Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a week of family time.  Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday, no pressure that Christmas brings, just a time to get together with family and friends and be thankful for what you have.  Simple and wonderful.

We have all arrived now, Jason flew in yesterday, and we all have been having a good time as school for the grandchildren winds down and work for Todd winds down.  

The holiday this year will be a bit abbreviated as we have to leave early Friday to make a beeline for Atlanta to get Jason home, yeah he is going to ride with us rather than fly back, and a winter ice storm is bearing down on west Texas that we hope to avoid, even so it looks like mother nature is going to dump one heck of a lot of rain on us as we kind of stay with the storm all the way back.

We are missing our regular Thanksgiving in Kentucky this year, but a new tradition will develop as we all go forward.  So, for everyone, enjoy the holiday, be thankful, and of course, eat a lot of good food!

Ha, no snow in Albuquerque??

As I said we ran from Silver City back up to Albuquerque, actually Bernalillo where we always stay.  We had a beautiful day to drive north, even went by the VLA, the Very Large Array, a huge radio telescope.  Miles of the road we took were straight as a die.

The Very Large Array

Pretty straight, huh?

We got tucked in at our campground, spent a non eventful night, and then came the winds.  20-30 mph with much higher gusts!  We were a rocking and a rolling, thankfully we were a bit protected in the campground.  Then came the rain, which turned to sleet, the temps kept dropping and finally to all snow, no it wasn't predicted.  We holed up for about 24 hours inside as it was too miserable to go out.  But still better than Silver City as they had accumulating snow with even higher winds, no thanks.

We got a chance to have dinner with Nancy and CT, and another nice visit with Vivian before we headed east to Lubbock for Thanksgiving at our daughter Kelly's.  The wind was still blowing 20-30 as we drove east, and of course at right angle to our direction.  Our coach is heavy enough that it isn't bothered too much, but it does take some extra effort. Our view of the Sandias as we left town.

A good time to leave

We even encountered more snow along the road as we drove.

But it is much lower in Lubbock (3255') than Albuquerque (about 5500') and we finally got too warm for snow:)  

So now we are here for 9 days, through Thanksgiving.  It will be nice to spend the holiday with Kelly, Todd, Faith, and Christian, and even our son, Jason is flying in.  We'll miss the farm for the holiday, but I'm sure we'll have a great time.

A cool outing then mother nature throws us a curve

So after our time in Benson, AZ we moved over to Silver City, NM.  We planned to go back to the Catwalk and Gila Cliff Dwellings, and of course, Don Juan's Burritos.  We had first been to the Catwalk and Gila Cliff Dwellings back in 2005 when we were working our way to Alaska with Nancy and CT.  CT had gone to school in Silver City so showed us around to include those two places.  We then tried in 2012 but it was closed for fires.  This time we found out it was closed again for flooding and probably won't open until sometime next year if then.  Very disappointing as it was a very scenic hike up along a stream on a trail and catwalks over the water in the gorge.

So we decided to go back to Gila Cliff Dwellings.  They are 44 miles north of Silver City and the first thing you notice is a sign saying Gila Cliff Dwellings -- 44 miles--plan 2 hours driving.  10 years ago is awhile and we didn't remember that.  We maybe cut 15 minutes off that time but it is a very winding, climbing, descending, narrow, yet paved road that you just can't go faster than about 25mph.  But it is very scenic so you don't care.  And when you finally get there, it isn't crowded especially at this time of the year, as the volunteer told us, you really want to come if you go all that way.  It is in the National Park system, and carefully monitored, they explain anything you carry in you carry out, no gum, no colored liquids, no food, and leave everything alone.  It is about a 2 mile loop trail that takes you up a narrow canyon with a pretty little running stream, then climb almost straight up to get on the cliffside where the caves are that the ancient Mogollons built their cliff dwellings inside of.  And what makes this especially great is you can go inside 3 of the 5 caves and really see the construction and architecture of the ruins.

