South Mountain - Phoenix, AZ

We spent this afternoon at South Mountain in Phoenix.  I heard about it on the news the other night and we decided to check it out.  It's only a little over 2,300 ft., but the road going up to it is really curvy and narrow.  Bob was a real trooper and drove just fine.  :-)  The views from the top were great, although it would have been better if it wasn't an overcast day.

 

 

Dobbins Lookout near the top of South Mountain

Downtown Phoenix from Dobbins Lookout

A golf course from Dobbins Lookout

An old stone building at Dobbins Lookout

I think this is Mesa-Gateway Airport from Dobbins Lookout

Rock formations on the mountain

TV antennas near the top

 

Saguaro cactus on the moutain

I saw this bird and had to catch it on the fly (pun

intended) because there was a car behind us.  Not

sure if it's a golden eagle or what it is.

Downtown Phoenix as we descended the mountain

Would this be partly sunny or partly cloudy?  :-)

Downtown Phoenix

Scorpion Gulch, near the entrance to the mountain

National Route 66 Museum, Elk City, OK

We spent this afternoon at the Museum Complex in Elk City, OK, which includes The Old Town Museum, The Farm & Ranch Museum, The Transportation Museum and The Blacksmith Museum, as well as the National Route 66 Museum.  Although this is the "National" Route 66 Museum, we both felt that the one in Victorville, CA was much better.  It is a very nice complex that reminded me of a mini-Greenfield Village. 

 

The entrance to the museum complex.

 

Bob at the "drive-in" in a pink Cadillac.

 

Bob driving a 1917 REO Fire Truck.

 

A movie set at the Route 66 Museum.

 

The Opera House.

 

Permanent Wave...NO WAY!!!  What women

don't go through!

 

 1919 Ford Model T Truck

 

An old White treadle sewing machine.  This reminded

me of the one my Grandma had.  She used to see

a dress on a little girl that she liked, make a

newspaper pattern of it and make it on her

White sewing machine.

 

This picture and the next one are of a statue

titled "Binding Contract". 

Grove, Oklahoma

We arrived at the Bear's Den Resort in Grove, OK early this afternoon.  Even though this is our 3rd visit here, I had really forgotten how nice this area is.  This park is on Grand Lake and this weekend is the Pelican Festival.  The White Pelicans stop here every year in Sept-Oct on their migration route south.  We did see some on the lake near our park, but dusk was setting in and my pics didn't turn out as nice as I hoped.  I'll have to look for more tomorrow.  We went to The Grand Lake Casino this afternoon and I put $20.00 in a machine and in about 5 minutes I had $153.00 in credits, so I decided to take the loot & scoot.  Unfortunately, Bob wasn't as lucky.  But, we still came out way ahead.  :-)

 

A white egret on Grand Lake

 

The egret takes flight.

 

They sure do have long legs!

 

 

 

A few white pelicans on Grand Lake.

 

A pair of egrets.

The sun setting at our park.

 

Sunset

 

Sunset on Grand Lake.

Lost Valley Lake Resort, Owensville, MO

We arrived yesterday at Lost Valley Lake Resort.  This is our 3rd visit here and it seems like every time we arrive, there are new or improved amenities.  This resort is huge and it has soooo many amenties, including horseback riding, a petting zoo, movie theater, indoor sports building, etc.

 

The entrance to the resort

The massive clubhouse.  What a beautiful setting!

Another view of the clubhouse.

These are bounce pillows.  I have never seen them

anywhere else, but they sure look like fun!

 

One of many animal statues in the resort.

St. Louis Gateway Arch

While traveling through St. Louis yesterday, I snapped some pictures of the Gateway Arch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

East Tawas, Michigan

We spent this past weekend in the Tawas area with Jason, Connor and Jillian and their friends, Paul, Ericka, Drew, Ethan and Gage Bond.  Paul & Ericka have a cottage in East Tawas and we found a really nice campground in Tawas City (Tawas RV Park).  We had such a great time and thoroughly enjoyed spending a few days with the Leopolds and the Bonds.  On Saturday we spent the afternoon at Lumberman's Memorial, which is west of Oscoda.  There was plenty to keep the kids busy and the scenery in that area is gorgeous.  We had a picnic lunch in the pavilion and really enjoyed our day!

 

Bob & I with Jason, Connor & Jillian at Tawas Point Lighthouse.

 

 Tawas Point Lighthouse

Jillian holding the lighthouse.  :-)

The 5 kids with Ericka in the background.  She climbed up

the back of the "log jam" to sneak in the picture.  She is

ALWAYS the practical joker.

Jason & the kids at the sand dunes at Lumberman's Memorial.

Jillian cracking up after one of the Bond boys swung the bat &

hit his brother in the head.   Thank goodness is was a plastic bat!

Beautiful view of the AuSable River heading out

to Lake Huron at the dunes.

Our handsome grandson, Connor.

Old Glory flying over Tawas City.