more photos.....

this man is pulling toffee, to make sweets, one of the posts tells the story........but we are a bit muddled up!!

photos from mexico.....

well, this is maureen's daughter julie, trying to figure out how to put photos on the blog, i have done it rather well but have no idea what they are photos of - but i do know they are from mexico!! hopefully when mum gets back from london we can put some more on here with labels!!!!! won't that be exciting!!!!! keep watching this space!!

London Bridge is.....in Arizona 23/7/07

Hi to you all
This will be my last call from the USA for a while, I will be back in September.
The weather is now much cooler 65 today and it keeps raining!! I think this is just to get me ready to go home, the last couple of days have been just like an English summer. there have been some bad storms and I think a lot of damage, things here just do not cope with the rain like we do back home. Tomorrow I get all my washing done, clean the van, book into a hotel and get my grandaughter some chocolate !!
See ya all soon

My next port of call will be Chaco Culture National Historical Park, which I am told will be hot! Also it is a must see. So I am told to spend the night at Angel Peak National Park which will be much cooler and is free! What I was not told is how beautiful it is, this is “The Bad Lands of New Mexico” the colors are amazing from gray’s and cream’s to rose and dark gray with every colour between, add the colour to the shape and size it is truly awesome!! I spent a lovely cool peaceful night, leaving early next morning for Chaco. To get to Chaco the road turns across a reservation 26 miles aprox, 16 miles of which is the worst corrugations I have been on in the world! I could only travel at less then 5 mph any faster the noise was horrific, with so much shake rattle and roll I dreaded breaking down, but all was well.
This is a very large site with some very well preserved buildings, the largest being Pueblo Bonito which had more then 600 rooms with 40 kivas and stood 4 stories high! I spent the day exploring the various sites. At the visitors center in the evening there was to be a talk about the archeological importance of the area, the culture 0f the people who have lived here and the night sky, I decided to have my tea in the car park then attend the talk, whilst waiting for the evening to begin it rained!!! The first rain since I left home in February, it rained short and hard. I stayed on the campsite the road must have been a swamp.
From Chaco I went through such a variety of colours, the rock covered almost the whole colour wheel I think, white layers are sandstone, dark layers are caused by high carbon content, darker reds are iron-stained siltstone, reddish bars are stained by iron oxide, which is called hematite (you will be tested later) whilst seeing all this mass of colour the road wound through very small towns, houses/ranches spread well apart before I started to climbed up into the forest, from high desert I am now in high forest and meadows, beautiful at the top of a mountain the view is so beautiful I stopped to take a photo and the engine boiled over. A couple having a picnic helped me, I had no phone cover so the guy called 911 (emergency). He would not listen to me, I did not know how America worked “AAA” of which I am a member would not come he said. Told the police I had a burst radiator, which I didn’t. He gave me a big lecture on keeping safe. On how to undo the radiator. Why is it when a lady with a vehicle is involved some kind of breakdown, blokes treat one as if one is 5 years old? I kept telling him I would be ok, but no he kept telling me I did not understand, I am unsure what I did not understand! anyway eventually I suggested if he would continue on his journey and when he got to phone cover would he ring “AAA” please. He and his lady were very kind, helpful and just very nice. After around an hour a tow truck arrived, I had a broken radiator the guy said, 15 min later a second tow truck arrived, I had a broken radiator the guy said, 5 mins later a third tow truck arrived !!!! I only needed some more water in the tank!!! The guy really would not listen, BUT he helped me. I am very grateful for their help, the tow truck guys thought it very funny. I spent the night and Sunday on the mountain in the cool lovely.

I am heading for Albuquerque, New Mexico to visit Bob and JoAnn whom I met at Monument Valley. On the way I will pass over the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge this is the second highest suspension bridge in the US; the view down from the bridge is eye-popping AND I walked over and back again, how brave am I !!! very near to the bridge is an amazing community called “Earthships” this is a self- sustainable environment with houses built from recycled materials who survive completely apart from the national grid, I can tell you they are lovely houses - I would love one! NO utility bills ! My main stop however is Taos Pueblo which is the largest existing multistoried pueblo structure in the US and one of the best surviving examples of traditional adobe construction also in the US. Another must see is the old village still unchanged, the houses are maintained by each family in the old traditional way, there is no electric or running water; there is however a stream running through the center of the village which supplies the remaining families who live in the old village, but most now live outside the village walls were they can have the luxuries of the 21st century, they maintain their original family home for religious festivals and ceremonies, a lot of the houses are used to sell the art and craft that is a huge part of their lives, the artistic talents of the Native American is beautiful, the jewelry made from local semi-precious stones, particularly turquoise, is wonderful I have enjoyed seeing the art and craft very much.

After leaving Taos I had hoped to go into Santa Fe to see the museum of Indian Art and Culture and the Museum of International Folk Art both of which I have been told are a must see, but Santa Fe was just too big, maybe later, some time. So my next stop will be Bob and JoAnn’s in Albuquerque. They made me very welcome; I had to sleep in the house!!! I stayed for 2 sleeps and had 4 baths!!! I have not felt as clean since I left home in February! We went to the Indian Casino for lunch which was 1st rate and a good experience (I did not have a bet) but I did find out that you can camp for free in the car park, I guess they hope you will go in for a flutter on the tables. Bob and JoAnn’s garage happiness is:- A Motor Home AND an MGB in racing green ! (my face was green) however I got over my jealousy! And we had a lovely time, it is such a joy to be with like minded folk, I hope I am able to meet up with them again.

Now I am truly heading back to Prescott Arizona and my flight home but mean time I have a large portion of Route 66 to drive and some more Indian dwellings to visit; also the Petrified Forest, Painted Desert also a Volcano and Ice Lake which in temperatures of 95+ is frozen all year round not forgetting “Newspaper Rock” which is a large water hole with rock writings from early Native American, Spaniards, Soldiers and Pioneer’s most of the writing is very clear the rock is protected from the elements by cliff hang over.

Route 66 was fun I wanted to see the stone “Wigwam Village” in Holbrook town, the Wigwams are a motel which is still open. From Holbrook I stood on the “Corner in Winslow Arizona” took photos and sang the song! I also saw the Giant Jackrabbit that advertises the trading post. I spent the night in Joseph City just at the side of Route 66!! This is a very active Mormon Town since the early 1800’s.

Back in Prescott I have a few jobs to do and then I hope to drive some more Route 66 to London Bridge which every one tells me will be hot! Well that was correct 114 and rising when I was there at 9.30am! After spending the night at Kingman which was only 91 at night? But I had had a great day getting my “kicks” I really did enjoy the day and the drive. There a several towns that are maintaining the 1960 feel of route 66 which is now very much a tourist attraction buildings are being historically maintained, everywhere has happy party feeling. I was interviewed by a couple of students doing a survey of tourists and travel on the road. I had my lunch in Truxton where the Frontier Café is a very reliable place to eat in this sparsely populated region, good pie and a good chat so my guide books says I did not have pie I had a very good burger, the whole place became involved in the chat including 3 guys on Harley Davidson bikes who were so impressed with my truck and the old lady driving it! the lady who served me told me she had worked on and off in the café since she was 15 years old and she is now 62 at one time there were 6 restaurants in the town when the high way was in full swing. In Kingman I visited the museum covering from the early Native American through the mining and pioneer days to route 66 and now the rebirth of the town with tourism. The most remarkable was by far Oatman unfortunately I was very early (trying to get to London Bridge before its too hot) so nothing much was open but this town looks just like a cowboy wild west town of the silver screen but it is not it is a real town complete with wooden side walks and awnings also bearded cowboys and I saw 2 burros just walking along. I wish I had timed this a little better I would like to have stopped and had a good look round instead of a slow drive through. From here the road twists and turns over small mountain passes and through some very poor desert housing (well it looks very poor).

