Off to the Grand Canyon - 2014 - Day 2

Today, after a stop at the Blue Beacon Truck Wash in Gallup, NM, it was on to the Painted Desert/Petrified Forest. Most reviews that I had seen online indicated a couple hours were all that were needed. After stopping at the visitor center, unhooking the Jeep, we were off on a four hour 20+ mile trek through first the Painted Desert and then the Petrified Forest. We had purchased a driving guided tour CD that we loaded into the Jeep’s stereo and listened to along the way. This was definitely a good investment. The Painted Desert is where we started,

 

the colors are incredible the reds to grays with the green thrown in made for some beautiful landscapes.

As we headed into the Petrified Forest, the terrain and colors did not change much.

There were several stops along the way. Like this petrified log, known as Agate Bridge, that was used to cross this small arroyo, after the rains had washed the ground out from underneath it.

This 110 foot long stone tree resisted erosion from the waters as the softer ground and stone around it washed away. After many years, in order to preserve it, the concrete beam was added underneath to support it.

This project was completed in 1917. Other items found by explorers were Indian Petroglyphs on the flat surfaces of the rock.

Of course railroads played an important role in the development of this western country

and there are many references to Fred Harvey creator of the Harvey Houses along the path of the Santa Fe Railroad.

Many of the view points offered the chance to wander into the landscape deeper, like this one trail down into a beautiful canyon.

Many interestingly shaped Hoodoos could be seen from the road

something that we were not expecting to see.

And of course being the Petrified Forest, there was a lot of petrified wood.

Illegal to remove from this National Monument, it is sold in the gift shop and in stores in a wide vicinity. After hooking up the Jeep and having a quick lunch it was on the road to the destination for the day, Williams, AZ.

Off to the Grand Canyon - 2014 - Day 1

Back in 2014 we decided it was time to visit the south rim of the Grand Canyon and to visit a couple other sites along the way. As always the fastest way from Lubbock is through Clovis and Santa Rosa to I40, then go west. We always try and break the trip up so that we never go more than 400 miles in a day or eight hours on the road. Generally, we try and keep it in the 300 miles and six hour range. After fueling in Albuquerque, NM we stopped for the night at the Sky City Casino and hotel. 

They have a 36 site RV park

 FHU (Full Hook Up) with cable. They provide a shuttle service (driven by the security staff) to and from the casino/restaurant 24 hours a day. You are kind of in the middle of nowhere,

but it is just off I40, about 50 miles west of Albuquerque. For being so close to both the Interstate and Railroad tracks, you hear very little noise from either. On a trip in 2016 we did try the restaurant and found it acceptable. There is a little store on the property that though not over large does provide a fair variety of chips, snacks and frozen meals. There is also diesel and gas available at the location. A good place to spend the night.

45th Annual Albuqureque Balloon Fiesta Does Not Disappoint

Along with three other couples and our good friend David, we attended the 45th Annual Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. The last one that we attended was five years ago - the 40th Annual. As always the event is filled with anticipation and excitement. And, like the last time, we had some "newbies" with us. It is fun to watch first time visitors when they see all the balloons go up for the first time. Since we normally arrive on the last Thursday of the event, that evening there is normally a balloon glow, and this year was no exception. First thing every morning is what is called "Dawn Patrol" This is generally three or four balloons that launch to check the wind currents. The two pictures below are from "Dawn Patrol."

 

As the sun begins to come up over Sandia Peak and the mountains to the east, more balloons get laid out on the ground, inflated and launched. Of course there are a bunch of people watching. This year the total attendance for the nine day event was around a million people.

 

 As the sky gets brighter, more and more balloons get filled and sent skyward. Catching the winds and sailing down the valley. All sizes and shapes of balloons. bright colors contrasting with the bright blue sky. A site to be seen for sure.

Where we have stayed for the last three times is right on the grounds near the International Balloon Museum. They turn a large parking area into an RV parking lot.

From this vantage point there is a perfect view of the balloons rising above the launch field and sailing away. Some times it can provide some very exciting moments, if a balloon looses a little altitude as it crosses over.

 

There are a few other traditions that have developed over the years. These include breakfast one morning at Weck's Restaurant. Weck's is a great place for breakfast. The other is a trip to Old Town Albuquerque. It is amazing what you see around the square - besides the shopping.

So, we finish another Balloon Fiesta - plan for more trips and head for home. We will visit again  in the future - but for now, so long and safe travels.

This is a very delayed post - thought it had been published -

Well to finish 2015, we had a blizzard. Oh how I wish it was from Dairy Queen. Winter storm Goliath, or the Blizzard of 2015 brought 50+ mile an hour winds and officially 11 inches of snow. Personally we probably had about 10 to 12 inches of snow and drifts to three feet in some areas. The storm and winds came from the north, but most of the drifting was around the south part of the house. This blizzard finished off a year that had brought 29.45 inches of rain, which is 10.33 inches above the average.  It was the wettest year in the last eleven years. Now the blizzard was the third most snow received in a single event since records were kept which was 1911. We just shovelled out and with two jeeps - did not slow us down - much.

