33 to 83, Snow to Sun!!

April 16

We learned more about petrified wood before retiring last night. It was formed 50 to 200 million years ago from buried trees that turned to stone caused by water seeping into the logs, filling the decaying wood with mineral matter. What we see today in petrified wood (the reds, yellows, browns, blues, blue greens, black, gray) is a piece of antiquity.

We arose  (42 degrees and cloudy) to scrutinize our itinerary.  There are so many scenic routes we could take!  After breakfast we were off (top up!) to Show Low at 9:15 on Rt 180E. It was pretty flat terrain, altitude 5600 ft., in the high desert. At 10:00 it was 38 degrees and showers.  At 10:30 it was 36 degrees and snow showers and getting a little dicey, down to 33!  But the roads were still only wet. It soon began snowing harder but at 11:00  we headed to Starbucks in Show Low where the snow had stopped. We arrived at Starbucks and at 11:25 we were back on the road. 

At noon, 38 degrees, we headed along a scenic byway for Globe where the weather looked better. We drove through a ponderosa pine forest, the nation's largest contiguous stand of ponderosa pines. Bits of blue sky (42 degrees) were visible a half hour after leaving Starbucks. The temp gradually went up16 degrees to 54. We could see the White Mountains in the distance. We drove through forested mountains, through the White Mountain Apache Reservation and decided to put the top down at 12:45, 56 degrees. At the Salt River Canyon there were breathtaking views of colorful rock faces...reds,yellows, greens, and browns. There were great winding switchbacks down the cliff face to a bridge crossing the Salt River.  At 1:15 it was 64 degrees. 

After driving through the Tonto National Forest we arrived in Globe at 2PM. We took a walk around town, stopped at local community arts center in the old, grand county courthouse and bought a local painting that looked like weather we'd traveled through, monsoons in the distance!  We left Globe  at 2:50, 69 degrees, and headed for pizza in Phoenix. But first we stopped at Besh-Ba-Gowah, a partially restored  ancient ruin of the Salada people who occupied the site between 1225 AD and 1400 AD. AMAZING!!

We continued on Rt. 60 west to Phoenix at 3:25. Again we drove through the Tonto National Forest and soon drove through the Queen Creek Tunnel, our first tunnel on our road trip. We soon glimpsed skinny tall cacti along the road. At 4:00 it was 73 degrees and we were down at 2600 feet. 

We arrived at Pizza Bianco in Phoenix at 5:15, after literally going in circles to find it!  We shared a caprese salad, Peter had a pizza margarita with sausage and I had a pizza rosa with red onion and Arizona pistachios. Peter knew that this place was on everyone's top five pizza places in U.S.  Pizza Bianco did not disappoint!  It was FABULOUS!  At 6:30 we were on our way west to find accommodations for the night. At 7:15 we arrived in Sun City, Arizona and checked in for the night. 

On the Road Again!

April 15

Up at 7:30, finished repacking, easy breakfast with the Doanes and a short walk. At 10:30 we left Helen and Paul after a great stay with them. The temperature was  61 degrees with partly cloudy skies. Forgot to mention that Peter had a lot of comments at Tent Rocks on Wednesday about his Brooklyn T-shirt!  We headed for Acomo 75 miles west on I40 with a turn on SR 34 where we were again amid canyons, mesas, buttes and 

open range signs. At noon we arrived  at the Sky City Cultural Center where we signed up for a tour of the  Acoma Pueblo at 12:30. 

The pueblo was settled in 1100AD. Acomo is the oldest continuously inhabited community in the U.S. The current population of Acoma pueblo atop the Mesa is 50, the homes being owned by Acomo Pueblo females while most Acomo people periodically return to their ancestral homes from surrounding villages for ceremonial occasions. 

The mission church church was completed by Franciscans in 1640. all of the buildings are made of sandstone adobe. The oldest 3 stories high with an entryway with ladder or with an entryway too small for Spanish soldiers to enter. The Spaniards were as controlling and cruel to the natives as American have been. The tour also passed many vendors just outside of their homes selling mostly their pottery. 

We were back on the road at 2:15 heading to Arizona on I40   west. We crossed continental divide at 3:30 and then encountered roadwork, cloudy skies, scattered showers and 64 degree weather. By 3:40, it was down to 55 degrees. We entered Arizona at 4PM but, since Arizona not has no DST, it was 3PM, and we gained an hour!  The landscape was very flat at 5500 feet so we were still in the high desert. 