London Bridge looked very out of place in the desert surrounded by palm trees, it was also very clean, people found that amusing when they asked me what I thought of the bridge and I said its very clean, they did not realize that when in London with the soot and grim the stones were black. Again it was good fun, I enjoyed it even if very hot, and I did not stay long.
Now I am back in the cool of Prescott it is raining very hard, I have had a pork chop for my lunch and getting ready to go home to see my girls!!!!

Quakers and Honduras 04/07

Well we managed the following night - by parking at the side of the road where the tour buses stop - to see the red glowing cap of the volcano, I guess that was the best we were going to see!!!!
The following day we went to Monteverde; the plan was to take the sky walk, the road from Tilaran was awful, just awful, but very beautiful. The community was founded in 1951 by a group of Quaker families from North America who came here to escape the draft in America for young men. The group came to Costa Rica because in 1948 when the US made the draft compulsory Costa Rica abolished their army. The road quickly gives way from ranches to dense cloud forest, the road is treacherous, full of rocks, pot holes, tight corners narrow bridges and steep inclines and angles but the scenery is so beautiful and our stay here has been awesome.
Our first visit was to the sky walk, most of which is at the top of the canopy, we left at 7am as soon as the walks were open there were very few people and we hoped we would be able to see lots of birds and animals, we had to climb a very high tower to get to the first bridge across the canopy (this is a suspension bridge across the top of the trees) for those of you who know that I do not do suspension bridges then you also know how brave I was to do this, but I can tell you it was worth the effort, there were 6 bridges joined by tracks through the jungle it was a wonderful experience. There were no other people on the walk we were doing although we did see some people doing the zip line’s, this was not for me that would be a zip too far cause I am too chicken!!! Can you imagine flying over the top of the jungle on a zip line?

Unlike a BBC travel program the rain forest was not teaming with wild life at every step. However, the plants, flowers and the birds we did managed to see were absolutely wonderful. We had parked in their car park overnight at the side of the humming bird garden this was beautiful to watch these wonderful little birds darting from one feeder to the other and hovering with their wings going so fast, did you know they are the only bird that can fly backwards!

From here we went along a worse road to Santa Elena Reserve. Les and I went on another jungle walk taking a guide who spoke very good English and had a great passion for her country and her job, her knowledge of the birds, flowers, plants and trees was amazing. It makes the whole trip so enjoyable when a guide is like this because it rubs off and we all get so much out of the trip. She knew where to take us to see the birds and we spotted a Bell Bird - which we have been told today is very hard to see. We were able to watch this bird fly from one perch to another so watched it for some time. We were very happy about this. Then it was back down the awful road to find a camp for the night. Les spotted a piece of flat ground next to a café, turned out not to be so flat so the proprietor of the café sent us round the back to a football pitch, we parked along the touch line, from next door were able to book a coffee tour along with a tour of the Quaker cheese factory for the next day.

What a wonderful and interesting day this has turned out to be. The road if anything was worse but we were not driving so were able to enjoy the drive, I, of course, sat in the front Margaret - will not allow the driver to sit me any where else, I was very pleased and just about hung onto my stomach ! The whole area is preserved, growing coffee, bananas, pineapple, papaya, orange, lemons and mango, also dairy farming. The Quakers have given so much back to this part of Cost Rica, which has given them such a peaceful life.

The Quakers purchased a large farm, some 50 hectares, which was then divided between 25 of the poorest families in the area on 25 year leases - the farmer has the choice to renew, the conditions are - they cannot sell the farms, they must live in the traditional way and teach these ways to their children, who can then take the farm over under the same conditions. It was one of these coffee farms belonging to a cooperative, part of the Fair Trade organization we were to visit, we were very lucky because we booked 'pot luck' on the only truly Eco coffee tour. I have in all of my travels never seen coffee growing so was really looking forward to this but unprepared for what I learnt. This farm is worked solely by the farmer (with his family helping when it is picking time) we met a young American volunteer who was taking the pips from lemons that were to be planted to create shade for the coffee. The farmer is paid annually for the coffee crop when the beans are sold to the mill; he grows enough food to feed his family and sells any surplus. His wife works, the family live a very happy simple life making a reasonable living. His farm is totally organic unlike other coffee plantations we passed on the mountain side’s just rows and rows of coffee plants. Here we have coffee plants growing under the protection of banana trees, orange and lemon trees, flowers and shrubs not only giving protection from the strong wind that is here but also from the animals who like to eat the fruit on the coffee trees (the beans are wrapped in a very sweet syrup) but instead of eating the coffee berries, they will eat fruit from the other trees also apparently banana trees put a huge amount of goodness into the soil, the husbandry of this guys farm was amazing, it was explained to us very carefully and thoroughly, very interesting and shows what can be done, making very little impact on the countryside in fact improving, no forest has been lost since this operation has been in practice and no chemicals are used and very little natural compost is needed. The people also have a lovely life. The small coffee mill which only processes the beans for the farmers of the cooperative was run along the same lines everything given back to the land, everything done by hand, most of the mill was run by water. The pulp from the beans is made into natural compost on the site using worms from North America as Costa Rican worms liked the jungle best! Up until only a few years ago all the pulp from all the beans in C.R was put into the rivers this proved to be the biggest source of pollution, it is now illegal to do this. This compost is free to the farmers of the cooperative, however because the farms run by the cooperative are totally organic they use very little compost so most of it is sold giving the income back to the farmers in the dividend.
We then made a quick visit to a small organic paper making organization, again the Quakers had come up with the money to buy what was really a shed where women can work taking their children if they need to, when we visited there was an elderly man breaking up wet cardboard, a young man doing the heavy wet stuff and maybe a dozen ladies making cartons/bags that the coffee beans in the cooperative shop were sold in. they also made note books and birthday style cards and various other little things, all very nice indeed, of course we all brought something. Our guide this morning had been so enthusiastic and interesting we were all shocked to learn he had only been in the area 3 months, we all thought he had belonged to the original Quakers. As I have already said it makes such a difference.
After a very nice lunch in the cooperative café we walked up to the cheese factory, which turned out to be another informative/interesting visit.
The young lady who was our guide this afternoon was a direct decendant of the original group of families who came to the area. She again had this enthusiasm that makes for a good tour.
Of course one of the first things the families had to decide was how to make a living, I am sure this took a while, they were after all in the jungle which they did not want to harm, no roads and a long way from other large settlements, So, what ever it was had to be hardy, because of tough transportation (eggs would have been no good) sellable ‘cause it was to be their living, they came up with cheese, having made this decision, none of the families were cheese makers so how to make cheese , they wrote to the American government and asked “how do we make cheese” got back a reply! “An easy guide to cheese making” which they used! at first only using their own milk, but as they grew and other farmers wanted to sell their milk for cheese, the Quakers set up what the young lady assured us was not a cooperative, however it became more and more like a cooperative as the afternoon went on, all the farmers own stock in the company no one is allowed to own more than 5% the farmers own the local gas station and are helped in every way possible, the farmers each only have small herds, the young lady said like 35 cows! Of course the farms have again good husbandry are organic with no forest loss.
The cheese was good as well!!!
The local people are trying to stop the awful roads from being tarmac, because tourism is growing, they want the tourist’s but not the traffic which will spoil the balance, we did discuss park and ride with them, the chap that took us on the coffee tour is involved with the protests so was going to look York up on the internet.

