April 27 – 28, 2023 Four States and Lots of Wind

(Note: This blog is picture intensive.  Many of the pictures were taken as we were driving so they may not be super sharp. But the scenery just had to be captured. Notice the topography changes as we traveled– Amazing!))

Thursday, 27th, we left our space at the Tucumcari Elks and continued north on one of my favorite routes.

Cows coming in to drink:

We saw these buildings stationed about every 4 miles.  There was no electric to them but there was this “pipe” sticking out of the roof. They were also not connected with the railroad tracks.  Anyone know what they are.  (We saw them in New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma but not in Kansas.

We continued our travels into Texas:

More cows – they are free range here:

Granaries:

Old railroad ties:

Notice all the black area – these are cows in feed lots.  They went on for miles:

More in the distance:

Our travelers:

And granaries:

We came around a corner and found a muffler man – YIPEE!

Have no clue – alien ship maybe – LOL:

  

There must be lots of wind in this area because these go for miles in Texas and

Then Oklahoma:

More scenes along the way:

  

  

Have no clue on this one:

Our fourth state today – Kansas:

  

  

  

  

Check out this picture – the oil rig and the wind turbine – What a contrast.

We made our way to Blue RV Campground in Dodge City Kansas.  After getting set up we checked out the town.  Lots of industry here and it is growing.

Dodge City was the setting of the long-running radio and television series Gunsmoke so tomorrow we hope to check out the tourist center and go from there.  There is also a storm coming thru so we will be keeping our eye on that.

Today’s stats:

Miles Traveled: 240 Miles

Routes Traveled:

New Mexico: Robison Ave; US-54

Texas: US-54

Oklahoma: US-54

Kansas: IS-54; US-283; US-400; E. Wyatt Earp Blvd

Friday, 28th.

The rain started last night and continued throughout the morning.  The wind, however, was crazy.  We had sustained 40 MPH winds with higher gusts.  OH MY. 

Since many of the things to see here are outside, we decided that we would come back when we could do that.

So we made a stop at Walmart and found this:

Yuengling Lager is now in Kansas!  As of February, they are now distributing in Oklahoma and Missouri…

  

It was brutal being outside so back home we decided to stay in all day. As I write this, it is 8PM and the wind is finally starting to calm down.

So tomorrow we are heading northeast.  Stay tuned and enjoy today.

April 26, 2023 Travel to Tucumcari New Mexico

(Note: This blog is picture intensive.  Many of the pictures were taken as we were driving so they may not be super sharp. But the scenery just had to be captured. Notice the topography changes as we traveled – Amazing!))

We left our space at the Alamogordo Elks and headed north on one of my favorite routes, past the world’s largest pistachio:

Every one of our trips, we have seen our flag flying on private property.  Does our heart proud.

And the trains just follow the roads:

Scenes from the road:

Railroad Bridges over washes (dry rivers):

Old abandoned stations:

And we are climbing:

   

Ranches:

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

We drove into Carrizozo and our mouths just dropped.  We spent time at Valley of Fires Recreation Area near here a few years ago.  The town was just a stop on the way and very run down.  What a shock to see all the upgrades.  How wonderful!

Can’t wait to see it finished and we will have to spend a little more time here.

And we continued to climb:

What amazes me is the view at 6000’.  I have a hard time wrapping my brain around the size of this plateau:

  

And even higher:

I have no clue:

Lots of windmills:

Notice the clouds:

A lone tree in the middle of nowhere:

What stories this place could tell:

We passed this herd of Antelope and Cows…  couldn’t get a picture fast enough:

Wonder what happened here:

On I-40 heading east to Tucumcari – check out the truck traffic, it was crazy:

Check out those clouds:

Rainy over there:

And we are out of it – YEA!

We arrived at the Tucumcari Elks, set up and went into the Lodge.  We met some great folks.  Sadly, there were not serving tonight so back home, we settled for chili.  It is getting colder as we go north.

Tomorrow we head further north and east, keeping our eye on a storm coming thru.

Stayed tuned and enjoy today.

Today’s stats:

Miles Traveled: 240 Miles

Routes Traveled:

New Mexico: Hamilton Blvd.; Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd; US-54; I-40; NM-209; Robison Ave.