Bev says:
I arrived back in Lo De Marcos on December 21st. My mother seems to be recovering successfully. I am feeling low with a cold and irritating cough. I feel very much in the Christmas mood and will give it to Vic so he can enjoy his birthday. Hah!
On Christmas Eve, we spent the afternoon playing games with Mike & Mavis. Lots of fun and a few drinks. We went to dinner at our favourite local restaurant, Sugar & Spice and enjoyed a rib dinner. We walked around the village after dinner and found one of the streets blocked off for a local street party. We stopped to watch the children and their pinatas. They would string up Santa Claus on a rope and then take big swings with a big stick. The poor guy was getting the stuffing knocked out of him. When he finally got ruptured, his guts spilled down on the street and the kids rushed in like vultures and scooped up all the guts. OK, it wasn't guts. It was candy treats and the kids were really having a lot of fun.
We joined friends at El Caracol for a pot luck dinner on Christmas Day. A great spread of turkey breasts, ham, salads, potatoes, veggies, various kinds of pies, mincemeat tarts, etc. Our contribution was the mincemeat tarts and rice crispie squares, which a lot of people really enjoyed. There were about 25 people there and everyone enjoyed themselves.
The beach has been busier the last few days with Mexican families here to celebrate the holiday week. The surf seems to be picking up and Vic hopes to be able to boogie board.
Vic says:
The hummingbirds continue to amuse us. They are so interesting to watch, as they flit back and forth. One stopped at our hanging Christmas decoration and searched the red bows, thinking they were flowers, looking for the nectar. Amusing. One hovered within inches of Vic's face, almost like saying "What's with these strange flowers you have?"
I made a hummingbird feeder for Mavis using a plastic Coca Cola bottle, and a small plastic storage container. I cut up a Coca Cola can into four little flowers and glued them onto the container. Then I cut holes into the flowers. I filled the bottle with sugar water and it was ready to hang. That was yesterday and already today the hummingbirds were coming to the new feeder. I didn't invent it...just found the instructions on the Internet.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Setting in
We just got settled in and Bev had to catch a flight home on Saturday. Her mom is in hospital and not doing well so she just had to get back. Meanwhile, I'm here lonely but not forgotten. It is great to Skype with the family and see Maxine. She really gets a hoot out of seeing Grampa and the computer and bangs away on the keyboard just like Mommy and Daddy do. She is a quick learner.
Before Bev left, she did get the hummingbird feeder up, but didn't get to see any. Well, they have been around and are amusing to watch. I am having trouble identifying them but there is at least a black-chinned and a cinnamon. Not sure of the others. They may be immature or females with little coloration.
I can sit at the window with the screen slid back and shoot pictures of these little guys. They are getting more comfortable by the day and are now flying under the awning. I now call it the hummingbird highway, outside my door. They are very territorial and there are several tiffs throughout the day. You see these little dots zipping around so fast that you can't keep track of them.
Yesterday I walked way down the beach and I heard some squawking in the trees and went exploring. I saw these wonderful large blue birds with very long tails and a crest on the head. Big birds. No binoculars or camera so they are just a memory. It took a lot of searching to find the name but eventually I determined that they were White-throated Magpies.
Here is a picture of the White-throated Magpie
Later in the afternoon, the surf was up. The first time since we got here. I got some time in the waves on the boogie board but kept to the small stuff in-shore. I was helping Mike with his first time on the board. He did well and seems to enjoy it a lot. Soon I will go out to the bigger waves and longer rides.
Before Bev left, she did get the hummingbird feeder up, but didn't get to see any. Well, they have been around and are amusing to watch. I am having trouble identifying them but there is at least a black-chinned and a cinnamon. Not sure of the others. They may be immature or females with little coloration.
I can sit at the window with the screen slid back and shoot pictures of these little guys. They are getting more comfortable by the day and are now flying under the awning. I now call it the hummingbird highway, outside my door. They are very territorial and there are several tiffs throughout the day. You see these little dots zipping around so fast that you can't keep track of them.
Yesterday I walked way down the beach and I heard some squawking in the trees and went exploring. I saw these wonderful large blue birds with very long tails and a crest on the head. Big birds. No binoculars or camera so they are just a memory. It took a lot of searching to find the name but eventually I determined that they were White-throated Magpies.
Here is a picture of the White-throated Magpie
Later in the afternoon, the surf was up. The first time since we got here. I got some time in the waves on the boogie board but kept to the small stuff in-shore. I was helping Mike with his first time on the board. He did well and seems to enjoy it a lot. Soon I will go out to the bigger waves and longer rides.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Getting caught up
I know you must think we have been kidnapped and held ransom or dropped off the end of the earth. No such luck for you. I'll try to get you caught up.
Out last blog had us in southwest Tuscon on Nov. 25th. The next day, Friday, we headed a half hour south to Mountain View RV park, which put us fairly close to our jumping off point in Nogales AZ. We were greatly disappointed that the park didn't have WiFi so we were out of touch.