I started this some days ago have since jumped 2 countries we are now in Honduras. I have had trouble since I have been back over here charging up my computer, there is a fault I think with my inverter Les has been charging it up for me with his but last week his inverter died! So I could not down load from the computer which had no battery, we have now both got a new inverter. I am very happy sat in my truck charging away. We are in a Merc garage in Tegucigalpa the capital of Honduras. We came for tyres for Les which he has been trying to find for ages (countries ha!) So I had a quick service and got the inverter and their sparky checked it out for me. Sooooo fingers X. we left this morning 03/04 with no new tyres, but had to come back ‘cause Les’s handbrake was not working he is having that and new tyres fixed as we speak I am so pleased for them, on these awful roads it is such a worry when you know the tyres are not 100%

05.04.2007
Still in Honduras, heading for the border, stopped at a beautiful waterfall today, had a nice walk along the side of the falls; lots of birds, plants and flowers; the temperature is good, there is a nice breeze, we are staying here for the night. Central America is very different from South America. Lots more jungle, small, very poor housing, lots of fruit for sale at the side of the road. We are in the mountains - the valleys are very hot. We are here at the very worst time of year, the hottest, to get as much done as we can we will stay as much as possible on the high ground which is cooler.
Also there has been no phone cover in Central America at all.

the beginning of the dock story 3/5/07

Well after our awful day yesterday, we returned to the port to try again and recover the trucks. It took another 1.5hrs to finish the paperwork from yesterday a further hour to have everything photocopied then we were taken by car in my flip flops!!! To get the trucks. We were then quickly out of the dock. What made all this worth while was the fact that the trucks were in perfect condition and we paid no bribes not even asked, yes it had taken a long time but in my opinion worth the time.

Then back to the hotel put the stuff back in the cab, radio, CB, etc. Took the bars from the windows; had a shower and lunch in the hotel and then back on the road again, heading for the Laguna del Arenal and the Volcano Arenal. We hope again to be able to a volcano spitting fire and brimstone.
We turn east from the Pan-American highway towards the town off Tilaran, this is a small town and ranching center but we are to early for the rodeo I am very sorry to say, (it is very hot). We continue making our way up the Tilaran Mountains and we have a lovely cool breeze, once we reach the lake the temperature is a lot more pleasant, the lake is very pretty with the Volcano at its end now everything is much more jungle - the flowers are very beautiful and different; also there are a lot more birds - most of them are very colourful we continued around until we came to the small village where the German Bakery is, here I had apple strudel and ice cream lovely!! Les asked were we could park for the night and were sent down a couple of short dirt roads to the lakeside, when its dark we should have been able to see the volcano spitting red fire. Low cloud we could see nothing!!! (Just our luck) this night we had torrential rain, my roof windows were open I knew it was raining when I got wet!! Following day we continued around the lake the ride is very beautiful and interesting the Arenal Observatory, this is a hotel with some wonderful jungle trails and with a great view of the volcano, we had a lovely walk through the jungle the flowers and birds are magnificent we had a wonderful afternoon in the evening went to watch the fire spitting from the volcano low cloud, rain we could not see anything.

Mesa Verde and onwards....18/7/07

Mesa Verde National Park Colorado is a site of Ancestral Puebloans and according to everyone I have spoken to so far a “must see” but I am still not prepared for the size of this country. I had parked the night at what is becoming one of my favored night spots “Wal-Mart” M.V. has a camp ground, so my thinking was to have a late start (long day yesterday) get to the visitors centre, find out what is what, get a guide, camp up and start very early in the morning. Sounds like a plan.

However the turn off for M.V was very easy, then after a short drive the gate and pay station for the park, after showing my pass the ranger asked if I was camping, (some times you pay at the gate) I said yes and was told to pay at the store! Which I guessed was at the visitor’s centre 4 miles further on I came to the campsite but not a store 11 miles further on I came to the visitors centre!

The 15 mile drive had been just magnificent I could hardly believe my eyes, the climb took us to the very top of the mesa (tabletop) with the most breathtaking views over the surrounding country and towns but also over the tops/rims of the canyons in which the Native American homes had been built. Within the park there are two main mesa “Chapin Mesa” most of which is open year round and “Wetherill Mesa” which is only open May through to “Labor Day” which is the first Monday in September (I think) Wetherill has also been closed because of road repairs.

Arriving at the visitors centre I could hardly wait to get started, (but because of my late start we are now getting very hot) at the door of the centre there is a queue/line which I joined (could have been going any where) A very nice lady with a lovely sunhat asked me what I wanted to do, see everything I said. I am in the ticket queue/line because 2 of the houses can only be viewed on a tour “Cliff Palace” and “Balcony House” she then told me how hard these tours were, like very strenuous and challenging, climbing up ladders, crawling through small tunnels. I then got to the girl selling tickets, who repeated all the above plus some more on how hard it was. I wanted to do these tours first thing the following 2 days when it is at its coolest, she put me down for both tours that afternoon, No No. said I; Then I was down for 1 today at 5.30 and 1 in the morning at 10am; I wanted 9am but she didn’t believe I would get there in time, I start my day at 6am says I. Anyway I was really bullied into these times, but that’s ok I thought. The lady had written on my tour ticket what time I had to leave the campsite, or what time I had to leave what ever I was doing this afternoon!! I then tried to find the “store” to book the campsite; the “store” is back at the campsite which is 11 miles back down the mountain. I should have stayed with plan A gone back down to the camp site booked in and returned for the 5.30 tour, but instead I went looking at the other sites “Spruce House” which is the best preserved cliff dwelling here you take a self guided tour, there are a couple of rangers keeping watch and answering questions. From here I went to the museum, and watched a introductory film, both museum and film were very interesting, these houses are built in the side of the cliffs underneath what would I think look like scooped out ledges which are natural, made in the sandstone by wind, water and ice. Its late lunch/early afternoon by now and getting very hot. I have my lunch in the AC restaurant - I am beginning to feel the heat, refreshed I continue, but I am really feeling the heat, the words of the 2 lady’s ringing in my head, strenuous, challenging, small tunnels, big ladders and I keep thinking heat! So I decide to miss the 5.30 tour it was only 3$ not worth collapsing for. I head to the campsite a little worried about the tour tomorrow.
Next morning, after a very good cool nights sleep I felt great, left at 7 am to view the rest of the sites before my tour of “Cliff Palace” at 10am this is the largest cliff dwelling and believed to be a ceremonial place. The guide we had was very good, knew his stuff and answered questions very well, It was not a bit strenuous or challenging the ladder at the very end which brings you out of the canyon I had worried about all the time we were walking round was nothing! I was glad I did not have a teenager behind me though. I had a very enjoyable morning going to all the overviews and lookout points I had my lunch when the heat started building, then went back to the visitors centre to book “Long House” which is in/on the Wetherill Mesa, this is the first week it has been open this year. I had the same lady sell me tickets, she asked had I enjoyed the other houses I didn’t tell her she scared me, and so I missed Balcony House. I am saving that because LnM will have to come here. So “Long House” at 10am tomorrow this is the first tour the road to Wetherill doesn’t open until 9am then it’s a 45min drive following a ranger, this part of the park is much more fragile, driving is restricted around the various sites, a little train runs - strangely it is much hotter on this Mesa then on Chapin, also there is very little shade because of a fire that took all the trees. I did “Long House” and “Step House” this took up my whole morning and just about finishes Mesa Verde for me

These sites are very sacred to the modern Native American who come here for their rituals at times they believe that their ancestors are still here and should not be disturbed.

