What a difference a day makes. We got away from Tucson around 9:00 this morning, which was good for us. Our goal was to get to Las Cruces, NM, but we made it to El Paso for a total of 312 miles. That was really good for us! It’s supposed to freeze here tonight..bad for us. It’s the first time we’ve had to think about things with water in them freezing. I’m already dreading taking the dogs out in the morning.
What is an El Paso? Do they bite?
I learned a new phrase today that really applies here. The phrase is,”Momma milk my goat.” I borrowed it from Judy Dykstra Brown’s blog, Lifelessons. You can find the story if you go to her blog at judydykstrabrown.com and use the search words, Grandma goat. It’s a good story.
On the long drive, we were lamenting about the lack of beautiful country to appreciate. There were no pictures to take. It’s over, we thought. We needed time to grieve. Then it happened again. We topped a hill… okay, rounded a corner, and saw this…
I was totally unprepared. I didn’t know where my camera was, and by the time we could pull over, we had gone past most of the scenic area. It was different from all the other beautiful byways we had seen and as you know, we have seen a lot. In God’s world, no two things are exactly alike right? I am back in the state of gratitude and back in the state of Texas. It has its own unique beauty as does South Dakota. No two snow flakes are alike either. Kip’s sister sent me this picture taken yesterday. She lives in Greeley, Colorado.
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Saturday morning
It’s all relative..Huh dogs?..dogs?? They should be happy they don’t live in Sioux Falls, SD. I just heard on the news they are having a deadly blizzard. Come on dogs..It’s time for our walk. It’s cold, but it didn’t freeze
We have been so busy, I’ve had to skip some of the sights we’ve seen, so this is catch- up time for the travel blog. I wish I had the time to do it justice, but hopefully you’re getting the feel of what it’s been like for us to be on this journey. We have missed a few things on our route, but not much!
THE EXODUS MONUMENT
The story behind the Exodus Monument touched me. The plaque tells the story of an aging man who put his decrepit wife in a burden basket with her legs hanging out, and carried her on his back for most of the 180 mile forced march to the San Carlos Indian Reservation. Along with others, they had been forced to leave the lands they had lived on for centuries. The old man wouldn’t accept help from the troopers escorting them, except when they had to cross a stream. He allowed them to carry her across on horseback.
The Monument honors the strength of the human spirit possessed by the old man and his wife. They did what they had to do without complaint. Their resolve came from the belief they would one day return to their homeland.
The statue is in Camp Verde, Arizona.
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THE GHOST TOWN OF JEROME
Jerome is America’s most vertical city and is known as the largest ghost town in America. It sits high on top of Cleopatra Hill and is halfway between Prescott and Flagstaff, Arizona. It was a copper mining town from the late 1800’s until the early 1950’s. It started with a settlement of tents and grew to become a rip-roaring billion dollar copper camp. The mountainside it’s built on is at a 30 degree angle. I personally don’t see how people could live with their house hanging off the side of a mountain like that. It’s a long way up there, and even though it’s now kind of an artsy place, it still has an erie feel to it.
Supposedly, there were murders and suicides when the town went from a population of 15,000 to a ghost town due to the sudden drop in copper prices. A lot of the town has now been restored and has become mostly a tourist attraction. We took a pass on the tour of the cemetery and the ghost inhabited hotel.
I thought I had a better picture of the houses built on the steep side of the mountain. Just try to imagine having your house propped up on one side by stilts.
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MISSION SAN XAVIER DEL BAC
This Mission is in Tucson, Arizona. It is a Parish for the Tohono O’dham, and is on an Indian Reservation. It is currently in the process of being totally renovated. They still have Mass Celebrations and there is also a Mission School. We walked up the hill nearby until we reached the trail which went all the way around. There is a white cross at the very top. The view from the trail was spectacular.
There was a little cafe with picnic tables outside so we decided to have lunch before we walked up the hill. We had Indian fry bread with honey and powered sugar after chowing down on a delicious burro, (burrito). My thin, handmade tortilla was filled with cooked squash, onion, melted cheese, and a little chopped tomato. It was way too much for me, so I had to cut it in half. I ended up eating the whole thing anyway so who was I trying to kid. I just looked at my (after lunch) photo below. I look full.