On Sunday, we moved to the Nogales WalMart to stay overnight. On the following morning, we met up with three other couples heading south. One couple was towing a fifth wheel trailer, one was driving a van, and the third was driving an SUV. We crossed into Mexico and got thru the formalities in about 40 minutes and were underway by 10:30 PM, delayed a while by the dogs needing "watering". The couple in the van were traveling with 4 Schnauzers! There were several stops along the way over the next three days that added up to several hours. We are just glad we don't have a dog. We traveled 264 miles and spent 365 pesos (about $35) on tolls and arrived in San Carlos at about 4:00 PM. We encountered several police patrols along the highway but were never stopped. They are very friendly to RVs and wave you right thru any checks.
Bummer the RV park didn' t have WiFi. Nice place otherwise.
The next day would be a long slog and we left 7 AM. At this point, we are in the state of Sonora. The landscape is nothing special and semi-arid. That all changed when we drove into the state of Sinaloa. The land turned much flatter and much greener. There is a lot of agriculture and the fields went on forever. Not sure what was growing but the license plates for this state has a tomato on it. Might be a clue! We encountered many many large greenhouses that seemed to be covered in a beige Sunbrella material.
We also passed a convoy of four police pickup trucks with with cops and big guns in the back, accompanied by two police cars. Some weeks, back a patrol at a road check point was attacked by the druggies and 8 cops were killed and 3 wounded. The situation is very volatile between the police and druggies here and the police look a little edgy.
We finally ended the day at a campground on the ocean just as the sun was setting (another 442 miles). There were no trailers in the park but one of our group had stayed here before and liked it. Different story this time. Again no WiFi. They were charging an arm and leg comparatively and the couple in the van were charged $50 for there stay in one of the rooms. We do NOT recommend Punta San Miguel RV Park. It was still pretty cool even on our second night heading south. The temperature dropped to 8C overnight. Brr.
We headed out the next morning at about 8:15 PM, allowing a comfortable driving time to Lo De Marcos. It was a tough drive going up into the mountains around Tepic and then through the winding roads from there to Compostela. From Compostela, it is all downhill to the coastal plain. This is the section where we boiled the brake fluid last year. With that in mind, I was very careful to use first gear in many sections and only use the brakes when absolutely needed. No problems this trip!
We arrived at Savage RV Park in Lo de Marcos at 4 PM, after driving 288 miles. The total toll charges amounted to staggering 2897 pesos (about $275). Ouch! The alternative is to drive through many small towns and villages with lots of speed bumps (topes) and vibradores (vibrating bumps), taking hours longer, and probably adding two days to the trip.
WiFi at last!
The weather is great, but about 3C cooler than last year and the water is cooler too.
Out last blog had us in southwest Tuscon on Nov. 25th. The next day, Friday, we headed a half hour south to Mountain View RV park, which put us fairly close to our jumping off point in Nogales AZ. We were greatly disappointed that the park didn't have WiFi so we were out of touch.
On Sunday, we moved to the Nogales WalMart to stay overnight. On the following morning, we met up with three other couples heading south. One couple was towing a fifth wheel trailer, one was driving a van, and the third was driving an SUV. We crossed into Mexico and got thru the formalities in about 40 minutes and were underway by 10:30 PM, delayed a while by the dogs needing "watering". The couple in the van were traveling with 4 Schnauzers! There were several stops along the way over the next three days that added up to several hours. We are just glad we don't have a dog. We traveled 264 miles and spent 365 pesos (about $35) on tolls and arrived in San Carlos at about 4:00 PM. We encountered several police patrols along the highway but were never stopped. They are very friendly to RVs and wave you right thru any checks.
Bummer the RV park didn' t have WiFi. Nice place otherwise.
The next day would be a long slog and we left 7 AM. At this point, we are in the state of Sonora. The landscape is nothing special and semi-arid. That all changed when we drove into the state of Sinaloa. The land turned much flatter and much greener. There is a lot of agriculture and the fields went on forever. Not sure what was growing but the license plates for this state has a tomato on it. Might be a clue! We encountered many many large greenhouses that seemed to be covered in a beige Sunbrella material.
We also passed a convoy of four police pickup trucks with with cops and big guns in the back, accompanied by two police cars. Some weeks, back a patrol at a road check point was attacked by the druggies and 8 cops were killed and 3 wounded. The situation is very volatile between the police and druggies here and the police look a little edgy.
We finally ended the day at a campground on the ocean just as the sun was setting (another 442 miles). There were no trailers in the park but one of our group had stayed here before and liked it. Different story this time. Again no WiFi. They were charging an arm and leg comparatively and the couple in the van were charged $50 for there stay in one of the rooms. We do NOT recommend Punta San Miguel RV Park. It was still pretty cool even on our second night heading south. The temperature dropped to 8C overnight. Brr.
We headed out the next morning at about 8:15 PM, allowing a comfortable driving time to Lo De Marcos. It was a tough drive going up into the mountains around Tepic and then through the winding roads from there to Compostela. From Compostela, it is all downhill to the coastal plain. This is the section where we boiled the brake fluid last year. With that in mind, I was very careful to use first gear in many sections and only use the brakes when absolutely needed. No problems this trip!
