Ian and Garret

Over the border.

Love from Needles

As promised, the freezing photographers and the stunning views…we moved from Pima point to a few other outlooks as the sun rose riseit was extraordinary to watch and hear the rapids 5000 feet below us.

Amazing what 70 million years of tides rising and falling can do

Ian discovered a way to get Garret out of bed before 7: unfortunately it takes a canyon.We headed out into the freezing cold darkness to drive to Pima point, recommended by a local grandma in the bar last night. It didn’t disappoint. Aside from the episodic appearance of a manic Chinese photographer we were alone To hear the roar of the rapids 5000 feet below was humbling. The emerging shades of red as the mist parted can’t be captured by a camera but during the day we will send you examples of our efforts.This place is amazing and the only complaint is the internet that dates from the formation of the canyon so we will wait for a better connection to send more.

Stunned by the natural beauty of the setting the travelers were unperturbed by failing to book ahead their dining preference. Rejected they opted for the Angel hotel a contrasting ambience to their prior experience.Unsurprisingly the service excelled in relative and absolute terms. We met Torie from Casper, Wyoming. Her great grandfather emigrated from Ireland to California for the gold rush, a Malloy. There’s a Bailey in the family also.We learned a lot from Torie – go for the ribs not the steak, but prefer the trout ( it was great) and for Ian , trust the veggie burger. From us, with Mark, she uncorked her first bottle of wine – locally named but an Oregon Pinot and that if they serve latte they can also do espresso, even decaf!

Great night!

With exquisite timing the intrepid travelers reached the South Rim in time to catch the reflected light of a stunning sunset.Blair was stunned. I don’t think he believed me. No photos can do justice to the beauty of the place but here are a few as we gazed , mesmerized.Needless to say it takes the selfie option to a whole new levelAnd at the end of the day you have this sunset….Made me feel like king of the world

Another day, another stunning stateWe are making tracks towards the canyon. Spectacular views, petrified forests, meteor craters , painted deserts and scary wildlife but most exotic of all are the dinosaurs. Some of them are just passing through…

Greetings from Gallup – on the roadagain . We are on the old 66 in awe of the natural beauty of this landscapeButtes, sagebrush, endless trains and open sky – even a funding opportunity

Loading up our covered wagon for the next leg to the Grand Canyon.We will be sorry to leave Santa Fe with its colors, its artifacts and its art….

The Travelers snoozed off their afternoon contributions to the Santa Fe economy and then headed out for some competitive dining ; how would the Compound compare with Geronimo? True to their bourgeois instincts they warmed to the ambience and were touched, literally, by the more personal service of Sean Patrick, an Irish American love explant from New York. The wine veered to an Italian favorite and the starters were outstanding . The main course arrived with a complimentary pile of onions but sadly disappointed a little. Blair had been warned off the John Dory by SP so no excuses there. FitzGerald also made the classic mistake – ordering pasta far from its home. Despite the excellent lobster it was insufficient to stage a rescue. We beat a strategic retreat to the fireside comfort of our hotel, the ever attentive Abel and the Minnesotan Sheena, graphic artist extraordinaire.

The travelers were wise to pause at the Santa Fe railhead and contemplate their next move, avoiding the fires in SOCAL and the slide at Big Sur. A day well spent. Lunch in Pasquales with Jami and Steve , friends of Ian’s daughter Emma was followed by a stroll through the town that has it all – adobe architecture, Red hot chilli peppers, Indian jewelry, high wire acts, even Joseph and Mary. The sacred and the profane. We caught the sculptures in and out of the wind on Canyon road, saw the oldest government building in the US and as we listened to impromptu music reminiscent of the Buena Vista Social club we were reminded, peering at the inscription on the obelisk that the victors write history, except like here, when it is rewritten : Geronimo’s revenge…. .