Time with Family...

We arrived in Adams, TN to a warm welcome from the whole Delk Tennessee Clan!  Then ensued 3 days of good ol' southern hospitality, great home cooking and time with family.  This was truly a fitting end to our cross country journey.  The Tennessee Delks have added to their menagerie once again.  I think we counted 14 chickens in a variety of colors ... (sorry if I miscounted)  and 2 roosters (one a surprise, whose name has been changed to something more gender appropriate), and 2 turkeys, as well as the original; 1 English Mastiff, 1 Great Dane, 1 Shi Tzu, 1 Cat, 1 Rabbit.  Mr. Hobbs had to learn to "walk among the giants", and did so admirably.  He drew the line at the cat - so she went into hiding for most of the time we were there.  As always, spending time with one of the boys is extra special.  I must say, the military life definitely agrees with Jeremy and he certainly doesn't look 44!  Must be that 3-mile run he does every morning....  Tori is enjoying her college life, Lauren and Josh are enjoying their summer vacations, Nicole is enjoying a hiaitus from teaching and has substituted working in her garden, canning and freezing in her "spare" time.

The Gang, (Tori's at class)

Beautiful Hummingbird at Feeder

Pam & Nicole picking peas

Lexi & Mr. Hobbs

Driving from Adams to Atlanta today was a real challenge.... rain, other people's accidents, traffic jams kept me on my toes and I was sure glad to arrive at our campground tonight.  Tomorrow is our last day!  We head for Gainesville tomorrow morning and close out our truly phenomenal trip.  Thanks to those of you who have been our faithful readers;  I never dreamed that we would have so many!  It has been a great adventure and blogging every day gave me the motivation to journal our trip.  Thanks for that.

Paducah, KY

Catch up time again... we enjoyed the last couple of days in Branson, MO... actually one full day and two nights.  Arriving late on Thursday, we decided to head over to Silver Dollar City and buy our tickets for the next day and get the lay of the land.  Glad we did as we learned that the place actually stays open for a concert "after hours".  We wandered around, had a bite to eat and then went to the concert.  Then it got rained out so we were back at square one! For the uninitiated, Silver Dollar City is a family-oriented theme park in the Ozark Hills outside of Branson.  They have a few rides, games for children and lots and lots of vendors/craftspeople/food courts.  It is "housed" on a very steep hillside so we carefully planned our tour so as to avoid too many hill climbs. 

Silver Dollar City

Front Porch Singers

Brad Ross Magic Show

Saloon Gals

Patriotic Finale

Today was a long driving day... left Branson around 8:30 this morning and arrived here in Paducah, KY 4ish.  Our campground is within view (and sounds!!!) of a racetrack - tonight is apparently drag racing - not sure how much sleep I'll get.   Tomorrow we drive 2 hours and get to Jeremy and Nicole's in Adams, TN.  Yea!!!!!  We'll be there for a few days of family visiting and some much needed
R & R. 

T-E-X-A-S !!

Well, we're back in Texas, in the Panhandle area this time.  We came this way so we could attend a celebrated annual production of T-E-X-A-S.  The history of Texas is retold on a stage in an amphitheatre in a canyon.  Wow... it took three prepositional phrases to get you there!   The theater is beautiful... even when empty.  But as the sun sets, the stage comes alive with upwards of 100 actors, musicians, horses, mules etc.  Props included stagecoaches, trains, house facades, and rock formations.  Then there's the pyrotechnics.... fires (campfire, canyon fire etc.) and a finale with fireworks.  Oh yeah, there was also projection of characters on the canyon walls as well as horseback riders (Indian and Cowboys) intermittently going back and forth in the background.  Whew!  Quite a production.  The music was excellent, the acting average and the tug at the patriotic heartstrings really strong.  We were glad we made this part of our trip.

Palo Duro Canyon

More Palo Duro Canyon

After Chuck Wagon Dinner, a little Texas History

Then a brief country western concert on the patio...

