Las Cruces, New Mexico

We are in Las Cruces, NM for a couple of days.  Yesterday we went to the “old town” area of Mesilla. There was a market going on in the plaza. We looked around, had lunch, and shopped for some souvenirs. This is a quaint old part of town from the 1850’s. The building that Billy the Kid was tried and sentenced to hang in is now a shop, that we felt the need to spend some cash in. Sorry the camera didn’t come along.

We drove west on US-90 and on the way out of the town of Marfa there is a sign that says “no services for 74 miles”. Well it was wrong, at exactly halfway to Van Horn we found this.

Click on the picture to enlarge it and you can see the shoes and purses.

It’s not a real store just art, out in the middle of the West Texas desert.

For more information Click Here or Here 

Yesterday morning I was on the computer checking the weather and saw that 60 MPH winds were forecasted so we got on the road and made it here early and beat the winds, that also gave us a good part of the day to look around.

We are going to explore the local area some more today, and if the winds cooperate we’ll go to the White Sands National Monument tomorrow.

We have lost our website (renewal notices went to spam). So if you are here you used gorgieandrich.blogspot.com. If you talk to anyone who can’t get on let them know.

More Later,

Rich

Catch-up Time

We have been plagued with some poor internet connections.  The speeds were just too slow to post anything.

Zapata, TX

We spent two nights at the Four Seasons RV Resort on the shores of Falcon Lake, (the same Falcon Lake that a jet skier was shot by pirates).  We had a spot overlooking a bay of the lake.

We spent the day there exploring the area and sitting in the sun reading.  Everyone we met were very friendly and we would consider staying here longer next time.

Fort Clark Springs Brackettville, TX

This place is a keeper. The whole complex is 2400 acres, it has a golf course and residential areas. The RV park is just a small part of the complex. It was originally a Calvary fort, and home to the “Buffalo Soldiers” during the civil war.  It was decommissioned in 1944 and has been developed into the resort that it is now.  Many of the original building remain and are in use today.                      ( LINK to Ft. Clark ).

The RV park is very nice and the people there are very friendly.  Here is the best part for us.

The wildlife here is so tame and they visit every day (people feed them). 

These we were told were imported to the area for their meat, we didn’t learn what they are.

This guy was spotted down by the springs.

We walked along the river flowing from the spring and enjoyed the huge old oaks.

Then the turkeys came calling there were a couple dozen in this brood. I had put out some bird seed we have.

Another wonderful place to return to.

Marathon, TX

We are in Marathon, TX at the Marathon Motel and RV park.  We stayed here on our way down for an overnight stop and decided to stay here again. our original thoughts were to maybe see the Big Bend National Park. But when we looked a little closer and discovered that it would be a 300 mile drive in a day we decided to do that when we have more time.

Sunrise In Marathon.

We are going to spend the day exploring the local town and area.

Well that catches you up with were we have been for last few days, we are truly living the good life.

More Later,

Rich

Last Day in the Rio Grande Valley

We went to the Longhorn Cattle Company for lunch with our fellow winter Texans for a great BBQ lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were twelve of us, Harold & Pam, Duane & Barb, Ken & Kathy, Dave & Sherry, and Gary & Mellissa (not pictured).

We have surely enjoyed their company while down here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gorgie had the loaded baked potato (loaded with chopped BBQ brisket).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While I enjoyed the smoked chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A everyone had a great meal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The desert was a to die for Banana Cream Pudding.

Thanks again folks for the wonderful times.

More Later,

Rich and Gloria

Super Bowl, Zoo, and King Ranch

We have been having a great time with our friends, Kathy and Ken, Barb and Duane, and of course Pam and Harold.  These folks are all Michigandians.  They had told us of a Michigan delicacy “Koegel’s hot dogs and how they are the best anywhere. So I went online and had some shipped to the Rio Grande Valley.  For Super Bowl I made a pot of no bean chili and we cooked the dogs on the BBQ.

 

Everyone enjoyed them and I must say they were excellent.

A demonstration of the Michigandian technique.

Gorgie asked if anyone needed a fork and knife and was promptly shouted down.

Kathy and Ken seem as though they enjoyed their Koegle’s.

I’m sure we were the only folks who had Koegle’s in Texas for the Super Bowl.

Down in Brownsville they have a really great zoo ( Gladys Porter Zoo ).  Pam, Harold, Kathy, Gorgie, and I went down there for the day Monday, it was fun to see all the animals, they have some great exhibits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Being a weekday it was not crowded at all, so we were able to take our time and enjoy the animals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  There were some two legged characters around as well.

 

 

 

Our next adventure took us to the King Ranch. Everyone loaded up on a tour bus for the 100 mile trip north.  At 850,000 acres the King Ranch is the largest ranch in the world.( LINK to King Ranch )

 

 

 

                      Ready to hit the trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Lolo”

 

 

 

 

 

Lolo talked to us about some of the history of the ranch, and how he was the first person to ride Assault the only triple crown winner from Texas in 1946. He has lived and worked on the ranch all his life.  The tour was very nice and the ranch was interesting to see. 

We have been very busy here the last month and tomorrow is our time to move on, sad we really enjoyed our stay, and all the new friends we have made.

 

 

 

  Kathy and Ken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Barb and Duane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Pam and Harold

 

 

 

 

We will miss these friends and hope to meet up again soon.

More Later,

Rich & Gloria

Frio on the Rio

Winter has visited the Rio Grande Valley! It has been cold here for the last three days. Yesterday it never went above freezing the high was 28°, on Wednesday it was 34°.  The lows have been around 26° for  the last three nights, then to top it off it started raining yesterday afternoon so this morning we woke up to scenes like this.

And this.

Harold and Pam’s dog Katie (she’s so cute), had to look out the window, to see what was going on.

This is very uncommon weather for this area, lots of accidents, schools closed, the main highway is closed, and groceries are selling out.  Lots of homes around here don’t have heating systems, so they are using portable electric heaters and it is causing power shortages and they are imposing rolling blackouts.

We had signed up for a bus trip up to the King Ranch that was scheduled for Thursday but it was delayed to Tuesday next week.  The good news is that the temperatures are  supposed to be back up into the 70°’s by Sunday.

Last Sunday it was in the 80°’s, and we took a trip the the Island (South Padre Island), and enjoyed sitting on the jetty reading our books and watching the water scenes.

Well it’s going to be another day waiting for the return of the normally great south Texas weather.

More Later,

Rich