It was so cold (20 somethig) last night our water hose froze, then our furnace stopped working.
Wish y'all were here..we may head for the lower range of elevations...like Phoenix
Glad we brought cold weather clothes.
Oh, what a night...When does winter go away?
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Day 13 Sunday January 25, 2009
Well, we actually got an early start today! We never unhooked the trailer from the Suburban, so we eliminated 60% of the time eating operations needed to get going. Besides, I told Cathey when she started getting ready, that if we got on the road soon, we could be in New Mexico tonight. What normally takes 45 minutes only took 15 today! We thought we would get breakfast in Alpine but apparently all the breakfast places were on the east end of town because we saw none going west. The next town was about 25 miles and it also had nothing that was open. The next town was Marfa where we found a supermarket (loosely speaking) and bought a few groceries including some breakfast items; but, by this time the Subway down the street had opened and we were able to have sub sandwiches for breakfast. We kept trucking and by noon we were in Van Horn, TX where we hooked up with I-10 again and before long we were going through El Paso and then into New Mexico. We checked in at the first RV Resort we came to, set-up and then went to a late lunch at a wonderful Mexican restaurant in Mesilla. Before we got back we got a call from the RV Resort saying that we had water coming out of our trailer. Fortunately, someone turned off the water but there was still a big puddle under the trailer and water still dripping from numerous places. I went and borrowed a shop-vac from the office but first I had to locate the leak and that took awhile. It happened to be right behind the kitchen stove and the access to that area was through a 4 inch opening covered b a wood board behind the stove. Looking there, I could see water flowing but could not definitively see the leak. So we vacumed up the water and sponged up what we could with towels and then went to do laundry. The facilities here are beautiful so it was a pleasure doing the laundry and we also took advantage of the shower facilities since we were without running water.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Day 12 Saturday January 24, 2009
Overnight the weather took a turn for the worse. We awoke to a temp of 41 with the wind blowing at 20 mph and gusting to 30 mph. Cathey was freezing once we got out of bed and I finally deduced that the LP tank had finally run empty. I am surprised that the 30 pound LP tank lasted this long. We have been using it every night since we got to Louisiana as well as running the furnace at least twice before we left home. I wasn't in any hurry to leave with the wind blowing like it was, so we went out for breakfast and later did a little shopping.
We were west-bound by noon and the wind was still blowing but had diminished from what it had been early in the morning. There is a dam and reservoir (on the Rio Grande) near Del Rio and we crossed one arm of the reservoir on our way out of town. There are a lot of developments started but still a lot of shore area undeveloped. Our first stop was in Langtry, TX which was the home of Judge Roy Bean 'The Law West of the Pecos." There is a Texas Tourist Information station there and right behind it is Judge Roy Bean's Saloon. Cathey was more impressed with the cactus garden that was adjacent to the visitor center and it gave us an opportunity to stretch our legs and learn a little about the desert plants of this region.
Next stop was the Roundhouse Restaurant in Sanderson. US-90 in this area parallels the Southern Pacific RR (which is now part of Union Pacific) so the Roundhouse name actually is a reference to a railroad roundhouse that was located in Sanderson during the days of steam locomotives. Our waitress was Barb, who after asking where we were from and where we were going, told us her story of how she ended up in Sanderson, TX. She had been an ICU nurse in the cardiology department at a hospital in Boise, ID. She said she had enjoyed her work for many years even though it was stressful. She changed her attitude about her work after having one of her co-workers committed to a mental hospital as a result of too much stress. After working successive shifts short handed, she just turned in her resignation and has not looked back. She said what she was giving was more than she was getting out of the job, and she feels a lot healthier now.
Well the Roundhouse had great "Cowboy Chili" and I enjoyed a bowlful, while Cathey tried a big hamburger. It was nearly 5pm before we got out of there so Cathey called a RV place in Alpine and got a reservation there for the night. That was about 75 miles ahead so we got to witness a beautiful desert sunset before we arrived in Alpine. We did an abreviated set-up here - didn't disconnect the hitch from the trailer so we should get a fast start tomorrow.
