May 30, 2010

We were up early today.  We wanted to head to Moab to see if there was a church somewhere, dump our waste tanks and get some groceries.  The only church in town was the Mormon Temple.  The little community was buzzing with activity very early in the morning.  The place is a tourist center.  We are in the middle of Memorial Day weekend.

We found a place where we could dump our tanks.  Then we went to the grocery store.  It was packed at 8:00 AM.  It was quite hectic trying to get in and out of there.  We both were stressed by the time we got back to the MH.  It didn’t help not being able to go to church.  I can’t remember a time when I have not been in church for 3 weeks in a row.  Prospects aren’t good when you are in the wilderness, I guess.

After our shopping, our trip back to Horse Thief Campground took us past the entrance to Arches National Park.  I figured we might as well get in the middle of that mess as we both were all stressed out anyhow.  The line was very long at the entrance.  We get in free with my Senior Pass.

The climb up into the park was very steep with switchbacks every quarter mile.  Once up into the park the scene was beyond description once again.   Photos can’t capture it and words can’t describe it.  Utah has to be one of the most beautiful states in the country.  The air is crystal clear, with deep blue skies.  The landscape has all shades of striking colors against the red rock and blue sky.  Wildflowers and greenery dot the valleys and hillsides.  New green leaves on the trees seem to glow against the backdrop of red rock.

There are many arches that can be seen from the road.  Others require a short hike to see.  The traffic was very heavy in the park making parking space at some of the most popular places a premium.  We are not into hikes anyhow so we left what space there was to the more adventurous or should I say the less feeble.

Darlie snapped over two hundred photos.  I am sure we captured the most spectacular views.  Hopefully, when I get the chance to post this blog I will be able to post some photos along with it. 

After our excursion into Arches, we made our way back to Horse Thief Campground.  Darlie made a delicious lunch and now it is nap time.

After our nap, I put out the awning to keep the sun off the side of the MH.  It gets pretty hot inside in the late afternoon.  As soon as the sun begins to set, however, it cools off pretty fast.  By morning we have the heat on to take off the chill.

One thing we have noticed about this area is the lack of wildlife.  There seems to be few birds other than a few sparrows and a raven or two.  At other campsites we saw deer and a variety of birds each day.  Signs along the road warn of elk and big horn sheep but we have yet to spot one, dead or alive.

The constant dust gets old too.  My eyes finally have stopped bothering me.  Darlie has had a sore throat and sore nose due to the dust.  I don’t think I would care to live around here though it is very beautiful.  It is too dry.  The camp host says in a couple more weeks you wouldn’t be able to stand the mosquitoes.  I can’t imagine where they would come from.  Everything is as dry as a popcorn fart.  They must be some desert variety I haven’t heard of.

May 28, 2010

Today we got up early and headed for Canyonlands NP.  The drive off from US 191 is quite long at 22 miles.    Up to this point the Utah landscape had been rather bland.  But after several miles down the road towards Canyonlands it became quite spectacular.  Red rock walls of canyons rose hundreds of feet above us.  The dark green of the junipers and pinion pine blended well with the sage brush and red rock.  

Unusual shapes rose in every direction.  Some called needles with sharp points on top of mounds.  Others called mushrooms with light colored stone tops that extended out beyond their red bases were aptly named.  Around each bend in the road there was another vista to beautiful for words or photos.  It must be seen to be appreciated.  All I could say was how Awesome is our God.

We stopped at Newspaper Rock.  It is so named for all the indian drawings on it along with one or two morons who felt compelled to sign their names amid the drawings.  No one knows the meaning or the reason for the drawings.  As I stood there I could only imagine someone finding a piece of concrete two thousand years from now with graffiti scrawled all over it trying to ascribe some meaning to it.  Truth be known some Native American mother told the kids to get outside and do something and Newspaper Rock was the result.

We continued on to the visitor’s center where we viewed the various displays.  Many young people were there getting permits for backcountry hiking and camping.  If I was much younger I might enjoy such an adventure myself.  The comforts of the old bread truck are more to my liking now.

We must have shot 200 photos.  We took some short hikes to see various things of note.  In time you get to the place where you have absorbed all you can and it is time to leave.  The drive back out of the park revealed vistas not seen on the way in.  It truly is a wonderful place to see.

We were back out to the main highway by 1:00 PM.  The wind has picked up to a fierce level again.  We were told that gusts reached 70 mph.  I can believe it as it was all I could do to keep the old bread truck on the road.  It gets really exciting when climbing up a canyon road with sheer drop offs on each side.  You bob and weave around hoping to keep it on the road.  

We reached Moab around 2:00 PM.  The place was buzzing with holiday traffic.  After being in the wilds for so many days this was annoying.  There was just too much activity.  All the campgrounds were full for the weekend.  I headed for Dead Horse State Park up on top the mountain in hopes there would be an open campsite there.  The road up was winding and very steep with lots of switchbacks.  The wind was buffeting us around violently.  As we climbed farther it felt as if we passed the point of no return.  We were committed.  I prayed, “Dear Lord let there be a campsite vacant for us so I don’t have to try to descend this mountain in all this wind.  

We reached Horse Thief Campground which was down a rough dusty side road.  I pulled into the camp host site and asked if he had any space left.  He said he had only one big enough for us.  He took us to it and helped us back in which I did successfully after nearly taking out a centuries old juniper tree and putting a few scratches on the bread truck.  When the dust and pine needles settled we found ourselves on a very level lot with a nice view.  With the wind still rocking us around we decided to stay here for a couple of days and just relax.  This is a BLM campground.   It only cost old geezers 6 bucks a day.  We will sit out the holiday weekend here.  People were coming in late at night looking for space.   I guess everything is filled up everywhere. 

