Life on the Road 2010-2011

 August 2010

It's hard to believe that I have been back in New Mexico for almost a year. And what a year it has been.

After a great visit in CT and OH, I made my way across the country. My trip back to the SW was pretty much uneventful, although I did have a couple of repairs done along the way. Of course. Isn't that the way all my traveling has been?

I had 2 tires blow out and had to call for roadside assistance. That was a bit scary since I was on I-40 and the traffic can be heavy and fast!

The next day I noticed that I wasn't getting the right power to my batteries and after discussing it with Chip, the RV repair guy from NM, I made the decision to pull off in Tucumcari - yes TUCUMCARI where I was stranded a few years ago having repairs done!!! - and have the alternator replaced.

I was lucky they were able to get the part I needed and I was back on the road the next day, and arrived in Elephant Butte ready for the winter.

I made it safely and on time. I did have a bit of a deadline because I had a job waiting for me here.

But the job I thought I would be working at the Inn was quickly turned into something else and I ended up in the office at the RV park where I have stayed for the last 4 winters.

I still work some hours at the Inn, but mostly my job here is managing the Lakeside RV Park along with my assistant manager, Chris.

I've said 'hello' and 'goodbye' to several camp hosts here, not to mention the winter guests, who are already starting to arrive back for the season. My summer camp hosts will be with us until fall.

Work has kept me very busy and we are all looking forward to the expansion of the RV Park. The work is slowly getting underway but of course it is impossible to know when it will be open.

As always I keep myself 'in stitches' whenever possible. I joined two knitting contests online and made a dozen pairs of socks since I've been here. Most of them you can see here and here.

I had started a scrap quilt some time ago and in April my friend Jan was here for the month and with her help, I was able to blast through that project and get it ready for quilter in Albuquerque to put on a long arm and stitch. When it came back to me I got the binding made and machine stitched on. One of these days soon I will hand stitch it in place.

Spring arrived and the snowbirds of Lakeside RV Park began to fly north. We are always sad to see the RVs pull out. Summer here is very different. It is quiet during the week and the weekends are extremely busy. It's nice that the Park is full all year.

I've met people from all over the country and some from other countries. All having a great time traveling through the southwest.

It has been a fun and challenging summer. I have enjoyed getting to know my camp hosts who have stuck it out through a very hot summer. We have all supported each other through trying issues at times and it will be hard to see them move on for the winter.

But my Assistant Manager, Chris, will stay on and help me keep things organized for the next couple of seasons at least. I'm not sure how I would have been able to hold it together without his input and good sense about things.

We are all looking forward to the expansion of the RV Park. There have been the normal hold-ups with the project, but we hope to have double the size park when it is done. I will be challenged again setting up a new reservation software and settling into a new office.

My job at the RV Park is never boring. I continue to enjoy every day. I could not ask for better people to work with and for.

It's nearly September already as I write this and the folks are starting to arrive back for the winter. Where does the time go? Who would have thought this is where I would be in 2010?

VLA   The Very Large Array, one of the world's premier astronomical radio observatories, consists of 27 radio antennas in a Y-shaped configuration on the Plains of San Agustin fifty miles west of Socorro, New Mexico. Each antenna is 25 meters (82 feet) in diameter. The data from the antennas is combined electronically to give the resolution of an antenna 36km (22 miles) across, with the sensitivity of a dish 130 meters (422 feet) in diameter. For more information go here. 

 August 29, 2010 - I had the great privilege of having a private tour of Spaceport America. Russell Lyday, a friend and head contractor there, took time to show me everything that is happening at the site. The work has been going on for some months now and they are making great progress. It is a State of New Mexico funded project and will be leased by Virgin Galactic.

It is a very exciting project for our area of New Mexico and all the surrounding towns are looking forward to the finished facility.

 Fall 2010

September through the end of the year turned out to be far busier than I thought it would be. Work at the RV Park became more demanding and it seemed like there was no time for myself. I anticipated this and decided that while I had 'seasoned' camp hosts working for me that I would take a little break.

In mid-September I made a long weekend trip to Taos. It is amazing how different the various corners of New Mexico are. Taos is very much an arsty town and one of the first stops for me was a yarn/fiber store. What else? I had a great visit there with the owner and ended up giving a spur-of-the-moment class in spinning.

By mid-October the last of the summer people had pulled out of the Park and a few winter people had come in. It has been hectic working a little short-staffed, but we have managed nicely. Bob and Terri are great camp hosts. Chris and I are glad to have them working with us. And just this week Rocky and Anna joined us for the spring.

I am still knitting like crazy. I've started holiday knitting already and my list is ambitious. Might have to revise it a bit.

And I finally finished the quilt I have been working on for a couple of years.

 Summer - 2011

The time between the first of the year and when I left New Mexico flew by so fast I barely remember what all happened. As things evolved at the RV Park, I realized that it would soon be time for me to move on. It was not a happy thought. I had met so many wonderful people in New Mexico and felt very much at home there.

July 8, 2011 With unspeakable sadness I drove out of New Mexico and on into Texas. I headed back home to Connecticut for the balance of the summer, knowing I would not be returning to New Mexico.

I had had maintenance done on the RV before I left NM and was hopeful that there would be no issues as I made my way back to the east coast. I drove south to Las Cruces, then picked up route 10 on my way to San Antonio. That was the most diffiult drive I had ever made. It was the middle of the summer and extremely hot in South Texas. Easily over 100f. The AC off the dash has never worked well and the generator gave me trouble so I rode with no air conditioning for 2 days. I consumed 3-4 gallons of water a day. It was incredibly hot. The RV overheated. 

There were exceptionally long stretches of road with nothing to see and no radio reception and no phone service. I was caught up in a "rolling wind" which moved the RV and Jeep at least 3 feet sideways. Very scary. I dragged myself into an RV park at the end of the first day and nearly collapsed. I got the RV hooked up and turned on the AC. The second day was somewhat better, but you can believe that I was very, very glad to get to San Antonio and the very nice RV park where I would stay for about 5 days. I visited with a friend and spent a day at the River Walk. Saw the Alamo, which is in the middle of the city. 

From Texas I made my way east along route 10 and made a few stops before landing in Georgia to visit cousins and an aunt there.