YUCCA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA FEBRUARY 22 - 24, 2014

Traveled on Rt. 10 to California!  Here we are!

This is the road we traveled through the north side of Joshua Tree National Park on our way to Yucca Valley to see Stephanie, Will & Judson

Stephanie & Will's home in Yucca Valley above and our RV parked in the cul de sac in front of their home.

So happy to see Stephanie & Judson!!

Stephanie & Will preparing a delicious Sunday morning brunch for us on the hibachi grill at their home.   We even had mimosas made with freshly squeezed California oranges!   YUM!

Will & Judson enjoying bacon cooked on the grill. 

At Joshua Tree National Park...just a few short miles from Stephanie & Will's.

Will mapped out a rock climbing trail for us in the park...just follow them.

hmmm...so you want me to keep climbing?

And, how do I get up there?  

Will & Judson make it look so easy!

Will giving Judson a hands up.  

Here we are at our summit!   Notice I said "our" summit not "the" summit. It was beautiful though. And, did I mention that Will didn't tell us until the end that we were hiking Rattlesnake Canyon?

Here are some kids braver than me.  Truly was a beautiful place.

On our way to dinner later that day, Will & Stephanie gave us a driving tour through  the park to the southern side. Here I am by a Joshua Tree.

A forest of Joshua Trees.

A very brave rock climber in the park...it is not me! This is a world class rock climbing area.

Skull Rock....I think you will appreciate this Brooklyn.

Rocks, rocks, and more rocks!

Liz in the Cholla Cactus Garden.  And a close up of a blossoming cholla.   These are beautiful and they look furry and soft from a distant but they are very dangerous....DO NOT TOUCH!

Gary standing by a large Ocotillo Cactus.

Dinner at Fisherman's Market & Grill in Palm Springs.  Gary is taking the picture.   We had a wonderful time with Stephanie, Will & Judson. So very glad they were part of our trip!

MESA, ARIZONA FEBRUARY 21, 2014

While in Mesa we were looking forward to meeting up with Denis Bixler, a good friend of Jon's from Groton who had relocated to Phoenix several years ago.  We met Denis and his son Dakota and they took us for a tour of several houses that he is constructing.   One of the areas was a gated community, Painted Sky.

Here is Denis showing us work in progress on a beautiful home...outside and interior views.  Notice the size of the beams in the lower picture which will be on the ceiling of the home.

This is the view of the private golf course of the home being constructed.

Denis took us to the Buffalo Chip Saloon for dinner. Above is the parking attendant who directed us to parking...first time we have seen an attendant on horseback!   We had a great dinner with Denis and Dakota....so nice to see them.

MESA, ARIZONA FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Downtown Mesa...there are statues such as these two all through downtown.

Since we have an interest in Frank Lloyd Wright architecture we were looking forward to seeing Tailiesin West which he designed and built north of Mesa in the Phoenix area.  This is the summer home of his architectural college and where he spent his summers.

Two different outside views of Taliesin West.  This is still an active college for architecture which enrolls only 35 students a year.

Photo of Frank Lloyd Wright at his desk.

Some outside views of his home...so many gardens, sculptures, water features.  Such a beautiful place.

Don't know what this beautiful red/pink vibrant flowers are, but they are everywhere adding a striking contrast to the desert landscape.

This is a photograph of the architectural drawing room...were were not allowed in this area.

This is theater at the school...note the aisle lights on the sides of the seats.  These lights which are now commonplace in all theaters originated from this design of FLW.

We were having a picnic lunch on the grounds of Tailiesin West when Gary captured this photo of a hummingbird.

Next stop..the Arizona Biltmore...another Frank Lloyd Wright building located in Phoenix.

One of the outside views.

The lobby in the Biltmore.

Interesting fact...every president since Herbert Hoover has stayed at the Arizona Biltmore.

TUSCON, ARIZONA FEBRUARY 18, 2014

Visiting the Titan Missile Museum south of Tucson. This missile was one of many around the country (50+) that served as a deterrent against Soviet aggression during the cold war era.  Now a few of these sites have been disarmed and turned into museums and the rest have been destroyed. 

Info about the Titan II (click once on picture to enlarge).

Going underground and entering through the blast door.

Gary at the control panel (YIKES!)  ready to turn the key.  When the missile was armed there were only two people in this room at any time to launch the missile if the launch code was ordered.  This never happened.

Gary with the card that says he turned the key...which never happened in real life.

Looking down on the disarmed missile silo. 

Change of pace...we visited the Mission San Xavier del Bac later that day. This is an active Franciscan mission located on the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation.  This mission has been dubbed the "Sistine Chapel of North America".  The pristine exterior and intricate interior have undergone careful restoration.

The beautiful interior of the mission.

Later that day Gary drove b y the "Boneyard".  Although this picture does not capture the immense proportions of the yard there are thousands of decommissioned aircraft from all branches of the armed services.  To really appreciate it I guess you had to be there.