A photo link that works

For some reason, the other picture links stopped working. This one should though. Click Here to see my pictures. (1) Comments

Posted: 7/17/2008 12:38:27 PM

Death Valley and Yosemite

June 26, 2008 It’s been a few days since I was able to post, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about you all. We’ve been having a great time still. We learned how to play roulette in Vegas. We were way ahead, but didn’t know when to stop, so we lost about $60. Roulette is more fun than slots. We enjoyed the shows and the sights in Vegas too. It was a fun, expensive couple of days. We left Las Vegas on Thursday and drove through Death Valley National Park. The lowest elevation there is about 190’ below sea level. It was 113 degrees in the shade. The sights were phenomenal, and we enjoyed the drive. Millions of years ago, death valley was a sea and it truly looks like an seascape. After we left Death Valley, we drove on to Lee Vining, California. The elevation there is about 8000’, so we really climbed quite a ways. Today we drove through Yosemite National Park. The vistas changed constantly. First we were driving up a mountain, then we were standing by a pristine mountain lake, then we were climbing on rocks, then we were walking in a meadow, finally we rode a tram through a grove of huge sequoia trees. I’m not sure, but this might be my favorite park. Click Here to see my pictures. (0) Comments

Posted: 6/27/2008 10:55:37 AM

Arizona, Phoenix and Las Vegas

June 24, 2008 It’s been a couple of days since I posted, because we’ve been without internet access. I’ll try to sum up the past two days the short time that I have. Sunday we drove from Sedona to Phoenix. I picked another scenic drive so the two hour drive took more like four and a half. It wouldn’t have been so bad, but about 30 miles of the road was a dirt road. It wound over, under around and through the Apache Mountains in central Arizona. Some of the sights were spectacular and Joe was a good sport and didn’t complain too much about the dirt road. We stopped at the Tonto National Monument long enough to use the rest rooms and take a couple of pictures. The next stop was the Roosevelt Dam. The electrical power lines ran along with the road for the next forty or so miles to civilization. There are a lot of recreational areas along the route and we saw many people with boats and jet skis. On Monday, we made the drive from Phoenix to Las Vegas. The Hoover Dam was quite a sight, but it was 114 degrees out and windy. It was like sitting with your face two inches from the furnace register. They are building a huge, new highway over the Colorado river, just south of the dam. Right now all traffic has to take the winding road down to and over the dam. They don’t allow any commercial vehicles and all campers and trucks have to be inspected before they can drive over. I’ve heard that when it’s busy, it can take over an hour just to get through the security check point. The City of Las Vegas is unbelievable. The people, glitter, glitz, noise, music and sights are so “over the top”. We went to a show a few hours after we got into town. It was a riot. We saw Jay Leno, Elvis, the Blues Brothers, Tina Turner and Dusty Springfield. Of course they were all impersonators, but they were very good. Especially Jay leno, who was the MC. Tonight we’re going to see a Cirque Du Soleil show “Mystere”. I’ve heard that we will be totally astounded by that too. Enough for now. Click Here to see my pictures. (0) Comments

Posted: 6/26/2008 11:07:07 PM

Later June 21, 2008

June 21, 2008 Today we started out just “taking it easy”. Actually we started out by doing some laundry. Then we went to a neat place called Tlaquepaque. It’s a neat collection of galleries and shops set up like a Mexican village. We wandered around the shops for a while, then we went into The Red Rock Distillery. We sampled some micro-brews and had a tasty pizza. Later on we went on a “Pink Jeep” tour. There were seven passengers in our jeep and the woman driving it was crazy. We couldn’t figure out why the jeep didn’t tip over. The ride ended at an overlook at the top of the Mogollon Rim. Click Here to see my pictures. (1) Comments

