Category Archives: Restaurants

In Search of Slime

A reader posted a question about me going back to work at a part-time consulting gig I wrote about in an earlier post. I have to catch up on Friday and Saturday’s activities before I go into that story – but I will tell the tale soon.

The plan for Friday was to scooter down to Old Town Albuquerque where Donna would meet her friend and professional organizing colleague, Hazel Thornton, so they could catch-up over lunch. I thought I would make a run to Costco. After studying the map, I knew where to take Donna, but Costco didn’t seem to make sense. Next Wednesday we’ll move to The Vineyard off Edith Boulevard (map) where Larry and Ruth live to begin our stint as volunteer crew for the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. This happens to be only a few miles from Costco, so we can go then.

I scootered Donna to the Old Town Plaza where we met Hazel at the gazebo (map). From there, I went southeast to check out Robinson Park where the Downtown Growers’ Market is held on Saturday mornings. Here in Albuquerque, they call what is essentially a farmers’ market the growers’ market. Donna and I wanted to go on Saturday morning, so I thought a pre-run to check the area out was a good idea.

Donna enjoyed a long lunch with Hazel. Hazel dropped her off back at the RV park around 3:30pm. I was already back, having run a few errands.

On Saturday, we took off before 10am to hit the growers’ market. We like to visit farmers’ markets as we cruise around the country. There are always similarities, but each one has its own vibe and regional flavor. Albuquerque is a distinct case in point. The market covers the perimeter of the triangular-shaped Robinson Park with a diagonal path cutting through the triangle. There are a diverse range of vendors covering every step of the way.

Albuquerque growers’ market

Along the east side of the park, a large grassy area had a band and many people lounging on the grass.

Enjoying the weather and music on the grass

This is a relatively large market. Our intent was to meander around and see what it had to offer – not really shop. We ended up buying more than we thought we would. Local, fresh-baked green chile sourdough bread was irresistible plus some green chile sauce that we will add to pork tenderloin in the crockpot tomorrow. An apricot flan that was too delicious to walk away from. Peruvian purple fingerling potatoes, kumato (brown) tomatoes and some hand-crafted soaps. I bought Donna the cutest hat from a French woman who handmade them. I also had my share of free food samples!

We left the market and rode back to Old Town. We made a stop at the visitor’s center and then went to a shop that Hazel recommended to Donna. I bought a hot air balloon spinner ornament to hang from our coach’s side view mirror. Donna bought me a T-shirt with hot air balloons that changes color when exposed to sunlight.

Our next stop was up the road at The Bikesmith shop. We wanted to get Slime self-sealing inner tubes for Donna’s bike. I expected to have the Gatorskin tires I ordered delivered to the RV park by the time we returned. I wanted to set her up with self-sealing tubes and puncture-resistant tires to ride here in Albuquerque and throughout the southwest.

We found the bike shop but a sign in the window said they would be closed until Tuesday due to a big mountain bike event here this weekend. Another guy was looking at the sign and checking his cell phone. I asked him if he knew of another place nearby. He suggested REI several miles away. I looked at the map on my smart phone and found another bike shop four or five miles away. Off we went.

Along the way, Donna spotted a Cost Plus World Market. She knew that I was in need of my favorite martini garnish – Old South Tomolives – and Cost Plus is the place to buy them. I made a mental note of the location since I’ve been without tomolives for the past couple of months.

We found the next bike shop – Bikeworks – and it was closed with a similar sign about the mountain bike event. I looked at the map again and decided to move on to REI – it wasn’t that far now that we’d gone all the way to Bikeworks.

As we pulled off of Montano Drive heading to REI, I saw Performance Bike. They were open. They had the Slime self-sealing tubes we were after and I also bought Stan’s sealant for my mountain bike tires. The Stan’s sealant works really well, but it dries out over time and needs to be replenished and I’m probably overdue for resealing.

Slime self-sealing tube

The Performance Bike shop was about a block away from Costco – that’s how far we had come. But now we were loaded up from the growers’ market, Old Town shopping and bike shop, so a Costco run was out of the question. Since we were this far, we decided to call Larry and Ruth to see if they were available. The plan was to meet with them before we showed up in our motorhome so we could see where we would be parked. It’s always nice to preview a location when possible and decide on the best way to to enter.

They were home and invited us to drop by. It was only a few minutes away from the bike shop. Larry and Ruth welcomed us into their place and told us more of what to expect during the Balloon Fiesta. They’ve coordinated volunteer crews for the event for decades. They also showed us where we’ll be parked and took us on a tour of the clubhouse amenities we’ll have available. It will be a dry camping test – with the exception of 30-amp electric, we’ll be without hook-ups for about two weeks.

On the way back, we made a short detour to stop at Cost Plus for the tomolives. By then we were both hungry. It was well after 1pm and we hadn’t eaten since breakfast other than the food samples I had at the market.

We stopped at a combination Subway sandwich shop and Twisters. We weren’t familiar with Twisters. It turned out to be very good fast food Mexican fare and they’ll even customize a plate for you. Donna wanted a bowl – no tortilla – and they made a nice chicken chile bowl for her. Twisters, by the way, was the setting used for the Los Pollos Hermanos fast food scenes in the TV series Breaking Bad.

When we returned to the RV park, the new tires for Donna’s bike had been delivered. I broke out my bicycle mechanics stand and removed her wheels again. Mounting the new Gatorskin tires was a tough task. These tires are so stiff, I think they’re the toughest tire to mount I’ve ever encountered. I probably say that every time I mount brand new tires.

