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.

Where in the World are Pat and Don?

Friday, January 14, 2011 Start heading SW
Friday, January 28, 2011 Timeshare in TX
Tuesday, February 22, 2011 Arrive ABQ, NM
Thursday, February 24, 2011 Fly to Maui, HI
Friday, February 25, 2011 Fly to Auckland NZ
Sunday, February 27, 2011 Arr Auckland NZ
Monday, February 28, 2011 Vacation Home exchange in AKL
Saturday, March 05, 2011 RV tour of NZ
Friday, April 08, 2011 Fly to Fiji
Saturday, April 09, 2011 Resort in Fiji
Friday, April 15, 2011 Fly to Kona HI
Friday, April 15, 2011 Start timeshare
Saturday, April 16, 2011 Barb and Sharon arr in HI
Friday, April 22, 2011 B&B in Pahoa HI
Monday, April 25, 2011 Fly to Kauai, HI
Monday, April 25, 2011 Timeshare in Kauai
Saturday, April 30, 2011 Fly to Maui, HI
Saturday, April 30, 2011 Timeshare in Maui
Saturday, May 07, 2011 Fly to Mainland
Sunday, May 08, 2011 Arr ABQ

Trip Update 2010 Ecuador to PA Part 1

Andes woman and son harvesting potatoes

All available land under cultivation

Pat on her way to the Cloud Forest

Alpaca

Trip Update Dec 2010 Ecuador to PA part 2

Pat with guide in Cloud Forest
Llama at Black Sheep Inn
Don at Laguna Quilotoa
Valley in the Andes


We got picked up from the hotel in Quito and headed out to the Andes. It was a five hour drive up to the Black Sheep Inn, an ECO-lodge near Chugchilan. The lodge was unusual - with composting toilets in the bathrooms, wood stoves in the bedrooms for heat, the gray and rainwater were collected and used for irrigation, and the food was locally grown and all vegetarian. Local guides were available for hiking, horseback riding, or just transportation. We took a five hour horseback ride up to the Cloud Forest and took a hike along the rim of a large volcanic crater, Laguna Quilotoa. On one hike Pat was bitten on the leg by a small dog. Fortunately, she is up-to-date on her tetanus shot and the dog didn’t have rabies. She started carrying a walking stick after that for protection. Toward the end of our stay I was not feeling well, so we left a day earlier than planned and I recovered from a fever while resting in a hotel bed in Quito.