Heading to Arizona

 SAY HI! BEFORE YOU DIE 

We are heading to Glendale AZ for a reunion with a bunch of guys I (Steve) worked with at Orange County Sheriffs Dept. over 50 yrs. ago. This trip will include stops at state parks in Arizona and a trip to Palm Desert to visit Daph's relatives.  We are traveling in the trailer with the dogs.

We haven't been out in the trailer since February of last year, when we met with the same crowd in Arizona, so we had some work to do. The trailer is a 2003 model and is showing some wear.  The refer died and I replaced it with a 12 volt unit.  Of course this required a upgrade of our solar system and batteries.  This hopefully will allow some limited boondocking as the sun will allow.

We left Central TX on 1/23  We normally stay at the South Llano State Park when we're headed west, but it is closed for hunting several days in January. This time we stayed stayed at North Llano RV Park in Junction, TX. The park is on the river which makes a nice place to walk the dogs and during the summer it is probably pretty scenery, but the weather for us was a cold dreary, both the drive and all day after we set up camp. We were stuck in a space in the back as we had a discount pass.  With the discount the cost was $27.50.  The normal price ranges from $50 to $70 a night. The prices have gotten out of hand!  Be warned that I will probably complain a lot about the prices of camp grounds and the need to make reservations months in advance.  This is the result of Covid and late blooming boomers coming onto the RV scene.

On the 24th we spent the night at Saddle Back Mountain RV park in Balmorhea, TX.  It is an RV adjacent to a truck stop.  Only $20 a night. Again, the state park in the area is closed during this time. The spaces here are large, and there are plantings of native cactus and small trees between each. We've stayed here before and it suits the purpose, in addition to having a lot of space for walking dogs.

The landscape here is wide open and makes for a good view of sunsets and in this case, the almost full Wolf Moon.  

Just as we were getting ready to leave in the morning we discovered a nature trail on the outer row of RV spaces. We'll check that out next time. The sign says there are maps of the trail in the "office" but we've never seen the office open! They've always had a self-check in procedure. 

1/25 - Today we're are finally out of Texas!  It takes 2 1/2 days to leave the state (We only average 250 miles a day)  We're now settled in at Rockhound State Park in New Mexico for 3 nights.  This is one of our favorite places, both for the scenery and the campground itself. Really spacious sites, lots of vegetation around each site, all carefully maintained, and a beautiful display of sunsets over the town of Deming every evening. 

This park actually has two separate units, the second being Spring Canyon. This area is more rugged and has no services, but offers interesting and challenging trails and some excellent photo opportunities. 

In the morning we took a short drive up into the canyon and did a bit of exploring, but the chilly wind discouraged further adventuring.... that would be more fun on a warmer day!

We did make a quick stop beside the road after leaving the Spring Canyon section, but before returning to the main park. 

Steve noticed a roadside memorial, so I hopped out of the truck and walked over to inspect it. 

The photo below is all we could see from the road.  When I walked to the center of the arrangement there was an amazing collection of objects, all carefully positioned and some protected by low edging, like a flowerbed might have. Some of the items were religious, some cute toy type things, the neat paths were lined with stones, and at the very end a small plaque with a photo of a young woman and a name. 

I did a little research and found a rather sketchy story, the makings of a book if one were so inclined. Lots of mystery but no real answers as to what happened, why the memorial is located here close to the park, and why there were no comments anywhere online about the husband. What little I discovered is attached to her photo in the album for this post... you'll have to go there to find out what few facts I uncovered!

The town of Deming is only about 13 miles away, so close enough to hop over for a good Mexican dinner and a little sightseeing. We planned to visit the  Deming Luna Mimbres Museum, but it seems they have closed for the time being and no details were available on the reason or when they'd open again. So we did a little shopping and then moved on to an early dinner. 

At the suggestion of the campground host we tried Irma's Restaurant, a homey little place in downtown Deming. The street itself is interesting with murals and other art objects depicting the culture and history of the area. The food at Irma's was plentiful and really good! 

We were back at camp early enough for a walk with the dogs before they had their dinner, then enjoyed the ever changing sunset. This one hit a cherry-red stage just before the sun sank over the horizon, but the photo just doesn't do it justice. 

Tomorrow we pack up and head for Roper State Park in Arizona.

Rockhound State Park

 Rockhound State Park, near Demming New Mexico, has been a favorite stopping point for us since our first visit. 

