tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90702994095381719722024-03-06T01:24:28.336-05:00LATITUDES' JOURNEYA log of our journey on s/v Latitudes.Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.comBlogger770125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-70133004599689595972019-05-01T22:04:00.000-04:002019-05-01T22:04:12.564-04:00Summer plansWe prepared to head out to Latitudes to de-winterize her, do a bit of maintenance, put her back in the water, and go to a marina in the Chesapeake for the summer. Nope. Instead, we checked for winter mold over the past 7 months (none!!!!!), cleaned out about 50 pounds of bird nest material in the anchor well (I exaggerate only a little....damned starlings...) and prepared her with desiccants, water absorbing materials, and a dehumidifier for the summer.<br />
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Luke needs maintenance instead. He will have his second rotator cuff surgical repair (different arm) this month. Recovery is about 6 months, with the first 3 months of very limited mobility of the arm.<br />
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I believe that Father Time and years of handling a 42 ft sailboot take their toll our bodies. The plan now is to repair and recover during the summer, head south again this winter in the RV, and then go a-sailing again in spring 20. Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-30783907450965121902019-04-18T13:39:00.001-04:002019-04-18T13:39:39.777-04:00Grandkids, Branson, and Home!Sorry for the delay - we were not only busy at all possible times, but once we got home, we had to have both computers repaired, including the one storing all of the pictures!<div>
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We left Albuquerque, turned northward, and drove to CO, where Luke's girls and the grand kids live. Youngest granddaughter Nelle has changed a lot since we first saw her in October. She and her Bompa re-bonded</div>
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Then Bomma got her chance</div>
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We took Nelle's brother Simon to "Get Air" - the largest indoor trampolines I've ever seen. Simon is the blue blur in the center.</div>
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And then, there is Walter. He approves of Nelle's carrier....</div>
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Erin and her family took us to the Celestial Tea factory in Boulder. It was a fun tour and we got to taste many of their teas. Even Evelyn and Kiran like hot tea.</div>
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The tasting room has a mock-up of of the living room that is on the front of their Sleepy Time tea.</div>
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We also went on a visit to Boulder with everyone. The 3 oldest grandkids can always find something to do.</div>
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Erin is an artist and has her work exhibited in the "made local" art shop in Boulder.</div>
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You can't be in CO without going on hikes. This is the Hall Ranch Hiking trail.</div>
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Deer were tucked away and napping during the early afternoon.</div>
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We left CO to go southward to Branson, MO to visit friends we'd met in FL. But first we needed gas. And then we needed to wait for over an hour for a semi hauling one blade for a wind turbine to make a 90 degree turn onto the interstate ramp. There actually wasn't one of these; there were 3. It took each over 30 minutes to make this turn. Virtually all traffic was stopped for this period. The semi has already made the tight turn. A back end part of the semi is supporting the middle. The guy in the orange shirt is standing just past the red tipped end of the blade. We learned that this blade is about 140 feet long.</div>
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We caught up with Janet, John, and sweet Picasso.</div>
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John and Luke caught up on their remote control airplane hobby (John is the one who is responsible for getting Luke back into the hobby). That is one of Janet's many beautiful painting on the wall.</div>
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They live on a lake</div>
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so boating is another mutual interest</div>
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Branson is definitely an entertainment center! In addition to 38 performance theaters, there are endless possibilities for fun along "the strip"</div>
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We chose dinner out at a restaurant affiliated with Bass Pro Shops (centered in Branson)</div>
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Big Cedar Lodge is an amazing resort owned by the Bass Pro Shops group. The trestle bridge and man-made waterfalls are examples of the architecture and attention to detail. Oh, and a wonderful restaurant! </div>
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Finally, the 3 day drive home. Uneventful with the exception of the Cairo Bridge crossing the Mississippi River. I have never been more frightened in our RV travel than here. See the narrow bridge? The yellow line down the middle? Where that yellow line appears to be from the dashboard? AND THEN CAME THE TRACTOR TRAILER!!! We passed on the bridge, so closely that our tires scrapped the curb of the bridge. Never again....</div>
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HOME! The RV in the driveway, the cars moved out of the garage so we can use them.</div>
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The grass is always greener....Smokey was deliriously happy to get home. She romped through the house, checked everything out, did it all again, and wanted attention. BUT when we went back into the RV to start unpacking, it was a different story. She had been LEFT in the house! Alone! She recovered quickly...</div>
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One last chore - to cover the RV for the summer. Luke gets on top and drops the cover. I grab and arrange. OK, it isn't that simple but that's the basic idea.</div>
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We are settled in now and beginning to think about going to the boat and putting her in the water in a couple of weeks for the summer. </div>
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Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-26361784818579975782019-03-24T20:27:00.001-04:002019-03-24T20:27:30.999-04:00Albuquerque<br />
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We drove to Albuquerque next to meet friends from Oriental
and visit Luke’s uncle and cousin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Friends Bonnie and Pete are on a west trip for the winter also and our
paths crossed in Albuquerque.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We met for
dinner our first night, shopped the old Plaza shops the next day, and then
visited the Petroglyph National Monument, which is actually located within the Albuquerque
city limits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are several walks and
we chose the 1.5 mile Piedras Marcadas Canyon Viewing loop with over 400
petroglyphs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trail itself was sandy,
full<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of cacti, and of course,
petroglyphs along the canyon wall rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No one knows what these carvings really mean and probably never
will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps marking a trail,
celebrating something, announcing their territory, hunting territory, we just
don’t know.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rVdv6Ja5j8MEf6fpFpa0-SK9Bb1vJc6kkLUsk9RC1xS0bVl6Q1bso08J03HrwQrptYnqw6O-G96aEnoe8xwDUGeNi6EzFLIIZRs1YjzxGBOpfPJgQbd8hCK29WzC0jFcyhytiKxfnVPA/s1600/trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rVdv6Ja5j8MEf6fpFpa0-SK9Bb1vJc6kkLUsk9RC1xS0bVl6Q1bso08J03HrwQrptYnqw6O-G96aEnoe8xwDUGeNi6EzFLIIZRs1YjzxGBOpfPJgQbd8hCK29WzC0jFcyhytiKxfnVPA/s640/trail.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ready to explore – Bonnie and Pete<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEishlpa4oI3VWslJNf_YIBnnwW-fZ2-dA2sHIE2mbLshIexplRXv8NsT8Kw_Rxj68ap5qv1MZE8VtTqaGwVt5B6OkJu0suT1nB7bTQjX3eNxIB3ctUTNBn8-RWLFh9gfzUeq8rCc4OLlTMN/s1600/bonnie+and+pete+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEishlpa4oI3VWslJNf_YIBnnwW-fZ2-dA2sHIE2mbLshIexplRXv8NsT8Kw_Rxj68ap5qv1MZE8VtTqaGwVt5B6OkJu0suT1nB7bTQjX3eNxIB3ctUTNBn8-RWLFh9gfzUeq8rCc4OLlTMN/s640/bonnie+and+pete+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>And us. No, we still haven't found warm days.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSt1oPhZwzxRGms5geQIPVD0mhJYna0_PlR0owqWXOZ5D4DPr-ErEZvBxrTkfTmT3upA2NVNnsiQc80YiQwah3JjPmeQ-AsHr07W8BfehHTbFNjBumwovkGlbu5zNCSb-dU6p3T-lEVcHd/s1600/l+and+b+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSt1oPhZwzxRGms5geQIPVD0mhJYna0_PlR0owqWXOZ5D4DPr-ErEZvBxrTkfTmT3upA2NVNnsiQc80YiQwah3JjPmeQ-AsHr07W8BfehHTbFNjBumwovkGlbu5zNCSb-dU6p3T-lEVcHd/s640/l+and+b+-+Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is a common pose – “there are some petroglyphs!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi935JSk4FPM4uMzrMsDdc4sTOnCNvcdVPdekgRakrf1_j6kiewB3rRbGEzaSjG9d9a_MSfT7K2f2Lfhzw-yy59cP9R2oYsJGQbubj85gj466Yk43zLuiFRYC7yVTYtjCnKTKwCqCEmELh/s1600/there.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi935JSk4FPM4uMzrMsDdc4sTOnCNvcdVPdekgRakrf1_j6kiewB3rRbGEzaSjG9d9a_MSfT7K2f2Lfhzw-yy59cP9R2oYsJGQbubj85gj466Yk43zLuiFRYC7yVTYtjCnKTKwCqCEmELh/s640/there.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>And here ARE some petroglyphs! A bird, bugs, and people</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0kNpVZVL8Y0ze26P0s3yfJAHebxHihP1VFzdNp1aRIQCtlE0Jg1TYSb575uY15Hecyya7O3BWUiDEveJJ6gvKH9Qp0WlaTUhAHtYeZCc2Vl5s-UJxlcHB09sdOfkcOIDhkKV6aanNa_y/s1600/petro+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1313" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0kNpVZVL8Y0ze26P0s3yfJAHebxHihP1VFzdNp1aRIQCtlE0Jg1TYSb575uY15Hecyya7O3BWUiDEveJJ6gvKH9Qp0WlaTUhAHtYeZCc2Vl5s-UJxlcHB09sdOfkcOIDhkKV6aanNa_y/s640/petro+1.JPG" width="524" /></a></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>Birds</div>
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A warrior<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hands – note the ones on the right all have 6 fingers…<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dancers<o:p></o:p></div>
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A hunter<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVJ04SFUu1AYoEC9OXqDtZE7tsb2Ldo8Mvq8HMG8aXj88m1J1XG8kBXaSQ2FbqbpoWPUE76fBoLI5WD905YlLspmxErG-ihbIEGEqQpbPpvqfwyvsLEh5ebb0aoftQM7GLaub5fyKl_2z/s1600/hunter+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1517" data-original-width="1600" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVJ04SFUu1AYoEC9OXqDtZE7tsb2Ldo8Mvq8HMG8aXj88m1J1XG8kBXaSQ2FbqbpoWPUE76fBoLI5WD905YlLspmxErG-ihbIEGEqQpbPpvqfwyvsLEh5ebb0aoftQM7GLaub5fyKl_2z/s640/hunter+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And a fellow with a bird flying overhead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were hundreds and hundreds more.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After the walk, Luke and I spent the afternoon and evening
with his 98 year old Uncle Gust, cousin Paul, and a cousin visiting from
Belgium, Marie Jose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are the 3
Huybrechts men<o:p></o:p></div>
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Paul and Marie Jose prepared a wonderful dinner including a
surprise cake for Luke’s upcoming birthday.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p>On our last day with Bonnie and Pete, I went with them to Los
Alamos. Luke was a little under the weather
(too much cake????) and unhappily opted to stay home. We drove high – 9000 ft high to be exact! –
into the mountains above Albuquerque.
The temperature dropped from the upper 50’s to 37 and snow still covered
the ground.</div>
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To get to the town of Los Alamos we had to pass through a
security gate – the road runs directly through the Los Alamos National Lab.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In case you don’t know, this is where the US
developed the atom bomb in 1945.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is
the original gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a highly
secure, secret location at that time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaumGg6fc-hGokOxl2S0fD4Si6A_oXHujQt7Wso-N4OQoRYwbuIudDDdcKkyZqkVTW8I4fez9PrWrvU2MN3uWEcOf5EJPLCuZjE_Ok_A5pB8mtdQ91BLD2nVInErWJ6dDayKtkkMjWohHx/s1600/gate.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaumGg6fc-hGokOxl2S0fD4Si6A_oXHujQt7Wso-N4OQoRYwbuIudDDdcKkyZqkVTW8I4fez9PrWrvU2MN3uWEcOf5EJPLCuZjE_Ok_A5pB8mtdQ91BLD2nVInErWJ6dDayKtkkMjWohHx/s640/gate.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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We toured the Bradbury Museum which covered the development
of the bomb and the current projects which include ensuring that
the US storehouse of nuclear bombs has bombs that have not deteriorated and are
not unstable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are mock-ups of the
two bombs that were dropped on Japan in 1945.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Little Boy” was dropped on Hiroshima on Aug 6. A man is leaning over the bomb in the background - you can see it's size.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki on Aug 9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both contributed to the end of WWII.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On a much lighter note, here is Orchid!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has 11 blossoms now, with 2 more ready to
open. I do believe she thrives on abuse.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>Tomorrow we will be in Longmont, CO, to visit Luke’s
daughters' families which means we will see the grand kids! Looking forward to spending a week there and
then we’ll be seriously heading back east.</div>
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<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-53705183088964702642019-03-20T00:29:00.000-04:002019-03-20T00:29:42.006-04:00Oh, the places we've been! (over the last 3 days...)So few days, so many wonderful places to go! Day 1, we visited the world's largest meteor crater, Winslow AZ, a Homolovi ancestral archaeology site, and the Small Painted Desert.<br />
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The meteor crater was caused by a meteor hitting the earth at about 26,000 mph approximately 50,000 years ago. It hit the earth with an estimated explosive force greater than 20 million tons of TNT. This immediately created a crater 700 ft deep and over 4000 ft across. Over the eons, natural debris has settled in the bottom of the crater leaving it only 600 feet deep. And it IS deep and wide!<br />
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Back in the 1980's a mining engineer obtained the land by putting in 4 iron mines. He really wanted to find the meteor and spent 26 years looking for it. It doesn't exist; it was totally disintegrated during the impact through vaporization, melting, and fragmentation. There are two tiny black spots near the middle of the crater - they are the drill that he used to search for the meteor and the steam engine used to run the drill. He went to 1400 ft deep, hit water, gave up, and died within a year.<br />
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This is about as close as we wanted to get to the edge of the crater.<br />
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Luke decided to sit on a ledge to get a good picture.<br />
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In THIS picture, however, we are "standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ - such a fine sight to see"<br />
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Yes, we're standing with Don Henley of the Eagles in Winslow, AZ. Note the eagle in the window above us?<br />
Here is the corner. Both Don Henley and Glen Frye are here, along with the flatbed ford and if you look in the window, you'll see the "girl, my lord, in a flatbed ford"<br />
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From Winslow, we drove to one of the Homolovi 14th century archaeological sites in the Homolovi State Park. The Hopi people consider the high grassland here part of their homeland. The Homolovi State Park was created to help protect these ancestral sites in 1986. This is the park we are staying in. The park serves as a center of research for the late migration period of the Hopi from the late 1200s to the late 1300's. We drove to one of the sites to see the remains of a 14th century pueblo.<br />
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Shards of ancient pottery still litter the ground. This is a sacred area and everyone is asked to not take "souvenirs". Apparently most people are respectful and don't take anything. Many flat rocks are filled with pieces of amazing 14th century pottery shards that have been found and put in an obvious place to see. It was just humbling to me to touch these pieces and think of the history and life they saw.<br />
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And there is more to the day. The Small Painted Desert is a mere 10 miles from the campground entrance. We headed there in the late afternoon. It is a stunning view. The desert floor slowly gives way to rising badlands.<br />
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The colors are just beautiful.<br />
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Day 2, the combination of the Petrified Forest NP and the Painted Desert which is within the Petrified Forest NP. This 28 mile drive kept us in awe. I think I was expecting a few petrified trees inside a ring of protective barbed wire, but I was wrong! The entire park - and much of the area outside of the park - is strewn with the pieces of petrified trees. These fossils are from the Late Triassic Period, 251 to 199 million years ago.<br />
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Many of the petrified wood is pieces, but occasionally you can see full trees like this one.<br />
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Look at these colors! The "petrified wood" is no longer wood - it is now rock due to the process of being covered in sediment and the chemical reaction to volcanic ash and oxides. The white is pure quartz and manganese oxides form blue, purple, black, and brown, and iron oxides create yellow through red through brown.<br />
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Agate Bridge was popular to walk across back in the early 1900's but not today! Preservation is more important now. The petrified tree was shored up by concrete many years ago.<br />
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The Badlands with many many large pieces of petrified wood.<br />
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A trail goes through this section.<br />
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Ravens are everywhere. In fact, that is about the only wildlife we saw. They are often puffed up like this as they survey their domain.<br />
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This rock is called "Newspaper Rock" and has over 650 petroglyphs, some over 2000 years old.<br />
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There is an intersection in the park where the old Route 66 once cut through the park. A 1932 Studebaker sits there, along with the remaining telephone poles from the old road. Some even have their old insulators still attached.<br />
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Oh, the Painted Desert! <br />
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We didn't think we could beat Day 2, but we tried - we drove 2 1/2 hrs to see the Grand Canyon for Day 3. We have explored it before and it is simply breathtaking.<br />
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It is no wonder that it is one of America's favorite parks, not to mention also favored by a lot of international tourists. Unfortunately, the park did not seem prepared for the onslaught of Spring Break. Half of the bathroom facilities were closed for maintenance, leaving lines of over 50 women waiting for the 1 bathroom at the Visitor Center. I know, I was in the line twice and I counted... The parking situation is so bad that the park now encourages tourists to park outside of the park and take a shuttle back and forth to the Visitor Center. Lines to go through the fee both can be 1 hr long during the day and parking lots are full by 11 a.m. Areas of the park are accessible only by shuttle bus but there were not enough of them either - crowds tying to catch a bus to get back to the Visitor Center around 4 p.m. waited impatiently as full bus after full bus passed them by with promises of "another bus will be here in a few minutes". But enough of that - the park was still beautiful and awe inspiring.<br />
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The Colorado River snakes through the Grand Canyon.<br />
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The bottom of the gorge is a loooong way down....<br />
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The views were worth the hassle. That's the Colorado River down there again.<br />
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Today, Day 4 at Homolovi SP we stayed at the park and caught up on "stuff". Groceries, cleaning, a blog :-), and a little handy man chore in the desert for Luke. This isn't a panorama picture, the desert naturally flows like that.<br />
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Tomorrow we plan to go to Albuquerque to visit Luke's 97 year old uncle from Belgium along with his son and a visiting niece who lives in Belgium. Also, sailing buddies Bonnie and Pete are passing through on their West tour this winter and we'll be with them for a few days! Looking forward to it all.<br />
<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-53947653298170504892019-03-16T00:25:00.002-04:002019-03-16T00:25:44.350-04:00Viva Las Vegas!We had a great time in Las Vegas! We actually left with more gambling money than we went with - the roulette wheels were good to us~ We also did one of those time share scams with no intention of buying one - we didn't - and for our 2 hours got lunch, 2 nice dinner vouchers, $50 gambling money to start us off, tickets to a Vegas variety show we wanted to see, and tickets for the $45 ride on the worlds largest ferris wheel! We also stayed at a casino with an RV park located in town that has a free shuttle back and forth to the Strip and the Fremont Experience every day. <br />
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Ahhh Las Vegas!<br />
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We started our first day at the Venetian. Italy! Gondolas in the outside courtyard.<br />
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Gondolas inside, with the shops!<br />
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How many malls have THIS ceiling!<br />
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Even the outside second floor "sidewalk" is made to feel like Italy.<br />
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Treasure Island used to have a pirate fight show, but they have discontinued it. Fortunately for Luke, the ship and it's figurehead still exist.<br />
