We must apologize for the exceptionally long delay between postings. All I can say is we had an incredibly busy winter, spring and summer! Hopefully we'll catch up by the time we head south again this fall. I'll remind you of the drill since it's been so long you probably don't remember. Please scroll down to the bottom, start there and work your way to the top. The oldest entries are at the bottom and the newest at the top. Captions are below the pictures. Hope you enjoy seeing our memories as much as we did creating them.
Sunset at Mission Beach Park. The next day Melanie and Clayton flew home; their visit was much too short!
The skyline of San Diego as we approached the harbour.
Huge sea lions practically beached the deck they were lying on.
You definitely do not want to mess with the Coast Guard. Lots of artillery on that boat!!
On our return trip we were lucky to see a submarine surfacing.
Close ups of two of the whales we saw.
We saw 10 whales on our cruise; it was awesome! You can see 2 of them in the bottom right corner. In the distance you can see the city of Tijuana, Mexico. Our cruise captain warned us not to use our cell phones in that area or the roaming charges would add up in a hurry. His wife called him one day to pick up a loaf of bread and the call cost him $17 (bread not included).
San Diego is a major harbour, port and naval base so it was not surprising we saw a warship as we made our way out into the Pacific.
On our way out of the harbour, we saw some fishermen and a buoy filled with sea lions.
What can I say? It was a little cool outside but the sun was shining. You know Ted - anything less than +25 and he's freezing his buns off. He spent most of the cruise inside the cabin.
We decided to spend the afternoon whale watching onboard the Hornblower cruise ship.
The figurehead on the HMS Surprise, the replica of an 18th century Royal Navy frigate, used in the production of the movie "Master and Commander: the Far Side of the World".
We walked along the dock of the San Diego Harbour where several historic ships including the schooner Californian, the B-39 Soviet Attack Submarine, the USS Dolphin submarine, the HMS Surprise Royal Navy Frigate, the Media steam yacht and the Berkeley steam ferry make up the Maritime Museum. Also included is the Star of India (above), the oldest ship in the world that still maintains a regular sailing schedule. It was originally launched in 1863 and has been part of the San Diego waterfront for more than 75 years. In front of the ship is one of the many statues that line the waterfront.
January 23 - San Diego - the USS Midway. This aircraft carrier was launched in 1945 and decommissioned in 1992 after actively serving in both Viet Nam and Desert Storm. It became a museum ship in San Diego in 2004. We didn't take the tour but we did park in their parking lot!
January 22 - Driving along I-8 on our way to San Diego, we came across a stretch of highway bordered by mountains made up of rock and boulders. It looked as if the mountains had been blown up and all the rocky debris piled up to create new mountains (hills).
View of Yuma from the top of Fortuna Peak. Thanks to Clayton for all our plane crash pictures. I forgot my camera in the Tracker - probably a good thing because I needed both hands to crawl my way up the trail.
A close-up of the commemorative plaque placed on the mountainside in their honour. There is also a roadside memorial at an eastbound rest stop just outside of Yuma on I-8.
Another cross and a commemorative plaque placed in memory of the 5 airmen who died in the crash. Their ages ranged from 20 to 23. It was a very sobering experience seeing the crosses and the wreckage and realizing that five young men died before they really had a chance to live. I have so much respect for the young men and women who serve their country.
More fuselage and the first sign of the remaining crosses.
Clayton was the only one who made it all the way to the top. Along the way were large pieces of the plane including wheels, the engine and pieces of fuselage.
The first cross was located approximately 3/4 of the way up the mountain. Melanie and I decided we would wait here while Ted and Clayton climbed further on to the scene of more wreckage and the remaining crosses.
The B17 bomber crashed on June 28, 1944 while returning from a routine night time training flight. The plane crashed into the mountainside several hundred feet below the ridge and was blown apart by an explosion following the crash. The explosion was believed to be caused by the plane's gas supply igniting after impact. After hiking up the steep trail, we reached the first pieces of wreckage and the first cross marking the place where the body of one of the five crew members killed in the crash was found.
The trail was difficult to follow in some places, but fortunately hikers who had gone before left little inukshuk markers on larger rocks along the trail so we could find our way.
We encountered some wildlife along the trail but fortunately it was harmless.
January 21 - After two days of shopping in Yuma and Algodones, MX (with a 2 1/2 hour wait at the border), we decided it was time for a hike. At the weiner roast someone mentioned that there had been a plane crash on the Gila Mountains during WWII. Clayton and Melanie were interested in hiking up to the crash site so we bought a "Yuma Day Hikes" book at the Visitor Centre and started our hike up the mountain side.
Sunset over Yuma. We try to time our weiner roasts around the night of the full moon.
January 18 - We arrived back in Yuma just in time to head up into the foothills for a weiner roast with our friends. Mel & Clayton joined us around the campfire enjoying the view of Yuma to the west.
