Unusual Freezing Temperature Greeted Us in Texas

Aloha Everyone,

J.J. and I are trying to enjoy stress free RV adventures. One of the things which we find helpful is to drop all our expectations. And that certainly includes the weather. So when we started to see fresh powder snow on the mountain peaks and frozen grass lands, our reaction was to say, "Wow, this is going to be a totally new adventure for us."

J.J. and I had  a late lunch of Texas charcoal grilled hamburger with fries at K-Bob's Restaurant in town. The close-up of their signage shows icicles hanging from the rain gutter.

We checked in at Hilltop RV park in Fort Stockton about 2:00 PM local time. We are now in Central Time Zone which means  that we are 4 hours ahead of Hawaii and 2 hours ahead of California.

This popular RV park is full with guests. However due to the unusual freezing weather, no one is out socializing. We don't even see any pet owners walking their dogs.

It's 5:55 PM Central Time and the outside temperature is 22 degrees Fahrenheit. Inside Honu, it's 69 degrees. But just to feel extra warmth and comfort, J.J. brought out my "Lena's blanket" for me.

Aloha -- Cathi

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Aloha Everyone,

Today's drive of approximately 200 miles from Roper Lake State Park in Safford, Arizona to Las Cruces in New Mexico on I-10 East took about 4 hours.  

On two lanes highway sharing with large trucks transporting goods across the nation, we averaged about 39 mph with 17.9 miles per gallon.

Our lunch was at Rancher's Grill in Deming. The choice of restaurant was based on the number of cars in the parking lot. The western decor of the place had strong country flavor.

J.J. ordered a T-bone steak and I had grilled trout with pinto beans. Both of us enjoyed our lunch and I have more than a half left-over for tonight's dinner.

Las Cruses is the second largest city in New Mexico after Albuquerque. For us this is a stop-over place enroute to Texas.

The sun has dropped behind dark clouds and the temperature is expected to fall below 40 degrees Fahrenheit overnight. We are experiencing gusty winds and Honu is being buffeted. What a contrast to the warm breeze and beautiful sunset of yesterday.

Aloha -- Cathi

Roper Lake State Park in Safford, AZ

Aloha Everyone,

The road we chose to Safford is marked as one of Arizona's scenic highways. The Texas-Canyon Pass on I-10 East is especially beautiful.

Roper Lake State Park is far better than we had imagined. The park has boat ramps, fishing docks and five miles of hiking trails. The park is also divided into the day-time use only and over-night camping. J.J. and I enjoyed a leisurely walk around the lake watching many birds small and large including Gamble's Quail and White Heron.

Here is a stunning view of snow-capped Pinsaleno Mountains (Mt Grahan) at sunset.

We had a wonderful lunch at Casa Mañana where they take pride in their "Legendary Mexican Food since 1951." Here is our server, Lexi bringing our orders.

Our special treat of the day was the Kachina Hot Springs Mineral Spa located at the entrance to our camping ground. For $10 per person, J.J. and I shared a private room with Roman-style mineral spa for 1/2 hour. It was truly relaxing and rejuvenating.

Rhianna who greeted us at the Kachina Hot Spring

Aloha -- Cathi

Kartchner Caverns State Park

Aloha Everyone,

Karchner Caverns State Park is located south of Benson, Arizona on Highway 90.

Rotunda/Throne Tour led by Ranger Robert took about 90 minutes of stop and go on foot to cover a half mile length. We have seen bigger and more beautiful caverns. However what was impressive about Karchner Caverns is its pristine condition. They are extremely strict about what may come into the caverns.  No cameras, no cell phones, no purses or backpacks and absolutely no food or drinks including chewing gum. The main entrance into the caverns as well as different chambers are separated by air-lock doors. The mist spray in the passage way is to maintain the average temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit inside the caverns.

Photo courtesy of Karchner Caverns State Park

The cavern is also a roosting site for tiny bats. To co-exist and accommodate these tiny part-time inhabitants, the Karchner Cavern closes for about a half year starting in April.

Parking fee of $6 plus individual tours of $23 each was well worth the price. We also had a chance to check out the state RV park. Its facilities are clean and inviting. J.J. and I would definitely consider staying there on our next trip to this part of Arizona.

To be inside a cavern for me personally is calming, spiritual, and meditative. As we watched the light show in the Throne Room, we were treated to the celestial sound of music called "Aduemus". I will do some research and would love to incorporate the music in my meditation practice.

Aloha -- Cathi

Tombstone, Arizona

Aloha Everyone,

Tombstone is one of the many visitor attractions in the Sierra Vista Arizona area. This Old West settlement is well preserved that J.J. and I actually could imagine we stepped back in time.

We strolled down the notorious Allen Street with shops displaying familiar scenes from the Old West such as Big Nose Kate's, the Bird Cage Theater and the OK Corral.

Hired actors dressed like Wyatt Earp, Johnny Ringo, Doc Holliday and Clanyon posed for photos. J.J. and I also saw a number of visitors dressed in their newly purchased Western gears complete with a ten gallon hat and leather jacket with fringes walking around.

Sarsaparilla is the origin of root beer. The maker with bright red cheeks told us with a mischievous look to "be sure to keep the bottle as it is a collector's item." We paid $2.50 for an 8 ounce bottle and took a photo as our souvenir.

We are staying at the Tombstone Territories RV Park. This location is isolated - about 11 miles of country road from the town of Tombstone and signal for AT&T is sporadic.  Their free WiFi is unreliable but the staff and the guests we met thus far are wonderful.

I have to be ready to capture amazing sunrise and sunset which one of the long-time guests promised are daily events.

Aloha -- Cathi