Moved to Las Vegas, NM

We wanted to avoid driving in thunderstorms as much as possible, the forecast every day for the next week, every day, was thunderstorms.  We got everything under control in the RV so left a few days early and headed up Interstate 25.  First, we came through Hatch again, people were already lining up outside even though they had another hour before the restaurant opened.  It is amazing food.

Very lonesome road out of Deming to Hatch, NM

A number of solar panel farms had cropped up

Dropping down into Hatch Valley

If Sparky's was open, we would have stopped to get dinner to go

Wow 

Sunny, blue skies, warm, traveled north through Truth or Consequences and then to Socorro, and in the distance we saw a weather front.  We were hoping that we would miss it but we eventually caught up with rain and lightning east of Albuquerque on Interstate 40.  We turned north on Route 84 which runs all the way to Taos and Angel Fire, if we were so inclined, but that was not our destination.  When we got to within 10 miles of the turnoff for the campground, it had stopped raining - but.  There was snow on the side of the road.  Yes, snow.  We had left Deming in 82 degrees at 8:30am, only traveled north 360 miles, but still.  Snow.  Elevation - we are at 6200 feet.  Temp got down to 41 last night, we are not used to the cold!

Heading north on I25

Last time through this lake was dry, now it's quite full (near Truth or Consequences)

How quickly the clouds came up

Rio Grande River quite full and muddy

We are in a little town called Las Vegas, pronounced Loss Vay-hoss.  That's the correct way of saying it, the Spanish Way.  This town has been around way before the Santa Fe Trail came through.  It was settled by the Spanish in the 1600's.  You definitely see the Spanish heritage in the people who are native to this area.

Rut-roh - weather front ahead, could see lightning

Ugly, got caught in it for about an hour

Caught this out of corner of my eye - what the heck is that on the top? 

Hard to see but there is snow on top of Mt. Wheeler in the distance

We will stay a few short days here then head to Loveland, CO for a bit.  Loveland is near the eastern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, which we have not visited in 8 years.  We are connecting with family - Cody, Imana, and their mom Emily who came to visit us last summer and we did white water rafting with them, and also Emily's mom (niece Karen) and dad (nephew Scott).  Hopefully.  Would be awesome to catch up with all.  

And to visit the national park again, it's been too long since we have toured the park.

On The Road Again for Summer 2019

We were delayed about 3 weeks from our 'normal' leave time in the spring to head to cooler areas of the country.  Started out with Dave having a toothache with ended up in doing some major dental work.  That started before Iceland and did not finish up until the 20th of May.  Next - me - again - diagnosed with pneumonia after we got back from Iceland. 2 times in 6 months is not good - I have to be careful!  Then next up with doctors was Dave - had to have some minor skin stuff done, started with trying to get appointments with regular Dermo doctor and searched for new due to being booked up, got appointment elsewhere, but could not get in to have follow up done until beginning in June.  Scrambled and got to original doctor and had that taken care of and as we sit here now, he still has stitches in, but the surgeon showed me how to removed them.

Bye, bye Tucson - see you late fall 

Dropping down into Benson, AZ

Texas Canyon of the Dragoon Mountains east of Benson - fascinated with this area

Last - the cats were in for their yearly check and vet said he wanted to clean their teeth.  Well, 10 days later we had them in for day appointment and poor little Pache ended up with 4 teeth extracted and stitches.  8 days later we had him back in for a check and he is good to go.  Watched the weather and packed up the RV and took off yesterday.

Pache did not feel so good after his teeth extractions

Buddy helped Pache heal, he stayed close to him after his surgery

We headed east bound out of Picacho towards Tucson and eastward we traveled.  This was our longest mileage out when we leave for the summer, wanted to get as far as we dared and still be in a place that if something went wrong with the RV, we had resources near.  Got to Deming, New Mexico by 3pm, worked on getting all the hookups done, the water and electric going, and then worked until 6pm putting things in their place.  Buddy did great now that we know the secret to his medicine, waiting at least 2 hours after he gets it and no food once the medicine is down.  He stays in the closet in the bedroom, I have made up a bed for him to stay there.

Crossed into New Mexico and the winds started to climb

We are shocked that the drive was uneventful, at times a bit gusty, and that the mechanics of the RV went smoothly.  Every year something has gone wrong and that's why we stay put for a number of days, making sure everything is stowed away, things are working, etc. before continuing on.  And - learning how to live full-time in the RV again takes some getting used to.

