LIVING KAREN'S DREAM

Fishing Hall of Fame, Spooner, Wisconsin June 2011

Can you claim a catch as big as these?

Kurt's & Dan's One Pound Hamburger, Rice Lake WI, Elks Lodge

We camped at Rice Lake, WI, Elks Lodge. This was the view from our RV windshield, the beautiful lake.

Yes, this really is the size of the hamburger Dan and Kurt each ate, a one pounder!

Ringling Brothers Circus, May 2011

Here is the Al Ringling Theater, still in use today and never has never been closed since it was built.

It was soooo beautiful inside. Repair and maintenance is on-going to maintain all the original structure and furnishings. In fact only upholstery is replaced on the furnishings as needed.

This is the original Organ that was played during silent movies for dramatic effect. This is the curator.

Here is the Al Ringling home which is now an Elks Lodge.

These are the 5 Ringling brothers: Al, John, Otto, Charles and Alfred.

This is a photo of the home in the late 1800's. It still looks the same today!

Branson Missouri, May 2011

As most of you know, Branson MO is an entertainment town. It was an awesome experience for 5 days. Instead of putting photos of the entertainment I decided to put in a couple of unusual sites. It had been raining a lot before we got there and our proposed campground is what you see under water.

The guy is playing two flutaphones through his nose. How is that for unusual?

This unfortunate truck driver made a left turn a little too sharply.

Anybody for an overgrown monkey? He is attached to one of the buildings in Branson, awesome isn't it?

And last but not least, here I am with Joe, the new Elvis Presley! He was on America's Got Talent and with that now has a new career in Branson, MO. He does a very good impression and is considered the 2nd best in the US of all the impressionists of Elvis Presley.

White Sands New Mexico in April 2011

This is one awesome, beautiful place. This white sand is so fine and soft, wonderful on bare feet.

Drive to Tortilla Flats, AZ

Several of us drive up and back on the very old Apache Trail, an old road built so the men and equipment could get to and from the Roosevelt Dam while it was being built.

The road is full of sharp, one lane hair pin and S turns and on dirt. It was a great ride.

Part of the road viewed from much higher in the mountains.

Very delicate flower.

Look at the tiny car on the road below us.

Look waaay out there, more road!

One lane1

Two Quail in Apache Junction, AZ

I spent two nights at the Moose Lodge in Apache Junction AZ before heading to Avendale to Cummins Coach Care for my RV safety check before I head toward Maine. These two birds were sitting on the wall I was parked next to. You cannot see through my windows from outside so the birds, a male and female, did not see me moving around and taking their pictures.

Roosevelt NP, Arizona

I spent a great 10 days at the "Windy Hill" campground near Roosevelt Lake in mid March with the WIN's. I have never been here and was just loving how beautiful it is. I took a 270 mile drive one day by my self from camp, up 188 through Payson up to the Mogollon Rim and back down route 288 through a little town called Young. I got some fire wood for our camp from a nice logger fellow, took great shots of a beautiful bird right out of my RV window, and other fun photos. Enjoy.

Tonto NP Lower Cliff Dwelling. I hiked one mile up here to this one also.

Just me.


Great hike to the Upper dwelling.

Here is some of the group on the 3 mile hike up to the dwelling.

So pretty! Took this on the way up.

Finger prints of the Indians from over 700 years ago to make the mud walls.

A little of the the inside of the dwelling.

Some of us went on a drive and crossed the river on the way back.

We were warm in the camp area and this is the snow at the Mogollon Rim.

ALSO at Roosevelt NP

These three Cardinals, two female and one male were caught on camera through my RV window. They are tinted so the birds could not see me taking their picture.

Chiricahua NP, the "Standing Up Rocks"

What a beautiful drive it was to see these amazing rocks. The road was mostly dirt and one lane. I drove to nearly 7000 feet altitude and even saw snow. The road up to and down from the peak was a narrow, very S turn curvy, one lane road and I did not see any other cars on the 50+ miles through the mountain. Once I descended a few miles out of Paradise (a tiny little town) I saw humanity. I drove 168 miles from Willcox, which included a back road for another trip back to Fort Bowie, right up to the visitor center so Viv Grybko could enjoy the Fort and back to Willcox from Paradise to Hwy 10 and back to Willcox.

Erickson's 'Faraway Ranch", Near Chiricahua NP

The eldest daughter of Swedish immigrants, Neil and Emma Erickson , Lillian with her husband Ed Riggs stayed on the home-stead after the other two children left to live their lives elsewhere, and used it as a guest ranch. They led horse tours to the "Standing Up Rocks" in the Chiricahua NP.