More from Tucson…

Posted on March 22, 2022 by Jim@HiTek

Didn’t take long to get settled in at John’s place here in Tucson, learn the traffic, shopping, fun stuff, and what good restaurants are near. I did have trouble finding the driveway from the heavily traffic’ed main road as I’d be traveling 50 MPH usually surrounded by vehicles on this 4 lane highway and have to find the drive way partially hidden by a curve and bushes. Coming from the other direction there’s a large building just near the turn so that way wasn’t as difficult. But that’s the really nasty unmaintained private road section so really don’t like taking that road at night.

But eventually, settled in and got used to the place so finding the right turnoff became a breeze. It is still tricky finding it at night because it’s a semi-rural area and there are zero street lights nearby. And the houses are set well back from the main highway, and from the private drives.

Here are a few pictures of my RV all set up and connected to the new shore power. Note I’m parked right next to an AT&T cell phone tower station. Doesn’t seem to interfere with my Verizon signal though.

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On to Amado…

Posted on March 12, 2022 by Jim@HiTek

I could have stayed a couple days in Truth or Consequences but there wasn’t much there or nearby that I was interested in. There’s the Elephant Butte Reservoir and the Geronimo Springs Museum but that’s about it. I can’t recall now why I was in such an all fired hurry to leave, but I was. Probably because I wanted to get down to Mazatlan for some fun in the sun.

Anyway, the next morning, I headed south and when I got to the fork in the road at Hatch that would lead me to Big Bend NP, I took the right fork towards Tucson and Amado instead. Hey, look, water.

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From Aztec to Cuba…

Posted on February 24, 2022 by Jim@HiTek

Cuba!? You might be confused by that article title but it’s referencing Cuba…New Mexico.

When I left Aztec, I wanted to visit the Chaco Canyon National Historic Park, because everything I’ve read about the Pueblo Culture indicated that evidence pointed to this settlement as the site of the original peoples that eventually settled much of the canyon lands in this part of the SW. This was the genesis of the culture. I’d tried to visit many times in the past but always set the trip aside, this time I was determined to make it to the ruins…which I have always understood to be very interesting while situated in an amazing, remote, area. So checking out this map, I could see that the ruins would be a bit difficult to access but I saw a satellite photo where I could zoom into the headquarters and saw that there were many RV spaces at the main park building. I wish I’d spent more time investigating that road leading in or the info about the ‘Gallo Campground’ which is along the Indian Service road but silly me, I just expected to be able to wing it. After all, who builds a paved parking area with RV spaces without expecting RVs to make it in there? Huh? Who?

The afternoon before I left, I did stop into a nice A&W Root beer stand there in Aztec close to the Ruins Road RV park and had a root beer float…yum!

That was some good Root Beer float lemme tell ya. Haven’t had one in years.

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Visit to Aztec Ruins…

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Jim@HiTek

The day after visiting Salmon Ruins, I headed early in the morning just 2 miles from the RV park to the Aztec Ruins NM. Note that the two ruins are ~12 miles apart. Both border rivers. Aztec Ruins are due north of the Salmon Ruins.

I wanted to re-visit this NM (National Monument) because it’s just so damned interesting. And that’s mainly because of the rebuilt kiva. The largest in the SW as I understand it. Or perhaps the world. Note that the Spanish that wandered up into the SW from Mexico often named things Aztec but of course the people that populated this area were from the North, not the South.

Anyway, first, I wandered around the Ruins Road RV park and down by the river as it’s a fairly unique place too. Not *overbuilt* like many river adjoining RV parks. Close to the river, down a steep paved road from the upper large RV parking area is a smaller area that I generally see smaller RVs in. It’s rather charming really. If you have a small RV, it would be a very peaceful, quiet, interesting place to camp for a while. Not sure if it’s got power down there or not. I do know there’s a couple pit toilets slightly up the embankment, so no sewer down there I wager. Dunno about water. Still, nice place to stay in a smaller RV. Meanwhile, here’s a shot of the upper area where I was parked. The river is off in that direction.


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Visit to Canyonlands National Park…

Posted on January 31, 2022 by Jim@HiTek

My last article was about Dead Horse Point…and about when I took a short jaunt to the moon and back on one of NASA’s secret moon vehicles. This time I’ll take a left turn as I head out of the Dead Horse Point state park, drive a couple three miles and enter Canyonlands National Park (NP). This area is further west then Dead Horse but so close as to be considered part of the area. When I arrived at the entrance, I only had to show my NP pass and got in free, without having to pay the $30 per vehicle charge. I’ve mentioned it before but that NP pass is now $80 per YEAR for those not considered elders, $80 for a lifetime pass if you are 62 or older. Mine is a lifetime senior pass I got back in 2007 or so for $8, and that was a special price that year. My point is that you might consider getting one if you are planning any trips to NPs or are over 62, and I’ve read that there won’t be any more ‘specials’ with the card like when I got my pass.

Anyway, I see now that I screwed up last time and put both the Dead Horse SP and the Canyonlands NP pictures in the same post. So I don’t have anything else to show except this video for sure was a panorama of the Canyonlands NP. You can go here to the last article to see the Canyonland’s photos.

And here is the video that shows a panoramic sweep of the canyons…

DSCF6311

So that means no more pictures of canyons to show of that NP in this article. There will be more canyons as I head southerly on this trip to Amado, AZ and they will be in following articles.