We encountered a javelina just short of the monument.  We haven't seen too many of these strange looking guys outside of Big Bend National Park.

Then across the bridge and into the canyon.  Oh forgot to mention, the outside temp is 41 according to the truck, and in the canyon it is well below freezing.  The ranger told us it had been 15 degrees that morning.  The canyon is deep and narrow so out of the sun it is really cold!

We worked our way along the stream, it is quiet except for the rushing of the water, and very private, there is just enough of a bend in the canyon that you can't really see into it.  It is apparent that this is a sensational location for a dwelling.  Running water readily available, private and secure, south facing, lots of trees around, places to plant gardens, and abundant wildlife for food.

As I said you work into the canyon then up, up you go to the cliff face.  A steep climb to the path along the front of the caves.

Up you go

You get a glimpse of the caves as you climb

A perspective of the caves and the canyon

The first cave is not much more than an indentation in the cliff, and they suppose that that this was the first place they lived.  The second cave is mostly still intact and although they told us there were several rooms inside, you cannot see in, nor can you enter.

The second cave

Mostly intact

Interestingly, they told us that this was the only cave that they
found animal bones.  They speculate that this was their "kitchen"
or "butcher shop", but really don't know

Moving along the 3rd, 4th, and 5th caves appear and they have made it possible to go inside.

The entrance way

Looking back out to the canyon

Kind of dark back in the caves, just
imagine how dark they would have been with
all the walls intact

Then you can work your way around and climb back out using representative ladders from the times.

It was a fascinating experience with some interesting observations.  We have been to many, many Anasazi ruins and thought these were the same, not so, the Mogollons were a completely different tribe.  Also with no explanation given they never found a midden, which is a "garbage pile" out in front of most cliff dwellings.  They don't know why or what they did with their trash, and these dwellings were perhaps 45 rooms and 10-15 families, but were only occupied for about 25 years between 1275 and 1300.

We made our way further along the cliff working our way back and found these interesting denizens along our way.

The Crevice Spiny Lizard

How many do you see?

Lunch!

It was very warm in the sun along the cliff, it was very apparent that the location would make for a comfortable spot for a home.  The lower winter sun would penetrate the caves while keeping out the hot summer sun.

The path back

View form the canyon entrance

I mentioned mother nature, well we got looking at the weather for the next several days.  It called for colder temps, thunderstorms, rain, snow, and coupled with 20-30 mph winds with gusts to 45mph and plunging temps, didn't look so good to stay in Silver City.  We decided to go over to Don Juan's Burritos for breakfast and contemplate our options.  Don Juan's is a small concrete building with a window on one side where you order and pay, then you drive around to the window on the other side of the building and pick up your food.  We both got breakfast burritos with beef, potatoes, eggs, green chili, cheese, all smothered in green chili sauce.  Excellent!

Breakfast

Delicious and $5 to boot!

As we ate we decided to run from the weather as best we could and picked Albuquerque as a good option.  The weather wasn't supposed to quite as bad there, no snow, and though windy, not as bad, so off we went.  This way we will get to see family one last time for the year, and it will give us an opportunity to see Vivian again before spring.

Arizona and an incredible hike

We decided after seeing Walker in Artesia we would head over to the Tombstone area.  We hadn't been there for quite awhile and figured it would be fun.  So first stop along the way was Las Cruces with a planned dinner at La Posta, a very old and famous restaurant in nearby Mesilla.  But, when we had dinner with Wendy, Gordon, Nancy, and CT, Wendy mentioned we had to go to Chope's in La Mesa.  So after getting into our incredible view site at the KOA in Las Cruces, off we headed for Chope's 18 miles away, and what do we find?  It is closed on Sunday night, darn, so back we go and have dinner at La Posta.  Oh well, next time.

Coming through White Sands

Big dunes

Our view out our front window in Las Cruces!

