Oct 26, 2012 - Fort Stockton to Socorro

Early morning today as we had a longer drive to do. A quick gym workout, breakfast and we were on the road to El Paso just on 400kms away. The morning was cold down around 4 degrees but it was spectacular being on the road as the sun was rising with all the colours changing in the sunlight. Interstate 10 skirts the Mexican border along the way to El Paso so we could look left over the river into Mexico and see all the Border Patrols at work making sure them Mexicans stay on their side of the Rio Grande. We pulled into El Paso mid morning...

Oct 10, 2012 - Made it

Made it to Socorro on Tuesday night late. Checked into the hotel and unloaded what we would need. Kids were asleep pretty fast after traveling for so long. Kids were up and ready to go this morning as there was a swimming pool. Of course it wasn't indoors but outside. Told the kids that the chance of swimming outside at 9:30 am on a morning in October in Iowa would not be a good thing. The water was warm once you got in and used to it. I would have to say that it was somewhat heated. Now the hot tub that was out there also was the place...

Mar 18, 2012 - Ft Craig and Valverde Battlefield

Check back for photos!! Monday 3/12 “Work day” – we hung out at the campground, visited with our neighbors including a couple next to us with the same year Mobile Suite that we have (and similar truck – 2011 Super Duty only a 350 and the same color!). I worked on taxes and later in the day we did some grocery shopping. Tuesday 3/13 Today we drove about 2 hours north of Deming to visit Ft. Craig and the Valverde Civil War Battlefield. The Fort is located north of the Elephant Butte area on the Rio Grande and was built prior to the Civil War...

Nov 11, 2011 - Socorro, New Mexico

Santa Fe, New Mexico to Socorro, New Mexico (138 miles) and a visit to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge We drove 147 miles from Santa Fe to Socorro, New Mexico, as we work our way south. We will camp here for two nights and visit the Refuge. The Sandhill Cranes are the stars of this area, with people visiting from around the world just to see them. We are a few weeks early, but we hear there are a few dozen cranes already here. We hope you enjoy the pictures of this beautiful refuge. (Note:) We have added a second post today...

Oct 26, 2011 - Socorro, NM - Short Travel Day

(Ron Writing) Late this morning we left Albuquerque heading south on I-25. We started with a light wind out of the south but it soon became a strong wind. We stopped at Los Lunas, NM intending to have lunch at home but as we were pulling into town Elena noticed a sign for Village Inn. Every Wednesday Village Inn Restaurants offer a free slice of pie with any meal so we decided to eat there. We’ve eaten at the Village Inn in Surprise, AZ several times and always had good food and good service. Today was a disappointment on both counts – we...

Aug 30, 2009 - Day Five - Socorro, New Mexico

We left Abilene around 8:30 - rode 490 miles ending up in Socorro New Mexico around 7:30 - another 11 hour day in the saddle. We headed west on 20 for about 50 miles, then jumped on 380 all the way to San Antonio, then Interstate 25 for 10 miles to Socorro. Texas, as we knew it would be, was pretty boring. A lot of "scub cactus" with some rolling hills - but mostly flat. Going through "windmill city" was pretty cool. HUNDREDS of the huge windmills - all spinning. It got a little cool through here, so Lynda stopped to put on her hoodie, then...

Jan 21, 2009 - Family Stops #2 and #3: Socorro and Albuquerque

The dilemma: First, I love New Mexico food, maybe more than any other food on this planet. Second, my dad's the best cook I know. So having my dad move to New Mexico creates a real problem - when I can stay home and eat better than any restaurant, how am I supposed to get my fill of Green Chile?! Luckily, my dad has quickly learned the beauty of New Mexican green chiles, so I wasn't exactly suffering... Socorro's a lovely town; I recommend a visit to the Mineral Museum (at the Technical School of Mines), the Capitol Bar (on the old plaza),...

Dec 17, 2008 - Bosque del Apache

We headed north to The Bosque del Apache where we spent the day surrounded by birds. Our path took us past the town of "Truth or Consequences", originally named Hot Springs. The residents thought the name too common so renamed after it after a TV show of the '60s. Situated against the backdrop of the Chupadera Mountains, the heart of the Refuge is made up of moist bottomlands, the Rio Grande's active floodplain, extensive wetlands created with diverted water, farmlands and riparian forests. The rest of Bosque is made up arid foothills and...

Oct 23, 2008 - SOCORRO, NM

We say "adios" to Rodg and Sharon who head for Las Cruces and will meet up with them again soon in Benson. We retrace our steps back (southeast)on 550 to I-25 and south past Albuquerque to Socorro. Here we stay at Escondida Lake County Park, a beautiful setting with hardly a soul in sight. Our purpose is to explore the area for a couple of days, primarily the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. The Sandhill cranes are migrating south and this area along the Rio Grande is highly populated in the winter. In researching the area we...

Feb 22, 2008 - Bosque del Apache December 2007

On December 22, 2007 we started our trip to Southern New Mexico by stopping at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge. We camped our LazyDaze motorhome at Birdwatcher's RV Park just a few short miles north of the refuge. We were at the refuge at first light and then again before sundown to capture photos of the magnificant sandhill cranes and huge flocks of white geese.

Jan 1, 2008 - Happy New Year

Terri and I want to wish all of you a Happy and blessed New Year! Today we began our journey to Casa Grande Az., where we intend to stay until about mid March and hopefully enjoy some nice warm weather for the remainder of the winter. We left Farmington this morning at 10:30am. Of course since this is only the second time pulling the trailer, i was nervous but quickly got in the groove of towing. We are taking a "chicken route", so i could avoid any mountain driving. We drove hiway 550 to Bernalillo, then onto I25 south through Albuquerque....

Dec 9, 2007 - Traveling Misfortunes

Hi all, another week has passed so I must tell all. We left La Jara, CO, on Tuesday, Dec. 4, traveling south through Santa Fe and Albequeque to Socorra, NM. Actually we even went further south a bit and ended up at a Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Preserve where we watched as hundreds on wooping crannes an snow geese came in for the night. Note the photos above. We saw thousands of Cranes and geese. We found out that most of the action at the preserve took place in the morning and evening so we traveled south to the historical site of...