Hiking Achenbach Canyon in the Organ Mountains

With just one full day in Las Cruces, NM we wanted to get out on the trail to stretch our legs before we spent another long day in the truck in our "beeline" for San Antonio.

The Organ Mountains dominate the Eastern horizon of Las Cruces and are part of the new Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. The Monument, established in May 2014, includes four distinct areas surrounding Las Cruces and covers almost 500,000 acres.

I chose a hike in the Organ Mountains, a little off the beaten path, that seems to be used mostly by the locals: Achenbach Canyon. I could only find a little information about this unmarked trail (here is one write up), but using the provided directions I could easily see the trail on Google Maps.

Heading up Achenbach Canyon.

Some of the hillsides were covered in yuccas.

Cresting a saddle we came upon our first meadow and some giant granite boulders.

Stripes!

Continuing up canyon and looking at the backside of the granite boulders.

We followed the trail to the top of a saddle where we could look all the way back into the Las Cruces valley;
and were stopped by a sign warning us not to continue...a military firing range was ahead of us.
We'd heard the practice artillery fire occasionally during the hike.

On our way back down canyon we took a creek bed which led us around the other side of the big granite boulders and we saw an alcove on the hillside above us. Climbing up to the alcove we found a couple of deep morteros.

A sheltered alcove with morteros.

Back to the giant granite boulders and the remnants of Achenbach tank.

We ended up being very glad it was a cold day (42 degrees and breezy at the start) and we wore long pants as there were various stickery bushes and cacti encroaching on the trail. We ended up hiking just over five miles with about 1000 feet of elevation gain and loss. This hike would be especially pretty in the spring and summer when things are green and blooming, but I'd be a little concerned about the potential for rattlesnakes hiding in all the brush!

Driving back to town we got a great view of the Organ Mountain range as well as one of the beautifully painted water tanks that are scattered throughout town.

The Organ Mountains dominate the Las Cruces Eastern skyline. 

Our two nights spent at Sunny Acres RV Park, centrally located in Las Cruces, was good. The RV park is close to shopping and only about 10 miles from the hike we did. Though there is a fair amount of road noise, it was quiet at night and the Verizon signal was good, park wifi was decent as well.

Travel day today as we head into Texas!

A Few Days Near Deming, NM

We generally try to keep our travel days well under four hours, but the trip from Catalina State Park in Tucson to Rockhound State Park in Deming was about five hours (we run at about 62 mph when pulling the trailer). At the end of a drive like that Rosie is so ready to get out of the truck!

Rosie is THRILLED to be out of the truck!

Rockhound State Park has only six reservable sites, the other 17 with water and electric are first come, first serve. By the time we arrived at 1:30pm all sites were taken and we had to go into overflow for the night. The overflow is actually the group area and contains four W/E sites all in a tight row. We ended up with three neighbors in close quarters but still enjoyed excellent views and a very peaceful night. Had we felt like it we could have moved to a spacious campsite the next morning. W/E sites are only $14/night (or even less with the NM State Parks Pass).

The campground is nestled up against the Florida Mountains in a stunning setting. We hiked the two short trails right from the campground, saving nearby Spring Canyon for a future stay. Having just come from the super green Sonoran desert, we found the Chihuahuan desert to be quite brown in comparison, but it was obvious from the healthy looking prickly pear cactus all around us that recent rains had been good to this area. The higher elevation meant cooler nights, keeping the desert in its winter clothing.

The mountains beyond Hans can be viewed from the campsites.

The hills were covered in prickly pear cactus and this little rockhounders trail took us right through them.
Some of the paddles were the size of dinner plates!

The peaks above Hans can be viewed from the campsites.

Looking down on the campground.

Here we are in the group/overflow campsite.
Overnight we had two more RV's to our left so you can see it was a tight squeeze!

There are some really lovely campsites at Rockhound. If we are in the area again we would try for one of the reservable sites. Each morning there is a lively jockeying for available sites as people come and go. It seems that first come, first served makes for a busy campground!

The last time we came through New Mexico in the spring of 2013 we contemplated staying at Faywood Hot Springs but ended up bypassing it for Elephant Butte...so this time around we decided to give it a try.

