The true worth of your travels lies not where you come to be at the journeys end, but in who you come to be along the way.
......Unknown

Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas

Today we are back to my pictures and descriptions of our 2008 Birthday Road Trip. We are traveling from California to Florida on this first half and visiting many of the southern states.

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Palo Duro is the nation’s second largest canyon, It is located in the Texas panhandle south of Amarillo. From a distance you would never know that this canyon exists. You drive along on flat prairie then all of a sudden..... there it is. A local man told us that this canyon was one of the reasons the Indian wars lasted so long in this area. The Indians could practically disappear into the canyons and then reappear, seemly out of the flat prairie.
This longhorn steer is an old West icon. It is kept near the visitors center as a mascot.

With the combination of hot wind gusts, glaring sun and air so hot it almost hurt to breathe ......we had the curiosity but no real desire to hike the dusty trails down the canyons or doing any sight seeing on foot.
We drove around the canyon for quite awhile, even fording a few running streams that crossed the road. There appeared to be plenty of water as the roadside plants were lush and green. Although, green in this country always seems to have a more silvery, dusty look to it. And you can bet that there will be thorns, stickers or other sharp forbidding edges to the plant.

There looked to be plenty of camping spots, with cabins, RV and tent spots. The area offers photo opportunities everywhere you look and hiking trails galore. This is interesting country and would be worth hiking and exploring in cooler weather.

Texas! Is a spectacular outdoor musical drama performed here every year in a permanent amphitheatre carved out of a natural basin in the canyon. The play brings to life the stories, struggles and triumphs of the settlers of the Texas Panhandle in the 1800s in song and dance.

You can check here for more information on the park and the show.
http://www.palodurocanyon.com/
http://www.texas-show.com/

Today in my life

I will continue sharing my travel journal tomorrow. Today I wanted to say a few things about my life here in the desert.

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I am temporarily using a small travel trailer as my home base. I was told that it has the floor space of a prison cell. Perhaps this is true, but I don't feel locked in and I do have the option of opening the door and leaving. But with the heat I have learned to get the outside chores done by 9a.m. and then stay in with the air conditioner running. Daytime temps have been around 115 degrees for weeks now. I have found that even at midnight the temperatures are mostly in the high 90s. My life has developed a basic routine. I do the minimum housework to keep the crawlies away and spend the rest of my waking hours reading and answering e-mail or doing a craft project. I sometimes watch a couple of hours of television in the evenings but mostly I am immersed in a book. I do the needed errands once a week; groceries, mail, library, laundry. Most of the time this is my only human face-to-face contact during the week unless some of my family come to visit (and work).

Everyone that I have met here over the winter left for cooler areas months ago. On the first of March, herds of motorhomes headed north practically nose to tail. Now the town that was so full and busy during the winter has gone back to sleep until October when the temperatures will begin to cool again. For now, my only companions are a couple of elderly, overweight cats.

This is Ruthie who thinks she is a dog. Our other companion is a big black shorthair male who is camera shy. They do worry about my health and lack of exercise. With that in mind, they bring small, live lizards and baby snakes into the trailer so that I can chase, yell and jump as I try to keep the creepies from slithering down a floor vent or under the bookcase. They must think they are helping me as this action is repeated at least once a week. (I should really learn to shut the door tighter.)

I had a large selection of specimen succulents growing in pots on my shaded patio. Alas... the desert iguanas have mistaken them for an all-you-can-eat salad bar. I was warned to protect my plants from the desert bunnies but no one said anything about voracious lizards. These iguanas are entertaining and can put on quite a display. Perhaps my plants are the admission price to the show. Whenever two iguanas meet, they do push-ups with their front legs. Then they stand among the sand and rocks, bouncing up and down, hissing at each other until one gives up or is scared away.

This glutton I spotted dining on my plants is about 16 inches long from nose to tail. I was hoping that he liked ants for snacks. I could use some help clearing them out. I can handle the trails of ants, but it is the ant scouts that bite me that I am finding hard to tolerate.

Lizards and ants and heat, Oh My! This isn't Kansas and I'm not Dorothy but there must be something here that attracts me. Ask me again this winter when my relatives are butt deep in snow or their yards are floating away.....

Yes, something about this land does attract me and it will be a fine place to return to after my trips. My sons and grandsons are constructing a small house here for me. As one grandson stated; "we don't have family reunions, we have work parties." It has been a lot of work, a lot of sweat, aches and pains.....but they keep coming back. Maybe it is my cooking?

Gallup, New Mexico

Twenty-two miles from the western Arizona border lies Gallup, New Mexico. Gallup is one of the oldest towns in the United States. The population can be traced to Canyon de Chelly in 2500 B.C.

Gallup is the largest Indian center in the southwest and the ceremonial capital of Native Americans. The Gallup Cultural Center is a place you absolutely must visit. Located in the renovated train depot, it has a gift shop, museum, art gallery, arts & crafts demonstrations, a cafe and a tourist information theater. There are free Indian dance performances every night from Memorial Day to Labor Day at the Cultural Center. The art work displayed in the museum is outstanding. But it was the oil and acrylic paintings that caught my heart. Sadly I neglected to jot down the names of the artists so I can't share them with you or locate their work again for my own pleasure.

