Hello from Lakewood, NM

written November 18, 2014

Wow, what a wonderful two weeks we have just spent in Hobbs, NM. We met, worked, and played with nine other Care-A-Vanners (RV'ers who spend 2 weeks at a time on a Habitat for Humanity build). We also got the chance to meet and work with the new owners of both of the houses we worked on. New owners, Anita and Victoria, are the hardest working and most deserving ladies we have had the pleasure to meet. Each new Habitat owner has to put in 500 hours of "sweat equity", plus many other strict requirements.  This takes working not only on their home but others as well. When we started, Anita's house was already under roof, but Victoria's was only a dream. On Anita's home we Care-a-Vanners insulated, hung dry wall, spackled, primed and painted (the entire inside of a four bedroom house) three coats, built and installed shelves in all the closets, hung kitchen cabinets, tiled floors, and did a lot of cleaning up. 

fields of cotton

After the first Saturday when Victoria left, her house was just bare ground with some plumbing pipes sticking out. The second Saturday morning when Victoria arrived to do a day's work, she found “her house” sitting there waiting on her. The concrete floor was poured and finished, all outside and inside walls set and the outside sheathing almost done. She stood at the curb and tears welled up. Julie walked up to her and asked her if she would like to see the inside. Asking Royce, our construction manager (and overall nice guy), he said “sure”, so Victoria and her two young teenage children entered with another Care-a-Vanner Jean and Julie. They showed Victoria and her children just where each of their bedrooms were and then the bathrooms, kitchen, and living area. Dry eyes were not to be found. We felt very privileged to be able to be part of this Habitat for Humanity build. Our hearts were touched by the families we were helping realize the dream of home ownership.

HFH houses we worked on

sheathing Victoria's house

Victoria and 2 of her children

Jim painting the closet

 

Care-a-Vanner Crew and Anita in front

It was not all work, although some days it seemed like it. We did manage to get in a few real Tex-Mex meals! Care-A-Vanners do not work on Sundays and Mondays, so we were able to do some sightseeing. Southeastern New Mexico is flat, and I mean flat. You can see objects many miles away, so while driving around you really don't see anything different from what you have been seeing from where ever you are in town. Oil was discovered in the Hobbs area in the 1920's so everything is oil, every business has something to do with the production of oil or the transportation of it, or the feeding and lodging of those associated with it. Pipe, well heads, derricks, jacks, drills and anything else you can imagine laying around everywhere. During our drive we did observe things for sale at an abandoned corner service station that you don't see everyday. We are in cowboy country!

saddles for sale on the corner !

note Care-a-Vanner's truck red and local's truck white

Oil wells, cotton, tumbleweeds, and white pick-up trucks! That's about all. Oh, did I mention white pick-up trucks? The Ford dealer's inventory (sorry no picture), on the corner where we made a turned each morning on our way to the build, consisted of pick-up trucks and pick-up trucks and pick-up trucks. And ninety nine percent of them were white!!! Julie says that is because of the heat, I say it is just boring. Can you imagine coming out of a bar after a few hours of “fellowship” and trying to find your white pick-up truck?

new well alongside highway

pump jacks everywhere!

a very long convoy of drilling rig equipment trucks

The short trip from Hobbs to Lakewood (94 miles) on Sunday was very interesting. Being from the Midwest I was totally amazed by the local sights out here. In the seventy miles we saw lots and lots of “Pump Jacks” working oil and gas wells. New well drilling. Cotton fields. Potash mines. A convoy of thirty some trucks (white with blue trim) was going from one well drilling site to a new one, pretty cool to see. Between Hobbs and Carlsbad (73 miles) there is not one other town, not a bar, filling station, or Stop-n-Rob, just open range for as far as the eye could see!!  Actually, there were only three roads that veered off and one crossroad! Quite an interesting drive for a country boy from the Midwest, where there is at least a crossroad every mile or so.

While here in Lakewood, population 4 (no kidding, two "houses" and a POST OFFICE (open two hours a day)! (Google map it and you will see that Jim tells true) we plan on resting, and doing a little “Touroning" (a tourist who seems like a moron to the locals). We will be going to Roswell to see If any of Julie's relatives (high pitched doo doo doo dooing here) are there, venture over to White Sands and Alamogordo via a New Mexican scenic highway, and then Carlsbad National Park and Caverns. And did I mention we hope to rest.

