2 Girls and a Dog

May 22^nd – May 26^th, 2026

We’re Back!!!

Yup!  I got them back safely!  I had a really, really good time.  I don’t mind being homeless.  People love me.  When are we going again?

Sorry it took so long to get this last blog post out.  We arrived at home on Tuesday and life promptly got really busy.  Not to bore you with the details, but we spent about 5 hours at the Honda dealer that was not a part of our plans.  All is good now so here goes…

We arrived in Paso Robles and to our delight, there was a classic car show in the downtown park!  We both love classic cars and there were plenty to ‘ooh and aah’ over.  We’ll post pictures below. 

The cars are pretty, but they didn’t take me anywhere.  I like the grass.  I’ve seen a lot of dirt lately.

If I understand this, Mommies are classics.

That evening, we had reservations at Il Cortile, one of our favorite restaurants in Paso.  We tried to get a Lyft from our Vrbo to the restaurant and for the first time, we could not get one – the app said someone was on their way, but 15 minutes later we cancelled it and walked to the restaurant.  It wasn’t too far, but farther than we really wanted to walk in the strong wind blowing that evening.  And, I should say, Il Cortile WAS one our favorite Paso restaurants.  We’re not sure if the chef changed or the management changed or both, but it just wasn’t what is used to be.  The food was fine, but not great and the entire experience was just off.  Afterwards, we walked to The Alchemist Garden, an amazing watering hole, and had a wonderful time!  It is located just off the downtown park and we loved it.  Of course, it helped that it got us out of the wind, but the drinks and the bartender were perfect. 

Sounds like you had a really fun time.  Can anyone guess where I was?

Sunday was a down day, and we just relaxed, did some laundry and got ready to pack for the trip back to Cathedral City.

On Monday we had breakfast at The Cowgirl Café (which did not disappoint and remains our favorite Paso diner) and in the early afternoon we had a reservation for wine tasting at LXV, the incredible winery that our friends Kunal and Neeta own.  Kunal and Neeta are fixtures in the Paso Robles wine culture and they make exquisite wines.  Their wine is thoughtfully conceived and executed and we’ve love pretty much loved every one we’ve tasted.  Neeta pairs the wines with spices from all over the world and we especially look forward to tasting her family’s Indian spice blends that they source from India.  As usual, the wines were amazing and we both especially loved the Blanc de Sangiovese (yes, a white Sangiovese – it’s delicious!) and The Spell, a red blend of 58% Sarah and 42% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Eddie is always invited to tastings at LXV and she was as always, a perfect guest at the tasting.  If any of you ever find yourselves in Paso, we highly recommend a tasting at LXV.  Tell them Michelle, Sandy and Eddie sent you.

The wines looked good, but I prefer my martinis at restaurants.  The one at the Cowgirl was perfect.  They know how to treat me.

Tuesday, we hit the road for Cathedral City and arrived in the afternoon after a non-eventful trip.  Some last thoughts and a summing up follow.

Facts and figures from our trip:

We traveled 4,670 miles and spent 35 days on the road.  This time we focused on the Southwest and National Parks and so we visited Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and California.  We stayed in 9 Vrbo/Airbnbs, 2 hotels and had 1 “glamping” experience.

We visited, Albuquerque, Roswell, Santa Fe and Farmington in New Mexico, Moab, Cedar City and Washington in Utah, Holbrook, Page and Flagstaff in Arizona and Paso Robles in California. 

Shout outs to family and friends (old and new).

Sister Laura and friend Ronni – thank you so much for joining us in Albuquerque for our Gathering of Nations adventure!  It was fun to spend time with you two and to get to know Ronni better.  You two are welcome to join us anytime.

To our tour guides, Rajn and Paul in Roswell for the ghost and UFO tours respectively, and “Stephen the heathen” for the ghost tour in Flagstaff – thank you all for the wonderful and spooky stories.

Thank you Sean Paul and Carlie for our great Arches tour and to Leigh and Tiron for breathtaking beautiful tours of Antelope and Secret Canyon.

The staff at Monkey Shine car wash deserve a special shout out for getting most of the mud off after our attempt to visit Chaco Canyon.  BTW, we are still finding mud in the nooks and crannies of the Honda!  Sandy found more today and saved it in a small container as a memento.

We want to thank the wonderful staff at Under Canvas!  It was so interesting to experience “glamping”.

BIG thanks and hugs to Deb and Kent for meeting us in St. George, Utah!  We love you two so much! You’re totally right that St. George was a better choice than Barstow.  Much love and safe travels in your adventures.

Last and certainly not least, a huge thank you to Steve and Sergio who once again took incredible care of our CC place while were gone.  Our travel was worry free in regard to our house and the wellbeing of our plants because of you two!

So, what’s next?  We are off to Alaska in the fall, but we will be flying instead of driving.  As far as road trips are concerned, we have tentative plans for a trip in 2027 to New England to go “leaf-peeping” (yes, it’s the preferred term) and see the beautiful fall colors. 

Sending love to all,

Michelle, Sandy and Eddie

See you next time!

May 18^th – 21^st, 2026

We said goodbye to Page and headed out to Flagstaff.  On our way out of town, we were delayed by an oversized vehicle.  I’m sure those of you who live in boating communities can relate.  This boat was HUGE! 

Driving in northern Arizona is such a pleasure.  The beauty is all around us as we drive through the everchanging landscape.  From volcanic mountains and dense forests, painted deserts, towering red sandstone cliffs and deep river canyons, we pass from one beautiful vista to an even more beautiful vista.

Are we homeless?

No Eddie.  We’re fine.  We’re on holiday.

Are we turtles?

Eddie, what?

We move around and carry our house on our backs.

Eddie, just enjoy the drive.

We arrived in Flagstaff, found a car wash to get rid of the bugs (and still more of the mud from the attempted Chaco Canyon outing) and then drove to the Oakmont Country Club.  We ate at the country club a few years ago with Eddie, so we knew they allowed dogs on the patio. 

I remember this place.  Really good dog martinis and you get to watch humans chase balls.

Once we were fed, we were ready to check into our VRBO.  It was a really cute 1 bedroom, 1 bath converted garage.  It was small but had everything we needed and the bed was comfortable – score!  After almost 30 days on the road, a comfortable bed is paramount.  Our hosts provided us with a notebook that listed local restaurants, things to do and local watering holes.  We were intrigued by one named “The Annex Cocktail Lounge”.  We called for a Lyft (as one must when going to a bar in an unfamiliar town) and off we went.  It is a shotgun bar with less than 10 tables, about a dozen barstools and an outside patio with a roaring fire.  We still have thin desert blood, so we sat inside (don’t tell Eddie they had an outside). 

What????  I CAN read, you know.  Another fun outing and I’m in jail for no reason.  I’ll remember this!

Ty, our bartender, threw some great cocktails and we had a side of tater tots to soak up some of the alcohol.  But the most fun part of the evening was talking to the people at the table in front of us.  They were about our age, of our political ilk and most importantly, we all agreed that the best music ever, came from the 1970s.  In fact, the reason we started taking to them is we all were singing along to Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer”.  Caroline and David have a primary residence near Phoenix and a “get-away from the heat” place in Flagstaff.  Uncle Leon was with them, and we loved our conversation with all three of them – it really made our evening.

I don’t think it’s the 1970’s.  I like the 1950’s:  How Much Is That Doggie in the Window…..

The next day found us at The Northern Pines restaurant with Eddie for breakfast.  The food was really good with huge portions.  Eddie loved her “martini”.  We did some organizing and repacking and just hung out until it was time to leave for our Flagstaff ghost tour.  It was scheduled for 7 PM and we didn’t want to leave Eddie, so we called the company and they said we could bring her since the tour was all outside. 

It was fairly cold, so we first went to Petco and got Eddie a jacket.  It just so happened that the only one that we liked and that fit her is a camo pattern.  We have to say, it’s pretty cute on her. 

We’re in the Army now…..I’m on a mission…..

