Saturday 30 June 2012

Newsletter 2 - June, 2012


USA / Canada, Newsletter 2 - June, 2012

Four Corners Monument, the only place in USA where the borders of four states meet (Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico) is part of the Colorado Uplift. 
Four Corners - Four states
It is in the Navajo reservation, as was the spectacular Monument Valley (in Arizona), made famous by John Wayne, who starred in many of his movies there. 
Monument Valley
Through time, mesas, buttes and spires now form wondrous, natural structures and are continually being eroded by wind and water. At over 5,000 ft we were able to enter the park and drive a loop of 17 miles on rough gravel road, stopping to take photos of the red rock monuments against a “so blue” sky.
Monument Valley
Mesa Verde, just out of Cortez in Colorado, was another National Park. We drove to 6000 feet onto a plateau and were able to do a guided tour climbing down (via steps and ladders) into canyons where earlier, inhabitants had built homes in overhanging rock ledges. 
Down into the Canyon
The ledges were carefully chosen as they took advantage of the sun, warmed in winter and in shade for summer, and protected from rain. 
Mesa Verde dwellings
So these mud brick structures have lasted for over 800 yrs.
Standing around the kiva (sacred place)
And now we turned east heading towards Bryce Canyon. The landscape continually changed as “young” sandstone mountains had different forms depending on the original colour and fineness of the sand, and the erosion of the area. 
Unusual rock strata near Mexican Hat
Near the Natural Bridges the land looked fairly flat but had deep canyons criss-crossing it. 
Natural Bridges National Park
The Colorado River crossing had sheer cliffs descending into the river and we could not stop our “ohs and ahs”.
Natural Bridge - spectacular
By-Way 12 road was built as part of the CCC (Civilian Construction Corps) scheme initiated by the Gov during the depression. It connected farming villages, many settled by Mormons in this area, whose families had fled from persecution in Europe. 
Along the CCC Road,  By-Way 12
After seeing bare rock formations and uplifts for many miles the road went up over a 9600 ft pass where green grass and pines were growing. The road continued through more rocky canyons and there must have been unbelievable amounts of dynamite used to construct the road. 
Navajo Dome
 It was so spectacularly scenic and the colours of the sandstone went from greys to yellows, oranges and red.
Nothing could have prepared us for the erosion that formed Bryce Canyon. The National Parks road goes along the rim but you don’t see anything except bush and pines until you get out of the car and walk to the many lookouts. 
Bryce Canyon's Hoo-Doos
Once again depending on the “hardness” of the sandstone, what was left were huge spires or “hoo-doos”. 

Walking trails through Bryce Canyon
We walked for three hours into the valley which gave us a different perspective looking up at them, taking our time as we were still over 7500ft and found the walking a bit huffy and puffy.
Down in the Canyon amongst the hoo-doos
The next day, and only about 50 miles away, Zion NP was very different again. The Virgin River had cut a canyon over time where sheer cliffs of 2000ft lined the valley. 
Virgin River through Zion National Park
Shuttle buses take you deeper into the canyon where you can go on long or short hikes to view Weeping Rock, The Grotto or many other sites. 
Water seeping through the sandstone at Weeping Rock
At 7000ft, the road in from the east, also built by the CCC in 1930’s, wound between huge rock formations and at the head of the canyon a one mile tunnel was made through the mountain. Then the road with about eight hairpin bends, took us to the valley floor. WOW!!
Road from Tunnel exit into Zion Valley
And so back to Las Vegas to return the car and catch up on the shows we didn’t have time to see the fortnight before. The Titanic exhibition at The Luxor was really well done with lots of “things” recovered, reconstructions of cabins, the grand staircase, and stories, sad but true. Even a large piece of the ship’s outer wall was on display. 
Luxor at night
The best thing that day was getting tickets to see the Illusionist, David Copperfield (who wasn’t performing when we were last here). The show was better than we’d hoped and made even more special when Jen was able to go up on stage and be part of the illusion when a car appeared from under the large sheet. We still don’t know how 12 people on stage could be contained in a huge box and then appear at the back of the audience some minutes later.
Big Girls' Toys
So we said goodbye to Las Vegas and flew to San Antonio to meet Ross and Bev, who have lived on and off in North America for many years. He is the brother of our good friend Toni from Yass.
Everything's BIG in Texas
 We had a wonderful time with them, visiting the Alamo, doing the red double decker city bus trip, having lunch and a boat ride along the river walk, and meeting American friends of theirs in their homes. 
The Alamo
It was 95-100F each day so would come back to the air conditioned house each afternoon. 
Boating along the river in San Antonio
Ross suggested we try setting up a blog as it would be easier to add to and the photos are there to see. So we hope you are finding it better.
Lunching at one of the many restaurants along the river walk
We also visited San Jose, a Spanish Mission from 1700’s that has been restored and was made very interesting by the guide’s stories.
San Jose Mission
 To get a taste of motor homes we visited a few RV saleyards further out of town but there were not many to choose from. So we hired a car for the week, said goodbye to Bev and Ross, and headed for Houston.
Lunch on the River Walk with Ross, Bev and Julie
We looked carefully for two days and finally decided. We originally thought a 24 ft van would be adequate but quickly realised we’d have to go a bit longer. 
Our RV in the Parking Lot
Many RV’s on the road are as big as buses towing small cars, so we feel we’re in a medium to small RV range. Ours is a 28ft, 2004 model (48,500 miles on the clock), on a Ford F450 V10 “gas guzzler”, but at between 85 and 90c a litre it’s not too bad. 
The Dinette (slides out about 70 cms)
It has a “slide out” of the dinette which gives a little more room in the kitchen area. 
The Kitchen
We think the previous owners had not used the stove, oven or microwave – probably ate out while on holidays as it’s so cheap here, and there’s barely a scratch on it. The bathroom has a shower, toilet and washbasin, and the bedroom has small hanging cupboards with a queen bed. It has just a “little” more room than the Kimberley.
The Bedroom
While waiting to settle on the van we stayed with (Jenny and George), sister and brother in law of Vicki (whom I worked with at Rye Park School) and enjoyed their lovely home and meeting their friends. 
Saturn V Rocket at NASA
We visited NASA and Brazos Bend State Park to see the crocodiles in the swamps and the many birds. 
Scaredy 'Gator at Brazos Bend State Park
Did an overnight trip to Dallas to go to the JFK Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, 
Texas School Book Depository- now JFK Sixth Floor Museum
and paused on the Grassy Knoll and wondered!
The Snipers View - note that x marks the spot

