<<< Thursday, 1 January 1998, New Years Day
Following a walk in the morning it was a lazy day recovering from last nights dancing and celebrations. As a treat we purchased a bread maker and the first attempt was delicious, so we could be eating a lot more bread in 1998.
Friday, 2 January - Sunday, 4 January 1998
After a very enjoyable ten days it was time to say good-bye to Stirling and Vergie and head west in preparation for our flight home from Phoenix. Our first stop was the SKP park at Livingston where we were surprised to find that we had more mail waiting. Even though the park is a campground many of the SKP' s have purchased plots, constructed large building into which the RV can be driven such that they and the RV are fully protected from the weather.
Every time we watch the 24 hour a day weather channel we hear about the effect that El Nino is having and we are starting to believe it. In 1996 and most of 1997 we experienced hardly any rain but during the past couple of months we have had periods where is has rained hard for days at a time. All the locals say it is very unusual to have so much rain in the south and that temperatures are below normal.
Monday, 5 January 1998
Today's route initially took us though rich flat farm country and Beaumont which is a major rice growing region, then on through Housten where there was an accident on the heavily congested through route. At such times we switch on the CB to listen to the truck drivers banter as hold-ups cost them money since many are paid by the mile. For the most part the discussion is about what is the best lane to get around the accident as quickly as possible.
We stopped for the night in Kerrville which is famous for angora goat wool. Locally fuel is 94 cents a US gallon (£0.75 per UK gallon) which is probably the lowest anywhere in the states but we know it only get more expensive as we head further west.
Tuesday, 6 January 1998
We planned to spend a day or so visiting San Antonio which had been highly recommended by several friends, but after a night of continuous thunder storms and a forecast of more for the next two days we decided to give it a miss and move to Arizona as soon as possible where the sun was shining.
Most of the morning we travelled in rain and in a gloom more like the night which kept Valerie looking over her shoulder in case a tornado appeared - we later learnt that three had struck nearby towns causing extensive damage. The I10 out of Kerrville, which lies in a valley prone to flash floods, passes through some attractive undulating country but the last very long stretch to Pecos has some of the most boring and empty road we have seen anywhere. Americans are very use to long Interstate travel and make the most of it with passengers frequently reading papers, knitting, drinking coffee or often the seat is relined and bare feet are placed on the dash board.
Wednesday, 7 January 1998
We decided to visit the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico by car but it was not to be, since we had only travelled about a mile or so when we noticed strange noises started coming from the car. A quick inspection revealed that the front wheel bearing had probably gone. It's at times like this that one gets a sharp reminder how big Texas is, since the nearest Suzuki dealer was either 250 miles to the west or 80 miles in the opposite direction to Phoenix. The local Pecos garage manager was very helpful but when he said that it may take him 3 to 4 days to get parts we decided to tow the Suzuki the 80 miles to Odessa hoping the bearing would hold out.
Odessa which apparently got it's name from the Russians constructing the rail road since it reminded them of home, is located in the heart of a vast oil rich area known as the Permain Basin, a magic oval created by the Permian Sea. As we approached Odessa along the I20, nodding donkeys seemed to extend in all directions as far as the eye could see. The town appears to be a major centre for the supply of oil field equipment and services, with a huge refinery on it's eastern edge.
To our amazement it started to snow heavily for about half an hour as we approached the town which fortunately quickly melted as the temperature was 45F. Typical of service centres, upon arrival we get warm greetings from the service advisor and lots of promises about keeping us informed as to what they find which as usual did not materialise. Experience has taught us that the only way to get things progressed is to keep chasing, but it was still 5 hours before we learnt that indeed the bearing needed to be replaced and as usual they did not have the part in stock and the best they could do was two days. We resign ourselves to waiting and camped for the night at the local KOA where we had a delicious Catfish supper.
Thursday, 8 January - Friday, 9 January 1998
On Thursday odd jobs were the order of the day while we waited for the car parts to arrive, which to our pleasant surprise were in when we checked Friday morning. Throughout the states we have found everybody to be very friendly particularly out west so it was not a surprise when the service advisor invited us to share in a birthday cake for one of the staff while he recounted his adventures at the rodeo the previous evening. By the time the car was ready it was late afternoon so we returned for the night to SKP park at Pecos.