Approaching the park from the southwest Demming (Stirup Rd SE) it appears as a few scattered bright spots gathered against the base of the Little Florida mountains. Those bright spots are reflections off the RVs in this small and very special campground Once settled in a campsite, you have a grand view of the valley below, sheltered by the Little Florida Mountain peaks that surround you. The location offers not only amazing view of the valley during the day, but some of the beautiful sunsets New Mexico is known for. 

This park is a small oasis of cacti, yucca, wildflowers and multiple bird species, not to mention the rodents and reptiles one doesn't often see, but are documented here. 

The park is unusual in that visitors are actually encouraged to gather a few mineral samples while visiting. In the past there was a limit of several pounds, which was abused by commercial dealers, so now the limit is much smaller. 

A small visitor center at the entrance to the park has great visuals and descriptions of local wildflowers and wildlife, as well as the geologic history of the area. We were lucky in the timiing of our visit, the Mexian Gold Poppies were just beginning to bloom and really brightened up the slopes of the mountains. 

State geologic groups have donated some amazing mineral samples on display in the visitor center, and there are samples for sale too, for those who don't want to roam the hillsides looking for something to take home as a souvenir. Rock shops in Demming offer additional opportunties to "collect" samples from the area.

A botanical trail meanders around the north side of the campground and makes it easy to enjoy the several types of prickly pear, barrel and cholla cactus. Any time after early March will probably offer wildflowers, and the birds are always singing. My Merlin app identified 6 different birds in a 90 second recording. 

A smaller day-use-only park, Spring Canyon, is also available to explore - admission to that is included with your entrance to Rock Hound park. We haven't explored that park yet, so it's on the list for our next visit. 

For those interested in more of the geology of the area, The New Mexico Department of Geology and Mineral Resources has posted a Geologic Tour for several areas, the tour for Rockhound State Park is here. In short, the area is basically volcanic in origin, that translates to a lot of granite as well as the minerals that make up granite. The cactus love the decomposed granite soil, and are some of the healthiest I have seen. Over time water trickling through the layers of mineral deposits has created geodes, lots of geodes! The visitor center has some lovely ones on display as well as excellent information on how they are formed. If you know what to look for while you are hiking the trails you may find one to take home!

The evening views are worth waiting for.

Sky City, Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico

Wednesday, June 17

(You may notice, we're getting caught up all at once. We anticipate not having much connection for the next few days, and we haven't had much in the past, so we're taking advantage of the wi-fi we have at the moment. It may be a few days before you hear from us again.)

Today we visited Sky City - Acoma Pueblo is more than just a tourist destination, it's considered the oldest continuously occupied settlement in the United States.This is a rare opportunity to witness a culture that is little known, and has been in danger of disappearing.

The name “Acoma” translates in local dialects to a “place that always was” and legend tells that the Acoma people have lived on the mesa forever. The pueblo is an important part of New Mexico's cultural heritage and Acoma is recognized as the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in North America. It was the 28th Historic Site designated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Cultural Center courtyard

We started our day at the Sky City Cultural Center.  On our way to the Cultural Center we passed a view point along the highway and it was packed with cars and tour buses. Aware that the day was already getting warm (at 9:00 A.M.) and seeing all those people heading the same way we were encouraged us to go directly to the center.

The Cultural Center contains a museum, vendor displays, a cafe, and gift shop. You obtain your tour pass here, as well as a permit for your camera. There are strict limitations on what can be photographed, so it's important to pay attention to their protocols. It's also where the tours of the pueblo begin.

A tour group was leaving soon, so we gathered in the courtyard at the back of the center and boarded a small bus. Our tour guide narrated the short drive up to the mesa top, and then directed us to unload.

On Acoma Pueblo mesa

For about an hour and a half we wandered the short "streets" between rows of homes, listening to her explain the significance of various buildings and symbols and browsed the wares offered by a variety of vendors. Unless one obtains specific permission from the vendor, photographing them or their beautiful pottery offerings is against etiquette. There were 6 areas in the pueblo, with 2-6 vendors in each area, so our shopping opportunities were quite extensive. The traditional Acoma Pueblo designs as well as modern adaptation were available, as well as some jewelery and a few other hand crafted items.

As we walked our guide explained the historical as well as the practical significance of features of the housing and village life that have become tradition, and how necessity often impacted design.

For instance, if one looks closely at the structures (small mounds)  around the cemetery walls you see that they have noses and ears. They appear at a distance as people, constantly on guard and intimidating the aggressors below. This was very important in the old days when other tribes were trying to take food and slaves from the pueblo.  (You can get a larger version of any of these photos by clicking on the photo.)

