A blog about exploring North America in a Camper Van and a Sailboat.
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Gems and the Divide
The day dawned over Escondida Lake revealing a blue sky and an almost full moon. It was a welcome sight after last nights wind and rain. The students from New Mexico State were busy drying out tents and sleeping bags in the chilly (44°) air. After breakfast we drove 15 minutes to the campus of…
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Petroglyphs and Pueblo Culture
Monday morning we bounced down the dirt road back to the city of Albuquerque to fill the propane tank and dump our waste water tanks at a Speedway station. With chores completed, we drove to Petroglyph National Monument. The visitor center provided information on three trails, none of which is within walking distance. Choosing the…
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ABQ Balloon Museum
Everyone has heard of the huge Albuquerque Balloon Festival that happens in October. What you might not know is that you can see balloons year round at the International Balloon Museum. Tracing the history of lighter than air flight, there are great graphics and examples of early ballooning. While admission is reasonable at $6, we…
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Albuquerque Friends
Leaving Bar Z and Canyon behind at 0915, we crossed into New Mexico at 1100. Setting our clocks back an hour at the Welcome Center, we then headed west to Tucumcari where there is a nicely restored railroad station containing an interesting little museum. Not officially open until noon, a volunteer docent graciously opened the doors…
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Lighthouse Trail and Bar Z
The sun rose to reveal overcast skies in Palo Duro Canyon. This was okay with us, as it might help to moderate temperatures for a planned hike to the “Lighthouse” rock formation. Driving to the trail head before breakfast allowed us to get a parking spot. Numerous warnings actually had us a bit concerned, but…
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Palo Duro Turkeys
Today’s destination is Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Having left Horseshoe Bend just before 0800, we were driving through Amarillo by noon. We pulled out at the Texas Information Center in Amarillo to make sandwiches. They have free water fills, clean restrooms, along with information on Texas. The advisor inside said self-contained RV’s are welcome…