Do I Hear Santa???

In my house, this time of year is our favorite time of year.  The heat of the Texas summer starts to abate and those cherished cool fronts (they call them cold fronts here) start swinging through and the leaves begin to fall.  So needless to say out came my holiday fabric and I got busy making things I thought my friends would enjoy. 

I thought these candy cane holders were just adorable.  Each day my grandson has come home from school and picked out which one he wanted me to make that evening.  There are 20 to choose from, so I have my work cut out for me.

Visit my Etsy Shop to see many other selections

Chick's Texas Boutique

 

 

 I happen to be sitting here with my embroidery machine, making a friend a pretty Christmas towel for her birthday which was last week.  I actually should be starting on some of the wonderful goodies for Thanksgiving, but that can wait until tomorrow. 

Dispatches From The Road - The final days and hotel reviews

Arriving in Flagstaff was anticipated to provide photographic opportunities, but there were no Aspens to be found along out route. 

We also were anticipating the stay at the Hotel Monte Vista.  The hotel was originally built on 1926, played host to many famous and infamous people. 

Unfortunately, we got off on the wrong foot before we set foot in the hotel.  We arrived in late afternoon on a Saturday.  No one told us there would be no where to park . I had to call the hotel twice as we continued to circle the hotel trying to find a place to park.  We wound up parking in an underground parking and paying $10/day.  It would have been nice if we knew that up front.

The upside of our stay was dinner that night at Pasto - Cucina Italiana, located across the street from the hotel.  http://www.pastorestaurant.com/  The food was great and the waiter/bartender made a mean Margarita.  I would highly recommend this restaurant if you are ever in the area.

Sunday morning we were on our way to Albuquerque.  On the way, we stopped at the Barringer Meteor Crater, which is 35 miles north of Flagstaff.  Take a look at their website, it is very interesting http://www.barringercrater.com/  It is just amazing when you are standing there looking at the expanse of the crater.

 

 

In Albuquerque, we stayed at the Rio Grande Inn-Best Western Plus, on the northern edge of Old Town.  Very nice to be in a comfortable room.  Monday morning we took a walk through Old Town and visited many quaint shops.  http://www.albuquerqueoldtown.com/    It reminds me somewhat of Sante Fe.  But, I am still partial to Sante Fe. 

Once we were done shopping, we headed to Amarillo.  On the way, we stopped to Stand On The Corner in Winslow, Arizona.  It was pretty cool, the store on the opposite corner was playing all Eagles songs and you could hear it outside.

Our last stop before home was the Sleep Inn & Suites in Amarillo.  What a pleasant surprise.  Very big room with king bed, couch, coffee table, desk, good size bathroom with plenty of counter space with frig and microwave.

Our trip was very enjoyable.  We saw many beautiful and interesting places. Now it is time to go back to work.  Ughh !!

Thank you for following along the past few days.  I hope you enjoyed the pictures and I hope the information I provided will be helpful if you ever find yourself in these areas.

Hotel ratings

My opinions on the hotels we stayed at were based on a few points.  Comfortable bed, plenty of counter space, good in room coffee, cleanliness, attention to detail, pleasant staff and best bang for the buck.  I am listing them by favorite first to least favorite last.

1) Best View  The View Hotel in Monument Valley, UT/AZ http://www.monumentvalleyview.com/

• The hotel was built with respect for the Navajo people and the land it sits on.  The room was very nice, it was clean, the in room coffee was great.  The view from every balcony was exceptional.  There was not an upcharge to get this view.  Every room faced the monuments.
• Nice complimentary toiletries.
• Hooks for clothes in bathroom.
• The restaurant was good, with a great breakfast buffet.
• Elevators
• Many options for tours are available and the one we chose was exceptional.
• A bit pricey, but willing to pay it for the experience.
• Helpful and pleasant staff.

