NEW TURF

As most of you know I am a big fan of Disneyworld but this year we decided to check out Texas because we had heard so much about it.

Things started out not so good. Bad road conditions on 401 through to London and we had to use 4 wheel drive just to go forward because the road was so slippery. From London to Kentuckey things were good. We stopped over night it Florence KY at the same motel we always stop at. Next morning we discovered that out Sat Dish was gone. No more Canadian news for the trip










As planned, We drove through to Memphis then south to Baton Rouge LA. where we met up with Carlsons who so kindly gave us a Happy Valentines Day balloon which grinned at us for the rest of the trip.


We left there and went to Galviston Beach for a couple of days of fun walking the beach after which we made a rather rapid trip across Texas, New Mexico and Arizona encountering several large traffic jams due to collisions.

After leaving El Paso I could not get Marty Robin's song out of my head, day after day there it was, my constant companion. Out in the West Texas Town of El Paso, etc.













We stopped at Coolidge AZ for a night where we visited the ancient Casa Grande Ruins which was a 4 story high clay building, still in reasonably good condition.


We then pushed on to Quartzsite AZ which we had previously heard of, turned out to be a nothing place. Next morning Carlsons departed and we drove to Yuma AZ. leaving the trailer at Quartzsite. Yuma is a nice city and the whole area for miles around is where a lot of your winter food comes from.


From there we drove back to Coolidge where we had stayed previously,then on Susan's advice we went to The Apache Trail about 40 Miles away. It a was spectacular drive winding through the mountians almost bumping into the back of our own truck at times. At the end of the paved road we came to a sign saying ONE LANE AHEAD. After deliberating for a minute or two we started down it. The road was narrow, rough and steep and too late to change our mind. Then a car came up the road, we let the air out of both vehicles so we could pass each other. We went down hill on this "road" for aprox. 10 to 15 KM constantly watching for passing spots and looking ahead as much as possible for up bound vehicles. On blind bends I blew the horn before going around them but fortunately never met on them. The road at the bottom was 30Km of washboard at about 20KPH. When we reached pavement I looked in my rear view mirror and saw something so I stopped and found the screws holding the LR tail light had shook out and the light was hanging on the wires, fortunately I found a couple of screws in my tool box and put it back together. When we arrived back at Coolidge, LR tire as going flat, luckily I remembered seeing a tire shop in Coolidge where we arrived 20 min. before they closed. He took the wheel off, patched the tire and put it back on the truck all for $8.00.


From there we went to Las Crusas, NM where, in an old portion of the town, there was a place which claims to be were Billy the Kid was convicted and hanged, there was no blood showing though.


We next drove to White Sands Nat. Monument where the white sand is actually gypsum but driving through there looks like driving through snow banks.


Next we went to Ruidoso NM where we met up with Doreen & Wes and their friends Anne & Brian and toured around the area where range wars were fought involving Billy the Kid.

We also experienced what we thought was a snow storm where no snow occured, it turned out to be a form of dust storm BUT it was gypsum from the White Sands Nat. Mon.


On to the City of Carlsbad and to Carlsbad Caverns which is a self guided tour and just an amazing sight but impossible to get a good picture.







The next day to a hugh water falls in the desert which
apparently never stops flowing. and the water is very cold.

We hung around here for a while because it was so spectacular to watch.





From Carlsbad we all went our different ways.

We then headed for San Antonio, stopping at a KOA in
Junction TX where the lady in charge came out the front door and waved and hollered welcome to us as we pulled up in front.






We stayed at a KOA on the edge of San Antonio for 3 nights, taking the city bus to downtown where they have a river flowing through with a long walk on each side,restaurants,entertainment and boat rides.


We then went south to McAllen /Brownville area, for 2 or 3 nights check that off the list, not going there again.


Back north to Galviston Island for 2 nights, touring and walking the beach.


Then started to head home, along the way some truck troubles which were no fun, got them fixed, visited N. Padre Island then back to Baton Rouge and another truck problem which we brought home for John to fix.