the Rio Grande. Later, while in downtown Santa Fe, we would follow along the Santa Fe River. As these rivers are making rapid descents, the water is moving at a fast pace. Our world class kayaking son-in-law Robert would probably look upon these rivers with disdain as they appear not to have any life-threatening rapids. In some spots you can probably wade across.
After a roadside lunch we returned to Santa Fe, first to the historic square/plaza and then to Canyon Road where the art galleries are back-to-back. The art galleries in the Plaza are much like you would find in any tourist attraction--some beautiful, affordable pieces and some Myrtle Beach type junk. We bought a few small items and then drove over to Canyon Road. The art galleries there are where the serious collectors go. There are no fast food dives, bars or other distractions on Canyon Road. Almost every genre of art is represented in this area. We would need a second mortgage in order to afford some of these beautiful pieces.
Tomorrow we will spend the morning in Santa Fe and then continue the westward trek with a stopover in Gallup, NM. From Gallup we head to Flagstaff, AZ via the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest. Flagstaff will be our base for four days as we begin to explore several canyons and other landmarks.
After breakfast this morning we headed up into the mountains for a three hour tour of the countryside. It was very refreshing to drive over a hundred miles without seeing any golden arches. Many of the small towns were little more than crossroads, but several were artists' colonies. The churches and adobe homes are small but beautiful. On the back leg of the trip we followed along the banks of the Rio Grande. Later, while in downtown Santa Fe, we would follow along the Santa Fe River. As these rivers are making rapid descents, the water is moving at a fast pace. Our world class kayaking son-in-law Robert would probably look upon these rivers with disdain as they appear not to have any life-threatening rapids. In some spots you can probably wade across.
After a roadside lunch we returned to Santa Fe, first to the historic square/plaza and then to Canyon Road where the art galleries are back-to-back. The art galleries in the Plaza are much like you would find in any tourist attraction--some beautiful, affordable pieces and some Myrtle Beach type junk. We bought a few small items and then drove over to Canyon Road. The art galleries there are where the serious collectors go. There are no fast food dives, bars or other distractions on Canyon Road. Almost every genre of art is represented in this area. We would need a second mortgage in order to afford some of these beautiful pieces.
Tomorrow we will spend the morning in Santa Fe and then continue the westward trek with a stopover in Gallup, NM. From Gallup we head to Flagstaff, AZ via the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest. Flagstaff will be our base for four days as we begin to explore several canyons and other landmarks.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Getting Our Kicks on Route 66
The drive from San Antonio was more of the same--cactus, cows, oil derricks and miles of open range. It's hard to believe that 150 years ago people were fighting over this land. Actually the local wars were more about water than land. We try to stay hydrated in this desert heat, but Willard's face is drying up like a severe sunburn. Looks like nurse Pat is going to have to dig deep into her bag of tricks.
We spent this morning touring "Old Town" in Albuquerque. It's a very small, compact area, nothing like the large historical areas of Savannah and Charleston. Every restored building in this area is now a gift shop or restaurant. Prices seem to be very reasonable for a tourist area. There is an abundance of Indian art, some of which may have been made in China. The skyline is dramatic without having tall skyscrapers. The architects of this area must truly enjoy designing structures that blend into the local scenery so neatly. This city is clean and tidy and is nothing like some the native American sites in the East (i.e. Cherokee, NC).
This afternoon we made the short drive to Santa Fe where we will be playing tourist for the next 48 hours. Tomorrow we will make the ritual visit to the Georgia O'Keeffe art museum where some of Ansel Adams works are supposed to be on display sometime this year. Hopefully, during our visit. Afterwards we will be hitting the local art galleries which we've been told are numerous. We're looking forward to discovering some affordable originals. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
We'll soon be heading out to happy hour and a free flow of margaritas. Just the thing to keep Willard hydrated. Too bad our 'kids'--Michael, Jessie, Robert, Julia and Goose--are not here to advise us about a restaurant selection for tonight. They will probably be quite jealous when we tell them later about the fine Mexican/American fare on which we will undoubtably over-indulge.
We spent this morning touring "Old Town" in Albuquerque. It's a very small, compact area, nothing like the large historical areas of Savannah and Charleston. Every restored building in this area is now a gift shop or restaurant. Prices seem to be very reasonable for a tourist area. There is an abundance of Indian art, some of which may have been made in China. The skyline is dramatic without having tall skyscrapers. The architects of this area must truly enjoy designing structures that blend into the local scenery so neatly. This city is clean and tidy and is nothing like some the native American sites in the East (i.e. Cherokee, NC).
