HEADING BACK

10/7

A fairly long uneventful day, passing through some pretty dismal and down-on-their -luck little towns. Main streets lined with abandoned stores with empty dingy windows, ramshackle houses and outbuildings. Very sad. ( See Deonne's blog about Encino, NM.) Also passing by a lot of cotton fields and big business farms. We took an hour out to visit the Blackwater Draw Museum, where the exhibits showed early Folsom man, flora and fauna  and geologic conditions 30,000 ago.
   We stole another hour toward the end of the day at Huarache De Oro, set up on a street corner in Texico, NM.  Bill spied the display and practically did a u-turn in the middle of the busy street. The terra cotta ware is called Talaveras; the slip ( liquid clay) is poured into molds and then bisque fired. After that first firing, the glaze is painted by hand, in very intricate designs. Elias showed us a piece of extremely hard stony clay, which they pulverize and then mix with water. We bought one of his small pigs and a couple of planters. Truly, it was difficult to choose-- we wanted to bring it all home with us!

About dusk we landed at the Silver Wind RV park in Silverton, Texas, a gem of a park that Bill found in the camping directory. We were the only folks there in an airfield-sized park with flat, spongy grass. No one was around, so we took a spot-- any spot!-- and set up in the soft warm air. Occasional shouts from the crowds at a football game over yonder would be heard-- kind of a homey sound. Later on as I took Xian for his nightly constitution, I heard coyotes yipping far off in the distance. I know that I may be in the minority on this one but I like that sound.

The following morning we met our hosts, Sharon and Gary, who have owned the place for 3 years. They also had four charming little cabins outfitted just beautifully, and both take great pride in their RV park, always planning some sort of upgrade, like paving the sites and the road.

PREPARING TO HEAD EAST

Tuesday we said goodbye to Doug and Jen who were headed back to the "res" to resume their daily lives. We hung out at the park for awhile, and then spent come time in Roswell at the library hooked up to their WiFi.  SUPER library; new modern building and lots of places to hook up the technology. I was particularly fascinated with the huge children's area with its many whimsical papier mache sculptures

Back at the ranch, we met Donne Kahler, a writer who was taking her shakedown trip in her brand-new Scamp. ( 13 feet long, and smaller than a Casita!) Deonne had some questions about hooking up her fridge, and later we invited her to come over for supper and wine. Now here's a gal whom we'd like to know better. Absolutely charming, great sense of humor, and writes a fun blog. http://www.gonescamping.com/ – the comments on the blog are almost as interesting as the blog itself!

On Wednesday we picked up the truck in Ruidoso ( Doug and Bill had taken it over on Sunday to have the fender replaced, and we had rented a car.)  This took a lot longer than we had thought, given what the body shop had told us that morning. In the meantime,we stopped in to Mescalero to see Doug and Jen once more as well as to visit Jen's brother's grave site way back up in Elk, where the tall pines keep watch quietly. By the time the truck was ready, it was about 5 or so, with a drive of more than and hour and a half back to the camper. 'Twas a long day for all of us.

Xian didn't much mind, he'd found a new friend who thought he was just the bomb!!!
   The following day we had to say goodbye once more to a new friend. Deonne was to move on the next day, and we had to put on many eastward miles. (BOO HOO!! ) Nonetheless,I really think that our paths will cross again.

SOME WAYS TO HANDLE THE WILDLIFE AT BOTTOMLESS LAKES S.P.

                                                              Help it across the road.

             Ask it to pose and take its picture. ( Swainson's Hawk)

   If it's an Apache eagle aka horse, deer, or house fly....SWAT IT!!!

PARADE!!

Parade on Monday in Roswell-- schools cancelled for we don't know what reasons-- and everyone in the town played a part, either as participants or viewers, or so it seemed. First came NMMI-- the real reason we were there-- almost a thousand kids marching.

                                

                                 Some in perfect lock step,

                                        and some not.

 Then there were the police and the fire departments with their equipment. Politicians pranced around next, throwing out candy and handing out cards. Then came the floats of football and soccer, cheerleaders and lots of little kids. The Future Farmers of America were there as well as the Girl Scouts. There was the farmers market and the arts association.

Even the health care facility had a part in the parade, with a float bearing residents in wheel chairs! ( Will that be Bill and Susi in the future? After all, we will always want to be traveling!!!)

   Post-parade we had a brief tour of NMMI, and then Megan and a good friend, John, were raring to be off to do something fun, like go to the fair. NMMI is an impressive campus, and I loved seeing the newbies walking single file and cutting square corners-- wherever they go on campus.

The PX

                                          Inside the box

                                         Mae and John

After some time at the fair the kids came back and got into civvies- swim suits so they could swim and boat in the inflatable.

Darkness came quickly and soon it was time to get back into uniform and return to "the box."

BOTTOMLESS LAKES STATE PARK 10/1-10/7-- MOSTLY MEGAN

The next day Doug went into Roswell to pick up Megan about noon, and we put together burgers, hot dogs with all the trimmings including baked beans, chips and drinks under the shelter. It was a lovely, hot and sunny day, with a bit of wind. Megan is quite the gal, and she looks so grown-up in her uniform.

