Lew & Clark Rolling Rally Campsites

OK, Here it is, hope you can make some sense out of this.



LEWIS & CLARK ROLLING RALLY
Tentative Schedule and Campsites

The prices listed here are regular prices, however, many parks accept Golden Age (GA) passes for additional discounts. All parks have flush toilets, dump stations and showers unless otherwise noted. When reservations are available phone numbers are included. Most people will want to see the sights in St. Louis prior to departing on or about June 15th. The entire trip will take approximately 34 days not including your trip home. As said before, all are invited to start at any point along the journey or come along for the entire ride. Getting home is up to the individual. Nothing is set in stone so please feel free to comment and/or suggest changes. The mileage stated for each site is the distance to the next campsite. These distances are approximate but as close as I could figure. I will not list points of interest on this document. Suffice it to say they are numerous and we shouldn’t lack for interesting “stuff “ to do or places to see. When possible I have chosen campsites on the river so those of us who wish can try out our nautical skills.


1. Babler Memorial State Park, MO The rally begins just a few miles west of St. Louis at Babler. The park has 41 E sites at $21. GA 800-334-6946. 2 night weekend
178.8 mi

2. ARROW Rock S.P., MO 34 sites at $21 E GA 800-334-6946
143.3

3. Lewis & Clark SP, MO 62 sites at $21 E GA 800-334-6946
221 mi

4. Lake Manawa State Park, IA Council Bluffs 37 E sites $14-$16
153mi

5. Lewis & Clark SRA, Cottonwood Garvins Pt., NE 77 E sites at $14 402-388-4169
201mi

6. West Whitlock Rec Area, SD 103 E sites at $14 Res 800-710-2267
170mi

7. Sakakawea Lake, Garrison Dam Downstream,ND 101 E sites at $16 701-654-7411
155mi

8. Lewis & Clark SP, ND 80 E sites at $20
161mi

9. Downstream, Ft. Peck, MT 73 E sites $16 Res 406-526-3224
168mi

10. James Kipp Rec Area, MT 34 sites $15 or GA $10 No hookups. Vaulted toilet; Shuttle for floaters. BLM This is the natural, way it was in 1804, Missouri River near the Missouri Breaks.
143mi

From the Kipp Rec Area I have plotted 2 routes that could be taken. The first continues in the Missouri Breaks region to Coal Banks Landing. There are no hookups at Kipp or Coal Banks. There may be some of us who require electric hookups. In that case, we can go to Havre and stay in a commercial park. There is also a county park, Beaver Creek, 20 mi south of Havre, but no hookups. As I said before, none of this is cast in stone and after input from everyone I’ll have a better idea of which route to pursue. I have listed the possibilities below.

11. Coal Banks Landing Rec Area No hookups or stay somewhere at Ft. Benton with elec.
Kipp to Coal Banks 143 mi.

12. Havre, MT Evergreen Campground E sites at $25
Kipp to Havre 98mi

13. Beaver Creek Park, 20 mi south of Havre, no hookups
Kipp to BC, 110mi

There isn’t much from Havre to Black Sandy in the way of public campgrounds. However, we will certainly want to take a look at Ft Benton and Great Falls. From Havre to Black Sandy it is approx. 204mi.

14. Black Sandy State Park, MT No hookups, $15, dump, toilet on Hauser Lake Helena 406-495-3270, Res? 86.6 mi to Caverns

This is a relatively short distance but Caverns does have E and a chance to stock up. Also, it gives us time to visit Missouri Headwaters State Park.

15. Lewis & Clark Caverns, Whithall, MT 40 E sites at $15. 406-287-3541
To Lolo 155 mi

16. Lolo/Missoula? Wal-Mart or?? TBD There are 2 resorts we can try at Lolo.
175 mi to Dent.

17. Dent Acres, ID Orofino 50 E sites at $16 Reserve America 1-877-444-6777, PK 208-476-1261, 188mi to Hood.

18. Hood Park Campground, Pasco, WA 69 sites E, $18 RA 877-444-6777, PK 509-547-2048,
Hood to Mary 118mi

19. Mary Hill State Park, WA 50 E sites at $27
Mary to Ft Stevens 188mi

20. Ft. Stevens, Astoria, Ore Lots of E sites at $27 This is the last stop and Cape Disappointment is very close (day trip). Stay as long as you want and rest up for the trip home.

On To Gallup

I convinced my fellow travelers to stop at Acoma Pueblo on the way to Gallup. Acoma is the oldest continually inhabited pueblo in North America (2,000 yrs). Commonly referred to as sky city it is set upon a mesa jutting up 375 ft from the valley floor. A really beautiful place to see. Since I had been there before I didn't take any pictures, sorry about that. If you are ever in this part of NM it is a must see.

We camped that night in the Cibillo National Forest, a much needed break from the KOA. A lovely relaxing evening. Pete entertained us with a flute concert. Both Native American and Celtic music. We had a huge campfire and ate brats that Maureen fixed. I must say that I was so tired from the day that I could hardly keep my eyes open. Foxy and Pete's pup, Oscar, had a high old time playing ball together. What a pair. They both needed to run off a little excess energy.

The next morning I had to leave the group and head home. Truly, I will miss them, such a lovely group of people and I enjoyed traveling with them so much. I really hated to leave. But. . . since I had to be at another Casita Rally at Cheyenne Mt. State Park on Friday, it was time to say good by.