We were west-bound by noon and the wind was still blowing but had diminished from what it had been early in the morning. There is a dam and reservoir (on the Rio Grande) near Del Rio and we crossed one arm of the reservoir on our way out of town. There are a lot of developments started but still a lot of shore area undeveloped. Our first stop was in Langtry, TX which was the home of Judge Roy Bean 'The Law West of the Pecos." There is a Texas Tourist Information station there and right behind it is Judge Roy Bean's Saloon. Cathey was more impressed with the cactus garden that was adjacent to the visitor center and it gave us an opportunity to stretch our legs and learn a little about the desert plants of this region.
Next stop was the Roundhouse Restaurant in Sanderson. US-90 in this area parallels the Southern Pacific RR (which is now part of Union Pacific) so the Roundhouse name actually is a reference to a railroad roundhouse that was located in Sanderson during the days of steam locomotives. Our waitress was Barb, who after asking where we were from and where we were going, told us her story of how she ended up in Sanderson, TX. She had been an ICU nurse in the cardiology department at a hospital in Boise, ID. She said she had enjoyed her work for many years even though it was stressful. She changed her attitude about her work after having one of her co-workers committed to a mental hospital as a result of too much stress. After working successive shifts short handed, she just turned in her resignation and has not looked back. She said what she was giving was more than she was getting out of the job, and she feels a lot healthier now.
Well the Roundhouse had great "Cowboy Chili" and I enjoyed a bowlful, while Cathey tried a big hamburger. It was nearly 5pm before we got out of there so Cathey called a RV place in Alpine and got a reservation there for the night. That was about 75 miles ahead so we got to witness a beautiful desert sunset before we arrived in Alpine. We did an abreviated set-up here - didn't disconnect the hitch from the trailer so we should get a fast start tomorrow.
Day 11 Friday January 23, 2009
There was a RV parts store about a half mile from the KOA in San Antonio, so I made a quick run over there and picked up a few things. Then we packed up; I think that there must be an RVer's rule about the time it takes to pack up is proportional to the time that you spend in one place. The longer you stay, the more things get pulled out and then have to be stowed again when you are prepping to leave. We hit the road about 11 or slightly after. Getting out of San Antonio was pretty easy, I-10 comes in from the SE and then junctions with I-35 and goes north, but US-90 continues straight and that is the road we were taking to go through the Big Bend country SE of El Paso. Our only stop on the way to Del Rio (today's destination) was in Castroville, TX, where we found a bakery right next to a gas station. Cathey said their products looked like those of a good old fashioned German Bakery in WI. We have noticed that there are some German place names which date back to German immigration in the mid nineteenth century.
Arrived in Del Rio about 4 and had an early supper at a chicken place. With the trailer attached to the Suburban, we can't just stop at any old cafe because we need a big place to park. But stopping at off times helps, and usually stopping in small towns is better than in big towns because there is less traffic to contend with.
No KOA in Del Rio, so we chose the 'Lonesome Dove RV Ranch' for our home tonight. They sure were a friendly bunch, we were invited multiple times to the Friday night Pot-Luck, although we declined since we had already eaten and we were set for some lounging. The temp was over 80 and we had the doors and windows open to the screens until well after dark.
Arrived in Del Rio about 4 and had an early supper at a chicken place. With the trailer attached to the Suburban, we can't just stop at any old cafe because we need a big place to park. But stopping at off times helps, and usually stopping in small towns is better than in big towns because there is less traffic to contend with.
No KOA in Del Rio, so we chose the 'Lonesome Dove RV Ranch' for our home tonight. They sure were a friendly bunch, we were invited multiple times to the Friday night Pot-Luck, although we declined since we had already eaten and we were set for some lounging. The temp was over 80 and we had the doors and windows open to the screens until well after dark.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Thursday, Jan 22
Cathey 's Observations
I love reading tony's orderly descriptions, and I appreciate his writing. I have had more trouble with using this little computer, waiting for the slow processing, feeling the weather extremes: icy cold at night and pleasantly warm by day.
