Now in New Mexico
Also on Mountain Daylight Saving Time and will be until at least mid August (unless some plans get changed along the way). The drive down from Flagstaff began with another chilly start to the day on Wednesday with temps in the low 30s while I finished the final hookups to the Jeep and pulled the umbilical cords of the RV into stowage (after first starting up the diesel engine of the big rig). When I pulled out of Black Bart's around 8:30, the computer in the RV indicated that I had 9.5 gallons of diesel fuel left in the tank -- seemingly enough to get to Winslow about some 54 miles to the east. That was the planned stop in my mind for refueling the big rig and then continuing on to Albuquerque where I planned to spend the next month waiting for the temps to moderate before heading up to southwest Colorado for the summer.
However, as other meters or gauges on the big rig have proved to be seemingly inaccurate, so did this computerized version as I shortly began to get indications that there was only a half gallon left in the tank -- and no exits with gas stations in sight for miles. I pulled out once onto a deserted road with what looked like a gas station but, it had been boarded up and the entrance blocked with barriers, rocks and other debris. Sitting still on the roadway and being fairly flat, I began to get flashes from the computer ranging from 2.5 to nothing in the tank -- not to worry I said in the back of my mind, I had a Jeep in tow with half a tank of gas and could bound ahead in it if necessary and pick up a few gallons of diesel (though I had no emergency fuel can -- probably would have to pay a premium for one of those).
Thoughts of reaching Winslow were erased from my mind and I prayed for an exit with at least one operating gas station -- soon there appeared the signs for the exit to Meteor Crater and there I found one gas station (a Mobil station with a small building shaped like a tepee). I sensed that the diesel would be pricey (which it was at $4.45/gallon) so, I pumped only $100 worth (just over 22.5 gallons) and thankfully headed toward Winslow again hoping for more reasonable prices there or in the next big town of Holbrook. Ended up in the Love's truck stop outside Holbrook (exit 177) where the diesel fuel was $3.79/gallon -- pumped another 40 gallons and again headed across the rather bleak looking high desert country. Maybe a stop to see Meteor Crater should have been in my plans because there was an RV park right behind the gas station. Nawww! Too close to the chilly weather I had experienced in the two days earlier.
As I continued on toward Albuquerque, not much in the scenery changed or excited me enough to stop and look until I reached the exits for the town of Lupton, Arizona where I saw similar spires, rock formations and rainbows of the colored earth as seen in Sedona -- tempting to stop and snap a few pictures but, too many little tourist traps diswayed me from stopping there. I did stop at the New Mexico Welcome Center just a few miles farther down the road and snapped a couple pictures there -- not nearly the same colors I had seen around Lupton though.
Still a little over two more hours of driving to get to my exit 149 so, I had a quick banana and some cool iced green tea for the push passed Gallup and the snowy covered mountains around Mt. Taylor -- lighted highway signs cautioned along the way of "Winter Driving Conditions" (as the snowflakes whirled about and patches of snow appeared in the brush and woods near the highway).
When I arrived here at the American RV park and began to unhook the Jeep, some sleet began to fall as I then backed the big rig into one of the few spaces remaining here -- the weather had caused many RVers to change their plans and had them filling up the many empty spaces I had been told Monday should be available (no reservation required they said when I called -- HAA!). Well, I spent the first night backed up to the nearby fence line on the eastern end of the campground -- fairly new spaces there with red chipped rock or small stones filling the voids between the level concrete pads and concrete patios (with picnic tables).
After getting the big rig parked as good as I liked for the night, I tried to start the Jeep and it wouldn't start -- seemed the battery had been drained too low from the towing. Another big rig pulled up behind the Jeep trying to get into their space and fortunately the guy had one of those Instant Power Jump Starters which he pulled out from under his rig and the Jeep started right up. I let the Jeep run while I finished getting the slides out and the water, electric and cable TV connected -- as the sleet continued and more big rigs came in to fill all the spaces. Nobody wanted to head north into the nasty weather out there.
Next morning, I went walking about the campground to see what spaces were opening up and where I might want to relocate for the rest of the month here -- looking to face southeast toward the mountains south of the city of Albuquerque and have the morning sun rise in the front of the RV (always enjoyable with a nice cup of coffee and Molly walking on the dashboard looking for some nuzzling and some scratching of her head). Tiger always looking for food of course before I could sit down for the sun rise -- him pawing at the counter top from the floor begging for something.
Well, the managers here are a couple with the same last name (Burch with a "U") and they let me have the first night of electric for free and I have moved to my spot of choice (site 157) two rows from the desert and farther from the busy interstate (less noise from the truck traffic). Now to get those taxes done and wait for some good weather to head for Chaco Canyon -- northwest of here and some 120 miles (20 of it dirt roads -- 4 wheeling). Now I have one of those Jump Starters too after a visit to the nearest Walmart at the western edge of the city. On the way to the Walmart from the exit here, there's a really nice few of the city as it lays out from north to south below some mountains to the east and beyond the Rio Grande river in the valley below -- Interstate 25 winding its way down from Denver and Santa Fe as it follows the river down to Las Cruces.
