2015-02-22 Tucson AZ

We arrived in Tucson yesterday and we are staying in an RV Park with lots of orange and lemon trees.  The lemons are the size of small grapefruits and delicious.

Today we went to Saguaro National Park East and hiked a few miles on Tanque Ridge.  There are so many different types of cactus, lots of quail, road runners and jack rabbits.  

Quail

Road Runner

 Dead Saguaro - very woody

 You make a home where you can

Later we went to the Desert Diamond Casino, drove out to Old Tucson, drove over Gates Pass, and saw another beautiful sunset.

2015-02-20 White Sands National Monument

We got up early this morning and headed to New Mexico.  Along the way we saw a “herd” (8) of Javelinas (small black haired piggies) – I wasn’t fast enough to get a picture.

We made it to Las Cruces, NM by 2:00 so we headed up to White Sands National Monument.  The sand is so fine and white. It drifts so much that they had plows out moving it to the side of the road.  You would swear you were driving in snow.

2015-02-19 Big Bend National Park – Day 2

Long day – 2 hikes.  The first was Cattail Falls - 4 miles round trip after driving 3 miles back an old dirt road.  They don’t put this on the map anymore because of the delicate eco-system.  We were told about this by the bartender back in Marathon.  It was worth the walk – very secluded and pretty.

The second hike was Boquillas Canyon – only 3 miles round trip down to the Rio Grande.  Along the way you would see little “stores”  - large rocks with Mexican bead work and canes and a container saying how much to put in for each item.  Once we got down to the river we saw the man on the opposite shore with his rowboat and burro.  He was singing beautifully and there was another container asking for tips.  At the end of the day he crosses over and picks up his wares and money. 

 We stopped in Terlingua Ghost Town on our way back – lots of old ravaged buildings and a cool old cemetery.  We came back later for dinner at the Starlight Theatre.  On the menu: Chicken-Fried Wild Boar & Tequila Marinated Quail.

2015-02-18 Big Bend National Park - Day 1

Our day started in Marathon with frozen water hoses and no heat.  We were able to get out and on the road by 9AM.  The drive to Terlingua took us through the middle of Big Bend National Park.  Beautiful scenery.  After getting settled in Terlingua we drove back into the park through Chisos Basin.  We hiked the Lost Mine trail but never made it to the mine – all up hill. After seeing a snake and running into another hiker who went all the way to the end and never saw the mine, we decided to turn back.  It was still a 2 mile hike. From there we drove down to Castolon to hike another 2 miles in the Santa Elena Canyon along the Rio Grande.  Had to dip our hands in the water just to say we did.

 Chisos Basin

 Chisos Basin

 Lost Mine hike - at 1 mile marker

 Lost Mine hike - on the top of a ridge - this is where we turned back.

 Along the way to Castolon

 Santa Elena Canyon along the Rio Grande (end of the path)

 Back at the opening of the Santa Elena Canyon

 The white mounds are volcanic ash

 In the foreground at the base of the mountain is a wall (or fin) following most of the base - called Fiery Fins due to their red hue.

Sunset back in Terlingua

2015-02-17 Marathon TX

From New Orleans we drove to San Antonio for one night then on to Marathon TX for the next.  This is about 60 miles north of Big Bend National Park.  In the morning we will move on to Terlingua which is closer to the park (on the west side).  We had dinner at a great little bar at the Gage Hotel - buffalo burgers & venison sliders with Big Bend beers beside a fireplace with a skull hanging over it.  There were gun commercials on the TV.  Vaughan was in heaven.

No, really - they are out there!!

2015-2-14 New Orleans - Endymion Parade

What a beautiful day in New Orleans for the Mardi Gras Endymion parade with our friends Danny & Jeannette.  The weather was fabulous, the parade was spectacular with Luke Bryan as the main attraction.  We caught lots of beads and went back to the house for an amazing spread – complete with gumbo and homemade King Cake.  Awesome party.

 Just landed in Livingston LA at an RV park on a pretty lake - heading to New Orleans.

Endymion Parade - before dark.  Beads are flying.

2015 - Our Next Trip

It's been too long since our last big trip.  We will be leaving this Friday, Feb 13 (yes, we know it's Friday the 13th - my father always said that was his lucky day).

If you want to follow along, here is where we will be:

Feb 13-16:  New Orleans, LA for Mardi Gras
Feb 18-20:  Terlingua, TX - Big Bend Natl Park
Feb 21:  Las Cruces, NM - White Sands Natl Park
Feb 22-28:  Tucson, AZ - Saguaro Natl Park & Picacho
Feb 28- March 14: Pahrump, NV - Death Valley & Las Vegas
March 14-28: St George, UT - Zion Natl Park, Bryce Canyon NP
March 28 - April 18:  Moab, UT - Jeep Safari Week, Dirt Bike Rally, Canyonlands & Arches NP
April 18-25: Monticello, UT - Beef Basin, Cedar Mesa, Grand Gulch, Comb Ridge
April 15-30: Cortez, CO - Mesa Verde Natl Park, Canyon of the Ancients NP, Hovenweep NP
May 1-???:  no plans yet (probably New Mexico - Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Gallup area)

We'll be home sometime in mid to late May potentially.

It's nice to be retired!!