We were on the road again after a stay in the Houston area visiting family, acquiring new family and meeting lots of new extended family. Our first stop after the festivities was Fort Stockton, Texas. We intended it to be a short trip as we don’t like to put in too many miles in a given day. It seems that putting in long road hours has a tendency to turn me into an even crankier old man than what I am on a regular basis (at least that’s what my blushing bride tells me).
During our stay at Fort Stockton we got to reacquaint and adjust ourselves to the West Texas (the real Texas according to them) mindset. To them east Texas isn’t really part of the state, but then we have found that same mindset in South and North Texas also. We have noticed a similar thing in other states as well – for example most of Nevada doesn’t want anything to do with Las Vegas, Northern California thinks the LA area is a foreign country and even Nebraska wants Omaha to become part of Iowa. But all that aside we enjoyed our short stay and were able to visit a few of the star attractions such as the Historic Fort Stockton, museum, and last but not least Paisano Pete, a 22 foot long statue located on Main Street, and according to their account the worlds largest roadrunner. (There is a larger one just outside of Las Cruces, NM though – we’ve seen it also.) Along the road, just before getting into Ft. Stockton, there is a “Buc-ee’s”. Now for you people that have never traveled through Texas you are really missing something if you have not stopped at a “Buc-ee’s” Truck/Travel stop on the interstates. Just imagine a Flying J crossed with Wall Drug and throw in the Chuckie Cheese flair, then make it really big! Add “Buc-ee’s” Nuggets to the mix (no – I do not know what part of Buc-ee the nuggets came from) and you have quite the tourist trap – with gas, Texas style!
Fort Stockton actually started as Camp Stockton and was constructed in 1858 to help protect the travelers, stagecoaches, and settlers from the ever present Comanche Indians as they made their way to Mexico and California. It was occupied by the US Army until the Civil War then it was abandoned until the Confederate troops took over for a while. In July 1867, Colonel Edward Hatch, Commander of the 9th Cavalry, re-established Fort Stockton at its present location. The new fort was garrisoned by four companies of the 9th Cavalry - one of the new regiments was created for the black men known as “Buffalo Soldiers” (who saw an opportunity in the US Army after the Civil War). The post-war fort was occupied for nineteen years (1867-1886). At which time it was abandoned because the Indian menace and the frontier had moved further west.
Like other western towns, Ft. Stockton also had its share of interesting characters such as Jackson Royal, an accused murderer who moved to Ft. Stockton and promptly got elected County Sheriff. Jackson, along with his deputy, aggressively harassed the women and intimidated the men of the community until he was killed by one of his own family members. Good old frontier days – doesn’t sound that much different than today does it?
Our next stop was El Paso, TX – just a quick stop, no sightseeing this time. We didn’t think El Paso was as big as it is (we were surprised) – let alone that little town across the border, Juarez.
Then it was on to Deming, New Mexico home of friend, June, and where good friends, Tim and Lynn, were volunteering in nearby Silver City.
Deming is located in the Southwestern part of New Mexico, 33 miles north of the Mexico border, a land of an ever present sun and flowing desert rocks (lots and lots of rocks) and cacti. Deming has been named a "Rock-Hunters Paradise" and even just walking around the campground there are geodes, agates, crystals and semi-precious stones just laying around – some left by rock hounds and some natural.
We were able to visit June (Linda’s buddy) while we were there and also took a short trip up to City of Rocks State Park to meet Tim & Lynn where Tim and I took a short ride on the trails he developed for the park there (and neither of us crashed or face planted). Tim let me ride his custom “9Niner” mountain bike (which I fell in love with) and then we went and visited their current location up in the Silver City area. Good friends are always a pleasure to meet up with!
While we were in Deming we experienced the dust storms that the area seems to be remembered for (at least in our memories). Little dust drifts in the fifth wheel wherever there is an opening brought back fond memories of our last visit here a year ago. Winds blowing 50 – 60 mph, visibility down to 100 feet, the fifth wheel just a rocking – must be Deming, NM!
One of the things that Deming and the area are known for is the Mimbres Indians and the outstanding pottery they created. Their ability to recreate pictures of daily life and the likeness of animals and birds was unsurpassed in the Indian cultures and is considered some of the most valued Indian pottery in the world. Some very outstanding examples are on display in the Deming Luna Mimbres Museum which we have visited.
Deming, like most western towns of the time had its rather seedy side and at one time was so rough that in some areas of Arizona they would round up their outlaws and put them on a stagecoach with a one way ticket to Deming (where supposedly they would fit in).
