Floyd on the trail

Terry coming off the suspension bridge

Silver City, NM: This morning we picked Floyd and Terry up and drove up to a place called “The Cat Walk”—about an hour’s drive from Silver City. This is a neat hike through a canyon formed by the San Francisco creek. The trail followed the original pipeline built in the late 1800s which provided power for the copper smelter and drinking water for the town. After our hike we had dinner at the Red Barn in Silver City and then Floyd and Terry came over for jokers and spades. Think I will sleep good tonight. 88 today and partly cloudy.

Will Greenshield and Cisco

Truth or Consequences, NM, to Silver City, NM: We had a short drive today so not in any hurry to get going. A guy from the motor home two sites over from us was out walking his dog and stopped to chat. He’s a decorated Vietnam vet—Green Beret Black Ops. Was awarded 6 purple hearts before he received a head injury from a RPG which put him out of commission for a while. He’s also a full-blooded Lakota Sioux and his wife is Blackfoot and Seminole. He’s an artist and in fact won a scholarship to attend art school. We meet the most interesting people in our travels. Would love to see some of his art work. His name is Will Greenshield. Left on our way to Silver City at a little after 11:00. Took Rt. 25 south—again following the Rio Grande. Left Rt. 25 at Hatch and headed west on Rt. 26. After leaving the Rio Grande, it really got more and more dry. We are really in the desert southwest now. Arrived in Silver City about 2:00 and got set up. This RV park is a really nice one. Large sites with lots of privacy. Wonderful smelling cedar trees all over. We got together with Floyd and Terry who we know from our winters in the Keys. They’re staying here also. After spending some time at their place, we switched to our place and played jokers for a while and then Spades. Fun time. Tomorrow we’re going to explore a little. Silver City sits at about 6,000 feet. 86 today. Nights down into the 50s. Great!.

Clumps of these pretty flowers were all along the road

blossoms were about 3-4" wide

Mike with Elephant Butte Lake in the background

Geronimo Springs Museum

Tue, 6/2/09:

Truth or Consequences, NM: After sitting outside enjoying a beautiful morning, we decided to go explore a little. We drove over to Elephant Butte Lake and checked out the state park there also. The lake was formed when the Rio Grande was dammed in 1912. It provides some great recreation opportunities for people in the area. Then we drove through a pretty rural area over to Engle where the road dead ends. We drove across desert sage “flats” with mountains all around in the distance. We saw a couple of road runners. This road also follows the old El Camino Real and from the air you can actually see the old road. They had “camps” about every 10 miles along this road. One of them was Jornada del Muerto—journey of the dead. Doesn’t sound good. At the end of the road was the little town of Engle—which was comprised of only about 7 buildings. If you kept going over the mountains, you’d run into the White Sands Missile Range—which of course if off limits. We found out later that Jane Fonda and Ted Turner own all the land surrounding Engle. They raise bison. We only saw a few. Of course they’re divorced now so I guess Ted owns the land. After driving back to town and having lunch we checked out the Geronimo Springs Museum. The town used to be known for its hot springs and, in fact, was called Hot Springs, NM. Then they changed the name to Truth or Consequences after the radio and television show of the same name. Ralph Edwards is a big name in this town. After stopping at Wal Mart for a few groceries, we went back to the campground and sat outside reading and enjoying this beautiful afternoon. Sandwiches for dinner. Still stuffed from lunch. Tomorrow we leave for Silver City, NM.

View of the mountains from our campsite

Truth or Consequences, NM

Diner on Rt. 66 in Albuquerque

Santa Rosa, NM to Truth or Consequences, NM: This morning dawned clear and sunny. Not a cloud in the sky. We got set up, bid adieu to Roger and Josephine, and were on the way by 9:15. I started driving and thought we’d change shortly after Albuquerque, but we didn’t find a place to stop until about 12:30. Going through Albuquerque wasn’t bad at all. I really like the city. Route 66 goes right through the city and there are a plethora of historic motor courts, restaurants, and diners in well preserved condition. We dropped south on Route 25 out of Albuquerque which follows the Rio Grande and the route of the old Camino Real which was built by the Spanish and went from Mexico City, Mexico, to Santa Fe, NM (1598 to 1882). Translated, it means “the royal road”. The Rio Grande river meanders between two mountain ranges in a high desert area. Very pretty. After stopping at a Phillips 66 travel center and fueling and eating, we continued on our way with Mike driving. They even have a campground at this travel center. It’s not too bad for just an overnight. I was starving by the time we stopped. I had steak and eggs and Mike had a roast beef/pepper sandwich. And, the “check engine” light didn’t come on at all today. Life is good. There’s a really pretty lake just outside of town and an interesting looking Indian museum we’re going to check out tomorrow. 85 today. Oh, and we saw a coyote crossing Rt. 25.