We like the wilderness campsites.  They have no water or electricity so you have to provide your own.  We should have enough water for four more days and the holding tanks should go that long too.  We are twenty two miles from the main highway and ten more from Moab.  Plus it is a long switchback drive down the mountain so we will have our time of worship here in the wilderness yet again another Sunday.  We sure miss our church.

May 29, 2010

The wind died down over night and the temperature dropped into the forties.  It was nice sleeping weather.  We didn’t get up this morning until 8 AM.  That is the latest we have slept since leaving home.  

We hope to drive up to Dead Horse Point State Park this morning before the wind picks up.  From there we can get another view of Canyonlands and surrounding area.   From what locals tell us several movies have been filmed in this area, some John Wayne and City Slickers 2.  

12:15 PM

We made the trip to Dead Horse Point this morning.  The view from there was beyond description.  We must have been a couple thousand feet above the river below.  Words fail me and photos can’t capture it.  You must fly out to Salt Lake City or Las Vegas and rent an RV and tour this country to appreciate it.  We have met many couples who have rented and are touring the state.  It is a reasonable way to see everything. 

At Dead Horse there was an area of the canyon with a sign, “Amphitheater”, describing the formation.  The formation truly is an amphitheater.  We could hear conversations from people quite distant.  An elderly lady and her husband were walking some 100 feet ahead of us when there was a roar that sounded like a hungry mountain lion was about to pounce on us.  Other people in the area hit the dirt and took cover.  We soon realized the roar we heard was not from a mountain lion at all but from one or the other of the elderly couple up ahead.  We were thankful that the amphitheater did not also amplify the odor.  Surely the old gal or gentleman felt safe to let one fly in such a large open place. 

We chose the best time to come to this area.  All the plants are in bloom.  Sage, juniper, rubber rabbitbush, pepperbush, cactus and a host of others are in full bloom.  There are also many desert flowers growing in the most impossible places.  They come in every color you can imagine, pink, blue, yellow, orange, red, white, lavender.  

The most creative landscaper in the universe put together a desert landscape that man can only try to imitate.  I find it amazing that a place so dry could be so full of life.  It looks rugged, tough, ancient and enduring.  I think of the Lord and how He is reflected in His creation.  Paul said in Romans that man was without excuse because all creation testifies of Him.   We keep saying, “If God made this so beautiful and it hasn’t even entered into the mind of man the things He has prepared for us, heaven must be a very magnificent place.”   It is sad that so many attribute “nature” to some impersonal power.  It is beyond comprehension that such perfect design could possibly just all fall into place.  How arrogant of man.  Man’s creations are heralded to be the work of genius but God’s creative work just all fell together on it’s own.  Our creative power was a gift to man from God.  It is what separates us from the rest of creation.  We are not gods but we are created in His image.

The tops of the rock formations here have small potholes in them that fill with water when it does rain.  All sorts of very tiny creatures hatch in the pools and lay eggs for the next generation before the water dries up.  I suppose some other critter depends on the tiny creatures for nourishment so it can propagate its next generation.  It all reflects a fantastic design.

I used to laugh at the idea that they restricted access to certain desert lands.  I used to laugh at the idea that a few footprints could cause any lasting harm.  I have since some to understand the logic.  True, a few footprints would do little overall but with the thousands of visitors to areas like this it wouldn’t be long before long term damage is done.

When I took a short hike out in Canyonlands to a ruin site, I noticed the ground was all heaped up like moles or something had been crawling around under the soil.  Or possibly the ridges were caused by a short shower that kind of puckered up the soil and it dried into a crusty formation.   Reaching down and touching one of the formations I was surprised how it collapsed with little pressure.  It didn’t even feel crusty.  It was just a soft powder.  It  puzzled me until I came across a publication that warned not to walk on the “cryptobiotic crust”.  

Cryptobiotic crust is a living soil crust composed of bacteria, algae, lichen, mosses and fungi.  This crust takes decades to grow.  It is the very basis for the growth of other desert plants.  The cryptobiotic crust holds nutrients and moisture needed for seeds of other plants to germinate and thrive.  Walking across this crust destroys the work of decades.  Your footprints will not be restored to the former state for a very long time.

I saw this crust in its very early stages the first time I saw it on the hike.  It has no color, just the raised areas.  As it grows, it darkens and looks more plant like or moss like when it is mature.  It can be recognized by its irregular, bumpy black mat appearance. 

We have Utah dust in everything.  It clogs our noses and irritates our eyes.  We will be cleaning it out of the old bread truck for sometime to come.  If your fetish was a dust free home, you would be a mighty miserable creature living here.  It is all just part of the experience.  Enjoy the moment is our motto on this trip.  We have been doing that along with enjoying each other.

May 27, 2010

We took some back roads today just to see the countryside that tourists don’t see.  The secondary roads were pretty good although maximum speed was about 45 mph.  The scene changed drastically several times during the day.   At first we had rocks, canyons and sage brush.  Then it turned to more of that gravel pit look.  Just dirt and rocks.  I really don’t care for this part of the country.

The wind is fierce today.  It is not easy keeping the old bread truck on the road.  I have driven roads I would have never dreamed I would dare, though and do quite well.  Some places are especially hair raising in that there is a huge drop off with no shoulder or guardrail.  Your wheels are just inches from going off the pavement.  I go slow and I am getting used to it. 

