On the Go with Momma Jo & Steve – Living life, one mile at a time!

Slowing Down

On 1st April 2023

In Campgrounds, Texas 2023

If you don’t like something, change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.
Mary Engelbreit

Our last night in Tennessee was at Roan Mountain State Park. From here we headed towards the Blue Ridge Parkway. This National Parkway, is noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is 469 miles, is the longest linear park in the US. From the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, through Virginia to the Shenandoah National Park Skyline drive. The Parkway follows the ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Some call it “America’s favorite drive”. The Parkway experience is a slow-paced and relaxing drive on the ridge of the of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Speed Limit is 35 miles/hour (55 km/hour) and we averaged 25m/h (40km/hr). It was time to take a step back and slow down for a few days.

We picked up the parkway around mile marker 308, the Lineville area. Most of the tourist areas were closed, however the views along the parkway were breathtaking and vast. You can definitely see how the Blue Ridge got its’ name as the blue haze hung over the mountains.

Along the way at mile marker 200 we stopped for two nights and stayed at Fancy Gap KOA in Fancy Gap, Virginia. (Hot showers and WIFI!) When exploring the very small community I found the most amazing bakery and café. I finally found a BROWNIE!! Man, oh man it was good 😊.

At mile marker 176 we stopped at the Mabry Mill. Interesting fact that this mill is one of the most photographed mills in the US. Apparently, some other states have claimed this picture as theirs.

At mile marker 115 we stopped and stayed at the Explore Park in Roanoke, Virginia. Here we found the Twin Creek Brew Pub, our 31^st craft Brewery of the trip. The one thing that we have noticed at a lot of the breweries here in the US is that they are using a Canadian Malt in their brew. I knew there is a reason I liked the beer here!

Now to continue with the everything is deep fried down here theme we tried the deep-fried mushrooms. Not something that needs to be tried again, if you get my drift.

Finally, mile marker 0, the most northern end/start of the Blue Ridge Parkway, followed by the most southerly end of the Shenandoah Skyline Drive. At least this time the 105 miles of the Shenandoah drive was open.

So, some math for you 308 + 105= 413 / 25 miles/hour = 16.5 hours, we took four days to drive it. Like I said; time to slow down a little, and enjoy the drive.

There is 64…..

On 29th March 2023

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
Carl Sagan

We only have 10 days left, as our goal is to be in Canada for Easter. From Nashville to Ottawa is 1600 km or 1000 miles; approximately 20 hours of driving left.

Believe it or not after 88 days on the road we still have some adventure left in us. There are a few more places I want to see before we go home. Now, one thing we have wanted to do is stop at a Buc-ees.

What is a Buc-ees you ask? Well, it is a gas station and country store on steroids. Buc-ees is an EXPEIRENCE! We lucked out today as there was one off the I40 at Crossville, TN. Not sure if its the biggest one, but one thing for sure it was BIG! It had Texas BBQ, smoked meat and brisket take-out; all in the centre of the store. A gift store, a bakery, a beef jerky section with at least 10 different kinds of beef jerky. Fudge and convection store, convenience store, sporting goods, clothing and fuel.

Did I mention that there were 64 pumps. Yes, I said 64. 4 individual rows of 16 pumps, and most of them were full. We spent over an hour shopping and trying different samples of food. It was so much fun.

I am not sure if it is sad that we enjoyed this stop at a gas station so much or inspiring that we still manage to find adventure in all that we do.

We stopped for a night on the outskirts of Knoxville TN. At a craft brewery “The Crafty Bastard” another Harvest Host. This one had to be my favorite as there were 4 other RV’s there to spend the night also. We all sat together; enjoyed a beer, had supper, and exchanged stories of our travels. Imagine sitting at a table with people from Alaska, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. None of us had met before, the only thing in common was travelling however, the conversations flowed effortlessly.

SmashVille

On 27th March 2023

Travel as much as you can, as far as you can, as long as you can. Life is not meant to be lived in one place.
unknown

Our adventures for the next few days have us in Nashville, Tennessee. Music city; home of the Grand Ole Opry, the Tennessee Titans and the Nashville Predators. We were hoping that we might be able to catch a game at the Bridgestone Arena. Lucky for us they are playing today and they were playing the Toronto Maple Leafs. Not so lucky, was that they had a ban on the sales of tickets to only those from the surrounding states. It was a little disappointing for sure.

We decided that we would go explore the iconic Broadway Street, full of bars and live music. The streets were lined elbow to elbow with people. The bars were packed with people listening to live music. The music was loud and blaring out of all the bars and I did find this a little overwhelming.

We did manage to find a roof top that wasn’t too crowded. At least here I got to check out the downtown and enjoy people watching from a distance. The one thing I did notice, was a sea of blue Toronto jerseys everywhere! I mean everywhere; every bar, every street corner, everywhere we looked there were Toronto fans. I was intrigued to find out how they got tickets.

