Nomad Life - Day 74

Sadly, today was my last Day at Ellen and David's...  It has been so nice to spend time with them and recharge in their beautiful home.  I was up early (0430, without an alarm).  Since it was a Federal Holiday, I initially hadn't thought about working.  However, my company informed me that this was a "floating holiday" - as a result, I did some teleworking while getting ready to leave on the next leg of my trip.  I took one short break for breakfast (cereal, fruit) with Ellen and David.  After that, I finished teleworking, packed up my car, said goodbye to Ellen, David and Robert (and the dogs) and reluctantly departed Gilbert (0930).  On my way towards the southwest, I stopped for gas at Chevron in Chandler (0940).  Next, I got on AZ-202 and later used I-10, South Maricopa Road and AZ-347 (AKA John Wayne Parkway) in an effort to reach I-8.  During this time, I crossed into the Gila River Indian Reservation.  Google Maps next took me west on AZ-238 and I entered the Ak Chin Indian Community.  The weather was good (clear, dry and high 80s) but the roads were clearly very wet after the last few days of rain.  Regardless, I didn't expect to find a "road closed" sign after almost 10 miles of driving through a part of unincorporated Maricopa County.  I first tried to find a way around the closure signs by driving south from the highway (at Google Maps' suggestions).  Unfortunately, I soon encountered even more evidence (standing water on some roads) that the last three days of rain had affected the area negatively.  During this time, I saw people parachuting in the valley and figured out that I was on the edge of the Sonoran Desert National Monument.  Sadly, I couldn't get closer to either of these interesting places because I found more road closure signs.  After finally giving up on the routing, I got stuck at a long train crossing.  Backtracking on AZ-238 to the John Wayne Parkway, I then headed towards the south.  Google Maps continued trying to take me into the flooded area but I ignored it and continued in the general direction where I knew I-8 would be located.  When the Parkway finally ended, I used AZ-84 (with brief stop at West Pinal County Park at 1100) and eventually found the ramp for I-8,  After that, it was smooth sailing to the west.  Along the way, I got to see some more of the Sonoran Desert National Monument (didn't stop, though) and listened to audiobooks.  At Gila Bend, I saw a sign for Organ Pipe Cactus NM and decided to detour in that direction (before this trip, I'd hoped to visit the park).  The distance (75 miles) did seem a bit excessive for seeing an NPS Unit and, even worse, there were no other routes besides the one I was on (AZ-85) that would take me towards California when I was done.  Regardless, I decided to keep going... It was interesting to drive across fields of cacti and I was surprised by the amount of traffic that was streaming north from the Mexico/US Border (I also saw lots of CBP vehicles).  Along the way, I crossed the Barry Goldwater Missile Range and then passed through the towns of Ajo (had interesting architecture) and Why (funny name).  Almost 50 miles after getting off the Interstate, I reached the entrance to the National Monument (1230).  At the welcome sign, I found several examples of the Organ Pipe Cactus and I didn't see a need to keep driving deeper into the park.  Instead, I backtracked to the north, stopping briefly in Why (rest stop at 1240) and Ajo (maps and info at BLM Site at 1305).  Before I was done with AZ-85, I had to pass through an immigration checkpoint (1330) but it went smoothly.  My maps and brochures had a lot of information about Sonoran Desert animals, environment, etc. but I didn't see much activity - by then, it was quite warm (90s).  After finally reaching Gila Bend, I got back on I-8.  Continuing west, I listened to audiobooks and tried to pass the time during a relatively "boring" stretch of highway.  During this timeframe, I noticed that I was getting horrible gas mileage - I presumed that this was due to the very strong headwinds.  Along the way, I passed more signs for the Butterfield Overland NHT (I've been seeing them since northeastern New Mexico) and the Juan Bautista de Anza NHT (new during this trip).  I had to pass through another immigration checkpoint on I-8 just before Yuma - fortunately, these brief interruptions of my journey have not affected me greatly.  At 1500, I joined our Knights of Columbus Council Meeting via Zoom - I was able to stay online for almost 40 minutes (when it cut off).  During this same timeframe, I also was able to get a late lunch at Taco Bell (1510) and gas at Speedway (1525).  After that, I continued west.  The weather was still good but temps were still very hot.  I crossed the Colorado River and passed through the Imperial Dunes but didn't stop during this phase of the drive.  There was evidence of the border to the south and I kept thinking about some of my visits to El Centro during the early 2000s.  As I approached the base of the Laguna Mountains, I began to encounter HUGE winds and ultimately had to drive well below the speed limit during my climb through the rocky passes up to 4000 feet.  On top of the the climb, the wind died down and I started looking for access points for the Pacific Crest Trail.  Fortunately, I was able to find it by exiting the Interstate near Campo and using "Old US-80" to reach the Kitchen Creek Falls Trailhead of the PCT.  After parking there (1720), I walked a little bit of the trail but soon determined that it mainly paralleled the highway.  I'd seen signs for the Boulder Oaks Equestrian Campground, located nearby, and decided to drive over there to investigate.  After I'd parked, I determined that there were some very interesting birds in the area (Merlin App did wonders).  I also got to meet up with three PCT LASHers (they were camped there) and had a nice chat with them (1730).  It was much cooler (low 50s) in the area and I started to wish I'd worn more than just shorts and a t-shirt/  Hoping to locate another PCT trailhead, I drove north to the next exit for I-8 (located at Buckman Springs Road) and found some interesting food trucks on the corner there.  Next, I drove south and found some places where the PCT was visible from the pavement and, I think, where it crossed Buckman Springs Road.  Afterwards, I returned to I-8 and resumed my drive to San Diego.  Surprisingly, I had to pass through yet another immigration checkpoint in mountains.  The rest of the drive was a trip down memory lane and I passed through many old familiar areas of San Diego that I remembered from when I lived there in the mid-1990s.  The traffic volume was OK but I did encounter some crazy drivers.  Reaching the main area of San Diego, I got on I-5 and headed north for a little bit - I exited the highway at the Pacific Beach area and arrived at my friend's (Charlie's_ home by 1850.  Almost immediately, I met his nice neighbors (Gino and his sons) and then got a nice tour of his nice home.  From Charlie's deck, there were amazing views (towards the south) of the entire city.  By this time, it was breezy and cool (50s) - overall, though, the conditions were pleasant.  We watched some baseball - the evening games were nearly completed but it was still early in California...  A bit later, I met Charlie's wife (Janna) and some neighbor dogs (Brahma & Izzy) that love to stay over at his place.  During the next hour, we ate dinner (pizza) and drank some good beer.  As the night progressed, our interesting conversation (mostly about mutual Navy friends) continued we transitioned to bourbon.  It was, after all, the US Navy’s 250th Birthday!  Before I knew it, the clock read midnight (!!!).  Fortunately, I managed to get to sleep quickly but my earlier commitment to a 0400 wakeup in the morning was not looking fun...  PCT Today = 0.5 miles / Grand Total PCT = 7.0 miles

Nomad Life - Day 73

After a restful sleep in Ellen and David's guest room, I woke up at 0530 (without an alarm) and spent about an hour reading, doing puzzles, relaxing, etc. I also got ready for my day and, at about 0800, went downstairs to see if anyone was awake.  Surprisingly, no one else was stirring at all so I returned to the guest room.  At 0900, I heard activity in the kitchen and returned to find Ellen cooking bacon.  We ended up having a very nice conversation (mostly about family).  Along the way, I noticed that she was making pancakes with chocolate morsels - I convinced her to give me some and they were good!  David and Robert joined the fun a bit later and we eventually sat down at the table for a more formal "brunch".  We watched YouTube videos and talked a lot about books. Things were so relaxed and I wasn't paying attention to the time - suddenly, I realized that it was after noon!  After helping to clean up, I took a break for a little while to work on my blog and take care of other online business.  Throughout this time, the weather had been spotty, with times of steady rain and other times with partly cloudy conditions.  Ellen told me that they normally didn't see any inclement weather ("this is so unusual") and I joked that maybe I'm not the bringer of good weather, only "unusual weather"...  I'd asked if I could see some of the horses that Ellen boards and cares for and she obliged by taking me to the John Volken Academy Ranch (in the southern part of Gilbert).  To get there, we had to creatively avoid several road closures (due to standing water).  When we arrived (1430), she pointed out the wide open spaces of the Gila River Indian Reservation, which was just across the street from the stables.  It was desolate for miles in most directions.  More impactful than the lonely views, though, was that there was a lot of water where the horses were.  Ellen told me that she hadn't gotten to see her animals in almost three weeks (due to family commitments and weather) and that they were unused to such long stretches without her.  As a result, it made sense that each horse was visibly ecstatic to see Ellen.  She gave them lots of love and told me about her business, which involves a kind of therapeutic riding instruction for her clients.  There were probably about 10 animals under her care and we walked through a few different buildings to see them all.  We met a lot of Ellen's fellow horse-enthusiasts and she seemed very popular.  Along the way, I got to feed Ellen's horses carrots) and some of them them let me pet or scratch them,  We probably spent about 30 minutes on site and then returned to Ellen  and David's.  By then, the weather had greatly improved (it was sunny and in the 80s) and I asked Ellen if I could pull my car into the garage to go through my bags.  My goal was to assemble the basic list of items for my upcoming international trip and she obliged my request - I then spent about 90 minutes going through bags and reducing down to two for the trip.  During this window, I also did some laundry.  At 1700, David's dad arrived and the rest of us began preparing for dinner in town.  Shortly after that, David drove us to a place called Isabel's Amor, a Sonoran (Mexican) restaurant in Gilbert.  David had been raving about how good the food was there and I got to sample several delicious menu items, including a cheese crisp ("open faced quesadilla") and the house refried beans (Frijoles de Amor) - I also tried a local (peach) margarita.  My entree was the Poblano Chili Relleno, with black beans and rice.  Everything was delicious and I really enjoyed the wonderful ambiance.  David Sr. treated us all to this meal - he seemed pleased that we'd had such good conversations about flying and travel in the military.  Back at the house, the family and I relaxed for a little while before it was Robert's bed time. Once he had gone upstairs for the night, David, Ellen and I watched a movie ("Brooklyn") - it was good!  I said good night to my cousins and went upstairs at about 2215.  I only spent a short time closing out my evening (reading, puzzles) and turned out the lights at 2230.  Glad to have had such a relaxing day - I'm feeling much more prepared for my Southeast Asia trip!