At 3:45 we entered the Petrified Forest National Park where we drove first 

through the Painted Desert and then on into the Petrified Forest. At 4:30 it was 48 degrees with wind gusts to 60 mph. We checked the Harwich weather which was 46 and cloudy....same here!  The landscape was desolate interspersed with colorful geological mesas. However there was dark sky all around us. So the top went up just before the steady rain started.  

At 6:30 we checked into the Best Western in Holbrook AZ, had our usual dinner of a big salad and retired fairly early. 

Traveling the Turquoise Trail

April 14

We were up about 7:15 this morning so I finished and published yesterday's blog.  Our morning was fairly 

leisurely....breakfast on the patio.....discussion of the day's plans and then off to Santa Fe at 10:30 via Rt. 14, the Turquoise Trail, all the way. 

We drove slowly through Madrid, a former coal mining town, but also mined for gold and silver. It seemed mildly prosperous and a little sleepy  It was refound by hippies in the 60s and is now honky tonk  and  artsy. The name of the town is pronounced MADrid to distinguish it from the Madrid family, town founders. We also drove through Cerillos  which was in line to be the capital of NM when the Acheson, Topeka and the Santa Fe was destined to run through it!!  The rail line was never finished and now Cerillos is all dirt roads with an artsy old time Opera House and Mary's Bar at the corner of 1st and Main. "Young Guns" was filmed here in Cerillos. 

At 11:30 we entered the Santa Fe suburbs and the city itself, the capital of NM., population 70,000. We took the Old Pecos Trail to the state Capitol building, the only round one in the U.S.; it's round like a Native American kiva. The Capitol, built in the 80s has

Art galleries galore which we toured. All New Mexican art!  The buffalo head and the woven, framed native rug draped on a chair were particularly fascinating to us. 

We crossed and recrossed the Santa Fe River and observed the residential and business

architecture--all adobe. 

We stopped to tour the oldest home in the U.S., built in the early 1600s and housing 12 families!  Across the street we marveled at the oldest church in the U.S., built near 1628. Inside we met a docent, a retired priest who was a "hoot!"  He was a restauranteur for 30 years and a priest for 30 years......delayed vocation!  His son owns 2 restaurants in Santa Fe. We drove to the center of town, had lunch at Anasazi Restaurant and took a stroll around the square. We looked at the Native American displays under the Old Capitol awning; we bought a print of a typical present day Adobe home.

At 3:00 back we started back to Sandia Park. Stopped at a rug dealer's in Madrid where the Doanes sized and priced rugs for under their piano. Fun visit!!  We were home at 4:40 and Helen and I went for a walk in the neighborhood to add Fitbit steps!  We regrouped, did some packing, had cocktails on the patio (the weather has been outstanding, in the low 70s!). Dinner was again delicious, lamb shanks and polenta, salad and creme caramel. After another game of Hearts, we decided to retire at 10:30. When I picked up my phone, I must have inadvertently touched an app or two and a second later I heard my brother Tom's voice.......Sorry, Tom!!!

A Day with the Doanes

April 13

We had a great night's sleep at the Doanes and didn't get up until 8:25!  It's so quiet, day and night!  The Doane Southwest ambiance is charming. Helen has put her own personal touches to the walls and decor and the result is warm, inviting and restful. 

We had homemade pancakes for breakfast--delicious!!  After a discussion of the day's activities, we left at 10:30  for Tent Rocks National Monument. We drove along 

Puertocito Rd., a dirt road through high desert valley, for almost an hour.  At 5300 feet with the Sandia  Mountains to our south, we wended our way to Rt. 25. Along the way we saw some burros grazing, 

horses out in the fields, few dwellings and remnants of villages in this San Pueblo Indian country. At the end of the dirt road were a race track and a casino casino!

At 11:30 we turned on highway 25 and arrived at Tent Rock National Monument just beyond a huge earthen dam over the Rio Grande River at

noon. There were lots of kids there on field trips!  We hiked amazing Slot Canyon where, at times our shoulders touched the canyon on each side.  Paul and I turned back at 6200 feet where the trail became very steep, narrow and rocky but Helen and Peter continued another 15 minutes to the top. We saw amazing rock formations, some resembling tents, and beautiful sedimentary rock mesas of tan, gray and orange stripes with volcanic ash interspersed. The walk through the 2 canyons had been carved by water and was stunning!  Paul and I took the Cave Loop back and met Helen and Peter at the bottom where we had a picnic lunch. 

