CARE Center volunteer duties

Okay as of this moment in time I have been assigned to the maintenance department. I kind of like it because it has me working outside and for the most part alone. Day starts at 6:30 am when I get up, dress, take Spencer out for his morning walk. Next is breakfast from 7:30 to 8am when I get to sit and talk to other volunteers and some members of the CARE center.  Then it is off to work, my assignments include putting out the mail and picking it up, mowing the grass, trimming grass, washing service cars when needed, filling backpacks for school kids once a month. WE break from noon to 1pm for lunch, then finish the day until 3pm what ever we had going.

 So for a six hour day five days a week I get free hook up, but have to pay for electric. Do not recall the having to pay for electric when I was checking it out. So at the normal nightly rate of $18 a night times 7 that is $126 a week plus meals I am getting. Meals are worth what about $50 a day? so that is another $350 plus the $126 = $476 total a week. Work 6.5 hours 5 days a week = 32.5 hours..  Looking at it that way I make $14.65 an hour for what I do..  So now it will depend on how much I get charged for the electric to find the bottom line for this coming two months..

Found out most people only stay one month not two so will keep that in mind if I come back next year.

SO far the people are nice and the job is no big deal ....  Time will tell..

Care Center Livingston Texas

I arrived at the Escapees CARE Center around 11:30 AM, today was all about getting checked in. Tomorrow I will shadow someone that has been here for a few weeks, will start doing solo Monday?

At this time it looks like a good deal, I have free hook up ( except for elec ) will get three meals a day free ( except for breakfast on Fridays ).  This could be a big savings..... If lucky I may get my avg daily spending under $50... So far the best I have done was 51...  After the trip here with the cost of gas it is over 56 again.

For now I have been put into maintenance, for now that will mostly be lawn care, mail pickup, and other odd jobs that I will learn as I go...  Have first staff meeting at 8am tomorrow so will learn more then.. Right now it is time to go have dinner... ( free LOL )

Caverns of Sonora CONT..

Woke up bright and early, had breakfast and walked Spencer, got to see some deer and a Armadillo. First live Armadillo I have ever seen, come across a few dead ones in the road and on some trails. Was nice to see one that was still moving.

After our morning walk I went and signed up for the first Cavern tour of the day 8:45am and lasted until 10:15...  Kind of cool because I was the only person on the tour so we went at my pace...  The only thing I will say is this was the best trip underground I have had to date. Went 155 ft and walking and the photos I took do not come close to showing how pretty it really is. If ever at exit 392 on the I-10 I suggest you check it out for yourself.

 Following photos are ones I liked best, shot over 75 of them.. LOL..

Caverns of Sonora

Looking for a place about 50% of the way to Livingston I found "Caverns of Sonora " ..  Thought I would be able to handle a long day on day one then take it easy the rest of the way. Texas is not always an easy place to plane your road trip, seems like all the good stops are way to early or way to late. This one was just a bit longer the I like, ( 442 miles today ) but it leaves less the 300 for the next two days and only 75 on the last day of the trip.

Arrived at the Caverns to late to take the tour today so will do it first thing in the morning, with crossing a time zone it added an extra hour to my trip. Once I made it to my site I think it was worth it..  Very nice stopover point off I-10 in Central Texas. I highly recommend it if you need a place to stay while passing through, not a lot of good places to stay and this is a quiet option. Peacocks and deer roam the campsites.  My phone and internet worked, no television or dump station.

never seen twin butterflies.. before

Must be mates.

First wild flowers I have seen this year

Shade....  needed it 87 degrees.. OUCH  last week I was in 45 degrees

Almost have trees

Plan on doing the 8am cavern tour tomorrow, so will add to the blog then and let you all know how it went. If half as good as the write ups have been it should be a good one.

Last New Mexico Stat Park this year..

Departed Deming, headed to Las Cruces and Leasburg Dam for a few days, then on to Texas. First stop was the USPO in Deming to mail out  a few items. Then headed to St. Clair Winery in Deming to check it out.

After two "free" taste test I chose the three wines above,
not a bad deal three wines some olives and two small glasses for
$34.03 

Then it was on to Las Cruces and a stop for supplies and coffee. Coffee at Starbucks, supplies ( pills ) at Albertson's.

Last stop before the State Park was to check out Fort Selden State Mon. Follow the Url below for a brief outline about the fort.

http://www.nmmonuments.org/fort-selden

Only building made from stone was the jail..

Sad that we are allowing history to melt away with the rain and wind.

Once again I come across history of the "buffalo Solders " seems that the black solders of the USA have a right to be PROUD!!!!

Did not know this... 

Does not look like it was ever a home... sad....

Made it to Leasburg dam and will spend four nights here before moving on..  Not much to take photos of but will see when I take my hike tomorrow..

Windy City is Deming New Mexico

Decided to get out of City of rocks when I saw the weather forecast for next few days. Could not see myself locked into the rig for two or three days without any thing to do... No TV, internet time almost gone, and nothing to read. So pulled out early this morning before it turned bad, picked up a few supplies then found a RV park that was internet, cable tv, and a swimming pool.

Wind came up late morning and just seems to be getting stronger as time goes by. Glad I am not driving in this mess..

