Two weeks

We have been on the road for two weeks. We are really far from home!

A difference of 50º

Today ended up being a long travel day. Google says the route we took is approximately 480 miles.

We started off visiting the Carlsbad Caverns. We heard from a number of people that this was a must-see if our route could accommodate it. They were right, it is an amazing place.

The temperature inside the cavern is only 56º, we could have used sleeves but we were comfortable enough.

We were also told that kids under the age of 16 must be kept within and arm's reach at all times. We forgot that rule and let the girls run ahead. We were also asked to keep our voices low because sound really carries in there. But I couldn't get too mad at Tessa for semi-quietly singing like she did in the Morman Tabernacle in Temple Square. She has a lovely voice.

Then we entered Texas.

Tonight was a "free night", no reservations for camping, we would figure it out on the way. We wanted to be open to possibility. Maybe we find a cute town that we want to stop in and enjoy. Or maybe it is super windy and 106º and West Texas doesn't have a lot of cute. It does have a lot of oil wells and oil trucks and flat endless nothingness.

How about instead we go as far as we can towards San Antonio?

We did stop in Fort Stockton where we took our picture with Paisano Pete and on the way out of town we saw the Metal Cutout U.S. Cavalry, however things are more promising further east.

Then we stopped for gas and dinner. Yelp showed two promising restaurants in the town of Ozona, however it was Sunday night and both were closed. Jessie went inside the gas station to ask for local advice.

I was out pumping gas, and I needed a lot of fuel so it took a while. This gave the guy on the other side of the pump the opportunity to spark up conversation. Learning I was from Seattle opened the door he needed to discuss the dangers of radiation from the Fukushima plant disaster and that actually radiation is building up around the US so there must be problems at all of our aging nuclear facilities. I realized he had a twinkle in his eye as he spoke. This is a well-practiced conversation for him. I started to suspect he was on a mission. Oh, and good news, he said I may see him more along the road because he is taking the southern route to upstate New York.

This whackadoo is probably a hoot. Thankfully his van does display his web address, so I can reach out if I'm so inclined.

Dinner ended up being a disaster. The server was enjoyable and the place had a funky vibe. But 30+ minutes after we ordered we were still waiting for food while people who arrived after us were well into their meals. The problem is we still had nearly 150 miles left to drive and it was getting close to 8:30pm. We asked for the food to go instead and ate in the RV as we drove. Sadly it was not good.

Then the sun went down and we continued into the night. Goodnight Texas.

Good morning Carlsbad

I stated up late last night playing with the camera. The stars were good, but I had never tried a starry timelapse. Here was my first test.

I woke up a little early this morning after having let the camera run all night.

I stepped out into a new feeling for this trip: humidity.

Going to be 106° this afternoon.

Humidity is 83% right now.  you can feel it. You can see it too. Here's the picnic table I'm sitting at with its aqua sheen.

And I need to clean my laptop screen.

Historical trip across New Mexico

Burritos, Desert Jeeping, Lava, Murder and Escape, Aliens, even Bunnies!

The romance of the road.

A friend who lives in ABQ suggested "You're gonna have to get you some authentic New Mexican breakfast burritos in the morning." So we did exactly that. 

Blake's breakfast burritos with hash browns and eggs and meat and cheese and hot sauce and chilis and awesome.

After four-bying through our highly successful detective Jeeping adventure we continued south and traveled along parts of the Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway. But first we had some desert to cross.

Our path took us past the north edge of the White Sands Missile Range.

As we crossed the hot desert I started thinking of what a friend wrote to me on Facebook about New Mexico, "My least favorite US State so far." Hmmm. I might see why.

We stopped at the Valley of Fires Recreation Area to see the Carrizozo Malpais, an ancient lava flow. This was the first exposure to stepping out of the RV into hot. The air was hot but the asphalt was hotter. The puppies cried are were carried back to the motorhome by two young girls more than happy to get out of the heat as well.

Jessie and I couldn't help comparing this Carrizozo Malpais to Craters of the Moon in Idaho. Craters is radder.

As we started getting back into some hilly country, we learned of the area where the real Smokey the Bear was found in 1950.

When we got to the Billy the Kid Byway, Jessie was pretty excited. She loves the Jessie James/Wyatt Earp/Wild Bill Hickok/Butch Cassidy stuff.

In the teensy town of Lincoln we stopped to learn about some of Billy the Kid's last days. It was interesting. We got to walk the very stairwell on which the awaiting-execution Billy murdered a guard and escaped.

We left the hills to drop about 1500ft elevation back to the desert and find Roswell. We checked the temp and saw our first triple digits of the trip. Why did the aliens choose this place?

Finally, Bunnies.

We are staying tonight at the KOA in Carlsbad. Apparently the fact that there are rabbits running around is a thing. While walking around Riley saw the bunnies and got excited. She wanted to chase them. That is all.

Holy Hot Batman!!!

Okay so I know that it is raining at home and it may appear that I am complaining.  However, at this point in our travels I would do anything for rain. 

We started this morning in Albuquerque where it was 85 degrees at 9:30 am. We ended the day in Carlsbad where is was 107 at 7:45 when we rolled into the KOA.  It is currently 10:10 as I write this.  It is 85 outside and 82 inside our RV ( with the AC going full blast ). Lord help us as we continue south.  

I must add that in the heat of the day we found Lincoln, NM. Home of some pretty crazy old west gun fights. It is the place where Billy the Kid was but in jail only to shoot the two deputies and escape.   

This is the bullet hole created by Billy the Kid when he killed the first deputy.