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Caesar's Palace is massive. It covers blocks. Inside there is the Fountain of the Gods.<br />
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Outside, more statuary.<br />
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The Bellagio is famous for the dancing fountains outside. It just isn't the same without motion.<br />
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One of our "gifts" was a 45 minute ride on the worlds largest Ferris wheels. <br />
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It seemed a bit lame, but we did it anyway. It actually was a lot of fun. Each gondola was about 20 feet wide and ours had only 7 people in it. There was plenty of room to walk around the fully glass enclosed cabin. It moved slowly which was nice. Here is the gondola in front of us, just cresting the top of the wheel.<br />
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Luke opted to fly over the Linq promenade. <br />
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He's suited up, ready to fly down the zipline.<br />
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I opted to stand below, in the promenade, and take a picture of him as he flew past.<br />
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The entrance to the famous Flamingo Casino<br />
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I am not sure what happened picture wise after after this. We stayed home one morning, couldn't take pictures at the show, and I guess we actually got more caught up in playing roulette. The casinos DO frown upon gambling pictures...<br />
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This morning we left fairly early and headed eastward. The terrain changed, giving us snowy topped mountains and trees. We climbed almost constantly, reaching a 7000 ft high peak of highway.<br />
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Tonight we are in a nice little state park in Winslow AZ. Only 56 spacious sites, each overlooking a beautiful stretch of desert. From our site, we can see Winslow 4 miles away. Our RV park in Las Vegas had hundreds of sites, optimized to get as many happy campers in as possible.<br />
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The evening sky from our RV door was a real treat.<br />
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Tomorrow the plan is to see the worlds largest meteor crater (really! this thing is 2.5 miles wide and 500 feet deep!), drive through the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest NP, and see Winslow, AZ. Yes, that one - we plan to "standing on a corner in Winslow AZ, such a fine sight to see"! There apparently IS a corner with a flatbed Ford for taking pictures. :-)<br />
<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-23891203108344879372019-03-12T01:09:00.000-04:002019-03-12T01:09:10.957-04:00A superbloom in Joshua Tree and a visit to Death Valley<br />
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No internet to speak of in Joshua Tree - we are now in Las Vegas and I am catching up the blog and will do the Las Vegas blog before we leave here ---</div>
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That rain we got at Joshua Tree NP created a super bloom for
the wildflowers in the desert!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We had the incredible luck to be there for it. </span>You’ve
heard that a picture is worth a thousand words?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here are several thousand words!<o:p></o:p></div>
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From Joshua Tree we drove to Death Valley NP. We are nearing
the park…<o:p></o:p></div>
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With 3.1 million acres of wilderness, Death Valley NP is the
largest NP in the US outside of Alaska.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is also the hottest place in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A record high of 134 degrees F has been
recorded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Average highs in the summer
months are in the 120’s, with night temps sometimes not dropping below
100.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why we’re here now, early
March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our highs have been upper 70’s,
lows in the mid 50’s.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The wind had picked up and was creating quite a dust storm
across the desert floor.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After getting settled into the campground, we decided to do
some exploring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were surprised to
learn that most of the side roads were closed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It turns out that the day before Death Valley NP had received ½ of their
annual rain amount in 6 hours!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>EVERYTHING flooded!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Death Valley
gets almost 2 inches of rain per year. They had received .8 inches. One road to
Badwater Basin was open but none of the drives off of the road were open. So,
off we went to Badwater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Badwater
received its name when a miner couldn’t get his mule to drink from the
lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So he decided the water was poison
or bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, it is just salty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also 282 feet BELOW sea level!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the lowest point in North America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Take a careful look at the mountain behind the boardwalk
into the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See the small white box
towards the upper middle-left side? That indicates sea level.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnIsjoBKDsnOji2MJJhM5Mlw0HeSgzHi5gQfbTniZDrMsXXLTFmYJcgWyqZ-6W7g9ScR92Fp0aBVyAkbURri_if6Oxj9i1Qn4QJkrNRwDIID5P7Xe7Ft_ABJujvpb_ZlhHJRsZJdhAy5p/s1600/rock+sealevel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnIsjoBKDsnOji2MJJhM5Mlw0HeSgzHi5gQfbTniZDrMsXXLTFmYJcgWyqZ-6W7g9ScR92Fp0aBVyAkbURri_if6Oxj9i1Qn4QJkrNRwDIID5P7Xe7Ft_ABJujvpb_ZlhHJRsZJdhAy5p/s640/rock+sealevel.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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There is little water in the lake now.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWS3fxMbhNfXVQmGmg0NgMHiMmGzgPREqLPgvzrSYP6IrFY38O3mXRRFvGGGMT_fqAcUt_zSvPGqjNkQP_rY8OWEjUYSpexK6XmS4aEmUkBTj5yu-OOh7Il8ZYMeGcXjYTgEo9FGMQV75/s1600/little+water+in+badwater.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWS3fxMbhNfXVQmGmg0NgMHiMmGzgPREqLPgvzrSYP6IrFY38O3mXRRFvGGGMT_fqAcUt_zSvPGqjNkQP_rY8OWEjUYSpexK6XmS4aEmUkBTj5yu-OOh7Il8ZYMeGcXjYTgEo9FGMQV75/s640/little+water+in+badwater.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>But this is a huge expanse of lake.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocQec7DV_Q4TSJFy1vgsm3bBYpvVzUI9hx5zdDQGu8cAvmZVv3vKuFKHs_eFcBU9N_LNkYWQcP-iEh0tfKIVnYgY5QgC7fpon5ruhZ4A5Y8t5XWTEZdzSgdeKD7t_WnquTYT54j5fOiv6/s1600/expanse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocQec7DV_Q4TSJFy1vgsm3bBYpvVzUI9hx5zdDQGu8cAvmZVv3vKuFKHs_eFcBU9N_LNkYWQcP-iEh0tfKIVnYgY5QgC7fpon5ruhZ4A5Y8t5XWTEZdzSgdeKD7t_WnquTYT54j5fOiv6/s640/expanse.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The salt chunks are large, too, about the size of my hand.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rGUxUcTJkuDkt0eKnL-mV2TuCUnfir-ySmcIVvvTUOx18BL3r2LItjdllAYDn8KyXxajGKSMDg7eE4FxeFAOE2YZ9S2EojL0zDWq1wtDwUN2-KepT83WAtCHl80CrhrknVu2TGFGx97x/s1600/salt+chunks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rGUxUcTJkuDkt0eKnL-mV2TuCUnfir-ySmcIVvvTUOx18BL3r2LItjdllAYDn8KyXxajGKSMDg7eE4FxeFAOE2YZ9S2EojL0zDWq1wtDwUN2-KepT83WAtCHl80CrhrknVu2TGFGx97x/s640/salt+chunks.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This mountain is on one side of the lake
and the valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ages ago there was a
tectonic split that caused one side of the land to rise and the other side to
lower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lowering side eventually
developed mountains, creating the valley we know as Death<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Valley.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRBDJ9hAi60N_0Po2Catnoxft2TKsXSjyIiHnC1NLJ2Cq_nq4K8KiRAiRMnWK9Z3G-7hD4_d208qe29FIjknunW3rKkhvaGire3BBtIPYXh1VAiAhh0W0HagpWASXkwn3BakVGrcfZENp/s1600/mtns+on+one+side.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRBDJ9hAi60N_0Po2Catnoxft2TKsXSjyIiHnC1NLJ2Cq_nq4K8KiRAiRMnWK9Z3G-7hD4_d208qe29FIjknunW3rKkhvaGire3BBtIPYXh1VAiAhh0W0HagpWASXkwn3BakVGrcfZENp/s640/mtns+on+one+side.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>Borax was a big mining product in the late 1800’s. This was the Harmony Borax Works, operational
from about 1888. As the price of Borax
went down when it was discovered in less remote locations, the enterprising
owner of the company began tourist excursions and encouraged the protection of
Death Valley.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjJEV95deX5BBL50YBUMeb_wpcp4CJB0zCmIsAd8c5n7im6s3RtXGAFBWkznQi5GFWppDyWnYEFgeNDAkLljnVkuvIEjLaT3N4El6hAG7-gj8OQ8EQJYbsa3XgAnDbcq9PEo6q7-oBD7G/s1600/borax+processing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjJEV95deX5BBL50YBUMeb_wpcp4CJB0zCmIsAd8c5n7im6s3RtXGAFBWkznQi5GFWppDyWnYEFgeNDAkLljnVkuvIEjLaT3N4El6hAG7-gj8OQ8EQJYbsa3XgAnDbcq9PEo6q7-oBD7G/s640/borax+processing.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
Those of you as old as I am will remember the “20 Mule Team
Borax” ads. Yes, they really did use 20
mules to pull the 2 heavily laden wagons of borax the 165 miles to the Mojave
Railroad Depot. A 1200 gallon tank of
water went along for the ride to provide water for the mules and men during the
trip. That alone weighted 10,000
pounds. Poor mules!<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14PbTyXTXW2D8nDGQ2beyprlUXiGkYXYCNmF4PMzUaB1E1_Q2XLWT1LH7u9R7cLgT6DOjPPxgvCPrwznGULOhGQ7Y9V5DhCX4TNthYp0wJLLgH9CMkZqZa7hYMjRgcY50gUIxBhvzy98U/s1600/20+mule+team+w+borax+flats.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14PbTyXTXW2D8nDGQ2beyprlUXiGkYXYCNmF4PMzUaB1E1_Q2XLWT1LH7u9R7cLgT6DOjPPxgvCPrwznGULOhGQ7Y9V5DhCX4TNthYp0wJLLgH9CMkZqZa7hYMjRgcY50gUIxBhvzy98U/s640/20+mule+team+w+borax+flats.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Here is Luke standing by the 2 wagons and water tank for
size reference.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEN9HcmOC1LE_S3PkylKWdQs5jSlK-utEYhlGcnwT0nHeZT8owvv9J5FLjMNPQRdHaSWt4T0dXSHq114uoDEHlUFK2f-IJ92L9qFkU5rf9wp-95rv4q_NXjpsVLHza1O-snFTeW7HuXJP/s1600/luke+w+wagon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEN9HcmOC1LE_S3PkylKWdQs5jSlK-utEYhlGcnwT0nHeZT8owvv9J5FLjMNPQRdHaSWt4T0dXSHq114uoDEHlUFK2f-IJ92L9qFkU5rf9wp-95rv4q_NXjpsVLHza1O-snFTeW7HuXJP/s640/luke+w+wagon.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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There was and still is a lot of borax to harvest and
refine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of this white is borax.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfi-szZDAAfOyraWampUOYPOaQJw9xhvLQd-Ztlqw0pZ6BLHsDW0mBPNoVZf_lOrde_4ojB-o9hqX4ujX6_WZMDB47xpxb-rjeMc6WL1NtcF5WXS6Dwsh3ta-6OY4k-J95K_CdFqgeJsH/s1600/lots+of+flats.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfi-szZDAAfOyraWampUOYPOaQJw9xhvLQd-Ztlqw0pZ6BLHsDW0mBPNoVZf_lOrde_4ojB-o9hqX4ujX6_WZMDB47xpxb-rjeMc6WL1NtcF5WXS6Dwsh3ta-6OY4k-J95K_CdFqgeJsH/s640/lots+of+flats.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next we climbed on the sand dunes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAfst1FZIslDCd_GOpa90_QeR27mA6qPnI0KVGi-5f1WRYFxYvM1xCuIePLVOxmnkUZ7zRYTrwK1AIFZOie9nm-8_0772RehmewaXMZiPV-me49yfqv5JwiCk0YEN_NapgwwFx1zDTetd/s1600/sandunes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAfst1FZIslDCd_GOpa90_QeR27mA6qPnI0KVGi-5f1WRYFxYvM1xCuIePLVOxmnkUZ7zRYTrwK1AIFZOie9nm-8_0772RehmewaXMZiPV-me49yfqv5JwiCk0YEN_NapgwwFx1zDTetd/s640/sandunes.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The nearby dunes contain a few creosote bushes, but as the
14 miles of dunes goes further into the valley, the bushes disappear and the
dunes grow larger, some as high as 100 feet.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcslU2tVOwHr8m_o8TSy3sYAlJlpkjIeLTRenXw82hnWxrntHoqW-6l09jiLYvNKmCQkqZWN_EI3v7DUMYU0dhBnIU8Q0mmAHqpYsEXOgheFyLM-l_wTDBSmr96VT4nQsK_wYZfJsfVru0/s1600/distant+sanddunes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcslU2tVOwHr8m_o8TSy3sYAlJlpkjIeLTRenXw82hnWxrntHoqW-6l09jiLYvNKmCQkqZWN_EI3v7DUMYU0dhBnIU8Q0mmAHqpYsEXOgheFyLM-l_wTDBSmr96VT4nQsK_wYZfJsfVru0/s640/distant+sanddunes.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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See the sweeping fan of mountain at the bottom of this
ridge?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a example of an Alluvial
Fan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fan is caused
when water erodes the mountain side, forming a gully or canyon. The eroded rock and sand is deposited in a fan shape emanating from the mouth of the canyon. Heavier material stops moving nearer to the canyon or gully, the lighter material goes further. The net effect is a "fan" of deposited material, much like a river delta. The many
alluvial fans found in Death Valley are considered some of the best examples in
the world.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcGBFqdi03a9GAIqPAJuLcEmfUU5KsIPM5btrVEEuJbilhp6t6sLPDoIn-9P3xkpmfkWixOAzhuy5jByrYCQAK-AXVfDrV1hOoXIBGmSkCP2W08LiRXbfNJAO8eZn9a4qk480xZ8wahcz/s1600/alluvial+fan+use.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="1600" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcGBFqdi03a9GAIqPAJuLcEmfUU5KsIPM5btrVEEuJbilhp6t6sLPDoIn-9P3xkpmfkWixOAzhuy5jByrYCQAK-AXVfDrV1hOoXIBGmSkCP2W08LiRXbfNJAO8eZn9a4qk480xZ8wahcz/s640/alluvial+fan+use.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Death Valley has a lot of offer, including a volcanic
crater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a caldera, but a crater
created 2000 years ago when a massive volcanic explosion was caused by magna
mixing with an underground spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
resulting Ubehebe crater is over 600 feet deep and one half mile wide.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_XwiVXRD7g7sZMUngEku4f1qrg37Sj50ZilzhGVFY_iXj4lT5NKcQ5NmHlm0FOva4UIru7dCCsNcn7NHm70Bcc92loyZr_A23lL_4UhINEag02dOWISkMIIoIjDvnf67o2Ud-708VbD2/s1600/volcanic+crater+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="1600" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_XwiVXRD7g7sZMUngEku4f1qrg37Sj50ZilzhGVFY_iXj4lT5NKcQ5NmHlm0FOva4UIru7dCCsNcn7NHm70Bcc92loyZr_A23lL_4UhINEag02dOWISkMIIoIjDvnf67o2Ud-708VbD2/s640/volcanic+crater+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Last thing for the day was a walk to the top of the
Zabriskie Point overlook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rock folds…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5l0tLZGAoiwyIFwbf6ZQC9VWUBbbhUyvILDuL9_jTL0z5a0BEIexoBvFqYia3EbftLEYxU7KN3f7o-cGvyUme3-GHgR8tQ4cNFtHvkj5CW1OdQaSbg9WmXr6yncA2hnJhxMUIHqIRL4j/s1600/rock+folds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5l0tLZGAoiwyIFwbf6ZQC9VWUBbbhUyvILDuL9_jTL0z5a0BEIexoBvFqYia3EbftLEYxU7KN3f7o-cGvyUme3-GHgR8tQ4cNFtHvkj5CW1OdQaSbg9WmXr6yncA2hnJhxMUIHqIRL4j/s640/rock+folds.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Chocolate topped mountains<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5Xbjto9naoOtoLJ4Bpiv4kYKBpIt7Oie7KpIPve4qQXvEm3wJDJDPhBGaQnj0w0n_w4we53BAT-EXZfuAj3Q2iMQpxt8UgAWTBbRgPpEgAwYRKBNnhsXz6il6BuuvvWJ3TAVqHooUmL0/s1600/chocolate+top+mtn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1600" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5Xbjto9naoOtoLJ4Bpiv4kYKBpIt7Oie7KpIPve4qQXvEm3wJDJDPhBGaQnj0w0n_w4we53BAT-EXZfuAj3Q2iMQpxt8UgAWTBbRgPpEgAwYRKBNnhsXz6il6BuuvvWJ3TAVqHooUmL0/s640/chocolate+top+mtn.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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And the golden colored badlands.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7kBotmiiTih3Qv0lcoTVY-uJPFARs2dZ0fdbW8Qes3YGjOPXq2zl_NCO7oR2c7yw6_6gK_VufhLVm-jSSCvsDs72XedPBCVOej1iLyVxVlb-Yy-ixNMDZkRLEAV0m8z_Fl6kRx7fw8Gc/s1600/gold+range.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7kBotmiiTih3Qv0lcoTVY-uJPFARs2dZ0fdbW8Qes3YGjOPXq2zl_NCO7oR2c7yw6_6gK_VufhLVm-jSSCvsDs72XedPBCVOej1iLyVxVlb-Yy-ixNMDZkRLEAV0m8z_Fl6kRx7fw8Gc/s640/gold+range.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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On Saturday, we checked the Visitor Center and learned that
3 roads had opened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Off we went!! (along
with every other Saturday visitor to the park).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our first stop was the Golden Canyon trail. These trail takes us through
those beautiful golden colored badlands we saw from the overlook the night before. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The rocks are just beautiful up close, but without that
absolutely gold glow that they have in the setting sun.<br />
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Death Valley’s red rocks are visible from the trial.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXiBGLJBbm-yeb_SO-F_yFIY7zYFHHWp8jnTqY7F8_HTAfnwTzUN1FY8_r0vDsE5NZggnLeys44vfGQD3gZRQn_z3QosTR55olyhHLz_oK-f5aEl3r69DDOEzGSLB_sMiuc59GqGC4_ksd/s1600/red+rocks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXiBGLJBbm-yeb_SO-F_yFIY7zYFHHWp8jnTqY7F8_HTAfnwTzUN1FY8_r0vDsE5NZggnLeys44vfGQD3gZRQn_z3QosTR55olyhHLz_oK-f5aEl3r69DDOEzGSLB_sMiuc59GqGC4_ksd/s640/red+rocks.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The next open gravel road was to a hike to the Natural
Bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a bit more of a climb
with an elevation gain of 185 feet from the starting point to the bridge.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EL7rNrwJ2rsE1Dp5nrPeodZ5WSGXToYup825u91eWT0UMZxaNmvva0eygqtNKoHcue0ypWXoz2LYB1aYG0Bzhgos8Q5poZOHsmAjmkhM679MucyQn3UjN_MJGRk6_dF_t6J1_PbC7Rbf/s1600/walk+to+natural+bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EL7rNrwJ2rsE1Dp5nrPeodZ5WSGXToYup825u91eWT0UMZxaNmvva0eygqtNKoHcue0ypWXoz2LYB1aYG0Bzhgos8Q5poZOHsmAjmkhM679MucyQn3UjN_MJGRk6_dF_t6J1_PbC7Rbf/s640/walk+to+natural+bridge.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here is the bridge<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUa6oJWreSO2BzQX_DiZKooy5B6_i4iPDgRJzrc1tVA_7qcz26ZzefOvxFCJW_92eHJKOlEc9nlOlHIYlATGWEeIU9U5T7wTDjGoq7wzcl_rgkHyg9EkS6vP4ZUYSOOtk5F2cS77Smu4p/s1600/natural+bridge+lc.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUa6oJWreSO2BzQX_DiZKooy5B6_i4iPDgRJzrc1tVA_7qcz26ZzefOvxFCJW_92eHJKOlEc9nlOlHIYlATGWEeIU9U5T7wTDjGoq7wzcl_rgkHyg9EkS6vP4ZUYSOOtk5F2cS77Smu4p/s640/natural+bridge+lc.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>Best of all, the 13 mile road to Dante’s View was open. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnedJftK32ppF3HPksBhXVTlGwBW6g7hpn0HqHImVBz-TEzLLnN5vImOIYFqOLJGoJHSiAPm8t4qPVvKdRuL7JAJ0mWSmSdYbAxKVsNmyTqsm-tDhfgy_ls4u70fJR-yEANiTkyc1OKLw/s1600/up+road+to+dantes+view.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnedJftK32ppF3HPksBhXVTlGwBW6g7hpn0HqHImVBz-TEzLLnN5vImOIYFqOLJGoJHSiAPm8t4qPVvKdRuL7JAJ0mWSmSdYbAxKVsNmyTqsm-tDhfgy_ls4u70fJR-yEANiTkyc1OKLw/s640/up+road+to+dantes+view.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This breathtaking viewpoint is over 5200 ft about Death
Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THIS is the valley and salt
flats of Death Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A most wonderful
end to our visit here.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIk6BsrDrQRltZaQntXsgmpIyAMqbif2Rl1-VPZbJAb9enPo5pYRJBP_S1lumznwv9yzFmtO8IBxygdLhBtv4UGh2TNm4dGn4ED85lAZyEXAhWQCM801N8_-DYBdu51xYZ4HsXt1DzRlt2/s1600/salt+flats+death+valley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIk6BsrDrQRltZaQntXsgmpIyAMqbif2Rl1-VPZbJAb9enPo5pYRJBP_S1lumznwv9yzFmtO8IBxygdLhBtv4UGh2TNm4dGn4ED85lAZyEXAhWQCM801N8_-DYBdu51xYZ4HsXt1DzRlt2/s640/salt+flats+death+valley.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-65042066268594250192019-03-06T15:32:00.000-05:002019-03-06T15:32:13.374-05:00Joshua Tree National Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
You don't have to get to the park to see the Joshua trees! Every yard and vacant lot is filled with them. These beautiful trees fill the landscape. The Mormons thought that the trees looked like the prophet Joshua with uplifted arms.</div>
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The Joshua tree...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVio2ocPkFsIMGjSIN-WsJ3q-Q5alqdxKDlzDNLVnqCrDMZNk0Sf8D3XRyBD6lCnJNIk_q-FGo5v0hMTwKwCFLdj6QsxC-T7Q37sQkVqLZHz3GHbmtdo2LH-FicE39FnkPp-V_Ydb15Z4/s1600/Joshua+tree.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1056" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVio2ocPkFsIMGjSIN-WsJ3q-Q5alqdxKDlzDNLVnqCrDMZNk0Sf8D3XRyBD6lCnJNIk_q-FGo5v0hMTwKwCFLdj6QsxC-T7Q37sQkVqLZHz3GHbmtdo2LH-FicE39FnkPp-V_Ydb15Z4/s640/Joshua+tree.JPG" width="422" /></a></div>
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The prophet Joshua</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbP_s6j5lrjUE3yBBHrQKVl1raTBUMIUfl8gQm-FowvTy6dzEdawzmtvftmt7gaNy6s0YwUuzZC1fyN9HXI_Jv8um6lc8jiSLvDLkTK1Fq_321HvgR4ij74I5LMZw8k-OJt15tC9ZdtzL/s1600/joshua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="460" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbP_s6j5lrjUE3yBBHrQKVl1raTBUMIUfl8gQm-FowvTy6dzEdawzmtvftmt7gaNy6s0YwUuzZC1fyN9HXI_Jv8um6lc8jiSLvDLkTK1Fq_321HvgR4ij74I5LMZw8k-OJt15tC9ZdtzL/s320/joshua.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We are fortunate to be here in time for the blooming of the trees! They have a 12" high cluster of white flowers. Like all of the other plants in the desert, blooming timing is determined by rain.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_g7PrCcEkAXPn_zVUFJfz2rZOzwgr3DQb-WZJ9J7moE2S4pygIJO_1j-MEIVAnrei8z7udM4d2OGOyKR_Idvyes1RaSdcijQf4LcDzaCiYTVp_6_soc0xhoqQjuVKIKO5Q3yRk7faN25h/s1600/bloom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_g7PrCcEkAXPn_zVUFJfz2rZOzwgr3DQb-WZJ9J7moE2S4pygIJO_1j-MEIVAnrei8z7udM4d2OGOyKR_Idvyes1RaSdcijQf4LcDzaCiYTVp_6_soc0xhoqQjuVKIKO5Q3yRk7faN25h/s640/bloom.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A forest of Joshua trees along the road to the park,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoosby9EVbwCmFQmjCV_qcRBM3WZo_6_GxRmGMieQi2XanthCfEEGKaRE3BNcy5VmaEMdwWfd1rfTmvvhjUpwwCEv_ipXAxyd7D0m175kQDWodcckVInJDoj-17Mu5Ymbwt92ygQnzcr2L/s1600/field+of+jt+overview.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoosby9EVbwCmFQmjCV_qcRBM3WZo_6_GxRmGMieQi2XanthCfEEGKaRE3BNcy5VmaEMdwWfd1rfTmvvhjUpwwCEv_ipXAxyd7D0m175kQDWodcckVInJDoj-17Mu5Ymbwt92ygQnzcr2L/s640/field+of+jt+overview.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The nearby mountain range is made up of huge rocks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_j6TanZ_Liwm6u5BjuK1fAAKL2Rz6uWbDNAlAMd0LPDTscbdW1dvIzYNwUQ8OcdFkTHK8ke_6zLREwgjAS4XX54YkAMZ4HAycpbfXLFM6_LMsYzex2jJdHee4W-O4akAbD8YToNK0G5U/s1600/rocky+mtns.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_j6TanZ_Liwm6u5BjuK1fAAKL2Rz6uWbDNAlAMd0LPDTscbdW1dvIzYNwUQ8OcdFkTHK8ke_6zLREwgjAS4XX54YkAMZ4HAycpbfXLFM6_LMsYzex2jJdHee4W-O4akAbD8YToNK0G5U/s640/rocky+mtns.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Really huge<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJisXilKYKC7gYJM4KQ3EEIQQHuJIVIBFG_7fJY6NU2CaKYfFLYWKHtUSbsh8NdLzrC43_82E7aZtG-BcC4KRQozP6a7NgWIzyJHTH9QwxBxeLE6jBdDnCg-nA5kV0y8DK50Wq8kdpmIMW/s1600/close+up+rocky+mtns.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJisXilKYKC7gYJM4KQ3EEIQQHuJIVIBFG_7fJY6NU2CaKYfFLYWKHtUSbsh8NdLzrC43_82E7aZtG-BcC4KRQozP6a7NgWIzyJHTH9QwxBxeLE6jBdDnCg-nA5kV0y8DK50Wq8kdpmIMW/s640/close+up+rocky+mtns.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We walked a trail through the Hidden Valley. This valley was used in the early 1900's by rustlers. Boulders completely enclose a valley with only one narrow gap to enter or leave. This proved to be a perfect temporary holding corral for newly acquired livestock. They could be contained here in the lush valley until they could be rebranded and then sold. This lucrative business slowly faded out as more law abiding ranchers settled in the region along with the decline of the lush vegetation due to overuse.<br />