2)  Best Rate  The Sleep Inn & Suites West Medical Center in Amarillo, TX.  http://www.sleepinn.com/?chain=Z&source=pmfgosil&pmf=google&cid=go000718138

• The hotel seemed to be relatively new.  Very roomy and clean.
• Lots of counter space in bathroom and in the room itself.
• Hooks for clothes in bathroom.
• Very cool features included a door bell, litghted buttons to indicate privacy or room make up requested.
• Nice complimentary toiletries.
• Very good price (suite for $85). 
• Hot breakfast, but no restaurant.  However, there were many restaurants nearby. 
• Elevators 
• Downfall, was the coffee.  It was awful and I was glad I brought along a couple pkgs of coffee from The View.
• Nice staff

3)  Rio Grande Inn-Best Western Plus in Albuquerque, NM  http://www.riograndeinn.com/

• The hotel was clean and roomy.
• Acceptable counter space.
• Hooks for clothes in bathroom.
• Very good restaurant with wide range of selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Elevators, but the luggage carts did not fit in the elevator.
• Location was great as it was right on the edge of Old Town.
• Coffee acceptable
• Nice complimentary toiletries.
• Acceptable price ($93.00)
• Elevators
• Pleasant staff

4)  Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM  http://blueswallowmotel.com/

• First I want to say, I loved this hotel.  I was expecting the limitations of the hotel, so they were not a dissapointment. 
• The owner was there to check us in and took the time to tell us how he and his wife came to own The Blue Swallow.
• The hotel was clean.
• Hooks on door in bathroom
• Extremely unique
• Small bathroom with no counter space.
• Nice complimentary toiletries.
• No in room coffee
• All rooms were at ground level, no elevator needed.
• Very acceptable price ($59.95)

5)  Yavapai Lodge in The Grand Canyon  http://www.usparklodging.com/grandcanyon/yavapai.php?gclid=CLaH07OZh7MCFbKiPAodQG0Asw

• The hotel was clean and recently updated inside.
• There was a pull out sofa in the room, but if you pulled it out, it would have butted up against the bed.
• Hooks on door in bathroom.
• Sink located outside of bathroom. Was inconvenient.
• Average complimentary toiletries.
• Coffee acceptable
• Only saw the staff at check in/out
• Office and restaurant/cafeteria was about a 1 block walk away.  Since it was rainy and our car was in the shop the first 2 days there, it was inconvenient.  However, not the hotel's fault.
• No elevator

6)  Hotel Monte Vista in Flagstaff, AZ  http://www.hotelmontevista.com/

• Room seemed to be clean.  Carpet needed to be tighten and cleaned.
• Big room, with antique furniture.
• Elevator
• Bathroom small, no counter space.
• No hooks in bathroom
• Toiletries were not good and just tossed on a ledge over the toilet.
• Staff at the front desk would not even look at us when checking us in.
• View was of the roof of other parts of the hotel.
• I opened a window and it would not close completely, so had to stuff it with the curtains to keep the cold night air out.
• No designated parking.  Under these circumstances there is usually a valet, but no assistance was available.
• Tragically hip. 
• Note:  Got off on the wrong foot, so opinion there on was jaded.

7)  El Rancho Hote in Gallup, NM   http://www.elranchohotel.com/

• The hotel has a historical background
• Room was small
• Old and dungeon like along our hallway
• Staff was rude
• Although we reserved a room, they did not have a record of it.  I showed him our print out and he showed me a hand written list of people who were to check in that day.
• We did get a room, but not what we reserved.
• Restaurant was average.
• I was told by the staff at the front desk not to park in the back, it wasn't safe.   I guess at least he told me.

Dispatches From The Road - Day 8 and 9

Friday morning brought sunshine to The Grand Canyon.  Still pretty dang chilly (32 degrees).  We took the opportunity to make a couple stops before heading to Flagstaff. 

Absolutely beautiful

 

 

For lunch we stopped at Twister's 50's Soda Fountain in Williams, AZ.  Burgers were very good, maybe a little pricey, but very good.  Quite a little find.  They had lots of Route 66 and Coke memorabilia. 

Our next stop took us to the Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments in Arizona.  Erupting sometime between 1040 and 1100, Sunset Crater is the most recent in a six-million-year history of volcanic activity in the Flagstaff area.  The force of the volcano created more than 600 hills and mountains in the San Francisco volcanic field.  The Wupatki Pueblo was built and occupied during the 1100s.  By 1180 thousands of people were farming on the Wupatki landscape.  By 1250, the volcano had quieted and the pueblos stood empty.  The people of Wupatki had moved on and established new homes, some to the high deserts of the Colorado Plateau.  Those that did stay, their descendants still live nearby, including Hopi, Zuni, and Navajo people.

