Friday, March 24, 2017

Tucumcari, New Mexico

Friday, March 24, 2017

My location:  Tucumcari, New Mexico – Love’s Truck Stop

(Continued from yesterday)

As I slipped into Chloride, New Mexico, I started taking photos.  I could tell immediately the Chloride community took pride in their little town and had remodeled many of the original old mining homes and buildings.

I parked right across from the Pioneer Store and museum and walked through the town.  Not very big.  Has one main street and that is dirt.   The town has the look and feel of an old western town you see in the cowboy movies.  Even has the rails to tie your horse.  Most of the buildings are open for business, but probably not much business.

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This sign refers to the building below it.

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This is the sign hanging in front of the building above.

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As I entered Chloride, I noticed a sign to my right for the town’s cemetery.  As I was leaving,  I drove up the dirt road to see it.  The road was so steep going up the hill, I had to put the Jeep in four wheel drive.   Wonder how they have funeral processions.

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There were fairly new residents, but many were very old.  The stones were hand carved on some of them and some were just wooden crosses.  Looks like they leave the grounds in their natural state.

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This is the view as I looked East towards the Caballo Mountains.  They bury their dead high up on a hill overlooking the whole area.

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This house was right in front of me as I turned the first curve leaving Chloride.  Very nice and colorful home.

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Heading home, I should have known the weather was going to get bad.  The wind had picked up and there was dust everywhere.  As we were leaving the hills, it was spitting wet snow.

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Sam Mateo Peak was giving me a warning the weather is changing in his mountains.  I got back to the RV around 5 o’clock and the temperature was dropping like a rock.  Yesterday, I had the AC on and tonight I will need to turn on the furnace.  Weather changes fast!

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---------------This is today’s post ---------------------

The wind became fierce in the little valley in the mountains where I parked the RV.  Went to bed hoping that the wind would die down soon.  But, that was not to be.  By 2 A.M., I wanted to get out of bed and hook the Jeep and get out of there, but the wind was so bad, I was afraid I would hurt myself in the dark, so I waited till first light.  The sustained howling wind must have been in the 30’s or 40’s and the gusts might have hit 70 mph.  Needless to say, Yuma and I didn’t get any sleep last night.

At 5:30, I put on all my warm clothes and braved the howling winds and got everything hooked up and the inside packed and we were heading down the mountainside by 6:30.  The wind was better in the desert, but it was still bad.

I didn’t stop until I hit the first rest area East of Albuquerque around 1 o’clock.   The wind was coming out of the West as I was driving North on I-25.   I was buffeted the whole way, but I kept telling myself that once I hit I-40, the wind would be at my back and it would be clear sailing.  I’m 140 miles through my 315 mile journey.

The Rio Grande River.

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Got to get in the right lane for I-40 East towards Santa Rosa, and I made it.

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Saying goodbye to the mountains above Albuquerque with their dusting of snow from last night’s drastic weather change .

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About an hour after leaving the rest area, the winds turned to the North and picked up significantly.   I was holding the wheel with white knuckles as I was buffeted again.

Lots of high desert heading East across New Mexico.  I am so glad there were no sandstorms today.  With the winds, I was afraid there might be.

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Getting close to Tucumcari with their red dirt and mesas.  Finally, I made it to my destination around 3 o’clock for the evening.

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I got one last insult for the day.  Tucumcari does not have a Walmart.  Five exits and no Walmart!!  I was so tired from not having any sleep and driving over eight hours, I knew I wasn’t going any further.  So, here I am for the night.

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See you later.

18 comments:

  1. Oh Doug! What a night and day you had! I hope you sleep like a rock tonight and you and Yuma stay warm! I can't believe the weather changed so quickly. Those winds would have scared me to death. I hate wind so much. We had high 70's here today! Time for you to come home! 😁 Detergent Town is super western! Or as jim would say "super ssssssssspaghetti wessssstrin!" 😂 Does anybody even live there? Besides that one colorful house? The town reminded me of Little House on the Prairie. Ok sleep tight! Love you!

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    1. Thank you Sarah. I would say about 100 people live there. The bank is a café and the store is a museum and people live in the houses around here. The wind is gone today, thank goodness. Be able to drive in comfort today. I slept like a rock last night. Felt good.

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  2. Darn that Tucumcari, not having a Walmart! I love Chloride, New Mexico! That's where I want to live my next life. What a picturesque little town. I can imagine the horses waiting at the hitching posts. I'm glad you and Yuma survived the wind on the mountain and made it safely to your destination. It made for a long, sleepless night and long, tiring day. Glad you boys are safe.

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    1. Chloride is a very peaceful little place. Everybody knows everybody. I slept very good last night and the wind is gone today. Be a much better day to travel.

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  3. You sure are having a WILD ride Home !! Guess both you and your rig are tougher than you thought - but let's never put it to such an Extreme test again. Hope you got to see Gold Rush tonight, sleep well, and have a really great day tomorrow. This is one day you will remember the rest of your Life. Thank God you are Safe - and soon you and Yuma will be Home with Dolly and Fergie. ��

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    1. Thanks, Moonfly. I'm glad the wind is gone. Very peaceful and still out this morning in Tucumcari. The Gold Rush season is over till next Fall, so didn't have to set up to watch TV last night. Good thing, because I was too tired to do it. Two more days of travel and this adventure will be over.

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  4. Glad to read you and Yuma are tucked in, hopefully out of the wind, safe and sound for the night. Sounds like you had quite the ride. I can see know why you said you will also remember the wind. Stay safe. By the way great pictures of Chloride which is now on Tom's list of places to visit.

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    1. Thanks, Deb. Chloride is definitely out of the way but a nice little town. You will need your Jeep to see their cemetery. The wind is gone today so will be able to travel much easier today.

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  5. Never know what the weather will give us, but made through , now to relax and get some rest.

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    1. Thanks George. Wind is gone today and I got a great night's sleep, so ready to tackle Oklahoma City today. Travel safe.

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  6. Chloride looks like a wonderful place to visit! I love that they keep it spiffed up and relocated the cabin back to its original home. A nice story. Glad mostly that you and Yuma are safe and sound. The winds are scary and put all kinds of things in your head. Seems you are always 'ready to run' and I don't like that feeling. Today should be okay for Oklahoma City but tomorrow we are getting hit here at El Reno with a thunderstorm so be careful driving.

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    1. Thanks Patsy. Chloride is a neat place. I have never been in a wind like that and don't want it to happen again. Hopefully, I'll be out of El Reno before any bad weather. For your sake, I hope nothing comes of the predictions.

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  7. Chloride is right out of the old west! Really cool place. Glad you got some sleep last night. Hard to get a good days drive in when your not well rested. Safe travels today Dad! Love you.

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    1. Thanks Steve. It is a neat town. Way out in the middle of nowhere. Seems I go to lots of places in the middle of nowhere. Love you too.

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  8. I LOVE those old Western towns! That one is AWESOME!

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    1. Thanks Cheryl Ann. Wondered where you've been. Chloride is a neat place. They've done a lot to fix the place up.

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  9. High winds and RV's are not a good mix unless it's a helping tailwind. We once had a big Kansas crosswind tear an awning out on us near Salina.

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  10. uuuuh, photos are very creepy

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