☺☺☺ We are in Tonopah, Arizona ☺☺☺

We started on the road around 10:00am... we were not in a big rush because we did not have far to go today. Maybe around 150 miles which is the way we really like to roll... As we headed down I-17 towards Phoenix we passed rolling hills, desert and lots of Saguaro Cactus. Being Saturday the traffic in Phoenix was a little heavy but if you stayed in the center lane it wasn't too bad. Big back ups at the exits... Guess everyone was trying to get their chores and fun done...

We finally arrived at Saddle Mountain RV Park in Tonopah, Arizona... It is a typical Arizona park with palm trees, Sagauro Cactus and gravel sites... No grass! But we are getting use to that... and so is Tiffy! It is well kept and a very maintained park... We have satellite TV but my AT&T internet card does not work here. They have a WiFi service that has a small charge but it is very fast... Both AT&T and Verizon phones work ok... If you have Passport America it is only $17.00 a night with 50 amp... & if you only need 30 amp it is $14. GREAT deal!!!!

Plus they have a great pool and activities center...

There are a few things we want to do in this area... one being to go into

Phoenix and visit the Capitol Building. Also go to Sams Club and

stock up on meats, frozen stuff and supplies...

Other then that we are not to sure of what there is to do here in this area.

At the end of the day we had a nice little sunset right over Saddle Mountain

Until Later... Have FUN, Travel Safe & Enjoy Everyday!

~~~ A LONG LONG Ride to Albuquerque ~~~

Before all our plans were changed and the entire route was reversed we had all our mail forwarded to High Desert RV Park in Albuquerque, NM.

The rock formations in Arizona & New Mexico are fabulous

Now it all has arrived to the RV park that we were suppose to stay at and unfortunately we did not have time for them to forward it even though they offered. All of our info for taxes were there and we didn't want to take the chance of it not arriving or worst yet getting lost.

Aren't these BUTTES.... BUTTEtiful ☺☺☺

So into the car early in the morning and on the road by 6 am... I know crazy but we have always been ready for an adventure and this was to be a BIG one... So we left Verde Valley and headed towards Albuquerque.

Two different Missions we saw on our drive... Doesn't the second one look like a town right out of Mexico

We finally arrived at the park after many hours of driving and on our way we had decided to stop at a couple of places since we will be close to them... Camping World, The Petrified Forest and a place we ate at in 2004 while attending the

Albuquerque Balloon Festival.

Entering into Albuquerque

It was lunch time so our first stop was Murphey's Mule Barn... I can remember being there like it was yesterday. We would go there several times while we were at the Balloon Festival and they gave you more food then you could ever eat. The Chicken Fried Steak was on top of everyone's list and it was as big as the plate... Could it still be as good after 6 years? YES IT WAS!!! If your ever in the area stop and have Breakfast or Lunch. You will not be sorry...

Murphey's Mule Barn in Albuquerque, NM

Inside of Murphy's Mule Barn & our Chicken Fried Steak

Now we have dawdled in the area and decided it is time to head out... No time for Camping World we'll have to go to the one in Phoenix.... We get in the car and take off trying to make it to the Painted Desert & Petrified Forest before they close... Now to be truthful I have been there several times and I had my old National Park passport book stamped BUT I wanted a stamp in my new BIG PASSPORT book. ☺☺☺ We arrived at 5:45 pm and they closed at 6:00. I ran into the visitors center and had my booked stamped. It was also a great place for a potty break for us & Tiffy. It was a long day of driving but a fun day... and we have all of our mail!!!

More of those beautiful rock formations


We leave tomorrow for Tonopah, Arizona just about 45 miles west of Phoenix... We'll be there for a week waiting for our friends to come and meet us.

Until Later... Have FUN, Travel Safe & Enjoy Everyday!

~~~Worlds are Colliding & Plans Are a Changing~~~

The Views in Sedona

Here is why I hate reservations. If you make them and something happens you have to change them... Because in all well planned trips stuff happens. As a lot of you know our trip goal this year is Alaska and it still is, but our route there has changed.

We planned to meet our good friends Chris (Chris's Corner) & Norm in Trinadad, Colorado for our trek up to Glacier National Park, into Canada and then up to Alaska where we will be spending 6 weeks. Then heading back towards Vancouver, BC and along the west coast of the USA & then hang a left to the east returning to Florida...

After watching the horrible winter storms that they are getting up in Colorado and further north we have decided to reverse our route... YUPPER!!! We called our friends and talked it over with them and we are now meeting just west of Phoenix and heading towards California first. The exact route is still up for discussion but you can bet whatever we decide we are going to still have a ton of FUN!!!

Now my fellow BLOGGIN' Travelers & friends here are my questions to you all... Do you have any hints as to the route we should take (that is good & safe) through Canada via Vancouver and into Alaska? Do you have any suggestions about fun things to see & do in both Canada & Alaska? We have list that we all have made out but sometimes it is good to hear other peoples ideas. Please look at our route and tell me if there is anything we should not miss!!! We would love to hear your ideas...

Other then that we are enjoying our time here around Sedona and Cottonwood Arizona. We took a long ride the other day on scenic route 89 and saw so many beautiful rock formations. The red rocks in this area are outstanding and we'll miss it.

Until Later... Have FUN, Travel Safe & Enjoy Everyday!

~~~Montezuma Castle~~~

~~~Montezuma Castle National Monument~~~

Camp Verde, Arizona

We started out late in the morning taking a ride through the country and headed towards Montezuma's Castle. We went through Camp Verde and over hills and down in the valleys. We finally arrived at our destination...

Interestingly enough, the name Montezuma Castle was a mistaken name. Early settlers who discovered the cliff dwelling ruins connected them to the Aztec emperor Montezuma, but in-fact the Sinaqua ruins had been abandoned a hundred years before Montezuma was even born. And the dwellings weren’t a castle at all, but a multi-family “prehistoric high rise apartment complex”

The Indian Tribe(Sinaquas)who built the cliff dwellings called Montezuma Castle about 700 years ago abandoned their habitat in this Verde Valley Arizona area in the 1400s. Maybe they had over farmed the land or they could have been eliminated through conflict with the Yavapai Indians that still exist today. If there were any Sinaqua survivors, they were likely absorbed into other Indian Tribes to the north.

Close up of the top of the castle and Ralph walking Tiffy in park


The Sinaquas were daring builders climbing up the high cliffs to carve-out a recessed area into the limestone walls & built the strong dwellings high above overlooking the Beaver Creek just a few miles from what is now known as Camp Verde, Arizona.

see the holes that are left in the cliff walls from part of the dwellings

It took ladders to climb to Montezuma Castle and as the Sinaqua reached each level, the ladders made their way to the cliff community making it difficult for enemy tribes to penetrate the natural defense of straight-vertical barriers.

This was a great day and another stamp in my National Park Passport Book. What a peaceful park to sit and ponder how they lived & farmed in this area.

To me it is all amazing!

Beaver Creek

Until Later... Have FUN, Travel Safe & Enjoy Everyday!