Our Big Adventure

December 30-31, 2011

2012-01-02T10:14:00.001-08:00

December 30-31, 2011

This morning we continued west taking a detour near Santa Fe to visit Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. This BLM-managed site was established in 2001 by Bill Clinton. Since it is new I am not expecting much. I thought it would be a good excuse for some exercise. As we drive closer, I am getting a little worried by all the snow we are passing; plus the temperature has yet to climb above freezing. I am thinking we should come back in the summer.

The monument terrain is composed of layers of ash and mud deposited from volcanic eruptions that have been common in New Mexico’s geologic history. Our hike takes us up the eroded edge of this ash bed. It turns out to be wonderful, and a two-fer nonetheless. The first part of the four-mile roundtrip is up a slot canyon that was much narrower than I expected. In many spots it was only body-width. The canyon was beautiful against the white snow and blue sky. This is one of the few real hikes we have taken in wintry conditions.

The second part was at the mesa top and was totally different. Here teepee-shaped formations abound. Apparently the volcanic ash part of the ground is easily eroded. But when the force of erosion encountered a resistant boulder or rock, the earth below was protected leaving behind these conical shapes. Very Cool!

The downside of hiking in winter is getting back down the cliff. This National Monument turned out to be very popular and between the sun and many footsteps the snow is now packed ice. Our descent is treacherous with both of us slipping several times. Aimee says I just missed hitting my head on a rock by an inch.

Normally on our way from Amarillo to Tucson we take the short cut across the mountains of New Mexico. This time we decided to follow the all-interstate route. I-25 follows the El Camino Real National Historic Trail. El Camino Real (Royal Road) was a Spanish trade route that connected Mexico City with Santa Fe. In New Mexico the trail follows the Rio Grande River. It was used starting in 1598 for almost 300 years until a rail line was laid atop of it.

South of Socorro, we arrive at the El Camino Real Heritage Center. Unfortunately we got there an hour before closing because Aimee made us stop at a quilt store on the way. We had to make a mad dash through the museum before it closed.

We continued following the trail south but didn’t make it very far before sunset. We spent the night in Truth or Consequences, NM. This town was originally named Hot Springs but changed its name in response to a contest offered by the game show. On the way out of town the next morning we noticed hot springs steaming in the distance.

On this long drive back to Tucson we have been listening to a linguistics course we did a few years ago. It is just as interesting as the first time. It is fascinating to see how all languages change dramatically over time. In the absence of writing to “freeze” pronunciation, people make lazy shortcuts. For example, you can easily see how the English word “nothing” could evolve into “nuthin”, then "nutin" and “nudin”, and likely “nud” in only a few generations. This is how Latin slowly and naturally evolved into Italian in Italy.

December 29, 2011

2011-12-29T19:59:00.000-08:00

December 29, 2011

We are on our way back to Tucson. The Midwest is having an unseasonal warm spell. We take advantage of it and visit Chickasaw National Recreation Area in south central Oklahoma. Our first stop is at the Travertine Nature Center to watch the short movie and peruse some exhibits. Aimee is glued to a tank of apparently amorous swimming turtles. The focus of the park was 33 natural springs that became popular years ago for their apparent therapeutic waters. To protect them, the local Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians sold the property to the Federal government who turned this nature reserve into Platt National Park in 1906. Since then, the appeal of water springs has waned and drought has dried up most of the springs. The springs were combined with an adjacent lake and demoted now to just a recreation area.

From the nature center we take a very pleasant stroll along Travertine Creek to two of the remaining springs. They are barely flowing. No problem, it is warm and sunny. After taking a quick drive another part of the park, we head out and spend the night in Tucumcari, NM.

December 21, 2011

2011-12-23T13:44:00.000-08:00

December 21, 2011

We are in day three of our annual drive back to the Midwest for Christmas. A snowstorm blew through Amarillo so we opted for the warmer, but longer, southern route through the heart of Texas. That means we drove past Memphis this morning. Aimee and I haven’t been to Memphis for many years so we combined our need for a break with my desire for a little exploration. We first stopped at the National Civil Rights Museum. It is housed in a new building built adjoining the old Lorraine Motel. This oft-photographed motel was where Martin Luther King was assassinated. Aimee instantly recognized the small two-story facade when we pulled in the parking lot.

The museum is kind of a two-fer. The main building houses a museum chronicling the black struggle for civil equality. It is well done and interesting. Martin Luther King’s name is mentioned in almost every panel because he was the primary organizer of the series of boycotts, sit-ins and demonstrations throughout the Jim Crow South during the first half of the 20th century. King modeled his strategy on the non-violent actions of Mohandas Gandhi that helped win independence for India. It was sad to see how violent the reaction of the White South was. The history lesson ends on April 4, 1968 in the motel’s Room 306, and its now infamous balcony.

The second part of the museum is across the street in the old boarding house from where James Earl Ray made the fatal rifle shot. This building is devoted to the crime scene and is eerily reminiscent of the School Book Depository Museum on Dealey Plaza in Dallas, TX. There is even a significant section on the possible conspiracy theories with this assassination also.

At noontime we drove over to Mud Island to have lunch. This city park on an island in the river has a half-mile long model of the lower Mississippi. We saw it on our first trip to Memphis fourteen years ago and I thought it was very cool. Unfortunately it is closed for the season. So we punt and head for my hometown of Godfrey, IL. On the way I realize we are going to pass by Mastodon State Park in Kimmswick, MO. We reach it shortly before dusk and make a quick hike around its bone bed trail. Although scenic it is uninspiring. Plus the museum is closed and only open on weekends in winter. We learned about this historic site when we visited Clovis, NM this summer. Like Clovis, archeologists found Indian arrowheads here embedded inside extinct Megafauna fossils proving man migrated to North America at least 12,000 years ago. "Clovis point" arrowheads would be known instead as “Kimmswick” points if the local archeologist who made the discovery around 1900 had documented the discovery better.

September 6, 2011

2011-09-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

September 6, 2011

We are on the west side of Los Angeles and need to go east to return to Tucson. Amazingly it is a two-hour drive just to cross the LA metro area. And that is going the speed limit! With LA’s notorious traffic it could be an all day journey, not to mention that the RV is a scary ride in heavy traffic. So Aimee shouldn’t have been surprised when I woke her at 4:30AM and told her we were leaving. She didn’t think I could wake up that early.

On the road before 5am I was shocked to find the highways weren’t empty. With all the cars I see during the day, I often think nobody works anymore. It is nice to know that some people actually get up early and still go to work.

We made it to Yorba Linda, CA on the east side around 7am. We took showers and caught up on emails till 10am when the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum opened. It is a beautiful place, well manicured and richly decorated. I guess I had the impression a disgraced presidency wouldn’t have attracted this much money. The library was built on the site of Nixon’s birthplace and family orchard. The original house is still on the grounds.

The museum was outstanding, part autobiography but mainly an in depth history book on the 50’s and 60’s. It really is too much to see in one day. I could easily come back. I am glad we saw Reagan’s Library recently. These two make a marked contrast. Even though both were Republicans from California, their presidencies were exact opposites. Reagan’s persona and message was uplifting, he had a successful presidency, he revitalized the country, and in his campaign terms, “it was a new day”. Nixon on the other hand, was our worst day.

The section on Watergate is surprisingly candid. It was recently redone by the National Archives, who took over the library a few years ago. It is obvious Nixon was a paranoid guy who saw conspiracy everywhere. In some ways he was justified, since it is likely his 1960 presidency was stolen by Chicago (Daley) voting fraud. But I am a big believer in character. We don’t vote directly on issues. We have a representative government. We depend on that elector to use his best judgment in making decisions. If we elect a lying crook looking out for his own benefit, we the people lose. Unfortunately as a country, we continue to reelect crooks election after election and then wonder why we have problems.

In the early afternoon, we left Yorba Linda heading east back to Tucson. It doesn’t take long to hit desert. In Palm Springs we saw what has to be the worlds largest wind farm. Thousands line both sides of the highway. In our travels we have seen wind farms popping up everywhere. What I am always in consternation about is the high percentage of non-spinners. Maintenance is a big issue. They are put up for the tax benefit but since they are uneconomical on their own, they are not worth fixing when they break. That is the dirty secret of subsidized programs. I estimate half of Palm Springs’ windmills sit idle.

We spent the night in Quartzite, AZ home of a massive RV show. Not now, but in January. Currently it is hot hot hot!

September 5, 2011

2011-09-10T17:02:00.000-07:00

September 5, 2011

From Simi Valley, CA we drove next door to the Visitor Center for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. This NRA encompasses the whole coastal mountain range west of LA and is a hodgepodge of various state, national and local parks.

We have a time crunch so we decide to do mostly a driving tour. We stop first at Paramount Ranch. This is an old studio property that the National Park now owns. The Santa Monica Mountains have been the backdrop for countless movies. We walk around an old western set that is looking pretty shabby. The surrounding hills look, for good reason, like the mountains in the TV show MASH.

We then drove south along Malibu Canyon to the ocean. There we followed the Pacific Coast Highway past the Malibu coastline. It is beautiful but crowded. We finished at the harbor in Oxnard.

At 1:30 we caught a boat to Channel Islands National Park. This park consists of several islands just off the coast. We chose to be dropped off at Anacapa, the closest and smallest of the group. It takes an hour for this slow barge to traverse the ten miles. It was also a bumpy ride. We forgot the Dramamine. Aimee and I both looked at each other wondering who would get sick first.

Anacapa is a five-mile long spine of rock jutting out of the ocean. Sheer cliffs completely surround it. Isolated from California, different and unusual plants grow here. We hike to each end. Most of the rocky island is completely covered with a carpet of ice plants, a fleshy groundcover with pretty flowers. There is also a strange kind of stunted tree called coreopsis that looks dead but is really just hibernating till the next rainfall. The one negative is the stench.
It is a major breeding ground for pelicans and sea gulls.

Our return trip to shore is packed, overloaded in my mind. We added a dozen people who camped overnight, all their gear, and six large kayaks. Looking for a smoother ride, we got seats at the stern.

September 4, 2011

2011-09-08T23:35:00.002-07:00

September 4, 2011

This morning we drove into the Los Angeles metro area stopping in Simi Valley. There we found Ronald Reagan’s Presidential Library and Museum. I have to say it was very moving listening to Ron again. His message was always upbeat and stirring. I found the museum to be very good, even though we moved through it quickly. We lived this era and know the history well. Incredibly the museum is built around an entire Air Force One jet. I have no idea how they got it on top of this hill.

It almost seems déjà vu listening to Ron speak. Running for governor of California he talked about the poor economy and persistent budget deficits. He solved the state problems. Later running for president, he talked about the ailing US economy. He fixed those problems too. California and the US are in similar straits today. Who is the new Ronnie that is going to save us this time? We might have an inkling if we stay. The Republican Presidential Debate is being held here in a couple days. They asked me to stay and say a few words.

Through one of our RV guidebooks we found a park in Simi Valley just down the road from the library. It is surprisingly empty for a holiday. It is a gem, a small county park hidden away, with no recreational facilities that would lure the locals.

September 3, 2011

2011-09-08T23:35:00.001-07:00

September 3, 2011

We drove again all day, south through California’s central valley past more orchards and tomato farms. California is an immense state. Finally north of Los Angeles we climb out of the valley and stay at the only campground we could find with availability. This is Labor Day weekend. I have grown to dislike holidays. It causes difficulty finding a place to stay. We have to stay far out of town and contend with holiday rates.

September 2, 2011

2011-09-08T23:25:00.000-07:00

September 2, 2011

August is history and northern nights are turning cold. That is our signal to turn around and head south. We return to California and descend back into the Sacramento Valley. As we drive for many hours, I still can’t believe the number of orchard trees we pass. They are seemingly endless.

The highway (I-5) is in terrible condition. California is broke and probably can’t repave it. It’s amusing to see all the tomatoes on the side of the road, apparently bumped out of trucks by the potholes. I thought about stopping but Aimee nixed the plan. She is not cooking California “road kill”.

We spent the night at a nice county park on the bank of the San Joaquin River.

September 1, 2011

2011-09-08T23:12:00.000-07:00

September 1, 2011

Last night we drove to Ashland, OR. It has great summer weather, beautiful scenery, and is home to a Shakespeare festival. So after dinner we drove in to town and saw Love’s Labor Lost in an outdoor Shakespearean theater. The play was so-so but the actors were great.

From Ashland we drove west to Oregon Caves National Monument. The last ten miles was up a very windy cliff road. When we arrived we were immediately questioned again about bat disease and visiting eastern caves. We got a reprieve after saying we had been recently disinfected. We were then allowed to walk to the Visitor Center, where we bought tour tickets.

Given a choice, Aimee much prefers these group tours through lighted caves. I am not so impressed however. To me Oregon Caves is very ordinary and not much different than the other thousand caves throughout the country. Nevertheless it is a nice tour. I was randomly flashing my light on the various formations, when by accident I found the most interesting thing for me. A piece of historical graffiti dated 1877 from before it was named a national monument.

After hiking uphill on the cave tour, we return to the Visitor Center via a nice stroll thru the forest that gives us nice views of the valley we drove up.

August 31, 2011

2011-09-01T22:14:00.000-07:00

August 31, 2011

Lava Beds National Monument’s claim to fame is the huge number of lava tube caves. At the Visitor Center we borrow flashlights and then set out to explore a few of the easiest. We start at Skull Cave. This tube is short but cold, so much so, that there is a patch of permanent ice at the end.

Our second trek is Valentine cave. We don’t go far, maybe a hundred yards. It is a little eerie going in an unlighted cave by yourself with only a couple flashlights. Caves have little allure for us. Plus this one has several junctions. I didn’t realize that lava tubes branch off and the tubes are layered on top of each other. We turn around to go back and immediately run into a intersection. Uhoh!
I didn’t notice that on the way in and panic momentarily sets in. Which way? Fortunately another couple is talking at the entrance so we find our way out. Whew! That was too close. The next handful of caves, I look in the entrance but that’s it. My bravery starting to come back, we go in the last easy one, Sentinel. We could hike this one for a half-mile and leave by a second exit. Instead we go a hundred yards and turn around.

Aimee and I are not big cavers. If we were this would be a very nice playground. It is a beautiful park and there are lots of tube caves, large and small, that you can explore on your own, and despite our fears, are relatively safe. You can’t get “too” lost. I could see families having fun here.

This park is a two-fer. On our drive out of the park we explore the above ground history. The Modoc War was fought here in 1872. The Modoc were Indians that lived on a large shallow lake that used to exist on the edge of the lava fields. They refused to go to a reservation in Oregon, so the Army was sent in. Despite being outnumbered 10 to 1, the Modoc held out for six months among the rocky outcroppings and lava tubes inflicting heavy losses. We take a half-mile hike around the main battlefield “lava fortress”.

The park is actually a Three-fer. A few miles away is one of nine sections of the new far-flung park WWII Valor in the Pacific WWII National Monument. This one is the Tule Lake internment camp. We learned about this place at Manzanar a couple weeks ago. Tule Lake started out as one of the ten Japanese internment camps but turned into a more notorious segregation camp. The army forced all internees to answer a loyalty questionnaire. Those that objected or answered with qualifications were deemed disloyal and got sent here. It was a stupid “military intelligence” questionnaire, like asking everybody, “Are you a spy?” The real spies wouldn’t say yes. I met the ranger for this park at Lava Beds yesterday. She gave us a private tour today of the jail after lunch. Despite being new she was very good. Even though most of the camp was sold off or scrapped, it actually doesn’t look too different today. The jail is now surrounded by a migrant labor camp, with the same rows of barrack housing. That is a weird twist of history.

August 30, 2011

2011-09-01T22:11:00.000-07:00

August 30, 2011

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is a lake formed by a dam across the Sacramento River. It is a picturesque lake nestled in a hilly valley. We sat and had our cocktail by the lake last night.

Whiskeytown is also gold country. Prospectors discovered gold here igniting the gold rush of 1849. I give panning a try in the very stream that ignited the rush. I came up dry. I need to come back on the weekend when Park rangers demonstrate proper technique and the prime locations. Till then I’ll have to break the news to Aimee that she is not getting that gold anniversary ring.

On the way out of the area, we stop for a short visit to Shasta State Historic Site. Shasta is a ghost town from the gold rush era. This place is confirmation that the only people who got rich panning for gold were the suppliers of pans.

From Whiskeytown we drove north past the snow-capped volcano Mt. Shasta. In the northeast corner of California we arrive at Lava Beds National Monument. The park is one small section of Medicine Lake volcano, the largest in the West. It is as tall as Mt. St. Helens but many times wider (about the size of Chicago) because the lava was thin and runny. This kind of lava flows down the side of a volcano inside tubes. This area is so full of tubes that the land looks infested with giant moles.

