December 21, 2004
Roanoke Virginia

Good to see VR but was very sorry not to see Jean or all our other friends in the area like The Newman’s or Sister Reddie.
Have forgotten how small the roads are in the east. Running up I-81 through Virginia is absurd. Massive truck 18 and 34 wheelers, more like trains that have lost their tracks! Left La Grange Georgia (just south of Atlanta) this morning but by 8pm realized that the road was winning the battle, and if I didn’t stop, the war. Trucks whirling by at 75 but the speed limit is 65 and that’s still too fast. Curves, hills, 6% grades and the smell of rain in the air….
Henry, the ultimate road dog curled up in the back seat, as the hours go by. From time to time he comes up front to say hello and see about a pee stop. We leave the night to the crazies- find a camp take a shower, make dinner, pee and sleep. Tomorrow is soon enough for the next leg, hopefully all the way to Connecticut.

VR,his prints and Henry

Henry asleep

Truck stop Camp makes the airstream look rather small

December 16,2004
Santa Fe Skies Camp
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Not sure how I keep ending up back in Santa Fe. We left Flagstaff this morning to a land covered in ice and snow. Ran through Winslow Arizona and spent some time at the La Posada Hotel circa 1930. What a magical space. Allan Affeldt, his wife Tina Mion and their partner, Daniel Lutzick have done such a magnificent job restoring it. It was a Railroad Hotels designed by Mary Elizabeth Colter. You really need to go to Winslow if only to spend a night in this magnificent hotel. I’m sad to say the building on the corner in Winslow Arizona burnt down a few weeks ago but the town is working on a way to save the wall. So a great weekend trip- head out to Winslow stay in the
La Posada Hotel
303 E. 2nd Street
Winslow Arizona 86047
928-289-4366
www.laposada.org
and figure out a way to help the folks restore the wall!
Time to regroup, then drop Heather with her family for the Christmas Holidays and I head east to spend the holidays with my folks. Jesse is also driving across the country with his friend Amelia and we will all meet in Connecticut. Heather is flying back sometime around the New Year and we are off towards Key West Florida, perhaps we will make it this time.

Standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona and the building burnt down and the wall may fall down..

Henry and Heather and dinosaur at the Petrfied Forest I-40 east of Flagstaff Arizona

DMK Shooting at Petridied Forest

DMK shooting Two Arrows Arizona

DMK checking type 55 neg

stop sign (duh) early morning east of Flagstaff

Ice on sagebrush Arizona

December 11, 2004
Shady Dell Camp
Bisbee Arizona

Had breakfast again at The Daily Dinner in down town Bisbee. Have shared many meals there since arriving and it is a great place. The owner, Charles H. Lewis is a master pie maker and not a bad all around cook. He has travel around the county, on his bicycle with his dog in tow behind. One trip was to Pietown to bake pies. I recommend his Bisbeeberry pie.
Also met Glynn Grisson outside the Daily Dinner in one of his many re conditioned VW busses. Glenn lives in Montana but is down in Bisbee doing some mining and looking for old VW’s to restore. If you’re in the market for a great-restored vintage VW you should try and contact him at 406.227.6827
Headed west and found the Papago Indian Reservation. Great space, great land. Spent the entire day on dirt tracks exploring the desert, Saguaros and river bottoms that cover this land.

Charles H Lewis alis the Pie Man as usual Heather lighting the way

Glynn Grissom and one of His VW’s

Just anothe Bisbee Car

Look close at the heads on the car, isn’t that Mike and Lorene…

The four of us at The Papago Reservation Arizona

Church San Luis Papago Reservation Arizona another of Heather’s magic photographs

Mike at work in The Papago Reservation

Mustang Mountains Arizona yep Heather again

December 10, 2004
Shady Dell Camp
Bisbee Arizona

Drove to the border again today but this time to the town of Douglas Arizonan, thanks to the advice of Walter Satterthwait, a great writer and friend from Santa Fe. Also Caroline Gordon’s significant other. Just finished his book “Masquerade. Great read but I’m upset by ending, Walter, quite unfair. Very different border than Nogales, Douglas is not the boom border town with lost of shops nor is the town on the Mexican side. But it has the same big fence, only more oppressive.

Mike and I compare notes

Henry and Heather in back of Mike’s rental car

Mike and Lorene at the border

Music Room Gadsden Hotel Douglas AZ

Mike shooting the Gadsden Hotel

December 6, 2004
Shady Dell Camp
Bisbee Arizona

Spent last night at Tombstone Hills RV just out side of Tombstone Arizona. All night the hail came down. It truly can get cold out in the Arizona Hill Country. Make you realize how ruff it was on the frontier in the 1800 and early 1900’s. The trailer rocked all night in the wind.
Shady Dell is an interesting place. They have about 10 vintage trailers – all from the 50’s. Most are Spartans but they do have one old airstream. They have all be restored to the original looks including 50’s TV sets (with hidden vcr’s) and old black and white movies from the 50s’. They even have The Long Trailer with Lucile Ball. Old 78 records and players are included as well. The trailers rent as hotel rooms and it’s a bit like being on the road. Along with the stationary trailers they have a big old cabin cruiser complete with dock and tiki statues.
My friends Mike and Lorene Kravit flew in from Florida and are spending the next few days traveling and photographing around southern Arizona. A trip to Mexico and a hunt for the ultimate Saguaro Cactus are on the agenda. Their first two nights will be in the Spartan Royal Mansion and the last few night on the Cabin Cruiser.
On the way over we stopped at The Amerind Foundation and Museum in Texas Canyon just off I-10 near the town of Dragoon, Arizona. Truly an amazing place- with a unique landscape. Massive large boulders are strewn about the canyon, reminiscent of The City of Rocks in southern New Mexico. “The Foundation was founded in 1937 by William Shirley Fulton as an anthropological and archaeological museum and research center dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of Native American cultures and their histories.” I hear some of my more Traditional Elders groaning over those two words, anthropological and archaeological, but perhaps if it is done in a good and respectful way it will help to teach and pass on the history and Traditions. Aho, this can be a good and important thing. From all I could see the Amerind Foundation is doing this in a good way.

Airstream at The Amerind Musueum

Shady Dell Sign

Night View Of Shady Dell Camp

Dot’s Diner at Shady Dell

Mike and Lorene’s Love Trailer

Lorene in Trailer Kitchen

Mike and Lorene’s Love Boat

Mike and Lorene on the Love Boat

The Boat Galley

Ready to go to Mexico?

Town of Bisbee Arizona

Downtown Bisbee