Category: over 50 female

Old Town Albuquerque

18 March 2018

An easy day today as it is cold, a little snow, lots of wind and I will be off to Amarillo tomorrow.

I started the day with a very interesting historical free walking tour of the Old Town.

I found this exhibit in The Albuquerque Museum of History and Art very interesting Through the Repellent Fence. In 2015, three Native American artists set out to construct a two-mile-long outdoor artwork that straddles the U.S. and Mexico border.

Last tourist item in Albuquerque was a photo of the Rio Grande. I went to a clifftop to get a good view but it was so windy I was worried I was going to be blown off the cliff.

Finished off Albuqueque with a salsa dance class and social dancing at Maple Street Dance Space.

Santa Fe New Mexico

17 March 2018

As dancing was a serious letdown I got to sleep early last night and was off to Santa Fe by 9.00am. I went to the casino nightclub in Alberqueque and it was the worst casino I have ever been to. The people are so poorly dressed, the casino, as many casinos in the USA allows smoking and the smell is awful, and the gamblers look like they don’t have the money to gamble.

A plus was the band was wonderful and played great covers, not as good as The Kamis though. But the dancefloor was full of drunk over 40s couples and it made me so grateful for all our wonderful over 40s venues in Sydney and the people who attend.

So I drove the one (1 ) hour to Santa Fe with a list of places to see. Once again the scenery was breathtaking. I miss sharing this beauty with someone.

Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico. It is quite an affluent area with beautiful Adobe dwellings as well as hacienda style.

I completed some of the unusual things to do from the Atlas Obscura list.

109 East Palace Street is the premises used to screen all people working on the Manhattan Project between 1942 – 45. The atomic bomb was developed and tested in New Mexico.

I was keen to visit the La Cieneguilla Petroglyph site which is Indian rock art dating back to the 13th century. The tour guide recommended I not go at this time of year as there would be a good chance I would come across rattlesnakes and their babies. Okay I struck that off my list.

The Loretta Chapel has an interesting story which I actually saw many years ago on a documentary “Unexplained Mysteries” I never thought I would get to see this staircase said to be a miracle.

I drove up to the Sante Fe Opera as there is a stunning view of The Rockies which still had some snow. Santa Fe has an elevation of 7199 feet and I found it a tad difficult with breathing at times.

I got back to Albuquerque at 7pm and my air bnb host invited me toContra dancing which is a type of square dancing. What energetic fun that was!!

We topped off the night with some salsa at The Cooperage. The people here were the opposite of what I experienced at the casino. Wonderful fun friendly people.

Albuquerque New Mexico

16 March 2018

My first scary incident was reminiscent of a movie robbery scene surprisingly and fortunately without a gun. I was lined up in a gas station to prepay my petrol (gas) when someone calmly walked in, took a 6 pack of beer and walked out with people swearing and chasing him. I quickly did what they do in the movies, backed up to a rear aisle and made myself inconspicuous. Nothing violent happened, but it was a reminder that there are some questionable areas I need to be careful of. I also thought that if this was one of the NRA States the man would probably have been shot. I didn’t wait there to buy petrol, I walked out to the car and noticed that the area was a bit dubious. I will be more careful in future.

I wonder how these signs work? They were throughout Flagstaff as Well.

I had spent the morning visiting unusual spots recommended in the Atlas Obscura.

First I went to the spaceship house.

Then the Musical Highway, a spot on Route 66 which, when you drive at the correct speed, you will hear “America the Beautiful” played. Unfortunately I could not hear it even when I stopped the car and I expect it is a joke or the cars weren’t going the correct speed for it to play. I got this pic though.

I then went to find the Atlas I

Described as “This pseudo-steampunk weapons facility is the world’s largest wood and glue structure, and packs quite a wallop“.

With an address of Kirtland Air Base I set my GPS. I thought I was going to a display at an unused airbase. I was a little surprised when driving up to the air base, I encountered the obligatory road block and security check. The poor guard must have thought I was a crazy Australian until I showed him the website. I was gently escorted off the air base with a recommendation of where to get something to eat if I was hungry. ??

Then I proceeded to the next item the De Anza Motor Lodge which holds American Indian Artefacts. This is actually being demolished, contrary to what the website states. A consolation, it is on Route 66.

I got lost looking for Little Beaver Town so decided to go for walk around the neighbourhood Where I am staying in without expectations.

And I found the Flintstone House!!

The homes in this area are Mexican influenced Adobe house. I suppose that’s because they are in New Mexico.

The gardens are on the treacherous side. You would want to be careful not to fall into the garden while drunk or otherwise.

Hopefully I will be more successful looking for dancing tonight

Meteor Crater Arizona/New Mexico

15 March 2018

I was meant to go to the Grand Canyon today but I was feeling so unwell I couldn’t face the 1.5 hour drive each way. I looked into getting a bus but left it a little late. I realised that I was feeling unwell because the airbnb I stayed in was really stuffy and I am not very good with stale Indian cooking smells. When I opened my window the host asked me kindly to close it to keep the place warm. Thankfully I was not tied to the airbnb for more than one night so this morning I was looking for another place to stay in Flagstaff.

While having my pancakes for breakfast at the Flagstaff iHop ( I was feeling much better) it started snowing. As pretty as snow is, my trip never included snow as I am not fussed on the cold.

So I booked an air bnb in Alberqueque New Mexico and started the 5 hour, 455 km (285 miles) drive.

On the way I stopped off at the Meteor Crater in Winslow Arizona.

