0067 29th July - El Centro to Mike's Sky Rancho

Wow – What a day !!  Those of you who remember my 2012 blog will recall that I used a “wow” system for rating some of the great days.  Good days were “wow” days, excellent days were “3 wow days”, while a couple of amazing days were “5 wow days”.  Well, today was at least a 5 wow day – It had a little bit of everything !!

0066 28th July - Crossing the border into Mexico

I am going to do a separate note here re crossing the border because it may be of assistance to other travellers heading in the same direction.  Many other blogs and travelogues detail crossing other busier borders like Tijuana, but I have not seen one for Mexicali, so here goes…….

 For obvious reasons there are no pics to accompany this blog simply because I don’t feel that taking pics in Police or Customs areas is either wise or clever.  Too many downsides – Unless of course the officials say it is OK to do so.

0065 27-28th July - Deming to El Centro California

Sunday 27^th July.  From Deming heading west on I10 is not the most exciting road, and I wouldn’t want to drive it too often, but it is about 40 years since I last drove it, which means that to me it is 99.9% forgotten, so it is interesting for me to see it again. I am also well aware that my photos are not the most exciting either, but I hope that I can at least convey to you just a little bit of what it is like to drive the road.  If you have never driven it before, then maybe you can get an idea of what it is like, and if you have driven it before, maybe some of my words and photos will remind you a little of the fun and what you might have seen on your trip.

0064 - Fort Worth to Deming New Mexico

Woke up, showered, and came out into the house from my room ready for a cup of coffee before hitting the road, when Chuck said “How about breakfast at our favourite little café ?”  Is the Pope catholic ? A cooked breakfast ??    I was in the back seat of their car ready to go before they could change their mind !!  Down to this great little café where Chuck and Patti go all the time, and it was excellent.  Probably won’t need to eat for a week !!

Then back to the house, a few pics of us by the car, and I was off.  It was already very hot by now (10.30 am ish) and I was just getting into 5^th gear on the freeway when the phone rang.  It was Chuck.  “Do you want this back pack that you left on the chair?”.  “That” backpack contains all my leads, electrical connections, Kindle, and a lot more !!   Yes, I needed it !   Being the benevolent and kindly fellow he is, Chuck said he would catch me up to save me coming back, so I gave him the exit number I was on, and pulled off until he arrived.  With my back pack.  Thank you Chuck. Xx

0063 - A few days in Arkansas and Fort Worth

Very easy getting out of Houston, even though I was right down town – Probably because I was going against the traffic on a Monday morning.  Neale put me on the right road, and I just headed straight up Hwy 59 and then a few hours later found my friend Dan York’s place in Ashdown Arkansas, no problem.  (Big sign saying “York Pecans” – Not too difficult !!)

0062 13-20th July - Houston

Taking some time out in Houston, staying with good friends Geary and Kathy and their new springer spaniel puppy Sophie (with very sharp baby teeth !), as well as the cat and the rabbit !!

I have been slowly getting laundry done, and getting the car sorted for the next part of my trip – Nothing particularly exciting, but it has been fun, and a good break from being on the road. We have also been out to see Kathy's horse Cutter, who is aggisted out on a neighbouring property.

0061 11-12th Juy - Chadron to Houston via Salina

The little Chadron NP camp site was delightful – and in the morning sunshine I went for a short scenic drive around the park – Some amazing rock formations that looked more like the crumbling walls of a medieval fort than something nature had produced. I also met a local couple having a morning cycle, and in the course of our conversation was told of Germany's demolition of Brazil in the World Cup - Not listening to TV or reading papers for a while, I knew nothing about it !!   
I am going to combine the two remaining days it took me to drive down to Houston in one because a) it was rather boring and very hot and b) it is now several days later, and I can’t actually remember some of the details – See – I told you it was boring !

0060 10th July - Williston to Chadron (Where ??)

