Last Days at City of Rocks – April 2019

April 11, 2019October 11, 2019 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Tuesday April 9: After breakfast, Clifford and I go with our friends to the Botanical Gardens here at City of Rocks State Park in New Mexico where we are all camped. Then we hike through the rocks, not on the trail, but wherever our meanderings take us. We find a big “cave” in the overhang of a large boulder and spend time here in the shade as we visit.

Visiting the Botanical Gardens with our friends

In the afternoon, we all work on our various projects. Our friends make dinner for all of us this evening, which I especially appreciate, since I am most usually (like nearly always) chief-cook-and-bottle-washer. It is nice to have someone else take on this important responsibility.

We have been checking the weather frequently, as tomorrow was to be our leaving day. However, we see that it will be too windy for us, with gusts up to 60 mph on our intended route. There is sleet in Montana where my brother Rollie is headed, with a forecast for snow, possibly a lot of snow from the “cyclone bomb” that is hitting Colorado tonight and tomorrow. It is normal to be windy on the east side of the Rockies in the spring, but some of weather we are seeing and hearing about goes way beyond normal.

Wednesday April 10: It is windy and windier, with a temperature variation between the low last night and the high today of only 2 degrees. The sky is pale with dust, no doubt from the high winds. Our friends left very early to try to beat the inclement weather and high winds, but we heard later from them that it was a very harrowing drive for many miles. It would have been worse for us in the direction of our next destination. During the day we notice no one (other than our friends) leaving and no one coming into this usually active state park. We are staying beyond the 14-day limit, as are others who cannot travel today.

Cookes Peak nearly obscured by blowing dust

The wind is wearying and I head to bed as soon as the dishes are done. I have scarcely had time to fall asleep when Clifford wakes me up to find out where the mouse traps are. Traps are set and a mouse caught before I am even back asleep. Hope that was the only one!

Thursday April 11: It is not quite as windy this morning, so I go for a walk and take a few photos with plans to go back when the sun is in a more optimal position.

The “cave” where we all sat in the shade yesterday

However, by afternoon it is too windy to go hiking in the rocks again. We work on CI projects: MeWe, Friends of CI for our fund-raising platform, and start the quarterly newsletter. In the afternoon, we go for a short walk, very chilly, and back at the campsite, we pack up all the outside chairs, tables, solar panel, and so on, as we intend to leave in the morning. Other than the wind, we have enjoyed our stay here, but it is time to move northward. We have things to do and people to see!

City of Rocks Days – April 2019

April 8, 2019October 10, 2019 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Sunday April 7: Beautiful blue sky for much of the day here at City of Rocks New Mexico State Park where Clifford and I are camped. This is a real treat after several days of wind and scummy skies.

Beautiful blue sky at City of Rocks State Park

Our campsite at City of Rocks State Park with a great blue sky in the background

We have fruit for breakfast this morning, then go out to say good-bye to Rollie. He is packed and nearly ready to head out, on his way to Montana where he will spend the next several months playing bluegrass music whenever he can..

We have a CI business call and then I talk to my daughter Becka. Nice to have cell service here, but today the hotspot is very marginal, so I’m not getting as much done as I’d like. No blog posted today, but I do manage to get a couple photos posted on FB. I reorganize my bench, a big improvement, as anyone living in small spaces knows.

Clifford and I are both able to spend time outside playing our instruments today – dulcimer and the long-awaited penny whistle for him, viola for me. An afternoon walkabout gives me a chance to admire the cacti that are beginning to bloom. I noticed the buds several days before, but now they are starting to open.

Painterly presentation of cacti blossoms

In the evening, Clifford has a call with his brothers, so dinner is late, but it is nice enough outside that we are able to sit at the picnic table to eat. I finish out the day with writing in the journal. Clifford has his ham radio and always has projects of one sort or another going on.

Monday April 8: This morning we are watching to see if an electric site opens up for our friends who are coming from Colorado, but none do. We pay for a pretty spot on the opposite of the rocks so that they will have a spot when they arrive. This park seems to fill up every evening.

Before our friends arrive, we make a trip to the Faywood post office, about 10 miles on up the highway, to pick up our general delivery mail.

A painterly Cookes Peak peaks over the foreground hills

Once our friends arrive and get set up in their campsite, they discover a swarm of bees in the tree right next to the picnic table, and then hiking through the rocks to visit us, they encounter a rattlesnake. So…. they pack up and move to the kokopelli site right next to us, which was not available earlier. This will be much more convenient for visiting and they come over to our site to have dinner with us. Later, we ladies head to our respective RV’s, while the men stay out until late, continuing their conversation. We will have more time to visit and hike tomorrow.