Se we called the arena and they said we might be able to get tickets at the box office. But by the time we got to the counter any ticket we could afford was gone. After talking to a few Toronto fans, we found the trick on how to get around this ticket ban. I have to love Steve’s determination, he managed to get us tickets to the game. We were however residents of the campground address for the day according to our new credit card address. 😊 In case you were wondering there were a lot of happy Toronto fans as Toronto won the game.

Killing Time

On 24th March 2023

In Campgrounds, Texas 2023

The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.
Michael Altshuler

One of the most common questions I get is “What do you do when Steve is working?” Well, I definitely learned ways to kill time. One of my favorites is walking around and meeting people; whether it is in a campground, city or a town. I definitely manage to get my steps in. I learn a lot of trivia and I also meet some amazing people.

Today our stop is Memphis, Tennessee. Home of Rock and Roll; Rhythm and Blues; Elvis Presley and BB King to mention only a few of the musicians who recorded records here. Of course Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion being one of the most popular attractions to see. Our original plan was to stop at the Bass Pro Shop because they have WIFI and Steve could have his meeting. Well, that did not work out as it was directly under an overpass!

However, there was a tourist information center about half a mile away so after talking to Vivian, I got permission for him to stay in the parking lot past the allotted time restraints. I know that being pleasant and helpful is part of their jobs at tourist information centres but I have to say that Vivian and, I believe Marcie, were beyond helpful. They were definitely brilliant at their jobs. Now, on the list of things they suggested was to visit the Pyramid.

The Pyramid is 321 Feet tall (98m, about 32 stories) and the base sides are 591 feet. It measures to be the sixth largest pyramid in the world! It is even taller than the Statue of Liberty. Apparently, Memphis was looking for a landmark that would set them apart. It was supposed to rival the Statue of Liberty, and the St. Louis Arch. It is the cities most unique landmark. Built in 1991, it originally was used for entertainment events, including home of the NBA Grizzles for a few years (2001-2004), before it became the worlds largest Bass Pro Shop in 2015.

Inside this Bass Pro was amazing; I mean amazing! It was more than a store, it was an adventure. It houses America’s tallest free-standing elevator (28 stories). At the top there is an observation deck; which allows its spectators a 360 view of Memphis and the Mississippi river. Unfortunately for me because of weather the deck was closed. The restaurant that is up there was open, however it was full. This is all good as I have an extreme fear of heights 😊. It also includes a 103-room hotel with treehouse cabins, three different restaurants. Not to mention the cypress swamp with its alligator pools and duck aviaries. It contains 600,000 gallons of water teeming with over 1,800 fish and even some ducks, but no alligators. See, killing time is easy, and so much fun sometimes!

We did explore a little bit of Memphis together as we checked out Beale Street, ate at Sugar Grits Café, tried a moon pie which is on the list of things to eat in Tennessee. (Don’t have to have another one 😊)

We also found Ghost River Brewing and managed to survive the night at T.O. Fuller State Park during the storm. What a relief it was not to hear the air raid sirens during the night. Apparently, the tornado hit down just 2 hours south of us. Thank you lord, for keeping us safe.

The Oval Office

On 23rd March 2023

Travel makes you realize that no matter how much you know, there’s always more to learn.
Nyssa P Chopra

I have never been one for politics, especially American politics. And I definitely don’t talk politics while travelling. However, after seeing a PBS show on the William J. Clinton Presidential Centre and Park, I thought it might be interesting to check it out when we were driving through Little Rock, Arkansas.

Apparently, some of the past presidents have created a presidential library’s that are open to the pubic. One of the reasons I wanted to see this one is that apparently there is a full-scale exact replica of the Oval Office and furnishings as they appeared during Clinton’s administration. After seeing so many movies with the Oval Office in it, I thought why not?? It even had a replica of the Cabinet Room too. On display were many of the gifts that were given to the Clintons from other heads of state. There were a lot of impressive items here.

It took us over three hours to see the whole museum including the exhibit for women. I thought it was extremely well done and yes, it showed both the positive and negative things that happened during his 8 years in office. Not that I would go out of my way to see them but it might be interesting to see some of the other presidential libraries around the US.

After a beer at our 25^th craft brewery (Lost Forty) we found ourselves a sweet treat at Kilwins’ Chocolate and Ice C ream store in downtown Little Rock. This is my first Kilwins’ chocolate store. Apparently, it is a franchise with over 150 stores in 26 different states. Who knew? I am not sure how I missed them before now, but it was definitely a great treat. What’s not to like about a company with values such as “treat others as you want to be treated”. Let me tell you the staff was phenomenal. Their tag line “Sweet in every sense since 1947.” Is so true; the product, the flavour, the aroma of chocolate and the staff were oh, so sweet.

