Trip to Bozeman Spring 2010

With hugs and a few tears I left Ft. Stockton heading back to Bozeman.  I was looking forward to the trip as I would pick up my friend Bo in Amarillo. She was going to travel with me once again and we were going to see as many places along the way as we could fit in.  This also is high on my list of favorite trips.  Yes, I have a lot of favorite trips mainly with other people traveling with me.
My first night was at the Lubbock KOA.  The trip up was fairly easy other than the heavy rain I ran into just as I was getting into Lubbock.  Wow, it was really coming down and made driving difficult.  I managed to take a wrong turn.  The GPS got me back on track but not before I went through some pretty high water on the side streets.  I was glad to get back to the main highway.  The rain had eased off pretty well by the time I got to the RV park. I only traveled about 233 miles that day but with the rain I was glad to get off the road early. The folks at the KOA in Lubbock were really nice and I had a great site.  It was an easy pull thru just like I like when I am traveling.
The next day I was only going about 128 miles so it would be an easy day of travel.  The KOA in Amarillo is on the back side of the airport so it was really convenient for picking up Bo.  I got a pull thru and managed to pretty well get setup before it was time to go get Bo.  It had rained there the day before also so the site was a little muddy.  But mud is better than setting up in the rain!
Bo's flight arrived only about an hour after I arrived so I was not there very long before it was time to go get her!  It was an easy airport to get in and out of.
The first thing Bo did when we got to the motorhome was call to Ellie.  I had not had a chance to tell her that my little traveling companion was gone.  Of course she was sorry to hear of my loss.  Bo and Ellie had become friends when we traveled together the year before.
Bo and I made a trip to Wal-Mart and then treated ourselves to steak at the Big Texan steak house.  I must say that is the best steak I have ever had!  If you can eat one of their 72 oz steaks they will give it to you free!  Trust me we did not even try that one!  Talk about a wonderful start to a great trip!
The next day we headed north out of town on highway 287.   On this day our trip in the motorhome was only about 220 miles.  We were to spend the night in Lamar Colorado at the Country Acres Motel & RV park.  I had stayed there once before.  While it is nothing fancy it is a passport America park so it is inexpensive.
After we got set up we decided to do some sight seeing.  I just love being a tourist.  We drove over to Bent's Fort near La Junta.  Wow, I did not even know anything about this fort until I noticed it on the map.  I am so glad we went to see it as it is very interesting and much different than other forts I have seen.  This one was built as a trading post.

It is truly out in the middle of no where and you have to be going there to see it!  Bo and I both really enjoyed seeing it!  After we left the fort we went into La Juanta to see the Koshare Kiva.  It was a very interesting Indian museum.  We first thought it was closed when we arrived but were happy to see that it was not.
We almost had the place to ourselves.  All in all we had a wonderful day.
The next day we were headed to Sidney Nebraska to the Cabela's RV park.  Hmm this one did not start off as well as I decided we needed to get the house batteries changed.  We went to Wal-Mart because we knew they would have a large parking lot.  They first told me they could not change the batteries as the motorhome would not fit in one of their bays.  There was a lady there that told the guys as long as I could pull it up to the door so the camera's could see them working it would be okay!  Yea!  I got new batteries.  Then we hit the road heading out Hwy 50 to Hwy 385.  Both are two lane roads with wide shoulders so travel on them is fairly easy and there is not a lot of traffic.  I was really having a good day!  UNTIL!  Oops road construction had the road north of Burlington closed to traffic over 8' in width!  I caught just a glimpse of the sign as we were going into town.  We stopped and filled up with gas and then headed out.  I had not been sure what the sign said so we continued on.  Yep, you got it we finally saw another sign that told the limits.  I had to do a U-turn.  Fortunately the road was wide and there was a parking lot to help with the turn.  The detour we ended up having to take was not nearly as good as 385 and we had to go miles out of the way.  But we finally made it to Sidney!  I surely was glad to get off the road safely.  Sydney Nebraska is the home of Cabela's.  They have a really nice RV park right beside the store.  We of course had to go in and do some shopping.
The next day we headed toward Ft. Laramie Wyoming.  We stopped at Chimney Rock along the way.

 I had never stopped here before and only seen it from the highway.  I was glad we stopped.  After we left here we went on to Scotts bluff. The Bluff could be seen for miles and the wagon trains would use it as a land mark.

It is well worth the drive to the top of the Bluff.  I had never driven to the top before as the last time I was thru here I was pulling my trailer and did not want to unhook it.  Bo and I unhooked the car and drove to the top.  I am so glad we did.  We decided not to hook the car back up as we did not have too far to go before parking for the night.  So I drove the motorhome and Bo drove the car on to the Pony Soldier RV Park located between Lingle and Ft. Laramie Wyoming.
While we were on the road between Scotts Bluff and the RV park my friends Vicki and Bob called. They were in Cheyenne Wyoming.  We decided to meet in Buffalo in a few days as we were traveling through the area.
Bo and I got all set up in our site for the evening and then went to Fort Laramie.