Nomad Life - Day 72

I was awake at 0630 but didn't get out of bed immediately because my room at John and Ann's was very comfortable.  Before officially starting my day, I read, did puzzles and got organized.  At about 0800, I went out into the family area and found John making pancakes for the family.  He and I had a nice talk (mostly about work but also about some items of interest for my upcoming trip to Asia).  Meanwhile, it was raining pretty steadily outside.  After a hearty breakfast, I returned to my room to make arrangements for my upcoming trip to Los Angeles.  Along the way, I figured out a good strategy for a Park-Sleep-Fly scenario.  Finished with that, I returned to the common area and found that Ann and Duncan (along with Midge) were stirring too.  This larger group allowed for a bit more conversation and catch up.  As lunch time approached (1130), I offered to take everyone to lunch nearby and my cousins immediately knew where we should go: Liberty Market.  At first, I thought we'd be eating in Chandler but, when I realized the restaurant was actually in Gilbert (where Ellen and David live), I realized that I could just stay there after we finished eating.  With everyone in agreement on this plan, I quickly packed up my belongings and made room in the front seat of my car for John to ride with me to the restaurant (so I wouldn't get lost).  By this time, the rain had stopped and the sun started to heat up the damp ground - temps eventually soared into the high 80s again.  While parking and walking towards the restaurant, I marveled at the pretty downtown area and the many vibrant shops that Gilbert had.  Once John and I located the rest of the family (Declan included) outside Liberty Market (1145), we sat down inside the restaurant.  At the table, we ordered lunch (Caesar salad and mac & cheese for me).  It was great to be able to chat with everyone about life and plans and I enjoyed the food.  We finished eating at about 1315 - afterwards. John and I walked around in the pretty downtown area of Gilbert while Ann the boys went furniture shopping.  The design of the town was very interesting to me (from an engineering standpoint), with lots of man-made runoff areas for water, fountains, bike paths, etc.  We finished with our walk at 1400 and I said goodbye to John and his family.  Next, I drove a short distance towards Ellen and David's home.  Since we agreed that I'd arrive at 1430, I decided to spend some time walking inside of a (cool) nearby Lowe's.  After getting about half of my daily steps, I drove the rest of the way to Ellen and David's.  When I arrived, I was very impressed by their beautiful home - it was so homey and welcoming!  I met their dogs (Rocky and Zoey) and we talked for about 30 minutes before everyone had to start getting ready for Mass.  During this window, David's dad (David Sr.) arrived and I talked to him for a bit.  At 1545, we all got into David Sr.'s truck and drove a short distance to St. Anne's Catholic Church (also in Gilbert).  The "worship complex" was uncommonly large, with beautiful architecture, spacious grounds, lots of interesting artwork, an Our Lady of Guadeloupe Shrine, voter registration, very visible Knights of Columbus presence and clear signs that this was a great Parish.  I learned later that there were three priests and five deacons at the church!  We arrived just as Mass began (1600) and, fortunately (I guess it is normally very difficult), were able to find a place to sit.  The service seemed familiar, especially after seeing many other Masses in different places on this trip.  What I liked most, however, was that this was another "family church" of my relatives - it was clear that my cousins really love their Parish! When the service was completed (1705), we reconvened outside and Ellen showed me where she and David had added a little plaque (near the entrance to the Adoration Chapel) that memorialized her brother (my cousin), Chuck - that was so nice!  Overall, I'd have to say that this might have been the nicest Catholic Churches I've ever seen in the US.  Back in the car, David drove us to the Historic downtown area of Chandler (ironic, since I hadn't seen it with John) so we could have dinner at DC Steak House.  We were seated by 1745 and ordered some appetizers (Arancini and delicious bread). I got a Prairie Old Fashioned (good) and, for my entree, I had a 7 oz filet mignon with a side of broccoli (all the meals came with a side salad).  The conversation was light and fun and Robert contributed some good humor in his menu choices and "grown up" behavior at the table.  At about 1930, we were finished eating and headed back to Gilbert - we arrived just before 2000.  By then, the outside air had cooled (low 80s) and I took a walk in Ellen and David's gated community.  I got the rest of my 10K steps along the way - seems like it would be hard to be active very much with the blazing heat of the day... Back at the house, I found the family watching a baking show on David's huge (84 inch) TV.  Meanwhile, Robert was dying to change the channel to a Star Trek episode and David eventually obliged.  He also set me up with a glass of Blanton's Whiskey (good).  The family enjoyed an episode of DS9 that that everyone had already seen (an oldie but goodie).  Thankfully, the dogs were gradually warming to me.  At 2200, even with Robert's request to watch another DS9 episode, I excused myself and adjourned to their guest room - it was so comfortable and nice - where I did a little bit of reading.  I also caught up with folks I've visited earlier in the trip, along with folks who I hope to see in the future.  It was finally "lights out" time at 2220 and I was asleep shortly afterwards.  What an amazing day of visiting!

Nomad Life - Day 71

In an attempt to stay on East Coast time (not easy), I woke up (alarm required) at 0400 and started teleworking.  At about 0700, I took a short break for breakfast at my hotel (Comfort Inn in Surprise).  Outside the hotel, it was clear that it had rained overnight (a lot) and I noticed that the temperatures had dropped significantly (70s). After that, I continued teleworking, without interruption, until noon local time.  With 90% of my work day (and work week) completed, I made my way west to the State 48 Brewing Company so I could meet up with an old squadron mate from the 1990s, John B.  I arrived at about 1220 and, since John was running late, I ordered a flight of beers to try.  Each was unique and tasty.  Even after my friend arrived, he had a meeting he had to do on the phone so I'd mostly finished my tasters by the time we were really able to visit.  It was great to catch up with him on all the many life events that had taken place since we'd last flown together off the USS Enterprise.  The food was also good - I enjoyed my lunch (club sandwich).  We stayed at the brewery until just after 1430 and then said goodbye so he could return to work and I could drive across Phoenix to visit my cousins.  It took me nearly an hour, via AZ-101, I-10 and AZ-202 to reach the town of Chandler, where John, Ann, Duncan and Declan lived.  I listened to audiobooks on the way.  Since I'd agreed to show up at about 1600, I paused for a short time at the local Walmart building and got in almost two miles of walking during the 45 minutes I was in the store.  I learned later that Ann worked there and I'd only missed seeing her because I didn't make a purchase.  I was also able to make plans with my other cousins (Ellen and David) for the following day.  Finished with some light exercise, I continued south to where my cousins lived and arrived there at 1630.  I noticed that the temps had risen by then to the low 90s but the overcast prevented the weather from seeming oppressive.  Greeting John, I was able to join him and his dog (Midge) on a walk through the pretty Chandler neighborhood.  It was interesting to me to see how much care had gone into engineering good places for the water to flow - there were lots of xeriscaping, culverts and wide, man-made "arroyos" that were intended to deal with inclement weather.  John told me the tree selection was also deliberate, with some trees designed to withstand water and others to withstand wind.  There were a lot of interesting birds nearby and I enjoyed trying to ID them with my Merlin App.  Back at John's home, I enjoyed the nice tour he gave me and then had a good time visiting with his son, Declan (who I'd seen at the funeral).  John's other son, Duncan, was at the gym but I was assured that I'd get to see him again before long.  I spent the next hour talking and resting and hydrating - by 1800, I was ready to head out for dinner at a nearby restaurant, Kodo Sushi Sake.  Our group consisted of John, Duncan, Declan and myself and we had a great dinner (Philadelphia Roll, Sushi Rice and Miso Soup).  I found it interesting that the rice was a deep purple - I learned later that this was because it was "black rice", which turns that color as it is cooked.  Our conversation was light and relaxed and it was nice to catch up with my cousins.  Returning home (1930). I accompanied John, Declan and Midge on a another walk through Citrus Vista Park - it was dark by that point and the temps had dropped into the 80s again.  There was definitely a threat of rain in the air and I was glad o reach my 10K step goal in the process - it might be hard tomorrow...  Back at John's, we opened a bottle of Texas Rye Whiskey and chatted some more.  We were still at it by 2100, when Ann returned home from work.  During the next few hours after that, I shared family pictures (mostly from my girls) and we looked through their family's old photo albums - what a great walk down memory lane!  John went to bed at about 2230 but the rest of us were still awake at 2345, when I begged to be excused for bed.  As I got ready, I realized I'd been awake for almost 20 hours - I definitely could feel the exhaustion...  Fortunately, I fell asleep easily and quickly just before midnight.  What a great day of visiting!