The Fox and I drove to Shiprock then turned right and headed into Chama. I wanted to make it all the way to LaVeta but was much too tired so we stopped at a camp by the river and rested for the night. When we pulled into La Veta the next day we stopped for the mail, milk at Charlie's and took off for home. My first job when I walked in the door was to lie down and nap for 2 yrs. Then I got up to do wash and get ready to leave the next morning. Thurs night is always Taco night at Sammie's so Deb and Larry picked me up (didn't want to unhook the Casita) and we went to dinner. Wow, what a trip! Great fun and great people.

A Few Pictures

Moving on to Albuquerque

I am so tired when the day ends that I don't have much energy left to blog. Maybe I can catch up some. On the way out of Amarillo we had to stop at Cadillac Ranch. . . old cars with fins buried half-way in the ground. This is the work of Stanley Marsh who has a ranch in Amarillo and is somewhat famous for his "doings" in the '60s. The cars are located on old route 66 west. I remember when Stanley had them on his ranch and they weren't covered with graffiti, they were kinda neat then. But, it's worth the look see if you're in Amarillo.

Take a look at the Bates Motel sign. Gotta a laugh out of that. Moving on at a turtle's pace we stopped at the midway point of route 66. A great little cafe with the best pie ever, despite the ugly crust. I had pecan to go. Further down the road about 40 min we stopped for ice cream. I had pecan praline and put it on top of my pie for lunch. Oh wow, was that the best. Our group is so lay-back and friendly, we take it slow and make lots of stops for fun and photo opps. The plan is to stay on old 66 as much as possible and when we can't, get back on the freeway. I was happy to get to Albuquerque, set up camp and kick back for awhile.

Next day four of us went to old town to shop and have lunch. On the way down Route 66 we stopped and took pics of old motels and scenic spots. I have so many memories of that time in 1960 after I graduated from high school and the family took 66 to CA. A new gal joined us, Carol, from Sholow, AZ. She is my age and a solo traveler. Great gal and she drove us down to old town. We had a super New Mexican lunch in a lovely courtyard. The food was great. While we were eating another gal joined us. That made me, Carol, Gloria (Washington state), Diane (N Carolina) and Maureen (Indiana). After leaving Old Town we just had to find a Route 66 Diner and Malt shop. Oh yes, we all sat at the bar in the diner and had malts. Oh boy was mine the best.

We planned to leave Albu early the next day so we could stop at Acoma Pueblo on the way to Gallup, NM.

Big Texan

Dinner at the Big Texan was a "tourist" experience to be remembered. We all gathered at the KOA for our free Limo ride to the restaurant. Please note pic with Limo Bull Horns and real Texas drivers. "Drivers" is what they call 'em in Texas cause they got no cattle "chauffeurs". After arrival we, of course, had to take a few pics of us at the hooves of the big bull, etc. Inside was one room after the other of gifts, stuffed heads, fudge of all kinds and finally a place to eat. We were seated at long tables with cowhide cloths (fake) and began our experience. In the middle of the room was an elevated deck so we could gaze upon those fools who attempted to eat the 72oz steak, shrimp, salad and baked potato (gotta eat it all to win). Two adversaries took their seat and commenced to eat, and eat, and eat, and, oh you know. One fellow was kinda a nondescript skinny one who you figured would fail right off. The other. . . well that was a different story Big Daddy! A huge black guy sporting a tee shirt that said "I Love it When You Call Me Big Daddy." Whoa, this guy just might take the prize, they had 1 hr to do it and you could see the big timer counting down the minutes.

We all ordered our steak and took pictures of the local color. The "Sons of the Pioneers" serenaded us with such oldies as "The Yellow Rose of Texas". They looked liked the last living vets in the US. I did include a picture of the Texan Beer, a yard tall drink. The table behind us was a couple with like 10 kids, half of 'em were black and the other half white. Mamma was pregnant. The only ones drinking the beer were mom and dad. Guess they needed to chill out.

By the time we finished dinner, bought some fudge, and pulled up in front of the KOA, I was ready for bed and Fox was ready to walk. That's how it usually goes with us. Fox got his walk then I turned in for the night.

Oh, Big Daddy didn't make it and neither did Skinny Fellow. Both had to pay $82 for their 72oz failure.

A Day in Amarillo

Last night we met the Route 66 group, 12 of us in all. Folks are from all over, VA, WA, CA, TX and Indiana. Lane, who put the tour together, brought along his 15 yr. old grandson, Matthew, a really nice kid. Most of us did our own thing on Saturday and joined up again Sat night to go to dinner.

I took a drive out to the long ago closed air force base where we used to live. What do ya know, I managed to find the house (note pic). Driving through base housing I remembered houses of high school buddies. Most of the places were in ill repair with unkept lawns. One nice thing, the trees were huge. No more golf course, it was left to go to weeds with piled up junk next to what might have been the club house. Most all of the buildings on the base were gone. Just rows of trees and overgrown sidewalks to suggest people once walked there. I remember how I could see the big tails of the B-52s towering over everything else on the base. . . all gone. The pool still had the white wooden fence around it but the white had long ago turned to black. I felt I was looking out on a town that had been blown away by the bombs the big planes carried. Very sad for me.

From there I took a ride through town on Polk Street, a favorite place for teenagers to cruise on Sat. night just to see who was out and about. I remember those nights well. There was the Paramount Theater where I hid my face through most of Psycho in 1960. I never did recover from that. Parts of Polk are still cobbled but the whole area was for the most part deserted. On a lovely Sat morning no one was cruising Polk but me.

