Tuesday in Albuquerque

This morning I was again confused by my Arizona-time clocks. I hate to change them. I'll be back in Arizona on Oct. 13Th. Maybe I'll do better tomorrow!!

I hadn't been on a motorcycle ride since August 23rd, 5 1/2 weeks ago. So, today I unloaded my bike and went for a 30 mile ride, checking out the neighborhood. I went to a Lowe's hoping to get that key copied. It must be a very odd one. This was the second large store that doesn't carry that blank. I'm now on the hunt for a locksmith shop, hoping for better results. After Lowe's I filled up my bike's 4 1/2 gallon tank, then found a Great Clips, where I'll get my hair cut in a few days. And I found a Petsmart where I'll go back in a few days with my truck and buy dog food, and maybe a new ball for Murphy. Then I found the Albuquerque Harley Shop. I perused the sale racks, but didn't find anything I really needed. But I did visit with Fuzzy, and his Westie Mickie. Fuzzy brings one of his three dogs to work with him everyday. Maybe I'll take Murphy in one day to meet Mickie, or the dogue du jour. Then I did a recon on the RV parking area at the Balloon Fiesta grounds. Two members of my RV club are already parked there. I'll check in and park sometime Wednesday morning. I'm hoping to be able to see some of the balloon activities from the vantage point of my trailer roof, and have lots of great pictures to post here starting Sunday. Also, I hope to ride my bike up to Taos one day while I'm here. I was there during the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in 1992. I'd like to visit Taos again. And I'd like to make a trip up to Sandia Peak again, too.

Monday in Albuquerque

Monday morning I got up, after realizing I didn't change my bedroom clock, at 7:30. I was thinking it was 6:30!!

Around 9:00 I headed off to the local Flying J truck stop to fill up my truck. Monday's price was $3.82/gal which seemed to be the cheapest in town. Then I headed east on HWY 40, exited at Coors Blvd in search of Costco. According to the Costco website map, it looked like the Costco I was looking for was a few blocks north of HWY 40. Turns out it was about 8 miles north of HWY 40. I finally found it after stopping to consult my computer. I didn't buy too much, but after adding my annual fee, it cost a lot!! The grazing wasn't too bad. I liked the pot roast and mashed potatoes the best. There's a poem that says it's OK to go back 10 times to each station, but I only went back twice to my favorites. Then I headed off to find a Wal-Mart. I finally found that too. They didn't have the blank key I needed copied, but they did have the First-Up Canopy I've been looking for. I didn't buy it, but they had 4 on the shelf, so I'll go back later this week. I rejected that Wal-Mart parking lot for an over-night spot, then went in search of another Wal-Mart. That one didn't seem to exist, so I continued on to the Rio Rancho Elks Lodge. I found it, paid my $20.00 for two nights of parking-lot-camping, then poured myself a beer!! Oh, I found the diaper that SUV from Camping World dropped off it's rear bumper - it was in the Elk's parking lot, right next to where I parked my rig. Well, it's probably not the same diaper, but it could be from the same people!!!

Good-bye Show Low Pines

On my last evening on my property I had an interesting visitor. A fellow visiting the area stopped by to ask me if I'd like him as a companion for the night. I assured him my two dogs were enough companionship, thank you very much. I had heard that he extended the same offer to two of my lady friends. They both declined (so they said) his offer. It really didn't bother me that I was his third choice. Maybe he was saving the best for last??? Yeah, maybe.

Saturday morning I spent two hours trying to talk myself out of my original plan of heading to Albuquerque for the Balloon Fiesta. I couldn't come up with a good Plan B, so I hitched up and headed towards Albuquerque around 9:00 AM. Just before merging onto I-40 in the tiny town of Sanders, I swung into a do-it-yourself car wash and proceeded to wash my very dusty truck and trailer. A drunken Indian approached me and offered to wash my rig for me for a beer. I told him I didn't have a beer. He assured me he could buy one across the street. I finally convinced him to go away. The nerve of him to think I was a helpless woman who needed a drunk to come to my rescue. Well, that's what came to my mind as I finished rinsing my trailer with raindrops falling on my head.

I finished up washing my rig, merged onto I-40, with the first available Rest Stop in my sights, which was about 25 miles to the East. The rain never amounted to much, so my rig is still clean. I spent about 2 hours at the rest stop, resting, eating, surfing the net, walking the dogs, and watching the clouds.

