Brantley Lake, NM

This morning I decided to wash my rig before taking off. I just made it into the stall, but my car was hanging out the end. My MH took up most of the stall width wise making washing difficult. The soap wasn't taking off the dried flies, so I thought I would use the foam brush and turned the dial to brush.The brush was broken where the hose met the long pole that the brush was attached to and I got a good dose of foam all over me.

The library was closed, being Monday, so I went to a computer store and the owner let me sit at a desk and check my email and blog. I guess he was lonesome as he talked my ear off while I was attempting to get my computer work done. Every time he would stop to take a breath I would turn my chair towards my computer and type a word or two. It's a good thing I have plenty of time.

I am now at Brantley Lake State Park (12 mi N of Carlsbad). I was going to park at the primitive sites, which are only $8/night, but they are extremely primitive and I would be the only one out in the middle of nowhere. When I got out of the cab to read the sign I was attacked by a zillion grasshoppers. There I was, all by myself, screaming and running for safety!

I traveled further up the highway and saw another sign for Brantley Lake State Park that had campsites with hook-ups for $14/night so decided on that instead. The first thing I did upon arrival was dump my sewer. Not all dumps are created equal. This one is the BEST EVER!. Often I find that the whole load doesn't dump; I guess because I am at the wrong slant or something. But this one was built just right because I completely emptied and washed it nice and clean. I am here for 3 nights, so will clean out again before leaving the park.

By the time I got set up I was sweating like a race horse and decided to take a shower. The shower stall has only one button that says "hot", but the water is barely tepid. I needed to shampoo but by the end of the ordeal I was fairly accustomed to the water temperature and felt like a new person. It is a nice park and pretty full of campers.

There was a nice breeze blowing, but the flies...OMG! I had to take shelter in my MH and today was the first day I used the air conditioning and it was GREAT!
Tomorrow I venture out to Carlsbad; a city of 30,000.

Artesia

Here I am at Artesia, so named because of the huge underground water supply, which is pumped to the surface via artesian wells. It is a pretty little city of over 10,000 inhabitants. The roses are still in bloom and there are various types of huge cacti and succulents. The grass hoppers are huge!

I am parked at the Super Wal*Mart and until just recently, I was the only RV here. I prefer the campgrounds as I meet so many nice people there, but it costs (and I'm El Cheapo).

Tomorrow I will leave for Carlsbad after sending off some postcards (to Caitlan and Jim, who have no computer) and adding to my blog. I'm not sure where to camponce I get there. The Tour Book says there is a National Park by the caverns, but no camping. Jim said he camped there, so I guess I will take my chances and see. There is a State Park, 12 miles north of Carlsbad, but the caverns are 2o miles south of Carlsbad, so that would be a lot of driving. I can't go much longer without dumping, I know that for sure. Perhaps one night at the State campground and do my maintenance and then move south the next day.

Today I had my propane topped up and it was expensive. Over $30 for 10 gallons. Tomorrow I will go through the car wash as my rig is pretty bad with dead flies. When I pull over to check the straps on my car tires I must remember to roll up my windows, or the MH is instantly full of flies. Speaking of car straps, if I am on a bumpy road,they come loose in no time at all. Thank goodness I also have chains.

Today I drove around Artesia to find the post office, the car wash, and the exit. My little Echo is great for running about finding things. I've only had to fill the Echo once since leaving Canada.
I generally hit the sack fairly early and read in bed for a bit. I find the heat really zaps my energy. Fortunately the desert nights are cool making sleep possible. I get up fairly early as well and that gives me time to have my coffee and shower before preparing for take-off.

I generally don't eat until about 2 pm. If I'm travelling I just stop at a Rest Area, hop in the back and eat. Food is my cheapest expense as US prices on most items are far cheaper than Alberta prices. WalMart here is incredibly cheap. Today I treated myself to a bottle of white wine from WalMart....$2.97 for 750 ml and it is really good. I'll sleep well tonight! If the city was any bigger than this they would have two WalMarts, both open 24 hr. This one is almost at the edge of the city and they bus the workers in ,in a big white school bus.

Time to say Buenas Noches.

Roswell, NM

This is what an alien looks like for those of you who don't know. I toured the UFO museum which consisted mostly of newspaper clippings hung on the wall.

There are alien images everywhere in this city of 50,000. There is also a huge military school here.

Yesterday was the chili/cheese festival so I took that in. I am parked at WalMart and don't know how long they will allow me to stay so am considering going on to Carlsbad today. It is 79 miles from here. It has been very hot, but thank goodness the evenings and nights are cool.

