Sunday, November 14, 2010

BIG WHEELS KEEP ON TURNIN'

Can you see a resemblance?
The Simpson Hotel - missing owner Deborah who had a meeting this morning

Even on a cross-country bike trip, Norb is extremely conscientious about grooming!
The crowd headed to a car show in Truth or Consequences

Friday 11/12/10 Duncan to Thatcher Az. We had a great breakfast at the Simpson Hotel and enjoyed getting acquainted with the other guests. Nancy & Jane from Santa Fe were in Duncan visiting Jane's relatives, Dexter & Glenda Oliver. Since Ann's maiden name is Oliver, Jane thought Ann and Dexter might somehow be connected on the Oliver family tree. Dexter & Glenda joined us for coffee and it was evident that Dex has some Oliver qualities. He is tall, has a fair complexion, and reddish blonde hair. He is also aware of an ancestral connection to Missouri. We also met Byrd & Karen Moss from Tucson. They were visiting their daughter who teaches school in Duncan. At around mile 16, they stopped on their return to Tucson to top off our water bottles and gave us some excellent apples from her Dad's tree. Nancy & Jane fhad preceeded their roadside visit to offer us a ride to Safford on their way to visit a spa. It was tempting. What a privilege it was to meet this interesting group of people. During the first 12 miles out of Duncan, we encountered some respectable climbs. At the top of one of those climbs, several shiny vintage cars caught our attention and we stopped for a chat with a fun-loving group After that, we reached a plateau and enjoyed roller coaster hills as we gradually descended to a flat stretch through Safford and on to Thatcher. Once again we saw nearby desert mountains and taller peaks in the distance shrouded by a hazy veil. In the final part of the ride, we could see machines picking cotton and a cotton gin. After checking into our motel in Thatcher, Ann became euphoric when she learned there was a heated outdoor pool. Norb is convinced she was a dolphin in a previous life. Whenever we stay somewhere that has a pool, Ann plunges in no matter how cold the water. As we walked to dinner, the sun created streaks of orange through a hazy sky. Apparently microbes released during cotton harvest create these hazy conditions.

2 comments:

Vicki H said...

Thanks again for taking time to post pictures and comments. They are great. They give me ideas for places to visit. Stay safe!
Vicki H

Anonymous said...

Hi Norb and Ann, Glad to know you're still traveling safe. Stephen and I will be set up at the Car Show on Saturday in TorC. We have a lot of his die-cast car collection to sell.

Take care and safe travels,

Reba Wagner & family