Donna’s Trek Madone on the bike stand

Gatorskin mounted

Once I had the tires mounted, Donna was raring for a ride. She headed out on Old Route 66. About 40 minutes later, my phone was ringing. It was Donna. I couldn’t believe it. She had a flat tire! She told me she picked up a nail in her tire. She pulled the nail and the tire went flat! I was thinking, when was the last time I picked up a nail in a bicycle tire? Short answer – never!

She was close to the park, so she walked her bike back. I’ll pull the wheel this morning and see if the tube is savable. Other than that, I have a full day of spectating. Formula One from Japan, Moto GP from Spain and NFL Football action. Donna is planning to scooter over to a regular Sunday morning event at the Railyards Market in Barelas where she will meet up with Centerforce Hoops to do some hoop dancing to live music.

Free Parking and Good Food

I mentioned the Sandia Crest tram in my last post. The Sandia Resort & Casino (map) is approximately 5,300 feet above sea level. The tram is up the road from here at 6,559 feet above sea level. It’s the longest aerial tramway in North America – the third longest in the world. It tops out at Sandia Peak at an elevation of 10,378 feet above sea level. It was built by a Swiss company in 1966. The normal speed of the ascent is 12 mph – it takes about 15 minutes to reach the top.

The weather gods scuttled our trip up the tramway. The peaks of the Sandia mountain range were socked in by low cloud cover all day. There’s no sense in riding the tram up the mountain if all you can do is stare into a fog bank.

Sandia Mountains to the east of us socked in

Our free parking at the Sandia Resort & Casino was terrific. It’s quiet and the employees are very friendly. The views are nice. Ozark loved watching the rabbits on the trails by our coach. She would sit in a window and stare at them – then she would jump down and run into the bedroom, hop on the bed and watch them from the bedroom window as they moved down the trail.

Although it’s just a parking lot, the scenery is nice. Most of the land around us is undeveloped except for the golf course. Donna went for a walk in-between rain showers on Tuesday and enjoyed her hike. At one point, she cut through an employee parking lot. Security caught up with her and told her that only employees were allowed to access the lot – she got kicked out!

View to the west of us looking down at Albuquerque

We will definitely take advantage of this place the next time we pass through Albuquerque.

Late Tuesday afternoon, we saw an Alpine Coach with Texas tags pull into the parking lot. The driver drove quickly around the perimeter of the lot, then parked in front of us. He appeared to be on a mission. He unhooked the black Jeep he was towing behind his rig, then leveled the coach and put the slides out. Then he and his wife (I presume) got into the Jeep and left.

On Wednesday morning, they left early in their Jeep again, so we never had a chance to meet them. I think their Alpine is a 2006 model year judging by the paint scheme.

Alpine parking area

We walked to the casino for their breakfast buffet. It cost $8.95 per person and has everything you could imagine for breakfast – even eggs and omelettes cooked to order. I stuffed myself trying out too many items and getting my money’s worth.

Three days a week, they have a lunch buffet special for people 55 and older – all you can eat for five dollars! We saw a long line of people waiting for the lunch special to open at 10:00am. On Friday and Saturday nights, they have a seafood buffet that includes crab legs, shellfish, salmon and more. It costs $25, but if you have their players card, you get five dollars off. We were told the line gets so long, the wait can be over an hour for the seafood buffet.

We packed up and pulled out of Sandia Resort & Casino a little before noon. We drove down I-25 to I-40 west. Our destination was 19 miles away – the High Desert RV Park. We drove past the Pilot/Flying J travel center where I filled our tank on Monday. We checked in and set up. This park is clean and the setting is nice with open, undeveloped land around us. The sites aren’t level though. I had to place 12″x12″x2″ wood pads under my rear tires. I used four pads to support all four tires. I posted about the importance of this here. I used the pads so the rear tires would still be in contact after I used the leveling jacks to raise the rear of the coach. I don’t like sites that slope down in the rear.

It’s windy this morning. Donna is hoping to go for a bike ride. With the wind and hills around here, it’s going to be challenging. We’ll spend a week here, then move to Larry and Ruth’s place in Albuquerque to begin our next adventure crewing for the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.

Last Weekend in Santa Fe

We’re not in Santa Fe anymore but I need to catch up on our last weekend there. On Saturday, Donna and I rode the scooter to the farmers’ market down by the Railyard Park. We originally planned to ride the bus, but took the scooter instead to save time. It was nearly noon by the time we got there and the market closes at 1pm. We were surprised at the size of the market – this is a big farmers’ market. We’d only been through about half of the vendors when some of them began breaking down their displays around 12:30pm. Donna bought a small bag of roasted Hatch chiles.

I was hungry and hoped to find tamales or street tacos for lunch, but the food vendors were sold out. We thought about stopping at the Second Street Brew Pub, but the food was overpriced and I didn’t want to have a beer that early before riding the scooter home.

We headed back south on Cerrillos Road and stopped at a Mexican restaurant called Los Potrillos. The salsas they provided with a bowl of chips were outstanding and I knew we were in for a good meal.

Tres salsa and chips

I had the enchilada suizas plate and Donna had chicken enchiladas con mole. It was delicious and we took home leftovers.