Saturday, 10 January 1998
This time we made it to the Carlsbad Caverns which lie about 100 miles north through some very desolate country side, so desolate in fact that drivers tend to wave on passing as a means of relieving the boredom. The final approach to the caverns is uphill into the Guadalupe Mountains ending in a magnificent view of a vast plain. Several tour options of the caves are possible, we elected to walk down into the cavern via the natural entrance through which during in summer tens of thousands of Mexican free tail bats fly out at sunset in a mass exodus having spent the day sleeping, clinging to the cave roof some 200 feet below the surface. The route to the main caverns descends some 750 feet via a very steep winding path which turned Valerie's legs into jelly. With the help of the individual tape recorders which we were given at the entrance, we learned a lot about the initial discovery and exploration of the caverns.
The caverns are remarkable not only for their huge size and countless colourful formations but are possibly unique in the way they were created. Unlike the vast majority of caverns which are formed by flowing water, apparently about five years ago scientists came to the conclusion that the Carlsbad caverns were formed when gasses rose from the oil fields below and changed water into a weak sulphuric acid which in turn transformed the rocks into gypsum. We also learnt that scientists have recently discovered that around three hundred different viruses live in the cavern, some of which eat rock which in turn are eaten by other viruses, the later are being actively studied as a possible cure for some forms of cancer.
In the afternoon George joined a guided tour of the Kings Cavern which due to it's vast size and unreal formations has been used as a location for several films included Journey to the centre of the Earth. Towards the end of the tour the ranger turned off all the lights for about five minute which really brings home to one how dark pitch black really is. It is weird having ones eyes fully open for that length of time and not being able to see anything no matter which direction you look.
Sunday, 11 January - Tuesday, 13 January 1998
We had considered a visit to Rosewell which is where aliens where supposed to have crash landed in 1947 but it's in an even more remote location than Carlsbad and with the need to prepare ourselves for the trip home we decided to move on.
We arrived at the SKP Dream Catcher park early Sunday afternoon thanks to gaining an hour when we crossed into mountain time. On Monday in a gesture to keeping fit George went for a early morning walk and was very surprised to find Sam and Marianne Trice who were preparing to leave. It is remarkable how in such a large country one keeps meeting up with people we know. They were also heading for Phoenix so we arrange to meet them at a half way stop at Casa Grande. To add to the coincidences when we arrived at Casa Grande we found Sam & Marianne were camped next to Keith & Priscilla Pipping who were in the final stages of preparing for their three month tour of Australia.
Wednesday, 14 January - Saturday, 17 January 1998
| After wishing Keith & Priscilla bon voyage who
left early, we set off for the 65 mile ride to Usery Mountain
Recreation Area which lies north of Mesa. It turned out to be a very scenic desert campground with huge cacti, hills on three sides and a delightful view of the town at night. We would not of found the campground if it had not been for Marianne's sister who lives locally, since it was not in any of the campground directories. |
 |
 |
Every night we heard numerous coyotes which sounded
very close and we were not surprised to find foot prints
throughout the campground. We spent the four days
enjoying the company of Sam & Marriane and some of
their friends as well as a cook out around the campfire
and several meals at local restaurants. The car was taken in for a 30,000 mile service where the mechanic managed to break the filler plug and did not have a replacement so the old one was refitted, which leaves the problem for another day! For a couple of days we were some what confused and occasional amused by the antic's of a young couple who were camped in a very small tent on the adjacent site. Antics included throwing all her cloths and possessions into the road and as we were on our way out for a meal one evening we heard her say that he would have to go to hospital to have some carbon? The following morning we learnt that he had deliberately over dosed on his medication and an ambulance had been called to rush him to hospital. |
Sunday, 18 January - Thursday, 22 January 1998
We had previously decided that the SKP campground at Congress would make a good location to prepare ourselves for our next visit to England and it also offered the additional benefit to store the motor home free of charge for up to one month. As has now become a routine prior to flying home, we spent several days cleaning and doing general repairs.
The RV insurance renewal reminder arrived (groan) with the latest mail delivery which we had arranged to be sent to the local post office in Congress which is almost a ghost town. After several phone calls we decided to change the insurance to another company which appears to offer similar cover at a much lower cost. We explored several of the very run down shops in Congress which were selling no more than junk and perhaps because we are getting use to the west, we barely glanced up when a shop owner jingled through the shop wearing six guns, long coat, western hat and boots with spurs. >>>