In Arizona, I shall be in tune with this little box and this strange keyboard. My recuperation is continuing; I am a slowpoke when it comes to moving, climbing walking, and putting on my shoes and socks!
This trip is inspiring me to continue with my physical therapy exercises.
I love reading tony's orderly descriptions, and I appreciate his writing. I have had more trouble with using this little computer, waiting for the slow processing, feeling the weather extremes: icy cold at night and pleasantly warm by day.
In Arizona, I shall be in tune with this little box and this strange keyboard. My recuperation is continuing; I am a slowpoke when it comes to moving, climbing walking, and putting on my shoes and socks!
This trip is inspiring me to continue with my physical therapy exercises.
Day 10
The night was chilly despite the great daytime temps, although not as cold as it was at night at Lake Conroe. By the time I crawled out of the sack the sun was warming things up and it was scheduled to be an extraordinarily warm day with temps in the low 80s. We decided to take a city bus downtown to see the famous Riverwalk and the Alamo. There was a bus-stop right outside the front gate so getting to the bus was no problem, and we met another couple that were headed downtown and they told us where to get off (the bus). We walked a couple of blocks along the river and found the guided tour boats, so we took the tour. It was a beautiful day to take a leisurly cruise on the San Antonio River. The guide mentioned the 1968 World's Fair that was held in San Antonio, apparently there were many new buildings put up for that event.
The attached picture is Cathey with the St. Anthony statue that was given by Portugal to the city of San Antonio for the 1968 World's Fair. (Looks like I need more practice with the phone camera!)
Day 9
I thought we would get an early start today but by the time we finally rolled out of the KOA it was about 10:30. I had made an online reservation at the KOA in San Antonio so that is our destination for today. Then I got Google to plot the route I wanted (as opposed to the route that the GPS would give us) and plotted it on the TX map. The GPS unit and I are not getting along very well; I find the verbal directions too repetitive and annoying and without the verbal directions the on screen map needs to be adjusted to just the right scope to see the turns coming up. On the other hand it sure is handy when street signs are scarce as they were in LA.
It was a nice drive through the gentle hills from Montgomery to Navisota and then down to I-10. We stopped for lunch at a DQ in Glidden, TX where the cashier commented on Cathey's shirt, that had an imprint on it from Forks, WA. She said "Is there really a place named Forks in Washington?" She was familiar with the town from the Twilight Book Series.
While we were setting up the trailer, our neighbor came home from work. She is just out of college and is working for a federal environmental agency that deals with water distribution. She is happy with her job and location since home is only about two hours south and west at Crystal City, TX. Her specialty is range land management so in a couple of years she hopes to move into a position in another part of the state that deals with range management.
Once we were set-up the welcome duck came to welcome us. I was able to get rid of a few stale crackers and made a feathered friend. Cathey said I shouldn't be feeding junk food to the animals!
It was a nice drive through the gentle hills from Montgomery to Navisota and then down to I-10. We stopped for lunch at a DQ in Glidden, TX where the cashier commented on Cathey's shirt, that had an imprint on it from Forks, WA. She said "Is there really a place named Forks in Washington?" She was familiar with the town from the Twilight Book Series.
While we were setting up the trailer, our neighbor came home from work. She is just out of college and is working for a federal environmental agency that deals with water distribution. She is happy with her job and location since home is only about two hours south and west at Crystal City, TX. Her specialty is range land management so in a couple of years she hopes to move into a position in another part of the state that deals with range management.
Once we were set-up the welcome duck came to welcome us. I was able to get rid of a few stale crackers and made a feathered friend. Cathey said I shouldn't be feeding junk food to the animals!
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