Faywood Hot Springs is a rustic RV/Tent/Cabin park located about halfway between Deming and Silver City. Hot water has flowed from a tufa on the property for thousands of years, commercial development of the site has been happening since about the 1850's. The resort has 15 pools; some are public, some are private, some are clothing required, some clothing optional. The pools vary in temperature from about 90 to 115 degrees.

We enjoyed a very private site (#19) and a very quiet two night stay. With a Verizon tower only two miles away we had excellent cell signal. Water pressure at our site was extremely poor, we had to use our water pump for showers and dishes. We found the pools to be enjoyable but not as clean as the pools we experienced at Sam's Family Spa in Desert Hot Springs; there was a tiny bit of algae in some pools. Overall this was a nice place to stay but at $37.50 per night, a little pricey.

Us in site 19 on the left. Our sitting area is completely enclosed by bushes.
We had a neighbor in site 20 the second night...that's probably one of the last sites to fill.

Family friendly clothing optional pool art.

From Faywood it's just two miles to City of Rocks State Park. Volcanic ash laid down here about 30 million years ago has eroded into the fantastic shapes that jut out of the earth at this unusual site. We ended up walking almost seven miles through the fascinating boulders and up to the top of Table Mountain.

City of Rocks backed by Table Mountain.

There are a lot of fabulous dry camp sites among the rocks.
The picnic table for this site is nestled in a rock room.

It's amazing what a tiny spot City of Rocks is in the middle of a giant valley.

After our hike we walked the rest of the City looking for our friend Jen and her sweet pup Q who we found had snagged a neat, private camp site among the boulders...the perfect place to chill for a few days.

Back at Faywood we enjoyed another soak and then a sunset stroll.

We've got a nice short drive today to Las Cruces, Rosie will be happy about that!

A Couple of Repeat Stopovers On Our Way to New Territory

Our primary destination for late winter is Texas, but to get there we've got to go through some places we've visited before. First we spent a few nights in Yuma, AZ where I struggled to get back into the habit of taking photos after my long blogging hiatus in San Diego!

In Yuma we took care of our annual dental cleaning across the border in Los Algodones. Dr Eva Urena did a great job (including a minor filling for Hans) for a great price. I had a small troubling spot on my gums that needed to be looked at by the endodontist next door, Dr. Hernandez, so we had to stay in town for a couple more hours to get it looked at (all turned out well fortunately).

I also got my hair cut for the second year in a row in Los Algodones and was once again very impressed at the quality of cut I got for $5. A fraction of the cost I pay at a chain in the states.

Usually we are in and out of Los Algodones by 10:30am and don't experience a line at the border. This year due to my unexpected visit to the endodontist we didn't get in the border exit line until 1pm. It took us about an hour and forty five minutes to cross back home! By the time we got through the crossing, the line had stretched far beyond the shade covering provided for the line and the people at the back of the line must have been roasting in the sun. Come prepared with a hat and sunscreen if you intend to stay well into the afternoon!

The next day in Yuma we spent with our friends Cliff and Sharon who are spending a few months at a nearby RV park. We had a really fun day playing pickleball (with our pickleball mentors) and pool volleyball.

We topped off our last day in Yuma with a fun evening with other RVers: Debbie (non blogger), Jim (eyes closed!) and Gayle of Life's Little Adventures, Iain and Kate of The Scenic Route, and Suzanne to Take to the Highway. It was great seeing all of these wonderful people we've met on the road once again!

Our second stop since leaving San Diego was Tucson, specifically Catalina State Park. We were only able to get two nights at this busy park but that was enough to allow for a nice hike in the beautiful Sonoran desert and dinner with friends Dennis and Sheryl who live in nearby Oro Valley and are constantly recruiting us to buy a house in their community. Though we aren't ready to buy anywhere just yet, we had a great time visiting with good friends.

The hike we took was mostly a mix of unnamed trails in the State Park. Though the Sonoran desert is naturally quite green due to the annual monsoons, the abundance of rain this winter has kept it greener than we've ever seen it in the past couple of years. After the sparse brown desert of Yuma, this area was a feast for the eyes.

We saw two white tailed deer on our hike...the first time we've seen them here!

