tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15638194984655504422024-03-13T12:12:34.545-05:00Catching the Trade WindsLiving the full-time RV lifestyle in retirementCarol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.comBlogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-80850443401467432902021-02-08T10:56:00.014-06:002021-02-09T10:57:29.664-06:00THE END OF THE TRAIL IN FLORIDA<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px;"><i><span style="color: #e69138;">"What a long strange trip it's been." The Grateful Dead</span></i></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 26px;"><span style="color: #e69138;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i>Carol writes:</i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"> </span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">In many respects, five years of traveling together in an RV seemed to go by in a flash. We were extremely fortunate that our trusty Entegra Anthem motorhome lived up to its great reputation and that there were no major mechanical casualties that would have derailed our travel dreams. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9QRrRSQIyyFXUHAySfewDolVkIrqalEtjhf-zl1O9KRAnTd6ohqoVRAv7LRUJI30HXl6Iq5j1nyGY104slqJIGz_36Im3ZUFH_BoFSQBepwa9RXxRns8BOuFBSoN27Lr3SNrfg7E84pr/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37d9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1153" data-original-width="2048" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9QRrRSQIyyFXUHAySfewDolVkIrqalEtjhf-zl1O9KRAnTd6ohqoVRAv7LRUJI30HXl6Iq5j1nyGY104slqJIGz_36Im3ZUFH_BoFSQBepwa9RXxRns8BOuFBSoN27Lr3SNrfg7E84pr/w581-h327/fullsizeoutput_37d9.jpeg" width="581" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">We pretty much had a 5-year plan from the start, although we may not have recognized those term limits as such when we left Colorado in April 2015. Nevertheless, we did time our circuitous cross-country route twice so that we would be in Cincinnati, Ohio, in August 2016 for my 50th high school reunion, </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Y2IRx53NMPdfo465yvWKoFlkUPcMMeq0_LxSD7mqXmB5rOybLtlLnXqU6SUiSA_sxJcy72stt__RrbbaxDPXUnz3xLrCd6li0hkZ4GGFlOlZa2DWBCXbf5G_JR7qQEmOt6_NnQjCQfdd/s400/1966+Reunion.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="400" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Y2IRx53NMPdfo465yvWKoFlkUPcMMeq0_LxSD7mqXmB5rOybLtlLnXqU6SUiSA_sxJcy72stt__RrbbaxDPXUnz3xLrCd6li0hkZ4GGFlOlZa2DWBCXbf5G_JR7qQEmOt6_NnQjCQfdd/w403-h318/1966+Reunion.jpg" width="403" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> High school classmates Sharon and Vija</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">then in Annapolis, Maryland, in October 2019 for Al’s 50th class reunion at the US Naval Academy..</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxpyTzWpuyMwy62HWnw15o6weZ_gMOQ1xNX6O9pwZ0o20jEXO4oCnSBpN0pDTM3-ZRItWqkch8kS6mp6w52TTLispfrst_AIvUT8M9k7nVsIdrfc_XeZrwBfMGIvIIg6E9CoW-PpeJk3f/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37a7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="2048" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxpyTzWpuyMwy62HWnw15o6weZ_gMOQ1xNX6O9pwZ0o20jEXO4oCnSBpN0pDTM3-ZRItWqkch8kS6mp6w52TTLispfrst_AIvUT8M9k7nVsIdrfc_XeZrwBfMGIvIIg6E9CoW-PpeJk3f/w616-h371/fullsizeoutput_37a7.jpeg" width="616" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOqkyTFgzJrSs5jonZGjuroXQGQE0_621qXnQ6Rb_HNCE1QBGxU0CSsZLTAMDQiv2SLxm0R9J3KfD96nbQJ28BqTeLZn6M53h5Ux_-8L3hV67lKi-L4BJheCAf-tYm1dBq9AWW4R1IqU7/s1707/fullsizeoutput_37ab.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1103" data-original-width="1707" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOqkyTFgzJrSs5jonZGjuroXQGQE0_621qXnQ6Rb_HNCE1QBGxU0CSsZLTAMDQiv2SLxm0R9J3KfD96nbQJ28BqTeLZn6M53h5Ux_-8L3hV67lKi-L4BJheCAf-tYm1dBq9AWW4R1IqU7/w609-h393/fullsizeoutput_37ab.jpeg" width="609" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">A map of our travels surprised even us! We had visited 36 of the 50 states! </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIDyxFbtSWE7UUvoObrJ0jP0cjvhksfgcZ1hkBc5ZLKmq45n_54x0pUlVSv-op-lXIrc7AjFaELKRr0ujaubq7II-vu-Kr3Qq4yWED0VC2VvyijL1WxC1Z_ulot6guF-bgl_tsUbb-rF2/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37e4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1322" data-original-width="2048" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIDyxFbtSWE7UUvoObrJ0jP0cjvhksfgcZ1hkBc5ZLKmq45n_54x0pUlVSv-op-lXIrc7AjFaELKRr0ujaubq7II-vu-Kr3Qq4yWED0VC2VvyijL1WxC1Z_ulot6guF-bgl_tsUbb-rF2/w685-h443/fullsizeoutput_37e4.jpeg" width="685" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Every dot represents a campground</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Admittedly, some state visits were little more than a flyby, but the reality was that moving every 2-3 weeks over 5 years simply was not enough time to see everything. Often, however, when asked about our plans, my reply was, </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><i>“We haven’t seen everything, but it’s on our list.”</i> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Hands down, the state among the 36 we visited that held the most surprises was Michigan! Having grown up in Ohio, how did I not know that the unique state of the double peninsula had such charming towns and a stunning coastline? </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><br /><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziTq1E2aNOKu-5KQflUT4YBnsFUmxKpJ1vCNOLqSi_oejRt8yejobrJNJo-Xl0ZkRW5ZBzvBdWMmYPW8q-VgWWzLojMAMXAlnmvpVng_kpKzwZ4BlILziSGBPUaj3txBP8ND6KnMqmuTS/s2048/IMG_3693.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziTq1E2aNOKu-5KQflUT4YBnsFUmxKpJ1vCNOLqSi_oejRt8yejobrJNJo-Xl0ZkRW5ZBzvBdWMmYPW8q-VgWWzLojMAMXAlnmvpVng_kpKzwZ4BlILziSGBPUaj3txBP8ND6KnMqmuTS/w597-h335/IMG_3693.jpeg" width="597" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkbGn4_Adlr24OUsMOQnXx7QwjTCqGtrFMzL5s3HoLbGM05zbsz0YQdmex99g7I4z40vsaUIashmUJQnrFbaU1PwkQh9IMeCv3c6RUXl-VwHnm4Zp88LfRyIQ3nmcnGRllwo3Jl61MFZc/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2746.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkbGn4_Adlr24OUsMOQnXx7QwjTCqGtrFMzL5s3HoLbGM05zbsz0YQdmex99g7I4z40vsaUIashmUJQnrFbaU1PwkQh9IMeCv3c6RUXl-VwHnm4Zp88LfRyIQ3nmcnGRllwo3Jl61MFZc/w586-h330/fullsizeoutput_2746.jpeg" width="586" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Plus, there was that magical day spent on Mackinac Island at the junction of the two peninsulas where its people were still in the thralls of fascination with a lifestyle from a time long ago.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz45tUtcP6LE-6RGJ6i9cch866oNe1ZsP8dzD5jdRyY4NCpB4V3dIoM8O0J50QhT48CmUz5qwHUeIVyNT4KsOQHgWH-ABFf1kOgjgQaONzcFvBzBzxrPvUO-n5YiOwZfoPZfpNfE-kMO4c/s2048/IMG_3802.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="2048" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz45tUtcP6LE-6RGJ6i9cch866oNe1ZsP8dzD5jdRyY4NCpB4V3dIoM8O0J50QhT48CmUz5qwHUeIVyNT4KsOQHgWH-ABFf1kOgjgQaONzcFvBzBzxrPvUO-n5YiOwZfoPZfpNfE-kMO4c/w568-h333/IMG_3802.jpeg" width="568" /></a></div><br /><br /><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Somewhere in time on Mackinac Island</p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RuGa6KocwwCG_RiOi2DYOGWWlBspjvZsDb5kZUStwnbSfd9ncytMZ96E0KmB0Xa0aQ8RqKbyxmwDEeZ6vwo7OQ07GeSJKczevHmBp-4KED-QoTKr8In9-yhLjSRRK4ntMujvt-s1v8Pu/s2048/IMG_3815.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RuGa6KocwwCG_RiOi2DYOGWWlBspjvZsDb5kZUStwnbSfd9ncytMZ96E0KmB0Xa0aQ8RqKbyxmwDEeZ6vwo7OQ07GeSJKczevHmBp-4KED-QoTKr8In9-yhLjSRRK4ntMujvt-s1v8Pu/w630-h352/IMG_3815.jpeg" width="630" /></a></div><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span> <span style="font-size: medium;">The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Favorite hikes? Three stand out above all the others: </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The trail through the ever-shifting sand dunes in the early morning hours at White Sands National Monument in New Mexico,</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><br /><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Fu6c6WKER7C2IwAYYzHx3bg_r8jd4xQlqnS2owdiBzwD4fa6E2UG9xUa2l1zm5aTaNQR_yBKzo0Yz0Swn36vMAAa5Nt2l4RWT7rF5xbJTx8rZ9zNppJM0REd57tp9mTdjDzAf6zitbPI/s2048/IMG_1049.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Fu6c6WKER7C2IwAYYzHx3bg_r8jd4xQlqnS2owdiBzwD4fa6E2UG9xUa2l1zm5aTaNQR_yBKzo0Yz0Swn36vMAAa5Nt2l4RWT7rF5xbJTx8rZ9zNppJM0REd57tp9mTdjDzAf6zitbPI/w608-h342/IMG_1049.jpeg" width="608" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The Point Reyes National Seashore Tomales Point Trail overlooking the Pacific Ocean in northern California,</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqY6Yspmixrveex1FkESytgICueHPqZgJiivp3ucKr36KQG1_QEF1nUIXSUtELGgSp4T93_s7FmpsgoG-5ghb7LmQpnu5eerLk3-paGM2DdApIihJ9QLL_ULS5emCEuZ0M5LVsn23d7N2/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37bd.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqY6Yspmixrveex1FkESytgICueHPqZgJiivp3ucKr36KQG1_QEF1nUIXSUtELGgSp4T93_s7FmpsgoG-5ghb7LmQpnu5eerLk3-paGM2DdApIihJ9QLL_ULS5emCEuZ0M5LVsn23d7N2/w589-h442/fullsizeoutput_37bd.jpeg" width="589" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The trail to Blue Lakes where we saw a wildflower super-bloom deep within the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheueqp-LeHacYJRYDN7BALh1TVOYwuCUq9fkAlNpqMWAk4tAUXxcrmlaNACDQsGo2j21E-eeAqn0SAaozeQOMBGC3cUICgzg1RHUYvq2mj6x-2_pJkpy1Vr2hs5by-J7RJAv05oCUgmM9V/s2048/DSCN2099.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="461" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheueqp-LeHacYJRYDN7BALh1TVOYwuCUq9fkAlNpqMWAk4tAUXxcrmlaNACDQsGo2j21E-eeAqn0SAaozeQOMBGC3cUICgzg1RHUYvq2mj6x-2_pJkpy1Vr2hs5by-J7RJAv05oCUgmM9V/w614-h461/DSCN2099.JPG" width="614" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcomULbrJNFpD7SFfnwVo52lj3QEgyPxhvHeG9jugh7zgiPvgLKIXZFpubhVrAZ_6kqo4F-S-YeE2uS2keY-CsfsjHi0G0wBZ_r_q6PM5VpR2t1e8yLGdHmlwbjrjoLeeGRcRA3n-Vthm/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37be.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcomULbrJNFpD7SFfnwVo52lj3QEgyPxhvHeG9jugh7zgiPvgLKIXZFpubhVrAZ_6kqo4F-S-YeE2uS2keY-CsfsjHi0G0wBZ_r_q6PM5VpR2t1e8yLGdHmlwbjrjoLeeGRcRA3n-Vthm/w561-h421/fullsizeoutput_37be.jpeg" width="561" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">There were so many surprises, although some of them shouldn’t have been… like the sad Native American story that we had previously known about only in bits and pieces. Native American tribes had a present-day or historical presence in every state we visited! In well-documented museums, we read many sad histories of not-so-proud events. The extreme poverty we saw as we motored through many reservations only emphasized the magnitude of past and present-day mistreatment. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">I am sad to say that Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park was slightly disappointing for us. Gatlinburg tourism just wasn’t our style. Maybe we were spoiled by the natural Rocky Mountain grandeur that had surrounded us in Colorado for 25 years. As mountains, the Smokies just seemed ordinary to us. Admittedly, the peak fall colors during our visit were rather impressive, </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVdThJdKxUgJJPfBjH4WXsSi5ltnzcUjJ9LvDmWGzE16f9irvoMXjH5jvf_RVcbp19MqiKvkp_T3Jktywgb3Xyo1ciVvHuN9x633ljg1klGwNeqCBdTEW72i1hki8DfNC1MBfMz4uZZx7/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37c1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVdThJdKxUgJJPfBjH4WXsSi5ltnzcUjJ9LvDmWGzE16f9irvoMXjH5jvf_RVcbp19MqiKvkp_T3Jktywgb3Xyo1ciVvHuN9x633ljg1klGwNeqCBdTEW72i1hki8DfNC1MBfMz4uZZx7/w581-h327/fullsizeoutput_37c1.jpeg" width="581" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Fall colors in the Great Smoky Mountains</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">but not so much the massive traffic jams we had to navigate to get anywhere. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">We visited a lot of national parks, and most of them showed countless signs of being loved to death. I foresee lots of changes coming in the future in order to manage automobile traffic in the superstar parks—Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, etc. Fortunately, we were able to time our visits to minimize peak crowd size. We also found that if we ventured 100 yards down most trails, the big crowds disappeared. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">We had some other random observations that were not all that surprising:</span></p><ul>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 21.6px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Americans are very patriotic</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 21.6px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">our big cities are very crowded and traffic is challenging</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 21.6px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">fire is everywhere out west, and it is the new reality</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 21.6px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">in the toxic political environment of 2015-2019, most people had a great reluctance to express political opinion</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 21.6px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">the bigger the dogs, the smaller the rig</span></li></ul><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Truthfully, by the end of 2019 we were longing for more permanent roots. We would have been hard-pressed to come up with another year’s travel plan that didn’t repeat previous routes. New England was a major omission in our travels, but reports of very narrow roads and congested small towns discouraged us from driving our 45-ft bus into that corner of the U.S.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">No road trip goes on forever, so it goes without saying that for five years we were subconsciously scouting for our next home. Over 25 years, cold and snowy Colorado winters had lost their appeal. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfIlFYRYjDMf7k9_64fQHBeq5I-DlXX_90DRCvQJigluXyuBZLBjKDo54IHvQ-WvLDaHEao7PUsO_Aton4SN_fug4J7PA8fb-83tQMUzECaRGHBK29-QnH9UsXiH9rFHMNfEXadtbY-6x/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37e9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="2048" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfIlFYRYjDMf7k9_64fQHBeq5I-DlXX_90DRCvQJigluXyuBZLBjKDo54IHvQ-WvLDaHEao7PUsO_Aton4SN_fug4J7PA8fb-83tQMUzECaRGHBK29-QnH9UsXiH9rFHMNfEXadtbY-6x/w656-h348/fullsizeoutput_37e9.jpeg" width="656" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Practically year-round massive fires out west that resulted in maddening smoky skies and suffocating foul air pretty much ruled out settling in our beloved West. We had experienced enough weeks of smoke-filled air quality in Washington, Oregon, California and Wyoming to convince us we needed to embrace a new lifestyle in the east. Mt. Rainier would have been so much grander without a pall of smoke obscuring the background… </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRrCeZEGIAkyjvF0XWUu8zDTHNNexaJrHPqEbNj83BwVxLnwxuF-pyMvhfdXhNwtEJEkmefr5k1kt2NIJqIcu-z_rA9gm2YVD0uR8u96w8wTFlwiGwoInvRpiAK8USVU9iq3aQ-nb7JP8F/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37c2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="2048" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRrCeZEGIAkyjvF0XWUu8zDTHNNexaJrHPqEbNj83BwVxLnwxuF-pyMvhfdXhNwtEJEkmefr5k1kt2NIJqIcu-z_rA9gm2YVD0uR8u96w8wTFlwiGwoInvRpiAK8USVU9iq3aQ-nb7JP8F/w584-h363/fullsizeoutput_37c2.jpeg" width="584" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxUHBDqEYq4ixt3KhrKbaSHxgKXL8JlDbtWmmdU-7Ty5HA3r_CiJXPSZQ6hvbsYrF8om7lkSla45Pg4tCh_ZMAbYYTs6M9gY9-BSFn9LFObWHW8FG3F6sby4T2QWDu87fNqgVVJTUsgcH/s1422/fullsizeoutput_37d6.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1422" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxUHBDqEYq4ixt3KhrKbaSHxgKXL8JlDbtWmmdU-7Ty5HA3r_CiJXPSZQ6hvbsYrF8om7lkSla45Pg4tCh_ZMAbYYTs6M9gY9-BSFn9LFObWHW8FG3F6sby4T2QWDu87fNqgVVJTUsgcH/w440-h315/fullsizeoutput_37d6.jpeg" width="440" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">We did love the winter we spent in Florida… and our daughter seemed pretty settled down in the Florida Panhandle, so after reunion festivities had played out at the Naval Academy in October 2019, we headed south to Pensacola, Florida, to check things out.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><br /><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Fast-forward two months and we had found the perfect new place to call home in St Johns, Florida, midway between Jacksonville and St Augustine. Selling the motorhome was challenging and required lots of patience. We eventually made the sale to a very appreciative couple from North Carolina who were eager to start their travel journeys. As we waved goodbye and watched the Entegra taillights fade into the distance, we smiled at each other and let out a huge sigh of relief.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiE_knElDGJnZUjqfkPUE7Tu1I5lATwGs-SDb1EHc2Sv7ZVxKCX4Bm142GMk_F1kFJOX79vSTDJrrmWFDiIPJVaYUKuHksyjDiZUuFytY9GXqKL05236QSnD6kIoXSvdFaYtaDxoAljFTk/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37c9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2014" height="493" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiE_knElDGJnZUjqfkPUE7Tu1I5lATwGs-SDb1EHc2Sv7ZVxKCX4Bm142GMk_F1kFJOX79vSTDJrrmWFDiIPJVaYUKuHksyjDiZUuFytY9GXqKL05236QSnD6kIoXSvdFaYtaDxoAljFTk/w485-h493/fullsizeoutput_37c9.jpeg" width="485" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> Bye-bye...</p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">During 2020 Covid conditions, we weathered new home construction while living in an apartment in Jacksonville for four months. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXWpQ9ptqIl2Gr7B0Rg1FAiZvIxRebszw3Wwx8gghnSYY4Tbmyfe25aTekOe9SM_gaCmhkFTOlbXXv_T1wJrylKKn-hk9Ifuo-DsQkVU3X0Nqh8sSTNb9Ui2hTDYsAK33duvU4MlwxN1f/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37cb.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="2048" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXWpQ9ptqIl2Gr7B0Rg1FAiZvIxRebszw3Wwx8gghnSYY4Tbmyfe25aTekOe9SM_gaCmhkFTOlbXXv_T1wJrylKKn-hk9Ifuo-DsQkVU3X0Nqh8sSTNb9Ui2hTDYsAK33duvU4MlwxN1f/w638-h393/fullsizeoutput_37cb.jpeg" width="638" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmCvG8YAhrmtBMcR0Nxu2RgOjPiV8btBrSsyrDHhW4_ClzCRkyPPUQj9nf8c8YSJtICJ3MFPTUC3qSJ8tqAdTUeb3O_yGHu1xuuK5TDc8bDWz2wcgmzVMC2AcWcg8iKb0_BNLdY1tm-pe/s2048/IMG_2578.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmCvG8YAhrmtBMcR0Nxu2RgOjPiV8btBrSsyrDHhW4_ClzCRkyPPUQj9nf8c8YSJtICJ3MFPTUC3qSJ8tqAdTUeb3O_yGHu1xuuK5TDc8bDWz2wcgmzVMC2AcWcg8iKb0_BNLdY1tm-pe/w575-h432/IMG_2578.JPG" width="575" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Fittingly, we spent the first night in our new home on July 4, 2020, as fireworks lit up the sky that evening for a very different celebration.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><br /><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">So, we have come to the end of the chapter that gives an account of our travel love affair with the United States. We have learned to appreciate the subtleties of our great history that is filled with stories of our many heroic founders. The end of the trail for explorers Lewis and </span>Clark—where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean in Astoria, Oregon—was particularly meaningful. </p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">[</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47n9FxrU_IC34VrndUrEfn8mvUXYST0VQuAYppOVE7KEPwstBn8CLsqKm1sz3vT614dSA1qI9VQfOBKL1XRuiNLl1xsNY6t7XxLccPp8at24Um2S9xe2jEXS4Slr4PIHOS8CKxYfwXZPf/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37ed.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="2048" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47n9FxrU_IC34VrndUrEfn8mvUXYST0VQuAYppOVE7KEPwstBn8CLsqKm1sz3vT614dSA1qI9VQfOBKL1XRuiNLl1xsNY6t7XxLccPp8at24Um2S9xe2jEXS4Slr4PIHOS8CKxYfwXZPf/w676-h346/fullsizeoutput_37ed.jpeg" width="676" /></a></span></div><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mAw1Mn3E3zO5mGfuZBOVSp9CHC0tjRpLAhg_GKENx8a3M5iUVqi-YwUDQcSTKru2Z1h7qwaeB_nc0TrIFgyMzpXDr336j_pRVvbFEGyr3JEWiD_rrrILwtg1k2IL_p_ZCa5GP-Pz7AVG/s3190/fullsizeoutput_37ec.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="3190" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mAw1Mn3E3zO5mGfuZBOVSp9CHC0tjRpLAhg_GKENx8a3M5iUVqi-YwUDQcSTKru2Z1h7qwaeB_nc0TrIFgyMzpXDr336j_pRVvbFEGyr3JEWiD_rrrILwtg1k2IL_p_ZCa5GP-Pz7AVG/w726-h224/fullsizeoutput_37ec.jpeg" width="726" /></a></div></span><p></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">We have taken time to marvel in places where grand chapters in our history played out, and have listened carefully and watched with open eyes at places where events fell far short of any kind of celebration.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB76g1EWZ4hkwVVR1dWua80Ec29NaW5QBjykF7VF4lpOf-wH5YGcejSkCGsRVdCnlYlHSjDyJg6ZblLdgzkFTuIGZaY62JC1DapX4aVWAwQkjw1kYVgTAGfxkuHYmddxnVoD3yaOOGH1JH/s2048/IMG_2116.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB76g1EWZ4hkwVVR1dWua80Ec29NaW5QBjykF7VF4lpOf-wH5YGcejSkCGsRVdCnlYlHSjDyJg6ZblLdgzkFTuIGZaY62JC1DapX4aVWAwQkjw1kYVgTAGfxkuHYmddxnVoD3yaOOGH1JH/w626-h352/IMG_2116.jpeg" width="626" /></a></div> Manzanar World War II Japanese Detention Facility<br /><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Above all, we savored our country’s rich natural beauty in many locales where iconic scenes engendered feelings bordering on the spiritual.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcoAAdOne2c6XS_6AEpCIHHB9sl2ekP_GKrIv5Ur-g0lf7oUER7pBEhEPhOzORe5drslRpXTA8d5wqY5YihLJJA8-woqoHJ8zKyY98ceOwV_ZgTdYjErSHxLlnKsBlsD_2NIxUFuJQXGw/s1721/fullsizeoutput_37db.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="1721" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcoAAdOne2c6XS_6AEpCIHHB9sl2ekP_GKrIv5Ur-g0lf7oUER7pBEhEPhOzORe5drslRpXTA8d5wqY5YihLJJA8-woqoHJ8zKyY98ceOwV_ZgTdYjErSHxLlnKsBlsD_2NIxUFuJQXGw/w733-h364/fullsizeoutput_37db.jpeg" width="733" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XwmYFrEVLkPWYRhFjzg17LPLe505NF5erxTmOF8CeMs3neCji0fot3keB_p6KTCz-wXwzN_rQ20OtG5smvfzvAuHwa77B7nHlYS93-bfmfivyyK5PvIr5vOUYRs2vMwnBVvx_Q8iI-4c/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37dd.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="2048" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XwmYFrEVLkPWYRhFjzg17LPLe505NF5erxTmOF8CeMs3neCji0fot3keB_p6KTCz-wXwzN_rQ20OtG5smvfzvAuHwa77B7nHlYS93-bfmfivyyK5PvIr5vOUYRs2vMwnBVvx_Q8iI-4c/w733-h410/fullsizeoutput_37dd.jpeg" width="733" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDOF5xWCDxjjmtDo5LvmFQwrHMYbhEQrd9f52jEFBxReHudvri8qx462Gd57ETMUnD0pHvL7TtnrtFvNrwfmw6e2MgvnkcQX9hylLxFX-XlT-a9IIwSH4ZJxwWo2VzbwWAPxGoK0WiDk9s/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37ea.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1298" data-original-width="2048" height="459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDOF5xWCDxjjmtDo5LvmFQwrHMYbhEQrd9f52jEFBxReHudvri8qx462Gd57ETMUnD0pHvL7TtnrtFvNrwfmw6e2MgvnkcQX9hylLxFX-XlT-a9IIwSH4ZJxwWo2VzbwWAPxGoK0WiDk9s/w725-h459/fullsizeoutput_37ea.jpeg" width="725" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">We started our 5-year odyssey on the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, the city we called home for 25 years. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLx3bQp0dVV-B8jtO3B5h-H7wH_u-VQFxrfbvvjgdlFGTaQ00FIJ-9W-ftmgfDlbrWcDpkzdBQvCcbECCLca6s_C9JfGjvbDIILbofigzf9FOE-kOZh_AHH8P5QqJYaQH4jxb0JsOCSm4_/s400/fullsizeoutput_2f8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="384" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLx3bQp0dVV-B8jtO3B5h-H7wH_u-VQFxrfbvvjgdlFGTaQ00FIJ-9W-ftmgfDlbrWcDpkzdBQvCcbECCLca6s_C9JfGjvbDIILbofigzf9FOE-kOZh_AHH8P5QqJYaQH4jxb0JsOCSm4_/w476-h496/fullsizeoutput_2f8.jpeg" width="476" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Fittingly, we ended the travel section of our journey with a month in our nation’s capital, </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizlpAr0yAgGDqC_-fsjMAKJZMWOlE27SG5oEKOTXT2NJVT_8BEtV2ghX4VEJCE6L8JpBTGLXLk-Gjp2OI4RYMP0rXjz8lVLlJ-jgbYc0LgEy6eoi740g0ytMHcwSPDX5bnyHz0Yj8iNBI/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2f8f.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1376" data-original-width="2048" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizlpAr0yAgGDqC_-fsjMAKJZMWOlE27SG5oEKOTXT2NJVT_8BEtV2ghX4VEJCE6L8JpBTGLXLk-Gjp2OI4RYMP0rXjz8lVLlJ-jgbYc0LgEy6eoi740g0ytMHcwSPDX5bnyHz0Yj8iNBI/w624-h419/fullsizeoutput_2f8f.jpeg" width="624" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">spending our final minutes on the grounds of the US Naval Academy at the gravesite of Senator John McCain, </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-liiMTT5EOu1Q1QwRF0HCKhTIvt6uNvRz87P24hBVcIh9caFRQ2NvlQl5noiMF1x8fRnA7oC_YsBr0ej65WG0NPtSnvxQhKIbUk6K90ejfGd-KAuTGA1DkzFGWoHCgB-nAOsUV5CduDnn/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37da.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="2048" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-liiMTT5EOu1Q1QwRF0HCKhTIvt6uNvRz87P24hBVcIh9caFRQ2NvlQl5noiMF1x8fRnA7oC_YsBr0ej65WG0NPtSnvxQhKIbUk6K90ejfGd-KAuTGA1DkzFGWoHCgB-nAOsUV5CduDnn/w592-h368/fullsizeoutput_37da.jpeg" width="592" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">a graduate of the US Naval Academy and a man who knew the meaning of sacrifice for country. The start and finish locales resonated with me as cosmic bookended symmetry for a gigantic undertaking during which we traveled 30,000 miles in a motorhome. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">And so readers, while we feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment that our blog <i>“Catching the Tradewinds”</i> has thoroughly documented the European and USA chapters of our travel adventures, it’s a little sad to contemplate goodbye. Let’s just say that for now we are looking forward to having a more permanent locale for the next chapter of life in the land of palm trees and sunshine. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3IVq-iCHAcwuRIJqXxnvorczQp8hPwKYU761_CzV8q_TEPzUJ_qccWiEQq3hKMnMgYjmj-2SaO_Doq74GsxhNwTGKn4R8S_7kyX-wHd0zRd6CBYfpYKRw0jPvjBwwLdv6wpZbeWLmm0B/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37cd.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1222" data-original-width="2048" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3IVq-iCHAcwuRIJqXxnvorczQp8hPwKYU761_CzV8q_TEPzUJ_qccWiEQq3hKMnMgYjmj-2SaO_Doq74GsxhNwTGKn4R8S_7kyX-wHd0zRd6CBYfpYKRw0jPvjBwwLdv6wpZbeWLmm0B/w649-h387/fullsizeoutput_37cd.jpeg" width="649" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Perhaps, once Covid has worn itself out, there will be new travel adventures in Chapter 4. However, these two well-seasoned senior travelers won’t be staying in any campgrounds, and we plan on a few more creature comforts to soften the journey.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSXLrW-MXfA97kQCIO6F75N_YWETmRlbIQpVeVR2x0Yan-FtM7aVXAudg2LMTLNkc1_l8Agu6v0U3SmbDjqOG2wHhW-4mLeJQUydg-DXowdNloAsBOAQ0bAI1W6nhXMcUGoPIYCYMS1r_/s2048/fullsizeoutput_37d0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1661" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSXLrW-MXfA97kQCIO6F75N_YWETmRlbIQpVeVR2x0Yan-FtM7aVXAudg2LMTLNkc1_l8Agu6v0U3SmbDjqOG2wHhW-4mLeJQUydg-DXowdNloAsBOAQ0bAI1W6nhXMcUGoPIYCYMS1r_/w408-h502/fullsizeoutput_37d0.jpeg" width="408" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #f6b26b; font-kerning: none;"><i>“The greatest danger in life is not to take the adventure.” George Leigh Mallory</i></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #f6b26b; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #f6b26b; font-kerning: none;">THE END… for now </span></p><p style="font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">Carol Galus</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></p><div><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;"><br /></span></span></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; min-height: 19px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-28397929417259287992019-10-30T18:10:00.000-05:002019-10-30T18:10:19.692-05:00THE US NAVAL ACADEMY CLASS OF ’69 IS MIGHTY FINE<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkn5cYSU_OeiSkMPO9nZ38g7SNwxjt7-hyGp52xRpl_e4NoEaDORmZlfxYCHjfvuUG1u-sG8kZ66BFZtDbojlGxE1HE1oZdoKkU4gEZDnMAAsUxMFLv3eGbroSYmAoT_RSLAK2HcrOZ-s/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3180.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1600" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkn5cYSU_OeiSkMPO9nZ38g7SNwxjt7-hyGp52xRpl_e4NoEaDORmZlfxYCHjfvuUG1u-sG8kZ66BFZtDbojlGxE1HE1oZdoKkU4gEZDnMAAsUxMFLv3eGbroSYmAoT_RSLAK2HcrOZ-s/s640/fullsizeoutput_3180.jpeg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bancroft Hall</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Our plan to arrive in the Annapolis, Maryland, area three weeks ahead of the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">50th reunion for the US Naval Academy Class of 1969 unfolded perfectly for us. Over that three weeks, we were able to visit all of the venues in the nation’s capital that had languished thus far on the bucket list. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: orange; font-kerning: none;">THE YARD</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IVB-ibVv4Nyim2msACEo3q04BVUOlt1AblOn5ftLq7QubXEGJHLdLSnP7pE9MwL-3QereJYiNEmjlbg0r6DeXN5MtxisBN9G-82u93yzj6LmPenLLZjTMQO3X7ko0E7Sm7VuP740TPhG/s1600/fullsizeoutput_30e1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="1600" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IVB-ibVv4Nyim2msACEo3q04BVUOlt1AblOn5ftLq7QubXEGJHLdLSnP7pE9MwL-3QereJYiNEmjlbg0r6DeXN5MtxisBN9G-82u93yzj6LmPenLLZjTMQO3X7ko0E7Sm7VuP740TPhG/s400/fullsizeoutput_30e1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Prior to the hectic week of reunion festivities, Al and I took advantage of the opportunity to take a leisurely trip down memory lane on the US Naval Academy campus. From the moment we entered Gate 1 onto the stately Academy grounds known as the “Yard,”</span><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Al’s archive of memories began to unspool. The Yard had changed a lot since the early days when it was established by Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft in 1845.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI60wXs7IW2Ktdqr-9tD6I6A95Jsph17JxsDhq6QoczENiHW7KjjoHDGUGZcHvbAvk9_xJ_zpHA2W94ntkhfHeOkI1kLsHLo0c86JtU7auNT8lYKsbwtgUfMlAm0uUebaw5opk3Gv0CGCK/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3260.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI60wXs7IW2Ktdqr-9tD6I6A95Jsph17JxsDhq6QoczENiHW7KjjoHDGUGZcHvbAvk9_xJ_zpHA2W94ntkhfHeOkI1kLsHLo0c86JtU7auNT8lYKsbwtgUfMlAm0uUebaw5opk3Gv0CGCK/s640/fullsizeoutput_3260.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Activities in historic Dahlgren Hall during plebe year generated fits of laughter in both of us as Al recalled those awkward “tea dances” (commonly called "tea fights") in Dahlgren Hall, </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83PkPYSpK8HHAKSiJ76eJw7oXg2MRRyVMH6zZqFeiJjGkg2Pp45_uxTfwpZBwLhzZiVgu2DbACpXBkOjawavSu4LUSfggurP7tRXQ09xwQ88k6Hc58VMOk7SnL6KhRgXgP4V2zAZD7CuX/s1600/fullsizeoutput_314f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1600" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83PkPYSpK8HHAKSiJ76eJw7oXg2MRRyVMH6zZqFeiJjGkg2Pp45_uxTfwpZBwLhzZiVgu2DbACpXBkOjawavSu4LUSfggurP7tRXQ09xwQ88k6Hc58VMOk7SnL6KhRgXgP4V2zAZD7CuX/s640/fullsizeoutput_314f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">where guys were paired up with girls in line behind a privacy screen that revealed nothing more than their feet and ankles. Computer dating websites of today have pics and bios; the poor plebes of 1969 had only feet and ankles beneath a privacy screen… This ritual took place on the historic wooden floors of today’s century-old Dahlgren Hall, named after Rear Admiral John Dahlgren, inventor of large-caliber naval guns.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0WapsOvT2yb-RtaHQLIQoBWGH2WHiMdDBQ1HJgPJlLNraUZi6IurAvr9qnyDaeVEHvnDD0sowIs54OEP52NaBIj5QDzIRf6kXYT8b2zHo-x2xikqI79VaBly5fJ-KxifX2NbtN05PTTj/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3150.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0WapsOvT2yb-RtaHQLIQoBWGH2WHiMdDBQ1HJgPJlLNraUZi6IurAvr9qnyDaeVEHvnDD0sowIs54OEP52NaBIj5QDzIRf6kXYT8b2zHo-x2xikqI79VaBly5fJ-KxifX2NbtN05PTTj/s640/fullsizeoutput_3150.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">From Dahlgren Hall, we headed toward the historic Main Chapel at the center of the Yard. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNGXu9UXHMWMFZO8HtK0LBFPr572nhSIG_TVnjkT0lUPf_84D9f4yAidJiG-_WxSKxWjsLfb_mM9IXZbh3ssFo5_YmZLuqbZfsrh1-ybi4r42tZXgheC8xsiVrL88hH0xIN4ixvUn1PQd/s1600/fullsizeoutput_303d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="938" data-original-width="1600" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNGXu9UXHMWMFZO8HtK0LBFPr572nhSIG_TVnjkT0lUPf_84D9f4yAidJiG-_WxSKxWjsLfb_mM9IXZbh3ssFo5_YmZLuqbZfsrh1-ybi4r42tZXgheC8xsiVrL88hH0xIN4ixvUn1PQd/s640/fullsizeoutput_303d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The dome of the Chapel was covered in repair scaffolding, but the interior of this historic place of worship, where USNA cadets receive moral and spiritual guidance, was meticulously maintained.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pqT0qBIjuZZkExakqbZOsi5u-YFP2aD407nteCGi20fRWYmzQ5KbLk4ebdaDUUHcahisk3-ytcXsIXb6SDo7kNvBInbQ1w87EIfw_R9Mwf9FDrhj6THV9qvFrgDvztBdU12L6oM4ebAd/s1600/fullsizeoutput_304a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pqT0qBIjuZZkExakqbZOsi5u-YFP2aD407nteCGi20fRWYmzQ5KbLk4ebdaDUUHcahisk3-ytcXsIXb6SDo7kNvBInbQ1w87EIfw_R9Mwf9FDrhj6THV9qvFrgDvztBdU12L6oM4ebAd/s640/fullsizeoutput_304a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Beneath the chapel, we paid respects at the crypt of John Paul Jones, Father of the US Navy. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-P7_zkEI7dNpLbYJtr2PIJNsPiVSWKTufmQCd_cRSN0MQXmmzxpnvAHgiHwfietq-Ma9mpC92H-yrEtiZbRfj4e-Lusb3-pKLPBVjCu5Tw0dURHPYNLM9w8XLqF6azgM99wiROc5nVP80/s1600/fullsizeoutput_30ec.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-P7_zkEI7dNpLbYJtr2PIJNsPiVSWKTufmQCd_cRSN0MQXmmzxpnvAHgiHwfietq-Ma9mpC92H-yrEtiZbRfj4e-Lusb3-pKLPBVjCu5Tw0dURHPYNLM9w8XLqF6azgM99wiROc5nVP80/s640/fullsizeoutput_30ec.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Jones grew up in a humble home in Scotland</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1PE-r1JPGfG1Aq2Je5APqSjtK4SGlRH6UPnrTNkzVkYoV0rg62vPrAKQPOxp0vS5EHDvWSxDsPop-PraqN3KUpSHyQrE_5MPi8sFLDCmF6TwcDmvKrRyn2ye8zj8nofAYaouqezS0m5c/s1600/fullsizeoutput_30f4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1600" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1PE-r1JPGfG1Aq2Je5APqSjtK4SGlRH6UPnrTNkzVkYoV0rg62vPrAKQPOxp0vS5EHDvWSxDsPop-PraqN3KUpSHyQrE_5MPi8sFLDCmF6TwcDmvKrRyn2ye8zj8nofAYaouqezS0m5c/s640/fullsizeoutput_30f4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and would eventually play a vital role in assisting our Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In the vicinity of the chapel, we passed nostalgic Herndon Monument. Al retold the story about the end-of-plebe-year tradition of replacing a plebe dixie cup hat with an upperclassmen’s cap on the top of greased Herndon monument. Teamwork was the key!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINSHrmIXksEpiu332bK6CH6Q7ErUcqs8eDmAv91ROabGdbNP58ym98pMVy6njcw6mwBC8ASxwUvzpzj65Sz76o6iCKKEc_WHosErRnV-31kCLlEJ_sfKh-A2lbd19_XnGi719-kcE8l7D/s1600/fullsizeoutput_30f6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="1600" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINSHrmIXksEpiu332bK6CH6Q7ErUcqs8eDmAv91ROabGdbNP58ym98pMVy6njcw6mwBC8ASxwUvzpzj65Sz76o6iCKKEc_WHosErRnV-31kCLlEJ_sfKh-A2lbd19_XnGi719-kcE8l7D/s640/fullsizeoutput_30f6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Massive Bancroft Hall, home to the entire brigade of midshipmen, was elegant and unblemished, largely unchanged since Al received his first room assignment over 50 years ago during plebe summer. Throughout plebe summer, Al’s room was behind the windows to the right of the “</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">2nd CLASS DOORS</span><span style="font-kerning: none;">.” </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIy8z5YJ13MTShn5ye8tPfFOvWXiIFN18mS8MR9Vk88dLKL8lt3Bn8uBD6gfFtvtnXZ7Mh3hRMDaqdxYf2PXcK0tyuk-BCu_I3Dmj9oQ1Jrn4k_rpAzG5qNubrlSlJVWC_eQGKrLGZvsE/s1600/P1060960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIy8z5YJ13MTShn5ye8tPfFOvWXiIFN18mS8MR9Vk88dLKL8lt3Bn8uBD6gfFtvtnXZ7Mh3hRMDaqdxYf2PXcK0tyuk-BCu_I3Dmj9oQ1Jrn4k_rpAzG5qNubrlSlJVWC_eQGKrLGZvsE/s640/P1060960.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Bancroft Hall has the distinction of being the largest college dormitory structure in the country. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWof8POZ8PMONNmZzesQdHr_985A6zxP_xLd4RoqS9UD0n-nuQt23L3GIWWzpjVYD1MSs8p0JBm0BpCqO1argiTI5q6Tn6YFy4pWieBp_MjlRkTRyf5y7K1Kg_ErDHGGa7ok8OgG6G0PZ6/s1600/fullsizeoutput_30fc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1600" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWof8POZ8PMONNmZzesQdHr_985A6zxP_xLd4RoqS9UD0n-nuQt23L3GIWWzpjVYD1MSs8p0JBm0BpCqO1argiTI5q6Tn6YFy4pWieBp_MjlRkTRyf5y7K1Kg_ErDHGGa7ok8OgG6G0PZ6/s640/fullsizeoutput_30fc.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">This Beaux-Arts-style beauty retained its grandeur inside as well. The <b><i>“Don’t Give up the Ship”</i></b> Navy motto visible in Memorial Hall at the top of the rotunda steps could not be missed… </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfuOEIDjWMXHumjvM26XjLWehqIEK42LG4XMt23CSqpxnPmJM9I5l9ujnGVvg1iO4EhkBUovU67lr32GNJ4ryeghb2CoilH9p_l3UJxRlHq202IoO-saDu12T_ofKGpmkix7tKqXpH-0O/s1600/IMG_5636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfuOEIDjWMXHumjvM26XjLWehqIEK42LG4XMt23CSqpxnPmJM9I5l9ujnGVvg1iO4EhkBUovU67lr32GNJ4ryeghb2CoilH9p_l3UJxRlHq202IoO-saDu12T_ofKGpmkix7tKqXpH-0O/s200/IMG_5636.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDnPJtjtf2JPmNYwu3GmYCg2i8JP_4R-qRu7TKsc4dGchyJ9Kj3G47DS1JBxjOCswDz7sbAX7MlpAagRS7WSwIHimcfmomNOTk7_nK5gC6v-oDD3xLMztshteocN4S41yDR56xTbDZj3Y/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3102.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDnPJtjtf2JPmNYwu3GmYCg2i8JP_4R-qRu7TKsc4dGchyJ9Kj3G47DS1JBxjOCswDz7sbAX7MlpAagRS7WSwIHimcfmomNOTk7_nK5gC6v-oDD3xLMztshteocN4S41yDR56xTbDZj3Y/s640/fullsizeoutput_3102.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br />
Beneath the spectacular vaulted ceiling of Memorial Hall, a series of memorial plaques and displays honored Naval Academy alumni who have died in military operations. Familiar names on the walls brought back somber memories.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tjGM1eo1wkFR9TMoI3LlfDVJmWByoQvtUsdmNi66OEfnvYQNo4ow0lPCh3bq9hUFRVT0Y2kEdLdRPVPXX-sItom65EfyTiYXYpW-rb030tRtwlEIbLX3CnDitJKoTljJAto_kce2zuI8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3104.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tjGM1eo1wkFR9TMoI3LlfDVJmWByoQvtUsdmNi66OEfnvYQNo4ow0lPCh3bq9hUFRVT0Y2kEdLdRPVPXX-sItom65EfyTiYXYpW-rb030tRtwlEIbLX3CnDitJKoTljJAto_kce2zuI8/s640/fullsizeoutput_3104.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A visit to the sailing basin </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3c1gGI6qybB8UkzKVADo7KiUmYe2MsZ2T78X5shTOOudzkkGEc96YDnFeIwpbh70JNEvDCaWDSOkzNwju66_K2AHi-b6K4IXkIt9mPsG4WnVeDab4WrYQNu6G2YYp-k2s2BGbPPLAQvLI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_310e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="1600" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3c1gGI6qybB8UkzKVADo7KiUmYe2MsZ2T78X5shTOOudzkkGEc96YDnFeIwpbh70JNEvDCaWDSOkzNwju66_K2AHi-b6K4IXkIt9mPsG4WnVeDab4WrYQNu6G2YYp-k2s2BGbPPLAQvLI/s640/fullsizeoutput_310e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">initiated remembrance of a late classmate from the Class of 1969 who was Al’s roommate nearly all four years at the Academy. Eric persuaded Al to be his sailing partner one day as they headed to the boat basin for the very first practice. And that is how a friendship was born that endured for over five decades…</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9mny2lT1_9PaSnR4Hvfcbvxe2fhjdM69nsLJp4BDtGoY8hS1zQXQvZgOQa1_RhxI0g5icV6MbduVGcVkzMLrOsuPy9rkErSPlf3ZN11xS2c_O36dZGE5UmrTAhCrnacw1Mn6vmdJBdZv/s1600/P1060978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9mny2lT1_9PaSnR4Hvfcbvxe2fhjdM69nsLJp4BDtGoY8hS1zQXQvZgOQa1_RhxI0g5icV6MbduVGcVkzMLrOsuPy9rkErSPlf3ZN11xS2c_O36dZGE5UmrTAhCrnacw1Mn6vmdJBdZv/s640/P1060978.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Boats similar to the ones Al and Eric sailed competitively for two years created a lovely tableau along the shore of the Severn River, where the age-old contest featuring humans, wind, water, and boats played out silently and beautifully before us.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOvO-7K24V6UwiXNhmx8BKqtzpxqHX3enKj8IKuDHiUUP2Otpx6eGFUcsPe8dt_1bi-ez-eUnTDD1gzAlaaiYFI7rEODWOLLjvgku6uj6I_50x-keNY0QnZwT2L64gXj8rar25Rgubp5k/s1600/P1060975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOvO-7K24V6UwiXNhmx8BKqtzpxqHX3enKj8IKuDHiUUP2Otpx6eGFUcsPe8dt_1bi-ez-eUnTDD1gzAlaaiYFI7rEODWOLLjvgku6uj6I_50x-keNY0QnZwT2L64gXj8rar25Rgubp5k/s640/P1060975.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The tacking maneuver performed by this women’s sailing team was thrilling to watch.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsY7iNvXtY0IR-3B21tqx_h9wGFsqxaVOyuTOPjpp1pr9YWigoGWdoGmpmPVtOreSumW68BS-y0Lcu8cFaNSBblQ6O-_lehyphenhyphenDN0TOq_q2R8OAyeamCFVc6Sl41XwYIAgelBJclVCRCEtw/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3153.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1600" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsY7iNvXtY0IR-3B21tqx_h9wGFsqxaVOyuTOPjpp1pr9YWigoGWdoGmpmPVtOreSumW68BS-y0Lcu8cFaNSBblQ6O-_lehyphenhyphenDN0TOq_q2R8OAyeamCFVc6Sl41XwYIAgelBJclVCRCEtw/s640/fullsizeoutput_3153.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We popped inside a few random academic buildings, such as:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">the relatively new Wesley Brown Fieldhouse;</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbZFJsaoJSGuFDf2Kc7DGLBxMW7iUxYGoWb_sJtVRBkgNC_cePB2RHcXN_BQ-7jv5BNQRwq53f2sXBTDyUBBUqaZoBg365Qkjwc5mYEsdeF5eVkC7-u9VhT3YdDVOFUnxKJJ16Q4K9CTs/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3111.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbZFJsaoJSGuFDf2Kc7DGLBxMW7iUxYGoWb_sJtVRBkgNC_cePB2RHcXN_BQ-7jv5BNQRwq53f2sXBTDyUBBUqaZoBg365Qkjwc5mYEsdeF5eVkC7-u9VhT3YdDVOFUnxKJJ16Q4K9CTs/s640/fullsizeoutput_3111.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Macdonough Hall, named after Captain Thomas Macdonough, USN, who achieved fame in the war of 1812;</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qhxdBqyVp-dw62tlmn_61DAIIqdBV2-q7M1is4l5QHVOILyfShyphenhyphenpoVZKoEdvlk51N_D_O68bHOz2W44gHBkXi6Z-WTJcuCA5D2xxyOc1jpwp13rOsazfISqJc3TzL11Ok7Uu93VfYdxH/s1600/P1060984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qhxdBqyVp-dw62tlmn_61DAIIqdBV2-q7M1is4l5QHVOILyfShyphenhyphenpoVZKoEdvlk51N_D_O68bHOz2W44gHBkXi6Z-WTJcuCA5D2xxyOc1jpwp13rOsazfISqJc3TzL11Ok7Uu93VfYdxH/s640/P1060984.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and Luce Hall, with the statue of Medal of Honor recipient Admiral James Stockdale at the entry.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVRyCVPFsHcR4fve2E1RwCWzkbzaue81EniBYWsv2ivouCz9XeNle1dk0WHEpZ2wyU30N5kHFfM5EG_P0YMCDtvtCNpZHpyj-UyyDymdy9GlFEYknryg-YI1SSlya4oxy_INNcL-I3pTE/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3113.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1358" data-original-width="1600" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVRyCVPFsHcR4fve2E1RwCWzkbzaue81EniBYWsv2ivouCz9XeNle1dk0WHEpZ2wyU30N5kHFfM5EG_P0YMCDtvtCNpZHpyj-UyyDymdy9GlFEYknryg-YI1SSlya4oxy_INNcL-I3pTE/s640/fullsizeoutput_3113.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLMhJLBYQ2gz3HVXvtGMsWUI_Cztx6rSc-3dkuqj1Fep9HXb1HsYkIN1_D7bDSazhueFgNb81_g2xLxjxNXqinHbRjz-79j6xKQm8pJAzgI5v4RQQhPk1qVGtVXLpXoa9Xsd8yhr6srRZ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_31c8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1309" data-original-width="1600" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLMhJLBYQ2gz3HVXvtGMsWUI_Cztx6rSc-3dkuqj1Fep9HXb1HsYkIN1_D7bDSazhueFgNb81_g2xLxjxNXqinHbRjz-79j6xKQm8pJAzgI5v4RQQhPk1qVGtVXLpXoa9Xsd8yhr6srRZ/s200/fullsizeoutput_31c8.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The SEANAV classrooms of Luce Hall were where Al’s lessons in ship-driving first began with navigation charts at old wooden tables.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8SW32R3eDWwz3Vb62s9xvp1tQ8aqCbvTXSweSXlGOIcfdSma2f9RSnzJFvjeumOg2J15tqC-kbDkB7vZEr7IZs-3zFHXXBSLL5vTHLsdYl3HAgMhvcAbKf6GFCvtbWbtoNETAi1xJ8Mvz/s1600/fullsizeoutput_30db.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8SW32R3eDWwz3Vb62s9xvp1tQ8aqCbvTXSweSXlGOIcfdSma2f9RSnzJFvjeumOg2J15tqC-kbDkB7vZEr7IZs-3zFHXXBSLL5vTHLsdYl3HAgMhvcAbKf6GFCvtbWbtoNETAi1xJ8Mvz/s640/fullsizeoutput_30db.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On exiting the Yard, the Navy Goat reminded us of the homecoming game against Tulane that we would attend during reunion festivities in a couple of weeks.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bXe-62rbhogiuRM__JcPRJUDsMMtR_pYSxU5A8m_gooHLUXtMO6objgtRPCyHUvHY04o4z34SzWTwjWfql0SE2pAyDnJpKz4gWu4ql_CpHtQ-VzJmLB2JEQa-849kNdxwvRyjckFCgHe/s1600/IMG_5648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bXe-62rbhogiuRM__JcPRJUDsMMtR_pYSxU5A8m_gooHLUXtMO6objgtRPCyHUvHY04o4z34SzWTwjWfql0SE2pAyDnJpKz4gWu4ql_CpHtQ-VzJmLB2JEQa-849kNdxwvRyjckFCgHe/s640/IMG_5648.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On the way back to the car, we made a brief stop in the Maryland State Capitol building </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJNhbclDlPRYDpp1rrk4iJyePssXpjdtKO8gMphh3i8SUil9IkP_BPw2Hp9StD0_bOr3-5eM9nryACG52YTW0JwjCwr8zsghcjkKYCBoBAtdknlNMuZBPlON0Fcy6u3kmqGVJYfhxp5Cn/s1600/fullsizeoutput_30d8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="1600" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJNhbclDlPRYDpp1rrk4iJyePssXpjdtKO8gMphh3i8SUil9IkP_BPw2Hp9StD0_bOr3-5eM9nryACG52YTW0JwjCwr8zsghcjkKYCBoBAtdknlNMuZBPlON0Fcy6u3kmqGVJYfhxp5Cn/s640/fullsizeoutput_30d8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTCpYD6rpI9nuAWT26X9WzW272m76E8e4I15GX9DL2yFQ9YWga5QczsBZflbv95kgnpYYKk7FiW6y3YTUGixLgec-B5wXSn-jw10NwtTmPXz-pHQCsvEKwrl90V2GvuUyXmRNTgBF0N0_/s1600/P1070007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTCpYD6rpI9nuAWT26X9WzW272m76E8e4I15GX9DL2yFQ9YWga5QczsBZflbv95kgnpYYKk7FiW6y3YTUGixLgec-B5wXSn-jw10NwtTmPXz-pHQCsvEKwrl90V2GvuUyXmRNTgBF0N0_/s640/P1070007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">across from the equally lovely governor’s mansion.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhpwsgMIvvRrTzawh-EwvbVZJEM6oMk-RfvP-In3NDhGyG_T6zp51NOMu0ebIF2TYwdt4U76iGCQtRvhH_KDHBASK4WGBtRihdzFve9ZMcJ_MAg71WpYu82ekcA4pZrcWA3YOuJdlsb94/s1600/fullsizeoutput_30da.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhpwsgMIvvRrTzawh-EwvbVZJEM6oMk-RfvP-In3NDhGyG_T6zp51NOMu0ebIF2TYwdt4U76iGCQtRvhH_KDHBASK4WGBtRihdzFve9ZMcJ_MAg71WpYu82ekcA4pZrcWA3YOuJdlsb94/s640/fullsizeoutput_30da.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">THE REUNION</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXUSltLIg0olC0qQXJLoLVNNClHIiyFSJgA79kAllnmdAYrX1LXYgzrBtdNPcmqrjpZa8qhIdWoByPdLgTOElYnNFv8bRvQsjH7QQAqSd6E0likZ0JFpsuLTlRlM66-5bANmnQhKDuXzB/s1600/61gqpnBqWoL._SX425_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="425" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXUSltLIg0olC0qQXJLoLVNNClHIiyFSJgA79kAllnmdAYrX1LXYgzrBtdNPcmqrjpZa8qhIdWoByPdLgTOElYnNFv8bRvQsjH7QQAqSd6E0likZ0JFpsuLTlRlM66-5bANmnQhKDuXzB/s200/61gqpnBqWoL._SX425_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #222222;">
<span style="color: black; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">Longtime sports announcer Dan Bartolovic once commented, </span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">“A trip to nostalgia now and then is good for the spirit.”</span></i></b><span style="color: #222222;"> Presumably, he was referencing events in the history of sports; however, the same can be said for class reunions.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For the next five days of reunion festivities, I would observe up close a brotherhood of Navy and Marine men and marvel at the strength of their bonds.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">WEDNESDAY, DAY 1—</span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A wonderful Wednesday afternoon private tour of Mt. Vernon, home of President George Washington, </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKygDwsb2ZZpmOJ0tSJGRf9ugnLs3vpi4RSu69xLWrnSBtNYNuDCcoS4CRwb7r44CG2tWSeBBV2r_zdMUTUAwOyYcls24JuU9igw6_G0BujRgPIP_Sx1LLfiukt-0dAwX4HOzdBfnWWhEl/s1600/fullsizeoutput_31f6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1600" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKygDwsb2ZZpmOJ0tSJGRf9ugnLs3vpi4RSu69xLWrnSBtNYNuDCcoS4CRwb7r44CG2tWSeBBV2r_zdMUTUAwOyYcls24JuU9igw6_G0BujRgPIP_Sx1LLfiukt-0dAwX4HOzdBfnWWhEl/s640/fullsizeoutput_31f6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">was led by Amanda, daughter of one of Al’s classmates. This historic home continues to undergo renovation to make all aspects of the home as accurate as possible. The exterior white color was recently refurbished with a more historically accurate tan color.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Some of the more fully restored rooms were:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">the dining room,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mxePvxfLKxnqqmdYinDWEMbzrkn1jqePDvUQYTyUEVvPzMkxx6ms6_YunAYBA2jno0LddvHEswcWxCmEv6hVxI2KmJXyPhpcmalZn-OjSr1zVCJ68-PxFBHcXqlu0E9YFCXNyHYkW0Cg/s1600/fullsizeoutput_321f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mxePvxfLKxnqqmdYinDWEMbzrkn1jqePDvUQYTyUEVvPzMkxx6ms6_YunAYBA2jno0LddvHEswcWxCmEv6hVxI2KmJXyPhpcmalZn-OjSr1zVCJ68-PxFBHcXqlu0E9YFCXNyHYkW0Cg/s640/fullsizeoutput_321f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">a guest room,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9lUX9DKez5i6hp1m5Ef5tzGbrdS54Qoe51LaDyndtRaLTj80EIdi6jbSslSaBmC9HvJBNvqaIV_MWpJrtBOHs1AdQECsETm-XtHEP2gjxeLCpOeu1EqX1fXnJ6xRC4WbY7030hvCxjQ0/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3220.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9lUX9DKez5i6hp1m5Ef5tzGbrdS54Qoe51LaDyndtRaLTj80EIdi6jbSslSaBmC9HvJBNvqaIV_MWpJrtBOHs1AdQECsETm-XtHEP2gjxeLCpOeu1EqX1fXnJ6xRC4WbY7030hvCxjQ0/s640/fullsizeoutput_3220.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and George Washington’s bedroom.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzVfxpUQbH-7gTnOfWs-nRIc_ZHE4bo-G08kGAmc60Dh5etKXjXYQpvLa4dl4eISWp7ZWzgtXUqpyJDqXIVn3SQFm3NSirRsc4xJjWwLgDQRsr1KACBKe2E3ceGNjfRwNOfdfh-PzHAKK/s1600/fullsizeoutput_31f5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="1600" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzVfxpUQbH-7gTnOfWs-nRIc_ZHE4bo-G08kGAmc60Dh5etKXjXYQpvLa4dl4eISWp7ZWzgtXUqpyJDqXIVn3SQFm3NSirRsc4xJjWwLgDQRsr1KACBKe2E3ceGNjfRwNOfdfh-PzHAKK/s640/fullsizeoutput_31f5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The 3 p.m. wreath ceremony at Washington’s tomb</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPv2mdXGzK4pUtTcbfk6Ubyxuv6FnBeVtcqY0JexLWsslW7HEeZHL8MzUY7jQ-kGhZ8mtU5dH4tB3dGjvitThu4TyJA7Nk-0TPVOkPYH1ccQrka2zMgafIG-8OKLs8nsaOJVs7BAoLOOZ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3223.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="1600" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPv2mdXGzK4pUtTcbfk6Ubyxuv6FnBeVtcqY0JexLWsslW7HEeZHL8MzUY7jQ-kGhZ8mtU5dH4tB3dGjvitThu4TyJA7Nk-0TPVOkPYH1ccQrka2zMgafIG-8OKLs8nsaOJVs7BAoLOOZ/s640/fullsizeoutput_3223.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">was led by the three veterans in the crowd—Jim, Pem, and Al.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AvF9eG_xE5GaI_OoDprZQz_1LeY_HN6f-Bs4SAk26D2s7ZnqkkehRn5IXFYccOgpUXvjYfAvZ2zs3fX29Aj-VuL0dNeaQjOxxC8QDDY-YCv7E9t7Jy-KpWVf3VqiXi6GqaVKSnt-QTae/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3224.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1600" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AvF9eG_xE5GaI_OoDprZQz_1LeY_HN6f-Bs4SAk26D2s7ZnqkkehRn5IXFYccOgpUXvjYfAvZ2zs3fX29Aj-VuL0dNeaQjOxxC8QDDY-YCv7E9t7Jy-KpWVf3VqiXi6GqaVKSnt-QTae/s640/fullsizeoutput_3224.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I couldn’t have imagined a more fitting way to conclude our visit to Washington, DC than a wreath ceremony at the tomb of our first President.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">THURSDAY, DAY 2—</span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At the intimate Thursday night gathering of the 25th company, I observed seeds of friendship sprout and flourish once again after being sown over 50 years ago in an environment of rigorous academic, physical, and mental testing. Al had a wonderful time meeting up with classmates we had visited on the road, in addition to those he had not</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">seen in 50 years. To a person, I marveled at the achievements of the men of the 25th Company across a wide variety of life experiences. Among them were military leaders, executives of industry and commerce, selfless teachers of future generations, and volunteers of distinction. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62D5mbUcgzFG-TCvzvA8GD1WSYDjAH8iEIQHoD-Hmzqivu-HNGHjIGMTl9_D0ANOhHBF4k4GN1Xz3yTaFF6dy71oSNHz_hJPICPoi_qXRSdFaBsvliPqejvOU0DHkH9BumIwXJVBl1UGy/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3219.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="740" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62D5mbUcgzFG-TCvzvA8GD1WSYDjAH8iEIQHoD-Hmzqivu-HNGHjIGMTl9_D0ANOhHBF4k4GN1Xz3yTaFF6dy71oSNHz_hJPICPoi_qXRSdFaBsvliPqejvOU0DHkH9BumIwXJVBl1UGy/s400/fullsizeoutput_3219.jpeg" width="185" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Al had his own Admiral Rickover interview story, and throughout the evening we heard additional stories that we had never heard before. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">FRIDAY, DAY 3—</span></i></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rXHCkm0skCyo5CNAaoiDYSquwxZRmxbSoB4axsRQdbXiRyumn26ly7wXl1q9halOS3F9FWDV28C3iO4CAlHUmpF9l6LbbizGyuuFNvFi4EqfBTOl8yc4esvEerf675Frjz1rQkZCiMNe/s1600/fullsizeoutput_325c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rXHCkm0skCyo5CNAaoiDYSquwxZRmxbSoB4axsRQdbXiRyumn26ly7wXl1q9halOS3F9FWDV28C3iO4CAlHUmpF9l6LbbizGyuuFNvFi4EqfBTOl8yc4esvEerf675Frjz1rQkZCiMNe/s400/fullsizeoutput_325c.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Friday night formal dinner for the entire class was held in the banquet rooms of the Graduate Annapolis Hotel. The 25th Company had three tables in the impressive atrium room. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCFlhLENne_fa7DffHmvBqwONMbtlSHRoWCJqu6KsMcswbOohX_l5doxZn7fMy-5E3R6EtkKIcp-RWddOPyu-yAvwATvNog-jX1Hkr-aXn7aWsfuHJkqeDxRPlwR9FuSuirXaSu83h0Jo/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3258.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1600" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCFlhLENne_fa7DffHmvBqwONMbtlSHRoWCJqu6KsMcswbOohX_l5doxZn7fMy-5E3R6EtkKIcp-RWddOPyu-yAvwATvNog-jX1Hkr-aXn7aWsfuHJkqeDxRPlwR9FuSuirXaSu83h0Jo/s640/fullsizeoutput_3258.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Keepsake company photographs were taken after dinner.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqeLsDmG7bOo6Ep59uOcm1WQk2em3HuISS1IuenpMxZrQ4X1CDu5CMTHBbi7JXlcTPW6Ai2QQjLqEXmW4Z3n5hUsQ-cSOtEoEE6h9EMdI09Xd9qFauGbLe9XsbZjI2US84Ee5iBrW2x-j/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3232.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqeLsDmG7bOo6Ep59uOcm1WQk2em3HuISS1IuenpMxZrQ4X1CDu5CMTHBbi7JXlcTPW6Ai2QQjLqEXmW4Z3n5hUsQ-cSOtEoEE6h9EMdI09Xd9qFauGbLe9XsbZjI2US84Ee5iBrW2x-j/s640/fullsizeoutput_3232.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">25th Company, Class of 1969 (photo courtesy of Joyce Ellen Richards)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">SATURDAY, DAY 4—</span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Saturday afternoon the annual homecoming game was played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. All week long banners saying <b><i>“Beat Tulane”</i></b> had been a common sight. This time, from the comfort of seats in the stands, the Class of ’69 got to observe the ceremonial parachutist float onto the field, with the Stars and Stripes waving in the wind,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhut52Agkud0-KTUyFAszK4zySG8u7kXIhdwm88UW1Y9ZDl31T_SJuOkbQ0uDtAkVo3jUa6xvv6n-RIrdKFzxxX7MM4O-BtJBoMpPUEx_XEXBdDoO1c12U8r0daTOink262G9osyCBz64s_/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3228.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhut52Agkud0-KTUyFAszK4zySG8u7kXIhdwm88UW1Y9ZDl31T_SJuOkbQ0uDtAkVo3jUa6xvv6n-RIrdKFzxxX7MM4O-BtJBoMpPUEx_XEXBdDoO1c12U8r0daTOink262G9osyCBz64s_/s640/fullsizeoutput_3228.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">followed soon thereafter by the entire brigade of midshipmen marching onto the field.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyCjmGyrMmO9C7TaUUo394WEkOVxZpsVselKN42MYtpoTtm7LqVGr2jp4Lh906i-JjJNIAIHUIJX5RSmB60dfoT-zOZqh3h-Ph6L1uoHE0qp7YsWm6tOM1-Iqyx2kZtsx6T1_ZB0Hu99w/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3231.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1600" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyCjmGyrMmO9C7TaUUo394WEkOVxZpsVselKN42MYtpoTtm7LqVGr2jp4Lh906i-JjJNIAIHUIJX5RSmB60dfoT-zOZqh3h-Ph6L1uoHE0qp7YsWm6tOM1-Iqyx2kZtsx6T1_ZB0Hu99w/s640/fullsizeoutput_3231.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">From our seats in Section 1,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSOoLIa2PC6NJcm-xONeKhdZF-flpnXeRPkmEp2MSmeKYNeXnjY0lDnjZaz_43PNAsJJlI5vum-A2SazAcRaqCdBQ-eJ5J19nKRMEK_N6CX3COpjSIytcx5qqDP9f0RnCXFdIuZHhUEGx/s1600/i1%252BblTXDQV%252BQnfbLoC47ZA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSOoLIa2PC6NJcm-xONeKhdZF-flpnXeRPkmEp2MSmeKYNeXnjY0lDnjZaz_43PNAsJJlI5vum-A2SazAcRaqCdBQ-eJ5J19nKRMEK_N6CX3COpjSIytcx5qqDP9f0RnCXFdIuZHhUEGx/s640/i1%252BblTXDQV%252BQnfbLoC47ZA.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">we had a great view of the halftime show put on by the Naval Academy Drum and Bugle Corps.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6j6NlZCwTs0-nigrUmbNsmBl2ZhYccSgA0I4zgHBNLjEBmhgOYI6G71FQwri4I0vdiiv8pZM8BDQF6vHpM3mdulLdSPR0eBQtVI_M-zDi9Mx6dPyM-kXsvj8jfm-UhCZzlhQU8ln8QRT/s1600/fullsizeoutput_322d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6j6NlZCwTs0-nigrUmbNsmBl2ZhYccSgA0I4zgHBNLjEBmhgOYI6G71FQwri4I0vdiiv8pZM8BDQF6vHpM3mdulLdSPR0eBQtVI_M-zDi9Mx6dPyM-kXsvj8jfm-UhCZzlhQU8ln8QRT/s640/fullsizeoutput_322d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The capstone on the day was an epic Navy win over Tulane</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">(41-38), with a field goal in the last second of the game! A more exciting finale could not have been scripted better!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">SUNDAY, DAY 5—</span></i></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27ojRFrjk5O_bThtvaFW8qIKWEzn64WRp4tqLZ2NUBAIDZ9DndBrdE1NJx7dV2VFgPqGp2cqOIg-yMx-1MrPiQp7dUyNNdTsAHhyphenhyphenDbXB2JgkFaZYYbCHoghzhC-EDB_8PAXf0pC_DsBQa/s1600/q9dSZC7fS2yrdh4O2vI0yA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27ojRFrjk5O_bThtvaFW8qIKWEzn64WRp4tqLZ2NUBAIDZ9DndBrdE1NJx7dV2VFgPqGp2cqOIg-yMx-1MrPiQp7dUyNNdTsAHhyphenhyphenDbXB2JgkFaZYYbCHoghzhC-EDB_8PAXf0pC_DsBQa/s400/q9dSZC7fS2yrdh4O2vI0yA.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sunday afternoon a solemn memorial service was held for all those members of the Class of 1969 who are no longer with us. The weather outside seemed in keeping with the somber mood of the service, for it had been raining nonstop all morning. However, at the halfway point of the service, a sudden influx of sunlight was broadcast through the windows of the chapel dome high above just as the solemn recitation of the names commenced for those who have passed since the last reunion…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">After another class picture on the steps of the chapel, followed by fond goodbyes and wishes for safe travel home, we slowly slipped off for a quiet goodbye of our own—past the lush green parade grounds of Worden Field,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5KuTaOrnL9Nz_XQtIa72YctvR0Ky5E7zvgbNSXWbSZJliwB4Yo_1Ue2Kc7Uo5GCL9Ur8PsHa-CNiGLq2n5vu1ZpnfKnk_lMIErPD03-pc8KhwG2DCwZ6We9IJT8qofWFwowotj5C4hGk/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3215.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1600" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5KuTaOrnL9Nz_XQtIa72YctvR0Ky5E7zvgbNSXWbSZJliwB4Yo_1Ue2Kc7Uo5GCL9Ur8PsHa-CNiGLq2n5vu1ZpnfKnk_lMIErPD03-pc8KhwG2DCwZ6We9IJT8qofWFwowotj5C4hGk/s640/fullsizeoutput_3215.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">then over to the US Naval Academy Cemetery where John McCain lies in peaceful repose next to his classmate, in the company of many great heroes.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The McCain gravesite was not hard to find—it was the one with innumerable coins and tokens of remembrance at the headstone.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcJIcXEHzFI7ppoKsKYqz5o5fUZ3vv_nItRWqRalIWeaT7kPDBE3piBNPAGpLtq6VGuq03-hkrMlBTJjbpu98NKl1tw_rpvPAmkeGq_ST15YZQ-UMpgI4iG-INQ2B5eIxRXEZIRcbusRh/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3210.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcJIcXEHzFI7ppoKsKYqz5o5fUZ3vv_nItRWqRalIWeaT7kPDBE3piBNPAGpLtq6VGuq03-hkrMlBTJjbpu98NKl1tw_rpvPAmkeGq_ST15YZQ-UMpgI4iG-INQ2B5eIxRXEZIRcbusRh/s640/fullsizeoutput_3210.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We paid our respects to John Sidney McCain, then simply departed through the gates of the Yard in a suitable end to an emotional day of remembrance for those who have led exemplary lives in service to our country. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I will have more to say in a future blog about our nearly 5 years of life on the road, with commentary on what I think we accomplished and what it meant to us.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">But for now, this long meandering adventure, packed with the thrills of many lifetimes, has come to an end… </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
in Maryland, </div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>on the shore of the Severn,</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> at the the gate of the USNA Yard.</span></div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "bradley hand";"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 25px;">
<div style="font-family: Copperplate; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaUCyNrSAXAuddQ6_kSGW9zmcRSuV7OJlzR52eTwjy8DwGeCffKHIiZcK9fTUI9cbk_5o4WYfw3QNV2SdwOELNAkPZIa_zPyhvFdy7lvnUx9l2Ue-8KdLP0WYMLT8cOZ9Ka93-SpU7H-D/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3184.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaUCyNrSAXAuddQ6_kSGW9zmcRSuV7OJlzR52eTwjy8DwGeCffKHIiZcK9fTUI9cbk_5o4WYfw3QNV2SdwOELNAkPZIa_zPyhvFdy7lvnUx9l2Ue-8KdLP0WYMLT8cOZ9Ka93-SpU7H-D/s640/fullsizeoutput_3184.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-73322564534370427192019-10-26T07:05:00.000-05:002019-10-26T07:05:35.641-05:00EMPTYING THE BUCKET LIST IN WASHINGTON, DC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrr6x1KzPVH8vdTxnNHJ4nRbkSEpIUOd-dXcmQsH70VMs7XcjyzokPckMT4Goaf5il1g9rGNW9RiaTfsy74BjuSi1gDksyzbVqEGCaUZ3K-I6bUgeXPhU1-1aB1XbtzRqJ36iVvGwijJPu/s1600/fullsizeoutput_316a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1600" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrr6x1KzPVH8vdTxnNHJ4nRbkSEpIUOd-dXcmQsH70VMs7XcjyzokPckMT4Goaf5il1g9rGNW9RiaTfsy74BjuSi1gDksyzbVqEGCaUZ3K-I6bUgeXPhU1-1aB1XbtzRqJ36iVvGwijJPu/s640/fullsizeoutput_316a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 31px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Even though we have both been to Washington, DC previously, this time we mutually agreed that it would make most sense to see some of the sights we have never seen before, and so the sightseeing list was formalized...</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">First, there was that burning desire of mine to visit the <b><i>White House,</i></b> or as it is also called, <b><i>The People’s House</i></b>. I soon discovered that White House rules throw all kinds of obstacles in your path, all the while frankly admiting chances of getting a visit approved are not very good. In a nutshell, you must request tickets for a visit through your member of Congress, preferably 3-4 months in advance. Even then, you will not be notified if you have scored the coveted tickets until approximately two weeks before your requested dates. Let’s just say, our South Dakota representative (we are legal South Dakota residents) didn’t let us down!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We showed up bright and early on the assigned date at the proper portal to the White House. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMNRUbF9M_TWhIHB8HOkc356TVHfg6_rj1ga6sWTrur-FXd1Gh3t9Nw1MG9aezpEiCQWNsQE629fzL2Z2A0hJrqHVXLjp0qHveO-tP2zlWYndh-4s95nwT9OwoKUO9P44qMu6_r5fDX2y/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f8c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1600" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMNRUbF9M_TWhIHB8HOkc356TVHfg6_rj1ga6sWTrur-FXd1Gh3t9Nw1MG9aezpEiCQWNsQE629fzL2Z2A0hJrqHVXLjp0qHveO-tP2zlWYndh-4s95nwT9OwoKUO9P44qMu6_r5fDX2y/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f8c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Reflecting the character of the times, security was pervasive, unyielding, and serious. No purses or backpacks were allowed on the tour. I observed a group of four who were forced to abandon their much-anticipated tour because all the women had purses but, sadly, no place to leave them… </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVvnbqBDWswv9aEXq60kTedqpAcEuJQRJRLcjoYiFLdIu5fUhGjfTSyBE7RpbRWU78Qp3KRm5a4CJ32wsG18McFBZpJ9XZMhs5xdjX9xfT_I6dVo6c_B7-rzSRMqZvARLkFSe30Vncf1_/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f61.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVvnbqBDWswv9aEXq60kTedqpAcEuJQRJRLcjoYiFLdIu5fUhGjfTSyBE7RpbRWU78Qp3KRm5a4CJ32wsG18McFBZpJ9XZMhs5xdjX9xfT_I6dVo6c_B7-rzSRMqZvARLkFSe30Vncf1_/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f61.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WtJi6eiU5dCfUwEZTKUgz33cmUtHUjI3WB6ITlq434TH5F4W6b_1G9pg8RGbxSziKS4YrcvHCGwyUL6grBI4AgfJCCGa2CCzWaJ7hmM2RumnH9XhIbFMbNI1mjreukx1i6cEMSRSYIE2/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f62.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1600" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WtJi6eiU5dCfUwEZTKUgz33cmUtHUjI3WB6ITlq434TH5F4W6b_1G9pg8RGbxSziKS4YrcvHCGwyUL6grBI4AgfJCCGa2CCzWaJ7hmM2RumnH9XhIbFMbNI1mjreukx1i6cEMSRSYIE2/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f62.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">To be perfectly honest, The People’s House looked a little worn, as in this photo of the East Room.</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrw3Hwl7Dr_B0u6yWR3nTdv0lSNIgxBgRNfzclf-JREtLw0oM8cDXBw4SoYUdR89jVD8ADAnZBD9ceXOJ-OMrlPeyIgdP7XuwG2wbecfEoxsP_kBOfz1k1MNBuT2wCz2KaI_4oD6mbXTM/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f66.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrw3Hwl7Dr_B0u6yWR3nTdv0lSNIgxBgRNfzclf-JREtLw0oM8cDXBw4SoYUdR89jVD8ADAnZBD9ceXOJ-OMrlPeyIgdP7XuwG2wbecfEoxsP_kBOfz1k1MNBuT2wCz2KaI_4oD6mbXTM/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f66.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The items of interest to me in the East Room were portraits of two former presidents—the priceless one of George Washington that Dolly Madison rescued just before the White House went up in flames in 1814, </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXZKi2I6XTtymo4GR66jsMme_MU_Bbyt_vfRSNFMypR7cb5qWOpdDV7SSxJR-C66aCxEZeWaK2CBCOj-D1aRHGAvzFPoPBA5QwQD4XdTLtaEbHQ8uAsARgtByCfUr7yK_LZZ0ANZabVjs/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f68.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1005" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXZKi2I6XTtymo4GR66jsMme_MU_Bbyt_vfRSNFMypR7cb5qWOpdDV7SSxJR-C66aCxEZeWaK2CBCOj-D1aRHGAvzFPoPBA5QwQD4XdTLtaEbHQ8uAsARgtByCfUr7yK_LZZ0ANZabVjs/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f68.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and the one of Theodore Roosevelt that was painted by renowned artist John Singer Sargent.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5unxy760NFe3oJiaVODDyDhjw40yV-170GdAzlnsOSBbULt6UpC7HL02gG9STxqPmcHovHJ5bGT_fP8s4f10YZRQLeh1FxJqDhCy17AIJBk4IdpNUQ4Uct39_905Dr2-hzaAWYMM6NkHG/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f6a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1600" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5unxy760NFe3oJiaVODDyDhjw40yV-170GdAzlnsOSBbULt6UpC7HL02gG9STxqPmcHovHJ5bGT_fP8s4f10YZRQLeh1FxJqDhCy17AIJBk4IdpNUQ4Uct39_905Dr2-hzaAWYMM6NkHG/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f6a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I was expecting a little more glamour in the State Dining Room.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8GyBtmflDPHNMcEnf0i3mNHm5qLrw7wXBqVYjZNCGv5gE05G_F9COUuJZsP96JgKf9aq2SR3T77EUdUiQhcZRRe1WlYdHKz4jGz_jpm7_wxS7xHlesWzkCKdCvmrlAPGDQOZX8rFyWYT/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f76.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8GyBtmflDPHNMcEnf0i3mNHm5qLrw7wXBqVYjZNCGv5gE05G_F9COUuJZsP96JgKf9aq2SR3T77EUdUiQhcZRRe1WlYdHKz4jGz_jpm7_wxS7xHlesWzkCKdCvmrlAPGDQOZX8rFyWYT/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f76.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On TV, I have seen it decked out to the nines for formal dinners, but on this day it was in tourist mode setting...</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The loveliest rooms in the White House were the rooms named for their color scheme:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_VnkQ4XoWyOf1WV5YSd8085N25ANOu1H1U4lqB2bomIZPbh_rpVQWqJfKJMRibv7BtTc4WGZtQi3Z5fA7hslkOkupJpfoc-_gz4TP2LZM8QzMcwenIf5zusw0yNyTIsU2MZXEHZZeLSD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f71.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_VnkQ4XoWyOf1WV5YSd8085N25ANOu1H1U4lqB2bomIZPbh_rpVQWqJfKJMRibv7BtTc4WGZtQi3Z5fA7hslkOkupJpfoc-_gz4TP2LZM8QzMcwenIf5zusw0yNyTIsU2MZXEHZZeLSD/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f71.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Red Room</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZrdI53-8u7EwwIF3acGgRNV3oeoyjYj_7FmTP9svRDjU-FdeCyGiYKCGMcKjfoN5-Kd6UY9H4GqY5vA6gPQkpwF3UT7ulJeGZYHzKzMoUM85tZqLUE-mNARoxPuuHxYSW7hpVEhkh3VO/s1600/P1060663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZrdI53-8u7EwwIF3acGgRNV3oeoyjYj_7FmTP9svRDjU-FdeCyGiYKCGMcKjfoN5-Kd6UY9H4GqY5vA6gPQkpwF3UT7ulJeGZYHzKzMoUM85tZqLUE-mNARoxPuuHxYSW7hpVEhkh3VO/s640/P1060663.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Green Room</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8OA1HWTDyuVO83F24ERBT82LxNlvrdypGy5Y3WyexqOq-Pnzsw-HzPtp13RicITuUS_JvtUVHH6rcDuTXYFr4cmKViJ9xECOT7FUzM1GyRokIqAy32bKiRM45iTAohy_Sd7ODoGH0_k31/s1600/P1060664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8OA1HWTDyuVO83F24ERBT82LxNlvrdypGy5Y3WyexqOq-Pnzsw-HzPtp13RicITuUS_JvtUVHH6rcDuTXYFr4cmKViJ9xECOT7FUzM1GyRokIqAy32bKiRM45iTAohy_Sd7ODoGH0_k31/s640/P1060664.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Blue Room</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Al thought the most interesting part of the tour was the collection of presidential portraits that hung throughout. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriDfNQI82L_0Cwk8kdwpnvhUkad92DgcZK27LX8_GpsP23-K6OyCzRzgaWqsHc_BByVqNaZ5Zy19jxmLckmLL5z-YTl0LQEeZdUk1_Hqy-zPbeAzBy1QZ6Z1D5s6sR3i6Y8AZ7m-weggr/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f77.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1214" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriDfNQI82L_0Cwk8kdwpnvhUkad92DgcZK27LX8_GpsP23-K6OyCzRzgaWqsHc_BByVqNaZ5Zy19jxmLckmLL5z-YTl0LQEeZdUk1_Hqy-zPbeAzBy1QZ6Z1D5s6sR3i6Y8AZ7m-weggr/s400/fullsizeoutput_2f77.jpeg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">President Kennedy</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCC_8NrSoxkk0QxnrLkmYRvk-e7pSqmk4K-cns2cvzwMjd1hljx6OuVz22ys73-wOJdSbZ723pGGmhvz_Drxx9i_ApQenHiBv-RBhyreI6lvamK5c1AatpSRzZrHXJfVJ0RybMUIhTPUI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f78.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1308" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCC_8NrSoxkk0QxnrLkmYRvk-e7pSqmk4K-cns2cvzwMjd1hljx6OuVz22ys73-wOJdSbZ723pGGmhvz_Drxx9i_ApQenHiBv-RBhyreI6lvamK5c1AatpSRzZrHXJfVJ0RybMUIhTPUI/s400/fullsizeoutput_2f78.jpeg" width="326" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">President Reagan</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The White House library and theater room were mildly interesting.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Z4Z3v2c6feqpzN4SUVMxVETZrqPGynMdKE3cl7c0arGfc4ne7pqCcP61ILEzhob8Fzf59cqzxRkqfNPaJVsKdf-aV0OJ5DWrlwQFZA2qydSW9g8H92Wx3XtOTAAYDbFvzwXeUeN_zULD/s1600/P1060644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Z4Z3v2c6feqpzN4SUVMxVETZrqPGynMdKE3cl7c0arGfc4ne7pqCcP61ILEzhob8Fzf59cqzxRkqfNPaJVsKdf-aV0OJ5DWrlwQFZA2qydSW9g8H92Wx3XtOTAAYDbFvzwXeUeN_zULD/s640/P1060644.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The White House Library</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXjuyWITks7-n06tNHYNv_9wXVb5DwtQA2WtIJcYiJLhl1DAZfSBukWJxS5xOQF-8s3RoqFXIh7ria51JnrB8Ma1KCUB6oc_f2vGLnxnaUylUqQnXPwUQjjp1yXhL0lGK7QMyaVSN9d5ER/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f63.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXjuyWITks7-n06tNHYNv_9wXVb5DwtQA2WtIJcYiJLhl1DAZfSBukWJxS5xOQF-8s3RoqFXIh7ria51JnrB8Ma1KCUB6oc_f2vGLnxnaUylUqQnXPwUQjjp1yXhL0lGK7QMyaVSN9d5ER/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f63.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The White House Theater Room</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwA-JczYNJnKazCMWwcVjoBotPruibGDOA9_nFlTAPW1xsOHab_bQXeLnjrErTORaOesTBG-Ol4TwlD-BWNl_Ktl7aYLDjIILGgJ_gaxI3Vz6Q1CB0Gdi7I17kEvL8ovpEfSE3jTJbJru/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f7e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1577" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwA-JczYNJnKazCMWwcVjoBotPruibGDOA9_nFlTAPW1xsOHab_bQXeLnjrErTORaOesTBG-Ol4TwlD-BWNl_Ktl7aYLDjIILGgJ_gaxI3Vz6Q1CB0Gdi7I17kEvL8ovpEfSE3jTJbJru/s400/fullsizeoutput_2f7e.jpeg" width="393" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At the conclusion of the White House tour, getting a selfie at the door seemed the popular thing to do, so that is what we did…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We devoted one entire day to visiting two of Washington, DC’s most famous houses of worship:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">the Episcopalian <b><i>Washington National Cathedral</i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHK3Mcmt8WDGHASHv80Ge6lZUDt9ni57ubH1eWqlYruUkM7_nn27oU00h9h6MGIS62iqDo_F8_VUft0PIHoJX2SIBrL-f6gF-gExyWNoqzhVNT29KPHzOOj8_1iJ1Yki7HlzKE_sJtabS/s1600/fullsizeoutput_302f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1379" data-original-width="1600" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHK3Mcmt8WDGHASHv80Ge6lZUDt9ni57ubH1eWqlYruUkM7_nn27oU00h9h6MGIS62iqDo_F8_VUft0PIHoJX2SIBrL-f6gF-gExyWNoqzhVNT29KPHzOOj8_1iJ1Yki7HlzKE_sJtabS/s640/fullsizeoutput_302f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and the Catholic <b><i>Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception</i></b>.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKqgJFbSXNXqihjPqrbpKcefyfnx-29bP2Fmej4y7t-NHVHEmDffeTxOXVdNu5QFYUpQwfxBtxL_gHyaASvAmY3KYfkFbdFcIBJLp3B_r8b3VpNA6MbW6pPXKJ_4NKN8toOP0ZlNFEqHL8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3033.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKqgJFbSXNXqihjPqrbpKcefyfnx-29bP2Fmej4y7t-NHVHEmDffeTxOXVdNu5QFYUpQwfxBtxL_gHyaASvAmY3KYfkFbdFcIBJLp3B_r8b3VpNA6MbW6pPXKJ_4NKN8toOP0ZlNFEqHL8/s640/fullsizeoutput_3033.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The National Cathedral was a Gothic beauty with classic flying buttresses on the outside that supported its soaring walls and roof.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5v0O1ifHhbAjlxjge_smmvI0v3ItTvA02CDkJY-hHG2qKeVMRccIcHk2y4R8Rd5vojkETvjQSK-9AAJ83vObkqjrRK1iQk4AoH_o8ia2xy_n0_8sDeZJAPXmmlYe9ZRYIGfFdbDPx7q__/s1600/fullsizeoutput_302c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1600" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5v0O1ifHhbAjlxjge_smmvI0v3ItTvA02CDkJY-hHG2qKeVMRccIcHk2y4R8Rd5vojkETvjQSK-9AAJ83vObkqjrRK1iQk4AoH_o8ia2xy_n0_8sDeZJAPXmmlYe9ZRYIGfFdbDPx7q__/s640/fullsizeoutput_302c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Inside, the noon Eucharist service was just about to begin behind the choir screen.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dIWhKIVf04pzh-n7qQRLWF1qedThst3rs6_Rk7DWTAQ-2sXsfJEgKCc3ru2zGRRC-lLpgBB84lmx5kIEMKjAKcJUShNFqXQUwAMNxXq-NVP-Gt_1GpF5hy60iyOkSMAxh83e30Ks8LfR/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3015.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dIWhKIVf04pzh-n7qQRLWF1qedThst3rs6_Rk7DWTAQ-2sXsfJEgKCc3ru2zGRRC-lLpgBB84lmx5kIEMKjAKcJUShNFqXQUwAMNxXq-NVP-Gt_1GpF5hy60iyOkSMAxh83e30Ks8LfR/s640/fullsizeoutput_3015.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Unknown to us previously, we came across President Woodrow Wilson’s burial tomb in a side aisle. The most modest presidential burial site we have ever seen…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRgt-Cwu8mWOkL883OT9o84TI1jBCsA1L8cYXiTvLLbDfvl7Z_NhhC78p-qN7XGfckqiqfNyOvlwr2MjhSeDoiwq7hO0glpQXIeZ6EPiD5Lr0eur6M2SwcO6L5DCqEeNp_bWn5R4IpyuG/s1600/fullsizeoutput_301f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="1600" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRgt-Cwu8mWOkL883OT9o84TI1jBCsA1L8cYXiTvLLbDfvl7Z_NhhC78p-qN7XGfckqiqfNyOvlwr2MjhSeDoiwq7hO0glpQXIeZ6EPiD5Lr0eur6M2SwcO6L5DCqEeNp_bWn5R4IpyuG/s640/fullsizeoutput_301f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tomb of President Woodrow Wilson in the National Cathedral</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Shrine of the Immaculate Conception has laid claim to being the third largest church in the United States and North America. Clearly, devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary was the theme. Countless dazzling multicultural chapels dedicated to Mary occupied niches everywhere.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjixKXCHhysEg8-tkGU4elPeazHrp6tc2kGnKBw11Hs7ybYzY6NeFswHbO9m4zkoTHLjtXrdsXkjUO67U07iAQMf16K742Z9a0Yp8oOQygQD7f_re04WVJoSmzUoY78W352jlsF4zcj_W/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2ff3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjixKXCHhysEg8-tkGU4elPeazHrp6tc2kGnKBw11Hs7ybYzY6NeFswHbO9m4zkoTHLjtXrdsXkjUO67U07iAQMf16K742Z9a0Yp8oOQygQD7f_re04WVJoSmzUoY78W352jlsF4zcj_W/s640/fullsizeoutput_2ff3.jpeg" width="356" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOywCmtEBcM2NRH_gBEer_sb8BNnI9PLkwWVn8SGb8ayAM19VmzRQHmzgBpCJ8xeWtKELu7JYncVy-mwYn9VGmJSXfgLxfJSPw7Fa08EeM__0LQRUHWxg3_bsznFsDvz2IG8YEpemtRRs7/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2ffb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="1600" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOywCmtEBcM2NRH_gBEer_sb8BNnI9PLkwWVn8SGb8ayAM19VmzRQHmzgBpCJ8xeWtKELu7JYncVy-mwYn9VGmJSXfgLxfJSPw7Fa08EeM__0LQRUHWxg3_bsznFsDvz2IG8YEpemtRRs7/s400/fullsizeoutput_2ffb.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The main body of the church was immense, with a controversial dazzling mosaic of Jesus Christ in the dome area above the main altar. The story we heard is that people either think this depiction of Christ is great, or not so great. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wd5JwPkIv4jieHfFl1wXKOl5lgkfW9k9nNRvAmC-K3BefqQjyL9NBolUiJKZyrtAlYioJ7Ol43VFQ2-Y3LFgHQlmD7dQbHtashE8CshoZ2JhTkmJwjNjzC8AtVLLN2PBU7FTIPWsK7tJ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3008.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1600" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wd5JwPkIv4jieHfFl1wXKOl5lgkfW9k9nNRvAmC-K3BefqQjyL9NBolUiJKZyrtAlYioJ7Ol43VFQ2-Y3LFgHQlmD7dQbHtashE8CshoZ2JhTkmJwjNjzC8AtVLLN2PBU7FTIPWsK7tJ/s640/fullsizeoutput_3008.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDKGyQPLUuhyphenhyphen4oFQny_ShAbqeEo6bOFZ9F-kQrt4LvdqW2ItHc7vwt3FnYL7HZd55SRjhtpquIgwGKj1mTgnGWZIoHXrtBALXlajzjo7Wf6kfD5NuRzmiHOz7AGAJzxtLN-7Yj6HRRCByU/s1600/fullsizeoutput_300d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="938" data-original-width="1600" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDKGyQPLUuhyphenhyphen4oFQny_ShAbqeEo6bOFZ9F-kQrt4LvdqW2ItHc7vwt3FnYL7HZd55SRjhtpquIgwGKj1mTgnGWZIoHXrtBALXlajzjo7Wf6kfD5NuRzmiHOz7AGAJzxtLN-7Yj6HRRCByU/s640/fullsizeoutput_300d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WjN-pZcIYTYUnTT4g5Clxn3HcKEx9OLlwHMln0rhFSlH2jtW8wLmbBZ2SDwvym8fJO81OL4A867tBhRw-A2rAda0pRmGAObU3NfT5_8TYC8S6Ce6GQrZ6NEc1VnFuGA5CYbJ0ZiU33tg/s1600/P1060714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WjN-pZcIYTYUnTT4g5Clxn3HcKEx9OLlwHMln0rhFSlH2jtW8wLmbBZ2SDwvym8fJO81OL4A867tBhRw-A2rAda0pRmGAObU3NfT5_8TYC8S6Ce6GQrZ6NEc1VnFuGA5CYbJ0ZiU33tg/s400/P1060714.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On a day devoted to a walking tour of Washington, we unexpectedly found ourselves across from the <b><i>Trump International Hotel</i></b>. We had to satisfy our curiosity, and so we popped inside. Staff couldn’t have been nicer to us! </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfuCMm0Ydk47WAIjCmzKMAO1gjHWXFf02FdEHshEZyflEoEaRYVIHFP8dHDH1qpo17NLmepYVQzNUqBXUCYLwRNqnWruqRjCt4Iwnfp-1Vh8C-bJWtal6CSbpJ4alk0_vHM3D7FvNnZme/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f95.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1343" data-original-width="1600" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfuCMm0Ydk47WAIjCmzKMAO1gjHWXFf02FdEHshEZyflEoEaRYVIHFP8dHDH1qpo17NLmepYVQzNUqBXUCYLwRNqnWruqRjCt4Iwnfp-1Vh8C-bJWtal6CSbpJ4alk0_vHM3D7FvNnZme/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f95.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The bar atrium definitely had a wow factor. The TV over the bar was tuned to Fox News, and the hotel’s namesake was on the screen…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHXC2xBgLl9gLje3ta1mG-CbGBDeLVYwPKRuJyqaU02tmgBzepeJgG9sY8T1MXga28jx5x9gix9M3UlPQq5b1hQVFW-rMir7IL1nYa0IZOEuBIehz2U1xaN77qV2LIpmCKxeZLmsR6T5P/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f9d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="1600" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHXC2xBgLl9gLje3ta1mG-CbGBDeLVYwPKRuJyqaU02tmgBzepeJgG9sY8T1MXga28jx5x9gix9M3UlPQq5b1hQVFW-rMir7IL1nYa0IZOEuBIehz2U1xaN77qV2LIpmCKxeZLmsR6T5P/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f9d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Comfy chairs in the hall across from a set of <b><i><span style="color: #e69138;">gold</span> </i></b>elevators (of course!) beckoned to us for a few minutes of rest.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUFQZYy6kgVW7o9HE2doD-NA-xEqTAM_Yp5ngY9lJzfjXRxUc-4wNAsxwOk_DInaB7aVU9nNtMrtViNPlSsIS23NezBmFyaUlCzj95nL4eb8UEdL4Z2gGfLQS9L6DHydxLogHyWnM88sJ/s1600/P1060737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUFQZYy6kgVW7o9HE2doD-NA-xEqTAM_Yp5ngY9lJzfjXRxUc-4wNAsxwOk_DInaB7aVU9nNtMrtViNPlSsIS23NezBmFyaUlCzj95nL4eb8UEdL4Z2gGfLQS9L6DHydxLogHyWnM88sJ/s640/P1060737.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A wonderful 360-degree view of the greater Washington area could be appreciated on the top floor of the Clock Tower of Trump International Hotel.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wZJ4YYSTTTFE5P04HkVmDJOfrLW9xliXiU6sJEJwe9DnKwJfTgZpIe-SaXJrrMDd4-rM3IYpO4dYRTVUZb5Z7-5W5TFQnAlEMATlgZh4A-2Xl4GjOdxbh5bLF3NOCL88eWskKXL6AS_S/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f30.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1600" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wZJ4YYSTTTFE5P04HkVmDJOfrLW9xliXiU6sJEJwe9DnKwJfTgZpIe-SaXJrrMDd4-rM3IYpO4dYRTVUZb5Z7-5W5TFQnAlEMATlgZh4A-2Xl4GjOdxbh5bLF3NOCL88eWskKXL6AS_S/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f30.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">From on high, this was a great view of the Capitol!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For convenience sake, we decided to take advantage of one of the perks offered by our campground. We signed up for a daytime bus tour that would take us on a Potomac water taxi ride all the way up to Georgetown, then down to <b><i>Arlington National Cemetery</i></b> by bus in time for the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The taxi ride along the Potomac gave us a perspective that was out of the ordinary, like these of the Watergate Complex</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczkqjluZoWtF3dt9KzFC2V4wdMATv5hHFWSWE15YjmfKB729Q23lraJm8MjFkGz1wdGOaTNqaWQfx4vPTTbKrg5wNSAyE0FAt0istYtXMpyeDsNZLmu18G9JRbnxr9mo7TzxzC3Z5xgqh/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2fb7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczkqjluZoWtF3dt9KzFC2V4wdMATv5hHFWSWE15YjmfKB729Q23lraJm8MjFkGz1wdGOaTNqaWQfx4vPTTbKrg5wNSAyE0FAt0istYtXMpyeDsNZLmu18G9JRbnxr9mo7TzxzC3Z5xgqh/s640/fullsizeoutput_2fb7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and the <b><i>Kennedy Center</i></b>.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihs8xE9iUFqpOuzYBd5W-UGHHYe9B_WAEyanRht6qXWi2maPQer3ZGW8aC3bN-FHxh6dXVKufa5Pjr7rlizq3cYuRO7R1KESrvCN2W2ZMoHeaku-U9o6adMLRHuiIqnRSnFW-OfE0DpqYw/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2faf.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1600" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihs8xE9iUFqpOuzYBd5W-UGHHYe9B_WAEyanRht6qXWi2maPQer3ZGW8aC3bN-FHxh6dXVKufa5Pjr7rlizq3cYuRO7R1KESrvCN2W2ZMoHeaku-U9o6adMLRHuiIqnRSnFW-OfE0DpqYw/s640/fullsizeoutput_2faf.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The changing of the guard at the <b><i>Tomb of the Unknown Soldier </i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i></i></b></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMdL0SLeOWPNFafpPVkaI4DxRhNjm3UNpsK_hwuoTbhd3YLbXdOFGi6QTocxnVJl1AaoZ5Tf7UkpsCTbW-0GWqIP-0OjWxZVjs9fqsfZjWyJSaEUG7k9LX4ktGYKf0exP0wr28H5Nc1ht/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2fd1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1600" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMdL0SLeOWPNFafpPVkaI4DxRhNjm3UNpsK_hwuoTbhd3YLbXdOFGi6QTocxnVJl1AaoZ5Tf7UkpsCTbW-0GWqIP-0OjWxZVjs9fqsfZjWyJSaEUG7k9LX4ktGYKf0exP0wr28H5Nc1ht/s640/fullsizeoutput_2fd1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">was a solemn, flawlessly executed ceremony like no other. The very large crowd was totally stilled and hushed. The only sound that could be heard was the click of cameras.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7QVPiEYob5m-klLeLGYwo4OfTyAHrFy0jSlOuBGwNHy_l98budYv-JC6FpHh9PPJOtPcnAS-ZUT8aFKKCYCaCK-kuOn0ADs07oMKp5qfBEMMPW1m6MgtuvWdANVV5v0SRTjOdHXjTgYr/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2fd5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1355" data-original-width="1600" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7QVPiEYob5m-klLeLGYwo4OfTyAHrFy0jSlOuBGwNHy_l98budYv-JC6FpHh9PPJOtPcnAS-ZUT8aFKKCYCaCK-kuOn0ADs07oMKp5qfBEMMPW1m6MgtuvWdANVV5v0SRTjOdHXjTgYr/s640/fullsizeoutput_2fd5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As the wife of a Navy veteran and mother of two children who both chose the military as their career, I was emotionally moved at the unwavering devotion to duty shown by the guardians of the tomb as they perform their sacred duty every hour, every day of the year, rain or shine…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Arlington grounds were lovely on this cloudy day in early fall.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5uN1gUeutr3JxOz9ZXZrU8NndxUouATz0_Ibde9EHx0hG1lLSdJccU2ibEQcnwCmZvRrmIVX1YZgtsKudZaSd0n5fmyPobEdjbWpxMb38qKUcdxzNJmVVawjtottJhk92fskyilKhjdD/s1600/P1060830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5uN1gUeutr3JxOz9ZXZrU8NndxUouATz0_Ibde9EHx0hG1lLSdJccU2ibEQcnwCmZvRrmIVX1YZgtsKudZaSd0n5fmyPobEdjbWpxMb38qKUcdxzNJmVVawjtottJhk92fskyilKhjdD/s640/P1060830.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The eternal flame burned bright at the Kennedy gravesite. I found it poignant to learn that Jacqueline Kennedy was the one who decided that President Kennedy would have an eternal flame burning at his gravesite when she recalled that her husband had admired the one at Gettysburg on his visit there 8 months prior to his assassination. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68Enih8pRlmt9XAV3N9MT9N-AzM3cHEp6ZaZRLJpGSBD50Ic4sXQlELBFpv800AmDrChJ-DLQGk_HJCteeRasODstKN4m8VZ0TKIDKTgig7bZp7WUwnTBtjAF-3n0DGdko3FJ1sr6dmLK/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2fc9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1600" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68Enih8pRlmt9XAV3N9MT9N-AzM3cHEp6ZaZRLJpGSBD50Ic4sXQlELBFpv800AmDrChJ-DLQGk_HJCteeRasODstKN4m8VZ0TKIDKTgig7bZp7WUwnTBtjAF-3n0DGdko3FJ1sr6dmLK/s640/fullsizeoutput_2fc9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For a long time, the <b><i>National Air and Space Museum</i></b> complex near Washington Dulles International Airport has been on Al’s bucket list. This museum had quite an impressive collection of historically significant aircraft and spacecraft. The highlights of the collection were the Space Shuttle Discovery;</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIlz8gpIkQ3-O8MHIEYyuDqM6pGqLgzp6_p-aUyaBvQ03yykkJCsglF3i90b7DRoFntuOr2bGaM89eQ4sD7O51K1I6EWehz3iSGEoA5kY6UA71-U5vGzWv7ie60Te6l7RhgYTN3r8DT3v/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3196.