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THE BEAUTIFUL SAGUARO FOREST, TUCSON, AZ
WE’RE GOING TO BE HITTING THE ROAD HARD FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. WE ARE MEETING SOME FRIENDS IN GALVESTON FOR A BIG, RV PARK THANKSGIVING. DOESN’T THAT SOUND LIKE A HOOT?
BYE TUCSON! LOVED YOUR DOG PARK! I GAVE IT 4 BARKS!
It has been a while since I’ve experienced a rapid transfer of photos from my camera to the blog. I’ve whined and complained all week, but it’s all about the pictures. Photographs of all the places we’ve been, and all the family and friends we have seen are what’s important. Who likes a story without lots of pictures to go with it?
We’ve just had a great couple of days with a fellow Murdo girl and her husband, and I have high-speed Internet at my fingertips. I’m good to go.
We left Camp Verde on Sunday, and drove to Peoria, AZ to see Jim and Patty Arnieri. We had the most enjoyable time with this fun and hospitable couple, and it all happened because of the Murdo Girl stories. The reconnecting with old family friends, and meeting new people is a byproduct of the blog that I love the most. I never in a million years could have anticipated all the fun I would have because “one day” I decided to write down my memories of growing up in Murdo, SD.
Me, Paul Thomas, Ralph Thomas, Jerry Elrod, Patti Dykstra Arnieri, Judy Dykstra Brown, and Valerie Leckey Halla..in Murdo for the All School Reunion last July
As the story goes, I wanted to keep writing until I had squeezed every last memory I had out of my already squished to the pulp brain. I knew eventually, I would run out of material. Early on in this whole phenomenal experience, I started getting some comments on my blog from Judy Dykstra Brown. I didn’t realize who she was at first, because the comments showed up under the name of Judy’s blog, Lifelessons. I soon made the connection. Judy is such an accomplished and talented person, and I was excited to know she was enjoying the Murdo Girl stories. She had learned about the blog from her sister Patti, who graduated from Murdo High School a year before my brother Billy. Patti and Billy have remained good friends and have kept in touch since high school.
Judy and PattiThe collage Patti and Judy gave me at the reunion. It tells my story including the Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow pin. (I lost the one I was awarded in high school.)
I found it rather funny when Judy, and then Patti, said they didn’t remember that much about me. I was Billy’s little sister, who was just kind of there. Judy asked me if I knew our Dads used to recite Shakespeare to each other. I do recall Dad quoting Shakespeare, and it’s fun to picture the two of them, (a plumbing contractor and a rancher), “To be or not to be (ing)” to each other.
Billy and me when I was just kind of there
Anyway, we all reconnected as a result of Murdo Girl, and I had two more Murdoites to share memories with. When Patti and Jim learned about the trip we had planned, they invited Kip and me to come and see them. I found myself really wanting to take them up on it. They are a fun and interesting couple to say the least. They have a beautiful home in Peoria, AZ. where they spend the winter months, and they live in Sheridan, WY. the remainder of the year.
We arrive in Peoria, AZ
We talked.. ate great food.. and told stories. We laughed again at stories we had heard a million times, and shared a few the others hadn’t heard before. We were fascinated by the many hobbies Jim has, from skeet shooting, to his photography, and interest in cars. Kip said several times, “Oh, I forgot to ask Jim this, or I wanted to ask him that. He is knowledgeable about so many things.” He told us about growing up in Sheridan, WY. He would often ride his bike out to the airport and he got to be friends with some of the pilots. Soon they started inviting him to fly places with them. He thought of himself as a copilot in training. Times were different then. He would go home for dinner and when his mother asked him what he had done that day, he might say, “I flew to Denver.”
It almost always proves to be a small world. Jim, Patti, and Kip all went to the University of Wyoming in Laramie. They knew a lot of the same people and spent some time comparing who knew what about whom. Judy also graduated from the same college.
I began tonight by telling you how important it is to have a lot of photos to accompany my log of events. I must have been having a really great time, because I forgot to take pictures until after dinner the last night we were there. We ate at their club, which is absolutely beautiful. Kip snapped a picture of Patti and me. When I looked at it, I noticed my bangs were parted funny, so I told him to take another one. The bangs still didn’t hang right, so he had to take that one over too. Patti decided she would take care of my problem. Here is what happened.
