Thursday, September 11, 2008
Rainbow 06/29/1990-09/11/2008
I can barely type this through the tears. When we arrived home on Monday after taking Amber for her last ride, Rainbow met us at the door, anxious & vocal. She howled the rest of the evening, obviously missing Amber, to whom she had become quite close over the past couple of years (even though the sentiment was not returned). Worse, she stopped eating. We tried force-feeding her, but as tiny as she was, even the most heroic measures would not have been enough. She died this morning, sweet, loving, and curious to the end.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Amber 09/01/1991-09/08/2008
Our precious Amber died today of apparent acute kidney failure. She was her usual self (part angel, part imp) until last Thursday, when she stopped eating and started acting lethargic. We hoped this would go away in a day or so, but by Saturday, she was quite sick. Doug had a long conversation (from 6 miles away from our campsite in Yellowstone NP, the closest we can get cell coverage) with a vet from Jackson, WY, and she thought Amber had acute kidney failure. They set up an appointment for today (Monday). Amber died in Willie's arms on the way down. The vet said if she slipped away over the weekend, there was probably nothing that could have been done, so we are glad that we weren't at fault for waiting too long to take her in.Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Lazy J Corral, Hoback Junction, WY: Aug 24-26
Since we weren't sure exactly when we were supposed to show up at Yellowstone (more on that later), we decided to hang out here for a few days. The rates are reasonable, we were nicely located for sightseeing, and within an easy day's drive of the southern entrance of Yellowstone. When we retrieved emails on our first day (the 24th), we got one from Yellowstone saying they wanted us to come on the 25th. We replied that we wouldn't be there until the 27th. We had sightseeing and shopping to do!
Most of the people that stay here do so for the entire summer, but the owner sets aside a few spots for short-term campers. The rates are low because he has owned & operated the park for 35 years, but now, ready to retire, he is selling the place. 
Expect prices to increase dramatically after the sale.Our first day here we drove into Jackson to stock up on staples for our stay in Yellowstone. This was quite simple since we have lists that we use at Chaco to see us through two weeks. We decided afterwards to take a quick scenic drive through Grand Teton NP, and even though the lighting would have been better in the morning, it was quite gorgeous. The next day we took a scenic drive to western WY and into eastern Idaho near Palisades reservoir.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Big Sandy Recreation Area, Farson, WY: Aug 23
Since we don't like traveling over 150 miles in a day, sometimes we have to search out unusual camping opportunities, especially in areas as sparsely populated as western Wyoming. We settled on Big Sandy knowing practically nothing about it other than it would break the days' drives around the stay into manageable lengths and that it was free. Already tired after a 160-mile drive, we came to a fork in the dirt road we were bouncing down into the Rec Area. We went to the right, and found a dispersed-camping spot overlooking the reservoir that was level enough that we didn't have to unhook (always a bonus when you're dry-camping). From there we could see the actual camping area, where we would have wound up if we had gone left.
Big Sandy seems to be rather unpopular (maybe it's the bugs -- our fluorescent lights attracted thousands of them). From our excellent vantage there was one tent & one RV visible on the shore, and another RV appeared behind us during the night. I always wonder why people go out into the middle of nowhere and then set up right next to someone else. A group of three sage grouse walked by our trailer in the early morning, which made the stop all the more special. It sure beat paying a lot for a KOA in Rock Springs and having lousy scenery!Saturday, August 23, 2008
RV World Campground, Rawlins, WY: Aug 22
The last time we were here (May 2006) this was a Passport America campground. No more, but they still offer various other discounts, including 15% for Escapees members. Doug enjoyed a very pleasant swim in the indoor pool while Willie caught up on some emails on the free wifi.Friday, August 22, 2008
Vedauwoo Campground, Medicine Bow Natl Forest, WY: Aug 20-21
Located a mile north of I-80 and 20 miles west of Laramie, Vedauwoo makes a great stop on our way into or across Wyoming. It is popular with climbers, since the area looks like a pile of boulders. We have stayed here twice before, in May 2006 & July 2007. It's a lovely, peaceful area that is usually fairly empty. This time we enjoyed a hike on one of the trails.Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Boyd Lake State Park, Loveland, CO: Aug 16-19
We first visited this park in July 2007 and liked it so much we decided to come back. It makes a pleasant stop after Boulder, giving us a chance to wind down a little, and is close enough that some friends come up and see us!