We arrived at Savage RV Park in Lo de Marcos at 4 PM, after driving 288 miles. The total toll charges amounted to staggering 2897 pesos (about $275). Ouch! The alternative is to drive through many small towns and villages with lots of speed bumps (topes) and vibradores (vibrating bumps), taking hours longer, and probably adding two days to the trip.
WiFi at last!
The weather is great, but about 3C cooler than last year and the water is cooler too.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Sabino Canyon
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| Riding the tram up, eastward in canyon. |
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| Anderson's Dam swirling rock. |
We took the tram up the 3 and half mile road into the canyon. At the top, we got off and walk into the canyon and down into the creek bed. We rock hopped and walked about a half mile down the creek bed, admiring the views and taking a few pics. One spot was called Anderson's Dam where the rock was a swirl of black and white, with the creek tumbling over into a small pool.
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| Bev on the rocks. |
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| Southwest view down canyon. |
Tomorrow we leave for Amado, which puts us about 20 miles north of the border. We plan to arrange our Mexican vehicle insurance and try to hook up with another travel buddy in Nogales. But right now everything is swaying in the wind as Bev's mom is in hospital, so we have to play it ear and see how she recovers.
We have had enough of the cold nights and yearn for the warmth of Lo de Marcos. Tonight will be another frosty night with the low going down to freezing.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
The Transmission Story
I have alluded to telling more about our transmission transgressions. Finally here is the story, which is probably too technically boring for some people. Right girls?
We always have to keep a diligent eye on the transmission fluid level. It seems to just disappear, more so after a tough uphill drive in the hills and mountains. I had examined the transmission and couldn't find where it was leaking. It was just not a big deal that would hold us back as long as we had lots of transmission fluid on hand. I would often have to a add quart or liter so I carry a couple of jugs to keep up. We got through last year's trip without problems but sooner or later this had to be addressed.
When time and inclination met, I got on the Internet and Googled for information. It seems that these transmissions (GM 4L80-E) can overheat and spew fluid out a vent on top of the transmission. Hah! That is why I couldn't see the leak, as I was always looking for drips from below.
Now...how to manage this situation.
Add a line to the vent and a bottle to catch the overflow. Now we can be sure of how much fluid is being lost. Note: After the first drive, the bottle got deformed from the heat coming from the exhaust pipe so I had to re-position the bottle further aft. Good thing we didn't invest much in the bottle which was an empty dish soap bottle.
Now we have to augment the cooling for the transmission fluid. While the transmission has it's own cooling radiator in front of the engine radiator, it has no fan to boost the cooling when driving slowly or while stopped in traffic. We could also have changed out the tranny rad and put in a larger one. We opted for the fan to avoid any plumbing issues with a new rad.
While we were staying in Benson AZ, I ordered an electric fan and thermostat from vendors on eBay. I got them installed prior to leaving for Tucson. The thermostat will turn on the fan when it reaches a preset temperature and turn it off when the temp drops back to normal. All I have to do now is set the thermostat to come on when the overheating condition starts.
Then I picked up a transmission temperature gauge at Pep Boys (cheaper than buying on eBay) and installed that in the dash. It won't help the cooling but will allow me to stay on top of the issue when it arises. I thought the installation of the temperature sensor was going to be a messy job. Thankfully, when I took out the plug on the side of the tranny, only a little dribble came out and I was able to get the sensor in without losing more than a few drops of fluid. I can now set the thermostat to come on when the temp rises above the normal operating temperature.
Hopefully the fan will be enough to solve this fluid loss problem but time will tell if a larger cooling rad is necessary. If so, it will have to wait until we get home in the spring.
We always have to keep a diligent eye on the transmission fluid level. It seems to just disappear, more so after a tough uphill drive in the hills and mountains. I had examined the transmission and couldn't find where it was leaking. It was just not a big deal that would hold us back as long as we had lots of transmission fluid on hand. I would often have to a add quart or liter so I carry a couple of jugs to keep up. We got through last year's trip without problems but sooner or later this had to be addressed.
When time and inclination met, I got on the Internet and Googled for information. It seems that these transmissions (GM 4L80-E) can overheat and spew fluid out a vent on top of the transmission. Hah! That is why I couldn't see the leak, as I was always looking for drips from below.
Now...how to manage this situation.
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| See the vent pipe and notice the traces of fluid atop the tranny housing. |
Add a line to the vent and a bottle to catch the overflow. Now we can be sure of how much fluid is being lost. Note: After the first drive, the bottle got deformed from the heat coming from the exhaust pipe so I had to re-position the bottle further aft. Good thing we didn't invest much in the bottle which was an empty dish soap bottle.
