Trip #105 (36): Southern New Mexico Loop

Southern New Mexico Loop: Santa Fe, Carrizozo, Alto (Ruidoso), Alamogordo, Leasburg Dam (Las Cruces area), Elephant Butte (Truth or Consequences area)

October 22 - 29, 2019

Left when it was fall, came home to winter!

Tuesday - Valley of Fires in Carrizozo one night, driving by way of Hwy 41 (passed Jeffrey Epstein's place in Stanley. He did not kill himself). Stayed up on the hill, had a great view of the most beautiful day ever, perfect temp and visibility.

Wednesday - Toward Billy the Kid country and stayed at a private campground called Eagle Creek in Alto, situated on the 35 acres of an old ski lodge. Just one night as the temps dipped overnight with snow sprinkles in the am. Cruised town, dinner at Cattle Baron (eh), and sat at a huge Texan bonfire with the few remaining campers in the park. These folks have been staying here all summer. Guess they wanted to use up their wood. Fire was 'uge. They all had smores, nice night.

Thursday & Friday - Moved on to Alamogordo, staying once again at Oliver Lee State Park. Here we bought the $100 state park pass making elec/water sites just $4 a night, and dry camping ZERO. Yeah, this was a full power trip, what a difference. Such comfort and luxury! It was VERY windy the first day so we toured town and saved the hike for day 2. Great hike into Dog Canyon behind the visitor center, we didn't go all the way to the cabin, but went about 2 miles in. Had the thing to ourselved just about. Steep at first but leveled out before getting steep again, which is where we turned around.

Saturday - Decided on Leasburg Dam, after checking out Aguirre Springs up on the mountain. No elec there and it will be cold so kept moving. Nice park ranger, joker of a guy, asked where we kept the staff when he saw the Airstream. Do we light our cuban cigars with 50s or 100s. hahaaa Walked a little along the river bed, then went to the Ft. Seldon Winery down the road for a tasting. Were pleasantly surprised and went away with 4 bottles. Drove north to Hatch for dinner at Sparky's for a green chile cheeseburger.

Sunday - Two nights at Elephant Butte reservoir. Pretty busy place but found a spot (88) in Loop C. Also VERY windy so stayed inside mostly on Day 1. Day 2 got out for a lakeside walk and basically hung out for a chance, that was nice. Got killed 3x in Kill or Be Killed, ugh.

Tuesday - Home by 3pm, after lunch at the Buckhorn in San Antonio. I think we can give the green chile burgers a rest for a day or two. Came home to snow on the mountain tops and even a little in the yard.

{This is a first: I have another version of events, so I'm posting them both. This one from memory]

Tuesday, Oct. 22 – Perfect day, all the way to Carizozo. Dead tired. Just hung out. [need cg info]

Wednesday, Oct. 23 – Ruidoso – Alto Ski Lodge RV Park, they let us stay tho the were closing for the season. Cool spot, on grounds of old ski lodge. Eagle Creek drove around, went to Casa Décor seeking a wall unit. Drove thru town, Walmart, had so-so dinner at Cattle Baron restaurant, and joined the neighbors at their big evening bonfire. Houston Texans. Good time. Earlier we hiked up to the old ski lift and looked around. Snow on the ground in the am! Time to move on.

Thursday, Oct. 24 – Alamogordo, windy as usual. Went to Oliver Lee. Bought the state park pass, $100, making cg’s free or $4. Drove around town.

Friday, Oct. 25 – Nicer day. Hiked 4 miles into Dog Canyon. Drove to White Sands national monument (next year this will be a park).

Saturday, Oct. 26 – Checked out Aguirre Springs near Las Cruces, but stayed at Radium Springs at Leasburg Dam. Went down the road to Fort Selden Winery, not bad! Then drove up to Hatch (someday we need to actually stop and shop) and then to Sparky’s for a green chile cheeseburger.

Sunday, Oct. 27 – Headed north to Elephant Butte, got site #88 for 2 nights. Next time reserve lower ridge 1, 2 or 3. Very windy.

Trip #104 (35): Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

Trip #104: Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 
October 4– 7, 2019

Friday
Drove down from Santa Fe to Camping World, only to stand around for 4 or more hours to get in the last caravan! And then it poured! We were in the last row, but that's ok -- closer to where the balloons land and right near the museum.

Saturday
Shopped for furniture in our down time. Gas balloons didn't go off today as planned. Texans cooked dinner for all but these people are like buzzards hovering over the food. Some bitchy woman chastised She for touching her chair. Met the Geislers, nice couple. Good fireworks at night.

Sunday
Rode the bike trail.
Monday
Gas balloons went up in the evening, followed them on an app all the way to north Ontario.

Tuesday
Time to head home.