Well, now you have seen all the pictures of our time together. Don’t look at them too long. It will give you a headache.
Same pictures a little slower
Judy and Patti remembered my story about going to Mack’s Cafe after school every day to have a Bing and a Coke. My friends Marlene, Karen, and Josephine, were usually with me. As I wrote the story, I started really obsessing about those Bings I loved so much. I assumed they didn’t make them anymore. At least I hadn’t seen them in years.
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When we got to Patti and Jim’s, Patti said she and Judy had come up with an idea and she had a surprise for me. She handed me a big red bag FULL OF BINGS!!
I have eaten 6 twin packs of cherry mash covered in milk chocolate and crushed peanuts and I still have lots more. The only thing I’m missing is a Coke, and I plan to take care of that tomorrow. They are to die for! Yum, Yum, Yum.
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
About that running out of Murdo Girl material… Judy suggested that I didn’t have to stop writing when I ran out of growing up memories. I will always be from Murdo. I was raised there as were so many on both sides of my family. Twenty-five of us graduated from Murdo High School. Whatever I write, will most likely have a Murdo connection, so I guess it’s okay to call my blog and myself Murdo Girl.
I’ve been sitting here for hours on end. The Internet won’t save or send. Why are you doing this I cry, to cyber waves up in the sky. What did you say? I’m not high tech? I don’t know how to use spellcheck? I once again look at my phone. Alas, no signal bars have shown.
The Brick House can’t go unattended. Before long it will be upended. Murdo Girl needs her town. She can’t let her people down! You really should do what she says. She’s Murdo’s very own Next Pres. Her Cabinet with no top shelf, will soon disintegrate itself. My heart begins to palpitate. Will a lack of cell towers seal my fate?
The Coffee is on..Eddie Jackson.
Presho Pride..Sherri Miller..Presho, SD
Hey Val..Kip photo bombed our selfie.
A thought creeps into my mind. How could I have been so blind? I know why I’ve lost my powers. I’ve been collecting “water towers.” Is collecting cell towers the key? Why must they be so ugh-e-ly?
Leave the Light on..Pat Davis..Eustace, TX
(A small sampling of my collection.)
Now what about Connie’s story, with Pearl and Grace and all their glory? They can’t write what happens next. They would soon be too perplexed. Hope and Warren need me, I shout! I must spell their future out! Connie is Hope’s friend forever. They need more time to spend together
Wait! Just as I feel my head exploding. I see a picture is uploading. First one then two, now there’s seven. Am I back in cyber heaven?
Should I forgive? I have no choice. In cyberspace I have no voice. I’ll send this poem for the net to care for. That’s what Al Gore put it there for!
I’ll trust again without exception. Just please give me a strong connection.
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I want to tell everyone, every single thing we’ve done. Life on the road fills us with pride. It surely has been quite a ride. There’s more than all the scenery. It’s the friends and family we see. We’re here today and gone tomorrow; arrive excited leave with sorrow. We can’t always be together, but the memories will last forever.
Quit pouting Camila, or I’ll flush your hat! It looks like a commode.
We have been in a cyber vortex for the last several days and I’ve been unable to upload any photos to the blog. We have seen and done so much in the Sedona, Camp Verde area, and the weather couldn’t be more perfect for the enjoyment of the beautiful outdoors. I hate getting behind because I want to share it all with you as we experience this time on the road. We’re in Flagstaff today, so while I have Internet access I am going to publish this with what I have.
Our next stop was Williams, Arizona. It’s less than a day’s drive from Lake Havasu. We were there on our trip last year and really liked the little town. It’s only about an hour drive from the South rim of the Grand Canyon. We decided not to go see the canyon again this year, so we spent Monday and Tuesday just hanging out. We found a great place to let the dogs run and we averaged 12,000 steps a day ourselves. (That’s according to our Garmin Vivofit watches.)