This afternoon we made the short drive to Santa Fe where we will be playing tourist for the next 48 hours. Tomorrow we will make the ritual visit to the Georgia O'Keeffe art museum where some of Ansel Adams works are supposed to be on display sometime this year. Hopefully, during our visit. Afterwards we will be hitting the local art galleries which we've been told are numerous. We're looking forward to discovering some affordable originals. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
We'll soon be heading out to happy hour and a free flow of margaritas. Just the thing to keep Willard hydrated. Too bad our 'kids'--Michael, Jessie, Robert, Julia and Goose--are not here to advise us about a restaurant selection for tonight. They will probably be quite jealous when we tell them later about the fine Mexican/American fare on which we will undoubtably over-indulge.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
The Caverns are about 20 miles from the small town of Carlsbad in southeast New Mexico. We arrived about 15 minutes after the gates opened and were surprised to see only a handful of people. However, when we exited the Caverns three and a half hours later the parking lot was overflowing.
We purchased tickets for the self-guided tour plus a tour led by a park ranger into additional rooms not open to anyone. We certainly got our money's worth. Anyone eligible for a Senior Pass to the national parks should take advantage of the opportunity. It's only $10 and is a lifetime pass. A regular pass for the younger folks is $80 and good only for one year.
We entered the Caverns near the roosting spot for several hundred thousand bats. Each day at dusk they fly out of the main entrance to begin their nightly pursuit of insects. It takes about two hours for all of them to exit the cave. All jolks aside the bats perform a service to man and other animals that is immeasurable.
As we entered the cave to begin out descent the ranger asked if we were confident that we could physically manage the journey down. Since we walk several miles each afternoon as part of our daily routine we marched on confidently. Some people opted for the elevator. We read that it was 58 degrees constant in the cave so we layered up before starting the hike. By the time we got to the bottom we had stripped down to the basic clothing articles.
Carlsbad Caverns is truly one of the great wonders of the world. Although we took many pictures, most of which were too dark to print, nothing can do justice to the sights except being there. Pat had taken a geology course in college, so I relied on her to help out during the descent. Amazing what you forget in a few decades, huh?
At the bottom of the cave which was over 800 ft. below ground, we entered the 'Great Room' which they say is the size of 8 football fields. By this time we thought that we had seen just about everything there was to see. We learned otherwise a few minutes later when we began the tour with a park ranger as our guide.
After a briefing from the ranger we began the hike to a wonder named the Kings' Palace with a ceiling of about 300 feet. There were a million stalagtites, stalagmites (excuse the spelling) and many other 'mites' that were unbelievable. From the first room we went into another room with even more formations that are too difficult to describe. The park ranger provided a little history on the young man who discovered the caves in 1898 with only a candle. He did live long enough to see the caverns as a national park.
In the fourth and final chamber the ranger had us sit on stone benches and then had another ranger extinguish the lights along the foot path and ceiling. There we sat for ten minutes in utter darkness while the ranger talked about the development of this national park. There are over thirty miles of trails, of which only about 8 miles are accessible to the public. On some of the trails hikers have to be certified for rope climbing and willing to crawl through narrow openings face down in the mud.
We chose not to stay until the evening to see the bats fly out which apparently is a real tourist attraction. Instead we decided to drive up to Albuquerque for the night on our way to the Santa Fe area for several days. The landscape from west Texas up to Albuquerque is barren with only scrub grass, small bushes and no trees. Many oil well derricks are evident which is apparently the only thing the land is good for in that hot and dry climate.
We purchased tickets for the self-guided tour plus a tour led by a park ranger into additional rooms not open to anyone. We certainly got our money's worth. Anyone eligible for a Senior Pass to the national parks should take advantage of the opportunity. It's only $10 and is a lifetime pass. A regular pass for the younger folks is $80 and good only for one year.
We entered the Caverns near the roosting spot for several hundred thousand bats. Each day at dusk they fly out of the main entrance to begin their nightly pursuit of insects. It takes about two hours for all of them to exit the cave. All jolks aside the bats perform a service to man and other animals that is immeasurable.