We made another stop to buy a whole chicken. Donna had invited our neighbors – the ones with the medium-duty truck in my last post – Audrey and Steve – to join us for dinner. Around 5pm, I fired up the Traeger smoker/grill and roasted the whole chicken which Donna prepared by lightly coating it with olive oil, salt and pepper. After about 75 minutes, my new Palermo instant read thermometer showed an internal temperature of 175 degrees. I turned down the Traeger to the smoke setting and basted the chicken with a barbeque sauce Donna had whipped up from scratch. Ten minutes later, we had a nicely roasted barbeque chicken.

Roasted barbeque chicken

I cut the chicken into quarters. This worked out well since Donna and Audrey preferred the leg/thigh quarters while Steve and I took the wing/breast quarters. Donna served it with fresh steamed green beans and cheesy cauliflower biscuits. Audrey contributed mashed potatoes and a couple of bottles of wine.

Chicken dinner plate

We sat together at the table outside and talked for a few hours. At one point Audrey said, “Look, you have a praying mantis on your back.” The praying mantis climbed up my neck onto my head. Donna snapped a couple of photos. I don’t think I’ve ever had a praying mantis land on me before.

Praying mantis walking up my neck

Praying mantis perched on my head

We talked well into the night and finally went indoors after 10pm. Audrey and Steve planned to pull out of Santa Fe Sunday morning.

On Sunday morning, we said our goodbyes to Audrey and Steve. I watched the Formula One race from Singapore, then proceeded to be a couch potato for the rest of the day watching NFL football. Donna went out for one last bike ride on the Santa Fe trails.

The entire time we were in Los Suenos de Santa Fe RV park, there was a 45-foot Beaver Patriot Thunder parked two sites away from us. The Beaver Patriot Thunder is a high-end motorhome with lots of features including powerful engine options. This one had a 15-liter 525 horsepower Caterpillar engine. The thing that piqued my curiosity was the fact that we never saw anyone enter or leave the coach for nine straight days. It was hooked up to water, sewer and electricity and the AC was running, but it just sat there empty. This seems like an awfully expensive way to store a coach.

On Monday morning, I heard the rumble of a large diesel engine running. It was the Beaver. There were two guys walking around the coach, putting away hoses and disconnecting the electricity. There were two cars – one behind the coach and one next to it by our site. The older of the two guys got behind the wheel of the Beaver and drove away followed by the younger man in a Volkswagen GTI. They left the second car – a Porsche Cayman GT4 behind. Curious again. Why did they come in separate cars and leave the $85,000 Porsche behind?

Porsche Cayman GT4 left behind

I took my time packing our trailer and getting ready for the road. We had a short trip planned and I didn’t need to leave the park before the 11am check-out time. Donna had the interior packed early and walked over to the Ross store to buy a skirt she saw there the day before and decided to go back for. She came back just as I fired up the Cummins ISL. The Porsche was still in the empty site hours after the Beaver pulled out.

Our plan was to head down to Albuquerque where we will stay for two nights at the Sandia Casino & Resort. They have free overnight parking in their RV lot. Our route took us south down NM14 which is also known as the Cedar Crest Scenic Byway or Turquoise Trail. It was a pleasant drive. We went through a few old mining towns. I wanted to stop in Madrid – the town featured in the movie Wild Hogs. The town is quaint, but the road through town is very narrow and there’s no place to park a big rig. We drove slowly through and continued on our way. We turned west at the junction of I-40.

I knew there was a Pilot/Flying J travel center off I-40. I programmed it into the GPS and stopped there for fuel. Then I programmed the Sandia Casino as my destination. I should have studied the map. The Pilot/Flying J is about six miles past the casino, near the High Desert RV park which is our next destination.

We found a nice spot at the back of the RV lot at the Sandia Casino. We have a view of mountains to the east and the city in the valley to our west. Donna and I went into the casino where we were given $25 gift cards to play the slots since we’re first-time visitors. Afterwards, we had a beer at one of the casino bars. Then we checked in with security and they gave us a pass for up to four nights of free parking.

We had rain overnight and there’s more rain in the forecast. If the weather clears, we may take the tram up to Sandia Crest which is a 10,000-foot high viewpoint. If the low clouds hang all day though, the tram ride will not be worth it.

By the way, Donna’s doing a book giveaway and today (September 22nd) is the last day you can download her Kindle book, Secrets of Professional Organizer’s Volume I for free at Amazon. Grab your free copy and help her reach her goal of getting listed in the Top 100 Free Kindle Books by the end of the day!

Loving Santa Fe

Donna has become totally enamored with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Ask her what she likes about it and she’ll give you a long list.

On Monday morning she went to the recreational center to play pickleball and found the $6 entry fee wasn’t exorbitant at all – they have a 50-meter swimming pool and an ice skating rink! I didn’t go with her because once again, I have a recurrence of the dermatitis on my feet. I’ve been trying to keep up with the last doctor’s instructions and washing my feet twice a day with antibacterial soap.

Around 3pm, we walked south from the park about a mile and a half to the Blue Corn Brewery. This is a local brewery and restaurant. It’s a small but very interesting brewery. James Warren is the brewer – he has a fine arts degree from Baylor University and while working toward a career in art education in Connecticut, he found his passion in brewing.

Donna wanted a stout as usual but they were out of stout. She had a brown ale that was very close in flavor to the stout she wanted. I had their Roadrunner IPA – excellent ale brewed on site.

We made the trek back to our site – my feet weren’t happy. I kicked back and watched most of the Monday night NFL double-header before going to bed.

