Chapter 5 50th Anniversary Trip

                                                50th Anniversary Trip

Chapter 5

I found a few pictures left in the camera of the big red rocks around Moab, Utah, so I'll include them here.

Red rocks, many with petroglyphs, along the Colorado River

Fascinating rock formations

High up on the mountain of the Lafal range

From Utah, we made our way to Colorado to view the indian pueblos in that area.  Mesa Verde National Park includes the most complete housing complex called Spruce Lodge.  These particular houses were built high up on the ledges in the cliffs.  They were accessed by climbing up the face of the rocks using toe and hand holds.  The primary reason for the isolated location was for defense  from other tribes.

Mesa Verde Spruce Lodge

Notice the windows in the pueblos halfway up the cliff

Foundation of large pueblos in Mesa Verde

While in the same area of southwest Colorado, we visited Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.  The ruins here included both canyon lodges and housing on the plains indians.

Indian ruins at Hovensweep

Pueblo, notice square corners and stone all hand shaped to fit.

From Colorado we headed south to New Mexico, stopping at the four corners of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.  In New Mexico, we stayed at a Corp Of Engineers Campground  called Cochiti Lake.  Since we stay at Federal campgrounds for half price, this was only $10.00 a night.  The spaces were extra large and with only a few campers and lots of birds, especially blue birds, both mountain and western.  While in Cochiti Lake area, we went to Tent Rocks National Monument with interesting rock formations, and to Albuquerque to the Petroglyph National Monument.

4 corners, Ut, Az, NM and Co

Tent rocks.

Petroglyphs near Albuquerque.

Our campsite at Cochiti Lake, N.M.

On a trip to Santa Fe, we did the tourist thing at the Governor's Palace and and viewed the wares and jewelry on sale by the local native americans.  There is a lottery every day to select the vendors and all must attest to the genuineness of their merchandise.  We also did a tour of the Capitol.  It's a round building the shape of the state's official emblem with the seal in the center and offices and legislative rooms on the sides. It does not have a dome like most other state capitols.  Another building we visited was the Loretto Chapel.  It contains the Miraculous Staircase to the chapel's choir loft that has two 360 degree turns with no visible means of support. An anonymous carpenter built the spiral steps in 1878 using only wooden pegs.

State Capitol at Santa Fe.

State Seal inside Capitol.

Loretta Chapel, Santa Fe, N.M.

Stairway, the bannister was added later for the Nun's safety.

Inside the Loretto Chapel.

Moving farther south, we stayed near the Bosque Del Apache NWR and visited the refuge a couple of times.  There are many Sandhill Cranes wintering there combined with lots of snow geese and different breeds of ducks.

Sandhill Cranes

A coyote looking for a sandhill crane meal.

In southern New Mexico, we stayed at Rockhound State Park near Deming.  We had a terrific site on the side of the mountain overlooking the valley with the city in the background. Behind us was a mountain with trails into the desert.  We only stayed a few days but will probably return when we start east again.  We are now in Green Valley, Arizona staying at Green Valley RV Resort.
Our address is:  Steve & Ellen Philbrick  Lot 56
                          19001 S. Richfield Avenue
                           Green Valley, Az  85614
  We will spent 2 months here although the original plan was to stay only one month.  But at the end of the first day, we both agreed this wasn't just a stopover but a place we wanted to spent a lot of time at.  It has lots of birds, some good restaurants, good park amenities and everyone is very friendly.  It's only 20+ miles from Tucson and within day trips of Tombstone, Patagonia, Saguaro National Park and other canyons and areas of good birding.

This brings us up to date since leaving Maine on September 28th.  We have travelled nearly 8000 miles without a mishap or a rainout day.  We feel really blessed to have the health and opportunity to travel this wonderful United States Of America, God Bless America!!!!

Steve

The following pictures are roadside scenes I though were interesting.

Vultures eating car at a junkyard.

Something to do with your stumps.

Drying Red Peppers at Hatch, N.M.

Roadside Greeters at Hatch, N.M.

A Dogs dream or nightmare.

Cotton bales waiting to be loaded and shipped to the gin.