Four Corners and Monument Valley

Our next excursion was to Monument Valley. As the Four Corners Monument was on the way, we stopped there first.

There were just too many people present to get good close up pictures.

All around the large square are buildings where the local residents (mostly Navajo Indians) sell their crafts. We found the majority of the items to be of good quality and reasonably priced.

On to Monument Valley! You can tour the park on your own by following the 17 mile scenic drive or you can book a guided jeep tour that takes you into areas of the park not accessible to the general public. We chose the self guided scenic drive. Beware! The brochure leads you to believe that most vehicles can easily navigate the dirt road. We were in a full size truck and at times I felt just like a ping pong ball bouncing off walls. Also be sure your driver enjoys constantly dodging rocks and ruts!  Still we felt the drive was well worth any discomfort. The scenery was magnificent and a little familiar due to all those old westerns Bob loves to watch!

Left Mitten

Right Mitten

Elephant Butte

Three Sisters

View from John Ford's Point

Another view

Bob at John Ford's Point

Picture op at John Ford's Point

Part of the scenic drive

Camel Butte

The Hub

Thunderbird Mesa

The Big Chair

Totem Pole and Yei Bi Chei

View from Artist Point

Bob at Artist Point 

One last view

These are just a few of the 130 pictures I took that day. This park has been on Bob's Bucket List and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

Next destination: Las Vegas

Our second stop - Cortez, Colorado

After spending time in San Antonio, we moved on to Cortez, CO.

Border Patrol stop in New Mexico

New Mexico scenery

More NM scenery

After settling in at Ute Mountain Casino and RV Resort, Mesa Verde National Park was our first sight-seeing destination.

Bob and Mike in front of old Knife Edge Road, the original park entrance.

Some examples of pit houses built around A.D. 650 by the Anasazi:

Pueblo Village circa A.D. 860. Built above ground around an open plaza.

 Anasazi village circa A.D. 1200.

 Around A.D. 1250 the Anasazi started to abandon the mesa top buildings and move into alcoves in the canyon walls.

Kodak House

Long House

Long House 

Long House

Spruce Tree House

Square Tower House

Square Tower House close-up

Fire Temple 

Fire Temple 

Cliff Palace

Coming next - Four Corners and Monument Valley

The "RRR"

"RRR" aka "Relinquished Resolution Repository".

Definition: the place where most of my New Year's resolutions and my June 5th "More Responsible Blogger" resolution reside.

Reason for the "RRR": Things (especially life) seem to just keep getting in the way!

We were finally able to leave Florida on July 8 and Bob, Mike, myself, and 5 unexpected guests headed west on I-10.

Our first extended stop was San Antonio, Texas. We explored:

The Riverwalk

Toured the missions:

The Alamo

Hospital in Long Barracks

The Long Barracks

The Cenotaph

Mission San Jose     

Mission Concepcion

 and of course we ate:

County Line B-b-que on the Riverwalk

Bob's birthday dinner at Little Rhein Steakhouse on the Riverwalk

In front of Nicha's Comida Mexicana 

 Next stop: Cortez, Colorado