Winter is (almost) here

Has it been since September that I last posted? By now, the leaves are off (except for the shingle oaks - they'll stay on until spring) and you can see what's going on in the woods. Birds are visiting the feeder, and the smell of wood smoke is in the air. I'll be spending a lot of time in the woods with the chain saw cutting more firewood, but it shouldn't bother our guests, since I'll be about 600 yards away.

It's a great time to take a walk in the woods because the biting bugs are gone and leaves are off the poison ivy. Still have stick-tights and other seeds that stick to clothes, but they're a minor irritant.

It's a good week. I got a nice buck on Sunday - I'm second from the left on the deer hunting picture. Today I turn 65 and I sure don't feel it. Folks tell me I don't look it, either. I will enjoy a nice party at a local Mexican restaurant today, then enjoy the 60-degree weather tomorrow before getting ready for guests over the weekend.

Bill

Home at last

We got in about 2 PM yesterday (Sunday), in time to watch the final disgusting minutes of the Chiefs game. We took US-54 the rest of the way across Kansas to Eldorado Springs, MO, stopped at Clinton for dinner & groceries, and worked hard getting unpacked and working. Turning on hot water, stuff like that.

It was a great trip, can't wait to go again.

Miles: day - 266, total 2859.9
Gas used - 133.5 gallons, 21.4 mpg

Day 12, 9/13/08

Change of plans: We decided to skip Ponca City and spend the night outside of Wichita instead. We went through a lot of areas that showed heavy flooding overnight, and we wouldn't be surprised if there was some further east. We'll take US-54 out of Andover in the AM all the way to Eldorado Springs, then to Clinton & lunch/groceries. Should be home by 2.

Today we left Pampa in fog & mist and had mist off and on much of the day. Our only sightseeing stop was Alabaster Caverns State Park - not the most scenic since it had no flow formations, but interesting. Took pictures. Tonight we're at a HIE instead of the Comfort Inn originally planned.

Day miles - 320, to date 2593.7.
Gas used: 121.4 gal/21.3 MPG

Day 11, 9/12/08

A damp day, so no pictures. Two neat museums and a side trip highlighted today's travel. First one was the Panhandle Plains Museum in Canyon TX. Plenty of: natural history, paleontology, oil industry, cars, and ART. Then, it was back to Amarillo and the Kwahadi Dancers building - this is a scouting-related place with an excellent small museum which is well-interpreted. Everything done by volunteers. It's also the venue for their dance group which does both powwow and traditional Indian dances. Side trip was to Alibates Flint Quarries NM. We got there too late to get a tour, but it was scenic.

Spending the night at Pampa TX in an HIE; ate BBQ brisket for supper. It was good but it's not KC! Tomorrow's plans are flexible because of the flooding going on due to a cold front, the remains of a Pacific storm and whatever happens from Hurricane Ike.

Miles today - 250, to date 2273
Gas - 106.3 gal/ 21.3 mpg

Day 10, 9/11/08

Our siteseeing today was appropriate to the date. We visited the ruins of two pueblo missions, where religious & secular demands on the natives led to eventual abandonment & destruction. The two are part of what's called the Salinas Missions - Abo & Quarai. Both show the remains of fancy churches built of stone, while the pueblos where the Indians lived have deteriorated into rubble piles.

After that, it was mostly driving below the speed limit. We took US-60 for many miles, then US-54 east to Santa Rosa, & finally I-40 to Tucumcari. US-60 & US-54 both traverse Missouri, so it's interesting to see other parts of these highways. Tucumcari is home of the Mesalands Dinosaur Museum - really neat, see our 2006 trip postings/pictures at www.missouridaytrips.com.

Total miles - 242, for the trip - 2023.
Gas used to date - 94.7 gal, 21.3 mpg.

Day 9, 9/10/08

Albuquerque day, and a full one at that! First stop was the New Mexico State Fair. It's quite different from Missouri's, more compact, with shaded streets. It has 5 different arts venues - fantastic! Sandra will write a book on them, I'm sure.

We then had lunch at the Frontier cafe, across the street from UNM - good, and we sat right next to a picture of Tony Hillerman & Wes Studi. After lunch we visited the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology on the UNM campus, then on to the Museum of Natural History, the Albuquerque Art Museum, Old Town, and the Pueblo Cultural Center. Whew! Finally, we took a back road down the Rio Grande valley to Belen. Great SW-style restaurant there - Pete's Cafe. It's also notable for the decor, lots of Navajo rugs and RC Gorman prints, plus some assorted oils.

Tomorrow we take back roads to visit Abo & Quarai ruins, then on to Tucumcari & the Mesalands dinosaur museum. That's on the way home.

Day's travel - 81 miles. To date - 1781.

Day 8 - 9/9/08

Santa Fe today. Had to fight traffic going downtown, where we arrived about 9 AM. Museums didn't open until 10, so we sat on the plaza and did some souvenir shopping. First disappointment - the Georgia O'Keeffe museum galleries were closed as the old exhibit was being shipped out in preparation for a new one. However, a private gallery next door had an exhibit of Ansel Adams photos, so we toured it (& several other galleries). 2nd disappointment - the Art Museum was changing exhibits as well, so we had very little new stuff to tour, just one of fancy glass.

However, the Palace of the Governors (ca 1610) had a fascinating exhibit on the Old Spanish Trail from NM to CA, lasting until the US took over in the 1840s. Then we visited the Museum of Contemporary Indian Art, with a special exhibit on Indian history in the area & relationship to the land. The International Folk Art Museum is really wild - I can't explain it.

Drove down to Bernalillo & checked in to the HIE, then drove on to visit Madge & Larry Harrah. Had dinner at Garcia's & visited for a couple of hours. On the way back to the motel, stopped at the fancy Sandia (Pueblo) Casino. I won $5 & Sandra lost abouut the same, so we're even with the Indian casinos overall on the trip.

Tomorrow - NM State Fair, a couple of museums, Old Town and even more good food!

Miles today - 85, trip thus far - 1700.