From Mesa Verde I am heading towards the green on my map and some cooler weather (I hope) Colorado has a maze of scenic and historic byways I have already traveled the “Tail of the Ancients” connecting Utah near Hovenweep, Four Corners through Cortez I am now going from Cortez on the “San Juan skyway” which connects Telluride, Ridgeway, Ouray, Silverton and Durango. I hope to find some nice parking along the way to arrive in Durango on Monday as I have booked the Durango to Silverton Narrow gauge railway for Tuesday. This is mining country I also hope to find a gold mine to visit. Also I would like to find some where to watch an Independence Day parade.

The drive is lovely mountains trees beautiful views with many rest stops with amazing overviews. I found a very nice campsite and parked by the river I stayed 2 sleeps and had lots of company, most of the people on this site live here, it was just a few miles outside Ouray which looked a very interesting old mining town but I was to early everything was still closed when I drove through, my journey took me over Silverton Mountain, (there is a song there and it is driving me mad I have the tune in my head but not the words) the rocks in the rivers and streams here are orange, this is from the waste dumps from the old mines which have a lot of minerals in them. I stop at the old mining town of Silverton; there is a good visitor’s centre - I find out about Independence Day; also a Gold mine I can visit. Going to the gold mine I get lost take the wrong road, which proves to be incredibly beautiful so I go as far as I can, turn back and find the correct road. The mine is called “OLD HUNDRED” we are taken down into the mine on a small train our guide worked in the mine until it closed, he made the tour very interesting some of the machinery still works and he had lots of stories to tell. You could pan for gold if you wanted to; there were little tiny specks to be found also tiny pieces of silver, other then that no free samples! I also visited the Mayflower mine/mill this was a self guided tour, it was here that the minerals from surrounding mines were treated. Both of these tours were very interesting another good day.

I have to pick my rail tickets up today from the railway station in Durango, which was another amazing ride down this wonderful mountain passing green forest, red rock, and an assortment of mining. Durango is hot. I find the station, only got lost once, get my tickets and sort myself out for parking etc. tomorrow, they even have Thomas here but he’s not real! Just a copy! Now to find a campsite. I had noticed a few on the way in, so retracing my tracks I stop at the first campsite, they have a small space for me. Also it is on the tram route so I will not have to move the truck AND they have an Independence Day Parade. So I’m sorted. I also make some very nice friends Philip and Marcia they had their son, his girlfriend and her 3 little girls - I had a hug, lovely. I also had Angel dust cake with raspberries and cream YUM.

I had picked the Silver Vista class on the train this has a glass roof and comfortable seats with free drinks and goodies also wonderful views all round but also very hot as the sun shone through the glass roof! The trip was awesome the scenery amazing we also had a steward in our coach who talked about the scenery, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was filmed on this route using the train, one of the houses and the rocks and river. A scene from Around the World in 80 days was also filmed at a spot where the rock walls are very close they almost touch the train. I enjoyed the train journey, I love trains. I had a walk around Silverton, we had 2.5 hours to spend there I also had a very nice steak for my lunch. I had chosen to go back to Durango by bus, it was a good choice I slept most of the way, the bus driver gave a running commentary which was good but I did miss most of it!!!

I stayed for the Independence Day Parade. I am unsure of what I expected but the parade was nothing like I had anticipated, but I guess the size of the town has some bearing on this, Everything and everyone was red, white and blue; people had brought their deckchairs which were placed at the side of the road; there was a beach party atmosphere, but there was NO music in the parade, no bands the only one was a Scottish band playing “Scotts Porridge Oats” and that was only for a little while, then it was just quiet I was disappointed. But glad I was able to be there, there was a wonderful atmosphere amongst the crowd and I experienced the same wonderful warmth and friendship which is becoming such a big part of this solo trip

Quilting USA 4/7/07

I hope you are all well, happy and enjoying what ever you are doing on this 4th of July. I am going to an independance day parade this evening. I hope you all enjoy my quilt weekend ha! ha! for my girls "You see even all this way from home, I find a bunch of crazy women who enjoy cutting large pieces of fabric into tiny pieces only to join them up and make a big piece again" for any of you who do not quite understand me skip that bit!!!

QUILTING UNDER THE BLUES

Named as such because Blanding lies under the Blue Mountains.

On my arrival back at the visitors center in Blanding there was a different lady on duty, her name was Norma, she was one of the teachers doing a workshop at the Quilt show. It was, I think, going to be very different from any quilt show I have ever been to; I think it will be more like a series of workshops, from my conversation with Norma. Friday night there was to be a concert after the day’s events by “Cathy Miller the singing quilter” from Canada (sounded good) I hoped I would be able to get a ticket. On Saturday there was a “Show and Tell Luncheon” I had crossed fingers for a ticket for that but the cut of date was 18^th May!!! So did not hold out much hope. Norma showed me where the High School and the parking was for the show which was in the high school, (the show not the parking) that would be interesting as well - the inside of an American high school. We also discussed camping, one camp is out in the forest very cool and quiet but is 12 miles out side town. I had a run out there but decided that if it was going to be dark on my return this was not a good idea, so I chose the campsite behind the Shell petrol station not very salubrious, but turned out to be a good choice I ended up staying 5 nights! I found a spot that had good shade and set up camp. There were a few people who actually lived there in their RV’s, 5 wheelers or trailers. I ate my tea outside which was lovely, afterwards a neighbour who lives there and works as a volunteer on the “Ute Indian Reservation” came over and sat with me for a couple of hours talking about her work on the reservation, England and the US

Friday the show/workshops started at 12.30. It is very hard arriving on your own and not knowing what is happening or where to go; I am ok when I know the ropes but not so good when I have not got a clue of what is going on or where to go. So not wanting to look like a spare part for too long I arrived around 12.15, a lady arrived at the same time just a shade behind me so when I was at her car she had just got out, “can I follow you” I said “of course” was the reply, then “where do you come from” “Yorkshire, England” was my reply Well from that moment I was royalty - they could not have treated HRH any better. The lady’s name was Gail her husband was also a quilter.

Once inside Gail introduced me to every one I was given a ticket for the 2 day event, I asked about the lunch and concert tickets, lunch was sold out but concert I could pay at the door, Gail’s husband arrived, Worth, she asked him to give me his lunch ticket as he did not need it he was going somewhere else!!! And he did, can you believe that, he was at the lunch; we were told later that people could take packup whilst watching the show ‘n tell. He also gave me the free bag he got when he registered for the event as they both had one and did not need 2 he said! I was by this time becoming overwhelmed, Gail and Worth took me to the theatre where there was going to be a trunk show and some free workshops, also door prizes. I was introduced to everyone all of whom wanted to sit near or next and chat.

The event started, mass introductions and a discussion of the program made things much clearer for me, people had come from a variety of States, Cathy Miller from Canada then of course some one said there is the English Lady I had to stand up AND speak I said, of course, I came from Yorkshire England and was a very small quilter!

After all the introductions etc. The door prizes started. Here you get a prize for just about anything they can think of and at any time some one will just say we will have a couple of door prizes. Names are pulled out of a jar (you are told to put your name in the jar when signing in) the seat number you are sat on, I got one for traveling the farthest (I am not really sure how far I had come, there were a few folk from SLC who had done it in 6 hours, it took me 4 days!!) anyway it was very nice and a wonderful thing to do causing a lot of excitement and breaks the ice so to speak, relaxing everyone. Great idea.

Next the workshop starts I am staying in the theatre for the free workshops. A lady come over to me, very excited, saying she had just returned from the UK having been to the international quilting conference at …………. “The Spa in Scarborough” well, then I do not know who was more excited her or me; this was Cathy Miller the singing quilter, what a lovely lady. ( I felt home sick! just for a bit, to much going on)

I spent the rest of the day with Gail and Worth enjoying the workshops learning a lot and speaking to so many wonderful people. OH! I forgot to tell about the trunk show. This was a single bed at the front/middle of the theatre with 20+ quilts on top, each one held up to be viewed, admired and appreciated each and every one very beautiful each and every one with a story to tell.