When it was time, we headed to downtown Flag and met our tour group and tour guide.  Our tour guide introduced himself as “Stephen the heathen” and we knew we were in for a fun ride.  We were not wrong; Stephen was amazing!  As soon as he started to talk, Sandy and I turned to each other and said, “radio voice”!  And sure enough, he said most of his career was in radio.  He is a true storyteller, and he used that voice of his to great effect.  Apparently, Flagstaff is full of all kinds of paranormal events and most especially ghosts.  We learned about all kinds of mysterious deaths, murders and hauntings at the Orpheum Theater, the Weatherford Hotel and the Hotel Monte Vista.  The Hotel Monte Vista is especially famous for paranormal events and was even featured on the TV show “The Dead Files”.  Stephen himself said he experienced hauntings and all things paranormal since moving to Flagstaff a decade and a half ago.  The founder and owner of the ghost tour company is Susan Johnson and she literally “wrote the book” on Flagstaff hauntings.  Sandy downloaded her book “Haunted Flagstaff” and started reading it.  Hopefully her stories are as entertaining as Stephen’s. 

I’m undercover.  I’m investigating this place.  I really hope I don’t find a ghost.

The next day was all about the Lowell Observatory.  Sandy has wanted to visit it for years and we finally got our chance.  It is only a couple of miles from downtown Flagstaff, so we were there a few minutes before it opened.  We left Eddie at PetCo for a much needed bath and blowout.

I think I smelled just fine. No doubt in my mind this was just an excuse to dump me.

The Lowell was founded by Percival Lowell in 1894 and that makes it one of the oldest astronomical facilities in the US.  It is probably best known for the discovery of Pluto in 1930 and the mid-century revelation of the expanding universe.  Unfortunately, what Percival Lowell is most known for is his belief that the canals on Mars meant there was intelligent life on Mars.  Despite Mr. Lowell’s misconception, the observatory is well funded and very well respected.  Flagstaff is designated as a “dark sky city” and the Lowell has long benefited from Flagstaff’s protection of their dark skies.  Currently, Lowell Observatory’s astronomers conduct research on a wide range of topics with an emphasis on the search for near Earth asteroids.  We looked through a solar telescope to observe the sun and spent some time at the different exhibits.  All in all, it was a great time, and we look forward to future visits.

That evening we had reservations at the Lotus Lounge, an Asian fusion restaurant we visited a few years ago with besties Steve and Sergio.  The food was just as good as we remembered and Sebastian, our food server, was delightful.  What we didn’t realize was that the Lotus Lounge was attached to and run by the Hotel Monte Vista!  Stephen our ghost tour guide, mentioned that the bar down the stairs from the hotel lobby was especially haunted, so of course we had to check it out.  Apparently, every other Wednesday, they have guest DJs in the bar, but we were not there on one of those Wednesdays, so we pretty much had the place to ourselves.  Eventually a few people straggled in, but it was a pretty quiet night.  That did give us the opportunity to talk with Randy, our bartender.  His true love is working the sound board for musical groups but there isn’t a great deal of that type of work in Flagstaff, so he bartends and does the odd musical job a couple of times a year.  We enjoyed hearing about his triumphs, trials and tribulations and he poured a mean cocktail.  We had a few cocktails in the bar because we once again wisely decided to use Lyft for the evening.

Wow.  It sounds like you two had fun.  You didn’t tell me anything about it.  I had to READ about it.   Hmmmmf.

Our last full day in Flagstaff was dedicated to exploring two nearby National Monuments.  The Wupatki Ruins NM is the remnants of the Ancient Pueblo Peoples gathering place and dates back to the 1100s.  The buildings are still somewhat intact and show evidence of many different Pueblo tribes gathering in this one place -namely the Cohonina, Kayenta and Sinagua tribal people.  It contained over 100 rooms and two kiva like structures.  By 1225, it was permanently abandoned.  We’ll post pictures below, but it is really something to see in person.  There is a path that takes you right up next to the ruins.  Ms. Eddie was not allowed so we took turns hiking the path.  It was awe inspiring to think about the fact you are up close and personal with ruins from the 1100s.

This place is pretty.  I didn’t get to go into the rooms, but they rocked.

Sunset Crater Volcano NM is a volcano cinder cone located quite close to the Wupatki Ruins.  Its proximity aided the growing of crops for the local tribes because of the rich volcanic soil.  The drive between Wupatki and Sunset Crater is gorgeous with rolling hills and vast lava fields.  For those of you who’ve been to Hawaii, you know there are two main types of lava, the smooth lava called pahoehoe and ‘a’a, a very rough lava.  Most of the lava at Sunset Crater is ‘a’a which creates a landscape of rough, jagged and spiny surfaces.  Volcanologist researchers think the volcano last erupted on about 1085 and it is currently rated as a moderate threat, but other volcanologists believe the volcano is extinct.  

We also noticed the forest had what looked to us like fire damage.  And indeed, in 2022 the Tunnel fire burned nearly 26,000 acres and took six weeks to fully contain.  It also destroyed 30 homes.  The cause of the fire remains undetermined although experts have ruled out lightening and other natural causes.

So, our journey is down to a quick overnight and then we are off to Paso Robles for a few days and then back to the Coachella Valley!

May 14^th – May 17^th, 2026

On Thursday we said goodbye to Utah and headed for Page, AZ.  Well, it wasn’t an immediate goodbye as we choose to drive the northern route to Page which kept us in Utah for most of the journey.  We drove south to Fredonia with a stop at the gas station in the Kaibab Paiute reservation and then took Hwy 89 back up to Kanab, UT and all the way to Page.  Page, AZ is considered the center of the Grand Circle – a famous 800 mile Southwest road trip connecting over a dozen national parks, monuments, and state parks across Utah and Arizona.  We’ve driven a good portion of it this trip!  We arrived in Page and stopped at the local visitor’s center and met Sarah, a very helpful staff member who helped us orient ourselves in the area.  Per her suggestion, we went to the Grandview Overlook.  With just a short walk from the parking area, the Grandview Overlook gives you a spectacular view of Lake Powell, Antelope Point, Navajo Mountain and the Vermilion Cliffs.  And best of all, dogs are allowed at the overlook. 

Dogs should be allowed everywhere!  Okay, it was nice up there.  Just us.

After Grandview, we were hungry, so we found a local place called DamBar and Grill.  (Another recommendation from Sarah.  She told us it’s where the ‘locals’ eat.)  The food was really good, and the outside patio was shaded and very comfortable.  After our meal, it was about an hour before our check in time to our VRBO, but our host sent us a message that the place was ready so off we went.  We’re not going to lie; we were a little concerned when we first drove up because the neighborhood seemed a bit sketchy.  And, as it turns out, our VRBO is a mobile home.  Michelle still has nightmares about the last four years she lived at home in a 50’ x 10’ mobile home with six people living in it.  However, in for a penny…The inside of the place is very nice and totally remodeled.  After four days in it, we can safely say it has been a very comfortable place to stay and the neighborhood is very quiet.  And bonus, the hosts LOVE dogs.  There are dog bowls, blankets and toys all around the place.  We’re quite certain Eddie will give you her opinion.  Doesn’t she always?

Since you mentioned it…I LOVE this place.  There are cushy dog pillows everywhere and my own special place to eat and drink.  And did I mention the size of the yard?   Oh, what sweet smells……

The next day we had a tour set up to explore the Upper Antelope Canyon with a Navajo guide.  There are a couple of different stories about who discovered Antelope Canyon, but we’ll go with the story our guide Leigh told us.  If you go with a different tour company and sometimes just a different guide, you’ll probably get a different story.  However, the story Leigh told us goes as follows:

In the late 1800’s the Navajo people hid in parts of the local canyons to avoid the United States attempts to relocate them.  Antelope Canyon itself was again discovered in 1930 by Pearl Begay, a Navajo elder.  Other stories tell of a young girl who discovered the canyon when she was searching for lost sheep.  Regardless of who actually discovered it, what is not in dispute is that the wider world discovered Antelope Canyon’s incredible beauty in 1931 when photographer Joseph Muench was taken to it by local guides and published the photos he took in Arizona Highways magazine.  In the 1980’s and 1990’s, Pearl Begay’s family started giving informal tours of both the upper and lower canyons and in 1997 Antelope Canyon was officially designated as a Navajo Tribal Park, making it a sacred, protected site.  The canyon itself is 600 feet long, 120 feet high and is 140 million years old, which in geologic time is relatively young. 