This was a really huge Fort.  Above is a picture of the barracks.  After spending some time walking around the Fort Bo and I decided to head to Guernsey to see the Register Cliff and wagon tracks.

 I was amazed that the wagon ruts were so deep and easy to see.  You would think that after all these years they would be harder to see.   I can only imagine how tough the trip through here on a wagon was!  Sure am glad I travel in a motorhome and not a covered wagon!

This is a picture of the Register cliff.  The pioneers traveling through would write their names and date on the cliff.  Once again years later most are still readable.
I do not recommend going to the cliff or to see the ruts in a motorhome.  The roads are narrow city streets with no good place to turn around!  So park your RV and drive your car as we did.
Bo and I stopped at a grocery store before going back to the RV park.  We needed an onion!  It turned out to be the most expensive onion in the world.  Well maybe not but it sure seemed that way.  Never had sticker shock over an onion before!
The next day we headed for Rapid City South Dakota.  It was a trip of just over 200 miles so and easy drive.  Well it should have been an easy drive.  As we were traveling along highway 85 I noticed my mirror on my side of the motorhome was turning out.  I would roll the window down and pull it in then a few miles later it was back out.  We stopped at a roadside park to look at it!  Bo said we needed an allen wrench to fix it.  I of course did not have one.  We tightened it as best we could and then got back on the road.  We stopped at an auto parts store in Edgemont South Dakota.  I was really blessed to find a place to park nearby. When we went inside Bo told the guy behind the counter what size wrench she thought we needed.  He loaned us two to try.  Sure enough the one Bo thought we needed was the right one.  She tightened it up and we went in and paid for the wrench.  Now I can fix it if it ever loosens again.  We made it to the Rapid City KOA without any more trouble.  It was a really pretty drive.
After getting all set up we just had to go do some sight seeing.  Bo had never been to Mount Rushmore.

 It was an awesome day to be a tourist!  We really enjoyed seeing Mount Rushmore.  It is still amazing to me that someone can carve out a mountain like that .

 From Mount Rushmore we just had to go see Crazy Horse.  They have done a good bit of work on it since the last time I saw it.  Maybe someday they will get it finished.
The next day we drove to Wall Drug.  It is famous for advertising free ice water!

Wall drug is really a neat place to visit.  It is about 50 miles from Rapid City so an easy drive.  We also visited the badlands.

 It was not the best of days to visit the badlands as it was really windy and rain moved in while we were there.  I guess the rain was better than being there in the hot dry summer.  It is still a pretty interesting place to visit even in the rain. We returned to the Rapid City KOA for our second night.
The next day we headed to Buffalo Wyoming.  Wow what a day that was.
One of our first things to do was to drive through Sturgis.  Bo really wanted to see it.  It was a nice peaceful town when we were there.
From there we headed back into Wyoming.  Our next stop was Devils Tower.

 We were able to see it from several miles away.  However it was shrouded in clouds.  We were really blessed to find a place to park right at it's base and were able to walk all the way around it without getting wet.  It is really an awe inspiring place.  It is well worth the trip off the interstate to visit.
From there we headed on to Buffalo.  We were in for a pretty wild ride!  It got really windy and was raining hard as we left Gillette.  I did a good job holding the motorhome on the road but it was not fun.  Had we not been planning to meet Bob and Vicki I would have gotten off the road.
When we arrived at Buffalo Bob and Vicki were there ahead of us.  We were given the site right next to them and had a great evening visiting.  It is always wonderful to catch up with them on the road.

 We took a few minutes to take a few pictures before heading out the next day.  We were all going to stop at the Little Big Horn on our way to our next destination.  They were heading to Billings and we were going on to Bozeman.

 It was a really beautiful day to visit the Little Big Horn.  We spent a good hour there and then moved on down the road.  I was anxious to get into Bozeman and we still had a good way to go. The trip was a fairly easy drive on the interstate but over 300 miles.

I was really excited to arrive back at the Bozeman KOA.  It felt like I had come home.  This last picture was my site for the season.  I took Bo to the airport early the morning after we arrived.  We had another wonderful trip to put in our memories.

