If some of you thought you saw us lurking around Charbonneau early this last month - you did! One of the things you can't predict on a trip like this is when an unplanned event will change your itinerary. We have been very lucky to have had few revisions during the year-if you remember, a broken ankle and a car accident barely slowed us down!
Unfortunately, my Mom had to go in for surgery, and we wanted to be there with her, so we left the Van in Phoenix and headed home for 10 days. Thankfully, she is recovering well, and our whole family and her Louvonne neighbors have pitched in to help, so that we could finish our trip.
With the hot weather in the Southwest, we had the opportunity to really enjoy some great outdoor locations. Cliff dwellings were big on the agenda this month. Mesa Verde NP is the largest location of this era, and it did not disappoint as we clambered around many large dwellings that housed 150-200 people at the peak of their civilization.
We also really enjoyed Canyon de Chelley near the Arizona/New Mexico border. A rollicking jeep tour through the river in the canyon took us to pictographs and petroglyphs, as well as many ruins high on the canyon walls.
Easter weekend found us in one of our favorite cities, Santa Fe. Our previous trip there only whetted our appetite to come back again. This time we checked into the Governor's Inn, a lovely hotel just off the main square, with room furnishings and other amenities that really fit the Santa Fe area-and so convenient to all the attractions.
On a crisp, sunny Easter morning, we walked to St. Francis Cathedral to the sound of bells resounding throughout the square. A very memorable experience in this church dating to the 1500's.
One of the things we have woven through the year is a trip back in time on Route 66. This month we enjoyed two great examples of preservation of this early travel route. Both Gallup, NM and Flagstaff, AZ take pride in their connections to the highway, and have preserved many of the old signs, buildings, hotels, and restaurants of the era. We enjoyed staying in two classic old hotels where many stars stayed in the 50's. The El Rancho in Gallup and the Monte Vista in Flagstaff are worth checking out.
As we headed for Phoenix we were awed by The Petrified Forest. Every state has petrified wood, but the timing and combination of minerals in this area combined to create really brilliant examples of this mysterious formation. The sad thing is that this park is disappearing in visitor's pockets at the estimated rate of 1 ton per month! Truly unbelievable.
Having a little extra time before we needed to be in Phoenix, we headed for Tucson to do a little retirement home looking. While we were down that way, we took a side trip to Tombstone, and also saw the Saguaro NP-cactus "trees" that are every bit as impressive as the Redwoods, in their own way.
We enjoyed one of our favorite camping experiences right outside the park at a city campground called Gilbert Ray. Each site is privately set in the middle of the natural desert, with only a little gravel and a picnic table separating you from the view and the mountains in the background.
When we reached Phoenix, we had two things on our must do list. Phil wanted to be fit for new clubs at Karsten (look out checkbook!) and we had to visit Taliesin West since we had been to Frank Lloyd Wright's other Taliesin in Wisconsin. This was a totally different experience, but every bit as fascinating. After seeing his workshop, we had to go see one of his famous buildings right in Phoenix, the Arizona Biltmore. You can see his style all over that fabulous resort, even after several facelifts over the years.
Once we returned from the trip home, we were off for Colorado, before our final leg home, back through Utah and California.
A couple of long days' travel through the 4 Corners area, Cortez (Mesa Verde Park), Durango and we landed in Manitou Springs, the quaint part of Colorado Springs. We loved this little town tucked in the foothills with great restaurants and nicely restored vintage motels.
We did a whirlwind tour of the area including hiking and watching the rock climbers in The Gardens of the Gods Park, a "driveby" of The Broadmoor (wish we had time to stay there and play the course-a reason to come back!), and a very memorable trip to Pike's Peak on the cog railroad. We were chicken to drive The Rolling White House up that dirt road with no guardrails! Definitely worth the climb, but at 14,130 feet, it is difficult to get your breath.
A second day took us to Cripple Creek for a gold mine tour and a look at a town that gambling saved from extinction. The mine tour was excellent and the town seems to be doing well with the preservation of the old buildings, now housing casino after casino.
Our last day before I must get this article off, included The Olympic Training Center and the Air Force Academy. The chapel is as incredible as they say it is.
One more month on the road, and we will be back in our lovely Charbonneau to enjoy the summer with you. It was hard getting a "taste" of home, but knowing it was so short lived. We're also fighting the mixed feelings of this Great Adventure coming to an end. But, as you can imagine, we will make the most of every last day!