Driving down Amarillo Blvd. I could see the buildings along old route 66. Many of them were recognizable and many had new Mexican and Asian names. Still not the best part of town, just like in the 60s. I passed Toad Hall off Western ST where Stanley Marsh lives on his ranch. His famous Cadillac Ranch has been moved and we'll swing by there on our way out of Amarillo tomorrow. I drive out Western and remember more times . . . specifically, one time when Clay was in Viet Nam and the kids and I were visiting Mom and Dad. I had some kind of infection and was really sick with a high fever. Mom took me to the Doc and on the way home she stopped at the grocery store to fill my prescription. It was in July and hot and I was burning up. I remember thinking that a butter pecan ice cream cone would really be good. And what do ya know, mom walks out, gets in the car and hands me a butter pecan ice cream cone. She said, "Here, I thought you could use this."

Tonight we go to dinner, of course, it's the Big Texan!

Amarillo by Friday

The Fox and I left for Amarillo Friday, May 28th to join the Casita Route 66 Group. Needless to say we didn't pull out at 6am as anticipated, although, three hrs later wasn't too much of a delay. Our route took us down I25 to Raton then 87 into Dalhart. From there I hooked into Boy's Ranch Road (County Rd 1601). Well, that was nostalgic to say the least. All the way through NM my mind was flooded with memories of long ago when me, and the kids would stop on our way to Canyon at the Hi Ho Cafe in Clayton and have a piece of homemade pie. We always looked forward to that stop and then getting to Boy's Ranch Road and closer to Mom and Dad's. This time the Canadian River actually had red water in it. The red is not unusual but the fact there was water is. We left the flat planes of Dalhart for the gentle slop of new arroyos close to Boy's Ranch. Thirty-six miles to Amarillo. I remember that drive seemed so long 50 yrs ago when I was a senior in high school.

The yucca was blooming and nearly covered every sq inch of ground. So many wild flowers. Yucca is not a good thing on a ranch. . . that means the country has been overgrazed by cattle. Coming into Amarillo nice homes were built on both sides of the road, something that didn't exist in the early days. You could see Amarillo off in the distance. . . 4 - 5 skyscrapers. That sight used to be so exciting for us. I remember we used to stop at Stucky's on HWY 27 to use their phone to call mom and dad so they would meet us at the Palo Duro Club gate and let us in.

Arriving there after a long drive from Denver we would sit in the "air conditioned" house having a drink while the kids checked the creek and water depth at the first and second crossings. They loved it there. So did I, it was like an escape to another time and place for me, all my problems seemed to melt away. Maybe that's because it was home to me. The reference to "air conditioned" was the memory of my Dad trying in vain to keep the double A Frame cool in the summer. One visit we pulled up to see a water sprinkler on the roof fanning back and forth to keep the house cool. My Dad had one goal that I'll never forget, keeping the inside of whatever house we lived in cool. Once, I came home from high school and the refrigerator was in the dinning room, door open, freezer door open with a fan sitting in front of it. He was always saying "shut the door and don't let the hot air in".

This time we were headed to the KOA campgrounds on the northwest side of Amarillo right off of Amarillo Blvd which used to be Route 66. I was amazed when I merged onto Loop 335 to skirt the city on the way north. Wow, how time changed things. It was good to get there. I was tired of driving and ready to rest up and meet the folks in our group. 85 degrees, oh yes, oh yes! Finally, a touch of summer weather. Better not be too grateful because I remember how hot and windy it can get here.

Home At Last

Now I know where all the water in the Rio Grande goes. There are a series of lakes from Las Cruces to Santa Fe and probably more upstream. Our last night was spent on Cochiti Lake 17 miles south of Santa Fe. Cochiti is a corps. of engineers project and a beautiful camping area. Cost the Golden Agers $7 for E/W for a night. Wow, can't beat that. Part of the area is on the river and looks like good kayaking. Fox and I had a restful night preparing for the flight home.

Always a pretty drive from Santa Fe to La Veta via LV Pass. Just as we were traveling through Wild Horse Mesa country there they were. . . a herd of wild ones. Seeing the horses is always a thrill for me. The roads were fine all the way and we pulled into LV around 2:30. My drive was covered in more than a foot of snow so I dropped the Casita in front of friend Janey's house. Then I was off to the hardware store to pick up some antifreeze then back to the Casita to winterize, clean out the fridge and load the car with food and necessities. The Fox was having an anxious time during all of this and indicated by his glare that he wanted to be home!

We finally made it 1/3 of the way up the drive only to bog down in the deep stuff. Fox was thrilled to jump out and struggle up the hill. He loved it, me, on the other hand, huffed and puffed under my load of essentials to the house. Needless to say, I made a few recuperative stops along the way. Wow, the house looked so clean and bright, like a welcome beacon. I put down my bags and flopped down to catch my breath.

Good to be back. And just in time because the next day we got dumped on again. Another foot of snow. I have every hope that today I will be able to extract the old jeep from its white grip and begin to get back to normal. Figuring out what normal is will be a challenge. Next trip, Route 66 and Little Plastic Trailers starting in May. Until then, we remain:

Judy Colorado and the Travelin Fox

Thinking About Home

Here we are in Caballo State PK north of Las Cruces. Spent last night at Rock Hound St. Pk and the Fox and I did some rock hounding. I found some pretty rocks but have no idea what they are. Fox would sniff around then point to a rock as if to indicate that was the one and I would pick it up. Cracked a few open but nothing exciting inside. Another one of those beautiful state parks, NM seems full of them. You get water and electric hookups for $14 and a beautiful, private camp site. Can't beat that.