In the town of Williams, it’s all about the old Route 66. The downtown area is a lot of fun. Old cars and shops with Rt. 66 memorabilia are everywhere. We wanted to find a local cafe that served a good breakfast. We hit the jackpot with Goldie’s Rt. 66 Diner on Main St.
Kip enjoyed a light snack and I had a delish omelet. As we were leaving, I found another new friend at Goldie’s. Like Val’s fisherman at the fish market in Oregan, this guy “wood” not say much. Betty Boop was there too. I’ve been told I resemble Betty…maybe when she was younger. Smile Betty!
Wednesday morning we headed for Flagstaff, Sedona, and Camp Verde. We decided to find an RV Park central to all the attractions we wanted to see. We drove to Sedona via Oak Creek Canyon and what a delight that turned out to be. Sometimes I feel like Alice in Wonderland. We round a corner or top a hill and see a new and different landscape before us.
Once we were through the canyon, we stopped at an RV park and found it was full. The people gave us directions to another park in Camp Verde, which is where we are now. None of the park people could believe Kip had driven a big RV towing a Jeep on that steep and winding road. He’s a good driver and he wasn’t the least bit nervous. I did my best to help him stay calm. I suggested that if he had to choose between barreling down a ravine or hitting a rock formation, he should hit the rock.
Here are a few pictures from Wednesday and Thursday. We are completely impressed with Northern Arizona.
OAK CREEK CANYON
We are in a beautiful RV park, but the Internet is very weak. It has taken me three evenings to get this much written.
This is Montezuma’s Castle National Monument. It shows how the Southern Sinagua Indians lived as cliff dwellers for centuries in the Verde Valley. They were farmers and grew corn, beans, squash and cotton. This dwelling dates back to 1150. It’s 100 feet above the valley and is one of the most well-preserved cliff dwellings in North America.
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Tuzigoot National Monument
Approximately 800 years ago, this Sinagua pueblo was home to the Native American population living in the area. The site is comprised of 42 beautiful acres.The pueblo structures once had roofs made of Sycamore tree branches, mud, and straw. The door was in the roof which also doubled as a chimney.
The top picture is my favorite. Just look at all the colors, textures, and dimensions.
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Flagstaff..the best $12 cheeseburger Kip has ever eaten.
Been looking for a hat since we left home. This one is handmade of sea grass. What do you think?
I will close out this post with a pic I took of the water tower next to Desert Drums RV Park where we are staying.
Today we moved from Cattail Cove State Park near Lake Havasuto Williams, AZ on the old Route 66.
We drove over Parker Dam
Here is what the RV looks like when the slide outs are in. We still have enough room to maneuver. We often pull into a rest area, make some lunch, and walk the dogs. We were so lucky to find this gently used RV at about 1/3 the cost of a new one. Kip has fixed everything that needed fixing.
Some of us weren’t too impressed with the move. We’ll see what tomorrow brings. We’re going to start the day by finding a good old-fashioned Route 66 Cafe. Kip is hoping for another “big as a hubcap” cinnamon roll.
(The unimpressed)
Goodbye Lake Havasu…Goodbye Cattail Cove…Goodbye Pumas.
Wake us up when we get there.
Wakey, wakey, we’re here!
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My human has his coat on…It looks cold in Williams, Az..I thought we didn’t like cold weather.
We didn’t have to wear our leashes at Cattail Cove…We don’t like leashes…It’s getting dark…It’s cold and dark here.
“Kip..did you hear me? I can’t get a signal. How many bars do you have? Is that a cell tower on top of that rock formation? Wait! I have to tie my shoe laces…”
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I had to show you a couple of “accidental ” videos. The first one happened when I got out of the jeep to get a better picture of a wild burrow. He started walking toward me and I panicked.
Error
This video doesn’t exist
This one I call, “Shut up and take the picture Kip,” or, “Enough about me. How’d you like my last movie?” Valerie is flipping her hair, and I have a frozen silly grin.
As most of you know, Kip had major back surgery in June. He wants to hike this morning, so I’ve decided to humor him by agreeing to accompany him on what should be a short walk.
TIPS 1-6
1) Let the patient take the lead. That way, they will automatically set the pace they are comfortable with..you would probably go at a much faster pace.