Posted: 6/22/2008 12:00:20 AM

Grand Canyon and Verde Canyon

June 21, 2008 We arrived at the Grand Canyon on the 19th. Photos and videos just can’t do this place justice. Grand is an understatement. I don’t htink I have words that can describe the grandness of it. On the other hand, the crowds were horrible and annoying, so we didn’t enjoy ourselves as much as we did at some of the other places. We eventually made our way to a less-traveled portion of the rim and were able to enjoy the view. We were surprised to see several California Condors flying around near the West end of the park. We chatted with some researchers who have been tracking them for years. Scientists are becoming cautiously optimistic about their chances of survival as a species. They are lovely, graceful birds when they soar far above your head, but the are really ugly up close. We left the Grand Canyon on Friday morning and drove to Sedona, which is another lovely, crowded place. Friday night we rode a train through the Verde Canyon, which is a few miles from Sedona. Parts of the Canyon are only accessible by train, so it is a lovely, secluded place. The train ride was nice, especially since we sprung for the first-class tickets and were treated like royalty. Tonight we’re taking a “Pink Jeep” tour which should also be FUN. Click Here to see my pictures. (1) Comments

Posted: 6/21/2008 5:30:20 PM

The road from Moab to Tuba City

June 18, 2008 Today we drove about 275 miles from Moab, Utah to Tuba City, Arizona. The drive was easy and very scenic at first. We stopped for a few minutes and looked at the Mule Canyon Indian ruins. It was time to stretch our legs and it was pretty neat. Then we drove on to a place called Moquil Dugway. First we detoured down a dirt road to the Muley Point look out. It was about 4 miles of dirt road and some of it was pretty rough. We almost turned around a couple of times, but decided that since we had already gone as far as we had, we should keep going and see what there was to see. We were not disappointed. The view was breathtaking. At the end of the road was an overlook to view the Glen Canyon Recreation Area. The San Juan River ran through a deep gorge hundreds of feet below us. We walked out almost to the edge of the canyon rim, where we could see a dirt road. I looked it up later and the dirt road is called John’s Canyon Road. There was a fault line that was hundreds of feet deep and I stood, with one foot on either side to take a picture. When we returned to the main road we faced a 1000 foot drop through switchbacks. This guy Click Here to see a blog from a guy who took some pretty good pictures of the same things we did. In fact, some of his pictures are almost identical to mine. After that drive, we stopped in Mexican Hat, Utah and ate lunch at a boat launch on the San Juan River. We chatted with a couple of people who had just finished a three-day rafting adventure, then we chatted with some people who were about to embark on a four-day rafting trip. Three small children were very entertained by us. They kept pointing and imitating us. Finally I pointed at them and laughed. It didn’t seem to phase them. The rest of the drive was boring compared to the beginning. Click Here to see my pictures. (1) Comments

Posted: 6/18/2008 10:44:18 PM

Moab and Arches National Park - June 17, 2008

June 17, 2008 Got up early in order to hike before the desert sun got too hot. We were at the trail-head at about 8:30, not as early as I had hoped, but it wasn’t HOT yet. We hiked about five miles, mostly uphill, but it was worth it. The great sandstone arches are incredible to behold. When we got back to the car it was 90 degrees out and the parking lot was full beyond overflowing. People were all over the place. We were glad that we had started at the end of the park and avoided most of the crowds. We even managed to meet some interesting people along the way. We made a few more stops, but didn’t hike anymore that morning. Instead we went back to town and had a relaxing pasta dinner at “Pasta Jay’s”. Micro-brews are big in the West, so we sampled a new kind called (Umm something German sounding). Actually, so far we’ve sampled five different micro brews, including Moose Drool, Fat Tire, Organic Brown Ale, and Rock Amber Ale. We wandered around Moab for a couple of hours, bought a bag lunch to go from a neat place called the Red Rock Bakery, and headed back to the park. The red Rock Bakery was a neat, hippie sort of joint where they greet the regulars with a “Hi Stan, did you bring your cup?” Then fill the cup without asking what he wants. At about 5:30, we went back to the Arches Park to hike to the Delicate Arch. It was a TOUGH climb, but when you round that last bend and the arch comes into view, you know it was worth it. The map said that it was 1.5 miles and 485 ft. elevation change. We kept saying that it was a LIE. I guess a mile and a half uphill is a Loooong mile and a half. In the pictures, look at the ones right before the delicate arch and find the one that looks like a huge, smooth rock with tiny specks on it. Those are people and later we were those specks. Since the parks have gotten better each time, we’re excited about what’s next. Click Here to see my pictures. (1) Comments

Posted: 6/18/2008 7:44:14 PM

the drive to Moab...