J, Denny and I had a great time in Naco. At least, I did since I ate dinner with them for two nights. Please note the picture of J and I. She and I are now members of SINs (suffers in silence), a group dedicated to curbing the verbal complaints of one's aches and pains for at least one year. Small caveat. . . we can complain to eachother. Something we got into instantly when Denny wasn't around. I won't go into the sorid details here, but suffice it to say that J and I are in terrible shape aches and pains wise. You can certainly tell from the picture, it is written all over our faces!

With all the picture taking going on the Fox insisted that he and I have a shot taken together. As you can see, several shots really didn't show off our best side. I promised him we'd have professional photos taken after we get home. He has made a few friends on this trip he'd like to send some to. Although he really likes Pete, I think Larry is his favorite.

The latest report from La Veta confirms at least one foot of snow and still snowing. My ETA is Saturday and I may move that up to Friday given that another snow storm is expected on Saturday. My, My, and the beat goes on. Ah well, we are warm and snug here in the Egg. Darkness has fallen and that means bedtime for Fox and I. We are thinking of driving to Albque&^%$#$%^^&&*( you know, that hard to spell city, tomorrow. The wind is howling off of the lake here so I don't mind leaving. Boy the Rio Grande is really up in this area. Must be a lot of spring runoff starting. Of course, that is a mystery to me since winter isn't over yet, at least in this part of the world.

Naco, AZ

Here we are in Naco having a nice visit with J and Denny. Had dinner with them last night and the night before and very enjoyable conversations. Yesterday, I joined them for church in Bisbee. A very charming Methodist church and wonderful black pastor with a booming voice. I leave this am for somewhere. Bonita campgrounds in the "something" national monument. If I could spell I'd write it down for all to read. Man, these Indian words are hard! From there I will camp at City of Rocks State park in NM then on to a lake near Las Cruces. My plan is to leave between snow storms, that would be Thursday, and make tracks for home arriving on Sat the 27th. Kind of boring in Naco unless you play golf, which I am not doing at present.

Sun City West, AZ

Two calls this morning from Haley, then Deb asking where I am. Deb scolded me 'cause I haven't written in the blog for several days. Turned out I was visiting my high school best friend, Bee. We hadn't really seen each other in a long while and I had never really gotten to know her husband. Bee lived with me during the last semester of her senior year in high school. She had been living with her sister and brother-in-law who was a doc in the air force. When he left the service it was agreed that Bee would stay with us until she finished HS. We were great buddies and it was a very special time in my life to have her living with us. The first pic I added is of Bee, hubby, and her sister and brother-in-law. Such a wonderful reunion and I couldn't believe it when I looked at the clock at 11:15. Wow, what an evening. We said our goodbyes yesterday and vowed to keep in touch. Life has a way of wrenching us away from those we care for and it is so easy to loose dear friends along the way.

When I left I decided to stay in Casa Granda only 88mi away. I was so tired from the night before that I had to pull into a McD to catch a nap. Even at that I couldn't wait to get into bed for the night at 7pm! You might wonder why I chose McD's to stop. AZ is struggling with its budget and, therefore, has closed many of its rest stops and over half of its state parks. Really a shame, hopefully, they will get their problems resolved and re-open the parks.

I am staying at an Escapee's Park (a club of which I am a member). Well, they charge you to take a shower so I was back in the Casita Powder Room. This time, I not only showered and washed my hair I SHAVED my legs. I will think twice about that next time, remember the shower scene in Psycho???? Blood Bath!

I've done my chores and I am ready to go so I'll just unhook, and take off for Parker Lake Complex in the Coronado National Forest where I'll meet up with J for a couple of days. Too cold and snowy yet to travel north. Oh, some of my family will like this. . . The first thing Jeane said when she saw me was "You look just like your Mother!.

Sonoran Desert

Quite simply, the Sonoran Desert has captured my spirit. The stillness of the morning is so deep it is as if you can experience a solid atmosphere of clarity holding you close. . . a sound wave slowed by light years, too weak to continue its journey has settled around you whispering of the past. This is a connectedness not often experienced on anything other than an ordinary morning. A day's beginning laid out as a gift for the taking. I am so moved by this gift that I just stand motionless least the whole universe disappears in the blink of an eye. Every where my eye is drawn brings with it a new brilliance, a new depth of feeling deep in my soul. A desert varmint scurries from under a Joshua tree, stops, and gives me a slanted eyed look as if to say "If you think you can describe this lady, then you don't know what you don't know!" Ah, poop! I know he is right. The Fox looks up at me with his "let's get going, it's my walk" look. So we get going. But I decide right then and there that we're staying in this place at least 2 more days.

I suppose you could say that I had a lilt to my step as we walked through the desert back to camp. This would be a wonderful day. And, so it was complete with a little book reading, relaxing in the sun, walking the Fox and trying to capture this beauty on camera. Alas, not doing so well in that category.

At this moment the sun has collapsed behind the mountain and the bats have come out to play. The bats in this area are so tiny and they make these little darty, zig zaggy moves. You know they are eating something, but what? I don't think I've seen an insect since I've been here, certainly not a mosquito.

The evening ends as the morning begins. . . the wonderful stillness that defies explanation and can only be felt, that is, if you are noticing.