This is not a cloudy day. That is dust being blown around.

Spending the rest of the day watching cable.....

I do not understand

Spencer needed to go outside early today so we went on a sunrise walk. Everything was fine until we passed the restroom/ outhouse at the half way point.  From out of the blue the door slams open and a "BIG" dog comes running out and scared the shit out of me.  Spencer tucked his tail and got between my legs, I pulled out my pepper spay and almost let it have it when the owner came out with "two" more big dogs, at least she had them on leashes. Seeing this instead of using the spray I got a hold of the collar and held it waiting for her to get control of the other two dogs and come and get this one. What does the bitch do??? She starts yelling at me to let her dog go....  I should have sprayed her!!!!!  So I let go and it goes after Spencer again!!!  This time I hit it with a small burst of spray and it goes running back to her.. She is now pissed!!!!  At this point some other people come around and lucky for me took my side and started telling her she was in the wrong on several points..  Not a clue how it all turned out because I picked up Spencer and walked away...

 Now someone please tell me why

1.- she had three dogs in the restroom with her when dogs are not allowed in them to begin with.

2.- She had three big dogs when she could not control any..

3.- Why the fuck the dog was off lease in a public park.

4.- Why do some people believe that no matter what happens it is the other person that is wrong???

After all this next time I will spray any dog off lease that comes near me first ask questions later..


I do not understand people.....

Day of cooking and cleaning

Yesterday was shopping day, had to resupply food and other items used. Drove into Silver City NM, about 31 miles as the road goes. Stopped at a small Cafe for breakfast of coffee, eggs, hash browns, and coffee. The ham went to my cat and dog..... Eat eggs about twice a month, same with coffee, only happens when I stop to eat.  It is nice to sit down at a real table to eat then not have to clean it up when done.

Next stop was a fast tour of "Historic Downtown Silver City NM " it was fast because I did not see anything that was of interest at least not to me. So it was off to shop, stopped at Wal Mart, WallGreens, and Albertsons...  Reason for three was I wanted something I had been reading about online but had not yet found in a store. Seems the makers of Primatene Mist ( no longer available thanks to feds ) have made a tablet using something close to what was in the mist. Wal Mart did not have it and the druggist had not even heard of it. Albertson carried it but the drug counter was closed on Sunday, but at least now I knew I was on the right trail. Next stop Walgreens and were it was, only $10.00 and I had what I hopped would allow me to lay flat and sleep for more the four hours a night. Now it does not work as fast as the mist, and to be honest I do not think it last as long either. However two hours after take the first doss I could breath deep for the first time in weeks and the wheezing, coughing, and just plain discomfort was gone..  I even slept last night for over eight hours, if not for needing to use the restroom I might still be in bed..  LOL...

Today will be spent cooking several dishes then freezing them for later, I only truly cook about twice a month. Today I will make chicken chili, Red Beans and rice, Veggie chili, and two apple pies...  If time permits I will start a three been stew that takes two to three days...  Tomorrow will be spent cleaning up the motorhome, weather is forecast to be in the 70's for next few day so that will give me time to get everything cleaned and ready for the next ride down the road on the 22ed.

Thoughts about City of Rocks

City of The Rocks SP in New Mexico is a great place to visit for a short time. The pro’s to a visit to this park are the sunsets and walking trails. The trails go around the park and through it in a way that lets you see the rocks from all angles, and if you choose you are even allowed to climb on and around the rocks. Thing is that unless you get really lucky you have seen and photographed everything within the first 5 to 10 days. 

The park has a total of ten (10 ) developed sites, four (4) have electric, water, and sewer six (6) are water and electric only. Then there are about twenty other sites without any hook ups. The four with E/W/S are all in use by the camp hosts. First time I have seen four host sites used for a park this size. Three of the remaining six are by reservation only, so that only leaves three sites for someone just passing through. The thing is even if all ten sites are taken they are almost as many host as guest. I have been here for a week now and have seen two men and one women from the host out and about doing anything. Now the one thing I do not understand is why they is no dump site for anyone else in the park. When it comes time to dump my tanks I will have to go into town 30miles away, this will make for a 60 mile round trip when the time comes. Just hoping I will last until the half way point, at that time I will also restock on supplies before returning to my site. 

Another reason not to do an extended stay is the wind that sometimes comes up. Out of the first seven days I have stayed inside because of the wind three times. The last one had winds over 60MPH and had the roads leading in and out of the park closed. I sometimes felt like I was staying on a boat with the way everything was moving around. 

Next blog should be about a visit I am planning to Silver City NM in a few days time. Unless something of real interest happens I do not see any more about City of Rocks.....

Sometimes you get lucky

Tonight I almost did not take my camera along on my evening walk with Spencer. But for whatever reason just as I was headed out the door I picked it up, and am I glad. I had taken just about all the shots of the rocks that I wanted and had not seen a lot of wildlife so when I spotted this owl I could not believe it.

Shortly after seeing the owl I noticed a small rabbit, could this be dinner for the owl?

I then found a place to sit and enjoy the desert sunset. It was overcast today so when the sun went down it made it appear as if part of the desert itself was on fire.