The ride to the canyon was bumpy but quite safe.  We got to the canyon, and Leigh told us about the Navajo sandstone, how the canyon was carved through flash floods, wind, rain and ice and then we entered.  Now, as Sandy’s dad always said, “being lucky beats the hell out of talent” and that certainly held true for our tour.  Unbeknown to us, our 11 o’clock tour is the best time of the day to see the light beams in the canyon.  In a word, they are breathtaking.  We won’t try and describe them except to say our eyes were wide and our mouths were probably hanging open a good portion of the hour we were in the canyon.  It’s otherworldly, beautiful and an altogether stunning experience.  As we said, we’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

I don’t recall any stunning beauty.  Just the sad, four walls of my prison.  I wudda been good.  You could have left me loose.

After the tour, we were quite hungry.  A few days ago, when we met up with Deb and Kent, they suggested we try Big John’s BBQ, a place they enjoyed when they were here.  So, we picked up Eddie and headed for Big John’s.  It was delicious!  Those of you who followed our last blog will remember that we couldn’t seem to find a good meal on that trip and this trip we haven’t had a bad meal.  Maybe we are just biased, but we believe the Southwest has some of the best food in the country so it’s not a surprise our meals this trip did not disappoint.

Free at last, free at last.  I liked this place.  People coo’d at me.  I did tricks and they liked it. 

The next day was another organization/blog/laundry day because the place we choose in Flagstaff is a tiny one bedroom, one bath casita.  Super cute, but no laundry facilities and we don’t want to have to pull in all our stuff.  Hence, the need to organize.  We went to the Ranch House Grill for breakfast in the morning and did a little shopping in the super cute downtown where we bought our usual, magnets, postcards and t-shirts.  We were in bed early because we had another tour set up early the next morning. 

I don’t remember any shopping.  I hope you had a good time.  You didn’t even bring me anything.  I lay my head on the railroad tracks…(any Linda Ronstadt fans out there?)

Our second tour was called “Secret Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend tour” and was by a different tour company.  However, we still had a Navajo tour guide named Tiron.  He wasn’t terribly talkative at first, but he warmed up as the tour progressed.  OK, so if you’ve been reading along, you know that Michelle HATES heights, so she tends to closely read the fine print in any tour we take or any route we plan.  As, they say, the best laid plans…The first part of the tour was the “Secret” canyon.  We thought that was a description, but it is actually the name of the canyon.  We were in an open-air truck with three rows of golf cart like seats.  Fortunately, there were seat belts, but given the design of the truck, they were only lap belts.  We bet you all know what’s coming which puts you one up on Michelle because she truly didn’t.  The Highway portion of the trip was fine — as was the first 10 minutes of the dirt road we took off the highway.  Then things took a turn (literally) for the worst.  We went around a corner and one side of the road just…dropped off into a cliff.  A very scary, steep cliff.  Michelle finally just closed her eyes and told Sandy to let her know when it was safe to look.  Even Sandy was somewhat unnerved by both the terrain and Tiron’s certainty about his driving skills.  Eeeek!  However, we arrived in one piece and with somewhat shaky legs made our way to this incredible slot canyon.  It was very different than Antelope – this canyon was much narrower, and it felt like the canyon was hugging you as you snaked through the twists and turns.  Also, there were very few people, so we were able to take all the time we wanted to take pictures, feel the canyon walls and experience the absolute silence in the canyon.  It was a magical experience.  We wouldn’t give up going to Antelope Canyon, but we are very glad we also experienced Secret Canyon.  Michelle was more prepared the ride back, so it was only half hair-raising for her.

The second part of the trip was to Horseshoe Bend which is also on Navajo land.  It was a much shorter ride with only a couple of drop offs so a fairly calm event comparably.  Horseshoe Bend is a famous U-shaped meander of the Colorado River.  The overlook Tiron took us to was not the overlook hundreds of people go to everyday; it is deeper into tribal land and our group of 12 were the only people at this overlook!  A short climb over the Navajo sandstone brought us to a stunning overlook of the horseshoe formation.  We were 100s of feet above the river and could just make out a couple of motorboats and kayakers.  We got some amazing pictures which we’ll post below. 

Oh, sooo sorry you were scared.  Perhaps if you’d taken your trusty dog companion it would have been better. 

Our next blog will detail our trip to Flagstaff and our trip to the Lowell Observatory. 

May 11^th – May 13^th

We got up early so we could make it to Bryce before it got too hot.  Bryce is fascinating for many reasons not the least of which are the many, many hoodoos.  We talked about hoodoos in Arches NP, but the number in Bryce eclipses Arches.  In fact, Bryce contains the earth’s largest collection of hoodoos.  Driving the scenic drive, the various turn outs and overlooks allow you to view the numerous hoodoos, pink cliffs (the newest of the land depositions), endless vistas and at Inspiration Point, the indescribable grandeur of the Bryce Amphitheater.  This is by far the most iconic section of the park. 

I know I shouldn’t say it, but to me, it looks like a bunch of dirt and rocks. 

The first three miles of Bryce’s scenic drive have lookouts and overviews of the amphitheater but the next 15 miles is called the southern scenic route.  Since the drive is ‘in and out’ as opposed to a loop, our GuideAlong buddy suggested we drive the entire 18-mile scenic drive without stopping and then stop at the overlooks on the way back.  Since his advice is unfailingly reliable, that’s what we did.  At the end of the 18 miles is Rainbow Yovimpa Point and is 9115 feet in elevation.  Trust us, you certainly feel the elevation when you’re up there!  But it is totally worth it as the views are incredible. 

I admit, I huffed and puffed a little when we walked around the rim.  I’m going to need a nap later.

After taking dozens of pictures, we made our way back down the road stopping at most of the overlooks and taking even more pictures.  After a couple of hours, our last stop was at Inspiration Point.  GuideAlong told us that it can be difficult to find parking because it is so popular. But Sandy’s magic parking karma held and even though the parking lot was incredibly busy, we found a spot with no trouble at all.  There are three viewing areas with each one higher than the last but only the lowest level allowed dogs so we just took the short uphill hike to that one.  We’re not sure what the views are like from the other two, but they are pretty spectacular in the lowest one!  You look out over the amphitheater to the sight of dozens and maybe hundreds of hoodoos.  We could go on and on, but again, we encourage everyone to see the sights for themselves.  We’d have to be much more talented writers to do justice to these magnificent lands.  We’ll post a few pictures below.

I’m not sure what a hoodoo is but it was pretty and I got to finally go on a hike.  Imagine my disappointment when, again, I am confronted with speciesism and not allowed to hike all the way to the top.  Hrmph!

A couple more notes about Bryce.  The entire park smells of pine trees, the scent surrounds you and comes and goes in various strengths and yet is always there.  Also, because of the elevation, Bryce experiences freezing temperatures nearly every night from October through May.  That’s one of the reasons for all the hoodoos – they are formed when the temps fluctuate from freezing to above freezing and in the course of 24 hours, create “ice wedges” which crack and shape the sandstone.  The whipping winds as well as the slightly acidic rains in the area do the “smoothing off” of the shapes and so you get hoodoos.

Hoodoos.  We all know about the hoodoos that we do so well.

The next day was all about Zion, traveling to St. George and meeting up with our “road warrior” friends Deb and Kent.  But first, Zion.  We started up with Eddie and our trusty GuideAlong friend and one of the first bits of info was that no private cars are allowed on the scenic drive from March through October.  The only way to access the drive is on one of the park buses.  Not an option for us because we had Ms. Eddie with us and she is not allowed on the bus.  We decided to go for it and see what we could see.  As it happens, the scenic drive is just a short spur off Hwy 9, the main Utah road through the park.  So, we decided to just travel Hwy 9 all the way to Kanab.  It’s truly hard to imagine we would have seen any more incredible sights than we did by following Hwy 9.  And bonus, GuideAlong gave us all the info we needed along the way.  He instructed us when a turnout was up ahead and which we should take and which ones we could give a pass. 

Again, speciesism!  I could go on a bus.  I’m glad I didn’t miss much.  I bet they missed me.

Sandy really wanted to go through the 1.1 mile Zion – Mt. Carmel tunnel and this road took us right through it!  Construction on it started in the late 1920’s and was completed in 1930.  At that time, it was the longest tunnel of its type in the U.S.  Because it was built before RV’s motorcoaches and buses were conceived, it is now controlled by rangers and is operated as a one-way tunnel.  This process started in 1989.  Large vehicles must apply for a timed permit and can only pass through the tunnel from 8 AM to 4:30 PM.  We only had to wait about 10 minutes before we could proceed through, but the waits can be much longer in the summer.  I know we sound like a broken record, but the views were spectacular.  There are three open “windows” carved in the tunnel to the open air.  They originally allowed the disposal of dirt as well as adding ventilation.  For us, they provided three spectacular views to the outside.  As per usual, pictures below.

