It Was Leaving-Time And 4 Hours Through The Rain

This day began with ---- more rain! Yet, looking at the forecast, it was supposed to be cloudy only. Yet, it rained. 

So getting ready for departures was a mess. Everything outside was dirty with mud. Our outdoor carpet weighed a ton, and we just had to wash off the dirt from everything we picked up from the ground. Luckily, we had lots of water.

But finally we dragged the trailer through the mud holes in camp and onto the road. Our destination today was the Seminole Canyon State Park. The GPS calculated the drive to be 5hrs and 30min.

What you see when driving this route is ranch land, some dotted with oil wells others just Texas brush. Like an endless band the road stretches out in front of you.

First when one comes into the high country, the landscape changes. Up here it is much drier and actually after 4hrs, the drizzle stopped for the first time since arriving at the Falcon Co, Park. There is a different soil up here, like some sort of sand stone. At least no mud!

The towns we passed through are like one-of-a-dozen. rarely do you see anything particularly pretty. Poverty and decay is definitely a problem many places.

Driving through the Amistad National Recreation Area, it was obvious that drought conditions had led to a very low water level in this huge artificial lake.

Railway Bridge across Amistad Lake

We passed through a couple of Border Patrol Check-stops. One officer was really funny and laughed when shown our Canadian passports. "So you have been stuck in the rain down south, huh?", he started a chat. "Well at least we got no snow", hinting at our Canadian origin. What a good-natured fellow he was!

Not long after we reached the small town of Comstock. From there it was only 9 more miles to the Seminole Canyon State Park. 

A friendly lady checked us in for a campsite with water and electric service.

I used the dry weather to check out what was wrong with our water pump. Ever since the line had run empty over a week ago the pump had not pumped any water, but run empty. I suspected it was sucking in air.

Now, it is no fun to work with head in this tiny cubicle where the pump is installed and one needs a light in there. I used a flashlight when I unscrewed the water line from the pump. I put some extra plumbers tape around the threads and reconnected the line to the pump.

Within a minute of running the pump I had pressure on the line. What a relief!

Meanwhile, Bea had been walking Dixie, who has been a fantastic passenger behind our front seats, where she can rest on her comfortable doggie bed. After a day of driving she some times refuses to enter the trailer, and so she did today. Dixie's breed is the one of a herd watch dog. Some times she craves to do that job. So we tied her leash behind the trailer where she couldn't intimidate passersby. But of course some other people walked their dogs along our rig, and Dixie had to "warn" us of the approaching danger every time.

Tomorrow's travel day will be a bit longer than today, as we aim to reach Las Cruces in New Mexico. That will most likely lead to having to pass El Paso during late afternoon rush hour, though I suspect the El Paso rush hour to last most of the day anyway.

Thanks for enjoying the ride with us today and we might see you again tomorrow!

Meadow Lark