Mid July we created an area for the Fireplace/TV.We framed new wall for symmetry after centering TV.This shelf is the top of exposed TV area.Practicing our dry-walling skills.Meanwhile in the garage we created this curved panel.The curved panel position when the wall is completed.This art panel we built to move up behind above feature and down to cover TV, powered by….A Linear Actuator. Ours is an 8′ extended length with a 4′ retracted length and 4′ stroke length.Wave tiles are made of recycled wood. We cut off edges for a continuous book-matched pattern.The high gloss white paint that matches doors/trim created some light and shadows.Cabinet for computer media streamer.We splashed in some waves on the kitchen prep area too. Kashmire Cream Granite installed Dec 2 to match kitchen. Both by Tile&Art DurangoTV revealed with a photo of Colorful Colorado.Turn up the jazz and pour the wine. Our custom frame around the artwork really added finishing touch.
Smokey decided we were eligible for lifetime senior pass.So we headed a bit south to explore our cultural heritage.And to see the iconic Pueblo Bonito.This was our first half price campsite now that we are of that distinguished age.Water is always an issue – such an interesting location that was chosen.Lucky we got to watch a spring storm roll in.It gave the walls and rocks another dimension of color to Pueblo Kin Keltso.Pueblo Kin Kletso is the start of a hike to top of mesa.A bit of a slot canyon hides the trailAllows you to look back down on Kin Kletso.And even see the river in the Chaco Canyon.View of Pueblo Bonito from top is outstanding.As is adjacent Pueblo Chetro Ketl.An appreciation of the magnitude of scale is had by walking through the ruins.And getting an interior perspective. Magnificent craftsmanship! Truly amazing to appreciate the amount of work.William Henry Jackson discovered this prehistoric stairway carved in the sandstone cliff when he was photographing this area in 1877. It is believed to be part of the Chaco Road system heading to the north.Is there really an end to the trail? How far do these roads travel?Guess it is time to head back to the Travato and make our way north…But first another hike down the valley to Pueblo Wijiji.
Good morning Winter 2019!Gorgeous day to walk along the San Juan river downtown.And appreciate the ice crystals on the plants, the shadows, and how the snow piles on the rocks.Snowshoeing around the block with neighbors.Winter Fest brought hot air balloons and cold temperatures.So colorful and fun to watch them inflate.A good crowd of spectators.Beautiful mountain scenery.And they like to do “touch and Go” on the lake leaving a skid mark in the snow.Maybe that is what our frequent visitor is waiting for.Or maybe he is just enjoying the view like us.
We found this 2-bed/2-bath townhouse with a driveway 12″ longer than the van.
It has this great patio with mountain view for our enjoyment.
This roadrunner wants to be fed and he is persistent but we are more stubborn. We are however keeping the hummingbird feeder filled.
Beautiful sunrises with real brewed coffee! What a great way to start the day. Water aerobics at 9 if you want to venture to the pool.
Or go to watch the sunset over the Santa Rita’s.
We met up with our friends for a hike at Saguaro National Park West followed by a concert on the patio to watch the full moon rise.
Enjoying the sunset with our snacks before the concert.
It is so nice to be among the saguaros again – they are just too picturesque!
And the sunsets just so spectacular! The guitar music was also very good – wonderful evening tho the moon rose through clouds.
White Christmas with snow in the Santa Rita’s.
We enjoyed walking around the condo development on the way to an ice cream social with the neighbors we borrowed tools from.
The next day our friends came down for some fresh pulled pork BBQ sandwiches on the back patio – we had a group walk first in McGee Ranch area. See our get together from last year’s visit to Canoa Ranch http://tealsky.com/2015/12/14/green-valley-arizona/
A final sunset as we finish our month here – lots of good relaxing from our month out of the van!
South Eastern Arizona in the San Simon Valley – we dispersed on BM land near the town of Safford. We did not get a storm but enjoyed the clouds playing with the sun.
Gila Box was a very beautiful area! We stayed at a BLM managed campground which was excellent.
View of the Gila river walking back to our camp site.
We found the skeleton of an old Model T buried in the pebbles – Don’t you wonder what was the story behind how it got here?
Sunset on another beautiful day.
Our Thanksgiving Feast at Stockton Pass, south of Safford in the Penaleno Mountains. Pass is named after Stockton Clanton, father of the brothers known in Tombstone.
It is roasted chicken but we have turkey gravy, fresh bread, and nice Colorado wine.
Cochise Stronghold – our favorite dispersed campsite in the Dragoon Mountains of Coronado National Forest.
We hiked again to the Stronghold Divide – much better weather than last year!
Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area had a lot of cranes already here for the winter. This was amazing to see and hear so many of them.
The cranes fly in to spend the night after feeding in the fields all day. They leave pre-dawn so we did not see any the next morning – we were too lazy to get out in the cold before our coffee.
View of Mexico from Coronado National Monument – this was a challenging 3 mile drive to the top of the pass but great views. We spent a few nights near Sierra Vista in Miller Canyon and then Gardener Canyon.
Pecos National Monument added to our knowledge of ancient cultures – especially with their fabulous pottery display.
A gorgeous day to experience the plateau and structures.
So many layers of history
Facsinating kivas. We also toured the civil war site as part of the monument and noted how the scenery was not exactly the same as today with all the farms having cleared the land.
We appreciated the re-purposing of the existing building.
A close up photo of the original building.
El Morro means the headland and this is the landmark travelers aimed towards in their desert crossings.
It became a place to leave your mark – to tell part of your story.
Most were very anxious to reach this water supply – we enjoyed the reflection and serenity.
Settlers, conquistadors, friars – so many passed this way and had remarkable stories to tell.
We thought this looked like a bottle of wine!
We walked to the top of the rock – this overlooks a box canyon with amazing goelogy.
It was windy but we appreciated the sculpting effects like this amazing character pine.
Contemplating all that have enjoyed this scene.
CCC workers carved these stairs into the rock. We thought we had been transported to Greek Isles.
Ruins on the top that have been stabilized and preserved.
Near by El Malpais we found this great BLM campground which we stayed for a few nights.
The lava flows are what makes it the badlands!
Imagine walking over miles of this uneven surface.
We took the Rims Narrow Trail to the arch overlook – gorgeous vistas for the entire walk.
We are thinking bear print – we saw several of these but no bear. Lots of animal tracks.
On the south side of the park are these unmarked ruins.
We camped at Apache Creek, Gila National Forest – we had this entire campground to ourselves. In the morning we saw 4 javalinas walking up the hill.
We stopped at Catwalk for this hike into the canyon. It was originally water lines to a mine. The CCC turned that into a walkway and it has been maintained ever since. Part up the canyon is still closed due to a fire/flash flood.
What better spot to have lunch? Gila Wilderness.
Thank you Aldo Leopold for loving this area so much, that you spent your life working to preserve areas as wilderness for all those that came after you. We really appreciate it and have so enjoyed this opportunity to explore so many wilderness areas as well as other public lands.
In Moline, Rock Island Army Base had an interesting Arsenal Museum and Corp of Engineers Waterway museum at the Mississippi Lock. We were lucky to see this 2-part barge and tugboat going through.
The historic bridge pivots to let the tugboat through after the two barges reconnect. We were thrilled with our timing to see this during the hour we were there.
Further down the road we stopped at Hennepin Canal State Park to see the locks on this historic canal.
The bridge had a 4-ton limit so we were good for crossing!
We parked overnight along the canal with this picturesque view.
Pullman NHS near Chicago is a new addition to the Park System but the community has been working on conserving it for many years. This factory will be the future visitor center.
It was a factory town but constructed to entice people to be a part of the community.
A variety of housing styles.
They used different bricks on each home to provide individualism.
There is awesome community spirit. Most of the homes have been restored by their owners.
Indiana Dunes national Seashore provides a view of the distant Chicago skyline.
The bog area adjacent to the Dunes has been preserved as well.
St Joesph Harbor Lighthouse was our chosen spot for our evening stop.
Colorado National Monument. We brought the MINI here and didn’t want any sibling rivalry. It is truly a favorite
To have views like this! So glad it was preserved.
The family car wash…the van also got oil change, tires rotated and balanced as well as the starter switch recall. In Grand Junction, it had a new Auto Transfer Switch installed so we can now use shore power. Nice to make sure the warranty work gets taken care of in a timely manner.
An evening with friends. It is difficult to make time for everything but we have tried to organize a few quality visits as all of our friends are important to us!
After a night with my other nephew’s family in Kansas, we came across the geographical center of the contiguous states near Lebanon.
This is the actual spot but a ranger told us it is really about 200′ from here in the corn field. Close enough for me.
We homesteaded in Beatrice and then headed to the state capitol of Nebraska – gorgeous building
Sterling J Morton was the author of Arbor Day and there is the beautiful Steinhart park next to his historic home in Nebraska City.
We thought we would lunch along the Missouri River and found this replica of the Louis and Clark keel boat (the one made for the IMAX movie)
Look Meriwether! So interesting to contemplate their journey.
This makes our Travato look spacious – and definitely not as much work.
Really nice to visit family along the way. Such gracious hospitality!
