Monday, October 4, 2010
Boondocking near Ashurst Lake, Coconino Natl Forest, Flagstaff - May 15-20
So here we are on our first "real" boondocking adventure. We found a place along the road to Ashurst Lake CG that is open to dispersed camping with lots of flat sunny areas for parking that is available for free camping. There are no hookups, so you come with your wastewater tanks empty and your freshwater full. We are currently parked in a lovely high mountain meadow, surrounded by (but not shaded by!) tall pines. The road is in sight, but we are not right on it -- and it is a side road, so it doesn't get much traffic. Currently, no others are parked nearby, but we imagine that will change as the weekend draws near.While wandering "our" meadows, we saw a Gray Flycatcher and Grace's Warbler. Our batteries are charging nicely, and we have all the comforts of home while enjoying the natural beauty of this place. The cats think it's superb and can't understand why they can't join the other creatures outside.
The darkness is impressive! The stars are awesome, as is the conjunction of the 5 visible planets that we have been watching since Tucson. After we turned out the lights to go to sleep last night, it was impossible to see anything. Willie couldn't even tell if her eyes were open or closed! The cats seemed to not even notice the darkness. It was lovely, and we got a wonderful night's sleep, waking up to nothing but natural sounds.
The Natl Forest officially closed at 8 am on 5/21, due to fire danger, so we left the day before. We didn't want to find out if they'd really make us leave at 8 am!! We continued to enjoy our time in the forest. Several other RVs, and even one tent, were within sight over the weekend, but it certainly wasn't crowded.
It took promise of a wonderful Indian buffet & an interesting birding trip to lure us away from the forest. At the birding trip, again at the Flagstaff Arboretum, we saw our first Cordilleran Flycatcher. After the birding trip, we visited the Lowell Observatory. The tour mainly centered on the historical aspects of the observatory. Lowell Observatory was founded in 1894 by Boston mathematician Percival Lowell, and the original observatories and his study area are part of the tour. The construction of the wooden observatories is fascinating, originally done by local bicycle makers with, of course, no electricity. The clever counterweight system for moving the 6-ton telescope was demonstrated by our petite tour guide. The first evidence of the expansion of the Universe and the discovery of the planet Pluto are claims to fame. In the historic Rotunda building are many of the tools used by early astronomers, along with copies of the photos showing how they first spotted "planet X" (the original name for Pluto).
Fort Tuthill County Park, Flagstaff, AZ - May 8-14
This is a nice wooded county park 3 miles south of Flagstaff that has water & sewer hookups but no electricity. We decided it was the perfect place to test our new solar setup. However, you may have noted the word "wooded" in the above description! With much inspection we were finally able to select a site that had about half a day of good sun. 
Even with that, we were able to use our solar power for several hours of TV/VCR, computing, lights, etc with no problems. This was also a convenient location for seeing many of the attractions around Flagstaff. We had been here before in 10/99 but were chased out by a snowstorm before we had done our sightseeing. This time was unusually warm, so that was not a problem.
We went to Wupatki and Sunset Crater NM, hiking out to all the ruins and up to the top of a the Lenox cinder cone. While there we saw our first Wilson's Warbler. We also went to Walnut Canyon NM, where we saw MacGillivray's Warbler. Both Wupatki & Walnut Canyon were once home to the Sinagua (Spanish for "without water"), named for their ability to turn a dry region into a homeland. 
The two areas are quite different in appearance, and both are lovely. Another Sinagua area that we visited briefly was Elden Pueblo, north of Flagstaff, which is currently open to the public for archaeology activities, although none were occurring when we visited. 
We later visited the Museum of Northern Arizona, which has exhibits on the people & history of the Colorado Plateau. We went on a birding walk at the Flagstaff Arboretum, where we saw Western Bluebird, Brewer's Blackbird, Red Crossbill, Brewer's Sparrow and Black-headed Grosbeak.D&R's Family RV, Glendale, AZ - May 6-7
This was a stop at a repair shop in a western suburb of Phoenix in order to get our solar system fully operational. We added a 2000-watt inverter & remote. We parked under a shade canopy on their service lot while the work was being done. Ron, the operator, was quite capable, friendly & knowledgeable, and we were quickly on our way with a multitude of facts running through our heads.