6-16-08 The drive from Jackson to Moab was long, but scenic. I drove for the last few hours to give Joe a rest. The Mirror Lake Scenic Byway was incredible. Click Here to see my pictures. (0) Comments

Posted: 6/17/2008 10:42:17 PM

Yellowstone and Grand Tetons

I'll add notes later... Click Here to see my pictures. (2) Comments

Posted: 6/17/2008 1:41:24 PM

June 14, 2008

The room at the inn was incredible. It had the feel of an old cabin, but the bed was comfortable and the bathroom was great. I took a long soak in the claw-foot tub last night. Today we got up early and watched "Old Faithful" errupt from close up. We saw it from the deck of the hotel last night, but it is much more impressive when you're only 30' away. We walked around more of the geysers and we surprised by an erruption of thr "Beehive Geyser" It's smaller than Old Faithful and they can't predict when it will errupt, but it is the most powerful geyser in the park. We wandered around for a few hours, then decided to drive and see the rest of the park. The views were incredible! We stopped at the spot where the road crosses the continental divide and walked through the snow to get a picture. Time to go, I'll write more later... Click Here to see my pictures. (0) Comments

Posted: 6/17/2008 1:37:52 PM

a quick report

I've had a ton of trouble with internet access, so I'm just posting a quick note. We arrived in Bozeman at about 1:00 Montana time (3:00 NY time). We waited while all of the luggage went around on the conveyor until there was an announcement that it was all of the luggage . The announcement said that if anyone was missing anything, they should report to the NWA counter. We were both ready to cry. We walked up to the counter, and there were our three suitcases, waiting for us. They beat us there by three hours, go figure. Since then, everything has gone well. A couple of bison were strolling down the road in Yellowstone. We saw a moose and her baby. We hiked in the Grand Tetons. Our room in Jackson is Awesome! More later, when I can log onto the WWW with my own computer. Amy (3) Comments

Posted: 6/15/2008 11:14:36 PM

leaving in little over one day

This is the last time I'll update this before we're actually there. We leave at 6:00 on Saturday morning and arrive in Montana at about 1:00 on Saturday afternoon. By dinner time we'll be at "Old Faithful" in Yellowstone. I'm leaving the link to the old pictures, mostly because I like them. Hopefully I'll be able to upload some great pictures and some news on Sunday. Keep checking back... and send me e-mails to encourage me to keep updating this thing. adetorio@yahoo.com Click Here to see my pictures. (0) Comments

Posted: 6/8/2008 7:48:09 PM

Finally some progress

I have actually made the first step toward making this vacation official. I booked the first night's lodging in Yellowstone park. Did you know that May 1 is the first day that they accept bookings for next summer. I booked our room and when i checked back later, there were no more rooms available in that lodge. So now that we have a reservation, the trip has to go on as planned! (0) Comments