Ozark the cat seems to be content while we’re away. When we return, we usually find her either sleeping on our bed or on the dashboard watching the world outside the windshield. She’s a fastidious creature grooming herself several times a day.

Ozark grooming

Keeping clean

Nap time

On Tuesday morning, Donna told me that I was kicking and scratching my feet in the night. My feet always seem to be better in the morning and I’m optimistic – but by the end of the day I’m miserable. Donna reminded me of this. I went online and found a couple of clinics that were in-network for our health insurance. Then I looked at maps and bus routes.

I finally gave in and took a bus toward downtown to Roadrunner Clinic near the train station. The bus dropped me off only a couple of blocks from the clinic. When I boarded the bus, I paid $2 for an unlimited, all-day pass in anticipation of making a stop for prescriptions on the way home.

While I was heading to the clinic, Donna went out for a bicycle ride. She rode about 16 miles.

Beautiful paved bike path in Santa Fe

The doctor I saw at Roadrunner was very attentive and had a holistic approach. After reviewing my previous treatments, he said, “Well they certainly shotgunned everything.” He wasn’t surprised to find this resulted in a quick but not long lasting cure. He advised a less aggressive treatment after telling me the systemic (oral) steroids I’d been taking are too hard on my body in his opinion.

He has dealt with dermatitis conditions many times before. He showed me a medical text describing and detailing different skin conditions. He was certain of his diagnosis of eczema dermatitis – not an infection, no need for antibiotics and not contagious. He spent quite a lot of time telling me how he thought we should approach a long-term cure.

He hedged his bet though. He prescribed a topical steroidal cream for the tops of my feet and a couple of antihistamines that aren’t usually used for for this condition – he knew about this approach from a previous stint working for a dermatologist. It turns out one of the drugs will alleviate my pollen allergy at the same time. But he also prescribed oral Prednisone – only to be used if the initial treatment is ineffective. The other difference from my previous treatments is he wants me to use an emollient on my feet at night. I’ll massage Bag Balm on the tops of my feet and go to bed with socks on. I’m hoping the third try is a charm.

After I stopped at the bus stop by the CVS pharmacy and picked up my prescriptions, I phoned Donna and said I would walk from there and pick up lunch on the way. She suggested meeting at the taqueria across the street from the RV park for lunch. It turned out I’d underestimated the distance and walked nearly two miles to the taqueria.

This place was authentic Mexican fare. Although I’m well-versed in Mexican food, we had to ask for explanation on some of the menu items which included things like beef tongue and tripe. We ended with the the usual pork, beef and chicken street tacos. The salsas from the salsa bar were so good, they’re beyond description.

Later, Donna took my bus pass and went out for a couple of errands and shopping at the farmers’ market at the mall south of us. She opted to walk back with the goodies she picked up along the way in her backpack.

Street musicians at the farmers’ market

Today I’m going to push the envelope and go to the community center with Donna for pickleball. I haven’t played in months and I think my feet will withstand a few games.

Santa Fe Fiesta

Santa Fe, New Mexico is a vibrant town with a lot of history. On Saturday, we studied the bus routes and schedule and rode the bus downtown. The bus ride costs one dollar each way or you can buy a one-day unlimited pass for two dollars if you want to make multiple stops. The metro buses are clean and the drivers are friendly.

We exited the bus at Alameda Street (map) and walked a couple of blocks to the plaza. The streets around the plaza were closed due to the Santa Fe Fiesta (Fiestas de Santa Fe). This festival has been held annually since 1712. It’s a celebration of the re-conquest of the city by Spanish colonists in 1692. It’s the longest running annual celebration of its kind in North America.

Plaza ahead on San Francisco Street

The area around the plaza is filled with boutique shops, restaurants and bars. We stopped at a shop called Parts Unknown where Donna looked at sandals and ended buying OluKai flip-flops. When we reached the plaza, it was filled with people and food vendors.

On the north side of the plaza at Palace Avenue, a stage was set up. There was a performance of a traditional Pueblo Indian dance going on. I didn’t understand what it was all about, but a guy was banging a drum and chanting while a woman and two kids danced.

Traditional performers

We wanted to take a look at the Loretto Chapel. This chapel has a unique spiral staircase that seems to defy logic. It winds its way up without any visible support. We arrived at the Loretto Chapel at 3pm and found it was closed to the public after 2:00pm on this day for private weddings. I’d like to go back another time to see it.

We walked back to the plaza and my feet were getting worn. I’m still battling that pesky dermatitis condition – it clears up, then comes back again. We stopped at the Draft Station on the south side of the plaza and sat at their rooftop bar. Donna ordered a locally brewed oatmeal stout and I had an IPA from Le Cumbre Brewing in Albuquerque. It was first rate IPA.

Le Cumbre Brewing IPA

They boast of their artisan pizza at the Draft Station so we ordered a 12-inch supreme. The crust was thin and crispy and it looked as good as it sounded. Unfortunately, we both thought it was lacking flavor.

Artisan pizza

I studied the map and thought I knew where to find the metro bus terminal to catch our ride home. The bus map wasn’t very good. It wasn’t to scale and many street names were missing. We left the Draft Station about 15 minutes before our scheduled bus departure. We walked west on Palace then turned on Grant. Before I knew it, we were walking up Griffen Street and I knew we had gone too far. We asked a woman on the street for directions but although she was local, she didn’t know where the bus terminal was. We backtracked and I asked a parking lot attendant. He directed us around the corner about a block away from where we were. We had missed the bus by then and would have to wait 30 minutes for the next one. When we reached the terminal, a sign said “Closed for Special Event – Buses Staged at Alameda Street.”

