Day 1 : It's before 4am, packed & ready to leave Kevin's place in OKC.
Let's appear awake and excited for a few seconds! Kevin had 30mins sleep after struggling with the GPS maps all night, I had 4 hours sleep, but had just returned from Dallas 6 hours ago.
A rest stop on the road in western Oklahoma before dawn, where we both finally succumbed and slept for 30 mins.
Here we made it to The Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, where some hotrods were stopping through.
Old school Ford muscle.
The Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas.
Built originally in 1974, the offbeat roadside attraction had to be moved in 1997, and now sits in a dusty wheat field off I-40.
A line of 10 Cadillacs buried nose first into the ground, visitors like to leave their mark with layers and layers of graffiti, which the owner doesn't mind.
The wrecks are stable enough to climb, well protected from rust, they have layers and layers of paint!
An odd sight from the highway!
Extensive wind farms dot the landscape west of Amarillo.
Sandia Peak, Alburquerque, elev 10 378', on our way through town towards south west Colorado.
Sandia Peak has the world's longest aerial tramway to the summit of 2.7 miles, where restaurants overlook the Rio Grande Valley and the 'Land Of Enchantment' which is New Mexico.
My first look at some 'mesas', or flat-top mountains. Brief stop to stretch the legs.
First trip for the Jeep since it's offroad overhaul. Funny looking back at how cool these mesas seemed at the time; just wait till later on!
A U-Haul trailer on I-40 driving west through NM.
Here we are in Cuba! Well, Cuba, New Mexico.
Stopped for fuel at a service station in the middle of nowhere.
'Well, there it is'. Kevin and I had been joking about Shiprock, the awesome mountain is visible for dozens of miles around the flat plains, we felt like we had been driving towards it forever.
There is a bunch of random 4WD tracks that go all over the place, ours followed the southern volcanic ridge. Here, a detour to the left led up a really steep hill.
A gap on the volcanic ridge to the south of Shiprock.
The peculiar ridge is barely a meter thick and pretty tall in places, and surprisingly straight running for several miles across the otherwise flat plain.
This shot doesn't do the angle any justice, but still a cool photo. I couldn't drive the Jeep any higher as the wheels were sliding.
The road tracks to Shiprock. At least Kevin's GPS had some of them on the map.
Off roading to Shiprock, New Mexico.
My Jeep near Shiprock.
If you can see two small headlights, you can appreciate the size of Shiprock.
Driving over the ridge next to Shiprock, the road turned valley shaped, here is flex in the left rear wheel...
...and here is the flex in the right rear.
After sunset, had to mount the camera on Kevin's tripod to get a clear shot in the twilight.
Kevin & I at Shiprock.
At the steamworks brewery in Durango, CO. The nice waitress was the reason behind Kevin's look.
After she had a go at him for botching the previous photo, she shot another, I was almost too tired to laugh.
I tried the sampler, 6 different beers, including their award winning Anchor Steam. Kevin and I both liked their Third Eye PA (India Pale Ale).
Day 2 : Our overnight stay in Durango was in another Quality Inn, but this one, the newest motel in town, was far better than the (lack of) Quality Inn in Norman when I first arrived in the country.
As the sign says, 'stay and see the changing colours of Durango'. This tree is half-red, fall is beginning.
Durango is a great town. Strange that so many people get around on bicycles, when the place is full of hills and in the mountains. I didn't see a single overweight person the whole time I was there.
Geared up with gadgets : GPS & FM modulator working on a 3-way 9 volt DC splitter, with three MP3 players between us, and of course my little mascot Ducky, rescued from the tornado wreckage of Greensburg.
Elk!
First time I've ever seen an Elk, this one was just chillin near the fence in a paddock. Never seen antlers before either.
A tunnel on the road to the visitor centre in Mesa Verde National Park.
At the Mesa Verde Visitor Center, Shiprock is only just visible in the distance beyond Mesa Verde, with the Chuska Mountains behind that straddle NM and AZ.
An exhibition shows fine woven baskets woven by Navajo (“Nav-a-ho”) women.
The exhibition also had jewelery made by Navajo stone smiths.
A replica of a Mountain Lion, or Cougar. Wouldn't want to come across an aggressive one in the wild.
Cliff Canyon lookout, where the Cliff Palace is located.
It looks impressive when you first glance it from the lookout. [Photo : Kevin Gant]
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde, Colorado.
The Cliff Palace sits under a massive cliff overhang like a broad wide cave entrance.
The mud brick walls even have structural beams of wood that stick out. [Photo : Kevin Gant]
Our guide (right) gathered us around one of the several pits (known as Kiva) which were ceremonial rooms.
The Cliff Palace even had a 3rd level right up against the roof of the cave.
Over 150 rooms in Cliff Palace was probably home to a hundred Ancient Pueblo Indians between 1100 and 1300 A.D.
