Trip Update Jan Feb 2011 PA to NM Part 1 of 5

Nick Potter

Monument to Vickburg's Black Solders

Two and a half Presidents

The Mission at the Alamo

Trip Update Jan Feb 2011 PA to NM Part 2 of 5

Statue at Seminal Canyon SP

Oldest petroglyphs in Western Hemisphere

Seminal Canyon

Roadrunner

Trip Update Jan Feb 2011 PA to NM Part 3 of 5

Peak at Big Bend NP
Mexican Jay
Chisos Basin BBNP

The first two weeks of the year were spent visiting family and friends. On the road, we usually encounter folks from “The Greatest Generation,” so it was fun to spend some time with the younger generation. In Annapolis, we played games with Ron, Sarah and daughter (Wii expert) Annie. We toured the Farm Show in Harrisburg with Pat’s nephew Randy and niece Jenn and her friend, Dan. We watched Tom and Marie’s son Nick burn up the court in a basketball game in Fairfax, VA.
After 5 weeks out of the RV, we were getting anxious to get back on the road. On our way out of town, we stopped in Accokeek to visit with some of our former neighbors. We meet the new owners of our former home. They bought the house in foreclosure for 40% less than what we sold the house for in 2005. They were in the middle of a complete makeover of the very modern décor left by the former owners. On our way to the Southwest we stopped in Oak Ridge, TN and spent the day in the American Museum of Science and Energy, and learned the history behind the development of the atomic bomb. In Vicksburg, MS we toured the Civil War battlefield. President Lincoln considered Vicksburg “the key” and believed “the war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocket.” After 5 months of attacks and maneuvers Grant found Vicksburg defenses difficult to penetrate, so he began formal siege operations. After 46 days under siege, Vicksburg surrendered.
There was no surrender at the Alamo. There it was “Victory or Death”. Victory was nearly impossible considering how Santa Ana’s troops outnumbered the Texans. The first time we visited San Antonio, we nearly missed seeing the Alamo because it seems much smaller than expected. However, what we think of as the Alamo is actually just the mission. The actual Alamo was the size of 1 ½ city blocks. It was much too large for only 200 defenders. To get a true feel for the size of the Alamo, we visited a large diorama which gave us a great perspective on the conflict. Phil Collins, the British rock singer, not only owns the diorama, he has the largest collection of Alamo memorabilia in the world. We also toured the Riverwalk, an historic church, and the old Governor’s Mansion.

Trip Update Jan Feb 2011 PA to NM Part 4 of 5

Sunset
Santa Elena Canyon
Rio Grande in Santa Elena Canyon
Pat above Tuff Canyon

We had been to all the big National Parks out west, except for Big Bend NP in TX. Since we were traveling west in southern Texas, we decided to remedy this situation. After a long and boring drive into the park, we were not too excited about the park. The Rio Grande was even a greater disappointment. We were expecting a raging river, ideal for rafting. Instead we found a slow, shallow stream. Our opinion of the park improved with time as we explored further. There were interesting canyons, hikes and different wildlife. We saw a coyote, roadrunner, bobcat and javelina. (No, the coyote did not catch the roadrunner, BEEP BEEP). It is the kind of park that grows on you with time.

Trip Update Jan Feb 2011 PA to NM Part 5 of 5

Cholla Fruit
Texas Madrone Tree
Entrance to Carlsbad Cavern
Full Moon rising over the desert

We headed north to the Guadalupe Mountains NP and explored some of the canyons there. Carlsbad Caverns were too close to pass up, so we took a self-guided tour there, having arrived too late to do the ranger-led Lower Cave tour. There were very few people in the park - it was very strange to enter into the cave and not see nor hear another person for the first 20 minutes of our descent. We spent a night in Roswell, but we have no unusual sightings to report. We finished this segment of our trip with a visit to the grave site of Smokey the Bear.