Cemetery guardians in the distance

The mission church is at the heart of the pueblo's cultural activities. Though it was constructed at the direction of the Catholic church it is now completely managed by the Acoma elders. It is used for a variety of traditional tribal celebrations and events.

San Estevan del Rey

Construction of the Acoma Pueblo mission church, San Estevan del Rey, was a 12-year project, begun shortly after the Spanish founded the mission in 1629 and completed in 1642. The church was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1970.  Photographing the inside of the church and the cemetery is not allowed, but there are photos available on the web that were taken with tribal approval.

Acoma Pueblo is built atop a sheer-walled, 367-foot sandstone bluff in a valley studded with sacred, towering monoliths. In ancient times messengers traveled the area testing locations for settlement. When they heard the appropriate echo from the mesa here they knew this was the place to settle. High atop the mesa they were safe from marauding Navajo and other tribes, and later, the Spanish invaders. At its peak the pueblo had a population of several hundred, now the permanent residents number 20 - 30, with others using their family homes on weekends and feast days. As their is no running water or electricity on the mesa, the smaller numbers of permanent residents balance the little naturally available water. Lights and other amenities are kerosene or gas powered.

The were traditionally entered through the roof, with access via very long ladders.

Kiva ladders

The ladders traditionally extended far above the roof tops, so if an attack happened while the men were away working in the fields the women could raise the ladders by leaning on the very tall ends (good use of leverage!) Nowadays that is not needed for security so the ladders pretty much stop at the roof level. The ladders leading to the kivas are special - more ornate, and painted white.

Unlike the round Hopi kivas which are below ground level, the Acoma kivas are square, with no windows, and at street level. This is the biproduct of persecution by Spanish priests and soldiers who destroyed  kivas as meetings were in progress. By building them to resemble a standard house along the street they avoided detection.

The Pueblo's  web site is full of information and great photographs. The photo album on Acoma Pueblo's site includes a few vintage shots too, which lends a bit of recent historical perspective.  There is more info at the NPS site.  Our photo album also has a few additional shots.

El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico

Tuesday, June 16

It's only a 150 miles or so to our next stop, so there's plenty of time to explore on the way. We had a leisurely morning in Datil Well, and then headed for El Malpais National Monument.

El Malpais translates as "The Badlands", which is a fairly accurate description of the terrain. Beautifully rugged, it is especially so today as the backdrop is a mixture of billowy white and threatening black storm clouds. As usual we come in through the back door, and start at the opposite end of the scenic drive from the visitors center.

We enjoyed the scenery anyway. As we passed a massive sandstone arch and beautiful colored layers, eroded into fantastic shapes, raindrops began spattering the windshield. We weren't too worried. A few bolts of lightening livened things up a bit, but not much rain was produced.

The monument includes huge lava flows, lava tube caves, ice caves, and cinder cones. There are miles of trails and area to explore, but we aren't up to that today. We stopped for lunch at the Lava Falls area and enjoyed a short jaunt over the lava flow. Blooming cactus and shrubs have established themselves in this very hospitable environment, softening the effect, but lava is still very unforgiving.

There is a deep, nearly bottomless crevice that one has to step across and cool air drifts up from it. Much of the lava is a frothy, glass-like structure, hard on shoes and even harder on a dog's feet, so we had to be careful where we went for our walks.  It was too hot by then anyway, to spend much time exploring black lava under the blazing sun but there was plenty to admire as we drove the winding road through the park.
There are a few more shots of the Lava Falls area of the park in the album. 

Stop for the night is the RV park at the Sky City Casino, owned by Pueblo Acoma.

The Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, N.M.

Monday, June 15

After picking up a park brochure at the visitor's center in Mountainaire yesterday, and a good night's rest, we were ready to tour the two missions out of the three in the monument that we had selected for this trip. (Park map his here)

 As far back as 7,000 years ago agricultural based Pueblo societies flourished here. Then, in the late 1500's Spanish explorers established a permanent colony for the primary purpose of mining salt and other valuable minerals they expected to find. Though not much in the way of valuable minerals was ever discovered, the Spanish king decided to finance the colony for the purpose of Christianizing the natives.   The Salinas Pueblo Missions  are the result of those efforts, which spanned about 70 years.

