BELLEMONT TO VALLE AZ, RESTING UP AT FRED’S PLACE & LOT’S OF OLD AIRPLANES

Overnight at the Bellemont Truck Repair Center still had us close to the Santa Fe’s main rail lines & with a rail crossing a short distance away we had train whistles in the night but I didn’t think there were as many trains.  I did hear a big tractor trailer pull in right beside us & shut things down though.  We were both up at 4 & waved bye bye to our memories of Bellemont Arizona by 7:10 a.m.

HARD TO IMAGINE THIS FLAT TERRAIN JUST 40 MILES AHEAD HOLD’S ONE OF THE 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD

Over coffee about 4:30 this morning we discussed our route & decided to backtrack a short distance to Williams & head straight north up 64 towards Arizona’s Grand Canyon as originally planned.  Needed to replenish our fresh water tank & have ourselves a slow relaxing day so headed for Bedrock City in Valle Arizona.  Nice soothing early morning drive with the rig running perfectly.  Less than an hour out of Bellemont we were at Fred Flintstones RV Park in Valle.  We were here once before back in late 08 so knew what to expect.  This is a theme RV Park long past it’s hay-day but they have a neat little restaurant (Fred’s Diner) here & we weren’t long in getting ourselves settin down for some breakfast with coffee being 5 cents a cup.  Mexican lady doing the cooking so Kelly’s big Burrito breakfast was excellent as well as my standard eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns & 5 cent coffee.  This is a uniquely rustic & tired old gift shop with a cozy little restaurant at the north end.  I liked this place right from the first time we walked in there six & half years ago & I liked the little cave like dimly lit hole in the wall eatery.  No fancy schmanzy stuff here……..My kinda place:)) 

 

THAT’S KELLY WAY BACK THERE IN THE CORNER LEAVING A TIP AT OUR TABLE (RIGHT PHOTO)

 

I THINK MOST OF THIS STUFF HAS BEEN HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME

 

MAIN DOOR ON THE RIGHT

Tim Horton checked us in at the office/grocery store.  Yes that’s his name so I took his photo.  Any coffee loving Canadian would have done the same.  

CHECKING IN WITH MR. TIM HORTON WHO HAPPENS TO BE ORIGINALLY FROM FLINT MICHIGAN

BEHIND THIS WALL LIES WHAT IS LEFT OF THE WILMA & FRED FLINTSTONE ERA

Found us a spot where both water & electric worked, un-hooked the Jeep & settled us down a spell.  Nobody close just a dozen old abandoned RV trailers close by.  Counted 15 rigs in the Park & 12 of them were long ago empty.  Yes we’re quite comfortable with absent non existent neighbors like that.  I remembered they had an air museum nearby so after having a shower I headed myself just down the road half a mile or so to have me a look at all the airplanes there.

 

NOBODY LIVING IN ANY OF THOSE OLD TRASHED TRAILERS BEHIND US SO WE HAVE US A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD EXCEPT FOR TRAFFIC ON 64 IN FRONT OF US BUT IT’S NOT A PROBLEM

 

PHEEBS HOLDING HER PAW UP BECAUSE SHE STEPPED ON A GOATSHEAD STICKER

This is a first rate aircraft museum located right on highway 64 at Valle’s south end.  Just $6.95 to get in & I spent a couple very enjoyable hours walking around looking at everything.  Only a handful of people there & of course that was a major bonus for me.  Nobody getting in the way of photos & no hollering kids racing around.  Now how nice is that. 

  

GERMAN MESSERSCHMITT ME-109 ON THE LEFT

THIS ‘SPIRIT OF GRAND CANYON’ AIRCRAFT ONCE FLEW PASSENGERS OVER THE CANYON (OF COURSE IT HAD FABRIC ON IT’S WINGS THEN)

After all these years I finally got to see what the cockpit of a P-38 Lightning & an F-86 Sabre Jet looked like.  Just about all of the aircraft displayed looked perfectly flyable & I’m sure some of the were.  So great that so many people have come together to form groups with the goal of preserving aircraft.

