FLIGHT OF THE TURTLE REDUX

This blog post covers only the day of the trip to las cruces and camp set up. We’ll be  here 3 days  This is our campsite in Las Cruces . This is the drive into el paso Setting up and taking a break These two are the ORGAN MOUNTAINS  Rest stop near NM border  THIS WAS OUR LAST STOP TO PEE IN TEXAS Las Cruces at Sunset From our site looking EAST Our park I BACKED OFF A BIT FOR PERSPECTIVE ON THE ORGANS Sunset Las cruces REGINALD AND LULU PARTAKE  WESTERLY SHOT OF DIFFERENT MOUNTAINS 🏔 FROM FAR END OF CAMP Las cruces Sunset

Our target activity for Las Cruces is to see / experience the White Sands National Park. Perhaps we will be able to build  a nuclear sand castle? Here, they have tested nuclear weapons, rockets, spaceships, aliens, and all manner of taxpayer funded explosive, deadly mayhem. 💀  Anyway, here is the White Sands National Park:.. .

GREAT PLAINS, BIG TRUCKS, OIL RIGS, TAQUERIAS, NO ELECTRIC CARS AND NO SNOWFLAKES! We will be on the road for Las Cruces NM in another hour. The day is starting. We are having coffee in the turtle and waiting for clear weather. Last night; Snug in the turtle with a Great Plains storm ripping into the wee hours! The turtle hunkers down- above is the cabin, warm and homey, as the storm blasted-  Here’s how it felt. My journal entry: It was the best night I have ever spent in an Rv in 15 years of camping- the turtle rocked and shuddered. The dogs were snug and settled in under the blankets. I read a great Barry Eisler book and noodled with maps and blogs. Didn’t read a word of news. Drank some strong ‘builders’ tea. Rain roared down sideways. The wind blew really hard -30-50 MPH gusting—for a few hours. Everything flooded a few inches but water mostly receded this morning. Sandbags are never a good sign  

Away we go- day 5. Great Plains drifters  Breaking dawn this morning south of Weatherford Sasha prepares to mount up and move out! TEENY little flowers; like pinheaded flowers. Fascinating. On the way!!—- Snowflake wants our guns!! Storms a brewin’ - put it in the rear view!! Lulu takes a wait-and-see position 🥺 And….. From near Weatherford, Tx, westward almost 300 miles, through Abeline,Tx—-into the Midland / Odessa metroplex.  This storm is still chasing us and will find us tonight in Odessa 💀 Credit where it is due. This is the cleanest, most ornate, inviting, functional pleasant bathroom 🚽 I have EVER experienced on an Interstate or Turnpike, anywhere!! Oh yeah  Yeah. That’s what it looks like, for a thousand miles. 🥵 hot, open, flat, Great Prairies-driving through texas is not for the faint of heart 🥺 Then, out to a mom n pop Rv park near Odessa. Was a KOA but not now, baby! My oil well they just sold me for $50,000

[DAY 3 IS INTENTIONALLY NOT BLOGGED] Day 4 finds us near Weatherford, TX, about 30 miles west of DFW metro area. Zipping on I-220 around Shreveport, thence out across Texas on I-20.  The attraction of the day? BUC-EES!  Oh yeah. There’s nothing BUC-EES doesn’t have.  Early arrival in a small town south of WEATHERFORD in a KOA;  kind of a bumpkin version, but a cool park.  Marlene tweaks the interior  Bill tweaks sets up The rig, leeward side🥺 Very nice camping spot! Lots of room to run the dogs. We actually were able to sit and talk and enjoy the SHADED prairie breeze.Fruit and potato salad for dinner  🥘   “Where’s the ball?” “I mean like NOW?!”  Shaded prairie con vino Marlene still playing with our nice things The rig at rest Smok ‘em if ya got’em Tomorrow, off to Midland / Odessa. Next day after that, WHITE SANDS !  

“Are we there yet?” “…NO! Ask again and I’m tossing you out the window at 70 MPH…!!” ANYWAY…. We had a LONG tour of the Mississippi wasteland (Faulkners words, not mine)…on the way to the backwoods 🥺 Approaching Lake Lincoln State Park  We ensconced on the waterfront at Lake Lincoln State Park, kind of between Hattiesburg and Jackson Mississippi. Weather much improved from yesterday! We got checked in by Jerry Flowers, who returned from the grave to entertain, talking unintelligibly, while munching a large food item. Possibly a Moon Pie or an ice cream sandwich. I immediately located a 10 inch mushroom. The stalk is two inches in diameter. It’s monstrous. Nature Highlight of the evening, one suspects. Although I just snapped this out of the turtle and the sunset will be A+ Anywhoom, We walked around, ran the dogs, ate beans, rice and mixed 🥗 salad.  The lake is a large sport fishing and water sport Mecca for this area. Campers have been drifting in for the weekend.  “S...