Desert Gardens RV Park, Florence, AZ - May 1-5
This park should be noted by all RVers who might be in this area. It has very large sites and is located on 142 acres of Sonoran desert, with hiking trails through the majestic Saguaros. It is very friendly & inexpensive. There are many interesting attractions nearby. The only drawback was the number of security lights.
As soon as we got here, we started worrying about Gracie. We made an appt with the local vet and in the meantime tried feeding her a can of "people" tuna (she had previously showed no interest in the various flavors of cat food). She loved the tuna, so we continued to feed it to her the rest of the day, worrying all along that she would never "settle" for plain dry cat food again. To our surprise, the next day she ate a lot more of her cat food. Since we continue to suspect that the main problem has to do with hairballs & stress, we also feed her hairball "goop" whenever she is interested. So by the time of our vet appt, she seemed much better. He checked her over thoroughly and spent a lot of time looking at the results of her previous blood work. Again, he couldn't diagnose anything, but he made several suggestions to keep her eating. He also suggested courses of action in case she stopped eating again. So far, that has not been a problem, and we are happy to report that Gracie now seems pretty much back to "normal". Her weight is down, so she gets to eat whenever she wants to, and that pleases her. Otherwise, her personality seems as adorable as always, and we hope her distress was just a temporary thing.
While we were here we walked a self-guided tour of historic downtown Florence, the 4th oldest town in AZ; visited Casa Grande Ruins NM, which preserves the remains of an ancient Hohokam farming village as well as the Great House (Casa Grande); and went to Boyce Thompson Arboretum SP. The last was the highlight as, in addition to the lovely natural areas, they also had a display of 67 African sculptures from Chapungu Sculpture Park of Zimbabwe along nearly two miles of paths throughout the park. The pieces were up to 10 ft tall & weighed as much as 6000 pounds. How they even got them here is a miracle. While there, we were treated to the sight of several new birds: Bullock's Oriole, Abert's Towhee, Hermit Warbler & Townsend's Warbler.Madison driveway, Tucson, AZ - Apr 24-30
There are pros & cons to parking in the driveway here rather than at Catalina State Park, which is about 10 miles north. In general we get a much nicer family visit when parking here. We can participate in early morning walks, various meals and spur-of-the-moment activities while also having "our own place" to retreat to when we need some "down time". We spent 4 afternoons at the golf course with Gayle & Gertie (Doug's dad and his girlfriend). Gayle & Doug actually played golf, while Gertie & Willie went along for the ride, enjoying the lovely scenery. We also were able to do some shopping for outdoor equipment (hydration packs & sun hats) that we had been needing to do. Now we are all set for hiking in the deserts & mountains.
Unfortunately, also while here our cat Gracie stopped eating almost entirely, and what she did eat she mostly threw up, so we made an appt with a local vet and they checked her over & did blood work. Nothing showed up, so the only action taken was to give her a steroid shot to perk up her appetite. They also gave us various suggestions as to special treats that might entice her to start eating.SKP Saguaro Co-op, Benson, AZ - Apr 10-23
Now we are back at this lovely co-op, where we have our name on the list to become future leaseholders. Since originally putting our name on the hotlist (11/2000), we have risen from #212 to #128, so in a year or two we will be able to decide if we want to have our own little parking space here. It is a beautiful area, and we are starting to make some friends here. We belong to a group (within SKPs) called Boomers, which are mainly baby boomer aged people, and there are lots of them at this park, so we have gone on several outings with them. We went to the San Pedro Riparian Area to see hummingbirds being banded. The woman doing the banding wrote the Peterson Guide to Hummingbirds, so she was able to tell us fascinating facts about the tiny birds, while attaching absolutely minute bands to their legs. The only type here at this time are the Black-chinned. They banded one female which had an egg ready to be laid.
We have been up to Tucson twice to visit Doug's dad, Gayle, and his girlfriend, Gertie. Gayle recently had aortal surgery and is still a bit slowed down from it, but we were able to have two nice visits with them. The second trip we 4 went to the golf course. Only Doug & Gayle played golf. Willie & Gertie enjoyed the lovely cool day and the beautiful scenery -- and driving the golf carts! We will spend another week up in Tucson with them before heading further north.
