The Last Summer on the Road Part 6

 A short trip from Las Cruces took us to Deming, NM and a stop at the Escapees RV Park.  We’ve stayed here before and used it as a base to explore Columbus, where in 1916 the country’s invasion by a foreign power occurred when Pancho Villa’s men raided the town. There’s not much to Columbus except for a great museum that has interesting exhibits from the battle and General Pershing’ pursuit into Mexico. Although Pancho Villa was not part of this force that invaded, he was blamed for it which started his downfall.

 

Columbus made headlines when in 2011 the police department was dissolved and the mayor, a village trustee, the police chief, and nine others were arrested for smuggling guns into Mexico to be used by a cartel.  So much for thinking that Columbus is a sleepy border town.

From Deming, we made past visits to Silver City, a historic town with an interesting history of mining, devastating floods, and of course, Billy the Kid, known then as Henry Antrim. We visited during the annual Blues Fest, explored the Gila Wilderness of the Mogollon Mountains, and sampled the

 dining, from gourmet to biker bar.  We found that the RV park was located next to the town cemetery, and contained the gravesite of Kathrine Antrim, mother of Billy the Kid.  Silver City is an interesting mix of local culture, academia, upscale restaurants and biker bars.

 

Downtown Silver City

Silver City Blues

Gila Wilderness

Gila Wilderness Fire Tower with Grazing Flamingos

From Silver City, the highway leads back to the interstate and Lordsburg, a dying town where the downtown looks the setting from a zombie apocalypse movie.  But just up the interstate is the highway down to Rusty’s RV Park, where we’ve been frequent visitors over the years.  Rusty’s has been our base to explore the Chiricahua Mountains, one of Arizona’s “sky islands” that rise to nearly 10,000’. 

 

The eastern side of the Chiricahuas has become one of our all time favorite places to visit.  A short drive from Rusty’s will take you to Portal, the entrance to the mountains and a cute little village with a store, café with six tables, motel, and the start of some world-class birding.  Feeders and benches are set up behind the café for a relaxing break after one of the café’s green-chili cheeseburgers.  Further into the mountains are picnic areas, a park visitor center, and Cave Creek, where we first saw one of our “life” birds, the Elegant Trogon.  Continuing up into the forest, we always made a stop at “the porch”, the home of Jackie and Winston who own the Walker House B&B next door.  Here, you’re welcome to sit on their porch and watch the birds at their extensive system of feeders, and if Jackie is available, she’ll sit with you and describe the birds you’re seeing.  We always make a stop at their “bird seed contribution” box to thank them for their generosity.  Continuing up the road, you have the choice of turning on the road to Rustler Park campground or continuing over the saddle down the western side and into the national monument.

 

On an exploration trip on the southern flank of the Chiricahuas, I searched for the remains of Camp Rucker, an 1880s army post mentioned in documentation but without maps or location.  I searched on Google Earth and found ruins, and after a long search up and down forest roads, found an unmarked trail to the site.  We were surprised that hidden in the forest there were restored and stabilized ruins with interpretive markers complete with historic photos. 

 

Leaving the mountains, we stopped at the Escapees Park in Benson, where our good friends Don and Betty had a spot waiting for us.  We first met them 15 years ago in Oregon, enjoyed an oyster or two together (Brenda had a hot dog) and have been close friends ever since.

 

Finally, we checked into the Cactus Country RV Resort on the eastern edge of Tucson.  We arrived at Davis-Monthan AFB here in 1971 shortly after being married, and 55 years later we made the decision to leave the motorhome and look for a place to settle down. 

 

We’ve found the place we’d been looking for, an upscale one-story “casita” apartment in beautiful Oro Valley, a northern suburb of Tucson at the base of the Catalina Mountains.  It’s with more than a touch of sadness that we gave up the motor home and our life of travel, but we knew that it was time to settle down with good medical care, good weather, and lots and lots of restaurants….and a couple of casinos!  If you’re ever in our area, please drop us a line – we’d enjoy getting together!

 

And quoting the Bob Hope signature song, Thanks for the Memories!

 

The Last Summer on the Road Part 5

 On the road again, we traveled east to Carrizozo then south for a month’s stay in Alamogordo.  Here, the Sacramento Mountains dominate the town and tower 5000’ above, with Sierra Blanca, a 12,000’ peak in the distance. 

