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Catalina State Park – Tucson, AZ – Monday October 27, 2014

We moved into Arizona where weather is going to stay within the mid 80’s for the next week.

Campsite picture site #45.

We were here in September 2004 when Jean started the conversation about if we were going to continue to travel in an RV we should think about what we were going to do long term.  We decided to start looking at a larger unit.  In November 2004 we found what we thought was close to the perfect Class A.  We were not too excited about the interior green color however over a short period of time we began to love it.  The green is easy to keep clean and we have been able to match it for extra pillows and throws.

At this point we love the way our RV is configured and don’t want to look for a newer unit.  The last unit we sold with 51,000 miles and to date we have 72,000 miles and many more to go.

 

Pancho Villa State Park – Saturday October 25, 2014

We drove to Pancho Villa State Park this morning.
This military action just before World War I was the first time the U.S. Army used a mechanized military force.  They had four wheel drive vehicles and airplanes.
Look the way the landing gear was attached to the airplane.

Here is a closer look.

The state park is 30 south of here and 2 miles north of the border.  It was a nice drive.

 

Rock Hound State Park – Thursday October 23, 2014

When we got up this morning I found this small brown bear in our campsite.
Hank gets groomed every 6 weeks, it’s been 14 weeks and we still have another 4 to 5 weeks to go.
This is his normal mid grooming look.  We where at Henskin Lakes with Brian in July.
This is shortly after a grooming, notice the size of his paws.     I like his new look, Jean is looking forward to a grooming.

Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument – Monday October 20, 2014

We went to Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument north of Deming.  It was a long drive from Deming, looking at the map it is not to far, however half of road was a paved logging road.  It was actually fun to drive.  Poor Hank had to stay at home, he had an eight hour wait.
These dwellings are half way up a 400 foot rock face.
There were three volunteers at the dwellings telling the story of the people who lived here.

This is a view in the largest room.

It is a neat place out in the middle of no where.

 

Rock Hound State Park, Deming, NM – Sunday October 19, 2014

We moved today to Rock Hound State Park 10 miles southeast of Deming, NM.  Since just before dark we have had wind, rain and some lightening.

This is the view when we arrived.
Campsite photos, these are really large sites and we have the highest one in the park.  Yes it’s a great view.

Another site pictures.

Yesterday during our trip north we also visited Smokey Bear Historical Park
Smokey Bear was a cub when he was found clinging to a tree after a fire had burned through the forest near Capitan, NM.  He was taken to a vet and than became the mascot for preventing forest fires.   Hank was not allowed in the museum so Jean and I took turns caring for Hank and looking at the displays.
Smokey was laid to rest here.
Here are a couple of pictures I took at Fort Stanton.
Housing on officer’s row.
The area has an active group of people supporting the history of this fort.  This is one of several people working around the fort and answering people’s questions.

 

Fort Stanton, NM – Saturday October 18, 2014

After Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me we drove north to Fort Stanton.

It has an interesting history from 1855 when it was first established, 1899 Marine Hospital for care of tuberculosis, 1933 – 1940 as a CCC camp, 1939 – 1945 prisoner of war camp for German sailors, 1963 – 1996 facility for the care of mentally challenged, 1996 – 1999 State Corrections Facility of women, 2000 – 2009 drug rehabilitation center, 2008 state monument.

Tomorrow we leave for Rockhound State Park south of Deming, NM.

It was a good day, and Hank got to travel with us today.

 

National Solar Observatory – Thursday October 16, 2014

Today we went to the National Solar Observatory

This is the part which is above ground.  We were able to go inside this building and watch as they were taking observations of the sun.
This drawing shows the relationship of the above ground structure and what is below ground.
The observatory is only 6.29 miles east and a little north of here. This is from Google earth. The drive to get there is 50 miles.
This picture show’s the distance.  The elevation change is from 4420 to 9256.
Here is the whole area showing where we are, the Observatory, White Sands and Alamogrodo.