Tag Archives: Southwest
Marfa My Dear
We found ourselves in the middle-of-nowhere West Texas and discovered some WEIRD stuff!The mysterious Marfa Ghost Lights (fact or fiction?), strange pig like creatures (with a little nursing baby!) and a really, REALLY strange work of art.
Join us on the journey into weird and wonderful West Texas…CONTINUE READING >>
Why? Could it be the Cacti?
Everybody has to ask “Why?” from time to time. Our time came on the drive to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. On the northern edge of the park, along the only road going in, lies the miniscule town of Why, Arizona.Wondering why, we figured we should ask around. The Why-Not Travel Store seemed a good place to inquire. Actually, it was the only place to inquire.
It seems there are two main stories as to how the town came to be named Why, one more likely true than the other.
Some folks say that… CONTINUE READING >>
A Hike Though Organ Pipe National Monument
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This is the only place in the US to see the AMAZING Organ Pipe Catcus! Want to know more?: http://www.gypsynester.com/why.htm
Easy to be Hard
While we are firm believers in a “take it easy” philosophy, we have never been standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona before. Call us wacky, we were pretty stoked about it.
The town of Winslow is pretty stoked, as well.
They built a little monument to the lyric, complete with a mural of a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford slowing down to take a look at the statue named “Standing On The Corner.” It’s painted as if it is a reflection in a plate glass window and really works. The mood is captured.
Cool as it was to climb inside an Eagles song, we… CONTINUE READING >>
Sphere Conquering
Near the little town of Oracle, Arizona, one of the world’s great experiments took place. When the Biosphere 2 experiment began, it caused such a stir that it became a part of pop culture, even getting a mention on Seinfeld, and nothing says “made it” like a Seinfeld reference.These jokes… CONTINUE READING >>
In Dry Heat
There seemed to be a crossroads to our Arizona fun, Tucson. We kept passing through on our way from one place to another, so we decided to stop and check it out.We started our excursion at the Garden of Gethsemane. This odd collection is the work of Felix Lucero and some divine inspiration. Wounded in World War I, Felix thought he was dying and he called on The Virgin Mary to make a deal. If she would save his life, he would dedicate it to creating Christian art. Mary held up her end and so did Mr. Lucero.
Times were… CONTINUE READING >>
Cliff Dwelling on the Past
South Central Arizona is generously sprinkled with ancient ruins left behind by the Hohokam, Salado and Sinagua peoples as they moved from one place to another following game or the rains.We began our exploration at the big house, no, we didn’t wind up in the slammer, we went to… CONTINUE READING >>
Cliff Dwellings at Tonto National Monument
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By building high in the cliffs, looking out over the entire valley, the Salado, a branch of the Anasazi, or ancient ones, had… CONTINUE READING >>
What Do You Want on Your Tombstone?
We hitched our wagon in Tombstone, Arizona and had a rip-roaring time! A reenactment of the Gunfight at OK Corral, a historama narrated by Vincent Price (sounds like the “Thriller” Video!), Boothill Cemetery (No Les, No More ) and a night of music and authentic frontier gibberish at Big Nose Kate’s Saloon… CONTINUE READING >>
Vincent Price Narrates Tombstone’s Historama
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The best attraction ever in the history of the Wild West, Tombstone’s Historama. A technological marvel appeared before our eyes. Scenes from… CONTINUE READING >>
Gunfight at OK Corral
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The gunfight at the OK Corral reenactment is so LOUD! Watch the camera shake as Veronica tries not… CONTINUE READING >>
The Inexplicable Stairway to Heaven
As the legend goes, when the chapel was built without stairs up to the choir loft. Monks used ladders, but since this chapel was for nuns, a staircase was needed. Conventional stairs would take up nearly half the space in the little chapel, so the nuns decided to pray a novena for some divine assistance. On the ninth (and final) day of the devotion, a mysterious man with a few simple tools appeared and informed the sisters that he could fashion a suitable staircase, but he must be left completely alone. Locked in the chapel for three days, he finished the stairs and disappeared without asking for pay. Nobody knew who he was or where he went, so naturally …CONTINUE READING >>Inexplicable Stairs of Santa Fe
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On the ninth (and final) day of the devotion, a mysterious man with a few simple tools appeared and informed the sisters that… CONTINUE READING >>
Aerospace Cowboys
In the heart of New Mexico we found the world’s first commercial spaceport (check out the HUGE runway!), the town of Truth or Consequences, a desert with sands white as snow — and were invited to a calf roping benefit held for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. And to think we thought we were in the “middle of nowhere”! Boy, we couldn’t be more wrong… CONTINUE READING >>
Close Encounter of the New Mexican Kind
Alien City, The UFO Capital of the World, Home of the Annual UFO Festival. This is NOT the kind of place that The GypsyNesters can just pass by. Oh no, we had to stop and investigate.The first stop of any trip to Roswell has got to be The International UFO Museum and Research Center on Main Street in the middle of town. Since opening in 1992 the museum has outgrown two locations and has plans to expand yet again.
Before the center came to town, little was known about “The Incident.” As their website proudly proclaims… CONTINUE READING >>
Roping For Good
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Each year Si and Cassandra Benjamin host a calf roping event in memory of their son Clint, an avid roper, that benefits… CONTINUE READING >>
Amtrak 15-Day Rail Pass Live-Blog – Week Two
Week Two of our crazy 15-day Amtrak Rail Pass. See the Rockies by train – the only way you can see these views unless you are whitewater rafting! Veronica washes her hair with oatmeal, we see a haunted train station, view of the Pacific and the mountains from the dome car! Tour of the bathroom anemities and meet the coolest Amtrak employee ever- Ellis the Cafe Guy! Tons of video and pics!… CONTINUE READING >>
