Frank and Jen On the Road

Drove over to Garden Grove, California to finally meet John's bride Khanh. It was quite a drive, requiring some to take a short nap at the motel. John and Khanh stayed with Khanh's Aunt Betsy and Uncle Long. Long and Betsy were very hospitable, treating us all to dinner at a great Chinese restaurant the first night, and preparing a delicious Vietnamese soup dinner another night. There was much shopping, including at least 2 malls, and even a trip to Downtown Disney, with its many shops and restaurants. Drove back to Tucson on Wednesday, just missing some bad weather, arriving in time to watch Arizona in the Holiday Bowl (what a fiasco!). It was great to meet Khanh and, hopefully, she will be in the U.S. permanently by the time we return to the northwest next summer.

Joined Carl and Eileen on their traditional Christmas early morning visit to the Desert Museum. Started out sharing some coffee and muffins with the local birds. It was a bit cool (started out at around freezing), so many of the animals were not out, but we did see wolves, owls, and their newest addition, a black bear. Ended up back at Carl and Eileen's home, and enjoyed a great prime rib dinner, and a nice evening of games and conversation with good friends.

Visited the "DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun" in north Tucson with Carl and Eileen. This is where artist Ted DeGrazia lived and worked. He mostly painted scenes of the American southwest, many of his favorite subject, the children. He was quite a talent, painting and working in many mediums, like wood, glass, ceramics, and bronze. We were also able to tour the small house where he was content to live out his life. A great place to visit, and it is all free (except, of course, in the gift shop). Finished off with a late seafood lunch at Red Lobster.

Visited the Tucson Art Museum with Carl and Eileen. Saw a great display of photos by Ansell Adams, as well as all kinds of southwest and Chinese art through the ages. Saw a great seasonal display set up each year by one woman. Finished off with an early dinner at the nearby El Charro Mexican restaurant.

Another great Thanksgiving at Carl & Eileen's home. There were 13 people, plenty of great food, lots of help carving the turkey, and good conversation with friends old and new.

Moved on south to our winter "home" in Tucson, Arizona. Not a whole lot of people here yet, but it will fill up over the next few weeks. Carl and Eileen had us over for snacks, pizza, and the Seahawks/Cardinals football game (the Hawks blew it). Did some catching up, and the gals have shopping plans already (of course). Feels great to be back!

Jen's cousin Roy and wife Gay stopped by Casa Grande on their way home to California. We carpooled up to Sun City to visit Jen's aunts Shirley and Roxie and husband Bob. Had a nice visit, and went out for a late lunch, then back to Bob and Roxie's for pineapple upside down cake (yum!).

After 2 weeks of pure laziness, sitting around enjoying the abnormally warm fall weather, we moved on south into the valley of the sun. Stopped at our Western Horizons park in Casa Grande, Arizona, where we will spend a few days until we move into our winter "home" on Sunday.

Forcasting overnight temps in the teens with possible snow flurries, so we moved a couple of hundred miles southwest and a couple of thousand feet lower in elevation. We checked into our Thousand Trails park in Cottonwood, Arizona (out of daylight savings time) for a couple of weeks, where the weather is not quite so bad.

Jen under the weather, so Frank took a scenic drive alone. Headed north to visit Window Rock, where the Navajo Nation has its legal workings (courts, defenders, etc.). There is a park with the window that gives the place its name, as well as a memorial to the Navajo Code Talkers from WWII. Kept going north and west, ending up in Arizona, and seeing part of the Canyon de Chelley National Monument. Stopped at several overlooks, giving different views of the canyon, as well as some ruins of an Indian pueblo, as well as painted pictures of antelope dating from about 1830. A beautifully rugged area, full of red rock cliffs and wide open rangeland.

Moved on west, over the continental divide, stopping at a nice RV park at Gallup, New Mexico. We arrived too late to retrieve our mail from the post office, so will have to wait for Monday.

Headed on west, stopping at a little RV park in the hills near Tijeras, New Mexico. We are at about 6500 feet, and while there are still some wildflowers in bloom, we can see some snow across the way, leftover from the storm that went through.