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| $23 7" electric fan in front of tranny rad. |
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| $30 adjustable thermostat |
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| Transmission temperature gauge. |
Hopefully the fan will be enough to solve this fluid loss problem but time will tell if a larger cooling rad is necessary. If so, it will have to wait until we get home in the spring.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Kitt Peak etc
We arrived at Justin's Diamond J RV Park on Friday morning after our short drive from Benson. We got settled in and headed off to town to get some service work on the Ford Focus toad. It needed an oil change, tire rotation and alignment. Pep Boys is highly recommended. They got the oil change done but when it came to alignment, they found that a rear camber kit was required and the part wouldn't be in until Monday. Darn, another trip into Pep Boys and more time wasted.
Saturday we met up with Kelsi and Dave Holioday, just two rigs away from us. Dave is the son of our friends who we met in Lo de Marcos last year. After a nice chat, we headed off to visit Kitt Peak. What a drive! The road onto the mountain starts about less than 3000' and after 12 miles of driving switchbacks up up and up, we arrived at the top, just under 7000'. It is a lot cooler up there and the wind was blowing strongly. The view is awesome and you can see Tucson 30 miles away. That makes up for the less than exciting tour of the facilities. Ho hum. Then it is all down hill to get to the highway again.
Take a look at this and see if you recognize it.
Another look with a clue!
Yup, it is a saguaro cactus after death. It is surprising to me that this cactus is quite woody, and the exterior seems to be an overlay. It may have looked like the one in the background, which is likely 200 plus years old. You can learn more here.
Sunday, we went bike riding on the trails in the desert, just outside the campground. Lots of fun dodging the cacti but heavy work if you went into a "wash" filled with small loose gravel. We spotted a couple of Gambel's Quails, which are very distinctive with their teardrop topknot. I also spotted something running away from us, with tall ears and grey in color. May have been a hare.
On Monday Nov. 22, we headed into town to get the rest of the work done on the Focus. Surprise, they ordered the wrong part kit. Then they found they had the right part in stock. But they couldn't get the old bolts out. We compromised and had the rear aligned as close as possible and the front done correctly. And a credit for the work not done and the parts not used. We had a late lunch/dinner at a Chinese buffet and did some shopping.
Then we head back "home" for the final episode of BoB. We were disappointed that Todd Warner didn't win the crystal trophy but appreciated that all three couples on the finals were very close. The winning couple was Valeri Bure and his partner, Ekaterina Gordeeva. While Katia, started to tour the ice, the crystal part of the trophy toppled to the ice and it shattered. OMG. What a finale! Some people feel she dropped it but videos seem to show that the trophy had a malfunction.
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| Starting up the mountain. Doesn't look high here. |
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| 7000' and a wonderful view. |
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| A couple of telescopes. Note the warning sign! |
Take a look at this and see if you recognize it.
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| Looks like bones welded together. |
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| Tall branches wave and clack in the wind. |
Another look with a clue!
Yup, it is a saguaro cactus after death. It is surprising to me that this cactus is quite woody, and the exterior seems to be an overlay. It may have looked like the one in the background, which is likely 200 plus years old. You can learn more here.
Sunday, we went bike riding on the trails in the desert, just outside the campground. Lots of fun dodging the cacti but heavy work if you went into a "wash" filled with small loose gravel. We spotted a couple of Gambel's Quails, which are very distinctive with their teardrop topknot. I also spotted something running away from us, with tall ears and grey in color. May have been a hare.
On Monday Nov. 22, we headed into town to get the rest of the work done on the Focus. Surprise, they ordered the wrong part kit. Then they found they had the right part in stock. But they couldn't get the old bolts out. We compromised and had the rear aligned as close as possible and the front done correctly. And a credit for the work not done and the parts not used. We had a late lunch/dinner at a Chinese buffet and did some shopping.
Then we head back "home" for the final episode of BoB. We were disappointed that Todd Warner didn't win the crystal trophy but appreciated that all three couples on the finals were very close. The winning couple was Valeri Bure and his partner, Ekaterina Gordeeva. While Katia, started to tour the ice, the crystal part of the trophy toppled to the ice and it shattered. OMG. What a finale! Some people feel she dropped it but videos seem to show that the trophy had a malfunction.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Wed Nov 17th to Fri Nov 19th
Wednesday we spent the day puttering around Cochise Terrace. Vic washed the car and took all the dead bugs off the front of the RV plus installed the thermostat for the transmission fan (more to come on this).
We never used the heated pool at the resort but did take time to relax in the hot tub in the afternoon. Very enjoyable!
Thursday we headed south to Sierra Vista to visit 2 areas with walking trails along the San Pedro river. They are both supposed to be good sites for bird watching. The first spot we visited was the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. The outstanding part of that visit was the siting of a mule deer who walked out onto the path about 100 ft in front of us, took a good look at us, then bounded off towards the river for water. We saw one hummingbird from a distance.
Next we went to Hereford Bridge to walk the main trail there. We saw white-breasted nuthatch which are much larger than the nuthatch we see at home plus there were Gila woodpeckers, cedar wax-wings, and gold finch. The big cottonwood trees seemed to be the best site to spot any birds.
