Finally New Mexico

Driving into New Mexico was like driving into a wind tunnel. There were gusts up to 50mph. Windy enough to push you along as you walk down the path to the visitor center. Imagine driving this bus. Mike who is driving behind me, said I looked like I was drunk. Usually I don't like when big trucks pass me, due to the wind turbulence they make, but here I was glad, since they acted as a wind block. So for a moment I wasn't being tossed around like a top.

There were many RV's on the road, all headed for the Balloon Festival. We continued west on RT 40, thru Tucumcari, which Mike says means between a woman's breast....but I'm not sure...he likes those big busted women...

We finally camped at Santa Rosa Campground. We knew we were now in the desert, as only scrub brush and a few cedar or maybe hemlock trees were there. We found that the blowout had done more damage than we thought. The force of the blowout had pushed up the metal of the wheel well and had broken the compartment which houses the dump station. The sewer hoses were ripped to shreds and the sewer release handle was broken. I had to buy a new hose, but the handle caused a smelly drip. I washed it all down the next day.. don't want our DNA all over the place.

It was a beautiful sunset, but still windy. This area is prone to high winds, being so flat. Santa Rosa is an old town, part of the RT 66 revival towns. Everything is RT 66. We drove on it..I didn't get any kicks....

At the campground, our neighbor had one of those $250,000 deluxe RV's. They were from Texas headed for the Balloons. OK, maybe I have a hidden dislike for really rich people showing off, but how do you go camping and have perfectly coiffed hair??? I could see it, here was the rich kid who married the head cheerleader. Or maybe this was one of those Enron execs who paid themselves with our money.

We didn't check out the town, but this was the town my friend Margaret and I stayed in when we were moving her back to PA. We stayed in this cheap motel on RT 66, went to get something to eat, only to find the motel manager was coming out of our room....spooky. We didn't find anything missing, but we barricaded the door that night. We did have a great Mexican meal and a well deserved beer for me.

The next morning we got up early, had a McD's senior coffee and hit the road. The wind had died down some, thank goodness. We were only about 100 miles to Albuquerque.

We stopped for lunch at a Cline Corner roadside tourist place. They advertised all over. We had a great Mexican platter, but the bathrooms were terrible. smelly dirty gross. And for me to say that, you know they were bad, a construction site Porto-potty was nicer.

We at an RV dealership in Albuquerque to buy the new dump station handle, which was $20, but it would cost $105 or more to put it in.. yea right we can do it.....the saga of the dump station handle is coming soon ....

Driving around Albuquerque was not too bad, but we hit rush hour traffic and of course construction, so we pretty much inched our way south onto I25. Meanwhile Mike is driving me crazy, every 5 minutes he get on the walkie talkie "where are we going", which I say "south".

My plan was to stay at the La Mirage RV park in Belen, NM for the night. The GPS put us in the wrong place. If I followed the GPS,, we would have ended up at a Nursing Home....Then we stopped at a Mobile Home park to ask directions, which no one there could speak English. We finally found a man who directed us up the hill. Once there, we were told they were all full, due to the Balloon festival...I should have called..but the lady was nice and called the campground down the road-20 miles- and got us registered there, so off we went- headed for Kiva RV Park.

Put on your Cowboy Hat-we're in Texas

Driving west on I-40, it is warm, there is a bit of a wind, and you can tell you are in Texas. Where in OK, there were some trees, now it is just dry grasslands. Yep the panhandle of Texas is pretty harsh. There are rusted silos and some small towns that have lost their luster. You do see cattle and ranches. Most of these ranches are huge. there was a sign that said Johnson Ranch- North branch, and it was hundreds of acres. This is one place I would not live, even if you paid me. But I wore my cowboy hat, cause that's what you do in Texas.

So about 30 miles from Amarillo, where we were going to stay at a Walmart parking lot , I hear this BIG BANG. I pull over and there is another blow-out on the same side, same wheel, different tire. The last one was the inside, rear duel, this was the outside tire, and it was a big one. Caused some damage to the wheel well.

