While it is not quite Christmas Lane In Pojoaque, NM, cousins Jim & Pat did manage to get some Christmas lights strung on and around the motorhome. The candy cane lights are hanging on the awning, there are some chile lights in the window and around the sign post, along with rope lights on the ground.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dalla, Texas. 
Yesterday I had the chance to visit the site of the bloody fight for Vicksburg, MS, and the control of the Mississippi River during the Civil War. 
As I continue my trek down the Mississippi River, yesteerday I was in Clarksville, MO. In the second photo, I am sitting on a monument dedicated to the people who helped save the town from the flood of 1973. The mark on the monument just below my feet indicated the high water mark from that flood. 
On Saturday, I attended the Colorfest Parade in Louisiana, MO. The parade came right down the street through the three blocks of booths. There were several bands and lots of fire trucks. 
While I was in Hannibal, the new paddlewheeler "Queen of the Mississippi" stopped for a few hours on its trip from St. Paul, Minnesota, to St. Louis, Missouri.
Last week I was in Hannibal, MO, and visited the boyhood home of Samuel Clemons (Mark Twain). Twain lived in the house behind this fence from the time he was about four years old until he was 17. I did not pay to whitewash the fence!!
I went for a bike ride today along the Mississippi River in Davenport, Iowa, with cousins Jim and Pat. This tug boat and barges were near the bank, waiting to go through the locks. 
Today I spent some time in the Oelwein, Iowa, area, and visited the Amish country. They seem to take good care of their horses.
On Tuesday, I visited the Pony Express Home Station in Marysville, KS, This was the first station west of St. Joseph, MO, where a rider could get some sleep while passing the mail onto another rider who would continue the journey. The young rider had already changed horses about 10 times. In ten days, the mail would make it to Sacramento, CA by horseback and then by boat to San Francisco.
Warmest regards, Gus
Last weekend, I was in Oberlin, KS, a nice little County Seat in Northwestern Kansas. We had planned to stay one or two nights, but decided to stay longer when I learned there was going to be an antique tractor and car show. 
Warmest regards, Gus
Yesterday on the train ride, I saw many rafters taking advantage of a beautiful day on the Arkansas River. 
This is extent of the fire damage that is visible from the train in the Royal Gorge. The fire, however, did extensive damage to the area, and has had a major economic impact on the tourist season in Canon City and surrounding areas.
Yesterday I rode the Royal Gorge Railroad from Canon City along the Arkansas River and under the Royal Gorge Bridge. In this first picture, you can see the bridge overhead as viewed from the train. The fire this summer caused a little bit of damage to the bridge and we could see some of the burn damage to vegetation on top of the canyon walls. 
Yesterday I spent some time visiting the Great Sand Dunes just northeast of Alamosa, CO. The Visitors' Center has a great film and then I went out and climbed on the dunes. 
Yesterday I took a road trip and visited Creede, CO. After checking out a local museum, I came up to see some of the old mining areas. Then it was off to the headwaters of the Rio Grande. There was some damage from June 2013 fire along the Rio Grande.
Today I crossed the continental divide at Wolf Creek Pass (10,850 ft) in Southern Colorado. I am sitting right on the divide. From this point the water flows into the San Juan River and goes to the Southwest or flows into the Rio Grande going East and then South. If you enlarge the map behind me you can see the river system and the "Great Divide" stretching from Canada to Mexico.
I got to go for another hike today. I went to Treasure Falls in the San Juan Mountains. The trail to the falls starts just east of Pagosa Springs, at the base of Wolf Creek Pass. This is near the headwaters of the San Juan River, which eventually flows to the Colorado River. 
I took a nice hike with cousins Jim and Pat today. We drove north from Pagosa Springs to the Piedra River and hiked along the beautiful trail. In the first picture, I am sitting on the sign directing us to the trail; the second picture was taken in the canyon along the river. The Piedra River eventually flows into the Navajo Reservoir, which is in both Colorado and New Mexico. This area is just west of the Continental Divide, so the water flows to the Pacific Ocean.