From the Visitor Center we take a hike through a short tube in which the park has installed lighting. But before we can, we get grilled on other caves we have visited. Since we toured Mammoth in Kentucky last year, our shoes get a thorough scrubbing and disinfection. They think we might be a carrier of an eastern bat disease. The ranger did such a good job cleaning our shoes, Aimee and I bring him all our other shoes too.

We spend the night in the park campground. It is nice and meets the high expectations we have of National Parks.

August 29, 2011

2011-09-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

August 29, 2011

Today is our wedding anniversary. I asked Aimee what she wanted and she said "to go home". We don’t have enough gas for that. How about something closer. I found just the right gift. A tour of the Jelly Belly factory! We went there this morning and Aimee was like a kid in a candy store. Well, I guess it is a candy store. Jelly Belly, probably made famous by Ronald Reagan, is a master of marketing. Who else could have turned jellybeans into big business? Jelly Belly fame is from the wild flavors they sell. We tasted a few before going on the tour. Second most popular flavor is buttered popcorn. Who would have thought!

The tour follows a catwalk above the frenetic factory floor. The main process occurs in what looks like a giant rock tumbler. Here the hard coating is sprayed onto the soft gooey centers. What I found most interesting is the constant movement of beans. It seems the workers are either loading the beans into boxes or emptying them out of these same boxes. As an engineer, it seemed terribly inefficient. But I guess that chaos is the result of the huge number of flavors they have to make, store, and then mix before final packaging.

Just around the corner from Jelly Belly we had the choice of touring an olive oil factory or a brewery. We chose Budweiser. We thought a couple beers would go better with lunch than olive oil. I have taken Aimee to many places she considers off-the-wall in the middle of nowhere. But she is always shocked to see a crowd wherever I take her. So who would have imagined that we would be the sole tourists at a Busch brewery. We got our own private tour. At the tasting room we had Stella Artois and Beck’s, two additions that came with the merger with the European Inbev.

From the Bay area we drove north thru farm country passing mostly nut and olive tree orchards. After three hours we left the farms and started into the mountains. Just ahead is Mt. Shasta’s snow-capped peak. Outside Redding, CA we stop for the night at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Despite being a National Park unit, our campsite is a parking lot again!

August 28, 2011

2011-09-01T21:57:00.001-07:00

August 28, 2011

Our last stop with the rental car is Point Reyes National Seashore. It is a peninsula of land on the shoreline north of San Francisco. On a map it looks like somebody tried to slice it away from the mainland. Turns out Mother Nature is the culprit. That cut line is the San Andreas Fault. During the famous 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Point Reyes slid twenty feet north. On a short hike from the Visitor Center we see evidence of that in a fence line that split during the quake.

In the Visitor Center we watch a ranger presentation not on a flat screen but a giant globe. Even though the ranger is mediocre, the show is pretty cool. The ranger is able to project dozens of different scenarios. He starts off with weather showing the movement of real hurricanes across the Gulf and Atlantic. He moves on to ocean currents and temperature gradients. Then on to earthquakes, dozens of which occur everyday on the earth (including DC). He finishes showing the thousands of airplanes in flight all over the world. I am into globes and now I have to figure out how to convince Aimee to let me buy one of these.

While pondering that problem we drive into the park and head for the lighthouse guarding the southwest point. When we get there, it is a pea soup fog of course. The lighthouse sits on a craggy spit of rock looking just like those scary movies we’ve all seen.

From the lighthouse point we drive inland and then south to Drakes Bay and another Visitor Center. This one gives a lot of the historical context of the park. It was first discovered by Sir Francis Drake, who stopped here to repair his ship. He was raiding Spanish galleons that plied the Pacific, shipping gold from Acapulco to Manilla, and returning with Chinese spices and silk. He claimed the area and named it New England because the shoreline reminded him of the Dover Cliffs. Interestingly the local Indians were found using Chinese porcelain tableware (which they scavenged from a Spanish galleon that sunk offshore.)

After spending most of the day at Point Reyes, we drive home to leisurely read the Sunday newspaper. That had to be cancelled after we got stuck in a two-hour traffic jam when a NASCAR race let out. The Bay area with its water and mountains everywhere can cause horrific traffic pinchpoints.

August 27, 2011

2011-09-01T21:45:00.000-07:00

August 27, 2011

This morning we drove to the old shipyards of Richmond, CA. It is now the home of Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park. This Park honors the women and minorities who joined the workforce in droves during WWII. The Visitor Center is in the planning and construction stage and if done well could make a compelling story. The victory in WWII had as much to do with our “arsenal of democracy” out-producing the rest of the world as it had with the fighting troops.

Our first stop was a “Rosie” memorial that looks like a ship skeleton in construction. The next stop is the shell of a Ford plant that made tanks and jeeps for the war. The last stop is at one of the nearly 750 cargo ships built at the Kaiser shipyards here in Richmond. Unfortunately it is being moved to dry dock and tours stopped yesterday! I boarded anyway and sweet-talked this old guy into giving us a private tour of the ship. He was a tail gunner on a carrier-based torpedo bomber during WWII. He gave us a humorous albeit abbreviated look around. I thought we were on one of “Rosie’s” Liberty ships. Turns out this was the newer Victory ship made by her sister, Wendy the Welder.

From Richmond we went to Danville, a cute town where we had lunch while we waited for the shuttle bus to Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site. The park is the playwright’s home where he lived for seven years late in his life. The house is in a gated neighborhood in the foothills. I think the main reason it is a national park is because the neighbors didn’t want the property developed. Aimee and I both think it is a waste of money. Eugene O’Neill is famous for being the only American playwright to win a Nobel Prize. The house is very ordinary with no historical value. The only thing I learned of interest is that O’Neill’s 18-year-old daughter, Oona, married the 54-year-old Charlie Chaplin. That tidbit is good for crossword puzzles.

A few blocks away we found a Traders Joe store where we stocked up on the wine we drink. It is a one-third cheaper here in California. We open one to celebrate when we get back to Vallejo.

August 26, 2011

2011-08-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

August 26, 2011

We have a busy few days planned. We are staying in Vallejo, a San Francisco suburb, and renting a car for a few days to crank out the many National Park sites in the area. The first thing I had to do was reprogram the GPS. It stopped working until I realized I had it set for no toll roads. In the Bay area, you can't go anywhere without paying at least one bridge toll.

Our first stop this morning was Muir Woods National Monument. It is a small grove of old growth redwoods on the north shore. It is a little cousin to Redwood National Park. The redwoods here are old but because this area receives less rain, they are smaller. Despite that the park has a very nice boardwalk thru the forest. There is something about a redwood forest that is special. Unfortunately this park is way too close to San Francisco and the tour busses. The park is absolutely jammed. I am also amazed at the number of people now carrying around the i-Pad and using it to take photos. It just seems so weird.

From Muir Woods we head south toward the city when a sign for Golden Gate National Recreation Area catches our attention. This National Park manages many miscellaneous sites throughout the area including Alcatraz (which we have already seen). We are at the Marin Headlands section. We stopped at the Visitor Center and then drove to Hawk Hill to get a good view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Well, it would have been if it wasn’t for this persistent whiteout fog. Without a view, I look around and notice this area has a quite a few forts and cannon batteries, mostly from WWII when the US thought Japan was going to invade the mainland.

From Marin County, we drove over a very foggy Golden Gate bridge to San Francisco. We take the first exit and wind around to the base of the bridge and the Fort Point National Historic Site. Apparently after the 1849 California gold rush, the US was afraid somebody would try to take California, so we constructed this three-story brick fort. For most of its history, the Bay area was armed to the teeth with defenses. Later when the Golden Gate Bridge was in the planning, Fort Point was deemed historic, and the bridge had to be built around and over it. The Fort Visitor Center has an interesting movie about the Point’s long history.

From Fort Point we drove east along the waterfront to Fisherman’s Wharf and the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park. I usually have limited interest in maritime history but I found the place fascinating. The “Golden Gate” is strategic because it is the only significant break in the coastline for 1000 miles. Barge traffic brought grain from California’s interior and sailing ships connected isolated California with the rest of the world. The park has a small museum, and many ships on the nearby dock, several of which are unusual and interesting. One is a massive wooden ferry that operated before the Golden Gate was spanned. It is loaded with antique cars reminding me of the movie Titanic. There is also an iron sailing ship, which had lots of exhibits on cargo shipped in and out of the area. In the age of Amazon and the Internet we forget how in the not so distant past, one could easily wait a year for an order to arrive.

To finish the day, I gave Aimee my dime tour of San Francisco. We got in line and drove (or rather inched) down Lombard Street, the steep zig-zag street made famous in movies. We also drove by lots of painted Victorians, and through the very lush Golden Gate Park. Afterwards it was a long drive back to Vallejo.

August 25, 2011

2011-08-25T21:39:00.001-07:00

August 25, 2011

I am not sure the attraction of Big Sur. The view of the rugged coast is often hidden by fog; and the water is bone-chilling cold. We head back north thru fog again to Monterey. We have been to Monterey before on vacation so we pass it by and head towards the San Francisco area. In the town of Martinez, we stop and visit the John Muir National Historic Site. The site is the former home and grounds of this famous conservationist. When I hear the property at one time was 2400 acres I thought that environmentalism (ala Al Gore) must be a high paying job. Only later I find that he got his money the old fashioned way, marrying into it.

We toured the house and remnants of his fruit ranch. It was mostly uninteresting. I was left wanting more information on Muir’s life. Unfortunately the small Visitor Center is closed for remodeling. Muir is well known as the founder of the Sierra Club but I was surprised to learn that Muir was much more, a true “Renaissance man”. He was also a writer, traveler, fruit rancher, inventor, botanist, and geologist. The list of what he wasn’t seems shorter.

One of the other buildings has a lot of exhibits on the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic trail. I am familiar with Anza living in Tucson. In 1776, he led a huge group of settlers 1600 miles from Mexico past Tucson to San Francisco hoping to cement Spain’s hold on California.

Muir is also headquarters for the Port Chicago National Memorial. The Memorial is just north of here and is the site of a massive explosion of a munitions ship that occurred during WWII. Unfortunately it remains a Naval weapons facility and access is very limited and irregular. I give the ranger our details hoping the Navy will clear us and tours resume soon. I am not holding my breath.

August 24, 2011

2011-08-25T21:20:00.000-07:00

August 24, 2011

From Los Banos, CA we head west up into California’s Coastal Range. Travel in California is easy parallel to the coast but difficult east and west. The Sierra Nevadas and the Coastal Mountains separate California into strips of land. We wind along a narrow twisting road till we arrive at Pinnacles National Monument. The Monument consists of the ragged remnants of a volcano that erupted millions of years ago here. Well not really here. It erupted near Los Angeles. Half the volcano slid up here with each earthquake along the San Andreas Fault. The rest is still in L.A.

From the Visitor Center we hike straight uphill to see the craggy peaks. They are not impressive. Even though Teddy Roosevelt proclaimed this a Monument in 1908, it seems a little weak. I was shocked when the ranger said Congress is thinking of elevating it to National Park status. Sounds like a political payoff!

Despite the visual weakness, Aimee and I do enjoy the unique flora and fauna of the Coastal Range. Aimee spots wild turkeys, several Acorn Woodpeckers and what we hope are three California Condors (and not Turkey Vultures). I myself am happy to have finally found a Coulter Pine. Despite being small and straggly, these trees produce the world’s heaviest pinecone. Plus the cones are armed with jagged spikes turning them into Nature’s Hand Grenade. We are thinking we need hard hats hiking around them.

Pinnacles is Tucson-like hot and dry, so we quit our hike after a couple hours and head out of the park along some more winding roads to the Salinas Valley where we link up with the 101. We are again in America’s garden although this time it is rabbit food, lettuce and broccoli. Nowhere else in the US will you find dozens of old school busses pulling port-a-potties cruising the highway. (They are carrying migrant workers picking the crops.)

Eventually we make it to Monterey where we make a hard left and head south along the coast. We are looking for Big Sur but a thick layer of fog covers almost all the coast. When we get to Big Sur State Park, the campground is full but they let us camp in the parking lot for $35. Welcome to California.

August 23, 2011

2011-08-23T20:41:00.001-07:00

August 23, 2011

Even though the weather is wonderful, staying at Yosemite Valley is getting to be too much of a hassle for us; so we head out this morning. We take the southwest gate this time and stop at the Mariposa Grove. In 1864 Abraham Lincoln took time out from the Civil War to protect this stand of Sequoia trees (along with Yosemite Valley).

Since Yosemite gets so much traffic, seeing the Sequoias is time-consuming. When we get to the Mariposa turnoff, we find the parking lot is full so we have to park at the gate and board a shuttle into the grove. The entrance has a few Sequoias. To see the big ones we have to hike more than an hour uphill. Aimee and I are thankful we are no longer at 8000 feet. The upper grove is nicer but we both much prefer Sequoia National Park. It is has bigger trees and fewer visitors.

Afterwards we descend almost to sea level into the San Joaquin valley, America’s garden. At one point we drive a solid fifteen minutes through nothing but Pistachio trees. There had to be millions of trees. Somebody eats a lot of nuts. Later we pass by tomato fields and grape vineyards. All this food is making us hungry so we stop at a roadside stand and buy a bag of pistachios and oranges for $5.

So far in our California travels we have seen nothing but barren deserts, high mountains and vast farmlands. You wouldn’t guess California is the most populated state. We spend the night in the town of Los Banos. Who would name their town “The Toilets”???

August 22, 2011

2011-08-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

August 22, 2011

We were only able to get a one-night reservation for Yosemite Valley. But we know the tricks of the National Parks so we are up early today, carrying our coffee to the ranger station. We are first in line. Based on prior experience we should easily be able to get a cancellation that will let us stay for a few more nights in Yosemite National Park. When 8am rolls around the ranger says nothing is available and we have to come back at 3pm. We still have first dibs if we come back, but there is no guarantee. We have to temporarily park the RV outside the campground till we have a new site.

Knowing I travel with my lucky charm, I am not worried; so we head off to a Photography walk led by the Ansel Adams Studio. Ansel is hands down the most famous landscape photographer. The shop is still owned by his descendents. I don’t learn much about taking better photos, but the guide does alert me to some good vantage points.

We spend most of the day walking in Ansel Adams footsteps, taking photos throughout the valley. I posted the above in black and white in Ansel’s honor.

At 3pm we return to the ranger station and find there are plenty of cancellations but unfortunately not one is for more than one more night. I have lots to say about the reservation system at Yosemite but most comments can’t be printed. On the plus side our new site is pretty nice. It is on the bank of the babbling Merced River. Aimee just loves the sound of running water.

August 21, 2011

2011-08-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

August 21, 2011

We seem to have really overshot looking for cooler weather. Summer is very fleeting at high altitude. The last couple nights got down near freezing. Our thin Arizona blood can only handle so much. So this morning we decamped and coasted downhill to Yosemite Valley.

Yosemite Valley was not discovered until 1851 when soldiers went chasing after some Indians. I am not surprised since the entrance to Yosemite is a narrow V-shaped canyon. Only after many miles does it open into the famous vertical granite valley. Unfortunately it is being loved to death. The crowds are thick. We head immediately to our campsite to lose the RV and the first thing we notice is the moderate temperature. We found what we were looking for! The rest of the afternoon Aimee and I take a leisurely stroll thru the valley soaking up the ambience. We keep looking up at North Dome and can’t believe we were atop it yesterday.

August 20, 2011

2011-08-23T20:20:00.000-07:00

August 20, 2011

Yesterday the camp host (a New Yorker) recommended a hike to North Dome. The trailhead is only ten miles away, so we decide to give it a shot. The trail was nice but nothing special, but…it had a pot of gold at the end. North Dome as we come to find out is Half Dome’s counterpart sitting atop the eastern end of Yosemite Valley. Even though we are still some thirty miles from Yosemite Valley, by road, we are only a few miles as the crow flies. After four miles through the forest the trail emerges onto bare granite. It makes Aimee very nervous. (It doesn’t help that a lady died last week in similar circumstances sliding off Half Dome.) But Aimee troops on through to the end.

We sit on this dome of granite, with Half Dome staring us in the face, eating our trail lunch and soaking up the scenery. We watch the bustle of cars far below in the Valley. The only disappointment is the thick haze covering the valley, probably the result of the thousand campfires that burned in the valley last night. We sit for probably an hour hoping some of the haze will blow away and that the sun would travel far enough to shine on the face of Half Dome. Neither occurred. We hike back with a brief side detour to a pretty rock arch. We are tired after we get back. It was a ten-mile, six-hour hike at high altitude. We are not getting any younger.

August 19, 2011

2011-08-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

August 19, 2011

This morning we finish our tour of the June Lake loop. This short road goes past several more lakes. I am amazed at the concentration of alpine lakes we have seen in the greater Mammoth Lakes region. I guess it is a reflection of the number of glaciers that used to cover this area. In the middle of the June Lake loop we spot the best vista, Horsetail Falls. It is a spreading falls way up on the cliff top that can be seen for miles.