The opening in the rock face that the Navajo climbed to get in and out of the Cliff Palace. [Photo : Kevin Gant]
Farther along the Cliff Canyon, we pulled over on the road and found our own lookout.
A little further, found a cool spot on top of a big cliff, prob a hundred feet or so dropping away, and then another couple hundred feet into the valley. [Photo : Kevin Gant]
The US slippery when wet sign is slightly different to ours.
The road in & out of Mesa Verde weaves around the enormous Mesas and valleys, you can see in the distance that Mesa Verde towers over the surrounding plains.
Trees in Fall in Cortez, CO, where we stopped to cook up a late lunch.
Another tree in Fall in the Cortez town park.
Met an old dude, Jim Powel, here his water tank overflows at the water station. Three quarters buys you 300 gallons, Jim says he has to haul water to his property every day or so.
Another customer who lives on remote property with no water supply fills up his water tank.
The north western ranges of Mesa Verde that face Cortez, on our way towards the Four Corners.
Awesome afternoon drive!
Mesa Verde and Ute Mountain, just before the turnoff towards Four Corners and Arizona.
Ute Mountain.
The Four Corners Monument.
Four Corners is where the borders of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah meet, the only place in the US where you can put each hand and foot in a different state.
Kevin showing his preference of the four states.
Four Corners. Plenty of people have put their butt on this spot!
Once again we were late in the afternoon, most people had left, but I still managed to buy a nice t-shirt.
Just into Arizona, some Navajo went to a lot of effort to make this road sign out of white pebbles.
Talk about an introduction to Arizona, driving into one of the most amazing sunsets I have ever seen.
Sunset in Arizona.
[Photo : Kevin Gant]
Camping overnight at the entrance to Canyon De Chelly near Chinle, Arizona. Kevin slept in the tent, woke up early and photographed me sleeping in the car. [Photo : Kevin Gant]
Breakfast shortly after dawn at the Canyon De Chelly public campgrounds (free). Kevin's watch thermometer showed 3C.
Models of Hogans, Navajo houses made of wood and mud.
The Tsegi Overlook on the South Rim Drive in the Canyon De Chelly (pronounced Canyon-De-Shay)
This is the Junction Overlook, on the edge of a sheer 500ft cliff similar to the ones you see on the north side.
I only did this coz there was no wind. When I looked an inch past my toe, I was looking at the canyon floor!
Canyon De Chelly, Arizona.
At the Junction Overlook we ran into two kids, Newton & Dion Martinez who create Indian art on flat stones from the Canyon floor and sell them to visitors. Newton's drawings tell a 5min long story!
The Canyon steadily gets deeper as you head along the South Rim Drive. This is at the White House overlook.
Here are the White House cliff dwelling ruins. They must have built a walkway or used a ladder to ascend to the houses, which I'm guessing are a good 50-80 ft above the canyon floor.
Sliding House overlook. These cliff dwellings are just to the left and level with the top of the rubble pile.
Sliding House, Canyon De Chelly, AZ.
The awesome cliffs looking back up Canyon De Chelly from the Sliding House overlook. The canyon floor is Navajo farming land, and driving down there requires hiring a Navajo Guide.
Two dudes with impressive Harley Davidsons parked at Face Rock overlook.
Spider Rock overlook, Canyon De Chelly, Arizona.
Spider Rock, Canyon De Chelly, AZ.
Oh my god I nearly fell over! (just kidding) 80ft below me is a ledge, then below that it drops all the way to the canyon floor.
Zoomed in on Kevin at the same spot. Spider Rock is pretty impressive.
Fooling around at Spider Rock.
Baby horse on the Navajo Pine plantation which made the place look more like Colorado than Arizona.
The scenic dirt road out of Canyon De Chelly.
A monument to the Navajo Code Talkers at Window Rock, AZ. Their native language could not be understood by the Japanese, the Code Talkers saved countless lives and were key to several US victories, including Iwo Jima.
The Navajo Code Talkers monument at Window Rock, AZ.
Fooling around at Window Rock.
The Pie Cafe in Pie Town, NM.
Pie Town, New Mexico.
Here we crossed the Continental Divide, the point where rainfall to the east flows to the Atlantic, and rainfall to the west flows to the Pacific.
This road is something like 28 miles long, level and straight. Highway 60, which leads past the Very Large Array of Radiotelescopes (VLA).
Afternoon storms were forming around the place as we headed towards the observatory. [Photo : Kevin Gant]
The distinct dishes of the VLA stretch out for miles into the distance.
Inside the visitor center, a cool shot of the Milky Way as recorded by the VLA. [Photo : Kevin Gant]
On the self-guided tour, two dishes demonstrate how the signal is rebounded in the dish and amplified to the central spot. When standing infront of the dish with my head in the center, I could hear Kevin's breathing in my right ear, when he was 50ft away to my left! [Photo : Kevin Gant]
The CIA is watching me.
