garedhd

Monday, October 31, 2011

After a stop to fill up on propane, we left Austin. Phillip had the day off and came by the motorhome to say one last goodbye. It was a special treat to see him one more time and as always, my eyes light up and my heart sings when he is near.

We headed out on some of the Texas back roads heading for Livingston, TX. It was a pretty ride through many small towns. It is the kind of travelling we like best. We passed by graceful and stately pecan groves, forlorn looking picked cotton fields, and miles of heavily forested woods on our trek to the east of Austin.

When we went by Lake Livingston, a lovely, seemingly big lake, we knew we were almost to our day’s destination. A short way out of town is the Escapees’ Headquarters and RV Park.

The Escapees’ Park is a huge RV park with mixed types of sites: They have daily rental sites, a 5 year lease on a piece of property for your RV which is bigger than a usual RV site at a commercial park, and sites for outright ownership. We had heard about the Escapees from several people we had met during our travels and decided to see whether we thought it would be of value to us. The membership in the Escapees Club is now over 140,000 so it is not a small operation. Although it is a very large club, many of the members are not active. Tomorrow we will tour the grounds.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

If you follow this blog you are probably wondering why I haven’t posted in a while. We’ve been visiting our son and have, for the most part, been taking it easy. That may not sound like much fun, but to us it is. We’ve been going pretty hard for a month and it is nice to be able to take a break and just be a couch potato.

That is not to say we haven’t had a good time. We’ve made several forays into the wilds of Austin. They have a couple used book stores that we’ve visited and left a portion of our money at. Now we are carrying back home bags filled with both the books from said bookstore and the books Phillip has kindly lent us. I just hope I can find time to read them all when we get back home.

We moved back to the Home Depot where we normally stay in Austin and spent the rest of our time there. It is much closer to Phillip’s home and makes it easier to go back and forth. Phillip and Harry had plans for one Saturday. The odometer in his car had quit, just as mine had, and since we both have the same kind of car Harry brought the new parts with him to fix Phillip’s car. I am not telling tales out of school when I say that fixing a car is not Phillip’s kind of fun day. It isn’t that he can’t do it, it is just he doesn’t want to. Well, I am proud to report he fixed his instrument cluster without much help from Harry. Goooooooooooooooo Phillip!!! Now he has a car that will allow him to know when to change the oil.

While Phillip and Harry were busy fixing the car, Leslie and I went to her worksite and did some work. It was fun and I was glad I could be of some assistance to her.

I almost forgot to mention the last member of their family – Aeris, the dog. Really she is Leslie’s dog but now she has become a member of our family too. What a sweet little honey she is. It would be difficult, if not impossible, not to love this trusting, gentle canine. She was nervous when we first appeared on the scene but soon accepted us as one of the family. It was difficult when we left to say goodbye to her.

During the week we made a couple of visits to see Leslie’s sister and new baby. I had forgotten how tiny and defenseless newborns are. He is a good baby and sleeps most of the day but unfortunately that means he’s up most of the night. While I know he’ll soon be sleeping through the night, I am sure his mom and dad are already wondering if that will ever happen.

We had dinner out a couple of nights, I made a beef brisket one evening, and Leslie made delicious entomatados which we enjoyed for a couple of nights. Entomatados are tortillas with, in this case, chicken filling, cheese fresco, and a sauce made from tomatoes, chilies, and spices. I am a real spice “wuss” but I thought they were fantastic. Come to think of it, I don’t ever remember having anything Leslie has made that I don’t like. She’s a great cook. Isn’t Phillip the lucky guy!!

One Saturday morning we went to the Lone Star Kolache Store. We had been here before and really liked it and I asked them to take us there again. I was so happy to find that the Kolaches I remembered we just as good this year as they were last year. The ham and cheese were yummy!

We also made two stops at IHOP for their never ending pancake meals. While I can’t eat that much, the others made up for me and enjoyed every one of their pancakes.