We needed to go back to the corner where we got off the bus earlier! You’d think they would have a sign on the bus or something. We walked back to Alameda Street. My S Health app on my smartphone showed about 8,000 steps by then. My feet were feeling it.

On Sunday, I cooled my feet in the coach and watched football. I had the Denver Bronco – Baltimore Ravens game on TV with the sound off while I listened to the San Diego Chargers – Detroit Lions game radio broadcast online. It was an up-and-down affair with Chargers down 21-3 at the half. They won 33-28 in the end.

Donna went out for a bike ride on a great trail that she picked up not far from the rv park. After lunch, she rode the bus downtown again and attended mass (in Latin) at the oldest catholic church building in the US. The adobe structure of the San Miguel Mission was originally built in 1610.

San Miguel Mission

Santa Fe is the second oldest city in the US – only St. Augustine, Florida is older. It can claim the title of the oldest capital city. It was founded in 1607 – well before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

On her way back, Donna stopped at Sprouts Market to pick up a few items. They were roasting Hatch chiles in the parking lot. The roaster rotates and skins break free of the chilis making them ready for canning or using in a recipe.

Hatch chiles roasting

I finished the day with another entertaining game as the Dallas Cowboys made a comeback to defeat the New York Giants.

Today I’ll rest my feet again. Donna is going to play pickleball at the recreation center a couple of miles from here.

Big Texan

Wednesday was our last full day in Amarillo. I spent the afternoon packing the trailer. Donna went to the pool and swam laps. We made plans to visit the iconic Amarillo attraction, the Big Texan Ranch Steakhouse. The Lee family owns Big Texan and they recently bought the Amarillo Ranch RV Park. They offer a free ride from the RV park to the steakhouse.

As you approach Amarillo on I-40, you’ll see signs advertising a free 72-ounce steak at Big Texan. The gimmick is this – you must eat the whole entree with included side dishes or you pay $72 for the meal. Donna made a reservation at the RV park office for the limo ride to Big Texan. Our driver showed up at 5pm – we wanted to arrive early for happy hour before dinner.

Us in front of the longhorn limo

Big Tex limo

The exterior of the restaurant is a typical touristy facade.

The Big Texan Ranch Steakhouse

Okay, cowgirl!

Once we went inside, the place reminded us of Lambert’s (Home of the Throwed Rolls) in Missouri. We were seated family-style at a large rustic table. We started out by sampling the beer brewed on site. Donna went for a pecan porter that she absolutely loved. I had a sampler flight with their Rattlesnake IPA, Whoop your Donkey double IPA, a palate cleansing honey blonde lager and finally the Whiskey Barrel Stout.

Beer flight and pecan porter

The double IPA and the stout were good beers. For dinner, Donna ordered the prime rib plate and a second pecan porter. I went for the baby back ribs and a pint of Whoop Your Donkey. The menu says the baby back ribs are dry rubbed – well they were, but they were also slathered in barbeque sauce Kansas City style. The ribs were tender and good, Donna’s prime rib was exactly what she expected from a steakhouse – excellent. Everything is bigger in Texas and these entrees were enough for two meals and more – we took home leftovers.

While we were there, a guy took the 72-ounce steak challenge.There are rules of course. There’s a one-hour time limit. He was seated front and center, spotlighted at a table on a raised platform so he could be seen. If anyone got up there with him, he would be disqualified. He was told if he got up or threw up, it was game over. On the start signal, he started chewing as the crowd cheered.

Taking the challenge

Our waitress told us that at least one person per night has a go at the big steak – as many as five or six on Friday and Saturday nights. She said about one out of ten guys eat the whole thing and about one in eight women finish it. Her take on that was that fewer women make the attempt – those who do are pretty sure they can do it. I can’t imagine ever stuffing down four and half pounds of steak.

Big Texan rocking chair

Ozark spent most of her time in Amarillo watching the big, boat-tailed grackles strut around our site. The birds would walk past every day with Ozark either perched on the dash watching them or on the back of the sofa. Eventually she would doze off and dream of catching them.

Ozark dreaming of catching a bird – she’s not falling off, it just looks that way

On Thursday morning we hit the road. The surface on I-40 was rough in places through the city, but once we hit the outskirts of town it improved. West of Amarillo and into New Mexico I-40 is mostly smooth sailing.

We climbed through rolling hills. We gained elevation every mile of the way. The terrain changed from shortgrass prairie to sagebrush country. I liked seeing the table-top mesas and rock formations in the distance. When we were taking the limo ride back from Big Texan, we shared the ride with a couple from Alabama. The had been out west and were heading back home. They remarked how happy they were to be back in tree-filled landscape. As we drove through New Mexico, Donna remarked how happy she felt to be back in the southwestern desert.

We stopped in a small town called Santa Rosa where we heard of a couple of boondocking possibilities. We checked them out and parked in one of them – a paved lot on the main drag. Donna went for walk to the Blue Hole – a natural swimming hole 60 feet in diameter and 81 feet deep in a county park about a mile away. I tried to find a level spot on the lot – there wasn’t one. I found beer and a bag of ice in a store nearby.

When Donna returned from her walk, we decided to move on another 40 miles to the Flying C Ranch. This is a tourist trap gift shop and Dairy Queen in the middle of nowhere. They offer free overnight parking in the lots surrounding their store. We found a quiet spot on the west side of the property in a partially paved gravel lot. It’s very level and we set up next to a stand of trees.