Admittedly, there has been much restoration and preservation work done to keep enough of the original structures intact to enable visitors to visualize the original complex. You can see a comparison of two different repair/preservation operations in this photo. A ranger we talked with said they make the rounds and try to work on each mission every five years or so, so this demarcation is due to differing ages and possibly different materials used in the mortar. He explained that while the fallen wall tops are topped with colored stucco to prevent further erosion, the mortar between stones is a combination of adobe soil and stucco. It does erode with the weather, but not as quickly as plain adobe.

These missions were complexes, or small cities, not just churches. A model in the museum, as well as the maps in the brochure clearly indicate huge settlements. These were all at their peak during the late 1500's through the middle of the 1600's.  Then, around the 1660's or '70's, drought and famine, disease, and the inability of the Spanish government and the Catholic church to maintain the desired level of control over this area led to the Spanish retreating. The people from this area joined other pueblo cultures further to the south, and these villages were never occupied again.

Archeological excavation has revealed some of the structures, but others remain buried under hundreds

of years of melted adobe, sand, and rubble.

A walk around the area however reveals the remaining stones peaking through mounds of adobe, and with a good imagination one can envision a thriving community. The area behind this main ruin at the Abo site is covered with mounds, most with bits of wall protruding.

In Pueblo tradition, the men do the weaving and the women build the houses (perhaps because they own and control the property!). . . lending a new meaning to the term "house work"! 
This church was built by Tia Pueblo women over a span of five years. The complexity of the church is amazing, and there was considerable help from men as the heavy timbers used for the roof and windows had to be lifted up and installed as the walls were built.

There are a few more photos of the mission ruins in the album here if you'd like to see some of those details.


After touring the ruins of the missions at Quarai and Abo we moved on to Datil Well Campground,http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/socorro/datil_well_campground.html just outside the town of Datil. We've stayed here before and have always enjoyed the quiet.

The campground is never very full, and it's well maintained. The signs displaying the historic information for the area, and the little visitors center, are nice touches that one doesn't usually find in a BLM campground. The best part is, the camping fee is only $5, which is cut in half with a Golden Age Pass. Now, you can't beat that! From the BLM website: "Datil Well Recreation Area Campground includes one of 15 water wells along the old Magdalena Livestock Driveway. The old cattle trail was established in the 1800s and stretched 120 miles from Springerville, Arizona, to Magdalena, New Mexico. The area includes 3 miles of hiking trails in piñon-juniper and ponderosa pine woodlands, with scenic views of the San Augustin Plains."

I had never noticed the sign leading to the trail before, but when we saw it on our loop around the campground this time I decided to give it a try. In the morning Steve was occupied with trying to resolve some electronic gremlins  (I think your gremlins hitched a ride with us Grayce!) so Shiner and I explored part of the trail.

It's beautifully maintained, and probably not heavily used. There wasn't a spec of litter anywhere!

The trail starts at space 6, then crosses a gravel road where you hit the trail head sign and a log book box. A few yards from the trail head there is a nice little gazebo with benches. This time we took the loop to the Crosby Canyon overlook. At the overlook there is another shelter with a bench, clearly marked so you know you've arrived at your destination. Next time we visit we'll try out some of the other branches of the trail. Here is a great map of the campground and the hiking trail.

As the day was ending Steve brought my attion to the view just behind me. . . what a perfect way to end the day!

Manzanos Mountains State Park, New Mexico

Sunday, June 14
On the way to our camping location we stopped in the town of Mountainair at the visitors center for the Salinas Pueblo Missions. The town has several galleries and art related shops, and murals on several of the buildings.

We were quite impressed by the mural where we parked. Please excuse my fat finger across the corner. That's the problem with digital cameras in bright sun..... you can't see what you are doing!

This mural has a lot of detail that was especially nice up close. There are subtle rock art symbols on the boulders, and snakes hiding in the rocks.

They have a nice little bookstore/gift shop at the park information center, and as usual I picked up a couple of children's books, but we were most impressed by the fantastic adobe "L" shaped bench in the parking lot.

Mosaic and hand crafted tiles were used to create a snake curling around the back of the bench, and there are little reptiles tucked in all over the structure. Strong sunlight and the lattice covering combined to make a very harsh shadow, so it's difficult to get the whole structure. Guess you'll have to use your imagination!

We're camping at Manzano State Park this evening, for one night only. It's a nice park, with plenty of pine trees and and between spaces. We headed for the big space, #33, way at the back and though it looked spacious, by the time we dodged branches we still had a bit of a challenge to get our rig shoe-horned in. We finally got it settled and enjoyed a cool evening as we're up a little over 7,000 ft,in the juniper and pine forested mountains.