We stopped today at Devil’s Canyon National Forest campground.  It is only $5 for seniors but they have no water or power.  In fact, there is no water available anywhere.  We are in the desert I guess.  I filled my tank this morning before leaving Mesa Verde.

One of the joys of RVing I have not written about is dumping your holding tanks.  This morning we stopped at the dump site and there was a long line of RVs waiting.  Someone came back and told us the dump was backed up and the “stuff” was running over.  There was a second dump site on up the road.  We set out for there.  As we drove away, we could see the bewildered campers who had the misfortune of overflowing the poop pit.  Not a nice site.

At the dump site they had fresh water for drinking and water to rinse out your sewer hose when you are done dumping.  I pulled up and a guy with a rental RV was filling his water tank with the poopy water hose.  Big signs say what the water is for.  I figured he couldn’t read English.  I kept my mouth shut and waited my turn patiently.

I like privacy when dumping my waste tanks.   If others are standing around waiting I have the same feeling you would have if there was one toilet in the middle of a field and there was a line waiting while you did your business.  

No one was there after the guy who couldn’t read pulled away.  Ah, Privacy.  I put on my rubber gloves and pulled out my big sewer hose.  I opened the poop pit cover and attached my hose.  The other end attaches to the MH.  First you open the valve for the black water.  This is the water with lumps in it.  It gushes out, gurgling and twisting the hose as it goes.  You have an inter fear that something will pop apart at this crucial moment.  Once you no longer detect lumpy water flowing from the MH, you close the black water valve and open the gray water valve.  Gray water is less lumpy water that consists of soap suds from showers and washing dishes.  The gray water flushes the sewer hose of any residue lumps as it flows out.  Once it is empty, you close the valve,  unhook the sewer pipe from the MH, then you use the water hose the guy who couldn’t read used to fill his water tank to wash out your sewer hose.  Then you pack everything away rinsing your gloves off with some bleach when you are done.  

Before I was completely finished with the job several other RVs pulled up and they were all talking about the misfortune of the guy at the other dump site.  And so it goes each morning at the dump station.

I hope this wind lets up tomorrow.  There is a ton of dust in the air too.  It irritates my eyes very bad.  We plan to head into Canyonlands National Park then on to Arches later.  Darlie needed some rest today.  She has not felt too well for a few days.  It is a different lifestyle.  She is still getting used to is as am I. 

We Are Moving On

The wind never ceases up here.  It rocks the RV all night long.  My eyes are not holding up well to all this wind and dry weather.   We have no clue where we are headed now.  This is as far as I planned.  With the Memorial Day weekend coming up, campsites will be filled so we will probably just have to pull in where ever we can for the night.

I am looking at the map and Canyonlands NP looks like the next stop.  We will make the big circle as everyone calls it around here.  We probably won't have wifi for awhile so don't be worried if you don't hear from us for awhile.

Cliff Palace

Today we drove up to Cliff Palace dwellings.  It is a 24 mile drive up and down and around and around very steep drop offs and cliffs.  I know what other RVers mean now when they say a road is a butt pucker.

We did see a couple of tour buses bigger than we were but other than those we were about as big as I would want to drive up there.  I was never out of second gear the whole way and at some points I was in first.  Using the gears properly takes a lot of the stress out of it.  They will maintain your speed without using the brakes.

The cliff dwellings were very interesting.  We took a ranger guide tour and heard a story that was mostly conjecture.  Nobody really knows much about this place.  They can only guess but it was still interesting.

We went through the museum which had many artifacts collected at the various sites around the park.

It was very cold again last night.  We had the heat on so we stayed toasty.  Deer came right up to our campsite to feed.  Darlie got a big thrill out of that.

Hiking up and down hills at 7000 feet takes its toll on us old folks.  We  live at sea level and aren't adapted to thin air.  The wind and dry weather also has my eyes very irritated.   Our generator doesn't want to run very well at this altitude either.  I had to adjust the carburetor this morning to get it to run.  It still needs a little tweaking.

We are headed back to our campsite to rest and relax for the rest of the day.  The National Park campground has many sites.  Most are dry campsites, however.  The sites with water and electric are reserved way in advance.  We don't mind dry camping.  We have water and our generator.  We may stay another day or move on.  Things are filling up for Memorial Day Weekend so we may not be able to find a campground.  If that turns out to be the case, we will just pull off somewhere and make camp there.

On To Mesa Verde

It was just 48 degrees in the old bread truck this morning. We ran the heat for a bit to take the chill off. We are packing everything up and getting ready to move on. We will go to Mesa Verde National Park for a few days. We probably won't have an internet connection so if you don't hear from us for awhile that is why.

We have arrived at Mesa Verde. They do have wifi at the Camp Store. We registered earlier and found our site. We then just spent the rest of the day resting. We are still tired from the train ride.

Darlie washed her hair this morning and the water was black with coal soot from the train. I took a shower and washed all of it off too. We were too tired last night to take a shower and just went to bed. I am surprised the sheets aren't black.

Mesa Verde is very special. I think we will stay here for several days to a week. There is lots to see and we plan to take our time. It is cool up here. Last night they said it was down to 29 degrees with snow. We are expecting a low of about 40 in the morning. We filled our propane to be sure we were ready if we get a cold snap.

On the way in we had a deer jump right out in front of us. Darlie has been spotting all kinds of birds. She loves bird watching.