Sunset out our door at Flying C Ranch

We’re at an elevation of 6,200 feet above sea level. As the sun set, it cooled off quickly outside. We slept with windows open and enjoyed the cool, fresh air.

We’re up early this morning. We’ll head up to Santa Fe today. We haven’t booked a site there, but we’ll find something on our way.

Ozark the Travelin’ Cat

After my last post, a blog follower named Daniel asked, “What’s up with the cat? Do you still have her?” The answer is yes, we still have and adore her and she’s become quite the traveler. At first she she was over-stimulated by travel – all of the new sounds and seeing the world flash by had her edgy. It was difficult for all of us. She would dash around the coach and be very vocal. We worried about her hurting herself and also I had concerns when she would jump up on the dash and distract me or block my vision of the side view mirrors.

Before we left Hollister, Missouri I rode the scooter to Branson and bought a cat carrier/crate which we knew we would need to take her to get spayed. After a day of travel, we decided it was best for all of us if Ozark the cat traveled in her crate. I’m happy to report that after a couple of months of travel, Ozark has accepted her crate and travels quietly in it. She doesn’t fight Donna when she’s put into her crate and usually grooms herself once inside before napping for hours. Ozark seems to have adjusted very well and seems to enjoy finding herself in new surroundings on a regular basis.

Ozark attacking a catnip toy mouse

We changed our surroundings again on Saturday, but not until after Donna took a hike on the Seven Sisters Trail. She found a variety of mushrooms on her hike – we’re not mushroom experts so she didn’t pick any. We don’t know if they’re poisonous or possibly hallucinogenic. Wouldn’t that make a memorable meal! Here are a few photos from her hike. Unfortunately the spectacular views mentioned on websites weren’t evident due to heavy foliage.

At the summit

Something took a bite of one

Looks harmless

Hmmm… is it edible?

I wouldn’t try these.

We left Stony Fork Campground in Jefferson National Forest around 10:30am. Our route took us southwest through Bristol. We saw many road signs warning of heavy traffic and stoppages. These were due to the NASCAR race at the Bristol short track scheduled for Saturday night. We came through by noon and didn’t have any traffic hassles.

The drive through the Smokey Mountains was pleasant. On a tip from the Escapees Days End Directory, Donna had already contacted the management of a restaurant in Crossville and secured permission for overnight parking in their RV/truck lot. I looked at my trucker app and found a Pilot/Flying J station only a few miles away that had diesel fuel for $2.29/gallon. With my Pilot/Flying J Rewards card I would get a seven cent discount making our cost just $2.22/gallon – the least expensive fuel we’ve bought since we hit the road over two years ago!

Before we reached Crossville, I saw a sign for truck/RV wash ahead. Our coach is so dirty, I haven’t been able to wash it properly since we were in Michigan. The road grime was bad enough, but then the rain while we were in gravel/dirt sites in New York splashed more dirt up the sides of the coach. I couldn’t stand it. We stopped at a Blue Beacon truck wash. A crew of about eight guys went at it with pressure washers. I opted for the full treatment – wash, under carriage, Rain X treatment and citrus alloy wheel cleaner. I was amazed at how they were choreographed as a team and got it done in no time at all. The full treatment cost $77 and I think it was money well spent. The coach looks good, the alloy wheels gleam and I’m happy. This is the least expensive (other than doing it myself) RV wash I’ve had.

Waiting to enter the Blue Beacon wash bay

We found the Shoney’s restaurant and their gravel RV/truck lot. After circling the lot a few times like a dog looking to lay down, we decided on a fairly level spot. Donna felt a need to pay back for the free parking and went out to pick up litter. She ended up filling six bags! One of the guys taking care of the lawn expressed his appreciation of her effort.

Clean and shiny in Shoney’s lot

We went inside and had dinner in Shoney’s. Not my favorite food and not a choice Donna would usually make, but when they offer free overnight RV parking, we feel like we should patronize their establishment.

Breakfast will be another Shoney’s meal, then we’ll head onward another 110 miles to Nashville where we’ll relax, find live music and good beer for a few days. Of course rain drops are falling on our clean and shiny rig this morning.

Gettysburg

I unloaded the scooter after posting to the blog yesterday. Donna went out for a walk while I was at it. When Donna returned, we rode the scooter from Artillery Ridge Camping Resort to Historic Gettysburg.

On the way to town, we rode through the Gettysburg National Military Park, then we stopped at the battlefield on the east side of Baltimore Pike. The battlefield is a park with monuments, statues and restored cannons from the Civil War. Most of the area is preserved with fence lines and fields much as they were in 1863.

Major General Oliver O. Howard Memorial

Major General Winfield Scott Hancock

Donna overlooking part of the battlefield

We left the scooter in the free parking lot at the Gettysburg Tour Center. You can buy a ticket and take bus tours of the various battlefields and monuments there. Donna and I aren’t into organized group tours. We may miss some of the sights, but we prefer to move at our own pace and decide where to spend our time.

We walked past the Jennie Wade House. Jennie Wade was the only direct civilian casualty of the Battle of Gettysburg when a stray bullet struck her while she was in the kitchen making biscuits for soldiers. She was 20 years old.

We continued walking and went to see the Gettysburg Diorama. It’s in an old building on Steinwehr Avenue. It was hot and humid out, but we enjoyed walking through the quaint old village. Although the area is geared toward tourists, it still has the small village feel.