Kartchner Caverns

This is a lovely state park. Very nice camping facilities and hiking trails all around. The weather has been perfect, today in 70s. This morning was a big first for me! Unbelievable accomplishment. I lit the hot water heater and took a shower in my Casita for the first time!! Boy did it feel good and it is kinda nice to have something to sit on while in the shower. I've enclosed a picture so everyone can live vicariously. The water stayed hot while I washed my hair and took a complete shower. YES! Indescribably marvelous! Oh, I should make it clear that this was not my first shower of the trip. I have been doing that on a regular basis in the park showers.

The Fox and I went for a long walk on the Loop Trail (2.5 mi) down by a running stream. Very pretty and he loved it, of course. By the time we returned to the Casita I was tired and beginning a relapse. I ate lunch and we took an hour and a half nap. Oh glorious. I did run up to the Caverns and will try a tour tomorrow morning. They were sold out for today. It must be spring break because there were quite a few school buses and kids running around. It is 72 deg in the Caverns with 99% humidity so that should make my cold feel better.

The rest of the afternoon I lounged in my chair under the awning. It is almost time for dinner and as usual at this time I am thinking "cereal". But no, I will fix a baked sweet potato and maybe a steak.

Leaving Greater Deming

The last 4 days have been less than desirable. My allergy turned out to be a full-blown cold and I have felt like an old lady. Sneezing, coughing and fever. Ahhhhhh! I keep taking sudafed to keep the nose faucet turned off. I did manage to make my final dental app't before leaving Deming. Friday seemed like a good day to move on despite feeling so bad.

Before saying goodbye to the LoWs I did snap this shot of Slim walking his Sausage. He told me that she did weigh 32# (quite a lot for a daschie) then he put her on a high fiber diet and she is down to 25. The problem seems to be that Slim really doesn't walk her out of his RV "front yard." Consequently, he and baby dog don't get a lot of exercise. Slim is hoping he can slim down, too.

Kartchner Caverns State Park is near Benson, AZ and only 170 or so miles from Deming. Seemed like forever and I was ready for it to be over before it started. It was all I could do to park the trailer, eat some peanut butter and bread and get into bed (4pm). I slept for about an hour and a half, took Fox for a short walk around the Casita "front yard" then got back into bed. This morning brought a little ray of sunshine into my live.

Pink Store Palomas, MEX

Tuesday is LoWs' lunch at the Pink Store. What a place, they simply have everything and good food. Live entertainment, too. I loved it. The first margarita is free and they served a free, almond liquor after lunch. I was a designated driver so I gave Joyce (a fellow Casitan) a ride home. Prior to that, however, we had to spend an hour or so browsing. I bought a few Day of the Dead figures and some colorful oil cloth. Joyce and I had an interesting chat on the way home. She is from Oregon and planning to relocate to where, she doesn't know yet. This is her maiden voyage into retirement. Right now she is full-timming, visiting friends and relatives.

These people really are interesting and seem to enjoy being without mortar/walls. Don't know if I am ready for that yet. During our walk this morning, Peter pointed out Box Willie's place (note picture). Yep, you guessed it, his place is a custom built affair. I met him, Willie, who's real name is Crow at the social last night. He did mention that someone brought him some food from the pot luck and all he wanted was to be left alone. Crow has a rather overall dishevelled look about him and I didn't get close enough for the sniff test. He is boon-docking out on the north 40. Crow let it be known that he wasn't living in his "thing" by choice. There's a story hidden there. He sort-of reminds me of the VN Vets you meet in the mountains. A different sort that the hippy.

Speaking of hippy, I sat across from Fran at the lunch. When she came in she had on one of those circle scarves you put over your head. This one was the fuzzy yarn topped off with her old black cowboy hat. She looked like she had a cascade of chartreuse hair on her not quite matching sweater with rhinestone adornment. Oh, she had a "simple" gold nose ring. Not too flashy, and equally subdued earrings. Of course, she is multi talented and tans leather using animal brains just like the natives did. She liked my leather vest. I just "listened and learned."

Almost forgot to mention Rally. Yep, ole Rally. She is around 80 with long red hair done in an upsweep, large curl at the top. Looks kinda like a reverse Mohawk. What a dancer, could she go and did she go. I enjoyed meeting her.

I've included a pic of the Crow's Nest and the lunch at the Pink Store.

Monday Pot Luck

The Fox and I were going to hit Rock Hound State Park this am but too windy. This picture tells you what the Fox thinks of this weather. He tells me he is depressed and needs more treats if he can't get more exercise. It was hard to tell him he couldn't come to the Pot Luck.

I shook together a spinach salad for the PL and joined my new found LoW friends. Boy did we have a full house. The wind had been so bad that several folks pulled in to wait it out. My salad was the only green item on the table, most of the rest was white or yellow (cheese) bread, pie and cake. As folks began to take their seats I noticed that most plates were also white and yellow. Alas, I was going to have plenty of salad to take home. I should have known just from the looks of most people here. Yvonne got up to introduce the new LoWs. When she got to me she introduced me as Carol. I said, "no" how about Judy. She said Oh yes, I remember but your last name is too hard for me to pronounce. So I chirped in with "Morgan." She then conceded that she really had me mixed up with someone else. Of course, I think I knew that. Yvonne is struggling. Maybe it's that new love interest.

I ate more than my fill and took my salad home where it turned into stir fry the next day. More walks around the park with Peter.

