MARCH 2008
MEXICO-Queretaro
Saturday 1st Mervyn set off into town,
Howard went on the net (Wifi) for the first time in ages, there was no
Wifi at the Mexico City camp. Mervyn returned from town after
lunch. Sunday
with only 40 miles to go we made a leisurely start. We arrived at
San Miguel De Allende for tea break and shopped before we continued to
La Siesta Hotel to camp. Monday Mervyn went off to
visit the town in the morning and returned to the caravan for lunch, we
had restful afternoon. Tuesday
we made an early start to go to Guanajuato, we detoured on the way to
visit the church at Atontilco. It was closed, so we carried on to
Dolores Hidalgo where we missed the road, taking a longer route but
missing the very narrow streets of Guanajuato. We arrived at the
camp in time for lunch. Wednesday
Mervyn took a bus into town, and returned in time for lunch. We
had a relaxing afternoon. Thursday the journey
north-west continued along the autopiste with it’s tolls. After
tea break we saw two mesas (flat topped mountains). We arrived
after lunch to stop in a beautiful garden, parked on the square road
surrounding the garden. The bougainvillea there had many bright
colours. Friday
we did not make an early start today, but we did not have far to
go. On a fine sunny but windy day we drove along the autopiste,
apart from a diversion, then on to Zacatecas. As we passed
through the town we were stopped by a policeman, who on finding out
where we were heading, provided us with a police escort, in a police
car, to guide us to the hotel. The police man led us to the wrong
hotel. The gateman at this hotel gave us the correct
directions. We were also assisted by a sign at the foot of the
hotels driveway and we soon found our hotel. After we had settled
in we took the cable car from the hotel to the top of the adjacent hill.
Saturday 8th in the morning Mervyn walked down the hill into town and arrived back for a late lunch. Sunday we left Zacatecas, but had to go into the town to another hotel (with the same owners) to empty our waste water tanks. We set off to San Luis Potosi. It was a short day and we arrived before lunch. The first camp was a mess so we moved on to the second, this one only had electricity. Monday we continued northwards to Matehula, crossing the Tropic of Cancer just before the town. We arrived at the camp in time
for lunch. Tuesday the first part of
our journey was across the road to Wal-mart to shop, then we continued
north to Saltillo. On an uneventful day we arrived in the early
afternoon. Wednesday
as we were approaching the end of our first Mexican tour neither of us
felt very well. A rest day was very acceptable. Thursday we made an early
start, Mervyn gave Howard a rest as he was sick following
breakfast. Mervyn drove all day. We ended up at the Pharr
crossing where it took an hour and a half before we were into the
USA. We returned to the same camp in Mission where we were
welcomed back. Friday
we drove down to Camping World to see if they could fix an extra fan to
cool the fridge, “not until next week“. Then we went on to Bert
Ogden’s, Doug wasn’t there, he would be back in an hour. The next stop
was at Wal-mart for stomach medicines and food. We returned to
Bert Ogden’s, Doug said it would be two weeks before he could fit the
window, but he let us take our new window away, there
was no duty to pay. We returned to the camp for the rest of the
very hot day.
Saturday 15th for the first time in ages we could access the net, the computer burned red hot. Apart from that a rest day. Sunday we made a reasonable start but we couldn’t find the Wal-mart Howard remembered. Our journey took us north to Choke Canyon State Park where the camp was full. We found space in the fourth camp we tried. Monday we left later than usual for the drive north and west to Uvalde. We
found a Wal-mart just before lunch in Sabinal,
we shopped there and then lunched in the caravan in the car park.
On to Uvalde where we arrived in the early afternoon. There
was plenty of room. Tuesday
on a cloudy morning, we visited the Alamo Village, the largest outdoor
western film set in the USA. The exterior film sequences for the
film “The Alamo” were filmed in the Alamo mock up. The village is
still used for filming. We arrived in a rain shower, which had
stopped by the time we had had hot chocolate. It was interesting
to visit the site of some Western films. Comstock was near
our next camp in the Seminole Canyon State Park, where it rained quite
heavily. Wednesday
the journey west continued to Marathon, where we were expecting
post. The camp was very easy to find and good, if somewhat noisy,
being next to the road. Thursday
we took a trip into the post office, some of our post had
arrived. We turned south to Big Bend National Park to a nice camp
site at Rio Grande Village where we booked in for four nights. Friday we took a trip to
Boquillas Canyon, a very beautiful scenic area. In the afternoon
we were visited by Art and Gerry, the two Canadians that we had first
met at Poza Rica, Mexico. A 
long chat ensued.
