We arrived here at the American RV Resort which was only a short (less than 2 hours) drive over from Gallup. The road on I-40 was rough in many places and there were steady winds blowing laterally at 20 with gusts to 35 or so. Verna took this photo of a 20 knot windsock along I-40 fully inflated.
Despite all that, we’re camped at a familiar old RV Park, the same one we were at during last October’s Annular Eclipse.
We are in Gallup tonight where the weather is very windy and cool (WSW@20G35 61°F). We are here on old Route 66, but not planning to do any sightseeing while camping.
We have a much better internet connection today. Still, this will be a short blog. We’re here for one night and will be spending Easter in Albuquerque. After that, we continue wandering down to Waco, TX, where we hope to have clear skies for the eclipse.
We will likely post again tomorrow when in Albuquerque.
We have a crappy internet connection so this will be short.
We’re in Monument Valley for a couple of days. We had an uneventful drive from Flagstaff and got here in time to check into the RV campground and get all hooked up to the utilities.
Stay tuned for more in a couple of days.
Verna snapped this photo of the San Francisco Peaks just north of Flagstaff, AZ as we approached along I-17 today. We made good time, had light traffic and are now camped at the Flagstaff KOA. After getting settled in, it started to snow lightly. Verna also took the photo (below) looking out the RV door at a nearby tree as the snow fell. Click on either image to enlarge.
Our neighbor, Tim, brought us this Ocotillo a few years back. Since being transplanted here, it has flourished in our backyard. This spring, it has a very showy coat of fine green leaves. The flowers at the tips of the canes haven’t started blooming yet, but they likely will do so this summer.
More about Fouquieria splendens:
These peculiar desert plants bring a sense of wonder to the arid landscapes they thrive in with their distinctive and stunning appearance. They are popular in xeriscape gardens and can be found in many commercial landscaping designs in regions with warm, dry climates. Plants are sometimes grown in medicinal gardens for their healing properties.
Ocotillo may appear to be a cactus because of its spiny branches, but this is a flowering desert shrub. When in flower, the vivid reddish-orange blossoms become heavy, tipping the branches and making for a striking display. Pollinators enjoy the nectar and the blooms are like magnets, drawing hummingbirds and flying insects to them when in bloom. If you’re interested in adding more resilient, unique, and pollinator-friendly plant species to your water-wise garden or landscape, ocotillo is an excellent choice!
(From Gardeners Path)
We took the dogs to the groomer today and while we were waiting for them to be finished, we took a little drive up through Constellation Park to the county line between Maricopa and Yavapai Counties. The weather was scattered clouds and a couple of rain showers although we stayed dry.
Verna took this photo of Vulture Peak off in the distance from the county line looking west-south-west toward the vulture mountains. This mountain is an icon when visiting Wickenburg and is very prominently seen from all over town and when approaching the Hassayampa Valley.
Click on the image to enlarge.
