Malibu

We had a lovely drive along the Pacific Coast Highway prior to arriving at our campground which overlooked the ocean. It was the typical California sight of people playing volleyball on the beach and others surfing the white crested waves. We enjoyed a lovely dinner sitting at our picnic table with the best view in town. The following day was spent at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum which is perched on a mountaintop with sweeping views of the surrounding mountains, valleys, and the ocean. The museum tour charts a young Ronald Reagan on his rise from local hero to the world of Hollywood stardom, all the way to governor of California and ultimately to the presidency. On display throughout the museum are hundreds of gifts he had received from around the world. We were able to visit a full scale reproduction of his Oval Office. We were also able to climb aboard the Air Force One which carried Ronald Reagan to 26 countries and 46 states. After touring the museum, we took a walk around the gardens, enjoyed the beautiful landscape, and visited the final resting place of both President and Mrs Reagan. We definitely could have spent more time here but we're grateful that we had this opportunity!

Las Vegas

Here is a shoutout to my friends at the Motorcoach Resort in Port St. Lucie.....the Las Vegas Motorcoach Resort (former ORA property) was a fabulous place to stay while visiting Vegas...it is set up very similar to our resort....it was very comfortable...but more importantly, a haven from the hustle and bustle of the town! We were only there for one day, so we went to one of our favorite casinos, the Bellagio....this property always does incredible displays of flowers in a very thematic production in their Center court! Lee played some blackjack before we had dinner at the Olives restaurant. We were very fortunate to be able to sit outdoors, enjoy a incredible dinner, and watch the dancing waters of the Bellagio fountains. After dinner we went to the Cirque du Soleil production of O.

The Grand Canyon

Speaking of Mother Nature...what can I say about the breathtaking Grand Canyon! We started our day seeing a Wild West Show which was just way too funny...these cowboys had great senses of humor and the show was very enjoyable! We then boarded the Grand Canyon Railway for the 2 1/2 hour trip up to the Canyon. What a wonderful way to travel the scenic landscape starting at a charming train depot located in Williams. This is a vintage railway system which first arrived at the South Rim of the Canyon on September 17, 1901. The accommodations were very comfortable complete with snacks and traveling musicians. Once at the Canyon, you are overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude! The Grand Canyon averages 10 miles across and a mile deep along its 277 mile length. Much of the area is a national park with the Colorado River white-water rapids and sweeping vistas. We walked along the Rim Trail and just became transfixed...the incredible beauty, the immense size, the geologic color, and erosional forms. Wow!

Petrified Forest National Park

Is it a tree made of wood or stone? Would you believe stone! One of the most interesting attractions to visit in Northern Arizona is the Petrified Forest National Park. This park has one of the largest petrified wood deposits in the world.....several American Indian tribes have ancestral ties to this place, and in recent times, Route 66 passed through this park. Upon entering the welcome center we learned about the dinosaur bones and fossils which have been found We learned about how wood becomes petrified.....A log is petrified when all of its original plant material is infilled or replaced by minerals. Approximately 216 million years ago, these trees died and fell into a river. They were buried beneath layers of silt, mud, sand, and volcanic ash, which protected them from decay. Mineral laden ground water percolated through the layers, carrying silica from the volcanic ash and other trace minerals. The absorbent dead wood became saturated with these minerals. the silica, or quartz, crystals slowly bonded with the cells of the tree replicating the organic material in perfect detail. Eventually, silica replaced the wood material. Now this forest is not made of wood but stone. The petrified logs' brilliant colors are due to trace minerals that soaked into the wood along with the silica. Iron minerals provide bright mustard, orange, rich reds, ochre, and black. Manganese minerals cause blue, purple, brown, black, and fern like patterns. On our hikes, we saw a 1932 Studebaker sitting where the famed Route 66 once cut through the park. We visited the Agate Bridge which is a 110 ft. petrified log spanning a gully. We visited Blue Mesa which has beautiful layers of color..and last but not least, the Painted Desert Inn which was built by Fred Harvey and who brought the Harvey Girls to serve the customers..Remember the movie starring Judy Garland called The Harvey Girls...well this was one of his restaurants. Mother Nature is awesome!

Reunion of Old Friends in Albuquerque

One of the most amazing experiences I had in Albuquerque was meeting up with two high school friends, Clare and Dale, who I had not seen in about 50 years. It was so much fun getting reacquainted with two women who remember me as a teenager.....I have to say that we all looked fabulous and our conversations were easy and comfortable as if we had just seen each other....oh the stories of our days in school, the teachers, the classmates, our time in the Senior Office....where did the time go??? We shared pictures of our children and grandchildren.... We had an incredible dinner at the El Pinto restaurant...Dale's husband Joel joined us and a good time was had by all. So much reminiscing and now an opportunity to continue this newfound relationship! What a tremendous gift to us all! Next time...Maine!

Santa Fe

We decided to take a walking tour of downtown historic Santa Fe...our tour guide explained to us that we were over 7000 feet in altitude and sometimes people have different reactions...one is that alcohol can really affect you! (Lee found that out after a couple of sips of a margarita)
We explored the rich history of the area...we visited a pottery shop which displayed a variety of decorative pottery made by different Native American tribes.

Sante Fe is recognized as one of the most intriguing urban environments in the nation due largely to the city's preservation of historic buildings and a modern zoning code that mandates the city's distinctive Spanish-Pueblo style of architecture based on the adobe (mud and straw) and wood construction of the past. Some of the historic buildings we visited were the Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assis and and the Loretto Chapel which boasts of the miraculous stairway built by an unknown visitor. The unique spiral stairway is an architectural wonder since it did not have any support beams..the original had no handrails...that was added later. Sante Fe is a cultural mecca with numerous art galleries and museums such as the Georgia O'Keefe Art Museum, and lots of restaurants and boutiques. Santa Fe was also the home of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory of the University of California. Loacted at the original office, there is a plaque dedicated to the men and women who made the first atomic bomb. After a busy day of sightseeing, we enjoyed an incredible meal at The Shed.....and were treated to some fabulous margaritas which were paid for by some wonderful business men who got a kick out of our name! Lee and I just love meeting and talking with new people.....you never know who you will meet along the way!