Our storm blew out, so we headed down to check out Tucumcari. Appears to be a town in poor shape, with many boarded up homes and businesses. Being right on historic Route 66, they do have many neat murals on some buildings, depicting everything from the old west to old movie scenes.

After enjoying a beautiful sunset last night, we headed east again, crossing the state line and entering mountain time. Passed through more flat ranch and farm land, with fields of corn, cotton, milo, and a few other unknown crops. Spotted an interesting attraction (from 10 miles away), and stopped for a closer look at the largest cross in the western hemisphere. A neat layout, with several displays showing the story of the crucifiction. Found a nice state park at Logan, New Mexico to spend a few days. Practically have the park to ourselves and are set up with a great view over the lake (and the approaching storm!). Poor cell service and no internet, so we will have to drive into town to update the site and check email.

Moved east, avoiding the interstate construction on some back roads, fighting the wind all the way. Stopped at a small RV park in the panhandle at Shamrock, Texas for the night.

Had a family reunion (Jen's Mother's side) at the church where many of them grew up, married, and were baptized. Had many people still in the area, including Jen's half-brother Kenny, as well as folks from as far away as Minnesota and Arizona. We made quite a group and, of course, there was plenty of good food. Lots of catching up, learning about relatives and the family tree, and some fun stories.

Had a get-together, with lots of Jen's relatives, to celebrate cousin Jay's birthday. Had some good food, featuring Rick's famous chili, with cornbread, and some of aunt Roxy's famous cookies to accompany the birthday cake.

Moved about 100 miles down the turnpike ($9.75) to a fairly new park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We will be here through the weekend, meeting and greeting a passel of Jen's relatives. And the sun has finally found Oklahoma!

Still unseasonably cool and wet for the Tulsa area. Had lunch with Rick and sisters Joi and Roxanne. Visited the Tulsa Garden Center, where we saw many different flowers, some interesting plants, and even some soggy cotton plants. Also visited the Philbrook Museum of Art, housed in a neat old building on beautiful grounds, with several exhibitions of paintings, pottery from different cultures, etc. Finished up with a Starbucks drink and a drive past some amazing homes.

Still cool, but less windy as we headed east through Kansas, just inside the southern border, before turning south toward Tulsa. Much the same landscape, large farms and ranches, but greener (with just a beginning of fall colors) and wetter. They got so much rain last week that the farmers cannot plow or harvest in the soggy ground. Settled into a little RV park in Tulsa, Oklahoma for a few days. Found the home of Jen's cousin Roxanne and husband Rick, where we enjoyed a homemade chili dinner, and Roxanne and Jen did some catching up.

After a couple of days of cold, wind, and rain, it is time to get the heck out of Dodge! Headed southeast ahead of the next cold front, fighting the wind all the way, and stopped at South Haven, Kansas for the night.

Visited the Boot Hill Museum, with a recreation of old Front Street, some remains of boot hill, and an interesting history of Dodge City and its place in the old west. Stepped into the Longbranch Saloon, complete with a long bar (with mirror), a stage, and a guy pumping away on a piano. Saw several displays of all the different types of guns used in the old west. Stepped into the old schoolhouse, where Jen took a front row seat. The apothecary shop was interesting, with all kinds of medicines? on display. We are too late in the season for any shootouts, dancehall girls performing, or eating at the restaurant, but it was definitely interesting and educational. And we managed to escape with no gift shop purchases!

Headed south, through more ranch and farmland, with the landscape getting flatter and flatter. Checked into the Gunsmoke RV park in Dodge City, Kansas for a few days. Neat little park, complete with blacksmith shop and even an old grave. We are parked in the back in the middle of some wheat fields.

Moved on southeast, through thousands of acres of ranch and farm land. Saw lots of cattle and many fields of corn - must be where we get Nebraska corn-fed beef. Stopped at a small RV park in North Platte, Nebraska for the night. Lost an hour as we changed time zones again.

Jen not feeling well and did not want to fight the wind (down to 45mpg gusts), so Frank returned to Scotts Bluff to check it out. Great views from the trails on top, looking both east and west over the North Platte River valley. Even had a long-distance view of Chimney Rock. Down at the visitor center, they have examples of some of the wagons used by the pioneers (we are on the Oregon Trail route). Also visited the Chimney Rock visitor center. Interesting historical info and got a bit closer to the rock, but they don't let you hike up to it.