Friday we moved on to Justin's Diamond J RV Campground on the southwest side of Tucson. It is 55 miles from Cochise Terrace but it is a lower elevation here (2471 ft) so about 10F degrees warmer than Cochise Terrace in Benson. The weather here was 80F at 1pm when we arrived.
We never used the heated pool at the resort but did take time to relax in the hot tub in the afternoon. Very enjoyable!
Thursday we headed south to Sierra Vista to visit 2 areas with walking trails along the San Pedro river. They are both supposed to be good sites for bird watching. The first spot we visited was the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. The outstanding part of that visit was the siting of a mule deer who walked out onto the path about 100 ft in front of us, took a good look at us, then bounded off towards the river for water. We saw one hummingbird from a distance.
Next we went to Hereford Bridge to walk the main trail there. We saw white-breasted nuthatch which are much larger than the nuthatch we see at home plus there were Gila woodpeckers, cedar wax-wings, and gold finch. The big cottonwood trees seemed to be the best site to spot any birds.
Friday we moved on to Justin's Diamond J RV Campground on the southwest side of Tucson. It is 55 miles from Cochise Terrace but it is a lower elevation here (2471 ft) so about 10F degrees warmer than Cochise Terrace in Benson. The weather here was 80F at 1pm when we arrived.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Tucson Desert Museum
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| Mighty Saguaro Cactus |
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| Cacti Garden |
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| Palo Verde bush |
We left “home” about 11 and headed west of Tucson to the Desert Museum, stopping for a picnic lunch at a picnic area in the middle of the desert, surrounded by saguaro cacti. Nice view too. Twenty years ago, I wasn’t all that keen to come here, but found the desert to be a very interesting place to visit. There is so much variety and so much to learn about the ecosystem. So very different from Southern Ontario.
One interesting bush is the Palo Verde (Spanish for Green Wood) which has smooth green bark. The chlorophyll is actually in the bark too, so that the tree still is active, even after dropping its leaves.
The Saguaro cacti dot the landscape, about as close to a forest as you can get in the desert. It takes fifty years before they even bloom, at about 7-8 feet tall. The one in the top photo is probably 150 years old.
There are so many types of cacti that is hard to keep up. One thing is common...those prickly spines!
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| Beware the spines on the Saguaro |
We entered the Desert Museum and learned that there would be a show of Harris hawks so we headed out to the viewing area. They released three hawks, a female and two males, and let them fly around us, skimming over our heads. They were awesome. Somewhere in the bushes, someone released a mouse, so the hawks could hunt the prey. Here is where the Harris hawk is different than all others. They hunt in a pack, rather than alone. One will flush out the prey from hiding and another will catch it. Amazing to watch. There is a hierarchy among the birds with an alpha female (females are larger than males) dominating the pack and getting first dibs on the captured prey.
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| Handler with Harris Hawk |
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| Harris hawk perched for hunting |
We toured the other parts of the museum seeing animals we had seen before in Carlsbad’s Living Desert Museum. One difference was the presence of volunteers who where there to provide interesting background tidbits.
We entered the aviary, and enclosure surrounded by high netting, with the birds free to fly around in a somewhat natural setting. This aviary was largely disappointing, as there were few birds in it. We saw one cardinal (nothing special), a few doves, a few ducks, a hummingbird way up (nice), a cactus wren (common in this area).
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| Rosy Boa Constrictor |
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| Black-necked Stilt |
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| Hognose Skunk, one of four skunk species in area |
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| Baja Fairy Duster. See the bee? |
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| Broadtail Hummingbird |
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| Black-chinned Hummingbird |
Our memories of twenty years ago were sure that we saw many more birds and more species. And the birds were in large cages, separated from people. I would have loved to see more but this is still a great place to visit.
I have posted 6 updates today so check back thru the menu on left side if you have missed any.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Tucson shopping
Monday Nov 15
Westward ho the toad to Tuscon to do some shopping, stopping at Home Depot for a shower door seal strip. Then on to Harbor Freight for some boy bargains. Got me a handheld infrared thermometer. Now I’ll be able to measure the temp of the transmission oil cooler. More on this later. After HF, we headed on to Camping World to exchange the propane detection alarm, which we bought in El Paso. It was the surface mount type and we needed the flush mount type. They didn’t have what we needed but could order it for us. We declined and got a refund. We went across the street to an RV dealer and got what we needed for much less money! $41 rather than $60.
By this time, it was middle afternoon and not enough time to tour anywhere so we scouted out where we wanted to go. Twenty years ago we were in Tucson on a business vacation and toured the Desert Museum. So that will be tops on the list for tomorrow.
Westward ho the toad to Tuscon to do some shopping, stopping at Home Depot for a shower door seal strip. Then on to Harbor Freight for some boy bargains. Got me a handheld infrared thermometer. Now I’ll be able to measure the temp of the transmission oil cooler. More on this later. After HF, we headed on to Camping World to exchange the propane detection alarm, which we bought in El Paso. It was the surface mount type and we needed the flush mount type. They didn’t have what we needed but could order it for us. We declined and got a refund. We went across the street to an RV dealer and got what we needed for much less money! $41 rather than $60.