Durango to Silverton Railroad

If you ever get to Durango the train ride is worth the time.  The scenery is beautiful.  The trains that run the line today are the same ones used over 100 years ago.   These trains were used to haul gold and silver ore down from Silverton to Durango for smelting.  Silverton had the ore.  Durango had the coal.

The track follows the Animas River as it makes it way down the mountainside from Silverton.  Silverton is at 9300 foot elevation.  Durango is 6500 so it is a long slow climb.  The trip up took three and a half hours.  It was bitter cold.   We traveled above the snow line and flurries filled the frosty air.  We were bundled up with all we had.  We even wore our pajamas under everything and were very glad we did.  Our car was an open air car sort of like a cattle car.    When we got our tickets the lady asked if we wanted to sit inside or out.  Darlie insisted on outside.   I have to admit, you did see much more in the open car but when you walked into one of the enclosed cars and felt the heat, it made you a bit envious.   We met so many nice people on the trip.  Some from North Carolina, Colorado and even Hamburg, Germany.

The little mining town of Silverton reminded me of Dawson City in the Yukon.  It had dirt streets and brightly painted restaurants, saloons and gift shops.  The buildings looked to be from a time past.   We stopped there for about two hours.  We went to a local establishment for lunch hoping the heat was on.  It wasn't.  It was as cold inside as it was out.  We were just out of the wind.  The people who live up there must have got a laugh out of our outfits.  They were all lightly dressed.  It was springtime.   For polar bears, maybe.

It is still very cold back here at our MH.  We have the heat on and are getting ready to bed down.  We are very tired but it was a great day.  Durango was a very nice place to spend a few days.

Cold!

This morning the outside temperature is 33.  Inside was 55 when I got up.  I let the heat run a few minutes to take off the chill .  The local forecast is calling for 20% chance of snow today.  This is a bit cooler than I was hoping for.

Darlie is still sacked out.  I will have to get her up in a few minutes so we can get to the train on time.  I am rethinking that open gondola train car now.  I should have been more insistent on a closed car.  I think we will be as frozen as two mackerels on ice when we get back.

Both of us have been suffering from allergies since we got in the dusty area.  Many things are blooming also.  George Stapp lent us an air purifier before we left home.  I have it running all night and by morning it seems much better in here.  As the day warms up and we open the windows, we are back to sneezing and runny noses.  At least we get a reprieve when we sleep.  It is 6:30 AM so I had better wake Darlie.

It's A Beautiful Day

This morning started out pretty cool.  We turned on the heat for a bit to take off the chill.  I checked out churches in the area last night but found none that are reachable with the trolley.  There was an Assembly of God up on the side of the mountain but it wasn't a place to take the MH.  I tried the TV, no luck.  I tried the internet.  It was too slow for video.  So we settled for David Jeremiah radio broadcast.  We will spend time together reading the word and take time to pray.  The most difficult thing about this trip is not having easy access to a church.  A car would make all the difference.  If we do this again we will have some other mode of transportation with us.

We checked the laundry.  It was empty so we decided to get that deed done.  It turned out to be a very pleasant experience.  A nice young lady named Jennifer came in to do her wash.  She was a chatterbox.
She has been traveling with her husband and 3 and 6 year olds for 11 months.  They are in a 21 foot class c MH.  She apologized for talking so much.  She said she takes every advantage to talk to adults she can get. We could relate having had 5 of our own.

She said they took a leave from work for one year.  They wanted to see the country before they were too old to enjoy it.  They live in Seattle.  Their trip has taken them all the way to the keys, New England and everywhere in between.  They will work their way home through Utah and Idaho.  She said the first few weeks she wondered if she could do a year in such small quarters.  She has come to love the freedom they have to just wander where they want.  She gave us some great tips and meeting her was a joy.

Several couples who are traveling together in RVs came in next.  They shared a wealth of RVing knowledge with us.  One took a trip like we are and went home and sold everything.  They have been full time for 4 years.

Being they were from California, I decided to get some travel advice from them as we plan to head there at sometime.  I told them how I love state parks.  They said state park rates in California have increased from $15 per night to $63 per night in the last year.  They had threatened to close them down all together.   I asked about traveling Rt 1 up along the coast.  Everyone of them said, "Don't do it!"  Jennifer said they did it in their RV but it is only 21'' feet long.  They said at 30 or more feet it will be a white knuckle drive.  The turns are very sharp and maximum speed would have to be less than 25 mph.
They said what we should do is to go over and take a look and then had back to safer Rt 101.

Having driven a little bit on some tight turns, I understand what they are saying.  On a tight turn the rear end crosses over into the other lane.  You could cause an accident if someone came around the corner just as your back end swings over the line.  I have bored you enough with these details.

After the wash, we got on the trolley and went into town.  This is a free service offered by the city of Durango http://www.durangotransit.com .  It comes by every 20 minutes to pick you up or drop you off at any of the many stops along the way.

We went over to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to make reservations for tomorrow's trip.  http://www.durangotrain.com
Darlie wanted seats in the open air gondola car.  It is supposed to be near freezing in the morning with a high only in the 50s.  She insisted.  I will pack a backpack full of warm clothing and blankets for the trip.  The trip is 8 hours long total with a 2 hour stop in Silverton.  We will catch the trolley at 7:40 AM to be there ahead of time for boarding at 8:30 AM.

