Our Retirement Trip

We traveled to Joshua Tree National Park on April 16 for a full week of fun at one of our favorite national parks. Day 1 - Primarily shopping and laundry although we did stop at the Visitors Centers at Oasis of Mara and Twentynine Palms. On Day 2 we took a fairly long hike through the rock formations near our campground including Skull Rock, Face Rock, and what I call Chimpanzee Rock. Day 3 - Hidden Valley and Ryan Ranch Day 4 - Cottonwood Springs and Mastodon Peak.  The flowers were in full bloom at this location although my pictures fail to show the splendor of the flowers. Day 5 - Keys Ranch and the Hall of Horrors - named by rock climbers.  Not so horrific for those not climbing the rocks.  Also an evening hike to Arch Rock and Heart Rock. Day 6 - Fortynine Palms Oasis and the Highview Trail  at Blackrock Canyon Day 7 - Rest day at the campground.  The picture with the camper is our camper which we call Myrtle because she often moans when we go around lots of corners (a Harry Potte

We had a wonderful week in Sedona.  After attending Easter services at the Sedona United Methodist Church, we took our first hike through the red rocks near the Holy Cross Chapel. The temperatures in Sedona on Monday were forecast to be pretty high, so we headed to Flagstaff and the Sunset Crater National Monument with rugged laval flows and cinder cones. After Sunset Crater, we headed for Wupatki National Monument with numerous pueblo sites. Tuesday was going to be hot again, so we visited Tuzigoot National Memorial near our campsite at Dead Horse Ranch State Park, then back to the Flagstaff area to visit Walnut Canyon National Monument with cliff dwellings. On Wednesday we hiked Fay Canyon On Thursday we hiked to the Seven Sacred Pools and over the Brins Mesa. On Friday we took a trail ride at the Dead Horse Ranch State Park.  We wanted to make sure Donna Sue was comfortable on a horse.  We are currently scheduled to go down into the Grand Canyon in October.