Humans are weird.  There, I said it.  It was a dark tunnel with occasional light. 

After Zion, we headed to our VRBO in Washington, UT which is the neighboring town to St. George UT.  We were due to meet up with Deb and Kent, two of our friends from Long Beach, at George’s Corner Restaurant.  We ate at George’s in 2023 on our way to Salt Lake City and loved the place.  Deb and Kent recently retired and decided to be nomads and drive around the country pulling a trailer with their motorcycles in it.  We’ve stayed in touch over the last two weeks and realized we were both going to be in the St. George area at the same time!  We had a fabulous time at dinner, laughing, sharing our experiences on the road and catching up as only really good friends can.  We spent about 3 hours at the restaurant (thank goodness they weren’t busy).  Seeing Deb and Kent was certainly a highlight of our road trip.

I’m happy you all had fun.  They’re my friends too.  Oh, well, I needed a nap.

Wednesday was another “catch-up” day as we had LOTS of laundry from being at Under Canvas and finally had WiFi so we could catch up our blog.  The laundry went well, the blog not so much.  Loading pictures was painfully slow, but if you’re following this blog, you know we persevered and finally managed to post it!

You two did laundry.  My bandana got washed, but I still smell like Smokey the Bear.

Also, Deb and Kent dropped by the VRBO to see us – well, especially to see Eddie.  It took a bit of time before Eddie stopped squealing when she saw them. 

I KNEW they preferred me!  They really came to see me.  I felt better.  I thought we were lost and that none of my friends would EVER find me again.  Whew!

The next blog will include our Page AZ adventures and trust me when we say you will not want to miss the Antelope Canyon pictures. 

May 7^th – May 10^th, 2026

OK, so southern Utah is rich with breathtaking beauty and five National Parks all within a few hours’ drive of each other.  The five parks in Utah are some of the most visited National Parks in the country, partly because of their sweeping majestic beauty but also because you can pretty comfortably see all five of them in a week.  But first, a geography lesson, don’t worry, we promise it won’t be too long or boring.

The geology of southern Utah was formed over hundreds of millions of years through a cycle of deposition, tectonic uplift and intense erosion.  Ancient seas, rivers and deserts deposited vast sediment layers which were later lifted by tectonic forces to form the Colorado Plateau.  The sediment layers under pressure, became limestone, sandstone and other sedimentary rocks.  These layers were sculpted by water, ice and wind into the canyons, arches and hoodoos (tall, thin spires of rocks).  Now we won’t have to describe how all the shapes, canyons and other incredible sights formed.  All of them come from the process we described above. 

I’m not as old as dirt. This dirt is really old. Mommies are as old as…..

Eddie! Be nice.

Back to Mesa Verde – we’ve posted a picture of the storm clouds that convinced us to save Mesa Verde for another trip and another day and a couple of pictures from inside the warm and safe Mesa Verde visitor’s center. 

After leaving Mesa Verde, we headed for Moab, Utah and Under Canvas for our “glamping” experience.  Below are pictures of us in front of our tent.  As you can see, it’s not exactly roughing it.  The other two pictures are of our view.  Not too shabby, huh?

The next day was all about Canyonlands NP, so we took off in the morning with Eddie in tow to explore the first of our Mighty Five NPs.  The first thing to know if that Canyonlands is HUGE!  In fact, it’s divided into three districts, the Needles, the Maze,  and Island in the Sky.  The Rivers makes a fourth section.  We only explored Island in the Sky as it is the most accessible and was the closest to where we were staying.  We must now tell you one of our secrets to exploring national parks.  It’s an app called GuideAlong and it is fantastic in that it provides GPS-driven audio tours for road trips and national parks.  The narrator has a wonderfully calming voice and tells you all you need to know for your road trip.  We won’t go on and on about the app, but if you love road trips and national parks like we do, it is a must have.  It’s also not very expensive and we’ve saved hundreds of dollars by not needing guided tours.  We sometimes still do them, but much less often since we downloaded GuideAlong.

It’s a little bit weird having some voice guy in the car. He has a smooth voice which is more than I can say for some of these roads moms go on.

GuideAlong directed us to the Island in the Sky portion of the park and off we went.  As the name indicates, we were driving on a plateau and looking down into vast canyons.  It is nearly a literal island as the only access by car (horse, wagon, etc) is by way of a very, very narrow neck. It’s only 100 to 300 yards wide.

The layers of sedimentary rocks are beautiful colors, and each layer has a different name which we won’t bore you with – just know, that the lower the layer goes, the further back in time you are.  A few words about the Navajo Sandstone – it is usually the top layer and is a lot of the red rock people envision when they think of this area of the country.

We had an amazing day driving from one stunning overlook to another.  As opposed to going on and on, we’ll post a couple of pictures below.

After we explored Canyonlands, we drove into Moab and once again grabbed a bite to eat at The Spoke on Central.  Eddie was happy to be out and about, and we were happy to get some grub.  A couple of words about Moab itself.  Under Canvas is about 20 minutes from the town of Moab so we were only there when we wanted something other than protein bars to eat.  It is a very cute town, full of tourists and businesses catering to tourists.  It’s also one of the only “blue dots” in Utah so we felt right at home.  Besides exploring the national parks, people come to Moab to rock climb, do zip and slack lines, base jump and it’s a big off-roading area.  But what it is really known for is mountain biking.  There is an area called “The Whole Enchilada” that consists of 100 different mountain bike trails (that last bit is just for you, Josh).  We may visit this area again and actually stay in Moab for a few days.

I had fun. The road was nice and I had fun at lunch. People like me and stop to pet me. I didn’t see any blue dot. Maybe I just can’t see blue.

We mentioned we don’t go on guided tours as much since we found GuideAlong but we did decide to do a guided tour for Arches National Park.  The only problem is that we couldn’t leave Eddie in the tent at Under Canvas (too hot and not allowed) so we had to find a day care for her.  We found National Bark (ha!) Daycare and Katie, the owner, agreed to meet us at the take off point for our Arches tour to pick up Eddie. 

I thought I was going on a tour. I was there and then, all of a sudden, moms found a stranger and just handed me off. I knew this would happen one day. This lady has a lot of giant dogs. I stayed in her office with the air conditioning. Eventually the moms found me. Whew!

The tour was in a van that could be open air when necessary and also closed for comfort.  Our main tour guide was Sean Paul and he was wonderful!  His knowledge of Arches NP was vast, and he must be an amateur botanist because he was able to tell us the names of the roadside flowering plants and all the other vegetation.  He was training a young woman named Carlie, so she rode along with us on the tour.  We got to talking with her (as we are wont to do) and learned she was trained as an aerialist!  See what we mean about Moab?  It not every day you meet an aerialist, but apparently you do in Moab.   It was such an informative and fun trip and we loved it.  On the tour, we saw amazing arches and hoodoos and we met a mated pair of ravens named Edgar and Midnight.  Edgar and Sean Paul were friendly, and Edgar flew over to us as soon as we parked to ask for food and water.  Sean Paul threw ice out to Edgar but this day, Edgar was looking for chips.  We’re sure some of the people on our tour accommodated him.  Sandy and I climbed up to an overlook and got a great view of the surrounding area.  Truely, the biggest challenge for this part of the blog is choosing from the dozens and dozens of pictures we took of every park we visited.  We picked some out and will post them below, but really no picture or pictures do justice to these incredible landscapes.  Brother David may want to pay particular attention to the last picture; it’s just for him.  Exfoliating rock.  Hmmm.

I like chips, too.

After the tour, Sandy and I decided to grab a quick bite before we picked up Eddie and went to a local Mexican restaurant recommended by Sean Paul.  The food was really good…true it wasn’t New Mexican, but it was still very tasty. 

Did I mention I like chips?

The next day was our last at Under Canvas and we used it as a “catch up” day.  Something we learned from our first 30+ day road trip is that every week to 10 days, we need a day to reorganize, write postcards, catch up on the blog and the like so we include “down days” in our schedule.  We had no WiFi at Under Canvas, so there was no posting for the blog, but we organized our notes and discussed what we wanted to include in our next post. 