From June Lake we drive north to the town of Lee Vining. We call the park system and get a campsite in Yosemite Valley two days from now thanks to a cancellation. In the meantime Aimee and I decide to hang out in one of the campgrounds on the plateau high in Yosemite National Park. So we drive up the steep Tioga Pass road into the park. The topside of Yosemite is basically all smooth granite with some forests growing here and there. It is an amazing place. Unfortunately we pass most of it by. Aimee has me worried. It is Friday, and the road is packed with cars, so she thinks we need to find a campsite. We have three campgrounds to pick from. We pass the first. Full. Hmm. At the Visitor Center, the board said the next two have availability, but that was as of four hours ago. The ranger says we better hurry. We drive to the next one. Full also. Uhoh. We race to the last one. Full. We are experienced National Park goers. How can we have screwed up this bad! We are many miles from any alternative. We are going to have to punt and skip Yosemite. On a lark I drive thru the “full” campground to look for the camp host. I put on my best salesman smile and ask about overflow options. She hems and haws and finally says she has a spot. In fact she has several. It turns out she saves a few sites for problems. Whew! That was a close call. We spend the rest of the day relaxing and giving thanks for our good fortune (and persistence).

August 18, 2011

2011-08-23T09:21:00.000-07:00

August 18, 2011

One of the reasons the eight-mile road to Devil’s Postpile is reserved for busses and campers is that it is treacherous. The first four miles is a narrow winding cliff-hugging road. It made Aimee very nervous. On the route in, Aimee closed her eyes and yelled for me to go slow; I went fast because I don’t know how a bus and my wide RV can possibly share this road. We got lucky on the way in and only met a car. I am not taking any chances on the exit trip; so we rise early and drive out still in our pajamas. Once we are safely out of the Monument, we stop at a vista turnout, and have our coffee and breakfast while enjoying the view.

After breakfast, we make a stop at a geologic fissure exhibit. Because of the intense mountain building going on, the ground here pulled apart some six feet leaving a deep scar on the terrain.

Our next stop is the Lake Mary area just outside Mammoth Lakes. There are a half-dozen alpine lakes close together with easy road access. It is also very crowded with lots of families. We make a driving tour looking for a good campground. When we pass Horseshoe Lake we notice lots of dead trees lining it. It turns out that geologic activity is spewing Carbon Dioxide killing the trees. This volcano stuff is giving Aimee the willies so we pass on staying here and drive north to June Lake where we find a spot and relax for the afternoon.

August 17, 2011

2011-08-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

August 17, 2011

Well if we were looking for cool weather we found it. It got pretty cold last night in our uninsulated home. I wish I had turned the furnace on before we went to sleep. But I shouldn’t be too surprised since we are at nearly 9000-foot altitude.

We are planning a lazy day today. We are just going to do a medium hike and then hang out in the campground. At least that was the plan. We didn’t account for the bus ride to and from, the walk to the trailhead or the minor “getting lost” detour. When we get back close to 5PM, we are both exhausted. We are also not used to the altitude!

On the positive side, it was a gorgeous hike to an alpine lake surrounded by mountains. Along the way we passed numerous small Sequoia trees. They are either young or more likely stunted since we are on the dry side of the Sierras. The only downside of the hike (and our campsite) is the very fine dust gray dust everywhere. I have been to enough western locations to know it is probably Tuff or volcanic ash. It is just another reminder that every mountain here on the West coast is a dormant volcano waiting to erupt.

August 16, 2011

2011-08-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

August 16, 2011

Even though we drove many hours north on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas, apparently we are in Los Angeles. It seems people do value this area, but for only one reason. Water. Many years ago LA bought all the land around here to garner the water rights and built a large aqueduct to drain it south. On the positive side there has been no development and the whole area is a recreational playground.

Last night we stayed in the cute town of Lone Pine in the shadow of Mt. Whitney the tallest peak in the lower 48. We are finally across the desert where the weather is cooler and the scenery beautiful. Now we can slow down.

Ten miles north we stopped at Manzanar National Historic Site. It is the location of one of a dozen internment camps that west coast people of Japanese ancestry were relocated to during WWII. The museum is very well done. While there were some initial physical hardships the experience was mostly an emotional tragedy. Being treated as a criminal without cause. Much of what happened in many ways was just a culmination of a century of prejudice against the Asian immigrants.

From the museum, we took the auto tour around the large camp which looked eerily similar to a concentration camp, albeit one with some nice views of the mountains. At its peak the camp held over 10,000 people.

From Manzanar we continued north along the Sierras climbing ever higher until we came to the Mammoth Lakes area. This is a big winter ski destination and apparently just as big a summer stop. We drove thru the town, past the ski lifts to Devils Postpile National Monument. The last eight miles is restricted to busses only unless camping within the park. This is just another example of why RVing is the only way to see the National Parks.

At the Monument we quickly find a campsite and don our hiking gear. A half-mile down the trail we run into the Postpile, a strange geologic feature that looks like a bunch of black pencils stacked on end. From the top each pencil is a hexagon, making it look very man-made. We continue another two miles on the trail to a roaring waterfall.

August 15, 2011

2011-08-15T20:42:00.000-07:00

August 15, 2011

We crossed the Colorado and headed uphill from the Sonoran Desert to the Mohave. Mohave is the high desert and what grows here is different. But so far not much of anything, not even cacti. It is mostly barren making Tucson look like a jungle. Eventually we come to the Mohave National Preserve at the heart of the desert. When I was a small child we drove to California along Rt. 66. I remember my father being worried about this last section thru the Mohave. No wonder, it is desolate. Thinking those thoughts must have jinxed me. When we finally got to the Visitor Center on the site of an old desert ghost town, Aimee notices that one of my tires is flat. Great, just great!? A two day old tire nonetheless! Fortunately at the last minute, I packed our emergency tire pump and after twenty minutes I got enough air into it to make driving a little safer. It seems to be holding. I am crossing my fingers that the valve stem just got a little dirt in it.

A little calmer, we head into the Visitor Center for a quick run-through. It is located inside the town’s restored train station back when trains were super labor-intensive and an iron ore mine operated nearby. Now the train glides right by without stopping.

Mohave National Preserve has several distinct environs including a monster sand dune, a volcanic lava field, granite mountains and an extensive Joshua tree forest. We exit the park thru the forest. Unlike Joshua Tree National Park, these trees are more stunted but much more prolific. It almost looks like a Joshua orchard.

From Mohave we drive most of the day north following the eastern edge of the Sierras. This side is in the rain shadow of the mountain range and is bone dry and desolate. Southern California could easily be given to Nevada or Arizona and nobody would care (or know).

August 14, 2011

2011-08-14T21:50:00.000-07:00

August 14, 2011

It has been almost a year since we have been RVing. We (make that I) am getting itchy to start traveling again. We have spent most of the year playing golf and trying to get our money’s worth from joining the local club.

We got the motor home out of storage a couple days ago, bought new tires and got it packed in record time. We took off heading northwest just before lunchtime. It feels strange, but I am getting used to it again. Like riding a bike. Most of the southwest is pretty hot, and it gets steadily hotter as we pass thru the heart of the Sonoran Desert. After five hours we arrive at the town of Parker, AZ on the bank of the mighty (tamed) Colorado River. We find a shady spot to park and crank the A/C on high until the sun goes down.

August 8-9, 2011

2011-08-11T22:30:00.000-07:00

August 8-9, 2011

With this week’s stock market crash putting a major crimp on our cash flow, we stopped in Amarillo on our westward journey to mooch a free place to stay with Aimee’s sister. I worked off our indebtedness doing some handy man work around the house.

From Amarillo, TX we drove two hours southwest across the border to Clovis, NM. In archeological circles, Clovis is world famous. In countless museums and TV documentaries, I kept hearing about “Clovis points”. I had to stop and find out what was so special about these old Indian arrowheads.

Our first stop is the Blackwater Draw dig, where we are greeted by a very talkative grad student of Eastern New Mexico University. He turns out to be a fountain of information. The migration of man to North America was thought to be a recent phenomenon until arrowheads were discovered here in 1929 inside a fossilized Mammoth skeleton. Radiocarbon analysis dated it to 12,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age. The arrowheads have a distinctive fluting, differentiating them from later cultures. Since that discovery Ice-Age “Clovis sites” have now been found throughout North America. It was interesting to note that the flint for these arrowheads came from the Alibates quarry north of Amarillo that we visited 18 months ago.

We walked the trail that circles the dig site reading the interpretative signs. At the end of the Ice Age, this area was much cooler and a spring-fed lake here attracted all the mega mammals of the era from mammoth to camel to saber toothed tiger. All over this former gravel quarry archeologists have found bone beds mixed with Clovis points.

From the dig site we drive twelve miles to the Blackwater Draw Museum. It is pretty good but it has way more information than we have time for today. For some reason the Clovis culture disappeared at the same time many of the mega fauna went extinct. Some blame it on over hunting by the Clovis while others think a comet struck the earth.

Continuing southwest, we are on the lookout for cooler weather. We find it again crossing the mountains of central New Mexico. We take a short break from driving and visit Smokey Bear Historical Park. In 1944, the forest service began using the character of Smokey to promote fire safety. In 1950 a small bear cub was found badly burned clinging to a tree near here. He immediately became the personification of the advertising. We breeze thru a small museum on the history of Smokey and then walk to see his gravesite. Smokey Bear is one of the most recognizable characters throughout the world.

From Capitan, NM we drive the rest of the day arriving home to Tucson very late.

August 7, 2011

2011-08-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

August 7, 2011

Yesterday we fished near where the Buffalo River empties into the White River. It was very picturesque because the opposite shore was a tall sheer cliff face. On our way west we decided to follow the Buffalo River upstream. Our first stop was at the Visitor Center for the Buffalo National River. There we learned that the Army Corps of Engineers had plans to build a dam on it like they had done with most of the other Ozark Mountain streams. To preserve it, local conservationists got the Buffalo designated the first National River.

From the Visitor Center we walked along the shoreline of the river. Here the opposite bank is also lined with a sheer rock face. Unfortunately this time of the year, the water level is very low scuttling our plans for a canoe trip. We would have had to paddle all the way. Instead we drive upstream to the Ponca Wilderness area. Here the Buffalo is lined with its tallest and most picturesque cliffs soaring almost 500 feet high.

Afterwards we continue west out of the Ozark Mountains. Although very scenic, the whole region is fairly isolated with few roads. After a few hours following narrow, winding roads we emerge on the west side of the state and spend the evening in Oklahoma.

August 4-6, 2011

2011-08-07T20:23:00.000-07:00

August 4-6, 2011

Aimee and I are staying in a cabin at the junction of the White and Norfork Rivers in northern Arkansas. With the Midwest suffering a terrible heat wave, I was looking for some temporary relief. Last year we found it exploring caves and traveling way north. A closer alternative is standing in these rivers. Both rivers are tail waters off tall dams making the water ice-cold. Very refreshing despite the near constant fog. While I am cooling off I toss in a fishing line. I catch quite a few trout but none are worth taking a photo of. I must be rusty after five years of desert living. The only saving grace is that none of my relatives has any better luck.

August 2-3, 2011

2011-08-07T20:17:00.000-07:00

August 2-3, 2011

For the last two weeks we have been in the Midwest visiting family and friends and eating lots of pies. We planned on it being a little vacation from the heat of Arizona, but it was more like being tossed from the skillet into the fire. There is no escaping the humidity.

Today we are starting the journey back home. Like all travels with me, it is not a straight shot. We took advantage of not having the RV with us to do some city touring of the St Louis area. Our main stop was Forest Park which is always a pleasure to visit. There we stopped at the Art Museum, which has a couple pieces representing almost every style and period of art. From there it was on to the Missouri History Museum. It was mostly disappointing except for the two in-depth exhibits on the 1904 St Louis World’s Fair and favorite adopted son, Charles Lindbergh, and his epic trans-Atlantic flight.

After spending the night in town with my sister, the next day we stopped at a mostly boring Sculpture garden before heading to Jefferson Barracks Military Post. Located on the bluffs of the Mississippi, it was an important army installation from 1826 thru the end of WWII. There are a couple small museums located in the two remaining stone powder magazines but they are not well done. From St Louis, we head southwest where we spend the night in Norfork, AR.

June 20, 2011

2011-06-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

June 20, 2011

Aimee has a love-hate relationship with wildlife. Too close and screams ring out. But at a safe distance, she is enchanted. Lucky for her, our new home has given her mostly the latter. Hummingbirds and noisy Gila woodpeckers monopolize feeders outside her kitchen window. An occasional bobcat will walk thru the yard. All day lizards of all sizes scamper around the yard on the prowl for scorpions, sometimes a little too close. A few days ago while sitting by the pool, a gecko darted toward her and tongue-snatched a bee buzzing around her wet shoes. The show doesn’t stop with sundown. That is when the bats start fluttering through the air and the coyotes begin to howl.

But by far Aimee’s favorite attraction has been a family of owls. We knew something was up when two Great Horned Owls started frequenting a big cottonwood at the back edge of the yard. The Great Horned is the largest owl species in North America. After a month watching the pair sit high in the treetop every evening, three owlets suddenly came on the scene. Like clockwork this family comes out of the nest an hour before dark and every evening Aimee is waiting by the back fence. She is enamored with them.

The owlets remind me too much of human teenagers taking their time to grow up. They sleep all day, stay up all night hooting and screeching. The three hang out together either head bobbing on branches or strutting around on the ground like skinny turkeys. Plus they are terrorizing the neighbors. Dove feathers litter the neighborhood. A trail of blood stains one corner of the house. The doves are not giving up; they are back on the nest trying to crank out a new generation.

May 19, 2011

2011-05-21T10:18:00.001-07:00

May 19, 2011

Even though it is May, we awake to snow. Since we don’t see it often, I don’t mind at all. In fact we enjoyed a leisurely drive south thru snow-covered pine forests. Halfway back we stop at Tuzigoot National Monument. This is a National Park location we missed on previous trips thru the area.
The Visitor Center museum is closed for renovations, so we head on to the short self-guided tour. Tuzigoot is the ruins of an ancient Indian pueblo that sits like a castle atop a small hill. This stone “condominium” maybe held some 200 people. Sitting next to the Verde River the Indians cultivated corn in the valley. For some forgotten reason they deserted the site around the year 1400.

We got home in the evening. I took a quick swim in the pool to wash away the memories of this morning’s snow.

May 16-18, 2011

2011-05-21T10:16:00.000-07:00

May 16-18, 2011

The recent visit by my relatives renewed our interest in hiking. Aimee decided it was time for a repeat of our favorite all-time hike. The Grand Canyon. So she called a few times and easily got us a cancellation at Phantom Ranch. Normally this has to be made over a year in advance. After a morning round of golf we loaded the car and got to the south rim shortly after sundown. We checked into Bright Angel Lodge and drove blindly in the dark trying to find an open parking spot. Since the Canyon is not lit, I didn’t realize till the next morning I parked within feet of the edge. Good thing my brakes held.

Midmorning, We made our way to the South Kaibab trailhead and started our descent. It was stunning. The only downside was the wind; at times it was gail force with Aimee fearing she might get swept off. At Phantom Ranch, we toasted our arrival with a cold beer from the bar while listening to the afternoon ranger talk. By dinner we were famished; the stew dinner never tasted better.

Our luck didn’t last. Yesterdays wind blew in a storm front. It rained off and on the whole trek uphill turning the trail into mud. By the time we got to the top the rain had frozen into hail. On the bright side the moisture intensified the green and red colors of the canyon. Beautiful.

Between the cold, the altitude and the vertical climb, Aimee and I are exhausted by the time we get to the top. After a hot chocolate, it is into bed for a recuperating nap.

April 27, 2011

2011-05-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

April 27, 2011

My sister Jean came to visit this week. I put my brother-in-law to work with a laundry list of gardening chores thinking that would keep him busy all week. He was a ball of energy and finished on the second day; I need to find alternative amusement to wear them out. After the standard warm-up hike around the area, Aimee and I decided to take them on our favorite hike of southern Arizona. We packed the car and headed two hours east to Chiricahua National Monument. Chiricahua is a rock wonderland formed from volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. It has to be the largest concentration of balancing rocks anywhere. I lead them on a 3.5-mile hike thru the middle of this awesome scenery.

My sister was a history major so I figure she would also love the Fort Bowie hike just up the road. It was the ground zero for the Apache Wars. After driving eight miles down a dirt road we arrive at the trailhead. The first stop on the hike is the foundation of a stagecoach rest stop. Jean is already imagining herself crossing this wilderness in a very bumpy and dusty horse-drawn vehicle. A hundred yards beyond is a large cemetery. It seems most were killed by Apaches. Apaches were not the farming type and instead preferred to live by raiding. They had to keep coming back to this spot because of the natural spring here. Despite no rain in six months, this water source continues putting out cold water. It feels great splashed on my head. At the top of the pass is the park Visitor Center and the few remaining walls of Fort Bowie. From here the army went out in search of Cochise, and then later Geronimo. By the time we get back to the car my sister is finally tired. She celebrates the experience by watching the John Wayne movie, Stagecoach.