Roger and Josephine

full-timers since 2005

She makes amazing jewelry among other things and he does wonders with gem stones and makes these amazing bowls out of larriots

The Blue Hole

Cactus in bloom

Santa Rosa, NM: Another beautiful day. Sat outside reading for a while and then we decided to go into Santa Rosa proper and check out the Blue Hole and the part of Rt. 66 that was pre-1937. This part of Rt. 66 is a gravel road in a rugged area and the “billboards” were cement slabs that were attached to boulders. They have graffiti on them now but wow—pretty historic! The Blue Hole is a natural spring that is 81 feet deep and they allow scuba diving and swimming. The temperature is 61 degrees year round. Way too cold. We asked our neighbors, Roger and Josephine Ewing, if they wanted to join us. Their truck is in a service shop in Santa Rosa for repairs, so they’re stuck without wheels. So they came along and we also stopped for lunch at one of the restaurants on Rt. 66. Sat around talking with them for a while and then had left-overs for dinner. Leaving tomorrow morning for Truth or Consequences, NM.

Cadillac Ranch on old Rt. 66

Just west of Amarillo, TX

Old Rt. 66

Just west of Amarillo, TX

Our shredded tire

Elk City, OK, to Santa Rosa, NM: Today was a challenging day to say the least. Left the pretty little KOA in Elk City, OK, at 9:10 a.m. and I started driving again. I drove until noon and we stopped at a Flying J truck stop for fuel and something to eat. The truck shifting points are still off, but it’s manageable. Seems to work better without the cruise control on. After eating Mike started driving. Drove across the Texas panhandle on Route 40 and it’s now getting more arid and mostly flat ranchland. Just before the Texas/New Mexico line a car passed us tooting his horn and indicating something amiss with our rear tire. So, we pulled onto the shoulder of Rt. 40 and, sure enough, the rear passenger side tire on the fifth wheel was shredded. This was a very dangerous situation since there was a lot of traffic—especially semis. Called RV road help and they found someone about 20 miles away in New Mexico who sent a truck. I didn’t feel safe sitting in the truck, so I got out and walked through the scrub onto a sort of farm road to wait. Mike did also. The truck thermometer was reading 102, but I don’t think it was that hot. Besides, the humidity was very low with a brisk breeze. The service truck finally showed up and changed the tire. We followed him back to the service center and Mike had them put all new, much stronger tires on. Cost a lot, but it will be worth it (we hope). So after about a two-hour delay, off we go again west on Route 40. And then the “check engine” light came on in the truck. Checked the owner’s manual and all they talked about was an emission problem. Didn’t sound too serious and the gauges were all okay so we kept going. We reached Santa Rosa about 6:30 and got set up. We gained an hour because we’re now on Mountain Time. Anyway, it was an interesting drive, paralleling the old Rt. 66 most of the way. We are so snake-bit so far on this trip. No, wait—that will be next. Jeeze.

This beautiful, old cemetery was just across the street from the GMC dealer.

The brick wall was very unusual.

Joplin, MO, to Elk City, OK: Left this morning at 8:30 with me behind the wheel. An absolutely beautiful day—warm and sunny. I drove for a little over 2-1/2 hours and then we stopped at a service area on the toll road and had lunch at a MacDonald’s. It was the nicest MacDonald’s I’ve ever seen. It even had a fireplace! I got my big mac fix. Mike then took over driving after fueling up and after about a half hour we started having problems with the truck. On cruise control it would shift down going up a hill but wouldn’t shift back up. Stopped at a GMC dealer just outside Oklahoma City and they looked at it. Said they couldn’t find anything. So, back on the highway heading southwest again. Still doing it, but not as much when cruise isn’t on. So, I guess we’ll have to see someone when we get to Tucson. There’s a lot of the old Rt. 66 along Rt. 40 in Oklahoma. We followed it for quite a while. Saw an old filling station, an old drive-in theater, and some old bridges on this historic route. In fact, the KOA we’re spending the night at is right on the old Rt. 66. If I get some energy I may take the bikes off the back of the camper and bike it for a while. It’s 89 degrees right now though. Like last night, we’re not going to unhook—just put the slides out and hook up the water, electric and sewer. We’ll leave early again tomorrow morning. Should be in New Mexico tomorrow night.