Back to the story, as I returned to my RV that late afternoon, it was near 4 PM so I stopped at a quaint bar on the main drag through Moab for a beer and a rest. This is Woody’s World Famous Tavern.

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Dead Horse Point and beyond…

Posted on January 21, 2022 by Jim@HiTek

Last time I mentioned seeing that sign along the roadway…as I was pulling out of the dinosaur museum’s parking lot. That night, I investigated using google and the next day, I was back up here heading to Dead Horse Point. Has kind of a sad history. Seems that local cowboys herded a herd of wild horses through a choke point onto a large, very high bluff. Then they close off the choke point. It seems they were interrupted at that moment and either ran off or chose to leave. And all the horses on that bluff starved or died of thirst. Sad.

Anyway, there’s some spectacular views here so that’s why I visited. First some shots of the scenery along the way…just to my left in this first shot is the dino museum. Wasn’t much of interest along this route so no pictures until I got to the overlook. Well, maybe just one…

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Visit to a newer ghost town…

Posted on January 7, 2022 by Jim@HiTek

Continuing my trip up the Colorado River from last time…I drifted away from the river as I was following the road, ‘cus I had to. Here’s a map of the divergence. Follow it north a bit and you’ll see the ghost town of Cisco. My destination. And this article also contains Dinosaurs.

And once I got to the ‘T’ in the road, I turned east towards Cisco, only a few miles on, on Hwy 128, designated a Scenic Byway. First thing you pass as you reach the town is this crumbling ranch house. This is a crumbling half ghost town, half tourist attraction and I’ll just let the following pictures speak for themselves…

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Up the Colorado River…

Posted on December 25, 2021 by Jim@HiTek

Many don’t realize that the Colorado River is just north of Moab, Utah. I am (‘was’ now) one of those people. Wasn’t until I pulled up a google map of Moab while planning my excursions that I noticed it on the map. The bridge just north of town that crosses it, doesn’t have a sign that I recall. And it’s one of those bridges that discourages ‘gawking’ with cement barriers on the edges of the bridge so you can’t really see the river much.

Anyway, after you cross that bridge coming from Arches NP, you’ll notice a park on your left. The Lion’s Park and trail head. I had already passed that point several times while just driving around exploring so once I discovered it was the Colorado River, I decided it was worth a tour. Plus the map was showing many many RV parks right along the route and yeah, I wanted to explore those parks too, for future reference. And…it was on Highway-128 which was called a ‘Scenic Byway’ road. Then I found somewhere, dunno where, the mention of the town of Cisco, which according to what I read was turning into a ghost town…but had a dinosaur themed general store still open. And it was at the end of 128. So, I thought, yeah, I’ll drive up the Colorado River canyon, visit those RV parks and sights, then at the end, visit that ghost town and stop for an ice cream at the general store, which featured it. So that would make a pretty cool day long excursion. Then I could, if I wanted, jump onto the freeway and quickly go back to Moab that way, OR, choose to just retrace my route along the river. We’ll see!

We’ll start at the Lion’s park end of the journey and follow the river up the canyon…

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Around Moab, Utah…

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Jim@HiTek

I may have waited to long to publish this issue…but here it is. I’ll try to fill the empty spots in my memory with lots and lots of scenic pictures. How’s that sound?

After arriving in Moab on Nov. 9th, got settled in, found a nearby bar/restaurant/bowling alley that had recommendations galore so I would be able to watch the games I was interested in, and of course, drove around Moab to check things out. I initially paid for 2 nights at the OK RV Park but after perusing the internet for tourist activities in the area, I knew that wasn’t enough so I tacked 6 more days onto my stay for a total of 8 nights.

And since I’d arrived in Moab and settled in so early in the day, I unhooked the car and explored the nearby sports bar where I was able to watch a game and have dinner, then the next day…on a Wednesday…I headed for Arches National Park. I got there around 9:45 AM; I took this next picture at around 10:15 so I’d already been in line for 30 minutes. And still more to go. Only had to show my card and was waved through.

And here I stopped on the slope leading into the upper area of Arches to take a shot of the entrance below.

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Heading to points south…

Posted on December 10, 2021 by Jim@HiTek

——–Sorry to have taken so long to post this. I was unsettled for a while——

Early in November, it was starting to look like an early winter here in Milton Freewater, so I planned a trip south to warmer climes. And this time, instead of heading straight south, I planned on a slightly SE route to visit some of the SW area I’ve either missed or haven’t been to in ages. So I decided to visit Glenn’s Ferry, Idaho, then turn south there and pass through Salt Lake City, stay in an RV park south of there, then visit Cuba, NM which is a small town somewhat close to some interesting Indian ruins. Then onto Arches NP, after which I’d planned on another visit and stay in Aztec, NM, then onto points south where it would be warmer. Eventually ending up in Mexico somewhere.

So, that’s the plan, lets see how it went!

First I headed to Tollgate (instead of Pendleton) via OR-204 E which took me through Tollgate then on to the little town of Elgin. This was a test route for me, I wanted to try it out because it’s a less steep roadway overall. It’s slightly longer and there are some steep grades, but not like Dead Man’s Hill outside of Pendleton. And soon as I got a little height on this road, it started to rain. Much preferred over snow which is coming to this area soon. After a short steep hill or three, the country looks like this.

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