Back in the Springs. The first week we traveled from Texas to Colorado. After Ft Stockton we traveled back to Alamogordo to go to the White Sands National Monument. It was for sledding and hiking.

An overnight in Las Vegas and then a windy trip home to Falcon Meadow RV park on a Thursday. On Friday we attended Zach’s reading program where he was  the top reader of the first grade.

Saturday We had the kids for the day and spent time at the mall for indoor golfing, shopping and a train ride.

Then on Monday we took the rig to the shop for maintenance then checked into the hotel.

Week 2 was very active. Started by going to the LBJ ranch or better known as his western White House. Traveld to San Antonio for Hop on Hop off bus trip, Riverwalk cruise and then walking to the spots we wanted to go to.

Week 3 we had some rainy weather and took some drives in the Texas Hill Country.Week 4 was short and sweet. We planned our return to Colorado Springs route and timing. We also took time to plan our trip to Great Falls in mid May.

I should footnote and say we will be back in the Springs March 7th or 8th, Depending on the weather. May have high winds that are in the forcast. Our next adventure will start May 15th. Time to spend with the Grandkids oh yea, and their parents. It will be good to be back for a short while.

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In the first full week of February, we took out first trip to San Antonio. Visited the Alamo and took public transportation to tour 3 of the 4 Spanish missions. While California missions were no enclosed these were. The Apaches and others were hostile to the intruders. The final stop was dinner on the riverwalk

Kerrville has a riverwalk that is a concrete trail through a park. Wedid the south side which was close part of the way down. Afterwards, there was a Farmers Market in which we purchases fresh eggs, grass fed beef and fresh baked bread.

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This is real delay. Knew we had bad connections in the “Hill Country of Texas”. Guess this never posted.

Leaving Carlsbad heading for Fort Stockton found us traveling US285. Windy and dusty in parts. They say this is one of the deadliest stretches of roads in Texas. There were lost of truck traffic as well as narrowing of roads through large portions of road construction. In Texas it is 55 – 60 miles an hour through these areas.

Safely in Fort Stockton for a few days to break up the drive to Ingram. Turns out to be a great stop for more interesting history both town and Army-Indian wars. Also the historic part had a wine tasting room.

It was important in the Indian wars against the comanches for wagons and travelers moving westward. It was active from 1867-1886 and manned bythe 9th Calvary, which was one of the 4 divisions (?) of Buffalo soldiers. Nice restored and reconstructed buildings.

Later in the day was a trip to the Annie Riggs Memorial Museum. It is housed in the Hotel she  ran and each guess room displayed exhibits. Interesting history for the town and her ties into the Arizona Territorial Prison and Billy the Kidd.

The Gray Mule is the original bar across the street from the hotel. It is now a wine tasting room.

The 28th of January (5th week) we were on our way to Ingram, Texas for a 30 day stay. Kerrville is the big, small town next to it. We did travel to Fredricksburg to visit the Pacific War Museum. Spent two days and about 6 hours total. Happy Birthday to me.

This concluded January.

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We arrived in Carlsbad on the 10th of January for a 2 week stay. the KOA is about 20 miles north of town. The Caverns are about 27 miles south of town. Not a stop to see the cavern but being it is shut down due to the DC fighting we made due in other ways. the town of Artesia was just 19 miles north so off we went to find out about the oil industry, with the Yates family, starting in the part as  well as the towns history and cattle baron Chisum and his daughter Sallie.

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park was another visit we enjoyed. The wild life and plants found in the Chihuahuan Desert.

The town of Carlsbad has a nice river walk (no shops) including a fun playground and waterpark along with part of the river. There is a low dam so as to create a swimming lake (area).

The Museum of At and Culture was a hit has it’s history included the men for this area who were stationed in the Philippines at the time of the Japanese attack and were a large part of the Bataan Death March. The special part of the exhibit was the Flamenco dancing part of the culture. Another section was dedicated to the Cavern and more of the picture taking part.

We did to to Sitting Bull Falls. As part of the BLM land it was not closed off. The falls were nice and we thought weak because of the late season but the picture in the brochure was about the same. It was a short walk so we decided to hike to thetop of the falls. That rounded out the day.

We did make it up to Roswell to the Museum to read about the famous crash. Lots of  interesting material to read and really question what the Government was hiding. Aliens or secret projects? Something happened bt what is the truth.

The weather here did not cooperated as the wind blew most of the time and a couple of duststorms with chilly weather.

 

 

 

We arrived in Alamogordo (fat cottonwood) to some warmer weather. While the kids in DC fight and argue, the White Sands National Monument has the gates locked.

The amp site is nice and we settled in for the week. First stop was the Three Rivers Petroglyphs Site (BLM land). We were greeted by the volunteer camp host who explained the trail and sites there and the old mission church up the road which included a stations of the cross site. The petroglyphs looked like an art class room with all the drawings. the church was open and lots of icons. The Stations of the Cross turned into a semi challenging hike. The first 5 where up hill. The next 9 were uphill in the snow from a couple of inches to about 5 at the top.

Saturday was movie and a drive around town. Lowes Supermarket had everything including a bar and grill. Sorry no pictures. which I had taken a few. Sunday brought rain showers and sent us to couple of more movies.

To get a little to detailed, Monday is usually the cleaning and kick back day and this was no exception.

Tuesday  was a day to get out and walk. We visited the nearby museum and had a history leson of the Tularosa Basin. From prehistoric to the latest on the wars in the middle east. This included displays of Navy ships names New Mexico and Alamagordo. Of course they talked about Holloman Air Base (USAF). Walk the old part of town but mainly that was vacant. Stopped for lunch before going to the city park zoo. Although small it was a pleasant experience and glad we stopped.