Yesterday I got my hair trimmed in Santa Rosa. I was suffering from a sinus infection. The hairdresser sold Aloe Vera products and other concoctions. She sold me some Garlic/Thyme, bee propolis and a health drink. It worked well...the swelling went down and I feel normal again.

I am sitting in my car outside a coffee shop using my computer. I drove around trying to get a signal and this is the first I found.

They have a state campground here, but it is quite a ways out of town. I drove there to see what it is like and decided to stay in town instead. It seemed to cater to the very, very old and conservative and the gates closed at 5 pm. I hate that. Also, it was in a canyon and extremely hot. The road leading there was very narrow and twisty. It was one of those super organized spots with camp hosts and a zillion rules. It was pretty there though, with red cliffs and caves.

Before I begin to boil in my car I better sign off.

Santa Rosa

Here I am in Santa Rosa. It is about 60 miles S.E. of Las Vegas. Again I am staying at a State Park, but only signed up for two days this time. I met a really nice couple at the Las Vegas campground. She is an artist and does about 23 shows a year all through western US. He helps with the framing and setting up, etc. She seems to do mostly water colours and they were very good. Her and I played our guitars one evening...taking turns with the songs. It was a lot of fun and having a few Coronas made the music sound pretty good...to us, anyway. They are going to the balloon festival in Albuquerque the first weekend in October and really encouraged me to go. However, that is quite a big city (over 1/2 million people) and it is apparently difficult to get a reasonably priced campsite during the festival. I'll think about it.

This campsite is also by a lake. Too bad I don't have any fishing gear. Not that I know the first thing about fishing. Des' kayak would be fun! My site is fairly shaded, which is good, as it is hotter than it was at Las Vegas. I am in what they call a Primitive site, which means no hook-ups. There seems to be a lot more insects here at night and before bed I try to kill most of them. There are no overhead lights at this site, so when it gets dark...it is dark! I just love those signs posted in the washroom warning about snakes! My favorite highway sign is "High Wind Area".

I am about 7 miles from the town of Santa Rosa. I had supper at a little restaurant on the old Route 66. It advertised authentic Mexican food and it was good. It was very much like what you would get at Los Palmeros in Red Deer, and the prices were about the same. Next time I will choose a small local restaurant. I drove around town seeking out the library and didn't find one. As it was getting late in the day I decided to wait until tomorrow.

I'm getting low on propane so guess I'll have to have that topped up soon or I won't have any hot water to shower with. Bummer!

Friday....found the library. Stopped at an antique dealers to ask directions to the library and visited for over an hour. The woman had moved here 6 years ago from Las Vegas, N.M. and is helping her daughter get her business off the ground. She had a ton of stuff, mostly still in boxes waiting to be put out.

I spent some time planning my next move. Tomorrow I will head off for Roswell, which is the big UFO area. Some of you may have seen the documentary about Roswell, stating that they had actually found an alien. There is a big UFO museum there. Then I will go to Carlsbad, which is famous for its caverns and bats. I will skip some of the caves as according to my info you have to crawl on your hands and knees for quite a distance to reach the caverns and I don't do confined spaces well. In the evening you can join a tour with the rangers to watch the bats take off at night...thousands of them. Could be worth seeing.

Until next signal....

Last night here

Tonight is my last night at this campground. I have to spend some time this evening planning my next move. Part of every plan is how to get out of the city the fastest and on to the right highway. Also, I need to find a gas station that I can get in and out of easily.

This campground has been very comfortable, but I hate the idea of being locked in at 7:15 pm. It doesn't allow me to take in a movie, late shopping or whatever.

There are always pros and cons to each situation. I hit the hay fairly early and get up fairly early. Sometimes I feel like a little kid being sent to bed.

Will keep you all posted as soon as I am internet connected again.

Hotmail

For some unknown reason I can't get on to msn messenger today. I was on and then lost the connection and once re-connected it won't open msn. Could be just too much traffic.

Each of the camping spots has one of these picnic areas. I use them to get out of the hot sun and read, but find that once evening comes there seems to be a lot of spiders in them. Ugh!

One of the RVers lent me a motorhome manual yesterday and I did find some useful information, like how to light the pilot light for my oven. Much of the manual was devoted to repairs and I have neither the tools or the inclination to repair anything should it break down. Let's hope I won't have to! I don't use my stove very much; basically to make coffee in the morning. I eat most of my food raw or go to a restaurant. Restaurant food is cheap here. I had a good helping of chicken quesadilla for $3 and steak and refried beans for $3. No wonder my stove gets dusty!

