We wish all our family and friends a joyous Christmas, and a Happy and ProsperousNew Year. God Bless America
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
MERRY CHRISTMAS
We wish all our family and friends a joyous Christmas, and a Happy and ProsperousNew Year. God Bless America
Sunday, November 6, 2011
DIANE, ANDY, AND LINDA
Yes, we are back for part of the winter, at least until early January. We couldn't pass through Yuma without stopping for a visit with good friends Andy and Linda Clarkson. We had a wonderful couple of days with them. They are the ultimate hosts.
Well, what a wonderful year, all the way to Nashville, a great visit with my sister & Bro -in- law. Lots of side trips, hikes, tours, boat rides and good friends along the way. We are pretty much unscathed, no health problems, a little hot water problem, a blown tire, and a cracked windshield. Not bad.
A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN IN YUMA
Good friends Andy and Linda own a beautiful place in the Foothills of Yuma. Full RV hookups, a one bedroom apartment, and a great garage/workshop/storage shed, plus walled in yard, gated entrances, and a sunroof. Like staying at a resort. Thanks guys.
OUR COACH AT THE CLARKSON ESTATE
Our rig in the Clarkson compound.
Hope you all had a wonderful summer, and hope to see some of you during our stay here in Jamul. Blogging will be a little sparse while here. This our rest up and repair time, so nothing you'd be interested in. Love you all, and hope you have good old AMERICAN Thanksgiving, and CHRISTMAS. They can save the holiday trees and winterfests for those offended by American Traditions. He He......................
Sunday, October 30, 2011
AN ILLUSION OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Yes, this is the Bisbee Welfare Office, but like so many other words used as an accurate description, but offended the liberal mind, they have been renamed. Hence "Community Provider of Enrichment Services".We are still having a wonderful time here in Bisbee with friends Mike & Marsha. We have gone into Sierra Vista several times, Tombstone a couple of times, out to the firing range, and yesterday, went to Ft. Huachuca to see the Museums, particularly the Buffalo Soldier Museum.
THE INN at CASTLE ROCK, BISBEE, AZ.
Bisbee is a very colorful little town. Kind of a hippee art villiage. Not much traditional art, but art just the same. The town is built on steep cliffs, so it sets on many different levels. The "INN" actually sits below road level. The Copper Queen Hotel can be accessed from the rear at several stories from the street level. That's how steep the road is. Many of the buildings are painted in bright contrasting colors.
"STACKEDVILLE"
As I said earlier, the town is stacked on itself. Bisbee was built by the same copper mining company that built Jerome AZ., Phelps Dodge, so there are many similarities, between the two.
We will probably be leaving here on the 4th, and head to Yuma, where hopefully we can visit with friends Andy and Linda Clarkson. From there, on to Pio Pico in San Diego County. Will look forward to rendesvous with our friends there.
.
.
BUFFALO SOLDIERS, a major force at Ft. Huachuca
We were particularly interested in visiting the Buffalo Soldier Museum at Fort Huachuca. They have a long history of service and leadership at the Fort, from 1877 to 1945. Buffalo Soldiers contributed significantly to Army Intellegence at the Fort and as deployed. And on several occasions served as Commanding Officers of the fort.
BUFFALO SOLDIERS on the TRAIL
I particularly liked this old photo of the "wild West" Buffalo Soldiers.
Everything is fine with us. We have a few things to do at Pio Pico to get ready to go again, but we are healthy, happy, and raring to go............
Geronimo, captured by, and encarcerated Ft. Huachuca
The illusive old Chiricawa Apache, Geronimo
lived and marauded this area. He was captured by soldiers from Ft. Wuachuca, and returned to the fort for encarceration. These were some of his weopons.
FUTURE DESERT SITE OF FT. HUACHUCA, 1877
Large indoor diorama of the desert where Fort Huachaca now sits.
Hope all is well with you, Love and God Bless.....
Diane and her boys....