During our visit up in Silver City we were able to hike some of the paths where Tim & Lynn are volunteering and just visit.
Then it was on to Albuquerque, NM and Kirtland AFB. No real agenda there, just relax and get stocked up on supplies. Last year we did our hot air ballooning there. Quite the memories!
Next it was on to Towaoc, CO near the Four Corners area and on the Ute Indian Nation. The main reason we stopped there (not just the casino) was that we were early for our volunteer stint up in the Grand Junction area and we wanted to visit Mesa Verde National Park (again!).
The Four Corners is a region of the United States consisting of the southwestern corner of Colorado, northwestern corner of New Mexico, northeastern corner of Arizona and southeastern corner of Utah. The Four Corners area is named after the quadripoint where the boundaries of the four states meet, where the Four Corners Monument is located. It is the only location in the United States where four states meet, and probably the only location where you can drop your drawers – plop your butt down on the point where the four states meet and be able to say that you were bare assed in four states at once (Gotta live a little!). Oh, by the way – don’t get caught!
In addition to the monument, commonly visited areas within Four Corners include Monument Valley, Mesa Verde National Park, Chaco Canyon, and Canyon de Chelly National Monument.
We took a day to visit Mesa Verde National Park which was only a short drive from Towaoc. The park covers 52,000 acres in southwestern Colorado with snow capped mountains just to the north. Its canyons were created by erosion from receding ancient oceans and waterways, which resulted in the park elevations ranging from about 6,000 to 8,572 feet, or for the people that use a measurement system that makes sense - 1,829 to 2,613 meters. The terrain in the park is considered a transition zone between the low desert plateaus and the Rocky Mountains and it is rugged.
Mesa Verde is best known for its large number of well-preserved cliff dwellings, houses built in shallow caves and under rock overhangs along the canyon walls. The park includes about 600 cliff dwellings and literally thousands of archeological sites. Most of the structures date back to about 1200 AD. Of the villages we saw they all had kivas, towers, and pit-houses, like most of the Pueblo homes of that period. We have had the opportunity to see many others like this such at the Gila Cliff Dwellings in New Mexico, Canyon de Chelly in eastern Arizona and the Waupaki Ruins near Flagstaff, all are worth a visit. Above are two different areas, the top pictures are of The Spruce Tree House built into the side of a cliff and the lower ones of a settlement on the top of the Mesa. It was quite the walk down on the steep twisty path but worth it once we got to walk up close and crawl around this ancient place.
We took a guided tour with an interpretive ranger to the premier site in the park known as the Cliff Palace. This is one magnificent site! Since the area became a park a path/ladder system was built so the tourists (us) could get to it. The ancient Pueblo people only had small hand and toe holds in the side of the cliffs to get in and out, and that included when they were carrying all their groceries, water and other necessary supplies to survive. They must have had really strong fingers and toes!
As always there is more park than there is time so we headed back out of the park before closing time trying to absorb all that we had seen. If you have never been there and get the chance by all means go, the ancient sites are incredible and the views are spectacular.
With that behind us it was time to load up once again and head up to Island Acres State Park just east of Grand Junction, CO. We will be spending part of the summer here volunteering as camp hosts (and whatever else they would like us to do). We hope to take in all the festivals over the summer and get in a whole lot of biking and hiking on some of the most awesome trails in the country. It is going to be a good summer!
Oreo - our 17 pound Tom Cat, who has lived and traveled with us for quite a few years, decided he likes being part of the Blog and will continue to provide a few purr-fect bits of wisdom and observations for all the blog readers out there as well as a few comments about the antics of his pride members and life on the road.
Right after we got to what my pride members called Colorado I saw this guy. He was watching me through the window from the top of a nearby tree and I didn’t like the look in his eyes, I think he wanted to eat me. My pride member told me that it was a Bald Eagle. I didn’t quite get why it was named that – it’s not bald. Now my male pride member he’s bald, I mean really bald, the eagle at least has feathers to cover his head. Watching him through our windows he seems to like the fish in the lake next to us so he can’t be too bad, I like those tasty little things also. Maybe I can get to know him better as we get to know this place called Colorado. I’ll let you know.
Oreo
So as we get settled in for a bit of an extended stay, adjust to our surroundings and take in the absolute beauty of this area we say so long for now and we hope you enjoyed our adventures.
As a footnote I’m sure some of you have noticed that I take a small bit of artistic license when I write, I will admit I do, but I am not the first. As a fellow traveler, Benjamin Disraeli once said, “Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” I just like to pass those memories on. I hope you enjoyed!
Home is where we park it!
Lee & Linda