This was my first station in the Air Force, and for a boy from Cleveland, Ohio this was an eye-opening experience.  The first (and only) time I walked into a local bar wearing my high-collar shirt, tailor-made slacks and wing-tip shoes, it was like a scene from an old western where the piano player stops and everyone gets quiet….real quiet.  The next day I was shopping for jeans and boots.

 Over the years Brenda and I have visited here often and for a while considered making it our home, but the limited housing, shopping, and medical facilities overruled that idea.  But the Sacramento Mountains will always be special; we’ve made many memories exploring the historical sites and back roads. 

 The mountains here contain both surprises and history.  The town of Lincoln maintains the appearance of the 1880s, and the courthouse where Billy the Kid shot two guards and made his escape looks like it hasn’t aged a bit.  The stairwell still has the bullet holes from that day, and you can stand at the window and look down in the same spot that Billy did when he shot the second deputy.  Although Lincoln is on the other side of the mountains, it is worth the trip.

 

Historic Lincoln County Courthouse

Bullet Holes in Stairway Wall

Window from Where Billy the Kid Shot the Deputy Returning from Lunch

Fort Stanton was built in 1855 to serve as a base of operations against the Mescalero Apaches.  Located at 6200’ the fort has an extensive history and many of the buildings are still in use today.  In 1899 it was converted to the country’s first federal tuberculosis sanatorium. 

The surprise is the huge anchor sitting at the entrance of the Fort cemetery.  Because of the altitude and low humidity, the fort was designated as the Merchant Marine sanatorium for the Coast Guard, Navy, and Merchant Marines.  Today the fort stands mostly intact with an informative visitor center.

 

Fort Stanton Officer Quarters

Fort Stanton Tuberculosis Patients

There’s so much to see here; Ruidoso and Cloudcroft are
small towns that are worth a visit.  Sunspot solar observatory, now closed to the public, has a large telescope that can be seen from Alamogordo.  The drive to Apache Ski area on the slopes of Sierra Blanca provide great views of the area and White Sands National Monument in the distance.

 

Alamogordo hasn’t grown all that much since I was stationed here in the late 60s, although the bars have become more

upscale.  When my mother visited me back then, she said she wanted to see a real cowboy bar, so I took her to Buck’s Buckaroo, complete with sawdust on the floors, shuffleboard tables, and a bandstand surrounded by chicken wire.  After a while, my mother had to visit the lady’s room, and when she returned her eyes were as big as dinner plates.  When I asked what was wrong, she said “Oh my God, there’s a CONDUM MACHINE IN THE WOMEN’S BATHROOM!”  Remember, this was 1968, and for a woman from Cleveland, Ohio that was scandalous!  

There is so much to see here.  In the little town of Capitan, you can visit the actual gravesite of Smokey the Bear.  In nearby Three Rivers, there is an  extensive area of petroglyphs and a historic chapel.  A day trip can take you to Roswell and the International UFO Museum and Research Center and not far down the road is White Sands National Monument.  

 

3 Rivers Petroglphs

Mescalero Chapel

Really Authentic Alien Autopsy

White Sands National Monument

White Sands at Twilight

We left Alamogordo with a bit of sadness and traveled the short drive to Las Cruces, the second-largest city in New Mexico.  It’s a great town, with plenty of shopping and activities.  But our first stop whenever we visit is the historic

village of Mesilla and La Posta de Mesilla, a historic restaurant that began in 1939 in a building that was an 18^th century stagecoach station.  I first visited here in 1968 while stationed at Alamogordo, and we can’t visit the area without a trip here for the Chili Rellenos and traditional pancake-style enchiladas.  In Alamogordo in the late 60s, enchiladas were almost always served pancake-style, usually with an over-easy egg on top.  The difference is taste is amazing, and whenever I can find them, I order them with red chili and an egg on top.

 

La Posta

Inside La Posta

Hatch is well known as the green chili capital of the world, and everything in this small town revolves around the sale of green or red chili and chili products.  Sparky’s restaurant is in the center of town, and we’ve never visited without seeing a long line of hungry customers.  Although they serve a variety of burgers and sandwiches, the go-to menu item is the green chili cheeseburger, a 7oz burger that is in a class by itself.  If you’re ever in the area, do yourself a favor and visit this place.