One of our more energetic times was a Friday night when we went to the local high school football game. We didn’t expect much of a game but wanted to go to see the band perform. In Georgia the high school bands are not too bad but the Texas large high schools have incredible bands. It is more like a college band performance. Well, the bands on both sides were very good but ours was better. No, I am not prejudiced! What a performance they put on. It’s so difficult to believe these are just high school kids. We expected the game itself to be ho hum at best, but it was a real barn burner. Each team scored three touchdowns in the first half and another four in the second half. Our guys won by just one point. It was a squeeker but a really good game. All week it had been very hot (90 degrees) but on Friday night it changed and got much colder. By game time Harry and I were in heavy winter coats and gloves. What a surprise after all the hot weather.

As with all things, even special fun times with family you love so much it almost hurts, the time to leave finally comes. Saying goodbye is always difficult for me. I try so hard to be brave, put on a good front, and not cry but the lump that forms in my throat, and the unshed tears in my eyes I think give me away. My family is all to me and when I am with them I am at my happiest. That said, it is easy to understand why goodbye never finds me at my best. The last hugs and kisses are wrenching and the next couple days after we leave are always sad. I often wonder if I will ever get used to it. Guess not. I am thankful and glad that the boys I have raised are independent, wonderful men who can take care of themselves and those they love, but as a Mom I still miss not having them close to me all the time. So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Austin and the two people there who mean so much to us.

Friday, October 21, 2011

The dust storm of a few days ago is just a memory but I assure you the dirt is not! Today, because we are connected to electricity, has to be a cleanup day. Everything is covered with a layer of dust. It will probably take us a couple of hours to get it all cleaned up again. I am not looking for white glove clean, brown or gray glove will do but black glove is unacceptable.

Oh how nice to have a clean motorhome. When you drive with the windows open you get dirt but that’s ok because we love the cool air coming through the windows. Dust storms however produce more than just a smidgen of dirt.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

When we woke up this morning it was 56 in the rig and 45 in the compartment underneath the RV. We fired up our big dragon and our little electric heater and soon it was toasty warm. Part of the day today was taken up by doing some tasks around the motorhome like the ever present laundry.

Up the street from the RV campground is the Salt Lick Restaurant. We had heard it was a good place for brisket and ribs and they were right. We had the senior plate – brisket, sausage, and pork rib, cole slaw, potato salad, and baked beans. The brisket melted in your mouth, the sausage was good, and the pork rib was excellent too. The potato salad was the most unusual I have ever eaten. It had potatoes, onion, pickle juice and barbeque sauce. Strangely enough it was very good. Even the cole slaw was tasty. We were glad we decided to go there.

After Phillip and Leslie got off work we met them for dinner and then went to their apartment. Leslie, because her job requires it, is never free when she isn’t at work and still has things she has to do. Her dedication to her job is part of what makes her so good.

The day ended with a ride back to the RV park which is about 35 miles away. We are talking about moving back to Home Depot tomorrow or Saturday.

Being with our son and his lady always makes for a very happy day.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Today was our day to run around doing errands. Late this morning we stopped by the hospital to see the new baby and see how Mom was doing. We were pleased to find that Leslie’s Mom and Dad were there too. This is their first grandchild and they couldn’t have been prouder if they tried. The love in their eyes when they looked at their grandson was wonderful to see. They both will be terrific grandparents. Leslie’s sister looked tired but very happy. It is so rewarding to see when a tender, new life is welcomed into the world with love. I know this little miracle will be well cared for and surrounded by a large caring family. May God bless this little one.

After the hospital visit we thought we had better go over to see our son before he begins to think we don’t love him anymore. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I feel and how my heart pumps faster when I know I will see Phillip. I love him so much and being with him is one of the greatest joys in my life. Seeing his smile of welcome was all the reassurance I needed to know that he loves me as much as I love him. I am truly blessed to have such a special son.

Later in the day we moved our RV from Home Depot to the Old Settlers RV Park across from the Dell Diamond baseball stadium. If we don’t stay at Home Depot we stay at Old Settlers. There are two things we don’t like about Old Settlers – one is that it is much further away from Phillip’s home; two is that the train tracks are across the street and the trains blow their horns when they come through, even in the middle of the night.

We picked up Leslie at work and had another happy hugging reunion. Leslie is a very special lady and we are so glad Phillip had the good sense to see that. We have come to love her as one of our own and think of her as the daughter we never had. It is always our joy to be with her once again.

