Rockhound State Park Deming, NM

Yesterday we made it to Deming, NM and am staying at the Rockhound State Park. We will probably be here untill about Sunday.   We are up on the side of a mountain, with other mountains to the south of us.  The view up here is terrific. Today I walked  a steep path leading high up on the mountain to do my collecting of special rocks.  Each person is allowed 15 lbs of rocks to take home.  I am not quite sure what I am supposed to be looking for,  but did find some black perlite, which the Ranger said to look for. I also found pink jasper and brown jasper.  There is supposed to be a lot of thundereggs and geodes here but I don't know what they look like unless the geode is split open. Wound up with a lot of cactus stickers in my arms and legs.  The weather is great, but there is a bad fly problem here.  Been using a lot of Off bug spray.  This is still one of the most beautiful campgrounds we have ever been in.  We even have electric and showers.    Here are pictures of the campground.

                                           Campground in center of pic

                                           Taken where I was excavating rocks

                                           Named (Florida mountains)  in background

Campsite at Sanders, AZ

We left Grand Canyon yesterday and drove thru the Petrified Forest National Park.  It was dark by the time we got thru.  Could not find a campground.   Finally found one at Sanders.  Heading south on 191 into New Mexico today.  Here are a few pics.

                                           San Francisco Peaks at Flagstaff, AZ

                                           Me on Petrified log

Grand Canyon Day 3

We didn't go far yesterday,  just 29 miles down the road to Desert View campground.  We are still in the National Park.  At an overlook we watched rafters down on the Colorado river.  They were goin thru one of the worst rapids, Hansen rapids. It had to be over a 1.5 miles away.  Took pics with telephoto lens,  didn't turn out too bad.  Went thru an old indian tower on the edge of the canyon, and then picked out a campsite, put out our chairs and read till dark.  Beautiful campgrounds, walking distance to the canyon rim. 

                                           Hansen rapids (telephoto lens)

                                            Hansen rapids (normal lens)