Tues, Nov 30: Broken Bow, OK to Lebanan, TN
Route 40 had LOTS OF TRUCKS on this Tuesday…NEXT TIME DO THIS LEG ON A SATURDAY! A long day….AND we cut short where we were going to end up. We stayed overnight at the Cracker Barrel in Lebanon, TN…we were aiming for walmarts in Carthage or Cookeville, TN but did not make it.
Monday, Nov 29: CB/Wichita Falls, TX to Broken Bow, OK
A relatively quiet night was had by all; we WERE close to the highway so there was some of that but no screeching tires or police sirens so all was good. Breakfast at Cracker Barrel to go…not bad but not the local breakfast joint with weird stuff either. We continued to travel on Texas route 82 (with a hosrt detour because we are pretty sure david wasn’t looking at the gps but it also was not talking)…not a big deal out of the way…just some more rural texas. Landed at our friends house in Broken Bow, OK after lunch. Visiting.
Sunday, Nov. 28: Land of Fires Recreation Area to Cracker Barrel, Witchita Falls, TX
A quiet night was had by all. This morning before we left Mali and I did a fast walk to the end of campground and back and it WAS rather cold…29 degrees? A quick omlette, clean up, dump, and go. We took route 380 east heading for a Walmart in Sherman,, TX….at least 10 hours away…go DAVID/driver. Route 380 is a rather pleasant ride in New Mexico…through small canyons, the small historic town of Lincoln and then it turned into a 4 lane highway with very little cars on it….just rolling hills of grasses through Roswell. Route 82 was somewhat rolly and then flat through Texas. We did NOT make it to our supposed Walmart in Sherman as we both (and Mali) had had enough when we got to Wichita Falls, TX…so we holed up at the Cracker Barrel and ordered some fried apples and mashed spuds to go with the salad I made.
Saturday, Nov 27, 2021: A mesa near Concho to Valley Of Fires Campground, NM
A sunny day send off from Graham’s off grid property/homestead. Actually most days are sunny (not hard to take). Our drive today took us past scenery that provided us with endless vistas of golden grasses dotted with pinion pine and juniper. A bit later on in the drive it was forrest with my much loved ponderosa pines. Valley of Fires is on our always ride back to NY. It is a small park and situated just right for the first night. We use the campground to dump after son’s and trash, and showers and water fill up. The nature trail is walk to do to stretch our legs after the ride.
As it turns out our usual spot was taken at 2:20 in the afternoon on a SATURDAY. There was really only 4 spots left and only one was a pull through…SOLD to us. $9 because it is half priced serviced (has water and electric onsite). Note to self…even though this is quite remote, don’t arrive on a Saturday just like everywhere else.
Thurs, Nov 4: Crystall Forest Gift Shop and Free Campground to Son’s off grid property in Show low/concho area.
Last night was quiet at our free campground and by the time we went to bed it was full. Across the street was not and not sure if they charge or not in our drive by looking.
Errands today and then off to son’s house for a few weeks.
See you later!
Weds, Nov 3: Forest Road 171 to Crystal Forest Gift Shop and free Campground, Holbrook AZ
Last night was a cool 27 degrees…nice except for 2am I got cold and SHOULD have added the extra quilt I had to my bed. Did not and didn’t want to stir Mali so I jacked up heat a bit (formerly set at 45).
We took our time leaving in the morning. Our destinations Painted Desert National Park and Petrified Forest National Park were not that far away…just a few hours. We arrived early afternoon and did the leasurely drive through the park and stopped at most overlooks. We did not do the one mile Blue Mesa Hike…if it was morning, I would have.
Our destination for tonight’s overnight is Crystal Forest Gift Shop and Campground (FREE) which is just outside of the south entrance to the park. We arrived with only one other person staying there but the spaces were not very big but our 24 foot motorhome and jeep toad fit well enough. Not sure too many big rigs could fit in here. Across the street bigger ones could fit and I believe the price is $16? No generator use allowed here.
Tues, Nov 2: Lake mean boulder beach campground to Forest Road 171 in AZ
Because I got woken up TWICE last night by the dogs, we decided to leave today. It wasn’t a quick short bark it was ambitious, sustained barking. No tolerance for someone else’s annoying, barking dogs. Ours does not bark much at all so not putting up with that at all. If you cannot control your dogs, they don’t belong in a public campground. Before we left, David resized our new kitchen blind (too long) and now we have one that fits the size of the windo. The previous NEW one got dyslexicized when he bought it so it was about 3” short on each side but he installed it anyway because we needed something at the time. Resizing took about ½ hour to cut and retuck the strings, remove blinds, etc. Now it is great!
The drive through Kingman to Forest Road 171 was uneventful. The scenery the whole way was pretty neat and Kingman was busy. We are in about a mile on Forest Route 171 nestled under the ponderosa pines (I think that is what they are/not pinion for sure). There are a few other rv’s along the road. It is considerably cooler here considering we went from 1280 elevation at Lake Mead to 6909 Flagstaff, AZ. I can tell because my flatlander breathing is somewhat labored when I am moving around a lot playing ball with Mali. I should also comment that route 40 can be pretty rough in spots. We have been on it before but the trucks have done a number on it in the few years that we have not been on it. MUCH better and cooler than Boulder Beach Campground. I like cool as opposed to too hot.
Mon, Nov 1: Boulder Beach Campground/Lake Mead, NV
After the usual errand run of dump/water, grocery shopping, we arrived at the Boulder Beach Campground. $10 with the old guy pass. Booked in for two nights. A big pull through site as we have no plans to drive anywhere with jeep these two days. Walking the campground with mutt. We have never had a problem getting a campsite here but there are a lot of campers here this time. They have added water to some sites. Ours has it but we don’t need as we are full.
The guy across from us in the campground warned us his dogs may bark. I asked does that mean at night and he said, no. LIER!