Area east of Lordsburg, NM where dust storms typically shut down I 10

Only time we will be crossing the Continental Divide going eastbound.
Will cross again when we come back

Today, we drove the car to Hatch, New Mexico which is about 45 miles from here, to Sparky's Restaurant.  A treat, they make the best green chili sauce. Hatch is the chili capital of the world - as they promote themselves.   The restaurant is open Thursday through Sunday so our window of opportunity was small.  On our way back to the campground, winds were really beginning to howl,  and this afternoon and tomorrow high wind warnings are out as well as dust storms.  The RV is rocking right now, visibility is quite bad, we are lucky we got here yesterday and we are secure.

Inside of Sparky's, tacky but good food!

Crazy place - we were in a line up outside at 10:30am

Our plans for the summer are to head up through Colorado into Wyoming and then north to Montana, heading eastward from there through North Dakota and into Minnesota.  Tentatively. Things may change - stay tuned.

Update on Dave and Linda/Iceland Visit

This winter has been crazy.  Been a winter with dentist visits (too many) and sicknesses (I had pneumonia) and just a very cold winter for Arizona.  Colder than any we have experienced which caused us to hibernate more than normal.  This past summer we started talking about where would we like to go on a trip - not RVing, but actually doing a tour of some kind.  We settled on Iceland. Why?  Dave worked with a man who was from Iceland and always talked about it and it pinked his interest so started looking for a tour company would do want we wanted to do and in the time and budget allowed.  Settled on Nordic Visitor's Tour Company with an 8 day trip that started in Reykjavik (the capital of Iceland) and we went the Ring Road tour.  This tour took in all the sights of the country, traveling around the island from west to south to east to north and back to the city.  Amazing time, weather was rainy, cold, but we knew that from the onset - we wanted to avoid the people who come to Iceland.

The country has a population of 330,000 but with touring season starting the week we got back, it will swell to 4 million visitors from mid April to mid October.  However, the weather is better (highs in the mid 60's, sunny) but we did not want to deal with the hoards of people.  Our tour guide, Thornsteinn, said that it can be really crazy in about another week.  We did not get to see the beautiful aqua blue lagoons, the winter snow melt/run off was in full swing and within a couple of weeks the waterfalls and ponds and lagoons would be the crystal blue.  That's okay - our visit wetted our appetite to come back another time.  We wanted to get the history and culture and soak in the environment by using professional.  Wonderfull time.  The following are some of the pictures I took while we were there, so many to choose, but alas, you have to visit to see the beauty!

Tunnels - one lane, the westbound has to move over 

Hobbit house

Camp ground!  Lots of camping going on

In the city - this church is a focal point where ever you look -
you can get your bearings if you see this

Went to Herring Museum - they were the largest
exports of herring/sardines until late 1960's

Everyone has this app - 38 to 52 earthquakes a day

Rift where North American tetonic plate and European plate comes/breaks apart

Our ride (the small white van) with 8 travelers and 1 guide/driver for 8 days 

The Rift

Geysers/mud pots - one of the hot spots for volcanic activity in world

Everyone seems to own Icelandic horses

Gullfoss - Waterfall of the Gods - BEAUTIFUL!!!

On steroids! 

For going on top of glaciers

Would love to have seen inside of this RV

Icelandic horses have 5 gaits - all other horses have 3

First night out on tour - view from our hotel room

 

Famous basalt rocks on south coast - was pouring rain

Petrified trolls

Entire island is lava - this area was covered in moss

Glacier - dangerous due to calving of it, did not go up close

Trolls looking down on us 

Black diamond beach - almost lost one of our tour members - she
got hit by a rogue wave here while standing on beach

This is same area where that older lady about 2 months ago was sitting
on iceberg and it broke off and she floated out

Gale force winds all the time, Icelanders say it is not windy/breezy unless
you have to hang on to something

Saw lots of snow still, but was very pretty

Pay to go potty - about $1.50 to go into bathroom

2 Trolls kissing

David Family from Philippines (part of our group) taking it all in

Cairn system throughout, how the settlers moved around 1000 years ago

More trolls (lava flow from 500 years ago)

The Rift from our northern point of visit

Cute town of Vik - most southern town in Iceland

Puffins were out in water feeding, did not see any

Did not get to see Dettifoss - largest waterfall in Europe - flooded out 1 hour
prior to getting there

GeoSea - spa overlooking the Arctic Cap 

Met Elna and her Mom - Elna training to be mush
dog for next winter 

Loved Husavik! 

Fermented shark - yuck (smelly) and Icelandic vodka (strong!)

Horse meat - a staple in Iceland, tried it - not good

Cute horses!!!

Looking out over the bay in Reykavik

Last night of tour - view from our room

Ferry came in while we were watching

Game of Thrones fans - look familiar??

Waterfall seeped through lava from glacier about 8 miles away