Red Chilies, Chilies, and More Chilies

Sparky's - Home of the Best Green Chili Cheeseburger in the World!

 Next stop - Deming NM!

An Unexpected Summer In Idaho

 We're back on the Oregon Coast after an interesting summer back at Farragut State Park in Idaho - an unexpected trip that we hadn't expected to make.  

We were sitting around, enjoying the park in our favorite Oregon Coast town of Bandon when I saw a Facebook post for Farragut asking for volunteers, that two couples (that we knew) had cancelled at the last minute.  We called Errin, the volunteer coordinator that we worked for from 2017 to 2020, who sounded a bit desperate for help.  Since we didn't have any plans for summer, we agreed to help out and planned to be there by the end of May.  About 20 minutes after hanging up, I received an email from Dawn, our US F&W volunteer coordinator.  The couple slated to volunteer at Harris Beach SP in Brookings, OR (where we volunteered last year) had a terrible accident - their motor home caught on fire on their way to Harris Beach and was completely destroyed - could we fill that slot?  We called her explained that she was 20 minutes too late but after chatting for a while we agreed to take the slot for 2024.  So in just a short time we had finalized our plans for the next two years!  

So off to Farragut we    went, along our usual    route of Springfield,      over the pass to            Redmond, then north  on US97 to I84.  Then north again through the Tri Cities up to Spokane, then I-90 to Coeur d'alene and north on US95 to Athol and Farragut.  We've driven this route and shown pictures many times and nothing much has changed.  Arriving at Farragut, we were given a site in the new area of "volunteer lane", which was expanded since our last time here.  Our site was huge, with a large grassy area separating us from our neighbor.  The only problem was the lack of shade.  Fortunately, the temperature at the park was always lower than the surrounding area due to the proximity of Lake Pend Oreille.  At our end of the lake, the depth is well over 1000', and the water stays cold year around.

For the three years we were here before, we were the "program hosts", conducting evening programs in the amphitheater and "Junior Ranger" programs on the weekend.  This year there were no program hosts, but because of the shortage of campground hosts, we were asked if we would like to be "relief hosts".  As relief hosts, we worked three days a week filling in for the normal campground hosts at one of the four campgrounds.  We started around 9:30-10:00 by preparing sites vacated that morning. 

We cleaned fire pits, scrubbed the metal picnic tables, picked up any litter, and raked the sites.  Each site took 10-15 minutes to prepare for the next camper.  The workload varied each day, but normally we were done by 1:00, the checkout time for campers.  We had our own electric cart with supplies which made things easier.  The nice part is that when we were done, we were done for the day - no campers knocking on the door for firewood or dealing with late night quiet time offenders. 

We were fine with this for June and most of July, but then the hot weather arrived.  Cleaning sites in the sun with 90 degree temps, and being hindered by my AFIB and a bad back eventually became too much.  The volunteer coordinator (Errin - an amazing person) offered us the chance to go back to being the program hosts or "interpretive hosts" for the remainder of our stay.  We gladly accepted, and once again conducted evening programs and held Junior Ranger programs.  Our first love has always been working with children, and we truly enjoyed teaching them the hand movements of "leave no trace" or how to make an "owl bag" or "bat hat".  As the kids worked on the project, we'd talk about the subject, including teaching them the Barred Owl's hoot that sounds like "who cooks for you?".  

Farragut is a great place for kids to camp.  There's a Junior Ranger "station" that's staffed by volunteers with teaching experience, a swimming area and beach with a concession stand, a kid's disk golf course, the "Tree to Tree Adventure", and of course, Silverwood Theme Park down the road.  But most of all, there's marshmallows to roast, trails to hike and ride, and family memories to be made.

Although wildfires raged all over the northwest, we were relatively fire free.  We had a few smoky days from the Canadian fires, and one large fire southeast of us that never got too close thanks to hundreds of firefighters who were housed on Farragut in a "fire camp", a large area of tents, temporary buildings, and vehicles that shuttled men and equipment to the fire.  