Chocolate Gravy and Possum Pie

On 20th March 2023

We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone.
Katie Thurmes

Arkansas was never on our Roadtrippers plan for this trip. So, I had no pre- plans or ideas of what to expect or what to do and eat. When I did my brief research on what to eat in Arkansas, I found an article on what one should try while in the state; duck gumbo, cheese dip, Grapette soda, muscadines (type of grapes), deep-fried pickles, smoked meat, BBQ, tamales, watermelon, chocolate gravy, possum pie and last but not least the water from the hot springs.

As for the deep-fried Pickles, every state says that they created them, so not on my must try list. Now, the watermelon and muscadines were out of season. I tried very hard to find the chocolate gravy; which apparently is a chocolate type sauce made with flour and used as a breakfast treat on pancakes and such. I Also had no luck finding possum pie which apparently is like a chocolate mouse type pie dessert. I believe it is similar to the Mississippi mud pie. The one thing I could find is the water from the Hot Springs, found in the Hot Springs National Park…

Since the early 1800’s, these Hot Springs have been used by people seeking out the healing powers and properties of the springs. Known by some as the place “where crutches are thrown away”. In 1832 the US congress declared the Hot Springs in Arkansas as a protected area to ensure that everyone could have access to the health and healing benefits of the hot springs. By the 1900’s the Hot Springs was among the most visited health and wellness resort areas in the US. It wasn’t until 1921 it became a national park.

Unlike our Canadian Hot Springs in Banff, here they developed and built huge bath houses with individual bath tubs and stalls. There is only one such bath house in operation today. Now, I did not come here to have a bath, I came here to drink the spring water. There were a few areas that people could go and fill there bottles from the taps. The water from the tap was hot enough to make tea. The best part is that it was free! I am not a huge fan of hot drinks; so how was one to enjoy this hot spring water cold.

Of course, Superior Bathhouse Brewery. It is the only brewery in a national park and is the world’s first brewery to utilize thermal spring water as the main ingredient. Best of all it is served cold! Now I was tempted to try the beer bath; which is 18 x 4-ounce samples of their beer, which is equivalent to 4 pints. However, after that much beer I would be extremely wobbly on my feet and I did not want to be the one who needed to find those thrown away crutches because I was too drunk to walk.

March Madness

On 19th March 2023

In Campgrounds, Texas 2023

Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.
Samuel Johnson

I think I have mentioned that there were very few places we booked ahead of time. In general, it has worked out extremely well for us. We were hoping to be able to stay in Hot Springs National Park for a couple of nights, however there was no room at the park. But we did find a couple of nights at the Degray Lake Resort State Park. This is officially our first stay in an Arkansas Park. This park was located in the Ouachita Mountains (more like rolling hills😊) All the sites had shade and were nestled in the tall pines. It was a fabulous park.

Our first stop on our way to the park was Slate Rock Brewing in Amity, Arkansas. Our first Arkansas craft beer came with some great entertainment. The atmosphere here was exciting with the talk about the upcoming Razorback game. I loved being emersed in the middle of this. I wish we could have stayed here for the game as it looked like such a fun spot.

Now I don’t know if any of you follow basketball but it was March Madness time. The NCAA men’s basketball tournament; second round. The 8^th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks were playing the number one seed Kansas. Now I don’t watch basketball, especially college ball, but what a fun experience to be in the state today.

The normally quiet campground was a buzz with campers watching the game. We didn’t need to have the game on to know what was happening. Before you knew it, I was checking the scores and following the game. The Razorbacks were behind by 8 at half time when I checked, so I decided not to watch it.

As the cheers started flowing through the campground in the second half I had to keep checking to score. As the Razorbacks mounted a great comeback, I found myself pacing the campsite. Really what madness is this?

And I want to know how long it actually took to watch the last three seconds of the game. As I was biting my nails a huge cheer filled the campground. I knew at that time that the Razorbacks had upset Kanas 😊.

As you can see by the pictures, we finally got a chance to try horseback riding. The price was right, and there was no time like the present to give it a try. I truly think horses are absolutely beautiful animals. However, I have always had a fear of riding them. It took Steve a little bit of persuading, but I gave it a try. I think when I go back home, I might have to take some lessons.

Umm, maybe this March Madness is more than basketball.

Duck Fries and Deep Fried…

On 17th March 2023

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter.
Izaak Walton

We officially leave Texas today and cross the state line into Arkansas. There is a little town right on the border called Texarkana. I mean literally on the border. The state line goes right down the middle of town. The iconic courthouse and post office building straddles the state line. Half of the building is in Texas and the other half in Arkansas. As is Stateline Avenue which runs through town and has half of the businesses in one state and the other half in the other state.

I know this did not seem like much but it sure made for some fun videos and pictures. We did manage to find a brewery on the Texas side, Pecan Point Brewery. Here we enjoyed our last Texas craft beer and a plate of duck fries. (Potatoes fried in duck fat – interesting flavour!)