 

 



Dispatches From The Road - Day 6 and 7

It is Friday evening and we've been in The Grand Canyon since Wednesday afternoon.  Saw nothing but the inside of a tow truck and taxi on Friday.  Just lucky the car broke down inside the park. 

Thursday was a damp, very chilly, drizzly day.  Took the bus to all of the west points of the canyon.  It's very pretty, but hard to stay and appreciate, when you are cold and wet.  Once we got off the bus, we were in the elements until the next bus came by. At one stop Carl was asked by this young couple to take their picture for their Save The Date's for their wedding.  They scared me when they stepped out onto an unprotected ledge no more than 3' by 5'.

We are staying at Yavapai Lodge.  The rooms are separate from the Lodge, restaurant and gift shop.  They have been recently renovated on the inside.  There are about 6 Motel/Hotels in the park along with various camp and RV sites.

Friday morning brought us temps in the 30's, a mix of rain, sleet, snow and high winds.  We did get our car back early Friday morning, so we decided to go sight seeing.  As the morning wore on the weather got worse.  During the afternoon, the sun came out and warmed up to 40.  We saw several of the points, all very pretty.  But there were still a lot of clouds so we couldn't see as much as we would have liked.  Just the expanse of the canyon is hard to take in.  There are elk that come right up to the road to eat.  There were a couple that just walked across the road in front of us, like we weren't even there. 

Lipon Point

 Between Monument Valley and The Grand Canyon, they are both very big international tourist sites.  However, it was much more apparent at The Grand Canyon. 

Tomorrow we are off to Flagstaff. 

Dispatches From The Road - Day 4 and 5

It's been a couple days since we've had decent, if any connectivity.  So follow along, these past 3 days have been both extremely stressful and extremely fun. 

Monday was not one of the most pleasant for Carl, as he had an attack of kidney stones.  Ouch !!!!  However, it was not until we got to Monument Valley that he was sure it was kidney stones and not a virus or something more critical. If you've had kidney stones, you know what I mean. He was bad enough, I got directions to the closest emergeny room.  Luckily, we didn't need to go. 

Leaving Gallup, our first stop was in the town of Shiprock, named after a rock formation that has the appearance of the bow of a ship. The town was just a cross roads stop.  Poverty in this entire area is very apparent.  At the foot of many of the bluffs are small groupings of homes.  Homes that are nothing more than run down shacks.  It is hard to understand what people do for a living. There are very few obvious businesses and the land itself is barren.  There are horses and cattle here and there, feeding off what brush is there.  After one more stop in Kayenta, AZ we were on to Monument Valley and The View Hotel.

We were now on Navajo land, and in an effort to find a pharmacy so Carl's doctor could send a prescription for him, we found out that although there was a clinic close by and an emergency room in Kayenta, they only serve Navajo.  The nearest pharmacy was almost 1 1/2 hrs away. 

After getting settled into our room, these pictures below were from our balcony.

This view was to our left on the balcony

 

This view was to our right on the balcony

The View Hotel is in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, AZ.  The View Hotel is a must stay if you ever find yourself in the area. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The room was very comfortable and had an amazing view.  A breakfast buffet was offered, along with lunch and dinner in the adjoining restaurant.  The food was good, but I can't say I found that one meal that I would yearn for after leaving. Their gift shop had a wide range of items, from hand made rugs to pottery and jewelry.

 

Check out this link for more information. http://www.monumentvalleyview.com/  The View Hotel is built adjoining the Tribal Park Visitors Center which has been on this site for over 40 years. The hotel is designed with respect for the sacred setting in which it is located and the view of the famous formations of Monument Valley are unlike anywhere else in the world. The View Hotel has been designed to exist in harmony with this unique land. Every guestroom has a view directly facing the Mittens and the exterior of the hotel is from a color palate of the red earth that surrounds it.

 

Carl's big purpose for coming here was to take photographs.  So, we were up at 6:00 am Tuesday morning to catch the sunrise and it was amazing.

 

 

 

Tuesday, our big outing was a 3 hour guided tour of Monument Valley from 4:00-7:00 pm.  Our tour guide's name is Frank.  Frank is a Navajo, whose family has been in the area for generations.  Frank learned the lay of the land by following his Dad around, who was also a guide.