Even though we didn’t do much today, it was a great day for us because we saw Phillip and Leslie, Leslie’s family, and the new baby. What a day!!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Last night turned out to be very interesting in a scary sort of way. We had pulled into the WalMart parking lot in Fort Stockton, TX and had just finished dinner when the wind started picking up. At first we were pleased since it was still hot in the coach and the breeze was helping to cool things down. Just a few minutes later the wind became a lot more than a breeze and pieces of paper were whizzing past the windows. Then the wind really started blasting the coach. Since we planned on moving on the next morning and it was late when we arrived, we didn’t even bother to put the jacks down to level the coach nor did we put the slide out to give us more room. Thank goodness we didn’t do either! All of a sudden we heard a crash and realized that a shopping cart had hit the side of the coach. As we looked out the window we saw a steady quick marching platoon of shopping carts trying to escape from the parking lot by heading out the exit. They kept on picking up speed as if they were motorized. One of them actually made a bee line for the highway and never veered off the path. It was last seen crossing the highway probably never to be seen again or at least not in good condition. We wondered how many accidents it caused.

That was just the beginning. As the wind picked up in intensity, so did the dust and dirt. This area is very dry and before long we had an honest to goodness dust storm. We closed all the windows but not before some of the dirt had been deposited inside the coach. We went to bed with the wind howling and lashing both our vehicles.

Sometime during the night the storm finally stopped and by morning it was quiet, clear, and wonderfully cool. When we got a chance to get outside we found that our poor car was dirt encrusted and so was the RV. The windows are so dirty now that it is difficult to see out of them. What happened to that pretty, sparkly clean RV we left Georgia in? When we gassed up this morning I talked with one of the store attendants and she told me that the winds last night were 75-80 mph. No wonder it was so bad. Now we have been through three dust storms. A couple of years ago when we were in Death Valley, CA we experienced our first. Less than a week later we were in Palm Springs, CA and went through our second. Now Texas has the distinction of being our third. It’s just one more exciting experience RVing.
Normally we try not to travel on Interstate highways. Usually they are so boring. Today was the exception. Almost as soon as we left Fort Stockton we began to see oil wells. When you see them, you also smell them. Harry finds their aroma pleasant. I do not but I’ve come to associate it with parts of Texas. The mesas around here are very large, and the area with its windy conditions is perfect for windmills. There were lots of them perched on top of the mesas spinning restlessly in the wind.

As we travel around our country we see so many geological wonders that make me wish I had paid more attention in my Freshman Earth Science class. At the time I couldn’t see any reason for taking the class and it wasn’t high on my priority list. Who knows, maybe when we get home I’ll try taking a class at the local community college. Then I might be able to make more sense out of what I am seeing.

The wind has been ferocious today. Come to think of it, it seems that it often is when we are in Texas. Driving means you are constantly fighting the wheel for control of the RV, and the RV acts, at times, like a sail. The turbulence from the semi trucks when they pass forces you to be constantly on guard to make sure you aren’t pulled into their lane or blown off the road. Then the resulting turbulence when they are completing the pass will push you back and forth if you are not alert, sometimes even if you are. It is not difficult driving but does call for constant vigilance and that can be wearing.

We arrived at the Home Depot parking lot where we often stay while we are visiting Austin just as dusk was approaching. We got a telephone call from our son saying that Leslie’s sister just had her baby. What a joyous occasion. Last year we were here when she was married and now we are here for her baby’s birth. Everybody was at the hospital and we were so tired that we just went to bed early. It was enough that we arrived safely.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Last night we had a really enjoyable time. When we returned from our trip to White Sands National Memorial, we saw that there was another Bounder motorhome parked right behind ours in the WalMart parking lot. We looked but no one seemed at home. By the time we had finished our dinner our neighbors had returned. We heard them come in and decided to go out and talk with them about their rig.

It turned out that there were two ladies in the motorhome and they were sisters. The lady that owned the Bounder was a widow and she was on the road most of the time. They invited us into their home and we sat and talked about motorhoming and places to visit for a long time. They were delightful people and we learned a lot from what they said. It is interesting to me to find that motorhomers are usually very friendly people and almost always willing to help or share with others. Of course you can always find an exception to that rule but so far we’ve been impressed with the RV traveling public. I wish I could say that about all people.