March 30, 2011

2011-03-25T21:53:00.000-07:00

March 30, 2011

Aimee bought me a Cuisinart Food Processor for my birthday. Since she was so thoughtful I bought her an early birthday present. A solar electric generating system. The one thing we have an abundance of in Arizona is sunshine. We already have a solar pool heating system to harvest some of that energy. That system pumps the pool water onto the roof of the house to be warmed in black mats of small plastic lines. The heater means we can open the pool a month or two early.

We have lots more space on the roof, so I thought Aimee would like to go “green” and add some solar cells. A crew of three came to the house and over the course of four days installed 34 solar panels on the roof, enough to generate a years worth of electricity for us. The production has been remarkably steady in this first week of operation. We made exactly 41 kilowatt-hours each day. That is more than twice what we need right now, but the local utility is storing it for us and will give it back this summer when we turn on the A/C and need more than we can make.

I like the idea of reducing our impact on the environment but I have to admit I like the economics even better. Because my fellow taxpayers are so generous they subsidize over 75% of the cost of the system. All things considered solar is going to cut our electricity costs in half. Plus we will never see a price increase from the electric company.

Hmmm. I am thinking Aimee might like one of those new electric cars for her next birthday.

March 22, 2011

2011-03-23T22:23:00.000-07:00

March 22, 2011

Age has not been kind to me lately. For the last two years my eyes have gotten progressively worse forcing me to start wearing glasses again. I could have lived with that. Unfortunately stronger lenses every six months is no longer fixing the problem. The eye doctor says I have developed cataracts, a cloudening of the flexible lens inside the eye. The doctor rudely ignored all my pleas that I am too young.

I have finally been backed into a corner. Without surgery I am getting so I can't play golf, see writing on the TV or drive the car at night. So I relent. I initially figured this was going to be like my prior Lasik operations. A quick zap by a laser and it is over shortly after I lay down. Not so. This is real surgery with anesthesia. As I lay on the gurney, they attach heart rate and oxygen sensors and start an IV and I ask myself what did I get myself into. Just before I change my mind and leave, the drugs must have kicked in, because the next thing I know I awaken with the doctor working on my left eye. In a few minutes he is done and they start removing the equipment.

When I remove the eye patch that night, I am pleasantly surprised to find I can see the TV again without glasses. Yeah! And there is a noticeable color improvement between my left and my still to be fixed right eye. That loss of color was so gradual I didn’t notice it. All is not perfect though. To eliminate my cataract, they removed my flexible living lens and replaced it with a plastic version. My eye no longer has any ability to see close. None… newspaper headlines are the smallest I can read. I need to make a big decision before I get the next eye fixed. Should I aim to have the right also optimized for distance and forever be forced to carry “reading glasses” everywhere I go. Or should I have the right eye optimized for “close up” and hope my brain can keep the two visions straight?

March 15 2011

2011-03-17T20:25:00.000-07:00

March 15 2011

The calendar says Spring should arrive next week. In Arizona it comes early albeit delayed a bit this year by the hard freeze we had last month. Not only are most of the plants starting to put out new growth, we are expecting twins. Actually two sets of twins. We have a momma dove sitting on two eggs in the dead lemon tree outside the kitchen. Apparently she doesn’t mind all the dead leaves around her. Twenty yards away in the Palo Verde tree Aimee found the tiniest nest, about the size of a large thimble, made of feathers. A hummingbird nest! And she has two eggs also. While I am taking photos, a cottontail hops by me through the gate into the pool area. Uhoh! Another set of twins on the way!

March 3, 2011

2011-03-04T09:52:00.000-08:00

March 3, 2011

When we moved to Tucson, I expected to become an Arizona basketball fan. It turned out it was easier to take the boy out of Illinois than the Illini out of the boy. We took our first step tonight and went to one of the last Wildcat home games of the season. Since Michelle Obama’s brother coaches the visiting Oregon State team, I thought I would use our mutual Chicago connection. That and my credit card got me two tickets to the game.

It was a good thing Aimee convinced me not to wear my Illini shirt. Orange is Oregon State’s color too. The game was entertaining but Aimee and I both struggled to understand the local chants of the crowd. At one point near the end of the game with Arizona way ahead, the crowd started yelling, “We want tacos”. We both thought the fans wanted the coach to play the Hispanic players sitting on the bench. That seemed pretty derogatory even by my standards. Actually it was a reference to Jack in the Box offering free tacos if the U of A scores more than 70 points. We had to stop on the way home.

With my deteriorating vision, it was hard for me to follow the game really well. Buying season tickets will have to wait till I get my new eyes or Michelle answers the telephone.

February 22-27, 2011

2011-03-03T22:49:00.000-08:00

February 22-27, 2011

We have been playing a lot of golf this year, an expensive sport. With our interest income still in the bunker I suggested to Aimee that it would be nice to get a job to help our golf. Well Aimee did get employment. Though she didn’t get my economic drift. She took another volunteer job; at the local Accenture golf tournament, as a marshal on the 18th hole, helping control the flow of fans.

I recommended that she try to get the last hole. That may have been ideal for a typical tournament. But this was match play where it turned out most pairings were concluded well before the 18th. Still she had fun and maybe learned a few things by watching the world's best 64 golfers.

Tucson has been host for this tournament the last five years. The region has been on pins and needles waiting to hear if it would continue. Sunday, the final day, may have been the nail in the coffin.

The tournament moved here because of rain delays in California. At the time Tiger told the media it doesn’t rain in Tucson …ahh but it does snow, once in a blue moon. And Sunday was our blue moon. On the bright side it all melted by 10am. But to add insult to injury, play was halted again, albeit only a few minutes, because it began to hail, just on one hole!

February 3, 2011

2011-02-04T20:46:00.001-08:00

February 3, 2011

Everything in Tucson is designed for warm weather. Chicago winters just don’t occur here, so water pipes can be left unprotected and we plant palm and citrus trees in the yard. Apparently Mother Nature didn’t hear about Global Warming; she hit us with a sucker punch to the gut last night. And not just a few hours below freezing. We dropped to a 100-year low of 17F. That is enough to burst pipes and cause natural gas shortages around here.

I can dig my old winter clothing out of storage and delay my shower till the pipes thaw, but my garden isn’t as understanding. It looks like my citrus orchard days have come to an abrupt end. Despite my best efforts of covers and heating lights, the trees look very sick. If there was any chance of recovery, it was dashed with a second hard freeze again tonight.

Not seeing value in a tree of frozen orange juice, I picked everything that looked close to full-size. I guess Aimee and I are going to be drinking lots of Margaritas, Screwdrivers and Limoncello shots for the next few months.

December 31, 2010

2011-01-03T16:01:00.000-08:00

December 31, 2010

Our string of travel luck came to a halt today. Yesterday we basked in Arizona-like 60F weather; this morning we woke to an ice storm. What a difference a few hours can make.

After scraping a quarter-inch of ice from the car, we crept carefully along a country highway to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. Before farmers arrived, the central US was a sea of grass. The eastern half grew grasses taller than me although I suspect buffalo kept it trimmed shorter. Eastern Kansas contains the “Flint Hills”. The rocky hilly terrain of this locale kept the plow away. Here the native grasses make their last stand.

Despite notices to contrary, the Preserve Visitor Center was closed today. Surrounding it is an historic ranch complex. Not surprisingly wood is scarce and stone plentiful in the Flint Hills. So unlike Illinois, here both your barn and outhouse are built of limestone. Very nice! After a quick look around, I am back in the warm car.

There Aimee informs me the cell phone is missing. And our emergency phone is dead. We must have left it in the hotel, so we return on the icy highway only to discover the phone under the car seat. Aimee and I both blame each other for that fumble. To really make it a bad day my navigator died. My electronic one. Now we are flying blind. I point the car straight south in search of ice-free roads. We spend the night in Amarillo, TX visiting with Aimee's sister.

The next day, we dig the paper map out, turn the heater on full blast and drive the rest of the way home to Tucson. We didn’t really need the map; all we had to do was follow the continuous line of motor homes going that direction.

December 30, 2010

2011-01-03T15:53:00.000-08:00

December 30, 2010

After celebrating the holidays with both sets of relatives, we are ready to head home. The Midwest is having a warm spell so this is our window of opportunity to make it across the Snow Belt safely. We leave in the morning and by mid-afternoon we cross the border into Kansas and arrive at the Fort Scott National Historic Site. Fort Scott was built in 1842 as one of a half dozen forts established to guard the “permanent” frontier. West of this line was reserved for the Indians. Permanent was very short lived. The fort closed a mere eleven years later. With the Mexican War, the US now extended to the Pacific. With the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, new territories were to determine for themselves whether they would be slave or free. Both sides poured into “Bleeding” Kansas to influence the vote. Violence erupted. The first skirmishes of the upcoming Civil War. Troops were brought back to Fort Scott to help quell the violence.

We learned most of this history in exhibits scattered around the reconstructed fort. It is well done but oh so similar to most of the other forts in the park system.

December 20, 2010

2010-12-21T09:47:00.000-08:00

December 20, 2010

While I was out today, I took the opportunity to stop at the Chicago Portage, one of only two National Historic Sites in Illinois. It also has the distinction of probably being unheard of even by longtime Chicagoans, me included. Too bad, since it is the “Plymouth Rock” of Chicago, the reason the “second city” is here. In colonial times when water was the highway, one of the best ways to get from east to west was across the Great Lakes, up the Chicago River, picking up your canoe, and walking across to the Des Plaines Rivers which flows into the Mississippi. This made Chicago a vital transportation link and prompted the early US to build Fort Dearborn in 1803. Most of Chicago’s early history has been paved over. This is the only spot that has been untouched.

Chicago Portage today sits in a small county forest preserve in the middle of an industrial area. The centerpiece is an artistic iron sculpture depicting Father Marquette and Louis Joliet carrying their canoe across the portage. Bundled up for the weather I took a brisk stroll on a circular trail following in the French explorer' steps. The path was properly accented with several nice interpretative signs, one describing the area’s glacier origins. I was amused to learn that the word Chicago is derived from the many wild onions and leeks that grew at the sometimes marshy portage.

December 16, 2010

2010-12-18T09:15:00.000-08:00

December 16, 2010

From the southeastern tip of Iowa we crossed an icy Mississippi River and drove a dozen miles along a beautiful stretch of the Great River Road. We soon arrived in Nauvoo, IL, a town infamous in Mormon history. After being run out of towns in New York, Ohio, and Missouri, Joseph Smith led his faithful to this area in 1840. They flourished and Nauvoo quickly became Illinois’ second largest city. In 1844, a local dissident newspaper publishes news of his polygamy. In anger, Smith has the printing press destroyed and he ends up under arrest in the nearby Carthage jail. A mob attacks and kills him there.

Our first stop was the Historic Nauvoo Visitor Center run by the LDS. The Mormons have returned to the area restoring Nauvoo as it looked in 1844. They even rebuilt their temple. Most of the historic buildings don’t open in the winter until 11 am and we are way early. In most places we would have to wait. Not here. The receptionist quickly rounded up two delightful mission volunteers who drove with us to several buildings, unlocked them and gave us a private tour. It is hard not to be impressed with the Mormons. They are wonderful people.

Afterwards we took a drive around to the temple, and a few more of the many restored buildings. When we got to Joseph Smith’s home we noticed a second Visitor Center and a small subtitle with the words “Community of Christ”. We soon learned that this section is owned by a Mormon splinter group, started by Joseph’s son. I am sure the presence of a Mormon competitor in Nauvoo causes lots of heartache.

There is a lot to do in Nauvoo but most activities would be more enjoyable in summer. So we have lunch at a bakery in town and head on towards Chicago. We make a brief stop at Carl Sandburg State Historic Site in Galesburg but his birthplace is closed for the season. Touring the Midwest in winter can be frustrating. We drive the remaining three hours to Itasca to visit Aimee’s mother.

December 15, 2010

2010-12-18T09:05:00.000-08:00

December 15, 2010

Yesterday afternoon we drove east through Kansas before darting north of the border into Nebraska for the evening. Our first stop this morning was nearby Homestead National Monument. This park commemorates the Homestead Act of 1862, a uniquely American law. In most of the world, especially Europe, land was scarce and the source of wealth. In the US, acreage was a dime a dozen, or in the case of this law, 160 for free. Giving land away to poor Americans was promoted early in our history, but blocked by Southern politicians who feared the spread of slave-free states. After the Rebels seceded, Lincoln was able to get the Act passed.

The monument sits on the site of Daniel Freemen’s farm, the first Homesteader. Legend has it he persuaded the land office to open right after midnight so he could file his claim and make it back to his army unit. Despite the allure of free land, most people were unprepared for the hardship of farming on the frontier. Only 40% of homesteaders lasted the five years necessary to gain the land title. Unbeknownst to me, the Homestead Act lasted well into my lifetime. The last Homestead was filed in 1976 in Alaska. Nobody mentioned I had other options when I graduated high school.

December 14, 2010

2010-12-14T19:52:00.000-08:00

December 14, 2010

Despite swearing last year’s holiday migration was our last, we packed up the car and left 80F weather and headed to the land of cold. The first day was non-stop driving. We barely made it to the Texas border. I forget that Arizona is only one state removed from the west coast.

The next day we drove quickly across the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma into Kansas. Driving north we took a short break to visit Monument Rocks National Landmark. Also known as the “chalk pyramids” these limestone monoliths seem odd sitting in the middle of the Kansas prairie. They are the seabed remnants of an ancient ocean that covered Kansas in the age of dinosaurs.

Early in the afternoon we arrived at Nicodemus National Historic Site. Nicodemus is the only town west of the Mississippi founded by and for blacks. When Reconstruction ended in the South, blacks began an exodus North to escape the reach of the Ku Klux Klan. One group of Kentucky blacks was persuaded to come to this northwestern corner of Kansas in 1877 and build their own community. The town eventually grew to a population of 700. It then died the slow death typical of many Midwest villages bypassed by the railroad. The population today is just two dozen, all elderly. The town holds an annual Homecoming that attracts descendents of the early settlers. We spent an hour looking at the exhibits, watching a short film and seeing what’s left of the town. I was disappointed to see it mostly consists of a Housing Authority. Seems sad and ironic that we honor this courageous group of “independence” seekers whose offspring are back living in subsidized housing.

Continuing our journey east we make a brief stop at a marker noting north-central Kansas as the geographic center of the lower 48 states. Two days of driving out of Arizona and we are only midway across the US. I am glad our parents don’t live on the East coast!

December 7, 2010

2010-12-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

December 7, 2010

Being a homeowner again in many ways is like returning to work; this time as an unpaid day laborer. Much of my time has been spent working outdoors. Tending to our citrus trees is one of our new Arizona experiences. I didn't have a need to understand the lifecycle of the lemon in Chicago. Besides the lemon, we have a lime tree, and three varieties of orange. I have spent many a day running new irrigation lines, checking drip rates, and fertilizing the soil. We watched the trees flower and small green balls emerge. Aimee often commented on the beautiful butterflies fluttering around them. Only later when I investigated all the eaten leaves and discovered what I thought were bird droppings did I realize that these butterflies were laying eggs on the trees. The eggs hatched into ravenous “orange dog” caterpillars. Aimee and I spent many hours combing thru the leaves looking for these pests.

We had a cold spell last week that culminated in a hard freeze warning and the overnight temperature plunging to 24F. Not wanting to have my work go for naught, I took advantage of the Xmas season and bought a bunch of old-fashioned light strands, the inefficient ones that give off lots of heat. I turned all my citrus into glowingXmas trees.
While the trees were saved, the early cold snap must have signaled the citrus to ripen. All the oranges are quickly turning color. Even the tree with still tiny fruit. Oh well small oranges are better than no oranges. I picked one to test and it is sweet and juicy. I might not have a green thumb but apparently I have an orange one.

November 2, 2010

2010-11-16T19:47:00.000-08:00

November 2, 2010

The Fed is flooding the market with dollars driving down interest rates in hopes of stimulating the economy. They are grasping at straws. Unfortunately for us all, there was a significant segment of the population involved in building too many houses from construction workers, to realtors, to mortgage brokers. It will be years before they are working again.

In the meantime it is ugly also for retirees. I bought a $5000 3-month bank CD a few days ago. The 0.1% interest I was lucky to get meant I will soon earn $1.25. Enough for lunch I guess if Aimee and I share a burger off the dollar menu.

