November 12, 2010
I just got back from a walk through the campground, what a beautiful time of year! The pecan grove across the street played a symphony, just for me! Imagine the wind and leaves cooperating in that way at that precise time! The trees have to be the right size and still have the correct number of leaves to play that tune at that time. It is a miracle!
We are in Waco, staying at Riverview RV, which is located south of town in the Brazos river valley. There is a rally in full swing this Friday evening, so many people are out and enjoying the rain-washed evening we've been given. Grills are tuning up to add just the right fragrance to the melody filling the area. Ours will join the fray shortly. Soon the clouds and sun will collaborate on a sunset. The stage will be complete for evening activities: a party, football game, cruisin', or just relaxing from a demanding day.
Other November highlights abound: we skidded down dunes at White Sands; marveled at the diversity of white, stages of dunes, blueness of the sky; we caught a glimpse of a test missile contrail. We were witness to the many definitions of the word, "DESERT." Our path from Taos, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Corrizozo, Alamagordo, El Paso, Ft. Stockton, to San Angelo. We detected the terrain of Texas hill country and then the relative lushness of north central Texas and Waco. We sleep with the air conditioner and wake to dew, humidity and muddy soil. We are no longer in the cold dry sandy desert. Change is good.
In the SMALL WORLD Department! Walking through the park in Ft. Stockton, we noticed a familiar rig that was also a Monaco Diplomat. Could that be the folks we enjoyed in Phoenix last winter? Of course, and why not! We had a nice dinner at the campground restaurant, then a good night drink at their home. Isn't this part of the beauty of the RV lifestyle?
Friday, November 12, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Alamogordo, NM
Nov. 6, 2010
This is to amend my previous post.
Describing the glorious sunset...and we have gotten to see a couple of more....I mentioned the pistachio "billboard." This term was grossly inadequate!
It is really a sculpture, art, if-you-will. It stands proudly on a pedestal by the side of highway 54, north of Alamogordo.
We visited the pistachio store today and Russell nailed the description - it resembles a pod from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". EXACTLY!
I should have an accompanying photo, but I am not prepared. Hopefully tomorrow.
Glad to have set the record straight. Billboard suggested such a tacky version of the reality.
This is to amend my previous post.
Describing the glorious sunset...and we have gotten to see a couple of more....I mentioned the pistachio "billboard." This term was grossly inadequate!
It is really a sculpture, art, if-you-will. It stands proudly on a pedestal by the side of highway 54, north of Alamogordo.
We visited the pistachio store today and Russell nailed the description - it resembles a pod from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". EXACTLY!
I should have an accompanying photo, but I am not prepared. Hopefully tomorrow.
Glad to have set the record straight. Billboard suggested such a tacky version of the reality.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
More about New Mexico
November 4, 2010
We left Santa Fe with a pledge to return in spring to make our way north; there is so much more New Mexico to see! We got a surprise call from my cousins, Scott and Ginger, who were in Ruidoso, NM. Ginger was heading to Albuquerque, so we made a stop and completely enjoyed a few sunny days there. Trees along the Rio Grande were still vibrant due to milder temps at night.
We drove further south today, arriving in Alamogordo, NM this afternoon. What a nice drive! We took a back road out of Albuquerque through Isletta Indian Reservation to catch up with I-25 several miles south of town - thank goodness traffic forced us off of the original route straight down the interstates. The Rio Grande announced its path with a swathe of gold, yellow, umber, brilliant colors in a brown/grey landscape. The river and road played tag, both eventually heading to Texas, like us. We turned east at San Antonio toward Carrizozo. The mountains changed from ragged to a more sloping variety. We were skirting White Sands Missile Range to the south, a more flat desolate desert than we've been seeing.
Further east we drove through another section of the Malpais, the Valley of Fire. The lava is up to 165 ft deep in some places. It is a forbidding landscape, which probably explains why we didn't stop. I mentioned taking a short walk to see it up close, which met with comments about snakes and sprained ankles. It isn't like we were going to see exotic wildflowers or anything else for that matter a few feet in from the highway. It is a sea of black rock with hard chiseled faces.
At Carrizozo we turned left for the final leg to Alamogordo, driving along the eastern perimeter of White Sands Missile Range, complete with sound effects. I was surprised by the number of orchards; nuts, grapes, and who knows what else. Tularosa is a cool little town, as is Carrizozo. This part of New Mexico is called the Tularosa Valley and forms the western edge of the Lincoln Forest. From here east the only way to drive is up to arrive at the cities of Lincoln, Ruidoso, and Cloudcroft, all popular for cool summers and winter ski areas. Lincoln County is also known for Billy the Kid, Smokey the Bear and the Lincoln County Wars. Interesting place!
We are staying at Boot Hill RV Resort, a wonderful place to stay. Our front window framed a glorious sunset tonight behind a giant pistachio billboard, White Sands and the mountains. Perfect! We are on the northern reaches of town and will explore it tomorrow. But before I close, I have to mention how perfect the air is. Clean, Clear, Cool, Sunny, Fabulous!
We left Santa Fe with a pledge to return in spring to make our way north; there is so much more New Mexico to see! We got a surprise call from my cousins, Scott and Ginger, who were in Ruidoso, NM. Ginger was heading to Albuquerque, so we made a stop and completely enjoyed a few sunny days there. Trees along the Rio Grande were still vibrant due to milder temps at night.
We drove further south today, arriving in Alamogordo, NM this afternoon. What a nice drive! We took a back road out of Albuquerque through Isletta Indian Reservation to catch up with I-25 several miles south of town - thank goodness traffic forced us off of the original route straight down the interstates. The Rio Grande announced its path with a swathe of gold, yellow, umber, brilliant colors in a brown/grey landscape. The river and road played tag, both eventually heading to Texas, like us. We turned east at San Antonio toward Carrizozo. The mountains changed from ragged to a more sloping variety. We were skirting White Sands Missile Range to the south, a more flat desolate desert than we've been seeing.
Further east we drove through another section of the Malpais, the Valley of Fire. The lava is up to 165 ft deep in some places. It is a forbidding landscape, which probably explains why we didn't stop. I mentioned taking a short walk to see it up close, which met with comments about snakes and sprained ankles. It isn't like we were going to see exotic wildflowers or anything else for that matter a few feet in from the highway. It is a sea of black rock with hard chiseled faces.
At Carrizozo we turned left for the final leg to Alamogordo, driving along the eastern perimeter of White Sands Missile Range, complete with sound effects. I was surprised by the number of orchards; nuts, grapes, and who knows what else. Tularosa is a cool little town, as is Carrizozo. This part of New Mexico is called the Tularosa Valley and forms the western edge of the Lincoln Forest. From here east the only way to drive is up to arrive at the cities of Lincoln, Ruidoso, and Cloudcroft, all popular for cool summers and winter ski areas. Lincoln County is also known for Billy the Kid, Smokey the Bear and the Lincoln County Wars. Interesting place!
We are staying at Boot Hill RV Resort, a wonderful place to stay. Our front window framed a glorious sunset tonight behind a giant pistachio billboard, White Sands and the mountains. Perfect! We are on the northern reaches of town and will explore it tomorrow. But before I close, I have to mention how perfect the air is. Clean, Clear, Cool, Sunny, Fabulous!
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