Day 72 - Graceland in Memphis, TN

A short drive from our site today found us in Memphis, TN and I had to go to Graceland. Elvis's spirit still is strong there. Graceland could almost be called a theme park. I took a few photos there and we had lunch in one of the cafes. We also sat down and watched Elvis's 1973 Hawaii TV Special. Did'nt realize that he would be 79 year old this year. I guess I'm rejecting the fact of life and my own age as well. After leaving Graceland we drove into Memphis along the riverside. The Mississippi runs right through it. Tomorow we drive south down through The Natchez Trace Parkway.

Day 69, 70 and 71 - Driving from Santa Fe, NM to Memphis, TN

Day 69
We drove 300 miles today and stopped in Amarillo, Texas for one night. We are back into summer temperatures and shorts. Tomorrow we drive to Fort Smith, Arkansas. It is almost a straight shot along the I-40 from New Mexico to Tennessee. Along this route there are many segments of the original cross country highway, The Mother Road, Route 66. Some day we hope to drive the original road or at least what is left of it from Chicago to LA through 8 states. Lots of 60s memorabilia along the way.

Day 70
Another 450 miles today driving from Amarillo, TX to Alma, Arkansas

Day 71

The last 260 miles today from Alma, AR to Memphis, TN staying in West Memphis area in Marion, Arkansas.

Tomorrow we go to Memphis to tour Graceland and sample BBQ.

Day 68 - Bandelier National Monument and Los Alamos, NM

We drove about an hour to the north to see Bandelier National Monument which is in Los Alamos county, NM. At Bandolier we explorer the Pueblo's (Cave dwellers) of the Indians that occupied the area 1500 years ago and in some cases still live in them. After our walk through Bandelier we drove to Los Alamos where the first atomic bombs were researched, made and then dropped to help stop WW2 in the Pacific.

In the cave dwelling

Entering a cave

The mud buildings at the base of the caves

The Cave Dwellings

Los Alamos, New Mexico. Still being used by the Atomic Energy Commission.

Day 66 & 67 - Santa Fe, New Mexico

What a neat city. We drove to Santa FE and passed through Albuquerque on our way there. Today was the first day of the Albuquerque Balloon Festival which lasts 9 days. Didn't see and balloons since they were all done by 10:00AM. Along the I-40 jackie snapped some photos of lava that had erupted from the Colorado Plateau.

We saw these lava fields in Idaho, Utah and now New Mexico. It is caused by the same events that created the Rocky Mountains (the collision of the Pacific and North American Plates).

Santa Fe is at the foot of the Santo D'Christo Mountains. A very very nice location. We are staying here for at least 3 nights and hope to see a whole bunch of neat stuff. Days are warm, low 70s, Nights are cool, low 50s.

One of many shopping streets

St Francis of Assisi Cathedral

 We have learned to remove the camper from the pickup making it easier to get around and saving about 2 hours a day when we are at a camp for more than 1 night.

Day 65 - Today was an off day.

I had to get da Beast serviced. I was getting messages on our dashboard instrument cluster. Everything OK just $425 poorer and 1 day waiting at a Gallop, New Mexico Ram Dealer.

Day 64 - Monument Valley, Utah and Arizona

After we went to the Canyonlands NP we drove about 120 miles south to Monument Valley. We camped at the location where John Ford and The Duke used as a home base when the filmed the movies that featured Monument Valley and made it world famous.

The view that John Wayne had of the valley from his cabin

On our way out of the valley and on our way to Gallop, New Mexico we came across 2 interesting sights, Mexican Hat Rock and The  Four Corners Monument.

Mexican Rock about 35 miles north of Monument Valley

Standing in 4 states at the same time (New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah)

The exact Spot of The Four Corners

Some people are not satisfied with standing in 4 states at the same time and have to show off. That's me.

Day - 63 Canyonlands National Park, Utah

we drove 45 miles from our campsite to The Islands in the Sky (Canyonlands NP). We could only see a small portion of the park. That portion that can be seen from the roadway which only passes about 15% into the park lands. We drove the roadway and hiked one spot to Mesa Arch. It took about 2 1/2 hours to see what we could see. A rain storm Came in as we were leaving and our view of the canyons was no longer available through the clouds and rain.

Video - Panorama of Canyonlands NP
Canyonlands Overlook

Wild flowers on the trail

Prickly Pear Cactus

Trail markers

Mesa Arch

Wild flowers along the trail