Carol's Adventure Update

We come this way but once. We can either tiptoe through life and hope that we get to death without being too badly bruised or we can live a full, complete life achieving our goals and realizing our wildest dreams. ...-Bob Proctor, self-made millionaire, radio and TV personality, and success trainer.

I'm not the “tip-toe” type. This mobile adventure life suits me well – traveling in my magic carpet, meeting folks of all sorts – of which 99.9% of them are cheerful, optimistic, and interesting. If a grumpy camper appears, it is good to know that either he/she or I will be moving on soon. My days are delightful and nights restful. And thankfully, warm weather is here. But not before a last-gasp of winter when I woke one morning in late January to nearly two inches of snow! And for the two days following the snow night temps were 32 degrees and day temps were 33 degrees! Good days to stay in and read.

Another bonus to the New Mexico winters are the stunning sunsets. Here are two sunset photos taken about 20 minutes apart.

Bird update – the White-wing dove have figured out how to get in the window bird feeder! Being an early-riser – an hour or so before sunrise – I've been hearing owls and seeing so many stars.

Highway 9 provides interesting traffic

This east-west two-lane highway that passes in front of Pancho Villa State Park is used by vehicles that transport over-sized objects that can't use the Interstate highways. This week's amazing sight was a caravan of three huge trailers and their escort vehicles transporting three airplanes from Mesa, Arizona, to Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. The planes were ones that had been flown on and off aircraft carriers years ago. According to one of the truck drivers, upon arrival at Lackland, the planes will be renovated and engines rebuilt for forest-fire fighting.

An RV from Holland

Campers from Canada are regular sights here, so it was a surprise to see an RV from Holland. The owners had chosen to have their RV shipped over for their multi-month tour of the USA. The visitors were very interesting and liked learning more about southern New Mexico.

“Promotion” or “demotion”

The past few weeks I've had the pleasure – and help – on the weeding and dead-cactus removal project of a retired park volunteer from Heron Lake State Park. Wendy is delightful and a huge help. One morning last week, we were working and making piles for Hector, the seasonal laborer, to pick up. Rangers John (in a park truck) and Martin (in the park John Deere Gator) drove up. As they handed the Gator's key to me, they explained that we could now pick up our own piles since Hector's “season” was over. Wow! Another new Gator. Was this a Promotion or a Demotion?

This project has been a lot of fun and the results are most satisfying. And the Rangers are pleased to have our help. The personal satisfaction it gives me reminded me of something I read recently in Ben Bradlee's memoir, “A Good Life”:

A child looks for compliments. (You picked up your toys, good boy!)

As an adult, I look for evidence of effectiveness. That is personal satisfaction, and whether or not anyone compliments me is not important.

Upcoming

I will leave Pancho Villa Park next Tuesday or Wednesday, heading west for a short visit with RV friend Ann Martin who lives a bit southeast of Tucson, Arizona. Then a short stop in Tempe, Arizona, to help baby sister Alice celebrate her birthday. I will be home in Prescott Valley February 23 to 27: long enough to reload Jeremiah for a two-week visit with friends and family in southern California. That and a midwest trip in May and June (details yet to be finalized). 

After that? I have no idea. Some people thrive on not knowing exactly what the future holds. That is part of the excitement of my mobile lifestyle.