Nebraska to Arizona

View from the Arizona Welcome Center

Soybeans, silos and corn as far as the eye can see. The scenery heading west out of Nebraska was purely agricultural. I-80 follows the Platte River and passes by attractions that didn't quite pull us off the highway: A Pony Express Station, the Sod House Museum and a ranch once owned by Buffalo Bill Cody, whose Wild West shows once featured sharp shooter Annie Oakley and entertained folks across the country and as far away as England. If it had been spring or autumn, we might have been lured to one of the wildlife refuges to see the sandhill cranes that migrate along the Platte.

The corn began thinning out and getting shorter as we entered Colorado, then was replaced altogether by cattle and open prairie. I couldn't wait to see the Rockies, but was disappointed. As we neared Denver, dark, billowing clouds camouflaged the mountains. The rain never did reach our campground at Cherry Creek State Park, but it did cool the air, and we slept with a quilt that night.

Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico were green from recent rains. We got lucky and saw a few pronghorn antelope along the way, and luckier still when we reached Albuquerque. Thirty minutes after checking in to the RV park at Kirtland Air Force Base the skies opened up and it poured!

The next morning we were headed west again and soon entered Arizona. We were home! Our first stop was the Arizona Welcome Center where we stocked up on a new map and magazines on the Navajo Nation and other sites. One of these days we'll do some local touring. We arrived in Heber and the Munzinger cabin, were greeted by Joan and Carol and in no time were playing Upwords and Scrabble. Cabin sweet cabin.

Today we are in Flagstaff parked, leveled and plugged in outside of Philand Tricia's house. Phil took his kayak to Lake Mary yesterday. This is the kayak he built from a kit . . . and it is beautiful. He's learned to load and unload it from his SUV by himself, launch it without going overboard and comfortably paddle around the lake. It's his escape from reality vehicle.

We'll be in Flag until Friday morning, then head to Camp Pendleton and the California beach. Looking forward to seeing Glen, Jack and Wendy and friends over the next few weeks.