Monday, May 29th
Happy Memorial Day
Once again, I love my Rhoda ! I woke up at 4 a.m. freezing cold even though I was sleeping under my duvet. I had thought last night - knowing it was suppose to get quite cold - I wonder if the furnace in Rhoda works and how?? I'd never used it or even tried it before. I wasn't sure if it worked off elec. or propane or only the generator. But at 4 a.m. I was willing to give it a try so reached above my head and flipped the switch and gratefully!!! on came the furnace so I snuggled down and went back to sleep and work up at 7 warm as a bug in a rug. Later found out it was 40 degrees and that was at 7.
Took a walk into the Red Rocks:
I was walking along just as fine as could be, enjoying the scenery
until I came to this posted sign:
From then on, I made sure I stayed on the path and stomped my sneakers - as much a you can stomp in the fine powdery sand here. I enjoyed doing my Tai Chi facing these rocks and know the rattlers saw me doing this and just slithered away.
By now it had warmed up nicely and I left about 10, drove into the nearest neighborhood Wal-Mart and had an oil change and tire pressure upped to 55 in front as suggested by other Roadtrek owners. (not sure about it though - I don't seem to be holding the road as well and I think I caught air going over a dip, we'll see). Also bought a cheap smoothie blender as I've been missing my green smoothies too much and Rhoda's been complaining that the refrigerator is getting too full because I can't chew as fast as I can swallow all those good fruit & veggies.
Got going about 11:30 and crossed into AZ at noon again following the Purple Heart Hwy as I have been throughout NM.
Saw several big billboards for Ron Paul and for 50% off Meteorites??
As last year with the Joshua Tree National Park that I just happened upon, the Petrified Forest National Park just was there for me to get off bus, Gus and go see. Again, a great surprise because not only was it a Petrified ancient Forest but it was the Painted Desert and the remains of an ancient pueblo with many petroglyphs.
 |
| Can you see the petroglyphs? |
 |
| These are called tepees (wonder why) |
 |
| A Whole Petrified Tree fallen over |
 |
| Close-up of the tree |
 |
| End of the tree showing the petrification |
 |
| A "field" of petrified wood |
 |
| Close-up of a large hunk of petrified wood |
 |
| Another field of petrified wood |
An all-together great day - calm, blue skies, warm but not hot but I do think it got hotter as the day went on because the tar was melting in the last pull-over parking lots in the park.
Drove on to Holbrook to a KOA campground and ate their "grub" of chili & petrified toast.
DATA:
 |
| The map seems to be getting smaller and smaller |
mileage: 130 gas: $40 @ $3.53 camp: $30
oil chg: $38 blender: $20 Nat'l Park: FREE with Sr. Pass