The Grassy Knoll
Did a quick visit to the Capital of Texas, Austin. We walked along the river bank in the Botanical Gardens and took photos of the city before heading back to Houston to pick up the RV.
Austin, the capital of Texas from the Botanical Gardens
It’s taken a couple of trips to Walmart, Home Base and K Mart to set the RV up. 
George, Jen and Jenny
Said goodbye to Jenny and George and we then headed off to New Orleans but that will be in the next installment.
Best Wishes,
Jen and Garry xox

Sunday 17 June 2012


USA / Canada, Newsletter 1 - June, 2012

A good flight (we were both able to stretch out over three seats and sleep some hours) and we landed in Los Angeles to a warm sunny day. Took a shuttle to Hollywood and after checking in we walked and walked to help the jet lag. A good night’s sleep and we caught the metro to Universal Studios. 
Jen and Garry - Universal Studios
It wasn’t very busy and we did the “backblocks” tram ride and most of the “adventures”. James and crew from Channel 7 were filming for the weekend show and I was surprised to see kangaroo paw and bottle brush in the streets along with all the tall palms.
James from Channel 7
Central LA is easy accessed by Metro (25c for seniors), and we walked the streets for a few hours admiring the BIG buildings – not just high but taking up a whole block, huge theatres and cultural centres. The Walt Disney Concert Hall looked more like a Guggenheim Building, 
Walt Disney Concert Hall
and the RC Cathedral, Our Lady of the Angels, completed in 2002 was a modern but beautiful building. 
Los Angeles, R C Cathedral

How about the one with the wrap around for decoration?

Walkway going nowhere?
To eat out can at first be tricky. We had to learn to look at the prices, add about 8-10% for tax and then another 10-15% tip. It’s good to have lots of 5 and 1 dollar bills in your wallet. But generally the food is good and reasonable. Most orders come “full” and “half servings”, and we find “halfs” are plenty.
We bussed to Las Vegas and badly chose a long weekend;
"The Strip" - Las Vegas
 however we enjoyed the opulence and grandeur of the place, and visited Paris, Venice, 
Venetian Casino
ancient Rome and Camelot all over four days. 
Excalibur Casino
We had lessons at the Apple store for the new iPad, went to shows – Bill Cosby, 

a Girly revue and the brilliant, classy Human Nature, and didn’t even put a dollar into a slot machine. The casinos are not smoke free so we tended to avoid them. We were fascinated with the spiral escalator at Caesars, 
Spiral Escalator
and the beach complete with wave pool, at Mandalay Bay.
Beach and Wave Pool
When our hire car wasn’t ready for us they gave Garry an almost new Mustang for the morning to try out his RHS driving skills. 
The Mustang for the Day
We did some shopping, bought a Sat Nav at Walmart for $180 and other bits and pieces, and went back in the arvo to pick up a little Jeep. We had decided to take a fortnight and “do” the Canyon lands, central Arizona, and north into Utah.

