A couple great weeks at Elephant Butte NM

The retreating storm clouds
As I mentioned in the last post we decided to stay an extra week here at Elephant Butte and we are so glad we did. Now, last Saturday we wondered about our decision as it got very cold on Friday and then on Saturday we had snow showers. That is not something we enjoy seeing, however the air temp was still in the 40s so it melted as it hit the ground. Sunday we moved into our new space and even though it was a little chilly for the move by afternoon the temps were on the rise. From Monday on it has been in the 70s and the 80s. So all in all we have had more good weather than bad and we are glad we stayed. 
Sparky's in Hatch NM

Love all the kitchy statues.
Tuesday we drove down to Hatch NM, the place all those great green chilies come from. We actually did a quick drive through on our way here but the place we wanted to eat was very, very busy. That’s always a good sign of quality. The place, Sparky’s, was recommended to us by Loren that we met in Kerrville. I also wanted to check a couple of their retail places. So off we went and we weren’t disappointed. The Green Chile Cheeseburger is as good as it is billed! Thanks Loren for the recommendation. 
Wednesday we decided to take a long hike. There is a maintained trail that leaves the campground called the West Lakefront trail. On my runs I had been to the 1 mile marker but no further. So we took of on the trail and hiked about 2 miles to the road to the Three Sisters area. The trail is mainly flat and to say it is lakefront is a little bit of a stretch, you can see the lake but in the first 2 miles you don’t come very close to the lake. We decided we wanted to see if we could get to along the shoreline so down the road we went. On the way there, nearer to the water, are about 4-5 private residences, John took a photo of a sign on one of the properties. I just have to share that one with you. He is such a guy. :)


We took off towards the rock formation called the Three Sisters, which we can actually see from our campground, beyond that is the shoreline. The day was pretty hot but down along the shore was a nice breeze. Instead of going back the way we came we thought a walk along the shoreline to the boat ramp near the campground sounded like a much nicer and it certainly was. We also got to see more birds this way which was an added bonus. We hiked for over 2 hours, which we think put us at about 5-6 miles. We didn’t stop for very long, so it is hard to say.
Birds on a stick. :)

It has been a wonderful week and we are watching the weather for our move. We would like to go up to Albuquerque for a couple days and then on to Winzlow AZ and from there to the Grand Canyon. Sunday to Wednesday looks iffy. The drive to Albuquerque is I25 and has areas known for wind issues. I am hoping we can get there Sunday by midday and then wait out the next front that is suppose to push through. I am always thankful for the internet and weather.com. As we get closer we will know more. We do have a whole week to get to the Grand Canyon (actually 8 days) so we can adjust our route or the days we leave accordingly. We even could stay here several more days if we choose. The New Mexico parks allow you to stay for 21 days, which is nice. 
Our new site
I know the rest of the country has also experienced a nice week with warm days, even in the midwest. We hope you all have had a chance to enjoy it.
Happy Trails.............................. 

Comments

  1. John and CarolMarch 15, 2012 at 9:57 PM

    What a beautiful site for your RV. We did not have time to visit Elephant Butte but hope to go back soon. We are also watching the weather was we move east. This weekend looks like it might be challenging to drive a RV. :) Be careful out there.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kevin ReadMarch 15, 2012 at 11:06 PM

    Oh we so love the Grand Canyon! Hope you enjoy your stay there. We don't like driving in the wind either, Kevin always says that he thinks Sherman is a ship with a sail and that he will take off. Hasn't happened yet, but it has been close once, not fun!

    Kevin and Ruth
    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lu and Terry OburnMarch 16, 2012 at 10:47 AM

    We would love to take a couple of months and experience New Mexico. Our only time there was not so pleasant, due to the weather. We do like Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Madrid, a funky little artist community. Be safe in your travels. The combination of high winds and RV's is not something to take lightly when traveling.

    ReplyDelete
  4. RV Khronicles of KevelynMarch 16, 2012 at 4:14 PM

    The New Mexico state parks are certainly a gem. The forecast for Sunday through Monday is not good for northern Arizona. They're predicting snow in all higher elevations even in our area. Be careful! I sure hope that's the end of it and you'll have great weather for your Grand Canyon visit.

    ReplyDelete
  5. RickMarch 16, 2012 at 10:49 PM

    What a great spot you've got there.

    Sure hope the weather cooperates so you can travel to the Grand Canyon - it's a pretty awesome experience.

    ReplyDelete

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