Well we learned our lesson with Good Sam, so Mike went 7 miles to the truck stop, where he found someone to come change the tire, still another $300. This was not getting any fun...

He was there in less than an hour , and was a real nice man. He got us on our way.

Summer time is construction time on the roads, and it was a mess coming into Amarillo. I didn't realize how big this city was. Since there is nothing around for miles, I guess those Texans found a good watering hole and stayed there. I 40 goes right through Amarillo and we found the Walmart, but the GPS was wrong..

The parking lot of the Walmart was like a mini RV camp. There were 27 campers that I counted, maybe more on the other side, and 3 trucks. It was crazy. Many were headed to Albuquerque for the Hot Air Balloon Festival. We stayed there and talked to alot of people.

Not too early we left , back on I 40 west.

Now I have to backtrack a bit for the next part of the story. When we were staying at PRO Diesel in Kansas waiting for Agatha to get better, we helped clean out a truck. The Pickup truck had been abandoned for lack of repair money and Cory was going to have it auctioned off. I had been poking around the truck, because I saw there was a feather and an eagle claw hanging from the rear view mirror. So I knew that the owner was native and had probably danced in a Sun Dance. There was sage and some other things. So I helped clean the truck out and took the sacred things, a ring on a chain, and some CDs.

The night at the Amarillo Walmart, I had a terrible time sleeping, something was making me feel very uneasy. I knew there was something not right with my bag of items, maybe that was why we were having so many troubles, maybe there was some really negative energy that had been attached to them.

So right out of Amarillo, we stopped at a truck rest area, which was dirt, and had a ceremony for those items. We buried them, put tobacco on them, and had a pipe ceremony. We sent healing energy to the man who owned these things, and smudged ourselves and Agatha. It felt much better after that. There was only 40 miles to the New Mexico border...

Oklahoma was hot and dry

After leaving the wonderful folks at Augusta, Kansas, we were behind on our driving schedule. I had wanted to stop at Ponca City, OK where there was going to be a big Pow Wow, but we decided to drive through to OK City area. We were doing fine, driving down I35 and about 15 mikes north of OK City when I heard a loud POP. I figured maybe a flat, but it was a blowout tire. I called Good Sam, which is like AAA for RV's. They would send out a repair man, and needed to charge me for the tire and repair...like$400. Damn man. Well what could I do, so we waited and waited for this guy to come. Imagine the scene It is 94 degrees out, we are on the side of a very busy interstate and the grass on the berm was all sticker grass, which got all over poor Dakota and my socks. We waited almost 3 hours for the guy. We were not happy campers. But he fixed the tire and off we went.

Going around OK City in the dark on a toll road which had not clerks, you needed exact change, was not so fun. We finally got to the KOA at 8pm. Luckily the lady was just coming out of the office and put us in a spot. We were exhausted from the tire fun and went to sleep only hooking up the electricity and of course the TV.

The next morning I was not ready to get driving again, so we stayed another day and explored the area. Right next to the KOA, which was on I 40, was a pen a buffaloes, and a Cherokee Trading Post, a diner restaurant, and an antique shop. We talked to the Buffaloes for awhile, we restrained ourselves from buying Indian crafts, we checked out the antique store and we had a nice dinner, where I flirted with the 2 policeman who were next to us. I made a grown man blush and laugh. We had fun. We also had a great hot shower.

The next morning I was totally refreshed and ready to hit the road again. West on I 40, which runs next to old RT66, we saw cows and ranches and drilling rigs, some working, some rusted and dead. They look alien. We noticed many people were taking RT66, mostly motorcycles and some bikes. The road dies out in some places only to reappear again. It was a warm sunny day and we were headed to Amarillo TEXAS.

