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!!!!