Alia's voyage

 Hello dear Family and Friends, At last I have a date to leave wonderful Lee Vining and Mono Lake. I will leave early Sunday morning and head for my sister-in-law's in Danville, California. After that I will go to Jan and Ellen's in Pleasant Hill, CA for 3 more days. I am looking forward to seeing everyone--family again! Here in my last 2 days I will do some homework (car organizing, a few cards or letters, and washing my hair! Then I plan to get out my paints and see what will happen. The day is a little warmer which I appreciate, while I hear it is hot many other places, especially Florida. Sorry this is not a sparkling letter--guess I am not sparkling today, or it is too early with no coffee. I shall miss my new friends here, but it will be good to get on the road and go where it will feel more like California to me.  Blessings and love, Alia

 Hello Friends and Family, Back finally. I am well and happy here in Lee Vining at Mono Lake for a wonderful week. I love this place--so much to see and do and I meet wonderful people. What is so beautiful? The rocks of many colors, the mountains of many colors, the wildflowers near the roads, and I never tire of seeing the desert sage brush and of course, the lake, and snow on most of skhe mountains. And, most of all, the wonderful people I have met. What is the difference between a guitar and a and a tuna fish? Why did the barber win the race? You can tune a guitar, but you can't tuna fish. The barber knew a short cut Love, Alia

 Jan may send a way to respond to my blog, but meanwhile I love the phone calls and updates on your lives, however they come. I miss all of you, but I am a very happy wanderer. My favorite town is Lee Vining, CA. Small, yet so much to do and see, with Mono Lake the center of life here. Los Angeles has drained water from here for years, but controls are now in place to save this unique place--not a National Park yet that I know of. Cold last night, close to 30 degrees. I need a laundramat which they do not have! My special interests are the rocks and fossils, craters and mountains and there are plenty of those all around. I will be happy to be nearer sea level or lower--it's been 5,000-8,000' for a few weeks now. Mostly I feel tired and brain-weak (body-weak too). I once stayed up all night wondering where the sun went..........Then it dawned on me. Sending love, Alia

 After a couple nights in Bishop (Sleeping in my car) and one celebration (of nothing) I went out to a very expensive restaurant to indulge in a glass of champagne, a fillet mignon steak, delicious gravy on mashed potatoes, asparagus and pureed carrots. A one time thing--$50+. Today I shall go to the Lee Vining library and buy a book or two in their sale, attend a Ranger led talk about Mono Lake--part of the Great Basin--western end. The eastern end is the great salt lake, both losing water way too fast. Time to go now, so I will keep in touch. All is well and wonderful. Blessings to all, Alia

 Next I went to Bryce Canyon (not officially a canyon because it has no river) but saw many hoodoos--the name given to the rock statues formed by the wind and rains. Then Zion Canyon, with several rode tunnels and very many hairpin turns and more elevation. As some of you have learned, I have tiredness, weakness, and brain fog from the altitude, but surviving well.  By a happy accident I then found a boron mine--which is another story in itself for later. Then on to Bishop California, where i  was able to go to a high school rodeo--just like the adult ones except the steers and broncos did not seem so mean. One part of me feels this is another way to see animals as slaves, bust since it is in my family (Cousin Earl Blevins was a steer wrestler snd our family went every year to the rodeo in Madison Square Garden to watch Earl break a few more bones and hopefully ear big money. Back in Wheatland Wyoming where Earl and Joan and Anne and Ned had a cattle ranch, (Ned also work...

 Today I am in Lee Vining after many days of not having internet--so sorry! All is well. My leg seems to be healing itself well. I have been so many places I will have a hard time catching up. I spent 6 nights and days at the Grand Canyon--beyond telling or even imagining. My new surprise was looking across the  canyon from Desert View to the North Rim, where the mesas covered in green and very flat. Once upon a time the plates came together and the floor pushed up and became very high and flat-- 8000 feet +. Nearby the plates pushed together and created the Rockies and maybe the Sierras. Then the Colorado River inch by inch and row by row cut the Grand Canyon through the rocks. more follows.

 I am so sorry--getting internet connection was too challenging, so I will try to catch up. Words to describe the canyon--MAGNIFICENT, UNBELIEVABLE, BEYOND DESCRIPTION. I stayed in 2 campgrounds which were both wonderful, and went to many ranger shows so I learned a great deal: the hisory and geology, the wildlife (had a visit at campsite of a pregnant elk), and learned about the park's part in saving the Condor from extinction, and fossils--more but I can't remember. I have some photos which I will share when I have help. I met some wonderful people, some to perhaps become long-term friends. Living at 7,000 feet was not as easy as it was when I was 22 and spent a summer at 9,000 feet! I get really tired and some occasional pains, dehydration because I was foolish--I'm  trying not to be foolish. What do you call a belt made of watches? (A waist of time) What kind of music do bunnies like best? (hip hop) Please email or call me if I haven't talked to you lately. Hugs, Al...

 What a journey! For 2 days I have been travelling through Native American lands. Hundreds of miles of beautiful country. After the fabulous Rockies, it has been flat to hilly land of wonderful rock formations  beyond belief--so many questions I have, and no one to ask except my computer. Miles with no cities, no towns--just semi desert country.  Chimney Rock was an unplanned stop. First the drive to the monument was miles of absolute peace. Then another drive to the visitors' center. Obama had declared it a National Monument--thank you Barrack! Most of the National sites were declared many years ago--mostly by Teddy Roosevelt inspired by John Muir, the same man who inspired this journey for me. Pueblos lived there for many years, far from the lowlands water sources,  Then I went to Mesa Verde, another amazing place but I was too tired to do much except be grateful.  Then to Four Corners--I have pictures. All Navaho country now. I spent the night in a Navaho Mal...

 Colorado. Kansas is a biiiiig state! And flat! I spent the night in front of a fossil museum/library, with permission from them and the police in the tiny town of Oakley. The rain played melodies most of the night. My windshield wipers have more settings then I can count, which was good since I have had intermittent rain for 2-3 days. I went to the Great Sand Dunes National Park/Monument. Because of the rains there were many shallow rivers to walk through to get to the dunes. What fun! And I met two women--we became instant friends. More fun! (Pictures when I can get help to send them). Internet and a Hershey's Pie--(terrible!) I will sleep here tonight. If I get bored I look at all the big trucks to see what colors they are. In all this time I have only seen one pink one, but many shades of all other colors--not too many pastels, but one lavender. Of course, many white ones. This is too one-way for me. I hope you will figure out how to comment on my blog so I will know you are he...

 Thursday I had only 2 hours sleep--just couldn't get to sleep, but I know I can lose a night and be OK, so I got up and drove nearly 10 hours to make up 100 miles and get to my friend Klara's in St. Louis. We had a lovely visit, and wonderful food and care for me. It rained today--I am almost half way across Kansas. Another motel night. Do you know why football  players don't get hot? They have so many fans. Some sad news--Klara's dog and my son Jan's dog both received sad diagnoses. I send caring thoughts and love to hold them in my heart. Peace to all.

Chatanooga, Tennessee. Good, but still 100 miles behind. I did not sleep well, so got up early and am ready to go--6:30 AM. I met nice motel neighbors, and a woman at rest stop, who helped me find my phone. Also lost computer (tile???) and keys so now I should be done with losing things.  A very beautiful mockingbird diva this morning--I love how some are so loud and clear and others not. Also a lovely sunrise.  A vacuum cleaner salesman demonstrated his vacuum and said "Lady, this vacuum will cut your cleaning time in half." The woman said, "Great, I'll take two!"