There's No Place Like Home...

Finally, we are headed back home to Port Neches. We've traveled nearly 15,000 miles and had 3 oil changes. We've seen gorgeous scenery and met wonderful people who will be lifelong friends, and we've had the opportunity to visit with old friends and with family along the way. What a once in a lifetime this journey has been.
Thanks for following along and reading our journal!

Cloudcroft

We spent a wonderful week in Cloudcroft and Ruidoso, New Mexico, camped in the meadow of an RV park near Cloudcroft...Silver Spring. We've come to Cloudcroft numerous times over the past 10 years, normally staying at Bill and Susan Paxton's "little cabin in the woods".

Our favorite little cabin in the woods

On Wednesday, we drove to Hatch for chiles and then to Las Cruces for lunch at La Posta, a tradition we share with the Paxtons.

Chile ristras

La Posta in Las Cruces

Beautiful bar in La Posta

Somehow I managed to escape the Nambe outlet without a purchase.

On Friday, we went over to Ruidoso to see the Von Der Ahes, who were at their beautiful mountain house there. Vick and I got in a little casino time at the Inn of the Mountain Gods casino while Butch and Curt did guy things. The evening topped off with Mexican food. We still haven't gotten our fill after being in Canada/Alaska all summer. Then on Saturday, they joined us in Cloudcroft at the Western for lunch...green chile cheeseburgers!

Best.bar.ever...and great food, too!

Six Guns and Shady Ladies, the western reenactment group founded by our friends, Bernie and Melissa Sargent, were there all day performing in the streets in front of the Western, a perfect setting for them to do their schtick.

Bernie is a chick magnet.

Butch could audition to be a Six Gun with that beard.

Susan, Melissa and me!

Next stop...Austin, our last stop on the final leg home.

Santa Fe

We are spending the weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico and are camped at the cutest RV park to date. It's called the Trailer Ranch RV Resort. Very nice amenities and campsite.

We went in to town and had a nice lunch at La Fonda, the hotel we have been visiting for 40 years. It's still wonderful. We wandered around the plaza and shops, visited the Loretto chapel with it's miracle staircase, and came back to the RV for naps. Two margarita lunch will do that to ya.

Miracle staircase at Loretto chapel

Beautiful altar in Loretto chapel

Mountain man looking all GQ

Hotel La Fonda

Native Americans and their beautiful jewelry at the plaza

Saint Francis Cathedral Basilica

Oldest church in USA

Ceramic chiles

Paper flowers

Sunday we headed out to Chimayo and had lunch at Rancho de Chimayo, another tradition over the years of coming here. The drive took us through Nambe and a precious vineyard and tasting room for Estrella Del Norte wines.

Entrance to restaurant Rancho de Chimayo

Saint Francis of Assisi outside entrance

Nambe pueblo

Beautiful church at Nambe

Stopped for a wine tasting at Estrella Del Norte vinyards

Tasting room and gardens

Entrance to gardens

Camel Rock alongside I-285 north of Santa Fe

Monday, we are Cloudcroft bound! We won't have much WiFi there, so we may be posting late. We'll be a week in Cloudcroft before heading to Austin to visit Bethany on our way back home two weeks from today.

Gypsum and the Ingrams

Butch's favorite state line sign.

We pulled into Gypsum, Colorado on Monday and took a wrong turn for the RV park. We were looking for a good place to turn around when a lime green Jeep pulled up beside us. It was Ronnie and Penny, who by coincidence, were on that road looking at a put in place for their raft for when they take us rafting this week.
We made it to the RV park, guided by Ronnie, and had a nice evening at their house, planning our doings for the week.
For those who don't know, Ronnie Ingram is a Sigma Chi fraternity brother of Butch's and his wife, Penny, is my sorority sister. They moved to Gypsum from Fort Worth about two years ago.

On Tuesday, we drove to Vail for a late breakfast and drinks at the bar where their son, Jim, tends bar. Bloody Marys all around! Then after a short nap, we headed out again for pizza. I see a serious diet in our very near future.

Our first time back to Vail in over 20 years.

This is the Vail we remember from back in the 70's.

Covered bridge is still there!

Had lots of hot buttered rums around this fireplace
at the Holiday Inn back when we were younger.

On Wednesday, we headed to the Eagle River and a raft trip with our own personal guide, Ronnie. Absolutely so much fun, even with the rain showers. At least they cooled us down. Then...steaks at the house. Like I said....diet. Serious serious diet.

On Thursday, we headed to Glenwood Springs for lunch. Precious little town with hot springs, adorable shops, restaurants and hotels.
Time to head out in the morning, destination Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Canyonlands

We left early this morning for the short drive to Canyonlands National Park. We wanted to beat the crowds and enjoy the early morning sky and cooler temps. This place is simply majestic!