Rain in the Mountains

This morning we slept in until 7AM and treated ourselves to breakfast at the café in the campground - great food and weak coffee.  The conversation at the tables was mainly about coyotes and mountain lions and how they are attacking everything from chickens to dogs.  

We headed out about 8:30 AM and stopped for diesel within 15 minutes since there is no fuel for about 80 miles.  Then it was due west on I-10 towards El Paso about100 miles away.  Traffic was minimal and as we headed West the terrain changed.  

The scrub brush changed to large boulders and craggy hills full of rocks. Around 11AM we were in the midst of El Paso traffic.  Heavy construction on I-10,  crazy drivers in 4 lanes, and trucks and more trucks made the drive through the city a challenge.  To the left, we could see Ciudad Juarez, Mexico just about a mile away with just the river dividing the two cities and two countries.

As we entered New Mexico, we were immediately pulled into one lane and then stopped and photographed by Immigration and Border Control Officers and their German Shepherds.  Nice doggy!!  No, we do not have illegal immigrants in our trailer…..

Slowly but surely the elevation was rising as we advanced through the State.  At 1 PM we crossed the Continental Divide at 4530 feet.  Its funny how I don’t think of the divide occurring as far south as New Mexico.  The elevation flattened off, the rain began to be heavier and there was a pronounced reduction in towns and cars.  There was a great expanse of fields with some sheep and goats and some evidence of snow.  We pulled into Lordsburg and our campsite at 3:30 PM and then realized that we had entered the Mountain Time Zone…So an early arrival at 2:30PM.  

Its now nearly 5:30PM and after showers, we’re having some snacks and a drink while listening to NPR News over the noise of the heavy rain hitting our aluminum skin.  This is our last night on the road as we just have 255 miles to go.   Tomorrow we will be in our new home in Maricopa for the Winter.  
Ciao

Down The I-20 Chute

Up this morning at 6AM to the sound of rain − a true need in this drought stricken land.  We headed South down I-20 from Abilene towards Van Horn, TX in the Big Bend Country.  We drove passed fields of giant windmills as we headed South through the fog and the rain. 

At our first rest stop about 100 miles south, we found a placard that indicated that the first oil well of the Permian Basin Oil Boom of Texas occurred within 2 miles of the rest stop in the February, 1920.  Further down the road in Midland, we stopped for a moment of silence in respect for being in the Hometown of Laura and George Bush.  We hated to, but, passed up the option of visiting the George Bush Childhood Home….  We did see significance evidence of oil refineries dotting the road, various business that support the oil business including large stacks of oil well pumps ready for installation on drilled wells.  Truly the entire area is dominated by the oil business.

Once we had passed Midland and Odessa the traffic dropped off, the speed limit went up to 80 MPH, the mesquite trees disappeared and were replaced by low scrub bush of the desert terrain. 

We passed the Monahans Sandhills State Park that consists of 3840 acres of sand dunes, some up to 70 feet high, that stretch South as well as West into New Mexico.  Further south was the town of Pecos, a key water town on the railroad in the 1880’s now known for cantaloupes.  Elevation began to increase as we entered the Apache Mountains with elevations as high as 5600 feet. As we drove, one could see on the Western slopes there was still evidence of snow from the night before.  The Mountains are one of three exposed portions of the largest fossil reef in the world (the others are also in Texas). The reef was formed during Permian times, some 250 million years ago, when the area was submerged in the Delaware basin. Lime-secreting algae were the main reef-builders, with some sponges, bryozoans, and brachiopods; their remains and the lime they secreted formed the reef.  In several places we drove through the areas where the road had been cut through these fossil-layered rock formations.  As we drove, I kept thinking about the tropical sea that had once covered this flat and arid country millions of years ago.

We arrived in Van Horn, Texas a true hole in the wall about 3:30 PM.  Not much here…but a lovely sunset.