Nomad Life - Day 70

Last day in the Mountain Time Zone - it will get harder, from here, to stay on the East Coast schedule...  I was awake this morning (only with an alarm) at 0500 and started teleworking immediately.  Despite having slept relatively well, I'd been hearing loud truck noise for a lot of the night and couldn't figure out why.  Hearing the sound of raindrops in the early AM, I looked outside and found the window was open!  While closing it, I noted a surprising amount of rain had fallen overnight.  During a short break from teleworking, I made arrangements for my next week of lodging and headed to the lobby of the Econo Lodge to get some breakfast (0700).  I'd hoped to see the three CDT Thru Hikers who were supposedly staying at the hotel but none of them ever appeared - too bad.  The rain stopped by 0730 and I took another break from work so I could drive a little more of the CDT (where it was synonymous with the road) and locate trailheads.  After passing through Lordsburg on Main Street (retracing last night's walk), I figured out how to cross Business Loop 10 and access US-70 towards the north.  As I drove, I passed two (SOBO) CDT hikers - they waved to me!  After I'd reached the junction with NM-90 (almost three miles of driving), I forked right and started watching for indications of the trail.  After a bit of looking, I found a lone CDT sign posted above a barbed wire fence.  This scant evidence seemed to indicate that the trail headed east (NOBO direction) from there but I couldn't find a stile or any other signs of the trail itself.  Realizing that I probably wasn't going to get any better results, I retraced my route into Lordsburg and followed Main Street towards the Shakespeare Cemetery, where I expected to locate another CDT Trailhead.  Fortunately, I was not disappointed and I found a nice sign/kiosk and several really good trail signs (0805).  After getting some good photos and a better idea of where the trail traveled near Lordsburg, I took a quick detour (via gravel road) to explore the nearby "Shakespeare Ghost Town".  The place seemed vaguely familiar (did we visit in 1977?).  Perhaps I'll never know the reason for the deja vu but the venue was closed so a visit wasn't possible in 2025...  Returning to the Econo Lodge, I resumed my teleworking until just after 1200, when I checked out of my hotel room.  Before getting on the road, I did a little bit of work in my car.  When it was time to depart from Lordsburg, I got back on I-10 and headed west.  About 20 miles later, I crossed the border into Arizona, my 25th state in 2025!  There was a time change near the border (gained another hour) and I decided to make the best of the extra daylight.  About that time, I started to see scary dust storm warning signs - hope I don't see one of those while I'm visiting...  Earlier planning indicated that I might be able to visit as many as three National Park Units and the first one was close to the town of Bowie.  I exited the Interstate there and topped off my gas tank with some expensive fuel at the Chevron station (1145 PT).  After verifying the map directions, I headed south on Apache Pass Road - my goal was the Fort Bowie National Historic Site.  Along the way, I passed through groves of pistachio trees, saw evidence (cows on road) of the Open Range rules and encountered fearless Mule Deer.  At one point, I had to switch to gravel roads - there were also trails that could be used to reach the NHS but I didn't feel like walking in the desert for long.  During this time, I lost cell signal and didn't regain it (except for two short exceptions) for a few hours.  While driving, I saw signs for the visitor center and that there might be (limited) handicap parking.  Knowing I was taking a big chance of arriving and then having to backtrack, I kept going.  My instincts paid off when I encountered no gates or impediments and arrived at an empty parking lot.  After verifying there were no handicap restrictions (1215), I walked a few hundred miles into the middle of the ruins of Fort Bowie, an Apache Indian War era stronghold that allowed the US Government to negotiate with Cochise and Geronimo. The temps at the park were pleasant (60s) and, with the limited cell service, my Merlin app picked up about five new species of bird.  Perhaps being near Mexico is going to really pay off for my birding hobby!  I was a bit surprised to see that the visitor center was located at 6000 feet elevation but this was Apache Pass,  I explored for a little while but decided not to tarry because I had two other units I wanted to visit.  Backtracking down the mountain, I got back on Apache Pass Road and made my way (south) through the famous gateway to the Chiricahua country.  The terrain was so beautiful and got even better when I reached the interior valley - wow!  I continued on gravel roads until I was finally able to get on NM-186.  The paved roads, however, were narrow and I still had no cell signal.  Before long, I made it to the junction with NM-181 and then headed east until I reached the entrance to Chiricahua National Monument.  This park, like a few others I've seen during the government shutdown, had an open gate (yay) and I was able to freely drive the long, scenic road into an ancient Apache refuge.  The temps were still pretty good (70s) and the sky was clear.  I made several brief stops while I was exploring the beautiful rocky plateaus - the whole place reminded me of Bryce's Canyon.  There were lots of camping opportunities, horse stables and hiking trails - nice!  At the visitor center, I encountered friendly (begging) Mexican Jays.  I had almost reached the top/end of the drive when I got a cell signal and checked on the time required to drive to Phoenix (1330).  Since I'd made plans (at 1900) with Ty J. there, I realized that it would be advisable to retrace my steps to civilization quickly.  Saying goodbye to the wonderful park (lots of good camping, interesting birds, remote comfort), I backtracked to NM-181.  Continuing west, I first thought I could visit Coronado National Monument (my third park unit target).  However, the timing looked too risky and I redirected to the town of Tombstone.  As I was driving in that direction, I began to wonder if doing anything else in this remote area was worth the risk of missing my planned get together so, instead, decided to target the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (closer to Phoenix).  Just after that decision, I reached US-191 and headed north.  Also, I talked to Bob W (told him I won't be able to visit Las Vegas during this leg of the Nomad Life).  When I reached the town of Pearce, I saw signs for the Cochise Stronghold but didn't go over there.  Instead, I got on Dragoon Road and continued west.  Along the way, I saw some ominous looking signs that said something about "Caution: Fault Lines May Open" - yikes!  Before long, I got on I-10 and headed towards Phoenix.  Meanwhile, the temps rose into the mid 90s - I'd forgotten how uncomfortable that can be...  The traffic showed a tendency (like in Virginia and Arkansas) to drive in the left lane without anyone in the right lane so I ended up passing a lot of cars while just staying in the right lane.  Encountering traffic and construction on the east side of Tucson, I decided to stop for some late lunch (chili cheese dog) at an A&W (1600).  While waiting for my food, I made plans with Ellen & David and John & Anne, while updating Ty on my ETA.  Back on I-10, I grudgingly made my way through the traffic and construction zones, passing the time with more audiobooks and some peppy music.  After finally getting out of the grip of Tucson, I continued north - I later passed the Pinal Air Park (commercial aircraft boneyard), which featured many, many more planes there than I remembered seeing my last visits (1990s, 2010).  More "left lane parkers" made the drive into the Phoenix area quite annoying but, fortunately, I exited the Interstate at NM-287 and drove north to the town of Coolidge.  My revised target, as mentioned before, was Casa Grande Ruins National Monument but, unfortunately, the gate was closed when I arrived.  I'm not 100% certain this was the result of the government shutdown or the normal hours but there was no way to enter the property, which was located across the street from several commercial buildings.  The park itself was really just a huge field or open area that featured the ruins of a distinctive Native American structure in the middle.  I could see that, at least, so will count this NPS unit on my list.  At 1725, I set my Google Maps coordinates on Ty's home in Phoenix and headed west again.  By this point, it was sprinkling and I heard (from at least three people) that I should be very careful driving because rain was coming.  Following NM-87, initially, I made my way across another set of mountains (the only ones nearby) and found fields of Saguaro cacti on NM-387.  At the end of this scenic road, I ended up at a frustrating stop sign before I could cross the road back on to I-10.  Fortunately, I made the crossing Ok and then continued (into increasing darkness and precipitation) towards the downtown area.  After passing Sky Harbor International Airport, I drove a short distance across the north side of the city (with huge, dark, ominous storm clouds to my right) and exited the Interstate at 7th Avenue.  I reached Ty's house, located to the north of a pretty landmark called Encanto Park, at 1820.  We visited for a short time but then departed his home in search of food and beer.  We ended up at a nearby place called Zipps Sports Grill, which had lots of good menu options and the Thursday Night Football Game on TVs around the room.  We started our meal at 1850 and had a great visit, updating each other on things that had happened in our lives since our last real conversation (early 2010s).  Feeling filled and tired, I asked Ty if we could leave (2020) and we headed back to his house.  Even then, in the dark and with an impending storm, the temps were still in the mid 80s (lower elevations, about 1000 feet, make the difference).  I needed some gas so I followed Ty to his favorite station, a Circle K and topped off my tank with expensive fuel (2050).  After saying goodbye to Ty, I drove through a maze of city streets and finally reached I-17, which I then  used to drive north to AZ-101. After a bit of a drive, I exited at Bell Road and headed west until I crossed the Agua Fria River - it was raining by this point.  I found my hotel, the Comfort Inn & Suites, in the town of Surprise.  After getting checked into my room (2125) and verifying the internet worked well, I left the hotel (in  sprinkling rain) and took a walk (over two miles) nearby - after a while under an umbrella, I was able to finish my 10K steps in dryer conditions.  Once I was finished (2220), I returned to my room and got ready for bed immediately (no reading, no games, etc.) because I had set my alarm for 0400 (0700 East Coast time) for the next morning.  It's going to be an early one! CDT Today = 3.3 miles / Grand Total CDT = 34.2 mile

