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...

10 Days of Driveway Docking in Poway

This year we added a house/pet sitting gig to our San Diego layover. After a month at Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve we headed for Hans' brothers driveway in Poway. While their family spent a week in Utah we enjoyed the perks of a big kitchen, good water pressure and large shower, free laundry and got to spend quality time with Bentley the sweet pit bull and Tabby the kitty who loves to be brushed more than any animal I've ever met.

Our home tucked away in a deep, peaceful cul de sac in Poway.

Loads of room for the truck and trailer!

Our morning view includes a flock of Nutmeg Mannikins and Mourning Doves by the dozens.

Bentley is a happy boy and and so good on a leash!

Tabby is a sucker for brushing and massages!

Martin and Estella joined us for dinner and pool one evening.

Our driveway docking coincided with Christmas and New Years so lots of partying was on the agenda...

Dinner at Annie's with good friends.
Back to front: David, Hans, Lisa, Annie, Martin, Estella, Mary.

Christmas Eve dinner with Hans' parents

Christmas day at Lisa's parents.
Kylie tries on her new dress up clothes while Brother Travis, Grandma Rebecca and Mom Crystal look on.

Hans demonstrates how the tutu should be worn...

Lisa's dad and Hans start the Christmas buffet line!

And a belated Christmas dinner with Hans' family when they returned from their vacation.

It wasn't all partying during our Poway stay. One day we did a short hike with Bentley at Sycamore Canyon Open Space Preserve. This trail system is at the North end of the canyon we hiked from Santee Lakes.

Like most San Diego County canyons, Sycamore Canyon consists of rolling chaparral covered hills.

Recent rains have brought out a lovely green palette to the landscape.

We also enjoyed a walk and lunch at Del Mar with Hans' parents.

Hans, Turid and Fritz enjoy a perfect Southern California December day.

Another day we dropped by our old neighborhood and thoroughly enjoyed the ramen and craft beer at Underbelly in North Park.

Tasty vittles at Underbelly in a stylish, mostly outdoor, venue.

2014 was a wonderful year on the road, and once again we spent it entirely in the West. We traveled just under 5,000 miles and landed in only six states, with a few one month stays and plenty of one week stays, allowing us to explore many places in depth.

Some of our favorite stops were our month near gorgeous Sedona, AZ in March, slot canyons and other natural wonders in Escalante, UT in April, bubbling pits in Lassen Volcanic National Park, an amazing bear sighting and incredible beauty in NE Oregon, and visiting Mt St Helens up close,

We'll be in San Diego for another month; tomorrow we give up our posh driveway docking site and move on to Mission Bay RV Resort. Beyond San Diego, 2015 promises lots of adventure and new-to-us sights...we hope you'll follow along with our travels!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our readers and friends we've made on the road!