We stopped at the Tusayan Ruin and Museum on our way back to Grand Canyon Village. It is believed that it was occupied approximately 800 years ago by the Pueblo Indians, the name given to the canyon's occupants at that period in history. The village was abandoned quickly; the reason why is unknown. Under the snow is a ring of rock marking the large Kiva or ceremonial room where ceremonies, rites and festivals took place.
A view of the Watchtower perched on the Canyon rim as seen from the Navajo Point viewpoint.
Open windows on the top floor observation deck provide a frame for a breathtaking view of the Canyon and the Colorado River.
Far below the rim of the Canyon runs the mighty Colorado River.
From the top of the Watchtower we had amazing views across the Canyon to the North Rim. The Painted Desert can be seen if you look to the east.
The wall murals were created by Hopi artist, Fred Kabotie. Each mural tells a different story about the life of the Canyon people. The artwork was incredibly detailed and beautiful.
The walls of the Watchtower were covered with plaster and then murals depicting Hopi mythology and religious ceremonies as well as various pictographs and petroglyphs were painted onto the plaster.
This was taken from the first floor which includes the largest room in the Watchtower - the Hopi room. We are looking upwards towards the 2nd and 3rd floors of the tower.
We then drove east along Desert View Drive until we reached the Watchtower. The 70 foot tower, completed in 1932, was designed by Mary Colter and modelled after an Anasazi watchtower.
We trekked over the snow-covered path to Yavapai Point for a different view of the canyon.
The four of us at Mather Point.
View of the Canyon from Mather Point.
It's so hard to capture the three-dimensional view of the Canyon. Pictures can never do it justice.
January 17 - On the 15th we moved on to a RV park at Black Canyon City just north of Phoenix where we spent the day beside the pool. On the 16th we went shopping in Phoenix and that evening we picked up Clayton (Melanie's husband) from the airport. The following day we made the trip to the south rim of the Grand Canyon where we encountered snow (poor Ted). It was a beautiful day, however, and the view of the Grand Canyon never fails to impress. Ted and Clayton engaged in "photo wars" to see who could get the most imaginative and awe-inspiring views of the canyon. Because of this competition I think we ended up with well over 100 photos. Thank heavens for digital cameras. This is one of Clayton's photos.
There are over 250 graves in Boothill Graveyard and many of the crosses had little poems like this one. A headstone for Lester Moore, a Wells Fargo agent who died in a dispute with a man over a package, read: "Here lies Lester Moore - Four slugs from a .44 - No Les, no more". It seems they had a sense of humour about death in those days.
After meeting the lawmen, we had to go check out three of the cowboys - at the Boothill Graveyard. Apparently the graveyard got its name from the large number of people who died violent or unexpected deaths and were buried with their boots on. This is the grave of the two McLaury brothers and Billy Clanton.
Of course the highlight of my visit to Tombstone was meeting the lawmen! Made my little heart go pitter-patter, but don't tell Ted!
No visit to Tombstone would be complete without a visit to the OK Corral. We enjoyed the reenactment of the famous gunfight beween the cowboys - Frank and Tom McLaury and Billy and Ike Clanton and the lawmen - Morgan, Wyatt and Virgil Earp and Doc Holliday. Ike Clanton escaped but the two McLaury brothers and Billy Clanton who stood their ground were killed. While Virgil and Morgan Earp were badly wounded, Doc Holliday received only a superficial wound and Wyatt Earp walked away unscathed. After seeing the show, I had the feeling the odds were heavily stacked in favour of the lawmen.
Another fascinating character invited us to have a drink with him, but we graciously declined the offer. I have a feeling he would have stiffed us with the bill!
You never know who you are going to meet in Tombstone. Melanie came across one particularly charming character. Looks like it's time he moved on.
Of course saloons played a huge part in Tombstone's history. During the silver boom years, Tombstone was home to 15-20,000 people and over 100 saloons. It is said that over $37,000,000 worth of silver ore was taken from the Tombstone mines. Today's population is approximately 1500.
Our next stop was Tombstone - one of my favorite places. I just love the history of the wild, wild west. Maybe I was there in a past life! So much history in Tombstone - the silver boom, the great fires, the O.K. Corral gunfight, the assassination of Morgan Earp, the Apaches and Geronimo and so much more. Never a dull moment in this town! No wonder it earned the reputation of the "town too tough to die"). Watching a stagecoach going down the street made you feel like you were back in the past (except for the paved streets and the cars driving down the street behind it, of course)!
January 14 - The day before we moved to a campground just outside Benson, AZ so we decided to check out the local attractions. Our first stop was Kartchner Caverns State Park, a "live" limestone cave discoverd in 1974. Unfortunately they would not allow us to take photos in the Caverns so this is it for pictures. You'll have to take my word for it that it was spectacular with some very unusual cave formations (aka speleotherms) including a soda straw stalactite 21 feet long and a 58 foot column called Kubla Khan. Ted skipped this tour; he said he was "caverned out"!
