Back to the wide open spaces of the west!

Oliver once again checking in from the big blue sky's of the west...

My folks zoomed through the rest of Oklahoma and I can tell they are starting to feel the pull of home.  My faithful steed  Oscar (the always steady Ford that carries me) and I are getting anxious for our home in the desert too!

We pulled into New Mexico and headed to Santa Fe.  What a great way to begin our re-introduction to the west.  

The oldest church in the USA is in Santa Fe...

And the oldest house!

And just beautiful art everywhere. Fun place to hang out and shop.  We had an excellent southwest lunch too.  

Then on to Albuquerque and a great trip down the Tourquoise Trail ending in a super sunset ride in the tram.  

We visited around the city and especially enjoyed the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.  A great museum with amazing art from the 19 pueblos. 

Driving down the road we once again passed the Continental Divide...do you know what that means?   I do!  Alan quizzes Robin daily about these types of things! 

 

Down the road we roll to the Petrified Firest...

And then off to Walnut Canyon National Monument...a fascinating place where native Americans lived in the 1200's or so in caves built in the canyon walls.  We hiked down into the canyon and it was amazing.  

Then we stopped at the granddaddy of great spots for a final bit of inspiration...

We spent the day at all the great spots around the rim and then enjoyed a perfect sunset.  What a grand way to end our southwest tour.  We're bound for the desert!

South to Virginia and Tennessee

Oliver here...

Heading south to continue the history tour, the travelers head to the famed home of Thomas Jefferson  in Charlottesville, Virginia...beautiful Monticello.  

By the way he didn't follow these rules very well...he was deeply in debt when he died.  

Then a great drive down the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, part of the Appalachian mountains... A gorgeous scenic highway. Of course, Robin doesn't consider 4000' a mountain but people in the east sure do!  

An old farmstead along the parkway. 

 Lovely scenery along the trail.  We then headed to Nashville and bought tickets for the Grand Ole Opry...what a hoot!   Saw a great show including The Charley Daniels Band.  

Charlie Daniels Band

Exile

The history tour then resumed at the Hermitage just outside Nashville. This is the awesome home of Andrew 

Jackson. 

Then onward to the famous Natchez Trace National Parkway.  Another historical space...the first government sponsored road in the western frontier. And by the by, Meriweather Lewis of the famed Lewis and Clark met his demise mysteriously on this trail. 

Then onward to the home of Elvis in Memphis. 

Then we crossed the Mississippi into Arkansas through Little Rock and followed along the Trail of Tears...of great interest to Robin who has a tiny bit of Cherokee blood flowing through her veins.

Through Arkansas and then through Oklahoma with a brief stop in Oklahoma City for Robin to visit her mother's gravesite.  

Such a sweet moment for her.  

We are homeward bound and anxious to get back to the west coast...they are west coast people after all!  And I am a west coast camper!

Washington, D.C. Adventure

The Oliver here with news of the traveling duo...

We have all arrived in Washington and been exploring this most interesting space.  What a treat to see and experience all the places you have heard about all your life.  

I've been parked In a nice RV park and they are becoming experts at public transportation!  

The metro is the way everyone gets around.  They take the bus from the RV park and ride the metro all around DC. 

First step was a walk down Pennsylvania Ave to the Capital and then to the Whitehouse. 

At the end of the Mall was the Washinton Monument. 

And then the Lincoln Monument...

And on to many different Smithsonian's...

The Air and Space Museum

The Museum of Natural History

The Hope Diamond at the Natural History Museum.  

The Amerincan Indian Museum

At the Ford Theatre where Lincoln was shot (the booth right behind us).  

The Capital where Robin toured and saw the Senate chamber and much more.  The top was surrounded with scaffolding unfortunately!

The Vietnam Memorial...so emotional for Robin.  

The Library of Congress which just blew us away.  Such a beautiful building inside and out.  They took a great tour and learned so much. 

Arlington Cemetary was amazing.  Visited the Kennedy Eternal Flame and the tomb of the unknown soldier. 

We stayed in DC for a week and walked our feet off.  I'm sure we saw everything and then some. On the last day we watched a concert on the west lawn of the Capital.  Great music!

Loved Washington DC.  Have way too many pictures to post.  It was hot and muggy but it was incredible.  We're off for more adventures. Heading west and slowly making our way home.