I wanted to stop at the Petrified Forest but missed the turn off and it was too far to loop back. As the temperature was 0 C (32 F) wind chill I was not overly concerned I missed it.

Along the way the scenery changed many times. I escaped the snow in Flagstaff and as soon as I crossed over to New Mexico I had hail, snow and ferocious winds which caused the huge rigs on the motorway to sway precariously.

Arizona

New Mexico

Route 66 Arizona

14 March 2018

Route 66 is a famous road which originally ran from Chicago Illinois to San Diego California. I knew that many spots throughout the route are no longer accessible. However, I am so excited that I have been able to access Route 66 several times since commencing this trip without trying. I pick a town and all of a sudden I am on Route 66!!

Today I commenced my day at Oatman Arizona. This was a prosperous gold mining town in th 1920s but abandoned in the 1950s. I heard it was an old ghost town so I decided to visit. A cute place with a mock gunfight in the street some original heritage listed buildings and donkeys pooping all over town and it is on Route 66.

You might have a giggle over the Glory Hole and Fat Fanny’s.

Clark Gable seems to have liked Arizona as he spent his honeymoon with Carole Lombard in the haunted Oatman Hotel.

I couldn’t resist the frozen cheesecake dipped in chocolate and sprinkles. Yes, I know. Diet time.

I then took the precarious drive with a maximum speed of 32kmph (20mph) to Cool Springs, the inspiration for the setting of the animation “Cars”. The 10km (6 miles) rivals the Jenolan Caves road. No way can buses use this road which gets to 3350 feet with no guard rails but some spectacular scenery. On Route 66.

Joshua Tree National Park

12 March 2018

Today I left the lovely Alarcon family and Rancho Santa Margarita and I drove 460 km almost 290 miles to my next stop. I drove part of this road on the i10 with Dion three years ago and the second time around the scenery was just as captivating.

The terrain changes from grassy mountains, to rock studded hills, to boulders, snow topped mountains, and many wind turbines.

My first stop was at the Joshua Tree National Park which is located between the Colorado and Mojave Deserts.

I spent two (2) hours walking and driving around Hidden Valley

Barker Dam

Skull Rock

and stopped several times to take photos of the rock formations.

The photos just do not do it justice. I haven’t been to Uluru but everyone says the same thing, that you have to be there to really feel the beauty.

There were many people rock climbing and bouldering as this sport is welcome here. Can you see the person on the rock face below? Not abseiling!!

Today I drove through Arizona, California, Nevada and now I am staying in an air bnb in Arizona.

Something I got very excited about today was I drove on Route 66 three (3) times. You can’t drive the whole road because it has been closed off in spots but I will try as many sections as possible on this trip.

I stopped at this gas station “Roys” as it reminded me of those sometimes creepy road stops in movies. It was a little creepy but the man who ran the stop was lovely. He told me he served in the South Pacific with Aussies so was very welcoming.

The photo above is Clark Gable and the story is that he dined there many years ago. Richard Gere also worked at this diner on Route 66 when he was young.

I stopped and refuelled at the second Route 66 gas station

I recently read a pschological thriller called Dead Stop which covers the dangers of railway crossings in the USA as many do not have boom gates or flashing lights.

This crossing had a train waiting while one was passing and I loved the colours of the carriages against the mountain (you will need to zoom in) This crossing did have flashing lights

At one stage while driving from Joshua Tree to Needles (a 2 hour drive) I did have 10 minutes of slight panic as I forgot to download an offline map of where I was going and lost my GPS totally. I was on this pretty remote road which is just desert, straight with occasional signs of life with houses which look abandoned homes and in a worse than some of the poor peoples homes in Brasil. Petrol was getting low and I knew I had enough to the next petrol station for 150 km (100 miles) but not if I had to turn back because I was going the wrong way. I really believe I have an angel who looks after me because just as I was starting to worry, up ahead was a San Bernadino County officer in his pick up truck, on the side of the road and I stopped and asked him “am I going the right way?” that shows how worried I was as he had to say “where are you going?”. Luckily I was going the right way and had plenty of fuel.

When I arrived at my air bnb in Bullhead City Arizona, my hosts told me about the casinos in Laughlin Nevada 20 minutes away. I went there to check the music and I enjoyed a listen to some country and western. I learned that the Las Vegas strip is 1.5 hours from the Laughlin Nevada casino strip and Laughlin is situated on the Colorado River.

You know you are in an NRA US state with these signs.

Dancing

10 March 2018

I got my fix for dancing tonight.

Dancing Hilton Irvine

I went on the Meet Ups app to see what was happening around Rancho Santa Margarita. I found the Meet Up group “10 cent dances” @OC Singles dance for the cure fighting cancer at the Hilton Irvine/Orange County.

It was a 20 minute drive and I was concerned the dance would be for young people. I was thrilled that the place felt like a typical Saturday night at either Burwood RSL or Concord RSL, except with different accents :).

I met some lovely people who made me feel very welcome. Although the difference between them and Sydney dancers, the dancing slowed down at 10:00pm. They don’t have the stamina our Sydney people have 🙂

As my friends know, 10:00pm is way too early to stop dancing on a Saturday night so I found another venue at Laguna Beach. Salsa!! Romeo Cucina Italian Restaurant has a DJ from 9:30pm till normally 2:00am but as their daylight saving ended this night, their dancing ended at 1:00am. Much better time to end a Saturday night.

The drive back to Rancho Santa Margarita was a bit scary as there was heavy rain and I am still not totally comfortable with driving on the wrong side of the road, in the dark, with rain, and everyone drives at least 15km over the speed limit.