Hey, Wikitree folks Pip, and everyone, as promised pictures….. see you are doing some touring of the Tucson area, spent a couple winters there in our fifth wheel camper. In case you didn’t see enough of the Southwest here is some more inspiration for travel.
So, Back from our over month long trip in the motorhome to some bucket list places, for me, in the Southwest USA. We had a really great trip, tried to stay in the mountain towns the longest, as it was hot in some places. Cottonwood Arizona was about 10 degrees warmer than was supposed to be and our AC tried us with thermostat trouble, but husband fixed it with only 2 days at 84 inside first.
Our first stop was Carlsbad to see Carlsbad Caverns, of course. We walked down from the Natural Entrance, which a mile and a half isn’t bad. But hubby was complaining by the time we got down to the Big Room which is a couple more miles around . Thank goodness an elevator goes back up ! It was worth it after your feet were back up!
On to Ruidoso, New Mexico area, which we stayed up in Capitan Mountains where it was often only 70 something in the days. Took a day trip to Roswell, New Mexico UFO museum. Was hoping they had some pieces of the actual crash, but it was less than we can see on any TV special any day, we thought. But the trip down and back up in altitude helped me fully adjust to the 7,000 feet we were camped at the base of the mountain
If you have never seen White Sands National Park, put it on your list, INCREDIBLE! No it’s sand not snow :)
I could only get a reservation for 4 days at a camp in the Santa Fe Area, I shopped and had wine while my husband took naps and played guitar back at camp. (poor hubby look at his ugly view from camp above). We were both happy! Then he would come fetch me for some wonderful southwest fare at dinner. It was a perfect 84 and sun every day. (Above, one of the wineries and the oldest house, still standing, in the USA from 1646, of course was part of Mexico then). Also took a day trip to Taos and while the town itself was just okay, the drive up there and to the Rio Grande River Gorge and Canyon was really pretty (so many more pics to get in so skipping that one).
Cliff Dwellings called Montezuma’s Castle near where we camped around Cottonwood Arizona. The Sinagua people who lived there, used ladders to get up there and there were over 40 villages there in the same canyon back at the time. No one knows what happened to the tribe that left suddenly in the 1400’s.
Visited a couple times to nearby old “haunted” mining town Jerome, Arizona. Didn’t find spirits this time, but learned of colorful past characters fit for a great Western movie. Like the madam who betrothed to 8 men. They got in a gunfight over her and everyone ended up shot, including her, no deaths. Just wondering if she still married one of them ? The town also had many fires and is slipping down the slide of the 5000 ft. mountain at an inch a year, it’s built on a fault line. The old jail slid down 225 ft., with the prisoners inside! The museum has a seismic meter in the basement you can view a screen upstairs live. Yikes! There was a nice spike, so that concludes our visit today, plus they were closing.
We made day trips to Flagstaff which was a beautiful canyon drive up highway 89. Definitely put it on your list ! If I post pictures of everything, would eat the whole chat, trust me it’s beautiful but hard to capture in a picture too.
A couple day trips to nearby Sedona where I had my first helicopter ride…. Here’s just one of many beautiful red rock formation views from above. I really liked the ride, would go again today. A bit pricey though :(
Was supposed to go on to Utah but it was very hot there for the time of year almost 17 degrees above the normal for the time of year. So cancelled 2 reservations there, and we decided to head back toward the Midwest and was thinking how about Colorado Springs. Got a reservation close to Pike’s Peak (another thing on my list). Above a view from midway up.
Day trip to Cripple Creek Colorado gave us some wonderful views of the Aspen trees starting to show color.
Hiked all around The Valley ( strike that) Garden of the Gods. These red rocks and various other colors just stick up out of the forest scape! The one above is called Balanced Rock. Back in the day a guy owned it and charged for pictures taken with it, now it is free. But show up early for parking near the main Valley Trail. Don’t miss it, Wow!
Hope you all enjoyed the Southwest and Colorado USA pictures ! DEFINITELY worth an in person trip if you can. And to Tucson while you are down there ! Enjoy your brother too, Pip !
Genealogy: Managed to get in 92 sources during the Thon, as we had just returned. Found 4 merges sitting ready in my list the Sunday after, and so did those. One would have worked for a Thon point, oh well done now, and initiated a few more merges.
Regards to you all and have a healthy, happy weekend….. Trish, adopted born Loretta Morrison.
