Newsletter 14 - October 2013

Newsletter 14

So with everything organised to sell our RV, and a car to take us to Los Angeles, we headed west. 

Goodbye "Connie" Check her out on PPLmotorhomes.com

A quick visit to Bev and Ross in San Antonio 

Bev & Ross in San Antonio

and then across the dessert through the oil drilling areas to Wink. And what might you say, would make us go to this very small town of Wink, (off the main tourist route in very western Texas?) Why?..... The Roy Orbison Museum of course! 

Roy Orbison Museum, Wink Texas

He was not born here but his family came when he was young and his father worked in the oil business. So he did his schooling here, formed his first band and decided he was not going to go into the oil business and get his hands hurt. The rest is history. 

The glasses that Garry is wearing are the ones that Roy wore at his last concert.  Barbara Orbison donated them to the museum.

The museum is small and could do with a big injection of funds but it has lots of memorabilia and character.

The Big O - memorabilia

Roswell is over the border in New Mexico. In July 1947, something happened northwest of Roswell, during a thunderstorm. Was it a flying saucer? Was it a weather balloon?

International UFO Museum, Roswell

Mack Brazel, who’d been out checking on his sheep the next morning noticed a wide area with debris scattered across it. He showed neighbours, who suggested it might be part of a UFO as there had been recent sightings, and he should show the Sherriff.

Is it a bird, is it a plane...?

Some days later he took parts of the debris to town. The military were informed – they sealed off the area and the day after the newspapers had reported the UFO, a “new” report and photo of a weather balloon was published.

Someones idea of what the "visitors" might have looked like.

The museum(another local one that doesn’t get government money), shows the story step by step and the government cover up is quite obvious, even down to Brazel driving a new car some weeks later when his neighbour said he never had two nickels to rub together.

After being silenced for 30 years investigations revealed lots of “cover up” including a curious call to the local mortician from the Air Force morgue trying to get hold of some small hermetically sealed coffins and advice on preserving bodies that had been exposed to the elements for a few days.

Well it was all very interesting and you are left to conclude what really happened. 

The town really plays on the advertising and it is good for business.

Out in the street the shops and town generally like to play on “little green men”. So if you’re a UFO fan, check out the stories on the internet.

Mexican aliens

...even Maccas

Further west, the pretty, small hamlet of Lincoln, belies its violent past. It is considered to be the most authentic Wild West town remaining in USA. 

Lincoln Mainstreet

However, when John Tunstall, Alexander McSween and John Chisum saw an opportunity to open a large mercantile store and bank that rivalled an existing store owned by L G Murphy and James Dolan (who’d had the lucrative business from Fort Stanton) all hell broke loose.

Tunstall - McSween Store

Boxed goods and shop fittings from early 1900's

Then William Bonney (aka Billy the Kid) rides into town and begins working on Tunstall’s ranch. A confrontation occurs in 1878 and Tunstall is gunned down. Billy was part of the Regulators and Dolan’s group of outlaws were The Boys. There were killings on both sides including Sherriff Brady and his deputy. When the feud finally came to a climax after a five day gun battle, McSween and many others were dead. For the murders, theft and property destruction only Billy the Kid was ever tried, convicted and sentenced (for the murder of Sheriff Brady.) 

He was to hang in May but made his famous escape from the courthouse in Lincoln, killing his two guards. Billy was eventually shot by Pat Garrett. So after visiting all the existing buildings and many exhibits documenting the history we felt quite well informed.

On Friday we drove into Ruidoso past the Spencer Theatre for the Performing Arts and were disappointed to find the tours were only held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

Spencer Theatre, Alto

Spencer Theatre (front water feature)

So the next morning on our way north we stopped by to take some photos. I was so tempted to jump over the gate and walk around the building, hoping to look in to see the Chihuly glass. It is 12 miles out of town on the top of a hill surrounded by Capitan and Sacramento mountains – a magnificent site with wonderful views. A car pulled up and it was the theatre manager. She had arranged to meet a group who were planning a wedding and took us along too for a tour. How fortunate! How wonderful!

"The Persians" - Chihuly

Exquisite glass art

We had previously seen an exhibition of Dale Chihuly’s glass with the Rotary group in Fort Wayne, and this time we were not disappointed. It was spectacular.

"Indian Paint Brushes"

Jacqueline Spencer became a very rich women when her first husband, Hugh Bancroft Jnr inherited the Dow-Jones fortune in the 50’s and died soon after. She will be remembered for the magnificent Spencer Theatre that she funded at a cost of $22 million in 1997.

"Ruby Sea Garden" in Members Room

 Not far north is Smokey Bear Historical Park. In the aftermath of a severe forest fire in 1950, a bear cub was found, nursed back to health and named Smokey. 

