Arches National Park

Arrived in Moab on Saturday in the late afternoon. We found a private campground and left Mr. Marco in the hands of Katz.










We went and found replacement Red Dirt Shirts (dyed with Utah red dirt) and went to the grocery store. We both simply love the Red Dirt Land in this area. It is so pretty. Our plan was to wake up bright and early on Sunday and hike the Devil's Garden trail and see Landscape Arch. This is the trail that we took in 1990 with Adam and Amy. We stayed in the National Park Campground overnight that year and they also walked the primitive trail that included a few other arches. We got to the entrance gate before 8 AM. It was a brisk 61 degrees. The ranger at the gate told us that some campsites were available if we stopped at the Visitor's Center. Well, we quickly decided that we could stand the heat for the rare chance of camping in the Arches. So we paid for the site and then went for our walk before the day turned hot.

Starting on our walk.

Devil's Garden Trail Landscape Arch 

Our Campsite in Arches 

It was not only quite hot for these three Easterners, it had gnats and other small bitey flying things. Katz decided that a red dust bath was the answer. Only came out with water!

The next morning it was a warm 71 degrees at 6:30 AM. Off for another quick arches walk.

Then on our way to hopefully cooler land.

Bandalier National Monument

We left Silver City Thursday June 25 and drove over Emory Pass and up the Interstate to Bandalier National Monument. What a lovely campground. Its at 6800 so it is nicely treed with stones and ruins within walking distance. We called our friends Tom and Genean and arranged to meet them the next day at the Visitors Center. Wandered all over the Bandalier Ruins. and wondered at my ability to see within a week what was occurring in the art world in the 1200's while the American Indians were making a living in these caves in the same time period. These are the ruins of the people's homes who lived in the valley. These are the peoples who built against the cliff face. The holes in the cliffs are the roofs of the different levels. This is a painting that was drawn in Italy around 1200 AD of Saint Francis. Of course, being with our old geyser gazer friends we had to go off and find a hot spring. We also had to be Geeks out stumbling about! Nothing like old friends and new places to have a really great day.

June 23-24

Lew was very busy with a father project. The house needed a new furnace. We had to wait quite a while on Tuesday for the furnace to arrive. Everyone waited including: The Dogs: The Horses: Finally the Furnace Arrived! Head Honcho: So here are the workers. While we waited for the furnace man to do his part.....we chatted. Colt: Oran:

June 22

Not done flying yet! The three Paris paintings are staying in Pittsburgh with the wine. No more worrying about packages on this flight. Off to meet Lew in New Mexico. Caught the flight to Atlanta, then on to El Paso. Arrived after five hours of flying. Here is a view from the plane of a piece of Texas. Lew arrived at the airport and off we went to get to the Silver City Quail Ridge Estate. Here is Sue's house: Here is Wade's house: Here is Marco: How glad Jan is to finally move in to her own space and bed!

June 21st

Au Revoir Paris....what fun it was.... Our front door. Our entrance way. Our living room. Across from the couch. And the table was in the living room also. Our kitchen. Opposite wall. The toilet room (not a sink or bathtub) Shannon and My Bedroom. Front window. An the shops in the area. I was so impressed with the little stores all around us. Here are some of the pictures of the stores around our apartment. A clothing store. Fish for sale.

June 20th

Last day for Paris... We set the alarm and got an early start arriving at Chateau de Versailles before it opened. We toured the castle first. Now that is a globe to have in your study! Then went to the Gardens. The fountains were operating for the weekend. Jan decided to go to the D'Orsay again and left the other three to fully explore Versailles. At the D'Orsay Jan found the Renoir paintings she thought it had. Looked at the paintings and started to feel tired. She decided that food and coffee would allow more paint viewings. The French coffee is very potent and comes in a very small coffee cup. she had that along with a red raspberry tart...good tasting stuff. She went back to the apartment and found that Micheal and Lisa Goldberg had called. When he called back again, it was decided that we would meet for dinner. Our deserts!

June 19th

Shannon and I stayed at the apartment while Carole and Dee went to the Eiffel Tower. Here is a photo of what it looks like. I figured long lines and it took them three hours to do it all. I tried to sleep some more as did Shannon. I've only been sleeping a few hours every night and it is starting to wear me out! When they came back we took off to take the RER to Restaurant Fournaise. We were too late to eat but Dee's quickly asking for a desert got us in before it closed. They said they would serve us the only meal they had which was duck salad and a desert. I got to sit and look at the boat launch painting scenery. The food not to good but I loved the setting! After our late lunch the order of the day became shopping for the others while I took off for a late night at the Louvre and what a treat occurred! I was sitting by myself in one of the tiny rooms looking intently at on the the pieces when a English speaking group came into the room. I listened while a guide talked about how the accession numbers on the paintings indicated the art piece is one of the 1,500 pieces that the Louvre displays that the Nazis had taken from private citizen's. I was quite taken with his talk and a woman came over and asked it I would like to go to the next room with them. I was invited to join their tour. Seems it's a group of English speaking people who meet every month at the Louvre for a curator talk. This one was on what happened to the paintings in France during WW II. It was fascinating and I was thrilled to hear it all. I thanked everyone for allowing me to join them. They wanted to know where I got my chair! Some folks have never seen it so here is picture of me sitting in it. Check other photos and you will see me carrying it around. I barely made it back to the Apartment by the 10 PM time I had said. Then another great meal of pasta, baguettes and wine. Bed with an early start needed for the next day. What a grand day for me!