UPDATED

Albuquerque, NM
26 May 2007

High of 75, clear

Friends of Charlie and Barbara ..

Yesterday I describe “where we be” in macro scale. On the left is our RV in the campground. A pleasant setting. with lots of songbirds.

Today I’m reporting on a shopping spree at the Nordstroms of Rving, Camping World, which is just next door. Camping World may be familiar to some of you who have Rved but new to the rest of you.

Camping World is a national chain and here is partnered with American RV, an RV sales lot. Not pictured is millions of dollars of inventory including mammoth diesel bus-type RVs, “class C” cab over RV’s like ours, fifth wheel trailers to be pulled by a pickup truck, smaller trailers that can be pulled by a big car, and even pop-up tent trailers you could almost tow with a bicycle. Here are some prices:

But today we came here to shop for RV stuff.

Here they have most everything for the Rver from the essentials, single-ply toilet paper; to propane tanks; electrical cabling to connect up to city power; sewer hose, fittings and deodorants; water hoses to connect to city water; 12 volt entertainment systems; satellite TV antennas; GPS sets; braking systems for towed cars; and of course lawn chairs and bicycles and books which caught Barbara‘s eye.

What did we buy? A replacement laundry basket, spice rack, water connection cap, water filter; and a tube of Goop to repair a door latch. All of our serious shopping is for Indian jewelry, pots and rugs as you’ll see.

Tomorrow we venture into old town Albuquerque for church.

… Humphrey for Charlie and Barbara

Albuquerque, NM
25 May 2007
High of 79, partly cloudy

...Friends of Charlie and Barbara

Well, we’re in Albuquerque a day earlier than planned because of a screw-up by Bill Gates. We drove over from Gallup yesterday.

On the way, we crossed the continental divide at 7275’. From here everything flows into the Atlantic, here specifically via the Rio Grande and the Gulf of Mexico.

Charlie has used Microsoft’s “Streets and Trails” software package to plot Highway 66 and to locate places we’re interested in, like campgrounds, museums, pizza parlors, etc. The map have limited accuracy as we have found. For example, the pointer to the right is where Bill Gates plotted a KOA campground, near Budville (below) on old Hwy 66. The pointer on the left is where we after the fact found it to be, some 20 miles past.

Scenic Budville probably as it was during the hay-day of 66.

So we went on the Enchanted Trails on the western approaches to Albuquerque. The push pin marks our site under a couple shade trees. This aerial photo must have been shot 2 years ago about when we were here last because the construction site next door has blossomed into a Camping World where Charlie is heading after I finish this. The freeway on the left overlays Route 66 which on the right still exists and goes through downtown Albuquerque.

On your approach to Albuquerque we noticed a series of (illegal) bill board along the freeway announcing something new. We had to explore, casinos generally have good eats.

The casino was done in high casino style with finesse but with the destinctive slotmachine sound, notice the custom carpet design. Not pictured is a large 6-story hotel addition under construction. Inside, this surreptitious shot suggests the large gaming floor with slots; there were separate bingo and card room and two restaurants. The clientele seemed to be mostly white, mixed gender, and younger than the female Social Security set we have observed elsewhere. The arrowhead symbol seems to be somewhat popular along 66.

In a bar overlooking the gaming floor from which the interior picture above was shot we had an interesting conversation with a well dressed and groomed young man who is a Isleta Pueblo Indian that works at the casino; the casino is owned by the Laguna Pueblo Indians. In answer to our several questions: (1) alcohol still is the principal problem on reservation, (2)reservation Indians are generally addicted to the welfare life while about a third who have left the reservation are caught up in the work-a-day American life style, and (3) most Indians feel remote from national politics such as the current immigration bill which Charlie feels may be characteristic of many mountain-time zone public -- the Federal government in Washington is as remote and un-responsive as London was to the American colonists.

At dinner at a great seafood buffet ($15.98) we also had a very interesting conversation with a trucker who drove in from LA that day. Most of his life he was a senior sea captain in the marine support to the off-shore oil industry. He has had an extremely interesting life, great stories, that literally ranged around the world.

Well enough of Charlie’s opinioned drivel. We’ll be here in Albuquerque at least to Monday, maybe longer. Maybe more later, like a new blog of Barbara‘s Good Stuff.

… Humphrey for Charlie and Barbara

UPDATED
"Gulliver"
Gallup, NM
23 May 2007

Friends of Charlie and Barbara ...

Yesterday I reported on Charlie and Barbara’s daughter Elizabeth, the girl with the radiant smile.

Through recent years, Elizabeth has had a real character cat and loving soul mate, Gulliver. He’s an older cat she got from the pound in New York City back when she was going to Barnard College. Gulliver has helped Elizabeth through hard times and good times.