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIlz8gpIkQ3-O8MHIEYyuDqM6pGqLgzp6_p-aUyaBvQ03yykkJCsglF3i90b7DRoFntuOr2bGaM89eQ4sD7O51K1I6EWehz3iSGEoA5kY6UA71-U5vGzWv7ie60Te6l7RhgYTN3r8DT3v/s640/fullsizeoutput_3196.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">the B-29 Superfortress <i>Enola Gay</i>, the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima;</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMd7pz_ybYvHMJwJVx065H2beyri8QYfGiY7jKvQY3Dwk4f_mg77C0MhRizF3JIulH24QAeHOBE0jpL_AGq3rEiaB6dvVqLpR7GBA5DB1tI0l_IrLNJ5XkV8oBf6DtKx9KDBegymijgb1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3197.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMd7pz_ybYvHMJwJVx065H2beyri8QYfGiY7jKvQY3Dwk4f_mg77C0MhRizF3JIulH24QAeHOBE0jpL_AGq3rEiaB6dvVqLpR7GBA5DB1tI0l_IrLNJ5XkV8oBf6DtKx9KDBegymijgb1/s640/fullsizeoutput_3197.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QpqghpOT2pMnziEZ8JLdPFHtj84LaktnVmzxTs-ZmdgC8XvxHCxXHRJClTNLLlRDrPCZY9kEO8FkpQGEU2qMJ3BJs7y9v-wzJOkRd7eNmwfF72teG7DAPzXEabyXmyToF36MZ5ybF_F5/s1600/P1070176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QpqghpOT2pMnziEZ8JLdPFHtj84LaktnVmzxTs-ZmdgC8XvxHCxXHRJClTNLLlRDrPCZY9kEO8FkpQGEU2qMJ3BJs7y9v-wzJOkRd7eNmwfF72teG7DAPzXEabyXmyToF36MZ5ybF_F5/s640/P1070176.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">a Concorde, the first supersonic airliner;</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsR0ubZ9joJL5eKEd45xOKJioBUzuZoE3Yru5skJbu4nRO_p9mPeM91A5MbDezpEzIrwaxLPZpUoduevWF2qigh9RrcWGf4clNcx_rj0tNENEVyyRnlP80pv5KdVk9RNzRMtWywDEbFsBp/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3199.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsR0ubZ9joJL5eKEd45xOKJioBUzuZoE3Yru5skJbu4nRO_p9mPeM91A5MbDezpEzIrwaxLPZpUoduevWF2qigh9RrcWGf4clNcx_rj0tNENEVyyRnlP80pv5KdVk9RNzRMtWywDEbFsBp/s640/fullsizeoutput_3199.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">my favorite—the SR-71 Blackbird, the world’s fastest jet-propelled aircraft;</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAVfgZEaX5YISXc6CPVl6DpXZeU7hTJZk4Y4cMJR_NHpR2LWVRPn4OTGZEyDI1dv6tz8_u5x79z-fXLUpe5iig8dBMQkv0L6BlkWIsjd3zBA36hWlzdsiCQN9D-2tDI0H2BXcGGFEwsU3o/s1600/fullsizeoutput_319b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAVfgZEaX5YISXc6CPVl6DpXZeU7hTJZk4Y4cMJR_NHpR2LWVRPn4OTGZEyDI1dv6tz8_u5x79z-fXLUpe5iig8dBMQkv0L6BlkWIsjd3zBA36hWlzdsiCQN9D-2tDI0H2BXcGGFEwsU3o/s640/fullsizeoutput_319b.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and the Boeing “Dash-80”— the precursor to the KC-135 tanker, a plane my daughter once piloted.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfrjbt-b0YZM0SFOHxZ9aLYLl8CAmPT0a3U87FbstGhBdMW_ISQ65U_yX7WpeBjSWijBcndfZK-3WRkLcXjdTl8qlEVzkeEEmfCsgK6uDqcea0QqVnfM26Vw3OhzF7dLsOCJjFNbN2WMpJ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_319e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1600" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfrjbt-b0YZM0SFOHxZ9aLYLl8CAmPT0a3U87FbstGhBdMW_ISQ65U_yX7WpeBjSWijBcndfZK-3WRkLcXjdTl8qlEVzkeEEmfCsgK6uDqcea0QqVnfM26Vw3OhzF7dLsOCJjFNbN2WMpJ/s640/fullsizeoutput_319e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">And finally, completing my Washington bucket list was a visit to the <b><i>Supreme Court of the United States</i></b>.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On the way we detoured into historic <b><i>Union Station</i></b> for a look-see.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6jEo1Z4mwoh2z2H_VGrmLZYoOi-krlo2Wp8Xp7GqKKm9k87GMqvq9i4hBndDUlPAilJHM_ONcPn-Zp_NqdKSbzM75tqzjQdq9rmD1ncdL9qKbTmBcMuOoyb0Jf9nv4tKbc3uLiXwHz5y/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3134.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6jEo1Z4mwoh2z2H_VGrmLZYoOi-krlo2Wp8Xp7GqKKm9k87GMqvq9i4hBndDUlPAilJHM_ONcPn-Zp_NqdKSbzM75tqzjQdq9rmD1ncdL9qKbTmBcMuOoyb0Jf9nv4tKbc3uLiXwHz5y/s640/fullsizeoutput_3134.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9CbYKYDIss6jT_3NHYRl_SB9qOx9AFdZDiEQMDsRaC8nJHAUWtDD-19qPHYYueAB8bdFA66zrixkUdE2BWYVpUGRND6omJz0AY8_se74DbTlyrqr0pwJi2fKbOKQukYS4eiM0f5R4eFA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3066.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1600" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9CbYKYDIss6jT_3NHYRl_SB9qOx9AFdZDiEQMDsRaC8nJHAUWtDD-19qPHYYueAB8bdFA66zrixkUdE2BWYVpUGRND6omJz0AY8_se74DbTlyrqr0pwJi2fKbOKQukYS4eiM0f5R4eFA/s640/fullsizeoutput_3066.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Washington, DC is awash in superb architecture on a grand scale. Many people would agree that the Supreme Court building is the most beautiful of all.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcTDFKTu5ay7ScTBm3E_vNhNstYYFJ9ddSwk9YgVABzc8vz65pN2IVGNNcPOFzF0DewYDbUvGZCAtqEjlFEJKRRFvei1e3oZZRrtxXVlErlTSrRGEp1DCsxGqKWZ30LisZkf5VMb8DR6p/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3089.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcTDFKTu5ay7ScTBm3E_vNhNstYYFJ9ddSwk9YgVABzc8vz65pN2IVGNNcPOFzF0DewYDbUvGZCAtqEjlFEJKRRFvei1e3oZZRrtxXVlErlTSrRGEp1DCsxGqKWZ30LisZkf5VMb8DR6p/s640/fullsizeoutput_3089.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The architectural style is that of a Greek temple intended to convey the absolute sanctity of the law. The brilliant whiteness and impeccable cleanliness of the marble on the exterior certainly conveys a sense that what takes place here is of utmost importance to our nation. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In the courtroom, we were treated to a 30-minute docent lecture that told us everything we ever wanted to know about how a case progresses to the Supreme Court. No cameras were allowed in the courtroom, but afterwards we were able to get a zoom shot between the curtains.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9rVDm0VrvXCQa6-X8fP69hMN4s1WwxW3R3503Xaj0hqWuS2zl4PK8TLQFj8kkCALnZ1XfGGg8tnbu80HRKEMOKYhYvT5B40-uIfuL8cbJBPc1xCSxjGZLQr68OHpynOlJ2fLdG-j-Dbq/s1600/fullsizeoutput_314e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9rVDm0VrvXCQa6-X8fP69hMN4s1WwxW3R3503Xaj0hqWuS2zl4PK8TLQFj8kkCALnZ1XfGGg8tnbu80HRKEMOKYhYvT5B40-uIfuL8cbJBPc1xCSxjGZLQr68OHpynOlJ2fLdG-j-Dbq/s640/fullsizeoutput_314e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The docent lecture and the 15-minute film narrated by the Supreme Court justices themselves heavily emphasized their collegiality, openness to persuasion, and commitment to reaching decisions based solely on the law and the Constitution. However, events of recent years have caused me to question these best of intentions. The west façade of the Supreme Court building displays the motto EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW. My fervent wish is that the present court lives up to its promises as advertised.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Once again, Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s poem “<i>Pity the Nation” </i>seemed most apt…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;"><i>“Pity the nation whose people are sheep, </i></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;"><i>and whose shepherds mislead them.”</i></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Carol Galus</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Photo-Blogger</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5otw1c9OQEO16xvltIq7-JHuORXDfca0bhIpfmlfQufTuyCPIEQVZFrC0YBotQo7BdwLyfipiE5715GQXsdmSmVe-VW-2NW_UubkV2H7mZpOBLEsQ8u7XuRRIFFKQBCb8NDgUQFOP1QMt/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3179.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5otw1c9OQEO16xvltIq7-JHuORXDfca0bhIpfmlfQufTuyCPIEQVZFrC0YBotQo7BdwLyfipiE5715GQXsdmSmVe-VW-2NW_UubkV2H7mZpOBLEsQ8u7XuRRIFFKQBCb8NDgUQFOP1QMt/s640/fullsizeoutput_3179.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-51631348126832700922019-10-20T11:38:00.000-05:002019-10-20T11:38:22.640-05:00MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS FOR THE AGES IN WASHINGTON, D.C.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieoxVX5tbiX43SoKUJanYr3r4XSpT2-nh0on6PYG4a3OqiH9KYFxkoRI0BrtdNQ9QkYEhqVja-pGoEkxY_WZAsbR3HYLirjDW7z06gX-7d3JZo0Zn9Z3nX-hUoxDIw8lquccvCCFjtB5TF/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3158.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1600" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieoxVX5tbiX43SoKUJanYr3r4XSpT2-nh0on6PYG4a3OqiH9KYFxkoRI0BrtdNQ9QkYEhqVja-pGoEkxY_WZAsbR3HYLirjDW7z06gX-7d3JZo0Zn9Z3nX-hUoxDIw8lquccvCCFjtB5TF/s640/fullsizeoutput_3158.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 19px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gCScS7R-6ZB7-wb-TLAhQKm3OCWuW_F7oXXy49x21XNqucfQzzr_cJoHqEAVdSw34iUgKjvUQULfDr_q_VeUgn87U9cpcFui7Jwet_a8DidqMpIiYJDYxb_UWQVZ79m1cpJElvWsaisD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f5e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1405" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gCScS7R-6ZB7-wb-TLAhQKm3OCWuW_F7oXXy49x21XNqucfQzzr_cJoHqEAVdSw34iUgKjvUQULfDr_q_VeUgn87U9cpcFui7Jwet_a8DidqMpIiYJDYxb_UWQVZ79m1cpJElvWsaisD/s400/fullsizeoutput_2f5e.jpeg" width="350" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">Carol writes:</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> As the calendar page flipped over to October, our long and winding road to the mid-Atlantic coast reached its most eastward point in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. Here, we planned to pause for a month to take in the history and sights while reflecting on the many ways our travels have enriched our understanding of what it means to be an American. We cannot imagine a more fitting place than our nation’s capital to conclude our nearly 5-year adventure across the highways and back roads of America.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We set up camp in a deluxe campground in College Park, Maryland. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-iAKM9Kp32le6c_OpAwDwzfy1KmjOtw6wnz19WcWvztjYYIYhZr1hPAX1vBMrDW98EnC_XMggCqzREOOgereLYUjOm9Lp30PIkhOStnyF3ht26LyD-z9OEA83CKBpwmTc2Vwr6PPnkIU/s1600/fullsizeoutput_30de.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-iAKM9Kp32le6c_OpAwDwzfy1KmjOtw6wnz19WcWvztjYYIYhZr1hPAX1vBMrDW98EnC_XMggCqzREOOgereLYUjOm9Lp30PIkhOStnyF3ht26LyD-z9OEA83CKBpwmTc2Vwr6PPnkIU/s640/fullsizeoutput_30de.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">This campground had its own bus stop from which a dedicated bus made dozens of trips daily to the College Park Metro station. Once we got our first taste of “insane DC traffic,” the Metro rapid transit system turned out to be the perfect means of travel, since almost every city venue we wanted to visit was reachable by Metro. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The monuments and memorials of Washington, D.C., are perhaps the city’s most beloved treasures. The ones dedicated to four of our greatest presidents are among the most famous in the world. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">During our last visit to Washington, D.C., the <b><i>Washington Monument</i></b> was covered in scaffolding and was undergoing repairs to cracks that had developed as a result of an earthquake in August 2011. This time, the stonework of this 500-ft spire dedicated to our first president was gleaming brilliantly in the midday sun.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtOo3iwZLksSLw7qf1C2naqfIYOeSw3LJZXTDCgpR99bG1VDNPhMX3TDsctTDEeBcIPdvgsXTTcuUHyRvohmKzcjZG1XsGHVTHkOzY2ZQFcOLe9bK5kflvgobsUdRh1v99cF33cEbv37D/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2fde.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="1600" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtOo3iwZLksSLw7qf1C2naqfIYOeSw3LJZXTDCgpR99bG1VDNPhMX3TDsctTDEeBcIPdvgsXTTcuUHyRvohmKzcjZG1XsGHVTHkOzY2ZQFcOLe9bK5kflvgobsUdRh1v99cF33cEbv37D/s640/fullsizeoutput_2fde.jpeg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTq4oqf467dbfh24MiKGB9Ehe-pG9_wQJYc9ihGw20WyvnKHm97yZtCNsbHPwJ873AlKskeWa_zENapwgAUTiOr6evS7-rwGz9hSrePH_BYhuI8SNVBs0L9wqbEjaUTJl1p9jprsCcdOgv/s1600/P1060752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTq4oqf467dbfh24MiKGB9Ehe-pG9_wQJYc9ihGw20WyvnKHm97yZtCNsbHPwJ873AlKskeWa_zENapwgAUTiOr6evS7-rwGz9hSrePH_BYhuI8SNVBs0L9wqbEjaUTJl1p9jprsCcdOgv/s640/P1060752.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_jflc3BYXEj1UHxLa7QKxbZP563XYEi9UFlVABhmr54Vl0L7op3SQFsH-rI3z3ytEHhNqDbUu734KVIQGjmcAflvQMjcaDm9NTe6L4jud4qQAjmb-CmPZV7iqdWrWAGhjWwF5yBAkOig/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3135.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1282" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_jflc3BYXEj1UHxLa7QKxbZP563XYEi9UFlVABhmr54Vl0L7op3SQFsH-rI3z3ytEHhNqDbUu734KVIQGjmcAflvQMjcaDm9NTe6L4jud4qQAjmb-CmPZV7iqdWrWAGhjWwF5yBAkOig/s400/fullsizeoutput_3135.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Now, the <b><i>Jefferson Memorial</i></b> was the one covered in scaffolding while complex repairs are being made to its dome. Under the dome inside, Jefferson’s silent, larger than life-size statue evoked volumes of wisdom. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The dignified <b><i>Lincoln Memorial</i></b> towered over the western end of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall. </span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHx_u0xtMqPelBkNA3NjaajFVlEjJlRa1IEcC_XWs8DXMyGwVBMD8K2ow3s8hSQuPU7c3mYUrFjABMVMIAhhacUgv7-V5Tqj7Ut7z03Nnf3gpUu4VIcir7teFTwvcJaI6JjzOyy0KM1lF/s1600/fullsizeoutput_314d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHx_u0xtMqPelBkNA3NjaajFVlEjJlRa1IEcC_XWs8DXMyGwVBMD8K2ow3s8hSQuPU7c3mYUrFjABMVMIAhhacUgv7-V5Tqj7Ut7z03Nnf3gpUu4VIcir7teFTwvcJaI6JjzOyy0KM1lF/s640/fullsizeoutput_314d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The memorial’s 36 grand Doric columns symbolized the states that were in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtw5V7F7-kk__vc11UNiBnYEKNIzul0JoTEiJPDyjinD8_xH2B68UTI7AaRRVOMabqsScuEy2gRg_xNRrKpwqTH-0slu8x7yT02g2OlpLx0hVeV3eq0RSTrudSK9CxPYkV-AOvKcVTyXY/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3147.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1600" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtw5V7F7-kk__vc11UNiBnYEKNIzul0JoTEiJPDyjinD8_xH2B68UTI7AaRRVOMabqsScuEy2gRg_xNRrKpwqTH-0slu8x7yT02g2OlpLx0hVeV3eq0RSTrudSK9CxPYkV-AOvKcVTyXY/s640/fullsizeoutput_3147.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Inside, our beloved 16th president was seated on a grand chair of power and authority, while exhibiting a tense and somber facial expression directed at all the visitors below taking irreverent selfies at his feet. At this particular memorial, I found the selfie craze distasteful. In light of our visit to Gettysburg only a few weeks ago, silent thanks and respect seemed much more appropriate.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCVCNGmc1tk_bzIvXr9Tyftr9DOo0brBAweW8XeKRWjgr6HA0_HLXk5oY4Tm0vnXkWHIbGp00Kj06n2RhDY5xVTEtT1ljCb-9Cl0yoSuv_1I0VXcNIwvEsx3iy9VnhyphenhyphenIeuq4f-eefty5b/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3185.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="1600" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCVCNGmc1tk_bzIvXr9Tyftr9DOo0brBAweW8XeKRWjgr6HA0_HLXk5oY4Tm0vnXkWHIbGp00Kj06n2RhDY5xVTEtT1ljCb-9Cl0yoSuv_1I0VXcNIwvEsx3iy9VnhyphenhyphenIeuq4f-eefty5b/s640/fullsizeoutput_3185.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmclOq7I0dU-1yU9ApH8CvucrWfk_YYoxNEQFZrx76k4cxFstfHInpYuMfryWox1kIhB6Fa72hUMthO3myFF1c61tSHx53t2tmpvKAlDPUeKEOLh-LVBUKBcn56woT16mWNkItKN_E9cz/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3137.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmclOq7I0dU-1yU9ApH8CvucrWfk_YYoxNEQFZrx76k4cxFstfHInpYuMfryWox1kIhB6Fa72hUMthO3myFF1c61tSHx53t2tmpvKAlDPUeKEOLh-LVBUKBcn56woT16mWNkItKN_E9cz/s400/fullsizeoutput_3137.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">One of the more unique and less visited memorials in Washington is the <b><i>Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. </i></b>This sprawling memorial consisted of 4 outdoor “rooms” said to represent Roosevelt’s four terms in office. Shapes of “rooms” were formed by blocks of granite inscribed with memorable FDR quotes. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnu06jHYB2dGbNeXtl7YRbKfc6HnYkpiq1dZXjA9URVfM0kgkEkxww8_zZUbiiTa81H58Jwy0bR7A0Tmsu34uG405Wmn0tGjFM1oiMwLaHmxNuZldj_0wf9jmmE2vnvkwngaE7oxE88Tq/s1600/fullsizeoutput_313d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnu06jHYB2dGbNeXtl7YRbKfc6HnYkpiq1dZXjA9URVfM0kgkEkxww8_zZUbiiTa81H58Jwy0bR7A0Tmsu34uG405Wmn0tGjFM1oiMwLaHmxNuZldj_0wf9jmmE2vnvkwngaE7oxE88Tq/s640/fullsizeoutput_313d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The bronze statue of the former president featured a seated Roosevelt along with his beloved dog, Fala. In this 4th term “room,” the president’s face was clearly exhausted and he appeared to be in poor health. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LcOk_nOSJW-nbjRrXV1ysuv0SwdDFPNw1eTGhSEzzEd-M8bv4UPyLGpI21Njm0K4UiuidBdlH4vnojg74tlxwS1J73yG3Feae7fj7h-hDxKdG4bz2AIu-nFghVUkFMm8T8XUX0QV9j2B/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3138.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LcOk_nOSJW-nbjRrXV1ysuv0SwdDFPNw1eTGhSEzzEd-M8bv4UPyLGpI21Njm0K4UiuidBdlH4vnojg74tlxwS1J73yG3Feae7fj7h-hDxKdG4bz2AIu-nFghVUkFMm8T8XUX0QV9j2B/s640/fullsizeoutput_3138.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was only fitting that a statue of his wife, Eleanor, </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UopoTPX2GsKPk3fKyk1EQnnQZcExffSHfobrj1S7iCoacxyySIL5DWHeMRQ6g5saen3pei9Pc9m7Thwa-TzPwbR7ZZvyeA5cTKM_VgklirwZbhFv9kyGgVesBePsOWk_Eq2waH0rPyrw/s1600/fullsizeoutput_30b6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="1600" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UopoTPX2GsKPk3fKyk1EQnnQZcExffSHfobrj1S7iCoacxyySIL5DWHeMRQ6g5saen3pei9Pc9m7Thwa-TzPwbR7ZZvyeA5cTKM_VgklirwZbhFv9kyGgVesBePsOWk_Eq2waH0rPyrw/s640/fullsizeoutput_30b6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">was included in the memorial to honor her much admired service to our country.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The greatness of America was clearly illustrated at every turn along the Mall. Likewise, the long redress of America’s greatest failing—enslavement of its African American population—was brilliantly acknowledged at the <b><i>Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial</i></b>. The <b><i>“out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope”</i></b> symbolism from Dr. King’s famous “I have a dream” speech was a bold design. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSBoigzEy9d4-Qv9Zpojny2Qse8G_0fL_PAIIcAcoHOj5IPyZRiThV6vYP7sf5HstcnPlJbCiFjqe8-AP4QEk7JubiqGPMTrs2JgNJU3JX136OmSaxR2SOZwuutPM1Qsvugo76ly0HsP3/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3143.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSBoigzEy9d4-Qv9Zpojny2Qse8G_0fL_PAIIcAcoHOj5IPyZRiThV6vYP7sf5HstcnPlJbCiFjqe8-AP4QEk7JubiqGPMTrs2JgNJU3JX136OmSaxR2SOZwuutPM1Qsvugo76ly0HsP3/s640/fullsizeoutput_3143.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The pathway chiseled through the stone mountain to the rear of the statue was symbolic of the difficult struggles in the fight for equal rights, opportunity, and justice.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih09GAruuIJls5x75u53kdL3a_15qAbVAoNywlBQjLiX93OLiS18D0w7UhcPVSSkWv0nvUJzuUiBFyxNO9EBbhcoIQgoBf9y0LT9vZkBi7AXTDipRwu5koLdeB04oth9dHQWyRQyGD2x6N/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3141.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="1600" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih09GAruuIJls5x75u53kdL3a_15qAbVAoNywlBQjLiX93OLiS18D0w7UhcPVSSkWv0nvUJzuUiBFyxNO9EBbhcoIQgoBf9y0LT9vZkBi7AXTDipRwu5koLdeB04oth9dHQWyRQyGD2x6N/s640/fullsizeoutput_3141.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">This memorial was an excellent place to reflect on both the good and the bad chapters in the American story. The immense stone statue of Dr. King emerging from a granite block of stone overlooked the Tidal Basin cherry trees that should be in bloom every year on the anniversary of his death.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Dk5A0m4ZxzAb52JsUSAt0FbZosWO509RSn23h-SrNDA-7E1I85BVogmD0UvSQpF5xxWA7EeWO2ujnViStJ0ggUQe5t-wQZQCyammMVpoa1E78llW7uMa9N5JPN6dbSFqRWPvvmtm7XuP/s1600/fullsizeoutput_30aa.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1311" data-original-width="1600" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Dk5A0m4ZxzAb52JsUSAt0FbZosWO509RSn23h-SrNDA-7E1I85BVogmD0UvSQpF5xxWA7EeWO2ujnViStJ0ggUQe5t-wQZQCyammMVpoa1E78llW7uMa9N5JPN6dbSFqRWPvvmtm7XuP/s640/fullsizeoutput_30aa.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The war memorials along the National Mall are among the most somber remembrances. The Vietnam War is still fresh in the minds of baby boomers, and many of them have family and friends who made the supreme sacrifice. The black granite <b><i>Vietnam Wall</i></b>, set into a low hillside and carved with the names of all who perished or are missing in action, represents a superb interpretation of that war.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0c7CJi_WutLeedOf6VV9KPkADoefrcLqMbwjCOSTO1VkRTjE7ZcWe24J39tFN3NzXJm0KBXBDlIleB4mJTU59Pc9Upke9zQvud8e-pSW7wiiIFsd_vkqO3_k18esuSiywJ9RVQ8xtUGC/s1600/fullsizeoutput_308f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="1600" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0c7CJi_WutLeedOf6VV9KPkADoefrcLqMbwjCOSTO1VkRTjE7ZcWe24J39tFN3NzXJm0KBXBDlIleB4mJTU59Pc9Upke9zQvud8e-pSW7wiiIFsd_vkqO3_k18esuSiywJ9RVQ8xtUGC/s640/fullsizeoutput_308f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The diverse group of three young soldiers on patrol, looking on in tribute toward the names on the wall in the distance, emphasizes the poignancy of the sacrifice…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCXq17GMt4Z_GmQlDQWewpiZ6yfmRNJbx59VCo0fG60HcqOn67g_4msaWBbllynVF6doL4oKbuPnVwRDucPTg-JctEln0Ae3Krc5LaBUozokt4-HNwxNUaeqt8P901TPK0ySHoZvgldRD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3094.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCXq17GMt4Z_GmQlDQWewpiZ6yfmRNJbx59VCo0fG60HcqOn67g_4msaWBbllynVF6doL4oKbuPnVwRDucPTg-JctEln0Ae3Krc5LaBUozokt4-HNwxNUaeqt8P901TPK0ySHoZvgldRD/s640/fullsizeoutput_3094.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The platoon on patrol at the <b><i>Korean War Veterans Memorial</i></b> captured the unspeakable torment of this conflict perfectly.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnctdUFO78Pfmvz1ZiFfAybMws4vyf-BUFgo-adR6q7Rdj3zIjyH3ieY4L4-c9zJVKO5pw_LOIE1rovUrUBAG6M9pL8l8LQWLQDI9GTxLcwg75uw2rM6Z9mQGP3np6FBZNvEwx0puGGNN/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3144.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1600" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnctdUFO78Pfmvz1ZiFfAybMws4vyf-BUFgo-adR6q7Rdj3zIjyH3ieY4L4-c9zJVKO5pw_LOIE1rovUrUBAG6M9pL8l8LQWLQDI9GTxLcwg75uw2rM6Z9mQGP3np6FBZNvEwx0puGGNN/s640/fullsizeoutput_3144.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The newest monument on the Mall, the <b><i>World War II Memorial</i></b>, opened in 2004. This memorial is dedicated to all who served in the armed forces and as civilians in World War II. The design of the memorial comprises a semicircle of 56 pillars, one for each state and US possession that served in the war. Triumphal arches for the <b><i>Pacific</i></b> and <b><i>Atlantic</i></b> theaters of war anchor opposite ends with sensational fountains in the middle, with waters glistening under brilliant blue skies.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQd9aSI1ap4f1uSJZD9mRxbrRuWIbjDzYSv38Oln3CNsFATwEqynCXYTwBiNz_b3Au8wTIOm4vsvqS7lNELzuCyuJofEhyphenhyphendhAR9R3XRJmycolA1lqlZVrYDAWrFzE1NvcD30lWa92mtQS/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3088.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQd9aSI1ap4f1uSJZD9mRxbrRuWIbjDzYSv38Oln3CNsFATwEqynCXYTwBiNz_b3Au8wTIOm4vsvqS7lNELzuCyuJofEhyphenhyphendhAR9R3XRJmycolA1lqlZVrYDAWrFzE1NvcD30lWa92mtQS/s640/fullsizeoutput_3088.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1gzmGgIbUdfhz-VWvWbsqYk010XJDvenS6EY5tuCAPM8Epnh9fckVc76sIkJWvoJrJku_bK-2ohY6lJS4uQgRFv4NWlOEjhu3Hvk5mWDFY7AuFd-cK__ov_iGAYls92Bv6EU3Mt1yK0V/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2fa6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1600" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1gzmGgIbUdfhz-VWvWbsqYk010XJDvenS6EY5tuCAPM8Epnh9fckVc76sIkJWvoJrJku_bK-2ohY6lJS4uQgRFv4NWlOEjhu3Hvk5mWDFY7AuFd-cK__ov_iGAYls92Bv6EU3Mt1yK0V/s400/fullsizeoutput_2fa6.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Monuments dedicated to three branches of our military were especially emotional for us. At the <b><i>United States Air Force Memorial, </i></b>our hearts swelled with pride with thoughts of our daughter in the Air Force, who is currently in service to our country.</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIeHHZGsHCIFhQGTbjVsq9R8sqa2GCPK3oCjskkx_d6bAJJD8yCdxsYkiONPrI5i6MkE9s5a-KAIxWtytZZ1f0tN2Q0y9hMlJgfAuFZqqo1j3yRrYHLEJJEaMZBk-bbmZ4KqglDn90ptqU/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2fa7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIeHHZGsHCIFhQGTbjVsq9R8sqa2GCPK3oCjskkx_d6bAJJD8yCdxsYkiONPrI5i6MkE9s5a-KAIxWtytZZ1f0tN2Q0y9hMlJgfAuFZqqo1j3yRrYHLEJJEaMZBk-bbmZ4KqglDn90ptqU/s400/fullsizeoutput_2fa7.jpeg" width="223" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Three giant steel spires appeared to soar into the sky, representing contrails from the familiar “bomb burst” maneuver performed by the Thunderbirds, the demonstration precision flying team of the Air Force. Over many years we observed this Thunderbird maneuver on Air Force Academy graduation day at our former home in Colorado Springs.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The bronze statues of the Air Force Honor Guard stood unmoving and silent with honor and respect for all who serve or have served in the United States Air Force.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9AXB4HWH-jxQNOqu1m49HXPA1ahyphenhyphen9K5T30QWgpQQQntd0zvYp1jE2VHOEjOqXj66CaRbO-Ldqy3YHx82ttewrBK7NGgj2qheQqme8lKCz_0GMO3ve6k3G9WTaFG6F1D5i9CG7NUoWfZ7/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2fa9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1600" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9AXB4HWH-jxQNOqu1m49HXPA1ahyphenhyphen9K5T30QWgpQQQntd0zvYp1jE2VHOEjOqXj66CaRbO-Ldqy3YHx82ttewrBK7NGgj2qheQqme8lKCz_0GMO3ve6k3G9WTaFG6F1D5i9CG7NUoWfZ7/s640/fullsizeoutput_2fa9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The <b><i>Iwo Jima Memorial</i></b> is dedicated to all Marine personnel who have died in service to our country. This mammoth bronze sculpture group depicts the moment a large flag was raised on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIhWn8U3U7OBzcVDndzijvdZy6GpG_F5vW8zbY-kwSU0bOANl_eQTxJx_Hpi0RCaOMzQrTwiuRE68VEo8ZrCc6PwJzzpTT3d1RjfFRV4eEy6BPccDLDaQIsRr-JfDL1D73lvGMVIX4pdR/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f59.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1029" data-original-width="1600" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIhWn8U3U7OBzcVDndzijvdZy6GpG_F5vW8zbY-kwSU0bOANl_eQTxJx_Hpi0RCaOMzQrTwiuRE68VEo8ZrCc6PwJzzpTT3d1RjfFRV4eEy6BPccDLDaQIsRr-JfDL1D73lvGMVIX4pdR/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f59.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The action and drama of the moment is quite inspirational…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">And finally, the statue of <b><i>The Lone Sailor</i></b> has obvious special significance for the Galus family. Al served 20 years as an officer in the Navy after graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1969, and we have come to the Washington, D.C. area to attend his 50th class reunion this week.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcHyiL7LMD6vVL32G-KHW_k6fM70MV1aLkEJlpw-efM7wSimzQGvjQA0a6vF0DixxoOtn4fwUj-thlW_uPff1vxj29-WLim8gh5J5tYRNAyI1cFHVlK-l2kzD35StIxXkl1PY8rqk2gnt/s1600/fullsizeoutput_30c5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="1600" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcHyiL7LMD6vVL32G-KHW_k6fM70MV1aLkEJlpw-efM7wSimzQGvjQA0a6vF0DixxoOtn4fwUj-thlW_uPff1vxj29-WLim8gh5J5tYRNAyI1cFHVlK-l2kzD35StIxXkl1PY8rqk2gnt/s640/fullsizeoutput_30c5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The statue of <b><i>The Lone Sailor</i></b> also reminds us of this picture of our son, Jason, which was taken in 2004 when he was serving as an Army officer and came to Washington, D.C., to run a race as a member of the Army team. He is standing next to <b><i>The Lone Sailor,</i></b> much like his father above. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7btwv2JNh3eahToWo1cmq1uVYhY34XJqWluPGFTSj5j_G70WBenBc3vemxIuaTBCTy16l08b3CzX2uBoscFhaNpYp9E9QQqNsQCD23p2b7p_jJUf9el0OrjwoIY9X2_a3YubT7-pBQggT/s1600/DSC00591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1344" data-original-width="1124" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7btwv2JNh3eahToWo1cmq1uVYhY34XJqWluPGFTSj5j_G70WBenBc3vemxIuaTBCTy16l08b3CzX2uBoscFhaNpYp9E9QQqNsQCD23p2b7p_jJUf9el0OrjwoIY9X2_a3YubT7-pBQggT/s640/DSC00591.JPG" width="534" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">He had a friend take the picture because he knew how much it would mean to his dad. The sweetness of his message at the side of <b><i>The Lone Sailor</i></b> will always mean the world to both of us… </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For now... here are my thoughts on looking back, with lines interspersed from the poem <b><i>“Pity the Nation”</i></b> written by Lawrence Ferlinghetti..</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The monuments and memorials of Washington, D.C.,<b><i> </i></b>have reinforced many lessons we have learned at all the presidential sites we have visited throughout our travels. So many of our presidents were great spotlights in history who shined brightest when our nation needed them most, sometimes while serving as president and in other instances post presidency. Almost every president (with a few notable exceptions) possessed many admirable character traits—truthfulness, inspiring leadership, devotion to country over self, firmly held convictions, and the ability to unite us as a nation. We discovered that those presidents who have fallen short of these character traits are <b>HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN THE PAGES OF HISTORY.</b></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">
<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 165, 0);"><i><b>"Pity the nation whose leaders are liars, whose sages are silenced, and whose bigots haunt the airwaves."</b></i></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The war memorials along the National Mall hit home the fact that war is an awful chisel to carve out the future.</span></div>
<i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></i>
<i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b>“Pity the nation—oh, pity the people who allow their rights to erode and their freedoms to be washed away.”</b></span> </i></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 21px;">And personally, we were once again reminded that the monuments to branches of our military will always pull at our heartstrings…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 21px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b>“My country, tears of thee, sweet land of liberty.”</b></span></i></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Carol Galus</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Photo-Blogger</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FGh363YeU_LTaZNhjsMCYIhMAEhgGmRuVQsk-VgBLgoxtl28tGrJF3K2J8piXXNfR86hC_5d0J4HacQXZVwbpyXYg4Jh9VvO24IyAkBi4LazbfZcMVfVh0hAl56d8OcgiiKdPidcZEfM/s1600/fullsizeoutput_315d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FGh363YeU_LTaZNhjsMCYIhMAEhgGmRuVQsk-VgBLgoxtl28tGrJF3K2J8piXXNfR86hC_5d0J4HacQXZVwbpyXYg4Jh9VvO24IyAkBi4LazbfZcMVfVh0hAl56d8OcgiiKdPidcZEfM/s640/fullsizeoutput_315d.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-4045653123520573972019-10-13T06:41:00.000-05:002019-10-13T15:08:15.896-05:00THE SHADOWS OF HISTORY IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZjcDGgdCmAmrySEb5421emhCLkmc3n86C5tr3tu3dm0x4jfwsteG6bESuh4n_XQWJkUaoNIwI9I8dj0muy8D_u2DBC7WdpgcqP2KgVmhKLcCj-unmbAi46e5HC4m01kaudleqppDTayP/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2e82.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="1600" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZjcDGgdCmAmrySEb5421emhCLkmc3n86C5tr3tu3dm0x4jfwsteG6bESuh4n_XQWJkUaoNIwI9I8dj0muy8D_u2DBC7WdpgcqP2KgVmhKLcCj-unmbAi46e5HC4m01kaudleqppDTayP/s640/fullsizeoutput_2e82.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 32px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 32px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">From upstate New York, our motorhome route dipped back down into central Pennsylvania, where we had some very memorable excursions through the pages of American history. First, though, we sampled a little collegiate history at our first campground in Woodland, Pennsylvania, where we took a day-trip to the campus of one of our country’s finest universities—Penn State. Iconic scenes of Penn State campus life included:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">sentimental Old Main;</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKD0KCosIRzYqQoSWj5VCfi4TdPsN_nCztq6kPXTsHbG0RvvQUu2jot4Bxec4F3PP7-9nvszRntAfUmJ1yFPdiVNhfTCZVyI5lmbIF8DVYrj4TTabKHqWesHJf1KTPDz7wDsuzYMfaFhJi/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f10.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKD0KCosIRzYqQoSWj5VCfi4TdPsN_nCztq6kPXTsHbG0RvvQUu2jot4Bxec4F3PP7-9nvszRntAfUmJ1yFPdiVNhfTCZVyI5lmbIF8DVYrj4TTabKHqWesHJf1KTPDz7wDsuzYMfaFhJi/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f10.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">the football stadium, scene of many legendary Penn State victories;</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0i-H1q-n9qmCCtbFNdLOgHRZ8nZXSqpPswRv9Gt7UTAjrKN2reljOhoyqke-fFPY68v51pd-OW06SI3XKXzdDNmm0rdtiq2cKy909C9aq0a_arQggvHWujs4ndj3ZIgJSE9Nt3rFYTod/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d32.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0i-H1q-n9qmCCtbFNdLOgHRZ8nZXSqpPswRv9Gt7UTAjrKN2reljOhoyqke-fFPY68v51pd-OW06SI3XKXzdDNmm0rdtiq2cKy909C9aq0a_arQggvHWujs4ndj3ZIgJSE9Nt3rFYTod/s640/fullsizeoutput_2d32.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and the beloved statue of Penn State’s mascot, the Nittany lion.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYTbUWBmGCdWCHPekhwiHeuq5dUMZbel3BLR5r7hu86aHR5LocoSeMm_nWIHkkHaalBzVZx1sF7Gr0IGYCFdFicCW2HebJ40ho8BoqP1S4QseVaaznXtE4yJz5s-XBDD-bTE-iVR1yiB4/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d37.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYTbUWBmGCdWCHPekhwiHeuq5dUMZbel3BLR5r7hu86aHR5LocoSeMm_nWIHkkHaalBzVZx1sF7Gr0IGYCFdFicCW2HebJ40ho8BoqP1S4QseVaaznXtE4yJz5s-XBDD-bTE-iVR1yiB4/s640/fullsizeoutput_2d37.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">What impressed us most about Penn State was the vast number of students we saw seriously immersed in their studies on this beautiful, warm and sunny Sunday afternoon.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At our next campground in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, we found ourselves in the shadow of the nuclear stacks of the infamous <b><i>Three Mile Island </i></b>Nuclear Generating Station, which suffered a partial meltdown in 1979. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSkyHQfCWG0ZuFZ751CHIemFtdNFnmIYCxJTTxX2DwkKXwt_SXwvfllbtP1c9LixZjU-6ABvzr2OblKNIiQaXk43HWOTQfkvlEqoeE3iti2tniXTXcwDVGdfLtyziKDecZ093AyjUFQQj/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d3c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="1600" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSkyHQfCWG0ZuFZ751CHIemFtdNFnmIYCxJTTxX2DwkKXwt_SXwvfllbtP1c9LixZjU-6ABvzr2OblKNIiQaXk43HWOTQfkvlEqoeE3iti2tniXTXcwDVGdfLtyziKDecZ093AyjUFQQj/s640/fullsizeoutput_2d3c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As it turned out, <b><i>Three Mile Island</i></b> ceased operations a few days after we arrived as the steam exhaust from the nuclear towers slowly dwindled and vanished with a whisper.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Any campground within driving distance of a state capital offers the bonus of a visit. And so it was at Elizabethtown, 20 miles from the capital city of the Keystone state at Harrisburg. Certainly, this Capitol complex was a close rival to the one we had recently visited in Albany. The Capitol Building was breathtakingly beautiful.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUNR7NZRblYkvNRF857and9CMBdfa2MEAw_C9dnEn5EYgJdbTlgwbBXlboZIJOxcwFbqWMePcTCdg92h6fRLl0zApbOzU7PRKkrc9nGIhNT-q3ZgnOilL9PfJ1HTFNclfmL7EzKAxLE_H/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2da6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUNR7NZRblYkvNRF857and9CMBdfa2MEAw_C9dnEn5EYgJdbTlgwbBXlboZIJOxcwFbqWMePcTCdg92h6fRLl0zApbOzU7PRKkrc9nGIhNT-q3ZgnOilL9PfJ1HTFNclfmL7EzKAxLE_H/s640/fullsizeoutput_2da6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQG7xNEURyQgQbCIqXtPi6bS4zFWGZvist0O5P0AiT4K5LcKwuKw7ybXLdh_uthOAac7Y07OEkXumowgiWqR1FbzBU2HbQgabBinmj6SFZOAFBsr-VuAYnzb-x1MoGRWawkFrB0ss7nt1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d40.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQG7xNEURyQgQbCIqXtPi6bS4zFWGZvist0O5P0AiT4K5LcKwuKw7ybXLdh_uthOAac7Y07OEkXumowgiWqR1FbzBU2HbQgabBinmj6SFZOAFBsr-VuAYnzb-x1MoGRWawkFrB0ss7nt1/s400/fullsizeoutput_2d40.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The exterior of the dome was covered in green-glazed terra cotta tile, thus creating a most unique look for a capitol dome. Inside, the building was a grand combination of classical styles—Italian Renaissance along with Greek, Roman, and Victorian influences.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnU0TW9-VKwrWIc73c8c9VKkrvDHiSvqaRAYu-Pz8aLZ_gRZidTJ5JalqFrebxeE4ftwSf8bdUuTBEiT8tHPrxl_k1zZJMOs3XLgJm6Hx3fQGs1E2a1LyODxQUBgLXlLLyjZvK4_0v0bn/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d50.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnU0TW9-VKwrWIc73c8c9VKkrvDHiSvqaRAYu-Pz8aLZ_gRZidTJ5JalqFrebxeE4ftwSf8bdUuTBEiT8tHPrxl_k1zZJMOs3XLgJm6Hx3fQGs1E2a1LyODxQUBgLXlLLyjZvK4_0v0bn/s640/fullsizeoutput_2d50.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We observed gold gilded surfaces galore!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQN7gRMgNHwO1t83gaRh5ParZJfCK14kOf99dgFLiLYdbV6BAMiVV-nE3hUbOGcmLx_1N_scAwjZtUM7g3_573S75c0cAhUT8nK2ch7M2HhvO3PK5Iu6fMoPz4RanhoZ2ZRUrKW6UTijp/s1600/P1060325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQN7gRMgNHwO1t83gaRh5ParZJfCK14kOf99dgFLiLYdbV6BAMiVV-nE3hUbOGcmLx_1N_scAwjZtUM7g3_573S75c0cAhUT8nK2ch7M2HhvO3PK5Iu6fMoPz4RanhoZ2ZRUrKW6UTijp/s640/P1060325.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The legislative chambers resembled palaces we had visited in Europe.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCw7GgCsnD9y0H1-mj89NB7czKP_s6ClCueeob2rbnUPyUvjFb6I6dbVT3ZnLwgCFChDK7GgG5wfUkgWgvC6jOGa44sNbAnSMr6-W6399l91fLTBeJHBVaehFujpcd6x8gZJhI1k8FAc2/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2dad.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCw7GgCsnD9y0H1-mj89NB7czKP_s6ClCueeob2rbnUPyUvjFb6I6dbVT3ZnLwgCFChDK7GgG5wfUkgWgvC6jOGa44sNbAnSMr6-W6399l91fLTBeJHBVaehFujpcd6x8gZJhI1k8FAc2/s640/fullsizeoutput_2dad.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiiJmMxWgzKGqQhu9AGU2VYvGBzdcsAwAJKLn-OPep06t8qlPUSCbnMlwMH45jBlYD9zNRGkWiK_-eEDDUYsqWu8_LeCrOXTUID1kDw4A9QQSWFrieE8iC5Zed2wFD3ObxewMWXzrFKpi/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2db0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1401" data-original-width="1600" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiiJmMxWgzKGqQhu9AGU2VYvGBzdcsAwAJKLn-OPep06t8qlPUSCbnMlwMH45jBlYD9zNRGkWiK_-eEDDUYsqWu8_LeCrOXTUID1kDw4A9QQSWFrieE8iC5Zed2wFD3ObxewMWXzrFKpi/s320/fullsizeoutput_2db0.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Not surprisingly, when the Capitol building officially opened in 1906, keynote speaker President Theodore Roosevelt declared it was “the handsomest capitol I ever saw.” </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GtT0ttN79BntewrpX9zIz40Or2QAX9RoitVDiaNDgowe9D0AILQUt_MpE2_taLSXuTivRw7Cu5oeqFauevycSL6vo__5y8bb6FHYwB3NpSE24EJZaJjQfvdBoby6Qa2FRrp66iETIRek/s1600/P1060430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GtT0ttN79BntewrpX9zIz40Or2QAX9RoitVDiaNDgowe9D0AILQUt_MpE2_taLSXuTivRw7Cu5oeqFauevycSL6vo__5y8bb6FHYwB3NpSE24EJZaJjQfvdBoby6Qa2FRrp66iETIRek/s320/P1060430.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A day-trip to nearby Lancaster, Pennsylvania, provided a good peek at Pennsylvania Amish Country. The star of downtown Lancaster was the <b><i>Lancaster Central Market</i></b>. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVAbtYu7Kp-Uy9Af4v7f9VAB05SMbcEbt_WVhtFI0s1Kdf2V9J09eohRIUshAJVH9jXoLGtnjUK6bF-yQCSCgG2jQfj02ijXF27x8_mVUOmmYHOlJcnWG0n2NZk4ApquaHrxNK_Xifl84/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d9a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVAbtYu7Kp-Uy9Af4v7f9VAB05SMbcEbt_WVhtFI0s1Kdf2V9J09eohRIUshAJVH9jXoLGtnjUK6bF-yQCSCgG2jQfj02ijXF27x8_mVUOmmYHOlJcnWG0n2NZk4ApquaHrxNK_Xifl84/s640/fullsizeoutput_2d9a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoIDY3YelrkfRc8lOnlT15dzimgIsnH4yr7i6Zm91PX-FjlXIUVJP3sAzwmhWp5aJCwfiZsybpvrMX73XXXW6rtEeOoQJlr0G1XvHyI7AdIFIfdpcoY23zXakvokdEVfV2_etNpx_f3o9/s1600/P1060421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoIDY3YelrkfRc8lOnlT15dzimgIsnH4yr7i6Zm91PX-FjlXIUVJP3sAzwmhWp5aJCwfiZsybpvrMX73XXXW6rtEeOoQJlr0G1XvHyI7AdIFIfdpcoY23zXakvokdEVfV2_etNpx_f3o9/s320/P1060421.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">This market was established in 1730, making it the oldest continually operating farmers’ market in the United States. Some of the stands at this market have been operated by the same families for several generations. We found a yummy variety of bread and cheese for our motorhome pantry.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAR0pVKM5lMbMBF5l-P7MXmxsutSdf4dtN4CFmRO03ldn4eq7QnBGtPSATE-nUIOxMoNtMZ_I0WHuVY4eQSxJxtZqAWdK05JvihewmaosFbMWnK9rS5_6C7ynCCqeGcaVyULYkfeBOguK/s1600/P1060427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAR0pVKM5lMbMBF5l-P7MXmxsutSdf4dtN4CFmRO03ldn4eq7QnBGtPSATE-nUIOxMoNtMZ_I0WHuVY4eQSxJxtZqAWdK05JvihewmaosFbMWnK9rS5_6C7ynCCqeGcaVyULYkfeBOguK/s640/P1060427.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYC720qxEhAMrT4-XnoBO1BF84PzQjJtXYPbCZ0aZfxUFa5gx-7K7cffcMHqy30yqEmraXOcBo-JrZkOd-DO98334_do4DC3CgEK8gcYWlTaZL4qG4XJTPGDqiV9gxMmkxWBYhXGvOjriK/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2dbf.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1492" data-original-width="1600" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYC720qxEhAMrT4-XnoBO1BF84PzQjJtXYPbCZ0aZfxUFa5gx-7K7cffcMHqy30yqEmraXOcBo-JrZkOd-DO98334_do4DC3CgEK8gcYWlTaZL4qG4XJTPGDqiV9gxMmkxWBYhXGvOjriK/s400/fullsizeoutput_2dbf.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Lancaster was also home to <b><i>James Buchanan</i></b>, our nation’s 15th president. Buchanan’s term in office (1856-1860) directly preceded that of Abraham Lincoln. Voters hoped that James Buchanan’s vast expertise as a politician and diplomat would temper the bitter slavery arguments of the day that had been fomenting between the North and the South. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Although Buchanan thought secession was unconstitutional, he believed the federal government had no power to stop it, and so he dithered on the sidelines for all four years of his presidential term while his country crumbled all around him. Ultimately, the first southern states seceded from the Union in the opening year of Lincoln’s presidency. Buchanan stubbornly insisted that although slavery might be morally wrong, the federal government had no power to supersede States’ rights. Buchanan’s avowed strict constructionist view of the Constitution ultimately resulted in a cavalcade of events that resulted in the Civil War. Rightfully, history has not dealt kindly with the Buchanan presidency, and none of this was glossed over at the presidential site… </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4u0NIZ89ewCNwE4Q-EdCYfXkElfMCwOJRWKU7Zdp21LQ1NLFrrRVZFL-jCgO8JkhcnfepZTLv_kDJj1bHefeCfxvQpHAMoxNOM16_nMJQscn94cvS4WZQ6ZN1IYaddrQZ8tEjLDJDBt0/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d94.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="1600" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4u0NIZ89ewCNwE4Q-EdCYfXkElfMCwOJRWKU7Zdp21LQ1NLFrrRVZFL-jCgO8JkhcnfepZTLv_kDJj1bHefeCfxvQpHAMoxNOM16_nMJQscn94cvS4WZQ6ZN1IYaddrQZ8tEjLDJDBt0/s400/fullsizeoutput_2d94.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">James Buchanan was our only president who never married. His niece, Harriet Lane Johnston, acted as First Lady during his presidency. By all accounts, Harriet was a very popular Washington hostess. Her fashion style was copied widely, especially after she showed up at diplomatic functions in dresses with necklines that were significantly lower than the gowns of the time. I found it fascinating that she remained a close friend to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert until the end of Victoria’s life in 1901. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Known as <b><i>Wheatland</i></b>, the Buchanan home was a large brick Federal-style house located in a residential area of Lancaster.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrL5bgFxREHnmYt3WkHGcYnDgklucwl3-Za6DO5fSQFIC4VxdnSGPXS2Y3oDtkl-Z07s0KlLWyGKz8OA1TBNFhv6SPivjPZM0bIgSLrxpoG1UjHEmf9mUbYllmxCTG4LEkbRf24vS-eJ1U/s1600/P1060409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrL5bgFxREHnmYt3WkHGcYnDgklucwl3-Za6DO5fSQFIC4VxdnSGPXS2Y3oDtkl-Z07s0KlLWyGKz8OA1TBNFhv6SPivjPZM0bIgSLrxpoG1UjHEmf9mUbYllmxCTG4LEkbRf24vS-eJ1U/s640/P1060409.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Many pieces in the home belonged to the Buchanan family, especially those in the library.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcs1NaM7z4hlwhJAdgE8I7EJHWysAUaci1ApX7RZN5DJ8Z_UXhDiqHJ2hfnrnVk-GKMtvWyZzwTTq1lpgP24bdqWAKuLSaExnwLlbMLVbbeX4KSyS2NQL9OzPT6aVgjVmB4cyH3T96JuFC/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f3a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcs1NaM7z4hlwhJAdgE8I7EJHWysAUaci1ApX7RZN5DJ8Z_UXhDiqHJ2hfnrnVk-GKMtvWyZzwTTq1lpgP24bdqWAKuLSaExnwLlbMLVbbeX4KSyS2NQL9OzPT6aVgjVmB4cyH3T96JuFC/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f3a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Eight years after retiring from Washington, President Buchanan died in his own bed at his beloved Wheatland home.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDl1kSJkev4L0-S2pJXFFMe21rkpddKZ8HKwFVdrxrikaYl2GrE7vI2t58UBfvvgwWGJXsDB6PQSRRJ8Kod6smp6e0Z71658F128S_6rpblMagrGdW1_zAIL8vSieb4Nk-OSrAXgC50FuQ/s1600/P1060399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDl1kSJkev4L0-S2pJXFFMe21rkpddKZ8HKwFVdrxrikaYl2GrE7vI2t58UBfvvgwWGJXsDB6PQSRRJ8Kod6smp6e0Z71658F128S_6rpblMagrGdW1_zAIL8vSieb4Nk-OSrAXgC50FuQ/s640/P1060399.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Other historically interesting details on the house tour were:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Harriet Lane Johnston’s bedroom…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQszkG9ujv46_ZLHg5pqKNsC6GSDDtsImBbMo_59FvL8OX0mpP2Cnn1JQyDSucCNV0DymoC_MGOiHwdJGCQJffHovV2Ku7EHAdWGwJ7hJAnZkD-58wYpbw8IJdhubcGAiUj284kCIkLCaV/s1600/IMG_5478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQszkG9ujv46_ZLHg5pqKNsC6GSDDtsImBbMo_59FvL8OX0mpP2Cnn1JQyDSucCNV0DymoC_MGOiHwdJGCQJffHovV2Ku7EHAdWGwJ7hJAnZkD-58wYpbw8IJdhubcGAiUj284kCIkLCaV/s640/IMG_5478.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">the President’s indoor bathroom, complete with large metal bathtub and lovely washstand…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuSN0oUFucxfECcb86_UZvVK8vrh4UtYJpl-AD44pZ5MHhqQyl2r_4DWoiy9oY08TsE7b9MJSCCtit2_bnZCA11hS0ltUNYBqmWN6Un36Dx2NovS_MUCcGkBklvh17zhS5rk8ETFhHMJP/s1600/IMG_5479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1282" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuSN0oUFucxfECcb86_UZvVK8vrh4UtYJpl-AD44pZ5MHhqQyl2r_4DWoiy9oY08TsE7b9MJSCCtit2_bnZCA11hS0ltUNYBqmWN6Un36Dx2NovS_MUCcGkBklvh17zhS5rk8ETFhHMJP/s320/IMG_5479.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4yEt77TrLiMqQmAY9i7uRsdWgsUVoDSYBj-47UyiXvOMYtHqJyK_K23mVaWZhxnD0KxMzhOo9RhC7-HE4zj8tk6eky5y5oVQE4OeVKgtYnAwzXNDIvDTDlM4JIJhrbuHU5STSBrfDw9_/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2de1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4yEt77TrLiMqQmAY9i7uRsdWgsUVoDSYBj-47UyiXvOMYtHqJyK_K23mVaWZhxnD0KxMzhOo9RhC7-HE4zj8tk6eky5y5oVQE4OeVKgtYnAwzXNDIvDTDlM4JIJhrbuHU5STSBrfDw9_/s400/fullsizeoutput_2de1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
and this Madeira red dated 1827, the only remaining unopened bottle of wine from the Buchanan wine cellar.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSHsZVfGThiNG-OObK0NWMOsrxwIQ17w1FOBueaLJ98daWkUJ1a23fGhGtK7BwWk-r5-reGFYXe0olE465-9CCWr5DD4wCO59-L_ic0nxCm_5bnq3PXGC_c7SiqNuXHICCaa9Qsea6oUL/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2db8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1402" data-original-width="1600" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSHsZVfGThiNG-OObK0NWMOsrxwIQ17w1FOBueaLJ98daWkUJ1a23fGhGtK7BwWk-r5-reGFYXe0olE465-9CCWr5DD4wCO59-L_ic0nxCm_5bnq3PXGC_c7SiqNuXHICCaa9Qsea6oUL/s400/fullsizeoutput_2db8.jpeg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
Prior to our October Annapolis reunion festivities, our last campground in south central Pennsylvania, was in historic Gettysburg. </div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZpdyamsXVD9s1UW-AgdsmicJXdMuWNKIqdeBEdG_lGO9n9CKLitPZ0xTGnKFd6RFMfw4NS9LTdvCGO6AYsKKAyNAs7feOh7fWqSBGM6oXn1UU458IZOOAH0Va4qwerIkMikYUDwrmcnc/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2ee6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1560" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZpdyamsXVD9s1UW-AgdsmicJXdMuWNKIqdeBEdG_lGO9n9CKLitPZ0xTGnKFd6RFMfw4NS9LTdvCGO6AYsKKAyNAs7feOh7fWqSBGM6oXn1UU458IZOOAH0Va4qwerIkMikYUDwrmcnc/s400/fullsizeoutput_2ee6.jpeg" width="390" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Dwight David Eisenhower</i></b>, our 34th President, was born in Texas, grew up in Kansas, and retired to his beloved farm just outside of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, after serving 8 years in the presidency. Always the soldier, Eisenhower had a fascination with the Battle of Gettysburg, the turning point in the Civil War, and so it wasn’t surprising that Gettysburg was selected as the location of Ike and Mamie’s retirement dream home, the only home they would ever own together. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For a former president who was one of the world’s great soldiers and statesmen, the so-called Georgian-style Eisenhower farmhouse was modest in the extreme; nevertheless, this little piece of paradise in the rolling Pennsylvania hills was much loved by Ike and Mamie. The furnishings of the home were much as the Eisenhowers left it.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGlR_KIP8pZFonZiaoVdnN9leQAOV2lwTTfqD7KWyaThfqIU6IGRzr87_1wLGiry8B4iTmX1YvpA45ntr2FkF5T1n7wMAKDf7ftU7XbmuCucTAiiRzgcqaepASSkLKUBC-Sf0k02yl0FT/s1600/P1060513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGlR_KIP8pZFonZiaoVdnN9leQAOV2lwTTfqD7KWyaThfqIU6IGRzr87_1wLGiry8B4iTmX1YvpA45ntr2FkF5T1n7wMAKDf7ftU7XbmuCucTAiiRzgcqaepASSkLKUBC-Sf0k02yl0FT/s640/P1060513.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The “stuffy” (Ike’s words, not mine) formal living room was a reflection of the public life of the Eisenhowers.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0TiOwwaIkcxA7oDbBsAFqw6nL0ewEwCnbdjVcqRK5kKNATiMU8Pd4oIh2YyswAHUDowoQs-i2E5v5darXxBvlFch386OoyEs8cz_v7fuMwZuUDZrYAKLDZy13zXbDafNI6ZhQfLN0aifH/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2e0d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0TiOwwaIkcxA7oDbBsAFqw6nL0ewEwCnbdjVcqRK5kKNATiMU8Pd4oIh2YyswAHUDowoQs-i2E5v5darXxBvlFch386OoyEs8cz_v7fuMwZuUDZrYAKLDZy13zXbDafNI6ZhQfLN0aifH/s640/fullsizeoutput_2e0d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrs97L91LtzYWg1lW8eLMWw-udYDd2zbEMcw8Df5b47Y75M1DX3FhkitaHJ1vLpwdKyJdOU8JuIGNjwXi7QLV6Yr3s26hVuHACY_h0yN_Do72B40LQxg5UC47KqxwCW-b0rIeEFup2ZcA/s1600/P1060545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrs97L91LtzYWg1lW8eLMWw-udYDd2zbEMcw8Df5b47Y75M1DX3FhkitaHJ1vLpwdKyJdOU8JuIGNjwXi7QLV6Yr3s26hVuHACY_h0yN_Do72B40LQxg5UC47KqxwCW-b0rIeEFup2ZcA/s320/P1060545.JPG" width="179" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
To some extent, the presidential gifts curio cabinet seemed more in sync with Mamie’s public style.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbeAkVlyUDSdsf8wZtIoM_UVeh3dYpLuk7Dz__IHWw5j9Hp6e_klkHRxu7swTDGpY68yfuvYk_MjGhbEhvoyooeC1lftM6PB8Qfgq1srNgiqJlu3nc4fag-Cs71t3VAxJG1UDzoUGHFeY/s1600/IMG_5505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbeAkVlyUDSdsf8wZtIoM_UVeh3dYpLuk7Dz__IHWw5j9Hp6e_klkHRxu7swTDGpY68yfuvYk_MjGhbEhvoyooeC1lftM6PB8Qfgq1srNgiqJlu3nc4fag-Cs71t3VAxJG1UDzoUGHFeY/s640/IMG_5505.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A modest screened-in porch area was the heartbeat of the home. This was the place where the Eisenhowers enjoyed their happiest social activities. This very back porch was where Nikita Khrushchev, among other world leaders, had intimate conversations with President Eisenhower. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR2fX7D7n2HFEKqeU2DuSBDlEC__cZSJa3ZtKEK9Ef3MXtNxSds_ZMtI3kODlkiyXRISPCXWTQkpyuzrKYHpyxFvbMK7bOA2fEkw-Z2szP9kq4giB093z_B1hB1B1TeK1jJWNGyVPdcMG/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2e10.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR2fX7D7n2HFEKqeU2DuSBDlEC__cZSJa3ZtKEK9Ef3MXtNxSds_ZMtI3kODlkiyXRISPCXWTQkpyuzrKYHpyxFvbMK7bOA2fEkw-Z2szP9kq4giB093z_B1hB1B1TeK1jJWNGyVPdcMG/s640/fullsizeoutput_2e10.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It almost seemed intrusive to be allowed a glimpse into the Eisenhower bedroom…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWP_2yNWri2Fe6hJbD9Z_1JaV1y1WfdPWuG2-t_Ar0ok5_AS6t54PuKvD2romBQobYrFmdjSIsignHkkjGxiO4vUTbMDqQ_2Na45x7lXgO7w_snPZxvCvVnO9Bw0P39xi7FiJtBAjFQYan/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2ed6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWP_2yNWri2Fe6hJbD9Z_1JaV1y1WfdPWuG2-t_Ar0ok5_AS6t54PuKvD2romBQobYrFmdjSIsignHkkjGxiO4vUTbMDqQ_2Na45x7lXgO7w_snPZxvCvVnO9Bw0P39xi7FiJtBAjFQYan/s640/fullsizeoutput_2ed6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In this cozy den, it was easy to imagine the former president relaxing and composing his memoirs about such a remarkable and admirable life.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yWxhTu0A1WFrTkLM7axBwVBHnXpLVW3FQSEeCGroyaj76Pqng9XVXvhCAhP66LB0i4zPUdlx9WYUoZQ3Pl_2xEwdHujohzFljt3ePFLGU-px1oiWqfZednh7f4TtKbsWSrhhaVPMWlIU/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2edc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="1600" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yWxhTu0A1WFrTkLM7axBwVBHnXpLVW3FQSEeCGroyaj76Pqng9XVXvhCAhP66LB0i4zPUdlx9WYUoZQ3Pl_2xEwdHujohzFljt3ePFLGU-px1oiWqfZednh7f4TtKbsWSrhhaVPMWlIU/s640/fullsizeoutput_2edc.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VQNbOdpcSK5OPCUViUl26KB67-zpilyDv9OB5iuECA6faXXKjv8KOn0Pejm72KhvvxaJlxgZIYDgevziHugq-wMhRZcp882pDAQFyLAvryeg0UcH-lyEviMtVF0xEE23pcRlviyJ_r5J/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2eda.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1432" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VQNbOdpcSK5OPCUViUl26KB67-zpilyDv9OB5iuECA6faXXKjv8KOn0Pejm72KhvvxaJlxgZIYDgevziHugq-wMhRZcp882pDAQFyLAvryeg0UcH-lyEviMtVF0xEE23pcRlviyJ_r5J/s400/fullsizeoutput_2eda.jpeg" width="357" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Eisenhower oil paintings decorated the walls of the home throughout. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The self-guided farm part of the tour consisted of a variety of barns and sheds, with plenty of signage about Ike’s award-winning Black Angus cattle enterprise,</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieeLOqD50HLE4nDEkKUgRBFXpnjb-_ulPmP4DDpIdagrJjaEM2OwXOn946HKjlBmsuSfi8mzAcBV46u6AMZokZ8CC4RXTu8wFoBbfPAIGG3iFy-IMzCSLHoMeSZMPizG048iFSDr2CsmHZ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2ede.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="1600" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieeLOqD50HLE4nDEkKUgRBFXpnjb-_ulPmP4DDpIdagrJjaEM2OwXOn946HKjlBmsuSfi8mzAcBV46u6AMZokZ8CC4RXTu8wFoBbfPAIGG3iFy-IMzCSLHoMeSZMPizG048iFSDr2CsmHZ/s640/fullsizeoutput_2ede.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Of course, there was also a putting green.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjso99HTfNR_qmN-_qfEJREghjsi0UtM7svURhGkZDXnRGsy1W8nLCX288b8kEm5-oYX3Sryg8BA8vZPPqStmLsxAXoWDMxtO4DYkyQVJ0LWK1dMjoHOxViuctVVzKseeQKkurGpDGoWR97/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2ee0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjso99HTfNR_qmN-_qfEJREghjsi0UtM7svURhGkZDXnRGsy1W8nLCX288b8kEm5-oYX3Sryg8BA8vZPPqStmLsxAXoWDMxtO4DYkyQVJ0LWK1dMjoHOxViuctVVzKseeQKkurGpDGoWR97/s640/fullsizeoutput_2ee0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6RQS94oPEGyUiTuYDYuk7azw7OPtvFKIbKkKvV785pTqaa6Qty6GTTAGrB3hvA_MGFevuF4dLkzaJVN3hVb7U-ImY1YrYuxAQsQOmsp4pFiWlO_HJnILmPhULcqidov0ewBgPlem193D/s1600/P1060506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6RQS94oPEGyUiTuYDYuk7azw7OPtvFKIbKkKvV785pTqaa6Qty6GTTAGrB3hvA_MGFevuF4dLkzaJVN3hVb7U-ImY1YrYuxAQsQOmsp4pFiWlO_HJnILmPhULcqidov0ewBgPlem193D/s400/P1060506.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Battle of Gettysburg has been so meticulously documented that we felt the story of this pivotal Civil War battle was deserving of a couple of days of full immersion. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnG8PGqh4xH7iv3fObGOIS5Awfe1dzG5BNCb_jBGf0LxHe8UAjOM8iiZO1p3u_8GzE59DCD0-TWYNc_sLrzunuUC_gKHpUf8VmsQ1WH8LGE4eGO4VP_fXtzenGM5PcP5H-CX-JJSlHl9RG/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2ead.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1274" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnG8PGqh4xH7iv3fObGOIS5Awfe1dzG5BNCb_jBGf0LxHe8UAjOM8iiZO1p3u_8GzE59DCD0-TWYNc_sLrzunuUC_gKHpUf8VmsQ1WH8LGE4eGO4VP_fXtzenGM5PcP5H-CX-JJSlHl9RG/s400/fullsizeoutput_2ead.jpeg" width="317" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I was fascinated by the details of some of the lesser known stories associated with the Battle of Gettysburg, like the one about 20-year-old Jennie Wade, the only direct civilian casualty of the battle. While kneading dough in her kitchen, Jennie died instantly after being shot in the back by a stray bullet. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Normally, I’m not terribly interested in battle tactics, but at Gettysburg I was won over. As a lover and reader of history, Al already knew many of the details of the battlefield maneuvers that we were to study together over the next two days.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At the run-up to the Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate troops were nearby to the north, east and west of the town of Gettysburg. Union troops were to the south and southeast. Ten roads converged on Gettysburg like the spokes of a wheel, thus providing both armies easy transport in.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVpaXGyoGS9OSQsPkdJwrwcH_S3h58IH-adDXWQAnB3nQves6p3hoRIdTUodT80uRSEvSY3HTXCOusNCWCFXy0hX2Y6gCZOf4MrBBvMvoZ48_K_2UH-OSsUN3vr2O1CR83uUsqLnZCHcG/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f3b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1269" data-original-width="1600" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVpaXGyoGS9OSQsPkdJwrwcH_S3h58IH-adDXWQAnB3nQves6p3hoRIdTUodT80uRSEvSY3HTXCOusNCWCFXy0hX2Y6gCZOf4MrBBvMvoZ48_K_2UH-OSsUN3vr2O1CR83uUsqLnZCHcG/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f3b.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We drove through the battlefield on an excellent 24-mile autoroute that explained all three days of the hellish battle that was waged around the tiny village of Gettysburg during the first three days of July in 1863. The fact that the autoroute was chronological made battle tactics very understandable. For true understanding, there was nothing that compared to standing in the actual geographic setting and surveying the surrounding landscape where pivotal events of the battle played out. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJTIs_jYqbv2h6K4jgt0TLdirZbygi60iuUVxNtV823DBGo6AlEg-64wZlYalwX40W-uj7gj4BLdl1hIpsadKFROKRJylN0K8BpA0bgXtA4NqV_qvE1i1xmPk2rGffKY3aNWNvn6XmGrZ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f05.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJTIs_jYqbv2h6K4jgt0TLdirZbygi60iuUVxNtV823DBGo6AlEg-64wZlYalwX40W-uj7gj4BLdl1hIpsadKFROKRJylN0K8BpA0bgXtA4NqV_qvE1i1xmPk2rGffKY3aNWNvn6XmGrZ/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f05.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">From small to gigantic, over a thousand monuments dotted the Gettysburg Battlefield. The Pennsylvania Monument was the largest, commemorating over 34,000 soldiers from Pennsylvania who fought at Gettysburg.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDP8ae8q7gMjIdupzCnNcZZOYYnMnRcbJpZu97cNoFy3Y2UgBnC4i2M1JDXUw3gTrexJj7lMLnWX4VHHhu-gj87Xu3xgfhbVcPnIP2E3Gto-ksYGim3De-_8PtmSrGKrFY1uBHXtHb5oFX/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f0f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDP8ae8q7gMjIdupzCnNcZZOYYnMnRcbJpZu97cNoFy3Y2UgBnC4i2M1JDXUw3gTrexJj7lMLnWX4VHHhu-gj87Xu3xgfhbVcPnIP2E3Gto-ksYGim3De-_8PtmSrGKrFY1uBHXtHb5oFX/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f0f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Virginia Memorial monument with Robert E. Lee mounted atop his horse Traveller was one of the most impressive. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzURtR3VAXrL91vXK0qMq_zWPPg5V9aehIMcRKRtQMMHq_H4bj08ZTRkoTncyCXlXLczf5dg2Of1unaR1glDWQTkY6x06uYw1_Wd0aadF5pf4FD-3A-lsaWb3IsGLlSwCxMeto5TNhEQC/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2e45.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="1600" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzURtR3VAXrL91vXK0qMq_zWPPg5V9aehIMcRKRtQMMHq_H4bj08ZTRkoTncyCXlXLczf5dg2Of1unaR1glDWQTkY6x06uYw1_Wd0aadF5pf4FD-3A-lsaWb3IsGLlSwCxMeto5TNhEQC/s640/fullsizeoutput_2e45.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Poignantly, this monument looked out across the large grassy field where the deciding moment of the battle took place. The last Confederate assault, otherwise known as Pickett’s Charge, took place here against Union troops led by General George Meade. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprNZbxmdJneYjZFHEdZQfD-uRchryA20oURwqWHQhjievl-KxRx5iA8cYErrxU3Bhyjrtl8eNrteojDRHztvKZVBk0zBeofqWvDkVx3xMGslcpLfs3GkT_VMAs1kvuY1u_inxajxAAEnJ/s1600/P1060576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprNZbxmdJneYjZFHEdZQfD-uRchryA20oURwqWHQhjievl-KxRx5iA8cYErrxU3Bhyjrtl8eNrteojDRHztvKZVBk0zBeofqWvDkVx3xMGslcpLfs3GkT_VMAs1kvuY1u_inxajxAAEnJ/s640/P1060576.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Other equally moving venues of incredible losses at Gettysburg included:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">the Devil’s Den,</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRM9xk1EWM5ZzAUNqvBIbNdOQWfQzIaunbqS5LC0eeHq-VhYocMyhIA63Z0vkO2Hj46Q6h-2bX5KqJpL4K5rOv5R5YViAOIBJDo-Xtv2fgGIeEDBQ7Uxmq2AAr__-ffSGHkjsoZxvMK6R/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f0b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1600" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRM9xk1EWM5ZzAUNqvBIbNdOQWfQzIaunbqS5LC0eeHq-VhYocMyhIA63Z0vkO2Hj46Q6h-2bX5KqJpL4K5rOv5R5YViAOIBJDo-Xtv2fgGIeEDBQ7Uxmq2AAr__-ffSGHkjsoZxvMK6R/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f0b.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">the Peach Orchard,</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OTXN_89v9QK_cqUoN4XMI_30wL2F8qgYsZhD9voKgQObAU-pEBZRkzJlyCENOJ4Q11fco8d5gO1KyrGVvi_5IQ72rVr5cpPQ8jvxhpoJDEKSXMvL5BvDjjX604GEf7GAe9Fiv32TlCJJ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f0a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OTXN_89v9QK_cqUoN4XMI_30wL2F8qgYsZhD9voKgQObAU-pEBZRkzJlyCENOJ4Q11fco8d5gO1KyrGVvi_5IQ72rVr5cpPQ8jvxhpoJDEKSXMvL5BvDjjX604GEf7GAe9Fiv32TlCJJ/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f0a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and the high ground where General Gouverneur Warren played a key part in the Union’s successful defense of Little Round Top.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0bZ0piamipGXO_uEspEHfoGjrK_YJcdE7uZ5dq_WRnFixmIhjKfdZKXRLbm7uDK9N2mBeLGJtAkKgsr2toeyYrjn0ChI0qE0RZT56xkU_sBsD8Yj2loGtfmIJXI3pqjPCSqeIHheDTre/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f0e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="973" data-original-width="1600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0bZ0piamipGXO_uEspEHfoGjrK_YJcdE7uZ5dq_WRnFixmIhjKfdZKXRLbm7uDK9N2mBeLGJtAkKgsr2toeyYrjn0ChI0qE0RZT56xkU_sBsD8Yj2loGtfmIJXI3pqjPCSqeIHheDTre/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f0e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, with over 51,000 soldiers dead, wounded, or missing. Robert E. Lee’s defeat at Gettysburg marked a significant turning point of the war in favor of the Union. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Four months after the Battle of Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln was invited to come to Gettysburg to <b><i>“make a few appropriate remarks”</i></b> at the dedication of the <b><i>Soldiers’ National Cemetery.</i></b> Lincoln arrived by train at the Gettysburg train station.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4K4dwj7cLOrnGKYD2gHJVyuTeYU6fMpyWm5A8brs-KykapNIzYGehMnJ6aMzVbPZ15EvT8Mxk5k5RnNyIQZ6QLWO4YKEOqSR5Kb4E4KTuqtbgtoKQFHJEXpEFvlo2Ipkq1WNiksNfWQXh/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2e6c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="1600" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4K4dwj7cLOrnGKYD2gHJVyuTeYU6fMpyWm5A8brs-KykapNIzYGehMnJ6aMzVbPZ15EvT8Mxk5k5RnNyIQZ6QLWO4YKEOqSR5Kb4E4KTuqtbgtoKQFHJEXpEFvlo2Ipkq1WNiksNfWQXh/s640/fullsizeoutput_2e6c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Lincoln’s 272-word <b><i>Gettysburg Address</i></b> took only two minutes to deliver, yet it has been called a masterpiece of the English language.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The precise spot where Lincoln stood to deliver his address on November 19, 1863, is not known for certain, but the words he spoke will never be forgotten, despite Lincoln’s ironic assertion that “the world will little note nor long remember what we say here…”</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our visit to the Battle of Gettysburg was a moving one. We were once again saddened and moved at the tragedy of a nation pitting one citizen against another. As we were leaving the cemetery, we spotted a plaque that summed up our emotions of the week quite eloquently…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>On fame’s eternal camping-ground</i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Their silent tents are spread,</i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>And glory guards with solemn round</i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>The bivouac of the dead.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: orange; font-kerning: none;">Carol Galus</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: orange; font-kerning: none;">Photo-Blogger</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50NGaM8tHvuz1GQcFnkTr647wNGIIHOa0gmrdg-TyJpUBIEPqO-e-tvTYz4g09wyp5Pbcxt15vHfO7l3rYjPDAjrXbov5kZM0IWsuGtjIo_oKTPlYs0rXU2nsRePQV4yD3nMMCNVDciOM/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f5b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50NGaM8tHvuz1GQcFnkTr647wNGIIHOa0gmrdg-TyJpUBIEPqO-e-tvTYz4g09wyp5Pbcxt15vHfO7l3rYjPDAjrXbov5kZM0IWsuGtjIo_oKTPlYs0rXU2nsRePQV4yD3nMMCNVDciOM/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f5b.jpeg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Soldiers' National Cemetery, Gettysburg</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-12965697729471666212019-09-14T07:46:00.000-05:002019-09-14T07:46:48.504-05:00END OF SUMMER IN UPSTATE NEW YORK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlQvHawHN5-MNYX7EPyLNsrl5TTl4jTSDHYvWQ7Pe6QU7P0pZwhKOO9spduDJIZXololKf9WrUxiGcpTt6lMl0Uj3CN-HB_3bojoTVT2WaCwd7gwR4vciQZuvfJcRXEzkgRliQAzVHYPw/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d0b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlQvHawHN5-MNYX7EPyLNsrl5TTl4jTSDHYvWQ7Pe6QU7P0pZwhKOO9spduDJIZXololKf9WrUxiGcpTt6lMl0Uj3CN-HB_3bojoTVT2WaCwd7gwR4vciQZuvfJcRXEzkgRliQAzVHYPw/s640/fullsizeoutput_2d0b.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJDZnyRaqTNtTpO_ZMrUPdocPjLXajbCCSaa9zlM8idHow6z0q9V9Twcpc4pPhXu4PmxJ8qsRNFDOwJKT6B7B-MGbGqgq4RrW9dERluaJhyBHWtvuIymhMb31aURA3IJKEZr6IbCFBVHB/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d0d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="1600" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJDZnyRaqTNtTpO_ZMrUPdocPjLXajbCCSaa9zlM8idHow6z0q9V9Twcpc4pPhXu4PmxJ8qsRNFDOwJKT6B7B-MGbGqgq4RrW9dERluaJhyBHWtvuIymhMb31aURA3IJKEZr6IbCFBVHB/s400/fullsizeoutput_2d0d.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> As summer flared and faded toward autumn, we got glimpses of how beautiful fall must be in heavily forested upstate New York. On a “speed run” of one-week stops, we next landed in tiny rural Verona, New York, at a lovely casino campground known as <b><i>The Villages at Turning Stone</i></b>.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBVCHRaBTX7rF14xPiMJ5W38e2by_E-ljqw0wg9JsE8J4LxBBVHHJbRh4nPa4jFINTfU10YiCYvNucWv8HJH-UYBBFmrYLppIwjF1wvnY3N-V7TfLHAO9CUTZe6KdrrUy71oKL940YHzU/s1600/IMG_5219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBVCHRaBTX7rF14xPiMJ5W38e2by_E-ljqw0wg9JsE8J4LxBBVHHJbRh4nPa4jFINTfU10YiCYvNucWv8HJH-UYBBFmrYLppIwjF1wvnY3N-V7TfLHAO9CUTZe6KdrrUy71oKL940YHzU/s640/IMG_5219.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-onjB_WRSxAxfW62nyrH61MoNE1OY6OjyhVgswKgyDzN4VR8aEvmY113dl_uubwsQ1CpeV5O93R1AYewNfrErLE9siXZyzfcIvO0mM09CPKBmFTtCl_ITEaZKle-T88mTAnRMUIP2LPB/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2bad.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1241" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-onjB_WRSxAxfW62nyrH61MoNE1OY6OjyhVgswKgyDzN4VR8aEvmY113dl_uubwsQ1CpeV5O93R1AYewNfrErLE9siXZyzfcIvO0mM09CPKBmFTtCl_ITEaZKle-T88mTAnRMUIP2LPB/s320/fullsizeoutput_2bad.jpeg" width="248" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Daytime excursions in this part of New York were tame at best. One day we checked out sleepy rural <b><i>Lock 21</i></b>, a part of the Erie Canal lock system. It must have been a banner day because we just happened to catch two pleasure boats in the midst of negotiating the 26-foot height differential at the lock. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEAfl7s7PYmeO_89XqmE5_QQKSGdZMjyKE1mw9V_CHoKKEvt3mgqC5i27CLPU94FeyTKkGiYDOVR2ZQ_UGR5eHBEha0szWmBG7hoazC9i78Ca3Mxkr96MgLXxzG2AtX6bXBVMuZEIZj2O/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2bcf.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1600" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEAfl7s7PYmeO_89XqmE5_QQKSGdZMjyKE1mw9V_CHoKKEvt3mgqC5i27CLPU94FeyTKkGiYDOVR2ZQ_UGR5eHBEha0szWmBG7hoazC9i78Ca3Mxkr96MgLXxzG2AtX6bXBVMuZEIZj2O/s640/fullsizeoutput_2bcf.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHav2KbRhhxOthFVDJOVkfTmUFdx517L38hJTRDuLDqtge0pwKjIU8bDZnK0sTIC8wf9JUJR6-VK9XXK-5STbMpxc3It6YnIk_RJJKBGaZus85S5mEkRkUgh8e_WMfN-f6KeQZChiH-Cg/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2bf2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1396" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHav2KbRhhxOthFVDJOVkfTmUFdx517L38hJTRDuLDqtge0pwKjIU8bDZnK0sTIC8wf9JUJR6-VK9XXK-5STbMpxc3It6YnIk_RJJKBGaZus85S5mEkRkUgh8e_WMfN-f6KeQZChiH-Cg/s320/fullsizeoutput_2bf2.jpeg" width="279" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">During a pleasant hike along the manmade canal, we spotted what we believed to be a juvenile bald eagle, judging by the somewhat rowdy appearance of the white head feathers.</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Another excursion day took us to Hamilton, New York, for a great cuppa joe in a small college town full of upstate charm. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJinOqhTdiGa-KsjfTAOsmuRDmmJwUDBdGc7h7fYCJewrFBWw0104SN-bHjmCQYrcR2ikFjATIhU1G-lBqiOiYM_sPrztgvu12pN8Whot034cJkywHqPZbgnZmxFCXfWgT-eYvjWXA417/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2be0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1128" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJinOqhTdiGa-KsjfTAOsmuRDmmJwUDBdGc7h7fYCJewrFBWw0104SN-bHjmCQYrcR2ikFjATIhU1G-lBqiOiYM_sPrztgvu12pN8Whot034cJkywHqPZbgnZmxFCXfWgT-eYvjWXA417/s640/fullsizeoutput_2be0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWW5qrZbWI8r7k2vGYohk9SqUWQE2BcN1r0j8E-BVrQGgIU-1I96MWw88n9U9ltGSAsHWEVlTOTZ45uGyXkMCcEsuKTFJoPelVVlsJIrrlaP30a-DhUQlSUPsf57fj3crDwDcWdXfqXvj7/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2bee.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1413" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWW5qrZbWI8r7k2vGYohk9SqUWQE2BcN1r0j8E-BVrQGgIU-1I96MWw88n9U9ltGSAsHWEVlTOTZ45uGyXkMCcEsuKTFJoPelVVlsJIrrlaP30a-DhUQlSUPsf57fj3crDwDcWdXfqXvj7/s320/fullsizeoutput_2bee.jpeg" width="282" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Much of this village’s appeal is undoubtedly due to the fact that Hamilton is the hometown of well-regarded private liberal arts college <b><i>Colgate University.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i></i></b></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The campus exuded an ambience of the well-endowed.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRShpUEOkIb857Xc_2EEZMEydLX6HN5Cfv3xUqVEQXUpHbggTmwWYwFsBztVzFfqgqBj1PhYiGb1_DMPtr5040OlFzUAj7zjorOUVTucOW5nYZjRtYVJiOGOTjJQPrbEw1fZCurZxrU_G2/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2bec.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRShpUEOkIb857Xc_2EEZMEydLX6HN5Cfv3xUqVEQXUpHbggTmwWYwFsBztVzFfqgqBj1PhYiGb1_DMPtr5040OlFzUAj7zjorOUVTucOW5nYZjRtYVJiOGOTjJQPrbEw1fZCurZxrU_G2/s640/fullsizeoutput_2bec.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivU2IlhipDXMY-kSMJBSeehWz7_M-5PTp4YpVApBUTXTTbmkGskS4GJLWVcyoBB0EvjZ-iCTUCEL6SqCjuJBWYaRst-2TkQS8aksbsgR4Zbsef21NSD5r_AKpgLgB2oGjYDB2omKnwtuus/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2bf0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1347" data-original-width="1600" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivU2IlhipDXMY-kSMJBSeehWz7_M-5PTp4YpVApBUTXTTbmkGskS4GJLWVcyoBB0EvjZ-iCTUCEL6SqCjuJBWYaRst-2TkQS8aksbsgR4Zbsef21NSD5r_AKpgLgB2oGjYDB2omKnwtuus/s400/fullsizeoutput_2bf0.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We had a delightful conversation with an astrophysics professor who was just starting his 12th year of teaching at Colgate. Professor Jeff Bary graciously offered to escort us to one of the science buildings, then spent precious minutes of his time chatting with us about a variety of subjects. In the space of half an hour, topics of discussion ranged from the political environment of the day, early 20th century Appalachian history, and whether he believed the human race would ever maintain human civilization on another planet. Chats with a college professor can get very interesting quickly…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For the next week, we parked in a great family-run campground on the banks of the Mohawk River, just outside of Schenectady.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQq4PSD1eoxao3CbnQf0AJTcbNyX25FLsoHLylXUTzhE3fl7Vriq9JEB_3wKWdfpJod5iJTB5LNYOy8UZx0wh2lnGNKmZjr3tvANEJvqL5N8JXUhyPyQfnrjMvNmh5BgChliWOXw3-U8G2/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2c2e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQq4PSD1eoxao3CbnQf0AJTcbNyX25FLsoHLylXUTzhE3fl7Vriq9JEB_3wKWdfpJod5iJTB5LNYOy8UZx0wh2lnGNKmZjr3tvANEJvqL5N8JXUhyPyQfnrjMvNmh5BgChliWOXw3-U8G2/s640/fullsizeoutput_2c2e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32TWTe1spA0NP35-FhGefIX4pMofyG1m_cBZYQOUs5bm8fw3t32DYchHQMYYLX8Fg0xJDL5eohkY9aMA8706GNBeDbrNUmQjZDeJrKL21dc_45pO4nUqEsu0hjMk7EqfZpZv9eGntsFJm/s1600/BgZk2JztROKzJj0ncbbpDg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32TWTe1spA0NP35-FhGefIX4pMofyG1m_cBZYQOUs5bm8fw3t32DYchHQMYYLX8Fg0xJDL5eohkY9aMA8706GNBeDbrNUmQjZDeJrKL21dc_45pO4nUqEsu0hjMk7EqfZpZv9eGntsFJm/s320/BgZk2JztROKzJj0ncbbpDg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">No visit to Schenectady would be complete without a visit to Proctor’s, one of the most well-known theater venues in the east. Proctor’s was once a famous vaudeville house that is now utilized by off-Broadway productions in order to hone their performances on the large stage ahead of going out on the road.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkPccBDUE8SCutoEPAE69Mh9pnz2BxaLfTcZiiKT3B-BPAvRHpETqFCImJlJfKzdOSSCFwQSpgtm1-A0RkXPZSPU6Zo0CcjsRZJfGwmGk7EX2Pph4Joc4u8HpDEUSag53y5CSWH5uVSTv/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d0f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkPccBDUE8SCutoEPAE69Mh9pnz2BxaLfTcZiiKT3B-BPAvRHpETqFCImJlJfKzdOSSCFwQSpgtm1-A0RkXPZSPU6Zo0CcjsRZJfGwmGk7EX2Pph4Joc4u8HpDEUSag53y5CSWH5uVSTv/s640/fullsizeoutput_2d0f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our campground in Schenectady was a great jumping-off point to visit one of our nation’s most impressive capital cities—Albany, New York.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidy3fnvzOzmMMvn1jppMUJrUKKO66i3YxApr6L4cEg710-u0USF_AayDW1iw6bgMCtNLb3GgEyWPlEocMPMuTbzhSc6FuOECEm7XPqiwkEe5T0RYVckNnl6n6FHl8d92l824Nj5-mSGp__/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2c2b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidy3fnvzOzmMMvn1jppMUJrUKKO66i3YxApr6L4cEg710-u0USF_AayDW1iw6bgMCtNLb3GgEyWPlEocMPMuTbzhSc6FuOECEm7XPqiwkEe5T0RYVckNnl6n6FHl8d92l824Nj5-mSGp__/s640/fullsizeoutput_2c2b.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">With a population approximating 20 million, New York is our 4th most populous state. <b><i>The Empire State Plaza</i></b> area around the Capitol building certainly reflected the fact that state government is massive in New York!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbT2arOM04zYHVtWLIhdYjgDDr__9YImYZwJiEVe8HJH72jwmcMPQf7C62lKwgou0er6KsNzF2p3iaApqjDOFlvwl-eZTz-v3jwOYgW4CqjgbVYqahCJC_4fNPZo25d8_sVdlf8A9WwCkw/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2cb7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1600" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbT2arOM04zYHVtWLIhdYjgDDr__9YImYZwJiEVe8HJH72jwmcMPQf7C62lKwgou0er6KsNzF2p3iaApqjDOFlvwl-eZTz-v3jwOYgW4CqjgbVYqahCJC_4fNPZo25d8_sVdlf8A9WwCkw/s640/fullsizeoutput_2cb7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">New York is one of only 12 state capitol buildings that do not have an external dome. A dome was not necessary considering the architectural grandeur of this building that has served as New York’s center of government for over 100 years.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">From the top of the Corning Tower, the 360-degree view of Albany along the Hudson River was quite awesome on this marvelous sunny day.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAidR8bpfftRZ9dBiqF3qwgzO_u3pjoopVtgev6n4sGlIP-TQ8nM5Tn25_E45TmZFqmp_z4miGUcpT0vaBBy1wVf7RqSge-7nPDNliJBlEInjTQcxgs0bwPFu16BMRWvdzy-mRiG5NXgny/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2c3c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAidR8bpfftRZ9dBiqF3qwgzO_u3pjoopVtgev6n4sGlIP-TQ8nM5Tn25_E45TmZFqmp_z4miGUcpT0vaBBy1wVf7RqSge-7nPDNliJBlEInjTQcxgs0bwPFu16BMRWvdzy-mRiG5NXgny/s640/fullsizeoutput_2c3c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The New York Statehouse, 42 stories below, resembled a Disney castle creation. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUOkEjZLzCA6n2arHG8U9Xcb4fVkWfAOb_RIQk5hus8mPoUgvB2ketln_4yDUxuW3UHoK48Cf-2gAxUH0FvuVW38vnUjiIdzF0hV6kluCYAP3Iu7AiOOcdFa_JVUN9pzzTXfbTc9mhROv/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2c55.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUOkEjZLzCA6n2arHG8U9Xcb4fVkWfAOb_RIQk5hus8mPoUgvB2ketln_4yDUxuW3UHoK48Cf-2gAxUH0FvuVW38vnUjiIdzF0hV6kluCYAP3Iu7AiOOcdFa_JVUN9pzzTXfbTc9mhROv/s640/fullsizeoutput_2c55.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We didn’t feel a need to drive by the Executive Mansion, home to 32 New York governors, because the view from above seemed way better than the street view below.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcWbc4u5Hwkhs6-ani80sl9YUsjFcWk_I89ATX-_lWjPwUNRdGGdIBF6R3v_VypMt-AZcVIcfiDJQ0ygG56pDwSBtn9_COY_Z1g4c3q8U0IheAtDBm4BiUKM7jHPiSmenehbkMHM35cKt/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1106" data-original-width="1600" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcWbc4u5Hwkhs6-ani80sl9YUsjFcWk_I89ATX-_lWjPwUNRdGGdIBF6R3v_VypMt-AZcVIcfiDJQ0ygG56pDwSBtn9_COY_Z1g4c3q8U0IheAtDBm4BiUKM7jHPiSmenehbkMHM35cKt/s640/fullsizeoutput_2d11.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We were grateful to visit Albany during the summer slowdown. We had free rein to walk all around the plaza without having to share walkways and restaurants with thousands of state employees who work in the high-rises.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyI01lwWksTTg2NRK9X2Tw3Y17T9_zn3Pt-5OWQpdqRAQ1PyYYDyxgCUgkNZVcDUZc05X8nguCwVOvHZK9ok4VxPO2q9bPKKjDDevDUOQM0fEL2nw4webmi9vpAb8XJG_ZOEtzDWsEiUF/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2c44.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="1600" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyI01lwWksTTg2NRK9X2Tw3Y17T9_zn3Pt-5OWQpdqRAQ1PyYYDyxgCUgkNZVcDUZc05X8nguCwVOvHZK9ok4VxPO2q9bPKKjDDevDUOQM0fEL2nw4webmi9vpAb8XJG_ZOEtzDWsEiUF/s640/fullsizeoutput_2c44.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The tour inside the Capitol building revealed beautifully tiled floors, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKr61w7Vwgar5fwDteskV00hEKxFMX-7phikj_T0rvz-LcxQ3tJV-F6HPk_TBUAOTRzH4D2LrTvD9dW5DqZxxtig1Xiz13EG6kyz212iHeVo2Yy4oKahjHRuzr4QrCvNC1zwxR1rGUwJo/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2c5d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="1600" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKr61w7Vwgar5fwDteskV00hEKxFMX-7phikj_T0rvz-LcxQ3tJV-F6HPk_TBUAOTRzH4D2LrTvD9dW5DqZxxtig1Xiz13EG6kyz212iHeVo2Yy4oKahjHRuzr4QrCvNC1zwxR1rGUwJo/s640/fullsizeoutput_2c5d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">a sweeping million-dollar staircase, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemut1Td587KFsPAIXSVd2EHndEPaqbCAaVKzVJzi1BTmT8mA-byrrbb4LFYiM20XtufRofIqNy47AqPuerdiLnaHRF_WeGmjjPcHq20trKneA4rVclurMjQJwbC8MmZhyCHUsmqhDopbO/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2c5e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemut1Td587KFsPAIXSVd2EHndEPaqbCAaVKzVJzi1BTmT8mA-byrrbb4LFYiM20XtufRofIqNy47AqPuerdiLnaHRF_WeGmjjPcHq20trKneA4rVclurMjQJwbC8MmZhyCHUsmqhDopbO/s640/fullsizeoutput_2c5e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and regal legislative chambers.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocmWK-Wk8EfKgCR92en3YZilN_amD_YJEUMXxHtijS08SDQ57pctabbQKsSjhTradCdqJydaacHDiU8mzGVtkvDDt2JynMlGjCmeESC2PLlSjkxmqS4oMUFtQIU7HqIdWUG58w3XQ3aCK/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2c5a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocmWK-Wk8EfKgCR92en3YZilN_amD_YJEUMXxHtijS08SDQ57pctabbQKsSjhTradCdqJydaacHDiU8mzGVtkvDDt2JynMlGjCmeESC2PLlSjkxmqS4oMUFtQIU7HqIdWUG58w3XQ3aCK/s640/fullsizeoutput_2c5a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The portrait gallery in the Hall of Governors demonstrated that many great leaders have walked the hallways of this great Capitol building. Previous New York governors have included four who went on to serve as President, in addition to six who have served as Vice President.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEPHaT70wgN5ZZ3sc_zCHd9o8lotJoRGLUMpQoNNLxk_tlDsAbMivQ_W-LHm1KqpluVO9Xll1zBzN-CBlcp4Lar5LiwsGU7Mnd2cKJ4LuY8PfNZE1vSkA7YOS5-d3_w8t4Hu-oyjc3Nma/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2c87.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEPHaT70wgN5ZZ3sc_zCHd9o8lotJoRGLUMpQoNNLxk_tlDsAbMivQ_W-LHm1KqpluVO9Xll1zBzN-CBlcp4Lar5LiwsGU7Mnd2cKJ4LuY8PfNZE1vSkA7YOS5-d3_w8t4Hu-oyjc3Nma/s320/fullsizeoutput_2c87.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">After lunch we had only a couple of hours to speed through the <b><i>New York State Museum</i></b> in the plaza complex. Not surprisingly, there was an emotional 9/11 display complete with a World Trade Center flag, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFu8K6JIzlOw4VqqdNmLCgOh50G295QjUyKg31D7t9h5NHZxaoaHFi_ffLAXrDtxPNRDJLmZV_a3KuN9ZbchJvLn_NdRzYSw8A6c9_P1eZQjKCUAPVXjScrW6atudIecMpDxWfYS2J1LCb/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d12.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1372" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFu8K6JIzlOw4VqqdNmLCgOh50G295QjUyKg31D7t9h5NHZxaoaHFi_ffLAXrDtxPNRDJLmZV_a3KuN9ZbchJvLn_NdRzYSw8A6c9_P1eZQjKCUAPVXjScrW6atudIecMpDxWfYS2J1LCb/s320/fullsizeoutput_2d12.jpeg" width="274" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">a fire-ravaged 9/11 firetruck, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84DjQw8oLMqJkPplFdMimlLmo9a6CPIenKy2u5h5NtvDURh95TZcVDsj9WBUdV-jLynJ92g6OhM9JGb8dh9NSNlo5JmL-27gM7v2nr5jk0hIFJ5OwRug-tHZSWfBFKGt6t0RX5VlXxdYO/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2c89.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1600" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84DjQw8oLMqJkPplFdMimlLmo9a6CPIenKy2u5h5NtvDURh95TZcVDsj9WBUdV-jLynJ92g6OhM9JGb8dh9NSNlo5JmL-27gM7v2nr5jk0hIFJ5OwRug-tHZSWfBFKGt6t0RX5VlXxdYO/s640/fullsizeoutput_2c89.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and part of the landing gear from one of the planes that hit the World Trade Center. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjaRGter2vgYBnLo0zaezFl0a9yTZUsQ21kC_Fs1uX_Nw7ZNvz9S-lC3pL_5YWIxS8SRfN0QrAhOKVdylNuUS6Kd7fygDVtO7xB6I5VR5HADg_r7xfFxGN-BkuSenFP5UDZA6rXNVrXXH/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d14.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="1600" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjaRGter2vgYBnLo0zaezFl0a9yTZUsQ21kC_Fs1uX_Nw7ZNvz9S-lC3pL_5YWIxS8SRfN0QrAhOKVdylNuUS6Kd7fygDVtO7xB6I5VR5HADg_r7xfFxGN-BkuSenFP5UDZA6rXNVrXXH/s640/fullsizeoutput_2d14.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A more lighthearted section of the museum displayed the original Sesame Street stage set,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqhXzvNf-QMqbsRnoSiydriyrw5K5Fddl8f8JAP2Mh2HlpltvPWSswdrTmmeI0Eq8Vh-F4IYtto-Z9I7cjSGtgPxp4GjIDkaRAWpFcQpBPpt3ux5UwcgMQokp95091bsxR0xSHHcRIjkP/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2c8e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqhXzvNf-QMqbsRnoSiydriyrw5K5Fddl8f8JAP2Mh2HlpltvPWSswdrTmmeI0Eq8Vh-F4IYtto-Z9I7cjSGtgPxp4GjIDkaRAWpFcQpBPpt3ux5UwcgMQokp95091bsxR0xSHHcRIjkP/s640/fullsizeoutput_2c8e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and some paintings from the Woodstock Art Colony, a more than one-hundred-year-old utopian art guild.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6A5XxSz-UkO7JrE6ggSRaywVkOlU3of9jVlQANGgkdP9kgY9BGdSZrwKNfjco2ZL0iY-zSwe9_xAdgveO5Vfq-e_vl0Rkp0Ak3GyPgPxY2E8ze5IKfjRetXSZ0X0WG-MQNfsqKFC-P5l/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2ca9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1317" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6A5XxSz-UkO7JrE6ggSRaywVkOlU3of9jVlQANGgkdP9kgY9BGdSZrwKNfjco2ZL0iY-zSwe9_xAdgveO5Vfq-e_vl0Rkp0Ak3GyPgPxY2E8ze5IKfjRetXSZ0X0WG-MQNfsqKFC-P5l/s400/fullsizeoutput_2ca9.jpeg" width="327" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxGt5dS7C6q3jf3PS_YmZojANYtAgefLbNSNvaT5NUx6BlSVG4m7OYRzQkuxIweKRVtpqil3F5IFQOmGcJo4wzNy2wX-FdardDNnnhkz0dchV4yAQ6R-sywPlOzuKlLvzPMFaYw-pyYij/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2cb1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1139" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxGt5dS7C6q3jf3PS_YmZojANYtAgefLbNSNvaT5NUx6BlSVG4m7OYRzQkuxIweKRVtpqil3F5IFQOmGcJo4wzNy2wX-FdardDNnnhkz0dchV4yAQ6R-sywPlOzuKlLvzPMFaYw-pyYij/s400/fullsizeoutput_2cb1.jpeg" width="281" /></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKv2hhZGSnGQ6NBatlHv7AQzuCei2cleLOtibB31wHJCtLhyphenhypheni-vee6_7WQhbfkTrQS2dgCyyPP0MCcGWWsy0tXE_Q-YFFwvkYTFCFn_3IpjINe_Elq8_YuAyoDcOhxlUQSlNGCCk7yIFO/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2cc7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKv2hhZGSnGQ6NBatlHv7AQzuCei2cleLOtibB31wHJCtLhyphenhypheni-vee6_7WQhbfkTrQS2dgCyyPP0MCcGWWsy0tXE_Q-YFFwvkYTFCFn_3IpjINe_Elq8_YuAyoDcOhxlUQSlNGCCk7yIFO/s400/fullsizeoutput_2cc7.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Schenectady area had several Revolutionary War sites, one of the most important being Saratoga Battlefield.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPx8cTdAfRhFx0rPOaeEGCTR3GX66yIodDGW7aMqbNwX7aEsSd_3JVq6dwadMFhSUU4P75nYduO7AVx4xHXENdJas7pH2YYTW9bq6lqgaxSgH9IkbxGGzksBqQy7CoNhZK1fs8aWi8QQxg/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2cd1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1600" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPx8cTdAfRhFx0rPOaeEGCTR3GX66yIodDGW7aMqbNwX7aEsSd_3JVq6dwadMFhSUU4P75nYduO7AVx4xHXENdJas7pH2YYTW9bq6lqgaxSgH9IkbxGGzksBqQy7CoNhZK1fs8aWi8QQxg/s320/fullsizeoutput_2cd1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At Saratoga, the British under Burgoyne faced off against the Americans in the fall of 1777. The failure of the British to crush the American rebellion at Saratoga ended in a British surrender that forever altered the history of the world.