After the Dentist

Most of Sunday and Monday consisted of mundane activities largely due to the worsening weather. Lots and lots of wind. Peter joins me on most of my walks and fills me in on pertinent information regarding the private lives of full-time RVers. During one walk we happened to pass the RV I'll call "Buffalo" when one fellow who will remain nameless emerged. I had seen him before, quite noticeable, in his water high trousers, white knee socks, sandals, T-shirt and white stocking cap. This time he was carrying a gallon jug filled to brimming with. . . a yellow like substance that Peter assured me was not apple cider. Ah Ha! Seems "no name" doesn't like to use his black water tank, for whatever reason, so transports his "product" to the community dump station. He mumbled a hello on the way by. I couldn't help but notice his sparkling brown eyes and straight edge grin. Peter says when NN first came he would take his whole rig to Wal-Mart where he would ride his bike up and down the parked car aisles. Now, he stays here and rides around the Park. Progress is important. He still doesn't speak beyond the mumble and "straight edge" smile. No one knows what lurks in the minds of men.

Then there is Jim, who I met at the Bark Park. His first question was "how did you like the unhappy, happy hour?" Do you think he has issues? No smiles from Jimbo. But then there is Yvonne, who works in the office. She is one of those nervous types who you catch looking around from slanted eyes waiting for something to pounce. Peter reports that she is keeping the company of the manager of Pizza Hut. Don't tell me Seniors don't have fun!

Here is a picture of Peter and the park. I didn't have the nerve to memorialize the gallon yellow product.

Back from the Dentist

I survived the dentist and all is well and I go back on Thurs to get my crown. In the meantime, I will take in the state parks here and maybe go to Silver City and Las Cruces.

On my way into Palomas at least 160 men on horseback were riding along side of me. There were two of them who were really funny. One guy's hat fell and he did a dismount to retrieve it. Then the horse wasn't too hot on letting back on. I watched until he was out of sight and he still wasn't on the horse. His friend was still riding next to me and looking back for his partner. He couldn't stop his horse to wait or go back to help his partner. In fact, he couldn't ride worth a diddle and I was sure the horse was going to beat him to death or at the very least shake some of the fat off of him. Most of the horses were small and looked like paints. I guess they turned around at the border and went riding back into Columbus lickty split pretending they were Pancho Villa's army. This was a big deal for the town (village) of Columbus.

I continued on to the border, parked and walked across to the Dentist's office. I was in there for 3 hrs. When I got back to the Casita I walked Fox for a while then it was time for social hour at the RV Ranch. After being social I fixed dinner walked the dog and now I am ready for bed. It's not dark yet so I guess I'll read for awhile. Last night was not a good one. . . woke up with a migraine at 11:30 and got up at O' dark thirty. Looks like I'll be here until Friday. OKie Doakie folks, that's all there is there ain't no more, so long, adios, and I'll see you right back here tomorrow night. . . goodnight David, goodnight Chet.

The Worm Turns

Everything was going so well, at least as well as could be expected when it happened. The big SLAM, SUPER SPRAWL, SPLATTTTTTTT leading to the famous Tuck n' Roll. Unfortunately, no tuck and absolutely no roll at all only a quick loss of altitude leading to a one handed-slide then two smacks. The first to the right knee as it slamed into the gravel and a second shock as the right shoulder bit the dust. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, mommy was hurting, so much I had to lay there and hold my leg. Two faces peered down asking "what did you trip over"? And i could only say "my own two feet." Fox was calm and seemed to know these two were going to help me. Finally, with the help of a very nice man I rose to a standing position and swayed there for a while. That was then and this is now, I feel like I've been run over by a truck.

Well, my little fall cancelled my hiking trip to Rockhound St. Pk as I decided I had best rest the knee. So, my day was spent at Wally World and the hardware stor to pick up a washer for the awning. Back at the Casita I fixed the awning and put it up for 10 minutes before I was forced to take it down due to rising winds. Winds in the southwest are always on the rise. I finished my walk with a nice guy next door, Peter, during which he told me his life history. Nice enough fellow and he offered to walk Fox for me anytime I needed him to. Later in the day Warner from Colorado Springs dropped by and spent about and hour and a half getting to know one another. Very nice man and we plan to kayak together this summer.

Today I am planning to nurse my wounds, sleep and get ready for my dentist app't tomorrow. Tomorrow is the Big Raid in Columbus/Palomas commeurating Pancho Villa's raid of Columbus. Gen Purshing and the Army Air Corps retaliated but couldn't find Pancho so they went off to fight WWI. I hear that 150 horses will be running from Palomas to Columbus on Sat. morning. Should be fun to see. Sounds better than the Running of the Bulls in Spain.

I think I need a hot tub to sit in. Getting old is the pits.

White Snow? Sand?

What a gorgeous day, bright blue skies and actually warm for a change. Snow or Sand? White Sands National Monument and what a sight to see. I took the 8mi drive through the dunes and watched the video in the visitor's center. The dunes move at least 30' a year covering up all vegetation except those that "reach for the sky." The yucca will show about two feet at the top of the dune and have 30' roots. At 30' per year I couldn't help but wonder how they kept the roads clear, and at that very moment a snow plow comes chugging around the bend. Wow! This is a surreal place. Fortunately, it was very still and absolutely no wind. I would not want to be here on a windy day. Of course, wind makes the dunes. Now this is my idea of a desert. You can camp there if there are no missile tests being conducted. The tests aren't actually done on the dunes but just north of them. Must be quite the sight.