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This big lizard is basking on one of the boulders in the sun on this 60 degree day. That is the only animal life we saw.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFPEHZjv79qapXajpAFXJKp5-nbzL-iyZHUajAHL4N-0JBLQpDXt0Igiu1J_8sB67pGH6_Hy-VOOQlJ-KIazEZGig80MdmK4_9Hn7TGdDLC-KLTJNutC1-qxzz1fFHsKorq__Kn141H74/s1600/basking+lizard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFPEHZjv79qapXajpAFXJKp5-nbzL-iyZHUajAHL4N-0JBLQpDXt0Igiu1J_8sB67pGH6_Hy-VOOQlJ-KIazEZGig80MdmK4_9Hn7TGdDLC-KLTJNutC1-qxzz1fFHsKorq__Kn141H74/s640/basking+lizard.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The next morning we drove to Keys View, a mountain top at 5185 feet elevation with a view of the Coachella Valley. We could see the San Andreas fault line and the Salton Sea. It was hard to get the full view in one picture, so the quality isn't that great, but you can see the fault line as raised boulders along the middle of the picture.<br />
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Cap Rock, aptly named.<br />
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Lots of split boulders.<br />
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How about Skull Rock???<br />
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Luke took a hike on the Split rock loop and found rock climbers. This is the most popular pastime in the park. It makes us nervous just to watch.<br />
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He noticed this "fallen" rock along the path.<br />
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And one last view of the many boulders in the park.<br />
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Today is very windy and actually has rained. It's sunny now. This is our last day here so we will probably drive the road that traverses the park from north to south. Next stop, Death Valley.Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-71883358575841656212019-03-02T23:32:00.001-05:002019-03-02T23:32:57.424-05:00Organ Pipe Cactus National MonumentWe had yet another car repair the morning that left Tucson, but we finally made it to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Yes, this is the desert. The first poster we saw was to warn us about pack rats. No, they won't collect our goods but they do like to nest in warm cozy places - like under car hoods. They also like stuff like wiring insulation for their nests. The solution is to leave the car and RV hoods open to discourage them. We readily popped up our hoods while we're here!<br />
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Our first day in the park was to the Aho Mtn Driving trail (along with some short hikes off the dirt road. All park roads are dirt...<br />
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The drive overview is beautiful<br />
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But not all is perfect in paradise....We are only a few miles north of the US/Mexican border.<br />
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Here is the cactus that the park is named after, the Organ Pipe Cactus. Unlike the saguaro cactus which has one base with "arms" off of it, the organ pipe cactus is actually a cluster of tall cacti.<br />
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Near this cactus, we saw a fox den - recognized it because the literature said they dig their holes under the roots of the creosote bush, which exactly what this is! No, we did NOT stick our hands in there in search of soft baby foxes!<br />
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Here is an unusual saguaro cactus - instead of having a domed top, this one is "crested". Scientists are unsure of why this happens but it is relatively rare.<br />
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One of our short walks went to a double arch on the mountain.<br />
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Little ground flowers are in bloom. The Senora desert is the wettest desert in the US.<br />
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Mexican poppies line the walk.<br />
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This is a Jumping Cholla plant. It is from 2-4 feet high and these cactus brackets are just waiting for a unwary host.<br />
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The next day we drove the 3 miles to the Senita Basin Trail. The park is only 4 miles from the Mexican border and actually runs along it for some distance. So, I guess we shouldn't have been surprised to see ""the wall". But we were...<br />
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This is what this portion of the wall looks like closer.<br />
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But after the wall goes down the other side of this mountain, it becomes only a short but heavy steel fence. There were even some tank trap type welded I beam structures laying around. We think this is to prevent vehicles from crossing the border. We are in the car (see the car mirror just in the bottom right) and this house is in Mexico. <br />
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We were told that there are arrests of illegal crossings every night. We have seen the detention buildings and the buses to take the arrested to another area. <br />
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Humanitarian groups here go into the desert and leave water/food. This is illegal.<br />
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You read about about the problem and you hear about the problem. It feels very different to see the problem....<br />
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The senita basin is named for the senita cactus. This cactus is common in Mexico, but only a few hundred are located north of the border. They are all here. <br />
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The cactus is different from the organ pipe cactus in two ways. There are many, many "pleats" on the organ pipe and only 5-7 around the senita cactus. Also, the senita cactus has more thorns at the top, giving it a bearded appearance, hence the name "old man" cactus.<br />
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On Friday, we went "to town" in Aho, NM, about 30 miles NW. This is the first place to find groceries, laundry, a car wash, a bank, a hardware store, and restaurants. We did it all!<br />
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Aho was founded to support the copper mine workers in the very large open pit copper mine started in 1922. The mine was closed in the late 1980's after increasing labor strikes, but definitely left it's mark on the landscape.<br />
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This church just outside of the mine is now a historical museum. Unfortunately, it was closed when we were there.<br />
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No other pictures of Aho, just chores taken care of.<br />
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Today, our last day in Organ Pipe NM, we walked the Desert Trail loop, just outside of the campground. The desert floor is green and covered with tiny flowers.<br />
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Organ Pipe cacti climbed up the hill.<br />
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The little fishhook cacti are everywhere and in bloom. These little cacti are from an inch to about 7 inches. Look at those evil hooks on the barbs at the top of the cactus, and their charming blooms!<br />
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Lastly, a view of our campground from the top of the walk. Smokey is down there, somewhere, sleeping like a cat!<br />
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Tomorrow, we should get to Joshua Tree NP!<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-26844568353361262382019-02-26T21:50:00.000-05:002019-02-26T22:18:20.167-05:00Gates Pass, Tuscon Museum, and Saguaro National ParkGates Pass -<br />
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this is a breathtaking pass that climbs a mountain, gives you a nice view, and is FULL of the Saguaro cactus plants.<br />
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The saguaro just march up the mountain's side, to the snow capped peaks, resulting from the very rare snow, sleet and rain that we experienced..<br />
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Here is Luke standing beside one of the tall cacti. These grow about 30 to 40 feet tall, and take about 70 to 80 years to get that tall.<br />
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We spotted this Phainopepla sitting on an Ocotillo. He has beautiful red eyes and a great crest.<br />
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This Teddy Bear Cholla looks like a blooming white plant from the roadside.<br />
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But this is no ordinary roadside plant - this guy means business!<br />
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Here is a Fishhook Barrel Cactus, putting out bright yellow blooms.<br />
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The Tucson Desert Museum -<br />
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Luke visited this fantastic museum without me. I was feeling a little yucky in the morning and decided to stay home.<br />
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The setting is, of course, the desert.<br />
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The museum has a zoo, so folks can see the desert animals up close. Many of them are nocturnal.<br />
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So, the desert has sleepy Jaavelinas.<br />
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Wolves<br />
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Black bears - our backdoor neighbor said he saw one wandering through the RV park this morning!<br />
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Panthers - apparently these guys are plentiful.<br />
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Cuddling bobcats<br />
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<br />
Big Horn Sheep<br />
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and Otters, among others. No, otters definitely don't live in this part of the desert, but the desert actually runs from the Gulf of Mexico into Canada. So there is a diversity of life in the entire desert.<br />
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Luke saw the open air free flight raptor show -- several trained hawks making low passes over the crowd, and this big owl pausing on a saguaro.<br />
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There was also a walk-in humming bird aviary, where he caught these great pictures of humming birds.<br />
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There is a fossil exhibit in a man made cave, complete with stalagmites, stelagtites and running mater.<br />
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And of course, more cactus. I don't know for sure what this one is as my pull-out pocket guide isn't as clear as it might be.<br />
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<br />
The Saguaro National Park<br />
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We had already seen a lot of desert, but were glad we went here, too. <br />
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That plant in the foreground is a Ocotillo. It's claim to fame is that the leaves stay tightly against the barbed stems of the plant until rain or sun are available. At the right times, the leaves open up. Too much sun or rain, they clam up again. The desert plants are still loving the moisture from the snow we got.<br />
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Many of the cacti are beginning to bloom. This ocotillo has red buds at the top of the stems, getting ready to open.<br />
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We saw this beautiful bird on one of the saguaro. I don't know what it is, but I have a message in to one of Beth's friends who knows the locals birds well.<br />
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<br />
The saguaros here seem taller.<br />
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Maybe it is just the sheer number of them!<br />
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A couple of hikers among the saguaros.<br />
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This lizard scampered past us in his quest for shade.<br />
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Not sure if this cluster is Pincushion cacti or a Glory of TX cacti. It's a lovely trio and look at the purple thorns!<br />
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Probably my favorite in the park is a large rock pile that has numerous Native American petroglyphs. I love the ground squirrel lounging on the top of this pile.<br />
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This is one from the top of the "mountain"<br />
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We had a great time in Tucson, visiting Beth and sightseeing. The RV park where she winters is for active adults 40+. Boy, are they active! Bike clubs (think 30 mile daily rides), yoga and tai chi classes, potlucks, dances, photography group, writing club, and on and on. We went to one 60's music dance and Luke went to a writing meeting where the members read their short stories. Luke said they were wonderful. Unfortunately, we missed Elvis' performance because we were out to dinner with Beth and a few of her friends. We hated to leave today. We considered going there next winter but Tucson is 2100 miles from home, a lot further than FL. We shall see but I expect we'll spend next winter in FL. But for now, we are at the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument campground. Sightseeing here starts tomorrow!<br />
<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-33538338671324289822019-02-22T13:53:00.002-05:002019-02-22T13:53:55.210-05:00The Organ Mtns of NM and TusconOur last day in El Paso we toured the Organ Mountains. I know you're surprised but again this is a starkly beautiful range.<br />
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Spring is springing, though, and more and more cacti are blooming.<br />
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That evening we had "New Mexico Mexican" food with our friends that we met in New Orleans. <br />
The New Mexico Mexican food focuses on the green chilies, not the red. Very tasty!<br />
They also have an electric bike shop and let us do test rides. Definitely not like the old 3 speed! We liked the bikes.<br />
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Luke has scored big with the war plane exhibits this trip. First was White Sands Missile Range.<br />
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Next, the War Eagles Museum in El Paso.<br />
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And in Tucson, he spent 2 afternoons at the PIMA museum. Per Luke, an unbelievable collection of aircraft, acres outside, and 6 big hangars inside. One hangar was the 390th Air Force Museum, featuring a B17 bomber, of the type that was the work-horse of the allied bombing campaign in Europe. There was a real live veteran pilot there that started flying missions over Europe in 1943 at the age of 20! 28 missions over Europe. At 95 years old, he looked like 80! Apparently bombing missions could be as large as 900 airplanes. Loss rate was about 5 % per mission, making 25 missions improbable. He said they sent crews home after 25, but were low on people so they kept him for 28. Unbelievable! The picture below is of a B-36 - post war intercontinental bomber - 6 radial engines, 4 jet engines.<br />
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Being the loving,considerate wife that I am, I allowed him to go alone and spend alllll the time he wanted! :-)<br />
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We are staying at the same RV park as sister-in-law Beth, which is great! She arranged a spa day for us yesterday afternoon. Perfect. Today we will run off to Petco, Cosco, and Sprouts. <br />
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Last night it rained, hard. It was supposed to rain all night and then all day today. When I awoke this morning, I was surprised to not hear rain. Guess it has stopped....nope, changed to snow -- in Tucson! So much for spring...<br />
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We have a little over an inch on the car and the cacti.<br />
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Not that one of us cares....<br />
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It's still snowing, supposed to last into the afternoon. This evening we plan to go out to dinner with Beth and 2 of her favorite couples. Looking forward to that!<br />
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<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-42239068660645410592019-02-16T00:45:00.000-05:002019-02-16T01:27:18.262-05:00McDonald Observatory, White Sands NM, The Space Museum, The Wall, and Franklin MtnsOff early in a mad rush to get to Ft. Davis in time for the first of our two programs at McDonald Observatory. We made the 107 miles, checked into our campground, got the necessary papers, and made it to the Observatory JUST in time, at 10:50! But that is what counts, we got there!<br />
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Our morning program was a presentation and then a visit to see their 107 inch telescope, one of many that the facility has. Here is the telescope. The white "fabric" across the top is the cover that retracts to allow access to the stars.<br />
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And how large is it?<br />
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The Davis Mountain range was chosen for the observatory because of a couple of things - the land was a free gift from a local family and for the dark sky environment. Look at the landscape - nothing to light up the sky for miles and miles.<br />
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Between the morning program and our "Star watch party" at 7:30 we drove along the back roads. The cacti are beginning to bloom.<br />
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This blimp was pretty exciting. Turns out that this is a balloon surveillance system used by the US Border Patrol. These "Tethered Aerostat Radar Systems" are to monitor for low-flying aircraft or drones near the border.<br />
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Our night program started after dark and was outside in the cold night air. The presenter showed us the constellations and star clusters and such. About 6 telescopes were available for everyone to look through. It was fun but cold, even with our winter thermals and a blanket to sit on. No pictures, couldn't ruin the dark sky!<br />
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Next stop, El Paso. We found our campground and a grocery store. Smoke settled into what is apparently now HER seat.<br />
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Yesterday we started by exploring White Sands National Monument. The "sand" is actually gypsum, soft and white. When we first got into the park, the sand was mixed with some plant life. The plants are always trying to regain a hold at the edge of the sand dunes. The road at this point is still paved<br />
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After about 3 miles of this 8 mile road, the road is unpaved and the sand coats everything.<br />
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Luke the sand dune climber!<br />
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The sand is ever changing with the wind. The park uses a plow to keep roads open.<br />
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One of the posted regulations is "no alcohol allowed in the park between Feb 1 and June 1". We were a little confused by that time frame and asked --- spring break! With 4 collages in the area, spring break had gotten out of control. The ranger said that the alcohol regulation made a world of difference!<br />
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A few miles further at Alamogordo is the Space Museum. Luke really wanted to see it, so that was next. The museum emphasized the rocketry history of White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base. Here some of the examination and reverse engineering of the German V1 and V2 was done. It was pretty amazing that the German technology was the basis for all our rocketry and guidance systems through the Apollo program. I had no interest in wandering the 4 story museum so Luke took a couple of hours to explore and I sat in the car and knit. Happiness for both of us!<br />
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Today we drove the scenic road along the Franklin Mtns. This road overlooks the cities of El Paso (population 800,000) and Ciudad Juarez (population 2M). The cities border each other and between the two of them, they stretch far out into the desert and up the side of the mountain range.<br />
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Yes, The Wall runs between them. In the picture below you will see a road on each side of the picture. At this point, the Rio Grande appears to be split into 2 channels, one on each side of the wall. The river is dry because the water has been taken for irrigation. The center concrete "island" between the two channels holds the Wall that bends around from the left side. You may have to enlarge the picture to really see it. This was taken from a long distance, therefore the so-so quality and color.</div>
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Another picture of the wall shows it bending in a U-shape between the countries.</div>
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Hearing about the wall and actually seeing it are quite different and evoke a mixture of feelings.</div>
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We drove to the Franklin Mtn. State Park and enjoyed the beautiful mountain range.</div>
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Leaving the mountains, Luke noticed an ominous red light on the car's dash. So, we found an excellent dealership who agreed to check it out on the spot. This is never where you want to be on vacation, 1800 miles from home...</div>
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Unfortunately she needs a repair and they don't have one of the parts in stock. Fortunately, they can get one in time for a Monday repair and we can drive the car in the meantime. Unfortunately, it is not cheap. But she has been a good car and needed virtually no repairs since we bought her in 2012, so we feel somewhat better about it.</div>
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On a happier note, when we got back to the RV we discovered that the orchid has bloomed! One bloom out, 15 more to go! Good orchid!!</div>