Woke up at 6 am, looked out the window, and all I could see was black black black – Rain, and heavy rain, was obviously imminent.  And out here in this part of the world, they don’t do weather by halves, and after the heat and haze of yesterday, I knew something was afoot today !!   So realising that, I said loudly “Ah ha”, (as you say when you know something is afoot), and sprang (loosely speaking) from my bed, and packed up.  Having breakfasted and packed, I toddled off for a shower at 6.30 am – Only to find that everything is locked up till 9 am !!  Crumby camp site.  So I was on the road by 6.32 am – A new record for this trip (apart from when we had to catch a 5.30 am ferry on Vancouver Island.)   A couple of pics of some of the motorhomes in the camp site which have had every space and hole filled with plywood and foam-filler to try to keep the cold out in the winter !!  Some obviously more successfully than others !!

0059 9th July - Moon Lake to Williston

Woke up to a perfect sunny morning overlooking Moon Lake.  While I was having breakfast, the camp host came round for a chat, and he said it was even better at 5.30 am when he went fishing on the lake, which at that time was covered by a light mist !!  I slept in till 7 am and missed it again !!!  Dang it !!

Coming out of the national park was a delightful morning drive on a small road through the forests and past numerous lakes, but once out of the Park and on the main road south, it was basically pretty flat, boring and uninteresting.  However, I will qualify that by saying that I was enjoying the nothingness – It is a part of the word that many people do not see, preferring instead to follow the more interesting and more frequented routes either down the west coast, or down through Colorado.

0058 8th July - Churchill to Moon Lake

Woke up fairly early, settled up with Colleen for the campsite, and headed into Thompson to fuel up and get some food supplies for the trip south – Remember I had emptied my larder and turned my fridge off while I left Troopie parked for 3 days while I had been in Churchill.  I had calculated that if I filled up with fuel in Thompson at the more expensive Canadian fuel prices ($1.30 per litre), I should be able to get to the US border before I had to fuel up again at $1.05 a litre.  Very helpful to have enough fuel capacity to be able to travel over 1200 kms without refuelling !!

0057 4-7th July - Churchill

Well, after waiting so long to go to Churchill, today was the day !!  Woke up early, breakfasted and packed some clothes for 3 or 4 days into my back pack, parked Troopie out in the car park, and waiting for Colleen, the camp site owner, to pick me up at 7 am and take me to the airport.  I had the last available seat on the plane until next Monday, 8^th July !  The flight out is amazing – You realise why there are no roads up here – It is all water !!  Just as far as you can see.

0056 3rd July - Lake Deschambault to Thompson

At midnight, just before I turned in, I took a couple of pics of the moon over the lake – Rather pretty, I thought. Then as I left, I noticed a bunch of butterflies near one of the taps, enjoying the moisture in the morning.  With temps up around 27 deg C in the days at the moment, they are probably needing all the water they can get.

0055 2nd July - Lac Vert to Lke Deschambault

While breaking camp this morning, first surprise was when my neighbours asked me if I had seen the black bear that had been wandering around the campsite for most of the night !!  Moi ?  No, I was snoring !!

Next surprise was when they hitched up a boat behind their caravan – a triple !!  Apparently allowed only in Saskatchewan – In Alberta you can tow a boat trailer behind a 5^th wheel, but only in Saskatchewan behind a caravan !!   I would like to see them backing up !!  Hmmm

Packed up, and went to the office and found they were open !!  So had myself a good shower, and hit the road.

0054 1st July - Garner Lake to Green Lake

Must have been tired – slept right through till 10.00 am !!  Got up, breakfasted, and was on the road by 11 am.  Even the camp maintenance lady stopped at my site while I was having breakfast to chat about my trip, and to wish me a Happy Canada Day !!  Very nice of her. 

Not the most exciting day of travel, but it certainly turned out to be interesting nevertheless.  Alberta seems to be rolling fields and agriculture and cattle – Not really a lot to see.  Oddly enough there were several signs off to cross country ski areas but I couldn’t see any hills, and as we were only at about 500 metres ASL all day, not sure where they do it – Unless they just do it across the rolling fields !!!  A hazy morning cleared to fairly clear sunshine all day, with a temp of about 24 deg C.  Very pleasant driving with the windows down, and my music playing all day !!