Checking out City of Rocks – April 2019

April 6, 2019October 10, 2019 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Friday April 5: Kind of a dark stormy looking sky when I go out this morning, creating a dramatic ambiance at City of Rocks New Mexico State Park where Clifford and I are camped.

The formation at the Visitors Center of City of Rocks State Park

After breakfast, my brother Rollie, who just arrived yesterday, and I drive around the lava knoll, about a two mile loop. There are lots of sites tucked in here and there in the rocks around the perimeter of the loop, but not many are suitable for motor homes or even rigs as big as Cougar.

Clifford has an assurance that the missing penny whistle is at the Deming post office, so he and Rollie run to Deming together and I have Cougar to myself for a couple of hours. That is a rarity! I listen to CD’s as I put away groceries from yesterday’s errand day, sweep, and dance to music. When they return, Clifford finally has his penny whistle. Rollie brings his instruments over and we get set up to play bluegrass music outside. After only a couple pieces, the wind comes up, so we pack everything up and move over to Rollie’s motor home to continue playing inside out of the wind.

Rollie’s rig in the cul d sac near Clifford and me

We have a chicken dinner and then I play a game of cribbage with Rollie before taking care of dishes.

Saturday April 6: I have coffee with Rollie this morning at his rig while Clifford listens to his ham radio net. Back at our site as I’m making breakfast, the ham radio is especially static-filled, so I go out to the picnic table to eat and enjoy the sunshine.

After breakfast, Clifford and I take Rollie up to the viewpoint at the “Village,” as I call the nearby hill with the smaller cluster of lava rocks.

Yucca at the viewpoint
Great long views
Ocotillo blossom

Cookes Peak to the east looking painterly from the view point

Back down at the “city,” we walk through the Botanical Garden to a much smaller outlying group of rocks.

Clifford on the trail to the outlying cluster near the Botanical Garden

Clifford suggests lunch in Silver City, which sounds like a great fun plan, so off we go, driving about 30 miles to the Adobe Cafe, our favorite restaurant in Silver City.

After we return from Silver City, I take my viola over to Rollie’s to play music. We start outside, but soon move in out of the wind. Darn wind – it is warm enough to be outside, but the wind makes it hard. It is fun to be playing music with Rollie, whether we are inside or out. As usual, Clifford is our appreciative audience and we are glad he is there.

I walk in the rocks at sunset, my favorite time to be there, along with sunrise, which is also a good time.

Before heading to bed, I review The Four Agreements: “Don’t Take Anything Personally.” Sometimes the events in our lives feel personally hurtful, but the wisdom of The Four Agreements is worth taking to heart.

City of Rocks – April 2019

April 4, 2019October 3, 2019 Carol Carnicom1 Comment

Wednesday April 3: I walk in the rocks at City of Rocks New Mexico State Park an extra long time this morning, as it is calm for a change and the sky is a beautiful blue. I delight in each new and each familiar place where the meanderings take me.

Morning Light

I spend much of the day on emails, editing, and get the next blog posted. Clifford and I work together on CI projects, updating the fund-raising campaigns that we have been working on in preparation for his talk in Santa Fe coming up later this month. He also works on music for the dulcimer, devising his own tablature system for it.

By afternoon it is too windy to even be outside, so I’m glad I spent the time walking this morning.

Token afternoon photo – wildflowers at the campsite

Thursday April 4: My brother Rollie and his little dog, Ninja, arrive mid-morning. I go around with him to help find a spot big enough for his motor home. He decides on the cul d sac next to where we are set up.

Rollie sets up in a cul d sac in the rocks

Clifford and I run into Deming to take care of errands, pick up supplies, and try to track down the missing penny whistle that Clifford had ordered from Ireland. It was not sent as instructed, and neither UPS or USPS seem to have it.

Back at camp, I go for an evening walk in the rocks with Rollie, as this place is all new to him.