So I wasn’t surprised when Aimee suggested we both go back to work. The job Aimee found for us was grueling. We were at work before five this morning and didn’t get home till after eight at night. Just early enough to eat dinner and crash. Too long for our first day back at work. And it was a sweatshop. We worked the entire fifteen hours with only a quick lunch at our desks. Of course we worked the election at one of the local polling places. Aimee thought it our civic duty. Our job was to check Driver’s licenses. Surprisingly Arizona is one of the few states that require showing ID to vote and this state law is likely to be ruled unconstitutional. I am at a loss to understand the rationale.

Next time you vote give the volunteers a big “Thank You” as these normally elderly workers deserve your gratitude. As for me, I am thankful we don’t vote again for two years; I need the rest.

September 25-October 2, 2010

2010-10-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

September 25 – October 2, 2010

My sister came out to visit again to see if we had made any progress fixing up the house. It seems we have made little noticeable progress. They also picked a bad week. Summer and its searing temperatures wasn’t ready to leave us yet. The heat was made even worse by an air-conditioning problem. The cooling unit worked fine but cold air refused to flow in the guest rooms. Another symptom of an overly complicated house. Each room has its own thermostat controlling a motorized air damper. After a lot of head-scratching we managed to locate the offender in a non-descript box on the roof.

Our plan is to make a road trip to the Grand Canyon. Since Aimee and I have not worked out in a long time, we convince our guests to take a warm-up hike before we leave. It is a good thing we did. My niece’s husband was less prepared than us. Only a few minutes into the hike both soles of his boots just pealed away. The desert is tough on equipment. Our next stop was a sports shop to buy new boots, sun block, water bottles, and sunglasses. We are ready!

On Tuesday we picked up a rental van and made the long drive north. We stopped in Sedona for lunch and to admire the red rock vistas. We pulled into the Grand Canyon early enough to enjoy the view before dinner. The next morning we took the shuttle to the South Kaibab trail head. We hiked down into the canyon for over an hour. Aimee and I had forgotten what a stunning experience this is. Just awesome. My only regret was we couldn’t continue to the bottom. Unfortunately picking up cancellations for six beds at Phantom Ranch is nearly impossible. I really should be thankful we didn’t get them as the temperature at the bottom is well over 100F.

Our adventure today was not over. From the Grand Canyon we started the long drive back. In Flagstaff we made a detour to visit Walnut Canyon National Monument. My sister has been wanting to see some of our famous Anasazi Indian ruins. Walnut Canyon is one of our favorites. The ruins can be visited along a one-mile trail that loops inside a picturesque canyon. Because we just hiked the Grand Canyon all of us are complaining about the return stair climb. Near the exit a lady catches up to us and tells us her friend has passed out and is unresponsive. My niece is a nurse so we head back down the stairs to offer first aid. The park ranger decides we need to carry her out. So I accompany him back up the stairs to fetch the gurney. Back down the stairs we strap her in and walk the wheeled stretcher back up. That is six times for those who are counting. One more and they would have had to carry me out.

Back in Tucson, we are all exhausted. Tucson is still having record heat so we spend the next afternoon at the movie theater watching the new Ben Affleck flick, The Town. It was very good but the air-conditioning was even better. I am sure my sister is wondering why we live here.

August 16, 2010

2010-08-20T18:15:00.001-07:00

August 16, 2010

We spent the day in the White Mountains driving from Springerville, AZ over to Pinetop and Showlow. Even though we are in Arizona we are in the middle of a beautiful pine forest and the weather is cool. That is because we are at almost 8000 feet elevation. We are thinking this area might be a good place to buy a summer home. It is much cooler than Tucson in the summer and is close to a ski resort for a winter snow trip. I mistakenly thought I was the first with this idea. Not so! It is crowded. There are lots of places for sale. They must have overbuilt here too. It looks like it will be a couple years before prices bottom. Aimee and I would like to have a little log cabin hidden in the forest. That seems hard to get here. Most of the properties seem to be on thin strips along roads. Arizona in general has only 10% of its land available for private ownership. The vast majority is either Indian reservation or Federal land. In the White Mountains, the Apaches have the prime real estate. I wonder what it takes to join the tribe??

It has been pouring rain off and on all day. If I am going to sit inside while it is raining I would rather do it at home in my comfy chair. So we make the last push and arrive back in Tucson before bedtime.

August 15, 2010

2010-08-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

August 15, 2010

Since Chaco Canyon is truly in the middle of nowhere, the sky last night was very dark. We attended the evening ranger talk and wouldn’t you know, it was a sky show. And it was outstanding! Besides an interesting discussion about ancient astronomy, the park has several large telescopes including one that is almost professional size. Aimee was absolutely giddy about seeing the rings of Saturn for the first time.

We are very glad we made the killer drive to Chaco. I was a little peeved that New Mexico hasn't paved the access road but Aimee reminds me that if they did we would be competing with tour buses and need tickets to see this sight. Instead it is a lightly visited park that is a joy to tour.

Leaving Chaco Canyon, Aimee insisted on driving the first section. I never argue when she offers to let me watch the scenery. Unfortunately it was a grueling two hours creeping along the 13 miles of washboard dirt road. Not a fast start this morning.

We drove the rest of the day crossing into Arizona before finding a campsite in Springerville, gateway to the White Mountains. While stopping for gas, we got the Sunday paper to catch up on the news. Aimee commented we needed to be careful because an escaped murderer from Arizona was on the loose and had just killed an RV couple camping in New Mexico. I told her not to worry as the FBI thinks they are now either in Montana or Canada. (A couple days later the escapee is found at a campground just a few miles away!!!)

August 14, 2010

2010-08-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

August 14, 2010

We stopped back at Aztec to see the movie, peruse the exhibits and take a quick run thru the ruins again. I was a little miffed at how PC the park has gotten. Half the artifacts in the museum had been removed because local Indians claim the relics are either burial items or are sacred to them and should not be on display for white people. Also apparently the rangers can’t say these sites were abandoned anymore because the Indians say their dead ancestors’ ghost still reside there. All the local tribes claim to be descendents of the Anasazi. Even the Navajo who didn’t migrate into the region until 1700.

From Aztec we drove an hour south intending to go to Chaco Culture Historic Park. We turn off the main road and drive five miles when we come to the beginning of the 13.5-mile dirt road that leads to Chaco. It is washboard. I initially try to fly over it at 35 mph. That works for a mile but then we hit a bad section and I think our home is going to shake apart violently. Aimee threatens divorce if I don’t turn around. I agree with her but the road is too narrow for me to do a three-point turn. When I do find a turnout, we discuss the options and none are any good. Instead we agree to drive 5-10 miles an hour and make the best of it. We hit really bad spots a couple more times and consider turning around each time. Eventually we make it thru to park property and find paved road again. Hallelujah!

I suffered thru this drive because I have heard a lot about Chaco Canyon. The Anasazi are often described as a Chaco culture. It is supposed to be a very interesting park. We were not disappointed. The park lies at the bottom of a broad steep-sided canyon. Along its length are the ruins of a half dozen monumental-sized pueblo structures. Most of these “Great Houses” are of a similar structure (like Aztec). They are D-shaped with 600++ rooms and kivas each. Roads radiate from this canyon in all directions to the other regional pueblos implying Chaco was the center of something. Like Aztec scientists believe few people lived here. The archeologists provide no good answers in my mind for the purpose of these huge pueblos. They could be religious or governmental structures or possibly trading centers with hotels rooms for visiting traders. Because local Indians say they are sacred places, the park seems to favor the religious option.

The Visitor Center is being renovated so we start off driving the loop road stopping to tour five of the pueblos. At the oldest site we take a guided ranger tour. (The only one offered in the afternoon) This volunteer is pretty good but makes me wonder what the six staff interpretative rangers do all day to earn their salary.

Afterwards we take a fun hike up a crack in the canyon wall and along the rim for a great overlook of the main pueblo. Along the way we even spot a few fossils in the rocks as a bonus. Since we are many miles (and several hours) from civilization, we spend the night at the primitive park campground at the base of the canyon wall. We have spent the night amidst giant boulders, under monster redwoods, on cliff edges, and alongside rivers, lakes, and oceans, but this is the first time we have camped next door to an Anasazi ruin (albeit a small minor one). Pretty cool!

August 13, 2010

2010-08-20T16:39:00.000-07:00

August 13, 2010

From Montrose CO we drove southwest over another high mountain road, passing the ski resort of Telluride. One more gorgeous drive. This time the exposed rocks are red which tell me we are now on the Colorado plateau. The red rocks are a great contrast with the green pine and aspen trees.

From Telluride we descended steadily coming out in Colorado’s high-desert southwest corner. Our first stop is the Anasazi Heritage Center. It is the Visitor Center for the BLM’s Canyon of the Ancients National Monument. A short hike up a ridge is Escalante Pueblo. Now these ancient Indians knew how to live. This small condo-like ruin sits on top of a hill and has fantastic 360-degree views. But I sure hope they had servants to schlep water up this hill. This pueblo was discovered by the Spanish explorers Escalante and Dominguez in 1776 while looking for a better route from Santa Fe to California.

We also went through the exhibits in the museum. While nearby Mesa Verde was thought to be a center of government, scientists believe most of the people lived in the scrub desert extending to the northwest.

From Canyon of the Ancients we drove a short distance south to Yucca House National Monument. This visit makes me think I am just checking off National Park sites. It was a big waste. Yucca House is a totally unexcavated site. It is believed to contain a large Anasazi settlement but right now all I can see is two rock-strewn hills. Odd that it is administered by the Park Service. This is a monument better suited to the BLM.

From Yucca House we slipped over the border to New Mexico and headed east. The terrain with its many buttes reminds me of a spread out Monument Valley. Our destination is Aztec Ruins National Monument. We arrive late in the day so we only have time to go thru the ruins. While Mesa Verde was a cluster of cliff dwellings, this complex is very similar to a modern pueblo. It looks like the stone-age version of a condominium; a large three story structure divided into many rooms. Scattered throughout the rectangular structure are numerous round family-sized kivas. In the center of the courtyard is a monster kiva big enough for the whole village. This kiva has been reconstructed and is very impressive and reminds me of an Egyptian tomb.

Even though this place has several hundred rooms, the ranger says few fire pits have been found. Scientists believe only a handful of people actually lived here. They think the rooms were mostly used for storage. If so, the Anasazi were the world’s biggest pack rats.

August 12, 2010

2010-08-12T22:06:00.000-07:00

August 12, 2010

We made a strategic planning error. We want to go to Aspen today and photograph the nearby Maroon Belle peaks. They are probably the most photogenic of Colorado’s mountains. We camped last night at one of the two entrances to Aspen. Unfortunately we found out this entrance is treacherous, especially in a motorhome. It has a 12,000-foot pass with very narrow switchbacks. Vehicles longer than 35 feet are prohibited. We are legal but Aimee has heard horror stories from the locals. I still want to go but we decided to let the weather be the deciding factor. Of course my lucky charm of a wife prayed for rain and we woke to a downpour. Never bet against my wife.

It is a three-hour drive to the other end of Aspen so we punt and head southwest. It seems every road we take in Colorado is scenic. It is a most picturesque state. The only downfall is winter comes early. We can already sense it with the cold nights. Snow is just around the corner. Plus our RV is getting a workout. We have been over several high mountain passes in the last few days.

We cross another to reach the Gunnison River and Curecanti National Recreation Area. Downstream is Black Canyon National Park. That narrow canyon is hard to appreciate because the granite walls are shear and 2700 feet high. There is no hike down. Curecanti on the other hand is upstream and contains four dams. The first section consists of several lakes good for boating. It doesn’t interest me. The lower section is like a mini-Black Canyon. After driving along the clifftop we come upon a side canyon that we can use to drive down to the Gunnison River just below the third dam. From there we take an easy hike along the 700-foot granite gorge. Just stunning!

August 11, 2010

2010-08-12T22:01:00.000-07:00

August 11, 2010

We had a bad time last night. The temperature got pretty cold last night. We didn’t bring a big enough blanket and neither one of us wanted to get out of bed and turn on the furnace. Then to make it much worse my trusty navigator fell and cut her face badly. She is never going to be the same. I have really gotten quite attached to the old girl and I am going to miss her calming voice. Aimee suddenly tells me to get a life and just buy a new GPS. I did but the new girl just isn’t the same.

We got up early today and drove for an hour and a half to Frisco, CO, heart of Colorado’s ski country. We are surrounded by several ski resorts but thankfully there is no snow. Nonetheless, the tall mountains surrounding us are gorgeous. Thanks to one of my sisters, we got a great idea to enjoy the scenery. We rented bikes and had them hauled to the top of nearby Vail pass. From there it is an hour and a half downhill bike ride back to Frisco. It is very pretty but the route does follow Interstate 70 so highway noise is never far away. Aimee and I did feel a little guilty as we watched more than a few people pedal in the opposite direction. They must be in great shape. Our path takes us thru the heart of Copper Mountain Resort. We stopped for an hour to have lunch and do some window-shopping. Back in Frisco, we pedaled over to Lake Dillon to sit and stare at the water. The weather is just delightful. Cool and Sunny. We sat for almost an hour staring at the water and soaking up the sun.

August 10, 2010

2010-08-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

August 10, 2010

This morning we drove a half hour up into the foothills of the Rockies following a stream-cut gorge. Our destination is Estes Park. This cute town is surrounded by beautiful mountain vistas. As soon as we entered the town we passed a riding stable. I am reading Lonesome Dove, a western tale about cattle drives, so I quickly pull over and arrange a two-hour trail ride for us. It turns out to be quite nice. Our guide takes us on horseback up into the pine-forested hills above Estes Park. The scenery looks straight out of the TV show Bonanza. The horses though are a little too well trained for me. There is no steering involved. They follow the horse ahead like they are glued together. After an hour of pulling back on the reins I manage to convince my mount to stay more than two inches back from the horse ahead. They must mix beans in with the horse feed because Aimee’s horse had a bad case of gas.

To walk off our saddle sores, Aimee and I did some window-shopping for an hour along Estes Park’s main street. After lunch we left town and took a short cut thru Rocky Mountain National Park. It turned out to be a long cut. Since the route goes over a 12,000-foot pass, the drive is very slow. Plus the road was blocked for construction in several places. No problem. I was happy to trade the time lost for the great mountain scenery.

By late afternoon we passed to the western side of the park and spent the night in a National Forest campground high on a hill. We have an unobstructed 180- degree view of a large lake below and majestic mountains on the other side. Simply stunning!

August 9, 2010

2010-08-12T21:51:00.000-07:00

August 9, 2010

Today was a driving day. We left the Black Hills of South Dakota heading southwest crossing first into Wyoming and then Colorado. For most of the way we saw groups of motorcyclists going the opposite way. I thought the Sturgis Rally was already making the Black Hills crowded. I hate to see what it is going to be like tomorrow with these new arrivals.

August 8, 2010

2010-08-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

August 8, 2010

Well all we saw were asses at Custer State Park in South Dakota. No, I am not referring to the Sturgis bikers that are dominating the tourist trade here. I am talking about the four-legged variety. We paid our entry fee and drove thru the Wildlife Loop at Custer. The park is beautiful and on our first trip we remembered seeing huge herds of buffalo crossing the road. This time they are nowhere to be seen. All we saw were a group of wild burros, descendents of pack animals released in the park. One donkey gave Aimee a little scare. As she fed one a slice of bread, it got so excited it almost jumped in the RV with her.

Slightly disappointed with Custer, we left the park and crossed into Wind Cave National Park. There is no entry fee and wouldn’t you know it, this is where all the buffalo are roaming. I even did the modern version of the cattle drive with them. For probably the next five miles I herded the bison down a narrow valley road with our RV. The line of cars behind me must have been very jealous.

Eventually the fun had to end and we stopped at Wind Cave’s Visitor Center. This National Park is a two-fer. It has great scenery and wildlife above ground and equally amazing views below. We took the hour and a half “natural entrance” tour. Wind Cave has none of the stalagmites and stalactites of normal caves. Instead it has long narrow passages filled with formations called “box work”. Wind Cave is about the only place this can be seen. Box Work is a honeycomb structure reminiscent of the nests of the mud-dauber wasp. In reality it is the eaten-away skeleton of an earlier mineral structure.

We had such a nice time at Wind Cave, we decided to spend the night at its campground. We are glad we did. The entire herd of buffalo from earlier in the afternoon ended up passing right by our campsite. Then after the evening ranger program, we enjoyed the moonless star-filled night sky seeing several shooting stars. The Milky Way was magnificent.

August 7, 2010

2010-08-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

August 7, 2010

This morning we went into nearby Hill City early so we could park downtown before the Sturgis motorcyclists took over the town. Unfortunately when we got there we found the main street closed to cars. Only motorcycles were allowed. So we parked a few streets away and walked in. Aimee took off in one direction to do some shopping while I went to the Black Hills Institute. This local organization is big into finding fossils for commercial sale. They were the ones who found “Sue”, the famous T-Rex, some years ago. Unfortunately they lost her in a court battle and she was eventually sold to the Field Museum in Chicago. They have a small display of some very fine fossil specimens.