Across Texas

This morning we were up at 6AM and on the road by 8AM.  Our goal was to be in Abilene by 4 PM.  Its 365 miles from Shreveport, LA and as the day before, the road (I-20) was for the most part a straight and mostly smooth road. Our goal is to average 55-60 MPH with trucks speeding by at 75…FUN!  Along the way, one could see in the Piney Woods section of the state the impact from the severe drought, as many sections of pine trees were dead.  As we headed West into the Prairies and Lakes section of the State around Dallas/Ft Worth, there were also many very large horse ranches with estate homes and gated entrances with their ranch name above them along the way.  Since it was Saturday morning, the traffic was good until we hit Dallas/Ft Worth area.  As we drove West into the Panhandle area, the land flattened and became slightly rolling with low hanging mesquite and oak trees.

While on the road, we were passed by a motorhome towing a car from South Dakota.  The wife was waving furiously at us and the driver honking….???  About an hour or so later we pulled into a rest area and parked next to the same motorhome.  On our way back from the restrooms, the driver pops out and says: “What’s the chance of having two couples from New Jersey in North Texas at the same rest stop?”  They are from Cranford, NJ.  Sold their business and home 5 yrs ago and now live in their motorhome full time.  They were heading to Phoenix area for the winter. They declare South Dakota as their official residence since there is no state taxes or other fees.  They visit once every 5 yrs to update their driver’s license.  We ran into them again at the next rest stop and found out that we are following the same route to AZ.  We talked about Alaska as they were there for 5 months in 2009 and we are on the waiting list for 2012 (WBCCI Caravan).  Harried tales….

We arrived Abilene about 3:30 pm and pulled into camp.  Met a farmer from Bismarck, SD in a huge motorhome who was heading to Phoenix area for the winter.  Said that South Dakota has been transformed with the discovery of the high quality crude oil with state impact expected for the next 40 years.   Good access to Internet tonight so will catch up.  Rain tonight.  Heading tomorrow to Van Horn, TX in the Big Bend area East of El Paso. 

A Straight Shot

Poor Internet access Friday night at campsite in Shreveport, LA so double update tonight.

We left Toomsuba, MS campsite about 10 AM on Friday – so much for getting up early.  Waved Goodbye to our Camp Manager whose toothless smile affirmed that we were in Mississippi….

The drive West through Mississippi and Louisiana on Interstate 20 was unusual for us New Jerseyians - It was a straight road for 300 miles without potholes.  The farmland was beautiful and there were miles and miles of lovely forests of tall pines.  We made good time and passed over the Mississippi River at 1 PM.  Judy read about the Siege of Vicksburg as we descended onto the banks of the Mississippi.  

The surrender of Vicksburg and the defeat of Lee the day before at the Battle of Gettysburg together are considered the turning point of the Civil War.  The residents of Vicksburg were so bitter over the surrender that they did not celebrate July 4^th again until 1945.  Today the road signs for the battlegrounds are interspersed with signs for casinos on the river edge.  Another Vicksburg fact is that the popular soft drink Coca-Cola was bottled for the first time by Joseph Biedenharn, a local confectioner in Vicksburg on March 12, 1894.  His original candy store has been renovated as the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum.

We arrived Shreveport, LA about 4:30PM.  Unhitched and went out for diesel and then to that 4 Star restaurant Cracker Barrel where we rented a Grisham book on CDs for the road.  Back to the trailer where we cooked chicken stir fry.

So Long Georgia, Hello Mississippi!

