We are enjoying our down time with our friends, and reflecting upon the last months. I always asked our kids what they liked best when we went on a trip, or they went on a field trip. Recently Grant asked that of me, and I just answered with what I had just seen, but I've been thinking about that for a couple of months. We have seen such a beautiful country !!! I'm amazed at the tremendous forces that have shaped our landscape-volcanoes,rivers,glaciers,wind and rain. I'm amazed at the amount of land that has been set aside for all people to enjoy, and I have developed a great respect for the American spirit. You can't look out at the ruts across the desert ,the tree stumps at Donner Pass, or the incredibly difficult mountain passes without realizing how perserverent our ancestors were.
And now for the last pictures from this great trip!!!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Th-Th-Th-That's All Folks
We finished our national tour yesterday, arriving at the home of our friends, Jim and Donna Simpson, in the foothills of Tucson, Az. They have two children, Christina who's a freshman at the U of A in town, and Jesse who's a freshman at Catalina HS in town. Christina has a boyfriend, Sonny who is also preparing to start college and is a computer wiz. They just completed their new home, which is beautiful and set in the hills with views of the city and the mountains. Jimmy and Donna designed and laid out the house and the attention to detail shows. It includes an outdoor pool and basketball court among other amenities.
Our trip has been great and although we didn't see everything, we saw a great deal. Our country is really amazing and beautiful in a physical sense and most people we talked to are optomistic and upbeat about the future. There are still a lot of can-do people out there who think the way our pioneering ancestors did and don't expect the gov'ment to fix all their problems.
We hope this blog was entertaining and hope you enjoyed it. We certainly enjoyed doing it and enjoyed the feedback we received.
We plan on spending the winter in Tucson and perhaps settling here. OUR BEST TO ALL.
Our trip has been great and although we didn't see everything, we saw a great deal. Our country is really amazing and beautiful in a physical sense and most people we talked to are optomistic and upbeat about the future. There are still a lot of can-do people out there who think the way our pioneering ancestors did and don't expect the gov'ment to fix all their problems.
We hope this blog was entertaining and hope you enjoyed it. We certainly enjoyed doing it and enjoyed the feedback we received.
We plan on spending the winter in Tucson and perhaps settling here. OUR BEST TO ALL.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Weekend in Alto
Friday, Nov. 2, we drove east to Alto,NM, where Carol and Mike Empson have a mountain home. Their place looks across to Sierra Blanco, the highest peak in the area at a little over 11,000 feet. Their home is over 7,000 feet, in the Alto Lakes community, which is just north of Riudosa. Riudosa is the quarterhorse capital of the country, and they pack in tourists and horse people during the summer racing season.
Since the last time we were there, they have added a two car garage with adequate space for a golf cart and redone the exterior of the house to stucco which looks great. The interior features a huge Great Room with a fireplace with brick to the ceiling and walls of Michigan barn siding. It's a unique home and even has a silo with a spiral staircase attached. The rear deck runs the length of the house, and they also recently had it stripped and refinished. The decking turned out to be redwood and came out beautifully.
Saturday, Carol and Mike took us on a tour of Alto and the area. After a walk around a local pond in a park, we went up to Monjeau Peak, a mountain next to Sirra Blanco where there's an old stone fire tower built in CCP times. It has a wrap-around view of the entire area. We had lunch at the Alto Country Club where they are members, and then headed over to see the new Inn of the Mountain Gods Casino. The new structure has been up a couple years and dwarfs the old place which they should tear down. The casino and the Ski Apache ski area on Sierra Blanco are both tribal endeavors of the local Apache tribe. Unfortunately, the first thing you notice walking in is the smell of cigarette smoke. We decided to sit outside on the deck with a great view. They are known for a great Margurita, but no one came out to take an order. Mike went in and asked the bartended to send someone out but was told that he'd have to find someone himself. She was too busy. We were out of there. The local Apaches seem to feel that the service industry requires groveling and don't do it well. We had the same type service at the ski area some years ago.
Sunday, Carol made world class huevos rancheros, the traditional Mexican breakfast. She and Mike headed back to El Paso later in the morning and Dana and I stayed and watched the Colts-Patriots game. Two good teams and a tough game. They'll meet again in the playoffs.
We drove the 396 miles back to Payson on Monday. It turns out that it was Grant Leonard's birthday and Ann invited us over for dinner. Other friends of theirs were there and we had a great time.
