Alpine, AZ

We got to Alpine Wednesday afternoon, and decided to stay for four nights.  Doing so would allow us to attend Church Services Sunday morning and then take off right after.  The Church, St. Helens, is small, probably could seat 100 or so, and their Priest has been on vacation.  We were told that he would be back to conduct services this Sunday.  When we got to the Church, Sunday morning, we learned that he was seriously ill, with a renal condition.  A deacon peformed a Eucharistic service that was very brief.  I think we've entertained larger groups at our home than attended the service.  They all know each other, and obviously works for them, as we were easily the first out of the parking lot, as all stood around and visited.

For four days, we did lots of reading, occasional walks, no real hikes, visited town and the library for internet access.  We did have phone at the campsite, but no internet and no real news either.  We ate lunch one day at a place called Firefox.  We had outstanding sandwiches, mine was a green chili cheeseburger and Ginnie had an Italian Sausage sub.  Hers was so big that we took half home and shared that for dinner.  All we added was some leftover three bean salad that we had in the fridge.

I think we found the altitude (8,000 ft) and the sun to be a real factor in our limited physical activity.  Stand in the shade and you were cold, move into the sun and you were immediately hot.  It's the hardest climate I've been in to figure out how to dress comfortably.  That part of Arizona is in the midst of a two year drought and it is dusty, dusty, dusty.  We both sneeze a lot and dust is every where.

After consulting maps and weather reports, we decided to make our way to southern Colorado.  I've booked an Rv Resort just outside the entrance to Mesa Verde National Park.   We plan to stay a full week.  I picked the resort as a regional Aliner group is holding a fall rally there, and recommend the facility highly.  We plan to use the resort as a base and explore the area. We've been there before, and know there is a lot to offer there.  After next week, I think we will meander back in to New Mexico, the northern parts, before setting our sights on Arkansas.

Below are pictures of and from our campsite at Lake Luna Campground outside Alpine, AZ.