We stopped at a mexican restaurant for lunch then walked the downtown area for awhile.  It is the usual tourist type shops: t-shirts, antiques, crafts, art, and other dust collectors.  Our rule is going to be, if we can't wear it we won't buy it.  All that junk you bring home from a trip doesn't fit in your house when you get it home.  We always were out the souvenir clothing though.

We walked down to the place where the Animas River passes under the highway.  Rafting is a big summer time attraction here.  We paused for awhile to watch the rafters and wave to them as they passed under the bridge.  After rafting the mighty Nenana River in Alaska, this was child's play in comparison but it still looked like fun.

We took the trolley back to the campground late in the afternoon.  We both are windburned and have chapped lips from the dry air.  We have been sneezing since we got here.  There is a lot of dust in the air due to the high winds they are having right now.  We reserved our site for another night so we can go on the train ride tomorrow.  We will be able to get a good night's rest before heading on over to Mesa Verde on tuesday.  Can you see the bread truck in the photo above?

The train passes right through our park.  I ran out to get a couple of photos as it passed by.

This Week's Expenses

Here are the totals for those who want to know.
The miscellaneous category includes restaurants.
Total Miles Traveled:  1436
Fuel:  $463.61  Gallons:  147.3
Repairs:  $1184.27
Campgrounds:  $105.85
Groceries:  96.49
Miscellaneous:  $95.37
Total Expenses:  $1945.59

According to my records we are getting about 9.5 miles per gallon.  That is much better than expected.

We Awake To Water Running

We woke up this morning to hear water running outside.  I looked out and there was a large puddle next to our RV.   I was surprised to find two small holes opposite one another.  It looked almost like someone stuck a penknife through it.  I can't imagine why anyone would do that so I guess I will have to chock it up to more Chinese junk.  The hose was a new one and I had only used it a couple of times.  I will have to see if it can be repaired.

I sure miss the fellowship of the people at our church.  Anyone who has never been a committed member of a good church has no idea what community is.  We miss everyone at Lighthouse Fellowship in Cape Coral, Fl.  They are the sweetest most friendly people we have ever known.  I don't think we will find anything to compare out here.   I think about this when sunday rolls around.  I miss my church.

Last night Darlie said she couldn't sleep because she was freezing.  All I have heard since we left home is, "I'm hot."  It was a bit nippy this morning at about 42.  I turned on the heat to take the chill off.

There is a high wind advisory for this area today.  It is supposed to be gusting up to 55mph.  That isn't good when you are trying to keep a MH on the road.  We decided to head out anyhow.

The scenery in this area is the best we have seen in New Mexico.  The Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation had the most beautiful scenery.  It was pine and sage brush.  Sage brush is aptly named due to the sage color.  It makes a beautiful contrast against the pine and rocks.

We stopped along to the road to check out the sage brush a bit further.  I know you people who know all about sage brush probably think we are nuts but I will remind you of that the next time you are in Florida and get all worked up about pelican or a coconut.

I was surprised to find that it didn't have sharp barbs. I figured anything that could survive in this environment would either bite ya, prick ya or stick ya, as Rooster Cogburn would say.

The leaves were actually soft and had a very pungent odor when crushed.

The landscape changed very dramatically in short order.  It was the most desolate place I had ever seen.  The wind was blowing very hard.  The air was full of dust.  We were choking inside as we drove along.  We saw a dead dog by the side of the road but I am sure an autopsy would reveal it wasn't hit by a car but instead choked to death on the dust.

As we continued west on Rt 64 towards Bloomfield, NM, we began to wonder where we would spend the night.  We could just pull off the road but the dust!  I had forgotten to fill my water tank this morning because of the water hose issue.  Without a full tank of water we would probably run short if we decided to boondock for long.

We pushed on.  Soon we arrived in Bloomfield.  I don't want to insult people who live there but if your kids all move away as soon as they can you might want to look around and realize you live in a dirt pit.  The economy seems to be tied to the oil well business.  We saw many wells along the way.  I guess you have to live where the work is.  If I had to live there I would wish for a very early retirement.

After looking at the map there seemed to be only one option.  We would go on to Durango, CO even though the forecast is for freezing weather at night.   We turned on to highway 550 and headed north.  It was a good road and the miles flew by.  Durango turned out to be a very nice place.  It is a tourist haven as is evidenced by all the motels and restaurants.

We stopped at a WalMart for some supplies and cash.  It was their grand opening.  It sure was difficult finding a place to park the bread truck in there.

We stopped at United Campground on 550 a short way out of town.  The park is serviced by a free trolley that will take you all over town.  They stop at the park every 20 minutes.   I called about taking the train ride.  They are booked up tomorrow and they have a few seats left for monday morning early.  We will see how the trolley thing works out before we commit ourselves.  We would have to catch the trolley at 7:00 AM to make the train on time.  We have been getting up a 6:00 AM or earlier everyday.

We will see if the trolley can get us to a church in the morning.   As for now, we are both pooped.  Darlie went in for a nap and I think I will follow her.  Until later.

New Mexico May 21, 2010

New Mexico is not our cup of tea.  I know many people just love it here but to us it looks like a huge grown up abandoned construction site.  I could envision giants with huge earthmoving equipment plowing around then giving up their endeavor due to lack of government funds.  I think we should have left this to the indians.  No one lives out here anyhow.

We spent last night at Santa Rosa State Park.  It was ok but not as picturesque as the others.  The cost was right at $14.00 with water and electric.  There were also some loud campers nearby that didn't seem to be able to talk at less than a roar.  We didn't see a park employee until just before we left in the morning.

