Albuquerque, NM to Las Vegas, NV

We got up this morning (Thursday, 1/26) and before leaving Albuquerque, we stopped by the Petroglyph NM on the western edge of town.  Now after traveling throughout the southwest the past coupe years and visiting some beautiful Parks & monuments, we have seen our share of petroglyphs.  I guess we've been spoiled.  We just were not impressed with the petroglyphs in PNM. 

Here is the front of the visitor's center.  The old house used to belong to the Brophy family.  From the NPS website:  Dr. Sophie Aberle, known as "Measuring Lady" by the Native Americans she worked with, was the first practicing applied anthropologist in the United States. Her research focused mainly on women's lives at the pueblos, including pregnancy, child birth, child care, diet and healing. Because of her position as Superintendent of the United Pueblo's Agency, she was able to implement practices which led to better conditions in the pueblos.  Sometime around 1954 - 1956, Dr. Aberle and her husband, attorney William Brophy, purchased an adobe-style home on what is now known as Albuquerque's West Mesa. The home was first built by Col. Alexander Stewart, in about 1948, as a homestead property. The original house, most probably, consisted of today's visitor area and conference room.

Above is what the Brophy house looked like in the early '50's.

 All of our pics of the 'glyphs were from the Rinconada Canyon area only.  There about four different areas (canyons) where the petroglyphs are found.  We only hiked into the Rinconada Canyon.

 Above, looking east back towards Albuquerque.

 Below, you just Nancy walking up ahead of me.

We walked back to MH, hooked up the Jeep and headed out town towards Flagstaff on I-40.  We didn't make it all the way, so we pulled into Walmart in Winslow, about 40 miles east of Flagstaff.  And no, I didn't "stand on a corner in Winslow Arizona", but it was "such a fine sight to see" the beautiful sunset from the parking lot.  Check these pics out.

So we got up Friday morning and drove on towards Las Vegas.  As we crossed the new bridge at Boulder City, Nancy squeezed off a couple of pics from the MH window of the dam area and Lake Mead.  Here's one.

OK, we finally made it to Nellis Air Force Base RV Park (Desert Eagle) around 4 in the afternoon Friday.  We just stayed in and fixed us some guacamole and some black bean soup and ham slices.  Too tired to do much else, plus I have a cold.  Can't remember where I got it from.  I feel pretty lousy.

 One of our favorite shows on DISH satellite, is Pawn Stars.  We also like American Pickers and American Restoration Warehouse.  Well, above is the storefront for the Pawn Stars on Las Vegas Blvd, just north of the giant Stratosphere tower.  I wanted to stop by and say hello to Chumley, Rick & Cory & the Old Man.  But as you can see, the line just to get in the place as around the block.  Ridiculous.  Needless to say, we just drove on out to the Lake Mead area and went for a Jeep ride.

Below, the Stratosphere. You know people bungy jump down this tower?

And there's a roller coaster up on top of it.  No way!

And below is Insanity, which is a ride that dangles it's riders off the edge of the tower.  NO WAY!  In fact, no way would I even ride an elevator this far up, or down!

And on our way out to Lake Mead, we drove past Rick's American Restoration facility off Commerce Street.

Above, just east of the Strip on our way to Lake Mead Rec area.  Which we never made it to, as we stayed too long on our Jeep ride off road. 

 Up in the hills, looking west down into Vegas.  It was a little hazy today.  We were about ten miles from the strip.

Yours truly, walking around the hills east of Vegas on our Jeep ride.  Jeeps really can get you to places where most folks can't get to.  We love ours. 

So, ends our stay in the Vegas area.  In the morning we'll get up, fuel up the MH and head for Edwards Air Frce Base for an overnighter, and then on into Paso Robles Tuesday night, and Wednesday afternoon we should arrive in the Monterey area for about two weeks.  Till our next blog, RVing Beach Bums.