High Desert
04/13/13 09:36 PM
From: Ann Morrison
Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2013 9:36 PM
To: Family & Friends
Subject: High Desert
Not sure if my title is 100% accurate but it works for me…. according to Wikipedia the term refers to inland high-elevation deserts of the American West. That is where we have been since leaving CO on April 4th, 2013 – the official begin date of our new adventure. We have spent our days and nights in the high desert plains enjoying temperatures that have run between below freezing to sweltering hot; first Santa Fe, NM then Williams AZ and now Las Vegas, NV. We have one more stop in the Mojave Desert at Edwards AFB before finding the ocean blue at Morro Bay CA.
These past few days have been a blur of ‘vacation style’ outings and ‘oh shit what do I do with all this stuff’ that come with moving into a new home. Ikhaya is not exactly a new home but it is a little different to move into the rig for full-time living versus a two week camping outing at cherry creek. OMG… where did all this STUFF come from… and do we really need it to live comfortably on the road? We have definitely managed to accumulate STUFF over the past 2 ½ years in CO. We are now proud renters of a 10x15 storage room this time… and she is packed to the ceiling! (Last time out we maintained 5x10 storage room.) Did I already say OMG?!! Really???!! Sooooo much STUFF!! OMG!
Santé Fe was a nice beginning to the 2013 tour. We did a couple outings to see the requisite tourist sites, the miracle staircase in the Loreto Chapel, the famous SW artist what’s-her-name museum… the Plaza… even bought myself some cool earrings from one of the street vendors but I find we are terrible tourist. We tend rather to embrace the atmosphere and culture of a place by finding that cool tucked away little restaurant or that local pub on the square. Of course, just like last time out, we are also seeking out every brew-pub in town. It was Sunday morning on the Plaza that I remember the most now. Alan bought me an early 50th birthday present… a beautifully unique (Turkish vs. Indian) turquoise pendant on a strand of silver and gold. Thereafter we stepped up to the second floor brew pub on the Plaza and settled in on the outdoor balcony for a gourmet pizza and beer lunch. The day was warm and splendid with sunshine, blue skies and a light breeze. Local musicians were playing their fare in park, the sound of the Andean Flute seemed soulful and yet joyous amidst the street noise of cars and tourists chatter…. for the first time since beginning our journey, it felt like we were once again ‘on the road’, adventure at our fingertips. On leaving ‘Old Town’ to head home, we ran across this wonderful vibrant sound, rustic homemade wooden Xylophones played by an odd collection of ‘blue hairs’; such a strange site but such delightful music.
These last few days have been a bit mundane; unseasonably cold, windy, snowy weather pushed us indoors which forced my hand on getting us settled (finally) into the rig. We avoided bad road-weather by extending our stay in NM a couple days, skipping the ‘Grand Canyon’ stop (been there done that a couple times before anyway) and heading out for Vegas, arriving only one day later than planned. . We did spend one evening in Williams AZ en-route. Besides being a gateway to the GC, it is famous for its well preserved Route 66 downtown strip, providing a brief step back in time and an escape from the ‘modern world’ of interstate highways.
Vegas has been a respite stop thus far, a chance to catch our breath and truly settle into the ‘full-timers’ life. Aaaaahhhh 80 degree weather…. Love that dry heat. Since we are neither gamblers nor show buffs, thus far we have taken life slow and easy; gin and tonic afternoons listening to the sound of freedom overhead. The F-16’s were out on a practice the day we arrived and various and sundry fighters have since been taking their turn at running sorties. I have been waiting to see the Thunderbirds practice but no sign of them yet. (We are currently parked at Nellis AFB family campsite). Hard to believe it has been almost 20 years since Alan retired from flying the F-16. They still look and sound as sweet as ever to me.
We did have an opportunity to connect with a good friend and his wife from CO who was passing through town. Lunch at a truck stop just off I-15 followed by a visit to the Shelby Factory; kinda cool place actually. Alan got to ride in one of the new Shelby Ford Focus cars; he shared later that the ‘pucker factor’ came into play just a little bit when one of the Shelby guys took him and our friend out on a test drive…. a big admission for my many zippered flying god.
Tomorrow we will take a run out to the Hoover Dam and may even venture out onto the Strip for an hour or so. Next stop is Edwards AFB, our last ‘High Desert’ location and then onto Morrow Bay. I am looking forward to spending some time on the ocean. The ocean is in my blood, having spent my formative years within sight of the Indian Ocean. But I am rushing ahead. Plenty of time for the sea to come. Right now, it is 5 o’clock somewhere and there is a Gin and Tonic with my name on it.
