Kit and Carol on the Road

Here is our new car Blanche. We finally got out for a short hike today. I also got signed up to do school visits for the National Park

We are now settled in our little house (more or less) with no water. This is a park issue not just us. But it's been a week of plumbing. We went to Home Depot to get a new bathroom faucet because the old one was leaking (no more simple washer fixes). Before it got installed our toilet tank cracked and water ran everywhere so we had to get a new toilet installed. (by Kit) Now a more massive plumbing issue which hopefully will get solved. Kit says if he was home on Guemes, he would be out with a flashlight looking for leaks.

Carol Harma--from my iPad

We long ago left corn and soybeans behind. Today we saw fields of Pima cotton not yet harvested-- usually we arrive much later. But the big surprise was seeing fields of sorghum just north of Tucson. It was a wet summer and it's still quite green here.

We have landed in Tucson but not quite where we expected. Our park is being paved so instead of being next to our property we are about 3 blocks away. Should be dry enough tomorrow for us to move. Meanwhile Kit has found a way to get there on foot. I went straight to the pool. Not sure which place we will sleep in tonight.

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These are all the states we traveled through on this trip. We will be in Tucson this evening. (I didn't take a single photo in Flagstaff/ Walnut Canyon)

Restored lunch counter once served by Harvey girls. Now just for show alas.

We have arrived in Flagstaff on a very pleasant day. We have WiFi in our RV park so I can catch up a little and write more than a few words. I have done some research and think the story that "Standing on the Corner" really meant Winslow.  Near as I can see the substantiation is pretty iffy. At any rate, Winslow has gone whole hog with it. They created a park with the mural, a statue, the sign, and a real flat bed Ford. Also a giant Route 66 in the middle of the street. And a 66 curio shop on every corner. Down the street lies a nearly hidden jewel--the La Posada Hotel is being returned to it's former glory. This is the last of the big Harvey hotels designed by Mary Colter along the railway. It's still an Amtrak stop. We bought the DVD so we can do a soup supper on it. Mary Colter also had her hand in the former hotel now in Petrified Forest National Park. It wasn't a Harvey hotel but he did train the staff. It is now part museum and part visitor center.

So far we are quite impressed with Flagstaff. Drove into the historic center to find RV parking right near the Visitor Center and downtown. And less than half a block from a real brewpub--where we had lunch. Downtown is mostly galleries and restaurants but it's pleasant enough.
Tomorrow we are spending the afternoon with Kirsten and Sam and Sophie. I haven't downloaded the photos from today but have some from the NP I will post.

Carol Harma--from my iPad

People were lined up to get their picture taken on this famous corner. Turns out though that the song was written about a corner in Flagstaff but Winslow sang better.

Yesterday was a no drive do nothing day. Frog is enjoying the sun. Kit and I did a 3 mi hike and a 9 mile bike. We are in Homolovi Ruins State Park near Winslow. We came here from Gallup with a sojourn in Petrified Forest National Park. We are leaving later this morn for Flagstaff where it is even colder in the morns.

Spent Thursday night at Red Rock Park in Gallup. This isn't the red rocks but a formation called Church Rock.

We stopped first thing at Petroglyph NM near Albuquerque. Here I am with a yucca pod.

The museum of International Folk Art has many miniatures like this pueblo village. Notice the old tourists with cameras. We spent the afternoon at this museum and the Museum of Indian Art and culture

Today we left Colorado and came to New Mexico. Crossed the Rio Grande River where there were lots of people gawking over the bridge into the canyon. Walked about the Taos plaza (shops) and found a fabric store. Drove out to the Taos Pueblo which is a real pueblo and has been occupied for a thousand years. It's a lot of work to keep up the adobe. There is no running water or electricity. About a hundred people still live here--mostly crafts people.

This is the pre-sunset view from our campsite just outside the National Park barricade. We were the only rig in the RV park. Awesome views all around. Especially the sky. Today we have moved on to New Mexico and I may have more photos if I find time to download them. This is a rare WiFi night.

We are in Colorado and it's cold!

This is the view from our Colorado State park campsite. A lot of rivers got dammed to make lakes for all the public campground. We can actually see mountains from here-- first time in many weeks.

This one is in Las Animas Colorado. So far Colorado is just as dry and flat as Kansas. Have seen lots of cows aka feed lots today

Lest I forget, we have passed from corn and soybeans into sorghum and oil wells. And a huge array of wind turbines. Good use of all the prairie wind. Luckily we had little wind today. On Google Earth Kit notes all the green circles. Not mysterious crop circles but created by rotating irrigation.

Carol Harma--from my iPad

We have been off the grid for awhile. We prefer camping at public parks which don't have WiFi or even cell coverage--but tonight we are at the Gunsmoke RV park in Dodge City. First night in a long while without a lake. (but there is WiFi and laundry)
We came into Dodge City today hoping it was more than just Hollywood Hype. I had read about a Kansas Historical Center which turned into a non thing. So we went to the visit center. When I said I wanted REAL Dodge City history she was at a lost (most people go straight to the Boot Hill Museum and Cemetery) so she called in Charlie. Turns out he does walking tours of the town and even though it wasn't a scheduled day he said we would take us--and some other people who happened to be there. It was amazing. One of the best things that happened to us this trip. And he does it for free. Donations go for materials he sends out to school kids.
Carol Harma--from my iPad

Kit was really excited about this old tractor in a barn at the Kaufman Museum in Newton KA. We went here because they have recreated a small bit of tallgrass prairie but it's an amazing museum with natural history (lots of stuffed animals) and human history--some on the native Cheyene but mostly on the Mennonite settlers. They were recruited from Germany, Poland, Russia, etc by the railroads. -- and promised religious freedom. Interesting fact is that they brought wheat from Russia that helped create the US midwest bread basket.

