Summer Closure

Today is the autumn Equinox and I can hardly believe the summer is over! Looking back over the weeks I was parked in the New Mexico state parks, I had a very diverse and interesting experience. Today I was rereading my journal and really became aware of the activity I was involved in, even though I thought I was just hanging out, relaxing, and being lazy!
I arrived back in Deming last Friday after spending a few days dry camping and spending one night in the El Paso Camping World compound. In a way it feels good to be here, where I can stay put (at a very reasonable rate) and be with folks I know. I can resume those trips to the Pink Store in Mexico and participate in the weekly potluck dinners.

When I left Bluewater Lake last week, I spent the first night in Pie Town. It's just a small spot on the highway known for its pie festival, which I'd just missed, and the local park where one can camp for free for as long as one wants. There are several full-time residents there. Many RVers stop there as they travel.

On the way to Elephant Butte State Park I visited the Bosque del Apache, just a few miles south of Socorro, NM. It is a bird sanctuary where many come each year to see the birds as they migrate. The day was very warm, and I didn't realize that the driving tour loops were dirt and gravel surface. So my rig was very dirty by the time I completed the tour. I must say I was disappointed that I didn't see much bird life while I was there. I heard that early December will be a good time to see the cranes, so maybe I'll toodle up there then.

The next two nights I spent at Elephant Butte Lake State Park, a very large lake near Truth or Consequences, NM. I was allowed to park without hooking up in a reservation area for both nights, although the park rules allow for only one night. Fortunatley no one reserved the spot for the next night. And as the wind had picked up and the weather forecast called for heavy storms, I was very glad to be able to stay put. I heard on the radio that El Paso had a huge storm with hail and flash flooding. And that was my next stop! While it was quite warm there, I like the beach atmosphere with the sand dunes, breeze (wind) and sun. It was quite pleasant. To me, the only drawback was the proximity of the neighbors - much like a regular RV park.

I'd made a reservation at Camping World to get some work done - have some systems checked out to make sure they were operating correctly. They gave me a Friday appointment, and told me to come ahead on Thursday and stay in their compound so I would already be there for them to start the work. I arrived late Thursday morning, and they told me someone had cancelled out, so they could take me then. I spent a windy, rockin' and rollin' night that Thursday night. In the morning when I was preparing to leave, I noticed that my electrical cord had come apart and the insulation was exposed. They put a new plug on for me before I left. Whew!!!

Since returning to Deming I have been able to get an 'emergency' eye appointment with a doctor in Las Cruces. There isn't anyone to help in either Silver City or Deming, so today I made the 60-mile trek into Las Cruces. A couple of months ago I noticed 'flashing' in my eyes, and a big 'floater' developed in my left eye. Because these can be symptoms of serious eye conditions, I wanted to have it checked out. I am glad to say that there is no retinal detachment or any other serious problem with my eyes. I'm just going to have to live with that big floater...

Last night the Deming weather turned cool and windy, just like Fall, so I guess just in the right time for the Equinox. A new season of harvest after a season of growth. I am grateful.