Santa Fe was a disappointment also.  I envisioned alpine forests on the mountains with a quaint city set back in time.   Instead it was more of the same dirt and brush and hustle and bustle.  It was even difficult to find a place to pull over with a MH.  We just didn't like it.   We decided to continue on north on route 84 to Chama.  We aren't much into the arts and cultural scene.  Too many earth spirit things going on around here and it didn't have a good feel at all.

As we got farther north the landscape changed to a more appealing alpine scene along with some colorful rocks. We climbed some pretty steep grades but our mighty 454 took us to the top with little strain.  It is going down the other side that gets interesting.

We are camped at Rio Chama RV Park in Chama, NM.  It is a nice shady park.  We have wifi too.  Darlie cooked up a huge meal and we ate outside at a picnic table.  It is actually cool out there tonight.  We welcome that.   We are on mountain time now.  It is only 7:35PM and both of us are ready for bed.  Tonight we have an old guy next door that is hacking and coughing pretty bad.  The joys of RV living.

Tomorrow we head for Durango, CO.  We are thinking about taking the Durango-Silverton narrow gauge train and trail ride.  I am not sure about bouncing around on a horse's back with hemorrhoids though.  That's all for now.  We will post again when we can.  Love you guys.  Did I tell you Darlie has been doing some of the driving?

It's Our Anniversary 5-19-10

Our night in the Pegues-Hurst Motor Co. parking lot was not bad.  It was much quieter than the campground we paid a fortune for the night before.  I ran the generator to cool it down but after dark a breeze came up and we opened the windows.  It was very pleasant.

Today is our 38th anniversary.  The only thing we wanted was to have our MH back on the road.  As promised by the SM the day before, he got us right in first thing.  Soon he told us the problem was in the ignition switch itself.  He had to see if he could get one.  Oh no, not another day in the parking lot!  Fortunately, he was able to get one locally and he had us on our way by 12:30 PM.

I wasn’t feeling very well today so Darlie took the wheel for the first leg.  The wind was blowing about 20 knots from the south or right on the side of the MH.  She was really getting a workout keeping it on the road.  

Just before we got to Dallas I took over.  I didn’t want her to try to navigate through the rush hour traffic.  We made it through without incident or delay.  We decided to call it a day at 5:30 PM.  There was a Texas state park not far off US 287.  

We took the exit for Lake Arrowhead State Park.  It was about 10 miles off the road to the park.  It was a nice drive through ranch land covered with mesquite trees.  A local told us the stuff is considered a nuisance plant by ranchers.  It spreads like crab grass. It makes fine smoking wood, however.

Lake Arrowhead was just as I knew it would be.  Beautifully wooded with a large lake and public park along the shoreline.  We saw our first prairie dogs.  There was a large community of them in the lawn by the lake shore.  They are cute little guys.  Darlie took at least 50 photos and a 60 minute video.   She gets carried away with the camera.  She spotted a couple of ducks and I knew right off they would also be added to the gallery.

The park ranger told us there were only 4 other campers in the park.  What a shame.  We passed a dozen of those cow pasture parks that looked nearly full.  They cost more and offer little in beauty.  

We are nestled into a pocket of mesquite with birds chirping all around.  There isn’t a light in sight.  Oh yes, Darlie says tell them about the peach tree.  She found a wild one growing nearby that was loaded with peaches.

The campground book says this park doesn’t have 50 amp electrical service, but it does.  With water and electric a space was $20.  There is a dump station on the way out.

We thawed out a couple of rib eyes for the grill and sat outside enjoying the cool breeze off the lake.  It was our anniversary dinner.  Outback couldn’t have been better.   At least I know they don’t have the atmosphere. 

May 20, 10  Darlie's birthday.

I am not going to write much because we need to get to  our night stop.  We finally found a wifi connection at McDonald's so we had to up load a bunch of posts and photos.  We are in New Mexico today and will be staying at Santa Rosa State Park for the night.  God bless and I hope I can post again soon.

I Would Be Crying If It Weren’t So Funny May 18, 2010

So far our trip photos have more pictures of repair shops and repairmen than of the sites we had hoped to see.  This morning started off with the usual bad gut feeling when I turned the key and nothing happened.  Our batteries couldn’t be dead.  They have been charging all night.  After the third try it turned over and started up.

We left the campground and drove across the street to gas up.  I filled it up and got back in the drivers seat and turned the key.  Nothing.  I tried in vain but it was dead.  I went into the busy gas station to let them know I was going to be blocking the drive until I could get someone to come look at it.  Just then Darlie came in and said it started.

We set out for Shreveport.  All the while I am thinking this didn’t suddenly get healed.  It is going to let us down for good sooner or later.  Going through Shreveport I noticed that is seemed to be a trucking center.  This would be a good place to find someone to look at this.  I pulled into a TA truck stop.  There was a red faced mechanic lying on his back under a big rig.  When I drove up he poked his head out to see what was up.  I asked him if he could look at our ignition.  He pointed me to Schaffer’s Truck and Trailer Repair just up the road.  He said they work on RVs.

We pulled into Schaffer’s.  I left the engine running because I didn’t want to have it not start and block their driveway.  The owner’s son came out to have a look at our problem.  I warned him if he turned it off it might not start again.  He turned it off.  It didn’t start again.  Another tech who works on electrical problems came out and checked everything with all his gadgets.  I heard him say to the other guy, “This is one of those deals where you could look for it for a week and not find it.”  Oh joy!  

They told me they were not equipped with the necessary gear to trouble shoot it further.  They said the only place anywhere around that could do the job was located in Longview, Texas just 70 miles west.  