Afterwards we head over to Jewel Cave National Monument. Fortunately it seems the bikers like to camp, ride the roads and hit the bars but not visit the local attractions. So we are able to get a scenic tour shortly after lunch no problem. Our visit turns out to be very enjoyable. Our ranger guide was superb and very funny. In addition Jewel Cave is highly decorated. At some point in its history the cave got flooded and the dissolved limestone reformed into crystals of calcite. Almost the entire cave is covered with it.

We ended our day early back at our campground. The Black Hills are beautiful with pine forests covering hills of exposed granite. Plus because of the high elevation the weather is cooler and since we are back in the West, the humidity has disappeared. It is simply delightful!

As we usually do in the evening, we took a stroll around the campground. I think we are the only non-bikers staying here. But oh how times have changed. These bikers are middle age, driving expensive motorhomes and checking email on their laptop computers. What happened to the Hells Angels biker of my youth?

August 6, 2010

2010-08-06T21:51:00.000-07:00

August 6, 2010

We chose to pass on a Niobrara River float trip this morning. Instead we leave town heading north crossing back into South Dakota. We make a brief stop at Badlands National Park to admire the scenery before heading to Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. This park site is a preservation of a Cold War nuclear missile silo and control center. It was a major disappointment. Despite being in existence for eleven years virtually nothing has been setup. The park still operates out of a couple small trailers. On most days they only offer two tours of eighteen people each and these are always sold out. When I inquired why so few tours, a ranger complains of understaffing. As he says this I see at least six rangers coming in and out of offices. They don’t have a staffing problem. They just aren’t utilizing what they have effectively. I don’t know why I am always surprised when I see this level of ineptness at the parks. It is the government after all. We hung around the tiny “Visitor Center” an hour hoping to get a cancellation. We didn’t. The only saving grace for our time was a long discussion with an Aussie couple also waiting. They claimed their government was just as incompetent. I bet they are wrong, ours has so much more experience.

From Minuteman we drove into the Black Hills looking for a campsite for the night. It was hard. The annual motorcycle rally in nearby Sturgis is next week and most campgrounds are full. The rally draws almost 500,000 bikers and they dominate the whole Black Hills region. We eventually find a campground with a spot for us. Whew!

August 5, 2010

2010-08-06T21:47:00.000-07:00

August 5, 2010

Our first stop this morning was a half hour west at Niobrara State Park in Nebraska. This park sits on an overlook where the Niobrara River flows into the Missouri. Very pretty. We traveled west across Nebraska along the Outlaw trail (apparently Jesse James came by here). The terrain changes from corn farmland to flat treeless prairie. We pass very few cars along the way. During the drive we stop so Aimee can take a pic of a photographer shooting a sunflower farm. After several hours we stop in the middle of the prairie and drive four miles down a dirt road to Smith Falls State Park. The contrast couldn’t me greater. Here we come upon a deep tree-lined valley through which the Niobrara National Scenic River flows. It is lush and full of people tubing and canoeing. Where did these people come from? This park is the site of Nebraska’s tallest waterfall at 70 feet high! The Niobrara carves a fertile gorge thru the prairie. Springs fed by the Ogalala aquifer leak out along the canyon wall and cascade into the river. A few miles upstream we make another stop at Fort Niobrara Wildlife Refuge. There we hike to another spring-fed waterfall. Aimee and I would like to join in the fun and canoe past these sandstone cliffs. Unfortunately we got some bad advice and when we get to the “major” town of Valentine, we find all the float trips start back where we came from. Very odd since half the offices are here.

August 4, 2010

2010-08-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

August 4, 2010

Today is a driving day. From Minnesota we drove southwest thru the state and into South Dakota. At Sioux Falls we turned south crossing the Missouri River into Nebraska. We stopped in the Visitor Center for the Missouri National River and Recreation Area. It covers a stretch of river above and below the dam here. We camped for the night on Corps of Engineers property right below the dam. I am crossing my fingers the dam lasts till morning. Our RV doesn’t float. We had a long talk with a work camper who bid for this job. His story reminds us of all the easy part-time jobs available to workers looking to see the country.

August 3, 2010

2010-08-03T21:32:00.000-07:00

August 3, 2010

From the outskirts of St Paul, MN we drove downtown to stop at the Visitor Center for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Although the park consists of the Mississippi River that flows thru the Minneapolis metro area, it owns almost no land. Instead it provides matching funds to the riverbank owners. When I came here I wondered why this part of the river deserves this distinction. The ranger said it was because this is the only part of the Mississippi with a waterfall and a gorge. She also said this stretch is important because this is where the production of flour was industrialized (think Pillsbury and General Mills). The answer seemed pretty weak especially since the stretch around my hometown is considerably more historic. This one seems to be another way for some politician to return Federal tax dollars to the local area. Aside from the money issue, for me it dumbs down the meaning of a National Park.

On our walk back to the RV, we walked thru Rice Park that has several statues from the cartoon strip, Peanuts. Apparently St Paul was where Charles Schulz called home.

We then drove a few miles upriver to the confluence with the Minnesota River. Atop the bluff here sits the historic Fort Snelling. We watch the park’s film but I can't convince Aimee to tour another fort. Fort Snelling was built in the early 1800’s when this area was the wild frontier.

The real reason I couldn’t persuade Aimee is because she is chomping at the bit to go to the Mall of America, the biggest in the country. When we get there Aimee is on sensory overload deciding which store to visit first. After a couple hours I am chomping at the bit, I convince her to see a movie with me at the theatre. We saw “Inception”. It was good but it made my head hurt trying to keep the complicated story line straight. We did a little more mall walking afterwards. Mall of America is a large circular complex with incredibly an amusement park inside. It seems they cheat a little to be the largest. We were surprised to see multiple stores in the mall. Aimee noticed three Best Buys; and I saw two Victoria Secret stores.

We spent the night at a local Indian casino. As usual it was crowded but what was surprising was the ban on alcohol. A dry casino! Good thing they didn’t search my refrigerator on the way in.

August 2, 2010

2010-08-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

August 2, 2010

Our commute was pretty short today. We stayed at the campground of a river outfitter last night. After waking we walked up to the shop and rented a kayak to paddle down a thirteen-mile section of the St Croix National Scenic Riverway. We were driven up river where we embarked on our water adventure. Almost the whole way this river was devoid of any civilization. Also because of recent rains the water was high and the current moving along. We ran into small whitewater quite often. Although the shoreline was mostly forest we did have one small section of sandstone cliff. We also saw two bald eagles in the trees. After three and a half hours of paddling we put out of the river and called for our pickup.

The St Croix and its tributary the Namekagon were designated a National Scenic Riverway to maintain their wildness and halt the construction of a dam and power plant. After our excursion we drove to St Croix Falls to see the Visitor Center for the park.

This river system was used by Voyageurs in their transit from Lake Superior to the Mississippi. We were following in the footsteps or paddles of these explorers since most of this river has not changed in the last 1000 years.

August 1, 2010

2010-08-03T21:19:00.000-07:00

August 1, 2010

From Superior, WI we drove back north across the bridge to Duluth. They are having a Tall Ships festival. We park outside the downtown area and take a shuttle to the inner harbor. There in a line along the wharf are eight masted-ships of yesteryear. We only paid the general admission because we didn’t feel the need to tour them. I am glad we did as even this early in the morning there are very long lines at each ship. I am still a little peaved as the ships are hard to appreciate behind the lines of people, fencing, trees and flags. We continue past the ships farther along the harbor front. The harbor makes a hard turn and we end up getting a better view of the ships from the “no-charge” end of the harbor. There is a wide variety of Tall Ships representing several different eras and purposes. Probably for me the most interesting was the HMS Bounty, a ship built for the Marlon Brando version of the Mutiny movie. It also starred in the more recent Pirates of the Caribbean. None of these sailing ships are all that big. It is amazing that a large crew could live inside those tight confines let alone trust the ship to carry them safely around the globe. No wonder some of them mutinied.

The Duluth-Superior harbor is quite extensive. We continue on past a large lift bridge that opens to allow a freighter delivering salt to enter. We take a quick swing thru a Corps of Engineers Museum that has way more info than we want on the port. Duluth-Superior is a big port for coal, iron ore, and grain exports.

After a surprisingly nice couple of hours strolling the harbor at Duluth, we make our way due south deeper into Wisconsin.

July 31, 2010

2010-08-03T21:09:00.000-07:00

July 31, 2010

Since our first visit was cut short we went back to Grand Portage National Monument this morning. Even the second time it is quite interesting. We spend a little more time with the exhibits in the Visitor Center. The Monument and Grand Portage Trail sit on an Indian reservation of the Ojibway (Chippewa). Apparently there is some annual fee the National Park has to pay to the tribe for the use of its “ancestral” land. I find that interesting since the Ojibway, once they acquired guns from the Europeans, stole this land in the 1700’s from the Sioux, who were then forced onto the more barren Plains.

In the afternoon we drive south along Lake Superior past Duluth, MN and stay outside Superior, WI

July 30, 2010

2010-07-31T21:06:00.001-07:00

July 30, 2010

Isle Royale and the Keweenaw peninsula of Michigan were the two sources of copper for American Indians. I am not sure how they found the deposits as the island is pretty lush. I see very little exposed rock. In fact the park trails are overgrown with vegetation.
Isle Royale is also full of berries, lots of berries, mostly colors of the American flag. On our hike back to the harbor, we feast on raspberries and a few blueberries. We leave all the rest alone. We find out later they are very poisonous. We are not the only ones who like the berries. All the trails are littered with scat full of berries. Looks like bear, but is just fox scat.

Before loading on to the boat we listen to a ranger talk on ticks. While Isle Royale doesn’t have deer ticks (yet) they do have Moose ticks. A typical moose is loaded with tens of thousands of ticks. Ick! Between ticks and mosquitoes sucking their blood, moose barely survive winters here. Our boat ride back is another sheet of glass. That must be a record. We are four for four. We liked our little wilderness experience, but in the final analysis I don’t think Isle Royale has anything I would say is remarkable.

July 29, 2010

2010-07-31T18:53:00.000-07:00

July 29, 2010

This morning we are up early to catch a boat to Isle Royale National Park. This national park is one of the least visited in the lower 48. It is an island in Lake Superior that is not easy to get to. It does have a small lodge but most people camp. Being isolated it has a closed ecosystem that scientists like to study. Aimee agreed to go because this is one of the few wildernesses with no bears. It does have moose and wolves whose populations fluctuate in relationship to each other. More wolves means less moose and vice a versa.

I feel like we took a barge to the island. Our ship is very slow. It takes us three hours to go the 21 miles to the west end of the island. Good thing Lake Superior is very calm today! Otherwise my weak stomach might cause me problems. On dry land, we get our backcountry permit and set off for our campground. It is only five miles but feels like twenty with our heavy packs. Once we arrive Aimee is very pleased to find we are camping on a tiny bay off Lake Superior. It is beautiful! Plus the cold water keeps us cooler and the mosquitoes away. I give Aimee the night off. I make her a delicious dinner of Lasagna with Ice Cream for desert. I even did the dishes! She would be in heaven, if it wasn’t for that tiny tent.

July 28, 2010

2010-07-31T18:42:00.000-07:00

July 28, 2010

Our first stop today is Ely, MN, capital of the Boundary Water Canoe Wilderness Area. I have been here several times. It is a beautiful area worthy of National Park status. Like the National Park it lies along the Voyageur route. In combination with its Canadian counterpart, Quetico Provincial Park, this area is the perfect destination to explore in the footsteps of the historic Voyageurs. You can literally canoe and portage thru wilderness here for hundreds of miles without seeing anything man made. At night you will hear only loons calling each other.

Unfortunately we are just passing thru Ely. We have a pressing reservation tomorrow. We only have time for a brief visit to the International Wolf Center. It is an interesting diversion for a couple hours. We learn a lot about wolves in the exhibit area. While they have their peculiarities, they are amazingly like our pet dogs. I have a fondness for wolves but surprising to me, many hate them. Mostly farmers who blame them for the loss of an occasional calf and hunters who complain of sitting in their tree stands longer to shoot a deer. The centerpiece of the facility is a glass viewing area for watching captive wolves up close. I like it because they keep the glass spotless to improve photo opportunities.

From Ely we drive east to Lake Superior and then north to the Canadian border. Since we arrive late in the afternoon we have only a short time to run through Grand Portage National Monument. It turns out to be a wonderful place to learn more about the Voyageurs and the fur trade. Grand Portage was the longest and most difficult of the canoe carries on the Voyageur route. It was also the main meeting place where Voyageurs from Montreal would exchange trade goods for furs with the Voyageurs who traveled west to live among the Indians. The park is loaded with very knowledgeable re-enactors who make the monument a great place to visit. We need to come back.

July 27, 2010

2010-07-31T18:38:00.000-07:00

July 27, 2010

Last night we crossed the border from Wisconsin into Minnesota. This morning we drove the last leg to Voyageur National Park. This park commemorates the French fur traders who traveled the waterways of the frontier. Every spring the Voyageurs would transport trade goods from Montreal west and exchange them for beaver pelts with the Indians. The French Voyageurs traveled in giant birch-bark canoes packed to the gills with cargo. Thru the Great Lakes it was all paddle. Minnesota didn’t stop them because this is the land of 10,000 lakes. When necessary they would carry (portage) the canoe to the next lake or river and repeat the process. In this way they could travel all the way to northern Alberta in Canada, a distance of 3000 miles from Montreal. When the Revolutionary War ended, the border between the US and British Canada was placed along the main communication path of the Midwest: the route of the Voyageurs.

At one of the park’s Visitor Center, we listened to some excellent re-enactors tell us about the life of the Voyageurs. It was a little too authentic. Aimee and I were recruited to man a 10-person Voyageur canoe for a journey around the harbor. It was a lot of work. The Voyageurs had it much tougher. They paddled one stroke a minute, 50 minutes an hour, 15 hours a day all summer.

In the afternoon, we were scheduled for a scenic canoe trip but it was cancelled by rain. Before leaving the park, we watched a second film about the life of Voyageurs. It was made in Canada. Appropriately so. The Voyageurs were usually French Canadians and it was their travels that explored and opened up the vast Canadian west.

July 26, 2010

2010-07-31T18:30:00.001-07:00

July 26, 2010

I am glad we didn’t kayak in Pictured Rocks because Apostle Islands National Lakeshore turned out to be a much better venue. After picking out our equipment, our group of paddlers and kayaks are transported across the peninsula to a beach access point. The sun is out and Lake Superior feels unusually warm, so we ditch the wet suits. We kayak several miles along thirty-foot sandstone cliffs. I was expecting the sea caves to be some water-eroded indentations in the bluffs. We got just the opposite. The sandstone looks like Swiss cheese. The caves vary from mouse-size to ones that could hold the Queen Mary. Along the whole length, we paddle under numerous arches, some we have to limbo under and thru cracks barely wider than our kayaks. We also kayaked into a couple caves deep enough to need a flashlight and tight enough to cause a case of claustrophobia. After a couple hours we arrived at a sandy beach where lunch was prepared for us. After all this paddling I am starved. My hunger satisfied, we retraced our path back. Along the way, we spot two bald eagles flying past us. Apparently we are expert sea kayakers now because we made the return trip in half the time.

July 25, 2010

2010-07-31T18:25:00.000-07:00

July 25, 2010

We drove west to Apostle Island National Lakeshore. This park is a cluster of a dozen small islands extending into Lake Superior. Since this archipelago is somewhat protected we think we are safe to do some sea kayaking here. Unfortunately both local outfitters are booked for this afternoon. So we make a reservation for a full day tour of some sea caves tomorrow. We spend the rest of the afternoon chilling out at a local campground.

July 24, 2010

2010-07-24T17:16:00.004-07:00

July 24, 2010

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan was not only iron mining country. In our visit to Keweenaw National Historic Park we learn that it was also copper country. On this peninsula virtually pure copper is buried just below the surface. No smelting is necessary. Copper has been mined here for thousands of years. Keweenaw copper mined here by Indians has been found throughout North America. With the start of the Civil War, Americans came and built modern mines atop the Indian ones. We start our rainy day visit with a ranger-led walking tour of the former mining town of Calumet. Although the ranger was very good, I found it mostly boring looking at old buildings of minimal historic value. A handful of these deteriorating structures are being renovated by the Park Service with our tax dollars. I know of hundreds of towns just as deserving. I wonder what the Michigan politicians traded for this pork.

In the afternoon we drive south to Houghton and take a tour of the abandoned Quincy copper mine. This is an underground hard-rock mine that is almost two miles deep. Most of it is now flooded. Normally a miner would ride a tiny cable car down a narrow vertical shaft. Instead we don hardhats and coats and are driven down the side of the hill where we enter the mine sideways along a shaft drilled to drain the first seven levels of the mine. Inside we see how the miners did their work. It was back breaking work. No thanks! Back topside we see the world’s largest steam-driven hoist that lowered the men into the mine and pulled the copper out.