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 15

I was awake very early (0600) and ate breakfast without Mollie.  In the hotel restaurant, I met a retired airline pilot (and rental car return driver) and had a great conversation.  After eating, I got gas in St. George (0745).  Meanwhile, Mollie slept late (0900) and almost missed breakfast.  After she returned from the restaurant, she told me she didn't want to rush.  We didn’t end up leaving the hotel until 1020.  We drove west on I-15 until we reached Arizona (cool canyon views) and then made it to Nevada.  Mollie called her mother to talk (Nicky ended up quizzing her on how we could possibly have gone to so many parks, saying "did you even get out of the car?").  I hadn’t planned on a route for the day but when I saw a sign for Lake Mead, Mollie said she wanted to head in that direction.  We ended up using the “scenic route” and found ourselves on the north end of the National Recreation area.  During that phase, Mollie told me about an experience she had that morning when she went to breakfast alone ("I ended up being trapped, talking to a woman who hated Mormons").  NV-169 took us to North Shore Drive to officially enter the park (no one was working at the entrance gate; it was SO HOT.  After driving through non-descript terrain for over an hour (after passing Echo Bay), Mollie spotted a herd of Bighorn sheep in the rocks on the side of the road.  I got out the binoculars and she spent over 20 minutes looking at the animals.  We were going to leave but then we saw a herd crossing the road and another herd joining them on the other side.  Mollie was very excited to have this wildlife encounter (“it is the cherry on top of the trip!”.  We drove a little farther and stopped at the Visitor Center in Boulder City.  Mollie got some more NPS Passport stamps and reported her Bighorn sighting.  We learned about other parks in the Las Vegas area and Mollie finished buying souvenirs for her mother, sisters and Steve's kids (1230).  Before deciding what to do next, we ate lunch (snacks) in the car.  We had a choice to visit a cool looking resort on the east edge of Henderson but Mollie wanted to drive towards the Hoover Dam.  The place had changed tremendously since our last family visit (2006) and we had to go through a big security line.  Once through, we found even more traffic.  I was ready to turn around but made sure Mollie got to see a view of the dam and bridge before we did that.  After escaping the crowds, we got on I-11 and headed northwest.  Following instructions from the Lake Mead park staff, we found the Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs (north side of Las Vegas) and discovered that they gave veterans free entry.  The park was really just a small historical site but it bordered on a huge National Monument full of fossil beds.  Initially, we walked around in the grassy park (to figure out if there was anything interesting to do).  It was almost 110 degrees outside but we discovered that it felt much better in the shade.  The biggest treat (Mollie was very excited) was that the park had lots of pheasants and geese.  We enjoyed hanging out with the birds and then drove a short distance to locate the fossil bed on NM property.  Mollie ending up staying in the car but I walked around the open field until I couldn’t stand the heat.  Mollie directed us to a post office in North Las Vegas and we sent off some post cards to Mollie’s friends.  It was only a little farther drive (to the east) before we arrived at Nellis Air Force Base.  We checked into the Air Force Inn (1545) and discovered that we had a very long walk to our room (following directions from the hotel staff).  As a result, we had to move the car and use a back entrance to make carrying the bags easier.  The added benefit was that Mollie saw some of the cool fighter jets that were flying nearby.  In the room, we consolidated bags for our trip home.  At around 1630, we tagged up with my friend, Bob, and then drove back to Las Vegas to meet him and his mom at the Venetian Resort.  I had trouble finding the parking garage but, after several mistakes, we ended up parking in the same exact area of the building as Bob (it made for a funny reunion).  We walked inside the hotel and located St. Mark’s square.  Once again, I noticed that things had changed a lot since my last visit.  We sat down for dinner at Canaletto (an Italian restaurant) just after 1700.  It was fun to visit with Bob and his mom.  We told stories of our trip (and Bob told us about his travels since he moved away from Alexandria).  Mollie exchanged Pokémon info with Bob.  We were done eating by about 1815 and then walked around in the hotel, watching gondoliers and looking inside the casino and several fancy stores.  Mollie bought souvenirs for Erin at Walgreens in Las Vegas (1825).  We were both feeling tired, so we drove back to the Air Force Inn and did some more packing in the room.  Mollie tried to make Independence Day plans with Sabrina (unsuccessful) and we watched some TV.  We both went to bed early 2200.

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 12

We woke up early in our cabin (0600) and, after seeing the schedule for the on-site restaurants, ate breakfast (snacks) in our room.  We immediately headed out on the trails near the Lodge so we could beat all of the other visitors to the viewpoint trails.  We were able to take in the views of the canyon in relative peace and cleared out of each area as soon as those places got too busy.  Mollie wanted to get some souvenirs so we checked out of the Lodge (0830) and drove a short distance to the nearby Campground Store.  I bought a new shirt and Mollie got some good gifts for her sisters (0850).  We then drove to the nearby North Rim Sinclair (gas) station, where we got old-timey full service from a nice old man.  He gave us lots of ideas about where we should go next.  We also experienced another one of the time-zone change issues when we were impacted by the hour difference between the Grand Canyon time (matched Arizona) and the area along the Utah border where we were exploring.  Following the advice of our service station attendant, we decided to explore the Cape Royal and Point Imperial areas.  We drove to the former spot first and stopped at various pullouts along the way.  In the beginning, the only people we came into contact with were a geologist from LA (who was visiting for the weekend) and an older couple who was looking (through their binoculars) for ruins down in the Canyon.  There were a few more people at the main overlook for Cape Royal but not so many that the quiet air of the canyon was compromised.  The pleasantness didn't last long, though, and the parking lot was almost full by the time we left.  We had to backtrack down the road to reach Point Imperial but found that it was about the same (views and crows).  We just snapped a few photos and got back on the road.  Our time visiting the Grand Canyon had been great but Mollie didn’t want it to end without a bit more wildlife viewing.  On our way out of the park, we tried very hard to spot some bison in the meadow where they’d been for most of the previous day but they were nowhere to be found.  Sadly, we departed via AZ-67 and drove north until we reached the town of Jacob Lake.  We stopped at the Inn there (it was really crowded) and decided to pick up some lunch (sandwiches) to go.  At this point (1215), I asked Mollie if we could go exploring along the UT-AZ border.  I pointed out that we’d been getting passport stamps for Mollie throughout the trip but there were some other parks (i.e., not in the Passport Book) that I wanted to see (e.g., Vermilion Cliffs and Grand Staircase-Escalante, both National Monuments).  These parks weren’t really on the way to our next stop for the night but I figured it would be smart to go there anyway since I didn’t expect to be back anytime soon.  She grudgingly agreed (because she wanted to go to an animal rescue facility nearby).  We then drove east on US-89A, continuing through pretty alpine forests until we reached an overlook for a huge valley.  After leaving the highest elevation of the day (8800 feet), the road took us quickly down into this valley (which was probably at about 5000 feet of elevation).  We found that the temps were above 100 in that area and it didn’t make us happy.  On the left side of our car, we found that the Vermilion Cliffs paralleled the road.  There were a few signs but no visitor facilities.  The formation consisted of an impressive plateau of reddish rocks that stretched for more than 30 miles.  We learned later that the Cliffs run southwest to northwest in an open, backwards “C shape.”  The sandy interior, popular with ATV users, is only accessible from the west.  We didn’t try to get into that area and continued east.  We passed through some little towns at the base of the cliffs but didn’t stop until we reached an NPS outpost at the Colorado River (Historic Navajo Bridge).  We were able to walk out onto a pedestrian bridge to see the green waters below and it was an impressive sight.  The Marble Canyon was much shallower than the huge, wide, deep canyon we’d seen earlier in the day but it was quite pretty.  Mollie actually did get some more new stamps for her book.  It was so hot that we didn’t spend a lot of time at the location.  Instead, we crossed the river and continued following US-89A.  The road went back up onto cliffs on the other side of the valley (almost 7000 feet again).  Eventually, we reached US-89 and turned northwest.  We stopped for milkshakes at Burger King in Page (1355) and then admired several good views of the southern end of Glen Canyon NRA.  It was clear that Lake Powell had the capability of generating a significant amount of hydroelectric power but I didn’t get a chance to “get my geek on” about the power plants.  Instead, we viewed it from high on the hills.  There was a Visitor Parking area (with shuttle busses) where we could have stopped for a trip to view Horseshoe Bend but Mollie was in the mood to get back to the cooler temperatures (and I didn't argue).  A short time later, we crossed back into Utah.  Just then, for the first time on the trip, it started to rain (just sprinkling).  Mollie took this opportunity to tell me that she didn’t like all the driving and just wanted to take a day off to relax.  I told her I'd try to set up an opportunity like that soon.  At about 1500, we stopped briefly at the Grand Staircase-Escalante BLM Visitor Center in Big Water.  The unique building was designed in the shape of a fossil shell and was filled with information about the types of dinosaurs that have been found in the area.  Mollie got some more passport stamps and then we drove about 30 miles west to the Vermilion Cliffs Contact Station at Paria.  This location allowed us to learn about that National Monument (we hadn’t seen any information signs during our circumnavigation).  The lady who worked there told us how the ubiquitous cliff formations in the area were labeled on maps by their colors (Chocolate, Vermilion, White, Gray and Pink).  She also described the “Grand Staircase” of these colors that were visible between Paria (in the Chocolate layer) and Bryce Canyon (in the pink layer).  The helpful Ranger suggested we take a drive through the Johnson Canyon, located about 25 miles to the west, so we could see all of the cliff levels.  Mollie agreed to let me explore this area and we soon located the 16-mile road (oriented north-south) that the ranger had mentioned.  Driving along that road was like taking a journey through the five geological eras.  Eventually, the paved road turned to sand/gravel and turned toward the west.  We found that this resulted in another 16-mile drive for us in the backwoods.  As we carefully made our way back to blacktop, we actually got passed by a speedy four wheeler.  After we reached US-89 again, I realized we hadn’t taken any pictures!  We drove north until we reached UT-12 and (despite construction delays) made it to UT-63 in good time.  By 1800, we arrived at the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park.  We immediately stopped off at the Visitor Center so Mollie could get her passport stamped.  She came back to the car with news that there was an the astronomy festival going on that night (we had seen signs for on our way into the park).  Much to our dismay, though, the ranger had also told her that the festival (along with all stargazing ranger programs) had been cancelled due to the cloud cover.  When we thought about it, we decided that we should be too upset because we had attended star party at the North Rim the night before.  The end result, though, was that we had a completely free night on our hands.  We checked into the Bryce Canyon Lodge and enjoyed a nice dinner in the main cafeteria (done at 1850) before going to visit our room in the “Sunset Building.”  We took a short drive to the laundromat to see if we'd be able to do laundry (we really needed to do some!) but found that it had already closed.  We then relaxed in our room.  At around the time for the sunset, we took a short walk from our room to the canyon rim to see it for the first time.  Mollie told me she thought it was “incredibly pretty” and "completely different from the other canyons" we had seen on this trip.  We stayed for a little while, snapping pictures, and then headed back to our hotel room.  We relaxed some more in our “TV-free” room, reading and looking at brochures of the park.  Mollie was able to connect to Wi-Fi somehow and wrote a great Facebook/Blog post about our visit to the North Rim.  We ended up going to bed early (2200) so we could wake up early the next morning to watch the sunrise!