We left Tent Rocks at 3 sated and exhilarated, made a pit stop at Starbucks and drove back to the Doanes. 

After showering and doing some laundry, we were serenaded by Paul at the piano. At sunset, we had cocktails on the patio and then a lovely candlelit dinner in their dining room. Lots of interesting conversation!  After dinner we finished our game of Hearts and retired. 

On to New Mexico and the Doanes

April 12

We left Kayenta AZ this morning at 8:30 after a hot breakfast at our Hampton Inn. 

Another beautiful day, 53 degrees, top down with scarves and jackets. After perusing our itinerary, we changed it a little and headed NE on Rt. 160 toward Four Corners. Once again we had the road (2 lanes, flat, straight, 65 mph) almost to ourselves!  At 5000 feet we're still in the high desert with lots of sagebrush, red sandstone cliffs and green-clad rock mesas off in the distance and a well-maintained road. The first couple of days we had to scrape the bugs off the windshield but, since turning south through UT, suddenly, no bugs!  What more could we ask for? Although, the cell phone coverage is spotty as is the GPS!  Fortunately we're a little old-fashioned so we have plenty of maps with us! Never go on a road trip without maps!!  

We arrived at Four Corners at 10:00. The park, run by Native Americans, has an Entrance fee, $5.00 each, no NP card accepted!  There's a plaque in the ground where AZ, UT, CO and NM meet at perfect 45 degree angles!  This is the only place in the U.S. this happens!  The plaque is surrounded by booths where Native Americans sell their wares. Small native gardens and not much else!  Peter bought a t-shirt and I bought hematite necklace and earrings. 

Back on the road at 11 to NM. Rt. 160 to 64 to 550 south toward Albuquerque in Navajo countryl. Still 2 lanes, then 4 lanes, and 55 mph, temp 65 degrees. How lucky are we?!?! However, there were clouds in the distance. We hit a commercial area in Shiprock on 64E and it continued  at 55 mph with some construction (35 mph) until at 1 PM when we reached 550 S, 70 mph and a more scenic drive. 

Again we viewed high desert with sage brush covered hills near and far. And then sandstone rock formations and mesas. The sky got grayer, totally cloudy with rain in the distance and sprinkles on us. Top up at 7000 feet and 53 degrees!!  And then our first official rain! Our luck had run out; we had been dodging rain for days. We left Navajo country and entered Apache country and the same beautiful high desert landscape continued. We crossed the Continental Divide at 2:20 at 8000 feet. Put the top back down after 15 minutes of rain!  As we have seen on previous road trips, there are lots of memorials/ crosses at the side of the roads where deaths have occurred. We saw a Mustang police car that had pulled someone over!

We arrived at the Doanes at 4:28, 2 minutes early!  What a stunning home just outside the Sandia Mountains in Sandia Park NM. After a tour of the house and a stroll around the neighborhood, we had cocktails, appetizers and a delicious dinner topped of by a homemade raspberry pie and then some cards. Conversation was flowing with 2 often going on at the same time!!  We had some time to catch up on!  And we'll continue tomorrow!

Hooray For Scenic Byways

April 11

Yesterday we dodged rain showers all day. Today was beautiful!  One threat of rain appeared in the distance but never reached us!  We left Torrey UT at 8:30 and 41 degrees but the sun was out so we dressed accordingly and put the top down! We drove through Capitol Reef National  Park on Rt. 24 to Hanksville. In the park, we took a short hike alongside the Freemont River. All we could see were tall red sandstone cliffs. Outside the park the terrain was still beautiful but the gray/brown rock formations were pointed and smooth looking and 

looked like piles of road salt/sand. 

At 10 we stopped for coffee and fruit in Hanksville where it was 60 degrees. Here we connected with the 

Bicentennial Highway, Utah Rt. 95 S. The signage for 

open range proved to be accurate. Cattle right on the shoulder!  We drove through North Wash Canyon, Glen Canyon and the northern end of Lake Powell which is 

down 50 feet from 25 years ago. The view of land locked Hite marina is a testament to this fact!  The red rock mesas and buttes were sites to behold!  After crossing  the Dirty Devil River, we crossed

another bridge over the Narrow Canyon of the Colorado River. Our altitude 

was 4500 feet and the temp 62 degrees. From these high desert plains we viewed the buttes Jacob's Chair and the 

Cheese Box.  The drive was, again, fantastic, but we are running out of accolades!  You  just have to see it to believe it!