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2RnuGipLOcrHJ_ytoUjWMKH7b_RzXi6bQW4HYS3JxQjgRThP4BmwhALkYEdPCiCPzet_O_6QXsk5kS4ETLayg6Ew-WahP0MZnt143D5B0DmImhmv__JQCctmHqVB2KWqMdZpo9u9HfKq/s1600/IMG_5291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2RnuGipLOcrHJ_ytoUjWMKH7b_RzXi6bQW4HYS3JxQjgRThP4BmwhALkYEdPCiCPzet_O_6QXsk5kS4ETLayg6Ew-WahP0MZnt143D5B0DmImhmv__JQCctmHqVB2KWqMdZpo9u9HfKq/s640/IMG_5291.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Multiple battle sites dotted a 10-mile loop drive around the historic park. A peaceful and beautiful site, like this one above the Hudson River, looked far different from the day that a hellish Revolutionary War battle unfolded here. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuElD_8ucyIsJjQW41__k4UOGl-CdSrPT9n5sUN8FKK7FivXIzlEwz1uY5pwdYol3-kTywX1nBIHjRpTWU6uZEZZyMatWYbny3Pb7BQ1d5xM8P9Ijav3to4u93DQ9raUyvqG8b6rVSZgJ/s1600/IMG_5299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuElD_8ucyIsJjQW41__k4UOGl-CdSrPT9n5sUN8FKK7FivXIzlEwz1uY5pwdYol3-kTywX1nBIHjRpTWU6uZEZZyMatWYbny3Pb7BQ1d5xM8P9Ijav3to4u93DQ9raUyvqG8b6rVSZgJ/s640/IMG_5299.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Fields of goldenrod dotted the once bloodied grounds.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihX2EvFZCRORn3MELTLJThoIEHAjaSNC2_6mASWWnyHA90Nxptg_jOmA5PDbgw3SxABwpZD9t08rb9RlWsLEjB_bV_PZATP5P2_LV25iZsqzVoosltnVsVWHBzyflkITmbauRpX74Qiu4u/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2cc5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihX2EvFZCRORn3MELTLJThoIEHAjaSNC2_6mASWWnyHA90Nxptg_jOmA5PDbgw3SxABwpZD9t08rb9RlWsLEjB_bV_PZATP5P2_LV25iZsqzVoosltnVsVWHBzyflkITmbauRpX74Qiu4u/s640/fullsizeoutput_2cc5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">One of the delights of our life on the road is the opportunity to visit with family along the way. For Al, the few years he spent living near family in Binghamton, New York, were memorable ones. It was such a pleasure to meet up again with Al’s cousins Dennis and Anne Marie.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDFhQzomZQkwzopUs0wbpYmTTGV3wp33pzaRmFkSaon-m4CKoLWJku_Cc3JkAv_sQBMisOUe3j4MOTUAHxsx8f309Cnfo1WfHFFzUD2ZFRbLxU1gCRbhckQBBVv47MPCuVUjVQLodsOxL/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2cf5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDFhQzomZQkwzopUs0wbpYmTTGV3wp33pzaRmFkSaon-m4CKoLWJku_Cc3JkAv_sQBMisOUe3j4MOTUAHxsx8f309Cnfo1WfHFFzUD2ZFRbLxU1gCRbhckQBBVv47MPCuVUjVQLodsOxL/s640/fullsizeoutput_2cf5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">End-of-summer festivals and events fortuitously lined up to give the four of us a memorable 3-day weekend together. We started out with a nostalgic walk down memory lane in the neighborhood where Al lived near his beloved Russian/Ukrainian grandparents on Seymour Street.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBS5xVzvjsUYeMgdqv3MwQIfh-pSpXDFd_PWc5bdxq9JDTI3LYH8nWpHy25Sf01Xa5rLQG_Fkzp1uGDpFBoyTQFeVcV1oWeMdnmN58THhkZE8sf8aX95CQHP40KPoXqsRO07G_oHKzBjFm/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2cd2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBS5xVzvjsUYeMgdqv3MwQIfh-pSpXDFd_PWc5bdxq9JDTI3LYH8nWpHy25Sf01Xa5rLQG_Fkzp1uGDpFBoyTQFeVcV1oWeMdnmN58THhkZE8sf8aX95CQHP40KPoXqsRO07G_oHKzBjFm/s640/fullsizeoutput_2cd2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A few block away, the house on Hazel Street, where Al lived with his family the year he attended 11th grade, looked exactly the same.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dDKZsFBhOfu246QukIUsOyE1Lkv1NTlml1NdPN-OUqGgrKH-Jt5bsgE7ZFZhPAbe0MTna85sD6eg1p-UyDej9B7Ma-q_t4J1SzC4-b6n9q6LGtU7Lp7DHpAOA6DcB9QBjcejAqgcNrTa/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2c7d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="1600" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dDKZsFBhOfu246QukIUsOyE1Lkv1NTlml1NdPN-OUqGgrKH-Jt5bsgE7ZFZhPAbe0MTna85sD6eg1p-UyDej9B7Ma-q_t4J1SzC4-b6n9q6LGtU7Lp7DHpAOA6DcB9QBjcejAqgcNrTa/s320/fullsizeoutput_2c7d.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadsdt7evPPGv4uQd-1U0aM5cEHJl5lRhRSIxZfwfRzIQioebCOnI2dmfbEaiwxskl7FI5Hl6LaoH_EZwvH20OhaEmfXC7VH5PBx0MXxIgSFCPmhs5XE9eKzsUHcczEjKo3zAkeQNpCjWr/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2cd3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1600" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadsdt7evPPGv4uQd-1U0aM5cEHJl5lRhRSIxZfwfRzIQioebCOnI2dmfbEaiwxskl7FI5Hl6LaoH_EZwvH20OhaEmfXC7VH5PBx0MXxIgSFCPmhs5XE9eKzsUHcczEjKo3zAkeQNpCjWr/s400/fullsizeoutput_2cd3.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Junior year’s <b><i>Binghamton High School</i></b> was fresh and glowing in the late summer twilight.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1aZBmiAM7jRATzxew_mAW_zL0VfZifK6OKpduO29h5BYuT0GwiCS-lg4wZD1JohVrLf7PcEbmg0leZmSAtc5-TZUWlyZFXNUysPzc5KhxQWYzqrNBsc4Z-vw6xF1VFr7DpnzWu_J9CQF/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2ce1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1aZBmiAM7jRATzxew_mAW_zL0VfZifK6OKpduO29h5BYuT0GwiCS-lg4wZD1JohVrLf7PcEbmg0leZmSAtc5-TZUWlyZFXNUysPzc5KhxQWYzqrNBsc4Z-vw6xF1VFr7DpnzWu_J9CQF/s640/fullsizeoutput_2ce1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWuA3yEJLCF3Ehcdp6OP6vbMS49ksAw2811_KCU-g2Hy05GFHP90ci2T1KpLucYIkFTlk-zr7a6ZAb9LjCXF9WURaQ7CIEjOw_P6Xf6HdGnhOcJLr8wNKt_KNfamT221I4o1xpM7U6mJS/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d24.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1600" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWuA3yEJLCF3Ehcdp6OP6vbMS49ksAw2811_KCU-g2Hy05GFHP90ci2T1KpLucYIkFTlk-zr7a6ZAb9LjCXF9WURaQ7CIEjOw_P6Xf6HdGnhOcJLr8wNKt_KNfamT221I4o1xpM7U6mJS/s400/fullsizeoutput_2d24.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As a point of trivia, Binghamton is always proud to point out that Rod Serling was a member of the Binghamton High School class of 1943.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Like much of our country over the past several decades, Binghamton has also experienced a relentless exit of industry. In its place a new population of creative entrepreneurs and artists has evolved. Along with a vibrant art scene, Binghamton is also a university town that has minor league baseball and hockey teams. The history of Binghamton was nicely preserved at several stately mansions that have been beautifully restored.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9sBqxc42d2IMLApaceZXRdEBCJKERvRXBhIDfXxz8VIVcWoixENp6xOb9PIKoIux8iKAyNUwHCwJCxQgSOv4fPuBYxv0EYryea4GpLGC8jT2W3yJDk-ZAghxjE1uaMDJe1YXukK9aoe7m/s1600/P1060252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9sBqxc42d2IMLApaceZXRdEBCJKERvRXBhIDfXxz8VIVcWoixENp6xOb9PIKoIux8iKAyNUwHCwJCxQgSOv4fPuBYxv0EYryea4GpLGC8jT2W3yJDk-ZAghxjE1uaMDJe1YXukK9aoe7m/s320/P1060252.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our 3-day Binghamton experience began Friday night at the 4th annual nighttime <b><i>LUMA Fest</i></b>, where great downtown architecture was enhanced by one of the largest projection art festivals in the country.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6NBnHuS7VuxwIM1ol5nZpKprQHY3yeciSLNVd0R1MOre0VZ0EuvzFAl4rAf8pknMBBYegS6rDjoALO6ag2ritOaUR8jhguVSfclAC98AOgDUYPS4WjzS8DKZf5Wi3-A1iiDqAo-A-Mc-/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d15.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6NBnHuS7VuxwIM1ol5nZpKprQHY3yeciSLNVd0R1MOre0VZ0EuvzFAl4rAf8pknMBBYegS6rDjoALO6ag2ritOaUR8jhguVSfclAC98AOgDUYPS4WjzS8DKZf5Wi3-A1iiDqAo-A-Mc-/s400/fullsizeoutput_2d15.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-VpNLTIPqHP9ykrw5SeoIZYRzU9lTWziVLUaaoh2Y_Z9gImFnDB_K-SKNRZsyMr62LkCGCD6MAC7fevjDT7aA51c5zGANjsmko8vNzOFgK_qFbA_NX2EAKp-dn3sB-48ctk_Bi73NPjd/s1600/P1060249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-VpNLTIPqHP9ykrw5SeoIZYRzU9lTWziVLUaaoh2Y_Z9gImFnDB_K-SKNRZsyMr62LkCGCD6MAC7fevjDT7aA51c5zGANjsmko8vNzOFgK_qFbA_NX2EAKp-dn3sB-48ctk_Bi73NPjd/s400/P1060249.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthbirjL1e4YFakZv7t4PEUlF8AcqFpJIzQVUOx_Hu8SYpUkfHS1LIcxcI1JYIOXousAAm8X7f-iIYafS_idr8T26WMYQ0O6MGc0JFLF9nprDDUqUXe3lmFhTyn4YO-oPx0VNvDAlekn8h/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d1e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthbirjL1e4YFakZv7t4PEUlF8AcqFpJIzQVUOx_Hu8SYpUkfHS1LIcxcI1JYIOXousAAm8X7f-iIYafS_idr8T26WMYQ0O6MGc0JFLF9nprDDUqUXe3lmFhTyn4YO-oPx0VNvDAlekn8h/s400/fullsizeoutput_2d1e.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2HMur5RrokMGEDQjqOd2ZU6_vLn-Z7oqgUDiqntYxJMvkodN9rAIrqdeY1ovywTgyMmEIub3icb07VO6AA2v8hKKTR0oTuQC7aFrgB6s4lVCz115nExgMVaJc4FbaVOcRitPDNG0-ACz/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d1d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2HMur5RrokMGEDQjqOd2ZU6_vLn-Z7oqgUDiqntYxJMvkodN9rAIrqdeY1ovywTgyMmEIub3icb07VO6AA2v8hKKTR0oTuQC7aFrgB6s4lVCz115nExgMVaJc4FbaVOcRitPDNG0-ACz/s400/fullsizeoutput_2d1d.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Saturday we attended <b><i>Colorscape</i></b>, an annual craft and music festival in nearby Norwich, New York. After cruising the craft booths, we listened to the very entertaining husband and wife duo of Fred Eaglesmith and Tiffani Ginn, who had their own special style of rock characterized by Eaglesmith’s raspy voice and Tiffani’s spot-on harmony. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3k2_GmRvU2v3QNJJ7K1xSwWggU-_MbvsaP7hwFGtP0jNYeYH-kEcqEpWZMJyQy8jdgZ0FmrAglaozmghw_08Ke-htpaFrVrAsbYmVmgfHXYjtmUoZSJ5guVbxFpzfhyu7DTogXNbqb34/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2ce8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3k2_GmRvU2v3QNJJ7K1xSwWggU-_MbvsaP7hwFGtP0jNYeYH-kEcqEpWZMJyQy8jdgZ0FmrAglaozmghw_08Ke-htpaFrVrAsbYmVmgfHXYjtmUoZSJ5guVbxFpzfhyu7DTogXNbqb34/s640/fullsizeoutput_2ce8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sunday’s event was <b><i>Blues on the Bridge</i></b> in downtown Binghamton at the park where the Susquehanna and Chenango rivers meet.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJhHkTj0jpvpqSTkc3Ek4TKOoua8R_mZQfKK6agelU2ZyFSqR5AwF4gWTXx7QrYih4jQWAyn0D5q2fDgrImPGsx8Hi6KheSPkT61oeLuLWmCLyLxL-RY3Nh3_zvjhczsisMiJGG0C4m4r/s1600/P1060273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJhHkTj0jpvpqSTkc3Ek4TKOoua8R_mZQfKK6agelU2ZyFSqR5AwF4gWTXx7QrYih4jQWAyn0D5q2fDgrImPGsx8Hi6KheSPkT61oeLuLWmCLyLxL-RY3Nh3_zvjhczsisMiJGG0C4m4r/s640/P1060273.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">This gathering was a showcase of local southern blues rock talent. On this day, none of us thought that louder was necessarily better. I believe we would have ruined our hearing if we hadn’t moved several hundred feet down on the bridge,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2yEHp4qqRVUWJjBDbjOJ1QYvMLI97nRVwN4l4bXT2soietffpEfJkPR0KF4UCRMPx0wZBKHdn61idgxoAzIWhhVcUPf45_EgduNHtOaZ3o6SXDyFDQpSjTEMeNyceEXzWLsDeKBFzSQ5/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2cff.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2yEHp4qqRVUWJjBDbjOJ1QYvMLI97nRVwN4l4bXT2soietffpEfJkPR0KF4UCRMPx0wZBKHdn61idgxoAzIWhhVcUPf45_EgduNHtOaZ3o6SXDyFDQpSjTEMeNyceEXzWLsDeKBFzSQ5/s640/fullsizeoutput_2cff.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">where the music was more in the background and we could enjoy conversation with Dennis, Anne Marie, and some of their local Binghamton friends.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">That sure was a fun week in Binghamton, where we enjoyed hooking up with cousins who were a cherished part of Al’s childhood. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuz1SvQsVtjb77DA0MwKlVwgH_QQbQrEM74shHj00XX6TwMMpMz3RKuKXmIPXsDqGE0iV0DbfEdBl5f5B4rvxEobzYXzXM_rWGt2a6WpMKm2asfoFl9DB5zg_2L1lMGmCVyeSV4esBeQY-/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2cfa.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="1600" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuz1SvQsVtjb77DA0MwKlVwgH_QQbQrEM74shHj00XX6TwMMpMz3RKuKXmIPXsDqGE0iV0DbfEdBl5f5B4rvxEobzYXzXM_rWGt2a6WpMKm2asfoFl9DB5zg_2L1lMGmCVyeSV4esBeQY-/s640/fullsizeoutput_2cfa.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Thanks so much to Dennis and Anne Marie for cooking dinner for us and introducing us to Binghamton’s culinary meat specialty—spiedies— and for sharing the enjoyable small-town New York lifestyle. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfL5eSc52LMzsAb_LUG_JRhk9pyN4HBZ6OYEHLJZGSWV6fNR9LoCtq9ZSjEIdvWtMPEAYMwWLjyYhyphenhyphenKO_XuTyoSzTvCdeXPJJ37hmzxn4FwnyS0PgllidE6Knj90r7qSrgfjsw4xcDBgW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2d21.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfL5eSc52LMzsAb_LUG_JRhk9pyN4HBZ6OYEHLJZGSWV6fNR9LoCtq9ZSjEIdvWtMPEAYMwWLjyYhyphenhyphenKO_XuTyoSzTvCdeXPJJ37hmzxn4FwnyS0PgllidE6Knj90r7qSrgfjsw4xcDBgW/s640/fullsizeoutput_2d21.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-44289415814698828712019-09-01T07:42:00.000-05:002019-09-01T07:42:39.057-05:00NATURE’S MASTERPIECE AT NIAGARA FALLS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 21px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRDOoPzo6NZW9JFD8jGjVHZYl2d6x4HZeZDmM_ADK19KEowwaaPq6lj-fhIMakgbplV9MaVCq9j4jtXe7DdMSl8Jp4FzDzxJxFjwJYv-4yXlHNlG2JIyuemr-Tp2nasGbaH8WjWZj6660/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2bc6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRDOoPzo6NZW9JFD8jGjVHZYl2d6x4HZeZDmM_ADK19KEowwaaPq6lj-fhIMakgbplV9MaVCq9j4jtXe7DdMSl8Jp4FzDzxJxFjwJYv-4yXlHNlG2JIyuemr-Tp2nasGbaH8WjWZj6660/s640/fullsizeoutput_2bc6.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2ipd2gVHodhtUhHr33V-fiGd5zHQ7uKJfR4AhwYt-2-GmMRyJfYgemPeNNEcwlDtbTBizgmEncGY8XUwsDCtIwEqCoP9dbvV4wBkEMttOgsQnjoowmYaSkG7MhCKF6qHLopU0q5dNccA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2bc4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 21px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2ipd2gVHodhtUhHr33V-fiGd5zHQ7uKJfR4AhwYt-2-GmMRyJfYgemPeNNEcwlDtbTBizgmEncGY8XUwsDCtIwEqCoP9dbvV4wBkEMttOgsQnjoowmYaSkG7MhCKF6qHLopU0q5dNccA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2bc4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 35px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 35px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_s4C4d00sQk9d8upj3fdx2JlIOS3EgkB0cdB_IjlbMNPNwSuJ9RN-c5clOuFJwg9vbGoCaAonY1M5YdXWwd36YYGj8l2biGV3Fp0Gasp8qH3tNR4kUHAKVIJpTs2UzEDTV9Zyfb1H3mBZ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b81.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="353" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_s4C4d00sQk9d8upj3fdx2JlIOS3EgkB0cdB_IjlbMNPNwSuJ9RN-c5clOuFJwg9vbGoCaAonY1M5YdXWwd36YYGj8l2biGV3Fp0Gasp8qH3tNR4kUHAKVIJpTs2UzEDTV9Zyfb1H3mBZ/s320/fullsizeoutput_2b81.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 35px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> Over the past 4-1/2 years on the road, several months of travel have meandered through five states that border the Great Lakes. It has been a fascinating learning experience in the midst of wondrous scenery in a part of the country that wasn’t very familiar to us from the outset. So, as we slowly meandered toward an October rendezvous on the Atlantic Ocean, it seemed logical to swing through upstate New York at the eastern end of the Great Lakes, where we wanted to check out a “pretty neat waterfall.”</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2ipd2gVHodhtUhHr33V-fiGd5zHQ7uKJfR4AhwYt-2-GmMRyJfYgemPeNNEcwlDtbTBizgmEncGY8XUwsDCtIwEqCoP9dbvV4wBkEMttOgsQnjoowmYaSkG7MhCKF6qHLopU0q5dNccA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2bc4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpjtLpgD5qKY-oIeEuRW6aDrhvHwo-uO3gIcLZ6ZW1VkqhjYGsZ_FnXz1bV7q22QOlUEVjHkNw4ogd-0iTE19ZVxYqVgBu8tn3O-euuRjLa-rlCe-MypfR9Olq7JVrfQBDUbQ2WZE_GNR/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b94.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 21px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="742" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpjtLpgD5qKY-oIeEuRW6aDrhvHwo-uO3gIcLZ6ZW1VkqhjYGsZ_FnXz1bV7q22QOlUEVjHkNw4ogd-0iTE19ZVxYqVgBu8tn3O-euuRjLa-rlCe-MypfR9Olq7JVrfQBDUbQ2WZE_GNR/s400/fullsizeoutput_2b94.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">All of the Great Lakes are connected in some manner—natural connections, rivers, locks and canals—as the water from Lake Superior begins an inexorable flow downhill to the Atlantic Ocean. Niagara Falls is situated on the Niagara River between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, near the eastern terminus of that great waterway. An elevation profile of the Great Lakes illustrates why geologic forces created such a grand tableau on the Niagara River. A couple of hundred feet difference in elevation between the surface of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario has made all the difference in the world… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8GIPB3preT9aAA1HOGOdBPSswE_n7y-bOmrOHm_XlF5mI9ZhCqRj39DIZsnqc6egDC3nZPEpLPMc6NSReXszo1ncraL8Ax8-3ayDkYChgk2vkcIgxdOytN7GMOuHvx3HLoFl6gLFJrX8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b97.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="149" data-original-width="337" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8GIPB3preT9aAA1HOGOdBPSswE_n7y-bOmrOHm_XlF5mI9ZhCqRj39DIZsnqc6egDC3nZPEpLPMc6NSReXszo1ncraL8Ax8-3ayDkYChgk2vkcIgxdOytN7GMOuHvx3HLoFl6gLFJrX8/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b97.jpeg" width="544" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Great Lakes were gouged out by a continental ice sheet 10,000 years ago. As the glacier retreated, five massive, deep depressions filled with river run-off, rainwater and snowmelt to form the Great Lakes of Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In eastern New York, we camped for a week on Grand Island, an actual island between two branches of the Niagara River. <b><i>Niagara Falls</i></b> was located a short car ride away in Niagara Falls State Park, the first state park in America, which was created in the 1860s by a small group of budding environmentalists led by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead. This group of far-sighted citizens helped prevent an onslaught of commercial exploitation around the falls. As a result, our first glimpse of <b><i>Horseshoe Falls</i></b> was a gem—one of the world’s most astonishing natural wonders! </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZHqCC3rA91h1GQaC8sFNjTji81h_rHFMEff2LuawSviVSYnLULxxa9BUsFN0FwV8ZCezsbikXlPxGFqMpLvkLhxuOQ7c9pFKqF-5e0xGeyVx_Z-UpsRKXgNv64hDXsuua6rDqu0YtFWD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2a72.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1600" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZHqCC3rA91h1GQaC8sFNjTji81h_rHFMEff2LuawSviVSYnLULxxa9BUsFN0FwV8ZCezsbikXlPxGFqMpLvkLhxuOQ7c9pFKqF-5e0xGeyVx_Z-UpsRKXgNv64hDXsuua6rDqu0YtFWD/s640/fullsizeoutput_2a72.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At first, it was a little nerve-wracking to walk so close to such a powerful green glasslike conveyor belt of churning water just seconds away from the brink of the falls.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7qfwc-VzLHnxFbe3daQMJV-8nZ-8Z3CcDx7RdMgyV28h_KS5fbMxF6LyuN0BYCIebWbm0ctZsM6UyMeIn3-HU8QYRkvKw5ImbUn7LC-vKN8gkCJZ60DUWGBfbhND_cUPh6jO0rNivC2M/s1600/IMG_5140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7qfwc-VzLHnxFbe3daQMJV-8nZ-8Z3CcDx7RdMgyV28h_KS5fbMxF6LyuN0BYCIebWbm0ctZsM6UyMeIn3-HU8QYRkvKw5ImbUn7LC-vKN8gkCJZ60DUWGBfbhND_cUPh6jO0rNivC2M/s640/IMG_5140.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The sunny day was favorable for catching rainbows hovering over a <b><i>Maid of the Mist</i></b> excursion boat navigating the brilliant turquoise water. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgPacCt4sAK_OTP6uEM6bbYOQMOvtkze3JqFzUNUcpfS2UykFi7zroy4MBhk8n4j-E1m0pJ2CX-Zgq2NrUZ703SRFgtPZwnM-Ty_lmRTNHFK_gXoB7EQOWN-7TDwzag4DXfTPYeI4a4CM/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b5a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgPacCt4sAK_OTP6uEM6bbYOQMOvtkze3JqFzUNUcpfS2UykFi7zroy4MBhk8n4j-E1m0pJ2CX-Zgq2NrUZ703SRFgtPZwnM-Ty_lmRTNHFK_gXoB7EQOWN-7TDwzag4DXfTPYeI4a4CM/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b5a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A friendly tourist was kind enough to offer to take our souvenir selfie…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2k4xA2zJipP8k-M45EL3Qwd180TWhADaNBQ8NX3Xs0uiNgs7AlpxOTzF5q_v-ghvYEKT9rtgMUTYVQuF2m9A2WEgyPNZMEyYpFS6b0Ey_w6rc6LA14oZnCByD7H2FJCkpMlPIvKAzlLR/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2a6a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="1600" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2k4xA2zJipP8k-M45EL3Qwd180TWhADaNBQ8NX3Xs0uiNgs7AlpxOTzF5q_v-ghvYEKT9rtgMUTYVQuF2m9A2WEgyPNZMEyYpFS6b0Ey_w6rc6LA14oZnCByD7H2FJCkpMlPIvKAzlLR/s640/fullsizeoutput_2a6a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Looking downstream, the architecturally pleasing <b><i>Rainbow Bridge</i></b> spanned the gorge with a lovely link to the Canadian side.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5Do9j4y4WgT9zf_aLcZN3eYsu1c-Taq1Wec03I00m8FrphrAiiZAV-6ifV-mPWhfvwpa4vjY87dxcCuoHLz7k1PbkEnSAhBmnRRnxYN0BLtSsbOyuvMYrcJ-HLo-yWYsIJFPlHfrUm2X/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b73.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1600" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5Do9j4y4WgT9zf_aLcZN3eYsu1c-Taq1Wec03I00m8FrphrAiiZAV-6ifV-mPWhfvwpa4vjY87dxcCuoHLz7k1PbkEnSAhBmnRRnxYN0BLtSsbOyuvMYrcJ-HLo-yWYsIJFPlHfrUm2X/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b73.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Close-ups of raincoat-clad tourists on the <b><i>Maid of the Mist</i></b>, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25HMMONKnhDyLq3FQekG0rcyJsizAxoCvZYEbgmVDjcXpe38sIowB1kKaVqJjveFy05byh99esccgT8hAN9oTbZBIGCwHo6YLmTXmkaZYEHnt0HTmRtOmCyE1U2peMQp4i7r8gno6ahEi/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b5f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1600" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25HMMONKnhDyLq3FQekG0rcyJsizAxoCvZYEbgmVDjcXpe38sIowB1kKaVqJjveFy05byh99esccgT8hAN9oTbZBIGCwHo6YLmTXmkaZYEHnt0HTmRtOmCyE1U2peMQp4i7r8gno6ahEi/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b5f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and the very heavily packed Canadian version of this excursion, showed that there was no shortage of tourists anxious to experience a close encounter with the thundering falls.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTt9K57HjawF1eUq8qhQF1ZfHSakiPFfzAnddKuT-YYAX6Fs8Ebg9yNvnYs-z6Jr8UpaILFP6Wtd-NUHSls1REvuPEdhy7ggAcG8EBw_cW4wUTqqi4LRl6AhzZ4tT2JNDeQtPwi_F3ZfpP/s1600/P1050823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTt9K57HjawF1eUq8qhQF1ZfHSakiPFfzAnddKuT-YYAX6Fs8Ebg9yNvnYs-z6Jr8UpaILFP6Wtd-NUHSls1REvuPEdhy7ggAcG8EBw_cW4wUTqqi4LRl6AhzZ4tT2JNDeQtPwi_F3ZfpP/s640/P1050823.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A walk around to the other side of the <b><i>American Falls</i></b> unfolded an expanded view of the geologic grandeur of the setting.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcm28rcWUGWTM5nr6NxRh7I13pwsQ5i1o0lh5gRMJRfFyN-Bo6cuHrUsA_1JMeGWsa6lT4gzTMaXt1ALFMs4J9blmSAY2yTnEmoTDDWfdADhTBp1V7C7Y8itclMf4EodlMPlNNYFkmnhU/s1600/IMG_5151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcm28rcWUGWTM5nr6NxRh7I13pwsQ5i1o0lh5gRMJRfFyN-Bo6cuHrUsA_1JMeGWsa6lT4gzTMaXt1ALFMs4J9blmSAY2yTnEmoTDDWfdADhTBp1V7C7Y8itclMf4EodlMPlNNYFkmnhU/s640/IMG_5151.JPG" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was quite evident that Canada had no reservations about “enhancing” their side of the falls with high-rise hotels, condos and casinos, peppered with somewhat tacky commercialism. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfrqw05LwN4FNt-B_WCXOID8dl52lXgJ1klsY-F2MiixMyYHiX1h8tbOYjnj0mNekLLHmhSp_QQIk13csLiY6Q34QLkAykj1TJnqmb6hn-8ov0BuM2mVvDLnVnPvJlQrUZ5IoLMwyTGbe/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b5d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfrqw05LwN4FNt-B_WCXOID8dl52lXgJ1klsY-F2MiixMyYHiX1h8tbOYjnj0mNekLLHmhSp_QQIk13csLiY6Q34QLkAykj1TJnqmb6hn-8ov0BuM2mVvDLnVnPvJlQrUZ5IoLMwyTGbe/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b5d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The tourism atmosphere leading to the fenced walk along the Canadian side was jarring! It was a clashing and noisy carnival scene that resembled a northern version of Gatlinburg—complete with a ferris wheel,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNQ8_68tjuXyADWT6wEpmmOcGxG19Epnc8N__OnrkpIWVeCZK5HaiwlfWVloFEXRnBj2gw-Cxnph0ALH0mVhxsrToLlPomGBBWpI8RL3RTtzup1Z-ZL2swxDUuYS-2L4OwtZ1463Ayfop/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b3d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNQ8_68tjuXyADWT6wEpmmOcGxG19Epnc8N__OnrkpIWVeCZK5HaiwlfWVloFEXRnBj2gw-Cxnph0ALH0mVhxsrToLlPomGBBWpI8RL3RTtzup1Z-ZL2swxDUuYS-2L4OwtZ1463Ayfop/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b3d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">a tilted building,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWZfdpA7SXBNhclrJCWYPFpAgUYnM4mh1HI1rZ0tW7zJnofwwL1GHbEybj8rfqPUcdOT0NN4S1RoMsHZJtJgacwJa5uba5Okf70yTZAYRx1vHckCFbBkYZ213P78gzr-AwPKqPVgjE7yU/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b62.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1600" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWZfdpA7SXBNhclrJCWYPFpAgUYnM4mh1HI1rZ0tW7zJnofwwL1GHbEybj8rfqPUcdOT0NN4S1RoMsHZJtJgacwJa5uba5Okf70yTZAYRx1vHckCFbBkYZ213P78gzr-AwPKqPVgjE7yU/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b62.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and mirror mazes.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbMNzhYIlhu4QycZROpsc0ynKYVF9bTLHBXvgXkaOymCHpOUzJXIoe0jyjiK6WchpyhwIrQYB2PwHKFvSrCqLB5VHxlR3tsV8OFJbBpkEXZDzXPQHshJ9bc51o3sQVQNMHk-KeUY_dh6Aj/s1600/P1050859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbMNzhYIlhu4QycZROpsc0ynKYVF9bTLHBXvgXkaOymCHpOUzJXIoe0jyjiK6WchpyhwIrQYB2PwHKFvSrCqLB5VHxlR3tsV8OFJbBpkEXZDzXPQHshJ9bc51o3sQVQNMHk-KeUY_dh6Aj/s640/P1050859.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">What were they thinking?…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">After leaving the Canadian carnie scene behind, the view encompassing all three falls along the Niagara River was most superb!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHG7CMeTS0ZunB8LT2vYdsRK_5DjEhMUSHFE875uupHMCcadakYSbajRBnL09EI3uUTB86Fr672CW8YuSMUib0ZOYHR3S2NkeiWQ7U24VgmwRPL9lGr_42ObnEyQAq8HSc3vSLLkTZTl7j/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b9b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHG7CMeTS0ZunB8LT2vYdsRK_5DjEhMUSHFE875uupHMCcadakYSbajRBnL09EI3uUTB86Fr672CW8YuSMUib0ZOYHR3S2NkeiWQ7U24VgmwRPL9lGr_42ObnEyQAq8HSc3vSLLkTZTl7j/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b9b.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTvi2QK_S3-PlOX6oaxecf9VW4BIruhyphenhyphenHBoB5RfFJyUE9qd_H8NBCXHZ2fBYr_MiJNUVxlY1R7SdiJL2-luS_HohiLljbgz_45zvtapDJEJctFn26f_U0mbHBYDQHwkOs-aD1fbgR3aw4/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b70.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1195" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTvi2QK_S3-PlOX6oaxecf9VW4BIruhyphenhyphenHBoB5RfFJyUE9qd_H8NBCXHZ2fBYr_MiJNUVxlY1R7SdiJL2-luS_HohiLljbgz_45zvtapDJEJctFn26f_U0mbHBYDQHwkOs-aD1fbgR3aw4/s400/fullsizeoutput_2b70.jpeg" width="298" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The social scene was truly multicultural. We detected several different languages spoken by the crowd. Many of the women were in Middle Eastern or Indian gowns.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The gardens were meticulously groomed. The statue dedicated to the British royal family was of a British king—George VI, father of the present queen.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpekGyPJHMNSK1j66YYOl6kD7rYa3hwYcPWXnuvv-DUOLrVLnHhHs5qaM6-nyImUPW8EU_n2hajm-YRi5y_EoUDKR2AG2I_l5UbIOA9ArI1eLeaBp8j802LIhAvolgp6urp9ZYDzKA_wQ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b66.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1600" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpekGyPJHMNSK1j66YYOl6kD7rYa3hwYcPWXnuvv-DUOLrVLnHhHs5qaM6-nyImUPW8EU_n2hajm-YRi5y_EoUDKR2AG2I_l5UbIOA9ArI1eLeaBp8j802LIhAvolgp6urp9ZYDzKA_wQ/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b66.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1I_9i5PyvUjQ86BjW2uo0qb70ARP1QDTdJT5nQ-uuj74PIYnbezdcdq3r5AX7PQWFYkdEEluWceHGNcPfqqKG6LzgOuPDdomhYff2ZPLNjwp2xUA_2syzuR29_O6LdVfiboXyzYxUiNv/s1600/P1050888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1I_9i5PyvUjQ86BjW2uo0qb70ARP1QDTdJT5nQ-uuj74PIYnbezdcdq3r5AX7PQWFYkdEEluWceHGNcPfqqKG6LzgOuPDdomhYff2ZPLNjwp2xUA_2syzuR29_O6LdVfiboXyzYxUiNv/s640/P1050888.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Raincoats of every color were worn by all nationalities.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AFnNikjawn2ynWmnFgpwP5CpAwrum6O5vdH65b-_bcmhnxMQDq971Dpq4vzdSTHWxH0fBFBnlQnpjxmnshFnTgAwX34a1UjJodf6cGqnAnj-iw60IvHOxFKd-bMsiROzP1x19-GRtS0A/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b6c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="1600" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AFnNikjawn2ynWmnFgpwP5CpAwrum6O5vdH65b-_bcmhnxMQDq971Dpq4vzdSTHWxH0fBFBnlQnpjxmnshFnTgAwX34a1UjJodf6cGqnAnj-iw60IvHOxFKd-bMsiROzP1x19-GRtS0A/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b6c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A ride up the funicular to the bluff on the Canadian side was worth it for the view alone…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-RA6XTPJwep6jXP27nSEkK-B2ldOm-l8eB8CZ21zvTtVGqA04oAhIvXp9lQ6eNOrvBskyQUcVzqJu5Szw7aTFwkviEK0xK_xwRAwXyZ1afuXILg9yra4gBi47dR-LdsIFXHiSZdq0kWb/s1600/P1050882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-RA6XTPJwep6jXP27nSEkK-B2ldOm-l8eB8CZ21zvTtVGqA04oAhIvXp9lQ6eNOrvBskyQUcVzqJu5Szw7aTFwkviEK0xK_xwRAwXyZ1afuXILg9yra4gBi47dR-LdsIFXHiSZdq0kWb/s640/P1050882.JPG" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Niagara Falls is a great family vacation destination, but there is more to see than just the falls. <b><i>Old Fort Niagara</i></b> is just 20 minutes away downstream on a peninsula where the Niagara River empties into Lake Ontario. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WgRaGkv8EGADs8JvAiqQXr2xMVZxa58DAR_p472da04qxIBBs-jl9wzd-w8Z_yIzd_vmoIU7NzCdReoxhyphenhyphenUfWOJSHpWp7U2sjtXR38QVZNNfsfRXeItNeDhhhalN3ohHfvNzS2I4-sJ1/s1600/P1050924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WgRaGkv8EGADs8JvAiqQXr2xMVZxa58DAR_p472da04qxIBBs-jl9wzd-w8Z_yIzd_vmoIU7NzCdReoxhyphenhyphenUfWOJSHpWp7U2sjtXR38QVZNNfsfRXeItNeDhhhalN3ohHfvNzS2I4-sJ1/s640/P1050924.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">History goes back a long way here! The first military post was established at the fort in 1679. The fort’s strategic location compelled it to play a part in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, but it is best known for its role in the War of 1812.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuMOxMbn7jbq5uduo67KmpFAzh4PiQ_T0VKYSALaLYaH0yo4Ai34ZvXQIOrs2du1Cy5ZngQldSo98MeY3NdDyE7ug31CQp3bostspKpDKSzJFbYLff_aY1VpRlu9Qugdodb47CtFhyphenhyphen5xD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1326" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuMOxMbn7jbq5uduo67KmpFAzh4PiQ_T0VKYSALaLYaH0yo4Ai34ZvXQIOrs2du1Cy5ZngQldSo98MeY3NdDyE7ug31CQp3bostspKpDKSzJFbYLff_aY1VpRlu9Qugdodb47CtFhyphenhyphen5xD/s320/fullsizeoutput_2b20.jpeg" width="265" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">French Castle, the oldest building on the fort (1726), was designed to look like a house rather than a fortification in order to avoid giving offense to local Natives.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkF7nZErUcAGbHPMIswX5RrybVy1XFIr2A03H2gPBvatbhLb60TxGzrAFRbFBRfADmSW_G1VvuoQdTjszEpTEHYsMCktMMSolMORRxIdeSZWPSUAtHIjBY7DjP3-3g1_Vm9wi0PMGd3tW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b31.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkF7nZErUcAGbHPMIswX5RrybVy1XFIr2A03H2gPBvatbhLb60TxGzrAFRbFBRfADmSW_G1VvuoQdTjszEpTEHYsMCktMMSolMORRxIdeSZWPSUAtHIjBY7DjP3-3g1_Vm9wi0PMGd3tW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b31.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1600" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkF7nZErUcAGbHPMIswX5RrybVy1XFIr2A03H2gPBvatbhLb60TxGzrAFRbFBRfADmSW_G1VvuoQdTjszEpTEHYsMCktMMSolMORRxIdeSZWPSUAtHIjBY7DjP3-3g1_Vm9wi0PMGd3tW/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b31.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">One of the oldest surviving United States flags was on display at the fort. This flag was captured by the British during the War of 1812.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs_-2VQSQyRl8LplW70Bj53CQOGkfELpHJlgtZR6pipjlaCELZz3VWaWjLnuZ-e59gXYF-BAV9ZnhrQYaCpF5n0CLDMBF36hvd7qIvZaUUPbfdNCOibxgJggse8ElX7lDuJ698__8AMFr/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b22.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1600" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs_-2VQSQyRl8LplW70Bj53CQOGkfELpHJlgtZR6pipjlaCELZz3VWaWjLnuZ-e59gXYF-BAV9ZnhrQYaCpF5n0CLDMBF36hvd7qIvZaUUPbfdNCOibxgJggse8ElX7lDuJ698__8AMFr/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b22.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was interesting to soak up some of the history that played out here among some of the most authentic examples of 18th century architecture on the continent.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivctRFZBUG67hLTw_kF2auiMmu6GfX5pBvyyTWXKL_5Otup6BA9m7IYuIG65nUASD_VYkFK1ypad0NTg6Zxt-6o0RZ9BPfjjY7q-Kx4T5DkBGYcPjxObm4ERiiFRuFkzJl23V4soI0HYku/s1600/IMG_5186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivctRFZBUG67hLTw_kF2auiMmu6GfX5pBvyyTWXKL_5Otup6BA9m7IYuIG65nUASD_VYkFK1ypad0NTg6Zxt-6o0RZ9BPfjjY7q-Kx4T5DkBGYcPjxObm4ERiiFRuFkzJl23V4soI0HYku/s640/IMG_5186.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcd3lk0s1Fof9eG63irq8FBhEp2v4OOz3hCJ5mz59iYW70EKz_DAC2gg7a6ral4mQzSri9yZAg0168PzAuiomeqny4HIfpKqKVXJ0xmxTUBj_Xz141X4qcUF5xA7wLLuk8LKk-65hPgqP/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b29.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1600" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcd3lk0s1Fof9eG63irq8FBhEp2v4OOz3hCJ5mz59iYW70EKz_DAC2gg7a6ral4mQzSri9yZAg0168PzAuiomeqny4HIfpKqKVXJ0xmxTUBj_Xz141X4qcUF5xA7wLLuk8LKk-65hPgqP/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b29.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwFaSAJjkmmUS9Km0RBnZlhivmSTL-vk-ln-0uFa05bTNnQTY1PquR1bDcoWZGS46VMxfrq6QM6o9peZYaz9_yTMpjkF1kj-1X73nGlAR90FiFGPQt-mJsra6pOZum-vAfRDn3i4-J5th/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b40.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="1600" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwFaSAJjkmmUS9Km0RBnZlhivmSTL-vk-ln-0uFa05bTNnQTY1PquR1bDcoWZGS46VMxfrq6QM6o9peZYaz9_yTMpjkF1kj-1X73nGlAR90FiFGPQt-mJsra6pOZum-vAfRDn3i4-J5th/s400/fullsizeoutput_2b40.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">During our recent visit to <b><i>Fallingwater</i></b>, widely considered Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece, we were told by one of the docents that she felt Wright’s <b><i>Martin House</i></b> in Buffalo was even better. Hmmm, that had our attention… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSc0E01TpVqDwPNPVqN8sU6iD19PZu8yNwDIibdJDwd-3aIh7uqSlWu2XQ1JRhmxC0og19Xyua4-vZtfAb0_Av_HBkJuuY7WUjT3Uusw131MG_-efgmkFzZ2EWw9-xv5hK-d_6cVIKJBks/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b1d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1412" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSc0E01TpVqDwPNPVqN8sU6iD19PZu8yNwDIibdJDwd-3aIh7uqSlWu2XQ1JRhmxC0og19Xyua4-vZtfAb0_Av_HBkJuuY7WUjT3Uusw131MG_-efgmkFzZ2EWw9-xv5hK-d_6cVIKJBks/s320/fullsizeoutput_2b1d.jpeg" width="282" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Turns out, we agreed. Martin House was built by a young Frank Lloyd Wright at the turn of the 20th century for progressive businessman Darwin, D. Martin and his family. We felt <b><i>Martin House</i></b> was, as Frank Lloyd Wright said best, “a well-nigh perfect composition.”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWqOSeo7nMc5wYBef43Xyy4d_IPO_7SJEudP-Mwzkh5lXs2QtvJuve-u9OIudJGx3kOWWBM93Gzk3Yo-KoNRgFMVDz_W4IUVmkHYcfPE5MzsInMWjhEv1XxmH0dshFuzJWqOZWlJvVdzq/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b0f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWqOSeo7nMc5wYBef43Xyy4d_IPO_7SJEudP-Mwzkh5lXs2QtvJuve-u9OIudJGx3kOWWBM93Gzk3Yo-KoNRgFMVDz_W4IUVmkHYcfPE5MzsInMWjhEv1XxmH0dshFuzJWqOZWlJvVdzq/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b0f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Incredibly, this home was brought back from the brink of demolition and was meticulously restored to Wright’s original vision. Inside and out, it was a Wright classic. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YIB-dRP6Iunp5OyuFMbH_7ufx6C9Qp1Bm3-FZ8AlJZ_lhdpCb7PzkFmQVK-f5hp705aL5d9MHCUN5enOlgPxH90kGx_7saAQi7Yg5dxKCttLS-dmI1Hzk2H6NqHhDKFwYSu4dolwzhdC/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b0e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1600" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YIB-dRP6Iunp5OyuFMbH_7ufx6C9Qp1Bm3-FZ8AlJZ_lhdpCb7PzkFmQVK-f5hp705aL5d9MHCUN5enOlgPxH90kGx_7saAQi7Yg5dxKCttLS-dmI1Hzk2H6NqHhDKFwYSu4dolwzhdC/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b0e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Not every one of the sights we have chosen to visit are considered top-notch tourist destinations, and so it was in nearby Buffalo. It has been said that American architecture and Buffalo grew up together. Buffalo boasts having one of the finest inventories of great architecture of any city in America; however, we found it difficult to appreciate that fact in a downtown that wasn’t particularly walkable or attractive at street level.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We grabbed a few shots of notable buildings from the car window as we quickly swung through downtown, like these of the Buffalo skyline and the Art Deco dandy City Hall.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtMI2SDAhjEgfZML_OlEGkAq0DwjAk1BesmoELDmF3H21DMu0pxc6u3-PnoKbBWh8F3s-hAL8dPT2NOcJeEM5zoVqsV31ewt3QSPGaSXTUoR4NjVLVedW079AfuVHqpcJIIGaQ2mvLb1F/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b9d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1397" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtMI2SDAhjEgfZML_OlEGkAq0DwjAk1BesmoELDmF3H21DMu0pxc6u3-PnoKbBWh8F3s-hAL8dPT2NOcJeEM5zoVqsV31ewt3QSPGaSXTUoR4NjVLVedW079AfuVHqpcJIIGaQ2mvLb1F/s320/fullsizeoutput_2b9d.jpeg" width="278" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORQw0YPcYRuxGZKgbMPEWwCvmv_0hDJcNB1joRz-EXXa370244e0bM9RpqD68JbfBJqmkCcmv5Q6-qd84BjLuaCTs_XJ_hqG0pn2bmFG85xZicCchrfOiO1hTsMbqdaXurLIXJI7dSSIp/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2afd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1464" data-original-width="1600" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORQw0YPcYRuxGZKgbMPEWwCvmv_0hDJcNB1joRz-EXXa370244e0bM9RpqD68JbfBJqmkCcmv5Q6-qd84BjLuaCTs_XJ_hqG0pn2bmFG85xZicCchrfOiO1hTsMbqdaXurLIXJI7dSSIp/s320/fullsizeoutput_2afd.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Of more interest to us was the Buffalo waterfront with its haunting concrete monoliths that encapsulated the manufacturing and industrial history of a bygone era.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZM5sr1388-xXEiSPhB8CCdKqj6RDKPjUGWawrZQ8kr3YwMuPjaUoATpHlc7ahFE90SvGd5eV3AGQDmqTH9XmBH5sNxFl_WGT-opFtEDu7sZFeAqy95S0L9Hd-Nbrd7AX9uJGeFOWb4t9N/s1600/P1050981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZM5sr1388-xXEiSPhB8CCdKqj6RDKPjUGWawrZQ8kr3YwMuPjaUoATpHlc7ahFE90SvGd5eV3AGQDmqTH9XmBH5sNxFl_WGT-opFtEDu7sZFeAqy95S0L9Hd-Nbrd7AX9uJGeFOWb4t9N/s640/P1050981.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Heavy manufacturing departed Buffalo 50 years ago. At <b><i>Riverworks,</i></b> the city has celebrated its industrial past and has repurposed grain silos and concrete ruins into venues of recreation, entertainment, and culture.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHKZWw893M2um73nIqEwUTkIZCQHZOsCcgFcobICvE7pWa9P0gtikReNOAYrN3NKlrRaaHO6dYJvglOfJhrgdtgLmiJdnKbVRINbLZPtzAcCuD11TZIIujqkUXIGBT9wAd3utzVJ9k52G/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b08.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHKZWw893M2um73nIqEwUTkIZCQHZOsCcgFcobICvE7pWa9P0gtikReNOAYrN3NKlrRaaHO6dYJvglOfJhrgdtgLmiJdnKbVRINbLZPtzAcCuD11TZIIujqkUXIGBT9wAd3utzVJ9k52G/s400/fullsizeoutput_2b08.jpeg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53h8WZXSHmPlk55OiT_2X3AO24Qc-6yPNJCX-rYghkyT46E5BIcey-f7gzmZZhDErQKK_digsi_xxE4PkNPxZ1iEbfG874hiXhgE8LNH3WsCwz9r-UkUcgPiuYUB4qytXZgtEr-EjX9_7/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b09.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1422" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53h8WZXSHmPlk55OiT_2X3AO24Qc-6yPNJCX-rYghkyT46E5BIcey-f7gzmZZhDErQKK_digsi_xxE4PkNPxZ1iEbfG874hiXhgE8LNH3WsCwz9r-UkUcgPiuYUB4qytXZgtEr-EjX9_7/s320/fullsizeoutput_2b09.jpeg" width="283" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Whew! That was a stimulating week in the Niagara Falls area. I feel that no travel blog about Niagara Falls would be complete without at least a mention of some of the crazy human tricks that have been inspired by this world-class waterfall.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In 2012, Nik Wallenda successfully navigated a tightrope that spanned 1800 feet across the brim of Horseshoe Falls. Crazy… even with a tether.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdKoQTBnP122-aMR7kWXXBN9cGooM4kL76YAy7w6IDfGmzJNjcj05n4HBbsVit_k_CPLjD8Yu-QSe_TmZPMPp-1IdR4pfF71gf3HhSs0nxjFNHIyL5VjSorrU8_D9fEhcFB0TX32bRwPd/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2ba4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="820" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdKoQTBnP122-aMR7kWXXBN9cGooM4kL76YAy7w6IDfGmzJNjcj05n4HBbsVit_k_CPLjD8Yu-QSe_TmZPMPp-1IdR4pfF71gf3HhSs0nxjFNHIyL5VjSorrU8_D9fEhcFB0TX32bRwPd/s400/fullsizeoutput_2ba4.jpeg" width="298" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As a money-generating stunt in 1901, 63-year-old Michigan schoolteacher Annie Edson Taylor became the first person to go over the falls in a barrel, but not until after testing her custom-made barrel by first sending a cat in her barrel over the falls! When Annie made her own plunge two days later, she survived unharmed with little more than a few cuts. All I can say is: “That’s a terrible way to treat a cat!”</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 30px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghAAOJXFALXzjBhn9v9es-tFCIvs_moIv3eRAMHVCkVC4XkPd-txjDfeAk3vIEKnxQh17KH9YWCm-ksTG2BrXH-k7-ooQJ8p2Swguvqzo7JsCDarYsFOCtTMMlxBgSaLuJxUjUW7Q67OO/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2b8b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghAAOJXFALXzjBhn9v9es-tFCIvs_moIv3eRAMHVCkVC4XkPd-txjDfeAk3vIEKnxQh17KH9YWCm-ksTG2BrXH-k7-ooQJ8p2Swguvqzo7JsCDarYsFOCtTMMlxBgSaLuJxUjUW7Q67OO/s640/fullsizeoutput_2b8b.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-18076803183666990922019-08-24T06:52:00.374-05:002021-02-12T06:20:27.999-06:00THE PITTSBURGH EXPERIENCE<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrdLFSPw8Uw51rv2i1cv7EPub9mEtU7UADCEfwyQtIIATvAZNQEe3xECkr7JOI6ePZINB66lANcQzd08TQjq9qmR_Gl8rnwQrhRqOFqmKLhro30o5DbD3L6rzO6TPEjL40j9_wxB7DR8-/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2b4c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrdLFSPw8Uw51rv2i1cv7EPub9mEtU7UADCEfwyQtIIATvAZNQEe3xECkr7JOI6ePZINB66lANcQzd08TQjq9qmR_Gl8rnwQrhRqOFqmKLhro30o5DbD3L6rzO6TPEjL40j9_wxB7DR8-/w612-h460/fullsizeoutput_2b4c.jpeg" width="612" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIA0Rc0zdrSF7XxHM09TsGLNKQvbSgIUQam4dH70l7nHW5d_-WUZqa8quOe2zE0FvyarmVB9J-_o46JFP-N2Du7ehRFPVPjKpMNKU5arr19FIo7JS-n7fHHq4Dt3oYQngyK1UHNF_bLoR/s467/fullsizeoutput_2b4e.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="467" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIA0Rc0zdrSF7XxHM09TsGLNKQvbSgIUQam4dH70l7nHW5d_-WUZqa8quOe2zE0FvyarmVB9J-_o46JFP-N2Du7ehRFPVPjKpMNKU5arr19FIo7JS-n7fHHq4Dt3oYQngyK1UHNF_bLoR/s320/fullsizeoutput_2b4e.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Carol writes:</span> </span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">As the sounds of the iconic guitar tunes of the </span><b style="font-size: 18px;"><i>Rock and Roll Hall of Fame</i></b><span style="font-size: medium;"> faded in the rearview mirror along with the Cleveland skyline, the big bus rolled on into the hills and valleys of the Pennsylvania countryside. Our destination for the next week was New Stanton, Pennsylvania, in the greater Pittsburgh area. </span></span></p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tNM2FhDbsolAZVgvXZjk9msmT5CiquR2WNpbZw9rjQrhcJwX7oIwvFyc3kMpediI_n3PCFh1swCI-1VuD03IeGGlpts6Y5IWOlLblc2vw3vQv4mFe4zQmf8zsv8v5XB-lSM72LXGS5gh/s2584/fullsizeoutput_2aa5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1217" data-original-width="2584" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tNM2FhDbsolAZVgvXZjk9msmT5CiquR2WNpbZw9rjQrhcJwX7oIwvFyc3kMpediI_n3PCFh1swCI-1VuD03IeGGlpts6Y5IWOlLblc2vw3vQv4mFe4zQmf8zsv8v5XB-lSM72LXGS5gh/w654-h309/fullsizeoutput_2aa5.jpeg" width="654" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Pittsburgh has been given the nickname “<b><i>the</i></b> <b><i>Steel City” </i></b>in recognition of the hundreds of steel-related businesses that were an integral part of its early history. Most Americans also know Pittsburgh as a city of championship sports franchises, including the Pittsburgh Steelers,</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2sPTE32rydG2QnMnusdNylWf-USllbDnlQfMP2OCTAe8o8UIfDh7p21NgNNjDM96gXB3fazPVIx63r9SesaROKslYXU8lOwtW37HcYBzeqEf_OKFQH_9rCFrjONLx8V2Ht3bj6QKGFVD/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a8a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2sPTE32rydG2QnMnusdNylWf-USllbDnlQfMP2OCTAe8o8UIfDh7p21NgNNjDM96gXB3fazPVIx63r9SesaROKslYXU8lOwtW37HcYBzeqEf_OKFQH_9rCFrjONLx8V2Ht3bj6QKGFVD/w298-h167/fullsizeoutput_2a8a.jpeg" width="298" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmOoLBCJ_XDqtev29CL8pqgaIWbSnGWIGhj2z0L6OzJKjGwgZ_PABexrDlDMZPYnFx68Fi7XkzzB6DErIzCHToppxTZ7f2CBKbH7bHJbR3BMHUjWvjm7HgS3GkGmw-rPr2VOMG8kXqLkM/s4608/IMG_5104.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="4608" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmOoLBCJ_XDqtev29CL8pqgaIWbSnGWIGhj2z0L6OzJKjGwgZ_PABexrDlDMZPYnFx68Fi7XkzzB6DErIzCHToppxTZ7f2CBKbH7bHJbR3BMHUjWvjm7HgS3GkGmw-rPr2VOMG8kXqLkM/w465-h262/IMG_5104.JPG" width="465" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">the Pittsburgh Pirates,</span></p><br /><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qT8r7S7IBkCohK9jocy-VN6ZR9ArRJVu1yMBbO_B6LsD53r8bYyTY1OHvdJIM4Bwu2-C0CMR-QqOn2g2VYElexTY7nOiRUbmDkSr9KvtZk1T_vBWTXLcU7W2lhRkrwX3yMtyys4fL_CW/s2026/fullsizeoutput_2a95.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="2026" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qT8r7S7IBkCohK9jocy-VN6ZR9ArRJVu1yMBbO_B6LsD53r8bYyTY1OHvdJIM4Bwu2-C0CMR-QqOn2g2VYElexTY7nOiRUbmDkSr9KvtZk1T_vBWTXLcU7W2lhRkrwX3yMtyys4fL_CW/w439-h220/fullsizeoutput_2a95.jpeg" width="439" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLC9iSWekdJJ807DTf_6_8NmYjG4Y_k-wCQbSwawu_kbYfIcVZwBRVTNPxrF6q6XL-dGYWkz1kYoXGmtBLsNtMmadm1iQgaSuVRHEGIyATNQYG-qT79nmaovCZb_uRMQVZbqKnTEHaVVY/s4608/IMG_5126.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="4608" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLC9iSWekdJJ807DTf_6_8NmYjG4Y_k-wCQbSwawu_kbYfIcVZwBRVTNPxrF6q6XL-dGYWkz1kYoXGmtBLsNtMmadm1iQgaSuVRHEGIyATNQYG-qT79nmaovCZb_uRMQVZbqKnTEHaVVY/w449-h252/IMG_5126.JPG" width="449" /></a></div>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span>and the Pittsburgh Penguins.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The biggest surprise on first seeing this gritty, yet friendly blue-collar “Rust Belt” town, was its amazing raw beauty and unique locale at the junction of three rivers. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GRN7-IjVTkjV8vXWZNVNpdEcY5fsYaElBG32PpzImZpDh0eGVM9fJBvuWM7-TkmFk3I_pw5j9MVRd7QcPqehAzBKDMKYo8gArnz916MztQE0fjNnQvqqsn869cX-0Rk1dlN839hylnic/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2b56.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="2048" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GRN7-IjVTkjV8vXWZNVNpdEcY5fsYaElBG32PpzImZpDh0eGVM9fJBvuWM7-TkmFk3I_pw5j9MVRd7QcPqehAzBKDMKYo8gArnz916MztQE0fjNnQvqqsn869cX-0Rk1dlN839hylnic/w576-h307/fullsizeoutput_2b56.jpeg" width="576" /></a></div><br /><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8hLCbGmrtMtlSc3mMUNSRJvbjEQSD_xXF8SHSS9vayaLa2b7SZp5WgpsNk9R3zJ3oVZfv3EQnfanWm4wvL3egQ_gbZgzFcXmrK5nWsJz22vKqxKLKCrLbvG8hIZt2F3HZly4FPw4g08t/s2048/fullsizeoutput_29f4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="2048" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8hLCbGmrtMtlSc3mMUNSRJvbjEQSD_xXF8SHSS9vayaLa2b7SZp5WgpsNk9R3zJ3oVZfv3EQnfanWm4wvL3egQ_gbZgzFcXmrK5nWsJz22vKqxKLKCrLbvG8hIZt2F3HZly4FPw4g08t/w394-h215/fullsizeoutput_29f4.jpeg" width="394" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">We knew we would need at least a couple of days to check out this most interesting backdrop; however, first on our agenda was a visit to a 1935 Frank Lloyd Wright private home creation called <b><i>Fallingwater, </i></b>which has been hailed as the “best all-time work of American architecture.”</p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUE_h9M7tVBazlMlRblsD2VsIsS0PBCmUZKwpxvQMzxxCNKznAqhMjUIGuE9TnIjSU8liKM2BbonbK-EhykaYAIcnIkLtmf0hzCfBPVNG7lv0SgJFp6qDQ6JBWsvlOLdfiFxUkfV8m_puk/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2aa4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1758" data-original-width="2048" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUE_h9M7tVBazlMlRblsD2VsIsS0PBCmUZKwpxvQMzxxCNKznAqhMjUIGuE9TnIjSU8liKM2BbonbK-EhykaYAIcnIkLtmf0hzCfBPVNG7lv0SgJFp6qDQ6JBWsvlOLdfiFxUkfV8m_puk/w401-h345/fullsizeoutput_2aa4.jpeg" width="401" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">In his lifetime, architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed over 1000 structures, and half of them were eventually built. <b><i>Fallingwater</i></b> is considered his masterpiece. The home was designed as a private weekend retreat for a wealthy businessman. Wright designed this dramatically cantilevered structure on Bear Run</p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><br /><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgLUIPTwDzKZXjtUqikT8oFt08VRRfBRHS6WZUirnQ1YDfuH64fq62HAm18MOcBi22WGJqUYttEgnOSSg0P60wNzcDQYcpRD6h3LnDePJUfCgyo9WyhmPeEJ_D8HHdlAcEO9tm5jD0IJo/s2048/fullsizeoutput_29ec.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgLUIPTwDzKZXjtUqikT8oFt08VRRfBRHS6WZUirnQ1YDfuH64fq62HAm18MOcBi22WGJqUYttEgnOSSg0P60wNzcDQYcpRD6h3LnDePJUfCgyo9WyhmPeEJ_D8HHdlAcEO9tm5jD0IJo/w588-h331/fullsizeoutput_29ec.jpeg" width="588" /></a></span></div><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">to sit above the waterfall rather than below it so that its owner could better appreciate the amazing natural view of the cascading waters, as seen looking back from this iconic vantage point. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZr9yfAc4LWjXu7tkl_byCD1fBHv-8Z14z9v4SY3LkGRhYRTEL1vGZ0purev78sRxucpGxDeIO4Ew6yPSB1GZAaQnlyxb5O380bEnIpiI7ULNBnXpKKHdqdy9zlwntF_aiLHmu3xSe4b8/s2048/fullsizeoutput_29f0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZr9yfAc4LWjXu7tkl_byCD1fBHv-8Z14z9v4SY3LkGRhYRTEL1vGZ0purev78sRxucpGxDeIO4Ew6yPSB1GZAaQnlyxb5O380bEnIpiI7ULNBnXpKKHdqdy9zlwntF_aiLHmu3xSe4b8/w595-h335/fullsizeoutput_29f0.jpeg" width="595" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">As with all Frank Lloyd Wright creations, the goal was to promote harmony between man and nature through design. To that end, incorporating a waterfall into the organic architecture of this home has internationally been recognized as brilliant. Wright felt that his Prairie style of horizontal surfaces with compressed and released space that invited the outdoors inside expressed the character, indeed the very soul, of a new American style.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">During the tour, photography was prohibited inside; however, there were thousands of indoor photographs online, so I have shamelessly resorted to using two publicly available photos. The main living space shows how Wright masterfully incorporated the interplay of architecture, design and landscape. Many of the natural materials used in the construction of <b><i>Fallingwater</i></b> were harvested from the building site.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fRx7yjEOO_eeEfnj9ktUD1_Ep7jy0ui4Ov8_eGLXJ4ZeArpynP03b2bIFlBLiJ7usd0OqdzTkbiPK4wFCAIrc0RgSvntg8r9BcVskWpeBLPHuB8kS0NLXUbt4CZT3SoOIxaF7nj-j9UO/s800/58751184_10157313478239343_4045373633894285312_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="800" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fRx7yjEOO_eeEfnj9ktUD1_Ep7jy0ui4Ov8_eGLXJ4ZeArpynP03b2bIFlBLiJ7usd0OqdzTkbiPK4wFCAIrc0RgSvntg8r9BcVskWpeBLPHuB8kS0NLXUbt4CZT3SoOIxaF7nj-j9UO/w577-h353/58751184_10157313478239343_4045373633894285312_n.jpg" width="577" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbdLouFNNUoaxa9Z5cWRKsysqhcqrGSnZNVvaRZHBtufQyr-v140WUn6xx57yUvNVn3RYkmdgapb1NFN0jBEMbuA_RlqVp_ywKx3FwLuPJHOnfobanhmOyGRlQsmDTGVtP4jNumLKmqQG/s852/fallingwater-frank-lloyd-wright-pennsylvania-1935-150th-birthday_dezeen_2364_ss_3-852x426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="852" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbdLouFNNUoaxa9Z5cWRKsysqhcqrGSnZNVvaRZHBtufQyr-v140WUn6xx57yUvNVn3RYkmdgapb1NFN0jBEMbuA_RlqVp_ywKx3FwLuPJHOnfobanhmOyGRlQsmDTGVtP4jNumLKmqQG/w584-h292/fallingwater-frank-lloyd-wright-pennsylvania-1935-150th-birthday_dezeen_2364_ss_3-852x426.jpg" width="584" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Back to Pittsburgh…</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">We picked a beautiful sunny day at the height of the summer season for an ambitious urban hike along the Pittsburgh waterfront where the Allegheny and the Monongahela rivers meet to form the headwaters of the Ohio River. What a marvelously beautiful locale—with a point of emphasis provided by the fountain at the confluence, along with numerous bridges up and down the three rivers as a backdrop.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">A short way downstream from the confluence, we rode the <b><i>Duquesne Incline</i></b> funicular to the top of the bluff for lunch at <b><i>“Vue 412” </i></b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><b><i></i></b></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPcP-CevTWSbzhJBK_epXhFULLrPeHe901i4QGadTMACRxpfTxwVmyTlBA7eohMgUfjykeaYQ2C0jCiwZ_aZH9FuxPz7cVdScy0aiho2gSuzUjW4A4-2HkFqsTVPyy4JS04qRWeMGizeK/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a81.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="2048" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPcP-CevTWSbzhJBK_epXhFULLrPeHe901i4QGadTMACRxpfTxwVmyTlBA7eohMgUfjykeaYQ2C0jCiwZ_aZH9FuxPz7cVdScy0aiho2gSuzUjW4A4-2HkFqsTVPyy4JS04qRWeMGizeK/w371-h256/fullsizeoutput_2a81.jpeg" width="371" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFj5mJPmAPwItQD7xOyl2C1EWu2rMFcrc0PgtgST1Jb0fOiEPjfgl4oDVLu0gUY3RmrMb7Qoj5AJFB9rljDebSeFhf6oZ5-Y4rACU3ZOHREzVRrSYrJgkH4nvKSMSVD4LT_mYCVm_tsPu/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a7a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFj5mJPmAPwItQD7xOyl2C1EWu2rMFcrc0PgtgST1Jb0fOiEPjfgl4oDVLu0gUY3RmrMb7Qoj5AJFB9rljDebSeFhf6oZ5-Y4rACU3ZOHREzVRrSYrJgkH4nvKSMSVD4LT_mYCVm_tsPu/w623-h352/fullsizeoutput_2a7a.jpeg" width="623" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XcVX8s-4hrQLDEAJT7IvoBfBJT8I2CqKswmxTkJ5vmqwbe_071SmTTwG8L8xP7cTBzW5kJTHtKIIeTe-jFv4pHE2ISH6LFdjz3Y3F-u32jvBTSZ-QxJhAM_fx7pll3FzZE578jySMJU5/s4608/IMG_5111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="4608" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XcVX8s-4hrQLDEAJT7IvoBfBJT8I2CqKswmxTkJ5vmqwbe_071SmTTwG8L8xP7cTBzW5kJTHtKIIeTe-jFv4pHE2ISH6LFdjz3Y3F-u32jvBTSZ-QxJhAM_fx7pll3FzZE578jySMJU5/w644-h363/IMG_5111.JPG" width="644" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><br /><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">and a grand view of the meeting point of three rivers. Out of curiosity, I asked and was told that “412” is the area code of Pittsburgh. Clever restaurant branding!</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBH2Eso_BzsrT8KZe4KacJYwmnLo6fetHDCSegRB7Ww_eF9exbEZw0ZRp1iiWzfz1vMgULByQNxAtVEtdPi0DryO2OlF303yZo-Crpi4QTCEYEaKS7BgxPS-DspxohyooBJ3S4yiHRSn04/s2593/fullsizeoutput_2a8c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="2593" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBH2Eso_BzsrT8KZe4KacJYwmnLo6fetHDCSegRB7Ww_eF9exbEZw0ZRp1iiWzfz1vMgULByQNxAtVEtdPi0DryO2OlF303yZo-Crpi4QTCEYEaKS7BgxPS-DspxohyooBJ3S4yiHRSn04/w280-h131/fullsizeoutput_2a8c.jpeg" width="280" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvcPnfCuCMBd9oYnrMAo-0HMn_ZfECrX-jZZlG1X4GC1yM-LUF6LI8Pptp1sSD6kjUy1W3_GplXW0ecl2MsDKTaGIh9xPur3s-eD7L0-MLPIZj21YhF4If3TJVIoWiJuka6UiieLyu8D9/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a87.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvcPnfCuCMBd9oYnrMAo-0HMn_ZfECrX-jZZlG1X4GC1yM-LUF6LI8Pptp1sSD6kjUy1W3_GplXW0ecl2MsDKTaGIh9xPur3s-eD7L0-MLPIZj21YhF4If3TJVIoWiJuka6UiieLyu8D9/w459-h258/fullsizeoutput_2a87.jpeg" width="459" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">It was easy to appreciate why nighttime blimp scenes of Heinz Field featured on <b><i>Sunday Night Football</i></b> Steelers’ games always seemed so unbelievably spectacular!</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDCO_kliqhdp0v3QvXq0z9C6OmYBfYYsxPGxPC2uH2eXDpBvilH7OQeYCvyO6Q1jaVS8jyXAlHY6czAiNQ8D2IAIDUtsq_wYU4KEJnBLhVFmNTy5OzfZ-wFPWVVzf-AKij5mbZfCo0VVX/s2727/fullsizeoutput_2a7f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="2727" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDCO_kliqhdp0v3QvXq0z9C6OmYBfYYsxPGxPC2uH2eXDpBvilH7OQeYCvyO6Q1jaVS8jyXAlHY6czAiNQ8D2IAIDUtsq_wYU4KEJnBLhVFmNTy5OzfZ-wFPWVVzf-AKij5mbZfCo0VVX/w595-h251/fullsizeoutput_2a7f.jpeg" width="595" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">More Pittsburgh skyline beauty unfolded as we </span>as we angled toward a hike across the Clemente Bridge.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgLhIhwzlYUVRkFjpIK5QMrao5s2T9Acd9ZzXWP15R2Y_xgIxvxYgr0ZM_rGmeXTN3BdlSUuZ8sfvsbFlV0ubG0XdZ3yrxV_E8WaWk57ttYhNKCfi4BwTXWNvLtTU7SuHqs3dew3cgZzx/s4000/P1050782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgLhIhwzlYUVRkFjpIK5QMrao5s2T9Acd9ZzXWP15R2Y_xgIxvxYgr0ZM_rGmeXTN3BdlSUuZ8sfvsbFlV0ubG0XdZ3yrxV_E8WaWk57ttYhNKCfi4BwTXWNvLtTU7SuHqs3dew3cgZzx/w313-h177/P1050782.JPG" width="313" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1fQSeSyU3Ka4bETDinUNEzlNW4n7HvoLIDHft_qfScz4hoGVXXs1SOiVYEnAnq49CoiTx8Niui7sW0pBQ2Pg5SV3OMMfJzlivHFwFo1j1BBw6OwTSMDA_D0cmekNHDb-D_-vejFspYip/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a9b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1fQSeSyU3Ka4bETDinUNEzlNW4n7HvoLIDHft_qfScz4hoGVXXs1SOiVYEnAnq49CoiTx8Niui7sW0pBQ2Pg5SV3OMMfJzlivHFwFo1j1BBw6OwTSMDA_D0cmekNHDb-D_-vejFspYip/w495-h278/fullsizeoutput_2a9b.jpeg" width="495" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Equally impressive was the section of riverfront featuring the castle-like crown of PPG Place and the building with giant pictures of three beloved residents of Pittsburghs: Rachel Carson, Andy Warhol, and Roberto Clemente. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjNI0gw8edKk0OuaPGGmg6xTttqFSL2-Czo_AQCvzMivsndXrejOJf93SH8YcLguV6soYMpldTcqZ3Gyj9xiP514D_gyC-bS8G1seIwXgi__TF2GIHSzMLqd17598-VWLe8ywJDePct_c/s4000/P1050791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjNI0gw8edKk0OuaPGGmg6xTttqFSL2-Czo_AQCvzMivsndXrejOJf93SH8YcLguV6soYMpldTcqZ3Gyj9xiP514D_gyC-bS8G1seIwXgi__TF2GIHSzMLqd17598-VWLe8ywJDePct_c/w621-h348/P1050791.JPG" width="621" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">We also stopped for a glance inside the fences of the hallowed grounds where Roberto Clemente made his mark on baseball history.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiPWk6uovmsUaevjPhphi8Di4JHDQwYeAvewtnVusrzLZOQkn7veKpekMpBGZaVX5XtE3R01g1B2xXn8dTO3VOOyc8b74kY0xq8CNJFTXY341Lw72O3OFtdIuaxXz17hPy7eH-b_NzQQM/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a99.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="2048" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiPWk6uovmsUaevjPhphi8Di4JHDQwYeAvewtnVusrzLZOQkn7veKpekMpBGZaVX5XtE3R01g1B2xXn8dTO3VOOyc8b74kY0xq8CNJFTXY341Lw72O3OFtdIuaxXz17hPy7eH-b_NzQQM/w349-h184/fullsizeoutput_2a99.jpeg" width="349" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pQzClexYWN9MOKPuDtJFEpYp69VKkYzmamsRY9foIShyphenhyphennefcReIzNZWLMloMTb04Kp9OOQrB9kqn2IkY1maHVPujtBjI3P38mHDLNVrlTsIJN0iMxq2JGssXFEFTgFC24-FX4t7gn-ik/s2848/fullsizeoutput_2a97.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1105" data-original-width="2848" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pQzClexYWN9MOKPuDtJFEpYp69VKkYzmamsRY9foIShyphenhyphennefcReIzNZWLMloMTb04Kp9OOQrB9kqn2IkY1maHVPujtBjI3P38mHDLNVrlTsIJN0iMxq2JGssXFEFTgFC24-FX4t7gn-ik/w460-h178/fullsizeoutput_2a97.jpeg" width="460" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBybUkoBOa5cOItaUZvBD-ditOwQ8MJthpKnQEizSEVTuupqmyEZjOemfbfh_PnsB6FmCmeOohWB2OxYHEVBX4A8kkNbsmdH2epUf6GqpvnVyMMTRUyoTptMyK3xz8I2DCsiOERqGVdf8B/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a9f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1406" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBybUkoBOa5cOItaUZvBD-ditOwQ8MJthpKnQEizSEVTuupqmyEZjOemfbfh_PnsB6FmCmeOohWB2OxYHEVBX4A8kkNbsmdH2epUf6GqpvnVyMMTRUyoTptMyK3xz8I2DCsiOERqGVdf8B/w311-h452/fullsizeoutput_2a9f.jpeg" width="311" /></a></span></div><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">With a man like Andrew Carnegie as its wealthy benefactor, it wasn’t surprising to discover that Pittsburgh has a first-class museum of art. One day wasn’t near enough to cover such a renowned art museum, in addition to the large and small wonders found in the accompanying Carnegie Museum of Natural History.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Paintings of Pittsburgh at the height of the manufacturing era,</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt2Xus5WHcrwoTzNXlOfDV1LN3RoPP7ZHjFM90OjYyiMcd7czeYVqyXsO67XEnuqWl9FmemqC2kONH2rskXKeEPmvEVFjj5RiC3z7rJz5Ua6TmqI28ek30c9xztylilDS5-mvhawuh0eC/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2ab3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1426" data-original-width="2048" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt2Xus5WHcrwoTzNXlOfDV1LN3RoPP7ZHjFM90OjYyiMcd7czeYVqyXsO67XEnuqWl9FmemqC2kONH2rskXKeEPmvEVFjj5RiC3z7rJz5Ua6TmqI28ek30c9xztylilDS5-mvhawuh0eC/w489-h341/fullsizeoutput_2ab3.jpeg" width="489" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Dutch portraiture,</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9VFym3uoFmi24gyiowUiWsQ9uWcX-oLE6d_paopncIk7VhnEoccSPLRbiVAZe5PhfLI6yCHRoJPRbbF3QlGM-AxVYrtGMc-XHP6fy4-Qf6yXENeTlGnlf_A-mTdgMtml1m35JK-lGE3G/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2ae9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1734" height="405" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9VFym3uoFmi24gyiowUiWsQ9uWcX-oLE6d_paopncIk7VhnEoccSPLRbiVAZe5PhfLI6yCHRoJPRbbF3QlGM-AxVYrtGMc-XHP6fy4-Qf6yXENeTlGnlf_A-mTdgMtml1m35JK-lGE3G/w343-h405/fullsizeoutput_2ae9.jpeg" width="343" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Renoir Impressionism,</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBValAReJSEK3ICzBM2_avHKXeJpRKNo-JWicNX2A6Y0pZBgaAOTMXTh-OnOW_2_2V1kS_0sVL3Y2owx2FRMj7pcTfRXATGdprufA77hWtKPC5rGmXuavO5yDa5lzvv4EzRoN1nHRaGCji/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2b59.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1334" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBValAReJSEK3ICzBM2_avHKXeJpRKNo-JWicNX2A6Y0pZBgaAOTMXTh-OnOW_2_2V1kS_0sVL3Y2owx2FRMj7pcTfRXATGdprufA77hWtKPC5rGmXuavO5yDa5lzvv4EzRoN1nHRaGCji/w330-h508/fullsizeoutput_2b59.jpeg" width="330" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Van Gogh wheat fields,</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3Do0tivy0dFzoDL09IhVQ2Dvvn1GIBiLikOGB7g4cUVJdOXeMzXWR6psizyLn_Oet-JW9hBcnrEjM0PSTWi0ZuJp8YRMWhlXTnMYU1bCAyqs2Cx-MhM3ykWVZQ-GH8BEom1aeuZZtpmY/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2ac5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1739" data-original-width="2048" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3Do0tivy0dFzoDL09IhVQ2Dvvn1GIBiLikOGB7g4cUVJdOXeMzXWR6psizyLn_Oet-JW9hBcnrEjM0PSTWi0ZuJp8YRMWhlXTnMYU1bCAyqs2Cx-MhM3ykWVZQ-GH8BEom1aeuZZtpmY/w489-h416/fullsizeoutput_2ac5.jpeg" width="489" /></a><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">and anything connected with those water lilies of Monet</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIn4BCVO7I9SOQ3BTJ_7xEnPfQbrQBEelnAV0GvUCzbxWblWtP4wuQWd2Ogp6uDGWufrW-kb7m_pwVCipQlYkpdm8s2u5ZLU07SalionedzpWRAK5xSLTOp_tEDOe8Pirka9FOLqcYoj1t/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2ac9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="2048" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIn4BCVO7I9SOQ3BTJ_7xEnPfQbrQBEelnAV0GvUCzbxWblWtP4wuQWd2Ogp6uDGWufrW-kb7m_pwVCipQlYkpdm8s2u5ZLU07SalionedzpWRAK5xSLTOp_tEDOe8Pirka9FOLqcYoj1t/w558-h356/fullsizeoutput_2ac9.jpeg" width="558" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">drew us in like a magnet.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The natural history section of the museum offered us a peek at large-scale classic architecture, </span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggo2T6rxuTRK6_ih0oFclo4efNBHK83PclvVRBUj4vpLwNdnSdT68fMwbzstE0Ay37faLpbis9RxH0eEHshQHdYbEeXd_kdcOmeY39_bMAUo6FTG3Hetcf5q0gCWhnN10jggFa5H4I4mfX/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2aa9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggo2T6rxuTRK6_ih0oFclo4efNBHK83PclvVRBUj4vpLwNdnSdT68fMwbzstE0Ay37faLpbis9RxH0eEHshQHdYbEeXd_kdcOmeY39_bMAUo6FTG3Hetcf5q0gCWhnN10jggFa5H4I4mfX/w643-h361/fullsizeoutput_2aa9.jpeg" width="643" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">the required dinosaur skeletons,</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQPMWRSvt8ggfWlavtYFWku90gWiQ1Nu5uKfSxdMgazYY4BntoOBWdTmq2WtJpmsQO3pUlwjjAIi2BDEZCmHZMaMOzNC2facWc8Ak0Bwx9cc2_hROSGJVa9-tBXz7cJhFbPBJnMOxvay0/s4000/P1050626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQPMWRSvt8ggfWlavtYFWku90gWiQ1Nu5uKfSxdMgazYY4BntoOBWdTmq2WtJpmsQO3pUlwjjAIi2BDEZCmHZMaMOzNC2facWc8Ak0Bwx9cc2_hROSGJVa9-tBXz7cJhFbPBJnMOxvay0/w583-h328/P1050626.JPG" width="583" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">and remarkable life-size animal dioramas.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><br /><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEj6FQsoblTsdPIdyODpjP7Xie1J-beIByG_KdzpizDNp9MZSXz2exlAhHyTJXkw_pr02OY3Gi9FcqyLOY3TflXKXQHfuxF6HA-BGlXtPko0meLstBWDkQKCUyfZbtDXb70Tew_hW7ffZR/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2b51.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="2048" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEj6FQsoblTsdPIdyODpjP7Xie1J-beIByG_KdzpizDNp9MZSXz2exlAhHyTJXkw_pr02OY3Gi9FcqyLOY3TflXKXQHfuxF6HA-BGlXtPko0meLstBWDkQKCUyfZbtDXb70Tew_hW7ffZR/w609-h336/fullsizeoutput_2b51.jpeg" width="609" /></a></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8LeRPWcenGkETzSSydd7CU_YjXKf7SO49ddrmrZnpAq-3B077zVEnubBZJyEwG8jkoFYAMPHM0kZiWg-Udb6-g1PIVx8ZYDgf3KkfeNagpCExx7CxerQdzXGtGpzEBMlts9eoehPKvsz/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a04.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8LeRPWcenGkETzSSydd7CU_YjXKf7SO49ddrmrZnpAq-3B077zVEnubBZJyEwG8jkoFYAMPHM0kZiWg-Udb6-g1PIVx8ZYDgf3KkfeNagpCExx7CxerQdzXGtGpzEBMlts9eoehPKvsz/w455-h341/fullsizeoutput_2a04.jpeg" width="455" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8LeRPWcenGkETzSSydd7CU_YjXKf7SO49ddrmrZnpAq-3B077zVEnubBZJyEwG8jkoFYAMPHM0kZiWg-Udb6-g1PIVx8ZYDgf3KkfeNagpCExx7CxerQdzXGtGpzEBMlts9eoehPKvsz/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a04.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8LeRPWcenGkETzSSydd7CU_YjXKf7SO49ddrmrZnpAq-3B077zVEnubBZJyEwG8jkoFYAMPHM0kZiWg-Udb6-g1PIVx8ZYDgf3KkfeNagpCExx7CxerQdzXGtGpzEBMlts9eoehPKvsz/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a04.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8LeRPWcenGkETzSSydd7CU_YjXKf7SO49ddrmrZnpAq-3B077zVEnubBZJyEwG8jkoFYAMPHM0kZiWg-Udb6-g1PIVx8ZYDgf3KkfeNagpCExx7CxerQdzXGtGpzEBMlts9eoehPKvsz/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a04.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8LeRPWcenGkETzSSydd7CU_YjXKf7SO49ddrmrZnpAq-3B077zVEnubBZJyEwG8jkoFYAMPHM0kZiWg-Udb6-g1PIVx8ZYDgf3KkfeNagpCExx7CxerQdzXGtGpzEBMlts9eoehPKvsz/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a04.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8LeRPWcenGkETzSSydd7CU_YjXKf7SO49ddrmrZnpAq-3B077zVEnubBZJyEwG8jkoFYAMPHM0kZiWg-Udb6-g1PIVx8ZYDgf3KkfeNagpCExx7CxerQdzXGtGpzEBMlts9eoehPKvsz/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a04.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8LeRPWcenGkETzSSydd7CU_YjXKf7SO49ddrmrZnpAq-3B077zVEnubBZJyEwG8jkoFYAMPHM0kZiWg-Udb6-g1PIVx8ZYDgf3KkfeNagpCExx7CxerQdzXGtGpzEBMlts9eoehPKvsz/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a04.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8LeRPWcenGkETzSSydd7CU_YjXKf7SO49ddrmrZnpAq-3B077zVEnubBZJyEwG8jkoFYAMPHM0kZiWg-Udb6-g1PIVx8ZYDgf3KkfeNagpCExx7CxerQdzXGtGpzEBMlts9eoehPKvsz/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a04.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Near the museum complex on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh, <b><i>Heinz Chapel</i></b> and the<b><i> </i></b>tower of classrooms called the <b><i>Cathedral of Learning </i></b></span>were architectural feasts for the eyes.</p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">And although we arrived just at closing, we sneaked a peek inside the <b><i>Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh</i></b>, the genesis for the creation of hundreds of local libraries endowed by Andrew Carnegie that we have seen in our travels in small towns throughout the United States.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZY0bWv9n2jmk1RCVj8lMXuXnBljcfPbyabjorGja12_i13cKcrQ74QkCuw2EgVteEkqM2jXzielHvn7zd-Vc5dwPRrKJU3NGXTPMPQd6gLZ1_5rEBQ91cA5eiReAME63R1SyVd9BbcV5G/s4000/P1050678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZY0bWv9n2jmk1RCVj8lMXuXnBljcfPbyabjorGja12_i13cKcrQ74QkCuw2EgVteEkqM2jXzielHvn7zd-Vc5dwPRrKJU3NGXTPMPQd6gLZ1_5rEBQ91cA5eiReAME63R1SyVd9BbcV5G/w283-h213/P1050678.JPG" width="283" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEETe8b5mk3M35-EJGQAGCa7RFb31ISqGTpxQlMZ6bxgSMPid_NQnwsLGDk07lMemNFroOfmZqz0wPAXxPtBBRaKjoTZQ39hLmJGf6jukXD2n2LiZMidlzz91a-IgINxMmPZNX2TIMEIK/s2048/fullsizeoutput_2a17.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="2048" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEETe8b5mk3M35-EJGQAGCa7RFb31ISqGTpxQlMZ6bxgSMPid_NQnwsLGDk07lMemNFroOfmZqz0wPAXxPtBBRaKjoTZQ39hLmJGf6jukXD2n2LiZMidlzz91a-IgINxMmPZNX2TIMEIK/w420-h235/fullsizeoutput_2a17.jpeg" width="420" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">It is a well-worn story about how Pittsburgh fell on incredibly hard times during the deindustrialization era of the 1980s. Today, however, technology firms, federal agencies, banking institutions, well-regarded colleges and universities, sports powerhouses, and venues of culture have given rebirth to a city that now ranks as one of America’s most livable cities. As we moved on in anticipation of next week’s adventure at a waterfall in Buffalo, I couldn’t help but wonder why we waited so long to visit Pittsburgh.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #ffa400; font-kerning: none;">Carol Galus</span></p>
<p style="font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #ffa400; font-kerning: none;">Photo-Blogger</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-53799173940161608272019-08-21T15:10:00.006-05:002021-02-11T16:19:35.053-06:00FAMILY TIME IN TOLEDO AND CLEVELAND<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmud3nLWFm6PsYRKUAwWFN4ha9BHIw5oLgv3xdvcoBOE_HbfhuMU-1R22e6DMuqtvwGEq9H3yTba61OQv1UuK4PRiwKfcttkynpKurIvYS17llLJIvFB-asvl8FWzp7k85p57_qDF3xAQ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_29c7.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="1600" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmud3nLWFm6PsYRKUAwWFN4ha9BHIw5oLgv3xdvcoBOE_HbfhuMU-1R22e6DMuqtvwGEq9H3yTba61OQv1UuK4PRiwKfcttkynpKurIvYS17llLJIvFB-asvl8FWzp7k85p57_qDF3xAQ/s640/fullsizeoutput_29c7.jpeg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: orange;">Skyline of Cleveland, Ohio</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Carol writes:</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: x-large;">Heading south over the Mackinac Bridge,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_onfbuKBdW7vUoSvPxYhIRhnpkIzfUapbQj_p5hODPSw37xFLalmCo6PCN7M4TCUgcQzZtqXujjcOv6s25WcdB61wmhwUH3-6S_QYJ3wFvI4W0BMIW8sSfnPcnM7zKgwFK7gYUwNK5nq/s1600/fullsizeoutput_29ca.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1600" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_onfbuKBdW7vUoSvPxYhIRhnpkIzfUapbQj_p5hODPSw37xFLalmCo6PCN7M4TCUgcQzZtqXujjcOv6s25WcdB61wmhwUH3-6S_QYJ3wFvI4W0BMIW8sSfnPcnM7zKgwFK7gYUwNK5nq/s640/fullsizeoutput_29ca.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</div>
<div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">the big bus rolled on down the interstate to Charlotte, Michigan, where we had an appointment at the Spartan Chassis Facility </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk2CI4lOPKjlR3iOVBW-PKaaXk1ql1I5BJYQLNxR_YvIn6agJbVPVagaCQL579J472uIwE_5VUn7y7ea9OygZyPL-Aws_eOtfP5aAFcl1Y0WMoFz0jz_jBIkCJ5NrIaNsXNiP1OMAeDTb/s1600/fullsizeoutput_27b2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk2CI4lOPKjlR3iOVBW-PKaaXk1ql1I5BJYQLNxR_YvIn6agJbVPVagaCQL579J472uIwE_5VUn7y7ea9OygZyPL-Aws_eOtfP5aAFcl1Y0WMoFz0jz_jBIkCJ5NrIaNsXNiP1OMAeDTb/s640/fullsizeoutput_27b2.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">for the annual service checkup on our motorhome. Servicing is always painful, because even if no unforeseen problems arise, fluid replacements and diagnostic checks alone can cost a pretty penny. A simple oil change requires 26 quarts of oil!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">In the early morning hours, client motorhomes rotated into the repair shop as if on an assembly line. At night,</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> vehicles were returned to their owners and </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Spartan allowed its customers to camp for “free” in parking spaces that provided electricity.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiULx0X3I3d-eN0zg49nwwa2BTxyInUkZPQogWu8lEwk4Bb_C88938O4cyzXK7WwdFbcOTmy-9c6Omtr5l-zF-rAL7uzn6OqznSU1efgensMW7YyLPR_feC_0l-zNoua9DI6CbQIdflwuG/s1600/fullsizeoutput_27ae.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1600" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiULx0X3I3d-eN0zg49nwwa2BTxyInUkZPQogWu8lEwk4Bb_C88938O4cyzXK7WwdFbcOTmy-9c6Omtr5l-zF-rAL7uzn6OqznSU1efgensMW7YyLPR_feC_0l-zNoua9DI6CbQIdflwuG/s640/fullsizeoutput_27ae.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We ended up spending 3 nights at Spartan. I’ll just say that in the end, it was a mighty expensive “free” 3 days of camping… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">TOLEDO FAMILY TIME</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">From the Spartan Chassis Facility, we headed to Harborside KOA in Monroe, Michigan, a great basecamp for visiting my brother and his wife, who live just over the state line in Toledo.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5hnPwH_Rka6dFbeKgLCwbWLF-9a6eIwDfGJwlENiGL19_AetWk8FVWm1sDjFGe9R2Xg35l0PSeZuza2CyEJaoDJK-xF5CAWe_oKOIfmyqTGFGBDGWVgKwbeScc2xXzfkJBY3LPhsVVro/s1600/fullsizeoutput_287d.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj5hnPwH_Rka6dFbeKgLCwbWLF-9a6eIwDfGJwlENiGL19_AetWk8FVWm1sDjFGe9R2Xg35l0PSeZuza2CyEJaoDJK-xF5CAWe_oKOIfmyqTGFGBDGWVgKwbeScc2xXzfkJBY3LPhsVVro/s640/fullsizeoutput_287d.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iDmpMvb-Ttjd0aFYloJpBsWIMqE_GNeHtAPnMMJCKxEVIncW7rt-UGuFsYyKzvfDzo7mhVe5IswyzCh8WJl55f9tB7GHXoqNMR3rPM-9Ce_ezEQJmyUccEeupdVt63nY2RHbZmVGtdP_/s1600/fullsizeoutput_27d5.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1600" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iDmpMvb-Ttjd0aFYloJpBsWIMqE_GNeHtAPnMMJCKxEVIncW7rt-UGuFsYyKzvfDzo7mhVe5IswyzCh8WJl55f9tB7GHXoqNMR3rPM-9Ce_ezEQJmyUccEeupdVt63nY2RHbZmVGtdP_/s400/fullsizeoutput_27d5.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">A quick oil change on our Jeep tow vehicle at Toledo’s <b><i>Yark Automotive Group</i></b> seemed like a good idea at the time. <b><i>Yark</i></b> ended up keeping the Jeep for 3 days; I don’t want to talk about the details…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Meanwhile, we had fun visiting with brother Greg and his wife Shirley. We created new family memories with a little casino time, taking turns hosting meals, a birthday celebration at <i>Olive Garden</i>, and an afternoon at the <b><i>Toledo Museum of Art</i></b>.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdMMedjIP_dk_DG7UouZb84PwbTGGOaQxV_6GbxSBsMR7arJgKEzp67JCY6W9XmGyGx_gWCoA5p_TaKsu3Z_GrKQR8m_qPq1Jf9EdmF3PWEdGK8wJYgV8-cESDO9NNQVYLY-P0Ia1w9oD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_29cf.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="1600" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdMMedjIP_dk_DG7UouZb84PwbTGGOaQxV_6GbxSBsMR7arJgKEzp67JCY6W9XmGyGx_gWCoA5p_TaKsu3Z_GrKQR8m_qPq1Jf9EdmF3PWEdGK8wJYgV8-cESDO9NNQVYLY-P0Ia1w9oD/s640/fullsizeoutput_29cf.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrukkFZ4nhcjjMuLsi0-jGbLokd-SaloqD4y0WshnD32xC1tLBxS5QY_6im94A1qWYiy8rBA7WArw_zfl7ylVO3MOe3Unj9mvzq_Usln9_-tVibYRhnvNV24dCOkYhAtAhkTvAuR-OmelQ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_27ca.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrukkFZ4nhcjjMuLsi0-jGbLokd-SaloqD4y0WshnD32xC1tLBxS5QY_6im94A1qWYiy8rBA7WArw_zfl7ylVO3MOe3Unj9mvzq_Usln9_-tVibYRhnvNV24dCOkYhAtAhkTvAuR-OmelQ/s400/fullsizeoutput_27ca.jpeg" width="306" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><b><i>The Crowning of St. Catherine</i></b> by Peter Paul Rubens was the most prized possession in the museum’s collection. This Rubens masterpiece was featured in the movie <i>“The Monuments Men,”</i> which recounted a true story about a platoon of soldiers in WW II that was tasked with rescuing art masterpieces looted by Hitler’s henchmen and returning them to their rightful owners.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">CLEVELAND FAMILY TIME</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">With servicing completed on car and motorhome, we moved a few hundred miles east to Thompson, Ohio, and had a great family cookout in the Cleveland suburbs at my niece Kelly’s house.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We appreciated all the hard work that went into a great mini family reunion with Greg and Shirley, our nieces, and my great-nephew.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcvGrrTvBcFiMzDgsUPH9ClxOMl0od8oc8mH_a_g5VtpGP9rELWWGgKdfObVSGVMzO3hk2lbzlPcQUCN8RrriC61Ykv6vr5bdON7aWnNfmlQAuVIFs8xvrPgx6seawY9pCbz-MAjdYscQ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2863.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcvGrrTvBcFiMzDgsUPH9ClxOMl0od8oc8mH_a_g5VtpGP9rELWWGgKdfObVSGVMzO3hk2lbzlPcQUCN8RrriC61Ykv6vr5bdON7aWnNfmlQAuVIFs8xvrPgx6seawY9pCbz-MAjdYscQ/s640/fullsizeoutput_2863.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5HmWd_m-oVoDxO3k6ds22smcI5ZJCpPXav4YARxpAk4IT4Z3TRnIzh6QABfI97I6sHBNaKelek1OYzAQO8K8GEK4ffoZv5cE0infJyl4GAi4h8eLLhpoxxrrjspXsJLx1qyrjlcoJTM8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2873.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5HmWd_m-oVoDxO3k6ds22smcI5ZJCpPXav4YARxpAk4IT4Z3TRnIzh6QABfI97I6sHBNaKelek1OYzAQO8K8GEK4ffoZv5cE0infJyl4GAi4h8eLLhpoxxrrjspXsJLx1qyrjlcoJTM8/s640/fullsizeoutput_2873.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Al and I have never had a good look around Cleveland, so for our day together Greg and Shirley suggested a walking tour of the downtown, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aIEt5tE3qmblweS-nJS_RDrLZ06gtKAoiVm6im5AL8mY7nJDBb97kQdOF-oO7kr4rHOn088D35jtf4P8v3a5FBSZYRy0Xog7P5jwIIEWFtRYZE3HQScH2UnPVRmjRUNkEmyqJx6ePaev/s1600/fullsizeoutput_28ba.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1600" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aIEt5tE3qmblweS-nJS_RDrLZ06gtKAoiVm6im5AL8mY7nJDBb97kQdOF-oO7kr4rHOn088D35jtf4P8v3a5FBSZYRy0Xog7P5jwIIEWFtRYZE3HQScH2UnPVRmjRUNkEmyqJx6ePaev/s640/fullsizeoutput_28ba.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">which turned out to be an excellent choice. We visited:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">the<b><i> Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument</i></b>,</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsUdZ2az0XKU6D28SFiNoeFbQqVrI5JqZezQlGC-WgrUNDNgpKdOUcxwsu4P_Ki_KVEHofZA2AeZ3-c1nbQeRnfZ0jI06OZZr7z1Z7b1mQTR3bDXWO7SIT-vugG_CXPoWnhgL1Nm4diz-/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2988.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1509" data-original-width="1600" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsUdZ2az0XKU6D28SFiNoeFbQqVrI5JqZezQlGC-WgrUNDNgpKdOUcxwsu4P_Ki_KVEHofZA2AeZ3-c1nbQeRnfZ0jI06OZZr7z1Z7b1mQTR3bDXWO7SIT-vugG_CXPoWnhgL1Nm4diz-/s400/fullsizeoutput_2988.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">which had hallowed walls inside where the names of 9000 who gave their lives for our country were inscribed;</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HsUVelp0Z_wWMHmysjtpQtv8HwMS7tjVOzQxFKaEyQ4mi8iRItYrwgvtGeqhjFDTHQkIzCiCJBF5ajsPn211WaD7xmxc3AKnTOFK4PTJ5K-FbEZpfPNyjbb_3zirZHD1FAf9cwNuPH0W/s1600/IMG_4980.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HsUVelp0Z_wWMHmysjtpQtv8HwMS7tjVOzQxFKaEyQ4mi8iRItYrwgvtGeqhjFDTHQkIzCiCJBF5ajsPn211WaD7xmxc3AKnTOFK4PTJ5K-FbEZpfPNyjbb_3zirZHD1FAf9cwNuPH0W/s640/IMG_4980.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">the <b><i>Old Stone Church</i></b>,</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKpKCwZgSGJgKfd7-dYyOQ6pd6PMPZO94VJOQVqXWeGg6agZvsbc3nlKUTlrQ41XSuzrbi57mDCrIOzUPstP_tkWLlbjidarIT9a2jLUajao8tktmpEbyrSSIDNb_V4mRJuTlTYS4U3C4/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2989.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKpKCwZgSGJgKfd7-dYyOQ6pd6PMPZO94VJOQVqXWeGg6agZvsbc3nlKUTlrQ41XSuzrbi57mDCrIOzUPstP_tkWLlbjidarIT9a2jLUajao8tktmpEbyrSSIDNb_V4mRJuTlTYS4U3C4/s640/fullsizeoutput_2989.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">famous for its long and storied Cleveland history, in addition to several Tiffany stained glass windows, two of which were signed;</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaVhJonkYFWIQIWg6UgXlAob72MMAgs4i_tifvF3K0eXKS6xSPOgiYcXfJqO8ij9MzhA6sJLBO5BhlgX0nZ_7R1uLmwUvvFnKKosWB0_5IgLXtV-0WuKXY2Gq-PRUO9kM8FUGnVnc_m9e/s1600/fullsizeoutput_28a7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1035" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaVhJonkYFWIQIWg6UgXlAob72MMAgs4i_tifvF3K0eXKS6xSPOgiYcXfJqO8ij9MzhA6sJLBO5BhlgX0nZ_7R1uLmwUvvFnKKosWB0_5IgLXtV-0WuKXY2Gq-PRUO9kM8FUGnVnc_m9e/s400/fullsizeoutput_28a7.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">the <b><i>Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland</i></b>,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzBbIkIkGXUehePzoGA6Q1LroAHsbY1c8j6ghfgdygRMHtcHmgluopeijv3BI3mSq-MU-oKaxPe0Y8wiK3z0QUHCrwR2nX3zdJMbZNYlEUFW_FzevwjGfZ_GnFnC3RccMdhNVme8zMtD7/s1600/fullsizeoutput_28c9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1600" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzBbIkIkGXUehePzoGA6Q1LroAHsbY1c8j6ghfgdygRMHtcHmgluopeijv3BI3mSq-MU-oKaxPe0Y8wiK3z0QUHCrwR2nX3zdJMbZNYlEUFW_FzevwjGfZ_GnFnC3RccMdhNVme8zMtD7/s640/fullsizeoutput_28c9.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsJuDo3NBaXPTG3lnSV2bTmhcgliNi_B_egFNcKCNuIzGIiWbdrlKlUhYQ84yMLssPJBXOVF7xBHBP5Ehv8EQPqNGCAyoKvPdjkwxjRnfPBhZ-9IZ80ujdpv6pojXQobrL1yJD3qYMjx4/s1600/fullsizeoutput_298a.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsJuDo3NBaXPTG3lnSV2bTmhcgliNi_B_egFNcKCNuIzGIiWbdrlKlUhYQ84yMLssPJBXOVF7xBHBP5Ehv8EQPqNGCAyoKvPdjkwxjRnfPBhZ-9IZ80ujdpv6pojXQobrL1yJD3qYMjx4/s640/fullsizeoutput_298a.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">which had an interesting museum but little to no comment on <b>exactly</b> what was in the large basement vaults, even when I pointedly asked.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pH5Oxv_e7-Mbtb_0vuYZGlrk_fOa7eKj5Y00XmXgdHiFh4KndOMZtSs0ZwVf3ZJEyAk2aHV0tsQsdS9ST4Z8RlUn9ujz4QYofyuQrIwCcPI5lBf5ufNSYG7tbFp_ey9RtbjB3b4Cdcse/s1600/fullsizeoutput_28b5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pH5Oxv_e7-Mbtb_0vuYZGlrk_fOa7eKj5Y00XmXgdHiFh4KndOMZtSs0ZwVf3ZJEyAk2aHV0tsQsdS9ST4Z8RlUn9ujz4QYofyuQrIwCcPI5lBf5ufNSYG7tbFp_ey9RtbjB3b4Cdcse/s640/fullsizeoutput_28b5.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbk-tlM5sSB6ecFh962NiVa2XtAR6hzPVIhlLo9mgB8jdg0Jtu4lkvSwbezcmVkZCAfC5XCLfpx2fAdv2gIGiEbag0S5G5netLawD0SzfXb1Iaho2TxzJS2U8AJsc0vo5QfpXTfuwBXm2/s1600/fullsizeoutput_28af.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1555" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbk-tlM5sSB6ecFh962NiVa2XtAR6hzPVIhlLo9mgB8jdg0Jtu4lkvSwbezcmVkZCAfC5XCLfpx2fAdv2gIGiEbag0S5G5netLawD0SzfXb1Iaho2TxzJS2U8AJsc0vo5QfpXTfuwBXm2/s320/fullsizeoutput_28af.jpeg" width="311" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We rounded out our walk through downtown Cleveland with a delightful long and lazy lunch before an open window at the <b><i>House of Blues</i></b>. Greg and Shirley sure were troopers for driving 200 miles from Toledo so they could spend the day showing us around Cleveland…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlZgzpOz6X5MYzHwyLN9NIRjF5Wb1IT_Hen1yiT_fAon9zmWVY-jDUxe07d47AIG8T5iynMs81cdkH8ka_HrRBsi10HkyP4nBq7GG69hEmSQyrd7FNQ88jTxMxccW32vxVzLfAORgtdZz/s1600/P1050416.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlZgzpOz6X5MYzHwyLN9NIRjF5Wb1IT_Hen1yiT_fAon9zmWVY-jDUxe07d47AIG8T5iynMs81cdkH8ka_HrRBsi10HkyP4nBq7GG69hEmSQyrd7FNQ88jTxMxccW32vxVzLfAORgtdZz/s400/P1050416.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Eight U.S. presidents have called Ohio home, more than any other state. The <b><i>James A. Garfield National Historic Site </i></b>in Mentor, Ohio, was a fascinating unexpected find for “presidential junkies" like us.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSAA3SiqlQdG8cbUxlXaxp1SBg6yLR2kYoqPSRGK_n95Pz7dJi9kLGtUZ3zBKxl52AebiA3aIc4lnTQf50gOA3rikvkYMzYpysC-yGUrHjdEHVUo7tQfdRYxzLj_q_0KPuuu_t7vHyYmP/s1600/fullsizeoutput_28db.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSAA3SiqlQdG8cbUxlXaxp1SBg6yLR2kYoqPSRGK_n95Pz7dJi9kLGtUZ3zBKxl52AebiA3aIc4lnTQf50gOA3rikvkYMzYpysC-yGUrHjdEHVUo7tQfdRYxzLj_q_0KPuuu_t7vHyYmP/s320/fullsizeoutput_28db.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The Garfield farm was dubbed <b><i>Lawnfield</i></b> by reporters of the day, and it became the centerpiece for Garfield’s successful “front porch” presidential campaign.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzsuoE19yLXTbsrYqnJvpbycL0Ulmm_l3Dli-Db2fAiMFIOOymgUeM6u3yn2ToXvwBJ-nZ-fW1-aRRp1rQwahCzKZQt_vvzfTDfbZGsjwxVd9vkEiIfPerirABCrj1VLMXvGZeZshSPkP/s1600/fullsizeoutput_29b7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzsuoE19yLXTbsrYqnJvpbycL0Ulmm_l3Dli-Db2fAiMFIOOymgUeM6u3yn2ToXvwBJ-nZ-fW1-aRRp1rQwahCzKZQt_vvzfTDfbZGsjwxVd9vkEiIfPerirABCrj1VLMXvGZeZshSPkP/s640/fullsizeoutput_29b7.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_RZqmYMlULHzM73KlN-U-0pI0PbjnCtXHYaUXeDMe4DBTa-BHoDztD7Trux99xL5Xafw-SifqmUops82OEIH_Y9ZOkaTNyOWOk49YFXfbcrh1W1S7VRLS20pvemIAdY5ApoKe3i4LdkY/s1600/fullsizeoutput_298f.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="1600" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_RZqmYMlULHzM73KlN-U-0pI0PbjnCtXHYaUXeDMe4DBTa-BHoDztD7Trux99xL5Xafw-SifqmUops82OEIH_Y9ZOkaTNyOWOk49YFXfbcrh1W1S7VRLS20pvemIAdY5ApoKe3i4LdkY/s320/fullsizeoutput_298f.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">James Garfield was a general in the Civil War, served 17 years in Congress, spoke several languages, and was a highly educated man with a broad classical education. One can only wonder what great things he would have accomplished if his term in office hadn’t been cut short by an assassin’s bullet after he had been in office for only 200 days.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">After being mortally wounded, Garfield lingered for two months while his wife Lucretia, mother of his five children, kept a bedside vigil.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFn6ig-V5iUpPMuH4Osh8dTwG1NOANc3drza63_UmMdDXgcfqkiYQqATJNj95t3t2BKtNq6k8ftXkK4dWkjgU8yrbLx6ZA-ouizLXDUAlAQtP2c5Ui-wCCQdBqAN-LVqFXjpRxQVL-kFw/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2995.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1600" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFn6ig-V5iUpPMuH4Osh8dTwG1NOANc3drza63_UmMdDXgcfqkiYQqATJNj95t3t2BKtNq6k8ftXkK4dWkjgU8yrbLx6ZA-ouizLXDUAlAQtP2c5Ui-wCCQdBqAN-LVqFXjpRxQVL-kFw/s640/fullsizeoutput_2995.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Inside and out, Lawnfield was impeccably restored to the Garfield era. An incredible 80% of the home’s furnishings were original to the Garfield family, which made a tour of the house especially worthwhile.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dyJDA66DuL05aKfGZKSvyaojx3u2dY_LRWqUk989YZxymFjD7QGd_kRBwL11Rq1b1wgoeRcNlOfATTYUDKAYKt2gELRrAa5v6sEXb5OHy-NXz6Mo8xmcGPkOZTQVEB7BU-xrKqE3cr2Q/s1600/fullsizeoutput_299a.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dyJDA66DuL05aKfGZKSvyaojx3u2dY_LRWqUk989YZxymFjD7QGd_kRBwL11Rq1b1wgoeRcNlOfATTYUDKAYKt2gELRrAa5v6sEXb5OHy-NXz6Mo8xmcGPkOZTQVEB7BU-xrKqE3cr2Q/s640/fullsizeoutput_299a.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgf6U8jTyE-jo51QGT_1L_-LFls2O25lDOEO7b5_adgRZFovlaOEBXbLAW8WwkZ6DnNUjGjlvTZW98eksJ3wGuTaHOH0trlH5nO1YJ1WpDiXRfN_VpS2fXZbkIEeTNTW8yL8dmUM5tZYrH/s1600/fullsizeoutput_28e0.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgf6U8jTyE-jo51QGT_1L_-LFls2O25lDOEO7b5_adgRZFovlaOEBXbLAW8WwkZ6DnNUjGjlvTZW98eksJ3wGuTaHOH0trlH5nO1YJ1WpDiXRfN_VpS2fXZbkIEeTNTW8yL8dmUM5tZYrH/s320/fullsizeoutput_28e0.jpeg" width="263" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The presidential library added on to the house by the president’s wife, Lucretia, was by far the gem of the house tour. After President Garfield’s death, Lucretia devoted the remaining decades of her life to preserving her deceased husband’s legacy.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwVGK1qc0g2Wms-fAGb_K6paWFDsO9ew2SLYhA6CuH9AT8bzUBq0lprue25BggFcyz4X7Nb1u71qAaMvUbih1bqYftNcVbDBYdlqEurf9Q3riBgaBT1DQU2dS8FLX9uXKbQQwziYL1Ws3/s1600/fullsizeoutput_29a4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwVGK1qc0g2Wms-fAGb_K6paWFDsO9ew2SLYhA6CuH9AT8bzUBq0lprue25BggFcyz4X7Nb1u71qAaMvUbih1bqYftNcVbDBYdlqEurf9Q3riBgaBT1DQU2dS8FLX9uXKbQQwziYL1Ws3/s640/fullsizeoutput_29a4.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">After family time in Cleveland, we took a few days to look around the area a bit. The shore of Lake Erie was very picturesque, with a picture-perfect lighthouse. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpt3wpYjQYJU_iNHnW6Xv38qNQkYYtGsN9ZgC8TpZpAiBmJ5dF-1vfyIc8mOJ801fsBj5Ikvd0My5cgLnY2ubEhqQy6YliBQQF5X_heRw1rWM92Ac6znTAtiUksS5TsStNTq20ue4p-18/s1600/fullsizeoutput_297e.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpt3wpYjQYJU_iNHnW6Xv38qNQkYYtGsN9ZgC8TpZpAiBmJ5dF-1vfyIc8mOJ801fsBj5Ikvd0My5cgLnY2ubEhqQy6YliBQQF5X_heRw1rWM92Ac6znTAtiUksS5TsStNTq20ue4p-18/s640/fullsizeoutput_297e.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LCApiJIGBUZ_QqPWgWmkd6OW4yQwbpM1o97HB56qE_6tCJyi70Q1lANcQ73vFogxntlypOda-6V7xj-b80eLTU7TOmJiIPmEUMtwID_dI1HxKOeop53pz_Q5JZGp7EtCBY6UcAYbeRN8/s1600/IMG_4975.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LCApiJIGBUZ_QqPWgWmkd6OW4yQwbpM1o97HB56qE_6tCJyi70Q1lANcQ73vFogxntlypOda-6V7xj-b80eLTU7TOmJiIPmEUMtwID_dI1HxKOeop53pz_Q5JZGp7EtCBY6UcAYbeRN8/s640/IMG_4975.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWpqZ03v_ftQhzWpsEv0yauHpx1ydBCjXjNvmmhFQmtDEjaGSd1xp5JE4YTju05cTZ2vSwOA3A0rOFBl4kmprpf8-XNGTRHsTB-8eBYYums6lngd0jSmQFJgo6KeAJcbErSbpNTaqfIDH/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2980.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWpqZ03v_ftQhzWpsEv0yauHpx1ydBCjXjNvmmhFQmtDEjaGSd1xp5JE4YTju05cTZ2vSwOA3A0rOFBl4kmprpf8-XNGTRHsTB-8eBYYums6lngd0jSmQFJgo6KeAJcbErSbpNTaqfIDH/s400/fullsizeoutput_2980.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Local wineries had some very good Ohio wines that were welcome additions to our bare motorhome “wine cellar.” Debonné Vineyards had a great sweet wine-tasting selection.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4g1JO2q9pRyISYMW2G_8XjajvwzrumcDlACCBaQIZucWG8NtUDsehUA_EA5fTNgg7gO2CzvRQQm5mpEsftS_Jwa_3CgHGUN44OQEGinpoV5-gXwvdj6_qpax8lJb95NT3tY9V2mYSF8F/s1600/fullsizeoutput_289e.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1501" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4g1JO2q9pRyISYMW2G_8XjajvwzrumcDlACCBaQIZucWG8NtUDsehUA_EA5fTNgg7gO2CzvRQQm5mpEsftS_Jwa_3CgHGUN44OQEGinpoV5-gXwvdj6_qpax8lJb95NT3tY9V2mYSF8F/s320/fullsizeoutput_289e.jpeg" width="299" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBO9inwl2aTu6z9H_S_MY_uew_3fTb0AAhF8E3mFFRr4SFOLxzCCaltU-z2E2EqubPaCfJztW4ihna3gcrX9VH-dvOeOMLAH8LsLohT0CFQebVybFOshzIWBvhxFqK2ehA5LXIPKc-UCL2/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2982.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBO9inwl2aTu6z9H_S_MY_uew_3fTb0AAhF8E3mFFRr4SFOLxzCCaltU-z2E2EqubPaCfJztW4ihna3gcrX9VH-dvOeOMLAH8LsLohT0CFQebVybFOshzIWBvhxFqK2ehA5LXIPKc-UCL2/s320/fullsizeoutput_2982.jpeg" width="320" /></a><br />