Our fresh-water pump had been sounding worse & worse for the past few months, so we decided to be proactive in case it decided to give out while we were in the backwoods of Yellowstone. This is the sort of thing Doug is supposed to be able to handle, and was all set to take on the task when he remembered that something invariably goes wrong, and then something else, stretching a 15-minute task into 2 hours. So Stan from DM Mobile RV Repair came out again -- good thing, too, since the new pump wasn't quite the same size & he had to remount it. He also fixed a minor electrical problem that had been annoying us for months.Sunday, August 17, 2008
Shady Acres Mobile Home Park, Lafayette, CO: July 16-Aug 15
We thankfully only planned one night in Limon. We were up bright & early the next morning and on the road earlier than usual. Shortly after pulling onto I-70, however, Doug noticed the brake controller was not reading "zero", which theoretically means the trailer brakes are slightly engaged. This is worrisome since it causes a drop in gas mileage, it causes unnecessary wear on the brakes, and the brakes can heat up enough to catch fire. We pulled off at the next town (Deer Trail) and found a garage with about six mechanics, all busy, who, after hooking the truck up to a computer and not finding anything, noticed the electric wire in the truck bed that we plug the trailer into was melted. He felt we were lucky that we hadn't caught fire & suggested we drive the rest of the way with the trailer unplugged, which meant that we had no turn signals, brake lights, or trailer brakes for the last 90 miles of our drive. We were thankful we had already left Limon so we didn't have to spend another night at Limon RV Park.We arrived at Shady Acres at about two in the afternoon and after inquiring about "our" reserved site were shown an overgrown field and told "here is your spot". "Where?", we thought. The hookups were buried hip-deep in weeds. After we had backed in and trampled the weeds for a while and our socks were loaded with cheat grass seeds, the manager came over with a very loud weed-whacker and cut down what we hadn't parked on top of. It added a rather loud and frantic quality to our setting up -- never relaxing in the best of times. We did finally get settled in and immediately started making social plans.
The first thing on Willie's agenda was to get her hair cut off and donated to Locks of Love. It had finally reached the required length, and she was tired of it stringing around. The young woman at Great Clips did a fine job and it is quite a new look for Willie.Our friend Sue Horne, who had visited us in Chaco, recently adopted two kittens from the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. Visiting Sue and the kittens was next on our agenda. What a cute pair of kitties! It made us quite nostalgic for our days of fostering kittens when we lived in a stick house.
We continued to be quite busy, though it didn't seem as overwhelming as in times before, visiting friends, playing bridge both socially and at the Boulder duplicate club (where we even managed to win a few master points!), playing other games with different groups, eating out A LOT, etc. We even found a really nice line dance class that met once a week, with a special dance party from 9 am-1:30 pm one extra day.
We also had visits from other RVing friends who were passing through the area. Our friend Lloyd Treichel was staying at a nearby Elks campground and came up one day for lunch at a nearby Chinese restaurant. Carole & Delbert Ulmer, a couple we met during our winters at Port Aransas, TX, drove out from their home in Shelbyville, IL, for a two-day visit. It was great to see them after such a long time. They continued westward in order to enjoy a bit of cool mountain air before returning across the plains.Since we had so many pending issues with the truck, we decided to really help out the economy and get some major work done on it. We had new shocks all around, basic maintenance, rewiring of the trailer connection (including fixing a major short in the trailer itself, which the guy said was lucky it didn't cause yet another fire!), new muffler, tailpipes and catalytic converters (YAY! It doesn't rattle any more!), and, of course, a new radiator. Oh, they also fixed the windshield wiper reservoir, which was the only thing actually broken by the serpentine belt, which the Melloy Dodge (BOO, HISS!) dealership in ABQ missed entirely. For the final RV wiring issue, we had to pay a guy to come down from Loveland, since we couldn't find anyone closer who would make "house calls".