I still smell like Smokey the Bear.

We left Moab and headed to an overnight at a geodesic dome on the way to Cedar City and then Washington, Utah (just outside of St. George).  However, as we were driving and Michelle was reviewing the access instructions, she realized the dome did not have an indoor bathroom.  Good safety tip – always closely read the descriptions when you book VRBOs or Abnbs.  Neither of us were interested in going outside to use the bathroom in the middle of the night so we decided to go on to Cedar City and stay there until we departed for St. George. 

With our evening accommodations taken care of (indoor bathroom), we headed to Capital Reef NP.  Capital Reef doesn’t get a lot of respect and is considered the lesser of the five Utah NPs, but we really liked it.  In fact, we loved it!  We loved the petroglyphs at newspaper rock and as with all the Utah NPs, the layers of rocks are fascinating.  It’s especially fascinating to think about sand dunes becoming petrified and eventually turning into rock, specifically Navajo sandstone. 

I liked it too. There were lots of colors. And I wasn’t dumped anywhere.

Capitol Reef is really so wonderful but the WiFI is giving up the ghost so we can’t add more pictures. Perhaps the WiFi will be better in our next city. In the meantime, we encourage all of you to plan a trip to see all these amazing National Parks.

We left the park and headed for Cedar City.  We remembered sister Laura talking about Cedar City and the Shakespeare festival and sure enough, right at the city limits, there was the town boundary marker that prominently featured the festival!  We found a cute place on the main drag called “The Pub” that allowed dogs in their “parklet”.  The food was very inventive and tasty.  Michelle had a poblano bacon grilled cheese sandwich that was delish!  And, Eddie, as usual enjoyed her “martini”. 

I do love my martinis. And I still smell like Smokey the Bear.

We’ll share our impressions of Bryce and Zion the last two of Utah’s Mighty Five in our next blog.

May 4th – May 6th, 2026

Our journey to Farmington was uneventful and we enjoyed the ride.  We were hungry by the time we arrived, so we searched for a dog friendly restaurant and found Porter’s Steakhouse.  After calling to ensure the patio was open, we found the restaurant and realized they opened the patio just for us.  One thing about traveling this country, we find kindness and people who love dogs pretty much wherever we go.  We’ve lost count of the number of times restaurants have gone out of their way so we can eat with Eddie.  The food was great – especially the hatch smash burger.  One more opportunity to get our green chile fix. 

It was nice of them, but there wasn’t anyone else there to pay attention to me.  BOOORING!!!!

Eddie, that’s rude.

But true.

When we finished, it was about an hour before our check-in time, so we drove by Sandy’s old grandparents’ house.  (Both her mom and grandmother were born in Farmington.)  Her grandparent’s home was a converted garage…they always intended to build a house on the adjoining lot they owned.  It never happened.  By the way, the converted garage looks the same, according to Sandy.  She’s not even sure the yard has been groomed since they were there.  We also did a drive by the road named after one of her relatives, Troy King Road.  Troy is in the Cowboy Hall of Fame. 

Fine, fine.  How about a new home for us?

After the nostalgic tour, we reached out to our host, and she agreed to let us access the VRBO early.  Again, the kindness of strangers…Our VRBO was very spartan in terms of décor (like no decor at all, including no throw pillows on the couch) but it contained everything we needed.  They provided bottled water, snacks and a Starbucks gift card so we were perfectly happy.  We needed the washer and dryer since we’re certain there won’t be a place to do our laundry in Moab at the Under Canvas campground. 

I like this place.  There is a big yard for me and I saw a Lizard!   It’s working for me.

The next morning our plan was to visit Chaco Canyon without Eddie, so we took off with, what turned out to be, unwarranted confidence.  On the way, it started to rain and continued to rain all the way to where we were directed by our GPS to turn onto a dirt road.  Hmmm, we were a bit concerned when our GPS indicated we would be on this barely one lane rough dirt road for 19 miles.  Within five miles the concern turned into alarm as the clay-based dirt quickly turned into a slip and slide.  Imagine if you will, a 4500-pound vehicle trying to navigate through a surface as slick as clay on a potter’s wheel.  We quickly realized we were never going to make it to Chaco Canyon and were much more likely to end up in one of the ditches on this lonely road.  Thank goodness Sandy has driven through pouring rain, sleet and snow in the many places she and we have lived, because she was masterful in executing a 20-point Y turn to get us turned around aimed back towards the highway and solid ground.  Then, of course, she had to drive us back the five miles to the highway without us ending up in a ditch and being towed out.  It’s hard to describe how many lighting fast corrections she had to make to stay on the road and out of the ditch.  It was probably 20 minutes in, and 30 to 40 minutes out (or maybe it just felt that long) with us questioning our life choices all the way.  A second thank goodness is that a truck came slipping and sliding behind us so if we didn’t make it out and he did, he could send someone to rescue us.  Oh yeah, just to add to the fun, there was no cell service at all.  But we made it back to the asphalt and with great relief, headed back to Farmington kicking mud from beneath the car for miles.  We even had to be cautious for the first few miles because there was so much clay mud on our tires that they still had very little traction. 

Having survived our slip and slide adventure, we decided we needed food, so we went back to the VRBO and picked up Eddie. But first we needed to rid ourselves of at least some of the mud we carried back to Farmington.  To that end, we found the Monkey Shine Car Wash.  It was a tunnel car wash, so we asked the gentleman who checked us in, what wash level he recommended.  He looked at our car and asked if we had been off-roading.  Yes, but not on purpose, we replied.  At the station where you enter the tunnel where the person there usually spends about a minute spraying the front of your car down, this wonderful young man sprayed blasted the car all around for at least ten minutes! Needless to say, we tipped very well!  Even with all their efforts, we later discovered still more mud on the car.  We’ll find another car wash and try to get the rest off in Moab.

Drama, drama.  If you had just taken me, you wouldn’t have had any problems.  Karma.

Eddie, what?

We then went to a place called The Chile Pod that was highly rated in Trip Advisor, Yelp and Google.  All the praise was justified, because the food was incredible!  Sandy had carne adovada enchiladas and Michelle had huevos rancheros, both with (wonderfully hot) green chile.  AMAZING!  We knew it was probably our last opportunity to get New Mexican food, and we were so glad it met our very high standards.

I had really good chips, even though I had to do tricks to get them. People watched.

The next morning, we packed up and were on the road to Moab by way of Mesa Verde by 8:30 AM.  We arrived at Mesa Verde at about 10:30 and stopped at the visitor center.  It was quite cool, about 50 degrees and cloudy and windy so we were able to leave Eddie in the car with no problem.  And, unlike when we leave her in her crate, she doesn’t seem to mind it at all and just snuggles down into her bed and naps until we return.  We headed into the National Park with the intention of seeing the cliff dwellings but once again the weather had other ideas.  Not long into our journey, it started to snow.  We looked at each other and decided after our experience trying to get the Chaco, that going deeper into the park was just not in the cards.  However, the drive to Mesa Verde and the subsequent drive to Moab, were breathtakingly beautiful.  We went from the farmlands of Farmington to the rolling hills of southeastern Utah to the incredibly beautiful red rocks surrounding Moab.  Once we were away from the storm, shadow clouds waved across the road the entire trip.  We stopped and took pictures at Wilson Arch which is a monolithic piece of deep red sandstone shaped, as one would guess, in an arch.  We’ll include a picture as words don’t really do it justice.  When we arrived in Moab, we looked up dog friendly places and found the strangely named “The Spoke on the Central”.  The food was great and we got to see a bit of Moab.  Afterwards we drove to the Under Canvas campground and checked in.  McKenna gave us a tour of the campground and took us up to our canvas home for the next four days.  This is an interesting mixture of camping and glamping.  We have our own bathroom, including a shower and sink but no electricity other than a couple of power bricks to charge our phones and computers.  The tent is heated with a vented wood burning stove and we have a king size bed.  But, no hair dryers, no TV and no sounds other than the wind and the occasional golf cart passing by that the staffers use to get around the campground.  Tomorrow, we venture into Canyonlands National Park and we have high hopes we will actually get to explore it!

I smell like Smokey the Bear on a bad day.