The campground, center right, is dwarfed by the Catalina Mountains.

Today we head into new territory for us with a long drive to Deming, NM. It's good to be back on the road!

So Long San Diego, See You in November

We've had a wonderful time in our former home town, San Diego, for the past 2.5 months with lots of get togethers with family and friends. Tomorrow our road adventures resume as we move on to Yuma, AZ and points East for the next few months. Here's just a few memories from our last couple of weeks in San Diego...

Each year since leaving San Diego Hans' former band The Sand Devils has reunited and played a gig or two. On January 17th they played to a packed house at The Tower Bar, a funky dive bar in City Heights.

The Sand Devils were followed by the awesome Jason Lee and the R.I.P.tides, whose act included gogo dancers!

The Sand Devils also played at a yard party at the home of guitarist Ran.

We've done lots of walking along Mission Bay right from our RV site, and the bird watching is bountiful.

Love the Long-billed Curlew...

I'm fascinated by how deep they forage in the tidal flats.

A walk along the cliffs of Del Mar can be an exhilarating experience:

Our last month in San Diego was spent at Mission Bay RV Resort (our third year in a row doing this). My original review is still valid (you can read it here), but I'll add that the Verizon signal is okay, the RV park wifi is pretty much nonexistent, and even though we like staying in one of the four sites adjacent to the grassy patch next to the restroom (which means you have only one neighbor) people do relieve their dogs on that grass! That said, the access to beach and bay activities is excellent and, for us, worth it.

We'll surely miss the beauty of the San Diego coastline but something tells me we'll have plenty of fabulous sunsets such as the one below and some great adventures along the way...stay tuned!

I want to give a little congratulatory shout out to our friends Zsuzsa and Tom. We met them in Palm Springs where they were anxiously awaiting the sale of their condo so they could activate their full time RV dream...fast forward a couple of months and the condo has sold and they are currently in South Dakota where they have purchased a truck and await their new 5th wheel! I can feel their excitement all the way out here in California! Can't wait to meet them on the road some day, somewhere!

San Diego Beach Scenes

We're all settled in at Mission Bay RV Resort until the beginning of February and are enjoying copious quantities of beach time and idyllic weather. Here's a little taste of the beauty to be had along the San Diego coast line...

Our first evening parked at the Bay we enjoyed the sunset from John and Pam's Bay front site and
had the pleasure of meeting John and Sharon as well.

A Sunday morning walk along Pacific Beach.

Crystal Pier from another angle.

Water so clear you just wanted to jump right in...but the 62 degree temperature made us think twice!

Afternoon low tides have been wonderful for bird watching along the Bay.

Gotcha!

Sunset reflections from John and Pam's awesome site.

The sunset above was one that just kept on giving...

There's miles of paved bike and walking paths right from our RV park.

A glorious day for biking...that's our RV park right behind Hans.

One very low tide day we drove over to Sunset Cliffs with John and Pam for some walking and tidepooling, followed by dinner at OB Noodle House.

Plenty of tasty little fishies for the Egrets.

From the bluff we could look down into crystal clear shoreline, as the receding tide exposed colorful grasses.
Notice the woman at bottom right, she was about 10 feet above the water and we were at least 20 feet above her.

At the South end of Sunset Cliffs Blvd. there are stairs leading down to the tidepools and an excellent surf break.
On this day the tide was headed for a low of -.7, giving us plenty of rocky coast to explore.

Hans, Pam and John stroll along, pausing at pools to search for tide stranded critters.

Though we didn't see many critters, we did enjoy colorful pools and the search itself.

Pam admires colorful layers of sandstone.

Afternoon glow lights up the cliffs as we head back to the stairs and the bluff.

Good drink specials and pho at OB Noodle House with good friends!

Another day we walked the cliffs and noticed this guy spearfishing in camoflage!

This person caught our attention as s/he flew right over the RV park.

San Diego is a wonderful place to spend the winter months, we're feeling pretty spoiled with the perfect weather (and no bugs). The only drawback is how congested a big city feels after months on the road with only short bursts of big cities. But after decades of living here, we know what we're getting in to! Soon enough we'll mosey on down the road destined for new sights and adventures...