Good a nice little walk. Oh, there’s stairs. Okay..See, I’m staying a little behind on purpose.
Slow down a bit Sammie and Pattie..You shouldn’t strain on your leashes. Oh shoot, “KIP, I HAVE TO TIE MY SHOE!” See he needed a break.
2) Always wear shoes with laces
“I see you! I just stopped to take a picture of this pretty plant.”
3) Always be the designated picture taker.
” I think I heard a snake. Are there snakes up there? Did you see that cave? Pumas hide in caves.
Puma Cave
4) Be sure and stay back far enough in case a Puma flies out of a cave. That way he can’t get both of you, and I can run for help.
I’m pretty sure that’s a mirage. I’m really thirsty. Maybe it’s the Blue Lagoon.
“I’ll just wait here until you turn around! My knee is really bothering me…and my allergies are too. I have a headache!”
I accidentally let go of Sammie and Pattie’s leashes. Oh well, they like to run free.
5) Don’t be too hard on yourself. Everybody has an injury flare up. Just look at poor Kip. He just had major back surgery. I can’t see him. I hope he’s okay.
“What are you looking at me for? I typed on your blog for a while, then I took a little cat nap.”
6) Just keep telling yourself. “The cat is fat! The cat is fat.”
I somehow got off on my days. I just counted them on a calendar and we left Mabank, TX 28 days ago. In some ways it has flown by, but in other ways it seems like a long time has passed since we spent that first night in Snyder, TX. I guess it must feel that way because we have done so much. I have resolved to remain in a state of gratitude and appreciation. I have a lot of those “pinch myself” moments. Are we really experiencing all of this fun, or are we dreaming?
Today we saw London Bridge. We walked around and took pictures for a while and enjoyed the beautiful day. The dogs drew a lot of attention. By the way, taking animals with you is a great way to make new acquaintances. We stopped and found a bench overlooking the channel and under a shade tree. It was fun to sit and watch all the pricey boats go by. The dogs were enjoying all the people who stopped to make a fuss over them. One nice gentleman stopped and talked with us 15 minutes or so, and told us the history of the bridge.
The London Bridge when it spanned The River Thames.
It was built in the 1830’s and formerly spanned the River Thames in London, England. Back in 1967, London decided to sell the historical bridge. They wanted to replace it because it was sinking. It hadn’t been built to withstand heavy 20th century traffic. The bridge was sold in 1968 to the founder of Lake Havasu City for $2,460,000. It cost another $1.2 million to dismantle it brick by brick and ship it here. The reconstruction was completed in 1971.
Bomb and bullet shrapnel fragments are still lodged in the bridge from when the Germans were bombing the dickens out of London every night during WWII. England wouldn’t sell the bridge to be reassembled in Lake Havasu City, unless it was over water, so there is a man-made channel which is fed by the Colorado River. The river also feeds the very large Lake Havasu.
We really enjoyed talking with this man. He said he owns a couple of houses in Lake Havasu City, but he only spends six months out of the year here. I asked him where he spends the other six months. He said, “Oh, I’m from South Dakota. I have a farm in the Northeastern part near the Minnesota border.”
I know Kip was grateful I didn’t launch into my excited Murdo Girl diatribe. We did talk some about living in good old SD though. It’s a small world. When we got back to the RV park, we heard the group next to us yelling, “Hi, Hi!” It was two families with little girls who had stopped to pet the dogs while we were sitting under the bridge having lunch. We hadn’t yet run into each other at the park, which is one of many around the massive Lake Havasu.
This was the view from our bench.
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Below are photos of Lake Havasu..They were having a gathering of model ski-plane flyers. They flew the planes a long way up, then brought them down into the water on the skis. It was entertaining to watch them maneuver the models so skillfully.
I’m about to feed my three dogs an ice cream cone
We like ice cream
We need another one
I talked Kip into spending another day here. I want to take more pictures of the RV park, and it will be fun to do some relaxing. We’ll take the puppy dogs on a couple of long walks. They have their very own beach and trail.
Cat Tail State Park. The most reasonably priced place we’ve stayed on the whole trip so far….
