Albuquerque, Old Town and Costco

We moved on to Albuquerque and plan to spend the next 5 days seeing all the sights. Found a small, comfy campground tucked on the back side of Sandia Mountain that seems to be a good location. Set up camp and then drove into town to get a feel for the city and spent a few hours looking at all the southwest kitsh in the shops of Old Town. The old restored San Felipe de Niri church is the focal point of Old Town. Never get tired of seeing the mission churches.

Came across a Costco and decided we needed a few things. The "few items" turned into a basket full, as usual. And couldn't pass up dinner at the Costco food court. Got my fix of a jumbo hot dog and coke and finished it off with a chocolate yogurt. The best.

Acoma Sky City

Not far off I 40 the Acoma Indian Pueblo called "Sky Island" is easy to get to. You can see it high atop the mesa as you drive into the valley. It is suppose to be the oldest inhabited town anywhere in the US, perched high on a solitary butte with commanding 360 degree views. We stopped at the state of the art visitor center, bought a tour including a camera permit, and learned about the Acoma history amidst some amazing views from "up there." We took the bus up and then opted to walk down on a ancient trail that the tribe would have used to get off the mesa to their fields in the valley below, before there was a road. The Acoma pottery is distinctive and well known in the world of pottery.

The old Spanish mission dates from the days of Conquistadors and has been restored by the National Trust.

Buy, Sell, Trade

Went to Window Rock this morning. Not a lot to see there except. . .Window Rock. And a solemn memorial to the "Code Talkers" of WWII. These were Navajo soldiers who devised a communications code that the Japanese were never able to decode based on the Navajo language. There were the original 29 and then as many as 400 men who served as "code talkers."

All over Gallup, NM are "Buy, Sell, Trade" shops specializing in all manner of Indian made jewelry, rugs, kachinas, and native products. Took us a while to figure out this unusual economy but once we did, we had a good time looking/shopping/comparing. Even me who usually doesn't like to shop was hooked. It is a practice that goes back to early reservation days. Cash was hard to come by on the reservation and seldom available to the native people. As an alternative banking system the trader would purchase anything of value brought into the trading post by the Indians and issue a credit to purchase items in the trading post. Then there were times the Indians did not have items for trade as his sheep would not produce wool for a couple of months or crops didn't produce in the winter, or whatever, so a system of pawn developed that still exists today. Now add the tourists coming thru to buy handmade items and you have a thriving business.

El Morro and El Rancho

Not far south of Gallup is el Morro, a national monument known for the many historic inscriptions near the base of the mesa near a permanent water source plus an ancient pueblo ruin on top of the mesa. A trail takes you up to the top to view the 13th century ancestral village and then down to the base to try to decipher the myriad of inscriptions carved into the mesa wall. There are petroglyphs from ancestors of present day native peoples along side Spanish explorers of the 17th century, along side pioneers traveling West and railroad surveyors. Its quite a site, there are over 2000 messages carved into the soft rock and many of them are still highly readable.

The CCC actually chiseled stairs into the rock during the depression era to make a trail so you can get to the top. I don't know how the ancients got up there.

Can you see the date of 1736? It is in Spanish but very legible. The next picture is the oldest non native inscription from the 1600's. It predates the Pilgrims.

The El Rancho motel just has to be a time warp! It is located on old Route 66 and the exterior looks exactly as it did when it first opened in 1937. We compared pictures taken back then to present day and it just hasn't changed. The lobby is so cool, full of western memorabilia. The walls are lined with autographed photos of movie stars and famous people who have stayed here. A grand old hotel.

Gallup, New Mexico

The landscape changes pretty dramatically as you move into New Mexico and into Native American country. Gallup is about as Native American as one can think of. Makes you want to read another Tony Hillerman novel. I just finished one called, "Listening Woman" and as usual he writes with such a sense of place that I got the map out to trace the action in this Navajo country. (All of his mysteries take place in northeast Arizona/northwest New Mexico on the reservations.)