Saturday 22nd Howard borrowed a ladder from Art and fitted the new window over the driver’s seat. We then sealed the window that leaked, A restful afternoon followed by an evening talk by a Park Ranger on “Raptors in the Park”. We awoke Sunday to a gale, Art and Gerry decided to stay ‘till the wind had eased. We invited them in for tea and fresh baked scones. That took care of the morning. In the afternoon we went for a walk nearly being blown over in the process. We missed out the evening talk. Monday We drove to Dagger Flats to see cacti in bloom. We were a week too late. We continued on to Chisos Basin to camp in a beautiful setting surrounded by the Chisos Mountains. Tuesday while we were at breakfast two Mule Deer walked past the caravan. We left the basin to go to Cottonwood, the third camp in the Park. On the way we stopped at the exhibits and overlooks, arriving at Cottonwood after lunch. The afternoon was very hot so we decided to leave the visit to Saint Elena Canyon for the next morning. Early Wednesday morning (at breakfast) the camp was visi
ted by a Javalina, who
grazed the grass for about half an hour. It was only fifty yards
from our van. We then left and drove to the canyon. We had
to climb up and descend into the canyon, the views we saw were well
worth the effort. Our journey continued on to Alpine and a nice
camp just north of the town. While we were in the park we saw several
Road Runners. Thursday
started with a visit to Alpine RV to have our gas checked for
leaks. A leak was found, the joint between the tank and the
pressure regulator had worked loose. It was resealed. We
went back to Marathon to collect our post and returned to the camp
north of Alpine. Friday
we journeyed north to view Fort Davis, a large open fort with no
defensive walls. While we continued on north we passed a herd of
fifteen to twenty Mule Deer grazing next to the roadside fence.
The journey continued on to Monahans Sandhills State Park, via Pecos,
to camp in the middle of the sand dunes.
Saturday 29th was a day of driving north passing oil wells and cotton fields, to camp just north of Lubbock. The sky was overcast for most of the day, but the sun broke through as we camped at 1500. Sunday we took a rest day as Howard wanted to visit the Gallery of Kenneth Wyatt, a Western artist, on the way north. Monday we drove north to Tulia and the Kenneth Wyatt Gallery, we were joined by the artist who chatted to us for thirty minutes. Howard then bought a small print of his favourite picture. We went on to camp just short of Palo Duro Canyon, on a very hot windy afternoon.
Saturday 8th in the morning Mervyn walked down the hill into town and arrived back for a late lunch. Sunday we left Zacatecas, but had to go into the town to another hotel (with the same owners) to empty our waste water tanks. We set off to San Luis Potosi. It was a short day and we arrived before lunch. The first camp was a mess so we moved on to the second, this one only had electricity. Monday we continued northwards to Matehula, crossing the Tropic of Cancer just before the town. We arrived at the camp in time
for lunch. Tuesday the first part of
our journey was across the road to Wal-mart to shop, then we continued
north to Saltillo. On an uneventful day we arrived in the early
afternoon. Wednesday
as we were approaching the end of our first Mexican tour neither of us
felt very well. A rest day was very acceptable. Thursday we made an early
start, Mervyn gave Howard a rest as he was sick following
breakfast. Mervyn drove all day. We ended up at the Pharr
crossing where it took an hour and a half before we were into the
USA. We returned to the same camp in Mission where we were
welcomed back. Friday
we drove down to Camping World to see if they could fix an extra fan to
cool the fridge, “not until next week“. Then we went on to Bert
Ogden’s, Doug wasn’t there, he would be back in an hour. The next stop
was at Wal-mart for stomach medicines and food. We returned to
Bert Ogden’s, Doug said it would be two weeks before he could fit the
window, but he let us take our new window away, there
was no duty to pay. We returned to the camp for the rest of the
very hot day.Saturday 15th for the first time in ages we could access the net, the computer burned red hot. Apart from that a rest day. Sunday we made a reasonable start but we couldn’t find the Wal-mart Howard remembered. Our journey took us north to Choke Canyon State Park where the camp was full. We found space in the fourth camp we tried. Monday we left later than usual for the drive north and west to Uvalde. We
found a Wal-mart just before lunch in Sabinal,
we shopped there and then lunched in the caravan in the car park.
