YES TOTO, THERE ACTUALLY IS............. 'A PINK STORE:))'

All of tonight's photos are in Palomas Mexico.  It is home to the widely renowned Pink Store.  We were there in December of 06 & again a few months later in 07.  We probably made half a dozen visits here & just basked in the beautifully colored ambience of the store itself.  Good food, live Mexican bands & free Margaritas for those so inclined.  People were handed the Margaritas as they walked in the door to shop & browse.  It is one of those places you have to see to believe.  You all know how much I dislike browsing & shopping but I sure enjoyed the time we spent in this Christmas colored Toyland:))  The Pink Store's owner got to know us & once drove Kelly & I across the border in her truck.  Can't remember her name but she was a nice person.  I also had some dental work done & we both obtained new eyeglass prescriptions in the Pink Store's plaza.  With all the trouble in that area now I'm sure glad we had the opportunity to see & enjoy the Pink Store when we did.  Many fond memories..............

 

Had it not been for my Doctor's appointment this morning the day would have ended up being pretty flat.  Another test & another bucket of blood left at the Hospital.  My instructions are to phone the Doctor guy's office Friday for today's test results.  Boy, a fella sure has to jump over a lotta barrels & through a lotta hoops just be accepted into the new Canadian Astronaut Program:))

Handyman Bruce brought over & assembled the rig's computer station & it's going to work well for us freeing up some much needed space.  Just a few minor alterations & the project will be finished Thursday.  Our night time temps have been down around 26F so I've had to leave some heat on in the coach the past couple nights to keep waterlines from freezing.

 

Came across an interesting blog this morning & it turns out Kelly has been reading this RV full timing ladies blog for a long time now.  Jennifer does her own repairs & maintenance, took a professional mechanics course & had an RV dealership teach her how to drive.  I read some of her bio & was impressed with her honesty.  Back from Alaska this summer she is currently kicking up a bunch of dust in New Mexico with her 2006 Gulf Stream Vista Cruiser Mini.  Check out, LIVING IN MY CAR

For the second year in a row we will leave here in a few days with empty spaces in our Motor Home bins.  That's a big departure from our first few years Snow Birding when we both felt we had to fill every last inch & ounce of space with at least 'something!!'  Just didn't seem right to be going somewhere & not be fully loaded to the rafters.  We bundled aboard all kinds of heavily weighted canned goods & probably brought a third of them back home with us again.  It's a common mistake a lot of RV'ers make starting out & I am reminded of that every time I see vacant space in our bins.  But you know what, I still have the urge to fill those spaces with at least, something!!

ONE BLOCK WALKING DISTANCE FROM THE BORDER

 

AWWWWW, THOSE WERE THE DAYS:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And remember, some people hear voices. Some see invisible people. Others have no imagination whatsoever.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

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THE BAYFIELD BUNCH BRIEFLY RETURNS TO COLUMBUS, NEW MEXICO…….’SI SENOR’

 

BOOT HILL RV PARK WITH MOUNT SIERRA BLANCA IN BACKGROUND

(Click any photo to enlarge)

Kelly's Ontario body clock told her last night it was 10 o’clock so she headed for bed at 8.  Or, was it nine.  She was back up at 3 thinking it was 5.  I went to bed at 11 thinking it was 7 & was back up at 2 to shut the computer off because I had fallen asleep waiting for the blog to upload.  I was back up at 3:30 because Kelly was up at 3.....or was it 5 Ontario time.    We have passed through 2 time zones & one Texas time warp so far & our internal clocks are in turmoil.  To-night, or was it last night the clocks are turned back but to-morrow we'll be in Arizona where time never changes anyway so we haven't a clue if we’ll be on time, in time, or overtime for anything.  By the time we get up it might be time to go to bed again.   Right now I think it's 5 p.m. New Mexico time, or was it really 7 o’clock Arkansas time.  Well, whatever it is I’m sure it will be subject to change of course!!  About time I moved on to something else I’d say…………………………….

I TOT I TAW A PUDDY TAT!!

Neither one of us had enough energy to climb out our pajamas this morning until nearly 9 a.m.  And even then it was struggle as we puttered around in slow motion.  Finally got things organized enough to get the big wheels rolling again about 11:20.  Stopped at the office & signed up for a Passport America membership.  Geeeeez, could it be I'm coming down with a bad case of RV Parkitus!!  The nice Boot Hill folks gave us the Passport rate for our stay & less than 6 hours later we would use it again for additional mega savings....more about that later.