Our first stop in Arkansas (okay the second) is the Coulter Farmstead in Washington, Arkansas. While driving through the town we found a Jonquil Festival held in Historic Washington State Park. What is a Jonquil you ask; well, it is a small yellow flower from the daffodil family. Looks exactly like a daffodil only a lot smaller. The small county fair was a lot of fun with food trucks, various venders, and live music. The other bonus is that we had a chance to explore the historic park that offers insight into nineteenth century living and the Civil War.

Unfortunately for us the 1832 Williams Tavern had closed for the day. Not all is lost, as there were carnival vendors & food trucks. Did you know they deep fry almost everything in the south? I mean everything. After some convincing from the locals, we tried deep-fried Oreos. Have to say they were like a stuffed donut; they were actually not bad.

The Coulter Farmstead (1861) and Wolff Mercantile (1871), is located on the edge of the state park. The site offered beautiful renovated historic cabins as bed and breakfast type lodging. For us in the RV it offered electric hook up and access to the grounds. It was a treat to meet and feed the goats and Theodore their miniature highland type cow.

The shopping at the Wolff Mercantile was a unique experience. To top it off, the owners, Justice and Katie, were an absolutely lovely couple. I think they are the friendliest people we have meet so far this trip. This peaceful and beautiful spot was the perfect place to spend the night. I would have to say that this hidden gem is definitely a place I could come back too.

What do Oil, Chili and Fruitcake have in common?

On 15th March 2023

In Campgrounds, Texas 2023

Don’t count the days, make the days count.
Mohammad Ali

Day 74 of our journey; it is truly the beginning of our drive “north” to home. From Waco we are heading diagonally to the most northeast point in Texas. We decided to break up the 6 hours of driving with a few stops.

Do you pay attention to the bill boards on the side of the road that are advertising businesses? Well, for whatever reason today was the day we paid attention. There must have been at least 10 billboard signs telling us to stop at the historic Collin Street Bakery. Even though it was not on our direct route we did find ourselves taking the quick detour to Corsicana Texas, to check out the bakery.

Stop 1: What we learned along the way today is that Corsicana, Texas with a population of 25,000 is known as being one of the first oil discoveries west of the Mississippi. In 1894, while drilling for water, they struck oil. It then become Texas’s first oil boom town. It is also known for being home of the original Wolf Brand Chili. The recipe was developed in 1895 and sold in Corsicana during the oil boom. Till this date 128 years later they are still using the original recipe. No, I did not try the canned chili!

Now, to the reason for our stop; the bakery. Opened in 1896, this 127-year-old family-owned and operated bakery is home to the world famous, one of a kind, Deluxe Fruitcake. Really? Apparently, world famous, who knew? The company must be doing well as there is a news report about how one of their employees embezzled 17 million over 9 years. Imagine $17 million, selling fruit cakes. (That’s a lot of cakes) I am not a fan of fruitcake, however all their other baked goods looked amazing! 😊

So, to answer the question above, Oil, Chili and Fruitcake all started out in Corsicana Texas!

Stop 2: As we have mentioned before one of the biggest challenges, we have had on this trip is to find WIFI. Our campground for tonight Lake Tawakoni State Park (our last Texas state Park.). It did not have any, this meant we had to stop along the way for Steve’s meeting. A quick stop in a little town called Wills Point, served this purpose. A Very small town!

Stop 3 of this drive, we decided to stop in the town of Pittsburgh, Texas that is. What a quaint little town. We checked out the feed and seed shop which was actually had the Anvil Brewery in the back (of course it did 😊).

Final Stop, Wright Patman Lake. This Corps of Engineers campground was our home for the last two nights in Texas. ☹. This park was absolutely gorgeous; the flowers were in bloom and the sunset on the lake was lovely. Bonus – they had WIFI!

Magnolia

On 13th March 2023

Everyone has a story worth telling.
Joanna Gaines

Have you ever seen the show Fixer Upper? I am sure you have heard about Chip and Joanna Gaines and the Magnolia brand. After seeing a show on the Magnolia Silo project, I was definitely curious to check out Waco, Texas.

Our first stop was the Waco Mammoth National Monument located just outside of the city. Here they found bones for a group of female Columbian Mammoths and their young. Apparently one of the largest groupings of fossils found together. Interestingly enough we did not think the mammoths ranged so far south. This site is co-managed through the National Park Service, Baylor University and the city of Waco. It was quite interesting from an archeological standpoint and well worth the price of admission.

However, the main attraction for me was the Silos which are located in downtown Waco. There is a small brick building on the corner of the property; now the bakery. Apparently, this was a flower shop where Chip used to buy Joanna flowers when they were dating. Joanna always wanted to purchase this building and turn it into her office. When it came up for sale the Silos were also included in the price. It amazes me what they created out of these rundown abandoned silos. Their investment has helped rejuvenate some of the downtown area. They have created an incredible family friendly space for kids to play and people to eat, shop or just relax.