Drove over to the Scotts Bluff National Monument. Took the drive to the top just to see, but with winds gusting to 60 mph, we did not get out for pics. Went on into Scottsbluff for some shopping, then back to the rocking motorhome. Will try to sightsee tomorrow when the winds are supposed to let up a bit.

Moved 100 miles south, driving through more prairie and some broken hills. Found a small park at Bayard, Nebraska, setting up among the burros, where we will spend a few days exploring the sights. We have a nice view of Chimney Rock out the front window.

Took another drive through some grasslands, then ventured into the Pine Ridge area. This area poking up out of the prairie supports a beautiful forest of mostly Ponderosa Pine and ash trees. Wandered around on forest service roads until we finally found our way out.

Arrived here just in time for the first overnight frost of the season (brrr!). Drove some backroads of the Oglala National Grassland. Miles and miles and acres and acres of rolling grasslands - amazing! Supposed to be all kinds of wildlife, but we only found a few birds and a couple of rabbits. Visited Toadstool, an area of badlands known for its weird rock formations. Hard sandstone rock is left balancing on softer clay soil as it erodes, leaving formations that look like toadstools, big and small. The area is also known for its fossils - remains of giant wild pigs, a type of rhino, and giant ducks. We even found a fossilized bone embedded in a rock. There are supposedly footprint impressions in some of the rock surfaces, but we couldn't spot them.

Traveled southeast (with a good strong tailwind), through miles and miles of national grassland. Found a little RV park in Chadron, Nebraska to spend a few days.

Met Frank's brother Chuck and wife Lynda for lunch at Olive Garden. They just sold their house in Newcastle, WA, and are here establishing South Dakota residency. They are now real full-timers and are looking at a bigger motorhome. We then drove east 50 miles to Wall, SD, to visit the world famous Wall Drug Store. This place has quite a history. A pharmacist from the east bought the drugstore in the early 1900's and moved his family there in the middle of nowhere. They had just about given up hope of making a go of it when his wife came up with a new idea. Taking a lead from Burma Shave, they posted signs along the highway advertising free ice water from their well and the hot, dry tourists began stopping on their way to Mount Rushmore. There was so much business, they began adding space and goods, including a cafe. Today it is one of the largest tourist trap gift shops I have seen. They have all kinds of western art, leather goods, and the usual knik-knaks (saw no drug store). There are neat murals on the outside, and several displays inside. The store is really a small mall with all the shops interconnected. Somehow, we avoided any purchases (except an ice cream cone for Jen).

Jen a bit under the weather, so Frank returned to see more of Custer State Park. Found a pretty mountain lake and a viewpoint with yet another view of Mount Rushmore. Went up the highest lookout tower, where one can see forever. Picked out the Crazy Horse memorial, Mount Rushmore, Cathedral Rocks, Elsworth Airforce Base, and the Badlands. They were all too far away for pics, but viewable with binoculars. Drove their wildlife loop road, looking for more critters. Found their buffalo corrals, where they are getting ready for the annual roundup, and part of their large herd of bison. Found a town of prairie dogs, as well as the ever-present pronghorn and deer. Still have not seen a bighorn sheep.

After a warm, sunny week, we watched the weather change quickly. The storm clouds moved in and the temps dropped about 30 degrees, so we sat around for a few days of cold, windy, rainy weather. Improved today, so we took a drive on the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, which "spirals through the rocky crags of Black Hills National Forest, Custer State Park, and Mount Rushmore National Memorial, defying imagination and providing access to some of the most beautiful landscapes in South Dakota". The rocky crags included the Eye of the Needle, Cathedral Rocks, and narrow, one-lane tunnels cut through for the road. One portion of the road was specifically designed with 3 of these tunnels positioned to frame Mount Rushmore in the distance (hard to see in the pic, but an amazing sight when entering the tunnels). Other points on the road also provided neat long-distant views of Mount Rushmore. We were watching out for some different wildlife, but only found a lone bison sleeping alongside the road, some young pronghorn in the distance, and some very curious mules guarding the road. We did see some very interesting cloud formations left over from the storm.

