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CLICK ON ANY PICTURE TO VIEW A LARGER IMAGE OR REVIEW ENTIRE IMAGE ALBUM OR GOOGLE MAP LOCATION1 July 2010Slept in today, Bob was even up before me. Lazy today, didn’t do too much. We did see the Longhorns out by the front gate. They are very cool. I kept looking for them since we got here on Sunday, but had given up. We were supposed to go out to eat tonight, but we decided to hang out at the park and have our one last ride around with Gypsy to see if we could find some animals and watch the sunset. Tomorrow we have to leave, time to start packing up. 2 July 2010We entered New Mexico about 10:30, the terrain had subtly changed from mesquite trees to creosote bushes, sedges and grasses. Not too many trees at all. The elevation increased slowly until we were at 7400 feet altitude in Santa Fe. We elected to stay in a commercial type RV park, which is not the usual for us. It was a matter of the State Parks being full for the 4th of July weekend. This park is convenient for us as we explore Santa Fe its museums, culture and restaurants. We asked around and were directed to the New Mexican restaurant that the locals go to. We hit the jackpot again! New Mexico's food is known to be spicy, they will let you know, and you'll have the choice of red or green chili, but they will not compromise on the hotness. That's the way they do it, and that's the way they serve it. I wouldn't have it any other way. It is not uncomfortably hot, but it is nice that they give you a warning. I went with the green chili on some cheese and meat enchiladas. Kim ordered Tacos, (her favorite) and loved them.

Santa Fe is a long way from home. It’s nice here so far, weather is nice and cool at night. Our RV Park is a little cramped, but I can finally get to do some laundry or sit by the pool if I want to. We’ll be here for the 4^th of July weekend. Going to a few museums tomorrow and then the Plaza for some eating and window shopping. I hope Gypsy makes it thru the weekend with all the fireworks, she hates them and the bottle rockets have already started.

3 July 2010We went to the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. New Mexico has the 3rd largest population of native Americans behind Alaska and Oklahoma (reservations). The natives were here from around 10000 B.C. The Spanish explored at the end of the 1500's. New Mexico became part of Mexico when Mexico gained its independence from Spain. Then in 1846 the Mexican - American war begins and the US claims possession of New Mexico. I love the adobe architecture and the earth tones used. Using modern materials, the call if "faux-dobe". There is a city ordinance that all buildings will be constructed in an acceptable adobe fashion and there can be no more than 3 stories tall.

6 July 2010

We had a shorter ride today. Bob had a headache the whole way. Neither of us slept well last night. The scenery was so nice. Lots of different colored buttes and some flat lands. We arrived at Bluewater Lake about 1:30. The temperature is nice, 86 with a breeze. The air is getting much drier and my contacts are ready to pop out at any second! Bob and I took out bikes out for a look around. Gypsy was so upset about a fly being in the camper with her that when we got back she clawed a big hole in the screen door, very unlike her. We will only be here for a night and off to Arizona tomorrow.

It is hard to believe that Bluewater Lake can even exist out here. From the scenes above, you can turn off the road and head uphill into a canyon about 8 miles and come to a lake with views. There are some wild horses living here, but we didn't get a chance to see them. The camp host said they were being a bit skittish with all the 4th of July traffic. We saw plenty of signs of them though. We were told there were two colts and a 3 day old with the herd. We took a walk to the Pinion Cliff look-out and had a chance to take some nice pictures. I practiced my Kung-Fu on the edge of a cliff, it felt good, I felt no fear, none, not a quiver....... Kim was having a fit. "Make sure don't have the keys to the truck on you, in case you fall" Kim yelled at me. A large wise old crow watched me practice. I spoke some words that the Indian in Santa Fe had chanted. We are now brothers. The same crow came by our campsite for a visit before we left. Since we met the day before he let me get pretty close. We passed by the Laguna Mission which was a ways just off the highway on a small hill. There were some high cirrus clouds that made a rainbow in the sky. The camera didn't do a very good job of capturing the colors. The rainbow was quite evident with my polarized sunglasses, but without them it was hard to see.

7 July 2010I can almost tell you how many miles I've driven by how my butt feels. Today was a longer than usual drive. We decided to stay in a KOA campground today. This is a commercial type campground with all the amenities one would want to make camping as much like home as possible. Temperature for today 82 daytime high with 48 night time low. We're going into town to pick up a screen repair kit for the screen door.

8 July 2010

It was a drive through the desert today. We started in Flagstaff Arizona and ended up in Barstow California. Al Jerreau was singing Route 66 just as we were passing through the area. It would be impossible to actually drive all the way on old route 66. There are parts still around, but much of it is bypassed and not even used any longer. The traffic after Kingman really was sparse. It seems that only those that HAD to go through the desert went. We stopped breifly in Needles California for a quick lunch and to stretch our legs. I'm not kidding when I say this, it felt like someone had a hair dryer on as I stepped out of the truck. The wind was blowing about 15 mph and it was hot. 116 degrees today. Needles, often sets the high temperature for the day in the US. We also stopped in Kingman to do some shopping. The high wind was stopping traffic over the Hoover Dam a short ways away.

My days are starting to blend. I believe it was yesterday on our way to Flagstaff, AZ that we crossed the continental divide. The scenery is spectacular and ever changing. When we stopped in Needles it was hot like I'd never felt before, Bob says hair dryer, I say oven! It was so hot and low elevation I got a nose bleed. We kicked butt today and drove for almost nine hours. We were going to stop in Kingman for the night, but it's just as hot and dry as Barstow CA. Nothing in between and Bob said "lets go for it". Today not far out of Flagstaff I saw my first tumble weed. Shortly after that we saw cacti and mountains, lots of mountains and volcanic rock. We also crossed over the Colorado River. When crossing into California we had to stop for a food/ agriculture inspection. No welcome center here! They confiscated Bob's Mesquite wood that we've been B-B-Qing with that we picked up in Texas. Sure does make for a nice tasting steak!

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