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 11

I made Mollie get up at 0600 and we breakfast at the Sunglow Restaurant in Bicknell (finished at 0745).  We left the hotel and stopped for a gas fill-up at Brian Farm Service at Loa (0755).  We then continued west, using GPS to cross the mountains (we eventually lost signal); we took many back roads (including UT-62) and made a brief stop at a roadside “point of interest” site in Kingston Canyon.  Eventually, we found US-89 and headed south.  Mollie mailed post cards and bought stamps at the US Post Office in Hatch (1110).  She then called her mother.  We talked about current events for a little while and soon found ourselves in a place called “the Arizona Strip” (just south of the town of Kanab, UT).  We got off US-89 and followed AZ-389 to Pipe Springs NM.  While there, Mollie got a NPS Stamp and we took a very informative tour of the frontier “fort” (from the Mormon Pioneer days) that was located over an important fresh water spring.  We saw many animals and were able to avoid the worst of the heat while we were inside the building.  The tour was so good that I filled out a compliment form for the guide, Melanie, who turned out to be an intern (!).  We ate lunch in the car (snacks, leftovers) and made our way back to Fredonia.  We then took US-89A toward the Grand Canyon and saw lots of forest fire damage on the way.  We arrived at the North Rim entrance at around 1345 and were greeted by a herd of bison right near the entrance.  Mollie was on cloud nine and we stayed for a little while to watch them.  We had another time change (getting tough to keep up!).  After short time, we arrived at the Grand Canyon Lodge at North Rim and checked into our room a bit early (1430).  Before we moved the car (from the check-in area to nearer the cabin), we had a little time to walk around and look at the Grand Canyon.  Some allergies and some fatigue made me sleepy so I took a nap in the room (1500 to 1730).  Meanwhile, Mollie explored the area, visiting the gift shop (she bought presents for her sisters and mother), asking park rangers about animal viewing locations, etc.  After I woke up (felt better), I was ready to leave the room (1745).  We packed up a bag for exploring trails near the Lodge and then walked down to take pictures on the Canyon rim.  We ate dinner at the Deli in the Pines at North Rim (1825).  I had some pepperoni pizza and Mollie tried the Elk Chili.  She told me that the taste was good but that the ground elk mentioned in its description turned out to be giant chunks (and she then complained that she only got three pieces).  We decided to get another look at the Canyon, which was easily done because the Lodge had trails all up and down the rim and even had nice chairs on the back porch that people could sit on and admire the view.  Mollie snapped “a few” pictures before we headed back to the car.  We drove by the campground and used their WiFi for a bit.  Next (2000), we drove back to the meadow where we had seen the bison earlier.  Mollie told me that she’d "learned over the years that animals are more active at dusk” and she was hoping for a bit of a show.  Fortunately, she was not disappointed!  We found a huge herd of bison that were hanging out near the road and frolicking about, with the males squaring up a bit and the babies annoying their mothers (Mollie took a four and a half minute video of this).  I actually had to tear Mollie away from these activities so we could go back to the Lodge (they were hosting a “Star Party” and I wanted to get there before it was too crowded).  I dropped Mollie off get in line for the telescopes (with views featuring Jupiter and its moons) and re-parked the car.  After unpacking more stuff and taking it to the room, I walked down to the Lodge to meet Mollie.  It was very crowded but the lines for all of the telescopes were either fast or short.  We were able to see Jupiter and its four moons from several different telescopes.  The stargazer volunteers were worried that the clouds would hinder our chances of seeing a lot of stars but, luckily, the weather generally cooperated.  The stargazers showed the crowd the Big Dipper and the North Star, as well as others that had weird names and we were unable to remember.  We sat on some cool Adirondack chairs, looking out over the Canyon in the dark.  The only negative was that one side of the lodge was lit up very brightly due to the restaurant (it was still open late).  We stayed on the other side of the building and really enjoyed the clear night sky with no light pollution.  Overall, Mollie was very impressed with the event and said she was “able to see more stars than I’ve ever seen in my life prior to tonight!"  We stayed at the Star Party until around 2145 and then walked back to the room in the dark (using a flashlight).  When I’d made the reservation at the last minute (after four months of trying to get something on location), I found out there was only one bed available.  I offered it to Mollie but she said she was OK with sleeping on a pallet.  I double and triple checked this but she said she was happy and would make the best of the situation.  With very little to keep us awake (other than reading), we went to bed at 2245.

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 7

I realized this morning that I’d stayed in the same hotel when I was in Chambers in 2011 (it had a different name but was previously a Route 66 icon, “The Chieftain”).  Our day started early (whatever time zone we were in!) and we ate a nice (free!) breakfast at the hotel.  We then (0630) headed north on US-191, traveling deeper into the Navajo Nation.  We stopped for gas in the little “town” of Klagetoh (0840).  Mollie was a great help (again) with GPS directions and researching fuel prices before we needed the fill-up.  We continued north through the Reservation until we reached the larger town of Ganado, where we stopped to visit Hubbell Trading Post NPS site.  The weather was great again (60s/70s and no clouds).  All morning, we’d struggled with telling the actual time (the cell phones, bank signs and watches all said something different).  When we got confirmation, we discovered we’d “lost” an hour along the way.  The post, which flourished in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, was operated by the Hubbell family, who were very respected by the Navajo, for several generations and the place was still active during our visit.  Mollie got a NPS Passport stamp and we watched native weavers working and saw some churro sheep, the source of the wool needed for the beautiful Navajo rugs and blankets.  I bought Mollie a pretty Navajo winter hat (0925).  Nearby, there was also a group of young students there who were being trained to make native art and ranching maintenance.  It was great to visit such an interesting place but we then hurried on our way.  We drove a short distance north across the Painted Desert and soon reached the town of Chinle.  Just to the east, we found the Canyon de Chelly (pronounced “Shay”) Visitor Center.  After we got the NPS Passport stamp, we stopped to tour a “Hogan”, a traditional Navajo home, and learned a lot about the building and culture from teenage volunteers.  The rangers inside were also assisted by these young ambassadors of their nation and we got good advice about navigating the Reservation.  We spent the next 90 minutes driving along the canyon rim, stopping often to take short walks on the edge and peer through our binoculars.  We spotted horses grazing along the river deep in the valley (Mollie was happy).  The trees along the water (which apparently hadn’t been visible for almost 13 years due to a severe drought) were very green and a stark contrast to the reddish rock walls.  Our favorite stop was at the Spider Rocks, tall spires in the middle of the canyon.  We bought a Navajo bracelet from a native vendor (it was made of juniper berries and had a horse charm).  We also bought some souvenirs at the Visitor Center on our way out of the park (1320) and then headed into Chinle for lunch (chicken parmigiana sandwiches and chicken fries) at Burger King (1345).  As we were leaving, Mollie went out to the car without me.  When I saw her again, she explained that she’d decided to purchase lunch for a lady and her daughter.  After getting the food in the line, Mollie came out to the car with a pretty arrowhead necklace...  We headed north and then west (further into the Navajo Reservation) and we stopped at Navajo National Monument.  Not only did Mollie get a third NPS Passport stamp, but we learned a bit of the Navajo language (the ubiquitous term Tsegi means “in between the rocks” and is pronounced the same way as the word “Chelly”, which is related).  We got to take a walk on a paved path (Sandal Trail) along the edge of another canyon where the Ancestral Puebloan people built cliff dwellings.  The 135 room town (named Betatakin) was quite impressive.  On the way back to the Visitor Center, I detoured (solo hike) on the Aspen Trail, which had a huge descent into a relict forest of glacial era trees.  The temps had reached the mid-80s but there was almost no humidity, so the steep climb back to the car didn’t seem too bad.  After about an hour at the NPS site, we headed back to the east until we reached Kayenta.  There, at a different Burger King, we got milkshakes (1750) inside the restaurant and I posted about our trip on Facebook.  Mollie was having trouble getting in touch (via text) with her mother and this frustrated her.  By 1830, we left Kayenta, headed towards Utah (northeast).  Before we left Arizona, we got to see lots of horses and dogs roaming around on the northern edges of the Reservation.  We also watched as the terrain prepared itself to host the iconic landmarks that lay near the border.  The first monument in the Olijato-Monument Valley soon presented itself, and Mollie insisted that I stop at a pullout to get some photos.  From there, Mollie asked to stop at almost every pullout on the road.  At one of them, she encountered a large group of people (presumably family) from Omaha, Nebraska, who actually flagged her down (from another pullout that was about fifty feet down the road) to ask if she could take their picture.  She obliged them and I got out of the car to get a few more photos of ourselves.  Then the happy travelers piled into their van, which a teen girl in the group had dubbed the "Swag Wagon", and sped off down the road.  Before we parted ways, the driver of the caravan jokingly requested, "if you see us broken down on the road, please stop by and help!" Then it was time to get back to our pullout hopping.  Mollie wanted to stop to visit the Olijato-Monument Valley park but I asked her if we could skip the attraction.  The Native owned location charged $20 for entry, it was already 1900 and we had been on the move throughout several time zones for about twelve hours.  I tried to reason with her, saying that the views were enough to give her a bit of a photography high but that I was rapidly running out of steam from all of the driving we had done to get three NPS Passport stamps in one day.  Mollie made it clear that she REALLY wanted to go to the Monument Valley Visitor Center (Navajo land).  I’d been in the area in 2011 and knew that the view of the landmarks from US-163 was just fine for photos and I continued to stop at pullouts.  Mollie eventually acknowledged that she’d been able to get plenty of great photos and good views.  Before long, the Monument Valley was nothing more than a small irregularity in the horizon in our rear-view mirror.  However, the Red Canyon didn't stop there and, during our drive into Utah, we were treated to some more breathtaking views.  The sun was quickly making its way down to the horizon and soon its light only touched the plateaus of the canyon.  We passed through the town of Mexican Hat, a sleepy little town located along the San Juan River.  We spotted a bizarre balancing rock formation at the top of the hill, and soon realized that it was related to the name of the town.  The rocks looked like an upside down sombrero.  Clouds that had appeared in the sky while we were appreciating the canyon helped to see the sun off as we approached the end of our drive.  It was late and we weren't anywhere near a place to get a quick bite to eat, so we ate dinner (snacks) in the car.  Our adventure today ended in Blanding, Utah, a place that I’d discovered (from my pre-trip research) was a great headquarters for several days in the area near the Four Corners.  We checked into the homey little Prospector Motor Lodge (2055). After we got into the room, Mollie logged online and posted about our trip through Monument Valley.  For several days, I’d asked Mollie if she wanted to make the daily Facebook post.  She’d mentioned (both on this trip and the Spring Break in April) that she needed to write a Travel Blog for a school project (a graduation requirement).  With all the effort she took to make her write-up "perfect" (it was VERY good!), we had very little time to relax and unwind before going to bed (2245).