</span><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">No visit to Cleveland is complete without a tour of the <b><i>Rock and Roll Hall of Fame</i></b>.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgw6l6w_W6vEOSOtLBFWP5AsbtWIMIEnx872PwciGdYeqnokuOuR6IxKxwzMDnTBzdEgMEmlXXKG_yfzIqgGAGFt-M1q33dYvy6F1LIv1tlZtbieoPFPGxeISIPEwBGDK0sMVbo_Xrjb28/s1600/IMG_5022.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgw6l6w_W6vEOSOtLBFWP5AsbtWIMIEnx872PwciGdYeqnokuOuR6IxKxwzMDnTBzdEgMEmlXXKG_yfzIqgGAGFt-M1q33dYvy6F1LIv1tlZtbieoPFPGxeISIPEwBGDK0sMVbo_Xrjb28/s640/IMG_5022.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">For baby boomers like ourselves, this had been on the bucket list for a long time. On the outside, the museum was a lovely modern work of art perched at the edge of the Lake Erie harbor with the skyline of Cleveland as a lovely backdrop.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKUU1h0_3fbM9hqJ54kE54LG8r3YvH4N-NXDGBXDsW0_vMKmDCPCgWUQ7eyKuVOWOy-Pm_7FtI0RqiJorJUQl9wVHLdWrKfWMwigJbsPxtq6zgSdxf2Ij8BYqhS11m84MExpOsCnDqoZg/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2975.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKUU1h0_3fbM9hqJ54kE54LG8r3YvH4N-NXDGBXDsW0_vMKmDCPCgWUQ7eyKuVOWOy-Pm_7FtI0RqiJorJUQl9wVHLdWrKfWMwigJbsPxtq6zgSdxf2Ij8BYqhS11m84MExpOsCnDqoZg/s640/fullsizeoutput_2975.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mIpVF14x4w-gOGWhBTyg5EqY7dpz3zLYF6iQwiBghBJe24ONrlXkQWQ3BZVk-nGFK6X_XWIHLrWKkwJH4CK-91FZ6fmAbfkW5QiartK4P3RFLtPF_qY9CQrqTJhZ3dqKq4XRhKHm8Qfe/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2914.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mIpVF14x4w-gOGWhBTyg5EqY7dpz3zLYF6iQwiBghBJe24ONrlXkQWQ3BZVk-nGFK6X_XWIHLrWKkwJH4CK-91FZ6fmAbfkW5QiartK4P3RFLtPF_qY9CQrqTJhZ3dqKq4XRhKHm8Qfe/s320/fullsizeoutput_2914.jpeg" width="179" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Inside, from the early origins of rock and roll, with its Bo Diddley guitar,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">to relatively modern times, with Beyoncé and Katy Perry costumes, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qDukzSKSsrNbjpWNiKlmtlnMoX9gu-oK8XPZyErVy6EKTldNDh_LCsnzijB_t78glYaBNPFEd2tDEdUcQ3YBb5_i3KobefNby7BY7O9EK7bLangALSb4dfLAD4alSubB3x0PzfNn3dN3/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2948.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="1600" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qDukzSKSsrNbjpWNiKlmtlnMoX9gu-oK8XPZyErVy6EKTldNDh_LCsnzijB_t78glYaBNPFEd2tDEdUcQ3YBb5_i3KobefNby7BY7O9EK7bLangALSb4dfLAD4alSubB3x0PzfNn3dN3/s640/fullsizeoutput_2948.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">‘Rock Hall’ did a pretty good job of displaying priceless artifacts from rock artists of every variety.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">A dizzying display of guitars, like these belonging to Eric Clapton (left) and John Lennon (right),</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qlJrOaBV_sCbo-hvP5mfm-LqPEtoh9KiNllFiHVXMXiKxd8n9tJdh8SN4s-AN97Gu69sVG21sWy1GlpdSVvx9NuHc_UtCGn6WJ20i6E1Nu5mkjsYDcyC9dUYKaxOde1uo8mh6EZVt3Js/s1600/fullsizeoutput_295e.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1058" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qlJrOaBV_sCbo-hvP5mfm-LqPEtoh9KiNllFiHVXMXiKxd8n9tJdh8SN4s-AN97Gu69sVG21sWy1GlpdSVvx9NuHc_UtCGn6WJ20i6E1Nu5mkjsYDcyC9dUYKaxOde1uo8mh6EZVt3Js/s400/fullsizeoutput_295e.jpeg" width="261" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIgJPF2f3VOEwoO0VJhnQwQBpkPfTKi8HAclesKcSt8PbK9P9Ip7o3rj_7dqUOP5YzuB9K79DrRQPTJ2olgnSPbS7UmfFGjblTR8QF4rsgV7VX4zXUmlmbbG0CdGaGKTmGvXHMD4RVSo5/s1600/P1050478.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIgJPF2f3VOEwoO0VJhnQwQBpkPfTKi8HAclesKcSt8PbK9P9Ip7o3rj_7dqUOP5YzuB9K79DrRQPTJ2olgnSPbS7UmfFGjblTR8QF4rsgV7VX4zXUmlmbbG0CdGaGKTmGvXHMD4RVSo5/s400/P1050478.JPG" width="223" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xiuszCi6HEHRZUVBmYv5FhshHXuLZpkYFwrYj7KMdBsQ7t2kAEnaZLUSggJ5sfGscWQDMKCUwrtfgAT1-78bN_GPOgGk-eJmmoBPzx0OI-26OiBN2k7Sm7pHGxbQHHct76bYlIF3FArL/s1600/P1050474.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xiuszCi6HEHRZUVBmYv5FhshHXuLZpkYFwrYj7KMdBsQ7t2kAEnaZLUSggJ5sfGscWQDMKCUwrtfgAT1-78bN_GPOgGk-eJmmoBPzx0OI-26OiBN2k7Sm7pHGxbQHHct76bYlIF3FArL/s400/P1050474.JPG" width="222" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">and original descriptive scores, like this one from Lennon & McCartney’s “Hey Jude,” filled numerous display cases. </span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
Costumes were the big draw! I couldn’t get enough of these…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-sWKEWyDSzSdDhY-Bvx1eXU9zduMjN-ddgiFUeTluJ2nmybyOOpjWPA6LAewvS8ka81WoM8H1BMU5m36g6CF5RHT8B-IjVxFu2w7Xl3PXdzGxVrfx43yL8-W2s3SzHR6VZmXuZIaq5qY/s1600/fullsizeoutput_292d.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1183" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-sWKEWyDSzSdDhY-Bvx1eXU9zduMjN-ddgiFUeTluJ2nmybyOOpjWPA6LAewvS8ka81WoM8H1BMU5m36g6CF5RHT8B-IjVxFu2w7Xl3PXdzGxVrfx43yL8-W2s3SzHR6VZmXuZIaq5qY/s400/fullsizeoutput_292d.jpeg" width="294" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Qd4Okjsqo1V_Ngly2karBNKhOGhvAOnA-ls0gGVKKR45dXeitpZmPid29al2LGHlD3_j5Kkm2SHM2RMglyxr5SHjoywcwR9yWIP2tfDHtNUP28sEWZaYNZs9RWHuJIOlck8MJyeUBB0r/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2940.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1173" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Qd4Okjsqo1V_Ngly2karBNKhOGhvAOnA-ls0gGVKKR45dXeitpZmPid29al2LGHlD3_j5Kkm2SHM2RMglyxr5SHjoywcwR9yWIP2tfDHtNUP28sEWZaYNZs9RWHuJIOlck8MJyeUBB0r/s320/fullsizeoutput_2940.jpeg" width="234" /></a> Elvis and Tom Petty<br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">
Diana Ross, Cass Elliot, Michael Jackson:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionWnchY6dcqPTHhWBHLzXeDIIy9G59kIB1VFMhvfGT8PHn4vwXLxJ8nl-Pa-7vYmHUgR8l1nqCbbvi4NM108YJJwXMsxS7QsAzwKMS90G8uXsF9LvoVIdWUryG2KegPGTAs45_0rXZ2qt/s1600/P1050454.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionWnchY6dcqPTHhWBHLzXeDIIy9G59kIB1VFMhvfGT8PHn4vwXLxJ8nl-Pa-7vYmHUgR8l1nqCbbvi4NM108YJJwXMsxS7QsAzwKMS90G8uXsF9LvoVIdWUryG2KegPGTAs45_0rXZ2qt/s320/P1050454.JPG" width="177" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiotNDsya5Q3fTKkl_ZwyZgBYpaQxpJgKwBGtcL92Dk6da5bgwo8d3kN-WAjSEykS7IDvKunnOG65TYC0JrH_8ERjaEB2OLXD4Vh5pCTXDyttCxbW4Dgd2MCKpJ-GTSKsSIUoWN6O-jlyZ0/s1600/P1050463.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiotNDsya5Q3fTKkl_ZwyZgBYpaQxpJgKwBGtcL92Dk6da5bgwo8d3kN-WAjSEykS7IDvKunnOG65TYC0JrH_8ERjaEB2OLXD4Vh5pCTXDyttCxbW4Dgd2MCKpJ-GTSKsSIUoWN6O-jlyZ0/s320/P1050463.JPG" width="179" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iCrvgmqu_Ib_czqY_7C_PmDe65Pyeer4eKRD6cyMAr1QgjfxbyHPe4p_KAfh5Zg30nuftZmpfw9O94Y9tGj_blcwfleDgBGwB4FO7yiXMVKeNoXwON-Hd0UjHhSPdYgvTKJePA8vPdOd/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2941.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1019" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iCrvgmqu_Ib_czqY_7C_PmDe65Pyeer4eKRD6cyMAr1QgjfxbyHPe4p_KAfh5Zg30nuftZmpfw9O94Y9tGj_blcwfleDgBGwB4FO7yiXMVKeNoXwON-Hd0UjHhSPdYgvTKJePA8vPdOd/s320/fullsizeoutput_2941.jpeg" width="203" /></a><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">
this trio worn by <i>The Supremes,</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvGrqVCt3l0hAFB3PIuRHrwHvcmO05DXwEY8Y4w4diI28IxVwIiLy7sdFHTnQAW06asqXJPdeqkhRaEfZTLMjvBfMsG4uj56-1zNgU-WmI-YpEwD_A8_25-kva4wWjqZ8SNRFKYYZFYDz/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2942.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvGrqVCt3l0hAFB3PIuRHrwHvcmO05DXwEY8Y4w4diI28IxVwIiLy7sdFHTnQAW06asqXJPdeqkhRaEfZTLMjvBfMsG4uj56-1zNgU-WmI-YpEwD_A8_25-kva4wWjqZ8SNRFKYYZFYDz/s640/fullsizeoutput_2942.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">and this one from Tina Turner’s <i>‘Private Dancer’</i> video.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvAIohClRwlrLCy_20kLTy_qDdi8eOZt6yrq82-Cvflzm9CmJDYdvb3-CzsL7cIEQrRnqpmY__qpfxwkXJkBhJGIMcHWLG2YExCWtO-AMf7m1H82reOKY-JA81t2Mujwkc77Ld1PNeKuZ/s1600/P1050506.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvAIohClRwlrLCy_20kLTy_qDdi8eOZt6yrq82-Cvflzm9CmJDYdvb3-CzsL7cIEQrRnqpmY__qpfxwkXJkBhJGIMcHWLG2YExCWtO-AMf7m1H82reOKY-JA81t2Mujwkc77Ld1PNeKuZ/s400/P1050506.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The Hall of Fame plaques honored so many who were a tour de force in their day.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoy2_O9ZwkQ8Txk2Eqt7cWnveIJa6QPdUYiPRWcsiSBjzZuwKOxL_lpR0wf7ZJrZbsTKJd6TMBuj2T8EIjLmWlFrQ3xrWtgyjTpZzv9tJtgq6TOhaa58Loo8lYYOYwPLVnY1x0eAVLkFYb/s1600/fullsizeoutput_296c.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1528" data-original-width="1493" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoy2_O9ZwkQ8Txk2Eqt7cWnveIJa6QPdUYiPRWcsiSBjzZuwKOxL_lpR0wf7ZJrZbsTKJd6TMBuj2T8EIjLmWlFrQ3xrWtgyjTpZzv9tJtgq6TOhaa58Loo8lYYOYwPLVnY1x0eAVLkFYb/s320/fullsizeoutput_296c.jpeg" width="312" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2MUxcq4Cliek1qwYe1MrFP_C0YAkKW58q0v2f8JtS_8iuzM7fFsiYcR94XE5a-JyvoVe_SgWQPTQGbqDZS2_LVj2PCAxnp0s8lfnfzbyTou6VHRvkH2IhX6kjQJD_tT-Yut6H3WD11Be/s1600/fullsizeoutput_296f.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1563" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2MUxcq4Cliek1qwYe1MrFP_C0YAkKW58q0v2f8JtS_8iuzM7fFsiYcR94XE5a-JyvoVe_SgWQPTQGbqDZS2_LVj2PCAxnp0s8lfnfzbyTou6VHRvkH2IhX6kjQJD_tT-Yut6H3WD11Be/s320/fullsizeoutput_296f.jpeg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">1994 was a great year—</span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBs9QuO9moFSYfUsOrmCLDnnhXkavDVo0KZvDigqc6dCaAixlkjbYQ895lJqNjh5Z4qIw7phZ-kUTK3sNs0kMzRjWT2jDbMGZRuMmFjHUxUQA8WIBLpBZGdnGYbED_wzLT3lnUPVzEg_YC/s1600/fullsizeoutput_296e.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBs9QuO9moFSYfUsOrmCLDnnhXkavDVo0KZvDigqc6dCaAixlkjbYQ895lJqNjh5Z4qIw7phZ-kUTK3sNs0kMzRjWT2jDbMGZRuMmFjHUxUQA8WIBLpBZGdnGYbED_wzLT3lnUPVzEg_YC/s400/fullsizeoutput_296e.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">—as was 2001</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mqxmsghbXGN9m9XRqvXZQYudQ79cZqBYA5QDdQ8FS_u2B_pjXKM6JuyPZr3qmBVLKwzv-jEu8f7_UTfkR4AHSBLYwn0fsoVPd-Oa5WLrtGqYILHjzcC5OtNx9aSfV3UvK9iHpF8Aik-W/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2970.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mqxmsghbXGN9m9XRqvXZQYudQ79cZqBYA5QDdQ8FS_u2B_pjXKM6JuyPZr3qmBVLKwzv-jEu8f7_UTfkR4AHSBLYwn0fsoVPd-Oa5WLrtGqYILHjzcC5OtNx9aSfV3UvK9iHpF8Aik-W/s400/fullsizeoutput_2970.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJeCXeyeLykkieE85zDFo2C__liy7wLrm6zxOWR8qnKAj18UhzWQIOh8T7pgAinafpyfXTgC4o9RcLziE2kbt1xigxdOUfMUkd3V8Nb9t9ynqDJ64U4e_S3Ex9y0Xl1pxn5VU6PZ-zVKI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_291f.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1600" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJeCXeyeLykkieE85zDFo2C__liy7wLrm6zxOWR8qnKAj18UhzWQIOh8T7pgAinafpyfXTgC4o9RcLziE2kbt1xigxdOUfMUkd3V8Nb9t9ynqDJ64U4e_S3Ex9y0Xl1pxn5VU6PZ-zVKI/s320/fullsizeoutput_291f.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">And finally, for two RVers who have been on our own road tour for a good long while, the 1979 Johnny Cash tour bus was a hoot! On the outside, the black and chrome color scheme (of course!) was as nifty as a lot of motorhomes on the road today. Naturally, inside the decor was a bit worn and dated.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIqKu3Q1M_1eEihTvQn5jM5DqCwd9VMOiLyfBGrb3iPU45G0kyaZ68Xv-zywPW-LIpJs8_ku4myFPnWuj9_R_S5iSKGdSwuqRA1uM7HP1Mu7Zaa-4KR6Ru5Dqc3dUDnM0ON4DZ2Vv11XP/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2921.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIqKu3Q1M_1eEihTvQn5jM5DqCwd9VMOiLyfBGrb3iPU45G0kyaZ68Xv-zywPW-LIpJs8_ku4myFPnWuj9_R_S5iSKGdSwuqRA1uM7HP1Mu7Zaa-4KR6Ru5Dqc3dUDnM0ON4DZ2Vv11XP/s400/fullsizeoutput_2921.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrQ6wB972hBSggD9nq4RLkaIUpebadkI4x-qOE-oZmXkNR50Yzuyp32ubXoqRK50YESqVMj1KEgCqQFGDzqJEwKXHyrVZ1Eil5IY8J7IEiFtfmwn8o0qHtdgNuaXMkVR5Xm85oDwFYqHc/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2922.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrQ6wB972hBSggD9nq4RLkaIUpebadkI4x-qOE-oZmXkNR50Yzuyp32ubXoqRK50YESqVMj1KEgCqQFGDzqJEwKXHyrVZ1Eil5IY8J7IEiFtfmwn8o0qHtdgNuaXMkVR5Xm85oDwFYqHc/s320/fullsizeoutput_2922.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">However, ever so faintly, the ghostly sounds of many great Johnny and June Carter Cash tunes sung in that bus could be appreciated, provided you allowed your imagination to roam free.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: orange; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Carol Galus</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: orange; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Photo-Blogger</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 31px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsj2XHFBgMWGkf1uAAa8Z-Ck3w0n1kOLVrivhw_DeudFtpfb52Wit8fNJefx4NS7xdp6mn_Sspm3ZlvkWEgVwQzxdsopx9x5QJilEba5DZPkO5Svel2xB2MIpdbpiqREUzdELZXTSfczl/s1600/fullsizeoutput_29c5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1600" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsj2XHFBgMWGkf1uAAa8Z-Ck3w0n1kOLVrivhw_DeudFtpfb52Wit8fNJefx4NS7xdp6mn_Sspm3ZlvkWEgVwQzxdsopx9x5QJilEba5DZPkO5Svel2xB2MIpdbpiqREUzdELZXTSfczl/s640/fullsizeoutput_29c5.jpeg" width="800" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">
</span></span><br />
</span><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-43000540389292185532019-07-27T06:51:00.000-05:002019-07-27T06:51:04.992-05:00TRAGIC HISTORY AMID SPECTACULAR GRANDEUR ALONG THE SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vyjvTNvgUuFfAo4hZ6Z7sIhn0GtpbciV-3-ao8sKz4cNFyJ-KFhoQE4AfcExpl8sIgo0wrkWq15yPe2DJUvR0rnj5MMxwijp8HtjEUIGzkxf2a35vgYE8ixKRCJDWpmjp7hoascddbBq/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2760.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vyjvTNvgUuFfAo4hZ6Z7sIhn0GtpbciV-3-ao8sKz4cNFyJ-KFhoQE4AfcExpl8sIgo0wrkWq15yPe2DJUvR0rnj5MMxwijp8HtjEUIGzkxf2a35vgYE8ixKRCJDWpmjp7hoascddbBq/s640/fullsizeoutput_2760.jpeg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Lyrics from the <i>“Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” </i>by Gordon Lightfoot </span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 31px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Three years ago we traveled extensively along both coasts of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Sadly, our travel schedule at the time did not allow the days we needed to check out the Upper Peninsula; however, it was always in the back of our minds that we might get a chance to come back…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzMR9yRwTywnTlO0p0ofbC_zNiPZQYnpMinGE24s3r9akYx6bPyHfd3F4SwiSl-FOViwcBr1ED7Hr0FpIOvWL01r_CRt6oU8-NwzOr0MwAzAUVZ0Eq5hyphenhyphennUXoAEgNxebf4hRxQtArpa2P/s1600/fullsizeoutput_275d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="821" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzMR9yRwTywnTlO0p0ofbC_zNiPZQYnpMinGE24s3r9akYx6bPyHfd3F4SwiSl-FOViwcBr1ED7Hr0FpIOvWL01r_CRt6oU8-NwzOr0MwAzAUVZ0Eq5hyphenhyphennUXoAEgNxebf4hRxQtArpa2P/s640/fullsizeoutput_275d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgYaNwzl4_dOp4WHKfQNykhBAncDFmRVcq_sl8Srf257TCVmArXsXIsIEGXoytWeuyBvMTApOU0qxPPP40a7LzpiYx8S7o9fOOnTdSDabVZlG14sJLXtd_NnhhJ-L0CVPA_yFle3FwzR-/s1600/fullsizeoutput_26d6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1585" data-original-width="1468" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgYaNwzl4_dOp4WHKfQNykhBAncDFmRVcq_sl8Srf257TCVmArXsXIsIEGXoytWeuyBvMTApOU0qxPPP40a7LzpiYx8S7o9fOOnTdSDabVZlG14sJLXtd_NnhhJ-L0CVPA_yFle3FwzR-/s400/fullsizeoutput_26d6.jpeg" width="370" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On leaving Minnesota, our route took us quickly across the very tip of Wisconsin, where we had only a brief stop on Wisconsin soil to gas up the motorhome. In no time at all, we crossed into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_uC7KOGmIwxJ82FDNc8uKSyGkjuQwCWvpwimGSk7cgMO-_YTB796J8XU6zM8p4NQZGPU28fgYyknKdxbuQDtTsdAFGUsMQj5ve-1o6sFgDB8KpKGHTy-Tv7dQ7RGyZ5QdZldKI7SUZj3/s1600/P1050221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_uC7KOGmIwxJ82FDNc8uKSyGkjuQwCWvpwimGSk7cgMO-_YTB796J8XU6zM8p4NQZGPU28fgYyknKdxbuQDtTsdAFGUsMQj5ve-1o6sFgDB8KpKGHTy-Tv7dQ7RGyZ5QdZldKI7SUZj3/s320/P1050221.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The state of Michigan touches 4 of the 5 Great Lakes. The Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula are linked together by the stately Mackinac Bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSdoCnp8kUey0gwqfI3NoOey9NczVtyaAFz9g4y5u45tVUtykRiCWr8e-7eTtTR91binUyaV8FizXT5W-xclhbYq1j04NN5Zoo17iKTzNoYv4Gc79XyXStteN9iS6jrtV7knVEO3gs-Ng/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2772.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSdoCnp8kUey0gwqfI3NoOey9NczVtyaAFz9g4y5u45tVUtykRiCWr8e-7eTtTR91binUyaV8FizXT5W-xclhbYq1j04NN5Zoo17iKTzNoYv4Gc79XyXStteN9iS6jrtV7knVEO3gs-Ng/s640/fullsizeoutput_2772.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The residents of the Upper Peninsula have a reputation for being extremely nice and welcoming, and we found that to be true. The joke is that the residents of the UP are a special people that love the UP’s “9 months of winter and 3 months of poor sledding.”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Upper Peninsula is commonly abbreviated as U.P. thus giving rise to the shortened form of “Yooper” (UPer) when referring to its residents. If you listen closely, you can hear a subtle Yooper dialect that tends to add the syllable “eh” to the end of sentences. In the town of Munising, we even saw a restaurant called “Eh Burger!”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our first of two stops in the UP was in Ishpeming, an Objibwe word with the general meaning of “above,” reflecting the fact that Ishpeming is 800 feet higher than nearby Lake Superior.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VujVRua1Q7cDTDfwG7ny5NIe4Y2eJhXbhIbMGbs448zyRFA0QcjOAaO3M47Ni5URS7ZmeCmlIiH8tCVR_PAEAsWBW7NDHN0XsUGJsSOuTDKwLIcJMkeKPnM-wdDU6bAQPOK4i5x8D1qI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2730.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VujVRua1Q7cDTDfwG7ny5NIe4Y2eJhXbhIbMGbs448zyRFA0QcjOAaO3M47Ni5URS7ZmeCmlIiH8tCVR_PAEAsWBW7NDHN0XsUGJsSOuTDKwLIcJMkeKPnM-wdDU6bAQPOK4i5x8D1qI/s400/fullsizeoutput_2730.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The largest city in the UP is Marquette, which is known as the Queen City. Marquette was delightfully pleasing to the eyes. Near the top of its hilly streets was an impressive cathedral dating back to the 1880s.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBIPZILiYmNl3HWYRiFEkXkBbVac9tG06hjo9Pk8BOky7oCv8le-bPDJ2ygX6NFv4WQ649ldSghk1AM0N__NGOtbhzrEZUV73HqgHdUWoa3Edqm-wWFJ5qri1TnOlH7qRpZXIRj9-6s0Z/s1600/fullsizeoutput_26fe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1397" data-original-width="1600" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBIPZILiYmNl3HWYRiFEkXkBbVac9tG06hjo9Pk8BOky7oCv8le-bPDJ2ygX6NFv4WQ649ldSghk1AM0N__NGOtbhzrEZUV73HqgHdUWoa3Edqm-wWFJ5qri1TnOlH7qRpZXIRj9-6s0Z/s400/fullsizeoutput_26fe.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0-bSSacE9h30Faxvs_AuzWjgX5m1yYtU68bWfYjXA6-i1eX5vka39SqKeS8JOn4XGhSP0N7CxHd4WEhQpiX980jB0NWfWawylHovnPBhdDS1MHMQEEjSiVShcqjmR6KY8FuyeZe822o0/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2700.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="1578" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0-bSSacE9h30Faxvs_AuzWjgX5m1yYtU68bWfYjXA6-i1eX5vka39SqKeS8JOn4XGhSP0N7CxHd4WEhQpiX980jB0NWfWawylHovnPBhdDS1MHMQEEjSiVShcqjmR6KY8FuyeZe822o0/s320/fullsizeoutput_2700.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Along the water, Marquette condos and townhomes had lots of character.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZB3xQY25lmOvnjWqRktLHuy6HjEQ8IdGE6kWsG8vKWLLA7nqza2crHD3LYEX1aVtFaBrishFo44SH3VSxJMJtnNTaxhDMizNTomhSGVw-aRDn2R4_faLbq4KiLpcmApHsJQvOQ0KzxwY1/s1600/P1050013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZB3xQY25lmOvnjWqRktLHuy6HjEQ8IdGE6kWsG8vKWLLA7nqza2crHD3LYEX1aVtFaBrishFo44SH3VSxJMJtnNTaxhDMizNTomhSGVw-aRDn2R4_faLbq4KiLpcmApHsJQvOQ0KzxwY1/s640/P1050013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfX88CnoBENPuh0ldSaREthJKV6cMAcxfaFHWhwBOaQKK_RX1p7b8YiftQk5iOO2rbNzKFPccYFwN3ip5zJUtyQl0rfs4QRrt8b9SadtTH53adXcO4UFa6mOFgxinQVzzUQw4RlgB7M7Rg/s1600/fullsizeoutput_26f2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="1600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfX88CnoBENPuh0ldSaREthJKV6cMAcxfaFHWhwBOaQKK_RX1p7b8YiftQk5iOO2rbNzKFPccYFwN3ip5zJUtyQl0rfs4QRrt8b9SadtTH53adXcO4UFa6mOFgxinQVzzUQw4RlgB7M7Rg/s640/fullsizeoutput_26f2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Marquette’s large-domed neo-classical style county courthouse was featured in the 1959 courtroom drama movie <i>Anatomy of a Murder,</i> based on a novel of the same name written by a Michigan author.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53-VZeCROHGJ73WTe6Lkdwreekk82-9xayEvKuVKkqPbQwhhWTmQEuZnY0ekruz5BnQD2hY4nBDiQ0oqcy3IUo6CiSlyo2AsNEey2QlqLBD9EB_zNgnseXdBTlMolRaqraemz-mQbT9zQ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2702.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53-VZeCROHGJ73WTe6Lkdwreekk82-9xayEvKuVKkqPbQwhhWTmQEuZnY0ekruz5BnQD2hY4nBDiQ0oqcy3IUo6CiSlyo2AsNEey2QlqLBD9EB_zNgnseXdBTlMolRaqraemz-mQbT9zQ/s640/fullsizeoutput_2702.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2aXskqNlAb-3rk4OlIUvWCv8cIMiZa6nGGPk992Anqgk0Gv3XnTpWpf1lUmESnYUmSL31Hh2KNgHr3htzqQ_kRwA4iEPO5YyIeSzsNlUA8rCymKoSwGyg6yCrCkhgjH61RhDhpdhjxW72/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2775.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1418" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2aXskqNlAb-3rk4OlIUvWCv8cIMiZa6nGGPk992Anqgk0Gv3XnTpWpf1lUmESnYUmSL31Hh2KNgHr3htzqQ_kRwA4iEPO5YyIeSzsNlUA8rCymKoSwGyg6yCrCkhgjH61RhDhpdhjxW72/s320/fullsizeoutput_2775.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Lunch in Marquette introduced us to the exquisite pleasure of dining on Lake Superior whitefish.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our second stop in the UP was in Newberry, an excellent central point from which to explore some of the UP’s most popular sites, such as:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">PICTURED ROCKS NATIONAL LAKESHORE</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The only way to see the “pictured rocks” formations of brilliantly colored cliffs, sea caves and pristine beaches along Lake Superior was by means of a boat cruise out of Munising, Michigan.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluoKrQB4pGSmk1NAFTpJqtgJ8HIpqECs7jRV9QUgSw8nT_oau4lh_O7pjhAty1_XmvhKT4tANV10qNiw_oH_4TdJwcQUAdn2ac-aad12QiLLeh4SVAZCsZOjtJ4s445uVC1yfn1GeVAI8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2714.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluoKrQB4pGSmk1NAFTpJqtgJ8HIpqECs7jRV9QUgSw8nT_oau4lh_O7pjhAty1_XmvhKT4tANV10qNiw_oH_4TdJwcQUAdn2ac-aad12QiLLeh4SVAZCsZOjtJ4s445uVC1yfn1GeVAI8/s320/fullsizeoutput_2714.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidd2wqc1xrxmeoXS-8hrRAbGi6trLwaRAhkX2hUPM1SyqFHnlm43ja7M2k1HdmGfGkVuZlz4SrIMTB2XniFpZpJvGWfVKJJRvywcsm4qprP54793kDmPY1xtr82n19efj3uhaXhe61FTB1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2709.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidd2wqc1xrxmeoXS-8hrRAbGi6trLwaRAhkX2hUPM1SyqFHnlm43ja7M2k1HdmGfGkVuZlz4SrIMTB2XniFpZpJvGWfVKJJRvywcsm4qprP54793kDmPY1xtr82n19efj3uhaXhe61FTB1/s400/fullsizeoutput_2709.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFA7gbhRIIQAZtegm5Gxka3T-y2rLBBkqu0xTljl9jiLDmHfTLh1G6SIFHxmIHVvNZrC10nm8nVtQ9O5IkIEIfJlpX_eqeS7WHAPxSc96zdcYNEfgKP1Fc_Qd1KLO3AtsQO9DOCKTwbD1m/s1600/P1050087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFA7gbhRIIQAZtegm5Gxka3T-y2rLBBkqu0xTljl9jiLDmHfTLh1G6SIFHxmIHVvNZrC10nm8nVtQ9O5IkIEIfJlpX_eqeS7WHAPxSc96zdcYNEfgKP1Fc_Qd1KLO3AtsQO9DOCKTwbD1m/s640/P1050087.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Even before we reached the pictured rocks area, the raw beauty of the shoreline scenery along Lake Superior was clearly evident.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9iUdi-6j0IuFjvMaqo28NZ_qwAxvJpDv6ZAOM9NIfSBEuTcdtGLt03l79VBDzv1piTnCrzYNMSP9wujmox1isOAlUossmz9WiTHZuu5jRnKe_XEzkQET4NqH1X3SrpUVuNTJK6RITBeE/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2746.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9iUdi-6j0IuFjvMaqo28NZ_qwAxvJpDv6ZAOM9NIfSBEuTcdtGLt03l79VBDzv1piTnCrzYNMSP9wujmox1isOAlUossmz9WiTHZuu5jRnKe_XEzkQET4NqH1X3SrpUVuNTJK6RITBeE/s640/fullsizeoutput_2746.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmql_MWpDZr_QWtwK0_ma5OUCTURDy-Lpz8c_-eeuVTNahotQog1XWfzF5XaiuiaQQRpIbuyM2mKGVMeCFPsuTgwXVdwGobyVZYlacQWTkvM2u5P4eUFGyXHJpZqROj5v1VOjF3UhfIZ6/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2721.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmql_MWpDZr_QWtwK0_ma5OUCTURDy-Lpz8c_-eeuVTNahotQog1XWfzF5XaiuiaQQRpIbuyM2mKGVMeCFPsuTgwXVdwGobyVZYlacQWTkvM2u5P4eUFGyXHJpZqROj5v1VOjF3UhfIZ6/s640/fullsizeoutput_2721.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Kayakers were out in force.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYe1g77LOOKFcamwo4sRjYlyHkm6l7TRUdE2yYxs20PiE1HfDG2Pw29cWb4sW0MsZieiFAyrG4B06o4AOYUEieBRDUtyUlJifdwmxqUxsAcDiUPa5Wepx8MJ8FLPMR2UJ2qHhogIsgPj-S/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2726.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="1600" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYe1g77LOOKFcamwo4sRjYlyHkm6l7TRUdE2yYxs20PiE1HfDG2Pw29cWb4sW0MsZieiFAyrG4B06o4AOYUEieBRDUtyUlJifdwmxqUxsAcDiUPa5Wepx8MJ8FLPMR2UJ2qHhogIsgPj-S/s640/fullsizeoutput_2726.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">TAHQUAMENON FALLS STATE PARK</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 32px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For multiple reasons, one of the most iconic locations in the UP is the tip of land called Whitefish Point at the extreme northeastern tip of the Upper Peninsula. The state park of <b><i>Tahquamenon Falls</i></b> is located just below Whitefish Point. The centerpiece of the park was its waterfalls.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4E2Aq8lGNKFB_aGJ8UbidQHHfA155R65UB4fa9wCUVY90pR2H2drj9TVqDXGrBycPTyRVGVP07DN3-7s0dupIYjk__DxlgsckF2tuUbmzfFvYJMJarL13LZjoAz8-U7Uv88dUg10UE7hn/s1600/P1050165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4E2Aq8lGNKFB_aGJ8UbidQHHfA155R65UB4fa9wCUVY90pR2H2drj9TVqDXGrBycPTyRVGVP07DN3-7s0dupIYjk__DxlgsckF2tuUbmzfFvYJMJarL13LZjoAz8-U7Uv88dUg10UE7hn/s400/P1050165.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The most spectacular waterfall was the Upper Falls, with a span of 200 feet and a drop of nearly 50 feet.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoBcpw-r-mPWLk6ZYfx3n6Ex7rldyDsYrrWfvKJxvea5pX1XtHcmmhTJi4RiiRmpthCmesMb9qq0o8Gc9CZo8ah5tcd2eJDTI4l163buZgH9zbQ5FhMBtVIQPHrysAh5Vinjo4k7a96Oe/s1600/IMG_4922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoBcpw-r-mPWLk6ZYfx3n6Ex7rldyDsYrrWfvKJxvea5pX1XtHcmmhTJi4RiiRmpthCmesMb9qq0o8Gc9CZo8ah5tcd2eJDTI4l163buZgH9zbQ5FhMBtVIQPHrysAh5Vinjo4k7a96Oe/s640/IMG_4922.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUI4Ocz5hDY3C1a91w3sXdEqg19nH1Aeys3PlyxKRX8cOXCj5xn558GeAETGJ8BCfUUfArdTV4c5Z58aszjEZikGIdADlKJ6TG2t_fNa4Oe3pOLLZx7ZYgiMFhJegGWv9qCxi71uXnzr0u/s1600/P1050164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUI4Ocz5hDY3C1a91w3sXdEqg19nH1Aeys3PlyxKRX8cOXCj5xn558GeAETGJ8BCfUUfArdTV4c5Z58aszjEZikGIdADlKJ6TG2t_fNa4Oe3pOLLZx7ZYgiMFhJegGWv9qCxi71uXnzr0u/s400/P1050164.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Four miles downstream, the Lower Falls consisted of a series of waterfalls cascading around an island in the Tahquamenon River, which empties into Whitefish Bay.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lJA5RbaS0n5KOzyFxo22v_s811o4wOZz6zkkue88UOiCgjnuDgdwRvxJxMFxs3CVnsZM4-xQqQZhmPIRXGvv-JuJp6IEV0A5iu2TYdLzculxtKZEaRKgxCvzPXkT88oZeAXYTK3NdDlk/s1600/IMG_4929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lJA5RbaS0n5KOzyFxo22v_s811o4wOZz6zkkue88UOiCgjnuDgdwRvxJxMFxs3CVnsZM4-xQqQZhmPIRXGvv-JuJp6IEV0A5iu2TYdLzculxtKZEaRKgxCvzPXkT88oZeAXYTK3NdDlk/s640/IMG_4929.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2czJ-29u5_TI3cWUDhY18sTD8ts81HNqS11INev-VvPm2PEVymCztPlr3iZ2aWzkj8iAnjsW7jJ6GN_9eSszm75_UkAKpgjMs8d70Kc8DuIdQ8g4OZMXDU8_TkiZgIpNrhm2BjKq_nJe3/s1600/P1050119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2czJ-29u5_TI3cWUDhY18sTD8ts81HNqS11INev-VvPm2PEVymCztPlr3iZ2aWzkj8iAnjsW7jJ6GN_9eSszm75_UkAKpgjMs8d70Kc8DuIdQ8g4OZMXDU8_TkiZgIpNrhm2BjKq_nJe3/s640/P1050119.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQt1rKwczcNW8xzoDrfzLOQxVNXgRKjC6QQk1q6m4UO2Z0XE0r2imeWqVOY8WpMZMrEPQxAel1elcTqX5Hqlw7nkrpPIPQ-gzMP_zKTeg7oBZm8nZw2DsaocxSywI3AZikTtKbe70yh51/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2776.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQt1rKwczcNW8xzoDrfzLOQxVNXgRKjC6QQk1q6m4UO2Z0XE0r2imeWqVOY8WpMZMrEPQxAel1elcTqX5Hqlw7nkrpPIPQ-gzMP_zKTeg7oBZm8nZw2DsaocxSywI3AZikTtKbe70yh51/s320/fullsizeoutput_2776.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At Whitefish Bay, we visited the purely picturesque Coast Guard lifeboat station complex.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBEZHz6lcxVG_3J_YC5FpmwLoNHRKKYgA96AMSGf80IWZ4Er50CIFcXbRiwHEOe57UhZLCxKbIXuSMZGKs9_STZGrA5mc9ZqktJ3-ttl8rNoeeUBTbgobiilHG7AnzeNisQosbMiQ9WHk/s1600/IMG_4951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBEZHz6lcxVG_3J_YC5FpmwLoNHRKKYgA96AMSGf80IWZ4Er50CIFcXbRiwHEOe57UhZLCxKbIXuSMZGKs9_STZGrA5mc9ZqktJ3-ttl8rNoeeUBTbgobiilHG7AnzeNisQosbMiQ9WHk/s640/IMG_4951.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkUEyu9WHb-2Ykuw0MsA-4_1vORL-Pp3QZhuqBNmzaVvaDRrsRmbV5nAum4v8HaFqORa4sk4BePbcDe6sY44mBKlmaymcnKluutjsUFO0CVaofmh-wU6CMqDICiGMiTt-YMz-_wQXRc9-/s1600/P1050125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkUEyu9WHb-2Ykuw0MsA-4_1vORL-Pp3QZhuqBNmzaVvaDRrsRmbV5nAum4v8HaFqORa4sk4BePbcDe6sY44mBKlmaymcnKluutjsUFO0CVaofmh-wU6CMqDICiGMiTt-YMz-_wQXRc9-/s640/P1050125.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGiZNTnNAPXgm_BnBMpkc85ltatnH9HR3es2YKsEHAt4b9XDKW8GrZTnMKcLTOPJ_p92mCIH5PLHDVnOPMAOhqe7y6E-UegRcKapZQK1HP20-eIUnB0o3tLVVnKb1fNaOc37JwpsZ581a-/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2786.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1053" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGiZNTnNAPXgm_BnBMpkc85ltatnH9HR3es2YKsEHAt4b9XDKW8GrZTnMKcLTOPJ_p92mCIH5PLHDVnOPMAOhqe7y6E-UegRcKapZQK1HP20-eIUnB0o3tLVVnKb1fNaOc37JwpsZ581a-/s400/fullsizeoutput_2786.jpeg" width="262" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The waters off Whitefish Point will forever live on in sad tales of maritime history. A fully loaded ore freighter named the <b><i>Edmund Fitzgerald</i></b> vanished and sunk seventeen miles off Whitefish Point in a monstrous storm on November 10, 1975, killing the entire ship’s crew of 29. It is a poignant point of fact that this trip was to be the ship captain’s final voyage before retirement. The most famous shipwreck in Great Lakes history now lies broken in two at a depth of 535 feet in the frigid waters of Lake Superior. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The memorial to the crew of the <b><i>Edmund Fitzgerald</i></b> at Whitefish Point was lovely, simple and serene… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_UqTS1C-vAaL60dl4AZz0m9fKEBTMG6_CjaKbns2jjUDhYxO7Pv7d-hIVW2jRjOfPXd-g9YBa5xNTRgwEUyN-BD9ScwiEQ1CO0JvIv1_muy_ASPntBshTqZo0Y5jVjyzageA69lcH8Gg/s1600/fullsizeoutput_277d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1516" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_UqTS1C-vAaL60dl4AZz0m9fKEBTMG6_CjaKbns2jjUDhYxO7Pv7d-hIVW2jRjOfPXd-g9YBa5xNTRgwEUyN-BD9ScwiEQ1CO0JvIv1_muy_ASPntBshTqZo0Y5jVjyzageA69lcH8Gg/s400/fullsizeoutput_277d.jpeg" width="377" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald </i></b>is Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot’s most celebrated song. <b><i> </i></b>The haunting poetry of the words captures perfectly the last hours of the doomed ship and its crew. Strangely, more than four decades after the most famous shipwreck in Great Lakes history, the cause of the wreck is still somewhat of a mystery, although terrible weather undoubtedly played a part.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">SOO LOCKS</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On the day that she was lost, the <b><i>Edmund Fitzgerald</i></b> had been headed to the locks at Sault Ste. Marie (pronounced <b><i>soo-saint-marie</i></b>) enroute to the lower Great Lakes for its home port of Cleveland, where the plan was to wait out the winter. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRuNfiOCJtCXsEysY8C3vSMuyeYxVVGgwP38mH1xQ1yBYVEW8L2HeZdaG13gnMX0U0JhVxLmdB6OpUcCSlv9jIKXLXpkH5A6Yu0w2DYWv3w8nJ7z0ZdqewN7fDjyCkdEiQ-2vW0wDC1n6/s1600/IMG_4953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRuNfiOCJtCXsEysY8C3vSMuyeYxVVGgwP38mH1xQ1yBYVEW8L2HeZdaG13gnMX0U0JhVxLmdB6OpUcCSlv9jIKXLXpkH5A6Yu0w2DYWv3w8nJ7z0ZdqewN7fDjyCkdEiQ-2vW0wDC1n6/s320/IMG_4953.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A visit to the so-called “Soo Locks” at Canal Park in Sault Ste. Marie provided a fascinating day for us as we watched some of the world’s largest freighters slowly ease their way through the lock system between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. We were mesmerized as the <b><i>Tadoussac</i></b> of the Canada Steamship Lines<b><i> </i></b>slowly entered the big Poe Lock from Lake Superior,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxq0oGNticw15q02QH68DPpz7nmtJMY-vWFfjcPFYaQmMJm-YX3ZnHg_twdfOs9oHjj2-JuPHQp5wzgwO1sGqhivT9JxIIBlINpX3nge5ZgqORTmxgrKByRKu6ip-N_XlRqQw-TSYqaKeX/s1600/IMG_4955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxq0oGNticw15q02QH68DPpz7nmtJMY-vWFfjcPFYaQmMJm-YX3ZnHg_twdfOs9oHjj2-JuPHQp5wzgwO1sGqhivT9JxIIBlINpX3nge5ZgqORTmxgrKByRKu6ip-N_XlRqQw-TSYqaKeX/s640/IMG_4955.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">then halted patiently for the water to lower 21 feet to bring it down to the level of Lake Huron.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiomyy7cp_7FBcQ2cPyYTGRWC4V37tovr8zkZnCBbRrYFG-z0GN9Xyag7ZTYv3kPO3mm4usXN5nu5a8iCjCAzEVCCGhg_c2BomXHw4S8rUz85z2UcHwEuvvVsxWXhbbvvg5InZJu90ryjk/s1600/P1050176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiomyy7cp_7FBcQ2cPyYTGRWC4V37tovr8zkZnCBbRrYFG-z0GN9Xyag7ZTYv3kPO3mm4usXN5nu5a8iCjCAzEVCCGhg_c2BomXHw4S8rUz85z2UcHwEuvvVsxWXhbbvvg5InZJu90ryjk/s640/P1050176.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was eerie to watch this massive ship and its superstructure lower in the water right before our very eyes. After a single blast of the ship’s horn, the <b><i>Tadoussac </i></b>continued on its way in the lower waters of Lake Huron…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALzZtJIWAyOwinslcSrvjIV3rk19_ubwW8cQMrsPju0rQNNDBduO_5fU5gj1xFA32QbVh-4cswa5I70iMlNKstDffhbKzmeFnBExsAyb81aMFTlCGz-yStMZoJPIAZekpb1bQEHOQtltt/s1600/P1050180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALzZtJIWAyOwinslcSrvjIV3rk19_ubwW8cQMrsPju0rQNNDBduO_5fU5gj1xFA32QbVh-4cswa5I70iMlNKstDffhbKzmeFnBExsAyb81aMFTlCGz-yStMZoJPIAZekpb1bQEHOQtltt/s640/P1050180.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We had a fascinating conversation during lunch one day with a 90-year-old woman who was eating alone at the table next to us. She told us a story about the day she went camping with her family at the Sault Ste. Marie locks at the outbreak of WW II. She said her family witnessed the passage of the last ship before the locks were closed to all private vessels for the duration of the war. This firsthand account really hit home to us just how strategic the locks were for shipping the raw materials needed in a wartime economy. Our interesting lunch companion also mentioned that several thousand troops were stationed in Sault Ste. Marie for defense purposes during WW II. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We stuck around the lock area after lunch when we learned that two 1000-ft freighters (the largest on the Great Lakes) would be transiting through Poe Lock. These steel giants of the Great Lakes play an essential role in keeping the raw materials of our economy moving. Iron ore, followed by coal, is the most valuable cargo carried through the locks. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdgav2rYNNE5zt58seKzBotcwwOBy4loTcfjQC7raEMz9PYkeWDrtnyqweR1WEgKaRz-NW6_qWVUq8enxkH-wvDTLFhhKyKiyNATCn5w8q7YEsPFhT_oBe00nRL2wgYs3IKmO1js7chhV/s1600/P1050212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdgav2rYNNE5zt58seKzBotcwwOBy4loTcfjQC7raEMz9PYkeWDrtnyqweR1WEgKaRz-NW6_qWVUq8enxkH-wvDTLFhhKyKiyNATCn5w8q7YEsPFhT_oBe00nRL2wgYs3IKmO1js7chhV/s400/P1050212.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A few hours ago, the 730-ft <b><i>Tadoussac</i></b> seemed pretty big to us; however, the 1000-ft <b><i>Edwin H. Gott</i></b> was colossal! I found it impossible to capture the entire ship in one camera shot without distorting the foreground in my camera’s panoramic function. What a captivating excursion we had at Soo Locks!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHm-koB7GGXnhOhxv-OTB3vs0U0YKcTd-ShpIaorchYpZ_IQuAp48nOExQXQ1Jr9m3tYiYvDV8s2pnmjN3t8ACed4ylOhIqnLj1Y5zPOUcZFPTcQtk2D3Dcvn1Sqgmtc571KH_bkhVfTC/s1600/P1050209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="1600" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHm-koB7GGXnhOhxv-OTB3vs0U0YKcTd-ShpIaorchYpZ_IQuAp48nOExQXQ1Jr9m3tYiYvDV8s2pnmjN3t8ACed4ylOhIqnLj1Y5zPOUcZFPTcQtk2D3Dcvn1Sqgmtc571KH_bkhVfTC/s640/P1050209.JPG" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>The Edwin H. Gott</i> in Poe Lock</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">After an interesting six days in the UP, we were happy that we had made the effort to come back to Michigan for the Upper Peninsula experience. The unusual careers, leisure activities, and lifestyles of its inhabitants were fascinating, making it one of the more unique places we have visited in the United States thus far.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: orange; font-kerning: none;">Carol Galus</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: orange; font-kerning: none;">Photo-Blogger</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnqTNUfSJoJAb4pnAQlqB-_7C9XbtQRomTeA8bLz1fRDzX3xybQJZWd0uU96QkYXvCaTbH_OqYcIkv_wWWEvNttZo8PMLif9jA35mv4yso7mKcBQNshWYpLon8sg0tOvuD7vnIkGsom7t/s1600/fullsizeoutput_278a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnqTNUfSJoJAb4pnAQlqB-_7C9XbtQRomTeA8bLz1fRDzX3xybQJZWd0uU96QkYXvCaTbH_OqYcIkv_wWWEvNttZo8PMLif9jA35mv4yso7mKcBQNshWYpLon8sg0tOvuD7vnIkGsom7t/s640/fullsizeoutput_278a.jpeg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Sault Ste. Marie Locks between Lake Huron and Lake Superior</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 24px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-91760499964686612232019-07-20T07:39:00.000-05:002019-07-20T07:39:01.346-05:00ROLLING THROUGH THE LAND OF LAKES IN MINNESOTA<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0UcIo535Dyn31bI7hKyvx7KWWV28yTXPeLXp1nt1u0HOojdAH41Aol44aiQ-93GwEogaxWycour9HXUJYtiL9vQ5z6vqRgDoChbO7s_2G1IHzWL2cqv7Gisaro9j0MwiNrZJtQaYsaso/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2735.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0UcIo535Dyn31bI7hKyvx7KWWV28yTXPeLXp1nt1u0HOojdAH41Aol44aiQ-93GwEogaxWycour9HXUJYtiL9vQ5z6vqRgDoChbO7s_2G1IHzWL2cqv7Gisaro9j0MwiNrZJtQaYsaso/s640/fullsizeoutput_2735.jpeg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Photography by Al Galus</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 29px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 29px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">On leaving the Dakotas, we embarked on a quick two-week breeze across southern Minnesota, with stops in three small towns. The state of Minnesota has been called the land of 10,000 lakes, and to our eyes that fact was no exaggeration… We noticed a stark change of scenery as the view outside our motorhome windows changed from treeless Dakota prairies to a very green land that was lush with trees and lakes in a rolling landscape shaped by ancient glaciers. For three days, we stayed in a campground in the resort town of Detroit Lakes,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_iOfxUjCWY-H6mgxYG25SpaFFsHFr7M8I0tAmxDtgxf_4vMkHS2p1WhT-BRKaJeRFPNPkxq4tkX6SnzG8b4e2BS9C06G1lLqnuok9DS_Zg0pQBQbDJ3ThyrWMvmhiHO__d-YPXvW6_2dS/s1600/IMG_4871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_iOfxUjCWY-H6mgxYG25SpaFFsHFr7M8I0tAmxDtgxf_4vMkHS2p1WhT-BRKaJeRFPNPkxq4tkX6SnzG8b4e2BS9C06G1lLqnuok9DS_Zg0pQBQbDJ3ThyrWMvmhiHO__d-YPXvW6_2dS/s640/IMG_4871.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">where we had plans to meet up with good Colorado friends Barb and Jim, who had recently relocated back to Minnesota to be closer to family. With campsites almost across from one another, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEWW1LJNzKHzfesnaDQBPMx7wpsQcWHtut6rx7tZB3dDP8ztSW1GYuSeZsyZMzNzqIZWoz75wdHOcOMydamKr4vzKNvecZ7_ZZiYD0D5CjnO1Je-UBqQB76m8gTeiZ8NFqTGRoRrmRXYL/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2662.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1430" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEWW1LJNzKHzfesnaDQBPMx7wpsQcWHtut6rx7tZB3dDP8ztSW1GYuSeZsyZMzNzqIZWoz75wdHOcOMydamKr4vzKNvecZ7_ZZiYD0D5CjnO1Je-UBqQB76m8gTeiZ8NFqTGRoRrmRXYL/s640/fullsizeoutput_2662.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">we caught up on key life events since last seeing Barb and Jim in their former home in Las Cruces, New Mexico.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7Kd_1tbG1hF1MQmlgEokMzHo1NkceylIvJEEeOa81NEC90Wd7jzvNVirkTYvsUYIrxpS3CAhJ2C1bXp60190m_i9uWgs3DJJAE1dd6qvWZaRz-qgBoDZ7qnRqp3DK_282tMReqLmU8c1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2686.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="418" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7Kd_1tbG1hF1MQmlgEokMzHo1NkceylIvJEEeOa81NEC90Wd7jzvNVirkTYvsUYIrxpS3CAhJ2C1bXp60190m_i9uWgs3DJJAE1dd6qvWZaRz-qgBoDZ7qnRqp3DK_282tMReqLmU8c1/s400/fullsizeoutput_2686.jpeg" width="103" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Barb wanted to show us the headwaters of the Mississippi River, the great American river that touches 10 states as it flows south to drain half our continent. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kLpCIKMU3EYrgfmwZ35r0jznc6w9cHPO8IOENdvVZkiPE1kmoziLyyrAGADMqvf2em_6XUNulXTStxnXfvcN4DfxgftRkWAfu3SLxbwnXD9sVbs2vaACkGlUh9tC3SrauqZykkzrxM_4/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2653.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kLpCIKMU3EYrgfmwZ35r0jznc6w9cHPO8IOENdvVZkiPE1kmoziLyyrAGADMqvf2em_6XUNulXTStxnXfvcN4DfxgftRkWAfu3SLxbwnXD9sVbs2vaACkGlUh9tC3SrauqZykkzrxM_4/s400/fullsizeoutput_2653.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">At the headwaters of the Mississippi River</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The four of us took a day trip 70 miles north to Lake Itasca State Park to a spot that the Dakota and Ojibwe Tribes had known about long before explorers like Zebulon Pike undertook relentless searches for the river’s all-important source. It wasn’t until 1832 when an Ojibwe chief guided explorer Henry Schoolcraft to the headwaters at Lake Itasca.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0p1Q1fYffbEnyUZOM-2R8DizMonNHNE3Tsy8iCISiDI6XO1gaAaWxolfzT-IW1rn8m9TQsozRE15hDduEQ__HxDH5WLqQKBk7nn8onN34T74lSQft6gsG4X-yT54wbdGaU0PXedhTZ9Xu/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2675.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="528" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0p1Q1fYffbEnyUZOM-2R8DizMonNHNE3Tsy8iCISiDI6XO1gaAaWxolfzT-IW1rn8m9TQsozRE15hDduEQ__HxDH5WLqQKBk7nn8onN34T74lSQft6gsG4X-yT54wbdGaU0PXedhTZ9Xu/s400/fullsizeoutput_2675.jpeg" width="308" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Barb and I participated in the local “wet your toes” ritual at a relatively small pool of headwaters partially walled off along the shore of Lake Itasca. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For good measure, we all took turns “walking across the Mississippi River” on a handy half-log bridge.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TBpC0yeTLJigrG_ms53WEEFuqzCLJV5a0P8zEP8BQ6vDtpEySLeU6rqNSlVgp5u84tHmu_rvzftvN8DmL8CTABg-LPfnjvI4iRa9Y4o5vqtD3JT-8eU5PkX0g4E5ctZ1-fHY3PRUD0ND/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2688.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TBpC0yeTLJigrG_ms53WEEFuqzCLJV5a0P8zEP8BQ6vDtpEySLeU6rqNSlVgp5u84tHmu_rvzftvN8DmL8CTABg-LPfnjvI4iRa9Y4o5vqtD3JT-8eU5PkX0g4E5ctZ1-fHY3PRUD0ND/s640/fullsizeoutput_2688.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On the way back to camp, we took a detour to visit an old abandoned farmhouse where Barb’s hearty Minnesota grandparents used to live and farm the land.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04VjEICGN7jpS88GGh9AiUat0AzVDb20epwADCMTWtDYEwAZu431bSMc6TscK7FSfrrboh8Sl0Z7_5U2-GQwuBCU1cYPJx5OAZWc0ZHRp2r1jUlyhoaqTTkOcl0NfcPo99cHCMMr3dqXl/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2736.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04VjEICGN7jpS88GGh9AiUat0AzVDb20epwADCMTWtDYEwAZu431bSMc6TscK7FSfrrboh8Sl0Z7_5U2-GQwuBCU1cYPJx5OAZWc0ZHRp2r1jUlyhoaqTTkOcl0NfcPo99cHCMMr3dqXl/s640/fullsizeoutput_2736.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Along the way, we also caught up with Barb’s Uncle Donald.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkPo3QZb-GUVppF3tsj8mw9t_SMsNz3PMYNdIAWzNRy_cDbKztOPRADa6Kq90ao1WcUGPlWqyorqAi-bWCv2FD4sSl9bcYG_cmLGK3Sb2CbOAxTcM337FKf29Mq_zBT-axHvmqICtwCj1/s1600/VjuFe3Y%252BTBuEAI%252BE%25257YCkQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkPo3QZb-GUVppF3tsj8mw9t_SMsNz3PMYNdIAWzNRy_cDbKztOPRADa6Kq90ao1WcUGPlWqyorqAi-bWCv2FD4sSl9bcYG_cmLGK3Sb2CbOAxTcM337FKf29Mq_zBT-axHvmqICtwCj1/s400/VjuFe3Y%252BTBuEAI%252BE%25257YCkQ.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIlqwcVW4pPtSa0qXVZeh3R1FyJzLFZXUgnbTDYdPxgAKFXQPhrDOubZruFh9gVUWmUwVz0WhGrgTKc-c864g0pVjPPnFitbA1pmczDuMdnZ07mq9A877LEF20dCkpaOk0I-Y4H-HIt9W/s1600/IMG_4888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIlqwcVW4pPtSa0qXVZeh3R1FyJzLFZXUgnbTDYdPxgAKFXQPhrDOubZruFh9gVUWmUwVz0WhGrgTKc-c864g0pVjPPnFitbA1pmczDuMdnZ07mq9A877LEF20dCkpaOk0I-Y4H-HIt9W/s640/IMG_4888.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Garfield, Minnesota campground</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our next brief stay was in Garfield, Minnesota, only a few miles from Barb and Jim’s lot on Turtle Lake. Barb has dubbed this spot their little “piece of Paradise.” A deluxe garage and workshop has already been built.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7vzc1POz-H72NR3-wFQ2gKdaXxdj-OoMpepxONVI7-d0w4tTD5U-Uy0_r2_LQKvjn7JoDR7_SVFG9ABuBUzDWz8I8sNJdzj4LYOODC0m9DlxPS8fIXYHhp1i1LDBAw8Rc89hqVAXkxA0/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2733.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1600" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7vzc1POz-H72NR3-wFQ2gKdaXxdj-OoMpepxONVI7-d0w4tTD5U-Uy0_r2_LQKvjn7JoDR7_SVFG9ABuBUzDWz8I8sNJdzj4LYOODC0m9DlxPS8fIXYHhp1i1LDBAw8Rc89hqVAXkxA0/s640/fullsizeoutput_2733.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As soon as Mother Nature cooperates by sending drier weather, construction on a new home is set to begin. The dock at Turtle Lake appeared ready for summer action.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQgGzZFdt29yazb9GR-J5zvsc24FXcUso1ueEDOpsMUm5KNKD3-XDDMU2RDRx2VkkLn5-OBwO1g9JBlXM_N0ziLkZ8NSX0in0f6OHH0CkaSTvIPEe-VeW4x_eJ9-rZaOe1-q7AwwkHB4OB/s1600/fullsizeoutput_269d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQgGzZFdt29yazb9GR-J5zvsc24FXcUso1ueEDOpsMUm5KNKD3-XDDMU2RDRx2VkkLn5-OBwO1g9JBlXM_N0ziLkZ8NSX0in0f6OHH0CkaSTvIPEe-VeW4x_eJ9-rZaOe1-q7AwwkHB4OB/s640/fullsizeoutput_269d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sunday brunch at Arrowwood Resort, followed by a tour of the waterpark, was a great way to wind up our visit with ole friends who are just beginning their own new adventure in life…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJ2PysBrHtFrBxU5hfuqUNVjYFH4FMVVovisSolPO1lkzpYfFgIQReXLaqbTts5FiGcVMsvqMl-RxxqcVtyVYCxY3WAujJpCQekzMCudIa1QbX0f6xE5giCbkct2QvXljh9_hiFKTuXyC/s1600/fullsizeoutput_26d2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="1600" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJ2PysBrHtFrBxU5hfuqUNVjYFH4FMVVovisSolPO1lkzpYfFgIQReXLaqbTts5FiGcVMsvqMl-RxxqcVtyVYCxY3WAujJpCQekzMCudIa1QbX0f6xE5giCbkct2QvXljh9_hiFKTuXyC/s640/fullsizeoutput_26d2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We have always considered crossing the Mississippi River a watershed moment in any road trip back East. Like much of Minnesota this past spring, we also had a rainy day for our official river crossing.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHi8CqJsiCBaAdUaUG5e-TN09nULDe78qUBE6dTNLYg8Cx4EJcZE5TGy1-Cq2A1MQv4kWvzw5DjTH2dTFZYEKJF0E2pyYDFU_2DhREpn7xZhGAH3BrOapS8E2b9r9RQm2czXy2IKTP8nL/s1600/fullsizeoutput_26a3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1600" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHi8CqJsiCBaAdUaUG5e-TN09nULDe78qUBE6dTNLYg8Cx4EJcZE5TGy1-Cq2A1MQv4kWvzw5DjTH2dTFZYEKJF0E2pyYDFU_2DhREpn7xZhGAH3BrOapS8E2b9r9RQm2czXy2IKTP8nL/s640/fullsizeoutput_26a3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For a week over the Fourth of July holiday, we hunkered down in a large casino campground in the small town of Hinckley, Minnesota. The Fourth of July “parade” consisted of a dozen or so decorated golf carts, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdwdVC4p0rrYSl3tdgaWH0teeSYZE1fbPoxzL6ByexCxqobvriUSeH00V5yfbrXFXeJF8lzrQe7V5sRFHuwDVjrVtkF9SjDAbmnAjpkQXUlSsW5vRrnLLWACRjp8B9dOdBg5NkhE1HNQI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_26b4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1600" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdwdVC4p0rrYSl3tdgaWH0teeSYZE1fbPoxzL6ByexCxqobvriUSeH00V5yfbrXFXeJF8lzrQe7V5sRFHuwDVjrVtkF9SjDAbmnAjpkQXUlSsW5vRrnLLWACRjp8B9dOdBg5NkhE1HNQI/s640/fullsizeoutput_26b4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">with enthusiastic riders who had plenty of patriotic spirit. And that was small-town America for us on the Fourth… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXV4XzJiGvUyYHO8kshFOUgn1httZa8rQzJIkk8XlGV7BoBSP1RGn5r50qAPRaWwDU6LBPTn91vxyf6z4rQycH-q680WHjkXATUZcdVT3vRe9R53ORvJqMtvFGxbGsDcOYUJRhhJIGkza/s1600/IMG_4891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXV4XzJiGvUyYHO8kshFOUgn1httZa8rQzJIkk8XlGV7BoBSP1RGn5r50qAPRaWwDU6LBPTn91vxyf6z4rQycH-q680WHjkXATUZcdVT3vRe9R53ORvJqMtvFGxbGsDcOYUJRhhJIGkza/s640/IMG_4891.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6z79c0NYSO_RofjAo8bWR7ZZj8w-WaumrDH8Fyqhn9VvybyeLpL4W5XlutDBRa8vCm9hSMvr5BtqnrckOCNPH7BSFF6w89w6rzYUqg4-mt5GtTicvjxzRsgm7GG5w1pZbTCghQdyuPFR/s1600/P1040942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6z79c0NYSO_RofjAo8bWR7ZZj8w-WaumrDH8Fyqhn9VvybyeLpL4W5XlutDBRa8vCm9hSMvr5BtqnrckOCNPH7BSFF6w89w6rzYUqg4-mt5GtTicvjxzRsgm7GG5w1pZbTCghQdyuPFR/s400/P1040942.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The tiny town of Hinckley was no different than thousands of small towns in Minnesota, except for the fact that this old logging town was front and center in a firestorm that killed 418 people as it destroyed several villages in East Central Minnesota on September 1, 1894. The Hinckley Fire Museum, located in the old train depot, did a fantastic job of retelling the incredible saga of the <b><i>Great Hinckley Fire of 1894</i></b>, the greatest tragedy in Minnesota history.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">There was a treasure trove of old photographs, such as this one of the Hinckley Fire Department that was taken the year before the great fire.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMshNavpZmFGstbg_xnJqtbEPUHsMPIQMknc4Rezi0jhH6G0UHTg388onYvkihMob6b2Rfi_3TwOKbcTGSVV0fwG5rXTd03qrrKwL6BIHlvWjnaDz0ZpjwIX9ofqQaYCErb11y01UGHDWg/s1600/fullsizeoutput_26ab.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1128" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMshNavpZmFGstbg_xnJqtbEPUHsMPIQMknc4Rezi0jhH6G0UHTg388onYvkihMob6b2Rfi_3TwOKbcTGSVV0fwG5rXTd03qrrKwL6BIHlvWjnaDz0ZpjwIX9ofqQaYCErb11y01UGHDWg/s640/fullsizeoutput_26ab.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A restaurant called the “Beanery” was captured in this remarkable instant in time at the old train depot. “Beanery” customers picked their seat in front of the piece of pie that most caught their fancy.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0Om6XzCLgK19SAmt0-GIaPrmVi43oXQnx-QygeBWyrMCdn8GSkf_7JM3r2K6xAPXnLdZlP0Il8ShV_AbC2RZ5XILJzAPVZMQ3X6lFPKUUn5FzEVQxxbKjNvAFXCgnxkCka57ZgA-n0RJ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_26b1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0Om6XzCLgK19SAmt0-GIaPrmVi43oXQnx-QygeBWyrMCdn8GSkf_7JM3r2K6xAPXnLdZlP0Il8ShV_AbC2RZ5XILJzAPVZMQ3X6lFPKUUn5FzEVQxxbKjNvAFXCgnxkCka57ZgA-n0RJ/s640/fullsizeoutput_26b1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Miraculously, over 1000 Hinckley residents survived the firestorm by scrambling aboard hastily assembled passenger and freight cars headed north out of town. Others cowered in lakes and swamps around town to escape the ferocious flames.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Over a century down the road, Hinckley has long been rebuilt. Not surprisingly, we noticed that Hinckley’s modern-day fire department is one that would be the envy of any small town…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmbMgNaO3cns7o390bIhfJWJ17Ri21a9EUo2tJsjFbVMPKNF_sJvMTckYvZAvDgZEgm8Qs5uqXVPLPU-gSoHGhgvN8_jMwQymPh4v9j0xr3StqdKtVhMAzsc1ZguUFjHhae7ZLYQW0Txz/s1600/P1040940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmbMgNaO3cns7o390bIhfJWJ17Ri21a9EUo2tJsjFbVMPKNF_sJvMTckYvZAvDgZEgm8Qs5uqXVPLPU-gSoHGhgvN8_jMwQymPh4v9j0xr3StqdKtVhMAzsc1ZguUFjHhae7ZLYQW0Txz/s640/P1040940.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbB2JjYBHDhc0QNcPHHcRLLOBnrOXfP7B1SfQFeS4IapC_-WJkXqjvkq3alGGZCdq8i1LAhuUuiHLJLjdObuRnfiarUDUGhifTeqyW_zUo3Ht66aQNotMU0bnAm2NBLbxybLqDXV7HUkbE/s1600/P1040951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbB2JjYBHDhc0QNcPHHcRLLOBnrOXfP7B1SfQFeS4IapC_-WJkXqjvkq3alGGZCdq8i1LAhuUuiHLJLjdObuRnfiarUDUGhifTeqyW_zUo3Ht66aQNotMU0bnAm2NBLbxybLqDXV7HUkbE/s400/P1040951.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Since we had a week in Hinckley, we decided to check out <b><i>St. Croix State Park</i></b> along the St. Croix River, which forms the boundary between Minnesota and Wisconsin. Our plans for the day changed drastically when we discovered that the mosquitos were vicious! Our first clue was when we spotted a fisherman dressed head to toe in the heat, including mosquito netting over his hat. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-EP6hkB435bdoHQXUmVcMxZFiOCI1WTgVd-pQUonzBPK902b0wrI1JdR66jjciDKXoB6fk9SRQDKnOLdtHxIq_A5mJAoWGY8vhGlRmKIz5DzmMTAiewR_S6fZhYOovESh2tCQK47d8VP/s1600/IMG_4894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-EP6hkB435bdoHQXUmVcMxZFiOCI1WTgVd-pQUonzBPK902b0wrI1JdR66jjciDKXoB6fk9SRQDKnOLdtHxIq_A5mJAoWGY8vhGlRmKIz5DzmMTAiewR_S6fZhYOovESh2tCQK47d8VP/s640/IMG_4894.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">This family that was headed out for a day of fishing on the river was similarly covered up.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vLqCwb76mM9miIxmx9XqsyeG2Hy-NlPJzI2n-ZnG8wQx2xnEOIJAkKt3NmQdAiSVpaATtc2u22kQ_VEJ2j-SDeX_WkKbb71LwPWFA5mPFogHyG7YeMNjvHFarJz9pi8_MwZwPOpRMRT-/s1600/P1040956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vLqCwb76mM9miIxmx9XqsyeG2Hy-NlPJzI2n-ZnG8wQx2xnEOIJAkKt3NmQdAiSVpaATtc2u22kQ_VEJ2j-SDeX_WkKbb71LwPWFA5mPFogHyG7YeMNjvHFarJz9pi8_MwZwPOpRMRT-/s640/P1040956.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Even campground hammocks had mosquito netting!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigVk84WXTSyunLjQI10QdtdOIAkV9rg2SkoMvLtuCyuFnD_xmuKUZTDsteMzQaavSNwRJ8jBa5P7hOLLJEG-Ix9jkhNwwJOpw5p_YKhvS17VGZ-ZhFBm1W4WvEJAycvjx8YG3NFqNahcm/s1600/P1040968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigVk84WXTSyunLjQI10QdtdOIAkV9rg2SkoMvLtuCyuFnD_xmuKUZTDsteMzQaavSNwRJ8jBa5P7hOLLJEG-Ix9jkhNwwJOpw5p_YKhvS17VGZ-ZhFBm1W4WvEJAycvjx8YG3NFqNahcm/s640/P1040968.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghae3JQJ086Ggy0mpP41xnxux1vIADzKdgO-16GhoI2tu2v94uu7gZvUe3r6yGc29szOaVS6eglzg8NRgsSbUCh7flJgAU7_uHRfHFGq3XdDCc7ZvEpIHQwXQOQyH-wrPLYIqv1txQoFWv/s1600/fullsizeoutput_26bb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghae3JQJ086Ggy0mpP41xnxux1vIADzKdgO-16GhoI2tu2v94uu7gZvUe3r6yGc29szOaVS6eglzg8NRgsSbUCh7flJgAU7_uHRfHFGq3XdDCc7ZvEpIHQwXQOQyH-wrPLYIqv1txQoFWv/s400/fullsizeoutput_26bb.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At <b><i>St. Croix State Park</i></b>, ice fishing camper units were something we had never seen before. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2MrAcS0SyG_uyDUwMyw7Jfq9IgGMj_ZcNKBNC0OFhBo46cP2sDwj7o2uMXlgTy9Np2M1EqqHtoKezXvL-rg5mj6hlkJt3DLl9uSW-0AZhX6z1uij5ORMCnkIc7t4qW3I_m1BTR5RkIfD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_26bc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2MrAcS0SyG_uyDUwMyw7Jfq9IgGMj_ZcNKBNC0OFhBo46cP2sDwj7o2uMXlgTy9Np2M1EqqHtoKezXvL-rg5mj6hlkJt3DLl9uSW-0AZhX6z1uij5ORMCnkIc7t4qW3I_m1BTR5RkIfD/s640/fullsizeoutput_26bc.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On the internet, we discovered that these typically bold-colored campers have a bathroom, sleeping area, kitchen, and even TVs… along with strategically placed holes in the floor for winter fishing through the ice in comfort.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We stuck it out at the park long enough to take a short walk along the St. Croix river.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hrX6qv2tgu0wJvXEL-ToaoR18xTte-MUOtmZBMD3YOR-QiLBlSykIHfQ1pMZxAyf5u332QVKWZHh6IxIQ8ZdHTqiceIXW_j4HxebFE-lDnX7wzrCdROCbpqy3ZsPKeS4NsIxjWRxh2lM/s1600/IMG_4900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hrX6qv2tgu0wJvXEL-ToaoR18xTte-MUOtmZBMD3YOR-QiLBlSykIHfQ1pMZxAyf5u332QVKWZHh6IxIQ8ZdHTqiceIXW_j4HxebFE-lDnX7wzrCdROCbpqy3ZsPKeS4NsIxjWRxh2lM/s640/IMG_4900.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">However, the humidity and the experience of sharing the park with mosquitos and ticks eventually took its toll. Pamphlets about mosquito and tick-borne diseases didn't help the situation either. In more ways than one, Minnesotans sure are tough people… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For us, that was a bit of a speed run through Minnesota. Along the way, it was great catching up with ole Colorado friends who are just in the early phase of their new life in Minnesota. We thank them for showing us around and playing <b><i>Carbles</i></b> (it’s a Minnesota game) with us. We wish them well as their dream unfolds in rural Minnesota… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As for us, three summers ago when we were in in this area, we ran out of time to explore the mysterious Upper Peninsula of Michigan, so that is the direction we will head to investigate the rugged beauty of the shoreline of Lake Superior.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknbP-u7ByInLWobEwShYvsWMGXcjPQRzL4Oy2OPy56tx8K5SrXVJfk2ecdTAm71oBgmxBfVpyPymvD2PDu80PJ6Q2ZFVq_U7rUU-aP7k1WGsEhvhJOLHmEfYP4L59MMjV1uGeta3E9qcB/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2750.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknbP-u7ByInLWobEwShYvsWMGXcjPQRzL4Oy2OPy56tx8K5SrXVJfk2ecdTAm71oBgmxBfVpyPymvD2PDu80PJ6Q2ZFVq_U7rUU-aP7k1WGsEhvhJOLHmEfYP4L59MMjV1uGeta3E9qcB/s640/fullsizeoutput_2750.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-16671235173210334462019-07-06T09:02:00.012-05:002021-02-11T16:02:35.975-06:00SEARCHING FOR “THE TONIC OF WILDERNESS” IN THE DAKOTAS, PART II<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qlG7hz7dCdSNhXBw0wWwIh7Us-k6Qi85Ry94JjqM9vHh4JIw38YS_3iFk8Lo-uMsCPyZeEqWYk1nJ3BxGs2vNQ0mbpGfL70lZZZMucrYO5Avx0A9nnb0kZ72QiBzeM34AALlTZHqhTS5/s1600/fullsizeoutput_264d.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qlG7hz7dCdSNhXBw0wWwIh7Us-k6Qi85Ry94JjqM9vHh4JIw38YS_3iFk8Lo-uMsCPyZeEqWYk1nJ3BxGs2vNQ0mbpGfL70lZZZMucrYO5Avx0A9nnb0kZ72QiBzeM34AALlTZHqhTS5/w566-h382/fullsizeoutput_264d.jpeg" width="566" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;">Theodore Roosevelt's Maltese Cabin in the Dakota Badlands</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Carol writes:</span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Our last stop in the Dakotas was at the Bismarck KOA,</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Wbvb4C9oiFPCnNU6ZYgWBpFBjiFz_zXlpyGfJEbMTLCLLPOKs2qZLW_3O-s3mzI56HBk-gQ-4-QISoqs3yROUounBiOr33CSLYP1aQK12eFsh_Myh-UuaAu8vrjfD_LMmKvBpEqhT87C/s1600/IMG_4853.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Wbvb4C9oiFPCnNU6ZYgWBpFBjiFz_zXlpyGfJEbMTLCLLPOKs2qZLW_3O-s3mzI56HBk-gQ-4-QISoqs3yROUounBiOr33CSLYP1aQK12eFsh_Myh-UuaAu8vrjfD_LMmKvBpEqhT87C/s640/IMG_4853.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">where we had few ideas for visiting anything of interest other than the North Dakota State Capitol Building. With other structures blocking the complete view from a distance, the tall 18-story Capitol tower structure wasn’t much to rave about… until we got closer and actually saw the complete complex framed at the end of the Capitol Mall. That was one of those unexpected “wow moments!”</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42aXfVmhV1zmhGzbx53pfOxE3tT31uTSaanmQFBTjQHxSE37wi6yZWchWVvjnzQHIcjJyuJQZDro3-A8fmaUt8CAwEE6njM4DFPW92KQtyo5Tu39PPI_VLqtGgVI_PVd-Vw7vbk-V5LJg/s1600/IMG_4854.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42aXfVmhV1zmhGzbx53pfOxE3tT31uTSaanmQFBTjQHxSE37wi6yZWchWVvjnzQHIcjJyuJQZDro3-A8fmaUt8CAwEE6njM4DFPW92KQtyo5Tu39PPI_VLqtGgVI_PVd-Vw7vbk-V5LJg/s640/IMG_4854.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqkhvlvlqHqwS3eBV0lz0JVjPWtXEteJ4gtn2D7LvkH3iO0OaQpFRSfahhOyHrQeQ98ahsPnPbR8ldhu_vQ8hOL0PAGLWK4BdqRtuM-6isURZT4U6L3KTbDXX3TzDd4iMzd3aPCiUlE3j/s1600/P1040824.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqkhvlvlqHqwS3eBV0lz0JVjPWtXEteJ4gtn2D7LvkH3iO0OaQpFRSfahhOyHrQeQ98ahsPnPbR8ldhu_vQ8hOL0PAGLWK4BdqRtuM-6isURZT4U6L3KTbDXX3TzDd4iMzd3aPCiUlE3j/s320/P1040824.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The Capitol Building’s clean lines, simple yet efficient use of space, and classic Art Deco design that incorporated building materials from many sources impressed us at every turn. Inside, architectural decisions were impeccable and truly captured the deep symbolic meaning of everything a state capitol building is supposed to represent.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The Art Deco lighting in the House chamber, dubbed <b><i>“Stars and Moon at Night,”</i></b> was extraordinary.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZZM7R9RqWjJv-rE7rjDcAACuOdqAdgAnAhqOKph575ZKmOcK20ps0GCPztpLRKI8WDNzM2yWlRyfovwIGUEJAfoySedl-UosdueXe_AldYCZTFGuA4rWRAmnXrUheKZ6yq225XKZQXtk/s1600/P1040826.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZZM7R9RqWjJv-rE7rjDcAACuOdqAdgAnAhqOKph575ZKmOcK20ps0GCPztpLRKI8WDNzM2yWlRyfovwIGUEJAfoySedl-UosdueXe_AldYCZTFGuA4rWRAmnXrUheKZ6yq225XKZQXtk/s640/P1040826.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The view of the Capitol Mall with the Missouri River in the distance was simply grand.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFruERbLJskZkxx_Y27RAubQl8FNybqqrfy41XkCptm86ZrYjPmZoMeISGth0vghWHeoQ5hoJNIDTPu6GeaSnPizEbE38bVywC-Nncib2S0_CJzeuvhv76PyxmK5kgHgu6BOGB4Oi9wCF/s1600/P1040834.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFruERbLJskZkxx_Y27RAubQl8FNybqqrfy41XkCptm86ZrYjPmZoMeISGth0vghWHeoQ5hoJNIDTPu6GeaSnPizEbE38bVywC-Nncib2S0_CJzeuvhv76PyxmK5kgHgu6BOGB4Oi9wCF/s640/P1040834.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The guided tour was first-rate, with lots of interesting emphasis on history and symbolism. Once again, I was fascinated most by the history, which was nicely reflected in old photographs on the 18th floor observation deck. In December 1930, a devastating fire destroyed Bismarck’s old capitol building. </span></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6KMVP9ysEiDqD7lkbRM3JZHIGfZsOOpWjH-RSShxpEovIe0kXXbakv3VI6tyWEl6tncibThe1ExZylca7q8W_K386J08WPgjhZeVKAGsNMjqEF_KauChvP2Bm8HmoaYcfEEjUrnIbPHF/s1600/fullsizeoutput_262e.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1381" data-original-width="1600" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6KMVP9ysEiDqD7lkbRM3JZHIGfZsOOpWjH-RSShxpEovIe0kXXbakv3VI6tyWEl6tncibThe1ExZylca7q8W_K386J08WPgjhZeVKAGsNMjqEF_KauChvP2Bm8HmoaYcfEEjUrnIbPHF/s400/fullsizeoutput_262e.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJz_-nXbrM0qEIeTk3_w0eU9XaJBDbQIupDFW7neXj1JeO63CYa9ZXT7WtBxgmJzYz8QWjAo52VXOine3C1tMESPFqaqwN95F3gjRRMp1crPH0eScaC1xbD5zoQYH4CnDZDHxkNE0qAE5_/s1600/P1040838.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJz_-nXbrM0qEIeTk3_w0eU9XaJBDbQIupDFW7neXj1JeO63CYa9ZXT7WtBxgmJzYz8QWjAo52VXOine3C1tMESPFqaqwN95F3gjRRMp1crPH0eScaC1xbD5zoQYH4CnDZDHxkNE0qAE5_/s400/P1040838.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">The present-day structure was built in the very popular Art Deco style of the 1930s, which had become the rage of that era with its Egyptian-style influence following the discovery of the tomb of King Tut.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">The halls of the Capitol displayed a large collection of portraits depicting North Dakota residents who have been granted places of honor in the </span><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><i><span>North Dakota Hall of Fame. </span></i></b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> The members seemed to be from almost every aspect of public life, a few of the notables being…</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8ByUVvWaZu7bcmOT1JSYX7XYcYpkPDoVYDZxIBb6LRLzzSJWTieEiAWsHU1x6HlS5IPFaJ6H017jpLRPnFDB5pU3N5cy8lEW5mCMADJaOFD5MyCX5152AQOzDzCzpUdqSG8Uy559OHRt/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2632.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8ByUVvWaZu7bcmOT1JSYX7XYcYpkPDoVYDZxIBb6LRLzzSJWTieEiAWsHU1x6HlS5IPFaJ6H017jpLRPnFDB5pU3N5cy8lEW5mCMADJaOFD5MyCX5152AQOzDzCzpUdqSG8Uy559OHRt/s320/fullsizeoutput_2632.jpeg" width="238" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAyhBB6A-HxY0yDdtrpeLdKDmZi-E7Yd-qSKQ0kKlLgiG3GYdt_aUIfLtUd9FSphPYjAym3D6xtg2gea8YQmBPjomzEoQb4Z7FXmt37IwQrGLjb-nwLoCK8e1W_x3jm3Y17KraLHtr0aO/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2634.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1193" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAyhBB6A-HxY0yDdtrpeLdKDmZi-E7Yd-qSKQ0kKlLgiG3GYdt_aUIfLtUd9FSphPYjAym3D6xtg2gea8YQmBPjomzEoQb4Z7FXmt37IwQrGLjb-nwLoCK8e1W_x3jm3Y17KraLHtr0aO/s320/fullsizeoutput_2634.jpeg" width="236" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZAwWwhZ_92jt-9JP2jwyiyJ6kzxN1zEx-UE41LDJclIiqDYy237oGDKSKrC8ZHx3mPzK7iuWrtZErBBWRmwSnT6hqJatK7dXaazegaOwEOS8Uy1iPkmZj8okRkpqLSNx9H7HxtTVC52i/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2636.jpeg" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1303" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZAwWwhZ_92jt-9JP2jwyiyJ6kzxN1zEx-UE41LDJclIiqDYy237oGDKSKrC8ZHx3mPzK7iuWrtZErBBWRmwSnT6hqJatK7dXaazegaOwEOS8Uy1iPkmZj8okRkpqLSNx9H7HxtTVC52i/s320/fullsizeoutput_2636.jpeg" width="259" /></span></a><br />
</span><div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">music director Lawrence Welk, baseball legend Roger Maris, and author Louis L’Amour.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzawsqDESd0iXfnS4xkT5gx7K5dE9-nsUyPldnS2BPU5Oo4zVHCnoBSCWsaTmGSj8VH9yX-O6zJBA74dZawtiMaWnmnTLGYD6osILhJnRBCN6Fes7Sd1aNq3-ecdQjn9HZWLWal1-S939F/s1600/IMG_4802.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzawsqDESd0iXfnS4xkT5gx7K5dE9-nsUyPldnS2BPU5Oo4zVHCnoBSCWsaTmGSj8VH9yX-O6zJBA74dZawtiMaWnmnTLGYD6osILhJnRBCN6Fes7Sd1aNq3-ecdQjn9HZWLWal1-S939F/s320/IMG_4802.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The geologic and cultural history of North Dakota was beautifully presented in the first-rate <b><i>Heritage Center and State Museum</i></b> in Bismarck. We expected to spend a couple of hours in the museum; instead, we ended up eating lunch there and spending half the day.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvE7CwM2zN7DB-S_DyV88TH3tHdNqLb-SdbkKgJLUcwWz5bwWHhzYjsWqY2rdEJqiyn3Vu4Gl5m-b6RV3NUldCNvIzAD18F_cWrL4pUrPK2zb1xPRVTGjPic5eQ1xGUht2-cPT2z-x-ypx/s1600/fullsizeoutput_263e.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1600" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvE7CwM2zN7DB-S_DyV88TH3tHdNqLb-SdbkKgJLUcwWz5bwWHhzYjsWqY2rdEJqiyn3Vu4Gl5m-b6RV3NUldCNvIzAD18F_cWrL4pUrPK2zb1xPRVTGjPic5eQ1xGUht2-cPT2z-x-ypx/s640/fullsizeoutput_263e.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2lgVVSPt5b7hBwVhAJh-YXHfD5-Yj__HSltBAsvFEvQWnqk2iiGJ2fFV9FF3RpVx7Se6p-p0ZnPaklIOVb6hD0HXA72TiLFaRHqpUMRLtO-1UNRJLzj_Tw6Gpt9Fc3B0mibRybPfVG2x/s1600/P1040822.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2lgVVSPt5b7hBwVhAJh-YXHfD5-Yj__HSltBAsvFEvQWnqk2iiGJ2fFV9FF3RpVx7Se6p-p0ZnPaklIOVb6hD0HXA72TiLFaRHqpUMRLtO-1UNRJLzj_Tw6Gpt9Fc3B0mibRybPfVG2x/s320/P1040822.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The frontier history of the Bismarck area was on full display at an excellent site at <b><i>Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park</i></b>. The house that Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer lived in with his wife for the last 2-1/2 years of his life has been fully rebuilt on its original plot. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJtTk5eLdwfnp0tYcPGGgwF15CieGuq67DRgDNarQGwIPGiY_kPnLirXQbFUOnjMR3Xx6OGELYuCSAJjOLOR_M6ZoI-si7kAP5b5Clulv9D9c9rQssCVVifIqSt_dIMG3ZfI8_XDmEKhB/s1600/fullsizeoutput_263f.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1600" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJtTk5eLdwfnp0tYcPGGgwF15CieGuq67DRgDNarQGwIPGiY_kPnLirXQbFUOnjMR3Xx6OGELYuCSAJjOLOR_M6ZoI-si7kAP5b5Clulv9D9c9rQssCVVifIqSt_dIMG3ZfI8_XDmEKhB/s640/fullsizeoutput_263f.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEHfB5U0kpnzt1aWEKvNcENkQDTDrn24NEfb-5WY4yMGpvizbBpfKyDXtDkAkvhnxIYiDt5DaPdICsPbU9vSWKdhfegk7M0ZgnWC5WFauIbdM_uuMGV9iJgAdkEvopa0taqYgEU7RtKDJ/s1600/P1040769.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEHfB5U0kpnzt1aWEKvNcENkQDTDrn24NEfb-5WY4yMGpvizbBpfKyDXtDkAkvhnxIYiDt5DaPdICsPbU9vSWKdhfegk7M0ZgnWC5WFauIbdM_uuMGV9iJgAdkEvopa0taqYgEU7RtKDJ/s640/P1040769.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4x08MYEjyEr5Ipvx3AUjmlP-ZaN0sjH0_rccM_KSF1NfZDu8e-WMkpnrezBTCEY98eWGO2nKN9TKD3ub49PCmXBff1dRpEtcWLwT35YkovM9GZ0YP-0xjCu-SHObPmWATBj-C86bLu5XY/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2641.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4x08MYEjyEr5Ipvx3AUjmlP-ZaN0sjH0_rccM_KSF1NfZDu8e-WMkpnrezBTCEY98eWGO2nKN9TKD3ub49PCmXBff1dRpEtcWLwT35YkovM9GZ0YP-0xjCu-SHObPmWATBj-C86bLu5XY/s640/fullsizeoutput_2641.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">This was where Custer resided on the day in May 1876 when he rode out on an expedition that ended a month later with his death and the death of most of his men at the Battle of Little Bighorn.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">After the fort was abandoned following Custer’s death, locals literally dismantled and salvaged materials from Custer’s original home board by board.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF53qOQWaLBmUcdfDpjwb1HN8ML6tf_ZgK_xozVS6c0o7X-XzSq-c-z5jPTGevASsT5mOJduOu2L3jIOrO7wmfCQhJ9aBp4DXKvkEzOyEc8r4uftTOiZVfKm5V2B3pmTg31VzzWXzKGagD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_261c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF53qOQWaLBmUcdfDpjwb1HN8ML6tf_ZgK_xozVS6c0o7X-XzSq-c-z5jPTGevASsT5mOJduOu2L3jIOrO7wmfCQhJ9aBp4DXKvkEzOyEc8r4uftTOiZVfKm5V2B3pmTg31VzzWXzKGagD/s640/fullsizeoutput_261c.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">An exact replica of the enlisted men’s barracks displayed emotionally touching biographies of many of the men who once were stationed at the fort. These short biographies included many who perished at Little Bighorn. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnc1mXmG_ziBBYgNDJKQhCystqcy0mwnmwZDALveVe4cMzB7ug3eNdMCPQX43VGcyhOp8uBNZEdJc5feUnAR_z1iLWC1UeLlpOMMGfpI0DH8Rj6P1QeUOlDOw9Ri5fzKUffE78dcSGrgE/s1600/IMG_4830.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnc1mXmG_ziBBYgNDJKQhCystqcy0mwnmwZDALveVe4cMzB7ug3eNdMCPQX43VGcyhOp8uBNZEdJc5feUnAR_z1iLWC1UeLlpOMMGfpI0DH8Rj6P1QeUOlDOw9Ri5fzKUffE78dcSGrgE/s640/IMG_4830.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Several CCC-era reconstructed Mandan Nation earthlodges (roundhouses) were also on the grounds of the state park at an historic site called <b><i>On-A-Slant-Village</i></b>, a Mandan community that once had 86 round earthlodges. This is near where the Lewis and Clark Expedition wintered over in 1804-1805. The writings of Lewis and Clark have documented that the expedition was treated well by the Mandans, an agricultural tribe who had lived there for the better part of two centuries.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHds4RWM_Tmz89-S2U4EeZj9pjOwE1YU-lYOeqhLUr_M5qI0xLe_qOxlm9QKozYTqTQ8JH5sQaSVqVG5gGvHbYl9dvTLAMtCgmjx3Vcy1VboAGg7L8-2LJKqgnoWkWLEd4SgbJbv9DS-6O/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2640.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="1600" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHds4RWM_Tmz89-S2U4EeZj9pjOwE1YU-lYOeqhLUr_M5qI0xLe_qOxlm9QKozYTqTQ8JH5sQaSVqVG5gGvHbYl9dvTLAMtCgmjx3Vcy1VboAGg7L8-2LJKqgnoWkWLEd4SgbJbv9DS-6O/s640/fullsizeoutput_2640.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The roundhouses had displays inside that were excellent representations of typical Mandan life.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2LyPOjUyXxxEGAVtqmkDSbIWOijFqtR9nHze3pFi6SHcRJ9efvxMWqHi_JFEOHg5YR5AvBMVvCCJP6HP4vY3M53KO_-C9EkgMYP7pjAP2n4GPJs5ZSuWDtBFl9VKs4bDzdXSmrAXC90E/s1600/P1040803.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2LyPOjUyXxxEGAVtqmkDSbIWOijFqtR9nHze3pFi6SHcRJ9efvxMWqHi_JFEOHg5YR5AvBMVvCCJP6HP4vY3M53KO_-C9EkgMYP7pjAP2n4GPJs5ZSuWDtBFl9VKs4bDzdXSmrAXC90E/s640/P1040803.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVTwI-SIcJtUzkxS1-gYLr9XK_BVdPICpjf4ZUJbaPz3_-omOvCKSNQb_85AqfGyuByBUHaGMY8SHEgNM1scZqW4PDqDi8luCckxYUYASPjgSK7kDFThKVn0j1mI4UM_rkSXFvMruo3-5/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2645.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1600" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVTwI-SIcJtUzkxS1-gYLr9XK_BVdPICpjf4ZUJbaPz3_-omOvCKSNQb_85AqfGyuByBUHaGMY8SHEgNM1scZqW4PDqDi8luCckxYUYASPjgSK7kDFThKVn0j1mI4UM_rkSXFvMruo3-5/s320/fullsizeoutput_2645.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">And finally, with one more day in Bismarck, we decided to head over to the Dakota Zoo. Animals are always entertaining and can be fun challenges to photograph. We didn’t expect much but were pleasantly surprised…</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">I don’t know how the zoo handles bitterly cold North Dakota winters, but on this summer day the animals seemed healthy and content in large grassy enclosures.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We caught some of the large animals at very photogenic moments, such as…</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<ul><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span>
</span>
</span></ul>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "trebuchet ms";">the white Bengal tiger snoozing on a very large rock in the sun</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms";">,</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnIuaZI-CQukKvllY-rlwcYuGsgM6KjFASS98DvlbOe6Efhe67p1qZ-a_1bTkfAHb8C1w5bTP9nntD5POwhWV7faAWpqvxIw9pw2FwmqtlN8oKJpZwnTneRxP8fqngI7efYuoKUefQoIF/s1600/P1040877.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnIuaZI-CQukKvllY-rlwcYuGsgM6KjFASS98DvlbOe6Efhe67p1qZ-a_1bTkfAHb8C1w5bTP9nntD5POwhWV7faAWpqvxIw9pw2FwmqtlN8oKJpZwnTneRxP8fqngI7efYuoKUefQoIF/s640/P1040877.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<ul><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">
<li style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">the grizzly bear that seemed to prefer lounging in a hole in the dirt</span></li>
</span></ul>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjEJPV0myyF1D6msYZtDlez4RIZhCyz9QdOLnNMwlW3JKCn1CeKz_fL_Ugod0qh0IBti6hOUFoyDsNkSZYL9MyoJ0kxKFBJ1NDTuUqp_qI_sl0oN_iqiX9RcpzAZ-vpSZu5GsvLDEmo2J/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2646.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjEJPV0myyF1D6msYZtDlez4RIZhCyz9QdOLnNMwlW3JKCn1CeKz_fL_Ugod0qh0IBti6hOUFoyDsNkSZYL9MyoJ0kxKFBJ1NDTuUqp_qI_sl0oN_iqiX9RcpzAZ-vpSZu5GsvLDEmo2J/s640/fullsizeoutput_2646.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<ul><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">
<li style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">and a rare Bactrian camel.</span></li>
