Letter 2:
San Angelo: the wind blew all night, and thankfully it stopped and shifted with a north.breeze. We left SA about 9:00 am. The day was beautiful and the road nice. Olivia even drove 50 miles. We arrived in Ft Stockton about 2pm and visited the Childress’s. They took us RV park shopping, then we went back to sign in at the one we selected. The first place doubled their stated rates, so went to the second and they had filled up, so we ended up back at the back of the First UMC with the NOMADS. We had water and the Childress’s shared their power with us. As long as we didn’t run our AC we were ok. We enjoyed happy hour and went to K-bob’s for steaks. See Picture of Nomads.
We attended church Palm Sunday at the 1st UMC. It is a small church in attendance. The sanctuary is made like the old sanctuary in Duncanville only smaller. The members were very warm and welcoming. Fred fixed the clothes rod in the closet.
Monday, St Patrick Day saw us packing up and heading west on I-10. After we started running parallel to the Rio Grande we went over to the old road and drove along all the irrigated fields. They had harvested cotton, and then we started seeing Pecan orchards. Pecan plantation is nothing compared to all the trees out here. They went for miles and miles and as far back as we could see.




At El Paso city limits we drove north a few miles then back east on hwy 80 to Hueco (Waco) Tanks State Park. It reminds us of Enchanted rock, except it is lots of big rocks. Some have broken off and others are just straight up. Lots of young people were technical climbing. They had a funny back pack on their back. It was rectangular and in 2 pieces. They said it was a slam pack, incase they fell back wards. I bet it is also their mattress since most are sleeping in tents. After supper we went to the ranger headquarters and tried to use the internet. We didn’t have service for phone or internet. I was able to get Paz Mendoza’s phone number and did get to email that we would be in El Paso on Tuesday and we would call. See picture out our door.



We took a very short hike to see the pictographs on the crack in the rock. See pictures Pictographs 1 & 2. You should have seen Moms on her hands and knees going up the rock to see the drawings.



There are a lot of small to large tanks in the rocks and some little tanks made by man. This is an interesting place to stay a night or 2 on the way to another place. Especially if you like camping and hiking. We have a feeling it will be very hot here in the summer. It never went over 55 today so it will probably be cold in the morning. We were glad we weren’t in tents. There are lots of young people; college age camped in tents and rock climbing during the day.


Tuesday, we drove into El Paso and had a lovely visit with Paz Mendoza. We reminisced about our YWCA Texas Y-Teen Conference Mo Ranch trips and some of the teens and adults we worked with. Leaving Paz we drove to Downtown El Paso, parked and walked across the bridge. We walked the sidewalks to a market, looked all over for Olivia’s sandals, even went to a Canada store and didn’t find a thing to buy. We noticed the only Anglos we saw were very close to the bridge. We were not afraid. Everyone was very polite, but none admitted to speaking English. It was very unlike going to Progresso. After crossing back into US soil with our passports, we walked a long way back to the car, then drove over Franklin Mountain and back to the east side of El Paso where we found gas for $3.04. We stopped then spent some time in Lowe’s parking lot to use the internet.
Wednesday, we drove to I-10 and the state line, where we again stopped to use the internet at the New Mexico State Line info center. We were afraid we would not have service until we reached Gallup, so we made sure bills were paid and read emails. Pecan orchards are prevalent north of El Paso also. We guess the Rio Grande is helping to make good pecans here. If Georgia is the largest pecan producing state, then what do their orchards look like? We stayed on I-10 to Deming then NW to City of the Rocks State Park. It is very much like Hueco Tanks, but no tanks. They say a volcano erupted, some lava stayed, then over the years the rocks eroded. It is in the middle of desert, but very interesting campsites. Info center said this eruption may have lasted for 1 year and was about 1000 times the strength of Mt. St. Helens. The camp sites without hookups are all nested in the rocks. Look at the trailer in the next picture. There are also some pictographs and grinding bowls here. It seems hookups are always in the less interesting parts of parks.

Fred’s Dream of the formation at the park entrance. It is actually named a “rabbit”, or “Pointing to Heaven.” We drove in to Hurley NM for chicken enchiladas with green sauce. YUM! Excellent! This has been a beautiful day. Clear sky and no wind. Fred was pleased with the better gas mileage today. 9 mpg! Average for the trip.
Thursday, we decided to take a side circle trip and drove up the Mimbres river (creek) into the Gila National Forest. We saw 2 forest camps at Lake Roberts that were pretty. Only $5 a night with Golden passport, but no hookups at all. We saw a herd of deer at Bear Lake, then on to the Gila Cliff Dwellings. We crossed the Continental Divide 2 times on this drive one at 6599, the other at 7080.



The Cliff Dwellings were interesting. It was a mile hike to them and we were allowed to crawl around in them.




The road to Gila and back was very interesting. It was steep, twisting and had lots of views. Then the road into Silver City was even more twisting. We were both exhausted when we arrived in Silver City, so we went to Walmart, then to eat more enchiladas. Back to trailer to collapse. We head to Gallup tomorrow, but traveling state highways. We will probably stay at a forest camp on the way. I really doubt if there will even be a WM on the way. 250 miles
I have just watched a full moon rise in the east out our kitchen window.

We have been gone from home a week and one day. We doubt if we will have service until Gallup.
When we leave here we will go up the western side of NM to the Zuni Reservation and Gallup. Tell Carmalisa we plan to go to Earl’s for Navajo tacos!
Angie & Anna Kay please print this and pictures out and take to Muddie and Granny. AK it is ok to email us.