She regaled us with lots of stories about New Mexico Military Institute which, in jest, they call Nine Million Marching Idiots!!

  Since Megan is a freshman, she is a Cadet Recruit and therefore subjected to all sorts of rules that the older students are not. For instance, when she is at dinner, she must stand at attention at her place and shout at the top of her lungs: “Excuse me sir! Cadet recruit Byers M.L. requests permission to rest. Then, the same intro to be seated. Once again to eat, she requests to use her “hands, glass,and utensils, for preparation, transportation, mutilation and consumption of my food and drink.” When she requests permission to take her tray over to the kitchen, it's the same intro requesting permission to “ take my tray, glass, and utensils to the hall of culinary atrocity for more expedient departure from this fine dining establishment.”!!! This rigmarole is called “popping to”. When they pick up the salt and pepper, they have to keep both shakers together; a lot of the food is either the dried or has been frozen, just like in the service. They do have a place where they can get pizza, etc. but attendance at meals is mandatory.

  Megan also has a very full schedule during the day. She gets up about 5:30, breakfast is at 6. Classes start at 8, and she takes math, English, earth science, Spanish, leadership training, lifetime sports, keyboarding, a seminar for college prep, and academic assistance, which helps the kids out with their homework. There is a study hall after dinner until 9:30, lights out at 10 PM. Extracurricular activities include, cheerleading, core physical training, Native American Club, ski club in the winter and track in the spring. Whew! I just get tired writing all of this! I can't imagine that I could have done this at 14. ( or ever!)

  She seems to be enjoying it, but she does admit to having days where she wants out! Can't blame her. We've enjoyed being with her in the afternoons for two days, but she had to leave in time to get back by 5 and the time really flies.

BOTTOMLESS LAKES STATE PARK 10/1-10/7

10/1

 Bottomless Lakes State Park is a great spot about 15 or so miles from Roswell, home of the alien sitings. Bottomless Lakes are a chain of 8 lakes formed when water dissolved salt and gypsum to form subterranean caves which eventually collapsed  to form the lakes, which range from 17-90 feet  deep. We were here two years ago after Megan's feast, and Doug, Jen, and Megan come here quite often. It's a beautiful, restful, and quiet place, with campsites that offer lots of space and a view of the lake, as well as a picnic shelter with a grill.  No one bothers anyone, and Xian can run and play ball as well as swim.  The first night we were here, It was just the 4 of us-- Doug and Jen were camped in the site beside us. They arrived late from Mescalero, so we had steaks, drinks and lots of chat. We hadn't seen Jen for a year, so it was great to see her.

LUNCH AT RAYMONDAR AND OTHER MUSINGS

10/1
We left Santa Fe at about noon today, figuring it wouldn't be too long a day to Roswell, about 200 miles away. We hated to say goodbye to our friends next door, Tim, Ruthie and all of their little dogs. This couple had just sold their business, bought a SUPER motor home on consignment for a SUPER price, and this was their shakedown trip. They were loving it. Here, you see Ruthie ( hiding behind her pack). Mitzi Gaynor is right next to her while Gracie Allen does what she does best: bark. Then come Benny Goodman and last but not least, Wookie Goldberg!! When people rescue dogs, they don't seem to be able to stop at just one!!

Bottomless Lake was our destination, and it was there that we were meeting Doug. The trip was uneventful, except for our lunch stop at Ramondar, about an hour or so on our way.

Small but plenty of roadside allure and cowboy feng shui. For our entrees, we chose a sauteed Canadian bacon, mustard, and lettuce sandwich on whole grain bread with a side of aldente edamame. For dessert we split a mini chocolate bundt cake smothered in chocolate icing and chocolate chips, which they have sent in from Trader Joe's in Santa Fe. Perfect!!

   So what DO we eat on our trip, besides the famous Vale Da Serra lasagna, chips, nuts, wine, beer, and out-to eat? I guess we'd call it “camper food". Bill does most of the driving and all of the camper maintenance and setup, and I take care of the meals, dishes and cleaning. ( not much cleaning going on, I can tell you right now!) This division of labor works just fine for us!! Some nights we arrive and want to just fall into bed, and other times there's more time to do a proper meal. So we've had the ubiquitous hotdogs and beans; spaghetti with sausage/ beef; sauteed ground beef/turkey and veggies; buffalo burgers; hamburgers,sloppy joes over potatoes and onions, sauteed chicken with veggies and ginger over rice. I try to do things that will last for two meals, and all of it is done on the stove top or in the micro. Maybe the next trip I will get more ambitious and do things in the oven, like casseroles. We haven't eaten outside much-- it's been too cold, too mosquitoey, or just easier to do it inside. Breakfast is usually cereal, etc. and lunch can be tuna or chicken salad, tomato, lettuce and cheese sandwiches,or what's leftover in the fridge. Sometimes at night we have breakfast, like egg, onion and cheese wraps. We've had some great fresh veggies from Ruthie and Cliff in Miles City, and we miss their tomatoes like crazy.