First
I have to tell you about an important happening I missed on the last post.
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| Turn around point |
We
have been happily following Google maps for our directions and to keep us off
the main interstates as much as possible.
You just do not see much on the interstates going 75 mph (ok I generally
keep Furgy to about 65mph or the gas consumption is mean). Having to watch for big trucks, wind gusts
blowing us around and drivers that cut in to your lane to soon after passing,
watching the landscape is not high priority.
But back to Google maps; the whole trip to date has been an adventure
and Google has made sure we have had one.
As we have seen quite a few things we may have otherwise missed, we did
not think anything about following it up Hwy 126 from Cuba NM to Hwy 4.
So we drive up and up into the snow and to
the top of the mountain until we hit a cattle guard and the pavement
ended. We sat there looking at each
other thinking really, now what.
Thankfully a truck with a couple of hunters came along that I flagged
down to ask how far the pavement was out.
One got a sour face and said about 10 miles, the other piped right up
and announced that "I wouldn't drive that up there". We thanked them profusely and promptly turned
Furgy around and back down the mountain...... just another adventure.
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| Local artist |
Back
to Roswell. We had fun wondering around
for 2 days. Stopped at a local pub and
chatted with the locals. Went to the
Roswell Museum and Art school; a beautiful building and quite a nice surprise. The museum had local artists featured with
everything from contemporary to landscapes, mixed media, and an exhibit of the
work shop of the first rocket scientist of New Mexico, Robert H. Goddert.
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| Rocket exhibition |
We
also had to see the UFO Museum and Research Center. What fun displays and news articles, and
signed affidavits. It would take a normal person days to read everything.
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| UFO Museum |
Although
the Spring River Estates and RV park was pretty bad (new bathrooms that had not
been cleaned since they were built I swear), not a tree on the site and on
unlevel gravel pads, it was walking distance to downtown so easy for us to see
everything.
Feb
16/18 Then, off and running again we decided to lengthen our driving time and
head to New Orleans. Leaving New Mexico
we ran into miles of dust storms being blown by quite high winds.
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| Dust storms |
Our
first stop for the night was at the Sam Wahl Recreation Park on Lake Alan
Henry. Water... and lots of it so we
pulled out the lawn chairs and sat with a cocktail watching the ducks and smell
the water. Decided to stay for a extra
day to enjoy the area we woke to cold, blowing, weather. From a balmy 25C the day before to 9C the
next morning.
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| Lake Alan Henry |
In
the night the live trap they had chained to the garbage cans had caught a young raccoon.
Feeling sorry for him we rode
the bikes up to the park entrance to let them know. Only to find out that they charge $12 per
person to use the park and that did not include the $10 the sign had explained
to camp there. So for a primitive camp
(no hook-ups at all) it ended up costing us the same as if we had stayed in a
full hook up one. No wonder the place
was empty.
Feb
18/18 Heading south east again in the morning lead us through little towns and
lots of twists and turns.
Driving to
another state park that we never got to because as we were driving over the
berm at Aquilla lake I noticed a rest area just below us.
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| Aquilla Lake |
Perfect spot, had washrooms a nice park and
we ended up staying there for the night.
The park had a sign stating the Army Core of Engineers but we could not
figure out if it was built by them or for them.
Lots of fishermen in the creek and was a haven in the middle of nowhere
for us.
Feb
19/18 We woke to fog, and thick fog that lasted almost all day.
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| Morning fog |
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| Green and lush |
Ending just before we reached Village Creek
State Park. Beautiful country as the dry
Texas landscape changed from brown and dry, to green and lush.
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| Our site at Village Creek State Park |
Village Creek State Park was almost totally
covered in feet of sand and mud during hurricane Henry last August. So although the trails were all closed the
bathrooms were clean and the site lovely.
$3 per person and $15 for the site which included water, electricity and
a sani-dump (on the way out).
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| Tyler on poop duty. lol |
Feb
20/18 The drive along the Gulf of Mexico along Holly beach was beautiful.
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| Holly Beach |
We stopped to play in the sand for a bit and
look at all the sea shells, of all kinds.
The beach road was almost deserted sunny, windy and over canals, draw
bridges, and even a ferry ride.
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| Terry Holly Beach |
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| Tyler Holly Beach |
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| Houses on stilts |
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| Mississippi River |
Then
wouldn't you know it; as we were registering for our night at the Palmetto
Island State Park (another affordable and well kept park) they were towing out
a motor home that had mechanical problems and I felt so bad for it. After
registering we get back into Furgy, start her up and the battery light came
on. We cuddled in for the night (after
riding our bikes around the park) in our beautiful site with fan palms and lots
of green, thinking we would worry about it in the morning. Sure enough we get up and she starts but the
battery light is still on. Finding a ad
for a mechanic on the park map headed over to have it looked at.
2 hours later and $450.00 we had a new alternator
and on our way again.
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| Louisiana Swamp |
After a 100 miles of teeth chattering roads and 12 lane
highways we made it into our new home site for the next week. The Pelican RV Park in New Orleans.