Rollie and Ninja enjoy an outing in the City of Rocks

After the walk, Rollie comes to our place for chili dinner. I win the game of cribbage tonight, but win or lose, I am the one who does the dishes. LOL

A Hike at City of Rocks – April 2019

April 2, 2019September 26, 2019 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Monday April 1: It is a chilly 33 degrees this morning at City of Rocks New Mexico State Park where we are camped, but not so windy as the last several days. I go for a short walk in the rocks before jumping into projects for the day: editing, answering emails, and sending a couple of agent queries in regard to Novels of Shannon, an epic fantasy written by Ang MacDonald, who happens to be my daughter. Definitely an engaging story for fantasy lovers. Then Clifford and I sit outside to start an outline for the book we anticipate writing — the story behind Carnicom Institute. In the evening I go for a longer walk in the rocks.

Looking toward Cookes Peak from the rocks

Labyrinth of pathways…
… designed by nature

Tuesday April 2: It is cloudy and calm this morning, so I have a little campfire and sit out to write in the journal after a short walk in the rocks. Clifford is listening to his morning ham radio nets. Then he tries to figure out if the penny whistle ordered from Ireland has been delivered to the Deming post office where he is supposed to pick it up.

Once he has exhausted the UPS search, we go to the Visitors Center, as they have an excellent display showing the exact location of the volcano that created City of Rocks.

One of numerous plaques describing the formation of the City of Rocks

After the Visitors Center, we drive to the smaller cluster of rocks that I call “the village,” located on a hill set apart from the main cluster. There is a great view of the City of Rocks from the overlook, but it is very windy up here and not really a great place to hang out.

Looking down at the City of Rocks from “the village”

We meet an interesting woman who is boondocking up here in her van. Then we go to the Cienga Trail, which is just off the road into the Visitors Center and camping area. We were thinking of only going in a quarter mile, but ended up doing the 2-mile loop…. hot, dry and windy.

I was glad to get back to camp.

Back at camp – the view from our front door

At sunset, I hike up to a high point in the rocks and take only a couple photos before I discover that my phone is out of battery. By time I get back to Cougar to get a small USB charger, the color has faded. It is still pretty, but too subtle for a good photo.

Playing viola this evening, I run through Suzuki Book II, a change from the usual bluegrass tunes. I am tempted to finish the next blog, but it is already close to bedtime, so let it go. Clifford plays his dulcimer awhile, which is a fine and good thing at the end of the day.

Windy Days at City of Rocks – March 2019

March 31, 2019September 23, 2019 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Friday March 29: This morning at City of Rocks New Mexico State Park, I get up earlier than usual, still wanting to sleep, but also wanting to get photos at sunrise. Sunrise wins and out I go, taking quite a few photos, though the warm color doesn’t last long.

I walk to the Visitors Center and then around the loop as far as the Botanical Garden, taking a few photos before heading through the rocks back to our campsite.

Clifford and I work on fund-raising campaigns for Carnicom Institute again today and I finish editing the book proposal for an author that we know. I send a few texts with photos and check Facebook, posting photos there, but cell service is not great at City of Rocks, so don’t spend much time fussing with the net.

We have to pull in the awning because of the wind, which is strong enough to topple Clifford’s radio antenna. In fact, it is so windy I don’t even go out to take photos at sunset.

Saturday March 30: The wind continues with jet trails marring the sky; I scarcely go out for photos today.

We both work on fund-raising campaigns and email for CI. I send texts with photos to family, finish a blog, edit more photos, and take care of phone calls. Clifford plays his dulcimer and works on the presentation he will be giving in Santa Fe. Chicken and left-overs for dinner. Although we accomplished some stuff today, it wasn’t exactly a fun photo-opp day.

Sunday March 31: It is a chilly 34 degrees this morning, but not quite so windy as I walk down to the Visitors Center this morning. I am happy to see a good blue sky as I walk.

Back at camp during my morning quiet time, I read the poem by Mary Oliver about the golden snow geese, which touches my heart, as I had that same experience at Bosque del Apache in New Mexico many years ago when snow geese were flying in right at sundown. Anyone who loves nature should read Mary Oliver’s poems. She has such a way of resonating with the soul.

Projects include another blog and working on the campaigns in preparation for the talk in Santa Fe. In the afternoon, Clifford and I both walk in the rocks, which is more fun than walking by myself.

Hiking in the rocks

Clifford in the rocks
Me wearing my desert hat

It is not quite so windy, and when we get back to camp, we take a look at the awning to figure out why it has been hard to get in and out properly. We discover the side arm is jammed into the boom on one side. Once we get that fixed, we make a flow chart of the steps required to get the awning in and out, and post it on a 4 x 6 card above the door.