Gallup is one of the few places to find and buy authentic Indian crafts. There are a reported 110 Trading Posts, shops and galleries in Gallup. In the 12 block town center there is a delightful walking tour that leads you to several beautifully painted murals depicting the history of Gallup and its people.

Links:

http://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/canyon_de_chelly/national_monument.html
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/HC-Gallup.html
http://desertUSA.com/Cities/nm/gallup.html

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Journal entry; June 2008
We are still following Historic Route 66....it is covered most of the way by Interstate 40. In a few areas you can locate short sections of Route 66 alongside the Interstate. But the old road bed is in such bad condition it is next to impossible to drive on. We tried to travel on one short stretch and even when driving 15 mph the van shook so badly we couldn't make ourselves understood. Then we got a case of the giggles! You would have thought that we were a couple of grade-school girls instead of old women. We do find that we amuse each other easily. It is really a wonderful thing to be friends with your Mother.

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Just living is not enough...one must have sunshine, freedom and flowers.

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Journal entry; 28 June 2008
The van is working out fine for Mom and I. We have a full sized bed with plenty of storage space under it for the big plastic storage bins we brought. We have painted labels on them; Kitchen, Pantry, Closet, Misc. With things stored under the bed we have a sizeable area between the bed and the seats to put folding chairs and a table. We are both readers, so we are easily entertained after we stop for the night.
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Painted Desert and Petrified Forest, Arizona

Located in eastern Arizona, this National park spreads over 160 miles. It is the only park in the National Park System containing a section of Historic Route 66

As you stand and look out over the land, your view is filled with color. The sand and earth are streaked with colors from nature's paint box, and what were once trees are now gems.

Look and touch but put it all back where you found it. It is against the law to take anything from the park. People have in the past, only to feel guilty and send the rocks back. There is even a large "guilt" pile by the headquarter building of returned

"souveniers".

This antelope was one of a small group that walked up within 20 feet of us as we were pulled into a view point. They are still wild but seem to be used to people and cars. They appeared to ignore our talking and moving around.

This large "cat" carving on a sandstone slab,was found in the park. It is thought to be a protective spirit. Note the large claws to grab onto the evil ones.


One last note on the park; bring lots of drinking water. You will dry out quickly in the desert heat.

Links to info on the Painted Desert and Petrified National Park

http://www.nps.gov/pefo/historyculture/historic-route-66.htm

Winslow, Arizona

"Well, I'm a standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona,

I'm such a fine sight to see, It's a girl, my Lord,

in a flatbed Ford, slowin' down to take a look at me..."

The Eagles http://www.eaglesband.com/ made a hit with this town when they recorded "Take It Easy." The bronze statue and painted mural on this corner really draw the tourists into this tiny desert town. What appears to be reflections in the windows are actually part of the mural. I thought the life like eagle on the window ledge was a nice touch.

The day we were in Winslow, the town maintenance crew had several street repairs going and had put up protective tape and pylons at the curbs. Seeing that I was taking photos, one of the workers temporarily removed the tapes for me.

The wall shown is the remains of a department store, gutted in a fire. The wall with the mural was luckily able to be saved. Now there are plans for a park on the lot behind the wall. You can even buy a brick with your name on it to place in the park walkway.

Check the official site; http://www.standinonthecorner.com/ for information about the planned "standing on the corner" September Festival

See here for the full song lyrics <http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Take-it-Easy-lyrics-Eagles/1C06E3041258379B48256860001F5DE9

Danger, danger

These signs were posted in a rest area east of Flagstaff, Arizona. The rocks behind the signs had several children and pets climbing about. What part of SNAKES and SCORPIONS don't the parents understand ???

Birthday Road Trip

NOTE: This Blog did not exist last year when I drove 8,000 miles cross country in my van. Since the family have been after me to share the trip I thought to post some of the photos and Journal entries here. So remember, it was 2008 and I am not losing it yet.
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Northern California, June 2008, Mom's 80+ birthday is coming up in a few weeks. I asked her how she would like to celebrate. She replied that it was just another day. Okay... so I asked if she could go anywhere where would she like to go? Well..... she replied that she sure would like to see the Atlantic Ocean. .......AhHa! .....

Road Trip!

We tossed camping equipment and a few clothes into my van and left town the next morning. Old Highway 66 was calling us through the years. On the road, photo ops were everywhere. Sadly, the digital memory stick with photos of the first two days of our road trip was lost somewhere in Texas.

On our third day we reached the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Fantastic, gorgeous, breath-taking, unbelievable! Mother Nature pulled out all the stops in creating this canyon. Words can not do it justice. (But I try)

A young elk strolled into our camp site as we were setting up. He basically ignored us and posed for photos. Our campsite was among the pines and the wind really does sound like it is whispering as it blows through the trees. We camped but the altitude combined with the heat was uncomfortable for both of us. So the next morning we headed for what we hoped would be cooler altitudes.

Do one thing every day that scares you
~~Eleanor Roosevelt

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