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.