We had free tickets for the diorama courtesy of the campground. The owners of Artillery Ridge Camping Resort also happen to own the Gettysburg Diorama and a few other attractions in town. The Gettysburg Diorama is the largest military diorama in the country. We arrived just in time for the 11am show. I took a few pictures before the show began.

The diorama recreates the town and surrounding 6,000 acres as it appeared during the battle in July 1863. It contains over 20,000 hand-painted soldiers, horses, cannons and buildings. For the show, we sat in a small three-row bleacher along with a few other people. The show has light and sound effects and video displays as a narrator takes you through the events of July 1st, 2nd and 3rd, 1863 which comprised the Battle of Gettysburg. The narrative was comprehensive, describing the ebb and flow of the fight. There were more than 46,000 casualties including nearly 8,000 killed in the three-day battle.

After the 20-minute show, we walked back up the street to the Dobbin House for lunch. This is the oldest standing structure in Gettysburg. It was built by Reverend Alexander Dobbin in 1776. Today it houses a tavern serving lunch in the spring cellar and a dinner restaurant upstairs. We had lunch in the tavern. Donna had a French onion soup and spinach salad with hot bacon dressing. I had a reuben sandwich washed down with IPA from Troegs Brewery in nearby Hershey, Pennsylvania. The IPA was excellent – citrusy and spicy.

Dobbin House

One of many historical markers on the street

We walked around a little more, then made our way back to the scooter. On the way home, I first stopped at a pizza restaurant to buy Yuengling beer. Yuengling traditional lager is a low alcohol (4.4% ABV) beer brewed in the pre-prohibition style. Yuengling is America’s oldest brewery. Here in Pennsylvania, they have weird alcohol laws. You can buy beer at a distributor, but you must buy a case at a time. Anything less than a case can only be bought at a restaurant that has a beer license. Grocery stores only have watered down 3.2% ABV beer.

We made another stop past the campground at a vegetable and fruit stand and bought fresh corn on the cob that they said was just picked two hours earlier. We also bought some really juicy plums and peaches.

When we came back to our site, Donna headed for the pool. She didn’t make it far before she heard thunder and returned to the coach as it started raining.

Roomy uphill site 422

We hung out inside and read. For dinner, I dodged a couple of showers and grilled sausage and corn on the cob. Donna served it with sauteed asparagus, peppers and onions with grated parmesan cheese.

Sausage, corn and asparagus plate

I need to get busy and load the scooter. Today we’ll move about 80 miles to Cherry Hill Park in College Park, Maryland – just north of Washington D.C. I’m hoping my youngest daughter, Shauna, can join us for dinner tonight. Tomorrow we’ll take the train into DC and have a look around. We’ve been to all of the big monuments before, so we may take in the Newseum this time.

Indian Lake

After posting to the blog and doing a few chores, I loaded Donna’s bike in the back of Tommy’s truck and we piled in yesterday. We drove through Warrensburg up US9 to NY28. We followed NY28 which runs along the upper Hudson River up to Indian Lake, a distance of about 45 miles (map). By the time we got there, after making a stop at the train station in North River, it was noon.

The plan was to drop off Donna and her bicycle at Indian Lake and she would cycle back to the Lake George Escape campground. We decided to find lunch before she made the ride back. We ended up at the Indian Lake Restaurant and Tavern. The place has an interesting history dating back to the 1800s when the bar was located in Princeton, New Jersey. In the 1930s, the bar was going to be demolished as Palmer Square was being constructed. The bar was bought, disassembled and reassembled at Indian Lake.

Bar history – click to enlarge

Donna waiting for lunch at the bar

Donna ordered a tandoori naan bread pizza with cheese, artichoke and chicken. I had the fish sandwich. The food was excellent! I paired my sandwich with a locally brewed IPA from Paradox Brewery in Schroon Lake called Beaver Bite IPA. It was average at best. I’m still searching for a locally brewed IPA in the east that matches the flavorful offerings of West Coast-style IPA.

Beaver Bite IPA on tap

We dropped Donna off outside of town at 1:15pm and she started her ride back. Her route would take her back through North River and Wevertown before she headed down US9 to Warrensburg. I expected her to ride for about three hours.

As we drove back, Tommy took a detour at Thirteenth Lake Road. We drove a few miles, then turned into the Siamese Pond Wilderness Area. It covers more than 100,000 acres and, like all designated wilderness areas, prohibits motor vehicles. We made a short hike down to Thirteenth Lake and had a look around.

Thirteenth Lake in the Siamese Pond Wilderness Area

On the way in, before we hit the wilderness boundary, we passed the Barton Garnet Mine. They offer tours of one of the largest garnet mines in the world. They’ve been mining garnet in the area since 1878. The mine tours started in 1933 and you are able to find and keep garnet stones you find on the tour. Garnet is the January birthstone and the state stone of New York.

When we came back onto NY28, we were almost to North River when we saw Donna cycling up ahead. I was really surprised to see her that far from her starting point. She had some long downhill stretches and was making good time.

We stopped at Oscar’s Adirondack Smoke House where I bought two racks of uncooked baby back ribs. I plan to cook them on the Traeger wood pellet fired grill on Thursday evening.