I called my Progressive Roadside Assistance number and they dispatched a tow truck to take us all the way to Longview.  No charge to us.  Thank you Jesus.

After two hours blocking the driveway....  It’s not my fault ha ha ha.   Jimmy Lewis and his three year old son, Casey showed up with a big tow truck.  After some maneuvering he had us hooked up.  He wasn’t real excited about having to have us ride with him but we have no car.  We all piled into the rig and set off for Longview.  

Little Casey and Darlie became instant friends.  Seeing how much his boy was enjoying our company, Jimmy warmed up too.  We talked about family, kids, hunting and a host of other things.  By the time we got to Longview we had made two new friends.

While Jimmy was unhooking us at Pegues Hurst Ford Motor Co., I went inside to tell them why I was there.  They listened courteously and when I finished the service manager said, “It will be two weeks before we can get to it.”  Really!  Wow!  We have no car and that is our home.  We have no place to go for two weeks.

The service manager, whose name I haven’t gotten yet but probably will soon know his wife and kids, told me he would have a tech come out and put run a test on it in a few minutes.   I went back to the MH where Jimmy had finished unhooking us.  We gave Jimmy and Casey a tour of our home.   We shook hands and said nice things and they left.

After an hour no one had showed up to check anything so I figured I would go back in and see what was up.  The SM told me that his guy had a doctor’s appointment and he had forgotten it.  He was gone for the day.  He would have him look at it at 8 AM.

I said we have no car and can’t get to a motel.  He said they could get us to one.  I asked if it would be ok if we just stayed in the MH.  He had no problem with that.  So we are camped in the parking lot amongst other broken down trucks and cars.  Yes, it is disappointing to once again be sidelined but we know one day these memories will have more meaning than we now realize.  We have met some very nice folks as a result.  Our spirits are good.  We even find the ability to laugh now and then.  

This parking lot is quieter than the campground we were in last night.  A place this big must have some night security too.  We have no internet connection again, so we will post this when we can.  An air card would have been nice but we can live without it.

Today we traveled 81 miles by engine.  70 miles towed for a total of 151 miles.  That tow sure helps the gas mileage.  :-)

Oh, What a Day 5-17-10

The way this trip has started out you begin to wonder what is going to happen next.  This morning just as I was getting ready to brush my teeth, I heard a pop and water rushing somewhere under the floor.  A quick look outside revealed water pouring out all over under the rear of the MH.  I turned off the water and went to investigate.  I didn’t know where it was coming from.  

I looked up an RV repair guy in Lafayette and gave him a call.  He would check it out for  us if we could get it down to him.  We were heading for Lafayette this morning anyhow because our fan was supposed to be in.  We don’t even get one problem fixed and there is another.

The RV repair shop was Greg’s RV Service located on John Wayne Dr..  He is located right next door to an RV parts place.  I thought it was all one in the same business so I stopped at the parts place.  In the meantime,  my mechanically inclined spouse, had removed the floor under the bathroom sink and discovered our problem.  A valve had burst.  It would be a simple repair if they had the part.  They did and it was.  I didn’t have anything to heat the pipe with to get it off the fitting so I moved the MH over to Greg’s.  One of their men came out with a torch and it was off and new one on in a minute.  They only charged me $20 for their time and the part.

We called Service Auto Air to see if our part had arrived.  They were still waiting.  We drove on over there.  Marla came out and told us the guy at the place where she ordered it had quit his job and no one was sure if the order was even put in.  Oh, Great!

She had someone on the phone who was checking on the order.  Finally they were able to confirm it had been shipped and should be arriving by Fedex sometime today.  Marla told us we could go out back and park and wait for it if we wanted.

We parked outback and started up the generator, turned on the air and laid down for a nap.  I had just fallen to sleep when a knock came on the door.  It was Marla and the mechanic, Frances.  Frances had the part in hand and was there to install it.  Hallelujah.

An hour later we were ready to go.  We took pictures of everyone at Service Auto Air and said our goodbye.  They truly are fine people and if you ever need some air work done in that area be sure to tell them Pete and Darlie sent you.

We had a couple of hours driving time left so we headed north on I-49.  We decided to stop at a commercial RV park along the interstate rather than driving the extra 15 miles off to a state park.  Big mistake.  

We stopped at Nakatosh Campground at the Natchitoches exit.  They had a big impressive ad in Woodall’s.  Don’t let the ad fool you.  This place isn’t even good for an overnight stop.  It is located next to a truck stop.  The roar of trucks made talking inside the MH difficult.  We wondered how we would be able to sleep.  The trucks did hit the road during the night and it was quiet for a time.  Also, they advertise wifi.  It is wifi in name only.  I got on it for a moment or two and then it quit working.  That is why I am posting this at some later date.  We paid $33.15 to spend the night here.  That was more than twice as much we had paid at a state park.  State parks are under used and quiet.  The pad and facilities are better too.

Tonight both of us are on the verge of just going home.  It has been a stressful day without promise of much sleep.  We will see what the morning brings.

Contentment Is An Inside Job

Our message today came to us at Calvary Baptist Church.  The pastor started what is to be a three part series on contentment.  I wish I was going to be around to hear all of it.  So many people are living their lives without contentment even though they pursue all their desires and pleasures.  The problem is they have made the wrong things the priority.  Seek as they will, they will never be content.