There were also some vendors with the most wonderful fabric etc. I had to keep reminding myself I am paying for my stash to be stored!

Janet who had organized the whole show came to speak to me telling me that yesterday had been an awful day for her everything had gone wrong and this morning she was feeling really down when Norma told her that a lady from England was coming, she said I had made the day for her! I do not know about that BUT they have certainly made a wonderful day for me and tomorrow hasn’t started yet!! And I have the concert to go to - in the afternoon break another kind person gave me a free ticket for the concert. Also in the break a lady came and asked me if I knew anything about Harrogate as her daughter was going to live there, her husband is going to work on the US Airbase I told her how wonderful it is in the very best and most beautiful part of England. I told her to get Calendar Girls as it is filmed in the villages and countryside around Harrogate but I think I put her off by saying it was about the WI and a nude calendar of course she will not know about the WI, well anyway she says her daughter will get in touch with me!

So I had my tea in the car park of the school whilst waiting for the concert time. I had a visitor who had spent some time in England at college doing English Literature, had been to York and had spent some time in Harrogate so I introduced her to the other lady next day and they both lived in Blanding near each other, we all thought it amusing that I had introduced them!

The Concert WOW!

Cathy is a folk singer, song writer and quilter she is amazing. check out her web site www.singingquilter.com you can hear samples of her delightful singing. She traces the history of some quilts and quilting, the customs and habits of quilters (I now know these habits are world wide) to write her beautiful songs. I also now know that Elizabeth Fry (who is on the back of our 5 pound note) gave the women sent on convict ships to Australia in the 1800’s a bundle of sewing supplies from which they sewed quilts on that awful long voyage one of these quilts was presented by the ladies to Elizabeth Fry. One quilt was found in an attic in Scotland in 1989 and has been donated to the National Gallery of Australia this is believed to be the only quilt left from those transport voyages. Cathy has written a beautiful song about the ladies the voyage and the quilts. On this side of the pond (I do mean the US side not my side) Cathy has written a song about the information on quilts that help the slaves trying to escaping from the south to the safety in the north of America all the blocks had a meaning and most carried a map. The songs and the singing are truly wonderful. I have a couple of CD’s so you can listen when I get home. Cathy and her husband John, who is also a folk singer and accompanies her singing, live in Victoria BC Canada so I will get to see her againJ

The end of a most wonderful day for me. When I decided to stay longer than L&M a quilt show or workshop was one of the main reasons for staying; I have been longing to see and talk to American quilts/quilters, happy happy me.

Saturday. Well to day I got there very early I was not scared this time. A second day as wonderful as yesterday I also won a second door prize, we had been asked only to take one prize so that everyone could win one, I said I had already had one, they said I had come along way was English so here you are have 2! Again I spent the whole day speaking to people looking at the most beautiful quilts a couple of work shops and a wonderful lunch with a 'show and tell' which was amazing AND Cathy sang again.

Quilts here are such a very large part of their lives, quilts are handed down from generation to generation there were some very old quilts on show, this tradition goes back to the pioneers and the “Hole in the Rock” some of the people that live in Blanding are decendants of those pioneers. Most girls have a quilt when they are married, it seems everyone receives a quilt when they graduate, every baby receives one and I guess every granny has loads.

I was very sad when these 2 days finished. I had seen some of the most beautiful quilts and quilting I have ever seen and met a bunch of the most beautiful people whose warmth and generosity overwhelmed me I will never forget my 2 days here I take so much warmth and friendship with me. I kind of glow!

Back at my little campsite I met Sue and Maury from North Carolina, they missed the quilt show but come to Blanding and this campsite every year, have been doing so for the past 40 years, Maury was a park ranger at some time he had lots of interesting stuff to tell, he now teaches Environmental Science. I spent a lovely time with them and on Monday went off on a trip they sent me on to Muley Point this is an over look of the canyons truly awesome, Muki Dugout this was a road that came straight down the face of one of these cliffs that rise straight out of the ground, looking back it is hard to believe there is a road there. Then Valley of the Gods which is red sand stone rising up in the most amazing shapes and yes some of them look like statues of gods I have seen, it is very easy to see why the Indians gave this valley its name, then Goose Neck Park named for the same reason the rock looks goose like. It is hard to describe the beauty of this red rock rising out of the ground and made into such strange and wonderful shapes by the wind, water and ice. Tomorrow I will leave Blanding and the wonderful people I have met I will drive another fabulous road Montezuma to Hatch Trading Post which is in the middle of nowhere but seemed to have customers and then onto Hovenweep National Monument which is an ancient Pueblo settlement this was a 2.5mile walk around the top of the canyon given very good views of the building, how the people built these buildings using the rock face and ledges is astonishing, they are the ancestors of what is now known as the Native American.

From here I am going into Colorado, Cortez is the town and then Mase Verde I got very lost ended up at a gigantic casino which is in the Ute Indian Reservation. I did find Cortez eventually and the Culture Center, later this evening they are having a display of Native American dancers. So quick change of plan I put Mase Verde on hold and took a trip up to the Anasazi Heritage Center this is a very small Pueblo ruins but very interesting museum, then back to Cortez (I had spotted a Wal-Mart - my sleep for the night on the way out of town) I parked outside the culture center and had a walk around the town and on finding the quilt shop made a visit. Then looked for a nice restaurant, met a couple doing the same thing they recommended one they had been to last time they were here. I had a very good steak and salad. Then walked back to watch the dancing; The dancers were all dressed in the costume for the dance each person was doing, these dances were all different, there was a drum played by 3 people, also a guy giving a commentary of each dance, he had a mike - I could hear him but could not understand him, not a word. The dances each had a meaning but I failed on that one. but enjoyed it, they put an awful lot of effort in. when the dancing had finished there was a demonstration of pottery art inside the center, this was of the black and white pottery found at Mesa Verde very interesting. A good evening.

Tomorrow I go to Mesa Verde ………………………………………………………..

It's Utah! 25/6/07

I left the natural bridge park and headed for a town called Blanding. Here there was an amazing visitors centre and pioneer museum it was really good, the best part was the lady who was running the place, she told another RV couple and myself some wonderful places to go, back to Natural Bridge park and continue along the road past the park then turn onto “Hole in the Rock Road” this is the very road that the Mormon Pioneers came along, cannot think what the problem was - it is a lovely tarmac road!! Oh! I guess 150 years ago it was not!! This desert/prairie is the same wonderful colours red and even green. At the pass there is a commendation plaque to the group of Men, women and children who camped at the pass for 8 days while they built a 3 mile road so that they could safely get their wagons down a 1000 feet drop!!! (I’d have gone home) a few days later I go through the village of Bluff where these people built their homes and Temple, one of the original homes is still there, part of it has been renovated. The temple has been rebuilt in the exact place as the original, the whole area is being renovated. I continued on over the pass until I came to Lake Powell the truck and I went on a ferry to Bulldog crossing, (they have some wonderful names here, I stayed at Horse Thief campsite the other night). The next morning I continued along the road back to Blanding, it was truly magnificent well worth the 100mile round trip to get back to where I started.! This road is part of Glen Canyon and follows the Colorado River, this valley/canyon is where Butch Cassidy ran the cattle he and his gang had rustled. Back in Blanding I visited the Edge of Cedars Pueblo Indian village/museum, and then onto Mant-le-Sal National Forest, a very beautiful change from the desert/prairie I have been traveling through, tonight I sleep at Buckboard Campsite.