We attended the local SKP Chapter annual picnic at Roper Lake SP, about 50 miles NE of here, and enjoyed a nice lunch with many SKP friends. We also spent a day with the Boomers in Bisbee, an old mining town. In 1900, Bisbee was the largest cosmopolitan center between St Louis & San Francisco. By the early 1970s, most of the mines had closed. Now it is home to many artists, with over 27 galleries & studios. The town is built on many hills by the side of the Lavender Pit of the Silver Queen Mine. We took the walking tour of the historic buildings, with our own detours up & down the stairways that go between the various levels of the town.
We have also used this stay to get caught up on some chores, which (alas!) have to be done even when living in an RV. Since they have an excellent (& cheap!) laundry (and wonderful solar drying!), we have taken the opportunity to change out our winter linens for summer ones and also do some basic "spring cleaning". We also had the truck in for new front brakes. Still planned are refrigerator repair work and carpet cleaning. So it has been a busy time.The cats are enjoying our long stay here. Somehow, I think they know when they are among friendly SKPs, too. They also enjoy the warm days and cool nights of the high desert country.
Dreamcatcher RV Park, Deming, NM - April 3-9
This is an SKP park and as such is very friendly with nice people & a few activities. That is the only reason to stay here, since it is located near I-10 and also near train tracks.
Deming is centrally located for lots of interesting sightseeing. We first drove north to Silver City and took what is called the Inner Loop Scenic Byway through the Gila National Forest. We passed through the lovely little town of Pinos Altos, which looks like a great place to spend some time in the future. It's located at about 6000 feet and has a lovely RV park which straddles the Continental Divide. Further along, we had lunch at an overlook where we saw smoke from a forest fire that had already consumed 14,000 acres of timber, and chatted with a couple about fulltime RVing. 
We then came to Gila Cliff Dwellings NM, where we went to the Visitor Center and took the hike through the cliff dwellings. They are small but interesting to see & learn about. The road continued back to Silver City through the Mimbres River Valley, again crossing the Continental Divide with spectacular scenery the entire way. When we arrived back in Silver City, we were able to meet up with Doug's brother Bob, who was in town for firefighter training with the Forest Service. We found a wonderful Mexican restaurant and had a good visit.
Back in Deming, we visited the local museum, which houses an amazing collection of memorabilia from the region. We also visited the St Clair Vineyards, one of the top 75 wineries in the US. They currently have 54 acres planted and plan to expand to 100 acres by 2005.
We went south to Columbus, NM, and Palomas, Mexico, a small border town with almost no pushy street vendors. You can stroll around and look to your heart's content. We met up with an SKP group for lunch at a good restaurant & then crossed back to the US. In Columbus, we visited Pancho Villa SP, where there is a lovely cactus garden, an attractive CG, and historic buildings from Camp Furlong, with information on Pancho Villa's notorious attack in 1916. Gen Pershing started the first US Army mechanized force in a punitive mission deep into Mexico in fruitless pursuit of Villa & his revolutionaries. While unsuccessful, it was a good test of the more modern equipment, enabling their use in WWI. Assisting Pershing was a very young George Patton.
On our way back to Deming, we also stopped at Rockhound SP, whose main claim to fame is that you can "collect" up to 15 lb of rock, which is unusual for protected lands. It is well known for its unique rocks & minerals. It also has a lovely cg.
All along the border we had been seeing white balloon-like objects, shaped sort of like blimps. In Deming, we learned that they are the Aerostat, US Customs surveillance radar balloons, which are used all along the northern Mexican border.
Deming is centrally located for lots of interesting sightseeing. We first drove north to Silver City and took what is called the Inner Loop Scenic Byway through the Gila National Forest. We passed through the lovely little town of Pinos Altos, which looks like a great place to spend some time in the future. It's located at about 6000 feet and has a lovely RV park which straddles the Continental Divide. Further along, we had lunch at an overlook where we saw smoke from a forest fire that had already consumed 14,000 acres of timber, and chatted with a couple about fulltime RVing. 
