Still in Texas

But the scenery is changing.

After posting last evening, I realized that Las Cruces was just to far to try and make in one day.  We got back on the road around 8 AM and put in another 400+ miles.  Not much to see along the way but cactus and sagebrush.  It did appear that anyone looking for a job could find one in Midland or Odessa.  The oil business seems to be very alive and well there. 

Landed in Van Horn, TX around 4 PM.  Cold and windy.  Low forecast for tonight of 29 degrees.  We found a nice rv park that had just reopened and have all the amenities.  I can’t say that there is much to see in Van Horn, but we did have a great meal at a local Mexican café.  It was actually recommended by friends from home that travel this way a few times a year. 

We plan to make it to Kartchner Caverns state park near Benson tomorrow for three nights.  Using it for a base to visit around SE Arizona.  Looking forward to being able to stay in one place for a few days.

The pictures are of the desert mountains behind the campground. Almost missed the sun setting on them.

On to Arizona, tomorrow….jc

Yep, we’re in Texas

Not a lot to write about today.  Just lots of driving and riding.  460 miles.  Drove through a severe weather system just West of Fort Worth.  Plenty of lightening and wind, but we made it through with no problems.

We have stopped for the night in a small Passport America park near Gordon, TX.  Middle of nowhere place but it is really nice for the price.  Neat clubhouse and Wi-Fi, along with satellite TV at our site.  So far, we are the only ones here.

I love to stumble upon folks that think like I do.  As the park is too far from town for cable or over the air signals, the owner provides satellite tv for those who want it.   With the wind blowing about 40 miles an hour, making it difficult to sit outside, I subscribed for the night.  $3.00 got me a remote control for the inside of the trailer, and my own receiver mounted on a pole outside the trailer.

I connected the cable to the Casita, turned on our tv, and powered up the receiver.  Just point the remote at the receiver through the window of your trailer to change channels.  Nothing to it, though It’s hard to train the mind to point the remote out the window rather than toward the tv.    They have four of these setups in their little park.  Pretty ingenious, I thought.

Hope to make Las Cruces, NM tomorrow……jc

Short Drive Today & King Cake

 

The first King Cake of the year appeared at our house last week.

The first slice had already been taken before I thought to take a picture.  Let’s just say that a couple of pictures are worth a thousand words.  Raspberry/Chocolate Chip!!!

 

We had a short trip today as our grand daughter was playing her first official NCAA softball game.   I had never seen the umpires check for illegal bats, before.  Nope, none were found.

It was a good game.  They played a team from Illinois making a swing through the South, as the weather isn’t too accommodating for softball up there this time of year.

  Home run celebration.

The scoreboard tells the tale. Always great to win your first game of the season, especially at home.

A very inspiring and emotional thing was the opposing teams right fielder.  She was missing the lower part of her left arm, but there is no way one could call this young lady handicapped. 

                                  

She fielded the ball and returned with the best of them, and knocked the ball a mile.  You can see the determination in her face. 

I predict she’ll do well in life.

Tonight finds us in Ameristar Casino RV park in Vicksburg.  Tomorrow we start the real journey West.  Three long days of driving ahead of us…..jc

A Destination has Emerged!!

 

We have finally gotten all the aggravations taken care of.  Insurance details worked out for another year,  and the crud is on the run.  The sun has been shining for the last six days so life is GOOD.

I’ve spent the last three days replacing the roof on our youngest daughter’s home.  They had sustained some damage from hurricane Isaac back in August, and we replaced the shingle roof with one of metal. They shouldn’t have to deal with that again any time soon.

With those details behind us, it seems time for another road trip.  Quartzite appears a nice place this time of year.  A group of fiberglass trailer folks are already beginning to gather near the area pictured above.  The boss said she is willing to go.

So, we plan to spend the next few days making preparations to head West.  We haven’t traveled in Southern Arizona before, and we are looking forward to it.  Lots to see and do.  The only negative is the three days it will take to get across Texas…..jc

Rainy Days and Mondays

always get me down…

Below are the graphic weather forecasts for our area over the next four days.  They look exactly like the ones from the past week.  Lots of rain and humidity keeping us indoors spinning our wheels.

