I guess we're not very good at this updating thing

Just a quick little update in case anyone is still checking this.

We are back in St. Louis- came back to the midwest for my sisters highschool graduation

We found a house for sale in St. Louis that we really liked, and was pretty darn cheap cause it was a "handymans special"

We bought the house in St. Louis, and are currently fixing it up- just replaced the garage roof

And we're getting married at the end of August!

So there's the update- I'll post more pictures from the rest of the trip when I get a chance, but right now we have been a little wrapped up in other things.

By the way if anyone knows of jobs that are hiring in the St. Louis area, please send them our way-

It's weird to be back in the real world- but don't worry we plan on it being a temporary stay. Hopefully we'll fix up the house sell it or rent it in a couple of years, make a whole big bunch of money and be able to travel all over again. Hopefully...

Our new house!

Up and up and up Las Cruces 3/27- 4/1

After leaving white sands we headed west through New Mexico and stopped in the city of Las Cruces. There we did the normal boring city things; laundry, library, and food buying- which is where we found out that this city contains a supermarket, and the supermarket contains some tortillas, that were probably some of the best I've ever eaten. After gorging ourselves on warm tortillas we were on our way again and stopped at a climbing area just outside of town called the rough and ready hills. The climbs were pretty fun, so we stuck around for a couple days.

Goonie had something he wanted to show me

Good climbing, quiet camping, and pretty sunset

what more could you ask for?

After talking with a group of people from the area, we found out that there was a relatively easy multi-pitch sport climbing area nearby. We decided it was time we gave it a try. Multi-pitch climbing is when you climb up and then belay from a set of anchors on the wall to get your second person up, and then they belay you from those anchors and so on...

On the way up to checkerboard mountain

A very serious moment

This is looking back at the car from where we started the climb after the hike up- you can just barely see the van in the middle of the picture

Mary about to start and lead the first pitch

Where are they going? and why can't I come too?

The first set of anchors- Mary and Michael went up and I stayed down with the dogs

Sometimes you forget how spiky and dangerous the desert can be

and then you get a reminder

Making there way up, both Mike and Mary are about in the center of the picture, it was a big hunk of rock- probably 400-500 feet tall, and we climbed to the top of it. It was a pretty cool feeling

When Mike and I went up we left Goonie with Mary; neither of them were too happy about this since Goonie kept running around trying to climb up the rock and barking continuously and very shrilly...awww say the parents, rotten brat says the babysitter

Looking down from the 3rd pitch, Michael was belaying me and that dark dot is Mary

Michael at the top

Looking at the other side from the top of the mountain

We made it

Looking down from whence we had come

As you may notice, those shadows are pretty long, we had about 45 minutes before dark, and a long way to repel, and a really long walk back to the car

Stepping off the end of the world

Almost down...

We managed to get off the rock before it got dark, but had to pick our way back to the car without flashlights with only that sliver of moon to guide us. We lost the trail practically immediately and there were cacti everywhere, and of course I was wearing sandals. Luckily after a couple of minutes of simply heading down the hill, over boulders and hoping we weren't about to stab ourselves on anything too painful, we met back up with the trail, and made it back to camp; cold and hungry, but safe.

White Sands March 25th-26th

Finally we had arrived. It is such a beautiful surreal place, and the dogs absolutely loved it. We took tons of pictures, so enjoy...

Dunes and mountains

Wind swept gypsum white sand, so soft and cool to the touch, and doesn't even grit in the teeth

Baxter was ready to go wandering

There isn't a campground in white sands. The only way you're allowed to spend the night is if you backpack in. Our site was 0.9 miles in, but the dogs probably went more like 5 miles going up and down and all over the dunes.

Silhouette of Goonie-pie (just a word of warning at least half of the pictures are of the dogs)

and Bax "lone-ranger" max wanders on...

sunset

The dogs were a little excited, even grandpa Baxter, who can get a little grumpy when it's close to bed time

Mary, Michael, and Goonie enjoying a sunset dune jump

Good Morning, sunrise from the tent. Goonie did great in our little 2 person tent. I think it was a good thing he had worn himself out so much.

Morning Dunes

Long shadowed dogs

The view of camp from our dune

Pretty dunes- the early morning was one of the best times, before the wind picked up. The wind blowing all that sand around hurt, and we all had to wear sunglasses just to keep the sand out of our eyes.

and on...

The dogs playing in the sand

Us playing in the sand

Michael takes credit for getting the picture, I take credit for being the only one brave enough to try a flip

It's a love pounce right?

Hi-ya

awwww

Little Emilie, big shadow

Clever comments...? Anyone?

It was a little on the windy side for ol' gramps

Siblings

Frisbee in the dunes

Did the lone ranger finally find a place to settle down? Tune in next tim to see if Bax Max wanders on


Bird...plane...mighty ninja Emilie

and thats all I have to say about that