Around 2:30 I merged back onto I-40, with the Route 66 Casino at exit 140 in my sights. I stopped a few more times along my route first, to cool and check my tires. I'm determined to never have another tire blowout. I'm convinced my very long days overheated my tires and caused the blowouts. No more really long driving stretches for me!! I arrived at the Casino at about 6:30 Mountain Time ( I lost an hour) and found a fairly nice, but fairly noisy spot. Those eerily quiet nights on my property in Show Low have me quite spoiled. Though I never sleep really well anyway. I heard fresh flowers by the bed help some people sleep better. I think I might try it.

Sunday morning I did a few loads of laundry at the Casino's Truck Stop laundromat. Then I headed to Camping World where I made one small purchase. I could have spent a fortune there, but I resisted. I guess I need to save my money. Somehow, apparently, I have to come up with $3,000 to help bailout a bunch of rich, greedy and stupid people. No justice in this world!!! After shopping, and while sitting in my trailer in the Camping World parking lot, I observed a young family, in a large SUV, with a dirty diaper left sitting on their rear bumper, pull up between two RVs. The Dad got out of the car and proceeded to remove a step cover from a trailer step. I'm pretty sure it wasn't his trailer. I'm pretty sure he didn't know I was watching. Camping World sells the covers for about $10.00. I wonder who the lucky driver is who gets to run over the dirty diaper after it falls off the bumper. And who the lucky trailer owner is who gets to buy a new step cover.

So, tonight I'll be camping in the Camping World parking lot. And tomorrow, well, that's another unknown adventure. So, check back soon, but it will probably include something really exciting like finding the lowest priced diesel in Albuquerque and shopping at Costco :-) Hey, Costco sells fresh flowers.

Where does the time go?

I've been keeping busy by moving rocks around, taking trips into town, shopping at Lowe's and Home Depot, checking out all the storage facilites for the right place to sotre my motorcycle next year, and attending a few social events.

I made a little "fence" around my container to keep the Pack Rats out. I later piled up rocks around the corners to fill in those holes.



I purchased old railroad ties, had them cut in half, then stacked them up. Next Spring my 305 gallon water tank will sit on top.



Marlene prepared dinner for 10

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

Before Marlene arrived in Show Low, she was in Helena, MT sorting through and loading up her treasures from her 10X10 storage shed. She then had 2,000 pounds of stuff shipped from Helena to Show Low where she then stuffed her stuff into a 5X10 storage shed. It was packed in wall to wall, floor to ceiling. This past Monday afternoon Marlene, Judy and I headed into town, Marlene rented a 17' U-Haul truck and we all unloaded Marlene's stuff from the 5X10 shed into the truck, then topped it off with her new patio set she purchased at Lowe's. They had been holding it for her for several weeks. We then unloaded all the stuff from the U-Haul and moved it into Marlene's 8X20 new shipping container.

MARLENE'S STUFF LOOKS DWARFED IN THE CONTAINER COMPARED TO HOW IT LOOKED IN THE MUCH SMALLER 5X10 STORAGE SHED. MOST OF HER TREASURES ARE ITEMS SHE BOUGHT AND SHIPPED HOME FROM OVERSEAS FROM WHEN SHE LIVED IN AFRICA, TURKEY AND OTHER EXOTIC LOCALES. I MEANT TO GET PICTURES ALL ALONG OUR ADVENTURE, BUT I DIDN'T!!




I NEED TO GET SOME MORE STUFF FOR MY CONTAINER.


When we arrived back at our lot Monday, ready to unload the U-Haul, we had a nice surprise- Ted got his loader running, he leveled my container, and smoothed out all the holes from Sunday's mishaps. He needs to get the backhoe end of his loader repaired before he can level Marlene's container. That might not be until next Spring.


TUESDAY I TOOK MURPHY INTO TOWN TO THE POODLE PALACE FOR A BATH AND A CLIP. I WAS CONCERNED THAT HE'D COME OUT LOOKING LIKE A POODLE, BUT HE STILL LOOKS LIKE A WESTIE!!


I did a little shopping while Murphy was busy, and by the time we arrived home it was raining and thundering. Oh, I filled up my truck for $3.89/gal. on my way to town. On my way home I noticed the priced dropped even lower to $3.88/gal. Not a big a drop, but a drop none the less. :-)


Wednesday I started early in the morning on my projects for the day.

I MADE A MEANDERING PATH FROM THE DRIVEWAY TO THE SPOT WHERE MY 300 GALLON WATER TANK WILL SIT NEXT SPRING. I LINED THE PATH WITH ROCKS, THEN HAULED IN LARGE GRAVEL TO PAVE THE PATH. THE TANK WILL SIT ON 4 OR 5 TIERS OF RAILROAD TIES, INBETWEEN THE TREES. THE TREES WILL KEEP IT SHADY AND COOL ON HOT SUMMER DAYS.