     

   

I have spent the past week recovering from a tough sinus infection, but feeling much better now.  Seems I was able to pass it on to Wanda, though.  She’s having a tougher time with it than I did. 

With the weather being like it is, we have spent lots of time reading, loafing, and just being lazy.  I finished another Jack Reacher novel and Wanda has tackled a 2000 piece jigsaw puzzle. She will probably have it finished before the weekend.

Watching the weather in the Southwest a little closer, also.  Still kicking around Quartzite, but not fond of traveling that distance just to be trapped indoors while a cold wind blows.   I’m also getting reports of really warm weather in Florida with lots of paddling opportunities.  Decisions, decisions.  Hopefully, the forecast for the Southwest will improve over the next week or so and make our decisions easier to make.

Bottom line is that there’s not much happening around the old home place.  Just bidding time……jc

Home, Again.

 

We awoke Thursday morning to a light rain pattering on the roof.  The first daytime rain in our eight days there.  As we were only traveling about sixty miles to my niece’s home in Crestview, we waited it out, and it had stopped by ten or so.  We headed East on Hwy 98 until the first sign pointing us Northward to I-10.  I did see a sign that said toll road, but as we had been paying a dollar to cross the bay all week, I didn’t give it much thought.  After crossing a part of the bay on a beautiful bridge, there was the sign for a toll booth ahead.  Talk about sticker shock.  $3.75 for the truck, and $3.75 for each additional axle.  $7.50 to get up to I-10.  The most aggravating thing is that I could have traveled a few more miles on 98E and had a free road.  I was thankful that we didn’t have a dual axle trailer.

My brother had asked if we could stop by his daughters for a day or so and help him do some light repair work on their home.  We arrived there around lunch and after a burger, we got to it.  We replaced a double gate into their back yard, along with some trim around their fireplace and back porch.  Also hung a new door and some other small things.  Thursday and Friday evenings, they took us out to dinner at some of their favorite restaurants.  I could get used to that kind of payment really quick. 

Thank goodness we got most everything done by Friday evening.  Sometime in the wee hours of Saturday morning, I started coughing and aching.  We both have taken our flu shots so I don’t think it’s the flu, but it could run it a close second.  By the time we got home yesterday afternoon, I was having chills and running fever.  Tanked up on liquids and started an antibiotic which we had on hand. A bad night, but better today.  Hope it runs it course in just a couple more days.

Overall, a great week with lots of good people.  The weather could have been better, but we made the best of it.  A couple of movies, museums, and eating out on the coldest days. 

Already thinking about out next journey, but as we both went on Medicare in November, ATT has all my benefits screwed up and we aren’t sure what, if any, secondary insurance we have at present.  We haven’t received any cards for our health or pharmacy plans, which ATT farms out to Blue Cross and CVS.  And, of course a call to the benefits administration offices leads only to more frustration.  Hopefully, we will get all that worked out within the next week…….jc

 

Still in Ft. Pickens

The last three days here at Ft. Pickens have been wonderful.  Though the weather forecast has been for rain since Monday, it has yet to show up.  A couple of light showers overnight on Tuesday is all we’ve had.  Warm temps and light winds during the day.  I decided to hike around the east end of the island this morning.  Headed due North from the campground to the bay side of the island.  The town of Pensacola and Pensacola Naval Air Station across the way.

Destination is way down yonder.

The first thing I came across on the beach was a headless bird of some kind.  Only a skinless neck on the body.  What’s up with that?

A leisurely walk down to Ft. Pickens.  A few shore birds and pelicans were the only wildlife around.

 

Can you see the duck?

Looking back.  My foot prints.

                                     

The old seawall along the West end of the island makes a great hiking path.

 

A lone palm tree on the edge of the gulf.

Caught the trail back to the campground.  Overall, about a four mile hike, if the park service signs are correct.

Caught this guy resting along the way.

I noticed this rig coming into the CG this afternoon.

Another pink motorhome.  Thought it was Janna and Mike.