</span></ul>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7JYJwE63ZK7-lnEnzXx6H0e8phrczvkJEVsW1yJugp2bXhiT1OT8FFs8dgZltKHpnRBJMly-pDH55TkIm4CmOTtZk3ZWuALMtjOQDZeZxHc4JQ8xl4TeBHu0r6lUK_eA4-Xjvggtntxj/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2647.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="1600" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7JYJwE63ZK7-lnEnzXx6H0e8phrczvkJEVsW1yJugp2bXhiT1OT8FFs8dgZltKHpnRBJMly-pDH55TkIm4CmOTtZk3ZWuALMtjOQDZeZxHc4JQ8xl4TeBHu0r6lUK_eA4-Xjvggtntxj/s640/fullsizeoutput_2647.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Downtown Bismarck has changed a lot from its early frontier days, </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UUU7Y78Ax-7qCZ_w6sP0ij5Kbk-ZDWCm2eo6u0_wn2JO-QSESppqxGp_5Zd65ZerURvmzHw8qDIWM4G1O8UoFz49pW4VJIidqXjUZwOY1m-2Ajbag33ndb8FJAkv-vPLWHInTOd1-8X9/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2631.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1600" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UUU7Y78Ax-7qCZ_w6sP0ij5Kbk-ZDWCm2eo6u0_wn2JO-QSESppqxGp_5Zd65ZerURvmzHw8qDIWM4G1O8UoFz49pW4VJIidqXjUZwOY1m-2Ajbag33ndb8FJAkv-vPLWHInTOd1-8X9/s640/fullsizeoutput_2631.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">when its name was changed to honor German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, in the hopes of attracting more German immigrants. Four out of five of the residents of North Dakota in 1915 were immigrants or their children, and that turned out to be quite a success story for North Dakota. We were highly impressed by the friendliness and tremendous work ethic of the people we met. We even talked about the fact that Bismarck “might” have landed on our list of places to settle down, if it wasn’t for one unchangeable fact—its severe northern latitude. North Dakota winters would be a deal breaker!</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Nevertheless, Bismarck turned out to be a mighty interesting town for a visit… and a great venue for a late June birthday celebration.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJKUQtMvBpCbMvC-skQjTFbmG31GjOfK1yJt9Z3D-WPfDlU9UxOo3_yqJ6yGw1r6yL9SwmdubeGRVRDRwjKyIh8kykUa1Q8jDMHO3qYLgg39prMkXzO6IK2ZSH7QGw35WC_DGbmW3pL9P/s1600/P1040853.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJKUQtMvBpCbMvC-skQjTFbmG31GjOfK1yJt9Z3D-WPfDlU9UxOo3_yqJ6yGw1r6yL9SwmdubeGRVRDRwjKyIh8kykUa1Q8jDMHO3qYLgg39prMkXzO6IK2ZSH7QGw35WC_DGbmW3pL9P/s640/P1040853.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT5l_i8HmpARvHpvVNEk8o1rMmmYhY0Cv2nmfiiz0lWW3E-k6qqaY4PzPWsCP4Jy0smhK_rtSsVxgTvkva5msHyXJ_MmNBWfCPFRX5_NwodUnFvJSxJ6ZkVrqQHivAoIjF9SUTPrCA7l4u/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2652.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1600" height="405" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT5l_i8HmpARvHpvVNEk8o1rMmmYhY0Cv2nmfiiz0lWW3E-k6qqaY4PzPWsCP4Jy0smhK_rtSsVxgTvkva5msHyXJ_MmNBWfCPFRX5_NwodUnFvJSxJ6ZkVrqQHivAoIjF9SUTPrCA7l4u/s640/fullsizeoutput_2652.jpeg" width="800" /></a></span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span> Mandan Earthlodge</span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 19px;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-61671436268790151572019-06-29T07:44:00.000-05:002019-06-29T07:44:28.558-05:00SEARCHING FOR “THE TONIC OF WILDERNESS” IN THE DAKOTAS, PART I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfDzi30WOQ3fJSOu4JNUDyTldrhEMjvgdeUhlGRT8cQVwf2nZ3t8UrAJoE0eCslG09ob246g2vLLgevx16iMnVIG95clUHPNfM3qenAizs_eKQ7zFvhbP6CJcXXCwuMxCsTda7Z6THMLK/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25fb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfDzi30WOQ3fJSOu4JNUDyTldrhEMjvgdeUhlGRT8cQVwf2nZ3t8UrAJoE0eCslG09ob246g2vLLgevx16iMnVIG95clUHPNfM3qenAizs_eKQ7zFvhbP6CJcXXCwuMxCsTda7Z6THMLK/s640/fullsizeoutput_25fb.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5c7lKSLsLxC7_eNhnm-sE02_NdSxjE54kLJlpsSXj_eMecYJlz6pCuiZwpWgl3lwbkJYXoQk3gYYyshMnAHw7mP0bAM5erSAH95bazAbbNRP6B4WPR0hKIoGRoLkoobbkzIqG5U-1hRFC/s1600/fullsizeoutput_259f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1600" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5c7lKSLsLxC7_eNhnm-sE02_NdSxjE54kLJlpsSXj_eMecYJlz6pCuiZwpWgl3lwbkJYXoQk3gYYyshMnAHw7mP0bAM5erSAH95bazAbbNRP6B4WPR0hKIoGRoLkoobbkzIqG5U-1hRFC/s400/fullsizeoutput_259f.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 31px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span></span><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">After four long years on the road, we finally made a visit to our actual legal home, a large and growing mail-forwarding service located on <b><i>Americas Way</i></b>, just outside of Rapid City, South Dakota. During our 10-day visit “home,” we stayed at the Ellsworth Air Force Base Famcamp. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbSIqMxbmN_jJotsJaH5PzTlIyH7ZLmXwrWDKlpWARq2cJQZSDyWKFpuRy1o6wehhlSqcAiGGS16tnMr1L-_AL2S-rN68xLyiP5TxrO4yMsouAEpnNrasgwl-nN35BrYgJn8tD-2GyY6k/s1600/fullsizeoutput_255f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbSIqMxbmN_jJotsJaH5PzTlIyH7ZLmXwrWDKlpWARq2cJQZSDyWKFpuRy1o6wehhlSqcAiGGS16tnMr1L-_AL2S-rN68xLyiP5TxrO4yMsouAEpnNrasgwl-nN35BrYgJn8tD-2GyY6k/s640/fullsizeoutput_255f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgCcTi0_-3ObO86Lh0fyfmOy3itxqOx3fvEkAFKtOhI0HUxLHxICywP987c5vZglYUrwPpBpKlQ66rvPHG9XWYAy7C-OPuBskD_bl6zK4dUGpij6XXCLauBaDNaoOzJDu4UTkhKLbXyoO/s1600/fullsizeoutput_257a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1241" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgCcTi0_-3ObO86Lh0fyfmOy3itxqOx3fvEkAFKtOhI0HUxLHxICywP987c5vZglYUrwPpBpKlQ66rvPHG9XWYAy7C-OPuBskD_bl6zK4dUGpij6XXCLauBaDNaoOzJDu4UTkhKLbXyoO/s400/fullsizeoutput_257a.jpeg" width="310" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">After the tragic death of Brigadier General Richard Ellsworth during a training flight, </span>President Eisenhower renamed the base Ellsworth Air Force Base in honor of its recently deceased commander. Today, Ellsworth AFB is the home of the B-1B Lancer, commonly known as the B-1 bomber, </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCxNGO384VansQHxS-0zr-GpLWIRpIzMuS6nk-fzJ3-j83DCa51YnDRgCfUSzy-nGYR9pGFo2mQSCJJTckzhEW5yHAimXBhjbJlq-56dfImiJuoTOrpJQKspJz0F_5VWs3Wn4ey8YKsad/s1600/fullsizeoutput_256e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCxNGO384VansQHxS-0zr-GpLWIRpIzMuS6nk-fzJ3-j83DCa51YnDRgCfUSzy-nGYR9pGFo2mQSCJJTckzhEW5yHAimXBhjbJlq-56dfImiJuoTOrpJQKspJz0F_5VWs3Wn4ey8YKsad/s400/fullsizeoutput_256e.jpeg" width="560" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGWvXpTScOlzNUKSOm1WEegxlE1vQI3xRUCqf_cx58kqVV828a0Fx0QAC482wANDx7hQ-aOKAHnOVa_k4oHzA4xg9-yT9GFmK2cezWFQLXkS75treE9zVLy_sFKLXb5Ph8nGyAqGS3FDS/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25a6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="1600" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGWvXpTScOlzNUKSOm1WEegxlE1vQI3xRUCqf_cx58kqVV828a0Fx0QAC482wANDx7hQ-aOKAHnOVa_k4oHzA4xg9-yT9GFmK2cezWFQLXkS75treE9zVLy_sFKLXb5Ph8nGyAqGS3FDS/s200/fullsizeoutput_25a6.jpeg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">a modern generation bomber with nuclear weapon capability.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At the <b><i>South Dakota Air and Space Museum</i></b>,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcO7LFamLWSdXM2JNWZIADh_Ww5tD5VQ0yN5uChL-mH9-8xbPig5w8GEZWzmScJ7cpvWsut9F8nxnqb5A4M-SxBGI6FMcVdDfioiilG8W6sy1T-Ag8abB2jEVqAdZOj6uiuPxSB5UHYvf/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25a0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1600" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcO7LFamLWSdXM2JNWZIADh_Ww5tD5VQ0yN5uChL-mH9-8xbPig5w8GEZWzmScJ7cpvWsut9F8nxnqb5A4M-SxBGI6FMcVdDfioiilG8W6sy1T-Ag8abB2jEVqAdZOj6uiuPxSB5UHYvf/s640/fullsizeoutput_25a0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">a large static display featured many of the aircraft that have played a part in Ellsworth’s mission to provide combat air power while serving as the <b><i>Guardians of the North</i></b>. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The “tanker” has long held a special place in our hearts…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBFN5KON1R5_fBwHVliGRj9ae3NOKbTWh21oCYqKNH_Idcv3Bst2KoDSFVZUkjLq0hJFvaNitvdaxq_oFFunwTfH0xbN0Dg2XrD6OzQC63y9UFyTsnDMtzzZB5QZCXIxP2xAzxZGNU9_V/s1600/P1040555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBFN5KON1R5_fBwHVliGRj9ae3NOKbTWh21oCYqKNH_Idcv3Bst2KoDSFVZUkjLq0hJFvaNitvdaxq_oFFunwTfH0xbN0Dg2XrD6OzQC63y9UFyTsnDMtzzZB5QZCXIxP2xAzxZGNU9_V/s640/P1040555.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As always, we were humbled by the pride that is always on display at any U.S. military base we have visited. On one of the hangers along the flight line, we observed a large sign signifying that Ellsworth was <b><i>“Raider Country.”</i></b> We later learned that Ellsworth is home to 3 of the 4 original WW II squadrons comprising the <b><i>Doolittle Raiders</i></b>. Led by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, in 1942 these brave and selfless pilots were tasked with a daunting bombing mission over Japan in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 31px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Dickinson, North Dakota </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_h36GunnDjuwEwZ1WDaIXl9wEEPNGbM_4MakBqCqZd8LnaT4AqYspNowElM9WeMCN9JPBbCnbg6fGaynIrHVw0STYIWmeVopd1suFUVL-UI101_pKXqGCegScHUqk2NPoIdFsGotB4rh-/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25e5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_h36GunnDjuwEwZ1WDaIXl9wEEPNGbM_4MakBqCqZd8LnaT4AqYspNowElM9WeMCN9JPBbCnbg6fGaynIrHVw0STYIWmeVopd1suFUVL-UI101_pKXqGCegScHUqk2NPoIdFsGotB4rh-/s400/fullsizeoutput_25e5.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our next stop in the Dakotas was for 3 days in the town of Dickinson, North Dakota, a convenient base from which to visit the South Unit and the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjuKVgrbIhfKQ6oKYCjvrgi69kJ3gQkcbeQc7hIqA-AigyIbfgaOdmjvCvm3KFYyYD4remZ2HO58_UsZz6dHe9_JoYeyQnbaqHmthL_cFxvdGUzlWpFeRY8F83thlaItGQ6uCBTrOXTZd/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25e8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjuKVgrbIhfKQ6oKYCjvrgi69kJ3gQkcbeQc7hIqA-AigyIbfgaOdmjvCvm3KFYyYD4remZ2HO58_UsZz6dHe9_JoYeyQnbaqHmthL_cFxvdGUzlWpFeRY8F83thlaItGQ6uCBTrOXTZd/s320/fullsizeoutput_25e8.jpeg" width="226" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">This is the only national park that has been named after a person, and that person was our nation’s 26th President—Theodore Roosevelt. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Theodore Roosevelt first visited Dakota Territory in 1883 during a hunting trip for bison, during which he fell so deeply in love with the outdoor lifestyle of the Dakota Badlands that he embarked on a ranching operation. A year later, after losing both his wife and his mother in the same house on the same day, February 14, 1884, he returned to his beloved Badlands to grieve and lose himself in the primitive lifestyle and remote ruggedness of the vast Badlands wilderness. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8dnuQF3gks01LS7feasntgViiYwptX6LzFYyCb47iXHbYHeP4fwPq1G4kSRKvZbo_VuZD5jW6QXxbrFZoelAGOLuD4zcsj_e3kSLSxX28cO9ehQ7tlwqF2HzQTXZ_YPm_bOjCAjAgvAo/s1600/IMG_4772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8dnuQF3gks01LS7feasntgViiYwptX6LzFYyCb47iXHbYHeP4fwPq1G4kSRKvZbo_VuZD5jW6QXxbrFZoelAGOLuD4zcsj_e3kSLSxX28cO9ehQ7tlwqF2HzQTXZ_YPm_bOjCAjAgvAo/s640/IMG_4772.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The so-called Maltese Cross cabin that TR lived in has been moved to a more convenient location that is accessible to visitors. The Maltese cross that TR carved into the end of one of the logs on the cabin was still evident. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkOVAzxl5sFCJMe3Q2WzXuYRwunTutplAdePkp2oq8AEIbhn02qttYjpmZOkEjMO6OhMf5ZtX1TB6uAq9fll45a9AISqj0_IVsPyPl5SRCraRT-PMjc4xSKjYlg5cVlh9HKwOfQDmU_r3/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25af.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1600" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkOVAzxl5sFCJMe3Q2WzXuYRwunTutplAdePkp2oq8AEIbhn02qttYjpmZOkEjMO6OhMf5ZtX1TB6uAq9fll45a9AISqj0_IVsPyPl5SRCraRT-PMjc4xSKjYlg5cVlh9HKwOfQDmU_r3/s400/fullsizeoutput_25af.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">TR's Maltese Cross Cabin</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4QFLo7tvCZfVCXZP6J7x_65_a9ypHOq-Ze_70WSHkxFpOsufZ9Nf2uH0PA2rZ3eAnUTvsNOs45845hhyphenhyphen0AgWXsrnbhr9vNCUg7wkmkH2PKSzbflp_GnvGuIQdBYyZRfnF01CeOmsQpHH/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25b0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1429" data-original-width="1600" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4QFLo7tvCZfVCXZP6J7x_65_a9ypHOq-Ze_70WSHkxFpOsufZ9Nf2uH0PA2rZ3eAnUTvsNOs45845hhyphenhyphen0AgWXsrnbhr9vNCUg7wkmkH2PKSzbflp_GnvGuIQdBYyZRfnF01CeOmsQpHH/s320/fullsizeoutput_25b0.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">During our visit to the South Unit, we had one of the most extraordinary wildlife sightings we have ever experienced when we encountered several hundred head of bison grazing in the grasslands beside the main road through the park.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpliia-dvdOXVa_Dt32lhtvyLXRuxL-i30Edczw42a_mabYPlnSUHlUN9lIm7NNFYgZBwjkA3h5xAmT2brelj6FzeFW2g5j2BBAGuAZn5exA-ELgb9DbQfFWNUQ3EVs7VanQrbV8yn5WBT/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25b2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="1600" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpliia-dvdOXVa_Dt32lhtvyLXRuxL-i30Edczw42a_mabYPlnSUHlUN9lIm7NNFYgZBwjkA3h5xAmT2brelj6FzeFW2g5j2BBAGuAZn5exA-ELgb9DbQfFWNUQ3EVs7VanQrbV8yn5WBT/s640/fullsizeoutput_25b2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Along with several dozen other delighted park visitors, we were surrounded by an enormous herd of bison engaged in typical bison activities:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">grazing,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKtYpekJM5BVLY18QOUw835sNQwt_oI-9rcYwP1nxFZU9x9LAtfHTx4FxnFftdMVFSUiYNtk8M7k89ZsxfZBZJxSoGchEKLSg9m5y1UC2p-KniDRndtf62wRA_p_atxbz1jDqc7idPWfJ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25b5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKtYpekJM5BVLY18QOUw835sNQwt_oI-9rcYwP1nxFZU9x9LAtfHTx4FxnFftdMVFSUiYNtk8M7k89ZsxfZBZJxSoGchEKLSg9m5y1UC2p-KniDRndtf62wRA_p_atxbz1jDqc7idPWfJ/s640/fullsizeoutput_25b5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">wallowing in the perfect patch of dirt,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUidV1QNdUN7vM3r7ueVAuwKHrtCnDChalC_dbAM8-dLjXzNbY5DuinZlkddxDRMhnHuy36NbEy1s0nts5zKslS0blX3nNCxxhfaYnLM_pL-QRatG2SbvquYhghASi4wRJAiPMtNoyRdn/s1600/P1040661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUidV1QNdUN7vM3r7ueVAuwKHrtCnDChalC_dbAM8-dLjXzNbY5DuinZlkddxDRMhnHuy36NbEy1s0nts5zKslS0blX3nNCxxhfaYnLM_pL-QRatG2SbvquYhghASi4wRJAiPMtNoyRdn/s640/P1040661.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">resting,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqG8DHLHHdWH-3BfAqm6ezNvJ7dwhws0ZkCxNbpiPtxru5H4aYZrQg0_GtJ4QZhXIW1rClVtUZ4mt4K5eZiE6GvKwimR2HQy9WRb8Cm394hPL3HJOUzU62Sh5B6FYNV7GXkPlVAUTwoGQi/s1600/P1040631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqG8DHLHHdWH-3BfAqm6ezNvJ7dwhws0ZkCxNbpiPtxru5H4aYZrQg0_GtJ4QZhXIW1rClVtUZ4mt4K5eZiE6GvKwimR2HQy9WRb8Cm394hPL3HJOUzU62Sh5B6FYNV7GXkPlVAUTwoGQi/s640/P1040631.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">entertaining the prairie dogs,</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREZ2wizpW1juoe0SsuyqcqOfVlXCVmdrW_5c7dE61k7tlZg5vzcHxkPW-2hMeR1-T-oTgXBZKAIN0LnTY74oisNEDMLIzuDK817-A2lGi6Kp1OJQoVg6n1XhNg2q4693urGiKsf5QQ6D3/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25bd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="1600" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREZ2wizpW1juoe0SsuyqcqOfVlXCVmdrW_5c7dE61k7tlZg5vzcHxkPW-2hMeR1-T-oTgXBZKAIN0LnTY74oisNEDMLIzuDK817-A2lGi6Kp1OJQoVg6n1XhNg2q4693urGiKsf5QQ6D3/s640/fullsizeoutput_25bd.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Prairie dog looking on, bottom right</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and chasing tourists back to the safety of their cars.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vCb1xW9YTPoj4zdgJFkWt5dg7KXnD4AL-3GnbLJW7XfN8pRNL6b1pLOfMkIIXY9jUp2j801jAgEV5kBdXrdqrenNsI3NYATwlwe7_DPngEuF81Aa1u8_Mxk0TakTg_HI_ovHYLSm2w85/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25c8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="1600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vCb1xW9YTPoj4zdgJFkWt5dg7KXnD4AL-3GnbLJW7XfN8pRNL6b1pLOfMkIIXY9jUp2j801jAgEV5kBdXrdqrenNsI3NYATwlwe7_DPngEuF81Aa1u8_Mxk0TakTg_HI_ovHYLSm2w85/s640/fullsizeoutput_25c8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On all park roads, bison have the right of way…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNYSWm_k-iiXDkUTkTz-fZvh37mPv1D9geqIrV2es4OpYsEag0opNQFYjJmtjsGgP8XXXZQcawaWfUjwg41yDJMfgs187Fl-N3SFmy7qjHBgDH14IXt-YGD_rgzX2OuRYlAb5VrxKINOzd/s1600/P1040672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNYSWm_k-iiXDkUTkTz-fZvh37mPv1D9geqIrV2es4OpYsEag0opNQFYjJmtjsGgP8XXXZQcawaWfUjwg41yDJMfgs187Fl-N3SFmy7qjHBgDH14IXt-YGD_rgzX2OuRYlAb5VrxKINOzd/s640/P1040672.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A visit to the North Unit brought back some very vivid memories associated with our family visit during the Galus Family 1989-90 year on the road…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">We found the campground and actual campsite from which we observed a huge bison stroll through camp one morning in the summer of 1989. Both leashed cats nearly jumped through the screen door to escape inside. Jason and Megan, on the other hand, couldn’t have been more thrilled.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE9XBKCaNL8Se5rnno3e8ZKvGc85nc2kYA6s-bD17o-G3awFHBy0CertgFvTlDJ5E3NsQJAxVjevovPRym5Wedv1v2_hwByM2XJ8Y7oSGWm2A-U7l5RknaBN_weEtGOvBklHCTuTl0-HpK/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25db.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE9XBKCaNL8Se5rnno3e8ZKvGc85nc2kYA6s-bD17o-G3awFHBy0CertgFvTlDJ5E3NsQJAxVjevovPRym5Wedv1v2_hwByM2XJ8Y7oSGWm2A-U7l5RknaBN_weEtGOvBklHCTuTl0-HpK/s640/fullsizeoutput_25db.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">We revisited the hillside where in 1989 we cautiously stomped through tall, dry prairie grass on the way back to the car as we zigzagged around numerous rattlesnakes hidden in the grass where they kept alerting us with rattles when we came too near for their liking.</span></li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHLFyTS6FIeTiBXwr5KExfTVYkJW-Dg2a6d_ziWp8eN7tB1jP_Dk9-GZWSbREX1BLzcy_-4hM6lOzkZbPegfu7roU16qJ796HtDueoKq46Xb4ThJzDnF1j-FqH5MwEfBt9jngNrrsIMdj/s1600/P1040759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHLFyTS6FIeTiBXwr5KExfTVYkJW-Dg2a6d_ziWp8eN7tB1jP_Dk9-GZWSbREX1BLzcy_-4hM6lOzkZbPegfu7roU16qJ796HtDueoKq46Xb4ThJzDnF1j-FqH5MwEfBt9jngNrrsIMdj/s640/P1040759.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rattlesnake Hill </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On the outskirts of the national park, situated high on a hill above the tiny tourist town of Medora, we noticed a large, lovely gray wooden home with dark red trim. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiPEHVZuYsR-dgdJj-KJJkPYqrQF0XdSSM9ozpRA5bE39U8k5Y7cu3sedYtp6BCvL43ctg4ZLr3rEsZY0hblaeLAFWFj7RMEpQgnMKS8Sumybr83x0Qlku4eY4wG-BCH2GUTU47AyUtzj/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25d1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiPEHVZuYsR-dgdJj-KJJkPYqrQF0XdSSM9ozpRA5bE39U8k5Y7cu3sedYtp6BCvL43ctg4ZLr3rEsZY0hblaeLAFWFj7RMEpQgnMKS8Sumybr83x0Qlku4eY4wG-BCH2GUTU47AyUtzj/s640/fullsizeoutput_25d1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fsJbqTtuodfarpcK7rk3sR6OJpOaVHmBKhezOh_1zs8ibv4gXkK81d6Qkd1zCqqP2NHVOssM2qBqLcNrpcN55pLo9mR02s3OvfwadTsR9BgdZowp86seqJ4d7XSKm_DYmOCvPxGBky-K/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25ea.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="892" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fsJbqTtuodfarpcK7rk3sR6OJpOaVHmBKhezOh_1zs8ibv4gXkK81d6Qkd1zCqqP2NHVOssM2qBqLcNrpcN55pLo9mR02s3OvfwadTsR9BgdZowp86seqJ4d7XSKm_DYmOCvPxGBky-K/s400/fullsizeoutput_25ea.jpeg" width="222" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It turned out that this jewel on the prairie was the home of a European aristocrat named the Marquis de Mores, who traveled from France to Dakota Territory in 1883, the same year that Teddy Roosevelt arrived for his first hunting trip. The Marquis de Mores founded the town of Medora and named it after his wife, Medora von Hoffman. He then proceeded with a bold plan to start a cattle business which would ship fresh beef back east on refrigerated railroad cars. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As usual, my interest was especially drawn to old photographs, like this one of the home taken shortly after building was completed in 1884.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiIk6NaKNvr7jl4QMLz-D3IMRcE2-p9PFWJVp4BonTiFynYnQQL4ZV4Hanj66rI6-X2Ci0XNYXJ0zt063MJblXE-Qn2gqL-pF2ACHLw4_b3jxLD9vCP01P7ZPbtUExwmJs14enw5f-2BC/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2602.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="1600" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiIk6NaKNvr7jl4QMLz-D3IMRcE2-p9PFWJVp4BonTiFynYnQQL4ZV4Hanj66rI6-X2Ci0XNYXJ0zt063MJblXE-Qn2gqL-pF2ACHLw4_b3jxLD9vCP01P7ZPbtUExwmJs14enw5f-2BC/s640/fullsizeoutput_2602.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwCOupLAmvEEQxwa8tCaXwyDrA4b7TlOw72ufW9P2PHQIumMsnJLPf7rAIYhLotd08MTl4NOGjYGwK29Tqf-QqtySAObNcoUpbdHOO49iu9de_Wmzw5yIi6PPsicEcGbUXMxA6j2Iul9x/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2606.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1168" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwCOupLAmvEEQxwa8tCaXwyDrA4b7TlOw72ufW9P2PHQIumMsnJLPf7rAIYhLotd08MTl4NOGjYGwK29Tqf-QqtySAObNcoUpbdHOO49iu9de_Wmzw5yIi6PPsicEcGbUXMxA6j2Iul9x/s400/fullsizeoutput_2606.jpeg" width="291" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Locals eventually dubbed the home “the Chateau.” Teddy Roosevelt often dined at “the Chateau” and was eager to borrow freely from its library of books. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The home itself was the most interesting aspect of the story at the <b><i>Chateau de Mores Historic Site.</i></b> The interior was a proper Victorian beauty that also subtly interwove design features of the northern prairie. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2B3V6-Q_4bssH1pDaXKbOfO9XqpWssBlGhFf7BCGeFGSjgqKfzeGF8Yf2hV9BiX8tuy_G8ZzuH4IU_d7AcONJBButN2_ob46EazQwU0KShlZxuHS1AFKAwM0gSWLEPdsNERI6FfGed0B/s1600/IMG_4779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2B3V6-Q_4bssH1pDaXKbOfO9XqpWssBlGhFf7BCGeFGSjgqKfzeGF8Yf2hV9BiX8tuy_G8ZzuH4IU_d7AcONJBButN2_ob46EazQwU0KShlZxuHS1AFKAwM0gSWLEPdsNERI6FfGed0B/s640/IMG_4779.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2aBj5u8fo5D-QT5rU6ujINvEHxpqt0Eqdz9tWaWN6xXwAGz3V7fhHgSm6RzCWho2sL25jRA04cufwtxuSSpd3T-2oKZG6Xa8BL8y7EGrWMc7kfEIKKRsSJPVB1CzDyTcvAblcpxjCn-P/s1600/P1040707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2aBj5u8fo5D-QT5rU6ujINvEHxpqt0Eqdz9tWaWN6xXwAGz3V7fhHgSm6RzCWho2sL25jRA04cufwtxuSSpd3T-2oKZG6Xa8BL8y7EGrWMc7kfEIKKRsSJPVB1CzDyTcvAblcpxjCn-P/s640/P1040707.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The immigrant story that played out in the Great Northern Plains of the Dakotas was one that everyone should be reminded of when all-too-common ugly immigrant stories of our day are splashed across public media. Our country was founded and enriched immeasurably by millions of immigrants who came here with dreams of a better life—the Germans and Irish in my family, and Slavic immigrants on Al’s side. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Despite having little in the way of worldly possessions, this hardworking immigrant bedrock of American society succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. This story was nicely told in Dickinson, where a flourishing Ukrainian-American community attracted Al’s attention due to his family’s Ukrainian heritage.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNjTxid87wuuABwLRylGA6RJOV05oPNFzi-qmqHet8Uil7dDqKgRR468G5YRRmeO-K2w0I53tgEMNyWp3n2E8Ae60CXvlNnt5G299abniY2xcsQRiIIZCel_Sral9ukdEv4krxZ-IauLE/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25f1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1105" data-original-width="1600" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNjTxid87wuuABwLRylGA6RJOV05oPNFzi-qmqHet8Uil7dDqKgRR468G5YRRmeO-K2w0I53tgEMNyWp3n2E8Ae60CXvlNnt5G299abniY2xcsQRiIIZCel_Sral9ukdEv4krxZ-IauLE/s320/fullsizeoutput_25f1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In downtown Dickinson, we had a delightful visit and chat with a woman at the <b><i>Ukrainian Cultural Institute</i></b>, who recalled stories about several families in Dickinson’s Ukrainian community. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oWkBMPYjxYGNvjh5hgqCCHICPsyCU329QUBUtQXfxLbJ-8EGx8j2_VkdSEMonmTYaGMMVBbrGYfs6Zc79NrRdUKexHg8H9t6epF-zBYlGCHPHJ_pZ9chmvJTRnukk1_HjWsn9y9dzjYe/s1600/fullsizeoutput_258d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1600" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oWkBMPYjxYGNvjh5hgqCCHICPsyCU329QUBUtQXfxLbJ-8EGx8j2_VkdSEMonmTYaGMMVBbrGYfs6Zc79NrRdUKexHg8H9t6epF-zBYlGCHPHJ_pZ9chmvJTRnukk1_HjWsn9y9dzjYe/s640/fullsizeoutput_258d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">She told us that the Institute strives to promote and preserve their Ukrainian-American history and customs, and then proudly pointed out some intricately decorated eggs typical of Ukrainian culture…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWTttpxTbdx6zG0dS_RE20BS8HiBM0fbLwR6sPvbiHYPR9Tcm_jMvA5OETtdDN9mL16jH_mZbUzpnznBr10D0QfQSIo5EXx3d0mItT-lUMQJWHqTTbOx28NQv0fka8H4SBuIekJpgJ7LA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2592.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1495" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWTttpxTbdx6zG0dS_RE20BS8HiBM0fbLwR6sPvbiHYPR9Tcm_jMvA5OETtdDN9mL16jH_mZbUzpnznBr10D0QfQSIo5EXx3d0mItT-lUMQJWHqTTbOx28NQv0fka8H4SBuIekJpgJ7LA/s400/fullsizeoutput_2592.jpeg" width="373" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We left the Institute with two bags of frozen pyrohy—prune and potato—with thoughts of cooking up a few some night to see how they compare with the ones Al’s mom and grandmother used to make…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The pride of Dickinson’s residents in their service to America was touchingly displayed at the finest war memorial we have ever seen in small-town America. The names of those from Dickinson who “gave everything” in America’s wars over the last hundred years were carved into black stone pillars at a war memorial in the park. The design was clearly influenced by our nation’s Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nQvhnr1QPlYhQf_YdBgDomKKRmhLL7XnTVpgqvt3SMQ4gvTnkh3OZlZC01yJ7LR7SxuSWX1AKkkdVD3nAnTkZ05QDBxYvrHUAMd8LBdf9zC9KxybuNHUm-OaZrEwfbsdnbPE5KWUvYbO/s1600/P1040729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nQvhnr1QPlYhQf_YdBgDomKKRmhLL7XnTVpgqvt3SMQ4gvTnkh3OZlZC01yJ7LR7SxuSWX1AKkkdVD3nAnTkZ05QDBxYvrHUAMd8LBdf9zC9KxybuNHUm-OaZrEwfbsdnbPE5KWUvYbO/s640/P1040729.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I might add that many, many of those names on Dickinson’s hallowed stone tablets were clearly from immigrant families…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZOIArbzCyoIEhBkFRvLO1PpLo-cgJKrxEdbpkmlpDJ27MNVLqbYutQJP87aWUhnhbwG0rnW7Ya_9uY9RGeBXybX68X25LnmAFFzb1KIMHPySHTX6e9w1j9WOoFkkmULy3nfgqiz6r2kH/s1600/fullsizeoutput_25d9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1326" data-original-width="1600" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZOIArbzCyoIEhBkFRvLO1PpLo-cgJKrxEdbpkmlpDJ27MNVLqbYutQJP87aWUhnhbwG0rnW7Ya_9uY9RGeBXybX68X25LnmAFFzb1KIMHPySHTX6e9w1j9WOoFkkmULy3nfgqiz6r2kH/s320/fullsizeoutput_25d9.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our final stop on our day out and about in Dickinson was a great one—at the <b><i>Brew Coffeehouse. </i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i></i></b></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3r9mGnyK2eWM6emFKGuIEbzCw7V49noLI7beMWQcesMjFZW3UxDkTg3zmILNg7uOmqIjW7_0K4FGxx4oKv2qsb2pb74HrKRokH4oNTR2mOS5Z9onZIHCRYn12OzqrNLf5WEo1np7pECit/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2595.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3r9mGnyK2eWM6emFKGuIEbzCw7V49noLI7beMWQcesMjFZW3UxDkTg3zmILNg7uOmqIjW7_0K4FGxx4oKv2qsb2pb74HrKRokH4oNTR2mOS5Z9onZIHCRYn12OzqrNLf5WEo1np7pECit/s320/fullsizeoutput_2595.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The unique ambience inside this former Episcopal chapel where Teddy Roosevelt used to worship was well worth more than the price of two ‘cuppa joes.’<b><i> </i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i></i></b></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKd_P1GO_KhFfm_VjqzaoZvXD9dtkJFQfx7CT8Hu-rI0y-LEpboqQ_FmDYRghB9HK3wDxMZuLOftpRTsTsjAj2VNitunJfc_pqMWUhs715N5Z5Wj9NaYTzUGZImWNJIWPPFCTl2YhdBj3R/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2589.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1600" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKd_P1GO_KhFfm_VjqzaoZvXD9dtkJFQfx7CT8Hu-rI0y-LEpboqQ_FmDYRghB9HK3wDxMZuLOftpRTsTsjAj2VNitunJfc_pqMWUhs715N5Z5Wj9NaYTzUGZImWNJIWPPFCTl2YhdBj3R/s640/fullsizeoutput_2589.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our travels through the Dakotas thus far have led us through a land of vast grassy open spaces interspersed with imposing badlands. For us, it was not hard to understand why such a place could provide solace to a future president who was grieving two terrible losses in his young life. Al and I perfectly understood how a life deeply immersed in Nature could nourish the spirit, as well as dull the sharp edges of grief over time. Over the past eight years of nearly continuous travel, for us, the “tonic of wilderness” has been a powerful elixir.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqSi5bsq04yPYnwTzTNJSHuUWVQmCCkKxG3VTkP2u8zGt_w-pAqUNPJk6tjgSjnwW8oJaF5BiFq0dRV5CdcFjTqVIBvucRiLkaEWi9R4GAA5DFSgv-I2k0gH8rHJP3PbXjA4cLzmIXCJF/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2600.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="447" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqSi5bsq04yPYnwTzTNJSHuUWVQmCCkKxG3VTkP2u8zGt_w-pAqUNPJk6tjgSjnwW8oJaF5BiFq0dRV5CdcFjTqVIBvucRiLkaEWi9R4GAA5DFSgv-I2k0gH8rHJP3PbXjA4cLzmIXCJF/s640/fullsizeoutput_2600.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-26908959522467751032019-06-09T11:43:00.000-05:002019-06-09T11:43:47.531-05:00WHIRLWIND THROUGH COLORADO AND WYOMING<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWrrrBXljl3KtjP-S3bdnyRci9haJUYYW8q6GbMAJngNDwGQASit5Q-6SsO4dLLQof0Sy6IdQMYn_hpr18kdHBSBrWiMEkygp5xiR81ZEnid5KKhDGtvEs4j-eS-6VzrUJWimQ3WR7XL-/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2537.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWrrrBXljl3KtjP-S3bdnyRci9haJUYYW8q6GbMAJngNDwGQASit5Q-6SsO4dLLQof0Sy6IdQMYn_hpr18kdHBSBrWiMEkygp5xiR81ZEnid5KKhDGtvEs4j-eS-6VzrUJWimQ3WR7XL-/s640/fullsizeoutput_2537.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">One lesson we learned very quickly when we first started our nomadic life on the road was to have all spring and summer holiday reservations made well ahead of time, because the campgrounds will be full! </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jh6UD-dHdNvvqI12VUz3Cf7nrQTLlXC42XhP9AJwz_LNR-qa0OSwOOq4-b0ye79JeDRu8EcHT2CIHEuGcoWSTgW5aSAAtPMcptp_WLWIdx5fZOCaFQ4RPz7ZeQ9zs1YOrYhXdTUG_cQ1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_24ba.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jh6UD-dHdNvvqI12VUz3Cf7nrQTLlXC42XhP9AJwz_LNR-qa0OSwOOq4-b0ye79JeDRu8EcHT2CIHEuGcoWSTgW5aSAAtPMcptp_WLWIdx5fZOCaFQ4RPz7ZeQ9zs1YOrYhXdTUG_cQ1/s320/fullsizeoutput_24ba.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">And so, as the 2019 summer vacation season got underway, we headed to Grand Junction, Colorado, for the Memorial Day weekend. Here, the lower elevation offered a very good chance of warm, sunny days. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Nothing says Grand Junction like the beautifully eroded cliffs that dominate the imposing topography alongside the Colorado River at the confluence with the Gunnison River.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqY-fObS6NYzy9xggEJaww15L8-mZ2ISyEV0_XrcwvQ62fitAINUond3JTR4T8zcwQpoLSyuFvuUgPS11sknL0c-3XXurLqe6fM_FXk1sMmbSDeI0AQny70aC2TBYf1kJaRF-jiY0GZkky/s1600/fullsizeoutput_24cc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="1600" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqY-fObS6NYzy9xggEJaww15L8-mZ2ISyEV0_XrcwvQ62fitAINUond3JTR4T8zcwQpoLSyuFvuUgPS11sknL0c-3XXurLqe6fM_FXk1sMmbSDeI0AQny70aC2TBYf1kJaRF-jiY0GZkky/s640/fullsizeoutput_24cc.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We were assigned a deluxe KOA campsite, and ours even had its own grill. Several weekend cookouts immediately entered the planning stages…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSnyYNb_E17qQ08llrElLAnPJS32xeEf8x6pcGndvREUQzBt55dhfAmYxnvGhdZ1D3gBWT1p3v-FzvP09CjLRVnwEN9icPGsJJBBHIWkwyraJe9nVJMYIJ-wPAbTjTbrwzGZkrZkvHpj9/s1600/fullsizeoutput_24b9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1600" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSnyYNb_E17qQ08llrElLAnPJS32xeEf8x6pcGndvREUQzBt55dhfAmYxnvGhdZ1D3gBWT1p3v-FzvP09CjLRVnwEN9icPGsJJBBHIWkwyraJe9nVJMYIJ-wPAbTjTbrwzGZkrZkvHpj9/s640/fullsizeoutput_24b9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xp48ntcC18_oHgJ1hDKx0J0PrgouUuMfiy5ly0h5mlI3RUrE594gkyVxloOmec3fBXVzwSt9Qz1-9mN35wJDHaMDuYo00c186Oc2rmIAcJR_0iCdN2Wh7x0rE5vgegQ0-AV4blMw2Cb6/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2531.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xp48ntcC18_oHgJ1hDKx0J0PrgouUuMfiy5ly0h5mlI3RUrE594gkyVxloOmec3fBXVzwSt9Qz1-9mN35wJDHaMDuYo00c186Oc2rmIAcJR_0iCdN2Wh7x0rE5vgegQ0-AV4blMw2Cb6/s320/fullsizeoutput_2531.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For 25 years, Al and I had called Colorado our home, so it seemed somewhat appropriate that our last tourist stop in the Centennial State was at the Colorado National Monument, which joined the park system to preserve the plateau and canyon country that rises 2000 feet above the Grand Valley of the Colorado River.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggw_7WCZM92zt8qQI64YyQ31eilaXADhrSAiP3I-xj6hqqrdA0dK8w5xxhYRgpMO5PoG8pmO0M04lq5eumOwVpMjyr768P0mJUhpzbz46t3EHWrtd3j3qD54wUNNwdMjyhLWdYfOgLSeLM/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2532.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggw_7WCZM92zt8qQI64YyQ31eilaXADhrSAiP3I-xj6hqqrdA0dK8w5xxhYRgpMO5PoG8pmO0M04lq5eumOwVpMjyr768P0mJUhpzbz46t3EHWrtd3j3qD54wUNNwdMjyhLWdYfOgLSeLM/s640/fullsizeoutput_2532.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Grand Valley</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The road through the monument wound upward to the top of the plateau where a grandiose view of the valley below invited one to linger.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr07zzMXKqg28cPSI6ueSoZ7HfYtq-cXAskT0gQbJh_dj_kJISkciwCnI3ZFksSWlJkR_HLhgZIM6swjBkLNVwTzWE052N_dhlxy5a0qM1m12mnTq-vktYFvKPP8bLn1IaWGmyLtErE5YE/s1600/P1040458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr07zzMXKqg28cPSI6ueSoZ7HfYtq-cXAskT0gQbJh_dj_kJISkciwCnI3ZFksSWlJkR_HLhgZIM6swjBkLNVwTzWE052N_dhlxy5a0qM1m12mnTq-vktYFvKPP8bLn1IaWGmyLtErE5YE/s640/P1040458.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Short trails led to sweeping viewpoints of some mighty remarkable Colorado scenery that we have grown to love.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8LZmXwKM-yHStT_9XB7bO9YKU5K8Eoc3wQcZ04IGt536iyxbk_8mEfi7oFvxJX1lDf3fdqStbcFdkDw9_UDFO7uUSDDDcHGTJYYHfpsxkGpdo57IUppKAJcOwUEq9nSmbEjRZWLITCXr/s1600/IMG_4708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8LZmXwKM-yHStT_9XB7bO9YKU5K8Eoc3wQcZ04IGt536iyxbk_8mEfi7oFvxJX1lDf3fdqStbcFdkDw9_UDFO7uUSDDDcHGTJYYHfpsxkGpdo57IUppKAJcOwUEq9nSmbEjRZWLITCXr/s640/IMG_4708.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">CRAIG, COLORADO</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">After the Memorial Day weekend stay in Grand Junction, we headed north to Craig, Colorado, located in Moffat County on the high plains of northwest Colorado. We found Colorado’s Great Northwest to be very sparsely populated, having very few towns of any size… and that included Craig. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In Craig we closed out our last 3 days in Colorado on ‘Carol’s Court’ </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXc0U4qzC5sKBbpLz3OXQZvdGM7mL9_LvsE0kUUbPUPcUSK2Dyae9RpidnkDEyYcL6v6ZzeLSTe70vWGOhAEMBv59Xg6s1aSmKw2soedAZW0KQlfoMyXs7thvPTbSU3IAVV9hvAI9lgpy/s1600/fullsizeoutput_24f7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1600" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXc0U4qzC5sKBbpLz3OXQZvdGM7mL9_LvsE0kUUbPUPcUSK2Dyae9RpidnkDEyYcL6v6ZzeLSTe70vWGOhAEMBv59Xg6s1aSmKw2soedAZW0KQlfoMyXs7thvPTbSU3IAVV9hvAI9lgpy/s640/fullsizeoutput_24f7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">… where there wasn’t a whole lot to do. In between rain showers, we occupied ourselves by scouting out the town’s booksellers and coffee shops, in addition to antique stores in search of vintage beads for my new hobby.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxFlNHwrPC1nfO3T61PdYpEgrWrrnRWQx29gDc78SNodS0DVsZpRrtpH3_d2_rTo7u_QNE8KD01lyuAGDZAa9nkZIaBEPQTLMCZ_g3J2DAHf5Ah3uOrBb9ng5ylj6qaPG-rXejpqk67Ol/s1600/fullsizeoutput_24f8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxFlNHwrPC1nfO3T61PdYpEgrWrrnRWQx29gDc78SNodS0DVsZpRrtpH3_d2_rTo7u_QNE8KD01lyuAGDZAa9nkZIaBEPQTLMCZ_g3J2DAHf5Ah3uOrBb9ng5ylj6qaPG-rXejpqk67Ol/s640/fullsizeoutput_24f8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">DOUGLAS, WYOMING</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3Iti8R8jxlw1fOICCLnUhFdRLHfD6pCkK2LAXsJ3k6aWYWAj9rwdlY8G7QQxZKgo1tFR6W3YEsC1pYpCvFDUx4k6SKkf0u_oa42TgM9BSzDpJMrpu1plcEiCkjSU9sjwNHonLJ6cnyKs/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2546.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3Iti8R8jxlw1fOICCLnUhFdRLHfD6pCkK2LAXsJ3k6aWYWAj9rwdlY8G7QQxZKgo1tFR6W3YEsC1pYpCvFDUx4k6SKkf0u_oa42TgM9BSzDpJMrpu1plcEiCkjSU9sjwNHonLJ6cnyKs/s400/fullsizeoutput_2546.jpeg" width="327" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our first of two stops in Wyoming was for 3 days in the tiny town of Douglas, home of the original jackalope. We even saw jackalopes in the campground!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuPlpI1qGhWHDaB0qbhQFLwHVCJoNJqzVp9XjgK4FHEZfq-91Mw8Ny8AkMr_Ow4x8LyOSJKJm6XIahbG68Ob7_GB53XvCLr2o12AlhAKzNv2wCbTy5kXvC-iSkpoGhseRgoV-xHlniPv4/s1600/P1040511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuPlpI1qGhWHDaB0qbhQFLwHVCJoNJqzVp9XjgK4FHEZfq-91Mw8Ny8AkMr_Ow4x8LyOSJKJm6XIahbG68Ob7_GB53XvCLr2o12AlhAKzNv2wCbTy5kXvC-iSkpoGhseRgoV-xHlniPv4/s320/P1040511.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Like Craig, Douglas was also a bit on the quiet side, but we were setting a fast travel schedule, so we didn’t mind not doing a whole lot besides watching the “buffalo roam”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM64wUaCya81pHG7e-zIct8cCX6vage228nTgn8YfTxq_4bw9XFWyBtMyn9mV4Ebf38Beza-cmfz_YVT79SgsGh5U6LwEuNI35M3TpnSIktNq6OYhSPrnVDOk0xlm3T0YFwfXjvL-p7S9m/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2505.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1600" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM64wUaCya81pHG7e-zIct8cCX6vage228nTgn8YfTxq_4bw9XFWyBtMyn9mV4Ebf38Beza-cmfz_YVT79SgsGh5U6LwEuNI35M3TpnSIktNq6OYhSPrnVDOk0xlm3T0YFwfXjvL-p7S9m/s640/fullsizeoutput_2505.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and the “antelope play.”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9h24K5OYFOC1AMrjwgH3MsOFZ_B7MKAWZyJ2BJlV5ZPuCfatglG5LyxdcKFdGrJkORwm1si9lMd-4dBbITqfifHiFPMcMWb9u7o8Cq4wOT6ci_ONZteDlyZsNSjSXCHIwoGo5NVVpVUB/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2506.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="1600" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9h24K5OYFOC1AMrjwgH3MsOFZ_B7MKAWZyJ2BJlV5ZPuCfatglG5LyxdcKFdGrJkORwm1si9lMd-4dBbITqfifHiFPMcMWb9u7o8Cq4wOT6ci_ONZteDlyZsNSjSXCHIwoGo5NVVpVUB/s640/fullsizeoutput_2506.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">SUNDANCE, WYOMING</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">From Douglas, we continued heading north all the way up to Sundance, Wyoming, along the I-90 corridor. </span>The town of Sundance will forever be enshrined in folklore about Harry Longabaugh (a.k.a. <b><i>The Sundance Kid</i></b>), who was jailed in Sundance for 18 months, then joined up with Butch Cassidy to wage the longest crime spree in American history. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwO0yFO0HXcQ3e7atIvpjDpYrGBL6pIctxbTx0TrhXLLxFpA1541QfMgwY4MrcSXKdmADB1D_4lqiVLM8dR8KZxdYxUs_LreMDJd_qz0O6Ax-sL6OJDEFLj7wKmcT9fTlIsYg0QnSaEHME/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2549.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1600" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwO0yFO0HXcQ3e7atIvpjDpYrGBL6pIctxbTx0TrhXLLxFpA1541QfMgwY4MrcSXKdmADB1D_4lqiVLM8dR8KZxdYxUs_LreMDJd_qz0O6Ax-sL6OJDEFLj7wKmcT9fTlIsYg0QnSaEHME/s320/fullsizeoutput_2549.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The opportunity to visit <b><i>Devils Tower National Monument</i></b> made Sundance, Wyoming, a perfect stop-off point along our route north. Devils Tower was designated as our nation’s first national monument in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt. This geologic wonder in northeastern Wyoming rises 865 feet into the air at the point where Black Hills pine forests merge with rolling prairie grasslands.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZCb25shLqjGKR4T4e-ntgjV1tfQX5YVgOJ1J7kauOX6iCRdohdGwvgFjXwSqYZLFYj2uYpNPVAp7PED0V3McnceVHYVxWTIPmttuRfow7zMpanZssyr2MwQZTBLTR0pupH2TncwbaRAd/s1600/P1040532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZCb25shLqjGKR4T4e-ntgjV1tfQX5YVgOJ1J7kauOX6iCRdohdGwvgFjXwSqYZLFYj2uYpNPVAp7PED0V3McnceVHYVxWTIPmttuRfow7zMpanZssyr2MwQZTBLTR0pupH2TncwbaRAd/s640/P1040532.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The tower was formed when molten magma cooled underground into hexagonal columns and then was exposed by means of erosion over millions of years. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCw6WsrUaO7rSn53N6yRVH3RGFck1GMKcWycYRCU3IUjof_f39f4jPMY9Bbf_qTzU7z-f0di26helH5uB-h4zpKmIxY_8-bu6-TiakwC2pH_Qo77SJrEimBWfjkhuVN9n549DHL733cCo1/s1600/IMG_4725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCw6WsrUaO7rSn53N6yRVH3RGFck1GMKcWycYRCU3IUjof_f39f4jPMY9Bbf_qTzU7z-f0di26helH5uB-h4zpKmIxY_8-bu6-TiakwC2pH_Qo77SJrEimBWfjkhuVN9n549DHL733cCo1/s640/IMG_4725.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Devils Tower has become world famous in the rock climbing community and as such draws over 5000 climbers a year. From the trail around the tower, an historic wooden ladder dating back to the very first ascent in 1893 was still visible in a giant crack between hexagonal columns.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5INq89kwfFn7OjPpdoqCYyJN9agTvUKXf0gk7U_0VV0AOViyccC2pFoYYwygowp8h_jYRjvBMIgxDDCcVDu_DxguA46uk3RO5EaKcyaQLdrijaMUa9Blu_sXinL5t4VUwu8LFeCgrgHK/s1600/IMG_4723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5INq89kwfFn7OjPpdoqCYyJN9agTvUKXf0gk7U_0VV0AOViyccC2pFoYYwygowp8h_jYRjvBMIgxDDCcVDu_DxguA46uk3RO5EaKcyaQLdrijaMUa9Blu_sXinL5t4VUwu8LFeCgrgHK/s640/IMG_4723.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Although I wasn’t a fan of the <i>Circle of Sacred Smoke</i> sculpture, I couldn’t resist the urge to incorporate it into the requisite arty shot of the tower. This sculpture was supposed to represent a puff of smoke from a ceremonial pipe used by the Native American people who still consider the tower to be a sacred place.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzpr5-31cg268KiGClMWdWQjcwo0EYxxNiVKTB7prfgqZ797nswbnKDM3IFINMvg7oV-_rvu20hZVBYhhAsaEmctoGZDpx9RN3lgJzId1lvQXpfe3ujVcmoPkhIVpqnelnmobLrIWh8nf/s1600/P1040539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzpr5-31cg268KiGClMWdWQjcwo0EYxxNiVKTB7prfgqZ797nswbnKDM3IFINMvg7oV-_rvu20hZVBYhhAsaEmctoGZDpx9RN3lgJzId1lvQXpfe3ujVcmoPkhIVpqnelnmobLrIWh8nf/s640/P1040539.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The mystique around Devils Tower made it the perfect location for a movie about extraterrestrials called <b><i>“Close Encounters of the Third Kind,”</i></b> which was filmed on site in 1978.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">From our base camp in Sundance, a visit to the rollicking Wild West town of Deadwood made for a very enjoyable day. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In 1875 the discovery of gold “in the gulch” of a narrow canyon started the Black Hills gold rush. This canyon became known as "<b>Deadwood</b> <b><i>Gulch</i></b>," because of all the dead trees that lined the canyon walls at the time.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zkb0ql1Ei6vfqdNxZus44OnXBB2cmM045NZjodDG8OXUgDnlfHztVajMbGmJpGu_gtaJJ6ex7JsC7CXTyMbBzXN1rgRrATQfSn2u1wT0Wr6oPnB6Ev2ANtIdsNG_J8bshdfaQX572Imk/s1600/fullsizeoutput_250e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zkb0ql1Ei6vfqdNxZus44OnXBB2cmM045NZjodDG8OXUgDnlfHztVajMbGmJpGu_gtaJJ6ex7JsC7CXTyMbBzXN1rgRrATQfSn2u1wT0Wr6oPnB6Ev2ANtIdsNG_J8bshdfaQX572Imk/s640/fullsizeoutput_250e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Present-day Deadwood</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The story of Deadwood in its early years encompassed a tale of anonymous miners, famous legends, a catastrophic fire, a devastating flood, and a host of log saloons. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaefKgPK02z5_cEyqUeVHYbsirWXPWJF6t-GiOxsGNLo_k0xcFCKLM6pxKDdlt0_lUYQMpEvfdEs1jZZzwb0sTgw4Ntcxct0dZWqXgbqh1a2iMOVxUZHOCFwnfQhTBSYPBSuZaHK3kS9P4/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2514.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1028" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaefKgPK02z5_cEyqUeVHYbsirWXPWJF6t-GiOxsGNLo_k0xcFCKLM6pxKDdlt0_lUYQMpEvfdEs1jZZzwb0sTgw4Ntcxct0dZWqXgbqh1a2iMOVxUZHOCFwnfQhTBSYPBSuZaHK3kS9P4/s400/fullsizeoutput_2514.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The early history of Deadwood is tied intimately with Wild West legends like Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, and Seth Bullock (Deadwood’s first sheriff). All three are buried at Mt. Moriah Cemetery, along with many other notable residents of Deadwood. The entire cemetery showcased the marvelous restoration project that was paid for with gambling profits in the mid-1990s.</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfNnuVEgmJcUyhe-f5ry1y8UJWs1MwskbPWkl0vlWv4pkmhJojo4oL2pKQWEPnbx0Cg0ze4SOaXwREXhD5fHaaTjna7z6q5XF8IlpnXfJblNc1SsPiTFcAutSZdvwanllxQ0V6cHxV3Ey/s1600/dU6SkOd1R6W%252Bj57qFVOKVw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfNnuVEgmJcUyhe-f5ry1y8UJWs1MwskbPWkl0vlWv4pkmhJojo4oL2pKQWEPnbx0Cg0ze4SOaXwREXhD5fHaaTjna7z6q5XF8IlpnXfJblNc1SsPiTFcAutSZdvwanllxQ0V6cHxV3Ey/s640/dU6SkOd1R6W%252Bj57qFVOKVw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The side-by-side gravesites of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok, folk heroes of the American West, were nicely restored and stabilized with retaining walls.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaqgAEjlU_F06sCPA8Bcd58Ax4kISmR_bsEclc-2e148vjZbhxcms1mWDRgnT3CktPIVqHtWABZPBKnD0OugW-Q3PzuwF4RXsm_o2v4LrltPorT6q03kvMe3oHwU0tsw6nxC2QjtOj3-_/s1600/0SDwOJ8yTRq2Uw9%25253jx%252BDg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaqgAEjlU_F06sCPA8Bcd58Ax4kISmR_bsEclc-2e148vjZbhxcms1mWDRgnT3CktPIVqHtWABZPBKnD0OugW-Q3PzuwF4RXsm_o2v4LrltPorT6q03kvMe3oHwU0tsw6nxC2QjtOj3-_/s640/0SDwOJ8yTRq2Uw9%25253jx%252BDg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Graves of Wild Bill Hickok (left) and Calamity Jane (right)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmz3b2pQFtXTMxXB7UF_o9RqMWJkgv4YpSqwXBf9Jk89_3WRf2qx_WjL23F1PigkMNnck-1edcxODJWt3gnx24dh4knhTvjZRlKpBDbUwsb5X6dH6of-wNg8tez8iPBXpQ0ZvBxLIrw_K/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2544.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="957" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmz3b2pQFtXTMxXB7UF_o9RqMWJkgv4YpSqwXBf9Jk89_3WRf2qx_WjL23F1PigkMNnck-1edcxODJWt3gnx24dh4knhTvjZRlKpBDbUwsb5X6dH6of-wNg8tez8iPBXpQ0ZvBxLIrw_K/s400/fullsizeoutput_2544.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Internet photo</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was Calamity Jane’s dying wish that she be buried beside Wild Bill Hickok; at Mt. Moriah Cemetery, she got her wish.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-b04QPZNs0qzv9hf8msRoaMy_eVHDJIiktOFogJPXiJRM5YZ7tGx2nE_psnBS0_d1APIWvrIh4jTQiM14aI7ONwxe_Un_FbENwDrA27i8ERMG8Zt6OlvC5-reQdHk8hyphenhyphenCd1uyd08i0tU/s1600/8C0F9R90TQmxocMR5MzOKw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-b04QPZNs0qzv9hf8msRoaMy_eVHDJIiktOFogJPXiJRM5YZ7tGx2nE_psnBS0_d1APIWvrIh4jTQiM14aI7ONwxe_Un_FbENwDrA27i8ERMG8Zt6OlvC5-reQdHk8hyphenhyphenCd1uyd08i0tU/s320/8C0F9R90TQmxocMR5MzOKw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymPklJtrxggILkOlC8iLPK0KpnX60qijLkgTlfKWNr7GPPU006xjxpKDn5Cum4EL-UJ24qTgBXiwkn0nGmCxUKm0MzwlF_BQ-tLyOiewYIl2W6vYXi4KY_B8lJArdNO-446gD_G4_zOyu/s1600/El%252B1RlscTm%252BrGqbdIFZZ8A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymPklJtrxggILkOlC8iLPK0KpnX60qijLkgTlfKWNr7GPPU006xjxpKDn5Cum4EL-UJ24qTgBXiwkn0nGmCxUKm0MzwlF_BQ-tLyOiewYIl2W6vYXi4KY_B8lJArdNO-446gD_G4_zOyu/s320/El%252B1RlscTm%252BrGqbdIFZZ8A.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGpU02lSB67cUw5p2vH6zpctTVFCn8Lbr7lFKsSwRa4hL-q8BnBPuUbCGbW3hLhCowJcuvhtdr8GW_6IJ8PYVFqYveIsWU81pr5KajGwffstGk2n_lUOF32mH-OM4nOlS1S081Ta8kFFD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2522.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1600" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGpU02lSB67cUw5p2vH6zpctTVFCn8Lbr7lFKsSwRa4hL-q8BnBPuUbCGbW3hLhCowJcuvhtdr8GW_6IJ8PYVFqYveIsWU81pr5KajGwffstGk2n_lUOF32mH-OM4nOlS1S081Ta8kFFD/s320/fullsizeoutput_2522.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, back in town, we peeked inside the original “Number 10” saloon where Wild Bill Hickok was murdered by Jack McCall with a shot to the back of the head. Wild Bill was playing poker at the time with his back to the door, holding the so-called dead man’s hand—two pairs: black aces and eights. <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCT7gsEcuOFiH1mlmN6yVJ2cbZt79sSDQdEFxvD0XuEzh5jpborbUnQnwIOBs-CUm32ibk3tJ38-vPff8oBulF8Tq887UITY-W2bs8Cna5EAevMf9YbKcac4Zm1MDWiDLiLycHe6VyxqYC/s1600/fullsizeoutput_252e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1433" data-original-width="1600" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCT7gsEcuOFiH1mlmN6yVJ2cbZt79sSDQdEFxvD0XuEzh5jpborbUnQnwIOBs-CUm32ibk3tJ38-vPff8oBulF8Tq887UITY-W2bs8Cna5EAevMf9YbKcac4Zm1MDWiDLiLycHe6VyxqYC/s320/fullsizeoutput_252e.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWoMlFMgzNieB6mv6Xig6vXfoFCOnrZ33pJZ1j0BkCNNQIcV6b2HkFwK4XNDE1-r9QSl0KxPM4LpYHgj4sHeuZT14pq4M6R58Cm-uasH8DxAgFW7NqFakGhPr9QZRsM7_bRbPCjm1NotTY/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2551.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="1150" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWoMlFMgzNieB6mv6Xig6vXfoFCOnrZ33pJZ1j0BkCNNQIcV6b2HkFwK4XNDE1-r9QSl0KxPM4LpYHgj4sHeuZT14pq4M6R58Cm-uasH8DxAgFW7NqFakGhPr9QZRsM7_bRbPCjm1NotTY/s320/fullsizeoutput_2551.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">“Number 10” displayed tasteful and appropriate mementos recalling that fateful day.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YvU6DJQnNK3H6SAXd09SPvU17wOkYCV5kTVWe0paYPOOdlkjSAaKfPNRCvGY6RG0A54Inb-0HmLOpLyKvrmF6hH0yennZ8PUjDgfImAi1fwkrqRNjNX2EsAW6edjkYkAfjhDVKyJHEhg/s1600/fullsizeoutput_251e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="1600" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YvU6DJQnNK3H6SAXd09SPvU17wOkYCV5kTVWe0paYPOOdlkjSAaKfPNRCvGY6RG0A54Inb-0HmLOpLyKvrmF6hH0yennZ8PUjDgfImAi1fwkrqRNjNX2EsAW6edjkYkAfjhDVKyJHEhg/s640/fullsizeoutput_251e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The storefronts of Deadwood were incredibly picturesque,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlcYsuRktL2ncc5oYHYymdBzt8EEQT45IMYUfuETxw62d2a3qT0KtbDVOvoivSs16ihPjxQQ60_fOxpb-b-HWS8ZPnMN1wdUBGtYahnHLNXM1mt4-cfZA3zdZrIuIAB2S16kL9z4wRrSb/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2523.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1600" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlcYsuRktL2ncc5oYHYymdBzt8EEQT45IMYUfuETxw62d2a3qT0KtbDVOvoivSs16ihPjxQQ60_fOxpb-b-HWS8ZPnMN1wdUBGtYahnHLNXM1mt4-cfZA3zdZrIuIAB2S16kL9z4wRrSb/s640/fullsizeoutput_2523.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BnoWGuhrt2daJh0-GBIUuWJ6IpGoC1LSuyF0xZEp6mmdGKTwANL0Ohc2xT3xoZYbju7k58B-U-zzEXUv_aqNw81CfWkSD1v3OJQ-HfIKmkR1wZNRos_gcBKi7Sm_Rt0lU3fFHjWVGAuL/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2517.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1028" data-original-width="1600" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BnoWGuhrt2daJh0-GBIUuWJ6IpGoC1LSuyF0xZEp6mmdGKTwANL0Ohc2xT3xoZYbju7k58B-U-zzEXUv_aqNw81CfWkSD1v3OJQ-HfIKmkR1wZNRos_gcBKi7Sm_Rt0lU3fFHjWVGAuL/s640/fullsizeoutput_2517.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and evoked an authentic old western ambience, some with a touch of humor, such as the windows through which ladies of the night advertised their “wares.”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOsJTRJd8HbJKTstxkR7UebZEUePt1C7eY2gp728kyqbySqGBJTlSsDnjpoqHeMuI5OhD4gXgWwyJJqi_UYqx3jGGIppc0lgq0TCepSrKhc0EVBTC-k0Qmk4Tb6tP2jEwtwbCNxSkCqHX/s1600/fullsizeoutput_253b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOsJTRJd8HbJKTstxkR7UebZEUePt1C7eY2gp728kyqbySqGBJTlSsDnjpoqHeMuI5OhD4gXgWwyJJqi_UYqx3jGGIppc0lgq0TCepSrKhc0EVBTC-k0Qmk4Tb6tP2jEwtwbCNxSkCqHX/s640/fullsizeoutput_253b.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_E9pCY0Y81Vechk_wbTrFi6ofQByGCT9kFtMWn53fPc2GhJmXezNKndK6FD1kndIKRWJ6Ur_lpfkMV8VLumx1GrMF7c6C7N9yBWn6sc0CemZMe22dRdobxqOrLRfp8srvkITAu2gnu6Q/s1600/fullsizeoutput_252a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1418" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_E9pCY0Y81Vechk_wbTrFi6ofQByGCT9kFtMWn53fPc2GhJmXezNKndK6FD1kndIKRWJ6Ur_lpfkMV8VLumx1GrMF7c6C7N9yBWn6sc0CemZMe22dRdobxqOrLRfp8srvkITAu2gnu6Q/s400/fullsizeoutput_252a.jpeg" width="353" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The seated bronze statue of Wild Bill Hickok invited shameless tourist selfies…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Although many of Deadwood’s historic buildings have been converted into casinos, in our opinion Deadwood did not appear consumed with a distasteful gambling atmosphere. Instead, we felt the town fathers did a very good job of managing gaming profits to pay for the continuing restoration of this truly historic town straight out of the Wild West.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 38px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cMJJTaVVdThQlrSWkvtQDTGrbDhHjv-TmHznVhG8jl2YgcD_ZjvoBEwJwTT1ZjtKJ84KwbEnHv8Wzb5GJow9kYQR3nM4IcyjrN1CDFde_vGi1QzAqOyV4PBbCzB9opxgOb42-t350bFg/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2540.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="1600" height="585" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cMJJTaVVdThQlrSWkvtQDTGrbDhHjv-TmHznVhG8jl2YgcD_ZjvoBEwJwTT1ZjtKJ84KwbEnHv8Wzb5GJow9kYQR3nM4IcyjrN1CDFde_vGi1QzAqOyV4PBbCzB9opxgOb42-t350bFg/s640/fullsizeoutput_2540.jpeg" width="720" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-87966796598865149752019-06-01T08:33:00.000-05:002019-06-01T08:33:27.598-05:00THE STORY OF WATER AT CAPITOL REEF<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lQiAGjJCN6foJJX6iC12nxADHP5Nw0lmvkvNTUjNkqe8f3j1mXobdVd65aw8IJjFY5YQMTQZDi0LDDgzCZ1hg7XDN9T8kt2bcyQ8fxcmn30gxLSGKKecTa-dMLpdTNm4wSj6tcTc_j5y/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2475.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1600" height="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lQiAGjJCN6foJJX6iC12nxADHP5Nw0lmvkvNTUjNkqe8f3j1mXobdVd65aw8IJjFY5YQMTQZDi0LDDgzCZ1hg7XDN9T8kt2bcyQ8fxcmn30gxLSGKKecTa-dMLpdTNm4wSj6tcTc_j5y/s640/fullsizeoutput_2475.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tNwNvt4x89CpYSF3quXixCnOPVwWdmx5CYuQ53UpuPstnwSDeStDgENNIr5Wfpc-FzuzTMJIrYOrOwm6w_swsYi7RzMqGfNffEmhJcyq5oXellUfQPoFN1EgYHw_nW13OK3iq-pHlK-k/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2486.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="647" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tNwNvt4x89CpYSF3quXixCnOPVwWdmx5CYuQ53UpuPstnwSDeStDgENNIr5Wfpc-FzuzTMJIrYOrOwm6w_swsYi7RzMqGfNffEmhJcyq5oXellUfQPoFN1EgYHw_nW13OK3iq-pHlK-k/s400/fullsizeoutput_2486.jpeg" width="386" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 33px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">In the past few weeks, we have met many Americans and several Europeans who have told us they are <b><i>“doing the</i></b> <b><i>MIGHTY 5.</i></b>” The <b><i>MIGHTY 5</i></b> refers to the ultimate vacation road trip to southern Utah’s five most popular national parks: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We did not plan to visit all five parks but instead decided to limit our journey to the two we have explored the least—Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">After two weeks at Bryce Canyon, we turned north and made our next “home” at a small family-run campground in Torrey, Utah, just on the doorstep of Capitol Reef. Seeing the <b><i>Wonderland RV Park </i></b>trees in full bloom in mid-May reminded me of the old saying: “No winter lasts forever, no spring skips its turn.” The weather of the coming week would test that wisdom…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXY7aC3cbFAa4pdO_1Z4ltgzAPIKlQTrmRYYumefcQo-XtM9ejMds0O-o2ihfIWgmbONKjZdYcxuaLWH0sePggWTSRQZ5t0yLWJIEXX52ZhbxO016ay6sMiCaHioRqlVOdY0qZkW_qeW5H/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2409.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="1600" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXY7aC3cbFAa4pdO_1Z4ltgzAPIKlQTrmRYYumefcQo-XtM9ejMds0O-o2ihfIWgmbONKjZdYcxuaLWH0sePggWTSRQZ5t0yLWJIEXX52ZhbxO016ay6sMiCaHioRqlVOdY0qZkW_qeW5H/s640/fullsizeoutput_2409.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmjGJi5xLHQ8a5Atecsk61t1vD5UYnIR5PYAWVWllcBr6BqVDZvhiwZdtMFuiG1nU8YHSJU66IBHD9yw08Ux7zK46drZlg6tYqukiUKjtd7wC2sNf_4IIE4p8vV3N-ZiR0N5V0v1g-fUX/s1600/IMG_4603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmjGJi5xLHQ8a5Atecsk61t1vD5UYnIR5PYAWVWllcBr6BqVDZvhiwZdtMFuiG1nU8YHSJU66IBHD9yw08Ux7zK46drZlg6tYqukiUKjtd7wC2sNf_4IIE4p8vV3N-ZiR0N5V0v1g-fUX/s640/IMG_4603.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNboZATKkBTjepD3-VLiQfVoIDDO_FjgIsEboxm-DsBfuTSKvewjuPyOvM9uXOOGxYV2QNK0IIpQRU96eu6klDI2jzeAX26OyzJIc_RUJBt5B9ayzV3a7XkG303z3KrTmyu7waUlBrQ5K/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23fe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNboZATKkBTjepD3-VLiQfVoIDDO_FjgIsEboxm-DsBfuTSKvewjuPyOvM9uXOOGxYV2QNK0IIpQRU96eu6klDI2jzeAX26OyzJIc_RUJBt5B9ayzV3a7XkG303z3KrTmyu7waUlBrQ5K/s400/fullsizeoutput_23fe.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Capitol Reef National Park is located in Utah’s south-central desert. A geologic wrinkle in the earth’s crust called the <b><i>Waterpocket Fold </i></b>traverses the park for 100 miles north to south. Here, geologic forces shaped, lifted, and folded the earth on the Colorado Plateau, creating the wonderfully rugged American treasure known as Capitol Reef. The park derived its name from the giant rock formations that early visitors thought resembled the US Capitol building,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzT0iE1il2T4qSLvfY-2AKa5c40PRnXr_OYpKf1g7xQpV5ZPT8YD3C_G1RQ0pqPo2r-ASNr165clubH3pFLf9flTiU8kwoE-0FazbUpt_477-vVbboyGx816UVLvV61F9Y3GQcdh1AD2h7/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2459.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzT0iE1il2T4qSLvfY-2AKa5c40PRnXr_OYpKf1g7xQpV5ZPT8YD3C_G1RQ0pqPo2r-ASNr165clubH3pFLf9flTiU8kwoE-0FazbUpt_477-vVbboyGx816UVLvV61F9Y3GQcdh1AD2h7/s400/fullsizeoutput_2459.jpeg" width="520" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UmpUcj0WnPEiMpWp4numqzhqNbAXwdh0IqpLKonLL4DElFIKIFe96wF0cEqOu_AIUPAaXMMH0fir0NGZqiANqhg5pBCQAJ-aTIagRZBQDACn_DfjZB6jYvQ-zZAccy4JZzIysbxzljP9/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2460.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UmpUcj0WnPEiMpWp4numqzhqNbAXwdh0IqpLKonLL4DElFIKIFe96wF0cEqOu_AIUPAaXMMH0fir0NGZqiANqhg5pBCQAJ-aTIagRZBQDACn_DfjZB6jYvQ-zZAccy4JZzIysbxzljP9/s320/fullsizeoutput_2460.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and from the sheer cliffs that presented a formidable barrier to travel, much like a barrier reef in an ocean.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DpMwkrfIYjPZQQWKvvh9OmnLy4Pxpw5GHb-os3He_RMX3-E1xnMTBNOe564jNtqSeZTnHW_Yt9yiMDw_cY9MPPt2ZiZkdzkBZwzJ1BjlcxQw8ckuJbIHbvGF9jhWSs3upNH5Nn3zQm0Q/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2452.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="1600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DpMwkrfIYjPZQQWKvvh9OmnLy4Pxpw5GHb-os3He_RMX3-E1xnMTBNOe564jNtqSeZTnHW_Yt9yiMDw_cY9MPPt2ZiZkdzkBZwzJ1BjlcxQw8ckuJbIHbvGF9jhWSs3upNH5Nn3zQm0Q/s640/fullsizeoutput_2452.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The geologic story at Capitol Reef was one whose headline would simply read: <b><i>“WATER.”</i></b> The sequence of events required three steps: <b><i>deposition, uplift, and erosion</i></b>. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">During a wet environment period that lasted over a period of 200 million years, sediments were deposited in a massive lake system that existed over the four corners area of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. This was followed by a period of tectonic plate movement which created uplift of approximately 2 miles, thus forming the Colorado Plateau. Over the next 20 million years, the erosive forces of water and gravity worked on these sediments of the past and created the serpentine canyons, soaring monoliths, and massive domes of Capitol Reef.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjha23oxc817Gg2-semFlwrJygWZdaOOctDeNhBluSAJBmroUXsBZDDUOXWxyqe5cw1TB9mYlTUnUZCQjS0_tF6r6sh9h-jV_pyNWXkNTsjtwMKy9-ansUEkws0Wj0H7YlepXATqlqAB3cx/s1600/P1040310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjha23oxc817Gg2-semFlwrJygWZdaOOctDeNhBluSAJBmroUXsBZDDUOXWxyqe5cw1TB9mYlTUnUZCQjS0_tF6r6sh9h-jV_pyNWXkNTsjtwMKy9-ansUEkws0Wj0H7YlepXATqlqAB3cx/s640/P1040310.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Mormon pioneer saga was a big part of human history at Capitol Reef. The park service has nicely preserved the tiny Mormon frontier town of Fruita, which was established in the 1880s at the confluence of the Fremont River and Sulphur Creek. Here, Mormon settlers farmed the fertile land that was adjacent to the river. Approximately 3000 fruit trees that were part of the historic orchards planted by these early settlers have been preserved and maintained by the park service. Oh, how neat it would be to visit when the fruit is ready to pick…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifoIc7_WTJEuWnRIn5VNIus640WuHbvXPIZsUqeDyONot1hFSyBaXttJugDHltcFi8bRl7aj1gueeIiS2XW1Z3C2MeZ6CNwbXue-JpKTA3OxWbOxnNmwLWF5-Vmky320PNWDysJjF3hx89/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2495.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifoIc7_WTJEuWnRIn5VNIus640WuHbvXPIZsUqeDyONot1hFSyBaXttJugDHltcFi8bRl7aj1gueeIiS2XW1Z3C2MeZ6CNwbXue-JpKTA3OxWbOxnNmwLWF5-Vmky320PNWDysJjF3hx89/s640/fullsizeoutput_2495.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Erratic spring weather played havoc with our visit at Capitol Reef. We experienced few sunny days and had lots of rain, snow and sleet across the pastoral setting outside our front windshield.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-uY4Z5IQS7EGpjL95-aKxoWZ8brlJeBpt0mZZz8CnlWmfA-vm5qM57yJsgvmt8tp9WrZSFj_aZaEp6_8b59lO1ZOUucHLWzSPMx5FHGyzmwA_cc9w-McbfZvGNU0eygmtcrrNXFxf1y2/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2481.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-uY4Z5IQS7EGpjL95-aKxoWZ8brlJeBpt0mZZz8CnlWmfA-vm5qM57yJsgvmt8tp9WrZSFj_aZaEp6_8b59lO1ZOUucHLWzSPMx5FHGyzmwA_cc9w-McbfZvGNU0eygmtcrrNXFxf1y2/s640/fullsizeoutput_2481.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsarVaDeNClieNAxDFbbYbfwtjsladoR-eWmLJYGlSC6ygEi9ZUFRpAZpCiUp7P6x7UMSwjhT7uderJB_oRN1sDCgMeaV3f9m7ketVsxiP95DA7pZTepetRgZrY-66IQOpqbawyc869mNQ/s1600/P1040420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsarVaDeNClieNAxDFbbYbfwtjsladoR-eWmLJYGlSC6ygEi9ZUFRpAZpCiUp7P6x7UMSwjhT7uderJB_oRN1sDCgMeaV3f9m7ketVsxiP95DA7pZTepetRgZrY-66IQOpqbawyc869mNQ/s640/P1040420.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKP1JFuYOwu0d3A921BT6_ImJLlr5axI8EOHa_NNSYZ-UpuO0-OwYx6UrznQ_u-62BUdWGsRq8cDiQJct1jwl-SH59X-VxMQPbHSJTev8v2dtJn4aqKbsr-v7SBKkqTPwd95kaPCjfRrj/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23eb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1600" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKP1JFuYOwu0d3A921BT6_ImJLlr5axI8EOHa_NNSYZ-UpuO0-OwYx6UrznQ_u-62BUdWGsRq8cDiQJct1jwl-SH59X-VxMQPbHSJTev8v2dtJn4aqKbsr-v7SBKkqTPwd95kaPCjfRrj/s320/fullsizeoutput_23eb.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At the first bit of sun, we grabbed the opportunity to explore <b><i>Capitol Gorge Wash</i></b>, a popular hike through a narrows used by early Mormon pioneers as the main travel corridor through the Waterpocket Fold.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRh_5VAe3CFpJxH50gjGqQG3p2KgXGs3bQLOdVWTVaVxWE6_97egDN7e8TPUIiFwi6tPJoFR8XnWjkO4jHtkv2_V6QG5387cZHYPElYf29Im5dnhtFvznTtOxeFEQOZX2c2tbb_1K_6609/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2467.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRh_5VAe3CFpJxH50gjGqQG3p2KgXGs3bQLOdVWTVaVxWE6_97egDN7e8TPUIiFwi6tPJoFR8XnWjkO4jHtkv2_V6QG5387cZHYPElYf29Im5dnhtFvznTtOxeFEQOZX2c2tbb_1K_6609/s640/fullsizeoutput_2467.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Some spots were just wide enough for a wagon…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-SQ51SHUc0-Mt_Dt0r-aU6MLfS3oXoF3cp_hy4Qu2_OHSq_SYjLhF24V8cTqe9BiBz7E_wH6tORPPqi-bSxAPMYWCLdfvv4UNv4hzcF9y_s21snF-mxsrTNee240W-UgxKx5BA5Agr_q/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23f2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-SQ51SHUc0-Mt_Dt0r-aU6MLfS3oXoF3cp_hy4Qu2_OHSq_SYjLhF24V8cTqe9BiBz7E_wH6tORPPqi-bSxAPMYWCLdfvv4UNv4hzcF9y_s21snF-mxsrTNee240W-UgxKx5BA5Agr_q/s640/fullsizeoutput_23f2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At the <b><i>Pioneer Register</i></b> in Capitol Gorge Wash, travelers etched their names high above on smooth sections of the canyon wall.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rKRnaZ9rewtX4hQMDTe_PP8b0hCg6Xh-LgmpYjdmlHo0ZrcBqC9vybu6yEPsdlyKnLP6yYnS1MajiG6ghL_dV548kkb_XqF4FWBvgUbdFJgf2TYdnH8bhkjAS54AFVyJMFoG4AbXGDHo/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23ed.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1600" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rKRnaZ9rewtX4hQMDTe_PP8b0hCg6Xh-LgmpYjdmlHo0ZrcBqC9vybu6yEPsdlyKnLP6yYnS1MajiG6ghL_dV548kkb_XqF4FWBvgUbdFJgf2TYdnH8bhkjAS54AFVyJMFoG4AbXGDHo/s320/fullsizeoutput_23ed.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MTo7-J2pdmOGW1V7Del9UV2cJZZGmpwDz4J1CQu5q0HiCrF1v9Il6c_L-0MMHKQOrXWe4K2VnTCVe6vp6UG8zNHF35gSHvR2Vc1teO0c-bN3tigiYSBDAn8_qNtkmR1hTy6ItdLPCUKN/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23fb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="1600" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MTo7-J2pdmOGW1V7Del9UV2cJZZGmpwDz4J1CQu5q0HiCrF1v9Il6c_L-0MMHKQOrXWe4K2VnTCVe6vp6UG8zNHF35gSHvR2Vc1teO0c-bN3tigiYSBDAn8_qNtkmR1hTy6ItdLPCUKN/s320/fullsizeoutput_23fb.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A short side trail led up to the so-called “tanks,” a term for potholes in the bedrock that have been filled with rainwater and snowmelt. Not a bad place for lunch and great conversation with other hikers…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiN7x_qtT8cdrpzIJgIp-IMBKRzApTIbnqU2de-T3A9tdskuKf-Y9Y0sgOr75OuxrWlHj3EzHM4TjcZXsMgYsL8JmZw_2zj2scgFKi0GYt4p9qN5UvSVaeit0-ExSUk35OImU2Wd7f4un_/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23e4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiN7x_qtT8cdrpzIJgIp-IMBKRzApTIbnqU2de-T3A9tdskuKf-Y9Y0sgOr75OuxrWlHj3EzHM4TjcZXsMgYsL8JmZw_2zj2scgFKi0GYt4p9qN5UvSVaeit0-ExSUk35OImU2Wd7f4un_/s640/fullsizeoutput_23e4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At the conclusion of the hike through the wash, afternoon thunderstorms were already starting to build up, which made for a dramatic backdrop with dark clouds towering over red and white sandstone cliffs.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimTtBbNT_Dq30pOBZ2xQxR4_2EcUqpS-O2vBYP6RcrUA35zFKo41yCpxR56QXv76X1KgZHOySDKg_DJiweSHGUcPtT53jIBMPNKpGr-I-VlRk1U4u0oHz4aycKHns3Xg2TRCafltJ4SP5F/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2401.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1600" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimTtBbNT_Dq30pOBZ2xQxR4_2EcUqpS-O2vBYP6RcrUA35zFKo41yCpxR56QXv76X1KgZHOySDKg_DJiweSHGUcPtT53jIBMPNKpGr-I-VlRk1U4u0oHz4aycKHns3Xg2TRCafltJ4SP5F/s640/fullsizeoutput_2401.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjavSfOaiLdjE5CbeGEDd1_EaKADkVgK6W3D5XGzysHcWuuT4dhx3McZVvDmrhzrHZ1ruRTsz9ROeT-VNZqNSHHxpgxhX7jYc8GIyoxkZq0thvPFBU7cZL57-S0blV7G9cIBVcJ4uNXJj3/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2403.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="1600" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjavSfOaiLdjE5CbeGEDd1_EaKADkVgK6W3D5XGzysHcWuuT4dhx3McZVvDmrhzrHZ1ruRTsz9ROeT-VNZqNSHHxpgxhX7jYc8GIyoxkZq0thvPFBU7cZL57-S0blV7G9cIBVcJ4uNXJj3/s640/fullsizeoutput_2403.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RXK2CFkKZ4bmNJ4ere8yDnbnur7k2vD9je4_bEvDCgSkLO09nOc08VULQzBY4uZzi0bN7RqxbDkJCo6oNc8DoyLAOLaO4GbqLB6aCgBoqEjz6ZDWxJWDQiAdVaxEyroxfkRcv4eM4BCE/s1600/P1040432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RXK2CFkKZ4bmNJ4ere8yDnbnur7k2vD9je4_bEvDCgSkLO09nOc08VULQzBY4uZzi0bN7RqxbDkJCo6oNc8DoyLAOLaO4GbqLB6aCgBoqEjz6ZDWxJWDQiAdVaxEyroxfkRcv4eM4BCE/s400/P1040432.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The washes in Capitol Reef appeared to be some of the most popular hikes. We felt lucky just before we moved on to get a clear morning to hike the <b><i>Grand Wash</i></b>.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The “narrows” section really was spectacular.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrO5iedJIGp3djwkzskHvVVOy7EW-VEwswvV1PPpLtNsgWCA5pN2OQ51vnDWFpdhgPbqk27J-cb756Veaxi5NNUrZn0ittgVhqYFFAUiNVVcgtSBi6CxzVT3ikc6tIUjWXjTWejZEQcS8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2499.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1600" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrO5iedJIGp3djwkzskHvVVOy7EW-VEwswvV1PPpLtNsgWCA5pN2OQ51vnDWFpdhgPbqk27J-cb756Veaxi5NNUrZn0ittgVhqYFFAUiNVVcgtSBi6CxzVT3ikc6tIUjWXjTWejZEQcS8/s640/fullsizeoutput_2499.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Blue skies at the start of the hike</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOCmFHHDqrwWWAN3_dVwOArZBW0zRUPkws0O48ahfRS6DbZsPfsl-_pOk3rOrICv_GBbOyjIf0Zhs1BJYH1C67yBPabzmnxhse6r91m-yopOFAUGdIw4SmnMME3a_0ZY4C7AsWD_B-cRm/s1600/fullsizeoutput_24a1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOCmFHHDqrwWWAN3_dVwOArZBW0zRUPkws0O48ahfRS6DbZsPfsl-_pOk3rOrICv_GBbOyjIf0Zhs1BJYH1C67yBPabzmnxhse6r91m-yopOFAUGdIw4SmnMME3a_0ZY4C7AsWD_B-cRm/s640/fullsizeoutput_24a1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">turned into threatening clouds at the turnaround.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJqVk3Y8mhzYLdDiFi6EKeQm6uPOmLmz6LBrmm_rjEka4RH8V98zg5I_d3eBZIw1h99fGziH4uTxoYO8_21p-cGabnF_fEsh4izhyphenhypheneen1CuqYxOt2dmx8Pd9WEJc2tBniJV8enP5hbwYq/s1600/P1040430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJqVk3Y8mhzYLdDiFi6EKeQm6uPOmLmz6LBrmm_rjEka4RH8V98zg5I_d3eBZIw1h99fGziH4uTxoYO8_21p-cGabnF_fEsh4izhyphenhypheneen1CuqYxOt2dmx8Pd9WEJc2tBniJV8enP5hbwYq/s640/P1040430.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We heeded warnings to avoid being in the wash during a thunderstorm, in which case the soaring vertical walls would be very unforgiving.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJI9CjCwU3sMrNbsGBcK_3aZ4DhUfFIYI3qWNPmGqmM2aKuMob5WV8qlY6A7aHTzlSVF6psCNmAHtpaDCp7LaHhRMdGgegiDEcchkAnuY8aHUYLZ7_XoI8oQEmL9BqjheUm6tclqWg9G0v/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2494.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJI9CjCwU3sMrNbsGBcK_3aZ4DhUfFIYI3qWNPmGqmM2aKuMob5WV8qlY6A7aHTzlSVF6psCNmAHtpaDCp7LaHhRMdGgegiDEcchkAnuY8aHUYLZ7_XoI8oQEmL9BqjheUm6tclqWg9G0v/s640/fullsizeoutput_2494.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieXCIlDVgt9E2QagRhzJWGu-IAhf_RtCdDQUA0WzV-N8jFAVywazwTIjr41fVik4LThpRRUkW7R3lSW1JtSAW7dTN91O6tZwj7KdeEdlyU3hvX2l5cz0F4WhGxVdcDTwrSg2VTAGJDcc9w/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2492.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="1600" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieXCIlDVgt9E2QagRhzJWGu-IAhf_RtCdDQUA0WzV-N8jFAVywazwTIjr41fVik4LThpRRUkW7R3lSW1JtSAW7dTN91O6tZwj7KdeEdlyU3hvX2l5cz0F4WhGxVdcDTwrSg2VTAGJDcc9w/s640/fullsizeoutput_2492.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 32px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="color: orange;">OTHER HIGHLIGHTS AT CAPITOL REEF</span></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 32px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 37px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i></i></b></span><br /></div>
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">A very pleasant hike along the <b><i>Hickman Bridge Trail</i></b> led to a natural sandstone bridge 125 feet high with a span of 133 feet. </span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxCTD7P56n3bQMLgou4sVgMS7zX6-8K6QCaR_8B-XCuiW3hs0abdiTRr08osS8vmMYaUv69Ac6uASrFmFlKalVOZ16lD23cs9YwRAwJBwT_mZL3wc4VdYZ6vlVTJ41FmIRO9eIopP6Ol-/s1600/fullsizeoutput_245e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxCTD7P56n3bQMLgou4sVgMS7zX6-8K6QCaR_8B-XCuiW3hs0abdiTRr08osS8vmMYaUv69Ac6uASrFmFlKalVOZ16lD23cs9YwRAwJBwT_mZL3wc4VdYZ6vlVTJ41FmIRO9eIopP6Ol-/s640/fullsizeoutput_245e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Without the printed trail guide pointing out a niche high above on the canyon wall, we might have missed a granary that dated back several centuries to the era of the Fremont people (300-1300 AD), the hunter-gatherer ancestors of the modern-day Zuni, Hopi, and Paiute tribes.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpyFBXULymOKIi-GdpmVh96jRj-0AD6E2fd0tTzU8YCz_rPXvR5a81TE7lYsQvHoqtdtl6rT-Qa4RfncqRYqd1dtfrYRtNAeLl5UrBhXOAeV9A-ZWLPlYr9rDKUg6BT2VOhLiQfx68sDz/s1600/fullsizeoutput_245b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1600" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpyFBXULymOKIi-GdpmVh96jRj-0AD6E2fd0tTzU8YCz_rPXvR5a81TE7lYsQvHoqtdtl6rT-Qa4RfncqRYqd1dtfrYRtNAeLl5UrBhXOAeV9A-ZWLPlYr9rDKUg6BT2VOhLiQfx68sDz/s640/fullsizeoutput_245b.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Petroglyphs carved into the canyon wall along the main road through Capitol Reef revealed more evidence of the Fremont Culture.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrHsPCscT04mLlWp0h0_k8mJbdA7GjlTpnOFUWqUSiF3zfwRPfdY6DYIbnfqNGHyLMFxDbP_XtjEXJZQjIIcFZ6DBn-Yln8ZA4188UmHTnGgJl21oMdzmYXPIaJJeQ4qX6FkebNqk9xQn/s1600/IMG_4642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrHsPCscT04mLlWp0h0_k8mJbdA7GjlTpnOFUWqUSiF3zfwRPfdY6DYIbnfqNGHyLMFxDbP_XtjEXJZQjIIcFZ6DBn-Yln8ZA4188UmHTnGgJl21oMdzmYXPIaJJeQ4qX6FkebNqk9xQn/s640/IMG_4642.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">The premier jeep trail in Capitol Reef was a 57-mile loop that encircled the northern end of the Waterpocket Fold.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmhehnijOHvf3a7y5mU4cA6l3xawFbiOR0gnE-tiBWNlo0-pI7fSU61PSV3yZwQoU9bXsuy__g1IPLEuB3mCP6pWcYAr-9cu1Mod34izXMJWYQe357xocUvLe1kHw5nG-IfLLpQCgJRoG/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2444.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="1600" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmhehnijOHvf3a7y5mU4cA6l3xawFbiOR0gnE-tiBWNlo0-pI7fSU61PSV3yZwQoU9bXsuy__g1IPLEuB3mCP6pWcYAr-9cu1Mod34izXMJWYQe357xocUvLe1kHw5nG-IfLLpQCgJRoG/s640/fullsizeoutput_2444.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Some of Capitol Reef’s most iconic scenes were on display along this hard-packed dirt and gravel road. Colorfully striped barren bentonite hills were a strong lure for vibrant shots.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGZ9-GrhrbbWxbBvu5lBGTCilUTxu-x36a5AGLD3bnm3QTDKDDWItR2PqQA7zKfks3v_gq6sJxKx5RKWwAAtocCCvaQM7z1Yhr9sYdVch5itBYTZKAa2GEldNKSKHwjFdn6j-KMw5QAu7/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2445.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="1600" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGZ9-GrhrbbWxbBvu5lBGTCilUTxu-x36a5AGLD3bnm3QTDKDDWItR2PqQA7zKfks3v_gq6sJxKx5RKWwAAtocCCvaQM7z1Yhr9sYdVch5itBYTZKAa2GEldNKSKHwjFdn6j-KMw5QAu7/s640/fullsizeoutput_2445.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5i4SBhqSfArT0mZlt33xJpSl4kVEuXe-LjwOojtJZiJX3Xkj0Gdi3wU1ldRWM99iJPBpF66E6H0fPjZxErjzFvi58AVLJs-aGlnSGervWTA7SGsmjXOMtoBjelDO38Mx0kSixKh0xCSpL/s1600/P1040365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5i4SBhqSfArT0mZlt33xJpSl4kVEuXe-LjwOojtJZiJX3Xkj0Gdi3wU1ldRWM99iJPBpF66E6H0fPjZxErjzFvi58AVLJs-aGlnSGervWTA7SGsmjXOMtoBjelDO38Mx0kSixKh0xCSpL/s640/P1040365.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our destination for the day was <b><i>Lower</i></b> <b><i>Cathedral Valley</i></b>, one of the park’s most photogenic areas. This valley was quite aptly named, as many of the freestanding Entrada Sandstone monoliths resembled European gothic cathedrals.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcHCKkxN-_TVEXBssSw4QzYARZQziw-beq0Ul33bUbnOa3Akzq9gZoAvvWa9ninY2vJ7vc8Pdr2S9OOxZldX8esx0s90yip_VqKAKnFlX5zBLj5gyBL0zQj_8IHDlRubZEfx_1Na9gTtt/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2417.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcHCKkxN-_TVEXBssSw4QzYARZQziw-beq0Ul33bUbnOa3Akzq9gZoAvvWa9ninY2vJ7vc8Pdr2S9OOxZldX8esx0s90yip_VqKAKnFlX5zBLj5gyBL0zQj_8IHDlRubZEfx_1Na9gTtt/s640/fullsizeoutput_2417.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Temple of the Sun</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MkFfyNd_lx8SsjjGBYOGzTTKKE3gYwGkPsiWDFkf_lfcYkbctAE8DWm7CKMuHoEwZWh25-NDSH43On0HcpXAYGXJuS6mzlO4M_bOXPeANIRHsUNpUdoNZYaKg7XTcqxD0BBXI5JpC73p/s1600/P1040377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MkFfyNd_lx8SsjjGBYOGzTTKKE3gYwGkPsiWDFkf_lfcYkbctAE8DWm7CKMuHoEwZWh25-NDSH43On0HcpXAYGXJuS6mzlO4M_bOXPeANIRHsUNpUdoNZYaKg7XTcqxD0BBXI5JpC73p/s320/P1040377.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiuRcIs-PhneB02Z2dPHjsUa7H6tzEgT0huigPTFDUBiZIjHpsF2TvF7FXXoVIolZKA75n0dhiHppZnon7AFqCEGjjtcNH_uIJmob4NOA79VhHMxY3q1IthH0F5U3dR_Vo7g5W3NSZp4ms/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2443.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiuRcIs-PhneB02Z2dPHjsUa7H6tzEgT0huigPTFDUBiZIjHpsF2TvF7FXXoVIolZKA75n0dhiHppZnon7AFqCEGjjtcNH_uIJmob4NOA79VhHMxY3q1IthH0F5U3dR_Vo7g5W3NSZp4ms/s640/fullsizeoutput_2443.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
and the Temple of the Moon<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8RxndDVuvHHH6YyDm5YOMptAyN2koQjfIf0bbsSvi2wnJyPsl0HhOqwB-_DBqdoEVOpvpJMMUgRzJGRepK5OSsTzescnm9cLD3ewnPjnaVL_vOsqPeu2o0peHYij88tzk3iav3hncid70/s1600/P1040371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8RxndDVuvHHH6YyDm5YOMptAyN2koQjfIf0bbsSvi2wnJyPsl0HhOqwB-_DBqdoEVOpvpJMMUgRzJGRepK5OSsTzescnm9cLD3ewnPjnaVL_vOsqPeu2o0peHYij88tzk3iav3hncid70/s320/P1040371.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRnq5P7q1dumnau1Nm7_-pnxcj4S8Zt7HFB4avatyYKIiO9La0xjqsmyoEFudcuEePyKGklso3psoFl0fMyPnAetZoIUXWnb0rLx54BQXCwaFGgnS-HFEvaAQ9B1F5Rou3_oDnGo6K8Yb/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2442.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRnq5P7q1dumnau1Nm7_-pnxcj4S8Zt7HFB4avatyYKIiO9La0xjqsmyoEFudcuEePyKGklso3psoFl0fMyPnAetZoIUXWnb0rLx54BQXCwaFGgnS-HFEvaAQ9B1F5Rou3_oDnGo6K8Yb/s640/fullsizeoutput_2442.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">were as impressive as their majestic-sounding names.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Nearby Glass Mountain, an exposed plug of gypsum, was unlike any natural feature we have ever seen before.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdEYEf_fGeRC4vamAWRRIQH2FyNPmJCeUFoNyO44IJFqlJIhEilXAuoNryF9LrSp5Q1SX6LCjNrQitriw5Crqvf1iDifWhFACh32wACM_tPdwLqVZWDCk71eieL44LQroDClw6SS5LGIG/s1600/fullsizeoutput_243a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="1600" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdEYEf_fGeRC4vamAWRRIQH2FyNPmJCeUFoNyO44IJFqlJIhEilXAuoNryF9LrSp5Q1SX6LCjNrQitriw5Crqvf1iDifWhFACh32wACM_tPdwLqVZWDCk71eieL44LQroDClw6SS5LGIG/s640/fullsizeoutput_243a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The gypsum crystals were quite a curiosity…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZ0Zb2_iPexkvCs3p3C2QcOjpRwpY1PzzybgxVtNoUkt4mzbJcX5VqwxwhL2OY6vxMqMBaMBaplaM4n_SJynT8C8zcXT9EFIVjiEGXn6UenyOOc9kSHMu5Vzypj3VxFihfAOEDLVrHD1v/s1600/fullsizeoutput_242c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZ0Zb2_iPexkvCs3p3C2QcOjpRwpY1PzzybgxVtNoUkt4mzbJcX5VqwxwhL2OY6vxMqMBaMBaplaM4n_SJynT8C8zcXT9EFIVjiEGXn6UenyOOc9kSHMu5Vzypj3VxFihfAOEDLVrHD1v/s640/fullsizeoutput_242c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5TlKgHTgglHRJ-iA2WX_ZMdR3qZXQje9UjF32p001k4x_PuIfrV0NEm4kCETBqTSEJsbe5l4b0d64LX8FRBlcvitKmt6zqj2AVMTQyqkKGRipsdRCIBLifOTuLzyJdv9SHKGsvsIMBEv/s1600/P1040382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5TlKgHTgglHRJ-iA2WX_ZMdR3qZXQje9UjF32p001k4x_PuIfrV0NEm4kCETBqTSEJsbe5l4b0d64LX8FRBlcvitKmt6zqj2AVMTQyqkKGRipsdRCIBLifOTuLzyJdv9SHKGsvsIMBEv/s640/P1040382.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A different story played out at the <b><i>Gypsum Sinkhole</i></b> where the gypsum mineral dissolved, causing the ground to collapse into a spooky sinkhole.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdag2GJBBRr5G9_qPcj-vU9cBxj1EIvB9y3VgeUPPH-M6fsZ0bAvATebbkq6_yVaMFStJ_4lDrpBkwpilxPzNnLvA3bFdCjuhxQIgj7KrQW_vv8x5077_SCUMLjgpuAcoEwrl-od20-Bbg/s1600/IMG_4676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdag2GJBBRr5G9_qPcj-vU9cBxj1EIvB9y3VgeUPPH-M6fsZ0bAvATebbkq6_yVaMFStJ_4lDrpBkwpilxPzNnLvA3bFdCjuhxQIgj7KrQW_vv8x5077_SCUMLjgpuAcoEwrl-od20-Bbg/s640/IMG_4676.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxy3JPNJdsFJozlhG268t_MpFu8WCUlOCESvyTUGFIXcq1QjYwlSQidEeGDCoTObDNW5K9H048d0fIpk7HIXPhDRfqj-MTDZfjo8udXOT6zfTZLd7MBHDsth-dSx_p3o9k9n8K4c2xnA7/s1600/fullsizeoutput_240c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxy3JPNJdsFJozlhG268t_MpFu8WCUlOCESvyTUGFIXcq1QjYwlSQidEeGDCoTObDNW5K9H048d0fIpk7HIXPhDRfqj-MTDZfjo8udXOT6zfTZLd7MBHDsth-dSx_p3o9k9n8K4c2xnA7/s640/fullsizeoutput_240c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At the high point on this jeep “loop,” we turned around to head back, but not before taking a few extra moments to marvel at the scenery far below in Cathedral Valley.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOZcU14OATIwr1y_fNuc5B39No33VAumxEvTWJOaMb6aKXTD6thjqK0KcbSEu0C_p9nvQvt-KiSGairGNBoJ71bVerI10xJGU2OJd1P9ihqUt-AYeg5GOa73G7QEe0YhWrLq0zkxEpX1Y/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2422.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOZcU14OATIwr1y_fNuc5B39No33VAumxEvTWJOaMb6aKXTD6thjqK0KcbSEu0C_p9nvQvt-KiSGairGNBoJ71bVerI10xJGU2OJd1P9ihqUt-AYeg5GOa73G7QEe0YhWrLq0zkxEpX1Y/s640/fullsizeoutput_2422.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1wanp4XZsgB-qbWUdm1mNTu9Ewcfjd1PbkFLHtJuTJ0UoGpJQutbyjqLmo9oGpLPTDmLdYBY_hxm1H2Xrd1uVuBzLYG0ZliLvRavVf1z8NdJ8Sjy7BBBZkwukjCGFLCrPwpvmVq6yTiN/s1600/fullsizeoutput_24a4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1wanp4XZsgB-qbWUdm1mNTu9Ewcfjd1PbkFLHtJuTJ0UoGpJQutbyjqLmo9oGpLPTDmLdYBY_hxm1H2Xrd1uVuBzLYG0ZliLvRavVf1z8NdJ8Sjy7BBBZkwukjCGFLCrPwpvmVq6yTiN/s640/fullsizeoutput_24a4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Lower Cathedral Valley certainly encapsulated some of the most phenomenal scenery that Capitol Reef National Park had to offer—solitude amid a stark landscape, stunning monoliths, volcanic dikes, and just enough jeep trail ruggedness to evoke an atmosphere of a great adventure.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMXbHpv05PJRXDbD3ODHmjaJTZojbXW4FA3Lu05q0j-IL89LInqLdHhPxJbD7Aa5gUqaFTokP4kn9wpAIOiQdL38C7FWZL8VgAxU9Vy93r3dlIXNgxKWSETiTnsH5LmzS_fPYBhH0hUrJO/s1600/fullsizeoutput_247f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1600" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMXbHpv05PJRXDbD3ODHmjaJTZojbXW4FA3Lu05q0j-IL89LInqLdHhPxJbD7Aa5gUqaFTokP4kn9wpAIOiQdL38C7FWZL8VgAxU9Vy93r3dlIXNgxKWSETiTnsH5LmzS_fPYBhH0hUrJO/s640/fullsizeoutput_247f.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-1153246740074360192019-05-25T09:58:00.000-05:002019-05-25T09:58:59.672-05:00THE TOP OF THE GRAND STAIRCASE AT BRYCE CANYON<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMaAEbctuqA_T86c6g8HCauUHEP_HPqrCHWrEdDJ5sI1NQWp2Y59dY_qSYdnaJTFucGqsDqzFEtPYkgNbbSfTF2IQ-LF0fGFFVr3i4RRcD-nkM_dgEiUaxQHlt0HhDrDoYAexkT4wsQAU/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2407.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1600" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMaAEbctuqA_T86c6g8HCauUHEP_HPqrCHWrEdDJ5sI1NQWp2Y59dY_qSYdnaJTFucGqsDqzFEtPYkgNbbSfTF2IQ-LF0fGFFVr3i4RRcD-nkM_dgEiUaxQHlt0HhDrDoYAexkT4wsQAU/s640/fullsizeoutput_2407.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOahlLKSdjlCOwV8YcpIqrgfFVFaec3kAmFqMc02TC-wH64bRnmO5i5YqmnrfUvCOkp0hDsYLHdWehTYXBiUr42THzvhSs5vxE0hvyWOhg9xr6XI7pbs2dCrQvgi8VIma-l7EIE0YRYy5m/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23a3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="220" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOahlLKSdjlCOwV8YcpIqrgfFVFaec3kAmFqMc02TC-wH64bRnmO5i5YqmnrfUvCOkp0hDsYLHdWehTYXBiUr42THzvhSs5vxE0hvyWOhg9xr6XI7pbs2dCrQvgi8VIma-l7EIE0YRYy5m/s400/fullsizeoutput_23a3.jpeg" width="366" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> Far back into geologic history, the four corners region of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico was covered in water with a system of lakes into which sediments were deposited over countless eons. Then, twenty million years ago, tectonic plate activity commenced. This region began to rise and eventually uplifted almost 2 miles to form the Colorado Plateau.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Today, the Colorado Plateau displays a nearly complete sequence of sedimentary rocks that stretch north from the Grand Canyon at the bottom, where the very basement rocks of the continent lie, to Bryce Canyon at the top. This marvel of the geologic record has very few gaps and is known as the <b><i>Grand Staircase</i></b>.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_Qd9wCZCQdSgBV0ChR_3l4XoVe7PdkNzl7JgR9c6zZgZ1pXNlO7pfjjNyjIlQQBaF342E8fA7ibSJjybmyKt9Uc7WLaveg6pvjUeoGk1MXTz2xeRuGje3PB7i10sBvH7bD1lJirffKZL/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23c5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1600" height="405" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_Qd9wCZCQdSgBV0ChR_3l4XoVe7PdkNzl7JgR9c6zZgZ1pXNlO7pfjjNyjIlQQBaF342E8fA7ibSJjybmyKt9Uc7WLaveg6pvjUeoGk1MXTz2xeRuGje3PB7i10sBvH7bD1lJirffKZL/s640/fullsizeoutput_23c5.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We have spent several weeks at various spectacular “steps” on the Grand Staircase. For the next two weeks we would linger on the top step at the so-called pink cliffs of Bryce Canyon.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Al selected a perfect campground that was very convenient for visiting Bryce Canyon National Park. <b><i>Ruby’s RV Park</i></b> was situated in Bryce Canyon City at the very doorstep of the national park. Ruby’s was also a stop along the route of a nifty free shuttle bus into the park. It sure was nice not to have to consider parking issues within the park.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUJz_Hjq8NCS3VYwH0Za3P7JL8KSNXkRFxGnz0RXyOPL-ieoYULMN5pa5wwUwPZR2wrn8iMhJG796cjI025ykfAG6MTFrFf6tFkEhXt6cLE_308pQG2hXoeLrlbCFREa6ccXXLM1EV1dSF/s1600/fullsizeoutput_234a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUJz_Hjq8NCS3VYwH0Za3P7JL8KSNXkRFxGnz0RXyOPL-ieoYULMN5pa5wwUwPZR2wrn8iMhJG796cjI025ykfAG6MTFrFf6tFkEhXt6cLE_308pQG2hXoeLrlbCFREa6ccXXLM1EV1dSF/s640/fullsizeoutput_234a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Ruby’s comprised a giant tourist business operation that had it all covered—hotel, cabins, restaurants, a general store, a cowboy dinner show, western adventure activities, and an RV park. This business venture was started by Reuben Syrett and his wife Minnie 100 years ago. Ruby’s operation began as tent camps called <b><i>Tourist Rest</i></b> for visitors to Bryce Canyon. Today, Ruby’s ancestors still own the enterprise; they would appear to be the recipients of a very wealthy inheritance…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Bryce Canyon is actually not a canyon but rather a series of amphitheaters composed of whimsical rock formations called hoodoos.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6XEJjXB4dH6fXFPVZ0OcL2MhJrA05kKvy__jHMwIKHuXaNKpNyqZcS49ZcY_S11-S9qF37jTLgBttWsq1fdoIB3u2Xxxx5h36kk_Gn9V8Cb8md-X6zCO_tsVj-LgMcCIO1zPb0WyQv3T/s1600/fullsizeoutput_238f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6XEJjXB4dH6fXFPVZ0OcL2MhJrA05kKvy__jHMwIKHuXaNKpNyqZcS49ZcY_S11-S9qF37jTLgBttWsq1fdoIB3u2Xxxx5h36kk_Gn9V8Cb8md-X6zCO_tsVj-LgMcCIO1zPb0WyQv3T/s640/fullsizeoutput_238f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9RwCkAKED5YNBPZyC1frg9dqhm99-XWq-6A06xbsI_pwGqPLtBNwwxycWEo9DH0gR_7wUidI6YhWKu4mZySpSlk3ojkSgKFkKGYZcRutGo7loadZLWUAQKsXpHUJKLMJrokkkN003Jkc/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2366.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9RwCkAKED5YNBPZyC1frg9dqhm99-XWq-6A06xbsI_pwGqPLtBNwwxycWEo9DH0gR_7wUidI6YhWKu4mZySpSlk3ojkSgKFkKGYZcRutGo7loadZLWUAQKsXpHUJKLMJrokkkN003Jkc/s320/fullsizeoutput_2366.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Scottish Mormon pioneer Ebenezer Bryce, who homesteaded in the area with his wife and family in the latter decades of the 1800s, gave his namesake to the national park that now bears his name. Ebenezer Bryce once famously said, <b><i>“It’s a helluva place to lose a horse.” </i></b>His words have been immortalized in a cowboy song sung nightly by the Bryce Canyon Wranglers at cowboy dinner shows seen at Ebenezer’s Barn and Grill.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAXZC_YLv5axZq1IRU13BqRr1JYz4YRPmlbmXY2LaU8tOs7cpWtppFkbDwcgs8JEU2oBhQPmUZWIHBMLackqwuQXzewf3OQLyuL1jB1uLCL89BXJihO3YCO9jqPTJ-2AOhnxklQr7ttaF/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23a4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1600" height="451" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAXZC_YLv5axZq1IRU13BqRr1JYz4YRPmlbmXY2LaU8tOs7cpWtppFkbDwcgs8JEU2oBhQPmUZWIHBMLackqwuQXzewf3OQLyuL1jB1uLCL89BXJihO3YCO9jqPTJ-2AOhnxklQr7ttaF/s640/fullsizeoutput_23a4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYKACYrBHM70a24gGCiyb6SRwipTNhYQxnvvrQY1qd_jiNbf-KufsmhaALmulZCFGIfngQ1RX4hdeTrJi4RdJG-alCDM5HAlemcvdkP22XVVoGjmRQKjJuvZNS0aA8L1Cv9Nfygitjao3E/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23a6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYKACYrBHM70a24gGCiyb6SRwipTNhYQxnvvrQY1qd_jiNbf-KufsmhaALmulZCFGIfngQ1RX4hdeTrJi4RdJG-alCDM5HAlemcvdkP22XVVoGjmRQKjJuvZNS0aA8L1Cv9Nfygitjao3E/s400/fullsizeoutput_23a6.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We can personally attest that the Wranglers at Ebenezer’s provided a first-rate country music performance. The cowboy cuisine was pretty darn good too! We thoroughly enjoyed our rainy evening at the dinner show at a table with two other couples—one from France and the other from the Netherlands. Neither European couple seemed quite sure what to expect, and the conversation never lagged…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl1myPhuHU0zWvXaF9_GIkLxsrk36YyKbGhGAGfdCC3DzySRhCkVzI3r7Yoj3Pgwk84BHr0L7HJbxAYRrSLcT7dbhJTYBJ8TItBDxpqV0IIdfcrkWzvuzX3RU3SNBJGC20UcCRoofHov0/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23b2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1600" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl1myPhuHU0zWvXaF9_GIkLxsrk36YyKbGhGAGfdCC3DzySRhCkVzI3r7Yoj3Pgwk84BHr0L7HJbxAYRrSLcT7dbhJTYBJ8TItBDxpqV0IIdfcrkWzvuzX3RU3SNBJGC20UcCRoofHov0/s320/fullsizeoutput_23b2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For our first trip into Bryce Canyon National Park, we decided to walk the rim trail for the most iconic and popular views of the star of the show—Bryce Amphitheater. The fiery red colors and fairytale hoodoo formations simply awed the sense of sight!</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcp4HVrkul-81pV03u-yniWT_9e5UCevn2NA_otEtMh-amSbFCL9Gy3NJ7vYiDp8LfSk8jVZ6YjuFffWpXJa9UbQKpU1wvpPAdDCDZwxS4gyPL2I9yLzMZo-0hUopB-GQTvtmMmp4-9zOL/s1600/P1040145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcp4HVrkul-81pV03u-yniWT_9e5UCevn2NA_otEtMh-amSbFCL9Gy3NJ7vYiDp8LfSk8jVZ6YjuFffWpXJa9UbQKpU1wvpPAdDCDZwxS4gyPL2I9yLzMZo-0hUopB-GQTvtmMmp4-9zOL/s640/P1040145.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Al and I frequently observed to one another that the park’s decision not to block the rim of the amphitheater with lots of ugly fences meant that <b><i>“Bryce Canyon has given its visitors a whole lot of ways to screw up.”</i></b> We made this same observation at Grand Canyon. In both parks we saw many a fool taking that must-have camera pic way too close to the edge for safety. In any case, our personal “6-foot rule” still allowed for spectacular views down into the amphitheater, like this one looking down on the next day’s hike along the “Queen’s Garden Trail.”</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-UyIMsjQwCo8ZUZ5sT8G3KRiHt-Jvyh4n4aDYVhH75CPAl0FBpcprdV-8n0k4m5ZRuFF_S3gNKI3-E_m3Wy2iNMR3vL3b_fYatYYM0euTJdkxnlP6EVfXSpCDFPFgUl67I5rlBKKAWLE/s1600/P1040141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-UyIMsjQwCo8ZUZ5sT8G3KRiHt-Jvyh4n4aDYVhH75CPAl0FBpcprdV-8n0k4m5ZRuFF_S3gNKI3-E_m3Wy2iNMR3vL3b_fYatYYM0euTJdkxnlP6EVfXSpCDFPFgUl67I5rlBKKAWLE/s640/P1040141.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBjesTzBP-C2E4N3yBefc_ge6SsSmn59IKeAdEOsO1vOqQem1_o6fODYlR96REoQBQm69O0B9wlLAjkAc39QA6NEtDEtS7X5HsE7VxMV2MKrPJw9scTM8L8ruvmOVSASHrG2-v7LVhuIa/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2314.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="1600" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBjesTzBP-C2E4N3yBefc_ge6SsSmn59IKeAdEOsO1vOqQem1_o6fODYlR96REoQBQm69O0B9wlLAjkAc39QA6NEtDEtS7X5HsE7VxMV2MKrPJw9scTM8L8ruvmOVSASHrG2-v7LVhuIa/s320/fullsizeoutput_2314.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We felt the rim trail climb to Inspiration Point well worth it for one of the park’s most inspiring viewpoints.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW593v0qhG4_PyE9pn8Gwl3bzlIAk9K8MrFwSJ45ymcCRO18TJD8n85F3e45MsXPQdxZKIecxwwqN878GLPXscG0fzVcXCl0Fj2mnMGVU9GJkWPrKF6_cvaP_K4xNP2CXkgDeDb3hIk3Gn/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2358.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW593v0qhG4_PyE9pn8Gwl3bzlIAk9K8MrFwSJ45ymcCRO18TJD8n85F3e45MsXPQdxZKIecxwwqN878GLPXscG0fzVcXCl0Fj2mnMGVU9GJkWPrKF6_cvaP_K4xNP2CXkgDeDb3hIk3Gn/s640/fullsizeoutput_2358.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZR5pfeP8xJDo8KpIN5h9O-j1w990BgsFp3bHniL-pDChIb29lLG7LC8PnsDKF_uK8zmexI3EjTbEVKWM6B0_zq6GBYIVHlZU2nCtJrpyoSgreiEd-KTy0zQrLpjW4eb65Wru62H3nAkz/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2359.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZR5pfeP8xJDo8KpIN5h9O-j1w990BgsFp3bHniL-pDChIb29lLG7LC8PnsDKF_uK8zmexI3EjTbEVKWM6B0_zq6GBYIVHlZU2nCtJrpyoSgreiEd-KTy0zQrLpjW4eb65Wru62H3nAkz/s640/fullsizeoutput_2359.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Lunch in the historic lodge along the rim was relatively inexpensive and quite nice…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6jmgP4Y6eyDjPRyyO93yuzHoEoVJk4UwUn_xvuKwndO-ru1YD2mvTpudkxFcGFk3CDicTGvi7GhIVEC-qFi5_KJ5Zg0LCbcwb14i5QBuHPITlkQ5SF-TehwtgcNGUA5JdoXwisizIG06/s1600/IMG_4491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6jmgP4Y6eyDjPRyyO93yuzHoEoVJk4UwUn_xvuKwndO-ru1YD2mvTpudkxFcGFk3CDicTGvi7GhIVEC-qFi5_KJ5Zg0LCbcwb14i5QBuHPITlkQ5SF-TehwtgcNGUA5JdoXwisizIG06/s640/IMG_4491.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Horse jokes aside, the ruggedness of the hoodoo landscape at Bryce Point was also treacherous for unprepared humans, as we discovered shortly after our arrival when a man hiking a Bryce trail, dressed only in shorts and a T-shirt and carrying little water and no food, got lost for 4 days before he was rescued.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzErZ0vNuyk2HIyMYHLA7Jr58ubrRKB9hOhNb890g5FSxDzIQ8Ff-6bYkmHgxF8qQ3PwCwmvrXieTdLgCFMnd7TxJEtcNvCMDo37M0T1L6bFym51tPO2lyK-J1rky1HEWMYmWrdejREFKA/s1600/P1040150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzErZ0vNuyk2HIyMYHLA7Jr58ubrRKB9hOhNb890g5FSxDzIQ8Ff-6bYkmHgxF8qQ3PwCwmvrXieTdLgCFMnd7TxJEtcNvCMDo37M0T1L6bFym51tPO2lyK-J1rky1HEWMYmWrdejREFKA/s640/P1040150.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5l87Orm6T1mioPsIrUyw2Uyj66kxqimXZQsAnF3R92cqUtEDgf-X_Lmr_KFqq0dEjwTnZESSOk1EkGNXC4ufIs131-9gvK5P-lZcoXiC_Gd8s10OHuC6MsyUmGrFvkA06yVv0zs1J5mlK/s1600/IMG_4543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5l87Orm6T1mioPsIrUyw2Uyj66kxqimXZQsAnF3R92cqUtEDgf-X_Lmr_KFqq0dEjwTnZESSOk1EkGNXC4ufIs131-9gvK5P-lZcoXiC_Gd8s10OHuC6MsyUmGrFvkA06yVv0zs1J5mlK/s320/IMG_4543.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The <b><i>Queen’s Garden Trail</i></b> led 320 feet down to a hoodoo formation resembling Queen Victoria.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6KJjI3ioqTozPkm8elq5tISsKTNL8WbEBKyf5vcit15eH_nTnk5M7l5r80-Ebm7tWX7TrVtPBpCcFCffRfOuNSMwPjGPXIyOaj157iCl2-hisEzwHgCXycwF0Yh43msBysi4ZkLJ2Ixl3/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2354.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6KJjI3ioqTozPkm8elq5tISsKTNL8WbEBKyf5vcit15eH_nTnk5M7l5r80-Ebm7tWX7TrVtPBpCcFCffRfOuNSMwPjGPXIyOaj157iCl2-hisEzwHgCXycwF0Yh43msBysi4ZkLJ2Ixl3/s640/fullsizeoutput_2354.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As we descended lower on the trail, the hoodoos were just out of reach.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNm3w-boG4GAbUmcGpTB-3m6NaDxRYV8WkB_9ENc8ffP067A-w1iMWwLEXS2BerSLCVoUw4j8pKpzT7RFBsSAcfx_7dCaOx5x4hFpqp8scLUw9km631-eiFJYITkhIa4RtXV_0xmYfhiBO/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2333.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="1600" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNm3w-boG4GAbUmcGpTB-3m6NaDxRYV8WkB_9ENc8ffP067A-w1iMWwLEXS2BerSLCVoUw4j8pKpzT7RFBsSAcfx_7dCaOx5x4hFpqp8scLUw9km631-eiFJYITkhIa4RtXV_0xmYfhiBO/s640/fullsizeoutput_2333.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Hiker doorways that had been cut into the hoodoo formations reminded me of a hobbit house. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOGli5jbUo3Zrh4-cRJfUzC7qivVrjIRjc7IQBGq36KrZ5eLwWkRneth8FsNwwkRDFr6gEZ26CXY3EGEgF34P-Cpl3VAHiSMLDrHt2Eho0V13dhglaiatiyC_eItAjClCM25e-wJOF7D0/s1600/IMG_4549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOGli5jbUo3Zrh4-cRJfUzC7qivVrjIRjc7IQBGq36KrZ5eLwWkRneth8FsNwwkRDFr6gEZ26CXY3EGEgF34P-Cpl3VAHiSMLDrHt2Eho0V13dhglaiatiyC_eItAjClCM25e-wJOF7D0/s640/IMG_4549.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was uncanny how closely the Queen Victoria hoodoo resembled the queen’s statue in London…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7VwsvJwNBluZvlSqUBmzdWzJRFf9hDUUcXmBcRWcux64Tec2kxH9Im0-ANFrcQE2RMgeplDoUDHxfrJXHtoSvuyAAlwv5Q7xh9o6ocTIeAzyfCP3K-q43CbWuxathtzYErfaAKncNbOP/s1600/IMG_4552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7VwsvJwNBluZvlSqUBmzdWzJRFf9hDUUcXmBcRWcux64Tec2kxH9Im0-ANFrcQE2RMgeplDoUDHxfrJXHtoSvuyAAlwv5Q7xh9o6ocTIeAzyfCP3K-q43CbWuxathtzYErfaAKncNbOP/s320/IMG_4552.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnp2L4yclu4RcR2ytBZeBeX_4ObznelhcNYN2pskFVOF7SIh6LHphFe80S21dISZK8bLArED0YkUuSTKX6cWnuv8YlROS06tjBd2QHR4LN0gawNn3bU0I-LvX5yNTsB-ooFbgq1z11WgN/s1600/fullsizeoutput_233a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1253" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnp2L4yclu4RcR2ytBZeBeX_4ObznelhcNYN2pskFVOF7SIh6LHphFe80S21dISZK8bLArED0YkUuSTKX6cWnuv8YlROS06tjBd2QHR4LN0gawNn3bU0I-LvX5yNTsB-ooFbgq1z11WgN/s320/fullsizeoutput_233a.jpeg" width="249" /></a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The climb back up did sap a little oxygen from the lungs, but it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2D0Xo1FCY9mz6x15L4lrVD6CbsW-X7ousy0I-YyIle1Do00NuBwvpe8IgkhveeeJ5Ei1jr167vGzE4i-2kWokapJDBCfNu78ckF8MwAKbwnPlXmWIYvOD9F-MH9SXacYLRQMMK_eG70h/s1600/fullsizeoutput_233d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2D0Xo1FCY9mz6x15L4lrVD6CbsW-X7ousy0I-YyIle1Do00NuBwvpe8IgkhveeeJ5Ei1jr167vGzE4i-2kWokapJDBCfNu78ckF8MwAKbwnPlXmWIYvOD9F-MH9SXacYLRQMMK_eG70h/s640/fullsizeoutput_233d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVA-ULagOHGbNdwaHPBVCJFIGb9ZKI7i7vucqUqVqulGSzIm4c1Jz3dWWGYOV2WBkIvRQf1Dj5J14KpgqHcE6OBm-mkZLqADVxXAPuN0plfQF8hlNqLx8z8zfBc8eeTgjAA_k3zj3ZDKj/s1600/P1040232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVA-ULagOHGbNdwaHPBVCJFIGb9ZKI7i7vucqUqVqulGSzIm4c1Jz3dWWGYOV2WBkIvRQf1Dj5J14KpgqHcE6OBm-mkZLqADVxXAPuN0plfQF8hlNqLx8z8zfBc8eeTgjAA_k3zj3ZDKj/s640/P1040232.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH7vhcj4Rd7ird0WJD0ZnQVdOXd9S_B2QiPZPTrux_42LDh6WmbiY6fLR7KbLi_aYLDwVHvFk2Lv2ZIX2ZTxqJJVSRdyNrUk3RHPFsfUP9JRzLc8ev9v46bhpvFz8bNMRRJ_W61FT4ayfu/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23b3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1600" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH7vhcj4Rd7ird0WJD0ZnQVdOXd9S_B2QiPZPTrux_42LDh6WmbiY6fLR7KbLi_aYLDwVHvFk2Lv2ZIX2ZTxqJJVSRdyNrUk3RHPFsfUP9JRzLc8ev9v46bhpvFz8bNMRRJ_W61FT4ayfu/s320/fullsizeoutput_23b3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The 15-mile drive out to the furthest part of the park at Yovimpa Point was definitely worth it for ever more diverse views of Bryce Canyon’s fairytale formations.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAX4BCbxXu1rxUU7ilFjHraUlFSH0jREMtfNx2PulX5oHDO-fF9jiM-ppZ65EVJTYO-fGWH6DOZ-w01RdagRs8Rdl1cb9Kk0ypqKHOUSx8HbCewcmyXOPgRc8zOIymMzVVyPSaOp1jZVO/s1600/IMG_4561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAX4BCbxXu1rxUU7ilFjHraUlFSH0jREMtfNx2PulX5oHDO-fF9jiM-ppZ65EVJTYO-fGWH6DOZ-w01RdagRs8Rdl1cb9Kk0ypqKHOUSx8HbCewcmyXOPgRc8zOIymMzVVyPSaOp1jZVO/s640/IMG_4561.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At over 9000 feet of elevation, the past winter’s snow had not melted yet.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELNtwhAp2pPDGSff91kdo2s1KZzsXQ5AGhhqjrM0BdG9aRam8L7vLe2kR9tubTh_P1jmyAAXOQKIBlNTi86NdMSoi762LdDGOzxSxtPzwhq60vZeo8eiovdYHM3-8RkyIegs4UYZK8Q_k/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23b4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELNtwhAp2pPDGSff91kdo2s1KZzsXQ5AGhhqjrM0BdG9aRam8L7vLe2kR9tubTh_P1jmyAAXOQKIBlNTi86NdMSoi762LdDGOzxSxtPzwhq60vZeo8eiovdYHM3-8RkyIegs4UYZK8Q_k/s640/fullsizeoutput_23b4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The views at Rainbow Point,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVjyTffuBwfTVQv_kpO6VUS12S0BfLKZ9OhNtG1aC6U_f9kPdd7kOT6wfx1iJv1BZwAPvbMfocQSEwlmkIP4RNwe7QZfIkUh-NCFbAovhlzvAh44i-MckhrYViF9uWAKDoKpk77brpiof/s1600/IMG_4565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVjyTffuBwfTVQv_kpO6VUS12S0BfLKZ9OhNtG1aC6U_f9kPdd7kOT6wfx1iJv1BZwAPvbMfocQSEwlmkIP4RNwe7QZfIkUh-NCFbAovhlzvAh44i-MckhrYViF9uWAKDoKpk77brpiof/s640/IMG_4565.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Ponderosa Point,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPefnfI9lfSki4zbxbAJx1dKowJUP33UkpI431c_cXNnENT8cgw2SG80QG94xT4E7I31IDzpZQw0fPOR1TikjBWuv-yg9fZqrjD5mQE8DdvB1ef6MO57x6Dcl7oom01pGdandIf5EvhbmD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23b9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPefnfI9lfSki4zbxbAJx1dKowJUP33UkpI431c_cXNnENT8cgw2SG80QG94xT4E7I31IDzpZQw0fPOR1TikjBWuv-yg9fZqrjD5mQE8DdvB1ef6MO57x6Dcl7oom01pGdandIf5EvhbmD/s640/fullsizeoutput_23b9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Natural Bridge,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlXX4qdFJlf9mr6fgEaNy67xKXFhd-BLqvX5dCII4Sw6d4O7SyTYuJZPavBYJxEKq2nh3JT2Mg2GNep_YIxodtTiRcvFL1jgWIcWH3pka6OuL9pVPOaybf_0rHGMzRDLcpoqevhXcpOEh/s1600/IMG_4570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlXX4qdFJlf9mr6fgEaNy67xKXFhd-BLqvX5dCII4Sw6d4O7SyTYuJZPavBYJxEKq2nh3JT2Mg2GNep_YIxodtTiRcvFL1jgWIcWH3pka6OuL9pVPOaybf_0rHGMzRDLcpoqevhXcpOEh/s640/IMG_4570.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and Fairyland Canyon</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeiIsJtylwRkSx9MrdAHO196_WyqR84TqSrluznOTSmpVXSsXRt7J7Uj17r77dOQol-p5eZonsiDL1fvlcGHqZC5EdSC3Fs7IIt5_tCZhyphenhyphenHy_wWDTTlpWez3lZAm4A7ZLDeu90ft3w68R/s1600/IMG_4571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeiIsJtylwRkSx9MrdAHO196_WyqR84TqSrluznOTSmpVXSsXRt7J7Uj17r77dOQol-p5eZonsiDL1fvlcGHqZC5EdSC3Fs7IIt5_tCZhyphenhyphenHy_wWDTTlpWez3lZAm4A7ZLDeu90ft3w68R/s640/IMG_4571.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">were further highlights of Bryce Canyon’s poetry in stone.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KDzhUDJanr3spHq3xRI_3GT6OqZS3x0ZGD_bpXHmcxWsuoMcr_OHGZyPsw7rNpTdqG7AfFmFNNRbT1MD4c6XgHrLyizZSPVyx6pGeWDnNntEW5l9IPbR1yXrdJT3h7ZPRzkWUx5lVqig/s1600/IMG_4542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KDzhUDJanr3spHq3xRI_3GT6OqZS3x0ZGD_bpXHmcxWsuoMcr_OHGZyPsw7rNpTdqG7AfFmFNNRbT1MD4c6XgHrLyizZSPVyx6pGeWDnNntEW5l9IPbR1yXrdJT3h7ZPRzkWUx5lVqig/s320/IMG_4542.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Besides Bryce Canyon, there were other worthwhile excursions in the area. Along Scenic Byway 12 in the land of rolling slickrock, buttes, mesas, canyons, and rock walls painted with “desert varnish” was a popular hike called <b><i>Calf Creek Falls Trail.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i></i></b></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">This 6-mile roundtrip trail followed a stream to a 126 ft high waterfall that poured dramatically over the canyon wall.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUZUZzk8q0LnId-gFkbtMnB18BP4AIt5pClDNYBoaS8Kh8r1SdNYtI8m75GWRMGtVx-Piui9ifi4twaVsYLFhcVNN_2OQTCX9MH5_VRBfom0Y4CgiVBOcMeTMl19UPRIUXWGMxe8jg_rV/s1600/fullsizeoutput_234d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUZUZzk8q0LnId-gFkbtMnB18BP4AIt5pClDNYBoaS8Kh8r1SdNYtI8m75GWRMGtVx-Piui9ifi4twaVsYLFhcVNN_2OQTCX9MH5_VRBfom0Y4CgiVBOcMeTMl19UPRIUXWGMxe8jg_rV/s640/fullsizeoutput_234d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Red pigment pictographs of trapezoidal bodies adorned with elaborate headdresses painted on the rock faces of the canyon,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOh1Vi0BXnmfvqSvktGlZ5bFlLZkXRLkIid2zh35hVdBF5iWV4l8EtgwhyphenhyphenaYdXmpucQckhA1aL2CmmwbXF02BWyUtbhyA6Cs0TxrvJRYubrODFnnKjvu3yWMkeUiqReoempPTC30f_m8u/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23a7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOh1Vi0BXnmfvqSvktGlZ5bFlLZkXRLkIid2zh35hVdBF5iWV4l8EtgwhyphenhyphenaYdXmpucQckhA1aL2CmmwbXF02BWyUtbhyA6Cs0TxrvJRYubrODFnnKjvu3yWMkeUiqReoempPTC30f_m8u/s640/fullsizeoutput_23a7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and very old granaries dating back to the Fremont People, who built into high niches in the canyon wall,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUXTFC3LbY2XerzjY60dSCYnl6kLixZ1wQb254c7etFFHxYHU-xI513PM-b_E16njZ49PY4AqENiqC_GKQz_7sx9Cs3se2fhou6xkArQcJKPjZAmNbTt2bilkgoRUzdEyOpYFn5DDpCO-/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2351.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="1600" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUXTFC3LbY2XerzjY60dSCYnl6kLixZ1wQb254c7etFFHxYHU-xI513PM-b_E16njZ49PY4AqENiqC_GKQz_7sx9Cs3se2fhou6xkArQcJKPjZAmNbTt2bilkgoRUzdEyOpYFn5DDpCO-/s640/fullsizeoutput_2351.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">added additional interest to this very pleasant trail.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 35px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: orange; font-kerning: none;">KODACHROME BASIN STATE PARK</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On the way to <b><i>Kodachrome Basin State Park</i></b> we took a slight detour to what has been called one of Nature’s “unequalled masterpieces”—Grosvenor Arch. Indeed, this massive solitary 152 ft tall double arch was one of the most perfect we have seen to date.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvEFxWT7iIra3KAhPnclUt5gsy__IQdePFeiEUtaqRMpoedISzC4DBsY-QCYLxMRZmzELM7f_nJirdzg13y5ydvoVZIZqvrnATsHneDQi-j0yIahihIlAp27W6YH2FfqIPLkHf17GelQc/s1600/fullsizeoutput_232d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvEFxWT7iIra3KAhPnclUt5gsy__IQdePFeiEUtaqRMpoedISzC4DBsY-QCYLxMRZmzELM7f_nJirdzg13y5ydvoVZIZqvrnATsHneDQi-j0yIahihIlAp27W6YH2FfqIPLkHf17GelQc/s640/fullsizeoutput_232d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD79rtZVaVgHAGft1UU0r3xyiidV7ZUS6KlIpdWWrtXWJum0oeB6Nr0dQ-oEBdMay_haQTvs0yG7MBqBjQd6Bv5vqVvbIRTr57B-5ZYB_bbM2Yf3LhciyRMzrnGyezLDL1DLdiWGOGmjre/s1600/fullsizeoutput_232f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD79rtZVaVgHAGft1UU0r3xyiidV7ZUS6KlIpdWWrtXWJum0oeB6Nr0dQ-oEBdMay_haQTvs0yG7MBqBjQd6Bv5vqVvbIRTr57B-5ZYB_bbM2Yf3LhciyRMzrnGyezLDL1DLdiWGOGmjre/s640/fullsizeoutput_232f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Dramatic arch shots with jet contrails were an obvious temptation…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggT4O2t9-0eR47RXwJDQk4C3JrwlkTXilFKa7dU_3n_VyuT_jcIGSR7Zu2jsoe0r2LjYSTLxBNLukjn_kf2zPXggKNc16vxj1n_u7OrBlr2FEr0PHINOx-RAkMQNifiYLQTwDe7ExibPP_/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23a8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="1600" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggT4O2t9-0eR47RXwJDQk4C3JrwlkTXilFKa7dU_3n_VyuT_jcIGSR7Zu2jsoe0r2LjYSTLxBNLukjn_kf2zPXggKNc16vxj1n_u7OrBlr2FEr0PHINOx-RAkMQNifiYLQTwDe7ExibPP_/s640/fullsizeoutput_23a8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The last few miles on the approach to <b><i>Kodachrome Basin State Park</i></b> left little doubt why that name was selected. In fact, when the park was created, the state had to get permission from the Kodak film company to use Kodachrome as its name.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw25Uhk2RtE5wCQ1tFijFXLsW2x5rNdIS3jvel_FvJT191hdnXq82pQunAgQrofo79FRWGgH0BJ43zfRlXzq6Zrdcx_9sio2kNgEAMHe3grQVUoyF8O5CHrQxOgvXbnKuGEy34gvE2xiCb/s1600/IMG_4509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw25Uhk2RtE5wCQ1tFijFXLsW2x5rNdIS3jvel_FvJT191hdnXq82pQunAgQrofo79FRWGgH0BJ43zfRlXzq6Zrdcx_9sio2kNgEAMHe3grQVUoyF8O5CHrQxOgvXbnKuGEy34gvE2xiCb/s640/IMG_4509.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-2LkRpW9a8rU2se3sImIzPCWoFKkN7SzoW81QxPwcRo1yvwQz0kYkDBhMQEY31vmExXHpgwyYIFf61XWtaTQUGGF-CQ_PKz_ueQw5zIeTAEBEXkZaWVZhKEPNwQUQy3MEpu7V2CLGvBu/s1600/P1040171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-2LkRpW9a8rU2se3sImIzPCWoFKkN7SzoW81QxPwcRo1yvwQz0kYkDBhMQEY31vmExXHpgwyYIFf61XWtaTQUGGF-CQ_PKz_ueQw5zIeTAEBEXkZaWVZhKEPNwQUQy3MEpu7V2CLGvBu/s320/P1040171.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The most distinctive feature of <b><i>Kodachrome Basin State Park</i></b> was a geologic formation called a sand pipe, a structure similar to an upright cylindrical chimney. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FjvhkadW0z0_DFREx3NzK2D-R1ULGwc2e2wnO6Hq3bg4A_vdvj05aEb7MwNTecHN63SAs76vpIjO_Iw9TVoZFIjz5e581b8aGeih1lyd6lugv8cBU5t-q6TArz8_STwWUrGKy-86bPuj/s1600/P1040177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FjvhkadW0z0_DFREx3NzK2D-R1ULGwc2e2wnO6Hq3bg4A_vdvj05aEb7MwNTecHN63SAs76vpIjO_Iw9TVoZFIjz5e581b8aGeih1lyd6lugv8cBU5t-q6TArz8_STwWUrGKy-86bPuj/s640/P1040177.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Panorama Trail </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAeMdmQJEq17Ku8Ej5qg727FzrASvZYpPa4lbdCSarvWEtBsnDEnsrOtyMeolKYWHUtSxWFXvt55G_z-LuIyNGTbdWOpsqVfoANQ5xUL5vunaDx5xup6G85NDFdE7hGMDnX5wpXzCLxPk/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2318.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAeMdmQJEq17Ku8Ej5qg727FzrASvZYpPa4lbdCSarvWEtBsnDEnsrOtyMeolKYWHUtSxWFXvt55G_z-LuIyNGTbdWOpsqVfoANQ5xUL5vunaDx5xup6G85NDFdE7hGMDnX5wpXzCLxPk/s640/fullsizeoutput_2318.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">had numerous sand pipe formations. Some of them, like Ballerina Spire, were quite tall.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJxBdgX3xWTd24a_orim_VT7HuwzNAwrr9N6nMpISkdVqMle67xm90yJjLzwO1hNlGsR9QOBVoUhwYQrgYobKREFoFj-kdhG_Plb3oGg9xTLuWE0iYR522iVaiGRMWohEnlOGhpZzzDrW/s1600/IMG_4512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJxBdgX3xWTd24a_orim_VT7HuwzNAwrr9N6nMpISkdVqMle67xm90yJjLzwO1hNlGsR9QOBVoUhwYQrgYobKREFoFj-kdhG_Plb3oGg9xTLuWE0iYR522iVaiGRMWohEnlOGhpZzzDrW/s640/IMG_4512.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Secret Passage detour had more unusual sand pipes,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqTdF6m59mnIxEq5XLX3YSE-_ZwocMpgnKC-bOlFF3b1WE13gBCwRbDNYOvXO6gIbryP7DTIDBFtbR_FV6htD_4VJqiglhIwY6hWWMbB7JN8ZUjX0PilibylohyBxyDvsWSJ3n6rkblPl/s1600/P1040186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqTdF6m59mnIxEq5XLX3YSE-_ZwocMpgnKC-bOlFF3b1WE13gBCwRbDNYOvXO6gIbryP7DTIDBFtbR_FV6htD_4VJqiglhIwY6hWWMbB7JN8ZUjX0PilibylohyBxyDvsWSJ3n6rkblPl/s640/P1040186.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">dramatic pink slickrock,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtKys9y2cnd0vszYhU1BTOItLHn8p1b_dNmaNfhwP78TcI7abscxNhj6WsRnnHYf5WbiqQsPcKDwZNT-7zFQfbGonrAJJ8BAvmfDESgSSl06Cw4p8WaIx2WU9FafpBBshPTPZHFjb5Yct/s1600/P1040187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtKys9y2cnd0vszYhU1BTOItLHn8p1b_dNmaNfhwP78TcI7abscxNhj6WsRnnHYf5WbiqQsPcKDwZNT-7zFQfbGonrAJJ8BAvmfDESgSSl06Cw4p8WaIx2WU9FafpBBshPTPZHFjb5Yct/s640/P1040187.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and irresistible backdrops.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQAK3DdAiWf39wEA39bf44RI7YSpiwFrE28UeZi8ggolGkH3_HeKABiL6l33ZGr6lGg_G22KSjpB18d9WzdoDIfiK6VHSR4X5jYu1vgXCIhLwjlZp9GZVPv_cGOiMGIfXWBvA7GT6PLg3/s1600/P1040192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQAK3DdAiWf39wEA39bf44RI7YSpiwFrE28UeZi8ggolGkH3_HeKABiL6l33ZGr6lGg_G22KSjpB18d9WzdoDIfiK6VHSR4X5jYu1vgXCIhLwjlZp9GZVPv_cGOiMGIfXWBvA7GT6PLg3/s640/P1040192.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We knew ahead of time that the trail to Shakespeare Arch would be an effort in futility, as a ranger told us when we entered the park that the only natural arch in the park, several million-year-old Shakespeare Arch, had fallen in a wind storm just a few days ago!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Yep, the arch was now rubble at the base…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRf7f_6q-99MtIvTJSGUWcKsvz-YmpjipZ0kwRkErOqjKaH7JZ1Q5Yh3bMPNJOjL9PAW-rl61EaMqhL3dEOGZk_RYhuOtOz0g7DcoYb6juVuKfUmxzTB_ARAWsDL2ILgcVobzUsaRZCMh/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23ab.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRf7f_6q-99MtIvTJSGUWcKsvz-YmpjipZ0kwRkErOqjKaH7JZ1Q5Yh3bMPNJOjL9PAW-rl61EaMqhL3dEOGZk_RYhuOtOz0g7DcoYb6juVuKfUmxzTB_ARAWsDL2ILgcVobzUsaRZCMh/s640/fullsizeoutput_23ab.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At an elevation of 9115 ft at Rainbow Point, the most distant point in Bryce Canyon, Al remarked, “It’s all downhill from here.” I chuckled and agreed. For the next 5 months or so, we would be heading downhill to our October reunion date in Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean. What a great downhill ride it would be! </span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoNGU9d8murANHq7fo_abDoOO7JsTLUY1g5Jr9qjPDOLb6E112IrIP_ycAa8R1toDtvLZn_cP7JDRxc6eT4oUuwtsRZ1v8tqj8BcPsnCpW1-7hy6K0ZR94b1nEL9cIZBFRA8b2pwCe4qA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_23c3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoNGU9d8murANHq7fo_abDoOO7JsTLUY1g5Jr9qjPDOLb6E112IrIP_ycAa8R1toDtvLZn_cP7JDRxc6eT4oUuwtsRZ1v8tqj8BcPsnCpW1-7hy6K0ZR94b1nEL9cIZBFRA8b2pwCe4qA/s640/fullsizeoutput_23c3.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-53947884328877806392019-05-17T20:23:00.000-05:002019-05-17T20:23:59.093-05:00THE LAND OF BIG WATER AT LAKE POWELL (Part II)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pi3-fZvVjcX2ePH_-UNy_unoCkbUn5alTc8Sa5GRA8V_IPwzQyd8EP-8OohhHnEYK9H_a1zk4Yt2kDvczkAj7Ylo3UgnnIYDlxHRM7X4cq7P-JT8m8QhgccM_bBzcftjFvRhXi5hhuTV/s1600/fullsizeoutput_238e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pi3-fZvVjcX2ePH_-UNy_unoCkbUn5alTc8Sa5GRA8V_IPwzQyd8EP-8OohhHnEYK9H_a1zk4Yt2kDvczkAj7Ylo3UgnnIYDlxHRM7X4cq7P-JT8m8QhgccM_bBzcftjFvRhXi5hhuTV/s640/fullsizeoutput_238e.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 32px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 32px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i> </i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Our stay along the stunningly picturesque shore of Lake Powell evolved as a very busy and pleasant two weeks. It was impossible to appreciate the specialness of this area of Arizona without a basic understanding of its geology. Even though Lake Powell was in the midst of full-blown spring, the summit of Navajo Mountain was still covered in winter snow.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18WY_1qnCTopxDDsplINiLUmgTMqOfmnNi7c_VG_EcQGPuHlqgzZSd-1GDlOLWtKBEhiZjDezn01_tKC88TH7RKta1guqgXIXQOZMQcdj8t1bvWXfxM6C7OP0YW3fRQ-MHayJguz3ebX1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_237f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18WY_1qnCTopxDDsplINiLUmgTMqOfmnNi7c_VG_EcQGPuHlqgzZSd-1GDlOLWtKBEhiZjDezn01_tKC88TH7RKta1guqgXIXQOZMQcdj8t1bvWXfxM6C7OP0YW3fRQ-MHayJguz3ebX1/s640/fullsizeoutput_237f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At over 10,000 feet of elevation, this solitary snow-topped dome dominated its surroundings. Navajo Mountain was technically a <b><i>laccolith</i></b>, a geologic term for a dome that formed as molten magma pushed up from the Earth’s mantle into the crust, but never erupted onto the surface. Straddling the Utah/Arizona state line on the Navajo Indian Reservation, this mountain has been revered as a sacred mountain by the Diné (the Navajo People). </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8Zmyo7pqw1x3K8ZG64x3R5WARJhcoAaJybSLfE_ExmscRRSdKZUqGtgpacHJoGkJiY4BuHfWKeerAVux2j8FVwEYWM1x905M_UeeLbjdta_iB04QLezxQKNAcIaAJq1x2oMieHqT3-IC/s1600/fullsizeoutput_237d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="534" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8Zmyo7pqw1x3K8ZG64x3R5WARJhcoAaJybSLfE_ExmscRRSdKZUqGtgpacHJoGkJiY4BuHfWKeerAVux2j8FVwEYWM1x905M_UeeLbjdta_iB04QLezxQKNAcIaAJq1x2oMieHqT3-IC/s400/fullsizeoutput_237d.jpeg" width="357" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A 150-mile diameter “Great Circle” that encompasses Arizona and Utah with Page, Arizona, as its center, includes many of the American Southwest's most renowned national parks and monuments. Two of this area’s lesser known, and lesser visited national monuments, are Vermilion Cliffs and Grand Staircase-Escalante. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="color: orange;">VERMILION CLIFFS NATIONAL MONUMENT</span></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Vermilion Cliffs National Monument</i></b> exhibits one of the most brilliantly color-rich landscapes in the American Southwest.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAVrQ_ndZmO__MeYV0xGpqTvJtK3HJoWTGratU6jdsgu76s6kefLyrfaLujJxoQLccUVNAKUOOMcWomo-scyZW_Lxhct1LhPK6g9EuZX4qdjK7GIVguBxDlBgZNbdD_J_Yv3nufVYNeo6/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22c2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAVrQ_ndZmO__MeYV0xGpqTvJtK3HJoWTGratU6jdsgu76s6kefLyrfaLujJxoQLccUVNAKUOOMcWomo-scyZW_Lxhct1LhPK6g9EuZX4qdjK7GIVguBxDlBgZNbdD_J_Yv3nufVYNeo6/s640/fullsizeoutput_22c2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Mother Nature has spent eons sculpting this colorful 3000-ft sandstone escarpment. During the 1872 Powell Expedition, one of the expedition’s geologists gazed at the multicolored and multilayered rock walls in front of him and stated, <b><i>“It looks like a grand stairway.” </i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At <b><i>Vermilion Cliffs</i></b>, the geological “steps” are chocolate, vermilion, white, gray, and finally pink. It is the</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "trebuchet ms";"><span style="color: #741b47;">vermilion</span> </span>layer that stands out so spectacularly at <b><i>Vermillion Cliffs National Monument</i></b>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVWsq4ERFk6Z9Up5R1lBEXWH5hObXq2M2FjHMhCi3kAK91w9l5YERie3-cnxzwv1empGZ7jYYZsCS-lNi7LHEYWOKahRZZGrfV90aDR8-I0t3OGTcTRftIWQa_y5hp6mM-2y5gP7HY3Qz8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2386.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1600" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVWsq4ERFk6Z9Up5R1lBEXWH5hObXq2M2FjHMhCi3kAK91w9l5YERie3-cnxzwv1empGZ7jYYZsCS-lNi7LHEYWOKahRZZGrfV90aDR8-I0t3OGTcTRftIWQa_y5hp6mM-2y5gP7HY3Qz8/s640/fullsizeoutput_2386.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At a particularly spectacular lookout on the road to <b><i>Vermilion Cliffs</i></b>,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDZAunEi-A544D3kmqrc_6C5tkBJMYTapIPZ9fBHXQPksLH3VPPhl5T1C2N1QkBRZ8zHFuxqtcy6_iMg-iJC86o8JbbNWd2KgGm7pG6_i0OpXSDicwuJ5lzk8xfrT2pnoROVORi1iXMt8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2388.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1600" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDZAunEi-A544D3kmqrc_6C5tkBJMYTapIPZ9fBHXQPksLH3VPPhl5T1C2N1QkBRZ8zHFuxqtcy6_iMg-iJC86o8JbbNWd2KgGm7pG6_i0OpXSDicwuJ5lzk8xfrT2pnoROVORi1iXMt8/s640/fullsizeoutput_2388.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">we stopped at some roadside tables of eye-popping Navajo jewelry. I freely admit I was tempted and succumbed. I purchased a lovely Navajo bracelet for my daughter’s birthday, and for myself I bought a juniper berry seed necklace which promises to bring “reconnection with my inner strength and surroundings.” It couldn’t hurt…</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3ITbADoeQoGW1bdLwz85Wsf2PZ95hsTKdRpsMawFnJi_6ilixAGHZSypLSxmM-XCdVQ_F1TE9NasJKLOZvy2pq6Mr3yXr_xmEqAASQRLI32512Ip2-qWQtI6uSI1UrIstDZhgaOIEGih/s1600/P1030993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3ITbADoeQoGW1bdLwz85Wsf2PZ95hsTKdRpsMawFnJi_6ilixAGHZSypLSxmM-XCdVQ_F1TE9NasJKLOZvy2pq6Mr3yXr_xmEqAASQRLI32512Ip2-qWQtI6uSI1UrIstDZhgaOIEGih/s640/P1030993.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fZL5NxDEZQPur3EZVKa0cLs8MfVm5M9K8n-tRUfzBXF9MvKrXFhdcPqNNG3jW0hRrx5uDJ2oB6dEksetsN1jHM0kyI8HKQz_1ExzA41JMLFZ-zlrHpoqbC9_XapcoyWrKHPTQ8BUgEEc/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2258.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1455" data-original-width="1600" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fZL5NxDEZQPur3EZVKa0cLs8MfVm5M9K8n-tRUfzBXF9MvKrXFhdcPqNNG3jW0hRrx5uDJ2oB6dEksetsN1jHM0kyI8HKQz_1ExzA41JMLFZ-zlrHpoqbC9_XapcoyWrKHPTQ8BUgEEc/s320/fullsizeoutput_2258.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">With lunch in Al’s backpack, <b><i>Cathedral Wash Trail</i></b> at <b><i>Vermilion Cliffs National Monument</i></b> seemed like a good idea on paper when we read that this hike is a favorite of locals. And indeed, the trail started out with lots of promise.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0JEK14HinNwcaszJR3Lz9DeXLmRc6JiV-PX68jqtQk0uhOGGlCNURqFcBwjUDzUq7bMJXasdwTSoFfGAzAryOpHX4O1lIiD_0Fh1Bz0-IaKzuZ9Fpjt6bcCdacFEjOc6JxzaqVD29-bw/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22ec.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0JEK14HinNwcaszJR3Lz9DeXLmRc6JiV-PX68jqtQk0uhOGGlCNURqFcBwjUDzUq7bMJXasdwTSoFfGAzAryOpHX4O1lIiD_0Fh1Bz0-IaKzuZ9Fpjt6bcCdacFEjOc6JxzaqVD29-bw/s640/fullsizeoutput_22ec.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyroXmaLC6SkiUDrPos3Ck33NKkqCgco80IkM_LTQhAVbUagoKV-aF5fpfIZHA4K1yUWYEEFxcSg_YAhpaURv_MNJNmNGyOVUhH17Liia6kNFdzMUlSV69YW0hNg9rVU5C58ca1WO01p7a/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2259.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyroXmaLC6SkiUDrPos3Ck33NKkqCgco80IkM_LTQhAVbUagoKV-aF5fpfIZHA4K1yUWYEEFxcSg_YAhpaURv_MNJNmNGyOVUhH17Liia6kNFdzMUlSV69YW0hNg9rVU5C58ca1WO01p7a/s640/fullsizeoutput_2259.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Very soon, however, the canyon narrowed and hiking became more challenging.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVD6ub3q9ab_aJmTHyiO21iECgzO_atCGNTiU_kNZ5e3P4lmqciqEYa3Jz4ESYVExH76QF2lHsXUIpaEmPpYiRKQtDELwuX9LvOhrvn0SA87lauea-2lebVYA7BvmzDc6jMsNdXpJ_-kc/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22ee.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVD6ub3q9ab_aJmTHyiO21iECgzO_atCGNTiU_kNZ5e3P4lmqciqEYa3Jz4ESYVExH76QF2lHsXUIpaEmPpYiRKQtDELwuX9LvOhrvn0SA87lauea-2lebVYA7BvmzDc6jMsNdXpJ_-kc/s640/fullsizeoutput_22ee.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A few more minutes down the wash, the hike was called to a sudden halt when we came to a very large and wet mudhole that we simply could not get around.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWbksF0tv2iiWlbsJqxYi1Xds2uovkCtRNYrcdwjl9YqMV7Yo-nQmfVsCBZQya4HD0FsSdRAzICna2RJJcJeapjUPZOC-UFru5aYSA9qp-e1aSNqtGK7FONy7_f9e9ELchXWQHGMoTsMP/s1600/P1040005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWbksF0tv2iiWlbsJqxYi1Xds2uovkCtRNYrcdwjl9YqMV7Yo-nQmfVsCBZQya4HD0FsSdRAzICna2RJJcJeapjUPZOC-UFru5aYSA9qp-e1aSNqtGK7FONy7_f9e9ELchXWQHGMoTsMP/s640/P1040005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Plans soon altered to heading down the road to the Colorado River and Navajo Bridge.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFeGqsnsenjJNNrCfW7SnlcPSRI39LDDYT28oBJmuGR9gdiUfCaIReZYYw1iE0SNgv3nN-YSUrzKQE19DLctQYnYAjkYgJ3ZSZbSlF_N4AwC64iTJyKD6XudLNmHHxT4teglGariNQHrX/s1600/P1040041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFeGqsnsenjJNNrCfW7SnlcPSRI39LDDYT28oBJmuGR9gdiUfCaIReZYYw1iE0SNgv3nN-YSUrzKQE19DLctQYnYAjkYgJ3ZSZbSlF_N4AwC64iTJyKD6XudLNmHHxT4teglGariNQHrX/s640/P1040041.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Colorado River was calm here and reflected a brilliant shade of green. The path across pedestrian-only Navajo Bridge led to a few more tables of Navajo jewelry on the other side, but it was the walk across the bridge that was the thrill. This bridge paralleled a similar bridge next to it that was for motor traffic. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4QhNbEGjT6pxMNXULPngTH0bRzJk339rWngoe6_3gO5lpgDqVyF2m1SrUAKkeNdauYa9zOdKhpcEOxAnHxAryAYSh7DFEHFwQc7d_Cl8LWxVqT1AC7ap5AZSS5iIYBGfVJ_b1aCoful8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2269.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4QhNbEGjT6pxMNXULPngTH0bRzJk339rWngoe6_3gO5lpgDqVyF2m1SrUAKkeNdauYa9zOdKhpcEOxAnHxAryAYSh7DFEHFwQc7d_Cl8LWxVqT1AC7ap5AZSS5iIYBGfVJ_b1aCoful8/s640/fullsizeoutput_2269.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">What a spectacular crossing over the mighty Colorado River!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrltv2-1O9EqyiZ3t4No8Cg4F-Yopf4zpK1n2AbbGQyD9NFz99xp4qNw65vTM3MnjrLLB5v9ZwbP_F-IrfiwBGSPYsYD3RYw0nfeW_wN_BgGisLA4SiOCSzAb3qXvXWqFz3n94zNGtior/s1600/IMG_4424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrltv2-1O9EqyiZ3t4No8Cg4F-Yopf4zpK1n2AbbGQyD9NFz99xp4qNw65vTM3MnjrLLB5v9ZwbP_F-IrfiwBGSPYsYD3RYw0nfeW_wN_BgGisLA4SiOCSzAb3qXvXWqFz3n94zNGtior/s640/IMG_4424.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="color: orange;">GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT</span></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Grand Staircase-Escalante</i></b> was partly named after the Escalante River which flows through it, but more precisely it was named after a Franciscan priest who led an expedition through this forbidding area in 1776. The expedition was looking for an overland route between Santa Fe (present-day New Mexico) and Monterey, California. Discovering such a passable route was a huge task by any standard, for this part of Utah/Arizona is the most rugged wilderness region in the Lower 48.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The “Staircase” reference in the monument’s name refers to the immense sequence of sedimentary rock layers that are found here. The natural wildness is due to the extremely rugged topography of its canyons, plateaus, and cliffs.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The tamest and best of the roads through <b><i>Grand Staircase-Escalante</i></b> was Cottonwood Road, which basically bisected the monument.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRTrS1JC4wJSMc5dplESh0f8N_Cu5N-v1ITqf2Px3SRCnQGAXyg3K0xTC4LMfNpYS2LQYslq_E3ZgYwo3ohlf4_1SYjOE6kTlRIp2oFD8yRz8-EZpzy5cNQyvnm7KLmPuv37OGjFAu_Bv/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2295.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRTrS1JC4wJSMc5dplESh0f8N_Cu5N-v1ITqf2Px3SRCnQGAXyg3K0xTC4LMfNpYS2LQYslq_E3ZgYwo3ohlf4_1SYjOE6kTlRIp2oFD8yRz8-EZpzy5cNQyvnm7KLmPuv37OGjFAu_Bv/s640/fullsizeoutput_2295.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We looked for hikes that were within our abilities, and came up with several successes:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: orange; font-kerning: none;"><b><i>TOADSTOOLS TRAIL</i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">This Easter Sunday hike led through a badlands of multicolored sandstone layers.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9yWvD798ukseCFDJ8zAP7885Vr19FdIXjbed_LsYSur0cX7Bb18RdGvx7IG1BgSsfoDGi7EUTsGfipVy4hAopsAqGPZI9apztyD4Xsx-KlBcFBAgAjkRfdXo2Rx8YjXswtUzDEI4yV2X/s1600/fullsizeoutput_223f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1600" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9yWvD798ukseCFDJ8zAP7885Vr19FdIXjbed_LsYSur0cX7Bb18RdGvx7IG1BgSsfoDGi7EUTsGfipVy4hAopsAqGPZI9apztyD4Xsx-KlBcFBAgAjkRfdXo2Rx8YjXswtUzDEI4yV2X/s640/fullsizeoutput_223f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The trail climbed to the top of a knoll and then opened out onto a landscape of balanced rocks, alcoves, and whimsical sandstone formations called hoodoos.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTL-Cm6bs9MK3LPLXBtyE2h7WhS-MUzdnKYdBo1fv4kqJQakj3CtkY-Uav4faRsfoFzfywp4wOTSIcBfq4l4OJsFLyS7KmWEhu4GZQMowJl-5wiMAXLWfcdlLWNPz0ebp2h7PRnoWCSgSW/s1600/P1030932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTL-Cm6bs9MK3LPLXBtyE2h7WhS-MUzdnKYdBo1fv4kqJQakj3CtkY-Uav4faRsfoFzfywp4wOTSIcBfq4l4OJsFLyS7KmWEhu4GZQMowJl-5wiMAXLWfcdlLWNPz0ebp2h7PRnoWCSgSW/s640/P1030932.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The toadstool formations seemed very delicate,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZgHvu-tuA1Lh_4ViNdEvl6FemUKH_MiB9Q5SmEPFVjQhdsH47N5orQ_l9sbfY3muTAVVzRxumDN-DbD214N0M2ZGsvAsImGsRGVXWElm0D6YIGFwk4dfCi6sB2VExzCtlrHV5ktnWgoA/s1600/IMG_4372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZgHvu-tuA1Lh_4ViNdEvl6FemUKH_MiB9Q5SmEPFVjQhdsH47N5orQ_l9sbfY3muTAVVzRxumDN-DbD214N0M2ZGsvAsImGsRGVXWElm0D6YIGFwk4dfCi6sB2VExzCtlrHV5ktnWgoA/s640/IMG_4372.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and one wondered how long they would survive humans, much less Nature.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNgu5Yo6vJIoCteb_Js2BwfVhdWURn372GwFpSgIf4WSAy-ocSzu-emyWMJtvSddYQR5tkUhHZ2WN2VA4LD6wHiGWACM8EOBK86Dpo6SLwV_sjD7XeQeWBrXebKERMqy-lVYPxafEhqrK/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2240.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="1600" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNgu5Yo6vJIoCteb_Js2BwfVhdWURn372GwFpSgIf4WSAy-ocSzu-emyWMJtvSddYQR5tkUhHZ2WN2VA4LD6wHiGWACM8EOBK86Dpo6SLwV_sjD7XeQeWBrXebKERMqy-lVYPxafEhqrK/s640/fullsizeoutput_2240.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">WIRE PASS TRAIL</span></i></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwR__L3IfNlL0-dwPx1IMutEVNaUrkoH3GMo1Iv-Zb8_WTJC5jeA8eReOTj4K8T1jaANMEzsaPHJBjulUYdHT-BhXhkh1a4KFJki14w9O4gpNweNDdQB4es0O-aCDlkAImLO23F8TFPlxR/s1600/fullsizeoutput_226f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1600" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwR__L3IfNlL0-dwPx1IMutEVNaUrkoH3GMo1Iv-Zb8_WTJC5jeA8eReOTj4K8T1jaANMEzsaPHJBjulUYdHT-BhXhkh1a4KFJki14w9O4gpNweNDdQB4es0O-aCDlkAImLO23F8TFPlxR/s320/fullsizeoutput_226f.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">One of our Tucson friends familiar with the Lake Powell region urged us to be sure to explore some of area’s slot canyons. We judged it a good omen when we arrived at 10 a.m. and found the trailhead parking lot loaded with cars.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Wire Pass Trail</i></b> traversed a gravel and sand wash that started out nice and wide,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaU-LsCJbdL2aROEXIlpz3HjLTsrPdz2jwVMMVyu6psZaIQ2qJg2dZF2p4EaaSON-95a8P9FE7i5yoph1bjY4UzZhWOiVuGAhwlzNKk1ZadNmSEViqMobp8KJeMvOYFHu-TBdOd6oLgSsw/s1600/fullsizeoutput_226a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaU-LsCJbdL2aROEXIlpz3HjLTsrPdz2jwVMMVyu6psZaIQ2qJg2dZF2p4EaaSON-95a8P9FE7i5yoph1bjY4UzZhWOiVuGAhwlzNKk1ZadNmSEViqMobp8KJeMvOYFHu-TBdOd6oLgSsw/s640/fullsizeoutput_226a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">but gradually narrowed.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5a9LcOAJBr9P6F15VQfZCd9zH68QRUMubAqXph1Ms1Wqblh0H716NHfXTNUtSfVYJRsOLw8t3D9E1IMZG5DItdnX21d9CfNrGnW0p1b7hQy_3P-E7whUqUUvVrJpnGAuvb0ZjGyaIODy-/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22c5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5a9LcOAJBr9P6F15VQfZCd9zH68QRUMubAqXph1Ms1Wqblh0H716NHfXTNUtSfVYJRsOLw8t3D9E1IMZG5DItdnX21d9CfNrGnW0p1b7hQy_3P-E7whUqUUvVrJpnGAuvb0ZjGyaIODy-/s640/fullsizeoutput_22c5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Before long we were definitely in the “slot.” So far, so good… </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6SNCIO3ZL_kizF1TCFy_sxI7ZB3tnwo1bWap3FN7dRcifq94LM1qjsU228l4IwD5OSPcU8VpfCth2w_jicGOY16kp9MYoheb3r14RvzHJh0HLL0rtWALaTgsVhEXkfeAbnvPkBaOs-Or/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22c6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6SNCIO3ZL_kizF1TCFy_sxI7ZB3tnwo1bWap3FN7dRcifq94LM1qjsU228l4IwD5OSPcU8VpfCth2w_jicGOY16kp9MYoheb3r14RvzHJh0HLL0rtWALaTgsVhEXkfeAbnvPkBaOs-Or/s640/fullsizeoutput_22c6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">until we came to a 6-foot drop-off with a ladder. Unfortunately, the first rung of the ladder was way too far down for me to reach safely… and that was the end of that.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">MAZE ROCK ART TRAIL</span></i></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphbofi5EeBU5nldBqDwU_ZJN657uvRigjGEMg8atUtYj775QLND-3cdhce0baPUsX2ldfFKH3hiEMeDPF5kmH70AXaxMc4l_GLy_jfQGZRfqRSUeu9y1bbdH4fwkSLRH2TVxPvXPJVkvQ/s1600/IMG_4435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphbofi5EeBU5nldBqDwU_ZJN657uvRigjGEMg8atUtYj775QLND-3cdhce0baPUsX2ldfFKH3hiEMeDPF5kmH70AXaxMc4l_GLy_jfQGZRfqRSUeu9y1bbdH4fwkSLRH2TVxPvXPJVkvQ/s320/IMG_4435.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A bit further down the road was the Maze Rock Art site. A bit of a climb from the car </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRX6ht3h5ltWE9h6eNOJjScY4QjUqd7n8WdAwsb85cLG9zm9Dj2DbOyt9fAdynAfmJa9swkdo7o8aCVomMy0NH7s5ECyunjNvdxU9sb2cPua361EaYWA-psjRFT-xbn2svYkBI-F_GCyM/s1600/IMG_4450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRX6ht3h5ltWE9h6eNOJjScY4QjUqd7n8WdAwsb85cLG9zm9Dj2DbOyt9fAdynAfmJa9swkdo7o8aCVomMy0NH7s5ECyunjNvdxU9sb2cPua361EaYWA-psjRFT-xbn2svYkBI-F_GCyM/s640/IMG_4450.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">led to a heavenly, lush, sagebrush-covered valley that was at the peak of springtime eruption.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxWzVRtNZ-3NaArv7VuqA5gz7A9MTZwluYt86zyUUywB8LbazoDtoLajuQ-aomka-Za5-rvIUx0yfhInZbAGGGVleQfkKablWZoSOVh9TsOaQV0yCreMfKXJAhhyphenhyphenCt9X8jlEX7rsO5w9P/s1600/IMG_4436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxWzVRtNZ-3NaArv7VuqA5gz7A9MTZwluYt86zyUUywB8LbazoDtoLajuQ-aomka-Za5-rvIUx0yfhInZbAGGGVleQfkKablWZoSOVh9TsOaQV0yCreMfKXJAhhyphenhyphenCt9X8jlEX7rsO5w9P/s640/IMG_4436.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The trail led up the other side of the valley to some really neat petroglyphs depicting typical human forms, plants, animals, and abstract symbols that were important to the artists of the day.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglxypsolBvGMppIDiEFnb4k7XYF-Hp-yfSnEULih33naBWJ3LpqYZHDT1HX8eLXtMvcnT2mBqdGheA3gy7MQYyDBFcD4ETK9alHY7R2lWEa_ctCCl-MmAt_sgi-tfWw1MXydYx3389CG5/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2270.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglxypsolBvGMppIDiEFnb4k7XYF-Hp-yfSnEULih33naBWJ3LpqYZHDT1HX8eLXtMvcnT2mBqdGheA3gy7MQYyDBFcD4ETK9alHY7R2lWEa_ctCCl-MmAt_sgi-tfWw1MXydYx3389CG5/s640/fullsizeoutput_2270.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The most unusual of the many unspoiled petroglyphs at this site was the one of a maze; however, this abstract design was much more complex than the typical concentric circular ones (like the small one above the maze) we have seen throughout the West.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9X__AJVDfv4j5tY913K9BWWqgYQHzSsAwvnJNAGuWgUy5HhM0QGPiuFoqW-wZBMcESUy2Zx_FQa7fzmZvy7b2aKy_TrW-uaZJcnSWuuJs0YWeLaMCHeXNptteEcL1qg91-9FC1JORQT7Y/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2280.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1600" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9X__AJVDfv4j5tY913K9BWWqgYQHzSsAwvnJNAGuWgUy5HhM0QGPiuFoqW-wZBMcESUy2Zx_FQa7fzmZvy7b2aKy_TrW-uaZJcnSWuuJs0YWeLaMCHeXNptteEcL1qg91-9FC1JORQT7Y/s640/fullsizeoutput_2280.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We love lizard shots… As we started back to the car, we couldn’t resist watching this colorful blue-spotted lizard pose for his (her?) beauty shot.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgukUryV0XiN4ftlyp6ujYFa0IsAE1G7NStfaWWJXWAH0K1zh4qoG8z4vEwb-1liUOqUcYfpJSisLuqlfPXata0ZWma0TAYZzcVg8vjxgjKrKRJJaJ7Di6q7mEKj9G-yn7xySgbXN4815Ep/s1600/fullsizeoutput_227a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgukUryV0XiN4ftlyp6ujYFa0IsAE1G7NStfaWWJXWAH0K1zh4qoG8z4vEwb-1liUOqUcYfpJSisLuqlfPXata0ZWma0TAYZzcVg8vjxgjKrKRJJaJ7Di6q7mEKj9G-yn7xySgbXN4815Ep/s640/fullsizeoutput_227a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">LOWER HACKBERRY CANYON TRAIL</span></i></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0G5-trgRaYbC7imNhn_TA0yf-C11jkv13GipAYFDO840TqUkpgSs3jwcMIf38pVPG4gXuMVdiQn7LuQt6M5Ay_oOiKRmvxzCijtbXgUEWmpOnPUTP9I879lX3Cxdnjb2WUoMTq5fPKHx7/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2282.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1600" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0G5-trgRaYbC7imNhn_TA0yf-C11jkv13GipAYFDO840TqUkpgSs3jwcMIf38pVPG4gXuMVdiQn7LuQt6M5Ay_oOiKRmvxzCijtbXgUEWmpOnPUTP9I879lX3Cxdnjb2WUoMTq5fPKHx7/s320/fullsizeoutput_2282.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">One of the most intriguing and highly recommended local hikes was along Cottonwood Road where there was a trailhead for Hackberry Canyon. This vast wildflower display amid wide-open scenery at the start of Cottonwood Road was outstanding!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnimjuNLuSmHYIYiS6mPWzXXFeVi-rzUEe4wdsBiRTnN4kF7uzaHTz-2b7G1nupcMLhJn6mRi2-No3gvv7sMFh7Vh-2HUV8XIiluRStFWTp4GaRez0Fun284k-JiwTJnwwWATw7QMNBirR/s1600/IMG_4458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnimjuNLuSmHYIYiS6mPWzXXFeVi-rzUEe4wdsBiRTnN4kF7uzaHTz-2b7G1nupcMLhJn6mRi2-No3gvv7sMFh7Vh-2HUV8XIiluRStFWTp4GaRez0Fun284k-JiwTJnwwWATw7QMNBirR/s640/IMG_4458.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> At “certain times of the year” the <b><i>Lower Hackberry Canyon Trail</i></b> was sure to be under ankle-deep water, but that was supposed to be the fun part! For me, that was the scary part, and I secretly hoped it would be dry. I have never hiked predominantly in water before, and the warning at the trailhead about quicksand didn’t relieve any jitters… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Soon enough, however, old tennis shoes replaced our hiking boots.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyImsdANSde_3DtEUz2ufXlfDTs_HL_Dahf1vbWC-Pz66AE2NQS4MnNhCyr_5vd7EbUcjiavKLGkUgHYK6NoE5GVKEJ-U0S_ZyKiFve1PS3qj5Q-TG6yfWC5Cz1mQXXGqqzje_R-FnopMO/s1600/P1040087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyImsdANSde_3DtEUz2ufXlfDTs_HL_Dahf1vbWC-Pz66AE2NQS4MnNhCyr_5vd7EbUcjiavKLGkUgHYK6NoE5GVKEJ-U0S_ZyKiFve1PS3qj5Q-TG6yfWC5Cz1mQXXGqqzje_R-FnopMO/s640/P1040087.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I found myself stepping gingerly, looking for quicksand, and not sure if I was having fun or not.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjARAdWiX8BpkalQGyLkAAmOJDRgvnmjH1zXafLiOurq4piFohxxRl7Rv41-Ocuwha9KJtDi7q8vyueAaFpVNkQpNulMSWx24lN_ircfvM36gs8cFrLhNe0V3c7EgJaqpMmTz66cwYaK7/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2283.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjARAdWiX8BpkalQGyLkAAmOJDRgvnmjH1zXafLiOurq4piFohxxRl7Rv41-Ocuwha9KJtDi7q8vyueAaFpVNkQpNulMSWx24lN_ircfvM36gs8cFrLhNe0V3c7EgJaqpMmTz66cwYaK7/s640/fullsizeoutput_2283.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">By the time the canyon walls met the water and there was no going around by seeking out dry patches,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUEGIrkulDKfmgcOgIPAq_zk0FIIJw8uZQeaxut49WHcgTmL3V-YOfZEWPv-yY5rOsI1ZtlXj6yuxpq6neCGrxocO5swb3LdwDxysCsYgHwHPUP3xncant1elC5v-ooXvw5pT1tyH3kla/s1600/P1040088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUEGIrkulDKfmgcOgIPAq_zk0FIIJw8uZQeaxut49WHcgTmL3V-YOfZEWPv-yY5rOsI1ZtlXj6yuxpq6neCGrxocO5swb3LdwDxysCsYgHwHPUP3xncant1elC5v-ooXvw5pT1tyH3kla/s640/P1040088.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGpl738p-qbh5nK8oRJx2PrhMljlgDA90I0RhQ_reFLqtvQaDO8XqTB-yBMD2-S782bv5U7bjYb_QCGSq3V9FdDqwMTT8RrqT9KzILI5v8Ts2gF1x4JlEc2dUpPFdB042DYoFBOuc7z3j/s1600/P1040089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGpl738p-qbh5nK8oRJx2PrhMljlgDA90I0RhQ_reFLqtvQaDO8XqTB-yBMD2-S782bv5U7bjYb_QCGSq3V9FdDqwMTT8RrqT9KzILI5v8Ts2gF1x4JlEc2dUpPFdB042DYoFBOuc7z3j/s640/P1040089.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I was beginning to think this was pretty neat! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNLe9Gc-iNJA9UgAtREHO8R5FwTA_FZF2W2_nvsrkNMpb1LahAs3xCcotblGdOQpvnOc9X_QU6_6AQvL_0vLZPraElDTso0K5j7Fdwvib9EDwbTpY9lARMJ1hE1WlcoTZ0HgFicDFRlC-/s1600/IMG_4473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNLe9Gc-iNJA9UgAtREHO8R5FwTA_FZF2W2_nvsrkNMpb1LahAs3xCcotblGdOQpvnOc9X_QU6_6AQvL_0vLZPraElDTso0K5j7Fdwvib9EDwbTpY9lARMJ1hE1WlcoTZ0HgFicDFRlC-/s400/IMG_4473.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Gradually, I started sloshing through the water like I owned it,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWm5drRriSyarK-UxZEv1AO-BHS6qe3ESQn5y0y2Rva-tW8xHPmDXHJaVzwgKqNswReZBIW64ZuBBtuG9_RZoHomAasjp4niyrStPCTbfoCLfLzQsD8lucmTSoNNjU73vyDVVK4XSo8XS/s1600/fullsizeoutput_228a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWm5drRriSyarK-UxZEv1AO-BHS6qe3ESQn5y0y2Rva-tW8xHPmDXHJaVzwgKqNswReZBIW64ZuBBtuG9_RZoHomAasjp4niyrStPCTbfoCLfLzQsD8lucmTSoNNjU73vyDVVK4XSo8XS/s640/fullsizeoutput_228a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">just like Al had been doing since first dipping his toes in.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtstKZUH-2m8Dia1yP45F6h242_48iKo95gIfLGWjzfUNgesDzfjRabdRtJ0JQYie3UiK0hJYEgr3ppz-IwWi_WZuS20411N8pxFvHUN4sKTr_lAh0TIQ_yjUdQobVhnfMhFgt4sHgnSvd/s1600/fullsizeoutput_228c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1600" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtstKZUH-2m8Dia1yP45F6h242_48iKo95gIfLGWjzfUNgesDzfjRabdRtJ0JQYie3UiK0hJYEgr3ppz-IwWi_WZuS20411N8pxFvHUN4sKTr_lAh0TIQ_yjUdQobVhnfMhFgt4sHgnSvd/s640/fullsizeoutput_228c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We met up with a barefoot older woman who was walking her pet goats!!! That was a first for us on the trail…</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42FH3uJR98ZUmUzj21IKGn59fo90OWCuZGBlin-wJdZ6B9KNka6g5CCqDLBxkYfpsPXbyHxnBHyvrLOY0Vs5pLGF0MQmNKUvzc_KGaNHl4KK9YMgBKcx_yNcE5U0zo_s88_3B5ZSiNkn1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_228d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="1600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42FH3uJR98ZUmUzj21IKGn59fo90OWCuZGBlin-wJdZ6B9KNka6g5CCqDLBxkYfpsPXbyHxnBHyvrLOY0Vs5pLGF0MQmNKUvzc_KGaNHl4KK9YMgBKcx_yNcE5U0zo_s88_3B5ZSiNkn1/s640/fullsizeoutput_228d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Both goats were very friendly, and we got quite a unique pet fix.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bG8W7QfYAzpnlpU5cSUB37kcDM7tKc5lPbqDTktolFcledNsX92dOkrQHBH4K92Wlz4ZxPQakwIASTVYKbtu64l7zV7CRnGgPRbBxR-mysZQPdRIWJStPtgXuYvxJl2SnJx_olq6Na4b/s1600/fullsizeoutput_228f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bG8W7QfYAzpnlpU5cSUB37kcDM7tKc5lPbqDTktolFcledNsX92dOkrQHBH4K92Wlz4ZxPQakwIASTVYKbtu64l7zV7CRnGgPRbBxR-mysZQPdRIWJStPtgXuYvxJl2SnJx_olq6Na4b/s640/fullsizeoutput_228f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdByLOMgUOhju-re28Y2loJwQZGJj3wMSHvBgRVNwaTtSU1ffZiaRAnL7Rh8WHJdMK6QlMgFQRzSiJjbjF59Sntk0MEqHVRUWe3DkJhYOEjI5n1OlqF28DnLrs7M4wZeKmNke2YK9VJP2/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2291.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="965" data-original-width="1600" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdByLOMgUOhju-re28Y2loJwQZGJj3wMSHvBgRVNwaTtSU1ffZiaRAnL7Rh8WHJdMK6QlMgFQRzSiJjbjF59Sntk0MEqHVRUWe3DkJhYOEjI5n1OlqF28DnLrs7M4wZeKmNke2YK9VJP2/s640/fullsizeoutput_2291.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">And finally, some horse riders! Lots of smiles… We were all having fun in the water—the horses, those in the saddle, and us hiking in our old tennis shoes.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_fz8i2N7ccvF51Y3i59IKdf1jk-waqlwRpYjCVTPai7cDzYZyrkQKGrMX0tIJf35FwCXZhplnT9mx3nJ7eL-p76TB25Qp7rQmvKAQlSwXk7UlD2AiA-NWqxZV-GQN2yueiZtwoYGD3I1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2285.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1600" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_fz8i2N7ccvF51Y3i59IKdf1jk-waqlwRpYjCVTPai7cDzYZyrkQKGrMX0tIJf35FwCXZhplnT9mx3nJ7eL-p76TB25Qp7rQmvKAQlSwXk7UlD2AiA-NWqxZV-GQN2yueiZtwoYGD3I1/s640/fullsizeoutput_2285.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Despite my initial misgivings, this hike turned out to be one I will remember for a very long time. Al had a blast, and so did I once I conquered my fear of hiking in water with possible hidden quicksand. All in all, this was certainly a day of very “happy trails.”</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFU60WO4_mGLPhNzYUjUwg08S1B59SmCC1kQlGGVjF4ouzJNaYxFwchXd7lgw65V2iAB3nVJQzY6RP-eIlM9Sf8WTkAmB4cZzx9gZhVpm2LVI59cK5okeTNQysbAN3AOwbvtWBi1YTQfw/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22ce.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="1600" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFU60WO4_mGLPhNzYUjUwg08S1B59SmCC1kQlGGVjF4ouzJNaYxFwchXd7lgw65V2iAB3nVJQzY6RP-eIlM9Sf8WTkAmB4cZzx9gZhVpm2LVI59cK5okeTNQysbAN3AOwbvtWBi1YTQfw/s640/fullsizeoutput_22ce.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10px;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VxDvYnZr04XY4-5p1je3nbPzgcZXNb1tXfWII1WEh9wia8aUI5-SPFP19NUJoyAEwsFs-c8eC9AnKk0yB0s-bL5xZNUBFvarKhqchyphenhyphenj-aQNX_f-vpFHdl6TfxXuzpPY6WTFoGreQMhZt/s1600/fullsizeoutput_236a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VxDvYnZr04XY4-5p1je3nbPzgcZXNb1tXfWII1WEh9wia8aUI5-SPFP19NUJoyAEwsFs-c8eC9AnKk0yB0s-bL5xZNUBFvarKhqchyphenhyphenj-aQNX_f-vpFHdl6TfxXuzpPY6WTFoGreQMhZt/s640/fullsizeoutput_236a.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-68108599636048132522019-05-11T09:35:00.001-05:002019-05-11T09:35:29.948-05:00THE LAND OF BIG WATER AT LAKE POWELL (Part I)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0uxfuWyPpucOEBURfqkJZ73LMLMW5V8OHypvrFHLMv8FkAaf1awOvHD6FMnDlVQruPGFxG7ePWWHv9IgwKuBmj5sytU-fKBulZINzhyphenhyphenXbXe28wUPczMEY5PCMKxKZEtWLhmoyztvSERj/s1600/fullsizeoutput_236b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0uxfuWyPpucOEBURfqkJZ73LMLMW5V8OHypvrFHLMv8FkAaf1awOvHD6FMnDlVQruPGFxG7ePWWHv9IgwKuBmj5sytU-fKBulZINzhyphenhyphenXbXe28wUPczMEY5PCMKxKZEtWLhmoyztvSERj/s640/fullsizeoutput_236b.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">After spending the past several weeks in Arizona high country, we were more than ready for a taste of real spring on the shoreline of Lake Powell.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqkOJK00UqCnq2kRnDnbvJOvMy2_SpzrKW8tw878Ui3mW_pXAmCDCNcs6CEcpwThBe9y7DyA1iDJbiHpfMh0TbPcqLcnKGHQvGUIF7itU9a82m2aAochsPbxgup2aoREOC4_ePSd_EH9V/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22ff.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqkOJK00UqCnq2kRnDnbvJOvMy2_SpzrKW8tw878Ui3mW_pXAmCDCNcs6CEcpwThBe9y7DyA1iDJbiHpfMh0TbPcqLcnKGHQvGUIF7itU9a82m2aAochsPbxgup2aoREOC4_ePSd_EH9V/s640/fullsizeoutput_22ff.jpeg" width="800" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lake Powell with Navajo Mountain in the distance</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFpL4824VSHjFHfyXipcUgtB2kS3JPvJi7jBQE8loDMtj508DEZXmrye3kTyTxZ6P55zYeq5KVUyDu_Ajgt6soaHxnIX34JhLthF-oGnBGwkPIC-tUw5PAV7JKs3ryVXkjbefvI_8PrlB/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22fd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFpL4824VSHjFHfyXipcUgtB2kS3JPvJi7jBQE8loDMtj508DEZXmrye3kTyTxZ6P55zYeq5KVUyDu_Ajgt6soaHxnIX34JhLthF-oGnBGwkPIC-tUw5PAV7JKs3ryVXkjbefvI_8PrlB/s400/fullsizeoutput_22fd.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our campground at Wahweap was situated on a slight rise above Lake Powell, and we lucked out with a campsite that looked out on a panoramic view of the lake.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTRduSY_l0FMKoY8419kJLGDlU2xWWmEwiasqPBVNUCBtlLoy2EDQ5ch8P4Z1CeVRJ-0mMjICpW4ZCsPfO-TxgNRIrUc5002cNp8eslqDT6AaLmokFrxts8pce3ylq2K8Fh3PV2-NHMkd/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2226.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1600" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTRduSY_l0FMKoY8419kJLGDlU2xWWmEwiasqPBVNUCBtlLoy2EDQ5ch8P4Z1CeVRJ-0mMjICpW4ZCsPfO-TxgNRIrUc5002cNp8eslqDT6AaLmokFrxts8pce3ylq2K8Fh3PV2-NHMkd/s640/fullsizeoutput_2226.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Wahweap was situated only a few hundred yards from the state border between Arizona and Utah. This actually played havoc with our iPhone, as it periodically mixed up Mountain Time with Arizona Time, then refused to reset after daily outings. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyby6aaJLMHauSqI6J2cEKqqcoiUv5nLHpg1tRrihuMgP1Hi8WP0-UbdX1eAJa_5yzwd1vHC5Im4Xyyzx7pJIN46GDdMoLnsPFEZyEeTRzVJCBLwgK_-pt9iPy_MSlFEvKp_Jru_0os0I/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22a3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyby6aaJLMHauSqI6J2cEKqqcoiUv5nLHpg1tRrihuMgP1Hi8WP0-UbdX1eAJa_5yzwd1vHC5Im4Xyyzx7pJIN46GDdMoLnsPFEZyEeTRzVJCBLwgK_-pt9iPy_MSlFEvKp_Jru_0os0I/s640/fullsizeoutput_22a3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We got our much-desired taste of spring. Days were sunny and warm, the yucca were in bloom, and prickly pear cactus were adorned with vibrant pink blossoms of spring.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQtMYIuBq0sXkINsOizb6bvYxWE1P3dN7CCxUy9pH4wwPDl22AOwk03XFffDiLXfXoqsql08UiasNDUr1HUymUB3Qr2yNz23Uvu8iKRYajrZ3FjBVRdcx77Xd6iP7zCLbHA2KBF_Lzgho/s1600/jBEGz%2525h2QaunAGKf0GDVqQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQtMYIuBq0sXkINsOizb6bvYxWE1P3dN7CCxUy9pH4wwPDl22AOwk03XFffDiLXfXoqsql08UiasNDUr1HUymUB3Qr2yNz23Uvu8iKRYajrZ3FjBVRdcx77Xd6iP7zCLbHA2KBF_Lzgho/s400/jBEGz%2525h2QaunAGKf0GDVqQ.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yucca</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAWKsLolMhfT-rVYzzXl-qMBBrDAqKq_HTGPoGbqV_S8jjZT6qm3hALQGYG7czwF2I8DozQHhC9fuv8l_AuxC8aaWZAluFzK-tzWyQVl6zoF_iGtccQcjKO9SvXWKBsDUqE5UK8rJwDQV/s1600/IMG_4418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAWKsLolMhfT-rVYzzXl-qMBBrDAqKq_HTGPoGbqV_S8jjZT6qm3hALQGYG7czwF2I8DozQHhC9fuv8l_AuxC8aaWZAluFzK-tzWyQVl6zoF_iGtccQcjKO9SvXWKBsDUqE5UK8rJwDQV/s640/IMG_4418.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Prickly Pear Cactus</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On our third evening at Lake Powell, the rise of the full moon over the mesa above the lake was one of the loveliest moonrises we have ever seen.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aNPdhHoyL77X4pU3YQAOCEWKD-vhkZphD9nyKqRvP1aDDVbkSZqsqjRp7C2fEPP6pDrD61wvmVPhxjwT0wHCyKB73u6YE_A3Awjdx66-YptdqjXIbVvg67CYFJ_MjYV22WxQ1yfHxxSx/s1600/fullsizeoutput_236d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aNPdhHoyL77X4pU3YQAOCEWKD-vhkZphD9nyKqRvP1aDDVbkSZqsqjRp7C2fEPP6pDrD61wvmVPhxjwT0wHCyKB73u6YE_A3Awjdx66-YptdqjXIbVvg67CYFJ_MjYV22WxQ1yfHxxSx/s640/fullsizeoutput_236d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The nearby town of Page had grown considerably since we last visited during our family road trip in 1989-90. Page is situated on the northern edge of the Navajo Reservation, the largest Native American reservation in the U.S. As such, we found a rich diversity of Navajo culture. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In addition to serving as the gateway to exploring national parks, national monuments and historical sites, Page is best known as the city that was born in the 1950s during the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0gikEdlFAuNIgIfYIr2I4i9Q9xt7uAwRckPDvQTh3j26pm3L37MQ_JZldgPSu4WR00OhcqQ5XiHNIlkpUw3sGSO9KTrLlcJ9XQcGXXOZY5HmN66EI9vKgaPw0lYNovkYp9T4xJQHA5gC/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22eb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0gikEdlFAuNIgIfYIr2I4i9Q9xt7uAwRckPDvQTh3j26pm3L37MQ_JZldgPSu4WR00OhcqQ5XiHNIlkpUw3sGSO9KTrLlcJ9XQcGXXOZY5HmN66EI9vKgaPw0lYNovkYp9T4xJQHA5gC/s640/fullsizeoutput_22eb.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Lake Powell began filling in 1963 when the last diversion tunnel gate of the Glen Canyon Dam closed. Now, with approximately 2000 miles of shoreline, Lake Powell has become a very popular hub for houseboats and powerboats.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiil5Fv-DZ41drN3yO5hmKw7tSQkx4gbj4tcOLih3Ej3y9MatInNuJK6BETTPLu5gO0Eo6T_hAr_HqI5KYJiIjuKgAdRAQfJwgGme_djlZBt5aCoL3i5N_nY4ygkvc4hVr13fv04mB0mX7L/s1600/fullsizeoutput_223d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiil5Fv-DZ41drN3yO5hmKw7tSQkx4gbj4tcOLih3Ej3y9MatInNuJK6BETTPLu5gO0Eo6T_hAr_HqI5KYJiIjuKgAdRAQfJwgGme_djlZBt5aCoL3i5N_nY4ygkvc4hVr13fv04mB0mX7L/s640/fullsizeoutput_223d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Houseboats for rent at Lake Powell</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPUveDnQgC3eJPF3TrInwBWA8bCKn5YrA6khCuw7-kLPxZxxTs2U45SQSfT2r3rDnXuintPkvZorItqwD3ZT083AIaVUET7ozz7Mfr4NY2NAVu7vUQyuE0PvUbFyRx7B4Tq_FMo-Tdye8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22dd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPUveDnQgC3eJPF3TrInwBWA8bCKn5YrA6khCuw7-kLPxZxxTs2U45SQSfT2r3rDnXuintPkvZorItqwD3ZT083AIaVUET7ozz7Mfr4NY2NAVu7vUQyuE0PvUbFyRx7B4Tq_FMo-Tdye8/s640/fullsizeoutput_22dd.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Four-wheeling in the Jeep around Lake Powell on Smoky Mountain Road</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pKOMHPdG8PLg2vcffqxvuZTpwIthyphenhyphenxaQ36JLfQGhxmkzTSLT24E7NLS-t1yFXAFS-lB3maRUZZ0aGJBspVTLNjzKxWKdoZ5BOBn57vNoS6jG1o7vl6x4z0FeF09aYKzsQRlAJTj5A0Oj/s1600/IMG_4373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pKOMHPdG8PLg2vcffqxvuZTpwIthyphenhyphenxaQ36JLfQGhxmkzTSLT24E7NLS-t1yFXAFS-lB3maRUZZ0aGJBspVTLNjzKxWKdoZ5BOBn57vNoS6jG1o7vl6x4z0FeF09aYKzsQRlAJTj5A0Oj/s640/IMG_4373.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">meandered through picture-perfect canyons </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxl4Cqmky8D9QIaa-WRlOoFWHUpZP3pdbM_2YhcQ__1P5kzRsZZ6lsnSB8lMcDCET9wHAOSlE1JqdkFsAc7En03wq2smDMLNkwnYZmSsBvOJoZymps0LrUaWzejySeLzwmG7a8dc5u0BiN/s1600/P1030952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxl4Cqmky8D9QIaa-WRlOoFWHUpZP3pdbM_2YhcQ__1P5kzRsZZ6lsnSB8lMcDCET9wHAOSlE1JqdkFsAc7En03wq2smDMLNkwnYZmSsBvOJoZymps0LrUaWzejySeLzwmG7a8dc5u0BiN/s640/P1030952.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">that showcased the power of water,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuEe2hBtHPCTSDFboJUc5pFYLDnqnkXvWz4iEiTFzXECE9hfDGDhowKnLrp3F1c61gYbltuLNg8gVMVykGvo9rorluS3z9crLYTR_dihR5aeHGlR7RWRLrm6mrRY0v58pyV5jlvUuiaq1/s1600/IMG_4383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuEe2hBtHPCTSDFboJUc5pFYLDnqnkXvWz4iEiTFzXECE9hfDGDhowKnLrp3F1c61gYbltuLNg8gVMVykGvo9rorluS3z9crLYTR_dihR5aeHGlR7RWRLrm6mrRY0v58pyV5jlvUuiaq1/s640/IMG_4383.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and wound up at spectacular backcountry vistas.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhklVCNYHUmsIMOr6qgkRVt8GI-veQBV2Wb9IbuL7-Mbdll5cFTLMXf1fbLVpzFAOrcMLPnzCE2JUCTJM5ordRk0-pmwk-X_acKb7j8lqRIc3hMvjpIsTtwlikodcOjeLei66KCZK3WUP9/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2245.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhklVCNYHUmsIMOr6qgkRVt8GI-veQBV2Wb9IbuL7-Mbdll5cFTLMXf1fbLVpzFAOrcMLPnzCE2JUCTJM5ordRk0-pmwk-X_acKb7j8lqRIc3hMvjpIsTtwlikodcOjeLei66KCZK3WUP9/s640/fullsizeoutput_2245.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has featured in a large part of the pioneer story in the Lake Powell area, most notably at Lees Ferry. Lees Ferry is one of the few places for hundreds of miles where the Colorado River is accessible from both sides. Along with his wife, infamous Mormon pioneer John D. Lee was sent by his church to establish a ferry crossing that Mormon settlers could use to cross the Colorado River in the 1870s and 1880s as they colonized the West. You could say that at Lees Ferry Nature met history. The nicely preserved Lees Ferry fort was a tease for capturing that perfect camera shot…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVZe1L_4Dv7MFVZlUJgLKjBGvGHcFQUn5Cicg7Vt9yQpFROA8yLUecINr2YXvMLV-BtMuRi4af85wGB_1R9GBYHlezE0rrjN6xC2yVf5MSdNpGFIpFDEfqb0oKzKHwDFsoiEmbbqqtWru/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22c3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1600" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVZe1L_4Dv7MFVZlUJgLKjBGvGHcFQUn5Cicg7Vt9yQpFROA8yLUecINr2YXvMLV-BtMuRi4af85wGB_1R9GBYHlezE0rrjN6xC2yVf5MSdNpGFIpFDEfqb0oKzKHwDFsoiEmbbqqtWru/s640/fullsizeoutput_22c3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lees Ferry Fort</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5XWvfzb1Q5M6M7nv_P-XLhM1yc6goD7szNK_C4gdKdbMDjn8uUJ9ZlS1sPohbwrXYI9oEGw9ARxkxQjal4wA-FBLq9XAS_rCzhfqTS4sxrmPBXuOr_9hyphenhyphenrYonVMpFiFVWCpE_uCWKXxD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2219.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1109" data-original-width="1600" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5XWvfzb1Q5M6M7nv_P-XLhM1yc6goD7szNK_C4gdKdbMDjn8uUJ9ZlS1sPohbwrXYI9oEGw9ARxkxQjal4wA-FBLq9XAS_rCzhfqTS4sxrmPBXuOr_9hyphenhyphenrYonVMpFiFVWCpE_uCWKXxD/s640/fullsizeoutput_2219.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Today, Lees Ferry is the go-to launch site for much-prized raft trips down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. We observed a river outfitter loading rafts for the next day’s expedition. We talked with some of the members of that excursion who were also watching the process as they anticipated a great week by raft through the Grand Canyon.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMxV3sf98y7k3HkmLtdgaE4hSR1K1UzQgir7XFpcn-XmLp6UV1ZII__6rpomPwgjtyMCLXgpuIZXJ1whldHpxi7hsgLEiDbgmwj_d-o2Pzppz5YqSeoI_Srm-kqLPAbQMmYdHXNMXOWMF/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22c4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1600" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMxV3sf98y7k3HkmLtdgaE4hSR1K1UzQgir7XFpcn-XmLp6UV1ZII__6rpomPwgjtyMCLXgpuIZXJ1whldHpxi7hsgLEiDbgmwj_d-o2Pzppz5YqSeoI_Srm-kqLPAbQMmYdHXNMXOWMF/s640/fullsizeoutput_22c4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Number one on our list of things to see in the Lake Powell area was Rainbow Bridge, said to be one of the seven natural wonders of the world. This had been on Al’s bucket list for several decades. A visit to the arch that was Rainbow Bridge required determination and commitment of time, as the only practical access was by boat. We were blessed with a brilliant sunny day for a 7-hour cruise out of Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpAfCWuPTr_JD5IcriRmFY-91R7EWdrb3l4uShF8T2NcWhEOyvv3OZFNTXkcfXpJ09aBImBwK9AQdwg86Jat6H_h8KzvilxbC7_b6Oy3jbC3_vZG2ygYbiyEEJPR7jl-v7fqariafHLj9/s1600/fullsizeoutput_229f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpAfCWuPTr_JD5IcriRmFY-91R7EWdrb3l4uShF8T2NcWhEOyvv3OZFNTXkcfXpJ09aBImBwK9AQdwg86Jat6H_h8KzvilxbC7_b6Oy3jbC3_vZG2ygYbiyEEJPR7jl-v7fqariafHLj9/s640/fullsizeoutput_229f.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Choosing a seat on the top deck proved to be a wise decision. Unobstructed opportunities for shoreline photography had us snapping away! </span>Topside was an excellent way to experience the geology of spectacular shoreline rock formations over the 50-mile 3-hour cruise up the original channel of the Colorado River.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJZVkkoXCecmwfDMZPcKh24WAMXvbdIP0f3cDS-BbVnc3uIQzL8kIk66vuHcXKwxn_tIqLh19_DCFNAd6UkirqL5B9JHFbbnQ19d3QJCHf0W2QCta8JVA4NmgbStaAPU30Qx3oH0Y_bfA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22d7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1600" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJZVkkoXCecmwfDMZPcKh24WAMXvbdIP0f3cDS-BbVnc3uIQzL8kIk66vuHcXKwxn_tIqLh19_DCFNAd6UkirqL5B9JHFbbnQ19d3QJCHf0W2QCta8JVA4NmgbStaAPU30Qx3oH0Y_bfA/s640/fullsizeoutput_22d7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQbj-96mvhwS57hyCGO_cSnMl8rjJ9nLanirCmuHthLO0vH4c1xIbxqnDUZRHK8iCo3oNTj-HUTbSPIil77HLbqwN4NBrGU2H1DT2tkew_glaQaWjU_UyPkrJKzDufEQf_NWMlgBUd5c0/s1600/fullsizeoutput_21f8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQbj-96mvhwS57hyCGO_cSnMl8rjJ9nLanirCmuHthLO0vH4c1xIbxqnDUZRHK8iCo3oNTj-HUTbSPIil77HLbqwN4NBrGU2H1DT2tkew_glaQaWjU_UyPkrJKzDufEQf_NWMlgBUd5c0/s400/fullsizeoutput_21f8.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbbuXEXRZUQpNUfRdP2gMPh-R2Ixb9TnM-McJnlNn6QVwQYyyyzMrns0sG2h8nWZMAYirIp9UsbKq4Vj-z1wEnDx608fE2iYfRg2m3CLUlGr6bWc5E4lOMQfcv7rgv739enNGlq-mMsVz/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22e2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1600" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbbuXEXRZUQpNUfRdP2gMPh-R2Ixb9TnM-McJnlNn6QVwQYyyyzMrns0sG2h8nWZMAYirIp9UsbKq4Vj-z1wEnDx608fE2iYfRg2m3CLUlGr6bWc5E4lOMQfcv7rgv739enNGlq-mMsVz/s640/fullsizeoutput_22e2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The shoreline features of Lake Powell were stupendous!</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNeLfmFj3jzt_TpP7pXfEygWfFNMHfXcuqtgSUhSxNPZoDm1-xlBXpUszLKwEi7Ki-yxS9RpTvnRKlF7WytjgPqFaVAQYs0sPDU5KGGmurs9tgTIps58u7kUksdDUUd8zsuWolcB_QHpUY/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22d5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNeLfmFj3jzt_TpP7pXfEygWfFNMHfXcuqtgSUhSxNPZoDm1-xlBXpUszLKwEi7Ki-yxS9RpTvnRKlF7WytjgPqFaVAQYs0sPDU5KGGmurs9tgTIps58u7kUksdDUUd8zsuWolcB_QHpUY/s640/fullsizeoutput_22d5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJ8olKwwRxvlwvknUzWLGM7hY8rsZI8aYeEPb7014Hx_cDEWd_oB7ZS83TgSR3XgVLtyL2b6HW_ZZkri7VdMTdfKaSKsWVq9telNMsKPODpEYOVH76oRWs48qqik_01s7vcsZ7ENopJ0B/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22e1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJ8olKwwRxvlwvknUzWLGM7hY8rsZI8aYeEPb7014Hx_cDEWd_oB7ZS83TgSR3XgVLtyL2b6HW_ZZkri7VdMTdfKaSKsWVq9telNMsKPODpEYOVH76oRWs48qqik_01s7vcsZ7ENopJ0B/s640/fullsizeoutput_22e1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wVY5LV542Cz3fwVvpNw0Litf2VWbH6foGD9oYwZejESpD9vfYTf4V3OhHUkTjlwVrjl_gWKW5_k8vh8YLwP8jbS5oNLIh4J10B63ZMUBKPE84amkqUWXTo4oa5GqHXHb-lnO_YGzfA2z/s1600/P1030865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wVY5LV542Cz3fwVvpNw0Litf2VWbH6foGD9oYwZejESpD9vfYTf4V3OhHUkTjlwVrjl_gWKW5_k8vh8YLwP8jbS5oNLIh4J10B63ZMUBKPE84amkqUWXTo4oa5GqHXHb-lnO_YGzfA2z/s640/P1030865.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">After a number of years of devastating drought, the height of the lake was 130 feet lower than its maximum fill level. A white so-called “bathtub ring” of calcium carbonate marked this benchmark in a dramatic way. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NMh3LR5dXM6TwFeAdnrtQy5BH3cBolr1TJwI4Ib-EdErK11N-Jafv3TTz_VCMV1Lxi3APcG8D2_kG0HZt16aj63hmnmmJTg2yyRfgUGgibGpzfeI4SehG1vRUxwEBNHSILlwcIszJIBK/s1600/IMG_4294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NMh3LR5dXM6TwFeAdnrtQy5BH3cBolr1TJwI4Ib-EdErK11N-Jafv3TTz_VCMV1Lxi3APcG8D2_kG0HZt16aj63hmnmmJTg2yyRfgUGgibGpzfeI4SehG1vRUxwEBNHSILlwcIszJIBK/s640/IMG_4294.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Due to this past winter’s great snow season in the Colorado mountains, the level of Lake Powell is expected to rise 30 feet this year.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Bighorn sheep along the shoreline taxed our zoom abilities on a moving boat.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mNtOA2uHUGCq3qnZHT0AnWXjApvyRdVauUKhuxzRW_XpO4dlKhxWR5IPdlsMgzWxnyrpGB2x0_KNhRk5IBi9svkHuikadDUd9xwRGyAO7uqHO_trLp9RCTFhcJ55QNVXOeybfb2ZKY49/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2236.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1600" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mNtOA2uHUGCq3qnZHT0AnWXjApvyRdVauUKhuxzRW_XpO4dlKhxWR5IPdlsMgzWxnyrpGB2x0_KNhRk5IBi9svkHuikadDUd9xwRGyAO7uqHO_trLp9RCTFhcJ55QNVXOeybfb2ZKY49/s640/fullsizeoutput_2236.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Slow, careful navigation through the eerie green waters of a narrow side canyon was required by our boat captain </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkBOuDnptiPWh_L27IWw6mSzud5mYBj5JPwJQDazQbhokb0VvLxwYjgO9QZkv-4LlCXX32J4ZtBHpOz8TZkAS-OYqD9vsF4niAGOWqzUG-dwYb_OfaPv86l447ya9LRhtStbnWniMip5D/s1600/IMG_4316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkBOuDnptiPWh_L27IWw6mSzud5mYBj5JPwJQDazQbhokb0VvLxwYjgO9QZkv-4LlCXX32J4ZtBHpOz8TZkAS-OYqD9vsF4niAGOWqzUG-dwYb_OfaPv86l447ya9LRhtStbnWniMip5D/s640/IMG_4316.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">as she approached the dock area at Rainbow Bridge.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUl1HuxIm3lDz7Tj9dDLszJZTngewYn-SprIh3BjrkKhnjhLiVGHRMfIUngwTifFIoJvnWtmO48FqPueHTmo1bnbjTsEOi-jswCQdVGlTpVe_dK1XAyxd4lPwZPep7KcLdbsXymYApl7m6/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22e4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUl1HuxIm3lDz7Tj9dDLszJZTngewYn-SprIh3BjrkKhnjhLiVGHRMfIUngwTifFIoJvnWtmO48FqPueHTmo1bnbjTsEOi-jswCQdVGlTpVe_dK1XAyxd4lPwZPep7KcLdbsXymYApl7m6/s640/fullsizeoutput_22e4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A fairly easy 1-1/4 mile trail led to Rainbow Bridge.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVzcGHQdMqrYq1-egCRQ64BTM37AsfeXXo4dKeDCPmjo7GzXKMlmcZ53ugUv-E9xL1i6-odbkNUXfMayYLNm2dWatEG_y-bkEvIDF0-bJ-xG_a7_xvRaD2fNFzEEGkNO1ofPzQdYnr9s8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22b6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVzcGHQdMqrYq1-egCRQ64BTM37AsfeXXo4dKeDCPmjo7GzXKMlmcZ53ugUv-E9xL1i6-odbkNUXfMayYLNm2dWatEG_y-bkEvIDF0-bJ-xG_a7_xvRaD2fNFzEEGkNO1ofPzQdYnr9s8/s640/fullsizeoutput_22b6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxY0e3gBfFq7bYc55_d8F820hpAZonktZBqni-fvj7w_m9G7W4QED8xgJeRYLYxeNEJ-MWJGvu1tf837hZyrk0FOLtCbCf8TqaCQmhMgybsjgseDBaox6JVxBrRNGd0kt_jB2tCXbtcrkk/s1600/fullsizeoutput_21df.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxY0e3gBfFq7bYc55_d8F820hpAZonktZBqni-fvj7w_m9G7W4QED8xgJeRYLYxeNEJ-MWJGvu1tf837hZyrk0FOLtCbCf8TqaCQmhMgybsjgseDBaox6JVxBrRNGd0kt_jB2tCXbtcrkk/s320/fullsizeoutput_21df.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Framed by the snowcapped summit of Navajo Mountain in the distance, the natural beauty of Rainbow Bridge National Monument exceeded our expectations. We completely appreciated why this site represents a spiritual place for many Native American tribes who have celebrated the sacredness of this place for centuries.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAyMFwpNOpp5vyiY0a0MGpqB57R2vfnPLOLBg4it8bRCg6uvCgPVAU1QhPa-f33Zx3dKQll2QcUFssmarvnOv_91a9jQkAhxloDdrkvoFF84HZ6yBx-eExosaSnKBtvxGPytvKTejLocH/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22b8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1600" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAyMFwpNOpp5vyiY0a0MGpqB57R2vfnPLOLBg4it8bRCg6uvCgPVAU1QhPa-f33Zx3dKQll2QcUFssmarvnOv_91a9jQkAhxloDdrkvoFF84HZ6yBx-eExosaSnKBtvxGPytvKTejLocH/s640/fullsizeoutput_22b8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXB5sjFZW5MjLNnMzt_DLRkTrBUxXyyLjtY-NVXKP9X1glARqhHclch6QPgImSHuFQnPte5ZtKM1R4D7qVovVDDqxpVaj1pHyZiJ3qMliL6-dYoMjhyBbCwYjjZLT9WVwdRyZ4p8e8H2b/s1600/fullsizeoutput_22bf.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1600" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXB5sjFZW5MjLNnMzt_DLRkTrBUxXyyLjtY-NVXKP9X1glARqhHclch6QPgImSHuFQnPte5ZtKM1R4D7qVovVDDqxpVaj1pHyZiJ3qMliL6-dYoMjhyBbCwYjjZLT9WVwdRyZ4p8e8H2b/s640/fullsizeoutput_22bf.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The immensity of this very tall 290-ft arch</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLEWSKT8yCLubMwlYRkNmwLWEML9Q3TJa4qGP7Ej-NtY4eaNxURRXFsdIJwTXryQ5NhCclTwFNTEK5Zkx-k_QL9AR4McHSPVSJfSjrqKmQaO00q7CxvYqT99Px4DBUSxov3LrW4vOWtZQ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_21f1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1600" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLEWSKT8yCLubMwlYRkNmwLWEML9Q3TJa4qGP7Ej-NtY4eaNxURRXFsdIJwTXryQ5NhCclTwFNTEK5Zkx-k_QL9AR4McHSPVSJfSjrqKmQaO00q7CxvYqT99Px4DBUSxov3LrW4vOWtZQ/s640/fullsizeoutput_21f1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">could only be grasped with people in the picture to provide scale. At 270 feet, Rainbow Bridge has the longest natural span in the world.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYrLa2YdyBC3whvIxxw7kpVlpSRLBRYfbrj3ptjaK7WoQJcmIte-xwZ8rScWQEiF1qXSiXa8RePYPUPiHdz58k9sJ2zjRvzZVDepl7Q-ij3kFFqfpJPdKLqaE-F_smwaTU2e9oGf1IwaB/s1600/fullsizeoutput_21f0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1600" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYrLa2YdyBC3whvIxxw7kpVlpSRLBRYfbrj3ptjaK7WoQJcmIte-xwZ8rScWQEiF1qXSiXa8RePYPUPiHdz58k9sJ2zjRvzZVDepl7Q-ij3kFFqfpJPdKLqaE-F_smwaTU2e9oGf1IwaB/s640/fullsizeoutput_21f0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVJdzTQEqE01NYPS2cbUfXN0PGLOR4G6Hu7bT_TrcstDLMdI4SE5UTkPHg4W0j_UmlAjrRi8sDhyphenhyphenoJLvPfWdY2m5laXg7RaCtL6qb2rUKGV7ArL9cQy63yWiR_tmMs28_ZC6hRzA3-1Vt/s1600/fullsizeoutput_21e4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVJdzTQEqE01NYPS2cbUfXN0PGLOR4G6Hu7bT_TrcstDLMdI4SE5UTkPHg4W0j_UmlAjrRi8sDhyphenhyphenoJLvPfWdY2m5laXg7RaCtL6qb2rUKGV7ArL9cQy63yWiR_tmMs28_ZC6hRzA3-1Vt/s320/fullsizeoutput_21e4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A solitary 200 million-year-old dinosaur footprint preserved in the rock of the creek bed in front of the arch,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0C7ISBEU8_wgabxq_GxZbrcA5cQCV7PBSbRMqlFTwROhfH-SRz87_pk5Sv3-btIIoqC44yyWX30Us1EXxiuyInTH-PoAwjOyIQgvIhba2yXfRxS4QiZU5zPyO4zYHSYLtyZu_rBN0Hqy/s1600/P1030909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0C7ISBEU8_wgabxq_GxZbrcA5cQCV7PBSbRMqlFTwROhfH-SRz87_pk5Sv3-btIIoqC44yyWX30Us1EXxiuyInTH-PoAwjOyIQgvIhba2yXfRxS4QiZU5zPyO4zYHSYLtyZu_rBN0Hqy/s400/P1030909.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">along with a cowboy “glyph” </span>only added to the historical mystique of Rainbow Arch.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">No history of Lake Powell would be complete without a mention of Glen Canyon Dam which, after all, was solely responsible for its creation as the second largest manmade reservoir in the U.S. Glen Canyon Dam has been dubbed the crown jewel of the 1950s-era Colorado River Storage Project. The dam provides hydroelectric power, assists with flood control, provides a dramatic setting for recreation, and serves as a reservoir for precious agricultural irrigation water.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">An inexpensive tour of Glen Canyon Dam was most worthwhile for unique views of the dam that could not be seen any other way, such as:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">the Glen Canyon Bridge spanning the Colorado River channel,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JFZzhCd2shh88JOc1O9cZz8zyPg4TN8Pc0ELJyCPHX5g6i7lRT6p78Iu3htlG_a7YvzVhxE4bg1XlDQX-dhbrLgXnl5gzSJfRkXQSOl-BOPmvRZVOB2oD7M_dJYEf_H_FGVmQ4lRNhRY/s1600/IMG_4393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JFZzhCd2shh88JOc1O9cZz8zyPg4TN8Pc0ELJyCPHX5g6i7lRT6p78Iu3htlG_a7YvzVhxE4bg1XlDQX-dhbrLgXnl5gzSJfRkXQSOl-BOPmvRZVOB2oD7M_dJYEf_H_FGVmQ4lRNhRY/s640/IMG_4393.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">the 710-foot concrete spillway, which was 300 feet thick at its base,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEK20YccASDwLz4Y4VwQhXcw9P5aOuXsUo2U6IrEHctveR38tcU5_uB8s14UBSfS82lq4_SLxX5YyVyQ-RUmpQzHlor9H25oEyQtDfOnsvBuni7u3mhpwIaNdl7QS5d4rUmUoXw2aHi0OS/s1600/P1030980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEK20YccASDwLz4Y4VwQhXcw9P5aOuXsUo2U6IrEHctveR38tcU5_uB8s14UBSfS82lq4_SLxX5YyVyQ-RUmpQzHlor9H25oEyQtDfOnsvBuni7u3mhpwIaNdl7QS5d4rUmUoXw2aHi0OS/s640/P1030980.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and the powerplant with its 8 massive turbines, which channel the energy of moving water to generate clean, renewable electricity.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSmX_5C7voP4QuB3XEskbEiW87_8PuE-bCe0yeRook9q_KkTRH5p_OM-E-gSWoMRDFxwNie-HkFhoK3hLjnYb1lM7V94EPqk8zq4WFfRqhv5dkOpyYJnIZ3xr2BBDaNJ152h59JmVz1Q4/s1600/IMG_4401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSmX_5C7voP4QuB3XEskbEiW87_8PuE-bCe0yeRook9q_KkTRH5p_OM-E-gSWoMRDFxwNie-HkFhoK3hLjnYb1lM7V94EPqk8zq4WFfRqhv5dkOpyYJnIZ3xr2BBDaNJ152h59JmVz1Q4/s640/IMG_4401.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">That was a busy first week at bewitching Lake Powell. The superlative tableau of the lake dominated the Page area, and we never tired of the view, but there was a whole lot more to explore nearby. And that will be the subject of Part II.</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-family: "copperplate"; font-size: 20px;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "copperplate"; font-size: 20px;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50Z34C6nmqE24Ccbr_Hfk4_0djmknfWRw8D8fTz6I0WVU5-klCpzdbPmUwRV8jAfvvFX-tDfFHqFOmmpSjhUwFYZjmyED9kr1D1iu3nk1TPD5spkS5w-O6RZWs6ynC9FODZy1vJdXUWNv/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2375.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="1600" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50Z34C6nmqE24Ccbr_Hfk4_0djmknfWRw8D8fTz6I0WVU5-klCpzdbPmUwRV8jAfvvFX-tDfFHqFOmmpSjhUwFYZjmyED9kr1D1iu3nk1TPD5spkS5w-O6RZWs6ynC9FODZy1vJdXUWNv/s640/fullsizeoutput_2375.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-90941023299465181952019-04-26T22:06:00.001-05:002019-04-26T22:06:10.685-05:00THE TRAIL OF TIME AT CASA MALPAIS AND GRAND CANYON<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvl1Aqhe-dX7RqyfbcltQo9tqB0vEgzO_NN9bF_04mmBkzH502Hd_krcxLNDbIK8BeBBETRSdCS58c-Uk5VHWwYwnL13vjEGQ9FYEHhzGW_73JQ_BvG-Gi7jnNZxlUhSbbAFnB0th8Oex/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2206.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="447" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvl1Aqhe-dX7RqyfbcltQo9tqB0vEgzO_NN9bF_04mmBkzH502Hd_krcxLNDbIK8BeBBETRSdCS58c-Uk5VHWwYwnL13vjEGQ9FYEHhzGW_73JQ_BvG-Gi7jnNZxlUhSbbAFnB0th8Oex/s640/fullsizeoutput_2206.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlPPhIBZBQK3GjAjcmjvudFvw_dhiP1pO1KF20iMyeDxhWk9GgenJnU7knxkYk29vI24fHWtPiZFDSV5hgeFyMLWuzrWdXqYOf1WCqPB8nAafU5Qcpzr-StR4qsn9cnW84l1XbX3Wg2wK/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2214.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="1062" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlPPhIBZBQK3GjAjcmjvudFvw_dhiP1pO1KF20iMyeDxhWk9GgenJnU7knxkYk29vI24fHWtPiZFDSV5hgeFyMLWuzrWdXqYOf1WCqPB8nAafU5Qcpzr-StR4qsn9cnW84l1XbX3Wg2wK/s400/fullsizeoutput_2214.jpeg" width="365" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #333333;">From Silver City, New Mexico, we backtracked into Arizona for a week’s stay at <b><i>Lyman Lake State Park</i></b>, which is located a short distance from the western Arizona towns of Springerville and Eagar. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
