On the road ...

 

Maybe it's time to catch up on our itinerary!  When we left my sister's in Baton Rouge on October 30th, we pointed Tergel west on I-10, and the interminable trek through Texas.  Definitely not our favorite thing, but traveling further north is risky this time of year, weather-wise.  As it was, a cold front was approaching with big north winds and cool temps.

Our second overnight stop was at the Kerrville Elks Lodge, which we've done before, where we stoked in some of Bill's yummy BBQ, which we've also done before.  The next morning's low temp of 27 surprised us!  Time to get out of town and get warmer!

Driving all day like this, we usually change drivers every 2-3 hours, so neither of us tires too much.  We made it to Van Horn the next night, and were glad to get out and go for a walk after setting up.  Didn't know Ocotillo's would have a second bloom in autumn if they got water/rain, as this one obviously had.  We still had a far piece of Texas left to travel, but we made it to Columbus, New Mexico the next afternoon, and a state park that's been on my bucket list for a very long time!

Pancho Villa State Park sits almost on top of the border with old Mexico.  Driving in from El Paso, we took Hwy 9 to the park, paralleling the giant wall our country's erected to separate New from Old.  Most of the landscape along this area was bleak, no villages or communities.  But, what do animals do; how do they cross this partition to intermingle?

From the campground, we drove Smartie down to the border to see the wall in person.  It's massive.  Like a colossal cage to confine people on both sides.  Like the Berlin Wall.  We came back to the park to explore.

Quite a history here, all of it surrounding Pancho Villa and his raid on Camp Furlong and the Town of Columbus on March 9, 1916.

We walked the state park grounds and visited the museum (above).  Lots to see, including a few adobe structures that were just hangin' on.

This strange-looking tank was parked in front of the museum.

I parked on it for a few minutes!

Headquarters Building, Camp Furlong.

Camp Furlong was established in 1912 as a US Army border camp amid rising tensions along the United States-Mexican border during the Mexican Revolution. The Camp was the site of the first tactical military airfield in the US with the 1st Aero Squadron and Curtiss JN3 Jenny biplanes providing observation and scouting.  Housing more than 5,000 troops at one point, Camp Furlong was discontinued in 1918, but used intermittently until 1924.

 

The beginning of the panel, above, states, "Site of the last hostile action by foreign troops in the Continental United States."  Much speculation about why Pancho Villa attacked, none of it confirmed.  In fact, some don't believe Pancho Villa was even involved.  100+ years later we'll never know the truth.

So much cactus, different kinds, too.  Sorry to say, I was disappointed in this "Mickey Mouse" park.  I was anxious to get here early so we'd be sure to get a space.  At arrival, the campground was empty.  We found out why.  The restrooms were closed, as well as the dump station.  I looked on their website before coming here and didn't see that notice anywhere.  Obviously I looked at the wrong site.  We saw signs of neglect, too.  Such a shame that states can't take care of their terrific resources.

Jimmy at the Old US Custom House, built in 1901.

Across the road leading to old Mexico, was this cute caboose.

Also not open.

However, we saw plenty of birds and hundreds of White-winged Doves.  A cornfield was located behind the park boundary; the corn, of course, long gone, but those doves flew there the following morning, and probably every morning!  We also heard Sandhill Cranes and saw them soaring above a different field.

So, now I can cross Pancho Villa State Park off my list.  Been there, done that.  We moved on the next morning.  The good news is that we learned some new things, and that's always a plus.

Saturday, 10/7/23

Tomorrow we'll be one week on the road in our motor home (Tergel), and tomorrow, God willing and the creek don't rise (no rain in the forecast), we'll be at my sister and BiL's home near Baton Rouge.  Tonight we're at the Elks Lodge in Shreveport, where a very nice lady just stopped by our Tergel to ask if we wanted some homemade hot tamales.  That's what we ate for dinner! 😄  Delicious!

Thus far we've stayed in one RV campground, at one reservoir, a national park, one boondocking spot, a state park with a lake, an RV park at the Wichita River, and now the Elks.

We were rained on for the first two days on Hwy 50 through Nevada.  Below:  

Nearing Delta, Utah, still on Hwy 50, the sky began to clear.  Photos below.

Mountains of slag from the copper mine at Ruth, Nevada.

We wanted to stay at Great Basin Nat'l Park,

but it would've been too cold.  At the VC, above.

Approaching Capital Reef Nat'l Park in Utah, we hoped for a site in Fruita C/G, tho we didn't have a reservation.  As luck would have it, despite the sign, "campground full," we pulled in to hear, "Yes, we just had a cancelation," from the campground host.  Bingo!  We were last here in 2008 and adored it.  Oh joy to be able to spend a day in this beautiful place.  (No hookups, no genny use, but we survived just fine.)  After setting up, we took off with our hiking poles on the Fremont River Trail.  Below.

Jimmy's hiking up, white checkmark, wait for me!

Fremont River lower right.

Strenuous ascent with wonderful panoramic views at the top.

Unbelievable!  Breathtaking!

Next, we hopped in Smartie to the Grand Wash Trail, and a short hike, above.  After sitting for two solid days, it sure felt good to be Out and About and on our feet.  In these glorious surroundings.  Photo above and more below.

Majestic.  Outdoor cathedrals.

Leaving this favorite park, we continued east.  Utah has some of the most fascinating geological formations, with features that come in all sizes, colors, striations, shapes, layers, in piles, hoodoos and pillars, to name a few.  Ain't nature grand?

