Tumbleweeds & Traffic

Feb 16/2019  Weather cool 55, sunny but super wwwwwwiiiinnndddyyy!  Wind alert all the way to Las Cruces, New Mexico.  258 miles.  We left Tucson and drove east on I10 with west winds and some sideways gusts 25 to 45 mph.  Thank goodness most of it was pushing us. 

tumbleweeds blowing everywhere

  At times we had tumbleweeds blowing right into our coach.  Billy was shocked when a few hit us really hard!  No swerving.....   Early on (2:30 pm) we found a good spot at Las Cruces KOA.  The wind alert was on till 10 pm so we did not open any slides, no use looking to tear our toppers!    It was cool and down to 35 by morning (elevation here is 4,000 ft) but the campground has a great view from high up over the city at night.  We snuggled up and the wind let up by bedtime.  

Las Cruces KOA view over the city

Feb 17/2019  Weather warmer 64, sunny.  Wind nothing like yesterday, a bit behind us still.  On our way to Fort Stockton today.  300 miles.  There is not much across this part of Texas once you get past El Paso.  Darn that city always seems to be a bit of a snag for us.  One of our least favourite drives on I10.   Last year we had to detour off I10 for a short closure thru downtown..... Billy thought of it first thing this morning.  And yes there is another 2 mile stretch down today!  Crap.  We really need to get a handle on this.  We have a route around the city using the N375 loop and avoiding most of the Franklin Mountains which have unfriendly grades to deal with.  After today we are printing the friendly bypass route out and keeping it with our map for Texas.  No more going thru El Paso on I10.  Weekdays it is always extremely busy, and now two years in a row on a Sunday part of I10 is closed and a detour is setup. 

while we wait to get to the exit; cars flying thru the median to get out of gridlock

So here we sit in gridlock inching to the exit and the detour.  2 hours later,,,,,, ugh.  Yes 2 hours from coming into El Paso and getting out of El Paso.  Never again.  The Co-pilot (Rosey that be you girl) needs to print out those driving instructions and have them ready for next year.  Rest of the trip was a breeze to Fort Stockton RV Park where we will have a nice home cooked supper in the small cafe.   Small things make our day good again :)

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin

Feb 20, 21/2018  Weather  in Las Cruces is sunny and warm 75 (warmer than we were in Tuscon - go figure?) cool at night 38.  Drive had a constant NE breeze at us.  A favourite spot of ours to overnight is Hacienda RV Resort.   Very nice park, long pull thrus and from the park we can walk to supper at Luna Rossa Winery and Restaurant (with 10% off too) and also to the Harley Davidson shop.  A walk after being on the road for the day is a good thing and we always need a new tshirt!

some dinner in Las Cruces at Luna Rossa 

Hacienda RV Resort Las Cruces

Next day Weather for the drive to Fort Stockton RV Park   (an old KOA but quite decent for an overnight stop) is sunny but cool especially on the high plain elevations, the night is going to clear and downright cold.  4 hours of 31 to 26..... bbbbbbrrrr.  We will crank on the heat and electric blanket tonight and not put out the water hose.

Fort Stockton RV Park

So enjoy the little Roadrunner Cafe here, do yourself a favour and have some down home cooking.  When we woke up in the morning the cars had frost all over them and the guy beside us closed his slide and the ice chips landed all over the ground.  Haha.  Oh we know, this is not Arizona anymore.  Humidity for one thing.   We will be at Marble Falls after this day and it is a place we have always wanted to see and camp at since coming out to Hill Country.  So many campers at Buckhorn Lake RV have come from Marble Falls and our curiosity will not rest till we stay there.  Plus it is still in Hill Country and there is motorcycle roads that we do not get to from Kerrville, makes too long a day from there. 

Tip:  During February both Las Cruces and Fort Stockton campgrounds were full - they said many many travellers coming and going.  So Rosey must book ahead and she did about 4 days ago.  Good thing....  (Calverley's would be proud of us - we finally did some reservations)

Nothing out here for 265 miles

Mar 5/17  Weather 80, low 56. El Paso to Fort Stockton.

Walking Trail at Fort Stockton RV Park - no we did not!

Nothing.
265 miles.
Tumbleweeds.
Dust.
Blustering wind as the morning turns to afternoon.
By 5 pm it is downright windy.
But that's ok.  We have been at the Fort Stockton RV Park since 3 pm and that included a 1 hour time change, so we were off the road by 2 pm our time.
True there is not much out here.
We know there are only a couple of RV parks so we did call the night before and have them save us a spot.  The Fort Stockton RV Park has a cute little diner attached to the office.  Excellent down home cooking.  Chicken Fried Steak, Chicken Fried Chicken, Mesquite BBQ Ribs.  Homemade Biscuits.   So bring your appetite.

No cooking and no dishes tonight

Texas in the Spring

March 13 & 14/2016  Weather high 85 low 56 
The road north out of Alpine to Interstate 10 coming from Big Bend is a excellent wide road to travel, hwy 67.  It was a strong wind and hot today so we stopped early at Fort Stockton RV Park.  Our pantry is getting low and the refrigerator is just about empty.  This little park is great cause it has a diner - But - not open on Sunday!  Ahh darn!  Well it's going to be a hodge podge supper tonight and in the morning before we head out we can have breakfast in the diner. 

pulling in to Buckhorn Lake RV Resort

we have a nice view of the ownership RV homes

The Texas Bluebonnets are renowned for their spectacular showing in the Spring in Hill Country.  From Big Bend we are headed East to Kerrville.  This also happens to be Spring Break and it is busy in the RV parks but we were able to call ahead (once in a while it happens.... we actually call and reserve) and get a spot for a month in Buckhorn Lake RV Resort.  We stopped here on our way West and thought it was a great location for motorcycle riding and a beautiful park.

pretty sunset view from our pull in site

Ramblin on West

Feb 4 in Fort Stockton, Texas and Feb 5 in Las Cruces, New Mexico

Just before Fort Stockton

The weather is cool about 60, clear sky and sunny.   Great for driving.  Nights have been cold.  We are not hooking up our water hose,, it will freeze for sure.  Both nights had temps at 26 for about 6 hours.   Both places are over 3,000 feet and temps drop 30 degrees and more in the desert.  Brrr.   We have our bed preheated by our electric blanket and keeping us toasty all night.  The interstate 10 gives vistas that look like a 100 miles away in every direction.  Nothing.  Very few towns and less truck stops for diesel.  Just   Tumbleweed.  Cactus.  Rocks.  Plateaus.   Buttes.   Wide open country.  

Big pickers on these cactus

We plan our stop in Texas at Fort Stockton RV Park (old KOA)  rather than Van Horn.  1000 feet less elevation, so it will not be as cold at night.  And they have a great little cafe in the campground with good home cooked meals.   We wish more campgrounds had a little cafe, you meet others from the park and always lots of good stories to trade.

View from our campsite at Lac Cruces is really pretty

Las Cruces KOA is at 4000 feet but we checked the forecast and its going to be about the same as Fort Stockton at night.  Definitely have to check this, some campers at the Cafe in F.S. told us the night before it was down to 18 !!!!!   I am a Weather Watcher.  Al Roker is my best friend:)
We would love to stay in Las Cruces for a week and ride, there is quite a bit of beautiful scenery but the forecast is just a tad to cold for us, even with all our leathers on.  Maybe in the Spring, we can always come back this way.