The radio telescopes are pretty awesome.
Closeup, Kevin's copying my idea.
These cranes supply power to the radio telescopes which are moved along these tracks to docking stations, which are spread out in several spots according to different array configurations.
This day, I think the radio telescope array was at its full extension, which means finest resolution.
The bottom arm of the 'Y' shaped array stretches into the distance.
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory Control Center.
Found a tame little bunny foraging around the buildings.
The Antenna Assembly Building.
Radio telescope assemblies are brought here to be serviced every year or so.
West towards the center of the Array.
The eastern arm.
A shot with the Jeep and a radio telescope at the VLA.
The VLA, New Mexico.
Sunset over the VLA, New Mexico.
Had to stop (there was no traffic) for all the dusk photos on this cool stretch of road.
The roads of the American West.
View of Albuquerque from the Hyatt.
Relaxation after days of driving, I convinced the girl behind the desk to get security to let us into the pool area after-hours (shuts at 10pm).
Once again, up before dawn in the cold! What are we thinking!? Cheesy grin for the camera. That hot chocolate was so good.
We were up early to see the Dawn Patrol at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Here is a Titanic slippery slide for the kids.
After a loudspeaker announcement, generators whirred to life as crews used fans to blow up their balloons.
Crowds start to gather as they see the first small wave of Balloons in the Dawn Patrol inflating.
With roaring bursts each started firing hot air into the balloons to progressively get enough lift to get them upright.
The flames were impressive in the dark.
The blue flame in the foreground is hotter than the yellow flame of the balloon behind which is more for show.
The announcer counts down and all the balloons fire at once, glowing in the pre-dawn darkness.
Lift off, the first balloon with lead lights in tow takes off in a hurry. Each member of the Dawn Patrol flies different elevations to determine wind conditions around the field for the mass ascension event to follow.
Caught the American Flag balloon lighting up.
A balloon laid out on the ground ready for inflation.
This day was the Flight Of The Nations where international participants lead the mass ascension. There were no aussies, but I found the kiwi team!
Duh duh duh, duh daduh duh daduh. Darth Vader! He had a German & French crew, and Kevin heard someone say theirs was the biggest balloon at the event.
Some dudes in Storm Trooper outfits were parading around the grounds, I heard someone ask them 'where did you get those costumes' and one replied 'the Emperor'.
Starting to get into it, more and more balloons were taking off, and they just kept on coming!
The cheeky girls of the Nelly Balloon Crew, a huge pink elephant.
One of the pilots, who confessed that all the pink was worth it for a nearly all-female support crew.
The weird frog.
Balloons launching in the Mass Ascension at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Spotted the Stagecoach and made my way over for this photo, definitely one of the coolest balloons.
Another frog, with the Soccer balloon and a Vase balloon!
Stagecoach lifts off while the dairy cow is inflating.
The little bees took off to huge applause, then slowly swung together and kissed, bringing cheering from the crowds.
The two bees, Joey and Lilly, were tethered at the hand, and after a few minutes they separated and flew off together. Definitely the coolest!
Here's the Stagecoach support crew.
I didn't realise the bees were flying above the truck until I loaded the photos on the laptop!
The Panda Balloon somehow was all by himself, pretty high and way east of everyone else.
Humpty Dumpty takes off.
You can imagine the pandemonium this causes every day during the festival. High winds 2 days earlier caused several crashes, injuries and even a death as the balloons landed all over town.
At this point balloons were all over the place covering half the sky. I'm holding up my little fridge magnet souvenir.
Cheers! I spotted an enormous stein of beer taking off.
Cheers Kev!
Milking the Creamland Dairy Cow (don't laugh at me, gotta entertain yourselves when watching balloons take off for a couple hours with a chronic shortage of sleep)
The Nelly Pink Elephant crew begin inflating theirs with their pink fan.
The smiley face is inflating under a massive clover leaf.
Trying to get a shot with smiley, as the Creamland Cow lands at the edge of the field.
[Album Cover Photo]
There he is!
The grass was like Colorado grass, soft and comfortable, kids wrestled and played, people brought chairs with them, it was a pretty cool festival.
Nelly the elephant didn't take off that day, they were content to make an appearance as they got damaged the day before in a crash landing.
The Albuquerque mounted police.
I met Dierdre who was much nicer than your regular cop. The mounted po po's are part of the tactical division, along with S.W.A.T. and airborne etc. Fully armed, the works.
All the police gathered for a pose infront of the Children's Miracle Network balloon, which they do charity work for.
Inside one of their new 2007 Mustangs.
The sheriff motorbikes with their custom gear, measuring wheels, mag lites etc.
Had to wait before the cute girl finally posed with the motorbikes.
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta was the main reason for the trip, and was certainly a great end to a fantastic little holiday.