By this time, it was middle afternoon and not enough time to tour anywhere so we scouted out where we wanted to go. Twenty years ago we were in Tucson on a business vacation and toured the Desert Museum. So that will be tops on the list for tomorrow.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Big Birding
Sunday Nov 14East again today to Willcox AZ to see the Sandhill cranes, wintering in the Willcox Playa area. We rode our bikes about a mile and a half into one area maintained by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. As we approached a small area filled with water, hundreds of cranes lifted off and circled over us, calling constantly to each other. We thought this was a great sighting. Little did we know…
We left this area and drove south west into farm country. Lots of big open fields, with irrigation equipment. A large corn field, uncut. Off to the left a big swarm of cranes was lifting off the field. We guessed maybe 2000 cranes. Then another and another. Thousands and thousands of the beautiful big birds winging over us. Our next stop was an established viewing platform at the Apache Station Wildlife Area, overlooking a large flat grazing area. The birds were a quarter mile away but you could see them well with the binos. And there were thousands and thousands more. Some estimates put the total at 30,000 birds wintering here, from Alaska, Canada and Montana. They eat whatever is available, starting on grasshoppers. When the grasshoppers are all gone, they start into the corn laying the fields, eating a pound and a half every day.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Touring Benson area
Saturday Nov 13
We got in the toad (our Ford Focus) and headed out to do some touristy things. First stop was Tombstone, the centre of the wild west in the late 1800s. Many western movies and TV programs drew their story lines from the history here. Remember “The Shoot-out at the OK Corral”? Wyatt Earp? Doc Holiday? Boot Hill Cemetery. It all happened here. Turns out the shoot-out wasn’t in the OK Corral but it did end up with 3 bad guys dead.
We started at Boot Hill, the famous cemetery. It didn’t take long to find the three bad guys’ graves. And lots of others in the years of 1880 through 1882. Seems like there was a lot of violent deaths and no law and order. And how about poor George Johnson. They hung him for stealing a horse. Turns out he was found innocent after they had hung him. We moved on into town and walked around. The place is muchly a tourist trap with lots of stores selling their artistic goods at high prices. We were expecting more history lessons.
We moved on to Bisbee, several miles south and near the border with Mexico. The area was a large mining center for copper and silver, with both open pit and tunnel operations. We opted not to go on the mine tunnel tour but stopped and gawked at the very deep open pit.
Next stop was the Chiricahua National Monument http://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm (cheer ee caw wah). You may think Monument may imply some statue or memorial but this is not the case. The park contains spectacular rock formations of columns and balancing rocks, very scenic and photogenic. We arrived mid-afternoon and the light was failing so the photos didn’t do justice to the natural beauty. This is a true bargain for $5 each and the pass is good for a whole week. If time permits, we may return.
We got in the toad (our Ford Focus) and headed out to do some touristy things. First stop was Tombstone, the centre of the wild west in the late 1800s. Many western movies and TV programs drew their story lines from the history here. Remember “The Shoot-out at the OK Corral”? Wyatt Earp? Doc Holiday? Boot Hill Cemetery. It all happened here. Turns out the shoot-out wasn’t in the OK Corral but it did end up with 3 bad guys dead.
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| Bad guys from "Shoot-out" |
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| Modern "gunslingers" put on wild west show. |
We started at Boot Hill, the famous cemetery. It didn’t take long to find the three bad guys’ graves. And lots of others in the years of 1880 through 1882. Seems like there was a lot of violent deaths and no law and order. And how about poor George Johnson. They hung him for stealing a horse. Turns out he was found innocent after they had hung him. We moved on into town and walked around. The place is muchly a tourist trap with lots of stores selling their artistic goods at high prices. We were expecting more history lessons.
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| Poor George! |
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| Forgot his deodorant? |
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| Deep deep open pit mine. |
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| Hole in rocks |
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| Column formations |
Next stop was the Chiricahua National Monument http://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm (cheer ee caw wah). You may think Monument may imply some statue or memorial but this is not the case. The park contains spectacular rock formations of columns and balancing rocks, very scenic and photogenic. We arrived mid-afternoon and the light was failing so the photos didn’t do justice to the natural beauty. This is a true bargain for $5 each and the pass is good for a whole week. If time permits, we may return.
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| A whole field of rock columns |
Friday, November 12, 2010
Onward to Benson AZ
Friday Nov 12
On Friday we drove westward 176 miles, across the Continental Divide, to Benson Arizona. We book in for a week at Cochise Terrace RV Resort. This is a nice place with all the amenities and a great view looking over the valley and Benson below us. The campground honors our Passport America membership which means we stay for half price for the whole week, $186 for 7 nights.