The weather was somewhat tiresome, with a record 24 days over 90 degrees starting two days before we hit town. We have vowed not to come back in summer, but that's what we have said before. At least we had enough power to run the air conditioner -- but not while anything else was running!
Two days before our departure the hot spell ended abruptly with highs in the low 60s and LOTS of rain. We almost had to stay another day, but it finally cleared off around 2 pm and we could hit the road. During the early morning of our departure day, while lying in bed listening to NPR, we heard a loud crash from outside. Later when we investigated we found a VERY LARGE (about 5 feet long and 18 inches in diameter) tree branch had fallen just feet from the truck. Doug estimated the weight at between 100-150 pounds, but he was able to move it so we could hook up & leave.Limon Motor Home & RV Park, Limon, CO: July 15
The drive from Walsenburg to Limon is about 160 miles, which is a pretty long day for us. We stopped for lunch at Ordway, CO, then continued on until we could start feeling our bladders at about 2pm. The nice thing about traveling in an RV is that you always have a bathroom along -- all you really need is a wide spot in the road. Unfortunately, pull-offs on state highways in eastern Colorado are scarce, and so it was while we were crossing our legs that we came upon Punkin Center, CO, little more than a wide spot in the road. But that's all we need! Interestingly enough, Punkin Center is not the center of anything pumpkin-related, but was so named because of a bright orange building that used to be there.
We had noticed Limon RV Park on a previous trip and jotted down the number for future reference. The only other choice we could find was the KOA, whose price range was $24 to $60, which for us, of course, meant $60 (actually that's not necessarily true, since $60 is probably full-hookup, and we would get water & electric only, but still it would be pricey) or boondocking, which was out of the question since temps were in the mid-90s. This place was "only" $25/night, and in retrospect, boondocking at the local Flying J with trucks running their engines all night might not have been so so bad. On a scale of one to ten, this place ranks about negative four. The managers were a family of four and the type of people that give trailer trash a bad name. Suffice to say that if they appeared in a sit-com, they would be dismissed as too stereotypical.Lathrop State Park, Walsenburg, CO: July 13-14
We have stayed here twice before: Aug 2004 & July 2006. The park is clean & well-maintained, there are lots of sites with electric, and it is conveniently located between Chaco & Boulder. We bought our annual Aspen Leaf pass (only available to Colorado seniors), which makes staying in the CO state parks quite affordable. It's one of several benefits to remaining a CO resident.
There is a scenic road, the Highway of Legends, that starts not far from here which we had read about numerous times & finally decided to take, figuring gas will never be any cheaper so we may as well "go for it"! The Spanish Peaks are home to numerous rock walls known as radial dikes, and the "Legends" are mostly Native American explanations for their existence. You pass by scores of these dikes on the 70-mile drive that terminates at Trinidad, CO. The first town along the scenic highway is La Veta, where we have stayed in the past. We had found the area lovely but the town somewhat run-down, with lots of businesses for sale. We were happy to see that this was no longer the case, with several newly refurbished campgrounds open and many businesses thriving along the main street. 
About 20 miles on down the road is the charming little town of Cuchara, which we stopped at long enough to look around and regret that we were there too early for lunch. Less than ten miles farther we saw a national forest road heading up to a campground. We always like to check out new campgrounds, and started up the road, which is every bit as bumpy as the Chaco road. After a couple of miles of having our bones rattled & our teeth jarred, we heard a scraping sound, & upon stopping discovered our tailpipe dragging behind the truck. We stood around for less than 60 seconds scratching our heads and wondering what to do when a truck drove by in the opposite direction and the driver stopped to see if he could be of any help. 
