Bob & LeeAnn road trip 2023

Assorted photos from Quartzite. FYI: Quartzite is different. There are no actual "Homes" near town, and I haven't seen a school or any evidence of a school-or children for that matter. There isn't a grocery store as we are all used to. There are two small grocery stores, dollar stores, and two large discount grocery places with packaged and canned things. I haven't seen a pharmacy. It is a place of it's own. But the landscape is awesome and we are taking it in!

We did visit the Tlaquepaque Art & shopping area in downtown Sedona before we left. This wind catcher garden is at one of the galleries. It was an easy trip down to Quartzite and the Bureau of Land Management campground. It doesn't look like it, but this is uphill. We thought we could bike closer to the mountains. Today we're going to take the jeep!

We have been hiking Heritage sights in the Sedona area: Montezumas Castle, Montezumas Well and Palatki. Above is Montazuma Castle and then Arizona Sycamore trees that look as thought the bark has been removed and the trunks painted white. Montezumas Well is an interesting sight and a relatively easy hike. Yesterday, my horoscope said an intense spiritual experience would be possible for me so I definitely wanted to visit a vortex area. Unfortunately it ended up involving quite a hike. But what a view! Yesterday we visited the Palatki sight. It is awesome to be climbing the base of a few of the tall towers and visit sights that had been inhabited by earliest civilizations of the area. Again the views are breathtaking. Weather has been dictating our travels all along and it continues. A winter storm hit north of here, so we are headed south tomorrow to Quartzite, Az. We hear there is a hot air balloon festival there this weekend.

This is a Casita the KOA Tuscon rents. It has a nice patio and garden space completely enclosed. I was impressed; I'd never seen anything like this. We did choose to head to Sedona. Weather is predicted to be in the upper 50's low 60's during the day and upper 30's at night. We found a site at Rio Verde Campground in Cottonwood, Az. 17 miles south of Sedona. The photos are from a hike we did from the campground. The building is a Catholic Church. I was hoping it was a monastary (Monastary=Monks=Mead?) We headed toward Sedona on Friday taking a back road through the Red Rock State Park Loop. Holy Moly- The Homes!!! I wonder what landed there! It is so gorgous here! Rockhounding Devils Bridge is one of the top must do areas to visit in Sedona. We did a bit of googling and decided we were up for it; especially since we could 4x4 to within a mile of the site. But this is not mudding; this is washboards 3 feet deep. This is driving staircases. It is consi

Ugh! I lost my distance glasses on Sat. afternoon so we made arrangements to stay at the KOA for a few more days so I could replace them. It took all day on Monday, but I now have 2 pair of distance glass. On Sunday afternoon we went to a Native American Art Display where we had a chance to watch a Native dance performance. Yesterday a road trip to Tombstone. This grapefruit tree is right outside outside our rv. The park is dotted with grapefruit, lemon and orange trees. This particular tree is picture perfect, free for the picking and delicious. I Think we're headed to Sedona tomorrow. I know we're going somewhere.

We went to the 22nd Street Show yesterday and didn't finish it all! We are both excited about our purchases yesterday. Bob has a big chunk of lapis and a handful of opal rough. I have a small handful of gorgeous Lone Mnt. turquoise, a few beautiful Australian opals, Indonesian opalized wood and some other really pretty things. I did splurge and bought Native American earrings and pin for myself, and finally found warm slippers and gloves! Yeah!! This is one piece of petrified wood. I would love to put one of these on top of our brick mailbox column but Bob is afraid it would be damaged by pranksters. I am so impressed with this work. The artist builds a scene fitting and cutting the pieces to fit not only as a jigsaw but to the curve of the piece as well. Beautiful! I thought of Ethan and Caleb when I saw this. > Our stash at the end of the day.

Febr. 8th we visited White Sands which was about 20 minutes from the campground. I have added a couple more campground pictures. And, I've been forgetting to mention that there was a Space Craft RV in the park in Tallahassee Fla. Anyone interested in RV's may like to check them out online. We did; they are impressive. White Sands is an astounding place. It is so strange how this white place is plopped down between gray, snow topped mountains in a very dusty beige area of the world. The sand is pure gypsum crystal, very powdery, light and white. The last two photos were taken yesterday morning before we pulled out of the Oliver Lee Memorial Campground, Alamagordo, N.M. We had an easy trip, though 360ish miles yesterday to Tuscon. We are at the Lazydays KOA Resort in Tuscon for a few days of the biggest rock and gem show in the world. I just know we are going to be overwhelmed, but I can't wait! The campground is beautiful and big and it's nice to have