Heading out, one lap around the USA!

[howard]

What are the Blue Laws In NM?
We can't find beer at any convienence store or Market.

No drive-up liquor sales.
No liquor sales after midnight.
No liquor sales before noon on Sunday.

No liquor sales within a certain distance (200 yards? I think) of schools and churches. Some stores where you would normally expect to find beer can’t sell any liquor at all because of this law.

[Mark Sedenquist]

No liquor sales within a certain distance (200 yards? I think) of schools and churches. Some stores where you would normally expect to find beer can’t sell any liquor at all because of this law.

This is helpful, I have been stumped before in NM looking for a similar libation. In some states, one has to a package liquor warehouse to purchase a six-pack of beer.

Mark

[RoadTrippers A & R]

Ross and Alice,

Great field report thus far.

I love it that Roswell has usurped the location for the famous "black mailbox" -- as you can see above, it is still exists. But it is about 921 miles to the northwest of Roswell, NM.

Mark

Ya got us on that one.

Other corrections:
It was the Denver and Rio Grand not the Durango and Silverton that once traveled from the Rio Grand to Denver.

It's the Chihuahua Desert, not the Sedona we passed through in Texas.

Wife is 11 years younger, not 12.

BTW:
What caught our attention:

Clinton promised to release any classified info about the Roswell incident.
And he did.
All it did was make everyone more sore at him, if that was possible.

[RoadTrippers A & R]

No drive-up liquor sales.
No liquor sales after midnight.
No liquor sales before noon on Sunday.

No liquor sales within a certain distance (200 yards? I think) of schools and churches. Some stores where you would normally expect to find beer can’t sell any liquor at all because of this law.

Thanks Howard.
That certainly explains why the state is so dry.
And soooo many DUI checkpoints mid-day.

What also surprised us are how few gas stations there are.
Just about a tankful apart.

Today brings an airplane tour of the Grand Canyon, and a Hummer off road tour.
Then, the kids asked for much-missed In & Out burger 4x4 animal style for dinner in Kingman,, then home.

[RoadTrippers A & R]

Major Powels assessment of the Colorado River.
He was the first to assess and travel it in 1869 and again in 1871.

I first read those words when I was 12, and have always loved the Colorado since I first laid eyes on it in Needles, Calif.

Sunday, we took a Grand Canyon Airlines flight over the Grand Canyon.
Pictures forthcoming.
Some long stretches of the Colorado are Carribean Blue. Stunning.

Since the big rains of 1986, two of the 191 stretches of the Colorados rapids were elevated to "10" status.
Any rating above 10 is considered un-navigable.

We considered both the Helicopter tour and the Twin Otter fixed wing tour.
Each tour very different, but the Twin Otter had the best value for a family of four.
Our route in flite was kinda-of-a lazy 8 from rim to rim. The North rim about 1200 ft higher in elevation than the South. Worked well, was fantastic.

Later:
We visited both the Brite Angel Hotel, and the close-by El Tovar Hotel.
Take our word for it, both hotels were built on these particular sites for good reasons. The views are spectacular, and though very close-by, entirely different. Hard to believe they're real views.
You realize right on the spot why the whole world comes to simply gaze out at the Canyon.

You can walk clear through the El Tovar and it is a really neat hotel.

One can simply walk a mile down, or perhaps just 50 yards down Brite Angel Trail to really fill ones heart with the majestic beauty of the canyon.
It's a 12 hour, hot and high altitude climb back up the trail if you hike to the bottom.
Honestly go on Brite Angel Trail eyes wide open, and prepaired if you decide to take the full hike. Even a short distance at least bring water, or Gatoraid.

We are now at our journeys starting point, Parker Arizona. 8016 miles total.
Today brings much needed welding repairs to our RV (remember cheap junk and expensive junk are your choices when considering an RV purchase).

Alice returns to work, one child delivered back to an ex, and Maynard & I then go take delivery on our new Wakeboard boat and go home too.

We will upload an album and a route with takes from all in the family.

Thanks to all for the nomination, and kinds positive votes putting us as Advisors.

- Ross and Alice.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Ross & Alice et al,

It was quite a holiday trip. Thanks for sharing it with all of us!

Mark

[RoadTrippers A & R]

Ross and Alice,

Great field report thus far.

I love it that Roswell has usurped the location for the famous "black mailbox" -- as you can see above, it is still exists. But it is about 921 miles to the northwest of Roswell, NM.

Mark

Thanks for the kind words Mark.

BTW:
Last nite my 7 year old and I were watching the Kids Science Channel.
They did a documentary from Roswell. They ran the Black Mailbox and the lonely backroad diner filled with the believable pundits by us yet again.

We know better now.

"That vast wasteland called television."
-TV inventor Philo T. Farnsworth (Philco)

[Mark Sedenquist]

They ran the Black Mailbox and the lonely backroad diner filled with the believable pundits by us yet again.

I can't believe no one has ever complained about this. What a bunch of nonsense!

Mark