 

DON’T HAVE A DINETTE SO WE EAT ANYWHERE WE CAN

Should mention that we had a great Verizon connection at Boot Hill & were able to get 4 channels with the rigs TV antennae.  Directly across from Boot Hill is McGinn's Pistachio Tree Ranch so when your cruising along number 70 just look for the huge Pistachio out front on the west side of the road.  Your Boot Hill turn off is across from the big Pistachio:))

THE BIG PISTACHIO ACROSS FROM THE BOOT HILL RV PARK

(HOVER YOUR MOUSE OVER ABOVE PHOTOS FOR CAPTIONS & CLICK TO ENLARGE)

We slipped around busy Alamogordo on the by-pass & headed southwest past White Sands National Monument.  We were there last year so have a look at our photos at  WHITE SANDS.  Between Alamogordo & Las Cruces just south west of White Sands lies the jagged peaked San Adreas mountain range.  Highway 70 runs up & over the mountains through the San Augustin pass & it's a long haul of a grade to reach the peak.  Luckily it's two & 3 lanes.  By the time we crested the peak we were down to 35 mph with Kelly out behind pushing.  The descent on the west side is steep so we had to deploy the drag shute to slow our descent into Las Cruces:))

DESCENDING INTO LAS CRUCES NEW MEXICO

It's pretty straight forward rolling through Las Cruces, just pay attention to the road signs, swear at the appropriate times, & keep your foot on the gas.  By 2:30 we were.....or was it 3:30 we were rolling into Deming New Mexico for a fuel stop ($2.89 a gallon) & Wal-Mart groceries.   Parking lot was really jammed up with big 18 wheeler rigs so had to park next door at K-Mart.  Parking lot there was so empty you could have landed a Jumbo Jet sideways..........twice!!

THESE ARE SOME OF THE GREAT BOOKS WE USE IN OUR TRAVELS

Decided at this point to head down to Columbus New Mexico near the Mexican border.  We have fond memories of our previous 2 times there 3 years ago.  That is where we both got to sit on Santa's knee on Christmas Day 2006.  We also had some dental work done & eye glasses made over the border in Palomas.  And, of course we totally loved the Pink Store.  I blogged & included photos of our time at the PINK STORE just this past April 26th & for the day we got to sit on Santa’s knee just click HERE:))

FULL HOOK-UPS FOR $7 AT ‘BEST RV PARK’ IN COLUMBUS NEW MEXICO

Had originally planned to boondock near the train station museum but Kelly noticed in our new Passport America book that there was an RV Park affiliate right here in Columbus.  So, because we now have joined PM the site would be half price.  And half price it was at $7 with full hook-ups.  I remember driving through this park 3 years ago & I wasn’t too impressed but there has been a big change.  I seem to recall old trailers before but they are gone now.  It was a tired old park but the tired has been replaced with new energy & this park has really been cleaned up.  Young pine trees have been planted with attention paid to watering.   They have 55 RV sites & the park is large enough to accomodate any rig.  Big turn around area.  14 full hook-up pull through sites, 41 water/sewer sites ,& 30 amp electric.  Excellent Verizon coverage here though & we can get  about 14 clear television channels with the rigs antennae & about half of them are in English.   Free Wifi as well plus showers & laundry.  Something tells me we are going to have a rooster getting us up early to-morrow morning or maybe, just maybe, it will be us getting up that rooster.  Now, let me see..........what time is it anyway!!

“BOO!!”        “TRICK OR TREAT:))”

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Old people shouldn't eat health foods. They need all the preservatives they can get!!

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I CALL IT.....THE COMING HOME BLUES!!

THE PINK STORE IN PALOMAS, MEXICO

To-day's blog pics are from one of the most fascinatingly colorful stores I have ever been in. The Pink Store is located just a block from the Mexican border in Palomas Mexico which in turn is 3 miles south of Columbus, New Mexico. Pics taken in December of 2006....................................


The coming home blues is something fulltimers do not have to worry about anymore & people who never travel probably have no idea what I'm talking about. But I know there are snowbirders out there who feel as I do after returning home in the spring from an extended stay in the south. Maybe not the majority of snowbirds but to you birders with a sense of adventure, a love of nature, & a sense of freedom, you might identify with me here. GREAT FOOD AT THE PINK STORE AS WELL

This is our third springtime home & I have found it the hardest adjustment so far. I thought last year was difficult but it didn't have anything on this year. The past winter in the American southwest was our best ever and it made coming home that much harder. RVing, like most everything else just gets better the more you do it & with the superb weather this past season I just wish we could have stayed on the road. Besides all the standard RVing benefits like hiking, rock scrambling, numerous day trips, ever changing beautiful scenery, starry night campfires, morning desert walks, & a quiet relaxing lifestyle, I am fortunate to have an interest in blogging & photography which kind of ties everything to-gether for me at the end of each great RV day. This past winter I was able to put a blog together for every one of the 133 days we were on the road. The simple reason I was able to do that was our ever changing environment. It was the excitement of seeing & doing new things & the anticipation of new adventures ahead & wonderful memories behind. For fulltimers their adventures & memories are ongoing but for the snowbirder, the memories may remain but the adventures ahead are put on seasonal hold for another 6 months when they return home. The adventure comes to a grinding halt every spring!!!! I have had to reach deep into my little bag of tricks this month & dig out my attitude adjustment tool & do some very necessary tweaking these past few days. No point in walking around all gloomy & stuff. We are here for the summer & I had just better get on with making the best of it until we get the big wheels rolling again in the fall. Now, where's my calender...........................:))


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