We then came to Gila Cliff Dwellings NM, where we went to the Visitor Center and took the hike through the cliff dwellings. They are small but interesting to see & learn about. The road continued back to Silver City through the Mimbres River Valley, again crossing the Continental Divide with spectacular scenery the entire way. When we arrived back in Silver City, we were able to meet up with Doug's brother Bob, who was in town for firefighter training with the Forest Service. We found a wonderful Mexican restaurant and had a good visit.Back in Deming, we visited the local museum, which houses an amazing collection of memorabilia from the region. We also visited the St Clair Vineyards, one of the top 75 wineries in the US. They currently have 54 acres planted and plan to expand to 100 acres by 2005.
We went south to Columbus, NM, and Palomas, Mexico, a small border town with almost no pushy street vendors. You can stroll around and look to your heart's content. We met up with an SKP group for lunch at a good restaurant & then crossed back to the US. In Columbus, we visited Pancho Villa SP, where there is a lovely cactus garden, an attractive CG, and historic buildings from Camp Furlong, with information on Pancho Villa's notorious attack in 1916. Gen Pershing started the first US Army mechanized force in a punitive mission deep into Mexico in fruitless pursuit of Villa & his revolutionaries. While unsuccessful, it was a good test of the more modern equipment, enabling their use in WWI. Assisting Pershing was a very young George Patton.On our way back to Deming, we also stopped at Rockhound SP, whose main claim to fame is that you can "collect" up to 15 lb of rock, which is unusual for protected lands. It is well known for its unique rocks & minerals. It also has a lovely cg.
All along the border we had been seeing white balloon-like objects, shaped sort of like blimps. In Deming, we learned that they are the Aerostat, US Customs surveillance radar balloons, which are used all along the northern Mexican border.
Cotton Valley RV Park, Clint, TX - Apr 1-2
This park is on the eastern outskirts of El Paso. We stopped for two nights to meet up with some friends from Wisconsin (we also met up with them for dinner in Alpine the previous week) and see a few sights in El Paso. We discovered that we were at the eastern end of the El Paso Mission Trail, so we followed it to 3 old Spanish missions from the 1600s: San Elizario, Socorro and Ysleta. Socorro is undergoing renovation -- removal of the cement-based coating applied with the best of intentions in the 1920s, but now causing the underlying adobe to decay. Ysleta was established for the Tigua Indians and is located on the reservation. Also on the reservation was a Mexican restaurant, run by the Tiguas, where we had lunch.We went to dinner with our friends at the "world-famous" Cattleman's Steakhouse. They had called ahead and found that they had fish & shrimp for us to eat! The restaurant is located on Indian Cliffs Ranch, where there are facilities for meetings, RV parking, hayrides, horseback riding, a children's zoo & snake pit, an old movie set, a lake, and several party facilities, spread out over many acres. The food was good and the grounds were fun to walk around after we had eaten. In the gift shop was a t-shirt with the slogan "Vegetarian: Indian word for lousy hunter". We didn't buy one!
El Campo RV Park, Van Horn, TX - Mar 31
This is a one night only stop, halfway between Fort Davis and El Paso. We stopped here because they have cable TV, and we wanted to watch the NCAA Women's final on ESPN tonight. We also managed to catch up on some laundry and take advantage of the lovely solar drying of the desert southwest.
Davis Mountains SP, Fort Davis, TX - Mar 24-30
When we planned this stop, we imagined a quiet, out-of-the way park, with lots of time for relaxation. When we actually started investigating the activities around, we had to RESTRICT ourselves to only 4 major outings. The rest of the time was spent just enjoying the park, visiting the nature center, walking around the lovely grounds of the Indian Lodge, going on a birding walk. We got a really nice look at a pair of nesting Common Black-Hawks (despite the name, these birds are quite rare in the US). We also saw our first Acorn Woodpeckers, very attractive birds which unfortunately have a fairly high nuisance factor.