ANOTHER PROJECT I ACCOMPLISHED - I RAKED AND SHOVELED GRAVEL OUT OF THE WAY SO I CAN LINE BOTH SIDES OF THE CONTAINER WITH RAILROAD TIES IN AN EFFORT TO CLOSE OFF THE UNDERNEATH AREA TO ANNOYING CRITTERS LIKE PACK RATS WHICH LIKE TO BUILD THEIR NESTS IN AREAS JUST LIKE THIS.



A PROJECT FOR NEXT YEAR IS AN 8X10 WOOD DECK, OFF THE BACK END OF THE CONTAINER, AFFORDING A NICE PLATFORM FOR A HOT TUB, MAYBE.....
AND I'M THINKING OF A 8X4 DECK OFF THE FRONT END OF THE CONTAINER.

Delivery Day.....

...of our 8'X20' shipping/storage containers. Of course the day DID NOT go without a few glitches!!



The 40' trailer backs into Marlene's space






Patricia Klee operates the controls that tilt the truck bed.


Let her slide!!
My container is holding on for dear life!!



Marlene's container is on Terra Firma!!



Now it's my container's turn.




It slides into place.



Ooops!! It missed the mark by a several inches.



My container is on the 6x6 post, but it's not very level and it's not quite in the right spot.





My container.



The Klee's flatbed truck gets stuck in the soft dirt and thick gravel, so TG comes to the rescue with his backhoe to pull the truck out.

Later TG tries to level my container, but his backhoe breaks down.
Tune in tomorrow for the next chapter in the saga.

Trials and tribulations of living in the mountains..

Beautiful blue skies and clouds greet me most days.


Then we have the occasional hail storm.



This is what happens when you drive a big motorhome over soft, wet, newly graded and graveled dirt - big ruts!!


So, I'm not going anywhere until everything completely dries out. I'm not sure my truck would make it out. And more rain is expected all week.

My Little .65 Acres

Some of the neighbors get together for a Labor Day BBQ.



THE WORK BEGINS ON MARLENE'S AND MY LOT!!


Gary removes some large rocks.


Ted removes some tree stumps.

While Gary and Ted play on their big machines, Marlene and I lop and prune Junipers.












The first of 7 loads of cinder rock.


We trade in our loppers and pruners for rakes.





Lots of left over boulders we hope to get relocated someday.



Ah, Home Sweet Home!!

The Driveway.








My view looking Southeast



This is where my 8'X20' shipping container will be placed.

Denver to AZ, or bust..

I left Denver at about 8:15 AM Friday, August 29Th. I drove through downtown Denver, past the Invesco field where the previous night the stadium was filled thousands of Obama's worshipers. I could still feel the negative vibes as I drove by.

OK, enough of my political stuff..

I fueled up in Denver for $4.39/ gal. That's better then I've paid most of the summer. Shortly after I entered New Mexico, I had another blowout on a trailer tire. Like the last one, a month ago, it was one of my year old tires I bought just last summer. I'm getting experienced in dealing with my road service. Approx. 2 hours after first calling my road service, I was back on the road, a bit nervous though, about driving without a spare. But, I made it to the first tire shop without further incident. I then made it all the way to Albuquerque, my intended destination for the day. I arrived at an Albuquerque Wal-mart just before dark and found a very quiet corner of the parking lot, and had a good night's sleep. The next morning, after consulting the Internet, I found diesel, just outside Albuquerque for $4. 05/ gal. :-) :-) :-)
I traveled HWY 40 into Arizona, bought diesel in Holbrook for $4.08/gal, after averaging 16 MPG!! I mostly attribute that to the fact that it's all downhill from Albuquerque to Holbrook. At Holbrook I turned south and continued to Show Low, AZ where I will be for the next month. My friend Marlene and I went together and purchased a 1.3 acre lot about 20 miles northeast of Show Low. We split the lot in half and she has one half and I have the other half. We are currently in the process of clearing timber off the land. Well, OK, we're just clearing a few Juniper bushes to make room for a driveway. The grader/gravel man will be here Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare and dump loads of lava/cinder rocks for our driveway and parking pads.


Here's some of my friends, and our 7 dogs, on their lot not far from my lot.



My friend John is making a horseshoe pit. I got the only ringer later that day.



Here's what will soon be the beginning of our driveway. The big Juniper in the front will soon be gone.



Hard at work, removing a "tree."



This is what will soon be my RV parking pad.

More pictures as things develop!!!