Most of you are experiencing a brutal early winter blast. Well, to stay warm

we decided to go to the Southwest for the winter, and we have had to live

through the blast right along with you. On Sunday while we were setting up

it started snowing and then the temp dropped to 14 during the night!!!!

Guess we should have gone Southwester!!

bbbrrrrr

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Hello from Hobbs, New Mexico

written November 2, 2014 

Great local breakfast hang out in D'Hanis, Tx

Bales of cotton near Hondo

 Hello again, this time we are parked in a field on the edge of Hobbs, NM. Nice small town in the middle of oil country without all the “man camps”, and continuous truck traffic. On the way to here we spent nine days in Hondo, Texas. 

The Alamo

Jim listening to self guided tour

strolling on the River Walk

Buckhorn Tavern in San Antonio

One of the days we took the whole day and experienced San Antonio. We got there early so to avoid the crowds taking in the Alamo first. I was there in 1964 while in basic training and after fifty years of “maturing” I still have to wonder “why” would all those guys give up their lives to defend it!! Looks like just a rebuild of a deteriorated old “rock” building that looks like just about every other old “rock” building that we had been seeing for the two hundred or so miles that we had driven through Texas. Oh well, it did make a great movie! We spent the rest of the day exploring San Antonio's River Walk. The walking path along the river is beautiful and unique. While walking we stopped and had a scrumptious authentic Mexican lunch outside on the walk as people strolled by, and boats drifted by. We then experienced a boat ride on the river and found it was as beautiful and unique as we had heard from others. 

Texas Hill Country

used boot racks in store in Bandero

Delicious Apple pie in Leakey, TX

spotted Axis deer - full grown in Texas

 

  Parked in central/southern/west Texas we took some little jaunts around Texas Hill Country having a ball sightseeing and acting like tourists. The weather was perfect and the cowboy/cowgirl theme is everywhere. Every downtown area has the square front buildings with weathered wood siding and covered sidewalks to provide the “old cowpokes” a place for just sittin' and spittin'.

The area is a mecca for "Roadkill Culinary Specialists'. We could not believe the great meat items just lying beside the road! We saw deer, fox, coyote, squirrel, skunks, opossum, raccoon, very large unidentifiable birds, wild hogs, lots and lots of snakes, and either the largest grey German Shepherd or wolf (or as they call them here, Lobos). I'm telling you, a road kill warrior could make quite the culinary spread. You do know how to tell if your roadkill is fresh – on the way to town notice any roadkill along the side of the road, and on your way back home if anything is new it is sure ripe for the pickin!!! Happy grillin.

Saw my first up close and personal road runner (beep beep). Was watching a deer in the side ditch when I looked up just in time to see the RR's head disappear below my hood, heard no thump and saw nothing writhing in pain in the rear view mirror – so I guess those little suckers really are quite quick! (Julie saw that it had made it across the road and disappeared into a nearby tall grass).

While in Hondo we experienced a couple of cool phenomenons that we have heard of but had never seen. The rear window of our trailer has been the battleground for migrating moths. Who new those flimsy dusty looking little guys migrate? They are the worst fliers, they are always bumping into things. It is a wonder they can get anywhere.

After leaving the Road Runner in our dust we traveled onwards and upwards. We carry an altimeter and we climbed from 800 feet here in Hondo to over 2200 feet in the hills and suddenly we are driving through a “flock” of Monarch Butterflies. This is their time for their migration towards Mexico for the winter. It was the last few days of the migration period but it was still very exciting to see them all.

On the way from Hondo to Hobbs we saw what we “Mid-Westerners” have always thought of as Texas. Ranches that went on for miles and miles, somewhere in the neighborhood of a gazillion oil wells!!!! However, something we hadn't planned on seeing was ranch after ranch of goats. Think West Texas is becoming the goat capital of the world. Julie “Googled” a couple of the ranch names as we were careening down the highway and found that the average cost of a goat is $1500. Wow - who'da thunk it!

Probably should tell you just why we are parked in a field. While we were still in Hollister, MO we started perusing the web to see if there was something we could “do” and we came across “Care-A-Vanners”. This is a group of RV'ing Geezers that get together for two weeks at a time to “build” houses for Habitat for Humanity. The six couples here now are set up in a field behind an empty house owned by the City of Hobbs that has electric, water, and sewer provided for us to use. There also is a washer and dryer inside the house for our use. Really pretty neat.