Today I am sad to report that Elizabeth had to put Gulliver down; he died from complications from kidney failure and diabetes.

All of you who have lost us pets know how we feel today.

I knew Gulliver while Elizabeth was staying with us on Mercer Island. We got along well, sort of, we were mutual characters and left each other alone. I must admit that Gulliver wasn’t intimidated by dogs and he could be mischievous.

I have assured Elizabeth that I will look for Gulliver’s arrival up here and keep an eye on him for her.

In loving memory
GULLIVER

March 1995 - May 22, 2007

If you would like to drop Elizabeth a note, her email is: ebbarb@yahoo.com


... Humphrey for Charlie, Barbara and Elizabeth

Gallup, NM
22 May 2007

Dear friends of Charlie and Barbara …

This is my, Humphrey‘s, first effort to describe, on the fly, a memorable place that we are currently visiting.

We’re in Gallup, New Mexico. Oh, I should note for our eastern friends, you really don’t need a passport to visit New Mexico.

We’ve been here for the past few days and by the number of snapshots that Charlie has taken, he and Barbara have been pretty busy “touristing“. Not depicted here is Barbara’s visit to the Zuni Pueblo south of Gallup, nor Charlie’s research into Route 66, nor all the time Charlie spent putting together my blogs. Thanks guy!

Gallup, on this restaurant place mat map, lies in the upper left edge of the state, note arrow. I-40 runs by it, Route 66, the dotted line, runs through it -- Gallup’s main street, the old track of 66, is now named Route 66.

This Google Earth aerial from 12,000’ gives you a sense of the size of the town and adjacent terrain; it is high desert at 6500‘. In the picture I-40 and Route 66 main street are marked and between them lies the Santa Fe Railroad and a dry wash.

Gallup seems to be a blue-collar town with a large Catholic Cathedral prominent in the center of this picture. Gallup is a Catholic Diocese so it has a cathedral. It is the grandest building in town except for the Federal Office Building which is the typical concrete block house.

The town has nice view neighborhoods in the hills south of town. This home entrance caught Barbara’s eye

The Hotel El Rancho, on Route 66, is a national historic site. The lobby is particularly handsome and Barbara rates the Indian art gift shop as pretty good.

This is a detail of a large mural painted on the outside wall over a downtown store. Speaking from a dog’s limited knowledge, I have no understanding of the symbolism in the mural; I find it more interesting though than symbolic early Christian art Charlie has been lecturing me on.

Gallup has a strong Indian presence; about 50% of the population is Native American. The town is on the southern edge of the large Navajo Reservation and about 40 miles north of the Zuni Pueblo. Barbara reports that the drive between Gallup and the Pueblo is particularly beautiful.

Earl’s restaurant is an institution in Gallup and was here when Barbara, her Mother and Brother drove through in 1950 -- no she doesn‘t remember it. It is very large with three normal-sized dining rooms, probably seats 200, and it is well patronized. Service and food is excellent. It is staffed primarily by very courteous Navajos. Barbara dragged Charlie there three times before he realize that the attraction really was the crafts on sale outside and at the table by strolling artisans (or their wives, husbands or children).





Gallup is reportedly the center of the Southwest Indian craft industry; most Navajo and Zuni crafts are shipped through the town. There are dozens of Indian trading posts buying and selling the work. Thunderbird Supply is unusual because it is primarily a jewelry material wholesaler to the Indians: everything for making necklaces, bracelets, rings and other trinkets to sell to the pale-faces. Here they are cutting silver and gold wire for quite a customers audience who appeared to be a mix of Native Americans and Anglos.

Barbara is looking at her passion: turquoise, about which she has acquired quite a knowledge. Charlie has only learned that there is turquoise and then there is turquoise. The turquoise seems to be sold both polished and in rough rock form. Barbara notes that some of the turquoise sold today is from, where else, China.

I hope that this give you a glimpse of what we’ve found to be a very interesting and different town, one worth visiting and which caused us to extend our stay.

NEXT: Wednesday we may head east along Route 66, maybe going as far as Seama adjacent to the Acoma Pueblo and Laguna Pueblo Indian Reservations west of Albuquerque, NM. I’m indefinite about their plans because Barbara and Charlie make up their minds to move or not move based upon how they feel after their morning coffee.

… Humphrey for Barbara and Charlie

Personal note. B/C's daughter Elizabeth, residing in Malibu, CA is getting ready to return to New York City this August to enter Columbia’s Union Theological Seminary for a three year Master of Divinity degree. As a celestial guard dog, I’m very proud of her following in my footsteps.