Our first outing was to drive the 75-mile scenic loop through the Davis Mountains. This drive passes through lovely ranchland and wooded hillsides. It looks a lot like the Natl Forest areas in CO or NM, but it is all privately owned. It is lovely deep grassland, dotted with Pinyons & Junipers, with mountains & interesting rock formations jutting out. We stopped at several picnic areas and were able to climb around on the rocks.The second outing was to the McDonald Observatory, 13 miles from the SP. It is one of the major astronomical research facilities in the world and is open to the public with tours and special events. It is one of the darkest sites in the world for astronomical observing. They have a new visitors' center, which houses a gift shop & cafeteria, as well as a special exhibit on astronomical spectroscopy. We attended a guided tour of the 107" telescope facility and a solar viewing activity. In the evening we came back for a Star Party, getting to look through some large telescopes at Saturn, Jupiter, the Plieides, the Orion Nebula and the surface of the moon. At the end they showed us visible constellations in the night sky.
The third outing was to the town of Marfa. Marfa is most famous for the "Mystery Lights"; however, we found the Chinati Foundation first, an alternative to the traditional museum. It was created & founded by Donald Judd, who was searching for an alternative way to display "Installation Art", which are large works of art in which the site (installation) is an integral part of the piece. The major site is a group of buildings which were once an army base. The buildings have been renovated to fit the style of whatever art they house. Some of the very stark modern pieces have the simplest of architecture left, with large windows. The windows are kept exceptionally clean so that the incredible outside views become part of the works of art. The displays included large rectangular aluminum works located in a huge warehouse-like building, a re-created abandoned Russian schoolhouse by Ilya Kabakov, very large & stark & very visually appealing yarn art by Fred Sandback, some scrunched metal pieces reminiscent of crushed autos, fluorescent tubes installed in "hallways" in huge white barracks by Dan Flavin, a circular work done in Icelandic volcanic rock, and a large horseshoe by Claes Oldenburg. 
Outside were large concrete rectangular pieces which you could walk around & through and look at from all angles. Again, the setting, including the buildings in the distance, and the breathtaking landscape, were part of the art. In case you can't tell, we were quite overwhelmed by this place. We could have never have imagined such a place. Needless to say, we highly recommend a visit. We also strolled around the town square of Marfa, looking at the interesting courthouse and the lovely Hotel Paisano. We spent quite a while in the Marfa bookstore, which also is a wine bar and coffee shop. It was finally dark, and we could go out to the viewing site for the Marfa mystery lights. These unexplained lights have been seen since the late 1800s. There is no scientific explanation for them, and it is stated that you only see them about 1 time in 10 tries. We were here several years ago and saw them once. Unfortunately, since we wanted our friends Pat & Dennis, to see them this time, the lights never appeared. But just being out there with lots of other people scanning the horizon and wondering at various things you are seeing is quite an event. We decided that the lighted fluorescent tube art works by Dan Flavin were the "real" Marfa lights!
The last outing was to the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute, located just outside Fort Davis. They have a small visitors' center, which has displays of the regional interest & a small gift shop. We also went to a cactus greenhouse, in which most of the cacti were in bloom. They were beautiful! We took a short but VERY STEEP hike into Modesta Canyon, with an even steeper climb out (it was a loop trail!). At the bottom were a spring, pools of water & lots of green trees.This stop also marked the end of traveling with our friends Pat & Dennis Wood. We have been with them for a little over 4 months, so it will be quite an adjustment to be on our own again. We found ourselves to be quite compatible and enjoyed our time together very much. Very key in the success of our time together was each couple's ability to give the other enough space. So we weren't together enough to get tired of each other. We hope to meet up with them in the near future, but it won't be sooner than next winter.
Lost Alaskan RV Park, Alpine, TX - Mar 21-23
We came back to Alpine for 3 days to do some more sightseeing in this area and to have cable TV so we could watch the CU Women's Basketball team play in the NCAA Tournament. They made it to the Elite Eight, where they lost to Big Twelve rival Oklahoma. While here, we visited the Museum of the Big Bend at Sul Ross State University, which had a very nice display of cowboy art. The exhibition included bronze works, incredibly detailed pencil drawings, oils, western gear done in silver, boots, spurs, chaps, saddles -- all showing a great variety of talent. Some were trained artists and some were self-taught. Outside the museum is a garden, which displays many species of cacti & native plants of the Chihuahuan desert. We also had the opportunity to eat a second meal at the renown Reata, which is billed as having "cowboy cuisine". We don't think cowboys would recognize this food -- barbeque shrimp enchiladas, portabello and spinach quesadillas???Big Bend Motor Inn & RV Campground, Study Butte, TX - Mar 14-20
Since there were dire warnings about how full the campgrounds in Big Bend NP would be during Spring Break, Pat & Dennis and we made reservations at this private cg just outside the west entrance to the NP. The town's name is pronounced Stoody Beaut, named for Will Study, manager of the Big Bend Cinnabar mine & founder of the town in the early 1900s.