Lyman Lake, a man-made reservoir at around 7000 feet of elevation, was smack in the middle of the relatively young Springerville Volcanic Field. Several hundred individual volcanoes, along with their associated lava flows, dotted this scenic high-desert landscape. <span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At 7000 feet, spring had not made much of an arrival when we arrived in early April, so it wasn’t too surprising that we found the campground nearly empty. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOy1XUWQ4IgMlmi12Wl1SfDpQz2nYX2T41snrdoz1JRj9R4WYFOQKwpXr1yMVzYeIiPyrVmktDid7GcMnMHpPpe3qzPeP_hEGy6WNs7zoJZZQtohi9PoMu7RgJlQ69els-1TMj-cFezCuG/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2223.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1600" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOy1XUWQ4IgMlmi12Wl1SfDpQz2nYX2T41snrdoz1JRj9R4WYFOQKwpXr1yMVzYeIiPyrVmktDid7GcMnMHpPpe3qzPeP_hEGy6WNs7zoJZZQtohi9PoMu7RgJlQ69els-1TMj-cFezCuG/s640/fullsizeoutput_2223.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Internet connectivity and TV reception were nonexistent; we wondered how that would work out for a week… As it turned out, our campsite was located at the base of a hill about 100 feet high. At the top of that hill, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqYTmXoXt6PuEtUg0cHty6HQM3bcpe0hw1icPEpS0vfOqxtaTIjp1BFkrPxntSpW619aFu9FMSN0Vkk_6JqYRqi_7x4C88E90eUZIuvOlQ80gcy0Vjbok5L4Y9dpYphl2J8Vaa-FOKq5j/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20f3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqYTmXoXt6PuEtUg0cHty6HQM3bcpe0hw1icPEpS0vfOqxtaTIjp1BFkrPxntSpW619aFu9FMSN0Vkk_6JqYRqi_7x4C88E90eUZIuvOlQ80gcy0Vjbok5L4Y9dpYphl2J8Vaa-FOKq5j/s640/fullsizeoutput_20f3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">we detected a weak Verizon signal that we finessed once a day for a quick check of email, social media, and headline news. By the end of our visit, we felt that a week “sorta off the grid” was a good thing…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nVb0T6PWS9CsnX5JhPfNdEpCMRQxqFBslkFQUi6jD1Q48XlffhHJ9Tb5f26GVlaJybTX56qUCTTa04P-aQKeGgOOt8j9Kc_a_C8NkuSPnn7YStii4L6LwtpYF3ObnK_LBbgnC8kGSpvr/s1600/VpbZO1gLRl%252BBRDjj%2525sbnbQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nVb0T6PWS9CsnX5JhPfNdEpCMRQxqFBslkFQUi6jD1Q48XlffhHJ9Tb5f26GVlaJybTX56qUCTTa04P-aQKeGgOOt8j9Kc_a_C8NkuSPnn7YStii4L6LwtpYF3ObnK_LBbgnC8kGSpvr/s640/VpbZO1gLRl%252BBRDjj%2525sbnbQ.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Along with a friend we met, we hiked some interesting trails to petroglyph sites around the state park.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Muf0fGCuBgnC5f9ET5cEyg-FLMD3bvk7ZJRLkt1BYTfgiiWDpMPCsZvIFLvEH0BmDdO8a3NwpTquFWKwOJriXP5zTcNCitXJ78rcInIsn_foEE5SSbI-Ws-PoyQpBHge3pFrWv0EVn6H/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20f6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Muf0fGCuBgnC5f9ET5cEyg-FLMD3bvk7ZJRLkt1BYTfgiiWDpMPCsZvIFLvEH0BmDdO8a3NwpTquFWKwOJriXP5zTcNCitXJ78rcInIsn_foEE5SSbI-Ws-PoyQpBHge3pFrWv0EVn6H/s640/fullsizeoutput_20f6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGK8dGFGj1CJEG27RAhXEyM1WSs4I9CwWpMRPdS7_2ocksZtwMHmgcpVXHj-6dnrmLaUpsVEWsmGtNphixw-DjxUwLv9MeoUJNwer1fJMUCniR9a8BdqcfBSz_p_y50kMfy_1oIqTzCzE-/s1600/fullsizeoutput_221a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGK8dGFGj1CJEG27RAhXEyM1WSs4I9CwWpMRPdS7_2ocksZtwMHmgcpVXHj-6dnrmLaUpsVEWsmGtNphixw-DjxUwLv9MeoUJNwer1fJMUCniR9a8BdqcfBSz_p_y50kMfy_1oIqTzCzE-/s640/fullsizeoutput_221a.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On another day, we explored 14th century pueblo ruins along the lake shore.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnVFXsq1boKaU6uAmvW0c4bxRaPMC-_jihpq5AUVgcK2O18hqZfpxHLtn84Bp4SX_Rl9rm_I1dev2bFyk6F0bMaUIHPHzMdNPvRdND7EQfyjUDEicVydLm0OD3LsxYkjWOvBpc22oje51/s1600/IMG_4189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnVFXsq1boKaU6uAmvW0c4bxRaPMC-_jihpq5AUVgcK2O18hqZfpxHLtn84Bp4SX_Rl9rm_I1dev2bFyk6F0bMaUIHPHzMdNPvRdND7EQfyjUDEicVydLm0OD3LsxYkjWOvBpc22oje51/s640/IMG_4189.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Interesting trivia about the Springerville/Eagar area included the facts that:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Outlaw cowboy Ike Clanton (present at the Gunfight at the OK Corral) was shot dead in Springerville while resisting arrest in 1887.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Eagar was the location of John Wayne’s beloved <b><i>26 Bar Ranch</i></b>, which<b><i> </i></b>known for its prized Hereford cattle.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">BACK IN TIME AT CASA MALPAIS</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHT3VyVuLVItVAzmgLKl84_jDxQsCp-iTAw9X4TPDKg4rPWvIG5ZvGfbNSSlyaV86Kk0H0ZtSHdMfLRl1uYJEHmm5zGCdLN4OIqWX1-6ZeWErAUNxXnPR7emGosEmUDrrQQ6nRdnKnmXJk/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20f9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="1600" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHT3VyVuLVItVAzmgLKl84_jDxQsCp-iTAw9X4TPDKg4rPWvIG5ZvGfbNSSlyaV86Kk0H0ZtSHdMfLRl1uYJEHmm5zGCdLN4OIqWX1-6ZeWErAUNxXnPR7emGosEmUDrrQQ6nRdnKnmXJk/s400/fullsizeoutput_20f9.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">However, our main purpose for visiting this remote Arizona state park was for the opportunity to visit the ruins of <b><i>Casa Malpais</i></b>, a village that was inhabited from 1240-1350 by the Mogollón people. The ruins site was owned by the town of Springerville, and the only way to gain access was with a Springerville museum tour guide. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Casa Malpais was situated on a rugged volcanic rock terrace above the flood plain of the Little Colorado River on the outskirts of Springerville. The Mogollón people cleared the rocks from the volcanic terraces and then used these areas below their village as agricultural fields to grow corn, beans, and squash. The outline of dozens of rooms could clearly be seen from above.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCdJ8nfV06tg5-mOtOha1j-AbLUZa9X6UGkGKkC9XpzqgB-wjfWtZoX5OUgNMrS2MPtHWwx87OJYOgAIZlfg6ABkyeNKtRGjgS1qg-zgPBLyEWAxRzj8qinc57Hw3VRjqa_U0-sIOXj7g/s1600/IMG_4174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCdJ8nfV06tg5-mOtOha1j-AbLUZa9X6UGkGKkC9XpzqgB-wjfWtZoX5OUgNMrS2MPtHWwx87OJYOgAIZlfg6ABkyeNKtRGjgS1qg-zgPBLyEWAxRzj8qinc57Hw3VRjqa_U0-sIOXj7g/s640/IMG_4174.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Archeologic exploration of Casa Malpais has uncovered at least 70 rooms in addition to evidence of a great kiva,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2kR8oFoh9b2eI-Q7TgIE4lnztiPndZRICPzscDysOkKpIxuUTJ_-ZG4JjoN09J7XVvwNHMdqv5NCH1kKbex6M6W8i8Vx64Vn2FKkPXxUXRmqw9NnqK0Yfbs6DgVfaAjeFrp7XfuNiBu3/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20ff.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2kR8oFoh9b2eI-Q7TgIE4lnztiPndZRICPzscDysOkKpIxuUTJ_-ZG4JjoN09J7XVvwNHMdqv5NCH1kKbex6M6W8i8Vx64Vn2FKkPXxUXRmqw9NnqK0Yfbs6DgVfaAjeFrp7XfuNiBu3/s640/fullsizeoutput_20ff.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">rock art,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkjzELl7vUk7wQW4CMO6-UHphJwngdvLDoERS4iEr_egSIE-AGLzjvnLNgfP96uJpiYQnqPA46RyEE306lYULL9HztTCNa57o7DSdw07a5z5EveiIq2RHPS9hWMFTbCDTd7qzJvCEnrRe/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2102.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkjzELl7vUk7wQW4CMO6-UHphJwngdvLDoERS4iEr_egSIE-AGLzjvnLNgfP96uJpiYQnqPA46RyEE306lYULL9HztTCNa57o7DSdw07a5z5EveiIq2RHPS9hWMFTbCDTd7qzJvCEnrRe/s640/fullsizeoutput_2102.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and a large room designed as a solar calendar.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZb443Wdj_D8quwafQk2UjDVXL3Gw7iHguKNVBWW60zFBWqMbR62cWLzVm5pjmLln_QVs-Kwmv3GYoW-XduKWOg3HCa62pma_8h8TlhmgJWvzo4KShybedNh1X7X3y7rrC7rZ6PzFdEnt/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2104.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZb443Wdj_D8quwafQk2UjDVXL3Gw7iHguKNVBWW60zFBWqMbR62cWLzVm5pjmLln_QVs-Kwmv3GYoW-XduKWOg3HCa62pma_8h8TlhmgJWvzo4KShybedNh1X7X3y7rrC7rZ6PzFdEnt/s640/fullsizeoutput_2104.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Ancient puebloan villages like Casa Malpais that show clear evidence of astrological alignments of their building structures never cease to amaze me. These early inhabitants were clearly in tune with the cosmos, as their very survival depended on intimate knowledge about the cycles of nature and the mathematical regularity of observed heavenly bodies.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">When questioned, our local guide denied any knowledge of burial sites at Casa Malpais; however, I later learned from a high school friend, who used to live in Eagar, that several hundred graves in burial chambers called catacombs have been known to exist at the site. Indeed, an article written by an archeologist who did extensive work onsite stated that Casa Malpais is notable for the fact that these catacombs are the first known used by any prehistoric people north of Mexico. Out of respect for the dead, perhaps the guide’s denial was a way of discouraging the public from disturbing burial sites.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">TIMELESS BEAUTY AT THE GRAND CANYON</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">After a week at Lyman Lake State Park, we moved the big-rig to Trailer Village for a week on the <b><i>South Rim of the Grand Canyon</i></b>. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxoRbIjhmkBcctHNougsuoYerFT6NgVjnNKg3X6ZF3rNCGzi_jtDRgsg4RWntUNrnooS7TtJsTXmTD-L0FQ2_4HzzdKXH1jfttUY-YBEBcqWYGAeINdGu1uymr1PmzVoSfd7cTxqJ2jtjB/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2114.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxoRbIjhmkBcctHNougsuoYerFT6NgVjnNKg3X6ZF3rNCGzi_jtDRgsg4RWntUNrnooS7TtJsTXmTD-L0FQ2_4HzzdKXH1jfttUY-YBEBcqWYGAeINdGu1uymr1PmzVoSfd7cTxqJ2jtjB/s640/fullsizeoutput_2114.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We had the luxury of time to explore the historic structures of the canyon, such as:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>El Tovar Hotel</i></b>, the signature lodge of the Grand Canyon.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUZaWy2LKGqpT-civPzpaWS9Ujvp6OEIeiHzfN3fm7hnGerg6kob-inoNHiPdYb3ae-JereVN885tzCAnSQcwCdnkvv7IUiFBFmHGjKpyqwQHyo5j3Fce94vP1eZ-sYTrECTPcItXhe1s/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2168.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1517" data-original-width="1600" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUZaWy2LKGqpT-civPzpaWS9Ujvp6OEIeiHzfN3fm7hnGerg6kob-inoNHiPdYb3ae-JereVN885tzCAnSQcwCdnkvv7IUiFBFmHGjKpyqwQHyo5j3Fce94vP1eZ-sYTrECTPcItXhe1s/s200/fullsizeoutput_2168.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1SihnPIcJwpVG0eoSaG-5ZISyW30MRk5kSv0cFW8ZOrNEXi0lzNXYfDwBsqOHf3FxZx2421Ra_h7XOgFYF6uHziIc4QIMtbXC9d11HDCEMxtz6s72RKscC7V0pfZCepXnz7DehZOx2Ca3/s1600/fullsizeoutput_21b6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1SihnPIcJwpVG0eoSaG-5ZISyW30MRk5kSv0cFW8ZOrNEXi0lzNXYfDwBsqOHf3FxZx2421Ra_h7XOgFYF6uHziIc4QIMtbXC9d11HDCEMxtz6s72RKscC7V0pfZCepXnz7DehZOx2Ca3/s400/fullsizeoutput_21b6.jpeg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">century-old <b><i>Hopi House</i></b>,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOcPkdWwRkGCYdjzYigOBgsqfQVS26-px26XlLi6aB2gvbah0uH_8rt2oA4icL3z_NIVXTMp7FH-gpHFw0KFi5_hkYgJnCIwwPbXi66H8aVFdfMOVFlFIQb4sj9VrHeI2raLj12hEzlR9/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2164.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOcPkdWwRkGCYdjzYigOBgsqfQVS26-px26XlLi6aB2gvbah0uH_8rt2oA4icL3z_NIVXTMp7FH-gpHFw0KFi5_hkYgJnCIwwPbXi66H8aVFdfMOVFlFIQb4sj9VrHeI2raLj12hEzlR9/s640/fullsizeoutput_2164.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Hermit’s Rest</i></b>,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-HPoNrVFJODyITZ2kV-HbO7W8hbjDq4M1dHt2UgyMLFdMcggvb1ZCwf9bHxha0sJ9o8_YEASQyuyBjXa8VcBRiIGzcASZmVjJLKh7Dw8VGqh623XPuQZNn-VuUEeNNViYXJ4XBhWZCs8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_21a1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="1600" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-HPoNrVFJODyITZ2kV-HbO7W8hbjDq4M1dHt2UgyMLFdMcggvb1ZCwf9bHxha0sJ9o8_YEASQyuyBjXa8VcBRiIGzcASZmVjJLKh7Dw8VGqh623XPuQZNn-VuUEeNNViYXJ4XBhWZCs8/s640/fullsizeoutput_21a1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaP34D2yspK2t0QO2yue_q_q-45NYSUle7PCgQMopIT6N_d_XWM-qtrfVv6hXNDpLLnAfRBsNmLIZKFOvnMn9TFCc6OuIN3m7j0-Gf2D3GNZyOq-8u8iZ8DUhTwwBU4ltw7H6DwRos_DDA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_21a2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaP34D2yspK2t0QO2yue_q_q-45NYSUle7PCgQMopIT6N_d_XWM-qtrfVv6hXNDpLLnAfRBsNmLIZKFOvnMn9TFCc6OuIN3m7j0-Gf2D3GNZyOq-8u8iZ8DUhTwwBU4ltw7H6DwRos_DDA/s640/fullsizeoutput_21a2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and <b><i>Desert View Watchtower.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6u3t8wgozMCUdKR8aiLEyxoP15QYYOgmt2bWyuniLMKM4IZfkRkVfjz72SeZ9HSLLBwD7tJ6QVBbZ2Ex7f-1jBKj9SK2fP0kVW9TCXHUXeA33kctW5ftcsSla96Tz0pn-Dwq99fbHP4r/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2158.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1600" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6u3t8wgozMCUdKR8aiLEyxoP15QYYOgmt2bWyuniLMKM4IZfkRkVfjz72SeZ9HSLLBwD7tJ6QVBbZ2Ex7f-1jBKj9SK2fP0kVW9TCXHUXeA33kctW5ftcsSla96Tz0pn-Dwq99fbHP4r/s640/fullsizeoutput_2158.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3u93MEkqE36sDHguwi4x8n-3x778QiaMtYOy4xgiq5xBzy_FiqqfTvHrRs596q0Q8IJV_QWKau_Uh4UOT9IyBPh5Xqchj9llb12vyrt9NxrrBQI2daw2MLUWN84yKmk5K41ToZit0l94/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2187.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3u93MEkqE36sDHguwi4x8n-3x778QiaMtYOy4xgiq5xBzy_FiqqfTvHrRs596q0Q8IJV_QWKau_Uh4UOT9IyBPh5Xqchj9llb12vyrt9NxrrBQI2daw2MLUWN84yKmk5K41ToZit0l94/s400/fullsizeoutput_2187.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Hopi House</i></b>,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Hermit’s Rest, </i></b>and <b><i>Desert View Watchtower</i></b> and were all masterpiece creations of famed early 20th century Grand Canyon architect Mary Colter, who was a master at blending indigenous culture with the natural environment when creating her designs. <b><i>Desert View Watchtower</i></b> was most impressive.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU32LBkSC7Fbz79QoYLAPfv7MeTozHiMll5-7MCROSdyff1PUg5TRA_MpueASiEtxMa42RZKZnyh4nlvs-mlqq-UW1u6zqIk3fb5ECD81Ct1GajfPdqWXWmKtBIoffWPymEs1134jIU6kH/s1600/fullsizeoutput_215d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU32LBkSC7Fbz79QoYLAPfv7MeTozHiMll5-7MCROSdyff1PUg5TRA_MpueASiEtxMa42RZKZnyh4nlvs-mlqq-UW1u6zqIk3fb5ECD81Ct1GajfPdqWXWmKtBIoffWPymEs1134jIU6kH/s640/fullsizeoutput_215d.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Inside the tower, Mary Colter’s concept of painting the walls with vibrant representations of Native American themes was breathtaking.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDH1sO8LCxA2wUssQNdzaKnsjQ93JVO7rdrV87JVh-b5GJkwzaiZxQRWtfiHcqV5rF1EeyO-tVLqAuMEJF936qt_4a6zN6vADp_25WhfSsRmmFBxoKTIDU7JGNna8ZcdRG7tH2OQrW1EmL/s1600/IMG_4231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDH1sO8LCxA2wUssQNdzaKnsjQ93JVO7rdrV87JVh-b5GJkwzaiZxQRWtfiHcqV5rF1EeyO-tVLqAuMEJF936qt_4a6zN6vADp_25WhfSsRmmFBxoKTIDU7JGNna8ZcdRG7tH2OQrW1EmL/s640/IMG_4231.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">An indoor winding staircase led to an upper story with windows on all sides that overlooked 360-degree sweeping vistas.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQmTw9qOOeENbth5dUW5hXIgU4eDnwPVC6TfAGvb-OlgRXHSefpOBXiEsYFuHEMnOQJGAjmDwFQI3JHF4CcwDbIez7S26pJN7f1G1d3PEKanypj9PYA1lsxRr66SX1XUf7KyDvQ_CZP35/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2180.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="1600" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQmTw9qOOeENbth5dUW5hXIgU4eDnwPVC6TfAGvb-OlgRXHSefpOBXiEsYFuHEMnOQJGAjmDwFQI3JHF4CcwDbIez7S26pJN7f1G1d3PEKanypj9PYA1lsxRr66SX1XUf7KyDvQ_CZP35/s640/fullsizeoutput_2180.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqYrcqsqyO-KwDYLQfY3r-4wRADNs_0plgA2a6zydXD5XxCG4lZF9Ru4j8RVYAdinC04-HL-8c9SS5A2B0ko_E2fe6b05zXrtEFPlJzEjevmZnuKHVeFiz4bIxjKhkW5RuE3WG90zfNZJ/s1600/P1030746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqYrcqsqyO-KwDYLQfY3r-4wRADNs_0plgA2a6zydXD5XxCG4lZF9Ru4j8RVYAdinC04-HL-8c9SS5A2B0ko_E2fe6b05zXrtEFPlJzEjevmZnuKHVeFiz4bIxjKhkW5RuE3WG90zfNZJ/s640/P1030746.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Grand Canyon was formed by the Colorado River as it carved deeply into the uplifted sediments of the Colorado Plateau over a period of a mere 6 million years. The river cut all the way down to the 2-billion-year-old black-colored Vishnu Basement Rock layer, a schist layer that forms the very foundation of the continent! </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahjMu6MMg2L_ohuY6b89gVTx_hi2G3GCSzT0tYC891vla2ok9rzfEwzYsQzviVqvKHLlQwVVZtJ2K3EsCc60QOIXEgswsobWUz15-A6Phf58oMzA3m-xM6mSsq0JMa8bEAf7speCMfqwX/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2220.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahjMu6MMg2L_ohuY6b89gVTx_hi2G3GCSzT0tYC891vla2ok9rzfEwzYsQzviVqvKHLlQwVVZtJ2K3EsCc60QOIXEgswsobWUz15-A6Phf58oMzA3m-xM6mSsq0JMa8bEAf7speCMfqwX/s640/fullsizeoutput_2220.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Over our week’s stay, we took frequent advantage of the South Rim’s free shuttle bus system. As a result, we were able to hike most of the 13-mile South Rim trail. The canyon view always seemed to change depending on the time of day and the presence or absence of cloud cover. Early morning seemed to showcase the most vibrant colors.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZA1_CRgEBK_KjcWKWsI4YHK1uS8iel9AU0M8k3lOdruF4yMCo0cbNDC2v6XzrMtCwr9x-11V_-9a81bci0sFHVSrxclRB9dBK_SHq-Tp1hCYCf5XXeTmzS6A0NUe7DjYSFcqjiBurgQQ8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_218d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="1600" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZA1_CRgEBK_KjcWKWsI4YHK1uS8iel9AU0M8k3lOdruF4yMCo0cbNDC2v6XzrMtCwr9x-11V_-9a81bci0sFHVSrxclRB9dBK_SHq-Tp1hCYCf5XXeTmzS6A0NUe7DjYSFcqjiBurgQQ8/s640/fullsizeoutput_218d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Rain in the distance provided a different kind of drama.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTaDCJ6H0ewbZBHaTFsL8L_hgFTF7FEAMenN6SYowBX_X2ra0bTvI5kutvBDCpvbXny1_Pp-jALniI0deljG90XRZvcqK9ZcDo1yaDUR1Q94E29wQVxoD7q-eJzv9qwf5ra9yy8cCvViYR/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2132.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTaDCJ6H0ewbZBHaTFsL8L_hgFTF7FEAMenN6SYowBX_X2ra0bTvI5kutvBDCpvbXny1_Pp-jALniI0deljG90XRZvcqK9ZcDo1yaDUR1Q94E29wQVxoD7q-eJzv9qwf5ra9yy8cCvViYR/s640/fullsizeoutput_2132.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The view from the South Rim looking down on the end of <b><i>Bright Angel Trail</i></b> recalled a hike Al and I took together 40 years ago, shortly after we were married. The 12-mile roundtrip trail went down 3000 feet and ended at a precipice overlooking the inner canyon.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKt6sQ1_J0HMX-cvkJ5WwK0fqE9UChCmkYT3KwwoVMl7fKlYNI7g5gJQowzxG3zUVop_r3ymPHyg6a-kGXhyphenhyphenVEsxGX-l5rXZxybZzCX9RTtiWKYuwgKfRaDuRrJ1f-mMJJFHP5xuN62QAT/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2225.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKt6sQ1_J0HMX-cvkJ5WwK0fqE9UChCmkYT3KwwoVMl7fKlYNI7g5gJQowzxG3zUVop_r3ymPHyg6a-kGXhyphenhyphenVEsxGX-l5rXZxybZzCX9RTtiWKYuwgKfRaDuRrJ1f-mMJJFHP5xuN62QAT/s640/fullsizeoutput_2225.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In his bachelor days, Al hiked all the way down into the Grand Canyon to river level, where he recalled simply laying a sleeping bag out on the ground to sleep at the bottom. No special permits required. For both of us, rim hikes were quite sufficient for appreciation this time… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The view from Shoshone Point necessitated a mile hike, making it one of the lesser visited viewpoints, but we felt it was one of the best!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_6J83p_m4FfpfNNiZnkgMg8aIBfNi08k-YitdiEKhk1vFPz8Qa4q-R7jDwygm117fJMEVJdaVtMxTju6FEQDDVCYeV8019X3YlpYuexFmnXIX8CpA6cnZCLtuimXfUJArRQ4wTAb9ggb/s1600/fullsizeoutput_21bb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1600" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_6J83p_m4FfpfNNiZnkgMg8aIBfNi08k-YitdiEKhk1vFPz8Qa4q-R7jDwygm117fJMEVJdaVtMxTju6FEQDDVCYeV8019X3YlpYuexFmnXIX8CpA6cnZCLtuimXfUJArRQ4wTAb9ggb/s640/fullsizeoutput_21bb.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was hard to chose our favorite vanity shots…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzP_VcQMsJzxvKq46NmyQa6tnbDmjqL7Df84Zce5gjEWYbw85nVQeB9BUUW1vPj2N2QTP3R_wrw0CVEOpo0CZp5ppQqGD1TWF5EwSd5Dn2cyftVNfRTqzxoJqz0E1qXMabzTyoO4WhEcu/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2135.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzP_VcQMsJzxvKq46NmyQa6tnbDmjqL7Df84Zce5gjEWYbw85nVQeB9BUUW1vPj2N2QTP3R_wrw0CVEOpo0CZp5ppQqGD1TWF5EwSd5Dn2cyftVNfRTqzxoJqz0E1qXMabzTyoO4WhEcu/s640/fullsizeoutput_2135.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcz6CgsLOrZ6kOnYy6Ou2qBuPKmO6lbaZ8vmJmu181MxyTi88g6_1mjWNMZZT7EneTpd2bwaIf3VaBcYwrXvgZg1QWoS55U1_wSrAbGfb0AJFHyyXuSdzaoZeCDyIYMwVyKTKY-hYOwDW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_21a6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcz6CgsLOrZ6kOnYy6Ou2qBuPKmO6lbaZ8vmJmu181MxyTi88g6_1mjWNMZZT7EneTpd2bwaIf3VaBcYwrXvgZg1QWoS55U1_wSrAbGfb0AJFHyyXuSdzaoZeCDyIYMwVyKTKY-hYOwDW/s640/fullsizeoutput_21a6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFAovQL42y4oKhsZlRVcegamNtp9lBecKteVVBSJWA04ob1TP5I9dBWpcG8dy3sB8oW7WDoybRr7BqS8qBzhfvMvq7PbbFlrwas_tkCRkqRjy7W_Ts_J5MKN0trKy041tJ2bNaLWAYBlSe/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2221.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFAovQL42y4oKhsZlRVcegamNtp9lBecKteVVBSJWA04ob1TP5I9dBWpcG8dy3sB8oW7WDoybRr7BqS8qBzhfvMvq7PbbFlrwas_tkCRkqRjy7W_Ts_J5MKN0trKy041tJ2bNaLWAYBlSe/s640/fullsizeoutput_2221.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Animal sightings, both in camp</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfzXHOmvrlzJP1FFZ2Ew-nKriD_5pDgFIxiK8noi-s06ipNQlOf7scaATQzu2iKA-k7hHPyiWRjlTezAMKtbKCKBREsPjn4BTmpG4DS9j-EcKL6ytSdCuI96xdkjWj6_Bv-fzBbSuiespg/s1600/IMG_4213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1282" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfzXHOmvrlzJP1FFZ2Ew-nKriD_5pDgFIxiK8noi-s06ipNQlOf7scaATQzu2iKA-k7hHPyiWRjlTezAMKtbKCKBREsPjn4BTmpG4DS9j-EcKL6ytSdCuI96xdkjWj6_Bv-fzBbSuiespg/s320/IMG_4213.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdq1jjrScRnJhqml2lShsOYjaL916zHSTwDWjauZKowpJ_X7baQ4vA7TDMxbVNwsmfrWRshy-CbSh2g94XLDdHPCggQ1oHAIr64pv4tVivolEMcUYjz9I3xooe4aC3wcLOFPaMfhoeSPZ/s1600/P1030716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdq1jjrScRnJhqml2lShsOYjaL916zHSTwDWjauZKowpJ_X7baQ4vA7TDMxbVNwsmfrWRshy-CbSh2g94XLDdHPCggQ1oHAIr64pv4tVivolEMcUYjz9I3xooe4aC3wcLOFPaMfhoeSPZ/s400/P1030716.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and along the rim,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGH4Hb9nxKJlsJDKkBzRBmLUXYW0qXxSIRIDw_u88m8IRbPxokoamBpKzgmK3MQ8A6fSqSR1PatYK9UBfTOE3JajTyYbilcsXr3T1nxNCOoVHmNqEGwv42g1mtwB0RddtEseIhYVuJ8E4M/s1600/fullsizeoutput_219e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGH4Hb9nxKJlsJDKkBzRBmLUXYW0qXxSIRIDw_u88m8IRbPxokoamBpKzgmK3MQ8A6fSqSR1PatYK9UBfTOE3JajTyYbilcsXr3T1nxNCOoVHmNqEGwv42g1mtwB0RddtEseIhYVuJ8E4M/s640/fullsizeoutput_219e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iwGgdmxgu8mpWnZ96ZZCwiEc4OR4QWZbc7_kdkaX55BX1N6E2q2fgfXHi-BlvmOvSh1B4s4F_X763eSqtT_blFKGPwwcohMJOFotVmQCNy8TPbhfCizTVKqvSP8shCVCeJL6jAVTh9uE/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2115.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iwGgdmxgu8mpWnZ96ZZCwiEc4OR4QWZbc7_kdkaX55BX1N6E2q2fgfXHi-BlvmOvSh1B4s4F_X763eSqtT_blFKGPwwcohMJOFotVmQCNy8TPbhfCizTVKqvSP8shCVCeJL6jAVTh9uE/s400/fullsizeoutput_2115.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">plus sightings of rafters about to enter treacherous whitewaters of the Colorado River,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9018By-PImV5JmXO2f6lao7rwg6f7-2E-TeEJ0PVNbZsOKij8Z4K5MKlxq0B_V-uSjj6KDMMOTFHYAtvaT9XEiDnwDUdpqvi8FqTGxy1AjsKZo1hAHXjIL_Sx3IBgebQZuwOACRwu8qDm/s1600/fullsizeoutput_21b1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1600" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9018By-PImV5JmXO2f6lao7rwg6f7-2E-TeEJ0PVNbZsOKij8Z4K5MKlxq0B_V-uSjj6KDMMOTFHYAtvaT9XEiDnwDUdpqvi8FqTGxy1AjsKZo1hAHXjIL_Sx3IBgebQZuwOACRwu8qDm/s640/fullsizeoutput_21b1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">only emphasized the fact that the Grand Canyon remains an untamed wilderness. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">There is little original commentary I could add to any description of the Grand Canyon. The desert landscape certainly makes it one of those unique places on Earth where a couple of billion years of geologic time is not hidden under a cloak of vegetation. Simply put, the sweeping grandeur of nearly 2 billion years of geologic history displayed in the rock layers simply overwhelmed the senses. The view itself was all that was necessary to elevate one’s thoughts to a spiritual level. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0dLsashPntyNTgbkCGPjvPq9KZZiLCArVRBEZjMY9_oyLgb836ocxdZ9r_Gnj3iaDGO3qjpAr13YlGie090mMiKOt1_dOe2pbLuugZT7k8LA59m5w8H85PC301OUHRoQf-ySamajvJZ7/s1600/P1030815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0dLsashPntyNTgbkCGPjvPq9KZZiLCArVRBEZjMY9_oyLgb836ocxdZ9r_Gnj3iaDGO3qjpAr13YlGie090mMiKOt1_dOe2pbLuugZT7k8LA59m5w8H85PC301OUHRoQf-ySamajvJZ7/s640/P1030815.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJNWtYWgC_UlYVQdDuAOxozkeQK6G5T6pFUB5JG3pxp7I60Fu13AzlTgAqlsS9bsUfWzF72EsYwTyEyM8mS_3l6_OB-NBFE7eYqC1ZeJnGAwfmSpeBfx9kdvYWkUsyCUMDrNeuoY1lUbM/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2201.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJNWtYWgC_UlYVQdDuAOxozkeQK6G5T6pFUB5JG3pxp7I60Fu13AzlTgAqlsS9bsUfWzF72EsYwTyEyM8mS_3l6_OB-NBFE7eYqC1ZeJnGAwfmSpeBfx9kdvYWkUsyCUMDrNeuoY1lUbM/s640/fullsizeoutput_2201.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-50620713423963984422019-04-16T09:34:00.000-05:002019-04-16T09:34:18.633-05:00THE TRAIL OF THE MOUNTAIN SPIRITS IN SILVER CITY, NM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnVAjUWEe11QZbr8L2AfFogDrADFHsWSb43TQDqXrOBmR746F9iMi_cQZ7Xvyp8tkB00D7LUFEgkPbG3esLQX2F0xZc0nq_iUy8VeFbSegJUQfQP6Sta94rySnl9REdG1QVWvQN8E7xDn/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20e6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnVAjUWEe11QZbr8L2AfFogDrADFHsWSb43TQDqXrOBmR746F9iMi_cQZ7Xvyp8tkB00D7LUFEgkPbG3esLQX2F0xZc0nq_iUy8VeFbSegJUQfQP6Sta94rySnl9REdG1QVWvQN8E7xDn/s640/fullsizeoutput_20e6.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span></span><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">This year’s long-anticipated turn north could not begin until spring had fully arrived in the mountain areas along our planned route. Meanwhile, Al conceived a great plan for us to bide our time by hanging out for a couple of weeks in Silver City, a small culturally progressive mining town along New Mexico’s western border.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oAKbshmncd8vG3P_5Clf9tANGhYDEuXxNBLX22ojXYgA56GznVTNETyXO1Z2Ikzq5DiUzMOw6Ret42iGzMJBaME5xbI0imC4uyUSRyT2KWq-ZqZm0qpK-UXGrCIwWugm1o0aL7-f_E4O/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2111.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1331" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oAKbshmncd8vG3P_5Clf9tANGhYDEuXxNBLX22ojXYgA56GznVTNETyXO1Z2Ikzq5DiUzMOw6Ret42iGzMJBaME5xbI0imC4uyUSRyT2KWq-ZqZm0qpK-UXGrCIwWugm1o0aL7-f_E4O/s400/fullsizeoutput_2111.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGI6eQuU-wcKFApm8Gr1ddDTpcwJNL3Cl-ZD9sNJuucxcJgAuT3w_cRF9FkhDe1sVfjFGRP4Rcui9lZ26bqrf3AsySqx0pmqNzLwSdjvojQ7567nx5Mfw5CuPnQTz5J3xXsh9SW-VAs8hy/s1600/fullsizeoutput_210e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGI6eQuU-wcKFApm8Gr1ddDTpcwJNL3Cl-ZD9sNJuucxcJgAuT3w_cRF9FkhDe1sVfjFGRP4Rcui9lZ26bqrf3AsySqx0pmqNzLwSdjvojQ7567nx5Mfw5CuPnQTz5J3xXsh9SW-VAs8hy/s320/fullsizeoutput_210e.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">And so we set up camp for a couple of weeks at the edge of the town that was once the boyhood home of Billy the Kid…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrsSu99TCE9Fy5oCldt4sjw89dompxwTJJRPMnE2Ar-3RtGay12OIGBQJ1YoSU_7Q4ikXUFLUGQun_hUpnQdUZsTadhqMmQMUmEgCJtDtkbDp7LSBPIDJvh7Z5JfXb-exfm2p9hqvOZqDg/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20ba.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1600" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrsSu99TCE9Fy5oCldt4sjw89dompxwTJJRPMnE2Ar-3RtGay12OIGBQJ1YoSU_7Q4ikXUFLUGQun_hUpnQdUZsTadhqMmQMUmEgCJtDtkbDp7LSBPIDJvh7Z5JfXb-exfm2p9hqvOZqDg/s640/fullsizeoutput_20ba.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Silver City lies along the <b><i>Trail of the Mountain Spirits</i></b>, a name which reflects those who have lingered here through the ages. Over a two-week stay, we followed in the footsteps of those mountain spirits who preceded us:</span><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Ancient Mogollón Puebloans, Apaches, Spaniards, Mexicans, miners, and U.S. Army soldiers and doctors. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejDqtKdF9IGvBILTTnKiwjNLrchIaqp8Vf5UjXntq4k_Ms2tBDPgnoJBCO5zY_cbTYFnEbVMR76AI9dY7zEILH6cOAE4MB3kKxwxjNp6muRZvyurPnS-NsP9LwFQrBH53eLh4itIfwrUS/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20b9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejDqtKdF9IGvBILTTnKiwjNLrchIaqp8Vf5UjXntq4k_Ms2tBDPgnoJBCO5zY_cbTYFnEbVMR76AI9dY7zEILH6cOAE4MB3kKxwxjNp6muRZvyurPnS-NsP9LwFQrBH53eLh4itIfwrUS/s400/fullsizeoutput_20b9.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At <b><i>Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument</i></b>, evidence of some of the earliest human habitation in the upper Gila River region was on full display. Ancient Puebloans of the Mogollón culture occupied these caves between 1275 and 1300.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZkOpg_BOXWqWczkx5MopqLTCTVLIcGZWvvVJbfyUJAU_T338b4tDnpYp9dDvuo0hGxEMpzE4JfJ4FnmSTh5zuw4TCSjn18AMFPql3mb_eWzYjsb8o5myomtVJJbiLzlRpyUymDPZuVEQ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2099.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="1600" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZkOpg_BOXWqWczkx5MopqLTCTVLIcGZWvvVJbfyUJAU_T338b4tDnpYp9dDvuo0hGxEMpzE4JfJ4FnmSTh5zuw4TCSjn18AMFPql3mb_eWzYjsb8o5myomtVJJbiLzlRpyUymDPZuVEQ/s640/fullsizeoutput_2099.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A 1-mile canyon loop trail led to five natural interlinked caves that were situated about 180 feet above the canyon floor. What made <b><i>Gila Cliff Dwellings</i></b> special was unusually generous visitor access to the caves. Surprisingly, we were able to walk well inside the actual caves</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh72kBOS342BNrliI5dFClzj33MIDGDmss9LAGalQSt20XN81RPgbwxf4bl1Cnx_CxMWb0p1lT0kj_JZxnw6kBFAmfcIL1A5PxVBEN0Tr6fFOfvKe5S7lI5wbu28-KX-W67lgfwTojTOSU/s1600/fullsizeoutput_209e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1600" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh72kBOS342BNrliI5dFClzj33MIDGDmss9LAGalQSt20XN81RPgbwxf4bl1Cnx_CxMWb0p1lT0kj_JZxnw6kBFAmfcIL1A5PxVBEN0Tr6fFOfvKe5S7lI5wbu28-KX-W67lgfwTojTOSU/s640/fullsizeoutput_209e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">along strategic pathways between various rooms. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBK6SunEJOpwaCP2lqbZ7OP7dBIcaKEyUAM4QCzt81ZxKIwDd5jSkBjqREt0pUyv85IgtcjKGC9SIRmpgINcHv8UP7xJEXT8Fahtf91WjhUo2sYE-bjW5q0sEtXtVpE74XWkpEcU182Jdw/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20a2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBK6SunEJOpwaCP2lqbZ7OP7dBIcaKEyUAM4QCzt81ZxKIwDd5jSkBjqREt0pUyv85IgtcjKGC9SIRmpgINcHv8UP7xJEXT8Fahtf91WjhUo2sYE-bjW5q0sEtXtVpE74XWkpEcU182Jdw/s640/fullsizeoutput_20a2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctgifPw_tglFD-ZcUQTBdsgDFQ4rSxkbE0fCaL2mmDCZHZrcHN4ai30UwAy6tGPqvbFabgkIyiPuMB4tL9uFTc21E6QTxnLEKKhOW999i4eg9TzGU7kFgXi_61qtZ3anj9Fcy_f7DupoP/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20a7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctgifPw_tglFD-ZcUQTBdsgDFQ4rSxkbE0fCaL2mmDCZHZrcHN4ai30UwAy6tGPqvbFabgkIyiPuMB4tL9uFTc21E6QTxnLEKKhOW999i4eg9TzGU7kFgXi_61qtZ3anj9Fcy_f7DupoP/s640/fullsizeoutput_20a7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The only dicey part for me was the exit down a ladder from the caves. Al had no trouble...</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NK4KNFZpLlW8aeyvxazWucgHVimNvqXVmxg0xd07830gaQKwvVBq_k6x3QC6t6xLUmiaXZT8RT0UXk87b_LfiIEtj0jZT8Yj5hwrAaWRRbRVP2_2EeljQv1_YuT_V0I3NhT2w4PoSQgJ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20a8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NK4KNFZpLlW8aeyvxazWucgHVimNvqXVmxg0xd07830gaQKwvVBq_k6x3QC6t6xLUmiaXZT8RT0UXk87b_LfiIEtj0jZT8Yj5hwrAaWRRbRVP2_2EeljQv1_YuT_V0I3NhT2w4PoSQgJ/s640/fullsizeoutput_20a8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mQWU2HAf3w8iUcR2pZ7W9KwupvvZ_3qcctdFPjCPSIDzM81Vh6jT98_2Tqs-62JYbS6bYRP7n1vjTCzd3n-jCtYwZCNMHtIcGoTb1Z2p6KchURi9JEn6dqS13mcRLsQtjrYkiLWRKsYi/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2071.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mQWU2HAf3w8iUcR2pZ7W9KwupvvZ_3qcctdFPjCPSIDzM81Vh6jT98_2Tqs-62JYbS6bYRP7n1vjTCzd3n-jCtYwZCNMHtIcGoTb1Z2p6KchURi9JEn6dqS13mcRLsQtjrYkiLWRKsYi/s640/fullsizeoutput_2071.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At <b><i>City of Rocks State Park</i></b> we meandered between giant rock formations that were created as a result of ancient lava flows 35 million years ago that have been eroded by wind and water. It was this volcanic molten rock that deposited the copper, silver and gold that would make this one of the Southwest’s richest ore fields.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhic08uoEhyphenhyphentfWusOGB5JiROo6JZJFYNbYUpjqWSqyJV82GvIjfx3TeFGs3Ks2-ACdpEQu7ZiMRS8gm_Pl4ONd2DrhWWljspbzV-bmGWZFehFk3mrTGf7Gzw-JsLN3hJaKzMJ5ml6ul0zhP/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2083.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="1600" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhic08uoEhyphenhyphentfWusOGB5JiROo6JZJFYNbYUpjqWSqyJV82GvIjfx3TeFGs3Ks2-ACdpEQu7ZiMRS8gm_Pl4ONd2DrhWWljspbzV-bmGWZFehFk3mrTGf7Gzw-JsLN3hJaKzMJ5ml6ul0zhP/s640/fullsizeoutput_2083.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsH_2BkhQ7b3vUfTiuGd-QjNYQsPjz8pyyaPQrmxOPx4lgxD8nNfgjjAlqutsziktLoKchx6JGkas3DuIhh2AzT5KcAmIDmrqOPiWBqTIWMCpaZR1qGz2xnj8wRyM3iWxIxnREZxR_Y1xX/s1600/IMG_4109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsH_2BkhQ7b3vUfTiuGd-QjNYQsPjz8pyyaPQrmxOPx4lgxD8nNfgjjAlqutsziktLoKchx6JGkas3DuIhh2AzT5KcAmIDmrqOPiWBqTIWMCpaZR1qGz2xnj8wRyM3iWxIxnREZxR_Y1xX/s640/IMG_4109.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uD6cFR7AD6VcBnSPryAkQOxShWu7s_h4dgJMdepUQO954V3vHd8rdScUIOrApsHahH5HaMm37gwytMFxUNwNqhqXG1j-y7PAA9xia8BUdZ8AYIZ7i0DzJlNEtpajEY12LudQUJPfIQso/s1600/P1030571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uD6cFR7AD6VcBnSPryAkQOxShWu7s_h4dgJMdepUQO954V3vHd8rdScUIOrApsHahH5HaMm37gwytMFxUNwNqhqXG1j-y7PAA9xia8BUdZ8AYIZ7i0DzJlNEtpajEY12LudQUJPfIQso/s640/P1030571.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The history around Silver City was the tale of mining, mining, and more mining. We observed eye-popping gigantic open pit mines and tailings that dotted the surrounding land for miles and miles.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdaT5KxRjjSE1KkYtMTXtzd2Vqq7OLWrowK8oYQ-OppT1z82RRRFH5nyHnpdp9EBVtaUo8hdxDlv8KjB7Aigb6Kb0TaYzLxh3pmioFL5ws_bogZqmSfMltoxv3718FJZBMZ5392D9uMGc/s1600/IMG_4139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdaT5KxRjjSE1KkYtMTXtzd2Vqq7OLWrowK8oYQ-OppT1z82RRRFH5nyHnpdp9EBVtaUo8hdxDlv8KjB7Aigb6Kb0TaYzLxh3pmioFL5ws_bogZqmSfMltoxv3718FJZBMZ5392D9uMGc/s640/IMG_4139.JPG" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In the Boston Hills Open Space area, a network of trails wound through prominent hills with clear evidence of various mining activities.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzk_ZT-bwCDFcPFbxdZuMEkICxMWs0G-nO7P-KyN5JhykNGIrqZ_9erNgzzzcdKK2Wgj5sI4rMX_qglPiCL7nE44jK4IYsLJOu0-4FHoRdJlp7UjKv6MYAsFKC8SVVapfqAFDKExScqAv/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20e3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzk_ZT-bwCDFcPFbxdZuMEkICxMWs0G-nO7P-KyN5JhykNGIrqZ_9erNgzzzcdKK2Wgj5sI4rMX_qglPiCL7nE44jK4IYsLJOu0-4FHoRdJlp7UjKv6MYAsFKC8SVVapfqAFDKExScqAv/s640/fullsizeoutput_20e3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We found ourselves somewhat enamored with the ambience of Silver City, especially along the Historic Downtown streets.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVYH6wlGtiCGTlqUqov-wfdyEzNNmG72HKn-EYdyo6nWL_ciFV27MLP5uczjlDF1oJdIRQGjD9caSxrquuIPY_pfBNjjEY2ajedfkKf2tomD75HXH90Zn7_StX0u1JBYchDi6CmBUcpu_/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2067.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVYH6wlGtiCGTlqUqov-wfdyEzNNmG72HKn-EYdyo6nWL_ciFV27MLP5uczjlDF1oJdIRQGjD9caSxrquuIPY_pfBNjjEY2ajedfkKf2tomD75HXH90Zn7_StX0u1JBYchDi6CmBUcpu_/s640/fullsizeoutput_2067.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfrA4EuhAU-fpLB84mi3T3LomqyFTeFyJqAl5CC_dkvaEf3lPqx9UOO4vJtgHdd2Nbd40UGlhcqxSwapRE4rcoMQrRKUn6kYVv9Is1YncAOoA6jnZHF9JJtjlyN7ssW7DoiDm5vvB3YZH/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20de.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1232" data-original-width="1600" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfrA4EuhAU-fpLB84mi3T3LomqyFTeFyJqAl5CC_dkvaEf3lPqx9UOO4vJtgHdd2Nbd40UGlhcqxSwapRE4rcoMQrRKUn6kYVv9Is1YncAOoA6jnZHF9JJtjlyN7ssW7DoiDm5vvB3YZH/s400/fullsizeoutput_20de.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We adopted a coffeehouse called the <b><i>Jumping Cactus</i></b> as our favorite haunt, and returned more than once for a great ‘cuppa joe’ accompanied by lively conversation with the barista, locals, and other visitors.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As always, I was intrigued by ‘then and now’ comparison pictures of historic homes, like this one of the Warren House, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqJa55BDOnJioWpYczJFlZ-yCnDdoSjTYrm_5SNrwPo14OI0xZqT5y0fEFj1pd8Fj1coWaC8jRGQrZcFNoyjRwU_1lBJs0dq6g4JNoHe9nGqA74d-QEW4yMvPt8HeVK-Bp7aML0M1WIXj/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20ed.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="1600" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqJa55BDOnJioWpYczJFlZ-yCnDdoSjTYrm_5SNrwPo14OI0xZqT5y0fEFj1pd8Fj1coWaC8jRGQrZcFNoyjRwU_1lBJs0dq6g4JNoHe9nGqA74d-QEW4yMvPt8HeVK-Bp7aML0M1WIXj/s320/fullsizeoutput_20ed.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiut3tYJR4GGsA8sXAB7WI2YVKN1fU0kzjQdhd53Qec1vXrAAZgBlrOvPfsAsweDBCYayESUeJl0w0t4bp57se13AB_nLXxjW9DnJqNIYLBMoUldjOe7LAtB8eOV5y1Uy1OdxlTMtW5PRea/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2025.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiut3tYJR4GGsA8sXAB7WI2YVKN1fU0kzjQdhd53Qec1vXrAAZgBlrOvPfsAsweDBCYayESUeJl0w0t4bp57se13AB_nLXxjW9DnJqNIYLBMoUldjOe7LAtB8eOV5y1Uy1OdxlTMtW5PRea/s400/fullsizeoutput_2025.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">which was the sole survivor of a devastating flood that demolished Silver City’s original Main Street in 1895. A 12-foot wall of water 300 feet wide carved a monstrous ditch as it swept through town. Silver City was rebuilt uphill, and what used to be Main Street has now become the Big Ditch.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnZNPlmPL0DvWmziKROiBwS2MQd5w3VuZNUKt6eiqdfAWiLQ-VHFqoeAPKHeqxuFPODr1hUc4DDOiYn7T4xYDJx4YhhS8hYlpud_WiBQHNl7ufXZLqmkKfWZEw5dIq3x37zMEqmBHMI7U/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2064.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnZNPlmPL0DvWmziKROiBwS2MQd5w3VuZNUKt6eiqdfAWiLQ-VHFqoeAPKHeqxuFPODr1hUc4DDOiYn7T4xYDJx4YhhS8hYlpud_WiBQHNl7ufXZLqmkKfWZEw5dIq3x37zMEqmBHMI7U/s640/fullsizeoutput_2064.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We spent an interesting day at Fort Bayard, an abandoned frontier Army fort on the outskirts of Silver City. Fort Bayard served as a U.S. Army post during the Indian Wars (1866-1899) and subsequently as an Army tuberculosis sanatorium until 1920. The original hospital has been torn down, but the grand Victorian housing for senior medical personnel has survived. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLd5Kyavv1YDL-KVnIRoz9VhyNw0KWPlB09nah_h9D4lhxbk1Rl04He3XUVB8TjWn2kuy8k9ZruLXPboB8iMkClmsr1wid7Tu26ap12T3NYFBYdGBOD6eiJKUFuqQ9qF2H1f5apP0htrQw/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20cf.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1600" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLd5Kyavv1YDL-KVnIRoz9VhyNw0KWPlB09nah_h9D4lhxbk1Rl04He3XUVB8TjWn2kuy8k9ZruLXPboB8iMkClmsr1wid7Tu26ap12T3NYFBYdGBOD6eiJKUFuqQ9qF2H1f5apP0htrQw/s640/fullsizeoutput_20cf.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The few structures that still stood were in a state of slow decay…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZzdlVb3zlUb96OpINrBDtjwKvybf27gg9-NUlSc-D8RZqMB7T5bMmvDY99a2u0UvvtTOIzG4uP2qRCzTJV97vRN-WefZCb_scP3pPt69bgtUb61v1QTGjDAMaa1PjKbH2OMqhq2ZeCym/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20cd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZzdlVb3zlUb96OpINrBDtjwKvybf27gg9-NUlSc-D8RZqMB7T5bMmvDY99a2u0UvvtTOIzG4uP2qRCzTJV97vRN-WefZCb_scP3pPt69bgtUb61v1QTGjDAMaa1PjKbH2OMqhq2ZeCym/s640/fullsizeoutput_20cd.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">with the exception of the commander’s house,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpv-slfC5WV6jXx5DumTQbSo_-5NSr7g73sCoCFz6zz4SinigcB5K5JBNViXfALin-N91yH4w9hXKqItURGBPUyIcV7mKHYc2R6VBnb3rffFM07PyWpspLPtNiM7h6oYkFEI0JsgYz_GI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20d0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1600" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpv-slfC5WV6jXx5DumTQbSo_-5NSr7g73sCoCFz6zz4SinigcB5K5JBNViXfALin-N91yH4w9hXKqItURGBPUyIcV7mKHYc2R6VBnb3rffFM07PyWpspLPtNiM7h6oYkFEI0JsgYz_GI/s640/fullsizeoutput_20d0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">which was open for tours. We found the inside well-maintained and beautifully furnished.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeffVvhOBJwCvHI7pxIPL0CyMutI6dADTXOyuCj99BV9VT8Bj_fm0nMzPA1onFRpQqWMLfQzNf5f3Adf_hCSbUVsGEwsbQ5_a8ihBh1IT7jhsNdF2Xi9JhAMh14Gf6aTTpOrCLfY7s8cQT/s1600/IMG_4150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeffVvhOBJwCvHI7pxIPL0CyMutI6dADTXOyuCj99BV9VT8Bj_fm0nMzPA1onFRpQqWMLfQzNf5f3Adf_hCSbUVsGEwsbQ5_a8ihBh1IT7jhsNdF2Xi9JhAMh14Gf6aTTpOrCLfY7s8cQT/s640/IMG_4150.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSkKQ3qhbWie7vMMEywXiyvUHcrEVULcac1-_V76AQQA-euQU4X5aTfbeqaXyG_gCae1rPDJjl2EMMkHgyJdf9S-a12JqHIvnFjYaxV2AP26gZLeK6_O9l9HzYIWrC3eTH6YnX_wP6Irl/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20f0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="1600" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSkKQ3qhbWie7vMMEywXiyvUHcrEVULcac1-_V76AQQA-euQU4X5aTfbeqaXyG_gCae1rPDJjl2EMMkHgyJdf9S-a12JqHIvnFjYaxV2AP26gZLeK6_O9l9HzYIWrC3eTH6YnX_wP6Irl/s400/fullsizeoutput_20f0.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">There were a couple of notable local hikes that were recommended to us. <b><i>Dragonfly Loop Trail</i></b> was a lovely hike that led through an unspoiled high desert grassland dotted with juniper trees and cactus.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhSE0ZeALSLrFQKrMcukZViZSFofGXGMvUsoc4tCJJmwonMezGDBETW2EtwJdwIfFQlN_6ywgvHjW_Ye4vQ-YsJQCkdAkqOESXaEg10fB_dBTSqvbIFCocIrJ6bTLqmn7exygjJiEbUBr/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20d7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhSE0ZeALSLrFQKrMcukZViZSFofGXGMvUsoc4tCJJmwonMezGDBETW2EtwJdwIfFQlN_6ywgvHjW_Ye4vQ-YsJQCkdAkqOESXaEg10fB_dBTSqvbIFCocIrJ6bTLqmn7exygjJiEbUBr/s640/fullsizeoutput_20d7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">This trail was named in honor of a dragonfly petroglyph </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMVaGnouDgrygWX8UugcE-fceIdpGIJfXoha_lKBrIkXHA0M0X09X7woiYyQgkcIiqXkpT_sGc8gD-smGF13msDhLYBT3IK5p8WAmSNYUAEkZK5VdAI4PUi9lqvDTiCbWS6QOkx_Un4pp/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20c3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMVaGnouDgrygWX8UugcE-fceIdpGIJfXoha_lKBrIkXHA0M0X09X7woiYyQgkcIiqXkpT_sGc8gD-smGF13msDhLYBT3IK5p8WAmSNYUAEkZK5VdAI4PUi9lqvDTiCbWS6QOkx_Un4pp/s640/fullsizeoutput_20c3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">that required a bit of searching along a creek area where our map told us to look.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgDm9BeQ25hylMHHY31kNa088lay48w8GlrBr8gIhUBBocNOO4frC3McIJYk-3wuliUkAo5YaG_2fgjY6B2d7Z1AnrACbGYHMgO2XuOrKXUfCKsoqLYqYudtr8P13aPq4y60JjgDmSsSoY/s1600/P1030607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgDm9BeQ25hylMHHY31kNa088lay48w8GlrBr8gIhUBBocNOO4frC3McIJYk-3wuliUkAo5YaG_2fgjY6B2d7Z1AnrACbGYHMgO2XuOrKXUfCKsoqLYqYudtr8P13aPq4y60JjgDmSsSoY/s640/P1030607.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Petroglyphs were common in this area, if you were persistent in your search.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvJjyO22c5Xqaqm_ShAdC26HixGIAdBIw0P81C50HgenQVK2QewSfa3znORlgvMBPGxzGwCIqmgSfjeF0h2_0qKFCfnRISvn-8Mz-lfcQ8wy3HrcvRAqLVPnUreRCFeOLTqaKV4pHXqyP/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20d5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="1600" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvJjyO22c5Xqaqm_ShAdC26HixGIAdBIw0P81C50HgenQVK2QewSfa3znORlgvMBPGxzGwCIqmgSfjeF0h2_0qKFCfnRISvn-8Mz-lfcQ8wy3HrcvRAqLVPnUreRCFeOLTqaKV4pHXqyP/s400/fullsizeoutput_20d5.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieHfN7gJHD2VxlGpd9GH2ixF41VEMnRFH5-szSXDTz1Li962ms6s5gtmFjEX7OHLRgDhM8oRGEf5x2epweYE0AnrBAfxpOi4p6w-MStt_LFiCbDV6d6YPrCk1vP4FD95tFrd32AVTceIyD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20f2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1282" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieHfN7gJHD2VxlGpd9GH2ixF41VEMnRFH5-szSXDTz1Li962ms6s5gtmFjEX7OHLRgDhM8oRGEf5x2epweYE0AnrBAfxpOi4p6w-MStt_LFiCbDV6d6YPrCk1vP4FD95tFrd32AVTceIyD/s400/fullsizeoutput_20f2.jpeg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At times, we even shock ourselves at some of the ‘off-the-wall’ hikes we are tempted to take… like <b><i>Big Tree Trail</i></b> that led to a champion juniper tree! A tree is designated a “champion” when it has been judged to be supersized for its species. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our concept of a juniper was that of a relatively small tree, so when we spotted this beauty from a distance, all we could say was, “Wow!”</span><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">We appeared so tiny in photographs!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCpOg9g2fmZv_gUt1N1AMACJzNKftG9L7Ns5bJWuQKOjbZPHt5tj5ecfExsxaEH0eMsFGiLQMgRGAt5Anl_RdqGHJqD1DS8A3-SOVNPavQMiQprM135z1r8B6Shezvjgfg2hlrCsLmZF3/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20dc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1260" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCpOg9g2fmZv_gUt1N1AMACJzNKftG9L7Ns5bJWuQKOjbZPHt5tj5ecfExsxaEH0eMsFGiLQMgRGAt5Anl_RdqGHJqD1DS8A3-SOVNPavQMiQprM135z1r8B6Shezvjgfg2hlrCsLmZF3/s400/fullsizeoutput_20dc.jpeg" width="311" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCh_GzNK9Oef23thU6py8HCIdobZPSs_Tjza_UuWW1V6hKHXPFv7SepvyS1H3kh7Atrb5qkqaL_GY1sjQSGyEYlaBeQzY6mjUrWS_1T4i7bRj7FhGyGcUjkU0K1cymohIXTghxep6PdJsN/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20dd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCh_GzNK9Oef23thU6py8HCIdobZPSs_Tjza_UuWW1V6hKHXPFv7SepvyS1H3kh7Atrb5qkqaL_GY1sjQSGyEYlaBeQzY6mjUrWS_1T4i7bRj7FhGyGcUjkU0K1cymohIXTghxep6PdJsN/s400/fullsizeoutput_20dd.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">How fitting that a hike to a marvel of Nature nicely rounded out our stay in Silver City along the <b><i>Trail of the Mountain Spirits</i></b>…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mgR9WDLzy8z2KwXcpiA89TQKRI0IvcgS36bU2Ig8fnOq8thholB21PT5rhOHEIbOqgtvHOoyL_jhbWfYFC69cRUhvU4NhZFH0tD5hs5CJSLCPFR2rSIpBsJBEPZaSJ22PPQi1uPF8wX4/s1600/fullsizeoutput_20e7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mgR9WDLzy8z2KwXcpiA89TQKRI0IvcgS36bU2Ig8fnOq8thholB21PT5rhOHEIbOqgtvHOoyL_jhbWfYFC69cRUhvU4NhZFH0tD5hs5CJSLCPFR2rSIpBsJBEPZaSJ22PPQi1uPF8wX4/s640/fullsizeoutput_20e7.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
</div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-28949845674659443322019-03-30T15:28:00.000-05:002019-03-30T15:28:29.712-05:00A WEEK ALONG THE INTERSTATE IN WILLCOX, AZ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQFPkgOamrZJlhb_eaM4ENWFUfYKLbA_SnbCgcGLOj6K5yVIVaf8YbBFyYK2x1HZjELZt2YbfeUYPTdrEoXVdiOojXWtJwaWnMAjKLuSj-0FxInS67jzdaPBbNH61E9XlrF4pOKUi5Yrx/s1600/fullsizeoutput_208f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1600" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQFPkgOamrZJlhb_eaM4ENWFUfYKLbA_SnbCgcGLOj6K5yVIVaf8YbBFyYK2x1HZjELZt2YbfeUYPTdrEoXVdiOojXWtJwaWnMAjKLuSj-0FxInS67jzdaPBbNH61E9XlrF4pOKUi5Yrx/s640/fullsizeoutput_208f.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 31px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">As we travel from campground to campground along our nation’s interstate highway system, we have noticed thousands of campgrounds that butt right up against the interstate. Many times we have commented to each other, “Who stays in such noisy campgrounds?”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Well, that would be us! We have joined the ‘noisy campground’ ranks, because in Willcox, Arizona, there really was no other good choice. The Willcox-Cochise KOA was a neatly maintained, newly updated campground that was just about perfect in every way…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrbhyISGMKTXfos9Q9Gmh3CGzR1iG0bA15FccGCzV29v7T3z-B2tKssuj8PHNylDYHDLdzVc5-B47yKmxE4nX8-0mew_8WzpQVDR8s-_4YwufA_LDC3Lggmbs-IRBmJoIsVi61TJ5e6D9/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fb3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="1600" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrbhyISGMKTXfos9Q9Gmh3CGzR1iG0bA15FccGCzV29v7T3z-B2tKssuj8PHNylDYHDLdzVc5-B47yKmxE4nX8-0mew_8WzpQVDR8s-_4YwufA_LDC3Lggmbs-IRBmJoIsVi61TJ5e6D9/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fb3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">except for the grinding traffic noise of Interstate 10. And, as “luck” would have it, our site was among the closest to I-10, bustling with all the semis rolling by…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT3vlYw5k4rM7bksKHGMuThXgBI78ULQcKEyd4YNIBK-XhNLziQ-m3HW6XJdmuGsieDKRsMjdcIZkyS44IVE0-g5NWJE-cTPVaQR5y7ecY6oW_2dnfm1uDfAJQClxlC1dQDVQr_Nv86quf/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fd9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT3vlYw5k4rM7bksKHGMuThXgBI78ULQcKEyd4YNIBK-XhNLziQ-m3HW6XJdmuGsieDKRsMjdcIZkyS44IVE0-g5NWJE-cTPVaQR5y7ecY6oW_2dnfm1uDfAJQClxlC1dQDVQr_Nv86quf/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fd9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As it turned out, the wind was howling so much when we arrived that we delayed</span><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">extending our slides or raising our Direct TV satellite dish until early evening. What traffic noise? For the next few hours, the wind was so loud and we were so well insulated inside our cozy bus that any traffic noise was insignificant!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We soon discovered that although the old-town part of Willcox appeared “just a few heartbeats short of a ghost town,” for a sandhill crane this was a pretty ideal place to spend the winter months. The next day we headed over to a large marshy lake area surrounded by magnificent grasslands and the soaring mountain scenery of <i>Dos Cabezas</i>. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBvsBFXqQ9i_6KjxiSTZU0gHOq9H4lVlQ_PT1fn229kLImpIohhZcjkUjqI6xMFETyKTDdrLXGYpGGTuHce2mS5QeUzM0VNgtWPx3b5rjnSqyzWWRKi0mtT4X8ytjEkvUcnimZyKo5QwW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fbc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1600" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBvsBFXqQ9i_6KjxiSTZU0gHOq9H4lVlQ_PT1fn229kLImpIohhZcjkUjqI6xMFETyKTDdrLXGYpGGTuHce2mS5QeUzM0VNgtWPx3b5rjnSqyzWWRKi0mtT4X8ytjEkvUcnimZyKo5QwW/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fbc.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It wasn’t long before we spotted— and heard—a large flock of sandhill cranes circling and swooping overhead after coming back from a morning of feeding in the mountains.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeB2xaaSKSTlWqqwDmgMtatdBeaGKcX9DNS5_aev23axqf9TeT55oloGHZAsT3tWOxoQdlu4NVAz1zkjUmdD_WsNRU-wtwpGx5TrhzHOUzyrOuzHPZJuH_I2OrBKoTEaHBVK8787rbjwnu/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fb4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeB2xaaSKSTlWqqwDmgMtatdBeaGKcX9DNS5_aev23axqf9TeT55oloGHZAsT3tWOxoQdlu4NVAz1zkjUmdD_WsNRU-wtwpGx5TrhzHOUzyrOuzHPZJuH_I2OrBKoTEaHBVK8787rbjwnu/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fb4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For the next hour, we were mesmerized by the landing behavior of this very large flock of noisy sandhill cranes. In a most organized manner, small groups of birds peeled off from the main flock and slowly spiraled down to their chosen nesting spot for the night.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcjS72Jf7pSd7VgoO2tfb3AujCNK6Dy-lSn816zHgrkyxu0EwjhA8hSDe7IA3jyAmyo4qFyimbhrjpty4JK06egAG2kMb7xa6NZC8uLmPgGvI-e_7Xccoqg9M_KvT1OJccrR7c-w84Lfs/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fd2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="1600" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcjS72Jf7pSd7VgoO2tfb3AujCNK6Dy-lSn816zHgrkyxu0EwjhA8hSDe7IA3jyAmyo4qFyimbhrjpty4JK06egAG2kMb7xa6NZC8uLmPgGvI-e_7Xccoqg9M_KvT1OJccrR7c-w84Lfs/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fd2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As each small flock of cranes got close to the landing zone, each member dropped long skinny legs, much like a human parachutist, and within seconds had landed.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Vv4C133t0xP2VGcDoC3oVpsfekCFG72UAyDMSTLtlyRJ6HPGnOZssC64I4G47T52S3wMZm_Ii8ubZUHZnhLvCiarlhWTIvjCdTSkY4f7XwoCSBz7RzJRgd8gg75oShm9rO7b3z04j5Uj/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fd1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="1600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Vv4C133t0xP2VGcDoC3oVpsfekCFG72UAyDMSTLtlyRJ6HPGnOZssC64I4G47T52S3wMZm_Ii8ubZUHZnhLvCiarlhWTIvjCdTSkY4f7XwoCSBz7RzJRgd8gg75oShm9rO7b3z04j5Uj/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fd1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Meanwhile, all bird behavior on the ground was amazingly calm and quiet.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3n4rIfjsQ9FOeD2HfUZI6y4YFy7rTwQ738MuLWtYJWgWDW-775RGBwsSgFn_aYRU-6kX757JYp7fm2UbWWdO59flrovdFzlVwfg2uV5Gz404My8RTpCYhhFiaTQhlUSLlG72e3iNUAUO/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fca.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="1600" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3n4rIfjsQ9FOeD2HfUZI6y4YFy7rTwQ738MuLWtYJWgWDW-775RGBwsSgFn_aYRU-6kX757JYp7fm2UbWWdO59flrovdFzlVwfg2uV5Gz404My8RTpCYhhFiaTQhlUSLlG72e3iNUAUO/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fca.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">There was a method to our madness for choosing a campground so close to the I-10 corridor, and that was for the opportunity to visit two national sites on our bucket list.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: orange; font-kerning: none;"><b><i>FORT BOWIE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE</i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQn_BxQCA99RH0hFA1owrUF5a0_IKZH4edPu4Y1Qfsp1emS5zWcryLSg4E7mnZVEdLYRmdbmR7RuOG8BFWqY5lhD0NC1qUtQ7Ik_wL5RYvHSxyqYrGJUlNcZlTz4rMepaVDG8x0NSHC7vt/s1600/P1030498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQn_BxQCA99RH0hFA1owrUF5a0_IKZH4edPu4Y1Qfsp1emS5zWcryLSg4E7mnZVEdLYRmdbmR7RuOG8BFWqY5lhD0NC1qUtQ7Ik_wL5RYvHSxyqYrGJUlNcZlTz4rMepaVDG8x0NSHC7vt/s400/P1030498.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The story at Fort Bowie was closely tied to the Army’s efforts to subdue the hostile Chiricahua Apaches, led first by Cochise and then by Geronimo. The other crucial mission of the soldiers at Fort Bowie was to protect the vital water supply at Apache Spring, which was positioned along the transport corridor known as Apache Pass, a key route for westward expansion in the mid-19th century.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The only way for today’s visitors to visit Fort Bowie was to hike a 1-1/2-mile trail through an historic valley in Apache Pass.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHledh4euY5_gvG1uWX6odAbnU34QOYxFZnTvzapndlV0raGqaaNtTKt6nppWihX6CyU-RJWcED1277YOh0dXM6tLZaEJTVki1ffMFDFtapExwzABWxYMS8ke7u4UFaclKuNDeAxswDZWC/s1600/IMG_4046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHledh4euY5_gvG1uWX6odAbnU34QOYxFZnTvzapndlV0raGqaaNtTKt6nppWihX6CyU-RJWcED1277YOh0dXM6tLZaEJTVki1ffMFDFtapExwzABWxYMS8ke7u4UFaclKuNDeAxswDZWC/s640/IMG_4046.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Along the way we passed the skeletal stone foundation of the Butterfield Stage Station, a stopping point on the old overland mail route.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlxBiXYl-rMRHaor-GVFomcm2UMFKlIYjAsAPozzNA4mwnKDJ5FzNk6Vdmd6-dglcjyiciKDEmH5D2BmUz681ucGJWFdo2mwiKG9YP-2DeDGtm7xu9Lqen4-WKxNBr_etCbKplsj8ZgDl/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2087.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlxBiXYl-rMRHaor-GVFomcm2UMFKlIYjAsAPozzNA4mwnKDJ5FzNk6Vdmd6-dglcjyiciKDEmH5D2BmUz681ucGJWFdo2mwiKG9YP-2DeDGtm7xu9Lqen4-WKxNBr_etCbKplsj8ZgDl/s640/fullsizeoutput_2087.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A little further up the trail we came to the Fort Bowie cemetery.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyDsYBHykYADpGklvhVm9xBD3rdH28ZAJwyKxJGutHbukv2uFZ_zqvzJysNae2stR04e1PRoc97yLM3W_n6Sue65n4N2xvNfx0hHwcL14wruFeMFQQRwIO2voG9-JPHEioEPAQFIUpTwm/s1600/IMG_4051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyDsYBHykYADpGklvhVm9xBD3rdH28ZAJwyKxJGutHbukv2uFZ_zqvzJysNae2stR04e1PRoc97yLM3W_n6Sue65n4N2xvNfx0hHwcL14wruFeMFQQRwIO2voG9-JPHEioEPAQFIUpTwm/s640/IMG_4051.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Since most of the graves of Fort Bowie soldiers and their dependents have been relocated to a national cemetery, 23 civilian gravesites were all that remained at the post cemetery. The gravesite of Geronimo’s 2-year-old son, Littlerobe, and very young Medal of Honor recipient O.O. Spence were most noteworthy.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDEgLQSSZVNUWWNTNqiUmE279QOqsxffJJ8w1Qa89yA40dfzmyu4WC21znsD8Aw25ng8YPzUi0F8M8of7qBN4WYAKtzhOBn-p4bHy9NZu_r9xHUJIDkF5WEiENV6N0dV6X9v1HxkuAavi/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2085.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1139" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDEgLQSSZVNUWWNTNqiUmE279QOqsxffJJ8w1Qa89yA40dfzmyu4WC21znsD8Aw25ng8YPzUi0F8M8of7qBN4WYAKtzhOBn-p4bHy9NZu_r9xHUJIDkF5WEiENV6N0dV6X9v1HxkuAavi/s400/fullsizeoutput_2085.jpeg" width="283" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkiRpcgluAlDQH9l29-qAIqpc2NeD7AOdIGrTpA9dB0uz5lLMhNwFl5-NcAcqvC4A0gvDmHGwJ1LDQOcf3tja6DiLt7n9BJ3vrqwF_peKJF3CI1kUW-otuxzbSeaiC3rpPIaxf1kn8bxJd/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2086.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1220" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkiRpcgluAlDQH9l29-qAIqpc2NeD7AOdIGrTpA9dB0uz5lLMhNwFl5-NcAcqvC4A0gvDmHGwJ1LDQOcf3tja6DiLt7n9BJ3vrqwF_peKJF3CI1kUW-otuxzbSeaiC3rpPIaxf1kn8bxJd/s400/fullsizeoutput_2086.jpeg" width="305" /></a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We encountered a bit of a climb through a hilly canyon up to the grounds of the fort, but once we crested the hill, the strategic advantage of this relatively level site was apparent.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKtpWJxxMmcqBgX4z7bqqcM0OQXnon7KXySoVVr6LCLQ9euM2m9ge1TIceSFuXpA5GROwmO_axyjpeKzvIFKfIA_8ZAcQQkAvY2T0bUbV0-93-WCi-oXd1bt1DuuFgEuclNVYGvKfkF8B/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2048.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1600" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKtpWJxxMmcqBgX4z7bqqcM0OQXnon7KXySoVVr6LCLQ9euM2m9ge1TIceSFuXpA5GROwmO_axyjpeKzvIFKfIA_8ZAcQQkAvY2T0bUbV0-93-WCi-oXd1bt1DuuFgEuclNVYGvKfkF8B/s640/fullsizeoutput_2048.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A few adobe-reinforced stone walls were all that remained of what was once a fully functional frontier Army fort.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQFW6edKs6ha4C3UtPipTr7zRd2CdEbeqViAmDEPQ2mThr7JNBc4faPcjvpuK-7U-rV-oRhQ5ql6l5uRRE7TKj6gjY40bHAAoycsWfBUAF7qbsdEc83yhQ1Smfuk8VdHcS_XjKMpNumMb/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2084.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQFW6edKs6ha4C3UtPipTr7zRd2CdEbeqViAmDEPQ2mThr7JNBc4faPcjvpuK-7U-rV-oRhQ5ql6l5uRRE7TKj6gjY40bHAAoycsWfBUAF7qbsdEc83yhQ1Smfuk8VdHcS_XjKMpNumMb/s640/fullsizeoutput_2084.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was interesting to compare our photograph of Fort Bowie to one that was taken on a quiet January day in 1894.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJML7q4L1bZmEpJVr240cs_yI_33BiI7Npgv8eO2uU44xA_Id1RHmLnDu4uu30vCPupDQP7v42KGkp4SAbwqeVSXqETZ8aO6iNT3sTwvOULSpT7Scm-DgNHc1Oywgb_JK9MJfeQ15YFQk/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2036.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1600" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJML7q4L1bZmEpJVr240cs_yI_33BiI7Npgv8eO2uU44xA_Id1RHmLnDu4uu30vCPupDQP7v42KGkp4SAbwqeVSXqETZ8aO6iNT3sTwvOULSpT7Scm-DgNHc1Oywgb_JK9MJfeQ15YFQk/s640/fullsizeoutput_2036.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkRrvITIhNLhbVUKf5Hgu4XHLgpGKXzYQsblovY5GST9eVHSaXnQZzdvhuAQA64isJKEU5rAusIIbqrv4KStiWbYwbAWoV4__QBVbgoo4HQye_C4VTiOPJEuqUMOGmuHshlvITaiYah8t/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2047.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1600" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkRrvITIhNLhbVUKf5Hgu4XHLgpGKXzYQsblovY5GST9eVHSaXnQZzdvhuAQA64isJKEU5rAusIIbqrv4KStiWbYwbAWoV4__QBVbgoo4HQye_C4VTiOPJEuqUMOGmuHshlvITaiYah8t/s640/fullsizeoutput_2047.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">After final surrender in 1886, Geronimo and his followers were brought to Fort Bowie, then put on a train for the long and sad journey to exile in Florida. I was most fascinated by an old photograph that depicted Geronimo in a casual moment on the parade grounds of Fort Bowie. Geronimo was pictured to the right with hands on hips.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWfHiD5TbrkpwggQotUGZ8TYlv5j3QfuQnhKIwN5d0S2k4S7jHP_d6fH2wNx36EYRFVBKREzcpDPnb1lgrGLk9bRPowsh0qP7MLxZMgvGk770m2EwtQXEPgBrCWkIM5qjlI7l22qOL7tY/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2031.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1153" data-original-width="1600" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWfHiD5TbrkpwggQotUGZ8TYlv5j3QfuQnhKIwN5d0S2k4S7jHP_d6fH2wNx36EYRFVBKREzcpDPnb1lgrGLk9bRPowsh0qP7MLxZMgvGk770m2EwtQXEPgBrCWkIM5qjlI7l22qOL7tY/s640/fullsizeoutput_2031.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Shortly after Geronimo was captured, Fort Bowie closed. Local ranchers salvaged lumber from vacant buildings for personal use, leaving history’s story to be told by the ghostly stone outlines of what was once a strategic frontier Army post.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 26px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: orange; font-kerning: none;"><b><i>CHIRICAHUA NATIONAL MONUMENT</i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvK2H8xEhY1cP5mKMsQqdCsrxwICH6eCDDllrDVFdZiiJ-_L-bNmQ7T2ygfM_Z7YZj5FcgbfFfBP5bB-chRso-gpkD1rZKt_pi9YYSQUsWt04lOYSFYcCE84n-_R95bhZPtQZ0MPFsegF/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fe8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvK2H8xEhY1cP5mKMsQqdCsrxwICH6eCDDllrDVFdZiiJ-_L-bNmQ7T2ygfM_Z7YZj5FcgbfFfBP5bB-chRso-gpkD1rZKt_pi9YYSQUsWt04lOYSFYcCE84n-_R95bhZPtQZ0MPFsegF/s400/fullsizeoutput_1fe8.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Prior to Geronimo’s surrender in 1886, the grand rock pinnacles that tower over the valleys of Chiricahua National Monument were once home to the Chiricahua Apaches, who called these rock formations <b><i>The Land of Standing-up Rocks.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd63h7dvslHfodjAPazbryZ2PNYCASbYa6jLdKCks3hfFNNUnN4VzI85RWR5z_-UwKw5d6yWclG7fLlhlovQgEr_sWgl28-VcYUYQ1OVmlJpD3_Ts03RY5D-lQtrZ5cnJwb-RqEAtUOz8Z/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2013.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd63h7dvslHfodjAPazbryZ2PNYCASbYa6jLdKCks3hfFNNUnN4VzI85RWR5z_-UwKw5d6yWclG7fLlhlovQgEr_sWgl28-VcYUYQ1OVmlJpD3_Ts03RY5D-lQtrZ5cnJwb-RqEAtUOz8Z/s640/fullsizeoutput_2013.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGS9pZo3WqBJN6KaKBX1FFI9dJ3n7YEitEgLISNyv-fAbaNE3Ob7je2e4EQ-onNyvR-t8AirPEfVVwjcYr-Hhz3nvqPnEVM0gpkWpNw4Iav7ThWRRLlUVo9HJwZqMYfvnTeJkJC6Flj_v/s1600/IMG_4030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1282" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGS9pZo3WqBJN6KaKBX1FFI9dJ3n7YEitEgLISNyv-fAbaNE3Ob7je2e4EQ-onNyvR-t8AirPEfVVwjcYr-Hhz3nvqPnEVM0gpkWpNw4Iav7ThWRRLlUVo9HJwZqMYfvnTeJkJC6Flj_v/s400/IMG_4030.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">This wonderland of rocks has a volcanic origin dating back 27 million years. Over many eons, uplift and erosion between the columns has created massive layered pinnacles of volcanic gray rock called rhyolite.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">After Geronimo’s surrender, the story at Chiricahua continued at Faraway Ranch,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxW32DjGs4xvn6v0XpTrzt9RNsoyrQfsXl-jrQ3gZWrVmJrC_V70_XRKHH0falRZQboxtTIGseEMhVuz7ivkatDOXUOGKALAP01eYdaTmdRYXS0PCxSe3bgePlnono_YUVTbl967soBWb/s1600/fullsizeoutput_205e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1600" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxW32DjGs4xvn6v0XpTrzt9RNsoyrQfsXl-jrQ3gZWrVmJrC_V70_XRKHH0falRZQboxtTIGseEMhVuz7ivkatDOXUOGKALAP01eYdaTmdRYXS0PCxSe3bgePlnono_YUVTbl967soBWb/s640/fullsizeoutput_205e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">the peach and green adobe home of Swedish immigrants Neil and Emma Erickson. Neil and Emma raised three children at the ranch.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftRL2U_7eMTcZcnpJCKYHCIhm7eSQMHKxuVWMkDW9EX3voTom7mFU-pFdQhVUSMgkCY7uIil2ZtXoKgHU3dCj-Sqd0AMNPi1U8PewABdD7_f4rlTGpYyT5cF7hPN_1Rd_coDc7yIX1sOD/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ff3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1179" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftRL2U_7eMTcZcnpJCKYHCIhm7eSQMHKxuVWMkDW9EX3voTom7mFU-pFdQhVUSMgkCY7uIil2ZtXoKgHU3dCj-Sqd0AMNPi1U8PewABdD7_f4rlTGpYyT5cF7hPN_1Rd_coDc7yIX1sOD/s400/fullsizeoutput_1ff3.jpeg" width="293" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk44e5WNlvWkqa3-Dfj5GGiVAdFubd8XLQhDdn3EOp_2bexuyajia2nuespl7hd3zkzB0oFrX1Ar4LsdjLFa7vL7u6FjttUZM2ik_SpwIoDihVTLAj-VbFAENjuAH7S71lXw7QQOLAL6bI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2000.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1186" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk44e5WNlvWkqa3-Dfj5GGiVAdFubd8XLQhDdn3EOp_2bexuyajia2nuespl7hd3zkzB0oFrX1Ar4LsdjLFa7vL7u6FjttUZM2ik_SpwIoDihVTLAj-VbFAENjuAH7S71lXw7QQOLAL6bI/s400/fullsizeoutput_2000.jpeg" width="296" /></a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The ranger-guided tour of the ranch house was a wonderful peek back to a time when the Erickson children used their much-loved homestead as a guest ranch.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXHJhVVUfa1Oo4p0GAmY3SYOZlqeU8jaGoiug8BG7Y1Uuoc3k2OMqzz4AFkhqoabcNNzO9TZW7SspnN5vUjmj_pUN-Mnvbf5mZtedOJOdOC-0hr7v0VHwhuRO-UqVPCoLJPuXwXoxu4b8/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fec.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="1600" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXHJhVVUfa1Oo4p0GAmY3SYOZlqeU8jaGoiug8BG7Y1Uuoc3k2OMqzz4AFkhqoabcNNzO9TZW7SspnN5vUjmj_pUN-Mnvbf5mZtedOJOdOC-0hr7v0VHwhuRO-UqVPCoLJPuXwXoxu4b8/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fec.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The children and their spouses were very civic-minded and devoted much of their lives to fostering appreciation of the land they treasured. Their dependents built trails throughout the park and lobbied our government for its protection. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was to those very trails that we turned in order to explore one of our nation's very special treasures.</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgX2SlJpNT_hWUzbb01ipcrd9K3POK0slRDYFB7L7ehf04m9ETwqgDKq5qtTV_Cp2XVCQDGvYLbn2-raCSVZGSmvXxG9c2m7WREQFIjwqU6I_eTvL1W-GMiRTqduosihSU2JkGpRPVKz1p/s1600/fullsizeoutput_200c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="1600" height="44" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgX2SlJpNT_hWUzbb01ipcrd9K3POK0slRDYFB7L7ehf04m9ETwqgDKq5qtTV_Cp2XVCQDGvYLbn2-raCSVZGSmvXxG9c2m7WREQFIjwqU6I_eTvL1W-GMiRTqduosihSU2JkGpRPVKz1p/s320/fullsizeoutput_200c.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Monument literature stated that the 3.3-mile Echo Canyon Loop Trail is considered the premier trail of the monument. As we headed into Echo Canyon, the trail wound through wondrous rock formations that were a photographer’s delight.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlxBttro2YceK6kH4w3JL5hugVTCNSFjnetxgJtDjPu7BRY_7fZQp9Q91CJbHQ33LgvYYiUH1__9ynd5CgDH5elCv1b_FXiHZ14WZV1wfWcSlNgOcwpNCoAJGrhnHHF4qypLl15tQqZq1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_203e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1206" data-original-width="1600" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlxBttro2YceK6kH4w3JL5hugVTCNSFjnetxgJtDjPu7BRY_7fZQp9Q91CJbHQ33LgvYYiUH1__9ynd5CgDH5elCv1b_FXiHZ14WZV1wfWcSlNgOcwpNCoAJGrhnHHF4qypLl15tQqZq1/s640/fullsizeoutput_203e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Giant boulders that seemed impossibly balanced were the ones that beckoned our camera shots.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCy-f-O6B6FnGFqC1tThH1e9UaELEuAA82R6UozKMCWRnctG0sqbHzKgZoEoZEsy2Uchu05jOxzMcxYYpEOCXtDeFrdD59AZhQc3E23-QRdTHze9Jn_8Z9JnXopjZXwTGivsVMvjueR88/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2053.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1450" data-original-width="1600" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCy-f-O6B6FnGFqC1tThH1e9UaELEuAA82R6UozKMCWRnctG0sqbHzKgZoEoZEsy2Uchu05jOxzMcxYYpEOCXtDeFrdD59AZhQc3E23-QRdTHze9Jn_8Z9JnXopjZXwTGivsVMvjueR88/s320/fullsizeoutput_2053.jpeg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNbPO0ZKT9uimK2mso9PorD3KFfG4l18Bu0rQygiH3f48vnpbPM3rZa5aUJ1jIUyWs4cew2vV0zB9smi1iiMn_aCXDuaKPD2EhVQgqXWE8iGD1rUQ820rShfDLEI5_L0vUvEdXt9dea6L/s1600/P1030481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNbPO0ZKT9uimK2mso9PorD3KFfG4l18Bu0rQygiH3f48vnpbPM3rZa5aUJ1jIUyWs4cew2vV0zB9smi1iiMn_aCXDuaKPD2EhVQgqXWE8iGD1rUQ820rShfDLEI5_L0vUvEdXt9dea6L/s320/P1030481.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The trail section through so-called “Wall Street” had natural vertical walls that almost looked man made.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ13EY9OscC4q1XCuVYdWXsIe9Y0uSI3ZvjtrtMLY1sgh9Mr8de3dwifZhD0GhGGjkObhAp6HjZ47xizY3jPr7JCH1jlzInAJuNa5pCB7N8TKK_sdwJTTskWynKLoj_znDGClyK_lypcMR/s1600/P1030486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ13EY9OscC4q1XCuVYdWXsIe9Y0uSI3ZvjtrtMLY1sgh9Mr8de3dwifZhD0GhGGjkObhAp6HjZ47xizY3jPr7JCH1jlzInAJuNa5pCB7N8TKK_sdwJTTskWynKLoj_znDGClyK_lypcMR/s640/P1030486.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A convenient stone bench served as a perfect lunch spot.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcabQQDb4IBJxYNl2gKymyn9ZIe47CMSljZpNf7_xq99ZjJZpppt9FIclfY3jxE4zFhcaYf8tPuOw06FwQE-2hLq0PDfI6XWVFBWA9eOlwa1XSm5unuJOGTZbZwQUbNE4Cz7IxaJDrqVi/s1600/fullsizeoutput_200f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="969" data-original-width="1600" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcabQQDb4IBJxYNl2gKymyn9ZIe47CMSljZpNf7_xq99ZjJZpppt9FIclfY3jxE4zFhcaYf8tPuOw06FwQE-2hLq0PDfI6XWVFBWA9eOlwa1XSm5unuJOGTZbZwQUbNE4Cz7IxaJDrqVi/s640/fullsizeoutput_200f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">When we looked into the distance along Echo Canyon Trail, we got to thinking that one day of hiking didn’t seem sufficient at Chiricahua. After we heard about an early-morning shuttle van that would transport us to the high point in the monument, thus enabling us to hike 7.3 miles “mostly” downhill along other scenic trails, we were convinced we needed another day.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">After a van ride to the top, we had lots of energy for an early-morning start.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB000J5jjz_Rx0zDSCTQbtGruph8fUoTyde7bXxT6ALgXwVHvclKRZQMnwo1LO8BOX1BSeMsATc418TfnrarZW06a86wn7XXTYNPDfOgJjSzd2zsdheQyr3JYY268s4i5ZGOvwDW8cM0TH/s1600/fullsizeoutput_201b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB000J5jjz_Rx0zDSCTQbtGruph8fUoTyde7bXxT6ALgXwVHvclKRZQMnwo1LO8BOX1BSeMsATc418TfnrarZW06a86wn7XXTYNPDfOgJjSzd2zsdheQyr3JYY268s4i5ZGOvwDW8cM0TH/s640/fullsizeoutput_201b.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Almost no wind and warm sun created ideal hiking conditions.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifCo3qzdJ-FfS0k-4ggZ7AAv25sRNtT5FUFBw0EG4qGgX-RrNDdNeDJXaGJC49MgflNnlqilAHQ-fxJVQfDwTrgfpsd8yoQppdnMI7j28rj1FUAzcJ2iQesdJulmYZtaoNL3iPgrPCh0Q/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2020.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1019" data-original-width="1600" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifCo3qzdJ-FfS0k-4ggZ7AAv25sRNtT5FUFBw0EG4qGgX-RrNDdNeDJXaGJC49MgflNnlqilAHQ-fxJVQfDwTrgfpsd8yoQppdnMI7j28rj1FUAzcJ2iQesdJulmYZtaoNL3iPgrPCh0Q/s640/fullsizeoutput_2020.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our plan was to get to the <b><i>Heart of the Rocks Loop </i></b>for a look at some of the most unusual rock formations in the monument. This trail was difficult with lots of huge rock steps, but it was worth it to see the famous rock formation known as “Punch and Judy,” who have been shouting at each other for thousands of years.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6sizhsafaesEPR33gWGcq2lVNMpc54UKqME4xEOFssjz3Gh5Jf1b4ClnYNDYRyMcOB2chphm0ZxcG-io-f1sQHGbkL4GDfpKHROKxx_EifJoNeqYhP8bnf8Om_jyzBBZEUIUeCd3Lfoo/s1600/fullsizeoutput_203b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1600" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6sizhsafaesEPR33gWGcq2lVNMpc54UKqME4xEOFssjz3Gh5Jf1b4ClnYNDYRyMcOB2chphm0ZxcG-io-f1sQHGbkL4GDfpKHROKxx_EifJoNeqYhP8bnf8Om_jyzBBZEUIUeCd3Lfoo/s640/fullsizeoutput_203b.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The last section of the trail back to the Visitors Center was downhill through Rhyolite Canyon where, fittingly, we were surrounded by some of Chiricahua’s best wilderness scenery.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlBNM3sh_72v5aEfmH1q79zAzWSD1Aj8xX-JxTJlL3hKcUqP5rikCq3w-k1t3ZBZTWICJKj2p3Ho0RjzKdUOYwdDszInRIq2zgnBNv_j24_w-jOqy3Lm3KE0dDg2tEhAUL2vYt_r_uF41/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2054.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="1600" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlBNM3sh_72v5aEfmH1q79zAzWSD1Aj8xX-JxTJlL3hKcUqP5rikCq3w-k1t3ZBZTWICJKj2p3Ho0RjzKdUOYwdDszInRIq2zgnBNv_j24_w-jOqy3Lm3KE0dDg2tEhAUL2vYt_r_uF41/s640/fullsizeoutput_2054.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTsyPdRok_hez51YRfFspX8KqRuYn81O34oVwJStOAbteNdloI1DwcrqomFazNv6ECwWzHDF6JkmPkjHnO2MP8K0tyyZNmDfWDmfeKkK3uw667nJgDGt4ABMWgViH4VOw-7UiSERwCOYC/s1600/fullsizeoutput_205c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTsyPdRok_hez51YRfFspX8KqRuYn81O34oVwJStOAbteNdloI1DwcrqomFazNv6ECwWzHDF6JkmPkjHnO2MP8K0tyyZNmDfWDmfeKkK3uw667nJgDGt4ABMWgViH4VOw-7UiSERwCOYC/s640/fullsizeoutput_205c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Well, that was a satisfying week camped along Interstate 10 in southeastern Arizona. Time to head over the state border to Silver City, New Mexico, where our next campsite backed up to the city cemetery and promised lots of peace and quiet. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ujKQkoXDUHif5XqoKgg-ZZO4yCUTjXE6_wMv1yvYeFQz9fDgOzi9OB3AjO1lKeTz45OBYDqTs37B5t1im5-9D7ytI4YezTzNQCI-UZI7OBPFA8kz0bemtQ28pcmy3ZhQ6OiqfSajNxzL/s1600/fullsizeoutput_208d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ujKQkoXDUHif5XqoKgg-ZZO4yCUTjXE6_wMv1yvYeFQz9fDgOzi9OB3AjO1lKeTz45OBYDqTs37B5t1im5-9D7ytI4YezTzNQCI-UZI7OBPFA8kz0bemtQ28pcmy3ZhQ6OiqfSajNxzL/s640/fullsizeoutput_208d.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-79525104277724504142019-03-16T09:35:00.000-05:002019-03-16T09:35:46.030-05:00IN THE STEPS OF CORONADO NEAR HUACHUCA CITY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEi5uKzlW-lp4Ep0ljZKfX0H_Ga7QFHQQwaQ-A-AP9HL43JUbzU27g4v5Joe5G8sTjQAMpT0HkM-l7SE03isdPFt5MJNzmEt8xDpMhRZ90AduSUb3-BSTMK-jUwv08piBPUiyqIQS5HGa/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f1c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEi5uKzlW-lp4Ep0ljZKfX0H_Ga7QFHQQwaQ-A-AP9HL43JUbzU27g4v5Joe5G8sTjQAMpT0HkM-l7SE03isdPFt5MJNzmEt8xDpMhRZ90AduSUb3-BSTMK-jUwv08piBPUiyqIQS5HGa/s640/fullsizeoutput_1f1c.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 21px;"><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 34px;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span> </span>Our next campground was in a remote location situated several miles outside of Huachuca City, Arizona. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKWuC03ci_gWS2YrH6TCO4utCfkfFJ3HktBORWJ0qgMs9baDFQgnthukF_lzOFadUOX7RYRD22CKN-1whu61UWvch1yL7LswPmGWpKK6nXnukLwKcnAzrVLNwg7JzcSgteXPfmLKx6qJi/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fa8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1600" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKWuC03ci_gWS2YrH6TCO4utCfkfFJ3HktBORWJ0qgMs9baDFQgnthukF_lzOFadUOX7RYRD22CKN-1whu61UWvch1yL7LswPmGWpKK6nXnukLwKcnAzrVLNwg7JzcSgteXPfmLKx6qJi/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fa8.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We trusted that our “temporary home” for the next two weeks would serve as an excellent basecamp for exploration of this corner of southeastern Arizona, an area notable for many centuries of rich history. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">THE SPANISH ERA</span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJYwNsKQAMtGFc47p6qt_qyy8Sil_ByxSPKo6s502U44G68x5i4LFkfu64pfNBYNHWzoBuikDuyaYxjYmjK4Wnb3mHVIdmfsVs-egU4oD2D29bwWAxD05cQmCQfjjV5L3yUONCIvc3VbO/s1600/P1030210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJYwNsKQAMtGFc47p6qt_qyy8Sil_ByxSPKo6s502U44G68x5i4LFkfu64pfNBYNHWzoBuikDuyaYxjYmjK4Wnb3mHVIdmfsVs-egU4oD2D29bwWAxD05cQmCQfjjV5L3yUONCIvc3VbO/s640/P1030210.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">One of the best places to begin the story of exploration and settlement during the Spanish era was at the <b><i>Coronado National Memorial</i></b>, which was established to commemorate the first major European expedition into the Southwest. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmQZED2lpvC8-iSd4RFRGGKKf87IhjKTNLpQM3K1tYzs_37O9ZPvwxHyHzCJmwvkq0Y5eCGz63Ga5CRIszONK4fzbcaV196qoF6cZyGbvCykr1aqpaIRiKhYO_OeePBogCpvDNliIwYeR/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ed3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1343" data-original-width="1600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmQZED2lpvC8-iSd4RFRGGKKf87IhjKTNLpQM3K1tYzs_37O9ZPvwxHyHzCJmwvkq0Y5eCGz63Ga5CRIszONK4fzbcaV196qoF6cZyGbvCykr1aqpaIRiKhYO_OeePBogCpvDNliIwYeR/s320/fullsizeoutput_1ed3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">n the mid-16th century, under orders from the King of Spain, an expeditionary force of over 1000 led by Francisco Vasquez de Coronado marched through the San Pedro River Valley into present-day Arizona. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghjq9Mgly8N1AR8AP9YlTmkrwgambx04aCZiwTktbs9OKo38u_FQcTBbo1NS5pioUKJNQScyNYGyYYDdsJN_0le5xhym5vWdu2SXUruyjA_pBLhbLkxJXCEQW2TO6nbhEoMGOb6zNDTNCy/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fac.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1600" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghjq9Mgly8N1AR8AP9YlTmkrwgambx04aCZiwTktbs9OKo38u_FQcTBbo1NS5pioUKJNQScyNYGyYYDdsJN_0le5xhym5vWdu2SXUruyjA_pBLhbLkxJXCEQW2TO6nbhEoMGOb6zNDTNCy/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fac.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The expedition was tasked with searching for the Seven Cities of Cibola and its fabled gold.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">From the parking area at Montezuma Pass, the route of Coronado’s expedition could clearly be appreciated in the distance. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-u_Qyd4_GbKqVSrNC-jCOmbw2BE_xcA19lOeBbmBZ9ZUS0BRsX_UivWY3HVuajaXKVtSa9GvDgS0_UTCoJS2qKhRwfuuAoft8PtSWcBkU8GUBFKHMTy7BXL5AgHw1bA5KrhuYEXSxVwZH/s1600/IMG_3885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-u_Qyd4_GbKqVSrNC-jCOmbw2BE_xcA19lOeBbmBZ9ZUS0BRsX_UivWY3HVuajaXKVtSa9GvDgS0_UTCoJS2qKhRwfuuAoft8PtSWcBkU8GUBFKHMTy7BXL5AgHw1bA5KrhuYEXSxVwZH/s640/IMG_3885.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Within sight of the Mexican border at the summit of the Coronado Peak Trail, natural panoramic views of two nations were stunning. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xM2CR9yWO-dsTGYGvwW0cc0X72SBKlwm0fOAwtPgUxmuU4PcsKe52o1riu6vITru4a4I3OtsVNsIFB81SpNbQb4h41AFUCYqJtVLe-5mV6vnw_ebBi8rhP3TmPTwds2efPYGx8AjgPVn/s1600/IMG_3890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xM2CR9yWO-dsTGYGvwW0cc0X72SBKlwm0fOAwtPgUxmuU4PcsKe52o1riu6vITru4a4I3OtsVNsIFB81SpNbQb4h41AFUCYqJtVLe-5mV6vnw_ebBi8rhP3TmPTwds2efPYGx8AjgPVn/s640/IMG_3890.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsjTWAhV-EMtN-ksRaLkrK9WmWfGmhEb0SgHW52kVduMuDLCOQGXNbtp_dpP8Q2Y83UZ8BwpOEtv8o_mN6tQtDsJEZug6fiTAFGbNG65a43rOm1E4UJ3rnplsx2KYOXwcpuw9T_7FSJdzI/s1600/P1030231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsjTWAhV-EMtN-ksRaLkrK9WmWfGmhEb0SgHW52kVduMuDLCOQGXNbtp_dpP8Q2Y83UZ8BwpOEtv8o_mN6tQtDsJEZug6fiTAFGbNG65a43rOm1E4UJ3rnplsx2KYOXwcpuw9T_7FSJdzI/s640/P1030231.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The border wall stretched into the distance as far as the eye could see, as sharply defined as a line drawn on a map.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0IbPH9HEd2suFBLIC5giBCcwOF_5pwi3arlO3FQUBEfpqOHhnNK6hk6cgG1qVek-xHOhtbfKY9hh_L4idtx9Y1yehJA10PcGVjdVMHTE6MKsAuXS0eKp_LWbKBQAFJDdg7h9-hKCDrQ_/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1edd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0IbPH9HEd2suFBLIC5giBCcwOF_5pwi3arlO3FQUBEfpqOHhnNK6hk6cgG1qVek-xHOhtbfKY9hh_L4idtx9Y1yehJA10PcGVjdVMHTE6MKsAuXS0eKp_LWbKBQAFJDdg7h9-hKCDrQ_/s640/fullsizeoutput_1edd.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYeRkK25cSvOI2IE9Rask1CUV_8OLE6_r1cp_JobaamMhH62Mf4dRMGJuuJfSCjnFjJeNJqrLWIgAglMG_glNe5oGzNptSfRCxeyZ9rE7UGCKzqW142iCct_V2tsUwvRwkPdLcgiGX-pj/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f99.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYeRkK25cSvOI2IE9Rask1CUV_8OLE6_r1cp_JobaamMhH62Mf4dRMGJuuJfSCjnFjJeNJqrLWIgAglMG_glNe5oGzNptSfRCxeyZ9rE7UGCKzqW142iCct_V2tsUwvRwkPdLcgiGX-pj/s400/fullsizeoutput_1f99.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Explorers from Spain came to this frontier area with plans to convert the indigenous population to Christianity. In the process, Native American lands were seized and secured for the Spanish crown. Such was the mission of the Spanish soldiers at the <b><i>Presidio Santa Cruz de Terrenate</i></b>, a rare historical site situated along the San Pedro River Valley. A 1-1/2-mile hike through harsh desert landscape</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMfWYb5zqAcson86I9wHk2VdQXjocrLPiOmf99ymTEsKQRkgNnxOwITSS2lsznN2fNinfkDRNHlE9A-6XMMW1Z62B6BjoLhzMuk5-IvqLTJZLytuLsJAurF6NeFtAXUpjvRLDp2T7HXOL/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1eed.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1600" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMfWYb5zqAcson86I9wHk2VdQXjocrLPiOmf99ymTEsKQRkgNnxOwITSS2lsznN2fNinfkDRNHlE9A-6XMMW1Z62B6BjoLhzMuk5-IvqLTJZLytuLsJAurF6NeFtAXUpjvRLDp2T7HXOL/s640/fullsizeoutput_1eed.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">led to the ruins of this Spanish fort. A few adobe walls and some stone foundations were all that remained of the original presidio structure that dated back to 1776.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3YLtkay_SMAJal3nJC0Ywo1kLBOvPodDxkD8Z2dXUZgfINIsC36O6jAIelq9019UxUis7-vgRjtESFmAKC6SVqSPzMzQtla_cQRpvuRp2aASNaFjp36aqDvD6VUMFcT8Y9ANdQs-_KEJq/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ef1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3YLtkay_SMAJal3nJC0Ywo1kLBOvPodDxkD8Z2dXUZgfINIsC36O6jAIelq9019UxUis7-vgRjtESFmAKC6SVqSPzMzQtla_cQRpvuRp2aASNaFjp36aqDvD6VUMFcT8Y9ANdQs-_KEJq/s640/fullsizeoutput_1ef1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCo6OB891nM5GncIdyPB0W67cNi_1ppmBGuI3jWBO-7_Hm-vaIA1AqGrYhXLPHNG_zkUsnUTM81FlDAS-xIu627kUM6nKmYnGiUPjdHNCOZhLDAuZM_ZmijsA5gNseFvW8p2WIDKIoWY9Q/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f7b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1397" data-original-width="1600" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCo6OB891nM5GncIdyPB0W67cNi_1ppmBGuI3jWBO-7_Hm-vaIA1AqGrYhXLPHNG_zkUsnUTM81FlDAS-xIu627kUM6nKmYnGiUPjdHNCOZhLDAuZM_ZmijsA5gNseFvW8p2WIDKIoWY9Q/s400/fullsizeoutput_1f7b.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The missionary story of the era of Spanish influence continued at <b><i>Tumacacori National Historical Park</i></b>. Here, the lives of Native Americans mingled with European Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries. Sometimes these very different cultures thrived in harmony, as depicted in this artist’s idealistic interpretation of mission life. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAidQPotZh-h_vHU7gWm-zQPteawKYREYu6qEhB_vaVdoTmRWa4dzbVuKVx0e3dyt4fyfyODvbQXTLRDAi56H4m9eY8xecxxcVY4WfXtL3NfPc_G8xnMUlxJI4qqxejfnT_-Fqh_vn8Ga/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f90.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAidQPotZh-h_vHU7gWm-zQPteawKYREYu6qEhB_vaVdoTmRWa4dzbVuKVx0e3dyt4fyfyODvbQXTLRDAi56H4m9eY8xecxxcVY4WfXtL3NfPc_G8xnMUlxJI4qqxejfnT_-Fqh_vn8Ga/s640/fullsizeoutput_1f90.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At other times, there was painful conflict. Construction of the iconic mission church began 200 years ago but was never finished.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKfW8DIPwoVkULaY0k_0yv0r4nqUu68jy_lnXkWdipuke46_5asXkkh0gikYcnBL7Z-vrZlwemtX-YMsqEGIaeAoCYKmXz8ub5lOnlGY3WC5McuXI4KbuqDbW74FJWOvat6ErZPVyI3o-/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f85.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKfW8DIPwoVkULaY0k_0yv0r4nqUu68jy_lnXkWdipuke46_5asXkkh0gikYcnBL7Z-vrZlwemtX-YMsqEGIaeAoCYKmXz8ub5lOnlGY3WC5McuXI4KbuqDbW74FJWOvat6ErZPVyI3o-/s640/fullsizeoutput_1f85.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The exterior represented an interesting interpretation of the Spanish mission style, while the interior of this historic mission church had clearly fallen into severe disrepair.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXWj2M0ByCP-Gs6QldUkmDUOj6zohXoq5muj4waVb37DV4v6iqi1UTQVtoaWpmGGAZD4nGiUNt2vi68hPg_d3aHQ1bL_NHDlAlCLZBLI1pULuD6rp76LCuJb8CjVqDK3Ju65UPXE3yaeh/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f8c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXWj2M0ByCP-Gs6QldUkmDUOj6zohXoq5muj4waVb37DV4v6iqi1UTQVtoaWpmGGAZD4nGiUNt2vi68hPg_d3aHQ1bL_NHDlAlCLZBLI1pULuD6rp76LCuJb8CjVqDK3Ju65UPXE3yaeh/s640/fullsizeoutput_1f8c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Fast-forward to present-day Arizona. Here, the reality of Spanish influence took a decided wrong turn… The harsh, rough border city of <b><i>Nogales</i></b> had recently been in the news due to controversy over a barbed wired addition to the town’s very tall border fence. Naturally, we were curious what that was all about…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Indeed, a tall, ugly, rusty border fence literally bisected a residential area between both cities named Nogales.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVwXRiEYTjxzRqo5lVHo2tq08Xjt2bqN8U0n-IDleSeQoai5iLF76oE4BmK0Bc_jrdq7dOxAJJ2PdpE3PX26Z12xXOHPoI7DoPA22XXmlB1_ecHVwVXQQKVj4dEixGnCijwhMtXpnF-hE/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f93.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1600" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVwXRiEYTjxzRqo5lVHo2tq08Xjt2bqN8U0n-IDleSeQoai5iLF76oE4BmK0Bc_jrdq7dOxAJJ2PdpE3PX26Z12xXOHPoI7DoPA22XXmlB1_ecHVwVXQQKVj4dEixGnCijwhMtXpnF-hE/s640/fullsizeoutput_1f93.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The recent addition of rows of barbed wire</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheA4dfdLCIowOzMr3yhRDDUIc-pnaU3QzSqRugrXa0y5jRMF3U0YHW52nKhjRXK6oOQr44U4Wqf5wCl_ubs9NByqSkxSkXwS2ZDc4UVXbD15c26yUkI9UkwfQUccQI6X50xCOS0vvHta8T/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f95.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheA4dfdLCIowOzMr3yhRDDUIc-pnaU3QzSqRugrXa0y5jRMF3U0YHW52nKhjRXK6oOQr44U4Wqf5wCl_ubs9NByqSkxSkXwS2ZDc4UVXbD15c26yUkI9UkwfQUccQI6X50xCOS0vvHta8T/s640/fullsizeoutput_1f95.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">created a monstrosity that was truly shocking with its unmistakable message of hate! As a result, we felt quite intimidated and were unsure just how much we wanted to look around on foot. Just up the street from the international border, we stopped at McDonald’s for a few minutes to strategize over a cup of coffee.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-x4OJqTMozEqwcYwpW8OlwIiq1uVfM5MVTjMGsjQGCrDcFlC7Pe9-XK2WwXnLp3rH6ROaI1AR7lMIofI89lrXDIbY7L2gBWK6apE0x1JgwHtMCMff5vJoyUONtdn5h2lh1OZMLswbPA7/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f23.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-x4OJqTMozEqwcYwpW8OlwIiq1uVfM5MVTjMGsjQGCrDcFlC7Pe9-XK2WwXnLp3rH6ROaI1AR7lMIofI89lrXDIbY7L2gBWK6apE0x1JgwHtMCMff5vJoyUONtdn5h2lh1OZMLswbPA7/s640/fullsizeoutput_1f23.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Two no-nonsense McDonald’s “security attendants” patrolling the parking lot waived a $5 parking fee when I informed them that we intended to patronize McDonald’s. Wise corporate move, McDonald’s… Inside was just like any other McDonald’s, except that almost everyone spoke Spanish. Not to worry however—our order number was announced in English along with Spanish… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We opted to forego any exploration of Nogales on foot outside of McDonald’s parking lot. No grand Wells Fargo bank building in this gritty border town…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJW0kqK-GgZw5h1sYNiOTyJkn9tFtF6TxiRDA4uyVIjnDi35yZPvuIDO6-_XeTt7_c1y_Cj4QaCIqrSN3l_UIz6vvcrLucPHIgdHh_kM1POdaCFQo2ckJcR5KbyHBVTdJQIR8a2p6Xl8eU/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f2e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1600" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJW0kqK-GgZw5h1sYNiOTyJkn9tFtF6TxiRDA4uyVIjnDi35yZPvuIDO6-_XeTt7_c1y_Cj4QaCIqrSN3l_UIz6vvcrLucPHIgdHh_kM1POdaCFQo2ckJcR5KbyHBVTdJQIR8a2p6Xl8eU/s640/fullsizeoutput_1f2e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 30px;"><i><span style="color: orange;">OLD TOWNS OF THE WILD WEST</span> </i></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 21px;">The state of Arizona is speckled with the remains of many Old West towns in varying states of decline, such as:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 25.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">the railroad town of <b><i><span style="color: orange;">Fairbank</span></i></b>, which was a transportation hub at the crossroads of several railroad lines during the Tombstone silver boom. Picturesque Fairbank Mercantile, one of the town’s few original structures, was still standing.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYwNIsCZI8sjpHFqti_FuxPEeB344bZsj2pVZ_EETqTnpVKJ58gE3DR7olkWHz07qTcPjFFehGDQxplvm6rpkpCJnyZbPv0MWEQVsOlwkjEbGzV6EeMgm6aoYt2b1hIgYeARZktOSocBa/s1600/P1030151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYwNIsCZI8sjpHFqti_FuxPEeB344bZsj2pVZ_EETqTnpVKJ58gE3DR7olkWHz07qTcPjFFehGDQxplvm6rpkpCJnyZbPv0MWEQVsOlwkjEbGzV6EeMgm6aoYt2b1hIgYeARZktOSocBa/s640/P1030151.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 25.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">the old stamp mill town of <b><i><span style="color: orange;">Millville</span></i></b>, which was more interesting for its 600-year-old Hohokum petroglyphs than anything.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlEZKftodFs5vMuch8yp_y_Pwp8DDbDfNfb15mTaA3SsHVV3AQzRtSTyn5H5CZ40P1z7jamtPQLaak4l4Tqgpr3FuROZfojWR2LGXE2kxFMRdNpi_-7-gwutCukLv26p9EGyXZQM_caqv/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f97.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1600" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlEZKftodFs5vMuch8yp_y_Pwp8DDbDfNfb15mTaA3SsHVV3AQzRtSTyn5H5CZ40P1z7jamtPQLaak4l4Tqgpr3FuROZfojWR2LGXE2kxFMRdNpi_-7-gwutCukLv26p9EGyXZQM_caqv/s320/fullsizeoutput_1f97.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6hPVyJ4OWkswG2d6ENZ2K3_uSiqjdAuVTinDmOSuADhQwpsYxXauYa5mo5QWLwCsP4NriRAzjCbeZ2UOcJkA850252D6jU7rreuz8OIu5TmNajd-sy4-hRH7oxWKgWs-fGufzQj56SSP/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ef9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6hPVyJ4OWkswG2d6ENZ2K3_uSiqjdAuVTinDmOSuADhQwpsYxXauYa5mo5QWLwCsP4NriRAzjCbeZ2UOcJkA850252D6jU7rreuz8OIu5TmNajd-sy4-hRH7oxWKgWs-fGufzQj56SSP/s400/fullsizeoutput_1ef9.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A day-trip to the historic mining town of <b><i><span style="color: orange;">Bisbee</span></i></b> for lunch at the Copper Queen with friends Nolan and Val was a nice day. To work off lunch, we did a small portion of hilly Bisbee’s “Great Stair Climb.”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMy09SxOFVjqFJNz4ospovQjGMIxfqd9gKUho8MnkDGAS8OcUbw622tVZHinc_wFbDpcrsIaWqmg7Vv_T9hmV1ztFrARQSrfRDPchdRDI9g5jfTAD0mkvsN2P-QGQT1z9DS_2lgNM74HU/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ec3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMy09SxOFVjqFJNz4ospovQjGMIxfqd9gKUho8MnkDGAS8OcUbw622tVZHinc_wFbDpcrsIaWqmg7Vv_T9hmV1ztFrARQSrfRDPchdRDI9g5jfTAD0mkvsN2P-QGQT1z9DS_2lgNM74HU/s400/fullsizeoutput_1ec3.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV9MXrzirDrQf7j-s3tNC_R612xmCB0RsbYgUAETsKwCsyZyM1SNXHI-FkXyatNRE5CQjxyPCYPvCSREr076Vn1mF1h2XvT4NjpuPW9msAGBWS0i3VGBcfVwbVxYi19zXIAehbswr-s16X/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ec4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1600" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV9MXrzirDrQf7j-s3tNC_R612xmCB0RsbYgUAETsKwCsyZyM1SNXHI-FkXyatNRE5CQjxyPCYPvCSREr076Vn1mF1h2XvT4NjpuPW9msAGBWS0i3VGBcfVwbVxYi19zXIAehbswr-s16X/s400/fullsizeoutput_1ec4.jpeg" width="500" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0F5hyphenhyphenRV5qLB6tZqzRxgLTVzhNzsHH4OuVF8Qr9oTaP_pN65GXvs8A5s6QloNz6KJEC1SdLDZLr_pe5OS5zMZ-YqFQNShz0pgDjx0HSqoMMFc4NUIDNoQLQn4iH0KXQZpSimxtD1XiSn9d/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ea8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1548" data-original-width="1600" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0F5hyphenhyphenRV5qLB6tZqzRxgLTVzhNzsHH4OuVF8Qr9oTaP_pN65GXvs8A5s6QloNz6KJEC1SdLDZLr_pe5OS5zMZ-YqFQNShz0pgDjx0HSqoMMFc4NUIDNoQLQn4iH0KXQZpSimxtD1XiSn9d/s320/fullsizeoutput_1ea8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Of course, the granddaddy of all</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 28px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Wild West Arizona towns has to be <b><i><span style="color: orange;">Tombstone</span></i></b>, the silver mining capital where stories of Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and Doc Holiday have become legendary. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fS6f9n2dS04pmIvBrHHBY_4fZFfan6PGQIVWQ7Vr2_53nmCcQzbc8DImjzYOHgNlqFXD4SfHuAOnSqFDWkA82CRtaHA-AcV3ya3S1l8HG2ThwqcFpcvU3dvWuCgAN-jE1CCDUoCfjjxw/s1600/IMG_3826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fS6f9n2dS04pmIvBrHHBY_4fZFfan6PGQIVWQ7Vr2_53nmCcQzbc8DImjzYOHgNlqFXD4SfHuAOnSqFDWkA82CRtaHA-AcV3ya3S1l8HG2ThwqcFpcvU3dvWuCgAN-jE1CCDUoCfjjxw/s640/IMG_3826.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Main street was tastefully preserved for pedestrians only, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgsxFmnbAiDYUw0H5mWW9njhMZQ341bsllQsqJbNMGkyTP8tE2zn4sbIZmYDxwtkr-j_DBmvj3X7ujmluMLu3eRJUx-DIPhehO-emnEY5-vA1G6HZGVadB85ZeVI82l9YTC92OcifnxMw/s1600/P1030136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgsxFmnbAiDYUw0H5mWW9njhMZQ341bsllQsqJbNMGkyTP8tE2zn4sbIZmYDxwtkr-j_DBmvj3X7ujmluMLu3eRJUx-DIPhehO-emnEY5-vA1G6HZGVadB85ZeVI82l9YTC92OcifnxMw/s640/P1030136.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">with the exception of an occasional stagecoach.</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgQ_V9l1wAKTIb3WqMmh9RPOYAUobM3mqygNlDcTOosZeAWMdeZPyHWB577EW5Csss9VPfrDAZESHctlW8XsJYs1eCPUrNfUiEYvkQAxjBDpUlHhpCUm8f_eoXU9wgzcs6-hqfEV2YNEK/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ea6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgQ_V9l1wAKTIb3WqMmh9RPOYAUobM3mqygNlDcTOosZeAWMdeZPyHWB577EW5Csss9VPfrDAZESHctlW8XsJYs1eCPUrNfUiEYvkQAxjBDpUlHhpCUm8f_eoXU9wgzcs6-hqfEV2YNEK/s640/fullsizeoutput_1ea6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTfzLBFMvSOWX04M9zWj0c0idXcxnJ79vWwautTFpsyGCZiRnEtwY5Zi8iMvt0RgwOqwBzcnA_rV0qhily-Li7idbDWVtVKXNFDTEHk3YjdwY_mQN7i0q3oChmhjI7LgONInsOchaxsDQ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ea5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1402" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTfzLBFMvSOWX04M9zWj0c0idXcxnJ79vWwautTFpsyGCZiRnEtwY5Zi8iMvt0RgwOqwBzcnA_rV0qhily-Li7idbDWVtVKXNFDTEHk3YjdwY_mQN7i0q3oChmhjI7LgONInsOchaxsDQ/s320/fullsizeoutput_1ea5.jpeg" width="280" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Tourism suffered a hit a couple of years ago when during the last simulated outdoor <span style="color: orange;"><i><b>Gunfigh</b></i><b><i>t at the OK Corral</i></b></span> a real gun was mistakenly used by one of the actors, resulting in another actor and a tourist being wounded by real bullets… Yes, that really happened! The infamous <b><i><span style="color: orange;">Gunfight at the OK Corral</span></i></b> is now reenacted indoors at multiple saloon venues. Definitely not as colorful…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As on a previous visit, we felt that Boot Hill was a bit too tidy to be totally authentic, and not worth more than a camera shot through the fence…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLV12OLH2ARBQ1qQYuejBDvxLAeDN3WZJimIgseHYxb-UVia6z44l4Rb25WWSN0k9hH1TgcpFGlokyzNAeZe0MY7XBZuBDqnSNyQaWMz9sh_A60AB_0zroceaOuAk4pUCfFLnb3g0kGQcd/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fad.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLV12OLH2ARBQ1qQYuejBDvxLAeDN3WZJimIgseHYxb-UVia6z44l4Rb25WWSN0k9hH1TgcpFGlokyzNAeZe0MY7XBZuBDqnSNyQaWMz9sh_A60AB_0zroceaOuAk4pUCfFLnb3g0kGQcd/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fad.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUzBGg0WTb3v_5nGsFhx52Pp5UB82EFTCTLPkH72A5U5xmN2X42dSeRMPmfdKN7od8xmhkkQIia4X2QaTYk5Zp198Ssdi-QWSfKtkLMUR_zNaPZLkDY_PR9ePyPRhoU9FJUFWoBOkEw_n/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1eab.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="1600" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUzBGg0WTb3v_5nGsFhx52Pp5UB82EFTCTLPkH72A5U5xmN2X42dSeRMPmfdKN7od8xmhkkQIia4X2QaTYk5Zp198Ssdi-QWSfKtkLMUR_zNaPZLkDY_PR9ePyPRhoU9FJUFWoBOkEw_n/s400/fullsizeoutput_1eab.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The crafter in me discovered this nifty quilted panel done by some talented local quilters. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1Ae5pEFgiv-pl-lWDGq3EcgLI_JeONEyUXVz60-lxd5sKdUVf1VW-2Xh2LzhEQc-AIdTJgjLn32pip_Td-OXkwEAyHZzHQv9MUfdiD5Gd0EX04saASgyt9035YvF-eBlPzwUuaRHGB-F/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ee6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1Ae5pEFgiv-pl-lWDGq3EcgLI_JeONEyUXVz60-lxd5sKdUVf1VW-2Xh2LzhEQc-AIdTJgjLn32pip_Td-OXkwEAyHZzHQv9MUfdiD5Gd0EX04saASgyt9035YvF-eBlPzwUuaRHGB-F/s400/fullsizeoutput_1ee6.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">During our 1989-90 year on the road, we camped for a couple of nights at nearby <b><i>Fort Huachuca</i></b>, which was established in 1877 to defend American settlers from Apache Indian attacks. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The historic parade ground,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V1DUPsz88fbUC4WDWp4IXSK-ubcs7QXmm8LhcprXvhjrMgeFTyXPn6zrDE4ZQ1Qv8fA_GMCzogCGx5J-va9rUAQ9VMCJRPogh6fmXZ0WJXDg7VhbcYYGJlnkq058DHPcezkvIISjy_0t/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ee9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1600" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V1DUPsz88fbUC4WDWp4IXSK-ubcs7QXmm8LhcprXvhjrMgeFTyXPn6zrDE4ZQ1Qv8fA_GMCzogCGx5J-va9rUAQ9VMCJRPogh6fmXZ0WJXDg7VhbcYYGJlnkq058DHPcezkvIISjy_0t/s640/fullsizeoutput_1ee9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">bordered with well-maintained historic buildings, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXwqw-SA3NR3ipK0_pvtSwFf0en1oZVZ7wjXXVWuU1jZm9CT88kfoFbg3UDEogUjFR6QUrOg2wmjdlMQuDgcMvDz2rQ-c67nfQKrggWGwAuCBeFK0Qx4SKjNi18G3o0mTudljhMbMgANM/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ee7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1600" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXwqw-SA3NR3ipK0_pvtSwFf0en1oZVZ7wjXXVWuU1jZm9CT88kfoFbg3UDEogUjFR6QUrOg2wmjdlMQuDgcMvDz2rQ-c67nfQKrggWGwAuCBeFK0Qx4SKjNi18G3o0mTudljhMbMgANM/s640/fullsizeoutput_1ee7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">was a lovely back-in-time scene with the Huachuca Mountains looming in the distance.