We wanted to continue on Hwy 50 through Colorado, only to be stymied by road construction, which necessitated us heading south instead on Hwy 550, the Million Dollar Highway, and it's 11,000+ ft passes.  550 would eventually dump us out on I-40, which was the last road we wanted to travel on this year!  But ... whaddya gonna do?

Here we were stopped for more road construction.  One thing you can say for sure about Colorful Colorado:  It's gorgeous.

One helluva road, though, for a motor home.

The Aspens!  I took one picture after another.  I couldn't get enough.

Down, down, down, from Silverton to Durango.

Ah so.  This is why we did NOT want to drive on I-40 in New Mexico.  Two years ago, (click here to read about it) the same thing happened, only it was Smartie that suffered.  The picture above is one of Tergel's outside rear tires.  Luckily, and thankfully, the tire blew just before a rest area, so we weren't stuck roadside!  I called AAA and they sent a young man out from Ortega's Wrecking Service in Santa Rosa NM who took off the old and installed the (new) spare.  A few hours out of our day, and no harm done and no one hurt.

On Friday we made it to Wichita Falls, Texas, and actually found the falls!  We were staying nearby and were out walking their fine river paths when we discovered these waterfalls.  Kinda muddy-looking, but a good flow!

I took a bazillion more photos, but I kept the blog pics down to a minimum (enlarge any pic for maximum viewing!).  We've had a few stresses, yet feel that all is well.  I'll leave you with this sunrise shot as we left Wichita Falls on Saturday morning.

 

A is for Alpaca, Friday, 05/07/21

Continuing our North by Northwest track and keeping to secondary roads, we made our way from Big Spring, Texas to Clovis, New Mexico.  With a hefty tailwind, it was more like Tergel had wings and flew -- it was fabulous.  The scenery, however, left a lot to be desired.  This section of Texas isn't pretty, I'm sorry to say.  The first part of our drive seemed devoid of life except for oil and gas "stuff," interspersed with acres of brown dirt, some furrowed, some barren.  No birds, no road kill, no trees and definitely no wildflowers, nuttin, honey.

On the second half, the area was more devoted to farming, but here, again, were the many abandoned homesteads.  Did the occupants just walk away?  Or die and the kids wanted no part of what was left?  Or maybe a corporation bought them out and left the home to rot?  Unknowns.  We've seen prettier country, though.

We kept our eyes on both clouds and radar, as we wanted no part of a thunderstorm if it could be avoided.  Happily we pulled into Windrush Alpacas in Clovis, a Harvest Host site, and parked.  Our host, Rosemary, greeted us with a small bag of alpaca treats and another small bag with a people treat!  (yummy cookies, many thanks!)  She said we were free to roam the grounds, visit with the animals, and simply feel at home.  

This big white horse was the first animal that got our attention as it was standing in front of Tergel's big windshield.  Jimmy patted its nose and then I guess it wanted a flank rub, too.

We walked all around the grounds (Rosemary had a vet app't with her indoor cat) and fed the alpacas their treats.  These animals are curious, friendly, and gentle.  And cute.  Certainly cute!  If I remember correctly, Windrush has 49 alpacas and two llamas.  The alpacas had recently been sheared for summer.

Chickens and guinea fowl are also Windrush residents.  Guinea fowl are kinda odd-looking and they're noisy!  Good to have on a farm as they eat ticks.  But they are loud!

Not these guys ... they're very quiet.  Sweet.

Love the "do."

This gal, especially, liked the treat and she didn't want to share.  FYI, girls and guys are kept in separate areas and aren't bred.

Who can resist this face?

After an hour or so, the wind really began blowing.  Dust was flying.  Our windows were open!  We raced back to Tergel to close windows and vents and waited out what was a fierce dust storm!  A giant yellowish cloud enveloped everything in sight.  I don't know how long it lasted, but eventually it died down and we went back to the alpacas.  

This is dry country, in spite of the clouds and threatening thunderstorms, which never did materialize.  The alpacas have lots of hay to eat.  You know that cows have four stomachs.  Well, alpacas only have one, same as us.  Their fur (fiber) is very soft.

Above are the two llamas.  These guys make sure the alpacas are kept safe -- they'll kick anything that threatens.  Uh-oh, look at the sky.

Another couple, Hannah and Cody, had come in and parked next to Tergel.  They're also spending the night via Harvest Hosts.  After eating our dinner, Jimmy and I joined them outside.  Just about the time we four were going to follow Rosemary's husband, Ric, around to learn all about keeping alpacas, the wind began whipping dust again!  The sky was full of blowing brown dust.  We four ran to our rigs to escape the duststorm.  Every surface, everything, every inch of Tergel is coated with a brown grit.  When I showered, brown grit went down the drain.  Ears, eyes, nose.  Bleah.

This cheerful, idyllic scene made up for the miserable dust.

They don't have top teeth, so they won't bite as they take the pellets from your hand.  Kinda tickles.  The alpaca above slobbered, tho.  That's what soap and water is for.

As the sun was setting, Hannah and I both emerged from our rigs to gaze.  In conversation, we asked each other where we're from.  Hannah said, "Louisiana."  I replied, "I used to live there!"  "Really," she said, "where?"  When I told her Watson (tiniest community ever), she said, oh sure, I know where that is.  No kidding?  I knew the road where she lived.  Watching this spectacular sunset, we marveled at how small the world is.

She and Cody came in Tergel to sit a spell and we shared stories and smiles.  Life is good.  Maybe we'll meet again.

And a shout out to Rosemary and Ric at Windrush Alpacas for sharing their farm and animals with us.  You can't control the wind (darn it), and we had a good time visiting in spite of it.  If you're considering a stay here, don't worry; this was unusual weather.  Recommend!