Elephant Butte State Park, South Monticello Campground

Yesterday was an interesting day, and a long one. I woke at 4:30, prepped and got ready to roll. Got the tanks emptied and headed to Roswell to gas up. I lost about an hour in Roswell just looking around and finding a gas station with a working pump. The first one I was going to pull into was small and the big class A rig towing a car pulled in in front of me. I figured I wouldn’t fit. So I went to the next one. Well I got pulled up and ready to pump, and discovered the pump was out of order. The next one was across four lanes of traffic, so I negotiated that and got filled up, and then back in the direction I wanted to head. Kali Cat had already pooped on the rug by that time, so I also had to clean that up. (It is a traveling thing). 

And off I went. Drove thru some very interesting hills, up and down, and when I turned on to RT 380, just a few minutes into that, I had to brake hard, a mama deer and baby deer crossed the road in front of me. Ody is big and doesn’t brake fast, so that was a little nerve wracking. Very small road, no place to turn. Eventually, the road widened, but not before I went thru an interesting town that I would like to go back and visit at some point. Lincoln, NM. Looked very interesting and felt welcoming, in the middle of hill country. http://www.legendsofamerica.com/nm-lincoln.html

And before I made it off 380, I drove thru the Valley of Fires. I tried to take some pics while I was driving, and I had to look it up when I got where I could. Very interesting. http://www.geo.utep.edu/loca/Volcanos/VALLEY.HTML

I made it to Truth or Consequences by 1:30. Made really good time, especially considering the hour I lost in Roswell.  Did my shopping at Wal Mart, and then headed to Elephant Butte State Park. Of course, I went to the wrong place, had to turn around and head about 10 miles away. The town of Elephant Butte looks like it would be interesting to explore, but I don’t know if that will happen. We are about 10 miles out side of town. I met up with five other ladies from the FB group, and another came in later in the evening. Had hotdogs with them for dinner, and am starting to get to know them. As you know, I’m not the most social person. 

I paid for five nights, but can use those nights at any of the camping locations. But the spot I have here is pretty amazing. I can’t wait to get some pictures. I have to get a shower first tho, I did not get one last night.  I have electric and water hookups here and my tanks are empty, so I am planning on using my own shower this morning. I have already located one trail when I walked (a long way) to the gate to drop my payment envelope. I’m sure there are others. I may even take my bike down while I am here. Lot of flies and even more mosquitos. Am thinking of setting up my screen house for both me and KC.

This morning I finished putting away the groceries I bought yesterday, and have already rigged up a block for the bottom of the door going to the back. I was getting tired of stepping over a bunch of stuff that I had there to keep KC from going under the door. Now it is more like a large step instead of a pile of stuff. The door is about three or four inches from the floor, and KC can go right under it. Solved that problem. I looked for something to use there while I was at WM yesterday, but ended up using some stuff I already had. Even better.

She had a hard time with the drive yesterday and I had to clean up all three messes. Starting today, she is on canned food only unless it is a travel day, then she will get a small amount of dry food as it is much easier to clean up when she barfs. She likes canned food, and if it makes her better, so much the better. There was a large amount of urine clumps in the box this morning, so that is a very good sign. She has about another week of antibiotics and I am hoping this is all cleared up by then. If not, it is back to the vet. But we are headed in the right direction.

I picked up a clear vinyl shower curtain and a roll of white duck tape yesterday. At some point I am going to cover the screen door. That way I will be able to leave the outside door open in cooler weather and get the benefit of the sunlight, and it will help with the confined space. I will be headed into warmer temps again in a week or so, so I am going to wait to do it. It will also help keep the cool in when I am running the AC. 

There is no wifi here, so I won’t be uploading too many pics until I can get to a spot where there is. But I will be prepping them so all I will have to do is upload. 

Heard coyotes in the wee hours. Have already seen some Gambel’s Quail. There were several in the road on the way here. They have this funny little feather sticking out the center of their heads. Hoping to get some pics.

Well, it is already 9 AM. I’m finding with the later sunrise, that I am having a much harder time getting a decent start on the day. 

There are some TV channels, one of them ABC. Wish I had been here Monday so I could have watched Dancing With The Stars. Now I will have to use some expensive internet if I want to see it before next week’s show. And Castle too.

Today's pics... https://plus.google.com/photos/105637523870533736044/albums/6070500395533110977
My first snake sighting in the southwest. I believe it is a checkered garter snake. Harmless to humans.