Las Vegas!! It has been over 10 years since Skip and I have been here. The only change is more hotels and more people!!!!




light show in downtown

light show set to Heart music

Also went out to Hoover Dam. Unfortunately, the weather turned nasty. Cold - snow showers - and rain.



Skip rubbing Sphinx toes



Picture taken from Tillman bridge



Parting photos of Vegas

 

 

inside The Palazzo hotel



Had a great time - now on our way to California!!!!!!

Spring training has begun. Spring cannot be too far off. Chicago Cubs v Arizona Diamondbacks. Weather was beautiful.



Cubs dugout



Diamondbacks

Before leaving Apache Junction, we went back to Elvira's for lunch. Great Mexican food!!!!!

Can't leave Arizona without visiting Grand Canyon. Five and half hour drive from Apache Junction, we camped at Tuscayan RV Park right outside entrance to the South Rim. Grand Canyon is affectionately called "the hole" by local residents. At 7,300 elevation!!!! Highest we have been so far.

entering Flagstaff area

awesome

South Rim

more from South Rim

We went back at sunset with Thumper. After her visit, Thumper was inspired to start creating her own "hole" back at campground.


I have an idea!!!!!!!



Thumper digging her Grand Canyon

sunset view





 Las Vegas here we come !!!!!!!!

Roosevelt Dam in back;

Spent a week in Apache Junction, AZ (right outside Phoenix). We did the Apache Trail one day. It took most of day to traverse this 48 mile scenic tour. We started in Apache Junction and headed towards Superstition Mountain and Tonto National Park. You are driving up mountains, and down into canyons. 22 miles of drive are unpaved and has tight S-turns. Skip had an intense day, but it was fun and beautiful. We finished at Roosevelt Dam about 70 miles north of where we started.

road to Canyon Lake

part of 2 lane -S curve road into a canyon



Skip and Thumper on ledge

Fun day for Thumper even though she did not see or meet any of the local animals that live in the desert

While in Tucson, we drove out to Tombstone for fight at OK Corral and Boot Hill Cemetery. About an hour outside Tucson.

gunfight
 

actual site

Boot Hill

On way back to Tucson, went by Black Angus Farm. This could be your next steak!!!

rare, medium or well done?

Old Tucson is old western town which is still used by movie industry. John Wayne used sets and well as Kurt Russell (Tombstone); Burt Lancaster (Gunfight at OK Corral) among others. There are shootouts in town, stuntmen put on a demonstration.

stuntman



High Chaparral TV show - set in background

Skip on set

Also the Tucson Rodeo was in town. We went Sunday. We had never been to a rodeo before. Finally got to see cowboys on horses!!!!!

bronco riding

Mutton league - 4-6 year olds riding sheep


Heading to Apache Junction, AZ

Woke up to snow in Tucson!!! Where we are staying we received about an inch; farther out towards mountains much more. Anyway, we went to downtown Tucson and had lunch at "Magpies", great pizza. Owner also opened "Parlours" for ice cream/frozen yogurt - salted caramel is delicious.

woke up to snow

Following day we drove out to the Arizona Desert Museum. They have "walking loops" that give the visitor a feel of walking around in the desert. This was a great set up. We enjoyed the walk. Besides wolves, javelinas, big brown bear, bobcats (behind wire that is hard to see), there is plenty of different varieties of cactus to walk around. We really enjoyed this museum.

cactus

wolf

Skip entering mine exhibit of gems

 

Hi
We arrived in Tucson, AZ. Weather has been beautiful. We are supposed to get some rain tomorrow. They could use rain here. It is really dry. Before we arrived in Arizona, we went from Las Cruces, New Mexico to Truth and Consequences, New Mexico for a few days. Skip and I enjoyed Las Cruces and their old town called La Mesilla.

town square in Old Mesilla

Skip-inside winery/cigar store in Old Mesilla

Skip and hot chiles

 Skip and I wanted to go on the tour to Spaceport America, which is located about 30 miles outside Truth and Consequences. This is where Richard Branson and his Virgin Galactic are planning on flights to take people up into space for a mere $200,000.00 per ticket.



on 12,000 ft runway being built

front of Virgin Galactic terminal

Our tour guide told us at least 550 have signed up. 
This was a great tour. You can read all about it by checking out Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic on the internet.






Virgin Galactic hanger

Mission control building

We are back in Las Cruces. We had to go to El Paso, Texas to have the new toppers for the side outs put on. Afterwards, we came back to Las Cruces. The days have been pleasant; nights have definitely cooled down. In fact, the eastern part of  Las Cruces had snow flurries the other morning. I have attached some pictures of our stay.

 

Entertainment outside a gallery in Las Cruces. Friday night, all galleries are open to public.

Our trip to White Sands National Park which is located in the
middle of their missile range.

Thumper and I wandering around



Skip and Thumper on trail

Route 70 back to  Las Cruces