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close for comfort. For two nights in a row we had to pull in the slide-outs before going to bed because the wind was so strong that it rocked us like a ship in a storm on the high seas. The following day (May 3rd) we had a prairie fire directly behind us. Renée was looking out the rear window and saw the fire begin from a spark originating on a utility pole. Chuck ran out to get the water hose but the wind and dry grass caused it to spread too rapidly. Renée was able to reach the fire department, but since we were quite a distance away, it took a while for them to arrive. In the meantime, other campers rushed over and we fought the fire with the garden hose and shovels. One of the campers mentioned that they had come out to see why the electricity was out. We had not noticed it but the spark that caused the fire had also knocked out the power. Fortunately, the wind began to blow the fire away from us so we didn’t have to move the RV. The fire fighters arrived and were able to extinguish it before it spread too far. It then took a few hours for the utility company to restore power. Take a look at the photos to see how close it came to us!
nice and we made a few very interesting excursions while there. Geronimo (< - - please click) is buried at Fort Sill. Also nearby is the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and the “Holy City” site (see photos).
there to get our Air Force frequent camper book stamped and receive one free night. We then headed north through the Black Kettle Grasslands to Fort Supply where we had a beautiful camp site on the lake (see photos). The following day we visited historic Fort Supply (see slide show) and drove to the nearby larger town of Woodward. Saturday we stayed at the lake where we had a campfire and grilled a few steaks for supper. |
Sunday was Mother’s Day and Michael called. We left in the early afternoon and drove to Beaver Dunes State Park (see travel route). We spent the night there and the following morning took a walk through the sand dunes (see photos) before continuing on across the Oklahoma Panhandle to Black Mesa State Park which sits on the edge of Oklahoma near Colorado and New Mexico. We stayed there until May 15th. We made a few excursions to see where the Santa Fe Trail crossed and wanted to take the four hour hike to the top of Black Mesa but high winds, low temperatures and rain changed our plans. We took an abbreviated hike at the three- state marker taking a few pictures and on the way back to the campground we took a video of the Black Mesa from below (see photos and video).
yearly pass for $225, which allows one to stay at any New Mexico State Park at the cost of $4 per night with electricity. Without it, it is free. The pass is also good for entry to many other New Mexico attractions that are managed by the state. The campground at Clayton is directly on the lake and has only seven sites with water and electric (see slide show). We were lucky enough to get an electric site and stayed for four nights. Actually we try to create our own luck by never arriving at a campground on Friday or Saturday. So far we have been quite fortunate. Next to us was a chrome-laden bus with a Zimmer (< - -please click) being towed behind it. The owner was a Texas millionaire in retirement who spent most of his time in the bus on his cell phone (no computer or Internet), managing his fortune. We learned that the bus was Dolly Parton’s former tour bus (see slide show) and contained marble counter tops, side-by-side refrigerator, washer-dryer, trash compactor, etc., etc. It also contained its own diesel power plant and oversized fuel tanks. He says it costs $2500 to fill it up! That has probably risen to $3,000! Interesting though that he also is taking advantage of the annual pass for $225.00! Clayton Lake was formed by creating a dam in the late 70’s. In the early 80’s a flood swept away a layer of silt near the spillway, revealing approximately 500 footprints of five different types of dinosaurs, preserved in the Early Cretaceous sandstones of the upper Dakota Group, dating from 120 to 98 million years ago. Before touring the site (see photos), we followed the recommendation of the ranger and watched their video program to get the most out of the experience. On the 18th we drove further in New Mexico to our next state park at Ute Lake near Logan. Dusty, barren, and except for the lake, it is a very unattractive place unless you have a boat or want to fish. We spent only one night and drove further via the Llano Estacado (< - - please click), where we saw an enormous wind farm (see slide show), then via Clovis to Oasis State Park. We found a beautiful shaded camp site (see photos) and stayed there until May 22nd. For thirty years a small pond in the park provided a local fishing hole. A few years ago it was determined that the pond needed work to control the algae and it was drained and remodeled according to new engineering specifications. In February it was stocked with fish in anticipation of the annual young fisherman’s contest. Three weeks later and before the contest, a plea went out to anyone with a fishing license to please bring their nets and collect all the fish they could gather. Something had gone wrong with the re-construction and the pond was leaking and a week later it was empty. Until the problem can be found, whether in the engineering plans or faulty workmanship, the park remains empty and provides a beautiful little quiet oasis in the desert! Near Oasis State Park is the Blackwater Draw archeological site where the famous Clovis points (< - - please click) were first discovered. Unfortunately, the site and museum was closed and would not begin its new season until Memorial Day. Deciding that we will catch it again some time in the future, we drove on to Portales, touring the town before heading back to prepare for our departure. Our next stop was Sumner Lake State Park which is northwest of Fort Sumner (see travel route). We stayed there until Tuesday after Memorial Day, visiting the location of Billy the Kid’s grave (< - - please click) before visiting the Bosque Redondo Memorial (< - - please click), then took a hike along the Pecos River (see photos) During our stay at Sumner Lake State Park we decided it was time for Lobo's yearly haircut since the daytime temperatures were reaching in the 90’s. He looks a little strange but feels a lot better. On the 27th we arrived in Roswell, made famous by the 1947 crash of a flying saucer, complete with dead aliens that were scooped up by the Air Force and taken to Area 51 in Nevada. We stayed at the nearby Bottomless Lakes State Park (see photos) and during the next few days visited the city of Roswell. The UFO Museum was a must-see! The city has even painted the street lights to look like the heads of aliens (see photos). Nevertheless, Roswell is a nice little city with many historical old buildings and villas. The highlight is the Roswell Museum and Art Center with works from Georgia O'Keeffe, Fritz Scholder, Henriette Wyeth and Peter Hurd. Of special note is the original workshop of Robert H. Goddard, the father of modern rocketry (<- - please click) and (see photos). During WWII Roswell was also the site of a POW camp for approximately 4800 German prisoners from Rommel’s Africa Corps. One of their work assignments was a flood control project where a rock wall was constructed and the prisoners took it upon themselves to decorate it with an Iron Cross replica in the center (see photos). We left Roswell on the 30th and drove to Alamogordo stopping at Holloman Air Force Base where we had wintered-over two years ago. Renée spent the time catching up on the laundry and Chuck finally had the time and the availability of the materials to build a ramp for Lobo, who at age 13, has considerable difficulty getting into the truck and climbing the steps into the RV. He immediately understood the purpose and learned to use it, making it much easier for all of us. To be continued…… |
Travel Journal May 2008
Our Motto: Home is, where our RV is.
| To view photos and slide shows click on “Photos and Slide Shows May 2008” above. |
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| The picture above and the picture below were taken within less than a minute of each other, one pointing the camera towards the west and the other pointing the camera towards the east. |
At Oasis State Park, NM
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