As we entered the cave to begin out descent the ranger asked if we were confident that we could physically manage the journey down. Since we walk several miles each afternoon as part of our daily routine we marched on confidently. Some people opted for the elevator. We read that it was 58 degrees constant in the cave so we layered up before starting the hike. By the time we got to the bottom we had stripped down to the basic clothing articles.
Carlsbad Caverns is truly one of the great wonders of the world. Although we took many pictures, most of which were too dark to print, nothing can do justice to the sights except being there. Pat had taken a geology course in college, so I relied on her to help out during the descent. Amazing what you forget in a few decades, huh?
At the bottom of the cave which was over 800 ft. below ground, we entered the 'Great Room' which they say is the size of 8 football fields. By this time we thought that we had seen just about everything there was to see. We learned otherwise a few minutes later when we began the tour with a park ranger as our guide.
After a briefing from the ranger we began the hike to a wonder named the Kings' Palace with a ceiling of about 300 feet. There were a million stalagtites, stalagmites (excuse the spelling) and many other 'mites' that were unbelievable. From the first room we went into another room with even more formations that are too difficult to describe. The park ranger provided a little history on the young man who discovered the caves in 1898 with only a candle. He did live long enough to see the caverns as a national park.
In the fourth and final chamber the ranger had us sit on stone benches and then had another ranger extinguish the lights along the foot path and ceiling. There we sat for ten minutes in utter darkness while the ranger talked about the development of this national park. There are over thirty miles of trails, of which only about 8 miles are accessible to the public. On some of the trails hikers have to be certified for rope climbing and willing to crawl through narrow openings face down in the mud.
We chose not to stay until the evening to see the bats fly out which apparently is a real tourist attraction. Instead we decided to drive up to Albuquerque for the night on our way to the Santa Fe area for several days. The landscape from west Texas up to Albuquerque is barren with only scrub grass, small bushes and no trees. Many oil well derricks are evident which is apparently the only thing the land is good for in that hot and dry climate.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
A Blast Furnace Called San Antonio
San Antonio was just as hot Friday as our two previous visits to this multi-ethnic city--96 in the shade. As always we start at the Alamo to see if the score has changed. Sadly it hasn't. Crockett, Bowie and the boys are still on the losing side. It's remarkable to think that this tiny little mission had such an enormous impact on American history. The two additional commanders besides Bowie and Crocket were both from South Carolina. It was rumored at the time that Col. Travis was run out of SC at gun point by the father of a young lady that he had deflowered. As far as I know Bonham had not distinguished himself in the alleyways of Charleston.
On a previous visit to San Antonio we visited six or seven other missions. They are little more than adobe huts serving as chapels for the Indians that were dragged kicking and screaming into Christianity. The Alamo is the only mission that I'm aware of being largely restored. Of great interest to me is to take note that about 9 of 10 visitors are Latinos.
After leaving the Alamo we spent several hours on the River Walk. This area is truly magnificent. It would be a sin for any visitor to this city to fail to visit this area. It is about 4 1/2 miles of meandering river highlighted by water boat tours and walking tours. Every major hotel chain is represented by attractive buildings that open onto the sidewalks along the river. Beautiful flowers are everywhere, mariachi bands are playing in the many dozens of restaurants and pubs, bloody marys and margaritas flow like water, and everyone seems genuinely happy.
At the end of the day Pat and I realized that neither one of us had much of a rememberance of which garage we had parked in. Since there appears to be a parking garage on every street corner in the downtown area, asking directions was a futile gesture. As we only had one bloody mary each with our lunch we could not blame it on liquid refreshments. After spending the better part of an hour finding our garage I think we learned our lesson well.
Saturday morning we drove from San Antonio to Carlsbad, NM. About 500 miles of the trip was in West Texas which has no distinguishing features except cactus, scattered oil wells and what I would characterize as the most desolate spot in the United Staes that I have ever visited. There are parts of I-10 that run dozens of miles as straight as an arrow. If I may borrow a well-worn phrase, it looked like a moonscape.
Sunday we visit Carlbad Caverns. Hopefully there will be well-lighted areas conducive to our cameras.
On a previous visit to San Antonio we visited six or seven other missions. They are little more than adobe huts serving as chapels for the Indians that were dragged kicking and screaming into Christianity. The Alamo is the only mission that I'm aware of being largely restored. Of great interest to me is to take note that about 9 of 10 visitors are Latinos.