Smokey the Bear

He became the symbol for fire prevention, lived for 26 more years in The National Zoo in Washington and is buried here.

Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico and it is the oldest and highest capital city in America. 

A "Bank" in Santa Fe

Apartments in Santa Fe

High on the plateau with 12,000 ft mountains surrounding it, the city is built in adobe style - even the supermarkets and parking stations. 

Adobe Cinema

We came through for a quick visit last year and hoped to return to see some of the historical sites.

An Artist - St Francis Cathedral

Beautiful staircase in the Loretto Chapel

North to Taos to check out the ski resort. In town, the old Plaza was originally a place to fence in cattle – now a lovely park with big trees and surrounded by adobe style shops and art galleries.

Taos Plaza

Taos adobe buildings

We called into the Earthship Visitors’ Centre. It is part of a large (347 acres) commonly owned park with many houses built of natural and recycled materials (tyres mainly-sand filled - cement rended). 

"Earthship" building

The homes have solar/ thermal heating and cooling, solar/wind electric power, and recycled water to make self sufficient residences – quite fascinating. 

Plans (full working drawings) for the "earthships" are available from about $8,000 if anyone is interested.

Building sites and completed homes were available for purchase from about $350k.

Bridge over Rio Grande near Taos

A real cowboy on our way through New Mexico

After dabbling our feet in the hot water along the river, we would loved to have stayed longer in Pagosa Springs, 

Pagosa Springs with 38 separate baths at the resort

but had to make Durango so Jen could ride the steam train to Silverton. 

Durango - Silverton railway trip

Through the canyon

The drive up was also scenic so Garry drove and stopped to wait for the steam train to chuff by, and chuff it did – all the way up to over 9300 ft.

Working hard up the hill

Road trip to Silverton

Overlooking Silverton

We continually stopped while travelling north on the scenic by-road to Ouray and Delta. 

Nice colour on the way to Aspen

More colour on the way to Vail

The autumn colours were glorious in the afternoon sun at the higher altitudes. We were heading for Aspen, Buttermilk, Maroon Bells, Snowmass and Vail ski areas. 

Vail was originally built with a European flavour but has now created it's own style.

European style

Swiss chalet style

We had to keep an eye on the weather as a cold change, with plenty of snow was forecast. I guess we saw these resorts at their brilliant autumn best. 

Just a small number of the runs that include 4 separate resorts in Vail

We would loved to have stayed for the snow but time was running out and we couldn’t afford to be “snowed in”. Also we had to be back in LA early the following week.

One of the newest developments in Vail

Another scenic by-way goes over Independence Pass 12,095 to Leadville, famous for silver mines from 1860. 

Glad we didn't travel this road in the RV.

This is the highest point on the roads that we travelled in Colorado

We stayed the night with Mt Elbert (the second highest mountain in the southern 48 states at 14,433ft) overlooking the town. Colorado has 54 mountains over 14,000 ft.

Leadville view

Leadville house with wooden shingle decorated walls

Mesas in Western Colorado

The following morning in Grand Junction, snow was on all the hills and on the trip that day we drove through a “little” snow shower and had wonderful views of the scenery and mountains.

Grand Junction after a dusting of snow

Interstate 10 - San Rafael Swell - an ancient reef

Eagle Canyon

The Interstate, (I 10) from Denver across through Colorado and Utah has to be one of the most scenic easy travelling roads. 

Triple Bogie Roadtrains at 75 mph

You “sit on” 75 mph most of the way and stop at many of the overlooks to photograph the scenery.

I 10 - Utah

I guess the only disappointment was the Government “shutdown,” as all the National Parks were closed and we were so looking forward to visiting The Arches and Canyonlands near Moab. We have listened to all sides commenting about “Obama-care” and can’t help agreeing with Jimmy Carter who said “if you don’t want your tax dollars to help the poor – then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don’t.”

Virgin River Gorge - I 10, South Utah

So now we are in Vegas again – such a happy civilized holiday place, pausing as we pack, weigh suitcases and take stuff to the charity centre. 

Bellagio Foyer with Chihuly Art Glass - 2000 piece cost $10m in 1996

We visited the “seasonally changed display” at the Bellagio, now “Fall” with Halloween coming.   

Fall at the Bellagio

You can order a Spiced Pumpkin Latte to go with your Pumpkin Cheesecake and the kids can order Scarey Face Pumpkin Pancakes.

So we did a little shopping and went to The Beatles Show – the best tribute band, at Planet Hollywood. 

The Fab Four

Imagine

And it was a great show.

Sergeant Peppers

We’ve had a most wonderful time this year but are now looking forward to getting home for another summer.