in the POD - Tuscon and the Sonoran Desert

Leaving Lincoln National Forest, descending into Alamogordo, NM

The white band in the distance is White Sands National Monument

*

Wanting to stay as close as we could to the warmest weather days, we decided that we would follow route 82 west in southern New Mexico taking us through Lincoln National Forest and then on to route 70 - eventually picking up I10 into Arizona. 

Lincoln National Forest! WOW! Covering part of the Chihuahuan Desert and the combined mountain ranges of Guadalupe, Sacramento, Sierra Blanca, Capitan and Gallinas, the forest is over a million diverse acres on the New Mexico / Texas border. You drive from the desert floor of low shrubs and cacti up through forests of pinion, pine and juniper, all the way to alpine grasslands above the tree line! As we climbed we passed small communities of farm lands, irrigated by a large, flowing river, mostly growing apples!

When we reached the summit at 8,600 feet (yes, we finally started looking at the altimeter!!) in Cloudcroft, NM, there was lots of snow on all the south facing hills and even a small ski resort in town. 

Totally unexpected.

Totally beautiful.

Coming down the hill on the other side was just as glorious as climbing it. At one point we came across a marker for "Fresnal Shelter". In the limestone cliffs is a rock shelter cave that sheltered hunter-gatherers in the late summer and early fall months between 6000 and 500 B.C. Artifacts such as baskets, sandals, used charcoal and food stuffs have been found there.

And then, off in the distance, we could see the fine white gypsum that flowed down this mountain and deposited itself in the Tularosa Basin below becoming White Sands National Monument. The limestone and gypsum that make up the Sacramento Mountains are sedimentary rocks that are formed UNDER the sea.......

Think about that.

*

On that note - we headed to civilization looking for some great food! I was driving so Tim was in charge of finding a restaurant. We wanted steak with a SW twist and good cocktails! He found us the perfect spot.  No tables were available online - so, we headed straight for downtown, refreshed ourselves and dressed in the POD and then walked to the restaurant hoping that our early arrival (5:30 pm) would get us a table. The place was hopping and we were able to get 2 seats at the bar by the front windows.  The food and cocktails were delicious and the people watching was great! Serendipity at its best.

*

Just a great old sign

downtown Tucson, AZ

*

A special dinner out! 

Carne asada skirt steak with chili peppers and roasted corn with cream (YUM!)

All cooked over mesquite.

Charro Steak

Tucson, AZ

*

Luckily, we were able to find two nites available at a local state park. Other than our reservation in Florida we have been winging it and, so far, have had no problem securing a spot anywhere. Picacho Peak State Park, just outside Tucson, has hiking trails for all levels and a variety of desert growth - including saguaro cactus! 

The sun is shining and the daytime temps are @ 78 degrees, there is a cool desert breeze, and we are going to take 2 days to hike, bike, read, and refresh. Ahhhhhhhh.

Picacho Peak State Park

Picacho, AZ

*

Saguaro cactus in the Sonoran Desert

Picacho Peak State Park

Picacho, AZ

*

Sunday morning mimosas! 

Picacho Peak State Park

Picacho, AZ

*

The campground is located on a gradual slope that runs from the base of the mountain to the valley. In the far distance one can just see the moving of vehicles on the interstate and the constant flow of trains heading east and west. The sound of the trains lulled us to sleep. All is well.

*

Evening comes to the campground

*

*

Tomorrow we are off to Napa!

in the POD - high desert

Heading north

*

Leaving Fort Davis, TX we headed north through high rolling hills of pale yellow grass, Mexican pinion, and hairpin turns. After an hour it seemed we were once again on a flat plain surrounded by distant mountains - or are we on a plateau? That vertical/horizontal trick is still playing with my senses. An altimeter would set me straight … but I’m kind of enjoying the imbalance. The colors, althou at first seemingly monochromatic, are beautiful! Straw, ochre, russet, sage, and pops of lime. 

I  am constantly overwhelmed by how big the sky is out here! It just never ceases to amaze me. The expansive view is quite calming - being able to see so far into the distance - and it makes me feel so small. Not insignificant… it just reminds me of all the things that I do not know. It makes me feel connected, human.