Posted: 5/1/2007 1:50:16 PM

Where to buy souvenirs in Arizona

I posted this question on Yahoo Answers: Where do people who live in Arizona shop for Native American Craft items? We'll be visiting Arizona next year and I would lik eto buy some authentic Native American craft items. I would prefer to pay the actual value, not the inflated prices they charge for tourists. I also would like to buy something authentic, not made in China. Someone wrote back: First of all that attitude will almost guarantee that you pay the highest price that a beliganna (sp) ever paid for an item . Pack what you need to visit AZ but leave the attitude at home. Usually the best place to buy things is on the rez , but you gotta know what you are buying and if you're buying a big ticket item like a Navajo rug or real turquoise do your research. For the rug see if you can meet the woman who made it. For the jewelery actually the best place to buy it is the dead pawn areas of the trading posts -ask around . If you just want relatively inexpensive stuff and you're in Sedona - go North and uphill on rt 89 when you get to the top of the switchbacks there is a scenic overlook for Oak Creek Canyon In season and on weekend there is a sales area there . Also US 89 N from Flagstaff to Page has a couple of trading posts and roadside stands Six miles up rt 64 from it's jct of US 89 there is a large sales area on the right While cameron trading post is a nice place for a room , a meal and they also have a great collection of Pendleton Blankets- they will not negotiate as well as other posts on the rez will Go to Tuba City Right on 160 Stop by the dinosaur tracks -give people money to let you explore at your leisure five bucks works wonders Bottom of hill in Tuba, Vans TP is on the left -good dead pawn area If you continue straight on160 to Kayenta / Monument Valley there some small trading posts along the way . If you make a right at the light and head across the Hopi mesas to Ganado there is also some good places along the way including the world famous GanadoTP Whatever you do, have a smile on your face , be friendly , it is highly likely that the person who is selling it to you, had a hand in making it. Don't be impatient. Native Americans often take a relaxed while to get to the point of their stories -it is rude to rush them Lastly while all prices are negotiable , it would be highly disrespectful to suggest an immediate 30% price reduction I really didn't mean to have "attitude". Hope I haven't offended anyone. I have also started the process of getting a passport, since I want to visit Mexico while we're out west. The plans are coming together nicely. (0) Comments

Posted: 4/23/2007 12:19:22 PM

I need insider info on Arizona

I know all about the famous Cameron Trading Post, but what I'm really looking for is a place that the general public might not be aware of. I want to buy some Native American craft-type things and I don't want to pay the inflated prices that you find at the tourist traps. Also, if I go to Mexico at Nogales, will the prices be terribly inflated, or reasonable? (1) Comments

Posted: 4/18/2007 10:29:15 AM

Mark Says

If you're going to be in Vegas, you have to see a Wayne Newton show. (0) Comments

Posted: 4/13/2007 2:47:06 PM

Nature

However much you knock at nature's door, she will never answer you in comprehensible words. —Ivan Turgenev, On the Eve (0) Comments

Posted: 4/13/2007 10:59:28 AM

Are we there yet?

I ordered some books from Amazon.com to help with my planning: Fodor's National Parks of the West Fodor's Great American Drives of the West Lonely Planet Southwest USA I think they’ll be waiting for me when I get home. Now I’m trying to figure out where to go after Arizona. I still want to get to the Hoover Dam, Las Vegas and Yosemite National Park. Then we have to figure out what city to fly out of for the trip home. (2) Comments

Posted: 4/12/2007 1:08:19 PM

I need some advice from someone who has been to Arizona

Many companies offer Horseback Trail rides. Some of their websites are good and others aren’t as appealing. What I'm really looking for is someone who knows if any one is better than the others are. We are NOT experienced riders, so we mostly want a fun ride with some scenery. Any advice will be appreciated. (2) Comments

Posted: 4/11/2007 10:51:03 AM

The next stop... Arizona

I've been trying to plan the next leg of our trip, but am having a little trouble tying together the clusters of places we want to visit. There is an awful lot to see on Arizona so I think we may spend four or five days there. The problem I’m having is that I can’t figure out an interesting route back, once I get all the way down to Tucson. The spots that I want to visit include The Grand Canyon (of course), Flagstaff, Sedona (http://www.safarijeeptours.com) and (http://www.redrockballoons.com), Phoenix, Tucson, Tombstone, Nogales (Mexico). (0) Comments

Posted: 4/10/2007 10:24:41 AM

Hey Guys! I was hoping to hear from everyone here

This message is for all of my family members who read this. Get yourself a user ID and start posting comments. I need encouragement due to the fact that I have a very short attention span. Chris and Christina are in Disney now. They got there this afternoon (Thursday) and will be there for a week. Now I'm jealous... (0) Comments

Posted: 4/5/2007 3:27:44 PM

Some help from my friends..