After Tommy and I returned to the campground, I went out and explored the place. Around 3:20pm, my phone rang. It was Donna. She was in Warrensburg and said she just rode past the Top Foods store and didn’t remember seeing it when we drove through earlier. I told her she was on track and would see her turn at Horicon Street by the Chinese restaurant a little ways down the road. She made it home about 25 minutes later.

Last night, Donna prepared turkey burgers with special sauce – a recipe she got from Karin Von Kay. Donna met Karin when we were in Des Moines and they exchanged several recipes. The special sauce had an Asian flavor profile. I put a grill mat on the Traeger and cooked the burgers. Linda joined us for dinner. She put pretzel rolls on her grill and toasted them. The turkey burgers with special sauce were outstanding.

Turkey burger with special sauce on pretzel roll

This morning, Ozark woke us up by walking over us. She would walk over the top of Donna, then stretch and reach over to me before walking up my belly and onto my chest. She gently bites and chews my fingers. I think it’s her way of saying it’s time to get up and feed me and pet me.

Yesterday’s temperature reached 83 degrees. The forecast calls for highs in the upper 70s over the next couple of days before we reach the 80s again. I don’t have a plan for today. There are a few chores I should do and maybe I’ll get my mountain bike out and kick around.

Secret Caverns

On Friday morning, Donna and I rode the scooter down Caverns Road, aptly named as Secret Caverns and Howes Caverns are located along this road. This area of upstate New York, north of the Catskills Mountains, has a number of caves. Intrepid spelunkers can explore on their own, but beginners are best advised to tour one of the commercial caverns.

Howe Caverns is located on a large, well-developed property with a motel, gift shop and outdoor activities. It has an elevator that drops you 156 feet into the earth and the tour includes a boat ride on an underground river. It’s the second most visited attraction in New York State after Niagara Falls. In 1928, another cavern was found nearby. Roger Mallery was working as an engineer developing Howes Cavern at the time. He purchased the newly found cavern up the road and called it Secret Caverns and began to develop it.

Secret Caverns is doesn’t have the huge manicured lawns and buildings found at Howes. It’s a little off-beat and funky. We opted to visit Secret Caverns. Donna had been to Howes before, but this was her first trip to Secret Caverns.

Secret Caverns is still owned by the Mallery family. Being privately owned, they set the rules and the rules are pretty loose. You take the tour with a guide. The guide tells corny jokes and also gives interesting facts. The guide also operates the lighting – turning lights on as you make your way down and turning lights off behind the group.

The first part of the descent into the earth is on steps either cut into the rock or cast from concrete. Water drips from the ceiling in many areas and the steps are mostly wet – along with the hand rail. You’re allowed to touch the walls and take all the pictures you want on this tour.

At the bottom of the 103 steps, the cavern floor becomes a narrow trail that slowly descends. The overhead clearance is low at times, I’m only 5′ 9″ and I had to duck to get through some sections. It’s also narrow enough in places to make your shoulders hunch. The temperature inside the cavern is a constant 50 degrees year ’round.

I won’t try to explain all of the pictures – hopefully they capture some of the feeling in the cave.

Entrance

Cave entry

Calcite flowstone

Narrow passage

100-foot waterfall at the bottom

At the bottom of the cave, there’s a 100-foot waterfall. A subterranean stream empties into the cave. It’s warmer by the waterfall as the water hasn’t cooled as much as the water that seeps through the stone. It’s also very humid by the falls. The waterfall forms a shallow pool before it seeps into the Cobleskill and Schoharie creeks.

On the way back up, the guide stopped us about halfway and turned out the lights. It’s total darkness without artificial light. You can’t see your hand in front of your face! The last part of the tour was climbing up 103 wet steps to exit. It was fun and I recommend the tour.

Afterwards, Donna and I rode through the Howes Cavern property but didn’t stop. It was crowded – it’s a popular place. From there we rode to the Caverns Palace Restaurant and met up with Donna’s parents for lunch. The food was good and it was a great opportunity to visit with Duke and Lorraine before we pulled out of the area.

I spent most of the afternoon packing the trailer and stowing the windshield covers and tire covers. I also checked tire pressures. I drained the water from our fresh water tank. I had filled it at Addison Oaks in Michigan where the water is hard and had lots of iron along with other minerals. I had filtered the water, but the naturally soft water here is so much better. I refilled the tank with 100 gallons of fresh water.

Some people don’t travel with a full fresh water tank – they don’t want the weight. I prefer to have the tank full and the holding tanks empty. You never know what might come up on the road. If you’re stranded or stuck somewhere, plenty of fresh water, holding tank capacity and diesel fuel all come in handy.

I grilled wild salmon on the Traeger wood pellet fired grill for dinner along with sliced red onions wrapped in aluminum foil. Donna served the caramelized onions over the salmon. I’m still learning how to use this grill and unfortunately I overcooked the salmon.

Caramelized red onions on grilled salmon

On Saturday morning, after a brief thundershower, we pulled out of our site and hit the dump station. We made our way up to Amsterdam, New York and headed east on NY29. We drove through back country roads and found a Walmart that allows overnight parking in Queensbury.

Today we’ll make the 20-mile drive to the Lake George Escape campground and meet up with Donna’s sister Linda and her husband Tommy.

Flying The Koop

…from real estate to wheel estate and back again

Category Archives: Restaurants

In Search of Slime

Free Parking and Good Food

Last Weekend in Santa Fe

Loving Santa Fe

Santa Fe Fiesta

Big Texan

Ozark the Travelin’ Cat

Gettysburg

Indian Lake

Secret Caverns

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