Feb 3, 2018 - Feb 12, 2018 - We're headed to California for a visit with Elaine and Ian and we're going to spend a few weeks getting there. We booked 9 days at Elephant Butte SP in New Mexico. On the way there we stopped at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
We took a ranger led tour
The "Big Room" the largest cave in North America and 32nd largest in the world
Carlsbad Cavern is in the Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico
View from our tent of Elephant Butte Reservoir
Our kitchen set up
We bought a Clam dining tent to use for our living space while we're camping...nice view
the metro shelving helps us keep organized and we can put covers over the screens to keep the wind out
a bike ride through the park
beautiful sunset colors
nice hiking trail from the campground
we brought our double kayak, so we went for a paddle on the reservoir
the mornings are a little chilly, kev's checking on me...I don't want to get out of my warm sleeping bag!
another hike
Kev's office
Today we drove into the town of Truth or Consequences
The town used to be called Hot Springs, because it has so many hot springs. The town name was changed in 1950, as a publicity stunt for the 10th anniversary of the T or C television show. The anniversary show was broadcast from the town.
The town is a quirky artsy town
Campsite 19 at the South Monticello Campground
dinner prep at the picnic table
sunset over the mountains
a bike ride
sunset
quesadillas and rice
We decided to try out the hot springs in Truth or Consequences
At Riverbend Hot Springs we got our own private pool looking out on the river
Feb 12, 2018 - Feb 21, 2018 - Next we booked 9 days at Picacho State Park in Arizona, a 5 and a half hour drive from Elephant Butte.
lunch at a rest stop on the way to Picacho SP
Sunset our first night at Picacho. I love the saguaro right behind our campsite
a bike ride through the park
Picacho Peak
lots of nice hiking trails in the park
lots of saguaros
Picacho SP is only 45 minutes from Tucson, so today we drove there to do some exploring. We ended up at the Degrazia Art Gallery. Ettore Degrazia was an artist who did it all, painting, sculpture, jeweler, designer, composer, actor, and architect. He's known for his colorful southwestern images.
The grounds were quite interesting with many adobe buildings to explore
beautiful gardens
and lots of color
It was a rainy chilly day today. Thank goodness for the Clam!
Site C2
Fire and a sunset
It's a 30 minute drive to Saguaro National Park
Lots of hiking trails
and beautiful mountains in the background
and of course saguaros everywhere
Picacho Peak from the campground
Today we're back in Tucson with our bikes to ride the Tucson Loop
What a beautiful bike trail!
Of course we brought a picnic lunch
we bought some bread at the Farmer's Market we found on our bike ride today
can't get enough of the saguaros
saguaro and sky
It was a 30 minute drive to the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (which means big house)
We took a ranger led tour of the ruins. These buildings were built by the Hohokum people who farmed in the Gila Valley in the 13th century. The buildings were abandoned by 1450.
In 1932 Frederick Law Olmstead built the Ramada that covers the Casa Grande to help protect it from the elements.
Today we decided to try the hike up Picacho Peak. We hiked up the Sunset Vista Trail, which meets up with the Hunter Trail
great views from up there!
The Sunset Vista Trail joins up with the Hunter Trail,which is known for the cables. You're supposed to wear gloves, as the cables can be quite hot. We went to the top of this cable run, but decided it was our limit. There were even sketchier cables at the top of this one. We enjoyed the view from there and headed back down
the view while I wait for my turn to go up
Kevin is headed up
yay, we made it back down safely!
We didn't make it to the top of Picacho, but it was a fun hike anyway
Feb 23 - Feb 27, 2017 - From Picacho, it was a 6 and a half hour drive to Laguna Beach, where we picked up Elaine & Ian for a weekend trip to San Diego. We booked a VRBO and were looking forward to exploring San Diego for a few days.
We stopped at La Jolla Cove on the drive to San Diego
Then Cabrillo National Monument. In 1542 Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo became the first European to step foot on the West Coast of North America
We explored Balboa Park (a quick visit to the Timken Museum of Art)
and strolled through some of the gardens
On the drive home we stopped at Torrey Pines for a walk on the beach
Then it was time for the 30 hour drive home. We drove through the Petrified Forest National Park
and stopped at the Jemez Hot Springs Bath House
We spent the afternoon at Bandelier National Monument where the remains from the Puebloan people have been preserved. These sites date from 1150-1600. They believe that the area suffered a drought and the people relocated to the Rio Grande area.
It was fun climbing into the different caves in the wall
We drove through Santa Fe after leaving Bandelier
and stopped by the market in the town square