The houses are built from the ground up by volunteers, and the home we are working on was already under roof so we have been insulating, dry walling, taping, mudding and lots and lots of painting. Today we are scheduled to lay tile in one bedroom and the kitchen, as well as hang the upper cabinets in the kitchen.

Well, the clock on the wall is telling us it is time to “hi ho hi ho, it's off to work we go” so we will bring this to a close and get it sent off and let you know that we are thinking about you guys.  

Hello from Hot Springs

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written October 19, 2014

It has been a few weeks since we last bothered you with an e-mail describing our travels throughout our great southwest. That is because we have not traveled throughout our great southwest as of yet. The week or so in Branson turned into more of a “or so” as we got to the end of one week and decided to stay a couple more days due to weather. It was going to be rainy, so we just stayed a couple more days (that turned into 7) where we were comfortable instead of traveling we just stayed in Branson and felt younger and younger due to everyone else being older and older. We spent six of the last 7 winters in Florida and never felt too out of place. The first year at the park it was questioned if one of us was 55 or not. After that we just sorta melded into the surroundings and nothing was said again. Let me tell you October in Branson is a hoot, bus loads of “White haired Wanderers” fill the air, the streets, the sidewalks, the roads, and the shows! In the two weeks here I know I have stood and held the door so “older people” could get through for at least five hours!!! OMG – I swear if someone would bring a small child into any of the venues it would be hugged and kissed to death by the thousands of Grandmas. Poor thing would be pawed and oohed and aaahed and patted and groped because “isn't he/she just the most precious thing you have ever seen!!!! 
 

We have done the “Tourist Thing” but mostly we have just laid back and lived here. Our first afternoon here we went to an ice cream social at the club house. We received coupons for free tickets to the Pure Comedy show downtown at the Owens Theater (oldest theater in Branson) and were really excited. On Monday we took the coupons to the Theater to exchange them for tickets. Asked where we got the coupons we told them Turkey Creek RV Park, and the lady said “Oh wow that is the park Bernie and Red are staying at. Not knowing who or what a Bernie and Red was or is, we were told it was a they, and they are a comedy team. So, after looking at each other, we decided to get tickets for their show that evening. Being a Veteran (a huge thing here in Branson) my ticket was free and checking my wallet I decided to get one for Julie too. Got to the venue a little early, cause you know how Geezers hate to be late and we did not want to be in a long line getting inside. Should not have worried. Lets just say Mondays in Branson are not the most populated. We met and then stood and talked with Red while she set up their display for selling “junk” after the show. We have now learned that every show in Branson is set up so that the entertainers leave the stage and walk through the audience first to be at the exit to shake hands with the audience, and oh yea have their merchandise proudly displayed and in grabbing distance to the captive people as they are funneled through the only exit!! Pretty smart I guess. Anyway, we loved the show and naturally Julie bought some “stuff”. The poor girl is just a sucker, hey, she married me didn't she?

On Tuesday we ventured downtown again and mingled with the multitudes of Geezers (ladies inside various stores shopping, men outside wherever they could find a place to sit or lean or rest somehow) before the our next show. Pure Comedy is a standup/slapstick show that has a cast of about 7. The audience was made up of a cast of 10. Comedy needs a few folks in the audience to chuckle and snicker at the stupid jokes to get the rest of the crowd into a jovial spirit. Did I mention that our tickets were free – I honestly believe we were overcharged!! 
 

Our time here has been wonderful. Sightseeing and attending a few more shows. We had lunch at Mel's Diner (no Alice wasn't there) where the waitstaff takes turns grabbing a microphone and singing. Very nice. Would heartily recommend it. However, get there a little early cause the Geezer Buses start arriving after noon and when 60-70 people descend upon an establishment it can get a little crazy. A couple of days we just got into the truck and drove around looking at the beautiful Ozark countryside. Darn it, we seem to be couple of weeks or so too early for the great fall foliage color show, but there was enough to keep Julie busy ooing and aahing.

