Nov 5, 2010

LOOKING FOR GHOST TOWNS

What is a ghost town?  When I think of a ghost town I'm thinking about old abandoned buildings and tumbleweeds blowing down the street and no one else around.  Well yesterday I learned that many times all that is left is a few bricks and broken bottles.

Wednesday our friends Bob and Linda played tour guide and took us to several settlements and abandoned cemeteries.  Even Mollie came along.  Our first stop was Eureka, Utah.  Not officially a ghost town as there are still people living there, but the downtown certainly was abandoned.




We then headed off to see if we could locate an old  cemetery. After backtracking down several roads, we were fairly certain we were in the right area so we stopped and pulled over.  With Bob pointing his gps towards the woods, we scrambled through barbed wire fence, trees and brush, and there it was, the Fitch family cemetery. I was so impressed with Bob's discovery that I forgot to take pictures.



We repeated this exercise several more times that day.  Stopping, heading off into the brush to look for pottery and artifacts.   Bob saved the best for last.  We headed up an old railroad grade and after crossing a fill barely wide enough for the explorer, we arrived at an old abandoned railroad tunnel.  Even though you could drive through it, we elected to explore it by foot.  




By now it was time for happy hour and dinner so we headed back to our RV.  Judy made a wonderful Indian curry for dinner, and we all enjoyed a glass of Opolo Tempranillo.  We then spent the next few hours hearing about Bob and Linda's adventures in Alaska this summer.  I have a feeling we will be heading in that direction in the next couple of years.  Maybe even by water!  

Yesterday we hitched up and headed down the road to Page, AZ. We took our time heading south on I-15 then cut over to I-89 through Kanab and finally arrived at the Wahweap campground on Lake Powell.  I have been bragging about the cheap parks we have stayed in recently.  Well I think we blew the budget this weekend. This park is $38. a night.  But with full hookups, paved level sites and a view to die for, well, I think it is worth it.  We were surprised to find that our phones and air card work here.  So it's all good.

I am meeting a photographer friend of mine here.  Rich Charpentier lives in Prescott and is an accomplished photographer and printer.  He has a business reproducing art work and original photography on canvas and other materials.  I'll try to post a few pictures on Monday.  

On the weight loss front.  I am happy to report a 2 pound loss.  13 more pounds to go.  8 more weeks.