City of Rocks Arrival – March 2019

March 28, 2019September 23, 2019 Carol Carnicom1 Comment

Wednesday March 27: Clifford and I are up a little earlier this morning, our last morning at Rock Hound New Mexico State Park. I make tea for the road, we finish packing and are on our way to City of Rocks New Mexico State Park by 9:30. It is not a long drive, as City of Rocks is only about 30 miles north of Deming, New Mexico. When we arrive, there is only one first-come first serve electric site open, and just as we are about to pull into it, some lady comes and plunks down a chair and sort of says sorry, not that she’s really sorry. She’s glad she snagged it before we did.

There aren’t a lot of sites in City of Rocks that are suitable for bigger RV’s, not that Cougar is huge, but she still needs more level ground and room for slide-out. We drive around and see a couple campsites that could work, and in the end we pick one near the “kokopelli site” where we first camped with our old Terry Resort trailer several years ago.

The kokopelli pictograph where we camped years ago

It is tricky getting backed into this site, but Clifford does an excellent job. Cougar is leveled, slide-out out, awing up, and we are tucked into the rocks with much more privacy than we would have had in the electric site. Also, there is immediate access to the rocks for hiking. So, in the end, this is a better spot for us and we are quite pleased with it.

Once we are in place, I go for a walk in the rocks.

Thursday March 28: I get up earlier this morning so I can walk in the rocks at first light. Mucky haze on the horizon dampens the light, but I walk anyway, loving the meandering of the pathways through the rocks.

Big boulders reflect early morning light

This boulder pile out in the desert basin was created by a volcanic eruption from the Emory Caldera, centered near Hillsboro Peak at the southern end of the Black Range, 30 million years ago, with wind and water erosion shaping these monolithic blocks, some 40 feet tall.

Formations created from lava after a volcano 30 million years ago

One of numerous balanced rocks found at City of Rocks

In the morning we work on CI projects: emails and a fund-raising campaign. In the afternoon, I edit a book proposal for an author and Clifford continues his preparation for the talk to be given in Santa Fe in later April.

Near sundown, I go for another walk in the rocks, as the colors at the last light of day are quite spectacular.

Light from the setting sun turns the west-facing rocks golden

I am not the only one catching the setting sun

After a dinner of breakfast burritos, I complete and publish a blog while Clifford watches documentaries on some of his favorite musicians. This was a very enjoyable day.

Last Days at Rock Hound – March 2019

March 26, 2019September 21, 2019 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Monday March 25: Not a very interesting day here at Rock Hound New Mexico State Park where we are camped, as far as photos or outings go. We run errands in Deming, including the laundromat. Nice to have clean clothes and groceries. Leftovers for dinner and then we sit out for a bit to watch the sunset even though the sky has been messed up with spraying all day. Nice light on the cacti, however.

Sitting out at sunset
Nice light on the cacti

Tuesday March 26: It was super windy all night and much of the day, but I managed to sneak in a few shots of the poppies and another wildflower that I see as I walk back and forth from the bathhouse.

After putting away the clean clothes from yesterday’s outing to the laundromat, I take care of emails, texts with photos, and start reading an interesting book on life-saving foods. How to stay healthy is always of interest to me. Clifford is busy with his projects – ham radio and preparing for the upcoming presentation in Santa Fe. The rest of the day is spent packing up everything from outside that can be put away, as well as much of the inside stuff, as today is our last day here.

In the evening, I go for a walk on the Thunder Egg Trail and catch a few shots of the setting sun. Our stay here has been good, but I am not especially sad to leave it, either.

More of Rock Hound – March 2019

March 24, 2019September 21, 2019 Carol CarnicomLeave a comment

Saturday March 23: It is calm this morning, so I walk to the entrance of Rock Hound New Mexico State Park where we are camped, as I saw a nice stand of poppies there. By time I get there, I only get a few shots before the wind starts to blow. Poppies waving about are pretty, but not well-suited for photos.

Today we work on more fund-raising campaigns for Carnicom Institute, as well taking care of CI email. I work on another blog and play viola inside, as it is too windy outside. Clifford continues with his preparation for his talk in Santa Fe in April. He also flies his kite with the new tails that he put on it.

Sunday March 24: This morning, coming back from taking a shower at the bathhouse, I take a detour on the Thunder Egg Trail, going just a short ways to photography some flowers. Kneeling down, wearing my wool poncho and my head still wrapped in a towel, I startle some guy who is going for a hike. But then, when he realizes I am just an ordinary human with my wet hair wrapped in a towel, we have a good conversation about various places we have camped.