1.  Choosing pleasure over relationships leads to discontent.
2.  Choosing money over meaning in life will lead to dissatisfaction.  God's plans give meaning to life.
3.  Choosing status over security will keep you discontent.   Always trying to impress others and win their approval leads to discontent.  Seek security in who God says you are.

It was a very good sermon.

The day has turned out to be sunny and humid.  All of our neighbors packed up and left.  I hope we didn't do something to drive them away.  Just kidding.  I guess they had enough of the rain and just wanted to get home.   We have the whole place to ourselves now.  The only sounds you hear are the birds.

We are ready to move on.  We have been here long enough.  I just hope the fan they ordered is the right one and that it is here on time.

There are many things I like about a Class A MH but there are also things I don't.  The biggest thing is having to disconnect everything and pack it all up to go somewhere.  Yes, we could tow a vehicle behind.  But when I think back to some of the places I had to pull into to get gas and then do some maneuvering and backing to get out, I don't like that option.  I think you would have to unhook your tow quite often.  I could be wrong.  Lots of people are towing vehicles behind.  I like the option to be able to back up when I want.

Most of the campers in the park are 5th wheels.  I think if I was going to do this again I would go that route.  But you don't know until you try it.  This will probably be the last trip like this anyhow so it is a mute point.

It's a beautiful day but I am antsy.  I want to move on.  Darlie is reading a book and I am thinking about a nap.

The Magical Hour

There is an hour just as dawn is breaking that is magical.  It rained most of the night and I was up just as it began to get light.  I fixed my cup of coffee and went to sit up front.  The big window is like a huge picture window in the midst of the forest.  It was so peaceful and still.

I noticed a rabbit at the edge of the clearing in front of the MH.  He was nibbling some new tender shoots.  I wondered, "where does he spend the night in the rain?"  I thought how miserable I would be if I had to sleep out there and wake up all damp with dew.  But this little rabbit seemed not to notice or be bothered at all.  He was having breakfast and seemed to be enjoying it too.

Soon a squirrel appeared at the edge of the same clearing.  He poked about sniffing the ground.  Then like he sensed a hidden treasure, he began to dig vigorously.  He soon emerged with a tiny morsel he held in his hands as he began to eat.

The squirrel and the rabbit were neighbors and friends.  They would approach each other as if to say good morning.  At one point they had their noses nearly touching.  Then one would jump and scamper about while the other looked on.  It was a delight to watch.  After awhile two crows landed in the clearing.  They were noisy and caused a raucous.   So the squirrel and the rabbit moved on continuing to dine on what the forest provides.

Birds were chipping all around in the trees and bushes.  At first they were unseen but at closer examination they were there all along.  A downy woodpecker was digging into the crevices in the bark of an oak tree looking for a morning morsel for breakfast.  Two Carolina wrens danced about from limb to limb in a small tree right outside my window.  One found a spiderweb with bugs attached.  He slurped the whole thing down like sucking in a strand of spaghetti.

Two more squirrels came on the scene.  They too seemed to know each other.  It was cute to watch them interact with each other while they foraged for food.  God's creation is truly a magical place as dawn breaks in the forest.

Wash Day

12:15 PM
This morning a front moved in and it rained very hard for a time.  Now everything is wet and muddy outside.  The sun has come out so it is getting back to the usual steamy weather.

Louisiana State Parks have many amenities.  One of them is a laundry.  The park we are in just built a brand new laundry-restroom area.   We stuffed all our dirty clothes into backpacks and rode our bikes up to the laundry room.  An hour and a half later we are back and everything put away.

Our internet is a bit slow today.  The park has filled up for the weekend so I guess the traffic is heavier on the system.  We have a wifi antenna right outside our MH.  All Louisiana rest areas and state parks have wifi service.  We were able to pull into a rest area and get online to research our next stop.  I wish all states offered this service.

Ok, here is a list of our expenses so far.  This does not include what we spent while at our son's house last weekend.  This is just our traveling expenses since leaving there.

Total miles traveled: 1160
Fuel burned:  123.5 gallons.  We haven't filled up yet so don't try to figure mileage with these figures.
Groceries:  $104.29
Restaurants:  $81.72
Fuel:  $348.63
Campgrounds:  $95.90
Misc:  $6.00
Total:  $636.54

If I had taken time to go get the Golden Age National Park pass my campground fees would have been half what they are.  Florida has a 50% discount for seniors.  Louisiana only offers it to pass holders.  I will pick up a pass as soon as I can.  It is only $10 for life.  You can't beat that.

We have a pervert in the park!

This raccoon is sniffing Darlie's bicycle seat.

With the sun out for awhile this afternoon we took the opportunity to go for a bike ride down to the lake.  The water is real low in the lake as they have been having a dry spell here.  Everyone here is glad to see the rain even if it has ruined their camping this weekend.

We are enjoying the extra exercise we are getting on our bikes.  We rode on a trail out through the woods too.  Good thing we bought 18 speed mountain bikes cause we ran into some pretty steep grades.  The air was filled that that sweet smell of decaying vegetation.   The silence was only broken by the occasional chirping of a bird or a few falling raindrops from the trees.

Soon we could hear thunder in the distance.  We thought it best to be headed back to the campsite.  No sooner had we arrived when the rain started again.  Our timing was perfect.  The sound of the rain beating on our tin roof made both of us sleepy.  We laid down for a nap and I was quickly in dreamland.

For dinner Darlie warmed up the remains of her PreJean's dinner.  I made a couple of pork chops, baked potato and a salad.  It has been a dreary day but the sun is shining in our hearts.