Sept 18 thru Sept 30

We took off this morning (Sat) on the Honda headed up the 64 towards Grand Canyon Nat'l Park, South Rim. We parked at the visitor center & took the shuttle bus to most of the stops along the rim, including some on Desert View Drive at the eastern end of the park. Had spaghetti lunch (it was surprisingly good) at the cafeteria between stops..left the park later on, arriving back in Williams at sunset. We have come to realize the $80 annual park pass will easily pay for itself after 4 or 5 parks!
The next morning we attempted to leave Williams but instead stopped at "Bearizona", Arizona's new wildlife park. Although still under construction, they let folks in for half price ($11 ea.). Very nice large drive-thru facility where, after a 15 minute burros-in-the-road delay, we proceded thru to view buffalo, bobcats, bighorn sheep, black bears, grey foxes & wolves. They also have pens with young bears, bobcats & the foxes. Afterwards we took off eastbound to Flagstaff, where we found parking at N. Arizona University. We then took off on the bike a few miles east to Walnut Canyon Nat'l Monument, a beautiful canyon which houses many Sinagua cliff dwellings. After descending about 250 feet using 240 stairs we saw the interesting dwellings built into the cliffs & overhangs, then huffed and puffed our way back up to the visitor center (note* Nat'l monuments are also on the annual parks pass), then walked over to another pueblo on the grounds. After that we headed back to where we were parked for the night.
On Monday morning we left Flagstaff heading north on US 89, stopping at Sunset Crater Nat'l Mon--where a volcano spewed ash & lava 1,000 years ago. Then, on the same loop saw the Watashi Ruins, a three-storey adobe house built high on a sandstone formation and the pueblo village, with it's many rooms, a ballcourt & a "blowhole" which at this time of year blows out cool subterranian air! Next we got back on the 89 to the Navajo Nat'l Monument headquarters, close to Utah border. The Tsegi Canyon houses an historic Ranger Station & the Betatakin Ruins--a large pueblo community built into a huge arch/cave feature on one wall of the canyon. It was a 1-mile walk over to the viewpoint; while we were gone the visitor facility closed on us. So, we left from there & continued on the 89 to Kayenta, Az where we parked near the McDonald's parking lot. Many Indian (native Americans don't mind being called Indians!)bums accosted us at that location asking for food or money..later we had Chinese fast food & called it a night. Fortunately, a guard of some sort ran of the bums.
Next day we got on the US 163, heading north toward Monument Valley. Many large monuments, buttes & spires along the way. Stopped at the Navajo Mon. Valley visitor center (US parks pass not accepted) after turning down $65 each tickets for a pickup truck tour--to features we could clearly see where we were standing! The view was good at the headquarters and there was alot of info and artifacts. After the walk-thru we exited the park, driving through magnificent scenery on the way to Hwy 191, which runs south toward the I-40. We stopped at the Canyon de Chelley Nat'l Monument, with it's many overlooks and views of Anasazi pueblo villages from 700-900 years ago. Nice visitor center. From there we continued south to Ganado, where we stopped alongside a gas station for the night.
Rained all night and all day Wednesday, but we plowed on to the 40 then went east to Gallup, NM. Bought 2 used tires (front end ate up my new tires) then drove to Walmart for supplies. Had dinner at Golden Corral before going back to Walmart to park for the evening. Thursday we got on the Busn 40/Route 66 then headed south on hwy 602 to hwy 53, east to El Morro Nat'l Mon. Did a 1/2 mile hike up the steep steps & walkway to an ancient pueblo ruin, and another 1/2 miler over to the mountainside where over 2,000 people have left there names and/or messages dating back to Don Juan, 1605! Also a run-off pool which provided the only fresh water for miles & miles..had lunch then drove a few miles down the road to the Bandera Volcano (one of over 20 cones in the region) which last erupted about 10,000 years ago. We hiked up the side of the cone & looked into the cool crater. Also on the property are many collapsed lava tubes, one of which formed a large cave which has ice in it all year round! This privately-owned property is part of the El Malpais Nat'l Monument, a scenic volcanic area of the state...From there we hit the I-40 at Grants, NM, staying in a vacant lot (or so we thought) next to train tracks.
After hearing many trains racing back & forth blaring their horns relentlessly through the night we awoke and hit the road running arriving later at the Dancing Eagle Casino/ RV park to take advantage of a cheap rate we had heard of. But, with no one there to take our money, we instead hooked up to electric & water for a few hours, taking a shower, dumping the tanks & getting some a.c. before taking off again. Our intention was to get to Albuquerque & wait for the Ballon Fiesta; since we were early we would find somewhere to go to kill some time. Since we coundn't find a place to park off the 40, we got on the I-25 south & drove to Los Lunas, where we parked for the night at the Walmart.
On Saturday we continued southbound on the I-25 to the US 60 west in Socorro, over to The Very Large Array Radio Telescope. What else can I say? Huge! 27 units, ocassionally all moving in unison as directed by someone in a control center..nice, informative visitor center and a killer video, too. Left that facility headed back to Socorro, got on the US 380 eastbound, passing thru the lava beds of the Valley of Fire Recreation Area. That evening we stopped at a vacant lot in Carrizozo, NM to park. No t.v., (been happinin' alot lately) had to watch dvds...Next day we continued east a few miles to the town of Capitan, where they have a great museum & tribute to Smoky Bear (born near there, buried there). Nostalgic artifacts, video, nice garden, even the gravesite. After doing laundry (right next door) it was off to Lincoln, where they have the Lincoln (town) State Monument--many buildings & an adobe fort from the 1800's. From there we picked up the 70 to Roswell, NM, then south on US 285 to Carlsbad. Stayed the night in a vacant lot on the main drag. Monday morning we headed south on the Honda to hwy 7, to Carlsbad Caverns Nat'l Park. Took a self-guided tour of the Big Room (really huge--the size of 14 football fields). The elevator taking you down seems to go on forever..After having lunch in the cafe we left the park & went back to Carlsbad, packed up & drove north to Roswell, where we stayed the night in a Sear's/Dollar Store parking lot.
The next day we headed north on the 285 to hwy 20--the bumpiest paved road we have encountered on this trip (or any other trip)--to Fort Sumner.Visited the Billy the Kid Museum, memorial & gravesite; very interesting & informative. After lunch we got on US 84 to santa Rosa, along I-40 west, then back on 84 northbound to I-25 north to Las Vegas, NM. Stayed overnight in the parking lot beside Comfort Inn. On Wednesday we headed south on I-25 to Santa Fe. After an exhaustive but sucessful search for fuel we continued into San Felipe Indian Reservation, where we found the San Felipe Casino & it's RV park. You can stay for free with no hook-ups; we lucked into a space with an unlocked electrical panel. Wifi was availible on a limited basis..note* free, pirated wifi is hard to come by in UT, AZ, NM.
Thursday we rode the Honda toward Albuquerque looking for a closer place to park the r.v. while in the Albuquerque area. Discovered the Santa Ana Casino in Bernalillo, which just happens to be a park-n-ride location for the Balloon Fiesta! Came back to San Felipe & packed up, filled up, dumped out, fueled up everything then drove our train down to Santa Ana Casino, where we parked for the ? evening?