As I was leaving the Visitor Center a guy comes walking up and asks me if I am from La Veta. Small world. It was George (don't know last name) who had come to my house for the Studio Tour last summer. Hey Mom, he's the one that left the White Sox book for you.

I pulled into Deming around noon and parked at the LoW's RV Park. Swore I would never do it but I joined LoW's and get a week's stay for $73. Not bad for full hook-ups. Oh, LoW stands for Loners On Wheels. It goes without saying that I'm not nearly as old as these nice folks (only when I look in the mirror)!

Another casita was camped there and after walking the Fox I went over to introduce myself. Turns out it belongs to a guy named Warren from Colorado Springs. He is pretty nice, came over later and we had a nice chat.

I am going to move to another spot tomorrow and I plan to stay here 7 days or until I get my dental work done. Cool your jets, Mom! That's right, I am going to Palomas, Mex. to see the dentist. He is the same fellow I met in La Veta who Deb went to see. My app't is for Sat. In the meantime, I plan to check out Rockhound and Pancho Villa state parks.

Today will be spent moving Casita, getting groceries, checking out Deming and going by the hardware store. Seems I lost a washer from the screw-knob that holds one side of the awning in place. Always some teeny weeny, tentsy tiny something or other on the teeny tiny Casita to attend to. Maybe I'll even find a place to have the Fox washed and dried.

On to Alamogordo

Sadly, Nancy, Ginny and I said our goodbyes and we went our separate ways. We had spent the day before having coffee at the Blue House in Carlsbad and browsing the book store. A delightful day. I highly recommend the Blue House, very cozy, great coffee and a nice atmosphere. The day was quite, sunny and Foxy enjoyed several walks and rabbit attempts. Here are a couple of pictures we took before saying goodbye.

The one of the three of us I took by holding the camera out in front of us. Nancy kept saying the camera was pointing the wrong way and I kept adjusting it sideways. She meant that the liens was pointing away from us. The first pic I got was of the table in front of us. Geeze, you would think I would know when the camera is not pointing at me. Oh well, I got on the right track and took another pic. Ginny and Nancy were great to travel with, very laid back and easy going. I really had a wonderful time with them.

The first stop on the way to Alamogordo was Artesia, NM where I had coffee with a lady who wanted to see my Casita. She had emailed me through Casitaclub.com and I agreed to meet her. She is thinking of buying an egg but not sure how she would like it. We had a nice chat and I showed her through the Casita.

The drive to Alamogordo was lovely, a scenic drive through the mts and Cloudcroft at 8500+ elevation. Tons of snow on their little "Ski Cloudcroft" and it reminded me of when the kids were small and we skied at Geneva Basin. A really cute mountain town. Getting down the other side at 7% grade was a little hairy but nothing the Egg couldn't handle. Fortunately, the roads were clear. Coming down from the pass offers a view of White Sands that is nothing short of spectacular. At first, I thought it was snow on the plains and then I realized it was White Sands. When I leave this a.m. I will go back through White Sands.

We are camped at Lee Memorial State Park overlooking the valley. Really beautiful, still in the Chihuahuan Desert and I had no idea it was this big all the way from Mexico through NM and AZ, Amazing. Fox and I explored the camping area just to check things out. The sites are quite large and private with about 16 hookup in all. I chose to stay in one without hookups since they were on the perimeter and faced the valley. The evening was very quiet, not a breeze stirring and you could just feel the clean air. On our rounds we noticed a fellow camped with his car and pop-up tent. We was sitting on top of the picnic table polishing a pair of BIG, BLACK, COMBAT BOOTS! Whoa, I said to myself, this dude looks like a "shooter" back from Iraq with PTSD and out for revenge. Hmmmmmm, I thought, better keep the door locked tonight. I had visions of him wielding an AK 47 at all the campers with anything bigger than a pop-up tent. Those boots were certainly shiny and he had his head bent over the task and was oblivious to the world. He didn't even look up as I passed by with a smile and "hello".

We made it through the night so no snipers, coyotes or mt. lions. The sun is coming up now filling the air with a pink Alpine Glow. Inspiring! This am we move on to Deming and maybe a little rock collecting in the desert. I heard you could take 15# of rock out of Rockhound State Park! I'm all for that, make mine a big diamond, ha!

Kosmic KowGirl

Big Bend National Park

I start this writing just after sundown to the howl of the coyotes. Fox was a bit agitated at the sound and has stationed himself at the foot of the bed so he can see out of the window. Everyday of the last 3 Mr. Coyote has come through the camp checking things out. He doesn't stay long and seems only mildly interested in what might be next to or near the garbage bins. Finding nothing he moseys on blending into the underbrush on the fringe of the campgrounds. Nancy managed a super picture of him this am during his morning "constitution."

I, on the other hand, alerted the camp to a very large, dark brown Bob Cat who, after binocular study turned out to be a mountain lion. He was about 4' long from head to rear. He crept across the camp sites and took a brief pause next to the fence that skirts the area. I was sitting in my chair enjoying a cup of morning coffee when I saw him. I spied Ginny and motioned for her to bring the binoculars. Then a fellow came over with his camera and captured a couple of great shots that he said he would email to me. We'll see if that happens.

