Minnesota Meets Arizona - Tom arrives for Christmas and brings snow to the Mountains

December 27, 2016 - Tucson, AZ

Tom arrived for 10 days visit during Christmas break from Gustavus.  We're happy to have him, and he is getting us out and about seeing the Tucson sites and other stuff.  The RPod has suddenly got smaller though!

Our official host duties began last week, but we get plenty of free days off.

The RPod is suddenly smaller.

Tom made us take him to the movies to see Moana.

And, he gets to have some of the food he misses from home, like Spam Musubi!

Or out to the local Brewpub.

But he also brought snow to the surrounding mountain tops, like Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalinas.

Now off to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

Pancho Villa State Park and landing in Tucson

December 19, 2016 - Gilbert Ray Campground, Tucson Mountain Park, Tucson, AZ

We've finally arrived at our "winter home", campsite A-60 at our campground here in Tucson, some 3,300 miles+ from Mattapoisett, MA.  Our last stop before arriving here was the Pancho Villa State Park in Columbus, NM on the Mexico border across from the town of Palomas, MX.

Time to break out the Cowboy Hat.

Site of the last "major" military battle on US Soil.

The hero statue of Pancho, across the border in Palomas.

Pretty desolate landscape for the campsite, right on the battleground.

But pretty nice sunsets too!

Definitely worth the trip across the border to Palomas for lunch (and shopping) at the Pink Store.  I like a place where they hand you a drink as soon as you enter the door and start looking around at the goods for sale!

A little more green, and gorgeous mountains at our site in Tucson.

And nice sunsets here too.

Landscape at adjoining Saguaro National Park.

An example of a "nursery tree", saguaros nurtured by the shade of a Palo Verde tree, from yesterday's hike.

Good to be getting settled after the long road trip!

Carlsbad Caverns - just a little WOW!

December 12, 2016 - Carlsbad, NM

Spent the morning exploring Carlsbad Caverns National Park.  A great deal of the "large rooms" in the caverns are accessible by self-guided walking and that's just what we did.  Entering the Natural Entrance (also used by the bats in the summer months) you descend 750 feet over a winding 1.25 mile trail to get to the "Big Room", but there are great sights all along this way.

The Big Room loop is about 1 mile in length and it is just mind-boggling how big it all is, and how many cave features there are:  stalactites, stalagmites, columns, soda straws, popcorn.  The rooms we traversed covered approximately 600,000 sq. ft. (14 football fields).

The videos and other interpretive exhibits in the Visitor Center were informative and well done too!

In the Western Desert Again!

December 11, 2016 -   Brantley Lake State Park, Carlsbad, NM - Well, we finally have made it to the Western Desert once more!  After over a week of cold, and overcast (no sun) traveling 2,400 miles across this great country, the sun shone today and the temperature jumped to the upper 70's!  Welcome back to the desert!

To get here, we spent 4 days crossing Texas yet again.  Including some of the great place names of the state:

If you are a Fred J. Eaglsmith fan, you've heard of this place.

If you've heard "Matt the Electrician" you know this story as well!

On the Arkansas-Texas border.

 This time we made Austin, and it's incredible live music scene,  a destination.

The crazy bar and music scene on 6th Avenue.

Capitol of the great state of Texas, and just in front of the excellent Bullock Texas State Museum.

Footbridge over Lady Bird Lake on the great downtown hiking trails.

Brought up short by the big plate of Mexican food! @

 After Austin, we returned to a great birding site, South Llano River State Park, and logged over 30 different bird sitings in 2 days.  As well as a number of these sly devils.

 Another 300 miles and we cross out of Texas into New Mexico, near Carlsbad Caverns and a great campsite at Brantley Lake State Park.

Great campsite!

Connie on the Lake Loop Trail

Killer sunsets!

Back in the West once more!

On the Road Again - Heading West in the Winter

Monday, Dec. 5, 2016 - North Little Rock, AR - On the Road Again

Heading to our new "assignment" as campground hosts at Tucson Mountain Park, Gilbert Ray Campground (website) from January through March, 2017!

We've been "making time", traveling with our new Tow Vehicle "Blue Max"

This is a 2013 Ford F-150 and the R-pod really likes the new "ride".

We've traveled as follows:
Day 0 - Mattapoisett, MA
Day 1 - E. Stroudsburg, PA
Day 2 - Ruffs Dale, PA
Day 3 - Lebanon, OH
Day 4 - Benton, IL
Day 5 - North Little Rock, AR

The road has been smooth, not particularly interesting, and very gray and overcast.  We had some great surprises at the Horse and Carriage Festival and parades in Lebanon, OH, by total accident.  Enjoyed the fair food, (fresh-cut fries, Brisket mac n cheese, and a pulled pork sandwich) on the blocked off Main Street.  Great time.

More to come!

Camino de Santiago - Part 2

Finishing up traveling across the flat Meseta, and back into the mountains in Western Spain and on to Santiago!

Walking the endless wheat-fields of the Meseta

A typical international communal meal, Reliegos, Spain - Irish, German, Austrian and American

The magnificent Gothic Cathedral at Leon

Connie spent her days saving the snails!

Rocky road coming in to Astorga

As in most places in the West, rural to urban migration has left many abandoned buildings

Celtic origins of Galicia

Sunrise above the clouds Foncebadon, Spain

A long mornings hike, rewarded with an excellent lunch - Riego de Ambros

Left our prayer stones at the Cruz de Ferro, Sunrise,  Oct. 2, 2016

The Castle of the Knights Templar, Ponferrada

Hiking on top of the world

Sunrise above the clouds

Plugging Maine Sport, who helped us with a bunch of our gear!

Blisters are a constant companion, and real pain!

Back in Grape Country

Just beyond O'Cebreiro - Highest point on the Camino!

Ubiquitous Horreos (corn cribs) throughout Galicia

The typical picnic lunch (ham and cheese sandwich)

Inside Sarria (the 100km mark) the Way gets more crowded with Pilgrims

A typical "offering" at a waymark

Happy smiles on the hill entering Santiago

The cathedral at Santiago de Compostela, at last!  Day 33.

A bus tour, day trip to Finisterre and the 0 km marker for that leg of the Camino