Bullett was due for a booster shot, so we took him to a vet in Rapid City. Strolled around historic downtown for a bit, seeing some old buildings, like the Alex Johnson hotel (circa 1927). The city is working on erecting life-sized statues of the presidents on their street corners, like this one of Ronald Reagan. Discovered Cabela's, a huge outdoor outfitting store, with a large collection of everything for camping, hunting, fishing, etc. It is a neat store, with a statue of a bison in the parking lot, and a great indoor display of all kinds of animals, big and small. They also have a small cafe, where we picked up something for dinner. Jen got a salad, while Frank tried a wild boar sandwich. Both were excellent. Might have to go back to try the elk sandwich.

Took one of the scenic loop drives through the Black Hills, winding roads through hillsides of pine forest. The route took us around Mount Rushmore, showing us a great profile of Washington. Found some beautiful mountain lakes, and even encountered some mountain goats grazing at the side of the road.

Drove up to see Mount Rushmore. Really an amazing sight to see up close and personal. Also toured the sculptor's studio, with a great view of his project. We may return some evening to sit in the amphitheater to view the program and light show.

It poured hard after we were parked yesterday - glad we didn't keep going! Nice day, though windy, for a short drive to our RPI park just south of Rapid City, South Dakota. Will be here a week or two, as there is a lot to see in the Black Hills area.

After a day of staying inside and watching it rain, we headed south through thousands of acres of ranches and farms. Found a little RV park on a river in Belle Fourche, South Dakota to spend the night. Still raining, so guess we'll watch the Huskies and Mariners this evening.

Started early on the 36-mile loop drive in the park, hoping to see more wildlife. Found several colonies of prairie dogs, some rather large. Saw bison and deer alongside the road. Came upon small herds of feral horses wandering around and grazing. Spied a few scattered elk, but too far away for pics. Also saw some great views of the badlands, and closeups of some of the different rock shapes left by the erosion. Really a vast, broken country with it's own beauty.

Went grocery shopping in Dickinson this morning. Stopped on the way back to visit the Painted Canyon visitor center at the east end of the park. Had a great view of a badlands canyon, showing the rugged and colorful results from erosion of the loosely cemented clays and sandstone.

Stormy weather has made for some nice sunrises. Headed south, across the Missouri River and back into mountain time. Passed through more of the vast farmland, then into some more rugged countryside, ending up at the south unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We are camping inside the park for a few days, with no hookups at all (but only $5 per night). We haven't dry camped for more than one day before, so spending a few days here while we explore the area will be a new experience.

Took a drive through the north unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This is situated in vast grasslands, with interesting rock formations caused by erosion of the softer layers. The road ends at an overlook, giving a great view of the oxbow-shaped curves of the Little Missouri River. There are bighorn sheep, pronghorns, bobcats, coyotes, porcupines, and other wildlife living in the park. All we managed to see were bison (hard to miss since they were "guarding" the road). We had Bullett with us again, so could not get on the trails to find more wildlife. Probably just as well, since it was in the mid-90's and there is not much shade available.

Watched the full moon appear last night, and saw the sunrise this morning. After wrestling Jen's clothes away from Bullett, we headed east on US Highway 2 again, running into a few more hills as we approached the big rivers. Having been warned of some horrendous construction conditions at the east end of the state, we did a 50-mile detour to avoid it. Turned south at Culbertson, MT; crossed over the Missouri River; looped through Sidney and Fairview, MT; then turned east into Idaho (and central time) and across the Yellowstone River. Caught US Highway 85 back north to a little RV park at Williston, North Dakota. It is a little run down, but is inexpensive and has what we need to while away the long weekend and see the area.

Moved further east on US highway 2, following the Milk River through more farms and ranches. Stopped at a small park in Malta for a break. Ended up in Glasgow, Montana, about where the Milk River dumps into the headwaters of the Missouri River. Found a decent RV park for the night that is part of a nice motel. We can use the motel pool, restaurant, and lounge.