Continuing through this amazing, beautiful country I am now heading for Salt Lake City; On the way visiting “Arches National Park” this has the most concentration of sandstone Arches in the world, it was a very hot day 100+ which was not so bad as I was driving with the sun behind so the cab and me were in the shade, I used the A/C. I only did one of the walks to get closer and to see more of the Arches because of the heat, however Les and Margaret will want to visit. It is hard to find information before you visit these places, the information I was given on entering the park tells you to visit first thing in the morning or late at night (it is also much cooler) I went at 2pm the hottest!! So I will do better next time. I am also still doing the roads that the lady in the visitors center told me about - one didn’t go anywhere just there and back but it was amazingly beautiful, superb. I kept away from the Interstate Highway and drove through the mountains, I had found a campsite just outside SLC which had internet and Laundry - I plan to stay there for the weekend, I feel the need to just hangout! The journey was scenic and cool I enjoyed it stopping for lunch with an amazing view over the valley with the red rock behind the green of the forest - awesome! I decided to give the campsite a ring on my new American phone to ask if they had any vacancies, they could not understand me! But I understood they had. The site was ok, not really my cup of tea, its like a coach park, no one sits out, but when they do walk around everyone comes over to chat. I got my laundry done, filled up with water etc. The next day an English couple arrived in a hired RV on the back of a tow truck, (we know what that’s like don’t we girls!) Any way they were stuck there until at least Monday, so we sat out and chatted. I went in around 11pm just got inside and heard a very loud 'sh sh sh'.

I froze.

Air coming out of the tyre was my first thought, on looking out of the door I saw a huge water spray, my fresh water tank was my second thought, this holds 400ltrs I jumped out as fast as I could get out, onto the grass at the side of the truck, thinking what the H*** am I going to do AND its dark………..This is America! ….six sprinklers had risen out of the grass and turned on, to keep the grass green! I was soaked as I stood in the middle of a strip of grass not much bigger then my deck chair and table with six sprinklers playing on it!!! My friends had gone in but I had a very good laugh in fact Meric would say I had a 'purple moment'! In the morning my friends said “have you seen all this water” yep I had. There is a fuel station and hotel/restaurant near the campsite about a 10/15 min walk, the Brits walked the Americans drove their vehicles!

When I left the I had been shown a road over the mountains that picked the Interstate up further along, the mountain road was stunning and goes past Robert Redford’s pad which is called Sundance which is a mountain resort doing all year round stuff as this is a very big ski centre.

I came to SLC to go to the camping world shop for some blinds but they needed 3or4 weeks so that was a no no, then I went to Ikea and had meatballs for lunch!!!

Now I am kind of on my way back to Prescott and home.

Finding things to see is not easy I was given a booklet at the campsite with some very interesting looking places to visit before I head for home, two of which I could not find. So I parked for the night in Wal-Mart car park and had a haircut in Wal-Mart !! (its not a bad haircut) it was a quiet stopover.

However in the morning I did find a couple of places to visit one the town of Lehi the museum was closed and the bus ride I had hoped to take was only for groups but I did find the mill which is unchanged, from the outside at least since 1906 when it started making flour this was an interesting find. I then drove some 20 miles out of town to “Camp Floyd-Stage coach Inn Sate Park” The road traveled through the farming of this area some of the houses and yards were very old, most were very large, it was very different to anything so far, a lot of the land had been sold and very large housing estates are being built.

Camp Floyd was SHUT! I was not happy. BUT after going to the toilet they were OPEN I was just too early

There is a very interesting museum which is in the original army stores building with lots of information, the fort was built in 1858 the government sent 3,500 soldiers to stop a Mormon rebellion that never took place. 200000US$ were pumped into the region to build the fort and care for the soldiers, then in 1861 they all left for the civil war. A John Carson built a stagecoach Inn to serve the army big wigs, this Inn became a very important stop over for stage coach travelers. It also became a very important stop over for the pony express. The Inn has been totally renovated with original furniture and quilts!

A very good morning, had my lunch and then set off for the mountains for a very cool sleep in fact I was cold. Which is the up side of this climate, the days are very hot but the night are cool so sleep is easy.

My journey took me through the forest (after I had got very lost) over the mountains I slept at 9275feet then onto Inter State which was very scenic with lots of stopping places for a beautiful view, this road has been built through what was once a solid wall of rock which had a canyon through that was so narrow a man could touch each side at once.

I am heading back to Blanding and a QUILT show. I bet my girls wish they were here!!

USA - solo!! 17/06/07

This is my first ramblings of my solo travels, I am having a great time, but do miss Les and Margaret. I am now on the out skirts of Salt Lake City.

Back in Prescott:-

We all had a lovely meal together with our friends Kim and Don the evening before Les and Margaret left for the home!

Then next morning “P A N I C’” why on earth have I stayed here all alone???? This country is huge. I will get lost. I will miss the plane home. Oh dear me !!

The first mishap! I had arranged to meet a repair man for the jobs I want doing on the truck at the forest campsite we have been staying in all week (last night because we had been out I stayed in a car park in town) when I got to the camp site, it being Friday, the park was full! Never fear, I parked at the side of the road near the park in hopes that the guy would see me, being as everyone who passes give us very close scrutiny I figured I was in with a chance. Yep the guy who’s name is Jim saw me, we then went to Wal-Mart car park, where I stayed all night, Jim checked over what I need doing and will sort me out when I get back from my little tour. Which I set off on the next morning heading towards Sedona and then on the back road to Flagstaff, the country side is so very very beautiful, the colour, the shapes awesome, this time I was able to get parked very easily in Sedona and had a walk around the town, meeting a guy who used to have his holidays in Scarborough. The ride to Flagstaff was so very enjoyable. In Flagstaff I was able to drive the old ROUTE 66, I found this very exciting, silly really, I hope to drive some more of the original road before I get back to Prescott, I may then if I have time go and see “London Bridge" from Flagstaff - so called because when it was a very small pioneering town it raised a very high/tall flagstaff so that wagon trains coming over the desert could see for a long way and knew that there was a town with water and previsions. The same as the tall covered pole outside a Sikh Temple, just a little trivia.

I went to Walnut Canyon which has some amazing dwellings sheltered by overhanging cliffs, these were reached by pathways up the side of the canyon and then ladders into the dwellings. These homes were occupied in the early 1200’s growing their crops on the top of the canyon dry farming (without irrigation) I got lost a few times getting there, at one point I was going the wrong way down the dual carriageway, but I made it. Then to find a night camp. Well I was just about to pass yet another RV campsite when I decided to go in, as this was really my first night of my solo travels thought I would treat myself. After much confusion in the office because I did not want any of the plug ins, I was finally given a site with a reduction in price!! I pulled into my spot then got out and the people across all sitting out watching (been there done that) shouted that I was not far enough over, being an English lady, not wanting to shout, I walked over to tell them I did not need the plug ins. To their amazement, no plug ins! Of course they wanted to know why, any way, we ending up chatting about travels, America, England, the Queen, Charley boy, Bush and Blair. I sat down they offered a drink, and then invited me for an evening meal, which of course I accepted. (Pork with apple and veg cooked in a crock pot, delicious)

then I had a tour of their very lovely 5^th wheeler (Jane and her husband) A Class (Jack and his wife) I have to say they are great in such a big country which has the space for them (not that I would want one) the 5^th wheeler gives them a vehicle to run around in, without towing a car, as most large RV’s do. So this is very handy, I then invited them for a viewing of the “baby” they loved it were so impressed that I had everything I needed ! Jane said she wanted one!! As she would like to go into the backwoods but hubby doesn’t, Jane also said she would like to go full time. This is very big over here. So, that was my first solo night, what a great time I had.

In the morning I head for the Hopi Indian Reservation on the way I will visit Sunset Crater N.P also on the same back road Wupatki N.P. which is another cliff/rock dwelling used around the same time 1200.