A juniper forest led to the top of Cedar Mesa and the 

Natural Bridges Monument. Outside the info building we walked through a desert garden and looked at a lovely

round leaf buffalo berry bush. From there we drove the 

nine mile loop to several natural bridges seen from the canyon above. About 12:45 we stopped for a picnic lunch

on the loop and then at the

Horse Collar Ruin overlook we hiked a 1 mile trail to view Pueblo ruins. Next to the trail were high desert purple wildflowers. 

We left Natural Bridges at 2 and got back on the Bicentennial Highway to Blanding. We drove through a tight passage cut out of Comb Ridge and continued through the high desert juniper and sage brush. This scenic byway, the Bicentennial Highway was constructed in 1976. Kudos to those who made this decision!!!  We were mesmerized the whole route with the awesome, changing landscape. Double WOW!!!

At 2:45 we turned south on Rt. 92 to Bluff and on to Mexican Hat and the Monument Valley scenic drive. The temp in the high desert on the way to Monument  Valley was 67 degrees. At Mexican Hat we saw a rock formation looking like a sombrero which gave the town its name. After crossing the San Juan River, with the top down, we were overwhelmed by the smell of 

diesel coming from the truck in front of us!  Phew!  We crossed into Arizona 4 PM. In

Monument Valley we viewed the Agathla and the Owl Rock buttes. At that point we decided to put the top up. Ahead of us black sky with rain visible was threatening. As before, it didn't reach us!  At 4:45 in Kayenta AZ we checked into a Hampton Inn. Early for us but we were pooped and needed to stop!  We actually had room service for dinner!  On to New Mexico tomorrow for a visit with Helen and Paul Doane 

What a spectacular day:  the weather, the drive and our very cool Mustang!

 

80 MPH Interstates to Dirt Roads and Back

April 10

After a decent breakfast, we left Twin Falls ID and set off for Almo ID at 8:30, 55 degrees, partly cloudy, with the top down. We had a Starbucks stop (YAY!!) and then made our way to the Shoshone Falls on the Snake River. Hardly Niagara Falls, but fairly impressive. Along the way we glimpsed muskrats scampering out of the rocks to cross the road. Our first wildlife sighting!

Then we drove south to 

Almo, the City of Rocks our destination. We elected to drive there on secondary roads....good decision. 

Rt. 30 went through small towns, huge farms, acres and acres of fields, piles of manure, bales of hay, getting ready to plant (Idaho potatoes?). We saw unassuming farm houses, small wind farms and snow capped mountains to the south. 

After passing several large factories, we came to the city of Burley. It was 62 degrees and partly sunny. We turned 

South  after Burley and followed the Snake River again to Declo, population 344, where we saw our first police car since leaving Portland. We were in 

farm country again and then

beautiful scenery up and down a summit  with snow-capped mountains in the distance to Albion, population 267, celebrated for its haunted mansions. We were back again on the high plains, altitude 5700 feet. Rt. 77S is beautiful, not even dotted, not a car insight. 

Our next road was the Back Country Byway to Almo, the

City of Rocks and the California Trail where emigrants in the mid-1850s crossed to California. We drove the City of Rocks Rd...a dirt road following the original California Trail to the City of Rocks. Along the way we observed Amazing geological formations. At Camp Rock we saw emigrants' messages and signatures applied to the rock with axle grease from the covered wagons! At Emery Canyon, Elevation 6800 feet, the road was snow-covered so we backtracked and at 

12 noon retraced our drive on the Back Country Byway to Rt. 77, to I84 toward  Salt Lake City. We did spot an eagle outside the City of Rocks!  And, although there were a few raindrops, we were undeterred and kept the top down!

We entered Utah on I84 at 1PM, still cruising along at 80 mph, top still down, 60 degrees. We were making great time and decided,again, to bypass the big city, Salt Lake, with, hopefully a glimpse of the Great Salt Lake. At 1:45 we stopped in Tremonton UT for a fast food lunch. Then we were off again,  on I84 then I15 heading for Torrey UT, speed limit now 70mph and not even a glimpse of the Great Salt Lake!  We stopped at 3:55 outside Provo to put up the top.....bad weather threatening!  Beautiful views of the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains to our east where Peter has skied many times. Weather threat was over, sun was out!  What wimps we are!!  So.......top up again at 4:10!!!