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Victim of the PANCHO VILLA attack on COLUMBUS
Greetings and salutations from Bisbee, AZ. I know the first two pics are from New Mexico, but that was last week. This is a pic of a 1916 Dodge touring car that was used on the sreets of Columbus, New Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. This thing has more bullet holes than a FBI target range. We really enjoyed our stay in Deming, but we are now in Bisbee AZ. a self titled "Liberal Oasis in a Consrvative Desert" It is totally over the top with Air Heads, Spiritual unconciousness, and people who talk to dolls. 1962 Datsun's are considered extra terrestrial gods, and highly worshiped every trash pick up day.COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT ANY BETTER
What a lucky coincidence to have arrived in time for Helldorado Days in Tombstone, AZ. Helldorado is a celebration of the colorful history of the town, which of course, is most famous for the Earp, Clanton, and McLowery shootout at the OK Corral. Lots of reinactments, and period clothing. See attached pics.
MIKE CAN'T RESIST A GOOD WHIP
Great friend for 48 years, Mike McGuire. When I met him, he was young and crazy, now he is old and crazy. The leather whip was his stimulus package, (sicko).
The weather is perfect, our health is too good to believe, the coach and the Jeep are running like Husqvarna sewing machines. We are always around loving friends, and there is still soup in the pot, and a cold beer in the fridge, so what's left? except getting together with you again, God Bless, and Love from us.............
Wyatt & Big Nose Kate.................
THIS IS THE NEXT STAGE OUT OF TOWN!
You would swear is was 1879 here in Tombstone. The residents have a lot of pride in their town and in the history. Sure it is a bit on the touristy side, but not too much. When you get a chance....Enjoy!
THEY INSISTED ON A PICTURE WITH ME
What can I say? They wanted me, but I made them settle for a picture.
What would "HELLDORADO" be without a gun show
Yea, it's Mike again. Tombstone put on a pretty good gun show, so Mike and I had to go (twice). Not great prices, but rare things you can't find just any where.
5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE
No matter how hard we looked, we could not find Perrier and yogurt anywhere. Damn! we had to settle for some grain, hops, yeast, and water concoction the served at the Silver Nugget Saloon. After a review of the ingrediants, we were convinced this was a nutritional beverage.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
HEY DUDE, is there a place to BUY CHILES HERE
This is the right time to visit the chile capitol of the USA, here in Hatch New Mexico. This scene is repeated many times along the streets. There are ristras (pictured here), fresh, roasted, peeled, dried, frozen, in salsas, jams & jellies and a plethora of gift ideas. Hatch is a small town with a large agricultuaral industry. The population is Mexican, Indian and white, probably in that order. If you ever get near, you should visit. it is at the junction of NM-26 and I-25.
BESTUS CHILES in the WESTUS
We are having a ball here. The weather has been lovely; cool at night, in the 50's and warm during the days, in the 70's and 80's. Occasionally the winds get a little to much, up to 30-mph. Lots of folks here from South Dakota, like us. Many just passing through going East or West. We have visited the Deming/Mimbres Museum for the umpteenth time. It is always better, and remarkably complete. There is no charge, save donations, and is staffed totally by volunteers. The locals have a lot of pride and are anxious to share their history. A should see!
MEADMOBILE
Life is just full of pleasant surprises. A couple of days ago, friends Ron & Sharon Mead unexpectedly showed up at the Dream Catcher Park and parked next door. This is their Flxible bus, previously used as a Silverline Cross Country passenger bus. They have done some major, and high tech, energy efficient modifications to make it their home.
ADOBE DELI DOLLIES
We decided to take Ron and Sharon to one of our favorite haunts here in Deming. Just a few miles East of here on an old school road off of an farm road, is the "Adobe Deli" a converted old school house, featuring a large dining room, a full saloon style bar, and oxygen bar and a whole covey of stuffed wild animals and memorabilia. It's kind of like a night out designed by Cabella's, The Black Angus Steakhouse, and the bar at the Palace Hotel. Have fun, and stay thirsty my friends....
HMMMM, MUST BE SOMETHING HERE I'D LIKE
Yep, this the long bar podner. Hope you are all having a wondeful fall. The Chargers are still a little iffy, but we look forward to keeping up with their games. We will remain here in Deming for a few more days, then head West again for the Bisbee, AZ area to visit great friends Mike and Marsha. When we have worn out our welcome in the nut and fruit capitol of AZ. we will head for Yuma, and hopefully get to visit with the Clarksons, Andy and Linda, you know! the Yuma Clarksons of Foothills fame.