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At one time the home of African American soldiers nicknamed the Buffalo Soldiers, this somewhat remote but fully modernized active Army post is now a center of military intelligence training. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRTiCWX1xQ_0fkymuLlVQCZquYDYgvkhARcAA9cVZ0BmVkNmgSSXDfMOcbIqL0K5m5eH8Vrj45Bjmip0T6mRW_uVFE2hDbLBt418y3YaoBjcLQsAYZxFzTcul52A4tOUIU6pSLbWAy9Vo/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ee1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1600" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRTiCWX1xQ_0fkymuLlVQCZquYDYgvkhARcAA9cVZ0BmVkNmgSSXDfMOcbIqL0K5m5eH8Vrj45Bjmip0T6mRW_uVFE2hDbLBt418y3YaoBjcLQsAYZxFzTcul52A4tOUIU6pSLbWAy9Vo/s400/fullsizeoutput_1ee1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">While strolling along rows of headstones that mark the final resting place of many who have served, the Fort Huachuca Cemetery evoked an emotional ambience. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYI67agp776SFrsYKMvFajLsc7HNrEstrmv2QxYGXePz4A4DQJXU3_iaOPsHJ0n2LlF6kJf1Vo7bwnyffEdEylmvE1eyoINufHnHpLlFQ90nlWwvsljZtlf4cMSRLbqX90WtsCxWGoZiZ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ee2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="1600" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYI67agp776SFrsYKMvFajLsc7HNrEstrmv2QxYGXePz4A4DQJXU3_iaOPsHJ0n2LlF6kJf1Vo7bwnyffEdEylmvE1eyoINufHnHpLlFQ90nlWwvsljZtlf4cMSRLbqX90WtsCxWGoZiZ/s640/fullsizeoutput_1ee2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">There were also some interesting gravesites of key historic figures in Fort Huachuca Army history.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tHDGD9vkf-3W3AjRnewX-vC65lDM6_DDEShGzsGtwW3VhqM8woNNfAqTgcXcmLxDG-GvmZ1J_awpQdjKQMY4GBQ6G4wtm0eNDYdQk4WqeXGaeC1xt3rUJCTsjEcRw5ReVOuyN_bNaMOr/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ee4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1089" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tHDGD9vkf-3W3AjRnewX-vC65lDM6_DDEShGzsGtwW3VhqM8woNNfAqTgcXcmLxDG-GvmZ1J_awpQdjKQMY4GBQ6G4wtm0eNDYdQk4WqeXGaeC1xt3rUJCTsjEcRw5ReVOuyN_bNaMOr/s320/fullsizeoutput_1ee4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMfJBx2YXCwflXC5NySNlzi8t-gZNLk-KGKmTUVB2gPE3AphrdvXixqDjpk8B_8RS9YkTUdd1iXAa6IqPgGeHgRtLe2-KvuR0H9jvSaMqs8V92qJZrYxQ9C3f8Eya2Q-6tYXcKpqzeO2R/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ee5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="1600" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMfJBx2YXCwflXC5NySNlzi8t-gZNLk-KGKmTUVB2gPE3AphrdvXixqDjpk8B_8RS9YkTUdd1iXAa6IqPgGeHgRtLe2-KvuR0H9jvSaMqs8V92qJZrYxQ9C3f8Eya2Q-6tYXcKpqzeO2R/s400/fullsizeoutput_1ee5.jpeg" width="400" /></a> </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">KARTCHNER CAVERNS</span></i></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpik7SdfpYZiyYSHbQUTKimsKtKvjauS1ebi_B0Z-0RixbjFiFU3VrbnwOfBlI-6amBO1oyfpnBGDMuTvDnJIsrSkcLFGNUB2Ug9jSMHlij3LoLwwQF2I2rf0lhB2SlNG9uScDARwSxO4K/s1600/4918391_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1071" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpik7SdfpYZiyYSHbQUTKimsKtKvjauS1ebi_B0Z-0RixbjFiFU3VrbnwOfBlI-6amBO1oyfpnBGDMuTvDnJIsrSkcLFGNUB2Ug9jSMHlij3LoLwwQF2I2rf0lhB2SlNG9uScDARwSxO4K/s320/4918391_orig.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Internet Photo</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Chief among our reasons for pausing to look around this unpopulated corner of Arizona was the opportunity to visit <b><i>Kartchner Caverns</i></b>. We needed a bit of convincing to accept the claim that <b><i>Kartchner Caverns</i></b> is one of the top 10 caves in the entire country. It turned out that Al and I were only a few minutes into the Rotunda/Throne Room tour when we became firm believers! This cave was as spectacular as any we had visited, and we have taken a lot of cave tours…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The fact that this limestone cave complex remains in near-mint condition</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">(hence, <span style="color: orange;">NO PHOTOGRAPHY</span> on the tours) since man first discovered it in 1974, and continues to exist as a healthy living cave with delicate calcite formations that continue to grow, certainly validated the Kartchner boast. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJb5y0mzeZ0wjtf1uHO4fLnbZvjWVYS3-n-Oly9T8agKTtaYhXmjJ8fbxcLxWaqzmD2l59qjJCrn9yI-oyqseyYYSq1pPupd0w4oQXV-fV3lwDdd11JtVLRQEVCrs52NMd7QLIrhIen23d/s1600/jim_david_photo_416508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="780" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJb5y0mzeZ0wjtf1uHO4fLnbZvjWVYS3-n-Oly9T8agKTtaYhXmjJ8fbxcLxWaqzmD2l59qjJCrn9yI-oyqseyYYSq1pPupd0w4oQXV-fV3lwDdd11JtVLRQEVCrs52NMd7QLIrhIen23d/s400/jim_david_photo_416508.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Internet Photo</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj701xCkwt8kCHgbnDhK9P6L4F-3n6I1iyvx1ykbo_krh6RtWkwOXGbIMo26q1kUBOTalO_Zrd__-Ok1iyUlzEPna4cFUZ_jhH_1uFwajZe51eYfGU0cGrLMoOBVsodArDp8LZqJt6G603b/s1600/52895b585d115.image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="417" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj701xCkwt8kCHgbnDhK9P6L4F-3n6I1iyvx1ykbo_krh6RtWkwOXGbIMo26q1kUBOTalO_Zrd__-Ok1iyUlzEPna4cFUZ_jhH_1uFwajZe51eYfGU0cGrLMoOBVsodArDp8LZqJt6G603b/s400/52895b585d115.image.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Internet Photo of Kubla Khan</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The impressive Kubla Khan formation was the highlight of the tour. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<b style="font-size: 30px;"><i><span style="color: orange;">OUR LADY OF THE SIERRAS</span></i></b><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sometimes places we never knew existed, or activities we never dreamed we would do, end up becoming pleasant surprises.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkrLN44Ihm-xQjrYE9Rd5Gaxs1kjgpK6R7iob6VJGj26loPql-w-G-eRIqW3jSDgk4HBS2aC8QSsAGlnfsjAQ3ILKe9V18LdlcQFysHvjA7Xoq5aU_L351_dOy9IN5zMT0497Ba-0Id9S/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ece.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="1600" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkrLN44Ihm-xQjrYE9Rd5Gaxs1kjgpK6R7iob6VJGj26loPql-w-G-eRIqW3jSDgk4HBS2aC8QSsAGlnfsjAQ3ILKe9V18LdlcQFysHvjA7Xoq5aU_L351_dOy9IN5zMT0497Ba-0Id9S/s400/fullsizeoutput_1ece.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">And so it was at the shrine of <b><i>Our Lady of the Sierras</i></b>, a holy place that was inspired by a Virgin Mary apparition site in Medjugorje in the former Yugoslavia. A 75-foot Celtic Cross, a 31-foot statue of Mary, and a tiny meditation chapel loomed over a breathtaking view of the valley below.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwY4Ymbyxw0vXM06xOpgqZ11LsEwQl9S8y4Z4K9bAlWqe8BbMlOv1X3Ti4dThedchD-lendcmRDgNngbcsFU1hN4WPE3Rnv0RQKiRd1CNiiWq4nkmUvVxDiPdViAI4_AiX_OqATVWYMt6y/s1600/IMG_3869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwY4Ymbyxw0vXM06xOpgqZ11LsEwQl9S8y4Z4K9bAlWqe8BbMlOv1X3Ti4dThedchD-lendcmRDgNngbcsFU1hN4WPE3Rnv0RQKiRd1CNiiWq4nkmUvVxDiPdViAI4_AiX_OqATVWYMt6y/s640/IMG_3869.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVo1vxC3C5BYCZjv6tvL9Ql-sGzYR3mzuD8zwvL5t0ilF-AZUyK_0bUzUJaSeunkhd6GhfbncXoEuWAf2z7RYg1Wl78OY4IZvmWsuKRgHACOp63oMZ-xu_4zVCdjwKWmjDHGxZuW3gOIm/s1600/IMG_3881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVo1vxC3C5BYCZjv6tvL9Ql-sGzYR3mzuD8zwvL5t0ilF-AZUyK_0bUzUJaSeunkhd6GhfbncXoEuWAf2z7RYg1Wl78OY4IZvmWsuKRgHACOp63oMZ-xu_4zVCdjwKWmjDHGxZuW3gOIm/s640/IMG_3881.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A winding uphill path lined by the Stations of the Cross was the only way to the top. A near-perfect venue for serious meditation…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroZZo7pGxGFsJDF6GHZ3Q4rqsaWaLxReCsYzIfVnb0axeCML2-WpqvSQ-Wz6uzY40DkizjmB-L6mNoR37L22-ZWiFRo91K5gg3cbwmtnkDyd46EHTvnjBgzcNjCVr2VplXnKP2pHw0hQo/s1600/P1030198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroZZo7pGxGFsJDF6GHZ3Q4rqsaWaLxReCsYzIfVnb0axeCML2-WpqvSQ-Wz6uzY40DkizjmB-L6mNoR37L22-ZWiFRo91K5gg3cbwmtnkDyd46EHTvnjBgzcNjCVr2VplXnKP2pHw0hQo/s640/P1030198.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">MILLER PEAK</span></i></b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">When friend Nolan proposed hiking 9466-ft Miller Peak near his home in Sierra Vista, Al was instantly on board. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5x2jq9r_hj_Q_9CkGj1c7lb_ZV6dQ6DT2-iqPDqW07PU_853UbFTazNZmirJpny_teVzeeHdHq7Un4ZWM3Tlkk4VSLsGIWvbD3IPvegi_dKfyRgbJxWz0FLK3nUa_yJAcoplYDEq8sOVh/s1600/IMG_3907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5x2jq9r_hj_Q_9CkGj1c7lb_ZV6dQ6DT2-iqPDqW07PU_853UbFTazNZmirJpny_teVzeeHdHq7Un4ZWM3Tlkk4VSLsGIWvbD3IPvegi_dKfyRgbJxWz0FLK3nUa_yJAcoplYDEq8sOVh/s640/IMG_3907.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Unfortunately, a prescribed burn along the trail they planned to take necessitated a longer 12-1/2-mile roundtrip on the snowy north-facing flank.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2LDD8mY-5L0HdqFNy0R3B3Wsgbc6ekpErZ8mknV1FhsB21xOz3eBexJwUqW_-Ti9y_62E8CzkwXYjcMjNWe4Oc_5XZecVa_vGKsns_uety-UFrLf2NLq493egeJjAdNIfGRqPZXuZEin/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fa0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2LDD8mY-5L0HdqFNy0R3B3Wsgbc6ekpErZ8mknV1FhsB21xOz3eBexJwUqW_-Ti9y_62E8CzkwXYjcMjNWe4Oc_5XZecVa_vGKsns_uety-UFrLf2NLq493egeJjAdNIfGRqPZXuZEin/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fa0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBtH5YYB9teB5jBJjXNDkwjkPsGDVfz_sXObk05EGUS8y61MJsFogmA3HFp6c5haW6oznV9eUpuQbKh793WDUwZGXli92mrwY-u7ZsXRTsrAg611VvKrGbcVipDtTJXQJm6wEAfXaOrJA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1fa2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="1600" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBtH5YYB9teB5jBJjXNDkwjkPsGDVfz_sXObk05EGUS8y61MJsFogmA3HFp6c5haW6oznV9eUpuQbKh793WDUwZGXli92mrwY-u7ZsXRTsrAg611VvKrGbcVipDtTJXQJm6wEAfXaOrJA/s640/fullsizeoutput_1fa2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Brute strength and sheer determination got these two to the top, despite an exhausting struggle through some pretty deep snow. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIh31LDqgKc_XmjrID0V381SwOsREtXxOJhyWItgvQSnepsss_tI119rYyb6rYyh3B-cUgxhSEZXReDRT3E5xI_s1ee0PTzSFykfG3XDSabdktsfFvfbXj_KluP24RvRn_ldx9Pjzg8u5i/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f9d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1600" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIh31LDqgKc_XmjrID0V381SwOsREtXxOJhyWItgvQSnepsss_tI119rYyb6rYyh3B-cUgxhSEZXReDRT3E5xI_s1ee0PTzSFykfG3XDSabdktsfFvfbXj_KluP24RvRn_ldx9Pjzg8u5i/s640/fullsizeoutput_1f9d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi453ogfcAVBF9cuuCHL2NFyx0vV93SJ6kaoQJnCm2zQrJEM7Q24yuJaUtVCVKTrwpZFum-m16ACrPByTd1tg5RxI9pS1FSx26j5FNrYEoLDrxEHYtMyQzkNGHKR0g7obg4oywsTkGuG3p-/s1600/IMG_0559.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi453ogfcAVBF9cuuCHL2NFyx0vV93SJ6kaoQJnCm2zQrJEM7Q24yuJaUtVCVKTrwpZFum-m16ACrPByTd1tg5RxI9pS1FSx26j5FNrYEoLDrxEHYtMyQzkNGHKR0g7obg4oywsTkGuG3p-/s640/IMG_0559.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">ARIZONA WINE COUNTRY</span></i></b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">And finally, we picked the perfect way to conclude our stay in this part of Arizona… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Who knew that we were smack dab in the middle of some pretty great Arizona wine country? The claim was that this local microclimate of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">rich soil, cool nights, warm days and high elevation were a winemaker’s dream. To test this theory, we visited three tasting rooms in the “middle of nowhere” along Elgin Road.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3aRtyHZKO0Xg178H5KVrgnN82e6fBrA2egQ8COVjjtjYxfjTD3Mt69-KKrfZSZ7aSX37o8LtyONUfDHPOUfRzEZu9E4epdnO5qrBSkcdMvdqEPbvsOlrTMrKtmYVJLqXr3Sw9wnbPbRo/s1600/P1030416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3aRtyHZKO0Xg178H5KVrgnN82e6fBrA2egQ8COVjjtjYxfjTD3Mt69-KKrfZSZ7aSX37o8LtyONUfDHPOUfRzEZu9E4epdnO5qrBSkcdMvdqEPbvsOlrTMrKtmYVJLqXr3Sw9wnbPbRo/s640/P1030416.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-adcn4sOXK8mmqN6Sl1WCAZaJ5UIRFnwHEFyaYWkoanWNLe1VC5l22ekwIlFY9fi47rsJobDzMZ7dmUsP644oT5TmK90ahmf5FGgBvSll5V3DJx5wyTzXyTsuqApHAWmQTB6KKITeKsKI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f4e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="1600" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-adcn4sOXK8mmqN6Sl1WCAZaJ5UIRFnwHEFyaYWkoanWNLe1VC5l22ekwIlFY9fi47rsJobDzMZ7dmUsP644oT5TmK90ahmf5FGgBvSll5V3DJx5wyTzXyTsuqApHAWmQTB6KKITeKsKI/s320/fullsizeoutput_1f4e.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Talking with the Australian-educated owner of <b><i>Kief-Joshua Vineyards</i></b> was lively and informative. And yes, our tasting room experience demonstrated that Kief’s Arizona-grown grapes made some pretty tasty wine.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0VgfnEFf4ZAvGobfw-YMSt2racLqRHHojBR6pJlToVIOUAo94hxTIV6YA8SylfmlyCaRVA3EqEhJYaiQc_4swEQg2ws4v3ftIA5FBh3ZsTHTOGhZfWti2egxXnE2XRLuHQz6CjTgrG5o/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f4f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1600" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0VgfnEFf4ZAvGobfw-YMSt2racLqRHHojBR6pJlToVIOUAo94hxTIV6YA8SylfmlyCaRVA3EqEhJYaiQc_4swEQg2ws4v3ftIA5FBh3ZsTHTOGhZfWti2egxXnE2XRLuHQz6CjTgrG5o/s640/fullsizeoutput_1f4f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3MBuTr8nZxwTXcbwsgbYz95tcYQLNZn0-6Sm_Brt0duPnCqXQdMkWp-KtqL3-Z9btCrXbJa2n1i2W5Ja4__FkrKUyILrq7sK1cDi7mf7l8g_1siuJ4_UbKyYN5KG6JNJwP1baToWkVDs/s1600/P1030415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3MBuTr8nZxwTXcbwsgbYz95tcYQLNZn0-6Sm_Brt0duPnCqXQdMkWp-KtqL3-Z9btCrXbJa2n1i2W5Ja4__FkrKUyILrq7sK1cDi7mf7l8g_1siuJ4_UbKyYN5KG6JNJwP1baToWkVDs/s640/P1030415.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Flying Leap Vineyards</i></b> <b><i>and Distillery</i></b> offered some delicious distilled spirits tasting.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">And <b><i>Callaghan Vineyards</i></b>, while not having the fanciest tasting room, had the distinction of having their wines featured at White House functions on four different occasions. Great bragging rights!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Indeed, a little wine and distilled spirits tasting was the perfect way to wind up our stay in this very interesting corner of the desert in Arizona high-country.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXoMA2d1RlUQxbTZ0_QjjFySE4QVbSO4_XKdDVuhR9K9HxT8cEUzdX6OeCEmQ7WWt_lUd3Z3vr7WqEsd1VGD2T2Tr8E6kx63XsgRl0_SwiRQwnscsaNsDQjevhyceGdFlrH12GWbVnj5f/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f60.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1600" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXoMA2d1RlUQxbTZ0_QjjFySE4QVbSO4_XKdDVuhR9K9HxT8cEUzdX6OeCEmQ7WWt_lUd3Z3vr7WqEsd1VGD2T2Tr8E6kx63XsgRl0_SwiRQwnscsaNsDQjevhyceGdFlrH12GWbVnj5f/s400/fullsizeoutput_1f60.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 29px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 29px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVdD-ix6wS3Tnvmy-e70OrekobVIsh_Unefm0GAUEWy3iUueA6MLCMgehQ24Fe-mhtKYUDJjCc70TJE9RHrRgjJQ4Hm2L1BjBOpY2Q5o9J9suL4ZDoKnAfcYm5aqWOwC13llbqyVbFDOG/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1f1e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVdD-ix6wS3Tnvmy-e70OrekobVIsh_Unefm0GAUEWy3iUueA6MLCMgehQ24Fe-mhtKYUDJjCc70TJE9RHrRgjJQ4Hm2L1BjBOpY2Q5o9J9suL4ZDoKnAfcYm5aqWOwC13llbqyVbFDOG/s640/fullsizeoutput_1f1e.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-20422592002446240142019-03-09T07:36:00.000-06:002019-03-09T07:36:52.008-06:00LAZY DAYS IN TUCSON<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmJCLdc3BO2ZzeX3AM8DnNqicI9hABhi9Vj1DgBGucjvTE7PRZWIjp-t5438omriI9O7TDPYiYX-2N7ngzIYTQELsMA7CvI6NJW6N_nqefovfTGHIv8gwfs9p-oLH_TGov5r3TG4YRg_y/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e64.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmJCLdc3BO2ZzeX3AM8DnNqicI9hABhi9Vj1DgBGucjvTE7PRZWIjp-t5438omriI9O7TDPYiYX-2N7ngzIYTQELsMA7CvI6NJW6N_nqefovfTGHIv8gwfs9p-oLH_TGov5r3TG4YRg_y/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e64.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "bradley hand"; font-size: 28px;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span></span><b><i> </i></b>O</span><span style="font-kerning: none;">ur desire to fully experience life on the West Coast filled our days to overflowing during <b><i>Year 2018</i></b> on the road. From Los Angeles to Seattle, we enjoyed the best of West Coast beaches, mountains, and deserts. We maintained a pace that left us satisfied, but by December… a bit weary. I confess that we really looked forward to a January and February winter slow-down in Tucson, where some minor motorhome repairs and Jeep servicing were scheduled, plus miscellaneous medical appointments, reunions with friends, and some major resting up for the final 8-month push on the road. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhA9gWEv6MDMPBMSCnklJpTBjrBw2ME8aqZ7phM23aivoFGnNclMYAitJ9lwqxnUuDWV9QI5_dNLi9-FRHFDjrmsOqYoiO9-eTxhm6yeSJg73ebrgYBM4mS2Vg9K7OO7NjDKEaSlBVTT_I/s1600/P1020975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhA9gWEv6MDMPBMSCnklJpTBjrBw2ME8aqZ7phM23aivoFGnNclMYAitJ9lwqxnUuDWV9QI5_dNLi9-FRHFDjrmsOqYoiO9-eTxhm6yeSJg73ebrgYBM4mS2Vg9K7OO7NjDKEaSlBVTT_I/s400/P1020975.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Tucson LazyDays KOA Resort </i></b>turned out to be the perfect change-of-pace choice… For starters, the RV repair facility was right next door, making it convenient for us to move our big-rig back and forth for servicing. In addition, there was a variety of campground activities that definitely captured our interest in this very active senior community:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgOndQUoHjFf1M3PnxdGGTrwTFlXWVasEOqt_bTVha9Zu8VB-e1m5kQYXiKcQbBCH4lzjda5rzsjcRxr5aOXllDc5Wjx9LcUd4pD-izxnBlXvFFe7rOKONNYGQXR8TR7fd2oUuRCmrXkL/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e99.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1279" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgOndQUoHjFf1M3PnxdGGTrwTFlXWVasEOqt_bTVha9Zu8VB-e1m5kQYXiKcQbBCH4lzjda5rzsjcRxr5aOXllDc5Wjx9LcUd4pD-izxnBlXvFFe7rOKONNYGQXR8TR7fd2oUuRCmrXkL/s320/fullsizeoutput_1e99.jpeg" width="255" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">—pickle ball for Al with a </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">nice circle of friends, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCdEYTMUdXaOYv7S8fi8SBsm_ZS5-_zs_I2V1k0aajtmzysMJ0iS5BYSZmR_hn3TeNEpbKnxpgraRoYywfO_vqyirAIlndGfSY0rtqUYpStgaU6a7FlPyc11Rf9C_czubDbMQodCyhyIF/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e77.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1223" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCdEYTMUdXaOYv7S8fi8SBsm_ZS5-_zs_I2V1k0aajtmzysMJ0iS5BYSZmR_hn3TeNEpbKnxpgraRoYywfO_vqyirAIlndGfSY0rtqUYpStgaU6a7FlPyc11Rf9C_czubDbMQodCyhyIF/s320/fullsizeoutput_1e77.jpeg" width="244" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "trebuchet ms";">—and </span>zumba and water aerobics for Carol with a friendly group of like-minded ladies. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2Ai20uW8Fu8IlVVApSV-QIUWbxVW39Um0YZaup3qAIOU8ZZJLxymt3pPA3oz9es_ndZGNdnEW2QmfcHHVFl5Oqb3SgsHudan2baFynfh7Zkag-nMlor0L1LHRBafCzWkxnvy6pMOgDO4/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e6d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2Ai20uW8Fu8IlVVApSV-QIUWbxVW39Um0YZaup3qAIOU8ZZJLxymt3pPA3oz9es_ndZGNdnEW2QmfcHHVFl5Oqb3SgsHudan2baFynfh7Zkag-nMlor0L1LHRBafCzWkxnvy6pMOgDO4/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e6d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">One of the unexpected jewels of this KOA was the profusion of citrus trees along the boundaries of every campsite. As luck would have it, an unlimited supply of oranges, lemons, and grapefruit were ripe and ready for picking when we arrived in the early days of the new year!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHW0GSCRqO5RXzwj7BhiuYGRS_0CNK1-95C8gOlVRWMysFoUUs7_XsC0AtWbkmpCoAsYlEO77NJSOWv2UIy8lXox_C06Yn8-EDdEKFzN12iKZcLhqtTDxvB9UiYEtPzXVVhdBzCMQ6-mN/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e72.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHW0GSCRqO5RXzwj7BhiuYGRS_0CNK1-95C8gOlVRWMysFoUUs7_XsC0AtWbkmpCoAsYlEO77NJSOWv2UIy8lXox_C06Yn8-EDdEKFzN12iKZcLhqtTDxvB9UiYEtPzXVVhdBzCMQ6-mN/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e72.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our little orange tree had all the oranges we could eat for the entire 7-week stay! Vitamin C levels were boosted to the max…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSFaKksuZqaqvH8raDe5P-X3cC7v7qazSm4BOMtiriuQaO6CMldvr914tv6Fg-zauqo_cjJWbYPr1xoRPT12kVo2o72lPDHI-xwzX23L1ub2tTB3gfonXarg6R9Oy51K8VYVzWjwxOZTSH/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e73.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSFaKksuZqaqvH8raDe5P-X3cC7v7qazSm4BOMtiriuQaO6CMldvr914tv6Fg-zauqo_cjJWbYPr1xoRPT12kVo2o72lPDHI-xwzX23L1ub2tTB3gfonXarg6R9Oy51K8VYVzWjwxOZTSH/s400/fullsizeoutput_1e73.jpeg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOd5e1qkoAfaIqMVClrqgCqKvJaU5N72rID1Oa0CFRYk6KJ4psBNtaIFhyphenhyphenfbOXLW_nIvH_gi_eC9GarJNqOElg6oy9W2wpC6bJM6S4wyvxrp70kJMmynvMYFL76DJgAuZ3yTNyo8kwwTY4/s1600/P1030097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOd5e1qkoAfaIqMVClrqgCqKvJaU5N72rID1Oa0CFRYk6KJ4psBNtaIFhyphenhyphenfbOXLW_nIvH_gi_eC9GarJNqOElg6oy9W2wpC6bJM6S4wyvxrp70kJMmynvMYFL76DJgAuZ3yTNyo8kwwTY4/s320/P1030097.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EzMPfGeqAbNvM8N1abE6MQ789cVVEKRlwfE4xMPlmya4NZTFJmRhYO1Le2WaOxLUbCzVAcFf3Jy5nZkOxl0E-NYpSBJ_KJ8UXR2A4ZofziK1mbA_rfbUCBrunlpVpeBkmOQ-wcRxQLao/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e26.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1113" data-original-width="1600" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EzMPfGeqAbNvM8N1abE6MQ789cVVEKRlwfE4xMPlmya4NZTFJmRhYO1Le2WaOxLUbCzVAcFf3Jy5nZkOxl0E-NYpSBJ_KJ8UXR2A4ZofziK1mbA_rfbUCBrunlpVpeBkmOQ-wcRxQLao/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e26.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
Although we had visited Mission San Xavier del Bac on a couple of previous visits to Tucson, we decided to check out progress on the restoration work that had been ongoing for many years at this historic Spanish Catholic mission. The affectionately named <b><i>White Dove of the Desert </i></b>has been referred to as the finest example of Spanish Colonial architecture in the United States.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On first sight, the mission appeared even more grand than the last time we saw it…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMB3IDYMejSsJ5HlAgVl_7B3PXGfcKWPA2yd4o3uynbEiMiRzypSGh8aWtBFEIrsmvi3-Ql7X-AykfCr43H16JUPFxpe7ztylEX1wyZmDq5GsDhq3zoN7K8hQoUHGEyFUSnvfo7jeFwgGN/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e2b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1600" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMB3IDYMejSsJ5HlAgVl_7B3PXGfcKWPA2yd4o3uynbEiMiRzypSGh8aWtBFEIrsmvi3-Ql7X-AykfCr43H16JUPFxpe7ztylEX1wyZmDq5GsDhq3zoN7K8hQoUHGEyFUSnvfo7jeFwgGN/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e2b.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">With the backdrop of an azure blue sky, the Moorish-inspired white stucco exterior appeared reborn. Inside, the main altar was fresh and vibrant in its over-the-top Baroque fussiness.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgze4CiHdLYJyeeaadG-1QYRayHxeQZ68AZBEfWCmaXAJo7wBDFpMbWfZKSa_pHDU8r7JCKIgh8rO0DqjAz4EjWT5gTtkTAWml6qTlinhzvNLCdJv3Qwl_x4XTZFeySdjhrtpUpQ2lGagAB/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e71.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgze4CiHdLYJyeeaadG-1QYRayHxeQZ68AZBEfWCmaXAJo7wBDFpMbWfZKSa_pHDU8r7JCKIgh8rO0DqjAz4EjWT5gTtkTAWml6qTlinhzvNLCdJv3Qwl_x4XTZFeySdjhrtpUpQ2lGagAB/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e71.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was gratifying to see that this treasure of the Tucson area continues to serve the Tohono O’odham Native American community that was its original builders. Thankfully, it would appear that funding is sufficient to ensure that this</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">shining pearl in the desert will be maintained in its historic splendor for a long time to come.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMj5J9ZPAj0hGY448IxCXyJPUpR4J2fYDu02qpduuI-y8ipST3eh63OjMVrqWqJK1ks4TwRbkeq9WlLK9V47ibqULJdVwrX9VghzCqYjot3m91weURgdMoiNBiFJx337ePEZF0uPjs3zn1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e98.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="567" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMj5J9ZPAj0hGY448IxCXyJPUpR4J2fYDu02qpduuI-y8ipST3eh63OjMVrqWqJK1ks4TwRbkeq9WlLK9V47ibqULJdVwrX9VghzCqYjot3m91weURgdMoiNBiFJx337ePEZF0uPjs3zn1/s400/fullsizeoutput_1e98.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">When February rolls around in Tucson, it’s time for the annual world-famous <b><i>Tucson</i></b> <b><i>Gem & Mineral Show.</i></b> For 2-1/2 weeks, at 47 separate venues all around Tucson, wholesale and retail vendors from countries around the world gathered to showcase their wares. Over 2 weeks, we sampled a few of the largest shows to get a feel for what this extravaganza was all about. We found ourselves fascinated by the spectacle!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtv5lLvGASByvtB3pS53n9vKuhO5TuH58sMJQeTHR6DchsJx07HzQm4aglXDqtrDpQFjc7hhgaYnuJ1v6AAVwzWj_EVNi2r6eM6qu2uaxSFl_A3szIk2V3Zo5-Mzxl5GZ-HspRHhytG76a/s1600/PwLksHTVS9%252BSc4Ya%252BAGP8w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtv5lLvGASByvtB3pS53n9vKuhO5TuH58sMJQeTHR6DchsJx07HzQm4aglXDqtrDpQFjc7hhgaYnuJ1v6AAVwzWj_EVNi2r6eM6qu2uaxSFl_A3szIk2V3Zo5-Mzxl5GZ-HspRHhytG76a/s400/PwLksHTVS9%252BSc4Ya%252BAGP8w.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">By far, my favorite was beads, beads, beads… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I purchased a few strands of my favorite stones with the idea that I would have a few necklaces made for me by an expert. Then I discovered that the actual jewelry making process was relatively simple and required only a few tools. I took a beginner’s class at a local bead shop, and in a few hours I had designed and assembled my very own creation out of the lovely red agates with silver accents that had caught my eye… followed by another out of black onyx and howlite. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQsng3IpXfeijhtLcKwpcHfJZpMvwx8qLptf9wTcXVKAQTDPdCK-bXFRNRo-r-bU7gkTC5tpg44gyJeCMoK_yKNUlyDmGbkCpaw7YsnNGyHPfa-Vj_cWp3PvY9mMb3TLU_WP0JlEcP2xn/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e91.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQsng3IpXfeijhtLcKwpcHfJZpMvwx8qLptf9wTcXVKAQTDPdCK-bXFRNRo-r-bU7gkTC5tpg44gyJeCMoK_yKNUlyDmGbkCpaw7YsnNGyHPfa-Vj_cWp3PvY9mMb3TLU_WP0JlEcP2xn/s320/fullsizeoutput_1e91.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAXPzX_s5eSRkVZd3Zd2cEFMA3zekEbC0MbZSYMOyV5s8e1DkoFiDpLEBjS0_am21eF35yNUpwP3yPDIc_c3TGhxw4QzyFY76IAp2v4GP64eXFdq-mumfZbToBiqXumNhG7dR6TUQup_z/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e93.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAXPzX_s5eSRkVZd3Zd2cEFMA3zekEbC0MbZSYMOyV5s8e1DkoFiDpLEBjS0_am21eF35yNUpwP3yPDIc_c3TGhxw4QzyFY76IAp2v4GP64eXFdq-mumfZbToBiqXumNhG7dR6TUQup_z/s320/fullsizeoutput_1e93.jpeg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I now have a new hobby that requires very little space in the RV… </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our long stay in Tucson gave us some golden opportunities to reconnect with several dear friends. We had dinner at the lovely home of Jared and Katie,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaJ4cPV0xDKFu_UHbdF3_9h8czppDmw_rll1Y4tutWbz-x7Zq_9PklSPzaRDARmlvstGZ9tNoIW2W2KCsoH59YuJmRXosdA_Z0cu3WnbHLeFdNQZwtxIpXXEh_HT2K6Y97KatZI9otIgS/s1600/SAsgHD%252B5Te%252BYFhi4KhOWMg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaJ4cPV0xDKFu_UHbdF3_9h8czppDmw_rll1Y4tutWbz-x7Zq_9PklSPzaRDARmlvstGZ9tNoIW2W2KCsoH59YuJmRXosdA_Z0cu3WnbHLeFdNQZwtxIpXXEh_HT2K6Y97KatZI9otIgS/s640/SAsgHD%252B5Te%252BYFhi4KhOWMg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_kCzzUOxpYxg6ddWmW-hfHXYzao7VJgblt0-3PtSpyydojcKVy_aftcf9F-OPii8wn4EbssR5Lm0LS2lj-JayxF-4B48W9DenQB6A5wYoEFK_HLyNnbJkOzZJnQdrhDo0aApKXoRxbbV/s1600/51278395_10219013077621680_5551831110863814656_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_kCzzUOxpYxg6ddWmW-hfHXYzao7VJgblt0-3PtSpyydojcKVy_aftcf9F-OPii8wn4EbssR5Lm0LS2lj-JayxF-4B48W9DenQB6A5wYoEFK_HLyNnbJkOzZJnQdrhDo0aApKXoRxbbV/s400/51278395_10219013077621680_5551831110863814656_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and spent the evening being delightfully entertained by their two adorable children. I’m not exactly sure who was entertained the most!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthW4UaAmvVufKoWuPBdJjbiuqgGzNUuVHIV5IRGYm3Ch6nXvopjZAHTnRYd90Us5Cy6i6-LHJjnii9jsmAaENM6mzU7LextlRavVky6r_xKG_fNLXLod9kLahkz8Bnlsr8ec_BSqxmG_z/s1600/50914580_10219013077421675_3193792747081302016_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthW4UaAmvVufKoWuPBdJjbiuqgGzNUuVHIV5IRGYm3Ch6nXvopjZAHTnRYd90Us5Cy6i6-LHJjnii9jsmAaENM6mzU7LextlRavVky6r_xKG_fNLXLod9kLahkz8Bnlsr8ec_BSqxmG_z/s400/50914580_10219013077421675_3193792747081302016_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It had been a long time since I had held such a happy, healthy baby, and this one had a darling disposition!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Thank you, Jared and Katie, for a very special evening!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We also met up for tea with two gals from Tucson that we had met a year and a half ago at a campground in Olathe, Colorado. We quickly became Facebook friends and looked forward to reconnecting with them and their menagerie of pets in their much beloved downtown Tucson home. Linda and Liz, we really get why Tucson is so special to both of you!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">And finally, we visited briefly at our campsite with a couple that we knew from our previous home in Colorado Springs. Many years ago, we were introduced to Nolan and Val as the parents of the student aide who assisted Al with his high school math classes when he taught in the public school system. Here’s to meeting up again for some great hiking together when we move closer to your home at our next campground.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphTA-_oDLVdc7KCwbap_rzl94xwc3v_cMrDZd72W-FsR1bSWEQFYBIjgPCaK5tc6awCLBEiHVA5Xa0a0lrcPwJivkttJUd4J6pACZ-ygci8iHPdLMVghQJaU1VyzD9VPWq3ddjI4LDxcY/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e8d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1344" data-original-width="1600" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphTA-_oDLVdc7KCwbap_rzl94xwc3v_cMrDZd72W-FsR1bSWEQFYBIjgPCaK5tc6awCLBEiHVA5Xa0a0lrcPwJivkttJUd4J6pACZ-ygci8iHPdLMVghQJaU1VyzD9VPWq3ddjI4LDxcY/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e8d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">There was always one tiny lingering “regret” we had on our last visit to Tucson 6 years ago—and that was missing out on a visit to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Kitt Peak National Observatory</i></b>. This historic observation post has the largest and most diverse gathering of astronomical instruments in the northern hemisphere. From its perch at almost 6900 feet of elevation, the summit of Kitt Peak offers some of the finest night skies in the world.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We arrived in time for a docent-guided tour of some of Kitt Peak’s most well-known telescopes, starting with the historic McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope, the largest solar instrument in the world.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_N2_9CBLrMO3bvyAGH_vN_chYE_-mdA4OKHvliX4UuftrC6eA1wNG7gMQIDugKNggdrlECZ7x4-Ed7C-l0Bq3Es99Shz3TUytQUzixGKJq1iJ6GS5RCRKRWks-tGMvT90JLZqy_Ut7BF/s1600/IMG_3800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_N2_9CBLrMO3bvyAGH_vN_chYE_-mdA4OKHvliX4UuftrC6eA1wNG7gMQIDugKNggdrlECZ7x4-Ed7C-l0Bq3Es99Shz3TUytQUzixGKJq1iJ6GS5RCRKRWks-tGMvT90JLZqy_Ut7BF/s640/IMG_3800.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXvHvFGI9wOVazOJNZsIGwsXaR5oPEpxoyP5xARYmJm4hwY34XKdnrq_PSocfytQ_cWwuGoIQPI2juOgdAL_cHMANDLnPKAt1_WEK4Z5WpUKf1n3sVzBElZV7kDUb_wY3HPvI-LSb-fvz/s1600/P1030074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXvHvFGI9wOVazOJNZsIGwsXaR5oPEpxoyP5xARYmJm4hwY34XKdnrq_PSocfytQ_cWwuGoIQPI2juOgdAL_cHMANDLnPKAt1_WEK4Z5WpUKf1n3sVzBElZV7kDUb_wY3HPvI-LSb-fvz/s400/P1030074.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Although this solar telescope is no longer in use, we were able to go inside and look up through the long tunnel toward the aperture to the sky.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">More than 20 optical telescopes plus 2 radio telescopes dotted the Kitt Peak landscape. The remnants of a recent snowfall created an immensely beautiful otherworldly effect as seen from this stunning viewpoint on a nearby observation deck.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhg-EP_MYaODPSe1SWRR2TQUZ0AdC7UCZP02y59ABeua_38kxxvGDUfrZfddwu8EebzgI3UvvSvEuZ8X8pzMRqh-3Jgz3glXZ2QDC8xStpWaQ9grlp_0j3wrNJsQ6ZAMNv6L58nU7-NFv/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e74.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhg-EP_MYaODPSe1SWRR2TQUZ0AdC7UCZP02y59ABeua_38kxxvGDUfrZfddwu8EebzgI3UvvSvEuZ8X8pzMRqh-3Jgz3glXZ2QDC8xStpWaQ9grlp_0j3wrNJsQ6ZAMNv6L58nU7-NFv/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e74.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I freely admit I tend to worry more than I should. If there is nothing worrisome on the immediate horizon in my life, there’s always the Yellowstone supervolcano eruption… or a life-ending large asteroid collision with Earth. So I was hugely reassured when I learned that Kitt Peak is famous for hosting one of the first telescopes dedicated to searching for near-Earth asteroids, then calculating the probability of a collision with Earth. I now sleep better knowing that at Kitt Peak the skies of deep space are closely being monitored for civilization-ending asteroid impacts…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBoRDO4dTpjLZCceKmeFuFzOM3NLeeUbYMJDlLPoSRYStgy2fbvtvXhVOXXRtumaXcWfgMKqmWfKHULuJ_Td8hbt7jS8jkKO1siBqcSuaIsa8IY2h_IaUB0UBUIWpfS3QgyOdNErQx1h9/s1600/600px-NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBoRDO4dTpjLZCceKmeFuFzOM3NLeeUbYMJDlLPoSRYStgy2fbvtvXhVOXXRtumaXcWfgMKqmWfKHULuJ_Td8hbt7jS8jkKO1siBqcSuaIsa8IY2h_IaUB0UBUIWpfS3QgyOdNErQx1h9/s320/600px-NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Earthrise, by Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">Needless to say, a day at Kitt Peak made us realize what a </span></span><span style="font-size: 21px;"></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 10px;"> <span style="color: orange;">TINY </span></span><span style="font-size: 21px;">place the ‘pale blue dot of Earth’ occupies in the known universe.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQYOctKiI0i5uDcKqZmDP9bKs9Qty9GvekE4w0iSoBRa1c-3OoC_iw3z019w48RhltD83yYWa34OhduUywG4NL1o7l4wjnp-oFcVm_47bndEADUpEzZP_xACAtC9ETngm42rnH9v-Zlte/s1600/KSZTe6C0RWaHBt6QNzNMVw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQYOctKiI0i5uDcKqZmDP9bKs9Qty9GvekE4w0iSoBRa1c-3OoC_iw3z019w48RhltD83yYWa34OhduUywG4NL1o7l4wjnp-oFcVm_47bndEADUpEzZP_xACAtC9ETngm42rnH9v-Zlte/s320/KSZTe6C0RWaHBt6QNzNMVw.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Just when we were really into embracing our summery winter in Tucson, Mother Nature played a little prank on us. In late February we could barely believe our ears when we heard that a huge snow event was forecast for Arizona, and that included Tucson! Sure enough, the next day we marveled at the sight of huge snowflakes collecting on citrus trees and cactus around camp!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKTRBVgg46Y3JaDVxENqf6foIfkqHGtY2UdwiW9ttwhsbnDeRFn3fQrKZolEu_gwn0ncUyJ1vUi3wj41Dp7FIlZvRPWYCNJI_zlLarf9XoYM0o9x3eVJUhOzUupeJq3xGy3cPdvbjzhPI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e76.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="1600" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKTRBVgg46Y3JaDVxENqf6foIfkqHGtY2UdwiW9ttwhsbnDeRFn3fQrKZolEu_gwn0ncUyJ1vUi3wj41Dp7FIlZvRPWYCNJI_zlLarf9XoYM0o9x3eVJUhOzUupeJq3xGy3cPdvbjzhPI/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e76.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Because our travel plans over the next month will take us into possible springtime snow country, we have talked about the possibility of a surprise spring snow. We just didn’t think we would be caught this early with snow on the big-rig in Tucson! Nevertheless, I’ll close with my planned meme anyway…</span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeThMILFigbTnQk45R0xfBvKo3QjP-O7VoG5gv2wcoz6OQePajldFKNg1Nyez9npcpH3w_iA2Y_S4YCUrlql9ElQP3d2ewNQbCwlijT5hSZHjXHbpBCwFSyNF7VWSASI82XICJODVLumXf/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e6b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeThMILFigbTnQk45R0xfBvKo3QjP-O7VoG5gv2wcoz6OQePajldFKNg1Nyez9npcpH3w_iA2Y_S4YCUrlql9ElQP3d2ewNQbCwlijT5hSZHjXHbpBCwFSyNF7VWSASI82XICJODVLumXf/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e6b.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-13779422413053571042019-03-05T09:36:00.000-06:002019-03-05T09:36:22.981-06:00HELLO 2019 FROM ARIZONA!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBNlw5K-krI6cYWIqGYC4b-xmijNvLuripvD9UbhyGcI4mNc1CTIAg8ckkIliIp-a6o8TOzXt0LkWOSDCsXnrzE-LiMG8eW2VEhRjxuvfkQN3ym3AfKyS0nDU5sXgYyHkSXdOriYbfvzW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e18.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBNlw5K-krI6cYWIqGYC4b-xmijNvLuripvD9UbhyGcI4mNc1CTIAg8ckkIliIp-a6o8TOzXt0LkWOSDCsXnrzE-LiMG8eW2VEhRjxuvfkQN3ym3AfKyS0nDU5sXgYyHkSXdOriYbfvzW/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e18.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lqAlbMAxfCIaxUQoC3m9Bc_GiOK2VprSPPAlpSItfTZzqniFc_nOMWwfTt7zm36gpLkSE_CINlGPNenYx8F1J-J6ysuuX7_xQ_WxoEMXdawHgEKJaRIEbzF8e5ADw7Eahozwk8m0_L3Q/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e1f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="875" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lqAlbMAxfCIaxUQoC3m9Bc_GiOK2VprSPPAlpSItfTZzqniFc_nOMWwfTt7zm36gpLkSE_CINlGPNenYx8F1J-J6ysuuX7_xQ_WxoEMXdawHgEKJaRIEbzF8e5ADw7Eahozwk8m0_L3Q/s400/fullsizeoutput_1e1f.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span> </i></b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">As the calendar progressed toward the closing weeks of 2018, the Galus “mobile home bus” found itself doing a little “sort-of-dry-camping” at the scenic <b><i>Lost Dutchman State Park</i></b> in Apache Junction, Arizona. </span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
</div>
In this case, “sort-of-dry-camping” meant <b><i>no available sewer connection, </i></b>thus<b><i> </i></b>forcing strict monitoring of all kitchen and bathroom water use in order to make it through our week’s stay without overflowing our waste water tanks. For us, that was roughing it in the bus!<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The western ambience evoked by the location names and spectacular desert scenery helped create a relaxing week in our favorite setting for some much needed time down.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePk7KBtcaC0M0uANcXuwxCfow0jt5fyRXQJYFsKqJyKsHB1L2GjMjZAuk8hgdF_SKQrItO49PGYA7EC8UpmA1AYI5MZj08xesb0ImWIWnIiNaRO5g3uSYugKIX0VtykZIkzuWqOS9WLLH/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1dba.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePk7KBtcaC0M0uANcXuwxCfow0jt5fyRXQJYFsKqJyKsHB1L2GjMjZAuk8hgdF_SKQrItO49PGYA7EC8UpmA1AYI5MZj08xesb0ImWIWnIiNaRO5g3uSYugKIX0VtykZIkzuWqOS9WLLH/s640/fullsizeoutput_1dba.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Lost Dutchman</i></b> is an Arizona state park at the foot of the Superstition Mountains. The name has immortalized legends of the Old West that have recounted stories about hidden caches of gold. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The severely steep and dry canyons of the Superstition Mountains did not entice us to make any foolish attempts at finding so-called lost gold; however, the popular hiking trail through the foothills was to our liking, while meeting our level of safety, so we headed up for the view.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_PbNWeLaUz1kHvTtZK9YjrNka-ne7fjYZNhSwtK4ZZd_KDnj_jspII-o37q4USt9EWTjjHiO8UCAjR9YgBjcKtQpzzthR8u-Dto2k-86lFM4AcVqkLO_oyW5F_Npd7dd-RZhngHUI2WTb/s1600/0-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="1005" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_PbNWeLaUz1kHvTtZK9YjrNka-ne7fjYZNhSwtK4ZZd_KDnj_jspII-o37q4USt9EWTjjHiO8UCAjR9YgBjcKtQpzzthR8u-Dto2k-86lFM4AcVqkLO_oyW5F_Npd7dd-RZhngHUI2WTb/s400/0-2.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgd88OMFsR5l0QdZa0_FuXennVqcuFAyvAhlCkriV9XgKSRFBDmPx9cJ4Fj0bm9upYj8jbJzfoXaABesaGmR2JaCEkFr_zYK8Mtl3QF7l0YP-yS8x__913-AEwj7KU1zCo0-l8MVYrDozI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1dbe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgd88OMFsR5l0QdZa0_FuXennVqcuFAyvAhlCkriV9XgKSRFBDmPx9cJ4Fj0bm9upYj8jbJzfoXaABesaGmR2JaCEkFr_zYK8Mtl3QF7l0YP-yS8x__913-AEwj7KU1zCo0-l8MVYrDozI/s400/fullsizeoutput_1dbe.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We decided that since our water rationing tactics were so successful at the <b><i>Lost Dutchman</i></b>, we would try another week of water-restriction camping at <b><i>Catalina State Park</i></b>, just north of Tucson. We were delighted with majestic evening sunsets, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7aI2ZguCDUIsLMZnslLQYkuko3L5mj-ytOHxhK1FQzKOtwOaVj0iKX4AsWcYqcgd1-d-FFy0yZE7j7Lp_hzhUPylhEm3ALCpQBylZQINW4OXlp842gtp3jMVU99nVJC2DvXvBryMXv-q/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e0c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7aI2ZguCDUIsLMZnslLQYkuko3L5mj-ytOHxhK1FQzKOtwOaVj0iKX4AsWcYqcgd1-d-FFy0yZE7j7Lp_hzhUPylhEm3ALCpQBylZQINW4OXlp842gtp3jMVU99nVJC2DvXvBryMXv-q/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e0c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">framing a tableau of fantastic desert scenery throughout the park. This saguaro undoubtedly had the perfect microhabitat for such a profuse production of cactus arms.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb11PJ98fi0NdtR-ydckkd44C5IDwIWscFX-tVvz7eWXKDyEAUIBynV5Pj7bkysMbQROF1zHqSCdijQ5_gulSmz3lBDHSoPn-DikUC5BvE9avvH-5PmWQymulIwIooNmsAsvRJGbZs1Hdz/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e0e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="951" data-original-width="1600" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb11PJ98fi0NdtR-ydckkd44C5IDwIWscFX-tVvz7eWXKDyEAUIBynV5Pj7bkysMbQROF1zHqSCdijQ5_gulSmz3lBDHSoPn-DikUC5BvE9avvH-5PmWQymulIwIooNmsAsvRJGbZs1Hdz/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e0e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtCJ1f14v7iCIdkkWIxTHcYgs4ykVCTxipw2NPoFdTol5jMhUklBsmwE3OmM9JmlmiRbBgW1EwliEDBWg7XfByoLxmJIswWxxXiZTIbOcC1gfVs65Ny9HOZK7jDnV2YRUil0HsTPmPDoC/s1600/IMG_3777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1282" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtCJ1f14v7iCIdkkWIxTHcYgs4ykVCTxipw2NPoFdTol5jMhUklBsmwE3OmM9JmlmiRbBgW1EwliEDBWg7XfByoLxmJIswWxxXiZTIbOcC1gfVs65Ny9HOZK7jDnV2YRUil0HsTPmPDoC/s400/IMG_3777.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Even typically waist-high barrel cactus reflected hyper growth spurts!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Catalina State Park</i></b> was doubly rewarding in my mind, because in addition to superb hiking trails winding through the spectacular backdrop of the Santa Catalina Mountains, the park also had an archeological site of a Hohokam village at Romero Ruins dating back to 500 A.D.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RhYV3O1ckbygwB-8QqwREkJ9BfmfC8kiSnO9M8n4bEfhNqaVfE3KAzKV4te5VTcHX5x2MKJ4EFiehWAg4W3blitbmsuhJeXoAuGcH6L0PirKta-W-S4KREI6n9mJuU9Kefuk3WW_n4na/s1600/IMG_3775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RhYV3O1ckbygwB-8QqwREkJ9BfmfC8kiSnO9M8n4bEfhNqaVfE3KAzKV4te5VTcHX5x2MKJ4EFiehWAg4W3blitbmsuhJeXoAuGcH6L0PirKta-W-S4KREI6n9mJuU9Kefuk3WW_n4na/s640/IMG_3775.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I was plagued by a pesky head cold during our week at <b><i>Catalina</i></b>, and for a few days Al had vague sympathy symptoms along with mine. A few drizzly days that kept us inside (yes, winter is the rainy season in the desert), some good books, and some great football playoff games greatly assisted in our recovery back to health. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sandwiched between each week at both Arizona state parks we hunkered down for two weeks on the outskirts of the tiny community of Florence, Arizona, midway between Tucson and Phoenix. We stayed at aptly named Desert Gardens RV Park,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNHWa1Bof_SU3TeixTywtj0dkF9yyD16Nxjtr_8xlDUKrSNrlhyphenhyphenMaweWZOezY6yUAerjonLpdyAgTksKd6kLBThGQBRGFxH1aZ778wVYCkjvRe2oz01trL6mxokOJdnuxfpk3S2RXRIgQ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ddd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="1600" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNHWa1Bof_SU3TeixTywtj0dkF9yyD16Nxjtr_8xlDUKrSNrlhyphenhyphenMaweWZOezY6yUAerjonLpdyAgTksKd6kLBThGQBRGFxH1aZ778wVYCkjvRe2oz01trL6mxokOJdnuxfpk3S2RXRIgQ/s640/fullsizeoutput_1ddd.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">a cooperative owned by a couple hundred residents. We rented our camping space from a resident who wasn’t using their lot this winter. The walking trail surrounding the park was just to the rear of our site. Even on days with chilly temperatures, the two-mile loop around the park was toasty warm in full sun.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiezcDf4cFZr8ngYl3um4wwwWhyphenhyphenu_8sCted7B_Kk5WLX2rqF8hgkw4O7EDuTrbFXz1tHwz9NCU8gatxrs2Rh-Fch9oZyCGEi14OUej60Px8PtMZwgNkTP7fvU5MzwQFlMLZJaTM_sCvw_3/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1db2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiezcDf4cFZr8ngYl3um4wwwWhyphenhyphenu_8sCted7B_Kk5WLX2rqF8hgkw4O7EDuTrbFXz1tHwz9NCU8gatxrs2Rh-Fch9oZyCGEi14OUej60Px8PtMZwgNkTP7fvU5MzwQFlMLZJaTM_sCvw_3/s640/fullsizeoutput_1db2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Florence is “the other town named Florence” that has a sizable prison population, the other being the home of “Supermax” in Florence, Colorado. In Arizona’s Florence, the prison population of over 17,000 far exceeds the number of residents! Many prison guards have made Florence their home, and that is the reason why Florence boasts that it is one of the safest cities in the United States…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSA6VgLCFQJOfl1J6CSImOLzfkSxJhWZRpRqqSx6kRarYTXp0eD1MeX0_3nnN378xKcHJZXVEI_dVGYvvBmbZCLWDfTZVKjMS8ZP446tMcg4fWGljyaYA5WBIl_aP_aK8R2skIYGqRhhgo/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e22.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="459" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSA6VgLCFQJOfl1J6CSImOLzfkSxJhWZRpRqqSx6kRarYTXp0eD1MeX0_3nnN378xKcHJZXVEI_dVGYvvBmbZCLWDfTZVKjMS8ZP446tMcg4fWGljyaYA5WBIl_aP_aK8R2skIYGqRhhgo/s320/fullsizeoutput_1e22.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br />
The week before Christmas, life was slow in Florence. We were disappointed to hear that nearby Casa Grande National Monument was closed due to the government shutdown.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">So, we took amusement where we found it. In Florence, that was at the model airplane field.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSaNzeZECvHpjNJ7tb0vGE1a-0SQ4ZZctjDzrngWrCIt8KpN6vrSgJkznyXh6snejk5FSkdV27j5XcbRmrvT4cZWYRFp08dJixjpYIv51aVzLn7131iJPUikkGzNZxBkhkvbv06VvOuFzp/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1dda.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="1600" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSaNzeZECvHpjNJ7tb0vGE1a-0SQ4ZZctjDzrngWrCIt8KpN6vrSgJkznyXh6snejk5FSkdV27j5XcbRmrvT4cZWYRFp08dJixjpYIv51aVzLn7131iJPUikkGzNZxBkhkvbv06VvOuFzp/s640/fullsizeoutput_1dda.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7hUwXe3ifovWIHf6OugIlo7a41KlR0zZ4K3Ep6DDuzmEeAEOxna4BfrqcYDr09H9GRq_7tWrL6f0653aI32tcrdkdZZXtPtA-5E_IWTh8Uv46WelScUGj2yUO6cfGbW0hq_2kymUp6Eq/s1600/IMG_3739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7hUwXe3ifovWIHf6OugIlo7a41KlR0zZ4K3Ep6DDuzmEeAEOxna4BfrqcYDr09H9GRq_7tWrL6f0653aI32tcrdkdZZXtPtA-5E_IWTh8Uv46WelScUGj2yUO6cfGbW0hq_2kymUp6Eq/s640/IMG_3739.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNHVttz5w4n3iIXAMY-Hf6cLFTCLFeoJomDjPKRHc1Muzq-Lojh9eRptEXuF_xV2ZR7O_xe1_3bzitN_b2D1YGlZzOtTlOTLuvZ8LOQoCWhq4T6IX34PPgjd0cU8oTe59FeEkpXIZIgbtw/s1600/P1020895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNHVttz5w4n3iIXAMY-Hf6cLFTCLFeoJomDjPKRHc1Muzq-Lojh9eRptEXuF_xV2ZR7O_xe1_3bzitN_b2D1YGlZzOtTlOTLuvZ8LOQoCWhq4T6IX34PPgjd0cU8oTe59FeEkpXIZIgbtw/s400/P1020895.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We hunkered down at the Florence Desert Gardens RV co-op for our typical quiet holidays. Park management sponsored a full Christmas dinner, at which we enjoyed friendly conversation and great food with about 100 of the park’s residents. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The next day we welcomed our daughter, Megan, for a much anticipated visit. We spent a day at <b><i>Biosphere 2</i></b>, a research facility that started as an experimental closed system for developing self-sustaining space-colonization technology. This was just the sort of family fun we had been looking forward to.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSOvqx1JlGs9B4HkW_TZ-DWX6aiJvuERjoxZNubDicRw_3U7O1NON4ars1Wua_SG0-YMS0RR23R8r-IKZbK28YfhnelRgQ4JL-usfqmW4muTPOk9TNfIaPNC3aX2MvDYs4kwjutOhdmCm/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1df9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1600" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSOvqx1JlGs9B4HkW_TZ-DWX6aiJvuERjoxZNubDicRw_3U7O1NON4ars1Wua_SG0-YMS0RR23R8r-IKZbK28YfhnelRgQ4JL-usfqmW4muTPOk9TNfIaPNC3aX2MvDYs4kwjutOhdmCm/s640/fullsizeoutput_1df9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In the early 1990s, four men and four women were sealed inside <b><i>Biosphere </i></b>for 2 years. Journal entries that were displayed revealed that during the experiment serious challenges surfaced related to the environment, duties, staffing, diet and food production, thus highlighting many obstacles that still must be solved before prolonged space exploration, such as a mission to Mars, can become a reality. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A tour of three habitats inside <b><i>Biosphere 2</i></b>—desert, ocean, and rainforest—along with a peek at the community kitchen</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLxbCRGGiGXOObc3zWx4xS9tVBAUqC98j38uaSPFgklh2NDdAJ9Ifakzu7clrnZ0JhT_VRzKTAgaWR8haIfnJRMyKRVmjvBoj1QDrAoKJFzPoJC3862uiuPbJ6EQKSBAQ_zSFbka6rSsW/s1600/IMG_3763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLxbCRGGiGXOObc3zWx4xS9tVBAUqC98j38uaSPFgklh2NDdAJ9Ifakzu7clrnZ0JhT_VRzKTAgaWR8haIfnJRMyKRVmjvBoj1QDrAoKJFzPoJC3862uiuPbJ6EQKSBAQ_zSFbka6rSsW/s640/IMG_3763.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and individual living apartments</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpAM1hVFXQe0XOmQzLyYC7iw2PtRawXRpPP-Q3i3IrtGErLm2mPyqfddpfBRDyoK1XfuiKY_5RWMw9NhOOkq6KyYhE3jGkIW927JS8NPo-ce5mPiVnA60FWGdkxOrcdSNT0uyLAgi4Dxq/s1600/P1020942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpAM1hVFXQe0XOmQzLyYC7iw2PtRawXRpPP-Q3i3IrtGErLm2mPyqfddpfBRDyoK1XfuiKY_5RWMw9NhOOkq6KyYhE3jGkIW927JS8NPo-ce5mPiVnA60FWGdkxOrcdSNT0uyLAgi4Dxq/s640/P1020942.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 21px;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">naturally conjured up thoughts of “could I do this?”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">One of the most interesting experiments in <b><i>Biosphere 2</i></b> was the one on aquaponics—a growing method that depends on fish, bacteria and recirculating water to grow plants at a faster rate but with significant water savings. I thought that using a koi pond to supply plant nutrients was a brilliant design… Whether this could be done on a large scale<b><i> </i></b>was an unanswered question for me.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUSe96BEQTT3rZ_m_fZd1SWypYCtSKnEstnTc7_beCxPF2nkM4s-Jtkeliv2BIttqQcXNG4yz9HplT8FNspfLSjxq8oipv6q0K1Gxbe5AxzZ29mPkwl1RvtE2eCc33jTz7YFEOdqtVReI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e08.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1600" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUSe96BEQTT3rZ_m_fZd1SWypYCtSKnEstnTc7_beCxPF2nkM4s-Jtkeliv2BIttqQcXNG4yz9HplT8FNspfLSjxq8oipv6q0K1Gxbe5AxzZ29mPkwl1RvtE2eCc33jTz7YFEOdqtVReI/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e08.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Biosphere 2 is now a research facility operated by the University of Arizona. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpI2u_-vcXlfxKz_hHS6Y7NZYiHhFgm5CgV-bF8R17jaiPwp20iLrL92OsjfCxeFgZmKB58rOpJYoY8yl1yIaj6xF-Tzj-Jh-WORV24hblqep79xv1ySiTPSUktVzQpzpdmEHIotf1vuk/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e04.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1600" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpI2u_-vcXlfxKz_hHS6Y7NZYiHhFgm5CgV-bF8R17jaiPwp20iLrL92OsjfCxeFgZmKB58rOpJYoY8yl1yIaj6xF-Tzj-Jh-WORV24hblqep79xv1ySiTPSUktVzQpzpdmEHIotf1vuk/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e04.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The biosphere concept has furnished the ideal facility for studying ecosystem processes under closed conditions.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8k4Cmp3XfqMKFQPTzyX0HIdjp-9hhW1OFuzhQkDMdKq0pqyD_e2WGRdKr3MyVYkv9bSYrDbg1usvMnlSUCh7fS_kbwtJRFEC6LkgVJqmDn_eA4h6-I9riMGNrWPZYeLS9jgUZmdZkKXXQ/s1600/IMG_3760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8k4Cmp3XfqMKFQPTzyX0HIdjp-9hhW1OFuzhQkDMdKq0pqyD_e2WGRdKr3MyVYkv9bSYrDbg1usvMnlSUCh7fS_kbwtJRFEC6LkgVJqmDn_eA4h6-I9riMGNrWPZYeLS9jgUZmdZkKXXQ/s640/IMG_3760.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJXhd_ekwKWJcHk25ufM2p96FsxAhS22IXghDjGC1f5PyUgyoP_69qBnStsHereTM-nquzA45mI-7pWV4QpKttsLLhxN8jAmrfg8pCA3MmvyPvwVVTlCaqXDaElM3ZwzWHB_PSez9Z6uM/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1deb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1294" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJXhd_ekwKWJcHk25ufM2p96FsxAhS22IXghDjGC1f5PyUgyoP_69qBnStsHereTM-nquzA45mI-7pWV4QpKttsLLhxN8jAmrfg8pCA3MmvyPvwVVTlCaqXDaElM3ZwzWHB_PSez9Z6uM/s640/fullsizeoutput_1deb.jpeg" width="516" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We capped off our visit with Megan with a shopping trip into Phoenix, followed the next day by… what else?… a mom-friendly family hike. The best hikes are the ones where I don’t take any tumbles, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">… we get great family pics,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixKCpPBqxfOjB8kzoEUvRlW5QUw7xEV9AzXvVOfRrFlANsxQDRemG_wCMh130BEQI1g3ZbB2-Ui7uBFMQvurl2LN514P-LKsZ6ER5auyfNaIobWlyKPHgpTFnQNvVHSbNmYTE7Z4OWxiS/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1df4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixKCpPBqxfOjB8kzoEUvRlW5QUw7xEV9AzXvVOfRrFlANsxQDRemG_wCMh130BEQI1g3ZbB2-Ui7uBFMQvurl2LN514P-LKsZ6ER5auyfNaIobWlyKPHgpTFnQNvVHSbNmYTE7Z4OWxiS/s640/fullsizeoutput_1df4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">… there is time and energy for hijinks along the trail,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdRB3OMlaSvtoSiUD7V9QBemQJmDbEFlRWNmj97PB3sN7-OhmJvL7dgweqaAum3BzjMixCR20aFFIvgfLy8SxuH4T51MIFPHSfi6_H8COhWNGqAr-P4rIeHo-N0yADK8Vh6lcTDUHkQ7F/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1df1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdRB3OMlaSvtoSiUD7V9QBemQJmDbEFlRWNmj97PB3sN7-OhmJvL7dgweqaAum3BzjMixCR20aFFIvgfLy8SxuH4T51MIFPHSfi6_H8COhWNGqAr-P4rIeHo-N0yADK8Vh6lcTDUHkQ7F/s640/fullsizeoutput_1df1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">… and wonderful memories are created of family time together.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUIvtX2b0ZthVjoLphUjQ6LQD7cFhvXyH8m4_UwZFqrSIMrahWHTxgr8j3LCRGlLI0YD7RRltbTKBcOcCLUSbX8CKMs-NNmaUTiCqzNDEBvOhKqhBtXKJQIT3rEczGui-x9Mtd50vMn2J/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1def.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUIvtX2b0ZthVjoLphUjQ6LQD7cFhvXyH8m4_UwZFqrSIMrahWHTxgr8j3LCRGlLI0YD7RRltbTKBcOcCLUSbX8CKMs-NNmaUTiCqzNDEBvOhKqhBtXKJQIT3rEczGui-x9Mtd50vMn2J/s640/fullsizeoutput_1def.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQU51QAI5mdAFt08hfrgdNryOfQnBXuyBzqUaIaTYCKH52reKT5Wa0s_Osybcdr-dfBOAUFenmUqS1jfruUn1LBwnr_OLkjJAQP6AtoYtoC-ZdYhzYn5tlRFmakFluzNHlwGPMV-tfQzhp/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1e1e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1600" height="665" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQU51QAI5mdAFt08hfrgdNryOfQnBXuyBzqUaIaTYCKH52reKT5Wa0s_Osybcdr-dfBOAUFenmUqS1jfruUn1LBwnr_OLkjJAQP6AtoYtoC-ZdYhzYn5tlRFmakFluzNHlwGPMV-tfQzhp/s640/fullsizeoutput_1e1e.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Bradley Hand"; font-size: 27px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Carol Galus</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Copperplate; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: orange;">Photo-Blogger</span></span></div>
</div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1563819498465550442.post-65297522636160368482018-12-22T09:09:00.000-06:002019-08-26T08:46:27.527-05:00SONORAN DESERT BEAUTY IN AJO, ARIZONA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwsmWxiEYBxdHcdtXyRMxFYWTHi0CEHcG_jbNwUHoYCe3L3Bp_Q57r0t2WPaVktacamulN2QFkKywGgciBKRAvKmNCguCMnJn0ypdhfb7kRueWw2F30TAILvV8JV_EdxyYg2uKQmbaI-K/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d25.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwsmWxiEYBxdHcdtXyRMxFYWTHi0CEHcG_jbNwUHoYCe3L3Bp_Q57r0t2WPaVktacamulN2QFkKywGgciBKRAvKmNCguCMnJn0ypdhfb7kRueWw2F30TAILvV8JV_EdxyYg2uKQmbaI-K/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d25.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcU4ztbe2s3bXD9V8VgSDRZ55JSVE-biOEZA7SoZ8vhZVoJS6NxZI309mtX8f3RRlElj4KEIxgeNv-S5WRUfH8UlXqG9sJ35snVgRdoAs80Werup5IF8zrdPvMRVGFL7N3EPRJ_gJy7s0/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ca1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1232" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcU4ztbe2s3bXD9V8VgSDRZ55JSVE-biOEZA7SoZ8vhZVoJS6NxZI309mtX8f3RRlElj4KEIxgeNv-S5WRUfH8UlXqG9sJ35snVgRdoAs80Werup5IF8zrdPvMRVGFL7N3EPRJ_gJy7s0/s320/fullsizeoutput_1ca1.jpeg" width="246" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i><span style="color: orange;">Carol writes:</span> </i></b>I</span><span style="font-kerning: none;">n the heart of the Sonoran Desert, Ajo, Arizona, turned out to be a small community with a lot of complexity. The remote desert landscape around Ajo showcased a green, diverse and unique wonderland.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmRDwWpws6y0wpi0lqi3uN3GeP7QPygotNjZT0SB6xInCt5Bvb2mVt1QWjhd0RP9SZQ7B7dLZ9qSssWo0aD7uABIBDM68fjmgh-0wRhp9wIIUm9YAZw234CW0xA6s1BmtGerUqu8ByOwQ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1cab.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="1600" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmRDwWpws6y0wpi0lqi3uN3GeP7QPygotNjZT0SB6xInCt5Bvb2mVt1QWjhd0RP9SZQ7B7dLZ9qSssWo0aD7uABIBDM68fjmgh-0wRhp9wIIUm9YAZw234CW0xA6s1BmtGerUqu8ByOwQ/s640/fullsizeoutput_1cab.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In fact, the Sonoran Desert has been called one of the greenest and most diverse deserts in the world. Annual gentle winter rains have fired up the Sonoran desert to come alive with a diverse plant community of thriving palo verde trees, creosote bushes, ocotillo, cholla and saguaro cacti, and a variety of ground cover.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUo1gxVb009hiSxOy_OGXGMIviqZA7cA2xIQW6TTRsjTmXs0glqornP8psmZJxQ4TaSve58YyuRtzTl9vvwZWXIQGNaVO7w7oh29S3PllYx5sLGYEm6k1cy3JskaMlaA0nYEO79s-WuCer/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d50.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1600" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUo1gxVb009hiSxOy_OGXGMIviqZA7cA2xIQW6TTRsjTmXs0glqornP8psmZJxQ4TaSve58YyuRtzTl9vvwZWXIQGNaVO7w7oh29S3PllYx5sLGYEm6k1cy3JskaMlaA0nYEO79s-WuCer/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d50.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">However, an environmental blight in the form of vast mine tailings</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">on the outskirts of Ajo</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vUolmZty2e3t2ugM86g82luLJXv-gemrI1KIgT2kTNQDwg9W0XPMapDOujApFBwPkAectpKFJfGCzDkHbc4NcWosVXJjevOLTyF9hhA02eRU_W4rxUhWt_24I4GP_64RlPj903MDM_tr/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1cc7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1600" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vUolmZty2e3t2ugM86g82luLJXv-gemrI1KIgT2kTNQDwg9W0XPMapDOujApFBwPkAectpKFJfGCzDkHbc4NcWosVXJjevOLTyF9hhA02eRU_W4rxUhWt_24I4GP_64RlPj903MDM_tr/s640/fullsizeoutput_1cc7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">imparted a jarring visual contrast in the midst of such natural beauty.</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Arizona’s first copper mine was located in Ajo. For many decades, a plentiful supply of high-grade native copper was mined on an immense scale at the New Cornelia Mine, resulting in a gigantic mine pit over a mile in diameter! </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeW5Mb6Mt-siULeB_NBHe6b5Wtip6EN_R8Uu96wiSLZzeMhsQF52j0hZwAu4jQNG276ZFoM7-8y9GBYtJP7k5TuZQ0jL3CKJM0zJUfz_DCqUoKdy6f9ImBmDh-f0sWzSPLPGzholmN1T7j/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1cea.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="1600" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeW5Mb6Mt-siULeB_NBHe6b5Wtip6EN_R8Uu96wiSLZzeMhsQF52j0hZwAu4jQNG276ZFoM7-8y9GBYtJP7k5TuZQ0jL3CKJM0zJUfz_DCqUoKdy6f9ImBmDh-f0sWzSPLPGzholmN1T7j/s640/fullsizeoutput_1cea.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sadly, for Ajo mine workers, the New Cornelia Mine closed in 1985 when negotiations broke down between management and striking miners. The mine never reopened and Ajo’s population fell by over half. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The local Ajo Historical Society Museum, which is now housed in a former Indian mission church, showcased local mining history and displayed many interesting photographs, artifacts and relics from Ajo’s early days<b><i>. </i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i></i></b></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmOR0PwzZP3gBMarigCVm9S_5u7Nj1wJ-yvJfZDMc-hWNVLpaV-I_CCmd55Sjb6UpAtrJOtM4-lQmHdTdIrc8ocPoZkrKh6tdEycGj0UEfinobsMy4FEwkVDU8k463tjxu6jwF28EYEGK/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1c9c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="1600" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmOR0PwzZP3gBMarigCVm9S_5u7Nj1wJ-yvJfZDMc-hWNVLpaV-I_CCmd55Sjb6UpAtrJOtM4-lQmHdTdIrc8ocPoZkrKh6tdEycGj0UEfinobsMy4FEwkVDU8k463tjxu6jwF28EYEGK/s640/fullsizeoutput_1c9c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A classic southwestern town square called the Plaza marked the historic town center of Ajo.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8_uTUKPw1SLi6jSIMGYxIEqxZlAcGRKfaXUT6wlYLF1CC4sID3yhA9iAXj_6NaIfAao0WCcceX3PFoyHJzi35xrk41w-LqKGtCmiiiBpeeY8nIwwMSmH80tb-AnoLBxuhdycjjxRvGqq/s1600/IMG_3519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8_uTUKPw1SLi6jSIMGYxIEqxZlAcGRKfaXUT6wlYLF1CC4sID3yhA9iAXj_6NaIfAao0WCcceX3PFoyHJzi35xrk41w-LqKGtCmiiiBpeeY8nIwwMSmH80tb-AnoLBxuhdycjjxRvGqq/s640/IMG_3519.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At the end of the Plaza the white adobe Catholic Church, done in Spanish Colonial Revival style, was a photographer’s dream.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkpZ5bYqBYlhRxnjLZbAYtUVnnjzPl2ShvajHk-w1uvSa4lGuoDEyBTLLl0jLNYbNdfc21YuTt-zs5wcNmHINtqFCc0G5rngssLRKSglTje5UzxDyG2_uTpCJN5mknQV0MXykWeDdAQQc/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ce5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkpZ5bYqBYlhRxnjLZbAYtUVnnjzPl2ShvajHk-w1uvSa4lGuoDEyBTLLl0jLNYbNdfc21YuTt-zs5wcNmHINtqFCc0G5rngssLRKSglTje5UzxDyG2_uTpCJN5mknQV0MXykWeDdAQQc/s640/fullsizeoutput_1ce5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Further up the hill, the architecture of the old Curley School (named after a former mine superintendent) showed a Moorish influence. This building now serves as a sort of artists’ colony of apartments.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjhR4uNid6aiN642BlgwrH3Yg11iLlKZYRZv-lE5dZF31vxTQFyT-Cuj3SK6fLsEWNjblfvepv7264_KBW_YBq0TL3YW6SefMaTStn_H6DLddHZiVBBdjgS1Gwc1exCcGD6opP6M7JA0v/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d1f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1600" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjhR4uNid6aiN642BlgwrH3Yg11iLlKZYRZv-lE5dZF31vxTQFyT-Cuj3SK6fLsEWNjblfvepv7264_KBW_YBq0TL3YW6SefMaTStn_H6DLddHZiVBBdjgS1Gwc1exCcGD6opP6M7JA0v/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d1f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The back alley of the town square exhibited the artistic flare of many who live in Ajo.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIu6PzP_pR6U_4z-P7U08V6eguXvVe9WXaD0a5Wj60Pa1lVUi5LngcbsdEWrD22EJxjJcXOw6lqDbODMXVQZArcP0SRpFxA7s0hnce-wakGOF9iMTP9PXuSj2XuKtztO5Be32zwyJaMWIg/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1c97.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1465" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIu6PzP_pR6U_4z-P7U08V6eguXvVe9WXaD0a5Wj60Pa1lVUi5LngcbsdEWrD22EJxjJcXOw6lqDbODMXVQZArcP0SRpFxA7s0hnce-wakGOF9iMTP9PXuSj2XuKtztO5Be32zwyJaMWIg/s320/fullsizeoutput_1c97.jpeg" width="291" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvgaQUceG13GPrkmPuZoBcIKhOSV96Jto1zVQMxmuEH4hCEOAt-tvO5spfNwF4l4c3sFtchivuEjkFkDDhJl0X9J7ajd-ygnb35q2epdm0NcGWztALzc2XwQRxK73XoAiRZxctChHWO25/s1600/IMG_3521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1282" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvgaQUceG13GPrkmPuZoBcIKhOSV96Jto1zVQMxmuEH4hCEOAt-tvO5spfNwF4l4c3sFtchivuEjkFkDDhJl0X9J7ajd-ygnb35q2epdm0NcGWztALzc2XwQRxK73XoAiRZxctChHWO25/s320/IMG_3521.JPG" width="256" /></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Lovely artwork on the sides of various buildings was nicely preserved in Ajo’s hot dry climate.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYAE4vOT2dBMKJi_zXkYrL-b2l0cFRnhhBPQJvMlCcmEieTxm8KVErK6ZtN-sB-4iom7wM8Q-pl5nZdZqw0no4IsGacLTF4MkNrXsYYxPr4WF7S3tDSXrN8e6_aoe630AKMzfRSg9II-n/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYAE4vOT2dBMKJi_zXkYrL-b2l0cFRnhhBPQJvMlCcmEieTxm8KVErK6ZtN-sB-4iom7wM8Q-pl5nZdZqw0no4IsGacLTF4MkNrXsYYxPr4WF7S3tDSXrN8e6_aoe630AKMzfRSg9II-n/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d20.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Situated only 40 miles north of the Mexican border, present-day Ajo is home to many border patrol agents, in addition to a fair number of retirees. Local residents that we encountered seemed to accept the fact that illegal immigration was simply a fact of life around Ajo, and no one seemed all that worried about recent news of a “caravan” slowly working its way north. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We spent a day cruising 35 miles down the dirt road called <b><i>Camino del Diablo (Devil’s Highway)</i></b> close to the Mexican border.</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 28px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNrfwy5smEzZNWCArWyhFivFGsrTGJI1AQnrWQgMkAeHv0gIIMDL9VQUcVCCsYjqLTDhBzgfdFYjitM1c_zImAWY2ipki0JSZuNCmsU0II57x_eqQ9tB6RGUjGvuPYy1E7adOSGgX4yOd/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d3f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNrfwy5smEzZNWCArWyhFivFGsrTGJI1AQnrWQgMkAeHv0gIIMDL9VQUcVCCsYjqLTDhBzgfdFYjitM1c_zImAWY2ipki0JSZuNCmsU0II57x_eqQ9tB6RGUjGvuPYy1E7adOSGgX4yOd/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d3f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The Bates Wells ranch house, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTna0eSVHJr4-XjpH6FQYxaY3KkVZAsw_58Hb5PZT-lnwhJcqeJTKWFOcUE5ubxp1lHyStuvgCaYkfD_XOEUPBBC826xn-z0pRpMEmdNeJRPH5FYzLC_y8ZgJzsOuckDcuxf26xa4P1xJu/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1cf3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1600" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTna0eSVHJr4-XjpH6FQYxaY3KkVZAsw_58Hb5PZT-lnwhJcqeJTKWFOcUE5ubxp1lHyStuvgCaYkfD_XOEUPBBC826xn-z0pRpMEmdNeJRPH5FYzLC_y8ZgJzsOuckDcuxf26xa4P1xJu/s640/fullsizeoutput_1cf3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">which was surprisingly open for inspection,</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-sbxgIZ9dTfeHkrmYU75AHL-oltWaacl-qEhu1bjsFjib7k-yOtz9c9L3ld8Mb1Nl45QRllpo2oWDgBSKhoUSHXbaQdO1zgi215mhZkv4NcWKJanHm3hugLIamr9zurSjNbWAiHv6cOE/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1cf1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1600" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-sbxgIZ9dTfeHkrmYU75AHL-oltWaacl-qEhu1bjsFjib7k-yOtz9c9L3ld8Mb1Nl45QRllpo2oWDgBSKhoUSHXbaQdO1zgi215mhZkv4NcWKJanHm3hugLIamr9zurSjNbWAiHv6cOE/s640/fullsizeoutput_1cf1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Ycmda72KShGdQYQTTK4ZgZ5qoU0Gl_NlTgoGEeAlfUCXlLP02tINk5CoaI47tdU73ss-ft5_evfkvC9I5_V-cS1-wVCCDqHW8YrRaqFjnhTiqInJ6UWeo1hYbPGC4_OUDr668vi3NPc0/s1600/IMG_3584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Ycmda72KShGdQYQTTK4ZgZ5qoU0Gl_NlTgoGEeAlfUCXlLP02tINk5CoaI47tdU73ss-ft5_evfkvC9I5_V-cS1-wVCCDqHW8YrRaqFjnhTiqInJ6UWeo1hYbPGC4_OUDr668vi3NPc0/s640/IMG_3584.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">along with some outbuildings, </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQO2SQa0_i_QrodEjV27TlNwMxSVclDAIOuVqqjL6AltnJQ4UZlQZZ1Sy0CrAbRB0u7eZQmmO5UNlcn1DYHigqk0HENT7lD7HE-8Yh3TKFEywp1hX9AX_6O_umWMgFuY4kN9qCKeaIgEAj/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1cfd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1600" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQO2SQa0_i_QrodEjV27TlNwMxSVclDAIOuVqqjL6AltnJQ4UZlQZZ1Sy0CrAbRB0u7eZQmmO5UNlcn1DYHigqk0HENT7lD7HE-8Yh3TKFEywp1hX9AX_6O_umWMgFuY4kN9qCKeaIgEAj/s640/fullsizeoutput_1cfd.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCNWyvQ8HjPf-wFfZj1meKw2jR7lF2tqeBBfdK1wJr4CnrzMKjjVRO9Ra1kH3XdfaHMCJ24TsgUf0TDQea3ZLyR3PdhlelAH8HVYdSX-AAxwHHYIxnrMlPQNdT-G5Ry-N8knbWSAL5OUO/s1600/P1020767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCNWyvQ8HjPf-wFfZj1meKw2jR7lF2tqeBBfdK1wJr4CnrzMKjjVRO9Ra1kH3XdfaHMCJ24TsgUf0TDQea3ZLyR3PdhlelAH8HVYdSX-AAxwHHYIxnrMlPQNdT-G5Ry-N8knbWSAL5OUO/s640/P1020767.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">was all that remained of the ranching life of Henry Gray, who ranched in this area for 17 years. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">In the desert we discovered that live animal sightings were rare. However, at Bates Wells we happened upon a “queen butterfly” and a “white-lined sphinx caterpillar”… and each cooperated for photographs.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3vpjhN95lMNbzbo6ZhTUzNFlrlldIU2S-gMLEI6v5eKPQYw-vZ8NhS1bK9eyi50Tzkh-C3A0GuCPcu_W_M1zWW5XMlpfcODIH83vcIGGTTV8GMSouHyaCypR60iThErIYAYwop9uza7t/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1cfa.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="1600" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3vpjhN95lMNbzbo6ZhTUzNFlrlldIU2S-gMLEI6v5eKPQYw-vZ8NhS1bK9eyi50Tzkh-C3A0GuCPcu_W_M1zWW5XMlpfcODIH83vcIGGTTV8GMSouHyaCypR60iThErIYAYwop9uza7t/s320/fullsizeoutput_1cfa.jpeg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5TJWvMSh0j-xq7GBNOhIRVSx_STmwoSq-_p3FNh9NpppmoeIrl7cu9J_wZOU2JHEb2t9MThZ0btv46tJN2cwhD3LwHm8x_zHti95AqjZYb0taDAGkLP7GhQu_eqr9suizvLejoKTYM5Uy/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1cf7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5TJWvMSh0j-xq7GBNOhIRVSx_STmwoSq-_p3FNh9NpppmoeIrl7cu9J_wZOU2JHEb2t9MThZ0btv46tJN2cwhD3LwHm8x_zHti95AqjZYb0taDAGkLP7GhQu_eqr9suizvLejoKTYM5Uy/s320/fullsizeoutput_1cf7.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8frgJ21qpH6fVs5weuRTH1BmQxKUKOo1Bl0SlGYwk9wa4bkTaN70-MxZxD_sOEAzhA94R-AFoOHO4spFxHqWTomSp3MAxcMZIzogyDm-Oq5dGg43ioJ57Q62E20QTQGKGJpvvcckFjr5/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d00.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8frgJ21qpH6fVs5weuRTH1BmQxKUKOo1Bl0SlGYwk9wa4bkTaN70-MxZxD_sOEAzhA94R-AFoOHO4spFxHqWTomSp3MAxcMZIzogyDm-Oq5dGg43ioJ57Q62E20QTQGKGJpvvcckFjr5/s400/fullsizeoutput_1d00.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our drive along the <b><i>Camino del Diablo</i></b> and into the <b><i>Cabeta Prieza</i></b> <b><i>National Wildlife Refuge</i></b> revealed an exquisite remote desert panorama, but not a single sighting of the rare Sonoran pronghorn that are protected by the refuge.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbg3eGQoYPfH9oNe6bv9TNqiZu6veOQcbwZzPz1Aa36uM4gwewG7s3jmY44X8bvtUlotiUVUudjkA5ACiB8MGsg9t8NPSATEt3PPFFzgXO8OxdmpQpYyKPL0goVhApBC8n0-C-DlP8iHsS/s1600/P1020775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbg3eGQoYPfH9oNe6bv9TNqiZu6veOQcbwZzPz1Aa36uM4gwewG7s3jmY44X8bvtUlotiUVUudjkA5ACiB8MGsg9t8NPSATEt3PPFFzgXO8OxdmpQpYyKPL0goVhApBC8n0-C-DlP8iHsS/s640/P1020775.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrr2HraQgH66Hm0LavyFwnIY1NJiS-boo0RP1OUh9xF-XLfDhSEVa_9cm0zCsgkz_S0gutokG7Ek6hki6ix9f_BcI90t7SdHrdUqSZpobP8pbp5TQPF553dPXdUeBbUFOzhH8XSehSnJd/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1cfe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrr2HraQgH66Hm0LavyFwnIY1NJiS-boo0RP1OUh9xF-XLfDhSEVa_9cm0zCsgkz_S0gutokG7Ek6hki6ix9f_BcI90t7SdHrdUqSZpobP8pbp5TQPF553dPXdUeBbUFOzhH8XSehSnJd/s320/fullsizeoutput_1cfe.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">For others who cross the Devil’s Highway between the mountains, there were indications that the difference between life and death is very fragile. We saw rescue stations with red call buttons for illegal immigrants who have horribly misjudged the vast distances to safety.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiWokJw8ORM3CnxjWC1Dgd_AvCu-6ESW-dWzkIu_5dXJdNZ6AJz-skyQDzBCh4e6myszCYWFHO6nlzGD8kUNsWUwcNKPPD2Rj1sPHAxm32cG6TSnqnOUGOZ0TqKPK4qEQwq9iGyDyyjDQ/s1600/IMG_3579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1282" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiWokJw8ORM3CnxjWC1Dgd_AvCu-6ESW-dWzkIu_5dXJdNZ6AJz-skyQDzBCh4e6myszCYWFHO6nlzGD8kUNsWUwcNKPPD2Rj1sPHAxm32cG6TSnqnOUGOZ0TqKPK4qEQwq9iGyDyyjDQ/s640/IMG_3579.JPG" width="512" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnK6nfaQQwWd66DL6Epy61Jl15wqJ394an1R6sDTdl-MYylVQBJKYrsMZitggI87cHFuu9lVOiYFKWZJq69EGprEf_Z-Dpe6ujQTlhG-KyGMgcQT5YuDuk4qqXhIGYI_Oe9VkIF0CYaUH/s1600/IMG_3580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1282" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnK6nfaQQwWd66DL6Epy61Jl15wqJ394an1R6sDTdl-MYylVQBJKYrsMZitggI87cHFuu9lVOiYFKWZJq69EGprEf_Z-Dpe6ujQTlhG-KyGMgcQT5YuDuk4qqXhIGYI_Oe9VkIF0CYaUH/s400/IMG_3580.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">We also discovered humanitarian blue barrels of water marked by faded purple flags. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdE8GWCG7G7isYlaTHtDLXaPK5AdFGeFwRgwPnZIAzQAZFuP1IXUnjoS-RxUgaSqRZ1P1Qe0w6eb4kufTeB7-jLOjgNGuyujONN3a0wioWhJo_TMGMr5eY29BZVkeaO1czLjD2vQldqPXU/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d12.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="1600" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdE8GWCG7G7isYlaTHtDLXaPK5AdFGeFwRgwPnZIAzQAZFuP1IXUnjoS-RxUgaSqRZ1P1Qe0w6eb4kufTeB7-jLOjgNGuyujONN3a0wioWhJo_TMGMr5eY29BZVkeaO1czLjD2vQldqPXU/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d12.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHO4foZstMou6KpDkj3n1yfj5Q9zZSoCvac1tN745g0EqqI9elBh4ZS_XccPt0Kb1ItEga2qYj9NfUOfaj_byumffpiVokjd5vpjYkGWrUvsc5zxtLXNwDlxcHgzVBkUwBTc79c2lWpF_/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="1600" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHO4foZstMou6KpDkj3n1yfj5Q9zZSoCvac1tN745g0EqqI9elBh4ZS_XccPt0Kb1ItEga2qYj9NfUOfaj_byumffpiVokjd5vpjYkGWrUvsc5zxtLXNwDlxcHgzVBkUwBTc79c2lWpF_/s400/fullsizeoutput_1d11.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A simple plastic rosary hanging from a tree above this barrel certainly spoke to the dangers…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkz6DRp5DoCky18JlMzcNFumPDCjN7quMS5q5hPhGzp0wgpK09f2MpTS-ZqBOV1j0BmEh-HR2tcB13tjvoWimYvPEcHMyRJmLOZ_49YeEp8BSfggTRHTLHcpFRk4QXfkTYbwwM67LMEjjI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d19.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="1600" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkz6DRp5DoCky18JlMzcNFumPDCjN7quMS5q5hPhGzp0wgpK09f2MpTS-ZqBOV1j0BmEh-HR2tcB13tjvoWimYvPEcHMyRJmLOZ_49YeEp8BSfggTRHTLHcpFRk4QXfkTYbwwM67LMEjjI/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d19.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAjUpBXtpMO2USc_QBk1ugQhg_var_futTXlijaircet7ElXLWqFkKDw3Q80ThcntyTqlRtHxX2MxLayabmhni_HrYWeqhgWnN4MU6xGCmM2e27q5l1UGM7EjkzIEd8P2BPDa5L74omaE/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d84.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1293" data-original-width="1159" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAjUpBXtpMO2USc_QBk1ugQhg_var_futTXlijaircet7ElXLWqFkKDw3Q80ThcntyTqlRtHxX2MxLayabmhni_HrYWeqhgWnN4MU6xGCmM2e27q5l1UGM7EjkzIEd8P2BPDa5L74omaE/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d84.jpeg" width="571" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The chief reason we elected to spend two weeks in remote Ajo, Arizona, was for the opportunity to revisit <b><i>Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument</i></b>. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6rFg13r-IAD6qLPmYiPwL6z_U9dazEPr8L6O-sncJnCCOkyIJpaecIP-K0RRzRPNswBrYHY-RdD0S9ZK33QRwuSL6vubxJ8bBHVNWbKUYYf9iRlPu6yW6UyYa7Wnfr2__oQnScuBGet1/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ca6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6rFg13r-IAD6qLPmYiPwL6z_U9dazEPr8L6O-sncJnCCOkyIJpaecIP-K0RRzRPNswBrYHY-RdD0S9ZK33QRwuSL6vubxJ8bBHVNWbKUYYf9iRlPu6yW6UyYa7Wnfr2__oQnScuBGet1/s640/fullsizeoutput_1ca6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The monument is significant for an abundance of its namesake—the somewhat rare <b><i>organ pipe cactus. </i></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFPcK-MI9KfAGSDQpdBXjvhGqNvre-6yWH1PHwc_N_-Ct1rSW_jDXXauITivMWPqEqWPb3mghDQ26YLOAcD41IbAAvtngel0c_Jkx8ggLjwIsmYyahHCSC3_FayU6BbBdTLij2HAD1IVp/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d68.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFPcK-MI9KfAGSDQpdBXjvhGqNvre-6yWH1PHwc_N_-Ct1rSW_jDXXauITivMWPqEqWPb3mghDQ26YLOAcD41IbAAvtngel0c_Jkx8ggLjwIsmYyahHCSC3_FayU6BbBdTLij2HAD1IVp/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d68.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The monument butted up against the international border with Mexico, resulting in lots of opportunities to observe magnificent Mexican mountain scenery, as in this view looking out on Mexico’s Sonoyta Valley from a high point above the monument’s main campground.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAEzT0Q7mJUJWcS2Ewt9v3j-bybuR0CLhUAxcCzHEhkqlfiYtuuQ-4mBAbbMR6cHry6JTl12PedyOh9nIrisw5jT9E-iGuhJvU3SoYZJ4g00z8S0QsPLEjZwHF2GSxGo6XN6bYFrAW5qq/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d69.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAEzT0Q7mJUJWcS2Ewt9v3j-bybuR0CLhUAxcCzHEhkqlfiYtuuQ-4mBAbbMR6cHry6JTl12PedyOh9nIrisw5jT9E-iGuhJvU3SoYZJ4g00z8S0QsPLEjZwHF2GSxGo6XN6bYFrAW5qq/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d69.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">A 20-mile auto loop trail within the monument showcased the very best of Sonoran desert scenery.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89GonRiNs0XCRxlsTjBi2JWJ0zXoSCkFpS7SNS9Cv3eMEEC152hGIodJDw53YO9tUhfXOGfyGPCqZT_0BvUp0L1vzw-B7M6ZJdisE17oJ0tyuT9V-772Bc3HYPvk8QfO4eJvpq052gdky/s1600/IMG_3556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89GonRiNs0XCRxlsTjBi2JWJ0zXoSCkFpS7SNS9Cv3eMEEC152hGIodJDw53YO9tUhfXOGfyGPCqZT_0BvUp0L1vzw-B7M6ZJdisE17oJ0tyuT9V-772Bc3HYPvk8QfO4eJvpq052gdky/s640/IMG_3556.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5dP5W52kMChPD9YN0ww5hpYi5ClLx06nIzH0AiTAaRXFcTK7APMmZBGO4UxIu8rkCAMwG0rU4GaXyF5rfPNqi7k6hqJ4M51qKFgiUZ2QOdw5411YunooL12fZB6-w9Tqe4f0L0n8en3k/s1600/P1020725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5dP5W52kMChPD9YN0ww5hpYi5ClLx06nIzH0AiTAaRXFcTK7APMmZBGO4UxIu8rkCAMwG0rU4GaXyF5rfPNqi7k6hqJ4M51qKFgiUZ2QOdw5411YunooL12fZB6-w9Tqe4f0L0n8en3k/s640/P1020725.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Al’s view from the high plateau of the Bull Pasture hike was a grand one!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLip0Y_M6lNW5b5F3QFk68e4JlXK2O_ZMy5TRPbJoBIbVfF4XbmaxMFUXwyxa1p8t2N9OHr9uZSwrqmzS5MSS94_UhhrxlKWbwnqyOoHPTBH4RKJVPI3sJiiivGdOd4EndWJBm_VPXlLcx/s1600/IMG_3560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLip0Y_M6lNW5b5F3QFk68e4JlXK2O_ZMy5TRPbJoBIbVfF4XbmaxMFUXwyxa1p8t2N9OHr9uZSwrqmzS5MSS94_UhhrxlKWbwnqyOoHPTBH4RKJVPI3sJiiivGdOd4EndWJBm_VPXlLcx/s640/IMG_3560.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Toward the end of our hike, this sighting of a “desert blond tarantula” was an experience to savor! Luckily we had read that these docile desert arachnids aren’t easily provoked, so we lingered a bit to catch some close-ups of this one that was about 4-5 inches in diameter.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JcQGUKb9QGqhLhSK18gWD70gF0ROX1xhPtZIPWheDReHEFeStKscvTBWVwzvY1EHIiJorzOIQ6R2aCJXIjX17tEo0axLb9KnVzc6IMUFj1mLDju3YJuE-FBi_sU_4J3j07w8cs3iszL0/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1ca3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1600" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JcQGUKb9QGqhLhSK18gWD70gF0ROX1xhPtZIPWheDReHEFeStKscvTBWVwzvY1EHIiJorzOIQ6R2aCJXIjX17tEo0axLb9KnVzc6IMUFj1mLDju3YJuE-FBi_sU_4J3j07w8cs3iszL0/s640/fullsizeoutput_1ca3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We set aside an entire day to do the longer 50-mile auto trail within the monument. This remarkable day was marked by absolute solitude, as we didn’t encounter a single other human for most of the day. What we did find was impressive stands of saguaro cactus forests;</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPdzjvpqFlqcvKjr34TtgL4le0df0hAFkRTYbrGH0qDcl9SQ53M1bK2ikBdpxadYFQYpeRL2ZwopBaOBdVrthhjVnq17aJQsK9z4nQ1Fxp49lQ42KEP_AdjfEQ3AWYk3jmDLyGXLSUB4d/s1600/P1020829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPdzjvpqFlqcvKjr34TtgL4le0df0hAFkRTYbrGH0qDcl9SQ53M1bK2ikBdpxadYFQYpeRL2ZwopBaOBdVrthhjVnq17aJQsK9z4nQ1Fxp49lQ42KEP_AdjfEQ3AWYk3jmDLyGXLSUB4d/s640/P1020829.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">signs of former ranch activity at Bonita Well, now grown over with giant shrubs of brittlebush artistically framing a livestock watering trough;</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY858f9Li7V1rP_neGIIUuI-T1B-n6-eB3iO3l5UlaiKB7h-NRR_5RhYRq3q0Ehdy1Ryf_ft-7MxzcQr40vwjDGKqvwsDfSb7UY_5gaqp1A8_UAgr1A2Qm2HX1W0YG7nnJlzhMR-hZhQYx/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d48.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY858f9Li7V1rP_neGIIUuI-T1B-n6-eB3iO3l5UlaiKB7h-NRR_5RhYRq3q0Ehdy1Ryf_ft-7MxzcQr40vwjDGKqvwsDfSb7UY_5gaqp1A8_UAgr1A2Qm2HX1W0YG7nnJlzhMR-hZhQYx/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d48.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">and two less common cacti—a fishhook pincushion cactus and an eagle’s claw cactus.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtptPSLYr_Mc3cNEjcl3Lz_F14RReykH_7fVo2ATLtA57srUZzCfBPc-i7d69mW1wAZMod1aeF6Kd9eB6hJG-3FasEqofFX_VYKDmDrdgwbPPyH8VX5Wr6AU1ai-sDWpPinKdWh6OPDUr/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d53.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="1600" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtptPSLYr_Mc3cNEjcl3Lz_F14RReykH_7fVo2ATLtA57srUZzCfBPc-i7d69mW1wAZMod1aeF6Kd9eB6hJG-3FasEqofFX_VYKDmDrdgwbPPyH8VX5Wr6AU1ai-sDWpPinKdWh6OPDUr/s400/fullsizeoutput_1d53.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiA7CGeoS2AYfASID2w2PRim53e1pes_8CyAOAeLV8CRo3pdYtAw28PDHgHlpSTli7zFN_Y9RconUkS6mNyF4InH5xFVg5KktBfzNsx1qiLotd1yHfK8AMW1lq4axwbX96yjpzRV6ZsZk/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d6b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiA7CGeoS2AYfASID2w2PRim53e1pes_8CyAOAeLV8CRo3pdYtAw28PDHgHlpSTli7zFN_Y9RconUkS6mNyF4InH5xFVg5KktBfzNsx1qiLotd1yHfK8AMW1lq4axwbX96yjpzRV6ZsZk/s400/fullsizeoutput_1d6b.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The last leg of this backcountry auto loop paralleled a Mexican highway.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxrarwXfBv69QEPqlJDZe9pP4BWuGG_ARMJDPFCTY0_YVbO9yKEBytykux09evXjbCiLZMhXuLwDJyahdqMUJn7THSFi6kGu29eYjCr6CVwuiTTE4KaZS72zJreLHY1nA69Q53JPVOpkG/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d6c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1600" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxrarwXfBv69QEPqlJDZe9pP4BWuGG_ARMJDPFCTY0_YVbO9yKEBytykux09evXjbCiLZMhXuLwDJyahdqMUJn7THSFi6kGu29eYjCr6CVwuiTTE4KaZS72zJreLHY1nA69Q53JPVOpkG/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d6c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">We observed lots of truck traffic on the Mexico side and plenty of border agent activity on our side. We wondered if this was the winning border wall design…</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRiB8YHzysNxGNyUT9-H3IvGpPt5Wzh2iXqgtLrskAyyHHkP5J7rWs6EJNSCGkkddx9sQs3o2PMI_WWEzV784irhQkpGc9DHJekQULDtO5OstJ6Jp-kK5a0sWIKTjYrEEO_CnaMO2yZHW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d5f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1600" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRiB8YHzysNxGNyUT9-H3IvGpPt5Wzh2iXqgtLrskAyyHHkP5J7rWs6EJNSCGkkddx9sQs3o2PMI_WWEzV784irhQkpGc9DHJekQULDtO5OstJ6Jp-kK5a0sWIKTjYrEEO_CnaMO2yZHW/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d5f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">As the dirt road deviated from the border, a slightly more substantial border wall wiggled up over the hills.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQgRqgisCfKJPnk00zqSMWoh5-c0i5duxv9tLtToR1Em23kNsJsXXFwXVTn563tjDkPpzkdoN3cWqJQRhUJ-AtJlwOJtTpXUZhmD856k3TfnfwhO7oFKRvZCGikRh4PwaYEtgWxLG00QM/s1600/P1020867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQgRqgisCfKJPnk00zqSMWoh5-c0i5duxv9tLtToR1Em23kNsJsXXFwXVTn563tjDkPpzkdoN3cWqJQRhUJ-AtJlwOJtTpXUZhmD856k3TfnfwhO7oFKRvZCGikRh4PwaYEtgWxLG00QM/s640/P1020867.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Final thoughts: Like Borrego Springs, Ajo was one of those small-town settings that just felt ‘comfy.’ Partly this was due to the beauty and solitude we found along less-traveled desert backroads. In addition, the welcoming Ajo sense of community clearly came out in our interactions with the locals. Some of the more memorable characters we met were:</span></div>
<ul>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">the “bread man” at the local Saturday farmers market who had a real talent for baking yummy loaves of bread</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">the enthusiastic “local entrepreneur” who was tinkering with her menus to get her new restaurant business off the ground</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">the “reverend” at the local rummage sale who was eager to chat with us about a huge variety of subjects</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 25.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">the industrious “Mexican families” who sold tamales and delicious bags of fresh shrimp on periodic visits to our campground</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 25.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">the hardworking “border patrol agents” who must tread the fine line of enforcement tempered with humanity</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZ5isE2mCFsYuKAZByDeDLIK852-IH_O71ZNWYu9WVbQp2RbahCWHsqr-0RVo-3pHuPm2ytt4CWz64wgcpXx0ydKjEHrzCnuGvvguozfLSuX1epLDznKqlTz-c1Lo-rdQfGXBJoSggdoA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d89.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1600" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZ5isE2mCFsYuKAZByDeDLIK852-IH_O71ZNWYu9WVbQp2RbahCWHsqr-0RVo-3pHuPm2ytt4CWz64wgcpXx0ydKjEHrzCnuGvvguozfLSuX1epLDznKqlTz-c1Lo-rdQfGXBJoSggdoA/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d89.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I will end with the distinctive Ajo Christmas symbol, with hopes that you have <b><i>“A Very Ajo Merry Christmas”</i></b> in the home you love with the people you cherish! </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 25px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QjXEE7dTLhHWqIFQ3LN0yihlXIyxpjJ5qlT6LWI4ZAmzxBv39UVyBkaMlT7f1AO3HJZvBSS9IIjqbtNNUbFzXGN5Sa84DHEbt8XgZchzqnG8sv6DKDHx7oi4uBGRXdu2iJZc3YETJEbt/s1600/fullsizeoutput_1d2a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="1600" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QjXEE7dTLhHWqIFQ3LN0yihlXIyxpjJ5qlT6LWI4ZAmzxBv39UVyBkaMlT7f1AO3HJZvBSS9IIjqbtNNUbFzXGN5Sa84DHEbt8XgZchzqnG8sv6DKDHx7oi4uBGRXdu2iJZc3YETJEbt/s640/fullsizeoutput_1d2a.jpeg" width="800" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
Carol Galushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02588678721538701231noreply@blogger.com1