On Friday we drove westward 176 miles, across the Continental Divide, to Benson Arizona. We book in for a week at Cochise Terrace RV Resort. This is a nice place with all the amenities and a great view looking over the valley and Benson below us. The campground honors our Passport America membership which means we stay for half price for the whole week, $186 for 7 nights.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Carlsbad to Deming
Thursday Nov 11
We spent the day traveling from Carlsbad to Deming New Mexico, about 266 miles, give or take a few feet. Not too far south of Carlsbad lies the Guadaloupe Mountains and the south end was a high peak of limestone cliff, called El Capitan. It is hard to believe that this mountain was once a reef teaming with life in a great sea. The great Earth does some stupendous things to our geology.
After leaving the Guadaloupe Mtns, the terrain flatten out and we were in the middle of a very large salt lake, completely dry, and stretching for miles.
The route through El Paso mapped out by Streets and Trips, which avoided the downtown area. Big mistake…this route took us over a ridge with steep long climbs and then down the other side. OK for cars and the view was nice, but not nice for big rigs. The other way would have been much flatter.
We stayed the night in Deming at the WalMart campground, aka mall. There were 14 rigs there with us! Popular spot.
We spent the day traveling from Carlsbad to Deming New Mexico, about 266 miles, give or take a few feet. Not too far south of Carlsbad lies the Guadaloupe Mountains and the south end was a high peak of limestone cliff, called El Capitan. It is hard to believe that this mountain was once a reef teaming with life in a great sea. The great Earth does some stupendous things to our geology.
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| El Capitan |
After leaving the Guadaloupe Mtns, the terrain flatten out and we were in the middle of a very large salt lake, completely dry, and stretching for miles.
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| Salt Lake dry as a bone |
The route through El Paso mapped out by Streets and Trips, which avoided the downtown area. Big mistake…this route took us over a ridge with steep long climbs and then down the other side. OK for cars and the view was nice, but not nice for big rigs. The other way would have been much flatter.
We stayed the night in Deming at the WalMart campground, aka mall. There were 14 rigs there with us! Popular spot.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Carlsbad Caverns
Now this was exciting. Carlsbad Caverns is one of twenty World Heritage sites. Pretty special places!
We arrived at the Carlsbad Caverns at 9:30 AM, paid our admission, and proceeded down the path into the cavern. It took an hour just to get to the bottom of the entrance on the winding paved path with stainless steel handrails all the way. It left us wondering how the first adventurous cowboy got down here. He didn't have a paved path nor today's lighting, and the cave floor is strewn with boulders and so many path options, he must have really struggled. But he also must have been very very excited about his discovery. More on this later.
The path down opened into the Big Room. It is constantly 56 degrees down here so we are glad we came prepared with jackets. The 1 mile tour took about an hour to walk around the circuitous route back to the starting point. We were held in awe gaping at the stalactites hanging from the ceiling and stalagmites growing off the floor. Some were joined and created columns, floor to ceiling. In one part of the chamber the ceiling stretches up 250 feet. This place is really larger than you imagine and there are other sections we haven't seen yet or will have the time to see today. After touring the Big Room, it was time for lunch which meant going back to the surface...about 800 feet. Walk up? No way. We took the elevator up. We not dumb.
After lunch, we headed back down (on the elevator this time) for a 2:00 PM tour of the King's Palace. This is a tour of a large "room" lower than the Big Room, along with a guide, who explains the geology of the cave and it's history. At one point, he points out some stalactites that are broken off. He explains that years ago people would take "souvenirs" back with them, not appreciating the long term consequences. The park authority closed off most of the cavern to the general public except by supervised tours to preserve the splendor for everyone to enjoy today and the future.
Each of the formations were named by the discoverer of the caves, Jim White. In 1898, this 16 year old cowboy found the entrance after seeing smoke rising in the distance one evening. Upon closer inspection, he found that the smoke was really a cloud of bats leaving the cave to feed at night. He made a ladder of sticks wire and rope and descended into the unknown, telling nobody of his discovery until later. His only light was a home-made candle lantern and matches. He would later offer to show the cave to others with little success until one person took a series of photos between 1912 and 1915. As word spread, the cave became a National Monument in 1923. In the years between, the cave was operated as a mining venture for bat guano fertilizer and Jim White served as foreman.
Learn more about Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
It wasn't until 4 pm when we returned to the surface to see the sunshine again, leaving with great memories of a wonderful natural underground paradise.
We arrived at the Carlsbad Caverns at 9:30 AM, paid our admission, and proceeded down the path into the cavern. It took an hour just to get to the bottom of the entrance on the winding paved path with stainless steel handrails all the way. It left us wondering how the first adventurous cowboy got down here. He didn't have a paved path nor today's lighting, and the cave floor is strewn with boulders and so many path options, he must have really struggled. But he also must have been very very excited about his discovery. More on this later.
The path down opened into the Big Room. It is constantly 56 degrees down here so we are glad we came prepared with jackets. The 1 mile tour took about an hour to walk around the circuitous route back to the starting point. We were held in awe gaping at the stalactites hanging from the ceiling and stalagmites growing off the floor. Some were joined and created columns, floor to ceiling. In one part of the chamber the ceiling stretches up 250 feet. This place is really larger than you imagine and there are other sections we haven't seen yet or will have the time to see today. After touring the Big Room, it was time for lunch which meant going back to the surface...about 800 feet. Walk up? No way. We took the elevator up. We not dumb.