 

 

Now, honestly we did not have a clue what we were getting into. There is a driveable trail, where personal cars are allowed to go.  We were warned that it was rough and needed a high clearance vehicle.  I'm very glad we did not drive it ourselves.  There were rocks in the road, pot holes a foot deep and some nearly as wide as the road.  The make up of the road surface spanned from a dusty clay to deep sand.  We wanted to get off the beaten path and Frank obliged. We nearly got stuck in the sand as Frank tried to take us up a short hill that turned out to be pretty deep sand.  In a 4-wheel drive truck the front wheels just sunk, spitting up buckets of sand.  I learned that my reflex to duck is pretty good.  I got lightly dusted, most of the sand went in the driver's side window, covering Frank.  Carl and I laughed so hard.  Of course Carl was on the right side and didn't get hit.  My first thought was we were going to be stuck out there and it was getting dark.  Luckily, the truck backed right out and we were on our way again.  The pictures below were taken along the tour.  I will post the link to Carl's site once he gets his pictures posted.

 

 

 

While still on the valley floor, but heading back to the hotel, we passed 2 high school age kids who were walking.  I asked Frank where they were going and he said they lived down there.  They were coming home from school.  Now this was at 6:30 pm.  He said each day they take a school bus from school to the hotel, then they wait for one of the tour guides to take them to the end of the tour route.  They then walk another 2 miles to their home.  I also asked Frank what people in the are do for a living.  They basically work at the local schools, stores, tour companies or they sell crafts and jewelry.  It is hard to absorb that people in this area live in such different circumstances than we do.

We arrived back at the hotel shortly after 7:00, tired and dirty.  But, it was way awesome.

Wednesday morning we check out and head to The Grand Canyon.  We arrive at the Grand Canyon Park around 2:30 in the afternoon.  That is where it starts going south.  Right outside the entrance to the park, various check lights come on in the car.  I begin to lose power, the car begins to slow down, no acceleration to be had.  I turn off as much as possible and it resumes functioning like normal long enough for us to get inside the park.  We make it probably about 5 miles and it dies.  Now we are backing up traffic and aren't making many friends.  Oh and did I mention, no cell service.  Luckily, a park ranger shows up in about the first 5 minutes.  He has not cell service either so he takes me to the local garage there in the park while Carl stays with the car.  I call AAA, so they can call the garage back and dispatch them to pick me up.  Yes, I know it sounds confusing and obviously it was since AAA instead dispatched a tow truck from Flagstaff.  When they called to let me know the truck would be there in about an hour, I think I raised my voice a bit.  Anyway, we straighten it out and the tow truck driver and I head back to get Carl and the car.  They think it is the alternator.  Guess we will find out tomorrow when they replace it.  Called a taxi and finally got to our motel. Now we are stuck with no car, no rental cars are available in the park.  Our transportation options are our feet or a bus. Oh and it is suppose to rain for the next 2 days.  :-)

It is now almost 11:00 pm and I am very tired.  Here's hoping tomorrow is a bit more relaxing and stress free.

Dispatches From The Road - Day 3

This day took us along the old Route 66 from Tucumcari to Gallup, NM.  Following a guide book on Route 66, we decided to stop in Newkirk, NM to see some of the old businesses.  Well, obviously they have deteriorated over the past 5 years.  We did not stop, the 2 dogs that started chasing our car was quite a deterent.

Next stop on our drive was at the Continental Divide.  This area is believed to be where the flow of water divides and flows either to the Pacific or the Atlantic.

Back on the road, we arrived in Gallup at the El Rancho Hotel & Motel to discover we did not have a reservation, even though we thought it had been confirmed.  We were able to get a room, luckily.  The man behind the desk was less than friendly.  Maybe since my first exposure to the hotel was the man behind the desk, my impression of the hotel is less than stellar. Built in 1937, The El Rancho was the headquarters for several movies from the 1940's through the 1960's.  The hotel played host to movies stars such as Jack Benny, Ronald Reagan, Jackie Cooper, Humphrey Bogart, Jane Wyman and many others. The restaurant provides Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner serving hamburgers, salads and southwest selections.  The hotel itself was dark and and the hallways to the 1st floor rooms were made of brick, painted beige, narrow and felt more like being underground.  I got the impression this was not in one of the safest areas either, when the man at the front desk said to me "you don't want to park in the back".

