Drive to Portal, AZ

Monday, May 25, 2020 - Portal, AZ

For the last couple of months we have been wanting to drive over to Portal, AZ to check out some land to buy.  Between COVID, the Suburban being in the shop, and changing real estate agents 4 times we are finally going to see some land.  :)  It is a 6.5 hour drive, so we will be spending the night at Portal Peak Lodge.  We packed the cooler with food and drinks just in case we couldn't find a place open to eat.

We drove across New Mexico State Road 9.  It was a very nice drive with almost no traffic and zero cell coverage between towns.  We were driving right along the US/Mexico border.  As we were driving we noticed they are working on building the wall.  In the picture below you can see construction material all laid out and ready to be installed.

In the picture below you can see a big gap in the wall.  You can't really see the material laying on the ground.

We finally made it to Portal, AZ.  This is a picture of the mountain just up the street from the lodge.

This is the Portal Store Cafe and Lodge.  To the right of the picture is the outdoor seating area for the Cafe.  After checking in, we had lunch there. 

Behind the store are the rooms.  

After we ate lunch we drove around to see if we could find the properties.  And we stopped by the monument for spot where Geronimo surrendered.

When we got back to the town of Portal we drove on to Cave Creek Canyon.  Wow!! Was it ever beautiful!!

While we were there we did hike up to an overlook.  

As we were driving we came across several turkeys.

Then we drove back to the lodge and went to our room to grab a bite to eat for dinner.

It was another wonderful day!

Picnic lunch

Friday, May 22, 2020 - Alpine, TX

Happy Birthday Jessica!

For lunch we were going to ride on motorcycles over to Sonic and eat at one of their outside tables, but they were in the middle of replacing all of the tables.  So we ordered our food and went over to Kokernot Municipal Park to eat.  We sat at a table under a tree and enjoyed a nice breeze along with our lunch.

It was a very nice lunch.

It was another wonderful day!

Tumbleweeds

Wednesday, May 20, 2020 - Alpine, TX

Happy Birthday to me!  :)

Today was just another work day.  We did not really do anything special.  We did have couple of tumbleweeds move into our campsite.

It was another wonderful day!

Motorcycle Ride

Sunday, May 17, 2020 - Alpine, TX

Tuesday we took the Suburban into the repair shop to have them fix the clunk we have been hearing in the front end when when we turn sharp.  Well we were hoping to have it back on Friday.  No such luck.  They had trouble getting the bolts off and broke a couple of them.  They had to order new ones and they are supposed to be in on Monday.

This morning Mike worked on his motorcycle. Once he had it fixed we went on a ride.  I haven't taken mine out for a while now.  Mike has been riding it all week to the library.  The battery needs to be replaced, so it needs to be push started.  :)

We took the long way to Creekside Food, Beer and Wine for lunch.  We sat outside by the dry creek.  :)  It was very nice.

Then we headed for the grocery store.  Since we only had our motorcycles we could only pick up a couple of items.  We had heard that the price per pound for hamburger was outrageous, but I couldn't believe it...it was $7.69/pound for 90/10.  I really feel sorry for the people who can't afford it.

It was another wonderful day.

Pinto Canyon

Saturday, May 9, 2020 - Alpine, TX

This morning we ran into the store to pick up some chicken to have a picnic lunch in Pinto Canyon.  Don told us it was very nice and what little I could find on the internet sounded nice also.  Once we got to Pinto Canyon Road, most of the drive was on a dirt road.

Eventually we came upon a sign stating that we were entering Pinto Canyon Ranch.  The next 11 miles are private property and we have to stay on the county road.  It was a beautiful drive; the views were amazing.

The flowers were very beautiful!

This flower had a wonderful aroma, so I posted this picture on Facebook to see if I could find out what it is.

Holly thinks it is Whitehorn Arcacia.  When I looked it up on the internet I think she is right.  :)

We then came across the ruins of an adobe house, which is really hard to see in the picture.  It blends in very well with the scenery.

Then we crossed over a ravine.  I am sure during monsoon season this is full of water.

Then we drove through a small creek with a little bit of water.

Eventually we came to a paved road in the town of Ruidosa.  It is a ghost town.  :)

There is also a General Store and Cantina, but due to Covid-19 it was not open.

We really thought we would come upon a picnic area, but we never did.  We thought we would drive by Chinati Hot Springs, then pull off somewhere to eat our lunch.  :)

Chinati Hot Springs is also closed, but when I got back I looked up information on the resort and it seems like it would be a nice place to spend a night or 2.  :)  For more information check out their website.  Chinati Hot Springs

We finally stopped at a "Y" in the roadparked in the middle of the road, and ate our lunch.  :)  In the 30 minutes we sat there, not a single vehicle was seen.

We decided to drive back on the paved road, so after lunch we drove back down to Ruidosa, turned east, and drove back on the paved road.  :)  It was very hilly (whoop-de-doos), which I tried to take a picture of, but it did not really show up well at all.

Pinto Canyon was not at all what we expected, but it was a very enjoyable drive.

It was another wonderful day!

Foggy Day

Friday, May 8, 2020 - Alpine, TX

It was foggy today....and it is never foggy here in Alpine.  When I took the picture, it makes it look like it was only foggy on the mountain....but the fog was actually all around us.  :)

It was another wonderful day!

Moonset

Wednesday, May 6, 2020 - Alpine, TX

Mike and I decided we would get up early and go walking.  Today on the way back to the trailer the moon was setting behind the mountains and it was beautiful!  It was a great way to start the day!

It was another wonderful day!