More additions to the rig

We are starting to get organized to leave Hidden Valley Ranch RV Resort outside of Deming NM.  The owners and residents and transients have been friendly and very interesting.   Lots of them are from Wisconsin, Michigan, Quebec (3), Missouri, and other cold and miserable places..all fleeing the weather hammering the entire northern part of the country.  We actually had a dusting of snow here yesterday but it was gone by mid-morning.  It has been cold (under 40's during the day, 20's at night) and the wind has been howling.  Makes it feel a lot colder than it really is.  It was nice early this morning, sunny and bright, with a light breeze.  As the day goes on, the wind is getting stronger and stronger.

Both dogs were very sick last week so off to see Doctor Haynes.  He is a graduate of K-State's Veterinary Medicine School.  He said their digestive issues were probably caused by eating something icky in the desert.  Almost impossible to have them off leash and police what they are doing because they split up.  They are still on meds and not quite back to their usual operating mode but they are lots better.

Next stop is Tempe AZ for four days so Mike can fly back to KC.  Because of the way the flights are scheduled, he can fly in one day and back the next and see both of his doctors.

Our friends from the Port Townsend WA park were two doors down from us here.  Scott had a wi-fi signal booster to improve internet access.  So we now have one as well.  It really does help and took Mike only a day to get it installed and working.  We are now looking at a wireless phone signal booster as we seem to pick parks which have poor coverage...in other words, out in the wilderness areas.

Also new in our freezer which fits into the closet for laundry equipment.  We decided it was easier and cheaper to use parks' laundry equipment and that make the space available for something more useful.

January in NM - it's 60 today

I've thought every day for six weeks I should update the blog .  And at the end of the day, no, I didn't get it done.  We have been having a great time and getting lots done on the rig  before heading out west and then north in March.

I believe we have had two or three cloudy days.  Gets cold at night but days are glorious.  LOTS of sunshine, occasionally very windy, but hey, Kansas is windy...and cloudy...and icy...and snowy.

There are several expert rock hounds who live in the park.  Since this part of NM was at one time geologically active, there are lots of interesting things to find in the area.

Petrified pork chop?

Muppet and Lola get their exercise with our daily walks in the desert.  There's a ridge just south of the park which has trails.  By the time we get home, they are ready for a nap.

Up the hill

Mike got a new smoker for Christmas since we cannot live indefinitely without barbecue.  Did a couple of small briskets and remembered this time to allow for the altitude (4700 feet).  Beef here is not the same quality/tenderness as beef at Price Chopper so he needs to make some adjustments to his marinades and rubs to compensate.  

I am still struggling with the new computer.  Seem to have mastered the blog part but not much else.  Mike put in a WiFi signal repeater antenna which has greatly improved the internet access, both on the phones and the computer.  Next comes a wireless phone signal repeater.  We have almost no signal at all here in the park but the office does have a landline in case of emergency.

Continue to love the quiet and the solitude here.  

Exceptionally heavy traffic on the ranch road