We were going to stay at a campground near Tombstone, but decided to stay at the Kartchner Caverns State Park near Benson, AZ instead.  No we didn't go into the cave, Jan does not do that, and she puts up with my fear of heights so it's only fair.  But the campground was very nice, huge private sites, great views, good location, quiet, and dark.

Our site at Kartchner Caverns

While we were here we wanted to go walk around Bisbee and Tombstone, stop at the Wizard, do a hike, and chill.  This is one of the areas we used to visit 15 years ago.  Jan's parents, Vern and Viv used to spend winters in the Tuscon area, and Ray and April, and Jan and I came out in our motorhomes to visit them and see the area.  We came back later with Nancy and CT in 2005 on our way to Alaska for our first time.  

We drove out through the desert headed for Bisbee, a quirky little town that was known for its mining.  First we stumbled upon a fantastic lunch at Thuy's Noodle Shop.  A tiny excellent Vietnamese restaurant that only seated maybe 10 people.

Our lunch stop

Wonderful Beef Pho

Excellent pork Banh Mi

Then we took off on foot to explore.  It is a quirky, artsy, small mining town of 5700 people that is built on quite a hillside, so almost anywhere to anywhere is uphill and down.  There is artwork all over, but we weren't that enthused, nothing definite, just a feeling with many homeless people mixed in with the hippy vibe.  Kind of cool but we didn't find it that inviting.

The huge Copper Queen Mine that operated until 1975

The Copper Queen Hotel

Looking up Main St

So after an hour or so we were ready to move on to Tombstone, always a good visit.  15 years ago Viv, Jan's mom, took us to a jewelry store in Tombstone called Wizard's Workshop that makes its own jewelry from stones they have mined.  It is an interesting place with the two friendly and knowledgable owners, and Viv had many pieces made there over the years, and the daughters all got some of it.  Jan even had them make a few pieces for her, so we wondered if they would still be open and thriving 10 years since our last visit, and they were.  We had a nice visit, even bought a pretty bracelet and then ran into a friend of theirs, Janice Davis, amazing name, huh, who writes for the Tombstone Times, the local newspaper.  We talked about traveling and our full time RV lifestyle and she asked if we had been to the Chiricahua National Monument?  We said no, and she asked if we liked to hike, and if we did there was a wonderful hike there in very unusual and scenic surroundings.  She was so enthusiastic about it, we decided to change our plans for the next day and do that hike instead of one we were planning to do out of the State Park.  We left the store and then walked around Tombstone for a bit.  It was very quiet, between seasons right now, but it was fun to remember so many good times we had all had while there, especially the night Viv went singing and dancing at Big Nose Kate's Saloon! 

The quiet streets of Tombstone

Chiricahua National Monument was a long 85 miles away, but I will tell you, it was worth it!  It turned out to be probably our favorite hike we have ever taken, certainly in the top 3.  We found the pull off area for the Echo Canyon hike after an amazing winding ride up into the hills through incredible scenery of rocks seemingly just propped up on each other.

Driving into the Monument

The loop trail is 3.3 miles long and climbs about 500', the only catch is you go down into the canyon first then climb back out.  It is gradual so is always enjoyable.  The trail winds it way through the junipers and almost immediately you find yourself in the huge rocks and boulders.  You wind around, slip between them, climb over, and work your way down into the canyon constantly amazed that they are piled up the way they are, and better yet, not falling down as you go by.

The trail begins

Like chessman towering over us

Working our way through the passages

Small slots

Great viewpoints

Having a great time!

You finally bottom out in the floor of the canyon and then work your way back up and out along the slope getting higher and higher as you go, never too steep.

Back up we go

A hawk looking for lunch among the rocks

Looking far out at the valley

Just amazing!

Now after our hike we went to find a place for a picnic.

Our lunch spot

It was a fantastic day all around, we found a new place to see, had one of the best hikes of our lives, the weather was perfect, cool, sunny, and clear.