Author: livingthedreamwithsallyandvic

We have been visiting the Wildlife Refuge, driving the “Loops”, walking on some of the trails and seeing some great stuff.

We saw some Avocets, they are so pretty. Also a pheasant and Javalina (wild pigs).

The Visitor Center is next to a trail where bird seed is supplied as well as water so we saw some great stuff there. Also met a couple (Mike & Lucy) that came for a 2 day trip to birdwatch. She was actually the bird person at a zoo for 10 years. She knew the names of everything. He was right there with her in enthusiasm so they were fun to talk to. They pointed out a Western Tanager. Beautiful bird and new to us.

Twice a Road Runner ran across the road right in front of us. Gone in a flash, no photo. ☹️

Audubon Warbler (Vic’s)

Our last day at this beautiful property outside Silver City. Vic took these photos this morning while I sat with Zoe looking at the scenery and listening to a neighbor’s rooster crow.

We leave in the morning for Bosque del Apache where the birding is supposed to be amazing.

We are extending our stay here at Bob’s 10 acre spread. Daytime temp is about 75 with a nice breeze. We are also enjoying the 360 degree view.

We went into Silver City, what a cute town. It’s clearly an artists place, murals everywhere, hippies and backpackers everywhere . Had lunch outside, roast beef sandwiches from Diane’s Kitchen. We got dinner all made also from Diane’s Kitchen for later, just heat it up. Most of the shops were closed since it’s Sunday. Window shopped and took pictures of the artwork/murals. Got back to Bob’s around 4 pm. Zoe was brown where she used to be white so she got washed up in the shower.

Yay! Wonderful roads and cooler temps with constant breezes. I love NM, the homes are pretty, the landscape is so different and amazing and the climate is great. Just make sure you don’t get dehydrated! We are on Mountain standard time and up above 5,000 feet.

Vic found a place through Harvest Host at a man’s ranch in Silver Spring. He was an engineer, retired here in 2006. Bob’s got 6,000 watts of solar in his roof and hasn’t paid for power since 2012 when he put it in. He’s been super welcoming and helpful with restaurants nearby and other stuff. His 3rd wife died in 2019 so he lives here alone and has 2 dogs. They barked their heads off at us at first but they were fenced and then he put them inside. Zoe ignored them and didn’t bark back, what a champ 🤗.

We will be here 2 days then we are headed to Sedona AZ but will stay somewhere halfway as it’s farther than we want to go in one day. New rules, 200 miles or less a day.

Pictures from the rest stop just over the border into NM.

Staying in El Paso at Ft Bliss, an army base. $21 for the night (full hookup). Super cheap! The campground (separate from the base) is very nice. Tried to get onto the base but they said I needed a visitor pass. Vic of course has his military ID but they wouldn’t let me in on his ID. So we went to that place. There were 20 people outside waiting their turn to get processed so we said forget it. We came back to the camper, ate a late lunch and worked on the revised itinerary. Vic found a place through Harvest Host in Silver City on a private ranch. We’ll stay 2 nights.

At one of the rest stops I met a woman walking her dog the same size as Zoe but hers was a mutt. She said her friend didn’t want it anymore so she took it and he keeps her company while she drives her truck. She drove a semi !!!!! Said she’d been doing it for 16 years. Wow! so I met my first woman truck driver.

So quick we didn’t have time to sightsee which is a shame because I would have liked to have seen the Alamo and or Riverwalk. Another time.

We drove and drove, long day. We are staying at an Elks Lodge (only one night) where they have about a dozen campers in a grassy area. Most have hook ups. We do not. Vic became a member shortly before we left so we would have this option. People are very friendly and it was $10.

We found out Zoe gets car sick. Poor little thing, rough roads and too long in the car. She lost it as we were pulling into the Elks Lodge. Some walking around outside and she soon settled. She ate dinner and now she is fine.

This was the last long driving day. From now on it will be 3 hours or less. We want to get to Sedona AZ and CA where the real fun begins.

Yesterday we stopped in Milton FL and parked in the parking lot of Grover T, a BBQ place. Harvest Host is an app (!). Places and people that have room allow you to stay overnight usually for free. They might want you eat in their restaurant or make a $10 donation but essentially it’s free. We don’t need any power hookup because we have solar and lithium batteries – lots of each. We ran the AC and were totally comfortable and only used 20% of the battery bank overnight. The sun replenished that pretty quickly. It’s amazing to be off grid, we love it.

Lake Charles LA. Tonight we are in the parking lot of Crying Eagle Brewery. We had a beer and fig pizza. Absolutely divine. Zoe was allowed in. Sat on her blanket and ate pizza crust bits. The pizza was so delicious we ate it before I thought about taking a pic.

None of this would have happened if not for Vic. He spent months working on this, researching what we need, watching endless U-Tube videos and finding someone to do the installation and then more research to the point of he knows as much about it as the installation guy. Then planning the itinerary, we will stay in many different mostly free places.

Because everyone wants to know how Zoe is doing I’m adding a pic of her helping us shop in Walmart a few days ago. She is wearing Vic’s mask as a hat. She was very anxious the last few days getting ready to leave. It’s a new routine and she’s a good traveler, she’s OK.

We are set up still in our campground and spent our first night in the travel camper. It was great!! Overnight we used 20% of the battery bank. after dark we had lights, AC and the tv on. Then the AC overnight. So we had tons of power to spare and were very comfortable. This transition is a little like moving. Today is about organization.

Started a new map.

Vic and I have had our 30’ travel camper outfitted with lithium batteries and solar panels so we can travel without having to plug in anywhere. We can stay at all sorts of places for free or else very cheap because we have our own power. The work has taken 3 months (all sorts of delays) but today we picked it up! We’ve been running everything off the solar this afternoon trying it out. The solar is coming in faster than it goes out. We also got what is called a split system AC which is way more energy efficient and very quiet. It’s my favorite part.

We leave Monday, April 25th. We are heading to California through the south then on up to Oregon and back across the northern states and back down the east coast, taking about three months. Itinerary to follow.

This is only the second one I’ve ever gotten a picture of. We were riding around in the golf cart in the woods this afternoon at our RV campground when we saw it!! it was absolutely thrilling to watch it sitting there in a tree, much bigger than I remembered from our other sighting a couple of years ago.