Hoover Dam, Nevada
So we set off and explored the new arched bridge over the Hoover Dam 
New Road Bridge
and made Kingman later that evening. We thought it was a small town as we’d taken a room in the first motel with a vacancy, so the next morning when we went to the Visitors centre 
Kingman, Nevada
and discovered we were in the old town and it was really a big town of 40,000+ (most of the houses were in the next valley) we had to stay 2 nights. The West Rim of the Grand Canyon, with the Skywalk
Grand Canyon Skywalk, West Rim
was north of Kingman so by the time we did that and the Route 66 Museum the day was gone. Andy Devine was a son of Kingman, a “B actor” with John Wayne so there was a whole section about him. The town’s other claim to fame was that Clark Gable and Carole Lombard came from Hollywood one weekend in 1939 to be married in the little Methodist church to avoid the paparazzi. 
Kingman Methodist Church
Mary Beth was the guide for the 1915 Bonelli House, built by one of Kingman’s wealthy storekeepers, and she told us. For the rest of the house tour she barely drew breath – her enthusiasm really added to the interest of the mansion.
Bonelli House - Kingman
So we were on Route 66 for quite a distance along with a group of bikies from Germany. The desert was dry and the temperatures were going up by the day. 
Route 66 Memorabilia
There were lots of places of interest to stop for ice cream and malts – many with “30’s+ memorabilia”. 
On Route 66
 Before we made Flagstaff we turned south to Prescott. Didn’t know anything about the place but did the town walk with a local volunteer the next morning and learnt lots. It was a town built on mining from 1860’s. Whiskey Row was the centre of town and when three and a half blocks burnt down in 1901 the 75 foot long bar of the Palace hotel was carried out to the park (and saved). Wyatt Earp and his brothers used to drink here. 
The bar at the Palace Hotel
There were some philanthropists of the time too and a library, opera house (that is beautifully restored) and other public buildings were built for the town. 
Prescott County Court House
Our guide, Mike, a Rotarian remembered a Group Study Exchange some years ago with Kirsty from Yass.
So next day we headed east via numerous switchbacks (hairpin bends), over the Black Hills. We paused in the 100 degrees F to look over the small hillside mining town of Jerome before going down into the valley where we stayed at the Little Daisy Motel in Cottonwood. Nearby at Nic’s Cowboy Cafe we had a half serve of ribs with baked potato (sour cream of course) and brochelli. No room for sweets!!
Cactus
 Fort Verde straightened us out as to what the forts in 1870’s were really like. 
Fort Verde Parade Grounds
Alas John Wayne’s (director’s) interpretation, leaves a lot to be questioned.
Information board at Fort Verde
Montezuma’s Castle, originally presumed to be of Aztec Heritage (thus the name), stands in a cliff recess 100 feet above the valley. With a reliable source of water and fertile land, Sinagua Farmers began building the five storey dwelling in the 1100’s. 
Montezuma's Castle, Cliff Dwellings
Standing above the nearby well (a limestone sinkhole formed by the collapse of the underground cavern), we saw a mother Grey Fox calling her three young to follow. It was good to see some wildlife.
We reached Sedona (at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon) in the early afternoon – what a picturesque city surrounded by huge red rock monoliths, each with their own name. 
Sedona from the Airport Road
We found a wonderful photographic area at Red Rock Crossing (of Oak Creek) and in the afternoon sun the Cathedral Rocks looked so beautiful. It’s obviously a favourite holiday place in Arizona – so many activities are catered for.
Red Rock Crossing, Sedona
So the next morning we went up again to the lookout to get photos in the morning sun.
Oak Creek Canyon was total natural beauty, steep canyon walls, the creek tumbling over rocks and rapids, cool and green and the road winding with the creek. At the end we climbed out of the valley (over 3000 feet) up a series of switchbacks that we were able to look down onto from the lookout, at the top. Ah, so lovely! We just had to move on to Flagstaff.
The lady at the tourist information centre suggested a trip to Sunset Crater. 
Lava Flow from Sunset Crater
We found rivers of lava, black and brittle as if the volcano had erupted in recent times, not 900 years ago, and acres and acres of cinders – unbelievable!!
Sunset Crater and cinder field
And so to the Grand Canyon. I booked a night at the Bright Angel Lodge. We’d stayed there 29 years ago so it was a bit of a nostalgic trip. 
Grand Canyon
The tripping from lookout to lookout is very well organised with shuttle buses so we just parked the car and never stopped taking photos. 
The Grand Canyon, Mohave Point
Over six million plus, visit each year. 
Colorado River in the Grand Canyon
The trip out, due east to Cameron offered two of the best views at Grandview Point and Desert View where you can look both north and west and have good views of the river. A Watchtower built in 1932 in Puebloan style can still be climbed four levels today for better views. 
The Watchtower looking North over the Grand Canyon
We could see a smoke haze above the horizon from the fires that were raging in the New Mexico forests.
So we’ve been here two weeks now and have another before handing the car back. Garry has been so attentive when we are returning to the car after sightseeing. He invariably walks to my side and opens the door for me before realising that’s not the side with the steering wheel!!
The Wildlife
Lots more to see in Canyon Country. We’re looking forward to some temperatures cooler than the high 30’s. Our best wishes until next time,          Jen and Garry xox