Old Santa Fe

Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the US. Don Pedro de Peraltan made it the capital of the Spanish province in 1610. The area around the original plaza is now a major shopping area. 

I had excellent Huevos Rancheros at Cafe Pasquals.  

Then a did a little window shopping

very nice triobite, $700

Columns in front of the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts

Woolly Rhino  Pleistocene

Proaustralceras, Cretaceous  $3,200

The Loretto Chapel

Black Canyon Campground

This a beautiful USFS campground. All sites are paved, have tables and fire rings and are widely spaced. (35.72615, -105.83713)

Took a nice 3 mile hike behind the campground. My friend M-Balmer would have liked it. She rides unicycles off road.

    

Madrid on the Turquoise Trail

Stopped in the little art colony of Madrid (35.40592, -106.15237). A whole town of artists and art shops.

This is a ladies hardware store. All the bling you could want

Even a place to show your inner you.

Bluewater Lake State Park

It looks like this park has been abandoned by the state. All structures composting in place except for one operational out house. But not today abandoned, a ranger came around and collected the $8 per day camping fee. The google map shows nice RV spaces where I am parked. I was totally shocked when I saw it. There is nothing around me to indicate there were ever any spaces here. (35.30355, -108.10848) I assume it was abandoned because the dramatic drop in the lake level. The boat ramp no where near the water. But a nice quite spot to spend a couple of days. A positive note, I ran the generator all day and it never missed a beat. 

A few of the locals.

Albuquerque bound

This is a long long rig. I think the truck alone is longer then Serenity. Interstates only and expensive RV parks,

Gallup, NM

East of Flagstaff on Hwy 40. Not a lot to see.

The topography is getting a little more interesting

The land of enchantment and better topography

A moral dilemma. Signs are a blight on this beautiful landscape, but I find them very useful in finding out what is ahead and where to exit. Tonight I am staying at USA RV Park (35.50651, -108.81092) because I saw their signs along the highway. 

The sun is down, time to wash the bugs off the windshield.

Albuquerque Bound

I had a great time visiting with friends and family. Now headed for the balloon festival.

Climbing out of the Colorado River Valley and the 105 heat

5000 feet and the pinyon pines show up

Coming into real pine trees at 6000 feet

A nice COOL camp in the national forest outside Flagstaff, AZ (35.20973, -111.75193)

Good news

I checked in with my doctor today to get the results of my blood test. The weight loss and walking is working. My Hemoglobin Alc was 5.8. It was above 6 last time. Not diabetic when it is 5.6 and below. I am at Thousand Trails in Morgan Hill now.  (37.0556, -121.66753)

The Beautiful Wine Country

I have arrived safely, no problems, no breakdowns, at my brother's place in Healdsburg, CA.  What luck, Don and Ann were throwing a party. Great people and good food.

John and Eric

 

Frances, Ann, Deb

Shon and Rob

You will notice that this a wine country party. Wine glasses are required. My glass of Dr. Pepper did look a little lonely here.

Sue is asking a question about the rules for the scavenger hunt we are about to embark on. Our team won.

                                         

Diner was pasta salad, water melon and lamb burgers

  Hot meat coming up.

Chocolate cake with whip cream and fresh picked black berries. Ann stole them from her neighbors bushes. 

                                            Playing Balderdash

Checking the Grapes

Don and a friend crush  a ton of zinfandel each year that makes 50 or 60 cases of wine. We drove out to check the sugar content.

Bike riding is very popular here.

Don gathers grapes to check the sugar content. It is  22.5 brix. They will be harvested when it reachs 24 to 25 brix, in about 7 to 10 days.

Zinfandel grapes. Here in Dry Creek Valley outside Headsburg they are about $2000 a ton. The same grape in Napa valley sells for an additional $10,000 a ton. A lot to pay for a name.