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Tomorrow we plan to do a little more sight-seeing and then have dinner with a couple we met while we were in New Orleans. Sunday I am watching the Daytona 500!!! woot woot!! Monday is the big repair and then on Tuesday we go to Tuscon to spend a week visiting with sister-in-law Beth at the RV park where she spends the winter.</div>
Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-63555339858601656942019-02-10T14:18:00.004-05:002019-02-10T16:27:50.853-05:00Big Bend!!!<br />
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Still numb from the
dental crown, we left Blanco for the 500-ish mile trip to Big Bend National
Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took 2 days after our late
start, but we made it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maverick RV Park,
located in Lajitas, just about on the TX/Mexico border!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Smoke was annoyed after 2 steady days of driving and was happy
to be settled again.</div>
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With 4 exploring days here, we decided to start by going east in the Big Bend Ranch State Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>BBR State Park is just as stunning as the federal park; we were awed by
the rugged terrain.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This view of the Rio Grande River from a highway overlook
shows the relatively narrow river and Mexico on the right, the USA on the left.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTfL291v8FMYCFhyXX2hJVX3D2ktnBIdwWji3pxFrrBAoYISHhv4uD4DbNzMeFBaaGLnI1qyCSFzgnvKAOmYAcdO0aBG2-SBfbErvQk27fWSPmk32EfFiVeCFKDCGPrergqt-2oda6SEi/s1600/rio+and+hiway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTfL291v8FMYCFhyXX2hJVX3D2ktnBIdwWji3pxFrrBAoYISHhv4uD4DbNzMeFBaaGLnI1qyCSFzgnvKAOmYAcdO0aBG2-SBfbErvQk27fWSPmk32EfFiVeCFKDCGPrergqt-2oda6SEi/s640/rio+and+hiway.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Closed Canyon Trail, a ¾ mile easy hike, takes us
halfway into the narrow slot canyon. After 1 ½ miles the canyon ends at the Rio Grande. Here is Luke, that tiny spec in the blue shirt, standing at the bottom entrance to the canyon. These canyon walls are 1500 feet high! </div>
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You feel the depth of the canyon while you are hiking
through it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEybqaAi3EO0by5cFvxfucL3uwNn5vZN5qXYk4gEBpX1jc0ddo-6G-CAjioNFlnc5MNYS6dvPIEALaoTQF3Ttc2Wc3jWh6KN9YJzPTXt00jyvzeZ9dvbloAlGJbbKyyu9qnyXTn_UpafeF/s1600/inside+canyon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEybqaAi3EO0by5cFvxfucL3uwNn5vZN5qXYk4gEBpX1jc0ddo-6G-CAjioNFlnc5MNYS6dvPIEALaoTQF3Ttc2Wc3jWh6KN9YJzPTXt00jyvzeZ9dvbloAlGJbbKyyu9qnyXTn_UpafeF/s640/inside+canyon.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The curves in the canyon walls are the result of eons of
water rushing through the canyon during the flash flood season of June –
August.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Second stop, the Hoodoos Trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hoodoo” is of African origin and refers to
the strange shapes that are said to embody evil spirits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hoodoos are made of a prominent capstone of
hardened material with a column of softer, more erodible material as mudstone
or tuff (hardened volcanic ash).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
one doesn’t look evil at all, only beautiful in its vast setting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On the road back to the campground we found this great rest
area with concrete tepees!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the Big
Bend Bluebonnets!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have opened along
the roadsides in mass and they are beautiful!<o:p></o:p><br />
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Day 2 in the national park, we headed for the Santa Elena
Canyon, with jaw dropping scenery all the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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This canyon has the Rio Grande running through it, so no narrow slot
canyon trail here.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A close-up of the canyon and the river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, Mexico on the left cliff and the US on the
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A couple of days of sun have brought out the flowering of
the desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cacti are greening.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Small flowers are blooming and insects are finding them!<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDP8okMOJtqPArZFZBpI1rCpuKcaXDfWyWUjAVxBm4FVkpfYfQUf9hJnuqMHIZ7-xhyphenhyphenZuzUW5sYSzMEymq9Fw2ZNHeiu0_AtpSGCQ0rCUhbqP0nUnOGmi-14j4oC57ulWa9uSGr7nD1MV/s1600/flower+bug.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1543" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDP8okMOJtqPArZFZBpI1rCpuKcaXDfWyWUjAVxBm4FVkpfYfQUf9hJnuqMHIZ7-xhyphenhyphenZuzUW5sYSzMEymq9Fw2ZNHeiu0_AtpSGCQ0rCUhbqP0nUnOGmi-14j4oC57ulWa9uSGr7nD1MV/s640/flower+bug.JPG" width="616" /></a></div>
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Here is Mule Ears monument.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt3uHmjHvQQFrtOjppse7zid0vBIDYi5T4yCRrRvA28Ue6bExP68_hcwON0oR12llOaXswt5lBYTsvLXOGb8qRdMYxw7B5ILkobQTcDGhmmsVISznIUbklWGxo1N4VRyW-vyJBhz4cCY-/s1600/mules+ears.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1228" data-original-width="1600" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt3uHmjHvQQFrtOjppse7zid0vBIDYi5T4yCRrRvA28Ue6bExP68_hcwON0oR12llOaXswt5lBYTsvLXOGb8qRdMYxw7B5ILkobQTcDGhmmsVISznIUbklWGxo1N4VRyW-vyJBhz4cCY-/s640/mules+ears.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Folks raved about going across the border at Boquillas to
Boquillas Del Carmen for lunch, so we thought we’d do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were a little confused to find a Ranger
station at the dead end of the road rather than a border station crossing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtKfsD02Mac5CSSNnUL6jBSE1VDXtdWZrhlBfKaVixLSFVspYmnAun2PqCsGvfFWM9lFmch0X_wIDX0PGz6b_zRxVPFm2K6sdqkJKAo07heKb3T4pkMXunKG83oiRuygHLKRK4b8E2m0U/s1600/at+the++border.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtKfsD02Mac5CSSNnUL6jBSE1VDXtdWZrhlBfKaVixLSFVspYmnAun2PqCsGvfFWM9lFmch0X_wIDX0PGz6b_zRxVPFm2K6sdqkJKAo07heKb3T4pkMXunKG83oiRuygHLKRK4b8E2m0U/s640/at+the++border.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ah!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No border guards
here, but a national park ranger, wearing a bullet proof vest, checking the
validity dates of our passports and explaining the crossing system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, you walk a few hundred feet down a
shady gravel trail to the Rio Grande.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then you spot the small row boat ready to row you across for $5 each
(round trip)<o:p></o:p><br />
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Men on the other side of the river await the tourists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can barely see it but there is a stall of
burros behind them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxo-z1_lkPdV4hXU9HECl-MBU9XIABIM_2X9MvGIPQ4FixnZYyWMRRoDezbNVRZ2O4oSnMMq03QDFUsw87Bn8wu_nrruFbB4A2ze-yEPH9zOa7b_26dklgGIs8i_Nc8Rh-NyOpPMGW8mk/s1600/other+side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxo-z1_lkPdV4hXU9HECl-MBU9XIABIM_2X9MvGIPQ4FixnZYyWMRRoDezbNVRZ2O4oSnMMq03QDFUsw87Bn8wu_nrruFbB4A2ze-yEPH9zOa7b_26dklgGIs8i_Nc8Rh-NyOpPMGW8mk/s640/other+side.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yes, for another $5 each you ride a docile burro the ¾ mile
into town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me tell you, for someone
who has never even been on a horse, the burro ride was “ interesting”… It took
a little help (think pushing me up from the rear) to get on the little thing,
and then I was sure I would slide off one way or the other as he clipped along.
I giggled for a while and then enjoyed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A local follows behind to secure the burros once you are in town.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VfTOfo_xdEtXTlJMbgtjCPE0hYaiLM1XP_fbVtkBC_Oy-uLQJYjoQZAyrnIWHJfk9cNBFUpNnUOlCfeohxeKl5FTILTQ7GQqrorTF-gnGxL6gmznTFbG0fjDYoVk3Lm2fhPFTLCqINXb/s1600/my+burro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VfTOfo_xdEtXTlJMbgtjCPE0hYaiLM1XP_fbVtkBC_Oy-uLQJYjoQZAyrnIWHJfk9cNBFUpNnUOlCfeohxeKl5FTILTQ7GQqrorTF-gnGxL6gmznTFbG0fjDYoVk3Lm2fhPFTLCqINXb/s640/my+burro.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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En route to town.<o:p></o:p><br />
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This tiny town of maybe 10 homes has had a rough time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before 9/11 it was a bustling tourist<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>destination for Big Bend visitors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Restaurants, bars, and hand made goods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The border was closed immediately on 9/11,
isolating the town from Big Bend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
also isolated from the rest of Mexico by its location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>160 miles each way to groceries or medical
care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the locals moved; a few
stayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The border reopened in 2014 but
the town is struggling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are 2
restaurants, both owned by the same family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All of the homes have hand embroidered kitchen towels or brightly
painted walking sticks for sale and all of the children approach you with
beaded bracelets they have made.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We had a good Tex-Mex lunch, I had a Mexican beer, and we
were entertained by an older gentleman playing the guitar and singing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf-XzZLfNCtMNqF77O4bFadeJshNgIMCUbDHqCprOL4zfoQFBMnHVNVZqHBx_cKJ3MdDNBPVY-rqrpQ2lSf9CR1D3iaHCekUdIiyUT75G4lJK8z90In_ahdX1wyrJqE1cQvkc5Gs1-v_W/s1600/restaurant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf-XzZLfNCtMNqF77O4bFadeJshNgIMCUbDHqCprOL4zfoQFBMnHVNVZqHBx_cKJ3MdDNBPVY-rqrpQ2lSf9CR1D3iaHCekUdIiyUT75G4lJK8z90In_ahdX1wyrJqE1cQvkc5Gs1-v_W/s640/restaurant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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From the back porch of the restaurant we watched a man cross
the Rio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s the tiny black dot approaching land at the left curve in the Rio Grande.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow, I was
uncomfortable posting a close-up of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlmANSLUhjWCa8kGknU0BM-9josmQPgJOuQnD0URZIhcJkvIAidVZf6Nl74axm6wOK3mD93iFqNy89W8Zq9DWY_DnmRPGxm9_ZRJ16De6YpuGARVr6JAaJ_Z0FOzgwJM_PJDMFIF5HJbC/s1600/crossing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlmANSLUhjWCa8kGknU0BM-9josmQPgJOuQnD0URZIhcJkvIAidVZf6Nl74axm6wOK3mD93iFqNy89W8Zq9DWY_DnmRPGxm9_ZRJ16De6YpuGARVr6JAaJ_Z0FOzgwJM_PJDMFIF5HJbC/s640/crossing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We did buy a couple of small things and opted to WALK
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kinda missed<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my little burro then <span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FdFeGNAvDMRaNb3PiC6OVAQps5H8ojEZyGfZbauyHNVkJ8xMtHfJpBn-tprtdh7SiKRrsuQiHJHFzwPn-RWkeTILGfe0Qld3F1TPe7DPRX-TKkd9UnNaa3czECEM9Nic0f180pZjJuh3/s1600/IMG_4410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FdFeGNAvDMRaNb3PiC6OVAQps5H8ojEZyGfZbauyHNVkJ8xMtHfJpBn-tprtdh7SiKRrsuQiHJHFzwPn-RWkeTILGfe0Qld3F1TPe7DPRX-TKkd9UnNaa3czECEM9Nic0f180pZjJuh3/s640/IMG_4410.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Back across, we drove to the overlook of the area. The
canyon spreads out in front of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Beautiful, vast, and isolated.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Interesting – someone had set up a “honor system” of
handmade goods from the village at the US overlook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t buy anything, but I did look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you look carefully behind me, you will
spot a group of men on the Mexican side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are watching the honor system goods on the US side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not sure how this works, but I don’t really
mind.<o:p></o:p></div>
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AND A ROADRUNNER!!!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had spotted them along the roadside twice as we drove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luke decided to walk further up the overlook
trail than I wanted to go and this rascal was waiting for him. They can run in
20 mph bursts!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><br />
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Our last day in the park was spent in the Chisos basin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is where the dinosaurs used to roam in
the swampy period between this area being a vast interior ocean and the
volcanic activity that created the mountain ranges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were BIG dinosaurs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This alligator type dinosaur grew to almost
40 feet long!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t like alligators
and I am glad these guys are extinct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>OK, I know that is not a correct thing to say, but I am…<o:p></o:p></div>
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T-rex was here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luke
isn’t really unhappy, but it was cold this morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean in the 30’s and the wind was blowing.<o:p></o:p><br />
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This enormous toothy fish was here, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At lengths of over 30 feet, they took on
sharks or anything else they decided was lunch.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DC2UJ-4hKUhbGm-aIwUy10SYN0lNcg3eGVheq1uvkQ7wWgq8i5ziImVRIN7dMRCenB69j_nN_5UPo2gszTYSF1Y1ZIoPYcu9yWBX2sLiHHJHJraKC5OdmJDXlccSmy3w7di4vw2MJ8Nu/s1600/fish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DC2UJ-4hKUhbGm-aIwUy10SYN0lNcg3eGVheq1uvkQ7wWgq8i5ziImVRIN7dMRCenB69j_nN_5UPo2gszTYSF1Y1ZIoPYcu9yWBX2sLiHHJHJraKC5OdmJDXlccSmy3w7di4vw2MJ8Nu/s640/fish.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Oh, and we saw a large coyote along the road on our way to
the fossil exhibit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From here, we drove
into the Chisos Mountain range. The Chisos Mountain range is actually around the
inactive caldera of an extinct volcano.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This has the distinction of being the only complete mountain range
within a national park. As we climb the narrow winding road we took this
picture of the old sea bed below and then more mountains.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You can begin to get the idea of the caldera in this
picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was impossible to capture
all of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Notice the green?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This climate is different here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> With the increased elevation, it is cooler</span> and wetter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Therefore, more trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
nice to see green trees.<br />
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We made it to the end of the road, walked the short trail to
the overlook, and saw “the Window”, a slot in the mountains that give you a
view of the expanse of canyon below. The rainfall that collects in the caldera gets to the lower levels below through this gap which has been carved over the millennia.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Some spectacular views as we walked up
the Lost Mine Trail.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The agave cactus can grow for 100 years, but it blooms only
once and then dies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t see one in
bloom, but there were plenty with the dead flowers/seeds from last season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are about 10 feet tall.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, one last thing on Luke’s bucket list for TX –
BBQ!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stopped on the way back to the
RV and picked up a pork BBQ sandwich for Luke and a chicken BBQ sandwich for
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mmm..mmm <o:p></o:p><br />
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good!</div>
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Today is chores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luke
plans to try to replace our TV antenna among other chores and I have laundry,
house cleaning, and other small things to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We plan to leave tomorrow to drive to Ft. Davis, TX, home of the
McDonald Observatory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Definitely looking
forward to that!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-5989874369783098132019-02-02T23:59:00.000-05:002019-02-02T23:59:55.111-05:00The 4 San Antonio Missions and FredricksburgFriday was a rainy (again) morning, but we decided to go ahead and drive to visit the 4 remains of the original 6 missions settled in the early 1700's by Franciscan priests for the Spanish government.<br />
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According to the information at each site - <br /><br />
"The missions of San Antonia were far more than churches, they were communities. Each was a fortified village with it's own church, farm, and ranch. Here, Franciscan Friars gathered native peoples, converted them to Catholicism, taught them to live as Spaniards, and helped maintain Spanish control over the Texas frontier".<br />
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First on the Mission trail was the Mission Concepcion. <br />
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Here is a drawing of the original layout of the mission.<br />
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This is one of the most ornate sanctuaries of the four missions. Services are still held in these churches on a regular basis<br />
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Second on the trail (these missions are only about 2 miles apart) is the Mission San Jose. The large grounds of this mission are still in tact and surrounded by the original walls.<br />
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Here is the church<br />
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And her sanctuary<br />
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The Mission San Juan is next.<br />
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This is a long and narrow church.<br />
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In order to preserve the church and avoid smoke damage, the votive "candles" in the church are electric. Instead of lighting a candle, you simply give your donation as usual and then push the "on" button at the base of your chosen candle.<br />
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Last is Mission Espada. This is the only mission that we saw that still has the bells.<br />
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Again, this is a narrow church.<br />
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On our way home, I noticed the MOST unusual beasts! They are Oryx, Most were native to parts of Africa, but are now listed as extinct in the wild. There is a captive breeding program that is active in Texas and New Mexico in wild game ranches. LOOK at those fantastic horns! I can't take credit for this picture, but we did see about 6 of them standing behind fencing along the roadside.<br />
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Today we had two adventures - the first was Luckenbach, TX, the "town" made famous in the 1970's by country star Waylon Jennings. Wanna hear the song? I think this will work...<br />
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<a href="https://youtu.be/TQfDKclxwJw" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/TQfDKclxwJw</a><br />
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Luckenbach used to be a town, but is now actually an incorporated entertainment venue. The town is the general store (formerly the post office), a couple of bar areas, dance hall, campground, and a hat store.<br />
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The crowds range between a few hundred on a weekend to 6000 during a big concert weekend!</div>
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Our destination was Fredericksburg. This old town is famous for it's over 50 wineries. What makes it even better is that most wineries are represented in the 8 block long town. Town has countless shops, restaurants, and winery "storefronts" where you can buy sample and buy wine by the glass. Or beers at other places. And yes, public alcohol is permitted in the old district, so drinking and shopping are a great combination! A bit of the wide streets.</div>
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The town was settled by Germans so there is a big German influence, especially in the restaurants. We ate lunch at one - yum! I do have to admit that I had a Shiner Bock beer instead of a German one with my "chicken-schnitzel"...</div>
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Luke wanted to visit the Nimitz Museum. Admiral Charles Nimitz was born here </div>
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He was appointed Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet after the attack on Pearl Harbor.</div>
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Fredericksburg also has a major museum, the National Museum of the Pacific War. It includes an Admiral Nimitz Museum, the George H. W. Bush Gallery and an endless memorial wall of the ships and men who served in the war.</div>
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The museum was very comprehensive, starting with the background to the Japanese expansionist actions back to the 1800s wars with China. It chronologically lead from then through Pearl Harbor, and all the major naval battles and the major island battles as the US fought its way back to within bombing range of the Japanese mainland. For each major battle movement of fleets or land forces was shown and narrated, along with video clips of the action.. It was very well done and very well presented. The ultimate takeaway: 350,000 US casualties! </div>
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I was not as interested in those museums as Luke, so I took the opportunity to see a few more shops, do a little Wal-Marting, and happily do some knitting on an ignored sweater project. Tomorrow we plan to do laundry, move the RV to another site at the park, and generally get ready to leave. We would like to be ready to hit the road as soon as the dentist is finished with my crown. oh, joy.</div>
Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-41568576888613141182019-01-31T20:29:00.001-05:002019-01-31T20:29:41.542-05:00San Antonio, home of the Alamo and the River WalkOff to San Antonio! A city of almost a million, it sure feels like it when driving into town. The highway is full, spaghetti overpasses are everywhere, and more overpasses are being built. This is NOT indicative of the highway traffic we saw!<br />
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And we are in TEXAS!<br />
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Once into town, in the River Walk area, there is a much less hectic feel - at least in late Jan! First on my list was the Alamo, Here is the now Cathedral Alamo, sitting across a wide street in downtown San Antonio.<br />
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A little closer. As with many historical sights and museums, admission is free!<br />
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The story of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836 is a sad one. Texas belonged to Mexico at that time. Determined to gain their freedom and become The Republic of Texas, a group of about 180 men - civilians, military, and rebels from several nations - gathered in the Alamo to fight off approaching Mexican forces who were determined to put down the rebellion once and for all. Eventually a total of about 180 men fought for almost 2 weeks against General Santa Anna and his 5400 troops. Lt. Colonel William Travis, frontiersman Jim Bowie (the Bowie knife guy...), and former congressman and frontiersman Davy Crockett led the TX resistance at the Alamo. Hoping for reinforcements that never came, the "heroes at the Alamo" fought until the last man was either killed or executed .The building has been many things since then, including the current status as a cathedral.<br />
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Here is a very comprehensive article about the Battle of the Alamo, events leading up to it, and the eventual capture of General Santa Anna by Sam Houston. Santa Anna agreed to give TX its freedom in exchange for his life.<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo</a><br />
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No photos are allowed inside the Alamo Cathedral, but here is a stock photo.<br />
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Although the Alamo is now surrounded by city, the original compound has been converted into a nice little park secured by the original walls. The back of the Alamo<br />
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The walled area along the side with one of the large Live Oak trees.<br />
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It was a dreary and chilly day, but we still opted for the narrated electric riverboat ride on the San Antonio River in the River Walk area. The area has always had aqua-ducts and flow control, but after the September flood of 1921 that put San Antonio under 2-10 feet of water, killing at least 50, the Olso Dam was build. Cutoff channels were still needed. In 1929 visionary architect Robert H.H. Hugman designed a floodgate at the north end of the Great Bend in the river and an adjustable weir at the south end, completely isolating the river area in town from flooding. Commercial development could be done at the river level. Funding was secured after years of debates and the Great Depression. In 1939 the work was begun for the river walk.<br />
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Here is a picture of the cute little boats.<br />
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It is a nice walking area.<br />
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We walked a bit and had lunch before we took our 35 minute ride. Do you think the ducks here are accustomed to being fed??? He came paddling eagerly over to us.<br />
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Our ride took us past town<br />
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restaurants<br />
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and the second tallest observation tower in the US, The Tower of The Americas.<br />
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One last visit for our day in San Antonio was a visit to the San Fernando Cathedral. Built in 1749, this is the first church built in San Antonio, the oldest standing church in TX, and one of the oldest cathedrals in the US.<br />
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It is very beautiful inside.<br />
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Most interesting to me is the fact that the ashes of Travis, Bowie, and Crockett are interned here, along with the ashes of the others who died in the Battle of the Alamo.<br />
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Home in the rush hour traffic and ready for a quiet day in the rain. It was relatively quiet until a piece of tooth filling appeared....The amazing dentist in small town Blanco saw me as quickly as I could get there, about 15 minutes. A crown. Another crown.... But this facility is totally high tech, has a 3D printer that makes the crown, and the entire ordeal is done in 3 hours, not 3 weeks! So, a little moving around of campground dates - always fun - and we will be here until Monday noon-ish when the procedure is finished. We will head towards Marathon TX and the Big Bend National Park next!<br />
<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-81352796965314259812019-01-29T00:00:00.001-05:002019-01-29T00:00:14.137-05:00Leaving Fontainbleau SP and exploring the Lake Charles areaOn our last day at Mandeville we explored the park a bit. They have about a dozen very nice cottages, literally overlooking the water.<br />
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The picnic area of the park is huge (the park itself is 2800 acres!) and makes up most of the park. Massive live oak trees, dripping with Spanish moss, dominate the park.<br />
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Nice walks take you out to the swamp area. This isn't solid ground under our boardwalk - these are floating swamp grasses.<br />
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We drove to one of the large parking lots in the park to hook up the car to the RV on the morning of our departure. We barely made it under the trees!<br />
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Our next stop was Sam Houston Jones SP at Lake Charles, a mere 200 miles westward. <br />
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Lots and lots of swamp and Cyprus trees here.<br />
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I love the Cyprus tree knees. We are familiar with them from the Dismal Swamp in NC.</div>
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A nice boardwalk gives great views of the swampy area.</div>
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The park also has a boat ramp.</div>
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Today was sight-seeing in the area. First to Lake Charles. A stop at the Visitor Center got us a good agenda. Luke tried to go "Mardi Gras", but just wasn't quite dressed for the occassion.</div>
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The Civic Center has a beautiful waterfront park. We liked this sculpture.</div>
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Across the lake you can see the business end of Lake Charles, the oil refineries.</div>
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The Carpentier Historic District is a 40 block area of the old houses in Lake Charles. The collection of diverse architecture is amazing. These homes go from small and simple</div>
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to medium and a bit Victorian</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCr1m2J6h5yorvie_TSkjr36eTS9OCFgc45_1pQsxZI1sCiZBk2g6Zg-xBKj-Vh8xUAfxtzgCplEmzrGtkIyQ8-vgtPlfpQ5MLPAwuO_4-vkK99ij-9XUDH5nNeNkpWchRdaTXc0WBliyf/s1600/middle+houose.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="1600" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCr1m2J6h5yorvie_TSkjr36eTS9OCFgc45_1pQsxZI1sCiZBk2g6Zg-xBKj-Vh8xUAfxtzgCplEmzrGtkIyQ8-vgtPlfpQ5MLPAwuO_4-vkK99ij-9XUDH5nNeNkpWchRdaTXc0WBliyf/s640/middle+houose.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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to large and very impressive!</div>
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The Town Hall, at the far end of the district, is a work of architecture itself.</div>
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We had to see the 375+ year old Sallier Oak. Not only is the oak unbelievably large, it also comes with it's own ghost stories and sordid gossip. Strange lights like flashes from muzzle flares of derringers are reported to be seen at the tree, a known site of several duels. Also, it seems that Charles Sallier (yes, the Charles of Lake Charles) had a young second wife who was caught under the tree with the pirate Jean Lafitte! Charles had a fit of rage, shot her, and ran. She lived because the bullet hit an amethyst broach she was wearing. The story goes that the chastened Charles forgave here and ultimately had 6 children with her. </div>
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We drove to Sulphur next. Ready for lunch, we researched for a "real" Cajun dinner - found one!<br />
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We shared a shrimp basket but the highlight of the meal was the appetizer course. Luke tried a Boudin ball. That is a rice and sausage filled ball that is deep fried. ugh. He said it was ok but ate only 1/2 of it. "I" had a pistolette roll with crayfish etouffee! THAT was perfect! Luke had 1/2 of it. Had we know how good it would be, we would have simply both had crayfish etouffee for lunch!</div>
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As you might imagine, Sulphur was founded on the sulphur mining business. The Brimstone Museum chronicles the history of the city and of sulphur mining. The best thing they have is an O gauge railway set up to show both the mining and business sides of town.</div>
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and town</div>
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The sulphur mining business was an expensive, time consuming, and deadly one until Mr. Fresch came to town, bought 1/2 of the defunct sulphur mining concern, and introduced his new process for extracting sulphur in huge blocks. After a few years of getting it right, he was unimaginably successful. His backers literally made $30,000 per day in the 1920's! Here is a short description of the system.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizP1rqpquxL7ga2ZDSGNgVxT23R-0lOhslcT2LeWY-i8WQXHu6ya41bt3u3nDtwKIzCauCg1UO5oUnhjMxxS8-sMSi8kV4c9QUYmEJA_ACbQclEINXGPWSX4cQIP7PTcXKmAIpMNSHYuEV/s1600/frasch+system.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizP1rqpquxL7ga2ZDSGNgVxT23R-0lOhslcT2LeWY-i8WQXHu6ya41bt3u3nDtwKIzCauCg1UO5oUnhjMxxS8-sMSi8kV4c9QUYmEJA_ACbQclEINXGPWSX4cQIP7PTcXKmAIpMNSHYuEV/s640/frasch+system.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sulphur mining has now gone and the new industry is the oil business. These aerial views of Lake Charles show the expansive oil refinery buildings.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNSw8D9mVSSHwzDrIA1VutRYJkD9eHKyRm6UWCZga9rav2Niy196huM9X4A_M9GbJMj8FnjmxXWcrhQgApy4ZO5PjafGgpLj1LV5fVexAYlYxC0fnokM9i-_D8Y8Of6lI2S6JEFZXN5O0/s1600/oil+p+roduction+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1109" data-original-width="1600" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNSw8D9mVSSHwzDrIA1VutRYJkD9eHKyRm6UWCZga9rav2Niy196huM9X4A_M9GbJMj8FnjmxXWcrhQgApy4ZO5PjafGgpLj1LV5fVexAYlYxC0fnokM9i-_D8Y8Of6lI2S6JEFZXN5O0/s640/oil+p+roduction+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A 37 mile drive down the Creole Nature Trail (route LA27) bought us to the Gulf Coast. This is the first time either of us has seen the Gulf Coast. We could see refineries in the distance as we approached</div>
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The Gulf Coast beaches (at least in this area of Holly Beach) are wide and white, with bright cottages high on stilts.</div>
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In the far distance you can spot some of the oil rigs. Not great pictures due to the distance, but you can still make them out.</div>
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On our way back to Lake Charles, we stopped at the Wetland Waterway in the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. A combination of concrete walkway and boardwalk gave us a nice 1 1/2 mile saunter along the marsh. </div>
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This area is touted as a superb birding region, right along a major migration path. But this isn't the right time of the year and we saw only a very few large herons and a few ducks. <br />
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The shrimping boats were in by the time we headed back north.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0puTRYJu23q1d7Pt93DsDR3KCskQAasgF0QDkd3EQ8jbtB9axHMDVFeCYfH0UHpapG1gY083ak0PU1Khp7PUOb392MgpLrAZl3VVC7SCgoYJRjf_Dwtgj9QCsfzZ37uZmO9L5UM83RxG/s1600/P1090792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0puTRYJu23q1d7Pt93DsDR3KCskQAasgF0QDkd3EQ8jbtB9axHMDVFeCYfH0UHpapG1gY083ak0PU1Khp7PUOb392MgpLrAZl3VVC7SCgoYJRjf_Dwtgj9QCsfzZ37uZmO9L5UM83RxG/s640/P1090792.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As we drove over one high bridge, we could see an enormous barge heading out to sea.<br />
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Back just a little after dark, around 6:30. Tomorrow we will go to San Antonio! <br />
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Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-75418805581258172432019-01-26T13:07:00.000-05:002019-01-26T13:07:30.784-05:00The Plantations of LouisianaAfter tales from the LA State Visitor Center of the beautiful plantations about 90 miles from our campground, plus the assurance that you can tour all of the grounds for free and pay only if you want to tour the house, we set off to wander the lovely grounds of the plantations. <br />
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First stop was Laura's Creole Plantation. Born in the south, the camellia is one of my favorite flowers in bloom. This blossom is getting a bit worn, but still beautiful.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCo3AD2aVpW2Y6wzoh0wSDnkNcgHoFHYHJICj8PG0S_Gw2iKnR5mVmegU9Kkby1L7Vyx5q4VoWRepNP6UeVspGMB2TQlfwVEhT0DkFEiuTNstlA0MesavXCyCqzMAAkIaSHxYGBa5HKli/s1600/camilia+e.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCo3AD2aVpW2Y6wzoh0wSDnkNcgHoFHYHJICj8PG0S_Gw2iKnR5mVmegU9Kkby1L7Vyx5q4VoWRepNP6UeVspGMB2TQlfwVEhT0DkFEiuTNstlA0MesavXCyCqzMAAkIaSHxYGBa5HKli/s640/camilia+e.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A fountain was made from a large metal container. We saw this same container at several of the plantations and have no idea what it's original use was.<br />
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SO. We were terribly disappointed to learn that each plantation costs $25 each to even enter the grounds. $50 at 4 plantations - we are just not that much into plantations! Here is a stock picture of the plantation plus a link to it's history.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GQIU82hyxbc-SOI5ou0zNRtSedpCEqDcy9ygvhdeAjY7r51HeY4gHnVe4kit1YSkFhfi3wy7lhHtbp58KTrdDTNeuA8ib6888-IwxBth8MP3iaIvlkDm36OyyifVAeKwQA3_lRwGYfNl/s1600/Laura+Plantation-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="600" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GQIU82hyxbc-SOI5ou0zNRtSedpCEqDcy9ygvhdeAjY7r51HeY4gHnVe4kit1YSkFhfi3wy7lhHtbp58KTrdDTNeuA8ib6888-IwxBth8MP3iaIvlkDm36OyyifVAeKwQA3_lRwGYfNl/s640/Laura+Plantation-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Plantation" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Plantation</a><br />
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A bit of info from the link -<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In the years before the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="American Civil War">American Civil War</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, the slave quarters included a slave </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infirmary" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Infirmary">infirmary</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, 69 cabins, communal kitchens, and several water wells located along the road. Each slave cabin was occupied by two families, as duplex units sharing a central double fireplace. Near each cabin was a vegetable garden plus a </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_coop" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Chicken coop">chicken coop</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> and/or pigpen.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Ray_6-0" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Plantation#cite_note-Ray-6" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;">[6]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> By the time of the Civil War there were 186 slaves working the farm. The DuParc Plantation exported indigo, rice, pecans, and sugar cane.</span><br />
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Also, a piece of trivia - the parents and family of Fats Domino once lived on the plantation!<br />
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Our next stop was Oak Alley Plantation. This was a sugar cane plantation and the owner the richest man in the south in the mid 1800's. Again, a stock photo of the house.<br />
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The grass is NOT that green in Jan! :-)<br />
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Luke got a nice shot of the canopy of oak trees.<br />
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A walkway outside of the plantation grounds goes to the gift shop and restaurant. From there we got a picture of the replica slave houses.<br />
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Ah ha! at least one mission accomplished...<br />
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For more info on Oak Alley Plantation -<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Alley_Plantation" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Alley_Plantation</a></div>
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To get to our last plantation,we crossed back across the Mississippi River. </div>
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Barges upon barges were on the river, huge groups of them ready to be taken to their destination.</div>
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We were amazed at the continuous line of industrial facilities along the river, each with the capability of funneling products over (across) the road and into the waiting barges on the river. This is a bauxite and alumina processing plant.<br />
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The largest plant here is Marathon. The company has actually bought the land of the last plantation. They care for everything except the actual house for which they prefer to have no liability. The plantation is a small enclave completely surrounded by a farm of oil tanks. We got a picture of the house from outside of the fenced property.<br />
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And again, for more info<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Plantation_House" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Plantation_House</a><br />
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We managed to get back before dark for a change so we drove out to the actual park rather than the campground. This proud guy stood watch high in his tree.<br />
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And lots and lots of deer. LOTS. They seem to know that humans pose no danger and probably have food.<br />
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This morning has been spent trying to fix things. I hate fixing things. Luke adjusted our brake system that connects the car to the RV, is currently trying to get the DirecTV system to work while talking to customer service, found the problem with our leaking shower head, but has not been able to get our water heater to make hot water, just sorta warm. That is a major problem. Oh, and our recently replaced bathroom faucet leaks (spews...)--- reminds us of the boat! But we do plan to spend the afternoon in the park while it is sunny and relatively warm (57). Tomorrow we will leave for Lake Charles for three nights.<br />
<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-74926477417020799762019-01-24T23:11:00.000-05:002019-01-24T23:20:27.370-05:00New Orleans!Finally, some adventuring! We drove across the Lake Pontchartrain causeway to New Orleans. Oh, getting on the $5 round trip across the 25 mile causeway was easy but once we got to the New Orleans side, there was a 49 minute delay on I-10, so we drove through town. Mistake. But we made it to the French Quarter and even found a parking lot. First on the agenda was the LA State New Orleans Visitor Center. They were really helpful! Maps and plans in hand, we first walked the couple of blocks to the Mississippi River overlook that also happened to overlook the oldest cathedral in the USA, Saint Louis Cathedral The church dates back to 1849. That's the horse-drawn buggy rides in front.<br />
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The 1856 statue just inside the cathedral grounds is of General Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans.<br />
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Inside the cathedral is just beautiful. Looking towards the front of the church<br />
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and to the back where the organ pipes are located.<br />
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The French Quarter is narrow, busy streets.<br />
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On one of those street corners, we found a most wonderful street jazz band! They were great!<br />
But...see the sleeping dog on the sidewalk behind them? He belonged to a most sad looking homeless man, laying on the corner with all of his earthly belonging, including the dog. We saw a lot of that...<br />
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And then, there are the "Weed World Candy" trucks. Parked along the French Quarter streets, these guys are marketing tootsie-roll pop shaped cannabis candy. Petty good business going for them!<br />
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We decided to leave the French Quarter to go to the old Cemetery and also the Garden District via streetcar. The mass transit streetcars are a whopping $3 for 24 hours. So, bought our tickets and boarded the #48 streetcar<br />
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The interior is restored back to the original glamour - varnished seats and canvas shades. The great update is a flat screen TV that projects the next 3 stops and gives you a detail of the next stop<br />
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First stop off of the streetcar was the Lafayette Cemetery #1, the oldest in New Orleans. All graves are above ground. This one houses an entire family of about 12. Often these family sites show deaths from the late 1800's to as recent as 2007.<br />
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This 18 mausoleum is for the firefighters from the Jefferson Fire Company #22. Fortunately, there are only about 3 men here.<br />
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The layout is random and full<br />