KANSAS CITY HERE I COME

After all that Jesse James history, I realized that I had never been to Kansas. I also didn't know how Kansas was such a wild place. Kansas City was the starting place of the Oregon Trail and the Santa FeTrail. Towns are Dodge City, Medicine Lodge, Wichita. There were many fort here. There were Indian wars, Civil war battles, and Wild Bill Hickock. We didn't stop in Kansas City due to time, but my friend Pier says it has great shopping. It is known as a cattle city, larges stockyards....we saw hundreds of cattle in one of them. Can you say steak for dinner??

We drove south on I35 and said hello to Courtney's hometown of Emporium, (Sean's girlfriend). Then we drove through the Flint Hills. They are rolling hills that look like desert. Nothing there for miles, the soil is alluvial deposits. It is plains with grass growing and occasionally some wildflowers. Way off in the distance black dots, which are cattle, graze. There is no town for miles. It was a beautiful place though. It felt like I could touch the clouds.

Our goal was to was originally to camp in El Dorado, but the campground had very bad reviews so we ended up in the Walmart parking lot there. I noticed that Agatha was backfiring, and I knew that wasn't good, so we called around to see if someone could look at it. Interestingly most RV dealers don't service them, or you have to wait a week or so to get in. So we were referred to PRO DIESEL, AND Cory said we could come the next morning. so we did.

LIFE AT PRO DIESEL

When we pulled into the Pro Diesel yard, we were met by Cory, the owner and his little helper, a small rambunctious girl of about 2 years old, Reese. Cory started exploring the problems of the RV and I played with Reese. Her Mom, Kellie, works in the office. Cory tried several things and we were still backfiring. So we stayed in the yard that night. They hooked us up to electric and we read until it was dark.

The next morning, Cory worked on some gaskets and valve cover. He and his number one man, Jeff, brain stormed trying to figure it out. Still nothing stopped the problems. So we stayed another night in the yard. I spent my day playing with the kids, Reese and Ty, a Kindergarten age boy who likes rocks. And I met Cory's son, Garrett, who could be a future geologist. He is collecting rocks and wanted to know all about them. We gave him a quartz crystal and some others. He has a tumbler machine and was very curious about all the rocks we had collected along this trip. We found fossils, mostly shells and coral, right by the garage. We are collecting more rocks and will send him a bunch from New Mexico.

The next day Cory is stumped. No seems to know why this RV is backfiring and running rough. I felt so bad because clearly he was frustrated by Agatha. We were all frustrated. We took it on a night ride and he said there was fireworks-sparks everywhere. I was scared shitless. Cory called everyone in the area to pick their brains, and looked on line.. so it looked like another night in the yard.

This is how nice Kansas people are, particularly Cory and Kellie. They asked us to come over to their house so we could have a shower,(best shower ever) wash our clothes, have a real dinner, and sleep on their couches. Mike also was happy to see the 50" TV too!!! It was great fun, like a pajama party.

Saturday, Cory and Mike went to the shop, while I hung out with Kelly and the kids. Dakota, the dog, also had a buddy to play with, a young catahoula, named Diesel. They ran all over the yard, wagging tails and playing. Cory put a new set of spark plug wires and and something separate them and a new muffler. This seemed to work. Was it true, Agatha was fixed. Yes.

To celebrate Cory and Kellie bought pizzas for everyone. It was good, hadn't had a pizza for months.

Since it was Saturday and pretty late, we decided to stay and again we were invited back to the house. We had a great time, campfire and all and enjoyed talking. We watched a movie, as everyone, except Mike drifted off to sleep.

Sunday Mike and I made pancakes and eggs for everyone. We all enjoyed them and we said our goodbyes. Down the road we were missing those kids...

So if you are near Wichita go 8 miles east to Augusta, KA and say hello to our new friends. The nicest people in Kansas- Cory and Kellie at PRO DIESEL.

Don't shoot Jesse James....