This campground reminds me of  "the old days" of camping. There are few services, no water and electric at the sites. There are trees between and in all the spaces, so they are more private than we often see, and the surrounding area is fairly wide open, so you can walk anywhere.

It's also a very friendly campground, tonight anyway! We tried to go for an evening walk to get Shiner a bit of exercise and could barely move to the next space before we struck up another conversation. Shiner seemed to enjoy the walk, even if it was at a snail's pace.

Tomorrow we tour the ruins of the Salinas Pueblo Missions. 

Blood and Thunder - a book review

Blood and Thunder; Hampton Sides (2007)

This title was in the bookstore when we visited Bosque Redondo (see the post on that trip), so we purchased the Kindle version and have been reading it "on the trail", so to speak. What an amazing story, and so much of it buried or long forgotten. This is the kind of history we must not forget!

Though the famous mountain man Kit Carson is the central figure in this book, he is set in context, surrounded by many others who were so integral to the rapidly unfolding history of the time.

Stephen Watts Kearny, John Fremont, Henry Sibley, General James Henry Carleton, the Navajo warrior Narbona, and Senator Thomas Benton. Others, equally important but whose names are lesser known, rise to importance as the story unfolds. The conflicts with Mexico, the interactions between the various tribes, and the interests of the pioneers in their movement west, all play a part in the drama, and Sides does well at allowing the reader to understand each perspective.

Kit Carson

Though Kit Carson was illiterate and left no writings of any kind, the story of his life has been gleaned from interviews held during his lifetime, as well as the reminiscences of those who knew him well. His strong friendship with the explorer John Fremont is explored, as well as his connections to the Bent family, famous for the establishment of Bent's Fort.

A fascinating man who spoke many languages and understood the many Native American cultures he encountered, he also worked for the US Army,  killing these same Indians and acting at the Army's direction in removing them from their homelands and onto dismal reservations.

The author is as objective as one could be, I think, in describing the times, the reasoning behind the actions and plans, and weaving together the strands of politics, culture, the interactions of our government with Mexico, and western movement, over-layed with the strong personalities who played such important roles in the early history of our country.

I've read a lot of history set in this time period, but never have I encountered such a masterful collage of events and personalities.

Gen James Carleton

In many ways this book could be considered a guidebook to the history of the southwest, particularly the history of the Navajo Nation, as they were rounded up, sent to the reservation at Bosque Redondo (Fort Sumner, NM), and in the end, finally allowed to return to their native land. Many of the battles and other events occurred in locations we have recently visited. The battle between the Navajo and the US Army in Canyon de Chelly at Fortress Rock becomes horribly real when you've been there and seen the harsh environment. The narrow shelf high up in the canyon known as The Place Where Two Fell Off, where a Navajo woman threw herself over the cliff, taking a soldier with her, becomes a war memorial.

A sad but fascinating tale, and one that is a must-read for anyone visiting the area, or interested at all in the impact of the policies growing out of the belief in Manifest Destiny.

A bonus for the true history buff, this book will lead to many others, as sources are not only sited, they are briefly analyzed in a notes section.

Black Range Tales, a book review

These are the stories of James A. McKenna, or "Uncle Jimmy", as the community came to know him in his later years. Uncle Jimmy's stories of his life and adventures are unique little windows into a time long past. There is no bragging here, no attempt to write a wild, shoot-em-up adventure story. These are true tales of Indian wars, mining adventures, the miners and gamblers, theives as and good and honest folks. Real life, as the pioneers lived it, in the natural, colorful language of the time.

Set in the Black Hills of New Mexico, those familiar with the state will recognize the names of many of the mines and settlements still on the map. Silver City is at the center of the area where most of the stories take place. Mines, both lost and well known figure largely in his tales, as well as many mining towns no longer in existence. The geographic and geologic details of mining camp locations make the book a great resource for ghost town hunters.

Born in Pennsylvania in 1951 Uncle Jimmie began working his way west at an early age. He did it the way most folks did at the time... a little trapping, a little herding, a little working on the riverboats. He landed in the southwest and settled in  prospecting for silver and gold, as the area was heavy with mining opportunities. When he wasn't prospecting he serving as a justice of the peace, or any one of his many other roles. Along the way he met some pretty fascinating folks. In delicious detail Uncle Jimmy tells of surviving battles with Indians, near misses in mining accidents, hunting bear and dealing with the shysters attracted to the easy money of a mining community. Many of these fascinating characters, like the fellow members of the Spit and Whittle Club, helped him tell the stories. All together, it's a captivating read, especially so if you happen to be familiar with the area and can envision the rugged landscape he describes.