It is another beautiful day...no wind. The lake is smooth and reflective.

All for now...

Library

Here I am at the library once again. Two more days here and then time to move on. I was checking out the maps this morning, but haven't made a decision yet on where I will go. There is another national park about 50 miles from here. I may just spring for a yearly pass. It costs $225, but then you have unlimited stays in the parks.

Yesterday, being Sunday, there were a lot of families having their picnic and enjoying their latino music. The speed boats were also out on the lake.

I have read all my books, so back to Salvation Army today to pick up more reading material. I also have to find a laundry mat. Today is a little cooler than yesterday. Yesterday was breezy, but it was a hot breeze and I burnt my knee caps pretty good.

I was visiting with the park ranger yesterday. He said they get their first snowfall around Halloween and spring doesn't come until about April. Just like home! I guess I want to be far away from here when the snow flies.

I hope this finds you all well and happy.....

Still Here

Not much to add to my blog. I am settled until Wednesday and then I have to decide whether I will move on or stay another week. This week has been very restful; sitting about and reading, seeing the sights. There are many beautiful old homes in Las Vegas. I wish I could take photos of them all, but don't want to invade anyones privacy. This afternoon there is a tour of Montezuma's Castle and if I am out of the library in time I will take it in. It is about 5 miles from here. Until next time.....

Las Vegas, N.M.

I am now in Las Vegas, N.M. I didn't stay long in Taos (although I would have liked to) as everything was so expensive there. WalMart was not camper friendly and the campgrounds started at $42/night with no hook-ups. I am now parked at Storrie Lake State Park and it is $10/night with water hook-up. I signed up for a week.

There are many old buildings here ~ 900 are historical monuments. They have Montezuma's Castle, which is now a college. I was not able to go to the top as school is in. They have a building there called the House of Light. The windows are cut as prisms and there is light everywhere...very peaceful.

There are two Indian Reservations on either side of Las Vegas. Walking downtown you see those who are spiritually and physically lost souls.

I have met many RVers who are full timers. Their rigs are a lot bigger than mine, although I find mine sufficient. There is no internet signal at the lake, so I am presently at the library. It is nice and hot here. Last evening there was a thunder storm, but it cooled everything off and made for a nice sleep. The nights are cool in New Mexico. It is a beautiful state...very mountainous and heavily forested. It is hell driving through the passes and I find that if I clench the steering wheel until my knuckles are white and hold my breath I am able to make it to the top. It sure feels good to stop and park.

Until next time....

San Luis

Today I stopped at San Luis which is famous for having the oldest church in Colorado and for the stations of the Cross. The church is way up high on a hill and as you walk up you see the different stations. Past the church are busts of martyrs, probably about 30 or so. I stopped at the Visitors Info to have a visit, of course.

I am now in New Mexico, in Taos. Even the WalMart is adobe. There appears to be lots to see here so plan to stay a couple of days at least, unless WalMart sends me on my way. I checked with them and they said I could park here, but I forgot to ask them how long I could park. The traffic in Laos is crazy. The streets are very narrow and there is road work going on. I had to ask a gentleman to move his truck so I could get through the WalMart parking lot. I had no room to turn. He was very gracious.

I would like to find a place to park in N.M. and stay a month or so. One can weary of driving.

Keep in touch.

Sand Dunes National Park

I decided to go see the sand dunes~something I always wanted to see. If I knew I would have had to climb a high pass I would have skipped it, but I'm glad I continued on. It was strange to see sand dunes between the mountains. I did climb the dunes, but not to the top as the sand was very, very hot and I didn't have the proper footwear. I stayed overnight in the national park and it was really pretty. The parks have the nicest campsites. Of course, there was no internet signal.

I am presently in the library in San Luis. I had to have internet to pay some bills on line. Isn't the internet great? I'm not too sure which direction I will go from here. I know that I will stay away from mountain passes. I barely made it up the last one. Until next time.....

San Isabel

Today I went to San Isabel National Forest and then to Pueblo. San Isabel is breath-taking. When you drive for about 45 min. into the park, you come across this castle build solely by a man called Jim Bishop. Nothing has been developed in the interior. You can find info on the internet. It was difficult to get a photo showing the whole castle as I was in the forest and could only back up so far. In San Isabel itself I stopped at a restaurant for lunch and being the only customer the waitress and I had a good visit. She knows Jim and says he is kind of a nut. He has signs all about the castle explaining how the US gov't has robbed them all of their freedom, etc.