Fort Stockton 2009/2010

Wow, we have an awesome God.  It is still pretty amazing to me that things worked out so well for me.  I truly believe God led me to the Fort Stockton RV park.  The owners Cheryl and Dwain were great to me.  Cheryl has to have been one of the most kind generous people I know.  While I did not make as much money working at the Ft Stockton RV park as I would have in California I was truly blessed to work there.  I did not have to pay for my site and everything was included (even propane) and 2 meals a day if I chose to eat in the parks Roadrunner Cafe! In my opinion the site they gave me was the best one in the park! I learned a lot at this park as the office was a one person operation most days and everything was done on paper.  I worked 3 days on and 3 days off.  I was blessed to meet a lifelong friend there.  Karin and her husband Joe had been previous owners of the park.  They were there helping out for the busy winter season.  I am so very blessed to know both of them.  Karin worked the office on the days I was off and I worked when she was off.  We became really good friends.  We worked a split shift at the park but it was not too bad.  Usually I don't like split shifts.  This one was okay as we worked 8-10 a.m. then came back at 2 p.m. and worked until 8 p.m.  On Sunday I had plenty of time to go to church.  Most days the park was pretty full by night fall as Ft Stockton is about halfway between El Paso and San Antonio.  The rates are reasonable and the food at the Cafe is good.

My walk to work was on this path!  It sure did not take long to get from my site to the front door of the office! 

Because of having 3 days off in a row I was able to go to Ft Worth to have Christmas with my family.  I made the drive in about 8 hours and reached Lisa's house in the afternoon on the 23rd.  It was a good thing I got there early as on the 24th it started snowing and snowing!  It was the first white Christmas they had in the area in 80 years!  It was so beautiful.  I love snow for short durations! 

It is a good thing I enjoy it because we had more than our share that winter.  My trip back to Ft Stockton was pretty interesting.  I had to wait on Christmas morning for them to reopen the interstate between Ft Worth and Abilene.  I managed to get away by 10 a.m. and it was a good thing as it was really slow going between Ft. Worth and Abilene!  It was pretty much bumper to bumper and stop and go.  Ellie and I finally managed to pull over at a roadside park shortly before reaching Abilene!  We both needed a walk!

Ellie loved snow!  It was so funny she would act like a puppy whenever she got out in the snow.  I am sure all that cold was not good for her old bones but she loved it.

After we got to Abilene the snow disappeared!  It was clear driving the rest of the trip and the traffic was not as heavy.  It was after dark by the time we got back to Ft. Stockton.  We were blessed with one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.

The photo just does not do justice to it!  I really did not like driving in the area after dark as there are so many deer!  It was not unusual to see them dead on the side of the roads out in west Texas.  We made it safely back even in the dark.
Somewhere on the highway we had passed Karin and Joe going to Ft Worth.  They were going to spend the holidays with family.  We  were able to compare stories of the drive when they got back.
It snowed several times that winter!  It was always really pretty and a little weird to see snow on the cactus!

While I was at Ft Stockton my cousin Nancy came to see me and we visited the Fort at Ft. Stockton. 

I always love it when I have company and get to play tourist.  Nancy and I had fun visiting the small Fort.  We also took a day trip to Big Bend National Park. It was fun seeing the park again.  

Nancy took this picture of me down on the muddy Rio Grande River.  We really had a good visit!  I was glad she took the time to come see me on her spring break.
While I was at Ft. Stockton I had a water leak behind my hot water heater.  Susan, one of the maintenance workers at park fixed it for me!  Bless her heart she almost had to be a contortionist to get it done!

Since then I have had to tighten that fitting up a couple of times!  Trust me it is not easy to get in there!

One day I was sitting on my sofa and I heard a noise.  I looked out and spotted a blimp going right over my RV!

It was plain with no ads on the side!  

Just before I left Ft. Stockton I had to have Ellie put to sleep.  I will never forget that awful day or the help of my friends there.  Karin drove us to the vet and we both cried buckets of tears.  I think it hurt her almost as much as me.  When we got back to the RV park. Cheryl and Dwain met us and Dwain took her and buried her for me!  While it was a horrible experience I knew in my heart it was the thing to do and my friends helped me get through it!

I may not always be near my family but my RVing family sometimes is even better.  They are there for me and each new place I go brings more "family" into my life.  

It was difficult to leave these special people behind when it was time to leave.  I was truly blessed at the Ft. Stockton RV park.

Back to Texas Fall 2009

When I left California I had no idea where I was going to go or what I was going to do.  I had been doing a lot of praying and felt I was doing the right thing but did not know where I would end up.  I know I can always show back up at my brother's house and he and be welcome to stay but I hate to impose.  I decided to return to the John Wayne RV Ranch as I could afford to stay there a few days while I decided what to do.  Soon after leaving Yuma I was stopped at a Border Patrol check station.  The young border patrol agent asked me who else I had with me.  When I told him no one he said "you should have a family in that nice motorhome".  I told him that I wished I did.
I made it to the John Wayne RV Ranch with no trouble.  It is just a few miles off of I-8 at exit 151.  While it is not very fancy it is a comfortable stop.  I stayed there several days and was able to meet a fiend in Casa Grande for lunch one of those days.  It is always nice to meet up with friends when I am on the road.
I decided to return to Johnny and Carol's house while I searched for a new job.  When I left the John Wayne RV ranch I returned to Las Cruses and visited one more night with my friend Margaret.  She was leaving the next day for a vacation trip so I was glad I caught her before she left.  I called Johnny and he said they were going to Fredericksburg for the weekend.  So I decided to join them there.  This changed my planned route.  Instead of taking I-20 I would stay on I-10.  I decided to stop at the Ft. Stockton RV park as it would be a little further along than Van Horn.  When I was checking in at Ft. Stockton I mentioned to the lady behind the desk that I was a Workamper and had just left a job I had gone to California for.  She looked at me kind of funny and asked "Do you need a job?" She told me that she had just had someone quit the day before!  Long story short I never made it to Fredericksburg!  God sure was looking out for me!  I ended up spending the rest of the fall and all winter there!

