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.