May 1 – May 3^rd, 2026

Ah, Santa Fe, New Mexico, the City Different.  Sandy and I both love Santa Fe so much.  We took off from Roswell and headed north.  We arrived in Santa Fe a few hours before we were due to check into our VRBO so we took the time to get Sandy’s iphone screen protector replaced (it was cracked) at the local Best Buy and then drove to the Hovey House where we were staying.  The house was built for Hovey K. Thomas who established the first English language newspaper in Santa Fe in 1847 and is next door to the Georgia O’Keefe Museum.  The house was, of course, made of adobe and was plastered over during renovations but in the bedroom, there is a piece of glass where you can view the original adobe.  The place is small, but beautifully appointed and it’s just a 10 to 15-minute walk to either the Santa Fe Plaza or the Santa Fe Rail Yard. 

In the evening, we had reservations at Geronimo on Canyon Road, one of our very favorite restaurants in the world, so we called for a Lyft (the parking is tricky on Canyon Road) and off we went.  We arrived early (I know, you’re all shocked) and they happily seated us anyway.  The experience was perfection from the first minute to the last.  We were celebrating Michelle’s birthday since we were on the road for her actual birthday, so we opted for a bottle of champagne (as one does).  We had an ahi appetizer that was delicious.  Sandy had elk (Geronimo’s specialty) and Michelle had the rack of lamb.  We also had an amazing mixture of mushrooms for a side.  Lastly, for dessert we had a decadent caramel-chocolate flourless cake.  Caramel is Sandy’s favorite and chocolate is Michelle’s, so we were in heaven.  Christine, our food server was attentive and yet not hovering and made the experience even more special.  We called for another Lyft and took our very satisfied and stuffed bodies back to the Hovey House.

Do I even need to say it?  Well, yes I do.  I was incarcerated.  Not even bread and water.  Your meal sounds nice.  I’m very happy for you.  Hmmmp.

On Saturday, we were scheduled to take a train ride on the Sky Railway.  We wanted to do the Stargazer Express ride, but it was sold out even months ahead of time when we made our reservations.  So, we opted for the Lore of the Land tour.  We boarded about 1 PM and pulled out about 30 minutes later.  Our storyteller was Terry and our musical entertainment was provided by Don.  The ride was great and we loved Terry’s stories of old time Santa Fe and all the history of the area.  He told us the rail yard dated from 1888 and that Santa Fe was not originally supposed to have a railroad “spur” leading up to the city, but the city leaders convinced the railroad company to build one anyway.  Santa Fe completely paid for the spur, so the railroad couldn’t say no.  Had they not agreed to do so, Santa Fe might have faded away and not exist as it does today.  He also told us that Santa Fe currently has over 300 art galleries and only NYC and LA have more art galleries than Santa Fe. 

Incarcerated.

We also met a lovely family who had just returned to live in NM after many, many years in Tennessee.  We welcomed them back and bonded over our common love of green Chile.  We especially enjoyed talking to Torri who talked their parents into coming on the train with them.

When we reached the end of the line, the train stopped and we went out to an open air car and Terry gave us a pretty comprehensive geography and geology lesson.  The surrounding mountains were full of turquoise and when it was mined, much of it was sent to NYC to Tiffany and Co and they started the turquoise jewelry craze.  Bet you didn’t know that’s why the tiffany boxes are turquoise! 

Don’s guitar playing and singing was wonderful and his range of music was remarkable as he did songs from Lyle Lovett to Pink Floyd.  Sandy and I sang along with most of the songs and the rest of our cabin mates joined in on a few of the songs.  It was just a super fun time.  After the train returned to the Santa Fe station, we ate at Tomsita’s, a New Mexican restaurant right next to the train.  When we were leaving, we realized Don our train entertainer was also eating at the restaurant.  As we passed, we told him how much we enjoyed his playing and singing.  He said he just did this occasionally as he was mostly retired.  Given his talent, we are pretty sure he was at least a session player and perhaps a member of a recognizable band. 

Ok, fun fact about Sky Railway.  The train station was in great disrepair, and the city was considering bulldozing the entire thing.  Two Santa Fe residents were at dinner lamenting this fact and they decided to buy it and start Sky Railway.  One was a prominent Santa Fe businessperson and the other was George R. R. Martin of Game of Thrones fame!  We guess he had to find something to do with all that TV money.  Second fun fact – the railcar we were in dated to the 1930’s and was used in Oppenheimer and Dark Wings and it is the train that brought the Breaking Bad cast and crew out to where they shot the scene loading the methylamine into barrels after their chemical heist in season 1.  Third and last fun fact, Santa Fe at 7,200 feet in elevation is the highest capital city in the United States – despite what that other “mile high city” says. 

I thought I was dreaming.  Nope, I woke up.  I was in jail.  Sounds like moms had a really fun time.  My leg went to sleep.

Since we left Eddie at the VRBO Friday evening and most of the day on Saturday, we spent all day with her on Sunday.  Most galleries in Santa Fe allow well behaved dogs so we were able to go into quite a few stores and galleries.  We also ate at a Santa Fe favorite, the Plaza Café.  The weather was picture perfect and we enjoyed our walk and shopping.  For dinner, we decided to do appetizers at Joe’s Tequila Bar, and when one is at Joe’s…Sandy had a jalapeno margarita and Michelle choose one that was infused with ginger and prickly pear.  Both were delicious as was the ceviche and guac we shared. 

Today was fun and as it should be, with all of us together!  I like the art galleries.  They all wanted to see my tricks.  I obliged.  I got to ride in a Lyft!  Olga was the driver.  She told fun stories.  Joe’s was fun.  We got to sit in the lobby and everyone who used that little room on the end had to pass by me and they all stopped to love on me.  Ahhhhh. 

Joe’s is at the Inn on the Alameda and since they allow dogs, we were able to have Eddie with us at a table in the lobby.  We also happened to be near the restrooms, so we had a lot of traffic which Eddie loved.  We loved it too because at least half of the people passing by stopped to ask if they could pet Eddie.  Dog people on vacations miss their four-legged companions!  A young woman and her father stopped to pet Eddie and we all got to talking.  They were visiting from Massachusetts.  The young woman’s name is Amy, and we really hit it off.  She sat with us for quite a while and in the 15 – 20 minutes she sat with us we probably talked about a dozen different things including the fact she is trying to decide exactly what career she wants.  One thing we know for certain, whatever career she decides on, she will shine and the people who work with her will have a blast.  She is vivacious, funny, very smart and we loved spending time with her. 

She was fun and really loved on me.  As it should be.

We got up early and packed and hit the road.

We arrived in Farmington and wanted to get this out because we’re not sure if we will have internet access when we are at the Under Canvas campsite in Moab.  If not, we will catch you on the other side of Moab!

Will I like that?

April 28 – April 30^th, 2026

Hello all!  Sorry for the delayed Blog post but we were very busy in Roswell and in a good way!

The last two days in Albuquerque were more low key for Michelle and Sandy.  On Sunday, Laura and Ronni met up with Silvia, a friend of theirs who used to live in Lake Havasu City, and went hiking at the petroglyphs on the northwest side of Albuquerque.  Sandy and Michelle and Eddie had a relaxing morning and then went to lunch at a nearby place called the 12^th Street Tavern.  When we were on a southwest vacation a couple of years ago with our friends Steve and Sergio, we stayed right across from that restaurant and ate there so we knew the food was good.  We also knew they had an outside porch, so Ms. Eddie was good to go. Additionally, our VRBO host had a note in the house indicating that it was dog friendly so off we went with Eddie in tow.

What do you mean ‘Eddie in tow?’  I lead.

The food was as good as we remembered it, and our food server was super friendly, so we got to talking and told her about our 35-day road trip.  And of course, Eddie did all her tricks when we finished eating. 

That was her favorite part.  And mine.

When we were ready to get our bill, our food server said she wanted to comp us a dessert.  We said we were pretty satisfied from lunch, but she insisted and gave us a piece of cheesecake to go.  Well, who are we to refuse free cheesecake?  When she brought it to us, she said, “I’ll tell you why I wanted to do this.  I figured out you are staying at my VRBO!”  Turns out she is our host!  Given this is Albuquerque, we are not terribly surprised because, even though there are over 500,000 people here, Albuquerque is still like a small town in many ways.

I knew it was her.

Eddie, you did not!

