A Road Runner and the Sounds of the Night

January 23, 2013

I am sitting at the dinette at my computer watching a road runner (Beep! Beep!) meandering about the campsite across the street. I am guessing it is the same one we saw when we arrived at the general store two days ago. This acts like he's on “downers”, seriously. He is slowly wandering around, I guess looking for insects. He stops, raises his long tail, drops it down to the ground and sort of rest on it and his legs like a tripod. The only road runners I've seen before were darting explosively across the road, like the cartoon!

We've decided to stay two more nights. Greg wanted some time to bike, and I wanted to get my “nest” cleaned and under control. He biked 30+ miles yesterday down some unpaved roads. He discovered a camper like ours down one of these roads at a primitive campsite. No idea how he got down the road that was challenging for Greg on his mountain bike! Guess the guy wanted solitude and a $10 site, but Greg said he had his satellite dish out!

Greg also biked to the old Boquillas border crossing. He said there is a brand new gate ready to reopen the crossing, but, no notice of when. So, maybe the local village will get its economy going again.

I slept in and then spent time writing this blog, then began cleaning. I begin in the cab and work my way to the back. Anything loose or out of place gets thrown out, or put in it's home. It's amazing how fast all the tourist brochures accumulate. We haven't bought anything besides food, fuel, and Greg's geology book. We have a rule. Anything that we buy to go in the camper, means something else must go out. We made an exception for Greg's new book!

We finally got to have lunch outside under our picnic shelter. It's been too cool in the morning for Greg to have coffee and read out there. It goes into the 40's at night and the 70's during the day. Greg biked again after lunch and then came back and we both agreed that he should try the showers! He rode his bike to the camp store and got his 5 minutes for $1.50. He got done just in time. We decided that I will treat myself to a $3 shower, otherwise I will bike back still lathered up!

We used the same lighting strategy to make dinner as last night. Then we hauled all the dishes to the dish washing sink at the bathroom. We will need to drive over to the dump and water station when Greg returns from his ride today. We have been filling up our Britta pitcher and teapot at the faucet outside the bathroom. Our on board water tank is almost empty.

Last night we walked in the moonlight and Greg went on his Javelina quest. Didn't see any, but I expect we will continue the quest the next two nights. We came back and sat on our patio in our camp chairs and looked at the stars, the moon, and listened to the night sounds. In the distance we think we heard the dogs and music of Boquillas. It's only a mile away and sound travels far in the desert. We could also hear coyotes, birds, frogs and insects. Occasionally, we would hear a waterfowl sound from the marshy area behind us that sounded like a coot.

Well, off to dust and wash windows! Yes, I finally found a house small enough that I don't mind cleaning it!