We had a few things to do this morning like pay bills online and get a couple of Harry’s prescriptions renewed, so we got a late start on our traveling day. We didn’t leave Alamogordo until 1:00. I did get the chance to stop by the Blue Stone Jewelry Store that was recommended to me by the ranger at the Visitor Center. I knew Harry wouldn’t be long paying bills so I had to hurry, but I still managed to find a pretty pair of earrings to match my new turquoise cuff bracelet. By the time I got back Harry was almost finished. It wasn’t long after that we were on our way again.

We saw a large contingent of military vehicles approaching from the opposite direction on a dirt road. It looked like they were beginning or ending maneuvers simulating desert conditions. Since Fort Bliss was not too far away, we guessed they must have come from there.

The road from Alamogordo to El Paso must have been laid out by an arrow shot. It was the straightest road we’ve seen. For 90 miles Harry could have almost tied the wheel down and had lunch while we were going down the road. Unfortunately, it also is very desolate. There are some mountains to see but the land is only covered with yuccas, prickly pear cactus, creosote bushes, mesquite, and assorted weeds. It does have beauty but I can’t see myself ever moving there.

Closer to Alamogordo we saw signs for the Missile Test Range. This morning as we were having breakfast we heard some loud muffled booms. We had been told that the military usually does tests at least twice a week. They actually close down the highway and White Sands National Memorial. It usually only lasts an hour or so. When we heard the noises we figured that a test was underway.

A couple of hours and El Paso was fast approaching. We have been through El Paso many times and always found El Paso interesting. This time we took a loop around the city that went right through the middle of Fort Bliss. While it sure was nice not to have to fight with the El Paso traffic, I missed seeing all the familiar places that make El Paso so unique and delightfully southwestern.

We crossed from Mountain to Central time and lost an hour. It usually takes me a couple of days before I adjust to the change of time. Somehow when we turn around to head home again it is always a sad moment. One thing that does help though is that we will be stopping in Austin to see Phillip and Leslie. We are both so happy when we can be with our son and his sweet Leslie.

West Texas is so different from East Texas. Near El Paso there are big mountains and desert conditions. East Texas near Louisiana has bayous and Spanish Moss hanging from the trees. Austin, where Phillip and Leslie live is hill country. Texas is so big that there is room for many different kinds of topological variations.

Sunset in all its splendor came and for a brief time we could see a kaleidoscope of colors gracing the land. We are so fortunate to be able to travel this magnificent country. It was another great day.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Another day in paradise! A cloudless, brilliantly blue sky greeted us this morning. Last night it did not drop below 58 in the coach. I think today will be a hot day.

After a leisurely morning we finally bestirred ourselves and left for White Sands. On the way we passed the Holloman Air Force Base and also the White Sands Missile Range. Actually the White Sands Missile Range surrounds the park. It was first used as a military proving ground after WWII for testing rockets captured from German armed forces. The 4,000-square-mile range is still an important site for testing experimental weapons and space technology. Even now there is a test on the average of twice a week.

The Visitor Center was a lovely adobe building with a cool and inviting courtyard with a cottonwood tree and other indigenous plants. There was an excellent short video that introduced us to the White Sands Monument and told us how it formed. We have found that it is almost always a good idea to go to the Visitor Center first. They often have great videos and give you information you otherwise would never have received. The Park covers 275 square miles but only has one road running through it. You only get to see a small portion of this unique land.

The gypsum that forms the white sand was deposited at the bottom of a shallow sea covering this area 250 million years ago. Eventually turned to stone, these gypsum-bearing marine deposits were uplifted into a giant dome 70 million years ago when the Rocky Mountains formed. Ten million years ago the center of this dome started to collapse, creating the Tularosa Basin. The remaining sides of the original dome form the San Andres and Sacramento mountain ranges that now ring the Tularosa Basin.

The common mineral gypsum is rarely found as sand because it is soluble in water. Rain and snow in the mountains dissolve gypsum from the rock and carry it into the Tularosa Basin. Rivers would usually carry dissolved gypsum to the sea, but no river drains the Tularosa Basin. The water with the gypsum and other sediments is trapped in the basin.

Crystal beds in wet periods, water evaporating on the playa floor causes the gypsum to be deposited in crystalline form as selenite. Along Lake Lucero’s shore and in the Alkali Flat, beds of selenite crystals – some three feet long – cover the ground. Freezing and wetting and drying eventually break down the crystals as sand-size particles light enough to be moved by the wind.