Headed out early this morning, since we were traveling farther than usual. Left in time for sunrise (in our eyes) and wildlife rush hour. Fortunately the sun stayed behind the hills for the most part, and the only animal we saw had already been crunched. Continued east on US highway 2 (Lewis and Clark trail), out of the mountains and into rolling hills of farms and ranches, punctuated by small towns along the highway. Found an RV park by a casino in Havre, Montana. We are not impressed with this park (crummy setup and overpriced), but it will do for one night.

Jen didn't feel like going out, so Frank returned to the park to find a hike. Hiked in to Avalanche Lake (2 miles in and 500 feet up), following Avalance Creek, past some beautiful rapids and waterfalls. Found a gorgeous mountain lake, fed by streams falling from the surrounding cliffs. Saw some more squirrels, but no sign of mountain goats, bighorn sheep, or grizzly bears. I'm not sure they exist!

Took a drive to Whitefish to pick up some prescriptions. Historic old town, surrounded by a lot of new businesses and homes - growing area. Found their city beach on Whitefish Lake.

Got an early start to travel the "Going To The Sun Road" across the park. Started at the Lake McDonald Lodge, which would probably be a neat place to stay. Traveled on up to Logan Pass and down the other side, about a 50-mile drive which took most of the day. We saw plenty of mountains, rushing streams, mountain lakes, and fields of wildflowers. Got a good view of what is left of Jackson Glacier, the last glacier in the park. It is 25% the size it was in 1850, and is predicted to be gone by the year 2030. We couldn't get out on any trails, as we had Bullett tagging along (evidence of 2003 wildfire in background). The only wildlife we saw were birds and squirrels, so we may return without the dog and do some hiking. Should be able to see mountain goats, bighorn sheep, grizzly bears (not too close, we hope), black bears, marmots, and deer. This is another jewel in the national park system.

Ventured through West Glacier, which essentially is the west entrance to Glacier National Park, and into the park itself. Managed to visit all four gift shops at this location (hopefully we are done with that), and enjoyed a huckleberry ice cream cone down by Lake McDonald. Got the maps and info for future visits.

Headed further east on US highway 2, through more hills, forests, lakes, and rivers - a really beautiful area. Checked into the KOA at West Glacier, Montana, for a week of sightseeing in the Glacier National Park area.

Continued east, across the Idaho panhandle, and into Montana and mountain time. Drove through some beautiful country, following the Kootenai River. Stopped at a little RV park in Libby, Montana for the night, parked in the apple trees.

Took a drive through Spokane, then east into Idaho on the back roads, through farm and ranch country. Headed north, with a stop at the Albeni Falls Dam. Went on north to see the Priest Lake area. Beautiful scenery, full of pine and spruce trees and lots of birds.

Continued east on US Highway 2, finding our Thousand Trails park near Newport, Washington. We will relax for few days before exiting the Evergreen State and heading over the Rockies.

Ventured into the Bavarian-themed town of Leavenworth this morning. Wandered around admiring the flowers and murals and, of course, a few of the many shops (Frank and Bullett remained outside). Strolled down to the park on the Wenatchee River, but had on the wrong footwear to wander the trails. When it hit the mid 90's around noon, even Jen was ready to quit, so after some ice cream for lunch, we came back to the RV to crash.

Doesn't seem like we have been here 4 months already, but it's time to depart. Headed east on US Highway 2 over Stevens Pass, and settled into our Thousand Trails park near Leavenworth, Washington for a few days. Less than 100 miles today, just to be sure we remembered how.

Jen decided we needed to do something with the front corner of our site. After purchasing a stack of bricks, we spent several days clearing out junk, building a wall around the area, and put in topsoil and a few plants, ending up with a nice little garden. When all done, of course, a little rest was in order.

Enjoyed a nice family gathering (18 people, 3 dogs) at our campsite for Father's Day. There was too much food, including BBQ by the resident chef. Click here to view more pics.

Attended the wedding of Mary (niece) and Jared, held at the old historic Hollywood Schoolhouse in Woodinville. It was a beautiful ceremony in a great setting. We enjoyed a nice buffet at the reception, followed, of course, with the wedding cake. The happy couple are off on a honeymoon cruise.

