Annular Eclipse - Road trip

The Annular Solar Eclipse covered much of the western states.  There were certainly no lack of sites to view the event, and we chose Bluff UT.

We began our journey under the clear skies of Borrego Springs, where we spent the first night watching the Draconid Meteor Shower.

The waning moon passing Venus on the way to a rendezvous with the sun.

A quick stop in Desert Center where the operational Post Office seems to be in the only building still standing.  Next to the Post Office there was a plaque on this rock commemorating the where pre-paid health insurance was conceived.  Thus creating the Kiser Permanente legacy.  The rock is next to the now collapsed Contractors Hospital.

The plaque is now missing, but there is a replacement at Chiriaco Summit, where we’d just bought gas (not backing to take a picture of it).

We went north from Desert Center on Rice Road, where we stopped for a break at an old gas station repurposed as a shoe tree.

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We had a nice site at Cattail Cove on the shore of Lake Havasu.

Of course we had to stop at the English Village.

And see the reassembled London Bridge

We continued our way north to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

We wandered along the Rim Trail enjoying the views.

We had a wonderful spot at Mather Campground for the night.

To continue north we need to exit the park’s east gate.  We made most of the view points along the way.  Mather Point is a popular stop, just a short walk from the Visitor’s Center.
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What does this rock formation look like? 

Duck on a Rock

At the east end of the park is the Watchtower, a very popular stop.

With the awesome views of the canyon it’s easy to see why,

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As we move on, we entered Monument Valley.

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After a quick night at Goulding's Campground, I didn’t realize the morning sun is now on the wrong side of the formations. :(

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Many of the cars pull over at Forest ‘Dump’ Hill for the epic shot from the center of the road.

A quick stop at Mexican Hat for yet another photo of it.

I thought Mexican Hat had a crowd of boondockers, but the entry to Valley of the Gods was totally choked!  We didn’t even try to go in.

We did stop for a look at the Sand Island Petroglyphs.  Many are hard to see, but my favorite is this man on horseback.

Horses were not part of the Native American lifestyle.

Most are hard to see.

We settled in at Cadillac Ranch.  They’ve added over a dozen large level gravel FHU pull-thru sites in the back.  With WiFi repeaters ... And a beautiful new laundry room.

And nearly the best showers

This is our 2nd stop at the 'Ranch'. And I’d stay here again just for a shower!!!

All 6 of us were together for a Friday evening BBQ dinner.

Fran, Jay, Juanita, Marty, Kami

And our annual wine-off.  The 2018 Aimee Cabernet was the easy choice,  followed by Monte Xanic from Baja's Guadalupe Valley - thanks to Marty who is my supplier.  The monks at New Clairvaux never disappoint, but then Aimee is their winemaker.

We all turned in early after a gorgeous sunset

Fran made her quiche and I made my hashbrowns for breakfast and then we all watched the main event

We were indeed awed as the sun completed encircling the moon.

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We were indeed awed as the sun completed encircling the moon.

Turns out Cadillac Ranch also has great WiFi, so I'll catch up on the internet before we start the return trip in the morning.
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Road Trip 2021 - The road home

Having completed what we could on the house it was time to think of the return trip.  Fran wanted to delay a day for a round of golf with her brother and I wanted to delay another day to visit the Carillon.

The Carillon

I got the RV ready while Fran golfed.  The next day we hopped on the bikes for a ride to the Carillon.

John Patterson

The ride through the Hills-n-Dales area is very much park-like with lots of hiking trails.

I blogged the Carillon in detail a few years ago HERE.

But first a correction on that post.  The dog on the carrousel is not Orville Wright’s dog,  Scripio is owned by Deeds and is the mascot during the founding of DELCO.

Scripio

All the rides on the carrousel are related to Dayton's history.

The Pierce Bicycle (no relation) was the first to use shaft drive and full suspension.  Later they made the Pierce-Arrow automobiles.

Pierce Bicycle

New at the Carillon is the Light Tower from NCR’s Old River Park.

Back-in-the-day Fran and I canoed at Old River.  Now to be part of University of Dayton.

The Wright Flyer, the one that actually flew at Kitty Hawk is at the Carillon.  This 1905 Wright Flyer III is considered the world’s first practical airplane, and the only airplane to receive national historic recognition.

There are replicas at the Smithsonian and at the National Air Force Museum in Dayton.  I have blogged the USAF Museum HERE. 

When/if you do visit the USAF Museum, be sure not to miss the only known Wright Brothers Women’s Bicycle.  When I first asked Information Desk where the bicycle was located the response "We're an Air Force Museum, why would we have a bicycle?".  It is now on prominent display in the heritage area.

We’re finally on the road!, we took the central route west on US 40.  Having read “Killers of the Flower Moon” I wanted to visit the Osage Nation. 

The murders of the Osage People for a bit of money is one of the blackest atrocities against Native Americans in the 20th century.

There are videos on YouTube and an upcoming Martin Scorsese movie that will provide more enlightenment.

Bill Hale was edited out of a tribal photo on the wall at the Osage Museum.  I tried as gently as I could to enquire of the docent at the museum of those dark days, and she began to cry.  Memories are still very painful for these people a century later.

After 4 trials Bill Hale was convicted of only one murder, although the BOI (Bureau of Investigation – later to become the FBI) was convinced he was responsible for some 24 murders.

The Osage Nation has well over 100 suspicious deaths during the Reign of Terror.  None of the other deaths have been investigated, let alone prosecuted.

I was asked not to take pictures by a sobbing docent, hence we have only memories of our visit.

But I will show you why the natives were murdered …

money!  Their oil rights.  Getty Oil, Phillips Petroleum and others all made millions on Osage lands.  Phillips Petroleum maintains a large presence there still.  The surface of the reservation is controlled by the US Government, but Osage maintain the rights below the surface.  Making them the only 'underground reservation' in the nation.

We did not stop in the Tribal Capital of Pawhuska (PAW-hus-ka), where more information may have been found.

 

Instead we continued west through the tallgrass prairie.  Didn't see any buffalo.

When we stopped for the night we had these beautiful butterflies visit our site.  They are not swallow tails, know of any other black butterflies?

We made a brief stop at the Bug Ranch in Conway TX to stretch our legs.

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Not really worth the time …

We whipped past the 72 oz. steak at The Big Texan in Amarillo, but did stop at Cadillac Ranch.

There is a vender selling spray paint cans.  We did not buy one as there were quite a few left at the trash cans, where Fran left our mark.

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Passing into New Mexico is Russell's Travel Center.  WOW! now that’s an underrated find.  I did not take a picture of the 50s themed diner, but the FREE museum is just awesome!

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Another day ... and it’s Fran’s birthday!  We did not make it home in time to celebrate.  But I did buy her a Date Shake!

And she could choose her lunch spot, as she drives on the last leg home.

The restaurant at the Golden Acorn was closed. :(

We’re home now and getting settled back into our routine.  We both have books to pick up at the Pacific Beach Library.  We’d like to bike the bay and just check out any changes from our 3 months on the road.
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