Strong winds blowing across the lake bed pick up gypsum particles and then carry them downwind. Actually they bump, jump, skip, hop, and tumble along. As sand grains accumulate as a dune, they bounce up the gentle windward slope and ripple its surface. At a dune’s steep leading edge, sand builds up until gravity pulls it down the slip face, moving the dune forward. Sometimes the dunes move slowly at about only ½” a year. This happens when the dune is at the edge of the dunes and has some protective covering of plants. In the middle of the dunes, however, it is a vastly different story. Here the winds swirl and howl and the lack of plants create dunes the move as much as 37’ a year. Yes, that was feet, not inches. One of the park volunteers told us there was a very nice nature center at the heart of the dunes area. In one year a shifting dune completely engulfed it and it had to be torn down.

The few varieties of plants that manage to eke out an existence here have learned how to adapt to avoid burial by moving sand. The Soaptree yucca elongates its stem to keep its leaves above the sand, growing upward a foot per year. Some plants anchor parts of a dune with their roots and keep growing on a sand pedestal even after the dune moves on.

The animals too have adapted. The lizards that once were dark colored in other parts of New Mexico are now closer to white. Butterflies, birds, mice, rats, and even the Kit Fox all have changed their color to more closely match the surrounding sand and thus not be noticed by predators. Although the dunes appear to be completely devoid of life other than plant life, there is really diverse animal life living and thriving within these harsh, unforgiving dunes.

The pristine, almost incandescent whiteness of the dunes at mid-day makes viewing them almost a painful experience. Sunglasses help but even they cannot diminish the sparkling rays bouncing off the sand. The sand itself is interesting. I thought it would have the texture of sugar but it is really much more like talcum powder. We’ve been told that the dunes are covered with a thin layer of sand. When it rains the sand becomes joined to the gypsum underneath and becomes hard, almost like concrete. (Actually, gypsum is used in wallboard and plaster so I guess it isn’t a surprise.) It is strange that something that feels so delicate could become so rocklike. In fact, when you walk on it you do not sink like you do in beach sand.

The tallest dunes are only around 60’ and aren’t anywhere near the height of the dunes we saw at Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO, but they are impressive in their own way. We had lunch at a picnic area with an aluminum shed positioned so that it shielded us from the sun. It had a flat roof and a curved back, table and bench seating, and even a charcoal grill. All the comforts of home – well, almost.

This area has also been set aside as a “play” area. Children and adults climb the dunes and slide down on disk shaped plastic slides about 30” in diameter that can be purchased at the Visitor Center. We were surprised to see that many families had come to the park to have picnics and play in the sand. Everyone seemed to really be enjoying themselves.

As we continued around the park we began to see more definition in the dunes. The sun had changed position and the shadows were improving our viewing. It made us appreciate the unique beauty of the place even more.

We had a very good time and said goodbye to White Sands before the sun had begun to set. It was a peaceful, interesting day and we were glad we had visited this unusual area.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Staying at the Sandia Resort and Casino in Albuquerque has been a real convenience for us. When we arrived last night it was almost dark and we didn’t have to worry about where we would park or how we find our site. It is safe too because the security guards patrol and the little shuttle buses run all night as well.

This morning when Harry went to check the tire pressure on our bad tire he found, much to his disgust, that the tire had lost 10 pounds of pressure since yesterday when we left Gallup. We paid to have it fixed and now it appears that the problem is not solved. Neither of us is very happy about that. Still, it is hard to be angry when the day is magnificent, the area you are in is magnificent and you are with someone you love so much.

Harry called Firestone in Albuquerque and they will, hopefully, find out what is wrong. It means we will probably lose the day’s traveling, but it will be worth it if the problem is truly solved. We are fortunate that we have the time and aren’t on a strict schedule. Well, after three men had looked at it and examined all possibilities, they said there was nothing wrong with it. Hope they are right.

We left Firestone and headed out to Alamogordo. It is only around 200 miles so it isn’t a particularly long drive. We saw some interesting things along the way. There is a very fertile valley within this desert landscape where they grew alfalfa, hay, wine grapes, fruit trees and several other things we couldn’t identify from the RV.
It was so wonderfully green after all the grays, blacks, and browns.

