This morning we woke up in Benson AZ after a lovely visit with Ellen and Lon, lunch at a mediocre restaurant in Benson, I’m being kind, but it had the benefit of being open, and a long time over ice cream and on our coach. Catching up is always good. We figured we were two four hour days out from Jojoba Hills, but decided to stretch to to about 6 hours, because as Carol said, “our rule is made to be broken on occasion.”
After fueling in Yuma we decided to make a stop along the road in Anza Borrego State Park, or any other open space not marked “no camping” along S 2. Somehow six hours became almost eight before we settled into a lovely spot with a sign “Jojoba Wash” Really! we didn’t even know it existed until after we started to set up. We are about 90 minutes out from Jojoba Hills, so we will take our time getting underway in the morning.
The drive was totally uneventful, a wonderful thing, and Obama’s book “A Promised Land” continues to carry us down the road. I am not sure I could sit and listen for the many hours it takes, nor am I sure I could read it, but for hours on the road it is a wonderful companion.
After leaving 395 we drove to Shiprock NM. The place name is a reflection of the huge “rock” that stands above the plain, visible for miles. Here is our new Jeep in its first introduction to back roads.
In Shiprock we stayed with a Boondockers Welcome host whose name and location we have promised not to disclose. It was a church parking lot and on our arrival John greeted us and told us we would be there for a local food distribution the following day.
First thing we did the next day was drive out to Shiprock to see it up close for ourselves. We were back in time to help unload the truck and set up the distribution which started promptly at 2. By 3 Pm over 100 families had received staples and fresh product to help them eat for the coming week and there was not a morsel left on the driveway. We were tired, but glad to have been able to pitch in, we also made a gift to the church.
To any member of Boondockers Welcome heading into the 4 Corners area consider a stop in Shiprock and say “Hi” to John for us.
From Shiprock we headed down to I 40 and a turn East to find our way to American RV in Albuquerque. Once we set up we relaxed for a bit until it was time to go to the airport to pick up Erica.
After a night’s rest we took a long drive heading for Santa Fe via the Turquoise Highway. Our first stop was at Tinkertown Museum where we spent almost 2 hours admiring the work and the effort to create this museum.
We continued up the Sandia Crest Highway to the peak where we paused to look out over the plains and the “sky islands”.
Erica
From there we descended back to the trail and made our way to Madrid where where are galleries, restaurants and entertainment. We had lunch in the Mine Shaft Tavern before touring several of the galleries and shops. We proceeded up to Santa Fe where the traffic was dense and Erica expressed little interest in fighting the crowds and the wind so we returned to the coach for a light supper and continued talking.
The next day we set out for Basque del Apache National Wildlife Reserve. The visitor center was closed and traffic was minimal since the main attraction, the migratory Sand Hill Cranes and Snow Geese had already passed through on their way north. We did see many water fowl and a coyote and a Road Runner as well as many unidentified birds. We stopped in Socorro at the Owl Bar and Grill which has been in business at the same location for many years. The Green Chili Bowl with extra meat was delicious and brought tears to my eyes – as well as getting my nose running. Back to the coach and then out the next day to Petroglyph National Monument and some scrambling among the boulders – staying on the trail – to see many petroglyphs, actually just a few of 23,000 recorded.
Sunday night we had taken a Ghost Walk Tour with tour leader Charlie. It was a pleasant evening and his story telling as we stopped at various sites in old Town, even the name of Old Town, was wonderful. we really enjoyed the tour and Charlie made a point of mentioning Carol as he discussed various small women in his stories.
After the Petroglyph tour and a break we drove back to Old Town for ice cream or lunch or ice cream or. . . as we searched for an open restaurant we came across Charlie resting after having done two Historical Old Town Tours. As we chatted he suggested we ought to take the tour, we initially demurred since Erica would be leaving the next day. He offered to give us a private tour on the spot. We agreed! Although we did not cover a lot of geographic territory we got a thorough tour of the history of Old Town and how it came to be. By the time we finished it was time for ice cream! We decided “life is uncertain, eat dessert first”. Steve’s was serving mostly Blue Belle ice cream from Texas. It is wonderful even if not locally made.
Back at the coach we eventually had some snacks and turned in knowing that Erica would be leaving the next day.
After taking her to the airport, we returned to the coach to clean up and put things in travel mode to head for our next stop, Las Cruces NM where I am now finishing this post.
We decided to take CA 395 from LA to Lake Tahoe. It was a neat idea, if slightly out of the way for heading to Albuquerque. It was not to be. As soon as I started looking for a week end place, Mothers Day no less, in Lake Tahoe it became clear I needed to have booked way back before I knew we would head this way. As we set about driving north on 395 it seemed clear that a stop in Lone Pine was a necessity and we got a spot in Boulder Creek RV Park just south of town.