From Lewis and Clark State Park we drove south on I29, past Council Bluff and into Missouri following the path Lewis and Clark took on the Missouri River. Going past towns of Marysville, Watson and Craig, we reached St. Joseph, MO. We stayed at Beacon RV park, which was right on the shopping strip drag at rush hour. My favorite time to drive in a city!!!! The park was a converted mobile home park, and I managed to back Agatha in with no problem. I"m getting better at that.

Late that night was a big thunder storm, lots of rain...it was still raining pretty hard in the morning so I made an executive decision. we are staying another day. I had no desire to drive in the rain. So we decided to explore St. Joseph. In 1826 Joseph Robindoux founded a trading post here, mostly furs. In 1848, when gold was found in California, thousands of folks came to St Joseph to cross the Missouri River and get supplies. The town grew quickly. Railroads and meat processing were early industries.

THE PONY EXPRESS was started here and this was the eastern terminal. There is a museum. I didn't know

that most of the riders were

young boys 14-17,weighing less than 120 pounds, many riding up to 200

miles. Going from St Joe to

San Francisco, in all weather, with Indian attacks, mosquitoes , and low

wages. It only lasted 19 months

before Western Union put them out of business. Every year 500 riders re-enact the trail.

JESSE JAMES WAS SHOT IN THE BACK

St.Joseph is also the area where Jesse James was born. His dad was a Minister. and he became

the most famous bank/train robber of all time. Many people here still consider him a hero. He

was wounded while surrendering during the civil war. He married his cousin, who was named after

his mother. He and brother Frank escaped the bank holdup in Minnesota, where the Younger

brothers were captured. (we drove past the town in Minn.) He and his wife moved to St Joseph

using an assumed name of Tom Howard, trying to live a normal life. But the Pinkerton

Agency had a $10,000 reward, and so he had hiding places and escape hatches in his house on

top of the ridge, actually a block from whee we camped.

Jesse wanted to buy a small farm and didn't have enough money, so he got 2 brothers,

Bob and Charlie Ford to pull one more heist. But they were greedy, and one night while in the

living room, while Jesse stood on a chair to straighten a picture, Bob shot him in the back of the

head. Mrs Jesse was left penniless with 2 kids, sold everything. People stole the wallpaper,

the wood floor where his blood was, and later even his tombstone. We toured the house,

the hole where the bullet was is still there. Poor Jesse James.

PS His son became a prominent Lawyer and daughter married a wealthy man n Kansas City.

It was a good and interesting day, we also went int a big antique store..

Tomorrow onto Kansas City..Kansas City here I come.....

Following Lewis and Clark down the Missouri

SAY GOODBYE TO PIPESTONE

What I got from the Black Hills was a wicked cold. I finally had to break down and go to the Doctor, which with no insurance almost killed me $230 !! It took me awhile before I was feeling well enough to drive, so we stayed at Pipestone a little longer, which really was not bad, since we both have fallen for the little town. Finally Sept 17, we left the town, driving south on Route 75, King of the Highways, which goes from Minn. to Texas. It goes through miles of fields, until you get to the Loess Hills. We followed the hills and river all the way through Iowa.

LOESS HIILS- unique glacier event

Many Americans think of Iowa as having little topographic variation. However, in westernmost Iowa the Loess Hills rise 200 feet above the flat plains forming a narrow band running north-south 200 miles along the Missouri River. The steep angles and sharp bluffs on the western side of the Loess Hills are in sharp contrast to the flat rectangular cropfields of the Missouri River flood plain. From the east, gently rolling hills blend into steep ridges.

Loess (pronounced "luss"), is German for loose or crumbly. It is a gritty, lightweight, porous material composed of tightly packed grains of quartz, feldspar, mica, and other minerals. Loess is the source of most of our Nation's rich agricultural soils and is common in the U.S. and around the world. From the melting of ice from glacier events. google it.