COOL CATS HANG OUT HERE
As mentioned earlier, the Adobe Deli has a large population of inanimate game. Cats, Deer, and even an alligator.
TABLE FOR FOUR PLEASE
Mmmmunchies and beers at the Adobe Deli.
Ron, Diane, Sharon and yours truly.
Look forward to our next meet. Love and God Bless....Ray, Diane, & the Boys
Sunday, October 9, 2011
CAMP DEMING
Salutations from Deming, New Mexico, somewhere between Las Cruces and Lordsburg. This has been a kick back, uneventful week. We left Tucumcari last Monday and drove to Alamogordo, next to the "White Sands" proving grounds. We spent a couple of days there, then drove to Deming via Las Cruces. I think we will spend two or three weeks here, visit some favorite haunts, and do a little maintenance. When we leave we hope to go through Bisbee and visit my oldest friend, (He is younger than I), and his girlfriend Marsha.
USED FARM IMPLEMENTS
After we visit Mike and Marsha, we'll probably head to Yuma for a visit with Andy and Linda Clarkson, then over the hill to beautiful downtown Jamul, the Hamptons of San Diego. Hope you are all doing well, and adapting to the changing seasons. It is amazing, the changes we have seen in the last 2-3 weeks. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again. Love and GOD BLESS.......
Ray, Diane, Ross & Satchmo..............
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
FT. SMITH JAILBIRD
Aloha from Tucumcari. Last week at this time, we were in Arkansas. We visited the historical part of Ft. Smith with friends Johnny and Georgia
Then on to Elk City, Oklahoma. Through the Texas panhandle, and on to Tucumcari. The weather has been very agreeable, and the roads good for the most part. Some construction, and Ohlahoma City was without doubt, the worst peice of I-40 from California to Nashville. We are doing well and Ross is hanging in there, Hope all is well with you. We miss you all, and look forward to seeing you again. God Bless......
JUDGE PARKER (the HANGING JUDGE) GALLOWS
These are the gallows where "Hanging Judge Parker" issued swift and sure punishment. On two occasions, he hung 6 gang members at the same time. Being fitted for nooses are Diane and Georgia.
FT. SMITH BORDER, U.S.A. AND INDIAN TERRITORY
Fort Smith was famous as the border between the US (Arkansas) and the Indian Territory. The 19th century saw plenty of opportunity for raw crime. There was conflict between the Osage and Cheyenne indians, bankrobbers, and a host of other criminals trying to escape into the Oklahoma territory. Indian tribes from the Southeast were being herded to Oklahoma Territory (the Trail of Tears), so unrest in this area was substantial.
TUCUMCARI MT.
This is the Too damn scarey (Tucumcari)monument. It just kind of hangs there, staring down at the desert plain. We decided to spend the weekend and investigate this Route 66 town memorialized in the song of the same title. It looks like it was abandoned in the 50's. 7 out of 10 of the commercial buildings have been abandoned, 2 of the 10 are closed, and 1 is sort of open. Much of the old Route 66 is in similar condition. I am surprised that some large corporation hasn't bought the place, and revived it. I think it would draw a lot of business.
WE FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS, AND HERE WE ARE
One thing this town does have, is murals. Beautiful murals painted on old walls. Tucumcari is located almost halfway between Lithuania and Egypt. There is a decent truck stop, a couple of open restaurants, half a dozen motels, which may or may not be open. They pretty much look the same. This picture is only about 1/10 of the overall mural.
TUCUMCARI TRUMP HOTEL.......NOT!
In spite of the condition, I love these old semi-ghost towns. If you have a warped imagination, as I do, it is fun to picture the activity of these places in their haydays. This old building is a composite of building materials; adobe, rock, brick, and iron. It is also an amalgamation of architecural styles.
50'S DESOTO PARKED IN MOTEL WITH MUCHO VACANCY
Nice old car. This is one of those "maybe open, maybe not" Motels of the 50's. I can verify there are a ton of vacancies.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)