On to Uvalde where we arrived in the early afternoon. There
was plenty of room. Tuesday
on a cloudy morning, we visited the Alamo Village, the largest outdoor
western film set in the USA. The exterior film sequences for the
film “The Alamo” were filmed in the Alamo mock up. The village is
still used for filming. We arrived in a rain shower, which had
stopped by the time we had had hot chocolate. It was interesting
to visit the site of some Western films. Comstock was near
our next camp in the Seminole Canyon State Park, where it rained quite
heavily. Wednesday
the journey west continued to Marathon, where we were expecting
post. The camp was very easy to find and good, if somewhat noisy,
being next to the road. Thursday
we took a trip into the post office, some of our post had
arrived. We turned south to Big Bend National Park to a nice camp
site at Rio Grande Village where we booked in for four nights. Friday we took a trip to
Boquillas Canyon, a very beautiful scenic area. In the afternoon
we were visited by Art and Gerry, the two Canadians that we had first
met at Poza Rica, Mexico. A long chat ensued.Saturday 22nd Howard borrowed a ladder from Art and fitted the new window over the driver’s seat. We then sealed the window that leaked, A restful afternoon followed by an evening talk by a Park Ranger on “Raptors in the Park”. We awoke Sunday to a gale, Art and Gerry decided to stay ‘till the wind had eased. We invited them in for tea and fresh baked scones. That took care of the morning. In the afternoon we went for a walk nearly being blown over in the process. We missed out the evening talk. Monday We drove to Dagger Flats to see cacti in bloom. We were a week too late. We continued on to Chisos Basin to camp in a beautiful setting surrounded by the Chisos Mountains. Tuesday while we were at breakfast two Mule Deer walked past the caravan. We left the basin to go to Cottonwood, the third camp in the Park. On the way we stopped at the exhibits and overlooks, arriving at Cottonwood after lunch. The afternoon was very hot so we decided to leave the visit to Saint Elena Canyon for the next morning. Early Wednesday morning (at breakfast) the camp was visi
ted by a Javalina, who
grazed the grass for about half an hour. It was only fifty yards
from our van. We then left and drove to the canyon. We had
to climb up and descend into the canyon, the views we saw were well
worth the effort. Our journey continued on to Alpine and a nice
camp just north of the town. While we were in the park we saw several
Road Runners. Thursday
started with a visit to Alpine RV to have our gas checked for
leaks. A leak was found, the joint between the tank and the
pressure regulator had worked loose. It was resealed. We
went back to Marathon to collect our post and returned to the camp
north of Alpine. Friday
we journeyed north to view Fort Davis, a large open fort with no
defensive walls. While we continued on north we passed a herd of
fifteen to twenty Mule Deer grazing next to the roadside fence.
The journey continued on to Monahans Sandhills State Park, via Pecos,
to camp in the middle of the sand dunes.Saturday 29th was a day of driving north passing oil wells and cotton fields, to camp just north of Lubbock. The sky was overcast for most of the day, but the sun broke through as we camped at 1500. Sunday we took a rest day as Howard wanted to visit the Gallery of Kenneth Wyatt, a Western artist, on the way north. Monday we drove north to Tulia and the Kenneth Wyatt Gallery, we were joined by the artist who chatted to us for thirty minutes. Howard then bought a small print of his favourite picture. We went on to camp just short of Palo Duro Canyon, on a very hot windy afternoon.
USA-Texas-Tulia