RIP: Rip Taylor, Ginger Baker, Jerry Junstrom (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Diahann Carol

Trip #103 (34): Enchanted Circle, Cimarron Canyon, Red River, Taos, NM

August 19 – 24, 2019

Monday – Wednesday
Dry camping in Cimarron Canyon at Maverick CG.
Monday: It was pretty warm in the high 80s so we sat around mostly and relaxed.
Tuesday: Got an early start to hike some of Maverick Trail, which was an old logging road. Though not horrible, it could have been cooler... Didn't go to far, just a few miles and back. OK it was hot by then! Later drove a few miles east to Filmont to see the Boy Scout Ranch, and was rewarded with a brand new museum and gift shop. That trip took us through the remnants of the huge Ute Park fire the year before, there were some bare sticks all around and on the mountainsides. sad. Did some fishing at the gravel pits of the campground, didn't catch anything but fun to try.
Wednesday: Kayaked Eagle Nest Lake atop the algae bloom, (thank God it didn't stink) and cut short with lightning storm. It was amateur day: Bill forgot his fishing license and guess who met us at the boat ramp? the frigging game warden. However, he was kind enough to let us look up the official license online and let us go (tho the license should have been in the tackle box). I'm sure he thought we were lying. This is the first time we have EVER had a game warden check us, of course. The rain did come so we had lunch in Eagle Nest at Among Friends, then back to camp for cool temps!! 55 degrees later. Did some more fishing and got to dogsit the host's Texas heeler while she went for a poop bag... setting a good example. Can't believe we stayed in one place for 3 nights.
Thursday: Nice 56 degree sunny am! Hiked Clear Creek Trail for 2 waterfalls, very nice. Steep in parts but lovely nonetheless. Packed up and moved on to our next stop, Red River. Another dry camp at Junebug CG, just outside of town. Walked the boulevard, did some shopping, headed back. Just a one-nighter.
Friday - Saturday: Taos with ELECTRICITY!! Great stay at Taos Valley CG, something about electricity makes a trailer more of a home. Walked the Kit Carson home side of town, dinner at new Italian joint, so-so, slow service but nice guy on piano. I was his audience of 1 so after being asked at least 2 times, I requested Elton John! I got (i forget), Guess that's why they call it the blues, and Daniel. Sat am hit a classic car show and the farmers market before heading back.

RIP David Koch (someone always goes when we travel... Peter Fonda beat us by a few days), Robin Leach, John McCain, Ed King (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Neil Simon

[yet again, found another set of notes, so shall publish as well, lest one single detail be left out]

note to self: construction this one year later from notes

Monday, Aug. 19 – To Cimmaron Canyon, Maverick Campground. Sat around cuz hot here, in the high 80s. and no electricity.

Tuesday, Aug. 20 – Hiked some of the Maverick Trail, very hot. Drove to Cimarron to the Philmont Boy Scout Ranch camp. Enjoyed a great modern museum – as well as a tremendous gift shop with great jewelry, and prices. Left with nothing. Fished in gravel pit lakes they have in camp. While sightseeing, noticed all the burned acreage from the East Ute Park Fire probably last year.

Wednesday, Aug. 21 – Staying one more night. Driving to Eagle Nest to kayak in their lake. Forgot everything so of course the park warden showed up while we were on the ramp looking for a fishing license, which bill had, but not on him. (Hint: take a photo of it!!) Lake was big and nice except it was full of algae, you couldn’t see anything but green so of course no fish either. Had to cut it short as a big storm with lightning was coming. Had lunch at little deli in Eagle Lake. Raining a bit, so tried to fish in our pond again. Park host came along so I got to dog-sit her blue heeler for 2 minutes, very fun. Played rummy, yahtzee, watched TV, cobb sal dinner, read. Busy night. Cool 55 at night. Bed by 9pm (so awake at midnight, ugh). Three nights in one place! Kind of a big deal.

Thursday, Aug. 22 – A sunny and 56 degrees in the am, but it will heat up; it’s hot everywhere. Hiked Clear Creek Trail, very nice but steep in parts. Did about 2.5 miles. Moved on to Red River, found a good spot at Junebug CG outside town, but with weird tent cult across from us… Walked all over town, found another great southwest jewelry shop but nothing again (looking for Bill this time, hence the no-purchase).  Skipped dinner since we snacked all day… couldn’t sleep, starving at midnight.

Friday, Aug. 23 – Taos Valley CG! Electric!

Trip #102 (33): Wyoming and Montana, Farewell to Katy

Trip #102 (33): Wyoming and Montana, Farewell to Katy

July 7 – 27, 2019

Wyoming is beautiful!

2019

Tuesday, July 16 – Drive to Big Sky, planned ahead to stay at an RV camp, elec and water. Lucked out to be on the backside, away from the noise of the interstate. Went to town to walk the boulevard, this place is busy. Started to rain so good time to duck into one of the many coffee shops. Found a decent farmer’s market was right in town at the park so checked that out in the mud. Later went to Belgrade to go to the Mint for dinner. Place seems to have been updated and cleaned up. Still raining lightly.