We went to Zuni Pueblo today and spent the afternoon learning about the Zuni culture, historically and today. We took a tour of the Pueblo and were so glad that we did as we would have missed so much if we had just walked around the village on our own. We would have thought that it was just a collection of old, run down buildings. Well, it is run down and economically depressed but we came away with a much better understanding of how these people see themselves. Proud people who have lived on this land since well before the Spanish Conquistadors discovered them in the 1600's. They still try to keep their old "ways" alive.
We visited a traditional bakery just as the gal was filling a huge outdoor traditional Zuni brick oven with about 80 loaves of bread dough. She explained the whole process and was so interesting. They build a huge fire inside this oven to heat it up and then pull all the ashes out (hot job) and wipe the floor with wet juniper broom (real fresh green juniper branch) and then put the loaves (in flat pans) directly on the oven floor and seal it up for about 30 minutes for the bread to bake. Sour dough is traditional. We bought a loaf and practically ate half the loaf in the car just plain. The crust was so crunchy from the brick oven. The oven was stones built up into a mound shape and then covered with a thick layer of mud/clay.
The main economy is selling the native crafts like jewelry and pottery to visitors like us and there were plenty of shops around to peruse. Photography is not encouraged in these Pueblos but I did get some pictures of Zuni dancers back in Gallup. Every evening at 7pm there are native dancers from various tribes entertaining tourists in the town square.

Western Grebe babies

Got up early this morning to do some birding and sight seeing at a couple of locations and ended up at Lyman Lake where we watched a family of Western Grebes with three babies riding on Mom's back. Looks like only two in the picture but there were actually three little guys getting a ride! Once in a while one would slide off and get onto Poppa's back for a while but then they would jump off and get back to Mom.

We could see the rain coming across the mesa so we scooted back to camp and sat under the awning and read our books while it gently rained. First real rain we have had on the trip. Warm showers like this one are very pleasant.

South Fork Campground

We moved closer to civilization although still in a National Forest campground. This one is on the South Fork of the Little Colorado River a few miles from Eager/Springerville, Arizona . Set up and then drove into town to find a laundromat and grocery store to catch up on household chores.
Its really an idyllic setting along a clear mountain stream. Still no hookups but interestingly enough we can connect to the internet via my Verizon phone. So here we are in the middle of the forest and no electricity but I can get emails.
Will said he had a nice Father’s Day. He got a phone message from Doug in Shanghai and an e-card from Steph in Japan and a hug from me. We even went into town for dinner out at a place called Booga Reds. He had a Fathers Day Special chicken and I had Mexican. Was a down-home kinda place full of local color—with a name like Booga Red—mounted deer heads on the wall and a plywood ceiling. I would recommend the food, it was good.
We came down to 7000 ft elevation so is noticeably warmer. Won’t need the wool blanket any longer.
The little town of Eager’s claim to fame is the 26 Bar Ranch which once belonged to the legendary John Wayne. Apparently he spent a good amount of time here. It is still a working cattle ranch but is now owned and operated by the Hopi Nation and is not open to the public.

Big Lake

We were hiking along a trail and I almost stepped on this little guy! Mom told him to stay put and he wasn't moving a muscle. Couldn't see anything of Mom but we were pretty sure she was close. I took the picture and got out of there as quickly as we could.

Rainbow Campground--Big Lake

4 days at Big Lake in the heart of Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. Sunny, crisp mornings—need the furnace on until the sun warms things up in the morning—but continues to be windy. 10 miles of rough, nasty gravel road to get here but the camp sites are very well done and we enjoyed the White Mountain area. We grumbled about the dirt road because we could have gotten here on a paved road but a Pinetop resident told us about this shorter route and assured us it was paved. Well, it was for about half of the way. Just can’t trust them locals!!
A short diversion on our Indian Springs hike took us to a Forest Service lookout tower. This one was built in the 30’s, some updates in the 60’s and still manned today 8-12 hours a day during fire season. The “fire technician” (that’s her job title) on duty told us all about her full time job while we took in the view. She goes home every night but the 10 x 10 (guessing) room was all set up with a cot, propane stove and fridge and solar telephone so someone could stay around the clock. I didn’t think they used these towers anymore but they do here!

Thompson trail along the Black River scored a definite 10 for back country beauty. Evening drives around the area produced lots of elk and deer sightings. We just didn’t get much canoe time in. Big Lake is a popular lake for fisherman. Fishing must be good. We saw several stringers of trout being taken out!

Hiking adventure

Looking at you, looking at me looking at you. . .

