I have missed this

Elephant Butte Reservoir


What is this? The quiet, the solitude, the peacefulness, the big sky and the beautiful views. I didn’t realize until last night once we got all set up and we sat down to relax. I told John to listen, what do you hear? Nothing, it was so calm and quiet. There is no road noise here and they are very few people and so the quiet was overwhelming and beautiful. 
The view from our site

Our site
As the sun went down we made a fire, we’ve been carrying around fire wood since October but have had no opportunities to burn it. The wood was a gift from some folks who we met at Glen Elder State park in Kansas. I love a campfire and 4 months without one is just too long, so a night by the fire was just what I needed. 
We are at the South Monticello campground at Elephant Butte State Park in New Mexico. We stayed here last year at the end of March. It was one of my favorite campgrounds from our travels last year so it was an easy decision to return. If you haven’t checked out the New Mexico State Parks you should put them on your list. We have been in two and one of these winters we are going to buy an annual pass and just knock around these parks for a couple months. The nightly rate is just $14 for water and electric. A season pass for non-residents is $225. Once you have the pass the sites are just $4. If you stay past a month the season pass makes financial sense. Either way these parks are a bargain. 

Today started with a beautiful and very calm morning. March tends to be a very windy month in much of the southwest so we try to take advantage of the calm days. After our runs we decided to get the kayak out on the water for awhile. Its been so long we hoped we remembered how to get it ready. Together we figured it out and were out on the water before noon.


You know how when your driving towards the mountains, they always look a lot closer than they really are? Well the other side of this lake is the same way. We headed towards the rocky area directly across from us. We finally thought we were getting there when we saw a motor boat by the shore; it was very small and gave us some perspective on how far away the shore still was. When you are paddling on a lake there is no current to help you along so we floated a little, had a snack and headed back to the dock. Good thing we did too. A little ways from shore the winds started to pick up so the paddling got a little tougher. Shortly after we got back and got the boat out, the winds increased significantly. Man were we lucky. If we get another calm day we may go out again but we’ll stay a little closer to shore.
I know the weather out there has been violent in many parts of the midwest and south. I hope all of you are safe and well. Spring is here and with it comes the tornados and with the warm winter they are here much sooner. To all our fellow travelers - be safe out there.

Comments

  1. Travels with EmmaMarch 5, 2012 at 8:16 PM

    Glad you got to take advantage of the no wind situation. Looks just beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ray/WendyMarch 5, 2012 at 8:42 PM

    Looks like a great spot, we'll have to add that to the list:). Ooh a campfire sounds good.

    ReplyDelete
  3. rjrvtravels.comMarch 5, 2012 at 9:09 PM

    Thanks for sharing - love your Flamingo on a Stick.

    ReplyDelete
  4. KateMarch 5, 2012 at 9:19 PM

    One of my very favorite parks, wish we were there with you! Try the Happy belly Deli in T or C. Or take a day trip up to Kingston, very cool.

    ReplyDelete
  5. owensontheroadMarch 6, 2012 at 6:07 AM

    Oooh, nice place! Nice calm lake to put out the kayak too.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jim and GayleMarch 6, 2012 at 8:13 AM

    One of our favorite places, too. Looks like the water level is higher than last year?

    ReplyDelete
  7. RV Khronicles of KevelynMarch 6, 2012 at 8:23 AM

    What a great place. We'll definitely keep it in mind as we head through New Mexico. I agree about appreciating the quiet. It seems there's always some type of noise at most RV parks, road noise, gun clubs, neighborhood barking dogs, diesels, etc. Have a great time enjoying the solitude!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lu & Terry OurnMarch 6, 2012 at 10:38 AM

    Although it has been great to be at the beach, the mountains always have a certain appeal to us. We want to spend some time exploring NM as everything we hear is positive. Our only short experience this year was a winter storm, so we certainly are not the best judge of that area of the country. It looks beautiful and the reservoir looks perfect for kayaking. I know what you mean about the perspective of distance when you are on a body of water. While on some AZ lakes, we felt at times like we were paddling across the ocean! Enjoy your time in NM.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The Bright'sMarch 6, 2012 at 12:45 PM

    Awesome. Sounds like you are sharing the same experience we are having... just in a different place. Quiet... Solitude... Campfires. Aahh... Isnt it great?

    ReplyDelete

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