Tuesday, July 16

Went for a bike ride in the neighborhood behind us, gradual uphill, about 4 or more miles. Back to town for dinner with a stop at the antique store – more books. Dinner outside at Montana Brewery and another walk on the other end of the boulevard.

Thursday, June 18

Drive to Big Sky, with a stop at Garden Barn after Gallatin Gateway (scored 2 self-watering pots). Beautiful drive and weather, high 70s. Set up camp at Red Cliff, boon docking. Made a stop at O’Connor’s and met Kevin and family, then took a drive to the Town Center. Looked around and asked a bike shop about a bike trail and ended up riding a bit around the golf course – steep return!!! We see there will be a meadow concert later, sounds good. Went back an cleaned up to have dinner at the Corral, then on to the concert. Huge turnout, it is the event of the week or month, however often it happens. Lots of good food, had we known we would have eaten here. Called it an early night – the memorial is tomorrow at noon. This was a funk band from Calif, not bad but kinda disco-ish.

Friday, June 19

Beautiful morning, hung out before time to leave. Watching we don’t bring inch worms into the trailer on our shirts… Great turnout at Bucks T4, nice service and talks by the brave, including Dan and Amy. Took a drive up to Lone Mountain afterwards, not much going on except families playing in the big lake. Hung around the trailer until the 6pm service of spreading the ashes. Another good turnout, emotional time for all, everyone took some ashes in Katy’s favorite teacup and spread them across the three dog headstones. Chatted with a life-long friend of Katy who happens to love Santa Fe. Small world. Another beautiful weather day, did my best to get some good photos for Jim.

Saturday, June 20

Went for a hike at Bison Horn, behind 320 Ranch. Chosen at random, it was more of a multi-purpose trail, with hikers, mountain bikers, horses and even dirt bikes. But nice gradual hike with gorgeous wildflowers – the wild geraniums and roses were especially brilliant. All in all we did 5 miles, surprisingly. Didn’t think we could – been a while. Later we, most of the out of towners, went to dinner at Bucks again, but first a stop a O’Connors. Turned to be 14 or 16 people, and Bill found out he should ask before ordering – Mezcal margarita, $26 x 2. Ouch. Went back to the house to play with Newt, much to Jim’s chagrin, and enjoy some time with Amy and Don, Kevin and Michelle and Jim. Our last night here.

Sunday, June  21

Want to try to get into Yellowstone. We did! Mammoth campground. No reservations and lucked out with a great spot up high. Another nice cool-ish day. Did the back hike up to the village, checked it out, then came back and had dinner. Took an evening ride hoping to see some critters, and did b a r e l y see two (I only saw one) bear cubs on the Blacktail Drive. Pretty lucky. I did see black fur. Not much else but a large herd of elk on a mountainside.

Monday, June 22

Got up and headed out for a north loop drive. Pretty busy out there, but saw the Grand Canyon and water fall, view of artist paint pots PARKING LOT—too busy to park—just kept moving. Everything is so green and beautiful, tried to get pics but tough out the window on the move.

Tuesday, June 23

Left the park out the East Roosevelt exit to Lamar Valley hoping to see Bison. Well we sure did, and they felt like walking in traffic, and so we crawled. Some impatient motorcyclists tried to pass him and he gave them a charge! Needless to say, his friends stayed back. We must have crawled along for an hour before we got some open road. Ut was their road hiking day I guess. First time out that excit – gorgeous! We want to camp on that side next time. Next thing was the Chief Joseph drive, more beauty!! A bridge over Clark’s Fork gorge, a mountain pass (with nice shoulders), just green and PINE SMELLING beauty. Town of Meeteese, and a wild history, just did a drive thru. Continued down the Wind River Canyon and found a camping spot along there at Boysen SP. It was very nice, with the river, but it was HOT with no electric and our worst night yet. Ambien helped end the restlessness.

Wednesday, June 24

A long day of driving, but still heading south out of Wyoming, figuring on visiting Jeff in Steamboat Springs, but they are out of town, so focused ourselves on Oregon Trail RUTS! Going from Shishone down to Riverton and Lander, we followed the historic markers and got so bold as to dump the trailer near South Pass and actually drive the ruts. Pretty cool, how in hell they did this is beyond me. It was super windy which made it annoying, but we did a couple miles and turned back. Since cars are allowed over it, it’s pretty smooth in that part, but imagine being the first few groups over, I do not think so. But they  had a guide with landmarks. Pretty warm now, 88, so kept going south to Flaming Gorge, ending up at Dutch John’s Resort. Again, lucked out getting a FULL HOOKUP spot, as rain threatens all around, it’s good to have electric, I must say. And Laundry – and on that note, I now stop typing to check my washer.

RIP: Art Neville, Rutger Hauer

Trip #101 (32): Santa Fe

Sept. 29 - Oct 5
Took the Bullet out of storage for some time in Santa Fe.

Trip #100 (31) - Durango and Santa Fe

August 22 - Sept 12
Spent time in Durango to stay with Winny, then back to Santa Fe where we put the trailer in storage.