Moab

Our plans for our great RV Adventure had to be put on hold due to our Motor home breaking down outside of Flagstaff.  We had it towed to the Freightliner dealer in Flagstaff thinking this would be the best place to get it repaired fast.  After two days in a hotel we realized it was not going to get fixed in a timely manor so we took our truck and drove home to Lake Havasu City, AZ.  They kept telling us it would be done the next day and then they would find something else wrong with it.  We were beginning to think something was not right.  Finally after eight days they had it fixed.  We asked for the parts that they replaced which they had a hard time finding.  When we got to Minneapolis we had the parts tested and one of the parts was not broken.  They other part was broken by them.  I immediately contacted American Express to dispute the charges.  On the advice of counsel,  I wrote them a letter explaining why & included the documentation showing they cheated us.  Stay tuned to see how this drama plays out.

After picking up the RV we drove North on 89 to 160 East to 191 North.  This was a beautiful drive through the Hopi Indian Reservation.  There were many rock formations with many different colors.  We drove along the edge of Monument Valley which I now want to go back to some day.
Our next stop was Moab, Utah.  This is one of our favorite places so far.  Everywhere you look there are beautiful rock formations.   They had a lot of places that rented four wheel drive vehicles.  There were rock climbing and hiking tours of the area.   We checked into the OK RV Park which was off the highway so it was quieter, which we like.  For more information on Moab check out this website:
http://www.moabtourismcenter.com/

Our first day we visited Arches National Park.  We were treated to even more awesome rock formations in a variety of colors.  It is a Photographer's dream.  They are busiest in April and May because it is cooler so if you can avoid those months it will be less crowded.  There is no food service so be sure to bring a lunch and lots of water.  For more information click on the link below:
http://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm

The next day we headed to Canyonlands National Park.  I was afraid it might be a let down after Arches but it was not.  We saw breath taking views of the huge canyon.  There were a lot of dead trees which I love to shoot because they remind of sculptures.  This is another park with out food service so a picnic lunch is in order.  Here is a website if you would like more information on Canyonlands National Park:
http://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm
The Thought For The Day:
"The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is how you use them."  Author Unknown.
Thank you for reading my Blog!

Becky McGuire, CTC, MCC
Vacation Travel Specialist

612-490-0359
http://www.facebook.com/tvlgoddess
Purchase prints, posters or cards of my work at:

http://www.redbubble.com/explore/tvlgoddess - Prints, cards, posters

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26332264@N03/sets/

http://fineartamerica

Chiriahua National Monument

We took a drive from Benson Arizona East to Wilcox, Arizona.  After driving around Wilcox we headed South to the Chiriahua National Monument.   We took the Six Mile Drive through the park and were treated to beautiful views of rock formations.  There are plenty of hiking trails available for the more adventurous types.  It was a great day with lots of "Kodak Moments".  Thanks to my friend Kay for suggesting we visit this place.

If you would like more information about the Chiriahua National Monument click on the link below.
http://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm
After are scenic drive through the Chiriahua National Monument we decided to drive North and visit the Cochise Stronghold near Dragoon, Arizona.  Not much to see there but a campground.  Oh well you can't win them all!
On our way back to Benson on the Dragoon Highway we stopped in the Triangle T Ranch to take some pictures.  This is a really fun place to visit if you like horses.  They have a restaurant & an RV park for camping.  It would be a great place to bring the family to experience ranch life or just a relaxing vacation.

.  For more information about the Triangle T Ranch click on the link below.
http://azretreatcenter.com/

Today's Thought For The Day:
"Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened."  Marilyn Monroe
Thank you for reading my Blog!

