Moab to Bellingham

Hi all.  Final stretch to home.  Just had to post a few classic photos of our trip from Moab, up through Utah, then Dillon, MT.  We stopped for a couple of nights to visit McCreas and Lusters before heading to Bellingham (longest day of the trip!).

While still in Utah, found a nice RV park just north of Ogden, and decided to stay the night and camp there.  I had been worried about snow, after our dump in Albuquerque, but skies were blue and sunny.  Perfect skiing weather, and great for towing the RV.

Snow Basin view

We packed up the skiis, the dog, and headed up to Snow Basin, outside of Ogden (a short 40 minute trip).  The lodges were built to accommodate the 2002 Olympic games, and were they gorgeous!!  Marble and granite bathrooms and crystal chandellers in all of the lodges.  But dispite all of this

John at Snow Basin

glamor, the ski area doesn’t attract the hords of rich tourists that places like Park City and Deer Valley do, because Ogden is a little bit off the map.  We talked to some people who have made several journeys to ski in Snow Basin, and they would like to keep it off the radar of the high-flying tourists.

J & T at Snow Basin

Apparently 9/11 put a damper on the developement and visibility that the manager had hoped for, so Snow Basin is basically a low-key, no lift lines kind of place with awesome snow!  We certainly had great runs.  The dump of snow we experienced in New Mexico also hit Utah, so we skied perfect powder runs (no ice, which I hate).  We had a great day.

The next morning we headed for Coeur d’Alene, stayed a couple of nights, plugged into the Lusters place, then headed home.   Loved the trip in it’s intirety.  John Gargett asked me what was my favorite place, and I really couldn’t answer.  So many great memories of friends, fun and great sunshine!

Santa Fe to Moab

While the Albuquerque snowstorm kept us campground bound for a day, we woke up the next day to almost clear ground and warming temperatures.  Time to get going on a day-trip to Santa Fe!  The trip to Santa Fe is only an hour from Albuquerque, so we were able to spend a day in the adobe city, exploring shops, eating at the famous La Fonda hotel, and memorably, visiting the Georgia O’Keefe museum. I hadn’t visited since graduating from New Mexico State University, and would sure be there again.  As a friend of mine said, “take your credit card!”

Santa Fe Iglesia

New Mexico Museum of Arts

Kateri Tekawitha: First Native American saint

The iglesia in the center of town hosts a couple of impressive bronzes, one of which is the first Native American named as a saint, Kateri Tekakwitha.  And that didn’t happen until 1992.  I’m also including a photo of the New Mexico Museum of Art, so indicative of the architecture of the downtown area.

The following day, we high-tailed it to Moab, Utah, while the weather gods were smiling on us.  We stayed at the same RV park that we stayed in last year (they are all virtually empty right now).   The park overlooks the mountains to the north.

LaSal Mountains

Probably we’ll seek out another venue next year, especially given the unhospitable reception we recieved when our exuberant puppy escaped his leash for a short time (not due to owner negligence).

However, we picked up the pieces and tripped into a hike we’d wanted to explore last time we were here–Negro Bill Canyon.

T & C in Negro Bill Canyon

A mere 3 miles out of Moab, the 5 mile hike was along a river canyon, and just absolutely gorgeous.

John on the NB Canyon

Morning Glory Bridge wall

The canyon appears as though an artist had spilled paint cans of copper, beige, and brown stains down the sides of the walls.  Our goal was the Morning Glory Bridge, the 3rd largest natural bridge in the US.  Once one arrives there, the natural structure is so huge, there is no way to get a photo of the entirety of it.

OK friends,  let’s get together somehow in Moab next late winter and do some hiking!!