Summer Vacation Trip - Day 6

We were up early in Needles and were ready to go by 0600.  Mollie insisted on getting breakfast (burritos) at Jack-in-the-Box and then we headed east.  Our three hour drive on I-40 took us across the Colorado River into Arizona and across a pretty desert that continuously sloped higher.  By the middle of the state, we’d entered an alpine forest and Mollie mentioned how it looked like Wyoming (“I like it here”).  We stopped for gas (it was much cheaper than California prices) in Lake Havasu at 0640.  Mollie was excited because she saw lots of pronghorns.  We also saw a huge dead elk on the side of the road (it must have caused a nasty accident).  It was another amazing day of weather, with a crystal blue, cloudless sky and temps in the low 60s.  During the drive, we had lots of conversations about relationships and current events.  Just before we arrived in the Flagstaff area, we discussed her possible visit with her friend, Zack (from Texas), in Baltimore over the July 4th weekend.  By 0930, we had reached the Walnut Canyon National Monument, located about 10 miles east of Flagstaff.  We’d somehow missed it during our trip to the area in 2010.  There was only one (short) access road and a small parking lot, so we were lucky to arrive early (they were denying entry about an hour later).  We went into the visitor center, which was perched precariously on the edge of a rocky bluff, and got a NPS Passport stamp for Mollie.  We then walked on a trail that descended more than 700 steps into the steep ravine.  Almost 1000 years ago, the ancestors of the local native population built cliff dwellings and we were able to walk among several of them on and “island” perched above the canyon.  We saw lots of pretty birds, flowers and cacti but the resident mountain lions were elusive, despite Mollie’s many attempts to find them with our binoculars.  After we (somehow) made it to the top of the cliffs again, we walked on the shorter and flatter Rim Trail.  The cicadas were out in force and very loud (Mollie didn’t like them).  We also saw the ruins of a Sinagua Pueblo building the whole park was an interesting place.  After almost two hours visiting, we departed to the west, bound for Flagstaff.  Our plan for the afternoon was to stop at two parks (Sunset Crater and Wupatki) that we’d previously visited so Mollie could get the NPS passport stamps we’d missed before Mollie bought her book in 2016.  As she had been for several days, Mollie was a great help with directions and finding places for food, gas and lodging.  We stopped for a nice lunch (Culvers) at 1130 and then drove north on US-89.  First, we stopped by Sunset Crater National Monument visitor center and got another NPS Passport stamp.  Since we had visited this park back in 2010, we didn't dally for too long.  However, we did stop at one of the pullouts to walk the “A'a Trail” and got a great view of the iconic cinder cone for which the park is named.  We were soon back on the Loop Road that connects the Sunset Crater area to Wupatki National Monument and were granted our first look at the Painted Desert.  We were actually surrounded by that view for the rest of the afternoon.  Upon arriving at the Wupatki visitor center, Mollie got another NPS Passport stamp.  We went on a short walk through the remnants of the impressive Wupatki Pueblo.  The "Blow Hole" was particularly interesting, and we stopped momentarily to marvel at the ingenuity of the Natives that inhabited the area close to a millennium ago.  After the walk, Mollie grudgingly reported that her sneakers had worn out so badly she had nothing to wear.  At that point, I pulled out the “Walmart shoes” that I’d bought for her (under protest) and made her bring.  She wore them with little complaint, actually...  We left the park at around 1330 and backtracked to I-40.  We then headed east until reaching the town of Winslow. Mollie took a few photos of the “man on the corner” and other landmarks.  We got gas at the Pilot on the eastern edge of town and Mollie had fun cleaning the car windows with a long squeegee (1545).  Back on the Interstate, I encouraged Mollie to text cousins Chuck and Kathy to tell them about our trip (she did and they exchanged responses for a while).  After only about 15 minutes of driving, we arrived at the entrance to the Petrified Forest National Park.  Our first stop in the park was at the Painted Desert Visitor Center, where Mollie got another NPS Passport stamp and I got water.  While she was inside, she asked the Volunteer Ranger where we might be able to find wildlife inside the park (the answer was that there probably wouldn't be any and this displeased Mollie).  When she returned to the car, we began to drive through the park and were treated to some more beautiful views the Painted Desert.  We stopped at several of the park's many pullouts to take pictures.  Eventually, we arrived at the Blue Mesa and Mollie was happy when she saw two pronghorn antelope, admiring them through our binoculars.  We drove another quarter mile or so to reach the Blue Forest trailhead; we got out of the car and followed a paved pathway which took us down into a small canyon.  We got our first real look at the petrified wood the park contains.  However, the desert sun was beating down on us with a vengeance and some particularly annoying visitors spoiled the silence that we had enjoyed at the beginning the trail, so we turned around and headed for the car.  By then, it was about 1730, so we decided to head towards the park exit.  As we backtracked, Mollie kept her eyes peeled for any other pronghorns or animals that could have shown themselves on the horizon, but her search was unsuccessful.  We were tired and had been on the road for almost 12 hours so we decided to stop early for the night.  We found the nearby (Mollie called it “quaint”) town of Chambers and checked into the Day’s Inn at 1840.  We ate dinner (snacks) and I went for a swim in the hotel pool.  Meanwhile, Mollie wrote the first Facebook post of the trip (she needed to “blog” for an IB graduation requirement).  We had no idea what time it was because all the clocks said something different.  We spent the rest of the evening resting up for another long day of adventuring.  Bed was as around 2230.