Becky McGuire, CTC, MCC
Vacation Travel Specialist

612-490-0359
Order prints of my shots at:

http://www.redbubble.com/explore/tvlgoddess
Follow me on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/insidetheframestudios

Tombstone Arizona

One of our stops on our great Arizona adventure was Tombstone.  It a very historic Western town located South of Benson.  It was where the Shoot Out At The OK Corral occurred.  Click on the link below to learn more about the Shoot Out At The OK Corral.
http://www.ok-corral.com/

We were lucky enough to visit during the annual Wyatt Earp Days celebration so there was a lot going on.  They had a lot of wild west type reenactments going on when we where there which was loads of fun.  There  were a lot of families attending the event.  What a great way for kids to learn some history while having fun at the same time.  For more information about Wyatt Earp Days check out the link below.
http://www.wyattearpdays.com/
We had fun wandering through the shops.  Along with the T Shirt stores were some great Antique Stores. .  There were some cool Art Galleries that were fun to through but the prices were out of our budget.
Tombstone provided many photo opportunities.  There were lots of old buildings that are so fun to shoot.  There was an old Stage Coach giving tours of the town.  The reenactments were fun but the crowds were thick so it was hard to get a clear shot but a lot of the characters were walking around town.

On the way out of town we stopped at the historic Boot Hill.  There was no entrance fee which was a bonus.
Many of the markers listed the cause of death as well as the names.  There is a lot of history and it gave you some insight into how they lived.

For more information about Tombstone, click on the link below.
http://www.tombstoneweb.com/
A big Thank You to our friends, Lance & Kay, who served as our tour guides.
Watch this video if you are considering upgrading from Point & Shoot camera to a DSLR camera.
http://video.ultimatephotoguide.com/video/000955_when-are-you-ready-for-a-dslr/?utm_source=Newsletter+-+05.31.13_UPG&utm_campaign=Newsletter053113&utm_medium=email
Here is today's Thought For The Day:
"Every artist was first an amateur."  Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Thank you for reading my Blog!

Becky McGuire, CTC, MCC
Vacation Travel Specialist
tvlgoddess@npgcable.com

612-490-0359
Order prints at:

http://www.redbubble.com/explore/tvlgoddess
http://fineartamerica

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26332264@N03/sets/
http://www.facebook.com/tvlgoddess

Mission St. David, AZ

Another one of our stops on our great Arizona Adventure was St. David.  We visited the Holy Trinity Monastery.  What a beautiful place.  There are lovely gardens and a fountain.

The grounds are beautiful and there was a lovely pond with a little island with a statue of the Virgin Mary.

We walked through the small grave yard that is on the grounds.  It had peaceful yet rustic quality.

For more information about this beautiful Mission click on the link below.
http://www.holytrinitymonastery.org/
Many Thanks to good friend, Kay, who suggested we visit this lovely place.
This article about cloud formations will help you plan your next photo shoot or hiking trip.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Predicting-Weather-with-Clouds/
Today's Thought For The Day:
"When nothing is sure, everything is possible." Margaret Drabble
Thank you for reading my Blog!

Becky McGuire, CTC, MCC
Vacation Travel Specialist

612-490-0359
http://www.facebook.com/tvlgoddess
Purchase prints, posters or cards of my work at:

http://www.redbubble.com/explore/tvlgoddess - Prints, cards, posters

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26332264@N03/sets/

http://fineartamerica

Bisbee

After our visit to Organ Pipe National Monument we drove East on Highway 86.  When we got to Tucson we got on the Interstate 10 East to Benson, Arizona to visit our friends, Lance & Kay.

We had a fun Western style dinner at the Triangle T Ranch.  It is a Dude Ranch & RV Park with a great Restaurant & Bar.  This would be a great place for a family vacation.  They offer lessons in shooting from your horse which is a lot like Barrel Racing only you are shooting at balloons on a set course.  For more information on the Triangle T Ranch click on the link below.
http://azretreatcenter.com/

We had a great visit to Bisbee Arizona.  Bisbee is an old mining town with a lot of history. They offer tours of the Queen Mine.  It is a quirky town with many well preserved buildings dating back to 1902.

There are a lot of cool Art Galleries and Antique stores to explore.   I was able to find a vintage  Brownie camera which is probably from the 40's.  It will be the start of my Antique camera collection.

Now that the summer travel season is here, here are some great tips for Travel Photography.
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/travel-photography-tips-14257
Today's Thought For The Day:
"Do not follow where the path may lead.  Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."  Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thank you for reading my Blog!

