Running from the Snow

Monday. November 25, 2013


So, we got skunked and couldn't get into Rockhound State Park. All the electric sites were taken and we really wanted electric so that we could run our space heater during the storm. We made a quick decision to head south to Pancho Villa State Park, three miles from Mexico. After checking the weather we decided not to try to go north to Elephant Butte State Park in Truth or Consequences where we stayed last winter. That's our eventual destination, but they were expecting a lot more snow than further south.

I=10 from Lordsburg to Deming.

The big wind ahead of the storm stirred up localized dust storms

We stopped at the cheapest and most popular gas station in Deming, where our pump neighbor filled up his truck, ATV, and a half  dozen fuel cans.

Heading to Rockhound - typical Chihuahuan desert

The Florida Mountains

Before leaving we stocked up on groceries and went on a search for green chili cheeseburgers. Last winter we traveled to Hatch, NM, where the chilies are grown, in order to eat at the famous Sparky's. They advertised the second best chili cheeseburger on the Chili Cheeseburger Trail. In Deming, we found a good on-line review and went to The Patio, a small burger joint. I am not a burger person, but it was undoubtedly good enough to turn me into one! What a find, and even better than the burgers at Sparky's.

Survival food!

Then we drove the 35 miles south and hoped to get into Pancho Villa. No problem, there were plenty of sites. We hooked up the electric and water, which we later disconnected so that our hose and water filter wouldn't freeze. We put up the TV antenna to look for entertainment. Yay!! 17 stations, oh, only two were in English... We plugged in the heater and the hot water jug for coffee and tea, and checked the internet connection. It was good, probably because of the nearby border crossing and all the border patrol activity. Then we checked the weather forecast. Why does the weather out here totally fool the forecasters? The slight chance of rain two days before, had turned into a full blown sleet, snow, and wind storm. We thought we had run south of it, and we had, based on reports a few hours before. Now we were in it's path, so we battened down the hatches and waited. We were going to ride it out from Friday to Monday.

Friday afternoon's sleet progressed into Friday night's snow and high winds. We closed every shade and blind we had, and clothes-pinned a towel over the back curtain. The front of the refrigerator has a cold draft that blows out of it when the wind comes in that direction, so we hung a towel over it. We hung the insulated privacy curtain from the overcab bed and closed off the cab. Then we ran the space heater almost non-stop. RV's are notorious for their lack of insulation and thin windows. We have been meaning to get some reflectix, which is basically foil with bubble wrap sandwiched in the middle, that you can cut to fit the windows. It can be taken out in the morning, but we haven't found it yet.
 
We woke up Saturday morning to snow in the desert. Snow topped prickly pear and yucca. It was windy and gloomy. We hunkered down all day and Saturday night. Sunday it began to melt, but only because the ground was still warm from the previous seasonal temperatures in the 60's. The temperature struggled to get above freezing both days. But, the wind stopped and Greg took a walk around the park and visited the small museum that chronicled the 1916 incursion into the United States by Pancho Villa, and relics from the military base there at the time.

The view from our camp at Pancho Villa

 

Our closest neighbor

 

One of our neighbors

This morning, Monday, we decided to head north and try again to get into Rockhound. After taking advantage of “real” showers, we started the drive back to Deming. The drive was beautiful! The Florida Mountains were snow covered and dramatic. We saw snow covered cotton, red chili, and sorghum fields. Since it was Greg's birthday, he decided to do an encore of the green chili cheeseburger at The Patio. Actually, he got the Wildcat Burger that included two strips of bacon! With the fresh cut fries and the huge 8 ounce 85% lean patty, we were stuffed and waddled back to the rig!

Snow melting from the yuccas and cholla cactus (with yellow fruits)

Snow on a cotton crop waiting for harvest

Snow on the Florida Mountains where Rockhound is

We drove up to Rockhound and found a great campsite on the slope of the Little Florida Mountains, with a view of the valley and Deming, and the Florida Mountains. The campground had three foot drifts that had to be plowed out today, so we were happy to have avoided the worst weather by going to Pancho Villa. Not as scenic with the flat Chihuahuan desert, but certainly not as wild.

Snow covered Florida Mountains

The road to Rockhound State Park and the Little Florida Mountains

Campground nestled at the base of this mountain in the snow

The sun came out this afternoon and we opened all the shades and let it heat up the interior. Tonight it will be 25 degrees, so we are all closed up again after watching the sun set behind the Florida Mountains, and the lights coming on below us in Deming. We are signed up for two nights, but may stay longer. Tomorrow we'll hike up the mountain above us and look for semi-precious gems and check out the view. It will be good to get outside again!

The view from the campground at Rockhound State Park

Sunset from our camp at Rockhound