*

Somewhere along Rt 54 north of Van Horn, TX

*

Entering Guadalupe Mountains National Park 

Texas / New Mexico border

*

We stopped at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. 755’ below the surface of the Earth we wandered for close to 2 miles through 8.2 acres of underground wonder. It is very difficult to explain and even more difficult to photograph. Dimly lit and practically alone we traversed this underground chapel with only the sound of dripping water. 

Although the cavern was visited by Native Americans over 1,000 years ago, they left no record of entering its darkest zones, leaving only a few drawings on the cave walls closest to the natural entrance. In the early 1900's the cave was first explored by a local, Jim White. He kept trying to convince people of what he found inside the dark reaches of the cave ..... and no one believed him. Finally, in 1915, after taking a photographer with him on one trip and whose subsequent photos were displayed in town, people began begging to see it! Still, the US Department of the Interior was skeptical that such a natural scenic wonder could exist. In 1924 National Geographic sent a team and later that year Carlsbad Caverns were declared a national monument.

stalactites and stalagmites

*

columns

*

Later that day we arrived at  Brantley Lake State Park - just north of Carlsbad, New Mexico. Flat, high desert looking down over a large lake. It is open, wind swept and beautifully temperate. A perfect place to watch the sun set and figure out where we want to head to next.

*

 There are a lot of options for overnighting while you are traveling, especially in a rig as small as ours. When, and if, we are covering a lot of ground to get from one point to the other, we will often stay at a truck stop. You can gas up, fill propane and/or empty the septic, pick up bottled water …..or any needed salt related products. Truthfully, I felt a bit odd doing this at first - but now I look at it like it’s a Motel 6 stop - except it’s free! I’m arriving late and I’m only staying 1 night. All I want to do is eat something (that I actually already have onboard) and go to sleep (in my own bed). The truck stop gets my business - buying gasoline, propane, whatever …..and I get a parking space - preferably in a darkish corner, to sleep comfortably in! Win, Win!! 

*

When we do want to spend some time in an area, we always prefer to stay in state parks. They are plentiful, inexpensive, usually in a beautiful setting and quite well kept - each having an on site “camp host” as well as the regular park rangers. Many of them offer “full hook ups” - water, and electric. Unlike private or “lifestyle” campgrounds, I have found that state park campgrounds are populated by people that prefer nature and outdoor experiences, care about the environment, and are looking for a quiet, subdued atmosphere. I have found most of these people to be friendly and open, willing and wanting to have a conversation about their “rigs”, favorite places and what their travel goals are.  There are weekenders, lifers, yearly travelers, and those just experimenting for the first time. Old people, families, empty nesters, and young couples. Huge 30-40’ rigs with all the bells and whistles, old trailers that have seen better days but are still going, pop-ups and tiny tear drops, crazy self and custom built stealth campers and, of course, the basic tent. Each camper brings their own agenda - whose focus it is to fish everyday, hike, bike, geocache, bird watch, sunset watch or just….. sit. It is an amalgam of people - an interesting “melting pot” of humanity. 

*

Brantley Lake State Park

Carlsbad, NM

*

in the POD - the universe and art

Hobby-Eberly Telescope on Mount Fowlkes

Fort Davis, TX

*

We continued our travels into SW Texas through the unspoiled Chihuahuan Desert and then high into the Davis Mountains. We ended up in Fort Davis, TX and booked two nites at Davis Mountain State Park, nestled in a valley - quiet, pristine and a damn good night sky! 

Fort Davis is a small town; a one mile town that could be any western style studio back lot. Its history began as a military post in 1854, charged with protecting immigrants, freight and mail coaches from Comanche and Apache Indian raids. Okay - I’m not going to parse the protecting from the Native Americans part because that is a loosing proposition. However - the “protecting of immigrants” part of that statement is what I am kindly pointing out. Just saying.

Anyway, this fort then became the home of the 9th US Calvary in 1867 - the Buffalo Soldiers! 

*

Original telescope at McDonald Observatory

*

And yet the coolest thing about Fort Davis and the surrounding Davis Mountains is that it is home to McDonald Observatory!! It is a research facility of the University of Texas at Austin which was first established in the mid 30’s and has grown to include other universities and observatories around the world. We did a self tour of the facilities - which was oh so informative and fascinating. Currently there are 2 major telescopes on Mount Locke and the newest (1997) Hobby-Eberly Telescope on Mount Fowlkes. This telescope is currently working on the “Dark Energy Experiment” (HETDEX)! I KNOW!! 

