Las Vegas and BEYOND!!!!!!

October 1, 2013

SO SORRY IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I HAVE POSTED!  BEEN BUSY SEEING FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

Left Barstow on Oct 1 and drove through part of the Mohave Desert, on our way to Las Vegas to visit Family, and just as we were getting into the city, we had a blowout on the driver's side of the camper!  So, Den changed it along the side of the road, and we went on our way through Vegas to Arizona Charlie's RV Park, where we stayed last year on our LONG trip across the Southwestern part of the U.S.  

Very nice park, concrete pads, Full Hookups, wifi and Cable!  All for $32.50 per night... The Casino is right through the parking lot and has GREAT Reasonable meals!  

Here is our site... While we were here for the 4 nights, Den had new tires put on the truck, and a new tire for the camper, had the Rig and truck washed and waxed, and had a new windshield installed on the truck... We had 3 chips and a crack in the windshield while in Alaska... 

 Here is my Sweet Sis in Law and I when she and Jodi came to visit!  Jodi was taking the picture!!! LOL!  So I did not get a picture of her, DARN!  Jodi and I had lunch at Olive Garden and had a GREAT visit the day before she and her mom, (Linda) came for dinner - I made my Chicken and Dumplings and we had some GREAT conversations!

Niece Katey surprised us the NEXT day by stopping on her way back into town from a Barrel Race Competition - she is VERY talented and has won many Competitions with the trophies to show for it..!! We didn't think we were going to be able to see her, and we were Very pleasantly surprised!

After 4 days in Las Vegas, we left town to begin our 2 day trek over to Albuquerque.

Lake Powell as the road looks like it is ready to head right down into it!!!

Rugged mountain Ranges, not much for any greenery out there....

 Rugged Mts. slowly looking more like desert with lava rocks 'dumped) on it...

And the desert areas begin to come upon more "Butte" type of scenery.

Soon after we saw this Grand Canyon National Park sign, we saw a 'Temporary sign' that stated that the Canyon was CLOSED due to the Government Shutdown.  Sad... very sad.. I just cannot IMAGINE how Ticked off the folks from other countries who have saved and made arrangements a YEAR ahead of time to come and visit our Parks and be turned away....  And the trickle down effect as well, is very sad - all of the Hotels, Motels, Restaurants, rental cars and rental RVs who are losing money......

Got to our RV park at Holbrook, AZ, on the 6th of Oct.  Shortly after we set up camp, our RV club friends, Robert and Renate and Helmut and Maria pulled in, on THEIR way to Albuquerque to the Rally for our RV club as well!  Nice chat and early bed for all of us!

Along the road to Albuquerque, we saw the sign for Petroglyph National Park and IT was closed of course, as well.....

More of the Buttes appearing along the way.

And this strange formation of rocks that was HUGE and looked like it had been molten when it was 'dumped there'....

And we were warmly Welcomed into New Mexico!

This Art piece was in the Welcome center - it is very fancifully decorated TIN pieces, which have been done individually and "sewn" together with copper wire!  It was BEAUTIFUL!! I would LOVE to have one!

NEXT STOP:  ALBUQUERQUE!!!!!!  SO STAY TUNED!!!