We bought a new lot in our camping club here - one with more sunlight and septic. Spent the last couple of weeks cleaning it up, and getting the motorhome settled in. Had a load of gravel dumped, then spent 2 long days spreading it around the lot. All set up now, except for getting all the stuff out of the old shed and getting the lot sold (to Bob and Terri next door).

After a week of clouds and rain, we got lucky with a nice Saturday to enjoy an outdoor first birthday party for our great granddaughter Paisley. We got to visit with friends and family we hadn't seen for a while. Paisley, of course, was showered with gifts. She was pleased with most, but not too sure about her rocking horse. Sunday was also great, as we enjoyed a gathering and barbeque for Mother's Day. Several generations were represented, including Frank's parents and, of course, 1-year-old Paisley, who really enjoys chocolate. Now, of course, we are into another rainy week.

After some relaxation time in a sparsely populated park, we headed on north past Mt. Rainier and toward Mt. Baker. Settled into our "home base" at Lake Stevens, Washington for at least half of the summer.

Headed north under the clouds, across the Columbia, and checked into our Thousand Trails park at Chehalis, Washington for a few days of relaxation.

The mountain was poking up above a layer of fog this morning as we fueled up. Continued north over the border and stopped at a nice RV park at Coburg, Oregon for the night.

Continued north, into the hills and over Lake Shasta, stopping at a little RV park at the base of Mt. Shasta. A nice little park in the woods with lots of birds and a small lake with ducks and turtles.

Continued north through farm country, including the "raisin capital of the world" and several almond orchards. Checked into our Lake Minden Thousand Trails park, at Nicolaus, California, for a week.

Moved northwest, into the farmlands, seeing lots of grapes and other stuff growing - not a lot of unused farmland. Stopped at a little RV park on Kings River at Kingsburg, California, for the night.

Drove over to Apple Valley, seeing some fresh snow on the mountains. Spent most of the day visiting Frank's aunt and cousin in their nice home on the golf course. It was a nice visit - we hadn't seen cousin Laynie in about 30 years.

Continued west into the foothills, finding our Thousand Trails park in Acton, California. Settled into a nice site with a view of the surrounding hills, fortunately before the rain and hail appeared.

Moved on west, across the Colorado River and into the Mojave Desert. Stopped at a little RV park in Daggett, California, perched on the side of a mountain, where they have ducks in the pond, as well as in the pool.

Climbed up I-17 toward Flagstaff, where there was snow on the mountains, then headed west, where we even spotted snow along the highway. Stopped at our favorite RV park in Kingman, Arizona for the night.

Back on the road again! Traveled northwest, climbing out of the Valley of the Sun and descending into Verde Valley. Pulled into our Thousand Trails park at Cottonwood, Arizona, where we plan to spend a week.

Joined Carl and Eileen for a trip to the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson. We saw all kinds of animals, big and small, as well as weird birds and pretty flowers. Enjoyed a very enjoyable morning, followed by a good lunch at Over the Border (good mexican restaurant). Then said goodbye to Carl and Eileen for the season, as we will spend tomorrow packing up to head north on Wednesday.

This day's blog has mysteriously disappeared. This was during the week that Raymond and Irene (Texas), Rick and Kay (Texas), and Stan and Carla (Washington) were all here. Along with Carl and Eileen (Tucson via Washington), we all got together for a meal, filling the local Chinese restaurant from one end to the other.

Spring seems to have arrived here at Desert Trails, with the appearance of some early blooms and a few reptiles, including what we believe is a gopher snake. Visited Catalina State Park north of Tucson. Of course, Jen had to do some shopping on the way, so we got to the park around 12:30. This was the wrong time of day to see much in the way of wildlife, but it was about the time the 2 busloads of kids was leaving (silver lining?). The park is in the Catalina Foothills, so we were up close and personal with the mountains. We had our own 4-legged critter with us, so we just walked a couple of the shorter loop trails. We did see a few more early flowers, along with a very few birds out in the heat of the day. We also saw a few reptiles scurrying around, including this Regal Horned Lizard. We will have to return, earlier in the day and without the dog, and try some of the longer trails up into the Bighorn Sheep area. Click here for more of our Catalina State Park pictures.