From the Keweenaw, we drive west and spend the night just over the border in Wisconsin where I can finally buy beer without paying a huge bottle deposit. For dinner we eat a “pastie” we bought along the way. Pasties are a local favorite and are a meat and potato dish baked inside a piecrust. It was introduced by Cornish mining immigrants from England. A pastie was an easy and nourishing meal that could easily be carried into a mine. Ours was actually quite tasty.

July 23, 2010

2010-07-24T17:16:00.003-07:00

July 23, 2010

From Munising, MI we drove west an hour for a short visit to the Michigan Iron Industry Museum. I thought the Upper Peninsula was primarily timberland but apparently its history is actually mining. At one time the UP produced most of the iron ore for the country especially when the "Soo" locks were built at Sault Ste Marie connecting Superior with the rest of the Great Lakes. Eventually the high-grade ore ran out and the industry moved around the corner to Minnesota. Afterwards we drove west to the Keweenaw Peninsula that sticks far out into Lake Superior.

July 22, 2010

2010-07-24T17:16:00.001-07:00

July 22, 2010

From Rapid River, MI we went north to Lake Superior to visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. We arrived just in time to catch the first tour boat of the morning. The cruise passes Grand Island National Recreation Area and then follows the Pictured Rock shoreline for 11 miles. Because of the almost constant wave action, the sandstone hills have been eroded into 200-foot cliffs. The region is also mineral rich. Water seeping thru these deposits has stained the cliffs varying hues of the rainbow. I never realized this coastline was so famous. They are featured prominently in Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha and this 2.5-hour cruise is packed with tourists from all over the country.

This boat is a very good way to see the cliffs but I would have preferred to see them by kayak. We saw several groups paddling by. Unfortunately Aimee and I talked to a Michigander in Mackinaw and she told us horror stories about Gitchie Gumee (Lake Superior), by far the largest, deepest, and roughest of the Great Lakes. Aimee promptly nixed my plan. After doing a little land touring of the park, we spent the night at a local campground facing this mighty lake. She is calm as a sheet of glass.

July 21, 2010

2010-07-24T17:13:00.001-07:00

July 21, 2010

From St Ignace, MI (named after St. Ignace Loyola, founder of the Jesuits) we traveled west following the shoreline of Lake Michigan. We stopped in Rapid River and had dinner with one of my nephews who recently graduated college and is working for one of the local paper mills.

July 20, 2010

2010-07-21T19:20:00.002-07:00

July 20, 2010

Before leaving Mackinaw City, MI, we stop at Colonial Michilimackinac State Historic Park. It is another fort and Aimee is groaning. I guess she has a right to be, since it is similar to Fort Mackinac we saw on the island yesterday. It should, since this fort was taken apart and transported to the island during the Revolutionary War. Even though a repeat, this fort focuses on the earlier French era and Michigan does a good job with the interpretative staff in period costume. The fort to this day is an archeology site and it is amazing the amount of artifacts that they have found over the years. This fort was built by the French to protect the valuable fir trading business. The residents were apparently pretty wealthy based on the junk thrown away.

The Straits of Mackinaw connect Lake Michigan with Lake Huron. It also separates the two peninsulas of Michigan. We drive over this longest suspension bridge in the western world to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the town of St. Ignace. Our first stop is Father Marquette National Memorial. Unfortunately the New France Discovery Center burned down in 2000 and Michigan hasn’t found the funds to rebuild. We stop anyway and find quite a few interesting interpretative stations about Pere Marquette. Father Marquette was a Jesuit priest who came to the area and built an Indian mission here in 1667. He is most famous for tagging along on a journey of discovery with Louis Joliet. They traveled from here west and down the Mississippi River passing by my hometown. Unfortunate for Joliet, his journal was lost in a shipwreck, so Marquette and his journal got all the credit for the expedition. Marquette is buried here on the site of his yet-to-be-rediscovered mission.

July 19, 2010

2010-07-21T19:20:00.001-07:00

July 19, 2010

This morning we took an early ferry for the short ride over to Mackinac Island. This small island, pronounced “Mackinaw”, was our nation’s second National Park after Yellowstone but was transferred to state control in 1895. As we cruised closer I was surprised that a state historic park would have so many sailboats in the harbor and large Victorian mansions lining the harbor. At the turn of the century, Mackinac was a hotspot for wealthy Michiganders and apparently it still is. I later learn 20% of the island is still private and another portion is leased from the state to the public.

Aimee and I start off walking around the main downtown section and then up toward the Grand Hotel. I am in awe. I really almost feel I have time-traveled back to the late 19th century. The houses are all beautiful old Victorians and everyone travels either on foot, bike or horse. Cars have been banned on the island ever since the first one scared a horse 105 years ago. We realize this is a sanitized version. We know in the old days, pooper-scooper patrols weren’t following all the horses, there were no electric carts on the golf course, and gardeners weren’t landscaping with gas trimmers. Still we enjoy the experience.

From the Grand Hotel we walk back downtown and tour Fort Mackinaw sitting on a limestone bluff above the town. As forts go, it was well done. This week they also had a whole slew of high school-age girl scouts helping out. After George Rogers Clark took Vincennes in the Revolutionary War, the British got scared and moved their operations here from the mainland and built this fort. We got it with the Treaty of Paris that ended the war. Unfortunately the bloody Brits took it back in the first battle of the War of 1812. It was too vital of a hub for the lucrative fir trade.

We spent most of the rest of the day walking around the island, eating too much ice cream, fudge and caramel corn. We talked to a couple sailors and found out all the sailboats here are from Detroit’s version of the Chicago to Mackinaw race. We were lucky to arrive here early and take in the island when it was uncrowded, and the locals had plenty of time to talk. By early afternoon the crowds were fierce and the magic was gone. Mackinac felt more like Main Street in Disneyland. For exercise and to get away from the crowds we finished our visit with a tandem-bike ride the 7.5 miles around the perimeter of the pretty island.

July 18, 2010

2010-07-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

July 18, 2010

We had a rainy drive northeast along the shoreline. We passed lots of cute little towns and loads of busy summer homes. Clearly this is a place Michiganders come to vacation. Just north of Petoskey in Bay View we saw a whole community of old Victorians. I guess Michiganders have been coming here a long time. We stop for the day in Mackinaw City on the tip of Michigan’s mitten.

July 17, 2010

2010-07-20T06:28:00.000-07:00

July 17, 2010

Aimee wanted a Lazy day and I was a little worried about campsite availability over the weekend so we stayed an extra day at Sleeping Bear Dunes National lakeshore. It was very relaxing. We laid on the beach, soaking up the sun and unfortunately exposing parts that hadn’t seen the sun in a long time. How do Arizonans, especially older ones get sun burnt?

July 16, 2010

2010-07-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

July 16, 2010

Today we backtracked south to the Sleeping Bear Dune National Lakeshore Visitor Center where we perused the exhibits and watched the park film. The shoreline here (and all along Lake Michigan) is the remnant of the glaciers bulldozing a channel past here during the last Ice Age. The prevailing winds then pile up deep layers of sand on the hills to form dunes.

Afterwards we drove the nearby seven-mile scenic route up to the top of Sleeping Bear dune. Along the way we got out and stretched our legs on the Cottonwood trail hiking up and down grass-covered dunes. At Sleeping Bear the dune fell away almost vertically several hundred feet down to the Lake. A handful of the younger and more energetic tourists ran down the dune in mere seconds. The return hike back up probably took an hour. The fact that Aimee easily talked me out of doing it is a testament to me getting older or wiser, not sure which.

We are thinking about taking the ferry out to South Manitou Island just offshore and also part of the National Park. Looking at the map I often thought of them as desolate, isolated and never inhabited. The truth is just the opposite. The offshore islands and the coast were actually the first places to be colonized. In olden days waterways were the highways. The coastal islands were a focal point for the timber industry providing fuel for passing steamships and lumber for building towns (e.g. Chicago. When ships switched to coal, the local economy died, and was soon replaced with tourism. In fact, the campground we are staying at was the site of Michigan’s first state park.

July 15, 2010

2010-07-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

July 15, 2010

It was drizzling when we awoke so we delayed our departure and then took a leisurely drive to the northwest of Michigan. Along the way we stopped to buy some locally grown cherries at a farmers market. Quite tasty! We noticed a steady stream of RVs going north. Now that is not a good sign. When we finally arrived at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore our first stop was the campground. Full! Must be all these laid-off autoworkers taking advantage of the vacation. Sensing some urgency we make the drive to the opposite end of this linear park and snag the last level site in the park’s other campground. Knowing we now have a home we sprint over to the Maritime Museum to see a reenactment of a 19th century shipwreck rescue. This early volunteer coast guard unit would use a cannon to fire a rescue line out to a floundering ship and then ferry the sailors one by one back to safety on a rope chair.

Back at the campground we make the short walk to Lake Michigan for a stroll on the beach. What an improvement over Indiana Dunes. The sand is less rocky, there are no steel mills in the distance, and small islands dot the skyline. Alas, the water is ice cold!

July 14, 2010

2010-07-15T05:54:00.000-07:00

July 14, 2010

Happy Birthday! No not to my mom, hers was yesterday. If you said France, you get partial credit since it is Bastille Day. But who really cares? We are in Michigan and this state's favorite son, Gerald Ford, would have been 97 today. Being Michiganners for time being, we help celebrate by visiting his Presidential Museum in downtown Grand Rapids. I must say Jerry is looking good for 97.

We spend a couple hours going thru his museum. Ford was the only unelected president. He was appointed VP in 1973 when Spiro Agnew resigned after getting caught taking kickbacks. A year later Nixon resigned elevating Ford. I never thought much of Ford until today. In his short tenure, he worked hard to reduce government spending, cut government bureaucracy, and deregulate the economy starting with the railroads and airlines. He seems to have started the revolution that Reagan gets credit for. His biggest mistake was pardoning Nixon. It cost him his own term. Allowing crooked politicians to avoid jail time by resigning sends the wrong message. Success in politics too often goes to the silver-tongued devil who can lie with the straightest face. One only needs to look at Illinois politics to see this truth.

July 13, 2010

2010-07-15T05:49:00.000-07:00

July 13, 2010

After spending a week with each of our parents it is time to hit the road again. We don’t make it too far. We stop just over the border at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The National Park owns a patchwork of swampland and lakeshore along twenty miles of Lake Michigan. In between are dotted large steel mills and houses. Indiana Dunes State Park was our first choice but we find their campground books up months in advance. That is probably because it is accessible from Chicago’s South Shore commuter rail line. We fall back to the National Park campground a mile from the lake. After getting a spot, we drive down to the beach and find the one and only spot we can squeeze the RV into. I sit in the sand and have a beer to unwind after fighting Chicago traffic. We then take a stroll along the dune-lined beach. It is far from the prettiest we have walked and near the water, the sand is replaced with gravel that is hard on my tender toes, but it has one big advantage over those beautiful white sand Florida beaches. No ugly Tarballs washing ashore!

July 3-5, 2010

2010-07-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

July 3-5, 2010

We are in Godfrey, IL to not only celebrate our country’s birthday but also my mother’s. She will be 90 years old next week. My dad turned 90 six months ago. My aches and pains make me doubt I inherited their longevity genes.

The Monday after the holiday my baby sister and I thought it would be safe to venture into St. Louis and visit the city’s major monument, the Gateway Arch. We were wrong; the crowds were in force. After waiting in a security line to get in the lobby, another line to buy tickets, another for the bathroom, a fourth line to wait in line and then another two lines for good measure, we crammed ourselves into a tiny barrel-shaped elevator for the four minute ride to the top of the hollow arch. Thankfully I was the biggest one of the five in our car. Interestingly after waiting in line for a few hours to get there, we only spent a few minutes looking out the windows. Go figure!

The monument’s official name is the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and was built as a tribute to St Louis’ place in history as the Gateway to the West. We watched a movie about Lewis and Clark, the most famous group to use St. Louis as their disembarkation point. It was surprisingly outstanding!

June 29, 2010

2010-06-30T19:03:00.001-07:00

June 29, 2010

From Lincoln State Park we drove a couple hours to Vincennes, IN to visit George Rogers Clark National Historic Park. Our first view is of the gigantic memorial to him. It is the size and shape of the Jefferson Memorial in DC. Apparently George is more famous than I realized. George is the older brother of William who explored the Louisiana Territory with Meriwether Lewis. In the Visitor Center we learn that he along with Daniel Boone were the primary trailblazers leading pioneers from Virginia to new lands in Kentucky and Tennessee. When the Revolutionary War started the British paid the Indians to attack American colonists in Kentucky. George Rogers Clark led a militia to attack British outposts at Kaskaskia, Cahokia and here in Vincennes. To secure Vincennes he led his troops on a winter forced march across Illinois. As a result when the Treaty of Paris was negotiated the US gained the Northwest Territory. If it wasn’t for this victory, I would be writing this journal in Canadian.

From the Park, Aimee and I walked thru the historic area to Grouseland, home of William Henry Harrison, when he served as Governor of the Indiana Territory in 1800. We were given a tour of the period home by a very knowledgeable docent and then we perused a series of exhibits on Harrison’s life. Harrison gained military fame for his later victories in the Shawnee Indian War and against the British in the War of 1812. He was elected president in 1840. Unfortunately he gave the longest ever inaugural address on a cold wet winter day, got pneumonia, and died after only thirty days in office. Now he is only known for having the shortest presidency.

From Vincennes, we drove to Effingham, IL to have dinner with my oldest sister. Afterwards we drive the last couple hours to Godfrey to spend Independence Day with my parents.

June 28, 2010

2010-06-30T19:02:00.000-07:00

June 28, 2010

We spent last night in Bardstown, KY at Our Old Kentucky Home state park. Also in the park is a golf course and outdoor theatre showing the musical, The Stephen Foster Story. It was nice but hooomid! Stephen Foster was America’s first professional songwriter. He is actually from Pennsylvania but has been adopted by the locals because of his song, “My Old Kentucky Home”. He is famous for songs like “Oh Susanna”, “Way down upon the Swanee river”, “Camptown races, and “Beautiful dreamer”. They are catchy tunes, and to Aimee’s displeasure I spent the day whistling them.

We had planned to take advantage of the golf course at our doorstep but it rained all night. So we left town. We only made it a few miles when we ran into the Jim Beam distillery. It is the largest so we felt the obligation to stop. There was no tour but we partook of an early morning tasting with a group of square dancers and Swedes.

Crossing north into Indiana we stopped at Falls of the Ohio State Park. Unbeknownst to me the Ohio River was unnavigable past this point because of a waterfall here. This caused travelers to stop here and a large community popped up. Eventually a canal was dug and Louisville thrived. The Interpretative Center had exhibits on the area. The falls flows over an ancient coral reef formed 350 million years ago when this area was a shallow sea. After running thru the exhibits, we walk out to the riverbank to look for fossils from Devonian times, the Age of Fishes.

From Louisville, we continued west to Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. The exhibit room continues Lincoln’s early story. He spent his teenage years here. His father moved the family to frontier Indiana to find land that he could buy with a clear Federal title. Unfortunately two years later his mother died of milk disease, a not uncommon frontier disease. Unknown at the time, when cattle graze on wooded lands they can ingest deadly white snakeroot which poisons the milk. We walk around this frontier farm. Growing up on the frontier, Abe had almost no formal schooling but yet learned to read and write and do “ciphering”.

We spend the night next door at Lincoln State Park not sure of what time it is. The counties in this part of Indiana are all in different time zones. Not Central and Eastern, but rather “fast time” and “slow time”.

June 27, 2010

2010-06-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

June 27, 2010

Not far north of Mammoth Cave is Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site. There I learned Abe was shot by an Indian in 1786. No, this isn’t ”bizarro world” history. That is what happened to the grandfather of the same name shortly after he followed Daniel Boone into the frontier known as ”Kaintuck”. The more famous Abe was born 23 years later in a log cabin. Unfortunately Abe’s father ran into title problems on the property he bought and was evicted. It happened again with the farm he then rented. Disgusted with Kentucky’s title issues, he left for Indiana with young Abe in tow. Many years later, his supposed birth cabin was sent all over the US for exhibition. In the 20th century, the pieces were bought up and returned here. Around it was built the first Lincoln Memorial. Unfortunately the Memorial is under repair and we cant look inside. On our way north we also stopped at the next farm his family rented.