At times the mountains almost completely surrounded us. We went through passes at around 6,700’. It was as desolate an area as I could imagine. Sometimes you didn’t see a house for miles and miles. We did finally see some signs of civilization and horses and cows began to appear along with some pronghorn antelope.

We passed through the Malpais – Valley of Fires. The Malpais is one of the most forbidding places nature ever built. Throughout history, most people have avoided the area, but a few prospectors and ranchers have attempted to make a living from it, only to fail miserably. Located just west of Carrizozo, the Valley of Fires Recreation Area is the site of an ancient Indian legend that the “malpi” country was once a “valley of fire”. The lava covers 125 square miles and is more than 160’ deep at the center. It was so awesome to see the evidence of this area’s volcanic past.

We started to see groves of trees just before full dark. We thought they might be apple trees but many of them turned out to be pistachio. We knew that because there was Pistachio Acres, Pistachio Bar and Grill, etc.

As we began to approach our destination the sun had begun its inexorable descent behind the mountains. We were treated with a matchless sunset. The few clouds in the sky turned from white, to pale pink, to dark rose, to light lavender, and then to the dark blue-purple of oncoming night. We could see the fiery white globe of the sun turn a sulfurous yellow. It turned the tops of the mountains yellow, then orange, then ruby red. It was glorious. When the sun finally set it happened in almost the blink of an eye. The day changed from uncomfortably hot to chilly very quickly. The desert climate changes are swift and quite dramatic.

We stopped for the night in the WalMart in Alamogordo. With the mountains so close we couldn’t wait for sunrise to illuminate them once again. One thing we didn’t count on was the train tracks across the street. A couple of times during the night trains went through and blew their horn. Harry and I almost lifted off the bed. We shouldn’t be surprised since where ever we go, almost without fail, there are trains close by.

Even with our tire problems, it was still a great day with lots to see and experience.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Thursday as we were driving to Gallup Harry noticed that the tire on the tag axle seemed a little soft. Thank goodness he keeps a watchful eye on things because it was down 30 psi. If allowed to continue its slow leak it would undoubtedly blow, probably in the most inconvenient and out of the way place. Yesterday we used the car we tow to go to Canyon de Chelly but today the tire problem had to be addressed.

Harry tries to be prepared for most problems and always carries tools. The last time we had tire trouble he actually broke a socket trying to get the lug nuts off. Since then he went out and bought a heavy duty socket and thought he had all he needed. Not so! When he started to loosen the covers over the nuts this morning he found that two of them were not the same size and his new socket didn’t fit. Eerrrrg! Fortunately we have internet at the USA RV Park we are staying at and were able to find a nearby store that had the necessary socket. When he returned from his trip to the store the rest went quickly and easily. I helped him lift the tire into the car truck and off he went to the Firestone store to, hopefully, get it fixed. I say hopefully because we couldn’t find the leak and hope it is only a valve stem problem and won’t call for replacing the tire.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, I had the time to finish up all the laundry, wash the dishes, straighten up the coach, and catch up on my blog. Guess there’s a good side to almost everything. We had spent 9 days without electric, water, or sewer - dry camping and were critically in need of all three. Being able to have a washer/dryer as part of the RV is to me essential, and not a luxury. Still there was a mountain of wash for my small washer/dryer to do.

When Harry returned he told me we had picked up a piece of metal in the tire somewhere. It did puncture the tread but stayed in, so we only had a slow leak. They put a patch on it and remounted the tire and before long Harry was on his way back to the RV again. The tire is heavy but the two of us were able to get it out of the trunk and back on the lugs (for the women reading, those are the sticky out things the tire wheel rims go on – please note - sticky out is a technical female term). Harry finished the job in record time. Putting all the tools away was another matter.

We left Gallup and headed for Albuquerque once again. Our plan is to go to White Sands National Monument in Alamogordo, NM. Albuquerque just happened to be a good stopping place for the night since we got such a late start on traveling today.

After a quick dinner it was an early to bed night. Our tire problems could have been so much worse. Harry’s diligence, the right auto store, and a Firestone store nearby saved us untold trouble. Surely God is watching over us. I feel so blessed.