The drive from the park entrance to cottonwood campground by the Rio Grande is about 70mi of twists and turns through sharp, craggy peaks of stone and desert strewn with lava telling of volcanic times of long ago. There lies Mexico, so close across the river you feel like you could touch it. This is the Chihuahuan Desert in all its desolate beauty, a show of banana yucca, agaves' majestic flower stalks and various cacti all wrapped in stillness with a soft blanket of cerulean blue overhead. Your breath is surely taken away and your heart fills with a love so deep you know you are one with the earth. No where is there such silence to fill the spirit. This land is so spectacular it quiets the heart and sets the soul afire.

There go those coyotes again. Such a gift to hear those howls and yips. Tonight is certainly a good night for hunting. The first 2 days in the park several javelena came to graze. My, they are ugly with their long, bristly hair. They are not classified in the pig family but sure do look like them. . . it is said they can do quite a bit of damage to a dog. Not a good idea to let the hound roam free here.

I wanted so much to kayak the Rio Grande but the water was high and running very fast. This part of the river gets its water from Mexico. A few days ago they opened some of the reservoirs to release water and it is now running about 10mph, very muddy, carrying a large quantity of silt from the lakes. The raft trips out of Terilungua have stopped service. When I heard that I said this may not be my time to kayak the Rio. Better safe than sorry.

We have absolutely no communication here, no satellite internet or cell service. An interesting feeling being cut off from the rest of the world, a feeling I have always enjoyed. . . no rushing, no one talking or calling you. This is really a place where time is of no consequence. Unfortunately, I'm sure the ageing process continues but not like I care or notice.

This morning Nancy, Ginny and I drove over to Study (Stoody) Butte and Terilingua Ghost Town where the general store's sign featured a Day of The Dead Lady to welcome us. Since I collect Day of Dead folk art I was going to buy a souvenir. Way too expensive! The ghost town consisted of small, tumbled down, adobe houses. Mostly, the whole place existed to entice the tourists. In fact, it really looked like an old hippie commune. There is a theater that seems to be the center for live entertainment for the surrounding towns.

Of course, the real "eye candy" of the day was the Kosmic Kowgirl painted hot pink with a lovely courtyard of pink flamingos and lawn chairs. Next to this was a very small vintage trailer painted with Betty Boop and friends. What a hoot! Kathy the Kowgirl owns the place.


Our drive to Terilingua took us over old Maverick Road and a maverick it was. . . very slow going and better to say we were 4 wheeling! We came upon Luna's jackal in the middle of nowhere. The jackal (hut) looked in part like a Midwestern sod dugout house. A lone man, Luna, lived and farmed the area until he was 108 yrs old. He irrigated his farm from the Rio. It is amazing he could get anything from the desert.

Tomorrow morning we will head north to Ft. Davis and Davis State Park. I will miss Big Bend.

Fort Davis

I am writing this in Carlsbad since I have not been able to get internet since getting to Big Bend. We stayed 2 nights in Ft Davis visiting Marfa,TX and Alpine, TX. Our drive out of Big Bend was a trip in itself. Rain was expected so it seemed like a good day to spend traveling. When we left the camp site it was spitting rain and when we approached the park entrence it was snowing. So far so good, dry roads and not much snow. . . but that would change. The farther north we went the more snow and the roads became icy. You know what I mean, that ice that looks like a wet road but is really black ice. I was so happy to see Alpine! I stopped for gas and to get propane. When I got out of the car the ground was covered with ice and so was my trailer. We had to knock ice off to get to the propane tanks and it was 24 deg. What a switch from Big Bend's 83 deg the day before!

Only 26 more miles to Davis State park in Ft. Davis, TX. This was such an exhausting drive that after parking and setting up camp I fixed oatmeal and went to bed. The next day was chilly but sunny so we took the tour of Marfa and the Pisano Hotel which hosted the actors for Giant, James Dean, Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor. The hotel is filled with memoribilia from the filming and great pictures of the actors. It is a 5 star hotel with very nice upscale shops. One room was devoted to James Dean. My Grandson, Mitchell, looks just like him. Handsome guys!

On to Alpine again where we did a little grocery shopping and Nancy looked for a kitty kennel for her cat who likes to prowl at night. From there we went back to Ft. Davis and visited the shops and bought handmade brooms from the guy who makes authentic 1800 brooms. Mine is short to fit in the Casita and called a "Turkey Wing" Very efficient, too. We also visited the animal shelter thrift store where all proceeds go to the animal shelter. A great store, well organized with nicely presented displays.

After a nice hike witih the dogs we headed up the mountain 16 miles to MC Donald Observatory. It took about an hour and a half to tour the exhibit which focused on stars' birth, death and color spectrum. Amazing stuff. I had visited last year and toured the telescopes and went to a night star party. This is a "not to be missed" experience if traveling in this area. So much to learn! The park here is very nice, too, with full hookups for $20 and $2 entry fee for seniors. The hiking trails were fun and we could let the dogs go free for a time.

The next morning we took our time packing-up to head for the Guadalupe Mountains National Park where we had decided to camp. Truly beautiful country in this West TX area. Sill in the desert with slightly rolling hills dotted with yucca, cacti and desert bushs. The land is so immense and the sky goes on forever to the horizon. By the time we arrived we were so happy to finally get camped that Nancy didn't really mind camping on the asphalt between the white lines. My site was more camp like because the egg is pretty small. In all fairness, the park did have nice hiking trails where we could take the dogs. For $4 a night it was a good overnight spot. No hookups, of course, but toilets were available. Good thing we're self-contained. By evening the weather was nice with sun peeking through. In the morning, the blue sky sparkled and we pulled out for Carlsbad.