The cg is conveniently located, with all the basics, and is reportedly the "best around". The electric amps are pretty low, which means we can't run our air conditioner (believe it or not, we need it in March down here!). This is as isolated as we have been on our travels. Our cell phone doesn't work at all.
In the first 3 days, we visited each of the 3 major areas of the park. The first day we went to the Chisos Basin area & hiked the Window View trail and the Basin Loop trail. Both had lovely impressive vistas of the Chisos Mountains. Big Bend is the only NP which contains a complete mountain range. From the notch which is called The Window you can see the grandeur of the distant terrain of mesas, buttes and spires of all shapes, sizes & colors.
Our second outing was to the Santa Elena Canyon area of the park, which is on the eastern side. We did several short hikes culminating in a hike into the canyon, which offered beautiful views of the Rio Grande. The canyon walls rise over 1500 feet on each side, almost straight up.
The third part of the park is Rio Grande Village, on the west side. We started the day with an early birding walk, finding 4 new species -- Common Black-Hawk, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Black Phoebe and Ash-throated Flycatcher. The Common Black-Hawks are nesting near the camping area. We took a battered rowboat ride across to the tiny village of Boquillas del Carmen, Mexico, where we ate a delicious lunch and drank large bottles of old-style Coke. Back in the US we hiked into Boquillas Canyon. We could not get as deep into this canyon, but further down the walls rise higher than 2600 feet.
The 4th day we went to the ghost town of Terlingua, which was bustling town of 2000 people in the early 1900s. Today's tourist industry is slowly bringing the town back to life, with interesting shops, restaurants & guide services. With temps already in the 90s, we shudder to think of how hot it is here in the summers.
We spent a day with Pat & Dennis, driving the scenic Lajitas-to-Presidio road, which goes along the Rio Grande for about 50 miles. Lajitas is a town that the owner is trying to turn into a major tourist resort -- so far unsuccessfully, it would seem. Presidio, which has a companion city, Ojinaga, across the border, was more interesting but did not have the charm of the Terlingua/Study Butte area. It did have an attractive RV park, which might be of interest in future winters.
Outside Presidio, we visited the Fort Leaton State Historic Park, which was one of the earliest forts in the US. While in Lajitas, we learned a bit more about the only radio station available: KYOT (pronounced "coyote"). It is an unlicensed station, which operates illegally with its own standards, which include no commercials; no music containing violence, promoting any specific religion, or having objectionable language. 
It runs 24 hours a day and consists of whatever CDs are currently in a large 200-disk player in some mystery location.
Another day we attended a NPS program on desert plants and hiked in an area called Grapevine Hills, which had some very interesting rock formations and beautiful views.
The cats are shedding like mad now that we are back in a hot, dry climate. We like it much better less humid, but I'm not sure about the cats. They still don't quite understand this way of life.
BC Ranch, Alpine, TX - Mar 13
This was a one-night stay just to rest up before driving down into Big Bend Country. Alpine is a lovely town with many interesting places that we hope to visit at another time. We enjoyed a visit to the Apache Trading Post for a video on the Marfa Mystery Lights, and a gourmet dinner with friends Pat & Dennis at the Reata.
Seminole Canyon State Historic Park, Comstock, TX - Mar 10-12
We have reported from this lovely state park twice before. It is one of our favorite places, and we will return whenever it is along the way. It is a lovely Chihuahuan desert location, which is very quiet & secluded. There are many ancient pictographs dating from 6000-2000 BC. We took a lovely hike to an overlook of the Panther Cave pictographs and were able to see them quite well through our binoculars.