Lousy photo.... photos not allowed!!!

Proof of fireworks

Best Dancer.... and cute too!!!!

We also fit in a couple of hours shopping at local specialty shops - of course.  Did a little wash and we were ready to head out for Oklahoma City.

Amarillo, TX

Another long driving day.... but we got here!  Hard to believe that we could drive 300 miles with no problem and then get lost trying to find Walmart.  Ah well - all's well.  We made it back to the campsite just in time as within minutes we got zapped with a very, very scary rainstorm.  No damage done, but the RV was certainly rockin' and rollin'.  We just hope that things clear for tomorrow when we are slated to go to an outdoor, canyon amphitheatre production of TEXAS.  Time will tell.

Here's a couple of the neat views we saw enroute:

New Mexico Mtns

Interesting Wall

 Hope to have some new sights to share tomorrow!

A Quick Post from Albuquerque...

T'was a long driving day today, and another one scheduled for tomorrow, so all I've got for you is a couple of photos that I omitted yesterday...

Pam & Mr Hobbs doing paperwork.

Storm nearby....so cool!

What a sunset!!!

I'll be back with news from Amarillo... Bye for now.

Grand Canyon - Big Time!!! (pardon the pun)

I'm going to summarize the last couple of days as we were in and out of the National Park several times and things start to run together anyway.  Also, I got my best photos today, the last day, as there was no rain and no haze on the canyon.  The Park has a shuttlebus system that works very, very well so we parked at the visitor center and rode the "blue line" and the "red line" buses regularly.  What a fashion show and melting pot of languages just riding buses.  I really enjoyed it.  

We saw our share of wildlife... some we were camera ready, some not.

There's an elk in there!

Resting Roadside

We shuttled along the rim and these are just a few of the beautiful shots we captured:

Beautiful in the afternoon sun

Beautiful in the shadows

See the sliver of the Colorado River?

One afternoon we were treated to a Navajo Indian dance troupe called Pollen Trail.  They danced outside the Hopi House, one of the several Grand Canyon "original structures" that makes this place so special.

Hopi House - on US Historic Register

Native American Dancers

Ceremonial Hoop Dancer - about 14 hoops

Pam wanted to treat me to an early birthday lunch so we went to the El Tovar Inn - another historic register location - and enjoyed a scrumtious meal in a very elegant "formal" setting.  We could almost "feel" the history in the room.

Thanks to the afternoon rains, the threat level for wildfires has been reduced to just "moderate" by my friend Smokey...

Keeping things safe

After days of fire restrictions... no campfires, not even grilling on charcoal, the bans were lifted and we were finally able to cook on the grill and, most importantly, make s'mores! 

We had originally planned to overnight in Flagstaff, but decided to even out our daily driving mileage by continuing on to Holbrook, AZ.  Once again, serendipity at work.  On our way to the Petrified Forest (a slight backtrack) we passed a business named Jim Grey's Petrified Wood.  It looked like your local hardware store but we were intrigued so stopped to see what's what.  Whoa! Amazing! We ended up spending almost 2 hours here in a "rock store".  They had a stone-yard in the back (big as a football field), and inside every shape and size and finished/unfinished type of petrified wood and then an amazing array of gemstones, crystals and fossils.  I shopped for jewelry making supplies, decorator items and was so taken by the landscaping pieces outside that I got busy with my camera and have some new artwork for framing.

Unassuming exterior...

Logs on display outside store

And then these "pretty things"...

Purples & Yellows and Greens

Earthy Composition

You're probably thinking, "she's such a nut", but this place left me breathless!  Good thing I don't live closer or surely my yard would be "petrified" and I'd be yard-of-the-month for sure!  On our way back to the campsite we happened on a town festival and stopped for a look-see.  It was neat as they were giving out ribbons for "best brisket" and "best barbecue" etc.  Fun to watch the crowd get into it!  Onward to Albuquerque today.

Catching up... Relaxing at the Grand Canyon!

