Jun 10: Bryce Canyon National Park

We got another early morning start from Jacobs Lake campsite near the North Rim and headed north to 89A and scenic route 12.  This is a rock formation we saw as soon as we got on route 12.

 A few miles down route 12 is Bryce Canyon National Park.  It is truly a magnificent park to see.  Elaine and I hiked the rim from Sunset Point up to Inspiration Point.

Elaine and I at Sunset Point.

 Elaine after hiking up to Inspiration Point.

 Joe after a HIT hike up an additional 500 feet at Inspirational Point.

 See this unusal rock formation?  It ios called a Hoodoo.

 We ended the day at Canyons of Escalante RV park about 30 miles down route 12 in Escalante UT.  Of course in the middle of nowhere they had a very nice establishment for some lemon merenge pie after dinner. It was a log cabin establishment, and they were playing 60's music.

Jun 8 & 9: North Rim of the Grand Canyon

We headed out early on Jun 8 from LAs Vegas around 9am and the temperature was already over 100F.  We headed east on 15.  Along the way we cut off on route 9 and went through a pretty impressive notch in the mountains along the Virgin Rover.  The shear magnitude of the mountains continue to amaze me.

In St George Utah we stopped at the welcome center and I pet a bear.

 By mid afternoon we had arrived at teh north rim and 8000ft and 77F!

 Here is a good shot of Elaine at the North Rim.

There is a dunkey in the lodge lobby that you rub his nose for good luck.

We took this picture six years ago and here we are six years later.  That big hole in the ground behind us  continues to amaze us.

 Good view of Elaine with the North Rim Lodge in the background.

 All in all a good day at the North Rim.  You really get a sense that nature is a lot bigger than any of us.

June 7: Heading East! Hello Las Vegas

We headed East today driving on I 15.  We climbed 4000 feet over a pass and down into the Mohave Dessert.  Stopped for gas in Baker CA and Elaine snapped this picture of an outside thermometer. 104F!

Almost to the Nevada border we came upon this interesting solar plant.  Many mirrors focusing light onto a single spot to create heat.  I think the exit sign said Spotlight.

We met up with a longtime friend of our son Matt, Ryan Sullivan who lives in Las Vegas. Ryan took us for dinner in the Madallay Casino complex.

 After dinner Ryan took us for a car tour of the "Strip"  and dropped us off at the Venician.  Here is a view of the Paris (?) Casino with the Eiffel tower.   The Las Vegas Strip is like Times Square times 100 and runs for a few miles!

 The art in the Venetian was pretty incredible.  Here is a view of Elaine in one of the great halls.

 They also have an indoor canal system.  Incredible but part of the norm in Las vegass.

 The next four pictures are of a plaza in the Venetian were we bought some gellato and sat and watched all the Chinese tourist take pictures.

 We left the Venetian and through the Palazzo Casino and here is a view of the lobby of the Palazzo .  We took an Uber back to our rv site in North Las Vegas.

June 5 & 6: Slowing Down for a Day and the Reagan Library

Coming over from Yuma we went up 4000 ft over a mountain range.  that must have put an extra strain on my 6 year old tires.  We developed an annoying and concerning ounce around thump in one of our rear tires. By the time we got to San Dimas I decided to have them checked out.  Good thing, it was determined that one or more were ready top "pop".  So On Sunday we had all six tires changed.  I follow the philosophy that an ounce of prevention is worth it especially with an RV.  That left the visit to the Reagan Library for the next day Monday.  So I then spent the rest of the day after the tires were changed doing odd jobs on the rv: Fixing a seat belt; 3 drawer supports; and a door kickstand.  Elaine was very happy with the repairs and the down day.  We celebrated with a few bears and a great view.

View of our site in San Dimas.

 We often spend our evenings playing Bananagrams and listening to eith Peter, Paul & Mary or John Denver.

 The next day, Minday, June 6, I visited 24-hour fitness and did a much needed Body Pump class.  Then it was on to the Reagan Library in Simi Valley.

 The library/museum has a hanger with an actual Air Force One in it that you can tour the insides of.

 Of course i could not resist one more presidential wave.

 And posing with the Gipper for a ride on his favorite horse.

 Nancy and Ronald Reagan's final resting site.

 Fter the librry we drove down to malibu beach and took some pictures.  So we made it to the Pacific Ocean!

 Look at the cliff side houses here.  What a climb back up from the beach!

June 2-4 On to San Diego and California

We got an early start from Will and Nancy's in Prescott Valley.  We said goodbye knowing we will see them soon when they come to New England to visit with their grandson, daughter and son in law.  We traveled south and west around Phoenix towards I-8 in souther Arizona.  When we got to Yuma, we stopped at the Bose facility and paid a surprise visit to Marc Pacaro who is a senior transducer designer who has the good fortune to be stationed in the Southwest.  He was very surprised when he opened the door and saw us!

 Traveling west on I8 we climbed 4000 feet over the mountains towards San Diego. On the way we passed a huge wind farm and Elaine was able to grab this photo of a windmill very close to the highway.  It was amazining how many windmills we saw.

 In San Diego we visited with Elaine's cousin Dan and his wife Rose Gizzo.  They just moved to San Diego from Connecticut last September.  They have a beautiful house on top of a hill just north of downtown San Diego.  The next day they took us to Balboa Park and Old Town for some sight seeing.  Here is Dan and Elaine in front of the fountain in balboa Park.

 Elaine and I at Old Town.

 In Old Town we found a stage coach that was built in Concord, New Hampshire. Here are Elaine and Rose in front of that stage coach.  My grandson's elementary school is named after the manufacturer, Abbott-Downing Coach Company.

 That evening we had a very nice time catching up with Mary, daughter of my cousin Linda who lives in New Hampshire, and her fiancee Rob. We met at a very trendy young folks bar and spent several hours visiting up on the second floor patio bar.

 The next day we bid goodbye to Dan and Rose, and headed north on I-5 for the Nixon Presidential library in Yorba Linda.  Although the library is undergoing extensive renovations, we were able to see some interesting history.

 On the grounds of the library is the boyhood home of Richard Nixon.

Also on the grounds is the Marine One helicopter, so Elaine and I did the presidential couple pose.

Also on the grounds are the final resting place of Richard and Pat Nixon.  I liked how he wanted to be remembered with the words on his grave.