After leaving the Alamo we spent several hours on the River Walk. This area is truly magnificent. It would be a sin for any visitor to this city to fail to visit this area. It is about 4 1/2 miles of meandering river highlighted by water boat tours and walking tours. Every major hotel chain is represented by attractive buildings that open onto the sidewalks along the river. Beautiful flowers are everywhere, mariachi bands are playing in the many dozens of restaurants and pubs, bloody marys and margaritas flow like water, and everyone seems genuinely happy.
At the end of the day Pat and I realized that neither one of us had much of a rememberance of which garage we had parked in. Since there appears to be a parking garage on every street corner in the downtown area, asking directions was a futile gesture. As we only had one bloody mary each with our lunch we could not blame it on liquid refreshments. After spending the better part of an hour finding our garage I think we learned our lesson well.
Saturday morning we drove from San Antonio to Carlsbad, NM. About 500 miles of the trip was in West Texas which has no distinguishing features except cactus, scattered oil wells and what I would characterize as the most desolate spot in the United Staes that I have ever visited. There are parts of I-10 that run dozens of miles as straight as an arrow. If I may borrow a well-worn phrase, it looked like a moonscape.
Sunday we visit Carlbad Caverns. Hopefully there will be well-lighted areas conducive to our cameras.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Mt. Pleasant to San Antonio
We departed home on Saturday to give Julia a lift back to Tampa . Hopefully it won't be too far down the road before they move back to the Holy City. A day and a half in Tampa with the Paynes was delightful, but we had to officially launch the trip on Monday. Sadly their dog, Goose, is in a bad way and may face life threatening surgery. If Julia and Robert are as successful in raising children as they have been with 'Goose', we will have outstanding grandchildren.
Monday and Tuesday we were guests of the Island View Casino in Biloxi. I use the term guests loosely as they recover many times the cost of the room in our 'play' at the slots. We enjoy our visits to the Gulf Coast, but find the slow post-Katrina progress troubling. At the present rate it will take Biloxi ten years to accomplish what the Low Country did the three years after Hurricane Hugo. Between Gulfport and Biloxi (about 12 miles) only one fast food restaurant, three Waffle Houses and one convenient store w/gas has reopened. A large number of new condos has sprung up and seven casinos are doing record-breaking business. Unfortunately, the citizens that work at those businesses will not have affordable housing and the wherewithal to reside on the coast.
While driving along the coastal highway we discovered an old wreck that survived Hurricane Camille. Ironically the next day the town fathers had taken the wrecking ball to this old vessel. At the same time we also discovered 'tree sculptures' along the coastal highway. Several of these tree sculptures were sprouting new growth to the utter amazement of the locals. Hopefully I'll soon figure out how to post the pictures that Pat and I shot of the ship and the tree scultures.
Wednesday we stayed in New Orleans and made a contribution to the local economy. Thursday we arrived in San Antonio after a long drive. Friday we officially launch the tour with a visit to the Alamo, the Riverwalk and the Alamodome.
Standby for more updates............
Monday and Tuesday we were guests of the Island View Casino in Biloxi. I use the term guests loosely as they recover many times the cost of the room in our 'play' at the slots. We enjoy our visits to the Gulf Coast, but find the slow post-Katrina progress troubling. At the present rate it will take Biloxi ten years to accomplish what the Low Country did the three years after Hurricane Hugo. Between Gulfport and Biloxi (about 12 miles) only one fast food restaurant, three Waffle Houses and one convenient store w/gas has reopened. A large number of new condos has sprung up and seven casinos are doing record-breaking business. Unfortunately, the citizens that work at those businesses will not have affordable housing and the wherewithal to reside on the coast.
While driving along the coastal highway we discovered an old wreck that survived Hurricane Camille. Ironically the next day the town fathers had taken the wrecking ball to this old vessel. At the same time we also discovered 'tree sculptures' along the coastal highway. Several of these tree sculptures were sprouting new growth to the utter amazement of the locals. Hopefully I'll soon figure out how to post the pictures that Pat and I shot of the ship and the tree scultures.
Wednesday we stayed in New Orleans and made a contribution to the local economy. Thursday we arrived in San Antonio after a long drive. Friday we officially launch the tour with a visit to the Alamo, the Riverwalk and the Alamodome.
Standby for more updates............
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