http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/DennisnBets/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from DennisnBets en-us Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:18:08 +0000 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:18:08 +0000 Thank you for joining us on this journey.We KC and I have been home a week and unfortunately falling back into our same Rancho Murieta routines. However I am going to try and change it in subtle ways for example in the next week I will be doing two photo trips half day to a full day in length. I will of course have my photo dog with me he does not do staying behind well. KC is doing much http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Sacramento/blog-442091.html Wild HorsesHere we are traveling across Nevada. It is about 9 AM when we turn on to the Extraterrestrial Highway which runs along the side of Area 51. I am unable to provide the route number per instructions when I turned on the highway. Yes this information is on a ldquoneed to know basisrdquo and I am not sure you need to know. The highway entrance has multiple sets of retractable spikes http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Sacramento/blog-440471.html Zion National ParkKC and I left Kanab behind and went north and then west. We entered the Zion NP about 8 AM and the sun was just starting to light up the unique rock formations and structures. Betty and I did not spend much time in Zion but we talked of it often. I know the last time here we did not take the Shuttle into the canyon because little white ferocious beasts were not allowed. So http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Utah/Zion-National-Park/blog-439771.html Grand Canyon North Rim Part 2KC and I spent the rest of the day relaxing taking photos at the lodge and Bright Angle Point while visiting Betty spots. We returned to Cape Royal to take sunset. I walked out to the point but stopped at Angel's Window and it was different. I caught the odor of sage and knew our dedication was at work. I went to Cape Royal Point as Betty and I had done befo http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-439611.html Grand Canyon North Rim Part 1This is one of my favorite National Parks NP and the North Rim in particular. The main reason is there are fewer people fewer attractions 1 fewer hotels 1 fewer restaurants 1 fewer tour buses and more emphasis on the canyon. It is at least 8000 feet throughout the north rim which results in more cold weather more snow and being shutdown from the http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-439330.html Cedar City to Grand CanyonFor this update I will post a few photos of Cedar City and along the road to Kanab Utah. I met Betty's son Randy at Kanab and we will go to the Grand Canyon tomorrow morning. I will stay there the rest of the day waiting for sunset. Randy will head back to Santa Rosa after our dedication to Betty at Angel's Window.Dennis NoteA few words about Cedar City. It appears http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Utah/Cedar-City/blog-438753.html Hopi and Cedar BreaksBetty and I love the Hopi. They don't fight no wars or attacks on other tribes. They believe in peace and negotiation as a few years ago they won a court case to expand their lands. This suit with the Navaho had been going on for years and rather than bend or settle they held their ground because they knew they were right. Sound like anyone you knew.First things first. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Utah/Cedar-City/blog-438452.html Recovery DayI planned on spending the night camped on Second Mesa but with the weather thunderstorms and loud noise KC said ldquoNOrdquo. The closest location with lodging was Winslow AZ. On the way here we went through the Petrified ForestPainted Desert National Park. It is a small rather insignificant park but it does protect the petrified wood. It was midday when we got here wi http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Winslow/blog-437870.html Santa Fe This will also be a longish post as we had so many adventures here. I will stick to those that inspired and lifted our hearts and expanded our minds.Let me start with an observation. It rained last night and this morning in Taos. As I packed up to leave and went outside with KC my senses were filled with a comfortableness I rarely experience away from Rancho Murieta and I was ldquo http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-Mexico/Santa-Fe/blog-437596.html Taos New Mexico Longish emotional update so please forgive unconnected thoughts or grammatical errors. Betty would always proof read my writing before allowing me to post it to our blog. KC is less critical.This is one of my top 3 favorite locations to visit and has always been at the top of my ldquowant to live thererdquo list. Although growth and emphasis on tourism has occurred Taos http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-Mexico/Taos/blog-437025.html Mesa Verde National ParkThis was one of our favorite areas. It depicts the resiliency of those native to this land. They came to find living in the cliffs probably safer and providing a more comfortable living environment than on the ldquosurfacerdquo. However the cliffs were abandoned after several hundred years and the inhabitants spread out through the southwest. This area is an archeo http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/Mesa-Verde-National-Park/blog-436436.html Down day as I traveled from Moab to CortezMesa Verde by way of Monument Valley. Took some good photos along the dusty valley loop. A test for the Forester no but rather a test for me not wanting the dust dirt and mud to soil my almost pristine vehicle. However some good occurred later in the day as there was rain in Cortez to wash off most of the dirt. I will be camping the next few day http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/Cortez/blog-435910.html Moab UtahThe main purpose of this trip is to dedicate a particular location or event Betty and I had during our many wondrous vacations. Most of these instances were unique to us and the drive along the Colorado River out of Moab Utah is a prime example. A dedication was done to commemorate this single amazing event.Let me take just a minute to relive that day. The morning after spending a da http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Utah/Moab/blog-435662.html The first stop is Fallon Nevada which is not the entertainment or gaming center of Nevada. However it is the home of Top Gun Naval Air Station. It is also the location of one of Betty's oldest and dearest friends Judy Carlson. Judy is an artist of national repute and Betty's mentor. They started with mutual respect and admiration but their relationship evolved into deep caring and love. B http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/blog-435563.html This the first entry in the Betty's Fall Tribute Trip and will be entered before we leave. Now a good writer strives to have a great opening sentence or a way of capturing the readers attention. Even though ldquoIt was the best of times it was the worst of times...rdquo fits I will not borrow from Mr.Dickens. Instead I will start with a little piece KC and I wrote while we were camping In http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Sacramento/blog-434709.html As you know from reading the first two lines of this blog our trip was on Bettyrsquos Bucket List. Our oncologist suggested we make the trip and start Bettyrsquos second bout of chemotherapy treatment when we returned. We completed our trip October 1 2008 and Betty had her first treatment October 7th. Betty never had another chemotherapy treatment as the ugly unpredictable growth of Canc http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Sacramento/blog-363079.html Happy to be back on the road as we could still miss the commute traffic in Dallas but there is no way to miss the arrogant gun toting roadrage infected drivers these are only the women of the DallasFort Worth crash and burn freeway system. See I can be objectiveWe stayed in Fort Worth with Bettyrsquos cousin Kay who was a most gracious hostess. As you know I am not one to praise others http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Texas/blog-331189.html We finally got to Little Rock and had only lost half a day in Nashville. I am not a big city person but found Little Rock was easy to get around and next morning on 923 we gathered ourselves to visit the William Jefferson Clinton Library and Museum. This was a required visit as one of Bets favorite prezs is little Willie Clinton. The building was ultramodern and Bets remarked that it remind http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arkansas/Little-Rock/blog-331177.html We left Roanoke Sunday morning headed for Jackson Tennessee between Nashville and Memphis. However things did not turn out as planned. Maybe you heard about a gasoline shortage in several eastern cities due to Ike Nashville was one such city we did not hear. When we hit town it was fumes but there was no gasoline to be found. We pulled into a Holiday Inn Express parking lot after talking http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Nashville/blog-329679.html We had several down days at my Roanoke home with my mother Helen 91 sister Lynn 63 and sister Leslee almost 50 who drove down from DC on Friday. A mini family reunion with only DiAnne 65 missing. Bets has adopted my family and my mom is ldquomomrdquo and she loves it. My mother Helen who surprises me every time I see with her energy and strength is still very active being a h http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Virginia/Roanoke/blog-329660.html