We woke up at 7:40 AM Thursday – so much for an early start…. The good news was that the rain had stopped and the skies were clearing.   Good day for traveling.  We pulled from Stone Mountain Park (elevation 1686 ft and 825 ft above the surrounding area, quartz monzonite dome monadnock which extends 9 miles underground) about 10 AM and took a picture with Judy’s phone of the backside of Stone Mountain overlooking the lake.  For those of you that are Civil War aficionados or Confederate fanatics, please see Google for front side pictures of Robert E. Lee on Traveller, Stonewall Jackson on Little Sorrel, and Jefferson Davis on Blackjack, the largest bas relief sculpture in the world carved in the façade of the mountain and extending over 3 acres (picture below).  The carving was conceived by Mrs. C. Helen Plane, a charter member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).  The carving was begun in 1916 and after many lapses was completed in 1972 after the Governor and the State Legislature purchased the mountain for $1.1 Mil in 1958.  The mountain was a common meeting place for the KKK in the 20. 30 & 40’s.  “Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia…” M. Luther King, 1963.

Our drive through Alabama was beautiful with beautiful forest of pines and large rocky mountains near Birmingham.  Of course, the usual fireworks factories were available on the Georgia/Alabama border.  It’s so nice to drive on interstate roads that have no frost heaved-induced cracks.  Smooth concrete is not the norm of Jersey roads.  We arrived in Toomsuba, Mississippi at 4:30 PM (3:30 PM central Daylight Savings time) so it was nice to have daylight to catch up.  We are parked next to a gigantic motorhome that is pulling a fancy golf cart.  They are from Louisiana and heading to Birmingham for a major football game this weekend.  Just realized that their rig is so huge that it is blocking our internet access!#^*@$^$&  

Heading across Mississippi and Louisiana tomorrow to the Texas border.

Ciao

Restarting the Trip West

The truck is fixed!  GMC called Tuesday afternoon to say that the truck was fixed and we could pick it up.  To say the least, we were in shocked being from New Jersey where everything takes a week.  To have the truck in on Monday after calling the previous Friday and then fixed the following day was a true gift not to be seen in Jersey.  We drove the truck around Atlanta today just to make sure that it’s a GO. 

We went to dinner tonight with my Uncle and made our Goodbyes.  Had a great visit. Tomorrow we head West via Interstate 20 to Meridian, Mississippi about 325 miles.  The temperature has dropped dramatically here tonight.  Yesterday it was 65F with a low of 55F and today rainy and 50.  Tonight it’s going down to 28F.  Just saw that North Jersey is expected to have 2-4 inches of snow so glad that we have started trek before the white stuff hit again.  

Stranded at Stone Mountain

We awoke Sunday morning to a brisk chilly 25F in Spartanburg, SC.  Met a fellow Airstream couple (1964 Airstream) who were working at the park and we compared stories about our trailers.  About Noon we headed SW to Atlanta and arrived Stone Mountain, Ga at 3:30 PM where we checked in to a lovely campsite in the woods next to a stream overlooking Stone Mountain.  Settled in and then headed to my Uncle Charles’ home to visit with him.  He is 88 and has the mind of a 40 year old.  Hope the genes carry forward... He had prepared a lovely dinner and we had a great time reminiscing about Family.

Awoke this morning (Monday) to a cold trailer (50F) as the heat pump was not working.  No electric!?  Trudged outside to electric source: no power.  Finally advised all power is down in the entire camp area: Georgia Power problem.  No coffee!  So we headed back to my Uncle’s home for coffee and breakfast.

We were able to move our appointment for the truck sensor up to Monday afternoon as opposed to Tuesday.  And this afternoon they called to advise that it had a defective indirect injector in the engine.  Thank goodness for warranties.  The injector is on order for arrival tomorrow so they hope to have truck ready by Wednesday.  In the interim, we are using my Uncle’s car to commute between his home and Stone Mountain.  We all went to the DeKalb Farmers Market this afternoon.  We had a great time shopping for fresh veggies, as well as some loose teas and spices to take to Arizona.

Our plan is to depart for Mississippi Thursday AM.  We’ve driven 833 miles/3 days so far and have over 1800 miles to go.  We need to be in Phoenix by next Wednesday so that means we need to average at least 300 miles each day.

Tonight, the electric is back on and its 60F at the campsite – a little different than Annandale, NJ.  Rain is expected tomorrow here in the Atlanta area.