The waitress is 50 years old and just returned to college to study culinary arts. She wants to open her own restaurant.

From there I drove to Pueblo. I wanted to see the Montrose Museum, but alas, it is closed on Mondays. I drove around Pueblo and stumbled across a very pretty park with loads of flowers and perfect green lawn. On the grounds is a Pueblo Art Store so I stopped in there. It was really closed but the fine ladies inside said I could come in anyway and see the art. They were the nicest ladies and I spent about an hour there chatting away.

It is very hot here today with a breeze to keep one cool. This is a gorgeous area and I wonder if I could find a place more beautiful. It has the mountains, the forests and the valleys.

I must be gone by noon tomorrow ~ too bad. Perhaps I will stop and stay at the next town south.

Colorado City, Colorado

Early this morning I left Cheyenne. I stop at all the rest areas if possible. I asked a clerk there what he thought the Denver freeway would be like today. He said as long as I got there early I should be O.K. He said there was a big game there this afternoon (football?) and then the traffic would be congested. I arrived in Denver about 10 a.m. and drove through with no mishaps. I stayed in the centre lane with 3 other lanes on each side of me. The traffic on the Colorado interstate highway is much busier than in Wyoming or Montana.

It is really pretty in Northern Colorado, but the altitude is high and it was very chilly. I wanted to stay at a place called Pueblo, but I couldn't find a WalMart and the campground office is closed on Sunday, so I drove further. I found a KOA campground here in Colorado City (blink and you miss it). It is costly, but 2 nights here is cheaper than a hotel. I want to stay another night as I want to drive into Rey and San Isabella, which has a castle. It is so nice to have unlimited water, electricity and sewer, not to mention WiFi.

This campground is rated #1 in Colorado and #11 in the U.S.A. This is the first really warm spot I have hit since leaving home. It is a beautiful day and although there are many RVs, I hardly see a soul, except for the occasional person walking their dog.

The owner talked me into getting a video to watch tonight so I will be watching "RV" on my computer. She is a really nice lady and has a small gift shop here and a small convenience store.

Americans must have a lot of money because the motorhomes are huge! I will take photos of the castle and send them tomorrow.

Have a good night.

Cheyenne, Day 2

Today was a busy day. I went downtown to see the giant cowboy boots and some historic buildings. I also went to the used book store and did my laundry at the laundry mat. I put

$20 in the change machine and it gave me 80 quarters. I felt like I had hit the jackpot. I thought it would give me dollar bills. Now I have change next time laundry needs to be done.

I went to the info centre and got a city map. People mean well when giving directions, but usually steer me wrong. I asked a woman yesterday how to get to a place and she said you take a right, then a right, then a left and another right. I had forgotten what she said before I walked away. Now I carry a pad and pen when I approach someone. But, all in all, a map is easier.

It is very windy here. I will take off for Colorado tomorrow I think, before WalMart shoos me away.

I spoke to a fellow camper and he said the freeway is not so bad...you just have to move real fast. He didn't think it was any worse than HWY 2 in AB. He was from Florida, but works in the oil and gas business in Alaska. I asked him if the hurricanes are terrifying and he said he rather enjoyed them and insurance covers any damage. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. Personally, I would be terrified.

Looks like there was a vehicle accident just across the street. I heard the sirens, but really didn't pay any attention. Now I see a police car and a tow truck.

All for now.....have to do things fast before I lose the signal.

Cheyenne, Wy

I have written this 3 times and then lost the connection. It is very frustrating!
This is the old Governor's House. I toured it and then the State Capitol Bldg.
Cheyenne is about 50,000 people and has a lot of brick houses. It is a pretty city.
Yesterday I was in Caspar and needed to dump my sewer. I stopped at a campground and asked if I could dump there. He said no. He used to have a common dump site, but since 911 he has to guarantee that terrorists are not dumping toxic waste down the sewer. Each spot has a dump and that seems to be OK, but he can't have a common one.
I spend a fair amount of time lost. Trying to find my way back to WalMart I ended up on an airforce base. The young soldier gave me directions to WalMart, but they were not accurate. A girl at a service station led me in the right direction.
I have to pass through Denver-on the freeway! There is no way around it. A woman at WalMart told me she had been on it once and once was enough for her. I will head in a straight line and end up where ever the road takes me.
It has been raining on and off most of the day. I have had to wheel my home through some tight spots, but so far haven't done any damage to anyone or anything. It's a miracle!
Tune in tomorrow for the continuing saga; if I can get a signal.

