Culture in New Mexico

image1420966658.jpgNow those of you that know me, know I am a complete culture hound and history buff, err no that ain’t me is it, that’s the Mrs.

Oh well apparently I have some uses, one of which is a cup of tea brewing in the am and the poop emptying cos I can undo the slop tank (oh and I am a fantastic hubby as well).

But anyway for all my wonderful traits after our US brekky in Holbrook Arizona, we drove over 300 miles and 6.5 hours to Santa Fe, New Mexico so the Mrs can do that geeky thing (oldest town in America, lost of dead injuns, 7000 ft above sea level, see I do listen sometime).

Tonight local pizza scran, tomorrow lots of history things and then Monday to Roswell New Mexico to the Alien Museum (no not the illegal type either).

On the interest points and not just westerns or injun things, Easy Rider, Wild Hogs, No Country for Old men, The Book of Eli and Apaloosa were all filmed here, plus Val Kilmer and Shirley McLaine all live in Santa Fe,

So tonight we are going to watch the sunset, enjoy a drink and raise our glasses to our really good friends and of course the folks who should have returned from Spain.

To you all, cheers and goodnight, morning, afternoon and evening.

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We Watched the Sunset in Santa Fe here.

A Holbrook Breakfast

image952320270.jpgWe made it to Holbrook after a brief stop at Winslow. The KOA is fantastic in the petrified forrest, the staff are very friendly and they have a camp cook out, so last night was a New York steak and this morning sees us with a traditional American breakfast of pancakes.

Next stop Santa Fe, a mere 6 hours drive away.

There’s a cool KOA here.

Just Think in 2013

image2066072575.jpgIn 2013 to celebrate my ahem 40(something) bday I am going to drive the US coast to coast on a Harley motorbike, including what is left of historic Route 66, either with my biker chick on her own bike (or even trike) or sat behind me on a fat boy.

Now that will be another trip and a half.

I’m Standin

image1992424301.jpgOn the road to Holbrook we stopped at Winslow for a photo opportunity at the Standing on The Corner.

It’s baking hot here and wonderful.

Next stop Holbrook and the KOA

We was standin on the corner Takin it Easy here.

Trailer Village

image678570690.jpgThis is our campsite at the Grand Canyon. We are right at the very top section of trailer village which comes complete with personal picnic table, grill pit and all hookup services. A lovely peaceful location. Tonight it’s another steak and a chance for Mr Fogg to BBQ in the dark after we’ve done the laundry- a 3/4 mile walk away.

We like the Grand Canyon and have visited three times so far – once in a tent, once in one of the log cabins, and now in an RV.

[Posted from Mrs Foggs super cool iphone]

Grand View of the Canyon

image409776339.jpgThis is our last full day at the Grand Canyon before we head out tomorrow to Holbrook. It’s an incredible sight (no matter how many visits, the colours and views are constantly different). You just cannot imagine the scale. Mr Fogg is stood right on the edge at approx 7,000 feet above sea level, the very bottom of the canyon is approx 2,400 feet above sea level where the Colorado river flows through. To reach the north side (we are on the south side) is a mere 10 miles across as the crow flies, and yet to cross you need to descend about 6 miles to the first plateau at Indian Gardens. In total to hike to the river bridge at the bottom it’s an 8hr trek, and a total of 21 miles to walk down, across and up the other side.

The area around the Grand Canyon is classed as high desert. We are camped in it. Around the rim there are Aloa Vera plants and gnarled trees of fir and juniper. Teeny chipmunks run between the trees, squirrels loiter around all the tourist food areas and mule deers (big things that are not shy) roam freely around.

Since it’s coming into fall here ( autumn to you) the deer are rutting. We saw two males last night with fab antlers and plenty of females. As we bbq’d last night a stag ambled past our grill, had a good look and a sniff then ambled on.

This really is wild country, populated by plenty of tourists, the major benefit of camping is that you can always find that quiet spot and listen to the wildlife all around.

Many of the park workers live in the RV park in big rigs- must be a nice existence each night to just be able to sit and watch the stars with no light pollution.

Next stop for us is new territory as we’ll cross into New Mexico on Saturday. Tomorrow I’ll post a pic of our campsite before we leave here.

[Posted from Mrs Foggs super cool iphone]

The Marshmellow Munchies

image1502066105.jpgPicture the scene, you’ve spent the day hiking the Grand Canyon rim (a leisurely 18 miles, fraught with the dangers of French people who spread out across the path and expect you to jump off the edge so they needn’t move and oversized American women who block your way, apologise for doing so but still don’t move, grrrr) , come back, had a BBQ and seared a steer, then the marshmallow munchy monster comes along and starts toasting on the embers of your fire.

A really nice day topped of with alcohol and star gazing.

Tomorrow we will chance the ensuite shower in the RV. Consider that the lav is a 3 foot square box with a shower tray attached and we are on a slope, I imagine balancing with 1 foot in the toilet.

And we have the daily poop trap emptying to do (something slightly disturbing about attaching the hose and releasing the waste then hearing it all run down the pipe). PS you can’t leave the hose attached in the Canyon since the ravens peck through to eat whatever is inside, YUCK!

Sunset at The Big Hole

image1123874991.jpgHurrah we made it to the Grand Canyon at an average speed of 50mph. On the 12th Oct we sat and watched the sunset at 6.01pm before heading back to the Foggymobile for home cooked spagbol.

Today Mrs Foggy wants to walk 18 miles around the rim (don’t she know this is the US and no-one ever walks).

Tonight will be BBQ steak under the stars, before the temp drops like last night to below zero, brrrrr!


We watched the sunset here.

Well We Got This Far

image1837402205.jpgSo early start this am, up at 7, shower at the superb Blake Ranch, breakfast and then the unhook process, turning the tap to release the “black” toilet waste and it was quite clear by the sound and the volumes that it had not been emptied when we got it, either that or several large creatures were flushed away.

Anyhoo the Mrs drove her first 100 miles to Williams, where we went for fillup number 2 ($93) and a tyre check to find a valve damaged, so a call to the RV company to authorise around $80 to remove the wheel and replace the valve, fortunately at their expense. Didn’t want to mention I drove without issue and the Mrs takes over and we have a problem, mmmmmm.

So lunch at the Wild West Junction and then the last 60 miles up to the Grand Canyon for 3 nights.

The Hunt for the Duvet Monster

image1458824530.jpgHere in deepest darkest Kingman Arizona, the search continues for the highly illusive Duvet Monster. Last spotted curled up in a ball wrapped in a sleeping bag and snoring loudly.

I am told that she slept soundly and turn that blooming light off were the only other sounds to emerge from the semi waking creature.

The hunt continues.