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A very sad Mausoleum is for "Destitute Orphan Boys" (seems a little redundant, doesn't it...). These young boys were from 2 to 8 years old and buried in the 1800's.<br />
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The homes in the Garden District are the lovely, huge old homes of the very rich. Author Ann Rice had a home here.<br />
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The 1990's group Nine Inch Nails lead man had a home here for a while.<br />
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<img height="427" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/cc/54/62/cc5462cf3b800e1fce2780704dcddf12.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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And there are a "few" more mansions... This one wanders past the car at the middle left.<br />
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And this beauty<br />
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The highlight for Luke was, I think, the jazz performance at "Preservation Hall."<br />
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Jazz has been played here since 1961. Today's jazz was great! This is the beginning of the line for the 5:00 show. The venue has a few benches, not enough for the crowd, no bar!, and no bathroom. You can BYOB or W(ine) or D(aquiri).<br />
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Overall, it was a chilly but nice day in New Orleans. We have 2 more full days here at the park and plan to spend one of them at the old plantations and the other one at wildlife refuges.<br />
<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-10437592890384501122019-01-23T12:14:00.000-05:002019-01-23T12:14:02.842-05:00We made it! First campground of the trip!We had a quiet night in the Tractor Supply parking lot and left just before dawn for our first destination of this trip, Fontainbleau State Park in Louisiana. Heavy rain is forecast for all day so we tried to make the quick 45 minute drive before it started. Made it to the park, found our site, and moved in, complete with electric hook up. And then it STARTED!<br />
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Sooooo the campground has a bit of flooding, but fortunately, not actually where the RV and car are parked. That IS our fire ring peeking out of the water.<br />
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Ever the cat, Smokey is delighted to be here. What she wants now are good tummy rubs and head scratches.<br />
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I am sure this next topic is going to fascinate everyone :-} but I brought my orchid with us. The darn thing bloomed for 2 years and then went dormant for about 6 months. A couple of weeks before we left, she showed signs of new shoots and baby buds. I am not going to miss this! So, she's traveling with us and YOU are going to have the wonderful opportunity of watching her bloom! yes, I know... but I'll always put it last and you can stop reading lol Here she is, buds forming on the stalk.<br />
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Tomorrow is sunny and in the mid 60's, so I expect we'll head for Bourbon Street. We should get some more interesting pictures there!<br />
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<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-76962737985115528892019-01-22T21:10:00.001-05:002019-01-22T21:12:23.636-05:00Elvis has left the building (or Virginia, to be more exact....)FINALLY! Rain, wind, and snow may not stop our mail lady, but they will sure stop us! Just a little frosting of a couple of inches, but boy, can those roads on our mountain can be bad....beautiful, but bad.<br />
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Finally on Monday we took the plunge. Make that an icy plunge. We worked most of the morning to get everything done, but it was still only 9 degrees when we started the RV to warm up and defrost the windshield around 11a.m. And this was the result of having 2 little heaters and the propane heat running all night. No wonder we're heading south!<br />
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We made it a whopping 325 miles and finally stopped late in the afternoon around Chattanooga at a Walmart for the night. A quick (it was COLD) run into the store got dinner for us. WM $5 rotisserie chicken and salty mashed potatoes! Oh, the good life....<br />
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It was a quiet night, but restless for both Smokey and us. It is always a little strange the first night out in either the RV or boat. Today we did a major 500 mile run all the way to Picayune, MS. This was made possible only by the time change. A gracious Tractor Supply here offered to let us stay in their parking lot after filling our propane ("it's not well lit, but it's safe and the police patrol it 3 times each night") The WM here was less gracious "NO".<br />
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Tomorrow we have a whopping 45 minute run to our first campground on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain, just north of N'Orleans. It was already dusk by the time we finished getting propane. No night time driving for us in this beast. We will leave early tomorrow in the forecast rain and settle in for the next few days. All of us are ready for a few days of non travel. AND NEW ORLEANS!!!! Can't wait!!!<br />
<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-65054186916995853402019-01-20T23:22:00.002-05:002019-01-20T23:22:29.242-05:00The rest of the story....the one returning from MaineI never finished the pictures of the trip back to the Chesapeake from Maine, so here it is, better very late than never (I guess...)<br />
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After Smokey helped us with laundry, we decided to take a last visit to Block Island. We managed to hit it over the Labor Day weekend... Boats were tied up at the docks three deep, mooring balls were impossible, and anchoring was difficult. But Luke did well and we managed to find an anchorage, as far away from town as possible! We did make it to town for a walk around the area and a quick stop at the one grocery store on the island. Yes, groceries have to be brought in, but the prices were HIGH. We picked up a few essentials and headed back, past this beautiful little pond.<br />
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I could NOT resist this....I am sure they meant well...<br />
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A scoot back across the to the coastal side of the Atlantic to Mystic Seaport. Such a beautiful place! We anchor about 2 miles out of town and take the dinghy in, through the bridge in town that has huge concrete blocks that balance the drawbridge.<br />
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A little further and you are in Old Mystic Seaport, past the old lighthouse.<br />
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Mystic Seaport has several renovated beautiful ships, such as the old whaling ship, the Charles Morgan..Here is a great link to her history <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_W._Morgan_(ship)" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_W._Morgan_(ship)</a><br />
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The old village is also reconstructed, with shops and workshops to visit.<br />
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From Mystic we headed up Long Island Sound, first stop Point Jefferson. It was still hot and Smokey soon figured out that the breeze on Latitudes side was the best option.<br />
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Along the way, we passed island owned by the inventor of the segway. the insulin pump, the portable dialysis machine, an all terrain wheelchair, a water purifier for developing countries, and a compressed air device that would launch a human into the air in order to quickly lift teams or other emergency workers to the roofs of tall, inaccessible buildings. Worth a mere $500M, he can afford his island, complete with a miniature Stonehenge (right side of the island) A link to Dean Kamen <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Kamen" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Kamen</a><br />
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Yes, it's hazy hot. The haze finally broke (but not the heat) as we arrived at Port Jefferson. The blue water and green grasses were beautiful as we approached.<br />
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Look at the shore - a deer is grazing in the grasses.<br />
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Best of all, at Port Washington we caught up with Luke's friend Andy, his old friend from his 20's and Andy's girlfriend Kristi! It was great for Luke to remember old times and for me to finally meet them.<br />
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Then onward to one of my favorite stretches, NYC! Past the lighthouse<br />
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And here comes NYC, past the infamous Hell's Gate!</div>
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One of the new, eclectic buildings with the iconic Empire State Building in the background.</div>
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And Lady Liberty! I never tire of seeing her.</div>
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We stay to the far side of the channel, allowing the large ships to pass us in the center of the channel. HUGE cruise ships and cargo ships.</div>
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We finally left NYC behind and found an anchorage behind Sandy Hook. It was STILL hot. Smoke, ever a smart cat, found the best way to take advantage of the fan.</div>
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We waited out a strong storm that fortunately ran around us. It seemed to be a precursor of storms to come. We left Sandy Hook early and tried to make it down the Atlantic as far as Cape May. Nope, couldn't do it - storms swarmed southward of us and we gave up and went into Atlantic City.</div>
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Not the best idea. The weather turned progressively worse and hurricane Florence threatened us. Fellow boaters NORTHWARD in Barnegat invited us to come back north and wait Florence out in their hurricane safe dock. We hated to go back north by another full day but gratefully did so. Fog set in before we left Atlantic City and stayed. We FINALLY made it in, through the rough waters of the inlet but the fog just got worse. We pride ourselves in being able to use our GPS and equipment to navigate but about half way from the inlet to our friends home we were hopelessly fogged in. No matter where we turned, the water was shallow and we could not find the channel out. Our friend recommended his good friend Len, a Coast Guard Auxiliary boater. Len and a buddy braved the fog, found us, and guided us the rest of the way! That is Len's boat in front of us and Smokey on the bow, enjoying the slow, cool ride.</div>
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After 7 fun days of good friendship, good food, shopping, groceries, and laundry, we left, again trying to make it to the Chesapeake. The sky was clear!</div>
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Barnegat Light is the tallest lighthouse along this section of the Atlantic coast.</div>
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This time we made it past Cape May and up the Delaware. In the haze, we passed the Delaware coast of Cape May, a freighter with "Shale gas for Europe", and the Ship John Shoal lighthouse.</div>
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Finally, into the C&D Canal, approaching her many bridges.</div>
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About half way through the canal, we stopped for a few days at Chesapeake City. Old narrow streets hold small old buildings full of new shops.</div>
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And, so much fun, a much missed Bahamas-style cruisers party!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTKfreTNxsFKjpdS98h_KMp61XK5UU-bZx8DGCrvCvFtCwoAQo03lKxPpswBmwMHVG6SpaXiCHN-9zhnb4cUtUQQm3KPdEhTW-HrPAd27OzcCQ4shhIVyn4OIUvRXiVA9vOqYbfZ_xtPq/s1600/20180918_194643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTKfreTNxsFKjpdS98h_KMp61XK5UU-bZx8DGCrvCvFtCwoAQo03lKxPpswBmwMHVG6SpaXiCHN-9zhnb4cUtUQQm3KPdEhTW-HrPAd27OzcCQ4shhIVyn4OIUvRXiVA9vOqYbfZ_xtPq/s400/20180918_194643.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A quick stop in Georgetown took us to Wind Song, Luke's first sailboat and now Alex's sailboat. He has refinished her beautifully and has awesome plans to sail her to Maine. It was great to see her again.</div>
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A gray day to Annapolis. We passed this beautiful 3 masted ship. </div>
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The Annapolis waterfront was flooded from heavy rains. The ducks along Ego Alley loved it.</div>
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Old Annapolis has narrow streets.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0t9uDBZLBJud64s6vE4Bq3tn5bw5dnajGq72D9AkgrKO3HUiFe0gOCvZD1BCov-8n07Ff5aYYigCPB8y3PSLHHupG7JRGWqH3RP_8VipFmyCJLCrXUbhmRltEIykt925WVTMEzxgXB80T/s1600/annapol+side+street.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0t9uDBZLBJud64s6vE4Bq3tn5bw5dnajGq72D9AkgrKO3HUiFe0gOCvZD1BCov-8n07Ff5aYYigCPB8y3PSLHHupG7JRGWqH3RP_8VipFmyCJLCrXUbhmRltEIykt925WVTMEzxgXB80T/s400/annapol+side+street.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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But the Governors Manson has plenty of room!</div>
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From Annapolis we battled choppy waters, cold weather, and wind to Reedville, about a day's sail to our original destination Deltaville. As we anchored in the chop, we decided that another day was just one more day too much and Reedville would be just fine for her winter home and probably for next summer. So, we scooted to a recommended marina the next day, made arrangements, and are home for the winter. </div>
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Reedville has a nice Fisherman's Monument next to the menhaden processing plant. The blue ship is one of the menhaden ships.</div>
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The menhaden ships all have smaller boats aboard that they take out with them. The smaller boats deploy the fishing nets.</div>
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And here is most of the plant</div>
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Best of all? There is an eagle nest at the top of the Fisherman's Monument!</div>
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A couple of days to get Latitudes' ready and she was hauled and put on stands in the yard for the winter.</div>
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Now, 3 1/2 months later, we are still trying to leave in the RV to go south for the winter. She sits, ready, in our driveway, blocking all views! </div>
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3 campgrounds have been canceled due to the government shutdown, then rain, and now high winds. These have all contributed to keeping us here longer than we thought. Maybe tomorrow....At least that will be the next blog!</div>
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Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-60439238315626307342018-12-26T16:48:00.002-05:002018-12-27T13:29:26.488-05:00CHINA! A 10 day tour of ChinaHeather found an amazing groupon deal for a 10 day tour of China and we decided to go with her! We left from Raleigh, flew to Boston, and then had the never-ending 13 hour flight to Beijing, the capital of China. But we got there!<br />
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We arrived late, after dark, seriously jet-lagged, and without our luggage (for 3 days...) All we could do was collapse in our hotel rooms and sleep the night away. Breakfast the next morning was an amazing surprise! "American" breakfast foods and traditional Chinese breakfast foods filled the dinning room. We tried everything we thought looked good. Made a few mistakes (some sort of slick soft fish parts....) but overall our hotels had breakfasts that were plentiful and good. This picture shows about 1/3 of the buffet that was available to us each morning at this hotel.<br />
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By 7:45 a.m., our tour group of 28 loaded onto our very nice, clean, and comfortable Chinese bus, waiting for us in front of our modern high-rise hotel. Our tour guide was counting heads and herding us into the bus.<br />
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Traffic was as bad as we expected in a city of 22 million.<br />
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First stop was the infamous Tienanmen Square, the political center of Beijing. One of the largest city squares in the world, it is 950 X 550 yards.There were lots of military guards and soldiers. Camera monitors were everywhere in the entire city.<br />
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Adjacent to Tienanmen Square is the Forbidden City, the home of the last 24 emperors of China. The emperors' families, his concubines (the last emperor had 3000 of them!), and staff lived in this "city" of 980 buildings from 1420 - 1912. A portrait of Chairman Mao hangs over the entrance, It is said that no matter how you look at the painting, his eyes will always be looking at you. <br />
The two girls in the foreground were with our group. We saw very few Caucasians and actually were quite a curiosity for many of the locals.<br />
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This is the first of 3 courtyards in the Forbidden City, each as large. A series of 9 gates allowed visitors further in the complex.<br />
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The last Queen Empress Dowager Cixi ruled China from here from 1861 to 1908, when she died at about 71. She kept control by appointing child Emperors during her power reign. She is known as the Dragon Queen. She also lived in the Summer Palace during the warm months. This is one of the gates to her courtyard.<br />
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Her bedroom.<br />
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Finally our first Chinese lunch! All meals are served at tables for 8 - 12, with a huge lazy-susan in the middle. Countless bowls of wonderful fried foods, rice dishes, noodles, veggies, and such kept coming. Each table is given a bottle of water (all Chinese tap water is not drinkable - everyone drinks bottled water), a liter of coke or sprite, and 2 or 3 liters of Chinese beer. Think about the weakest, palest beer in the US - that is about what it is. But we drank it! If a table ran out of beer, someone at the table could buy another liter for the equivalent of $1.45.<br />
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After lunch we visited the site of the 2008 Olympics. The tower with the Olympic symbol is tall and covered with cameras. Each of the light posts has a video camera.<br />
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Here is the Birds Nest, site of many of the games.<br />
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Another day, another adventure - the Great Wall of China! I think I was most excited to go there and actually see it. It consists of a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood, and other materials. It was built along an east-to-west line across the northern borders of China, approximately 13,000 miles long. The earliest part was built in the 7th century BC with most of the wall built by 220-260 BC!!!<br />
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We climbed the steps to one of the first fortifications. I do mean climbed! These steps are STEEP and the step heights range randomly from a couple of inches to about 2 feet. There were some areas that I climbed on all 4's. We took several breaks in the climb!<br />
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Beijing has some of the tallest buildings in the world. This tall one is taller than the Freedom Tower in NYC.<br />
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A short 1 hour flight took us from Beijing to Shanghai, an equally large city. First stop was the Temple of Heaven. The Emperor was the only person allowed to enter the temple. He visited here once a year to pray for good harvests. He went again to give thanks. Twice a year. That's it.<br />
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A rickshaw ride was a treat! Our tour group rode through the oldest section of Shanghai to a family home where we had lunch. China is in the process of tearing down all individual houses and putting up enormous high-rises, at least in Shanghai, capable of housing 5000 each. This oldest section seems to have some sort of immunity right now but they continue to live without toilet facilities. A neighborhood toilet is the only thing they have. These are slot toilets and toilet tissue is never provided - bring your own.<br />
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Lunch! Bowls and bowls and bowls of food were prepared in an attached kitchen about 1/3 this size.<br />
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Beijing had relatively clear weather because they had a few days of rain right before we arrived. Shanghai did not. The smog got progressively worse as the week wore on.</div>
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From Shanghai we went to Suzhou, called the Oriental Venice because of the many canals. We took a ride along one of the canals to the Grand Canal. These old canals are narrow and through the very oldest parts of town.<br />
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At the town of Wuxi, we visited the Grand Buddha. He is 265 feet tall, one of the largest Buddhas in China. His statue is part of a large public park with fountains, walking paths, food stands, and several other Buddhas.<br />
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Buddha was born in Wuxi, so there is the Baby Buddha also. He is in the middle a large pool, standing in a large lotus flower that opens amid dancing fountains.<br />
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Also in Wuxi is the Lake Lihu where we took yet another boat ride.<br />
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Both Chiang Kai-shek and Chairman Mao have mansions here. They are on the opposite side of the lake. The large pinkish building is Chiang Kai-shek's. He was in power from 1911 - 1975. His widow moved from here to NYC after his death in 1975.<br />
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Next night, Hangzhou, a "small city" of 5 million. We arrived in the evening, in time to take a cab to a local market area. Our tour guide gave instructions to the cab driver and gave us a paper to give a cabbie for our ride home. Virtually no one speaks English, even the "Americanized" hotel staff. <br />
This was a fun time, looking at the small markets and food places.<br />
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Small shop, no room for a dressing room? No problem, just install a dress machine! I stood on the little shoe marks and the machine took my picture, made a stab at my size, and put my head on a Barbie doll. It seemed to compensate for my heavy coat and purse stuffed around my waist. :-) I am sure I look JUST like this...Then we pressed buttons and watched me in all sorts of clothes! A lot of fun, but not quite how I'd buy clothes. Barbie Bobbie!<br />
