We headed South into New Mexico from Colorado. It has been a welcome treat to be off the Interstates, especially since, where we have been travelling, there isn't that much traffic on the secondary roads. Our route to St. Michael's Skeet in Canones was no exception. The terrain was clearly different from Arizona or Colorado, and not like anywhere I've seen before. The color of the stone is not as flamboyant as in Utah, but lighter than Colorado, and with lots of evident layers. As we approached Canones, we saw a sign that said "Monastery," so naturally we made the turn. [View Full Entry]

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The ride from Parras to the border was pretty fast, despite the 500 km or so I needed to cover. The highway north from Monclova was awesome and I maintained 130 km/h most of the time. I arrived in the border city of Piedras Negras around 3 PM and headed for the border. I needed to cancel my vehicle importation permit in order for the $400 security deposit to be reversed on my credit card. I walked into the immigration office located just before the international bridge that crosses the Rio Grande and found a deserted office. A lone security guard [View Full Entry]

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August 5th, 6th & 7th MAKING OUR WAY HOME August 5th Moab, UT to Albuquerque,NM OK. We have decided that we need to start heading back home. We miss everybody too much! Phil put on his driving cap and we got on the road. The first day we drove from Moab, UT to Albuquerque,NM via Colorado. We were pretty much on a missiononly stopping a few times to stretch our legs. I was comfortably hunkered down with my pillows and a book. We did stop in Durango, CO and walked around a bit. It is another adventure town but not quite [View Full Entry]

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We were so blessed to find a Travelodge, complete with 2 queen beds (generally we get 2 doubles) for $42.99, taxes included!! The kids found the pool too cold, but it refreshing to Mom, who has been feeling too hot lately. We discovered the SONIC drive-in restaurant, with milkshakes and a burger for $2.99, which the kids had for supper; The Boldts stayed with the kids , while Mom and Dad went to a Mexican place called Taco Cabana - WOW! Our meals were huge, including a Mango margarita, complete with pleasant Mexican music, and cozy patio chairs. It’s a [View Full Entry]

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Albuquerque to Amarillo - 33°c For one of the first mornings on the tour, some of us managed to have a lie in to catch up on some sleep. There was an optional helium balloon excursion that several of the group signed up for that departed the hotel at 5:30am in order to catch the sunrise over Albuquerque. For those of us not signed up for it, we didn’t have to meet at the coach until 9:15am, which made for a good extra hour and a half in bed, which on this tour, moving at the pace we are, is something [View Full Entry]

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Up early for the bus. We stopped in Durango. Here there was 3 options. White water rafting, ridee some Jeeps, or just have a look around town. We did the Water Rafting. I was pretty nervous, as was LV coz last time she did it she drowned and had to be revived. It was the tamer than a ferris wheel. I was actually pretty disappointed. I would not have called it white water rafting - it was floating down the river in an inflated boat. Look, it wasnt that bad... Just wasn't what i expected. It was lovely and relaxing. Not [View Full Entry]

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Today I turned 25. At the International UFO Museum and Research Center the ticket seller asked me if I was turning 16. And I got carded for trying to buy an alien lighter for Vincenzo. Apparently you have to be 18 to purchase one. The museum had a lot of newspaper clippings and things to read so Vincenzo had a blast. The accounts of the initial 1947 Roswell crash were my favorite part because they seemed the most unaffected. The best was when the guy who found the crash site and brought his findings to the army ended up with a [View Full Entry]

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Efter New Orleans kørte vi videre mod Alburquerque, med en enkelt overnatning undervejs i Wichita Falls. På vejen kørte vi hurtigt igennem Dallas. Det var en strækning som vi havde planlagt at få hurtigt overstået, så vi kunne få mere tid i Californien. Adskillige steder på ruten krydsede vi flere gange Route 66, men den ville vi komme til at se mere af når vi nærmede os Arizona, Nevada og Californien. [View Full Entry]

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On our second day, we are headed for Santa Fe, our main destination on this trip. But before we leave, we check out Old Town Albuquerque, including a Rattlesnake Museum (only in the West!) and the Petroglyph National Monument on the edge of town. [View Full Entry]

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With Bret, Leonard, and Lee. We arrived in Albuquerque after a good chunk of plane travel. Albuquerque is kind of a funky place: a lot of retro 40's, 50's, and 60's architecture. Old gas stations revamped into trendy cafes and taverns. A nice, laid-back atmosphere. And in June, almost perfect weather! We headed up to Sandia Peak via cable tram, a rather breathtaking experience that is not for the faint of heart. I personally was happy to hold tightly to the railings, although completely enclosed in the car. [View Full Entry]

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