Becky McGuire, CTC, MCC
Vacation Travel Specialist

612-490-0359

http://www.redbubble.com/explore/tvlgoddess

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26332264@N03/sets/

http://www.facebook.com/tvlgoddess
http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/becky-mcguire.html

Organ Pipe National Monument

It is summer and we are off on more adventures.  Our first stop was  Organ Pipe National Monument in Southern Arizona.  This is a very magical place to visit.  There are miles and miles of Saguaro & Pipe Organ Cactus as well as many other desert plants.  There are so many different shapes that remind you of sculptures.  It is natures Art Gallery.

We took a 19 mile drive that loops through the park.  It took us about 2 hours and we had lots of photo ops along the way.  The road is mostly gravel and many spots were very rough so leave your fancy car at home.
We saw many different varieties of Cactus which some were new to me including the Chain Cactus.  We saw beautiful mountain views as well as desert landscapes that you would expect.

Here is a link to National Park Service's web page for the Pipe Organ National Monument:
http://www.nps.gov/orpi/index.htm
The first night we stayed at an RV Park in Why, Arizona called Hichiwan.  It is just a few miles from Pipe Organ National Monument.  The park was nearly empty which gave us a lot of privacy.   We had a visit from some Wild Burros which was a treat.  They have learned how to turn on the water in the park so you have to keep the handles inside.  The other treat was a nice sunset that night and great meal courtesy of my Hubby.

Today's Thought For The Day:
"Everyone has two sides, good and evil.  How you treat me determines which side you will see."  Anonymous
Next stop is Benson, Arizona.  Stay tuned!
Thank you for reading my Blog!

Becky McGuire, CTC, MCC
Vacation Travel Specialist

612-490-0359

http://www.redbubble.com/explore/tvlgoddess

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26332264@N03/sets/

http://www.facebook.com/tvlgoddess
http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/becky

May Musings

Happy Saturday everyone.  I hope you are all enjoying your weekend.  It has been a while since my last blog post.  I have been busy with my travel clients as well as hosting our guest, my sister in law, Sheila.
We took a trip over to the old Route 66 in Kingman and then on to the Hackberry General Store in Hackberry, Arizona.   We were joined by a large group from Germany who were doing a Motorcycle Tour on Route 66.    For more information about Hackberry click on the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackberry,_Arizona
Here is a link to the Hackberry General Store website:
http://hackberrygeneralstore.com/

If that gets you inspired to go out and photograph some abandoned buidings or ghost towns, this article will give you some pointers on how to get the best shots.
http://www.unique-photography-concepts.com/ghost-towns.html
After shooting some photos and doing some shopping we drove back to Kingman then up the the mountain to the Hualapai Mountain Resort for lunch.  Because of the elevation the terrain quickly changes and it looks like you are in the mountains of Colorado.  We had a lovely lunch and enjoyed the cooler weather up there.  For more information check out the link below:
http://www.hmresort.net/

We are starting to get ready for our summer road trip.  My husband fired up our smoker this week.  He did smoked sausage, chicken, ribs & pulled pork.  I made homemade backed beans and lasagna..  We then portion it all out and use our Food Saver to package it up and freeze it.  That way we have easy meals when we are traveling in our motor home.  Our plan is to first go down to Tucson and do some sight seeing and connect up with some friends who live near there.  We will then head Northeast to Colorado to visit some friends there and then on to Minnesota to attend our Granddaughter's Graduation party and visit with friends and family.  After that we are not sure what direction we will go but we are thinking maybe out to Seattle and go down the coast.  Stay tuned for more details as the summer goes on.
If you are planning your own summer road trip, this article will help you plan it out and give you some photography tips as well.
http://www.thecoolist.com/making-memories-how-to-photograph-the-ultimate-summer-road-trip/
The Thought For The Day is:
"All of life is an experiment.  The more the better."  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thank you for reading my Blog!

Becky McGuire, CTC, MCC
Vacation Travel Specialist

612-490-0359

http://www.redbubble.com/explore/tvlgoddess

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26332264@N03/sets/

http://www.facebook.com/tvlgoddess
http://fineartamerica