CAMPING AT LEWIS AND CLARK STATE PARK

After driving through Sioux City, we headed south on Rt 29 to Onawa, Iowa. The Omaha Tribe has a reservation there. The state park is on Blue Lake, the sites were beautiful, big trees, falling leaves, view of the lake, and stars. We met some fine people there, a family with 5 kids, camped in a tent next door. It was fun to watch and listen to them. Mike teased them about not catching any fish, course Mike hasn't caught a fish in 15 years!!!. The kids were very bright and well behaved. They asked great questions. I talked with Breanna for a bit and hopes she keeps painting. It seems everyone knew Caleb, even the guy across the road with the white dog. We were very glad to meet them. Hi kids!!! we know you are checking this out.

The state park has a replica of one of the keel boats that Lewis and Clark used. I think 13guys sleep in this small boat, plus all the gear. Hard to imagine. It makes me want to read Lewis and Clark's journals of the trip.

We stayed there for the weekend and it was very pleasant. I highly recommend this state park.

THE BLACK HILLS- GOLD and CRAZY HORSE.

We left early Friday for the 435 mile trip to our campground in the Black Hills. We traveled on I90 and saw 91 Walls Drug Store signs. After you go over the Missouri River, where Lewis and Clark stayed, you notice the environment changes from corn covered prairie land, to scrub brush ranges dotted with black Angus cows in the distance. This area was once a shallow ocean, and that becomes evident when you get to the Bad Lands. There is nothing there except barren land, and some of it looks like Mars. This is the land we gave the Sou ix to live in..we are so generous.

Arriving at Kemps Kamp , Kennedy, SD, around 3pm MT.,this camp is on the side of a mountain in a small valley which was cut out by a stream. The camp was very nice, catering more to tents, with a few RV and pop-ups spots. Each site has a covered picnic area, very nice. We met our neighbors, some cool folks from Ca, or Park City. Kristie and Juan. They were very interested in Mike's Hobo life, and we made them honorary HOBO's.

Saturday, I wanted to go to a cave or mine, so we ended at the BIG THUNDER GOLD MINE. As we drove up to the mine, there was a Western show at the General Store. There was singing and dancing girls, and George Custer, who I booed, everyone laughed. Then I put on my hard hat and went into the mine lead by a cute young man, who I flirted with. Can you say Cougar? The mine tour was neat, the 2 guys who mined it hated each other, and only got about $200 worth of gold for 50 years of work. These guys had gold fever bad.

After the tour, I panned for gold , and only got a few flecks, mainly because I don't have patience for all that. But it was a fun day.

Sunday, we went down town to Kennedy, which is a real tourist town, lots of cool shops,selling Black Hills gold stuff. Also this is where Carrie Ingells, younger sister of Laura, ended up. At 41, she was editor of the newspaper, and married a widower who bought most of the town buildings.

After the shopping spree we drove to the Crazy Horse Monument. We drove past Mount Rushmore. Crazy Horse was having a special night to memorialize the death of Crazy Horse, and the birth of

Crazy Horse sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski. We waited for Evening, after taking turns going into the fabulous museum.There are displays from ever tribe. We met some fine people while we were sitting on the lawn. We talked with Rich and Amy from Florida. Everyone loved petting Dakota. The Lazer Light show was awesome, telling the story of Native Americans, honoring Crazy Horse and Korczak. Also honoring military. Then after the show, was the nightly blast, which was amazing. It was a good day. We got home and were tired. It was very cold that night. Monday, we drove home, but stopped at Wall's Drugstore. It started as a stagecoach depot, where they offered a free glass of water. It is now a whole block of departments of everything from a chapel, restaurant, leather goods, a drug store, museum, tee shirts . We had a buffalo burger, met a lady from Hawaii, bought a few things, and left. No more signs to count. We stopped at Chamberlain on the Missouri and looked over the bluff. Our windshield was covered with bugs, I could barely see. It was a great weekend.