Ghost towns, those forlorn, empty, picturesque places, continue with a place of prominence in our lives. First, there is the completion of Ghost Towns of the Southwest. Now its research for Ghost Towns of Route 66.

In retrospect I see both books as simply the latest manifestation of my fascination with these forgotten places and the enjoyment derived from sharing their stories. Attesting to this even more than the books is the fact that on our honeymoon I introduced my dearest friend, also a fan of the quiet places, to the haunting beauty of Mogollon, New Mexico.

For us ghost towns are those delightful places where solitude reigns supreme. To celebrate our 25TH anniversary we chose a weekend in Bisbee and an evening at the historic Copper Queen. The next anniversary we chose the Hassayampa Inn in Prescott with the destination being Crown King deep in the Bradshaw Mountains.

One year in celebration of my dearest friends birthday we cruised the stunning beauty of the Death Valley wastelands and explored the stunning ruins of Rhyolite in Nevada. Another celebration involved a trip to the ghost city of Jerome.

Oddly enough the acquisition of a Jeep is a relatively new phenomena in our home. Previously our adventures were often at the helm of an old pick up truck, many of which were built before we were born.

Even though the Jeep has only been a part of the Hinckley stable for a few months we have already discovered that with this vehicle a wide array of new adventure possibilities are unfolding. This and the arrival of the cooler temperatures that make desert adventures a pleasure have filled us with eager anticipation.