In a nutshell - it seems that our universe is expanding at a much higher rate than expected. Initially scientists believed that the expansion should be slowing down due to the gravitational pull from all the mass in the universe - as a result of the Big Bang. But no. So they are trying to figure out what is pushing the galaxies apart by mapping the expansion….. and they need these massive telescopes to do it. And a whole lot of smart people thinking about it - all the time.

It was fascinating up there on those windswept hilltops! I learned so much history and the real science behind measuring stars and distances. It made me want to be an astronomer in my next life…….

“Dark energy is a phrase we use to represent the unknown. We know that the universe is expanding faster than expected, but we don’t know what is causing the acceleration. For now we simply call it dark energy, but it may not be dark, and it may not be energy.”  Astrophysics Professor Karl Gebhardt, University of Texas at Austin

Chinati Foundation

Marfa, TX

*

In the afternoon we headed south to Marfa. A somewhat strangely interesting spot, Marfa is basically a rural cattle ranch town in the middle of nowhere. The town first became known because it was the film location for the film “Giant” (Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean). But then in 1971, the artist Donal Judd moved there from NYC. His plan was to permanently install his art in the area and he lived and worked here until his death in 1994. The Chinati foundation, opened in 1986, is a contemporary art museum based on on the ideas of Judd. It preserves and presents permanent large scale installations by artists where art, architecture and the surrounding landscape are linked. There are a handful of other galleries - all only open by appointment. The town itself is a mix of beautifully refurbished, simple adobe and wood homes and those that have yet to be refurbished. There are two hotels - one where the cast of “Giant” stayed, a grand 2 story adobe structure and one very artsy, and well styled one. That is it.

*

Donald Judd

15 untitled works in concrete (1980-84)

*

We headed to Chinati. Chinati is located at the site of Fort D.A. Russell - a U.S. military base that was active from 1900 through WW II. Barracks, warehouses, and artillery sheds were renovated by Judd to be used as exhibition and work spaces. The 2 main galleries that house changing exhibitions are only open, by guided tour and by appointment. We viewed the 2 installations by Judd that were available to us. 

Outside, along the edge of the property were 15 untitled works in concrete (1980-84). As I walked the path to get close to them I noticed 3 or 4 large concrete watering troughs … I wondered if they were the inspiration. I loved the pieces set against the backdrop of the flat monochromatic plains running into the distance - but I loved them even better imagining that they actually grew out of the water troughs.

*

Inside 2 of the beautifully re-done, dramatic artillery sheds we saw 100 untitled works in mill aluminum. Each piece, a rectangular box with the same exterior dimension - maybe 4’ high x 8’ long x 4’ wide - but with different interior divisions of space. Mill aluminum is heavy, but soft - and the milling process creates a very reflective surface. All the pieces were lined up, 3 rows,  3 across in this light filled cavernous space. The bright sun coming thru the floor to ceiling windows created a myriad of tones on the aluminum and at some angles it looked like glass. Shining, dull, dark - and then again different on each level, looking across the room, on my knees looking through/around them. 

Fascinating. 

No photos were allowed inside - so here are two photos of postcards......

100 untitled works in mill aluminum

Donald Judd

*

inside the artillery hanger with 100 untitled works in mill aluminum

Donald Judd

*

We were happy that we made this trek to Marfa - it was not on my list, but when I saw how close we were I figured we had to go. (seeing I actually have no reason to return to Texas now)

We ended our afternoon in Marfa at the “artsy” hotel for drinks and a late lunch. It was perfect and exactly what we needed - some real time comfort in a very nice space. Wagu beef hamburger, a brisket sandwich, and a most delicious hot pepper margarita followed by some local beers! Sitting there enjoying the atmosphere, the connectivity (!)  and the curious mix of clientele - U.S travelers, French visitors, (each and every one of them dressed in black….. as were we….) and locals (def not in black) - we felt relaxed. A good day. 

*

At the end of the day as we settled back in under the trees at our quiet little campsite - all I could think about was the sky above - so ubiquitous, so constant and yet so distant and primal.  And then, art - so ubiquitous, so connected and so primal.

Fort Davis State Park, TX

*

in the POD - Big Bend National Park

climbing up to look down

Big Bend National Park, TX

*

Our most southern and least visited park, Big Bend is, to put it simply, breathtaking. The scope, scale, and vistas are mind boggling, other-worldly, and yet as simple as mountains, chaparrals, and mesas can be. Photos can not do it justice. You have to stand there, so small surrounded by its vastness, and breath in each spectacular view.