Montana Trip - Day 19

[finally figured out what time zone I'm in (Pacific) - so, ended up waking up at 0600L - my car cleaned off my big storm last night - had breakfast in the lobby and chatted with the owner - he bought a deserted motel last year and is renovating it room by room (who said the American Dream is dead ?) - on the road by 0730L - east on I-40 to Sanders - got gas - continued south on US-191 - lots of evidence of the rain: mud across the road, water actually flowing through (the usually dry) washes - through St. John's and into Springerville (pleasant little towns) - mailed post cards - lots of volcanic rock - cool (I'm still at high altitude!) - east on US-60 - long constuction delays near AZ-NM border - time change (again!) - drove (sprinkles and muddy truck water...) until I saw signs for Pie Town - decided to stop to see what the hubub was about (1230L) - while I was eating their famous "New Mexico Apple Pie" (with green chilies and [pine nuts], the lady behind the counter told me how ladies in the vicinity used to make been pies and dried apple pies for the ranchers (before there was a highway there) - the place only has 35 residents and got its start with the little pie shops (1920s/1930s) - I just missed the annual festival - continued east until I found the Very Large Array (VLA), just east of Datil - I'd been wanting to see this place for years, especially after the visit to Greenbank in West Virginia (see AUG 2007) - it was a lot different than I expected - to start, there are 27 radio telescopes - they can be arranged in several configurations, so depending on the camera angle, it looks like there are many more - when I drove up, I only saw a few (turns out, they are spread out over miles and miles of the area) - nice little visitor center (very informative) - ominous weather in the distance, but still took a self guided tour (walk) of the grounds - got very close to one of the units (big!) - saw the "High Plains Lifter" (train that moves the telescopes into position) - drove east towards Socorro (rain all the way) - on I-25 and drove to the south (windy!!!) - got away from the rain - decided to stop at the El Camino Real State Museum (exit 115) - had to drive through back country to get to it (it was, luckily, open on Wednesdays) - very interesting displays, told of the history of the trail from Mexico to New Mexico in the Seventeenth Century - it was an International Heritage Center, after all, so it had a definite slant against the Mexican War - still, it was worth the stop - could see some of the trail in the distance - drove back towards the interstate and figured out I'd need to drive a good distance to get back on it - used NM-1 through canyons and valleys until I could re-enter I-25 (1700L) - drove south for a while - got gas in Hatch - had been researching the location of Spaceport America - no signs about it AT ALL (despite reports that it was finished) - I read you would need to go to Truth or Consequences and ride a tram to the site - screw that! I got off at exit 32 (there was actually a sign there, saying "Home of Spaceport America") and started off on a dirt road that followed El Camino Real (two birds with one stone!) - very remote - sun setting / double rainbow - after about 15 miles off the pavement, I made it to a hiking trail area - climbed to the top of a ridge and could see... NOTHING... - I think I needed to go about 20 more miles on the increasingly poor road - by now, the sun was setting - so, I'll have to come back... - drive back to the highway took a good bit - on I-25 when it was completely dark - south to Las Cruces - got dinner at Arbys (to go) - after entering Texas (wow, it has been a while!), drove through crazy-driver-land (El Paso) until I was in the desert - speed limits picked up to 80 (!!) - made it to Fort Hancock (and a motel) at 2145L - it was good to stop...]

Montana Trip - Day 18

[my neighbors woke me up at 0630, which was OK - out of my room and back on the highway before 0715L - changed to US-491 in "downtown" Monticello - hardly any traffic (kids waiting for bus...) - made it to Cortez, Colorado, around 0830L and (after switching to US-160) to Mesa Verde visitor center by 0900L - needed a coat! - got some help to determine the tours I should take - in the end, decided to go on the Cliff Palace tour (1000) and the Balcony House tour (1200) - picked up some lunch (to go) at the [Red Mesa] Cafeteria across the street and then drove down to where the cliff houses were - arrived just as my tour was beginning - very informative with spectacular views - got to walk in front of and on top of one of the houses (some areas closed because of structural damage) - stories about the Kiva and history of the Ancestral Puebloans (got a little mystical) - had to climb up a wooden ladder at the end - finished with the tour in just over an hour - stopped a few times on the way to the next tour (hoping to get on the 1130 - didn't happen) - ate lunch outside in the pleasant weather - waited with an increasingly large group until a ranger appeared and told us they missed the 1130 and would have to combine that group with 1200 - pretty large group... - good ranger, though, great stories and explanations (the 1130 ranger showed up halfway through, calling himself Ranger McTardy) - stone stairs down, tall wooden ladder to get up (...) - very pretty views from the balcony house - ranger told us to be quiet and it was REALLY quiet - wandered through several stages of the place, learning about construction, dendochronology, history of the cliff dwellers - to get out, we had to crawl through a narrow tunnel and climb up a rock face with little footholds (and chain-link railings) - NOT a tour for the faint of heart... - the tour lasted just over an hour - stopped several more times in that area and saw even more interesting places (most would never be seen by white people for over 600 years after they were last occupied: hard to spot in dead-end canyons) - drove over to the nearby Mesa and found a whole different stage of the culture: pit-homes - learned about the agriculture of these people - finished up at the Museum (VERY crowded) but didn't go in - visited post office and chatted with the clerk - drove out of the park without stopping and backtracked to Cortez - followed US-160 all the way into the Navajo Reservation and then to the Four Corners site - I'd been wanting to visit the place since my roommate went there in 1991 - it had been newly remodeled - put my foot on the "X" that marked the intersection of borders (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona) - walked around the square, reading about the history of the borders (and ongoing disputes about precise location) - vendors from the Navajo Nation (and Ute Nation) were selling wares all around the square - chatted with one of them (stories about tribal resentments, conflicts, land development ideas, religion, etc. - very interesting) - backtracked to CO-41 and drove north - desert very barren - into Utah again (and UT-162) - gas in little Indian village of Aneth - then drove on county roads towards Hovenweep National Monument (about 20 mile "detour") - open range really a factor (starting to see horses, too!) - interesting visitor center (volunteer couldn't have been much older than Erin & Brenna!) - walked on the park trail for a bit, photographing the interesting stone towers and other ruins (different than cliff dwellings because of the exposed nature of the buildings) - drove a short distance into Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (and Colorado again), but it was clear I was losing the daylight - drove back to a semi-good road and turned west - saw Indian jogging with his three dogs (one a wolf-mix) - more stock in the roads - barren, rocky, sandy terrain (with lots of canyons) - eventually on [UT-262] and then US-191 - followed that to US-163 - views became increasingly breath-taking - passed Valley of the Gods (wow!) but didn't drive on the dirt road to get closer - instead, drove towards the sunset towards Monument Valley - near Mexican Hat, saw balanced flat rock (looked like it was teetering) - terrain and photo-opportunities probably unparalleled (even on this trip!) after that - I've seen these images in movies ("The Searchers" and "Forrest Gump") but nothing compares to watching the sun hit the red rocks as it "goes to bed" (as Forrest would say) - took tons of photos, but none adequately captured what I saw... - into Arizona - eventually came to town of Kayenta - probably the first busy place since Cortez - I saw signs for an Indian road to drive out to Monument Valley, but the sun was down by that point - got dinner at Burger King (1930? time zone change ?) and kept driving: this time, east on US-160 - seeing the beautiful sights was worth it, but the drive I had to do to get to a hotel turned out to be unbelievable - after I turned south on US-191 (again), started to pick up radio stations from Los Angeles, Dallas and Oklahoma City (!) - big storms in the south (lightning)... - only found one place all night that had hotels: Chinle, near Canyon De Chelly National Monument - I would have liked to stay, but there was only one room available at the three hotels in town (and it definitely was NOT worth the asking price) - so, continued south again, bound for I-40 - drove through my first real rain storm of the trip - wasn't too bad - most gas stations closed and no hotels at all (Navajos must not want people staying on their land overnight...) - finally, at Chambers, Arizona, found a pleasant motel "Chieftain" (very inexpensive) run by nice people - settled into bed late (still don't know what time-zone I'm in...).]

Salt Lake City, UT (USA)

Finally got another flight today... Got started early with great weather all the way to El Paso. First stop was Yuma, Arizona - didn't go well (passengers late), but we finally got on our way again. Our next leg, up to Salt Lake City, gave us a chance to fly over the Grand Canyon (excellent view - even better than our recent visit!). Weather in Utah was brisk with snow, although we missed the bulk of the precipitation. First time I've been in SLC since 1984... Mountains were very inviting - wish we could have stayed overnight! After a quick turn and a scenic departure over the Great Salt Lake, we were on our way home. Visibility improved over Oklahoma - in time for us to see the Red River and enjoy a panoramic view of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Probably the nicest flying weather I've seen in the area for a long time... Got home relatively early.

Spring Break Trip - Day 7

Up pretty early again, but kids now getting used to time-zone... Left before 0900L and drove towards New Mexico. Stopped a little while in Winslow, AZ - famous from the "Eagles" song "Take it Easy." The smart folks there have built a tribute park - complete with guitar-playing hero (statue) and a window-reflection view of the "girl, my Lord" and her flat-bed Ford. As we drove out of town, the tourism channel was playing the song... Next stop was Subway for lunch. We spent most of the rest of the morning and early afternoon at the Petrified Forest National Park. In addition to the obvious attractgion, it is really the only park in the area that features great views of the Painted Desert. I made a mistake and didn't enter on the south side (off US-180) - that would have shortened the day a little... Still, we saw some really big tree sections (very colorful) and took a few short walks in valleys covered with petrified wood. There was a good museum about the animals who lived in the area many years ago - lots of fossils there too. Rest of the day was spent driving to Albuquerque. Not too bad of a trip - without snow! We were lucky, too, because as we reached the western edge of town the rain began and the temperature dropped below freezing. I-40 closed east of town and I was glad we already had our hotel from last year reserved. Had dinner at Burger King - with an indoor "play-place" jungle gym. At the hotel we barely had time for showers before bed (time zones again...). Tomorrow: Ellen and David!

