Ruby is Homesick.

Actually, I'm the one who is homesick. Ruby is happy wherever we are, but I miss our family, friends, and king size bed. All the natural wonders in the world can't compare to hugs from the grand-kids. But, I am getting ahead of myself. This trip is not over yet. 

    Benson, Arizona KOA. 

After leaving Utah we picked up the camper and made our way slowly back to New Mexico. We spent a couple nights camping in Picacho and then headed to Benson, Arizona. Our new friends from Tuscon, Deb and Billie, drove down to see us. Billie bought us lunch at her favorite Mexican restaurant in Benson. We waited an hour for an outdoor table  - one of the must-haves when traveling with a dog - and the food was definitely worth the wait. I'm still dreaming about it.

    Big plate, big flavor.

   The venue is small and the food is authentic.

On the edge of Tombstone is Boot Hill Cemetery. Ruby couldn’t go in so Cray waited while I took the self-guides tour. The handout they provided with the names of the deceased and how they died was worth the $7 admission fee. 

Ruby accompanied us to Tombstone, which is a short drive from Benson. It was spring break and the historic Old West city was full of families. I loved the Bird Cage Theatre and it's wild history. The Theatre opened in 1881 and ran 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year until it closed in 1889. Imagine trying to staff that business! Plus, you could get shot, considering the 140 supposed bullet holes in the walls and ceilings. The Bird Cage was also a brothel. Employment for women was very limited and if you didn't have a father, brother, or husband to support you, there were plenty of men willing to pay you. Survival can make a person do things they'd never conceive of normally.

   Ruby wanted her photo taken in front of the theatre.

My brother, Mike, would appreciate that the Bird Cage is also remembered for the longest poker game in history. To play gamblers had to pay $1000. The poker game was played non-stop for eight years!

  It all happened at this table. Those chairs sure look uncomfortable!

After Tombstone we drove to a nearby old mining town of Bisbee for lunch. Bisbee is known as the best hippie town in Arizona, so of course we had to see it. We were able to bring Ruby with us into the bar for lunch. I guess it really was a hippie town!

   These ladies were enjoying a cocktail with their lunch.

 

     A cool photo of Bisbee.

We returned to Las Cruces where our big adventure began last October. We hung out with friends, played games, and ate delicious food. Driving away was bittersweet, but the Organ Mountains will always welcome us back.

           Liliane entertaining us with her cool ukulele.

Ruby Goes to Utah.

Our longtime pals from Minnesota, Julie and Ellen, rented a cozy mountain cabin in Utah solely for the purpose of spending time with us and exploring the area together. At first I hesitated at the invitation. After-all, we left Iowa to avoid the snow, but I do love an adventure and I love our friends, so I was quickly all in. 

Duck Creek Village, Utah is a a sleepy mountain resort community reached by traveling on scenic mountain highways. There are only two ways in and out of Duck Creek and we traveled both routes. Ellen graciously did all the driving in their rented SUV, her Minnesota winter driving skills were frequently put to the test on snow covered winding roads. Even on a clear day, the summit of Cedar Mountain, with an elevation of 10,000 feet, is a challenging drive. I could barely look out the window without my heart dropping. I felt safe and secure with Ellen behind the wheel!

We were the first to arrive at the cabin. Thank goodness we had four-wheel drive. I would not attempt climbing the slushy-muddy-snowy steep mountain roads without it. Julie and Ellen made it to the cabin before dark, and at the start of the snowfall. We hadn't seen our friends since August, 2021. Beautiful mountain snowflakes fell nonstop for the first two days giving us an excuse to play games and catch up. 

Duck Creek Village is centrally located a little over one hour from both National Parks we planned to visit: Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. Julie and Ellen did their homework and had a comprehensive list of potential and must-do activities. They flew into Las Vegas, picked up their rental car, and filled it with groceries for the week. The time, effort, and money they put into planning the trip was greatly  appreciated...Crayola and I felt very blessed to have such generous and thoughtful friends. We had a blast.

We are making our way back to Iowa via a southern route that includes a visit to my sweet Aunt Linda in Hot Springs, Arkansas. We’ll be home by April first and that’s no joke. 🥰