On Crutches - Temporarily

The day after my 63rd birthday, I went in to have some minor issues repaired that have been bothering me for two or three years. It was kind of a present to myself, so I could walk without having pain in both my left knee and left foot.
In medical terms I had an Arthroscopic surgery to repair a tear in the meniscus. The cause of the tear is undoubtedly wear and tear of a moderately active older male. A person who will do everything himself rather than pay to have someone else do it or ask for help.  The problem with pain in the knee, making it painful to walk, had been evident off and on for a couple years. It would come on, I would rest and it would go away normally after about a week. About a year ago, during an emergency water heater replacement, I spent a lot of time on my knees working on the floor area of where the water heater sits. The knee pain came on and a month later it was still there. I made an appointment with one of the best Orthopedic Surgeons in Lubbock. Being one of the best surgeons, it took me more than two months to get an appointment. After X-rays and an exam, the Doctor felt that it was a torn meniscus and thought a conservative approach might be the best. This consisted of an injection and orders to slow down on walking, no kneeling for prolong periods of time, or at all, use of an exercise bike and rest. Two months later it was still painful to walk more than a mile, and daily walking, especially over rough terrain just kept the pain at the forefront. Another call to the Doctor and an appointment set two months out. At this appointment it was decided the next step was a MRI which would give a clear picture of what was going on. Results showed a tear in the meniscus. Surgery was scheduled for two months out - February 17.
Now, the toe, left foot. This has been causing discomfort since back in '13. I visited a local Podiatrist, who after x-rays, stated that it was arthritis and that in-soles would give me the best relief. So, after a year with Dr. Scholl's I got an appointment in early '15 with the Orthopedic Surgeon. After x-rays, he agreed that the pain was caused by arthritis, but that surgery was the best way to handle it. In addition, he discovered a genetic deformity in the toe bone that would have to be corrected with a "moberg" procedure. His advice was, keep on with life and when it got so bad I could not stand it, to come see him and he would take care of it.
Well, the stars aligned and after he got done with the meniscus repair, he moved down a little and did a Cheilectomy and the Moberg procedure. I'll let you google both of these so you can read the gory details.
Needless to say, I am on crutches until at least Wednesday, which will be my first follow up. The crutches are to give me "stability" while walking. I have pretty good range of motion in the knee, and it is the toe that is the most painful if moved in the wrong direction. I'll go back to work tomorrow. At least we are in a single story facility that meets all ADA requirements.
So, a very long story to tell you what is going on.
Travel in on hold for a little bit, but we plan a couple trips this year, including a trip to the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque.
So long for now -

What is their story?

The other day I made a trip to our local Wrench-A-Part for some parts for a project I am working on. This is the typical junkyard where you find rows and rows of vehicles. As I walked the rows looking for a particular part from a particular vehicle, I wondered about these cars, vans and trucks. What was their story? What event took place to put them in a place where they would be picked over. Where people would scavenge parts and pieces akin to vultures over a road kill. Some appeared to have arrived mostly intact. Others it was apparent the reason for their new purpose in life. Damage to the front end, back end, and so many with the sides caved in. Were they transporting precious cargo when the event took their life or were they the innocent victim. What about the people that may have been in them. No blood evident, but airbags deployed tells a lot of the tale. As I looked through them for the parts, it struck me the condition, not of the vehicle now, because the interiors of most were in various stages of destruction. But, music CDs lying on the floor, cigarette butts in the ash trays, beaded necklaces, like they came here right after their life changing event.
Now they sit on old wheels, waiting for someone to come by and take a part, a piece, maybe a switch, a connector, a motor, drive shaft and the like. Giving what is left of them before the final end comes and they meet the crusher. Then shipped somewhere to maybe become part of another vehicle again.

One interesting thing about this place - I have heard of and seen junkyard dogs, but has anyone heard of junkyard Big Horn Sheep?

Still alive...

Wow, with work and more work, there has not been much time for anything - travel, photography, blogging.... OK, maybe photography. The agency I work for has for the last year had a new building under construction. This building, about 9,980 square feet will house all of our administrative offices, a Data Center, Training Center and storage. The Training Center and Data Center are both constructed to withstand an EF5 Tornado. Only makes sense since we live along Tornado Alley. Part of what I did was every week visited the site and took pictures of the construction progress. With more than 65 GB, yes, 65 gigabytes of photographs, it has been a large undertaking. The photos are filed by date. I am now working on taking a few of those pictures to try and make a time lapse slide show that will give people an idea of the construction process. Not as easy as one would thing.  But, it has been with great joy that we moved into the facility on October 15, 2015. Now we are in the final completion stage, fixing door closers, touching up paint, working bugs out of the telephone and access systems. But, it is ours and we will be here for a lot of years. This rendering is just about spot on as to what the building actually looks like.

Dedication and a Holiday Open House are scheduled for Wednesday, December 9, 2015