Travelog for: Coney

After a day with my family and our new friend Hale I came to Farmington New Mexico where I have been training and exercising because I want to join the army.
This is me and Hale in the picture and if you click here you can see a video of our trip to the Four Corners. 
My brother Picado has already left on travels on his and my other brother Morado has traveled around with our friend and host and brought Florence back from Florida.

After a successful visit to the Army recruiter Coney is now on his way to Baghdad, Iraq.

I wish I had some news or an update but I am just being a worry wart.  Coney was deployed to Iraq and has yet to check in.  When I read all the reports on the news I get very worried and hope to hear from him soon.

Well, I finally made it! I arrived in Iraq a few days ago, and after having to wait in a large mail container, I was finally sent to my new unit. Right after I got there, they geared me up, and we went out on patrol!

In a brief offline IM this morning Coney explained that he's getting an op order tonight for a mission tomorrow, his last 3 missions got scratched at the staging area....and he wants a big can of country time lemonade 

Well, today we were supposed to goto another FOB, but unfortunately Wuffy and I had to give up our seats, so another soldier could link back up with his unit.
I did get a picture of me and Wuffy chilling out, right before we got the news.

While I haven't got an official update on the travel log I did get an IM from Coney.  He mentioned that in his last photo he was listening to

Well, it's been a hectic couple of days recently, with plenty of missions, most of them being scratched, and of course, the one that didn't get scratched, was a night mission, so I was unable to have any pictures taken. Today was real rough, we got called up quite a few times, and on one of the call ups, me and Wuffy had to run back to the barracks in full equipment. Even though we have been working out, even that short of a distance, approximately 200-300 yards, was devastatingly rough. Poor Wuffy almost didn't make it back to the trucks.
Tomorrow, I will try and get some photo's taken, and uploaded.

Coney has sent home some pictures.  Not much info to go with them but I'm sure he'll report in when he gets a chance.

Well it's been a relatively quiet couple of days recently. Not too many missions recently, thankfully too, since the heat has been spiking up to degrees of around 127* Fahrenheit! But one of Wuffy's friends sent him a box of mr. freeze ice treats  they are great on hot days, I especially love the yellow, red and orange flavors.
Today we had to clean ammo, I have a picture of me and Wuffy II working together on a belt of 7.62 rounds.

Coney just called home and he is waiting at the airport in Kuwait for a flight home.  He said Wuffy is travelling with him but is very tired since they have been waiting at the Bagdad International Airport for hours for a flight out.  The flights kept getting delayed because of sandstorms.  He said to tell everyone he is bringing lots of pictures to update his travel log once he gets home.  He will be home only a short time and does not know where the army will be sending him next.

I am home on leave for a couple weeks.  It was a long trip home and took 5 days to get here.  We had lots of flights cancelled for sandstorms in Baghdad and floods in Texas.  We finally arrived at Albuquerque at 2045 Hrs MDT.  My sister Rosa was there to greet us and Wuffy helped her up to climb up and give me a hug.



When we got home there were flags and balloons and signs and banners everywhere to welcome me and Wuffy home.  Today I am getting some rest.  Tomorrow I am going to get out all the pictures I brought home with me.

I am not actually in Baghdad today but I am still updating photos from my missions there.  I have many pictures that aren't good because its hard to take pictures out the side of the humvee. 

Others turned out okay but I am waiting on security clearance.  It is very important to be careful what I post.

Today we had new guests arrive!  Froddo and Daisy Duck arrived from Iowa.  Daisy Duck is from Great Britain and Froddo is from Australia. 

Its kinda nice to be around to welcome these people but I have a sworn duty to protect so I will soon be going back to the combat zone.
Right now I will take advantage and relax a little though.

I'm enjoying my leave and getting some sightseeing done.  We went ot the Aztec Ruins today. The Aztec Ruins National Park is on sacred ground.  The park became a world heritage site in 1987.
The ruins were not really from the Aztec but from Pueblos long before.  By studying the trash layers the archeologists discovered that the ruins were home to 2 distinct groups at 2 distinct times.  The builders were Pueblo Indians.

Construction of some of the old buildings dates back to before the 1100's. 
The West Ruin was the largest of the buildings and had at least 400 rooms rising 3 stories.
It was a public building like todays civic centers. 
The Hubbard Site was built with three walls surrounding a Kiva.  22 rooms were built into the walls.

The Great Kiva is like a sanctuary or worship place and is in the West Plaza at the ruins.  It was rebuilt in 1934 so we would know what it looked like.