Joined Carl & Eileen for a visit to Tohono Chul Park, a botanical garden in northeast Tucson. This is a nice park with winding trails through the desert, displaying strange colored rocks, weird cacti, artistic displays, a few critters, and even the beginning of the spring blooms. Stopped in at their tea room for a great lunch, then the gals had to peruse all three gift shops. Retired to their place to relax with strawberry shortcake. Click here for more of our Tohono Chula Park pictures.

Visited the Sonoran Desert Museum with Carl and Eileen. Started at the coffee shop, where we shared our breakfast with a local cardinal. Spent the day fighting through about 300 kids from Chandler that had bussed down for a field trip (bad timing!). Still enjoyed the museum, with all its flora and fauna, including bees at work, Desert Bighorn Sheep, various reptiles, a cactus shaped like a giraffe, and including a lunch break at the museum grill. Stopped by Papa Murphy's on the way back, retiring to Carl & Eileen's for pizza, card games, and relaxing conversation. Click here for more of our desert museum pictures.

Had a nice dinner at Carl & Eileen's, then we all went downtown to the Tucson Music Hall to see the play Grease. A great show - those actors/singers are pretty talented. Returned to Carl & Eileen's for some strawberry shortcake to top off a great evening.

Drove down to Tubac with Carl and Eileen, on the occasion of their 43rd wedding anniversary. The gals shopped and shopped, while the guys drank Mexican hot chocolate and wandered around after them. Enjoyed a great lunch at one of the restaurants and a soft ice cream cone in the sunshine. Returned to their pad for games and dinner to wind up another great day in our winter paradise.

Visited the Pima Air and Space Museum with Carl and Eileen. They have over 140 aircraft of all kinds, from the Bumble Bee, which was built specifically to set a record for smallness, to the Blackhawk (once secret stealth bomber), to the Super Guppy, used to carry large items. We were able to walk through an old Air Force One used by Kennedy and Johnson (today's 747s are more plush). One building was devoted to the famous B17 Flying Fortress and the crews that flew them in WWII - very educational. Another building housed exhibits about space exploration, from a piece of moon rock to models of various designs for shuttle craft. We took the tram tour, with a great guide (former fighter pilot and airline captain) who really knew his stuff. That gave a great overview of the aircraft, but one could spend many hours on foot seeing all the displays and reading all the descriptions. We stopped on the way home at the San Xavier Mission to get pictures while the scaffolding was absent. They have just finished refurbishing one side and are ready to start on the other. The work takes many years as it is all done by volunteer labor.

Joined the photography group in a trip to Madera Canyon in the Coronado National Forest, about 35 miles south. Beautiful area in the Santa Rita Mountains, mostly in a forest of Oak and Juniper. We followed the nature trail running along Madera Creek, looking for photo-ops. We heard lots of birds, and managed to get a few pics, including this woodpecker way up high. We caught the moon appearing over the top of the canyon wall. We even got a shot back out the mouth of the canyon, showing Green Valley and Tucson. This is a great area with many other hiking trails, so we will probably be returning in the future.

As we sit here listening to the rain, we though we should get caught up with the journal we have been ignoring. We enjoyed a nice Thanksgiving at Carl and Eileen's, with a group of friends and plenty of good food. Jen drove over to Palm Springs for a few days to visit her ailing Aunt Roxy. She also visited Peter and Marlene, fellow full-timers we met back east and who are spending the winter in SoCal. Seems like most of December was a blur, as people were under the weather, and we didn't do much of anything. Frank did get up to Marana (Jen was ill) for a visit with Gary and Shannon (Frank and Gary worked together for many years). Got to see their great new house, enjoyed a delicious dinner of BBQ ribs, and got caught up. Got back together at Carl and Eileen's for New Years, watching some bowl games and enjoying a good meal. Eileen and Jen and a couple of other friends did get to the quilt show, while the guys stayed home with Carl, watched movies, and enjoyed some A&W for lunch. Then we all had pizza when the gals got back. It has been a strange winter so far, but hopefully we can all stay healthy now.