California Bound Fall 2009

I was excited to be heading out on a new adventure to California.  I had taken a job working in southern California.   I was going to meet up with my friends Rob and Pat to work at a KOA for the winter.  Since I was traveling to a KOA I received travel vouchers from KOA.  This is always good as it cuts down on my travel expenses.  My first stop would be the Abilene, TX KOA.  I left on a Sunday morning which is one of my favorite times to travel.  This trip would be much like my trip out to Florence the year before.  I had no trouble getting to the Abilene KOA.  It was a beautiful day with clear skies.  I found the people at the KOA to be friendly and enjoyed my stay even though it was only one night.  My motorhome did not like the speed bumps in the park but I totally understand the need for them.
The next morning when I headed out I soon realized that it was really windy.  Before I got very far on I-20 I heard a horrible noise!  It sounded like someone rolling a bowling ball on my roof!  I was very nervous that my satellite dish had come loose!  The noise stopped soon after I heard it so I continued on to the nearest roadside park.  It was just a few miles down the road!  After I stopped I got out and looked all around the motorhome.  I discovered the satellite dish was fine but the awning over my main slide was all crinkled!  Hmmmm.  It seems the wind caught it and pulled it over the roof of the motorhome then when it retracted it wrinkled!  Nothing else was hurt....it was just scary!  
I made it to the Van Horn KOA without any more problems.  It was a windy day so I had to fight to stay on the road but even that got better as I went west.  After setting up I went to the little KOA and treated myself to supper.  I always eat with them when I travel.  I love RV parks with their own little cafe!
The next day I did not have to go far as I planned to stay at the Las Cruses KOA and visit with my friend Margaret.  I once again made it all the way through El Paso with no trouble.  While it is never a fun place to drive a big rig it is okay if you can grab a middle lane and stay there.  The Las Cruses KOA is easy to find however it is really up on a hill and so a steep drive.  Once you reach the top the RV park is well maintained and the view is awesome!  I really enjoyed visiting that evening with my friend.  We went out to eat a good Mexican restaurant that she knows about and went on a little tour of the town.
The next day I drove all the way to the John Wayne RV Ranch near Maricopa, Arizonia.  I was really ready to get off the road by the time I arrived.  The traffic had been heavy for most of the day.  This park is a Passport America park so I was able to stay there for about $15 per night!  My kind of price!
I enjoyed a good night and then hit the road headed to my destination for the season.  I was going to a KOA at the foot of the Chocolate Mountains.  As I crossed over into California I had to go through an agriculture check point.  They asked me if I had any plants or vegetables.   They had to come in and make sure the plant I was carrying was in potting soil!  I had pretty much been waved through a couple of border patrol check points so I found this kind of funny!  I guess illegal dirt is more important than people.  I made good time even with the stop and arrived at my destination with no problems.  I was exhausted from all the travel but excited to see my friends Rob and Pat and to meet all the staff.  I was soon to find out that a tour of the park would come before my rig was parked. My site was not great but then none of the sites in this park are really beautiful.  Most of them are really big but there is just so much that can't be done with dirt sites!

 

I was hired to work the front desk and to serve as a waitress in the onsite cafe.  I thought when I was hired that I would be doing one or the other.  I did not realize  that I was expected to do both at the same time.  The job was not as it had been described to me in other ways either.  I only lasted a week and then decided that it just was not the place for me.  I think I would have enjoyed the area for the winter but I did not feel comfortable staying.  The Chocolate mountain near the park was beautiful.

Before I left the park I drove into Indio on one of my last days in the area.  It was a beautiful drive.  I enjoyed seeing all the date trees and I discovered the Salton Sea.  It was a great day and I wish I had more time to explore the area.  Maybe someday I will return to the area.

I felt really bad about leaving when I had made a commitment to work for the season but I did not feel that I could do a good job.  While I did not know where I was going to go I knew the good Lord would be with me and things would be alright.  I pulled out about one week after my arrival.  By the next weekend  I heard that all the other workampers had also quit.  I still don't feel good about what happened but I think I did what was best.