Here is Ida at a pullout in Chase County Kansas. We learned that the Flint Hills are still this lovely prairie because the soil isn't much use for crops. So it's Happy Cow Summer Camp.

We are here in Cottonwood Falls-- center of lower US. This is the famous courthouse. The tallgrass prairie is closed :(. We stopped at a State historical site and were held hostage by a women who talked for 46 minutes before She started the 8 minute video.

I am getting road weary so it was lovely having a do nothing day in that beautiful state park. Did a lot of reading and a little hiking but NO driving. Today we only went a hundred miles to Clinton, the Western terminus of the Katy (rails to trails) Trail where we did a little afternoon biking. 14 miles rt. This is not the most exciting part of the trail but it is where we are and we can say we have biked in Missouri. Tomorrow we will explore Harry's home town and move on to Chase County Kansas. I hope it will not disappoint us. Well, we are already disappointed that the Tall Grass Prairie NM will be closed.
Carol Harma--from my iPad

We have the most fantastic campsite in the state of Missouri. We are in Lake of the Ozarks State park

We found this BIG rocking chair along a small stretch of old 66. We were on our way to St James-- and Meramec Springs which sounded cool but was a bust. The museums were closed, the camping was super expensive, and if you weren't into fishing there was nothing to do. Beautiful green treed country. Stay tuned for plan B

We spent much of the day today in Hermann, MO --an old German settled town where Oktoberfest is just getting started. It's a touristy town with wineries and a brewery and brats and sauerkraut. (also a few tourist shops) We weren't brave enough to try any Missouri wine. Would you drink something from a grape named Norton. Billy who is the expert on Hermann wine wasn't working today. We did drink some local beer and the brats on a pretzel bun were the best "hot dogs" I have ever had. Lunch was late because we went to a State Historic Park which involved touring several old homes--and the tour started at 12:30. They had free samples of Cliff Bars to see us through and we got to sample tomatoes from the garden.
We have come back to the same RV park as last night. Still quite chilly.
Carol Harma--from my iPad

Heed my advice oh travelers and leave technology at home. Far less stress. We have found WiFi finally so will see how it works.
Illinois: Corn and soybeans. Great state parks. There is no separate admission fee to campgrounds and rates are reasonable. And both fantastic historic sites we visited were FREE with donation if you chose.
Missouri: Corn and soybeans. We have great hopes for this state but not off to good start. Came across the border and into Hannibal which is such a sad place. We toured the Mark Twain childhood home and etc. and some attempt has been made to "shop up" this part of the historic waterfront town. But it's not Stillwater and the rest of the town has gorgeous old buildings just fallen into complete ruin. Today we are off to Oktoberfest and then hope to find some place to stop and do some hiking or biking.
Weather has changed from the hot horrid humid weather of the two I's . Yesterday was a rainy day and today is cloudy and cool. It was so funny that weather forecast was always rain day after tomorrow followed by cooling. Day after tomorrow finally came. Warm up again in a few days but forecast says milder 70's.
I have a ton of photos on my camera to download and if it works out I will post a few soon.
Carol Harma--from my iPad

We left our state park campsite in the morning-- only 2 other campsites in use. In the afternoon we ended up in our state historical site campground with campers cheek to jowl -- mostly families. We were lucky to get a spot. We had arrived at Lincolns New Salem State Historical Park. Turns out this is the yearly weekend they are open in the evening-- by candlelight. So we did 2 rounds -- in the quiet afternoon when we had time to stroll and talk to interpreters-- and after dark when all the buildings were open and we joined the thousands. ( mostly young families) Quite an experience. We did miss the 400 school kids in the morning.
New Salem was the village where Lincoln lived in the 1830's. Village was empty by 1840 as everyone moved on
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The gnome hitches a ride on this Connestoga wagon. However having come from Kentucky to Illinois it is going no farther. We stopped here at Thomas Lincolns farm-- father of Abe

Culture is what travel is about. We saw our first Amish buggy on a bike trail in Michigan. Today we saw 2 on road in Indiana. But the coolest thing was identifying Amish farms by the clothes on the clotheslines and the horses in the fields. The next thing was seeing the Iglesias in small towns and taco trucks and Mexican bakeries. Kit says packing plants. Our 3rd cultural experience was a result of stopping at this wow interpretive center on the Wabash and Erie canal. There is a 3 site RV park here and we have one. Walked into town looking for a beer. In the only tavern people were SMoking and on tap was Miller and Bud Lite. We left. In our fridge we have good Michigan beer


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This is the Post Office in Hersey MI

This blog has become a hodgepodge I have some good photos from UP but we never find WiFi. Stopped last night in Reed City. Former railroad crossroads now two bike trails cross here. Had a nice 11 mile loop ride this morning. Nice farm country. Discovered quilt patterns on barns and public buildings. Will post one if my 3G holds.