We decided to try some of Joanna’s baked goods at the Silos Baking Co. I am not sure if it is this busy all the time or if it is so busy because of spring break. It was definitely worth the wait though. Other than the wait I was really impressed with the quality, quantity and price of the treats as they were comparable to any specialty coffee shop.

In exploring Waco, I managed to find a chocolate shop that was open today “Splendid Oaks Chocolate” Lovely little spot 😊 and in true Jo and Steve fashion we did find a couple of breweries to check out. We had lunch and a beer at Southern Roots Brewing; ranch dip with pizza who knew? Met a couple of fellow RVers from California at Bare Arms Brewing, Nancy & Charlie, who are planning a trip to Nova Scotia for the fall of this year. We hope to meet up with them while they are here.

Did you know that Waco is the home of Dr. Pepper. This sweet cherry & caramel flavoured soda drink was created by a pharmacist named Charles Alderton in 1885. Apparently it predated Coca-Cola by a year. I really wanted to go to the museum, however the line up for tickets was over 30 minutes long as was the line up to get a soda. So, walking around the outside would have to do. I so wanted to try a Dr. Pepper though. I did learn that the numbers 10, 2 and 4 on the label refer to times in the day that our blood sugars may drop…..you guessed it, time for a Dr. pepper to perk you up!

We also finally found a Rudy’s BBQ on this stop. Steve has talked about finding a Rudy’s BBQ for the last 73 days! Now according to Steve, this is Texas Best BBQ. According to me it is another meal I don’t have to cook!

They don’t call it catching…

On 11th March 2023

In Campgrounds, Texas 2023

Fishing is a passion that can never be fully explain.
Unknown

Our drive today is taking us through the Texas Panhandle plains; which has a bit of a rolling prairie feel and some woodland area. Essentially, a flatter landscape than we have been used to seeing in Texas. Our goal for today is Lake Arrowhead State Park.

One thing I must say is that Texas has one of the best state park systems we have ever used. The campgrounds are always clean, there is usually water and electricity hook ups and they are extremely well priced with deals for Texas State Park Pass holders. Most importantly they have wonderful hot showers facilities! 😊

So, to break up our 4-hour drive today we stopped in the small town of Wichita Falls. We managed to catch the tail end of the farmer’s market and had fun exploring the Saint Patrick’s Day festival happening that day. We stopped for lunch at a great brewery, Wichita Falls Brewing Company, and then checked out the Duck Coffee Shop for coffee and a gelato.

Lake Arrowhead State Park is extremely popular with anglers. All eager to catch either a Crappie fish, a catfish, or a large mouth bass. I enjoyed walking the pier that was lined with fisherman and having a chat with them about what type of bait they were using. Curiosity, as my mom owns a bait shop. My favorite conversation was with this older gentleman; who when I asked if he was catching anything today? His reply was; “Not much luck today ma’am. But ma’am, you know that’s why they don’t call it catching ma’am, they call it fishing.”

Give Me A Home…

On 10th March 2023

In Campgrounds, Texas 2023

Every person you meet knows something you don’t : learn from them.
H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Oh, give me a home, where the buffalo roam and the skies are not cloudy all day…

On our drive we just had to stop in the small town of HAPPY, Texas; population 613. I just couldn’t resist the photo op. 😊 We laughed hysterically at the ATM in the middle of nowhere saying it is the Happy State Bank.

Continuing our drive in the Texas panhandle; approximately two hours southeast of Palo Duro is Caprock Canyon State Park. We were very impressed with this canyon. We loved the vibrant red and orange colors of the steep and rugged canyon walls and bluffs.

As breathtaking as some of these views are, the highlight for me had to be the Bison. Roaming freely here is the Texas State Bison Herd. I think they are amazing creatures. It saddens me greatly that greed almost made these incredible animals extinct. According to the literature that the park provided; during the years of 1876 and 1878 the buffalo were hunted to near extinction. All this for their hides.

On the encouragement of his wife, Mary Ann, Charles Goodnight (a local rancher) obtained two bison calves and managed to grow his herd to 250 head by 1929. After their deaths the herd did dwindle to less than 50. In 1994, genetic testing was done. It was discovered that these bison had a rare genetic marker that revealed these might be the last remaining group of southern plains bison. With this, in 1997 the bison were moved to Caprock Canyon and became the official Bison herd of the state of Texas. We are so glad we came here and could help with the efforts to maintain this herd.

Side note : Did you know that a prairie dog is another name for a ground hog type animal? To be honest, I didn’t. It is another animal that lives in this park. They are small noisy little critters. Interesting to watch but not as mesmerizing as the Bison.