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It took a lot of searching, but we each finally found things that we considered safe for dinner. Our friend Wendy went out with us - her partner was coming down with a bad respiratory infection. Luke was struggling with one; he wore a mask because of his cough.<br />
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Wendy and I ended up with huge bowls of warm soupy veggies, chicken, and noodles. Delicious! Luke had a platter of some sort of chicken and lots of veggies plus a complimentary child's fruit drink. Wendy and I each had a beer, which we paid for. Our grand total? Less than $6...<br />
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Our first tour in Hangzhou was to the West Lake, a beautiful park with boat rides. Yes, another boat ride before some exploring, This particular bridge is the Bridge of Youth - if you walk across it, you will become younger.<br />
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We tried!<br />
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The No. 1 Tea Plantation in West Lake was next. This is the oldest tea plantation in China. This may be fog rather than smog due to the altitude.<br />
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Tea bushes and white haired tourists. It was finally warm enough to go without our coats.<br />
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We did buy some tea, the Emperor's Tea, which is the first picking of the season of the Longjing tea, also called the Dragon Well tea. The name comes from the belief that a dragon lives in the well that waters this particular ridge of the mountain. This kind lady filled out canister by hand.<br />
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We did have several mandatory opportunities to "buy local". Jade, pearls, silk, embroidery, tea and Chinese herbals were all presented. I have to say, a lot of our group bought a lot of stuff. We got the tea and I bought a couple of small jade items. Not the $12,000 necklace....<br />
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We were impressed with the embroidery, though. These "pictures" are all small stitches of thread. Here are an overall picture and an enlargement.<br />
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One of our other favorite side tours was the Shanghai by night boat ride. The buildings were all lit up and many showing moving Christmas decorations.<br />
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Unfortunately, this video doesn't work, but you can see the lights on the buildings.</div>
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Here is the waterfront in the day. The tall building on the right is about 130 stories, about 30 more than our Freedom Tower in NYC. Virtually all the "modern" buildings in China were built after Chairman Mao's "Cultural Revolution" which ended in 1976 with Mao's death.<br />
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Our last day we went to Chinatown, (yes, they call it that) home of all of the trinkets, souvenirs, and peddlers than you can imagine! It was fun. If you even exude a whiff of interest, the vendors latch on, and bid themselves way down from their opening price! We picked up a few souvenirs and I had a cuppa Starbucks.<br />
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We had a late evening flight which helped us sleep a bit on the now 14 hour flight back to Boston. We both really enjoyed the trip and would suggest that anyone who is interested to go ahead and do it - via a tour group, though!<br />
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<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-69552600744521845232018-08-31T18:40:00.000-04:002019-01-12T15:37:37.510-05:00We are heading south! AMENDED....<br />
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Heather came to visit Maine – and escape the late August
heat of NC – so we did sightseeing, of course!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It all started as we brought her up to Rockland from the Portland
airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We HAD to show her the biggest
lobster in Maine!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>Rockport was on our agenda, where
the old lime kilns stand at the harbor. In the late 1800's this little town was apparently a major supplier of lime for making cement. </div>
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A biggie on the Maine bucket list
was real lobster at a real lobster pound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here is where the lobsters come in, next to the McLoon lobster pound.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And HERE are two folks definitely
enjoying their lobster rolls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d say
Luke is a little more enthusiastic about his!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Marshall Light is always on
the tourist list, located just outside of Port Clyde.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is where Forest Gump ended his 2 year
run in the movie.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A walk out on the break water to the
Rockland Harbor lighthouse is always good.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Penobscot Narrows Observatory
was on Heather’s list, along with Ft. Knox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here is the observatory from the ground up…<o:p></o:p></div>
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And here is the view from the top
down!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, there is a very fast
elevator! (about 450 ft in a minute)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ft. Knox was interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Built on the Penobscot in the 1850's across from
Bucksport, the fort was to protect the good folk from potential raiders, like
the Spanish. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It never saw any action, and in
fact, for a 48 year period had only 1 man stationed there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It is an impressively large and elaborate fort! </span>It has been nicely restored and is wonderful
to explore.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Heather left, taking our car back
south for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was our same day to
“turn around” and begin our journey south also, taking Latitudes back to the
Chesapeake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This isn’t a forced march,
we have plans to enjoy the trip back as much as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First was a stop in Long Island, ME, to catch
up with Connie and Ged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She made a
wonderful dinner and the next day they took us exploring the Harpswell peninsula of Casco Bay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This old bridge is an example of “cribstone”
construction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The the granite blocks are placed to leave large openings where tide and wind can go through the bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is the Bailey Island Cribstone Bridge, on the national register of historic places..<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Lands End Point is literally
at the end of one of the peninsulas on the Casco.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very beautiful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is also a nice statue there,
a tribute to all of the fishermen and women in ME.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The model for the sculpture was a young man
from the same small town as Connie and Geb.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Of course, the day couldn’t be
complete without one last Maine lobster roll.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Next, to Biddleford Pools, a
beautiful stop for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went
ashore, walked to the beach from the pools, and relaxed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This “resident” loon was fishing when we
returned to the boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has caught a
fish that is almost too large to contend with and it is weighing her down into
the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is beautiful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We left at almost daybreak and
were treated to the sun rising in the morning haze as we neared the lighthouse.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unlike many of the Maine
lighthouses that have red or white lights, this one’s signal is green.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A stop at Portsmouth was next,
mostly to see our friends that we met during our first cruise in Maine. We did
fill up with water and diesel and had a diver check our propeller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Latitudes seemed a bit sluggish and we wanted
to see if there was rope or something caught in the prop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The diver assured us that all is well below
the surface, but there is in fact evidence that a rope was caught at some time
and probably released itself when Luke put the boat into reverse.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Gail took me grocery shopping
while Eric helped Luke “supervise” the dive operation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made dinner for the 4 of us that night at
the yacht clubhouse kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
great to see them again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The channel into Portsmouth has two
lighthouses –<o:p></o:p></div>
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New day, new anchorage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Isles of Shoals is a mere 7.7 miles out
to sea from Portsmough and we love it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Isles are actually 9 very small islands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At one time, this British colony was
considered their most import colony in the States, due to the enormous amount
of dried cod that they shipped back to England. They were huge schools
(“shoals”) of cod. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today the largest
island, Star Island, is home to a hotel/convention center owned by a
Universalist<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and Unitarian group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We picked up a mooring between Star Island
and Smuttynose Island<o:p></o:p></div>
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Some of the residents from the
1700’s are buried here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can see a
bit of the hotel also.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Beautiful stone homes were built.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This tiny church served the
community.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It seems even more tiny from the
inside!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here are some of the grounds of
the hotel, looking at the anchorage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Trails are on the island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one passes an old Spanish cemetary,
where sailors on a Spanish ship, the Conception, died in a shipwreck during a
winter storm in 1813.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are plenty of Black Backed
seagulls here, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last time we
tried this trail it was too close to nesting time and the birds were quite
agitated at our presence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them
repeatedly dive bombed Luke’s head as he held a stick high above it and made a
hasty retreat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time the chicks are
old enough to be on their own and the parents are elsewhere.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A new addition to the island is
modern solar panels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This 150 KW array
supplies 60% of the islands needs in the summer, 100% in the winter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We took the dinghy to Smuttynose,
where a couple of the old homes still stand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These homes are now used to house “stewards” of the island on a 1 week
each basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two teenage girls who
were there now with their families helped us off off the dinghy and then to tie
it up to a clothesline style rope pully to take it back out into the
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The water here was almost 70 – we
did NOT join the swimmers!<o:p></o:p></div>
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After Smuttynose, we took the dinghy further out to
Appledore island to see the gardens of Celia Thaxton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She lived on the island from childhood until
death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loved her garden and in 1894
wrote An Island Garden, outlining her garden structure and life on the
island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Back to Star for ice cream and
another walk for Luke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He found the art
shed reflected in the pool of water.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Rockport MA was next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It turned hot. Really hot. Suddenly instead of the 70's in Maine, we had a heat index of 106! This is the actual first page I got on my weather app....</span></div>
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It did give me an accurate one afterwards! <br />
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We DO have sightseeing pictures that I will
put in later, but they are on Luke’s phone and I haven’t downloaded them. We did get these nice pictures of the two
lighthouses, The first, along with the
moon, is the Straightsmouth Island Light.
Yes, we left early….</div>
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Rockport also has the distinction
of having the Twin Lighthouses.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Provincetown on Cape Cod is
always on our list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been 3 years
since we were here, but we didn’t expect the growth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were surprised to see cars on the beach in
front of the first lighthouse.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We were stunned to see the cars
and people on the beach in front of the second lighthouse!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The fishing boat dock, where we
land our dinghy, was dense with fishing boats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even the addition of extra dinghy docks didn’t help us – it was
difficult to find a place to put it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Town itself was busy, but then,
it is almost Labor Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was nice to
see it again. We left early enough the next day to catch the lighthouse with only birds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We had to time our departure from
Provincetown to go through the Cape Cod canal at the right tide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The current here peaks at almost 3 ½ knots and that
is a lot of try to sail against.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the
big barges can do it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We met this
absolutely huge barge coming towards us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes, the picture is not good, and that’s because it’s taken through our
enclosure screening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flies were
horrible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They came in droves and were
interested in our ankles and most other exposed body parts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We learned the hard way in the Chesapeake
about the importance of having screens and were ready to put them up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> Here is one of the pretty bridges on the canal - shot before the flies got too bad.</o:p></div>
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Today we are in Onset, just at
the western end of the Cape Cod Canal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pizza, laundry, and internet filled today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Smokey always helps with laundry...</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tomorrow we plan to leave for Block Harbor,
weather permitting.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
AND - 4 MONTHS LATER ----<br />
<br />
It was crazy and we had little internet. When we got home, it was even crazier with a trip to CO to see the grandkids, guests, the trip to China, and then there was Christmas with all of the guests, parties, and fun. And then New Years... BUT to finish the story without pictures ----<br />
<br />
<br />
We left Onset for a bumpy ride to Block Island. It was fun to be there again. From there, we headed down the coast to Atlantic City. Our initial goal was Cape May, but a long day and impending storms stopped us in Atlantic City. After a few stormy days there, we were faced with the decision of where to ride out Hurricane Florence. Atlantic City wasn't an option, as the anchorage is too open to the ocean. So, at the gracious invitation of two wonderful boating friends, we turned back north and spend one entire dense fog-ridden day going to Barnagat Bay NJ. We made it soooo far but by the time we were safely in the waters behind the barrier islands, the fog closed so tightly that we could not see our way, even with the help of our GPS and chart plotter. With info from our friends, we called the Coast Guard Auxiliary. They found us and guided us all the way to our destination (the guardsman is a good friend/neighbor our our buddies). Safe at last for almost a week!<br />
Back into the Atlantic, we sailed uneventfully back down the coast with stops in Cape May, a scoot up the Delaware Bay, a couple of stops for bad weather in the Chesapeake, and finally after a long stormy day ended up in Reidsville, VA for the night. Boating friends Wendy and Warwick keep their boat there and had recommended a marina. Just the idea of another long day on the Chesapeake was enough to convince us to check into the option. It was a good option, less expensive than Deltaville, convenient to the Bay, and WE WERE ALREADY THERE! Out of the water we went, prepared the boat for the winter, had Heather pick us up with our car, and ended up back home by the end of September. ahhhhh..... so much for boating until next spring, when we'll put Latitudes back in the water and re-explore the Chesapeake Bay. Our boat excursions will be days or weeks, not months. It will be a nice change to have more time at home but with Latitudes available whenever we want to use her.Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-38357841697943844622018-08-18T16:20:00.001-04:002018-08-18T16:20:36.891-04:00more Maine and back to Rockland<br />
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This covers the last of our cruising Maine adventures,
taking us back to Rockland to pick up daughter Heather for her visit to
Maine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She will take our car back home
for us and we’ll embark on the 3 week or so trip in Latitudes back to the
Chesapeake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will be seeing friends
along the way and doing some sightseeing, but this is sort of our goodbye to
Maine cruising.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We sailed back to Rockland from Buckle to pick up the replacement
propeller for our dinghy’s outboard motor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Luke got the job done flawlessly!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We did take the opportunity while being in Rockland to pick up the car
and do laundry, get groceries, do some sightseeing by land, etc, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Sailing into Rockland, we passed her beautiful lighthouse,
sitting at the end of the jetty a mile out into the bay.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfsJuzP3fAZP8AYOiSc97MTQg75M0SNTqW4-lP2a0ny9qbS7n-Th25uhtU4gdRD-dEPM5s-XbOsJPyR8-2KEq8ieSg06_1s0iQWV4McbIOO1BEvM1h53AAk_bpbz8MI2vI-Dwip8NFBYM/s1600/rcklnd+ltehse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfsJuzP3fAZP8AYOiSc97MTQg75M0SNTqW4-lP2a0ny9qbS7n-Th25uhtU4gdRD-dEPM5s-XbOsJPyR8-2KEq8ieSg06_1s0iQWV4McbIOO1BEvM1h53AAk_bpbz8MI2vI-Dwip8NFBYM/s400/rcklnd+ltehse.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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While there, we just skirted an awful storm. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Camden, just 12 miles north, got heavy rain,
hail, and wind – as you can imagine from this picture!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5J7ASRK3V1LZbc6X56Sb7Hc1QYsIf-jr1VB6_IWvjiPqpDzd3Rja6_I7YQyNIWE2_H6OZU6NR8snCLb4RlZLD6Z0tvutLy8hiMbuiObXtU-BtbuYybB2OMfqxuhQKqkWBFl2Q27Jj4s8n/s1600/storm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5J7ASRK3V1LZbc6X56Sb7Hc1QYsIf-jr1VB6_IWvjiPqpDzd3Rja6_I7YQyNIWE2_H6OZU6NR8snCLb4RlZLD6Z0tvutLy8hiMbuiObXtU-BtbuYybB2OMfqxuhQKqkWBFl2Q27Jj4s8n/s400/storm.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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While we had the car, we drove to BoothBay Harbor. The harbor -</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcJfFYilf6-vCmBeJr4awXRM8Fv3TO9qHy4_VjOCB-jQfmYuEJcSsXAuHdTm0DiI-MrKjEeKzrcM_lpBi_AI9ZdriO5xXeObqSjZ0GeQc0GWTaBdwn0rXICUmLFSFhBE4MVzC4JhHE4Q5/s1600/harbor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcJfFYilf6-vCmBeJr4awXRM8Fv3TO9qHy4_VjOCB-jQfmYuEJcSsXAuHdTm0DiI-MrKjEeKzrcM_lpBi_AI9ZdriO5xXeObqSjZ0GeQc0GWTaBdwn0rXICUmLFSFhBE4MVzC4JhHE4Q5/s400/harbor.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Last year we drove along the shore of Ocean Point with Barb and Jim and it was beautiful. We decided to do it again and visit some of the same spots. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEAfzX7pynEQbFGEPWm_rlwtbcLnwu72kdQLRytskyw1FYh7mruqPqza3iFpOVZlhA_CQdPPexE8lmGmKsHrQXH0vaGbYzojjuHz0mnXA-B4BsAazWbHXrXa1uHp8vY9gMkRwN-CZ5fzz/s1600/rocky+shore.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEAfzX7pynEQbFGEPWm_rlwtbcLnwu72kdQLRytskyw1FYh7mruqPqza3iFpOVZlhA_CQdPPexE8lmGmKsHrQXH0vaGbYzojjuHz0mnXA-B4BsAazWbHXrXa1uHp8vY9gMkRwN-CZ5fzz/s400/rocky+shore.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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One nice spot is this lovely stone church.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3at6pwPCfpSIA_mKuva6TGWWgssMpJrLK4vJ-3TJIUkr6IGZGJlvHfpweUzjnLLbTX9IGQySfqGEHhKgrDTmuMS5DM2fJBp_rSfvZzIWbQr43bg3eLDA6l6XlC-cH5pHp8n1Bh5sxlfX/s1600/church.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3at6pwPCfpSIA_mKuva6TGWWgssMpJrLK4vJ-3TJIUkr6IGZGJlvHfpweUzjnLLbTX9IGQySfqGEHhKgrDTmuMS5DM2fJBp_rSfvZzIWbQr43bg3eLDA6l6XlC-cH5pHp8n1Bh5sxlfX/s400/church.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Even the inside of the small church is stone and wood.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLNu2WkROOrGN83NyU-dLsl1o4zkOz5Ke4PL0jqe_F9iwH1LqNsbwwTW0mmrRhI4udqmWTb9UjXYPON4WKqI0FdeCkqAQyDuklaxTXLxR6oJ952siPkYL8XUtNLj5Qa-awa2jRyLnvo8B/s1600/church+inside.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLNu2WkROOrGN83NyU-dLsl1o4zkOz5Ke4PL0jqe_F9iwH1LqNsbwwTW0mmrRhI4udqmWTb9UjXYPON4WKqI0FdeCkqAQyDuklaxTXLxR6oJ952siPkYL8XUtNLj5Qa-awa2jRyLnvo8B/s400/church+inside.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Luke got to spend one special day at Searsport, home of the Bluejacket Ship Crafters, a model ship store and the Penobscot Maine Museum. The Bluejacket is full of beautifully built model ships.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFCX9cwSIJJlivZMYPurx4aDF_Xrgj0tMaoip7Zn4wcLB4T6StgCAhYq2YrBAQir_rY-kVC_XMbP4isdR2VlGYDIUYlUptmdqVyLBfBX2NS0J3aB6eZ_w3FgcMnoykf0SI4nTUY7u731G/s1600/ovreall+models.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFCX9cwSIJJlivZMYPurx4aDF_Xrgj0tMaoip7Zn4wcLB4T6StgCAhYq2YrBAQir_rY-kVC_XMbP4isdR2VlGYDIUYlUptmdqVyLBfBX2NS0J3aB6eZ_w3FgcMnoykf0SI4nTUY7u731G/s400/ovreall+models.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakkoLNZo9NlH0efoPKJowZQL-jdVG5ai4tlqJm8fY3BUefMtACi4lEb0Ukjem11_iTPPGxzET9IiQMYJdFdYNFlRRb02RYSNmWG4pxUFH07wjlWvAgn6NMOrTRWlSBDr-B94G19rQRg8v/s1600/ships+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakkoLNZo9NlH0efoPKJowZQL-jdVG5ai4tlqJm8fY3BUefMtACi4lEb0Ukjem11_iTPPGxzET9IiQMYJdFdYNFlRRb02RYSNmWG4pxUFH07wjlWvAgn6NMOrTRWlSBDr-B94G19rQRg8v/s400/ships+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The kits range from several hundred to over a thousand dollars. They estimate that for a model builder of moderate experience, to build the more complex models would take 500 to 700 hours, and the kit may not include everything you'd need -- paint, etc. If they build the kit for you, it can cost five or six thousand into the 10 thousand plus.. The ships and their detail are amazing.</div>
