Farther Along

 Even the deer have to walk the line in Llano

Friday, April 14

We have arrived. Llano, Texas. Cooper BBQ. We have been hankering to get back here for two years. We plan to stay and eat for a few days. The city park is next to the river. Just a level parking lot with stripes that has full hookups for $15.

We stuffed ourselves on pork ribs at noon. Never thought about even a cracker for dinner.

The Pits 

 What’s In The Pits

Where The Stuff In The Pits Goes

We enjoyed watching a 2004 movie The Notebook. Decent movies are rare.

We have only been without hookups the two days we stayed with friends in Marksville. Did not need them then and only needed AC a day or so since. It’s been overcast almost every day keeping the temperature down. When we leave here we will be boondocking more. Hope the temp stays low. That will determine the stops we make. We wanted to go to Chaco Canyon, but after seeing the pictures on Mary and David's blog, we took a pass. Just too much uneven terrain for our feet.

How Verizon carryover data works. After you use your current monthly allotment any carryover from the previous month is throttled, the same as if you have the unlimited plan. It’s a use it or lose it type of deal. Any carryover not used in the next month is gone. It’s a great biz plan for Verizon. 

Saturday, April 15

We walked around looking at the hundreds of types of granite and quartzite at The Living Stone Company. Stone from all over the world in slabs of about 6 by 10 feet. Not any of the common stuff you see at the big box stores. The prices are quite reasonable.

This was our 9th consecutive cloudy day.

The highlight of the day was Prime Rib at Coopers. The cashier recognized us.

 The day after the ribs. Ever eaten really juicy prime rib on butcher paper?

A few samples of the thousand or so slabs of granite

Sunday, April 16
We picked up brisket and goat at Coopers and headed west.
Day 10 of clouds. Some rain is forecast in the Hill Country, so we hope to get out of hills before getting wet. Goodbye, water, hookups, humidity and green things.

We stopped for a nap at one the wonderful Texas RA that is above and well off I10. We woke to a shower and hung around until the rain stopped.

We over-nighted at one of our fav Texas RA’s. It is atop a mesa near the town of Sheffield. We are the only ones here. A delightful breeze and two bars of VZ.

These girls were traveling with their family from Mississippi to California

Monday, April 17
We are another 2.5 hours west, deep in the wasteland of the southwest. It will be like this through much of southern New Mexico and Arizona. In California, we have to endure the worst of the worst, the Mojave. We could have taken a more northern route, but I want to try Organ Pipe, weather permitting, and get a window fixed right in Phoenix. Besides the northern route would mean going through Death Valley again. ARG!

Tuesday, April 18
A long day. We planned to stay at Hueco Tanks just east of El Paso. We had never been there and wanted to see why some friends go there every year. Our planning should have included reservations as there was no room at the inn.

It was another 90 minutes to Deming to a private park we know. After 5.5 hours driving and several stops, we were not tired when we arrived. Odd for us.

Along the way, we saw a sign for Border Patrol Museum and wheeled in. It was interesting and NOT taxpayer funded.

 Footwear to pass as a horse

Footwear to pass yourself off as a carpet

Foreground, a motorcycle with space for three passengers

Background, a homebrew go-cart to ferry passengers over the border

Home made boat used from Cuba to Florida

Wednesday, April 19
Our reason for stopping in Deming is to restock our wine. I only like sweet wine and St. Clair has several to choose from. We replenished the cellar and the bins and the Jeep with wine.

Spent time re-doing our route be able to get to Phoenix for an appointment and to escape the gravel pit early. Making definite plans is not something we like to do. We much prefer the la-te-da mode of traveling. It’s a lot more crowded the last few years with more people retiring.

We have made reservations for the next 10 days. ARG! Our usual per night parking fees have been $10 a night for the last few years. This trip if we stay south of $25 I will be surprised.

The Gravel Pit
The southwest is a large undeveloped gravel pit punctuated with low mountains of no merit and pockets of green where it's irrigated, along with some scenery. I suppose the aggregate has washed down from ancient mountains and filled in valleys.

Vast areas of the gravel pit are used by the Air Force and Navy as a bombing range.  In the past, the Army tested missiles in New Mexico and nuclear weapons in both New Mexico and Nevada. No worries if a missile blew up or went off course. It would just hit some other rabbit warren.

I forget the disagreeable parts of the southwest until we pass through it. Full-time RV folks use it as a haven from the winter.  We have tried that. We prefer to be at home, rather than living in a gravel pit.

Thursday, April 20
We made the 35-mile drive from Deming to The City Of Rocks. We have passed by here twice before and had not stopped. It’s worth a stop. Wind eroded Pumice rocks in the middle of nowhere. The formations are not unlike those at The Alabama Hills in CA and Vedauvoo in Wyoming.

We opted for a dry site as the placement of electric sites was not appealing. Our site has two large oak trees which shade it from the afternoon sun. We have enjoyed sitting outside enjoying the balmy temp and the fresh breeze. We have opened the windows the last few nights at dark. By 3 am the furnace has been cutting on.

Friday/Saturday, April 19/20
Just up the road from the City of Rocks is Silver City. It seemed like an OK place to spend the weekend. We took a drive through the Ponderosa Pines.