Tomorrow we are on to Monument Valley.

Dispatches From The Road - Day 2

Last night our stay at The Blue Swallow Motel took us back to the days when Route 66 was a destination in itself. Construction of The Blue Swallow began prior to the outbreak of World War II, opening in 1942.It faces Route 66 offering visitors 14 sleeping units, with some providing garage units nestled in between the rooms. When the original owner, Mr. Jones and his wife died in the 1950's Lillian Redman and her husband bought the motel and successfully operated it through 1998. The Redmans put their customers first. When guests didn't have enough money for a room, the Redmans acepted personal belongings in trade or provided the room for free. Ms. Redman and The Blue Swallow became icons of Route 66 folklore.

At the end of the 60's, Interstate 40, a better and faster highway, took the place of the old Route 66. The development of this new highway drastically changed the traffic circulation of Route 66 affecting many of the businesses along the way, including The Blue Swallow Motel. The motel is listed in the National Register of Historical Places.

The motel is now owned by Kevin and Nancy Mueller. Kevin and Nancy bought the motel in 2011, relocating to Tucumcari from Michigan. This is their home. Like us, they were captivated by the history, stories, and people of Route 66. Kevin and Nancy met the fate of the failing economy, losing their jobs at the same time. Kevin was with Valvoline and Nancy was in real-estate. After much soul-searching, they made the move. Kevin and Nancy was very welcoming to us and made us feel right at home.

 

The Symbolism of the Blue Swallow

 

The swallow, as well as bluebirds and sparrows, has always had a symbolic meaning for sailors because, before modern navigation technology, these birds were usually the first sign that land was near.  A swallow tattoo for a sailor reflected his hope of coming home safely.  Another fact is that swallows return home every year, no matter where they are.  The swallow is a bird that chooses a mate for life.  Therefore, a swallow is a symbol for love and loyalty to the family.

 

http://blueswallowmotel.com/



 

 

 

I want to thank Kevin and Nancy Mueller for their hospitality and information on The Blue Swallow Motel.  I highly recommend making this one of your stops if you are ever in Tucumcari, NM.



Dispatches From The Road

Carl and I have begun another of our road trips.  Destination Grand Canyon and Monument Valley.  I hope ya'll enjoy the trip with us.  Our trips may not take us to the most lavish of accommodations, but some certainly have been interesting.  Our first stop for the night will be in Tucumcari, New Mexico.  There are some eclectic/vintage hotels in Tucumcari.  Tonight's stay was built in 1939.  Pictures to come tomorrow.

I find these road trips very relaxing, but then I am not driving.  My treat of the day was an Orange Julius at a DQ in Childress.  Of course, the reason the chicken strips and OJ tasted so good may have been because I was starving.  One realization is there aren't too many places to stop and eat along the highway in west Texas. 

We're back on the road entering Clarendon,Texas.  Obviously, a very, very religous town.  The highway goes through the center of town, along the sides of the road at nearly every business were 5-8 foot crosses.  Most look to be made out of pipe and painted white.  These are not temporary structures.  In front of businesses are signs, not cheap ones either, with religous rhetoric claiming the end of the world is close at hand.  I am all for freedom of religion, but that was way over the top. Carl, on the other hand, advocates freedom from religion.

TACO BAR NIGHT !!

 

It is Taco Bar night at the Chick house.  My grandson, Coby, has taken to helping out in the kitchen.  This boy loves food.  He is going through food allergy testing, so his mom and I are trying to teach him to eat well.  Tonight's fare included fajita chicken, ground beef, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, avacado, tomatoes, soft flour tortillas and corn taco shells. 

 Of course, we adults had to add our special touches.  Sangria with strawberries, blueberries and an orange slice.  Couldn't go without topping off the rim of the glass with a mixture of decorator sugar and regular sugar. 

 Chips and salsa is always a must.  Everyone in the family has their favorites, so we normally have several on hand. 

     

 Above photos provided by Carl Chick

 
Then we finished off our meal with Strawberry and Rubarb Tarts topped with whipped cream and a blueberry.  Yummmm !

Then on to game night

 

Coby, Travis and Crista battling it out with the super heros.