High Life......
A first encounter as we were driving, had never seen an actual Geococcyx Californianus prior to todays experience. Should have guessed it was in the cards, a couple of miles prior to the encounter we had noted a dead wiley coyote on the side of the road. Looked like he had been run over by a truck with APME ablazoned on the side. Do these clues tell you that we saw an actual road runner?? I had never seen one other than the cartoon version prior to this lively fellow darting across the road in front of the RV.
This RV park has the best view of any that we have ported in to date. Sits on a hill with an overview of Las Cruces city with the Organ mountains in the background. Not quite the Rockies, but very nice. I even noted a hint of snow in a few of the upper shaded peaks, inquiring hoping to validate that it was in fact snow, I found the park host all giddy (with pictures) of the 5 inches of snow that fell here last Thursday. Actually the second time that mother nature has dropped the white stuff this winter season.
Las Cruces stayover
Same view.....twi-light
Same view.......morning sunrise
Picking up blogging on Tuesday Feb 3........location........Pioneer RV Park, Phoenix. But wait...have some catchup to do.
After Las Cruces, our travels took us to a location 9 miles south of Benson, Arizona..........Kartchner Caverns State Park. Not a bad day traveling, partly sunny, mid 60s. But the weather report had us turning cold and rainey for a couple of days.......imagine that.
The park is set up really great, plenty of room between sites and very quiet.
With the weather turning, we took the first day (the projected less dreary of the coming 2) and tripped to Tombstone hoping that we would be able to walk the streets with out the need of rain coats. The 2nd objective is the tour of the cave so we figured if there was to be a day of torrential rain, where better to spend the time than in the bowels of the cave where we would never feel a drop. Our plan worked to perfection, cloudy with an occasional sprinkle temps in the lower 60s for Tombstone.
Appr 30 miles to Tombstone, enjoyed the history of the various buildings and western antiquties.
Of course while in Tombstone it is a must that you do the shoot out at OK corral.
My newly learned history lesson from the Oct 26, 1881 shoot out experience is this.......maybe my heroes the Erps and Doc Holiday (especially the Doc, after Val Kilmer did such a great job of portrayal in the movie....."I've got your huckleberry") were not such good guys after all. It is not totally clear in the history recall if the bad guys (McLaury's and Clanton's) were even armed. So there leaves some doubt in my mind how fair the fight was. Was interesting history and I came away with the below pic for my blog. Checkout the look that Wyatt (to my right) waas giving me. I guess he did not appreciate the home boy stance.
Sue found a couple of new boy friends.
The second day of touring the cave was incredible. Carlsbad Caverns may have the size, but the Kartchner Caverns are less busy and great care is taken to preserve the caves. As the group enters, you go through several heavy doors that are in place to keep the inner environment prestine. The tour guides are consantly turning on and off lighting, this to prevent the heat from the lights effecting the inner temp. As you enter you go through a series of misting sprays, this is to dampen the various lints, hairs, dust, etc that could fall from the bodies of the group. Each night cleaning crews go through the caves and clean/vacuum the walk ways. Of course pictures are not allowed inside, in fact you cannot take anything loose into the caves, jackets accepted.
This creek bed was dry on the day of our arrival. After 2 days of record setting rain fall, it was a rushing river.
Did one over night (2/1) in the parking lot of the Dessert Diamond Casino on the south side of Tucson. Did not get rich, lost a little......as they say....had fun.
Arrived in Phoenix at the Pioneer RV Park on the 2nd. The below pictures pretty much say it all.
I do have one story to tell about a gentlemen that we met not more than 30 minutes after we arrived on site. We were walking to the office to do paper work when this elderly lady (will call her Loraine, because.......that is her name) approached us talking a streak that would not stop. By the time we could seperate ourselves and continue our office trek, we found that Loraine and her husband (will call him Ray, because.....that is his name) have been in the park for 17 years. They will be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary this year (do not remember when exactly but I am sure that she told us). But what caught my history ear was her bragging about Ray surviving Pearl Harbor. Ray was standing in the back ground tinkering with a plant, Loraine mentioned that he did not talk much about his military experience, but later I was able to set with him and he was very much willing to share his past....and it was very interesting.............
He joined the Navy as a 17 year old. He tried to enlist at 16 (at that time you had to be 18) but the recruiter knew he was lying so he was turned down. Later the age restiction was changed to 17 which he was by that time, so he was in. Wound up as a 2nd class gunnery mate on the heavy cruiser vessel named the USS Northampton. Well, on Dec 6th of 1941, his ship was heading into Pearl Harbor when thay encountered an issue with some cabling going over board and getting tangled in the props. By the time they had the divers get the cabling cut off, they were not allowed in the harbor because it was under attack. The 5 hours that they got delayed due to the repair probably saved their lives. They were allowed in the harbor the next day and they were witness to the after math of the event, fires and carnage all through the harbor. They resupplied and went back out to hunt japs. Did some research on the Northampton and found that she was sank in Dec of 1942 at Guadal canal in the battle of Tassafaronga. Took 2 torpedoes from a jap sub. Hoping Ray will feel comfortable sharing the further story of the final attack. I am sure that he had to be on board.
Road Rash........
Too hot, 80 deg tomorrow..........just kidding!!! Loving it!!!!!
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