Crawling Caravan

Yuma to New Braunfels

Day 1 - Yuma, AZ to Willcox, AZ

Leaving my brother and sister-in-law in Yuma, Arizona left me with mixed emotions - sad to be leaving their company yet eager to get back to the east coast to see my kids and grandkids this summer.

Our friends Trevor and Roni whom we met in Georgia are also full-time RVrs originally from Minnesota.  It turns out that they would be traveling through Texas the same time as we.  So, we decided to caravan across southern Texas together.  They'd done this route before and were happy to lead the way.  We were extremely grateful to Roni for her time and effort in planning the travel itinerary and for splitting the miles up making manageable days for us.  Trevor and Roni travel in a motorhome and are a bit younger and more energetic than we.  They are able to go further distances in one day but were gracious enough to slow their pace to a crawl to accommodate us.

Trevor and Roni leading the way.

It is a pretty morning with mist on the desert and at base of the foothills as we set out.  Although G plans to follow he soon puts the pedal to the medal and passes Trevor.  At the Border Patrol Checkpoint G moves into the far right lane and mistakenly follows other vehicles off the exit.  He stops next to the uniformed Border Patrol Agent and sheepishly admits that he did not mean to exit and asks how he is supposed to get back on the highway. 

"You're not going to Mexico?" Asks the deadpan humorous agent with a straight face. 

We bust out laughing and watch Trevor and Roni's motorhome fly past on the highway we just exited.  G merges back onto the highway, catches Trevor and decides to let him lead.

 

 Eastern Arizona

 

We are heading toward Tucson, AZ, and I notice that cactus is plentiful on the desert.  Now down to half a tank of fuel, we stop in Casa Grande for fuel.  Leaving the cab of our truck, I discover that a window on the back of our rig has popped open.  I go inside and need to move the door slide out a bit to get past the kitchen island to the open window and find that a bottle of wine in the fridge has been leaking onto the kitchen floor for the past two hours.  Our rig smells like there has been a wine tasting party going on in there.  I clean it up, close the open window, pull in the slide, hop back in the truck cab, and our caravan continues. 

Between Bensen and Willcox, AZ there is a place where huge boulders were deposited thousands of years ago at a particular place on the desert.  There is a rest area in the midst of this rocky phenomenon. 

Look at the size of these boulders!

We stop at Willcox, AZ for the night.  We pull into side-by-side RV sites, and Roni asks me if I remembered to deflate my Sleep Number bed.  I admit that I did not.  As we traveled eastward the elevation rose from nearly sea level in Yuma to about 5,000.  I check the bed.  It is rock hard.  The remote indicates that both air mattresses have increased to their capacity of 100!

Day 2 - Willcox, AZ to Van Horn, TX.

In eastern Arizona we cross a vast grassy plain with foothills.  I see a lake in this grassy desert plain and turn to G.  We've been in the desert since November and have not seen much water.

"Is that a lake or is it a mirage?"  I ask.

Signs indicate blowing dust areas with zero visibility possible.  We are thankful that there is no wind today.  We cross the border into New Mexico and see a billboard with a cowboy character on it that reads: Whoa pardner!  No drinkin' and drivin' allowed.

We decide to explore one of the Ghost Towns in New Mexico.  Trevor leads the way to Shakespeare's Ghost Town.  The sign points to a right-hand dirt road.  Trevor bravely starts down the dusty road with his 36 foot motorhome towing a car.  He crosses a cattle guard and G says he does not want to risk it with our rig.  However, we are somewhat committed and must go forward or back up.  The caravan halts and Roni googles the ghost town website and calls the website number.  A man assures her that we will be able to turn our rigs around if we proceed.  However, the ghost town is not open today.  Tentatively our caravan proceeds down the rough, dusty road that opens into a spacious area for turning.

Turning our 37 foot 5th wheel around.

Trevor had to unhitch their car because the turn was too tight.  It all turned out okay, and we even got to take in some nice views.

We continue on and kept seeing billboard after billboard advertising a historic trading post.  We decide to stop and the caravan exits.  We get a look at the small, dilapidated-looking trading post and feel strangely misled and let down.  Inside, we discover that all the goods are made in China and India, and we are seriously disappointed.

We decide to head for our destination with no more detours.  We cross the Continental Divide and pass through Las Cruces.  We cross the border into Texas in early afternoon.  A sign greets us.  "Drive Friendly - The Texas Way."

As we pass through El Paso, Texas we get a glimpse into Mexico on a curve of the highway that runs close to the southern American border.  I look to my right and stare at hundreds of poor-looking block houses dotting the hillsides in Mexico just over the border.  At first I don't comprehend what I am looking at.  The difference between the landscape on my right and left is drastic.  My cell phone rings; it's Roni informing me that I am looking at Mexico.  The highway veers away from the border, and that is my last look at Mexico.

After awhile I see a billboard that reads:  "After you die you will meet God."

The speed limit on I-10 is 80 miles per hour.  We stick to 65.  It is sunny.  There is no wind.  G and I conclude that it is so much nicer traveling with friends than alone.  We stop and rest in Van Horn, Texas for the night.

Day 3 - Van Horn, TX to Junction, TX

All ready to roll, we hop into the cab of the pickup, and G starts the engine.  He presses a button that reports important information regarding our truck such as tire pressure, oil life, fuel filter life, fuel capacity with estimated miles left on the fuel, etc.  The tire sensor indicates that the right rear tire is low at 53 psi.  Our departure is delayed while we get out the air compressor and add air to the tire.  G suspects the tire may have a slow leak.  We travel a little over 300 miles and rest for the night in Junction, Texas.

Day 4 - Junction, TX to New Braunfels, TX

In the morning G checks the right rear tire and needs to add air again.  Definitely a slow leak.  We'll have the tire looked at and fixed once we arrive in New Braunfels.  (It turned out to be a sheet metal screw in our tire.)  We are thankful that it was a slow leak and not an instant flat or a blow-out.

We find Texas is prettier than Arizona.  Everyone describes it as flat.  We don't find that to be true.  Southern Texas is hillier than Yuma, AZ!  We are pausing in New Braunfels for a spell and exploring the area.  We feel at home here, and we find that the saying is true...everything IS bigger in Texas.

 

These are fine sun hats.  They will keep the hot Texas sun off your face, as well as your body and the five people nearest to you!