Later at the VRBO, when Laura and Ronni returned from their hike, we discussed what to do for dinner.  I know, I know, sometimes vacation is just moving from one eating experience to another!  At any rate, Ronni found an Italian restaurant called Mario’s and we decided to give it a try and we’re so glad she did!  The food was really good, especially Michelle and Sandy’s shared pizza.  It was covered with black olives, mushrooms and green chile (when in New Mexico…) and the crust was incredible.  Ronni very graciously picked up the tab for dinner (thank you again, Ronni) and we all headed home with very satisfied tummies. 

All I got was a pizza bone.  I don’t remember any of those delicious toppings.  I’m sooo glad you enjoyed them.

The next morning, Laura and Ronni took off to return home, but being intrepid travelers like us, they made a couple of stops along the way.  They went to El Malpais (the badlands) and Acoma also known as “Sky City”.  We prepared for our departure to Roswell by doing laundry and repacking the car as we planned on an early get away the next morning.  One of the reasons we stay at VRBOs, besides the yard for Eddie, is that we can do laundry along the way and only have to pack about a week’s worth of clothes.  We learned that from our first long road trip and it makes for a much lighter load. 

I’m pretty sure Mama Sandy packs a lot more than that. 

Tuesday, we headed south to Roswell to, as Sandy put it, “hunt for aliens”.  It was a short three-hour drive so we had some time to spend before we could check into our Roswell VRBO.  Roswell, for those of you who haven’t been, leans HEAVILY into the whole alien thing and the “Roswell incident”.  Main street is chuck full of shops called “Alien Invasion”, “House of Aliens”, “Invasion Station”, “Alien Enchantments” (see what they did there, combining aliens and NM Land of Enchantment?) and of course, “The International UFO Museum and Research Center and Gift Shop.  We like how they add international to the title.  We mused about whether any other country would challenge them for that title.  The museum allows dogs (as do most of the shops as Roswell is a very dog friendly place) so in we went with our four-legged companion. 

I like Roswell.  They seem much more civilized and intelligent.

The museum is actually very interesting.  It details the entire July 1947 incident with recorded 1st person and 2^nd person (as told to) accounts.  There is also a movie with 1st person interviews.  The government’s first “official” statement was that they had recovered part of an actual spacecraft.  Within a day, all materiel had been confiscated and the new and real, this time, “official” statement was that what was found was merely a weather balloon.  The interviews we viewed at the museum were done more than 20 years after the actual incident because at the time, the witnesses were threatened with imprisonment and even death by government and military people.  Given that the “official” explanation from the Air Force and U.S. government that it was just a weather balloon, the level of intimidation does seem a tad overdone. 

I see UFOs all of time.  Really, I see things in the air all the time.  I don’t know what they are. Do you think they will beam me up?

For those of you who don’t know, the Roswell Incident happened in July 1947 as mentioned above.  A rancher, Mac Brazel, found debris in one of his fields and, having no phone, he drove a sample of it into town and gave it to the sheriff.  The sheriff wanted no part of it and gave it to the Air Force.  The Air Force then issued their first official response.  Then came their second response.  Many 1^st person accounts dispute that latest claim and so the Roswell incident “conspiracy theory” was born.  Additionally, some people at the time claimed to see bodies of small grey or green bodies with large heads that were decidedly not human.  Sorry it’s hard to write about this without it becoming a book.  In fact, many, many books HAVE been written on it.

I like little people.  They usually smell good and have food.

Eddie, I think you are thinking of kids.

Oh, do aliens have food?  IF so, I like them too.

After the museum and doing some alien souvenir shopping, we found our VRBO and unpacked.  Now, this account would not be complete without a description of the home’s décor.  It’s a very nice three-bedroom, 2 bath home in a quiet neighbor in the newer section of Roswell.  What makes it a tad bit different than most VRBOs is that it is chuck full of chickens and chicken décor!  Chicken towels, rugs, throw blankets, bed linens, pillows, canisters, and wall hangings.  Everywhere you look are chickens of every shape and size.  The living room is called “the hen house”, and the house itself is called “the coop”.  It’s truly wild.  Even the dishwasher has a magnet that is a picture of a chicken coop with chickens peering out that covers the ENTIRE front of it.  Michelle loves chickens and Sandy was seeing visions of what their house would look like if she could not restrain her love from her chicken obsession.  Michelle is pretty sure she will no longer get grief for the “few” chickens she has at the house. 

I saw them.  They were everywhere but they weren’t any fun.  None of them ran so I could chase them.  Boooring.

The next day we had a “Ghost Adventure” tour scheduled for 8 PM so we found a dog friendly restaurant for lunch and then wandered the town a bit more. 

Lots of aliens here.  Where’s my whistle?

That evening, we met our tour guide Rajn (a very articulate and attractive young man), and our tour mates Stephen and Lala (a very nice couple from Dallas) at city hall.  Rajn took us on a walking tour of some of the city’s haunted buildings.  He told stories of hauntings in city hall, the courthouse, a statue outside of city hall, and a spectrally mobile miniature and collectables shop.  He also gave us some history of Roswell and the surrounding areas.  Rajn’s tour was excellent and if anyone is ever in Roswell and ghosty things interest you, we recommend U.S. Ghost Adventures and Rajn as your tour guide.  The tour ended about 9:30.  Sandy had previously looked up a place to have a drink and a snack after the tour.  The choices were, you guessed it, slim.  In fact, one.  The local Applebee’s restaurant stayed open until midnight.  So, we had a drink and a snack there and then back to the VRBO.  Apparently, the ghosts are the night life in Roswell.

GHOSTS?????   AND YOU LEFT ME ALONE?  Someone call the SPCA.

Our last day in Roswell was all about “The UFO Adventure” tour.  We met at the “Brickhouse” for the tour.  Oddly, the tour starts in a store front that houses a one-million-piece Lego museum, hence, the Brickhouse.  In fact, you walk though it to get to the van we took for the UFO tour.  Paul was our tour guide, and he was incredibly knowledgeable about the Roswell incident, the local history and WWII.  He shared with us that WWII was his real field of interest.  However, he has done extensive research on the Roswell incident and took us to houses where the main participants lived, to the location of the sheriff’s office (since torn down) and to the location of the (since decommissioned) Air Force base that took possession of the debris.  It was truly fascinating and we both agree that the government was covering something up.  Was it an alien spacecraft and “little gray men”?  We don’t know, but something was being hidden from the public. 

Another chance of furthering my education lost.  You two never take me anywhere.

Eddie, we’re on a 35-day road trip with you.

Oh, yeah, well other than that.

Our next blog post will cover our adventures in Santa Fe and maybe Farmington, NM depending on how ambitious we are when we start writing it. 

April 24^th – April 25^th, 2026

Albuquerque!  We so love being here, it’s like coming home every time we visit.  Friday is all about the Gathering of Nations festival.  This is the 43^rd gathering and the last year for the festival which is why this year’s gathering is called “The Last Dance”.  We haven’t been able to get a clear answer as to why it is ending.  The “official” reason is that the gathering has become too large and has intense logistical, financial and planning challenges.  While we’re sure that’s the major reason, we heard rumblings that there may have been other factors as well.  For now, we will just have to take them at their word.

We can tell you that there were far too many people trying to get into the gathering this year.  We arrived at the end of a very long line of cars waiting to get into the parking lot a full hour before the doors opened.  A number of people decided that going to the end of the line wasn’t for them and tried to cut in line.  Ronni, being of kind heart, let one car in and then they proceeded to let another car in front of them who paid $10 for that privilege!  After an hour in line, we finally managed to get in and park the car.  Ronni happened to see the driver of the car she allowed in and asked for her ‘piece of the action’ for the car he was paid to cut in line.  He gave her $5.  It’s an interesting world.  We then walked to the end of another very, very long line of people waiting to get their bags and purses inspected and finally made it into the fairgrounds after another hour.  Yikes!  Lastly, we waited to get into the arena and, amazingly, we found really good seats!  Now, Tingley Coliseum was built in 1957 so it is quite old and people back then must have been considerably smaller because the seats are teeny tiny and the rows are extremely close together.  Think sardines or vacuum sealed humans.  The poor man behind Michelle had his knees melding with the back of her chair. However, one thing that can be said for Tingley, the sound system is certainly working well.  The announcers were super loud; in fact, it was a bit ear-splitting.