He initially didn't think so but quickly remembered that he had a spool of thin brass wire. We wrapped that around the tailpipe a few times & secured it to the truck frame and, since none of us knew the melting point of brass, decided to head back to Cuchara, which has fewer than 1000 people, but does have a General Store. We thought they might carry baling wire or something similar, but such no luck, until Willie said "or even a coat hanger" to which the woman relied, "You know, it's a funny thing but I found an old coat hanger in the parking lot this morning" which she proceeded to pull from the trash, and which turned out to be perfect for tying the tailpipe securely onto the frame. Since it was now late enough for lunch, we got our other wish and ate at Big Dog Pizza, which was excellent -- well worth the 20-mile detour off of US160 even if the scenery weren't drop-dead gorgeous. After lunch, we found a couple more coat hangers at an historic inn, so the tailpipe was even more securely attached.We continued around the Highway of Legends, stopping by several lakes, but avoiding any more bumpy dirt roads; also stopping at the tiny town of Stonewall, named for the very large stone dike that ends right at the edge of town. The town even has a small RV park and general store/gift shop. The interesting part of the drive ended in Trinidad, where we got somewhat turned around causing us to drive right through the center of the historic downtown area. Since it was after 4, we decided we were too tired to get out and roam around, but we have filed this area in our memory as a place to return to another time. It had lots of interesting-looking shops and attractive parks.
Aspen Glades CG(NFS), Antonito, CO: July 10-12
This is a lovely National Forest cg where we have stayed before. Since we have roamed the area many times previously, we decided to save gas and have a no-driving stay and just enjoy the beautiful area and the relative solitude. We walked every day and explored along the Conejos River watching the fly fishermen show off their skills. We found we felt a bit too isolated with no cell signal and were glad to move on after 3 nights.Riana CG(COE), Abiquiu, NM: July 7-9
This Corps of Engineers cg has only 15 sites with hookups, and you really need your air conditioning in July & August. We had made reservations early in the year for our favorite spot, and were happy to get here. It was a much later arrival than we are used to due to our leaving Chaco so late and then having to stop to check the radiator along the way. At "our" campsite, we have a lovely view of the reservoir with Pedernal Mountain, a favorite subject of Georgia O'Keeffe, in the distance. Tom McIlwain had stayed in this spot after he & Deb left Chaco, and noticed that the electric was mis-wired. When we plugged our tester into the 30-amp we found exactly the same thing! Tom & Doug both notified the host as to the urgency of fixing it, but who knows if it will ever get done.
We decided that since we were planning to do some shopping in Santa Fe, it might be a good opportunity for Doug's brother Bob & his wife Paula to drive Gayle up from ABQ and we could all meet for lunch. This idea was received with great enthusiasm by Bob, Paula, & Gayle. We met outside the Georgia O'Keefe museum which was having a special exhibit on Georgia O'Keefe & Ansel Adams. Gayle & Doug were both struck by the sterility of Adams' photos, and Gayle was not at all taken by O'Keefe's work, either. 
The three of us much preferred the photographs by Bill Brandt that we had seen at the Albuquerque Art Museum in May. We had a tasty lunch at one of Santa Fe's upscale restaurants (does Santa Fe have any downscale restaurants?) & agreed that it was time well spent together. We completed our day with stops at the Santa Fe Trader Joe's and the Espanola Walmart -- what a contrast!!Chaco Culture NHP, NM: June 3-July 6
We arrived two days late for our stay as campgrounds hosts due to our truck's serpentine belt breaking on the way (see previous tripnews), but we started right in to work the next day. We really enjoyed working with the other hosts, Jan & Jim Allen, who unfortunately were only there for two more weeks. We were a little worried about their replacements, Steve & Tanja. Since they had a 16-month-old, we were concerned how much work they could get done while caring for a toddler. 
They managed well despite a number of difficulties: they are from Oregon and not used to the hot, dry air; their housing was essentially a FEMA trailer, not the least bit child-proofed; and the water into the trailer is untested well-water, which they decided early on they would not use, even in the wading pool, so they did a lot of water-toting. We decided not to obsess over whether or not they did everything "our way", since the cg pretty much runs itself, despite our feelings otherwise at times. One way the cg does not run itself is with Coffee in the Campground, a new program that was foisted on the hosts last year. It was originally conceived as a way for campers to meet volunteers & staff in a relaxed, informal setting over a cup of coffee, but few campers actually come, so it's more like a chance for staff to come over and schmooze over coffee that the hosts had to get up extra early in order to prepare. It was always enjoyable once it was actually happening, but the preparation was always bothersome. We hope the idea falls between the cracks before we return to Chaco.