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The Penobscot Maine Museum is actually a city block of historic buildings. More model ships and paintings of ships.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7LSMt9OO1u5ulL1A5I_HI-GjOR866usRhFR2MFjvOEde3oeFXTADh57zWfY-GNsJXfmrCOmH5lxo_WAGQMxmiLZeFVIF5yGaE5fCNuczBXSg5K3XuIHWuGnSlvNpda28qbyhXRCBT93I/s1600/museum+model+and+picture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7LSMt9OO1u5ulL1A5I_HI-GjOR866usRhFR2MFjvOEde3oeFXTADh57zWfY-GNsJXfmrCOmH5lxo_WAGQMxmiLZeFVIF5yGaE5fCNuczBXSg5K3XuIHWuGnSlvNpda28qbyhXRCBT93I/s400/museum+model+and+picture.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The ship captains living here had a pretty good life.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8Z2FDl7cnNLCO5Ghl1M1flTjlvxyZMvBr6l4Gi5DNWNxvDWddXf_rmrFAXUSgHd6SxnNFuJ9GN4AHlaiNBHuogERRSLeYpgHIGG2Y-BQ4CltxM_BEYVbGGU_UqdRY-SfX0wWAYM8SoD-/s1600/cpts+home.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8Z2FDl7cnNLCO5Ghl1M1flTjlvxyZMvBr6l4Gi5DNWNxvDWddXf_rmrFAXUSgHd6SxnNFuJ9GN4AHlaiNBHuogERRSLeYpgHIGG2Y-BQ4CltxM_BEYVbGGU_UqdRY-SfX0wWAYM8SoD-/s400/cpts+home.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This barn has a variety of old boats, one of which belonged to E.B. White, arthor of Charlotte's Webb and other children's books.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkft_P1CHFWXZ1FKBOma4LPEgXdsD5WTKJ186wnuacjsRceL0YZx8t7GAsQXuThk7gAoQWMwExyHWuTqC96dANHe5ypIrjawqovOdkQNdsBGZ34fsxJFD5eEB0_jbydyQ1B_RBsJS2HsxE/s1600/boat+barn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1600" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkft_P1CHFWXZ1FKBOma4LPEgXdsD5WTKJ186wnuacjsRceL0YZx8t7GAsQXuThk7gAoQWMwExyHWuTqC96dANHe5ypIrjawqovOdkQNdsBGZ34fsxJFD5eEB0_jbydyQ1B_RBsJS2HsxE/s400/boat+barn.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We decided to sail only in the Penobscot Bay area, as we had only
a few days and needed to be sure we’d be back in time to pick up Heather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The persistent fog had us a bit
skittish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, Belfast for pizza and a
walk around town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next, back to Castine, home of the Maine Maritime
Academy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her training ship, The State of
Maine, has been out of town for a while, being recommissioned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was back!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07XeyUNYQ4sw6KWVneUHtYupEUaEuL9MvPksaeVFsK4n1BkVi9VnoAtfpKwDs67rW2gtO8u2JVKv_3jgXdZir_GE3FEpaR17mLitwyq5PHoUke-S1lVL9E8_NIW5PZUjVo9yMBiWZV76g/s1600/state+of+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07XeyUNYQ4sw6KWVneUHtYupEUaEuL9MvPksaeVFsK4n1BkVi9VnoAtfpKwDs67rW2gtO8u2JVKv_3jgXdZir_GE3FEpaR17mLitwyq5PHoUke-S1lVL9E8_NIW5PZUjVo9yMBiWZV76g/s400/state+of+me.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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While we waited out rain and fog in Holbrook Harbor at
Castine, I decided to take a nap in the cockpit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little Smoke decided to do the same, as I
found after Luke took this picture.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ccu9h3p5uaoB4AwKgwwY_-uNAWfn5viiNEWVrATNxhOoNbF_bRQoduI0x1ZoImrQ_Bm71W9i27QzcyI9ssx4jEE-S_QlqP9tSFWINYyVBF-duketP6UPZpBp0T7L_CZjcMYmyPowUkmp/s1600/smoke+and+mom+sleep.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ccu9h3p5uaoB4AwKgwwY_-uNAWfn5viiNEWVrATNxhOoNbF_bRQoduI0x1ZoImrQ_Bm71W9i27QzcyI9ssx4jEE-S_QlqP9tSFWINYyVBF-duketP6UPZpBp0T7L_CZjcMYmyPowUkmp/s400/smoke+and+mom+sleep.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Luke wanted to go back to a beautiful island that we have
explored only once before, McGlathery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now, there is a reason we’ve been there only once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got VERY lost on the island when we were
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was getting to be dusk, thick, dark pine woods, no Latitudes
in sight, and I was MOST unhappy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fortunately, Luke located a sailboat in the harbor, called to her on the radio, and
got our location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I swore I’d never go
back, but I did. I think it took 9 years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We passed the prerequisite lighthouses along the way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjhdYbgBM5IFMrPQUhbjUFeOXE-lmb2948tNOJJb3VrnM56luizgYikHmm5kx5oxNsJWU6cdeHI-XlIAA7pGZW4310sRSFGzTiLIeSjHtUjlVXu9UVwVbWhup5oWGe-wkhq_AK4jb0Vbb/s1600/lihouse+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjhdYbgBM5IFMrPQUhbjUFeOXE-lmb2948tNOJJb3VrnM56luizgYikHmm5kx5oxNsJWU6cdeHI-XlIAA7pGZW4310sRSFGzTiLIeSjHtUjlVXu9UVwVbWhup5oWGe-wkhq_AK4jb0Vbb/s400/lihouse+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhhxKfjpZxJrk15aAXS9JZ-bjRerWfX_cSZD8fumR9rsckAqvpuOLT_PjO0t8pBu94_wsn9sq4ab4_MYoLvNPeiTgGg3tB0p7hZ1DJtZYp1uvjAgODKqyRsVLQSqtgEYzpR_7VPOhAIsR/s1600/litehouose+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhhxKfjpZxJrk15aAXS9JZ-bjRerWfX_cSZD8fumR9rsckAqvpuOLT_PjO0t8pBu94_wsn9sq4ab4_MYoLvNPeiTgGg3tB0p7hZ1DJtZYp1uvjAgODKqyRsVLQSqtgEYzpR_7VPOhAIsR/s400/litehouose+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And here is McGlathery.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Djg-iB1GggeBYF1ZS3g9balASKoLBI4sVGDNslYCqMLQOwbsmbWQWvLIDMqyeIK3PvfmN6c_oqrFORVe8xKyKGZuQ16bd2f9F3ioHCkO5t38sVIBevPaOfLIW1Z55H35ZHdPE_ywmwgA/s1600/mc+glathery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Djg-iB1GggeBYF1ZS3g9balASKoLBI4sVGDNslYCqMLQOwbsmbWQWvLIDMqyeIK3PvfmN6c_oqrFORVe8xKyKGZuQ16bd2f9F3ioHCkO5t38sVIBevPaOfLIW1Z55H35ZHdPE_ywmwgA/s400/mc+glathery.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We must have been two of many that have gotten turned around
on the island because the trail across the island is now well marked, boater style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bits of rope mark some of the trail.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lobster buoys that have broken free and floated ashore are also used to mark parts of the trail.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes, it’s the middle of August and cold enough for jeans and
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We successful made it to the other side of the island<o:p></o:p></div>
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and found a newly washed up float to add to the trail markers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Back across McGlathery and we found fog.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We spent 3 full days at McGlathery, waiting for the fog to
lift so we could continue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, the
fog was light enough that we were comfortable making the trip to North Haven for the first half mile, and then it was as thick as anything we've ever been in. Boats we saw on RADAR became visible at less than 0.2 nm -- that's pretty close! The next day, we continued on to the island cluster of Dix and High, only
8 miles from Rockland (my comfort level of being back to pick up Heather). By the time we got to Dix and High ---SUN!</div>
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A big granite quarry used to be worked on the island of
High.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have heard that over 2000 men worked
on the small island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Old blocks of granite
line the shore, creating a wharf for the boats to pick up the granite.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AZNulEedg5oEuBlOX-7nqjJPKNFvsuE8dCWYMsoQOQnHk57x8jRdeclCFFL4l24lw6nCOwie8UdupS4t368k_MQUnL4UmYf1ptqd1aTJiHvXwQ5XtMM5Xy92RBoCgz6SFuP0NuZ7UrzZ/s1600/rock+wharf.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AZNulEedg5oEuBlOX-7nqjJPKNFvsuE8dCWYMsoQOQnHk57x8jRdeclCFFL4l24lw6nCOwie8UdupS4t368k_MQUnL4UmYf1ptqd1aTJiHvXwQ5XtMM5Xy92RBoCgz6SFuP0NuZ7UrzZ/s400/rock+wharf.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The old quarry is no longer in use.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For well over the last 10 years that we have been coming to
Maine, the island was managed by a conservation group, allowing visitors to the island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, the island
was recently put on the market and ultimately sold to a business that wants to
again mine granite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, they have just
destroyed parts of the beautiful island, cutting and burning trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A “no trespassing” sign sits at the entrance
to the island, but when no workers are there, the visitors continue to come
while they can.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One last sunset for our 2018 – and last – Maine cruise.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Back to Rockland,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we picked
up the car for the final time, provisioned everything possible that is non-perishable
for the entire trip back, did laundry, picked up prescriptions, and are now sitting
out a windy, rainy day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smokey is making
the best of it…..with the August temperatures being in the upper 60’s at
night, we’ve taken the “down alternative” comforter off of the bed and wrapped
it in towels and put it on the shelf on Luke’s side of the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smokey has found it….., <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTrGhfpY7IB8_CwZV3NFdaN_8NUUDceF2a8hplWivJz0PBsBbL7V78mIfAB-HTHt3eaPGvIapMggv0842y5HKqIxTuk_QRx-3lhECZmHO9lOpxWHM9y78wJha3eRyt8zsYTvyTZQoyUaE/s1600/smoke+on+comforter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTrGhfpY7IB8_CwZV3NFdaN_8NUUDceF2a8hplWivJz0PBsBbL7V78mIfAB-HTHt3eaPGvIapMggv0842y5HKqIxTuk_QRx-3lhECZmHO9lOpxWHM9y78wJha3eRyt8zsYTvyTZQoyUaE/s400/smoke+on+comforter.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Tomorrow and the next few days are promised to be sunny and
cool during Heather’s visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll be
sightseeing before she leaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then to
visit friends in Maine as we start south, and then the dedicated cruise south,
with some visits with friends and sightseeing along the way. I will post as I can<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-79873003678617733352018-08-09T16:39:00.000-04:002018-08-09T16:39:35.737-04:00More Maine, more fog, less internet...We have been back to Rockland for 3 days - the first time we've had internet since the last post! SO, again I'm catching up. Alex, these pictures are for you because we KNOW you'll get back here.<br />
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We spent about a week in Somes Sound, our anchorage for a visit to Acadia Nat'l Park. We spent one day doing the shore walk, in the fog.</div>
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Thunder Hole was at it's best - big claps of "thunder" every time the incoming wave hit the rocks in the narrow inlet. You can see the spray just above the end of the inlet.</div>
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With my most excellent experience at bicycling the Carriage Trails last year, I opted to stay on the boat while Luke went. He left foggy and early to pick up his bike and then spent most of the day on the trails. The waterlilies are in bloom along the trail, covering some of the ponds.</div>
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Some ponds had white lilies, some had yellow</div>
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Flowers and bees were everywhere</div>
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It remained foggy on the water, but Luke had some sunshine inland. There are still wisps of fog in the distance.</div>
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When Luke returned to Bar Harbor, he found that the bar between the town of Bar Harbor (hence the name!) and the little island offshore was uncovered at low tide. Folks were exploring the long, narrow bar of land while the tide was out, with fog in the distance.</div>
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The next day we took the buses to Jordan Pond for a walk and popovers - again in the fog...</div>
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Here is the picture of The Bubbles last year, in the bright sun.</div>
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And this year in the fog</div>
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We did take a walk in the woods along the shore of Jordan Pond<br />
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This is the house that Rockefeller had built for his gate keeper...senior park folk live there now.<br />
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We did take two days to go to Winter Harbor, located on the Schoodic Pensulia. Friends Mary and Dick live there and we wanted to see them. So, we left Latitudes and Smokey at anchor in Somes Sound and took the ferry for the 45 minute ride to Winter Harbor. Yes, it was foggy.<br />
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The fog lifted a bit during the ride, but you can see the line of it along the shore.<br />
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Mary and Dick gave us a great tour of the area, including these amazing cliffs<br />
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The next morning we took the "boardwalk" to the beach at Corea, still on the Schoodic Peninsula.<br />
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The large flat rocks were perfect for our lunch that Mary packed. She even packed a "mud sling" drink for the two of us to share! And more fog...<br />
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The harbor of Corea is like all of the others in Maine - full of lobster boats, with the fog bank in the distance.<br />
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Back to the boat and Smokey, we were able to leave the next day, as the forecast for was for just areas of fog. We made the 16 mile run to the Long Island, home of the town of Frenchboro. <br />
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About 75% of the island is set aside as a nature preserve. Trails across the island lead to the beaches. <br />
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First, "Big Beach" composed of basket ball sized granite rocks.<br />
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Then the large rock beach with the typical Maine granite boulders.</div>
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Last year we met Tennie and Joe. Joe is a third generation lobersterman from Frenchboro. His dad and granddad still go out each day! He and Tennie have been together about 3 years and she works as his "sternman". We visited with them a bit and then, the next day, caught up with them after we went to Swans Island, at Burnt Coat Horbor. They were bringing in the days catch. Their sweet 8 month old great dane goes fishing with them every day. Yes, that is fog behind them.</div>
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Schooners soon began to fill up the anchorage with us. This is the steel hulled, fairly recently built, schooner "Angellica"</div>
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Finally, the next day, SUN shinning on the Burnt Coat harbor! We've had fog for about 13 of the last 14 days, at least 8 days of solid fog, all day long! Even the Mainers are complaining about it!</div>
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We went to shore to walk to the lighthouse at the channel entering the harbor.</div>
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The view from the lighthouse. Yes, there is a wisp of fog out there.</div>
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After 2 days, we left for the small island of Buckle. This is one of our favorites - we go here to walk the island every year. The shore is mostly rocky.</div>
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But some parts of the shore do have grass.</div>
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This little island is just off Buckle. We've collected mussels from there during low tide - yum! But this year there is a widespread warning about collecting the mussels, something like red tide, so we left them alone.</div>
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So we're now back in Rockland for a few days. We've used this time to do laundry, get groceries, and drive to visit both Boothbay and Searsport . Pictures from those days will follow. This is enough for now!!!</div>
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Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9070299409538171972.post-54849033703268696582018-07-24T18:24:00.001-04:002018-07-24T18:24:23.017-04:00Cross Island (submarine communications!), Jonesport (amazing model RR!), and puffins, puffins, puffins (puffins!)We found a new place to explore - Cross Island. Luke has wanted to go there since last year when boating buddy Dick told him about it. A mere 17 miles from Canada (directly eastward, Grand Manan Island), Cross is the nearest we can get to an amazing piece of Cold War history. These are the vertical support towers, nearly 1000 ft high, of the Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio array used to communicate with submerged submarines. For the techies - it transmits at 24 kHz with an output power of nearly 2 mega watts, apparently one of the strongest radio transmitters in the world. For some details, please see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLF_Transmitter_Cutler" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLF_Transmitter_Cutler</a> I'm sure this is now replaced with satellite communications, but still remains as an alternate.<br />
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The towers, with their red flashing lights present an eerie backdrop to the threatening grey cloud bank at dusk.<br />
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On our way to the island, we encountered a relatively new Maine business, salmon farming. There are 2 companies here, each with 3 or 4 of these large pens. For size reference, look at the 2 orange figures on the left side - they are men working on the netting that covers the pens.<br />
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Cross island is a MITA property - the Maine Island Trail Association. That means we can hike on the island. The old dock leaves something to be desired...a dry landing space at high tide. It was almost high tide when we got there and we barely made it to the higher dock. The dinghy was tied to float, and float she did - right over the submerged dock.<br />
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Fat, sweet-tart blueberries were everywhere!<br />
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The only remaining trail on the island that we found lead past on old (and still used) outhouse to a rocky beach.<br />
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We did find one more path, but it ended quickly at an unkept (and unsafe) bridge over a creek.<br />
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After the tide went down, we got back in the dinghy cruised around part of the island on water. The other end of Cross.<br />
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And a nearby island. Beautiful, beautiful Maine!<br />
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Next to another favorite place while we are down east, Jonesport. We took a raft mooring at Jonesport Shipyard, in the harbor with all of the lobster boats.<br />
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This old, well restored home graces the town dock. Some of Maine's wildflowers fill the yard. Remember this house - she's going to come up again in the next picture!<br />
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The kind boatyard owners lent us their car to go to Michas (the nearest larger town) for groceries. On the way back, we stopped in at a sign that says "Maine Central Model Railroad". This amazing HO gauge (1/87 th scale) model railroad is in a shed outside of the home, the "train yard' being about 30 x 40 feet . This is only about 1/4 of the set up. It is so filled up that you have to wander through narrow aisles to see it all. See the red Victorian house in the bottom left? That is the house above. Every building in this model was built by the owners, Helen and Buz. It took them 20 years to complete this set up.<br />
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A town wharf.<br />
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Buz died 6 years ago, but Helen still shows his favorite "joke" in the display....a hunter "taking a crap" while a bear approaches and his rifle (the little red handle to the left) is jusssst out of reach.<br />
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Here is Helen at the controls, running the tooting, puffing trains for us.<br />
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This is all free, just asking for a small donation. Sadly, the future of this wonderful model RR is in question. Helen is 84, and admits she can't keep it up much longer. There isn't a good home waiting for the wonderful work they have done.<br />
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We always knew Maine had fog, but boy, has she lived up to it this year! fog,fog, fog. As soon as we got an OK (not great) day to make the 9 hour trip from Jonesport to Acadia, we left. Our big excitement en route was to again pass the Petite Manan lighthouse with puffins. This time we really saw them! What more can I say... puffins, puffins, puffins!!!<br />
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Puffins with fish for the babies!<br />
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Puffins joyously bathing<br />
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And puffins just floating with the tide.<br />
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Next blog, Acadia National Park.Luke and Bobbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11548410321066995904noreply@blogger.com0