Racing through New Mexico, Texas Here We Come!

Willcox, Texas was a hoot and we were very happy we found it.  We will explore the area South of there next year.  The next leg of our trip seemed to indicate that we were going to be spending a night in or close to, El Paso.  After an hour of searching and reading reviews on the Internet we could still not find a suitable RV site.  The reviews were horrible and several included profanity.   We gave up for the night.

It was time for a hot tub.  A couple, 10 years our senior, were already relaxing.  After introducing ourselves and being asked; "Where are you headed", we mentioned El Paso.  Last words we spoke for the next hour.  The lady hammered home that El Paso was overrun with violence, drug cartels, border raids, sirens and filth.  She then gave us the oral version of Woodall's RV guide and AAA travel attraction listings all the way to Florida (where they too were headed).  It all turned into a blur and we did not know how to escape but we were able to confirm that there was a very nice RV Park in a tiny town called VanHorn, two hours East of El Paso, that also had a hot tub.  Sold! Eagle's Nest RV did not have a website and Google could not find them but our destination was set...

The desert driving speed increased to 80mph.  We stuck to 65.  The interstate rest stops are frequent and very well adorned, including shade trees.  Some even have coffee outlets.  No matter how nice they are, the desert just seems to go on forever. What beauty there is was destroyed by the blight of hundreds of Wind Farms covering so much of the high ground. Not our cup of tea.
We went through three 'Homeland Security' road stops and at one we were asked; "Who's in the back?".  I thought he wanted to see Kyle so I rolled the window down but he was asking about the trailer.  All I know is; Kaye put on lipstick after the first stop.  I guess he was 'hot'.

The traffic and expanse of El Paso was not something we expected.  The city seemed to carry on like LA, sprawling over the hills with no end in sight. The I10 literally follows the Mexican border for miles and miles with several huge bridges acting as border crossing roads.  The traffic was nuts but it all flowed at 70+mph.  


We stopped at a McDonalds to hook up to their WiFi and try and confirm a reservation at Eagle's Nest.  No WiFi.  Little English.  But tons of filth. There is a recycling fee when you buy items but there is no 'return' for refund.  The open land behind the truck stop and McDonalds contained enough beer bottles, plastic bottles and other garbage to overflow our little land fill in the Comox Valley.  I could not even let Kyle wander to pee on a bush because of the broken glass... the lady in the hot tub was right!

Two hours later I pulled off the Interstate and 'Bitching Betty' took us to Main Street VanHorn.  Eagles Nest RV was totally boarded up, along with many other shops on the single street town. Crap.  We idled along the street and spied another RV Park right before the sign for rejoining the Interstate.  Desert Willow, a tiny place, only a couple of trailers.  $25 total, full hook-ups, satellite cable, WiFi (secure!), pick your own spot.  The bathroom/showers were brand new, tiled from floor to ceiling and show home quality.  Kyle even got a 'treat bag' from the check-in office.

As I was setting up, I noticed the flash of light from an electric welding stick at a shop across the street.  It was Sunday!  Our bike rack holder had developed a bad crack bouncing down the back roads of the desert which had forced us to store the bikes in the trailer.  A real pain in the butt.  I wandered across the street and introduced myself to 'Willy'.  His English was; "no so good" but his welding looked fine.  I pointed and talked with my hands, he said a lot of "Si" and "I come see".  Willy came, complete with his welding truck. Kaye offered him an orange juice, he measured, then cut and trimmed a steel support plate and welded it to the bumper of the trailer around my hitch.  He worked for nearly two hours.  When done I asked for the cost and he looked at his watch and then upwards to the now darkened sky, on a Sunday, in the middle of nowhere, and said; "Fifty", he got $60 and another orange juice.  Outstanding.

So Thank-You Desert Willow, VanHorn and of course the couple from the hot tub.  We half expected them to show up at our site but I guess they carried on when they found Eagles Nest closed. Kyle got a super off leash walk, I did not even have to unhook the trailer and the showers were almost as good as a hot tub.

The secure, fast, WiFi allowed us to post our pictures, catch up on banking, call relatives and plan where to go next.  I wanted off the Interstate but still keep to a general line for the Gulf Coast.  We picked the 290E, North of San Antonio.  The travel book had a huge write-up about a town called Fredericksburg, Tx the hometown of Admiral Nimitz and a German heritage dating to the early 1800s.  

Hint, put Fredericksburg, Tx onto your Bucket List... More to come.