Got some input from the family… Dan says… “Starting in Nevada, you might consider going West on I80 to Tahoe. They rent out jet skis on Zephyr Lake, pretty nice stopover. It's a couple more hours west on very scenic I80 which brings you to California's capital. San Francisco and its wharf, the coastal highway (US1) around Monterrey, you go North over the Golden gate bridge to see the Redwoods like Muir Woods and after that is all wine country. I actually did all that and it was a great trip. All I can tell you about Salt Lake is that they have the best snow in the world. That won't help you in June, but if you decide to break your anniversary celebration into two trips, you won't believe how nice the snow is out there. It's incredibly scenic around there and no other US city has such a dramatic rise of mountains overshadowing a city. Park City is a superb suburb just outside the city limits where you can walk along an old street with nice restaurants and shops. It's all pretty old, so it has a lot of character.” He also said he’s jealous and will enjoy the vacation vicariously through my blog. He also says… “I just mapquested and it's a twelve hour drive from San Francisco to Mount Rainer. That is a glorious sight to see. I don't know how it compares to Yosemite because I've never been, but you drive up to a point that well up the mountain, get out of your car and experience true "purple mountains majesty". From there, you can take a short stroll or a long hike to see more. I was at the base of Mount Rainer when a herd of about 120 elk crossed in less than 100 yards in front of me! And if you're going to go to Washington, Mt St Helena is a "must see". I don't know if you can still see the former forest that looks like match sticks all splayed outward from the volcano, but I'm sure there are amazing things to see there… Haven't quite made it there, myself. Carol also had some good input… “I have some places I think you and Joe would like. Reno is wonderful, as is San Francisco and the Napa Valley. I think I would avoid Salt Lake, Utah is a weird state. Las Vegas is good for just a day or two, but the area around Las Vegas is very nice. Yosemite is a beautiful place, Sam and Josh really liked it as well as Mike and me. Banff Canada is just awesome as is Calgary.” Guess I have to start looking these places up. Liz’s input wasn’t quite as helpful, but gave me a couple of good laughs. Liz says… “Mom, You have a blog! That's just funny...my mom has an internet blog. At least it’s about something and not just you talking online.... good luck with your trip planning let me know how it’s going... or I could just read your blog :P Liz” Pretty much, what I would expect from her. Larry also provided some insight… If you choose Utah, I would suggest that you visit Park City while you are there. Gorgeous country. The only thing that I (and it may be just me) had trouble adjusting to was the elevation. Salt Lake City is also an amazing city, especially the Church of LDS (Mormon's) complex. Thanks for all the input guys and gals. Please keep it coming. (0) Comments

Posted: 4/4/2007 10:03:13 AM

Today I am trying to learn how to make this page work

I have some questions about this "blogging thing". When I view my Blog, I can only see the first article until I log in. Is this standard, or am I doing something wrong? If I send the link to my friends, do they have to create an identity in order to be able to read all of the posts? Am I nuts? (0) Comments

Posted: 4/3/2007 8:44:17 AM

Thanks for the advice

Thanks for the advice SmokedSilly. I looked up Sedona, Arizona and have already decided that we do have to include it as one of our stops. I believe that a balloon ride is also a "must". (0) Comments

Posted: 4/2/2007 8:12:43 PM

Introduction - AKA my first attempt at blogging

I hope when you find this boring, you still come back to read what I have posted. I plan on updating whenever I have some news to add. After months of debating, we have finally decided on the type of trip we would like to take to celebrate our 25 years together. We discussed a trip to Hawaii, a cruise or an all-inclusive resort. I would actually like to do all of those some day, but for now, we have decided on staying in the good old, continental USA. The plan, so far, is to fly out west, possibly starting in Las Vegas or Salt Lake City, then rent a car and drive to as many of the National landmarks and “tourist traps” as possible for two weeks. It’s probably a good thing I have given myself a year to plan this, right now the list is HUGE. Suggestions and comments are always welcome. If you’ve stumbled upon a gem of a place anywhere out west, let me know. I’ll research it and decide if we can include it on our tour. Right now we’re thinking that we are more interested in sights rather than touring cities, but I’ve heard that Salt Lake City is a “don’t miss” kind of thing. I have ordered some maps from AAA and plan on starting by marking all of the spots we would like to visit. Then we’ll connect the dots and see how many days we’ll need to cover that kind of ground. Wish me luck. I may need it. Amy (2) Comments

Posted: 4/2/2007 9:31:10 AM