Moab, UT to Durango, CO to Santa Fe

God Bless America

After leaving Delta, Utah - I mistakenly said it was Delta, Nevada - we came to rest in Moab, Utah at the Archview RV Resort and Campground. This is a pretty nice place.  Very close to the parks, both Arches and Canyonlands. The view of the mountains was spectacular.

We took out as soon as we set up and went to Arches.  I have been looking forward to this park since March.  I love all these orange rock formations.  I call it Sedona on steroids.

The Three Gossips

The Balanced Rock

Double Arches

This is one of the most beautiful places on this planet! We spent the evening and even waited for the sun to set over the double arches.

 

It was a beautiful place and we planned to return to see the parts of the park we did not get to the following day.  So we headed to the brewery and called it a night.

We wake up the next morning and the smoke from the California fire has found us again.

We go ahead and head back to Arches and saw some beautiful stuff, just the faraways were pretty fuzzy. Below is a picture of the Fiery Furnace and it kinda reminded me of the Badlands.

After enjoying Arches again we drove out to Canyonlands.  This means that the only National Park we didn’t go to in Utah was Bryce Canyon.  We will have to get that one next time.

Canyonlands would have been absolutely spectacular were it not for the darned smoke.  We just kept saying this would be amazing if . . . 

I may have told you this already, but Utah is one of our favorite places.  So much beauty all around.

The smoke does make for some colorful sunsets.

Leaving Moab we saw more arches and cool red rocks, but one or two things really caught my eye. I had to share this with you.

Check out the ATV up there.

How the hell did they get that way up there.

Next stop is one of our favorite places, Durango!  We stayed at the Oasis RV Resort and Cottages and it was a super nice place.  We met an old friend on the way in, Jerry Mullen, visited with our great friends, Greg and Ruth Lynd, and met some new friends Becky and Robin from Utah! We did stay there a week and I am sure glad we did.   We had a great time.  Weather was beautiful but we did get caught in a hail storm on our way home from visiting with friends one evening. Finally got to ride the Durango to Silverton Rail Road, drove the million dollar highway, went to Mesa Verde, Aztec Ruins and The Canyon of the Ancients and we even ate, once again, at the Mahogany Grille in the Strater Hotel.  That being said we did have some issues while we were there. We had another flat while at the Aztec Ruins. We got back to the car and heard the same hissing noise we heard with the last flat. The valve stem was blowing air. We were planning to get all new tires when we got back to Conroe next month, but decided to just spend a day and get them here. The tires had a bunch of miles left on them, just those stupid valve stems.  Also, we had a black water leak under the RV. Ever since we had a honey wagon come by at a campground in Oregon we have had this small drip.  Well, we took this week to remedy that as well. So. It was a very full week for us.  Some fun and some not so fun.

The Durango to Silverton Train

While we were in Silverton

All Aboard for the ride back

The Strater Hotel

The leak in the Black Tank

Ruins

More and better ruins

Some of my favorite people in the world 

took us on the Million Dollar Highway

I wonder if I can drink that orange water or that milky water???

 

After leaving our friends and our beautiful Durango area we headed for Santa Fe.  I love Santa Fe and was determined to return there.  Well, they are now having the Indian Market as a paid event and it was happening the weekend we were there.  We headed to the square on Friday, because they don’t charge until Saturday, and at least got to mill around the square and have some lunch and drinks and see the beautiful architecture there.  We did go through the Palace of the Governors area and another free market near the square, but what am I gonna buy?  Where would I put it??  It was fun to look - at least for me.  Apparently the new paid market will be an art competition event.  So good for them.  Just not willing to pay for what has always been free to the public.  I guess if they spruced it up some it would be different.  Anyway, it was still beautiful.  We walked passed the Oldest House and the Oldest Church.  We have been to both so did not go again, but they were cool as always.

We stayed at the Trailer Ranch RV Resort in Santa Fe

Very nice place and right in town too.

After leaving Santa Fe we spent one night Santa Rosa and got up and drove to Texas the next day. As we drove through Clovis, New Mexico near the Texas border we saw a military drone flying around. They also have a store called The Velvet Taco. No they don't sell tacos, they sell lingerie and novelties. Just had to let you know these things.

Google Sucks!

You know, as time goes on we all fall into routines. I call our routines dances.  I think they are a great thing, especially when your routine is fluid and coordinated. Like Dennis and I for example. We land at a park, I get out, Dennis pulls into the site, I guide him to level her side-to-side. We have developed hand signals without ever discussing what they should be. He gets out and starts connecting power while I put out wheel chocks and start raising the RV off the truck. He finishes the power and walks by and pulls the hitch release and disconnects RV breaks and lights. Then he pulls the truck out from under the RV and proceeds to connect the water. I level the RV back-to-front and put down the rear stabilizers and put on the X-Chocks. I then go inside and open up the slides and put everything back to normal while he hooks up sewer and puts out the tri-pod. And, it isn't just RV set up. We have evening, morning and even cooking dances. Life is great here. We love the dance and I hope you dance too.