Driving along high desert plains surrounded by row after row of mountain ranges that each reach ever further into the distance is scenery that plays with your sense of distance/space….. Is that one range? Two? Oh no, it’s three or four stacked so neatly that they appear as one. It is only through the course of watching the light traverse across the huge sky and the shadows of the clouds upon the ridges that one can actually discern that there are layers to each vista. 

across the expanse of over 800,000 acres!

*

That is the quiet miracle presented to you on the horizontal plane … and yet there is also the same miracle to the vertical. As you drive through this area of SW Texas you feel/think you are close to sea level - flat, even chaparrals that stretch forever on all sides …… but, no. Although there are mountains and mesas towering high above you, as you enter the park and head south there are basins and ravines that drop below the road. My sense of where we were and what to expect just kept changing at every turn. 

Unsettling, yet kind of fantastic!

The Rio Grande 

Big Bend National Park

*

The Rio Grande, snaking its way along the edge of the park, separates the US from Mexico. We hiked two different trails that took us both high above the river and then down to its shore. Both sides of the Rio Grande are protected areas and we could see, and say hello, to people, horses and burros along the Mexican side. It was very close. The best trail was the Boquillas Canyon trail, a slot canyon carved over thousands of years! To stand there at the edge of the river with the canyon towering above us ….. miraculous and humbling. We were alone down there - no sound but the moving river. Time. 

Boquillas Canyon - walking in

*

Boquillas Canyon - looking out

*

Boquillas Canyon - looking in

*

The day time temperatures were very warm, averaging @ 70 degrees and full sun. After hiking in the afternoon it was so pleasant to sit outside and read while watching the sun set in the west. However, once that sun set …. the temps dropped quickly and nights were @ 30 degrees. And yet… the nights….. if there was ever a miracle, it is the night sky! I have NEVER seen anything like the night sky here!!! It was as if we were sleeping in a planetarium. The stars were SO big, SO close, and came all the way down to the horizon! And… FYI, Mars is kind of amazing - it is really, really red and really, really distinct! I have never seen so many stars and I probably never will again. I will carry this image with me forever. 

A roadrunner! 

Unfortunately you can't see its amazing colorations!!

*

And on a political note - I’m sure glad we got to see it before the wall goes up! 

souvenirs on the path

*

the POD waits ... anticipating our next stop

*

in the POD - no photos......

its come to this

*

We last left our heroes peering out their dark hotel room window watching the snow fall just outside of Baton Rouge, LA. So many things are wrong with that picture!

By early morning, Tim was not feeling much better. The stomach issues had seemed to pass but he felt like that proverbial bus had made its mark. I quickly headed to the nearest drug store to get any and all provisions to help any potential new flair up of anything! I was a Girlscout! I knew how to be prepared!

Opening the hotel door I found: 17 degrees!, 2” of snow on the POD, and ALL the roads covered in a sheet of ice!!! No kidding. The entire town seemed to have shut down. Semi trailer trucks were parked along all the roadways, the streets were empty and even the one highway into and out of town was closed - blocked by police vehicles at every on ramp! 
Zombie apocalypse?
 Proud of my New England heritage and winter driving expertise I forged on, determined to fulfill my plan. I went first to a Walgreens @ 1/2 mi away. Closed. Well, technically they were supposed to be open at 8 am (it was 8:30 am)…. but no. SO I headed to a CVS. Closed. They were scheduled to open @ 7 am. Soooo I headed to another Walgreens @ 2 mi away. CLOSED! By this point I finally realized that the entire town had obviously declared a snow day. As I headed back to the hotel I spied a Walmart ….. open 24 hrs. I figured those workers were already stuck there for their snow day! 

Sorry…but sometimes you just need a Walmart.

*

We showered, dressed, Tim ate some crackers and Pedialite for breakfast (oh boy!), and we headed west to Austin TX! We had to do a big drive around to get out of town because all the highways into/out of Baton Rouge were closed. It was slow going, me and all the semis using smaller state roads to wind our way into Texas, but eventually all was fine. 

I decided we would stay in another hotel upon our arrival in Austin just to make sure that Tim was 100% by morning and that I wasn’t the next to get sick. We made dinner in the POD parked outside our hotel room and carried it into the room to dine. Tim was well enough to eat ramen (his choice) and I had tomato soup. We both slept well. 

