Simple Living and Simple Travel

Stopped in Tucumcari for groceries (Lowe’s had tofu!!) and to access the web at the library. The library had blockers too prohibitive for me to access my blog for updating or even look in at the fiberglassrv.com forum. Also, except for Siscily’s, they had the SLOWEST connection that I have experienced in YEARS. Guano. I guess I’ll try Santa Rosa on Monday. Also stopped at the post office to mail a package to the Philippines. Only cost $4. I know, a little late to be sending out a holiday gift. Well, Ute Lake, along with Rockhound and Pancho Villa, make three NM state parks that I will not be returning to. Although some of the sites without electric at Rockhound are not too bad. It’s mainly that Rockhound is close to an interstate so it’s generally full of RVs. Ute Lake state park campgrounds are developed in fields that butt up to the town of Logan. They are more like town and county parks than what I’ve been seeing at the other state parks. Not my kind of thing but must be very popula...

For the first hour after leaving Villanueva, I was driving north. It’s December. Maybe I’m heading the wrong direction. Oh well, got to Las Vegas. Spent a few hours there getting propane, groceries, gas, doing laundry, and putting in a couple hours at the library on the web catching up with friends and doing some work. Sure do miss daily access to the web. Love being back in NM for the wide selection of chili. Wish the smaller towns carried tofu; I eat a couple pounds of it a week. But with street names like Dos and Tres, I’m not too surprised. Not exactly a local food staple. Nice drive east from Las Vegas through high plains to Conchas Lake. Beautiful scenery and so little traffic that most drivers waved. Conchas has a number of nice sites. I stayed in the Bell Point campground and except for the host, mine was the only rig in there for a couple of days. Personable hosts. Shower was a bit hotter than Villanueva but not by much. Still no steam yet. Elevation is 4160’ so it’s warmer th...

Good drive down to Villanueva. Stopped in Santa Fe at the La Mantanita food co-op on W Alameda St just a block or two west of Saint Francis Dr. Good selection and plenty of bulk bins. Also left with a great lunch sandwich. Made my day. Nice park along sandstone cliffs with pinon and juniper trees and the Pecos River with its tall cottonwoods and mesquite. There are only three miles of trails but there are also places to just take off cross-country and explore. Another option is to take the trail along the river heading downstream. There is a fence along the border of the park but not sign for private property. Hop the fence and continue on. The path is cow-maintained and not bad at all. I hiked down just about an hour before turning back and it was all right along the river except for one spot of a couple hundred yards up on the rocks. Had my sling with me so got a good deal of practice in with all the small river rocks along the way. Doing fine with my overhead and underhand throws. R...