Later then.
AM
Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2013 9:36 PM
To: Family & Friends
Subject: High Desert
Not sure if my title is 100% accurate but it works for me…. according to Wikipedia the term refers to inland high-elevation deserts of the American West. That is where we have been since leaving CO on April 4th, 2013 – the official begin date of our new adventure. We have spent our days and nights in the high desert plains enjoying temperatures that have run between below freezing to sweltering hot; first Santa Fe, NM then Williams AZ and now Las Vegas, NV. We have one more stop in the Mojave Desert at Edwards AFB before finding the ocean blue at Morro Bay CA.
These past few days have been a blur of ‘vacation style’ outings and ‘oh shit what do I do with all this stuff’ that come with moving into a new home. Ikhaya is not exactly a new home but it is a little different to move into the rig for full-time living versus a two week camping outing at cherry creek. OMG… where did all this STUFF come from… and do we really need it to live comfortably on the road? We have definitely managed to accumulate STUFF over the past 2 ½ years in CO. We are now proud renters of a 10x15 storage room this time… and she is packed to the ceiling! (Last time out we maintained 5x10 storage room.) Did I already say OMG?!! Really???!! Sooooo much STUFF!! OMG!
Santé Fe was a nice beginning to the 2013 tour. We did a couple outings to see the requisite tourist sites, the miracle staircase in the Loreto Chapel, the famous SW artist what’s-her-name museum… the Plaza… even bought myself some cool earrings from one of the street vendors but I find we are terrible tourist. We tend rather to embrace the atmosphere and culture of a place by finding that cool tucked away little restaurant or that local pub on the square. Of course, just like last time out, we are also seeking out every brew-pub in town. It was Sunday morning on the Plaza that I remember the most now. Alan bought me an early 50th birthday present… a beautifully unique (Turkish vs. Indian) turquoise pendant on a strand of silver and gold. Thereafter we stepped up to the second floor brew pub on the Plaza and settled in on the outdoor balcony for a gourmet pizza and beer lunch. The day was warm and splendid with sunshine, blue skies and a light breeze. Local musicians were playing their fare in park, the sound of the Andean Flute seemed soulful and yet joyous amidst the street noise of cars and tourists chatter…. for the first time since beginning our journey, it felt like we were once again ‘on the road’, adventure at our fingertips. On leaving ‘Old Town’ to head home, we ran across this wonderful vibrant sound, rustic homemade wooden Xylophones played by an odd collection of ‘blue hairs’; such a strange site but such delightful music.
These last few days have been a bit mundane; unseasonably cold, windy, snowy weather pushed us indoors which forced my hand on getting us settled (finally) into the rig. We avoided bad road-weather by extending our stay in NM a couple days, skipping the ‘Grand Canyon’ stop (been there done that a couple times before anyway) and heading out for Vegas, arriving only one day later than planned. . We did spend one evening in Williams AZ en-route. Besides being a gateway to the GC, it is famous for its well preserved Route 66 downtown strip, providing a brief step back in time and an escape from the ‘modern world’ of interstate highways.
Vegas has been a respite stop thus far, a chance to catch our breath and truly settle into the ‘full-timers’ life. Aaaaahhhh 80 degree weather…. Love that dry heat. Since we are neither gamblers nor show buffs, thus far we have taken life slow and easy; gin and tonic afternoons listening to the sound of freedom overhead. The F-16’s were out on a practice the day we arrived and various and sundry fighters have since been taking their turn at running sorties. I have been waiting to see the Thunderbirds practice but no sign of them yet. (We are currently parked at Nellis AFB family campsite). Hard to believe it has been almost 20 years since Alan retired from flying the F-16. They still look and sound as sweet as ever to me.
We did have an opportunity to connect with a good friend and his wife from CO who was passing through town. Lunch at a truck stop just off I-15 followed by a visit to the Shelby Factory; kinda cool place actually. Alan got to ride in one of the new Shelby Ford Focus cars; he shared later that the ‘pucker factor’ came into play just a little bit when one of the Shelby guys took him and our friend out on a test drive…. a big admission for my many zippered flying god.
Tomorrow we will take a run out to the Hoover Dam and may even venture out onto the Strip for an hour or so. Next stop is Edwards AFB, our last ‘High Desert’ location and then onto Morrow Bay. I am looking forward to spending some time on the ocean. The ocean is in my blood, having spent my formative years within sight of the Indian Ocean. But I am rushing ahead. Plenty of time for the sea to come. Right now, it is 5 o’clock somewhere and there is a Gin and Tonic with my name on it.
Later then.
AM