More padding required…

On 9th March 2023

In Campgrounds, Texas 2023

A camera teaches you how to see without a camera.
Dorothy Lange

Palo Duro Canyon is one of the two places I had identified on my bucket list before we left home. It is located in the Texas Panhandle Plains area. Now, according to the Texans we met, this is their version of the Grand Canyon. I must say it was quite impressive, with it’s spectacular geologic wonders and panorama of views and colors which you definitely cannot capture on film. All that being said, the Grand Canyon is definitely in a league of its own. Sorry, Texas…

One neat thing about it is you actually camp on the bottom of the canyon floor and look up instead of looking down. This four-night stay at Palo Duro Canyon State Park meet all my expectations and more. We hiked, biked and explored everyday. Let me tell you there is some spectacular scenery here. We did want to go horseback riding, but at $150/hour we decided not to.

Our favorite hike was the iconic Lighthouse Rock Formation which is the symbol of the park. This was a 6-mile (10 km) hike in total. Now, the first and last 2.75 miles were a breeze. The last quarter of a mile was straight up, which means on the way back it’s straight down… ugh! Next time I will bring more padding for my butt to make it easier to slide down the decline. 😊

I now know why this trail has the most injuries in the park. Unfortunately for one hiker today, she was carried off the trail in a stretcher and an ambulance. Speaking about injuries, one of the most frequent injuries, and occasionally even death, in this park is related to the heat. They have signs posted everywhere about how to prevent sun and heat related injuries and proper hiking trail etiquette. Take plenty of water 1 quart per mile, take snacks, wear a hat and sunscreen, wear appropriate clothing and footwear, know your limitations. Even with all these signs I still find it mind-boggling how many people we saw on this hike with no water, no hat, improper footwear and wearing a tank top. I know, I am not their mother…

Amarillo by Morning

On 6th March 2023

In Campgrounds, Texas 2023

There is no must in art because art is free.
Wassily Kandinsky

Today is a driving day. After two days at Oasis State Park, we are leaving New Mexico and crossing back into Texas. It is interesting now that we look forward to these days. Not necessarily the driving but the treats I pack along the way.

Every morning, just like at home, we have a routine. For me, I prepare the snacks for the day. We have a console in the cab of Winnie (the camper), and the third drawer is the treat drawer. Today we had Korean pork jerky, salted mixed nuts, clementines, and of course chocolate. The drawer always contains granola bars, pepperoni sticks, a small jar of candy for Steve’s sweet tooth, and since Yuma, Dates! Our rule of thumb is to keep the drive around 200 miles, or 4 hours of driving per day. So now you know why we need snacks!

Our first stop today was the Big Texan. This Texas icon since 1959, Tex Randal stands 47 feet tall. I barely could reach the top of his Boot. Levis Strauss made the pants, and Amarillo Awning made the shirt. Total surface area was 1440 square feet. Believe it or not, this was all hand stitched!

Next stop Amarillo, and the Cadillac Ranch. This is one of the most iconic roadside attractions in Texas. Off of the old route 66, this piece of art was created in 1974. The Cadillacs are all nose deep into the ground with an incline at the same angle as the pyramids of Giza (Who Knew?).

Part of this attraction is that it allows people to spray paint graffiti on the cars. Sounds like fun, however, you need a can of paint. A young mother with her daughter were leaving and gave us their can of spray paint so we could play and paint. We are definitely not a Picasso; however, I must admit we enjoyed it immensely. On our way out we too gifted that can of paint to a another family who had none.

Do You Believe?

On 4th March 2023

In Places We've Been, Texas 2023

The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe.
Gustave Flaubert

Another thing on Steve’s bucket list was to visit Roswell, located in southeastern N.M. This is the site of the famous intergalactic event known as the Roswell Incident. I am so glad to say this definitely met his expectations. Whether you believe in UFO’s or not it is definitely a place to go.

We got coffee from the McDonald’s that was shaped like a space ship. We enjoyed walking around town and seeing all the alien paraphernalia and of course taking many pictures 😊. However, the highlight of the day was visiting the International UFO Museum & R esearch Center. It was fascinating to learn facts about the mysterious crash of 1947. It even showcased other extraterrestrial events from different times and from all over the world. All in all, well worth the price of admission. I am not sure but it may have made a believer out of me!

