Let's Go Home for Christmas!

Well folks, it's been great here in the South West but it's time to see the Grandkids.

We left Casa Grande on Friday and started our long journey home. We will travel highway 10 to northern Florida - about 3000 km - and store the rig there. Then we will take just the truck with Missy and go home as fast as we can up #75. We are to have a family Christmas with Jim's sister, her family, our family and, of course, Jim's Dad on the 14th and 15th. Aren't we blessed!

Goodbye Casa Grande! This is a BIG country and Texas is a BIG state! We are not doing the "Tourist" bit on our way home, but we are covering a lot of miles and are seeing a beautiful country. West Texas was greener and more interesting then I had remembered. The sun set while we were there. It was very special. One of those sunsets that turn the whole sky pink, like looking through rose-coloured glasses. I must remember to look at the world that way more often.

We stopped at San Antonio- one of my favourite cities - but no time this time. Don't miss the River Walk though.

We are in Baton Rouge tonight. I wish we had time to see the local plantations etc. and I would love to see New Orleans again. We visited before Katrina, but haven't seen it since. I hope Cafe Du Mond (sp.?) is still there.

I'll share some more when I next have access to the internet. Chow!

Casa Grande is Grand too!

Nice eh?Why not be here?


Even while we're swimming, sunning, blogging we still find time for seeing the sites.

We visited Tuscon and an old Spanish Mission south of there called San Xavier. The left tower was being restored while we were there, so I have used a postcard to show you the whole structure. There has been a mission here since the 1500s and the statues and paintings inside have been there almost that long. Impressive!

We also have visited an archeological site called Casa Grande Ruins. The archeologists are still working on a large area there. It was a community about 1000 years ago. The main structure is protected somewhat from the elements by a large roof. As you have gathered by now, I like old stuff. My husband Jim is sooo glad!

The sunsets here can be spectacular. Don't you agree?

Goodnight!

Arizona is "GRAND"!

On to the Grand Canyon - that is really GRAND!











We took the Grand Canyon Railroad from Williams, AZ to the South Rim for our tour. What fun! We saw a Wild West Show before we departed and met some fun "Outlaws". On the ride home the outlaws attacked us on horseback, boarded the train and "robbed" us - but the Marshall captured them. That's Sage, Buck and Wolf in the picture. All great fun!

There are no words for the Canyon. You just have to see it. Even the pictures don't come close. I wish I were young and healthy enough to trek down into the canyon - on mules - one day down, camp (primitive), and back the next day on the mules. I don't wish to ride the rapids! So scary! From the rim, the river, that averages 500 feet across, looks like a tiny ribbon. A very special experience!


Next we camped near Sedona, in Red Rock Country, and took some day trips to see the scenery. Sedona is a beautiful tourist town, very Old Western in style, with many wonderful sculptures and expensive shops with great art - NO JUNK! But the best part is the scenery!

We visited a quaint little Artist community waaaay up the mountains south of Sedona called Jerome. Don't try going there in an RV. Switchbacks and Vistas galore!

On November 10th we finally made our way to Palm Creek RV Resort in Casa Grande, AZ.
Time to settle down for a month or so. We have not "toured" so continually since our first couple of years RVing. It has been an exciting adventure that I wouldn't have missed, but I'm ready to relax by the pool for a while and play around with "Blogging".

On Toward Arizona

Hey! It doesn't look too bad.
Click on pictures if you want to see them in larger format.

On with our adventures - When we left our friend in Tennessee, we stopped at Memphis to visit Graceland. What a time warp that was! I was great. I hated to leave all that great music. Rap just dosen't cut it!

We visited Fort Smith in Oklahoma briefly. There was a great old Victorian house there - the only Bordello on the list of National Historic Sites. What about New Orleans?? Maybe their's are not "historic".

On to New Mexico, one of my favourite places. We met our friends Alice & Frank in Albuqurque (sp?) and did the tourist things there and in Santa Fe and Taos. Wonderful! The highlight for me was "Sky City", the Acoma Indian Pueblo high on a large flat mesa. People have lived there for over 1000 years! Still do - no electricity or running water, but they sure make wonderful pottery. If you know me, you know I love Indian stuff.

More on the next installment!

I'm having fun! I hope you are.

Welcome to My FIRST Blog Post!

Last summer I didn't know what a Blog was, but I met some great people, called "Geeks on Tour" - Chris and Jim Guld, a couple of weeks ago and "Hurray!" I am writing in my own Blog.

Jim and I have been having an adventure this fall. We left our home base in Ontario, Canada after the Canadian Thanksgiving and have travelled some 4500 miles since then. We stayed at a favourite state park in West Virginia - Stonewall Jackson - small campground, big park, great site and beautiful views.




We also visited the Great Smokie Mountains National Park. It is a great time of year to go there. The scenery is really something! If you have never been to Cate's Cove in the park, you are missing something quite unique.

After visiting a dear friend there in Tennessee, we headed west towards Arizona. More on our travels next time. I have to see how this first post looks!