Today we head down to Tucson and the finish line of our national tour.
Since the last time we were there, they have added a two car garage with adequate space for a golf cart and redone the exterior of the house to stucco which looks great. The interior features a huge Great Room with a fireplace with brick to the ceiling and walls of Michigan barn siding. It's a unique home and even has a silo with a spiral staircase attached. The rear deck runs the length of the house, and they also recently had it stripped and refinished. The decking turned out to be redwood and came out beautifully.
Saturday, Carol and Mike took us on a tour of Alto and the area. After a walk around a local pond in a park, we went up to Monjeau Peak, a mountain next to Sirra Blanco where there's an old stone fire tower built in CCP times. It has a wrap-around view of the entire area. We had lunch at the Alto Country Club where they are members, and then headed over to see the new Inn of the Mountain Gods Casino. The new structure has been up a couple years and dwarfs the old place which they should tear down. The casino and the Ski Apache ski area on Sierra Blanco are both tribal endeavors of the local Apache tribe. Unfortunately, the first thing you notice walking in is the smell of cigarette smoke. We decided to sit outside on the deck with a great view. They are known for a great Margurita, but no one came out to take an order. Mike went in and asked the bartended to send someone out but was told that he'd have to find someone himself. She was too busy. We were out of there. The local Apaches seem to feel that the service industry requires groveling and don't do it well. We had the same type service at the ski area some years ago.
Sunday, Carol made world class huevos rancheros, the traditional Mexican breakfast. She and Mike headed back to El Paso later in the morning and Dana and I stayed and watched the Colts-Patriots game. Two good teams and a tough game. They'll meet again in the playoffs.
We drove the 396 miles back to Payson on Monday. It turns out that it was Grant Leonard's birthday and Ann invited us over for dinner. Other friends of theirs were there and we had a great time.
Today we head down to Tucson and the finish line of our national tour.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Still More Payson
Dana and I spent a good deal of yesterday getting things together for the ride over to Riudoso, NM, today to see Carol and Mike at their mountain home. We zig-zagged a little too much on this section of the journey. It's almost 400 miles over there and we will come right back on Monday. Everything is so big out here. We're leaving the rig in place in Payson while we're gone.
We went back over to Ann and Grant Leonard's home for dinner last night. They took us on a tour of the area north of town where they have a spot they will build a house on some day. It has a great view of the rim area with magnificent sun sets. We got back to their home where they served Grant's signature dish, baked beans and barbaque pork, with cole slaw. It was great. They have a Jack Russell Terrier, Molly, who is a ball of energy. She's a little piece of muscle. We've had a great visit here and Ann and Grant have really been hospitable.
We went back over to Ann and Grant Leonard's home for dinner last night. They took us on a tour of the area north of town where they have a spot they will build a house on some day. It has a great view of the rim area with magnificent sun sets. We got back to their home where they served Grant's signature dish, baked beans and barbaque pork, with cole slaw. It was great. They have a Jack Russell Terrier, Molly, who is a ball of energy. She's a little piece of muscle. We've had a great visit here and Ann and Grant have really been hospitable.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
More Payson
We took a look around town yesterday am. Payson has about 15,000 residents and is quite rural, with a town center where services are available. Elevation is 5,500', so it's quite a bit cooler than Phoenix, which is an hour and a half away. They say you can work all day outside in 100 degree weather by drinking only 5 or 6 20 oz. bottles of water. Dry heat.
Grant Leonard called about 2:00 pm, and we got together with him and went to the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. A friend of his is the head Ranger there. The walk down is beautiful and the view is also. After that, we stopped at Grant's home and picked up Ann and took a tour through the Flowing Spring area where about 25 homes have been built on the forty or so lots. You have to ford a few streams to get to some places, and during the July-August monsoon period, people can be trapped for a few days. They get the bulk of their rain for the year in that one period.
We had Grant and Ann over for dinner and had a great time.
Grant Leonard called about 2:00 pm, and we got together with him and went to the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. A friend of his is the head Ranger there. The walk down is beautiful and the view is also. After that, we stopped at Grant's home and picked up Ann and took a tour through the Flowing Spring area where about 25 homes have been built on the forty or so lots. You have to ford a few streams to get to some places, and during the July-August monsoon period, people can be trapped for a few days. They get the bulk of their rain for the year in that one period.
We had Grant and Ann over for dinner and had a great time.
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