MYSTERY TRIP CONTINUED

After lunch, we went on to the Montezuma well. I was surprised to see cliff dwellings in the walls-I guess if you fell, you could drown.

A view of the mountains in the background.

At one time, there were also Pueblo buildings here with 15-20 rooms. This is what's left.

These are the remains of a pit house.

The three examples of housing in the 1300's are interesting, but Mulert wouldn't have gotten very far offering me one of these homes. I can't imagine living that way.

LUNCH ON THE MYSTERY TRIP

We asked a ranger where to eat in the area and he sent us to The Ranch House Restaurant near Montezuma Well. Originally, it was on the ranch that belonged to Bell of Bell Telephone. Years ago it was a spot where many of the old movie stars would go to eat and play golf. There were pictures of many of them on the walls. It was kind of neat.

This was where we ate.

We had a view of the golf course and mountains.

MYSTERY TRIP

A week ago, we took Al and Shirley Ludeking on a mystery trip up north of Phoenix to Montezuma's Castle, to see the cliff dwellings. They're pretty awesome! It's amazing that they could live in the side of a cliff several stories high-it's not as though they had fancy ladders from Home Depot. I can't imagine keeping children safe, not too mention someone clumsy like me. Apparently there was a blind woman in the group-how scary! We began at the visitors center.

Then down the path to the dwellings.

Another view.

This is an exhibit showing the inside of the dwellings.

They settled near Beaver Creek-the dwellings had a "view of the water".

Who are these guys?

ARIZONA SKYDIVERS

We then drove down to Eloy to watch the Arizona skydivers at their school. You can watch them get dressed, do their jumps and then get their parachutes all packed away. You watch the planes take off, climb to the proper altitude and then suddenly all these people drop down from the sky. Some of them come in with gusto and others just kind of float on down. As you sit there watching, you swear they're going to land on you. The amazing thing is how smoothly they land, all but a couple on their feet. Kathy decided she might like to do it, but not with anyone watching. Apparently it costs $70 a jump, more for students, and many did it more than once. The students did tandem jumps and seemed to do well. It was an interesting experience!

Here they come!

We saw about 100 jump in just a short time. It was a great experience! Afterwards, we went back home and taught them a new card game -Up the River, Down the River. We ended the day at Mimi's Cafe-it was a good day with good friends!

CACTUS FLY-IN

On Saturday, Pat and Kathy Fitzgerald drove down from Chandler, and we went to the Cactus Fly-In at the Casa Grande airport. There were all types of planes, but the majority were restored antique planes. One of them was a new little jet.

This one looked like it wouldn't make it off the ground, but it did.

Some had interesting names.

Some have strange men pose in front of them.
Some of them performed.

ARIZONA BEAUTY

Along the roadsides and highways in Arizona, are a multitude of flowering bushes, that we've never seen up north. Here's an example.

They also have many flowering trees.

And the sunsets are different and unusual every day.

BASEBALL WITH MARVIN

Last Friday, we drove up to Tempe, to see Don's brother, Marvin, and Jodi, who were there from Dubuque, visiting Jodi's daughter, Alison. She had good news for them when they arrived, as she had received a diamond from her boyfriend, Bobby, the night before. It's a very pretty ring, and we congratulate them. Alison went with us to the Angels/ Giants game at Diablo Stadium, named after the mountain behind it. The weather was beautiful, and we got so "into the spirit of the stadium", that we all ate meat. As Marvin says, "There's just something about eating a hotdog at a baseball game". Of course, if he'd check the church rules, we're over 65-so we didn't sin! But, sin or no sin, we had a nice visit! Here's the entrance to the stadium.

Part of the mountain and the lawn seats.

The view behind home plate.

Ida's oldest and youngest boys.

Marvin, Jodi and Alison.