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Once again we were here for the summer solstice which, despite falling on Saturday, was less well-attended than any other we had attended. Current thinking is that the Great Houses were mostly ceremonial, and that the two solstices were pretty big in the ritual pecking order (with winter solstice being the Big Kahuna). So observing the solstice has become (or re-become) tradition at Chaco, with sunrise viewing of the solstice marker at Casa Rinconada (usually preceded by a Native American drumming, dancing & a blessing) and Native American dances in the plaza of Pueblo Bonito later in the day. This year's highlight was definitely the Hoop Dance by a teenaged dancer from Acoma Pueblo, accompanied on drum by his teenaged cousin. 
Spin-dancing with as many as 12 hula-hoop-sized hoops, the dancer would pause briefly and display one of various geometric patterns he had formed from the rings as he danced. He ended by forming and placing on the ground a hoop-sphere. It was wonderful to see younger people carrying on the traditions of the Pueblos.We finally got to set up & use our "new" telescope, but only for one night. The moon started approaching fullness, washing out the sky, and then clouds started appearing every evening, ruining any chance at good sky viewing. There were two very good astronomers at the beginning of our stay this year, Jim & Darrell, who both pronounced our telescope a "winner". Darrell is also an excellent birder, and one afternoon he spotted a varied thrush in the housing area. Now for people who live in Washington State this may not sound too exciting, but this was a rare New Mexico sighting, so it was a pretty big deal -- plus it was a lifer for us!
We had visitors three different times during our stay: Tom & Deb McIlwain came in early June, planning to stay ten days, but leaving after only six because of the extreme heat; Susan LeFever dropped by for a few days over solstice weekend on her way to Orange, CA, to visit her mother; and Sue Horne took a week off from work to visit starting 6/29 (Doug's & Rainbow's b-day!). We enjoyed seeing them all and were happy to entertain them with special activities and knowledge.As we were getting ready to leave the morning of our last day, we noticed that the truck radiator was leaking. The leak was slight enough that we could still drive by keeping an eye on the fluid level and adding more every couple of days, but it was a worrisome irritation.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Santa Ana Star Casino, Bernalillo, NM: June 1-2
So if we're supposed to be in Chaco on June 1, what are we doing in a casino parking lot north of ABQ in 95-degree weather without air conditioning? Roasting! About six miles south of Cuba, just about half-way to Chaco, we heard unpleasant noises coming from the front of the truck and saw bits of black bouncing down the road behind us -- neither one ever a good sign. Fortunately the break-down lane was wide enough to accommodate us -- barely! Lifting the hood revealed a broken belt -- THE belt, the serpentine belt which does everything in newer vehicles. Naturally we were out of cellphone range, but within five minutes a local rancher had spotted us and turned around to help. He knew where we could get a signal & drove Doug there so he could call our Emergency Service. This was around 12:30. It took a while for them to locate Cuba & the milepost where we were, and to find a towing service capable of handling our rig on a Sunday. Finally, one was found and said they should be there in about 2 hours (~3pm). And, their automated phone will call us 15 minutes after the ETA to make sure all is well. I explained that that would be pointless, since we were out of range. This information apparently fell on deaf ears.
We later discovered from voicemail that the towing service (Roadrunner, in case you need someone to boycott) called to ask what type of truck we had. Having left a message, we can only surmise our folder was then tossed into the "Out" bin. No other vehicles stopped after that until a State Highway Patrol car (off duty) pulled up just after 3. He had Dispatch call our Emergency Service to see what the delay was, and after another long wait, was told the new ETA was 4:30pm. They finally arrived around 5:30, took one look at us, and asked "Do you have a ride back?" Well, (they explained) they tried to call to see if anyone needed a ride, but no one answered, so they just assumed we'd somehow sublimated our way back to Albuquerque, so they came out there in a 2-person tow truck. "Albuquerque? (we queried) We thought we were going to Cuba." On no!!! (they again) You'd have to wait until Tuesday just for the parts in Cuba, and we know this great dealer in ABQ that does great work blah blah blah (and did we mention he's really great?) who will have you out by noon on Monday. But first (they continued) we have to get a courtesy vehicle out here to take you back, and he'll be here almost before we've got you hooked up.