Aimee is tiring of these historical sites, so she suggests hitting the “Bourbon Trail”. We stop at the closest, Makers Mark. It is a cute distillery, but we had never heard of it till we saw it mentioned in the movie ”Crazy Heart” two weeks ago. We took a tour of the distillery and learned how Whiskey is made from fermented corn, distilled and aged in oak barrels. We were surprised at the open fermentation tanks. We were even invited to stick our fingers into the mash to taste. After the tour we were invited to a tasting of the final product. Neither of us really appreciates fine whiskey but we did like the mint julep. Mint Julep is whiskey infused with mint and sweetened. Makers Mark’s claim to fame is that they hand dip each bottle with a red wax seal. To celebrate Chicago’s recent Stanley Cup Championship, they issued some commemorative bottles dipped in black wax.

Our next distillery stop is Heaven Hill. We were too late for the tour and tasting but they had a lot of displays about Whiskey. In colonial times, excess corn was turned into Whiskey by most farmers and used to barter for goods. Whiskey was the hard currency of the day. Kentucky used to be Virginia’s Bourbon county. Kentucky farmers put their whiskey in oak barrels and shipped it down river to New Orleans. This accidental aging mellowed the flavor and soon people started asking for “Bourbon” Whiskey. Later the US enacted laws codifying “bourbon” as American made corn whiskey aged in charred new white oak barrels.

June 26, 2010

2010-06-27T06:42:00.000-07:00

June 26, 2010

Our original plan this summer was to tour the southeast US making sure we were in Florida at the end of July to see one of the last space shuttle launches. NASA threw us a curve ball delaying the last two blastoffs till this fall. After a week in the South I am secretly relieved. This southern heat and humidity is a killer destroying any desire for outdoor living. Normally we enjoy staying at public parks, sitting outside in the evening, communing with nature. Instead we are relegated to mostly private parks with electrical hookups so we can sit inside with the A/C on full blast.

We have been making our way up north with little relief from the heat. Mammoth Cave National Park is a great opportunity to find some natural Arctic weather. We stopped in at the park’s Visitor Center late yesterday evening to find the place still a beehive of activity and learn most cave tours sell out in advance. We immediately booked two of the few still remaining. Mammoth Cave is not only a National Park but also a World Heritage Site. Mammoth is by far the longest cave system in the world at almost 400 mapped miles. We start the morning with the “New Entrance” tour. It begins with a short bus ride to the opening and a long descent by spiral staircase to the main shaft. Compared to other caves this one has virtually no decoration. Just a single, albeit impressive, wall near the tour end known as ”Frozen Niagara”.

To pass the time till our next tour Aimee and I hike (above ground) to see the “River Styx“ natural spring. This spring turns out to be water that percolates into the cave, carving new channels, eventually emerging horizontally out of a hillside. Apparently the cave is still being carved, hence the lack of decorative stalagmites and stalactites. Right now we are happy just standing outside the main cave entrance enjoying the blast of cool air emanating from it. If I was an Indian this is where I would have slept on muggy summer nights.

At 2pm we take the Historic Entrance Tour. This two-hour hike takes us through a section of cave that looks exactly like a manmade mine. It has long horizontal runs with some very deep vertical shafts. And no decoration! The cave is interesting but definitely not for those looking for beautiful cave formations. I am failing to understand why this place is so crowded.

June 25, 2010

2010-06-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

June 25, 2010

The Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers flow into the Ohio within a few miles of each other. Both have been dammed up near their mouth forming long parallel lakes. The thin strip of land between them was bought up by the government and turned into the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. From Fort Donelson we drove north thru the LBL. It is mostly wooded with a few meadows on which buffalo and elk graze. Near the middle we stop at a Forest Service wildlife rehab center. It is more of a nature center and local zoo with owls, eagles, wolves, bobcats and a lot of bird feeders and flowerbeds. A nice break for an hour.

At the other end of the parking lot are the remains of an antebellum iron furnace. Apparently the whole area is dotted with them because the region is rich in the three necessary ingredients: iron ore, limestone and lots of timber. We walk a short interpretative trail to see how this operation worked. It is amazing how much manpower was required to run these tiny furnaces in those early industrial times. Every day it needed 165 wheelbarrows of ore and limestone and one acre of wood. After reading this I am thinking back to our Civil War battlefield tours and wondering how either side could have made enough iron to supply all the cannon balls both sides were tossing at each other.

We emerge out of the LBL in Kentucky where we head east and spend the night outside Mammoth Cave National Park.

June 24, 2010

2010-06-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

June 24, 2010

A few miles south in Murfreesboro,TN is Stones River National Battlefield. While Grant and his army were sailing up the Tennessee River and taking Corinth (and fighting off a counterattack at Shiloh), another army was going up the Cumberland. Nashville was taken without a fight. In late 1862 this Army of the Cumberland started marching from Nashville toward the rail junction in Chattanooga. Thirty miles southeast in Murfreesboro, they ran into the Confederate army and prepared for battle. Unfortunately the Union army seems to keep forgetting the fundamental dictum of war (Get their firstest with the mostest). In this battle, the Confederate army awoke earlier and started the attack while the Union was still drinking their first cup of coffee. A rout ensued and the North fell back in panic. Only stubborn resistance by a few units allowed a stalemate to result. When the Rebels retreated south a few days later, the North claimed victory. This battle was another bloodbath worse than Shiloh. One third of all troops were casualties. We did the auto tour of the battlefield and attended a ranger talk but both were uninteresting.

From Murfreesboro we drove to the northwest part of the state to Fort Donelson National Battlefield. The battle here set the stage for Shiloh and Stones River. Working closely with the Navy and their river gunboats, Grant planned to take control of the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. Before Grant could get in position, the gunboats had forced the Rebels to surrender Fort Henry guarding the Tennessee. When they attacked Fort Donelson on the Cumberland the gunboats lost and Grant was forced to lay siege. In a matter of days the Rebel general surrendered 13,000 troops. This was not only the North’s first big victory of the Civil War but they had their first winning general in Grant.

Just as we were heading out of the Visitor Center a huge thunderstorm hit and we waited it out for an hour and a half. When it slowed down to a slow drizzle we made a mad dash on the auto tour route. Fort Donelson was an earthworks fortress and is mostly still intact. It is also in a very hilly region. Grant is probably lucky the idiots in charge surrendered so fast.

June 23, 2010

2010-06-23T21:27:00.001-07:00

June 23, 2010

From Pickwick Dam in southern Tennessee, we make the short drive to Shiloh National Military Park. Our northerly drive is unfortunately visiting a series of Civil War battles in reverse chronology. Ulysses Grant intent on taking the rail junction at Corinth, MS sailed up the Tennessee River and started assembling his army here at Pittsburgh Landing near a little log chapel named Shiloh Church. Grant made a crucial mistake of not protecting his beachhead here. The rebel general at Corinth took the offensive and in April 1862 made a preemptive strike at Grant. Caught with his pants down, Grant almost got wiped out. With some fortuitous luck and stubborn resistance by one of his units, he survived the first day. Expected reinforcements arrived overnight. To his credit, instead of retreating to regroup or playing defense, Grant struck back hard early the next morning and forced the Rebels to retreat back to Corinth.

We spent most of the day driving the auto tour of the battlefield and listening to several ranger talks. The Shiloh battlefield is special because it remains almost like it was nearly 150 years ago. And Shiloh was a bloodbath. The first big one of the Civil War. Over 20,000 troops were lost in 36 hours, more than all the wars the US had fought to that point. Both sides suddenly realized this war was no game.

From Shiloh we drove north stopping briefly at the Tennessee River Museum. Finding little of interest we made our way back to the Natchez Trace Parkway. Discovering that there are virtually no RV parks anywhere in the vicinity we drive late into the evening and stay at a park outside Nashville. We make one brief stop along the Trace at Meriwether Lewis’ grave and monument. On his journey back to DC from St Louis in 1809, he stayed at a tavern here overnight. He was mysteriously shot twice and died. Most believe it was suicide. A sad ending to the man who bravely led the Corps of Discovery.

June 22, 2010

2010-06-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

June 22, 2010

We start the day driving north on the Natchez Trace Parkway. The parkway is a two lane heavily wooded road reminiscent of what the colonial countryside was like. We stop at a roadside pullout for a short hike along the original trail.

Not far from Tupelo, MS we stop at Brices Crossroads National Battlefield. For some reason the Visitor Center is run by the local community instead of the Park Service. It is small but well done. The battle occurred here in 1864 at the same time Sherman was advancing on Atlanta. Fearing an attack on his supply line, Sherman sent one of his generals to fend off an attack from Mississippi. Although the Union lost the battle, Sherman’s supplies were safeguarded and he was able to take and burn Atlanta sowing the seeds of the South’s defeat. From the Visitor Center, we drove to the Battlefield. Like Tupelo, it is just a small roadside park with a monument and requisite two cannons. The Park Service is nowhere to be seen.

From Brices, we head north to Corinth, MS. There we stop at the Interpretative Center. This new NPS facility is very interesting. The Confederacy had very few rail lines. Two major rail arteries intersected here in Corinth. In 1862 General Grant sailed up the Tennessee River intent on capturing this strategic point and cutting the South’s ability to move supplies around. After a brutal battle at Shiloh, Grant moved to begin a siege of Corinth. It was set to be the largest battle of the war with both sides bringing over 100,000 troops to Corinth. The rebel general fearing a deadly siege vacated Corinth saving his army from destruction.

We drive over to the depot to see the rail intersection and then walk downtown to have lunch at a turn of the century soda fountain. Afterwards we drive around Corinth to see some of the earthworks and stop at Contraband Park. As the Union struck into the south, freed slaves (known as contraband) fled north to camps setup to care for them and begin their transition to freedom. One major camp was here in Corinth.

After spending most of the day in Corinth we head northeast and stay at a BLM park on the Tennessee River just below the TVA's Pickwick hydroelectric dam.

June 21, 2010

2010-06-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

June 21, 2010

Our first stop today is Arkansas Post National Memorial in southeast Arkansas. Incredibly this location near the junction of the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers was the earliest European settlement in the Mississippi valley, older than New Orleans. The French founded it in 1686. A surprising amount of history occurred here. A revolutionary war, an Indian war and a civil war battle were all fought here. It was also the first capital of the Arkansas territory. The site is now almost totally surrounded by swamps and infested with mosquitoes and alligators in this isolated part of southern Arkansas. We walked around the site and then headed into Mississippi.

Late in the day we arrived in downtown Tupelo, MS to see the Tupelo National Battlefield. It turns out to be just a small city park with one monument and two cannons. Disappointed, we drive over to the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center but they have no info either. The Natchez Trace was the national road that people walked back to the Midwest (Nashville) after floating down the Mississippi River. A few miles down the Parkway we stop and walk among the remains of a Chickasaw Indian village.

June 20, 2010

2010-06-21T06:14:00.000-07:00

June 20, 2010

Natchitoches, LA (pronounced Nakatish) is on the sleepy Cane River. It turns out to be quiet because it is not really a river anymore. It used to be the busy Red River but in the early 1800’s settlers cleared a major logjam and the Red River ended up cutting a new channel leaving this section stranded. It is now a really long skinny lake. A few miles downstream we visit the Cane River Creole Historic Park. The park consists of two former cotton plantations that time passed by. They are interesting but the heat and humidity here are killers of my curiosity.
These plantations started off as slave enterprises. After the Civil War most of the blacks stayed on the plantation as tenant farmers and sharecroppers. The brutal reality was that little changed when they converted to “voluntary” servitude. Today we call this predicament being chained to a “job”. I can relate. I had the same dream of wanting to shake loose the shackles of “the man”. Only a few days ago Aimee and I celebrated the fourth anniversary of our Emancipation Proclamation. Free at Last!

From the Cane River area we worked our way with the A/C turned on high to the northeast corner of Louisiana and the Poverty Point Monument. It turns out the name is a misnomer. Although Reagan designated it a National Monument, Arkansas wouldn’t relinquish control so it remains a state historic site. Poverty Point is an Indian archeology site from before 1500 BC. Besides being incredibly old for the New World, it is huge, and was only recognized from aerial photographs. It consists of concentric earthen ridges almost a mile wide surrounding a central courtyard (see scale model). A community of maybe 4000 pre-agriculture hunter-gatherer Indians lived here. Artifacts found at the site indicate this ancient people traded for goods from all over the US. The whole story seems incredible. Because of the heat I was secretly happy when the park ranger said we could take a tram tour. We would have drowned in our own sweat hiking this huge site. The tour and museum turned out to be a hidden gem.

June 18-19, 2010

2010-06-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

June 18-19, 2010

Texas is a pain in the #$%&! You gotta love Texans but their state, ugh! After two and a half days of driving we are still in the state. Anybody who thinks we are running out of land hasn’t been to Texas. They have enough for everybody and then some. We drove so much here we wore out one of our tires and had to make a pit stop for repairs in Longview, TX.

Because of the delay we decided to stop for the evening in Natchitoches, LA. (Kudos to anybody who knows the correct way to pronounce the name of this town!) It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Natchitoches has a beautiful little downtown. The main street runs along the picturesque Cane River and is lined with antebellum buildings adorned with “French Quarter-esque” wrought iron porches. For color, everywhere you look are gorgeous flowering trees.

We started at one end with a tour of the reconstructed Fort St. Jean Baptiste. In the early 1700’s this area was the frontier between French Louisiana and the northeastern edge of New Spain (the future Mexico). Our personal tour guide gave us the lowdown on the difference between the Creoles and Cajuns. Cajuns were the French exiles from Canada (Acadia), while the Creoles were the offspring of the original French settlers who inter-married with black slaves and the local Indians. To really discern the subtle differences ourselves we window shopped till we came upon a restaurant featuring Cajun and Creole dishes. Mmmm! Vive la difference!

June 16-17, 2010

2010-06-18T06:31:00.000-07:00

June 16-17, 2010

It is summer in Tucson and we are late getting out of town. Today we finished packing the RV, secured the house, and started our journey east. As I drive I am thinking I hope I got the watering system understood enough I don’t kill our orange trees while we are gone. Since we left at noon we only make it to Las Cruces, NM by dinnertime. Not a problem since the historic original town of Old Mesilla has the best Mexican food around.

It is almost as hot here as it is in Tucson. Feeling overheated we make a detour to revisit Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Despite the heat, the cave temperature is always in the 50’s. Ah, feels good. And even the second time the cave is pretty cool. The natural entrance is a long continuous downhill hike of 75 stories, kind of like descending into the bowels of the earth. So much so, that is why they filmed the sixties classic, “Journey to the center of the earth” here.

But we are not really at Carlsbad to see the cave again. We are here to see a spectacle of nature. During summer the cavern is host to a huge colony of bats visiting from Mexico. So in the evening we attend a ranger talk at the cave entrance and when the sun sets, a swarm of bats as thick as smoke flies out the entrance. For a solid twenty minutes, tens of thousands of bats circle upward from the cave depths in a whirling vortex. Once at the entrance they stream to our right in search of their nightly meal of insects.

April 3, 2010

2010-04-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

April 3, 2010

We took my sister back to the Phoenix airport this morning. On the return drive we took the long route passing through the Sonoran Desert National Monument. This is another one of the three BLM-managed national monuments in the area. It was a disappointment. Signage was non-existent and accessibility limited. The terrain consists of a chain of low mountains surrounded by barren desert. The desert environ around Tucson is much more scenic and accessible. Admittedly I may have given the monument short shrift as I was dragging from waking up early and not really into doing another hike. Plus the new house chores are calling.

April 2, 2010

2010-04-09T22:26:00.000-07:00

April 2, 2010

Our blog has been a little slow lately. It is not that our “big adventure” has ended. It just took a big turn. We decided to make the plunge back into home ownership. The house we settled on has been empty for more than a year and is in need of TLC. It is also significantly larger and more complex than our former Lombard home (and RV) making for some adjustments. I can no longer call out for a beer and expect Aimee to pass it to me. It is now a long walk to the fridge. Plus a house in the Arizona desert has its own peculiar demands and steep learning curve. We are gearing ourselves up mentally for the challenge. Mostly it means we have our work cut out for us in the near future turning the house into our home. On top of all that we have a garage full of dusty boxes that are yearning to be unpacked. I wonder how much of it we really want anymore. Aimee has single-handedly been reviving the local economy buying furniture to fill the empty spaces. I hope Obama sends me my new home owner credit before the bills come due!

Soon after we bought the house, one of my sisters and her family came to visit. Little did they know that part of their vacation would be spent working. They were good sports about it. And fortunately they could toil away under a warm sun and take a dip in the pool if they worked up too much sweat. I did give them some time off for good behavior. We took a couple hikes, panned for gold (unsuccessfully) and paid a day-long visit to the local Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It is a combination zoo, botanical garden and museum and supposed to be the most popular Arizona attraction after the Grand Canyon. From one of the numerous volunteer docents I learned the difference between agaves and yuccas. I was disappointed to discover that the three beautiful flowering yuccas in our new front yard are actually agaves which all die after flowering is finished. I guess that puts three more to-do’s on my growing list.

Oh by the way we are looking for more friends and family to visit…especially those skilled in gardening and painting.