Looking at future travel plans US82 was not recommended by Good Sam for big rig travel so it was time for a jeep road trip to Cloudcroft. It was a fun day of driving and stopping at tourist shops. While a fun trip and glad  we did it we decided to take the recommended route 70 towards Roswell. By adding an hour to thedrive it was flatter but not without its upgrades but 4 lane road the whole way.

This second week sees us in Carlsbad.

 

Upon leaving Picacho, we headed towards Benson. With only a 90 minute drive we stopped at Karchner Caverns once again. This time so I could take the Big Room tour. This room is only open in the winter months as this is a nesting place for the bats. They move south in the winter for hibernating in warmer caves. No cameras or cell phones allowed in the caves so no pictures.

This stop allow us to get past security and onto Fort Huachuca to visit the museum. It is and still is an important outpost. From the Indian Wars to the wars in the Middle East. The testing and use of drones is the high security end of things now. The Buffalo Soldiers played a large part in the Indian Wars and through World War 2.

This time we did go out to Fort Bowie to take the hike into the fort site. It was established to secure the Apache Spring. An important water source in the area for expansion west. With the government shut down there were signs posted but only the visitor center was closed. the restrooms remained open. Having driven so far and missing Chiricahua National Monument last time due  to it being closed we decided to go for it. The gates were open but visitor center and restrooms were locked. It was a nice drive as it was not crowded. We did no hiking having done Ft. Bowie.

We did make it back to the Rancho Maria Winery for another round of their great wine. Following Google maps led us to a dead end. Should have followed the map sent to us by Mark. It was great to talk withhim again.

Being December we did get some cold rainy weather. Enjoyed looing at the snow on Mt. Lemon when is cleared.

We did go to Tombstone again. This time stopping for lunch and taking in the OK coral. It has changed from 30 years ago and is more of a stage show then the original site it once was. The movie narrated by Vincent Price was enjoyable.

We went to church Christmas Eve at Peace in the Valley Lutheran Church. Only one service and it was early. Christmas day was enjoyable while we cook ourselves a turkey tenderloin dinner for two.

Giving  the holiday travelers a chance to get somewhere after Christmas, we headed for Las Cruses on the 27th. Once there the setting up operation began. Linda working theinside and me doing my thing on the outside. Shortly after I started Linda cam around the corner of the rig. Telling me she just had a phone call. It was Marrisa asking what the was  to do in Las Cruses as they were entering town. Linda’s reply was we are in Las Cruses and you better get your butt over here. They were close because 10 minutes later we recieved our biggest surprise and Christmas gift. shannon and the kids came for a visit. Aaron stayed behind to work and take care of the homefront.

Of course the next day the cold, wet, snowy weather followed  them. We did go to the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. We did get a tram tour of the outdoor exhibits before it started to rain. Then spent time inside the museum viewing New Mexico’s history.

Saturday was spent indoors at the mall where the ladies went shopping and Zach and I hung out and took in the Spiderman movie. Afterwards was lunch/dinner (linner) at Chuckie Cheese. Sunday morning saw  us getting together for their departure home.

Linda and I ended  the year by going to Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park and walking the trails. Afterwars we headed to historic Mesilla center. this is a special place as it is the last piece of land the US purchased to make up the 48 states as we know them today.

January 1, 2019 start the new year off with a hike in the Organ Mountains in the Solodada Canyon Day Use Area. Trail was icy in spots but warm and sunny in other areas.

This was a quick week and now it was time to pack up and move on down the road.

 

 

Leaving San Diego we traveled to Yuma. On our second night we had an overnight guess, Deb (Linda’s Sister) stopped by on her way back to San Felipe, Mexico where her and Joe are residing. Getting a ride down we went to spend a nght with them. They have a beautiful house overlooking the Baja Gulf. We walked the downtown area and along the beach drive. The Battins own a dune buggy so the next morning we rode the beach.

We went to the Yuma Territorial Prison which is now an upgraded State Park with more exhibits. Later in the week we went to a city park to do some walking/hiking along the Colorado River. Adding in a rain day and cleaning day that about coveredour time there.

Returning to Picacho KOA, a place we stayed at in May, it was alot cooler but still mid 70’s. We traveled to Chandler to meet up with Pam, Linda’s other sister, and Bob for a chance to walk a mall, have lunch and catch up on the last few months. We went to the Pinal County Museum in Florence and spent some time reading the historical plaques. Florence has alot of history in Arizona. The next day we visited Marge, who just celebrated her 98 birthday on Christmas and her son Howard.

We did not make our hike up to Picacho do to some food poisoning. We ate dinner Friday night and spent the week-end recovering before bouncing back and going to the Casa Grande Ruins. It is an interesting place to learn about the native Americans who settled the land in the 1400’s and had irrigation canals from the near by Gila River.

Then it was time to move again. Now we were heading back to Benson, AZ and a couple of things we did not do in May.

 

 

 

 

This is our last week. It has been different to be camped out for 4 weeks but between friends and visiting places it has been a fast month. This has been a great month.

Not sure why the order is out of wack but here are the pictures.

Tomorrow is December 1st so lunch with ol friends and leaving for AZ on the 2nd.

This is at the San Diego Maritime Museum. The Russian Sub. the hole on the right is an example of 4 you must pas  through to get through the tour.

The SDMM as we get underway. County building and airline coming in

San Diego Convention center

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This was a week to see a fleet of old sailing ships, or replicas, going out to sea. The Star of India is 155 years old and sail once it was off the coast. We took an anniversary trip up the coast on a coaster train which is a rail train between San Diego and Oceanside.

Thanksgiving was spend with a grade school friend of Shannon’s. Angie lived down the street. Her and Michael invited us for a memorable dinner. It was a great time.

 

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