And the most beautiful
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LET’S BUY THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE PHILIP..I HEARD IT WAS FOR SALE
We spent a couple of fun days with our good friends JoAnne Ferguson, her daughter LeAnn, and son Mike. Thirty years ago, we all lived in Casper, Wyoming. It’s so great when you see an old friend that you don’t get to see very often, and it’s just like it was yesterday.
The photo below was taken after breakfast at Rick’s Restaurant and Bakery in Palm Springs. Kip was looking for a place with good cinnamon rolls. The one pictured was big and delicious! It took him two days to eat it.
The bottom picture shows the view we enjoyed from our RV site.
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The Tram to the top of Mt. San Jacinto
We got off the tram at the top of Mt. San Jacinto and walked around to the different view sites. It was exhilarating and beautiful. The temperature at the top was about 20 degrees colder than down below. That’s why Kip and I are wearing our “now much in demand” Wal-Mart sweatshirts. We heard they are flying off the shelves. Queen Val asked me if we got the same color on purpose…probably.
The top pics were taken at a place in Cathedral City where we took the dogs to let them run. If you’re able to open the one on the left, you will see a Coyote running across the area that resembles a spillway.
The beautiful lady is JoAnne holding Lexi. The not so beautiful legs are Kip’s.. Top right..Kip is disconnecting everything. He has a lot of hoses and cords to deal with. I get the inside ready to go, and we both hook-up the Jeep we tow behind.
This morning we stopped and walked along the Salton Sea. It has seven times more salt in it than The Great Salt Lake. Cyndie had fun chasing seagulls. We made a quick sandwich for lunch and we were off.
Our destination is a campground at Cat Tail State Park near Lake Havasu. Below are the incredible things we have seen on the way.
Above is Frank Sinatra Ave., a grove of palm trees, and a vineyard. We also saw miles of lemon and grapefruit trees.
The old Bridge reaches over the Colorado River. We’re near Parker, AZ.
We’re getting close to the park and just in time. The picture on the bottom right shows the shadows are getting long, and darkness will come quickly. Tomorrow we explore Lake Havasu and London Bridge.
Our plan for Sunday was to have a cookout at the RV park. Billy, Liz, their daughter Erin, and Gus were all coming at 3:00 pm. That morning we decided to take the dogs to a huge fenced dog park Kip found the day before. The dogs loved running all over chasing each other. There were balls and toys laying all around in the grass. The park even had several water spigots with bowls underneath. It takes a lot to impress our pampered pets, but they think leashless is the way to go.
Come back in an hour. I smell a rat.
By the time we left to go to the store and pick up food for the picnic, the temperature had dropped, and it was sprinkling. Kip cooked the burgers outside on the grill, but we gathered inside to eat. Gus brought my favorite New York style cheesecake from Trader Joe’s for dessert. It wasn’t too crowded for the people and animals, but we had to balance dishes and food on limited RV counter space. It was still fun.
After dinner, the guys started watching the Cowboy game. I gave Liz their copy of the Sanderson DVDs, and she and Erin wanted to watch them. We won out. Can you believe it? The guys looked like they were in severe pain, but they let us watch most of the 2 hours. Poor Gus and Kip had to watch it all for the second time. Billy kept asking when he would see the young Queen Mary riding in a wagon pulled by her horse Governor. You know the scene where she wore a tinfoil crown and sat in a folding chair in the wagon, AND.. she wore her Kitty Reynolds red formal.
Strange, but he expressed disappointment that it went by too fast. Maybe I overdid the build up some, but he can always watch it again on his own. That’s the beauty of recorded memories.
Me with my beautiful niece Erin. Gus brought Brussel sprouts. I didn’t know they were grown on a stalk.
I love family get-togethers..Billy and Gus…Liz, Erin, Billy and Kip.
Goodbye Pomona KOA..On to Cathedral City!
Kip knew I was missing my Queendom and found this crowned mask at a thrift store where our friend JoAnne volunteers. I love it!
I’m going to post this with a promise to catch up soon. We’re getting ready to go for a tram ride up to the top of beautiful Mt. SAN JACINTOoooo.
You are such a brave Jones County soul Murdo Girl. (I read the article Sherri sent about the birth of Jones County.) I’m not doing that!
Those 70ish Girls 