I know this is almost illegible, it its the best I can do. It explains the history of Movie Drive
I’m not sure I can adequately describe Lone Pine. It lies in a plain between two mountain ranges on the edge of what was once a very large lake which has gone to feed ever thirsty Los Angeles County. In the 1930s some movie producers found Lone Pine and decided it was a wonderful location for almost anything they could imagine. In addition to many major productions, Gunga Din, the original Lone Ranger movie, it became the location for every western cowboy B movie made in the 40’s through the 60’s later it also became the location for Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Hop-along (choose your own spelling) Cassidy Tom Mix, Lone Ranger, and I had better stop there. TV Westerns were also shot there.
We explored the height of the mountain and came down to Movie Drive where we proceeded to the trailhead for Mobius Arch
where Carol and I took the short but strenuous hike to see the Arch.
We stopped by the rock call Shark and saw this speck up near the top
We stopped in town to have lunch at The Bakery Cafe which is in the throws of reopening and adding staff so they can open 7 days a week. Service was a bit chaotic, but the food was fine and the staff were trying real hard between training new staff and getting meals out.
We hated to leave, but we had a sort of a plan and we stayed for the time we had booked. The short term plan was to crossover into Nevada to fuel the coach in Tonopah and stay nearby on some BLM land. {Life has taken us into strange places, in this instance we have referred to BLM Land since we started RVing 20 years ago, It is Bureau of Land Management Dept. of the Interior) We missed the turn. Eventually we found Pit 12 at the intersection of US 95 and NV 266 next to the Lida airstrip. It was quiet and unpopulated other than by a wandering herd of cattle. The next day brought us to Boulder City NV. More on that in another post.
Nothing like being held up by the seemingly small stuff. After two days at Redlands Truck & RV 90% of the work we had planned is complete. Tomorrow I expect they will complete the setup of the Jeep for towing. In the mean time they have kindly lent us a car so we are not stranded in the campground. Our ongoing plans have been stymied by a small leaky valve that admits water to the toilet. The current backorder for the part is 11 months. . . Our only option is to replace the entire toilet which he had rebuilt last Summer. It is expected to arrive on Monday. We will not be driving up to Sacramento to see the Braunsteins and then driving right back down to get the toilet installed. We will modify our route for departure from here next Tuesday. We now have plans to meet the Braunsteins in New York State in August. Such is the life of inveterate travelers.
There is not much else to tell. The normal 4 hour service is greatly extended since the Coach is now 10 years old and Freightliner and Cummins have extensive work required at this age. This is to ensure GeeWhiz will continue to carry us about the country so long as we are able direct it.
We have no reasonable Plan B yet. Witnessing the declining health of several of our friends and close companions has Carol and me talking about alternatives more than usual. Of course this always includes a review of new and improved motorhomes we might consider now that we have “Super Jeep” to go with us on our ventures. Adaptive Cruise and Lane Departure features sure look good now that we have them in the Jeep.
I never got around to writing about the preparations for our summer travels. Part of the reason was I was so busy with my volunteer efforts at Jojoba Hills SKP Resort that by the time I had a moment that was not either working or socializing I really didn’t feel like writing. Another piece is that I have not really done any planning.
I may have explained in an earlier post that it feels like I grabbed a handful of pebbles and threw them at the map. Most of them landed west of the Mississippi, but that still is a large territory and we do plan to get to Rochester eventually. We are in the lovely Redlands Truck & RV Service Center campground. Fine gravel a concrete patio and full hookups. The camping is free, the cost of the work, not so much. We will leave here with refreshed oil and other fluids, new tires and with a new towing set up for the Jeep. I think my first Corvette cost less than this. With the preventive maintenance we had done on all the appliances two weeks ago we should have relatively trouble free travels. Pull that quote when I start writing about the Perils of Paul. Actually 4 days after the aforementioned PM the back furnace ceased to function. Upon inspection the tech and I learned that the blower fan had disintegrated. This is not something you replace in preventive maintenance.
We will know where we are going when we know when we will get out of here. We plan to visit friends in Sacramento, a 7 hour drive, but they are no longer available after Thursday. If we can roll Wednesday morning it will work. Watch for the update.
As the years have passed health has become the moderator of travel and relationships. Our health and that of those around us. When I post list of those in need of the comfort of thought it gets longer and longer. We are doing well. I know people worry about Carol, she would rather you didn’t. When we pulled into the campground she had been driving the new Jeep as chase car since it isn’t setup for towing yet, She bounded out laughing and happy to be back on the road again. We are out to dinner in Redlands tonight. And looking forward to breakfast at Carolyns Cafe while the coach goes into service.
Fine Thai dinner at Benjarong Thai Cuisine. If you in the vicinity and hungering for Thai cooking this is the place.
