Southwestern Trip

Walt Grayson took a trip out west in 2012 that I found very interesting.

Our own Southwestern trip covered some of the same area in 2005, and we were very aware there was much more to see that we just could not cram into a month. For instance, we bypassed Monument Valley because we were in such a hurry to get to the Grand Canyon.

Since our trip included parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas Hill Country, and Utah, there is really no way to share those photos because they are so numerous.

The main result of that month-long trip RVing in our Dutchman Travel Trailer is it caused us to decide we could live that way fulltime if we just had a bigger RV. So, we traded in our TT for a vintage Airstream motor home and hit the road in 2007.

We'd still like to be on the road from time to time RVing, but we're very happy living in Sweet Home Alabama.

Here's Walt's trip of Arches, Bryce, Zion and the Grand Canyon as well as some other points of interest in 10 days:
Arches,Bryce, Zion and the Grand Canyon

Be sure to watch the video to the end to see the head-in-the-hole photo op!

Going on a road trip

WHEN? Anytime

WHERE? Near Colorado Springs, Colorado

We have traveled in Colorado, but that was back in 2005 before we began this blog, and we're not sure why we haven't traveled to this well-known destination in person because it's right here in America. In fact, Wendell took his basic training in the Army near this location that can be seen from Denver, Colorado on a clear day. They call it America’s Mountain. You had probably already guessed it was Pikes Peak, hadn't you?

Now, all you need to do is click on O Beautiful and start the video for your armchair ride to the top of the mountain.

After you've done that, you might want to refresh your memory of the words written by Katharine Lee Bates.

America the Beautiful

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!

America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassion'd stress
A thorough fare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.

America! America!
God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.

O beautiful for heroes prov'd
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life.

America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine.

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears.

America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.

This version of the song does not include all the verses, but I sure do like it:

Ray Charles does America the Beautiful

Off The Pavement

WHEN? Any Day

WHERE? Loveland, Colorado


In our travels, we have never seemed to have as much time as we would like to see all an area offers. Seems like the first time I was in Colorado, I was working in at a bridge tournament in the 70s, and I hardly saw anything except a high rise hotel in downtown Denver. Later, in 2005, we saw some of Colorado while on a month-long trip in our travel trailer that took us to several western states, but we never did make it as far north as Loveland.

Have you ever wished you could see wild animals in their habitat without them seeing you? Now's your chance, and you don't even have to leave your armchair.

Recently, a very cute video was received attached to an email. It was of an elk calf playing in the water in an elk wallow in Colorado. It turns out there are many more wildlife videos from cams placed there by David Neils which are ample proof that the wildlife seems to be plentiful in Colorado. Mr. Neils told me that the elk calf video contained no sound because a squirrel or some other animal pulled the microphone cable out of his camera box.

There's ever so much to see at David Neils - Photographer. He has revised his website to allow his videos to be more easily viewed. This elk calf video is now easy to find there, so I have removed the unauthorized YouTube video I had on this post. On the photography website, you'll note his videos show up the fourth image to the right very near the top. ENJOY!

It is very strange what attention this video has received by YouTube users. Maybe it is correct to say it has gone "viral."

I just checked YouTube, and there are about nine or ten users who still have this video up, but probably none of them have Photographer David Neils' permission to have them up. This is what You Tube offered when I search for Elk Calf.

There's no need to go to YouTube, however, because you can actually see the video at Off The Pavement - David Neils' website.