THE BAYFIELD BUNCH IS ON THE ROAD & HOMEWARD BOUND

A FINAL MORNING FAREWELL TO SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN

This post is coming to you from 30 miles west of Demming New Mexico on the south side of I-10.  We are in a nice rest stop area for the night with our own space complete with a Casita & picnic table.

REST AREA WEST OF DEMMING, NEW MEXICO

We had figured on staying at Lost Dutchman until Sunday but after sitting around yesterday we were both thinking the same thing.  It's time to go.  The weather has been good in Ontario, didn't see any storms shaping up across the country, Kelly's Deerpark Lodge phone has been getting busier, & I had the usual ants in my pants to get rolling.

LOOKING NORTHWEST TO THE GOLDFIELD MOUNTAINS THIS MORNING

A final few pictures & a hearty farewell to Superstition Mountain this morning had us off our #118 site at 7:45 a.m.  Quick stop for dump & water, then hooked on the car & out the gates we went.  Time was 8:25.  Skies were very stormy looking to the north & we had a few raindrops on the windshield but that was it.

LEAVING LOST DUTCHMAN STATE PARK

We decided on the southern Tucson route this morning after getting up.  Had some good suggestion from ROD & WANDERING WILLY about alternate routes in the Globe/Payson areas but I had already checked our Mountain Directory & decided we really didn't need to put the rig through all the stress & strain of mountain grades, curves, & hills.  Plus, the weather was looking a little iffy to the north & we figured we'd be better off sticking with our old familiar & traffic friendly southern route.  After running the route calculations through Mapquest last night I figured the southern route is only about 200 miles longer anyway.  Slower as well, but that's OK.

OUR OVERNIGHT STOP NEAR DEMMING, NEW MEXICO (that red car is on I-10)

Nice quiet drive down highway 79 to Catalina & then it was over to I-10 for our swing down through Tucson.  Traffic wasn't too bad as we rolled straight through the city about 10:30.  Big traffic jam west of Benson due to some road work & that cost us about half an hour.  Just long enough to get up & make a coffee & sandwich plus hit the washroom.  A couple of doggy snuggles & back in the driver's seat.   Gotta love this motorhome concept)

A BIT CROWDED UNTIL THE WIND DIES DOWN

We waved a big hello to JERRY & SUZY as we blew by Benson about noon remembering our Christmas Day at their place last year.  More memories flooded in as the Dragoon mountains came into view.  Could see lots of snow on the Huachuca's down near Sierra Vista & the white tops of the Chiricahua range.  This whole Sulphur Springs Valley area is like a second home for us.  So many great memories of our time spent driving & hiking in the great mountain ranges & ranch sitting at Jeanie & Ray's.  We waved a big hello to all the people we have met & Max, Checkers, & Motormouse were all at the window barking a big doggy hello & goodbye to Gleason & Pearce plus all the other great ranch critters we have come to know so well. 

I'M WORKING ON THE BLOG WHILE KELLY'S ON THE INTERNET....GOTTA LOVE THE CONVENIENCE OF THESE VERIZON AIR CARDS

I love special old memories like that.  My short term memory may not be so great but there's nothing wrong with my long term memory.  Why, I can even remember standing next to Christopher Columbus on the deck of the Santa Maria telling him, "head west young man, head west."

STRUGGLING AGAINST THE WIND TO CLOSE THE MOTORHOME DOOR

We didn't realize the powerful tail wind we had all the way from Tucson until we pulled into a rest area west of Demming about 4:30 this afternoon.  I was somewhat aware that we were being pushed along on I-10 but when we stopped & exited the rig we were nearly blown off our feet.  Got the dogs out for a pit stop ok but when we got back into the rig Kelly couldn't even physically close the motorhome door.  Check out the picture of me & my hair blowing as I struggled with the door against the wind to get it closed.  There was tons & tons of dust in the air after awhile & the winds made the Borrego Springs blow a few weeks ago seem like a gentle Sunday morning breeze.  Didn't even attempt to put the slides out.  Sure would have been a tough drive for any RV'ers heading west today.

WAITING FOR THE BIG WINDS TO LET UP SO WE CAN PUT THE SLIDES OUT

It's now 8 o'clock New Mexico time & the winds have finally subsided.  We'll be on the road again early in the morning & tomorrow we'll slip up & over the San Augustin Pass at 5,719 feet just east of Las Cruces.  This is our biggest mountain grade of the whole trip.  From there it's on to Alamogordo & through the Apache Pass in the Sierra Blanca mountains.  I suspect tomorrow night at this time we will have left our beloved mountains behind & be somewhere out on the great American plains.  I am saddened by that thought because I know I will miss my old friends as I watch them through my rear view mirrors slowly fading away into the hazy memories of my mind..............:((

GROANER'S CORNER:((    Snow White received a camera as a gift. She happily took pictures of the Dwarfs and their surroundings. When she finished her first batch she took the film to be developed. After a week or so she went to get the finished photos. The clerk said the photos were not back from the processor.
Needless to say, she was disappointed and started to cry. The clerk, trying to console her, said,
"Don't worry. Someday your prints will come".

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.