Van Horn, Texas

Aloha Everyone,

Van Horn was the stopping place for travelers on the Old Spanish Trails and the San Antonio-El Paso Overland mail  route. The town was established in 1881 when the Texas and Pacific Railway came through.  

From Las Cruces, New México to Van Horn, Texas, we were on the road for a little over 5 hours. To conserve time, J.J. and I had breakfast, lunch and dinner in Honu which included rest.

Van Horn RV Park is very spacious and a perfect place for me to get my evening walk. Exciting sightseeing of a Roadrunner being chased by rabbits. Unfortunately, the rabbits quickly gave up the chase and lounged around Honu.

Here is a post with weather rock.

Aloha - Cathi

Olla Clay Pots

 Aloha Everyone,

An olla is a terra-cotta clay pot used for cooking or for storing liquid or dry foods. Olla or Aulla is a Latin word from the ancient Roman period.

The olla may have been brought and introduced to Native American tribes by the Spanish settlers. In the American Southwest the ollas are usually unglazed clay pots with narrow necks. This design prevents evaporation of stored liquid in the desert heat. The word “olla” also refers to baskets with narrow necks and round bodies.

To read an interesting story of olla by Josephine Seymour, a renowned Native American potter go to:

https://lascrucesmagazine.com/culture-art-medicine-unite/

Rendezvous French Café was definitely worth a return visit. Today J.J. and I had French Onion soup plus a small board of pâté and cheese. $22.50 inclusive of tax and tip is very reasonable! I also love the wall posters.

Aloha -- Cathi

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Aloha Everyone,

Las Cruces is picturesque. It has beautiful mountains with rocky ridges. According to the 2014 US Census Bureau, Las Cruces has a population of 101,408 or 1,945 persons per square mile. It is a relatively young community with 24.3% of residents 18 and younger while 13.6% are 65 and older. The homeownership rate (2009-13) was 57.5% with median price of owner-occupied home at $151,700.

Using Las Cruces Visitors magazine, we found Le Rendez-vous café. Located in a strip mall only 5 minutes drive from our KOA campground, it is a casual dining place serving simple French-style dishes. We both had menu du jour (today’s menu) of mushroom bisque soup and vegetarian quiche. Both came right out of the kitchen served piping hot. Truly an enjoyable meal. The cost of $21 inclusive of tax and tip is very reasonable.

Farmers in Las Cruces produce some of the state’s top nuts — piñons, pecans, peanuts, and pistachios. Close to where we are staying are pecan farms. Water from the Rio Grande River is the source for irrigation.

Aloha -- Cathi

Dearth of a Ghost Town

Aloha Everyone,

A ghost town is created when a village, town or city is deserted as a result of natural or man-made disaster. A town could become a ghost town when major industries or businesses that supported the local economy shutdown. The place is left to decay.

Some ghost towns have successfully been resurrected. Calico Ghost Town in the Mojave Desert region of Southern California has been converted into a county park and a big tourist attraction. Buildings are restored to look like the original 1880’s silver mining town.

The two of us have travelled the I-10 corridor many times. I am always looking to discover new places to visit and write about. On our Rand McNally Road Atlas, Stein’s Ghost Town along I-10 was listed.

As you can see, this ghost town is dead. Any remaining structures were left to decay in the harsh desert weather. 

 Challenging drive for J.J. through the stretch with extreme dust storm warnings posted along the highway. There were strong winds on the route, but fortunately no dust storms. We are happy to safely arrive at KOA Las Cruces.  Outside is still very windy. I had difficulty trying to keep our salad veggies and fruits from flying or rolling away using an outdoor facility.

By the way, the physical map we have is a 2015 edition. Time to upgrade.

Aloha -- Cathi

Easter Activities

Aloha Everyone,

Mission San Xavier del Bac is a Spanish church located in the center of a centuries-old Tohono O’odham Indian settlement. It took us about 18 minutes from our RV Park.   

Founded in 1692 by Padre Eusebio Kino, the mission was named after Francis Xavier, a Christian missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order) in Europe. The present structure was rebuilt after the original church was razed during an Apache raid in 1770.

There were so many Easter worshippers that I couldn’t even get close the entrance. Many were patiently waiting their turn to enter while others were in line to buy Mexican and Native American delicacies from make-shift food stalls.

Judging from their packed parking lot, J.J. wanted check out the Old Peking restaurant located on Speedway Road. Unimpressive decor, no fancy menu or table setting, but the place was packed with locals. We were honestly surprised by the quality of their Duck Noodle soup and Szechuan style tofu dish. J.J. and I surmised that there must be an experienced Chinese chef working in the kitchen. Both dishes were prepared perfectly, adhering to the regional cuisine with proper ingredients.

Old Peking is worthy of a second or even third visit.

Three loads of laundry including our heavy army blanket are done. Happy that for the most part, the day was overcast. Tonight J.J. is preparing rib eye steak and I will prepare a large mixed green salad with fruits and olives.  

It was a very good Easter Sunday.

Aloha -- Cathi