I got lost again; turned off the main highway too soon and drove through some awful road, sand, rock and corrugation; I had promised LnM I would not go on such roads, However once on ……….. All turned out well and I came to the correct road. The Sunset Crater is a real moonscape this volcano erupted in 1064 aprox almost the same time as William the conqueror raided us; but this has left a bigger mess, if very beautiful it was several hundred years before people came back to the valley. The Wupatki site is again very interesting, how hard the people lived, there is a ball court here which we had seen so much of in Central America. This night I spent on the RV park of the historic Cameron Trading Post built in 1911 soon after the first suspension bridge had been built over the little Colorado River which enabled the Navajo and Hopi Indians to trade their wool, blankets and live stock for provisions, here they were treated as guests fed, watered and given a place to sleep whilst doing their trading. After the “Long Walk” (see later) these Trading Post became a focal point for Navajo life, for them to trade and learn a new way of life. Today the company is owned by its employees most of whom have had roots in the area for generations, the president of the company is a direct descendent of the original Richardson brothers who opened “the store” interesting. I will not say too much about this country side, I think it is still very beautiful, desert, rugged, scattered with farms, houses and large caravans. I went to “Old Oraibi” which says it is the oldest continuously lived in town/village in North America. It has no running water, no electric, and no sewerage. All water has to be hauled from several miles down the main road (bad luck if you have no truck) some people who can afford it have a solar panel, sewerage No comment!!! The houses were tiny and poor built on top of other houses the elders will not allow anyone to dig down. I spoke to 3 men who were trying to sell their art work; I was the only person there. I did buy something. However it was very expensive, I could not barter here. I then went into the visitor’s centre which really was another craft shop but selling art work from this and other villages, the guy in there told me about the village and their beliefs, they make a living by dry farming (no irrigation) and selling their art work which is very good. Then off to find Walpi both of these village are Hopi Indian. It took me a while to find the second village the sign for it was behind a very thick & bushy tree, but I found it in the end. From the visitors centre here a walking tour must be taken to see anything, with a Hopi guide, No photos, sketching or painting images of either village or Hopi land, People still live here it is on a rock outcrop again with no running water, electric or sewers, there are 3 villages in a row, our guide had lived here as a child, her husbands grandmother lives here still, we met her, our walking tour was very good. We kept getting called into peoples houses to look at their art work with the hope we would buy, we did all buy something, One elderly lady had photos of her grandsons all in the armed forces, there are no jobs on the reservation, we were told for most of the boys this was their only hope. We were also told that education is very basic very few get past high school, which I think is our GCSE’s level (do we still call them that) again very interesting beautiful day. I am heading for Canyon de Chelly on the way I went to another trading post “Hubbell trading post” this is still in its original building with the inside unchanged just selling modern stuff. I then headed for the Canyon and a free night camp. This camp site has trees and is quite cool I may stay a couple of days, there is a tour of the Canyon I would like to do. I am very tired so decide to eat at the cafeteria which is very cheap; I didn’t get it quite right the first night I will however try better tomorrow.

Today I stayed home, did some cleaning, reading, computing and met 2 great guys who just adopted me, they really did, Scott and Curtis I have sent you a photo. Both these guys were in Vietnam both had wonderful stories to tell and bad ones, both traveled all over, we talked until very late Curtis is such a story teller, I learnt a lot about America from both of them.

I went on the tour of the Canyon floor (do you call it a floor or is it a valley) we left at 9am for a full day trip, it is very windy, I manage to sit at the front. The driver is a Native American and our guide for the day. The labyrinth called Canyon de Chelly (pronounced d’Shay) is really several canyons which include Canyon de Chelly and Canyon del Muerto at the mouth of the Canyon the walls are only 30 feet high but deeper into the canyon they reach over 1000 feet high. When the US government force marched (The Long Walk) the Navajo tribe over 300 miles to New Mexico some Navajo were able to hide deep in these canyons , the Military were unable to find them. Now they still farm here, grow peaches and care for their sheep. It is a beautiful, peaceful place - most of the time there is no sound. But today the wind is getting stronger every minute. At our first stopping place the truck broke down, we had to be towed, then a new truck brought out to us. We continued on with sand getting everywhere. It is an awesome place. I have never seen anything like it. For lunch we had a very good beef sandwich, crisps and an apple. In the afternoon trees were being blown over, the park ranger had a chain saw, just cleared them quick as that. Another wonderful and beautiful day.

I spent the evening with Scott and Curtis again; there is wireless internet in the cafeteria.

I am having such a wonderful time, reading my guide books carefully trying not to miss anything of interest; it is one of the hard parts of solo travel trying not to miss anything, the other one is trying not to go the wrong way, which I do often! At the moment I am in Utah at the Natural Bridges N.P. having come from the Monument Valley which in reality is far more beautiful then the film or the adverts can possible show. I came through a very small place, Bluff which had an amazing historic site of a preserved Mormon pioneer’s cabin/house also their meeting house and a covered wagon is this the original RV? I have so enjoyed the history of the Native American’s and the pioneers. It has all been so stunningly beautiful I could not believe it and it is all so very big!! It is like a giant has been playing on the beach, making sand castles, the Canyon is awesome. We had a wind storm whilst I was there, sand and more sand it was every where. I find the words to describe how stunning all this is very difficult to find. The Navajo say “With beauty before me I walk. With beauty behind me I walk. With beauty all around me I walk. In beauty I walk.” How true is that? Of all the places I have been of all the beauty I have seen, I have never seen anything quite like this, the colour, the shape, the size just awe-inspiring, every colour of red you can imagine and some you cannot!!

I have had mutton stew with fry bread Navajo style excellent. I have also met some very interesting and lovely people. One couple who were looking my truck over very closely, I thought I had better go out and speak to them, it turned out they have followed all my trips on the web site. They knew more about me and my friends then I knew which was amazing another very interesting evening.

I have stayed on the campsite here at Natural Bridges 2 nights just to catch up with things really; It is very beautiful (that word again) these bridges are amazing, tucked away in a small canyon they are three of the largest sandstone natural bridges in the world; a natural bridge is made by a meandering stream that gets into flood from snowmelt and flash floods; when in flood the water undercuts the sandstone - this can happen on both sides of a twist/bend - will eventually break through making a new straighter river as it pushes through the sandstone from both sides, then wind, rain and frost do the rest, an arch, which is higher up, is made wholly by wind, rain and frost. Tomorrow I will continue on my journey………………

USA calling 7.6.07

Well we arrived in the USA on the 16^th May crossing over at a place called Douglas, the first stop we had was in a small old mining town called Bisbee, we had a little walk round and found a wonderful little coffee shop, I had peach lemonade and a lovely home made brownie, I asked how lemonade could be peach and was told the drink was a whole peach and a whole lemon liquidized with ice! It was delicious. The town had an old English feel about it, we continued on our way spending the night at Tombstone - the main street here just looked like a film set. We are heading north, going to some friends Kim and Don whom we met on the road in Chile, they live in Prescott. Les still has an oil leak which he is trying to get repaired. In Tucson we found “Camping World” this was an Aladdin’s cave to us and by the far the largest camping/caravanning store I have ever been in, trouble is (or may be a good thing) I am so overwhelmed I end up buying very little!!! I hope to find another one I am a little more prepared for the size of American stores now. We had a free night park at a service area, this proved to be very noisy as we were between the highway with very large trucks and a very busy railway line!!! Early next morning we press on to Prescott, then at a lunch stop Les’s starter motor failed, I prayed I would not have to tow him, my prayers were answered Les got the starter going. Whilst they were in a garage trying to get the starter fixed I stopped at a burger king with free wireless internet.!!! We enjoyed our burgers as well!