We left the interstate at 4:30 to follow some recommended secondary roads to Torrey. Speed limit 65mph on two lane road!  Route 28 to 89 through Gunnison Valley, farms, fairly prosperous towns and small cities, beautiful scenery approaching Canyon Reef on Rt. 24 where the landscape changed color, from green hills to tan rocky hills dotted w green shrubs. It's still high plains, altitude 6000 feet. We reached the summit at 7370 feet and 52 degrees. Scarf and jacket time!!!  Deer on the road at a deer crossing sign!!  Altitude 8370, 49 degrees!  On the descent we were back to densely shrubbed high plains and hills and 54 degrees. Then

WOW!!, beautiful red-ridged mesas!!

We arrived at the Capitol Reef Resort in Torrey UT at 7. The room is quite nice and looks out on red rock mesas. We had dinner at the onsite restaurant, regrouped for tomorrow, watched a little TV, talked about how fortunate we are with the weather, the awesome scenic roads we've traveled and our cool Mustang convertible. Peter is sooo happy!

 

WOW!! One of the Top Five Drives We've Ever Done

April 9

We awoke to another beautiful day in Oregon. Breakfast came with our room so we left the the Best Western well sated at 9AM. We drove to The center  of Baker City and took a stroll along its lovely, 5 lane wide Main St. This city back in the late 1800s was the largest city between Portland and Salt Lake City. It is named for the only U.S. senator who died in battle, during the Civil War. 

We left Baker City at 10 and headed for the National Oregon Trail Interpretive Center.....fascinating!! The mid-1850s saw the largest migration in American history from East to West. Imagine making that trip over this rugged terrain in your Conestoga wagon with your whole family!!  After a brief tour of the exhibits we continued on the High Canyon Scenic Byway to the Hell's Canyon Scenic Byway east to Idaho on Rt. 86, 70 degrees at 11 AM. NOONE on the road! Peter was in his glory: 2 lane road, up an down, many corniches. THIS is a road trip! We drove beside fast flowing creeks, saw a few sheep and cattle ranches, even a pen where men were practicing roping calves. Unbelievable high plains and green canyon scenery!  The only town we passed was Richland. 

Just south of Homestead we looked for our route into Idaho. We thought we found it but after crossing the Canyon River we had to turn north....we wanted to head south.  No signal so GPS wasn't working!  We turned around and made our way back to the Oxbow Dam site,stopped at a camp site and met some very friendly people who put us back on track!  We weren't far off!!!  As we drove along a reservoir we found a place to stop for a picnic lunch:  peanut butter sandwiches and oranges!!

At the Brownlee Dam we crossed over into Idaho about 1PM. Temperature 77 degrees. The one town we drone through on Rt. 71 was Cambridge, population 360. Saw many road signs:  Watch for Stock, Open Range, Watch for Game, Game Crossing. Driving through the Payette National Forest we saw  of snow beside the road and the temp is 74 degrees!  Our next destination was New Meadows where we hooked up with the Payette River Scenic Byway to Eagle on Rt. 55 at 2:30. 

More than patches of snow now!  Roads bare but piles of snow everywhere. We drove through McCall, a thriving recreational town on Payette Lake.  Then more high plains, altitude 4900 feet, with mountain ranges off in the distance on both sides. Then forested land with white canyons on each side of the road and back to high plains! 

In Cascade, population 903 and the county seat, we crossed the North Fork of the Payette River into more forested landscape. When we crossed the Payette on the Rainbow Bridge, the road began to follow the contour of the river. In the Boise National Forest, as we descended, the forested hills converged on us on both sides and the river began to rage southward. Even though we hit patches of high 60s, as we descended, we were back in the low 80s T 4:30!  And finally high plains again until we reached Eagle. 

Along this final stretch, 20 miles from Boise we could see some lovely homes dotted along the ridges, their backs to the sky!

We decided to bypass Boise and get some more miles behind us. So we got on I84 at 5:15 and still 80 degrees. We haven't done a city yet so why start now. We drove for 6 1/2 hours today, 289 miles, all on AWESOME secondary roads and scenic byways. Speed limit on I84 is 80!!! And plenty of "country air!" But not much to see!

Oops!  On our way around Boise, looking for a hotel online, we discovered we'd driven into Mountain Time!  So we arrived at our Best Western an hour later than we thought, 8PM rather than 7PM!!  No matter!!  We adjusted!  Another Best Western, another salad dinner!  Not too many steps today!  I did manage to get 50,000 for Mon-Fri!  And an AWESOME day!