After lunch, we headed back down (on the elevator this time) for a 2:00 PM tour of the King's Palace. This is a tour of a large "room" lower than the Big Room, along with a guide, who explains the geology of the cave and it's history. At one point, he points out some stalactites that are broken off. He explains that years ago people would take "souvenirs" back with them, not appreciating the long term consequences. The park authority closed off most of the cavern to the general public except by supervised tours to preserve the splendor for everyone to enjoy today and the future.
Each of the formations were named by the discoverer of the caves, Jim White. In 1898, this 16 year old cowboy found the entrance after seeing smoke rising in the distance one evening. Upon closer inspection, he found that the smoke was really a cloud of bats leaving the cave to feed at night. He made a ladder of sticks wire and rope and descended into the unknown, telling nobody of his discovery until later. His only light was a home-made candle lantern and matches. He would later offer to show the cave to others with little success until one person took a series of photos between 1912 and 1915. As word spread, the cave became a National Monument in 1923. In the years between, the cave was operated as a mining venture for bat guano fertilizer and Jim White served as foreman.
Learn more about Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
It wasn't until 4 pm when we returned to the surface to see the sunshine again, leaving with great memories of a wonderful natural underground paradise.
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| A falls of draping on the cave wall. |
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| The groto. |
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| This spectacular stalactite is over 30 feet long. |
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| This is a stalagmite with a hole where water dripped through, making a "straw'. |
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| The Whale's Mouth formation of "drapes" caused by water running down an angled rock edge. |
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| Spectacular columns in pool of water. |
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| Bev thought all the columns looked like phallus and I thought this formation looked like... |
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
After Dallas comes...
We stayed two nights at the Corp of Engineer park 30 miles NE of Dallas. That allowed us to veg out for a while and do some more foaming of the firewall area, as there still was a draft coming in. We have now been through one and a half cans of the expanding foam and finally have it licked. Yah...now that it isn't so cold any more! Oh well, it will come into play when we need to use the AC.
While leaving Dallas, and passing through Forth Worth, we went through some hilly areas but it wasn't long until we hit the flat stuff again. Flat stuff is good for the motorhome but somewhat boring. The crosswind was brutal at about 25 to 30 mph directly from the left side. Bev offered to drive after a few hours but I said you will not want to battle the wind, so I kept driving. Around Abilene, things changed. The terrain was still flat but now there are nodding horses all over the place and thousands of wind generators. They stretch over the horizon. With all this wind available, I guess that this power source can add up to major source of electricity in Texas. We did 400 miles yesterday and ended up in Odessa TX and stayed overnight at the WalMart campground, aka parking lot.
Today we arrived at Carlsbad New Mexico, not far from Odessa, only 158 miles. Again the terrain was flat and the wind was again directly from the side. This is not far off our intended route and we didn't want to pass up the opportunity. We saw Historical Markers along the route and decided to stop at one to see what it was about. What a co-inky-dink Shannon!
We checked into the Carlsbad RV Campground, mainly because they offer Passport America discounts (half price) and they have free WiFi. Now we are caught up on email and the blog.
Since we arrived in late morning, we looked around town for local things to do and see (not much) and ended up visiting the Living Desert Zoo. It was mildly interesting with lots of plant identification, and displays of wolves, prairie dogs, elk, mule deer, and prong horn sheep. The zoo is situated on the top of high hill and had some great views of the desert area and the town. We returned to the rig and enjoyed a nice happy hour, Bev on her computer and me on mine doing the blog.
Tomorrow we will get an early start and spend the whole day touring the Carlsbad Caverns. It should be a awesome. The last time we did something like this was in the Luray Caverns in Virginia in 1971. From the preview we saw in the Information Center, it should be great. I hope to add to the blog tomorrow to let you know our impressions. Maybe a couple of pics too.
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| Nothing but flat dry desert. |
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| Entering New Mexico |
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| Pope's Crossing |
We checked into the Carlsbad RV Campground, mainly because they offer Passport America discounts (half price) and they have free WiFi. Now we are caught up on email and the blog.
Since we arrived in late morning, we looked around town for local things to do and see (not much) and ended up visiting the Living Desert Zoo. It was mildly interesting with lots of plant identification, and displays of wolves, prairie dogs, elk, mule deer, and prong horn sheep. The zoo is situated on the top of high hill and had some great views of the desert area and the town. We returned to the rig and enjoyed a nice happy hour, Bev on her computer and me on mine doing the blog.
Tomorrow we will get an early start and spend the whole day touring the Carlsbad Caverns. It should be a awesome. The last time we did something like this was in the Luray Caverns in Virginia in 1971. From the preview we saw in the Information Center, it should be great. I hope to add to the blog tomorrow to let you know our impressions. Maybe a couple of pics too.
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| We miss you, Maxine. |
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