We arrived at Kim and Dons, who live in the cool of the mountains and have a nice large garden drive for us to park in, a beautiful wooden house with adobe inside, with lots of nooks and adobe shelves full of wonderful treasures they have collected from their travels, the white walls are lined with photos from all the wonderful places they have been. Our visit with them was great we talked non-stop about the world and our most favourite subject - over-landing. It is so good to spend time with like minded folk, and we stayed with them for 5 days. Whilst we were there we were invited by some friends of theirs to go on a raft picnic! We all went to the lake with what I would call a boat and K&Ds canoe, rowed around the lake a few times drinking wine, then parked the boats and had a lovely picnic and more wine! AND we saw a Bald Eagle actually we saw 2! And apparently they have babies, I was so excited, what a lovely evening we had. Les got his repairs done, we booked our flights home, found storage for the trucks and hotel accommodation for the nights before and after our flights.

Prescott is a lovely example of small town America, everyone is so very friendly, it is also very clean, tidy and interesting, this has made a very nice welcome into the America, which does just get better, with the odd funny bit. In the post Office I went to collect some things I had sent “general delivery” there was a long queue I looked around, seeing a short queue I joined it to ask how I collected my mail, the chap said I had to get in line I also needed identification; I showed my copy passport asking if that was ok, he said yes but get in line, then a guy who was in line strode over and demanded had I been in line. No, said I, as I was unsure what to do so had asked the kind gentleman at the desk who had told me I needed to get in line, he said he was sorry but thanked me for the explanation, but it was others in the line who had complained about me, To which I apologized to the whole queue explained that I was British and we had invented the queue, queuing was what we did. Silence no one else spoke the whole time I was there, it was very funny. Kim and Don reckoned that was because no one knew what queuing meant!! However I enjoyed my stay had loads of lovely chats with lovely people. I will return in July for my flight home.

We left Kim and Don’s going for a 3 or 4 day trip before Les and Margaret go home, there are some very interesting early Native American ruins quite near also Camp Verde which is now a historical site/museum and of course Sedona, which Barbara has told me, is beautiful.

Well we started off on our little jaunt looking for a campsite in the National Forest (which are either very cheap or free) near a place called Cherry this proved a little difficult and some of the road was not good but rather “corrugated” however we found the site and had a very nice peaceful night causing much interest with the volunteers looking after the camp, I put my foot in it up to my hip, but I will tell you about that, cannot write it down, may upset someone else!! We wanted to travel on a very scenic road to a place called Jerome and then on to Sedona, looking at the map we found a small road cutting through the forest. Wow! This turned out to be the worst road EVER, I was in front in case I had to give LnM a tow as the sand at the beginning of the road was pretty deep, then it was very uneven rock with very steep inclines and of course DUST (thought we had seen the last of that) infact every thing we hate ‘cause it was hot as well. We stopped on a flat piece of road (there was no traffic) for a tea break, then Les had a flat!!! The inside wheel of course, Les keeps his spare wheels on the roof, so us three “girls” (Les did say that) had to get A) the wheel down from the roof, B) both of these very large and heavy wheels off the truck, C) jack the truck up on a very sandy uneven road. D) Change the wheels over E) get the wheel back on top of the truck. Oh dear! I have an airline on my truck, so plan A was blow the tyre up. Plan A failed, so it was all of the above. The hardest was getting the thing back onto the roof, after many failed efforts (we are getting weaker) Les threw the rope he was pulling on down and I was swinging on this with all that was left of my might; Margaret was pushing Les was pulling Margaret was pushing with her head! Les said (to be kind) 'rest a minute'. Well Margaret (who by now is 4in smaller) screamed 'keep going, keep going', I wish some one could have taken a photo, had I the energy I would have laughed. BUT we got the job done. Only took us 3 hours - it was now time for lunch!

I have to say the road was awful but the scenery was beautiful and we did manage to find some very nice free camping, they call it “Boon docking”. The next day we continued onto Jerome; this is an old mining town with a population of 15,000 at one time, in the 1950’s it became a ghost town when the mine closed, then the 60’s came and the hippies arrived giving new life to this charming town which clings to the mountain side. Now the saloons and brothels have been changed into shops, galleries, studios and museums making this a lovely town very much on the tourist trail. The family who owned the mine was closely related to Winston Churchill’s mother, she was someone's sister but I forget who’s! Also given to the family (I guess by Winnie) and on display is a gargoyle from the Houses of Parliament broken off when the palace of Westminster was bombed. Just a little bit of home in the middle of Arizona. We followed the twisting climbing beautiful road to Sedona, Barbara was not wrong this place is stunningly beautiful the town is nestled between the massive fire hued rocks of Red Rock State park and the lush gorges of Oak Creek Canyon. You have all seen this wonderful countryside - the whole area has been used for dozens of Western films. The light, the blue blue sky and the wonderful colourful terrain makes this a place that makes you gasp at every corner. The rock formations are so amazing it made me think a giant had played at building sand castles. It was holiday weekend when we were there and parking for 2 big trucks was impossible so we just drove through the town. However on my solo tour I chose to return to continue the beautiful scenic road up to Flagstaff, I was able to park and spent some time wandering around the town, speaking to folk, a guy from England who has lived there 30 years and spent his holidays in Scarborough that was fun, a lady took me under her wing - she had been married to a Navajo who is a guide in the Canyon de Chelly National Monument, she told me how wonderful the canyon is and a lot about the Navajo Indians. I am going on a trip with him tomorrow I hope, although she says some time they just do not turn up, I have booked at the visitors centre so I guess if he doesn’t someone else will.

Les Margaret and I continue our trip through the Red Rock Country side (Awesome) then going to the Montezuma Castle which is a 5 story Sinagua Indian dwelling built in the splits and caves in the rock around the 12 century and was origianally reached by ladders. We also went to the Montezuma Well. Which is a limestone sink caused by the collapse of an immense underground cavern long ago. The Sinagua Indians lived near and used this water sauce. Our next and last stop for the day was Camp Verde; this was founded in 1866 as Camp Lincoln by the Arizona Volunteers to defend the pioneers from Apache raids. It was renamed by the U.S. Army a few years later when they took over and the area became more peaceful (so the guide said) It is very interesting as the original buildings furnished to the period are still there as is the parade ground. We were able to spend the night in the car park, and visit first thing in the morning, good sleep. From here we went to the Tuzigoot (Apache for “crooked water”) another Sinagua Indian dwelling, we were able to walk around and in here as the place was much more stable then Montezuma. We spent this night in the forest on a cheap campsite “potato camping”.

The following day back to Prescott for Les and Margaret to get ready to fly home, (he also still has an oil leak) We stayed in the National Forest camp site for the few days, Kim and Don came to visit us bringing a bottle of wine which was nice. I have a few things I would like to have done to the truck a couple of small repairs and a waste hole in the shower room. I took the truck to a very large RV sales and service place; I got some covers for the wheels and a new toilet from a couple of very nice guys then asked about service, so went to service where I was told in no uncertain terms by a guy with a big fat cigar, whilst looking down his nose that they do not work on such vehicles. I laughed and left! Kim and Don were very cross.

I have now found a mobile R.V repair man who will come and repair me when I get back to Prescott.

We continued to potter around Prescott doing jobs and just hanging out, the 5 of us had a lovely meal the night before L&M left for the UK.

Then its just little old me, from everyone that left the UK 2005/6 at the moment I am the only one left on this continent, Clive and Ann who are the last of the PANAM group at the moment are on the high seas heading for Tilbury.

My next ramble will be the excitement of solo travel…………………….