COCKPIT OF A P-38 LIGHTNING

 

ENGINE & BUSINESS END OF A P-38

INSTRUMENT PANEL OF A B-17 FLYING FORTRESS

 

P-51 MUSTANG ON LEFT & AN F4F CORSAIR ON THE RIGHT

Out back of the large hanger were parked another half dozen old planes plus a lot of airplane parts with some of them being huge.  Can’t imagine how aircraft aficionados can restore aircraft from bit & pieces but they do.  There were sections of what I am assuming was once a large 4 engine bomber of some kind laying in sections out back.  

RUSSIAN MIG

 

5 BIG ENGINES OF WHICH 4 COULD BE OFF A LARGE WW2 BOMBER

 

TAIL SECTION & A HUGE SECTION OF WING

 

2 ENGINE COWLINGS ON ONE WING PLUS ENGINES

 

INSIDE A WING & LOOK AT ALL THAT COMPLEXITY AMIDSHIPS BETWEEN THE WINGS

Would have stayed longer at the air museum but my legs gave out & were bothering me so knew I had to get back to the rig & sit down.  The overhead cloud cover was breaking up so Kelly & the Pheebs were out soaking up a few warming rays.  Oh so nice to see the sun & feel it’s healing rays.  By the end of the day we were under clear skies.  We both agreed it was the right decision to come here to Valle’s Bedrock RV Park & just veg out for the day totally relaxing & putting the last couple days behind us.  Kelly’s been handling the stress levels better than I have.  All day I felt the way I usually feel after a long & grueling journey & here it is only the 3rd day of our trek home.  I’m hoping today’s rest & relaxation with a good night’s sleep & no nearby train whistles will catch up with me tomorrow.

LOCKHEED CONSTELLATION OFTEN CALLED THE ‘CONNIE’

  

BIRD’S NEST IN A WHEEL WELL

 

 

Plan to head off to the Grand Canyon’s south rim first thing in the morning.  We’re going to start off by riding the Canyons buses.  They are free & take folks all around the Park pointing out all the highlights.  Figured that’s a good way to orient ourselves with the surroundings.  Last time there in late 08 we did a lot of walking along the Canyon’s rim & around Canyon Village.  Might do a little more Jeeping this time because like I said I’m having some problems with my legs.  We are also going to scout out a couple boondocking spots south of the Park & if we find one we like we’ll maybe move the rig up there Saturday morning for a day or two.  Our journey carries us through the Park & out the east entrance anyway when we depart the area so everything is right on the way.

 

REASON I HAVEN’T CAPTIONED ALL THE AIRCRAFT IS BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ALL ARE

Pheebs & I went for a short walk after supper & scared us up a few sunset pics along the way.  C’yall tomorrow night:))

 

LOOKING AT THE WEST SIDE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO PEAKS FROM FRED’S PLACE

 

GROANER’S CORNER:(( You Know the computer belongs to a Redneck if....
1.The mouse is referred to as a "critter."
2.The keyboard is camouflaged.
3.There is a Skoal can in the CD-ROM drive.
4.There is a gunrack mounted on the CPU.
5.The password is, "bubba."
6.The numeric keypad only goes up to six.
7.Outgoing faxes have beer stains on them.
8.The printer goes really slow since Bubba don't read too fast.
9.The extra RAM slots have Dodge truck parts installed in them.
10.The menus all have Budweiser, Black Label, and Old Milwaukee options.
11.Jeff Foxworthy *.wavs.
12.The monitor is up on blocks.
13.Seven blue tick hounds under the desk.
14.Deer jerky in the desk drawer.
15.The screen saver consists of pictures of Ned Beatty with dueling banjos playing in the background.
16.The six front keys have rotted out.
17.John Deer Pocket Protectors.