This edition (1969) has some improvements over the first edition, published in 1936. Updates include a map in the front that covers most of the locations mentioned in the stories, and the addition of an index. The index is fairly complete, and would certainly be useful for referring back to stories for details on specific mines or individuals mentioned. Even better, the text has been scanned and is available as a completely searchable document on Ancestry.com, for those with a membership to that service. Search Black Range Tales.

Black Range Tales, chronicling sixty years of life and adventure in the Southwest.
James A. McKenna. The Rio Grande Press, 3rd edition, 1969
The book is available from several retailers, and as it has been reprinted several times, check closely to see that your edition includes the index and map. The book is not available in electronic format, other that the source mentioned above.

A big Thank You! to David and Stephanie Nishikida for giving me a copy of Black Rock Tales!

Redrock Park, Gallup, New Mexico

Red Rock Park, just outside of Gallup, is a real treat!

Though the campground has over 100 sites, only a few were occupied, so we certainly weren't crowded. Snuggled up against giant red sandstone cliffs on one side, with a breathtaking view of those classic New Mexico clouds on the other, our cottonwood shaded site was just about perfect. The campground is well kept, and the fee is $20 a night for water and electric. The way the sites are laid out is a bit confusing, so check in at the museum office in the convention center and get a map. The staff are very friendly and helpful, so if the office is closed for lunch there will probably be someone around to answer your questions.

One of the features of the landscape here is the very picturesque Church Rock formation.

Trails from the campground lead up to the area so hikers can easily explore. One of the trails leads out from the Post Office, which is situated in an historic building that was once a trading post.

After lunch we went in to town, restocked the larder, did a quick stop at a laundromat, then spent the afternoon touring the museum that's part of the convention center/rodeo complex that the campground is attached to.

The entrance to the museum is very inviting, with beautiful murals and wood carvings around the perimeter of a spacious courtyard. The museum displays inside include a wonderful collection of wood carvings, sand paintings, Navajo blankets, Hopi baskets, silver and turquoise jewelry from several tribes, and other types of art. The museum is very well done and we really enjoyed it. Admission is by donation.
More photos from Red Rock Park are here.


We're off next to head for Chinle and the Hubble Trading Post.

Santa Rosa Lake State Park, New Mexico

Sunday - June 2

Short drive today – we had to plan time to visit the Billy the Kid museum at Ft. Sumner, and the Bosque Redondo Memorial.

The Billy the Kid Museum is of the old school type - show cases of some pretty interesting bits of history, a multi-panel painting that pretty well covers all aspects of the famous bad boy's story, and a decent gift shop. It's worth the small entry fee for sure.



 Just outside the museum is the Fort Sumner cemetery where Billy and several other historic folks are buried. Billy's tombstone was stolen and hidden away for several years, but was finally retrieved and is now back where it belongs, and well protected by iron bars. It's strapped down, as well as being behind the bars, so thieves would have to be really determined.


An entirely different story is told at the Bosque Redondo Memorial. The memorial is situated on the site where thousands of Navajo and Mescalaro Apache were held as prisoners from 1863 to 1868 after a forced march of 450 miles. This is not a part of our western history that is known to many people.


After thousands of the captives died due to starvation and harsh conditions the Navajo were held captive for several years, and then finally received recognition as a sovereign nation and were allowed to return home. The memorial, actually a museum, does an excellent job of telling their story. There are displays of historic material and some very impressive murals. The video that is shown in the museum theater is very informative and definitely worth watching.

Down the road just a short piece we spent the night at Santa Rosa Lake State Park. The lake (reservoir) is quite low, so no swimming for Shiner. The campsite has two loops. One has services, we chose the one without. It had fewer occupants, and offered good access to open area to take Shiner for a nice long walk.

The area is a bit higher, and greener, than our previous stop, but very dry nonetheless.

That condition was temporarily remedied about 7:30 P.M. when a loud and very wet thunderstorm blew in. It blew around the chairs we had stored on the picnic table, rattled the doors and sent rain pounding into the windows. Thunder and lightening boomed and flashed, but we're used to that from home.

We just cozied up and watched the lightening while listening to some of our favorite music, then admired the after-the-storm rainbows. Not a bad way to spend the evening.