Our time in New Mexico is almost over. It saddens me, as I really enjoyed this state. I feel there is so much more to see and do and eat. Did you know that apparently it is the only place in the world can you get a green chili burger (using Hatch Chilis) at a McDonald’s? Well, according to the bill boards it’s the only place. Not that we stop at McDonald’s very often but just saying…

Our next stop was in a little town called Portales. Here we found another brewery, if course. Now I know we have stopped at a lot of breweries on this trip. However, what you may not know is that they have some of the best food we have enjoyed. Today is no different and while the beer at the Roosevelt Brew i n g C o m p a n y was excellent, the food was even better. I tried their green chili burger (with chilis from Hatch NM of course). This was hands down the best burger I have ever had and I did not have to go to McDonald’s 😊

On a Whim

On 3rd March 2023

So much of who we are is where we have been.
William Langewiesche

One thing I love about New Mexico is that all the small businesses help to support each other. So, on the advice & recommendation from Tularosa Winery (last nights Harvest Host) We decided to check out McGinn’s Pistachioland, in Alamogordo N.M., home of the world’s largest Pistachio. It is over 30 feet tall, used over 5 yards of concrete in the making and it took 35 gallons of paint to paint it 😊. It as definitely a tourist thing to do.

Here we learned about the pistachio farming business which we found has a few similarities to pecan farming. However, a couple of interesting facts. Pistachios are not native to America as they come from Central Asia and Iran. The trees planted here are grafted with I believe a mesquite tree. This enables them to survive the climates here. There are actually male and female trees. (So, you need both to grow pistachios). Lastly the red dye used on imported nuts was used to cover the blemishes on them. So, pistachios coming from USA will not have the dye. We sampled pistachios roasted, toasted, candied, seasoned, sugar coated and cocoa coated. We tried them in a brittle and a bark. (For the record no comparison to my Almond bark) They even made a wine that used pistachio; not a combo that I would try again, but heck don’t listen to me I am not a wine connoisseur. 😊

Further up he road, on a whim we stopped at a historical marker along the route. It happened to be about Billy the Kid. We figured since we have been tracking some of his moves through N.M. why not head off our path to the historical town called Lincoln, NM to check out what he did here.

In 1869, just four years after the civil war, the town and the county changed its name for the late president Abraham Lincoln. Some of its historical relevance surrounds the participation of William H Bonnie (Billy the Kid) in the old west conflict in this area. They have tried to keep the town as a historical monument and a living museum with some of the buildings being the original structures that were around during this period.

Apparently, Billy was captured here and held in the Lincoln County Courthouse awaiting his execution. However, on April 28, 1881, Billy made his famous escape, shooting Deputy J.W. Bell on the interior staircase and Deputy Bob Olinger from the northeast window of the second floor. Now you explain to me how a prisoner got a gun! While taking the walking tour through the town, in true Jo and Steve fashion we found a brewery in one of the historical buildings. The Bonita Valley Brewing Company, with dualling pistols in the logo. The owner is a historian and we learned more about this area and Billy the Kid. It pays sometimes to simply take that turn in the road!

Oh, to be a kid again

On 2nd March 2023

Live with no excuses and travel with no regrets.
Oscar Wilde

I have always had an adventurous spirit. I remember when I was a kid and my parents would take us to new places where we got to explore and try new things. My favorite was always trying new foods. I am so looking forward to trying new foods and seeing new scenery.

So today, entering New Mexico is a very exciting day. One of our first stops was Amigo’s Mexican Foods as it came highly recommended. We tried “authentic” Mexican food; tamales and gorditas. On this day we also drank New Mexico wine from Lacombe’s and Tularosa wineries. I even tried a green chili Cervasa (now that beer packed some heat).

One of the things is that New Mexico is known for is the White Sands National Park and general area which is in the Tularosa basin and covers over 275 square miles. In this area there is also the White Sands Missile Range. So, on our way through the area, we stopped at the missile centre as this highly secured area has a museum that they let the public in to see. Unfortunately, because of high winds it was closed today.

However, it was actually fortunate as because of the high winds the White Sands National Park was open as there was no missile testing today. They told us that this stark white dune field is one of the rarest landscapes on the planet. Also of note is there is only a handful of gypsum dune systems that exists in the world and White Sands National Park is the largest.

Fun fact – apparently astronauts can see these dunes clearly from space. For us today, it was like playing in the worlds largest sandbox. We climbed the dunes, rolled down the dunes and, because of the generosity of a couple of kids, we got to slide down them! Some of these dunes are up to 60 feet tall (18m). One of the rules of the park was not to collect the sand however, they never said anything about the amount of sand that was in our shoes or our pockets 😊.

A Change of Scenery

On 1st March 2023

In Campgrounds, Texas 2023

The earth has music for those who listen.
William Shakespeare

The drive into New Mexico on the Historic US 80 was a pleasant change to what we have been used to seeing most of this trip. There was flat grassy plains that lead to the foot of the mountains. The golden color of the tall grass glistened in the sunshine as the wind blew it softly. I could envision horses running wild on this beautiful land. As much as I am intrigued by the desert, this scenery was absolutely stunning.

An interesting fact for you; in this area of southern Arizona, Geronimo, the last Apache Chief, surrendered on Sept 6^th, 1886. This day in history forever ended Indian Warfare in the U.S.