Wildflowers on Thunder Egg Trail

After breakfast, Clifford and I continue with the fund-raising campaigns. Once we get a couple more done, we hike the Thunder Egg Trail from one side of the campground, across the face of the mesa, and down to the far side of the campground. It is quite windy, but at least the sky is blue so the photos look pretty good.

Yucca and prickly pear are abundant along Thunder Egg Trail

Rugged mesa looms ahead; luckily the trail takes us back to the campground

Back at the campsite, I work on another blog, write in the journal, and try to figure out why I’m not seeing cell photos in the Google Cloud. Technology just leaves me baffled sometimes, actually often! But I sure am grateful for the cell phone allowing me to take and share photos so readily.

Rock Hound Days – March 2019

March 22, 2019September 19, 2019 Carol Carnicom1 Comment

Wednesday March 20: It was super windy all night here at Rock Hound New Mexico State Park, so I didn’t sleep well, and the wind continues throughout the day. After breakfast, we start the accounting for 2018. Once done, we walk to the Visitors Center, just to get out. The Visitors Center is already closed for the day, but a short Nature Trail provides a diversion before we head back to our campsite.

We sit out to watch the sunset before dinner. Viola, email, text, and journal finish out the day.

Thursday March 21: Today is another windy day, but I get photos of the poppies before it gets too bad. After breakfast, we start the 2018 taxes. Mostly Clifford does the taxes, but I am in charge of receipts and check book register and can be called upon to clarify expenses now and then. Mostly I work on the next blog. Once the taxes are done, I take care of email, as well as sending texts with photos to family.

Love…
Love…
Poppies!

In the afternoon, we start the 2019 accounting. Taking a break, we sit outside to watch the sunset. Soup for dinner, as it is too late to do anything more than that. Clifford watches a documentary on the Civil War, which is extremely depressing and hard to ignore. I keep working on the blog, but this documentary is a very unpleasant way to end the day.

Friday March 22: Today we start working on fund-raising campaigns for Carnicom Institute. These campaigns will form the basis of the prospective changes to the direction of CI and are needed for the presentation that Clifford will be giving in Santa Fe in April.

It is relatively calm this morning, so we decide to make an outing to Spring Creek, just a few miles away in the Florida Mountains, a small but very rugged mountain range in southwest New Mexico. Las Floridas was the name given because of the expanses of California poppies that used to bloom on the lower slopes. Due to changes in climate, fewer poppies bloom in New Mexico, but the name remains.

The rugged Florida Mountains – Las Floridas

We drive up the mountain to the end of the road looking for the Spring Creek trailhead.

There are several picnic tables and shelters at the end of the road, but we are the only ones here. The wind has come up again, so Clifford flies his kite.

Looking at the kiosk map, we see that the trail from here, the Lovers’ Leap Trail, is very steep. The Spring Creek Trail is back down the way we came, but not marked. We eventually find the overgrown road that once led to picnic tables on the mountainside, a road long since abandoned in favor of the current road.

Walking along this abandoned road, we find the Spring Creek trail, obviously not used often, along the rocky side of a ravine. It looks like a great place to find rattlesnakes, with hundreds of rocky hiding places. Yikes!

Spring Creek Trail
Clifford stops to wait for me

The trail goes up a steep draw to a ridge, and about the time I’m ready to turn back, Clifford, who has gone on ahead, finds the dry creek bed, which leads to a small spring.

Yes, this is the trail with lots of places for rattlesnakes to hide

The water flows out over the rocks in the shade of juniper and scrub oak trees. We find big rocks to sit on and relax in this cool moist spot. Going up was taxing for the cardio-vascular system, going down is hard on the knees, and we stay ever-vigilant for snakes.

Relaxing at the spring
Leaving the shade and the spring

Looking back up the trail; staying ever-vigilant for rattlesnakes

Back at camp, it is still early enough to make a trip to Deming for errands. When we return, naps are in order, as it has been a very busy day. Later, Clifford flies his kite in the campground, which is fine until the long tail gets caught in a tall ocotillo. This is not a good thing, but Clifford figures a clever way to get the kite tail out of the thorny bush.

Clifford getting kite tail out of the ocotillo

In the evening, I pick photos for the next blog, send texts with photos, and check Facebook after posting a photo there, while Clifford works on his projects. What a jam-packed day!

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