Day 48 of 63 and we are settled into one of my least favorite campgrounds of the trip.... but who cares when it's next door to the most fabulous canyons in the world.  But I'm ahead of myself.  Didn't have Wi-Fi or TV the last couple of days so I am behind in my blogging.  Hope you missed me!

After Page, we journeyed on to Jacob Lake located 37 miles north of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  I chuckled when another traveller asked the campground host, "what's there to do in town" and her reply was a non-plussed, "there is no town!"  But the campground was reminiscent of the East Coast in that we had tall, tall pine trees and lovely pine aroma surrounding us. We drove to the North Rim through acres and acres of burned out forest (last year's fires) but then on to meadows full of bison!  The herd is about 300 and I guess we saw about 1/2 of them - lots of babies too. 

North Rim Bison

We were pleasantly surprised by the N. Rim facilities.  The main lodge is huge with stone and log construction and large canyon-facing windows as well as a deck with actual wood adirondack chairs.  The canyon is...well... GRAND!  We are not up to hiking in a big way, but did venture down to a couple of "viewing" areas and down one relatively easy trail. It was an overcast day so my photos do not do justice to the incredible views.  I'll just post a couple here.

North Rim View

Deep, Deep Canyon!

We had to drive about 175 miles to get from North to South rim, but happily there are Navajo vendors set up by the side of the road about every 20 miles or so..... so we indulged our shop-aholism and purchesed items for ourselves as well as doing a fair bit of Christmas shopping.  (no, we did not stop at every one!)  Some vendors seem to buy from some import giant and re-sell.... same jewelry, same "line".  But then there are folks who have quality merchandise, often times working at their craft right at their booth.  So it was the typical buyer beware scenario.  We also traversed an area known as "The Vermillion Cliffs".  Unfortunately, the clouds were gathering and vermillion was just dull clay.

Not so vermillion cliffs...

Typical Navajo Vendor's Stand

On our way through the East side of the park we visited the Desert View visitor center and the Watchtower.  It was my first Grand Canyon view and it did take my breath away.  During our visit, we saw the first rain in 41 days (yes, I've been counting) and also saw an incredible light show as the lightning struck over the canyon and the thunder reverberated on the canyon walls.  

Desert View Watchtower

Colorado River in Canyon

Best shot yet!

As we left the parking lot to head "home" we spotted this little fellow on one of the desert blooming plants....

Beautiful green hummer...

As I write this morning, I'm hearing helicopters fly over, one after another so I guess the tourist business is alive and well.  Since all the helicopter tours run around $200+   we shan't be doing that!  Maybe Jeremy could fly over from Ft. Campbell and give his Mom a tour???  Call it a stroke of luck, serendipity, or just plain ole good neighborliness, Pam was walking Mr. Hobbs this morning, struck up a conversation with some folks, took their group photos for them and they asked if we might like to "help them out" by taking some of their "leftover food".  They have to turn in their rental RV today as they are flying back to Switzerland.  Pam said, "sure" and then next thing she knew we were the recipients of frozen hamburger, steaks, chicken, bacon and then a plastic container full of spices, oils, vinegars, wine glasses, paper products etc.  All-in-all, probably $75 worth of groceries!  A great way to begin the day, for sure.  Well, gotta go.... lots to see and do.

Beautiful Page, AZ

Sure is different watching newscasts and listening to warnings about wildfires, dust storms and flash floods!  Fortunately, they were all either just north or just south of us... so we enjoyed the 4th of July peacefully and even found our way to the local golf course to watch the celebratory fireworks.  Today we headed back to Wahweap National Park on Lake Powell to get photos of the sights I missed when driving the other day....

Lake Powell in the afternoon

Lake Powell Beauty

Lake Powell Marina

By the way, did I show you the "wrinkled sandstone"?

Wrinkled Sandstone

And just as we were leaving the shore area I spotted these...

Pretty Yellow Bird

Sittin' Pretty

Mama feeding baby!