Abo /  by Dave Hileman

These are the remains of a late 1500’s Spanish Mission Church at the Abo section of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. You can imagine how impressive it was rising six stories high over the pueblos on the high desert south of Albuquerque. There were three different pueblo mission churches served by this single NPS designation and they are about 20 miles apart. I really was deeply moved by this place, not sure why but I was.

New Visitor Center Entrance Plaza at Mesa Verde National Park /  by Dave Hileman

The old VC is still in partial use - a log structure built by the CCC miles into the park where most of the cliff dwellings are located. It takes an hour to drive to this portion of the park at the southern end. In contrast the new VC is just a few hundred feet into the park at the northern edge. You can get needed permits and passes here. .

This is a striking piece of an Indian with a basket of stones as would be needed in the construction of the dwellings.

Pond & Dock /  by Dave Hileman

We camped two nights at a winery in Northeastern New Mexico along the San Juan River. We were there to visit a couple of National Park Service sites. A pond behind the small store on the property was reflecting the bare trees in the early spring.

I tired some new editing things on this photo, the right side was very dark the left overexposed. Not really happy with it but…. out of time today, so here you go.

In the Rain /  by Dave Hileman

My only photograph of my walk around - no I did not stay here, rooms start at 900 a night, of the White Sulphur Springs Hotel near the WV/VA border just off I-64. It is a resort of the first order with golf, skeet, swimming, horseback riding, ATV adventures, a theater with live broadway shows, shops, fine dinning at a whole lot more. I did enjoy a coffee while walking the lower lobby.

Flowers Among the Cactus /  by Dave Hileman

We are climbing a hill to visit the Tonto National Monument, a cliff dwelling in central Arizona. The flowers were spectacular that morning and the views as well over the valley. This cliff dwelling was built about 800 years ago and showcased the way the Indians adapted to the harsh conditions of the Sonoran Desert.

A Decade /  by Dave Hileman

There was a gala celebration last month when Two Lane Touring turned ten. Well currently it is TLT the blog had other names early on. I started the posts to create a forcing function to improve my photos. I figured that if I posted them then I would really want to get better photos. Not sure how well that theory worked but the photos are better, just don’t go too far back in the archives, please. The new name took root in conjunction with the purchase of the Oliver Travel Trailer and the semi-serious goal of visiting and photographing all 400 plus units of the National Park Service. That is actually going pretty well as we are now at 357 with fewer than 75 more to visit. Though they add to that number each year or so. And some are really far away - Guam anyone?

You will note in the photograph that Cadillac Moose, excuse me, Chef C. Moose, went all out with the culinary delights he served at the black tie gala.

We sadly found out later that the news releases and the hundreds of invitations were never mailed so the turnout was rather low, but hope soars for the next decade’s celebration.

This is a very small blog, we only attract the most discerning and amazing people who have excellent taste in all things. TLT has on average about 120 different people each week and are up 11% for the year. The numbers peaked in April and May on our Spring travel and they usually do fluctuate with the trips. We plan to go this fall about mid-September. Meanwhile there are thousands of photos across the miles and the years. And more to come. Thanks for viewing!

Unique Camera /  by Dave Hileman

My grandson, Kellen, is a rising junior in a university’s Industrial Design program. (And doing very well!) One of his last assignments ending his sophomore year was to model a camera - the kind of camera was given randomly by the professor, a full size model using only a small sheet of foam board. His camera was the Hasselblad. When he was home briefly before going to Prague for a summer design study program he came over to share with us his projects from the spring semester and surprised me with this model camera. It appears perfect in its detail and dimensions and I am pleased to display it on a shelf in our living room.

There is an old Mastercard ad campaign that lists a couple of costs and then something you can’t buy with the tag line “priceless” I’m not sure what a foam board costs or modern glue but having a super grandson, Priceless.

The name of the camera was hand carved on a thin sheet of foam and glued on.

Pick Up Day /  by Dave Hileman

In the Spring of 2016 we took delivery of our Oliver Elite 18 foot travel trailer. The photo shown is ours waiting for our instruction on how things work. We arrived at the facility in Hohenwald, TN, with our new-to-us Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Since that day we have towed the Oliver to 49 states, many several times, three provinces and one territory in Canada for a total of a bit over 122,000 miles. We have camped in National, State and County Parks, commercial campgrounds, Walmarts, Cracker Barrels, friend’s driveways and a lot of interesting places with both Harvest Host and Boondockers Welcome. Plus a few sketchy spots not on the preferred camping agenda. We now use a Toyota Sequoia and it is much better suited to towing the Oliver. We have been in cold weather, wet weather, hot weather, windy weather and perfect weather and the Oliver has proved itself equal to the elements to keep us comfortable. Not sure where we go next but looking at Connecticut, MA, New York, including Long Island, and Pennsylvania for the fall, Florida next winter and summer in the Northwest. We shall see.

Our first view of the Oliver ready to go.

A Most Unusual Rest Stop /  by Dave Hileman

Highway 170 on the Texas -Mexican border from Lajitas to Presidio is a road well worth taking. It dips and bends skirting the border and the Rio Grande the whole way. At one point the grade up and down a pass is a 15% incline. Pulling a trailer is a challenge but the scenery was wow and the fort at the Presidio a must see. Then there was a rest area with three covered picnic stations in the form of giant teepees. Well done, West Texas.

End of the Road /  by Dave Hileman

Litterarly at the end of a road in West Texas and figuratively at the end of the road for the RV and the vehicle. I just wondered who thought it was a good idea to move here or did they have zero options and just end up in this most desolate place? Just for reference, it was 119 degrees here last week. Imagine.

Art Installation /  by Dave Hileman

A few miles out of Maria, Texas, on a lonely, nearly empty road, you find this “store.” It is a Prada mook up complete with product on the shelves and signage. Nothing in view for miles. The store is just a prop, no working doors or sales staff et al just a contemporary expression of art in the 21st century.

Inside Out /  by Dave Hileman

Most of the cliff dwellings you can only see from the out side or peek in through a door, this one is taken inside the dwelling. You can see holes where a second story and a third story floor would have been. Unique opportunity.

Three Quarter of a Century Mark /  by Dave Hileman

Getting old but still loving every day. Cindy shot this of me getting up from a photo shot I was taking along a stream bed in Maine just a couple of years ago. Planning is ongoing for the fall trip with about a dozen more parks planned.