We drove out of Las Vegas heading west along I-15 and into California. We stopped in Baker and had a fresh strawberry milkshake at the Mad Greek. Just across the street you can see the world's largest thermometer.

You can see the dry Silver Lake with the mountains in the background.

Joshua Trees dot the landscape in this area, they are found in the Mojave desert in California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada at 2,000'-6,000'.

This tree was some blooms on it. They often become very top heavy and fall over.

Here is a corner of Lake Shasta.

I found a road that took us under the bridge along I-5 in the Lake Shasta area.

Mount Shasta is an amazing site, this is a view from Weeds, California.

A favourite stop along the I-5 in Springfield, Oregon at the antique shop called "At Ruthie B's". They serve a lovely tomato basil soup, you can have lunch in one of the display rooms.

This was a pretty pink dogwood that we found in full bloom along the way. Our next stop was home.

We arrived in Las Cruces and went to Mesilla where we had lunch at La Posta. It used to be an old stagecoach station. Then we went walking around the old plaza.I love the painted doors and window frames in this area of the world. I've seen similar colours when I travelled in Greece.

This is a detail picture of an old bench sitting in the plaza for you to take a brief rest upon.

Once again the quilting image is found on the grill work, a hand along the top.

Different ristras of chilies drying waiting to be taken to someones home. Then we went to the White Sands National Monument.

Look closely, you never know when you will see flowers quietly blooming. If you look again you can see some footprints of a critter or two in the sand.

Keep looking, you never know when a flower will suddenly appear.

These columns are formed by the root systems when the surrounding sands are blown away.

The yucca is the state flower of New Mexico and is found all over the landscape.

The landscape is constantly changing with new plants emerging from where none were before.

At times you would think you were driving through plowed roads where snow has fallen, and then you realize how hot it is.

These picnic shelters are to protect you from the wind and the sand coming from the west. They almost look like ice boats with billowing sails.

I found the lines of this plant to be amazing and the sky behind it breathtaking!

We then headed up the Rio Grande and into Albuquerque. Then we drove onto Santa Fe where we walked around the old Plaza neighbour hood.

The carvings around the top of this building were quite spectacular.

The burro bronze is around the corner on Burro Alley, there are several paintings on the wall along the street.

Looking in on a alcove off the main walk.

I love the look of the banners at the top and the columns along the side with the sun streaming in.

Then we changed direction and arrived in Las Vegas, talk about a different way to look at things. All the neon lights and colours!

At 11:00 p.m. we went for a walk and enjoyed Andrea Bocelli singing as the waters danced at the Bellagio Hotel. Then we walked along the strip and looked at all the lights dancing in the desert.

The Flamingo Hotel has undergone a face lift from the first time I went to Las Vegas. Many of the old hotels are just faded memories and photographs.