I'm not terribly organised this morning, and as I check out of the hotel and pack my luggage into the boot of my hire-car, I think i'm...

How did I end up in Roswell, New Mexico? It is literally in the middle of nowhere, miles from the nearest commercial airport, right...

I am reading a novel called Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather. Written in 1927, it is a fine example of classic American literature and it is written about the establishment of the Catholic Church in New Mexico. For a novel that, for all intents and purposes, is based on historical fact, Cather doesn't shy away from touching on subjects such as violence against women, the excesses of members of the clergy, and the conflict between the settlers, the Spanish, and N

Michael Martin Murphey's song, Wildfire, was the 39th most popular song in Australia in 1975. According to John O'Grady's alter-ego Nino Cullota, Australians are a weird mob, which, I'm sure, extends to our musical tastes. A quick look at those top 100 songs shows that an Australian's idea of popular music extended from country to punk, with a mish-mash of everything in between, and we loved it. But some songs endure, and Michael Martin Murphey's song, Wildfire has not only e

Despite my meanderings yesterday, I did arrive in Taos early enough to have the opportunity to explore the historic downtown area. Like...

With trepidation, I look out the window to see whether last night's extended storm has done much damage to my surroundings, and I'm very...

I have a list of things to do in Santa Fe, but first I quickly read an overview of the history of Santa Fe, and indeed, New Mexico. After about half an hour, I realise that the history is ancient and very, very complex. However, the key players in the story of Santa Fe include indigenous people, the Catholic Church, Spanish, American, and pioneers, making this city the oldest state capital in the United States. There's no point in me rehashing history here - the point of the

The beauty of travelling alone is the sense of freedom one gets from driving along the open road. There are certain advantages of...

The sun beats relentlessly on my head as I return to the car to get my hat. The distant hum of the traffic on the road below reminds me...

I've been staying in Franklin for a few days and since it's my last full day here, I set out to try to understand some of the details of...

I have been in Toronto for a few days; even slipping up to Lake Muskoka for a couple of nights. But now I'm back in Toronto for my second...

Have you ever fallen into a situation that is so unexpected and amazing that you stop and wonder how it happened? Pat has to go to work...

We leave the Okotoks Erratic and drive through Longview. This is the prairie land of Alberta. The wheatfields dance in time with the soft...

My friend, Pat, had grown up on a farm in an area near the township of Okotoks, Alberta. The family farm is still very much a part of her...

In 2017, I introduced Pat to a stegosaurus in Denver. The fossilised creature was embedded in the side of a cliff; it's spiny spikes had...

The forecast for Calgary City is 25 degrees Celsius and I hope I'm not too hot as I don a long-sleeved shirt and jeans. My foldable hat...

I am exhausted! This tour will have covered over 5500 kilometres by the time I reach Las Vegas. This distance has been reached in 6 days,...

My deep sleep is rudely interrupted by an alarm clock. It is 5am and we have a 6am start. I could cry!!!! My beautiful room in the...

I wake up at 5am, as I am about to witness the sunrise over Yellowstone Lake. It is cold and a thick dew has fallen overnight. I make my...

It is 6:30 in the morning, I'm still suffering from jetlag, so the early start is a bir of a shock to the system. The only advantage to...