Hoover | Living in a Minivan

On December 1^st we left Baton Rouge for points west. We spent two nights in Houston, a week in TX hill country, two nights in Big Bend National Park, then drove up to NM to see Carlsbad Caverns and Santa Fe. We then headed to AZ, NV and finally CA. On January 19^th we arrived back in Baton Rouge for a much needed rest from the road of several days.

Below are pictures of the topography, flora and fauna we encountered. Much of this I have never seen. I am very taken with our beautiful western states, especially Big Sur and north in California.

TEXAS

Mud bird nest in the cliff near the Rio Grande

Mr. Spider: As big as my hand

Blooming desert

Purple Cactus. Who knew?

Road Runner. Meep-Meep

The kind of cactus one sees in old movies

Texas Long Horn Cattle, Spectacular and LARGE

TX Hill Country

Tiny Hill Country Deer, found in abundance

Live Oak Trees do not get very large in TX

Grieving Angel in Glenwood Garden, Houston

Landscaping, TX Style

Wild Horses on Rio Grande

Cactus growing from the rocks

Cactus and Sage Grass. This looks and feels like an aquarium scape

Cactus and Sage Grass (& more). This looks and feels like an aquarium scape

Big Bend Beauty

Life will find a way

NEW MEXICO

View from the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns, NM

Carlsbad, too

Carlsbad

ARIZONA

Painted Desert National Park

Sedona, AZ

Where the deer and the antelope play…

Petrified Wood in the Painted Desert National Park

Raven: Never More

Tumbleweed

Blooming Cactus

Petrified Wood

NEVADA

Who knew the NV desert has mountains? We didn’t expect it at all.

Las Vegas Topography (smile)

Blooming Ceiling: Glass flowers at Bellagio

Christmas Flowers

Las Vegas has the rare, endangered golden Lion

Las Vegas is home of the rare, endangered, golden Lion

Hoover Lake. It looks like the shoreline is painted, This is mineral deposits from the lowering water levels.

CALIFORNIA

Panda: San Diego ZOO

Koala: San Diego ZOO

JP Getty Museum and Gardens

Succulent Tree (I do not know the name, they were all over California)

Monterey Cedar

Agave

Sea Elephant

RAVEN: This guy is following us from state to state

Mexican Fan Palm at Hearst Castle

Labra Tar Pits

Caladium: Rose Parade Float

Life everywhere in California

Big Sur in bloom in January

Whales at Big Sur

McWay Falls, Big Sur

Eucalyptus groves (the fragrance was wonderful)

Seals and cubs

Red liken

Elk: Reintroduced to the CA National Seashore

California, home of fruits and nuts (smile)

Giant Redwood

El Capitan at Yosemite

Sequoia the Magnificent

We have been on the road in our minivan since May. I have pretty much covered our driving through New Mexico…then we got busy(er) and busy(er), it seems. We have been overwhelmed by the beauty and enormity of what we have seen and done daily. We literally fall asleep by 8:30 each night and sleep until 7:00 the next morning (unless there was a football game that Sweet Husband needed to see-I can actually through them).

Sweet Husband and I are over 60. I know, I know. . . I’m shocked, too! We are like toddlers we get really tired and grumpy w/o a nap. We do not get naps, there is no time, which is why I haven’t posted on the following as yet.

Here is a list of the amazing places I will still report on (I promise):

Sedona, AZ (3 nights)
Las Vegas, NV (2 nights)
Ronald Regan Library (one night & one FULL day)
John Paul Getty Museum (1/2 day…not enough)
San Diego, CA (5 nights)
The Tournament Of Roses Parade (Pasadena, CA—4 nights)
Continue up Hwy 1 to Big Sur, Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove, Monterey, San Francisco, Muir Forest, the Avenue of the Giants and Yosemite (weather permitting) [Many nights]
Then we head back to our neck of the woods (I’m assuming)
Big Sur (to me) is the closest thing to heaven here on earth! REALLY

Pictures below, to tease you, from each location. . .