We'll miss the the volunteer community here at Farragut. It is one of the largest of any state park with the number fluctuating between 50 and 60.  Most volunteers stay the entire year, and many return each year.  One volunteer has been coming back for over 19 years!  But like most parks, volunteers are getting a bit harder to recruit as many grow older (like us).  If you're interested, there are many different volunteer positions; besides traditional camp hosts and relief hosts, there are

"kiosk hosts" that staff the two entry points, shop (maintenance) hosts, cabin hosts, trail hosts, and interpretive hosts.  Hours vary depending on position, but all are reasonable.  The host RV sites are all superior - paved with full hookups.  The volunteer coordinator is a ranger who works hard to make everyone welcome and happy.  And ah, the potlucks!  With volunteers and staff, four or five banquet tables are filled with everyone's specialty.  If interested, contact ranger Errin Bair (errin.bair@idpr.idaho.gov)

We left Farragut in early October and had an uneventful trip back to the coast, where we once again settled into a lakefront spot at Osprey Point RV Point.  We'll be here until late November when we head south once again for Arizona.

This November will mark our 18th year on the road!  When we started back in 2005 we had no end date in sight, but at the time spending 18+ years would have seemed outrageous.  And yet it doesn't seem to be so many years until we start reliving the memories -memories of places and experiences, but mostly people.  When we started back in 2005 I began writing campground reviews on rvparkreviews.com. (now campgrounds.rvlife.com).  This year I passed the 500 reviews milestone.  This graphic of our reviews is descriptive: 

You'll notice that reviews in the Southeast are visibly absent.  Having lived in that part of the country during our Air Force days we have no desire to again visit that area again.

Every year our medicine cabinet grows more crowded with pills, every morning reveals a new ache, but every morning holds the promise of a new adventure.  In spite of our age, we're not ready to quit the road yet, and we're already looking forward to next summer as we again volunteer for US Fish & Wildlife.  So check back every once in a while and see how year19 is going!

Spring Travels

 Leaving Mohave Valley, we headed for Lake Havasu for some motor home work, then down to Tucson for a stay at Pima County Fairgrounds.  We've stayed here before; it isn't the fanciest RV park in the area, but for our stay it was the most convenient base to visit friends and medical facilities.  We've spent a lot of time in this area over the years, starting in 1971 when Brenda and I bought our first home here while stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB.  Tucson has lost some of the charm over the years as the area exploded in population, but they and the National Park Service have managed to protect a some of the most beautiful places in the area.  Sabino Canyon, the historic downtown area, Xavier Del Bac Mission, and always our favorite, Saguaro National Park.  Unique in location, the park has two sections, one east of town and one west, each within 10 miles of downtown. 

We spent one afternoon on the east, and larger section with 67,000 acres, a visitor center and loop drive.  Along the eight-mile drive are areas to park and read the interpretive panels or take a short hike on trails.  It was a gorgeous day with warm temperatures and sunny skies - a rare exception to the cold temperatures and wind we'd been experiencing.  At each stop along the drive, we were treated to amazing scenery and the myriad shapes of hundreds of Saguaro cactus, including a rare cristate or "crested" one:

Crested Saguaro

Although we enjoy the Tucson area, we were anxious to visit one of our favorite places in the Southwest, the eastern side of the Chiricahua Mountains.  We always stay at Rusty's RV Ranch, a unique park that has 1/4 acre sites and great views of the night sky and mountains.  

The east side and the little town of Portal are well off the interstate and lightly populated.  Our first stop in Portal is the small store and cafe, where my #1 rated green-chili cheeseburger is served.  Around the store and in the nearby canyon the birding is world class, and the area where we saw our first Elegant Trogon, a tropical bird that makes a rare summer appearance in a small section of Southern Arizona and New Mexico.  It has a weird non-bird sounding call that we could hear well before seeing - you can hear it on this site (press the sound link to hear).