Caspar, Wyoming

No photo today as it won't download due to poor signal. I am in Caspar. Not much to see here. It is the 2nd largest city in Wyoming and is only 11,000 people. I think today I will move on.
I will write more next time...I have a signal from Super 8, but it is timed.
Have a good day you all.

Buffalo Bill

Today I went to the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum. If you were a gun enthusiast like my son-in-law, Stephen, you would have loved that section. There were over 3,000 guns on display.

I really enjoyed the Amer. Native (Lakota) bead work. There was lots to see and it was a good day for it since it has been pouring rain since afternoon.

They also have these big grizzley bears on main street, all painted with different designs. It is a very cowboy town. The loonie store is called the Silver Dollar Store. There were beautiful crafts in the stores, but expensive. Thought I would wait until I get to N.M. before buying anything. Probably cheaper there.

If it is still raining tomorrow I will probably take off for warmer climes. I guess I am getting old as the rain makes my bones ache.

Cody is 8,800 pop., so I covered most of what I want to see here.

Cody, Wyoming

I made it to Wyoming today and rolled into Cody at about 6 pm. It was then 78F. There seems to be a lot to see here~a lot of Buffalo Bill and Firearms Museums. The good folks at WalMart said I could stay as long as I like as long as I park on the far side of the lot; so I did. I think I will stay a couple of days at least.
I passed a small store in Montana on my way and the sign said it sold guns and alcohol~a strange combination. I also passed through a 20 or so mile stretch full of insects. In no time my windshield was filthy, so I turned on my wipers and really made a mess. I had to stop and clean the windshield. A leprechaun left a squeegee in my motor home and it was a real saver for me. There were 25 miles of deer warnings and I did see a little fawn cross in front of me while I was slowly turning into a town called Red Lodge.
This photo was taken from a high, high hill in Montana, just about in Wyoming. Montana was sure a pretty state. So far Wyoming looks flatter and drier, but very pretty. I'll know more as I travel.
I am so thankful for my solar panels. They keep my computer charged. Today I am getting a signal from the Ponderosa Restaurant and it seems to be quite decent. Thank you to all who have added comments to my blog. It is wonderful to know that friends and family are out there monitoring my whereabouts.
I have only been gone a short time and I am talking to myself already. Too much time on the road. It will be good to stay here awhile and zip around town seeing the sights and meeting people. I did meet a couple of really nice RVers at WalMart. One couple are full time RVers and had just returned from Alaska. They said they are still cold!
Well, it is 8:30 pm and I still need to do my weights before turning in. Good night to all and check in tomorrow!

Still in Helena

I decided to stay in Helena for one more day and night. I spoke with customer service at WalMart and they said many people stay 2 or 3 days in their lot and not to worry about it.
This morning I went for a tour of the Capitol Bldg. It is quite beautiful.
This afternoon I went shopping for a Spot - a device that will track me at all times. If I click on the 911 button the police will have my exact coordinates. It was pretty expensive, but if I ever need it (heaven forbid) I will be glad that I have it. The young man at the camping goods store also sold me pepper spray - just a small one for emergencies.
Helena is only 60,000 people but I managed to get lost serveral times anyway. People have been very good about giving me directions.
The same young man as above told me to park outside of Staples and I would get a good signal and sure enough I did.
Tomorrow I plan to head off to Wyoming.

Mormon Temple Cardston

Hello from Montana

Yesterday I went to Cardston to see the Temple. It is a beautiful piece of architecture. Last night I camped in Shelby, Montana. (at Lewis and Clark) campground.

Today I guess I will do more exploring. Hope you are all fine. Will keep in touch.

On My Way

Greetings All:

I am on my way. I couldn't have been prepared without help from my best friend and his son, who both graciously gave time and effort to hook up lights, solar panels, etc.

My first day out I went to Strathmore to visit my daughters, Desiree and Gabrielle. We went into Calgary to Earls for a farewell supper and, lo and behold, we met three friends from the Action Group. How cool is that?

I was pleasantly surprised that I made it this far and my car didn't roll off the kaddie! That is my biggest fear!

Today I am off to Lethbridge ~ slowly making my way to the US.

A special thank you to all who helped me make my dream a reality. I will keep in touch and feel free to add comments to my blog.

Until next time.......

Leaving Day

Hi Everyone,
Today was to be departure day, but I am waiting for a form from my utility co. that I need to sign. Hopefully it will be in tomorrow ~then on the road.
Will keep you posted.