And yet, Tim woke not feeling 100%. It was a gray 30 degrees. Ugh.

SO - how did you like Austin?

They are currently rebuilding one of the major arteries thru the city so traffic was a nightmare. There are parts that look rather interesting, however, we never really explored the city…….

WELL, what did you do?

I did 2 loads of laundry at a really nice, clean laundromat!  

Tim went off to find/replace our 2 onboard batteries. Yes, this issue has been quietly tapping us on the shoulder for a few months and Tim noticed that they were slowly failing. These are what keep us charged when camping - especially in spots without hook-ups  as in our next planned stop at Big Bend. Since he was still feeling quite punk and it was cold we figured this was a good use of the already lost day. 3 different stops (purchase, installation, getting rid of old batteries) later - we were back in business. 

Then we stopped in a “park” - at least it was called a park, the Onion Creek Greenbelt. It was close to the battery drop off place and we thought it would be pleasant to have a quiet spot to lay out our plans for the next few days and for me to “de-contaminate” the POD. 

It was such a strange place. Paved roads in a grid, street signs, some toppled, lots of fallen trees, and broken utility boxes every block or so. We then noticed that there were cracked driveways at some spots in the curbs and a few stray mailboxes - to nowhere. 
Those thoughts of the zombie apocalypse came rushing back....
We figured that it had been a community - at some point. Thank goodness for the internet! Seems that the neighborhood of Onion Creek was in a flood zone - well now it is officially a flood zone. It flooded in 1998, 2001, 2013, and 2015. Seems that FEMA eventually bought out all the owners and relocated them. 

*

Based on these last 2 days….. I sure hope this is not how the rest of this “adventure” plays out.

in the POD - there's always a first

final sunset

*

On our last day on St. George Island Tim got the flu…… 

He had been trying to fight it off - we even managed to get in another good long walk on the beach and then our usual bike ride to view the sunset from one of the beach pavilions. All was looking good - but by nightfall the flu just took over. And by morning he had a fever, chills, the whole thing.

This was a first. We had never been sick in the POD before.

calm before the storm

*

I arranged for us to stay another night at the campground althou we had to move to a different spot. Which, actually meant, that I had to unplug us, undo the water and empty the holding tanks. I had never done any of that before - not because I couldn’t/wouldn’t but because the division of labors on the POD had been worked out and was working well for us. But I did it. Yes, I am patting myself on the back because: 

1. I did it without doing something incorrectly. 

And, most importantly, 

2. Now I know I can do it - anytime I want!!!

I spent that extra day reading, wandering the park and the beach and basically just trying to leave Tim alone so that he could sleep and get better. I made him honey and lemon toddies, hot compresses, soup for dinner…….. He did not get better. By morning he was feverish again but we figured it best to move on. I unhooked our rig again and as the sun rose above the Gulf I began driving west while Tim slept in the back. Surely the quiet purr of the asphalt against the tires and the gentle rocking of the cab would allow him to rest easy and overtake this cold. 

NOT! 

By Mobile, AL he started to heave……. UGH! We had never thrown up in the POD before!!!!! 19’ of living space is tight under most circumstances and we have found a system to make it work for us while traveling - even for extended periods of time. However…….. being sick had yet been factored into that equation!! I know it was unpleasant for me - up there driving - BUT I’m guessing that it was super unpleasant for Tim vomiting in a pin hole toilet (or eventually a bucket) while barreling down the highway! 

8 hours later -  here we are. 

Just outside of Baton Rouge, LA in an America’s Best Value Inn. (I will refrain from musings on our inn's name.) It is 27 degrees and snowing. Yes, it is snowing. We bit the bullet and decided to forgo the POD for the night. Tim needed extra warmth, a hot tub, and sleep. I needed a beer and a separate bed to sleep in so that I, too, do not end up “hurling” down the highway.

And yet - All is good.

pines between the camp spot and the dunes

*

*

Even with the unseasonal cold temps, some rain, and the illness - It was still a wonderful week here. I never feel like we have to be doing something all the time - its okay just to allow each day to unfold, to see what may await us.

On that last (extra) day - as I walked the beach alone - I did finally see sea sponges scattered most everywhere! I had been bemoaning the fact that I had not seen any the last 2 years. They had not been there the day before - and yet, now here they were.

*