Spring Break Trip - Day 6

Before we left Fort Worth I had hoped to leave Flagstaff for a northern trip to the Four Corners area (including stops at Monument Valley and Mesa Verde National Park), but I found several reasons not to along the way (time, tire, weather). To be honest, the little town of Flagstaff has been growing on me... We stayed close to the hotel today and will leave for Albuquerque tomorrow. First, we drove over to the Meteor Crater. I've seen it from the air, but nothing prepared me for the immense size and hidden inner fear I felt when I considered how something relatively small made it... The museum was very good and we had a nice guided tour of the crater rim. Lunch was at Subway. Next, we drove over to US-89 and took a tour along the road connecting the Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monuments. Both were interesting - the first was just one of several mini-volcanos that popped out of the ground less than 1000 years ago (recent enough to entomb some Indian towns in the lava) and the second was a series of well-built Indian Pueblos scattered around the otherwise empty Painted Desert. We took hikes in both places (and the kids did a couple more Junior Ranger projects). The hardened lava on both sides of the road was even more impressive than the Valley of Fire (see MAR 2009). A highlight at Wupatki was a natural feature the Native American incorporated into their settlement called the "blow-hole." It provided a jet of cold air from an underground series of caves (what a great thing that must have been during a hot summer!). I was impressed by the whole area - certainly not a boring sandy desert. The colors were tremendous (certainly worth the namesake). I've got to say that I really like Northern Arizona: mountains, amazing terrain, trees, temperatures. Capped off the afternoon with a stop at the nearby Cameron (Indian) Trading Post. It was HUGE and had a restaurant, where Nicky and I tried the local fare: Navajo Taco and Navajo Stew. We bought lots of souvenirs before heading back to our hotel and fitting in one more swim. Kids definitely getting tired from the trip (sort of dreading Sunday night/Monday morning...).

Spring Break Trip - Day 5

Today was the big day (not just Saint Patrick's Day!): Grand Canyon! Everyone was up early again and - even with breakfast - we made it out on the road by 0830. Brenna navigated us onto US-180 (we've seen that one a bunch!) and we got a really scenic trip through the San Francisco Mountains up to AZ-64. Saw LOTs of snow (piled above car level in some places) and found out about the area's skiing/snow-shoeing. Not too many people moving about by the time we arrived at the Main gate for the National Park. Went to the visitors center and we enjoyed a ranger presentation before walking along the rim and basking in the great views. None of us had ever been here, so everything was new. Checked out the free bus system and I decided to take a gamble on the "red route" - it takes you out to Hermit's Rest (farthest West you can drive in the park). Pretty big line but worth the wait. We saw elk several times along the road and snow was everywhere. Got off for a quick snack at the end of the road and then took our time getting back to the bus-transfer station (made three stops with scenic views and hiking trails). Met some nice people (that has happened a lot on this trip) who told us the good things to try in the park - and that we should go to Sedona someday. Kids working hard on their junior ranger all day. Time got away from us - by the time we were done with the bus it was already 1530L! I took the bus back to the car while Nicky and the kids listened to a ranger presentation on the California Condor. Made it to the visitors center in time to get their pins. Then took AZ-64 to the eastern entrance of the park, stopping at nearly every canyon view until we got to a place for a beautiful view of the sunset. Mostly ate food in the car all day - not by choice but because of the lack of restaurants... As we exited the park, we all agreed that the trip had been an adventure - that all of it was more than we had expected. It would be nice to return and take the train from Williams to the park or stay in a hotel/campground there. Drive after sunset via US-89 was very pretty - even with a sliver of moon could see glimpses of the painted desert. Made good time to the hotel - kids even had time to swim for awhile before bed.

Spring Break Trip - Day 4

Everyone woke up earlier (0630!) because of the time change and the time zones... Saw TONS of Border Patrol in this area - and some speed zones that used unoccupied cars with cameras on top of long poles. As we drove towards Tucson, realized that we would actually be able to visit the nearby Saguaro National Park - something that Mollie had asked about since we left Texas ("can we see the Saguaros?"). It was definitely worth the southern detour just to walk among these unusual giant cactii. On unexpected curve-ball: as we drove up to the visitors center, a thoughtful person stopped by to tell me that we had a deflated rear tire. After attempting to solve this problem with our portable air-generator, I ended up having to put on the spare. Luckily, this didn't really affect the plans - still got another Junior Ranger pin. One nice thing about having an Autoport near my work is that the warrantee on tires they sell is good anywhere in the country at other Autoports. After a short drive, the nice folks in Tuscon's Autoport started right away to fix the tire (valve stem). We were only delayed by about two hours, all told - and we had time to get lunch and check out the old aircraft "bone-yard." I did think a few times about my Aunt Helen (who lived here for many years until she passed away a few years ago)... As we drove out of town, Nicky called our cousin, Tiger, and found out that he could meet us for dinner in Phoenix if we made it there in time. Drive was pleasant - still saw lots of Saguaros - and we drove into Phoenix just as everyone was headed out (rush hour). Had a great Italian dinner with Tiger and Kerris - it was nice to spend some time with them outside of the once-a-year Thanksgiving visits. We (sadly) said goodbye and drove north on I-17 just after sunset. The drive to Flagstaff was interesting: back in the mountains (up above 8000 feet a few times), temperatures dropped from 81 degrees F to 36 degress F. Told the kids ghost stories as we drove along in the spooky darkness. I was actually concerned about all the "elk crossing" signs in the darkness, but we made it to our hotel (near US-29) OK. Everyone crashed as soon as we got in the room...

Spring Break Trip - Day 3

Had heard that snow was forecast - and wanted to say goodbye to Leo and Sean (they were going skiing) - so got up around 0630L. Found the ground blanketed with about an inch of snow - and more was falling. Leo mentioned for us to be careful with speed traps along the roads, especially in Indian Reservations. Luckily, the roads were clear - but I wanted to get down off the mountains before it got worse. Got Nicky and kids moving (not by choice) and we left around 0815L, sad to leave the cousins. Our original plan was to drive to Albuquerque - but that was nixed when Mary showed me on her laptop that the pass west of the city (I-40) was closed. So, settled for a southern route - at least to I-25. No problems across the mountains on US-70 and had great weather across the White Sands. This time, we really didn't stop (except for gas) and made it to Las Cruces pretty quickly. Explored a little - not a bad town (especially Picacho neighborhood). Brought some food to eat in the car - saved time. Around noon, realized that I-25 wouldn't work for us - continued snow in ABQ - so decided to press on to I-10 into Arizona. Found an interesting possible future job site... As we reached US-180, decided to detour (better weather) to Silver City and the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. Things going well on that tack until I got pulled over for 53 in 45 zone (?) just as we reached town. Dampened spirits a little, but got to access road to park around (what we thought was) 1300L. Started to see interesting signs about how it was a "two hour drive from this point" - but only 40 miles. Two hours later, I understand: 20 mph all the way in some of the most remote country you will ever see in the lower 48 (see AUG 2007). It was beautiful - mountains, big trees, deer. After all the switchbacks and three mountains/valleys, the HUGE bummer at the end of all this was that we weren't able to see the actual dwellings after the drive! A road was out, increasing the hike from 1 hour to 3 - and they closed the trail earlier than normal accordingly. In addition, I figured out at this point that we hadn't adjusted our car clock to the new time (Daylight Savings) and we were off by an hour.... Nicky was more upset (at missing the view ?) than the rest of us - I may have spent a silver bullet on this one... After a short nature hike along the Gila River (that took out the bridge) near the birthplace of Geronimo, we drove back along the scenic (albeit LONG) road to Silver City and had a quick dinner at Taco Bell (dinner mistake #3 - wrong kind of tacos = free food). Drive out of town on NM-90 was very pretty - complete three sunsets (hills/mountains) and lots of deer on the road. Made it to I-10 around 2000L. Another time change as we entered Arizona (body clock getting confused...). Brenna wanted to be my navigator this evening - in addition to help me with the map, she found a hotel for us (Benson, AZ). It was a good place to stop after all our driving and the kids topped it off with warm cookies.

Thanksgiving Trip - Day 7

Nearly everyone had left by this morning, so we didn't wait too long to check out of the J W Marriott hotel (0935). Andy was still here, so we met up and headed out to visit the Hoover Dam. It wasn't a bad drive, although we saw some early signs that the Thanksgiving travelers might make for bad traffic. In any case, we made it down to the dam by around 1100. We decided to take the Power Plant tour. This was a good choice, I think, because we got to go down to see the generators and the kids got to learn about the hydroelectric power generation there. We also walked along the dam - people were driving their cars across it too! The new US-93 bridge is getting built across the Colorado downstream from the dam. It looks just like the New River Gorge bridge [see West Virginia]. Wish it was done already - there would be less traffic. We got some souvenirs and then headed back to Boulder City for lunch at the A&W. The kids (and Andy) were in good spirits. We checked into our hotel in Henderson (the same one we used at the beginning of the trip) and the kids went swimming.  Yes, it was still cold... Meanwhile, I took Andy over to the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign and got him to the airport for his return flight. After a delicious fire burned pizza dinner (from Sammy's), we all went to bed. We need to get back on East Coast Time...

Virginia City, NV (USA)

Got another trip to Fallon today... Itinerary enroute was Norfolk to [Jacksonville, North Carolina (Albert J. Ellis) ?] to Fort Worth to Yuma to Fallon. After checking into our hotel, the Best Western Fallon Inn, at 1800L, our crew got into a long conversation about whether there was enough time to do anything social.  We had a rental car and, eventually, everyone agreed that we should head over to the historic town of Virginia City (of "Bonanza" fame) for dinner. The drive wasn't too bad, but almost everything was closed when we got there. We ate a steak dinner at the Delta Restaurant - home of the "Suicide Table." The food was good. We spent about two hours here and then headed back to get some sleep at our hotel, the Best Western Fallon Inn.