Cloud Nine RV Park, gorgeous mountaintop view

  

Stained glass ceiling in Men's dressing room, Hot Springs

 

steam cabinets in Hot Springs

Today, Sunday, we drove to the Hot Springs National Forest where we are now parked on top of a “mountain”. Wow what a view, Julie is one happy camper. Had a little excitement getting here though. We were about six miles from here when “Gertie” our loving and trusted GPS instructed us to turn left onto Harris Road in one mile, so we did. As we made the turn we saw a sign (about the size of a Buick) that was previously hidden from our view by the beautiful foliage. Which reads WARNING – NO BIG TRUCKS. Now we have just tuned left onto a two lane county road from major US highway in the middle of a curve, backing up is not and option. So being of sound body and questionable integrity I immediately figure that we are not a big truck, just a little truck with a BIG TRAILER, having no where else to go we press on. Besides we are only to be on this road (with no shoulders) for 2.9 miles. After .9 miles it becomes a 1 ½ lane road with no shoulders and cresting the next hill we meet a car coming the other way. With lots of pleading, praying, hoping and luck we manage to get by and march ever onward. Okay we are now 1.5 miles into the journey and another sign. This one informs us that "ROAD UNSAFE WHEN UNDER WATER"

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   Nothing to worry about here, it hasn't rained in over a week. So on we go. The odometer is quickly becoming my major concern. At 2.6 of our 2.9 mile journey we crest the last hill that leads downward around a curve. About two thirds of the way down this hill the road turns to gravel. I thought ooops. Another 50 feet and we can see around the hill all the way to the bottom. I bring the truck to a stop and Julie and I look at each other and just stare! 100 feet ahead of us is a beautiful bend in a stream covering our gravel road and pretty trees hanging from the banks all the way through. We can see the bank on the other side after the stream meanders around a small island!! Julie gets out of the truck with her trusty walkie talkie in hand and is going to guide me backing up a hill, on gravel, around a curve. We start and actually make it about half way back up the hill when she tells me to stop. There seems to be a car behind us. I get out and head up the hill to see what if anything can be done and lo and behold the car is the husband and wife from the only farmhouse we had passed for the last mile or so. They tell Julie that this happens all the time because GPS tells everyone to come down this road. Julie stays with the wife and the husband walks down the hill with me saying there is actually no problem, they drive their motorhome through the stream all the time. He points to a sandbar and says stay right of that. So after “looking” the situation over Julie climbs into the truck with me and we with great trepidation we head forward. The front wheels in the water and no problem yet, the back wheels in and still not sinking so now the trailer travels just as the truck did and we are now headed up the other bank when the wet wheels start slipping on the loose gravel, but just for a second. Just like the nice man said the bottom was hard and we made it through with no problems at all. 2.9 miles and we turn left onto another road and finally take a breath!!!! Anyway, that is the news (or lack of) from the “Homeless Painters”. Till later.

uh-oh

uh-oh X 10

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We're off

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written October 3, 2014

Hello from sunny Cuba, Missouri.  

Our adventure has finally begun.  For the past two months we have been bouncing between Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana saying our goodbyes, and finalizing our doctor appointments.  With all that done and the Montana Rally over we finally hit the road yesterday morning.  However, we didn't make it out of Indiana, so this morning when we crossed the Mighty Mississippi and saw the Arch in St. Louis we knew it really had begun.  Thinking we will stay here a couple of days and then head on to Branson.  We haven't been there, so listening to what everyone has been telling us about it we decided we would stay there for a week or so before we head on to ??????? (just so it is somewhere warm and sunny!!)  Probably San Antonio, Texas before we head to New Mexico for awhile.  Nothing definite yet, just lots of ideas.  This has been Jim with the facts.  Now Julie will fill you in on all the flowery stuff!!!

Inspiration for Cars movie motel on Route 66

                                  

World's original Vacuum Cleaner Museum, St. James, Mo

World's Largest Rocking Chair, with Julie underneath it

OK, now here we are finally really living in our Montana.  I still have a hard time believing I don't have more to worry about, i.e. house, yard, etc.  It is certainly a freeing feeling.  We have already met many others doing the same thing and are so encouraged by their satisfaction, and sense of adventure.  Our trick now is to remember, this is a lifestyle, and not a vacation. We don't have timelines, at least not right now, so can stop and just relax and "live" in areas we like or want to explore more.  What a concept!  

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The beginning of our journey

July 31, 2014

We are saying goodby to our wonderful neighbors and our home as we leave on our full timing adventure.  Our Montana is packed and ready to head out on the long and winding road!