Our goal for tonight was to be close to the base of the Chiricahua National Monument on the New Mexico side. We were totally blessed, I mean really blessed, to find Rusty’s RV Ranch in Rodeo, New Mexico. This campground is just outside the park boundaries and it is a little piece of heaven. I loved it so much we stayed an extra day. Part of me wants to tell the world about it but the other part wants me to stay quiet about it so whenever we come back there will be room for us 😊. I know totally selfish of me.

Now, a friend of mine recently told me that she wanted to see some pictures of different scenery from our trip. I am glad to say today was the day! Our day in the Chiricahua Wilderness, took us into the Coronado National Forest and Cave Creek Canyon. This side of the park is entirely different to the area we visited before. This oasis of green trees, and a babbling brook full of water provided for some beautiful scenery today.

A Town Too Tough To Die

On 26th February 2023

I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.
Thomas Jefferson

One last stop in Arizona that has been highly recommended by a lot of fellow travelers is Bisbee. The bonus to this idea is that we have to drive through Tombstone. Now, Tombstone was not on our radar this trip as we were there 20 years ago however, rumor has it that there is a brewery there. (Of course, I knew that as we drank their beer during the Superbowl party!)

Legendary Tombstone Arizona; where history really happened! Known as the town too tough to die. We were on the same streets that Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday walked over 140 years ago. We watched the actors dressed in period clothes interact with each other on the street. Unfortunately, we missed the gunfight show at the O.K. Corral and decided not to take the historic stagecoach ride through the town.

The beer at the Tombstone Brewing Company, was really good. However, I have to admit I really wanted the metal sign for Steve’s garage but at 40$ each, a picture would have to do. After a few beers we headed down Main Street to Big Nose Kate’s S aloon; where they still wear period costumes from the 1800’s. Gosh, it must be hard to breathe in those corsets! We were here 20 years ago with the kids. We actually have a picture of me sitting on a piano wearing a red boa. Believe it or not they still have the same piano and the painting of a naked lady that was there 20 years ago. Difference is I am not getting on top of this piano to repeat that photo op!

We have driven through a lot of old towns on this trip that have been abandoned. It was so nice to see that they have kept the old historic town alive. Just like the painting and piano, there has not been much change to the town in over 20 years, heck 100 years, but hey that is its’ charm. It is definitely a town that refuses to die.

Old Bisbee, the mile high city, is set amid the Mule Mountains. It is an old copper mining town, known for its large staircases that were originally ladders in the 1800’s and were used to get the miners from the bottom of the mine to their homes in the mountains. We only took one staircase of 186 steps; as it was on the way to the Old Bisbee Brewing Company 😊.

We did check out some of their Artisans shops, and tried a few local treats at the Bisbee Coffee Company café. We found the old town had a European feel as the houses were nestled in the rocks and the downtown streets were very twisty, curvy, full of turns and extremely narrow. They actually had a few cobblestone streets. Our originally plan was to stay the night here, but I really wanted to head to New Mexico so, off we went on the historic route 80 to Rodeo, New Mexico.

An American Icon

On 25th February 2023

In Campgrounds, Texas 2023

Nature is where the soul is set free.
anonymous

Another recommendation from our California friends was the Lost Dutchman State Park in Arizona. This park is located on the east side of Phoenix. Now one would think just the other side of the city shouldn’t take too long to get there. How wrong! Over two hours to cross the city. Yikes.

This park is named after the fabled lost gold mine. It is located in the Sonoran Desert. We decided to do the Siphon Draw Trail ; a 4-mile hike with a 1000-foot elevation change that winds its way into a canyon. I know we have a thing for canyons. The trail started in the Tonto National Forest and continues into the Superstition Wilderness. I love these names. After seeing three or four people being carried out because they twisted their ankle, we decided not to do the additional 2 miles further into the canyon.

Now, when I think of Arizona, I think of the iconic Saguaro (sah-WAH-row) Cactus in the desert. You know the tall and thin cactus with arms silhouetted against the sky. The ones you always saw in the old westerns. I am told that while the Saguaro Cactus is the icon of the American west; it only grows in the Sonoran Desert, in southern Arizona.

Lucky for me I am in the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona 😊. So, one thing I really wanted to see while I am here is the Saguaro National Park. I have always loved the distinctive look of the Saguaro with its arms turned up against the sky.

What I have learned today, beside that the Saguaro is native to the Sonoran Desert, it is also the largest cactus in the United States. An adult Saguaro is generally considered to be about 125 years of age. It may weigh between 3200-4800 pounds, and can grow to between 40-60 feet tall. Interestingly enough it is an extremely slow growing cactus; a 10-year-old plant may only be 1.5 inches tall. They only start to grow their arms when they are 50 – 75 years of age. Also, there average life span is probably 150-200 years of age.

Now you know why they are they are the iconic picture of the American West.

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