They had us hooked up before 6pm, and then we sat in uncomfortable silence punctuated by strained attempts at conversation by both parties. The ride finally came at 6:45, and we drove back to less than 20 miles from where our adventure had started almost 12 hours earlier. The roads in the state park (our original destination for camping) were far too narrow to handle a triple-tow, so they dropped us off at the nearby casino, happy to be rid of those two lunatics & their cats, we're sure. The feeling was mutual!! The next morning they towed our truck to the "great" dealer (Melloy Auto, in case you need another boycott) and I called to warn them it was on the way. I was immediately put off when the receptionist asked who my "service advisor" was -- I've dealt with dealers with service advisors before and never been satisfied. They assured me that they would look at our truck "first thing". Then I made the mistake of mentioning that I saw water pouring out when the belt broke, and that it probably ruptured a radiator hose. They called back in the early afternoon to say they had the belt but not the hoses, and that they couldn't finish it by closing today anyway, so they would call tomorrow when it was done. Another night in the roaster, wishing we were in Cuba. They did call the next morning, and it was fixed, and they sent a shuttle over, and we paid their exorbitant bill, and I looked under the hood and everything looked okay, except I noticed that the windshield washing fluid was low, so I poured the spare gallon in, only to see it pouring out exactly where I noticed water pouring out when the belt broke. So I went to my "service advisor" ("Kris") who said yeah, his mechanic told him he tried to fill that, but the reservoir was cracked. Well something is cracked here, I thought, but it's not my reservoir. Didn't you check the coolant level? Or the hoses? Did you just assume the hoses were broken? Huh? (he eloquently responded) Oh yeah -- the coolant was low, and the hoses, they were in really bad shape (but they never showed them to us).
We must mention, that despite the fact of being fairly smoky, the Santa Ana Star Casino was quite hospitable and would be a great place for boondocking when it wasn't quite so hot. They are VERY RV-friendly and shuttled us to and from the casino whenever we wanted. We joined their "club" and got the card and were able to get breakfasts for $1.99 and since we were over 50, we could have the half-price senior discount at the buffet on Monday. This buffet was $4 at lunchtime (11-3) and went all the way up to $5 for dinner. We ate before 3 to save the $2 (after all, we had to start making up for the $600 auto rip- off!!) and it was delicious! The casino also had some fun penny slots, but that didn't help in our "saving money" plans!
El Rancho RV Park, Albuquerque, NM: May 1-31
Albuquerque was named after the tenth Duke of Alburquerque, who held the office Viceroy from 1702 until 1711, presiding over the vast Spanish possessions in North and Central America. Some time later, the first "r" in the name was dropped, though that doesn't make it much easier to spell! His descendent, the 18th Duke, visited in 1956 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding.We chose this RV park for convenience, both for visiting Gayle in his new home at La Vida Llena and playing bridge at the Bridge Center, as well as for cost. The location in the "war zone", named for the profusion of gangs, shootings, and street racers, is certainly not ideal, but if one displays a modicum of common sense, the stay here can be downright enjoyable. The park itself is quite pleasant, with grass, trees and little white picket fences. SKP friends Bonnie & Joe Nemmers were here when we arrived (Joe having recently undergone hand surgery at the VA hospital), and we enjoyed playing Mah Jongg with them, as well as eating out and visiting the Art Museum for an exhibit on British photographer Bill Brandt. Gayle subsequently mentioned reading a newspaper article about the exhibit, so we later took him & thoroughly enjoyed it a second time.