On one side of the ruins you can see the Santa Catalina mountains; the other side provides a view of the Sonoran desert. Desert plants abound including mesquite, acacia, palo verde and cholla. I believe the plant above is a type of tree cholla (perhaps a staghorn) but there's an excellent chance I'm wrong! Plant identification is definitely not my strong point. Whatever this plant is, it was large and beautiful - in a prickly kind of way.
In the midst of the Hohokam village ruins were the remains of Francisco Romero's ranch which was built in the 1850s.
January 13 - Before leaving Catalina State Park, we hiked the 3/4 mile Romero Ruin Interpretive Trail. The Romero Ruin is an archaelogical site that includes the remains of a Hohokam Indian village dating back to 500 A.D. The Hohokams were farmers and craftsmen who lived on the maize, beans, squash and berries they grew. Evidence of two huge ball fields was also unearthed so obviously they were sports-minded as well. The village was abandoned in 1500 A.D. Prickly pear and huge Saguaro cacti lined the trail against the backdrop of the Santa Catalina mountains.
Unfortunately for Ted (but fortunately for Mel and I), there really wasn't much to see at the Romero Pools. It was a dry year and the pool was virtually dry, but Ted got lots of exercise so he was happy about that.
The first part of the trail was a fairly flat and easy one mile walk to Montrose Pools which you can see here. From there it became more steep and rocky with an elevation gain of about 1000 ft in the next 1.8 miles. Unfortunately dogs were not allowed on the trail past the Montrose Pools because it enters the Pusch Ridge Wilderness which includes a Desert Bighorn Sheep Management Area so Mel and I and the dogs turned around and returned to Montrose Pools while Ted continued on to Romero Pools.
On our return to Catalina State Park, we decided to take advantage of one of the many trails in the park and go for a hike. We chose the trail to Romero Pools.
In this photo you can see the mixture of Spanish and Native American influences within the Church. It was an amazing place filled with beauty and serenity.
Many people visit the church primarily to make a pilgrimage to the reclining statue of Saint Francis. Many lit candles or placed photos or notes on the statue either making a request of the saint for help or prayers on their behalf or thanking the saint for prayers that had been answered.
The inside of the church is filled with vibrant colours and magnificent paintings, frescoes, and statues. It was almost overwhelming - you didn't know where to look first.
While heading back to our campground we decided to visit the Mission San Xavier del Bac which we had noticed on our drive down. It was well worth the stop. It is one of the most beautiful churches we have seen on our travels. Also known as the "White Dove of the Desert", the church was first founded in 1700 by Father Kino, a Jesuit Missionary, from Spain. The first church was located 2 miles north but it was destroyed in 1770 and the present church was constructed from 1783-1797 at this location in the Santa Cruz Valley. It is currently maintained by Franciscan friars primarily for the Tohono O'odham (Desert People) Native Americans who live in the area. A real treat was the fry bread that the local natives sold outside the church. It was delicious! Make sure you try the cinnamon!
While on the tour we were taken to the control room where our guide and a volunteer from the tour simulated the steps taken to launch a missile. Behind our guide is the launch equipment and the cabinets where the launch keys were kept. The missile at this site became operational in 1963 and was deactivated in 1982.
January 12 - We decided to show Melanie a bit of Arizona while she was with us, so on the 11th we left Yuma and spent a few days camping at Catalina State Park just north of Tucson. We had told Melanie about our visit to the Titan Missile Museum and she decided she'd like to learn more about the history of the missile race and the Cold War so we drove south of Tucson to Sahuarita where she and I took the tour. Above is a photo of the 103-foot Titan II ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) in the silo.
January 8 - The day after we arrived in Yuma, Doug and Gianna came to visit and spend a couple of nights with us in our guest house (aka the 5th wheel). We had a great time exploring the Arizona Market Place looking for deals. Doug & Gianna were checking out several locations in Arizona looking for a place to spend their winters and eventually purchased a beautiful home in Casa Grande.
Ted and Melanie on the London Bridge. Originally built in 1831 in London, the London Bridge was purchased by Robert McCulloch in 1968 and then dismantled stone by stone. Each stone was numbered and after being shipped to Lake Havasu, it was reassembled stone by stone in the hopes of increasing tourism to the city. It was finally completed in 1971. As we continued to walk across the bridge to our truck, imagine our surprise when we met our friends, Doug and Gianna Cassell from Calgary, walking towards us. We knew they were in the area and were planning to see them in Yuma, but it was a total surprise to meet them on the London Bridge! Another coincidence!
January 8 - After 2 full days on the road, we finally reached Lake Havasu City. The snow didn't disappear in the ditches until we reached St. George, Utah. When we stopped for gas at Needles, CA, a trucker asked if he could use the snow that was still in the back of our truck to make a snowball to throw at his friend. Much as we were trying to escape the snow, obviously it wasn't willing to let us go! Here we are in front of the famous London Bridge.
January 5, 2009 - With Christmas and New Year's behind us, we were happy to leave the snow (and snowmen) behind and start heading south. We were thrilled to have Melanie join us. She had a few weeks' holidays and what better place to spend them than Arizona in January?
No comments:
Post a Comment