June 15, 2018

REVIEW OF THE TUCSON DESERT MUSEUM: MANTA RAYS IN THE DESERT?

 Manta Ray

Tucson Desert Museum Rattlesnakes and lizards were expected at the Tucson Desert Museum but Manta Rays in the desert?     The Museum was founded in 1952 and is dedicated to interpreting the bi-national Sonoran Desert region. The Desert Museum came highly recommended to us, but, truthfully, we were disappointed. Now, children would love this place with live animal shows, raptors, gems, fossils, paleontology exhibits and more.     Cons     We thought the entrance fee ($19.95 per senior) was very high-even with a military discount of $17.95. We visited for the Hummingbird Aviary but there weren’t many birds there the day we went. When we visited, temperatures were…

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written by Barb Bradley - Posted in 2018, Arizona, Blog, Video

June 11, 2018

New Mexico BACKROADS TRIP: THE BILLY THE KID SCENIC BYWAY

If you are like me, certain questions keep you up at night. This is one of them, “Do bears use restrooms?” Take a backroads trip on the Billy The Kid Scenic Byway in New Mexico,  one of America’s best backroads trips, and find out!   Lore from when the west was more wild with shoot-outs, posses and jail breaks are stories Stu and I truly love. Colorful people are our favorites and the old west had plenty!  We can’t get enough and had no idea that the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway and New Mexico is home to so many legendary sights and characters.   At the Billy the Kid Scenic Byway Visitors…

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written by Barb Bradley - Posted in 2018, Blog, New Mexico, Road Trips, Travel

June 3, 2018

TIPS FOR SAFE AND HAPPY BACKROADS TRAVEL

TIPS FOR SAFE AND HAPPY BACKROADS TRAVEL A little hesitant to travel these days? Don’t be! It is safe and easy to travel like we do! Honest! Still, you need to plan your trip so safety is not an issue. Just follow these tips for safe and happy travel.   First, people. People we meet are universally polite, inspirational, knowledgeable and gracious about sharing information and stories. Stu talks to everybody! Before you know it, he’s made a fast friend. I am more shy. But get either of us in an interesting place with interesting people and watch out!   Truthfully, the people on our journeys have been as richly rewarding…

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written by Barb Bradley - Posted in Blog, Trip Planning

June 2, 2018

SO. THIS HAPPENED.

While in Tucson, we went to Saguaro Park or Sabino Canyon every night to photograph sunset. WOW, it was incredible! But I digress. One of those evenings, a couple, decked out in wedding attire, was posing for wedding photos among the Saguaro. A beautiful desert setting. We worked around the couple and didn’t give it a second thought. Until…we heard a call for some help. Did the bride fall into the cactus wearing her gown? Did rattlesnakes appear because it was cooling off?   Wedding Photographer Mistake No. The photographer, choosing an artsy shot, had put the girl’s wedding ring on a cactus flower about 3 feet above the ground. Suddenly,…

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written by Barb Bradley - Posted in 2018, Arizona, Blog, Travel

June 1, 2018

SPRING BACKROADS TRAVEL COSTS (2018)

When Stu and I first cooked up a 2018 backroads trip from Florida to the Grand Canyon and back, we had no real idea what it would cost. We researched online blogs and found someone who had posted that a recent trip from Florida (where I planned to meet up with Stu) to the Grand Canyon cost about $3,700. So, we each budgeted about $4,000 apiece for the trip. We didn’t set an end date for our trip or a precise budget. We planned to stay on the road as long as we wanted. This road trip ended up being from northwest Florida to southern Utah and back and lasted 36 days….

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written by Stuart - Posted in Blog, Travel, Trip Planning

June 1, 2018

TAKE A BACKROADS TRIP: CAMINO REAL de los TEJAS NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL

Take a backroads trip through rolling grassy hills covered with bluebonnets and other wildflowers on The Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail. See nps.gov/elte/planyourvisit/maps.htm.     Once a year, my grandmother, in her 80s and 90’s would take a trip from Kansas City to Texas to see her son and the bluebonnets. Now I understand the bluebonnet part.  I don’t think Stu or I expected the beauty of the eastern Texas hill country since neither of us had ever been there. Waving grass, wildflowers, huge skies and curving backroads is the image that comes to mind when someone says, “a perfect spring/summer day.” THAT is the eastern Texas…

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written by Barb Bradley - Posted in 2018, Blog, Road Trips, Texas, Travel, Trip Planning

May 30, 2018

TAKE BACK ROADS TO EXPLORE AMERICA!

Take Back Roads to Explore America!   The Traveling Seniors ALWAYS travel back roads. Why?  Exploring America and her inspiring people is most rewarding along back roads and scenic byways!   Backroads vacations are so easy in retirement travel!  The pavement is smooth, traffic is sparse and the scenery is breathtaking. We can drive at our own pace. We can pull off the road to take photos or a break at almost any time. Backroads adventures are just waiting for you!   HOW TO FIND BACKROADS   One way to find byways is to visit scenicbyways.info. On that site, search by state or follow the dots on the map provided….

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written by Barb Bradley - Posted in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Road Trips, South Carolina, Tennesse, Texas, Travel, Trip Planning, Utah

May 29, 2018

8 TIPS FOR BACKROADS TRIPS

8 TIPS FOR BACKROADS TRIPS Two people, eight states and thousands of miles. A recent Traveling Seniors backroads trip was one of the most exhilarating experiences we’ve each ever had!   8 Tips for Roadtrips:  Do NOT plan and DO NOT set daily goals! Sound counterproductive? It isn’t! Aside from hotel reservations at places like the Grand Canyon and other high traffic attractions, we simply do not plan by date OR by navigation. As long as we headed toward our ultimate destination, we were fine on a recent 36-day roadtrip with wherever Siri took us. Set the car’s navigation to settings OTHER than “fastest route.” You will  head down backroads and…

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written by Stuart - Posted in Blog, Road Trips, Travel, Trip Planning

May 29, 2018

NEW ORLEANS: LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

New Orleans: Let the Good Times Roll! The Big Muddy. The Big Easy. The Mighty Mississippi. The Mardi Gras City. What can you say??????? GOOD TIMES, GOOD FOOD AND GREAT MUSIC, that’s what!!! More than Bourbon Street (although you just HAVE to go there!), NOLA is a kick in the pants, a cultural experience, and a place no one should miss! Hotel We were lucky enough to stay at the AC Hotel New Orleans Bourbon at 221 Carondelet Street in New Orleans. A block from Canal Street where we crossed into the French Quarter, the location was perfect! The hotel does not have a restaurant but who cares? New Orleans…

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written by Stuart - Posted in 2018, Blog, Louisiana, Travel, Trip Planning