Gayle was already comfortably settled at La Veda Llena by the time of our arrival, thanks to the unselfish help of Doug's brother Bob & his wife Paula. We were especially pleased at how comfortably furnished the apartment was, since when we viewed the bare apt last November we were a little worried that the main room might be a little on the small side. Between the furniture that they brought from Tucson, and many newly acquired items, the place looks wonderfully homey. We helped Gayle with a few of the final touches, which pleased us & him very much.Much of the rest of our time was spent playing bridge or line dancing. The Bridge Center was as friendly as we had heard, and we got to know quite a few of the members, including a previous fulltime RVer who wrote a book about his time on the road. And we managed to win over 8 master points, in spite of the stiff competition. We were also fairly equidistant from four Senior Centers, all of which provided fantastic line dancing (among seemingly hundreds of other activities!). We were able to attend challenging and fun line dancing classes 5 or 6 times a week. We also attended a concert by the ABQ Philharmonic, a free community orchestra, that was quite good and gave us an opportunity to see a bit of the downtown area. We visited Gayle several times a week & had several enjoyable meals with Bob & Paula. We also had breakfast with SKP friend Ron Zunk, who sold us his barely-used 8" telescope. We are looking forward to using it at Chaco & Yellowstone.
ABQ is a city with many lovely gardens & city parks, as well as lots of cultural opportunities (we passed on seeing Cirque de Soleil & "Spamelot" was coming in early June). The roses were at their peak during our visit. We enjoyed being here enough that it is one of the few cities that we would consider settling down in, if or when we decide to give up the nomadic lifestyle. Not that we're having thoughts in this direction -- we have several friends who have "settled down", and their tales of constant yard and house "projects" make us shudder!Kiva RV Park, Bernardo, NM: Apr 29-30
This is a nice little park next to the interstate, which at the Passport America rate of $10/night is quite worth it. We didn't think we could drive the full 250 miles from Deming to ABQ in one day, and certainly couldn't face ABQ's traffic at the end of what would have been one of our longest days, so we found this park along the way -- 190 miles along the way. Still much farther than we like to drive in a day, but we figured it would make for a short drive before having to face urban traffic. Besides, we were looking forward to a couple of sightseeing options near Bernardo. These plans were dashed, unfortunately, as the wind picked up shortly after we finished setting up and continued relentlessly through the next day. These were the same winds that were responsible for the resurgence of the deadly Trigo fire southeast of ABQ, which had been almost 100% contained until wind-blown embers rekindled the blaze beyond the containment lines.SKP Dreamcatcher RV Park, Deming, NM: Apr 27-28
We left Benson unsure when we will return, since Doug's dad Gayle had moved to Albuquerque (ABQ) at the end of March. We still enjoy Benson, but our plans are to be in ABQ for Thanksgiving and southern NM at Christmas. At that point we are unsure as to whether we will head east or west for the winter. Part of the decision will be the cost of fuel. After we left Benson, we stayed at the SKP park in Deming, which is certainly adequate for a one- or two-night stay, or even longer, since there is so much to do around Deming. We basically laid low and gathered our wits after the social whirl of Benson.Thursday, April 24, 2008
SKP Saguaro Co-Op, Benson, AZ: Apr 13-26
Now we're back in Benson for two weeks. This is the first time we have stayed here and not visited Gayle's house, in short because it is no longer Gayle's house, just the Westward Look house. Gayle moved to La Veda Llena in Albuquerque on March 22, there was a giant estate sale the following weekend, an interested buyer made an offer on the house, and the closing is scheduled for later this month. Doug has so many excellent memories of that house, having gone to high school & college while living there -- truly formative years of his life. Of course the memories remain, but he was always instantly 20 years old again when he went back to visit, and that is a hard thing to give up. We know Gayle must have struggled even harder with the move.
We have spent most of our time here in the usual way -- playing bridge in Sierra Vista, line dancing, visiting with old friends and making new ones. It's nesting season for birds & it's fun to see prospective parents snooping around looking for possible new homes. Willie has made it to the Mah Jongg games a couple of times and is holding her own with the higher level of play. We are looking forward to the annual Margarita "tasting" party later this week!We took Rainbow to the local vet -- they really work well with her. Her weight is down to 4.12 lbs, but she is still healthy, active & curious. "Just keep on doing what you've been doing," was their advice. Amber is still very kittenish but getting more talkative every day. We never quite know what she is trying to say, but there sure is a lot of it. Trixie enjoys lounging around wherever we are. Whenever either of us sits on the couch Trixie is there, ready to be a lap cat!
