Kathleen's Window: A Full Park, Return to The Patio, and a Detour to Tucson

Monday, February 25, 2019

A Full Park, Return to The Patio, and a Detour to Tucson

February 22, 2019

Monday, February 11^th we packed up early and drove from Monticello campground at Elephant Butte Lake State Park over to I-25 and south to the Hatch, New Mexico exit. It was too early in the day to stop at Sparky's for their famous green chile cheeseburgers. That was okay. We knew that better ones were waiting for us at The Patio in Deming. The last stretch of road crossing the desert to Deming brought back memories of other journeys traveling towards the jagged Little Florida Mountains and Rockhound State Park. It's a small park, but has become popular due to its easy proximity to town, and the view south down the valley towards Mexico while perched on the gentle slope of the mountains. I love the nightime view with the strand of lights stretching south. Our second Thanksgiving on the road, we celebrated here.

Arriving at 10:30 am, there were no open sites. The reserved sites were full, and the non-reserved were full as well. Each visit over the years it has been harder to stay in this park. We've always managed before. The last time we stayed a night in the overflow, or group campground and moved into a site the next morning. Since it was early in the day we assumed that the overflow area was not an option. As we debated where to go, a ranger came alongside and offered us room in the overflow area. We took it, and wedged ourselves next to the large picnic pavilion. Before long we were hemmed in by three other rigs. We had water and electric hookups, but the next morning began a race to find another spot. Only one rig left a site, and we missed snagging it, as a trailer pulled in from outside the park and slipped in the site as we watched. After consulting with the camp host, we determined that we could stay in the overflow area up to 14 days, so we just stayed put there two more nights. Unfortunately, the great view down the valley was blocked by our neighbor.

The group pavilion next to our campsite

Our view up the mountain

Sunset around the neighbor's RV

Sunset from Rockhound

Over the next two days we ate a great green chile cheesesburger meal at The Patio, got groceries, and puttered around the rig. We also discovered a leaking hot water tank. After calling Airstream and Lazy Days RV in Tucson, AZ, we determined that we would need to arrive at the KOA campground on Thursday, for an appointment next door at Lazy Days RV on Friday.

Green Chile Cheeseburger Time!

I guess our Valentine's Day treat was staying at the KOA which turned out to be an upscale RV resort filled with long term snowbirds. We got the only available space that was only open for one night. All we cared about was having hookups and a laundry. The activities, pickleball courts, restaurant, pool, and landscaping were wasted on us, even though we paid for them. I busied myself doing laundry, we had a simple dinner, and got up early to drive next door to Lazy Days. While the rig was in the shop we made a trip to Trader Joe's and back in the Lazy Days waiting room, made the acquaintance of a couple who it turned out had gone to my high school back in Maryland. The wife had graduated the year before. Small world!

Descending into the Sonoran desert of Arizona

The Amtrak Sunset Limited heading east

Our deluxe campsite at Lazydays KOA

Solar panel shaded premium sites - not really necessary with freezing nights

Lazy Days replaced some fittings on the hot water heater, called it good, and sent us on our way. We had a reservation at Crazy Horse RV Park and rolled in there late afternoon. Very basic park, but $30 a night less, and we just needed a place to sleep. The next morning was a Saturday. Greg discovered the hot water heater was still leaking just as bad as before! It was a holiday weekend so nothing could be done until Tuesday. He turned it off, drained it, and we took off for Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument south of Ajo, Arizona along the Mexican border.