Finally got to canoe this lake. Had to get up early, early before the winds came up for the day but it was a beautiful time on the water. We went back out just as the sun was going down for an equally awesome paddle.
We had a real lesson in wilderness skills this morning. We decided to do a short hike into the national forest on a well marked trail. Got ourselves mixed up and we were not where we thought we were! Somehow we looped around on the trail and headed back on the same trail—and did not know we were on the same trail. Things look different from the opposite direction! After we had hiked about two hours we decided to “turn around” and hike back. At this point we were within a ½ mile of the trailhead and didn’t recognize it. So now we are hiking the same trail again (third time) until we reached the point where we first got mixed up (are you following me?) Only this time Will is beginning to suspect that something is not right-- beginning to recognize things that looked familiar. We came upon the strange little loop in the trail that sent us backwards and we finally caught on that something was wrong. It was very disorienting and a little sobering to think how easily we got turned around. We had a good map and the trail was well marked with metal markers on the trees, but of course those markers did not indicate which direction, just that we were on a designated trail. Gotta pay attention—or start leaving bread crumbs!
Tomorrow we are moving to Big Lake in the interior of Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest at 9000 feet. No hookups there so will be dry camping for a few days. Don’t expect to have a cell phone signal so probably won’t be posting to this blog.

Fool Hollow

Fool Hollow Lake is certainly a pleasant place to be. The sun has been shining but unfortunately the wind has been blowing like crazy so we have not been able to put our canoe in the water! We have found other things to do--hiked a national forest trail yesterday, drove to White River and toured the historic Fort Apache, checked out some old Zuni ruins. Maybe tomorrow.

Oriole at my feeder

I broke my binoculars today. What a bum deal. Went to get up from the picnic table and hooked the strap with my arm and sent them flying onto the concrete! Now I see a distinctive double image when I try to focus. Can you believe it--second day out and I definitely put a hitch in any birdwatching!
However, binoculars weren't necessary to watch this Bullocks Oriole figure out how to get a tasty snack from my little hummingbird feeder. Think he's done it before!

White Mountains of Arizona

Today's the day. We're on our way, call us gone for the summer!

First good view of the day was the Salt River Canyon on our way the the White Mountains of Arizona.

We're all set up at Fool Hollow State Recreation Area outside of Show Low. Just a nice spot to spend a few days, do a little canoeing, or biking, or hiking--all things outdoors. Does he look relaxed yet?

Will has been busy. He finished a lamp shade for the living room. It is very nice--simple, classic, two colors of glass, a beautiful blue that doesn't really show on the picture and cream.

I finished the last of the tiles in my kitchen and installed them in a niche in the half wall between kitchen and living room. I used the same pattern--slight modifications-- that Will used for a stained glass window so tied the rooms together nicely.

Here is a funky little tea pot, too.

Blooming cactus and orchids

I do enjoy taking pictures and playing with my camera and I especially enjoy taking photos of flowers. My neighbor's saguaro continues to be a wonderful subject! Everyday the show changes. Getting close to the end now so that the bright red fruits will show up next. But we'll miss 'em as we are loading the RV to leave town this week. Just a few last minute things to take care of before we are free to leave.

Orchids are really hard to capture an interesting picture--there seems to be so much "air," there is no good angle to get the whole thing and I keep losing the depth. This is a special cactus. I rescued it about 5 years ago. Steph was about to throw it out as it was looking pretty sad. Well, I took it home and promptly neglected it some more so it looked even worse! This year the stars must have been aligned right as I got it to bloom again! Bet you want it back, Steph--nope, can't have it!!

Same orchid--camera angle changed the colors.

Tucson Toros

Summer baseball has begun in Tucson. We went down to Hi-Corbett field last night to watch the Tucson Toros play the Edmonton Capitols. It was a small crowd but they could make a lot of noise when (twice) the home Toros shortened a couple of innings with a double play! Unfortunately it was not enough because they lost to the Canadians but was a really fun thing to do on a perfect summer evening! Apparently the Toros were historically a Triple A minor league baseball team based here with a winning record, but they all went away in 1997. Now they are back as a professional team in the independent Golden Baseball League. $5 gets you a great general admission seat, and lots of fun promotionals going on thru the summer. We would definitely come back--if we were around this summer.