Taxes first and then some exploring of the city and its surrounding sights and maybe a visit or two to the nearby Route 66 Casino and Hotel -- just 9 miles back to the west. And it has a $5 buffet from 11 to 3 today for seniors over 50 -- the Burch stomach may just put a big dent in that buffet today.
Nice to have WiFi too so I can again get on the blogspot and post some of my recent travels.
However, as other meters or gauges on the big rig have proved to be seemingly inaccurate, so did this computerized version as I shortly began to get indications that there was only a half gallon left in the tank -- and no exits with gas stations in sight for miles. I pulled out once onto a deserted road with what looked like a gas station but, it had been boarded up and the entrance blocked with barriers, rocks and other debris. Sitting still on the roadway and being fairly flat, I began to get flashes from the computer ranging from 2.5 to nothing in the tank -- not to worry I said in the back of my mind, I had a Jeep in tow with half a tank of gas and could bound ahead in it if necessary and pick up a few gallons of diesel (though I had no emergency fuel can -- probably would have to pay a premium for one of those).
Thoughts of reaching Winslow were erased from my mind and I prayed for an exit with at least one operating gas station -- soon there appeared the signs for the exit to Meteor Crater and there I found one gas station (a Mobil station with a small building shaped like a tepee). I sensed that the diesel would be pricey (which it was at $4.45/gallon) so, I pumped only $100 worth (just over 22.5 gallons) and thankfully headed toward Winslow again hoping for more reasonable prices there or in the next big town of Holbrook. Ended up in the Love's truck stop outside Holbrook (exit 177) where the diesel fuel was $3.79/gallon -- pumped another 40 gallons and again headed across the rather bleak looking high desert country. Maybe a stop to see Meteor Crater should have been in my plans because there was an RV park right behind the gas station. Nawww! Too close to the chilly weather I had experienced in the two days earlier.
As I continued on toward Albuquerque, not much in the scenery changed or excited me enough to stop and look until I reached the exits for the town of Lupton, Arizona where I saw similar spires, rock formations and rainbows of the colored earth as seen in Sedona -- tempting to stop and snap a few pictures but, too many little tourist traps diswayed me from stopping there. I did stop at the New Mexico Welcome Center just a few miles farther down the road and snapped a couple pictures there -- not nearly the same colors I had seen around Lupton though.Still a little over two more hours of driving to get to my exit 149 so, I had a quick banana and some cool iced green tea for the push passed Gallup and the snowy covered mountains around Mt. Taylor -- lighted highway signs cautioned along the way of "Winter Driving Conditions" (as the snowflakes whirled about and patches of snow appeared in the brush and woods near the highway).
When I arrived here at the American RV park and began to unhook the Jeep, some sleet began to fall as I then backed the big rig into one of the few spaces remaining here -- the weather had caused many RVers to change their plans and had them filling up the many empty spaces I had been told Monday should be available (no reservation required they said when I called -- HAA!). Well, I spent the first night backed up to the nearby fence line on the eastern end of the campground -- fairly new spaces there with red chipped rock or small stones filling the voids between the level concrete pads and concrete patios (with picnic tables).
After getting the big rig parked as good as I liked for the night, I tried to start the Jeep and it wouldn't start -- seemed the battery had been drained too low from the towing. Another big rig pulled up behind the Jeep trying to get into their space and fortunately the guy had one of those Instant Power Jump Starters which he pulled out from under his rig and the Jeep started right up. I let the Jeep run while I finished getting the slides out and the water, electric and cable TV connected -- as the sleet continued and more big rigs came in to fill all the spaces. Nobody wanted to head north into the nasty weather out there.
Next morning, I went walking about the campground to see what spaces were opening up and where I might want to relocate for the rest of the month here -- looking to face southeast toward the mountains south of the city of Albuquerque and have the morning sun rise in the front of the RV (always enjoyable with a nice cup of coffee and Molly walking on the dashboard looking for some nuzzling and some scratching of her head). Tiger always looking for food of course before I could sit down for the sun rise -- him pawing at the counter top from the floor begging for something.
Well, the managers here are a couple with the same last name (Burch with a "U") and they let me have the first night of electric for free and I have moved to my spot of choice (site 157) two rows from the desert and farther from the busy interstate (less noise from the truck traffic). Now to get those taxes done and wait for some good weather to head for Chaco Canyon -- northwest of here and some 120 miles (20 of it dirt roads -- 4 wheeling). Now I have one of those Jump Starters too after a visit to the nearest Walmart at the western edge of the city. On the way to the Walmart from the exit here, there's a really nice few of the city as it lays out from north to south below some mountains to the east and beyond the Rio Grande river in the valley below -- Interstate 25 winding its way down from Denver and Santa Fe as it follows the river down to Las Cruces.
Taxes first and then some exploring of the city and its surrounding sights and maybe a visit or two to the nearby Route 66 Casino and Hotel -- just 9 miles back to the west. And it has a $5 buffet from 11 to 3 today for seniors over 50 -- the Burch stomach may just put a big dent in that buffet today.
Nice to have WiFi too so I can again get on the blogspot and post some of my recent travels.
posted by Ray at
4:25 AM
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