I can’t hear it. But who cares?

However, when all is said and done, all the waiting, squishing and ear splitting were well worth it once the Grand Entry of Dancers began.  The dancers come from the U.S., Canada and Mexico and represent 1,000+ tribes. The entry starts out slowly with the female and male head dancers leading the dancers into the floor of the arena accompanied by these incredible drum circles.  The drum circle performers come from all over the U.S. and Canada and their drumming and singing is spine tingling.  As more and more tribal members come onto the floor, dancing in a perfect counterclockwise direction, it becomes a riot of color and rhythmic dancing.  Twenty minutes later there are over 1500 dancers celebrating tribal culture, honoring their ancestors and basking in the shared experience and the diversity of Tribal life.  The dancers come out by age group – golden age, young adults, tiny tots as young as 4 or 5 (they are SO adorable) or by categories – jingle, fancy, traditional or hoop dancers.  A note about the costumes, they are beautifully made and some of the more ornate costumes can weigh up to 60 pounds!

After the Grand Entry finished, we all needed a break from the noise and the crowds, so we left the arena with the hope of visiting the native crafts area and maybe getting something to eat or drink.  That was not to be because as crowded and noisy as the arena was, it was nothing compared to the outside areas.  After a bathroom break, Michelle and Ronni tried to buy t-shirts and after standing in a non-moving line for 15 minutes, Michelle found a Gathering of Nations online store and ordered t-shirts.  Whew!  We all agreed it was time to make a break for it and headed back to the car and back to our VRBO.  Laura and Ronni opted for a nap and Michelle and Sandy went to the University of New Mexico campus.  A visit to UNM is a pilgrimage that Michelle makes pretty much every trip to Albuquerque.  After a shopping experience at the bookstore, t-shirts in hand, Michelle and Sandy returned to the VRBO. 

You know, I can understand your tiny stadium seating.  I’ve been stuck in a one-by-one foot box under a heat lamp for the last few days.

Good grief Eddie.  You were in your crate for just a few hours.  No heat lamp.  You got to play with Laura and Ronnie afterwards.

Well, felt like it.

We had reservations at El Pinto, a classic New Mexico restaurant with excellent food and margaritas with a very New Mexico feel.  We sat on the patio, so Eddie was able to join us.  We all enjoyed our food.  Michelle and Sandy were so happy to be in the land of green chile and blue corn tortillas.  El Pinto has several chairs outside near the entrance of the restaurant that are always occupied because of the charming beauty of the displayed ristras and the surrounding cottonwood trees.  As we walked by on our way out, Ronni heard someone mention Staten Island and, being a New Yorker herself, stopped to visit.  One of the other women asked if she could pet Eddie and of course, we said yes.  While Ronni chatted, Eddie entertained with her tricks and winning personality.  It was a very New Mexican moment. 

I was at my best.  As usual.  I danced, I played dead, I did quite a number of tricks from my repertoire.  How could anyone not be impressed?

Eddie, tone down the bragging.

Saturday, we had dinner reservations at Campo at Los Poblanos, a wonderful farm to table restaurant in Los Rancho de Albuquerque with our dear friends Soozi and Bruce.  But before that, there was shopping to be done!!  Mama’s Minerals is a place that, as rockhounds, Sandy and I adore.  Ronni is also a rockhound and Laura’s been known to appreciate a crystal or two herself so off we went to Mama’s.  We spent an hour or more marveling at all the amazing specimen rocks and minerals and each of us found a few to come home with us.  From there we went to Old Town, shopped at a few of the stores and because we had dinner plans later, we shared a plate of nachos (covered with green chile, of course).  Back at the VRBO, we rested and got ready for our dinner at Campo. 

Moms are diabolical.  They took me outside to do my business and then stuffed me into that jail again.  I thought I was going.  The only good thing was, while I was outside, I saw a SQUIRREL!  It was in the yard, and I got to chase it.  Albu-whatever should have more Squirrels!

As mentioned above, Campo at Los Poblanos is a farm-to-table restaurant that is known for it’s “Rio Grande Valley Cuisine”.  They use organic, seasonal ingredients from the Los Poblanos ranch and other local organic producers.  The food is, in a word, sublime.  The daily special was scallops and Laura, Ronni, Sandy and Soozi choose them as their main.  To a person, they loved them, as Sandy describes them, they were large, perfectly seared and totally delicious.  Michelle and Bruce had pork confit, and it was also incredible.  The pork confit was fork tender and surrounded with bits of house made sausage, perfectly crisp roasted potatoes, squash and blistered black beans.  It was truly a gastronomic experience.  Back at the VRBO, we all slept well after that meal! 

I had kibble when they finally came home.

The next Blog post will wrap up our Albuquerque adventure and then be all about hunting aliens in Roswell. 

April 23^rd – April 24^th, 2026

I was right! I was right! I was right!  I know, because I am now an official BARK RANGER!  Moms said that they weren’t National Dog Parks.  They were soooo wrong. Ranger Lex Shane made me OFFICIAL!  Moms said they will post photos of my certification for all to see and admire.  Yippee!

Yes, Eddie, you are now official as Lex, the park ranger you met at the Petrified Forrest National Park, certified you after we showed him your tricks and how well behaved you are.

Well, of course Moms.  I’m perfect. 

The two-legged members of our trip and Eddie got on the road early on Wednesday morning and headed to our overnight destination of Holbrook, AZ.  But first we stopped to get Sandy a soda and Michelle a chai tea.  We got Michelle’s tea at Starbucks (natch), and Eddie got her first ever “pup cup”! 

Moms, moms, moms!  We should always stop at Starbucks!  That was yummy!

Eddie, it’s only an occasional treat as we need to watch your girlish figure.

We decided to go “news free” for our ride and turned on SirrusXM Classic Vinyl.  Since that is all music of our era, we sang along to Dobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, and, honoring a musical giant, Dave Mason.   The songs of our youth.  All three of us were so happy to be on the road and we were grinning ear to ear.  Michelle loves being on the road on her birthday and Sandy and Eddie just love being on the road. 

We planned to visit the Painted Desert on the way to Holbrook, so we confidently plugged “Painted Desert” into our Wyze app and off we went.  However, we neglected to account for the time change because we wrongly assumed that the Navajo and Hopi Nations in Arizona would follow the state of Arizona’s lead and not do daylight savings time.  Alas, they ARE on DST so it was hour later than we realized so suddenly, as we entered tribal land, our GPS indicated we were due to arrive just as the ‘park’ was closing.  But the real and most critical problem was that our trusty Wyze app was not so trustworthy and led us to the middle of nowhere.  Don’t get us wrong, the painted desert was all around us – it just wasn’t part of the National Park.  In fact, it was at least 30 minutes away from the park.  Oh well, we loved the scenery and that’s part of the joy of traveling so we turned around and continued on to Holbrook.  Apparently, we were not meant to see the National Park until Thursday. 

National DOG Park, Mom.

We checked into our usual hotel In Holbrook and had a lovely dinner at Mesa Italiana Restaurant, our go-to place in Holbrook.

Moms took me too, but forgot me in the car.  I think there are drugs to help them with that.  Oh well, I just took a nap.

Thursday we are up and out the door at 7 AM and on our way to the real National Park.  We stopped at the Painted Desert Inn which serves as the park headquarters while the official visitor center undergoes a massive renovation.  This is where we met Lex and he certified Ms. Eddie as a Bark Ranger.  As usual, she utterly charmed him so it’s no surprise she aced the “test”. 

There is no possible way to do justice to the amazing landscapes and colors of the painted desert and to the incredible sight of prehistoric, petrified trees just tumbled all over the hills and valleys of the desert.  If you ever go, Newspaper Rock is a must. It is full of ancient petroglyphs and can be viewed with binoculars at the overlook.  An antelope also visited us from the side of the road, that was pretty cool. All of the amazing scenery was like traveling back in time.  We’ll post a few pictures, but they in no way can convey the grandeur and vastness of the space.  We plan to return and spend a couple of days without the canine just exploring the many, many hiking trails. We’ll add a couple of pictures below.

What?  Say that again?

Alas, after about three hours we left the park and resumed our trip to Albuquerque to meet up with sister Laura and her friend Roni.  In our next blog installment, we will tell you all about the Gathering of Nations and our further adventures in Albuquerque with Laura and Roni!