Famous among birders, Cave Creek Canyon and the surrounding areas is not only a great area for bird watching, but also a place to enjoy the magnificent scenery.  The road through the canyon winds its way through through the trees with the high colored rock walls of the canyon towering on each side.  Some of our views:  

Canyon Entrance

We enjoy the trails along the canyon; they're mostly level, well marked, and scenic:

We didn't have to go far to see and hear birds - this Eurasian Collared-Dove pair had a nest in the tree next to our RV:

Our visit here always includes a trip up into the mountains to visit the ghost town of Paradise.  Founded in 1901 when a vein of ore was discovered, the town gradually disappeared over the years and currently has a population of around 5 full-time residents.  Two of them are people we try to visit - Winston and Jackie who operate  the George Walker House, a "bed and no breakfast" cabin here, and at their home adjacent to the cabin maintain an area of feeders that attract an amazing variety of birds.  Gracious hosts, they invite visitors to join them on their porch where Jackie will describe the different birds that visit.  We were early this year, but were still treated to the antics of Acorn Woodpeckers and watched Bridled Titmouse and Scott's Orioles.  We truly appreciate their hospitality and hope it continues into our next visit. 

George Walker House

BIrding Area

Driving around Paradise, there are still a few structures and remnants to remind us of the past.  Still in use, the Paradise Cemetery provides a glimpse of life spans of early settlers and their families.

From Rusty's, we headed down I-10 to Las Cruces and a short visit to La Posta de Mesilla restaurant and a short trip to Hatch and Sparky's for my #2 ranked green-chili cheeseburger.  Alas, the line to get into Sparky's was around the block and with temperatures hovering in the low 40s, we decided to pass this time.  Then it was back on the road over Organ Pass, through Alamogordo with a stop at Tularosa and a visit to Inn of the Mountain Gods.  Driving North, we were surprised and happy to see Sierra Blanca covered in snow, a sight we haven't seen for a few years.  

Our next stop was to visit the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, a huge refuge south of the small town of San Antonio.  We had a nice talk with the folks at the visitor center, but the refuge itself was very quiet this time of year; only a hundred or so Snow Geese and a small assortment of birds.  Then it was off to the famed Owl Cafe, which prides itself on it's "World Famous" green-chili cheeseburger:

My #3 Ranked Green-Chili Cheeseburger

We spent a few nights at the Socorro Fairgrounds RV Park, our base for visiting one of the most intriguing sites that we've seen in our travels.  

The Very Large Array (VLA) is located on the Plains of San Agustin far from any populated area and at an altitude of 7000'.  It's difficult to describe the sight of 28 huge radio telescopes that look like huge satellite dishes.  Each one is 82' in diameter, weighs 232 tons, and is mounted on tracks which allow it to be moved into different Y-shaped configurations.  The "Y" when superimposed onto a map of Washington DC actually extends beyond the beltway!  At the maximum alignment, the data from the antennas is combined electronically to give the resolution of an antenna 22 miles across with the sensitivity of a dish 422 feet in diameter.  To give you an idea of the size of a dish, here's Brenda standing next to the spare on display.

What exactly the VLA sees is complicated; for an explanation, read this.  

One of the amazing aspects of the VLA is how they move these huge dishes into different configurations.  To find out how it works, watch this video.

It's impossible to describe the view of these huge disks as they stretch into the distance - you have to see them in person to understand.  It is truly a magical place:

Traveling North from Socorro, we hit I-40 for a stay at the Dancing Eagle Casino RV Park, which gave us a good base to explore the area.  This is a land of native Americans, with numerous tribes mixed in the various pueblos.  Our first visit was to Laguna Pueblo, a historic community dating back to 1400s. 

We were anxious to visit the Mission San Jose de Laguna.  Constructed between 1699 and 1701, the mission is still well maintained and active, with mass said each Sunday.  We were met by a friendly caretaker who gave us a tour and permission to take photos inside the church, a rare opportunity.

The obvious poverty of the surrounding pueblo was disappointing, but the mission, particularly the interior, was beautifully maintained.  

 

An original painting on canvas, restored and hung high on the wall to avoid vandalism:

The ceiling shows how individual pieces of wood were placed to create the colorful pattern:

  Our last stop was a visit to Acoma Pueblo, known as "Sky City" it is regarded as the oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States.  High atop a mesa, there is no water or electricity for the less than 50 tribal members who live there year around.  The visitor center was closed this time of year, so we had to be content with looking at it from a distance.  As we've come to expect, the pueblo mission was the most prominent building that we could see.

After a short stay in Gallup, we continued our journey back to the Oregon Coast and Bandon where we're staying for the summer.  If your travels take you to the coast this summer, let us know - we'd love to see you!